Judge Won't Halt Pennsylvania Voter ID Law

a pennsylvania judge on wednesday refused to stop a tough new voter identification law from going into effect. commonwealth court judge robert simpson said he wouldn't grant an injunction halting the law requiring voters to show valid photo identification. opponents are expected to file an appeal within a day or two to the state supreme court.

the republican-penned law has ignited a furious debate over voting rights as pennsylvania is poised to play a key role in the november 6 presidential election. republicans defend the law as necessary to protect the integrity of the election. but democrats say the law will hinder college students, elders, poor folk & historically disenfranchised (blacks, latinos, i.e.) americans from fair voting practices.

"we're not done, it's not over," said witold j. walczak, an american civil liberties union lawyer who helped argue the case for the plaintiffs. he said, "it's why they make appeals courts." simpson didn't rule on the full merits of the case, only whether to grant a preliminary injunction stopping it from taking effect.

votes by four of six supreme court justices would be needed to rescind the ruling by simpson, who is a republican. but the high court is currently split between three republicans & three democrats following the recent suspension of justice joan orie melvin, a republican who is fighting criminal corruption charges.

the state's lawyers acknowledged they are "not aware of any incidents of in person voter fraud." instead, they insisted lawmakers properly exercise their latitude to make election-related laws when they chose to require voters to show widely available forms of photo identification.

republican governor tom corbett signed the law in march; every democratic lawmaker voted against it vehemently. at issue is the requirement of all pennsylvania voters to produce a valid photo id before their ballot can be counted - a substantial change from the law it was designed to replace. that law required identification only for people voting in a polling place for the first time & it allowed non-photo documents such as bank statements or utility bills.

but some of the people who sued over the law say they will be unable ot vote because they lack the necessary documents, inlcuding a birth certificate, to get a state photo id, the most widely available of the ids valid under the law. lawyers who provided free legal representation to the plaintiffs also warned it'll be difficult for many others to get a valid photo id. they presented testimony from department of transportation license workers who appeared uninformed about these new legal requirements.

in addition, some voters won't know about the law until they get to the polls. as such, long waits will result while untrained election workers struggle to carry out a complex & unnecessary - some feel racialized - law amid the traditionally larger turnout in presidential elections, they argued.

according to folks from the attorney general's office, which defended the law, the state is planning to begin issuing a special photo id card for registered voters who are unable to get a pennsylvania department of transportation-issued id & lack any other photo id acceptable under the law, such as an active-duty military or passport id.

also, they say the state is rolling out a public relations campaign to raise awareness of the new voter laws. the department of state, which oversees elections in pennsylvania, has not produced any kind of study or survey estimating the number of people without a valid photo id required by the law.

finally, the obama administration's department of justice is looking at whether pennsylvania's oppressive new voter laws requiring photo identification complies with federal laws. monday they asked the state's top election official & a chief supporter of the law for a long list of information about it.

2012 Summer Olympics in London - USA Gold Medal Winners

the 2012 summer olympics in london have been exciting to watch. i've been engrossed in many of the sports from day one. despite my contempt with american politics, a strong sense of patriotism seems to emerge at a time like this. although the games are not over, listed below are american gold medal winners to date:

boxing: claressa ahields.

cycling: kristin armstrong.

gymnastics: gabby douglass, aly raisman.

judo: kayla harrison.

rifle: jamie lynn gary.

skeet shooting/men: vincent hancock.
skeet shooting/women: kim rhode.

swimming/men: nathan adrian, ricky berens, tyler clary, conor dwyer, matt grevers, brendan hansen, ryan lochte, michael phelps.

swimming/women: missy franklin, katie ledecky, allison schmitt, rebecca soni, dana vollmer, shannon vreeland.

tennis/men: bob & mike bryan.
tennis/women: serena & venus williams.

track & field/men: aries merritt, christian taylor.
track & field/women: allyson felix, brittney reese, sanya richards-ross, jenifer suhr.

volleyball: misty may-treanor, kerry walsh-jennings.

women's gymnastics; women's rowing; wonmen's soccer; women's water polo.

The War On Drugs Is A Failure!

today, the united states accounts for five percent of the world's population, yet 25% of the world's prisoners are on american soil. why? the so-called war on drugs. actually, the war with drugs might be more accurate. the land of the free & home of the brave imprisons more people each year. the prison industrial complex is real talk.

these are our nation's war on drugs facts:

conservative estimate of annual government spending on the u.s. war on drugs: %51,000,000,000.

number of people arrested in 2010 in the u.s. on nonviolent drug charges: 1,638,846.

number of people arresred in 2010 for a marijuana law violation: 853,838.

number of people charged in 2010 with marijuana law violations who were arrested for possession only: 750,591. (88%).

number of americans in 2009 behind bars of federal, state & local jails & prisons: 2,424,279 - or, one in every 99.1 aduits: the highest incarceration in the world.

number of states whom allow the medical use of marijuana: 16, plus the district of columbia.

fraction of people incarcerated for a drug offense in state prison whom are black or latino, although these groups use & sell drugs at similar rates as whites: 2/3.

tax revenue which drug legalization would yield annually, if currently illegal drugs were taxed at rates comparable to those on alcohol & tobacco: $46.7 billion.

number of murders in 2010 in juarez, mexico, the epicenter of that country's drug war: 3,111 - the highest muder rate of any city in the world.

number of students who have lost federal financial aid eligibility because of a drug conviction: more than 200,000.

number of people in the u.s. who died from an accidental drug overdose in 2007: 27,658.

just say no? i don't think so. for more information visit www.drugpolicy.org.

Back On The Blog

its been several months since my last blog post. i'm still unsure why, but i was unable to access my own blog to write new posts. i decided to wait until i bought a new compuiter to continue my journey thru the blogosphere. well, that day has come! ok, the day passed a few weeks ago - apathy & procrastination are two inherent enemies - however, in this moment i'm back on the blog!

i miss blogging. i started seven years ago not knowing what to expect, how to proceed, if i would commit, who would read, etc. but i was determined to write. about what? my intention was to speak my heart as it opened to the universe. i get inspired to share pieces of my personal journey but more importantly my strong sense of justice compells me to write about various social issues impacting our lives each day.

exploring issues like aids, black cultural politics, community activism, drug addiction, ecology, global poverty, human sex trafficking, mental illness, prison industrial complex, same-sex marriage & white supremacy has challenged my fears, intolerance & woundedness in very painful ways. but still i write.

i write bcuz i feel the spirit of writers...

i write bcuz i feel the spirit of maya angelou, james baldwin, deeepak chopra, michael eric dyson, zora neale hurston, toni morrison, sonia sanchez, alice walker, iyanla vanzant & paramahansa yogananda.

i write bcuz i feel the spirit of mumia abu-jamal, amiri baraka, franz fanon, khalil gibran, bell hooks, june jordan, audre lorde, larry neal, louis reyes rivera & neale diamond walsch.

i write bcuz i feel the spirit of michelle alexander, frances cress welsing, frederick douglass, langston hughes, yusef kuumonyaka, caroline myss, thich naht hahn, don miguel ruiz, ntozake shange & marianne williamson.

i write bcuz i feel the spirit of asha bandele, julia cameron, angela y. davis, essex hemphill, elisabeth kubler-ross, haki madhubuti, rumi, ivan van-sertima, tim wise & gary zukav.

i write bcuz i feel the spirit of melody beattie, stanley crouch, mari evans, john henrik-clarke, sarah jones, dalai lama, terry mcmillan, pablo nerada, sri swami satchidananda & saul williams.

writing is my passion. walsch says, "passion is everything...when you kill passion, you kill god." i pray those who visit my blog will experience a sense of happiness, a sense of hope, a sense of humanity, a sense of humility & a sense of humor as i (finally) get my black ass back on the blog.

Where Is The Justice For Trayvon Martin?

three weeks ago, trayvon martin, an unarmed black teenager, was shot & killed by george zimmerman in sanford, florida. zimmerman, a 28 year-old white, self-appointed neighborhood watch captain, has claimed he acted in self-defense. despite his admittance to the shooting, he has not been arrested or charged with any crime.

just minutes before martin was tragically gunned down, zimmerman called police stating martin "looked suspicious." martin had left a convenience store with a bag of skittles & a can of arizona ice tea. he was walking towards his father's home when zimmerman accosted him.

at the crime scene, sanford police botched their questioning of zimmerman, refused to take the full statement of witnesses & pressured neighbors to side with the shooter. sadly, the state attorney's office has rubber-stamped the police's non-investigation; asserting lack of evidence to support even a manslaughter conviction.

zimmerman got out of his parked car, with a gun in tow, to pursue martin. yet despite being instructed by police not to do so, he continued to follow martin, who was wearing a hoodie on a dark, rainy night. zimmerman proceeded to confront & fatally shoot martin in the chest within minutes.

the case has been compromised from the start. when sanford police arrived on the scene, zimmerman was first approached by a narcotics detective - not a homicide investigator - who apparently peppered him with questions rather than allow him to tell his story without prompting. another officer corrected a witness giving a statement she'd heard martin cry for help before he was shot, telling her she had heard zimmerman instead.

far beyond the questions of professional integrity or the police's disregard for the facts in this case, florida's notorious "shoot first" law takes a shooter's self-defense claim at face value. as such, law enforcement is incentivized to not make arrests in shooting deaths that would lead to murder charges in other states.

moreover, sanford has a history of not prosecuting when the victim is black. in 2010, the white son of a sanford police lieutenant was let go by police after assaulting a homeless black man outside a downtown bar. in 2005, a black teenager was killed by two white security guards, one of them the son of a sanford police officer. the pair were arrested & charged, but a judge later cited lack of evidence & dismissed both cases.

the family of trayvon martin, along with hundreds of thousands of people across the country demand justice. they want the u.s. department of justice to take over the case, arrest martin's killer & launch an independent investigation into the sanford police department's unwillingness to affirm martin's civil rights.

you can sign a petition at: http://act.colorofchange.org/sign/trayvon.

My Date With Dental Surgery

a couple of days ago i had dental surgery. this was a new experience for me, as i've never undergone a surgical procedure. i was scheduled for implants on both sides of the bottom part of my teeth. also, i was sedated, again, for the first time. as such, i was required to have an escort take me to & from the hospital. another first for me.

the surgery took place at jacobi hospital in the bronx, which is where i go for primary care. a trusted friend generously accompanied me to my 1:00 pm tuesday appointment. oddly enough, i was unafraid. i felt anxious & nervous, but not scared. in fact, i was ready for the unknown.

my spiritual practice includes daily prayer & regular meditation. a loving god has kindly placed people in my path who humbly shared their experiences with me. i felt neither alone nor unique. i'm proud of myself for the willingness to simply show up & try to be present.

as i was being strapped into the dental chair like a mummy, my body began to tighten up. yes, i was uncomfortable. the iv stung a little but the nurses were pleased with the ease the fluids entered my veins. i felt the numbness take over me. although i enjoyed the sensation i didn't like being powerless over the drugs going through me. after they gave me some gas i was out pretty quickly.

i honestly don't remember the dentist inserting the implants in my mouth. initially i was told the procedure would be about an hour but was later informed it would take "not that long." when i awakened i felt drowsy, sluggish & unpleasant. my mouth was sore & swollen. i could barely finish a sentence & hardly recognized where i was.

eventually, i was given a cold pack, information sheet & prescriptions for pain medication. i took a nap on the crowded & noisy train. when i got home all i wanted to do was sleep. but i stopped at the health food store to get some ice cream, organic yogurt - i dislike yogurt - & soup, because soft foods are recommended for the first couple of days.

its almost 1:00 am thursday & despite my outright defiance, i've tried to follow the suggestions of my dental team. they called me yesterday to make sure i was ok & remind me to come in next week for a follow up. i am so hungry right now. i want to eat something solid but my intention is to do the right thing for the right reason.

...who knew pain could lead to spiritual maturity?

Louis Reyes Rivera: Rest In Peace Beloved

louis reyes rivera made transition last friday in brooklyn hospital following a brief illness. rivera fully embodied the best of our african selves: activist. artist. critical thinker. editor. essayist. historian. poet. radio host. teacher. union organizer. he was 66 years old.

born & raised in brooklyn on may 19, 1945, rivera was a proud graduate of boys high. he began studying the craft of writing in 1960 & founded the continuing student publication, the paper, at city college of new york. after graduation in 1969, rivera started teaching & his influence as a teacher spanned many generations.

rivera distinguished himself as a professor of african-american culture & history, caribbean history, creative writing, nuyorican literature, pan-african literature, & puerto rican history at such institutions as boricua college, college of new rochelle, hunter college, laguardia college, pratt institute & state university of new york-stony brook, among others.

from 1996-2011, rivera hosted a reading series in brooklyn, first & third sundays jazzoetry & open mic @ sistas' place, where he also conducted various workshops. for many years rivera hosted the engaging radio talk & interview show, "perspectives," on wbai 99.5 fm in new york (streamed at wbai.org/archives).

a cultural icon & political activist, rivera was prominent in the successful struggle for "open enrollment" at city college in 1969. since then he's participated in many progressive movements & activities, including supporting the establishment of the freedom party, which ran candidates in the 2010 new york state election. rivera co-hosted two writers for mumia programs dedicated to freeing long term political prisoner mumia abu-jamal, one in 2007 & the other in 2010.

rivera served as chair of the new york chapter of the national writers union (nwu) since 2004. he was revered by all nwu members who saw him in action in new york & at delegate assemblies. rivera provided leadership on union issues & performed his insightful poetry.

calling himself the janitor of history, rivera is viewed as a living bridge between the african & latino communities. also known as the "dean of nuyorican poetica," he is an internationally recognized literary figure, with translation of his work appearing in italian, latvian, russian & spanish.

rivera published four books, who pays the cost (1978), this one for you (1983), in control of english (1988 & 1992) & scattered scripture (1996), for which he received the 1997 poetry award from the latin american writers institute. he had just completed his epic poem, jazz in jail, & was in the process of preparing it for publication.

rivera was honored with dozens of awards. some include the ccny 125th anniversary medal (1973), a special congressional recognition (1988), a lifetime achievement award (1995) & a new york foundation for the arts fellowship (2003) - each award serves to celebrate his impact & scholarship on contemporary literature.

since 1966, rivera performed at various clubs & jazz festivals. he worked with such bands as ahmed abdullah's diaspora, ebonic tones, the james spaulding ensemble, the sun ra all-stars project & his own band, the jazzoets. last spring rivera was inducted into the brooklyn jazz hall of fame. at his last public appearance on february 11, rivera was the featured poet at the american jazz museum's black history salute to jazz poetry in kansas city, missouri.

over the last 40 years, rivera assisted in the publication of well over 200 books. among them are adal maldonado's portraits of the puerto rican experience (1984), john oliver killens' great black russian (1989), bum rush the page: a def poetry jam (2001), co-edited with tony medina, & the bandana republic (2008).

rivera's essays & poems appeared in numerous publications, including african voices, areyto, boletin (center for puerto rican studies at hunter) & the city sun. several award-winning book collections, including, aloud: live from the nuyorican poets cafe, in defense of mumia, & of sons & lovers, utilized his brilliant work.

rivera once performed on the peabody award-winning hbo show, "def poetry jam." he also completed the translation of clemente solo velez's caballo de palo/broomstick stallion & worked on the collected poems of otto rene castillo of guatemala, por el bien de todos/for the good of all.

he was loved, respected & valued by the african diaspora.

NBA All-Star Weekend 2012

the western conference all-stars defeated the eastern conference all-stars 152-149 at the amway center in orlando, florida. the two teams scored 301 points, setting a record for most points in an all-star game. the west led 88-69 at halftime, setting a record for most points by a team at halftime. kevin durant of the oklahoma city thunder was named most valuable player. durant finished with 36 points, seven rebounds, three assists & three steals.

the west thoroughly dominated the game until midway through the third quarter when reigning mvp derrick rose & two-time all-star mvp lebron james got hot. but in the fourth quarter the west rebuilt a 20 point lead with less than eight minutes to go. james & nets guard deron williams hit a couple of three-point field goals in a short span. james set an all-star record with six three-pointers in the game.

james' miami heat teammate, dwayne wade, became the third player in all-star history to record a triple double. the other two players? michael jordan & lebron james. wade had 24 points, 10 rebounds & 10 assists. but with his team down by one, he missed a breakaway layup (on a pass from james) with less than 90 seconds to go. also, both teams combined for 24 three-point field goals: another all-star record.

kobe bryant scored 27 points for the west. bryant set a record for most points in all-star game history with 271. the previous record was held by michael jordan with 262. jordan is majority owner of the charlotte bobcats, who own the worst record in the league. charlotte lost 16 consecutive games this year. the nba lost 16 games this year due to the lockout.

nba all-star saturday night produced other winners as well...

shootings stars: allan houston, landry fields & cappie poindexter, new york.
skills challenge: tony parker, san antonio spurs.
three-point contest: kevin love, minnesota timberwolves.
slam dunk contest: jeremy evans, utah jazz.

My Five Day Fast Was Successful!

today i completed a five day fast. my diet for the last five days consisted solely of fruits, organic juices, organic nuts & water. also, meditation, prayer & rest were prominent in my ongoing quarterly spiritual practice. as a result i feel calm, peaceful & serene.

i started fasting well over a decade ago. my innate curiosity led me to try something i thought could benefit my health. i did not envision fasting as a way of life. i thought it was something i would do once, twice, maybe three times. nothing more, nothing less.

the first time i tried to fast i didn't know what i was doing. my ego, false pride & image would not allow me to ask for help. i heard through the grapevine fasting for three days would be a safe way to start. i didn't know anything about preparing for the fast and/or breaking the fast.

i remember someone telling me the first meal of the day is called breakfast for spiritual purposes. i recall him saying we sleep (meaning rest) before we eat breakfast & rest is an important part of fasting. i'd never thought of this & felt excited about learning something new & potentially valuable.

still, i neglected to ask my friend for guidance in this new venture. i live with a compromised immune system. yet, it didn't occur to consult my primary care physician about fasting. in some ways i was doing this secretively because i wanted the satisfaction of being right.

i always felt ashamed of my body. i was a skinny kid with a funny last name - just like obama. i never learned how to cook for myself. when the females in my family told me to get out of the kitchen i complied with relief. moreover, healthy eating was not part of our family practice. at all.

my basic four food groups were grease, sugar, pork & chocolate. more was never enough. i thought food would make me socially acceptable. i was wrong. i became addicted to fast food. fast food is slow suicide. these old, useless patterns damaged my emotional, physical & spiritual well-being. i realized something had to give.

i thought fasting would solve my unresolved issues with food. although i don't look like it, i have a weight problem...i can't wait to eat. i eat when i feel angry, bored, depressed, lonely, sad, etc. certain foods give me a false sense of comfort. i needed new coping skills & unbeknowst to me, fasting would become my salvation.

instead of eating meat at night, i indulged in popcorn, potato chips, pretzels & trail mix. don't ask why. at the time, it seemed better than kfc, mcdonald's or white castle. i didn't tell anyone what i was doing. after three days of this i rewarded myself with popeye's chicken. don't asky why.

popeye's had me calling ralph in the bathroom. i got sick. pain has a unique way of getting your attention, unless you continue to stay in denial. ashamed, embarrassed & frustrated i took a risk & asked someone for help. a woman at the health food store gave me some simple suggestions. an associate of mine loaned me his book on spiritual waste. i had a series of colonics for the first time.

i fasted for three days, seven days, ten days & once, during a hot summer, 14 days. although it was not my intention i lost 30 pounds in 14 days. i went from 200 pounds to 170 pounds; not like luther, but the weight loss was noticeable. over a period of time i decided to fast every 90 days.

five day fasts build self-discipline, improve my conscious contact with god & reaffirm a passionate desire for self-love. i try to avoid stressful people & toxic situations. i welcome the opportunity to serve my wounded temple. most importantly, i feel good about myself because i'm invested in the liberation of my body, mind & spirit.

Whitney Houston Dies Suddenly At 48

whitney houston was found dead in her room at the beverly hilton hotel last night. her publicist, kristen foster, said the the cause of death is unknown. beverly hills police lieutenant mark rosen said, "there were no obvious signs of any criminal intent." the findings of an autopsy are scheduled to be released monday. she was 48.

houston was at the hotel preparing for the clive davis pre-grammy party. she will be humbly remembered in a tribute by jenifer hudson, organizers said. houston was at rehearsals for the show thursday coaching singers brandy & monica, according to a person at the event who is not authorized to speak publicly about it. the person said houston look disheveled, was sweating profusely, as liquor & cigarettes could be smelled on her breath.

at her peak, houston was one of the world's top selling artists. from the mid-80's to the late 90's she sold over 170 million albums, singles & videos. her first album in 1985, whitney houston, charted several number one hits, among them, saving all my love for you - culminating in her first of six grammy awards. her seven consecutive number one singles was a first by any artist in the record industry.

as a model, in 1981, houston became the first black female to grace the cover of seventeen magazine. she sang backup for chaka khan, jermaine jackson & many other artists. but she was discovered by her mentor, arista records producer clive davis. davis first heard her perform around this time. he once told good morning america, "the time that i first saw her singing in her mother's act in a club...it was such a stunning impact. to hear this young girl breathe such fire into this song, i mean, it really sent the proverbial tingles up my spine."

houston transitioned into films as her career gained international notoriety. she starred in, the bodyguard, whose soundtrack won a grammy. her #1 single from the film, i will always love you, was a cover of an obscure dolly parton track - it is her signature song; a song people all over the world could hear & feel her majesty, power & range. she also co-starred in the preacher's wife & waiting to exhale

her 1992 marriage to new edition singer bobby brown was fraught with alcohol, drug use, erratic public behavior & rumored infidelities. people blamed brown's influence on houston yet we later learned she struggled with addiction, seeking treatment on more than once occasion. her abuse of alcohol, cocaine, marijuana & pills ravaged her quintessential voice, subsequently curtailing her amazing career for a few years.

in her infamous 2002 interview with abc's diane sawyer on good morning america, houston said, "the biggest devil is me. i'm either my best friend or my worst enemy." aretha franklin, houston's godmother, said she was stunned. "i just can't talk about it now. its so stunning & unbelievable. i couldn't believe what i was reading coming across the screen," said franklin, in a prepared statement.

houston was born august 9, 1963 in newark, new jersey. the daughter of legendary gospel artist cissy houston & cousin to 60's pop icon dionne warwick, houston was destined for musical greatness. she grew up singing at the new hope baptist church in newark. outside the church on a fence post, one of her sympathy cards read, "to the greatest songstress ever."

although houston became a global superstar, she had her critics. some folks in the black community felt she neglected her cultural roots to appease white audiences with pop songs. she was even booed during the 1989 soul train awards. during a 1996 interview with katie couric, houston said, "sometimes it gets down to that, you know? you're not black enough for them. i don't know. you're not r&b enough. you're very pop. the white audience has taken you away from them."

houston influenced such diverse female artists as mary j. blige, mariah carey, christina aguilera, jazmine sullivan & kelly clarkson. in 2009, she reunited with davis & released her long-awaited cd, i look to you, with a modicum of success. she sat down for a candid two-day, one-on-one interview with oprah the same year. among other issues discussed, she admitted she no longer uses crack, marijuana or pills, but drinks socially. she also reaffirmed her faith in god, family & loved ones.

in her last interview, houston talked about working with american idol sensation jordin sparks in a sequel to the movie, sparkle. she performed a duet with kelly price at a pre-grammy event thursday, yes, jesus loves me. houston was scheduled to appear at davis' annual pre-grammy event saturday night before we learned of her tragic death. a moment of silence was called & tony bennett sang in her honor.

the spirit of her incredible legacy will undoubtedly live on.

New York Giants Win Super Bowl XLVI

the new york giants defeated the new england patriots 21-17 to win super bowl 46. the giants thrilling victory made them the fifth team to win four or more super bowls. giants quarterback eli manning completed 30 of 40 passes for 296 yards & a touchdown, earning him his second most valuable player award. manning is the 11th quarterback to win multiple vince lombardi trophies.

eli manning is now the fifth player to win two super bowl mvp's. he did not turn the ball over. he engineered a nine play, 88-yard drive with less than four minutes to go in the game. the giants have won seven consecutive postseason games - all on the road or at neutral sites. at age 65, the giants' tom coughlin becomes the oldest coach to win a super bowl.

the giants come from behind triumph was spurred by the relentless attack of their defensive front four. justin tuck had two sacks & pro bowler jason pierre-paul pressured patriots quarterback tom brady, especially in the 4th quarter. this was their second super bowl win over new england in four years. they destroyed the patriots' hopes of an undefeated season in 2008 with a last-minute 4th quarter manning touchdown pass to plaxico burress.

the new york offense featured standout performances from several players. wide receiver hakeem nicks caught 10 passes for 109 yards. wide receiver mario manningham caught five passes for 73 yards, including three key receptions (for 56 yards) during their final drive. running back ahmad bradshaw ran 17 times for 72 yards, scoring the winning touchdown with less than a minute to go in the game.

pats' head coach bill belichick & brady set a super bowl record for a coach/qb duo by appearing in their fifth title game. the two have three victories & two losses. all of their championship games were decided by four points or less.

brady completed 27 of 41 passes for 276 yards, two touchdowns & one interception. in the first half, he set a super bowl record with 16 consecutive completions. the game ended with brady throwing a hail-mary from midfield with five seconds left, nearly tipped by the giants defenders to pro bowl tight end rob grankowski. new england has made seven super bowl appearances. their record is 3-4.

The Legacy of Don Cornelius Lives On in the Spirit of Soul Train Fans Everywhere

don cornelius died early wednesday of an apparent suicide. cornelius was a cultural icon who executive produced & hosted soul train, the popular television show which lessened racial barriers & nationalized black culture. soul train revolutionized dance, fashion & music in its own unique way. long before video music box, mtv, vh1 & bet, there was soul train.

officers responding to a report of a shooting found cornelius at his mulholland drive home around 4:00 am, police said. he was pronounced dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, said los angeles county assistant chief coroner ed winter. he was 75.

"i am shocked & deeply saddened at the sudden passing of my friend, colleague & business partner don cornelius. don was a visionary pioneer & a giant in our business. before mtv there was soul train, that will be the great legacy of don cornelius. his contributions to television, music & our culture as a whole will never be matched. my heart goes out to don's family & loved ones," said quincy jones.

the rev. al sharpton said he was shocked & grief-stricken. "i have known him since i was 19 years old & james brown had me speak on soul train, "the civil rights activist said in a statement from new york. sharpton continued, "he brought soul music & dance to the world in a way that it had never been shown & he was a cultural game changer on a global level."

soul train began in 1970 as a local program in a small studio in chicago, hosted by clinton ghent. the show moved to los angeles a year later & aired nationally until 2006. soul train introduced television audiences to such legendary artists as james brown, aretha franklin, marvn gaye, the jackson five, gladys knight & the pips, diana ross & stevie wonder.

soul train was one of the first shows to showcase african-americans prominently, bringing the best r&b, soul & later, hip hop acts to television. in a 2006 interview with the associated press cornelius said, "there was not programming that targeted any particular ethnicity. i'm trying to use euphemisms here, trying to avoid saying there was no television for black folks, which they knew was for them."

the show was well-known for its trademark opening of an animated chugging train. but it was not, however, an immediate success for cornelius, an ex-disc jockey with a baritone rumble & cool persona. only a handful of stations initially were receptive. said cornelius, "when we rolled it out, there were only eight takers. which was somewhere between a little disappointing & a whole lot disappointing."

what exactly were some of the reasons given for television stations not willing to pick up the show? cornelius continued, "there was just, we don't want it. we pass," he said, with race going unmentioned. "no one was blatant enough to say that."

the growing audience reaction, coupled with the high-powered talent from the show attracted people from all walks of life. soul train eventually began to feature popular white artists like david bowie, elton john, teena marie, gino vanelli & the average white band. ironically, cornelius admitted he was no fan of rap. yet he welcomed artists like kurtis blow, ll cool j, public enemy, run d-m-c & grandmaster flash & the furious five.

soul train always featured a dance line, the highlight of each production. teens pranced & strutted their way between two lines of dancers awaiting their time to shine. today, the soul train dance line is a part of american culture. barbeques, family reunions, house parties & wedding anniversaries are just some of the events where a soul train dance line will transcend age, class, faith & race.

cornelius was inducted into the broadcasting & cable hall of fame in 1995. he also has a star on the hollywood walk of fame. cornelius remained grateful to the musicians who made soul train their destination for the best in black music. he said, "i figured as long as the music stayed hot & important & good, that there would always be a reason for soul train."

in 1993 cornelius stepped down as host of soul train. the series spawned a franchise which includes the soul train music awards, the soul train lady of soul awards & the soul train christmas starfest. the awards returned to the air in 2009 after a two-year hiatus. last year's awards were held november 27, with earth, wind & fire receiving the legend award.

The Origins of Black History Month

black history month, also known as african heritage month, is a time to appreciate, celebrate, reflect & rejoice in the magnanimous beauty & unparalleled brilliance of the motherland. in acknowledging africa's extraordinary contributions to global society, we honor all members of the afrikan diaspora. let us begin by taking in an-depth look at just how this unique cultural phenomenon came to be.

in the early 1900's, omega psi phi, one of the oldest african-american fraternities, first celebrated the achievements of black people on february 12, abraham lincoln's birthday. later, in 1916, dr. carter g. woodson, an honorary member of omega psi phi, convinced the association for the study of negro life & history - an organization he started - to sponsor "negro history week." his aim? to reach a larger, more diverse audience.

dr. woodson began the annual celebration in 1926 to increase awareness of & interest in black history among both blacks & whites. he diligently distributed promotional brochures & pamphlets to various state boards of education, elementary & secondary schools, colleges, universities, women's clubs, white scholarly journals, black newspapers & periodicals: implementing ways to document truth.

unequivocally accepted as the founder of this, now, national movement & observance, dr. woodson comes from humble beginnings. he was born to parents who had been enslaved & were illiterate. as an adolescent he worked in the west virginia coalmines to support his family; as a result, he started school later than most children yet he earned a high school diploma with honors. his motto in life was "it is never too late to learn."

dr. woodson continued his education at harvard university where he received his master's & ph.d. he later studied at the prestigious sorbonne in paris, france. while developing as a scholar he recognized a disturbing pattern in history & literature books. he was convinced africans were intentionally omitted from history, &, if they were mentioned at all, it was done only to advance the culturally oppressive myths (read: lies) about africa & her people: imparting, by default, to europeans a false sense of superiority & to africans a fatal sense of inferiority.

for example, the african ancestry of alexander pushkin, noted father of russian literature, is peculiarly "blacked-out" from standard history texts. pushkin was castigated for embracing his heritage. another literary giant of african descent, alexander dumas, spent most of his life in france. dumas once publicly stated, "when i discovered i was black, i was determined to act so that men should be beneath my skin."

in germany, the word "mohr" means black. in english, however, that same word is spelled: moor. one of the world's most honored & treasured musicians is a man of african origin. we know him in america as ludwig van beethoven; in germany, he is referred to as "the blackamoor." beethoven is also known in other countries as "the black spaniard."

contrary to past belief & contemporary misconception, february was not "given" to blacks by guilt-ridden whites because it's the shortest month of the year. dr. woodson consciously chose the second week in february to memorialize the birthdays of lincoln, & more significantly, abolitionist & freedom fighter, frederick douglass. in the early 1970's, dr. woodson's vision was extended throughout the entire month of february. moreover, the use of the noun "black," which symbolized power, pride & purpose, was ceremoniously added to the title.

today, dr. woodson is generally best known for his groundbreaking book, "the miseducation of the negro." he wanted black history affirmed everywhere it is researched: on every continent & in every culture. just like marcus garvey, maya angelou, malcolm x & queen mother moore, dr. woodson clearly understood the power accurate history has on a people's collective self-determination, self-value & self-worth.

february 1 is the first day of african heritage month. comedian paul mooney calls black people, "stolen africans." however you identify yourself, all god's children can share dr. woodson's third eye this month & every day of our lives. how? we can honor our ancestors, cultivate our spirit, express our creativity & treat our brothers & sisters with the love & compassion they so richly deserve. ache alafiani.

Novak Djokovic & Victoria Azarenka Win 2012 Australian Open Singles Titles

world #1 novak djokovic of serbia defeated world #2 rafael nadal of spain 5-7, 6-2, 6-4, 6-7, 7-5 to win the 2012 australian open men's singles title. the thrilling match was the longest men's final of the open era, lasting five hours & 53 minutes. djokovic becomes the fourth player in history to win four titles in five majors. he now has five career major singles titles. dubiously, nadal became the first player to lose three straight major finals.

djokovic's historic victory was his third consecutive major, all against nadal, continuing his dominance over the passionate lefty. djokovic has beaten nadal seven times in a row, all in finals. ironically, this was the first five-set encounter in their growing rivalry. either player has won the last eight majors. nadal currently holds a 16-14 lifetime edge, but the gap is closing quicker than djokovic's foot speed.

victoria azarenka of belarus destroyed maria sharapova of russia 6-3, 6-0 to capture the 2012 australian open women's singles crown. azarenka's stunning victory, her first career major singles title, also catapulted the fiery 22 year-old to the #1 ranking on the wta tour. despite her one-sided loss, sharapova moves to the #3 spot on the wta tour.

azarenka was one of six women with an equal opportunity to dethrone caroline wozniacki of denmark as the #1 player when the tournament began. the others were petra kvitova, sharapova, li na, samantha stosur & agnieszka radwanska. wozniacki lost in the quarterfinals to defending champion kim clisters of belgium, who azarenka beat in three tough sets in the semi-finals. sharapova beat kvitova in the semis, a rematch of their 2011 wimbledon final, won by kvitova, who remains #2.

Justice Department Expanded Definition of Rape Includes Men & Transgendered Women

the u.s. justice department announced they are expanding its 85-year definition of rape to include attacks against both men & transgendered women. as such, any non consensual penetration, no matter the gender of the attacker or victim, will now constitute rape.

according to a release from the white house & the department of justice, "rape will now be defined as penetration, no matter how slight, of the anus or vagina with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ or another person, without the consent of the victim."

attorney general eric holder announced the changes to the uniform crime report's definition of rape. the justice department says this will better reflect state criminal codes & updated definitions of sexual penetration. the new definition will lead to a more comprehensive nationwide statistical reporting.

said holder, "these long overdue updates to the definition of rape will help ensure justice for those whose lives have been devastated by sexual violence & reflect the department of justice's commitment to standing with rape victims." the attorney general continued, "this new, more inclusive definition will provide us with a more accurate understanding of the scope & volume of these crimes."

an fbi advisory panel recently recommended revisions to the historic definition, which was established in 1927. that law defined rape as the "carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly & against her will." expressed in solely heterosexual constructs, the law meant rape only happened when a man forcibly penetrated a woman through her vagina.

Deportation of U.S. Teenager to Colombia Latest Failure of Immigration System

the family of a dallas, texas teenager, jakadrien turner, is demanding answers after she was deported to colombia, despite the fact that she's a u.s. citizen who doesn't speak spanish.

turner, a 15 year-old african-american runaway, was living in houston when she was arrested for shoplifting in the spring of last year. she gave police a fake name belonging to a 22 year-old undocumented immigrant from colombia with warrants for her arrest.

the immigration & customs enforcement agency (ice) reportedly discovered turner's fingerprints did not match those of the colombia nattional's, yet deported her anyway. "the country has no idea that we have a rogue police force. that police force is called ice," says ralph isenberg, a dallas businessman who advocates for immigrants.

dallas reverend peter johnson, a longtime civil rights advocate who has worked with the turner family, echoes isenberg's sentiments. said johnson, "i'm hoping that black america - who have a history of understanding the destruction of our families, because of what slavery has done to our families - will at some point wake up & understand that the problem of immigrants is something we can not ignore."

jacqueline stevens, a political science professor at northwestern university, recently published an exhaustive report on u.s. citizens who have been detained & deported. she says deportation is only the latest example of a failed immigration system.

turner has been in bogota, colombia since april 2011. it is only now, after tireless efforts of her grandmother, are we hearing about this horrific story. as such, president obama's immigration & deportation polices have come under intense media scrutiny, particularly so in, this, an election year.

according to pew research center, almost 60% of latinos oppose the obama administration's deportation policies. while republicans claim democrats are "soft" on immigration, the obama administration has deported 30% more undocumented immigrants annually than during the second term of george w. bush.

despite such cultural dissatisfaction with obama's deportation policies, polling doesn't show the latino vote is in jeopardy with the personable commander-in-chief. obama still beats his performance among latino voters when compared to his share of that electorate in 2008. also, there are one million more registered latino voters than there were four years ago.

with republicans focused on securing the border & democrats focused on a path to citizenship, the immigration debate for policy priority remains ongoing. while deportations may not be a deciding factor on who occupies the white house, the issue will get a lot of attention in the coming weeks. the naacp & the cbc have called upon the obama administration to help assist in the immediate release & return of jakadrien turner from colombia.

Romney Narrowly Wins Iowa GOP Caucus

winning by just eight votes, mitt romney narrowly defeated former pennsylvania senator & tea party-backed rick santorum for the gop presidential nomination. the former massachusetts governor's shockingly slim victory was the closest iowa republican caucus in history.

both romney & santorum received 25 percent of the votes, while representative ron paul of texas placed third with 21 percent of the votes. former house speaker newt gingrich placed fourth, followed by texas governor rick perry, who then announced he is going back to texas to reassess his faltering campaign. perry received 10 percent of the vote, despite spending more money than any of the candidates.

representaive michelle bachmann of minnesota, who won the iowa straw poll in august, placed a distant sixth. bachmann summarily ended her presidential aspirations at a press conference, admitting, "the people of iowa have spoken." former utah governor john huntsman finished seventh.

said democracy now journalist & host amy goodman, "the 2012 presidential election promises to be long, contentious, extremely expensive & perhaps more negative than any in history."

Barry Bonds Sentenced with House Arrest, Probation and Community Service

former major league baseball superstar barry bonds was sentenced last week to 30 days of house arrest, two years of probation, 250 hours of community service & $4,100 in fines & court costs after he was found guilty of obstructing justice in august. u.s. district judge susan illston presided over bonds' controversial case.

bonds doesn't have to worry about spending his holy-days being trapped inside his two-acre beverly hills home as his sentence was stayed, pending an appeal unlikely to be heard for at least a year. prosecutors wanted bonds to serve 15 months behind bars.

during the 2003 bay area laboratory co-operative (balco) investigation, bonds attempted to mislead the grand jury by purposely answering questions about steroids with rambling non-sequiturs. the government - as well as the media - went after bonds for eight years. he became the face of the steroids era in baseball.

bonds is the 11th person convicted in the ongoing steroids investigation & was the government's biggest target. unlike fellow steroid abusers like sammy sosa & mark mcguire, bonds not only lied under oath, he was also chasing baseball's most prestigious record - hank aaron's all-time home run record of 755. bonds retired in 2007 with 762 homers, a number some baseball purists acknowledge with a hypothetical asterisk.

after years of denial & dishonesty, mcguire came clean in 2010. he admitted using steroids throughout the 90's during the peak of his career with the st. louis cardinals. the year before his guilty admission - which was not under oath in front of a grand jury - the cardinals hired him as their hitting coach. mcguire had been out of the spotlight long enough for fans & his former team to forgive him. st. louis won the world series in october.

bonds kept a low profile the past four years, yet his philanthropic efforts are rarely reported in the media. most notably, the 47 year-old husband & father has been a vocal advocate of bryan stow, the giants fan whom was brutally beaten outside dodger stadium in march. bonds paid for the college education of stow's two children & recently filmed a psa to help his cause.

judge illston was aware of & impressed with bonds' service for charitable issues. in fact, she cited his anonymous goodwill as one of the reasons he didn't receive the jail time sought venomously by the prosecution. said illston, "the thing that was striking to me was that most of that was done out of the public eye & privately."

baseball has a long list of talented players (jason giambi, rafael palmiero, andy pettite, manny ramirez, garry sheffield, i.e.) whose steroid use will undoubtedly hinder their chances at going to cooperstown. but only bonds had the unquestionable hall of fame credentials - before the dark cloud of suspicion began to follow his every waking move.

bonds was arguably the best player in the 90's. he hit 30 or more homers every year except 1991. he won the national league mvp award three times. with his blinged out diamond cross earring dangling from his left ear & his short, compact swing, bonds was the epitome of swag: long before the term became popular & culturally relevant. he was a 14 time all-star who won several gold gloves yet will probably go down in history as a man unfaithful to a sport which honors its heroes.

Mumia Abu-Jamal Will Not Be Executed

prosecutors have called off their 30-year battle to execute former black panther mumia abu-jamal for allegedly murdering a white, male police officer, putting to an end the racially charged case that became a major battleground in the fight over the death penalty.

flanked by maureen faulkner, the widow of police officer daniel faulkner, philadelphia district attorney seth williams announced his decision wednesday, just two days short of the 30th anniversary of the killing. he said continuing to seek the death penalty would open the case to "an unknowable number of years" of appeals.

said williams, "there's never been any doubt in my mind that mumia abu-jamal shot & killed officer faulkner. i believe that the appropriate sentence was handed down by a jury of his peers in 1982." williams, the city's first black district attorney continued, "while abu-jamal will no longer be facing the death penalty, he will remain behind bars for the rest of his life, & that is where he belongs."

abu-jamal was convicted of fatally shooting faulkner dec 9, 1981. he was sentenced to death after his trial the following year. abu-jamal, who has been incarcerated in a pennsylvania prison over 29 years, has garnered worldwide support from those who believe he was & continues to be victimized by a racially biased justice system.

the writings & radio broadcasts of abu-jamal from death row made him a cause celebre & the subject of numerous books & movies. his 1995 book, "live from death row," describes prison life & calls the justice system racist & ruled by political expediency. the one-time journalist, reaped global support from the "free mumia" movement. hundreds of vocal supporters & death penalty opponents regularly attend court hearings in his case, even though abu-jamal is rarely entitled to be present.

the conviction was upheld through years of legal appeals. but a federal appeals court ordered a new sentence hearing after ruling the instructions given to the jury were potentially misleading. the u.s. supreme court declined to weigh in on the case in october, forcing prosecutors to decide if they wanted to again pursue the death penalty through a new sentencing hearing or accept a life sentence.

williams said he reached the decision to drop the death penalty bid with the blessing of maureen faulkner, who said another sentencing hearing would be just the beginning of another long, arduous appeals process. "another penalty proceeding would open the case to the repetition of the state appeals process & an unknowable number of years of federal review again, even if he were successful," williams said. he also said after nearly three decades some witnesses have died, or are otherwise unreliable.

widener university law professor judith ritter, who represented abu-jamal, applauded the decision. "there is no question that justice is served when a death sentence from a misinformed jury is overturned. 30 years later, the district attorney's decision not to seek a new death sentence also furthers the interests of justice," said ritter.

according to trial testimony, abu-jamal saw his brother scuffle with the young patrolman during a 4:00 am traffic stop in 1981 & ran toward the scene. police found abu-jamal wounded from a round from faulkner's gun. faulkner, shot several times, was killed. a .38-caliber revolver registered to abu-jamal was found at the scene with five spent shell casings.

maureen faulkner continues trying to remain visible to ensure her slain husband is not forgotten. they were 25 year-old newlyweds when he died. wednesday she said, "my family & i have endured a three-decade ordeal at the hands of mumia abu-jamal, his attorneys & his supporters, who in many cases never even took the time to educate themselves about the case before lending their names, giving their support & advocating for his freedom. all of this has taken an unimaginable physical, emotional & financial toll on each of us."

abu-jamal, born wesley cook, turned 58 earlier this year. his message resonated particularly on college campuses & in the movie & music industries - actors mike farrell & tim robbins were among dozens of luminaries who used a new york times ad to advocate for a new trial. the beastie boys played a concert to raise money for abu-jamal's defense fund.

over the years, abu-jamal has fearlessly & steadfastly challenged the lily-white makeup of the jury, instructions given to jurors & the statements of eyewitnesses. he also alleges ineffective counsel, racism by the trial judge & another man confessed to the crime.

but maureen faulkner railed against what she called the justice system's "dirty little secret" - the difficulty of putting condemned killers to death. since the u.s. supreme court restored the death penalty in 1976, pennsylvania has put to death three people; each of those individuals willingly gave up on their appeals.

faulkner lashed out at the judges who overturned abu-jamal's death sentence, calling them "dishonest cowards," whom, she said oppose the death penalty. "the disgusting reality with the death penalty in pennsylvania is that the fix is in before the hearing even begins," she says. faulkner also vowed to fight anyone who tries to extract special treatment for abu-jamal, advocating instead he now be moved to the general population.

she said, "i will not stand by & see him coddled, as he has been in the past. & i am heartened that he will be taken from the protective cloister he has been living in all those years & begin living among his own kind - the thugs & common criminals that infest our prisons."

both sides have events planned to commemorate faulkner's death & abu-jamal's subsequent arrest. faulkner, williams & others involved in the prosecution will gather in suburban philadelphia to mark the anniversary this week for a screening of the anti-mumia documentary by philly filmmaker tigre hill. supporters of abu-jamal, including princeton professor cornel west, planned a symposium friday at the national constitution center for the man they call an "innocent revolutionary & celebrated journalist."

south african archbishop desmond tutu said, "when the south african constitutonal court was set up after the end of the apartheid regime, one of its first acts was to abolish the death penalty. for three decades, mumia has been held in a windowless, bathroom-sized cell & denied any physical contact with his family or members of his community. this is in violation of the u.s.'s own constitution. now that it is clear that mumia should never have been on death row, justice will not be served by relegating him to prison for the rest of his life - yet another form of death sentence."

Hershey School Refuses To Admit HIV-Positive Male Teenager

the milton hershey school was founded by the chocolate tycoon as a school that "nurtures & educates children in social & financial need to lead fulfilling & productive lives." sadly, that fulfillment won't be realized by a 13 year-old honor student from delaware county who's hiv-positive.

...is this how we celebrate world aids day?

in an exclusive interview with nbc philadelphia's denise nakano, the disheartened boy said, "i feel no other teenager should go through this, being denied just because they have hiv." his lawyer filed a discrimination suit in u.s. district court alleging the school "violated multiple anti-discrimination laws," by not admitting him due to his hiv+ health status.

the lawsuit was filed under a pseudonym. the boy & his mother requested their identities not be revealed. the school doesn't deny why they rejected him; furthermore, they petitioned to have the court review the case. the school released a statement wednesday; part of which stated, "in order to protect our children in this unique environment, we cannot accommodate the needs of students with chronic communicable diseases that pose a direct threat to the health & safety of others."

ronda goldfein from the aids law project is representing the boy & his mother in the federal discrimination lawsuit. goldfein says, "if you have a school that's open to the public, it's open to the public. if you have a student that has a particular need & requests assistance, then you accommodate. you don't simply say, we don't like you, we don't like your diagnosis, you can't come here."

the boy's mother said, "it makes me angry, like really, really angry, because they don't understand how great he is." the teenager has lived with hiv all of his life but doesn't feel hiv defines him. he excels in school, is active in sports & was learning to speak two foreign languages. he hoped hershey - a cost-free, private boarding school for children from low-income families - would advance his education.

"they didn't look at whether my client presented any threat, they just said 13 year-old boy with hiv, oh no, that's too dangerous," said goldfein. the lawsuit calls for the school to both admit the fun-loving student & give unspecified monetary damages. said the boy, "i think that it was wrong to put me through emotional distress."

NBA Players and Owners Reach Tentative Agreement for 2011-2012 Season

nba players & owners reached a tentative agreement early saturday to end the 149-day lockout with the intention of opening the delayed 2011-2012 season on christmas day. neither side provided many specifics but said the only words players & fans wanted to hear. "we want to play basketball," said nba comissioner david stern.

after a secret meeting earlier this week, both sides negotiated more than 15 hours friday to try & save the season. this handshake deal, however, still must be ratified by the players & the owners. stern said it was "subject to a variety of approvals & very complex machinations, but we're optimistic that all will come to pass & that the nba season will begin december 25."

barring a change in scheduling, the season will open with a triple header. the new york knicks will host the boston celtics, followed by the miami heat at the dallas mavericks & finally, the chicago bulls versus the los angeles lakers. president obama, after finishing a basketball game at fort mcnair in washington, gave a thumbs-up when told of the settlement. "all i feel right now is finally," said dwayne wade.

the league plans a 66-game season & aims to open training camps december 9. ironically, just 12 days after talks broke down, stern declared the nba could be headed to a "nuclear winter." the all-star game is scheduled to be held in orlando, yet no date was finalized. union executive director billy hunter said, "we thought it was in both of our interest to try to reach a resolution & save the game & to be able to provide the kind of superb entertainment the nba historically has provided."

a majority on each side is needed to approve the agreement. the nba needs votes from 15 of 29 owners. the nba owns the new orleans hornets. stern said the labor relations committee plans to discuss the agreement later saturday & expects them to endorse it & recommend to the full board. the union needs a simple majority from its 430-plus members. but their process is a bit more complicated.

the players dissolved the union november 14. they must drop their anti-trust lawsuit in minnesota & re-form the the union before voting on the deal. also, because the union disbanded, a new collective bargaining agreement can be completed only once the union re-forms. drug testing & other issues still must be negotiated between the league & the players. said stern, "we're very pleased we've come this far...there's still a lot of work to do."

participating in the talks for the league were stern, deputy commissioner adam silver, san antonio spurs owner & chairman of the labor relations committee peter holt, along with attorneys rick buchanan & dan rube. the players were represented by hunter, president derek fisher, vice president maurice evans, attorney ron klempner & economist kevin murphy.

the owners locked out the players july 1. both sides spent arduous months battling over division revenues & other changes owners wanted in a new collective bargaining agreement. they said they lost hundreds of millions of dollars in each year of the former deal, ratified in 2005. they wanted a system where big-market teams wouldn't have the ability to outspend their smaller counterparts. the players fought those changes, not wanting to see any teams taken out of the market when they become free agents.

said silver, "this was not an easy agreement for anyone. the owners came in having suffered substantial losses & feeling the system wasn't working fairly across all teams. i certainly know the players had strong views about expectations in terms of what they should be getting from the system. it required a lot of compromise from both parties' part & i think that's what we saw today."

stern opined despite some "bumps" friday evening, "the greater good required us to knock ourselves out & come to this tentative understanding." he denied litigation was a factor in accelerating a deal, but things happened quickly after the players filed a suit which could have won them $6 billion in damages if the court ruled the lockout was illegal.

"for us the litigation is something that has to be dealt with," stern said. "it was not the reason for the settlement. the reason for the settlement was we've got fans, we've got players who would like to play & we've got people who are dependent on us. and its always been our goal to reach a deal that was fair to both sides & get us playing as soon as possible, but that took a little time." this was the second shortened season in nba history. the 1998-99 lockout reduced the season to 50 games.

Herman Cain Denies Mounting Sexual Harassment Allegations

republican presidential candidate herman cain has unequivocally denied the mounting sexual harassment allegations against him, saying, "they simply didn't happen." cain has vowed not to withdraw his candidacy from the race. some polls have shown his numbers have slipped considerably since five women have accused him of sexual harassment. cain & mitt romney were front-runners a few weeks ago.

last week cain denied the claims of his latest accuser, sharon bialek, who said the two were out to dinner because she'd hoped cain could help her find employment. she said cain put his hands underneath her dress, reached for her genitals & put her head toward his crotch. bialek said she wanted to give a face & a voice to the women who are fearful of speaking out, although two admittedly cannot speak publicly due to confidentiality papers they reportedly signed.

bialek was accompanied at a press conference by controversial defense attorney gloria allred. cain appeared on abc's 'jimmy kimmel live' the same evening. when asked by kimmel if he'd consider hiring allred as his attorney cain quipped, "you almost made me say something that my handlers say you should not say. let me put it to you this way: i can't think of anything that i would hire her to do, ok? i can't think of a thing."

also last week, another woman, karen kraushaar, confirmed publicly for the first time she had accused cain of sexual harassment. kraushaar's initial allegations came when they both worked for the national restaurant association in the 1990s. cain has denied these & all other allegations from the women as "simply false."

dahlia lithwick, senior editor at slate, told amy goodwin on democracy now, "i think this goes to these archetypes, that if you fail everything else, just accuse women of being insane, accuse them of being trampy, accuse them of being hysterics. i think that that's a little bit of what you're hearing here...i find it fascinating that you never hear these accusations turned against male accusers of misconduct. these are really, really shakespearean ideas of women as emotional & unhinged."

Dr. Conrad Murray Found Guilty Of Involuntary Manslaughter In Michael Jackson Trial

a two-year legal battle over who was responsible for the sudden death of michael jackson came to a dramatic close monday. after about nine hours of deliberation, which began friday morning, a california jury found doctor conrad murray guilty of involuntary manslaughter.

dr. murray appeared to show no emotion as the verdict was read by court clerk sammi bentson. but latoya jackson, one of the infamous sisters of the late king of pop, let out a loud, but short scream. a loud celebration erupted among jackson's fans outside the downtown los angeles county courthouse, where emotions ran so high one woman fainted.

the clearly startled dr. murray was immediately handcuffed & taken away by deputees after los angeles county superior court judge michael pastor denied bail. explaining his decision to remand murray to police custody pastor said, "this is not a crime involving a mistake of judgment...this is a crime where the end result was the death of a human being. that factor demonsrates rather dramatically that the public should be protected."

sentencing was set for november 29, with dr. murray facing up to four years in prison. defense attorney ed chernoff told cnn the defense team's main job right now is to prepare for sentencing & limit the amount of time dr. murray spends in jail. said chernoff, "what matters most right now is trying to keep dr. murray from taking up a prison cell in this community. that's what we're focusing on right now & we'll deal with an appeal after that."

another of dr. murray's lawyers, nareg gourjan, told cnn monday night the outcome may have been different had the defense been able to introduce jackson's past drug use & "financial condition," as additional evidence. he described his client as "devastated" by the verdict, adding he's trying to stay positive with more legal options ahead of him. said gourjan, "we're hoping that the appeals court will have something to say about this."

dr. murray served as jackson's personal physician as he prepared for his comeback concerts. jackson said the 50-city tour - this is it - would be the final concerts of his illustrious career. according to testimony, dr. murray gave him the surgical anesthetic propofol to help him sleep nearly every night for the last two months of his life. jackson's tragic death on june 25, 2009 was caused by "acute propofol intoxication" in combination with two sedatives, the los angeles county coroner ruled.

Angela Davis Speaks At Occupy Wall Street

angela davis spoke to the people of occupy wall street at washington square park in new york city october 30. davis thanked the occupy wall street movement for transforming politics in the universe. she spoke to the brutal police crack-down on the occupy encampment in her hometown of oakland & supported the call for a national strike on november 2.

the activist, author, professor & scholar captivated her audience, speaking to the perils of language, while calling on the movement to transform the meaning of democracy, occupation & unity. davis utilized the "people's mic" to draw attention to rising concerns of inclusion, urging the movement to embrace a "complex unity," within the concept of "99 percent."

davis referenced the black feminist lesbian mother warrior poet audre lorde upon addressing the festive crowd. said lorde, "how can we come together in a unity that is complex & emancipatory? differences must not be merely tolerated but seen as a fund of necessary polarities between which poles creativity can spark like the dialectic."

when asked about the upcoming u.s. election davis responded by saying, "the two-party system has never worked; it does not work now & we clearly need alternatives. personally, i believe we need a powerful, radical, third party."

davis continued, "in the meantime, this movement, which is not a party, can accomplish much that political parties are unable to accomplish & so it would seem to me, that the best way to exert pressure on that corrupt two-party system is to continue to build this movement & to demonstrate that it reaches not only across the country but across the ocean."

What The Media Won't Tell You About Libya

some americans & others around the world seemed to rejoice in the october 20 death of libyan president muammar gaddafi. for decades gaddafi was identified by the media as a dictator, pariah &/or ruler. as such, the same people who read the new york times & wall street journal believed what they heard on cnn & fox about his regime.

listed below are some of the unknown facts which demonstrate how the people of libya have benefited from gaddafi's leadership. these facts were not printed in our so-called trusted news sources. these facts were not spoken about on our nightly news shows. yet people who consider themselves to be well-educated & well-informed will still believe what they are being told about libya under gaddafi.

1) every libyan citizen received free education from kindergarten to the graduate school of their choice anywhere in the world. 2) as a result, the literacy rate in libya has reached 92% - higher than the u.s. 3) every libyan citizen received lifelong free medical care. 4) every libyan citizen was provided with debt-free home ownership. 5) every libyan citizen received free electrical service.

6) every libyan citizen received free pure water service. 7) every libyan citizen received a 50% discount on the purchase of an automobile. 8) for libyan citizens, the price of gasoline was 17 cents per gallon. 9) every libyan citizen is eligible to receive loans free of interest. 10) interest is illegal in libya.

11) there are no income taxes in libya. 12) every libyan couple who decides to marry receives a $50,000 gift from the libyan government. 13) every libyan citizen is qualified to receive a gift of a free land package that includes free farming equipment, free seed & free water for irrigation.

since 1992, muammar gaddafi has been organizing african oil nations into a consortium to benefit the peoples of the african continent. two conferences were held & african leaders enthusiastically endorsed the unified movement. resolutions were passed & timetables were agreed upon. final agreement was near.

the key to this african unity movement & the key to understanding why nato was sent in to organize the strategy to destroy the gaddafi regime is this: the new african union proposed by gaddafi would no longer accept american dollars - or the european euro - in payment for oil. the financial basis being established by gaddafi meant the new african union would require any purchase of african oil be paid for in gold. no gold, no oil.

said professor michel chossudovsky, "with the killing of libya's leader muammar gaddafi, nato is celebrating what, in their view, is a great victory. however, this so-called victory has nothing to do with freedom or justice; it is part of a broad, insidious, geo-political strategy that has been on nato's drawing board for years. and what is even more frightening than the blood lust being shamelessly splashed across the mainstream media is the fact that this latest maneuver is merely a small part of a much wider military agenda with potentially catastrophic consequences."

St. Louis Cardinals Win 2011 World Series

the st. louis cardinals beat the texas rangers 6-2 in game seven to win the 2011 world series. chris carpenter pitched six solid innings to get his second win of the series. the 36 year-old all-star right hander gave up two runs in the first inning. he would shutdown the rangers but was relieved by the bullpen after giving up a leadoff single in the seventh inning.

third baseman david freese, a native kid who quit baseball in college, was named most valuable player. freese hit .348 & set postseason records with 21 runs batted in & 52 extra base hits, while tying a postseason record with 25 hits. he became the sixth player in major league baseball history to win the league championship series mvp & world series mvp.

the cardinals' improbable journey was all the more remarkable considering the plethora of obstacles they overcame. they lost starting pitcher adam wainwright before the first spring training game was played. all-stars albert pujols & matt holliday, in addition to freese, key players each, missed significant stretches of the regular season. but they never lost faith.

the redbirds were down 10 & 1/2 games in the wild card race to the atlanta braves on august 25. undaunted, they captured a playoff berth on the last day of the regular season. st. louis beat the heavily favored, 102-win philadelphia phillies in the division series & took care of the 96-win milwaukee brewers in the championship series.

returning home to busch stadium with a 3-2 deficit, the cardinals played one of the most exciting games in world series history. despite twice being down to their last strike they showed their resilliency. freese hit a two-run triple in the 9th inning to tie the game at 7-7. berkman singled in the 10th inning to even the score at 9-9. freese hit a dramatic leadoff walkoff solo homer in the 11th inning to earn them a shot at championship glory.

st. louis won their second world series crown in six years - they beat detroit in 2006 - in front of a stadium-record crowd of 47,399 loyal fans. hundreds more were stationed outside the park in ballpark village, hotel rooms across the street & even atop a nearby parking garage. their 11 championships are second all-time to the new york yankees, who have 27.

"when you play in a city like this, where we have the greatest fans in the world, they come out every day & they allowed us to do what we did this year," said cardinals general manager john mozeliak. "so i thank all of them & all our employees, because without them, we're not standing here. so thank you," he said.

cardinals manager tony la russa, who now has 3 world series rings as manager, admitted, "it was overwhelming. we were on the edge game after game after game. you might lose one, but as it got closer, elimination games, the character on this club is off the charts. we are more talented i think than some people realize, especially as we got healthy. but you play with that urgency, its a little scary at times & it takes a lot out of you, but its really fun to compete that way."

carpenter, 36, pitched on three days' rest for the second time in his career - the first, in the nlds against the phillies. "you can't say enough good things about the guy," said lance berkman, who hit over .400 in the series. "he's such a big game picther. what he's able to do goes beyond his stuff. the way he competes, the way he controls the game, the way he studies a lineup, knows how to pitch to it," berkman said.

the texas rangers lost their second straight world series, falling last year to the san francisco giants in five games. 50 years ago they were the washington senators. but in 1972 the franchise moved to texas. their 2010 mvp josh hamilton said about game seven, "we caught carpenter a little bit by surprise there in the first inning. but he did settle down. you can never get comfortable. i think we got the feeling that most teams felt during the season when they played us."

the cardinals improved to 8-3 in seven-game world series. as berkman said, "we're world series champions & nobody can take that away from us. what makes that even sweeter was the manner in which we won it. hollywood would have a hard time scripting something like this. you hear that sometimes, but its true with this team. the reality of it is way better than anything you can make up about the team."

The Mountaintop - A Review

last thursday pm i attended the broadway premiere of playwright katori hall's olivier award-winning drama, the mountaintop. tony award nominee kenny leon directs samuel l. jackson as the rev. dr. martin luther king, jr. & angela bassett as camae, an enigmatic maid at the lorraine motel in memphis, tennessee where the civil rights leader has retired after delivering his legendary "i've been to the mountaintop" speech.

myself & the two buddies who invited me nestled into the mezzanine of the bernard b. jacobs theatre, undaunted by the chill inside. we were excited to witness two oscar nominated actors who have not worked together since the early 80's when the negro ensemble company produced colored people's time. says jackson, "we all know that somebody else was supposed to do the play & she didn't," referring to halle berry's rumored attachment, "but things always happen the way they're supposed to."

the part of camae was named after the playwright's mother (carrie-mae), who grew up near the lorraine motel. but bassett stresses hers is a fictitious character: "i'm doing my own thing." in shaping his portrayal, jackson - who was an usher at dr. king, jr's funeral - drew upon his connection beyond their shared spirit of activism. says jackson, "like me, he was a father, a husband & he dealt with fame."

the dubious encounter between dr. king, jr. & the maid takes place in room 306 of the motel on april 3, 1968, the night before his assassination. when jackson enters the room (to the audience's applause), what struck me immediately was his complete lack of physical resemblance to dr. king, jr. the make-up & wardrobe was terrible. additionally, his southern accent was horrendous. he consistently went in & out of the accent, which served more of a distraction than a reminder of dr. king's warmth.

still, the drama was interesting in depicting dr. king, jr. as a man, not an icon. anxious about writing an upcoming sermon & also out of pall malls, at one point he looks out the window & says, "where is that nigger with my cigarettes?" the audience howled with laughter, partly because those words were unexpected & also because the pain associated with the 'n' word has become normalized.

despite their quiet chemistry, this writer feels bassett overpowered jackson on stage. her role as camae was brilliant. her humanity evolved as the play progressed; ironically, she met dr. king, jr. on her first day of work. camae was initially meek & timid, somewhat awestruck. yet as they continued to rapport (aided by the liquor in her pocket & them sharing her pall malls) she became this fiery, sassy woman who could obviously hold her own.

there was a sense of discomfort in the air: dr. king, jr was openly flirting with camae. their sexual tension was palpable, yet camae made him subtly clear about her respect for his marriage & her dignity as a christian woman. she knew her worth. nevertheless, the two playfully traded jabs without causing harm. the actors' timing was sharp & the play's pace was brisk. hall's writing was excellent, allowing two people to become equals, regardless of their class & gender differences.

my friends & i liked the play immensely. seeing dr. king, jr. as a vulnerable hue-man being exceeded my expectations & shattered my illusions about his stoic image. ultimately, we were treated to a well-rounded portrait of a man with fears & flaws, yet remains steadfast to his principles. jackson said, "we hope audiences enjoy the play; more importantly, angela & i will enjoy being there together, telling this wonderful story."

Obama Dedicates MLK Memorial

at the dedication of a memorial of rev. dr. martin luther king, jr, president barack obama said, "an earthquake & hurricane may have delayed this day, but it was a day not to be denied." the memorial returned dr. king to the national mall - a symbol of the change he once galvanized - at a ceremony attended by thousands.

crowds began at dawn to crowd onto the memorial site, just southeast of the steps where king delivered his historic "i have a dream" speech. designed as what king described as a stone of hope hewn from a mountain of despair, the memorial is the first to a black man on the national mall & its parks, & the first monument to a non-president on the mall.

president obama said, "in this place he will stand for all time among monuments of those who fathered this nation & those who defended it...a black preacher, no official rank or title, who somehow gave voice to our deepest dreams & our most lasting ideas - a man who stirred our conscience & thereby helped make our union more perfect."

obama also said the monument was not for the assassinated leader alone: "the movement of which he was a part depended on an entire generation of leaders. many are here today, & for their service & sacrifice we owe them our everlasting gratitude. this is a monument to your collective achievement."

the president went on to state, "some giants of the civil rights movement like rosa parks & dorothy height, benjamin hooks, rev. fred shuttlesworth, they've been taken from us these past few years. this monument attests to their strength & courage, & while we miss them dearly, we know they rest in a better place."

"finally," obama remarked, "there are the multitudes of men & women whose names never appear in the history books. those who marched & those who sang, those who sat in & those who stood firm. those who organized & those who mobilized - all those men & women who through countless acts of quiet heroism helped bring about changes few thought were even possible."

in conclusion, said obama, "faceless, anonymous, relentless young people, black & white, who have taken our whole nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the founding fathers in the formulation of the constitution & the declaration of independence. to those men & women, those foot soldiers for justice, know that this monument is yours as well."

president obama was just six years old when dr. king was tragically gunned down on the balcony of the lorraine motel in memphis, tennessee. he credits dr. king with helping him pave the way to the white house as america's first black commander-in-chief. aretha franklin, stevie wonder & poet nikki giovanni were among those who honored the legacy of the nation's foremost civil rights leader. organizers anticipated over 50,000 people would attend.

Gil Noble Resigns as Host of 'Like It Is'

gil noble will not return to hosting abc's 'like it is.' the 79 year-old cultural icon suffered a severe stroke two months ago. he continues to recuperate & according to his family is "making progress." noble began hosting the public affairs show in 1968. noble's loved ones, along with his attorney, told wabc/channel seven general manager david davis last week noble would not return as host.

"they have made the difficult decision that gil can no longer continue as host of 'like it is'," davis wrote in an e-mail to his staff. "i said i understood & after so many years of serving the community & hosting such an historic program, gil deserves the opportunity to completely concentrate on his recovery." noble's family says he will no longer be able to host the show.

airing sundays at noon, 'like it is' is a powerful resource for african-descended people. noble's cultural integrity, loving spirit & social consciousness was evident in every show. he's interviewed athletes, celebrities, educators, journalists, musicians, newsmakers, politicians & regular folk with compassion, fairness & respect.

noble has been a long-time activist for the african-american community. outside of his work at channel seven, noble has produced documentaries on w.e.b. dubois, rev. dr. martin luther king, jr & malcolm x. channel seven has been airing classic installments of 'like it is' since his stroke.

davis said, "channel seven will continue to serve the african-american community with a program that examines all the critical issues - jobs, education, housing, politics, transportation, culture - the list will be defined by our viewers' needs & interests." he said the news, programming & public affairs department would work on a new program, with details coming soon. "we cannot duplicate gil noble of 'like it is,' but we should always respect his passion for the truth," davis wrote.

Did the State of Georgia Execute an Innocent Black Man?

at 11:08 pm wednesday, the state of georgia executed troy anthony davis by lethal injection. about 500 peaceful protesters, 95% of whom were black, respectfully gathered in front of the jackson state prison in jackson, georgia. the diverse crowd included children, elderly folk & pregnant women. some of them proudly wore i am troy davis t-shirts. for hours upon hours they shouted, 'spare this man's life.'

according to historian & author william jelani cobb, "when word came that the supreme court was stepping in, there was elation. but we just sank when we learned that there wasn't going to be any change in his fate. people quietly gave in. as davis was in the process of dying, some prayed. some people fell out on the grass. others were talking about what we should do next. it was a roller coaster."

davis was originally scheduled to be executed at 7:00 pm. the u.s. supreme court, opting not to address this case previously, weighed in for over three hours before ultimately refusing his attorney's appeal. davis, a black man, was convicted in 1991 of shooting & killing mark mcphail, a white, male off-duty police officer in savannah, georgia in 1989.

no physical evidence was provided by the prosecution. no murder weapon was found. seven of the nine eyewitness recanted their testimony; many citing law enforcement coercion, stress & fear of reprisal. some said the police made them lie. one witness signed a police statement indicting davis - yet he was illiterate. some said the person, sylvester coles, who reported davis to the police, actually shot the police officer.

just before his controversial execution, davis humbly maintained his innocence. he urged people to dig deeper into the provocative case for the truth. when asked for his final words davis said, "for those about to take my life, may god have mercy on your souls, may god bless your souls."

historically, within every facet of the american criminal justice system, people of african ancestry have experienced financial shortcomings, inadequate legal representation, media apathy, racial discrimination & social inequality. marcus garvey once said, "people who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it." richard pryor once said, "there is no justice for black people...there's just us."

some people felt u.s. president barack obama should speak to a case of this magnitude. obama is the most powerful black man in america. his attorney general, eric holder, is black. legally, the president lacks the authority to intervene in state convictions. but the justice department could investigate claims davis' civil rights were violated in his trial.

often when folks have been mistreated legally &/or wrongly convicted they have an opportunity to correct the injustice. you can sue the police. you can be granted a new trial. you can be released from prison. you can be given compensation. you can, at the very least, continue to exhaust the legal system of all its resources to amend the wrongs against you.

but there is no legal way to correct a death sentence. once convicted, the burden of innocence falls squarely on the shoulder of the convicted individual. if davis was serving a sentence of life in prison without parole, he could continue to press the legal system to grant him a fair trial - but because of the death penalty, he does not have that opportunity.

troy davis' case has ignited national discourse around the viability of the death penalty. many people feel strongly one way or the other on moral grounds. however, the many questions of doubt against davis were so uncertain in this case it left a bad taste with people who are staunchly pro-death penalty. furthermore, in a system which routinely misidentifies black suspects & disproportionately punishes black people, the cultural oppression of african people continues.

since 1973, more than 130 people have been released from death row because they were wrongly convicted. the movement to add davis to this list was strong from the outset. the georgia board of pardons & parole received hundreds of phone calls to help delay davis' execution twice. over a million people signed petitions & others raised money to run ads on georgia radio stations calling for justice.

amnesty international, colorofchange.org, naacp, national action network & other activists, community-based organizations & progressive people fought valiantly to save davis' life. prayer vigils were held around the world from portland, oregon to paris, france. despite his inevitable fate, davis felt the case was bigger than him.

some of the prominent people across the political spectrum who spoke out included archbishop desmond tutu, former georgia republican congressman bob barr, hip hop group outkast member big boi, former u.s. president jimmy carter, members of the congressional black caucus, former georgia supreme court justice norman fletcher, pope benedict xvi & former fbi director william sessons.

long live the spirit of troy anthony davis!!!

Novak Djokovic & Samantha Stosur Win 2011 US Open Singles Titles

world #1 novak djokovic of serbia defeated world #2 rafael nadal of spain 6-2, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 to win his first us open men's singles title. djokovic is now 6-0 against the passionate lefty this year - all in finals - continuing his dominance over all opponents. he has 10 titles (six more than any other player) in 2011 & has compiled a mind-boggling 64-2 record.

djokovic becomes the sixth men's player in the open era to win three major championships in the same year. he beat andy murray of great britain at the australian open & nadal at both wimbledon & the us open. most notably, for the second year in a row, djokovic saved two match points against roger federer of switzerland in the semi-finals to emerge.

samantha stosur of australia upset three-time us open champion serena williams of the united states 6-2, 6-3 to win her first major singles title. the 9th seeded aussie outplayed williams from the outset, mixing powerful serves & punishing forehands to keep williams on the defensive. williams was seeded #28, as injuries sidelined her for most of the year.

this was stosur's third career title, a trophy most folks thought she would not capture against the favored 13-time major champion of usa. a finalist at last year's french open, stosur was inconsistent this year, yet she played within herself to her own surprise. williams had not dropped a set during the entire tournament, which was moved to sunday women's finals & monday men's finals due to hurricane irene the previous week.

Legendary Motown Singer-Songwriter Nick Ashford Transitions

singer-songwriter nick ashford transitioned monday at the age of 70 in a new york hospital. ashford & his wife valerie simpson formed the brilliant duo, ashford & simpson. together they penned elegant & soulful classics for marvin gaye, diana ross & chaka khan, among other artists. ashford was battling throat cancer & underwent radiation treatment.

ashford & simpson garnered their greatest success at motown with songs like "ain't no mountain high enough" & "reach out and touch somebody's hand," by ross, & "you're all i need to get by" by gaye & tammi terrell; in the early 90's, mary j. blige & method man remade the song, earning them a grammy for best hip hop duo.

the gifted pair created anthems for others, among them, "i'm every woman" by khan, which was later remade by whitney houston. ashford & simpson also triumphed writing for themselves. perhaps their best-known song was the 80's hit "solid as a rock."

after learning of his friend's death, verdine white of earth, wind & fire said, "his music is unmatched in terms of great songwriting...they had magic & that's what creates those wonderful hits...without those songs, those artists wouldn't have been able to go to the next level." on twitter alicia keys wrote, "i'm so sad that he's gone...so many of the greatest are are going to a greater place...what a legacy of infectious music...man!"

ashford & simpson initially met in 1964 in a new york city church. ashford, a south carolina native, came to nyc to pursue a dance career. simpson was a music student. after they connected the two decided to write songs together. said white, "they were always comfortable with each other & they made all of us comfortable, because they were comfortable."

their first major success occurred when they wrote "let's go get stoned" for the legendary ray charles. the bluesy, gospel-tinged song became a huge hit for charles; as such, it brought them to the attention of motown records, who signed them to write for their artists.

at motown they wrote romantic & soulful ballads for the charismatic duo of gaye & terrell. songs like "your precious love" & "ain't nothin' like the real thing" became instant classics. originally, "ain't no mountain high enough" was their hit, until ross later re-recorded it with a new arrangement fueled by sweeping pop grandeur - making it her signature song.

ross may have been their greatest muse: with her, they had some of their biggest songs & helped give her lifetime-defining hits distinguishing her solo career apart from the supremes. among the songs ross made were "reach out & touch," "the boss," "my house," & "missing you," a tribute to the late gaye & others. they also composed some of the music for "the wiz," the ill-fated movie musical starring ross & michael jackson.

in an industry where marriages & partnerships are fleeting, their relationship stood the test of time. "the thing is they were married & working together, that was what was special about them...everybody admired that," white said. married for 38 years, ashford & simpson helped sell millions of records for several artists in the midst of succeeding as their own entity. writing into the new millennium they were credited as co-writers for amy winehouse's "tears dry on their own."

the pair continued to perform, stretching more than four decades of exciting & riveting showmanship. they also were owners of the popular new york city restaurant sugar bar, where many top names & emerging artists would showcase their craft. in 2002, ashford & simpson were inducted into the songwriters hall of fame. ashford is survived by his wife & two daughters.

NBA Hall of Fame/Class of 2011

the naismith memorial basketball hall of fame welcomes the class of 2011:

teresa edwards. artis gilmore. herb magee. chris mullin. dennis rodman. arvydas sabonis. tom 'satch' sanders. reece 'goose' tatum. tara vanderveer. tex winter.

Is There A Link Between Race & Disease?

around jackson, mississippi, where a common breakfast is eggs fried in lard, dr. herman a. taylor, jr. is known as "heart man." the respected university of mississippi cardiologist is director of the jackson heart study, the largest epidemiological investigation ever undertaken to discover the links between cardiovascular disease & race.

from now until 2014, dr. taylor, jr. & his team will follow 5,302 african-american residents of three mississippi counties: hinds, madison & rankin, they will observe their lives & seek to discover how their heart health is related to their environment.

for the study's participants there will be periodic medical examinations & referrals for care when problems arise. the ultimate aim of the $54 million investigation, dr. taylor, jr. said, "is to gain the information we need to stop an epidemic of cardiovascular diseases within the african-american community." the study is not without precedence.

the framington heart study, which tracked cardiovascular disease in three generations of new englanders, is thought to be the most productive investigation in public health history. but when the study was initiated in 1948, the town of framingham was mostly populated by second-generation immigrants & other whites. few blacks were included.

since 1963, death from cardiovascular disease for the nation as a whole has declined. yet, in regions like mississippi among african-americans mortality from heart disease is flat, or trending upward. particularly with women. a middle-aged african-american woman in mississippi has four times the risk of death from cardiovascular disease than a white woman elsewhere in the country.

dr. taylor, jr. & his team have identified a number of barriers to life quality, among them access to health care, high blood pressure, inactivity, obesity & smoking. they are also gathering relevant data on often overlooked issues such as anger, extended family, hostility, optimism, religion, social support & stress. they want to know what's killing folks.

african-american women in mississippi suffer from very high levels of obesity, higher than national averages. their rates of diabetes & hypertension are also quite high. fortunately, alcohol consumption among the women is much lower than average. additionally, the team will look at how these women respond to racial discrimination & how they cope with it.

one of the primary concerns of dr. taylor, jr's team is the immediate environment of the participants. a healthy lifestyle can be compromised when exercise - a jog or walk in the neighborhood - becomes a risky proposition. in other words: do people feel safe where they live? are there grocery stores in the area, or do people rely on the corner market with its customary jars of pickled eggs & pigs' feet on the counter?

in the traditional diets of african-americans in mississippi, the calories & fat are astronomical. they add up to being the fattest state in the nation. soul food, as such, could use a little tweaking. dr. taylor says, "the problem today for people living under stressful conditions is that harmful stuff is sometimes a cheap way to take a load off their lives & feel less stressed. i think that drives a lot of eating & smoking."

people in mississippi remember the highly controversial tuskegee study. in fact, the rationale for keeping valuable information from the study's participants was to not interfere with the history of their disease. says dr. taylor, jr., "we're an observational study. we take an active role in spreading the word about prevention. when one of our medical exams shows something of clinical importance in a participant, we contact their physician. if they don't have one, we have a group of local doctors who've volunteered to take them on."