News

A collective sigh is being let out around the world. More than a year after swine flu was declared a global pandemic, the world has finally entered a “post-pandemic period.” The World Health Organization downgraded H1N1 from pandemic status on its six-stage alert system. The virus has killed an estimated 19,000 people worldwide so far, compared with the…

The Old Spice guy is making waves again. This time it’s in the film world. Isaiah Mustafa, who has gained worldwide fame for his turn as the Old Spice guy, had been cast in Tyler Perry’s production of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf. He recently learned that he…

House members passed a $26 billion education jobs bill. On top of funding Medicaid, it will save at least 161,000 teachers from pink slips and also help stifle losses of another 158,000 public employees. What many don’t know is that it accomplishes this by cutting $12 million from future food-stamp funding.  The recession has driven food-stamp rolls…

America appears to be fed up with the status quo. Inexperienced and first-time political candidates are winning convincingly in this year’s primaries. The latest winners are appointed Sen. Michael Bennett of Colorado and WWE millionaire Linda McMahon of Connecticut. Bennett won a bitter Democratic primary against his rival, and McMahon dispatched of her opponent in…

Eugene Robinson of The Washington Post wrote a powerful column about the recent ruling by U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker that overturned California’s Proposition 8 law banning gay marriage: “He [Walker] frames gay marriage as a question involving the most basic, cherished rights that the Constitution guarantees to all Americans. In doing so, he raises…

Recent statements challenging the impartiality of U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker — the author of last week’s decision striking down California’s anti-gay marriage law — are sadly reminiscent of arguments challenging the impartiality of black judges presiding over civil rights cases 30 years ago. The leader of the conservative Family Research Council gave robust voice…

The House of Representatives passed a $26 billion measure Tuesday afternoon to help avoid teacher layoffs. Democrats said the move was necessary because of state and local government cutbacks. Specifically, it includes $10 billion for teacher positions and $16 billion to help cover state Medicaid payments. Republican leaders have blasted the bill as an irresponsible…

Last month Politico reported on a “little-noticed” section of the Wall Street reform bill. It gives the feds power to kill contracts with firms that fail to initiate workplace diversity. The law requires “fair inclusion” of women and minorities and “goes further than previous attempts by regulators to promote diversity in the financial sector.” The…

It has been a tough day for North Carolina. Former Olympic star Antonio Pettigrew was found dead in Chatham County. Pettigrew’s body was found in the back seat of his car, which was parked close to a bridge. Chatham County sheriff Maj. Gary Blankenship says the car was locked, and there was evidence that the 42-year-old…

Former American Idol star Fantasia Barrino was hospitalized last night in Charlotte, N.C., for what authorities are calling a medication overdose. Barrino has been at the center of a cheating scandal for the past year. The wife of Antwaun Cook, the man with whom Barrino is alleged to have had an affair, named Barrino in…