The Savvy Sista

S#!t Republicans Say About Black People

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:25:00 +0000

I know some of you were looking for a mixed tape or rather a compilation album of all the racist comments Republicans have made about black people. Well, someone has heard your cries and granted your wish. He/she has put together all the most recent classic pieces of the republicans inserting their foot into their mouths. You'll get to see some of your personal favorites such as Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, and let's not forget Rick Santorum.

Trust me, after you black people get finish watching this clip you'll take to the streets and demand jobs and not food stamps. Hell, you may even be inspired to take a class on swimming.

April Justin: Did football recruit mother have a point, or did she simply upstage her son?

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:04:00 +0000

A lot is being made about April Justin's, mother of football player Landon Collins, reaction to her son's selection of Alabama as his school of choice. As soon as her son made his choice, his mother shook her head and proceeded to tell ESPN that she disagreed with his choice because she felt the coach of Alabama, Nick Saban, disrespected her.

How did he disrespect her you ask. Well, she felt disrespected because she felt that Saban was very stereotypically when it came to the recruiting of her son. She was more interested in him discussing her son's academic future as well as how he would fit in on the campus, but yet when he (Saban) visited her home he only talked about the possibility of a future NFL career. Ms. Justin found such talk to be very stereotypical.

In the end, those concerns about the Alabama program didn't affect Landon Collins, who gave off the sense that he had been in awe of the program since taking in the Crimson Tide-Florida game in Tuscaloosa during his junior season. Sensing his son's inclination, Collins' father -- who has long been separated from April Justin -- continued to encourage him to go with his instincts. [source]

Now there are a lot of people on the internet who are criticizing April Justin for her behavior. Many people say she upstaged her son and she should just be happy that he's going to college. But as a mother, isn't she entitled to her opinion as to what school her son goes to? Did she go about it right? Probably not. But does she have a point when it comes to the recruitment of black players? Maybe so.

We always complain about the fact that no one is really taking an interest in academics when it comes these young athletic recruits. When a parent does show interest, she/he gets crucified. Is it because of the way she went about it, or is it the fact that she had the audacity to be vocal about her dissatisifaction?

Tell me what you think.

President oversaw Somali rescue mission before State of the Union

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:36:00 +0000

WASHINGTON — The secret was still intact when President Barack Obama, entering the House chamber Tuesday evening to deliver his State of the Union speech, pointed at his Pentagon chief and said, “Good job

Unknown to a global television audience watching the annual Capitol Hill ritual, a bold U.S. raid was still playing out half a world away with an elite Navy SEAL team’s rescue of two hostages in Somalia, one of them an American. It was the same unit that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, two U.S. officials said Wednesday.

Publicly, Obama did not tip his hand during his speech, though microphones picked up his congratulation to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta as he entered the House chamber. Obama pointed his index finger to Panetta and said, “Good job tonight. Good job.” Panetta smiled broadly.

Obama had learned shortly before that American aid worker Jessica Buchanan and Poul Hagen Thisted, a Dane, were safely in U.S. military hands. Immediately after the speech, Obama telephoned Buchanan’s father from the Capitol to tell him that she was safe and “on her way home,” according to the White House.

A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. John Kirby, said that although the two hostages were safe by the time Obama gestured to Panetta, the secretive rescue mission had not yet been completed.

Kirby and other Pentagon officials declined to reveal details of how the rescue was conducted, although they said the Americans originally intended to capture alive and detain the kidnappers. Instead, for reasons that have not been explained publicly, they killed all nine of them.

Panetta’s press secretary, George Little, said the kidnappers were heavily armed, with explosives “nearby.” He said neither the two hostages nor any members of the U.S. assault team were injured.

Little said one factor in deciding to go ahead with the rescue was that Buchanan’s medical condition had been deteriorating. He said it was believed that her condition could be life-threatening. Neither Kirby nor Little would say more about her medical problem or say how the U.S. learned of it getting worse.

In his State of the Union speech the president did not mention the rescue, though he did refer to another successful military operation – the May 2011 killing of bin Laden in Pakistan by Navy SEAL Team 6.

“One of my proudest possessions is the flag that the SEAL Team took with them on the mission to get bin Laden,” Obama said in his speech.

Tuesday’s rescue was carried out by the same SEAL unit that carried out the bin Laden operation, two U.S. officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the operation. The unit is the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, also known as SEAL Team 6. The members of the unit who carried out the rescue operation were not the same personnel as those who killed bin Laden, the U.S. officials said.

In a predawn White House statement, Obama praised U.S. Special Operations Forces who rescued Buchanan and the Dane, who had been kidnapped at gunpoint by Somali pirates in October.

“As Commander-in-Chief, I could not be prouder of the troops who carried out this mission, and the dedicated professionals who supported their efforts,” Obama said in a statement.

A U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the top secret operation, said the SEAL team parachuted into the area and got to the rescue site on foot. The official said U.S. Air Force special operations planes carried the SEALs to the parachute drop zone, and Army special operations helicopters carried the raiders and their hostages to safety.

Panetta, in a statement, said Buchanan and Hagen Thisted “have been transported to a safe location where we will evaluate their health and make arrangements for them to return home.” He said the two hostages were not harmed during the operation, and no U.S. troops were killed or injured.

“This was a team effort and required close coordination, especially between the Department of Defense and our colleagues in the Federal Bureau of Investigation,” Panetta said.

On NBC’s “Today,” Vice President Joe Biden said the U.S. decided to move after determining that Buchanan’s health “was beginning to decline.”

“We wanted to act,” Biden said.

Obama approved the mission Monday. On Tuesday, Obama’s top counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan, gave the president half a dozen updates on the movement of forces and the progression of rescue operation.

About two hours before Obama was scheduled to begin delivering his State of the Union address, Brennan told him Buchanan and Thisted were safe and in U.S. hands.

After delivering his address, Obama called Buchanan’s father. In his statement Wednesday, Obama said he told John Buchanan “that all Americans have Jessica in our thoughts and prayers, and give thanks that she will soon be reunited with her family.”

“The United States will not tolerate the abduction of our people, and will spare no effort to secure the safety of our citizens and to bring their captors to justice,” Obama said. “This is yet another message to the world that the United States of America will stand strongly against any threats to our people.”

Biden had high praise for the special forces. “It takes your breath away, their capacity and their bravery,” he said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “These guys and women are amazing.”

LOL: Things that FAMUANS say (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:02:00 +0000

As a proud alumnus of FAMU, I have to admit this video made me laugh especially the part about the 'Net Check'. I'm still waiting on my 'Net Check' and I graduated damn near ten years ago...LOL!

I can definitely relate to a lot in this video from my car getting towed (true story). I was at the Career Center for an interview and came back and my car was gone. I cried like a baby...lol! Those FAMU police don't play about those tickets either.

I love my alma mater!

Mitt Romney tax return shows he paid a tax rate of 13.9%

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:13:00 +0000

It must be nice to be a member of the 1%. Not only did Mitt Romney's tax returns from the past two years show what we already knew about him (in the words of NeNe Leakes, he's rich b!&ch), but it revealed just how rich he is. Mitt Romney is at the upper echelon of the one percent, which in itself is not a problem but what maybe a problem for a lot of people is the fact that he pays taxes at an effective rate of 13.9% which is far less than the average Americans pay. But in all fairness, there is nothing average about the amount of money Mitt makes.

Now, I realize a lot of you are scratching your heads as to why Willard's taxes are so low, but the truth of the matter is the fact that most of his income come from capital gains which only carries a 15% tax rate. This also explains why Warren Buffett pays less taxes than his secretary.

Here's how the media is breaking down the tax returns:

Via AJC:

The Romneys gave away $7 million in charitable contributions over the past two years, including at least $4.1 million to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Romney’s family has for generations been among the Mormon church’s most prominent members.
The Romneys sent somewhat less to Washington over that period, paying an estimated $6.2 million in federal income taxes. According to his 2010 return, Romney paid about $3 million to the IRS, for an effective tax rate of 13.9 percent.
For 2011, Romney estimates he will pay about $3.2 million, for an effective rate of 15.4 percent. That’s in line with his earlier estimates, but sharply lower than the rates paid by President Obama and Romney’s closest Republican rival, Newt Gingrich.
Among the new details contained in the documents are Romney’s continuing profits from the private equity firm he founded but no longer runs, a Swiss bank account closed just as Romney launched his White House run and new listings of investment funds that were set up in offshore locations from the Caribbean to Ireland and Luxembourg.
Romney’s advisers stressed that he met all his federal tax obligations, provided maximum transparency and did not take advantage of “aggressive” strategies often used by the ultra-rich.
“The average American has a hard time understanding their own two-page tax return let alone Gov. Romney’s 200-page return,” said Joseph Bankman, a Stanford University professor of business and law who has testified to Congress on tax issues. “What would jump out at anyone is the sheer amount of money and low tax rate he pays, as well as the enormous complexity of his financial transactions.”
Romney’s income puts him in the top 0.006 percent of Americans, based on the most recent Internal Revenue Service data, from 2009. That year, only 8,274 filers reported income above $10 million.
He could be worth up to $250 million, based on previously released financial information.
Asked during a round of TV interviews Tuesday about Romney’s tax rate, given that he’s a multimillionaire, White House adviser David Plouffe said: “We need to change our tax system. We need to change our tax code so that everybody is doing their fair share.”
Romney’s GOP rivals had no immediate comment.
House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, defended Romney’s tax rate as being close to what most Americans pay on long-term capital gains from the sale of investments.
“We all know that there’s a reason we have low rates on capital gains,” Boehner told reporters. “That is because it spurs new investment in our economy and allows capital to move more quickly.”
Romney had long refused to disclose any federal tax returns, then hinted he would offer only a single year’s return in April. He released the returns Tuesday after mounting criticism from his rivals and a hard loss in last week’s South Carolina primary.
Romney advisers acknowledged he continues to earn money from investments from Bain Capital, the private equity firm he founded and managed between 1984 and early 1999. Under an agreement when he left, Romney continued to earn “carried interest” on new Bain investments as a former partner even though he no longer ran the operation.
Romney earned $7.5 million in Bain earnings in 2010 and expects to make $5.5 million in 2011, Ginsberg said.
Gingrich released his 2010 returns last Thursday showing he paid almost $1 million in income taxes, a tax rate of about 31 percent.
Romney’s advisers acknowledged Tuesday that Romney and his wife had a bank account in Switzerland as part of her trust. The account in the United Bank of Switzerland was worth $3 million, said R. Bradford Malt, a Boston lawyer who makes investments for the Romneys and oversees their blind trust, which was set up to avoid any conflicts of interest in investments during his presidential run.
Malt said he closed the account in early 2010 for “diversification” and because it “just wasn’t worth it.” He also said it “might or might not be inconsistent with Gov. Romney’s political views.” Malt has sold off other accounts in recent years — including investments in firms that did business with Iran and China — because of possible political inconsistency or embarrassment with Romney’s political positions.
Malt also confirmed that some of Romney’s investments are routed through affiliate funds set up in the Cayman Islands. He said there were no actual offshore accounts, and Romney paid the same amount of U.S. taxes as he would have if those investment funds were set up in the U.S.
Romney’s 2010 return also shows a number of foreign investments, including funds based in Ireland, Switzerland, Germany and Luxembourg. The documents also detailed another investment fund routed through a Bain Capital affiliate set up in Bermuda.
Romney’s charitable giving is above average, even for someone at his income level. In 2009, more than 37 million filers claimed charitable deductions averaging more than $4,000. Among those making more than $10 million, the average charitable deduction was about $1.7 million, according to the IRS.

State of the Union Speech 2012 (Full Text)

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:30:00 +0000

THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary

January 24, 2012

Remarks of President Barack Obama – As Prepared for Delivery
State of the Union Address
“An America Built to Last”
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012
Washington, DC

As Prepared for Delivery –

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Vice President, members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow Americans:

Last month, I went to Andrews Air Force Base and welcomed home some of our last troops to serve in Iraq. Together, we offered a final, proud salute to the colors under which more than a million of our fellow citizens fought – and several thousand gave their lives.

We gather tonight knowing that this generation of heroes has made the United States safer and more respected around the world. For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq. For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country. Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been defeated. The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.

These achievements are a testament to the courage, selflessness, and teamwork of America’s Armed Forces. At a time when too many of our institutions have let us down, they exceed all expectations. They’re not consumed with personal ambition. They don’t obsess over their differences. They focus on the mission at hand. They work together.

Imagine what we could accomplish if we followed their example. Think about the America within our reach: A country that leads the world in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs. A future where we’re in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren’t so tied to unstable parts of the world. An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.

We can do this. I know we can, because we’ve done it before. At the end of World War II, when another generation of heroes returned home from combat, they built the strongest economy and middle class the world has ever known. My grandfather, a veteran of Patton’s Army, got the chance to go to college on the GI Bill. My grandmother, who worked on a bomber assembly line, was part of a workforce that turned out the best products on Earth.

The two of them shared the optimism of a Nation that had triumphed over a depression and fascism. They understood they were part of something larger; that they were contributing to a story of success that every American had a chance to share – the basic American promise that if you worked hard, you could do well enough to raise a family, own a home, send your kids to college, and put a little away for retirement.

The defining issue of our time is how to keep that promise alive. No challenge is more urgent. No debate is more important. We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by. Or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules. What’s at stake are not Democratic values or Republican values, but American values. We have to reclaim them.

Let’s remember how we got here. Long before the recession, jobs and manufacturing began leaving our shores. Technology made businesses more efficient, but also made some jobs obsolete. Folks at the top saw their incomes rise like never before, but most hardworking Americans struggled with costs that were growing, paychecks that weren’t, and personal debt that kept piling up.

In 2008, the house of cards collapsed. We learned that mortgages had been sold to people who couldn’t afford or understand them. Banks had made huge bets and bonuses with other people’s money. Regulators had looked the other way, or didn’t have the authority to stop the bad behavior.

It was wrong. It was irresponsible. And it plunged our economy into a crisis that put millions out of work, saddled us with more debt, and left innocent, hard-working Americans holding the bag. In the six months before I took office, we lost nearly four million jobs. And we lost another four million before our policies were in full effect.

Those are the facts. But so are these. In the last 22 months, businesses have created more than three million jobs. Last year, they created the most jobs since 2005. American manufacturers are hiring again, creating jobs for the first time since the late 1990s. Together, we’ve agreed to cut the deficit by more than $2 trillion. And we’ve put in place new rules to hold Wall Street accountable, so a crisis like that never happens again.

The state of our Union is getting stronger. And we’ve come too far to turn back now. As long as I’m President, I will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. But I intend to fight obstruction with action, and I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place.

No, we will not go back to an economy weakened by outsourcing, bad debt, and phony financial profits. Tonight, I want to speak about how we move forward, and lay out a blueprint for an economy that’s built to last – an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values.

This blueprint begins with American manufacturing.

On the day I took office, our auto industry was on the verge of collapse. Some even said we should let it die. With a million jobs at stake, I refused to let that happen. In exchange for help, we demanded responsibility. We got workers and automakers to settle their differences. We got the industry to retool and restructure. Today, General Motors is back on top as the world’s number one automaker. Chrysler has grown faster in the U.S. than any major car company. Ford is investing billions in U.S. plants and factories. And together, the entire industry added nearly 160,000 jobs.

We bet on American workers. We bet on American ingenuity. And tonight, the American auto industry is back.

What’s happening in Detroit can happen in other industries. It can happen in Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Raleigh. We can’t bring back every job that’s left our shores. But right now, it’s getting more expensive to do business in places like China. Meanwhile, America is more productive. A few weeks ago, the CEO of Master Lock told me that it now makes business sense for him to bring jobs back home. Today, for the first time in fifteen years, Master Lock’s unionized plant in Milwaukee is running at full capacity.

So we have a huge opportunity, at this moment, to bring manufacturing back. But we have to seize it. Tonight, my message to business leaders is simple: Ask yourselves what you can do to bring jobs back to your country, and your country will do everything we can to help you succeed.

We should start with our tax code. Right now, companies get tax breaks for moving jobs and profits overseas. Meanwhile, companies that choose to stay in America get hit with one of the highest tax rates in the world. It makes no sense, and everyone knows it.

So let’s change it. First, if you’re a business that wants to outsource jobs, you shouldn’t get a tax deduction for doing it. That money should be used to cover moving expenses for companies like Master Lock that decide to bring jobs home.

Second, no American company should be able to avoid paying its fair share of taxes by moving jobs and profits overseas. From now on, every multinational company should have to pay a basic minimum tax. And every penny should go towards lowering taxes for companies that choose to stay here and hire here.

Third, if you’re an American manufacturer, you should get a bigger tax cut. If you’re a high-tech manufacturer, we should double the tax deduction you get for making products here. And if you want to relocate in a community that was hit hard when a factory left town, you should get help financing a new plant, equipment, or training for new workers.

My message is simple. It’s time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and start rewarding companies that create jobs right here in America. Send me these tax reforms, and I’ll sign them right away.

We’re also making it easier for American businesses to sell products all over the world. Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling U.S. exports over five years. With the bipartisan trade agreements I signed into law, we are on track to meet that goal – ahead of schedule. Soon, there will be millions of new customers for American goods in Panama, Colombia, and South Korea. Soon, there will be new cars on the streets of Seoul imported from Detroit, and Toledo, and Chicago.

I will go anywhere in the world to open new markets for American products. And I will not stand by when our competitors don’t play by the rules. We’ve brought trade cases against China at nearly twice the rate as the last administration – and it’s made a difference. Over a thousand Americans are working today because we stopped a surge in Chinese tires. But we need to do more. It’s not right when another country lets our movies, music, and software be pirated. It’s not fair when foreign manufacturers have a leg up on ours only because they’re heavily subsidized.

Tonight, I’m announcing the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will be charged with investigating unfair trade practices in countries like China. There will be more inspections to prevent counterfeit or unsafe goods from crossing our borders. And this Congress should make sure that no foreign company has an advantage over American manufacturing when it comes to accessing finance or new markets like Russia. Our workers are the most productive on Earth, and if the playing field is level, I promise you – America will always win.

I also hear from many business leaders who want to hire in the United States but can’t find workers with the right skills. Growing industries in science and technology have twice as many openings as we have workers who can do the job. Think about that – openings at a time when millions of Americans are looking for work.

That’s inexcusable. And we know how to fix it.

Jackie Bray is a single mom from North Carolina who was laid off from her job as a mechanic. Then Siemens opened a gas turbine factory in Charlotte, and formed a partnership with Central Piedmont Community College. The company helped the college design courses in laser and robotics training. It paid Jackie’s tuition, then hired her to help operate their plant.

I want every American looking for work to have the same opportunity as Jackie did. Join me in a national commitment to train two million Americans with skills that will lead directly to a job. My Administration has already lined up more companies that want to help. Model partnerships between businesses like Siemens and community colleges in places like Charlotte, Orlando, and Louisville are up and running. Now you need to give more community colleges the resources they need to become community career centers – places that teach people skills that local businesses are looking for right now, from data management to high-tech manufacturing.

And I want to cut through the maze of confusing training programs, so that from now on, people like Jackie have one program, one website, and one place to go for all the information and help they need. It’s time to turn our unemployment system into a reemployment system that puts people to work.

These reforms will help people get jobs that are open today. But to prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, our commitment to skills and education has to start earlier.

For less than one percent of what our Nation spends on education each year, we’ve convinced nearly every State in the country to raise their standards for teaching and learning – the first time that’s happened in a generation.

But challenges remain. And we know how to solve them.

At a time when other countries are doubling down on education, tight budgets have forced States to lay off thousands of teachers. We know a good teacher can increase the lifetime income of a classroom by over $250,000. A great teacher can offer an escape from poverty to the child who dreams beyond his circumstance. Every person in this chamber can point to a teacher who changed the trajectory of their lives. Most teachers work tirelessly, with modest pay, sometimes digging into their own pocket for school supplies – just to make a difference.

Teachers matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal. Give them the resources to keep good teachers on the job, and reward the best ones. In return, grant schools flexibility: To teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learn.

We also know that when students aren’t allowed to walk away from their education, more of them walk the stage to get their diploma. So tonight, I call on every State to require that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn eighteen.

When kids do graduate, the most daunting challenge can be the cost of college. At a time when Americans owe more in tuition debt than credit card debt, this Congress needs to stop the interest rates on student loans from doubling in July. Extend the tuition tax credit we started that saves middle-class families thousands of dollars. And give more young people the chance to earn their way through college by doubling the number of work-study jobs in the next five years.

Of course, it’s not enough for us to increase student aid. We can’t just keep subsidizing skyrocketing tuition; we’ll run out of money. States also need to do their part, by making higher education a higher priority in their budgets. And colleges and universities have to do their part by working to keep costs down. Recently, I spoke with a group of college presidents who’ve done just that. Some schools re-design courses to help students finish more quickly. Some use better technology. The point is, it’s possible. So let me put colleges and universities on notice: If you can’t stop tuition from going up, the funding you get from taxpayers will go down. Higher education can’t be a luxury – it’s an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.

Let’s also remember that hundreds of thousands of talented, hardworking students in this country face another challenge: The fact that they aren’t yet American citizens. Many were brought here as small children, are American through and through, yet they live every day with the threat of deportation. Others came more recently, to study business and science and engineering, but as soon as they get their degree, we send them home to invent new products and create new jobs somewhere else.

That doesn’t make sense.

I believe as strongly as ever that we should take on illegal immigration. That’s why my Administration has put more boots on the border than ever before. That’s why there are fewer illegal crossings than when I took office.

The opponents of action are out of excuses. We should be working on comprehensive immigration reform right now. But if election-year politics keeps Congress from acting on a comprehensive plan, let’s at least agree to stop expelling responsible young people who want to staff our labs, start new businesses, and defend this country. Send me a law that gives them the chance to earn their citizenship. I will sign it right away.

You see, an economy built to last is one where we encourage the talent and ingenuity of every person in this country. That means women should earn equal pay for equal work. It means we should support everyone who’s willing to work; and every risk-taker and entrepreneur who aspires to become the next Steve Jobs.

After all, innovation is what America has always been about. Most new jobs are created in start-ups and small businesses. So let’s pass an agenda that helps them succeed. Tear down regulations that prevent aspiring entrepreneurs from getting the financing to grow. Expand tax relief to small businesses that are raising wages and creating good jobs. Both parties agree on these ideas. So put them in a bill, and get it on my desk this year.

Innovation also demands basic research. Today, the discoveries taking place in our federally-financed labs and universities could lead to new treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched. New lightweight vests for cops and soldiers that can stop any bullet. Don’t gut these investments in our budget. Don’t let other countries win the race for the future. Support the same kind of research and innovation that led to the computer chip and the Internet; to new American jobs and new American industries.

Nowhere is the promise of innovation greater than in American-made energy. Over the last three years, we’ve opened millions of new acres for oil and gas exploration, and tonight, I’m directing my Administration to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources. Right now, American oil production is the highest that it’s been in eight years. That’s right – eight years. Not only that – last year, we relied less on foreign oil than in any of the past sixteen years.

But with only 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves, oil isn’t enough. This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy – a strategy that’s cleaner, cheaper, and full of new jobs.

We have a supply of natural gas that can last America nearly one hundred years, and my Administration will take every possible action to safely develop this energy. Experts believe this will support more than 600,000 jobs by the end of the decade. And I’m requiring all companies that drill for gas on public lands to disclose the chemicals they use. America will develop this resource without putting the health and safety of our citizens at risk.

The development of natural gas will create jobs and power trucks and factories that are cleaner and cheaper, proving that we don’t have to choose between our environment and our economy. And by the way, it was public research dollars, over the course of thirty years, that helped develop the technologies to extract all this natural gas out of shale rock – reminding us that Government support is critical in helping businesses get new energy ideas off the ground.

What’s true for natural gas is true for clean energy. In three years, our partnership with the private sector has already positioned America to be the world’s leading manufacturer of high-tech batteries. Because of federal investments, renewable energy use has nearly doubled. And thousands of Americans have jobs because of it.

When Bryan Ritterby was laid off from his job making furniture, he said he worried that at 55, no one would give him a second chance. But he found work at Energetx, a wind turbine manufacturer in Michigan. Before the recession, the factory only made luxury yachts. Today, it’s hiring workers like Bryan, who said, “I’m proud to be working in the industry of the future.”

Our experience with shale gas shows us that the payoffs on these public investments don’t always come right away. Some technologies don’t pan out; some companies fail. But I will not walk away from the promise of clean energy. I will not walk away from workers like Bryan. I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here. We have subsidized oil companies for a century. That’s long enough. It’s time to end the taxpayer giveaways to an industry that’s rarely been more profitable, and double-down on a clean energy industry that’s never been more promising. Pass clean energy tax credits and create these jobs.

We can also spur energy innovation with new incentives. The differences in this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate change. But there’s no reason why Congress shouldn’t at least set a clean energy standard that creates a market for innovation. So far, you haven’t acted. Well tonight, I will. I’m directing my Administration to allow the development of clean energy on enough public land to power three million homes. And I’m proud to announce that the Department of Defense, the world’s largest consumer of energy, will make one of the largest commitments to clean energy in history – with the Navy purchasing enough capacity to power a quarter of a million homes a year.

Of course, the easiest way to save money is to waste less energy. So here’s another proposal: Help manufacturers eliminate energy waste in their factories and give businesses incentives to upgrade their buildings. Their energy bills will be $100 billion lower over the next decade, and America will have less pollution, more manufacturing, and more jobs for construction workers who need them. Send me a bill that creates these jobs.

Building this new energy future should be just one part of a broader agenda to repair America’s infrastructure. So much of America needs to be rebuilt. We’ve got crumbling roads and bridges. A power grid that wastes too much energy. An incomplete high-speed broadband network that prevents a small business owner in rural America from selling her products all over the world.

During the Great Depression, America built the Hoover Dam and the Golden Gate Bridge. After World War II, we connected our States with a system of highways. Democratic and Republican administrations invested in great projects that benefited everybody, from the workers who built them to the businesses that still use them today.

In the next few weeks, I will sign an Executive Order clearing away the red tape that slows down too many construction projects. But you need to fund these projects. Take the money we’re no longer spending at war, use half of it to pay down our debt, and use the rest to do some nation-building right here at home.

There’s never been a better time to build, especially since the construction industry was one of the hardest-hit when the housing bubble burst. Of course, construction workers weren’t the only ones hurt. So were millions of innocent Americans who’ve seen their home values decline. And while Government can’t fix the problem on its own, responsible homeowners shouldn’t have to sit and wait for the housing market to hit bottom to get some relief.

That’s why I’m sending this Congress a plan that gives every responsible homeowner the chance to save about $3,000 a year on their mortgage, by refinancing at historically low interest rates. No more red tape. No more runaround from the banks. A small fee on the largest financial institutions will ensure that it won’t add to the deficit, and will give banks that were rescued by taxpayers a chance to repay a deficit of trust.

Let’s never forget: Millions of Americans who work hard and play by the rules every day deserve a Government and a financial system that do the same. It’s time to apply the same rules from top to bottom: No bailouts, no handouts, and no copouts. An America built to last insists on responsibility from everybody.

We’ve all paid the price for lenders who sold mortgages to people who couldn’t afford them, and buyers who knew they couldn’t afford them. That’s why we need smart regulations to prevent irresponsible behavior. Rules to prevent financial fraud, or toxic dumping, or faulty medical devices, don’t destroy the free market. They make the free market work better.

There is no question that some regulations are outdated, unnecessary, or too costly. In fact, I’ve approved fewer regulations in the first three years of my presidency than my Republican predecessor did in his. I’ve ordered every federal agency to eliminate rules that don’t make sense. We’ve already announced over 500 reforms, and just a fraction of them will save business and citizens more than $10 billion over the next five years. We got rid of one rule from 40 years ago that could have forced some dairy farmers to spend $10,000 a year proving that they could contain a spill – because milk was somehow classified as an oil. With a rule like that, I guess it was worth crying over spilled milk.

I’m confident a farmer can contain a milk spill without a federal agency looking over his shoulder. But I will not back down from making sure an oil company can contain the kind of oil spill we saw in the Gulf two years ago. I will not back down from protecting our kids from mercury pollution, or making sure that our food is safe and our water is clean. I will not go back to the days when health insurance companies had unchecked power to cancel your policy, deny you coverage, or charge women differently from men.

And I will not go back to the days when Wall Street was allowed to play by its own set of rules. The new rules we passed restore what should be any financial system’s core purpose: Getting funding to entrepreneurs with the best ideas, and getting loans to responsible families who want to buy a home, start a business, or send a kid to college.

So if you’re a big bank or financial institution, you are no longer allowed to make risky bets with your customers’ deposits. You’re required to write out a “living will” that details exactly how you’ll pay the bills if you fail – because the rest of us aren’t bailing you out ever again. And if you’re a mortgage lender or a payday lender or a credit card company, the days of signing people up for products they can’t afford with confusing forms and deceptive practices are over. Today, American consumers finally have a watchdog in Richard Cordray with one job: To look out for them.

We will also establish a Financial Crimes Unit of highly trained investigators to crack down on large-scale fraud and protect people’s investments. Some financial firms violate major anti-fraud laws because there’s no real penalty for being a repeat offender. That’s bad for consumers, and it’s bad for the vast majority of bankers and financial service professionals who do the right thing. So pass legislation that makes the penalties for fraud count.

And tonight, I am asking my Attorney General to create a special unit of federal prosecutors and leading state attorneys general to expand our investigations into the abusive lending and packaging of risky mortgages that led to the housing crisis. This new unit will hold accountable those who broke the law, speed assistance to homeowners, and help turn the page on an era of recklessness that hurt so many Americans.

A return to the American values of fair play and shared responsibility will help us protect our people and our economy. But it should also guide us as we look to pay down our debt and invest in our future.

Right now, our most immediate priority is stopping a tax hike on 160 million working Americans while the recovery is still fragile. People cannot afford losing $40 out of each paycheck this year. There are plenty of ways to get this done. So let’s agree right here, right now: No side issues. No drama. Pass the payroll tax cut without delay.

When it comes to the deficit, we’ve already agreed to more than $2 trillion in cuts and savings. But we need to do more, and that means making choices. Right now, we’re poised to spend nearly $1 trillion more on what was supposed to be a temporary tax break for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans. Right now, because of loopholes and shelters in the tax code, a quarter of all millionaires pay lower tax rates than millions of middle-class households. Right now, Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.

Do we want to keep these tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans? Or do we want to keep our investments in everything else – like education and medical research; a strong military and care for our veterans? Because if we’re serious about paying down our debt, we can’t do both.

The American people know what the right choice is. So do I. As I told the Speaker this summer, I’m prepared to make more reforms that rein in the long term costs of Medicare and Medicaid, and strengthen Social Security, so long as those programs remain a guarantee of security for seniors.

But in return, we need to change our tax code so that people like me, and an awful lot of Members of Congress, pay our fair share of taxes. Tax reform should follow the Buffett rule: If you make more than $1 million a year, you should not pay less than 30 percent in taxes. And my Republican friend Tom Coburn is right: Washington should stop subsidizing millionaires. In fact, if you’re earning a million dollars a year, you shouldn’t get special tax subsidies or deductions. On the other hand, if you make under $250,000 a year, like 98 percent of American families, your taxes shouldn’t go up. You’re the ones struggling with rising costs and stagnant wages. You’re the ones who need relief.

Now, you can call this class warfare all you want. But asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes? Most Americans would call that common sense.

We don’t begrudge financial success in this country. We admire it. When Americans talk about folks like me paying my fair share of taxes, it’s not because they envy the rich. It’s because they understand that when I get tax breaks I don’t need and the country can’t afford, it either adds to the deficit, or somebody else has to make up the difference – like a senior on a fixed income; or a student trying to get through school; or a family trying to make ends meet. That’s not right. Americans know it’s not right. They know that this generation’s success is only possible because past generations felt a responsibility to each other, and to their country’s future, and they know our way of life will only endure if we feel that same sense of shared responsibility. That’s how we’ll reduce our deficit. That’s an America built to last.

I recognize that people watching tonight have differing views about taxes and debt; energy and health care. But no matter what party they belong to, I bet most Americans are thinking the same thing right now: Nothing will get done this year, or next year, or maybe even the year after that, because Washington is broken.

Can you blame them for feeling a little cynical?

The greatest blow to confidence in our economy last year didn’t come from events beyond our control. It came from a debate in Washington over whether the United States would pay its bills or not. Who benefited from that fiasco?

I’ve talked tonight about the deficit of trust between Main Street and Wall Street. But the divide between this city and the rest of the country is at least as bad – and it seems to get worse every year.

Some of this has to do with the corrosive influence of money in politics. So together, let’s take some steps to fix that. Send me a bill that bans insider trading by Members of Congress, and I will sign it tomorrow. Let’s limit any elected official from owning stocks in industries they impact. Let’s make sure people who bundle campaign contributions for Congress can’t lobby Congress, and vice versa – an idea that has bipartisan support, at least outside of Washington.

Some of what’s broken has to do with the way Congress does its business these days. A simple majority is no longer enough to get anything – even routine business – passed through the Senate. Neither party has been blameless in these tactics. Now both parties should put an end to it. For starters, I ask the Senate to pass a rule that all judicial and public service nominations receive a simple up or down vote within 90 days.

The executive branch also needs to change. Too often, it’s inefficient, outdated and remote. That’s why I’ve asked this Congress to grant me the authority to consolidate the federal bureaucracy so that our Government is leaner, quicker, and more responsive to the needs of the American people.

Finally, none of these reforms can happen unless we also lower the temperature in this town. We need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction; that politics is about clinging to rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common sense ideas.

I’m a Democrat. But I believe what Republican Abraham Lincoln believed: That Government should do for people only what they cannot do better by themselves, and no more. That’s why my education reform offers more competition, and more control for schools and States. That’s why we’re getting rid of regulations that don’t work. That’s why our health care law relies on a reformed private market, not a Government program.

On the other hand, even my Republican friends who complain the most about Government spending have supported federally-financed roads, and clean energy projects, and federal offices for the folks back home.

The point is, we should all want a smarter, more effective Government. And while we may not be able to bridge our biggest philosophical differences this year, we can make real progress. With or without this Congress, I will keep taking actions that help the economy grow. But I can do a whole lot more with your help. Because when we act together, there is nothing the United States of America can’t achieve.

That is the lesson we’ve learned from our actions abroad over the last few years.

Ending the Iraq war has allowed us to strike decisive blows against our enemies. From Pakistan to Yemen, the al Qaeda operatives who remain are scrambling, knowing that they can’t escape the reach of the United States of America.

From this position of strength, we’ve begun to wind down the war in Afghanistan. Ten thousand of our troops have come home. Twenty-three thousand more will leave by the end of this summer. This transition to Afghan lead will continue, and we will build an enduring partnership with Afghanistan, so that it is never again a source of attacks against America.

As the tide of war recedes, a wave of change has washed across the Middle East and North Africa, from Tunis to Cairo; from Sana’a to Tripoli. A year ago, Qadhafi was one of the world’s longest-serving dictators – a murderer with American blood on his hands. Today, he is gone. And in Syria, I have no doubt that the Assad regime will soon discover that the forces of change can’t be reversed, and that human dignity can’t be denied.

How this incredible transformation will end remains uncertain. But we have a huge stake in the outcome. And while it is ultimately up to the people of the region to decide their fate, we will advocate for those values that have served our own country so well. We will stand against violence and intimidation. We will stand for the rights and dignity of all human beings – men and women; Christians, Muslims, and Jews. We will support policies that lead to strong and stable democracies and open markets, because tyranny is no match for liberty.

And we will safeguard America’s own security against those who threaten our citizens, our friends, and our interests. Look at Iran. Through the power of our diplomacy, a world that was once divided about how to deal with Iran’s nuclear program now stands as one. The regime is more isolated than ever before; its leaders are faced with crippling sanctions, and as long as they shirk their responsibilities, this pressure will not relent. Let there be no doubt: America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal. But a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better, and if Iran changes course and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the community of nations.

The renewal of American leadership can be felt across the globe. Our oldest alliances in Europe and Asia are stronger than ever. Our ties to the Americas are deeper. Our iron-clad commitment to Israel’s security has meant the closest military cooperation between our two countries in history. We’ve made it clear that America is a Pacific power, and a new beginning in Burma has lit a new hope. From the coalitions we’ve built to secure nuclear materials, to the missions we’ve led against hunger and disease; from the blows we’ve dealt to our enemies; to the enduring power of our moral example, America is back.

Anyone who tells you otherwise, anyone who tells you that America is in decline or that our influence has waned, doesn’t know what they’re talking about. That’s not the message we get from leaders around the world, all of whom are eager to work with us. That’s not how people feel from Tokyo to Berlin; from Cape Town to Rio; where opinions of America are higher than they’ve been in years. Yes, the world is changing; no, we can’t control every event. But America remains the one indispensable nation in world affairs – and as long as I’m President, I intend to keep it that way.

That’s why, working with our military leaders, I have proposed a new defense strategy that ensures we maintain the finest military in the world, while saving nearly half a trillion dollars in our budget. To stay one step ahead of our adversaries, I have already sent this Congress legislation that will secure our country from the growing danger of cyber-threats.

Above all, our freedom endures because of the men and women in uniform who defend it. As they come home, we must serve them as well as they served us. That includes giving them the care and benefits they have earned – which is why we’ve increased annual VA spending every year I’ve been President. And it means enlisting our veterans in the work of rebuilding our Nation.

With the bipartisan support of this Congress, we are providing new tax credits to companies that hire vets. Michelle and Jill Biden have worked with American businesses to secure a pledge of 135,000 jobs for veterans and their families. And tonight, I’m proposing a Veterans Job Corps that will help our communities hire veterans as cops and firefighters, so that America is as strong as those who defend her.

Which brings me back to where I began. Those of us who’ve been sent here to serve can learn from the service of our troops. When you put on that uniform, it doesn’t matter if you’re black or white; Asian or Latino; conservative or liberal; rich or poor; gay or straight. When you’re marching into battle, you look out for the person next to you, or the mission fails. When you’re in the thick of the fight, you rise or fall as one unit, serving one Nation, leaving no one behind.

One of my proudest possessions is the flag that the SEAL Team took with them on the mission to get bin Laden. On it are each of their names. Some may be Democrats. Some may be Republicans. But that doesn’t matter. Just like it didn’t matter that day in the Situation Room, when I sat next to Bob Gates – a man who was George Bush’s defense secretary; and Hillary Clinton, a woman who ran against me for president.

All that mattered that day was the mission. No one thought about politics. No one thought about themselves. One of the young men involved in the raid later told me that he didn’t deserve credit for the mission. It only succeeded, he said, because every single member of that unit did their job – the pilot who landed the helicopter that spun out of control; the translator who kept others from entering the compound; the troops who separated the women and children from the fight; the SEALs who charged up the stairs. More than that, the mission only succeeded because every member of that unit trusted each other – because you can’t charge up those stairs, into darkness and danger, unless you know that there’s someone behind you, watching your back.

So it is with America. Each time I look at that flag, I’m reminded that our destiny is stitched together like those fifty stars and those thirteen stripes. No one built this country on their own. This Nation is great because we built it together. This Nation is great because we worked as a team. This Nation is great because we get each other’s backs. And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard. As long as we’re joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, our future is hopeful, and the state of our Union will always be strong.

Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

Not Part of the Solution? YOU Are the Problem

noreply@blogger.com (LovelyLocks) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:50:00 +0000

It's just Monday and I'm already raving mad. If I see one more post about how Black people should not feel "obligated" to see the movie "Red Tails", y'all gon make me lose my mind up in here, up in here. Now it wouldn't be a Lovelylocks post without a confession so let's get that out of the way. I am probably the only person in America who has never seen a Star Wars or Indiana Jones movie. It's nothing personal. I just don't really do sci-fi and Indiana Jones, whatever genre it is, just never grabbed my interest.

Even so, I was excited when I heard George Lucas and Aaron MacGruder were collaborating on a movie about the Tuskegee Airmen. I had plans to support the film long before the media decided to create some hoopla about the lack of Black film funding in Hollywood (thank you Captain Obvious... Black people realized a long time ago, that whenever possible, we will be handed the shirt end of the stick). So although, I've probably never before given a dollar to George Lucas's well stuffed pockets, I was happy to stand in line this weekend and help him recoup his 100 million dollar investment.

Honestly, Red Tails won't make my all time favorite movie list because I am just not an action movie kind of girl but I am so happy that I went to see it and if you called me this weekend and asked me to go again, I would. There was a sense of camaraderie between the entire audience as we anxiously settled into our seats and waited for the movie to begin. The scene where the airmen declare, "We fight, we fight, we fight" caused my heart to swell with pride because these brave men did fight and in the end they proved to the world that were not only competent pilots, but that they were some of the best fighter pilots to ever sit in a cockpit. As we exited the theatre, we all wore a collective smile. We felt strong, proud, and unified. We fight!!

Of course, I should have known that reality would come crashing in at some point and the feelings of unity and solidarity would be marginalized. Sunday morning, I awoke to a myriad of blog posts and articles decrying support for the movie. Normally, I'd be content to agree to disagree but the arrogant countenance of the detractors has reay started to make my teeth itch (don't get it twisted, no matter how much education I get when I get angry, the Southern girl comes out in me... Lol... For you northerners, when someone tells you that you are making his/her teeth itch, it means you are getting on his/her last nerve and they are contemplating doing physical bodily harm to you).

So I am going to address the two most prominent arguments put forth by the movie's detractors.

1) I don't like historical/war/action movies and I go to the movies to be entertained. To me, this is another version of the it doesn't personally affect me argument. If you can quote every lyric to a song by Nicki Minaj but you are unaware of how these brave men risked their lives so that you would have a country to call home then YOU ARE THE PROBLEM. You are dumbing down my race. Yeah I said it. You are the reason that Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum feel that they can make ignorant comments about Black people needing to cash pay checks instead of welfare checks. See they know that you are so busy worrying about being "entertained" that you won't take the time to get angry and call them on their lies while the closeted racists that they are pandering to tell themselves that they were right to think all Black people are lazy. Don't get me wrong. I do certain things purely for the entertainment value, like visiting amusement parks but when you pass up a chance to uplift our race because you'd rather be "entertained" your priorities are really screwed up. #realtalk

2) We shouldn't throw our support behind a white director telling our story. Our resources and support should be going to independent Black filmmakers. I don't see why we can't support both. Why should we settle for one or the other? I say we demand equal representation in both arenas. I think that some of you feel that George Lucas is somehow using the Tuskegee Airmen story to his advantage and I don't see it that way at all. First, George Lucas is a kazillionaire (okay that is not a word but come on, not many people have George Lucas money or fame) and a huge heavyweight in the film industry. If Hollywood investors would not give him the money to make a Black film, you know independent filmmakers have little to no chance of securing funding. Secondly, the man put up his own money for this project. As an author contemplating publishing my own book for the first time, I know that when you put up your money, it's a labor of love. So I don't think he's using anyone. I think he saw them for the heroes that they really are and wanted to tell their story. Now if we can prove him right and make this a success then the next Black filmmaker with a dream and a camera might find it a little easier to find money for their project.

We can keep telling ourselves that this is a movie and not really important to our status in America, but we are mistaken. Just like politicians cater and listen to citizens who organize and vote, Hollywood pays attention to the things consumers spend money on... if we want more Black films, more Black actors working, more Black directors, and more varied stories told from the Black perspective then we have to start by supporting this film. To steal and paraphrase, "You want respect. Well respect cost and right here is where you start paying." (Listen, y'all know I'm a little dramatic...lol) Shoot, I've motivated myself to go and see the movie again. Who's with me?? If you live in the Atlanta area, hit me up. We'll go and see it together.

FAMU dismisses students charged with hazing

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:45:00 +0000

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The four students charged last week with hazing pledges of a Florida A&M University marching band club known as the Clones have been dismissed from the school.

The move was announced Monday during a FAMU board of trustees meeting. The students will have a chance to appeal their dismissal before a student judicial committee.

The four band members face misdemeanor hazing charges after reports that other students were punched and paddled during initiation meetings that began in early September. Last week's arrests are the latest in a scandal that has rocked the university and its famed Marching 100 band.

In November, FAMU drum major Robert Champion died hours after a football game in Orlando in what authorities said was a hazing ritual. His death has been ruled a homicide, but no charges have been brought.

Washington Post: Survey paints portrait of black women in America

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:39:00 +0000

(Washington Post) Rich or poor, educated or not, black women sometimes feel as though myths are stalking them like shadows, their lives reduced to a string of labels.

The angry black woman. The strong black woman. The unfeeling black woman. The manless black woman.

“Black women haven’t really defined themselves,” says author Sophia Nelson, who urges her fellow sisters to take control of their image. “We were always defined as workhorses, strong. We carry the burdens, we carry the family. We don’t need. We don’t want.”

In a new nationwide survey conducted by The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation, a complex portrait emerges of black women who feel confident but vulnerable, who have high self-esteem and see physical beauty as important, who find career success more vital to them than marriage. The survey, which includes interviews with more than 800 black women, represents the most extensive exploration of the lives and views of African American women in decades.

Krissah Thompson and Jon Cohen will live chat with readers at Noon ET about this survey. Submit your questions and opinions now!

Religion is essential to most black women’s lives; being in a romantic relationship is not, the poll shows. Nearly three-quarters of African American women say now is a good time to be a black woman in America, and yet a similar proportion worry about having enough money to pay their bills. Half of black women surveyed call racism a “big problem” in the country; nearly half worry about being discriminated against. Eighty-five percent say they are satisfied with their own lives, but one-fifth say they are often treated with less respect than other people.

The poll’s findings and dozens of follow-up discussions reflect the conversations black women are having among themselves at church halls after Bible study, at happy hours after work, in college lounges after listening to lectures by the likes of Nelson, 45, who five years ago quit her job at a big D.C. law firm to write a book, “Black Woman Redefined.”

She often tells young black women to forget what the outside world projects for them and be bold: “You can play this however you want to. You’re living in the age of Michelle Obama.”

It is a time in which one-third of employed black women work in management or professional jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and a record number are attending college. Black women with college degrees earn nearly as much as similarly educated white women. The number of businesses owned by black women has nearly doubled in the past decade to more than 900,000, according to census figures. Just Friday, Wal-Mart named Rosalind Brewer chief executive of Sam’s Club, making her the first African American to be chief executive for a business unit of the world’s largest retailer.

It is an age in which young black women see more options for themselves than ever. They can run a cable network (like Oprah Winfrey), lead a Fortune 500 company (like Xerox’s Ursula Burns), become an international pop icon (like Beyonce). Secretary of State? Condi Rice has been there, done that.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

Seal, Heidi Klum announce separation

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:04:00 +0000

NEW YORK — Seal and Heidi Klum have announced that their storybook marriage is coming to the end of the runway.

In a statement Sunday night, the power couple announced their separation after rumors swirled over the weekend that a divorce was imminent.

"While we have enjoyed seven very loving, loyal and happy years of marriage, after much soul searching we have decided to separate," the joint statement read. "We have had the deepest respect for one another throughout our relationship and continue to love each other very much, but we have grown apart. This is an amicable process and protecting the well-being of our children remains our top priority, especially during this time of transition. We thank our family, friends, and fans for their kind words of support. And for our children's sake, we appreciate you respecting our privacy."

The couple married in 2005 and has four children together, including the supermodel's daughter from a previous relationship.

They were one of Hollywood's most high-profile couples, and seemed to have the relationship everyone should envy. They two starred together in the music video "Secret," they renewed their wedding vows each anniversary, boasted of their love in the media, and threw Halloween bashes together where they dressed in outrageous outfits, most recently last year in New York City, where the two engaged in their typical public display of affection for the cameras.

In an interview with The Associated Press in 2007, the "Kiss from A Rose" singer described his wife, who has a tattoo of his name on her arm, as his best friend.

"It is really important that we have that understanding because apart from anything else it is really healthy," he said of the "Project Runway" host. "People often talk about the most important thing in a relationship. They say it is really important that you are turned on by your partner and you love each other, which is all really true.I often think that the most important thing or certainly up there with love is respect."

TMZ first reported on Saturday that the two planned to divorce this week.

His announcement comes as he releases his new album, "Soul 2," on Tuesday, which has songs like "Love T.K.O," ''Let's Stay Together" and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore."

'Red Tails' Has $19 Mil. Opening, Rates Second

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:42:00 +0000

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kate Beckinsale is back with a vengeance, with her latest "Underworld" movie opening at No. 1 this weekend.

"Underworld Awakening" made an estimated $25.4, distributor Sony Screen Gems reported Sunday.

Opening in second place was "Red Tails" from executive producer George Lucas, about the Tuskegee Airmen who were the first black fighter pilots to serve in World War II. It made an estimated $19.1 million, according to 20th Century Fox, which was well above expectations; the studio had hoped to reach double digits, said Chris Aronson, executive vice president of domestic distribution.

"I believe what George Lucas has stated all along: This is an important story and a story that must be told. It is a true story of American heroism and valor and audiences have really responded to this message," Aronson said. "People want to feel good about themselves, they want to be uplifted. We have enough hard crud going on in this country right now. Times are tough, and if we look back and are told a story of some really fantastic deeds, that's really compelling moviegoing."

Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian said a grassroots effort to get groups of people into the theaters to see "Red Tails," along with positive word-of-mouth, helped its strong showing. The film saw an uptick from about $6 million on Friday to $8.65 on Saturday.

"Underworld Awakening" is the fourth film in the vampire action saga. Beckinsale starred in the first two movies as the warrior Selene, then bowed out of part three but returned for this latest installment. "Underworld Awakening" was shown for the first time in 3-D as well as on IMAX screens, where it made $3.8 million. That's 15 percent of the film's weekend gross, which is a record for an IMAX digital-only run.

Sony had hoped the film would end up in the low-$20 million range. But Rory Bruer, the studio's president of worldwide distribution, says the fact that it did even better — despite a snow storm that hit much of the Midwest and East Coast — primarily has to do with Beckinsale's return.

"She is such a force. Her character — you just can't take your eyes off of her. I know the character is very dear to her, as well, and she just kills it," Bruer said. "The 3-D aspect of the film also brings something, makes it a fun, visceral ride."

Overall box office is up 31 percent from the same weekend a year ago, Dergarabedian said, thanks to new releases as well as movies like "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," which had limited runs for awards consideration at the end of 2011 and are now expanding nationwide. The 9/11 drama from Warner Bros., starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, came in fourth place with $10.5 million.

Last week's No. 1 film, the Universal smuggling thriller "Contraband" starring Mark Wahlberg, dropped to the No. 3 spot with $12.2 million. It's now made $46.1 million in two weeks. Meanwhile, Steven Soderbergh's international action picture "Haywire" from Relativity Media, starring mixed martial arts superstar Gina Carano in her first film role, opened in fifth place with $9 million, which was above expectations.

"This is a great, perfect January weekend. You've got these holdover films and newcomers creating an overall marketplace that people are really responding to," Dergarabedian said. "It sounds cliché but this marketplace really has something for everyone."

As for worldwide box office, "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1" has now crossed the $700 million mark. The first half of the finale of the girl-vampire-werewolf love triangle franchise has grossed an estimated $701.3 million in global box office receipts since its release last November, according to Lionsgate, which recently acquired Summit Entertainment, which distributes the series.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "Underworld Awakening," $25.4 million ($13.4 million international).

2. "Red Tails," $19.1 million.

3. "Contraband," $12.2 million.

4. "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close," $10.5 million.

5. "Haywire," $9 million.

6. "Beauty and the Beast (3-D)," $8.6 million.

7. "Joyful Noise," $6.1 million.

8. "Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol," $5.5 million. ($9.4 million international).

9. "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows," $4.8 million. ($18.1 million international).

10. "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," $3.75 million ($15.7 international).

R.I.P.: Legendary football coach Joe Paterno dies at age 85

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:34:00 +0000

Perhaps the most ironic element when looking at the way Joe Paterno lost his job as Penn State's football coach after 46 seasons is that as a young man, he had his eyes set on law school.

The fallout in 2011 from the child sex-abuse scandal involving Jerry Sandusky, who was an assistant on Paterno's Penn State staff until 1999, prompted the university's Board of Trustees to fire Paterno, then 84, with three games left in the regular season.

Paterno, who died Sunday at 85, was criticized for not going to law enforcement in 2002 once he was told by then-graduate assistant Mike McQueary that McQueary had seen Sandusky allegedly sexually abusing a young boy in a shower on campus.

"I didn't know exactly how to handle it and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was," Paterno told The Washington Post in January 2012 in the only interview he gave after the scandal broke. "So I backed away and turned it over to some other people, people I thought would have a little more expertise than I did. It didn't work out that way."

Days after he was fired in November 2011, it was disclosed that Paterno had been diagnosed with lung cancer.

In many eyes, the sordid scandal tarnished the legacy of Paterno, who spent 62 seasons on the Nittany Lions football staff and became the winningest Division I coach in the history of the sport.

Steve Shaffer, a 30-year PSU season ticketholder, who saw Paterno's first win as a head coach in 1966, said days after Paterno was let go that "the whole thing is like finding out there's no Santa Claus."

The end to Paterno's tenure came in a way nobody could have predicted.

It was also a football career that almost didn't happen.

In 1950, while a senior at Brown University, where he played football, Paterno was accepted into the Boston University School of Law. While awaiting graduation, he got an offer from Brown's coach, Rip Engle, to be a part-time assistant, working with the team's quarterbacks.

Shortly thereafter, however, Engle accepted the position as head coach at Penn State. His contract allowed him to bring one assistant with him . He chose an "astonished" Paterno, who followed his mentor to the small central Pennsylvania outpost of State College.

Paterno went on to become the national personification of the college football coach and the public face of Penn State, which made his eventual fall all the more compelling.

After succeeding Engle in 1966, what Paterno accomplished in a 46-year head coaching tenure was winning two national championships, having five unbeaten seasons, victories in all five major bowl games — and earning a spot in the Hall of Fame.

He holds records for the most years spent as a head coach at one school and the most victories for a major-college coach, with 409. He was even athletics director at the school from 1980-82.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE

When We Know Better, We Do Better

noreply@blogger.com (LovelyLocks) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 04:17:00 +0000

After the birth of his first daughter, Jay-Z made the announcement that he would no longer use the B word in his songs. He decided, that as a Dad, he did not want his daughter to ever be subjected to the use of the vulgar insult. I'm not really sure what reaction he expected to the announcement but, clearly, the National Organization of Women will not be throwing a ticker tape parade in his honor anytime soon. In fact, some mothers appear to be downright angry about his announcement even though (based on their posts) they have actually listened to his music in the past.

Now this post probably won't make me very popular, fortunately, I have not desired to be popular since high school, but I had a completely different reaction to his announcement. My first thought was kudos to Blue Ivy Carter, at just a few days old, she's already struck a blow for woman-kind. I mean she clearly worked a trance on this man...one that no woman before her has accomplished. I am not privy to their personal lives, nor do I want to be, but at least on the surface, Jay-Z seems to love his wife very much so I was quite shocked when he began referring to her as the baddest B (not short for Beyonce) in the business. Even more appalling to me at the time, was the fact that she didn't seem to have a problem with it. So for Blue Ivy to have inspired a change in him that even her mother could not, felt like a significant moment to me.Now, most of the articles, I have read have described his choice to stop using the B word as selfish and narcissistic. The writers point out that many Black girls have been born before Blue Ivy and that their births should have inspired this change in him. Theoretically, I understand their point but in reality Jay-Z is not the first person who refused to change his bad behavior until it personally impacted his own life.

Let me tell you a story about a man we'll call Mr. Z. Mr. Z was an old white man who was born and raised in Mississippi. Mr. Z and his wife, a white woman, had seven children and four of them were boys. One of Mr. Z's boys married a bi-racial woman; her mother was Black and her father was a White army man who never married her mother and only saw his daughter twice in her life. Well by all accounts, Mr.Z, who was rumored to have once been a high ranking member of the local Ku Klux Klan, was not too happy about this union but he was unable to stop it. Well in due time, Mr.Z's son and his bi-racial wife had six children of their own. And one of these children married a Black woman from Alabama and they, too, had children.

Now, Mr. Z was a big surly man especially through the eyes of a small child. One day, Mr.Z's daughter in law came for a visit and brought along his great granddaughter. While Mr.Z and his daughter-in-law discussed family business, the great granddaughter went outside to play. She was busy making mud pies when a stray football popped over the fence and landed a few feet away. Curious, she walked over and picked the football up but within a few minutes a blonde haired white boy descended on her, pushed his knee into her back knocking her to the ground, and screamed at her "Give me my ball, you little n*****".

Mr. Z's great granddaughter was terrified and angry. She had no idea what a little n***** was but she was always meticulous about her appearance(even carrying paper towels outside so that she could clean her hands while she made mud pies) and this little boy had gotten her pink dress dirty. She ran to the house in search of her grandma who quickly cleaned the dirt from her face and hands and tried to wipe off her dress. Mr.Z stood silently in the doorway and watched.

My grandmother wiped my tears and promised me ice cream and apple pie to soothe my wounded ego. As I sat at the table, I remembered what the little boy had said to me, so I asked her, "Grandma, what's a n*****?". She didn't answer but the look on her face told me it certainly was not a compliment. My great-grandfather stood up from the table and grabbed a shotgun from over his fireplace mantle. "Come point this little boy out," he demanded in a booming voice. I had always feared this man...he just seemed terminally grouchy to me. In fact, whenever my grandmother brought me to his house, I usually hid on the floor of the backseat until she coaxed me out with promises of a treat.

I don't ever recall him hugging me or showing me any kind of affection and while I was way too young to understand my family's racial make-up, I was pretty sure he did not like me for some unknown reason. But that day, he kind of became my hero. He held my hand and walked me down the street in search of the little boy. When we found him, he dragged the little boy home by his collar. Standing on the porch of the little boy's house, I heard him tell the little boy's father, "if he ever calls her that word again, you'll be picking his teeth up off the street." I felt honored and defended.

According to family legends, my great grandfather probably use the n word hundreds of time himself and he may have done far worse than that but I doubt he ever used it again after that day. So ,I for one, am willing to give Jay-Z a little leeway on his belated understanding of just how dangerous words can be. Sometimes we really don't understand how we affect other people until we are forced to see the pain in the eyes of someone we love. Jay Z, I hope you stick to this proclamation. No backsliding because Blue Ivy is watching and learning from the example you set.

Now on a side note, Beyonce, I need you to heal up so that you can make another baby. I am requesting that this one be a little boy so your husband can learn the dangers of the n word and strike that from his vocabulary next. What??? A girl can dream, can't I??

Who Run the World: First Woman to head Sam's Club

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:08:00 +0000

BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) – Wal-Mart Stores (WMT), the world's biggest retailer, said Friday that it has named Rosalind Brewer CEO of Sam's Club— the first woman and the first African-American to hold a CEO position at one of the company's business units.

Brewer, 49, is replacing Brian Cornell, 52, who is leaving the company so he can return to the Northeast for family reasons.

Brewer, who will also be president of Sam's Club, was previously president of the retailer's U.S. East business unit. She will report to Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke. The moves are effective Feb. 1.

Wal-Mart has in recent years has been battered by a combination of the slow-growing economy and its own decisions that caused U.S. customers to flee to competitors. But it has refocused on offering the lowest prices and shoppers' favorite goods and that strategy has been paying off.

In its third fiscal quarter ended Oct. 28, its net income fell 2.9% but it reversed a slump in U.S. namesake business.

Its Sam's Club warehouse club business has outperformed its namesake stores. Revenue in stores open at least one year rose 5.7% at Sam's Club and 1.3% at Walmart U.S. stores in its third quarter.

Before joining Wal-Mart, Brewer held a number of executive positions at Kimberly-Clark.

Wal-Mart also said Friday that it is promoting Gisel Ruiz, 41, to executive vice president and chief operating officer for its U.S. operations. Ruiz has been an executive vice president working on human relations and store innovation issues.

Wal-Mart is also promoting Rollin Ford, 49, to chief administrative officer. Ford was chief information officer. He will be replaced as CIO by Karenann Terrell, 50.

Four more charged with hazing at FAMU

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:57:00 +0000

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Court records show four Florida A&M band members have been charged with hazing after students were beaten and paddled during initiations last year at a home in Tallahassee.

Records released Friday say the four students were in a subgroup of the clarinet section known as the Clones. The four students were booked and released on bail earlier this week.

Hazing at the university has been under intense scrutiny since FAMU drum major Robert Champion died in November. Authorities say he suffered blows to his body during a hazing ritual in Orlando. No charges have been filed in his death.

In a separate case, three band members were arrested in the Oct. 31 beating of a woman band member whose thigh bone was broken.

Gingrich Angrily Denies He Sought Open Marriage

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:53:00 +0000

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Presidential contender Newt Gingrich on Thursday angrily denied that he asked his second wife for an "open marriage" that would allow him to have a mistress as she claims in an interview broadcast two days before the South Carolina primary.

"Let me be quite clear. The story is false," Gingrich said at a debate, without elaborating.

At the same time, his campaign released his tax returns, showing that he paid more than $994,000 in federal taxes on more $3.1 million in income in 2010.

It was a day of ups and downs for Gingrich, who picked up the endorsement for former rival Texas Gov. Rick Perry. The former House speaker is working to consolidate the support of conservatives behind his candidacy with polls showing him rising in his bid to overtake Republican front-runner Mitt Romney.

"Newt is not perfect but who among us is," Perry said as he bowed out of the race, seeking to provide Gingrich with some political cover in a state filled with evangelicals likely to cringe at Gingrich's two divorces and acknowledged infidelity.

Gingrich's ex-wife threatened to throw his campaign off course.

In excerpts the network released earlier in the day, Marianne Gingrich told ABC News for a "Nightline" segment that when she discovered Gingrich was having an affair with Callista Bisek, a congressional staffer, he asked his wife to share him.

"And I just stared at him, and he said, 'Callista doesn't care what I do,'" Marianne Gingrich told ABC News. "He wanted an open marriage, and I refused."

She confirmed to The Associated Press that the former speaker had asked her for an open marriage, but she refused his request. She declined to comment further. The full segment aired Thursday night some 90 minutes after the debate.

At the debate, Gingrich forcefully denied his ex-wife's charges and castigated debate moderator — CNN's John King — for raising the issue at the start of the two-hour event.

"I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office," Gingrich said. "And I am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate on a topic like that."

As he stood on stage in Charleston, his campaign released his 2010 income tax returns, which showed he paid roughly 31.6 percent of his adjusted income in taxes, giving about 2 percent to charity. Gingrich criticized rival Romney — who is worth more than $250 million — this week for saying he paid only 15 percent.

Gingrich gave $81,133 in cash or checks to charities, about 2.6 percent of his income. That is considerably less than the average of $259,692 that households earning at least $2 million a year gave to charities in 2009, according to research from the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Personal financial disclosure forms filed last summer show Gingrich is worth more than $6.5 million. He reported at least $500,000 in assets from Gingrich Productions, his media company that produces books and films.

Two days before the pivotal South Carolina primary, Gingrich's political and private life were clashing just as new polls showed him rising as he looks to overtake Romney in the third state to weigh in on the presidential race. Gingrich has seen his crowds grow in recent days after a strong performance in a debate Monday.

It was unclear how the new revelations from Marianne Gingrich would play in a state where religious and socially conservative voters hold sway. The interview's mere existence shined a spotlight on a part of Gingrich's past that could turn off Republican voters in a state filled with religious and cultural conservatives who may cringe at his two divorces and acknowledged marital infidelities.

Marianne Gingrich has said Gingrich proposed to her before the divorce from his first wife was final in 1981; they were married six months later. Her marriage to Gingrich ended in divorce in 2000, and Gingrich has admitted he'd already taken up with Bisek, the former congressional aide who would become his third wife. The speaker who pilloried President Bill Clinton for his affair with Monica Lewinsky was himself having an affair at the time.

A Gingrich spokesman suggested, as Gingrich's daughters had a day earlier, that Marianne Gingrich's comments may be suspect given the emotional toll divorce takes on everyone involved.

"Divorces are very tough and people have very different recollections of how things happen," R.C. Hammond said Thursday.

Equally uncertain was whether Gingrich would get a boost from Perry's endorsement, given that the Texas governor had little support in the state, and get conservative voters to coalesce behind his candidacy. Complicating Gingrich's effort is another conservative, Rick Santorum, who threatens to siphon his support.

A CNN/Time South Carolina poll released Wednesday showed Gingrich in second place with support from 23 percent of likely primary voters, having gained 5 percentage points in the past two weeks. Romney led in the poll with 33 percent, but he had slipped some since the last survey. Santorum was third, narrowly ahead of Texas Rep. Ron Paul and well ahead of Perry.

Regardless of the South Carolina outcome, Gingrich was making plans to compete in Florida's primary on Jan. 31.

Confidence exuded from Gingrich, who rose in Iowa only to be knocked off course after sustaining $3 million in attack ads from an outside group that supports Romney. Gingrich posted dismal showings in both Iowa and New Hampshire.

By the time the race turned to South Carolina, he was back on course — and criticizing Romney as a social moderate who is timid about attacking the nation's economic troubles.

You Better Sang: President Obama does his best Al Green impersonation (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:40:00 +0000

You better sang, Mr. President!!!!

Why didn't anybody tell me President Obama has pipes like that?

The President was in New York City for a fundraiser and during that time he made a stop at the world famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem to greet supporters.

After being informed that Al Green was in the audience, he decided to sang a couple very impressive bars of 'Let's Stay Together'.

Now, name me one person on the GOP side that can do that. I dare you...LOL!

Legend Lost: Etta James Dies at 73

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:31:00 +0000

(CNN) -- Etta James, whose assertive, earthy voice lit up such hits as "The Wallflower," "Something's Got a Hold on Me" and the wedding favorite "At Last," has died, according to her longtime friend and manager, Lupe De Leon. She was 73.

She died from complications from leukemia with her husband, Artis Mills, and her sons by her side, De Leon said.

She was diagnosed with leukemia in 2010, and also suffered from dementia and hepatitis C. James died at a hospital in Riverside, California. She would have turned 74 Wednesday.

" This is a tremendous loss for the family, her friends and fans around the world," De Leon said. "She was a true original who could sing it all -- her music defied category.

"I worked with Etta for over 30 years. She was my friend and I will miss her always."

The powerhouse singer, known as "Miss Peaches," lived an eventful life. She first hit the charts as a teenager, taking "The Wallflower (Roll With Me, Henry)" -- an "answer record" to Hank Ballard's "Work With Me, Annie" -- to No. 1 on the R&B charts in 1955. She joined Chess Records in 1960 and had a string of R&B and pop hits, many with lush string arrangements. After a mid-decade fade, she re-emerged in 1967 with a more hard-edged, soulful sound.

Throughout her career, James overcame a heroin addiction, opened for the Rolling Stones, won six Grammys and was voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Despite her ups and downs -- including a number of health problems -- she maintained an optimistic attitude.

"Most of the songs I sing, they have that blue feeling to it. They have that sorry feeling. And I don't know what I'm sorry about," she told CNN's Denise Quan in 2002. "I don't!"

Through it all, she was a spitfire beloved by contemporaries and young up-and-comers.

"Etta James is unmanageable, and I'm the closest thing she's ever had to a manager," Lupe DeLeon, her manager of 30-plus years, told CNN in admiration.

British songstress Adele named James as one of her favorite singers, along with Aretha Franklin.

"If you were to look up the word singer in the dictionary, you'd see their names," Adele said in an interview.

Etta James was born Jamesetta Hawkins in Los Angeles to a teen mother and unknown father. (She suspected her father was the pool player Minnesota Fats.)

Her birth mother initially took little responsibility and James was raised by a series of people, notably a pair of boardinghouse owners. But she was recognized from a young age for her booming voice, showcased in a South Central Los Angeles church.

In 1950, her mother took her to San Francisco, where James formed a group called the Peaches. Singer Johnny Otis, best known for "Willie and the Hand Jive," discovered her and had her sing a song he wrote using Ballard's tune as a model. "The Wallflower," with responses from "Louie Louie" songwriter Richard Berry, made James an R&B star.

Her signing to Chess introduced her to a broader audience, as the record label's co-owner, Leonard Chess, believed she should do pop hits. Among her recordings were "Stormy Weather," the Lena Horne classic originally from 1933; "A Sunday Kind of Love," which dates from 1946; and most notably, "At Last," a 1941 number that was originally a hit for Glenn Miller.

James' version of "At Last" starts out with swooning strings and the singer enters with confident gusto, dazzlingly maintaining a mood of joy and romance. Though the song failed to make the Top 40 upon its 1961 release -- though it did hit the R&B Top 10 -- its emotional punch has long made it a favorite at weddings.

James' career suffered in the mid-'60s when the British Invasion took over the pop charts and as she fought some personal demons. But she got a boost when she started recording at Rick Hall's FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Her hits included the brassy "Tell Mama" and the raw "I'd Rather Go Blind," the latter later notably covered by Rod Stewart.

She entered rehab in the 1970s for her drug problem but re-established herself with live performances and an album produced by noted R&B mastermind Jerry Wexler. After another stint in rehab -- this time at the Betty Ford Clinic -- she made a comeback album, "Seven Year Itch," in 1988.

James mastered a range of styles -- from R&B and soul to jazz and blues -- but she was always one step behind the popular genre of the day, said Michael Coyle, a Colgate University professor who has written about jazz and R&B and reviews records for Cadence Magazine.

"She never really got her moment in the sun," Coyle said.

But James soldiered on, and by the end of her life she had made so much meaningful music that she was considered a living legend. "By the mid-'90s, she's survived so long that people start to look up to her," Coyle said.

James was portrayed by pop star Beyonce in the 2008 film "Cadillac Records," about Chess. After Beyonce sang "At Last" at one of President Barack Obama's 2009 inaugural balls, James lashed out: "I can't stand Beyonce. She had no business up there singing my song that I've been singing forever." She later told the New York Daily News she was joking.

Earlier this year, news reports revealed that the singer's estate was being contested in a legal struggle between her husband, Artis Mills, and son Donto James. (Donto and her other son, Sametto, both played in her band.)

Over the years, James had her share of health problems. In the late 1990s she reportedly weighed more than 400 pounds and required a scooter to get around. In 2003 she had gastric bypass surgery and dropped more than half the weight, according to People magazine.

However, until her latest issues, James maintained a steady touring schedule and appeared full of energy even when sitting down -- as she sometimes did on stage, due to bad knees and her weight battles.

Even while sitting down, James gave it her all on stage, singing as though possessed, caressing every note like a long-lost love. If that seemed a little much to critics, well, the legendary singer had a show to put on, she told Quan.

"They said that Etta James is still vulgar," she said in the 2002 interview. "I said, 'Oh, how dare 'em say I'm still real vulgar! I'm vulgar because I dance in the chair?' What would they want me to do? Want me to just be still or something like that?

"I gotta do something."

New Emerging Female Filmmaker: Rachel I. Johnson

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 23:01:00 +0000

In order to change the way African American women are portrayed in the media we have to tell our own stories. No one exemplifies this effort more than rising filmmaker, Rachel I. Johnson.

BROOKLYN, NY – (January 10, 2012) White Sugar in a Black Pot an NYU thesis short film directed by Brooklyn native Rachel I. Johnson recently won a CINE Golden Eagle Award and will premiere at the 10th Annual San Diego Black Film Festival January 26 – 29th 2012. The film kicks off with the innocent hustle and bustle of the Mackey family and unravels to reveal a true to life family and a mother who faces a dilemma.

Lolita Brinkley is Denise Mackey, a dedicated and loving mother who is the first one up in the morning and the last to go to bed at night. When she and her husband Darnell (Robert G. McKay) learn of an opportunity to move from their apartment to a new house, Denise is ready to go. Conflict arises from their inability to effectively communicate, closeted feelings, and fear of emasculation. Their son Junior (J. Mallory-McCree) and daughter Deandra (Cathy Craig) soon grow uncertain of their family’s future.

Within the film, Johnson explores the family unit and female subjectivity. She also touches upon issues of gentrification, a heated topic in many Brooklyn neighborhoods. “I set the film in a world where gender and socioeconomic status are pronounced influences and allowed the characters to tell an unforgettable story of their own,” said Johnson.

Lolita Brinkley cites the film’s subject matter as her inspiration to join the cast. “I am interested in telling the stories of strong black women -- the stories we rarely get to see. This story of the Mackey family deals with so many real issues that black folk face everyday, particularly men and women trying to make relationships work.”

To view the trailer and learn more about the film visit www.whitesugarblackpotfilm.com

WHITE SUGAR IN A BLACK POT Trailer from Rachel J on Vimeo.

Gingrich ex-wife: He wanted an 'open marriage

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:33:00 +0000

WASHINGTON — Dredging up a past that Newt Gingrich has worked hard to bury, the GOP presidential candidate’s second ex-wife says Gingrich asked for an “open marriage” in which he could have both a wife and a mistress.

In an interview with ABC News’ “Nightline” scheduled to air Thursday night, Marianne Gingrich said she refused to go along with the idea that she share her husband with Callista Bisek, who would later become his third wife.

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The explosive interview was airing just two days before the presidential primary in South Carolina, a state with a strong Christian conservative bent, and as Gingrich tries to present himself as the strongest alternative to front-runner Mitt Romney.

In excerpts of the interview released ahead the ABC broadcast, Marianne Gingrich said her husband conducted his affair with Callista “in my bedroom in our apartment in Washington” while she was elsewhere.

“He always called me at night and always ended with ‘I love you,’” she said. “Well, she was listening.”

Marianne Gingrich, who was Gingrich’s second wife, said Gingrich told her “Callista doesn’t care what I do.”

“He was asking to have an open marriage and I refused,” she said. “That is not a marriage.”

She also said Gingrich moved to divorce her just months after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

“He also was advised by the doctor when I was sitting there that I was not to be under stress,” she said. “He knew.”

Gingrich, asked by a voter Thursday about his past mistakes, said questions about his past life were inevitable but that he’d long since sought forgiveness. He said he expected attacks when he got into the race.

“We knew we would get beaten up,” he said while campaigning in Beaufort, S.C. “We knew we’d get lied about. We knew we’d get smeared. We knew there would be nasty ads and we decided the country was worth the pain.”

Earlier Thursday, in an interview on NBC’s “Today,” he was asked about his ex-wife’s interview and declined to speculate on how it would affect his campaign.

He said he wouldn’t “say anything bad” about his ex-wife and that he preferred not to address his personal life in detailed fashion. He added that members of his family had written ABC to protest the airing of the interview, saying they complained about the network “intruding into family things that are more than a decade old.”

Marianne Gingrich has said that Gingrich proposed to her before the divorce from his first wife was final in 1981; they were married six months later. Her marriage to Gingrich ended in divorce in 2000, and Gingrich has acknowledged he’d already taken up with Bisek, a former congressional aide.

The House speaker who pilloried President Bill Clinton for his affair with Monica Lewinsky was himself having an affair at the time.

As plans to air the interview were disclosed, Gingrich’s campaign released a statement from his two daughters from his first marriage, Kathy Lubbers and Jackie Cushman, suggesting that Marianne Gingrich’s comments may be suspect given the emotional toll that divorce takes on everyone involved.

“Anyone who has had that experience understands it is a personal tragedy filled with regrets, and sometimes differing memories of events. We will not say anything negative about our father’s ex-wife,” they said. “He has said before, privately and publicly, that he regrets any pain he may have caused in the past to people he loves.”

Gingrich has worked in recent years to present himself as changed man, offering himself in this campaign as a 68-year-old grandfather who has settled down with wife No. 3 and embraced God through Catholicism.

Last year, he said it would be up to voters to decide whether to hold his past against him.

“I think people have to look at me, ask tough questions, then render judgment,” he said then.

But he may not have been banking on his ex-wife, who has been silent so far in the 2012 campaign, to re-start that conversation.

In the NBC appearance, Gingrich said he planned to discuss “real stories,” and said he’d have to leave questions about his character up to voters. He called his daughters “credible” character witnesses.

A message seeking comment from Marianne Gingrich was not immediately returned.

Arianna Huffington to Michelle Obama: Be more like Eleanor Roosevelt

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:28:00 +0000

Huffington Post editor-in-chief, Arianna Huffington, has a little criticism for the First Lady. On her radio show with conservative Mary Matalin, Both Sides Now with Huffington and Matalin, Huffington implored the FLOTUS to focus less on lavish trips and more on people that are suffering.

Here's exactly what she said:

I'd love [Michelle] to be more [like] Eleanor Roosevelt right now, because the country needs an Eleanor Roosevelt who's going to go around and at the same time that she's doing fundraisers in Beverly Hills and Bel Air ... she should go to South Central [Los Angeles], I mean, if I were Michelle Obama right now, I would not go anywhere for a fundraiser without going and seeing the places where there is pain, where there is struggle, where there is homelessness, where there is unemployment, because we need to bring that conversation to the center of the debate and there's nothing like a first lady or ... a candidate to take us there.

Listen to the audio of her comments below.

What do you think? Huffington's comments come just days after the Obama family did volunteer work in D.C.

Is this much ado about nothing or does Arianna have a point?

Martin Luther King III resigns as King Center president

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:20:00 +0000

(AJC) - Martin Luther King III has resigned as president of the center formed to promote the legacy of his father.

The move comes on the heels of another major announcement last week that Bernice King, the surviving daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., was named CEO of the King Center. That position was previously held by Martin King III.

The news just a day after the nation observed what would have been the 83rd birthday celebration of King, who was assassinated in 1968.

In a statement, King said he would remain active as a member of the board of trustees.

"I will be devoting my primary future efforts towards launching a new organization that will focus on supporting a new generation of young “drum majors for justice” worldwide to expand my commitment to the Kingian principles of nonviolence, social justice, and human rights.," the statement said. "To that end, I will announce further details in the coming weeks."

In The News: What is SOPA and PIPA?

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:56:00 +0000

I know I can't be the only wondering what the hell is SOPA. Just like you, I am a slave to the internet. So while perusing the 'net as I normally do, I kept running across the words SOPA and PIPA. Now, initially I kept ignoring it because I figured it probably was something I had absolutely no interest in anyway. I mean seriously I got other stuff to worry about besides some new acronyms popping up on the internet. But after awhile, I started to see the acronyms popping up a the top of all the major search engines. This discovery prompted me to do a little investigating on my own and what I discovered was something I felt I should share with my readers.

What is SOPA?
SOPA is the Stop Online Piracy Act, now pending in the House of Representatives

What is PIPA?PIPA is the Protect IP Act which is the companion bill to SOPA, now pending in the Senate

The website Politico has done a wonderful job breaking down exactly what is going on and why the bills are causing such an uproar. Here's a snippet of what they are reporting:

What’s the big idea?

SOPA and PIPA are designed to crack down on websites based offshore that peddle illegal content — think pirated Hollywood blockbusters and fake Viagra. No one disputes that that’s a worthy goal. The rub is whether it would give the government and copyright holders too much control over the Web.

Here’s how it would work: If the Justice Department or a copyright holder believed a site was directing users to pirated content, they would go to court. Depending on who’s complaining, different remedies would come into play: In some instances a judge could order an Internet service provider like Verizon to cut off access to a site. In others, a search engine like Google could be directed to delete links to an infringing site. The idea is to starve the offending sites of the web traffic that keeps them in business.

Why’s it such a big deal?

What’s happening now on the Web, the bills’ backers say, is nothing short of rampant unpoliced theft of American goods. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, so-called “rogue” sites draw hundreds of millions of clicks a year — at a huge toll to the American economy. The business lobby cites research by brand protection firm MarkMonitor estimating that illegal sites cost legitimate businesses more than $130 billion in revenue annually.

Enter SOPA and PIPA.

Click here to read the entire report.

Colts dismiss head coach Jim Caldwell

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:03:00 +0000

The Indianapolis Colts' sudden crash has cost coach Jim Caldwell his job. The team fired Caldwell on Tuesday, the second major decision in what is expected to be a long offseason shake-up. Team owner Jim Irsay fired team vice chairman Bill Polian and his son, Chris, the team's general manager, the day after the season ended.

It took a little longer for the decision on Caldwell, who had just finished his third and worst season as head coach of the Colts, who stumbled to a 2-14 finish without injured quarterback Peyton Manning. Caldwell ends his Colts' tenure 26-22 overall.

Caldwell won his first 14 games, an NFL record for a rookie head coach, and became only the fifth first-year coach to take his team to the Super Bowl.

But with fans complaining about game management and clamoring for a change since midseason, Irsay didn't have much choice.

With Manning, the Colts won a league-record 115 regular-season games over the previous decade, tying the league mark for most consecutive playoff appearances (nine), winning two AFC titles and one Super Bowl trophy, the Colts lost their first 13 games in 2011, then won twice in five days and nearly lost the No. 1 draft pick, too.

Without Manning, Indy started 0-8 and was the heavy favorite to win the Andrew Luck sweepstakes at midseason. Caldwell's team lost the next five games, too, before finally winning two straight to avoid becoming the second 0-16 team in league history.

A season-ending loss at Jacksonville, officially gave the Colts the top pick, which is expected to be used on Luck.

Players never gave up on Caldwell and many cited their preference to keep playing for him next season. Manning was one of Caldwell's supporters, calling the coach that helped him win a record-setting four MVP Awards a "friend."

But the disastrous 2011 season was too much for Caldwell to overcome after winning AFC South titles in each of his first two seasons in Indy.

After overhauling the front office, Irsay last week hired 39-year-old Ryan Grigson as his new general manager, then wanted to wait until Grigson had time to evaluate Caldwell's performance.

The decision came Tuesday, setting off the second major search of the month.

Newt Gingrich and Juan Williams have racial exchange at GOP debate

noreply@blogger.com (TheSavvySista) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:12:00 +0000

Now, before we even get to the story, let me preface this by saying I didn't watch the debate. I've been very vocal in the fact that my television does not go to Fox News and it will not go to Fox News even to cover a debate for this website. I know I promised to cover the GOP debates for my readers, but even I have my limitations when it comes to things that I will do.

During last night's Fox sponsored GOP debate, there was a fiery exchange between candidate Newt Gingrich and moderator Juan Williams on the issue of some statements the former speaker made about minority students being given janitorial jobs. What resulted from the exchange was a standing ovation from the audience for Newt Gingrich.

The whole exchange began when Williams brought up Newt's comment about black people needing to demand jobs instead of food stamps because we all know that the only people on food stamps is black people...SMH!

The fact the Newt's response got a standing ovation should not come as a shock to anyone. Newt knew who he was talking to and he made sure to throw the crowd some red meat that they definitely tore into.

Watch the exchange for yourself.