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Will Smith is a BEAST…his latest achievement-Mr. Smith has been crowned the highest earning actor in Hollywood, with a fortune of $80 million. He has become the first to rank in Forbes best paid actors of last year…that’s right, not this year but in 07! The full lists of Hollywood pay checks are as follows:

1. Will Smith – $80 million
2. Johnny Depp – $72 million
3.Eddie Murphy – $55 million

4.Mike Myers – $55 million
5. Leonardo DiCaprio – $45 million
6. Bruce Willis – $41 million
7. Ben Stiller – $40 million

8. Nicolas Cage – $38 million
9. Will Ferrell – $31 million
10. Adam Sandler – $30 million

Congrats Will and Eddie Murphy!!!!

In the nineties, former President Bill Clinton and his team made the catch phrase “it’s the economy stupid…” their mantra in two presidential election wins. They surmised that what mattered most to American was not foreign policy, crime, or smaller government. What mattered most to people was the economy; how much money they had to live on and to pass onto their children. That was what people cared most about, and if they could (and they did) talk about it and tell their story and their plan—in a way in which most Americans could understand, then pull it of – they would win. It’s the economy stupid! Money matters to people, and the economy will win or loose people elections almost (see 9-11, the terror scare and the politics of fear approach of the Republican Party) every time

I watched CNN’s presentation of Black in America last night, as I hope most informed forward thinking people I this country did. I thought the first of their two part series was excellent. I look forward to the second installment tonight. In light of that this blog past will be fairly short, and I want to hear from you the readers. I will pose the questions and then give you my opinion. I hope that you respond with your opinions whether you agree with me or not.

What is the most pressing issue facing Black America today?

I hope there are lots of different answers ranging from too many children being born out of single parent homes, to wage disparity between Blacks and other ethnic groups, to the lack of wealth creation versus rampant consumerism in our community. I want to hear arguments from you about all of these issues.

I contend that this single biggest problem facing Black America is the problem of education; access to quality education, the devaluation of it as a priority in our community, and the dearth of viable equal and functional educational choices for Black inner-city children.

Education is the great equalizer. My mother stated at FAMU, but only got thru one year before having to drop out to work. My father never went to college, or even saw it as a viable option. Instead, my dad chose to take one of the abundant blue collar jobs in a tire plant in my hometown, and then go to the military. My dad worked for 35 years in that tire plant, and retired from there to take another job and continue to provide for his family. My mother worked for the school board as a “lunch lady” a cafeteria food service employee for my HS Alma Mater. They wanted what all parent want for their children—a better life for me than they had. Their answer for that was for me to go to college. It was an EXPECTATION in my home, and as a result it is an expectation for my daughter. My education has afforded me opportunities and broadened my horizon. It has taken me to places I would have otherwise been unable to go, meet people, network and develop relationships to which I would have otherwise never been exposed. It has made me money. My education was the greatest investment made in my life to date. It took me out of my old neighborhood, and the black hole for the black men with whom I grew up and as a child called “friend.” It literally saved my life and established my future.

When our young people don’t have access to that same opportunity by virtue of attending failing, deteriorating, forgotten schools, they are being sentenced to a lifetime of second class citizenship. It is that simple. If we don’t fix the education gap in this country for African Americans then we run the risk of our entire country – which is becoming increasingly Black and Brown—no longer being the leader in the world, a “super power.” This is a national security issue, and one that should alarm every right thinking African American. It is the quintessential issue for my generation and ones to come. That’s my opinion– it’s education ….stupid!

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Bad Boy Records boss Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs will take on a new presidential role when he poses in an upcoming photo shoot as U.S. Presidential hopeful Barack Obama.  The hip-hop honcho will pay tribute to the Democratic candidate in an upcoming issue of Italian men’s fashion magazine L’uomo Vogue by posing as the potential world leader, according to reports.

Rapper The Game has been inundated with TV and radio offers after announcing his plans to retire.  The Los Angeles-based star insists his upcoming third album, L.A.X., will be his last and he now hopes to devote more time to his family and other business opportunities.

Rock legend Jimi Hendrix has become the latest musician to appear in video game Guitar Hero. Experience Hendrix, which controls the rock icon’s musical legacy, is providing his music and likeness for use in the game.  An avatar of Hendrix as well as the song The Wind Cries Mary and a live version of Purple Haze will be included on Guitar Hero World Tour.

This is almost becoming like a broken record.  I guess I could say at least it isn’t for drug possession, but  does that really make it better.

DMX has been arrested for a fifth time this year over allegations of identity theft.  He was detained by police in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday on suspicion of giving a false name and social security number to a hospital to avoid paying for his medical expenses.

Simmons is accused of visiting the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, in April and giving medical officials the fake name of Troy Jones.  He then allegedly failed to pay a $7,500 bill.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio says, “He’s back in jail again. I don’t know why judges keep letting this guy out. Every time he goes in there, he gets out on bond. I’m hoping this is the one time he’s going to pay the penalty for his offense.”

The latest arrest is just one of many legal woes the hip-hop star has faced so far this year. To recap it all, in January, he was arrested for allegedly speeding down a Phoenix, Arizona freeway. In May, he was charged with suspected drug possession and animal cruelty following raids on his Arizona home.

A month later in June the star was arrested for allegedly attempting to buy drugs from an undercover officer, and earlier this month he was taken into police custody for violating his bail terms relating to a previous incident in June of driving without a valid licence.

By now, everyone’s feeling the pinch of high gas prices, so don’t miss out on your chance to win $50 worth of free gas. openentrance.com will be holding a weekly contest that gives away free gas to the Top Four(4) Commentators for the week.

To be eligible:
The top four(4) commentators from Monday(12:00 am) through Friday at 5:00 pm(EST) will win a $50 Gas Card that can be used at any gas station in the United States that accepts Mastercard or Visa. So entering the contest and competing is easy, simply comment frequently on posts on openentrance.com. That’s it!

The Top 10 commentators are listed in the left sidebar about half way down the page. If you are not in the Top 10 , but would like to see how far away you are from possibly winning the contest, you can check the Top 100 Commentators page which is listed on the navigation bar at the top of the page.

For bloggers, this is a way to get two links to your site: one on the left side bar and and the other on the Top 100 Commentators page.

Let the games begin!!

Rules:
1. Contest is only available to residents in the United States.
2. This contest will be held weekly.
3. Winners of all contests will be contacted at the email address used with their comments and the person receiving and replying to the winner announcement email will be considered the winner unless they specify another person within the reply email as the winner.
4. openentrance.com will mail the contest prize to the address supplied by the recipient of the winner announcement email.
5. openentrance.com reserves the right to alter any rules of any contest at anytime.

An auction of soul legend James Brown’s belongings has raised over $850,000 - which will pay off the late singer’s outstanding tax bills. His possessions were sold to fans and celebrities alike who were eager to own a piece of music history. Brown’s former business managers, Buddy Dallas and Alford Bradley, had tried to halt the auction after learning the cash raised would go to his estate, but a judge ruled on Monday (14Jul08) that the sale could go ahead. The top lot was a black cape embroidered in metallic thread with the words James Brown, which fetched $47,500- more than double its estimate. The leader of the Late Show with David Letterman’s band, Paul Shaffer, bid $32,500 to win a medical bracelet which stated that Brown was a diabetic. Brown died of heart failure on Christmas Day in 2006 at the age of 73.

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