An excerpt from USA Today -
Detroit priest removed for abusing girl now works with pregnant teens
A Catholic priest removed from churches in metro Detroit after he was accused of sexually abusing a teenager is now the development director of a new Catholic center in Eastpointe he cofounded that counsels pregnant teenagers, prompting calls for him to step down.
The Rev. Kenneth Kaucheck, 69, was banned from public ministry by the Archdiocese of Detroit in 2009 after church officials determined he had sexual misconduct in the 1970s with a 16-year-old girl he was counseling as a priest.
Kaucheck is now a director at the Gianna House Pregnancy and Parenting Residence, next to St. Veronica Catholic Church in Eastpointe. Opened last year in a former convent, the center takes in teenagers and young women who are pregnant, assisting them and any children they might later have.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/05/09/detroit-priest-removed-abusing-girl-now-works-pregnant-teens/84158910/
Monday, May 9, 2016
Heaven Help Us
From USA Today -
In a new survey of American military personnel, Donald Trump emerged as active-duty service members' preference to become the next U.S. president, topping Hillary Clinton by more than a 2-to-1 margin. However, in the latest Military Times election survey, more than one in five troops said they’d rather not vote in November if they have to choose between just those two candidates.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/05/09/troops-prefer-trump/84157670/
In a new survey of American military personnel, Donald Trump emerged as active-duty service members' preference to become the next U.S. president, topping Hillary Clinton by more than a 2-to-1 margin. However, in the latest Military Times election survey, more than one in five troops said they’d rather not vote in November if they have to choose between just those two candidates.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/05/09/troops-prefer-trump/84157670/
Shocking, But It Shouldn't Be
An excerpt from The New York Times -
The last time a white person in Louisiana was executed for a crime against a black person was in 1752, when a soldier named Pierre Antoine Dochenet was hanged after attempting to stab two enslaved black women to death with his bayonet.
This is just one of many grim facts in a new report describing the history of capital punishment in Louisiana and analyzing the outcome of every death sentence imposed in that state since 1976, when the Supreme Court reversed its brief moratorium on executions and allowed them to resume.
Racism has always been at the heart of the American death penalty. But the report, in the current issue of The Journal of Race, Gender, and Poverty, drives home the extent to which capital punishment, supposedly reserved for the “worst of the worst,” is governed by skin color.
In Louisiana, a black man is 30 times as likely to be sentenced to death for killing a white woman as for killing a black man. Regardless of the offender’s race, death sentences are six times as likely — and executions 14 times as likely — when the victim is white rather than black.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/09/opinion/louisianas-color-coded-death-penalty.html?ribbon-ad-idx=6&rref=opinion&module=Ribbon&version=context®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&pgtype=article
Louisiana’s Color-Coded Death Penalty
The last time a white person in Louisiana was executed for a crime against a black person was in 1752, when a soldier named Pierre Antoine Dochenet was hanged after attempting to stab two enslaved black women to death with his bayonet.
This is just one of many grim facts in a new report describing the history of capital punishment in Louisiana and analyzing the outcome of every death sentence imposed in that state since 1976, when the Supreme Court reversed its brief moratorium on executions and allowed them to resume.
Racism has always been at the heart of the American death penalty. But the report, in the current issue of The Journal of Race, Gender, and Poverty, drives home the extent to which capital punishment, supposedly reserved for the “worst of the worst,” is governed by skin color.
In Louisiana, a black man is 30 times as likely to be sentenced to death for killing a white woman as for killing a black man. Regardless of the offender’s race, death sentences are six times as likely — and executions 14 times as likely — when the victim is white rather than black.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/09/opinion/louisianas-color-coded-death-penalty.html?ribbon-ad-idx=6&rref=opinion&module=Ribbon&version=context®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Opinion&pgtype=article
What Have They Done?
An excerpt from The New York Times -
G.O.P. Has Only Itself to Blame
Charles M. Blow
The Republican Party is trapped between a rock and huckster.
Now that all of their other presidential candidates have dropped out of the race, Donald Trump is the last demagogue standing. He is their presumptive nominee. Their party belongs to him. It’s a YUUGE … disaster.
Now the few remaining serious folks in that party have to make a decision: support this man who, if current trends in polling hold, is likely to lose the general election by an overwhelming margin (and likely do even more damage to the party brand and hurt the chances of down-ballot candidates), or they can … wait, they don’t really have another option other than to sit out this cycle and pretend that their party hasn’t gone stark raving mad.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/09/opinion/gop-has-only-itself-to-blame.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
G.O.P. Has Only Itself to Blame
Charles M. Blow
The Republican Party is trapped between a rock and huckster.
Now that all of their other presidential candidates have dropped out of the race, Donald Trump is the last demagogue standing. He is their presumptive nominee. Their party belongs to him. It’s a YUUGE … disaster.
Now the few remaining serious folks in that party have to make a decision: support this man who, if current trends in polling hold, is likely to lose the general election by an overwhelming margin (and likely do even more damage to the party brand and hurt the chances of down-ballot candidates), or they can … wait, they don’t really have another option other than to sit out this cycle and pretend that their party hasn’t gone stark raving mad.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/09/opinion/gop-has-only-itself-to-blame.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
A 6'8" Superstar in the Water
An excerpt from The New York Times -
At 16, Reece Whitley Stands Tall in and Out of Water
Whitley will compete this week at the Atlanta Classic at Georgia Tech, a three-day competition starting Friday that is akin to a midterm. It will give Whitley a better idea of where his swimming stands heading into the United States Olympic trials in late June in Omaha.
There is so much more than meets the eye to the 6-foot-8 Whitley, an African-American in a sport that is becoming more diverse. The 2012 United States Olympic swim team included three black swimmers — Anthony Ervin, Cullen Jones and Lia Neal — all of whom will vie for spots on the 2016 squad. Last year, Neal helped make N.C.A.A. history in the 100-yard freestyle at the Division I championships, finishing second behind her Stanford teammate Simone Manuel and ahead of Florida’s Natalie Hinds in the first 1-2-3 finish by black competitors.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/10/sports/at-16-reece-whitley-stands-tall-in-and-out-of-water.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=photo-spot-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
At 16, Reece Whitley Stands Tall in and Out of Water
 |
There is so much more than meets the eye to the 6-foot-8 Whitley, an African-American in a sport that is becoming more diverse. The 2012 United States Olympic swim team included three black swimmers — Anthony Ervin, Cullen Jones and Lia Neal — all of whom will vie for spots on the 2016 squad. Last year, Neal helped make N.C.A.A. history in the 100-yard freestyle at the Division I championships, finishing second behind her Stanford teammate Simone Manuel and ahead of Florida’s Natalie Hinds in the first 1-2-3 finish by black competitors.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/10/sports/at-16-reece-whitley-stands-tall-in-and-out-of-water.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=photo-spot-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0
Another View
An excerpt from Very Smart Brothas -
http://verysmartbrothas.com/darth-becky-with-the-good-hair-and-the-not-so-good-understanding-of-math-is-the-real-terrorist/
~~~~~~~~~~~
This references an earlier post entitled, "Profiling Gone Wrong . . . Again."
FEATURED, RACE & POLITICS
DARTH BECKY WITH THE GOOD HAIR AND THE NOT-SO-GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF MATH IS THE REAL TERRORIST
Last week, when explaining the history, etymology, and context behind “Becky,” I referred to Iggy Azelea as Darth Becky. Which A) she is (duh) and B) was one of those jokes that wasn’t really a joke. Because she’s not the only one. There really are swarms of Darth-ass Beckys out there — stealing swag, taking up sidewalk space, sabotaging conversations with strategic tears, ruining office potlucks with cucumber casseroles, and tattle telling to human resources because you put a period after the “Good morning” you replied to her “Good morning!” email instead of an exclamation point and she was hurt and threatened by that — and they really do need to be stopped. And they need to be acknowledged as what they are. Terrorists.
Perhaps this characterization seems harsh, but there’s no other way to describe their knack of using their Whitewomanness — and the sympathy and consideration they’re often given for merely possessing it — as a means to infiltrate, disrupt, and manipulate. For instance, let’s consider what happened to University of Pennsylvania economics professor Guido Menzio for having the misfortune of sitting next to the Darthest of Beckys on a plane.
http://verysmartbrothas.com/darth-becky-with-the-good-hair-and-the-not-so-good-understanding-of-math-is-the-real-terrorist/
~~~~~~~~~~~
This references an earlier post entitled, "Profiling Gone Wrong . . . Again."
Hide & Seek Kitties
From Mashable -
16 cats that are absolutely terrible at hide-and-seek
Number 10 is my favorite.
Can you find Number 16?
http://mashable.com/2016/05/08/cats-hide-and-seek/?utm_cid=mash-com-social-huffpo-partner#VSYQO3xFZEq2
16 cats that are absolutely terrible at hide-and-seek
Number 10 is my favorite.
Can you find Number 16?
http://mashable.com/2016/05/08/cats-hide-and-seek/?utm_cid=mash-com-social-huffpo-partner#VSYQO3xFZEq2
Catching Up
With the cast of The Wire.
From The Root -
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/the_wire_the_ultimate_where_are_they_now.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
~~~~~~~~~~
Season 4 is hands down the most accurate portrayal of many inner city educational systems in America.
From The Root -
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/the_wire_the_ultimate_where_are_they_now.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
~~~~~~~~~~
Season 4 is hands down the most accurate portrayal of many inner city educational systems in America.
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Diva?
From the Root -
Lauryn Hill Shows Up Late For Concert Again, Dragged (and Defended) on Twitter
The hip-hop icon started her Atlanta show more than two hours late on Friday and set off a conversation on the merits of her career the next day.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2016/05/lauryn_hill_shows_up_late_for_concert_again_dragged_on_twitter.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
~~~~~~~~~~
This is me y'all.
Over two hours late?
Who does she think she is?
This behavior screams, "I'm more important than you. My time is more valuable than yours."
But mostly it screams, "What the heck?" (Not my first choice of words here).
Some folks are giving her a pass by saying she's an artist, and her artistic expressions can't be rushed or be bothered by the constraints of time.
No, what this is, more than anything, is business; or in this case, bad business.
Although this behavior is not new for her, it certainly doesn't excuse it. The fans that remain in her corner should know that by now.
They've got to be asking themselves, "Is she worth it?"
And I'm guessing many are thinking . . .
Oh hell no!
Lauryn Hill Shows Up Late For Concert Again, Dragged (and Defended) on Twitter
The hip-hop icon started her Atlanta show more than two hours late on Friday and set off a conversation on the merits of her career the next day.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2016/05/lauryn_hill_shows_up_late_for_concert_again_dragged_on_twitter.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
~~~~~~~~~~
This is me y'all.
Over two hours late?
Who does she think she is?
This behavior screams, "I'm more important than you. My time is more valuable than yours."
But mostly it screams, "What the heck?" (Not my first choice of words here).
Some folks are giving her a pass by saying she's an artist, and her artistic expressions can't be rushed or be bothered by the constraints of time.
No, what this is, more than anything, is business; or in this case, bad business.
Although this behavior is not new for her, it certainly doesn't excuse it. The fans that remain in her corner should know that by now.
They've got to be asking themselves, "Is she worth it?"
And I'm guessing many are thinking . . .
Oh hell no!
Kudos!
An excerpt from The Root -
15-Year-Old Memphis Student Gets Perfect ACT Score
 |
| Dwight Moore, Jr Christian Brothers High School |
A 15-year-old high school sophomore got a perfect score on the ACT (American College Testing) exam, reports Blavity.com.
Dwight Moore, a student at Christian Brothers High School in Memphis scored a 36 out of 36 on the college entrance exam putting him in rare company—less than one percent of the 1.9 million test takers received a perfect score in 2015.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2016/05/_15_year_old_tenn_students_gets_perfect_act_score.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
Happy Mother's Day!
As we celebrate this day, my thoughts always turn to my mom, as I'm sure is true for most of you.
I wish I had appreciated her more while she was alive.
She had a third-grade education, but a Ph.D. in common sense.
For years, I thought she was old and crazy. What she said went in one ear and out the other.
When I finally had sense enough to realize the treasure that she was (when I became a mom), I couldn't get enough of conversations with her. I didn't want them to end.
She had a tough life.
Her mom died when she was seven, and she went to live with her grandmother, who died when she was thirteen. From that time until she got married, she moved from pillar to post, from one relative to the next, working as their maid for her room and board. No wonder she married one of the first guys who showed an interest in her, anything to escape life as she knew it.
The thing is though; she went from the frying pan into the fire. The good life she was hoping for did not materialize. She was now the wife of a drunk, a mean one to boot.
Once my brothers and I came along, we were her absolute focus. She was bound and determined that we would have a better life than she did, in spite of the alcoholism that permeated our upbringing.
I asked her why she put up with my father and the hardships that entailed, and she said she stayed for us (her kids). I remember thinking then that I would NEVER do that.
Never say never . . .
Because that's exactly what I did.
I stayed in a marriage long after its expiration date because I wanted my boys to have their father in their lives for as long as possible.
Her example helped me to get through that.
She was the strongest, kindest woman I have ever known.
God knows we didn't have much, but if she knew of someone in need, she lent a hand, every single time.
Was she perfect?
Far from it, but I know now that everything she did was from a good place, a good heart.
If you're lucky enough to still have your mom in your life, appreciate her, and not just on Mother's Day.
She may not be perfect, but if she's there, active in your life, she's trying to be.
Thank her while you can.
I wish I had appreciated her more while she was alive.
She had a third-grade education, but a Ph.D. in common sense.
For years, I thought she was old and crazy. What she said went in one ear and out the other.
When I finally had sense enough to realize the treasure that she was (when I became a mom), I couldn't get enough of conversations with her. I didn't want them to end.
She had a tough life.
Her mom died when she was seven, and she went to live with her grandmother, who died when she was thirteen. From that time until she got married, she moved from pillar to post, from one relative to the next, working as their maid for her room and board. No wonder she married one of the first guys who showed an interest in her, anything to escape life as she knew it.
The thing is though; she went from the frying pan into the fire. The good life she was hoping for did not materialize. She was now the wife of a drunk, a mean one to boot.
Once my brothers and I came along, we were her absolute focus. She was bound and determined that we would have a better life than she did, in spite of the alcoholism that permeated our upbringing.
I asked her why she put up with my father and the hardships that entailed, and she said she stayed for us (her kids). I remember thinking then that I would NEVER do that.
Never say never . . .
Because that's exactly what I did.
I stayed in a marriage long after its expiration date because I wanted my boys to have their father in their lives for as long as possible.
Her example helped me to get through that.
She was the strongest, kindest woman I have ever known.
God knows we didn't have much, but if she knew of someone in need, she lent a hand, every single time.
Was she perfect?
Far from it, but I know now that everything she did was from a good place, a good heart.
If you're lucky enough to still have your mom in your life, appreciate her, and not just on Mother's Day.
She may not be perfect, but if she's there, active in your life, she's trying to be.
Thank her while you can.
Saturday, May 7, 2016
Texas
An excerpt from The New York Times -
What Makes Texas Texas
People in this rapidly changing state believe their way of life is under
attack, and they are making a kind of last stand by simply being Texan.
~~~~~~~~~~
I was born and raised in Central California, and I moved to Houston from Brooklyn in June 2011 to cover Texas for The New York Times. I live here with my wife, my 7-year-old son and my 3-year-old daughter, who keeps a pair of pink cowboy boots outside on the porch or inside by the front door. I have covered stories in the South, the Midwest and other parts of the country. People in those places identified with their political party, their job, their cause, their sexual orientation, their city, their race. Almost no one identified with their state the way Texans do.
Who are these people, these Texans? What do they tell us about America? What to make of a state that is so focused on itself? I wrestle with these questions all the time.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/08/us/what-makes-texas-texas.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage®ion=CColumn&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&src=me&WT.nav=MostEmailed
What Makes Texas Texas
People in this rapidly changing state believe their way of life is under
attack, and they are making a kind of last stand by simply being Texan.
~~~~~~~~~~
I was born and raised in Central California, and I moved to Houston from Brooklyn in June 2011 to cover Texas for The New York Times. I live here with my wife, my 7-year-old son and my 3-year-old daughter, who keeps a pair of pink cowboy boots outside on the porch or inside by the front door. I have covered stories in the South, the Midwest and other parts of the country. People in those places identified with their political party, their job, their cause, their sexual orientation, their city, their race. Almost no one identified with their state the way Texans do.
Who are these people, these Texans? What do they tell us about America? What to make of a state that is so focused on itself? I wrestle with these questions all the time.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/08/us/what-makes-texas-texas.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage®ion=CColumn&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&src=me&WT.nav=MostEmailed
Profiling Gone Wrong . . . Again
From The Washington Post -
Ivy League economist ethnically profiled, interrogated for doing math on American Airlines flight
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/rampage/wp/2016/05/07/ivy-league-economist-interrogated-for-doing-math-on-american-airlines-flight/
~~~~~~~~~~
Yes, it has come to this.
Sad.
Ivy League economist ethnically profiled, interrogated for doing math on American Airlines flight
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/rampage/wp/2016/05/07/ivy-league-economist-interrogated-for-doing-math-on-american-airlines-flight/
~~~~~~~~~~
Yes, it has come to this.
Sad.
Forgiveness Quotes
Remember, forgiveness is not about them, it's about you.
http://www.oprah.com/quote/Iyanla-Vanzant-Quotes-Forgiveness
http://www.oprah.com/quote/Iyanla-Vanzant-Quotes-Forgiveness
Super Long Lasting Clothes
From News 360 -
What if you didn’t have to buy another jacket, sweatshirt, or T-shirt until the year 2046?
Thomas Cridland, a young UK designer, is hoping to make that possible with clothing designed to last and backed by a 30-year guarantee, promising to repair any rips or tears.
http://news360.com/digestarticle/ywJdgLvWq0iTKA3wTrAe-w
What if you didn’t have to buy another jacket, sweatshirt, or T-shirt until the year 2046?
Thomas Cridland, a young UK designer, is hoping to make that possible with clothing designed to last and backed by a 30-year guarantee, promising to repair any rips or tears.
http://news360.com/digestarticle/ywJdgLvWq0iTKA3wTrAe-w
Baffling Medical Mystery
An excerpt from CBS News -
ISLAMABAD -- The two brothers have come to be known as the "solar kids" and their case has completely mystified Pakistani doctors.
Aged nine and 13, the boys are normal active children during the day. But once the sun goes down, they both lapse into a vegetative state -- unable to move or talk. Javed Akram, a professor of medicine at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, told The Associated Press on Thursday that he had no idea what was causing the symptoms.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pakistan-solar-kids-medical-mystery-doctors-baffled-brothers-vegetative-night/?google_editors_picks=true
Aunties
An excerpt from Slate -
In Praise of the Auntie
They’re the rule-breaking, adventure-taking, hug-dispensing women who make every family stronger.
Aunties are the rule-breakers. When they come over to babysit, the fancy dishes come out, the kitchen becomes a playground, and screen time and bedtime extend. They go on adventures, take my kids to slightly inappropriate movies and shows, and they expose them to new music. They are also the culture-keepers who can share family stories and the histories of our people. They are the oracles who answer questions children don’t want to ask their parents (sex! drugs!) and share knowledge about subjects children didn’t know existed. They see children as their own people, which enables them to talk to kids as whole individuals and understand what they are truly capable of. Parents say, “Let me help” and “That’s not safe.” Aunties just say, “Yes!” —maybe without even lifting their eyes up from the book they’re reading. They expand children’s internal and external boundaries.
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/family/2016/05/in_praise_of_the_auntie.html?sid=554654ea10defb39638b510d&wpsrc=newsletter_tis
In Praise of the Auntie
They’re the rule-breaking, adventure-taking, hug-dispensing women who make every family stronger.
Aunties are the rule-breakers. When they come over to babysit, the fancy dishes come out, the kitchen becomes a playground, and screen time and bedtime extend. They go on adventures, take my kids to slightly inappropriate movies and shows, and they expose them to new music. They are also the culture-keepers who can share family stories and the histories of our people. They are the oracles who answer questions children don’t want to ask their parents (sex! drugs!) and share knowledge about subjects children didn’t know existed. They see children as their own people, which enables them to talk to kids as whole individuals and understand what they are truly capable of. Parents say, “Let me help” and “That’s not safe.” Aunties just say, “Yes!” —maybe without even lifting their eyes up from the book they’re reading. They expand children’s internal and external boundaries.
http://www.slate.com/articles/life/family/2016/05/in_praise_of_the_auntie.html?sid=554654ea10defb39638b510d&wpsrc=newsletter_tis
A love Letter to Nia
An excerpt from The Root -
When Nia Long Told Larry King That J. Cole Wasn’t Too Young, I Lost My Mind
Man, he had a shot.
To say that Nia Long is a national treasure is an understatement. Long has been a part of most of our lives since at least the mid-’90s, when she played Beulah “Lisa” Wilkes on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and when a visionary Ice Cube saw fit to cast her in cult classic Friday.
Thank you, Ice Cube.
And then there’s Love Jones. Because of course, Love Jones.
Since then, Long has been in movies, music videos, Target ... other stuff, basically. Nia Long needs no introduction. We all know who Nia Long is. Because she’s gorgeous and has been for a very long time and we love her, especially within the hip-hop community. Hip-hop loves Nia Long; I’d wear that as a T-shirt and use it as a bumper sticker for my car.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/when_nia_long_told_larry_king_that_j_cole_wasn_t_too_young_i_lost_my_mind.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
When Nia Long Told Larry King That J. Cole Wasn’t Too Young, I Lost My Mind
Man, he had a shot.
 |
| Nia Long . . . Another example of "black don't crack." |
To say that Nia Long is a national treasure is an understatement. Long has been a part of most of our lives since at least the mid-’90s, when she played Beulah “Lisa” Wilkes on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and when a visionary Ice Cube saw fit to cast her in cult classic Friday.
Thank you, Ice Cube.
And then there’s Love Jones. Because of course, Love Jones.
Since then, Long has been in movies, music videos, Target ... other stuff, basically. Nia Long needs no introduction. We all know who Nia Long is. Because she’s gorgeous and has been for a very long time and we love her, especially within the hip-hop community. Hip-hop loves Nia Long; I’d wear that as a T-shirt and use it as a bumper sticker for my car.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2016/05/when_nia_long_told_larry_king_that_j_cole_wasn_t_too_young_i_lost_my_mind.html?wpisrc=newsletter_jcr:content%26
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