In Case You Missed it

Business & Technology News:
News about Google's Naughty Words List: http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/09/29/google.instant.blacklist.mashable/index.html?hpt=T2

Introducing the new Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock!
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/gaming.gadgets/09/29/warriors.of.rock.nerds/index.html?hpt=C2

Weather News:

Tropical Storm Nicole has formed with 40mph winds and shows potential of causing a weekend of heavy rain. http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/29/tropical-storm-nicole-forms-will-bring-heavy-rain/?hpt=T2

Entertainment News:

Bolton booted from Dancing with the Stars: http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/29/michael.bolton.dancing.ppl/index.html?hpt=T2

Boris & Nicole Kodjoe blessed us with their beautiful presence at the Women Empowering Women Symposium. Love those two! http://theybf.com/2010/09/29/event-fab-boris-nicole-kodjoe-others-hit-the-women-empowering-women-symposium

Superstar boxer Laila Ali is pregnant again! Congrats Laila!

http://theybf.com/2010/09/29/shes-pregnantagain

Law & Order goes west to LA:http://www.slate.com/id/2269133/

SuperModel and all around fabulous woman Naomi Campbell on cover of GQ Russia:

http://www.gossipcenter.com/naomi-campbell/naomi-campbells-sexy-gq-russia-spread-417774

Check out a clip of Britney Spears' cameo on Glee last night!

*giggles*
Sports News:
Anquan Boldin, Tamba Hali and C.J. Spiller named AFC players of the week. A special congrats to Anquan! Random Fact: he and I grew up in the same area and went to rival high schools! http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=Ag3BcvWMJWZsTMW2FMeEVo7.uLYF?slug=nfp-20100930_boldin_hali_spiller_named_afc_players_of_the_week 




Love & Relationships:

The Three F's: http://thiswomansworkjd.blogspot.com/2010/09/guest-blogger-fridays.html

5 questions we all need to ask ourselves before we have sex. http://www.verysmartbrothas.com/5-questions-we-all-need-to-ask-ourselves-before-having-sex/

Music News: 
Check out new music from an up and coming "conscious rap artist" named Dee1. His joint is called Jay, 50 and Weezy. Listen below.



I know I'm a day late and a few dollars short on the Bishop Eddie Long debacle but its because I usually stay away from gossip and mainstream media. This time, I'm making an exception.

Here is the video of the Bishop addressing his flock "congregation" and compares his battle to that of David & Goliath.




Also, here is footage of the first accuser to speak out, Jamal Parris check the video where he tells the Bishop "you are a monster!"




...and just for laughs, check out my new favorite commercial!!



"Did the little Piggy cry "we we we" all the way home?" Kudos to Mrs. A for giving Max the Piggy a ride home! Pure comedy!!

Have a great Hump Day folks!!

Links of the week

Guess what? You can follow HUSL Today on Twitter and add our fan page on Facebook! Add HUSL Today and let me know you did!

HUSL Today Week at a Glance:

MONDAY
Quote: "A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself." -Joseph Campbell. Become a HERO!

TUESDAY
Quote: N/A

WEDNESDAY
Quote: “The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.”- Arnold H. Glasgow

THURSDAY
Quote: There are no mistakes. The events we bring upon ourselves, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary in order to learn what we need to learn; whatever steps we take, they're necessary to reach the places we've chosen to go.”-Richard Bach

Sharing is Caring: How BAD do you want to be successful? http://husltoday.blogspot.com/2010/08/sharing-is-caring-how-bad-do-you-want.html

Facebook wants to share your location with your "friends" http://husltoday.blogspot.com/2010/08/sharing-is-caring-facebook-wants-to.html

FRIDAY
Quote: "If I was on a march at the moment I would be saying to everyone: 'Be honest with each other. Admit there are limitless possibilities in relationships, and love as many people as you can in whatever way you want, and get rid of your inhibitions, and we'll all be happy." -Ian Mckellen

...and now for the news!


Demonstrators around the country protest the Arizona immigration law.
West Palm Beach Florida: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/demonstrators-in-west-palm-beach-march-against-arizona-871717.html

Entertainment news:
More Dr. Laura drama. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2010/aug/18/freedom-of-speech-usa%20http://fb.me/vQO5rI66

Legal News:

Chief Lanier unveils cash reward DC gun tip line. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/aug/13/chief-lanier-unveils-cash-reward-dc-gun-tip-line/

Do you have to be a lawyer if you go to law school? http://www.vault.com/wps/portal/usa/blogs/entry-detail/?blog_id=1461&entry_id=11726

Blagojevich Found Guilty in Chicago Corruption Trial. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-17/blagojevich-found-guilty-of-false-statements-in-chicago-corruption-trial.html

John McCluskey and Casslyn Welch, Arizona Fugitive and Fiancee Arrested at Campsite http://bit.ly/azuiTX

Lifestyle news: 

Former felons feel boxed in by crime question. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/aug/15/former-felons-feel-boxed-in-by-crime-question/

 How long does it take to fall out of shape?? http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/how-long-does-it-take-to-fall-out-of-shape-2277730/

Pepco under fire: http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Pepco_Under_Fire_Washington_DC.html

Celebrity owned restaurants that thrive. http://atlantapost.com/2010/08/11/6-celebrity-owned-restaurants-that-thrive/

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38656028?ocid=twitter. Oops! There goes a $9k engagement ring!

Randoms:

People are sharing HUSL Today. Can u see it? http://bit.ly/bM3N5I

Does it "PAY" to go to college??

I read a Yahoo article this morning titled "20 worst paying college degrees" and I immediately wondered which majors they didnt list. I've realized there are people who make a living by making lists like "20 worst paying jobs" or "20 best colleges" or "10 best ways to please your mate." I know there are dozens if not hundreds of things to major in, but for the most part they all fall under one of several umbrellas: Arts & Science, Speech Pathology, Business, Behavioral & Community Sciences, Education, Engineering, Honors College, Marine Science, Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, The Arts.






Here is the list:

As you can see, child and family studies earned the honors as the worst-paying college major. The average graduate earns a beginning salary of $29,500. What's equally discouraging is that the salary of someone in this field will barely budge after 15 years in the profession. It sends the message to think twice before choosing a college major that involves children. I thought children were our future? What this list says is to steer clear of career paths that many say are the most fulfilling-those that involve changing a child's life.

What I think the list and lists similar to it fail to mention is the nonmonetary perks those professionals receive. If you have a passion for working with children, do not be discouraged by the pay scale. You may make $160k a year but you may also live a miserable and lonely lifestyle. By the same token, you may make $50k a year and live a happy and fulfilled life. My point is to focus on things other than money when you are trying to decide your career path. Money cannot and it will not buy your happiness. It will help pay a mortgage on a bigger home or a nicer car but if you spend so much time working that you end up single and irritated what fun is that?

What do you all think this list says about going to college? Did you consider any of these majors?

Links of the week

Photo of the week:

HUSL Today Week at a Glance:

MONDAY
Quote: You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, even poverty, you can survive it.” -Bill Cosby
Sharing is Caring: 7 Jobs to Skip College for. http://husltoday.blogspot.com/2010/07/sharing-is-caring-7-jobs-to-skip.html
Music Monday. http://husltoday.blogspot.com/2010/07/music-monday.html

TUESDAY
Quote: “Everything in life is connected somehow. You may have to dig deep to find it but its there. Everything is the same even though its different. Somehow everything connects back with your life. The faces in certain places may be different, but the situation is the same. Irony is a hidden factor that creeps around us in life, letting its presence felt only after it has left. Picture back to a year ago and the situation you were in. Look at how things are different yet somehow everything it still in someway cognate. Everything connects together to form the balance of life, to maintain structure. Change is and always will be inevitable, but everything is relative, and all the moments and times in your life will come back around again, you just might find yourself on the other side of the coin. Things are always changing, as fast as everything stays the same.” -Unknown


Wal Mart introduces new smart tags for individual products. Are they protecting their inventory or have they found a new way to invade our privacy? http://husltoday.blogspot.com/2010/07/walmart-introduces-smart-tag-are-they.html

Wal-Mart introduces Smart Tags. Are they protecting their inventory or invading our privary ? http://husltoday.blogspot.com/2010/07/walmart-introduces-smart-tag-are-they.html

BP will say HELLO Robert Dudley and GOODBYE Tony Hayward on October 1! http://husltoday.blogspot.com/2010/07/bp-will-say-hello-to-robert-dudley-and.htm

WEDNESDAY
Quote: “We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” -Frederick Keonig


THURSDAY
Quote: N/A.
Call me Ferris Bueller because I'm taking the day off. http://husltoday.blogspot.com/2010/07/call-me-ferris-bueller.html
Music News. One step closer to Kanye. http://husltoday.blogspot.com/2010/07/music-news-one-step-closer-to-kanye.html 
Evening Giggles. http://husltoday.blogspot.com/2010/07/evening-giggles.html

FRIDAY
Quote: "Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it's holy ground. There's no greater investment." -Stephen Covey
Is Facebook evil? (Dont shoot the messenger) More Facebook antics and 5 rules for every YP to follow online. Check it>>>http://husltoday.blogspot.com/2010/07/more-facebook-antics-5-online-rules-for.html
Music Break. http://husltoday.blogspot.com/2010/07/music-break.html

And now for the news!!

Political News:
Wikileaks published over 90,000 documents it says are Afghan war records. http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/26/whats-in-the-wikileaks-documents/?hpt=T1

Howard Dean accuses Fox News of being racist. Thank you Captain Obvious! http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/?fbid=obE1yvJNxba

Legal News:

Khmer Rouger survivors angry over sentence of convicted war criminal. http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/07/26/cambodia.khmer.rouge.verdict/index.html?hpt=Sbin

New York settles Sean Bell lawsuit. http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/07/27/new.york.sean.bell/index.html

Credit reports. Love em or hate em you must keep track of them. http://finance.yahoo.com/banking-budgeting/article/110062/pay-off-your-balance-each-month-your-credit-report-may-not-show-it?mod=oneclick

  

More Facebook Antics & 5 online rules for EVERY Young Professional

Lets make a long story short:
Security concerns over Facebook have been raised yet again after a security consultant collected the names and profile URLs for 171 million Facebook accounts from publicly available information. The consultant, Ron Bowes, then uploaded the data as a torrent file allowing anyone with a computer connection to download the data.

Simon Davies a representative of the U.K.-based privacy watchdog Privacy International accused Facebook of negligence over the data mining technique, according to the BBC. Facebook, however, told the British news service that Bowes actions haven't exposed anything new since all the information Bowes collected was already public.


Check out the original story and source here.

I'm reaching my whits end with Facebook. Its a necessary evil when you're in the blogging business yet the powers that be at FB continue to invade our privacy and collect information on us without so much as a warning. I would not have such an issue with them collecting information if they put a sort of "blast" on the site the same way they did when they wanted people to create those redonculous custom domain names i.e. Facebook.com/husltoday.

They should focus more on keeping everyone easily informed without having to find out from secondary sources after the fact. The info put out should be straight forward and specific about the information that is at risk of being collected and shared. I especially find their backdoor tactic of sharing information indirectly obtained on you from your less than tech savvy friends who do not have private profiles downright preposterous. This means even if your information has been made private, if your friend has not made their info private the info spies can go in and get intel on you anyway.Wouldnt that defeat the purpose of making your info private? Seems like someone wants to give people a false sense of security about the info they choose to share online. If you ask me, your info is never really private on Facebook.

Find out the 5 online rules when you read the rest.

Walmart introduces the "Smart Tag." Are they protecting their inventory or invading our privacy??

Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) is putting electronic identification tags on men’s clothing like jeans starting Aug. 1 as the world’s largest retailer tries to gain more control of its inventory. But the move is causing a ruckus among privacy experts.

According to USA Today and the Wall Street Journal, the roll back giant and one stop conglomerate has created a new “smart tag” that uses a radio frequency to send a signal to everything you buy. Wally world will reportedly begin testing smart tags on men's clothing next month -- including jeans, underwear and socks -- in an attempt to gain more control over its inventory. The removable tags can be read from a distance with scanners to let workers know what sizes are running low on the shelves and tell what items are in stock. They could also ostensibly help combat employee theft.

The tags work by reflecting a radio signal to identify products. This technology is not new, dating back to the 1940s, but is generally used in warehouses, not on individual products.

The individual garments, will have removable smart tags that can be read from a distance by Wal-Mart workers with scanners. In seconds, the worker will be able to know what sizes are missing and will also be able tell what it has on hand in the stock room. Such instant knowledge will allow store clerks to have the right sizes on hand when shoppers need them.


One fear is that Wal-Mart would be able to tack movements of customers, who, in some border states like Michigan and Washington, are carrying driver's licenses that contain RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags to make it easier for them to cross borders. Even worse, the data it retrieved from your license can give them access to other sensitive personal information (Why didnt anyone tell me this?).

Although Wal-Mart boasts about the efficiency of the new smart tag, Katherine Albrecht, director of a group called Consumers Against Supermarket Privacy Invasion and Numbering says “This is a first piece of a very large and very frightening tracking system”

Albrecht fears that retailers could scan data from such licenses and their purchases and combine that data with other personal information. She also says that even though the smart tags can be removed from clothing, they can’t be turned off and can be tracked even after you throw them in the garbage, for example.

Wal-Mart officials said they are aware of privacy concerns but insist they are taking a “thoughtful and methodical approach.”

Of course they have to be thoughtful and methodical! They have to downplay the potential of their "smart tags" to reveal information you never wanted revealed in exchange for a deal on 10 pairs of socks! Then again, if they get reckless and lose control of the situation they risk losing their base. Pause. Many of the people who shop at Wal-Mart shop there because they need to save as much money as possible. *This* ladies and gentlemen is a nasty catch-22. As much as they would like to, many people simply cannot afford to boycott wally world. How many other places can you buy frozen pizzas, socks, baby diapers, simply lemonade, electronics and jewelery all while getting your car serviced?  As America's leading retailer Wal-Mart has set the standard for so many shady business practices. If this program proves to be a success, we can say hello to BIG brother, LITTLE brother and the whole BROTHER family because it will be much easier to track our every movement. I dont feel too comfortable purchasing a pair of socks that could give away my whereabouts without my permission. Does anyone else feel like the movie Enemy of the State is more fact than fiction?



Their new slogan should be: Save Money. Let us invade your privacy. Live Better.

What do you think? Are Wal-Mart's new smart tags an invasion of privacy? Weigh in...

Forever 21 Launches Maternity Line in States With High Teen Pregnancy Rates. Genius marketing or coincidence?

Forever 21 has launched a maternity line. The franchise that appeals to women of all ages has launched the line in five states in the US: California, Texas, Arizona, Utah and Alaska. Three of those five states – Arizona, California, and Texas – are on the list of states with the highest percentages of teen pregnancy in the country.

Coincidence? Or brilliant marketing to their existing customer base (young women) while also addressing the fact that some of them are going to need clothes with slightly more room in the midsection??

The new maternity line is called "Love 21", and many people are criticizing the trendy store for teens for sending the wrong message. Although the line wont be available in all stores, online the store offers "tips on how to stay stylish when you're expecting."



How did the company respond?

The company's vice president says more than 80% of their customers are over 18, and the "Love 21" line is aimed at those older customers. The company also says it is just a coincidence that the maternity line was launched in three of the states with the highest teen pregnancies in the nation.

Where do we draw the line? Is there still a line to draw?

Considering how the media is starting to pay more attention to teen pregnancy rates with reality shows like 16 & Pregnant, Teen Mom & Dad Camp I'm a bit worried about how making the clothes easier to access will influence the younger generation. While I praise the retailer for their efforts to address a growing issue, I'm afraid they may become part of the problem. You dont have to tell me, YES I know it is not Forever 21's responsibility to prevent teen pregnancy. YES I know they are a business with the goal to maximize profits. YES I know there is a demand for it and basic economics applies. I worry about the things young girls resort to for attention and I think making things like this seem glamorous will exasperate the situation. I wonder hwo many teen moms have submitted their tapes to mtv for a feature on 16 & Pregnant? I wonder how many pregnancy pacts have been inspired by the Lifetime movie? I remember when I was in high school (which was less than a decade ago) it was still taboo to become a teen mom. I'm not so sure that is the case now.

You be the judge...

The "Get Swabbed" Initiative!

Young Shannon Tavarez was playing Nahla in the Broadway version of The Lion King (love that movie!) when she was diagnosed with Leukemia. Unfortunately the clock is ticking and Shannon still needs a bone marrow donor. 

How you can help: 

If you are interested in seeing if you are a match for Shannon Tevarez, or anyone else who needs a bone marrow transplant, go to getswabbed.org to find out how to become a donor.

The first step is to register as a bone marrow donor, and you can get a kit sent to your home by filling out your information at http://www.dkmsamericas.org. If you are a match to Shannon or any other leukemia patient who needs a bone marrow donation, you will be contacted by DKMS! Like it says in the PSA with Shannon above, you can also go to getswabbed.org for more information.

For more information about the bone marrow drive, go to dkmsamericas.org and for information on Shannon, visit her website, matchshannon.com.

Also The Lion King is putting together a drive on Friday July 23 to get as many people to come out and "get swabbed" to see if they are a match for Shannon and others waiting for a bone marrow transplant.

Find out where you can get swabbed in your area, click here.

UFO Over Chinese Airport?? Real Thing or hoax? Either Way You Gotta See This!!

Is the above photo really a UFO flying over a Chinese airport?

The UFO reportedly disturbed air traffic over Zhejiang’s provincial capital Hangzhou for a few minutes. Examiner reports that residents say that the UFO looked like a space shuttle. The event happened on Wednesday, but the video below just surfaced.




As a fan of science fiction and  a downright curious person, the video and the reports are exciting to me. What do you think? Did we get visitors from the "beyond" or is it just another hoax? For centuries people have been intrigued by the idea of Aliens and UFOs.  There are dozens of movies such as Men in Black, Independence Day. Transformers and Alien vs. Predator which feed into the belief that aliens really do exist. Then there's the rumored government cover up of the Roswell crash and the ever so mysterious existence of the famed area 51.

Do you believe in the age old phrase "we are not alone?" Do you believe there is life outside of Earth?

Whats more interesting than the UFO stories is the way people spin the stories to downplay the likelihood that UFOs exist. I've never seen anything like this before so I'm curious about how people will try to make sense of it.

Links of the week

Scroll to the right to join the conversation with HUSL Today on Facebook and on Twitter! 

Photo of the week:

Miami Heat fans welcome Lebron James. 

Video of the week:

 *giggles*

Song of the week: 

Before Christina went Gaga, this was one of my favorite songs from her. I think the message behind the song is pure and sincere. Sometimes we need to be reminded that everyone has their own unique form of beauty.

...and now for the news

Sports News: 

Mike Vick cleared of all charges in his birthday shooting. I hope he learns from this mess & stays out of trouble! http://hiphopwired.com/2010/07/07/michael-vick-cleared-of-all-charges-in-birthday-party-shooting/

Lebron goes to Miami! Lebron this one's for you! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUBB1lOLD6k.

Miami Herald claims heat season tix sold out.http://blogs.tampabay.com/twocents/2010/07/heat-season-tickets-sold-out-for-next-season.html

Legal News:

The story of Oscar Grant. http://husltoday.blogspot.com/2010/07/story-of-oscar-grant.html

Arrest made in Cali Grim Sleeper case. http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/07/reports-arrest-made-in-grim-sleeper-case/?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

 

Randoms:

Farrakhan accuses Jews of exploiting blacks for their (our) talent and hurting the African American race! http://www.jta.org/news/article/2010/06/30/2739839/in-letter-farrakhan-accuses-jews-of-hurting-blacks

Sources report Alaska Pipeline CEO to resign. http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/07/alaska-pipeline-ceo-to-resign-sources-report/

Get your passport books now before the 35% increase takes effect next week! http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/07/07/passport.fees.hike/index.html?iref=obnetwork

The Huffington Post recently released a piece called "What makes a man." Its interesting to say the least. Check it out. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rebecca-walker/what-makes-a-man_b_638371.html

 

I'm only one person so I know I missed a few stories. Feel free to share yours. 

 

The story of Oscar Grant

On New Year's Day 2009, then BART police officer Johannes Mehserle shot the 22-year-old Oscar Grant in the back while he lay face down on a BART train platform. Grant, who had his arms behind his back when Mehserle shot him, was unarmed. For those of you with strong stomachs, judge for yourself and check the video here. Warning: graphic viewer discretion is advised.


The three-week murder trial ended last week and the verdict came quickly; the jury deliberated a total of nine hours.  On July 8th, 2010, Mehserle was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for shooting and killing Oscar Grant. Mehserle was led away from the courtroom in handcuffs and is now in custody. His sentencing is expected on Friday, August 6th. Involuntary manslaughter can carry 2, 4, and 6 years, with 10 added for a gun enhancement.

 "We recognize as African Americans, the system is rarely fair when police officers are involved in the shooting of African American males," the Grant family's attorney, John Burris said. "This is another example of that."

In Oakland, thousands of people took over the intersection of Broadway and 14th for a protest which started shortly after the 4PM verdict and lasted until late in the evening. Early in the evening, a woman was injured when a police vehicle backed into her. Later, several windows were broken, a Foot Locker was broken into, and several small fires were set in trashcans. Over fifty protesters were arrested.

In a press conference outside the Los Angeles courthouse immediately after the verdict was announced, Oscar Grant's family spoke out about the verdict, calling it a "great disappointment." Oscar Grant's mother Wanda Johnson said ex-BART cop Johannes Mehserle's conviction of involuntary manslaughter felt like being "slapped in the face by a system that has denied us true justice."

Whats not shocking (but should be) is that people are blaming the victim. To those people I say you are no different from people who say "well if she wasnt dressed in that revealing outfit she would never have gotten raped."

Allow me to jump on my soapbox for a minute...
 
I would love to raise my fist and yell black power
I would love to scream "no justice, no peace"
I would love to say "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere."
Instead, I lower my fist and zip my mouth shut. Why? I refuse to focus my energy on a system that doesnt listen. I understand the power of one voice but lets be honest what will it change? A racist system cannot survive but for racist people driving it.
 
There are HARD CORE ignorant people in this world. Listen, there are people who could not care less whether you live or die. Facts of life. You can talk until you are blue in the face about the power of loving everyone and you will have done just that-talk until you are blue in the face (no Avatar).  I grew up in the south and there are still areas of the south (I speak from experience) where I wouldn't dare drive through at night alone for fear of such ignorance. I have gone to Texaco gas stations and been looked over. I have gone to "their" businesses and I was looked over as if my money isnt still green. I have witnessed innocent people getting clubbed by police officers. I'm not talking about complete strangers, I'm talking about people I know and love.
 
Will my voice really change a hard core racist's mind? Will it convince him not to get the confederate flag and hang it outside of his home? Will I finally stop hearing racist people call me a N*gger? Will it convince them not to hate me because of my ancestry? If I teach them about loving everyone will we build a campfire and sing kumbaya? My frustration goes far beyond that. How many people have to die before real change occurs? How ignorant is it for you to hate someone because of the color of their skin when you dont even know what their voice sounds like? How ignorant is it to hate anyone for any reason? When you have hatred for someone it is a burden you carry on your shoulders. I cant understand why someone would willingly carry that hatred.  
 
How much did Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson REALLY change when they demanded Don Imus' job? Racism exists! It is not as subtle as people believe. You would think in 2010 I wouldnt get nervous to pull over for a cop knowing I did nothing wrong.  I grew up in a terrible neighborhood that now suffers from 40% unemployment. I know of families who have suffered at the hands of police brutality. It once took the police 45 minutes to respond to a distress call. While I would never speak ill of all police officers I will be the first to admit that our justice system has holes. Unfortunately, those holes look more like swiss cheese the closer you get to the inner city.
 
This confirms so many of my beliefs about our country and about my people. I know this script too well. The victim is blamed way too often. The perps are given a lighter sentence way too often. The public outcry dies down way too soon. As someone working towards being on the "right" side of the law, situations like this really break my heart.
 
Hatred takes too much energy.
 
...and so it was written.

Tell us how you really feel Dan Gilbert!

After Lebron "King" James announced his decision to leave his team home of 7 years, Dan Gilbert-majority owner of the Cavaliers-posted this (seething) open letter to Cleveland supporters: 

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.

This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his "decision" unlike anything ever "witnessed" in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don't deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

"I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE"

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our "motivation" to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that's simply not how it works.

This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown "chosen one" sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And "who" we would want them to grow-up to become.

But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called "curse" on Cleveland, Ohio.

The self-declared former "King" will be taking the "curse" with him down south. And until he does "right" by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.

Just watch.

Sleep well, Cleveland.

Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day....

I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:

DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue....



Dan Gilbert
Majority Owner
Cleveland Cavaliers 

I'm sure Lebron expected some passionate feelings to erupt after his decision since Cleveland has been his home for 7 years. I'm not sure anyone was expecting this or people burning his jerseys though. Your thoughts?

Sharing is Caring: 6 FAMU students to cover FIFA world cup from South Africa

Source: famu.edu

Six Florida A&M University (FAMU) journalism and graphic communication students will join students from Shantou University in Guangdong Province, China in Johannesburg, Africa where they will produce daily multimedia stories about the 2010 FIFA World Cup of Soccer and its impact on life in South Africa.


“I’m pretty sure what we’re doing is unprecedented for a journalism program at a historically black university,” said Joe Ritchie, the Knight Chair in journalism at FAMU. “Few journalism students anywhere get to do a foreign reporting internship of any kind and to be at one of the biggest events on the planet is a huge deal.”

The students will be responsible for posting stories with video, audio and text as well as blogs, photo galleries and podcasts covering a range of topics related to the World Cup as well as to general social, economic and political issues about South Africa. Individuals can view their daily reports at http://www.famustu.net.

More after the jump.

Sharing is Caring: Parts of Gautemala swallowed by sinkhole

Image source: http://images.chron.com/photos/2010/06/01/21890128/0601dv_guatamala_sinkhole.jpg
(Source: CNN)

Residents of a center-city neighborhood in Guatemala City, Guatemala, are still in shock after a massive sinkhole opened last weekend, gobbling several buildings and nearly an entire intersection, according to local officials.
Over the weekend, the nearly perfect cylindrical crater developed and consumed whatever was on its surface, including structures and utility lines. There were no reports of deaths related to the sinkhole.

The sinkhole's destruction added to the tragic events in Central America related to Tropical Storm Agatha, which left a death toll of more than 175 people in the region that includes Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

The 20-meter (about 66 feet) diameter sinkhole is about 30 meters (about 100 feet) deep.

Guatemala City's human rights ombudsman, Sergio Morales, confirmed reports that since 2005, residents in the area had complained of rumblings, fissures and sinking terrain.

"Yes, we can attest that they have been complaining since 2005 and we are looking into the initial complaints, " said Morales.

"We are looking into the original response by municipal authorities," he said

Read on for more details.

...and the winner is

Just in case you continued watching Dancing with the Stars once Ochocinco was dismissed but happened to miss the finale, Nicole Scherzinger took home the hideous coveted mirror ball trophy.


Nicole is a wonderful dancer and a great entertainer to watch. Congrats to the couple!

Sidenote: I thought the concept of the show was amatuer dancers coupled with professional dancers?? Has that changed? I know its not just me. Oh well, I'll be watching next season to see which celebrities take on the show next.

How fast are your thumbs??

Kate Moore, a lively 16-year-old high school sophomore from Des Moines, Iowa has been crowned the National Texting Champion.

Soon after, she entered the LG U.S. National Texting Championship held in New York and won, netting a cool $50,000 and a seat in the burgeoning sport's worldwide championship, held last month.

"For each round we had a long string of words that seemed never ending...you wanted to be as fast as you could. Some rounds you had to do it with your partner, and come up with a strategy."

It took me 56 seconds to type it, how about you give it a try?

Find out more about the competition here.

How do you feel about the now blurry lines between talking and texting? Has texting taken over our lives and made us more distant from each other? *raises hand* I'm guilty of sending more than a few thousand messages every month. I guess I should start getting on the horn more often.

Share your results and your $.02 on the competition in the comment section.

By the way here are some common acronyms and abbreviations for the those new to texting:

BTW: By the way
BRB: Be right back
BC: Because
BRT: Be right there
BZ: Busy
CUL8R: See you later
DCWIO: Dont care who I offend
DIY: Do it yourself
DJM: Dont judge me
EVL: Evil Villain Laugh
FTW: For the win
JK: Just kidding
ILY: I love you
IMO: In my opinion
L8R: Later
LOL: Laugh out loud
LMBO: Laughing my butt off
OTW: On the way
OMW: On my way
4NR: Foreigner
ROFLMBO: Rolling on the floor laughing my butt off (reserved only for the extremely funny)

African American firsts

Arthur Ashe (1943 - 1993) was the first African-American to not only be named to the U.S. Davis Cup team in 1963, but to also win the U.S. Open in 1968, to win the men's singles at Wimbledon in 1975, and the first to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985.

Diahann Carroll (1935 - ) was the first African-American woman to have her own television series, "Julia" in 1968. It was a controversial, yet Nielsen top ten rated show about a single working mother raising her child.

Alain Locke (1886 - 1954), a writer, philosopher and intellectual, was the first African-American Rhodes Scholar. A strong supporter of African-American arts, he wrote about the Harlem Renaissance in The New Negro (1925).

Ralph J. Bunche (1904 - 1971), a politician and a U.N. diplomat, was the first African-American to win the Nobel Peace prize in 1950 for mediating the Arab-Israeli truce.

The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), founded by Richard Allen (1760 - 1831) became the first national black church in the United States in 1816.

Charles Henry Turner (1867 - 1923), a zoologist and educator, was the first person to discover that insects can hear.

Raise Awareness about heart disease! Wear RED tomorrow

Tomorrow the American Heart Association continues their fight against heart disease by holding “Wear Red Day.” Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the U.S. You can help combat that statistic when you shop for products or support the companies that support the fight against heart disease and elevate the cause. You directly support the movement, even by making just one purchase.

Smart companies that offer products include Jiffy Lube, Macys, Jitterbug, Merck, Ocean Spray, Party City, Rite Aid, Perfumania, Yankee Candle and many more!

HUSL Today encourages our friends to participate by wearing red to work to help the AHA raise women’s awareness of cardiovascular disease and empower women to reduce their risk.

For more information on the AHA's Go Red for Women Campaign click here.

Alert: 5 Things you should know about your facebook privacy settings!!!

This one is for all of my social networkers. A little over a month ago the powers over at Facebook decided to change a few key things about their privacy settings. According to Facebook's guide to privacy, the changes mean:

• You can now control who can see every post you share, from status updates to photo albums.
• Regional networks (like London or Australia) have been removed.
• A common set of information for all users is now publicly available.
• Facebook-enhanced applications and websites now have access to a limited set of information when you use and interact with them: your publicly available information and information you've made visible to Everyone.
• No changes whatsoever to ads on Facebook. We do not give—and have never given—anyone's data or personally identifiable information to advertisers.

Although the changes were supposed to be user friendly, I was only able to figure out the new layout a few days ago. Based on my experience with securing my profile and the information contained therein, here is my list of the things you should check (and possibly change) in your privacy settings.

1. Public search listing: Before the switch, I had this feature turned OFF but after a quick google of myself I quickly discovered that this feature had been turned ON without any sort of notification to me. To check this setting, log on to your account and click on Settings>Privacy Settings>Search. If the "Allow indexing" box is checked next to "Public Search Listing" then search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing will be able to index your information. 24 hours after you change this, type your name into any search engine and verify that the public search listing has been deleted. If it has not, double check that the"allow indexing" box is unchecked and then post your question under the "help" option.

2. Publicly available information. This is the information that is available to members of a group, quiz developers or fan page you may be a member of. Even if your Facebook profile is "private," when you take a quiz, an unknown quiz developer could be accessing almost everything in your profile: your religion, sexual orientation, political affiliation, pictures, and groups. Facebook quizzes also have access to most of the info on your friends' profiles. This means that if your friend takes a quiz, they could be giving away your personal information too. The ACLU has created a quiz called "What do Quizzes really know about you?" which will give you a shocking idea of what info is shared about you when you take a quiz. It may make you think twice the next time you feel compelled to answer questions to find out "what kind of girlfriend are you?" or "which boondocks character are you?"

3. Privacy lists. These can be useful when you want to publish information but only allow certain people the privilege of viewing it. With the new changes, You can select a privacy level or choose to customize your privacy. You can easily create Friend Lists from the Friends page and selecting "Custom Setting" any time you set your privacy. This will allow you the opportunity to restrict the information for the intended viewers.


4. Friends lists: You can restrict who sees your friends lists. If you want to restrict who sees your friends list within Facebook, click on the pencil icon next to your Friends widget below your profile picture, and uncheck the box that says "Show my friends on my profile." While you're at it, you may choose to make your gender and yoru current city invisible as well


5. Be careful what you post. As an avid user of social networking sites, I can relate to one's concern about their privacy on the internet. However, I encourage all of you to avoid things that you would rather not share with the world because you never know who may see you or when a hidden camera may just be filming you. Use online communities sparingly and with care. Be honest, polite and meet new people while putting your best (digital) foot forward. Once you post something, you can never truly delete it. Think twice before you post an angry status update about your spouse or family members because the memory of those words will linger long after you have deleted the post.

You can read Facebook's privacy policy here.

Are you concerned about your privacy on facebook? Were these tips helpful for you? Did we miss an important tip? Drop your thoughts and feedback off in the comments area.

Image source: Google