Melanin ⁱ/ˈmɛlənɪn/ (Greek: μέλας, black) is a pigment that is ubiquitous in nature, being found in most organisms (spiders are one of the few groups in which it has not been detected). In animals melanin pigments are derivatives of the amino acid tyrosine. The most common form of biological melanin is eumelanin, a brown-black polymer of dihydroxyindole carboxylic acids, and their reduced forms. All melanins are derivatives of polyacetylene. Most are derived from the amino acid tyrosine. Another common form of melanin is pheomelanin, a cysteine-containing red-brown polymer of benzothiazine units largely responsible for red hair and freckles. The presence of melanin in the archaea and bacteria kingdoms is an issue of ongoing debate among researchers in the field.

The increased production of melanin in human skin is called melanogenesis. Production of melanin is stimulated by DNA damage induced by UVB-radiation, and it leads to a delayed development of a tan. This melanogenesis-based tan takes more time to develop, but it is long-lasting.

Phil Valentine is an American conservative talk radio show host in Nashville, Tennessee. He broadcasts daily on flagship station WWTN, a Cumulus Media station, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Central Time and is syndicated through Dial Global on over 110 radio stations. He is probably best known in Tennessee for leading protests against a state income tax.

Valentine is the son of former six-term Democratic U.S. Representative Tim Valentine of North Carolina, but is nonetheless a self-described conservative. His mother is the late Betsy Valentine who was killed in an auto accident one month shy of Valentine's 22nd birthday. He grew up in Nashville, North Carolina, and graduated from Northern Nash High School. After attending East Carolina University, he decided on a career in radio. ECU did not offer a broadcast major so Valentine left the university and enrolled in Carolina School of Broadcasting in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Valentine is the author of three books, The Conservative's Handbook, Right from the Heart: The ABC's of Reality in America, and Tax Revolt. Mr. Valentine was very active as a community organizer for the people of Tennessee to stop the passage of this bill against their wishes as citizens of that state. The Conservative's Handbook is a revision of Right from the Heart with new chapters and updated information. The foreword for both books was written by Sean Hannity.

Carol Lesley Barnes (13 September 1944 – 8 March 2008) was a British television newsreader and broadcaster. She worked for ITN from 1975 to 2004.

Barnes was born in Norwich, and attended St Martin-In-The-Fields High School for Girls, Tulse Hill, London. She did not like school, and left at the age of 16, doing a number of jobs for a year, before leaving to study for A levels at a local polytechnic. She then gained a BA in English, French, and Spanish at the University of Sheffield, followed by a postgraduate teaching diploma (PGCE) at the University of Birmingham.

Tariq Nasheed (b.1974) (sometimes nicknamed Tariq Elite, King Flex, K-Flex, ) is a controversial author, documentary film producer, media personality, Internet radio host, relationship expert, and social commentator, focusing on the psychology of dating and African-American social history.

Nasheed's books on dating and finding women include The Mack Within, The Elite Way, and The Art of Mackin, which has been called "something of a classic." Nasheed also wrote an advice book for female readers, Play or Be Played: What Every Female Should Know About Men, Dating, and Relationships.

His television appearances include The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,Late Night with Conan O'Brien, MTV's Made, and the Current TV series Joe Gets.

He has been quoted on a wide array of issues, including race relations,intimate relationships and infidelity, and U.S. politics and campaign finance. Nasheed has also been a regular speaker on college campuses on the topics of sex and relationships.

Nasheed produced the 2011 documentary film Hidden Colors, on the history of African and aboriginal peoples. The film had a limited theatrical release around the United States before being made available on DVD.