Who would have guessed that the top earning celebrity couple in Hollywood, according to Forbes Magazine, would be Jay-Z and Beyonce? Well, apparently they are worth a whopping $162 million dollars. This is a huge part from Jay’s deal with Live Nation in which he banked $82. Also, Beyonce brought home about $50 million in concert ticket sales and endorsements. This must be happy and wealthy marriage the two are a part of. Second on Forbes’ list are Will and Jada Pickett Smith, who are worth $85 million dollars together. Will Smith banked in big with the movies “I Am Legend” and “Hancock.” Other recognized couples that banked in the most include: Tony Parker and Eva Longoria with $22.5 million, singer Seal and super model Heidi Klum with $15 million, Fergie and actor Josh Duhamel with $13 million, and Marc Anthony and JLO with $11 million. Just looking at the amount of money made by these celebrities makes me wonder where exactly all that money at???? To see a complete list of the top earning couples, you can go to forbes.com.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

Members of congress were unable to advance automakers request for a bailout in the wake of the financial decline of U.S automakers as a result of the current economic conditions. Officials indicate the inability of Detroit’s Big three General motors, Chrysler and Ford to provide detail convincing reports to show congress how crucial the bailout has become to the American economy and their actual plans on using the proposed $25 billion figure led to congress decision on postponing the request until December 2nd when congress returns from Thanksgiving break. Congress desire for accountability is evident as most individuals blame top executives in these corporations for their current situation and think throwing money at them would be only a short term solution to a recurring problem. Automakers have been trying to sell the severity of the situation to congress by indicating the number of job losses such a crisis would cause and how important the proposed $25 billion dollar is to the American. It still remains to be seen the different turns this story will bring as most automakers fear the worse if a bailout agreement can’t be reached and look towards job cuts etc.

By: Piayon Lassanah

It is bad enough that he is not performing to his expectations as being a big name receiver in the NFL. Chad Johnson has really not performed up to par for the past two NFL seasons. Then there was a point with controversy of him legally changing his name to “Ocho Cinco” or the numbers 8 and 5 in Spanish, his jersey number. Well, Chad is in some trouble was deactivated for last night’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. There were reports on ESPN that he violated team rules, but when first reported there were no specifics. ESPN analyst Chris Mortensen than reported that the reason for being deactivated was that Chad was 45 minutes late for a team meeting and then had a verbal confrontation with Coach Marvin Lewis. Cinco’s agent Drew Rosenhaus spoke on ESPN and hinted that the infraction was minor and will not go past a one game suspension. Well, the Bengals lost another game, in a 27-10 defeat by the Steelers and probably could have used Ocho Cinco, but by his play this season he probably would not have been a difference maker. I’m very upset at Mr. Ocho Cinco because he was my favorite player at one point, now he’s just another receiver.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

T-shirt wearers around the world seem to be endlessly searching for that ideal t-shirt that is so soft and comfortable that you never want to take it off. However, have you noticed that this search is decreasing in difficulty? The feel of the tee shirt has drastically changed over the last few years. Do you tend to favor the softer clothes in your closet over abrasive ones? Gone are standard weight jersey cotton tees, the stiff fabric that may be ideal for the ball court but not so great for the bedroom. Designers have broken down fabric fibers to make shirts thinner and more gauze-y, making fabric softeners almost obsolete. You can pick up 2 almost identical T-shirts and they can feel very different to the touch. The difference is due to a variety of factors. For starters, quality makes a huge difference. That’s why softer tees are more expensive, while cheaper tees are relatively inexpensive. Thread count is another huge factor. If the tee is made of high quality fabric, it most likely contains a 200+ count, referring to how many threads make up an inch of the fabric. Also, manufacturers are implementing many new methods and technology to create a softer feel. Combing techniques remove tough fibers before cotton is spun into thread. Enzyme washes, peaching, burn outs and slub cottons have also made the new tee shirt generation more comfortable than ever. Warning: This trend may have you feeling yourself – literally and figuratively speaking.

By: Andréa Nelson

On Monday night Sgt Timothy Simpson a 20 year old veteran died at the Temple University Hospital after being involved in a car crash while responding to a robbery when his police cruiser was slammed into by William Foster who was being pursued by police officers in a different case. Foster a 41 year old convicted criminal was being chased for running a red light and driving dangerously when he hit Sgt Simpson at the intersection of Aramingo and Allegheny Avenue in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Philadelphia. Officer Simpson left behind his wife and three kids and has a brother who is also in the police force. The death of Officer Simpson raises the total number of officers who lost their lives on duty to five in shortly over a year, Officer Chuck Cassidy, Sgt Stephen Liczbinski, Officer Isabel Nazario and Officer Patrick Macdonald all lost their lives in the line of duty. What angers most citizens and Police Officials is why a dangerous individual as Foster was on the streets after several encounters with the law including Philadelphia New Jersey and Bucks county police departments and several crimes were drug-related, burglary, theft, assault, criminal trespassing etc. His most recent crime was on November 5th for shoplifting in Bucks County and would have constituted a violation and a reason to be jailed after being sentenced to 17 years on probation by a judge in 2007 but it is still unclear why Foster was never apprehended and sentenced. The city and the Police Force mourn the death of another dedicated officer who risked his life to serve and protect us.

By: Piayon Lassanah

Now-a-days it is not rare to see Diddy just about anywhere. The man: had two shows on television during this fall, has a clothing line, a record label, is in charge of several groups and artists, is involved with a brand of vodka (Ciroc), has a line of cologne, starred in a primetime movie and even made a guest appearance on the MTV “TRL Finale” this past Sunday, just to name a few. Well, Diddy is in line for another guest appearance on TV and this time it will be on CSI: Miami. Rumors have it that he will play the role of a federal prosecutor and supposedly will have great dislike for the show’s main character “Lt. Horatio Caine”, played by David Caruso. Diddy is slated to appear on two episodes of CSI: Miami that will air early 2009. Earlier this year, rapper Nelly made a guest appearance on the CSI: New York.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

          When I looked at the schedule for yesterday’s NCAA college basketball game, I was looking towards the late game since that’s when the games usually come on (around 7pm or so). Looking at the schedule, I noticed something very odd. I thought to myself, it is not tournament time so why is there a 10am college basketball game. Well in fact there was a 10am college basketball game yesterday, between UPENN and Drexel, which was a close one but ended in the Drexel Dragons favor 66-64. Then, while looking at the schedule I looked for what ranked teams were playing or what noticeable unranked teams were playing and I stumbled across a few games that fell under that criteria. No. 14, Tennessee played but against a no-name school (Tenn-Martin), No. 11 Purdue played a no-name school (Loyola Chicago), and St. Johns played Boston College. Another big game on last night was No. 21 Davidson versus No. 14 Oklahoma. Stephen Curry and Blake Griffin had big games. Curry dropped 44 points, but Blake Griffin dropped 25 points and 21 rebounds leading the Sooners to victory by the score of 82-78.The game every college basketball fan was probably looking forward to was the No. 1 North Carolina and Kentucky game last night. Kentucky was coming of a heart breaking loss and North Carolina had started its season in a usually winning manner. Well, UNC started off strong and pulled off a 77-58 victory over the Wild Cats, without the best player in college basketball, Tyler Hansbrough. The Tarheels were just playing with Kentucky throughout the whole game as if they were a high school team. I’m looking forward to catching Tyreke Evans play because he has some high expectations.

 By: Adrian Gonzalez

Another hot hit from Nike. These (black/blue/white) AF1 is a key item that all sneaker heads should have in their closet. Expect this hot kick to be available this December.

Stay warm and stylish with the latest collection of outerwear from Guess. These fully lined wool jackets and coats are what the streets been waiting for. Get yourself a Guess outerwear piece now at the Villa.

This weekend was a bad one for the Philadelphia Eagles, a great one for the Tennessee Titans and UFC fighter Brock Lesnar.

NFL: Who would have expected a tie any time soon in the NFL? Well, the Philadelphia Eagles managed to be a part of the league’s first deadlock game in 6 years, as they faced off with the Cincinnati Bengals. The game was a very bad one for both offenses and ended up as a 13-13 tie at the end of overtime. This is very sad for the Eagles and is a big blow for chances to reach the playoffs the way the Giants and Redskins are playing. The Giants beat the Ravens 30-10 to improve their record to 9-1. In the rest of the league the Broncos, Packers, Colts, Saints, Dolphins, Buccaneers, Cowboys and Panthers all picked up victories. The Tennessee Titans are a whopping 10-0 with a come from behind victory against the Jaguars. Tonight’s match-up between the Bills and Browns might be an interesting one to catch.

NBA: The last unbeaten team in the NBA was the Lakers until A.I. and the Pistons rolled into the Staples Center and handed them their first loss of the season this past Friday night. The 76ers got two wins this weekend as the beat the Pacers and Thunder. Also, there were two huge fines handed out this past week. One went to Kenyon Martin of the Nuggets for his actions after being ejected Saturday night from a game for $20,000 and the other went to the Kings coach Reggie Theus for comments he made about the officiating in a loss to the Pistons for the amount of $25,000.

ELSEWHERE: UFC fighter Brock Lesnar gained the biggest victory during his MMA career as he dismantled veteran Randy Couture. Not only did Lesnar get the TKO victory but he also won his first heavyweight championship in his career. With the college football bowl games about a month and a week or so away, Alabama retained its number 1 spot and Texas Tech and Florida round out the top 3 in BCS rankings. Also, college basketball regular season is almost here. I can’t wait to see how Tyreke Evans will perform at Memphis.

Check me out next Monday for the Weekend Sports Recap!

By: Adrian Gonzalez

Just a week after being arrested in New York on weapons charges, Katt Williams has been admitted into a mental hospital for psychiatric treatment. Williams was at a hotel in Sumter, South Carolina when an employee noticed him walking around during late hours just wearing a robe and a towel over his head. When the police showed up, Williams reportedly asked for a hospital, but instead head to a lawyer’s office. Later two family members showed up to persuade him to go to a mental facility, but Williams refused. Then they came back during the day with officers who demanded they take Williams to the facility and with no resistance Katt Williams was escorted out. The whole process will end Monday or Tuesday where a judge will determine if he will need to be hospitalized. Katt Williams is rumored to retire as a stand-up comedian at the end of the year due to mental and physical strain from his road life and the desire to strengthen his family. Hopefully everything is straightened out soon and good luck towards your future Mr. Williams.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

Philadelphia’s “Good’s for Guns Exchange” program on Saturday achieved some positive results as a total of 353 firearms ranging from handguns, pistols, hunting rifles, shotguns among others were taken off the streets of Philadelphia. The program which exchanges handguns for a $100 girt certificate to Shoprite Supermarket was launched over two years ago by State Representative Chaka Fattah and is believed to have collected over two thousand firearms from individuals in the city. On Saturday the program was held by Sate Senator Vincent Hughes and some citizens swapped handguns at the St Barbara Catholic Church on the 5300 block of Lebanon Street in West Philadelphia. The program’s goal is to reduce the violence and murders caused by firearms in the city and promote the overall safety of individuals in the city. The program’s “no questions asked” policy keeps information on the firearms confidential as the firearms are collected by the police and cross-referenced in police databases to determine if they were used in a crime or reported stolen and if the database checks are clean the firearms are then melted. The “no questions asked” policy and the $100 dollar gift certificate are incentives for many individuals who wants to get rid of firearms in their possession.

The program is also popular across the country in several areas, with plans already being set in Akron, Ohio for the thanksgiving break on November 21 and 22 for individuals to turn in guns and receive $100 Acme gift cards for their Thanksgiving meals and other celebrations.

By: Piayon Lassanah

Talk a glance at Kobe Bryant’s McDonald High School All American Hyperdunk. The sneaker is made up of patent leather on the toe along with yellow and red accents, representing McDonald’s signature colors. At the front of the shoe, Kobe Bryant’s high school number 33 is embroidered in red. Get your pair now at the Villa.

With November a few months away, we get an updated look at the upcoming Air Jordan Countdown Pack which is comprised of the Air Jordan VIII (8) and Air Jordan XV (15).This is definitely a one of the hottest packs to hit the streets. Get your pair now at the Villa.

The R+ “Roc Climber” is the evolution of the Rocawear Men’s Line. The boot sums up and incorporates all aspects of what the brand represents…the music, the swagger, the lifestyle and Jay’s personal style. You can now get your pair at the Villa.

A 42-year old American patient who had been diagnosed with aids for over ten years is reported healed after a bone marrow transplant by German doctor Geno Hutter. The patient whose name is currently being withheld for privacy reasons was undergoing a bone marrow transplant to cure his blood disease Leukemia and was apparently given transplanted blood stem cells from another person who’s resistant to the disease. Dr Hutter intentionally placed the resistant bone marrow from a donor with natural genetic mutation which makes blood cells immune to HIV in the American patient and after 600 days without HIV medication and in continued tests the patient still show no signs of the HIV virus. The effectiveness of the treatment requires a patient to find a donor who has a similar tissue match and has the uncommon genetic mutation for immunity to the HIV virus and this would put pressure on most people who wouldn’t be able to afford such a treatment or find an individual with a similar tissue match. The revelation however maintains the path for further exploration and gives hope that a realistic cure for the disease may be developed to help save the lives of millions worldwide currently infected with the virus.

By: Piayon Lassanah

This has not been said since November 19th, 2001. The New York Jets are in sole possession of first place in the AFC East Division. With this season’s slew of Thursday night games, the Jets faced off with rival New England Patriots last night. What looked like a runaway by the Jets in the first half, was really not for the Jets. A second half comeback by Matt Cassel and the Patriots, including a game tying touchdown with one second left sent the game into overtime. The score going into overtime was 31-31, in a deadlock tie. In the first possession of overtime Brett Farve and the Jets rallied down the field and kicker Jay Feely knocked in a 34 yard field goal to win the game for the J.E.T.S…….Jets, Jets, Jets! The Jets can be happy with the big win, but they only have a 1 game lead in the division and still have 6 games remaining. The way the team is playing, they have a legitimate chance to win the division but they cannot sleep on the Patriots because they can quietly bounce right back up. Let’s see how long the Jets will ride in first place because another team takes over.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

No, he did not sell another million copies of Tha Carter III, but Lil Wayne did make history this past Wednesday. He was the first “real” rapper in the 42 year history of the County Music Awards (CMA) to make an appearance at the award show. The show, which took place in Nashville, Tennessee, took a very odd turn. Not only did Lil Wayne appear, but he actually performed alongside Kid Rock. They both wore NFL Tennessee Titans jerseys. Wayne stood in the back a little as Kid Rock performed his track “All Summer Long.” Wayne was also holding a guitar and mimicking the instrumental of the song on the guitar. In other Wayne news, the Dedication 3 Mix Tape is coming out soon and some tour date for Lil Wayne have been posted online including the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ on December, 28th 2009. I just home his tour dates do not get cancelled as some previous shows did about a month ago.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

Circuit City the second largest electronics retailer in the United States filed for bankruptcy on Monday. The bankruptcy move could have been anticipated as stock prices traded relatively low and circuit city had announced the closure of some stores and the reduction of about 17 percent of its
workforce. Circuit city filed under the Chapter 11 code of bankruptcy which would allow the government to protect it from creditors while giving it some time to reorganize and possibly settling its debt on a future date. Shares for circuit city remained below a dollar value and the current low level of
consumer spending is not improving the situation as the company has fewer funds to work with and the current share value sits between 10 and 15 cents.

Circuit city’s creditors are numerous and the amounts in debts are huge with Hewlett-Packard leading the pack at 119 million dollars, followed by Samsung with 116 million dollars. Circuit city still plan on keeping about 566 stores open while it reorganizes and tries to get rid of some merchandise and
employees. It is still surprising to many how a famous national retailer like circuit city would go bankrupt all of a sudden as it owns about 700 stores and 40,000 employees and is definitely the first in the retailer chain to fall so abruptly even though its main competitors Wal-Mart and Best Buy have also made considerable loses as a result of the terrible state of the economy. The irony of the situation however is that the company now becomes attractive to numerous consumers as they figure to have huge sales and discounts especially during the black Friday shopping extravaganza

By: Piayon Lassanah

Does anyone remember the original Karate Kid movie from 1984? Well, I wasn’t even born yet but I do remember seeing the movie as I have seen it plenty of times. It looks like a remake for the original movie is in the works. It also looks like the person to replace the original karate kid, Ralph Macchio, will be actor Will Smith’s son, Jaden Smith. While the first movie was filmed in California, the remake will be filmed starting next year in Beijing, China and other foreign cities as well. The production team for the movie will include Will Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment and Jerry Weintraub (who worked on the original film). The plot for the movie will be very similar to the original as well, about a bullied youth
who learns how to defend himself. The role for Jaden Smith will be big and participating in martial arts already will give him an advantage in the filming process. Filling the footsteps of his father will be difficult, but this movie might be a great start for Jaden Smith.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

Anyone who at least saw highlights of the Celtics and Raptors game from Monday night saw what Celtic’s power forward, Kevin Garnett, did to the Raptor’s Jose Calderon. Garnett was basically taunting him in the 3rd quarter, by staring at Calderon and clapping his hands repeatedly, while Calderon had the ball. He also started pointing in Calderon’s direction and waving his fingers near Calderon’s face. Kevin Garnett did all of this without a taunting technical foul or even being ejected from the game. The referees really blew this call big time. In most situations the call would have immediately been a technical foul on the player, but for some odd reason nothing was called and play resumed. While watching the discussion on what occurred on ESPN, some analysts mentioned how Garnett used to do that to Tim Duncan and he just does it to get into player’s heads. Jose Calderon did have some words with Garnett, but in the end nothing happened. Should the taunting have been called a foul? You be the judge.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

Coming in a “cement” colorway, these 2.5’s have probably one of the most classic colorways out there gracing their design. Stiching resembling a “II” and a “V” adorns the backside of these shoes, reminding the world exactly which model of Air Jordans they happen to be looking at. The 2.5 may not be as famous as many of its others, but this colorway should do wonders for the overall appearance of these shoes. This hot shoe is due to release this December.

In the months leading up to the general election on November 4th, politics have flooded popular culture with more intensity than Lil’ Wayne’s hottest track and Facebook combined. All the mayhem has been prominently on display – literally. Obama’s face graces t-shirts, his inspiring words grace buttons, hats, jewelry – you name it. Fashion designers worldwide have responded to Obama-mania by making great clothes so people can express their political preference. Many websites specializing in custom clothing have now added a “Barack the Vote” section, where Obama fans and artists can upload artwork that may end up on the chests of other Obama supporters all over the globe. Also, sneaker fanatics can find incredible custom Obama sneakers online. Whether or not Barack fashions are for you, they certainly influenced the polls, as a united party jumped on the Obama bandwagon. And whether or not you were a Barack fan from day one, support his vision by rocking some paraphernalia now and again. History has been made. Are you fired up and ready to go? YES WE CAN!

By:Andréa Nelson

The Jordan brand has added a strap to their signature Air Jordan 1. The the original black and red colore scheme to them, these sneakers are bananas. The strap is located on the upper ankle area. One key aspect of the sneaker will be the Jordan wing logo on the strap. These hot kicks are due to release this November.

Finally, they have arrived. The Nike Eggplant Foamposites will probably be one of the most sought after foamposites in a year or two. Not only does the design on the sneaker stand out, but the purple on them just sits right. Get your’s before they are gone.

These crinkled patent leather Nike Air Force 1’s are just simply fire. They are available in red and white and grey and white. If you need a pair of red sneakers for the holidays than these are the ones. If you just need a hot pair of forces, than either pair will do.

Anyone that like corduroys or Levi’s or even both, may be very happy. The Villa has Levi Corduroy bottoms available in brown, black, and gray. They look great and with the right “get up” you will be looking sharp. Stop by your nearest Villa location to get your pair.

The latest member of the Jordan 6 Ring family is the Black/Dark Army/Varsity Red Jordan 6 rings. It seems like every time a new 6 ring comes out, the color combination just stands out even more. The Army Green on the sneakers is suede and there are fire red accents on the sneaker. Get your pair becuase these are on fire.

Imagine having the number one pick overall in a draft and you could only pick one person, who would it be? Well, this is sort of like making this type of decision because there are a lot of number ones involved, but who will be chosen. The person that is standing out in front of the pack to sing at Barack Obama’s Presidential Inauguration is Beyonce. Beyonce has voiced her feeling about singing at the event, but did mention that overall she will be at the event and will do whatever is asked of her, included singing. She has accompanied her hubby Jay-Z on his trail in helping campaign for Obama and feels a part of the change. Other candidates for the position include Mary J. Blige, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Wyclef Jean, and even Kanye West. Mary J. Blige has been an avid Barack supporter as she even joined Diddy, Jay-Z, Russell Simmons, and Kevin Liles and they had a “Last Chance for Change” rally the past 2 weeks. Whoever is chosen will have a lot of bragging right and will enjoy a big moment in their career.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

This weekend was a bad one for Roy Jones Jr. and the Penn State football team, a great one for the Tennessee Titans and Chris Bosh, and a surprising one for some teams.

NFL: Who expected the Tennessee Titans to be 9-0 at this point in the season? They improved to this record by defeating the Chicago Bears this weekend. The Indianapolis Colts got a close victory over the Steelers to improve their record to 5-4. This was another huge weekend for Bret Farve as the Jets rolled over the Rams 47-3. Other teams that scored victories this weekend include the Falcons, Dolphins, Jaguars, Vikings, Patriots, Ravens, Panthers, Chargers and Broncos on Thursday night. Check out the Cardinals - 49ers game tonight, if you are bored.

NBA: I know it is a little early in the season but the Atlanta Hawks are actually undefeated! The Boston Celtics keep on rolling as they defeated Allen Iverson and the Detroit Pistons yesterday to improve to 6-1. In bigger news for the Spurs, Tony Parker will be out for 4 weeks with a severe ankle sprain. With a not so great start to their season, the Spurs need help off their bench to continue its success. The Clippers finally won a game as they started the season 0-6, with a victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Chris Bosh had a huge game (30 pts and 15 reb) in a victory over the Bobcats yesterday. Finally, there are rumors of Lebron James becoming a Detroit Piston in 2010. Well, I’m not too convinced.

ELSEWHERE: Penn State probably ruined their chances of making it to the national championship game with an upset loss to Iowa, giving the Nittany Lions their first loss of the season and dropping them to the 8th position in BSC rankings. Also, in the big fight this weekend Joe Calzaghe took care of business and defeated Roy Jones Jr. by a unanimous decision. Even though Calzaghe was knocked down in the first round, he recovered and did his thing improving to 46-0. This was a huge year for Hoe Calzaghe as he finally decided to come to the U.S. to fight and defeated both Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr.

Check me out next Monday for the Weekend Sports Recap!

By: Adrian Gonzalez

President Obama has offered few individuals’ top positions in his transition cabinet for change as he assembled his staff to assist him begin serving the country while others politicians’ especially top democrats hope to be offered a desired position sometime soon. Some top officials currently already named to the new cabinet includes Mr. Rahm Emmanuel as Chief of Staff, Mr. David Axelrod as Senior Advisor to the President, Mr. David Podesta, Peete Rouse, Mrs. Valerie Jarrett as Transition Co-chairs and Robert Gibbs as Press Secretary. Mr. Rahm Emmanuel was among the earliest Barack selected and is believed to have a high level of understanding for issues and is a good negotiator which would be needed in reaching possible compromises. Mr. David Axelrod served the as the chief strategist to the Obama campaign and will now be the senior adviser to the new President. MR. Podesta, Rouse and Mrs. Jarrett who were all named as co-chair also have immense experience in politics and are believed to be well prepared to serve the positions.

Concurrently many other high profile democrat politicians are hoping to secure a position with the president-elect cabinet. Some notable names include John Kerry who is believed to be in the run for Secretary of State. Mr. Tom Daschle is being linked to Health Care but is currently facing opposition from Howard Dean who happens to be a doctor also. Obama faces another important task of selecting individuals on his the staff as this will go a long way to determine his success in office.

By: Piayon Lassanah

Many people could have pictured tomorrow night’s fight between Roy Jones Jr. and Joe Calzaghe, to take place about 10 years earlier. The reason it did not happen was because Calzaghe was busy with fights in England and Jones was busy with fights in the U.S. Also, at that time, Calzaghe did not want to fight in the U.S. not allowing the fight to actually go down. The common thread between the both is that they wanted to fight each other for some time now, and tomorrow night is when they both get the opportunity. Joe Calzaghe has a record of 45 -0 and Roy Jones Jr. is pushing 40 years of age. This fight is a big one for both competitors because of the implications it has. Joe Calzaghe is talking retirement and is undefeated, while Roy Jones Jr. is at a point of his career where a loss could really put his career near down the drain. This will be an interesting fight. The fight is on HBO Pay-Per-View tomorrow night at 9pm in Madison Square Garden in New York City. By the way, Zab Judah is in the undercard as he will fight Ernest Johnson.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, & Common all have hit the record booth to make new tracks in celebration of Barack Obama becoming the 44th President of the United States of America. Jay-Z’s track, titled History, was debuted on the Angie Martinez Show in New York City on Hot 97. This track comes after months of personally endorsing Obama in the presidential race. Here is one line from his track: “Now that all the smoke is gone/And the battles finally won/Victory is finally ours/History, so long, so long/So long, so long.” Busta Rhymes’s track, titled Pop Champagne - Barack Campaign, is a politically themed remake of a Ron Browz track. Busta was so excited about voting that in a line from his track he mentions it: “We celebrating this Barack win,” Busta raps. “And I heard a voice calling/While everybody was yawning/ I was up and I was roaring/ I voted seven this morning.” Finally, Chicago native Common created a track titled Changes. His track basically is meant to express the powerful force of change. In one line of his track Common express this: “Change is inevitable. You can’t stop it. Change is happening in everybody’s life. Change is like a furious hurricane that you can’t stop.” If you haven’t heard the tracks, than you should search for them because they are a part of our history.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

The impact of Wall Street’s financial turmoil on American cities has become more evident as in less than a week both Mayor Michael Nutter of Philadelphia and Michael Bloomberg of New York announced budget cuts aimed at slashing deficits facing both cities.

Mayor Michael Nutter announced yesterday in a budget address his plan to reduce the city’s current budget deficit. Mayor Nutter’s plan included the proposed closure of about 68 swimming pools, the closure of 11 library branches, the laying-off of 200 city workers and elimination of 600 vacancies, freezing the current business and wage tax for the next five years, the removal of small residential streets from
snow plowing routes etc. The plan which is scheduled to begin on January 1st 2009 according to Nutter includes a ten percent pay cut in his $186,000 salary and other pay cuts of some top officials within his cabinet. The mayor also plan on introducing a proposal to the Treasury Department to include Philadelphia and other cities in the fiscal bailout plan and working with President-elect Barack Obama to secure federal funds for cities with infrastructure costs as Philadelphia current budget deficit is estimated at $850 million.

On Wednesday mayor Bloomberg announced his plan to reduce the city’s budget gap of 303 dollars this year and 3.7 billion dollars next year. The mayor’s plan includes the proposed reduction of about 3,000 city jobs partly through the lay-off of about 500 city workers, a 7 percent tax property tax increase, the cancellation of Police classes for new cadet officers in January, reduction in fire academy hours and
overnight personnel, the elimination of 320 seasonal park jobs and 187 sanitation street cleaning jobs etc. The budget cuts by both mayors drew mixed responses as many believed they are needed even though most people would be upset by such program and personnel reductions. The tight nature of Philadelphia’s budget due to untouchable established expenditures like pensions, salaries and benefits contributed to the difficulty in coming up with such budget cuts for example as the Mayors faced a daunting task of deciding which programs to cut.

By: Piayon Lassanah

The wallet chain trend is spreading like ketchup, originated from the punk-rock culture and links fashion and function – no pun intended. Even in a recession, having the right accessories is important– including a hot jean wallet chain. This old school accessory has been catching on in hip-hop fashion as an innovative new style that as usual, all the hip-hop stars are wearing. Pocket watches of the last century were the inspiration of the modern day jean wallet chain. As a historically functional accessory, it has catapulted to popularity by serving a fashion purpose – (cause let’s face it, wallet chains look kind of hot), and a function purpose (cause we’re in a recession and thieves may jack your wallet – even if it’s on fire and the fire department are on their way.)

Men have usually kept their wallets in the back pocket of their jeans, either with or without a jean wallet chain due to the wallet’s bulkiness. However, a few things have changed. For starters, carrying a wallet in a back pocket makes it an easy target for theft and pick-pocketing, unless you have a jean wallet chain. Secondly, trends have changed. Dress pants and high-end trousers, no longer always have rear pockets – and the wallet chain was born. These chains are manufactured in various finishes – gold, chrome, brass, etc, various lengths – from short and sensible to long and ornate. They also can incorporate trendy detail – skulls, cross-bones, studs, etc. To get the chain that suits you best, you just need to know where to shop. Also, many wallets from all brands and price points now feature chrome links so that the customer has the option of attaching a wallet chain at will. So try to incorporate this trend… your swag – and your stacks, may thank you and return the favor.

By:Andréa Nelson

Ever since Stephon Marbury joined the New York Knicks, it just seemed like a bad choice on part of the organization. He is probably one of the highest paid NBA athletes to probably perform really mediocre or not up to par and part of some type of distraction to the team. So why keep him, and not trade him? Team president Donnie Walsh says that Marbury is a good player, but the organization has made the decision to let him ride the bench and make his $21.9 million without playing. On the other hand, if any of the Knicks top three guards (Chris Duhon, Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson) get injured, then Marbury will be able to get some playing time. Ironically, Marbury has not done anything to make the situation any worse in fact he has been “behaving” well with what is going on. He is in the last year of his contract so if things stay the say it seems like after this season or maybe before it is over, that Stephon Marbury will no longer be a New York Knick. Personally, I think Marbury should just go play overseas where he might actually make some type of impact. The league has too much talent for Marbury to actually make a significant difference for any ball club. The NBA players association is set to come in and help Marbury with the situation. Whatever finally happens, it looks like the Knicks will need some serious rebuilding or turn around to compete in the eastern conference because it just seems like one bad decision after another for the organization.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

Black Eyed Peas group leader Will.I.Am will be releasing a new music video today, but why an article about his new music video? Than answer is that the video will be a tribute to this historic presidential election. The theme behind the new video and song that is titled “It’s A New Day” will have testimonies from fellow celebrities, paying tribute to the people that made the historic election what it was. Also, this idea stems back to Will.I.Am’s confidence that Barack Obama would be the next president of the United States. Earlier this year, he came out with the song/video titled “Yes We Can” in which Will.I.Am went through his feelings about the presidential race and the importance of world issues. I just have to say that I am proud of all the celebrities in some way or another made an impact in voicing their opinions and getting others out to the polls on the historic day of Nov. 4th, 2008. The songs/videos on the election can be found at http://dipdive.com/.

After several months of anticipation and for the first time in history an African American was elected President of the United States. President Barack Obama in a convincing victory over Senator McCain won 349 of the required 270 electoral college vote and 52% of the popular votes while senator McCain won a mere 147 and picked up 42% of the popular votes. President Obama picked up a few republican strongholds and battle states like Virginia, Ohio, New Hampshire and Iowa which was anticipated before the elections and swept other democratic strongholds like Pennsylvania, California and New York convincingly.

Polling stations in the area opened as early as 6:00am in New Jersey and 7:00am in Pennsylvania and Delaware. The voting process went smoothly with very few long lines in the early morning but as the afternoon came so did the crowd at some polling stations. Many voters seemed excited in the Philadelphia and Delaware county area and there were relatively few issues. When polls closed at 8:00 pm many voters stayed glued to their television sets waiting for the official announcement. President Obama sprung to an early lead which he maintained and built upon up till about 11:00 pm when it was announced on CNN that he had officially won the election and the pandemonium began as several excited supporters took to the streets and screamed “Yes We Can” “Yes We Did” all night long. College students in the city joined local residents in a march to city hall where the excitement continued as several people wearing or waving Obama paraphernalia screamed in excitement with some even hanging out of vehicles. The crowd enjoyed the historic celebration and managed to stay safe as there weren’t any visibly Police arrests or destruction to public property by citizens as was evident in the Phillies World Series parade last week and the cops did a great job in maintaining safety and clearing up traffic by blocking off several sections of Broad Street which was filled with pedestrians and redirecting traffic to other less busy connecting streets. Thanks to all those who took part in History by voting and your voices were heard.

By: Piayon Lassanah

Sources on espn.com say that a deal to send Allen Iverson to the “Motor City” Detroit will be finalized as early as this evening. After the Pistons lost to the Boston Celtics in last season’s Eastern Conference Finals, the lost basically put anyone’s job in jeopardy, according to team president Joe Dumars. The team had difficulty in making a deal over the summer, but it seems that just after two games into this current season in the NBA, a deal is just about finalized. The proposed deal will send guard Allen Iverson from the Denver Nuggets to the Detroit Pistons for guard Chauncey Billups, forward Antonio McDyess, and center Cheikh Samb. Billups and McDyess will be returning to the Nuggets as they both played for the team back in 1990. By acquiring Billups, Denver hopes that he will mesh better with Carmelo Anthony, than Allen Iverson. Iverson is in the last year of his contract and will be receiving $20.8 million this season. Can Iverson actually have a chance now to finally get a ring?…….I don’t know. It seems like he might because Detroit has been contenders the last several seasons, but everyone knows the type of player on and off the court Iverson is. So what team will have the better outcome after this trade is finalized???? Only the season will tell.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

I can’t call myself a sports writer without writing an article on the grand finale to the Philadelphia Phillies World Series Championship….the parade. The parade was remarkable and really something for the record books. There was a reportedly 2.5 million fans in the city supporting the team on the parade route, and I was one of them. The scene at 15th and Market Streets was one you would probably stay away from if you were not there by 9am because there really was not a spot to see the actual players come down the parade route, unless you worked in one of the buildings around the route. Philly fans were trying to get on top of anything possible to get a good view, even a local news channel’s van, until the police intervened. New channels also mentioned that only about 60% of high school students were in class on Friday, due to the parade. Following the parade route from 15th & Market St.. All the way to the sports complex was a first and unforgettable experience. This is probably the first time in a long time that so many people in the city of Philadelphia were so happy for a common cause. The whole Phillies organization that was on the floats in the parade head from 20th and Market St., all the way to the sports complex in South Philadelphia. From there, they made a stop at Lincoln Financial Field, then at Citizens Bank Ball Park for the ceremony. Overall, this was a great experience and the city is ready for another one next year. Go Phillies!

By: Adrian Gonzalez

With the presidential election only a day away, hip-hop icons; Diddy, Mary J. Blige, Jay-Z, Kevin Liles, and Russell Simmons will be campaigning in (Philadelphia, PA – Cincinnati, OH – Columbus, OH) today. They are going to be on N. Broad St., between Susquehanna Ave. and Dauphin St. today from 11:30am-12:30pm. Together, these hip-hop icons will be talking about the importance of this historical presidential election. They will also try to urge voters to cast their votes for Barack Obama. This is one last effort to bring change to our country. The real importance besides which candidate that you will vote for is the actual action of coming out to vote because everyone’s vote counts. I’m iterating the importance of this year’s presidential election because of the bad conditions our country is currently experiencing. So if you are in Philly, Cincinnati, or Columbus today try and come out to the Last Chance for Change Rallies and hear how these hip-hop icons feel about the election and urgency for change.

By: Adrian Gonzalez

Americans have indicated their current disapproval of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin as majority feels she is responsible for Senator McCain current decline in popularity among voters. Information from CNN Research Corporations Opinion Survey proves most level of support for senator McCain is declining as a result of his running mate Sarah Palin who most believe is not qualified or lacks knowledge on many of the issues surrounding this election. Poll results from likely voters prove 57% believes Palin does not have the personal qualities of a president and this represents an eight percent increase since September of this year. Also 53% of individuals had indicated their support for Palin over Joe Biden in a separate vote for vice president but the current polls shows Biden would defeat Palin by about 12 percentage points if separate elections were held for vice-presidents. Also according to the polls 53% of likely voters believe McCain would continue Bush policies as indicated by Barack Obama, while 45 percent believed otherwise.

Sarah Palin’s low level of approval has come as a surprised since she initially had a high approval after the announcement of her as vice President candidate but many negative press revelations has contributed to her current low appeal including a $150,000 clothes expenditure by the Republican campaign for the Alaskan Governor, her daughters teenage pregnancy which most believe was due to Palin’s inability to control her household and reports that she won the vice presidency candidate nomination by Washington lobbyist influence. McCain’s overall decline in support as a result of Sarah Palin’s nomination is difficult to measure since she was partly responsible for his popularity due to her initial appeal.

By: Piayon Lassanah

Another hot release by Nike; this Brown/Orange Nike ACG Air Wildtrail is the perfect sneaker to add to your collection. A simple color-way is always easy to match up with your gear. Check this sneaker out at the Villa.

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