VERGO Magazine Issue Vol.1

Fashion Entertainment Lifestyle magazine vol 1 | NO 0 | issue # 1 | January 2009

USA $5.99

A NEW FRAGRANCE FOR MEN FROM SEAN JOHN

EXCLUSIVELY AT MACY’S

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A NEW FRAGRANCE FOR MEN FROM SEAN JOHN

EXCLUSIVELY AT MACY’S

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www.dolcegabbana.com

LUXE It’s a man’s world 19 MODA 78 Transportation 22 BELLA 80 Boating 24 SKY SCRAPERS AND ROOF TOPS 90 KERRY WASHINGTON 26 In only a few years, Kerry Washington has risen to become one of the most electrifying AfricanAmerican actors of this era. She has garnered diverse roles in films ranging from Save the Last Dance to Ray to The Last King of Scotland to I Think I Love My Wife to the Fantastic Four movies.

ON THE BUBBLE He say She say 48 VERGO on the seen 50 CELEBRITY Ryan Leslie 54 Hey, hey, superstar! ”L.A. Reid”, chairman of the Island Def Jam Music Group, shouts to Ryan Leslie, as a man with a video camera trails behind them.

Everywhere he goes, Leslie is filmed. This is because he pays someone to film him.

SURROUNDINGS

THE ART OF DESIGN 96 HAUTE ELEGANCE 100 RENAISSANCE MAN 108 THE STORM OF JOLIE 112 Clint Eastwood’s Changeling is based on the true story of Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie), a single mother whose young son disappeared in 1928 and was returned six months later—at least, the Los Angeles Police Department said it was her son. She didn’t recognize him, which irritated the patriarchal and corrupt police captain so much he threw her into a mental hospital. It would be a horrific story even if underplayed, but Eastwood shoots it like a horror movie. The false boy is lit to resemble the Antichrist Damien in The Omen, while in the psychiatric ward, whey-faced loons press their heads against the bars and shriek, ugly nurses leer, and the creepy doctor plots to throw Angie on a gurney and give her jolts of electricity.

INTERMISSION 116 MOISTURIZING LUXURIES 124 LIFESTYLE 126

The Forge 60, OYA 64 PLAYAZ Theron Cook 66 Dual-coastal, bi-lingual and two-gifted, Cook has been mastering acting and rap to succulent perfection--with a dash of Spanish--for the last seven years.

Sean Faris 70 The exciting thing about teen pop culture is that it often gives its objects of admiration not only a chance to be adored as idols by a devoted following, but it gives an opportunity for new, fresh talent to be discovered. One such new face to come out of such a success story is Sean Faris.

HEALTH 128 We all have goals at the New Year, to either get in shape, earn more money, create better relationships, etc. What people do not always recognize is how eating and exercising correctly can create all of the above. Nutrition and Exercise give us the fuel to rev up our metabolisms so that we can be on top of our game and sustain energy so that we can reach our potential. Despite, busy schedules that reflect today’s time, there are countless ways you can reach your goals.

RETRO LIFE 130 Boy George is an English singer-songwriter, who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by rhythm and blues and reggae. His 1990s and 2000s-era solo music has glam influences such as David Bowie and Iggy Pop.

MEMORANDUM Go far and away 34 On a long journey, traveling light is not only easier on your back it is also a good attitude to approach a vacation.

However, the one luxury you cannot do without is time. Regrettably, American workers have either limited or no access to paid leave according to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2003. This makes travel to far and away places and learning about other cultures unlikely, in the little time you can afford to be away from work.

Arms dealers to the world 40 No one can accuse the defense industry of lacking audacity. Despite receiving vast sums of money from the Pentagon each year, and having much of Congress in their back pocket, arms manufacturers have been holding conference after conference of late complaining that big government is keeping them down.

Our Defining moments 42 On January 20, 2009, Barack Hussein Obama, II will take the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States of America. Mr. Obama’s meteoric rise from near anonymity five years ago to this defining moment in history reflects what one could describe as a tale of overnight success. In truth, Mr. Obama’s achievement serves as the latest and ultimate watershed moment in a long and storied history of struggle and success for African Americans in the United States.

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PUBLISHER/FOUNDER Trevor Richard

PUBLISHER/FOUNDER Daniel J. Neptune

OPERATIONS MANAGER Tracy Warrick CREATIVE DIRECTOR /FASHION EDITOR Tasha Ford EDITOR –IN-CHIEF Chantel J. Bivins

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Jim Basin Senior Editor Darius Tommy Mitchell Features Editor Evart Roberson Fashion Editor Dan Shfferion Copy Chief Jack Nolen Staff Editor/Researcher Many Richardson Market Editor Adam Galen Executive Assistant Uma Yamia Special Projects Samantha Marries Writers Sarah Harding, Matt Quale Joshua Perkins, Stephen Newicki Andy Tribemans, Hugh Matthews Daniel Stephens, Theron Cook Bobby Carringtone, Miriam Shilenski

ART DIRECTOR Trevor Richard Designers Ja’nell—Marie Toppin Calvin Jean Baptiste, Aisha Schrieber

PRODUCTION Director of Production & Manufacturing Guy Derry, Raquel Bower Photographers PGMStudios (Pedro Galvez) Sean Scheidt, Wendell Teodoro, Beverli Alford

VERGOMEDIA.COM CHIEF ONLINE EDITOR Daniel J. Neptune

Bauer Klein, Koch Zimmermann VERGO Media Architects PUBLIC RELATIONS

Celia Smith CONTRIBUTORS Christel Bangsgaard, Kenneth Flanagan, Michelle Beaumont La Fleur De Lion

1200 G Street NW Suite 800 Washington D.C. 20006 2009 Magazine La Fleur De Lion, LLC. No part of this publication reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. VERGO is a trademark of La Fleur De Lion, LLC. Subscriptions U.S. 877-258-81-8171, Intl: 877-258-81-8171, send inquiries to: 1200 G Street NW, Suite 800, Washington D.C. 20006

Michelle Beaumont Christel Bangsgaard Danish born Photographer Christel Bangsgaard started photography six years ago and immediately immersed herself into the world of digital capture. She loved the way digital gave her instant feedback and was able to take her images to the next level once bringing them into Photoshop.

Training herself in Copenhagen gave Christel her unique aesthetic before making the jump to New York where she now calls NYC's West Village home. You often find her stopping to grab a cup of joe on the way to the studio.

For more than fifteen years Michelle has been making her mark on the health, beauty and fitness industry. Michelle’s success has brought her recognition as a national level fitness authority. Her elite physique has earned her many top level standings in national beauty, figure and fitness competitions. Her innovative workout programs have been implemented into some of the nation’s leading health and fitness organizations. Her articles have been published by many leading industry magazines. She is an industry speaker on topics including weight management, wellness and group fitness and she specializes in helping large health clubs find and grow new revenue streams.

Christel's ability to capture beauty and fashion in both a subtle and natural light as well as creating images that offer a stark contrast to her portraits is what set her apart form the rest. Christel's talent at not only the creative side but her ability to transforms the image in post production is a quality many clients love.

Christel prides herself in taking a blank canvas and turning it into what her mind's eye can dream up for the client.

Kenneth Flanagan Kenneth Flanagan, aka KAS—is a self taught designer with a vision that is limitless. He has worked with exclusive boutiques and major department stores. He has also modeled professionally from runway to commercial print.

Kenneth “KAS” Flanagan has been in existence since 1996, and since then was named 2001 Up and Coming Designer, “Hot Designer of 2003” by Nofic, 2004 International Designer of the Year (3rd Place winner out of 250 designers from around the world), 2004 Urban Independent Music Awards “Designer of the Year”, and 2005 Timmy Awards (Talent in Motions Magazine) Designer of the Year (for New York, London and Paris). “Talent in Motion Magazine” has a distribution of over 400,000 nationwide, and the award is chosen by the readers and the 2005 America’s Prince of Fashion Award winner, nominated again for 2006 Designer of the Year and 2008 Velocity Magazine Career Achievement Award.

WWW.EVADANIELLE.COM

This fresh and exceptionally mild water is served in restaurants in many major cities around the world. The water is drawn from a source in the untouched environment in southern Norway. Voss has an extremely low mineral content and is highly compatible with refined dishes. It is a so-called artesian water, which means that the water is pressurized enough to rise up naturally to the surface (without the intervention of a mechanical pump). The stylish bottle was designed by Neil Kraft who also designed for Calvin Klein.

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Today introduced the second generation iPod® touch featuring an amazingly thin contoured metal design, a gorgeous 3.5-inch widescreen glass display, 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi wireless networking, integrated volume control buttons, a built-in speaker for casual listening, a built-in accelerometer and other advanced sensors, and Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch™ user interface. iPod touch, now available for just $229 for the 8GB model, is perfect for playing music, movies and games, with millions of songs, thousands of Hollywood movies and hundreds of games available on the iTunes® Store.

BeoCom 2 challenges conventional assumptions about telephone design. Crafted from a single piece of aluminum, it sits naturally in the hand, while its gentle curve matches the shape of the human face. Place the charger on the wall or the table, and enjoy cordless freedom all over the house. The exceptional balance in your hand and natural sound in your ear make it easy to talk for hours. BeoCom 2 is a system telephone with up to eight handsets from the one base station

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A easy to use and fun way to wirelessly play all your favorite iTunes® content from your Mac® or PC on your widescreen TV, including movies, TV shows, music, photos and podcasts. Using Apple TV’s stunning new interface, anyone can quickly browse and view their entire collection of digital media from across the room using the simple and intuitive Apple Remote. Apple TV easily connects to almost all modern widescreen televisions, and will be shipping in February for just $299.

Customize your ride with the rugged zūmo 550.

Designed by bikers, zūmo’s motorcycle-friendly features make it easy to operate while in the saddle.

From back roads to rallies, its preloaded maps and high-end navigation features give you the freedom to go where you want.

Molton Brown moisture rich aloe & palm body bar is enriched with shea butter, aloe vera and palm oil, this body bar refreshes, cleans and hydrates the face and body. The creamy lather, also great for shaving, conditions with aromatic essential oils of sandalwood, citrus and patchouli, toning the skin and revitalizing the senses.

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The Aston Martin DB9 is a thoroughbred sports car with GT levels of comfort and refinement. Combining Aston Martin’s unique character with an uncompromising design philosophy, the DB9 was borne out of a synthesis of traditional craftsmanship, high-tech manufacturing, modern components and use of the finest materials.

The DB9 is both a full-blooded sports car and a hugely capable grand tourer. Whether in Coupe or Volante form, it offers a supreme combination of driver involvement, character, luxury and refinement.

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Beautifully styled, the DB9 never fails to stir the soul with its unique sound, power and performance. This purebred sports car is also a technical triumph, its beauty signifying aerodynamic efficiency, its power unencumbered by weight, its devastating straight-line performance paired with exquisite handling. All great sports cars strive to balance these qualities, and the DB9 creates an experience that is both unique and unforgettable. What the driver sees, hears and feels is in harmony. The reward is total involvement: a level of engagement that truly stimulates the senses, that re-ignites a passion for driving.

But an Aston Martin is also about luxury, indulgence and enjoyment – it is a feast for the senses. Sure enough, the magnificent exterior styling of the DB9 gives way to a sumptuous, comprehensively equipped cabin, trimmed in the finest materials.

Every element is perfectly conceived, from the 6.0-litre V12, to the hand-stitched seats and carefully selected interior woods.

Nothing is out of place.

The DB9 is technologically sophisticated and meticulously engineered. Its development programme includes rigorous testing in locations as diverse as Nardo in Italy, Death Valley in the USA and inside the Arctic Circle in Sweden. In total, more than one million testing miles have been covered.

Design and engineering innovations include the organic electroluminescent displays (OEL) in the instrument pack and centre console, which provide greater clarity and resolution, as well as LED (light-emitting diode) rear lamps designed to project further and react more quickly than conventional systems.

The propeller shaft is particularly innovative: it is manufactured from carbon-fibre for lightness and improved transmission refinement. The ‘swan-wing’ doors are another elegant and ingenious design feature, opening out and up to improve access and prevent the doors being scuffed on high curbs. The DB9 also pioneered the use of ‘ultrasonic’ welding, which is 90% stronger than conventional spot welding, and results in a better finish, yet uses only 5% of the energy.

Aston Martin has developed its own incredibly light and strong aerospace-specification bonded aluminum structure. This unique ‘VH’ (Vertical Horizontal) structure gives the DB9 one of the most structurally efficient body frames in the car industry. Its huge rigidity aids handling, driver feedback and safety. More than any other single component, the advanced aluminum structure is the reason for DB9’s extraordinary nimbleness, responsiveness and overall character.

Monaco – The first unit of the 64 Wally power stands out for her unmistakable Wally design as well as for her metallic blue striking colour. This new model of the Wally power range was highly acclaimed by the market: the boat was sold as soon as she arrived at the Monaco Yacht Show, where she made her debut. This 19-metre yacht represents the transition between the Wally Tender and the larger Wally Power yachts. The design fully exploits the concept of integrating form and function, and combining large interior volumes with high performance, excellent sea keeping, and wide open air areas. The model comes with different choices for the propulsion, for the interior layout, and for the exterior and interior styling. The production schedule provides for five units of the 64 Wally power to be launched in 2009.

The 73 Wally Power is developed following the concept to integrate design with innovative technology, and combines the open-air living characteristics of the Wally Tender, with the hull lines of the 118 Wally Power resulting in fast, comfortable, stylish, safe, and seaworthy vessels.

Interview By: Rocco Passafuime

In only a few years, Kerry Washington has risen to become one of the most electrifying African-American actors of this era. She has garnered diverse roles in films ranging from Save the Last Dance to Ray to The Last King of Scotland to I Think I Love My Wife to the Fantastic Four movies.

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Washington’s latest role is as newlywed Lisa Mattson in the new thriller Lakeview Terrace, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Patrick Wilson. The 31 year-old actress first discussed with us what was it that she felt made this character stand apart from others in the African-American female Hollywood lexicon.

“One of the things that really drew me to the character of Lisa was I feel like I’ve never kind of seen this black woman on screen before,” she claims, “You know, this kind of ecoconscious, Prius-driving, Birkenstock-wearing black chick and I loved that. I loved the idea because I have a lot of girl friends like that and so I did.”

“I made choices actually about the hemp sneakers and the organic T-shirt and we had organic cleaning supplies in our home and that kind of stuff,” Kerry continues, “We wanted to really embody this kind of new progressive couple living next door to somebody who’s kind of in a completely different world, a more conservative, law enforcement, strict moral code kind of existence. And so, we wanted to flesh out those differences. I would wear all that stuff. My bedding is organic.”

Another aspect Kerry claims she loved about Lakeview Terrace was how realistically human the characters all are.

“One of the things I love about this film is how human all these people are, how flawed, and how they’re all trying to do the best they can at varying degrees of success,” Washington believes, “It’s wonderful to be playing characters that are so multi-dimensional with such good actors.”

However, Washington is quick to add how she simply couldn’t pass the opportunity to work alongside Hollywood’s famous “bad-ass motherf***er”.

“That’s also why, [Sam’s] really fun,” Kerry notes, “You can quote every one of his movies. It’s so earned also constantly. I never saw him on set hold sides, he’s so prepared. He knows every line, he knows the beats, he knows where he’s supposed to be. It’s incredibly inspiring.”

In Lakeview Terrace, Kerry plays a wife in an interracial marriage which is outwardly disapproved of by her neighbor, LAPD cop and self-appointed “neighborhood watchman” Abel Turner, played by Jackson. A kind of disapproval, the African American actress says, that is not just limited to purely discriminatory bases like race or ethnicity.

“I think what I have learned is that no matter who one dates, somebody is going to have something to say, whether it’s because of religion or education or lack thereof or where they live or their ethnicity or their race,” she believes, “People will find a way ...

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“Some people always will and part of being an adult is making choices that are authentic to you and letting everything else fall away,” Washington continues, “And I think that’s part of the journey into adulthood, which is hard for these two characters, because they think they have made that journey already and then, they’re like what do you mean we still have to have this conversation.”

As the film progresses, Abel begins to increasingly harass Chris and Lisa. We asked Washington what she’d say to more potentially cynical audiences who would likely believe the couple should just pack up and move out if such a situation occurred. “[Buying a home] is an intense, emotional process,” Kerry explains, “It’s a big deal. And I think that’s the other reason why people go, why don’t you just move? And I go, you’re kidding, right? You go through so much when you buy a piece of property and you move in and then, you’re like, it’s mine, you know. You have that thing in this culture of like this is my space and this is your space and I’m not leaving.”

With that in mind, we also asked Kerry if she herself had any neighbor horror stories that she herself had ever experienced.

“Trust me, I’ve tried, but I don’t really have one,” Washington replies, “How many neighbors do you really know? That’s the thing.”

Her most famous role to date is as blind woman Alicia Masters, the love interest of The Thing in the Fantastic Four movies. We asked Washington if she felt being part of such a high-profile property like Fantastic Four has personally benefited her as an actress.

“It’s fun, you know,” Kerry replies, “I made friends. That was probably the biggest thing when I look at Fantastic Four is the friends that I’ve made from that film that I hold very dear. You know, one of the other cool things is the Alicia Masters character in the cartoon is African American, which is totally different, which is kind of cool, breaking ground whenever I can.”

On a final note, with that in mind, we asked Washington if there was any superpower she personally wished she could have.

“If I could have a superhero power, it would be to make people like themselves because I think if people liked themselves, then things would be a lot easier in my life,” she answers, “It’s totally selfish.”

By Renee N. Reed On a long journey, traveling light is not only easier on your back, but it is also a good attitude to approach a vacation. However, the one luxury you cannot do without is time. Regrettably, American workers have either limited or no access to paid leave, according to a report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2003, therefore making travel to far and away places and learning about other cultures unlikely, in the little time you can afford to be away from work.

The root of the word vacation is derived from vacate. Yet for many Americans, it is more convenient not to travel long distances in the short time they have. Three day weekends serve as mini-vacations for most of us. Like a fat suitcase, we stuff in visits to family or friends. The holidays, where customs and traditions likely dictate an agenda, are crammed with visits and festivities. Seldom is it that travelers can see themselves blissfully on a semi-deserted island without at least a Wi-Fi connection.

But before arranging someone to spray you with an instant tan without ever leaving your living room, consider why that bronze look is so appealing in the first place. Once upon a time, people used to go on vacations, fabulous vacations. When they returned bronzed and refreshed, they glowed with a celebrity status. Doesn’t it seem odd that people buy the tan but not the concept?

Forget budgets, backpacks and Birkenstocks, you can’t afford not to get away. Whether it is weeks away or a weekend city-break, taking the Another reason for not traveling abroad may be the unavoidable stress time off is good for your health. But the catch is, you have to have your that is induced at the airport. The September 11th attacks are often to health to make the most of it, so GO! blame for tightened measures of security, rather than not having your passport or traveling on peak-times. In fact, air-travel has become less auspicious with record numbers of delays, airlines filing for bankruptcy protections, the soar in fuel prices which affect ticket prices, and the treatment of passengers. Who hasn’t been felt up or down, weighed, measured or x-rayed by some apathetic airport official with a badge? My HMO isn’t as thorough.

When getting there and getting home are the worst parts of your vacation, no wonder people would rather stay at work or near home. But far, far from the maddening crowd, so you should be. Some travelers must make a compromise. Those whose limited respite is demystified as a “working vacation” has created a demand that has made successful hotel chains include a host of technologies for the traveler. These are no longer limited to premiere hotels. This is where a working mother can quietly check her work email while the rest of the family are at the beach until she joins them.

Extreme travelers carry this notion that a vacation must be actionpacked and maximized with a list of exciting events. This is often why travel insurance is a good idea and often the cause for another vacation, away from your vacation. Eco-tourism, Adventure Travel, European group tour packages, and cruise ships do what airplane attendants have been doing for years, filling your time by filling your cup. Keeping you busy until you go home is a way of dealing with the person most in need of a relaxing holiday getaway. Are American travelers adverse to the concept of doing relatively little on vacation? Could it be the fear of “downtime” or is it that we are merely unfamiliar with having time off?

In a new study by Families and Work Institute entitled, Overwork in America: When the Way We Work Becomes Too Much, the study examined 1000 waged and salaried American workers who were eligible for vacations. The data indicated that on average, US workers take 14.6 vacation days a year, 37 % take fewer than seven days, and only 14 % of employees take vacations of two weeks or more. Compared to our European counterparts, American employees work longer days and have less vacation time. Unlike most European countries, our citizens are not guaranteed a paid annual leave. For example, European countries like France require employers to provide workers with three to six weeks paid leave annually.

There is new medical evidence that suggest taking time away from the daily grind has physical and emotional health benefits for men and women. "Go Away: Just for the Health of It," written by Mel Borins considers the overall fitness and income of the traveler before writing a prescription to “go take a hike.” While the golden years are often the season in life where there is an abundance of time to relax or travel, unfortunately, our lifestyles has made many of our bodies unable to cope with the stress involved with a long journey or active travel. So don’t wait until retirement to start Nordic Walking. Seize the day!

By David Van Deusen*

San Cristobal, Mexico, January 1st 2006 -Deep in the Mountains and jungles of Chiapas, populated primarily with indigenous peasants, stirs a force which is seeking to up stage the high financed drama of the 2006 Mexican presidential election. The force grows out of rebel occupied territory held by the EZLN, commonly known as the Zapatistas. The Zapatistas control five regions in Chiapas. Each of these regions includes many small villages, containing a total population in the tens of thousands.

Since an armed uprising launched on January 1st, 1994 (the day NAFTA went into effect) these communities have been administered autonomously, guided by humanitarian principles, and utilizing directly democratic decision-making structures at a local level. Their autonomy stems from a shaky cease-fire agreement with the Mexican government which has more or less been in effect since the mid-nineties, and is guarded by a standing rebel army estimated to be in the thousands. However, over the course of the last five years the EZLN, who have political aspirations far beyond Chiapas, has found itself more and more isolated from the larger, but fragmented, Mexican left. This isolation has greatly hampered Zapatista attempts to expand their practical influence beyond their few rural strongholds.

n a bold attempt to break free of their current limitations, the General Command of the EZLN issued in June, a communiqué known as the Sixth Declaration From The Laconda Jungle, announced a national initiative aimed at uniting the entirety of the non-electoral Mexican left. The initiative, which will consist of Subcomandante Marcos (the most prominent EZLN figure) and other Zapatista leaders traveled throughout the nation in order to speak with and listen to hundreds of grassroots organizations and thousands of working people, as the Other Campaign. According to EZLN spokespeople, the basic goal of the campaign was to begin to foment a united left platform, strategy, and bottom up organization based on the opinions, experiences, and needs of the majority of the Mexican people. For the EZLN such an effort was necessary if the needs of the estimated 80% of Mexicans who are currently living in poverty are to be fundamentally addressed.

The announcement of the Other Campaign, timed to coincide with the 2006 Mexican presidential race and set to begin with a march and mass rally in San Cristobal on January 1st, has been met with both excitement and trepidation throughout the country. Although the EZLN has stopped short of calling for a boycott of the national elections, many liberals fear that their condemnation of the PRD will tip the polls in favor of the center-right National Action Party (PAN), or the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) –which is also on the right. At present, Andres Manuel Lopez, former Mayor of Mexico City, of the PRD, maintains an eleven-point lead in the polls over his closest rival, Roberto Madrazo of the PRI.

In addition to the debate about the EZLN’s potential effects on the presidential race, speculation has surfaced that Subcomandante Marcos and the EZLN are trying to transition away from their role as armed revolutionaries, and are setting In addition, the declaration entailed a condemnation themselves up for an electoral campaign of their own in 2012. of the left leaning Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD), These are charges that the EZLN deny. which they equated with the other electoral parties as essentially working against the common interest of the Mexican On the night of December 31st I made my way by people. The document, in reference to an indigenous rights truck into Zapatista held territory. Seven hours outside of San law passed in Congress, which failed to deliver upon negoti- Cristobal (including two hours on rugged dirt roads) I reached ated EZLN demands, stated, “The day that the politicians of the remote mountain town of La Garrucha. There I sat down the PRI, PAN, and PRD approved a law that does not serve, with Lieutenant Colonel Moises of the EZLN. Moises reafthey killed dialogue, and they clearly said that it does not mat- firmed that the EZLN, “is not looking for electoral power.” ter what they agree to or sign because they will not keep their word.”

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The Colonel, like other Zapatista leaders, did not call for a nationwide electoral boycott, but did reiterate the EZLN’s lack of faith in the official electoral process. He went on to clarify that “the Zapatistas do not vote [in sanctioned Mexican elections].”

As for the charge that the EZLN is unequivocally turning away from armed struggle, or that they are exerting pressure on other Mexican groups to forego such activities, Moises asserted that the EZLN fully intends on retaining their armed formations even when engaging in nonviolent social organizing beyond Chiapas. He continued saying, “the Zapatistas began with armed struggle. Therefore it is not the Zapatistas’ business to tell anyone else how to struggle.”

On the Other Campaign, the Colonel expressed a guarded optimism stating, “The Other Campaign is just beginning and there is no way to tell what civil society will think about it…It will affect civil society in some way. A lot of people may not understand, a lot will. The campaign is just beginning, so we will see.”

Moises concluded the interview by saying, “the small farmers in Mexico have been forgotten and that is a focus of this campaign… This Campaign is part of their struggle.”

The following day, an estimated one thousand masked Zapatistas embarked from La Garrucha to San Cristobal (a city which was briefly held by the EZLN in 1994) where the Other Campaign would be officially launched. Leading the caravan was Subcomandante Marcos, riding a motorcycle. Thousands more Zapatistas made their way from other EZLN communities. Along the route whole indigenous towns, men, woman, and children, turned out along the roads to wave, cheer, and sing songs of support for the Zapatistas and their cause.

The caravans converged on San Cristobal just as night set in. There, over 15,000 Zapatistas marched in four lines through the streets of the city. Chants of “Viva Zapata! Viva La Zapatista! Viva La Revolution! Long Live Zapata, The Struggle Continues!” rang through the cool night air.

The march emptied into the city’s main square. The crowd grew to an estimated 20,000. Taking the stage were a number of Zapatista leaders. One after another called for all of Mexico’s working people and farmers to unite against their common enemies and build a new kind of power outside the confines of traditional politics.

One Zapatista speaker bellowed, “We will reach out to workers in the cities because we [the indigenous farmers] are already organized… The Other Campaign will bring the struggle we deal with in our day-to-day life [across all of Mexico]. The rich cannot continue to put the oppression down onto the small farmers and further down onto the earth, because the earth cannot stand it any more… The workers and farmers will bring justice, liberation, and freedom to Mexico this year, starting January first, 2006!”

The following speaker, Subcomandante Keli, asserted, “This struggle is not just for men [but also for women]… We all must work together for all of our freedoms… The new junta [must] encompass everyone, and at its center it [must be] anti-capitalist.”

One demonstrator, Ugel, a student from Mexico City who came to Chiapas to show his support for the EZLN and the Other Campaign told me, “I support the organizing of all the people. [The Other Campaign] is about the people making their own organization so they can decide [things] for themselves instead of one person [the president] deciding for all. I think this movement is going to make a new political structure for the participation of farmers, students, and workers. That is what the political class has not allowed for eighty or ninety years.”

The final speaker to take the stage was Subcomandante Marcos. Addressing the crowd Marcos said, “You are our partners… The left organizations, the anarchists, the groups that are not defined… man or woman…

We want you to help us talk with the workers in the city and in the world!”

He continued, “Everyone will have a place in the Other Campaign. Like Zapatistas we will defend our base [areas]… [Yet] we are prepared to talk and listen to that person who is in the back. They are very important… For the first time we finish January First not yelling EZLN, instead we yell that we are partners! Viva!

Long live the revolution!”The crowd roared in applause. For the moment an unmistakable feeling of optimism filled the air of this old Mexican city. However, it will be a long road before the Zapatistas can claim victory over the traditional political forces that are entrenched in Mexican society. That road will take EZLN leaders to all corners of the nation over the course of the coming year. What will come from this campaign is yet to be written.

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The defense industry wants fewer controls on its exports of armaments.

BRADFORD PLUMER

No one can accuse the defense industry of lacking audacity. Despite receiving vast sums of money from the Pentagon each year, and having much of Congress in their back pocket, arms manufacturers have been holding conference after conference of late complaining that the big government is keeping them down. At a Heritage Foundation event in mid-October, at which industry officials gathered to discuss the burdens of arms-export regulations, Robert Bauerlein, a Vice President at Boeing griped: "Government fundamentally doesn't trust industry to do the right thing when it comes to export controls." This from a company that earlier this year was fined $15 million for illegally selling military technology to China.

Arms-export control is an obscure issue that can have deadly consequences, and it may become increasingly important in the coming years. The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), an umbrella group for defense firms, is planning a big under-the-radar push to alter regulations on the global weapons trade.

Most of the current rules are in place to prevent U.S. arms from being shipped to places where human-rights violations are occurring, or where arms could be diverted to the black market. But foreign sales are a lucrative business for defense firms -- last year alone, sales of military weapons by U.S. contractors to overseas governments reached $21 billion -- and so a little audacity could, in the end, pay off handsomely.

The United States' current system of export controls actually works quite well at clamping down on arms proliferation. "It's one of the best in the world in terms of preventing unauthorized end use of U.S. defense articles," says Matthew Schroeder, an arms-control expert with the Federation of American Scientists. Defense companies that wish to sell arms abroad must first apply for an export license, and the potential sale is scrutinized closely by a variety of agencies and Congress.

At the Heritage Foundation event, defense executives complained that that review can take months -- Charles Jameson, Corporate Director of Export Management for Northrop Grumman, called the process "excessive" -- but experts need time to check that the arms won't be used in ways harmful to U.S. security, and to put in place a monitoring system to ensure the buyer doesn't resell, or lose, sensitive military technology.

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Arms-control experts worry that the AIA is pushing for reforms that would go beyond merely streamlining this bureaucracy. (In an interview, AIA executive vice president Mark Esper was vague as to what changes the group was lobbying the administration to make, insisting that he only wanted to make the process more "efficient.")

During a defense industry conference at the Hudson Institute in December, the AIA hinted that it might push for a multi-tier licensing system, in which defense firms wouldn't need to apply for licenses before selling arms to certain key allies. The group has backed similar proposals before, and the problem is that even stable democracies, such as Canada and Britain, can pose proliferation risks without a rigorous monitoring system in place. In the late 1990s, for example, the then-General Accounting Office found that a licensing exemption for arms sales to Canada was a disaster: Front companies from Libya, Iran, and Sudan had entered the country and nearly succeeded in reexporting arms back home.

Industry officials are also talking about lobbying for reforms that "don't require congressional action," as Esper put it.

That's worrisome, because the executive branch has a long history of sending weapons into regions where human-rights violations are rampant. A recent report by the World Policy Institute found that in 2003, the last year for which data were available, the United States transferred arms to 18 of 25 countries involved in active conflict. (By rights, the Foreign Assistance Act should bar this sort of activity, but the law is vague and subject to interpretation.) The "war on terror" has given the Bush administration an excuse to lift bans on weapons sales to countries that have troubling records on proliferation and human rights -- including Pakistan, Tajikistan, Serbia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan -- all in the name of bolstering its allies.

Many of these arms sales do more to increase human misery than they do to combat al-Qaeda. Since 9-11, the Nepalese government, which has engaged in grave human-rights abuses in its war against Maoist insurgents, has received a tenfold increase in military aid to purchase U.S. weapons.

Arms sales to Indonesia have fueled the government's brutal repression of Aceh province. Weapons exports can destabilize nations and regions, one reason why congressional oversight remains so necessary.

Defense industry officials offer several justifications for

revamping the export-control process, arguing, for instance, that they need to share technology freely with allies if the United States wants to cooperate with them in battle. As Esper says, "It's difficult to fight as a coalition if our partners need to go back at 6 [p.m.] because they don't have night-vision goggles." Retired U.S. Army Colonel Daniel M. Smith, however, has argued that the key to solving interoperability problems is greater organizational coordination among allies, not weakening the arms-export control system.

Arms manufacturers also grumble that export controls are hampering their ability to compete on the global market, although proof is hard to come by. In fact, the United States is still far and away the top arms exporter on the planet, delivering $11.6 billion in arms last year -- 45.6 percent of the world's total, according to a recent report by the Congressional Research Service. There's little evidence that current regulations are cramping the defense industry in any significant way.

Congress is likely to put up a fierce fight to any proposed changes to the export control system. In the past, Republican Congressman Henry Hyde of Illinois used his perch as chairman of the House International Relations Committee to prevent the Bush administration from altering export procedures. His incoming Democratic replacement, Tom Lantos, is "on the same page," according to one arms-control lobbyist. A congressional staff member told me that if the administration tried to revive the drastic changes it floated three years ago, "There would be big trouble."

But the defense industry is still a force to be reckoned with in Washington, having spent more than $78 million on lobbying in 2005. (During the Hudson conference, one participant singled out two congressional staffers who have helped thwart past reforms, and suggested that some defense firm "make them offers they can't refuse.") John Douglass, the president of AIA, has said that his group plans to make sure that every presidential candidate in 2008 stakes a clear position on the issue, and suggested that Democrats might even be more open to facilitating U.S. cooperation with Europe through arms-export reform. "We're going to make this a big deal -- as big a deal as we can make it," said Douglass.

That's reason enough to stay on alert.

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By: Sean M. Clayton On January 20, 2009, Barack Hussein Obama, II will take the Oath of Office as the 44th President of the United States of America. Mr. Obama’s meteoric rise from near anonymity five years ago to this defining moment in history reflects what one could describe as a tale of overnight success. In truth, Mr. Obama’s achievement serves as the latest and ultimate watershed moment in a long and storied history of struggle and success for African Americans in the United States.

During the 390-year odyssey of African-Americans in this country, the character of this country has been tested and retested.

Black Americans spent a total of 244 years under the yoke of slavery. Following the end of slavery, another 102 years were spent under legalized discrimination depriving people of color basic human rights. Only 44 years have passed since the full enfranchisement of African-Americans in this country. One could argue that it was not until this enfranchisement was conferred that the promise of true freedom in this county was realized. Not only did African-Americans see their humanity acknowledged with this act, but our nation’s soul began the process of reconciliation.

A

s our nation stands on the precipice of inaugurating

the first person of color to the Presidency, the next steps in the trajectory of our nation’s redemptive and conciliatory path among all walks of life remains to be seen. What is becoming abundantly clear is that Barack Obama understands the importance of history and how it can be instructive during tumultuous times. While his presidential story is yet to be written, Mr. Obama clearly stands on the successes of a people that have overcome the ugliest environments serve as beacons showcasing some of America’s finest hours.

U.S. History Timeline – African-American Firsts and Beyond 1619 – First slaves arrive in Virginia 1808 – Congress bans slave importation from Africa in the US 1831 – Nat Turner organizes the largest and most successful slave revolt in US history in Southampton, VA, just nine years after a failed slave revolt lead by Denmark Vessey in Charleston, SC in 1822. Turner was caught and hanged. Virginia slaves laws became even stricter as a result 1846 – Frederick Douglass launches his abolitionist newspaper in the same year that the Wilmot Proviso legislation calling for freedom of African Americans in the Mexican territory fails in Congress 1849 – Harriett Tubman escapes slavery and becomes a major “conductor” in the Underground Railroad leading approximately 300 slaves in the South to freedom in Northern states like Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin as well as Canada

1850 – Slave trade in Washington, D.C. is banned 1857 – African-American Dred Scott sued the widow of his slave owner for freedom following a move from slave state (Missouri) to a free state (Illinois). The case was appealed all the way up to the Supreme Court where the Court majority (all Southern justices) ruled against Scott and found that the Congressional actions to prohibit slavery in US territories was unconstitutional.

1859 – John Brown and 21 followers capture an arsenal in Harpers Ferry, VA (now West Virginia) in an effort to launch a slave revolt 1861 – Southern slave states secede from the Union 1863 – Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation declaring all slaves in the Confederate states free men and women.

March 1865 - Congress establishes the Freedmen's Bureau to protect the rights of newly emancipated blacks April 1865 - The Civil War ends May 1865 - The Ku Klux Klan is formed in Tennessee by ex-Confederate soldiers December 1865 – The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, prohibiting slavery in the United States 1866 – The Buffalo Soldiers formed as the first allBlack peace time US Army regiment in Leavenworth, Kansas. The last of the original Buffalo Soldiers, Mark Matthews, died in September 2005 at the age of 111.

1867 – Madam C.J. Walker is born. The Guinness Book of World Records cites her as the first female in world history to become a self-made millionaire.

1868 – The Fourteenth Amendment is passed granting US citizenship to former slaves. This amendment reverses the Dred Scott decision by the Supreme Court 1869 – Howard University becomes the first law school for African Americans 1870 – The Fifteenth Amendment passed giving African Americans the right to vote. Hiriam Revels from Mississippi becomes the first African American senator to the U.S. Senate.

1877 – Henry Ossian Flipper becomes the first graduate of United States Military Academy at West Point.

1881 – Spellman College, the first Black college for women is founded by Sophia B. Packard and Harriet E. Giles. Booker T. Washington founded the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute in Alabama, which later becomes Tuskegee University.

1882 – The American Colonization Society develops an African colony called Monrovia, which later becomes the country of Liberia, Africa. The colony was started by a white Presbyterian minister over fear of incompatibility of the Black race and White race. Over 12,000 former slaves freely chose to emigrate to Monrovia as a result.

1964 – Dr. Martin Luther King wins the Nobel Peace Prize. Lyndon Baines Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the most sweeping civil rights legislation in the 90 years since the end of the Reconstruction era.

1966 - Huey P. Newton founds the Black Panther Party

1896 – George Washington Carver begins teaching agricultural studies at the Tuskegee Institute. The Supreme Court rules that segregation is legal in the landmark Plessy v. Fergusson case. This ruling paves the way for Jim Crow laws in the South.

1909 – W.E.B. Du Bois founds the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) four years after beginning the Niagara Movement which called for immediate equality in all areas of the American life. The NAACP would become the most influential African American civil rights organizations in the nation, whose model would be followed by various minority and women’s groups.

1967 – Edward Brooke becomes the first African American Senator to be elected by popular vote.

1972 – The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments are concluded after 40 years of experimentation. A total of 399 Black men in the late stages of syphilis were utilized like laboratory animals to see how long it took Syphilis to kill a human being.

1984 – The Cosby Show debuts. The show goes on to make television history by becoming one of only two shows to be rated Number 1 for five consecutive years.

1914 – Marcus Garvey forms the Universal Negro Improvement As1990 – Barack Obama is elected as the first African-American sociation whose goal was to promote racial pride and worldwide unity president of the Harvard Law Review. among the Black race 1992 – In the wake of the acquittal of 4 white police officers re1919 – Beginning of the Harlem Renaissance centered in Harlem, garding the videotaped Rodney King beating, the most wideNew York. The Harlem Renaissance was given its name in 1925 spread race riots in decades erupts in South Central Los Angeles.

by Alain Locke, the first African-American Rhodes Scholar. This musical, literary, artistic, political, and intellectual movement rede2001 – Robert L. Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment fined the African-American experience in the United States and Television (BET), is recognized as the first African-American forged a new cultural identity. This movement lasts through the mid billionaire.

1930s.

2002 – Halle Berry becomes the first woman of color to win an Academy Award for Best Actress. Berry’s win came over 60 years 1926 – Historian Carter G. Woodson begins the practice of obafter Hattie McDaniel became the first person of color to win an serving Negro History Week in what would later become Black Academy Award for her supporting role in Gone with the Wind.

History Month.

Denzel Washington won the award for Best Actor the same evening, 1940 - Benjamin Oliver Davis, Sr., earns the rank of Brigadier Genthe first for an African-American in nearly 40 years. eral becoming the first African American Army General. His son, Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr. would become a leader of the Tuskegee 2004 – Barack Obama is elected to the U.S. Senate. Obama beAirmen and the first African American General of the Air Force in comes only the fifth African-American senator in U.S. history, 1998 when President Bill Clinton pinned his four-star insignia. and only the third elected by popular vote.

1941 – The first all-Black military aviation program is started at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. The Tuskegee Airmen would go on to fly a distinguished record during World War II, overcoming controversy that Black pilots were less skilled than their white counterparts.

2006 – The Supreme Court deals the practice of Affirmative Action a setback. In a 5-4 decision the Court declares the Seattle, WA and Louisville, KY practice of considering diversity when assigning students to schools as unconstitutional. The ruling comes just three years after endorsing the University of Michigan Law School practice of 1947 – Jackie Robinson ends 60 years of segregated baseball when considering diversity as part of the admissions process. he breaks the Major League Baseball color barrier after being signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson would go on to be February 2007 – Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) formally aninducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. In 1997, his jer- nounces his candidacy for the office of President of the United sey number (42) is retired across all teams in Major League Base- States in Springfield, IL where Abraham Lincoln delivered his ball on the 50th anniversary of his debut (April 15) famous “House Divided” speech.

1952 – Malcolm X becomes a minister in the Nation of Islam. He would rise to become arguably the Nation’s most powerful member next to its leader Elijah Muhammad. Malcolm X is assassinated in 1965.

1954 – Thurgood Marshall successfully argued the Brown v.

Board of Education case leading the U.S. Supreme Court to decide that racial segregation in schools was unconstitutional. Thurgood Marshall would go on to become the first African -merican U.S. Supreme Court Justice in 1967.

1961 – Barack Hussein Obama is born on August 4 1962 – James Meredith becomes the first African-American to attend the University of Mississippi, 92 years after Mississippi elected the first African American to the U.S. Senate.

January 2008 – Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) wins the Democratic Party’s Iowa caucuses, the first Democratic primary in the 2008 election cycle.

August 2008 – Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) is officially nominated as the Democratic candidate for President. He is the first African-American nominated as a presidential candidate for a major party in U.S. history.

November 2008 – Barack Obama becomes the first AfricanAmerican elected President of the United States, defeating Senator John McCain (R-AZ) with 365 out of 538 electoral votes and 53% of the popular vote.

Greg and Andria James Dear He Say/She Say: My sister broke up with her husband almost two years ago. Before they met, he and I went out a few times, nothing special. I never told my sister about it. After their divorce, he and I realized we still love each other, and began seeing each other again. We’ve been together almost a year now, but I haven’t told my sister about us. We’re considering getting engaged soon. What do I do? Worried in Wisconsin He: Get ready for one big fight! Most women, and lots of men, don’t think it’s right to date a friend or relative’s ex. I disagree. And besides, you actually dated the guy first, so it was your sister who did ‘wrong.’ You just never said anything. I say go for it. But be prepared for trouble, and be sure you really love this guy. He could just be a freak that gets off on dating sisters.

She: Worried? You should be terrified. Terrified of what your family will do to you. What kind of person dates their sister’s ex? You should never have been speaking to him in the first place. Do the right thing and break it off now, before you tear your family apart.

Dear He Say/She Say: I’m a good looking, twenty-five year old woman.

My trouble is I always seem to fall for the wrong guys – losers, party animals, deadbeats, cheaters, you name it. What’s wrong with me? Head Case in Hartford He: You sound like every woman I’ve ever met. Women love ‘the bad guy,’ the one who’s dangerous, who can’t be tamed. They think somehow they’ll be able to tame him without him losing the qualities that make him exciting.

Guess what? It ain’t gonna happen. You want a guy that’s going to treat you nice? Then go out and date a nice guy. You want the guy who’s all macho, has women drooling over him, and doesn’t worry about not having a job?

Then keep seeing the losers you’ve been dating.

She: Maybe you should try dating women? Or seriously, maybe you should stop dating all together, get your life straightened out, and find out what you really want in a man. Obviously right now you’re doing something wrong.

First thing I’d do is stop accepting dates from people in the places you hang out at – they appear to be full of the wrong crowd!

Dear He Say/She Say: Here’s my problem. My girlfriend won’t watch porn with me. I would like us to watch it together, I think it would be hot. How can I get her more interested? Eager in Emerson He: Women don’t get excited watching porn the way men do. They prefer romance over sex with no plot. You’ve got two choices here. Get her drunk and pop something in the VCR that will appeal to her, like a nice romantic movie with some hot sex scenes. If she enjoys it, work your way up to porn over a period of several months. Or, get used to watching it with your other girlfriend, Mary Hand.

She: Women don’t find porn very interesting. Also, when men want to watch it, it can make a woman feel like she doesn’t get him excited on her own. You need to get her in the mood. A few glasses of wine, some heavy foreplay, and then, when she’s really hot, hit the play button and tell her you want to try something a little different. By then she’ll be so horny she’ll probably agree to almost anything.

Dear He Say/She Say: How do I pick up girls? I’m a decent looking, twenty-two year-old male with a pretty good job. All my friends seem to have no problem picking up girls when we go out. I’ve gotten lucky maybe twice in the last year. I don’t get nervous, mumble, or use stupid pick up lines.

What am I doing wrong? Lonely in Los Angeles He: How do I know? I’m not there with you. Ask your friends if they can think of anything. Do you have bad breath or dandruff? Wear weird-looking clothes? Use too much cologne? (Don’t be a guido!) Maybe it’s your lack of self-confidence. Girls are like animals; they can sense fear, and they can smell desperation. I’d suggest dressing nice, flashing some cash, and find a girl who’s willing to sleep with you on a regular basis. Then watch how the women start to come around.

She: Have you considered the fact that you might be gay? Could it be you’re not giving it your best effort because you’re really not interested in women? Take a deep, deep look into yourself. If you’re really straight, then you need to start acting like a man. Be confident, be yourself (unless yourself is an obnoxious jerk), and start talking to the ladies. I suggest beginning with the really drunk ones; you know, the ones who are still there at the end of the night. And be ready to buy some drinks, and dance, if you want women to spend time with you.

Dear He Say/She Say: I’m a seventeen year-old virgin. I’ll be entering college in the fall. Am I weird because I haven’t had sex yet? And should I have it when I get to college? Not Ready in Rochester He: If you’re a guy, then yes, it’s unusual. I would say that as soon as you get the opportunity, take it. And make sure you wear a rubber. I knew a guy in college who lost his virginity freshman year, and his first time doing it (unprotected, the moron) he got the girl pregnant and spent the rest of his four years working two jobs after school to pay child support. Don’t be that guy!

If you’re a girl, then it’s not so unusual, although statistically girls are catching up to guys. Hey, I’m a guy, I think premarital sex is fine, and everyone of legal age who wants to have it, should have it. Just be sure you use that protection!

She: Sex is something you shouldn’t have until you’re ready, whether you’re a boy or a girl. Don’t do it just because you’re the right age, or because you’re friends are all doing it. Wait until you’re with the person you want to experience your first time with. Until then, there’s plenty of ways to satisfy yourself, and your partner, without losing your virginity.

Dear He Say/She Say: There’s this girl who hangs out in the local bar where my friends and I go every weekend. She always flirts with me, lets me buy her drinks, and dances with me. But when I ask her out she never commits to a date. She says maybe, or she takes my number and says she might call, or she tells me it’s not a good time right now. What should I do?

Crazy in Kansas City He: Hey doofus, wake up! You’re being played like a guitar. Next time you see her, don’t buy her a drink, just say hello and walk away. Hang with your buddies, talk to other girls, pick someone else up. She’ll either move on to the next sucker or maybe she’ll realize she has to start putting out if she wants to keep your interest.

She: You’ve learned a valuable lesson. This is what women do when they go out, especially if we’re not looking to pick someone up. We find a guy, or guys, to buy us drinks all night and entertain us, and then we leave. We flirt and make them think they have a chance, so they don’t get pissed off, and so we can hit them up for drinks another night. If a woman is really interested in you, she might let you buy the first drink, but after that she’ll at least try to pay for some rounds. In the meantime, stay away from this girl.

Nicole and Paris Hilton hosting party

NOVEMBER 15 2008 AUBREY'O DAY WITH AND SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY LMFAO

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NOVEMBER 27 P DIDY THANKSGIVING NIGHT DIDDY AT KARU AND Y

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SAT’s: 1600. Harvard graduate: age 19. Ryan Leslie: hip-hop’s unlikely new star-maker.

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H

ey, hey, superstar! ”L.A. Reid”, chairman of the Island Def Jam Music Group, shouts to Ryan Leslie, as a man with a video camera trails behind them.

Everywhere he goes, Leslie is filmed. This is because he pays someone to film him.

Leslie—wearing metal-studded sunglasses and a thicket of gold chains— struts into Reid’s cavernous midtown office. Reid’s assistant shuts the door behind them with a polite smile, which leaves me waiting in his anteroom with Leslie’s full-time videographer (a do-rag-wearing 22-year-old named Daytona, who films every waking moment of Leslie’s life) and his publicist (an unpaid teenager named Brandon, who wears sunglasses that look a lot like Leslie’s but are clearly much, much less expensive).

Holding out the camera, Daytona hits rewind. “Can you hear where L.A. says, ‘Hey, hey, superstar’?” he asks Brandon. Daytona then presses his face back to the eyepiece and begins to review the other shots he’s captured this afternoon. At the end of the day, Leslie usually edits down Daytona’s footage into a highlight reel that he posts on his Website. (It’s not clear to me what today’s highlights will look like—in the course of the hour-plus I’ve spent with them so far, Daytona has filmed five separate elevator rides.)

Leslie flew back just last night from two weeks in Europe. He’d been guiding Cassie, his breakout R&B creation, through a whirlwind promotional tour. (Relevant Cassie facts: She is 20-years-old; she is a former fashion model; she is of mixed Mexican, African-American, West Indian, and Filipina ethnicity; and she is atomically sexy.) Leslie met Cassie at Marquee last year, and soon after adopted her as a pet musical project. He wrote several songs for her and produced them on his own. He did all the recording himself, with a few keyboards and a desktop Macintosh, in the living room of his Harlem apartment.

This past August, more than a year after it was recorded, and to the shock of the music industry, Cassie’s “Me & U” went to No. 3 on Billboard’s singles chart. It reached No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart. And so—because Cassie’s success came out of nowhere, owed very little to a voice the Washington Post called “Janet-Jackson-after-20-flights-of-stairs thin,” and was the product of not just Leslie’s musical vision but also a masterful MySpace campaign he orchestrated (with no corporate backing, until Sean “Diddy” Combs, whom Leslie had previously produced songs for, spotted the burgeoning hit and offered a distribution deal)—music executives fevered hope is that Leslie might re-create this Svengali-like miracle. “The label CEOs all want an audience,” he says. “They’re courting me. It’s insane.” Today is also Leslie’s 28th birthday.

At this point, I’ll ask you to rewind back through half of Ryan Leslie’s life span. Erase from your mind the current incarnation of Leslie (a.k.a. “RLes”), in those oversize shades, gold chains, and leather jacket with epaulets. Instead, envision R-Les at 14 years old, attending public high school in Stockton, California. His parents, Salvation Army officers who frequently relocate for work, are planning to move again. Rather than switch to his fifth high school, Leslie decides he’ll start college after his sophomore year.

He takes the SATs—and gets a perfect 1600 score. He writes letters to Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and other universities, explaining his unique situation, and is accepted everywhere (except for Stanford, which was concerned that he wasn’t socially mature enough). In the fall of 1994, at the tender age of 15, Leslie begins his freshman year at Harvard. He intends to go premed.

Leslie has a musical background, playing hornet as a child in the Salvation Army band. (He later switched to piano because his overbite made it difficult to get proper embouchure on a brass instrument.) At Harvard, he quickly joins the Krokodiloes, an a cappella group. But it’s when a friend plays him a Stevie Wonder CD freshman year that Leslie suddenly saw a new future for himself.

“I became obsessed with him,” he says. “I wanted to chase that man’s career.” And thus began the transition from pre-med Poindexter to R&B Romeo.

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Leslie becomes a constant presence at the on-campus recording studio.

Fellow student Chiqui Matthew remembers Leslie making beats at every free moment. “He was on a different level of intensity. Most of us were pretty realistic—we’re Harvard students; this music stuff is fun, but this isn’t the future,” says Matthew, who now works with credit derivatives at Goldman Sachs. “But Ryan always had a ten-year plan about how he was going to take over the music industry.”

While still a student, Leslie begins producing tracks for local Boston artists. Meanwhile, R-Les was beginning to mold his own image, too. “He had this pseudo-sexual, thugged-out Lothario thing,” says Matthew. “I never really bought it. He seemed more like a music nerd to me.”

Leslie graduates in 1998, at 19-years-old. He delivers the prestigious Harvard Oration at the commencement ceremony, looking extremely clean cut in a blazer, tie, and one tasteful earring. The speech is a rather hammy affair, complete with preacher cadences and an interlude of soulful a cappella crooning. Leslie proudly announces his plan to pursue a career in “the arts.” There is a video clip of this speech on Leslie’s Website.

A few years later, after bouncing around the Boston music scene for a while, ultimately moving back home with his parents (then living in Phoenix), he wangles a music internship in New York and comes under the tutelage of Combs. A few years after that, “Me & U” became a sensation.

And now R-Les is one of the hottest record producers in the world.

Even as Ivy Leaguers invade and occupy all sorts of new realms, from the waves of Harvard Lampoon veterans who make our lowbrow comedies to the laptop-wielding sabermetricians who’ve taken over baseball’s front offices, hip-hop remained one of the few industries immune to the beguiling powers of an elite degree.

At the same time, there’s always been a striving element to the classic hiphop success story. Guys like Jay-Z, Pharrell, and Diddy are endlessly bragging about how hard they work. How many entrepreneurial projects they’re juggling. And what could be more striving than a 15-year-old with a perfect SAT score begging to start university early? What on this earth could exhibit more hustle than a high-schooler with eyes on Harvard?

Given how seamlessly the hip-hop and Harvard mentalities entwine, it’s almost surprising it hasn’t happened before. But Ryan Leslie represents a new archetype: the Harvard hip-hop hustler.

From the waiting room, which contains a piano, an acoustic guitar, and a six-foot-tall plaque of Mariah Carey astride a pile of platinum records, we can hear Leslie playing “Ditto”—a forthcoming, insanely catchy Cassie single—over the sound system in L.A. Reid’s office. When it’s done, Leslie plays Reid “Like That,” a track he recently produced for the 15-yearold singer JoJo with the refrain “Do me like that.”

This is all part of an audition for a producer gig for Island Def Jam. Ever since the Cassie record blew up, Reid (Jay-Z’s boss and a legend in music circles) has been eager to meet the man behind the megahit. He’s even told Leslie that “Me & U” is his “favorite song right now.” Before Cassie, it seemed possible that Leslie was destined to live out his career as a mid-tier beat-maker—languishing on various record-label payrolls, producing forgettable hip-hop songs for forgettable artists. (New Edition’s noncomeback single “Hot 2nite?” That was Leslie.) But a hit changes everything.

Across Reid’s waiting room, Leslie’s intern, Brandon, furiously thumbs through his BlackBerry. Brandon first became aware of Ryan Leslie on MySpace, where he kept seeing Leslie’s avatar cropping up as a “friend” on the pages of various fans. Brandon became intrigued by the jet-setting, celebrity-schmoozing, hip-hop-mogul lifestyle Leslie’s own MySpace page portrayed.

“He impressed me,” says Brandon. “I thought, This guy’s a really good entrepreneur.” One night this spring, at about three in the morning, Brandon sent a MySpace message to Leslie asking for an internship. Leslie immediately replied with his cell-phone number, and they had a conversation right there in the wee hours. Brandon’s been Leslie’s unpaid publicist ever since. “It’s weird, if you think about it,” he says.

Leslie’s thoroughly modern marketing theory is that by providing fans with a daily behind-the-scenes look at his life (full of selfpromotion and name-dropping, of course—video clips on Leslie’s Website show him mingling with Diddy, Snoop, Usher, and Quincy Jones), he can make them feel they’re riding shotgun on his fabulous hip-hop dream quest. “The secret is that I pay them some attention,” says Leslie. His is a nerdy, diligent kind of stardom.

He has clearly mastered the art of MySpace viral promotion. Three weeks after he posted “Me & U” to the site in November last year, 60,000 people had made Cassie’s song their MySpace background music. Then it snowballed. “He had 10 million in audience before the Atlantic promotions people [from Diddy’s parent label] even got involved,” says music executive Tommy Mottola, the former president of Columbia Records (who launched his former wife, Mariah Carey, to mega stardom).

Never before had the MySpace hordes been so skillfully manipulated. Leslie parlayed all those kids’ asking Cassie for an “add” into a label deal and a national radio hit. Though most artists are savvy to MySpace these days, the nowhere-to-No. 1 ascent of “Me & U” was unprecedented.

“This is not just some kid making beats,” says Mottola, whom Leslie acquired as a mentor after he came to New York. “When you add into the mix that Ryan is a Harvard graduate, I think he’ll become an entrepreneur on a different level. Something very big.

Probably having to do with the Internet.”

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Miami Beach’s premiere American Steakhouse since 1969

In 1991, Shareef Malnik became proprietor of The Forge, a Miami Beach legend since the 1920s and owned by father Alvin Malnik since 1969. His goal: To inject a shot of “hipness” into The Forge’s existing eloquence and glamour. The result: A full house every night of the week, a successful night club component, Glass, and the East Room, a private dining hall that is sold out regularly.

In October 2006, The Forge announced the unveiling of a new, contemporary menu. Carefully crafted, the menu has retained The Forge classics such as the award-winning Super Steak, and the made-to-order Specialty Soufflés. The revamped menu features inspired appetizer selections including the Giant “U2” Shrimp Cocktail ($20), a choice selection of the largest Gulf shrimp in the world and the Tuna Tartare Four Ways ($24), accompanied by nine signature sauces that take a total of 40 hours to prepare.

New signature steak and seafood entrées have also been added to the menu. The 18-ounce Bone-In Filet Mignon ($50) is basted and grilled on an Oakwood fire and served with a choice of sauces: Grand Marnier au Poivre, Classic Java, Forge A.1., Four-Mustard Horseradish Lime, and Béarnaise. Other new entrees include The Deckle, a closely trimmed section of marbleized brisket meat ($60) and The Ultra Trim Rib ($60). New seafood items include the Fresh Yellow Tail Snapper “Francaise Style” sautéed with fresh artichokes sun dried tomatoes, garlic, capers and dry Vermouth with homemade fettuccini ($33); the Dover Sole, served with a coconut-pineapple-rum beurre blanc sauce, with mint-jasmine-coconut risotto and sautéed fava beans ($40) and Scottish Salmon, grilled and wrapped in a bayardi of zucchini, eggplant, and tomato served with a burnt eggplant puree ($28).

The updated menu was engineered by Executive Chef Andrew Swersky, a well-known culinary talent who received his formal training at the internationally famed Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, France. Before joining The Forge family, he opened a series of successful restaurants in Boca Raton, prompting the James Beard Foundation to present him with their prestigious Rising Star Chef Award.

The Forge features five dining rooms adorned with a world-class collection of art and antiques. The Main Room houses a magnificent oversized crystal chandelier and engraved stained glass murals along the walls. The Grand Tasting, Opus, Bordeaux and 1800s salons are available for private parties from two to 40 people. Adjacent to the elegant dining rooms is the renovated and revamped East Room at The Forge, which has gained a reputation as Miami Beach’s premiere catering facility for private parties and special events.

Perhaps one of The Forge’s most famous features is its eight room, $6.5 million wine cellar consisting of more than 300,000 rare vintages. Its rarest and most illustrious bottle, an 1822 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, worth an estimated $150,000, was secured for years behind floor-to-ceiling iron gates. The bottle was famously purchased in September 2006 by a VIP party of NBA and NFL sports players. The vast wine collection is overseen by Gino Santangelo, one of the country’s leading sommeliers and a member of The Forge family for over 30 years.

The outstanding wine offerings and atmosphere at The Forge are properly matched by the restaurant’s award-winning cuisine and service. The Wine Spectator has consistently named the Forge in their “Best Of” categories. In 1991, they recognized The Forge for having “One of the Greatest Wine Lists in the World.” In 2003, they followed up by naming the Forge as the destination for “The Number One Steak in America.” In 2004 and 2005, The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences awarded The Forge with the coveted Star Diamond Award, an honor only bestowed upon select restaurants of five-star quality.

The Forge attracts South Beach’s crème de la crème as well as leading celebrities. From Gloria and Emilio Estefan to Madonna, Julio Iglesias, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Lenny Kravitz, Robert DeNiro, Sly Stallone, Michael Douglas, Michael Jackson and Michael Jordan, the restaurant offers its diners a taste of upscale sophistication with a mix of old-school charm.

The Forge Restaurant is located at 432 Forty-First Street in Miami Beach, FL. The restaurant is open nightly for dinner from 6 p.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday, and to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Reservations are highly recommended. For reservations, call 305.538.8533. Visit The Forge at www.theforge.com

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MIAMI BEACH, FL – (December 25, 2008) – The Forge announces the unveiling of a new, contemporary menu that will once again establish the legendary American Steakhouse as the finest in Miami Beach. The carefully crafted menu will retain The Forge classics such as the award-winning Super Steak, coined “The #1 Steak in America,” by Wine Spectator and the made-to-order Specialty Soufflés, while expanding on items such as salads and seafood entrees.

The revamped menu created by owner Shareef Malnik and his culinary team, lead by Forge Executive Chef Andrew Swersky, features new inspired appetizer selections including the Giant “U2” Shrimp Cocktail ($20), a choice selection of the largest Gulf shrimp in the world and the Tuna Tartare Four Ways ($24), accompanied by nine signature sauces that take a total of 40 hours to prepare.

Acknowledging The Forge’s distinguished steakhouse reputation, Chef Swersky has added new signature steak entrées to the menu’s beef selection. The 18-ounce Bone-In Filet Mignon ($50) is basted and grilled on an Oakwood fire and served with a choice of sauces: Grand Marnier au Poivre, Classic Java, Forge A.1., Four-Mustard Horseradish Lime, and Béarnaise. Other new entrees include The Deckle, a closely trimmed section of marbleized brisket meat ($60) and The Ultra Trim Rib ($60).

The Forge has expanded its fish selection to offer entrees such as the Fresh Yellow Tail Snapper “Francaise Style” sautéed with fresh artichokes sun dried tomatoes, garlic, capers and dry Vermouth with homemade fettuccini ($33); the Dover Sole, served with a coconut-pineapple-rum beurre blanc sauce, with mint-jasmine-coconut risotto and sautéed fava beans ($40) and Scottish Salmon, grilled and wrapped in a bayardi of zucchini, eggplant, and tomato served with a burnt eggplant puree ($28).

Beyond The Forge’s charming façade, a recreation of a 19th-century Parisian manse, there are five opulent dining salons appointed with a world-class collection of art and antiques. Originally a blacksmith forge in the 1920s, the venue was transformed into a white tie casino in the 1930s. In 1969, the Malnik family patriarch, Alvin Malnik purchased the restaurant. Two decades later, Alvin’s son Shareef was made owner with a new vision, ushering The Forge into the 1990s, combining classic elegance with of-the-moment extravagance.

The Forge Restaurant is located at 432 Forty-First Street in Miami Beach, FL. The restaurant is open nightly for dinner from 6 p.m. to midnight, Sunday through Thursday and to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. For reservations please cal 305.538.8533 or visit www.theforge.com.

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OYA Restaurant & Lounge Washington DC would not be complete if it wasn’t for OYA Restaurant and Lounge. A wonderful restaurant with a blend of Asian and French cuisines in a sophisticated contemporary setting. The atmosphere is unique but yet inviting . The prices are reasonable (under $30) especially if you take advantage of the “prix fixe” specials. The menu offers a variety of plate sizes accommodating a range of appetites. OYA promises guests an exquisite experience through exceptional food, contouring textures, opulent surroundings and sophisticated service. Serving an innovative menu OYA brings a unique flair of ingredients and flavors to the Washington, DC dining scene.

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Words by Zack Fogarty

Theron Cook: Actor, Rapper or Both?

Dual-coastal, bi-lingual and two-gifted, Cook has been mastering acting and rap to succulent perfection-with a dash of Spanish--for the last seven years.

He may be young, but as they say in the art world: "the soup's done." Or to boil it down to its essence: If you need an actor to play your lead rapper--who doesn't look like he's acting--Cook is the one. Period. Full stop. Auditions closed. Remove the ad. Have my people call your people. Drinks are on you, because you just hit the jackpot.

Since Cook has been busy of late in elite acting schools, and is yet to lay down pro tracks of his work, let alone seek a record label, I was surprised to see he had such a large base of mesmerized fans of him as Casimo, the rapper. Slowly but surely he's been acquiring a steady word-of-mouth fan base through MySpace.com. Many of them mourned his departure to USC grad school, bewildered. How could such a talent sit around in class?

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They just haven't seen him act. I must admit that I too tried to talk him into diving head first into rap, the heck with school, because I also hadn't seen him act. But after watching him as the lead in his class's final project at the Actor's Center in New York, it became clear to me that the question of which comes first isn't really all that important.

Cook is simply an unstoppable presence.

But if you believe Woody Allen when he says "80% of success is just showing up," then Cook is a sure-bet, should he pick either path exclusively. His eyes, voice, charm and energy are all undeniable indeed; but his work ethic, which you don't see-except perhaps on his resume--is in fact his strongest characteristic.

Cook is here on Earth to perform, and to do so at the highest levels. You can feel it in your chest when he speaks. And frankly, if Cook didn't reach the pinnacles of one or both of said fields in this lifetime, I'd be astonished.

They say fame takes luck. But "they" of course are those that speak from a distance. Star power is visceral and undeniable-up close and personal--when it first arrives.

With all of this pondering of paths, it is this, in the end, that I'd like to convey: rappers are actors. Cook speaks to audiences.

It's just to a beat when he's rapping.

So the actor-rapper is really growing both talents at once, through either pursuit. For evidence, have a look at how naturally rappers have flowed into acting. Eminem and 50-Cent may not have logged perfect performances, but they were impressive given the shotgun training for their films. Now contrast that to your average guy on the street, awkwardly in front of the news crew.

And the more I consider this, the more I'm convinced that not only are acting and rapping two-sides of the same coin, I would argue that rapping gives Cook and others a distinct advantage over non-rapping actors: and that, of course, is rhythmic flow.

If you haven't heard, or seen it live, flow is to a rap star what timing is to a star comedian. You're born with it. You can improve on it, sure--even learn it if you have little naturally--but whether you have a world-class flow, or not, will be determined fairly young. Average flow, yes, is teachable. Worldclass? Not a chance. If you disagree it's unlikely you've seen Cook or other gifted rappers live. And I mean no effects. Live.

No edits. No re-takes. Cook's non-stop flow for long stretches of time boggles the imagination; and not merely because he flows like the greats--but also because he does it so poetically that it's hard to believe he actually writes it himself. Sometimes memorized, sometimes not, Cooks says, "it just comes" to him.

He's in a trance, called flow, much like a drummer--but a vocal drummer, full of sound, fury and meaning.

But at the end of the day all of the above is just my stretched attempt at explaining what must be experienced: Cook has a rare gift for the ages, and you'd be remiss not to witness it live, whether in his acting or his "rhythmic metaphysics."

Fortunately for us--and I mean that without hesitation or equivocation--Cook is trained in both these skills by masters of their craft. He earned his acting chops at the famous Actors Center in New York; and his rap sheet was battled for and won in that coveted academy known as the Streets of Manhattan, where he was raised.

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Which isn't to say Cook is a thug. Quite the opposite. He graduated from (yes, the) Phillips Exeter academy and then Boston College. And his lyrics, although matching in ghetto flow, leave out the criminal intent, while at the same time evoking far greater strengths and powers, more to the core of all the requisite tough talk.

Realize with real eyes here lies the ill vibe of a still mind.

The ill side of a child in a lost tribe renegade like a lion of a lost pride.

And what's really wild is that Casino is telling the truth. Cook's mind truly can go still, like a Zen master I once had the honor of meeting--a mind so clearly honed and trained by top acting instructors that finally, everything makes sense to me. Cook was able to flow long before the Actor's Center. Now he's in a new league entirely--like a clear pool, he's channeling the far reaches of the cosmos, not unlike, I imagine, the young Plato.

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Interview By: Rocco Passafuime

The exciting thing about teen pop culture is that it often gives its objects of admiration not only a chance to be adored as idols by a devoted following, but it gives an opportunity for new, fresh talent to be discovered. One such new face to come out of such a success story is Sean Faris.

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former model, Faris had appeared on failed TV dramas such as Life As We Know It and Reunion and in films like Sleepover and Yours, Mine And Ours. However, he made an unexpected breakthrough with his role in the unusual action/drama Never Back Down, which was critically panned, but moderately successful, even garnering Sean a surprise shared win at the MTV Movie Awards for Best Fight.

Now hoping to capitalize on his turn of fortune, the 26 year-old Faris now stars in the new sports drama Forever Strong. As we sat down to talk with the clearly very enthusiastic young actor, he says it is that very enthusiasm, which was obviously very revelatory during our interview, that helped convince him he could carry both the lead in both Never Back Down and now this film.

“Forever Strong was my first lead in a significant film,” he believes, “I learned how to be a leader there in the sense of having the confidence that I can carry the job. But then, I went and did Never Back Down. It was there that I learned different aspects of being a leader, like showing up regardless of being in a good mood or not, always being in a good mood because you affect the entire set, they’re all there for you.”

Sean shared with us the kind of character he plays in Forever Strong.

“My character is Rick Penning,” Faris explains, “He’s definitely got some issues, his dad’s very hard on him, and it’s very, very much a tough love situation. And Rick’s very confused growing up and he doesn’t receive very much from the father figure that’s guiding him through life.”

“He turns to alcohol and drugs and what not to take his aggression out,” he continues, “He’s a very angry person and he escapes the reality of that by drinking heavily and wanting to hurt people. Along the way, he gets into a car accident. Alcohol-assisted, it’s the second one. This is all based on a true story. This is real fact.”

The real crux in Rick Penning’s evolution comes in when the troubled youth gets the opportunity to play on a rugby team.

“He ends up going to a juvenile detention center in Utah,” he says, “They offer him an early out by playing for this team, the Highland rugby team, under Coach Gelwix, because it’s known that Coach Gelwix is phenomenal, still is phenomenal with young boys, as far as his mentality and getting through to them. Coach Gelwix’s motto is that he coaches champion boys, ...

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ac “Th tu e se al a tea ns lu m eo m ,I f l ni, wa oy th s al e for ty cu tu an rr na d en te lo t p e ve la no an ye ug d rs, h t br a o ot nd pl he th ay rh ey w oo r ith d ea so fo lly m re h e ac av of h e s th ot u e h e ch r,” a

ot champion teams, even though all his teams are champions. That’s why though because he gets through to their hearts. Rick was very, very against it. He had walls up, he had barriers, and that needed to be broken down.” ”The moment that he finally opens up and he accepts who he is, the team accepts him instantly and they’re always there,” Sean continues, “It was up to him to accept them first and with all those walls up, he just thought they did not want him there. And the moment he accepts that, they embrace him and you just see him do a complete 180.

He has a major change of heart and he still has his issues there, his trials and tribulations. He lives with one of his best friends right off the bat, the guy that got him to make those changes, but the lessons are there and they stick with him. As far as what I think, it’s a beautiful story because he carries on and he lives through it and he stayed the course.”

Sean says he developed a real appreciation for the sport, which is of British origin that combines Australian rules with both American and Canadian derivations of football. He felt he got a sense of the real camaraderie of the team in Forever Strong, especially after he got to play against the current roster of the real-life Highland rugby team.

“The way the tackle was supposed to be was that I was supposed to barely get an arm around him, but he’s barely running at me and this is the camera and he was supposed to get at me and take him over my body and just slam him really hard.”

“Well, rugby players aren’t stunt guys,” he adds, “This is the difference, a stunt guy falls with you, so if I get him, he’s just supposed to fall with me. This is guy, up close, is a rugby player and naturally just he barreled down into me and I couldn’t get up quick enough, so we ended up colliding shoulder to shoulder.

He’s a rugby player and I’m not. I took it in the neck, too.”

Sean very candidly also revealed to us the extents of his rather frightening injury.

“I got what they call a ‘stinger’,” he says, “I swear I got a minor concussion, because I’ve got concussions before and I know what they feel like. I didn’t get any nausea, but everything went instantly black. It came right back, but there’s a moment when, if you get in a fight, and you get hit in the face, everything turns black for like a second. But when I came to, there was like a ringing in my ear and I was on all fours crawling because I was in so much pain.”

“I was like… (making grunting noise),” Sean adds, “I was on the ground rolling around. I lost all the feeling. I could feel it actually leave my arm, like it just tingled all the way down. Then, I couldn’t move my arm and that tripped me out and I never had any of that. I thought I paralyzed part of my body or something.

I never had a ‘stinger’ before. The first time you get one, it’s scary, because you don’t know the experience. Once it was exHowever, Faris, despite having done mixed martial arts in Never plained to me what it was, I was fine, well, actually I was quite Back Down, reveals that rugby was an unimaginably physically loopy the rest of the day. But it’s quite a trip.” taxing sport for the highly athletic actor.

A trip that said not only a very harrowing experience for Sean, he notes, but for the crew as well.

“I never played rugby before in my life,” he claims, “It was a “The team, I was fortunate enough to play with some of the actual alumni, the current players, and they really have such a sense of loyalty and love and brotherhood for each other,” he says of them, “That’s why they are so good. They can read each other on the field and that also plays off the field into life.”

rough time, I’m not going to lie, but it was fun. Yeah, it was tough to learn on the legs. Genuinely, the thighs were so sore “I was out for like five or ten minutes,” Faris recalls, “It’s hard that I had inner-contusions, not from being hit, but from running. to say, because I was on my back on the field. The trainers were all concerned. There was silence. It was like, goodness, our lead I run like five to ten miles a day on my own.” actor’s down. I was out for the count there. You didn’t see no tears. I was a tough guy. It’s rugby. But they talked me through “But you know what it was, it was that sprinting thing, that quick up and go, and I’ve played sports all my life. I mean, I’ve it and suddenly, all that tingling that I felt leave, slowly tingle back. It’s really interesting what happens with your nerves when played American baseball, American football, soccer, I played all these sports. I was a diver,” Faris adds, “I played sports year- the feeling leaves and comes back.” round growing up. It takes a bad man to play rugby and that’s no “It’s all tingly,” he continues, “I had quite the injury after that. lie at all.”

The tendons underneath the muscle swelled up real bad. I had to go get an MRI after that actually. The deltoid muscles were like The demands of playing such a physically taxing sport like rugby really took a toll on Faris, he said, after the actor had got- popping out because the tendons were so swollen underneath. It was a Mormon shoot, so ... ten pummeled during a rugby-playing scene.

“I had a moment when I had a stunt that I was supposed to tackle one of the rugby players,” Sean recalls,

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it was like, painkillers, there are no painkillers, what are you talking about? We don’t do that. They gave me some antiinflammatory, some Ibuprofen ID, equivalent of Ibuprofen 800 or 4 Advil. Every day, massive pain, I was in some massive pain. But I finished the shoot, got through it.”

Faris says that despite the physical toll rugby often took on him, he says that the experience gave invaluable knowledge of the lengths of his own physical endurance.

“I learned a little about how far the body can physically push itself, how far beyond your limits you can go,” Sean believes, “Your mind puts traps on you, blocks you in there, and you can really go on further. I learn, not my choice, not without those painkillers, but that wasn’t happening.”

Sean contrasted for us the experience of this film versus having done mixed martial arts for Never Back Down.

“Never Back Down was very specific in the training, particularly MMA,” Faris recalls, “The workouts were to shape the physique, which was always very specific, six hours of fight training a day, two hours of lifting everyday, and the stretching, oh my goodness! I will lift all day long. I will run fifteen miles, I don’t care. Stretching, no. I don’t hate to stretch, but I hate to stretch to get more flexibility, that’s tough. Stretching itself feels great, but when you’re pushing yourself through the pain, it’s so painful, I hate stretching. If you want to see me sweat, forget about me doing a sport, just have me do yoga, it’s like a waterfall coming down on me, it’s ridiculous.”

“With the rugby stuff, I had played football before, so I already had an understanding of the feel of the sport,” he continues, “With Never Back Down, MMA was something I had never done before, so it was completely foreign to me, where as with rugby, I had played soccer, I had played football. I played sports that involved the same kind of physicality, just not the brute, kind of ridiculous toughness that’s required by rugby. So the training for that is something I’ve done many times over.”

Directing the film is Ryan Little, who has scored plenty of acclaim in the independent film world for the war drama Saints And Soldiers, which recounts the Malmedy massacre of World War II. Faris explains what makes Little’s latest film a cut above the typical sports drama fare.

“It’s a very clean film. It’s wholesome,” he says, “In the end, it’s got a lot of action and fun stuff going on and deals with real-life issues, but in a very clean manner. You can show it to any kid and they’re not going to walk away with bad influences at all, so I don’t think you’ll see a single swear word. Ryan Little, you know, he made a war film without a single swear word.”

“It was phenomenal and it won independent film awards,” Sean adds, “So it was definitely not a bad direction for us to go in. Don’t get me wrong, I love my swear words in movies. Especially if I got free rein, I’d be dropping f-bombs all day long. It’s just fun. But it gets a little repetitive to see in a movie. I swear a lot. I’m not going to lie. Sometimes you can’t leave a better word.”

After having now benefited from doing Never Back Down and with Forever Strong under his belt, Sean does not mince words in how much he enjoys acting, especially now with his most recent success.

“I love being an actor,” he enthuses, “I love my job. I’m really grateful. I live my dream. I kind of fell into it, didn’t know it was my dream, always would have liked to have done it, never thought it was possible. I’m very competitive, especially with myself.”

“It’s hard to watch my own work because I’d rip it apart,” Faris continues, “My goal is to always do better, every job that I get. And if I can’t get better, so to speak, learn something, because every job has different challenges, whatever it may be.”

It’s that experience and good time that he says he hopes very much will only continue down the road, as Faris shared with us some of what he has in store for the movie-going public in the future.

“It’s just crazy right now,” Sean says, “I flew in from Ireland for the premiere, where I’m making a movie called Ghost Machine, absolutely love that, having a good time with it, great crew, great people, laid-back. I’m the only American on set. America shows up and like, wow. That’s what character, I am.”

“I’m the American asshole, very deceitful,” he adds, “He creates like a virtual simulation program with a computer with the Army like Black Ops. It creates a video game world. It’s really wicked cool. I have a few others that I’m possibly in the running to do. I really want to do them and I can’t wait to do them all. Every actor is going to hate me for saying this, but I really could end up working in films for the next six months straight. We’ll see.”

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BELLA SKY SCRAPERS AND ROOF TOPS THE ART OF DESIGN HAUTE ELEGANCE RENAISSANCE MAN THE STORM OF JOLIE INTERMISSTION MOISTURIZING LUXURIES

Please introduce yourself to our readers. (Give your name, what modeling gigs you've done or can be currently seen in) Name: Katje Lael My most recent modeling

Photographer: Sean Scheidt Make-Up and Hair: Leah Sarah Bassett

gigs have been at Nordstroms, which was a Steve Madden shoe event. I stood next to him modeling his awesome shoes while he signed autographs. I did a shoot for a Pandora Jewelry Ad which will come out in Glamour and Oprah magazines Spring 2009. I also did a Lord and Taylor/Calvin Klein event and a BCBG event at Macy’s a few weeks ago. How did you get into modeling? I started when I was really young, modeling for my uncle, Monte Zucker, a well known photographer. I was about 15 when I started getting serious about modeling, and signed with an agency. What are some of the challenges you have faced being a model?

It’s kind of hard when your going to so many go sees and you get rejected by most of them. It takes a lot of time and money and it’s very stressful. But in some ways it’s made me a stronger person.

What advice would you have for other people that are trying to get in the industry?

Don’t let anyone tell you can’t do something because you can if you have the passion. Also, set your moral values high and don’t let anyone take advantage of you.

Be careful with who you choose to work with, there are so many scams out there.

What do you do to keep in shape?

Spinning, it’s addicting and so fun! I also take kickboxing and body ball classes.

What is your favorite beauty product?

Jane Iredale Moonglow Bronzer. It gives me a natural sun kissed glow. I cannot live without it!

What is one thing that you cannot be without?

My family and God. They both help me keep going in life. I’d be so lost without them.

What is your favorite fashion spot (store)?

Georgetown, DC. When I think of shopping I think of Georgetown. It is the cutest and most fun place to shop!

Who is your favorite designer? I love, love Free People. The designs are so artsy and creative which reflects my style.

Who is your favorite model and actress?

Cindy Crawford and Julia Roberts. There are both true American beauties.

What is your favorite part about being Katje?

Ha…That’s a good question. A lot of people don’t know this about me but I am an adrenaline junkie and I’m very adventurous. Not so much being in the middle of the woods in a tent with a bunch of bugs surrounding me but if you wake me up in the middle of night and ask me to go sky diving right then and there, I’ll do it.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

My passion is in makeup artistry for film and TV. Hopefully, I see myself on a set doing makeup and traveling all over the country or maybe even the world!

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SKYSCRAPERS AND ROOF TOPS Name of the models: Comrade Snarky, and pie squared MUA: L Kuzas Photographer: Wendell Teodoro Hair Stylist: Linh Nguyen Stylist: Absolute Images by Ope Designer: KAS Couture and Ray Brown

Blue "Diva" Gown - $5,000.00 White dress with black chiffon ruffle: $2,500.00

Banana color suspender skirt: $850.00 White dress with black chiffon ruffle: $2,500.00

Green Satin Ruffle Dress - $2,500.00

Model: Tasha Ford Photographer: Sean Scheidt Make-Up: Renny Vasquez Hair: Maurice Fains

Victor Rossi beaded one sleeve silk and tulle dress: $1200 available at www.victorrossi.com

www.dolcegabbana.com

Model: Alessandra Jales Photographer: Beverli Alford Make-Up: Renny Vasquez Hair: Nome Hayes Styling: Cathy Eastman Jewelry: Bakhita Southcott Victor Rossi white corset and silk chiffon skirt: $1500 available at www.victorrossi.com

Victor Rossi black silk tafetta dress: $600 available at www.victorrossi.com

Victor Rossi black silk tafetta dress: $600 available at www.victorrossi.com

Victor Rossi white tulle dress: $1500 available at www.victorrossi.com

Victor Rossi red signature "double-v" neck silk charmeuse gown with inset train: $1500 available at www.victorrossi.com

Photos James Bassett Designer Andrew Nowell

Clint Eastwood’s Changeling is based on the true story of Christine Collins (Angelina Jolie), a single mother whose young son disappeared in 1928 and was returned six months later—at least, the Los Angeles Police Department said it was her son. She didn’t recognize him, which irritated the patriarchal and corrupt police captain so much he threw her into a mental hospital. It would be a horrific story even if underplayed, but Eastwood shoots it like a horror movie. The false boy is lit to resemble the Antichrist Damien in The Omen, while in the psychiatric ward, whey-faced loons press their heads against the bars and shriek, ugly nurses leer, and the creepy doctor plots to throw Angie on a gurney and give her jolts of electricity.

By: Theron D. Cook

T

he world is clearly blessed to have the likes of Angelina Jolie A superb humanitarian whose gifts to others will ring for eternity.

She sparkles with grace from hard hit region to ravaged country Using her great heart and compassion to bring attention globally.

Born in LA to a famous actor and father of intense Hollywood fame She chose to use her own gifts in acting to achieve greater acclaim.

As the first ever recipient of the UN’s Citizen of the World Award She has garnered international respect for effectively addressing discord.

A Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency, most refined She continues to inspire the globe to support children of all kinds.

For when working for the UN she covers her own travel costs Freeing up much needed monies where otherwise they would be lost.

A philanthropist who with Brad smartly founded the Jolie/Pitt Foundation She gives us the great example of assisting others, using love as a weapon.

Though some may only know of her as Lara Croft and Mrs. Smith Her work for all children of humanity makes her Earth’s lovely gift.

Angelina is a loving and extremely caring international mother She raises her children with a passion and caring like few others.

A film director, she’s been called the world’s most beautiful woman An airline pilot and actress, she undoubtedly a truly sublime humanitarian.

Angelina makes the world better, placing others’ needs before us To cherish the children, protecting them from evil so we all can flourish.

For all her work abroad she has been seen as a global ambrosia Like the time she was made an honorary citizen of lovely Cambodia Winner of awards from Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and Academy Her greatest reward has been giving children life, love and security.

Her face has the ability says Clint Eastwood to “capture a period.”

Her acting ability is renown and her drama techniques are myriad.

She won her Oscar in ’99 for her performance in Girl Interrupted Winning praise and plaudits from the critics for acting uncorrupted.

Recently, she starred as a voice in the animated Kung Fu Panda Proving clearly that her multiple talents are a result of beautiful karma On her body one of her tattoos sings out loudly for the ages It states: “A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages.”

The British have deemed her greatest sex symbol of all time While fans worldwide loudly exclaim that she is truly one of a kind.

Photographer : Christel Bangsgaard - www.christelb.com Makeup : Sandra Downie Hair : Tetsuya Yokozuka Styling : Kevin Stinson Model : Jillian Hoey - Trump Model Management

Top by 213 Industry, jewelry by Jewelmak

Dress by Greenroom, jewelry by Jewelmak

Top by 213 Industry, tights by American Apparel, Shoes by John Fluvog, jewelry by Jewelmak

Dress by 213 Industry, Bracelet and ring by Jewelmak

Shoes by John Fluvog, Sunglasses by H&M

Tasha Ford VERGO wants to help you stay moisturized and supple through the cold winter season. We came up with 8 great product must haves sure to keep you rejuvenated.

When the weather plummets and it gets nippy outside we tend to take cover in the warmth of a centrally heated place. Well, central heat can have a drying effect on the hair, so we recommend Scared Locks Shampoo (Louise Galvin, $44) and Sacred Locks Conditioner (Louise Galvin, $48) bringing shine, limiting fly a ways, leaving your tress smooth and hydrated without weighing the hair down. Perfect for coloured hair; both at www.louisegalvin.com

Have your own cleansing regimen, but haven't quite found that leave in conditioner needed to keep hair hydrated and strong? Try PROTEIN RX DAILY PROTEIN FORTIFIER is just what the hair doctor ordered. Great for transforming hair, creating vitality, silkiness and shine that's lightweight, Fredric Fekkai, $20; www.fredericfekkai.com

Help protect lips from the drying effects of wind and cold weather with Dr Andrew Weil for OriginsTM CONDITIONING LIP BALM WITH TURMERIC bring you a highly emollient lip balm to restore softness and smoothness to parched lips, Origins, $15; http://www.origins.com/

Lather up moisture and cleanse with Crème de Corps Nurturing Body Washing Cream. Enriched with natural Jojoba Butter, Shea Butter, and Corn Germ Oil ingredients, this non-drying cleanser will pamper dry and sensitive skin giving you a wonderfully indulgent bathing experience, Keihls, $17.50; http://www.kielhs.com/

Don't forget those tired dogs and rub on this foot saver Sock Salve (Bliss, $28) guaranteed to give you all over smoothness, then slip on bliss softening socks for 20 min just two to three times a week bringing you pedicure luxury to your home, Bliss, $48; both at http://www.bliss.com/

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Protect and nourish your body with The Body Crème. I like to think of the Body Crème as a gift from the Gods. Packed with several nutrients including vitamin C along with four types of algae including Plankton, you're sure to have healthier supple skin with a toned and firm look. Stop depriving your skin and make that investment.

Your skin will thank you, La Mer; $195; at Select Bergdoff Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks.

Interview by: Wayne Richard

VERGO catches up with Rahman "Rock" Harper season three winner of Hells Kitchen.

V: What have you been up to since the show?

Rock: Various things -working in the green valley restaurant, a lot of charity demonstrations, doing a lot of stuff with the March of Dimes, and starting to work on a book.

V: Really, what’s the book about?

Rock: Not ready to give the full content of the book yet but, it might have a little bit of a life story and a little bit of a cook book.

V: Do you think [that] coming out of a reality show people might question your cooking skills and abilities?

Rock : It comes with the territory — [that] this is America—every one’s entitled to their opinions, but I think my experience speaks for itself.

V: Do you think you were celebrated accordingly? Do you think in realty shows African –Americans are all put into a negative light?

Rock: I believe [that] I was portrayed accordingly. You got to understand that this is a show. You could even see it on the contract—they are all about exploiting you. And if I got agree I got agree. I wasn’t trying to lack any emotions. If you worry about stuff like those things, they don’t go on the show. Of course they are trying to put you in a certain group and/or type of group.

V: On that note do you think chief Gordon Ramsey was portrayed accordingly?

Rock: He is a bigger asshole than you can imagine if anything they make him appear nicer. There are things that didn’t make it to TV. There are things that he said to women that were to vulgar for TV, but he does give you the tools that you will need to succeed. I think he respects you when you stand your ground. I think he is like that because he wants perfection, he wants to make you better.

V: You come off like a very confident guy, were you all ways like that?

Rock: I wish I could say I was always like that but its something that develops over time. I think around the time of the million man march [I gained confidence], also going to church with my mother.

V: What is your signature dish? And what is your favorite thing to eat?

Rock: I don’t know if I have a signature dish. but the thing I like to make the most is crab cakes because of the variety. You can make something elegant or just make something like crab balls.

V: You come off like a family man on the show. How is you family doing?

Rock: My family is doing well. They are adjusting well but being in a family where everybody is under the same house hold is new to me. So I am learning as I grow, just like a cook needs a good team around him, a good base my family is a good support team.

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Michelle Beaumont

We all have goals at the New Year, to either get in shape, earn more money, create better relationship, etc. What people do not always recognize is how eating and exercising correctly can create all of the above. Nutrition and Exercise give us the fuel to rev up our metabolisms so that we can be on top of our game and sustain energy so that we can reach our potential. Despite busy schedules that reflect today’s time, there are countless ways you can reach your fitness goals faster and make your workouts more efficient. The following tips on exercise and nutrition will help you maximize your performance and accelerate your weight-loss and body sculpting goals. After only two weeks of implementing these minor adjustments intro your routine, you’ll see major changes in your shape, strength and stamina. In turn, you will be more productive overall.

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Here is how you can get started with these 10 Quick Ways To change the Shape of not just your body, but also your life!

Measure Your Trouble Zones. If your body is “apple shaped” you should measure your waistline and if it is “pear shaped” measure your legs, hips and thighs. Use a basic measuring tape to track your progress and weight yourself.

Clean Up Your Eating Habits. Eat one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily and consume broiled, grilled, steamed or boiled food, as often as possible. Select fibrous low glycemic index carbs and veggies, balance your meals throughout the day and practice portion control. There are many types of nutrition calculators online that can give you further details on calories, etc.

Mix It Up. If you get bored easily on the cardio machines, cross-train in between your weight training workouts. Do a few sets of lifting weights, and then get on the cardio machine for 5-15 minutes. This will also increase your fat burning potential.

Add More Poundage. If your goals are to lose weight, stick to higher reps and lower weight. If you want to strengthen an area do lower reps and heavier weight. High reps are about 12-20 and low reps (8-10).

Vary Your Intensity and Levels on Cardio Equipment. Do inclines on the treadmill, change levels on the elliptical and vary your pace between sprinting and light jogging on the treadmill. Add in plyometrics to work on strength and power.

Plyos and agility drills are a great way to shape your body and tap into its natural energy centers.

Know your Limitations. Be mindful of problem areas you might have, such as injuries in the neck, wrists, shoulders, knees or back. Be sure to get advice first from a physical therapist.

Change your entire fitness routine, at least every four weeks. Do not repeat the same classes or use the same load for the weights. Vary intense and types of exercises to confuse the muscle so that it has to adapt and change.

Be Consistent. Even on days when you lack energy, do something. Even if you do only 20 minutes, it counts and you are burning additional fat and calories and building some muscle so that your body remains in a state of thermogenesis. The heat the body will produce will also activate HGH in the body, which is anti-aging and helps you grow muscle so that your body becomes a fat burning machine on it’s own.

Use a “Zig Zagged Eating Approach”. When you begin to see changes in your body at your two week check-in, that either yourself or your professional trainer can check, you will need to adjust your calories, protein, fat and carbs to meet your body’s new requirements. On days when you exercise, these portions will be greater, but on days you do not exercise you will want them to be lower. You especially want to lower your carbs and fats on non-workout days.

If you do not see the results you desire in two weeks, seek the guidance of a professional who has credentials in both nutrition and exercise like www.michelle-enterprises.com or www.michellefitness.com where you can turn to a program like the Accelerator Program. You may need a custom designed plan of attack that takes your lifestyle into consideration and will get you where you need to go for the New Year. Be sure to monitor your energy, as well. Sluggish feelings while working out are not normal and are usually due to not getting enough carbs in your diet or calories. It is also important to drink plenty of water to keep your energy levels up, since dehydration can put a damper on your workouts as well.

Boy George is an English singer-songwriter, who was part of the English New Romantic movement which emerged in the early 1980s. He helped give androgyny on an international stage with the success of Culture Club during the 1980s. His music is often classified as blue-eyed soul, which is influenced by rhythm and blues and reggae. His 1990s and 2000s-era solo music has glam influences such as David Bowie and Iggy Pop. Being involved in many activities (among them songwriting, DJing, writing books, designing clothes and photography) he has released fewer music recordings in the last decade.

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