The Not-So-Empty Nest: More Young Adults Choose To Live With Parents

The U.S. Census Bureau released a study on Thursday that tracks living situations for this demographic from 1983 through 2011. According to the  data set, entitled America’s Families and Living Arrangements: 2011, the number of 25 to 34 year olds living with mom and dad has risen among both sexes since 2005:  the number of young men living with parents is up from 14% to 19% and the number of young women is up from 8% to 10%. The Census’ graphs indicate that the numbers of older Generation-Yers living under their parents’ roofs — a number that had already been trending up before the “Great Recession” — continued to shoot up following the financial meltdown of 2008, specifically from the beginning of 2009 onwards.

No More Home Alone as Economy Drives Men to Live With Parents

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2011/11/04/bloomberg_articlesLU3WUV0YHQ0X.DTL#ixzz1ckszuFV7

Too posh to push? More C-sections on demand in UK

LONDON—Pregnant women in Britain, where the government provides free health care, may soon be able to get a cesarean section on demand thanks to a rule change that critics describe as the health system caving into the "too posh to push" crowd.

"It's about time women who have no desire to view labor as a rite of passage into motherhood be able to choose how they want to have their baby," said Pauline Hull, who has had two children by cesarean because of medical reasons. "The important thing to me was meeting my baby, not the experience of labor."

Who Owns Your LinkedIn Contacts?

Who owns your LinkedIn profile? (Hint:  it might not be you.)
That was the headline on a post on this blog back in June, 2011 — and the answer that I arrived at with help from a number of legal and compliance experts was, “It depends.”

‘Oh Wow’: What Do Steve Jobs’s Last Words Really Mean?

“Oh wow.” Two words that can have many meanings.

Steve Jobs’s sister Mona Simpson has a moving tribute in the New York Times detailing some of his final moments and his last words.

According to the article, titled “A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs,” Jobs’s last words were “OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW.” (The words were rendered in all capital letters in the essay.)

People are fascinated by last words. They can be viewed as a summing up of a life. Because the person saying them has nothing left to gain (except in terms of their legacy), they can be seen by some as an honest a representation of a person’s true opinions as one can get in this life. And there’s a mystical quality to last words–we hear them and wonder if the person saying them can give us any insight or information about what’s really on the other side.

Fed downgrades growth forecasts, sees high unemployment for years ahead

The Federal Reserve sharply downgraded its projections for the U.S. economy Wednesday, warning that weak growth and high unemployment will be the norm for years.

The Fed expects that the unemployment rate will be around 8.6 percent at the end of next year, down only slightly from 9.1 percent today, and will still be between 6.8 percent and 7.7 percent in late 2014. In their June forecast, Fed officials said joblessness would come down faster, to around 8 percent by the end of 2012, when the next presidential election will take place.

Different State, Same Hate

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against South Carolina to block the implementation of SB 20, a divisive and dangerous anti-immigrant law signed by Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC) earlier this year. If SB 20 does take effect on Jan. 1, 2012, the law will create a new $1.3 million immigration enforcement unit for South Carolina and provide local law enforcement with overly broad authority to investigate residents' immigration statuses. As NCLR (National Council of La Raza) has repeatedly pointed out in the past, when other states attempted to pass similar bills, these anti-immigrant laws not only promote racial profiling and discrimination, but also violate the Constitution.

5 things you didn't know about the first black NBA player

Earl Lloyd was the first black person to play in the National Basketball Association. Lloyd made his historic debut in the NBA on October 31, 1950, during a time when many American institutions were still segregated.

Lloyd is remembered for being a trail-blazer for African-Americans in the NBA. What other contributions did he give to the world?

Food Stamps: Democrats In Congress Attempt To Eat On $4.50 A Day To Protest Potential Budget Cuts

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) along with eight other congressional Democrats are eating on a budget of about $4.50 a day to show solidarity with food stamp recipients who receive $32.59 a week.

The personal thrift, which is part of a challenge organized by Fighting Poverty With Faith, was reported by Pacifica Patch. The site also listed the food items that Speier was now buying.

The number of people relying on food stamps has risen as a consequence of the recession. Over 40 million individuals and 19 million households used the program in 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

How To Look Good Using Food Stamps: Beautify Yourself with the Foods You Buy at the Market!

How To Look Good Using Food Stamps: Beautify Yourself with the Foods You Buy at the Market!

[Ebook, PDF Format]

Food Stamps: Democrats In Congress Attempt To Eat On $4.50 A Day To Protest Potential Budget Cuts

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) along with eight other congressional Democrats are eating on a budget of about $4.50 a day to show solidarity with food stamp recipients who receive $32.59 a week.

The personal thrift, which is part of a challenge organized by Fighting Poverty With Faith, was reported by Pacifica Patch. The site also listed the food items that Speier was now buying.

The number of people relying on food stamps has risen as a consequence of the recession. Over 40 million individuals and 19 million households used the program in 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

How To Look Good Using Food Stamps: Beautify Yourself with the Foods You Buy at the Market!

How To Look Good Using Food Stamps: Beautify Yourself with the Foods You Buy at the Market!

[Ebook, PDF Format]

Poorest poor in US hits new record: 1 in 15 people

The ranks of America's poorest poor have climbed to a record high — 1 in 15 people — spread widely across metropolitan areas as the housing bust pushed many inner-city poor into suburbs and other outlying places and shriveled jobs and income.

New census data paint a stark portrait of the nation's haves and have-nots at a time when unemployment remains persistently high. It comes a week before the government releases first-ever economic data that will show more Hispanics, elderly and working-age poor have fallen into poverty.

Owner of car dealership labeled "Taliban Toyota" wins millions

The owner of a large southwest Alabama car dealership derided as "Taliban Toyota" by a competitor has been awarded $7.5 million in damages after a jury trial for his slander claim.

Iranian-born Shawn Esfahani, owner of Eastern Shore Toyota in Daphne, Alabama, sought $28 million in compensatory and punitive damages from Bob Tyler Toyota, claiming employees at that Pensacola, Florida-based dealership falsely portrayed him as an Islamist militant to customers.

"The feeling I received in the courtroom for the truth to come out was worth a lot more than any money anybody can give me," Esfahani told Reuters on Tuesday.

4 million borrowers eligible for foreclosure review

More than 4 million borrowers who have faced foreclosure since early 2009 will have the chance to have their cases reviewed for potential wrongdoing, federal regulators and some of the nation’s largest mortgage servicers announced Tuesday.

The reviews stem from a deal forged earlier this year in which 14 servicers agreed to hire independent consultants to evaluate whether borrowers suffered financial injury during the foreclosure process. If a review finds errors or abuses by the financial firms, the consultants will determine what recompense wronged homeowners deserve.

South Carolina Partnerships Address Statewide Nursing Shortage

In a continued effort to help alleviate the nationwide nursing shortage, the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future will host the Promise of Nursing for South Carolina gala to raise funds and provide
scholarships to help ease the nursing shortage in South Carolina. As the 30th Promise of Nursing regional gala to be held, this year's proceeds will contribute to the more than $18 million raised across the country to date.

All funds raised from the event, which is being held in Charleston on Thursday, November 3, will remain in South Carolina to support undergraduate nursing student scholarships, graduate nursing education fellowships to prepare nurse faculty, and grants to South Carolina area nursing schools to help expand their program capacity. More than 500 South Carolina nurses and healthcare professionals are expected to be in attendance at the Charleston Marriott Hotel beginning at 6 p.m.

"Nurses are the heart and soul of patient care as they care for patients during their most intimate moments, from bringing new life into the world to helping patients die with dignity," says Marilyn J. Schaffner, PhD, RN, CGRN, chief nursing executive and administrator for clinical services, Medical University of South Carolina Medical Center. "Through partnership with the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing's Future, we have the opportunity to help fund scholarships for student nurses as they become part of the magic of nursing."

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/11/02/4024200/south-carolina-partnerships-address.html#ixzz1cZhCXy6j

Black Nurses Can't Care for White Patients?

When your health is failing and you require assistance with your basic needs, the last thing you should be worried about is the color of the person providing it. Right? In the eyes of one nursing company, maybe not.

Four nurses recently filed a lawsuit alleging that their employer, Accord Services, violated their civil rights by refusing to send black nurses to care for white patients.

Black nurses suing company after not being allowed to take care of white patients

COBB COUNTY, Ga. —

Four women are suing a nursing company because they say their leaders wouldn't send black nurses to take care of white patients.

In the 63-page lawsuit, the women claim Accord Services violated their civil rights. They said the health care company screened their nurses based on their race before sending them to a patient's home.

"You could hear something from 'We can't use a nurse because they were too ghetto' or 'This client doesn't prefer foreigners' and 'Black women are not professional,'" Erika Arnold said, a former H.R. manager. 

11 Foods That Will Kill You

Four Elderly Georgia Men Charged In Terror Plot

Four senior citizens will appear in front of a federal judge in Georgia today after telling undercover informants about plans to attack federal buildings with explosives and a biological toxin.

The men named in the charging documents, Frederick Thomas, 73, of Cleveland, Ga., and Toccoa, Ga., residents Dan Roberts, 67, Ray H. Adams, 65, and Samuel J. Crump, 68, were all members of a fringe militia organization, according to investigators.

They called themselves "the covert group," and met several times throughout the year to discuss killing federal employees with rifles, explosives and ricin, a dangerous toxin that can be extracted from castor bean seeds using acetone and lye.

Meet The Senior Citizen Militia Members Arrested In Georgia Bio Attack Plot

“When it comes time to saving the Constitution, that means some people gotta die,” Thomas allegedly said.

“Let’s shoot the bastards that we discover are anti-American or enemies of America, treasonous,” Thomas allegedly said. “And to me the easiest and best way to do that is to walk up behind them with a suppressed .22. I am of the, uh, old school, Mafia; one behind the ear with a .22 is all you need.”

New Gmail is here, first impressions

"That's one of the reasons we're embarking on a series of interface updates to help strip out unnecessary clutter and make Gmail as beautiful as it is powerful," said Google user experience designer Jason Cornwell. "This is part of a Google-wide effort to bring you an experience that's more focused, elastic, and effortless across all of our products."

Site reveals the human slavery behind your stuff

I have 66 slaves working for me. Or at least that’s what Slavery Footprint estimates based on my lifestyle and the size of my family.

The website — which was created by Call + Response, a non-profit dedicated to ending slavery, in collaboration with the U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons — estimates the number of slaves by taking a look at more than 450 products, and breaking them down from the sourcing of raw materials through the manufacturing. 

Methodology

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."

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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.

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