Tufts University: No Sex in the Dorm With Your Roommate Present

A new policy at Tufts University prohibits students in dorms from having sex while their roommate is in the room, according to the university's 2009-2010 student handbook.

A school spokeswoman says students have expressed concerns over roommate having sex in the dorms.

The Massachusetts university's formal rule also bars so-called "sexiling" -- exiling a roommate from the room so the other roommate can engage in sexual activity.

The new policy "is really about consideration and respect for others and the need for students to be mindful of their roommates' need for privacy, study and sleep," university spokeswoman Kim Thurler told CNN.

She said while she did not have an exact number of complaints from students about their roommates' behavior, "over the last few years, the Office of Residential Life and Learning received approximately a dozen expressions of concern about this issue."

Callie Morton, a freshman at Tufts, told CNN affiliate WHDH-TV, "If someone is going to go and have sex while their roommate is in the room, I mean I think that's kind of gross. I think it's kind of funny that they would have to make a rule about it." Watch Tufts students talk about policy »

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The Senate Finance Committee Rejects the Public Option

 

Liberal Democrats failed Tuesday to inject a government-run insurance option into sweeping health care legislation taking shape in the Senate Finance Committee, despite widespread accusations that private insurers routinely deny coverage in pursuit of higher profits.

The 15-8 rejection marked a victory for Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., the committee chairman, who is hoping to push his middle-of-the-road measure through the panel by week's end. It also kept alive the possibility that at least one Republican may yet swing behind the bill, a key goal of both Baucus and the White House.

"My job is to put together a bill that gets to 60 votes" in the full Senate, the Montana Democratsaid shortly before he joined a majority on the committee in opposing the provision. "No one shows me how to get to 60 votes with a public option," the term used to describe a new government role in health care. It takes 60 votes to overcome delaying actions thatRepublicans may attempt on the Senate floor.

 

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Black Global News:Somalia Finally Gets Ambulance Service

Chaos and death on the streets of Mogadishu: unfortunately, it's nothing new in the Somali capital.

 

 

Government forces are fighting against insurgents on this day in September in a bloody battle that leaves 30 dead. Dozens of wounded Somalis are taken out of the danger zone, some of them in the back of insurgents' pick-up trucks.

One of the trucks races through the streets, zig-zagging to the echoing booms of the ongoing shelling. The truck comes to an abrupt halt, stopping at a rare sight in the Somali capital -- an ambulance, waiting at the heart of the chaos to ferry the dead and the injured to the hospital.

The wounded are transferred onto the ambulance. People shout and run as the mortar attacks continue. One woman screams over and over for her son.

The ambulance is one of seven medical vehicles paid for with donated funds from local and expatriate Somalis. Residents can simply call for the ambulances without charge, and the vehicles will be dispatched to the scene.

"It is amazing," said Rufai Salad, one of the founders of the ambulance service in the Somali capital. "We have this toll-free number, 777, that you dial. Someone is giving you a free call and then coming and giving you free help.

"People here find it hard to believe it is real."

 

Click to read.

 

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What do we make of the Pending Sale of Ebony Magazine? – Dr. Wilmer Leon Gives a Quick Thought

Quick comments from Dr. Wilmer Leon, Political Science Professor – Howard University 

 

In this challenging time for print media, the historic jewel of African American periodicals, Ebony (like so many of our ancestors) is on the auction block. What was once a staple in so many African American homes is now struggling for its survival as many question its relevance.

During segregation Ebony and Jet magazines were key sources of information for the African American community about the community. With integration, too many of us left our communities, churches, and culture behind in order to assimilate into the dominant culture. With that, for too many, Ebony no longer reflects the community they live in; aspire to live in or a lifestyle that they see as relevant.

I have always felt that Ebony needed to incorporate more relevant political/economic/business information, analysis, and content to appeal to the growing African American middle and upper class. Life style and entertainment is great but that needs to be supplemented with the relevant information to maintain that life style. It's a difficult mix to maintain but necessary.

Selling Ebony/Jet does not mean that those magazines will cease to exist but with ownership comes control. The sale of Ebony/Jet goes back to the question of who will be left to define and interpret the issues that are relevant to the African American community and who will control its imagery. I don't know that Viacom has that mission or interest.

John H. Johnson said that Ebony was founded to "project all dimensions of the Black personality in a world saturated with stereotypes. We wanted to give Blacks a new sense of somebodiness, a new sense of self-respect. We wanted to tell them who they were and what they could do. We believed then--and we believe now--that Blacks needed positive images to fulfill their potentialities." The world continues to be saturated with those stereotypes and the community still needs positive images in order to fulfill its potential.

Dr. Wilmer Leon is the host of the Sirius/XM Satellite Show “On with Leon.”  To contact Dr. Leon for media requests or speaking engagements, please click here.

Dr. Deborah Stroman Makes Quick Remarks on the Pending Sale of Ebony Magazine

Dr. Deborah Stroman, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

 

Business knows one only color – green. Whether one has a history of success or newfound fame, businesses must continue to make a profit. Unfortunately, the announcement recently made by Johnson Publishing Company, Inc. the world's largest African-American-owned and-operated publishing company, reflects the simple fact that long-term financial projections reveal that there is more month left than money. A painful pill to swallow for many in the black community due to the legacy of this family and its mission; however, there are important 21^st century business lessons to highlight from this sad prospect. First, know and stay in tune with your audience. The graying demographic that historically supported Ebony can’t be relied upon for financial stability in recessionary times. New money is found in collaborative and results-based (not old school relationship) marketing.  Sadly, time is really, really money in today’s new economy. Second, embrace technology or get left behind. Experts have clearly articulated the dying of print media over the past decade. Those who chose to sleep in and ignore the warnings are now locking the doors and turning in keys. Americans want and deserve information fast and accurate. The Internet provides that medium. And lastly, in times of struggle God always provides an opportunity. The leaders at Johnson Publishing have a tremendous asset in their people. They are creative and passionate about their community and they should be given the chance to provide direction. This moment is not the time for consultants and clairvoyants with crystal balls to steer the way. Truly listen to the heart and soul of the company – the journalists and staff – and make the necessary decisions to be a viable institution for another 63 years.  Hey! No pressure but the Black community, avid readers or not, depends on it.

Dr. Deborah Stroman is a Professor at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and an expert on Leadership.  To contact Dr. Stroman for speaking engagements or media requests, please click here.

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Mayor of East Cleveland In Some “Interesting” Political Mess

Mayor Eric Brewer has to regret the day that he came out of the closet so to speak, lambasting a local television station for airing out his sequin-laced dirty laundry.

Coming less than a week before he faces poll goers via a voting booth, the mayor of East Cleveland has been sited in rare form; looking fabulous in an amber wig and Jimmy Choo's.

In a move lambasted by Brewer, WKYC's Channel 3 was the first media outlet to shed light on the startling revelation, sending the picture and subsequent mayoral race into the stratosphere.

Reading a statement outside his campaign headquarters, the incumbent mayor vented his frustration with the event via a statement that left more questions than answers.

“I had not seen any of the pictures until WKYC's broadcast yesterday evening.” To date, he has refused to say or deny whether the person pictured is him.

Members of Brewer's campaign have named his opponent, City Council President Gary Norton, as their chief suspect into their search to find whomever leaked and circulated the photos.

Mayor Brewer is also looking into whether police involvement may have played a part in the affair due mainly to the firing of multiple officers during his freshman term.

Former Mayor of East Cleveland, Saratha Googins, says that she knew of the picture for years.

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Your Black Politics: What do we Make of Michael Steele?

Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III, Your Black World, Howard University 

Not to be outdone, in response to America electing its first African-American President, on January 30, 2009, the Republican National Committee (RNC) elected Michael Steele, the former lieutenant governor of Maryland, as its chairman. It was a long and painful process, but on the sixth and final ballot, for the first time in its history, the Republican Party elected an African-American to manage its affairs.

    During his acceptance speech, Chairman Steele said, "To Americans who believe in the future of this country. To those who stand in difference with us, it's time for something completely different, and we're gonna bring it to them. We're gonna bring this party to every corner, every boardroom, every neighborhood, every community and we're gonna say to friend and foe alike: We want you to be a part of this, we want you to work with us, and for those of you who wish to obstruct, get ready to get knocked over."

    These were very powerful and encouraging words, especially coming from an intelligent African-American man who was speaking to a political party dominated by white men who are not used to African-Americans speaking to them so forcefully and directly. To bring forth "something completely different"; to take the party to "friend and foe alike," to "knock over" decades of neoconservative ideology and racism would take a Superman. Unfortunately, these encouraging and powerful words ring hollow when compared to the reality of Chairman Steele's actions. Michael is no Superman. He's not "The Man of Steele."

Click to read.

Dr Boyce Money: Ebony and Jet May Be sold to a Buyer Soon

 

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

MSNBC’s TheGrio.com, Your Black World, AOL Black Voices 

 

The black journalism students here at Syracuse often come to me to find out how the industry works. They sometimes instinctively wonder if their professors' stories about being in a CBS newsroom in 1982 are going to help them survive in a world run by Twitter, Myspace and Facebook. The answer is a resounding "probably not."

While respecting the journalism professors teaching their classes, I simply use examples like Ebony Magazine to help them realize that black media is changing, and sites like theGrio.com, BlackVoices.com, and TheRoot.com, are examples of how black media has evolved. In fact, a journalist who doesn't understand technology and business models is in danger of starting his/her career as a dinosaur.

When it comes to recent reports about Ebony Magazine being offered for sale, I admit that I was saddened, but not surprised. The Ebony Fashion Fair has become one of the most celebrated events in black America, and the magazine has been nothing less than a tremendous source of national pride since its creation in 1945. But in the age of the web, oversized bureaucracies can be crushed under the weight of their own arrogance. Bloated payrolls, pompous corporate functions and a sense of entitlement make them easy prey for quick, hungry and rapidly evolving competition.

In spite of the tremendous love we have for Ebony/Jet, the truth must be confronted when realizing that it is what radio was to TV or what the train was to the airplane. Like radios and trains, there is still a place for print media, but that role is no longer dominant. The current economic climate only accelerated the inevitable, since advertisers were eventually going to stop spending $50,000 for magazine ads when they can buy the same number of eyeballs for $5,000 or less.

I present the following 5 questions I'd like to ask out loud about both Ebony Magazine and the state of African American media:

Click to read.

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Black News: Facebook Poll Asks Users If they Think Obama Should be Killed

The Secret Service is investigating a Facebook Poll asking people if they would like to kill President Obama.

"We are aware of it and we will take the appropriate investigative steps," said Darrin Blackford, a Secret Service spokesman. "We take of these things seriously."

The poll asked Facebook Users "Should Obama be killed?" The choices: No, Maybe, Yes, and Yes if he cuts my health care.

Facebook has made it clear that they did not create the poll, and that it was created in an application used by a third party.

"The third-party application that enabled an individual user to create the offensive poll was brought to our attention this morning," said Barry Schnitt, Facebook's spokesman for policy.

"We're working with the U.S. Secret Service, but they'll need to provide any details of their investigation," Schnitt said.

Black Commentary from TheGrio – 9/26/09

 

• 

  Kristen Clarke

  Co-Director of the Political Participation Group at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund

  Local elections count as much as presidential ones

  8:00 AM on 09/28/2009

  OPINION - Turnout statistics from recent state and local elections around the country paint a rather bleak picture that is squarely at odds with the political energy and momentum witnessed last November....

  > MORE

• 

  Sala Udin

  President and CEO of the CORO center for civic leadership, Pittsburgh

  Black Pittsburgh struggles in the shadow of the G-20

  9:27 AM on 09/25/2009

  OPINION - For the most part, African-American Pittsburgh seems to be invisible, not only to the public relations hucksters who tout Pittsburgh's successes, but we are equally invisible to the protesters....

  > MORE

• 

  Roland Laird

  Author of "Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans"

  Broad attacks on ACORN are just plain nuts

  9:30 AM on 09/24/2009

  OPINION -- Let me be clear, ACORN's actions deserved to be exposed, and they deserve to be punished. But let me be equally clear, ACORN is not a big American problem......

  > MORE

• 

  Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr.

  Religion Contributor

  Racism's roots in the Bible

  8:11 AM on 09/23/2009

  OPINION - Everyone in power had been raised in a religious environment that taught that blacks were the descendants of Ham who was cursed by his father....

  > MORE

• 

  Talia Whyte

  Journalist & Activist

  African-Americans need to 'raise hell' about climate change

  8:10 AM on 09/23/2009

  OPINION - Right here in the United States, there are serious climate issues that need to be addressed, and these problems disproportionately affect African Americans......

  > MORE

• 

  Cheo Tyehimba

  Author & Activist

  Spare the rod, save your child

  7:42 AM on 09/23/2009

  OPINION - A study of more than 2,500 toddlers found that, for poor children as young as one, spanking is not only commonplace but promotes more aggressive behavior by age two......

  > MORE

• 

  Charlton McIlwain

  Professor, Author & Co-Director of the RaceProject.org

  Shift in race discussion needed for our kids and our media

  8:50 AM on 09/22/2009

  OPINION - Even the youngest among us recognize and realize the utility in making racial distinctions. Should we be concerned? If so, by what, exactly? ...

  > MORE

What We need to Know about the G20 Summit

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University, AOL Black Voices 

From MSNBC’s TheGrio.com 

Uncle Ben from Spiderman made the most prophetic statement of the entire film series in his dying days (I almost cried, but don't tell anybody): "With great power comes great responsibility." Most of us understood what Uncle Ben was trying to say, and that includes Barack Obama.

Uncle Ben should have been the keynote speaker at the latest G-20 Summit, taking place this week in Pittsburgh,PA. The G-20 Summit is a gathering of the Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors of the world's 19 wealthiest countries, plus the European Union. These countries encompass 85 percent of the world's gross domestic product, so they would probably meet Uncle Ben's qualification for "great power," at least when it comes to money.

The G-20 Summit's primary objective is to achieve broad cooperation on the preservation of international financial stability. The motivations of the group, created in 1999, are seemingly noble and make perfect sense in light of the fact that the global economy has reached an unprecedented level of integration. If large nations do not work together, the world's financial system will be subject to alarming amounts of volatility.

Not everyone can see the vision behind G-20 ambitions. Usually, the gatherings of the G-20 are as out of control as a frat party, as protesters have made a game out of disrupting the meetings as much as they possibly can. To prepare for this year's economic fiesta, the city of Pittsburgh has brought in 4,000 police, 2,000 National Guard troops and 11 Coast Guard vessels.

Police, in an overwhelming show of force, declared Thursday's march illegal almost as soon as it began, firing rubber bullets and canisters of pepper spray and smoke after small bands of anarchists responded to calls to disperse by rolling huge metal trash bins, throwing rocks and breaking windows. As of Friday morning, reports said nearly 70 people had been arrested and police were bracing for scattered protests around downtown.

President Obama, being the conflicted capitalist/black man/ex-community organizer that he is, made some telling comments about the demonstrators.

Click to read more on MSNBC’s TheGrio.com.

Dr Elaina George on How to Stay Healthy – Quick Tips

by Dr Elaina George, Your Black World Medical Correspondent

Instead of waiting for the outcome of the healthcare debate to decide your fate, use some simple common sense strategies to take back the power to control your own health.

1. Start exercising

An increase in activity of as little as 20 minutes 3 times a week can make a difference in your risk of heart disease,

diabetes and obesity. You don’t have to get fancy with a gym membership. Try taking the stairs at work instead of the

elevator, or park further from the entrance when you go to the market or mall.

2. Eat Smaller portions

You may not want to give up your junk food or fried food, but try to limit your portions. Instead of buying a six pack

of soda, buy a two liter bottle. You can better control the portions along with your intake of calories.

Click to read.

Read more at Your Black World, the top black news website in America

Obama’s Losing His Approval, but All is Not Lost

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, AOL Black Voices, Syracuse University, TheGrio.com 

In an appropriate show of respect, President Barack Obama addressed theCongressional Black Caucus Foundation Conference this weekend. His speech focused primarily on healthcare, which has become the latest battleground for our challenged new leader. In the eyes of the public, Obama is no longer the cool, hip politician he was a few months ago. He is now the guy considered to be too moderate to be liberal, too socialist to be conservative, too black to be white and too white to be "down." Obama can't quite be anything to anyone, which is the price he must now pay for trying to be everything to everyone.
Michelle Obama, as lovely as she is, arrived to the event with the president by her side. The couple, when appearing together, present an inspiring portrait of successful black love. Every black woman in America looks at Michelle and dreams of having her own political Mandingo accompanying her and her children to important social events.

Click to read more at AOL Black Voices

If the link doesn’t work, click here to find Dr. Watkins’ articles on AOL

Obama Addresses the Congressional Black Caucus Convention

President BarackObama on Saturday resumed his push to overhaul the health care system, telling a Congressional Black Caucus conference that there comes a time when "the cup of endurance runs over."

"We have been waiting for health reform since the days of Teddy Roosevelt. We've been waiting since the days of Harry Truman," he said in remarks at the caucus foundation's annual dinner. "We've been waiting since Johnson and Nixon and Clinton."

"We cannot wait any longer," Obama said.

Obama spent the past week largely focused on global and economic issues in meetings with world leaders in New York and Pittsburgh.

At the G-20 economic summit that wrapped up Friday in Pennsylvania, Obama told a story about an unnamed foreign leader who privately told the president he didn't understand the at-times contentious debate over changing the health care system.

"He says, 'We don't understand it. You're trying to make sure everybody has health care and they're putting a Hitler mustache on you. That doesn't make sense to me,'" Obama said, quoting the world leader he declined to identify.

 

Click here to read.

Black News from thegrio- 9/26/09

• 

  Caught on tape: Safety officer chokes student

  By theGrio

  4:12 PM on 09/25/2009

  VIDEO - The Richmond County, Georgia Board of Education just released a video of a former safety officer choking a student at a high school football game...

  > MORE

• 

  Teenage crush may have motivated murder

  By theGrio

  3:34 PM on 09/25/2009

  VIDEO - U.S. Marshals pulled 16-year-old Shanovia Mack from Jupiter High School Thursday and charged her with 2nd degree murder...

  > MORE

• 

  Floyd Mayweather Jr. becoming pay-per-view king

  By theGrio via AP

  12:15 PM on 09/25/2009

  Mayweather's victory over Juan Manuel Marquez last weekend generated an impressive 1 million pay-per-view buys, HBO Sports announced Friday...

  > MORE

• 

  Young woman's disappearance baffles police, family

  By theGrio

  11:57 AM on 09/25/2009

  VIDEO - Last week, Mitrice Richardson entered an exclusive Malibu restaurant alone and was later arrested after she couldn't pay her $89 bill...

  > MORE

• 

  Three burglars take baby on break-in spree

  By theGrio

  11:56 AM on 09/25/2009

  VIDEO - Police say two women and a man accused of breaking into homes in Houston took a baby along for the ride...

  > MORE

• 

  $258M in Haiti aid projects announced at the Clinton conference

  By theGrio

  9:03 AM on 09/25/2009

  PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) -- The Clinton Global Intiative is announcing $258 million worth of aid projects for this impoverished country...

  > MORE

• 

  Caught on tape: Officer strangles woman, punches man in the face

  By theGrio

  8:21 AM on 09/25/2009

  VIDEO - The video is shocking. It shows a young woman grabbed by her neck and pushed backward onto a table. It was that scene which caused another nightclub patron to approach the officer...

  > MORE

• 

  NFL receives A- grade for racial hiring practices

  By theGrio via AP

  8:05 AM on 09/25/2009

  AP - A study analyzed data provided by the league on the racial breakdown of players and coaches ...

  > MORE

Dr Boyce Watkins: Did BET Go Too Far with Skank Robbers?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

Your Black World, Syracuse University, AOL Black Voices, TheGrio.com 

During the BET Awards, Martin Lawrence and Jamie Foxx did a skit called "Skank Robbers," which you can watch below. Some have argued that the video goes over the top, producing stereotypical images of black women to the point of being offensive. Referring to them as "skanks" was enough to draw the ire of many African Americans, but there was also a point in the video in which the narrator says, "From the producers of 'Planet of the Apes'."

This video leads to the following questions as it pertains to BET:1) Who's making the decisions? I'd love to see what thought process goes into deciding to make R. Kelly your keynote performer right after he is accused of creating child pornography, or having Lil Wayne sing about wanting to have sex with every girl in the world while underage girls are dancing on stage. I don't hate BET, and I've done a great deal of work with them in the past, but I would like very much for them to explain to the public exactly how they operate.

 

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Christopher Chestnut JD – Why You MUST Have Property Insurance

Christopher Chestnut (pictured above)

Your Black World, AOL Black Voices 

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

Most of us know very little about the ins and outs of property insurance. Christopher Chestnut is not in that category. As a prominent attorney out of Florida, Mr. Chestnut has taken on multi-million dollar cases and handled some of the most complex lawsuits imaginable. As one of the leading young black attorneys in America, Chestnut has been recognized by President Obama for his outstanding accomplishments.

I spoke to Chris this week about Property Insurance and what it can do to make your life a little simpler. Here is what he had to say:

1) If you rent, make sure you have renter's insurance. Also, make sure your landlord has homeowner's insurance, since renter's insurance only includes the contents that are INSIDE the house

2) Check your landlord's insurance regarding injuries on your rented property. Most people are unaware of the fact that the homeowner is liable in the event that someone is injured on their property. Even if the children across the street climb the fence to get into your yard, you are liable if one of them gets hurt. Find out how your landlord's homeowner's insurance would cover you if someone has an accident.

Click to read more.

Your Black News: ACORN mounts legal challenge

 

From USA Today

LOS ANGELES — Millicent Hill says God put her in her stucco home on East 92nd Street, but she believes she would have lost the house without ACORN.

Hill's home is a center of after-school activity for kids in the Watts neighborhood in gritty South-Central Los Angeles. Children in her church-supported program can avoid the street, get a snack, work on a computer or get a hug.

LAST WEEK: House votes to defund ACORN

When "Mama" Hill, as she's known, faced foreclosure, ACORN members showed up at a public auction to protest, prompting the lender to cancel the sale. ACORN then found a buyer who rents it back to Hill. "I wouldn't be here without ACORN, and all of the kids would have to go somewhere else," says Hill, 69. "And they've got nowhere else to go."

Here and in other states, ACORN focuses on helping people with housing issues, supporting changes to health care and immigration policies, and registering voters.

ACORN — which has received about $53 million in federal funds since 1994 — has long been a target of conservatives because of its ties to Democrats. Attacks increased after its aggressive voter-registration and get-out-the-vote efforts for President Obama last year. Now, videos showing ACORN workers giving advice to conservative activists posing as a pimp and a prostitute are raising questions about its tactics and finances — and whether it can survive.

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Your Black News: Census Worker Lynched in Kentucky

A U.S. Census worker found hanged from a tree near a Kentucky cemetery had the word "fed" scrawled on his chest, a law enforcement official said Wednesday, and the FBI is investigating whether he was a victim of anti-government sentiment.

The law enforcement official, who was not authorized to discuss the case and requested anonymity, did not say what type of instrument was used to write the word on the chest of Bill Sparkman, a 51-year-old part-time Census field worker and teacher. He was found Sept. 12 in a remote patch of the Daniel Boone National Forest in rural southeast Kentucky.

The Census Bureau has suspended door-to-door interviews in rural Clay County, where the body was found, pending the outcome of the investigation. An autopsy report is pending.

 

Click to read.

Your Black World

The Real Deal on College: Is it Worth It?

Daily Orange – Syracuse University

No Easy Decision: Higher Education Requires High Contemplation
With the economy just now taking steps to recover from a recession that caused millions of jobs to be lost, the four words, "was it worth it?" have likely been uttered by thousands of debt-ridden college graduates.

According to collegeboard.com, the average yearly cost of tuition and fees at a four-year public college for the 2008-09 year was $6,585, while private schools cost an average of $25,143. The Syracuse University Web site lists its tuition for 2009-10 as $33,630, with its total cost of attendance reaching an estimated $50,100.

Four years later, does this $200,000 expense, whether the financial resources come from family, 40-hour workweeks or loans, guarantee a high-paying job?
As a student with hopes of getting a job whose success I can parlay into a long and happy career, I find college to be extremely important and value the opportunities it has given me. However, I strongly disagree with the notion that college is right for everyone.

 

Click to read.

Is the Death of the Medical Profession Coming?

 

by Dr. Elaina George

 

Reports estimate that 50-60% of doctors will be sued during the course of their career. However, only 10-20% of those cases actually go to trial. Of those that go to trial, doctors are found innocent of malpractice 80% of the time. This demonstrates the fact that although the perception exists that there may be a lot of bad doctors practicing bad medicine this is actually not the case.

Unfortunately, this perception has led to an explosion in the costs of practicing medicine. Over the last 5-10 years medical malpractice premiums have gone through the roof from primary care to neurosurgery. In Florida, for example, malpractice premiums for OB-GYNs have risen to as high as 250,000 per year. This staggering statistic highlights the unintended consequence of limiting access to medical care for women who live in those states. Florida is not alone, it is happening all over the country. Physicians have either moved out of state, retired early, or they have restricted the type of medicine they practice because they cannot afford the cost of doing business.

The medical malpractice industry operates very much like the medical insurance industry. They have raised premiums on physicians by double digits every year since 2004. They have denied doctors coverage and in some cases doctors have had to limit their scope of practice to be able to afford the premiums. Meanwhile, the profits among the medical malpractice companies are some of the highest within the insurance property/casualty industry according to the Americans for insurance report .

I know a colleague who at the peak of his profession has stopped performing surgery and is now leaving ENT because the cost of his malpractice premiums was simply overwhelming. This trend is affecting patients now. Not only are we losing doctors with the most experience, we are facing a long term physician shortage because less of the best and brightest people are choosing to go to medical school not only because of restrictions on how they treat their patients, but also because they have little to look forward to except overwhelming debt with little prospect of paying it off.

 

Dr Elaina George is Board certified Otolaryngologist who started Peachtree ENT Center with a mission to practice state of the art medicine that is available to everyone. She graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Biology. She received her Masters degree in Medical Microbiology at Long Island University, and received her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. Dr George completed her residency at Manhattan, Eye Ear & Throat Hospital. Her training included general surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital, pediatric ENT at The NY-Presbyterian Hospital, and head and neck oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She has published in several scientific journals and presented her research at national meetings.

To contact Dr. George, please call (901) 413-0203

Dr Boyce Money: Tavis Smiley, Wells Fargo and Not Throwing Tavis Under the Bus

 

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World, AOL Black Voices 

When I read about the predatory lending allegations against Tavis Smiley and Wells Fargo, I wasn't surprised. Not because I feel that Tavis is some kind of crook, but because economic downturns are usually when everyone's dirty laundry gets aired out. The high flying 2000s were a decade of extravagance, overspending, easy money and troubled relationships. The party was bound to end. Smiley's party has ended with Wells Fargo, as the company has been accused of using Tavis Smiley and financial expert Kelvin Boston to convince African Americans to sign on to loans that turned out to be predatory. Neither Boston nor Smiley is willing to disclose the amount they were paid for the service, but I'm sure it wasn't chump change.
I've been open and honest in my critiques of Tavis Smiley in the past, but I give credit where it's due. I've always felt that Tavis Smiley is a man who works out of a sincere respect and appreciation for the black community. He is not out to hoodwink, swindle or hurt us, at least not deliberately. At worst, Smiley is guilty of being caught in a situation that he may not have fully understood.
Although I agree with the black community's decision to hold Tavis Smiley accountable for his actions, I want us to be cautious of going overboard in our judgments. Here are 5 things I want to say about Tavis Smiley:

Click to read more on AOL Black Voices.

Black News: Magic Johnson, Cornel West Make a Stop at the CBC Weekend

Preview ’09 A Red Carpet Affair

Washington, DC - On September 24^th, 2009, IMPACT will bring together the most influential young politicos and professionals of color to honor emerging leaders during Preview ’09—a Red Carpet Affair.  This exclusive reception, held just blocks away from the White House at the St. Regis Hotel, will celebrate the contributions young professionals make to their communities and nation.

Each month IMPACT highlights young leaders excelling professionally while transforming their community.  The “IMPACT Leader of the Year” will be honored at Preview ’09 during the Annual Legislative Conference (ALC).  As these young African American professionals come to honor IMPACT leaders, new relationships will be forged and connections made to ensure that the pathway to excellence is available for every young African American to make an IMPACT.  More details below:

When: Thursday, September 24, 2009

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

To RSVP your attendance, please visit: www.impact-dc.com

Where:             St. Regis Hotel

16^th and K Street NW

Washington, DC

Who: Hosted by BET’s Jeff Johnson

Young African American Politicos

Honorary co-chairs include:

Senator Roland Burris

Congressman Gregory Meeks

Congressman Andre Carson

Congresswoman Yvette Clarke

Congressman Keith Ellison

To find out about more CBC events hosted by IMPACT, please click here.

Black News off the Grio – 9/22/09

Actor Hill Harper talks relationships in his new book

By Jessica Shim

1:07 PM on 09/22/2009

Best known for his work on CSI: NY, Hill Harper is a New York Times bestselling author with two books under his belt with a third released this month...

> more

Extreme flooding across the southeast

By theGrio

1:00 PM on 09/22/2009

VIDEO- Driving rains continue to fall across the south. Storms over the last several days have created dangerous, and deadly conditions.

> more

Husband of slain wife and five children had history of domestic abuse

By theGrio via AP

11:30 AM on 09/22/2009

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- A Florida woman slain along with her five children endured regular abuse from her husband but seemed overwhelmed by trying to raise the kids herself and wanted him around as a father figure...

> more

NAACP supports Gov. Paterson

By theGrio via AP

1:15 PM on 09/21/2009

Beleaguered Gov. David Paterson is getting some support from a home town NAACP...

> more

Your Black News: Did BET Step over the Line with “Skank Robbers”?

Your Black World 

Were black women being disrespected by this BET video or was this just good old fashioned fun?  Martin Lawrence and Jamie Foxx are the “women” in the video.

Dr Boyce Watkins: Obama’s Stuck in a Racial Twilight Zone

Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University , MSNBC’s TheGrio.com 

A few years ago, Dr. Cornel West wrote an outstanding book called "Race Matters." In the book, he explains why a post-racial America is not yet a reality. Race certainly matters in our nation, and we don't need to look any further than the anti-Obama lynch mobs to find evidence of this fact.

What is most interesting is that the people who hate Obama for being black don't even realize that this is the reason they hate him. That's how the social sickness called "racism" sneaks into the very fabric of the social infrastructure on which our country operates.

President Obama's recent experience is yet another reminder that the disease of racism has its greatest impact on those who think they've been cured. In spite of his continuous efforts to "just get along" with those on the right wing, they have insisted upon engaging in some of the most pathetic, thug-like behavior imaginable, creating a climate unlike anything our country has seen in the last 30 years.

If you think this has nothing to do with Obama being black, you need to open a history book. Lynch mobs rarely attacked a black man just for being black. They attacked him for being black and doing something that white people found to be unacceptable.

Click to read on MSNBC’s TheGrio.com.

Your Black News: Haitian Family Found Dead in Miami

USA Today

NAPLES, Fla. — Five young children and their mother were found dead in a Florida apartment, and authorities were searching Sunday for the woman's husband, who had left the country.

Mesac Damas, 33, boarded a flight to Haiti from Miami International Airport on Friday, said Collier County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Michelle Batten. Damas has family from Haiti, she said. Sheriff's officials said they want to talk to Damas, who is a person of interest.

The victims were identified as Guerline Damas, 32, and her children: Michzach, 9; Marven, 6; Maven, 5; Megan, 3; and 11-month-old Morgan. Batten would not say how they died, but according to the Fort Myers News-Press, Guerline Damas' brother, Foren Dieu, said police told relatives that the victims' throats were cut.

Family members contacted authorities Thursday saying they hadn't heard from the mother. A missing person report was filed the next day, and on Saturday, the sheriff's office entered the home in a gated community in Naples and found the bodies, Batten said.

Click to read.

Your Black News from AOL Black Voices – 9/20/09

From AOL Black Voices 

Yale Student Murder Symptomatic of Growing Workplace Violence

• The murder of Yale University Lab Technician Annie Le was sad, particularly since her body was ... Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV on Money | Comments (2)

Wendy Williams and Dr. Boyce Talk Hip Hop and Money

• In this video, I was in studio with the great Wendy Williams. I've written about Wendy in the past, ... Read More
• Posted by Boyce Watkins, PhD in BV Black Spin | Comments (1)

Going Natural Sucks?

• Well, you probably already know that I don't feel that way myself. But some recent transitioners on ... Read More
• Posted by Patrice Grell Yursik in BV Hair Talk | Comments (6)

The Week That Was: Mo'Nique Moves on, Roxanne Shante Rings Alarm

• She may have been a no-show at the Toronto International Festival earlier this week, but Mo'Nique ... Read More
• Posted by Karu F. Daniels in BV Newswire | Comments (0)

King Memorial Foundation Discovers Red Tape

• There is nothing more annoying than reading the word "urgent" in the subject line of an e-mail ... Read More
• Posted by Carmen Dixon in BV Black Spin | Comments (3)

45,000 U.S. Deaths Caused By Lack of Insurance? We Need to Do Something Now

• A Reuters story posted yesterday serves up a shocking statistic: "Nearly 45,000 people die in the ... Read More
• Posted by Alexis Stodghill in Black Voices Insurance | Comments (1)