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Black News Journal

“I Can Do Anything” - An Excellent New Book for Your Child

Carolyn Mattocks has created a new educational program for African American youth called “I Can Do Anything”. This powerful program features famous American Blacks who have excelled in various professions to give African American children a practical introduction to potential career choices and a greater knowledge of the historical achievements and successes of those who have come before them.

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Major News Developments!

(posted 7-12-'09)

Quincy Jones Charges Michael Jackson “Obviously, Did Not Want to Be Black”

(Taylor Media Services) Grammy-winning music producer Quincy Jones argues in a controversial interview in the current issue of Details Magazine that the late Michael Jackson “obviously didn’t want to be Black” and suggests that his psychological problem may have resulted from some childhood trauma.

Michael Jackson as an adult

In response to a question relating to how Jackson had begun to distort his face, Jones said, “It’s ridiculous, man! Chemical peels and all of it. And I don’t understand it. But he obviously didn’t want to be Black.” Jones added that all one had to do to get a sense of what Jackson thought about his blackness was to “see his kids.” Reportedly, all three of Jackson’s children were conceived using eggs from white women and sperm from white men.

Asked if he ever talked with Jackson about whether he wanted to be a Black man, Jones replied, “That’s not the way you do it.” But he said Jackson told him the chemical treatments of his face were necessary because of a disease. But Jones said he did not believe him.

Michael Jackson as a child

Jones then suggested that Jackson had experienced some childhood trauma that resulted in him not wanting to be Black. Jones, who is married to a white woman, explained, “”I’m not a psychiatrist … We all got problems. But there’s a great book out called “Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart.” That book says the statute of limitations has expired on all childhood traumas. Get your stuff together and get on with your life … because everybody’s had a rough time in one way or another.”

Equal Care Improves Cancer Survival Rates for Blacks; but Not in All Cases

As a Result, Some Suggest Black Biological Inferiority

(Taylor Media Services) A first-of-its kind, 20,000-patient study has found that when they receive equal care African Americans survive cancer just as well as whites … in most cases. Equal care appeared to close the survival rate disparity between whites and Blacks for lung, colon and several other cancers. However, the gap persisted for prostate, breast and ovarian cancer.

The findings of Kathy Albain of Loyalty University were published online Tuesday by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. She labeled the results “good news and puzzling news” explaining “When there is a level playing field with the same quality of care, African Americans survive just as well as other races … But for prostate, ovarian and breast cancers, its not access to care. There is something else. And we need to sort that out.”

However, some in the medical field have already jumped to imply that whites are somehow biologically superior to Blacks and that explains the better cancer survival rate among Caucasians. For example, on Wednesday, the Washington Post quoted University of Michigan professor Lisa Newman saying, “There seems to be something associated with racial and ethnic identity that seems to confer a worse survival rate for African Americans. I think it’s likely to be hereditary and genetic factors.”

But such a conclusion runs counter to the recently released Tishkoff Study [Sarah Tishkoff of the University of Pennsylvania.] which concluded that because people of African ancestry were the first to evolve and thus have been on the planet longer than other races, they have “the most diverse DNA and the fewest potentially harmful genetic mutations.”

NAACP Launches Campaign to Prevent Execution of Troy Anthony Davis

(Taylor Media Services) Aided by a recent favorable U.S. Supreme Court ruling, the NAACP has launched a major effort to force authorities to re-open the case of Troy Anthony Davis and prevent his pending execution. Davis is a 40-year-old Black man who has been languishing in prison since his conviction for allegedly killing a white Savannah, Georgia police officer in 1991.

Troy Anthony Davis

Reopening the case has become a major cause for several civil and human rights groups who charge Davis is a victim of racist Southern justice. They point out that no physical evidence links Davis to the shooting and seven of the original nine witnesses against him have either recanted or contradicted their testimony. Some of those witnesses say they were coerced by police into implicating Davis.

The NAACP’s efforts were aided two weeks ago when the U.S. Supreme Court stopped the execution of Davis until September when it will consider a petition on whether or not to grant Davis “habeas corpus.” Meanwhile, the nation’s largest civil rights organization along with local religious and civic leaders delivered over 60,000 signed petitions to the Chatham County, Georgia district attorney last week urging him to re-open the case.

Individuals can aid Davis by purchasing a $25 “IAMTROY.COM” t-shirt from the NAACP at You can, when you donate $25 or more to the NAACP.

Black Educator to Walk 1,011 Miles for African-Centered Education

(Special to Taylor Media Services) Florida’s only African-centered public school has announced that its co-founder and current Board Chairman, Amefika D. Geuka will walk from the school to Washington, DC to dramatize the urgent need for African-centered education for children of African descent.

Amefika Geuka

Geuka and his colleagues have dubbed this venture a “Trek for African-Centered Education,” to be conducted from July 15th through August 12, 2009. In addition to gaining credibility for African-centered education, the walk is expected to raise money to close the funding gap for Geuka’s Joseph Littles-NGUZO SABA Charter School (www.jlnscs.org) which completed ten years of continuous operation on January 20th of this year. Overall coordination and planning for the walkathon has been contracted to iZania, LLC based in Columbus, Ohio.

Geuka’s walk will cover 1,011 miles, with pledges being sought for every mile walked by him and dozens of expected collaborators along the route. For Further Information Contact: Roger Madison: 614-855-4428 or rmadison@izania.com

Haiti Appears to Be Conquering Its AIDS Epidemic

(Taylor Media Services) In the early 1980s when the deadly disease AIDS first appeared in the United States, it also struck with devastating force in the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere: the predominantly Black island of Haiti. In fact AIDS hit the island with such force that some international experts were predicting that it would wipe out a third of the island’s 8 million people before it began to wane.

Haiti conquering AIDS epidemic despite its poverty

But the worse never happened. The AIDS rate in Haiti stayed in the single digits for years and has now dropped to an all-time low. A recent investigative report by the Associated Press credited the closing of blood banks where poor Haitian often sold their blood for money and the work of Boston-based Partners in Health as well as Haiti’s own GHESKIO - an AIDS clinic based in the capital city of Port-au-Prince.

However, there are some experts who believe that the original extent of AIDS in Haiti was an overestimate and that the likelihood of massive loss of life from the disease never really existed. Regardless, according to UNAIDS, the official HIV/AIDS infection rate in Haiti for people aged 15 to 49 is 2.2 percent - down from a high of 7 to 8 percent.

Study Suggests Blacks Should Save and Invest More Aggressively

(Taylor Media Services) A new study finds that Blacks and Hispanics are more likely than whites to be burdens on their families after they retire because they currently fail to save enough and are guilty of investing too conservatively. The study was conducted by the financial firm Ariel Investments and the benefits company Hewitt Associates. It involved working people who participate in 401(k) plans.

The study found that even at the same income levels as whites, Blacks and Latinos still accumulate less in their 401(k) plans. Ariel Investments President Mellody Hobson characterized the finding as “extraordinarily disconcerting.” She added “no one is doing a good job preparing for retirement, and minorities are doing worse.”

Meanwhile, other studies have suggested that saving for retirement is often a function of inherited wealth. Whites who inherit more income and property from their parents tend to simply be in a better position to save more of their own incomes.

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Page Two: Black News Briefs

Major Black Newspaper Falls Victim to the Recession

(Taylor Media Services) Boston’s only Black newspaper has fallen victim to the recession which has gripped the nation since late 2007. Publisher Melvin Miller announced last Tuesday that the Bay State Banner was suspending publication after 44 years and was laying off its 12 employees. The 75-year-old Miller said a “falloff in advertising” was the primary reason for the closure. This marks the first shut down of a major Black-oriented newspaper since the recession began in December 2007. The Banner had a weekly circulation of 34,000.

Roland Burris Will Not Seek Full Term in U.S. Senate

Roland Burris

(Taylor Media Services) Multiple sources were reporting last week that Roland Burris, the only Black member of the U.S. Senate, will not run for a full term when his current term expires next year. Even though the 71-year-old Burris was never formally accused of any wrongdoing, he had been tainted by the political corruption scandal which surrounded former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich who was accused of trying to sell the seat left vacant by President Obama to the highest bidder. Insiders said Burris had been unable to raise more than $1,000 for an election bid.

Stalking Charge Dropped Against Ex-D.C. Mayor Marion Barry

Former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry

(Taylor Media Services) Faced with conflicting statements and a public perception of harassment, federal prosecutors last week decided to drop stalking charges against former Washington, D.C. Mayor Marion Barry. The current member of the D.C. City Council was accused of stalking his ex-girlfriend Donna Watts-Brighthaupt. Through his attorney Barry denied the charge and last week Watts-Brighthaupt issued a statement which appeared to suggest she was not being stalked.

As D.C. mayor in 1990, Barry made national headlines when he was secretly videotaped during an FBI sting operation smoking crack-cocaine in the hotel room of a female friend. After spending six months in jail, Barry was re-elected to the mayor’s office by D.C. residents who felt he had been unfairly targeted by federal officials.

Officer who Testified Truthfully in Rodney King Beating Trial Apparently Commits Suicide

(Taylor Media Services) A Los Angeles police detective, who was among the few officers who testified truthfully at the 1992 trial of fellow officers caught on video tape beating Black motorist Rodney King has apparently killed herself. Those on the scene said Susan Clemmer was “acting in a strange way” when she entered the Santa Clarita police station last Monday night.

Shortly after entering, there were reports of a single gunshot and subsequently Clemmer was found dead. Clemmer was just about the only officer at the trial of those who beat King to suggest that the March 3, 1991 beating was unnecessary. Most other officers testified the brutal beating was necessary even though King was not attacking the officers. She even rode in the ambulance to the hospital with King. She said he was laughing and spitting up blood.

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Entertainment, People, Books and Style!

Tanya White’s New Book: the 99 Males who Can Make a Woman’s Life Hell

(Taylor Media Services) Tanya White is set to release her long awaited third book on September 1^st. It Is entitled The 99 Males Who Make Your Life A Living Hell: A Woman's Guide For Creating A Drama-Free Life While Dealing With Difficult Men Who Cause Strife.

In a press release, White rates her book “R” for real, relevant and refreshing.

Pinned the "Relationship Realist", White says those who read her new book “will undoubtedly find yourself embracing a drama-free life even as you deal with difficult men who cause strife.”

For more information about The 99 Males Who Make Your Life A Living Hell, visit online www.tanyawhite.com or call White’s publicity team at 502-836-9760.

Conservative Opposition Blocks Congressional Resolution Honoring Michael Jackson

(Taylor Media Services) Despite a star-studded public memorial service last week, widespread media coverage and effusive praise from Congressional Black Caucus member Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas, there will not be a Congressional resolution honoring entertainment legend Michael Jackson. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced last week she would block plans to bring House Resolution 600 to a vote.

New York Republican Peter King

Pelosi, who praised Jackson, suggested she was trying to avoid the embarrassment of having conservative House members criticizing the often controversial or misunderstood “King of Pop.” Meanwhile, a sample of what resolution opponents might have said against Jackson came last week from New York Republican Representative Peter King. He blasted the extensive media coverage of Jackson’s memorial service and labeled the entertainer “a lowlife, pervert and child molester.”

Los Angeles media critic Pearl Jr. responded calling King’s comments “defamatory, slanderous and cruel” noting that Jackson had been acquitted of the only child molestation charges ever level against him.

TV One to Launch a Sunday Morning News/Public Affairs Show with Roland Martin

(Taylor Media Services) Black-oriented TV One is set to compete for that Sunday morning audience which watches news/talk shows. The major competitor to Black Entertainment Television (BET) announced last week that it is launching a new African American targeted news program titled “Washington Watch with Roland Martin.” The one-hour show will feature the CNN analyst and a rotating panel of journalists.

The program is scheduled to debut on September 27 and air at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. TV One is principally owned by Black radio giant Radio One, cable giant Comcast and the DirecTV Group.

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The Black History Journal

The History They Do Not Want You to Know!

Marie Laveau – The Queen of Voo Doo

(Black History Journal) Marie Laveau died on June 15, 1881. She was 98 years old. Her name is not well known today but during her day, she was considered by many the most powerful Voo Doo priestess in the world. Indeed, she was dubbed the “Queen of the Voo Doos.” Laveau was what was then called “a free woman of color” having been born to a slave woman – Marguerite Darcantel – and French plantation owner Charles Laveau.

Although relatively dark in complexion, Laveau was also a quadroon having some mixture of African, Indian, French and Spanish heritage. If she ever toiled as a slave it was only briefly. Instead, she was raised under the strict guidelines of the Catholic Church – the church of her father. She would grow up to become a hairdresser in New Orleans with a clientele consisting mostly of wealthy white women.

However, around 1826 she became intrigued, if not absolutely fascinated, with stories about the exploits of Sanite De De – the city’s first queen of the Voo Doo religion. De De, herself, had become so powerful that New Orleans’ city fathers banned the West African religion with its focus on spiritualism and magic. Slaves could be punished and free Blacks could be jailed for participating in its rituals.

But the ban did not stop Laveau from studying herbs, magic and secret Voo Doo rituals. She was credited with having developed unbelievable powers of prediction and healing. Both Blacks and whites throughout the region sought out her services making her a wealthy and powerful woman. In fact, by 1830 (still during slavery) New Orleans lifted its ban on Voo Doo and Laveau became more public and more powerful.

However, critics charged that most of her so-called mystical powers flowed from her unique and highly developed ability to intimidate and manipulate superstitious people. For example, it was believed that much of her ability to appear psychic before her wealthy white female clients flowed from her intimidation of their Black servants who, in exchanged for being “healed,” provided her with juicy family and household secrets.

Laveau was also a master of the public spectacle and the highly energized, and sometimes zombie-like, Voo Doo ceremonies were well suited to drama and show. In 1863, the New Orleans Times Picayune wrote of one such public ceremony: “Over 400 women were arrested and tried for the ‘crime’ of dancing naked at a voodoo ritual.”

Voo Doo dates back at least to 1100 A.D. Most historians believe it developed primarily from the Yoruba people of West Africa and their religious beliefs of Ife consisting of ancestor worship, one supreme god and several lesser-gods called loas. However, cut off from its West African base, Voo Doo or VuDu in the Americas became an increasingly escapist religion providing African Americans with a spiritual escape from slavery and the harshness of just being Black in a racist land.

However, Laveau combined aspects of her Catholic upbringing into the religion making her “magical powers” more acceptable to whites. In addition, it must be noted that Laveau was not just a self-absorbed charlatan. She engaged in a wide range of humanitarian works often performing free “healing services” for both Blacks and poor whites who could not afford to pay her. On several occasions she put her own life at risk helping the city battle outbreaks of yellow fever. Since she never became sick, such humanitarian efforts made her followers even stronger believers in her magical powers.

By 1875, however, Laveau was aging and either decided to retire or was forced to retire by one of her daughters – Marie Philomene Laveau Glapion. Glapion, by the way, would become almost as famous as her mother as a Voo Doo priestess. (The best research suggests that Laveau only had three children – not the 15 frequently credited to her.

Despite the 1875 retirement, Laveau would live until 1881 with many people believing she was a saint.

[Interested persons can have one free edition of Robert Taylor’s popular Black History Journal emailed to them by contacting Taylor at TaylorMediaPrime@yahoo.com .]

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Editor’s Commentary

Haiti and the Tendency to Exaggerate Negative News Concerning Blacks

By Robert James Taylor

Some good news emerged from Haiti last week. The predominantly Black and poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere appeared to be making great strides in conquering its AIDS epidemic. However, the surprisingly good news from a nation beset by poverty, political instability and violence was barely noted in major American media.

The reports which did appear gave credit for curbing the epidemic to the work of the Boston-based Partners in Health and Haiti’s own GHESKIO - an AIDS clinic based in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. While the wonderful work of these organizations is to be praised, there is another possible factor that was not mentioned at all: The original bad news about AIDS in Haiti was exaggerated and overstated.

Back in the mid-1980s, “experts” were predicting that because of Haiti’s poverty and the widespread HIV/AIDS infection rate, nearly a third of the nation’s population would be wiped out by the year 2000. Well, the worst-case scenario never happened. The infection rate never got above 8 percent and according to a recent United Nations (UNAIDS) report; the official infection rate is now down to 2.2 percent for people aged 15 to 49.

What happened in Haiti reflects a tendency common in Western media, particularly in the United States: If it is negative or has a stigma attached to it and involves Black people, it tends to be reported in an exaggerated manner.

Even here in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control, the HIV/AIDS infection rate has declined for virtually every segment of the population except for young Black homosexual males. But you virtually never hear the good news reported. Instead, we have recently been bombarded with stories about Black women being HIV infected at 14 times the rate of white women.

That figure may be true but when it is taken out of the overall context, it easily leads to distortion and misunderstanding. For example, did you know that the HIV/AIDS infection rate for white women is nearly 19 times higher than that for Asian American women? But the infection rate for Asian women is so low that making the comparison, while true, creates a distortion and false impression.

The same applies when one makes distorted comparisons regarding Black women.

I have long suspected that a lot of the reporting regarding negative news, ailments and stigmas are not done for our benefit but instead to make whites feel better about themselves. It is almost as if the major media is saying to white America: “Things in this country and in your personal lives may not going as well as you would like; but look at the Blacks, things are even worse for them. You should feel superior.”

I am not asking you to agree with me. But please carefully read and observe negative news report and see if you do not discover that major news organizations can spin virtually any news development in a way which stigmatizes or degrades African Americans?

[Robert Taylor welcomes responses to his commentaries. Email him with your thoughts on this and other subjects at TaylorMediaPrime@yahoo.com . Please include your name and city. Also, send for a free emailed edition of his popular Black History Journal by contacting him at the same email address.]

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Op-Ed Commentary/Opinion

What Obama Should Have Done While in Africa

By William Reed

The Obama family went on a week-long international trip that took in three very different countries and cultures: Russia, Italy, and Ghana. Michelle, Sasha, Malia, and Michelle's Mother traveled with President Barack Obama to meet First-world leaders and greet blacks in the Third world. President Obama designed the trip to make Accra, Ghana his first official trip to sub-Saharan Africa.

The topic of Africa will receive little discussion during the first two stops among leaders of industrialized countries. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who is hosting the G8 Summit, is expected to report G8 nations are “in default” on promises to eradicate poverty in Africa. Not only has this group of world leaders defaulted on aiding Africa, under the guise of “humanitarian purposes” G8 countries’ are guilty of repeatedly using economic sanctions to destabilize African governments they seek to change. On this occasion, it’s hoped that Obama go against past presidential administrations and urge the G8 to lift some sanctions in Africa.

Three-fourths of countries suffering sanctions are located in Africa. Previous American administrations have adopted sanctions 16 times, 13 of which were in Africa. Sanctions stifle development in Africa and only end up hurting the people they are designed to help. Two of the most prevalent instances of sanctions are against Zimbabwe and Sudan; to which South Africa's International Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane stated: “World leaders should drop sanctions against Zimbabwe and open lines of credit to the country”. She urged "leaders of the world to leave sanctions and open up the lines of credit and let the people of Zimbabwe take full control of their lives. We need to give peace and development a chance in Zimbabwe ".

The case of Zimbabwe is fraught with deception on the part of the US. Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai traveled with a tin cup on a three-week tour to convince rich Western nations to end their sanctions against Zimbabwe and to send more aid money, Mr. Tsvangirai was once President Robert Mugabe's chief rival as opposition leader, and now a coalition partner in Mugabe's government – requested $700 million from President Obama. But, the US is now debating whether to lift sanctions against the coalition government they urged. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton now says that the US should wait for Mugabe to leave before opening up the taps for aid.

On the other side of the continent, Sudan is reeling in throws of Western sanction. Critics say that if the US were actually concerned about stopping the suffering and conflict in Sudan, the approach would be to organize large-scale infrastructure projects. The diplomatic activity Special Envoy General Scott Gration has initiated with Sudan should go forward to include: normalizing relations, and lifting economic sanctions, which are serving to divide the country, and making it very difficult to implement the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which settled the 50-year-long conflict between North and South. The Obama Administration has followed the Bush Administration in not taking Sudan off the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Sudan cooperated with the United States against terrorism, and made a peace deal with the South. The normalizing of U.S.-Sudanese relations, which had been promised if Sudan signed the CPA, is long overdue, and the US is currently “in default” on this matter.

Ghana is no more than a glitter stop. Obama plans to meet with and address the parliament of Ghana on issues of development and democracy. Afterwards, the First Couple will tour the historic Cape Coast Castle, used in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. During his African Homecoming, it would be good for Obama to have “a cultural awakening” about the slave trade and its residual effects. He should give more consideration to “reparations” and move to repair damage done to Zimbabweans and Sudanese by Western countries’ sanctions. It’s “high time” too that the American public does likewise, and supports lifting debilitating sanctions still in Africa.

(William Reed – www.BlackPressInternational.com)

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The Criminal Justice Cycle Must End; It Is Time for More Treatment & Fewer Prisons

By Dr. Henrie M. Treadwell

Dr. Henrie Treadwell

In communities across America, citizens, public officials and civic leaders fight against the criminal justice cycle. It's the maddening sequence in which people are incarcerated for drug-related crimes, returned to their neighborhoods without counseling, treatment or healthcare, and then swiftly sent back to prison for resuming old habits.

Since our nation adopted the mass incarceration strategy four decades ago, this public policy has devastated communities of color. But now, there is hope.

The Community Voices Program at Morehouse School of Medicine recently sponsored its annual Community Voices, Freedom Voices Conference, where the hundreds of people attending demanded that our civic and political leaders put an end to the demeaning cycle. They spoke of the millions spent to build prisons, while pennies go toward drug treatment. They spoke of communities like Baltimore, where 40,000 heroin addicts roam the streets. They spoke of the $40,000 to $47,000 a year it costs to house a prisoner versus the $5,000 for mental health and drug counseling--yet states repeatedly make the wrong choices.

More importantly, our conference heard the voices of people who have suffered through the cycle. Their experiences vividly exposed the flaws in the criminal justice system. Listen to the voice of Lorna Hogan. She is now the Associate Director of the Sacred Authority Parent Advocacy Group in Washington, D.C., but the path she followed exemplifies what's wrong with our society, what's wrong with the criminal justice system and what absolutely must be fixed.

"This is my story: A mother abused, a mother with an untreated addiction too afraid to ask for help because there was no help available. I am the mother of four children. I began self-medicating with marijuana and alcohol at the age of 14. It was the only way I knew how to cope with being physically, sexually abused. But after a while, the combination was no longer working… In December 2000 I was arrested on a drug-related charge, and my children were placed with child protective services. When I went before the judge for sentencing, I begged him for treatment, and the judge refused my request.

"I felt hopeless. I not only lost my children; I lost myself. I didn't know where my children were or what was happening to them. I felt I would never see them again. In jail I received no treatment. I was surrounded by women like myself, mothers. We were all there in jail suffering from untreated addiction, but there were no treatment services in jail for us. When I was released, there were no referrals to after-care treatment programs. I was released to the street at 10 o'clock at night with $4 in my pocket, and I still didn't know where my children were. I went back to doing the only thing I knew, which was using drugs, and I felt myself sinking back into a life of self-degradation.

That's the story of hope, a story of a woman who finally received the treatment she needed and turned her life around. How many others could have positive outcomes, if they receive the services they need, instead of cold prison walls?

It's time America found out.

(Dr. Henrie M. Treadwell is director of Community Voices at Morehouse School of Medicine, a nonprofit organization working to improve health services and health-care access for all Americans. To arrange a print or broadcast interview with Dr. Treadwell, please contact Alicia Ingram, 404-493-1724, ingramalicia@bellsouth.net.)

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Congressional Apologies for Slavery Are Not Enough; Reparations Now!

By Ari S. Merretazon

We don’t think it is coincidental that at the same time the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N’COBRA) was holding its 20^th Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas, the U.S. Senate was apologizing for the enslavement and racial segregation of African-Americans in a Senate resolution. Without a reparations accord/proclamation this is just another assault on Blacks in America.

N'COBRA has long stated its position on the growing number of resolutions of profound regret and questionable apologies by units of government and private corporations. These resolutions should be viewed only as means to open dialogue about the elements of repair that must be included in a reparations accord. Our position is no different with this most recent Senate resolution.

The N’COBRA twentieth conference marked a paradigm shift for the reparations movement in America defined as “Reparations Accord: The Reparations Movement in the Age of Obama. “

N'COBRA position remains, notwithstanding congressional electoral politics and this age of Obama as President, that there are at least five injury areas remaining from America’s system of enslavement that must be resolved and all apologies, proclamations or resolutions must be steps leading toward recommendations, policies, resources and programs of ways and means for repairing the damage.

The issue is no longer should reparations be authorized to Blacks, but what should be the elements of a reparations accord to assure that the monstrous destruction of human life, human culture, and human possibilities never occurs again and, that repair and healing begin. N’COBRA will engage the sponsors of the bill on the real work that lies ahead. Among the many areas a reparations accord for Backs must include are five key, broad yet specific injury areas: people-hood, education, criminal punishment, wealth/poverty, and health.

Obama, Change, and reparations are good for America.

N'COBRA sincerely appreciates Congressman John Conyers' efforts to stay on the front line with his enduring leadership and congressional diplomacy over the last 20 years. He has helped to awaken the moral spirit of justice in the U.S. by submitting H.R. 40 in each session of Congress. The passage of H.R 40, in the age of Obama, will go a long way to repair the damage done to the enslaved ancestors of Blacks in America.

Additionally, N’COBRA agrees with Senator Harkin, one of the co-sponsors of the resolution, who is quoted as saying, "Let us make no mistake: This resolution will not fix lingering injustices.” We also join with senator Harkin in the belief it is long overdue, and the real work lies ahead.

N’COBRA, as a coalition of individuals and organizations recognizes the continuous, uncompromising hard work of the Reparations Activists in America and throughout the world, as fostering and creating the atmosphere within which an apology of this nature has been made.

As with any true apology/confession it is expected that the perpetrator(s) of the crime state as accurately as possible what the apology is for, seek repentance, and be willing to repair the damage done by acts of commission and omission. An apology alone falls short without both full identification and acknowledgement of the conduct that caused the injuries, along with the resources to repair the damage inflicted.

www.ncobraphiladelphia.org or 215-850-1699

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July 16, 2009

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Black News Journal

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Major News Developments!

(posted 7-6-'09)

Supreme Court Ruling Weakens Affirmative Action Programs Beneficial to Minorities

(Taylor Media Services) In one of its last major rulings of this session, the U.S. Supreme Court last week dealt a blow to affirmative action programs - efforts designed to improve education, work and promotions opportunities for members of minority groups. Specifically, the High Court ruled in favor of a group of white firefighters in New Haven, Connecticut.

The firefighters had argued that they were discriminated against because they were white when the city scrapped a promotions examination because it feared Black and Hispanic firefighters would not do well enough on the exam to qualify for positions of lieutenant and captain. New Haven said it acted out of fear of a possible lawsuit from minority firefighters who argued basing promotions on the exam discriminated against them.

In 5-to-4 decision, the court sided with the white firefighters. The ruling could alter employment practices in cities throughout the nation by giving greater protection to whites and making it more difficult for minorities to prove discrimination. The decision reflected the views of the one moderate and four conservative justices on the Supreme Court. The four liberal justices all favored allowing New Haven to scrap the examination in order to give minorities greater promotions opportunities.

U.S. Could Be Fueling Major African War

Somalia Sinks Further into Violence and Chaos as Insurgents Gain Ground

(Taylor Media Services) Somalia, the East African nation known for pirates who have made millions by hijacking and holding ships for ransom, sank deeper into violence and chaos last week. Islamic militants appeared to be gaining ground against government forces as the countryï¿½s leaders called for international military help. The fighting has the potential of dragging the entire East African region into a bloody conflict.

Somalia heads for war and greater chaos

The Somali parliament recently passed a resolution pleading with the Christian-leaning neighboring countries of Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti to send troops to help it fight the insurgent advances. The U.S. considers the Islamic fighters al-Shabab to be extremists aligned with the militant (some say terrorist) Arab organization al-Queda. As a result, the State Department confirmed last week that it has sent the Somali government over $10 million in military aid and is paying Kenya to train Somali soldiers.

Meanwhile, Eritrea is thought to be backing the insurgents as part of a proxy war against long-time foe Ethiopia. Somalia has essentially been a country without an effective government since 1991 when a coalition of warlords overthrew strongman President Mohamed Siad Barre. The current government controls little more than the capitol city of Mogadishu and the Islamic insurgents are gaining ground there.

The U.S. weapons - totaling more than 40 tons - could starve off the insurgent advances but they could also bring Kenya, Ethiopia and Eritrea directly into the fighting. In addition, Islamic militants from Afghanistan and Pakistan are thought to be flowing into the Horn of Africa region to aid al-Shabab.

Nation's Unemployment Rate Jumps to 26-Year High; but Black Rate Improves

(Taylor Media Services) Businesses cut jobs by an unexpected 467,000 positions last month pushing the governmentï¿½s official unemployment rate to 9.5 percent ï¿½ the highest in 26 years. However, while African Americans continue to have a jobless rate higher than any other segment of the population, their unemployment picture improved slightly in June.

Fewer Americans were working last month

The current job-destroying recession has gripped the nation since December of 2007. According to the Labor Department, while the recession does show signs of easing, employers appear slow to hire people until they are sure the economy is truly recovering. The June jobless figure of 9.5 percent was only slightly above the 9.4 percent rate in May.

Ironically, most of the job losses appear to have fallen on whites. The white unemployment rate rose from 8.6 percent in May to 8.7 percent last month. Meanwhile both Blacks and Hispanics saw their unemployment rates improve. African American joblessness fell from 14.9 percent to 14.7 percent while that for Hispanics dropped from 12.7 percent in May to 12.2 percent in June.

Overall, 14.7 million Americans were looking for work in June and could not find it. The actual unemployment rate could be higher than officially reported. For example, if a person becomes frustrated and stops looking for work, the Labor Department does not count that person as unemployed.

Americans Are Getting Fatter and Blacks are Leading the Way

(Taylor Media Services) According to a new study from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, adult obesity increased in 23 states last year while failing to decline in any state. In addition, the report found that the percentage of obese or overweight children is at or above 30 percent in 30 states. The report was titled "F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009."

Black women have highest rates of obesity

This latest study did not include a racial breakdown but in May of this year, the Office of Minority Health in the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services issued a report saying Blacks were 1.4 times more likely to be obese as whites. Indeed, the report charged that African American women have the highest rates of being overweight and obese when compared to other segments of the U.S. population.

Meanwhile, the Woods study declared that the most obese state in the nation last year was Mississippi (32.3%) for the fifth year in a row. Mississippi was followed by West Virginia (31.2%), Alabama (31.1%0 and Tennessee (30.2%).

Tiger Woods Responds to Being Blasted by Former Football Great Jim Brown

(Taylor Media Services) Golfing sensation Tiger Woods responded sharply but politely last week after being blasted by former football great Jim Brown. The former running back took Woods (and by implication many other Black athletes) to task for failing to take a stand on most of the major social issues facing the nation. Brown said Woods was great as a golfer but as an individual for social change, he was ï¿½terrible, terrible.ï¿½

Tiger Woods

Brown was speaking to Bryant Gumble on HBO's "Real Sports." Woods suggested that Brown was not given him credit for what he does. Woods said, with a slight tone of anger in his voice, "I think I do a pretty good job as it is for what we are trying to do." He cited his Tiger Woods Foundation and association with major corporations to promote various causes.

Woods also appeared to suggest that some of Brownï¿½s involvement in various social causes since his football playing days have been rash and uncoordinated. He said, "You have to understand you just donï¿½t jump into something. You want to do it right. You have to have a plan."

Book Review: New Book Helps African American Children Say "I Can Do Anything"

(Taylor Media Services) Carolyn Mattocks has created a new educational program for African American youth called "I Can Do Anything." This powerful program features famous African Americans who have excelled in various professions to give African American children a practical introduction to potential career choices and a greater knowledge of the historical achievements and successes of those who have come before them.

The book is the first of its kind to combine career options and show the outstanding historical achievements of African Americans in each field. Youth will learn history that is not being taught in the classrooms. This book is a great reference tool for both youth and adults.

The "I Can Do Anything" book consists of (1) Overview of 17 career options with skills needed to excel in each field (2) Historical References (3) Famous African Americans who have excelled in each field and (4) Exercises in skills assessments, self-assessments, research, writing, and history quizzes.

"The I Can Do Anything" program is available to schools, cultural institutions, churches, and youth and community service groups. The book is available in E-Book format and paperback. You can learn more about acquiring the book at www.historicalinspirations.net

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Page Two: Black News Briefs

Black Former Congresswoman McKinney among Group Seized by Israeli Navy

Former Congresswoman McKinney seized by Israeli Navy

(Taylor Media Services) Black former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney was among a group of humanitarian activists whose ship was seized by the Israeli navy last week as it attempted to deliver food and medicine to Palestinians in the blockaded Gaza Strip. Those seized along with the fiery McKinney included Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire and activists from Britain, Ireland, Bahrain and Jamaica.

The 20 activists were scheduled to be released this week. Israel has blockaded the Palestinian territory since the militant group Hamas won elections there in June of 2007. Critics charge the Israeli blockade has resulted in hunger and medical-supply shortages among the Palestinians. But the U.S. and Europe have voiced little criticism of the harsh Israeli measures.

The "Jena 6" Case Draws to a Quiet Conclusion

(Taylor Media Services) The case from a small Louisiana town which generated a national controversy and charges of racist prosecution drew to a quiet close last week. Known as the ï¿½Jena 6ï¿½ case, it involved six black high school students who were charged with attempted murder because they beat up a fellow white student during a racially tense period in Jena, Louisiana in 2006.

Thousands of activists would descend on the central Louisiana town protesting the severity of the charge and suggestions by the local white prosecutor that he had the power to ruin the lives of the six black teens.

Well, the severe charges were reduced and last week, five of the young Blacks pled no contest to a misdemeanor simple battery charge. The only member of the group to serve jail time was Mychal Bell who was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree battery.

Rhode Island Edges towards Changing Its Name because of Slavery

(Taylor Media Services) The nation's smallest state Rhode Island last week took a giant step in the direction of changing its official name. Although most Americans were unaware of it, the stateï¿½s official name is "The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations." It is the "Providence Plantations" part which has long had many of the stateï¿½s African American citizens up in arms.

As a result, lawmakers in the Rhode Island house voted 70-to-3 last week to allow voters to decide whether the ï¿½Providence Plantationsï¿½ part should be dropped because it suggests to many an association with slavery. The bill was sponsored by Black Representative Joseph Almeida. The measure now goes to the state senate where it is also expected to pass.

The "Black Authors & Published Writers Directory" - A "Must Have" for Your Organization

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Information about acquiring the Directory is available by visiting the ï¿½Black Authors & Published Writers Directoryï¿½ website: www.BAPWD.com .

Entertainment, People, Books and Style!

Football Great Steve McNair Apparent Victim of Murder-Suicide with the "Other Woman"

(Taylor Media Services) The shooting death of NFL star quarterback Steve McNair was the apparent result of a murder-suicide involving a woman he had been seeing romantically for some period of time. The four-time Pro Bowl pick was found dead this past Saturday in his downtown Nashville condominium with multiple gun shot wounds to the head and body.

Also discovered, with a single gunshot wound to the head, was 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi. The apparent murder-suicide weapon was found next to her body. Law enforcement authorities have interviewed both McNairï¿½s wife Mechelle and Kazemiï¿½s former boyfriend but appear to have ruled both of them out as suspects. They said they were not looking for suspects even though McNairï¿½s death was ruled a homicide.

The 36-year-old McNair and Kazemi had been seen together two days before the shooting. The bodies were discovered by McNairï¿½s longtime friend Wayne Neely.

Rev. Al Sharpton Says Jackson Family Considering Global Celebrations to Commemorate Michael

(Taylor Media Services) Veteran civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton says the Jackson family is considering ï¿½simultaneous global celebrationsï¿½ to commemorate the legacy of Michael Jackson who died suddenly last week of cardiac arrest. Sharpton is a long time friend of the Jackson family who met this past Sunday with family members.

Sharpton says the aim is to get the media ï¿½focused about how millions of people felt about him. According to Sharpton, family members felt that since the 50-year-old groundbreaking singerï¿½s death, there has been too much attention paid to his reported financial problems, child abuse allegations and his use of prescription drugs.

The family also wanted to leave an upbeat view of Jackson for the sake of his three children.

Jennifer Lopez Drops "Sweetface" - Her Fashion Line

Jennifer Lopez

(Taylor Media Services) Another celebrity fashion line bit the dust last week. Jennifer Lopez announced that she was placing "Sweetface" on hiatus and possibly discontinuing the line completely after the spring 2009 collection. The announcement came even though New York magazine was reporting the high-end fashion line pulled in $200 million in 2006.

Lopez joins several other celebrities who ventured into the fashion business in recent years only to eventually shut down - in part because of the current recession. Lauren Conrad and Mandy Moore have also recently closed down their fashion lines.

In Surprise Move, Leading Hip Hop Magazine Vibe Shuts Down

(Taylor Media Services) In a move which caught most of the entertainment industry by surprise last week, Vibe - one of the leading publications catering to the Hip Hop and Rap music communities - announced an immediate shut down and "cessation of all business activities."

No clear reason was given for the closure but industry sources were quick to blame the current recession. The end of Vibe leaves only The Source and XXL as nationally circulated publications targeting Hip Hop and R&B. Meanwhile, Quincy Jones, the man who founded Vibe 20 years ago, suggested that the owners failed to keep up with the latest developments in music. He said, "We have got to get into this century."

Jones sold Vibe to the Wicks Group in 2006. He indicated he may attempt to revive the publication as an online magazine. The Vibe website was said to be profitable.

Still No Word from Morgan Freeman on Alleged Affair with His Granddaughter

(Taylor Media Services) It has been nearly three weeks since the story first broke, but veteran Black actor Morgan Freeman is not commenting on reports of an alleged 10-year-long affair with his step-granddaughter Eï¿½Dena Hines. Freeman is 72 and Hines is 27. The story first broke in the gossip-mongering journal the National Enquirer but has since been confirmed by other media outlets.

Morgan Freeman

Freeman is said to have started having sex with Hines when she was just a teenager. Hines is the granddaughter of Freemanï¿½s ex-wife Jeanette Adair Bradshaw. However, the Enquirer reports she was raised "since she was a little girl" by Freeman and his current wife Myrna. In addition, Hines has been Freemanï¿½s escort at several Hollywood premiers and other public functions.

Recently discovered evidence that the affair was continuing is reportedly the reason Morgan and Myrna are currently in the process of ending their 25-year-old marriage. It is also thought to be the reason he is also breaking up with long-time girlfriend Mary Joyce Hays.

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Editor's Commentary

The Military Coup in Honduras: Why You Should Be Concerned & Why Obama Was Wrong

By Robert James Taylor

I know you were not greatly concerned a couple of weekends ago when the military in the Latin American nation of Honduras overthrew the country's democratically elected government and forced President Manuel Zelaya to leave the country. However, you should be concerned because what occurred in Honduras has both a moral and practical impact on developments in the United States.

Morally, the U.S. government is forever preaching the virtues of democracy to the rest of the world. But for the last 50 years of the 20^th century and the first eight years of the 21^st century, Americaï¿½s push for democracy has largely been a lie. This nation only supports democracy when a ruling clique it favors is likely to win elections. Otherwise, it will undermine and even aid in overthrowing governments, especially those that lean to the political left, regardless of what the democratic majority in a country thinks.

This has clearly been the case in Latin America. For years we, as a nation, have supported small, wealthy ruling cliques which subvert democracy and suppress their own people. These ruling cliques or oligarchies along with their supportive militaries were our allies as long as they kept their countries open to exploitation by large American corporations and at least pretended to be fighting communism.

However, for roughly a decade, the grip of these wealthy, ruling cliques on Latin American governments and economies has been significantly loosened as the U.S. was busy fighting unnecessary wars in Iraq. Throughout Latin America - from Venezuela to Brazil - the citizens have freely elected a host of left-leaning or socialist leaders who promised three things: Reduce the power of the wealthy, ruling elites; reduce U.S. economic exploitation and bring about a fairer distribution of wealth.

One of the countries in which such an election took place was Honduras. Manuel Zelaya even had the anti-imperialist audacity to become friendly with the Latin leader the U.S. government hates most: Venezuela's Bolivarian socialist President Hugo Chavez.

Thus, it came as no great surprise that Zelaya was overthrown. The wealthy ruling elite of Honduras was simply reasserting itself. It was so discredited that it could not win an election so it resorted to what it knows best: military force.

And U.S. fingerprints were all over this coup. First of all, America has been desperately looking for ways to get its wealthy elites back into political power in Latin America. Secondly, the coup was apparently led by Romeo Vasquez - a graduate of America's notorious "School of the Americas" at Fort Benning, Georgia. This is the military school which has long been criticized for training Latin American military leaders in how best to suppress their own people. The training includes torture techniques. Third, we must analyze the weak response of President Obama to the coup.

Oh, Obama ï¿½saidï¿½ all the right things. He immediately condemned the coup and urged that Zelaya be place back in power. But he refused to break diplomatic relations with Honduras which is normally the strongest symbolic protest. Worse still, he refused to cut off military and other U.S. aid to the coup leaders.

The coup leaders in Honduras clearly saw what was taking place. Obama was following the example of his predecessor white U.S. presidents when it came to Latin America: Support democracy with your words but with your actions (or non-actions) support the wealthy, ruling elites and their militaries.

The net result is that this country will continue to be flooded with illegal immigrants from Latin America because they cannot live descent lives in their home countries because their wealthy, ruling elites have monopolized the political power and the economic freedom. And the elites plan on holding onto that power at all costs - including the cost of military dictatorship.

I had hoped the nation's first Black president would have helped change this picture. But he has clearly failed his first test.

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Op-Ed Commentary/Opinion

To the Congressional Apology for Slavery: "Thanks, but No Thanks"

By William Reed

Sorry, but "sorry just won't do."

By now you know that the U.S. Senate has been moved to apologize for slavery. Those drafting the resolution said it was important for Americans to apologize for slavery "so they can move forward and seek reconciliation, justice, and harmony for all people of the United States." But, there is trickery in this contriteness. The Senate tacked a disclaimer to the resolution saying that nothing in it authorizes or supports reparations for slavery.

African American descendants of slaves have to show their loathing for this farce. Jesse Jackson calls the act "a meaningless gesture with no meaningful commitment to deal with the impact of something as serious as slavery." American history shows that a substantial debt is owned to descendents of slaves for the 250 years of free labor and another 100 years of economic subjection after slavery.

Blacks willing to accept the Senate resolution should consult with Randall Robinson, author of "The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks" first. Robinson says: "Much is owed, and it is very quantifiable. It is owed as one would owe for any labor that one has not paid for, and until steps are taken in that direction we haven't accomplished anything." Americaï¿½s debt to descendants of slaves ranges over 400 years. After being freed, for the next century generations of Blacks were relegated to a damaging second-class status. Obstacles to Blackï¿½s economic justice included the Jim Crow prison camps that provided free labor, lynching, redlining and educational and job discrimination.

The Senate's apology follows a pattern of government contriteness. In 2008, the House of Representatives also passed an apology; the key difference being that the Senate version explicitly deals with the issue of whether slavery descendants are entitled to reparations, saying the resolution cannot be used in support of claims for restitution. And the scam will continue. The House is expected to revisit the issue to conform its resolution to the Senate version. After doing some basic calculations, African Americans should tell Congress to "slow your roll."

Much is owned the descendants of slaves for three centuries of free slave labor and their housing and clothing allowances donï¿½t count. Early Americaï¿½s South became a formidable agricultural society through the expansion of tobacco, rice and indigo plantations and later cotton. Cotton became Americaï¿½s leading export, exceeding in value all other exports of the period combined. When "Cotton was king" it helped place America on the world stage as a viable economic entity. Slave labor and underpaid black workers not only picked the cotton but laid the railroads, worked in the factories and erected the nationï¿½s buildings.

Ironically, the Congress that doesnï¿½t want to pay reparations was meeting in one of two important buildings built by free slave labor. Black slave labor was involved in construction of the U.S. Capitol and the White House. Slaves hoisted the Statue of Freedom atop the dome of the Capitol in 1863. Basic calculations prove that the amount of reparations owed for slavery is a staggering sum, with estimates ranging from $2.5 trillion to $8.3 trillion.

Despite any rationale whites declare that the liabilities of slavery are passed, today's establishment continues to reap the benefits of slavery: Jim Crow, restrictive covenants, and all the other crimes and abuses of their forefathers. Despite the increased numbers of Blacks in middle and upper income levels, and measurement made among Americans today will show racial disparities persist in income or wealth, education and home ownership and, are growing.

Itï¿½s time for sensible African Americans to put an end to this foolishness. Before we know it, Blacks will be denied legacy due them forever. Expressions of apology have also been considered in a number of states, and eight: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and New Jersey have apologized for slavery without any payments allocated. Nebraska and Missouri - are considering similar resolutions.

(William Reed: www.BlackPressInternational.com)

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Look for Business Grants from Your Local Government

By The National Institute of Business Grants

A business grant is essentially free money given to entrepreneurs and business owners to start and/or expand a business. A common misconception is that business grants are given away by the federal government. This is not true at all. Grants available through the U.S. government are generally reserved for non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, state and local governments.

However, there are plenty of state and local government agencies as well as private organizations and foundations that offer business grant money. A good place to begin is within your own state. The U.S. Government's Official Web Portal (www.usa.gov/Agencies/State_and_Territories.shtml) is an excellent online resource that enables you to click on your state and search for state grant money within all kinds of areas, such as agricultural, environmental quality, health, law, and cultural affairs.

In addition to local government agencies, The Foundation Center (www.foundationcenter.org) provides a directory of over 200 corporate grant makers. Major corporations often establish trusts and foundations to give business grant money to companies and organizations that engage in efforts that are aligned closely with their mission and values. A few examples are General Electric, Ford, Wal-Mart, the Gates Foundation, the Lilly Endowment, Ford Foundation, Hasbro Industries Charitable Trust, W. K. Kellogg Foundation, the Kipling Foundation, Clorox Company, Allstate Foundation, and International Paper Company.

Each company's foundation has specific criteria on the business focus that meets their criteria for receiving grant money. Grant money can range from $500 to $5 million, depending on the size of the foundation.

The National Institute of Business Grants (www.BusinessGrants.org) is a free online resource for details and FAQs about small business grants and other financing options.

Conference Seeks to "Demystify" and Encourage Investment in Africa

(Taylor Media Services) AFREECON - the Africa Economic Emancipation Conference - is set to convene in Chicago, Illinois from October 19^th to 21^st at the Navy Pier Conference Facility. Organizers say the gathering is designed ï¿½to demystify the African continent in regards to politics, geography, commerce and culture, with the intention of creating genuine, substantive business practices that mutually benefit African nations and businesses from around the world.ï¿½

Through key-note addresses, open forums, expert briefings, facilitated discussions and specialty events, AFREECON aims to develop more effective strategies for achieving sustained industrial growth, lasting economic development and international investment for African nations. For more information about AFREECON and to register for the October conference, interested persons can visit www.AFREECON.org

Black Millionaires Summit Co-Founder Teachers Blacks How to Profit Online

(BlackNews.com) - When CNBC's hit show, "The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch" called Fran Harris and asked her to appear as a business coach to work with entrepreneurs "live" on the air, she jumped at the chance to talk about her favorite subject -- making money. Starting a business is easy, according to Harris, a business explosion expert. "Succeeding in business is a whole other animal," she says.

Fran Harris

Harris who speaks nationally and internationally on "making money online", recently released a slate of courses targeting entrepreneurs who want to cash in on the Internet craze. "I'm amazed at how much money we're (African Americans) leaving on the table by not selling information products online.

She's the co-founder of the Black Millionaires Summit and creator of MillionaireBusinessSchool.com Harris also teaches free Business Tele-classes each Monday at 10:30 a.m. CST. http://FreeBusinessClasses.com

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Optimum Health & Fitness

The Top Three Cancers Affecting Black Men: Prostate, Colon and Lung

(Taylor Media Services) According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), when it comes to preventing or fighting cancer, an African American maleï¿½s chief areas of focus should be his prostate, his colon and his lungs. No one knows exactly how to prevent cancer but a proper diet including an abundance of fruits and vegetables, regular exercise, avoiding smoking and receiving regular colon-rectal examinations appear to help.

Prostate cancer: This is the most common cancer among all men. But it is more common among African American men and medical experts still have not figured out why. In 2005, 210.5 out of every 100,000 Black men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. This compares to 132.8 white men; 116.4 Hispanic men; 72.7 Asian men and 64.6 American Indian or Alaska Native men.

Lung cancer: More men actually die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer. Again, African American males are affected more than others. In 2005, 101.6 out of 100,000 Black males were diagnosed with lung cancer. This compares to 83.9 white men; 49.7 American Indian or Alaska Native men; 49.0 Asian men and 47.6 Hispanic men.

Colorectal cancer: This is the third most common cancer among men.

The other leading cancers for all men are bladder, melanomas of the skin, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney, mouth and throat cancer, leukemia, and pancreatic cancer.

Data source: U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999 - 2005 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2009. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/uscs

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National Black News Journal & Advocate

July 9, 2009

Analytical, financial, health and historical empowerment

Editor ï¿½ Robert N. Taylor; Operations ï¿½ Oscar L. Taylor; Advertising/Circulation ï¿½ LaRue Bonner

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Black News Journal

The “Black Authors & Published Writers Directory” - A “Must Have” for Your Organization

The 2009-2010 edition of the highly acclaimed “Black Authors & Published Writers Directory” is ready for distribution.

It features profiles of writers, authors, agents, songwriters, poets, film producers, reporters, booksellers and companies with services and descriptions.

Information about acquiring the Directory is available by visiting the “Black Authors & Published Writers Directory” website: www.BAPWD.com .

Major News Developments!

(posted 6-14-'09)

HIV/AIDS Skyrocketing among Young Black Homosexual Males

(Taylor Media Services) According to data released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HIV infection and AIDS rates are skyrocketing among young Black homosexual males. The figures show that from 2001 to 2006, Black gay males - which the CDC refers to as MSM (men having sex with men) - had “the most dramatic increase in diagnoses” for HIV and AIDS. During the 2001 to 2006 period, HIV/AIDS diagnoses among young Black males aged 13 to 24 shot up by a whopping 93 percent.

Among those aged 13 to 19 diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in 2006, 70 percent were African American. The CDC’s report warned that of all YMSM (young men having sex with men) “young black men bear the greatest burden.” Black YMSM between the ages of 13 and 24 were diagnosed with HIV/AIDS at a rate twice as high as their homosexual counterparts in the white and Hispanic communities.

The report also confirmed that despite reports of increasing HIV/AIDS rates among Black women, the most common transmission category for infection remains male-to-male sexual contact. However, the study is unclear on why the infection rate among young Black male homosexuals is increasing so rapidly. The CDC report is titled “HIV/AIDS: Young Men Who Have Sex with Men.”

HHS Study: Minorities & Low Income More Likely to Get Sick and Not Get Proper Care

(Taylor Media Services) The federal government’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report last week which concludes, “Minorities and low income Americans are more likely to be sick and less likely to get the care they need.” Those words came from HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius who used the new report to urge Congress to act on President Obama’s national health care reform measures.

According to Sebelius, “These disparities have plagued our health system and our country for too long.” The report is entitled Health Disparities: A Case for Closing the Gap. Details are available online at www.HealthReform.gov .

Among the lead findings were: 40 percent of low-income Americans do not have health insurance; African Americans are 15 percent more likely to be obese than whites; 48 percent of Blacks suffer from a chronic disease compared to 39 percent of the general population; and 15 percent of African Americans develop diabetes compared with 8 percent of whites.

Meanwhile, minority lawmakers warned the Democratic leadership last Tuesday not to cave into Republican demands to weaken Obama’s health care proposals. Black, Latino and Asian lawmakers issued a joint statement saying they would be hard-pressed to support a bill which did not include a new program guaranteeing health coverage for all Americans.

Can a Black Man Be Elected Governor in Alabama?

Congressman Artur Davis Plans to Find Out

Artur Davis

(Taylor Media Services) Can a Black man be elected governor of Alabama - a state long known for die-hard racism? Four-term Congressman Artur Davis kicked off his election campaign last week in the hope of finding out. He spoke before a crowd of nearly a thousand at a major Birmingham park and declared, “I’m running for one simple reason: to transform Alabama’s economy to attract the jobs of the 21^st century.”

Davis will face a crowded field of contenders vying to replace term-limited Governor Bob Riley - a Republican. The state’s popular Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks and State Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb are among those thought to be considering the launching of campaigns.

Davis will face an uphill battle. Alabama is one of the nation’s most conservative and racially divided states. But Blacks constitute 27 percent of the population and President Obama won 39 percent of the popular vote in last year’s presidential race.

Case against Black Ex-Congressman Jefferson Centers on $90,000 Found in His Freezer

(Taylor Media Services) The government’s case against Black former Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson began last week. And it was clear from the beginning that it will center on the $90,000 law enforcement officers found wrapped in aluminum foil and tucked inside food containers in a freezer in his Washington, D.C.-area home. The money was discovered in 2005 after a long investigation.

Former Louisiana Congressman William Jefferson

Jefferson promised a “honest explanation” for the money and the why it was in his freezer. But the government charges the money was part of a bribery scheme involving Jefferson, Black U.S. business owners and high officials in at least seven West African nations. The trial is expected to last at least a month in an Alexandria, Virginia federal court.

The biggest hurdles facing Jefferson are the actual presence of the marked money in his freezer and the testimony of Virginia business woman Lori Mody who the government lured into a sting operation against Jefferson. Mody says she gave Jefferson the money and he was supposed to give it to the then-Vice President of Nigeria Atiku Abubakar to facilitate a business deal.

NAACP Seeks Class-Action Status in Lawsuit against Eli Lilly & Company

(Taylor Media Services) The NAACP last week took steps to amend a racial discrimination lawsuit against pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly & Company in order to gain class-action status. Such certification from the Indiana court is needed for a large number of people to be included in the lawsuit. The NAACP, the nation’s largest civil rights organization, is seeking to represent an estimated 2,000 people.

The original complaint alleges that Eli Lilly engaged in discriminatory practices which affected pay and promotional opportunities for African American employees. Eli Lilly has denied the charges and is seeking to persuade the court not to grant class-action status.

Black Novel Wins Prestigious Irish Literature Prize

(Taylor Media Services) A novel depicting the difficulty of attaining the American Dream if you are Black has won one of the English language’s most prestigious and richest fiction prizes. “Man Gone Down” by Michael Thomas beat out 145 other novels from 41 countries to grab first prize last Thursday in the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award competition.

Thomas walked away with $140,000. According to the book’s U.S. publisher Grove Atlantic, the panel of judges felt “Man Gone Down” told the “story of the American Dream gone awry, about what it’s like to feel preprogrammed to fail in life and the urge to escape that sentence.”

The novel centers on a promising Black Harvard student who becomes an impoverished construction worker married to a white woman. Meanwhile, Thomas says the election of Barack Obama as president could be a sign that things are changing for African Americans: “Maybe it’s a message of hope that finally we have a president of intellect and philosophical heft rather than didactic, mean-spirited, short-sighted small-mindedness.”

Do Hair Extensions, Braids & Dreadlocks Increase Hair Loss in Women?

(Taylor Media Services) Do some hair styles involving braids, extensions and dreadlocks lead to potentially severe hair loss in African American women? The New York-based hair care company Tangled Hair Techs believes the potential for damage is present as these hair styles have become increasingly trendy.

Tangled Hair Techs spokesperson Sheila Smith went so far last week as to distribute a public statement saying in part, “As consumer demand for braids, dreadlocks and hair extensions has grown, clients have become less knowledgeable about proper removal processes.” It is this lack of knowledge, says Smith, that can lead to “serious damage, hair loss, and in some cases, severely tangled or matted hair.”

Smith told Taylor Media Services “the problem in really two fold” involving improper removal and improper methods employed by hair dressers who initially put in the styles. Individuals interested in learning more about the proper removal of extensions, dreadlocks and braids can visit Smith’s website at www.takedownproducts.com .

Howard University Gets $150 Million in Grants to Prepare Future Engineers

(Taylor Media Services) Predominantly Black Howard University in Washington, D.C. will soon get one of the largest the largest grants in its history: $150 million to help prepare future engineers and other technology professionals. Siemens PLM Software, a Plano-Texas-based software provider says the $150 million gift is designed to help strengthen the curriculum of Howard, which is known as the “Capstone of Black education.”

The series of grants will help the university with engineering software and student and instructor training as well as in specialized certification programs. The award was announced June 5^th at the Business Software Alliance CEO Forum in Washington, D.C. Siemens provides PLM technology to more than a million students each year.

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More Black News Briefs

Black Harvard Honors Student Barred from Graduation because of Association

(Taylor Media Services) She is an honors student. She goes to Harvard and she is Black. But last week Chanequa Campbell was barred by the university from graduating with her class because of her association with an alleged drug dealer. The suspected dealer was killed recently while on the Harvard campus. However, Campbell says she is innocent of any wrong-doing and is being unfairly targeted because of her race. A random survey conducted by a local newspaper found other African American students about evenly split when asked whether the university had acted appropriately.

Africa’s Longest Ruling Leader Dies of Apparent Heart Attack

Bongo

(Taylor Media Services) Africa’s longest-ruling leader, Omar Bongo - the president of the tiny West African nation of Gabon - has died in a Spanish hospital. The country’s prime minister issued a formal statement saying the cause of death was a heart attack. But other reports said Bongo had cancer. Plus, a few hours prior to his death last week, the prime minister had said Bongo was “alive and well.” Bongo was 73 and ruled Gabon for 41 years. The president of the Senate Rose Francine Rogombe became acting president ahead of new elections.

China Places New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, His Wife and a Security Guard in Quarantine

Nagin

(Taylor Media Services) New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin was supposed to be in China to drum up business for his still hurricane damaged city. Instead, however, he, his wife and a security guard were placed in quarantine shortly after departing a plane in Shanghai. The Chinese took the precaution after another person the Nagin flight from New Jersey exhibited symptoms of H1N1 - so-called swine flu. The quarantine is taking place at a Shanghai hotel and no one in the Nagin party as thus far shown any symptoms.

Radio Is Leading Black Media Source for African Americans

(Taylor Media Services) According to a recently released study, African Americans rely on Black radio for entertainment and information more than any other type of Black media. The survey was entitled “National Study on the Penetration of Ethnic Media in America.” It was released by the online minority news group New America Media.

The sections on African Americans revealed that 67 percent of Blacks surveyed said Black radio was their first or second source of information. Radio was followed by Black television at 58 percent and then Black newspapers at 37 percent suggesting that Black newspapers were only reaching 37 percent of African Americans. As far as the Internet is concerned, only 22 percent of African Americans said their primary source of information and entertainment online came from Black websites.

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Special Report

The Case of the Scott Sisters: Mississippi Sisters Got Double Life for Alleged $11.00 Robbery

By Nathaniel Vance

For over 14 years, two falsely accused and incarcerated sisters (Jamie and Gladys Scott) have languished in a Mississippi prison for a trumped up crime. Neither of them had any previous criminal records, no one was hurt and the entire judiciary process was heavily tainted by racial malpractice, witness coercion, threats, and harassment. This case has to go down as one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in American history.

This travesty of injustice began in 1993 in Scott County Mississippi. It is alleged that the county sheriff had a beef with the sisters’ father over him refusing to pay cash payoffs to the sheriff, whereas the sheriff threatened to wreck havoc upon the entire family if payment did not continue. The father refused, and soon thereafter, the sheriff succeeded in carrying out his threat. Jamie and Gladys were charged and subsequently convicted of a made-up $11-dollar armed robbery.

During the trial, there were numerous inconsistencies. The sisters’ lawyers called only one witness. In addition, the attorneys (F. J. Alexander, Jr. and Gail Shaw-Pierson) failed to interview or subpoena several credible witnesses and the two attorneys even advised the Scott sisters not to take the stand in their own defense. As of this writing the three witnesses against the Scott sisters have recanted their coerced statements implicating Jamie and Gladys by signed affidavits. But no court (as was with the tragic Rubin Hurricane Carter case) has seen fit to either reopen their case or consider the sister’s request for an evidentiary hearing.

However, to date, there has not been enough exposure or awareness about their unfortunate predicament.

What is so dearly needed is for more of us to get involved. We ask for your help in bringing closure to this tragic senseless case. We do hope and pray that you will use your good office and prestige to help spread this message and appeal and may God bless!

CONTACT: Nathaniel X Vance, Jr. Muskogee, Ok. 74401, Phone: 918-304-6017 E-Mail: broali4xx@suddenlink.net .

Ms. Jamie Scott #19197 C Bldg P.O. Box 88550 Pearl, MS 39288

Ms. Gladys Scott #19142 B Bldg P.O. Box 88550 Pearl, MS 39288

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Entertainment, People, Books and Style!

Actress Ella Joyce Returns with “A Rose among Thorns” - A Tribute to Rosa Parks

Ella Joyce

(Taylor Media Services) Actress Ella Joyce is beginning another national tour of her one-woman play “A Rose of among Thorns.” The play is a tribute to Rosa Parks - the woman who by refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus to a white man helped to spark the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

The play has received rave reviews since it was first performed in 2007. Joyce had delivered on 70 performances around the country and is next scheduled to appear at the National Black Theatre Festival in August. A past and present calendar of performances, press reviews, and booking information is available at www.aRoseAmongThorns.com .

Joyce, who wrote the play, is perhaps best known to television viewers as “Eleanor” on the former FOX TV series Roc.

Rihanna Set to Testify against Chris Brown; while Linking up with New Boyfriend

(Taylor Media Services) All the speculation that “Umbrella” singer Rihanna and one-time boyfriend Chris Brown might be getting back together and that she would refuse to testify against him at his upcoming assault trial came crashing down to earth last week. First, it was confirmed that Rihanna has been subpoenaed to testify against Brown.

Then, a Los Angeles judge denied a defense motion to delay the start of Brown’s trial. A hearing is now set for June 22. And finally, the 21-year-old Rihanna appears to be making a point of being seen publicly in Los Angeles and New York with her new boyfriend - Canadian rapper Aubrey “Drake” Graham.

Meanwhile, Brown is said to be preparing to vigorously defend himself against the assault charges. He is accused of beating and choking Rihanna following an argument over his alleged relationship with another woman. Brown faces up to four years in prison.

Barry Bonds’ Wife Cites “Irreconcilable Differences” in Divorce Filing

(Taylor Media Services) When the wife of baseball’s homerun king Barry Bonds filed for legal separation in Los Angeles Superior Court last Monday she said she and the former San Francisco Giant’s slugger simply had “irreconcilable differences.” In her petition, Liz Watson seeks spousal support from the millionaire Bonds and joint legal and physical custody of the couple’s 10-year-old daughter Aisha.

Barry Bonds and wife Liz during happier times

Meanwhile, Bonds is awaiting trial on charges that he lied to a federal grand jury in December 2003, when he denied knowingly taking performance enhancing drugs. The trial has been delayed because lawyers are battling over what can and cannot be admitted as evidence.

Bonds and Watson were married in 1998. This will be the second divorce for Bonds.

Michael Jackson Accused of Making “Outrageous Demands” for London Concert

(Taylor Media Services) Concert promoters are accusing Kink of Pop Michael Jackson of making “outrageous demands” for next month’s “comeback” performance in London, England. Among Jackson’s demands is a choir of child singers aged 5 to 13 made up of equal numbers of black, white, Asian and mixed-race children.

According to London’s Daily Mirror, all the children must also be able to use and understand sign language. The 50-year-old Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges in a controversial trial in 2005.

Meanwhile, another lawsuit has been hurled at Jackson. AllGood Entertainment last week filed suit in New York federal court charging Jackson has reneged on an agreement to appear in a reunion concert with other members of his talented family this summer.

Mike Tyson Marries for Third Time

(Taylor Media Services) Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson has gotten married - for the third time. The marriage to 32-year-old Lakiha Spicer reportedly took place in the La Bella Wedding Chapel at the Las Vegas Hilton hotel and casino Saturday of last week. The event was described chapel officials as “a small, private ceremony.”

The 42-year-old Tyson was previously married to actress Robin Givens in 1988 and Monica Turner in 1997. The marriage to Givens lasted one year while the one to Turner lasted for five years. Ironically, this latest marriage came just two weeks after Tyson’s four-year-old daughter Exodus died in a tragic treadmill accident in Phoenix, Arizona. Spicer is not the mother of Exodus.

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Editor’s Commentary

Black America Needs an Economic Stimulus Program - Now, Not Later!

By Robert N. Taylor

A news development which has not gotten nearly enough media or government attention over the past two months has been the soaring unemployment rate among African Americans. According to the Labor Department, Black joblessness stood at 15 percent in April and then “improved” insignificantly in May by falling to just 14.9 percent.

These are jobless figures which appear to be approaching the Depression-era unemployment rates of the 1930s when roughly 25 percent of the adult population was looking for work and could not find it. The situation is made even worse by the manner in which the government calculates unemployment rates: You are only counted as unemployed if you are actually looking for work.

Those Blacks who have become frustrated and given-up the job search are not included in the unemployment figures. Neither are people who are working part-time but actually desire to work full time.

In order to combat the crime producing, psychologically-demeaning and dysfunctional-family-creating unemployment epidemic, Black America needs to be specifically targeted with an economic stimulus program which creates both jobs and businesses, especially in our inner-city communities.

When the automobile industry was in trouble, the government responded with billions of dollars specifically designed to revitalize that industry and make it more competitive. When the banking industry was shaken to its knees by the sub-prime mortgage crisis and the credit crunch, the government responded with billions of dollars specifically designed to rescue the nation’s banks.

However, with Black America in economic crisis, we are being told (even by the Obama administration) that specific aid to Blacks is wrong. Instead, we are told the government is working to revitalize the overall economy and as a result Black America will benefit. This sounds suspiciously close to President Ronald Reagan’s “trickle-down” economics of the 1980s. In practice, “trickle-down” promoted the absurd notion that you help the poor and the working classes by given the wealthy more money.

The notion advanced the argument that the wealthy would eventually invest their extra dollars and produce jobs and rising incomes for the lower classes.

No! If you actually desire to help Black America out of its economic crisis, invest billons of dollars directly in Black America - not in the form of give-away projects but in the form of targeted investments which create small businesses and jobs. If you are going to give billions to the automobile industry, have the companies build some of their new plants in inner-city areas.

I am not an economic determinist. I do not believe that money solves all problems. But it lays the best possible foundation for change. Every problem plaguing Black America today would either be eliminated or become less of a problem if we were a wealthier people. Wealth can only come from employment and business ownership.

Black America, starting with inner-city areas, needs an economic stimulus program: At least $50 billion a year for the next 10 years. President Obama and the U.S. Congress, I hope you are listening.

[Robert Taylor welcomes responses to his commentaries. Email him with your thoughts on this and other subjects at TaylorMediaPrime@yahoo.com . Please include your name and city.]

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Op-Ed Commentary/Opinion

Learn About Seven How To Get Rich Methods for 2009

By Brian Keith Garvin and Jeff West

Have you decided on any goals for 2009 yet? If not, you need to hurry up because there are only 6 months left in it! In all seriousness, if you would like a noble goal to follow for the rest of the year, have you considered looking to get rich? Now, some may scoff at such a notion. Really, how easy could it be to get rich?

While it is definitely not easy to grow wealth it can be done with enough effort and the right approach. By taking a logical approach to increasing your personal net worth, wealth can be gained. Here are several steps that can be taken on the road to success:

Start some sort of investment strategy no matter how small. You don’t have to invest your money in high risk stocks or anything that requires a major gamble. Commit to setting aside a specific amount of money, knowing that it will increase in value with enough time. While this method will take a long time, it is effective as well as safe.

There are a number of legitimate work from home business opportunities that will consistently deliver revenues. If you were to invest any money that you earned online into another venture you could begin to amass revenues more quickly.

Launch your own business. This is a significant step up from changing jobs. There is a great deal of risk going into business but the rewards may very well be a huge amount of money earned.

Explore opportunities in real estate investing. Yes, the real estate market is a depressed one now and that is a good thing. Properties can be purchased at a very cheap price. That means they can be sold at huge profits at a later date. Actually, you could even purchase dilapidated properties and fix them up. This could even further increase the profits you earn.

Never give up. This may seem like trite advice but it is very important advice. Don’t look for the overnight success story. Hang in there for the long haul with all your ventures and you will discover success at getting rich is not as elusive as some assume. Follow these steps in 2009 and you may be surprised at the results. And, yes, you may be well on your way to building a great deal of wealth.

Allow How to Get Rich Gurus Brian Keith Garvin and Jeff West show you more with relation to Money Making Ideas right now. You can without notice visit their website as we have a myriad of resources to help you find what you command, with no commitment.

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Better Life News: Opportunities, Money, Jobs & Advice

"The Black Folks Guide to Making Big Money on the Internet” Is Now Available

(Taylor Media Services) The highly acclaimed eBook, The Black Folks Guide to Making Big Money on the Internet has been released to the general public. Promoters are hailing the eBook as “an extraordinary work of economic empowerment for Black people worldwide.” The eBook was written by Mr. Lee Green, chairman of the National Black Business Trade Association (NBBTA) and founder of "The Black Business Builders Club.”

In a statement, Green says that most people trying to make money on the Internet are failing “in spite of the fact that there exists the potential to make as much money online as one would want …” Additional information about the eBook is available online at at www.blackfolksmoneyguide.com .

“My Savvy Seniors” Places Second in Major Competition by Aiding Seniors

(Taylor Media Services) Atlanta-based MySavvySeniors won second place in the recent “Elevator Pitch Competition” hosted last month during the annual Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Competition. Four finalists were chosen to pitch their existing or proposed business ideas to a panel of leading business executives.

The judges’ criteria included clarity/vision of the company, salesmanship, business viability, use of time, and response from the audience. The competition was moderated by Alan Hughes, Editorial Director – News/Business for Black Enterprise Magazine. Founded by Cecilia Belton, MySavvySeniors’ mission is to aid the elderly in conquering their technophobia.

The company provides mobile computer training classes to senior centers and nursing homes. In-home training is also provided. General Motors and ExxonMobil sponsored the annual Black Enterprise event held this year in Detroit. Individuals interested in additional information about the program can visit the company’s website: www.mysavvyseniors.org.

Lee Smith Provides Insights on Stock Market Cycles & Your Retirement Account

The leading indicator for stock market collapses by professional Mutual Fund Managers and Wall Street Advisors is the S&P 500 Index. The index consists of 500 of the biggest companies in the world and their stock prices rise and fall depending on their earnings which is a reflection of the economy. The companies in mutual funds are the same in the S&P 500 Index.

In a interview with stock market consultant Lee Smith, "A stock market cycle starts when the S&P 500 Index goes to a 1 year low. It will stay there until it moves up and crosses its 1 year average. When it goes above its 1 year average the stock market as a whole continues going up until the next 1 year low. The chart of this Index tells you when to enter and exit mutual funds."

Mutual funds in an IRA or 401k have seen a huge decline in their value in 2008. The last time the stock market dropped this far was in 2001 and 2002. "Avoiding stock market collapses is the number one priority for retirement," according to Financial Planners.

This general knowledge is found on www.LeeSmith.info and is based on fact. The website includes information on protecting retirement accounts during stock market cycles.

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Optimum Health!

Pecans and Your Health - A Positive Combination

Numerous studies have been conducted demonstrating the ability of nuts to reduce the risk of heart disease, and recent research also indicates that pecans, in particular have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol, or bad cholesterol. Pecans contain plant sterols which assist in lowering bad cholesterol and good fat. Pecans, while being naturally low in carbohydrates, are filling, so a few can take the edge of hunger. With one ounce equaling 4 grams of carbohydrates and containing a variety of vitamins and minerals they make a good addition to one's diet.

Studies also suggest that because of the ability of pecans to curb appetite, they may be beneficial in weight loss and perhaps even assist the body in burning calories more effectively. In fact a study performed at Harvard School of Public Health indicated those who ate pecans as part of their healthy diet were able to lose weight and keep it off longer.

According to http://www.durdenpecan.com Pecans received an “A” on the 2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines. The most recent advisory from the Food and Drug Administration reads as follows: "Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease."

We are still in the early stages of researching nutrition and its correlation to breast cancer, however we do know that oleic acid, which is found in olive oil and pecans has the natural ability to suppress the activity of a gene thought to trigger breast cancer. One ounce of pecans provides 25% more oleic acid than 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

The same ingredient found in pecans which is effective in lowering cholesterol has been shown effective in treating the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Not only that but the gamma-tocopherol found in pecans has the ability to kill prostrate cancer cells while leaving healthy cells intact, according to a recent study performed at Purdue University.

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National Black News Journal & Advocate

June 18, 2009

Analytical, financial, health and historical empowerment

Editor – Robert N. Taylor; Operations – Oscar L. Taylor; Advertising/Circulation – LaRue Bonner

Correspondents: Washington, DC; Los Angeles, California; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Columbus, Ohio and Richmond, Virginia

Based: 1517 T Street, SE, Washington, D.C. 20020

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Financial Betterment as well as Advanced Problem-Solving Techniques and much more

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National Black News Journal

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Major News Developments!

(posted 6-7-'09)

Unemployment Rate Shoots up to 9.4%

Black Joblessness Remains at Near Depression-Era Level of 14.9%

(Taylor Media Services) Despite the Obama administration pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into the economy, the nation lost 345,000 more jobs last month sending the unemployment rate to 9.4 percent – the highest level in 25 years. The bright spot in the otherwise dismal report from the Labor Department was that the pace of job losses was slowing.

Businesses are still laying off workers but at a slower pace. The economy lost an average of 700,000 jobs during the first three months of the year. That pace slowed to 540,000 lost jobs in April and was down to just 345,000 last month.

However, the unemployment rate among African Americans remains at near-Depression-era levels. In May, the Black jobless rate stood at 14.9 percent – a slight improvement from April when it stood at 15.0 percent. Meanwhile, the Hispanic unemployment rate jumped to 12.7 percent last month up from 11.3 percent in April. Whites also saw their joblessness increase to 8.6 percent in May up from 8.0 percent in April.

Thus far the recession, which first gripped the nation in December 2007, has forced the number of people looking for work and unable to find it to 14.5 million.

Obama’s Call for “New Beginning” with Muslim World Gets Lukewarm Response

Islamic Countries Say They Are Waiting on Action

(Taylor Media Services) The Islamic response to President Obama’s long-awaited address to the Muslim world last week can best be described as respectful but not enthusiastic. During his speech delivered at Cairo University in Egypt, Obama called for “a new beginning between the United States and Muslims.” He added, “This cycle of suspicion and discord must end.”

President Obama

However, the president failed to propose any new policy initiatives that would bring an end to the over 60-year animosity between Arab states and Israel. That animosity grows out of the establishment of the 1948 Jewish state on land which Palestinians claim rightfully belongs to them and Israel’s subsequent seizure of additional Arab lands in various wars, especially the so-called six-day war of 1967. Arab nations view the U.S. as Israel’s primary backer.

It was the lack of specifics for the “new beginning” which produced a somewhat mild Islamic response. Fawzi Barhoumm a spokesman for the militant group Hamas, said of the speech, “There is a change between the speech of President Obama and the previous speeches made by George Bush.” From Iran, cleric and former vice president Mohammed Ali Abtahi also noted the contrast with former president Bush labeling the speech “compensation to the hostile environment created during President Bush’s administration.”

Obama.s remarks were carried by television and radio stations in Israel and major Arab satellite television stations such as Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya. The broadcast was blocked in Iran but the militant Lebanese Islamic group Hezbollah carried it on its network Al-Manar.

Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition Conf. to Address “The State of Civil Rights”

Jesse Jackson says “Civil Rights” must now target reconstruction in Black communities

(Taylor Media Services) If you want to know the state of civil rights in America, understand how to stimulate business growth and create better educational opportunities for your children, Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH Coalition is sponsoring a conference you may want to attend. The massive gathering takes place June 27^th to July 1^st at the Hyatt McCormick Place in Chicago.

The theme of the state of civil rights event is “A More Perfect Union - Targeted Stimulus: The Key to Reconstruction.” Some of the nation’s leading civil rights leaders are expected to be in attendance at the conference which will be highlighted by a keynote address by Jackson and a wide range of seminars and workshops.

People interested in registering for the conference can visit the Rainbow PUSH website: www.rainbowpush.org or call 404-525-5663.

Republicans Call Obama’s Supreme Court Nominee Racist, then Back off

(Taylor Media Services) Finding it difficult to oppose President Obama’s Hispanic nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court without being labeled racists, Republicans briefly “flipped the script” last week and began calling Sonia Sotomayor a racist. In a somewhat desperate bid to support the allegation, Republican operatives dug up what they labeled a “controversial” 2001 statement from Sotomayor.

Right-wing radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh led the charge of racist against Sotomayor

Following is the alleged racist statement: “I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experience would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.” Conservative critics, led by extreme right-wing radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, charged that the statement suggested that minority women made better decisions than white males and thus the comment was racist.

President Obama immediately jumped to his nominee’s defense labeling the Republican accusation “nonsense” during an NBC interview. Indeed, by week’s end several Republicans were declaring they did not think the comment made Sotomayor a racist towards white males. Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison also appeared to be calling on the right-wingers in her party to tone down the rhetoric saying there needed to be a more “respectful tone.”

Cancer Death Rates Are Declining; but More Slowly for Blacks

(Taylor Media Services) While there still is no cure, Americans appear to be gradually winning the battle against cancer. According to a report released last Thursday by the American Cancer Society, the cancer death rate has been steadily dropping for several years.

The reports - entitled “Cancer Facts & Figures 2009” - found a 19.2 percent decline in the cancer death rate among men during the 1990-2005 period. During roughly the same time frame, cancer deaths among women declined by 11.4 percent. According to the study, nearly 80% of the reductions in cancer death rates among men reflected drops in lung, prostate and colorectal cancer deaths. For women, 60% of the decrease in deaths was attributed to declines in breast and colorectal cancer deaths.

As for African Americans, the report showed Black males 18 percent more likely to develop cancer than white males. Meanwhile, Black women are less likely to develop breast cancer than white women. But when Black females do develop breast cancer, it is usually discovered at a more advanced stage and they are more likely to die.

Two Black Contractors File Discrimination Suit against Toyota & the State of Mississippi

(Special to Taylor Media Services) Two African American contractors have filed a lawsuit against Toyota of North America, the State of Mississippi Development Authority and Governor Haley Barbour. Jackie Williams and Renna Fisher charge they were victims of racial discrimination and an illegal conspiracy when their construction company - Fish & Fisher, Inc. - was “denied the opportunity to bid on the Toyota plant construction project in Blue Springs, Mississippi as a prime contractor.”

The attorney for the two Byron Perkins issued a statement asserting that “Toyota North America, with the aid and assistance of the State of Mississippi Development Authority, held a closed bid for white-only prime contractors.” The exclusion of Fish and Fisher from the bidding process came even though the firm has been certified by the National Minority Council as a prime contractor.

The construction project totaled $49 million. Williams and Fisher were awarded a $6 million subcontract to clear land for the Toyota plant. However, the two say payments to their company suddenly stopped and now their company is “teetering on insolvency.”

Major Reference Book - “Black Authors & Published Writers Directory” Set for Release

(Taylor Media Services) The 2009-2010 edition of the highly acclaimed “Black Authors & Published Writers Directory” has been scheduled for distribution beginning June 30, 2009. The Directory is an innovative, internationally distributed indexed listing of the Black literary marketplace.

It features profiles of writers, authors, agents and companies with services and descriptions. It makes an excellent resource for libraries, schools, churches and organizations by including services, supplies and speakers provided by the individuals and firms listed. The updated index also has contact information, addresses and telephone number as well as email and website addresses.

The Directory has been a labor of love for Editor Grace Adams. She has compiled what is widely considered the most complete and up-to-date listing of Black authors, writers, poets, songwriters, publishers, film producers, playwrights, reporters, booksellers, critics and columnists in the world. Information about acquiring the Directory is available by visiting the “Black Authors & Published Writers Directory” website: www.BAPWD.com .

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More Black News Briefs

Osama Bin Laden Denounces Obama; Sees “Revenge and Hatred” for U.S. Middle East Policies

Osama bin Laden

(Taylor Media Services) Putting an end to speculation that he might be dead, Islamic radical and alleged terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden last week denounced U.S. President Obama charging that despite a change in tone, America’s first Black president was continuing the nation’s historic anti-Arab and pro-Israel policies. He accused Obama of “following in the footsteps” of former President George Bush.

The leader of al Qeada said the Obama was planting the seeds of “revenge and hatred” towards the U.S. in the Islamic world and he warned U.S. citizens that they should be prepared for the consequences of the White House’s continued pro-Israel policies.

Philadelphia Launches Year-Long Celebration for Nation’s Oldest Black Newspaper

(Taylor Media Services) Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter and a host of other dignitaries were on hand last weekend to launch a year-long celebration for the nation’s oldest continuously publishing Black newspaper. The Philadelphia Tribune is commemorating 125 years of existence. Current publisher Robert Bogle told the gathering the paper was founded in 1884 when many Blacks “were forbidden to learn to read and write.”

Anti-Smoking Activist Says Blacks Are Being Targeted by Tobacco Companies

(Taylor Media Services) National anti-smoking activist William Robinson says tobacco companies are “using every trick in the book” to target African Americans and get them hooked on their products. Robinson was speaking last weekend at the Muskogee, Oklahoma Civic Center. Black clergy and representatives of public health groups were in attendance. Robinson heads the Durham, North Carolina-based National African American Tobacco Prevention Network.

The University of Kansas Gets First Black Chancellor

(Taylor Media Services) This past Friday the University of Kansas officially installed its first Black chancellor. She is 64-year-old Bernadette Gray-Little. She was the former vice chancellor at the University of North Carolina. Gray-Little was asked about becoming both the first African American and the first woman to head the prominent Topeka-based University. She responded simply, “It’s about time.”