president donald trump, in a tweet on saturday morning, withdrew an invitation to the white house for the 2017 nba champion golden state warriors. traditionally, championship professional sports teams visit for various annual ceremonies.
trump tweeted, "going to the white house is considered a great honor for a championship team. stephen curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn."
curry and nba finals most valuable player kevin durant publicly admitted they wouldn't go to the white house. durant said he "has no respect for the man in office right now." warriors coach steve kerr has also expressed his disdain with the current administration's polices in the media.
the warriors today released a statement, "while we intended to meet as a team at the first opportunity we had this morning to collaboratively discuss a potential visit to the white house, we accept that president trump has made it clear that we are not invited. we believe there is nothing more american than our citizens having the right to express themselves freely on matters important to them."
the statement says, "we're disappointed that we did not have an opportunity during this process to share our views or have open dialogue on issues impacting our communities that we felt we would be important to raise. in lieu of a visit to the white house, we have decided that we'll constructively use our trip to the nation's capital in february to celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion - the values we embrace as an organization."
i am
- mark j. tuggle
- harlem, usa
- same-gender-loving contemporary descendant of enslaved africans. community activist, feminist, health educator, independent filmmaker, mentor, playwright, poet & spiritual being. featured at, in & on africana.com, afrikan poetry theatre, angel herald, bejata dot com, bet tonight with tavis smiley, blacklight online, black noir, brooklyn moon cafe, gmhc's barbershop, klmo-fm, lgbt community services center, longmoor productions, nuyorican poets cafe, our corner, poz, pulse, rolling out new york, rush arts gallery, saint veronica's church, schomburg center for research in black culture, sexplorations, the citizen, the new york times, the soundz bar, the trenton times, the village voice, upn news, uzuri, venus, vibe, wbai-fm, wnyc-fm & wqht-fm. volunteered with adodi, bailey house, inc., black men's xchange-new york, colorofchange.org, drug policy alliance, east harlem tutorial program, imagenation film & music festival, presente.org, save darfur coalition, the enough project, the osborne association, the sledge group & your black world. worked on films with maurice jamal & heather murphy. writing student of phil bertelsen & ed bullins. mjt975@msn.com.
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Racial Disparities in Youth Incarceration 2015
according to data collected from the department of justice in october 2015, black youth were more than five times as likely to be committed or detained compared to white youth. racial disparities have long plagued juvenile justice systems nationwide, and the new data shows the problem is worse.
in october 2015 about 1,800 residential treatment centers, detention centers, training schools, and juvenile jails and prisons held 48,043 youth. 44% were black - yet blacks comprise 16% of all youth in america. black youth are likelier to be in custody than white youth in every state but hawaii.
nationally, the youth rate of incarceration was 152 per 100,000. black youth placement rate was 433 per 100,000 and white youth placement rate was 86 per 100,000. overall, the racial disparity between black and white youth in custody increased 22% since 2001. racial disparities grew in 37 states and decreased in 13 states.
black youth are at least 10 times as likely to be held in placement as white youth in six states: connecticut, delaware, minnesota, montana, new jersey and wisconsin. racial disparities in five states doubled: connecticut, delaware, maryland, montana and wisconsin. three states decreased their racial disparities by at least half: new hampshire, vermont and west virginia.
in october 2015 about 1,800 residential treatment centers, detention centers, training schools, and juvenile jails and prisons held 48,043 youth. 44% were black - yet blacks comprise 16% of all youth in america. black youth are likelier to be in custody than white youth in every state but hawaii.
nationally, the youth rate of incarceration was 152 per 100,000. black youth placement rate was 433 per 100,000 and white youth placement rate was 86 per 100,000. overall, the racial disparity between black and white youth in custody increased 22% since 2001. racial disparities grew in 37 states and decreased in 13 states.
black youth are at least 10 times as likely to be held in placement as white youth in six states: connecticut, delaware, minnesota, montana, new jersey and wisconsin. racial disparities in five states doubled: connecticut, delaware, maryland, montana and wisconsin. three states decreased their racial disparities by at least half: new hampshire, vermont and west virginia.
2017 WNBA Season Awards
listed below are the winners of the 2017 season awards for the wbba:
peak performer, scoring - britney griner, phoenix mercury
peak performer, rebounding - jonquel jones, connecticut sun
peak performer, assists - courtney vandersloot, chicago sky
sixth woman of the year - sugar rodgers, new york liberty
most improved player - jonquel jones, connecticut sun
coach of the year - curt miller, connecticut sun
executive of the year - curt miller, connecticut sun
dawn staley community leadership - ivory latta, washington mystics
peak performer, scoring - britney griner, phoenix mercury
peak performer, rebounding - jonquel jones, connecticut sun
peak performer, assists - courtney vandersloot, chicago sky
sixth woman of the year - sugar rodgers, new york liberty
most improved player - jonquel jones, connecticut sun
coach of the year - curt miller, connecticut sun
executive of the year - curt miller, connecticut sun
dawn staley community leadership - ivory latta, washington mystics
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Charles Oakley Sues Knicks Owner James Dolan, Madison Square Garden and MSG Networks
former new york knicks all-star forward charles oakley filed a legal civil suit on tuesday in the u.s. district court southern district of new york. oakley is responding to his highly-publicized altercation with madison square garden security guards in february 2017.
the suit names embattled knicks owner james dolan, madison square garden and msg networks as defendants. the suit also identifies dolan as "one person who could not abide by mr. oakley's refusal to meekly submit to people in positions of power."
additionally, oakley accuses dolan of "a history of mistreating former employees." but his lawsuit does acknowledge dolan "inherited" control of the team from his father after oakley's time playing with the knicks.
oakley was physically removed from the garden during a knicks game with the los angeles clippers, arrested and subsequently banned from the world's most famous arena. dolan, himself a recovering alcoholic, publicly suggested oakley had an alcohol problem and anger management issues.
the suit also says, "as if their public mistreatment of mr. oakley was not embarrassing and shameful enough, over the ensuing days defendants dolan and msg launched a coordinated and defamatory public relations campaign." oakley seeks "all monetary and/or economic damages incurred as a result of defendants' unlawful actions in the lawsuit."
the suit names embattled knicks owner james dolan, madison square garden and msg networks as defendants. the suit also identifies dolan as "one person who could not abide by mr. oakley's refusal to meekly submit to people in positions of power."
additionally, oakley accuses dolan of "a history of mistreating former employees." but his lawsuit does acknowledge dolan "inherited" control of the team from his father after oakley's time playing with the knicks.
oakley was physically removed from the garden during a knicks game with the los angeles clippers, arrested and subsequently banned from the world's most famous arena. dolan, himself a recovering alcoholic, publicly suggested oakley had an alcohol problem and anger management issues.
the suit also says, "as if their public mistreatment of mr. oakley was not embarrassing and shameful enough, over the ensuing days defendants dolan and msg launched a coordinated and defamatory public relations campaign." oakley seeks "all monetary and/or economic damages incurred as a result of defendants' unlawful actions in the lawsuit."
Monday, September 11, 2017
Sloane Stephens and Rafael Nadal Win 2017 US Open Singles Titles
american sloane stephens dominated american madison keys 6-3, 6-0 on saturday to win the 2017 u.s. open singles championship in new york. stephens collected $3.7 million for capturing her first major singles title in her first major singles final.
stephens, 24, warmly embraced her compatriot and close friend keys at the net after match point. about the hefty paycheck, she later joked, "i should just retire now. i told maddie i'm never going to be able to top this. i mean, talk about a comeback." she missed 11 months due to foot surgery.
the 83rd ranked stephens is only the second unseeded women to win the tournament since the open era began in 1968. she beat five seeded players along the way. her 2017 record since losing first round matches at wimbledon and washington is 15-2, and her ranking, which plummeted to #943 last year, will be #17 on monday.
this was only the second time in the open era two women made their grand slam final debuts against each other in new york. the first two women to achieve that feat were serena and venus williams in 2002. all four women are black - a powerful cultural dynamic in a historically lily-white sport.
rafael nadal of spain defeated kevin anderson of south africa 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 on sunday to win the 2017 u.s. open singles championship in new york. nadal collected $3.7 million in capturing his third career u.s. open title and 16th major singles crown.
the world #1 struggled in 2015 and 2016 with knee and wrist injuries, but played in three grand slam finals this year. nadal lost the australian open to roger federer, dominated stan wawrinka for a record 10th french open and beat anderson, 31, the lowest-ranked (#28) u.s. open finalist since 1973.
"i always accepted all the challenges that my career present to me. the good news and the negative news, i accepted in the same way, in a very natural way. i am a person that i don't have much ups and downs. when i am in a negative moment, i don't go very down. when i am in a positive moment, probably like now, i don't believe that i am that good," nadal said.
not since pete sampras at wimbledon in 2000 had a man won a grand slam title without facing any opponent ranked in the top 20. five top 10 players withdrew due to injuries; as such, nadal, 31, did not have to face past defending champions andy murray, novak djokovic and stan wawrinka. federer lost to juan martin del potro in the quarterfinals, and nadal beat him in the semifinals.
stephens, 24, warmly embraced her compatriot and close friend keys at the net after match point. about the hefty paycheck, she later joked, "i should just retire now. i told maddie i'm never going to be able to top this. i mean, talk about a comeback." she missed 11 months due to foot surgery.
the 83rd ranked stephens is only the second unseeded women to win the tournament since the open era began in 1968. she beat five seeded players along the way. her 2017 record since losing first round matches at wimbledon and washington is 15-2, and her ranking, which plummeted to #943 last year, will be #17 on monday.
this was only the second time in the open era two women made their grand slam final debuts against each other in new york. the first two women to achieve that feat were serena and venus williams in 2002. all four women are black - a powerful cultural dynamic in a historically lily-white sport.
rafael nadal of spain defeated kevin anderson of south africa 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 on sunday to win the 2017 u.s. open singles championship in new york. nadal collected $3.7 million in capturing his third career u.s. open title and 16th major singles crown.
the world #1 struggled in 2015 and 2016 with knee and wrist injuries, but played in three grand slam finals this year. nadal lost the australian open to roger federer, dominated stan wawrinka for a record 10th french open and beat anderson, 31, the lowest-ranked (#28) u.s. open finalist since 1973.
"i always accepted all the challenges that my career present to me. the good news and the negative news, i accepted in the same way, in a very natural way. i am a person that i don't have much ups and downs. when i am in a negative moment, i don't go very down. when i am in a positive moment, probably like now, i don't believe that i am that good," nadal said.
not since pete sampras at wimbledon in 2000 had a man won a grand slam title without facing any opponent ranked in the top 20. five top 10 players withdrew due to injuries; as such, nadal, 31, did not have to face past defending champions andy murray, novak djokovic and stan wawrinka. federer lost to juan martin del potro in the quarterfinals, and nadal beat him in the semifinals.
Monday, August 28, 2017
Private Prisons in the United States
twenty eight states and the federal government use private prisons to incarcerate 126,272 people in america. in 2000, private prisons incarcerated 45% less people. today's figure represents eight percent of the total u.s. prison population.
states vary significantly in their use of private prisons. montana and new mexico have over 40% of their prisoners in private facilities. illinois and new york are two of 19 states in the united states with no private prisons.
the federal prison system leads the nation with the largest number of people, 34,934, incarcerated in private prisons. this number is expected to increase. despite former president obama's plan to phase out prison contracts, attorney general jeff sessions decided to renew the (current) department of justice's commitment to private facilities.
"the prison population decline in recent years provides an opportunity for new thinking about advancing justice and ensuring safety. streamlining this country's prison infrastructure, including terminating wasteful private prison contracts, should be an important part of this new strategy," said nicole porter, director of advocacy for the sentencing project in washington, dc.
states vary significantly in their use of private prisons. montana and new mexico have over 40% of their prisoners in private facilities. illinois and new york are two of 19 states in the united states with no private prisons.
the federal prison system leads the nation with the largest number of people, 34,934, incarcerated in private prisons. this number is expected to increase. despite former president obama's plan to phase out prison contracts, attorney general jeff sessions decided to renew the (current) department of justice's commitment to private facilities.
"the prison population decline in recent years provides an opportunity for new thinking about advancing justice and ensuring safety. streamlining this country's prison infrastructure, including terminating wasteful private prison contracts, should be an important part of this new strategy," said nicole porter, director of advocacy for the sentencing project in washington, dc.
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Trump Pardons Former Arizona Sheriff and Convicted Criminal Joe Arpaio
president donald trump on friday pardoned joe arpaio, the notorious former arizona sheriff. arpaio wilfully violated a federal judge's order by unlawfully detaining individuals his officers claimed might be in the country illegally.
arpaio was convicted of criminal contempt last month for violating 2011 order barring him and his office from detaining people solely based on his suspicions about their legal status. he proclaimed himself, "america's toughest sheriff." arpaio, 85, was scheduled to be sentenced october 5.
"throughout his time as sheriff, arpaio continued his life's work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration. sheriff joe arpaio is now 85 years old, and after more than 50 years of admirable service to our nation, is worthy of a presidential pardon," said the white house in a statement.
arpaio's officers called latinos, "fucking mexicans," "mexican bitches," "stupid mexicans," and "wetbacks." a report by the u.s. department of justice's civil rights division in 2011 concluded arpaio and his officers engaged in racial profiling and unlawful policing. they also found latino drivers were four to nine times as likely to be stopped by his officers than non-latino drivers.
"with his pardon of arpaio, trump has chosen lawlessness over justice, division over unity, hurt over healing. once again, the president has acted in support of illegal, failed immigration enforcement practices that target people of color and have been struck down by the courts. his pardon of arpaio is a presidential endorsement of racism," said cecilia wang, deputy legal director of the american civil liberties union.
normally, it can take a few years before a pardon is granted. the process is controlled by the justice department's office of the pardon attorney. background checks are conducted, character affidavits get notarized, federal prosecutors are consulted, letters are solicited and petitions are prepared as part of the arduous process.
but trump defiantly ignored the protocol. vanita gupta, the former chief of the justice department's civil rights division said, "if president trump uses his power to pardon a discredited law enforcement official who persistently engaged in illegal racial profiling of the latino community, it will not be a dog whistle to the so-called 'alt-right' and white supremacists, but a bull horn."
arpaio was convicted of criminal contempt last month for violating 2011 order barring him and his office from detaining people solely based on his suspicions about their legal status. he proclaimed himself, "america's toughest sheriff." arpaio, 85, was scheduled to be sentenced october 5.
"throughout his time as sheriff, arpaio continued his life's work of protecting the public from the scourges of crime and illegal immigration. sheriff joe arpaio is now 85 years old, and after more than 50 years of admirable service to our nation, is worthy of a presidential pardon," said the white house in a statement.
arpaio's officers called latinos, "fucking mexicans," "mexican bitches," "stupid mexicans," and "wetbacks." a report by the u.s. department of justice's civil rights division in 2011 concluded arpaio and his officers engaged in racial profiling and unlawful policing. they also found latino drivers were four to nine times as likely to be stopped by his officers than non-latino drivers.
"with his pardon of arpaio, trump has chosen lawlessness over justice, division over unity, hurt over healing. once again, the president has acted in support of illegal, failed immigration enforcement practices that target people of color and have been struck down by the courts. his pardon of arpaio is a presidential endorsement of racism," said cecilia wang, deputy legal director of the american civil liberties union.
normally, it can take a few years before a pardon is granted. the process is controlled by the justice department's office of the pardon attorney. background checks are conducted, character affidavits get notarized, federal prosecutors are consulted, letters are solicited and petitions are prepared as part of the arduous process.
but trump defiantly ignored the protocol. vanita gupta, the former chief of the justice department's civil rights division said, "if president trump uses his power to pardon a discredited law enforcement official who persistently engaged in illegal racial profiling of the latino community, it will not be a dog whistle to the so-called 'alt-right' and white supremacists, but a bull horn."
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Public comments are welcome on proposed Medical Marijuana regulatory changes in NY
starting wednesday august 23, and for the next 30 days, the public can make comments on the draft rules to make significant improvements to new york's medical marijuana program. the department of health wants to hear the voices of the community before they implement their initiatives.
some of the proposed changes would include:
allow more cannabis preparations, including chewable preparations, ground, whole plant (flower) cannabis and topical treatments.
reduce the burden on doctors by halving the length of the medical marijuana course from four hours to two.
revising unnecessarily onerous security requirements that drive up prices.
some of the proposed changes would include:
allow more cannabis preparations, including chewable preparations, ground, whole plant (flower) cannabis and topical treatments.
reduce the burden on doctors by halving the length of the medical marijuana course from four hours to two.
revising unnecessarily onerous security requirements that drive up prices.
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Michael Bennett and other NFL players are protesting the national anthem this season
seattle seahawks all-pro defensive end michael bennett has decided to sit during the national anthem for the upcoming football season. bennett, on sunday, during the team's preseason opener against the san diego chargers, sat alone to protest racial and social injustice.
bennett said he'd been considering protesting the national anthem for awhile. but the recent events in charlottesville, virginia - where a man drove his car, killed a woman and injured counterprotesters at a "unite the right" rally - fueled his decision to act with courage, faith and passion.
bennett said, "first of all, i want people to understand i love the military. my father was in the military. i love hot dogs like any other american. i love football, like any other american, but i don't love segregation. i don't love riots. i don't love oppression. i don't love gender slander."
"i just want to see people have the equality they deserve, and i want to be able to use this platform to continuously push the message of that, you know, and keep journeying out and keep finding out how unselfish we can be as a society," bennett said.
former san francisco 49ers quarterback colin kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem last season to raise awareness for mass incarceration, police oppression and racial inequality towards people of african descent. bennett's former teammate marshawn lynch sat during the national anthem of the los angeles raiders' preseason game sunday, but didn't say why.
rams defensive end robert quinn and eagles safety malcom jenkins raised a fist during anthems this week in protest of police brutality and police oppression. seahawks head coach pete carroll said he "plans to support bennett in anyway possible, " but also said, "we should all be standing for the national anthem."
seahawks wide receiver doug baldwin said he "absolutely considered" joining bennett and supporting his cause. baldwin also said he plans to sit during the national anthem throughout the entire regular football season.
bennett said he'd been considering protesting the national anthem for awhile. but the recent events in charlottesville, virginia - where a man drove his car, killed a woman and injured counterprotesters at a "unite the right" rally - fueled his decision to act with courage, faith and passion.
bennett said, "first of all, i want people to understand i love the military. my father was in the military. i love hot dogs like any other american. i love football, like any other american, but i don't love segregation. i don't love riots. i don't love oppression. i don't love gender slander."
"i just want to see people have the equality they deserve, and i want to be able to use this platform to continuously push the message of that, you know, and keep journeying out and keep finding out how unselfish we can be as a society," bennett said.
former san francisco 49ers quarterback colin kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem last season to raise awareness for mass incarceration, police oppression and racial inequality towards people of african descent. bennett's former teammate marshawn lynch sat during the national anthem of the los angeles raiders' preseason game sunday, but didn't say why.
rams defensive end robert quinn and eagles safety malcom jenkins raised a fist during anthems this week in protest of police brutality and police oppression. seahawks head coach pete carroll said he "plans to support bennett in anyway possible, " but also said, "we should all be standing for the national anthem."
seahawks wide receiver doug baldwin said he "absolutely considered" joining bennett and supporting his cause. baldwin also said he plans to sit during the national anthem throughout the entire regular football season.
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Serena Williams Tops Highest Paid Female Athletes in 2017
tennis player serena williams (of the united states) is the highest paid female professional athlete in 2017. her total earnings of $27 million includes $19 million in endorsements and $8 million in prize money. listed below are the female athletes who comprise the top 10 this year:
#2 - angelique kerber, tennis player, germany: $12.6 million in total earnings; $7.6 in salary and winnings; $5 million in endorsements.
#3 - daniica patrick, race car driver, united states: $12.2 million in total earnings: $7.2 million in salary and winnings; $5 million in endorsements.
#4 - ronda rousey, ucf fighter, united states: $11 million in total earnings; $8 million in salary and winnings; $3 million in endorsements.
#5 - venus williams, tennis player, united states: $10.5 million in total earnings; $3.5 million in salary and winnings; $7 million in endorsements.
#6 - garbine muguruza, tennis player, spain: $7.7 million in total earnings; $4.2 million in salary and winnings; $3.5 million in endorsements.
#7 - caroline wozniacki, tennis player, denmark: $7.5 million in total earnings; $2.5 million in salary and winnings; $5 million in endorsements.
#8 - agnieszka radwanska, tennis player, poland: $7.3 million in total earnings; $3.3 million in salary and winnings; $4 million in endorsements.
#9 - eugenie bouchard, tennis player, canada: $7.1 million in total earnings; $0.6 million in salary and winnings; $6.5 million in endorsements.
#10 - simona halep, tennis player, romania: $6.2 million in total earnings; $4.7 million in salary and winnings; $1.5 million in endorsements.
#2 - angelique kerber, tennis player, germany: $12.6 million in total earnings; $7.6 in salary and winnings; $5 million in endorsements.
#3 - daniica patrick, race car driver, united states: $12.2 million in total earnings: $7.2 million in salary and winnings; $5 million in endorsements.
#4 - ronda rousey, ucf fighter, united states: $11 million in total earnings; $8 million in salary and winnings; $3 million in endorsements.
#5 - venus williams, tennis player, united states: $10.5 million in total earnings; $3.5 million in salary and winnings; $7 million in endorsements.
#6 - garbine muguruza, tennis player, spain: $7.7 million in total earnings; $4.2 million in salary and winnings; $3.5 million in endorsements.
#7 - caroline wozniacki, tennis player, denmark: $7.5 million in total earnings; $2.5 million in salary and winnings; $5 million in endorsements.
#8 - agnieszka radwanska, tennis player, poland: $7.3 million in total earnings; $3.3 million in salary and winnings; $4 million in endorsements.
#9 - eugenie bouchard, tennis player, canada: $7.1 million in total earnings; $0.6 million in salary and winnings; $6.5 million in endorsements.
#10 - simona halep, tennis player, romania: $6.2 million in total earnings; $4.7 million in salary and winnings; $1.5 million in endorsements.
Thursday, July 20, 2017
Cook County Jail in Chicago allows in-person voting
in march, for the first time in almost 10 years, eligible voters incarcerated in cook county jail were allowed to vote in-person, rather than by mail. iillinois amended a state law banning people in jail from voting in 2005.
the ability to vote depends on having supportive jail administrators and election officials to help facilitate voter education drives. some election officials work closely with their county jails; others expect incarcerated men and women to alert election officials and staff they want to register or vote.
cook county clerk david orr said, "i believe everybody entitled to vote should be able to vote. it's a matter of human dignity and how society chooses to treat those in jail." orr is responsible for overseeing county elections.
the chicago reporter stated the cook county jail is one of just a few in the country to allow in-person voter registration and voting. the sargent shriver national center on poverty law during this past year sent volunteers to the jail every weekend to provide voter education and registration for people awaiting trial.
1,200 ballots came from cook county jail, which has a population of about 7,000 people and is 74% black. mbekeani-wiley of the shriver center said, "people that are currently detained are impacted by those same very policies that are elected officials are making critical decisions on. they should be part of that process."
in 2015, about 700,000 people were held in jails across the country. 63% of those individuals were being held pretrial - and were therefore eligible to vote. there isn't a current system to accurately track whether are not eligible voters in jail are being denied voting rights. but advocacy groups like the sentencing project suggest more attention should be focused on expanding voter access in jails.
the ability to vote depends on having supportive jail administrators and election officials to help facilitate voter education drives. some election officials work closely with their county jails; others expect incarcerated men and women to alert election officials and staff they want to register or vote.
cook county clerk david orr said, "i believe everybody entitled to vote should be able to vote. it's a matter of human dignity and how society chooses to treat those in jail." orr is responsible for overseeing county elections.
the chicago reporter stated the cook county jail is one of just a few in the country to allow in-person voter registration and voting. the sargent shriver national center on poverty law during this past year sent volunteers to the jail every weekend to provide voter education and registration for people awaiting trial.
1,200 ballots came from cook county jail, which has a population of about 7,000 people and is 74% black. mbekeani-wiley of the shriver center said, "people that are currently detained are impacted by those same very policies that are elected officials are making critical decisions on. they should be part of that process."
in 2015, about 700,000 people were held in jails across the country. 63% of those individuals were being held pretrial - and were therefore eligible to vote. there isn't a current system to accurately track whether are not eligible voters in jail are being denied voting rights. but advocacy groups like the sentencing project suggest more attention should be focused on expanding voter access in jails.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
2017 NBA Awards
the first ever nba awards ceremony were aired live in new york city on tnt june 25. the traditional season-ending awards - plus six new categories - were determined by fan voting. listed below are the distinguished honorees:
most valuable player - russell westbrook, oklahoma city thunder
rookie of the year - malcolm brogdon, milwaukee bucks
defensive player of the year - draymond green, golden state warriors
sixth man award - eric gordon, houston rockets
most improved player - giannis antetokounmpo, milwaukee bucks
coach of the year - mike d'antoni, houston rockets
executive of the year - bob myers, golden state warriors
nba sportsmanship award - kemba walker, charlotte hornets
nba cares community assist award - isaiah thomas, boston celtics
sager strong award - monty williams, san antonio spurs
best playoff moment - kevin durant (golden state warriors) hits pull-up three-pointer late in game three of the nba finals
performance of the year - klay thompson (golden state warriors) scores 60 points in three quarters against the indiana pacers
game-winner of the year - russell westbrook vs. the denver nuggets
hustle award - patrick beverley, houston rockets
dunk of the year - victor oladipo (thunder) vs. the atlanta hawks
block of the year - kawhi leonard (spurs) vs. the houston rockets
assist of the year - golden state's green to stephen curry to durant
twyman-stokes teammate of the year award - dirk nowitzki, dallas mavericks
best style - russell westrbrook
most valuable player - russell westbrook, oklahoma city thunder
rookie of the year - malcolm brogdon, milwaukee bucks
defensive player of the year - draymond green, golden state warriors
sixth man award - eric gordon, houston rockets
most improved player - giannis antetokounmpo, milwaukee bucks
coach of the year - mike d'antoni, houston rockets
executive of the year - bob myers, golden state warriors
nba sportsmanship award - kemba walker, charlotte hornets
nba cares community assist award - isaiah thomas, boston celtics
sager strong award - monty williams, san antonio spurs
best playoff moment - kevin durant (golden state warriors) hits pull-up three-pointer late in game three of the nba finals
performance of the year - klay thompson (golden state warriors) scores 60 points in three quarters against the indiana pacers
game-winner of the year - russell westbrook vs. the denver nuggets
hustle award - patrick beverley, houston rockets
dunk of the year - victor oladipo (thunder) vs. the atlanta hawks
block of the year - kawhi leonard (spurs) vs. the houston rockets
assist of the year - golden state's green to stephen curry to durant
twyman-stokes teammate of the year award - dirk nowitzki, dallas mavericks
best style - russell westrbrook
Monday, June 26, 2017
2017 NBA All-Defensive and NBA All-Rookie Team
listed below are the many talented players awarded on monday with all-defensive team and all-rookie team honors for the 2016-2017 nba season:
all-defensive first team
forward - draymond green, golden state warriors
forward - kawhi leonard, san antonio spurs
center - rudy gobert, utah jazz
guard - chris paul, los angeles clippers
guard - patrick beverley, houston rockets
all-defensive second team
forward - giannis antetokounmpo, milwaukee bucks
forward - andre robertson, oklahoma city thunder
center - anthony davis, new orleans pelicans
guard - tony allen, memphis grizzlies
guard - danny green, san antonio spurs
all-rookie first team
joel embiid, philadelphia 76ers
malcolm brogdon, milwaukee bucks
dario saric, philadelphia 76ers
buddy hield. new orleans pelicans
willu hernangomez, new york knicks
all-rookie second team
jamal murray, denver nuggets
brandon ingram, los angeles lakers
jaylen brown, boston celtics
marquese chriss, phoenix suns
yogi ferell, dallas mavericks
all-defensive first team
forward - draymond green, golden state warriors
forward - kawhi leonard, san antonio spurs
center - rudy gobert, utah jazz
guard - chris paul, los angeles clippers
guard - patrick beverley, houston rockets
all-defensive second team
forward - giannis antetokounmpo, milwaukee bucks
forward - andre robertson, oklahoma city thunder
center - anthony davis, new orleans pelicans
guard - tony allen, memphis grizzlies
guard - danny green, san antonio spurs
all-rookie first team
joel embiid, philadelphia 76ers
malcolm brogdon, milwaukee bucks
dario saric, philadelphia 76ers
buddy hield. new orleans pelicans
willu hernangomez, new york knicks
all-rookie second team
jamal murray, denver nuggets
brandon ingram, los angeles lakers
jaylen brown, boston celtics
marquese chriss, phoenix suns
yogi ferell, dallas mavericks
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
New York State Senate passes medical marijuana bill S.5629
the new york state senate on tuesday passed s.5629, a bill to add post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd) as a qualifying condition for new york's medical marijuana program.
patients and advocates have been calling on the state to add ptsd as a qualifying condition since july 2014, when governor andrew cuomo signed the compassionate care act into law with the help of the state legislature.
adding ptsd as a qualifying condition will benefit thousands of new yorkers who suffer from this condition, most notably veterans. the new york state assembly passed their companion legislation in may. but some believe this is not enough.
kassandra frederique, new york state director of the drug policy alliance (dpa), urges new yorkers to call the governor and demand he sign the bill. among other initiatives, the dpa appreciates the efforts of the state legislature and department of health to improve new york's medical marijuana program.
the drug policy alliance is well aware of the affordability challenges and geographic barriers and wants to end marijuana arrests in the state. the dpa is the nation's leading organization promoting drug polices which are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights.
patients and advocates have been calling on the state to add ptsd as a qualifying condition since july 2014, when governor andrew cuomo signed the compassionate care act into law with the help of the state legislature.
adding ptsd as a qualifying condition will benefit thousands of new yorkers who suffer from this condition, most notably veterans. the new york state assembly passed their companion legislation in may. but some believe this is not enough.
kassandra frederique, new york state director of the drug policy alliance (dpa), urges new yorkers to call the governor and demand he sign the bill. among other initiatives, the dpa appreciates the efforts of the state legislature and department of health to improve new york's medical marijuana program.
the drug policy alliance is well aware of the affordability challenges and geographic barriers and wants to end marijuana arrests in the state. the dpa is the nation's leading organization promoting drug polices which are grounded in science, compassion, health and human rights.
Saturday, June 17, 2017
2017 Songwriters Hall of Fame
the 2017 songwriters hall of fame 48th annual induction and awards dinner took place june 16 in new york city. the following artists were honored:
shawn carter (jay-z)
kenneth "babyface" edmonds
berry gordy
jimmy jam & terry lewis
robert lamm
max martin
james pankow
special awards were given to:
caroline bienstock
alan menken
pitbull
ed sheeran
shawn carter (jay-z)
kenneth "babyface" edmonds
berry gordy
jimmy jam & terry lewis
robert lamm
max martin
james pankow
special awards were given to:
caroline bienstock
alan menken
pitbull
ed sheeran
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Warriors beat Cavaliers to win 2017 NBA Championship
the golden state warriors defeated the cleveland cavaliers 129-120 at oracle arena in oakland monday night to win the 2017 nba championship. the dubs won the highly anticipated series four games to one. it was the first time in nba history two teams played each other three consecutive years.
the warriors became the fourth team in history to win five titles for their franchise, joining boston, chicago and los angeles. all-star forward kevin durant was named finals mvp. durant scored a team-high 39 points on 14 of 20 shooting, with seven rebounds and five assists. he averaged 35.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists in the series.
durant joined wilt chamberlain and michael jordan as the only players in nba history to win an nba title, and scoring title: four or more times. durant played eight seasons for the oklahoma city thunder, before signing with golden state during the 2016 off-season. okc lost the 2012 nba finals to the miami heat - the only year durant played for a championship.
"i work hard, i believe in myself, i believe in the game, i respect the game, i love the game, and i knew at some point in my life that it will come around for me," said durant. "i had a letdown last year. if kd was the consolation prize to lose, thanks for the loss, and we're champs this year," said draymond green. "i'm happy for him. you've got to call kevin durant a champ now," said stephen curry.
golden state coach steve kerr is the fourth coach in nba history to win two titles in his first three seasons with a team. all-star point guard and two-time mvp curry finished game five with 34 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and three steals. all-star forward green had 10 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. 2015 nba finals mvp andre iguodala had 20 points off the bench.
the warriors' talented roster had seven players in their first ever nba finals. matt barnes, charles davis, james looney, patrick mccaw, javale mcgee, zaza pachulia and david west all helped the dubs beat the defending champion cavaliers, led by all-star forward lebron james, who became the first player in history to average a triple double in the nba finals.
golden state ended the 2017 post-season with a 16-1 record and .947 winning percentage: best all-time in the nba finals. their margin of victory coming into the nba finals was (also) an nba record 18.5 points. they won 67 games during the regular season, and over the last three years, the warriors' 202 regular season wins is the most in nba history.
the warriors became the fourth team in history to win five titles for their franchise, joining boston, chicago and los angeles. all-star forward kevin durant was named finals mvp. durant scored a team-high 39 points on 14 of 20 shooting, with seven rebounds and five assists. he averaged 35.2 points, 8.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists in the series.
durant joined wilt chamberlain and michael jordan as the only players in nba history to win an nba title, and scoring title: four or more times. durant played eight seasons for the oklahoma city thunder, before signing with golden state during the 2016 off-season. okc lost the 2012 nba finals to the miami heat - the only year durant played for a championship.
"i work hard, i believe in myself, i believe in the game, i respect the game, i love the game, and i knew at some point in my life that it will come around for me," said durant. "i had a letdown last year. if kd was the consolation prize to lose, thanks for the loss, and we're champs this year," said draymond green. "i'm happy for him. you've got to call kevin durant a champ now," said stephen curry.
golden state coach steve kerr is the fourth coach in nba history to win two titles in his first three seasons with a team. all-star point guard and two-time mvp curry finished game five with 34 points, 10 assists, six rebounds and three steals. all-star forward green had 10 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. 2015 nba finals mvp andre iguodala had 20 points off the bench.
the warriors' talented roster had seven players in their first ever nba finals. matt barnes, charles davis, james looney, patrick mccaw, javale mcgee, zaza pachulia and david west all helped the dubs beat the defending champion cavaliers, led by all-star forward lebron james, who became the first player in history to average a triple double in the nba finals.
golden state ended the 2017 post-season with a 16-1 record and .947 winning percentage: best all-time in the nba finals. their margin of victory coming into the nba finals was (also) an nba record 18.5 points. they won 67 games during the regular season, and over the last three years, the warriors' 202 regular season wins is the most in nba history.
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Rafael Nadal and Jelena Ostapenko win 2017 French Open Singles Titles
rafael nadal of spain defeated stan wawrinka of switzerland 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 on sunday to win the 2017 french open singles championship at roland garros. the match lasted just over two hours.
nadal claimed 'la decima' after becoming the first player in history to win a major 10 times. nadal, 31, now has 15 major singles crowns - three away from roger federer. the king of clay will move into the #2 spot in the world rankings on monday.
"it's really incredible. to win la decima is very, very special. i am very emotional. the feeling i have is impossible to describe," nadal said during his victory presentation. nadal dominated from start-to-finish, losing just 35 games in total and never dropping a set.
jelena ostapenko of latvia defeated simona halep of romania 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to win the 2017 french open singles championship at roland garros on saturday. ostapenko emerged victorious after two hours to win the first major singles title of her young career.
ostapenko, 20, was ranked #47 two weeks ago. she became the first unseeded french open women's champion since 1933. she is also the first woman in nearly four decades to make a major singles title her first career tour-level victory. ostapenko is the first latvian to win a major.
"i felt a little bit nervous. but then i felt i have nothing to lose, so i'm just going to enjoy the match and do my best," ostapenko said later. she was the aggressor the whole time, finishing with 54 winners and 56 unforced errors. last year, she lost in the first round, this year she is a champion.
nadal claimed 'la decima' after becoming the first player in history to win a major 10 times. nadal, 31, now has 15 major singles crowns - three away from roger federer. the king of clay will move into the #2 spot in the world rankings on monday.
"it's really incredible. to win la decima is very, very special. i am very emotional. the feeling i have is impossible to describe," nadal said during his victory presentation. nadal dominated from start-to-finish, losing just 35 games in total and never dropping a set.
jelena ostapenko of latvia defeated simona halep of romania 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to win the 2017 french open singles championship at roland garros on saturday. ostapenko emerged victorious after two hours to win the first major singles title of her young career.
ostapenko, 20, was ranked #47 two weeks ago. she became the first unseeded french open women's champion since 1933. she is also the first woman in nearly four decades to make a major singles title her first career tour-level victory. ostapenko is the first latvian to win a major.
"i felt a little bit nervous. but then i felt i have nothing to lose, so i'm just going to enjoy the match and do my best," ostapenko said later. she was the aggressor the whole time, finishing with 54 winners and 56 unforced errors. last year, she lost in the first round, this year she is a champion.
Wednesday, June 07, 2017
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights holds hearing on collateral consequences
the u.s. commission on civil rights held a hearing recently to address the significant hurdles people with felony convictions face when they re-enter society. the hearing explored a wide range of issues.
some of the issues are barriers to voting and jury participation; barriers to employment, public benefits and public housing; basic needs after incarceration; long-lasting effects of incarceration; racial disparities and recidivism.
in his testimony, marc mauer of the sentencing project described the troubling impact felony disenfranchisement policies have on individuals with felony convictions and our democracy as a whole.
mauer said, "felony disenfranchisement policies run counter to public safety objectives by creating a group of second-class citizens. in order for people to successfully transition home from prison they need to establish or renew connections with the world of work, family, peer groups, and the broader community."
"participation in the electoral process is one means by which citizens can affirm their connection to the broader community and play a constructive role in public policy debates," mauer said.
some of the issues are barriers to voting and jury participation; barriers to employment, public benefits and public housing; basic needs after incarceration; long-lasting effects of incarceration; racial disparities and recidivism.
in his testimony, marc mauer of the sentencing project described the troubling impact felony disenfranchisement policies have on individuals with felony convictions and our democracy as a whole.
mauer said, "felony disenfranchisement policies run counter to public safety objectives by creating a group of second-class citizens. in order for people to successfully transition home from prison they need to establish or renew connections with the world of work, family, peer groups, and the broader community."
"participation in the electoral process is one means by which citizens can affirm their connection to the broader community and play a constructive role in public policy debates," mauer said.
Monday, June 05, 2017
Bubba Wallace first Black driver in NASCAR Cup Series in over a decade
darrell "bubba" wallace, this weekend at pocono raceway, becomes the first black driver to compete in a nascar cup series in over a decade. in 2006, bill lester was the last black driver to participate in a nascar cup series.
wallace, 23, is subbing for aric almirola, who broke his back in a fiery crash at kansas speedway on may 13. wallace is a fellow ford driver with roush fenway racing, which will suspend its team operations for the number 6 xfinity team after this weekend.
richard petty motorsports had put regan smith in the number 43 car for the all-star race, coca cola 600 and last sunday's race at dover. the squad hopes for better results from wallace, slated to remain almirola's replacement until he return from his injuries.
roush fenway racing president steve newmark said, "we are very proud of bubba and his development at roush fenway racing. we believe that bubba has tremendous potential and will continue to excel in nascar's top series. he has been a great representative of our organization both on and off the track and we've enjoyed being part of his growth as a driver."
breaking nascar barriers is not new for wallace. in 2013, he became the first black driver since hall of famer wendell scott to win a race in one of nascar's three national series: he won at martinsville in the truck series. wallace has six top-five finishes in 83 starts in the xfinity series. he has five wins in the truck series.
newmark also said, "our entire team is excited to see him take the next step in his career and make his monster energy nascar cup series debut in the number 43."
Friday, April 28, 2017
Nebraska lawmakers pass bill to restore felony voting rights
felons would no longer have to wait two years after serving their sentences to exercise their right to vote under a bill passed in the nebraska legislature on monday. nebraska governor pete ricketts has not said if he will allow legislative bill 75 to become law or not.
the priority bill of state senator justin wayne of omaha would need 30 votes to override a veto. the bill received 27 'yes' votes on monday. wayne said, "i hope the governor signs it and we stop disenfranchising who need to integrate back into the community."
the current law requiring a two-year waiting period was adopted in 2005 after the legislature overrode the veto of (then) governor dave heineman. previously, a felon had to receive a state pardon before his right to vote was restored.
38 other states allow felons to vote after they complete their sentences. iowa is one of three states who permanently ban voting rights of felons. enslaved africans were legally denied voting rights, and well into the 19th century these racist laws were used to maintain white power and privilege.
the priority bill of state senator justin wayne of omaha would need 30 votes to override a veto. the bill received 27 'yes' votes on monday. wayne said, "i hope the governor signs it and we stop disenfranchising who need to integrate back into the community."
the current law requiring a two-year waiting period was adopted in 2005 after the legislature overrode the veto of (then) governor dave heineman. previously, a felon had to receive a state pardon before his right to vote was restored.
38 other states allow felons to vote after they complete their sentences. iowa is one of three states who permanently ban voting rights of felons. enslaved africans were legally denied voting rights, and well into the 19th century these racist laws were used to maintain white power and privilege.
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