Protest over increased pay and benefits for NCAA players

I actually wrote about this in a college paper as an opinion piece years ago. I strongly believe that college basketball players should get equal health benefit coverage as NBA players. They don't play a different version of the game so they are susceptible to the same type of injuries. News analyst Rob Redding gives his opinion on this issue.

Source: ReddingNewsReview

Mom wants Mattel to have party favors for black-themed barbie

I personally would not be fighting Mattel for products they do not want to carry. I can't remember how many times I wanted to buy  my daughters black barbies an the store was out. Why? The fact is many black Barbie is considered a "collector's items" for many people. I never realized there were no party accessories if you were a person of color and wanted a themed party with black Barbie.

Currently Karen Braithwaite is spearheading and online petition on Change.org calling for Mattel to offer a more multicultural range of Barbie accessories. The petition currently has over 2,600 signatures.

Single Dad diaries cartoonist coming out with new book

I first became aware of Ervin Johnson's work when I was active on another site. He brings some great artwork and storylines to the comic strip industry. Currently his is looking for funding for and upcoming book titled, " Superdad." Donations will offset his advertising costs for book promotions

For addtional information click here

Michelle Obama getting her groove back

The first lady made an appearance at the Hayfield Secondary school in Fairfax county Virginia with the "ICarly," the cast from the Nickelodeon Television show. She was promoting and upcoming episode of the show where she thanked military families for their contribution.

Georgia Teen's Mother Calls For Justice

"My son did not die in vain," said Monique Rivarde, mother of 18-year-old Bobby Maurice Tillman. "Something will be done about these children attacking each other for nothing."

More of the story here -------> CNN

BART officer gets 2 years in fatal shooting

Well, for those of us who live near Oakland California, it is indeed a sad day for us. We realize now that justice is for those who truly have the means to buy it.

Johannes Mehserle will get credit for time he's already spent behind bars since he was charged in the shooting of 22-year-old Oscar Grant on a train platform on January 1, 2009, a judge ruled Friday.

Okay we gave a 22 month sentence to Michael Vick for what he did to a dog and 2 years (with only possible 7 months served) for a man shooting someone.

What is wrong with that picture?

Mehserle told Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Robert Perry before sentencing Friday that he would be willing to go to prison if the sentence made his city and family safer.

"I shot a man," he said. "I killed a man. It should not have happened."

Access to Mychal Bell's Records denied

"Jena 6" still in the news. The Louisiana Supreme Court, by a 5-2 vote, denied a writ application Friday by a group of media agencies, including The News-Star, for access to court records and transcripts in the case of Mychal Bell, a member of the "Jena Six."

The judges ruled, there is no requirement for a juvenile's record or transcripts to be open.It overturned 9th Judicial District Judge Thomas Yeager's ruling that the transcripts should be public because the hearings should have been.

I don't believe it should be open as well. Here we are more than 2 years later and some members of our media are still looking for their Pulitzer. These are the same ones who would rather "film," an attempted homicide then call 911 to intervene.

The fact is that young man was indeed a "juvenile," when this incident occured. The irony is the "same," people fighting for the law are not upholding it.

More on this story Click ------> HERE

Jill Scott on Being a Single Mother

As many of us know Jill Scott gave birth to a beautiful baby boy (Jett Hamilton Roberts) on April 21st. The dad, John Roberts, sadly is no longer engaged to her. Sometimes having a baby doesn't always mean it will make it right or that marriage is what needs to happen. Scott is such a powerful woman, I am sure she will do just fine. I mean it happens. I had a two-parent home and sadly with all the arguing and violence, I sometimes they would have left each other.

This is so sad, but I am glad she is moving on with her life. You can read the full interview by clicking on Essence.com below


ESSENCE.COM: Well, at least your hubby-to-be was there to support. How has he been adjusting to Jett?

SCOTT: "Yes, he was there and for a couple of days afterwards while I stayed in hospital, but John and I are no longer together. When you have a baby you're dealing with a lot of emotions and I don't know how much of it had to do with us breaking up, but it happens. We definitely love our son and we are co-parenting and working on being friends. It is what it is. I have a lot of support, so I want for nothing as far as that's concerned. I know some might criticize me or the fact that my son is being raised in a single-parent home, but I wasn't raised in a two-parent home and I had a good relationship with my dad. I have hopes for him and I'm sure his father will do his part as well."

Man Threw Baby From Car

A Florida man threw a 4-month-old boy out the window of a moving car Tuesday after a fight with the infant's mother, investigators said.Emanuel Murray's body was found by a passing motorist on Interstate 275 early Tuesday morning, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Department said. His mother's ex-boyfriend, 20-year-old Anthony McTear Jr., has been charged with first-degree murder, the department said.

Ladies, please review the background of someone you are entering into a relationship with. If that man is beating on you, he probably has some anger issues. He needs some counseling. Don't wait until a tragedy (as in the story reported here) wakes you up to get out of that relationship.


CLICK ----> FOR THE REST OF THE STORY

The NPR lays off 64 of its employees

It is indeed hitting all sectors of our society. We are in a recession and people are indeed losing their jobs. National Public Radio, citing an unexpected revenue shortfall, said Wednesday that it would cut 64 jobs, or about 7 percent of its work force of 889, and would cancel two weekday programs, “Day to Day” and “News & Notes. (this quoted from New York Times).

It seems that the projected revenue from grants and other contributions was reduced by $4 million for the year, to an expected $15 million, as foundations and wealthy individuals faced lower investment earnings, said Dana Davis Rehm, NPR’s senior vice president for strategy and partnerships.

The NPR has an estimated 2 million listeners that tune into their daily programming. Hopefully they are just downsizing and not getting rid of the station.

source

Kwame You by Yourself Bro

These are probably the words that Christine Beatty is whispering in Kwame Kilpatrick's ear. Christine Beatty( chief of staff for former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick), pleaded guilty Monday to charges stemming from their text-messaging sex scandal case and will serve four months in jail, according to the Wayne County prosecutor's office.

Christine Beatty, chief of staff for former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, pleaded guilty Monday to charges stemming from their text-messaging sex scandal case and will serve four months in jail, according to the Wayne County prosecutor's office. She will begin serving her jail sentence on January 5, when she will be formally sentenced.

Kilpatrick right now is serving his sentence in the Wayne County Jail. I wonder if they are still going to "Hook Up" when he gets out. You know stranger things have happened. In addition to his jail and probation sentence, Kilpatrick must also pay the city of Detroit $1 million in restitution, and forfeit any future pension.

Neither one of them have shown any real remorse for their actions.

Source: CNN

Naomi Campbell labels airline as "racist"

It seems some folks never learn. I mean all that beauty and no brains. Didn't she just complete anger management classes? Supermodel Naomi Campbell called British Airways ''disgusting'' and refused to apologise for abusing their cabin crew, insisting she reacted to racial abuse.

A London court on Friday ordered the 38-year-old to carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work for kicking and spitting at police officers.

Magistrates heard how she screamed foul language at the captain of a British Airways flight waiting to take off from Heathrow Airport when one of her bags went missing during the chaos at Terminal 5.

For more of her story Click > HERE <

NBA Finals - Celtics or Lakers? What's Your Pick?

OR

Do you feel Shaq should of stayed?

Obama's Mural Defaced

A mural of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was defaced in Little Five Points(Atlanta, Georgia) on Monday. "The eyes were blacked out and there was a swastika on his forehead," said artist Cameron Wilthshire. Wilthshire and another artist created the mural.Business owners in the area said they were disgusted by the defacing.

I don't think it is the first (an that is for any of the candidates), and I don't think it will be last time we are hearing of such events.

8 Year Discrimination Suit Against Secret Service Still Going

The latest twist to this ongoing legal fiasco between the black agents of the Secret Service and the Bureau is that Reginald Moore (black secret agent) has been accused himself of sending racially charged email. The original claim by a group of black employees, say the agency has passed over black agents for promotion. They say white colleagues and supervisors regularly use a racial epithet to refer to criminal suspects and black leaders of other countries. The lawsuit claims the Secret Service has always had a discriminatory culture — a claim the agency has consistently denied.

In April it made headlines again, when a black agent found a noose in the Secret Service Training Center. As part of the discrimination lawsuit, the Secret Service was ordered to turn over evidence. The agency paid an outside auditor more than $2 million to search 20 million e-mails and other electronic documents dating back 16 years.

This seems like it is going to be an ongoing thing. I just hope the Secret Service men involved in the suit are still able to work when this is all over. Prejudice in many of our government offices (lawsuit won or not) is not going to dissipate because a case is won.

Source: AP NEWS

Transracial Adoption

This may be a controversial topic for some people. I have my plus and minuses regarding transracial adoption. Part of me knows that children appreciate whoever shows them love. The problem sometimes lies with the identification process by black children adopted outside their race. I remember reading where Angelina Jolie wanted to adopt another black child, because she wanted to have her daughter Sahara to have someone to "look" like her.

It seems like adopting African babies is a "new fad" now among celebrities (Madonna, The pitts...).
Meanwhile a report ( The report,) released by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute, recommends major changes to the 1994 Multi-Ethnic Placement Act. The institution states the "Act" places too much emphasis on “color blindness” and not enough on race-oriented education.

I agree with this statement 100%. There are a high number of black children who are in foster care. U.S. laws require discounting race in placing those children, but some believe race, or at least race education, should be a major factor. ( I am one of them).

The study goes on to state. Of the black children adopted out of foster care, about 20 percent are adopted by white families. The Donaldson report said current federal law, by stressing color blindness, deters child welfare agencies from assessing families' readiness to adopt transracially or preparing them for the distinctive challenges they might face.

"There is a higher rate of problems in minority foster children adopted transracially than in-race," said the report. "All children deserve to be raised in families that respect their cultural heritage."

Foxy Brown Out of Prison and Saved

Rap artist Inga Marchand, also known as Foxy Brown, departs from a superior court after being sentenced to three years probation on assault charges, in New York October 24, 2006. Foxy claims she has found God now. Why does everyone who goes in our Penal system find Jesus Christ or Allah.

She was sentenced to three years' probation in October 2006 for assaulting the stylists. But in September 2007 a judge ruled she was not taking probation seriously and sent her prison for one year. She has served 8 months of this time.

"Yes, I've made some bad choices and stupid mistakes. But please understand that sitting in a prison with murderers and criminals is not rehabilitating or what I need to deal with my inner issues," Brown wrote in a four-page handwritten letter to Judge Melissa Jackson.

Current Black News Reports

Well, here are some current news events, some may be news to you, some may not.

• 50 Cent, Tony Yayo Sued Over Assault Of Jimmy 'Henchman' Rosemond's Son

• Almighty Azin, Gunned Down By Police After Stabbing Friends & Police Dog

• Kimora Lee Simmons Readies Reality Series' Second Season

Current Black News Reports

• Breakdance pioneer Frosty Freeze dies in NYC
• $19M Lawsuit Against Diddy Included Forged FBI Documents
  2 Snipes Attorneys Withdraw Before Actor's Sentencing
  Houston gospel singer Yolanda Adams surrenders files to IRS

For more news Click here

Current Black News Reports

• Lousiana's Congressman's Brother Indicted
• Jesse Jackson Discusses Civil Rights with Students
• Georgia Church Throws out Pastor for Money Laundering
• New Jersey Congressman to Challenge Lautenberg
• King and Kerner-Unfinished Agenda
  
• African American issues with proper cancer care

For more up to date news click here