From Essence -
Here's Everyone On The Black Billionaire List Now
THOUGH THERE ARE JUST 15 BLACK PEOPLE AMONG THE WORLD’S ESTIMATED 2,755 BILLIONAIRES, FORTUNATELY, THE LIST IS GROWING.
BY JASMINE BROWLEY
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| Rihanna (Getty Images) |
https://www.essence.com/news/money-career/black-billionaire-list-2021/
From Buzzfeed -
60 Pictures That Make Me Smile Uncontrollably No Matter How Many Times I've Seen Them
Can't stop smiling.
by Dave Stopera
https://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/60-wholesome-things
An excerpt from USA Today -
Rihanna officially becomes a billionaire: Forbes names her the 'richest female musician'
By Elise Brisco
 |
| Forbes has announced Rhianna as a billionaire with most of her worth coming from her Fenty brand. Roy Rochlin, Getty Images |
Rihanna shines bright like a diamond, or several diamonds: The multi-hyphenate star is now a billionaire.
Forbes announced Wednesday that Rihanna joins the ranks of Oprah Winfrey as one of the richest entertainers in the world. The publication estimates her net worth at $1.7 billion, with most of it coming from her cosmetic brand Fenty Beauty.
In lieu of another album – which fans are still waiting for – the singer-turned-entrepreneur, born Robyn Fenty, launched Fenty Beauty in 2017 in partnership with luxury goods conglomerate LVMH. The brand's launch focused on inclusivity with a then-unprecedented 40 shades of foundation, which prompted the "Fenty Effect" in which other brands expanded their shade ranges for complexion products. Now the brand covers everything under the sun of makeup, from brushes and blushes to lipsticks.
An excerpt from Deadline -
‘9-1-1’ Cast Gets Raises Ahead Of Season 5 With Angela Bassett Eyeing New Benchmark For Actresses Of Color
By Nellie Andreeva
 |
| Angela Bassett - 911 on FOX |
After lengthy negotiations for some, all series regulars on Fox’s flagship drama 9-1-1 have secured pay increases ahead of Season 5, I have learned.
Series star Angela Bassett led the way with a major bump that I hear takes her to north of $450,000 an episode. That is believed to be among the top salaries on network television for any actor — male or female — and could be the highest ever for an actress of color on a broadcast drama series.
For Oscar-nominated Bassett, it encompasses other services beyond acting. She was involved in the development of 9-1-1, whom Ryan Murphy created for her. She serves as an executive producer on 9-1-1 as well as spinoff 9-1-1: Lone Star.
https://deadline.com/2021/08/9-1-1-cast-raises-season-5-angela-bassett-deal-1234796117/
An excerpt from Newsonyx -
Henrietta Lacks’ Family Will Sue Pharmaceutical Companies Who’ve Gotten Rich From Her Cells
Her HeLa cells have been used in research for decades without consent.
By Aziah Kamariby
 |
| Photo Courtesy of Baltimore Magazine (Mike Morgan) |
The family of Henrietta Lacks has hired a prominent civil rights attorney, Ben Crump, who plans to seek compensation for them from big pharmaceutical companies across the country that have made fortunes off medical research with the use of Lacks’ famous cells.
On January 29, 1951, doctors at The Johns Hopkins Hospital took a biopsy from Henrietta Lacks, who had an aggressive form of cervical cancer.
She died eight months later, but the tissue was taken without her consent eventually established the cell line HeLa. The cells were the first immortal human cells to live outside of the body and be grown in culture.
For the next 70 years, cells taken from Lacks are the most widely used human cells in scientific research and helped lead to a multitude of medical treatments and advances, including the COVID-19 vaccine. However, neither Lacks nor her family gave consent.
Now, her descendants seek compensation from big pharmaceutical companies that profited from HeLa cells, and they hired the infamous Crump to help them do so.
An excerpt from Deadspin -
America is determined to focus on the white women’s Olympic team that’s losing, instead of the Black women’s Olympic team that always wins
Even on the world’s biggest stage, this country has no shame showing off its prejudices
By Carron J. Phillips
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| Where’s the love for Tina Charles and the U.S. Women’s hoops team that’s continuing their domination at the Olympics. Image: Getty Images |
From the Confederacy to Jim Kelly’s Buffalo Bills teams in the early ’90s, and even the consistent coverage of Donald Trump and his supporters, throughout history, America has proven that it’s fascinated with losers… who are white.
And while the U.S. National Women’s National Soccer Team is the furthest thing from ever being considered losers, the predominantly white squad is, in fact, losing. Their semifinal loss to Canada was their second of the tournament (Sweden). A gold medal is now out of the picture, as a bronze medal is the only thing they can win, but even that isn’t a guarantee.
“If I could just say something, I just think the players have a lot to look at ourselves about,” said Megan Rapinoe after her team’s loss to Canada. “It’s not like, ‘Oh, we didn’t play better,’ and getting on each other, but we need to perform better, period. We don’t have juice because the ball’s banging off our shins and we’re not finding open passes and doing the simple things.”
But do you know who is winning in the Olympics, as usual?
The predominantly Black U.S. National Women’s Basketball Team, which is going for its seventh consecutive gold medal. To date, the team has only lost four games in the Olympics since 1976, and they’ve been undefeated in Olympic play since the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. During that time, we’ve seen the men’s team stumble to a bronze, rebuild itself into a global power, and stumble again under coach Gregg Popovich. The women’s soccer team only has four gold medals since 1996, while the women’s basketball team is primed to win their seventh.
https://deadspin.com/america-is-determined-to-focus-on-the-white-women-s-oly-1847407798
From Blavity -
Oldest Living Tuskegee Airman Takes Grandson And Aspiring Aviator With Him On Flight
Who says 101-year-old can't have fun, too?
by Sìmone Stancil
The oldest living Tuskegee Airman Brigadier General Charles McGee, who is 101 years old, took flight last Sunday with a host of family members for the EAA AirVenture, one of the largest aviation events in the world.
“I’ve been here many, many times, but to get back here again as I approach 102 is marvelous,” McGee said at the event’s headquarters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Local 5 reported.
“Being able to come here and share with people that just like to look at airplanes or maybe kick the tires or maintain them, you can’t beat that,” he added.
McGee was joined on the flight by famous aviator Shaesta Waiz, who is known for piloting a single-engine aircraft across the globe in 2017, and his military pilot son, Ron McGee. Along with other family and friends, the 101-year-old’s great-grandson 15-year-old Lain Lanphier also joined on the journey from Dulles International Airport.
“It was an honor," Lanphier said. “I’ve never flown with him before, and although he’s very old, 102 almost, it’s amazing...he has a legacy to live up to and I strive to achieve that every day.”
The Tuskegee Airmen, given the title for training at the Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama, were the first Black aviators in the military serving under the U.S. Army Air Corps (AAC) in the early 1940s. Their contributions include flying more than 15,000 individual sorties in Europe and North Africa during World War II, earning them more than 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses. Ultimately, the airmen joined the U.S. Air Force, which inspired the integration of the U.S. military.
From ABC News -
Florida HBCU doles out $16 million to pay off student debt
Florida A&M University used federal money to help students.
By Ivan Pereira
 | ||
| Jeff Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, FILE | Florida A&M University entrance sign. |
Students at a historically Black college received a huge parting gift from their school during commencement ceremonies Saturday.
Larry Robinson, the president of Florida A&M University, announced the school spent over $16 million to cover fees, tuition and unpaid student account balances during the 2020-2021 school year.
"This is an indication of our commitment to student success and our hope that your time on the 'Hill' has been transformative as you take on the challenges of the day, go out and make a difference," he told the graduates.
The university was able to use money from the federal Cares Act, which provides COVID-19 relief to organizations, to pay for the students' costs.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/florida-hbcu-doles-16-million-pay-off-student/story?id=79205464
From CNN -
All the Black women in us are tired
Analysis by Lisa Respers France, CNN
 |
| Naomi Osaka, Simone Biles, and Sha'Carri Richardson |
(CNN)The other day I shared a meme that stoked a lot of emotion.
In it, there are pictures of three superstar athletes -- tennis player Naomi Osaka, gymnast Simone Biles and track and field sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson -- along with a sign that reads, "Y'all Not Gone Stress Us Out -- Black Women Everywhere."
They are women of color (Osaka has a Japanese mother and a Haitian father while Biles and Richardson are African American) and have made headlines recently due to decisions they made to support their mental health.
All three also have something in common which I very much understand -- the struggle women of color face in exercising self-care.
As I wrote in the caption of the meme I shared on Instagram, it's hard being a Black woman.
"We are supposed to save relationships, families, elections, communities, democracy and basically the world all while exhibiting "black girl magic," but y'all mad when we save ourselves?" I wrote. "Welcome to a new day."
https://www.cnn.com/2021/08/01/entertainment/biles-osaka-richardson-self-care/index.html
An excerpt from The Mirror -
Funeral 'crashers' actually quite common - and they have different reasons for doing it
It turns out that funeral crashers really do exist, whether they're hungry or just a tad lonely, they could be coming to a funeral near you
By Emily Sleight
You’ve heard of the film Wedding Crashers, right? To be honest, it’s a pretty good movie, and in some cases, they actually do exist. But, have you heard of funeral crashers?
Yes, you read that correctly. Individuals that turn up to funerals of people they don’t even know, just because...well, why not?
They are quite obviously known as ‘funeral crashers’ and there are actually many weird and wonderful reasons as to why people decide to get dressed up and attend a funeral of someone they don’t know.
Take Theresa Doyle for example, as reported by The Metro a few years back. This peckish funeral crasher in Slough made headlines for turning up at strangers' wakes, enjoying the free buffet, and taking anything else she fancied home in a Tupperware.
At the time, her neighbour said: “Theresa has been doing this for about 14 years now, but the bizarre thing is, she gate-crashes people's funerals and then is completely brash about it.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/funeral-crashers-actually-quite-common-24634130
An excerpt from Essence -
Alexia P. Hammonds Is The First Black Woman To Have A Hair Fragrance Manufactured In Grasse, France
GRASSE IS THE PERFUME CAPITAL OF THE WORLD.
By Brooklyn White
 |
| KELLY WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY |
Alexia P. Hammonds has made history.
Her hair fragrance, Eat.Sweat.Undress, launched in October 2020 and established her as the first Black woman to have a hair fragrance manufactured in Grasse, France, the world’s perfume capital. She’s ecstatic about breaking new ground.
“I love that. Like, no matter what happens or how I transition in my fragrance business, I love knowing that I’ll be able to tell my kids, mommy was the first Black woman to do something,” Hammond said to ESSENCE.
What makes her product unique is that in addition to freshening the hair, it nourishes as well, which is key when creating products with a range of hair types in mind. “I have two luxury haircare benefits in my hair perfume,” she said. “So I have keratin and…I have the highest percentage of fragrance oil and the least amount of ethanol alcohol, which is the safe alcohol to having in a hair product for your hair so it doesn’t dry it out.”
https://www.essence.com/beauty/alexia-hammonds-hair-fragrance-exclusive/
An excerpt from the Washington Post -
The world is about to meet sprinter Gabby Thomas. She’s ready to change it.
By Adam Kilgore
Gabby Thomas always has wanted more. Achievements other people dream about, she collects. Thomas may win a gold medal on the track at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and in her vision, that personal triumph would furnish only a portion of the grand gifts she wants to share. Thomas is one of the fastest women in the world. She also intends to change it. Her biography could be abridged to one word: “And.”
At last month’s U.S. Olympic trials in Oregon, Thomas was a revelation. Hoping to run 200 meters faster than 22 seconds for the first time, she sprinted halfway around the Hayward Field oval in 21.61 seconds, which made her the second-fastest woman ever at the distance. Thomas crossed the line with her hands above her head, unable to process what she had done. Only Florence Griffith Joyner had ever run faster, and she did so just twice.
And: As she became an elite sprinter, Thomas earned a Harvard degree in neurobiology. In her studies, she gained a deep understanding of the health-care disparities Black people confront in the United States. Her passion led her to enroll in a master’s program in public health with a focus on epidemiology at the University of Texas.
And: Thomas attends Texas not only for its academic offerings but also its proximity to the training group she joined with clear intent. The Buford Bailey Track Club is a group of Black women helmed by three-time Olympian Tonja Buford-Bailey. The skill of her coach and the shared experience of her partners empower her. “It’s given me a greater degree of comfort I haven’t had before,” Thomas said.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2021/07/30/gabby-thomas-200-meters-tokyo-olympics/
From Scary Mommy -
Rihanna Casts All-Black Motorcycle Crew For Her New Inclusive Fenty Line
by Maggie Clancy
 | |
| SAVAGE X FENTY LINGERIE BY RIHANNA/YouTube |
The new line is modeled by Caramel Curves, an all-Black women’s motorcycle gang
Any time we wonder if Rihanna can get any cooler, she does something like this. Her lingerie brand Savage X Fenty has always been size-inclusive (and gender-inclusive), but the multi-hyphenate has stepped up her game and just introduced a brand new line with over 100 pieces — all modeled by members of New Orleans motorcycle gang Caramel Curves. The motorcycle crew is comprised entirely of Black women who are mommas, small business owners, and overall badass babes that are community leaders.
From Black Enterprise -
A BLACK FATHER PENS A BOOK AND HIS 7-YEAR OLD SON IS THE ILLUSTRATOR
by Andrea Blackstone
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| Facebook – Booksbybalas |
A father and son team in Oakland, Ca. took the initiative to joyfully deviate from what is typically said about Black boys being disinterested in books.
Omar Bala noticed that his son, Khalil Bala showed an aptitude for creating cartoon characters as early as four years old. Omar ultimately assisted Khalil to publish his illustrated work in their two books, “Why Dogs Chase Cats” and “The Lost Baby Spinosaurus,” according to BlackNews.com.
“I tell Khalil all the time, you’re an artist. Whatever you do and whatever people may say, don’t ever stop drawing,” Omar told BlackNews.com. “I know if he sees his work in a book, that will drive his pursuit to chase his dream in the art industry.”
An excerpt from Black Enterprise -
A BLACK-OWNED BABY SHOE BRAND FOUNDER LANDS A PARTNERSHIP WITH NEIMAN MARCUS
by Andrea Blackstone
 |
| Yolandra Rodgers (Photo BlackNews) |
Toddlers deserve to wear good-looking, comfortable shoes, just like adults do.
With this in mind, Yolandra Rodgers—the founder and CEO of Tippy Tot Shoes—landed a partnership with Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman stores, according to BlackNews.com. Both Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman are high-end retail brands under the Neiman Marcus Group brand, according to the company’s website.
In 2013, Rodgers started Tippy Tot Shoes after realizing that toddlers, who were beginning to become mobile, were in need of baby shoes offering superb construction, and a cozy feel to promote their ability to take better strides in getting around, BlackNews.com reported.
After “scaling up,” by participating in a FedEx Small Business Competition to raise awareness of brands and help underserved communities see sustainable business growth, Rodgers kept pushing to expand her enterprise. She also sold her shoe brand online, while spreading the message that today’s toddlers who are learning to step confidently can do so with much happier feet.
From Buzzfeed -
People Are Pointing Out Signs That Someone Was Raised Poorly, And There Are No Lies Detected
"The way they argue. If it's an endless shouting match with no chance for the opposing party to speak, it's a good sign they were spoiled."
by Morgan Sloss
https://www.buzzfeed.com/morgansloss1/signs-that-someone-was-raised-poorly-reddit
From Black Enterprise -
USING HER MAGIC: 10-YEAR-OLD GIRL CREATES BROWN SKIN CRAYON LINE PROMOTING SKIN TONE DIVERSITY
by Andrea Blackstone
 | |
| Bellen Woodard started an art-focused product line after she was inspired to give away art kits which made all kids feel represented through crayon colors beyond only peach. Facebook- Bellen's More than Peach Project |
A skin-colored crayon could turn out to be just about any hue, since the world is made up of diverse shades of people.
That’s exactly the point that Bellen Woodard was trying to make to her classmates, when they asked for the “skin color” crayon to be handed to them — but they wanted a peach-colored crayon since they were white, according to The Washington Post.
The spunky kid took issue with a peach-colored crayon being the go-to skin color, especially since it didn’t match the beautiful brown-skinned girl.
So Bellen, along with the support of her mom, started selling a host of products through an art-infused line called More Than Peach. Bellen’s crayon company has blossomed into a mission that has the young activist hosting a series of events which fueled a conversation around equity and diversity.
More Than Peach was created in spring 2019 by then an 8-year-old Bellen to “get multicultural crayons in the hands of every student and every classroom,” according to information that was provided on Bellen’s website.
An excerpt from PilotOnline -
“Just smiling the whole way”: Navy mom, daughter get rare chance to serve on same ship
By DAVE RESS
 |
| Master Chief Tanya McCray and daughter Seaman Racquel McCray have a rare opportunity to serve on the same ship, USS Gerald R. Ford. |
Over nearly 30 years in the Navy, Master Chief Tanya McCray had to be apart from her two daughters and sailor husband, Sheridan, plenty of times — but this month, she’s had a chance to do her job at sea alongside her oldest daughter.
Over nearly 30 years in the Navy, Master Chief Tanya McCray had to be apart from her two daughters and sailor husband, Sheridan, plenty of times — but this month, she’s had a chance to do her job at sea alongside her oldest daughter.
Racquel McCray, who just joined the Navy and picked the same specialty her mother did, has been temporarily assigned to her ship for some at-sea training.
Tanya McCray is the leading chief petty officer of USS Gerald R. Ford’s supply department — the group that makes sure there’s food for the ship’s company, that they are paid, that the spare parts are at hand and that the laundries, barbering and recreation facilities needed to help keep the crew healthy and happy are working properly.
She’s proud that her daughter picked the Navy and picked her specialty, after going to college.
https://www.pilotonline.com/military/dp-nw-navy-mom-daughter-20210725-ezmkg6xihrbynakdi7ws4oroca-story.html
From the New York Times -
She Changed Astronomy Forever. He Won the Nobel Prize For It.
In 1967, Jocelyn Bell Burnell made an astounding discovery.
But as a young woman in science, her role was overlooked.
By Ben Proudfoot
Featuring Jocelyn Bell Burnell
In 1967, Burnell made a discovery that altered our perception of the universe. As a Ph.D. student at Cambridge University assisting the astronomer Anthony Hewish, she discovered pulsars — compact, spinning celestial objects that give off beams of radiation, like cosmic lighthouses. (A visualization of some early pulsar data is immortalized as the album art for Joy Division’s “Unknown Pleasures.”)
But as the short documentary above shows, the world wasn’t yet ready to accept that a breakthrough in astrophysics could have come from a young woman.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/27/opinion/pulsars-jocelyn-bell-burnell-astronomy.html?referringSource=articleShare
From the Houston Chronicle -
87 percent of orthopedic surgeons are white. This Baylor doctor is working to diversify his field.
By Julie Garcia
| Contributed/Baylor College of Medicine |
No one would make eye contact with Dr. Brian Nwannunu.
“A few of my rotations, the general culture and underlying message was, ‘We don’t want anyone that doesn’t look like us,’” said Nwannunu, an adult-reconstruction fellow in orthopedics at Baylor College of Medicine. “They don’t feel like they can relate to you. They would shun me. Active teaching residents wouldn’t look at me and only talk to other students. I knew I wasn’t wanted.”
Nwannunu, 34, has wanted to be an orthopedic surgeon since he injured his ankle playing basketball in high school. He remembers eyeing the sports memorabilia on the wall and thinking how different the orthopedist’s office was compared to his pediatrician’s. His interest was piqued.
While the Dallas native was navigating internships during his time at Howard University and Georgetown University, he felt his experience of being “othered” wasn’t isolated only to him. Throughout his residencies, he worked with practicing orthopedic surgeons who said they wanted to promote diversity and inclusion. But they were all white and all male, he remembered.
“When you talk to them, it was evident they didn’t want someone here who was different,” he said. “It’s not that we’re not applying.”
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/lifestyle/renew-houston/health/article/Eighty-seven-percent-of-orthopedic-surgeons-are-16336103.php#photo-21272136
From LAD Bible -
Bartender Explains What An 'Angel Shot' Is And How It Could Save Someone's Life
By Rebecca Shepherd
 |
| An example of a sign explaining angel shots in the ladies' bathroom at a pub. Credit: Instagram |
A bartender has revealed a subtle but potentially live-saving way you can ask a member of staff for help if you're in a position where you feel like you could be in danger. Watch him explain below:
TikTok user Benji Spears (@Benjispears) shared the code word, which has a few variations, and explained it will alert bartenders to what's going on or, more specifically, what you want them to do.
Benji, who works as a bartender in Los Angeles, re-enacted a time when someone might use the code and specifically pointed out a woman on a date looking uncomfortable.
He goes over to make sure the pair are OK and the woman orders an 'angel shot' then adds that she wants it 'with lime'.
Benji then shouts over to a manager and tells him that they are going to do angel shots with lime, focusing on the lime a few times. Turns out that it's because the lime part is telling the member of staff to call the police.
All of the variations are:
This week, Black women were named to run Texas' two largest newspapers. Congrats to @KatriceRHardy and @dallasnews… https://t.co/KxPPMA68jm
— Sewell Chan (@sewellchan) July 21, 2021
From Rawstory -
Megyn Kelly brutally flattened by MSNBC host for trying to 'crawl her way back into social relevance'
By Bob Brigham
Bob Brigham.@TiffanyDCross has a message for Queen of The Karens, @MegynKelly. #CrossConnection pic.twitter.com/BLy7sGBTwA
— The Cross Connection with Tiffany Cross (@CrossConnection) July 24, 2021
https://www.rawstory.com/megyn-kelly-naomi-osaka-2653939157/
From Wide Open Country -
Stagecoach Mary: The Ultimate Montana Badass
BY EMILY MACK
 |
| Wikipedia Commons/Public Domain |
"Born a slave somewhere in Tennessee, Mary lived to become one of the freest souls ever to draw a breath, or a .38," the actor Gary Cooper wrote of Mary Fields -- a.k.a. Stagecoach Mary -- for an EBONY profile 1959. Mary was a Western inspiration to the Classical Hollywood performer. And it's easy to see why. Mary embodied the traits of bravery and independence which defined the American frontier. She was, famously, the first African American woman to carry mail for the U.S. Postal Service. And at the time of her historic route, Mary was already sixty years old!
https://www.wideopencountry.com/stagecoach-mary/
From Buzzfeed -
This Director Is Going Viral For Showing People How Certain Scenes From Films And TV Commercials Are Made And It's Truly Wild
by Krista Torres
https://www.buzzfeed.com/kristatorres/behind-the-scenes-tv-film-secrets-tiktok@davidwma Reply to @sorencopper Today’s FilmTok Lesson: “Eat-Acting” #behindthescenes #foodstyling #film #filmtok #learnontiktok
♬ Spongebob - Dante9k
From VegNews -
THERE’S NOW A BLACK MARKET FOR TABITHA BROWN’S MCCORMICK SUNSHINE SEASONING
The going rate for vegan influencer Tabitha Brown’s popular McCormick seasoning—which sold out in 39 minutes—is more than $120 per two-pack.
by ANNA STAROSTINETSKAYA
On July 8, vegan influencer Tabitha Brown released her limited-edition Sunshine All Purpose Seasoning in partnership with spice brand McCormick—which promptly sold out of the salt-free spice blend in 39 minutes. McCormick plans to restock Brown’s seasoning in the fall but in the meantime, a black market of sorts is forming to bring fans the in-demand seasoning. On Ebay, several listings for the seasoning are currently live, with some bids reaching upwards of $120 for a two-pack of the spice blend. The lowest starting bid for the seasoning pack is currently $14.94. However, that listing comes with a $69.00 shipping fee, putting the price astronomically higher than the seasoning’s original price of $14.95 per pack of two.
For those that can get their hands on Sunshine seasoning, on the black market or otherwise, Brown developed several recipes to showcase its summery Caribbean-inspired flavor profile, including Sunshine Shick’n (shiitake mushroom-based vegan chicken stir-fry coated with a sweet and savory sauce); Maple Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges; and Chicky Farro Bowl (farro bowl topped with roasted chickpeas coated in Sunshine Seasoning).
https://vegnews.com/2021/7/tabitha-brown-mccormick-sunshine-seasoning
From Buzzfeed -
People Are Calling Out The Most "Overrated" Cities They've Visited, And There Were Some Big Surprises
Paris is so underwhelming to some tourists that they literally named a syndrome after it.
by Stephen LaConte
A viral thread on Reddit has people calling out the most overrated cities they've visited or lived in — and y'all, all I can say is I'm very sorry if your hometown is on this list. (Mine is!)
1. "Las Vegas. I once ordered four drinks and my tab was $117. Then there’s the heat. And the noise. And the creepy men lingering, well, everywhere."
 |
| Myloupe / Universal Images Group via Getty Images |
3. "Dubai. It's the clickbait of the world. 'We have the biggest/tallest/most expensive...' and 'YOU WON'T BELIEVE when you see THIS...' It's hot as fuck, everything's a man-made tourist trap, labor exploitation and racism are rampant, and they try so hard to prove to the world how modern and Westernized they are. Really, it's just government propaganda."
 |
| Tom Dulat / Getty Images |
https://www.buzzfeed.com/stephenlaconte/most-overrated-ciites-reddit
From Hunker -
What It Means if You See a Blue Porch in the South
By ANNA GRAGERT
When it comes to blue porch ceilings, you'll typically find them in the American South. Why? This design choice comes from a Gullah Geechee tradition that was started around 200 years ago.
According to the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission, the Gullah Geechee people are "descendants of Africans who were enslaved on the rice, indigo, and Sea Island cotton plantations of the lower Atlantic coast." Because of their location on island and coastal plantations, the Gullah Geechee developed their own distinct culture with West African roots.
Part of the Gullah Geechee culture involved folklore believing that ghosts called "haints" were unable to cross over water. So, to keep evil haints away from their homes, the Gullah Geechee began painting their front porch ceilings blue as a way to recreate the color of water. This color became known as "haint blue," according to Taste of Home, and many would also use it to paint their doors and windows.
https://www.hunker.com/13767522/what-means-blue-porch-south
From the Hollywood Reporter -
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Let Athletes Lead the Way on Mental Health
Instead of demanding perfection from sports stars who get candid about their health, viewers should admire their perseverance — and take cues from their coping skills.
BY KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR
 |
| Kevin Love, Naomi Osaka and Michael Phelps. MICHAEL REAVES/GETTY IMAGES; MARK BRAKE/GETTY IMAGES; LIONEL BONAVENTURE/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES |
When four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka dropped out of the French Open and Wimbledon because of anxiety and depression associated with compulsory press interviews, many fans were shocked at her bold confession. While most professional athletes rallied to support her “bravery,” some critics dismissed the player, who will represent Japan at the Tokyo Olympics, as a “diva” and “narcissistic.” The same thing happened in 2018 when NBA star Kevin Love wrote an essay in The Players’ Tribune about his anxiety and depression despite his fear that others, especially his teammates, would see it as a “form of weakness that could derail my success in sports.”
Within the past few years, dozens of celebrities and athletes — among them Adele, Britney Spears, Demi Lovato, Beyoncé, Miley Cyrus, Emma Stone, DeMar DeRozan, Michael Phelps and Dwayne Johnson — have openly discussed their struggles with mental health. Richard Sherman, arrested July 14 after his family called 911 during a domestic incident where he threatened to harm himself, promised to get “the help I need” in an Instagram post.
Yet the stigma of somehow being damaged, tainted, a diva or unable to perform lingers because the public perception is that, unlike with a sprained ankle, people can’t heal from or cope with mental health issues. They forget that these people have been dealing with these challenges at the same time they’ve risen to elite athlete or star celebrity status. Rather than cautionary examples of weakness, they are often models of strength and perseverance.
~~~~~~~~~~
The problem is the desire for the public to hold up performing artists and athletes as paragons of perfection and then punish them when they are anything less. They see mental health issues as a character issue — to suffer is to be weak. This despite the statistics: one in four adults and one in five teens experiences a diagnosable mental disorder. Rather, the public should admire public figures’ perseverance and character strength for all they’ve accomplished despite their challenges — and learn coping skills from them. Actually, it’s a reflection of our own character whether we choose to be supportive or derisive, because that reflects either our capacity for compassion — or the depth of our own personal fears.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/kareem-athletes-mental-health1234985129-1234985129/
From Hypebeast -
The Antetokounmpo Siblings Become First Brother Trio to All Win NBA Championships
Back-to-back NBA champs.
By Joyce Li
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| Joe Scarnici/Getty Images |
The Milwaukee Bucks have officially claimed the title as the 2021 NBA Champions, giving brothers Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo their first championship ring in the league. The two siblings are now on the same level as younger brother Kostas Antetokounmpo, who previously won the 2020 NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. The historical feat marks the first trio of brothers in the NBA to all win a league title.
Post-championship game, Giannis said during an on-court interview, “A lot of people was making jokes last year when Kostas won his championship with the Lakers. Obviously at the dinner table it was awkward a little bit because he had the ring before me. But now me and Thanasis have ours. But now me and Thanasis have the ring too, so we’re happy.”
https://hypebeast.com/2021/7/antetokounmpo-siblings-first-brother-trio-all-win-nba-championshipsGiannis' reaction to him, Thanasis and Kostas all being NBA champs 🥺❤️ pic.twitter.com/njD2vxW8pa
— ESPN (@espn) July 21, 2021
From the Irish Mirror -
Olympics 2021: Huge amount of goodwill for Ireland's Olympians after classy gesture during opening ceremony
Aren't we a great bunch altogether?
BY DAVID KENT
The whole Irish team bowed in unison towards the Japanese welcoming party in what was a lovely nod to the different culture they are immersed in for the duration of these Games.
And that gesture in particular has got huge praise online.
You have done us proud @Kelly64kg @weerooster @TeamIreland @PattyFblp 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/Y30u9XWSu4
— Team Ireland (@TeamIreland) July 23, 2021
https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/olympics-2021-huge-amount-goodwill-24604744.amp
I just pulled my car over, and served these girls 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/cBLjrQ7o6A
— Julian King (@itsjulianking) July 19, 2021
From HuffPost -
Eric Clapton Says He Won’t Perform Where Vaccine Is Required, Gets Feedback
“I reserve the right to cancel the show,” the “Tears in Heaven” singer wrote in defiance of Boris Johnson’s vaccination order.
By Ron Dicker
Veteran rocker Eric Clapton declared Wednesday he would not perform where proof of vaccination is required, defying U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s order on large indoor gatherings.
Britain, where the delta variant of COVID-19 is threatening pandemic recovery, eased coronavirus restrictions this week. But Johnson said nightclubs and concert venues must require verification of inoculation status.
Eric Clapton: “I won’t perform on any stage where there is a discriminated audience present.”
— Tony Rossi (@toeknee_rawsee) July 21, 2021
Also Eric Clapton: pic.twitter.com/LgPjGTe8Fs
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/eric-clapton-vaccine-concert_n_60f92b68e4b0ddf0097ba9de?ncid=NEWSSTAND0001I'm sure Eric Clapton and all the Republicans claiming it’s their right not to prove they’re vaccinated in a pandemic—because of “liberty”—won't mind the people serving their food in restaurants deciding not to wash their hands after using the restroom—because of “freedom.” https://t.co/JaLNLr942V
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) July 21, 2021
From HuffPost -
Watch This Viral TikTok Singer Blow Minds In The Most Unexpected Place
Bear Bailey had given up on his dream of being a singer. Then TikTok and his local gas station changed everything.
By Josephine Harvey
At age 33, Bear Bailey thought his dream of being a singer was dead. Then TikTok and his local gas station helped bring it back to life.
Bailey has gained more than a million TikTok followers in less than two weeks since he started posting videos from the Super Serve station near his home in Houma, Louisiana. In the viral clips, the cashiers make song requests and Bailey serenades them at the checkout counter, provoking heartwarming (and often hilarious) reactions from surprised shoppers around the store.
“Bear! I’ve been waiting for you,” cashier Melissa McGee, known to locals as Mama, shouts in one clip as Bailey walks in and breaks out into a cover of John Legend’s “All of Me.”
@bearbailey1 All Of Me by @johnlegendofficial #cover #foryou #foryoupage #tiktok #adayinmylife TikTok muted the sound on last one! #viral #letsgo #tag him yall!
♬ original sound - Bear Bailey
@bearbailey1 Night shift by the ##commodores ##cover ##foryou ##foryoupage ##adayinmylife ##gasstation ##letmeknow ##unity
♬ original sound - Bear Bailey
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tiktok-singer-bear-bailey-gas-station_n_60f76b4ce4b0d1bafbf83b00
From Readers Digest -
If You Have This at Home, You’re Losing out on $264
By Carrie Madormo
Anyone up for making a quick $200? Go ahead and sell these items you aren't even using. We'll show you how!
When was the last time you upgraded your smartphone, tablet, or laptop? OK, now try to remember what you did with your old tech once the shiny new products arrived. Chances are, you stuffed them in the kitchen junk drawer or in the basement—where they’re now collecting dust. Yep, that’s what most of us do…because we don’t know what to do. We can’t just throw them away, and we’re not sure how to recycle them. Luckily, there’s a third option, and it comes with cash. Selling your old tech items is a way to give them new life while clearing out your clutter and making some extra money.
According to Decluttr.com, the average American household has about $264 worth of old tech items just sitting around. It can feel intimidating to jump in and start selling those items, though. We sat down with Decluttr CMO Liam Howley to learn the fastest, easiest ways to start cashing in on your old tech.
https://www.rd.com/article/old-tech-thats-worth-money/
From The Nation -
Our ‘Racial Reckoning’ Is Turning Out to Be a White Lie
Black demands for full citizenship are being treated as entitlement and calls for racial accountability redefined as white persecution.
By Kali Holloway
With inevitable regularity, racial injustice and violence lead to moments of national conflict when even white Americans can no longer ignore the issue. And just as inevitably, instead of addressing this country’s pervasive racism and anti-Blackness, white Americans locate the problem somewhere within Black people themselves.
We’re in yet another of those moments, as last summer’s promised “racial reckoning” turns out to be a white lie. Black demands for full citizenship and equality are being treated as entitlement, calls for white racial accountability redefined as white persecution, and anti-racism falsely construed as anti-whiteness. To reestablish unchallenged white dominance, a movement of white resistance, or anti-anti-racism, is working tirelessly to blot out what it sees as a problematic presence—purging Black folks from democracy by stripping voting rights, erasing Black struggle from history by banning the teaching of slavery and its legacy, and prohibiting protest that threatens the white supremacist status quo.
We can be shocked, but certainly not surprised. This nation has a long history of counterbalancing any move toward Black liberation with the insistence that Black existence is better wholly removed or more tightly controlled. In an 1814 missive addressing the prospect of African American emancipation, Thomas Jefferson advocated for Black expatriation to another country, contending that without the yoke of slavery around their necks, African Americans were “pests in society.” Abraham Lincoln, even as he drafted the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, told a delegation of Black leaders invited to the White House that “your race suffer very greatly…by living among us, while ours suffer from your presence,” and placed the blame for “white men cutting one another’s throats” on Black folks requesting equality, claiming “but for your race among us there could not be war.” Lincoln suggested the solution was for Black people to “sacrifice something of your present comfort” by picking up stakes and relocating abroad, an idea the president would support until days before his assassination.
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/black-lives-matter-backlash-2/
He's 6'5! But Charles Barkley makes the Rock look small, and Shaq makes him look like a shrimp! pic.twitter.com/xjogU83L51
— JustLizzy🖤🤍💜 (@LustJizzy) July 17, 2021
From Black Enterprise -
MEET 107-YEAR-OLD EDITH RENFROW SMITH: THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO GRADUATE FROM GRINNELL COLLEGE IN IOWA
by Andrea Blackstone
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| Edith Renfrow Smith, left, was the first Black woman to graduate from Grinnell College. Facebook - Bethany Retirement Community |
