Houston Style Magazine Vol 24 No 1

H Take Small Steps for a Balanced Eating Routine H Complimentary H Houston Premiere Weekly Publication H Volume 25 H Number 1 january 2 - JANUARY 8, 2014

SPOTLIGHTS

Jesse Jackson Talks About A Passion for Justice

2014 taxes

Get Refund Faster This Season

Grace Jones

Still Amazing After 40+ Years

Tell TLOD Shares Holiday Cheer 2013 Lexus CT 200h Alpha Kappa Omega’s 85th The Terri Reviews a

* News * Commentaries * Sports * Health * Entertainment

Book by Matthew Hertenstein

PG 2 JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2013

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04 05 Local Briefs 08 James Avery

A New Years of Passionate..

By Jesse Jackson

Volume 25 • Number 1• january 2 - JANUARY 8 , 2014 EDITORIAL

editorial@stylemagazine.com FRANCIS PAGE, JR. Publisher and Editor fpagejr@stylemagazine.com 713-927-5444 Jo-carolyn goode Editor-at-Large editorial@stylemagazine.com 713-320-5611 lisa valadez Hispanic Managing Editor lisa@stylemagazine.com 832-228-0764

By Lisa Respers France

Feature Writers lan – Local editorial@stylemagazine.com

Tonja Ward – Health tonjaward@aol.com

Aiaina mayes – Local editorial@stylemagazine.com

Samantha Vallejo – Video Reporter sjvallejo@yahoo.com

CYNTHIA NEVELS – Business cynthian@integrality.us

Mical Roy – Feature 832-647-4687 micalroy@stylemagazine.com

Dr. Lovell Jones – Health Editor editorial@stylemagazine.com

Demez White – Local editorial@stylemagazine.com

JADE GOLD – Entertainment editorial@stylemagazine.com

Gabrielle Deculus – Local editorial@stylemagazine.com

Pamela Crawford – Political editorial@stylemagazine.com

erik granacos – Video Reporter JANAE THOMAS – Entertainment erikmichaelg@gmail.com janaet14@gmail.com

DEE DEE WHEATON – Local momwifeandeverythingelse@gmail.com

dr, latisha rowe – Health Editor editoral@stylemagazine.com

Dawn Paul – Local dhoustonp@gmail.com

keandra scott – Local keandrascott@lifesaesthetics.com

Kim davis – Sports kim@thekdcompany.com

Lindsay Buchanan – Fashion DE’NEISHA BELL – Local editorial@stylemagazine.com Bell@totallyrandie.com

Heather nelson – Local editorial@stylemagazine.com

Burt Levine – Political burtjlevine@comcast.net

Yolanda Pope – Culinary Yolandapope@stylemagazine.com Rebecca Briscoe National Entertainment briscoerbrs@aol.com 409-504-0569 Susie Stillwell Entertainment Juicy_culture33@yahoo.com

ERIC FORD – Editorial Intern editorial@stylemagazine.com

Tianyi sun – Editorial Intern editorial@stylemagazine.com

National Writers

marilyn moore – Local marilynmooremdg@gmail.com

departments 2 Haute Shots 4 Commentary 5 Local Briefs/Auto 6 Health/Culinary 8 Feature 11 Book/Entertainment

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JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2013

PG 3

A New Year of Passionate Intensity

jesse Jackson

commentary

ues to terrorize both mean streets

At a time when long-term unem-

calls for a church “which is bruised,

and schools thought to be secure.

ployment is at record levels, when

hurting and dirty because it has

Yes, there is much to be

too many are looking for too few

been out on the streets, rather than

thankful for. The wars abroad are

jobs, this callous act is literally un-

a church which is unhealthy for be-

drawing down, and we avoided

conscionable.

ing confined and from clinging to

sending soldiers into the calamity

its own security.”

in Syria. Slow growth continues to

I, the Irish poet William Butler

C

generate new jobs. In states and lo-

Yeats wrote “The Second Coming,”

Writing from his jail cell in Bir-

louds and tempests mark

calities across the country, people

which decried a time when “the best

mingham, Alabama in 1963, Dr.

the dawn of 2014. The

are voting to raise the minimum

lack all conviction, while the worst

Martin Luther King similarly chal-

economy is recovering,

wage. Millions will finally have

are full of passionate intensity.”

lenged his “fellow clergymen” to

we are told, but the people aren’t.

health care coverage this year that

This is a similar time. A Re-

stand on the side of justice, rather

Over 20 million people are still in

were unable to get it in the past.

publican Party cowed by the “pas-

than remaining “more cautious than

need of full-time work. America,

Children, family, faith and commu-

sionate intensity” of its far right ties

courageous,” and remaining “silent

the land of opportunity, now is

nity provide joy and reward.

Washington in knots. They openly

behind the anesthetizing security of

scarred by more extreme inequality

But the harsh reality of

scorn the government that they

stained glass windows.”

and less mobility than other indus-

these times is expressed by the fact

were elected to make work. They

trial nations. More of our children

that 1.3 million Americans who are

fight against asking the rich or the

again. Washington is tied in knots.

grow up in poverty, and we do a

looking for work will be cut off of

multinationals to pay one cent more

Powerful special interests have

worse job of offering them a help-

jobless benefits in January, because

in taxes, while slashing spending on

rigged the rules to serve themselves.

ing hand up. Gun violence contin-

Congress chose not to extend them.

programs for the most vulnerable.

They have enlisted the Tea Party

Across the country, the “passion-

right to oppose any progress. The

ate intensity” and money of the Na-

resulting injustice will only be ad-

tional Rifle Associates blocks any

dressed if people of conscience join

progress on reasonable gun laws.

with working people to demand a

fair deal. It is time to march.

In the wake of World War

Congressional

Democrats

claim to stand for working people.

The president calls inequality “the

for 2014, consider making that one

defining challenge of our time.”

of them. Let’s resolve to demon-

But too often people of good will

strate more “passionate intensity”

“lack all conviction.” Democrats

for justice than those who stand in

decry the termination of jobless

the way of the changes that we so

benefits, but they do not fight to ex-

desperately need. Happy New Year,

tend them. They want sensible laws

everyone.

on gun violence, but not enough to

take on the NRA and the zealots.

Jesse Jackson in care of this news-

This will not change at

paper or by email at jjackson@rain-

the top. Change won’t come from

bowpush.org. Follow him on Twit-

Washington out. It will only change

ter @RevJJackson.

if citizens of conscience express the

“passionate intensity” that now is

www.stylemagazine.com.

missing.

We see stirrings in that di-

rection. Pope Francis warns of the “globalization of indifference” and

PG 4 JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2013

We are reaching that time

WWW.STYLEMAGAZINE.COM

As we make our resolutions

You can write to the Rev.

Share this story online at

Local Briefs major milestones ahead of projections:

agement of Clear Channel Media and

the line crossed 50-, 75- and 100 million

Entertainment Houston, 93.7 The Beat

boardings four years ahead of schedule.

is said to be defining real hip hop and

These achievements were reached with

R&B station according to President and

only 18 rail cars. The Authority now has

Market Manager of Clear Channel Me-

37 rail cars and nearly 13-miles of track

dia and Entertainment Houston Eddie

with the recent opening of the North

Martiny. In addition to tuning into the

Line, a 5.3-mile extension of the Red

station via the radio, new fans can also

Line, December 21, 2013. Two more

hear 93.7 The Beat online via the sta-

light-rail lines – East End (Green) and

tion’s website, www.937thebeathouston.

en years ago METRO opened

Southeast (Purple) – will open for ser-

com, and through Clear Channel’s digital

Houston’s first rail line to pas-

vice in 2014. For more information, visit

radio service, iHeartRadio. The switch

sengers. METRO’s Main Street

www.ridemetro.org.

too hip-hop and R&B upset previous

METRO Marks 10 Year Anniversary of Main Street Line

T

METRO ‘s Open Houstons First Railline in 2004

Line has quickly become one of the most successful light-rail lines in the country.

Since 2004, nearly $4 billion in public/

New Year Brings New Hip Hop and R&B Station to Houston

listeners of 93.7 when the station was known as The Arrow and played classic rock. Reviewing the numbers by

private development has occurred along

Nielsen Portable People Meter system

the 7.5-mile line. At Main and Congress,

is clear to see why Clear Channel made

several bars and restaurants have since

the switch to the more hip hop and R&B

opened their doors. And more recently,

format. For more information, visit

there is residential activity near Bell Sta-

www.937thebeathouston.com.

tion and other projects in the works near the ballpark and in Midtown. METRO’s Main Street Line or Red Line reached

Auto

H

Welcome Houston’s newest radio station.

by adding a new station, 93.7 The Beat. Under the man-

By Jo Carolyn Goode Editor-At-Large

W

Houston’s First Baby of 2014

ouston radio closed out 2013

Victoria Alvarado with Houston’s first baby of 2014, Allison Alvarado.

W

hile many kissed in the New Year and toasted champagne Victoria and

Albert Alvarado were welcoming in their new baby girl. Born at 12:14am, little Allison Alvarado is Houston’s first baby of 2014 born at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women. The bouncing baby girl weighed seven pounds and 14 ounces, and was 21 inches long. A couple of hours later Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital welcomed Houston’s second New Year’s baby, another girl named Jennifer Munoz. A Texas-size welcome goes to Houston’s newest residents. For more information, visit www. women.texaschildrens.org.

A Gift for Keeps: The 2013 Lexus CT 200h

aking up on Christmas

the navigation system. The LCD screen

was the auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Sport. I found the drive in the CT was

morning looking at a big,

is not only retractable but it is also oper-

It is a very helpful and useful feature

very smooth and steering was fluid.

bright red bow outside

ated by a mouse, giving the user a more

that also makes driving safer because it

your window would be wonderful. Since

laptop-like experience. Using a variety

added to the quality of my view.

cles with a hatch, I have found that trunk

it could mean only one thing was wait-

of Lexus signature apps like Enform

An added package for 2013

space is usual less desirable. The Lexus

ing for you outside, a brand new, shiny

the driver can plan trips on their home

was the F-package that gives the Lexus

CT 200h put that to shame with over 14

Lexus. Well that was not my reality over

computer and send them to the car. The

CT 200h a sportier feel with things like

cubic feet of space. Very nice! I so loved

the Christmas season, however I still had

app also allows the use of Pandora, Open

a sport-tuned suspension, a larger rear

that.

a December to remember behind the

Table, and Yelp apps in the vehicle.

spoiler, a mesh grille, and aluminum

wheel of a Lexus when I test-drove the

sport pedal.

precious gift for a week but it could be

2013 Lexus 9900A CT 200h Premium.

so the consumer gets a lot of bang for

One of the best parts about the

your gift for keeps for a price of $31,850.

When I first saw the Lexus CT

the buck. Standard equipment includes

Lexus CT 200h was driving it, of course.

Test drive one at your local Lexus dealer

200h I didn’t know quite what to expect.

17-inch wheels, heated side mirrors, a

It was a hybrid so it was great on fuel.

or visit www.lexus.com.

The exterior had features that resemble

sunroof, keyless entry, a 10-way power

Boasting a whopping 43-mpg city and

the extreme fun a sports car could bring

driver seat, dual-zone climate control,

40-mpg highway, the luxury hybrid sets

but also showed off a look of everyday

upgraded upholstery, and the latest in

the standard for those in its class. Some

functionality. This blend attracts buyers

technology and audio capabilities. It was

reviewers have complained that the

of every age.

cold in my neck of the woods so I could

Lexus CT 200h is not a speed racer, but

On the interior the technology

not utilize the sunroof. Big bummer! My

I found it suited my driving needs per-

grabbed my attention right away. Every-

vehicle was at the top of the trim class

fectly. For those who want a little more

thing was laid out so well for the conve-

in the premium model so I also had ad-

momentum to their driving, the CT has

nience of the driver. Techies will love

ditional benefits. One that impressed me

three driving modes Eco, Normal, and

2013 Lexus CT 200h

PG 5

Lexus brand exudes luxury

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JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2013

In most of my reviews of vehi-

The Lexus CT 200h was my

Health

By Abimbola Farinde, PharmD.,MS

T

Style Feature Writer

The Need to Increase the General Public’s Understanding of Medication

he number of Americans

dividual is able to obtain, process, and

must recognize that increased knowl-

who are prescribed a spe-

understand basic health indication and

edge requires a proactive approach

cific type of medication

services that are necessary to make ap-

which entails asking both their physi-

continues to increase each year. Ac-

propriate healthcare decisions. It is es-

cians and pharmacists about any and

cording to a recent study published

timated that nearly 9 out of adults have

all medications that they are prescribed

by the May Clinic it is estimated that

some difficulty using everyday health

to increase understanding. As medica-

nearly 70% of Americans are on at

information that is available to them.

tions continue to be prescribed to many

least on prescription drug ,more than

This lack of useful knowledge can be

Americans it is important that these

half of the population take two medi-

they not only provide insight into pre- associated with poor health outcomes

individuals have basic knowledge of

cations, and 20% of patients are on

scribing habits but also illustrate the and higher healthcare costs.

what they are taking and reason why

five or more prescription medications.

variety of medications that Americans

An adequate knowledge of

they are being prescribed the medica-

This study goes on to indicate that the

can be placed on but may not possess medication therapies and understand-

tion or medications. It is only through

most commonly prescribed medica-

a sufficient health literacy to know the ing the reasons why one drug may be

ongoing education that the general pub-

tion classes consist of antibiotics, anti-

reason why they are prescribed a par- indicated or utilized in an individual

lic’s understanding of the medications

depressants, and opioids. Studies such

ticular medication. Health literacy is compared to another is an important as-

that they are taking will be increased.

as these prove to be valuable because

defined as the degree to which an in- pect of proper health literacy. Patients

culinary

By Family Feature

S

ometimes even the smallest changes can offer big results to your overall well-being.

When maintaining or pursuing a healthful eating routine, adopting a balanced approach is essential for success. Rather than restricting yourself, strive instead to make small steps toward a healthier lifestyle.

A few simple changes to your daily routine can eventually turn into lasting habits that are far more enjoyable and easier to maintain.

As an expert on the positive impact of small changes, Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist Keri Gans offers these helpful tips:

Create a healthy eating schedule Food is fuel. In order to keep energized throughout the day it is important not to skip meals. Grab a midday

Easy Tips for a Deliciously Balanced Eating Routine

snack, like The Laughing Cow Light White Cheddar flavor with whole grain crackers, to help you overcome that all too familiar late afternoon slump. These cheeses are a musthave for your January shopping lists.

Eat the right kinds of fats A little healthy yet tasty fat, such as 1/4 of an avocado or a handful of almonds, can go a long way. It can provide flavor, satiety and be good for your body, especially your heart.

Share food and good times with advance planning To help ensure healthier choices are made when dining out, be sure to grab a quick, tasty snack to tide you over before your meal. Some great snacking options include a wedge of The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss flavor with pear slices, a lowsugar granola bar or 1/4 cup of roast-

PG 6 JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2013

ed edamame. The less hungry you are, the easier it is to stay on track.

For more great snacking tips, visit www.thelaughingcow.com.

Enjoy the foods you are craving Want that slice of pizza or piece of chocolate? Go for it. To maintain a healthy and enjoyable lifestyle, try and eat well the majority of time, but make sure you leave room for some of your favorite indulgences.

If you don’t allow yourself to enjoy these foods on occasion, you might always be craving them, which can lead to overeating.

Make savory swaps for old standbys It is never necessary to eliminate the flavors you love, instead learn to enjoy them in a healthier way. Are you in the mood for nachos but trying

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to eat a little better? Swap the highfat cheese and greasy fried chips for a wedge of The Laughing Cow Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle with a serving of baked tortilla chips. With eight delicious varieties to choose from, this cheese is the perfect snack to satisfy your cravings in the New Year.

So, enjoy all the flavors and fun of life by adopting a small-step approach toward eating well. Each tiny change is a step in the right direction to a happier, more satisfied you.

Creamy Swiss and Pear Slices

commentary

At Some Point It’s Not Settling, It’s Growing Up

By Demez White Style Feature Writer

In a sense they work hand in hand to-

the same way, you may hate your job,

you’re dating someone and serious

gether.

you may not like your co-workers

about letting those “options” go; you

How often do you hear men

but pouting and stressing and look-

only have two choices. Say, “Happy

brag about how many women they

ing for another job isn’t going to help

Holidays” or “thank you” and go

date? Why settle down when there’s so

you. What if you put that effort into

about your day or “I was thinking

many fish in the sea? This is the prob-

being a great employee? Instead of

about you too.” You just opened the

lem with that logic; if you keep throw-

searching for a job or chatting on FB,

door. Wrong starts with the simplest

ing back every fish you catch you nev-

actually work towards a promotion

of intentions, wrong is easy, wrong is

er actually eat. You’re never fulfilled

or transfer. There’s a chance it may

fun and convenient. Being mature, be-

because you spend so much time fish-

not pay off but there’s a big chance it

t Some Point It’s Not

ing a grown up, it can get boring and

ing that you never actually enjoy the

will. It’s not giving up, it’s growing

Settling, It’s Growing

it won’t always be fun but it’s worth it

catch. Options are a great thing to have

up.

Up

because you’re building something.

but there comes a time when we have

It’s great to have options

to stop and ask ourselves, “If I spent all

day, small decisions, but decisions

in life, most of us have them. Of-

reckless. You can live with a plan;

the time and resources I spend on op-

that affect our lives. I’ll give you an

ten I write about relationships and

you can live with a purpose. Here’s

tions on one person how much would

example, let’s say an ex or randomly

romance but part of becoming seri-

hoping you work your plan in 2014.

that investment pay off? Texting 3, 4

attractive person hits you on FB or

ous about being an adult isn’t just

women, taking 3, 4 women out. What

sends you a text, “Happy Holidays!

romantically but it’s professionally.

mez at www.demezw.com

if I put that into one woman?” Work is

I was just thinking about you!” If

A

Demez White

Finance

J

an. 31 and encouraged taxpayers to use e-file or Free File as the The Internal Revenue Service today announced plans to open the 2014 filing season on fastest way to receive refunds.

The new opening date for individuals to file their 2013 tax returns will allow the IRS adequate time to program and test its tax processing systems. The annual process for updating IRS systems saw significant delays in October following the 16-day federal government closure.

“Our teams have been working hard throughout the fall to prepare for the upcoming tax season,” IRS Acting Commissioner Danny Werfel said. “The late January opening gives us enough time to get things right with our programming, testing and systems validation. It’s a complex process, and our bottom-line goal is to provide a smooth filing and refund process for the nation’s taxpayers.”

We make decisions every

Living doesn’t have to be

You can read more from De-

2014 Tax Season to Open Jan. 31st

The government closure meant the IRS had to change the original opening date from Jan. 21 to Jan. 31, 2014. The 2014 date is one day later than the 2013 filing season opening, which started on Jan. 30, 2013, following January tax law changes made by Congress on Jan. 1 under the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA). The extensive set of ATRA tax changes affected many 2012 tax returns, which led to the late January opening.

The IRS noted that several options are available to help taxpayers prepare for the 2014 tax season and get their refunds as easily as possible.

New year-end tax planning information has been added to IRS.gov this week.

In addition, many software companies are expected to begin accepting tax returns in January and hold those returns until the IRS systems open on Jan. 31. More details will be available in January.

The IRS cautioned that it will not process any tax returns before Jan.

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31, so there is no advantage to filing on paper before the opening date.

Taxpayers will receive their tax refunds much faster by using e-file or Free File with the direct deposit option.

The April 15 tax deadline is set by statute and will remain in place. However, the IRS reminds taxpayers that anyone can request an automatic six-month extension to file their tax return. The request is easily done with Form 4868, which can be filed electronically or on paper.

IRS systems, applications and databases must be updated annually to reflect tax law updates, business process changes and programming updates in time for the start of the filing season.

The October closure came during the peak period for preparing IRS systems for the 2014 filing season. Programming, testing and deployment of more than 50 IRS systems is needed to handle processing of nearly 150 million tax returns.

Updating these core systems is a complex, year-round process with the majority of the work beginning in the fall of each year.

About 90 percent of IRS operations were closed during the shutdown, with some major work streams closed entirely during this period, putting the IRS nearly three weeks behind its tight timetable for being ready to start the 2014 filing season.

There are additional training, programming and testing demands on IRS systems this year in order to provide additional refund fraud and identity theft detection and prevention.

For more information, visit www.irs.gov.

JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2013

PG 7

Feature

By Lisa Respers France CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire

A

ctor James Avery, who played the beloved Uncle Phil on the hit 1990s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” has died, his publicist said Wednesday.

He was 68.

The cause of death was complications from open-heart surgery, said his manager, Toni Benson. Avery had surgery on November 11 and died Tuesday evening at a hospital in Glendale, California, according to Benson.

“Fresh Prince” co-star Joseph Marcell, who played the family butler Geoffrey, told CNN that Avery was “a marvelous man and a truly wonderful actor.”

Avery played Philip Banks, the stern but loving uncle to Will Smith’s character on the show.

“He strove to present an Uncle Phil that everybody wishes was their uncle,” Marcell said.

James Avery, Star of ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,’ Dies at 68

Avery believed the show was important because the “striving of the African-American ought to have been shown on television,” Marcell said. “What he has done for television, for African-Americans on television is unsurpassable.”

“Fresh Prince” co-star Alfonso Ribeiro tweeted news of Avery’s passing.

“I’m deeply saddened to say that James Avery has passed away,” Ribeiro wrote.

“He was a second father to me. I will miss him greatly.

Jada Pinkett Smith, wife of Will Smith, posted the couple’s condolences Wednesday on her verified Facebook page.

“Our condolences to aunt Florence (his mother), Miss Barbara (his wife) and all those who loved him,” Pinkett Smith wrote.

A classically trained actor

PG 8 JANUARY 2 - JANUARY 8, 2013

James Avery

and poet, Avery grew up in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he was raised by a single mother. He served in the Navy during the Vietnam War and first appeared onscreen as a dancer in an uncredited role in the 1980 film “The Blues Brothers.”

A biography provided by his manager said that after he served in the military, Avery moved to San Diego, California, where he began writing TV scripts and poetry for PBS. Before joining the military, he once said, he had dreams of being like Richard Wright and living in Paris.

But life took a different turn.

“I knew I loved the arts,” Avery said in an interview for the show “Unscripted.” “I knew I wanted to be a writer, but the theater was something I had been involved in before.”

Avery appeared in multiple TV shows and movies, including “CSI,” “That ‘70s Show,” “The Closer” and several appearances as a judge on “L.A. Law.”

Indeed, with his deep, mellifluous voice, he frequently played judges, professors and doctors -Uncle Phil began as a lawyer and eventually became a judge -- and was much in demand as a voice actor. His voice roles included Shredder in the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” series and James “Rhodey” Rhodes in the 1990s animated series version of

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“Iron Man.”

He most recently appeared in Zach Braff’s new film, “Wish I Was Here,” which will premiere at the Sundance Film Festival later this month.

But his most famous role was on “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” which aired from 1990 to 1996.

The show, co-executive produced by Quincy Jones and created

by Andy Borowitz and Susan Borowitz, cast Smith -- then best known as a rapper -- as a Philadelphia teenager who is sent to live with his wealthy Los Angeles relatives. As Banks, a former civil rights activist and Harvard Law-trained attorney, Avery provided a role model for Smith’s sometimes wild character.

Avery, too, leveled with youthful audiences, noting in “Unscripted” that he left home at 18 because “I had too good a time.”

In a 2007 interview with the New York Film Academy, he was forthright about his abilities.

“You can either be a movie star or an actor. I’m an actor,” Avery said. “(But) I’ve done pretty good.”

He is survived by his wife of 26 years, Barbara Avery; his mother, Florence Avery of Atlantic City; and a stepson, Kevin Waters.

CNN’s Todd Leopold contributed to this story.

THIS WEEK:

Houston, TX

THIS WEEK:

Houston, TX

AKA Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter 85th Anniversary Gala

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Photography Vicky Pink

n Saturday, December 28, 2013, Houston Style Magazine was on hand at the Westin Galleria Hotel for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA) – Alpha Kappa Omega Chapter’s 85th Anniversary Gala. Eighty-five years after six visionaries ladies chartered the first graduate chapter of AKA, the members of Alpha Kappa Omega continue to render service to all mankind. The glitzy pink and green affair honored the chapter’s tireless work and paid tribute to the 15 living former and current presidents of the chapter. Current chapter president Marianne Walker and Gala Chair Willie Mae Evans received a $10,000 donation from Bayway Lincoln and $5,000 from AARP on behalf of the chapter. Diginarities as AKA International President Carolyn House Stewart and other international officers; AKA South Central Regional Director Chelle Luper Wilson; Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Houston City Councilmembers Larry Green and Dwight Boykins, and State Rep. Borris Miles were scene in the crowd of more than 700 attendees.

TLOD/TTA Christmas Around the World

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Photography By Jo-Carolyn Goode

n Sunday, December 15, 2013, Houston Style Magazine was on hand at Manda Ann Center as the Top Ladies of Distinction (TLOD) and Top Teens of America (TTA) – Humble Intercontinental Chapter hosted 7th Annual TLOD/TTA Christmas Around the World Mentoring Tea Program. Themed “TLC – Teens /Ladies Connecting, the TLOD/TTA wanted to give residents of Manda Ann a taste of Christmas from around the world. Booths representing Nigeria, China, France, Mexico, Italy, Germany, Spain and the USA were set up with food native to each country. Residents also received a bit of Black history presented by the teens. In addition, the Top Ladies honored the parents of Top Teens for their support of the organization over the past year. Smiles of appreciation could be seen from ear-to-ear on the residents for the ladies and teens taking their time to share their holiday with them. Some in attendance were Joyce Jacquet, Shwanda Warner, Tyrhonda Bradley, Angela Castille, Jaire Harris, Barbara Smith, Chandler Childress, Camula Stanfield, Sylvia O’Neal, Barbara Lewis, Sheila Maddox, Wondy Weston, Barbara Fields, Jarmese Morris, Michael-Christian Woods, Paris Adams, Carol McCree, Michael-Princeton Woods, and Nalyah Johnson.

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Terri Schichenmeyer

“The Tell: The Little Clues That Reveal Big Truths about Who We Are” by Matthew Hertenstein

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he new hire came highly recommended.

His college transcripts proved that he was a good student. Professors liked him, former employers lauded him, and he seemed to know his stuff.

You brought him aboard, of course, but you’re not sure he’ll work out and you can’t quite put your finger on why. There was just… something, and you wish now you’d listened to your gut. Read “The Tell” by Matthew Hertenstein, though, and you’ll see how your inner voice can be wrong, too.

For most of your work-

ing life, you’ve been told that you have just a few seconds to make a first impression. You know it’s true because you, too, make snap-decisions about the people you meet – but you may also remember times when you’ve been wrong.

Our brains, says Hertenstein, “predict, both consciously and unconsciously, what’s going to transpire before events unfold.” We are “sophisticated statistical whizzes” and are barely aware of it.

The error comes in our propensity toward decisionand-prediction-making “biases of the mind.” We also forget that “predictions are probabilistic” and can go awry (it happens more often than we’d like to think in court cases). And yet, we truly can determine a lot about someone just by watching.

We can, for instance,

Entertainment

By Susie Stillwell

get a good idea of how a child is being raised by observing its interactions with others. We quickly size up strangers for mate potential (whether we need a mate or not) and we put a lot of stock in the width of their faces (men) and their hips (women).

On that note, we’re attracted to facial symmetry and “baby faces.” We can instantly perceive someone who is our social equal and, with a surprising degree of accuracy, we can also determine their intelligence, their honesty, and whether or not we want to do business with them.

This all happens, often within seconds. The foil comes because we are “dismal lie detectors” and often misread mixed or unclear signals, since supposed-“telltale signs of dishonesty” are, in truth, “merely clues.” Instead of relying on a gut-feeling (which sometimes lacks in accuracy), we need to

“ask more questions” or, if all else fails, ask a child: research shows that younger kids were up to ninety percent accurate in predicting the winner of the 2008 election.

Though it does sometimes descend into laboratoryworthy academia, “The Tell” is, overall, an enjoyable, informative book to read.

Obviously fascinated with the topic, author Matthew Hertenstein lends that enthusiasm to this book quite well, making us excited to take people-watching (and hiring) to another level. We learn why we’re inexplicably drawn to some people more than others; how we can predict the outcomes of marriages and sales; how we make friends and fall in love; and how we can be better teachers, parents, and co-workers.

In his introduction, Hertenstein warns that this is

not a self-help book and he often urges caution for snap-judgments. Here, you’ll learn why. If you’ve ever sized up a situation quickly and felt small about it later, “The Tell” is highly recommended.

c.2013, Basic Books $26.99 / $30.00 Canada 268 pages

Amazing Grace

Entertainment Writer

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he’s a model and she’s looking good. She’s also a pioneering artist, actress and musician. Here are the secrets of Grace Jones.

Well, well well, my heroine! No not the drug silly. THE LADY. Grace Jones.....As we sit and talk about her life, career, likes and dislikes, struggles to succeed, loves, family and the future.

Susie Stillwell/JC: Hi Grace...

Wow. I am so stoked. I really don’t know where to begin. There is so much we could talk about.

Grace Jones: Susie, one of my best friends. Hi girl, how the heck are you? I am so happy to do this with you.

SS/JC: Grace, from what I know and have researched, you fought your way to stardom, yes?

GJ: Haven’t we all, as ladies, and I know you know just what I mean.

It wasn’t easy from Jamaica to Hollywood and New York I did the gamut.

SS/JC: Let’s talk about some of your films firstly. I hear there are some

wimpy men in the industry and you have worked with a lot of them, like Arnold Schwarzenegger. I hear he complained that you were ‘too tough’ during filming of ‘Conan The Destroyer,’ and Roger Moore commented he had a genuine dislike of Jones during filming of the Bond film ‘A View To A Kill.’

GJ: From your years as a Klingon, you know yourself, when you do your own stunts you tend to be a bit more aggressive in a scene. Arnold felt inferior because he is a short person. In his lifts, he still was not as big on scene as I, so the Mickey Rooney complex played a huge role in his acting with me in scenes...And Roger Moore? Please.......What a Eurowuss!

SS/JC: OK Grace, for those who do not know. What is the Mickey Rooney complex?

GJ: Ummm... [laughing] The Mickey Rooney complex is a situation in film when men do not like their opposing scene partners who are female to

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be taller than they...And Mickey Rooney was about 4‘11 during those days all actors were short for camera shots and other technical reasons.

SS/JC: From what I know about you and your formative years, you were estranged from your parents, especially your Dad, because his religious beliefs collided with your career and when your brother Christian fell out with your parents because of social differences, as well as him wanting a career in music as a DJ, you took her brother’s side and that helped establish her rebelliousness.

GC: Well, my father was very strict and was a reverend type person.

When I came to the US at the age of 12, I thought I wanted to be a Spanish teacher until I discovered free speech.

Man that set my Dad off. Then when I took up with singing and drama, he distanced himself from me, and then my brother, but what doesn’t kill you, as they say, makes you stronger. His rejec-

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tion just gave me fuel to want to make it even more, just to prove to him that I was somebody...That God don’t make no junk! My rebellion included a constant love of night clubbing in New York, as well as going out road-tripping and taking acid with Hell’s Angels. I wore Afros before they came into fashion was exposing myself in clubs way before nude establishments were officially commissioned.

Read the full story online at www.stylemagazine.com.

Grace Jones

National Time Warner Cable Named a 2013 Top Company for People of Color by National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications

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ime Warner Cable was selected as a 2013 Top Company for People of Color by the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC), an organization that educates, advocates and empowers for multi-ethnic diversity in the communications industry. The company was named to this list based on the results from a joint NAMIC and Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) Workforce Diversity Survey. This is NAMIC’s first “Top Companies for People of Color” list.

NAMIC named Time Warner Cable to its “Top Company” list based on several categories, including the hiring and promotion of people of color to its management and workforce, as well as the alignment of diversity with its business goals and objectives. Other criteria included the company’s demonstration to support diversity and inclusion, and strategies to guarantee diversity of vendors and suppliers. NAMIC and

WICT engaged Mercer, an independent research partner and global human capital consultants, to conduct the survey. More information about the services of Time Warner Cable is available at twc.com, twcbc.com and twcmedia.com.

Texas Baptist Universities Win Lawsuit Against Controversial HHS Mandate

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Houston federal court delivered a major blow to the controversial HHS mandate ruling in favor of East Texas Baptist University and Houston Baptist University. In a 46-page opinion, the court ruled that the federal mandate requiring employers to provide employees with abortion-causing drugs and devices violates federal civil rights laws, and issued an injunction against the mandate. Religious plaintiffs have now won injunctions in 9 out of 12 such cases involving non-profit entities challenging the mandate. The decision is part of a recent groundswell of cases decided against the government. In nine of the twelve cases decided thus far, federal district courts across the country have issued injunctions against the mandate. For more information, visit www.becketfund.org.

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Greater Houston Partnership Forecasts 69,800 New Jobs in 2014

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he Greater Houston Partnership released its annual jobs forecast today saying the Houston metro area will create 69,800 jobs in 2014. The forecast was presented by Patrick Jankowski, GHP Vice President of Research.

Jankowski also explained that he forecasts that employment will grow in all sectors, with professional and business services, education and health services, trade, transportation and utilities and construction turning in the strongest performances. Energy and manufacturing will grow but at slower paces. The year should end with 2.9 million payroll jobs, a net increase of more than 500,000 jobs since January 2005.

Only two other metros—New York and Dallas-Fort Worth—will be able to make a similar claim. Jankowski said “several factors will drive job growth in 2014—the ramp-up in construction at area chemical plants, the backlog of projects at local engineering firms, growing consumer confidence, and sustained population and income growth.” For more information, visit www.houston.org.

Wal-Mart Recalls Donkey Product in China After Fox Meat Scandal

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hanghai is reporting that WalMart Stores Inc, the world’s largest retailer, has recalled donkey meat sold at some outlets in China after tests showed the product

contained the DNA of other animals, the U.S. company said. Wal-Mart will reimburse customers who bought the tainted “Five Spice” donkey meat and is helping local food and industry agencies in eastern Shandong province investigate its Chinese supplier, it said late on Wednesday in official posts on China’s Twitter-like Weibo.

The Shandong Food and Drug Administration earlier said the product contained fox meat. The scandal could dent Wal-Mart’s reputation for quality in China’s $1 trillion food and grocery market where it plans to open 110 new stores in the next few years. China is the largest grocery market in the world and is set to grow to $1.5 trillion by 2016, according to the Institute of Grocery Distribution.

For more information, visit www.reuters.com.

Martha Stewart and Macy’s Settle Legal Fight

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Houston federal court delivered a major blow to the controversial HHS mandate ruling in favor of East Texas Baptist University and Houston Baptist University. In a 46-page opinion, the court ruled that the federal mandate requiring employers to provide employees with abortion-causing drugs and devices violates federal civil rights laws, and issued an injunction against the mandate. Religious plaintiffs have now won injunctions in 9 out of 12 such cases involving non-profit entities challenging the mandate. The decision is part of a recent groundswell of cases decided against the government. In nine of the twelve cases decided thus far, federal district courts across the country have issued injunctions against the mandate. For more information, visit www.becketfund.org.

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