First Lady Michelle Obama ON Higher Learning, Resilience, And Making The Most Of Opportunities In ESSENCE MAG
For ESSENCE Magazine's August 2014 issue, FLOTUS Michelle Obama, wearing a teal dress by Azede Jean-Pierre, explains her passion for higher learning and shares the tools and life lessons she's passing onto her daughters Sasha and Malia. She also champions hardwork and discusses the importance of nurturing resilience in our children. Here are the highlights:
On Working Hard and Believing In Yourself:
"I know I tell my kids all the time that they shouldn't shy away from difficult things, because that is the point at which you are really growing. It's not just about grades or test scores. Today our kids may shy away from applying to college if they think they don't have the right grade or test score. But the truth is that the kids who succeed and go on to be successful professionals are the ones who know how to work hard."
On Opportunity and what we owe our Ancestors:
"We cannot waste the opportunity that we have here in America, especially as African-Americans. Our ancestors fought and bled and died so that we could go to school. And I still think about that."
On Preparing Sasha and Malia for the future:
"We talk about responsibility and accountability, about making sure that they're not wasting the opportunities they're given. We make sure they know how lucky they are and that, because of that, they have an obligation to have their acts together and to take their education very seriously."
In addition, this month's issue also features ESSENCE's "Education Special," where real-life moms talk about their children's education. In "Moms on the Front Lines," ESSENCE salutes six women whose extraordinary work in education reform. In "The Secrets to Raising Really Smart Kids," ESSENCE asked experts across the country for their best tips to propel our kids to excellence. Readers can pick up the August issue of ESSENCE on July 4th.
U.S. World Cup Run Ends In 'Heartbreaking' 2-1 Loss To Belgium In Extra Time
There was no surrender from the United States. But there would be no victory either in its final appearance at the 2014 World Cup.
Belgium overcame a historic performance by U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard in a 2-1 win in the Round of 16 at Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador on Tuesday. With Howard making one sensational save after the next, the elimination game remained scoreless through 90 minutes despite Belgium taking far more shots than the U.S. side. Howard's 16 saves were the most in a World Cup game in over 50 years, according to ESPN Stats & Info.
"It's heartbreaking," Howard told ESPN's Jeremy Schaap after the final whistle ended the 120-minute encounter. "I don't think we could have given any more. What a great game of football."
With reserve forward Romelu Lukaku providing a spark, Belgium finally got a ball past Howard in the fifth minute of extra time. Lukaku surged up the right wing, shrugging off U.S. defender Matt Besler before crossing the ball into the penalty area. Belgium's Kevin De Bruyne got to the ball and then drove a low right-footed shot past Howard.
Belgium appeared to seal its win when Lukaku added a second score in the 105th minute. The powerful 21-year-old striker, a teammate of Howard's at Everton, came in from the left wing and sent a powerful left-footed shot in at the nearest post. Instead of signifying the end of the match, the Red Devils' second score sparked a late wave of attack from the U.S. side.
Just two minutes later, 19-year-old midfielder Julian Green pulled back a goal for the U.S. with a brilliant right-footed volley while on the move in the Belgium penalty area.
The U.S. pushed for an equalizer with every second it had at its disposal after Green's sensational effort, coming perilously close with a set play on a free kick from outside the Belgium area. The valiant effort in the closing minutes went unrewarded as Belgium held on for the 2-1 win. Belgium will face Argentina in the quarterfinals on Saturday, July 5 at Nacional in Brasilia.
"It's a bummer," U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann told ESPN Jeremy Schaap. "We were so close. I think we can all be very, very proud of this team."
WE’RE STILL PROUD GO USA!!!
Beyonce, LeBron & Dr. Dre: Forbes’ Most Powerful Celebrities
It’s been another big year for star earnings, and Forbes has just released their annual Celebrity 100 List, ranking famous folks according to money and fame.
And not surprisingly, Beyoncé Knowles topped the chart, having brought in $115 million between June 1, 2013 and June 1, 2014 from her album, fragrances and endorsement deals.
Firmly in second place is LeBron James, with a $72 million income plus plenty of prestige from his Miami Heat success and namesake products.
Additionally, Dr. Dre is sitting pretty at #3, as his Beats empire was acquired by Apple for $3 billion and he’s now on the payroll at Cupertino.
Rounding out the top 10 are Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Jay Z, Floyd Mayweather, Rihanna, Katy Perry and Robert Downey Jr.
Ciara poses in all-white on the cover of the latest BRIDES magazine.
She’s wearing a long-sleeved embroidered Chantilly lace Reem Acera gown, complete with her own accessories. The gorgeous bouquet of cream garden roses was crafted by Miho Kosuda and Urban Decay is responsible for her natural makeup.
In the mag, she dishes on motherhood, her relationship with Future and of course their upcoming wedding plans.
The singer admitted she “loved” the classic dress she rocks on our cover, which is surprising since she’s known for her daring red carpet looks. “My everyday style is what I call ‘tomboy chic,’” Ciara tells us. “But for my wedding, I’m going to do elegance with a little edge.”
As for her fiancé, she let it slip that she always knew she’d spend forever with Future. When asked when she knew he’d be her husband, she replied: “Very early on. He came with something that I’d never felt before: the true presence of a man.”
We can’t wait to read more (and see more photos) when the issue hits stands on July 8th.
Tank Is Not Happy About Young Money Winning For Best Group (Tweets)
Tank, Genuwine and Tyrese were nominated for the Best Group Category at the BET Music Awards the other night, but was beat by Lil Wayne’s Young Money Crew! Well, Tank was not happy about them winning, so he took to Twitter to vent his frustrations.
First of all they didn’t even have a major hit, nor any real radio play, so I don’t get why he’s so pissed. How quickly people forget, remember this performance last year? If you truly don’t care, then you shouldn’t speak on it.
Two Members of Jason Derulo’s Entourage Accused of Sexual Assault
Two members of Jason Derulo’s entourage have been arrested in Ireland for allegedly sexually assaulting a pair of female fans aboard the singer’s tour bus, according to an Irish report.
One of the teenage girls claims she was raped, while another alleges she was sexually assaulted, according to the Independent.ie. Following the alleged incident, the two girls were taken to the South Infirmary Victoria University hospital for medical treatment.
The two men were arrested in Cork, Ireland, but were later released without charge.
Irish officials are currently investigating the girls’ claims and have reportedly seized the bus in order to conduct a forensic examination.
Derulo was not on the bus when the alleged attack took place.
SHE MAD OR NAH?: K. Michelle SHADES Elle Varner…Over Meek Mill?!
“Love & Hip Hop” star K. Michelle is known for speaking her mind and throwing shade when she feels the need. And it seems she was a little pissed after peeping pics of her “former” friend Elle Varner and Philly rapper Meek Mill.
Now why is K mad? We’re not entirely sure. But we believe it’s over a picture posted of Elle with her arms wrapped around Meek’s neck, which they both posted to their respective Instagram accounts.
On Saturday, Meek and Elle attended a private dinner at Mr. Chow to celebrate Russelll Simmons and Steve Rifkind’s launching of their new music label, All Def Music (ADM). The two snapped a pic (above) and Meek posted it to his IG with the caption, “#nocurvezone @ellevarner.” Elle also posted the picture with the caption, “R/P @meekmill #nocurvezone [heart emoji]”
Apparently, a few months back Meek and Elle had a little run-in with one another where Meek tried to “holla” at the “Cold Case” singer and she “curved” him. Meaning…she played him. She went on Twitter saying she gets awkward when it comes to guys trying to talk to her tweeting, “I’m so awkward I accidentally curved Meek Mill once lol”
Meek later hopped on Twitter and dismissed Elle’s comment tweeting, “She said she curved me I don’t remember… Lol” That explains why the MMG rapper captioned the picture "#nocurvezone."
K. Michelle must was feeling some type of way and got caught up in her feelings about the picture because she hopped on Instagram and posted this message (which has since been deleted):
REFILL? Y’all know that’s Elle’s hit track. But why is she mad? Did she date Meek? Hmm…
And why is she throwing subliminal shade at Elle? Especially since she said they were once close friends. And Elle even filmed K's spinoff reality show with her, which is airing this fall. Is this all part of a PR tactic to stir up drama around the show? Hmm.
They're close enough for her to call Elle her sister and give her a special shout-out on her birthday, gushing on how she will always have her support and loyalty.
Check it below:
"Happy Bday to my sister my friend @ellevarner Thanks for having my back and being such a beautiful soul. I don't trust a lot of people anymore, but you my dear will always have my support and loyalty! Enjoy your Bday. Love ya"
Is K mad that her "sister" is pushing up on her "man" or former flame? So many questions...not enough answers.
Zendaya Shines in Flaunt Magazine Feature
She’s taking the entertainment world by storm, and Zendaya Coleman's latest interview with Flaunt magazine also comes with a high-fashion photo spread and a hypnotizing video clip.
The Disney starlet dons goodies from labels like J Brand, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Fausto Puglisi and Dior while working under the direction of Tyler Kindred and photographer Frederic Auerbach.
In her interview with Flaunt, Zendaya offered some tips on teen dating- “I would say my number one piece of advice is to find something you’re passionate about and make that your priority. Being girls, we think about guys all the time and put them in front of us. Find something that you love so much you don’t have to be distracted. Love is a great thing, as long as you first focus on yourself.”
As for the songs on her new album, she explained, “Not many of them are too emotional. They’re not like heart-wrenching ballads. I wanted to keep it pretty light, but one of the songs I really like is ‘Heaven Lost an Angel.’ It has an old-school vibe. Originally the song was meant for a guy. I helped them rewrite it for a girl. It’s a big, long pick-up line. I think it’s cool that it’s reverse roles. It’s the girl trying to use all these corny pick-up lines on the guy.
And Zendaya says her mom and dad are the people she most looks up to- “Honestly role models will always be your parents. They are literally the role models. You learn from their mistakes, the things they teach you, right from wrong. I have a lot of older siblings too and it’s really nice that I have people that are a step between parents, the generation gap
Justin Bieber The Hero, Rescues Floyd Mayweather’s Children From Car Crash
You can add hero to Justin Bieber resume as he saves Floyd’s kids from a car crash in L.A. on Sunday. The crash took place while Floyd was walking the red carpet for the BET awards, but Justin Bieber was nearby to help is kids
According to TMZ:
Bieber happened to be in an SUV not too far away from the crash and jumped into action, racing to the scene.
Biebs told the cops he was friends of the family and wanted to check on their well-being.
We’re told it was a multi-vehicle collision … several cars and a motorcycle. The kids were not seriously injured — one had a busted lip — and Bieber tried comforting them by playing his new music for them.
Bieber was then allowed to put the kids in his SUV and drove them to Floyd … then returned to the accident scene to inform cops the children were with the boxer.
I’m glad no one was hurt….
Rihanna & Papa Fenty Have a Dinner Date
While many of us were holding our breath for a Rihanna appearance at the BET Awards, Rihanna decided that she’d rather spend time with her father.
She took her dad to her favorite restaurant, Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica. If you’ve been following Rihanna on Twitter, then you know she’s really into the World Cup. She showed her support for Mexico’s team by wearing a bright green jacket over her black ensemble.
Louis Vuitton Sued Over Claims That Employee Called Black People ‘Slaves Who Eat Dirt’
Luxury brand, Louis Vuitton has come under fire for allegedly using racist comments against an African employee, reportedly saying, “Black people are slaves who eat dirt off the floor.”
Mirror reports:
Sales associate Oliver Koffi claims he was in a stock room packing a pair of shoes for a customer when his manager began the shocking race rant in front of stunned staff.
He alleged that the manager called Barack Obama a “muppet” and said America would be better off with “Miss Piggy” as its president because “Muslim people… don’t eat pork”.
Mr Koffi says he was left humiliated by the “black slaves” slur while working at the label’s store in Central London.
Details of the allegations emerged in papers which will be presented to a Central London Employment Tribunal on July 18.
Mr Koffi is suing Louis Vuitton for racist discrimination and harassment.
He claims his manager’s tone of voice was “cold and serious” as he made the comments during a discussion on the origins of the English language with him and three other members of staff in December last year.
Mr Koffi said: “During this discussion, my manager quite randomly stated that ‘black people are slaves and eat dirt off the floor’.
“This comment was grossly offensive and extremely humiliating.
“His reference to slavery in this day and age with regards to black people is quite frankly revolting.”
Mr Koffi was a contract worker at the Louis Vuitton Townhouse at London’s iconic Selfridges department store at the time of the incident.
He says he recorded the offensive comments on tape after concerns over the manager’s alleged “racist conduct”.
He added: “He went on a rant about black people and other races and religions. He jumped from subject to subject, making comments about other races and religions. He made comments about Barack Obama.
“All of his comments were derogatory and a clear illustration of his prejudices towards other races and religions.
“His comments were offensive and degrading. I confronted him about his statement that ‘black people are slaves and eat dirt off the floor’.
“I told him that I was offended by his comment. He did not deny making the comment. He apologised and claimed it was a ‘joke’. It was not a joke at all.”
Mr Koffi says the manager, who left his job following a disciplinary proceeding, had previously questioned him about his nationality, asking, “where are you originally from?” and often referred to customers by their skin colour.
He alleges that the manager’s frequent remarks about Asian people and his comments about some Louis Vuitton products being “s***” because they were “made in China” created a “hostile and intimidating” working environment.
His solicitor Lawrence Davies, of Equal Justice solicitors, said: “The case will set the 21st century bar as to what employers have to do to prevent racism in the workplace.”
Louis Vuitton accepts that the racist comment was made but defends the claim on the basis the company had taken all reasonably practicable steps to prevent the racist comment.
High-end fashion has recently faced a barrage of racism claims, with models Naomi Campbell and Imam supporting worldwide diversity campaigns.
Yesterday a spokeswoman for Louis Vuitton said: “Louis Vuitton has a zero-tolerance policy to harassment of any kind.
“This reported sentiment is in total violation of the Louis Vuitton Ethical charter.
“This issue was investigated, and the manager in question no longer works within the company.”
50 Cent Warns Floyd Mayweather to Stay Away From Tiny
After Floyd Mayweather got caught desperately trying to get Tiny's attention on the BET Awards red carpet only to swerved 50 Cent warns Floyd to leave T.I.'s wife alone…
50 Cent posted a picture of the deadly swerve on Instagram along with a video warning Floyd to leave Tiny alone before he gets shot.
WOW!!!
IRS Targets Faith Evans Over $119K in Unpaid Taxes
Uncle Sam has hit Faith Evans with a new tax lien for allegedly failing to pay more than $119,000 in taxes, reports TMZ.
The singer has suffered a number of financial setbacks in recent years. She was ordered to pay thousands of dollars over missed tax payments in 2010 and was slapped by a lien in 2013 over more unpaid bills.
According to documents filed by the State of California, the R&B star owes $119,000 in taxes stemming from 2008 to 2012.
The FUNNIEST Memes From The 2014 BET Awards
The 2014 BET Awards bought out some of our favorite celebrities and of course, social media was on fire with the funny memes.
From Karrueche’s “shredded dress” to Beyonce & Jay Z being a no-show, we’ve rounded up the top funniest memes from your timelines and Tumblrs for your morning laugh.
Decide which are your favorites below:
LMBO!
Ask Robin Thicke Edition Is Going On Twitter Right Now
Robin Thicke is having a moment on Twitter where people can ask anything and I guess his PR people didn’t see what happened to R. Kelly and Draya, just to name a few… Look at the questions Twitter has blessed Robin with…
Are you at any point in the near or far future going to stop ripping off Marvin Gaye? #AskThicke
— Ser Josepgo Baelish (@TheAuracl3) June 30, 2014
When that pastor said “these hos ain’t loyal” was he talking about you? #AskThicke
— Part-time misogynist (@Unwan7ed) June 30, 2014
Do you realise you’re being emotionally manipulative to your ex-wife? #AskThicke
— Hannah Louise (@hnahabdn) June 30, 2014
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA RT @francisadujr: Did Paula tell you “don’t bug me” rhymes with “hug me”? #AskThicke
— JP Fairfield™ (@isitis) June 30, 2014
What’s Paula’s number? I’ll talk to her for you… #AskTHICKE
— NIGris Elba (@hosienation) June 30, 2014
What part of NO don’t you understand? #AskThicke
— Rachel McKibbens (@RachelMcKibbens) June 30, 2014
This was just a taste of what’s to come… His PR people should have known better than this…..
AND FINALLY FROM “THE CRAZY PEOPLE SHOPPING AT WALMART” FILES
‘Pretty Pretty Princess’
Sure, most little girls want to grow up and be a fairy princess. Most just grow up and realize that doesn’t exist…Key word there is “most”.
HAVE A GREAT DAY EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!
EFREM
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