Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Through Our Eyes
Excerpts from the Undefeated -
Here’s why black teachers are so important to education and to our children
‘Through Our Eyes: Perspectives and Reflection From Black Teachers’ reinforces necessity to get more of them in classrooms
BY KELLEY D. EVANS
“Teachers of color bring benefits to classrooms beyond content knowledge and pedagogy.”
This is what a recent study from The Education Trust, a national nonprofit advocacy organization that promotes high academic achievement, claims. And it has data to back it up.
~~~~~~~~~~
“The difference I would like to make is a difference that my fifth-grade teacher, an African American woman, made [for] me,” says an elementary teacher from Oakland, California, who is also a Black woman.
She credits that teacher with instilling in her a love of math, but also with fostering the self-confidence that would buoy her when other teachers doubted her ability. Now, she tries to give all her students — and especially her Black students — that same assurance.
https://theundefeated.com/features/black-teachers-are-important-to-education/
Here’s why black teachers are so important to education and to our children
‘Through Our Eyes: Perspectives and Reflection From Black Teachers’ reinforces necessity to get more of them in classrooms
BY KELLEY D. EVANS
“Teachers of color bring benefits to classrooms beyond content knowledge and pedagogy.”
This is what a recent study from The Education Trust, a national nonprofit advocacy organization that promotes high academic achievement, claims. And it has data to back it up.
~~~~~~~~~~
“The difference I would like to make is a difference that my fifth-grade teacher, an African American woman, made [for] me,” says an elementary teacher from Oakland, California, who is also a Black woman.
She credits that teacher with instilling in her a love of math, but also with fostering the self-confidence that would buoy her when other teachers doubted her ability. Now, she tries to give all her students — and especially her Black students — that same assurance.
https://theundefeated.com/features/black-teachers-are-important-to-education/
First Word = Idiot
An excerpt from Salon -
Poll: The first word that comes to mind when we think of Trump is . . .
According to a new survey, when most Americans are asked to describe him, they aren''t thinking "president"
By KATIE SERENA
Question 9 of the poll asked, “What is the first word that comes to mind when you think of Donald Trump?”
The word was “idiot” was repeated 39 times, more so than another. The second most cited word? “Incompetent.” In third place? “Liar.”
http://www.salon.com/2017/05/10/the-first-word-that-comes-to-mind-when-we-think-of-trump-is/
Poll: The first word that comes to mind when we think of Trump is . . .
According to a new survey, when most Americans are asked to describe him, they aren''t thinking "president"
By KATIE SERENA
Question 9 of the poll asked, “What is the first word that comes to mind when you think of Donald Trump?”
The word was “idiot” was repeated 39 times, more so than another. The second most cited word? “Incompetent.” In third place? “Liar.”
http://www.salon.com/2017/05/10/the-first-word-that-comes-to-mind-when-we-think-of-trump-is/
Help With Purging
An excerpt from the NY Times -
Decluttering? Yes, There’s an App
By ROY FURCHGOTT
And, of course, Craigslist, the granddaddy of free online classified listings, has several apps as well. “Craigslist is the workhorse,” Mr. Carlini said. “But I have been having more success with 5Miles, which I supplemented with OfferUp and LetGo.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/realestate/spring-cleaning-and-decluttering-help-apps.html?emc=edit_nn_20170510&nl=morning-briefing&nlid=38867499&te=1&_r=0
Decluttering? Yes, There’s an App
By ROY FURCHGOTT
And, of course, Craigslist, the granddaddy of free online classified listings, has several apps as well. “Craigslist is the workhorse,” Mr. Carlini said. “But I have been having more success with 5Miles, which I supplemented with OfferUp and LetGo.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/07/realestate/spring-cleaning-and-decluttering-help-apps.html?emc=edit_nn_20170510&nl=morning-briefing&nlid=38867499&te=1&_r=0
100X25
From Upworthy -
This foundation is working to fight stereotypes and get more women into leadership roles.
https://www.facebook.com/Upworthy/videos/1498307943543392/
http://www.upworthy.com/this-foundation-is-working-to-fight-stereotypes-and-get-more-women-into-leadership-roles?c=upw1&u=6861cbea6edfdfe5a709ee39ad3c14b64135e61f
This foundation is working to fight stereotypes and get more women into leadership roles.
https://www.facebook.com/Upworthy/videos/1498307943543392/
http://www.upworthy.com/this-foundation-is-working-to-fight-stereotypes-and-get-more-women-into-leadership-roles?c=upw1&u=6861cbea6edfdfe5a709ee39ad3c14b64135e61f
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Ouch!
Check out some of the comments on this tweet.
https://twitter.com/hashtag/notNixonian?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fonpolitics%2F2017%2F05%2F09%2Fnotnixonian-richard-nixon-library-pokes-trump-over-comey-firing%2F101491832%2F
https://twitter.com/hashtag/notNixonian?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fonpolitics%2F2017%2F05%2F09%2Fnotnixonian-richard-nixon-library-pokes-trump-over-comey-firing%2F101491832%2F
Quote
An excerpt from the NY Times -
Donald Trump’s Firing of James Comey
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Mr. Comey was fired because he was leading an active investigation that could bring down a president. Though compromised by his own poor judgment, Mr. Comey’s agency has been pursuing ties between the Russian government and Mr. Trump and his associates, with potentially ruinous consequences for the administration.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/09/opinion/donald-trumps-firing-of-james-comey.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-top-region®ion=opinion-c-col-top-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-top-region
Donald Trump’s Firing of James Comey
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Mr. Comey was fired because he was leading an active investigation that could bring down a president. Though compromised by his own poor judgment, Mr. Comey’s agency has been pursuing ties between the Russian government and Mr. Trump and his associates, with potentially ruinous consequences for the administration.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/09/opinion/donald-trumps-firing-of-james-comey.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-top-region®ion=opinion-c-col-top-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-top-region
Monday, May 8, 2017
HBCU Graduates Tell the Story
An excerpt from the Washinton Post -
How crucial are historically black colleges? Just look at who’s graduated from them.
By DeNeen L. Brown
From Thurgood Marshall to Oprah Winfrey, the nation’s historically black colleges and universities have educated generations of African American pioneers and professionals — doctors, lawyers, scientists, ministers, writers and thinkers. The most famous graduate of a historically black college, slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., has a monument on the Mall and a federal holiday to celebrate his birthday.
So on Friday, there was consternation among black lawmakers and educators when the White House released a statement raising questions about the constitutionality of federal funding measures that help historically black colleges and universities obtain low-cost construction loans for repairs, renovations and new buildings.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/05/08/from-mlk-to-oprah-winfrey-historically-black-colleges-educate-african-american-pioneers/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_retro-hbcu-115pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.d0ab9fb46a66
How crucial are historically black colleges? Just look at who’s graduated from them.
By DeNeen L. Brown
From Thurgood Marshall to Oprah Winfrey, the nation’s historically black colleges and universities have educated generations of African American pioneers and professionals — doctors, lawyers, scientists, ministers, writers and thinkers. The most famous graduate of a historically black college, slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., has a monument on the Mall and a federal holiday to celebrate his birthday.
So on Friday, there was consternation among black lawmakers and educators when the White House released a statement raising questions about the constitutionality of federal funding measures that help historically black colleges and universities obtain low-cost construction loans for repairs, renovations and new buildings.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/05/08/from-mlk-to-oprah-winfrey-historically-black-colleges-educate-african-american-pioneers/?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_retro-hbcu-115pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.d0ab9fb46a66
Sunday, May 7, 2017
Validation not Segregation
An excerpt from the Root -
Black Students at Harvard Will Host Individual Graduation Ceremony
By Monique Judge
“This is an opportunity to celebrate Harvard’s Black excellence and Black brilliance,” Michael Huggins, who is graduating with a master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, said. “It’s an event where we can see each other and our parents and family can see us as a collective, whole group. A community.”
“This is not about segregation,” Huggins added. “It’s about fellowship and building a community. This is a chance to reaffirm for each other that we enter the work world with a network of supporters standing with us.
http://www.theroot.com/black-students-at-harvard-will-host-individual-graduati-1794977320
Black Students at Harvard Will Host Individual Graduation Ceremony
By Monique Judge
“This is an opportunity to celebrate Harvard’s Black excellence and Black brilliance,” Michael Huggins, who is graduating with a master’s in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, said. “It’s an event where we can see each other and our parents and family can see us as a collective, whole group. A community.”
“This is not about segregation,” Huggins added. “It’s about fellowship and building a community. This is a chance to reaffirm for each other that we enter the work world with a network of supporters standing with us.
http://www.theroot.com/black-students-at-harvard-will-host-individual-graduati-1794977320
Background Voices
An excerpt from the LA Times -
Need a background voice for a movie or TV show? Barbara Harris is the person to call
By Daniel Vaillancourt
Need a background voice for a movie or TV show? Barbara Harris is the person to call
By Daniel Vaillancourt
 |
| Barbara Harris, who provides background voices for movies and television. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times) |
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-ca-mn-barbara-harris-background-voices-20170410-story.html
Hollywood Goes to HBCUs
From the LA Times -
These black colleges in Atlanta are some of Hollywood's best kept filming secrets
By Tre'vell Anderson
To the unfamiliar eye, Morehouse seems like many other colleges. But it’s not.
Most schools are not used as filming locations for big-budget Hollywood productions. Morehouse, however, has been the setting for two in just a single year, the Oscar-nominated “Hidden Figures” and BET’s “The Quad.”
In fact, the entire Atlanta University Center, or AUC, a consortium of historically black colleges and universities in the city, has ties with Hollywood that run deeper than the Chattahoochee River. In the last 30 years, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse School of Medicine have all been used in countless films and television shows.
Together, they are one of the industry’s best kept secrets in the city known as the Hollywood of the South.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-ca-mn-morehouse-spelman-clark-atlanta-20170505-story.html
These black colleges in Atlanta are some of Hollywood's best kept filming secrets
By Tre'vell Anderson
To the unfamiliar eye, Morehouse seems like many other colleges. But it’s not.
Most schools are not used as filming locations for big-budget Hollywood productions. Morehouse, however, has been the setting for two in just a single year, the Oscar-nominated “Hidden Figures” and BET’s “The Quad.”
In fact, the entire Atlanta University Center, or AUC, a consortium of historically black colleges and universities in the city, has ties with Hollywood that run deeper than the Chattahoochee River. In the last 30 years, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse School of Medicine have all been used in countless films and television shows.
Together, they are one of the industry’s best kept secrets in the city known as the Hollywood of the South.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-ca-mn-morehouse-spelman-clark-atlanta-20170505-story.html
Seen as a Threat
An excerpt from the LA Times -
The killing of Jordan Edwards shows again how black males — even children — are viewed as a threat
By Kurtis Lee
As the death reignited a national conversation about race and the police, it’s also elevated what’s viewed as a well-understood fact in many African American communities: When you’re black — even if you’re a child — you can be viewed as a threat to police.
“These are trained professionals, who are supposed to make rational decisions, but they’re not,” said Benjamin Crump, a civil rights attorney and former president of the National Bar Assn., a network of black lawyers and judges. “And yet again our children — I repeat, children — are paying the ultimate price.”
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-jordan-edwards-20170506-story.html
The killing of Jordan Edwards shows again how black males — even children — are viewed as a threat
By Kurtis Lee
As the death reignited a national conversation about race and the police, it’s also elevated what’s viewed as a well-understood fact in many African American communities: When you’re black — even if you’re a child — you can be viewed as a threat to police.
“These are trained professionals, who are supposed to make rational decisions, but they’re not,” said Benjamin Crump, a civil rights attorney and former president of the National Bar Assn., a network of black lawyers and judges. “And yet again our children — I repeat, children — are paying the ultimate price.”
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-jordan-edwards-20170506-story.html
Why People?
An excerpt from the Washington Post -
What’s it like getting married at Disney? It’s not always a fairy tale.
By Megan McDonough
In 2013, Disney held 1,500 weddings on its properties. Last year, that number swelled to more than 4,000, with about 11 ceremonies a day globally. That trend is likely to continue, as Disney rolls out live-action updates of its classic films over the next several years, such as the recent “Beauty and the Beast” update starring Emma Watson.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/whats-it-like-getting-married-at-disney-its-not-always-a-fairy-tale/2017/05/04/59390a66-2c24-11e7-be51-b3fc6ff7faee_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_disney-1051am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.9a8a89704c34
What’s it like getting married at Disney? It’s not always a fairy tale.
By Megan McDonough
In 2013, Disney held 1,500 weddings on its properties. Last year, that number swelled to more than 4,000, with about 11 ceremonies a day globally. That trend is likely to continue, as Disney rolls out live-action updates of its classic films over the next several years, such as the recent “Beauty and the Beast” update starring Emma Watson.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/whats-it-like-getting-married-at-disney-its-not-always-a-fairy-tale/2017/05/04/59390a66-2c24-11e7-be51-b3fc6ff7faee_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-more-top-stories_disney-1051am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.9a8a89704c34
Rosa Parks' Pancake Recipe
From the Huffington Post -
Rosa Parks’ Pancake Recipe Will Blow Yours Out Of The Water
There’s peanut butter in there.
By Julie R. Thomson
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rosa-parks-pancake-recipe_us_590b5591e4b0104c734c94f6
Rosa Parks’ Pancake Recipe Will Blow Yours Out Of The Water
There’s peanut butter in there.
By Julie R. Thomson
 | |
| LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Rosa Parks’ “featherlite pancakes” recipe written on the back of an envelope. |
Saturday, May 6, 2017
From Game Concept to Full Mobile Game - How Students Made "Tangram Jam"
This is dated, but interesting nonetheless.
The article below is current and features the guy on the left in the video.
http://college.usatoday.com/2017/05/04/how-i-became-a-video-game-designer-bugi-kaigwa/
The article below is current and features the guy on the left in the video.
http://college.usatoday.com/2017/05/04/how-i-became-a-video-game-designer-bugi-kaigwa/
Yes, Still
An excerpt from CNN -
What's changed -- and what hasn't -- 70 years after Jackie Robinson
By Mike Downey
(CNN)Still? STILL? A baseball player being subjected to racial taunts? A full 70 years after Jackie Robinson endured this kind of despicable behavior while smashing through the sport's white ceiling, it's hard to believe, but here we are again.
Adam Jones of the Baltimore Orioles was literally minding his business, manning a position in the outfield Monday night against the Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, when the N-word came flying at him. Jones heard it, tolerated it best he knew how, then talked about it candidly after the game.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/04/opinions/70-years-after-jackie-robinson-racist-taunt-adam-jones-downey/index.html
What's changed -- and what hasn't -- 70 years after Jackie Robinson
By Mike Downey
(CNN)Still? STILL? A baseball player being subjected to racial taunts? A full 70 years after Jackie Robinson endured this kind of despicable behavior while smashing through the sport's white ceiling, it's hard to believe, but here we are again.
Adam Jones of the Baltimore Orioles was literally minding his business, manning a position in the outfield Monday night against the Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, when the N-word came flying at him. Jones heard it, tolerated it best he knew how, then talked about it candidly after the game.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/04/opinions/70-years-after-jackie-robinson-racist-taunt-adam-jones-downey/index.html
Judge Holding Court
Excerpt from the NY Times -
Judge in Puerto Rico’s Debt Lawsuit Handled Major Financial Cases
By MATTHEW GOLDSTEIN
As a federal court judge, Laura Taylor Swain has played a role in two of the highest-profile financial criminal cases of the past decade. Now she will preside over one of the biggest local government financial failure cases ever filed.
~~~~~~~~~~
Judge Swain has handled prominent cases in recent years. She was the presiding judge who accepted the guilty plea of SAC Capital Advisors, the giant group of hedge funds that the billionaire investor Steven A. Cohen led. And she presided over the lengthy criminal trial of several former employees of Bernard Madoff, who ran a huge Ponzi scheme.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/05/business/dealbook/judge-puerto-rico-case.html?_r=0
Judge in Puerto Rico’s Debt Lawsuit Handled Major Financial Cases
By MATTHEW GOLDSTEIN
 |
| Judge Laura Taylor Swain |
As a federal court judge, Laura Taylor Swain has played a role in two of the highest-profile financial criminal cases of the past decade. Now she will preside over one of the biggest local government financial failure cases ever filed.
~~~~~~~~~~
Judge Swain has handled prominent cases in recent years. She was the presiding judge who accepted the guilty plea of SAC Capital Advisors, the giant group of hedge funds that the billionaire investor Steven A. Cohen led. And she presided over the lengthy criminal trial of several former employees of Bernard Madoff, who ran a huge Ponzi scheme.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/05/business/dealbook/judge-puerto-rico-case.html?_r=0
Friday, May 5, 2017
It Happens Tonight
From the Washington Post -
Can science, Nike and three super-fast runners pull off a 2-hour marathon?
The first serious attempt at breaking the two-hour barrier will happen overnight.
By Bonnie Berkowitz
If you want to watch the attempt, which is scheduled to start at Friday at 11:45 p.m. Eastern, the Nike and Runner’s World websites will be live-streaming it. If not, you will most likely get more chances.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/sports/two-hour-marathon/?hpid=hp_no-name_graphic-story-a%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.c1d12c634a80
Can science, Nike and three super-fast runners pull off a 2-hour marathon?
The first serious attempt at breaking the two-hour barrier will happen overnight.
By Bonnie Berkowitz
If you want to watch the attempt, which is scheduled to start at Friday at 11:45 p.m. Eastern, the Nike and Runner’s World websites will be live-streaming it. If not, you will most likely get more chances.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/sports/two-hour-marathon/?hpid=hp_no-name_graphic-story-a%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.c1d12c634a80
Amercia's Best High Schools
From the Washington Post -
America’s Most Challenging High Schools
The Washington Post's annual rankings of how successfully schools challenge their students.
By Jay Mathews
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/local/high-school-challenge-2017/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_hschallenge-810pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
America’s Most Challenging High Schools
The Washington Post's annual rankings of how successfully schools challenge their students.
By Jay Mathews
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/local/high-school-challenge-2017/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_hschallenge-810pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory
Baby Making App
From the Huffington Post -
This New App Is Tinder For Sperm And Egg Donors
“I figure if we can all get together, we’re going to find people who want to make babies with us, one way or another.”
By Olivia Campbell
Flicking through the profiles, you’ll see hopeful smiles paired with assurances of high IQs, emotional maturity, Harvard degrees, excellent genes, and clear medical histories.
But this isn’t a dating app.
Just a Baby, an app launched in February in Australia, can connect you with “biological conception partners.” It’s a Tinder-like matching service where you can offer or seek sperm, eggs, or surrogates. In its first two months, it’s been downloaded 3,000 times ― and while members are mainly based in Australia, membership is growing in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. as word spreads.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sperm-egg-donation-app-just-baby_us_58ffa2d5e4b091e8c71100af?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
This New App Is Tinder For Sperm And Egg Donors
“I figure if we can all get together, we’re going to find people who want to make babies with us, one way or another.”
By Olivia Campbell
Flicking through the profiles, you’ll see hopeful smiles paired with assurances of high IQs, emotional maturity, Harvard degrees, excellent genes, and clear medical histories.
But this isn’t a dating app.
Just a Baby, an app launched in February in Australia, can connect you with “biological conception partners.” It’s a Tinder-like matching service where you can offer or seek sperm, eggs, or surrogates. In its first two months, it’s been downloaded 3,000 times ― and while members are mainly based in Australia, membership is growing in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. as word spreads.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/sperm-egg-donation-app-just-baby_us_58ffa2d5e4b091e8c71100af?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
Disney CEO Considering Presidential Run in 2020
From Axios -
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Disney CEO Bob Iger has been telling friends that he's considering a run for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. That's due to a vibe in Hollywood that President Trump has opened the door for moguls to seek higher office (see also: Oprah's non-answer to Bloomberg).
https://www.axios.com/disney-ceo-bob-iger-considering-2020-run-2292812203.html
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Disney CEO Bob Iger has been telling friends that he's considering a run for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020. That's due to a vibe in Hollywood that President Trump has opened the door for moguls to seek higher office (see also: Oprah's non-answer to Bloomberg).
https://www.axios.com/disney-ceo-bob-iger-considering-2020-run-2292812203.html
Adjective?
From the Huffington Post -
 |
| It can also mean "marked by a foreboding of death or calamity," so it's a versatile word. (Not sure I like this second definition. - Faye) |
LeBron James Honors Single Moms
America’s Working Single Mothers: An Appreciation
By LeBron James
http://shriverreport.org/americas-working-single-mothers-an-appreciation-lebron-james/
By LeBron James
http://shriverreport.org/americas-working-single-mothers-an-appreciation-lebron-james/
Quote
17-Year-Old Breaks the Internet With the Greatest Yearbook Quote of All Time
By Michael Harriot
http://thegrapevine.theroot.com/17-year-old-breaks-the-internet-with-the-greatest-yearb-1794925295
White House Fires Chief Usher
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/05/05/white-house-fires-its-chief-usher-the-first-woman-in-that-job/?utm_term=.8d8374340f4e&wpisrc=nl_most-draw7&wpmm=1
Schoolhouse Rock: America - I'm Just a Bill Music Video
From CNN -
“CNN Tonight” host Don Lemon said President Donald Trump took a “victory lap” with a big ceremony at the White House in celebration of the House passing its health care bill on Thursday.
“Is he celebrating a little prematurely?” Lemon asked senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta.
“They might want to call up ‘Schoolhouse Rock’ on YouTube,” Acosta suggested. “Holding a victory party in the Rose Garden of the White House after something passes in the House, that might be a bit premature.”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cnn-trump-schoolhouse-rock_us_590bf518e4b0d5d9049b277f?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
Thursday, May 4, 2017
Kudos to Mutombo
An excerpt from the Undefeated -
Dikembe Mutombo receives humanitarian award from Harvard Medical School
The NBA All-Star was recognized for his international public health efforts
BY MAYA A. JONES
Mutombo, a global ambassador who has worked closely with several international organizations to help better communities around the world, was recognized for his philanthropic work and establishing the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital in his homeland, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The hospital, which has been operating since 2007, is one of the few in the area that offers services to patients with chronic illnesses and diseases such as cancer and sickle-cell anemia.
https://theundefeated.com/features/dikembe-mutombo-humanitarian-award-harvard-medical-school/
Dikembe Mutombo receives humanitarian award from Harvard Medical School
The NBA All-Star was recognized for his international public health efforts
BY MAYA A. JONES
Mutombo, a global ambassador who has worked closely with several international organizations to help better communities around the world, was recognized for his philanthropic work and establishing the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital in his homeland, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The hospital, which has been operating since 2007, is one of the few in the area that offers services to patients with chronic illnesses and diseases such as cancer and sickle-cell anemia.
https://theundefeated.com/features/dikembe-mutombo-humanitarian-award-harvard-medical-school/
What Does It Say?
An excerpt from USA Today - (Bold is mine)
An unsigned Colin Kaepernick is a bad sign for NFL
Christine Brennan
What does it say about the NFL, and about us, when at least a half-dozen men who have been accused of physical or sexual assault have been welcomed into the NFL over the past week, while Colin Kaepernick still has not?
Is it worse to be known for not standing for the national anthem than for being accused of hitting or assaulting someone? Is Kaepernick a less desirable member of an NFL team or community than, say, Oakland Raiders first-round draft pick Gareon Conley, who is being investigated by the Cleveland police on a rape allegation, or Cincinnati Bengals second-round pick Joe Mixon, who was caught on videotape knocking out a woman with a devastating punch?
As of now, it appears the answer is yes. At the moment, Conley and Mixon have more of a foot in the door in the NFL than does Kaepernick, the 29-year-old, six-year veteran who took the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl during the 2012 season.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/brennan/2017/05/03/colin-kaepernick-free-agent-nfl-quarterback-national-anthem/101259582/
An unsigned Colin Kaepernick is a bad sign for NFL
Christine Brennan
What does it say about the NFL, and about us, when at least a half-dozen men who have been accused of physical or sexual assault have been welcomed into the NFL over the past week, while Colin Kaepernick still has not?
Is it worse to be known for not standing for the national anthem than for being accused of hitting or assaulting someone? Is Kaepernick a less desirable member of an NFL team or community than, say, Oakland Raiders first-round draft pick Gareon Conley, who is being investigated by the Cleveland police on a rape allegation, or Cincinnati Bengals second-round pick Joe Mixon, who was caught on videotape knocking out a woman with a devastating punch?
As of now, it appears the answer is yes. At the moment, Conley and Mixon have more of a foot in the door in the NFL than does Kaepernick, the 29-year-old, six-year veteran who took the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl during the 2012 season.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/brennan/2017/05/03/colin-kaepernick-free-agent-nfl-quarterback-national-anthem/101259582/
French Presidential Candidate is 24 Years Younger Than His Wife
From the Washington Post -
Emmanuel Macron is 39 and his wife is 64. French women say it’s about time.
By Mary Jordan
PARIS — Emmanuel Macron, the front-runner in Sunday’s French presidential election, shares something with President Trump: a 24-year age gap with his wife. The difference is that Macron’s wife is the older one.
That cliche-busting fact — a candidate young enough to be his wife’s son, rather than old enough to be her father — is a little social “revenge” that delights many French women, including Martine Bergossi.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/french-women-see-revenge-in-macrons-marriage-to-an-older-woman/2017/05/03/3b21fc1a-2f47-11e7-9dec-764dc781686f_story.html?utm_term=.ec34ac100463&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1
Emmanuel Macron is 39 and his wife is 64. French women say it’s about time.
By Mary Jordan
PARIS — Emmanuel Macron, the front-runner in Sunday’s French presidential election, shares something with President Trump: a 24-year age gap with his wife. The difference is that Macron’s wife is the older one.
That cliche-busting fact — a candidate young enough to be his wife’s son, rather than old enough to be her father — is a little social “revenge” that delights many French women, including Martine Bergossi.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/french-women-see-revenge-in-macrons-marriage-to-an-older-woman/2017/05/03/3b21fc1a-2f47-11e7-9dec-764dc781686f_story.html?utm_term=.ec34ac100463&wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Synthetic Cadavers
From Atlas Obscura -
A Visit to the Synthetic Cadaver Factory
Florida’s SynDaver Labs makes extraordinarily advanced anatomical models.
BY ERIC GRUNDHAUSER
Inside this otherwise unassuming facility, workers are creating what may be the world’s most advanced surgical and anatomical models out of little more than salt and water. Fully synthetic corpses like these, complete with skin, muscle, organs, and bone, might one day eliminate our need to test many new technologies on humans or animals.
http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/syndaver-labs-synthetic-cadavers-tour
A Visit to the Synthetic Cadaver Factory
Florida’s SynDaver Labs makes extraordinarily advanced anatomical models.
BY ERIC GRUNDHAUSER
Inside this otherwise unassuming facility, workers are creating what may be the world’s most advanced surgical and anatomical models out of little more than salt and water. Fully synthetic corpses like these, complete with skin, muscle, organs, and bone, might one day eliminate our need to test many new technologies on humans or animals.
http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/syndaver-labs-synthetic-cadavers-tour
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Smart Girl
From the Huffington Post -
This Teen Took Her Harvard Acceptance Letter To Prom Instead Of A Date
Because who even needs boys?
By Jenavieve Hatch
Priscilla Samey found herself without a date to her high school’s prom on Saturday night, so the Minnesota-based teen did what any reasonable woman would do ― she took her Harvard University acceptance letter as her date instead.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/this-teen-took-her-harvard-acceptance-letter-to-prom-instead-of-a-date_us_5908824ee4b0bb2d08717ee4
This Teen Took Her Harvard Acceptance Letter To Prom Instead Of A Date
Because who even needs boys?
By Jenavieve Hatch
Priscilla Samey found herself without a date to her high school’s prom on Saturday night, so the Minnesota-based teen did what any reasonable woman would do ― she took her Harvard University acceptance letter as her date instead.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/this-teen-took-her-harvard-acceptance-letter-to-prom-instead-of-a-date_us_5908824ee4b0bb2d08717ee4
After the Backlash
From the Huffington Post -
Netflix’s ‘Dear White People’ Earns A Rare 100 Percent On Rotten Tomatoes
Stay mad, racist critics.
By Taryn Finley
After backlash from mainly white critics, “Dear White People” is getting the last laugh.
The Netflix original series, which is about the role race plays at a fictional Ivy League school earned a coveted 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, as of Tuesday afternoon.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dear-white-people-rotten-tomatoes_us_5908e203e4b02655f8418848?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
Netflix’s ‘Dear White People’ Earns A Rare 100 Percent On Rotten Tomatoes
Stay mad, racist critics.
By Taryn Finley
After backlash from mainly white critics, “Dear White People” is getting the last laugh.
The Netflix original series, which is about the role race plays at a fictional Ivy League school earned a coveted 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, as of Tuesday afternoon.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/dear-white-people-rotten-tomatoes_us_5908e203e4b02655f8418848?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
Life After Football
An excerpt from OZY -
LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL — THE SURPRISING NEW SECOND CAREERS OF FORMER PLAYERS
By Felipe Patterson
When Arian Foster was introduced to Neil deGrasse Tyson, he said meeting the famed astrophysicist was “surreal.” Typically, it’s sports celebrities who generate the excitement, but the star-gazing moment of the former Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins running back makes sense once you learn Foster is hoping to pursue a degree in physics — just one example in a trend of Black NFL players leaving the football field for careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).
~~~~~~~~~~
Some players are turning pro with a college degree in a STEM-related subject already in their pocket. Stanford University recently awarded degrees to Carolina Panthers offensive guard David Yankey (information science and technology in society), San Francisco 49ers guard Joshua Garnett (human biology) and Detroit Lions cornerback Alex Carter (sociology). Add to that list Washington Redskins wide receiver Jamison Crowder (sociology, Duke) and Lions offensive guard Laken Tomlinson (evolutionary anthropology and psychology, Duke), and it’s clear that opportunities are wide open for these individuals, and those in similar positions, in the burgeoning STEM marketplace. Still others are working toward STEM-related degrees while playing in the league. John Urschel, offensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens, is pursuing his Ph.D. in mathematics at MIT (he already has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Penn State).
http://www.ozy.com/the-huddle/life-after-football-the-surprising-new-second-careers-of-former-players/77026
LIFE AFTER FOOTBALL — THE SURPRISING NEW SECOND CAREERS OF FORMER PLAYERS
By Felipe Patterson
When Arian Foster was introduced to Neil deGrasse Tyson, he said meeting the famed astrophysicist was “surreal.” Typically, it’s sports celebrities who generate the excitement, but the star-gazing moment of the former Houston Texans and Miami Dolphins running back makes sense once you learn Foster is hoping to pursue a degree in physics — just one example in a trend of Black NFL players leaving the football field for careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).
~~~~~~~~~~
Some players are turning pro with a college degree in a STEM-related subject already in their pocket. Stanford University recently awarded degrees to Carolina Panthers offensive guard David Yankey (information science and technology in society), San Francisco 49ers guard Joshua Garnett (human biology) and Detroit Lions cornerback Alex Carter (sociology). Add to that list Washington Redskins wide receiver Jamison Crowder (sociology, Duke) and Lions offensive guard Laken Tomlinson (evolutionary anthropology and psychology, Duke), and it’s clear that opportunities are wide open for these individuals, and those in similar positions, in the burgeoning STEM marketplace. Still others are working toward STEM-related degrees while playing in the league. John Urschel, offensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens, is pursuing his Ph.D. in mathematics at MIT (he already has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Penn State).
http://www.ozy.com/the-huddle/life-after-football-the-surprising-new-second-careers-of-former-players/77026
Monday, May 1, 2017
Colbert Guts Trump
Check out the Twitter video. It's spot on.
Stephen Colbert Guts Donald Trump Over Q&A Insults To CBS News’ John Dickerson
By Lisa de Moraes
A Significant Impact
An excerpt from the Undefeated -
Study proves black teachers have a significant impact on black students
Black students with at least one black teacher are more inclined to continue education
BY MAYA A. JONES
The relationship between black students and black teachers is saving academic careers, and a new study is out to prove it.
The study, The Long Run Impacts of Same-Race Teachers, conducted by the IZA Institute of Labor Economics, found that low-income black students who have had at least one black teacher during their early academic career have higher chances of graduating from high school and attending college.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Black students matched to black teachers have been shown to have higher test scores, but we wanted to know if these student-teacher racial matches had longer-lasting benefits,” said Nicholas Papageorge, the study’s co-author and an assistant professor in the department of economics at Johns Hopkins. “We found the answer is a resounding yes. We’re seeing spending just one year with a teacher of the same race can move the dial on one of the most frustratingly persistent gaps in educational attainment — that of low-income black boys. It not only moves the dial, it moves the dial in a powerful way.”
https://theundefeated.com/features/study-black-teachers-have-significant-impact-on-black-students/
When a Techie Goes Really Rogue
An excerpt from Vanity Fair -
SILICON VALLEY MURDER MYSTERY: HOW DRUGS AND PARANOIA DOOMED SILK ROAD
Silk Road once reigned as the Internet’s premier destination for drug deals and even more illicit fare. But as the Web site became a billion-dollar enterprise, its creator, Ross Ulbricht, went from idealistic to dangerous. An adaptation from Nick Bilton’s new book shows how the empire collapsed.
By Nick Bilton
Ross Ulbricht had imagined that it might all come down to this one day. That at some point during the prodigious rise of his hot tech start-up he would be obliged to make a terrifyingly ruthless decision. Now, in early 2013, the time had arrived. The question was rather simple: Was he ready to kill someone to protect his billion-dollar company?
The technology business has long purported to change the world and make it a better place. But, in reality, there is a decidedly more cynical underside to all this euphoria. In Silicon Valley, after all, many founders will often do whatever is necessary to protect their creations—whether that means paying a hefty legal settlement to hush the people who helped hatch the idea for their company in the first place (Facebook, Square, Snapchat), callously vanquishing a co-founder (Twitter, Foursquare, Tinder), or remorselessly breaking laws and putting thousands of people out of work (Uber, Airbnb, among hundreds of others). But, for Ulbricht, the price was steeper. In order to save his beloved start-up, the Silk Road, an Amazon-like “everything store” for the Dark Web, he needed to “call on my muscle,” as he put it to one associate. He needed to have a guy whacked.
http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/04/silk-road-ross-ulbricht-drugs-murder
SILICON VALLEY MURDER MYSTERY: HOW DRUGS AND PARANOIA DOOMED SILK ROAD
Silk Road once reigned as the Internet’s premier destination for drug deals and even more illicit fare. But as the Web site became a billion-dollar enterprise, its creator, Ross Ulbricht, went from idealistic to dangerous. An adaptation from Nick Bilton’s new book shows how the empire collapsed.
By Nick Bilton
Ross Ulbricht had imagined that it might all come down to this one day. That at some point during the prodigious rise of his hot tech start-up he would be obliged to make a terrifyingly ruthless decision. Now, in early 2013, the time had arrived. The question was rather simple: Was he ready to kill someone to protect his billion-dollar company?
The technology business has long purported to change the world and make it a better place. But, in reality, there is a decidedly more cynical underside to all this euphoria. In Silicon Valley, after all, many founders will often do whatever is necessary to protect their creations—whether that means paying a hefty legal settlement to hush the people who helped hatch the idea for their company in the first place (Facebook, Square, Snapchat), callously vanquishing a co-founder (Twitter, Foursquare, Tinder), or remorselessly breaking laws and putting thousands of people out of work (Uber, Airbnb, among hundreds of others). But, for Ulbricht, the price was steeper. In order to save his beloved start-up, the Silk Road, an Amazon-like “everything store” for the Dark Web, he needed to “call on my muscle,” as he put it to one associate. He needed to have a guy whacked.
http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/04/silk-road-ross-ulbricht-drugs-murder
Tipping While Black
An excerpt from Salon -
Yes, black people do tip — even when we shouldn’t have to
If you're dining out while black, you can't leave less than 20 percent, no matter how terrible the service is
By D. WATKINS
My larger point was that “black people don’t tip” is a pervasive stereotype that floats around restaurants and we often automatically get bad service because of it. So I had to tip this guy even though I hated the service and the food. If I didn’t, I would be perpetuating the stereotype.
http://www.salon.com/2017/04/30/yes-black-people-do-tip-even-when-we-shouldnt-have-to/
Yes, black people do tip — even when we shouldn’t have to
If you're dining out while black, you can't leave less than 20 percent, no matter how terrible the service is
By D. WATKINS
My larger point was that “black people don’t tip” is a pervasive stereotype that floats around restaurants and we often automatically get bad service because of it. So I had to tip this guy even though I hated the service and the food. If I didn’t, I would be perpetuating the stereotype.
http://www.salon.com/2017/04/30/yes-black-people-do-tip-even-when-we-shouldnt-have-to/
Book Review
A few days ago I posted a quote from the book, Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life and Maybe the World.
It is one of the best, most encouraging, most inspiring books I've read in a long time.
The author is a lifelong Navy Seal, and the book is an expanded version of a commencement address he gave a few years ago.
It's a real quick read, with ten short chapters, but it packs a punch, from start to finish.
It will put a smile on your face and a tear in your eye, but most importantly, it will leave you with the notion that you matter, and that what you do has a profound impact on the world around you.
I wholeheartedly recommend it.
It is one of the best, most encouraging, most inspiring books I've read in a long time.
The author is a lifelong Navy Seal, and the book is an expanded version of a commencement address he gave a few years ago.
It's a real quick read, with ten short chapters, but it packs a punch, from start to finish.
It will put a smile on your face and a tear in your eye, but most importantly, it will leave you with the notion that you matter, and that what you do has a profound impact on the world around you.
I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Quote
If you want to change the world . . .
start off by making your bed.
From the book Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life and Maybe Your World, by William H. McRaven
start off by making your bed.
From the book Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life and Maybe Your World, by William H. McRaven
Saturday, April 29, 2017
Black Sports Agency
An excerpt from the Undefeated -
This black sports agency reps more HBCU players in the NFL than any other firm
These two agents also handle more than 40 other pro football players
BY MARTENZIE JOHNSON
Adisa Bakari, 44, is the founder and CEO of The Sports & Entertainment Group (TSEG), a D.C.-based sports agency that represents some of the top athletes in the NFL and professional boxing.
Bakari and longtime partner Jeff Whitney, 47, who serves as the company’s president, currently represent 43 professional football players, including Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor and New York Jets running back Matt Forte. The firm also represents professional boxers Lamont and Anthony Peterson.
https://theundefeated.com/features/black-sports-agency-reps-hbcu-players-nfl/
This black sports agency reps more HBCU players in the NFL than any other firm
These two agents also handle more than 40 other pro football players
BY MARTENZIE JOHNSON
Adisa Bakari, 44, is the founder and CEO of The Sports & Entertainment Group (TSEG), a D.C.-based sports agency that represents some of the top athletes in the NFL and professional boxing.
Bakari and longtime partner Jeff Whitney, 47, who serves as the company’s president, currently represent 43 professional football players, including Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell, Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor and New York Jets running back Matt Forte. The firm also represents professional boxers Lamont and Anthony Peterson.
https://theundefeated.com/features/black-sports-agency-reps-hbcu-players-nfl/
Young, Gifted & Black Female Sports Agent
An excerpt from the Undefeated -
Black female sports agent Tiffany Porter is making her way in a white-male-dominated field
She wants to be a role model for women and men alike
BY KELLEY D. EVANS
While many sports agents are busy at the 2017 draft, there is one standing out in the crowd. As a woman in a male-dominated world, Tiffany Porter is proving that she can stand strong and give her clients the best representation possible.
For Porter, becoming a sports agent was a natural progression to her multifaceted career. The Hampton University alum has built her credentials over the years as a criminal defense attorney and is managing partner of Porter & Whitner Law Group LLC in Atlanta.
~~~~~~~~~~
As a certified NFL agent, Porter negotiates contracts, but more importantly she strives to protect her clients’ future beyond their playing days. Earning her law degree from Emory University, she is no stranger to beating the odds in the courtroom or in her personal life. She also earned her MBA from Georgia State University.
As a child, she and her younger siblings experienced watching their mother go in and out of federal prison. She was reared by her grandmother and great-grandmother.
https://theundefeated.com/features/black-female-sports-agent-tiffany-porter/
Black female sports agent Tiffany Porter is making her way in a white-male-dominated field
She wants to be a role model for women and men alike
BY KELLEY D. EVANS
While many sports agents are busy at the 2017 draft, there is one standing out in the crowd. As a woman in a male-dominated world, Tiffany Porter is proving that she can stand strong and give her clients the best representation possible.
For Porter, becoming a sports agent was a natural progression to her multifaceted career. The Hampton University alum has built her credentials over the years as a criminal defense attorney and is managing partner of Porter & Whitner Law Group LLC in Atlanta.
~~~~~~~~~~
As a certified NFL agent, Porter negotiates contracts, but more importantly she strives to protect her clients’ future beyond their playing days. Earning her law degree from Emory University, she is no stranger to beating the odds in the courtroom or in her personal life. She also earned her MBA from Georgia State University.
As a child, she and her younger siblings experienced watching their mother go in and out of federal prison. She was reared by her grandmother and great-grandmother.
https://theundefeated.com/features/black-female-sports-agent-tiffany-porter/
Con Men & Losers
An excerpt from Salon -
Donald Trump’s administration after 100 days: A second-rate salesman surrounded by con men and losers
Trump has staffed the West Wing with low-grade hucksters, and his dealmaking skills are just bad poker bluffs
By GARY LEGUM
At the rate Trump is going, the internet could run out of space, long before he leaves office, cataloging all his administration’s deficiencies as a functional entity, its destruction of governing norms and the hash it has made of both domestic and foreign policy. But two observations from the first 100 days stand out to me.
The first is the extent to which Trump’s struggles can be attributed to his pronounced tendency to staff his administration with mediocre, two-bit hustlers and con men whose careers indicate that they have a lot more luck than smarts or talent.
http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/donald-trumps-administration-after-100-days-a-second-rate-salesman-surrounded-by-con-men-and-losers/
Donald Trump’s administration after 100 days: A second-rate salesman surrounded by con men and losers
Trump has staffed the West Wing with low-grade hucksters, and his dealmaking skills are just bad poker bluffs
By GARY LEGUM
At the rate Trump is going, the internet could run out of space, long before he leaves office, cataloging all his administration’s deficiencies as a functional entity, its destruction of governing norms and the hash it has made of both domestic and foreign policy. But two observations from the first 100 days stand out to me.
The first is the extent to which Trump’s struggles can be attributed to his pronounced tendency to staff his administration with mediocre, two-bit hustlers and con men whose careers indicate that they have a lot more luck than smarts or talent.
http://www.salon.com/2017/04/28/donald-trumps-administration-after-100-days-a-second-rate-salesman-surrounded-by-con-men-and-losers/
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