Technology is a double-edged sword. Despite the speed and convenience of the digital age, it also has opened the portal to overuse and misuse. Business can use data to more narrowly target customers; candidates can more effectively pump potential donors for money. It’s how AARP can find and welcome you as a member even before [...]
Bill Clinton’s Caution on Syria May Stem From His Own Regrets
June 17, 2013 | Posted by
Former President Bill Clinton suggested President Obama might appear to be a “total fool” or a “wuss,” if he chooses not to get involved in the civil war in Syria. Clinton chastised the president for proceeding with caution as Syrian forces clash with rebel groups that are intent on dislodging repressive President Bashar al-Assad. Last [...]
Jessie Thornton, Retired Firefighter, Targeted for Driving While Black [UPDATED]
June 11, 2013 | Posted by
[UPDATE: Response from Surprise Police Chief Michael Frazier added at bottom] Many people have seen video clips of police using radar guns that indicate trees or parked cars were exceeding the speed limit, but it is even more difficult to comprehend that someone with a Breathalyzer blood alcohol reading of 0.000 could be arrested and charged [...]
In Handling Bullies, President and First Lady Use Decidedly Different Approaches
June 7, 2013 | Posted by
The Obamas don’t take bullying lightly, but the couple has markedly different ways of handling it. The president often has been chided by supporters for not taking the fight to his opponents. To them, he seems to bend over backward to be polite, even when the attack seems to be as much a sign of [...]
Consumer Groups Try to Stop Banks From Pushing Payday Loans
June 4, 2013 | Posted by
The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) sent correspondence to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), urging them to take action against promotion of payday loans by the banks they supervise. “This proposed guidance is urgently needed,” according to the formal comments by the CRL and [...]
Chicago Sun-Times Axes Entire Photo Staff, Another Sad Day for Journalism
June 2, 2013 | Posted by
It’s a sad day for journalism, particularly photojournalism. The Chicago Sun-Times announced Thursday that it would lay off its entire staff of 28 photographers, including John H. White, the legendary Pulitzer Prize winner who trained and mentored many of those who were pink-slipped along with him. Some of the photographers told the Chicago Tribune that [...]
Even With New Term Limits, Mugabe Isn’t Stepping Down in Zimbabwe
May 30, 2013 | Posted by
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, who has ruled the former Rhodesia since it gained independence 30 years ago, said he has no intentions of stepping down. “There is a fight to fight. My people still need me,” the 89-year-old leader said in an upcoming documentary produced by Dali Tambo, the son of South African anti-apartheid hero [...]
House Considering Bill that Could Hurt Mortgage Borrowers
May 26, 2013 | Posted by
A House bill sitting in the Financial Services Committee could weaken a key mortgage reform that was intended to protect homebuyers from excessive fees during the process of obtaining a mortgage, according to consumer lending organizations. According to the Center for Responsible Lending, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act was designed to [...]
As We Mourn for Oklahoma City, Blacks Should Pay Attention to Local Climate Change Issues
May 22, 2013 | Posted by
The size of the tornado that caused such devastation in Oklahoma and predictions that there will be an especially active hurricane season later this year, not to mention above average snowfall in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, have many people focusing on climate change and whether it can explain extremes in weather patterns. The National Oceanic [...]
GOP May Regret Attacking Obama With Political Sideshows
May 14, 2013 | Posted by
In January 2012, as the presidential campaign moved into full swing, congressional Republicans vowed to unite to deny President Obama a second term. House Speaker John Boehner said he had instructed every committee chairman to step-up oversight of the Obama administration. The strategy was to nitpick everything the administration did, from national security to foreign [...]
