USA TODAY-Spike Lee announced plans Tuesday to make a movie about the struggle against Nazi occupiers in Italy during World War II that he hopes will highlight the contribution of black American soldiers who fought and died to liberate Europe.
The film will spotlight the courage of black soldiers who, despite suffering discrimination back home, offered a contribution that has so far gone largely unnoticed in other Hollywood movies, Lee said.
"We have black people who are fighting for democracy who at the same time are classified as second-class citizens," the 50-year-old filmmaker said. "That is why I'd like to do a film to show how these brave black men, despite all the hardship they were going through, still pushed that aside and fought for the greater good."
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Isaiah Is Bionic By Steve Gorman
Reuters
Tuesday, July 17, 2007; 12:01 AM
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Isaiah Washington, fired last month from the ABC hit medical drama "Grey's Anatomy" after reportedly making an anti-gay slur, has landed a new role, and a development deal, with rival network NBC.
Washington will guest star in five episodes of NBC's upcoming sci-fi action drama "Bionic Woman," a 21st-century remake of the 1970s series that starred Lindsay Wagner and was itself a spinoff of "The Six Million Dollar Man."( What's that old saying? Oh yeah, I remember, " When one door close another will open". how true it is.) I wish him well in his new role and good luck.
Washington will play a mysterious figure who is brought into the enigmatic scientific organization behind the "bionics" that transform Jamie, and whose own agenda is unclear as he instructs her on how to handle her new abilities.
"He's a wonderful actor and a great performer, and he became available," said NBC's new chief programmer, Ben Silverman, who was installed as the network's co-chairman of entertainment in late May with Marc Graboff.
Washington, who co-starred as a surgeon, Dr. Preston Burke, on "Grey's Anatomy," was dismissed from the show in June by the producers at ABC Television Studios.
Last year, Washington sparked controversy after a heated argument on the "Grey's" set in which he reportedly referred to co-star T.R. Knight as a "faggot."
Washington denied the report. But Knight, who later came out as gay, said Washington had used the slur.
Despite his public denials, Washington, 43, later met with gay and lesbian groups in Los Angeles, entered counseling and filmed a public service announcement denouncing hurtful speech.
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Touro officials accused in degree scam
NEW YORK, July 17 (UPI) --
New York prosecutors accuse two Touro College administrators of accepting bribes to change grades and award phony diplomas.
Accused mastermind Andrique Baron, who formerly served as head of admissions for the college, and Michael Cherner, the former head of the computer department, were charged along with a "bag man," and four alleged purchasers of altered grades and fake degrees have been indicted. For at least four years, a pair of greedy college administrators pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from former students who wanted to change F's into A's on their Touro transcripts, prosecutors charge.
But the accusations get even worse. The two administrators are also charged with awarding fictitious degrees to "graduates" who had never once stepped foot in any of the New York-based international college's 29 locations.
Investigators said that for prices ranging from $3,000 to $25,000, students could purchase doctored transcripts and non-students could buy degrees up to a master's.
A Department of Education spokeswoman said three New York special education teachers accused of paying $3,000 for graduate degrees will be reassigned to non-teaching positions in the fall until the investigation is resolved.
Baron's lawyer, Ronald Aiello, claimed his client is innocent of the charges.
Ms Ray
See You can get anything here in the NYC!!!
An apparent robbery attempt by several assailants made the four the latest victims in this city where the murder rate has risen 50 percent since 1998.
