Although I’m an avid user of social media, there are a few things I’m NOT gonna do, such as ever using the word bae, upload nude pics to a cloud server, or post a #WomanCrushWednesday photo. Now, I truly don’t have much of a problem with the latter, but as a dude in a happy relationship it would be utterly pointless and boring for my followers to constantly see me post my lady week-in and week-out. But when Wednesday comes along and the #WCW posts start flooding all my social media accounts, I find it absolutely hilarious. Dudes would rather promote women they’ve never met and have little chance of ever being with, instead of showing any appreciation to the woman in their lives, who actually is out here supporting them in more ways than one.

It makes me laugh my ass off to see how some men will post these #WCW pictures of supermodels, hood chicks with big butts, video girls, import car models, R&B singers, Nicki Minaj, and Hollywood actresses, talking ’bout “Look at bae!” with that corny-ass heart-for-eyes smileys. These same guys, though, would be damned if they ever posted a photo of the mother of their children who keeps them clothed, fed, and educated. There ain’t no way in HELL he will post the image of the woman who supports him when he’s down, emails job opportunities to him, and provides him with a place to stay when he needs it. There are men out here who will post a #WCW video of a some tattooed up, red lace-front-wearing, big booty-having, semi-professional twerker, while eating dinner cooked by the very real woman in his life, sitting on the couch she bought, in the apartment in which she pays most of the rent.

If there’s one consistent theme that I’ve mentioned many times in past articles, it’s my belief that our culture of entitlement is what makes dating so damn hard now. As someone who frequently talks with women in the U.S. and Canada during my events, I can’t tell you how many women I’ve heard complain about everything from men NOT spending enough money on her on first dates, all the way to women emphatically stating that their desire to marry a man is predicated on the size of the engagement ring he buys her. But I’ve always found that women’s entitlement rests more in their ideology than reality, because while women like to talk a good game, many will make concessions if they find the right man.

[Image: Shutterstock]

But when it comes to us men, we are on a whole other level of BULLSHIT. Not only do we talk a lot of entitled crap, but we also live it to the best of our ignorant-ass abilities. Far too many of us treat women as being expendable, play with women’s emotions for our own personal gain, and deceive women just to get what we want. Then, with a straight face, we will walk through society proclaiming how few “good women” are left, how hard it is to find the “wifey type,” and call Sanaa Lathan “bae,” while overlooking the very real and very loyal woman holding us down.

At the end of the day, the whole #WCW posts SHOULD be irrelevant – but unfortunately, we live in a society in which we are becoming increasingly more disconnected from reality everyday. This social media culture of being able to follow, mention, and direct message any and everybody on the internet, famous or not, has given a lot of dudes a false sense of opportunity. (“Let me write this thirsty ass message underneath Rihanna‘s picture because — you never know!”) There’s nothing wrong with honoring a random woman’s beauty, or keeping your real relationship off the internet, but before you go wishing that there were more women with Bria Myles bodies in your town, take a look at the real woman supporting you.

LAB

Lincoln Anthony Blades blogs daily on his site ThisIsYourConscience.com, he’s an author of the book “You’re Not A Victim, You’re A Volunteer” and a weekly contributor for UPTOWN Magazine. He can be reached via Twitter @lincolnablades and on Facebook at This Is Your Conscience.

[Image: Shutterstock]

Several members of former presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s family reportedly got into a drunken fight at a party after the annual Iron Dog snowmobile race and were shown the door. The Iron Dog snowmobile race which takes place in Anchorage, home to the Palin family, is touted as the world’s longest toughest snowmobile race, the official website states. Who started the fight and who hit who aren’t clear but Anchorage Police Department spokeswoman Jennifer Castro indicated the Palins were involved in the altercation but no one was arrested.

The fight allegedly broke out when eldest sibling Track Palin got into a shoving match with someone who may have had a romantic relationship with one of his sisters, according to Wonkette, who first reported the story. As the disagreement escalated, Bristol Palin reportedly swung a mean right hook at the party-goers before launching into a tirade of blows with about 20 people that escalated into the host asking the family to leave the party. Alaskan police believe that booze may have played a significant role in the brawl.

Since police are still investigating what happened in the melee, the police report has not been made public. However, Alaskan political blogger Amanda Coyne pieced together her own blow by blow of the incident with the help of a few witnesses.

“The owner of the house gets involved, and he probably wished he hadn’t,” Coyne continued. “At this point, he’s up against nearly the whole Palin tribe: Palin women screaming. Palin men thumping their chests.”

Chris Olds, the homeowner of the house, was involved in the fracas and claimed he was struck by Bristol several times. So of course the entire family had to be put out.

“Word is that Bristol has a particularly strong right hook, which she employed repeatedly, and it’s something to hear when Sarah screams, ‘Don’t you know who I am!’ And it was particularly wonderful when someone in the crowd screamed back, ‘This isn’t some damned Hillbilly reality show!’”

Whatever the case this definitely doesn’t spell good news for Sarah Palin if she’s considering tossing her name around in for an upcoming presidential run.

About thirty kids are home safe with their families after drinking water that contained a small amount of bleach in a mix up at a New Jersey day care center. More than two dozen children were rushed to the emergency room after drinking the bleach-water mixture accidentally given to them by a substitute teacher at The Growing Tree II Learning Center in New Jersey.

According to Jersey City Fire Department officials the substitute teacher/aide was giving water to the children, aged 3 to 4, when the incident occurred about 10 a.m. “Instead of using the water from the cooler, she mistakenly used a bottle of water that had bleach in it that the teachers use for cleaning,” officials said. ABC 7 reports that the concentration of bleach used in the mixture was low. After realizing the mistake, the children were transported in five ambulances to a local hospital for examination.

Swallowing sodium hypochlorite, one of the chemicals in household bleach, in small doses generally produces a mild upset stomach. Swallowing larger amounts of the liquid could cause more serious symptoms such as pain in the throat or mouth and burning the lining of the esophagus. Generally day care providers are advised to label cleaning supplies and harmful chemicals in containers that cannot be mistaken as a drinkable substance. Bleach mixed with water is a common cleaning solution and has a likelihood of being mistaken for water if not labeled properly.

Luckily, none of the children suffered serious injuries. “We don’t think the amount they ingested is significant,” said hospital spokesman Mark Rabson. All the children were treated and released from the hospital the same day. Hospital officials said they will work with Poison Control to determine follow up treatment options.

Chris Brown and his entourage were partying at a NYC club early Thursday morning when a fight broke out leaving a bystander with a severely injured eye. The fight started as two men argued in the VIP Room on W. 13th St., shortly after 2 a.m.

Brown and a group of friends were seated at another table about 50 feet away from the men. During the argument one of the men attempted to pour beer. Somehow the bottle struck a column and shattered. A piece of flying glass caused a cut to the other male patron’s eye. Security quickly escorted the man holding the beer bottle out of the club while the injured man left the club without notifying security. No arrests were made.

The VIP room quickly released a statement denying Brown’s involvement in the nightclub incident saying, “Chris Brown was completely oblivious to the incident and had nothing to do with what transpired nor was he or any of his group affected in anyway. VIP ROOM is cooperating with the police and their investigation.”

Brown later tweeted his innocence as outlets began reporting that the singer was on the scene of yet another nightclub brawl.

There was no brawl involving me or anyone from my camp last night at VIP room. The devil is in full effect at all times. God is the way.

— Chris Brown (@chrisbrown) September 11, 2014

While we’re not too sure what role the devil may have played in this accident, it might be wise for Brown to stay away from the party scene. The 25-year-old singer should be celebrating the good news that his oft-delayed 6th studio album X will finally hit shelves next week instead of dodging flying bottles in nightclubs but trouble seems to be a constant in his life.

Brown plead guilty to assaulting a male fan that attempted to take a picture with him and walked away from a jail sentence with time served. His bodyguard was found guilty of assault as well.

“At the end of the day, it’s just a humbling experience,” he said, in his first interview since his release from jail in June. “You’re more appreciative of everything else that’s on the outside.” Hopefully those words stick with him.

Michael Che, a local NY comedian and writer has just landed the gig that will send him to stardom. He is the latest addition to popular late night comedy sketch show, Saturday Night Live, premiering later this month.

Che has been casts as the co-anchor for the Weekend Update segment. He will replace Cecily Strong who appeared as co-host for the past two seasons. This makes him the first African American to land a role as anchor. He will sit alongside cast member, Colin Jost.

This change to the cast comes somewhat abruptly – especially after SNL was under fire for the last few years for lack of cast diversity. Last season, the show attempted to combat these criticisms by adding one African American woman to the cast – Sasheer Zamata. Now, it’s Michael Che’s turn. And he’s already taking the issue of diversity in stride, replying to a semi-snarky congratulatory Tweet:

lol thanks bro RT“@0Coll773: @rolandsmartin @SNLUpdate @CheThinks They alwayz gonna have TOKEN”

— Michael Che (@CheThinks) September 12, 2014

But you may ask – who is Michael Che? And how did he land this gig on one of the most popular late night shows on air? Well, it may not be such a surprise. Here’s some things you may not know about him:

1. He’s a New York native, raised on the Lower East Side. He currently lives in Queens.

2. He’s been doing comedy since 2009 (which isn’t very long) and is well-known along the NYC comedy club circuit.

3. Che was hired by SNL in Spring 2013 as a guest writer, but after five successful episodes, landed the position as a regular writer.

4. You may remember him from VH1′s show, Best Week Ever. He’s also appeared on The Daily Show and Bunk – to name a few.

5. In 2013, he was named one of Rolling Stone‘s “50 Funniest People”

Che told The Banner, “I really enjoy writing a lot. I really like the position. I don’t need the extra pressure of being in the cast.” So, let’s hope that his acting is just as good as his writing.

Saturday Night Live premieres on September 27, with Chris Pratt on hosting duty and Ariana Grande as musical guest.

A massive manhunt for convicted high school shooter T.J. Lane has concluded after the killer was captured early Friday morning.

Lane, 19, is serving three life sentences for killing three students at Chardon High School in Chardon, a small suburb of Cleveland in 2012. The felon escaped along with two other inmates from the Allen Correctional Institution in Lima, Ohio, around 7:30 p.m. One was captured shortly after escaping, while Clifford Opperud, 45, is still on the loose. Opperud was serving a 12 year sentence for burglary, kidnapping and aggravated robbery.

Upon news of Lane’s escape, Chardon High School cancelled classes today, offering counselors for frightened students. Extra police security was given to the families of his three victims.

Lane, who wore a white T-shirt with the word “KILLER” written across the chest on the day of sentencing, opened fire on a cafeteria table full of students on Feb. 27, 2012, killing Demetrius Hewlin, 16, Russell King Jr., 17, and Daniel Parmertor, 16. He wounded three more, one of whom is reportedly paralyzed.

A dispatcher at the Ohio State Highway Patrol Lane reported Lane was taken into custody at about 1:20 a.m. Friday in the area of the prison.

Paralympian Oscar Pistorius was found guilty of ‘culpable homicide’ on Friday, but he could walk free. The runner faces 15 years in prison after being found guilty of manslaughter in the killing of then girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. The verdict comes after a long six-month trial.

He was convicted of manslaughter and three firearm charges, but was released on bail until October 13th. According to the Daily News, Defense Attorney Barry Roux believed that Pistorius should remain on bail until his sentence since he had compiled with bail conditions after the killing. Prosecutors worry that between now and the beginning of his sentence, Pistorius will flee the country.

Pistorius shot and killed Steenkamp at his home on Valentine’s Day last year. In the courtroom yesterday, he cried tears of joy after being found not guilty of premeditated murder. The lesser sentence disappointed prosecutors, who believe he should have been convicted of more than two charges. The verdict comes after Pistorius was also found guilty of firing a gun in a restaurant, months before the killing of his girlfriend. Nathi Mncube, of the National Prosecuting Authority, will later decide if they wish to appeal the verdict.

The Pistorius family has offered their condolences to the Steenkamp family, saying “It won’t bring Reeva back, but our hearts go out to her family and friends.”

Our generation benefits being able to receive news in real time via social media, podcasts, 24 hour cable news and the like. But we are simultaneously cursed when these platforms are used by clueless souls who can’t wait to blather on and on about highly sensitive issues - like, say… domestic abuse.

Former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was ousted from his team and the entire NFL organization indefinitely after TMZ leaked surveillance footage of him slugging his now wife Janay in an elevator, leaving her unconscious. Shortly after the incident became the biggest news story of the moment, Janay defended her husband via Instagram and declared that she refuses to leave Rice.

If you follow the universal moral code, two things go without saying – 1) a man should never lay hands on a woman 2) unless she is attempting to kill him (which the Ray/Janay video clearly rules out). In short, absolutely nothing makes her deserving of getting knocked out cold in an elevator by her husband. For the most part, those sentiments seemed to echo through the entire social sphere as people weighed in about the case.

But as always, there were a handful of celebrities who shared some rather unsavory opinions about the incident and domestic violence in general. Check out these celebrities who probably should have kept their thoughts on mute.

Paul George

The Indiana Pacers forward took to his twitter account to chime in on the infamous elevator attack, claiming that if Janay is unbothered by the incident, we should be too. That obviously didn’t go over well with his followers, as a key characteristic of abused women is that more often than not, they end up defending their abuser. The backlash was so bad, George and Pacers President Larry Bird both issued public apologies.

Image: Fox Sports

Floyd Mayweather

One would think the famed boxer, who himself has racked up a combined 15 domestic violence counts from different women, would stay as far away from the subject on social media as possible. Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem too fond of thinking before he types. “I think there’s a lot worse things that go on in other people’s households, also,” Mayweather said. “It’s just not caught on video, if that’s safe to say.”

On the topic of his own abuse allegations, the ‘Money Team’ chief went on to say, “With Chris Brown and Rihanna, you seen pictures. With (Chad) Ochocinco and Evelyn, you seen pictures. You guys have yet to see any pictures of a battered woman, a woman who says she was kicked and beaten (by Mayweather).  Count on Money Mayweather to make the issue about him – especially when he has a new fight to promote.

Boyce Watkins

Author and social commentator Boyce Watkins made a lot of enemies after penning an open letter to Janay Rice, offering a congratulatory pat on the back for staying and “keep her family together.” He writes, “With black families being torn apart left and right by the pitfalls of extreme feminism, we should appreciate situations where someone isn’t seeking to throw the baby out with the bathwater and destroying their family at the drop of a hat.”

Rather than taking the stance that no man should hit a woman despite how he’s provoked, Watkins goes on to place some of the blame for getting knocked out on Janay herself. “The other ugly truth – which some people will never admit- is that if you did indeed spit in Ray’s face (as the elevator video seems to show), you also need counseling.  A gentleman will never hit you under any circumstances, but to demand that he behave like a gentleman, it is also mandated that you conduct yourself like a lady.” 

Stephen A Smith

Now here’s a man who knows how to stay in the headlines. Stephen A. Smith, who was not long ago suspended by ESPN for running off at the mouth,  has come under fire again for going after Terry O’Neill, president of the National Organization for Women (NOW).

“Absent of us discovering that Roger Goodell saw the video, tried to hide it, acted as if he never saw it and gave Ray Rice a two-game suspension only, absent of those discoveries, I’m sorry, I think this woman is off her rocker. I think she’s lost her mind. That’s right, I said it. This is the most ridiculous nonsense I’ve ever heard in my life. Roger Goodell deserves to lose his job? Why are you acting like he’s Ray Rice? Roger Goodell did not hit Janay Palmer-Rice. He hasn’t hit any woman. Why are we talking about the NFL as if its some cesspool for domestic violence? There’s a few cases. It’s being dealt with. It needs to be dealt with harshly. There are 1,800 players in the NFL. By and large, most acting like model citizens, never getting in any kind of trouble. What the hell is this? Because this happened, he’s gotta go? That’s crazy. That’s crazy.”

Maybe if Smith stopped spewing comments rooted in misogyny and clear disregard for women, he could stop back-tracking, as he was ‘compelled’ to do this morning:

Gilbert Gottfried There’s no such thing as “too soon” in Gilbert Gotfried’s book. The legendary comedian is known for cracking timely jokes related to big news headlines, and the Ray Rice case was no different. He tweeted:

Obviously Ray Rice misunderstood me when I said “She’s hot, you you should definitely hit that!” — Gilbert Gottfried (@RealGilbert) September 10, 2014

The wave of Ray Rice jokes on social media shouldn’t be surprising to an extent, but since his previous jokes about the Japanese Tsunami cost him the voice over job with Aflec, Gottfried really should have attempted to do better.

Image: Inquisitr

Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid, who plays for the Philadelphia 76ers, tried and failed miserably to make a joke out of the elevator video while throwing in relation to Solange-gate.

Predictably, the tweet was deleted shortly after posting. What Embiid fails to realize is there’s absolutely nothing humorous about domestic violence, and joking about it so soon after a national headline like this certainly won’t win you any cool points. Nice try, though.

Fox and Friends

Perhaps expecting news organizations to report the facts and leave out the fluff is asking too much these days, but I’m raising eyebrows at “accomplished” news anchors cracking jokes about violence against women. After discussing the latest developments in the Ray Rice situation, co-host Brian Kilmeade joked, “I think the message is, take the stairs.”  Another co-host Steve Doocy countered, “The message is when you’re in an elevator, there’s a camera.”

Viewers were outraged that the hosts and producers thought making light of domestic abuse was acceptable. Kilmeade made a statement claiming they do not take domestic violence lightly. I have to ask – if cracking jokes about it on a national TV segment isn’t taking it lightly, then what is?

The bodies of three infants were found in a filthy, vermin-filled house in Massachusetts only weeks after four children were removed from the home. Detectives are unsure of the infant’s ages, names or genders.

The woman who lived in the home, Erika Murray, 31, was arrested for the living conditions and imitation of a witness charges. Arraignment is scheduled for today.

Detectives investigating a case of reckless endangerment of children found the bodies at the house in Blackstone, 50 miles southwest of Boston on the Rhode Island line. Investigators were wearing hazmat suits in the small home with orange evidence tape over the front door.

“The house is filled with vermin,” said Worcester County District Attorney Joseph Early, Jr. “We have flies. We have bugs. We have used diapers, in some areas, as much as a foot-and-a-half to two-feet high. The house is in a deplorable condition.”

Early said the four other children, ages 13, 10, 3 and 6 months old were removed from the house Aug. 28 after a neighbor discovered their living conditions notified police. The prosecutor said one of the children in the house approached the neighbor about a child who wouldn’t stop crying. According to Early, the 6-month-old was found lying on a bed, covered with feces.

It is unclear whose the children’s parents are. Early said it’s too soon to file charges for the infant’s death and against whom.

San Diego cab drivers are now subjected to a body odor test in order to pick up consumers. The cabbies, who in San Diego are 94% foreign born, with 65% from East Africa, believe the new criteria re-enforces stereotypes that foreign cab drivers smell bad.

For years, San Diego Regional Airport Authority inspectors checked each driver for proof of insurance, functioning windshield wipers, adequate tire treads, and good brakes. Drivers are graded pass, fail or needs fixing.

Now, cabbies must pass a body odor test, determining their level of smell. Anyone who fails the smell test is ordered to change before picking up another customer.

Drivers question exactly what constitutes as a “bad” smell, who determines it and how inspectors distinguish between them and their cars. The checklist has a separate item for a vehicle’s “foul interior odors,” that may include gasoline, vomit or mildew.

But San Diego isn’t the only city that has instilled specifics on cabbies appearance and body smells. Chicago requires drivers be “clean and neat in their appearance.” New York City’s wording is similarly broad.

Seattle has long evaluated cabbies for body odor associated with infrequent bathing and not washing clothes, but dropped the test last month for a more general requirement on cleanliness.

The new criteria encourages regular bathing, and is said to be enforced for customer satisfaction.

Tahiry Jose has a message for men who abuse women. As reported earlier this week, the Love & Hip Hop star was brutally attacked by Carlos Gonzalez, a production assistant at a New York Fashion Week event.

The attack was claimed to be ignited by Tahiry asking the assistant the reason for his attitude. He was vocal about his hate towards Tahiry and things got ugly. It took 7 to 8 men to pull him off her.

Jose checked herself into Lenox Hill hospital after being held in a room by the PR coordinators who claimed Tahiry started the incident. She took to Instagram to confirm the attack and extend a message for men who physically and emotionally abuse women.

The caption read:

“Thank you ALL for your well wishes. I am both appreciative and grateful to have you on my team and call you #teamtahiry! I am sincerely touched by your outpouring of love.

As you may or may not know, on Monday, Sept. 8, I was attacked, assaulted and violated, while in the workplace, by a man. I was beaten because I am woman with a voice and refuse to be disrespected. It is more proof that the violence against women is real and needs to be addressed publicly. The shaming and disrespecting of women/victims of violent abuses must stop. Violence against women must stop; a women’s voice and refusal to be disrespected is not grounds for physical abuse. #iamwoman #myvoicematters

More to the point, I am home, healing and surrounded by love.

Rest assured, I will continue all my efforts and endeavors with the same faith, determination, passion and spirit I have always possessed.

Again, thank you! You are ALL heroes of mine!
Love, Tahiry”

Elise Neal will take on the role of Gladys Knight in Lifetime’s forthcoming Aaliyah biopic, reports Blackfilm.com.

The actress– best known for her work on “The Wayans Bros.,” “The Hughleys,” “All Of Us” and more– will portray the late singer’s aunt through marriage. Knight was married to Aaliyah’s uncle/manager Barry Hankerson five years before the singer was born in 1979 and was an integral part in giving the star a platform.

At age 11, Aaliyah performed with Knight during a five-night stint in Las Vegas. She continued to support the singer long after her divorce from Hankerson in 1981.

Neal will be joined by Alexandra Shipp, who will portray Aaliyah, and newcomers Chattrisse Dolabaille and Izaak Smith as Missy Elliott and Timbaland, respectively.

Photo courtesy of Vivien Killilea/Getty Images North America

Aaliyah: Princess of R&B is based on Christopher Farley‘s 2001 book “Aaliyah: More Than a Woman.” The made-for-TV movie is slated to premiere in February 2015.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson turned himself into Montgomery County, Texas authorities early Saturday morning on one count of injury to a child with reckless or criminal negligence. The NFL star was taken into custody after being indicted on Friday.

Authorities admitted Peterson through a side entrance and later released his mugshot. He was free to walk less than a half hour later after posting $15,000 bond.

While details of the incident are minimal, attorney Rusty Hardin confirmed the charge in the following statement:

“Adrian Peterson has been informed that he was indicted by a grand jury in Montgomery County, Texas for Injury to a Child. The charged conduct involves using a switch to spank his son. This indictment follows Adrian’s full cooperation with authorities who have been looking into this matter. Adrian is a loving father who used his judgment as a parent to discipline his son. He used the same kind of discipline with his child that he experienced as a child growing up in east Texas. Adrian has never hidden from what happened. He has cooperated fully with authorities and voluntarily testified before the grand jury for several hours. Adrian will address the charges with the same respect and responsiveness he has brought to this inquiry from its beginning. It is important to remember that Adrian never intended to harm his son and deeply regrets the unintentional injury.”

As news broke on the indictment, the team issued a statement, saying:  “The Vikings are in the process of gathering information regarding the legal situation involving Adrian Peterson. At this time, we will defer further questions to Adrian’s attorney Rusty Hardin.”

The Vikings later announced Peterson had been deactivated for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots, despite being at practice on Friday. Sources say the star gave no indication that anything unusual had taken place.

Photo courtesy Hannah Foslien/Getty Images North America

According to Texas law, a person can be convicted of an injury to a child offense if they are proven to have caused bodily or mental injury “intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or with criminal negligence” or causing such harm by omission. In this case, a child is considered 14 years old or younger.

Django Unchained actress Daniele Watts had social media buzzing over the weekend after she was arrested by LAPD for what many believed to be a mere display of public affection .

The star and beau Brian Lucas were approached by LAPD. Watts posted her account of the situation on Facebook:

Today I was handcuffed and detained by 2 police officers from the Studio City Police Department after refusing to agree that I had done something wrong by showing affection, fully clothed, in a public place.

When the officer arrived, I was standing on the sidewalk by a tree. I was talking to my father on my cell phone. I knew that I had done nothing wrong, that I wasn’t harming anyone, so I walked away.

A few minutes later, I was still talking to my dad when 2 different police officers accosted me and forced me into handcuffs.

As I was sitting in the back of the police car, I remembered the countless times my father came home frustrated or humiliated by the cops when he had done nothing wrong. I felt his shame, his anger, and my own feelings of frustration for existing in a world where I have allowed myself to believe that “authority figures” could control my BEING… my ability to BE!!!!!!!

I was sitting in that back of this cop car, filled with adrenaline, my wrist bleeding in pain, and it occurred to me, that even there, I STILL HAD POWER OVER MY OWN SPIRIT.

Those cops could not stop me from expressing myself. They could not stop the cathartic tears and rage from flowing out of me. They could not force me to feel bad about myself. Yes, they had control over my physical body, but not my emotions. My feelings. My spirit was, and still is FREE.

I will continue to look any “authority figure” in the eye without fear. NO POLICE OFFICER OR GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL IS MORE POWERFUL THAN ME. WE ARE EQUALS. I KNOW THAT I WILL ALWAYS BE FREE BECAUSE THAT IS THE NATURE OF MY SPIRIT.

But cries of racism were quieted after the release of official audio from the incident on Monday. The conversation includes Watts mentioning race while being questioned by the officers who explained they were called about a complaint that was called into their precinct.  As it turns out, the officer was not attempting to arrest Watts at all, but was simply questioning the actress.

LAPD states:

On Thursday September 11, 2014, around 3:01 p.m., patrol officers from North Hollywood Division along with a patrol sergeant responded to a radio call of indecent exposure in the 11900 block of Ventura Boulevard. The citizen who called the police to complain told the 9-1-1 operator that a male and a female were involved in indecent exposure inside a Silver Mercedes with the vehicle door open.

The responding sergeant and police officers located two individuals that matched the description of the suspects, and they were briefly detained. Upon further investigation it was determined that no crime had been committed. Ms. Watts and her companion were subsequently released.

An internal complaint investigation has been initiated regarding this matter.

Listen to audio footage of the tense exchange between Watts and the responding sergeant in the segment below and hear Watts explain why she didn’t provide her ID.

Based on the audio, do you think the situation could have been diffused and altogether avoided if Watts had simply handed over her driver’s license?

Adrian Peterson has spoken out for the first time since his arrest for severely whipping his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch.  Peterson apologized after the incident, which resulted bruises on his son’s legs and genitals.

Peterson was reinstated to the Minnesota Vikings on Monday.  The NFLer, who missed one game following the child abuse charges said, “I am not a perfect parent, but I am, without a doubt, not a child abuser. I am someone that disciplined his child and did not intend to cause him any injury.”

He continued, “No one can understand the hurt that I feel for my son and for the harm I caused him. My goal is always to teach my son right from wrong and that’s what I tried to do that day.”

Peterson is the Vikings’ highest-paid player and biggest star. Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf commented on the severity of the situation, saying that they “take very seriously any matter that involves the welfare of a child.” He added, “At this time, however, we believe this is a matter of due process and we should allow the legal system to proceed so we can come to the most effective conclusions and then determine the appropriate course of action.”

Peterson turned himself into police in his hometown of Spring, Texas on Saturday after detectives issued an arrest warrant for the May beating. He’s admitted to whipping his son, but his attorney said he was only using the discipline he himself had received as a child growing up in East Texas.

Many across social media defended Peterson’s discipline toward his son as the “old school” effective way of parenting.

Photo: The Box Houston

The grand jury’s decision on whether charges for excessive force will be brought against Officer Darren Wilson has been delayed.

St. Louis County Circuit Judge Carolyn Whittington extended the usual four-month period for which the panel sits, which expired last week. Now the grand jury has an additional 60 days to make a decision, until January 7.

The grand jury consists of 12 people who meet in secret, usually weekly, where they hear evidence of whether criminal charges are warranted. A total of nine votes is needed to send Wilson to public trial for the killing of unarmed teen Mike Brown on August 9.

St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCulloch can bypass a grand jury and take a case to trial by filing a complaint that goes first to a preliminary hearing. In the public proceeding, a judge decides if there should be a trial.

According to the autopsy, Wilson shot Brown six times, including twice to the head, with some of the bullets entering and exiting several times, including one that left at least five different wounds.

Wilson was not immediately identified, but once he was, police revealed that he had been allowed to leave town. He is currently on paid leave.

Michael Dunn will be retried for shooting 17-year-old Jordan Davis. The two got into an argument after Davis and his three teenage friends refused to turn down their music at a gas station. Circuit Judge Russell Healey denied a motion to relocate the trial from Jacksonville, Florida due to the enormous amount of attention the trial originally received.

Dunn, 47, was previously tried for the first-degree murder in February, but a deadlocked jury resulted in a mistrial. He will have his final pretrial hearing for this new trial on Thursday, before jury selection is set to begin a week later on September 22, the Florida Times Union reports.

Dunn’s original trial and the murder of Davis received considerable attention for its similarities to George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the fatal shooting of teenager Trayvon Martin. Florida State Prosecutor Angela Corey, also the prosecutor in the Trayvon Martin case, opposed the motion. The Florida judge said he would consider moving the trial if interviews of possible jurors in the retrial don’t provide a pool of unbiased candidates.

Dunn is accused of opening fire into a van of four teenagers and fatally shooting Davis during a dispute over loud music at a gas station on November 23, 2012. After the shooting, Dunn and his fiancee fled the scene, retreating to their hotel room before traveling back to their hometown of Miami, even after news of Davis’ death hit the news. Dunn was convicted on three counts of attempted murder and a weapons charge for firing at the three other teens in the car with Davis. But the jury was unable to come to a decision on the charge of first degree murder in the death of Davis.

Attorneys for Dunn argued he shot at the van in self-defense after Davis and the other teens threatened to kill him and flashed a shotgun at him. Dunn took the stand during the trial and stated he heard the teenagers yell, “‘Something, something cracker,’ and this and that, I hear, ‘I should kill that mother f****r.’” Police officials searched the teens and their bullet-riddled Dodge Durango SUV, but found no evidence of a weapon.

In the months since jurors deadlocked on a first degree murder conviction for Dunn, shootings of Black teens have been increasingly common, including Renisha McBride and more recently Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO. The McBride case ended in a guilty conviction.

A Seattle woman has been arrested for allegedly breaking into her male neighbor’s home and raping him last year.

According to a police report, Chantae Gilman, 26, allegedly broke into the unidentified victim’s apartment as he slept, following a party he had attended. Gilman, a mother of four who is pregnant again, reportedly entered the man’s bedroom and managed to hold him down during the alleged rape. Gilman is 240 lbs.

The man described Gilman as “a drug user in the area,” but says they are strangers. After he managed to push Gilman off him, he kicked her out of his apartment.

[Image: Shutterstock]

He was examined for signs of rape, and a sample of Gilman’s DNA was found. It was analyzed to build a case against her.

Police state that Gilman reportedly suffers from bipolar disorder and another unnamed mental illness. She has allegedly sought treatment for both drug and mental health issues, and has an arrest record for two criminal offenses dating back to 2006 and 2008.

Upon her arrest, Gilman said she did not remember the sexual assault, nor breaking into the victim’s home. She is scheduled to appear for a hearing on September 22.

CBS decided to pull pop sensation Rihanna’s song last week from Thursday Night Football, and Rih Rih finally addressed the network this morning in one of her good old fashioned Twitter rips. Initially, every Thursday game was set to open with actor Don Cheadle doing a narration over “Run this Town” by Jay-Z and Rihanna.

With all the Ray Rice domestic violence controversy that transpired last week, however, the network made a decision to cancel the opening number. It was what many considered an obvious PR move after NFL fans took to social media and expressed their discomfort with opening vocals by Rihanna–who also happened to be the victim of a very public domestic violence battle at the hands of Chris Brown in 2009.

This week, CBS is said to resume as originally planned with the song, but that doesn’t cut it for the “Good Girl Gone Bad” entertainer. She expressed her disgust this morning:

In a statement from this morning, CBS announced the pre-game programming is being revamped and that Rihanna’s song is being replaced with a new track.

“Beginning this Thursday, we will be moving in a different direction with some elements of our Thursday Night Football open,” CBS Sports said in a statement. “We will be using our newly created ‘Thursday Night Football’ theme music to open our game broadcast.”

Rihanna is reportedly one of the singers being considered to anchor the 49th Super Bowl Halftime Show being held next year in Arizona.  Or maybe ‘was’ is more likely at this point.

Whitney Houston’s legacy will live on. Clive Davis, who was responsible for discovering the singer, will release her first live album. Whitney Houston Live: Her Greatest Performances comes three years after Houston’s accidental drowning and has already been deemed legendary.

“She was without question the greatest vocalist in the world,” said Davis Tuesday during the announcement of the album. Whitney Houston Live is set to be released as a DVD and CD on November 10th.

As one of Houston’s mentors, Davis was present for most of her live performances and says that she was a remarkable talent. The album comes on the heels of a scandal revolving around another troubled celebrity, Lindsay Lohan, who says she handled Houston’s body at a morgue in L.A. while completing community service.

Lohan’s reports were later shot down when TMZ received word from the coroner’s office that Lohan’s story was flawed and community service workers were not authorized to come in contact with Houston’s body.

Davis’ release of Whitney Houston Live comes with the blessing of Houston’s mother, Cissy Houston. The album includes 16 live songs and 19 live performances. Her performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXV in 1991 is still the most memorable.