Obama Admin: Landlord Must Rent to You, Despite Your Criminal Record

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“The fact that you were arrested shouldn’t keep you from getting a job and it shouldn’t keep you from renting a home,” said Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Julian Castro, as he spoke before the National Low Income Housing Coalition on Monday. The Secretary’s statement posed a rationale that would underscored the Obama Administration’s stance at the NLIHC’s annual policy forum; to defend citizens with criminal records against housing discrimination.

Representatives of the President’s Department of Housing and Urban Development are stressing reinforcement of regulations warning landlords they must prove it’s in the interest of protecting the safety of residents before rejecting a prospective tenant’s application for rental. The new guidelines advise consideration be taken towards the severity of the criminal history, and the amount of time which has passed since a crime occurred. Violation of the statute could result in hefty civil fines.

The announcement constitutes a rivision of the Fair Housing Act that could face some backlash from home owners. Original fair housing legislation does not list criminals along with the various minority groups it was created to protect. However, the department istaking the position that due to a prevalence of racial inequality fostered by the U.S. justice system, refusing to rent based on a criminal record can in some cases be a manifestation of racial discrimination.

“The Fair Housing Act prohibits both intentional housing discrimination and housing practices that have an unjustified discriminatory effect because of race, national origin, or other protected characteristics,” HUD’s new guidelines state. “Because of widespread racial and ethnic disparities in the U.S. criminal justice system, criminal history-based restrictions on access to housing are likely disproportionately to burden African-Americans and Hispanics.”

Nearly 25% of all Americans have acquired some form of criminal record. African-Americans, who only constitute 12% of people in the nation, make up 36% of the prison population.

9 Success Habits of Wealthy People That Cost Nothing

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Have you ever you wondered how certain people have gotten so successful? Sure you have. A great idea, motivation, persistence, and a little luck helps, but most successful people share certain habits. Here are nine habits that have helped place them on the top:

1. They meditate.

Ray Dalio, the founder of Bridgewater Associates, told The Huffington Post in 2013 that “Meditation, more than anything in my life was the biggest ingredient of whatever success I’ve had.” Dalio, however, is not alone. Oprah, Rupert Murdoch, Russell Simmons, Arianna Huffington, Bill Ford and Padmasree Warrior have all attributed mediation as a huge component to their success.

Taking care of your body and mind by relaxing, exercising, healthy eating and getting enough sleep are all ways to improve your chances of success.

Related: Meditation Isn’t Just For Hippies: Here is How it Can Help Entrepreneurs

2. They wake up early.

President Obama, Richard Branson, Jack Dorsey, Larry Schultz, Tim Cook and Xerox CEO Ursula Burns are known to be early risers. How has this attributed to their success? Because early risers are able to start their days ahead of everyone else by responding to others, exercising and finding some personal time, early risers also tend to be happier and are more proactive.

3. They network.

Successful people realize the importance of networking. In fact, research has found that networking can lead to people performing better at work and increases the chance of landing a job. Networking helps our successful people be more innovative. According to Dale Carnegie’s classic “How To Win Friends & influence People,” successful people rarely complain or criticize. They are sincere and try to be empathetic.

4. Keep themselves busy.

Successful people are rarely idle. Achievers like LBJ and Robert Moses were known to work 60-65 hours per work. Elon Musk works a whooping 80-100 hours per week and has said, “That’s the type of work ethic an entrepreneur needs to have.”

5. They know when to say “no.”

“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” – Warren Buffett

Successful people realize that by saying “no” to negativity, extra work and activities that waste time, they can focus on increasing their productivity. If they say “yes” to everyone or everything, they’ll be too distracted and will not accomplish tasks that have to be done.

Related: Why ‘No’ is the Most Important Word You’ll Ever Say

6. They don’t watch TV, they read.

According to Thomas Corley, author of “Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits Of Wealthy Individuals,” 67 percent of rich people only watch TV for one hour or less per day. Corley also found only 6 percent of the wealthy watch reality shows, while 78 percent of the poor do.

Additionally, 86 percent of the wealthy love to read with an impressive 88 percent claiming that they read for self-improvement for 30 minutes or more per day.

7. They write to-do lists the night before.

Successful people are known for writing their to-do-lists the night before so that they are able to set priorities for the following day. They number their lists as well to identify which tasks are the most important.

8. They set goals and visualize.

Joel Brown interviewed a number of high achievers for Entrepreneur and found that “Ninety-five percent of the successful achievers I have interviewed practice writing down their goals, plans, or visions for success on a regular basis.” Successful people do this the night before, or first thing in the morning so that they are prepared to tackle the challenges that await them.”

9. They manage their money.

Successful people have gotten where they are because they were able to manage their finances well. This means that they invest their money wisely, look for new opportunities and set aside emergency funds. They are more generous and willing to donate to those who need help. Here are 101 ways that I’ve put together to save money like well-off people. In addition, I’ve found that my marriage has become 10x better with enough savings in the bank for a year of expenses. That saved us when my last business venture failed.

There is an old saying that luck and preparation always meet opportunity. The most successful people set themselves up for success by preparing all the time. Successful people expect luck will find them, and it usually does.

Hey, Kids. Want to Be Smarter and Friendlier? Play More Video Games. Maybe.

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You might want to sit down for this, my fellow parental units: New research suggests that gaming for a few hours a week helps kids be better problem-solvers, in class and on the playground.

I know, I know. I really don’t want to hear this either. My teen and tween sure do, though. They’re both beyond addicted to Xbox (and both currently grounded from it, too, but that’s a different story).

Back to why playing video games might not be the devil after all. The results of a study published recently in the journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology suggest that children who game for five or more hours per week fare better in school than their peers who don’t.

Cue the collective jubilation of young gamers everywhere.

Per the research, further detailed in a Columbia University publication earlier this month, “high” video game usage was linked to 1.75 times greater chance of “high intellectual functioning,” and 1.88 times the odds of “high overall school competence.”

Related: Taiwanese Parents Now Legally Required to Restrict Their Tech-Addicted Teens

The study also found that, likely due to the live, multiplayer social nature of many video games today, kids who gamed a lot were more socially engaged overall. They also reported fewer relationship problems than peers who played less or didn’t play at all. Perhaps this because an increasing number of video games encourage players to work together toward a common goal.

The findings might come as a surprise to many, particularly when weighed against earlier research that points to the opposite, not to mention the general sentiment that video games hamper children’s ability to focus on less attention-hogging tasks. On the other hand, they might be surprising if you’ve gotten wind of other similar recent studies that connect gaming and good grades.

In this particular study, however, 13 researchers from the School Children Mental Health Europe project went a step beyond surface academic and social-emotional correlations. Drawing off of data supplied by parents and teachers of about 3,000 child subjects (ages 6 to 11) in six European Union countries, they concluded that children who game often during the week not only had an edge academically and socially, but also generally “suffered no emotional or mental health problems,” according to the Games and Learning Publishing Council publication GamesAndLearning.org.

Related: How to make a career in the Gaming Industry

“I think what we’re seeing here is the evolution of gaming in modern society. Video games are now a part of a normal childhood,” participating researcher and Columbia professor Katherine Keyes told U.S. News & World Report. “It’s no longer that kids who play a lot video games are the isolated, techy, brainy kids. What we’re seeing here is that kids who play a lot of video games are socially integrated, they’re prosocial, they have good school functioning and we don’t see any association with adverse mental health outcomes.”

Keyes also noted that parents shouldn’t take the study’s findings as a green light to let their kids game their hearts out. “We caution against over-interpretation, however, as setting limits on screen usage remains an important component of parental responsibility as an overall strategy for student success,” she said in a statement detailing the study’s findings.

In conclusion, Keyes and her fellow researchers assert: “Playing video games may have positive effects on young children.” They were, however, careful to point out that more analysis on the topic is needed.

No emotional problems as a result of hours of gaming? Hmm, interesting, I say, as I routinely witness my obsessive young gamers (and their many friends) forgo food, family outings and even trips to the bathroom in their endless pursuit to shoot and kill anything that moves in Call of Duty or Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege. They would also game nonstop over completing homework and hanging out with their friends in-person, if I allowed them to. But these are just one frustrated mother’s anecdotal observations. What do I know anyway?

Related: How Playing Video Games Made Me a Better Entrepreneur

Perhaps no parent or teacher who participated in the study dared to admit on paper that the child they answered questions about is so hooked on video games that he literally begs and screams for the controllers back when it’s time to quit playing. Wait, it’s probably just my kids who do that. If you see them, please tell them dinner is getting cold and I miss them.

7 Weird Social Media Marketing Habits All Marketers Need to Break NOW

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We all have bad habits. Whether it’s biting our nails, constantly driving like we’re on a racetrack or something you’d rather not admit to, we’ve all got them. Some are easy to break while others quickly find their way back into our lives. The same can be said for social media marketing habits. Once you get in a routine, it can be hard to break habits that are helping, but may possibly be hurting your brand.

Within social media marketing there is a lot of opportunity for brands to create great experiences for their communities, create brand affinity and influence purchasing decisions. A recent study found that 84% of CEOs and VPs say that they use social media to make purchasing decisions.

If you want to be one of those companies that has a positive impact on your community and generates tremendous value for your brand, make sure you’re not following ANY of these 7 weird social media marketing habits.

7 Weird Social Media Marketing Habits to Break NOW
#1 – Automating EVERYTHING
When you sit down and look at the mountain of tasks in front of you each day it can be tempting to try and automate as many of your social media marketing tasks as possible. While many social media tools can be a marketer’s best friend, it’s best to use them in moderation.

Depending on the tools that you use to publish on social media platforms, you’ll find that there are often issues with the ways that images or messages post on different platforms. That means you’re not creating the best possible user experience for your followers. Plus, taking a short amount of time to customize your message depending on where you’re publishing can vastly improve the user experience.

#2 – Jumping on the WRONG Bandwagons
The concept of newsjacking is not new to marketing. When done appropriate, it can be an incredibly effective means of extending your reach to an already engaged audience. So, instead of having to create demand and seek out an audience, you have a group of people already discussing the topic at a large scale.

However, we’ve all seen what happens when companies try and jump on the wrong bandwagon. This happens most on Twitter that is constantly trending a series of hashtags about a variety of topics. Before trying to incorporate one of these trending items into your brand social media messaging, make sure that you have done the research to understand the source and meaning behind the topic.

The negative impact that many brands have experienced by not doing their homework has been significant, and easily avoidable.

#3 – Engaging Too INFREQUENTLY
This is another habit that is often the result of little time and attention paid to social media communities. There is simply no replacement for true human interaction on social media platforms. Your followers have the potential to be potential clients, current clients, influencers of decision makers, other savvy and credible professionals and yes, trolls.

If someone takes the time to follow and engage with your brand on social media then it is your responsibility to respond accordingly. Of course not every comment or share requires a response, but if you’re checking in on the heartbeat of your community frequently, then responding to those messages that do stand out can become a much more manageable task.

#4 – Focusing Only On YOURSELF
What do you think the purpose of social media is for brands? Is it solely to provide updates about everything happening at your company? Or, is it to help your followers solve their problems, open the door to conversations and provide helpful resources to begin building credibility?

I hope that the answer is obvious. If a brand is using social media platforms as a means to only push out content about the happenings at their company, they’re doing it wrong. Social media presents a unique and more personal opportunity to interact with your followers. Utilize this opportunity to the fullest by uncovering what your followers care about and providing them with insight on those items, and asking them enticing questions to gain their opinions as well.

#5 – ASSUMING All Audiences Are the Same
Sure, social media marketing would be easier if you could publish the same content on each platform and have it resonate with the audience on that platform. Unfortunately, we don’t have control over why and how people use each platform.

The type of message that resonates with your Facebook audience will likely not have the same impact with your Instagram followers. Take some time to analyze your audience for each platform (built-in social analytics make this very possible) and see what you can uncover about them. Then, create a plan for each individual platform that still maintains a similar message, but presented in a way that the audience for that platform will respond well to.

#6 – Ignoring the Importance of VISUALS
Everyone is busy and are often viewing content on social networks on the go. Additionally, the amount of content that brands are producing has become so overwhelming that it often numbs users. In order to stand out in a sea of content, it’s essential that you add visuals to your social media content.

A great mix of visual campaigns as well as great visuals to accompany links to content can be the difference between a user scrolling past your content entirely, and clicking to engage further. Each social media platform has their own specifications for social images shared in-stream, so make sure that you are optimizing these visuals for a better user experience.

#7 – PRETENDING Advertising Isn’t Important
Let’s face it, the increase in competition for consumer attention, and changes in algorithms on social networks has made social advertising an important part of a social media strategy. If you think that you can still organically reach 100% of your audience on social networks then you likely haven’t been looking at the data.

We are still fortunately in a situation where a little ad spend can still get you pretty good exposure. So don’t go dumping all of your marketing budget into social advertising, but do reserve a portion to boost posts that are important and ads that can have a big impact. Tools like Adsvise provide easy to understand specifications for different ad types (and in-stream visuals) for most social media platforms.

Let’s Face it, Today’s Customers Are SAVVY!
Shortcuts and weird habits that you used to be able to get away with have all gone down the drain as users have become more sophisticated and savvy in how they use social networks. There still exists a lot of opportunity to interact, you just have to be more sophisticated in how you approach social media marketing for business.

Which of these weird habits have you been guilty of committing?

Apple Introduces iPhone SE

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Apple is indeed dropping a smaller iPhone, taking to its event in Cupertino today to unveil the brand new iPhone SE. Thankfully, the 5S-inspired design doesn’t skimp on the details. Offering fans a smaller, 4-inch alternative to the bigger 6S and 6S Plus, the SE is just as powerful as its predecessors — thanks to an A9 chip and M9 motion processor — and even boasts a 12MP iSight camera (with Focus Pixels and True Tone flash), Retina flash for its forward-facing camera, 4K video capabilities, high speed 802.11ac Wi-Fi (as well as Wi-Fi calling), 50% faster LTE, Apple Pay and Touch ID.The iPhone SE is $399 USD for 16GB or $499 USD for 64GB and launches March 31.

New York City Will Free Public WiFi

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New York City have been blessed by Mayor Bill de Blasio with free public WiFi. The official announcement by de Blasio confirmed that the city’s old payphone stations have been replaced by its technological successor: the WiFi hotspot. For now, the crowds of people facing downwards will amass by the old phone stations located at the northwest corner of 16th Street and 3rd Avenue. Yesterday’s announcement of 16th and 3rd spots actually adds to LinkNYC’s already positioned locations on Manhattan’s Third Avenue, which were activated for the company’s soft launch back in January. But forget the past, what really matters is whether NYC will get more of these crowd pleasers. More importantly though, the access to free internet comes in thanks to LinkNYC, a “first-of-its-kind” communication network company that aims at rolling out 510 new hotspots come July this year.

Klay Thompson wins 3-point contest

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The Foot Locker Three-Point Contest title was passed along from one “Splash Brother” to another, as Thompson beat his Golden State Warriors teammate and the defending champion with a dazzling display on NBA All-Star Saturday Night. Thompson finished the final round with 27 points, four more than Curry managed as, once again, the title came down to the two Golden State sharpshooters.

“We love to shoot against each other,” Thompson said. “You know, I’ve never been on a team with someone who shoots it better than me, so it’s a privilege to work with him every day. He makes me that much better.”

Phoenix’s Devin Booker was third, with 16 points in the final round. He beat the Rockets’ James Harden and J.J. Redick of the Los Angeles Clippers to get out of the first round, while the Raptors’ Kyle Lowry, Trail Blazers’ C.J. McCollum and Bucks’ Khris Middleton were eliminated early

Shaq, Iverson among finalists for 2016 Basketball Hall of Fame class

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Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson were among the 14 names announced as finalists for the 2016 Basketball Hall of Fame class on Friday afternoon.

The finalists for basketball’s highest distinction include:

Shaquille O’Neal
Allen Iverson
Kevin Johnson
Sheryl Swoopes
Eddie Sutton (coach)
Bo Ryan (coach)
Tom Izzo (coach)
John McLendon (coach)
Muffett McGraw (coach)
Robert Hughes (coach)
Darrell Garretson (official)
Leta Andrews (coach)
Charles “Lefty” Driesell (coach)
1954-58 Wayland Baptist University

O’Neal spent 19 seasons in the league from 1992-2011, most notably with the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, and Miami Heat. He won four NBA championships, three Finals MVPs, made 15 All-Star teams, eight All-NBA First Teams, and is a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary team.

Iverson was selected first overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1996, leading the franchise to six postseason appearances and a trip to the NBA Finals in 2001. Revered as perhaps the most dominant little man in NBA history, Iverson won four scoring titles during his illustrious career, averaging 26.7 in 914 games.

“I’m a product of Michael Jordan, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley … all the guys that paved the way for us,” Iverson said at the announcement Friday in Toronto.

Notable names who weren’t named finalists as players from the North American committee include Tim Hardaway, Chris Webber, and Mark Aguirre.

The final enshrinees will be announced on April 4 during the NCAA’s Final Four in Houston.

Here’s What Watching The Super Bowl With Microsoft’s HoloLens Could Look Like in the Future We are the Jetsons & #ThisismotionTV

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Watching sports could soon be a very different experience — at least if it’s up to Microsoft and the NFL. Before you know it, a holographic player could be charging through your walls and replays could play in 3D on your coffee table.

Microsoft today released a new concept for its HoloLens augmented reality goggles that shows off its vision for what the combination of sports and HoloLens could soon look like. It’s worth watching, even if you don’t like football.

Not to rain on the parade, but as anybody who has tried the HoloLens prototype will tell you, this is still very much science fiction — not because HoloLens doesn’t work (I’ve tried it, and it sure does), but because the field of vision you get from the current versionsimply doesn’t give you the kind of immersive experience Microsoft shows in its video.

Microsoft is soliciting applications from developers right now and expects to ship its $3,000 HoloLens developer edition to a select group of them in the first quarter of this year (likely around the time of its Build developer conference, which conveniently starts on March 30).

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Beyonce Announces Formation Tour

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Beyonce has announced her plans for an upcoming world tour. It will kick off on April 27 in Miami and will end on July 31 in Brussels.

April 27 – Miami, FL – Marlins Park
April 29 – Tampa, FL – Raymond James Stadium
May 1 – Atlanta, GA – Georgia Dome
May 3 – Raleigh, NC – Carter-Finley Stadium
May 5 – Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium
May 7 – Houston, TX – NRG Stadium
May 9 – Dallas, TX – AT&T Stadium
May 12 – San Diego CA – Qualcomm Stadium
May 14 – Los Angeles, CA – Rose Bowl
May 16 – Santa Clara, CA – Levi’s Stadium
May 18 – Seattle, WA – CenturyLink Field
May 20 – Edmonton, AB – Commonwealth Stadium
May 23 – Minneapolis, MN – TCF Bank Stadium
May 25 – Toronto, ON – Rogers Centre
May 27 – Chicago, IL – Soldier Field
May 29 – Detroit, MI – Ford Field
May 31 – Pittsburgh, PA – Heinz Field
June 3 – Boston, MA – Gillette Stadium
June 5 – Philadelphia, PA – Lincoln Financial Field
June 7 – New York, NY – Citi Field
June 10 – Baltimore, MD – M&T Bank Stadium
June 12 – Hersey, PA – Hersey Park Stadium
June 28 – Sunderland, UK – Stadium of Light
June 30 – Cardiff, UK – Millennium Stadium
July 2 – London, UK – Wembley Stadium
July 5 – Manchester, UK – Emirates Old Trafford
July 7 – Glasgow, UK – Hampden Park
July 9 – Dublin, IE – Croke Park
July 12 – Dusseldorf, DE – Esprit Arena
July 14 – Zurich, CH – Letzigrund
July 16 – Amsterdam, NE – Arena
July 18 – Milan, IT – Stadio San Siro
July 21 – Paris, FR – Stade de France
July 24 – Copenhagen, DK – Parken
July 26 – Stockholm, SE – Friends Arena
July 29 – Frankfurt, DE – Commerzbank Arena
July 31 – Brussels, BE – Roi Boudoin

WOW Congrats to Cory #ThisismotionTV

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What a difference a year can make. One year ago, anonymous messaging app After School was in the middle of a four-month-long ban from Apple’s App Store for violating the company’s safety guidelines.

Now After School is alive and well, and cashing a really big check.

The company, which has an app for high school students to post anonymously to their classmates, raised $16.4 million in a new round of venture funding led by Accomplice. The round includes other investors like Cowboy Ventures and individuals like Parse co-founder Tikhon Bernstam and AngelList founder Naval Ravikant.

Rihanna ANTI Album Goes Platinum in less than 48 hours Wow Congrats to Ri Ri :)

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After unleashing her long-awaited eighth studio effort Anti on Samsung and Tidal, Rihanna has already racked up a million downloads in less than 14 hours since its release.

“1 MILLION in under 15 hrs!!!! NAVY R die!!!! Thank u to all my fans and @samsungmobileus,” she tweeted in celebration.

1 MILLION in under 15 hrs!!!! NAVY R die!!!! Thank u to all my fans and @samsungmobileus Listen to ANTI now: https://t.co/0FRaUXR8bk

— Rihanna (@rihanna) January 28, 2016

What Should Be The Next Single Off Rihanna’s ‘Anti’? Vote

The pop star’s Anti rollout included ANTIdiaRy, a Samsung partnership that offered download codes for fans to venture through different rooms on the road to the LP’s release. The same day she debuted her Drake-assisted single “Work,” she released the set on the Jay Z-powered streaming service Tidal, dishing out a limited number of complimentary download codes that were instantly redeemed.

You guys legit made me the happiest girl in the world!! I’m so grateful that you appreciate the #ANTI album! It’s the most rewarding feeling

— Rihanna (@rihanna) January 28, 2016

No stranger to breaking records, Rihanna was named the top-selling digital artist of all time after selling 54 million albums and 210 million digital tracks worldwide.

Source: Billboard

Apple Watch 2 Release Date Pushed Back

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A new report on TechCrunch suggests that the Cupertino giant has pushed the gadget’s release date back to September, despite initial rumors of a March unveiling. Apple may still unveil new design partnerships and accessories early in the year, and maybe even a FaceTime camera for the Apple Watch, but certainly not a full Watch 2.0.

Michael Jackson’s Journey From Motown to Off the Wall | Official Clip | Showtime Documentary

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Don’t miss the premiere of Showtime’s Documentary Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off The Wall Friday, February 5th.

The film focuses on a rarely examined chapter of Jackson’s career as he evolves from the lead singer of Jackson 5 to a solo artist recording what will become his breakthrough, seminal 1979 pop record, Off The Wall. Audiences will travel with the global superstar as he strikes a new path with CBS Records, first with his brothers as The Jacksons and then stepping out on his own to create his own music with his own team. This illuminating portrait traces how an earnest, passionate, hard-working young man becomes the “King of Pop.”

MICHAEL JACKSON’S JOURNEY FROM MOTOWN TO OFF THE WALL contains a wealth of footage, including material from Michael’s personal archive, and in his own words. The documentary also includes interviews with prominent entertainment and sports stars including Lee Daniels, The Weeknd, Pharrell Williams, Kobe Bryant, Misty Copeland, Mark Ronson, John Legend, Questlove, L.A. Reid, and more, as well as his parents Katherine and Joe Jackson, and his brothers Jackie and Marlon Jackson. Off The Wall created a whole new category in pop music. Written by Michael Jackson, the first single from Off The Wall, “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough,” earned Jackson his first Grammy® and was his first single to hit No. 1 in the U.S. and internationally as a solo artist. The album was an enormous commercial success; as of 2014 it is certified eight times platinum in the United States and has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. Off The Wall not only “invented pop music as we know it,” wrote Rolling Stone, it transcended music and entertainment altogether, becoming an important moment in African-American history.

The film is produced by Spike Lee, John Branca and John McClain.

Drake & Kevin Hart Coaches For NBA All-Star Celebrity Game

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The National Basketball Association (NBA) announced today that Grammy® Award-winning artist and Toronto Raptors Global Ambassador Drake and four-time NBA All-Star Celebrity Game MVP and actor Kevin Hart will face off as head coaches of the Canada and USA teams, respectively, at NBA All-Star Celebrity Game 2016 on Friday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. ET. The game will air live from Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto on ESPN in the U.S. and on Sportsnet ONE and TSN in Canada.

Drake will be joined on the sidelines by two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash and Toronto Blue Jays All-Star right fielder José Bautista. Canada’s team will feature Stephan James (“Race”); Arcade Fire’s Win Butler; Drew and Jonathan Scott (W Network’s “Property Brothers”); professional tennis player Milos Raonic; actor and singer Kris Wu; seven-time NBA All-Star Tracy McGrady; NBA TV analyst Rick Fox; and Natalie Achonwa of the Indiana Fever and Canada Women’s National Team.

Hart’s USA team will include Jason Sudeikis (“Race”); Michael B. Jordan (“Creed”); Anthony Anderson (ABC’s “blackish”); Bryshere “Yazz” Gray (FOX’s “Empire”); Nick Cannon (“America’s Got Talent”); five-time NBA All-Star and ESPN analyst Chauncey Billups; NBA legend Muggsy Bogues; Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry; and WNBA MVP Elena Delle Donne of the Chicago Sky.

For the 12th consecutive year, ESPN will televise the game beginning at 7 p.m. ET. Fans can also view the game on WatchESPN, available on your computer, smart phone, tablet, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Apple TV and Roku. The game rosters are subject to change without notice. Visit NBA.com/allstar2016 for more information.

Sportsnet and TSN television networks will simulcast NBA All-Star 2016 broadcasts in Canada, in association with Turner Sports’ exclusive coverage on TNT in the United States and ESPN’s coverage of the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. This marks the first time the two Canadian networks will simulcast NBA All-Star events domestically.

Source: NBA.Com

Oprah Winfrey Fast Company October 2015 Issue…..ThisismotionTV

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Oprah Winfrey is one of the most powerful and influential people in the world, as well as one of the busiest. With a net worth of $3 billion, she is one of just two black billionaires in North America (the other is Michael Jordan). Her 25-year run as host and producer of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” changed the TV business and has left a void since its final episode in 2011.

Now, she has figured out how to make time for the projects she cares about most: http://f-st.co/jHOwX8D

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How does Oprah Winfrey get stuff done? “I am aware that there is a finite amount of time and energy in every day,” she says. “Now I’m in a position where I only do what I want to do.”

Read the full story now on FastCompany.com: http://f-st.co/jHOwX8D

Playboy Will No Longer Publish Nudes…..ThisismotionTV

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The company is now looking to dispel that association by halting its publishing of nude women in its magazine. In an effort to expand its audience, the company will be ending this 62-year practice of featuring erotic imagery that has been integral in its image and brand. This move is a part of a redesign which will be unveiled next March, and while nudity may no longer be in the picture, the publication will continue to “feature women in provocative poses.”

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According to the company’s Chief Executive Scott Flanders, “That battle has been fought and won, you’re now one click away from every sex act imaginable for free. And so it’s just passé at this juncture.” The now 89-year-old Hugh Hefner agreed. The new magazine will adopt a cleaner and more modern style, and its Playmate of the Month will still be a recurring feature, albeit PG-13.