Fox to bring back 'In Living Color'

Remember Homey D. Clown? And Fire Marshal Bill?

Well, Fox has announced it will revive In Living Color, the sketch comedy series which

became famous in the early 1990s thanks to characters like Damon Wayans' Homey and Jim Carrey's Bill. Keenen Ivory Wayans, the original series' creator, will serve as host and executive producer of the new episodes. And even though the show helped launch the careers of Wayans' own family as well as those of Jamie Foxx, David Alan Grier and Carrey, the rest of the cast will be new faces.

Our Unpaid, Extra Shadow Work

THE other night at the supermarket I saw a partner at a downtown law firm working as a grocery checker, scanning bar codes. I’m sure she earns at least $300,000 per year. Even so, she was scanning and bagging her purchases in the self-service checkout line. For those with small orders, this might save time spent waiting in slower lines. Nonetheless, she was performing the unskilled, entry-level jobs of supermarket checker and bagger free of charge.

This is “shadow work,” a term coined 30 years ago by the Austrian philosopher and social critic Ivan Illich, in his 1981 book of that title. For Dr. Illich, shadow work was all the unpaid labor — including, for example, housework — done in a wage-based economy.

Census: The new U.S. neighborhood defined by diversity as all-white enclaves vanish

Around the region and across the country, the archetypal all-white neighborhood is vanishing with remarkable speed. In many places, the phenomenon is not being driven by African Americans moving to the suburbs. Instead, it is primarily the result of the nation’s soaring number of Hispanics and Asians, many of whom are immigrants.

The result has been the emergence of neighborhoods, from San Diego to Denver to Miami, that are more diverse than at any time in American history.

Daniel Fawcett Tiemann “The Paint King Of New York,” From The Village Of Harlem

Once upon a time there was a village called Manhattanville, a small, originally Quaker community that planted itself between a bustling but still bucolic section of Bloomingdale Road (later Broadway) and the Hudson River. A remnant of the old village remains in the small neighborhood that shares its name today, north of Morningside Heights between 122nd and 135th streets on the west side.

Founded in 1806 the village grew due to its proximity to a major artery that led to the city of New York, but its fortunes really multiplied due to a developing port industry along the water. Together with its sister village Harlem, they grew into healthy rural communities.

Black buying power nears $1.1 trillion

Black buying power is expected to reach $1.1 trillion by 2015, according to The State of the African- American Consumer Report, recently released, collaboratively by Nielsen, a leading global provider of insights and analytics into what consumers watch and buy, and the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), a federation of more than 200 Black community newspapers across the U.S.

“Too often, companies don't realize the inherent differences of our community, are not aware of the market size impact and have not optimized efforts to develop messages beyond those that coincide with
Black History Month,” said Cloves Campbell, NNPA chairman. “It is our hope that by collaborating with Nielsen, we'll be able to tell the African-American consumer story in a manner in which businesses will understand,” he said, “and, that this understanding will propel those in the C-Suite to develop stronger, more inclusive strategies that optimize their market growth in Black communities, which would be a win-win for all of us.”

FBI Says Gangs Infiltrating the US Military

The U.S. military is facing a "significant criminal threat" from gangs, including prison and biker gangs, whose members have found their way into the ranks, according to an FBI-led investigation.

Some gang members get into the military to escape the streets, but then end up reconnecting once in, while others target the services specifically for the combat and weapons training, the National Gang Intelligence Center says in a just-released 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment/Emerging Trends.

Whatever the reasons, it's a bad mix.

""Gang members with military training pose a unique threat to law enforcement personnel because of  their distinctive weapons and combat training skills and their ability to transfer these skills to fellow gang members," the report states. Gang members have been reported in every branch of the armed forces, though a large proportion of them have been affiliated with the Army, the Army Reserves or Army National Guard, it says.

Thousands of Detroit students without books for months

The 2011-2012 Detroit Public School year started on Sept. 6, with thousands of homes and streets all over the city adorned with signs that had the two-word slogan "I'm In" everywhere. Nearly two months into the school year, the one thing that is not in a lot of Detroit Schools right now are books.

"I know there is a shortage and there is an order and they are still sharing books," said Andrew Hayes, whose son is a third-grader at Fisher Magnet Elementary on the city's east side. "There are a lot of frustrated parents. They want the kids to have what they are supposed to have. At the beginning of the year, we were told that every student would have the textbooks. It's seven weeks into school."

Black Christians often lack Halloween spirit

Contractors Hired Goons To Beat, Pour Acid On Disgruntled Workers

A New York contractor working on a Brooklyn affordable housing project hired goons to pour acid and beat workers who blew the whistle on a kickback scheme, where a city official was indicted court papers show.

According to the New York Daily News, Bogdan Starzecki, head of MCR Restoration Corp., bribed his way into city contracts to get a piece of a $13 million public housing project in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

'My Brooklyn: The Battle For The Soul Of A City' Documents Brooklyn Gentrification (VIDEO)

Northeast Weather: White To Be Fall Color This Weekend 

 

You Family? Celebs Who We Didn’t Know Were Black

Does Will Smith want 'Independence Day' sequels to be family affair?

According to Film-News, insiders said that Fox is willing to make the movies without Will, if necessary, it's complicated because where and how [Smith] wants to shoot; he wants to be close to home, to the kids." There have also been comments from Smith stating he wants to include Jada and possibly his daughter Willow in the movie.

First Black Daily Newspaper Founded
Thirty-seven years after the first Black newspaper in America was founded in New York City (Freedom’s Journal, 1827) the Black press reached another milestone with the launching of the New Orleans Tribune, destined to become the race’s first daily news publication.

The Tribune’s roots can be traced to another landmark event that saw the first Black newspaper published in the South. That was L’Union (the Union) a paper published in both French and English beginning in 1862 during the Civil War.

Sears employee wins $5.2 million jury award for racial harassment

The African American employee of Sears Home Improvement Products in Natomas was at an August 2008 company barbecue with his family, court records say. A co-worker walked up and blurted a racial slur, issued with a "slave dialect."

"Medro calls me Masta," co-worker Paul St. Hilaire said, according to court records.

Then St. Hilaire started laughing.

Johnson, an Elk Grove resident and a descendant of slaves, would later testify in court that he was humiliated to be referred to as a slave in front of his wife, son and daughter.

Last Friday, after a one-month trial and more than eight hours of deliberation, a Sacramento Superior Court jury gave Johnson the last laugh.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/26/4007173/sears-employee-wins-52-million.html#ixzz1c514zNJh

U.S. judge approves settlement for black farmers

A federal judge on Thursday approved a $1.25 billion settlement in a decades-old discrimination case by black farmers, clearing the way for them to seek compensation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for being left out of farm aid programs.

The decision helps tens of thousands of farmers who had been denied part of an earlier 1999 settlement because they missed the filing deadline.


U.S. District Court Judge Paul Friedman wrote in an order approving the agreement that Congress by waiving the statute of limitations has further redressed "the historic discrimination against African-American farmers." He called the settlement "fair, reasonable, and adequate."

National Black Farmers Association president said it was "a very important step that should provide assurance to the black farmers that each of their cases will now move towards a resolution."

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/10/26/4007173/sears-employee-wins-52-million.html#ixzz1c50Q1CdZ

Stop and frisk outcry: 87% of those stopped by police in Bronx are not arrested

Willie Hazzard was walking down Westchester Ave. with his two children the other day, wearing a black Transformers fitted hat, black and white Rocawear leather varsity jacket, black jeans, black Jordans and diamond studs in his ears.

This outfit, he says, makes him a target for cops to stop and frisk him - something which he says has happened 17 times since he moved to Soundview two years ago.

None of the encounters resulted in arrest, he said.

The NYPD stop-and-frisk policy has recently come under fire again after a Staten Island cop was charged with falsely arresting a black man following a stop and then bragging on tape, "I fried another n-----."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/bronx/2011/10/27/2011-10-27_brisk_biz_in_frisks_92_stopped_in_boro_by_cops_black_or_hispanic.html#ixzz1c53GkHB0

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/bronx/2011/10/27/2011-10-27_brisk_biz_in_frisks_92_stopped_in_boro_by_cops_black_or_hispanic.html#ixzz1c52hpH5T

Why You Need to Be Proud of Your Dark Skin

In a world where having a light skin is exalted as an ultimate sign of beauty, wearing a skin with a dark complexion is not usually a huge cause for bragging. And yet it is. The black pigment in your skin, something you will possibly remember as being referred to as melanin in your health science classes in primary school, is the single reason you are largely protected from this type of cancer (cancer of the skin).

That pigment, melanin, acts as a sort of shield, a protection from ultra-violet rays from the sun. The absence of which, manifested in a more light coloured skin, opens the gates for the rays to come in, cause damage to the skin, and leave cancer enjoying the time of its life.

While the very dark skinned people should thus look at their skins as a blessing, light skinned people, Whites, and most importantly, the albino population, should pay special attention to these cancers, and how they can best be nipped in the bud.

Rihanna's New Music Video Enrages Anti-Rape Group

Rihanna's has upset an anti-rape organization with her music video "We Found Love," which depicts a tumultuous relationship between the songstress and her co-star, Dudley O'Shaughnessy, who just so happens to look a lot like her ex, Chris Brown.

"Rihanna's new video is a disgrace. It sends the message that she is an object to be possessed by men, which is disturbingly what we see in real violence cases."

Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/tv/tvguide/article/Rihanna-s-New-Music-Video-Enrages-Anti-Rape-Group-2239224.php#ixzz1c55cH0it

Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/tv/tvguide/article/Rihanna-s-New-Music-Video-Enrages-Anti-Rape-Group-2239224.php#ixzz1c55NwQ2z

SOUND OFF: 53 And Pregnant! How Old Is Too Old?

Whether it’s a demanding career or the struggle to find Mr. Right, more women are postponing motherhood. Advancements in medicine have made it easier than ever to have children at 40 — even 50.


But pregnancy later in life is not without controversy.

House votes to honor first black Marines

The nation's first black Marines received a rare national tribute Tuesday as the House voted to award the Montford Point Marines with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor given by Congress.

History books and Hollywood have chronicled the Army's Buffalo Soldiers and the Army Air Corps' Tuskegee Airmen, but the men who integrated the Marines during World War II often have been forgotten. That is starting to change, beginning with the House's 422-0 vote.

The black Marines received their basic training adjacent to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, where conditions were harsh and the treatment from their fellow Marines could be even harsher. The black Marines were not allowed to enter Camp Lejeune unless accompanied by a white officer. In the few times they participated in training exercises, they could not eat until the white Marines had finished. They were routinely passed over for promotions.

"People forget they were fighting two wars -- both foreign and domestic," Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., said.

Census: Atlanta has widest income gap between rich and poor

It is a case of the have and the have not. Of all major American cities, Atlanta now has the widest income gap between rich and poor. U.S census numbers have given the city a new label that's nothing to be proud of, but puts into perspective how many Georgians are struggling to make ends meet.

"I've been out of work almost two years," says Marcia Tolbert. "Most places tell me I'm over qualified. Others say I've been out of work for too long. It's like they keep kicking you when you are down."

Tolbert is a name and a face to a trend that is unfolding all over the county. The recession that began in 2007 took a steep toll, with only a few places spared from a rise in jobless rates and a decline in incomes. Nearly one-in-six Americans live in poverty.

The Class War Has Begun

And the very classlessness of our society makes the conflict more volatile, not less.

AP: NYPD officers charged in ticket-fix probe

What began two years ago as a low-profile wiretap investigation of a New York Police Department officer has resulted in criminal charges against at least 16 officers alleging they abused their authority by helping family and friends avoid paying traffic tickets, two people familiar with the case said Thursday.

The officers were expected to be arraigned Friday in the Bronx, said the people, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because authorities hadn't announced the results of the grand jury investigation.

The charges against 13 police officers, two sergeants and one lieutenant are the latest in a spate of corruption allegations against NYPD officers. They include delegates with the department's largest and most powerful union, the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association.

Hormones Linked to Weight Gain After Dieting

Findings of a new study from the University of Melbourne and Australia’s La Trobe University have revealed that for at least a year after dieting, a combination of hormonal changes endlessly signal the body to not only slow down metabolism, but also to increase the appetite.

Samuel L. Jackson named highest-grossing actor of all time

Samuel L. Jackson has been named the highest-grossing actor of all time by The Guinness Book of World Records, according to the New York Daily News. Jackson, 62, has made over $7.42 billion over the span of his entire career.

Jackson got his big break in 1991 in the Spike Lee film, Jungle Fever. He played the crack head brother of Wesley Snipes. Since then the acclaimed actor has starred in over 100 films such as Pulp Fiction, A Time To Kill, Eve's Bayou and Star Wars. You can see a more extensive list of his movie roles here.

Declining numbers of blacks seen in math, science

With black unemployment reaching historic levels, banks laying off tens of thousands and law school graduates waiting tables, why aren't more African-Americans looking toward science, technology, engineering and math -- the still-hiring careers known as STEM?

The answer turns out to be a complex equation of self-doubt, stereotypes, discouragement and economics -- and sometimes just wrong perceptions of what math and science are all about.

The percentage of African-Americans earning STEM degrees has fallen during the last decade. It may seem far-fetched for an undereducated black population to aspire to become chemists or computer scientists, but the door is wide open, colleges say, and the shortfall has created opportunities for those who choose this path.

STEM barriers are not unique to black people. The United States does not produce as high a proportion of white engineers, scientists and mathematicians as it used to. Women and Latinos also lag behind white men.

10 Ways The World Will End Videos

Mixed reactions from black Muslims to Gadhafi death

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan has publicly condemned what he describes as the "great assassination" of Muammar Gadhafi.

In his first major interview since the death of Gadhafi, Farrakhan says the "Nation of Islam mourns the loss of a great brother leader," and he personally feels as if he has, "lost a very important member of my own family."

College Prices Rise Again as States Slash Budgets

As President Obama prepared to announce new measures Wednesday to help ease the burden of student loan debt, new figures painted a demoralizing picture of college costs for students and parents: Average in-state tuition and fees at four-year public colleges rose an additional $631 this fall, or 8.3%, compared with a year ago.

"The states cut budgets, the price goes up, and the (federal) money goes to that," said Patrick Callan, president of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. "For 25 years we've been putting more and more money into financial aid, and tuition keeps going up. We're on a national treadmill." 

Obama Speeds Up Aid for College Students: How Will It Help You?

President Obama will pitch a plan today to help ease the burden of loans on college students, as a new report shows that higher education is becoming more expensive for many young Americans.

Starting next year, borrowers’ student loan payments will be capped at 10 percent of their discretionary income, and they could be eligible for forgiveness on the balance of their debt in 20 years. Under the current plan, loan payments are limited to 15 percent of a borrower’s discretionary income, and their balance is forgiven after 25 years.

“The students who signed the petition [to the president] and the students in ‘Occupy Wall Street,’ most of them are students who have already graduated. Most of them are unemployed and need help,” said Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid and a student aid expert. “They are the ones who brought attention to this issue and most of them are not going to benefit from this.”

Delta Sigma Theta president warns members to not wear colors in light of rapist

A Dallas-area rapist appears to be preying on members of a national black sorority, leading the organization to urge alumnae to remove any trace of their affiliation from cars, clothing and even their
key chains.

Delta Sigma Theta issued the warning this week, citing four sexual assaults, all involving black women in their mid-50s to mid-60s. Police say the assailant indicated during the attacks that he knew personal information about the victims.

"We believe it's more than just accidental," said Matthew Kosec, deputy police chief in Coppell.

Detectives have not determined exactly how the rapist might be learning about the sorority affiliation.

"We just don't know if the suspect is identifying these ladies as they are out shopping in the area or if it's something more advanced than that" such as using social networking sites, Corinth police Capt. Greg Wilkerson said.

Top Foods to Avoid with High Blood Pressure

 

Could Your Finances Give You a Heart Attack

Read more on Newsmax.com: Your Finances Could Cause a Heart Attack.
Important: Do You Support Pres. Obama's Re-Election? Vote Here Now!

Why Black People Are Learning Chinese

A growing number recognize that it will be a crucial skill for competing in the global marketplace.

In today's economic climate, in which black unemployment is in the double digits, one way to give the next generation of black graduates a competitive edge is to think outside one's borders -- more globally -- and learn Mandarin Chinese. Today's black graduates aren't competing only with their white American counterparts anymore. The landscape has changed radically in a relatively short span of time. Black graduates must now compete with their cohorts from places like China.

"Ten to 15 years ago, hardly any African Americans were in China," he told The Root. "We all basically knew each other. The experience literally changed the trajectory of my life."

China's expansion has not always been welcomed by black people. In fact, on the African continent it has caused some resentment, given the proliferation of Chinese entrepreneurs in some African countries. An article in the Guardian, a newspaper in the United Kingdom, describes a Chinese "invasion" of Africa, detailing how Chinese entrepreneurs -- some of whom have remained in African countries illegally beyond their tourist visas -- have bought large plots of land, started import businesses, opened sprawling restaurants and established other ventures.

"Globalization isn't a buzz word," she said. "It's a reality, and so is the need to gain a global perspective."

Autistic children have distinct facial features, study suggests

We may be a step closer in understanding what causes autism, say University of Missouri researchers after finding differences between the facial characteristics of children who have autism and those who don’t.

Kristina Aldridge, lead author and assistant professor of anatomy at the University of Missouri, began looking at facial characteristics of autistic children after another researcher, Judith Miles, professor emerita in the School of Medicine and the Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders, mentioned,

“There is just something about their faces. They are beautiful, but there is just something about them.”

“Children with other disorders such as Down syndrome and fetal alcohol syndrome have very distinct facial features. Autism is much less striking,” she says. “You can’t pick them out in a crowd of kids, but you can pick them out mathematically.”

Hertz fires 26 Muslim drivers in prayer break dispute

SEATTLE -- Car rental firm Hertz fired 26 employees at its Sea-Tac Airport location for failing to clock out when they take their prayer breaks.

The employees say Hertz is trampling on their right to religious freedom, but the company says it's merely trying to promote fairness in the workplace.

"We feel like we're being punished for what we believe in," said former Hertz employee Ileys Omar.

Omar is a Muslim who prays five times a day. In the past, Muslim employees at Hertz paused for their prayers without clocking out.

Middle class' share of the nation's income is shrinking

A USA TODAY analysis of Census data found the Reno area was among 150 nationwide where the share of income going to the middle class — generally made up of households that make $20,700 to $99,900 a year — shrank from 2006 to 2010. Metro areas where the middle class' share of income dropped outnumbered those where it grew by more than 2-to-1.

"The lower share of income is a way of saying income inequality is growing in the middle," says Paul Taylor, executive vice president of the Pew Research Center, who has studied the shift. "The vast middle has less of the pie than it had before."

Income is shifting to the top tier of households, especially those in the top 5%, Taylor says. The top 5% earn more than $181,000 annually.

The Home Affordable Refinance Program: What You Need To Know

President Obama unveiled changes to the Home Affordable Refinance Program in a campaign stop in Nevada yesterday. A city which has been hit hard by the housing crisis.

Jahessye Shockley's Family Claims Police Let Race, Mom's Criminal Past, Stand In Way Of Search

PHOENIX -- Nearly two weeks after a 5-year-old girl seemingly vanished outside her suburban Phoenix home, police were no closer Monday to figuring out what happened to her as her family criticized the investigation.

Jahessye Shockley has been missing since Oct. 11 after police believe she wandered from her apartment in Glendale, outside Phoenix, while her mother was running an errand. The girl's three older siblings were the last to see her.

Police have no evidence, suspects or promising leads, but the case points to a kidnapping because they found no trace of her after combing a 3-mile radius around her home.

"This little girl doesn't just fall off the face of the earth," Glendale police Sgt. Brent Coombs said Monday.

Death toll from listeria outbreak rises to 28

 

The Northern Lights: You Saw Them Where?

Northern Lights Seen Across Midwestern U.S.

The red and pink streaks of the Northern Lights made a rare U.S. appearance Monday, delighting sky watchers in the southeastern part of the country. According to ABC News, the Aurora Borealis was caused after Earth’s magnetic field was hit by a coronal mass ejection at about 2 p.m. Eastern time.

States that caught a glimpse of the elusive shy show included Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina. Viewers as far away as Chicago also claimed to see the Northern Lights.

Boy, did I see red - and green, and blue, and . . .

10 banned books that may surprise you

Sometimes the banning of a book is self-explanatory, but other cases may leave some of us scratching their heads – who could object to "The Wizard of Oz," for example? Here are 10 books that may seem innocent – but somehow they managed to offend someone.

2nd UDPATE: Obama Administration Unveils New Refinancing Program

 

Two North Carolina schools locked down after shooting

Two schools in Fayetteville, North Carolina, have been locked down after a female student was shot in the neck, officials said on Monday.

Why Senior Citizens Should Be Furious About So-Called Social Security ‘Increase’

Seniors might get a bigger check, but they're losing out

Social Security checks will see their first increase in three years this January. The Social Security COLA, or Cost of Living Adjustment, will amount to 3.6%.

But seniors should be outraged by the Social Security increase — because it isn’t an increase at all. The fact is the government program is paying less than it has in years past, and the recent COLA “increase” doesn’t make up for the ground that seniors have already lost.

Why Companies Aren't Getting the Employees They Need

With an abundance of workers to choose from, employers are demanding more of job candidates than ever before. They want prospective workers to be able to fill a role right away, without any training or ramp-up time.

Government announces new program to help ‘underwater’ homeowners

The federal government on Monday announced new rules that would allow many more struggling borrowers to refinance their mortgages at today’s ultra-low rates, reducing monthly payments for some homeowners and potentially providing a modest boost to the economy.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency, working with the Obama administration, said that up to 1 million “underwater” borrowers might benefit from an expanded program that targets homeowners who owe more than their properties are worth.

Children's Risk For Nearsightedness May Be Reduced By Spending More Time Outdoors

Children's risk for myopia or nearsightedness, where objects further away look blurred because light entering the eye focuses incorrectly, may be reduced by spending more time outdoors in natural light, according to a new review of research being presented at a conference this week.

Will Dropouts Save America?

True, people with college degrees tend to earn more. But that could be because most ambitious people tend to go to college; there is little evidence to suggest that the same ambitious people would earn less without college degrees (particularly if they mastered true business and networking grit).

H.A.D.L.E.Y. Players, one of Harlem's last surviving black theater companies, looks to the future

It's one of the last surviving black theater companies – and its founder wants nothing more than to see Harlem's beloved H.A.D.L.E.Y. Players continue for a new generation of actors.

Gertrude Hadley Jeannette officially started the theater group (Harlem Artist's Development League Especially for You) in 1980, but its roots go back to the 1950s.

 "When we started out, my students were Esther Rolle, Isabel Sanford and Rosalind Cash," Jeannette, 96, told the Daily News. "They started out on my stage. I was their first teacher and they all came from Harlem."

See Video

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/uptown/2011/10/21/2011-10-21_hadley_players_one_of_harlems_last_surving_black_theater_companies_looks_to_the_.html#ixzz1bipLBAhr

The Ugly Racial Backstory Behind Harlem’s Sewage Plant Explosion

NEW YORK — In 1962, when New York city planners first proposed a

sewage treatment plant for the residents and businesses of Manhattan’s West Side, they picked a spot on the Hudson River around 72nd Street. The neighborhood, however, was well on its way to becoming what it is today — the white, upper middle class district of stylish brownstones, grand co-ops and newfangled condominiums known to most Americans as the backdrop for the TV sitcom, Seinfeld.

MUSC dedicates new laboratory complex named for Clyburn

The complex was named after U.S. Rep. James E. Clyburn, South Carolina Democrat, for his long-standing efforts to correct health disparities in the state and for his support of biomedical research.

Read more: http://www.thetandd.com/news/local/education/article_3bdf46b0-fc73-11e0-ba2c-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1bZlaaY5c

Read more: http://www.thetandd.com/news/local/education/article_3bdf46b0-fc73-11e0-ba2c-001cc4c03286.html#ixzz1bZkAWdSR

5-Year-Old Black Girl Disappears and No One Cares

I know it's a hard and ugly truth to swallow, representative of a reality we don't want to believe exists anymore. But sadly, nothing else explains why the country is currently obsessed with finding Lisa Irwin and largely unaware that Jhessye Shockley is even lost.

CPSC: Target Corp To Recall 3,400 Children's Frog Masks

Target Corp. (TGT) agreed to a voluntary recall of about 3,400 children's frog masks due to a suffocation hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

The commission advised consumers to stop using the masks immediately, as the plush masks lack proper ventilation, it said. No suffocation incidents were reported related to the masks. Full refunds are available at Target, which sold the items exclusively from August through September for $1 each.

The commission is charged with protecting the U.S. public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of consumer products. In the prior two months, Target agreed to recall about 447,000 Embark resistance cords and cord kits on an injury hazard, 304,000 Chefmate blenders due to a laceration hazard and about 547,000 step stools with storage due to a fall hazard.

Defunct German Satellite Hits Earth in Fiery Death Dive

An old German satellite fell to Earth today (Oct. 22), after languishing in a dead orbit since it was decommissioned more than a decade ago, but officials do not yet know where it landed.

"There is currently no confirmation if pieces of debris have reached Earth's surface," German aerospace officials said in a statement.

After Alabama law, Hispanic kids being bullied

It was just another schoolyard basketball game until a group of Hispanic seventh-graders defeated a group of boys from Alabama.

"They told them, `You shouldn't be winning. You should go back to Mexico,"' said the woman, who spoke through a translator last week and didn't want her name used. She and her son are in the country illegally.

Spanish-speaking parents say their children are facing more bullying and taunts at school since Alabama's tough crackdown on illegal immigration took effect last month. Many blame the name-calling on fallout from the law, which has been widely covered in the news, discussed in some classrooms and debated around dinner tables.

Is the US Declaration of Independence illegal?

Some background: during the hot and sweltering summer of 1776, members of the second Continental Congress travelled to Philadelphia to discuss their frustration with royal rule.

By 4 July, America's founding fathers approved a simple document penned by Jefferson that enumerated their grievances and announced themselves a sovereign nation.

Called the Declaration of Independence, it was a blow for freedom, a call to war, and the founding of a new empire. 

It was also totally illegitimate and illegal.

At least, that was what lawyers from the UK argued during a debate at Philadelphia's Ben Franklin Hall.

NBA lockout: Negotiations could be hijacked by racial perceptions

The owners “lied to you,” Derek Fisher said, moments after the players’ union president walked out of fruitless labor talks in Manhattan on Thursday night. And with that the mutual distrust and name-calling began anew.

Soon, the Rev. Jesse Jackson worries, it will be personal and irreconcilable and no longer about the color green.

“I hope it doesn’t degenerate into names and language that’s hard to take back once it’s started,” Jackson said from his Chicago office late Thursday afternoon. “If it goes down this road, that could amount to irreparable damage. If it goes away from labor negotiations, things could become irretrievable.”

Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King’s other half

Coretta King was his other half. She did more than anyone else to advance his legacy. And, dare I say, if it were not for this woman by his side, his legacy would never have risen to such heroic proportions.

Somewhere on that vast four acres there should be a statue, a bust, a plaque or something showing that she was a co-partner in this great freedom movement. (She died on Jan. 30, 2006.) Why not a mention of her on the monuments wall of great quotes? He once said, “In every campaign if Coretta was not with me, she was only a heartbeat away.”

Is This the Future of Punctuation!?

On the misuse of apostrophe's (did your eye just twitch?) and our increasingly rhetorical language

Punctuation arouses strong feelings. You have probably come across the pen-wielding vigilantes who skulk around defacing movie posters and amending handwritten signs that advertise "Rest Room's" or "Puppy's For Sale."

The apostrophe is mainly a device for the eye, not the ear. And while I plan to keep handling apostrophes in accordance with the principles I was shown as a child, I am confident that they will either disappear or be reduced to little baubles of orthographic bling.

The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and his wife just bought part of the 76ers

To most of your parents, Will Smith owns the only rap lyric they can reliably relate word for word -- "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" theme. And because everyone seems to know that Will Smith was "born and raised" in West Philadelphia, it makes complete and total sense that he and his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, are members of the latest group to pay way too much for an NBA team. The team, as you and your parents would guess, is the Philadelphia 76ers.

Job fair scheduled Oct. 27 at Prince of Orange Mall

The free event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, and is being sponsored by the Prince of Orange Mall and state and local agencies.

The job fair comes at a time when unemployment rates in The T&D Region are hovering around 15 percent.

 “We hope this might remedy it,” said John Timmons, S.C. Department of Social Services program manager. “We are comforted by the fact that Universal Trade Solutions will bring with them 100 new jobs. It is a step in the right direction.”

Read more: http://www.thetandd.com/news/local/article_3764c2bc-f9db-11e0-8f6c-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1bDnGkeQU

Read more: http://www.thetandd.com/news/local/article_3764c2bc-f9db-11e0-8f6c-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1bDmXUYbf

 

Read more: http://www.thetandd.com/news/local/article_3764c2bc-f9db-11e0-8f6c-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1bDmBBeiB

Making South Carolina a high-tech hotbed
Some say making South Carolina a hotbed for technology can be an uphill battle because from the outside looking in, the Palmetto State appears to be lagging behind. Tuesday, industry insiders worked to change the high tech picture for the state.

“South Carolina is the tip of the spear in so many different ways around new initiatives that involve technology and is a huge market for growth,” said Mike Carter with South Carolina based tech company eGroup.

Woman Accused Of Throwing Cupcakes At Husband Charged With Domestic Battery

After that, she reached for the box of desserts and directed a fusillade of snack cakes at his head and body, her husband told police. Several of the confections apparently hit their mark, as the man's head and shirt were smudged with icing when officers arrived, according to a police report.

Medicare will cut Social Security’s “raise” in 2012

After two years without an inflation adjustment, the Social Security Administration is expected to announce a 2012 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of more than 3 percent next week. That would be a sizable raise in this economy, and very welcome news to seniors hit hard by rising costs, slumping home equity and very low returns on fixed-income investments.

Rep. Jesse Jackson Calls on Government to Hire All Unemployed Americans for $40,000 Each

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. has offered his own $804 billion jobs plan that calls on the federal government to hire the nation’s 15 million unemployed Americans for jobs paying roughly $40,000 each, and bail out all the states and cities facing budget crises.

“Now we’re making some progress,” Jackson said, comparing the legislative gridlock in Congress to the states that seceded from the union during the Civil War.

"We've seen Congress is in rebellion," he said, "determined to wreck or ruin at all costs."

Most Food Stamp Recipients Have No Earned Income

Some 70% of households that relied on food stamps last year had no earned income, a new report shows.

Thieves steal wheelchair of girl with cerebral palsy

Over the weekend, Georgia bandits made off with a family's van with very special cargo within: the
wheel chair of a 9-year-old girl with cerebral palsy.

Without her custom made wheelchair, Aysia Clements is homebound and unable to attend school.
Her parents, James and Batoya Clements, were left with no other option other than to beg for the thieves to return the purple and black chair with their daughter's name engraved on it.




13 Best Job Sites for Baby Boomers

The first step to finding a new job is to look in the right place, and these sites are especially beneficial to experienced workers who are looking to fill a particular niche in the labor market. Take a look at these top sites for the experienced worker -- maybe one of them has the perfect opportunity waiting for you.


Employees Wanted: 10 Middle-Class Jobs That Are Actually Growing

Where did all the jobs go? And where did all the good jobs go?
It's a question 13.9 million unemployed Americans and countless disgruntled workers have wondered since the "Great Recession" began. Most jobs seem to be hiding in the health and educational services, with 544,000 openings as of April 2011.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the U.S. will add 15.3 million new jobs between 2008 and 2018, and a whopping 15 out of 30 jobs with the most projected openings and vacancies will pay wages that are above the national median wage for all workers in the United States.


10 Middle-Class Jobs That Will Vanish by 2018
By the year 2018, the manufacturing industry will lose 1.2 million jobs, the mining and oil/gas extraction industry will lose another 104,000 jobs and utility companies will lose 59,000 jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

But outsourcing and foreign competition aren't the only reasons for shrinking industries. The needs of our economy have changed in recent years while companies have become leaner and meaner in order to survive.

Oral Sex May Cause More Throat Cancer Than Smoking in Men, Researchers Say

A virus spread by oral sex may cause more cases of throat cancer in men than smoking, a finding that spurred calls for a new large-scale test of a drug used against the infection.

Researchers examined 271 throat-tumor samples collected over 20 years ending in 2004 and found that the percentage of oral cancer linked to the human papillomavirus, or HPV, surged to 72 percent from about 16 percent, according to a report released yesterday in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. By 2020, the virus-linked throat tumors -- which mostly affected men -- will become more common than HPV-caused cervical cancer, the report found.

What's Your 'True Calling?'

Ravitch: Why Finland’s schools are great (by doing what we don’t)

What makes the Finnish school system so amazing is that Finnish students never take a standardized test until their last year of high school, when they take a matriculation examination for college admission.

Their own teachers design their tests, so teachers know how their students are doing and what they need. There is a national curriculum — broad guidelines to assure that all students have a full education — but it is not prescriptive. Teachers have extensive responsibility for designing curriculum and pedagogy in their school. They have a large degree of autonomy, because they are professionals.

Admission to teacher education programs at the end of high school is highly competitive; only one in 10 — or even fewer — qualify for teacher preparation programs. All Finnish teachers spend five years in a rigorous program of study, research, and practice, and all of them finish with a masters’ degree. Teachers are prepared for all eventualities, including students with disabilities, students with language difficulties, and students with other kinds of learning issues.

Million Man March, Farrakhan Forgotten At MLK Dedication

Many around the world watched with great pride as President Obama spoke at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial dedication. Black civil rights, political, and entertainment royalty were present, surrounded by thousands of people who wanted to be close to the tribute on the National Mall for a non-president.

Everyone from Rev. Al Sharpton and members of the Congressional Black Caucus to Nikki Giovanni and Aretha Franklin were there as presenters and participants alike. References were made to all forms of black resistance and struggle, providing the audience with a picture of the movements that shifted the country and the world to change. That is all but one movement and its leader.

Left out of the MLK Memorial celebration by every speaker was the fact that it was the 16th anniversary of the Million Man March. And Minister Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam and the march's charismatic and often chastised convener, was no where to be found in Washington DC.

The Next Great Migration? Black Chicagoans Return To The South

As the economy stays stagnant, many African Americans are leaving northern cities and returning to their more rural, southern roots.

Chicago's Great Migration: Blacks Leaving Historic Neighborhoods To Return South

Former magnets for black migrants, including Illinois, Michigan, New York and California, all have had black population declines. Atlanta has even overtaken Chicago as the city with the second-largest black population behind New York City. The black population in Atlanta has grown in the past decade by 473,493. In Dallas it grew by 233,890, and in Houston by 214,928 over the same period. Today, 57 percent of the country's black population lives in the South, a 50-year high, according to the most recent census data.

"There are places like Harlem that no longer have majority black populations because many of the black folks who have lived there for the last 50 or so years have decided to cash in, and they are going to live somewhere more affordable, places that don't come with the urban baggage that maybe we didn't ever want but put up with because this was our best chance at a solid economic future," said Khalil Muhammad, director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, part of the New York Public Library and renowned for its collections of historic artifacts. "Those people are going to places that look just the way they want them to look. They are not going to be shackled by a political nationalism or the segregation of the past."

Video Of Toddler Being Hit By Van And Ignored Sparks Outrage

BEIJING — A video showing a toddler being struck twice by vans and then ignored by passers-by is sparking outrage in China and prompting soul-searching over why people didn’t help the child.


The 2-year-old girl, identified as Wang Yue, is in a coma in critical condition in the Guangzhou Military District General Hospital following Thursday’s accident, state media reported Tuesday. The Guangzhou Daily quoted the hospital’s head of neurosurgery as saying the girl is likely to remain in a vegetative state if she survives.

Loss Of A Hero! Tuskegee Airman Dies In Tucson At 90-Years-Old

Retired Lt. Col. Luke J. Weathers Jr., a member of World War II’s legendary Tuskegee Airmen died in Tucson at age 90. He will be buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.


Choose Wisely In Your Career Choice!
Create Your Own Business Choice To Serve Your Neighbors and Community!

Let's face facts: The economy sucks!  Year 2011 has become a nightmare for so many individuals who are seeking employment, have lost their jobs, and as a result of this despicable trend of employers not wanting to hire more people at their place of business is downright shameful!  But then again, who is really to blame for this crisis?

While many of you are still figuring out whom to blame for our present economic condition, I urge all of you who are contemplating on a career choice to delve into, the following career choices that I believe will catapult your horizons by increasing your chances of getting hired, especially since a few of my suggestions are not palatable to some, or create for yourself, may prove to be beneficial in the long run.

What's Your 'True Calling?'

Take Advantage of "Who You Really Are" in Life!
Your parents want you to become a doctor.  You, on the other hand, want to sing and dance on Broadway.  Ahhh, decisions, decisions. 

Well, the truth of the matter is that not everyone can become a doctor or dentist, and love it!

Much can be said about other careers that parents would rather see their child pursue in life, and to the parents dismay, these adult children are much happier than ever before doing what they know is best for them, and not the other way around!

However, let us not forget that those 20th Century days and ways of decision-making choosing to “do their thing,” or engaging in a career that “makes them happy” are basically OVER! 

Postage prices go up ... again

Snail mail is about to get a little more expensive.

The price of a first class stamp is going up by one cent starting next year, the United States Postal Service said Tuesday.