• As you settle down for Thanksgiving dinner, think of Malinda Russell, who wrote the oldest-known cookbook by a black author in 1866. Incidentally, she didn’t include any recipes for fried chicken. [NYT]

• If you’re black and Hispanic and even thinking about majoring in computer science, do it. Bill Gates wants you to. [IW]

• New Orleans shifting racial population plays out in the new, majority-white City Council. [NYT]

• Ian Smith, the last white ruler of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), is dead. [LAT]

• Critics are saying that Barry Bonds should have an askerisk next to his home run record because of his steroid use. But where are all the asterisks on the records won by the white old-timers when blacks were surpassing them in the Negro Leagues? [USAT]

This will be my last thankful Rewound post of Thanksgiving week (Stereohyped is going on a much-needed, two-day holiday, guys). I am not necessarily thankful for Sister Sledge or the song “He’s the Greatest Dancer,” although it’s preferable to “We Are Family,” if you ask me. I’m thankful for my sisters. There are only three of us, so let’s pretend like we’re the boisterous three in the group and leave out the tall, lanky one in the back that isn’t so comfortable with the choreography.

• Historically, R. Kelly’s had a problem going on tour with talented male competition. Is that why Ne-Yo’s suddenly been kicked off his tour? [C&D]

• This new, charitable Nicole Richie is sort of endearing. [People]

• So, a lot of Kanye news today. Here he is on the cover of GQ. []

• I’m really jealous of an audience in Macon, Ga., right about now. [Oprah]

• Michael Vick owes almost $1 million in expenses for the care of the dogs confiscated from his property. Damn, if only he had never decided to get into dog fighting… [CNN]

Wyclef can’t stop talking about crazy Lauryn Hill is. He recently went on the radio to explain things we already knew — that they were once in a relationship and that The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill was largely about him — and things we might not know, that it’s likely bipolar disorder that causes her bizarre behavior. Whatever, the point is that Wyclef can’t stop talking about how crazy Lauryn Hill is! This is either because he feels he doesn’t have much else to offer in an interview or because interviewers sort of only care what he has to say about Lauryn Hill. Either way, it’s pretty depressing. [EUR]

I tired of “Crank That” many, many moons ago. Perhaps it was around the time that I found out the song was what my friend Carmen from Racialicious so expertly referred to as an ode to ejaculation. Or maybe it was because the song, when you get right down to it, is as annoying as hell, and once the novelty has worn off, the novelty has worn off.

Yet, here’s Soulja Boy, still making the rounds, although, now that he has won over the hip-hop-listening/youth population, it’s time to conquer the white movies stars and talk show hosts. Above, see him inspire a group of brave women to hop around like crazy people on the Ellen show. After the jump, watch Natalie Portman gamely attempt the dance — in red stilettos!!!!

I sort of just want him to go away.

CONTINUED »

Dr. Jan Adams, the surgeon who performed Donda West’s surgery right before her untimely death, is breaking his silence. But after , I feel like he would have been better off keeping his mouth shut for now.

“When she left this office, there was no problem whatsoever,” Adams told the newspaper. But he did prescribe Vicodin to help her deal with the pain associated with the invasive procedures, telling the Times that West had complained following what was “probably a rough night,” and Adams speculates she may have taken too many of the painkillers.

Before conducting an autopsy last week, the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office said West may have died from complications related to the surgery. But it will take four to six weeks for toxicology tests to be completed and an official cause of death pinpointed.

“I believe I know exactly what happened to her, but I will not comment on it until I see the final report,” Adams added.

Isn’t saying that she might have ODed on Vicodin the same as “commenting?” But whatever. This is America, and everyone has the right to tell their side and/or attempt to clear their name. Adams will continue to do so on tonight.

Selita Ebanks, who wore a $4.5 million bra and panties bedecked with 9,000 jewels. “Of course, you feel like a million bucks,” she told The News’ Jo Piazza, “but the diamonds between my legs pinch, so it is like getting a Brazilian wax every two seconds.”

Whitney Houston’s highly-anticipated comeback performance has finally been announced. December 1st is the date. And…..Kuala Lumpur is the place. Sorry.

She’ll put on an hour long performance during Malaysia’s huge Live & Loud Music festival (also featuring K-Ci & JoJo, Kool & the Gang, Dionne Warwick, James Ingram, and Mint Condition. Hmmmmm.), and had the kindness of heart to film this brief video telling us all about it. She even (sorta) kept her eyes open for (most of) the entire 8 second clip. Whitney’s back, y’all!

Rumors have been swirling that Zahara Jolie-Pitt’s biological mother, whom Angelina Jolie might have thought was dead, is very much alive (maybe) and wants her daughter back. Well, besides the fact that she couldn’t have Baby Z back if she wanted her, the 24-year-old woman who gave birth to Angie and Brad’s child said that the rumors were false and that she is happy her daughter is under Jolie’s care. She also tells a pretty grim story about being raped by Zahara’s biological father.

It’s apparently the cool thing to do among a certain group of “journalists” to ferret out the biological parents of famous adopted kids and get them to say that they were misled into giving their kids up. But would we expect any less from the people responsible for our weekly gossip mags?

Here’s a possible upside to the writer’s guild strike that will very soon change television as we know it (until the writers get their money, that is): maybe American’s will settle down on the couch after dinner with good book instead of the remote control. According to an American’s are reading less and less and getting dumber and dumber.

“This study shows the startling declines, in how much and how well Americans read, that are adversely affecting this country’s culture, economy and civic life as well as our children’s educational achievement,” said NEA chairman Dana Gioia, an award-winning poet.

The NEA reported that American 15-year-olds ranked 15th in average reading scores for 31 industrialized nations, behind Poland, South Korea, France and Canada among others.

On average, Americans aged 15 to 24 spend nearly two hours a day watching television, and only seven minutes of their free time on reading.

Even among the best educated, the percentage of adults who attended graduate college who were rated proficient in reading prose dropped by 20 percent from 1992 to 2003.

Maybe protesters shouldn’t have been so quick to denounce BET’s Read a Book skit.