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| Mary, Mary by ETWire Editor |
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 For 15 years, Mary J. Blige has epitomized the struggle of a lost young woman dealing with personal demons. After much exorcism, the words coming from her mouth and the energy coming from the stage are a sharp contrast from the Mary we’ve grown accustomed to-and, musically, that’s turning out better than originally expected.
Leaping over the 10-year itch, where successful veteran artists have struggled to maintain their mojo, the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul has sustained and, after viewing The Breakthrough Tour (with opening acts original Destiny’s Child member, LaToya Lockett and R&B crooner Jahiem), it’s not hard to see why. During her 2-½ hour set, Mary is generous with the classics, the songs that made her famous, but one can tell that her heart and soul are in the songs from her recent hit album (for which the tour is named). Throughout the show, she referenced her past troubles in relationships only to introduce songs of hope, i.e. Good Woman Down or songs of triumph, i.e. Take Me As I Am. But her absolute pride and joy rests in the man she calls her husband. Every performance is an ode to her renewed belief in love, confirmed in her hit single, Be Without You. In a nutshell, Mary J. Blige has come along way and, as the audience sung every word to 1994’s I’m Going Down, it’s clear that we’re still with her. |
| "Being" A Minor By ETWire Editor |
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Since its inception, the Internet has become a blessing and a curse. Those with businesses tend to revel in its benefits, while those with children tend to worry about its dangers. The disadvantages seem to be most evident when a celebrity’s child enters the picture-case in point, singers Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown’s 13 year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina.
This year, several photos of the teenager have surfaced on the web to the dismay of some diehard Whitney fans. The source of the photos’ is not confirmed but, with the widely acknowledged threat of online sexual predators, one might wonder if it’s unethical to post and send these photos of a minor.  Not necessarily, says Keith Durkin, an associate professor and Ph. D of Sociology. Because of the unrestricted nature of the Internet, it’s not likely that anyone, including the government, could do much about it. “Law enforcement has tremendous challenges now just enforcing the existing laws about child pornography and sexual exploitation of children on the Internet,” says Durkin, who has researched and authored articles and textbook chapters on the dangers of children posting information online. For now, the best that can be done is to report inappropriate activity to authorities, such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
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