Bishop Eddie L. Long Reportedly Demanding Repayment From Jamal Parris, Spencer LeGrande & Centino Kemp

Jamal Parris, Spencer LeGrande and Centino Kemp, three of five men who accused Bishop Eddie L. Long of sexual coercion and who recently received a settlement, were reportedly sent letters by a law firm representing Long demanding the money back. Well, the three young men knew this was coming because they decided to talk. According to WSB-TV, the letters demanded repayment totaling $900,000 from the men. This can't possibly look good for Long either. He may have opened a can of worms. Developing..

Harriet's Blog: Straw Dogs

Harriet's Blog: Straw Dogs: I went to see the movie 'Straw Dogs' recently and had no idea what it was about. I must admit it's very rare I see a movie that I don't...

Toxicology Reports on Cause of Death of Pastor Zachery Tims Delayed Now Due to "Family Concerns"

The toxicology results for the late Pastor Zachery Tims have been delayed again. We just spoke with Ellen Borakove, director of Public Affairs at the New York Chief Medical Examiner's office, who said the "family has some concerns" and the delay is now due to that. They are working to see what needs to be done. What that basically means the results aren't what the family wanted to hear. They are being evasive and tight-lipped for a reason. If he had no drugs in his system, then why the hold up? Where there is smoke, there is usually a fire. We were told we would receive a phone call once the matter has been resolved and the ME is ready to release the results.

Mitchell Wilson, 12, Commits Suicide by Suffocating After Being Bullied Because Of His Disability

TRAGEDY: Mitchell Wilson, who suffered with muscular dystrophy, committed suicide by suffocating himself after months of being bullied and robbed of his iPhone. According to the Daily Mail, he was beaten by another boy at the school, as he was out walking. The attacker was arrested and removed from the school, but Mitchell's father said his son was never the same after the attack.

Mitchell committed suicide and was found dead in his bedroom earlier this month on the day he was due to start a new school year. It was also one day after he received a subpoena to testify against his alleged attacker, who cannot be identified for legal reasons. Mr Wilson said his son was embarrassed and apologised to him because he could not stop the attacker beating him up. Source

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Mitchell Wilson. I wish the parents of all the bullies out there would realize their children are inflicting more harm in the schools and their communities. Take a stand against bullying. One kid who kills himself because he is scared of being picked on and beaten is one kid gone too soon.

President Obama Says America is a Great, Great Country That's Gone Soft

President Obama won't get positive press for saying America has "gotten a little soft" during an interview with a local NBC affiliate in Orlando. His basic argument is valid -- we have lost our competitive edge. America is being beaten out by other countries on so many levels and we continue to see a slide in our educational standards. You can't expect to be the superpower when we aren't educating our kids properly.

"I mean, there are a lot of things we can do," Obama said. "The way I think about it is, you know, this is a great, great country that had gotten a little soft and, you know, we didn't have that same competitive edge that we needed over the last couple of decades. We need to get back on track." Source

Without making excuses for Obama, it's simply not fair to listen to just two or three sentences out of an entire interview. He is right. We have gone soft as a country. Individually, there are many people busting their butts to make ends meet and take care of their families on a shrinking salary, but we have got to regain our technological edge or we will no longer be the superpower.

More Money Troubles for Bishop Long, Must Pay Nearly $2 Million to Settle Lawsuit Stemming from Hoops & Fitness Gym

Bishop Eddie L. Long and business partners in Hoops & Fitness gym ordered to repay State Bank & Trust nearly $2 million to settle civil lawsuit.

Bishop Eddie L. Long is in the news again and this time, it involves a $1.9 million dollar settlement. This man pays out more money than the Georgia Department of Revenue. We blogged about the case, which involved Long and two business partners who bought the Hoops and Fitness gym on Tara Boulevard in Jonesboro in 2007. According to WSB-TV, they formed a partnership -- The West Indies Holding Company -- and each signed a document borrowing money to purchase the building. Guess what, they didn't pay as agreed and State Bank and Trust hauled them into court. Well, the result is Long and his partners must pony up more than $1.8 million, plus interest, fees and property taxes, WSB-TV said. One of the partners may be off the hook, since he filed for bankruptcy.

Um, I wonder, with all this money Long has to pay, could he be heading for a financial ruin too? True to form, Long had no comment on this latest settlement, nor did he show up for a deposition in a separate matter -- a sexual harassment lawsuit against Michael Ceaser, a former employee. This is another disturbing series of events that continue to dog Bishop Long. How many more embarrassing incidents will the church board and the members of New Birth tolerate from this man before saying bye, bye? I am getting really sick and tired of hearing about this man in the news. The members of his church hve got to hold this man to a higher standard. He is playing them for a fool. Unbelievable. What's next? Oh yeah, another lawsuit. This one was filed by the man who sold him the gym. He claims Long defaulted on a settlement with him by failing to pay nearly $200,000 owed. So, exactly why is Bishop Long parading around Atlanta in a Bentley when he can't pay his bills. Oh wait, his piggy-bank, New Birth, pays the tab on the Bentley, right? It's equally amazing that we haven't heard peep out of his PR mouth piece Art Franklin.

Michelle Obama Snapped Shopping at Target

First Lady Michelle Obama is on a mission to connect with everyday working class people, as evidenced from her recent Target run! Check out the down-to-earth clothes! You go Michelle! Well, we all know that was a publicity stunt, but hey, you do what you have to. First Ladies don't go shopping at Target or Wal-Mart.

Steven Fitch Dead After Online Date Leads to "Sex & Drugs Party" at Home of Rev. Mark Bidwell

SHAME: Rev. Mark Bidwell, pastor at the Metropolitan Community Church in Ferndale, called police last week to report Steven Fitch had stopped breathing. It seems that Rev. Bidwell is an openly gay pastor. According to the Daily Mail, Fitch died after a sex party held at the pastor's home. That just doesn't jive with what the Bible says about how pastors should live their lives.

He said he met the man, Steven Fitch, 43, of Lincoln Park, on a website the night before and invited him over to his house for sex. According to the police report Bidwell told a 911 operator: 'I've got someone who has apparently stopped breathing.' When the dispatcher asked how old the victim was, the 52-year-old replied: 'Honestly, I don't even know. We just met today.' Police said Mr Fitch brought crystal methamphetamine to Rev Bidwell's home and injected himself with the drug. He died later in hospital. Rev Bidwell told officers that Mr Fitch also injected him with the drug as well. The men had sex and invited a third man to join the party, police added. Source

I would venture to say, this isn't the first time Rev. Bidwell has just picked up someone for a romp in the sack. It shows poor judgment, not to mention a serious health risk. I can't imagine the church would ever condone this behavior from Pastor Bidwell. Not only was he engaging in unsafe sex, he was using drugs as well. Talk about pastors gone wild and saying "do as I say, but not as I do." Never mind the fact that Bidwell was also a police chaplain.

Bishop Eddie Long to Speak At Stand Campaign 2011 After Alleged Multi-Million Settlement in Gay Coercion Lawsuit

I find it interesting to note the line up of speakers for the Stand Campaign 2011 scheduled for Atlanta Georgia on October 1, 2011. Just in case you doubt me I am attaching the link which shows the line up of speakers including Bishop Eddie Long. I can hear your silent questions of unbelief that Bishop Long is included in a campaign which seems to have as its core message a oneness of spirit. To be truthful, I haven't contacted the organizers to determine if they are aware of Bishop Long's history.

But I must tell you this, let me be clear on my position of grace and mercy. I believe that we are sinners saved by grace. I believe that God's mercy enables us to live day by day for all the failings of our human character. I also believe in forgiveness. That no matter the sin, grace and mercy predated the sinful act and you are forgiven before you sin. That is redemption by grace.However there is a certain level of accountability that Christian leaders, in fact all individuals in leadership positions are required to maintain. Bishop Eddie Long in his capacity of pastoring a large church, mentoring young impressionable men who looked up to him as some sort of spiritual father failed in his duties to display the love of God shed abroad to all humanity. The accusations leveled at him by five young men who paint a disturbing picture of a leader run amok of his spiritual obligations and high indecency and immorality who placed his hands on them inappropriately causing undue emotional and spirtual damge not only to their individual psyche but also to the portrait of God the Father and the body of Christ.

Read more: http://harrietcammock.blogspot.com/2011/09/bishop-eddie-long-to-speak-at-stand.html

"Change Me, I Stink" Billboard Mocking President Barack Obama Erected Outside NO Home, Protesters Says It's Racist & Disrespectful

"Change Me, I Stink" billboard outside New Orleans home of Timothy Reily, mocking President Barack Obama sparks outrage with protesters saying it's racist and disrespectful.

Like Rodney Dangerfield saying "I get no respect," the same holds true for President Obama, but the latest anti-Obama billboard, which says, "Change Me, I Stink," has sparked some controversy in New Orleans. The billboard, which shows Obama in diapers and crying, was erected outside the home of Timothy Reily, who declined to be interviewed about the sign, which many have called racist and disrespectful. Former mayor Ray Nagin did manage to meet with Reily, but wouldn't discuss what they talked about, WWLTV reports.

Fidel Castro Calls President Obama "Stupid" & Says UN Address was "Gibberish"

Fidel Castro mocked President Barack Obama, calls him "stupid" and says UN address was "gibberish." Um, wasn't this the same guy who praised Obama last year? What's got Castro riled? He's upset because President Obama said he's open for changing U.S. policy toward Cuba if there is change on the island first. Castro the wrote in Cuba's "state-owned paper “How kind! How intelligent!” He adds that such goodwill has not led Washington to end its five-decade-old economic embargo against the island, according to The Blaze. He also added “perhaps that empire will fall first,” referring to the U.S. Later he calls Obama “stupid.” Sorry, but until Castro can point to concrete change in Cuba, he doesn't have a leg to stand on. Dang, everyone is piling on Obama.

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani Still Has Presidential Ambitions, Not Convinced Current Slate of Candidates Can Beat President Obama

Former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani still flirting with presidential bid, "dispatched key emissary to New Hampshire to test waters.

Former New York City mayor and adulterer Rudy Giuliani just can't take a hike. According to media reports, he has "dispatched a key emissary to New Hampshire on Wednesday to gauge their interest in his possible presidential bid."

 "Giuliani has visited the first-in-the-nation primary state four times already this year and advisers have maintained regular contact with potential staffers in the event he decides to seek the presidency. During his last trip in July, Giuliani said he wasn't convinced any of the candidates were strong enough to defeat President Barack Obama. Until he is, he said he wouldn't rule out a run of his own." Source

Rudy, we didn't want you in 2008 and we don't want you now. You can't be trusted -- Bernie Kerik and Donna Hanover are enough to keep you out of the White House.

Right Wingnut Michelle Malkin: Obama “Is The Guy Who Is Shaking Around His Brass Knuckles Every Time Somebody Criticizes Him” (VIDEO)

Michelle Malkin: Obama “Is The Guy Who Is Shaking Around His Brass Knuckles Every Time … Somebody Criticizes Him.”

It's been a long time since we blogged about right wingnut wannabe white Michelle Malkin, but this time she's playing the race card -- President Obama, the Thug-in-Chief with the brass knuckles.... What a moron.

California HS Teacher Steve Cuckovich Deducts 25 Points from Student's Grade for Saying "Bless You"

William C. Wood High health teacher Steve Cuckovich punished a student this week because he or she uttered the words, "bless you."

Cuckovich said the student disrupted his class and took 25 points off the student's grade. He told KTXL News in Sacramento, “It’s not … got anything to do with religion,” Wood High health teacher Steve Cuckovich told KTXL News in Sacramento. “It’s got to do with an interruption of class time.” Um, really? Why couldn't he have just issued the student a warning? It seems very extreme to deduct points for uttering those words or for disrupting the class if it happened once.

NJ Gov. Chris Christie Isn't Ready for Prime Time Nor for the Presidency, So Why the Hoopla?

NJ Gov. Chris Christie is not ready for prime time, much less the presidency of the U.S., despite the adulation being heaped on him by the top Republicans, who want to see him challenge President Barack Obama in 2012.

The word is that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is seriously considering a bid for the White House. Really? I don't know why there's so much interest in Christie. It's quite clear the man isn't ready for prime time and certainly not for the presidency. Besides the fact that he is a bully driven largely by an enormous ego, he couldn't possibly beat Mitt Romney and Rick Perry in the early primaries. The political landscape isn't inviting. Just because former first ladies Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush are singing his virtues, that doesn't mean the Tea Party and the right wing evangelicals will fall right into place behind him. If memory serves me correctly, both women haven't exactly batted home runs in the public opinion arenas during their stints in the White House, so who really gives a sh*t what they have to say? Nancy Reagan's Just Say No campaign against drugs went nowhere, like her wishes for Chris Christie to run for the GOP presidential nomination.

Christie cannot beat Mitt Romney in New Hampshire, nor can he garner enough support to win in Iowa. He certainly won't do well in South Carolina, so what's left? Without an early win in the primary season his attractiveness and viability as a candidate will fade fast. He won't generate that momentum which brings tons of cash and endorsements. Just think back to Fred Thompson debacle in the 2008 campaign. Some have said Chris Christie is as charismatic as Ronald Reagan. Um, let's not forget Ronald Reagan, with all that charisma, left this country with sky-high deficits. He is presidency wasn't one that you would want to emulate, despite what he die-hard fans, like Sarah Palin, say. Just think debt and Ronald Reagan.

I would also venture to say, Chris Christie, may be a Republican in name only, a RINO, if you will. You see, his cabinet is solidly liberal and chock full of holdovers from his Democratic predecessor John Corzine. That's a pretty good indicator of how he will govern  in the Oval Office. That might be attractive to some folks, but it will certainly not sit well with the Tea Party and the right wing evangelicals. Take the Attorney General Paula Dow, for example. She's pro-abortion and pro-gun control. That's a no-no to the Republican base.

I don't know what's all the hoopla around Chris Christie. He's a bully, who has so little respect for the elderly. Look at the crime rates in certain pockets of New Jersey? This is the same person who told a teacher not to teach. Yeah, continue the dumbing-down of American children (see video below). Sorry, I am not gung-ho about putting a man on the presidential ticket who would rather be combative than open to working across the aisle. He lives by the mantra -- my way or the highway. Some supporters feel he would be a formidable candidate to unify the Republican base, as well as attract Independents. Um, I am an Independent and no, I am not attracted to a Chris Christie run one iota. He has been a governor for a short period of time and that doesn't make one ready for prime-time. I don't believe President Obama was ready either. He lacked the experience needed to get the job done. It shows in his management style and his inability to throw his "weight" around in all the right places.

The more the GOP keeps begging Chris Christie to run, the more it works in President Obama's favor that the current slate of candidates aren't really winning the Republican base over. There's still a lot of jockeying for the top spot at this juncture. Chris Christie may be a frank, no-nonsense kind of guy, but what do you really know about his beliefs, hopes and ideals? Nothing.

NYPD Release Chilling Surveillance Video Showing Three Thugs Taking Turns Shooting Tyquan Sewall in Outside Brooklyn McDonald's

SHOCK: A shocking video of three gunmen passing around a .32 caliber Smith & Wesson gun and taking turns shooting 18 year old Tyquan Sewall outside a McDonald's restaurant in the Flatlands section of Brooklyn Tuesday evening. The video was released by the NYPD Wednesday night in an attempt to get tips from the public. Police said Sewall was hit multiple times and is in critical condition. If you have any information, please call the police immediately. These thugs need to be taken off the streets.

Man Shoots Woman in Murder-Suicide in Parking Lot at Patriot High School in Jarupa Valley, Calif.

Murder-suicide at Patriot High School in Jarupa Valley, Calif. According to media reports, an unidentified man shot a woman and then turned the gun on himself in the parking lot at the school. The woman, who was pronounced dead at a Riverside County hospital, was a volunteer at the school. Developing....

Обич моя, лека нощ...

Казах ти, докато си работя, 

за тебе аз си мисля...  

Исках нещо аз да ти напиша.
Исках да ти кажа, че обичам теб!
Липсва ми прегръдката ти с нежност...
Липсва ми усмивката ти,
погледа ти, дето крие си загадка...
А работата ми спори, когато знам,
че има те в живота мой,
защото ти си ми живота!
Защото с теб съм истинска,
с теб съм силна в дните си
и даже съм добра за всички...
Да те прегърна искам с обич,
но мога само в мислите си,
в този час, да го направя...
 
Обич моя, лека нощ!

.

Cuban-American Singer Gloria Estefan Jumps Ship from Obama to Herman Cain

One-time Obama supporter, Gloria Estefan, jumps ship to Herman Cain. Will other Hispanics follow suit or is Ms. Estefan making a big mistake? It's an interesting move, nonetheless.

Fox News Greg Gutfeld Accuses The Nation's Melissa Harris-Perry Of "Insidious Racism"

Fox News Greg Gutfeld Accuses The Nation's Melissa Harris-Perry Of "Insidious Racism," um, really?

I may not agree with everything Melissa Harris-Perry says, but she's certainly not the "insidious" racist Greg Gutfeld is asserting. That's just plain wrong.

REPORT: Ten Percent of D.C. Public Schools' 8th Graders Have Considered or Attempted Suicide

A shocking report was released by Washington D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson on Tuesday, which paints a bleak statistic that 10 percent of the school system's 4,000 eighth graders have considered or attempted suicide.

Chancellor Kaya Henderson sketched a bleak statistical picture of life in DCPS middle schools at Tuesday’s D.C. Council hearing, including a chilling survey finding that 10 percent of the school system’s 4,000 eighth graders have tried to kill themselves.

Henderson and other officials said they do not take the figure at face value. It is self-reported by students who filled out the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey administered last fall by OSSE. They said they regard it more as a reflection of the despair that often pervades their world, and of an on-line culture in which stories and images of teen suicide are readily accessible.

“They’re exposed to the Internet, to Facebook. They’re exposed to so many more things than we were,” said D.C. State Superintendent of Education Hosanna Mahaley. “Things we didn’t think about until well in our adult years.” But even allowing for the adolescent sense of drama and hyperbole, the figure is sobering.

The statistics paint a really grim picture of how some of our youths view the world around them. Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-schools-insider/post/middle-school-survey-sex-fear-and-suicide-attempts/2011/09/27/gIQAKwz92K_blog.html?hpid=z3

First Lady Michelle Obama Playing Ping-Pong While Politicians Do Same with American People

First Lady Michelle Obama playing ping pong, or table tennis, with members of the band Big Time Rush at the White House, September 24, 2011. How ironic, since our politicians, both Republicans and Democrats are playing ping-pong with the American people.

(Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Europeans Upset After President Obama Scolds Leaders Saying Their Inaction in Euro-Crisis is "Scaring the World"

President Obama now being accused of insulting Europeans, after telling blacks to "stop complaining," saying Euro-crisis "scaring the world" and their responsible actions aren't quite as quick as they need to be."

I guess blacks weren't the only ones President Obama insulted by scolding in recent days. His speech to Europeans in California on Monday has been characterized as "arrogant and absurd." I'm not here to attack the president, but I am here to state that he needs to take it down a notch because such perceived condescension won't help his cause, but will led to alienation, particularly at a time when he cannot afford it. What has gotten some Europeans hopping mad are strongly worded statements made by President Obama and US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. At an event in California Monday, the president warned Europeans that their inaction was "scaring the world."

He said, the Europeans "have not fully healed from the crisis back in 2007 and never fully dealt with all the challenges that their banking system faced. It's now being compounded by what's happening in Greece." He continued: "They're going through a financial crisis that is scaring the world, and they're trying to take responsible actions, but those actions haven't been quite as quick as they need to be." As if we could criticize other countries when our elected officials in Washington D.C. can't even work together for the common good of the American people. Um, pick the moat out of your own eye first, before doing so to another.

The Bild writes:

"Obama's lecture on the euro crisis … is overbearing, arrogant and absurd. … In a nutshell, he is claiming that Europe is to blame for the current financial crisis, which is 'scaring the world.' Excuse me?"

"The American president seems to have forgotten a few details. The most important trigger of the financial and economic crisis was US banks and their insane real-estate dealings. The US is still piling up debt … The American congress is crippled by a battle between the right and the left. The banks are gambling just as recklessly as they did before the crisis. The president's scolding is a pathetic attempt to distract attention from his own failures. How embarrassing."

The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes:

"One needs to remember the context within which Obama's scolding of the Europeans took place. It was an event where the president was raising money for the Democrats and where he wanted to explain to voters why the US economy is much worse off than he and his economic experts had believed until recently. Hence his criticism of the EU was simple electioneering."

"The problem, however, is that the US president is absolutely right. For far too long, the Europeans -- including the Germans -- treated the financial crisis as a purely American problem. They have still found no solution for their own debt crisis. Now Europe's problems are having a negative impact on growth and jobs around the world, including in the US. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Europe is threatening Obama's already precarious chances of reelection in 2012. That is something that surely does not leave Obama cold. In that respect, it doesn't help much to point out that, once the Europeans have got their house in order, the financial markets will return their attention to America's debt crisis and its ailing political system. Financially, Europe is currently the most dangerous place in the world."

The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes:

"Dark clouds have gathered over the American president. The gloomy state of the economy is putting a dampener on Obama's future prospects. The optimism of the past is gone, replaced by a cheap search for a scapegoat."

"Obama thinks he has found one. He blames the Europeans for reacting too late to the debt crisis. We Europeans are apparently taking on too little new debt to get out of the crisis. But we are already feeling the wonderful effects of borrowing too much money."

The financial daily Handelsblatt writes:

"That's not how friends talk to each other. That applies particularly to friends who have themselves failed to get a handle on their own, self-made crisis. Barack Obama governs a country where, despite billions in state aid, the economy is stagnating, companies refuse to invest despite calls for patriotism, and which gets embroiled in one political trench war after another … Now this country is dispensing advice, suggestions and finger-pointing."

"These are suggestions that have already failed to work in the US: Money is supposed to save Europe -- quickly and in the largest quantities possible. US Secretary of Treasury Timothy Geithner has been trying for more than two-and-a-half years to suffocate his crisis with money. But aside from the lack of success, the collateral damage is immense. It manifests itself in a loss of government credibility, a loss of trust in the currency and the paralysis of any sort of dynamism -- because the crushing debt mountain is robbing the famously optimistic Americans of their confidence."

"The fact that Barack Obama, who is a brilliant thinker, knows full well that things are much more complicated in reality does not help. Indeed, it does the opposite. In the desperate battle for his re-election he'd rather construct myths, such as claiming that the Europeans alone are responsible for the American mess. Not only is this fundamentally wrong, but -- coming as it does from a friend -- it's downright pitiful and sad." Source: Spiegel Online

It seems that President Obama is catching hell from all sides. Europeans didn't care much for former president George W. Bush either, so I guess no love has been lost, but this dust-up comes at a critical juncture for Obama. That's especially in light of his abysmal poll numbers and the continued economic woes in the U.S. In other words, we don't have the right to be so critical of another country when we can't even get it right here.

BET Founder Robert Johnson Says President Obama Isn't the Right Person to End "Zero-Sum Game Mentality Towards U.S. Economy"

Robert L. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television and chairman of RLJ, is voicing his opinion about President Barack Obama. He recently appeared on CBS to talk about the growing debt problems being faced by many countries and said, President Obama isn't the right person to end the 'zero-sum game' towards the U.S. economy. Dang. Tough words.

“Unfortunately now I don't think we have the leadership either in the White House or the Congress to end what I call a zero-sum game mentality towards the U.S. economy. And until both parties agree that the goal is to rebuild the American economy to reflect the 21st century on a global environment—we're going to be stuck. And it's a little bit frightening from the standpoint of a business person and particularly an African-American business person.” Source

Watch the video:

Hassan Arif Sayyid, Member of East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club, Gunned Down at Clubhouse in Oakland

East Bay Dragons Motorcyle Club member Hassan Arif Sayyid fatally shot at clubhouse in Oakland, Calif. Tuesday night, no suspect in police custody.

SHOCK: Hassan Arif Sayyid (Isaiah Johnson), 40, a member of the East Bay Dragons Motorcycle Club, was fatally shot Tuesday night at the organization's clubhouse in Oakland, Calif. According to Mercury News, police said the shooting happened in a garage-lounge area of the building located in the 8700 block of International Boulevard.

Officer Doug Keely said Wednesday that Sayyid and possibly some other men were inside watching television about 9:45 p.m. when a gunman came in through an open door and began shooting. Sayyid was hit more than once and died at Highland Hospital at 11:21 p.m.

Anyone else who may have been with him left before officers arrived and it is not known if they were injured, police said. Keely said police don't have a motive yet for the killing and no arrests have been made. The motorcycle club has been a fixture in East Oakland since the late 1950s. Sayyid's nickname was 'Ike' and police were told that he was to start a job with the city of Oakland next week. Source

No suspect is in custody at this time. If you saw something or someone, please do not hesitate to contact the police immediately. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Hassan Arif Sayyid's mother Annie Johnson and the rest of his family.

Troy Davis' Funeral Set for Saturday at Jonesville Baptist Church in Savannah

Troy Davis' funeral is set for Saturday at 11 a.m. at Jonesville Baptist Church in Savannah. The public is invited to attend. Though he is gone, we must keep the fight up to end the death penalty in the U.S.

Allen McNeil Jr. Accidentally Kills Son, 3, After Falling on Him as He Suffered a Heart Attack

SHOCK: Allen McNeil, Jr., and his three year old son, also named Allen McNeil, were found dead in their Englewood, NJ, home, after he fell on top of the toddler, smothering him to death after suffering a heart attack. Police do not believe there was any foul play involved and the results of the autopsies are pending. According to media reports, the elder McNeil was due to drop his son off for a scheduled visitation with his mother Sunday night and when she couldn't reach him by telephone or at his home, she contacted police, who later discovered the two dead. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families.

FBI Nabs George Wright in Portugal After 41 Years on the Lam

The FBI has finally nabbed convicted murderer George Wright, who has been a fugitive for 41 years after he escaped from a New Jersey prison, authorities said on Tuesday. He was arrested in Portugal. I guess the saying, 'you can run but you can't hide' applies to this arrest.

GA Board of Pardons & Paroles to Hear Plea for Clemency for Convicted Murderer Marcus Ray Johnson Ahead of October 5 Execution

Next execution date in Georgia set for October 5 but Board of Pardons & Paroles to hear clemency plea for convicted murderer Marcus Ray Johnson, who claims lawyers failed to bring up his childhood struggles during trial in stabbing death of Angela Sizemore.

Let us see how the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles will handle the plea for clemency from attorneys and advocates for condemned murder Marcus Ray Johnson, who is white, when they meet on October 3rd, two days before he is scheduled to die by lethal injection for the 1994 murder of Angela Sizemore.

Johnson is scheduled to die on Oct. 5 for raping and murdering Angela Sizemore by stabbing her 41 times a short time after they met at an Albany nightclub in 1994. Superior Court Judge Willie Lockette signed Johnson's death warrant just hours after Troy Anthony Davis was executed last week amid worldwide protests of his lethal injection for murdering a Savannah police officer in 1989.

According to trial testimony, Johnson and Sizemore met at a bar called Fundamentals shortly after midnight the morning of March 24, 1994. She had been to a memorial service earlier and was drinking so heavily the bartenders refused to serve her after a while. Johnson was angry and frustrated because another woman had rejected him earlier. Source

It is clear that Marcus Ray Johnson stabbed this woman to death and we don't care one iota about his childhood struggles of his father's abandonment of him when he was 15. Um, he isn't the first child to be abandoned by a parent, so that's not a good enough reason for clemency. We will be watching this case closely to see if the board will grant him clemency. If they do, their actions are racially motivated because there was reasonable doubt in the case of Troy Davis and it is clear this man killed this woman.

Prosecutors Display Photo of a Deceased Michael Jackson on Gurney During Opening Statements

I know "shock and awe" often works well for prosecutors trying murder cases, but dang, did they have to show the jury a photo of a deceased Michael Jackson lying on a gurney during their opening arguments in the manslaughter case against Dr. Conrad Murray? I have never heard of anyone using anesthesia as a cure for insomnia. If you ask me, Michael Jackson was asking for trouble when he embarked down the dangerous road of using such powerful drugs to get some sleep. The doctors who introduced and injected him with these drugs all deserve to be behind bars. Still, he shares some blame in his death.

Prosecutors show photo of deceased Michael Jackson

Marlborough Airport Properties Files Lawsuit Alleging Obama 2010 Visit Caused $676,048 in Damages

CRAZY: Marlborough Airport Properties Inc. has filed a lawsuit alleging President Barack Obama's entourage for a 2010 visit to Massachusetts caused $676,048 in damages to Marlborough Airport.

According to the Boston Business Journal, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has refused to compensate the company that runs the field.

Obama landed at the field on April 1, 2010, so Obama could visit an emergency bunker in the state. Marlborough Airport Properties Inc. states in its complaint that prior to the visit, the squadron that runs the Marine One helicopter — the designation given to any helicopter carrying the president —established that the aircraft would not damage the tarmac. Indeed, the suit states, the helicopter "did not cause any property damage to the runway."

"However," the suit continues, "ground vehicles brought onto the airport by or under the Secret Service, such as, but not limited to, a 'foam truck,' which weighs approximately 44,000 pounds, (were) negligently driven onto the airport and proximately caused property damage in an amount of $676,048.13." "Turf or grassed-in areas" also were "significantly damaged," the suit states. "As to ground vehicles, there was no clearance in advance," the suit states. Source: Boston Business Journal

Let's see if DHS will pony up the money or try to get the case tossed out of court. Crazy. This isn't one of the widely reported news stories of today. The only reason it's featured so prominently on The Drudge Report is to embarrass President Obama in some way. But unless he was flying Marine One or driving the "foam truck," it certainly wasn't his fault.

Zogby Poll Puts Herman Cain Ahead of Rick Perry & Mitt Romney in Poll of Likely Republican Voters

Music to Herman Cain's ears: A new Zogby poll puts black GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain at the top of the field, ahead of Rick Perry and Mitt Romney. Cain is the top choice of 28 percent of poll respondents, with Perry at 18 percent and Mitt Romney at 17 percent. Um, excuse me for being a skeptic, but donkeys will fly first before Herman Cain becomes our next president. Yeah, yeah, yeah, stranger things have happened, but I won't hold my breath. Jay Hayward over at Human Events is asking if a new frontrunner has emerged.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee Says President Obama's "Buy American" should be "Buy African American"

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) tells right media & bloggers to stop playing racial politics, says President Obama's "Buy American" should be "Buy African American," um, who is playing racial politics now?

Untitled from Naked Emperor News on Vimeo.

Herman Cain is Hallucinating, Says He Will "Garner a Minimum of a Third of Black Vote"

GOP presidential hopeful and Tea Party darling Herman Cain is either hallucinating or drinking Tea Party moonshine when he says he can garner a minimum of a third of the black vote."

(H/T Political Carnival)

96 Year Old FL Woman Amanda Rice Stevenson Charged with Homicide in Shooting Death of Nephew John Rice

Amanda Rice Stevenson, a 96 year old St. Augustine woman, charged with homicide in the shooting death of her nephew, John Rice, 53, who recently asked her to move out due to rocky relationship.

Amanda Rice Stevenson (First Coast News)

SHOCK: Amanda Rice Stevenson , 96, has been charged in the murder of her nephew, 53 year old John Rice in St. Augustine, Fla., Sunday.

Police said Rice was shot while lying in his bed. A .357 magnum handgun was found at the scene and placed into evidence. Amanda Rice Stevenson, 96, was found in a back bedroom and arrested. She was booked into the St. Johns County Jail. At her first appearance before a judge Monday morning, Stevenson said she was the victim's aunt. Police initially said she was his mother but later confirmed she was his aunt.

Channel 4 learned Stevenson lived in the home with Rice and has at least two prior arrests. The Florida Department of Children and Families said an employee had visited the home last week to check on her living conditions. DCF cannot say why because it is an open investigation, but a spokesman said that "at that time, there was no reason to take any action."

Neighbors and police said Rice had problems with his aunt and that there had been arguments in the past. Police said Rice may have recently asked her to move out of his home. Source

Wow, this is bad. Really bad. When I think of a 96 year old man or woman, a murderer doesn't come to mind. What punishment are they going to mete out? Life in prison? This is shocking and reprehensible.

MTV Says No to President Obama Re-Election Campaign's Bid to Reconnect with Young Voters

MTV reportedly nixed President Obama reelection campaign's bid to reach out to its audience of young people. Seems politically motivated, since they had no problem allowing Bill Clinton to reach out to young people. According to the NY Post:

President Obama’s re-election campaign wants to connect with young Americans and reached out recently to MTV for help -- but the cable network turned them down, sources tell The Post.

The president’s Get Out the Vote campaign, run by Buffy Wicks, concerned the high unemployment rate of the so-called millennial generation would turn them off to their candidate, asked the network of “Jersey Shore” about helping to supply them with ideas on how to deal with their, er, situation...

The re-election effort wants to reconnect with youth, which were among its most fervent supporters in 2008. “The youth initiative is having trouble with big donors and youth votes,” said a person familiar with the discussions. “They asked, ‘Can you tell us how we should be talking to them?’ ” one source noted.

Viacom’s unit took a few weeks before getting back to the campaign to decline its invitation, saying that it doesn’t do political work.

Long Island Tech Whiz ReiJane Huai Commits Suicide Amid Class Action Lawsuit & SEC Scrutiny over Insider Shady Accounty

ReiJane Huai, a millionaire Long Island software whiz, who was under scrutiny by the feds for insider trading, committed suicide on the front lawn of his Glen Head home, the NY Post said.

The married dad was facing a federal class-action lawsuit and a Security and Exchange Commission probe over allegations of financial funny business at FalconStor, a data-storage firm he founded. His friends -- billionaire New York Islanders owner Charles Wang and Huai’s longtime legal adviser, Roy Reichbach -- arrived at the scene of the gruesome suicide yesterday.

Um, why kill yourself after being greedy? Stand tall and take your punishment like a man. I have no sympathy when rich people get in over their heads through greed. It's quite obvious who ReiJane Huai's god is.

Roswell GA Pub Tilted Kilt Accused of Racial Discrimination in Federal Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Black Woman, Najla Salaam

Najla Salaam accuses Tilted Kilt restaurant in Roswell, Ga., of discrimination in federal discrimination lawsuit, after being hired, trained, then fired and told "too many black women already hired."

Najla Salaam has accused the Tilted Kilt restaurant in Roswell, Ga., of discrimination, alleging she was hired as a server, trained and then fired before she started working because she is black. She said she was told too many black women were already hired, according to a federal lawsuit (Civil Action No. 1:11-cv-3223-JOF-JFK) filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

A former general manager at the restaurant told the EEOC he was instructed to fire Salaam because she was African-American and too dark, the lawsuit states. Because the general manager (Danny Lovell) objected to the owner's instruction to fire employees based on race, he was also fired, the EEOC said Monday. The EEOC said it filed the lawsuit against the Holcomb Bridge Road eatery after first attempting to reach a settlement.

“Employers should make employment decisions based only on employees’ abilities and not the color of their skin or their race,” Bernice Williams Kimbrough, district director for the EEOC’s Atlanta office, said in a statement released Monday afternoon. “The EEOC will act to prevent this type of misconduct.” Source

To all my friends in the North Fulton area, or any area in which there is a Tilted Kilt restaurant, please pay attention to this case and the verdict that is rendered. If the allegations are true, we shouldn't eat where there is discrimination against workers, whether it's based on race, gender or religious beliefs.

Someone reached out to us from Tilted Kilt to notify us that the manager who was at that pub at the time of the allegations, was not Steve Jacoby, as we were told when we verified the name. We have removed his name from the body of the story. Coming soon a statement from Tilted Kilt.

President Obama Gets Testy During Interview with BET's Emmett Miller on Question of Helping a Young Black Male

President Obama got testy with Emmett Miller during his interview with Black Entertainment Television. According to Politico, Miller asked Obama to consider the plight of a hypothetical young, African-American in Chicago's South Side: Father gone, mother working 10 hours a day for "peanuts," there are no jobs and, "You won't even say, 'Look, I am going to help you."

"Emmett, that is not -- first of all, that is not what people are saying," Obama said, bristling. "What people are saying all across the country is we are hurting and we've been hurting for a long time. And the question is how can we make sure the economy is working for every single person."

Obama added, "The other thing I want to make sure you don't just kind of slip in there is this notion that African-American leaders of late have been critical. There have been a handful of African-Americans who have been critical. They were critical when I was running for president. There's always going to be somebody who is critical of the president of the United States." "What has always made this country great is the belief that everybody has got a chance," Obama said. "Regardless of race, regardless of creed." Source

Um, so, if you are out to look after everyone in this country as a general rule, why run to your black base now that you are in trouble, Mr. President? Now isn't the time to be testy with your base because they can pay you back by not going out to vote. I agree that he is the president for the entire country and can't cater to the needs of any one group over another, but it seems that he has no problem yukking it up with the rich people at the expense of the poor. My pastor, Andy Stanley, said it best, recovery starts with me. I can't expect the president or legislators to have my back, but I do expect him to at least give the poor and middle class the time of day. He has hardly shown his face in a black community for months, if ever, since he has been elected. Don't come running to us and scolding us now that you poll numbers are in the toilet.

One thing I will say is the Republican field is one of the worst I have seen in a long time. That's the only saving grace for President Obama. If there was a viable and qualified Republican candidate, he would not be coming across as testy to any group right now. Besides, Emmett Miller looks like a white person. What's up with that BET? You couldn't bring yourself to have someone who accurately represents the black community interview President Obama?

Report: 70% of All Food Stamp Recipients Had No Earned Income

A new report shows that some 70 percent of households that relied on food stamps last year, had no earned income. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 40 million individuals and nearly 19 million households tapped the food stamp program in 2010. The USDA's annual snapshot on the characteristics of food stamp households shows that seven in 10 households receiving food stamps had no earned income last year, though many got other forms of government benefits.

Key Points:

–Food stamps may be emerging as a lifeline for families after their unemployment insurance expired. Just 6.7% of households who received food stamps were getting jobless benefits.

– Nearly half of all food-stamp recipients, 47%, were children under the age of 18. Another 8% of recipients were age 60 or older.

– Whites made up the largest share of food stamp households, 35.7%. Some 22% of households receiving food stamps were counted as African American and 10% were Hispanic.

–U.S. born citizens made up the majority, 94%, of food stamp households.

Read more:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/ora/menu/Published/SNAP/FILES/Participation/2010CharacteristicsSummary.pdf

Samuel L. Jackson & Angela Bassett Coming to Broadway in "The Mountaintop," Centered on The Day Before Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Angela Bassett and Samuel L. Jackson are coming to Broadway in The Mountaintop, a play by Katori Hall and directed by Kenny Leon. The play recounts the chain of events the night before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is assassinated. The play revisits April 3, 1968, when Dr. King, played by Samuel L. Jackson, is visited by a mysterious stranger, Angela Bassett, who brings some surprising news. This is a must see play! The play will be at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre in Manhattan and will open on Broadway October 13, 2011. Watch the trailer:

New Jersey Church Reverses Offering, Economic Stimulus & Recovery Starts With Us

As you read this headline, I know you are asking "What on earth?" Yes you read that right. Liquid Church, based in New Jersey, on Sunday decided to distribute money to its members instead of traditionally collecting an offering. This echoes my sentiments expressed a few weeks ago in my radio show "The Harriet Cammock Show" a few weeks ago, that any chance of a stimulus or economic recovery is going to start with each of us.

If everyone were to reach into his or her resources, and help someone else, it would inspire hope, inspire dreams, encourage someone to build again, to keep on looking in the direction of hope. You might be thinking, I don't have thirty thousand dollars to give away. I am not asking you for that. What I am asking is for you to give of something you might have that someone else might need. Perhaps it's your smile, a word of encouragement, a shoulder to cry on, a heads up about a job opportunity, a business deal. Whatever is in your hands reach out and touch someone, today.

Read more:  http://harrietcammock.blogspot.com/2011/09/new-jersey-church-reverses-offering.html?spref=bl

Dead Sea Scrolls Now Available Online

Two thousand years after they were written and eons after they were found, some of the Dead Sea Scrolls are now available online, thanks to a project launched by Israel's national museum and Google.

Ex-GA Police Officer Quevius Thornton Pleads Guilty to Sex with Two Underage Girls, One He Mentored

DISGRACEFUL: Former DeKalb County police officer Quevius Thornton, a married father of two, pleaded guilty on Monday to child molestation, enticing a child for indecent purposes, statutory rape, simple battery and marijuana possession for having sex with two 15 year old girls, one of whom he was reportedly mentoring. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, plus 10 years probation. According to WBSTV, Thornton, engaged in illegal sex acts at two different DeKalb County elementary schools and at Shoal Creek Park.

Thornton tearfully apologized before his plea. A victim and her family cried as they ran out of court. The judge scolded Thornton, calling his actions appalling. She told him instead of talking about himself, he should talk about the hurt he brought to the victims. She said he should write a letter to the police department apologizing for bringing disgrace to the force. Source

These dirtbags won't stop messing with people's kids until some vigilante justice is carried out. This man was a mentor and look what he did to this girl. Judge Cynthia Becker told him she was not in a "position to forgive him." She also said she was appalled at his behavior, which has led to a violation of trust of the public and his fellow officers, not to mention his wife and kids. It must be so hard and so painful for his wife to tell his kids why daddy is going to prison. Shameful.

Nobel Laureate & Founder of The Green Belt Movement, Wangari Maathai, Loses Battle with Ovarian Cancer

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai, who passed away while undergoing treatment for ovarian cancer.

The people of Kenya have lost a true visionary and a leading voice on the continent of Africa on the environment. According to CNN, at last count, the Green Belt Movement, which she helped to found, had assisted women to plant more than 40 million trees, Archbishop Desmond Tutu said in a statement.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: "Professor Maathai introduced the idea of women planting trees in Kenya to reduce poverty and conserve the environment," in a statement released via his office. "She understood and acted on the inextricable links between poverty, rights and environmental sustainability. One can but marvel at her foresight and the scope of her success. She was a true African heroine," the statement continued. "Our condolences go to Professor Maathai's family, to the people of Kenya, and to the countless women (and men) across Africa and the world to whom she was an inspiration." Source

President Obama Slams Gov. Rick Perry's Denial of Climate Change Despite Fires in Texas

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "Has anybody been watching the debates lately? You've got a governor whose state is on fire denying climate change. It's true. You've got audiences cheering at the prospect of somebody dying because they don't have health care and booing a service member in Iraq because they're gay."

 -- President Obama, quoted at a Sunday night fundraiser, slamming Rick Perry and the Republican debates audiences. (h/t Political Wire)

St. Lucia Housing Minister Richard Frederick Latest Caribbean Politician to Have U.S. Visa Revoked

More U.S. visa revocations in the Caribbean. According to media reports, St. Lucia Housing Minister Richard Frederick announced on Sunday he had resigned from his position less than a week after the U.S. embassy revoked his diplomatic and ordinary visa.

“The latest blow from the American Embassy has certainly hurt me. I now understand how the Commissioner of Police from Guyana felt, I now understand how the minister from Jamaica felt, I now understand how the Venezuelan ambassador to the United States felt, all of them having their visas revoked,” Frederick said, blaming his “sworn political enemies” for the situation.

“But I will survive, I will survive with the support of the people of Castries Central. I am still at a loss though as to the reasons for the revocation of my visas, although I believe that what done in the dark will one day be preached from the house top”. Source

What he neglected to say was why the U.S. felt compelled to take such a drastic action. They won't just revoke your visa unless something serious is going on. In fact, the same article states that he has been had been labelled as a money launderer, thief, a drug trafficker and also had been under investigation for a murder. He blamed his political enemies for the labels and added that the leaks provided by Wikileaks had contributed to his downfall. One thing I have learned through-out my life, it if walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it is a duck. Just saying.....

Mother of 3 Killed in Clayton County GA, Man Hospitalized for Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound

A mother of three was shot and killed in Clayton County, Ga. , and a man taken to hospital in botched murder-suicide attempt. The shooting occurred at a house in the 2500 block of Daley Court in Morrow. According to the AJC, a neighbor said the shootings were the result of a domestic dispute. Developing....

Rep. Maxine Waters Says President Obama Would Never Address Hispanics, Gays & Jews as He Scolded Blacks to "Stop Complaining, Stop Grumbling"

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), who has been vocal about the plight int he black community, is making waves this morning, by saying she's not sure who President Obama was talking to when he told blacks to quit complaining and follow him into the battle for jobs and opportunity. She told the CBS' "Early Show," she found Obama's language "a bit curious." She also said he didn't address Hispanics in such a blunt manner and would never use that in a speech to a gathering of gays or Jews.

Herman Cain's Florida Straw Poll Upset was an Orchestrated Move to Show Republicans What Can Happen If They Don't Vote

Third tier candidate & Tea Party darling Herman Cain's Florida straw poll upset of Rick Perry & Mitt Romney an orchestrated move by Tea Party to show Republicans what can happen if they don't go out to vote -- another black candidate for the White House.

Herman Cain shouldn't take a victory lap or even misconstrue the real meaning behind his upset of Rick Perry and Mitt Romney in the Florida straw poll. You see, the Tea Party is a shrewd bunch of people and they made a point with Cain's win -- if you don't vote, you could get another black man running the country. How Herman Cain pulled this off is beyond me. There are no Herman Cain sound bytes floating around out there. This is the same man who was content to sing Negro spirituals in Iowa. He is a third-tier candidate in the race for the GOP presidential nomination, so there had to be more to his "win" in Florida Saturday night. Besides, straw polls are rather meaningless, so I wouldn't put any stock into them. How many times has Rep. Ron Paul won? I rest my case.

It's clear that many people don't care much for Rick Perry or Mitt Romney. The Republicans have been unable to galvanize behind one candidate. This is one of the worst slates I have seen in a long time. They are all damaged goods. Perry will never live down his position that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme, as well as the controversy surrounding his decision to force girls to get the HPV vaccine. He's weak and vacillating, at best. Mitt Romney is no better. He has flip-flopped on many issues. In my view, Jon Huntsman, the Republican version of Obama, might be the candidate with all his ducks in a row. He has a record of accomplishment as governor of Utah. He has been unable to elevate himself from a second or third tier position.

Back to Herman Cain. Sarah Palin said she likes him a lot. Um, those are code words to run like the dickens because he will be just as crazy as Rep. Allen West, another Tea Party darling she endorsed. Herman Cain ran a pizza company. That doesn't equate to becoming the next president of the U.S. I am reminded of a similar manipulation of the polls by Republicans. A few years ago, then-Rep. Cynthia McKinney was handed a defeat during the primary after a number of Republicans went out and voted for her opponent, Denise Majette, in 2002. Never mind the fact that Ms. McKinney had groveled to a Saudi prince for money he offered to NY City Mayor Rudy Giuliani in the aftermath of 9/11. She made a lot of enemies in Congress, including former president George W. Bush, but what happened at the polls in metro Atlanta is a stark reminder of the power of voters. The Republicans knew there was no way Denise Majette would have beaten their candidate, but Cynthia McKinney had become toxic and they wanted her gone. Well, Herman Cain shouldn't celebrate this victory. They are reminding voters of what can happen if they don't go out to vote.

Dutch Queen Beatrix Rides Around in Golden Carriage With Slavery Painting on the Sides, PM Mark Rutte Refuses to Remove

Dutch Queen Beatrix rides around in Golden Carriage with an offensive slavery painting, called "Tribute of the Colonies" emblazoned on the sides.

I cannot believe in this day and age, Dutch Queen Beatrix is still riding around in the Golden Carriage with an offensive slavery painting, called the "Tribute of the Colonies," on the side. Two Dutch MPs wrote in an opinion piece that they have a “great aversion” to the drawing of half naked Black men and women who offer their goods to the royal family.

The coach was made in the late nineteenth century. "In the colonial era and the aftermath of slavery it seemed like a very common picture. Now it reminds us of a horrible period in Dutch history, " says Harry van Bommel of the Socialist party and Mariko Peters of left-wing green party GroenLinks.

The letter was also signed by the Chairman of the National Platform Slavery Barryl Biekman and the Chairman of the Committee Dutch honour debt (Indonesia) of Jeffrey M. Pondaag. They argue that The Netherlands should apologize for slavery and colonialism and the violence that arose there after. Source

Well, it should be noted that dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte doesn't see any problems with this carriage, nor will he have the image removed, saying, "We will not rewrite history." That sums it up. It's okay to live in the dark ages where blacks were denigrated for no other reason but the color of their skin.

Watch the video (it's in Dutch, but you will see the offensive images of black slaves on the carriage.)

Sinead O'Connor Sparks Outrage After Tweeting Threat to Shoot Pope Benedict XVI

Sinead O'Connor sparked outrage after taking to Twitter to suggest she would shoot Pope Benedict XVI. Wrong choice of words you twit. According to the Herald.ie, she warned of a "f*cking bloodbath" if the Pope visited Ireland. I remember her making some really crazy comments when people used to actually listen to her music and attend her concerts.

Reacting to a radio poll on a potential visit by the Pope, O'Connor – who caused worldwide fury in 1992 when she ripped up a photo of Pope John Paul on US television – warned that there would be a "f **kin bloodbath". "'Young people of Ireland I love u' said Sinead as she pulled the f ***ing trigger," the singer wrote on Twitter.

"There'd be a f**kin bloodbath. Me meet the f **ker off the plane myself," she added. One senior bishop today described the comment as "extreme" and pleaded for "those around Sinead to help her." "There'd be a f**kin bloodbath. Me meet the f**ker off the plane myself." Source

If this woman isn't on some type of medication, then somebody needs to see to it that she gets some. She is nuts and is a threat to the public.

Toronto School District Calendar Shocks Father of 1st Grader with Transgender Day of Remembrance

Father of 1st grade student shocked about days of significance in Toronto School District daily planner, including International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, Transgender Day of Remembrance & International Day of Zero-Tolerance on Female Genital Cutting/Mutiliation.

There's no other way for me to even begin to explain this article about a father enraged that his six year old son is being forced to learn about transgender people, prostitutes and female genital mutilation, but to give you an excerpt:

This Toronto dad is just not ready to explain to his first-grade son about transgender people, prostitutes, AIDS or female genital mutilation. So one can imagine his shock when he found these issues listed as special days of recognition in his son’s Toronto District School Board 2011-12 daily planner.

“I was looking through this thing and was shocked by the kind of days they are marking as ‘days of significance,’” he said. The first one that jumped out at him, under a headline that said “equitable and inclusive,” was Nov. 19’s Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Then came Dec. 1’s World AIDS Day, followed by Dec. 17’s International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. There was also Feb. 7’s International Day of Zero-Tolerance on Female Genital Cutting/Mutilation and Feb. 12’s International Sexual and Reproductive Health Day. “It’s just bizarre,” said the outraged dad. “He’s six. I want him to enjoy being six.” Source

Can we just let kids be kids and not try to be politically correct or try to force grown-up stuff down their throats.

Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding to Step Down

Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding is stepping down. He will not seek reelection to lead the Jamaica National Party at the November annual conference and will step down as soon as a new leader has been elected. The Hinterland Gazette had issued a call to PM Bruce Golding to step down last May once the news had surfaced he sanctioned a U.S. law firm to lobby on extradition matters for Christopher "Dudus" Coke.

In a statement from the JLP this afternoon through Information Minister Daryl Vaz, the party said Golding conveyed this decision to the party's Central Executive at its quarterly meeting held at Belmont Road today.

“Golding said he had planned to lead the party into a second term of government and demit office within two years thereafter. He said the challenges of the last four years have taken their toll and it was appropriate now to make way for new leadership to continue the programmes of economic recovery and transformation while mobilising the party for victory in the next general elections,” the statement said. 

The drama with Dudus has finally taken a toll. This is a sad end to a long career in public service. He won't be remembered for the good he did. He will be remembered for going to bat for a reputed drug don, Christopher "Dudus" Coke. The problem Jamaica now faces is that there is no one remotely qualified in the People's National Party to step up to the plate and become the next prime minister if general elections were held shortly after Golding's resignation becomes effective. Portia Simpson-Miller is a hood-rat who has no class, is unprofessional and just down-right unqualified to lead the country a second time around. It's time for a complete change in Jamaican politics -- no more establishment people. New faces and new voices.

Transcript: President Barack Obama's Address to Congressional Black Caucus Calling on Blacks to March

Remarks by the President at Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Annual Phoenix Awards Dinner

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, CBC! (Applause.) Thank you so much. Thank you. Please, everybody have a seat. It is wonderful to be with all of you tonight. It's good to be with the conscience of the Congress. (Applause.) Thank you, Chairman Cleaver and brother Payne, for all that you do each and every day. Thank you, Dr. Elsie Scott, president and CEO of the CBC Foundation, and all of you for your outstanding work with your internship program, which has done so much for so many young people. And I had a chance to meet some of the young people backstage -- an incredible, unbelievably impressive group.

You know, being here with all of you -- with all the outstanding members of the Congressional Black Caucus -- reminds me of a story that one of our friends, a giant of the civil rights movement, Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery, told one day. Dr. Lowery -- I don't think he minds me telling that he turns 90 in a couple weeks. (Applause.) He’s been causing a ruckus for about 89 of those years. (Laughter.)

A few years back, Dr. Lowery and I were together at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church in Selma. (Applause.) We've got some Selma folks in the house. (Applause.) And Dr. Lowery stood up in the pulpit and told the congregation the story of Shadrach and Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace. You know the story -- it’s about three young men bold enough to stand up for God, even if it meant being thrown in a furnace. And they survived because of their faith, and because God showed up in that furnace with them.

Now, Dr. Lowery said that those three young men were a little bit crazy. But there’s a difference, he said, between good crazy and bad crazy. (Applause.) Those boys, he said, were “good crazy.” At the time, I was running for president -- it was early in the campaign. Nobody gave me much of a chance. He turned to me from the pulpit, and indicated that someone like me running for president -- well, that was crazy. (Laughter.) But he supposed it was good crazy.

He was talking about faith, the belief in things not seen, the belief that if you persevere a better day lies ahead. And I suppose the reason I enjoy coming to the CBC -- what this weekend is all about is, you and me, we're all a little bit crazy, but hopefully a good kind of crazy. (Applause.) We’re a good kind of crazy because no matter how hard things get, we keep the faith; we keep fighting; we keep moving forward.

And we've needed faith over these last couple years. Times have been hard. It’s been three years since we faced down a crisis that began on Wall Street and then spread to Main Street, and hammered working families, and hammered an already hard-hit black community. The unemployment rate for black folks went up to nearly 17 percent -- the highest it’s been in almost three decades; 40 percent, almost, of African American children living in poverty; fewer than half convinced that they can achieve Dr. King’s dream. You’ve got to be a little crazy to have faith during such hard times.

It’s heartbreaking, and it’s frustrating. And I ran for President, and the members of the CBC ran for Congress, to help more Americans reach that dream. (Applause.) We ran to give every child a chance, whether he’s born in Chicago, or she comes from a rural town in the Delta. This crisis has made that job of giving everybody opportunity a little bit harder.

We knew at the outset of my presidency that the economic calamity we faced wasn’t caused overnight and wasn’t going to be solved overnight. We knew that long before the recession hit, the middle class in this country had been falling behind -– wages and incomes had been stagnant; a sense of financial security had been slipping away. And since these problems were not caused overnight, we knew we were going to have to climb a steep hill.

But we got to work. With your help, we started fighting our way back from the brink. And at every step of the way, we’ve faced fierce opposition based on an old idea -- the idea that the only way to restore prosperity can’t just be to let every corporation write its own rules, or give out tax breaks to the wealthiest and the most fortunate, and to tell everybody that they're on their own. There has to be a different concept of what America’s all about. It has to be based on the idea that I am my brother’s keeper and I am my sister’s keeper, and we’re in this together. We are in this thing together. (Applause.)

We had a different vision and so we did what was right, and we fought to extend unemployment insurance, and we fought to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, and we fought to expand the Child Tax Credit -- which benefited nearly half of all African American children in this country. (Applause.) And millions of Americans are better off because of that fight. (Applause.)

Ask the family struggling to make ends meet if that extra few hundred dollars in their mother’s paycheck from the payroll tax cut we passed made a difference. They’ll tell you. Ask them how much that Earned Income Tax Credit or that Child Tax Credit makes a difference in paying the bills at the end of the month.

When an army of lobbyists and special interests spent millions to crush Wall Street reform, we stood up for what was right. We said the time has come to protect homeowners from predatory mortgage lenders. The time has come to protect consumers from credit card companies that jacked up rates without warning. (Applause.) We signed the strongest consumer financial protection in history. That’s what we did together. (Applause.)

Remember how many years we tried to stop big banks from collecting taxpayer subsidies for student loans while the cost of college kept slipping out of reach? Together, we put a stop to that once and for all. We used those savings to make college more affordable. We invested in early childhood education and community college and HBCUs. Ask the engineering student at an HBCU who thought he might have to leave school if that extra Pell Grant assistance mattered. (Applause.)

We’re attacking the cycle of poverty that steals the future from too many children -- not just by pouring money into a broken system, but by building on what works -– with Promise Neighborhoods modeled after the good work up in Harlem; Choice Neighborhoods rebuilding crumbling public housing into communities of hope and opportunity; Strong Cities, Strong Communities, our partnership with local leaders in hard-hit cities like Cleveland and Detroit. And we overcame years of inaction to win justice for black farmers because of the leadership of the CBC and because we had an administration that was committed to doing the right thing. (Applause.)

And against all sorts of setbacks, when the opposition fought us with everything they had, we finally made clear that in the United States of America nobody should go broke because they get sick. We are better than that. (Applause.) And today, insurance companies can no longer drop or deny your coverage for no good reason. In just a year and a half, about one million more young adults have health insurance because of this law. (Applause.) One million young people. That is an incredible achievement, and we did it with your help, with the CBC’s help. (Applause.)

So in these hard years, we’ve won a lot of fights that needed fighting and we’ve done a lot of good. But we’ve got more work to do. So many people are still hurting. So many people are still barely hanging on. And too many people in this city are still fighting us every step of the way.

So I need your help. We have to do more to put people to work right now. We’ve got to make that everyone in this country gets a fair shake, and a fair shot, and a chance to get ahead. (Applause.) And I know we won’t get where we need to go if we don’t travel down this road together. I need you with me. (Applause.)

That starts with getting this Congress to pass the American Jobs Act. (Applause.) You heard me talk about this plan when I visited Congress a few weeks ago and sent the bill to Congress a few days later. Now I want that bill back -- passed. I’ve got the pens all ready. I am ready to sign it. And I need your help to make it happen. (Applause.)

Right now we’ve got millions of construction workers out of a job. So this bill says, let’s put those men and women back to work in their own communities rebuilding our roads and our bridges. Let’s give these folks a job rebuilding our schools. Let’s put these folks to work rehabilitating foreclosed homes in the hardest-hit neighborhoods of Detroit and Atlanta and Washington. This is a no-brainer. (Applause.)

Why should we let China build the newest airports, the fastest railroads? Tell me why our children should be allowed to study in a school that’s falling apart? I don’t want that for my kids or your kids. I don’t want that for any kid. You tell me how it makes sense when we know that education is the most important thing for success in the 21st century. (Applause.) Let’s put our people back to work doing the work America needs done. Let’s pass this jobs bill. (Applause.)

We’ve got millions of unemployed Americans and young people looking for work but running out of options. So this jobs bill says, let’s give them a pathway, a new pathway back to work. Let’s extend unemployment insurance so that more than six million Americans don’t lose that lifeline. But let’s also encourage reforms that help the long-term unemployed keep their skills sharp and get a foot in the door. Let’s give summer jobs for low-income youth that don’t just give them their first paycheck but arm them with the skills they need for life. (Applause.)

Tell me why we don’t want the unemployed back in the workforce as soon as possible. Let’s pass this jobs bill, put these folks back to work. (Applause.)

Why are we shortchanging our children when we could be putting teachers back in the classroom right now, where they belong? (Applause.) Laying off teachers, laying off police officer, laying off firefighters all across the country because state and local budgets are tough. Why aren’t we helping? We did in the first two years. And then this other crowd came into Congress and now suddenly they want to stop. Tell me why we shouldn’t give companies tax credits for hiring the men and women who’ve risked their lives for this country -- our veterans. There is no good answer for that. They shouldn’t be fighting to find a job when they come home. (Applause.)

These Republicans in Congress like to talk about job creators. How about doing something real for job creators? Pass this jobs bill, and every small business owner in America, including 100,000 black-owned businesses, will get a tax cut. (Applause.) You say you’re the party of tax cuts. Pass this jobs bill, and every worker in America, including nearly 20 million African American workers, will get a tax cut. (Applause.) Pass this jobs bill, and prove you’ll fight just as hard for a tax cut for ordinary folks as you do for all your contributors. (Applause.)

These are questions that opponents of this jobs plan will have to answer. Because the kinds of ideas in this plan in the past have been supported by both parties. Suddenly Obama is proposing it -- what happened? (Laughter.) What happened? You all used to like to build roads. (Laughter.) Right? What happened? Reverend, you know what happened? I don’t know. They used to love to build some roads. (Laughter.)

Now, I know some of our friends across the aisle won’t support any new spending that’s not paid for. I agree that’s important. So last week, I laid out a plan to pay for the American Jobs Act, and to bring out -- down our debt over time. You say the deficit is important? Here we go. I’m ready to go. It’s a plan that says if we want to create jobs and close this deficit, then we’ve got to ask the folks who have benefited most -- the wealthiest Americans, the biggest, most profitable corporations -- to pay their fair share. (Applause.)

We are not asking them to do anything extraordinary. The reform we’re proposing is based on a simple principle: Middle-class folks should not pay higher tax rates than millionaires and billionaires. (Applause.) That’s not crazy -- or it’s good crazy. (Laughter.) Warren Buffett’s secretary shouldn’t pay a higher tax rate than Warren Buffett. A teacher or a nurse or a construction worker making $50,000 a year shouldn’t pay higher tax rates than somebody making $50 million. That’s just common sense.

We’re not doing this to punish success. This is the land of opportunity. I want you to go out, start a business, get rich, build something. Out country is based on the belief that anybody can make it if they put in enough sweat and enough effort. That is wonderful. God bless you. But part of the American idea is also that once we've done well we should pay our fair share -- (applause) -- to make sure that those schools that we were learning in can teach the next generation; that those roads that we benefited from -- that they're not crumbling for the next bunch of folks who are coming behind us; to keep up the nation that made our success possible.

And most wealthy Americans would agree with that. But you know the Republicans are already dusting off their old talking points. That's class warfare, they say. In fact, in the next breath, they’ll complain that people living in poverty -- people who suffered the most over the past decade -- don’t pay enough in taxes. That's bad crazy. (Laughter and applause.) When you start saying, at a time when the top one-tenth of 1 percent has seen their incomes go up four or five times over the last 20 years, and folks at the bottom have seen their incomes decline -- and your response is that you want poor folks to pay more? Give me a break. If asking a billionaire to pay the same tax rate as a janitor makes me a warrior for the working class, I wear that with a badge of honor. I have no problem with that. (Applause.) It's about time.

They say it kills jobs -- oh, that's going to kill jobs. We’re not proposing anything other than returning to the tax rates for the wealthiest Americans that existed under Bill Clinton. I played golf with Bill Clinton today. I was asking him, how did that go? (Laughter.) Well, it turns out we had a lot of jobs. The well-to-do, they did even better. So did the middle class. We lifted millions out of poverty. And then we cut taxes for folks like me, and we went through a decade of zero job growth.

So this isn't speculation. We've tested this out. We tried their theory; didn’t work. Tried our theory; it worked. We shouldn’t be confused about this. (Applause.)

This debate is about priorities. If we want to create new jobs and close the deficit and invest in our future, the money has got to come from somewhere. And so, should we keep tax loopholes for big oil companies? Or should we put construction workers and teachers back on the job? (Applause.) Should we keep tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires? Or should we invest in our children’s education and college aid? Should we ask seniors to be paying thousands of dollars more for Medicare, as the House Republicans propose, or take young folks’ health care away? Or should we ask that everybody pay their fair share? This is about fairness. And this is about who we are as a country. This is about our commitment to future generations.

When Michelle and I think about where we came from -- a little girl on the South Side of Chicago, son of a single mom in Hawaii -- mother had to go to school on scholarships, sometimes got food stamps. Michelle's parents never owned their own home until she had already graduated -- living upstairs above the aunt who actually owned the house. We are here today only because our parents and our grandparents, they broke their backs to support us. (Applause.) But they also understood that they would get a little bit of help from their country. Because they met their responsibilities, this country would also be responsible, would also provide good public schools, would also provide recreation -- parks that were safe, making sure that they could take the bus without getting beat over the head, making sure that their kids would be able to go to college even if they weren’t rich.

We're only here because past generations struggled and sacrificed for this incredible, exceptional idea that it does not matter where you come from, it does not matter where you’re born, doesn’t matter what you look like -- if you’re willing to put in an effort, you should get a shot. You should get a shot at the American Dream. (Applause.)

And each night, when we tuck in our girls at the White House, I think about keeping that dream alive for them and for all of our children. And that’s now up to us. And that’s hard. This is harder than it’s been in a long, long time. We’re going through something we haven’t seen in our lifetimes.

And I know at times that gets folks discouraged. I know. I listen to some of you all. (Laughter.) I understand that. And nobody feels that burden more than I do. Because I know how much we have invested in making sure that we’re able to move this country forward. But you know, more than a lot of other folks in this country, we know about hard. The people in this room know about hard. (Applause.) And we don’t give in to discouragement.

Throughout our history, change has often come slowly. Progress often takes time. We take a step forward, sometimes we take two steps back. Sometimes we get two steps forward and one step back. But it’s never a straight line. It’s never easy. And I never promised easy. Easy has never been promised to us. But we’ve had faith. We have had faith. We’ve had that good kind of crazy that says, you can’t stop marching. (Applause.)

Even when folks are hitting you over the head, you can’t stop marching. Even when they’re turning the hoses on you, you can’t stop. (Applause.) Even when somebody fires you for speaking out, you can’t stop. (Applause.) Even when it looks like there’s no way, you find a way -- you can’t stop. (Applause.) Through the mud and the muck and the driving rain, we don’t stop. Because we know the rightness of our cause -- widening the circle of opportunity, standing up for everybody’s opportunities, increasing each other’s prosperity. We know our cause is just. It’s a righteous cause.

So in the face of troopers and teargas, folks stood unafraid. Led somebody like John Lewis to wake up after getting beaten within an inch of his life on Sunday -- he wakes up on Monday: We’re going to go march. (Applause.)

Dr. King once said: “Before we reach the majestic shores of the Promised Land, there is a frustrating and bewildering wilderness ahead. We must still face prodigious hilltops of opposition and gigantic mountains of resistance. But with patient and firm determination we will press on.” (Applause.)

So I don’t know about you, CBC, but the future rewards those who press on. (Applause.) With patient and firm determination, I am going to press on for jobs. (Applause.) I'm going to press on for equality. (Applause.) I'm going to press on for the sake of our children. (Applause.) I'm going to press on for the sake of all those families who are struggling right now. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I am going to press on. (Applause.)

I expect all of you to march with me and press on. (Applause.) Take off your bedroom slippers, put on your marching shoes. Shake it off. (Applause.) Stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. We are going to press on. We’ve got work to do, CBC. (Applause.)

God bless you, and God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)