'Sparkle' Remake Will Star Whitney Houston & Jordin Sparks

"...Your sista can't fly on one wing..."

"...Givin' him something he can feel..."

"...Givin' up, is so hard to do...when you really love someone..."

These are all lines from one of my all time favorite movies from the 1970's, Sparkle. Before there was Dreamgirls there was Sparkle which was a story about  three young women from Harlem who try to break into the music industry but drugs and family strife kill the group's career before it really begins; one group member, Sparkle, rises from the ashes and becomes a star. The original 1976 film starred Phillip Michael Thomas as the group's manager and Sparkle's love interest Stix, Irene Cara as Sparkle,  Lonette McKee as the femme fatale Sister and Mary Alice as Effie the mother of the girls. The soundtrack featured Aretha Franklin's vocals on all of the songs Sparkle and her sisters sang in the film. The most famous song performed by the sisters is Giving Him Something He Can Feel which was re-recorded by En Vogue in the 1990's.

The new millennium in film making seems to focus on REMAKING any and everything from the past and Sparkle is next on the list. This time around Sparkle will be played by Jordin Sparks, Effie will be played by Whitney Houston and Satin, the evil abusive drug dealing boyfriend of Sister, will be played by Mike Epps. No word on who's cast in the Phillip Michael Thomas and Lonette McKee roles. Looks like filming is set to begin next month. I think I may just have to see this one out of curiosity alone.

Low Cost Internet for Youth & Their Families

Say you're a struggling parent or guardian of a school aged child, "back to school" time can mean "back to spending more money." Here is some good news for some parents who are struggling to make ends  meet; yyesterday Comcast and Mayor Nutter announced the Internet Essentials program, a program which will provide you with internet in your home for $9.95 and a computer for $149.00. If your child receives free lunch in school then you may be eligible. To find out more about this awesome program visit this link http://www.internetessentials.com/index.html. It seems as though parents in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland can participate in this program. Please do yourself and your neighbor a favor and share this information.

Healthy Lifestyle Workshop For Black Teen Girls Registering Now!

SIHLE (Sisters Informing Healing Living & Empowering) is a program that helps teen girls learn how to avoid STDs/HIV, communicate personal feelings and make better life choices. We are looking for girls ages 14 to 18 who are interested in participating in this 4 day workshop.

The work shops will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 4pm to 7pm at The BIPS Center in West Philadelphia;  The girls must be available to attend all four sessions and stay for the entire 3 hours. All participants will receive gift cards, food and lots of great information. If you or someone you know is interested in participating in this program please contact Tiffany Bacon at (267) 350-7672 or tbacon@phmc.org. SIHLE is a program of The Public Health Management Corporation.

How To Avoid Bad Food Reviews At Your Cookout

So it's the END of summer and this maybe your last cookout for the season. If you like to entertain and cook for your friends here are a few of my suggestions to KEEP your friends...happy and wanting more of your "good" cooking.

5.) CLEAN YOUR HOUSE. Appearance is EVERYTHING and anyone walking into a dirty home will think twice about eating the food that's cooked there. If you have pest traps and poison on the counter, dirty sitting rooms, roach remains or mouse droppings near areas of food preparation or storage, expect lots of leftovers.

4.) WEAR A HAIR NET OR PULL HAIR OFF YOUR FACE.... No one wants to pull, pluck, pick or fish HAIR out of their meal, trust me. Someone might take a picture with their phone and post it on HotGhettoMess.com

3.) BAN PETS FROM THE KITCHEN. You, Spot and Fluffy are close and everyone knows it, well that's great but allowing them to walk on tables and counters may scare some humans away from your kitchen and especially your food. Sauteed fur balls are a delicacy only you should enjoy.

2.) COVER THE FOOD. I think that speaks for itself.

1.) DON'T USE GUESTS AS GUINEA PIGS. If you never made the dish before, don't try it out on your guests at the cookout. Chances are these folks are hungry and waiting to taste a delicious meal. Please don't ruin their experience with your experiments.

-Tiffany Bacon, Cultural Ambassador for Radio One Philadelphia.

Managing Mother/Daughter Relationships

If you have ever had a difficulty getting along with your mother or your daughter, then check out the latest episode of "The Hype."

Attention Temple Alumni! I Need Your Classic TU Photos For Homecoming...

ATTENTION TU Alumni, Homecoming is RIGHT around the corner and if you have not visited your alma mater lately, Saturday October 15th will be a GREAT time to do just that. In addition to the football game in the afternoon there will be several wonderful alumni centered events happening on campus that evening. There is one event that's near and dear to my  heart and I need your help to make it great.

I am working on a slide show presentation for the Temple University Black Alumni Association's Homecoming event at The Draught Horse on Saturday October 15th and I NEED your best, funniest, most nostalgic TU photos. We will create an awesome video which will highlight the "Temple Experience" from the 1960's to the present. I promise we will create a WONDERFUL video that will make you proud to be a OWL. Please upload your pictures to this link http://noudesigns.com/forms/view.php?id=13 . You will have an opportunity to see the  final presentation on Homecoming Saturday October 15th @ The Draught Horse on Broad and Cecil B. Moore. Thanks for your participation...Let's Go Owls!

Replacement Food Stamps For 'Irene' Victims

Hurricane Irene gave the East Coast a hard time over the weekend and some folks in the area lost power. Here is some GREAT info for those who receive food stamps and were effected by the storm...

If you get food stamps and you lost food during a power outage or flood, tell the welfare office right away. You may qualify for replacement food stamps.

To get replacement food stamps, you must ask within 10 days of when your food spoiled. Contact your local welfare office or the Philadelphia Customer Service Center at (215) 560-7226. Better yet, put your request in writing and get a receipt.

You will have to complete a form saying how much food you lost. The law allows you to get replacement food stamps for the amount of food that you lost -- up to one month’s benefits.

You may also have to prove that you had a power outage or flood. To get proof from PECO, call (800) 494-4000.

If your power is still off, call PECO at (800) 841-4141 to make sure PECO knows.

How Hurricane Irene Looks From Space

The East Coast of the US is experiencing a pretty serious storm which has many major cities closing businesses, relocating or evacuating residents, shutting down mass transit and clearing supermarket shelves. There is often lots of hype that precedes hurricanes and often the storm does not live up to the rhetoric, but the major issue with Hurricane Irene is it's size and the ability to flood many cities in a short period of time. Here's video of what this storm looks like from space...

Program Helps Youth Drop Outs Get Diploma & Money

This program is providing youth with the necessary tools to achieve independence and success as they enter into adulthood

Company Overview	The Youth Employment Program (YEP) at Temple University– goal is to re-engage Philadelphia out-of-school youth ages 17-21 years old, with basic skills at a six grade level or above. Eligible youth are interested in obtaining their high school diploma, General Equivalency Diploma and Occupational Skills in Information Technology, and Health which lead to a Training Credential or stable employment upon program completion. Temple University CSPCD YEP youth participants will receive a variety of career/educational counseling and academic support while enrolled
Mission	To re-engage Philadelphia out-of-school youth ages 17-21 years old with the education and career development
	Job Skills Training Job Training Track 1– Earn the International Computer Drivers License (ICDL). The ICDL is the global standard in end-user computer skills, offering YEP youth an internationally recognized certification supported by employers globally and improves a candidate's job prospects. Track 2 – Information Technology base Medical Office and Accounts – Instruction and assessment are provided in an onsite computer lab. Training modules include full suite of Microsoft Office, excel, spreadsheets, internet usage and keyboarding in alpha and numeric. Training leads to the employer recognized Certified Coding Specialist credential.

                                        CALL TAMIKA BUTLER (215) 204-1219 to register or receive more info.

Mary J. Blige Collabs With Rocker Slash

"Mary Mary, why you buggin?" Seriously, Mary J Blige is buggin' out (in a good way) and crossing musical genres with her next project. I heard that she has paired up with the hairy guitar master Slash, formerly of the rock group Guns N Roses. It looks like Slash is in the studio working on his album and he snatched Mary up to sing on one of the tracks. I can't wait to hear this song, seriously. Slash has teamed up with Pop and R&B artists before; he's worked with Rihanna, Fergie and is responsible for the killer guitar solo on Michael Jackson's "Beat It." Look for this new Slash/ Mary J. Blige collab in the spring of 2012.

Calling All Black Temple University Alumni!

Calling all Black Owls! If you are a recent grad or if several Presidents have been in office since your last semester at TU then you may want to come out to an awesome happy hour and networking event on Thursday August 25th sponsored by The Temple University Black Alumni Alliance. The job market is crappy so this is a great opportunity to increase your network and reconnect with old friends. Make sure you bring an Owl or two with you. Put this info in your calendar:

Temple University Black Alumni Alliance Fall Kickoff Happy Hour

Thursday, Aug. 25
6:00–8:00 PM

Mad River Bar & Grille
126 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106

Mix and mingle with fellow alumni at TUBAA's next networking event in Old City. Enjoy a relaxing night with friends and build your network. Bring your business cards in exchange for exciting raffle prizes and learn more about TUBAA’s upcoming events for the fall!

Questions? Call 215-204-7521.

...And The Winner of The Jeffrey Osborne Tix is...

CONGRATULATIONS TO

Jay Hill

 for the correct answer in yesterday's trivia question.

The tickets will be at the box office of The Dell Music Center

by 7pm tonight. Enjoy the show!!!

Win Tickets to See Jeffrey Osborne & Kindred Tomorrow Night!

Okay friends it's winning Wednesday again and I'm giving away tickets to see Jeffrey Osborne & Kindred The Family Soul tomorrow night at The Dell Music Center. The FIRST TWO FOLLOWERS of my blog with the correct answers will win tickets. It's not too late to "follow" the blog either :) Please post your "government" name when you answer the question and don't forget to check THIS site to see if you're a winner. Good luck!

TRIVIA QUESTION: What was the name of the arcade next to Roy Rogers on Chestnut Street in Center City Philadelphia?

Hip Hop Dance Workshop in Philly!

A few months back I served as the casting director for Jill Scott's video Shame and my job was to find some of the best Hip Hop dancers in Philly. I didn't have to look to hard or for too long to find the cream of the crop. One young man stood out, Brian "Bizzy" Linder stepped to me about participating in the video as the choreographer. Unfortunately that job was filled but I offered him the opportunity to choreograph and lead the audition, which he did quite well. Now the young dancing machine is holding a Hip Hop Dance workshop/ master class on Sunday August 21. If you love to dance and you need some new moves, learn from one of the best. Put your $15 together now and support this young brother's art and life's dream.

Bizzy Linder's Hip Hop Dance Workshop

Sunday, August.21st.2011

4:30 to 6pm

City Fitness 200 Spring Garden St, Suite # 1A

Philadelphia, PA 19123.

Cost is $15.

Jill Scott & Dougie Fresh Doing 'Ladi Dadi' Live

On Saturday August 6, 2011 Jill Scott returned to the Philadelphia area with her Block Party tour. The party included performances by Anthony Hamilton, Mint Condition, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Dougie Fresh. Here was one of the highlights of the show, Jill & Dougie performing Ladi Dadi!