28 Feb 12 Malaysia bans Erykah Badu concert over photo of singer with body art of Arabic word for Allah
A government committee that monitors concerts decided to forbid Badu’s show because she has “offended the religious sensitivities” of Muslims by posing with such tattoos, an Information Ministry official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to make public statements.
The 41-year-old, Dallas-born singer had already arrived in Malaysia. she can remain here as a tourist but will not be allowed to perform, the official said.
Information Minister Rais Yatim confirmed the decision on his Twitter account.
Razman Razali, managing director of the show’s Malaysian organizer, Pineapple Concerts, said his company was in contact with government officials and hopes the ban will be reversed.
Badu is “worried and dismayed,” Razman told The Associated Press. she was slated to perform in an auditorium that can hold about 3,000 spectators.
It was the first concert by a Western performer to be banned in Malaysia in recent years. Several other stars, including Gwen Stefani and Avril Lavigne, were warned by officials to dress modestly for their shows to proceed.
The photograph of Badu, which also appears on her official fan website, attracted attention after Malaysia’s most widely read English-language daily, The Star, published it Monday.
On Tuesday, the newspaper apologized to Muslims for what it called an “oversight,” saying it deeply regretted any offense sparked by the photo, which was “inadvertently published.” The Home Ministry summoned The Star’s editors to explain the photograph, which caused some Muslim activists to demand the newspaper’s suspension.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. all rights reserved. this material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
18 Feb 12 A friendly rivalry of nearly 40 years
By Lee Tolliver the Virginian-Pilot© February 17, 2012
It’s a good thing these two are friends.
How else could Melody Hartranft and Debi Strausbaugh remain close after nearly 40 years of head-to-head competition?
But they have – from their days as high school gymnasts, through college and for nearly three decades as coaches at their alma maters.
Today, the two will guide their teams against each other once again in the Group AAA state gymnastics meet at Salem. Hartranft coaches Cox, Strausbaugh coaches Kellam.
And throughout the competition, they’ll cheer for their opponent.
It’s a sentiment fostered the first time they met as high school gymnasts.
"we hit it off," said Hartranft, who was Melody Haynes at the time. "She was so consistent. I think we respected each other first.
"We’ve had some incredible times over the years. Some good times and some bad times. But we’ve endured like friends do."
The two graduated from Virginia Beach high schools in 1976 – Hartranft from Cox, Strausbaugh from Kellam. they both attended Virginia colleges – Hartranft went to James Madison and Strausbaugh to Longwood.
They didn’t know at the time what a bond they had formed until they bumped into each other at a college meet.
"She was one of the first people I made friends with from another school when my family moved here in 1973," said Strausbaugh, formerly Debi Kinzel. "I’ll never forget the first time we met. we were both good on beam, and she was the first person in the state to do a front aerial. it was amazing.
"it was just as amazing at our first college meet. we were Beach girls and we chatted together as much as we could."
Their mothers watched from the stands often, sometimes keeping each other company despite rooting for rival schools.
"my mom was kind of shy and at first didn’t want me involved with sports," said Hartranft, who like Strausbaugh also played field hockey and ran track in high school. "But my mom warmed to sports and we introduced them at a meet."
Both majored in physical education and returned to the Beach school system to start their teaching careers.
Even their current assistant coaches – Jaudon Felch at Cox and Sharon Benzel (Strausbaugh’s younger sister) at Kellam – also competed briefly against each other in high school.
There are some differences, though.
Strausbaugh is part of a huge family she calls a "tremendous support system." She has four nieces competing on her team this year.
Hartranft was an only child, depending on friends and her husband of 25 years – Gary – for support.
The one constant throughout is the sport they love, where the mentality of most coaches and athletes is one of family more than competition.
"We’re in the gymnastics circle," Strausbaugh said. "It’s close-knit."
Added Hartranft: "we all support each other. the kids mostly all know each other from club gymnastics.
"And Debi and I respect each other, too. We’ve both got great programs and have enjoyed success."
Hartranft’s teams have finished second in the state meet six times, and she has coached one state all-around champion.
"I’ve never had the superstars that Debi has, but we’ve done very well and I’m proud of that," said Hartranft, whose Falcons are the favorite to win their first state title today.
Strausbaugh’s teams have won three state team titles, and she has coached three state all-around champions. her daughter, Kirsten, won the title twice.
Today, they’re hoping for a one-two sweep.
Cox won last week’s Eastern Region title, while Kellam finished second.
"It’s just so neat that both of our teams are contenders at state and that the meet is here at the Beach," said Hartranft, who is second on the state gymnastics coaches all-time list with 259 victories. "I want to win, she wants to win, but we’ll be cheering for each other the entire time."
Lee Tolliver, 757-222-5844,
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17 Feb 12 Philly newspapers plan to shed 37 full-time jobs
PHILADELPHIA — The city’s two largest newspapers will shed another 37 jobs by next month as they consolidate newsroom functions, the company that operates them announced Wednesday.
Economic conditions continue to force cuts at The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News and their Philly.com website, Philadelphia Media Network spokesman Mark Block said. The cuts follow weeks of turmoil inside the iconic white skyscraper that houses both newspapers.
Former Gov. Ed Rendell leads a group of powerful newsmakers who want to buy the company and keep Publisher Greg Osberg. The newspaper employees’ union complained that current management has censored stories about a potential rival bid.
And the hedge funds that have controlled the company since a 2010 bankruptcy auction won’t say if they want out.
The local Newspaper Guild, the journalists’ union, said in a statement Wednesday after meeting with company officials about the cuts: “The company’s decision to decimate our already shrunken ranks is hard to comprehend given the ever-competitive 24/7 nature of today’s media landscape.”
The company will seek voluntary buyouts for 15 days, then implement layoffs if necessary, Block said.
The 37 jobs will be cut by March 31, the end of the first fiscal quarter. The work contract calls for a 45-day notice of any layoffs.
The broadsheet Inquirer and tabloid Daily News have been fiercely competitive for most of their long histories.
Over the past year, though, management has blurred that line in some departments. Photographers now handle assignments for both newspapers, and the same byline appears occasionally in both. That trend will now spread to the sports department and beyond, Block said.
“It doesn’t pay to have three (photographers) at 9, 10 o’clock at night out at Citizens Bank Park when one person can provide enough photos to keep everyone happy,” Block said.
Each newsroom will maintain separate editors and audiences, he said.
The company will move this summer to smaller space in a long-vacant department store, with help from several million dollars in redevelopment subsidies. The newspaper building has been sold to developer Bart Blatstein, one of two wealthy Philadelphians who want to challenge Rendell’s group. But Blatstein and philanthropist Raymond Perelman say they’ve been excluded from the private sale.
That leaves Rendell’s group the only known bidder. his backers include Philadelphia Flyers owner Ed Snider and new Jersey Democratic power broker and Cooper Hospital Chairman George Norcross.
According to Guild grievances, newsroom managers removed all or parts of stories two reporters had done on the rival bids.
The newsrooms have gone through repeated layoffs under a series of owners in the past decade, as have newsrooms across the country. Block said the company was “assessing the economy and the financial climate of the industry, just like every other media company.”
The company cut 20 jobs last year, the union said. Block could not rule out more cuts down the line.
In the 1980s, the Inquirer had about 600 union-covered newsroom employees and the Daily News about 200, according to Bill Ross, executive director of the local union.
The numbers today are about 220 for the Inquirer, nearly 100 for the Daily News and about 50 for Philly.com, he said. there are another 40 non-union newsroom jobs at the Inquirer and eight at the Daily News.
Block declined to discuss the company’s earnings because it’s privately held. he said the cuts have no connection to any potential sale.
“Regardless of any reported sale, or parties that have expressed interest in Philadelphia Media Network, the current ownership group, from Day 1, has always been committed to … responsible budget management,” he said.
16 Feb 12 Theo Solomon’s photography piece takes first place
TEANECK – The Art Center of Northern New Jersey to hold its first art show of the year: The Works of Juried and Accepted Competitors. This year’s first prize in photography is awarded to Theo Solomon, of Teaneck.
Solmon is an associate professor of Sociology, anthropology and criminal justice at Bergen Community College. second to his affection for the subjects and students he teaches, is his lifelong involvement in ‘street’ and travel photography. his work ranges from classic platinum black and white, to photo shop manipulation, to restoring the century-old heirloom photographic medium known as photo-aquatint. for the latter he not only prints his own work, but also hand creates the paper and pigments on which the photograph is shown.
This show’s winning photograph is an un-manipulated portrait of a Hindu gentleman from Rajasthan State of India. Solomon says the vibrant colors are evocative of the entire sub-continent.
Solomon has traveled world-wide for decades, even with his children when they were under five years old up to the present as a grandfather. he lively talks embrace what he has seen and felt while living in other cultures and have been shared with folks at community centers, libraries, schools and universities.
Come celebrate February at the Art Center of Northern New Jersey, 250 Center St., New Milford. for more information, call 201-599-2992 or email artcenter-nnj.org for times, days and directions. The show closes Feb. 28.
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