President Obama Signs Order to Enforce Equal Pay for Women

In the last seven decades the gap between women and men's income has not changed much; women only earn 77 cents to every dollar that a man makes.

In an effort to bridge the gap and ensure equal pay for equal work, President Barack Obama signed a pair of executive orders. One order ensured women's rights to equal pay, the other stops federal contractors from  retaliating against employees that request to discuss their pay with supervisors.

This is the newest action that the president has taken to enforce worker's rights, but not the first. The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (2009) is another law that was passed in an effort achieve fairness in the workplace. All of these fall under the Fair Paycheck Act which will be under review with these new orders.

President Obama signing the executive actions on April 8, 2014.

Click Here to learn more about the Economic Agenda for Equal Opportunity.

Through both of his terms President Obama has consistently maintained that economic equality was his major platform and he would do everything in his power to see it through. As a society we still have a long way to go, but I can safely that this is the most that one man has ever done to improve the struggle of minorities in America.

Have you noticed a difference in the income between women and men? Do you think Obama is doing enough to keep his promise for Economic Equality?

New Military Regulations Have Black Women In Fear of Losing Their Careers

The US Army recently released a statement informing the public about its new policy for the way women are allowed to style their hair.

The illustration indicates that twists, multiple braids, and headbands are not allowed. This can definitely be a problem for black women who wear their hear in braids and twists while enrolled in the military. During assignments soldiers are often sent away to remote locations for extended periods of time. Many black women opt for protective styles (braids, twists, weaves, etc) while they are away from home.

The military's decision to ban these styles can be perceived as racial discrimination since there is a very specific demographic that chooses to wear their hair this way. Patricia Jackson Kelly, a member of the National Association of Black Military Women, challenges this new rule stating "I don't see how a woman wearing three braids in her hair [...] affects her duty to perform her job in the military."

Others are standing behind the army's decision, explaining that the military is a conservative organization that does not make room for trendy, attention-grabbing hairstyles that black women often bring into the environment. Many believe that the hairstyles are a violation of the professionalism that they are expected to maintain.

In addition to these banned hairstyles, the Army also banned body piercings, long sideburns, mohawks, and tattoos that are visible while wearing a uniform.

What do you think of this new policy? Will it stick, or will the public protest enough to have the Army reconsider?

NEWS: Finally!!! A Smartphone with Airtight Security

Since the invention of Smartphones, one of the biggest complaints has been the lack of privacy that its users are given. Anyone can hack into our phones at any time! Systems like GPS and Wi-Fi make it possible to track our whereabouts, and to top it off, when we try to erase data from our phone it's still floating around in cyberspace!

Mike Janke has invented the Blackphone, the consumer's answer to Smartphones that lack security. This android-software phone has military level security, the highest level available. There are no tracking devices on this phone, which means that nobody from the government or the phone company can track you down. User data is stored in a secure vault in Switzerland so that once it's erased from your phone it is gone for good.

So now we start to ask, what kind of data should the government get for the sake of protecting the public?

The Black phone will sell for $629 beginning this summer.

Do you think the Black phone is something you would consider buying? Should the information on our cell phones be available for public record? 

Brandy breaks engagement to Ryan Press

Well....there goes the bride??  Brandy has put her wedding plans with Ryan Press on indefinite hold.


Over the last couple of weeks, whispers circulated that Brandy and Ryan had called off their
engagement. Brandy hasn't been posting cute couple pics, and people were curious when he wasn’t present for Brandy’s 35th birthday party earlier this month. As it turns out, he was there, but he avoided cameras.

Unfortunately, it seems that the speculations have been confirmed. After Brandy attended the NAACP’s non-televised ceremony without her ring, a source close to the couple told TheYBF.com that the wedding is off–at least for now. Brandy and Ryan supposedly decided to take some time apart after they moved in together.

Reportedly the time apart is supposed to help them re-evaluate their relationship and whether they actually should get married. They haven’t completely ruled out the possibility of getting back together, but there’s word that Ryan was set up on a date recently.



Brandy and Ryan are supposedly are currently on good terms since he is still her manager.



Neither Brandy nor Ryan have commented on the status of their relationship.

Congrats!! Tamron Hall Officially Joins The ‘Today Show!’

Congrats to broadcast journalist, Tamron Hall! This beautiful woman has officially joined the the “Today Show” as a co-host of “Today’s Take,” which is the 9 a.m. hour of the show. Hall joins hosts Al Roker, Natalie Morales and Willie Geist. Don Nash, TODAY’s Executive Producer excitedly said, “She brings wit, enthusiasm and a keen sensibility to an all-around fantastic team, and I think Tamron, Al, Natalie and Willie will have a lot of fun together hosting the third hour.”



Tamron's a familiar face on the show as she’s been a regular fill-in on the show, reading the news, covering special events like the Golden Globes and she’s even been seen spotlighting social media trends in TODAY’s digital studio, The Orange Room.

Earning her broadcast journalism degree from Temple University in Philadelphia, Hall started reporting in Bryan, Texas after graduation at KBTX-TV. She bounced around to different stations in Texas, then landed at WFLD-TV in Chicago and worked there for 10 years, covering mostly politics. That’s when Hall’s blossoming career really took off! By 2007, NBC News brought her on the team as a reporter and she filled in as an anchor at MSNBC before she scored her own show, “Newsnation With Tamron Hall.”



Source

Local News: Sears to close Sodo store, ending long run in historic building

Sears is pulling out from the historic Sodo location where it has operated for more than a century, cutting its last ties to a building complex that in better days played a critical role in its commercial conquest of the West.
A Sears spokesman said Friday that the company is laying off 79 employees -- 66 who work at the store, at 76 S. Lander Street, and 13 at the neighboring Sears Auto Center. Both will close to the public in early June, and a liquidation sale at the store will start on April 3.

The move comes as Illinois-based Sears fights for its life in the midst of shrinking sales and mounting losses. Competition from online retailers and hipper brick-and-mortar rivals such as Target and Costco Wholesale have cut into the aging retail giant’s bottom line; store closures are part of what Sears is doing to cut expenses and overhaul its business model.

Sears’ departure is also a milestone for the historic complex, which Sears topped with a tower in 1915 to mark its massive catalog warehouse.

According to Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry, early in the 20th Century the complex was the site of Sears’ new Western Branch, from where it supplied the Western U.S. “with everything from underwear and alarm clocks to farm equipment and metal ceilings.”

Now the building is a landmark for a different kind of retail giant. Starbucks put its headquarters there in 1997 and added to the tower its green-and-white mermaid logo.

A Starbucks spokesman said that the company doesn’t have any plans to expand its space in the 2.1 million-square-foot development, which also houses other tenants.


Source

NBC News Legend Tom Brokaw Diagnosed With Bone Marrow Cancer

Sad news from the NBC community today as celebrated newsman Tom Brokaw revealed that he’s been diagnosed with bone marrow cancer. The 74-year-old Brokaw says he’s, “Optimistic about the future.”

According to TMZ, Brokaw who is currently a special correspondent for NBC News, is reportedly diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

However, Brokaw remains positive saying,  

“With the exceptional support of my family, medical team and friends, I am very optimistic about the future and look forward to continuing my life, my work and adventures still to come. I remain the luckiest guy I know. I am very grateful for the interest in my condition but I also hope everyone understands I wish to keep this a private matter.”


We are praying for Tom!

Seattle Seahawks WIN the Super Bowl!!!

For the first time in NFL History, the Seahawks are the Super Bowl Champions!

This year the game was held in East Rutherford, New Jersey with the Seattle Seahawks going against the Denver Broncos.

The game was a landslide, Seahawks had a 24-point halftime lead.

Broncos finally scored a touchdown in the 3rd quarter but it was not enough to challenge the major lead that the Seahawks had already gained. The Broncos couldn't contend with the 'Hawks strong defense.

The final score was Seattle: 43, Denver: 8

Here are some highlights from the event:

Legend Joe Namath flipped the coin in a pimpin fur coat

Pam Oliver fixed her hair

Bruno Mars did a KILLER half time performance

Richard Sherman suffered an injury that took him out of the game

Malcolm Smith was named Super Bowl MVP

WE ARE SO PROUD TO CALL OUR HOME TEAM THE BEST IN THE NFL. GO HAWKS!!!

WTH: I-5 Bridge in Washington Collapses, People Fall with It

Aerial view of bridge after collapse

This is the craziest news to come out of Washington state in a long time!

Yesterday in Mount Vernon an oversized truck smashed into the top part of I-5 bridge and caused the bridge to instantly collapse. All of the drivers at the time also fell in. Surprisingly, only 3 people were taken to the hospital but none of the injuries were fatal.

The Department of Transportation is currently investigating who is to blame for this major collapse: the truck driver who proceeded over the bridge when he knew it wouldn't fit, or the company that sent the driver on that route.

Originally built in 1957, this bridge had recently been labeled as "Functionally Obsolete" meaning that before its collapse, it was no longer able to handle the traffic flow that had developed in recent years. Out of 100, the bridge only had a safety rating of 47. Yikes! It is estimated that repairs will cost millions of dollars.

Hopefully this kind of car damage is covered in everyone's insurance! We're glad that all are ok.

Michelle Obama Says We're Too Busy Being "Ballers", Calls on Blacks to Close Educational Gap

Bowie State University, a traditionally black college, invited First Lady Michelle Obama to speak at their Commencement on Friday, May 17th. During her speech First Lady Michelle expressed her concern over the strong educational gap that still exists with young Black Americans.

Young African Americans spend too much energy stunting for cameras and chasing dreams of being hip-hop stars. Mrs. Obama's point? The Black community needs to shift gears and put education as the top priority. Here's a snippet of her speech:

"...more than 150 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, more than 50 years after the end of “separate but equal,” when it comes to getting an education, too many of our young people just can’t be bothered.  Today, instead of walking miles every day to school, they’re sitting on couches for hours playing video games, watching TV.  Instead of dreaming of being a teacher or a lawyer or a business leader, they’re fantasizing about being a baller or a rapper. Right now, one in three African American students are dropping out of high school.  Only one in five African Americans between the ages of 25 and 29 has gotten a college degree -- one in five." 

We couldn't agree more! As always, Mrs. Obama so eloquently and tactfully said what so many of us have been thinking for a long time.

What do you think of Mrs. Obama's words? Are Blacks responsible for the gross disparity in Educational achievement?

CLICK HERE to read the First Lady's full commencement speech.

WOW! Bill Gates Offers $100,000 to Design a BETTER CONDOM

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has offered $100,000 to anyone that can redesign condoms so that they are less of a buzz kill. He is looking for a "Next Generation" condom that enhances or preserves the sensation to resemble that bare feeling a little more closely.

The grant for this challenge is funded by the Grand Challenges in Global Health program. The group has described this challenge by saying:
"The primary drawback from the male perspective is that condoms decrease pleasure as compared to no condom, creating a trade-off that many men find unacceptable, particularly given that the decisions about use must be made just prior to intercourse. Is it possible to develop a product without this stigma, or better, one that is felt to enhance pleasure?"

Interesting Challenge!

Do you think you can create a barely there condom? Any man that can create that should be a millionaire!

WTF: Officer Admits He Was Ordered to Target Young Black Men!

Wow! It can't get any more blatant than this.

A whistleblower living in the Bronx, NYC has finally revealed to the courts that he was directed by NYPD to specifically target young black men between the ages of 14 and 21.

In an audio that was secretly taped, Deputy Inspector Chris McCormack orders Officer Pedro Serrano to stop and frisk black men in this age group because they are supposedly "more prone to crime".

Inspector McCormack can clearly be heard telling Serrano over and over "I have no problem telling you this. Male blacks [...] 14 to 21" The stop and frisk law allows police officers to search anyone's outer garments if he/she appears suspicious.

Officer Pedro Serrano

So why is this important? Because the audio is being used in a class-action suit against NYPD. 4 young black men are in the process of suing the police department for being stopped and frisked unnecessarily due to racial profiling. They are hoping to establish stronger parameters against the Stop and Frisk law since it has been abused by so many people in law enforcement.

Officer Serrano, who testified in favor of the young men, has been ostracized by fellow officers and has received poor work evaluations since then. Black listing much?

We appreciate officer Serrano for taking a stand against discrimination! It is so sad that this is still a problem in 2013. 

Do you think the "Stop and Frisk" law should stay?

REPORT: Childhood Obesity Declines Even Further

First Lady Michelle Obama made it very clear that her platform would be childhood obesity, an epidemic that was spreading in the US at alarming rates.

Statistics show that as of 2010, 15% of American children were obese and 2% were morbidly obese (Click Here to learn more about calculating a child's BMI). Although this was a major drop from earlier numbers, there was still a lot that needed to be done.

CNN reports that recent studies in the Washington, DC area show a slight decrease in the amount of obese children between ages 2 and 4 in low income households.

In recent years health officials have become much stricter about what's on the menu of public school lunches. Also, celebrities such as Beyonce and chef Jamie Oliver have helped to inform the public about their options to stay healthy.

Beyonce's "Move Your Body" music video

"Food Revolution", a show where Jamie revamped the menu of public school lunches all over the US

However, the study does not pinpoint any particular cause for the decline. Regardless of how/why it happened, we're pleased to know that children are getting healthier!

We believe that Michelle Obama is the main reason for this success. There is NO other public figure that made this issue a major priority before! 

Do Skinny Jeans Cause Nerve Damage?

According to a recent study from ABC News, skinny jeans have the potential to cause nerve damage. The tightness of the pants causes a pinching on the nerve on the hip, creating a tingling, numbing, or painful feeling.

Depending on the fit of the pants and the frequency of their wear, skinny jeans can also cause blood clots and abdominal pain.

Watch the video to learn more about the dangers of skinny jeans and how they can be avoided:


You may want others to notice your tight skinny pants, but be careful!

Sad! Former Prez Bush in Intensive Care

Former President HW Bush is in intensive care. Since early November he's been in and out of the hospital with symptoms of fever, bronchitis, and weakness. He was forced to miss the Republican National Convention.

Although he wanted to spend Christmas at home, President Bush checked into Methodist Hospital (in Houston, TX) complaining of a very high fever. He was immediately placed in intensive care due to his age.

At 88 years old, President Bush also suffers from Parkinson's disease which further complicates his well-being. The Bush family has remained mum on the state of their patriarch, but it's safe to say that he's struggling.

We didn't always agree with the man's politics but we don't wish illness on anyone. Our prayers go out to his family.

Katt Williams Faces a $4 MILLION Tax Lien!

TMZ reports that Katt Williams (real name Micah Katt Williams) has failed to pay $3.2 million in taxes in 2008 and skipped out on another $829,352 in 2009. WOW! Clearly, that was back in the day when he was still making good money.

Hopefully Katt can use some of his residuals to get this taken care of...otherwise he'll end up in the slammer! But then again, Katt might get the help he needs if he goes to jail. Or maybe he just needs Iynala to fix his life...this man is really going through it right now.

2012 has NOT been Katt's year. At first it was funny but now it's just plain sad! Get some help boo!!!

Brooklyn Nets Head Coach Fired, His Son Goes Off on Twitter

Avery Johnson has been fired as Head Coach of the Brooklyn Nets basketball team.

The Nets began with a promising start to the season at 11-4, but quickly lost their steam and became 14-14 by this week. After the 10th loss, the Nets' ownership didn't want to wait to see how the rest of the season might go.

Shockwaves were sent around the NBA when word got out that Johnson was released, especially because he had just won the title of Eastern Conference Coach of the Month in November.

General Manager Billy King released a statement on Thursday addressing the termination.



Meanwhile, Avery Johnson Jr. sounded off on Twitter.

You ain't lyin Avery Jr.!!!

Do you think the owners were being unfair? They didn't give Avery a chance to redeem himself, plus he had a good record last season. Why did they jump the gun???

Philadelphia Installing Condom Dispensers in Schools

22 high schools in the Greater Philadelphia area will be installing automatic dispensers to distribute free condoms to students.

This is all part of the city's effort to control a recent "epidemic" of STD's that have been running rampant with local teens. In the last 5 years, 5% of all teenagers in Philadelphia tested positive for any strain of Sexually Transmitted Disease (including HIV).

Since parents were made aware of the upcoming changes in October, the school district has received few objections. Families do have the right to opt out of the program.

Hmm, what do you think of this program? Would you allow your child to be part of a free condom program? Seems like a good idea, no point in pretending that teenagers don't have sex. Might as well be safe! 

NYC Woman SUES Doctor for Correctly Diagnosing her with HIV

A Brooklyn, NYC doctor is being sued by his patient for properly diagnosing her with HIV. The patient, who has chosen to remain unidentified, is suing Dr. Pavel Yutsis because she never requested the HIV testing process.

Patient Jane Doe was receiving Vitamin B-12 deficiency treatments when Dr. Yutsis tested her without consent. The state of New York requires that all doctors give their patients an explanation for the testing and receive the patient's consent before the test is administered. According to legal documentation, the patient was very adamant that she did NOT want HIV testing (hmm, maybe she already had a feeling).

Dr. Pavel Yutsis

Jane Doe, a Harlem resident, also claims that after she'd been given the results, the doctor made no effort to offer her the counseling or the assistance that she was rightfully entitled to under New York state law. She is seeking damages for "terror, confusion, embarrassment, and emotional distress".

This sounds like a moral issue. Why wouldn't you want to know if you were HIV positive? At least now she has a chance to live alot longer!!!

Would you be mad if your doctor told you something you didn't want to know?

George Zimmerman’s Wife Has Been Arrested!

George Zimmerman‘s wife, Shellie was arrested for committing perjury. According to CNN Shelli Zimmerman will be arraigned July 31. She met conditions for a $1,000 bond and was released this afternoon.

Shellie lied when asked, “How much did the couple collect in donations through the PayPal account George Zimmerman set up on his website?” to which Shellie replied, ”Currently, I don’t know,” She and other family members described their financial situation as dire when they were really sitting on over $200,000. George has been awaiting his sentencing in a Seminole County Jail after his second bond hearing request was revoked and Seminole County Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. ordered him back to jail, accusing him of not being truthful about how much money he had access to when his bond was set months earlier.