As a mother to two sons and a grandmother to three precious little girls, I've learned some things.
I've learned that the greatest impact on a child's life happens in the first five years.
This is tough because as a new mother, or even a seasoned one, the first five years of a child's life are hectic. You're busy taking care of them and they're busy discovering and exploring the world around them. But it is in the first five years that lifelong lessons are learned. In those first five years, kids learn how to behave, how to treat others, how to take care of themselves, and how to think for themselves, to name a few. And the tricky part is, as a parent you have no idea if what you're doing is right or good for that child until much later. In these first five years, you're operating on a hope and a prayer.
I've learned you don't do your child any favors by always coming to their rescue.
When a child blows it, they need to understand that they need to figure out what to do to solve their issue. I'm not suggesting that we let them suffer, but I am saying that they need to understand that the world will not bail them out. When they screw up, they need to fess up, correct the problem, make amends and move on. Too often parents become a lifelong crutch. In their desire to help, they become a hindrance.
I've learned that kids have to be taught how to work; how to complete a task and do a good job.
If kids are allowed to get away with doing half-ass work, they will grow up thinking that's good enough in school, at work, and in relationships. Kids have to be explicitly taught how to do a job and do it well. That begins with picking up their toys and cleaning their rooms. Simple things that have a lifelong impact.
I've learned that once your kids are grown, you have to step aside and let them live their lives.
And to me . . .
That's the hardest lesson of all.
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Ditch These Folks . . . Fast
From the Huffington Post -
10 Toxic People You Should Avoid Like The Plague
Quit trying to beat them at their own game.
Dr. Travis Bradberry
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/10-toxic-people-you-should-avoid-like-the-plague_us_591344f2e4b07e366cebb80e
10 Toxic People You Should Avoid Like The Plague
Quit trying to beat them at their own game.
Dr. Travis Bradberry
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/10-toxic-people-you-should-avoid-like-the-plague_us_591344f2e4b07e366cebb80e
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Still Happening
An excerpt from the Root -
Mass. Charter School Students Sent to Detention, Banned From Prom Because They Wear Braids
By Breanna Edwards
Why black hair in school environments is still an issue in this, the year of our Lord 2017, is beyond me. But here we are, yet again. This time, in an apparent sudden enforcement of the “rules,” black students at a charter school in Malden, Mass., have been subject to punishment over braids (yes, the same hairstyle almost every little black girl has had at least once). And parents are upset.
According to the Boston Globe, Colleen Cook, whose twin 15-year-old daughters, Deanna and Mya, attend the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School, have been subject to several detentions since last week and now could actually be suspended from school over their hairstyle.
http://www.theroot.com/mass-charter-school-students-sent-to-detention-banned-1795173513
Mass. Charter School Students Sent to Detention, Banned From Prom Because They Wear Braids
By Breanna Edwards
Why black hair in school environments is still an issue in this, the year of our Lord 2017, is beyond me. But here we are, yet again. This time, in an apparent sudden enforcement of the “rules,” black students at a charter school in Malden, Mass., have been subject to punishment over braids (yes, the same hairstyle almost every little black girl has had at least once). And parents are upset.
According to the Boston Globe, Colleen Cook, whose twin 15-year-old daughters, Deanna and Mya, attend the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School, have been subject to several detentions since last week and now could actually be suspended from school over their hairstyle.
http://www.theroot.com/mass-charter-school-students-sent-to-detention-banned-1795173513
Friday, May 12, 2017
We Need His Calmness Now More Than Ever
From the Huffington Post -
Happy Little You Can Now Surf Random Bob Ross Videos Online, Forever
You never have to choose between Bob Ross videos ever again.
By Priscilla Frank
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/random-bob-ross-videos_us_5914ce4ce4b0fe039b33549e?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
Happy Little You Can Now Surf Random Bob Ross Videos Online, Forever
You never have to choose between Bob Ross videos ever again.
By Priscilla Frank
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/random-bob-ross-videos_us_5914ce4ce4b0fe039b33549e?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
Patti's Cinnamon Crumb Cake Recipe
From Entertainment Weekly -
Celebrate Mother's Day with Patti LaBelle's cinnamon crumb cake
It’s soul sweetening
By RUTH KINANE
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1,1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. table salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
For the streusel topping:
1,1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
http://ew.com/books/2017/05/12/mothers-day-patti-labelle-cinnamon-crumb-cake-recipe/?xid=email-email-ewbooks-20170512PM-tout3
Celebrate Mother's Day with Patti LaBelle's cinnamon crumb cake
It’s soul sweetening
By RUTH KINANE
Ingredients:
For the cake:
1,1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. table salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup whole milk
For the streusel topping:
1,1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
http://ew.com/books/2017/05/12/mothers-day-patti-labelle-cinnamon-crumb-cake-recipe/?xid=email-email-ewbooks-20170512PM-tout3
President Rock?
An excerpt from GQ -
Dwayne Johnson for President!
BY CAITY WEAVER
The cold, hard truth is that if Donald Trump can be elected president, Dwayne Johnson can be elected president. Easily. He probably has better odds of winning an election than Trump, and Trump did win, so what does that tell you? If anything, Trump's election proved that celebrities can just dive right in—they don't even have to make a pit stop as governor of California before the presidency.
“If [becoming the president] is something he focused on,” says Ron Meyer, the NBCUniversal vice chairman, “he probably would accomplish it. I think there's nothing that he couldn't do.”
http://www.gq.com/story/dwayne-johnson-for-president-cover
Dwayne Johnson for President!
BY CAITY WEAVER
The cold, hard truth is that if Donald Trump can be elected president, Dwayne Johnson can be elected president. Easily. He probably has better odds of winning an election than Trump, and Trump did win, so what does that tell you? If anything, Trump's election proved that celebrities can just dive right in—they don't even have to make a pit stop as governor of California before the presidency.
“If [becoming the president] is something he focused on,” says Ron Meyer, the NBCUniversal vice chairman, “he probably would accomplish it. I think there's nothing that he couldn't do.”
http://www.gq.com/story/dwayne-johnson-for-president-cover
Unforgiven
http://www.salon.com/2017/05/12/watch-unforgiven-casts-spotlight-on-americas-6-1-million-forgotten-voters/?source=newsletter
Young, Gifted & Black 14-Year-Old Physics Graduate
From the Huffington Post -
This 14-Year-Old Is Already Graduating College With A Physics Degree
Oh, and his 11-year-old brother is also a freshman at the university.
By Lilly Workneh
While most 14-year-old students are about to enter high school, Carson Huey-You is ready to graduate from Texas Christian University with a physics degree.
Carson, who also completed a double minor in math and Chinese, enrolled in the school as a freshman at the age of 11 and is set to graduate Saturday.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/this-14-year-old-is-already-graduating-college-with-a-physics-degree_us_59148dcae4b066b421720e2f?kjh
This 14-Year-Old Is Already Graduating College With A Physics Degree
Oh, and his 11-year-old brother is also a freshman at the university.
By Lilly Workneh
While most 14-year-old students are about to enter high school, Carson Huey-You is ready to graduate from Texas Christian University with a physics degree.
Carson, who also completed a double minor in math and Chinese, enrolled in the school as a freshman at the age of 11 and is set to graduate Saturday.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/this-14-year-old-is-already-graduating-college-with-a-physics-degree_us_59148dcae4b066b421720e2f?kjh
Planet-Saving Inventions
From CNN -
5 cool inventions that could save the planet
By Tricia Escobedo
http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/11/tech/ecosolutions-5-ways-tech/index.html
5 cool inventions that could save the planet
By Tricia Escobedo
http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/11/tech/ecosolutions-5-ways-tech/index.html
Thursday, May 11, 2017
He's a Lousy Poker Player
From the NY Times -
The Easy Tells of Comey’s Canning
By Bret Stephens
Tell: After the president publicly impugned his own F.B.I. director, it meant Rosenstein’s memo was a pro forma, pretextual exercise.
Tell: When the president boasts about his great campaign, you know he’s less than sure about just how great it really was.
Tell: When the president calls news “fake” or a story “phony,” you know the truth quotient is likely to be high. And, again, you know he knows you know it.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/10/opinion/comey-firing-donald-trump.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region
The Easy Tells of Comey’s Canning
By Bret Stephens
Tell: After the president publicly impugned his own F.B.I. director, it meant Rosenstein’s memo was a pro forma, pretextual exercise.
Tell: When the president boasts about his great campaign, you know he’s less than sure about just how great it really was.
Tell: When the president calls news “fake” or a story “phony,” you know the truth quotient is likely to be high. And, again, you know he knows you know it.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/10/opinion/comey-firing-donald-trump.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region®ion=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region
Familiarity Breeds Contempt
I hope this is not true because if it is, he comes off as a first class jerk.
You decide.
http://www.thewrap.com/steve-harvey-bizarre-email-to-employees-do-not-open-my-dressing-room-door/
You decide.
http://www.thewrap.com/steve-harvey-bizarre-email-to-employees-do-not-open-my-dressing-room-door/
A Tough Job
An excerpt from the NY Times -
An Open Letter to the Deputy Attorney General
Rod Rosenstein has more authority than anyone else
to restore Americans’ confidence in their government.
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Dear Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein:
Few public servants have found themselves with a choice as weighty as yours, between following their conscience and obeying a leader trying to evade scrutiny — Elliot Richardson and William Ruckelshaus, who behaved nobly in Watergate, come to mind. You can add your name to this short, heroic list. Yes, it might cost you your job. But it would save your honor, and so much more besides.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/11/opinion/deputy-attorney-general-open-letter.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share&_r=0
An Open Letter to the Deputy Attorney General
Rod Rosenstein has more authority than anyone else
to restore Americans’ confidence in their government.
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Dear Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein:
Few public servants have found themselves with a choice as weighty as yours, between following their conscience and obeying a leader trying to evade scrutiny — Elliot Richardson and William Ruckelshaus, who behaved nobly in Watergate, come to mind. You can add your name to this short, heroic list. Yes, it might cost you your job. But it would save your honor, and so much more besides.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/11/opinion/deputy-attorney-general-open-letter.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share&_r=0
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Where There's Smoke, There's Fire
An excerpt from Salon -
Americans are witnessing a slow-motion coup
Rule of law be damned, President Trump was mad as hell and casting around looking for a reason to fire James Comey
By LUCIAN K. TRUSCOTT IV
How incredibly clueless is Trump that he would think this would work? Did he really expect them to endorse his obvious cover-up? Who came up with this insane strategy? Do they really think when the man who is under investigation fires the guy investigating him that people are going to buy it? Do they think nobody remembers when former President Richard Nixon fired the special prosecutor Archibald Cox? Watergate isn’t water under the bridge; it’s history. And there are still people in Washington who know that Archibald Cox wasn’t a character on “The Simpsons” and the night Nixon fired him was called the Saturday Night Massacre. Trump’s pathetic political naïveté is coming into focus. If this is his best game, it’s the fourth quarter: He’s down by double digits; he’s the quarterback and his name isn’t Brady.
http://www.salon.com/2017/05/10/americans-are-witnessing-a-slow-motion-coup/
Americans are witnessing a slow-motion coup
Rule of law be damned, President Trump was mad as hell and casting around looking for a reason to fire James Comey
By LUCIAN K. TRUSCOTT IV
How incredibly clueless is Trump that he would think this would work? Did he really expect them to endorse his obvious cover-up? Who came up with this insane strategy? Do they really think when the man who is under investigation fires the guy investigating him that people are going to buy it? Do they think nobody remembers when former President Richard Nixon fired the special prosecutor Archibald Cox? Watergate isn’t water under the bridge; it’s history. And there are still people in Washington who know that Archibald Cox wasn’t a character on “The Simpsons” and the night Nixon fired him was called the Saturday Night Massacre. Trump’s pathetic political naïveté is coming into focus. If this is his best game, it’s the fourth quarter: He’s down by double digits; he’s the quarterback and his name isn’t Brady.
http://www.salon.com/2017/05/10/americans-are-witnessing-a-slow-motion-coup/
A Damn Shame! 2
From CBS News & the Associated Press -
Tuskegee syphilis study descendants speak about tragedy, seek healing
Decades later, it's hard to grasp what the federal government did to hundreds of black men in rural Alabama. Especially if you're among their descendants, who continue to gather in memory of their fathers and grandfathers.
For 40 years starting in 1932, medical workers in the segregated South withheld treatment for unsuspecting men infected with a sexually transmitted disease simply so doctors could track the ravages of the horrid illness and dissect their bodies afterward.
Finally exposed in 1972, the study ended and the men sued, resulting in a $9 million settlement. Twenty years ago this May, then President Bill Clinton apologized for the U.S. government.
But it did not mark the end of the study's ugly legacy.
Relatives of the men still struggle with the stigma of being linked to the experiment, what's commonly known as the "Tuskegee Syphilis Study." For years they have met privately to share their pain and to honor the victims.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tuskegee-syphilis-study-descendants-speak-about-tragedy-call-for-action/
Tuskegee syphilis study descendants speak about tragedy, seek healing
Decades later, it's hard to grasp what the federal government did to hundreds of black men in rural Alabama. Especially if you're among their descendants, who continue to gather in memory of their fathers and grandfathers.
For 40 years starting in 1932, medical workers in the segregated South withheld treatment for unsuspecting men infected with a sexually transmitted disease simply so doctors could track the ravages of the horrid illness and dissect their bodies afterward.
Finally exposed in 1972, the study ended and the men sued, resulting in a $9 million settlement. Twenty years ago this May, then President Bill Clinton apologized for the U.S. government.
But it did not mark the end of the study's ugly legacy.
Relatives of the men still struggle with the stigma of being linked to the experiment, what's commonly known as the "Tuskegee Syphilis Study." For years they have met privately to share their pain and to honor the victims.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tuskegee-syphilis-study-descendants-speak-about-tragedy-call-for-action/
A Damn Shame!
From Reading Eagle -
AP WAS THERE: Black men untreated in Tuskegee Syphilis Study
By JEAN HELLER, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — EDITOR'S NOTE: On July 25, 1972, Associated Press reporter Jean Heller broke news that rocked the American medical establishment. The federal government, she reported, had let hundreds of black men in rural Alabama go untreated for syphilis for 40 years for research purposes. A public outcry ensued, and the "Tuskegee Syphilis Study" ended three months later. The men filed a lawsuit that resulted in a $9 million settlement, and then-President Bill Clinton formally apologized years later.
Still, the chilling effects of the study linger to this day — it's routinely cited as a reason some African-Americans are reluctant to participate in medical research, or even go to the doctor for routine check-ups.
http://www.readingeagle.com/ap/article/ap-was-there-black-men-untreated-in-tuskegee-syphilis-study
AP WAS THERE: Black men untreated in Tuskegee Syphilis Study
By JEAN HELLER, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — EDITOR'S NOTE: On July 25, 1972, Associated Press reporter Jean Heller broke news that rocked the American medical establishment. The federal government, she reported, had let hundreds of black men in rural Alabama go untreated for syphilis for 40 years for research purposes. A public outcry ensued, and the "Tuskegee Syphilis Study" ended three months later. The men filed a lawsuit that resulted in a $9 million settlement, and then-President Bill Clinton formally apologized years later.
Still, the chilling effects of the study linger to this day — it's routinely cited as a reason some African-Americans are reluctant to participate in medical research, or even go to the doctor for routine check-ups.
http://www.readingeagle.com/ap/article/ap-was-there-black-men-untreated-in-tuskegee-syphilis-study
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
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