At least 22 soccer fans died in a stadium stampede in Africa.Unfortunately,this is commonplace there.Witnesses to the incident say that the police instigated it by provoking the crowd.Here's more on this story from The AP:
"At the downtown morgue, family members were told to come and identify the dead. The morgue showed reporters a list of 19 names — including two children, the youngest of whom was age 10.
Momodou Kamara, who waited outside the morgue, blamed police for his brother's death. "My brother left to go to the stadium with his friends. At the entrance, they were attacked by security forces. That's what set off the stampede," he said.
Diarassouba Adama, who was inside the stadium at the time, also blamed police for the deadly tragedy.
"We saw people falling from the top bleachers. The stampede was provoked by the security forces who threw tear gas canisters at us. I don't know why they fired on us," he said as stood vigil outside the morgue.
State TV announced that Prime Minister Guillaume Soro was holding an emergency cabinet meeting later Monday to deal with the national tragedy. In Zurich, FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter offered his condolences and also demanded a full investigation into the stampede.
"I wish to express extreme sorrow and extend our condolences to the Ivorian football community and, most importantly, to family, friends and loved ones following the tragic deaths in Abidjan," Blatter said in a statement.
It was the first match in the final stage of African qualifying for the 2010 World Cup being played in South Africa.
Stadium accidents are far too common in Africa, where soccer is intimately entwined with national pride. In June last year, 10 people died in an overcrowded stadium in Monrovia before a World Cup qualifying match between Liberia and Gambia. That match also went ahead after the tragedy.
In South Africa, the organizer of the next World Cup pledged that the problems that too often lead to stadium stampedes in Africa won't be an issue during the continent's first World Cup in 2010."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the entire story here.
Ria Ramkissoon is the woman who has pleaded guilty to starving her son to death on one condition.And it's one of the weirdest requests in American legal history.
If her son is resurrected,then she gets to withdraw that guilty plea!Apparently,the cult that she belonged to believes that will happen.
It's obvious that this woman was probably brainwashed,but she should not be allowed to go free.That's what will happen if she testifies against the other people who were involved in her son's death.She needs psychiatric treatment.Not freedom!Here's more from The Baltimore Sun:
"A 22-year-old woman accused of starving her infant son to death pleaded guilty Monday afternoon to one count of child abuse resulting in death and will be released from jail in exchange for her cooperation against co-defendants, who prosecutors say are fellow members of a cult called 1 Mind Ministries.
The unusual plea agreement also includes a "process of deprogramming" for Ria Ramkissoon and the promise that charges will be dropped if 2-year-old Javon Thompson is resurrected. Ramkissoon's attorney said his client insisted on the clause, which he believes is a first in American legal history, because she still holds out hope that her son will be brought back to life.
Prosecutors say the five suspects belonged to a small group of adults and children whose leader, Queen Antoinette, is accused of ordering members in January 2007 to withhold food and water from Javon. She believed he was a demon because he did not say "Amen" after he was fed, according to a statement of facts read by prosecutors.
After he died, Antoinette laid Javon's body on a couch, and the others knelt and prayed while Ramkissoon danced around the body, Assistant State's Attorney Julie Drake said. The group carried his remains in a green suitcase when they later moved to Philadelphia."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Jill Scott is pregnant & due at the end of April.I just saw her new HBO series & it was just as good as I thought it would be.She's got the South African accent down pack!You can really believe that she is from Botswana & not America! It's that good!Ms. Scott has proven that she is an all-around entertainer!Here's more on this great new series about a female detective from USA Today:
"Jill Scott is in the home stretch of one life-changing journey and just starting out on another. The singer, poet and actress is expecting her first child April 25 and on Sunday makes her debut in HBO's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (8 p.m. ET/PT), an adaptation of the novels by Alexander McCall Smith.
Scott overcame personal obstacles to get the Agency job, in which she plays Precious Ramotswe, owner of a Botswanan detective agency. After auditioning for the late Anthony Minghella, Scott nailed the part but learned that same week that her mother had cervical cancer. Her mother ultimately got a clean bill of health, and as Scott was ready to get on a plane and begin shooting in Africa, she found out that she was seven weeks pregnant.
Now, as she and her fiancé, band member Lil' John Roberts, await the birth of their son, Scott is putting the finishing touches on their new home in Studio City, Calif. The performer, 36, is happy for the miracle she thought could never happen. At age 24, Scott was told by doctors that she would never have children, and they recommended a hysterectomy."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the full article here.
A 2-yr. old boy wandered away from home when his 18-yr. old sister was supposed to be watching him.Luckily,the little boy was not kidnapped.Strangely enough,some prisoners wound up watching him until his parents were located.And even odder,the toddler was found on Route 550 in Maryland.If his sister left him alone,then she needs to suffer the legal consequences for her actions.Because it could have been a hell of a lot worse! Here's more from The Washington Times:
"A prison work crew baby-sat a 2 1/2-year-old boy who was spotted Friday running along the center lines of a rural Maryland highway, with trucks loaded with gravel rumbling by, police and correctional officials said.
The six minimum-security inmates shared their lunches with the toddler, who apparently wandered away from home, and played with him while authorities located the parents and investigated, said Correctional Officer Gary Kershner, who was overseeing the prisoners.
"Me and my inmate crew, we just kind of baby-sat for the next three hours," Officer Kershner said. "They were as much entertained by the child as he was by them."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
The president of Brazil is fighting mad over the economic woes that the world is experiencing right now!And he's using fighting words to get other people just as fired up!He sounds more than ridiculous when he blames "white people with blue eyes" for the economic crisis! I mean,did he do a survey? I'm not sure anyone really knows exactly what & who caused this worldwide financial meltdown!
Here's more on what President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said from CNBC:
"Brazil's president blamed "white people with blue eyes" for the world economic crisis and said it was wrong that developing countries should pay for mistakes made in richer countries, sparking accusations of racism.
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has criticized the European Union and the US for tariffs on products from developing countries and has advocated a bigger say for developing countries in decisions on the world economy, pointed a finger to Western bankers."
"This crisis was caused by the irrational behavior of white people with blue eyes, who thought they knew everything and now show they know nothing," Lula da Silva said after a meeting with the UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown in the country's capital of Brasilia.
Lula da Silva's comments were widely reported in the press and drew charges of racism from message boards and CNBC viewers."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
I think that this cop's attitude was absolutely horrific & inexplicable! He treated Ryan Moat like an enemy!This is how a lot of police treat black people.Why was this cop pulling a gun out? For what,please?!! And once he found out why the traffic violation occurred,how come his demeanor didn't change one bit? I think it's because he could have cared less about their situation. Why he was so insensitive to the fact that Ryan Moat's mother-in-law was dying is something that this cop only knows!We can all draw our own conclusions!
At least the Dallas police chief showed some sensitivity & apologized for this heartless cop's actions! Here's more on that from the Dallas News:
"As a storm of outrage gathered over his department, Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle called a news conference Thursday to apologize for the behavior of an officer who detained a distressed family outside a hospital emergency room.
Kunkle said Officer Robert Powell had been placed on paid administrative leave in connection with the incident last week, in which he stopped a family rushing to visit a dying mother, keeping them for 13 minutes to write a traffic ticket. The woman died before two of the family members were able to see her.
"I am embarrassed and disappointed by the behavior of one of our police officers," the chief told a packed audience of media outlets that included Inside Edition. "His behavior, in my opinion, did not exhibit the common sense, discretion, the compassion that we expect our officers to exhibit."
During the traffic stop, caught on the officer's in-car camera, Powell berated the driver, 26-year-old NFL running back Ryan Moats, and threatened him with arrest for running a traffic light.
After seeing the video earlier this week, several senior police commanders knew they had a public relations crisis on their hands. A Plano police officer who was present at the March 17 incident had reported it to a superior, who had reported it to a Dallas police supervisor."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Alfie Patten claimed that he was the father of a baby at the age of 13! Of course,that sparked a lot of controversy & media frenzy!I personally found his father to be a reprehensible parent who seemed to be only interested in generating as much money from his son as possible.Now,it turns out that the Alfie Patten was not the father of that baby.That makes me wonder if it was all just a ruse!Here's more from news.com.au:
"A DNA test showed a 13-year-old boy in Britain is not the father of a baby born to a 15-year-old he had unprotected sex with once.
Chantelle Stedman told Alfie Patten, who was 12 when he slept with her, he was her newborn daughter Maisie's father.
The story caused a worldwide media frenzy after it was first reported by Britain's Sun newspaper, while politicians criticised what they called Britain's declining morals.
At first Stedman said Patten was the only boy she had ever slept with, but soon after other teens came forward saying they too could be the baby's father, because they claimed to have had sex with the girl.
It is still not clear who the baby's father is.
Last month a friend of the Stedman family claimed Patten was scammed by the girl's parents who wanted to cash in on the sensational story."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
God,I hope that Aasha Davis finds her sister.After an argument with her husband,Leslie Herring went missing.She has been missing for six weeks!Because so much time has lapsed,Aasha Davis fears the worst.Leslie Herring's husband says that he had nothing to do with her disappearance.Even though the police say that he's not a suspect,it seems that he's not fully cooperating with the investigation.That seems pretty suspicious to me.
Here's more from CBS News:
"Herring's husband of 11 years, Lyle, who police say is not a suspect, is not fully cooperating however.
"What do you think about Lyle, and do you think he should be a suspect?" Chen asked.
"I can't speak for Lyle, but I know if it were me, I would want to answer as many questions as possible," Davis said.
Davis has spoken to her brother-in-law, but hasn't received any concrete answers about the disappearance of her sister.
"It's very fragmented. It's mostly about what's going on with him. But he won't talk about Leslie at all," she said.
On Feb. 8, the couple had an argument, Davis told Chen, and "According to him, they fought, he went to sleep. And when he woke up, my sister was gone."
Lyle also never reported her missing and did not answer a single question about Leslie.
"We searched for him for almost two weeks after she disappeared. And we could not get any response from him," she said. "Once he returned, he was very difficult to contact. We could contact him through e-mail, and he would choose what he would answer, what questions, and most of the time they weren't about my sister. They were only about him."
If you have any information about the whereabouts of Leslie Herring, you are urged to call the Los Angeles Police Department at 1-877-LAPD-247 or 1-877-527-3247."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
I never thought it would last between Damon Dash & Rachel Roy & I was right! Damon Dash is a total loser who can't do anything for her right now, except drag her down. And he's a pompous ass who has always puts on airs.Even when he was at the height of success,he was a pretentious,classless character! Since his rap empire crumbled,now Damon Dash claims that he wants no part of rap because it's such a terrible influence on kids!
Well,where was this attitude when Roc-A-Fella was on top of the hip hop game? He promoted blood diamonds & excessive wealth to kids in the ghetto.Damon Dash bragged about being a hustler who did whatever it took to accumulate millions!Now it's rumored that he's lost everything,including his wife.I would say that is exactly what Damon Dash deserves!Here's more on that from The NY Daily News:
"He's got no money, but he sure does have mo' problems.
Roc-A-Fella Records and Rocawear co-founder Damon Dash has been slapped with divorce papers by wife Rachel Roy, the Daily News has learned.
The stunning fashion designer piled onto Dash's already sizable stack of lawsuits when she filed for divorce from her husband of four years this month in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Ed Hayes, a lawyer for Roy, declined comment, and a Dash spokeswoman did not return calls or e-mails.
An electronic record of the case says the divorce is for "nonmonetary relief" and should be resolved by February.
Dash and Roy, who put her own name on a women's fashion line, got hitched in Mexico in January 2005. They met when Roy was working at Rocawear and have two daughters.
The breakup is the latest legal mess for the has-been hip-hop titan, whose empire - which he once pegged at "about $50 million" in a New York magazine profile - has crumbled under massive debt, bad business deals and one suit after another.
Dash, who in 2005 sold his stake in Rocawear to Jay-Z for $20 million, owes $2 million in state taxes, and a bank has started foreclosure proceedings on his two Tribeca condos.
A Manhattan judge even ordered the city to seize his luxury Chevrolet Tahoe SUV last year when he couldn't make the $714.99 monthly payment. He's also being sued by law firms and landlords for not paying his bills.
The fall has been a spectacular one for Dash, who sipped Champagne on a yacht in Jay-Z's video for "Big Pimpin'" - then emptied his bottle of bubbly onto bikini-clad beauties in a hot tub.
"He's broke, he's got nothing left," a source said."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
John Hope Franklin was a black historian who really helped put some of the pieces of an illusive African-American past together.Not only that,Mr. Franklin provoked deep thought when it came to matters of race.He understood how important it is to keep the conversation going so that racism would never be ignored & tolerated again.
At the age of 94,John Hope Franklin has died.His accomplishments & body of work will continue to be an inspiration for countless people.Here's an excerpt from an interesting interview with John Hope Franklin from Indyweek:
"So he has: a doctorate from Harvard, professorships at St. Augustine's College and N.C. Central among others, chairman of the history departments at Brooklyn College and the University of Chicago, professor of legal history at Duke and now the James B. Duke Professor of History Emeritus at Duke. He's the author of numerous books, including the seminal From Slavery to Freedom: A History of African-Americans, now in its seventh edition, and winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the 2006 John W. Kluge award for his lifetime achievements in the humanities. (Franklin split the $1 million prize with historian Yu Ying-Shih.) He has accomplished much. But still, he is not satisfied with the America he sees for future generations.
And he talks about this dissatisfaction as often as he has an opportunity, no matter the many who find the continued conversation on matters of race or slavery or reparations or apologies tiring. "Americans are getting tired of anything that's constructive or serious, so I'm not disturbed that they find this [discussion] a bore or problem," he says.
On the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, in January, Virginia legislator Frank Hargrove was clearly among the bored, judging by his response to a resolution that the state of Virginia apologize for slavery. Hargrove suggested that it was counterproductive to dwell on slavery, and that Virginia's black citizens should just "get over it." The Virginia Assembly promptly followed the ensuing controversy by becoming the first American state to pass a measure—fully supported by Hargrove—expressing "profound regret" for the state's role in slavery.
Now North Carolina has gotten into the act. The state House and Senate just passed a resolution that expresses "the profound regret of the North Carolina General Assembly for the history of wrongs inflicted upon black citizens by means of slavery, exploitation, and legalized legal segregation and calling on all citizens to take part in acts of racial reconciliation."
But one has to wonder how far apologies will go in righting past wrongs. Is it the scab that, left unbothered, will heal wounds, or is it merely a quick-fix Band-Aid, slapped on to make the ugliness of injury just go away?
Franklin, who knows what it is to grow up in a world where one's rights and equalities are constantly being questioned, refuses to let go. He thinks it's not just time for somebody to apologize, but to do something about it.
"No one knows the price that I've paid for what I've gotten out of this world and this life," he says. "My efforts represented sacrifices untold, indescribable. They don't know what my mother went through to see that I had opportunities, and even the fundamentals such as food and clothing and so forth. They don't know what my grandfather, on my father's side, paid in terms of taxes so that white young men could go to the University of Oklahoma, where my own father could not go.
"And I don't see any reason why I should get over that kind of exploitation of my immediate family—my father, my grandfather, my mother, and so forth. I see no reason I should get over it. I see every reason why there should be compensation, apologies, particularly in the hypocrisy it's represented, in their saying on the one hand that all men are created equal, and on the other hand, them saying if they're created equal, some are more equal than others." (END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
This is just another case that illustrates why Tasers should not be so readily used by police officers to subdue someone.Why it took three officers to subdue a 15-yr. old kid is beyond me!What was the reason that he was tasered in the first place? It doesn't seem like it was necessary or even appropriate in this case! Police procedures & how they are applied need to be reconsidered.Here's more on this story from mlive.com:
"Eugene E. Elder Sr. figures police killed his teenage son unjustifiably with a Taser, and he plans to fire back with a lawsuit.
"I'm going after the city. I don't care," said Elder, 55, of Bay City. "There's no reason for killing my boy. He didn't do nothing wrong."
Elder conceded his 15-year-old son - Brett L. Elder - had been drinking alcohol Saturday night before police subdued him early Sunday morning with a Taser following a disturbance in a Bay City apartment.
But relatives said Brett "Dewey" Elder stood 5-foot-6 and weighed about 140 pounds. They said he was no match for three Bay City Police Department officers who encountered him in Cindy Hernden's apartment at 210 S. Catherine St.
"I believe they killed him," said Hernden, 40, a close friend of the Elder family.
"I believe his heart couldn't handle it," Hernden added. "I just figured that Taser was too strong for that small of a kid. He's tiny,and there were three grown police officers.
"They could have subdued him without handcuffs, but they handcuffed him and then Tasered him."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Trick Daddy is a rapper who totes the image of a fatherly thug & constantly professes his love for the kids in his lyrics.I like a few of his joints,like "Dro In The Wind"!Lately,he hasn't had a lot of hits,but he's releasing a autobiography.In it,he reveals his ongoing battle with lupus for the past 11 yrs.Here's more from AllHipHop.com:
"The rapper also learned that a close female friend had the disease, when he noticed a visible change in her appearance.
“A lot of people try to cover it up with regular make up. It makes your skin pigmented. You can go from dark to light and not light to dark. You have to cover it up and conceal it…my mama had 11 children from 10 different men. If she can live with that I know, I can live with this."
The disease has already taken the life of prominent Hip-Hop producer James “J. Dilla” Yancey, who died from complications of the disease on February 19, 2006, just three days after his 32nd birthday.
In related news, Trick Daddy also announced he has landed his first major film role in a film that begins shooting next week.
“They got me playing in a movie with a lot of gangsters from The Wire and the big black films. I can me, I can be a G in it.”(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Jade Goody was the controversial reality star of "Big Brother" in the UK.She has died today from cervical cancer at the young age of 27.The cameras never stopped rolling for Ms. Goody.She lived out her dying days in front of them.May she rest in peace.Here's more from the Telegraph:
"In the months leading up to her death Goody gave the media unprecedented access to her private life and hired publicist Max Clifford to make sure every step of her struggle was played out in front of the nation.
Goody said the multi-million pound deals she struck with OK! Magazine and LivingTV would provide for her sons' education and raise awareness of the disease.
But the decision to expose her private final weeks to such intense public scrutiny led to accusations of bad taste, voyeurism and exploitation.
Her every move saw her followed by TV cameras and tabloid newspapers, leading some to draw comparisons with the film The Truman Show, in which Jim Carrey plays a man who discovers his entire life is filmed for television."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Well,well,well,M.I.A!It would appear that your little lovely self fudged the truth about your age just a bit!This is M.I.A's purported age from her bio on Contactmusic:
"M.I.A. (born Mathangi 'Maya' Arulpragasam, 17.7.1977)" (END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest of her bio here. Since she pissed the Hollywood press off by admonishing them over her baby's name,the L.A. Times has revealed her real age.Never scold the press if you have any secrets to hide.They seek revenge in the most subtle ways.Here's an excerpt from an article from the L.A Times that reveals M.I.A's real age:
"Now TMZ is reporting that according to the actual birth certificate, M.I.A's baby's name is Ikhyd, as in Ikhyd Edgar Arular Bronfman.
Oh well, that makes a huuuge difference. No wonder she was annoyed.
M.I.A., whose real name is Mathangi Maya Arulpragasam is also 33, according to her son's birth papers.
She was born on July 18, 1975.
Hey,if you're going to push your age back,why not say you're about ten years younger tnan you really are like Akon did.Here's more on that from Hollywood Grind:
"Akon, real name Aliaune Damala Thiam, has been lying about his age. Akon says he doesn’t want to disclose his real age, because it will disappoint his female fans. Akon said:
"All it’s going to do is depress me. I don’t want to know I’m getting older. Then I’ll start to think about getting checkups and insurance. I don’t want that."
Numerous reports have put his age between 25 to 35 years old. In 2006, he gave his age as 25. But now, he claims his birth certificate shows he was born on April 16, 1977, which would make him 31. However, when Akon was booked, and the mug shot above was taken, in New York in December of 2007, Akon claimed his age was 34 years-old. Lying to police is a crime."(END OF EXCERPT) Read the rest here.
I remember feeling just a tinge of jealousy when I saw all of that money getting scooped up by people on the freeway in San Diego. Apparently,a drug suspect tossed over $17,000 all over the freeway & folks were scrambling to get it!The police have recovered some of it.But,the DEA wants those motorists who haven't returned it to do so immediately.Or else...
Here's more on this story from sandiego6.com:
"The Drug Enforcement Agency wants its evidence back, and is warning that it has ways to identify motorists who stopped on two San Diego freeways to scoop up thousands of dollars thrown out a truckwindow by two narcotics suspects during a chase.
Agency officials said that an undetermined amount of money picked up bypassers-by on the 805 and 5 freeways is evidence in an ongoing druginvestigation and must be returned to the feds, said DEA spokeswoman Eileen Zeidlertold.
DEA agents and police recovered more than $17,000 after the Thursday afternoon chase.
The suspects, whose names have not been released, were taken into custody Thursday. Details about the investigation and how the chase began have not been released.
Zeidler says the agency has "a good ballpark idea'' of how much money the suspects had, and that the majority of it has not been accounted for. She said it will be next week before all the counting is done.
Some motorists returned the cash to the police. Zeidler said the agency will try to find the people who have not returned the money.
The spokeswoman said citizens are calling and sending in photos of people picking up money and their license plates.
A San Diego police helicopter and Caltrans cameras along the roadway also will be analyzed to identify people who scooped up the illicit cash.
The agency may also ask to examine video shot from other helicopters including San Diego 6 News' Sky6."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Ya'll better fork over that dough! Because in this case,more money just might mean more problems for you!
Wow,Oakland is like a concrete jungle!While I was headed to the Oakland Zoo today,I saw police helicopters in the sky over East Oakland! I knew something major was up when I saw speeding undercover police cars & CHP zooming on both sides of the highway! Cops were everywhere because officers were down!My condolences go out to their families. Here's more on this from KTVU:
"Four police officers were severely wounded and a suspect killed in two separate shootings Saturday in East Oakland's troubled MacArthur Blvd. neighborhood, authorities said.
Oakland police spokesman Jeff Thomason said all four officers were in critical condition at Highland Hospital. There was a chaotic scene outside Highland’s emergency department with a crowd of officers hugging and crying.
Authorities said the deadly spree began with a traffic stop at 74th Ave. and MacArthur Blvd. at about 1:15 p.m. Two officers were wounded at that location, according Oakland Fire Department spokesman David Brue.
A short time later, acting on a tip, police surrounded a building on Hillside St. and 74th Ave -- a block from the initial shooting scene. A SWAT team was sent in and shot it out with a suspect, who had barricaded himself inside. Two officers were wounded in the exchange of fire and the suspect killed."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
As a Alameda resident,I had some apprehension about going to the Oakland Zoo.And being in the midst of a manhunt really makes me want to stay out of Oakland altogether!
Those that we elect to serve the people are not always looking out for our interests.I don't like that Tim Geithner seems to be looking out for his buddies on Wall Street instead of the average taxpayer.But since Geithner seems to have an aversion to paying taxes,it's probably hard to relate to us.This whole AIG bonus scandal is absolutely outrageous!Maxine Waters was right when she said that President Obama had some explaining to do!But,she sure shouldn't point fingers because it would be hypocritical!Look at Maxine Water's involvement with minority-owned banks.Here's more from the LA Times:
"Waters, a senior member of the congressional committee that oversees banking, has come under scrutiny after OneUnited Bank received $12 million in bailout funds. Waters' husband, Sidney Williams, served on OneUnited's board and held stock in the bank. The bailout money was provided in December, three months after Waters helped arrange a meeting between officials from the bank and other minority-owned institutions and Treasury representatives.
Waters said the September meeting was requested by the National Bankers Assn., a trade group for woman- and minority-owned banks, to discuss the struggles of its members, not any one bank.
"I followed up on the association's request by asking Treasury Secretary [Henry M.] Paulson to schedule such a meeting, as did other members of Congress," she wrote, adding that she did not attend. She released National Bankers Assn. letters requesting the meeting and following up on it -- signed by the group's incoming chairman, Robert P. Cooper, a OneUnited officer.
Waters said the decision to give bailout funds to OneUnited was "based on the merits of the bank's request, not based on anything said at the September meeting and not based on political influence."
She said she had fully disclosed her husband's ties to the bank. Williams served on the bank board until early last year and held at least $500,000 in investments in the bank in 2007, the most recent year for which public financial disclosure statements are available.
She said in the statement that her husband "did not accept any director's compensation for his work on behalf of the bank and the community it serves" and "is proud to be invested in a minority-owned community bank that was given an 'outstanding' lending rating from its regulator for its lending activity in underserved communities in Los Angeles, where traditional banks have refused to lend."
Waters could not be reached for an interview Friday. OneUnited Chief Executive Kevin Cohee said he didn't have time to speak with a reporter.
Melanie Sloan, executive director of the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said Waters' behavior was "inappropriate and certainly has the appearance of impropriety, even if it doesn't rise to the level of an actual conflict of interest under House rules."
Sloan said Waters' comments that the meeting focused on the general problems of minority-owned banks "don't seem credible" in light of Treasury officials' statements that the session became a discussion of one bank's troubles.
"At a minimum, Treasury officials should have been apprised of her interest in the bank before the meeting took place," Sloan said.
Waters' efforts, she said, raise the question: "How many members of Congress are having meetings with the Treasury Department pleading for funds for certain banks?"
Sloan said: "Treasury has said they're going to list the lobbying contacts. Does that include if members of Congress are lobbying? It certainly should."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
We should know what members of Congress are acting as lobbyists for banks!It sure sounds like both Tim Geithner & Maxine Waters are fighting for the banks instead of the people.What about us?!! She claims that Congress is doing the best job that they can.Really?!!! If signing unread bills is the best that you can do,then you all should be fired!That is total BULL!!!
Transparency & accountability are two of President Obama's promises that have yet to be fulfilled.It's the usual cover-ups & lies!But,I'm giving our very new president time to affect change because 60 days is not quite enough.Unlike others,I will give him room for error.Just don't make too many!
This is the month where the issues that concern women are highlighted.It is a time to generate a public discussion on topics such as domestic violence,rape, breast cancer,AIDS/HIV,etc...
In the spirit of sharing a traumatic feminine issue,I will divulge something.I have been the victim of unwanted advances more than once.My experiences really fell more into the category of date rape,but it still left a mark on me just the same!No one wants to be violated & told that they really don't mean NO! When a woman tells you NO & STOP repeatedly,it's safe to assume that she definitely means it! NO MEANS NO!!
Women's issues is the focus of March.Here's more on how it all came to be from Nique.net:
"These words are read every day in newspapers and heard frequently on television. Women’s Awareness Month not only aims to inform the public about the statistics, it also supports and tributes those who have been through one of these traumatic experiences and informs women on how to prevent such events.
Women’s Awareness Month (WAM) began initially as Women’s Awareness Week in 1997. It was founded by Jennifer Orr, the president of Tech’s Women Student Union during the time.
With the intention of educating the public about women’s issues, Women’s Awareness Month brings female role models to talk about their experiences and advocates discussion about current women issues."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Check out that video with the smoking hot African safe sex commercial!
This picture makes me think of "War of The Worlds" or some other sci-fi movie!It's really freaky because these objects were invisible to the naked eye. Maybe that's why I've never seen one!I wonder if this photo is legit,though.Here's more on this strange sighting from the Telegraph:
"Derek Burdon was left stunned when he took a scenic pictures of the UK capital then noticed four flying saucers on the far right of the picture.
Mr Burdon took the photographs 16 floors up on the roof top of Orion House in Covent Garden in the morning.
Although invisible to the naked eye, the shapes can be clearly seen on the picture.
Derek, 40, of Leverington, Cambs, said: "We couldn't believe it when we came to look at the photo. I just thought I would take some scenic shots of the London Eye and also Big Ben.
"There was nothing unusual in the photo and it was only when we flicked through them later that we saw them and then it started a big UFO debate.
"I have not tampered with it and you would not be able to fake it. It was taken on my mobile and I guess I am just lucky to have it. These shapes were not visible to the naked eye so it's not as if I was looking for them." (END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
AIG claims that they overpaid their taxes & now they want the IRS to give them their money back.They want to be reimbursed for $306 million!!Not only that,they are using taxpayer money to sue the government! What a way to win the taxpayers over.It just gets better & better!If you want to read more click here.
Like Rep. Elijah Cummings said,"We cannot afford to be chumps"! I agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly.Unfortunately,the average faithful taxpayer continues to get played like a chump.The huge disparity of wealth in this country is being revealed almost daily.And the fact that a lot of executives & politicians are basically crooks!
All of this feigned outrage just makes me shudder with fear.Who is really looking out for the average day citizen in Washington?It sure doesn't seem to be the elected officials!They are looking out for their own political interests!What a mirage they are putting up!
Donte Stallworth was drunk when he hit & killed a man that was walking across a Miami highway!Why don't these rich ass people hire drivers when they want to drink & travel? Then,you can get as plastered as your heart desires!
When you are behind the wheel,other people's lives should be greatly considered.Being in a distorted state of mind is not an option!If you are not rich,you can hire a cab to drive you!Do not drive while you are under the influence of anything.There is no reason for it!
Here's more on Donte Stallworth from The Miami Herald:
"Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte' Stallworth was driving drunk -- blood alcohol tests showed he was over the legal limit -- last weekend when he struck and killed a pedestrian with his Bentley in Miami Beach, a source with knowledge of the investigation told The Miami Herald.
Miami Beach police would not confirm Stallworth had a blood alcohol above the legal limit.
''We have not released anything regarding the blood work,'' said Jenny Velazquez, a Miami Beach police spokeswoman. ``We're not confirming anything.''
WSVN-Fox 7 reported Thursday afternoon that Stallworth's blood alcohol level was .12. The legal limit is .08.
No charges have been filed against Stallworth, 28, who is seen on a video obtained by The Herald being given a sobriety test by two Miami Beach police officers."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
What's going on here?!! I understand the anger towards AIG,but naming names is not the way to go.Have we forgotten that there are folks who might lay a bomb at the doorstep of an AIG exec who got a bonus? How would those who revealed the identity of these executives feel if they got murdered as a result of their insensitive actions? Here's an excerpt from an article from the NY Post that names the culprits:
"In the eyes of the public, corporate greed has some new poster boys, and they live and work in Fairfield County.
As American International Group Inc.'s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman Edward Liddy told Congress on Wednesday, he would urge his top executives to give back bonuses awarded to managers of a company that has received $170 billion in taxpayer funds to stay afloat. James Haas and Doug Poling, of Fairfield, and New Canaan resident Jonathan Liebergall were identified by the New York Post as recipients of the highly criticized bonuses.
In all, AIG is believed to have obligated $165 million for bonuses to retain top managers overseeing the closure and breaking up of the massive insurance company.
The three Connecticut men work for AIG's Financial Products division in Wilton. That group entangled its parent company in a massive web of credit default swaps -- a kind of insurance policy covering debt -- that put AIG on the hook for billions of dollars when mortgage securities and other investments went bad.
"All of this is the government's fault -- completely," said a former neighbor of Haas' who asked not to be identified. "I blame them."
Finding supporters of the titans of AIG Financial Products' division is hard. Finding anybody Wednesday to talk about Haas, Poling and Liebergall in their neighborhoods proved impossible.
No one answered the door at any of their homes, well-appointed, large Colonials with clapboard exteriors and mansard roofs and manicured lawns. Haas' Sasco Hill Road mansion overlooks a private golf course and a creek that flows into Long Island Sound, while Poling's Golden Pond Lane property contains a private pond."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Yes,these people should pay back these bonuses.That can be done without telling the crazies out there who they are & where they live! Really,I think that we have a bigger problem here. And that's the fact that all of this greed was allowed to go on in the first place.All of these politicians who are complaining about it now are just trying to save their own ass!
Let's expose the hypocrisy in Washington as well as the AIG execs who received bonuses.These people are just feigning anger for political gain.We live in a capitalist society.Are you really shocked that so much greed exists within in it?
I'm not!It just angers me that there are so many ties between Washington & Wall Street.Of course politicians are looking the other way.They are the enablers of greed because they are greedy themselves.In the end,it's all about money!
Here's more on the politicians who got paid by AIG from OpenSecrets:
"As long as everyone's talking today about AIG's payouts to its executives and foreign banks, let's remember the payouts AIG has made over the years to politicians. In the last 20 years American International Group (AIG) has contributed more than $9 million to federal candidates and parties through PAC and individual contributions. That's enough to rank AIG on OpenSecrets.org's Heavy Hitters list, which profiles the top 100 contributors of all time.
Over time, AIG hasn't shown an especially partisan streak, splitting evenly the $9.3 million it has contributed since 1989. In the last election cycle, though, 68 percent of contributions associated with the company went to Democrats. Two senators who chair committees charged with overseeing AIG and the insurance industry, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), are among the top recipients of AIG contributions. Baucus chairs the Senate Finance Committee and has collected more money from AIG in his congressional career than from any other company--$91,000. And with more than $280,000, AIG has been the fourth largest contributor to Dodd, who chairs the Senate's banking committee. President Obama and his rival in last year's election, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), are also high on the list of top recipients."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
A Conn. teacher made a 5-yr. old retrieve the lunch that he had thrown in the garbage & eat it.Talk about teaching kids not to be wasteful!This 67-yr. old bat must be losing her grip with reality because that is absolutely insane!She is on medical leave right now.I think it's about time for her to retire because she is obviously at her wits end!Here's more from The ConnPost.com:
"A kindergarten teacher arrested after police said she made a student eat food thrown in a garbage can will be out of the classroom on medical leave for the rest of the week while school officials conduct an internal investigation, Supt. of Schools John Ramos said Wednesday.
"The teacher went into the garbage can and took the banana out of garbage can and requested that the student eat it. That's the extent of it," Ramos said, speaking before a crowd of reporters in his office. "Not to make light of it, but I think the story has taken on other ramifications."
Anne O'Donnell, 67, of Rockland Road in Fairfield, a teacher at Park City Magnet School, was arrested Tuesday on a charge of risk of injury to a minor, according to police Capt. Lynn Kerwin. Released on a promise to appear in Superior Court, she is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.
Ramos said he regrets the incident, adding: "This is not typical of what goes on in Bridgeport public schools."
Police said the charges were filed after an incident last Thursday when the 5-year-old boy apparently tossed out his lunch of chicken nuggets and a banana from the school cafeteria. The teacher then allegedly went over to the garbage can, pulled out the food and forced the boy to eat it in front of her.
But Ramos said the teacher explained she was concerned the student had not eaten his lunch and asked that he eat the banana. Officials would not explain why the 5-year-old was eating lunch in the classroom instead of the cafeteria."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Kanye West is too arrogant for his own good.Now,his attitude may very well get him some time in jail.Most stars get irritated with the barrage of photographers that try & capture their every move!But,it goes along with the territory.And most of these celebrities crave the attention once it's gone.They can't have it both ways.You can't use the media when you want too.Once you open Pandora's box,it's nearly impossible to close it! Don't pursue a life of fame & fortune if all you really want is privacy.Maybe he should never have decided to be both a producer & a rapper.Kanye West should have just stayed behind the scenes.But,he's way too big-headed for that!
Here's more on the charges that Mr. West is facing for his behavior from CNN:
"Rapper Kanye West and his business manager face vandalism, battery and grand theft charges in connection with a scuffle with photographers at Los Angeles International Airport last September.
The Los Angeles County district attorney declined to file felony charges, but L.A. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo decided to charge West, 31, and Don Crawley, 33, with misdemeanors Wednesday.
Police arrested West on September 11, 2008, after an altercation with two paparazzi, airport police said.
The incident, which took place near the airport's Terminal 4, occurred between the rap star and Crawley -- his road manager and bodyguard -- and a photographer and a cameraman who were taking their photos, airport police said.
The cameras of the paparazzi were damaged in the altercation, police said.
West was charged with one count of vandalism, one count of grand theft and one count of battery, according to Frank Mateljan, the spokesman for the city attorney.
Crawley was charged with two counts of vandalism, two counts of grand theft and two counts of battery, Mateljan said.
If convicted of all charges, West could face up to two years and six months in jail, while Crawley could face up to five years, he said.
Their arraignment hearing is set for April 14 at the Los Angeles Airport Courthouse, he said."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
China says that Western nations are responsible for the carbon emissions issue.Even though they currently emit the most carbon dioxide in the world.But,they say that has not always been the case.Historically,wealthy nations have put more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than China has.As a producing nation,they feel that the consuming nations are the one that should bear the cost.That stance could pose another serious problem for the Obama administration.As if they really needed anymore!Here's more on this story from The Guardian:
"China wants consumer countries to take responsibility for the carbon emissions generated in the manufacture of goods, not the producer countries that export them, according to its top climate change negotiator.
The tough bargaining position set out by Li Gao, whose country is now the biggest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world, looks set to be a major hurdle for the Obama administration and other developed nations as they seek to find common ground ahead of a crucial UN climate change meeting in Copenhagen in December.
Since taking power, President Barack Obama has signalled his readiness to enter into an international agreement on reducing emissions, to be negotiated in Copenhagen. This is in contrast with his predecessor George Bush who dropped out of the Kyoto protocol because it did not set binding targets for big developing nations China.
A deal between the two countries is widely seen as critical in reaching an international agreement. China overtook the United States as the biggest emitter in 2006 and its dependence on coal-fired power looks likely to ensure that it will remain in this position for decades to come. Li, who was in Washington for a preliminary meeting of the major emitting nations, set out China's position that western consumers were largely to blame.
"As one of the developing countries, we are at the low end of the production line for the global economy. We produce products and these products are consumed by other countries... This share of emissions should be taken by the consumers, not the producers," said Li, who serves in China's powerful National Development and Reform Commission. He added that between 15% and 25% of all the country's global warming emissions resulted from manufacturing exports."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Kelis looks like a sexy hot mama!But,she should have let her hair go natural while she's pregnant!She can get the highlighted streaks after she drops her baby.When you are with child,you have to give certain things up.Using chemicals in your hair is one of them!There are differing opinions about this issue,but I say it's better to be safe than sorry.Here's more on that from ehow.com:
"Any pregnant woman who dyes her hair has probably wondered whether it would be safe for the baby if the mother were exposed to hair dye. Even asking a doctor for the answer doesn't always help because doctors have differing views on the subject.
Before people understood how many chemicals actually get past the placenta and affect the baby, women didn't worry much about what chemicals they exposed themselves to. But during the 1970s, many substances were found to harm fetuses, including certain medications and some toxic chemicals commonly found in the home. Since then, many women have been worried about the chemicals they come into contact with, including those in hair dyes.
Hair dyes often contain bleach to lighten the hair. They also generally contain a mixture of chemicals like dihydroxybenzene, which may be harmful if consumed. However, placing the dyes on your hair means that the perceived danger is in absorbing the chemicals through the bloodstream. Some doctors worry that any amount of hair dye being absorbed through the skin is potentially harmful while many doctors tell their patients that dyeing their hair will result in absorbing a negligible amount of these chemicals."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
This is the latest on my girl Fox Boogie!Foxy Brown is super-duper tight!Even though this video is hell of dark,you can still hear her rapping.I have no idea who that other chick is.All I know is that Foxy Brown may be back in the studio.Let's hope that she's working on a new joint.The rap game needs her!Her flow is so delightful!
UPDATE TO THIS POST:The reports that she was brain dead have been confirmed.Ms. Richardson has passed away on Mar. 18 at the age of 45.It's so sad & I pray for her family's endurance through this very tough time.The original post is below.
I really like Natasha Richardson as an actress! I liked her in "Maid In Manhattan" & "The Parent Trap"! She's a very refined & elegant lady.And I had no idea that she came from a family of esteemed actors! Her mother is Vanessa Redgrave,who is one of the finest actresses around.
Ms. Richardson has been seriously injured in a skiing accident.There are mixed reports about the status of her condition.Here's more on that from CBC:
"The medical condition of actress Natasha Richardson — who fell Monday during a ski lesson at a Quebec resort — was being described Tuesday as anywhere from minor to life-threatening.
Friends of the British actress said she was "brain dead," according to the New York Post.
Early reports from People.com and IrishCentral.com said Richardson — a member of an esteemed British acting dynasty — suffered a serious head injury. Some Hollywood "insider" websites suggest Richardson has swelling of the brain.
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Mont Tremblant ski resort said Richardson suffered what initially appeared to be a relatively unspectacular fall.
Montreal's Sacré-Coeur hospital confirmed that Richardson had left the facility on Tuesday, but a hospital spokeswoman declined to comment on the extent of her injuries or where she was transferred.
A person close to the family later confirmed that the actress is now in New York City, according to the Associated Press. That person offered no further details.
A family representative will release a statement Wednesday, the hospital spokeswoman said.
According to online reports, Richardson, 45, was transferred via private jet to New York, with her husband, actor Liam Neeson, by her side."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Some jurors are causing problems because they are discussing the cases that they are deliberating outside of the deliberation room.That is an absolute no-no,right?! Well,normally that would be cause for a juror to be removed.But,it's the way that these jurors are talking about the cases that they are supposed to be deciding that makes this a gray issue.There are no rules about posting messages on social networking sites,yet.Folks are twittering about the cases that they are involved in & that's an issue that judges are having to deal with.Here's more from BBC News:
"The verdicts in two US trials are being appealed against because jurors made comments about them on social networking sites.
Defence lawyers in the two cases say postings by jurors on sites like Twitter and Facebook could be grounds for appeal.
Jurors are forbidden to discuss anything relating to a case outside the deliberation room.
But experts say the emergence of new technologies is challenging the rules."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
I'm sure that you've heard by now that AIG paid out $165 million in bonuses to the very same folks who brought the company down.We have bailed these people out 4 freakin' times!And they get to reward themselves for the ultimate failure! WTF?!!!
AIG better beef up their security because the anger towards them is more than palpable.There is also a lingering question that the Obama administration has to grapple with.How come they didn't know about these bonuses before they bailed AIG out for the umpteenth time? All contracts should have been looked at & renegotiated when Tim Geithner spoke to the CEO of AIG last week & gave them another $170 million!The auto industry had to jump through hoops for their bailout money!Why isn't that the case here?
Here's more on this sheer madness from Politico:
"AIG is turning out to be one of the White House's biggest headaches. Allowing it to fail would send catastrophic ripples through the economy – because AIG’s complex insurance contracts are intertwined with almost every financial player in the global economy.
It is truly “too big to fail” – because it’s failure would mean that banks that are relying on AIG to back up their bad investments would suddenly be on the hook themselves. That’s why when the company first showed signs of stress last fall, the Bush administration was quick to move in to shore it up, arguing that the collapse of AIG could spark a world-wide calamity.
But in many ways, it’s also one of the hardest bailouts for Obama to defend – since it was AIG’s insurance policies on exotic investments that freed up banks to make some of their riskiest bets, bets that went sour and touched off the global meltdown.
AIG reported this month that it had lost $61.7 billion for the fourth quarter of last year, the largest corporate loss in history.
Also adding to the political complications for Obama is a revelation Sunday that billions of American taxpayer dollars used to bailout AIG flowed to some of the largest foreign banks in the world. Some of the biggest recipients of AIG payouts were European banks, such as Societe Generale in France and Deutsche Bank of Germany, which got nearly $12 billion each.
In an interview aired Sunday on CBS's "60 Minutes," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said: "Of all the events and all of the things we've done in the last 18 months, the single one that makes me the angriest, that gives me the most angst, is the intervention with AIG."
"Here was a company that made all kinds of unconscionable bets," Bernanke said. "Then, when those bets went wrong, they had a-- we had a situation where the failure of that company would have brought down the financial system. ... I slammed the phone more than a few times on discussing AIG. ... I understand why the American people are angry."
Here is the president’s text:
Before I talk about the new steps we’re taking to get credit flowing to small businesses across our country, I want to comment on the news about executive bonuses at AIG.
This is a corporation that finds itself in financial distress due to recklessness and greed.
Under these circumstances, it’s hard to understand how derivative traders at AIG warranted any bonuses, much less $165 million in extra pay. How do they justify this outrage to the taxpayers who are keeping the company afloat?
In the last six months, AIG has received substantial sums from the US Treasury. I’ve asked Secretary Geithner to use that leverage and pursue every legal avenue to block these bonuses and make the American taxpayers whole.
I know he’s working to resolve this matter with the new CEO, Edward Liddy, who came on board after the contracts that led to these bonuses were agreed to last year."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the article in its entirety here.
I remember hearing about Altovise Davis's financial issues after Sammy Davis Jr. died.They were so immense that it was rumored that she tried to commit suicide.Here's an excerpt from a 1990 People magazine article on that very trying time for Altovise Davis:
"The mourners who once thronged outside the iron gate to pay their respects have long since gone, and the black, custom-made Cadillac station wagon sits on the circular driveway shrouded in a canvas tarp, as if to emphasize that he is no longer there to drive it.
There has been a pall, it seems, for the past four months over the house on Summit Drive, ever since performing great Sammy Davis Jr. died of throat cancer last May at age 64. "I know when he died he wanted me to celebrate his life," says his widow, Alto-vise, who was his wife for 20 years. "But I didn't see it that way. How could I?"
Now that the initial shock of his passing is gone, Altovise, 42, has even less cause for joy. After a tabloid report that a bodyguard found her unconscious last summer from an overdose of alcohol and pills, the onetime dancer now faces the prospect of raising the couple's recently adopted son, Manny, alone. She must also untangle a complicated financial skein: making good on the raft of charitable bequests in Davis's will and facing IRS charges that he owed $4.5 million in back taxes as a result of what Alto-vise's attorney, Vasilios Choulos, calls questionable shelter investments.
Altovise, who has admitted to her own past bout with alcoholism, adamantly denies the report that she tried to kill herself last July. "It wasn't true. I don't take drugs. I do drink," she says. "But I want to live for my husband, for my son, for the kids. I think the rumors started because, in the beginning, after his death. I didn't go out."
But she does not minimize her financial burden, which includes not only the IRS tab but also a $2.5 million mortgage on her Beverly Hills home. "If all obligations were met." says Choulos. "that would wipe out 80 percent of the estate." According to Altovise, Davis had hoped that the 11-country tour with Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli that he launched a year and a half before his death would earn enough to settle his debts. "Sammy thought the tour would solve a lot of problems," says Altovise. "He was very honest about it. Even when he had the throat cancer, we thought he'd get better, get through it and finish the tour."
Ultimately he did not."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the entire article here.
Altovise Davis was still entangled in money-related issues when she died on Mar.14 at the age of 65.Here's more on that from CBC News.ca:
"When the tax liability was settled in 1997, she set about restoring Sammy Davis Jr.'s legacy, organizing a musical touring show called Mr. Bojangles: The Ultimate Entertainer in 2006.
Last year, she sued two former business associates for the rights to her husband's life story and the management of his legacy.
She claimed they tricked her into ceding some of the rights to his estate, and asked for unspecified monetary and punitive damages. The suit is still pending."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Now,Altovise Davis will no longer be plagued by financial difficulties because she has moved on from all of that.May she find peace & happiness on the other side.
Has the euphoria over the election of President Obama died down enough for folks to realize that racism has not been conquered?The Oscar Grant killing,the NY Post chimp cartoon,& sub prime lending to mostly blacks are just a few examples of the racism that still exists.The NAACP is here to let the world know that these disparities are unacceptable.
On Valentine's Day of this year,Will.i.am wrote an interesting post after he was given a NAACP award by his "black community". Here's his post on the NAACP from The Huffington Post:
"in the 100 years of the existence of the NAACP and fighting for equality they are now victorious...
because a black man is in the white house...
built by slaves now run by a black president...
the battle was won...
and now i ask this question...
what does the "C.P. " mean in the NAACP now?
today's definition is...
NAACP:
the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
we have advanced to the highest seat in office...
the president...
we have advanced to oprah status...
we have advanced...
congratulations...
and now...
where do we go?
i know we still have to fix mississippi, new orleans and our ghettos...
but what about the other colors...
filipino?
brazilian?
indian?
cambodian?
afghani?
and chinese?
if the NAACP fought so that a black man could be president in a country that practiced slavery...
then the NAACP should now stand and represent all people of color...
and fight to unite every version of "pigment"...
and lack of it...
the NAACP should now march and protect the most important colors of all...
GREEN...
"the planet"...
and "GREY"...
the mind...
education...
equal education...
because no matter if you're black, white, blue or orange...
we all live on green...
and we all think with grey...
and what good is a united people if there is no green to live on...???
and what good is a united people if our grey is filled with nothingness...
i am so proud to have performed "take our planet back" at the NAACP image awards...
i am so proud to have use my grey and sing about green in a black gathering...
i am so proud to have performed that song on that night...
during this time in american history...
we have a new mission ahead of us...
we all have to rethink the priorities...
we all have to put our best foot forward and walk together...
all colors...
all the different versions of pigment...
and lack of it...
we all have to protect the important colors...
"green, and grey"
and i propose this new title to the NAACP...
:)
the National Association for the Advancement of Consciousness and People
let's wake up..."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
Well,Will.i.am,have you woken up yet? The NAACP has won the battle for all blacks to be considered & treated equally,according to you.But,what a crock of bullshit because everyone has not advanced past racism!People still think of folks in racial terms.
We're not the one's making disparaging remarks about whites in the media & putting mostly blacks in commercials,print,& film.It sounds as if you think that if blacks just made the effort,then there would be racial unity.Sorry,honey,but the NAACP ain't stopping the unification of the people of the United States! We aren't all treated or viewed equally in this Eurocentric society,as you seem to suggest.God,how I wish we all thought like you!I really,really do!
But,it's the way that we have been conditioned to think of each other since the formation of this country that needs to change.Not the NAACP!How can you change a family legacy of racial hatred? If you have been told that most blacks are stupid,shiftless,& lazy,you probably view President Obama as the exception.You're not going to believe or admit that generations of your family were bigots.That's why you've got folks who still love the Confederacy.It's a family tradition for them.
Will.i.am asked what the role of the NAACP should be now,as if things have dramatically changed in this country.Thus far,the real big change has been in the color of the family that resides in the White House!Black folks are proud & inspired by this new chapter in American history.But,most of us are painfully aware that history repeats itself.And the following story emphasizes that point greatly!
Here's more on what the NAACP is doing to help the black victims of subprime mortages from CNN:
"In a statement, Wells Fargo spokeswoman Melissa Murray said, "The NAACP's allegations are totally unfounded and reckless. We have never tolerated, and will never tolerate, discrimination in any way, shape or form in any of our business practices, products or services."
She added that the company has been "working with the NAACP for the past two years to develop a partnership that would benefit the NAACP, its constituents and our communities, so we are dismayed that the NAACP has chosen to abandon that constructive dialogue in order to pursue this litigation."
Under subprime lending, people who don't qualify for lower interest rates can borrow money at higher rates. The NAACP argues that the companies gave subprime rates to African-Americans who qualified for better rates and gave better rates to white customers with similar credit histories.
The lawsuits note studies showing African-Americans have been disproportionately affected by subprime lending. But that's not solely because of intentional efforts to target African-Americans, according to the lawsuits.
"These statistical disparities are not mere happenstance, but instead result from the systematic and predatory targeting of African-Americans, as well as facially neutral lending policies and practices that have a disparate adverse impact on African-Americans," said the lawsuits, which were filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
The NAACP has launched similar suits against numerous other lenders. In its statement Friday, the nation's oldest civil rights group said, "One lender has already entered into a preliminary settlement agreement with the NAACP, and a number of other lenders are engaged in similar discussions."(END OF EXCERPT)Read the whole article here.
Who were the main victims of the sub-prime mortage crisis? African-Americans were!So much for the idea that Oprah & President Obama's successes signals the end of racism for all blacks!Tell that to the disproportionate amount of blacks who were given these really awful loans.No matter how hard some of us work,the cards are still stacked against us!I hate to be victimized by anyone,but as a black woman I know it's more than a reality.It's a probability!Let's truly address racism instead of trying to Will it away!
So,Will.i.am,the NAACP does not to be renamed or redefined.They should keep on fighting for equality & justice.GREENPEACE shouldn't fight for the rights of blacks,just like the NAACP shouldn't fight for a greener society.Each organization is needed to address the problems that they were formed to solve.NAACP does not need to redefine it's mission.Equality for all blacks has not been won.
Will.i.am should be asking the Jewish,Korean,Filipino,& countless other communities why they feel the need to have a ethnic organization.Why is he singling out the NAACP? But more importantly,he should ask why we still have "whites-only clubs" & sundown towns!Why do folks still fly the confederate flag when they know it's insulting to most blacks? Here's more on the reality of racism from asanet.org:
"Right Under Our Nose
Loewen’s survey of this hidden-inplain- sight demographic landscape goes back to his undergraduate days at Carleton College in Northfield, MN. Some of his fellow students were from the area, and Loewen was shocked to hear them talk about the Minneapolis suburb of Edina, where it was proudly declared that there was “not one Negro and not one Jew.” Fast forward a few decades, and find Loewen in a convenience store in Anna, IL, which, according to a store clerk, stood for “Ain’t No Niggers Allowed.” And so began Loewen’s research on “sundown towns,” so named after the common practice of city limit signs that posted threatening messages warning African- Americans, and often other racial/ethnic groups, to leave town before sunset.
“All-white” Legacies
The Illinois-born Loewen was surprised to find 472 such municipal jurisdictions in his native state and that outside of the south, such jurisdictions have been more the rule than the exception. And how did Loewen investigate this open secret, maintained by ordinance, intimidation, and even murder? His first step was to look at census data, excluding institutionalized African Americans and live-in servants, and follow all-white towns through the decades. Any town that was consistently all white, or saw a marked decline of the black population, went on what Loewen called his “suspect list.” Then Loewen would learn everything he could about that particular town’s historical racial makeup to determine if the population’s composition was likely the result of systematic policies versus chance demographics. His research also included examining published history, phone calls to local historians, and inperson interviews. Loewen extended his research on particular areas by interviewing African Americans in neighboring interracial communities. Accounts of cross-burnings, exclusionary legislation, mob violence, and other telling details within a town’s history helped confirm the sundown history of a particular place.
Exclusive without Excluding
Despite the incendiary nature of Loewen’s inquiry, he found most people were willing to talk, although he did get a door slammed in his face. “A few towns had a defensive response.” Upon publication, the reaction has been more astonished than antagonistic, although African Americans tend to be less surprised. “People are amazed to learn how many sundown towns there have been in America,” he states. “People are sometimes amazed that they still live in one.” That’s why, according to Loewen, “we need to clean up every last sundown town in America.” His recommendation to these towns is for them to admit to their history, apologize for it, and make clear that African Americans are now welcome. “After all,” Loewen adds, “George Wallace did those three things before he died, so we can certainly expect that from sundown towns.” Loewen notes the strong correlation between racial composition and prestige in certain places—that is, the greater prestige, the lower the presence of African Americans. Places like Edina, MN, Darien, CT, and La Jolla, CA, “want to be known as ‘exclusive’ and not ‘excluding,’ or racist or classist,” Loewen argues, but exposing these towns is one way “to decrease their prestige and decouple racism from prestige.”(END OF EXCERPT)Read the rest here.
