We are deeply concerned that a Russian judge today has indicated that for a second time Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev will be convicted. We are troubled by the allegations of serious due process violations, and what appears to be an abusive use of the legal system for improper ends. The apparent selective application of the law to these individuals undermines Russia’s reputation as a country committed to deepening the rule of law. The Russian government cannot nurture a modern economy without also developing an independent judiciary that serves as an instrument for furthering economic growth, ensuring equal treatment under the law, and advancing justice in a predictable and fair way.
The Obama administration stands in solidarity with the many people in the Russian government, in the legal system, and in civil society who are committed to strengthening the rule of law and deepening the commitment to universal values enshrined in the Russian constitution. Russia’s failure to keep this commitment to universal values, including the rule of law, impedes its own modernization and ability to deepen its ties with the United States.
President Obama has spoken frequently with President Medvedev about this case and others as part of their ongoing conversation about President Medvedev’s important campaign to strengthen the rule of law and modernize Russia’s political and economic system. We will continue to monitor closely the next stages in this case, including the fairness of the sentences and the review by higher courts during the appeals process.
Michelle and I extend our warmest thoughts and wishes to all those who are celebrating Kwanzaa this holiday season. Today is the first of a joyful seven-day celebration of African American culture and heritage. The seven principles of Kwanzaa -- Unity, Self Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith -- are some of the very values that make us Americans.
As families across America and around the world light the Kinara today in the spirit of umoja or unity, our family sends our well wishes and blessings for a happy and healthy new year.
Throughout the month of December, The Simple Dollar is posting a daily series focusing on specific activities you can do right now to set the stage for a great 2011. Out with the old, in with the new. 30. Start an automatic savings plan to bank that money. Yesterday, we discussed how to calculate exactly [...]
I’m a stock-market genius! On December 1st, I wrote about an idiotic USA Today article, which tried to convince readers that investing on the first day of the month was a sound strategy. “Stock investors looking for a trading pattern that all but guarantees a profit need look no further than the first trading day [...]
Know your way around the crazy world of celebrity? Alexis Petridis tests your knowledge. View the answers here
1 Hello ladies! Are you nonconformist, spirited and erotic? Looking for a hot young stud interested in the "structure of reality" and "chopping up human brains"? Of course you are! Then we've got the guy for you! But whose online dating profile is this? NB: only women from countries who've gone through political turmoil need apply!
2 Gavin Henson expressed reservations about taking part in Strictly Come Dancing this year. Was it because:
a he has no sense of natural rhythm.
b he was concerned about looking effeminate.
c he was afraid of getting an erection while dancing.
3 Eva Longoria and Tana Ramsay both turned to which
globally-noted relationship/lifestyle guru for help this year?
4 "The limited list of wedding guests is in stark contrast to that of her previous wedding," tutted Now magazine. "Then she did anything but scrape the barrel with guests including Vanessa Feltz." Who?
5 Whose stepdaughter did her bit to smash the patriarchy with a cookbook called How To Feed A Man, which advised ladies to freeze Bolognese sauce "so you can be the perfect woman and say: 'No problem, darling. I'll just rustle something up."?
6 Which love-rat premiership footballer allegedly enjoyed the romantic company of a self-styled white witch, who apparently once made a love potion out of human hair, peppermint essence and rose petals?
7 Which US TV star reinvented herself as an authority-baiting transgressive rock star, stopping along the way to set fire to a bag containing her recently castrated dog's testicles?
8 The BBC was forced to deny which rapper had signed a deal to make a cameo appearance in EastEnders? "I really wanted Peggy to throw me out of the pub," he was reported to have said.
9 And which rapper was supposed to have launched a bid for the Christmas number one with a single featuring the legendary commanding and stentorian tones of David Beckham?
10 Who took to Twitter to declare someone who disagreed with him about smoking in front of children a "phaedophile (sic) lover"?
11 Lucky old Harry Styles of The X Factor's One Direction was recently offered "spiritual advice" by which celebrity? Clue: you wouldn't accept spiritual advice from her even in a hypothetical situation in which every other potential spiritual adviser in the world had been eradicated.
12 Who was the celebrity face of Burger King's delectable-sounding �4.99 aftershave Flame?
13 Whose defence on being arrested with a handbag containing marijuana and cocaine was that (a) she was sharing the handbag and (b) she thought the cocaine was chewing gum?
14 Who claimed that a Hollywood star she interviewed had asked her to sign "some kind of sex contract"?
15 Who responded to the ongoing recession by cutting her backstage demand for a �200 bottle of champagne to a backstage demand for a �150 bottle of champagne?
UPDATE: The Associated Press reports that an autopsy on R&B singer Teena Marie revealed no trauma, but it likely will be weeks before toxicology reports return that could shed light on Marie's cause of death.
Los Angeles County Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said her body showed no signs of trauma and no illegal drugs were found in the Pasadena home where she died.
"Ivory Queen of Soul" Teena Marie, 54, died in her sleep on Sunday at her Pasadena, Calif., home. The body of the R&B songstress was discovered by her daughter, Alia Rose. A statement from Pasadena police said the death appeared to be from natural causes, but sources close to the singer, song writer and producer say that she may have suffered an epileptic grand mal seizure, similar to one she experienced last month that left her with two broken ribs after falling during the bout.
The L.A. County Coroner's Office found diazepam, more commonly known as Valium, which can be used to treat seizures at Marie's home, but friends say she had stopped taking the medicine because of side effects and had resorted to herbal remedies instead.
TMZreports that Marie was afraid of sleeping by herself because of the seizures and needed to have another person lie next to her. When her body was discovered, she had gone to her room to take an early-afternoon nap by herself. Alia checked on Marie at around 1 p.m. and she seemed fine. But when the young woman checked on her mom again two hours later, she found her unresponsive.
Nicknamed "Lady T" and "the vanilla child," Marie grew up in the predominantly black area of Oakwood on the west side of Los Angeles. Marie began singing at the tender age of 2 and grooved off Motown tunes. It was said that Marie's soulful voice was a God-given gift that she fine-tuned as she perfected her craft.
Marie, whose real name was Mary Christine Brockert, started her career as an actress and even had a stint on the famed TV comedy 'The Beverly Hillbillies." With singing as a constant baseline, she even sang at the wedding of rock and roll great Jerry Lee Lewis at age of 10.
In 1976, Marie got her long-awaited career break, when she was introduced to legendary Detroit producer Hal Davis, who got her an audition with Motown head honcho Barry Gordy. Marie recorded numerous unreleased songs with various producers, but she happened to catch the ear of Rick James, who would go on to be her mentor. Marie became the first white act signed to the Motor City hit-making label.
Marie's debut album, 'Wild and Peaceful,' was her first top 10 R&B hit, which included a duet with James called 'I'm a Sucker for Your Love.' Marie's image did not appear on the album cover or anywhere else on the packaging, so folks assumed that she was black. Record execs erroneously thought that black consumers would not want to buy music that was recorded by a white artist. They continued to keep Marie in hiding, so to speak, until she appeared with James on the TV hit dance show 'Soul Train' in 1979.
Black audiences came to love and accept Marie and revere her vocal pipes. She went on to record such mega Motown hits as 'I Need Your Lovin,' 'Behind the Groove,' 'Ooh La La La' and 'Square Biz.'
James and Marie continued to work together throughout her Motown years. In 1980, the duo produced the killer slow jam of all time, 'Fire and Desire.' The collaboration gave rise to unconfirmed rumors that the two singers were romantically involved. The duo's last appearance together was on the 2004 'BET Awards' show, and later that year James died suddenly of pulmonary and cardiac failure.
Following differences with Motown, Teena moved to Epic Records in 1983. She later sued Motown for restricting her artistic control, resulting in the passing of the Brockert Initiative, or the Teena Marie Law giving artists greater control over their careers.
The year 1994 marked the end of Marie's recording career. She made the decision to devote time to her daughter. Ten years later, in 2004, Teena launched her comeback album 'La Dona,' which went gold, proving Marie was still a musical force to be reckoned with. 'Still in Love' from the album earned Marie a Grammy Award nomination for best R&B vocal performance in 2005.
In 2009, Marie released what would be her final album, 'Congo Square,' on Stax/Concord Records. The artist described the album as "personal and spiritual" and indicated that it was more jazz-influenced than most of her previous work. 'Can't Last a Day,' a duet with Faith Evans, leaked to the Internet in March 2009. The album reached the top 20 on Billboard's Top 200.
Over the last few years, Marie worked the Las Vegas strip as a headliner and made several club and concert appearances. In an interview with the Associated Press last year, Marie admitted to successfully overcoming a battle with prescription drugs.
Lady T, your silky, soulful vocals will certainly be missed. Rest in peace.
Since her debut in 1979, Teena Marie has earned the love, respect and admiration of a plethora of entertainers. The soul singer's burst on the scene with a breakout duet with Rick James called 'Fire and Desire' and fought for her release from Motown Records, which resulted in the 'Teena Marie Law' mandating a label cannot keep an artist under contract without releasing his or her music. Some of today's biggest artists and actors went to the World Wide Web to express their love and sadness with the loss of the 'Square Biz' songstress. Here are their thoughts on this influential music figure.
Various
Remembering Teena Marie
Since her debut in 1979, Teena Marie has earned the love, respect and admiration of a plethora of entertainers. The soul singer's burst on the scene with a breakout duet with Rick James called 'Fire and Desire' and fought for her release from Motown Records, which resulted in the 'Teena Marie Law' mandating a label cannot keep an artist under contract without releasing his or her music. Some of today's biggest artists and actors went to the World Wide Web to express their love and sadness with the loss of the 'Square Biz' songstress. Here are their thoughts on this influential music figure.
Questlove "Educate.Learn.Absorb.Share. She was an amazing work of art. Most believed [Rick] James produced all her records. Truth is she produced these on her own...the mark of a true artist is when their album cuts get more love than the hits. Marie's magic was defined by her album cuts."
Common "R.I.P. Lady T! Your rhyme in Square Biz is and will always be classic material...Teena and I are both Pisces and we believe that we've been here before. Thats why De Ja Vu is my favorite song."
Gamble & Huff (songwriting duo) "We're shocked and deeply saddened by the sudden loss of Teena Marie. She was one of the most memorable, soulful and unique R&B vocalists to come out of Motown. We send or condolences to Teena's family, the entire Motown family and of course, our dear friend Berry Gordy."
Holly Robinson Peete "My heart is broken. Teena Marie was an R&B pioneer. She was also a beautiful authentic friend who I'll miss forever. RIP Lady T."
Alicia Keys "God bless Teena Marie and her family. Sending blessings and prayers I was just saing that 'Fire and Desire' is one of the most beautifully performed songs. Once a beautiful song, always a beautiful song. Certain songs just have that 'thing.' What a sangin lady."
