RIAA Explains To U.S. Copyright Office Why Radio Should Pay More In Royalty Fees

Story by AllAccess

The RIAA has responded to the U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE's request for comments in a "Music Licensing Study: Notice and Request for Public Comment," (http://regulations.justia.com/regulations/fedreg/2014/03/17/2014-05711.html) by explaining why terrestrial radio should pay more in royalty payments.

The RIAA writes, "With these objectives in mind, we propose to replace the current overlapping musical work licensing systems with a single, simple and efficient system that incorporates marketplace royalty payments. As described below, such a system would have many potential advantages, including: (1) market rates for publishers and songwriters; (2) more consumer choice through easier funding and development of innovative services; (3) more revenue for services and higher royalties for creators due to savings from simplified licensing procedures; (4) improved accuracy of payments and transparency for publishers and songwriters; and (5) viability for ASCAP and BMI, and the revenue streams they administer."

Targeting radio, they continue, "Although our principal focus in these Comments is on the licensing of musical works, there also should be some changes in the law relating to sound recordings. Most importantly, as the Office has advocated for decades, 1 the performance right exemption for use of sound recordings by terrestrial radio in the U.S. should be eliminated. In addition, we believe that lessons learned after almost 20 years' experience with the sound recording statutory licenses suggest that those licenses should be adjusted in certain respects."

Explaining the history of the current system, the RIAA continues, "The current U.S. systems for musical work licensing were designed to address the needs of the early twentieth century, when the music publishing business shifted from one dominated by the sale of sheet music as a stand-alone product and live performances, to a business where musical works were primarily licensed for use in the form of finished sound recordings that were either sold in a physical format or performed on terrestrial radio."

"Rather than allow controversy over performance licensing of music products to unravel a system that seems to be working for the radio and television broadcasts and live venues that constitute the vast majority of the PROs' business, reproduction, distribution and performance rights for music products should be rolled into a consolidated licensing system. It makes no sense to have three entirely separate processes for setting rates, licensing and paying for a single set of activities," explains the RIAA. "First, U.S. terrestrial radio enjoys an unfair exemption from the sound recording performance right. U.S. Radio broadcasters use sound recordings to their commercial advantage and should pay for that privilege just like other types of services. The absence of a performance right as to broadcast radio also distorts the international flow of sound recording royalties, because it prevents U.S. artists and record companies from collecting royalties accrued for foreign radio broadcasts of U.S. sound recordings."

They sum up, "U.S. terrestrial radio broadcasters enjoy an unfair exemption from the sound recording performance right. In addition to the fundamental unfairness of their using copyrighted sound recordings without paying, the absence of a terrestrial performance right in the U.S. prevents U.S. copyright owners and performers from collecting accrued royalties for foreign radio broadcasts of U.S. sound recordings. The absence of a terrestrial performance right also skews the relationship between sound recordings and musical works."

National Action Network's 5th Annual Triumph Awards - June 2, 2014 in New York City

AFT’s Weingarten on the Passing of Maya Angelou

WASHINGTON— Statement from American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten on the passing of poet, educator and civil rights leader Maya Angelou:

“In Maya Angelou’s own words, ‘We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.’ This sentiment echoes her true spirit; she was a phenomenal woman. We stand in awe of her healing words, her strength to educate and her courage to liberate. Her moral compass still provides direction to our fight for equity and civil rights, and will guide us for as long as we celebrate her legacy.”

CLYBURN STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF DR. MAYA ANGELOU

WASHINGTON -- Assistant Democratic Leader James E. Clyburn released the following statement today on the passing of Dr. Maya Angelou:

“My condolences go out to the family of the great Dr. Maya Angelou. Dr. Angelou is not only revered for her incredible literary works but she inspired generations through her personal experiences and struggles.

“I had the privilege of working with her on many projects over the years. At my request, she graced us with her presence as Mistress of Ceremonies when I was sworn in as Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus. I was deeply touched by her participation in the event.

“Her accomplishments span many decades and her roles varied from actress and entertainer to author, poet and teacher. Dr. Angelou leaves a legacy of countless lives touched and infinite souls inspired.

“My wife Emily and I want to offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Dr. Maya Angelou, and we join the multitudes in mourning her passing and celebrating her matchless life of devotion, compassion and inspiration.”

Maya Angelou dead at 86

Maya Angelou Bio by Poets.org
WXII 12 Winston-Salem, NC TV report: http://www.wxii12.com/news/dr-maya-angelou-dead-at-86/26204272#ixzz3315qMftQ

Maya Angelou was born Marguerite Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 4, 1928. She grew up in St. Louis and Stamps, Arkansas. She was an author, poet, historian, songwriter, playwright, dancer, stage and screen producer, director, performer, singer, and civil rights activist. She's best known for her autobiographical books: Mom & Me & Mom (Random House, 2013); Letter to My Daughter (2008); All God’s Children Need Traveling Shoes (1986); The Heart of a Woman (1981); Singin’ and Swingin’ and Gettin’ Merry Like Christmas (1976); Gather Together in My Name (1974); and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), which was nominated for the National Book Award.



Among her volumes of poetry are A Brave and Startling Truth (Random House, 1995); The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou (1994); Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now (1993); Now Sheba Sings the Song (1987); I Shall Not Be Moved (1990); Shaker, Why Don’t You Sing? (1983); Oh Pray My Wings Are Gonna Fit Me Well (1975); and Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘fore I Diiie (1971), which was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.

In 1959, at the request of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Maya Angelou became the northern coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. From 1961 to 1962 she was associate editor of The Arab Observer in Cairo, Egypt, the only English-language news weekly in the Middle East, and from 1964 to 1966 she was feature editor of the African Review in Accra, Ghana.

She returned to the United States in 1974 and was appointed by Gerald Ford to the Bicentennial Commission and later by Jimmy Carter to the Commission for International Woman of the Year. She accepted a lifetime appointment in 1981 as Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

In 1993, Angelou wrote and delivered a poem, “On The Pulse of the Morning," at the inauguration for President Bill Clinton at his request. In 2000, she received the National Medal of Arts, and in 2010 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.

The first black woman director in Hollywood, Angelou has written, produced, directed, and starred in productions for stage, film, and television. In 1971, she wrote the original screenplay and musical score for the film Georgia, Georgia, and was both author and executive producer of a five-part television miniseries “Three Way Choice.” She has also written and produced several prize-winning documentaries, including “Afro-Americans in the Arts," a PBS special for which she received the Golden Eagle Award.

Maya Angelou was twice nominated for a Tony award for acting: once for her Broadway debut in Look Away (1973), and again for her performance in Roots (1977).
__________________________________________________________________

Maya Angelou's last tweet from twitter (‏@DrMayaAngelou) at 11:43 AM - 23 May 2014: "Listen to yourself and in that quietude you might hear the voice of God."

Our times' most acclaimed poet and author Maya Angelou died this morning in her North Carolina home at age 86, according to officials at the city of Winston-Salem Mayor’s office.

Nearly 500 Migrants Rescued Off Sicily in Italy

Story by AP

The Italian Navy rescued nearly 500 migrants, including 100 children, in an all-night operation on last Tuesday.

The migrants were brought aboard two navy vessels on Monday evening and Tuesday from two fishing boats tethered together off Sicily. Most were from Bangladesh, Egypt and Syria, the navy said.

There has been an enormous jump this year in the number of migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, an increasing number of them children. Of the 26,644 migrants who arrived in Italy through April 30 this year, 3,848 were minors, and 2,744 of those were unaccompanied.

Rapper 50 Cent shot puts first pitch for New York Mets

Left Handed 50 Cent mishandles first pitch. (Video Credit: MLB)


In Da Club (Video Credit: 50CentVEVO)

Power Talk One

Dick Gregory and Dr. Claud Anderson impact the first of many lecture series.

.Nigerian Defense Chief Alex S. Badeh says abducted girls located

Nigeria's chief of defense staff Air Marshal Alex S. Badeh, centre, speaks during a demonstration calling on the government to rescue the kidnapped girls of the government secondary school in Chibok, in Abuja, Nigeria, Monday, May 26, 2014. Scores of protesters chanting "Bring Back Our Girls" marched in the Nigerian capital Monday to protest the abductions of more than 300 schoolgirls by Boko Haram, the government's failure to rescue them and the killings of scores of teachers by Islamic extremists in recent years. (AP Photo/Gbenga Olamikan)

Story by AP
Written by Michelle Faul
Contributors: Bashir Adigun in Abuja and Will Lester in Washington D.C.

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's military has located nearly 300 school girls abducted by Islamic extremists but fears using force to try to free them could get them killed, the country's chief of defense said Monday.

Air Marshal Alex Badeh told demonstrators supporting the much criticized military that Nigerian troops can save the girls. But he added, "we can't go and kill our girls in the name of trying to get them back."

He spoke to thousands of demonstrators who marched to Defense Ministry headquarters in Abuja, the capital. Many were brought in on buses, indicating it was an organized event.

Asked by reporters where they had found the girls, Badeh refused to elaborate.

"We want our girls back. I can tell you we can do it. Our military can do it. But where they are held, can we go with force?" he asked the crowd.

People roared back, "No!"

"If we go with force what will happen?" Badeh asked.

"They will die," the demonstrators responded.

That appeared to leave negotiation the sole option, but a human rights activist close to negotiators said a deal to swap the girls for detained Boko Haram members was agreed last week and then scuttled at the last minute by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The activist who is close to those mediating between Boko Haram extremists and government officials said the girls would have been freed last week Monday.

Jonathan had already told British officials that he would not consider an exchange. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

Nigeria's military and government have faced national and international outrage over their failure to rescue the girls seized by Boko Haram militants from a remote northeastern school six weeks ago.

President Jonathan was forced this month to accept international help. American planes have been searching for the girls and Britain, France, Israel and other countries have sent experts in surveillance and hostage negotiation.

A U.S. Defense Department spokesman said the department cannot confirm the reports about the Nigerian girls at this point. The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the situation, spoke on background.

Jonathan's reluctance to accept offered help for weeks is seen as unwillingness to have outsiders looking in on what is considered a very corrupt force.

Soldiers have told The Associated Press that they are not properly paid, are dumped in dangerous bush with no supplies and that the Boko Haram extremists holding the girls are better equipped than they are.

Some soldiers have said officers enriching themselves off the defense budget have no interest in halting the five-year-old uprising that has killed thousands.

Soldiers near mutiny earlier this month fired on the car of a commanding officer come to pay his respects to the bodies of 12 soldiers who their colleagues said were unnecessarily killed by the insurgents in a night-time ambush.

The military also is accused of killing thousands of detainees held illegally in their barracks, some by shooting, some by torture and many starved to death or asphyxiated in overcrowded cells.

More than 300 teenagers were abducted from their school in the town Chibok on April 15. Police say 53 escaped on their own and 276 remain captive.

A Boko Haram video has shown some of the girls reciting Quranic verses in Arabic and two of them explaining why they had converted from Christianity to Islam in captivity. Unverified reports have indicated two may have died of snake bites, that some have been forced to marry their abductors and that some may have been carried across borders into Chad and Cameroon.

Boko Haram — the nickname means "Western education is sinful" — believes Western influences have corrupted Nigerian society and want to install an Islamic state under strict Shariah law, though the population 170 million people is divided almost equally between Christians and Muslims.

James Brown Movie Trailer for "Get on Up"

The New Trailer for the late James Brown Movie "Get on Up".

President Obama: VA misconduct 'disgraceful'

President Obama met with Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki over controversy on patient health care delays. (Video by CNN)

Donald Sterling vote set for June 3

Story by ESPN news services

NEW YORK -- The NBA charged Donald Sterling on Monday with damaging the league with his racist comments and set a hearing for June 3, after which other team owners will vote to decide the future of his ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers.

The league also said the banned owner has engaged in other conduct that has impaired its relationship with fans and merchandising partners.

Sterling has asked for a three-month delay in the hearing, sources told ESPN.com. That request is expected to be rejected, sources said. The owners' vote will take place after the hearing, which will be held in New York.

"Among other things, Mr. Sterling disparaged African-Americans and 'minorities'; directed a female acquaintance not to associate publicly with African-Americans or to bring African-Americans to Clippers games; and criticized African-Americans for not supporting their communities," the NBA said.

The league also charged Sterling with issuing a false and misleading news statement about the matter.

Article 13 of the NBA's constitution states that one of the conditions that could lead to termination is if an ownership fails or refuses "to fulfill its contractual obligations to the Association, its members, players, or any other third party in such a way as to affect the Association or its members adversely."

Sterling's comments during a CNN interview May 12 with Anderson Cooper are included as part of the basis for the charge to remove him and the rest of the Clippers' ownership group. The charge relates to a TMZ audio recording made public last month and acts related to that recording, including the CNN interview.

"All of these acts provide grounds for termination under several provisions of the NBA constitution and related agreements," the league said in a statement.

Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, the chairman of the league's board of governors, will preside over the hearing, which is planned for two days before the start of the NBA Finals. If three-fourths of the owners vote to sustain the charge, Sterling will be forced to sell the team he has owned since 1981.

Commissioner Adam Silver has said he is confident he has the votes.

Sterling and his lawyer, Maxwell Blecher, were hand-delivered the written charges on Monday. Blecher then sent an email back to the league's general counsel, Rick Buchanon, asking for the three-month delay. The NBA constitution provides that, after being formally charged, five business days are granted.

Blecher has declined comment through his law firm.

His client was banned for life and fined $2.5 million by Silver after the release of the TMZ recording. He has until May 27 to respond to the charge, and he has the right to appear at the hearing and make a presentation in front of the board of governors. If Sterling does not respond by May 27, that would be grounds for termination.

Sterling told a female friend, V. Stiviano, not to bring black people to Clippers games during their conversation that was recorded. He had specifically mentioned Magic Johnson on that recording, and during his CNN interview with Cooper, Sterling criticized the NBA Hall of Famer, calling him a poor role model.

A number of sponsors suspended deals with the Clippers in the wake of Sterling's remarks, potentially hurting league revenues, and some players have said they would consider a boycott next season if Sterling still owned the team.

"Mr. Sterling's actions and positions significantly undermine the NBA's efforts to promote diversity and inclusion; damage the NBA's relationship with its fans; harm NBA owners, players and Clippers team personnel; and impair the NBA's relationship with marketing and merchandising partners, as well as with government and community leaders," the league said.

If Sterling does not respond to the charge within five business days, or if he does not appear at the hearing, it would be deemed an admission of the "total validity of the charges as presented," according to the constitution.

But even the players who want him out believe Sterling will fight, and his attorney sent a letter to the league last week informing it that Sterling wouldn't be paying the fine. Blecher also said Sterling will sue if not afforded due process.

Sterling's estranged wife, Shelly, has said she will fight to keep her 50 percent share of the team even if Donald Sterling is forced to sell, but the league said in its statement that "all ownership interests in the Clippers will be terminated" if the charge is upheld.

Shelly Sterling's lawyer, Pierce O'Donnell, released a statement on Monday.

"We have just received the voluminous charges and are beginning the process of carefully reviewing them," O'Donnell said. "Based on our initial assessment, we continue to believe there is no lawful basis for stripping Shelly Sterling of her 50 percent ownership interest in the Clippers. She is the innocent estranged spouse. We also continue to hope that we can resolve this dispute with the NBA for the good of all constituencies."

Leon Jenkins, former president of the Los Angeles chapter of the NAACP, told The Associated Press Monday that he called Sterling after last week's interview aired and said Sterling's comments about Johnson took away from the apology he was making for earlier racist comments. Sterling was "really distraught" and hoped the public would forgive him, Jenkins said.

"I said, `Once you got off focus and started talking about Magic Johnson, whatever reconsideration some people would have, you kind of lost it," Jenkins recalled.

Jenkins resigned as chapter president May 1 following outrage over a decision he later reversed to honor Sterling with a lifetime achievement award. It would have been Sterling's second award -- the chapter also honored him in 2009. The same year Sterling agreed to pay $2.7 million to settle a U.S. Justice Department suit alleging that he refused to rent apartments to Hispanics and blacks.

Jenkins said Sterling's comments were "very, very ugly statements" but also said "I'm not really sure we have all the facts."

"You can never under any circumstances defend what he said," Jenkins said. "But there are some issues there like his right to privacy, are these private thoughts in a private home."

He urged people to also not forget about issues like crime and unemployment that impact the African-American community.

"I think a true racist deserves everything he gets," Jenkins said, but he wouldn't say if he considered Sterling a "true racist." He said: "I don't know, I don't know. You have to look at the body of work."

And he added, "Where's the forgiveness here?" before pausing -- "but then again, you've got to show redemption first."

New Hampshire police commissioner resigns over President Obama N-word slur

Robert Copeland, 82, resigned on Sunday night after he was heard using the term at a restaurant in Wolfeboro in March. Copeland didn't deny using the word, according to local news station WMUR. Photograph: Jim Cole/AP

Story by the Guardian
Written by Jessica Glenza

A small-town New England police commissioner, who came under fire after he was heard using the N-word to describe President Barack Obama, has resigned.

Robert Copeland, 82, of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, became the subject of a town meeting and dedicated Facebook page after he was heard describing the President as a "f#@king n-word" at a local restaurant in March.

When a Wolfeboro resident confronted Copeland, he didn't deny using the word, and stood by his usage of it, WMUR reported.

"I believe I did use the 'N' word in reference to the current occupant of the White House … For this I do not apologize – he meets and exceeds my criteria as such," Copeland wrote in a letter to Jane O'Toole, the Wolfeboro resident who'd overheard him.

On May 15, Copeland was the subject of a packed town meeting. More than 100 residents attended, many of them in order to express disgust at the racial slur he'd used.

Former Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who owns a home in the area, called Copeland's remarks a "vile epithet" that have, "no place in our community," the Boston Herald reported. "He should apologize and resign,” Romney said.

Copeland resigned Sunday night via email, according to WMUR. He was one of three elected commissioners in Wolfeboro. His term was set to expire in 2017.

New Hampshire Police Chief Robert Copeland, 82 (Donald Sterling 80), Refuses to Apologize After Calling Obama N-word

Story by AP
Video by WMUR-TV
Written by Lynne Tuohy

WOLFEBORO, N.H. — A police commissioner in a predominantly white New Hampshire town says he won't apologize for calling President Barack Obama the N-word, and he sat with his arms crossed while angry residents at a meeting called for his resignation on Thursday.

Wolfeboro Police Commissioner Robert Copeland, who's 82 and white, has acknowledged in an email to his fellow police commissioners he used the racial slur in describing Obama.

Town resident Jane O'Toole, who moved to Wolfeboro four months ago, said she overheard Copeland say the slur at a restaurant in March and wrote to the town manager about it. Copeland, in an email to her, acknowledged using the slur in referring to the president and said he will not apologize.

"I believe I did use the 'N' word in reference to the current occupant of the Whitehouse," Copeland said in the email to his fellow police commissioners, part of which he forwarded to O'Toole. "For this, I do not apologize — he meets and exceeds my criteria for such."

Copeland, who has declined to be interviewed, is one of three members of the police commission, which hires, fires and disciplines officers and sets their salaries. He ran unopposed for re-election and secured another three-year term on March 11.

About 20 black people live in Wolfeboro, a town of 6,300 residents in the scenic Lakes Region, in the central part of New Hampshire, a state that's 94 percent white and 1 percent black. None of the town police department's 12 full-time officers is black or a member of another minority.

Carroll County Deputy Sheriff Paul Bois, who's black, is one of two officers the town employs part time during the summer to deal with tourists. When asked to comment outside the meeting, he said, "I'd love to, but I can't."

Town Manager David Owen said Thursday that while he finds Copeland's comment "reprehensible," he and the board of selectmen have no authority to remove an elected official. He said he expected a large number of residents would call for Copeland's resignation at the police commission meeting, and they did.

More than 100 people packed into the meeting room at the Wolfeboro Public Library, where librarian Joyce Davis said she can't remember an issue in 40 years that has sparked so much emotion and outcry. Many of the people wore on their shirts handmade stickers saying, "Resign," directed at Copeland.

"Comments like these, especially coming from a public official, are not only inexcusable but also terribly, unfortunately, reflects poorly on our town," said O'Toole, who was met with resounding applause.

Commissioner Ron Goodgame, in response to a challenge from O'Toole about whether he and Commission Chairman Joseph Balboni Jr. endorse Copeland's comments, said, "It's neither my view or Commissioner Balboni's view that the remarks are condoned."

Balboni told the Concord Monitor he didn't plan to ask Copeland to resign. He said after the meeting the three commissioners would meet privately soon to "solve the matter" before making an announcement.

Nearly two dozen speakers at Thursday's meeting called on Copeland to quit, and two spoke in his defense. Resident Frank Bader mocked those who took offense at Copeland's comments in a state that prizes freedom.

"All this man did was express his displeasure with the man who's in office," Bader said.

After Balboni closed the meeting's public comment session, many people in the audience descended on Copeland, who remained seated at the commissioners' table and staunchly refused to engage them.

"I want to think about what's going on and decide," he said.

Cousin Karen Smith 1967 - 2014

Karen Smith: Daughter of Aunt Barbara and Uncle Rick; Sister to Cousin Keith and Kevin; Mother of four; Cousin to many (me included); Niece; Aunt; Grand-Daughter; and friend to all whom she touched.


RIP Cousin


Karen and I in Chicago July 2012


My Aunt Barbara with her only daughter Karen at home in Chicago July 2012


Karen, far right, with family - including my son Kirk Jr. in middle, and Step-Daughter Brittany behind Karen texting (lol) - at my late Mother's Viewing in Inglewood, Ca. July 1, 2010


Back Row (L to R): Cuz Kev (Karen's bro), Me, Aunt Barbara, and my Daughter Angel.
Front Row: My Daughter Mariah, and Grandson James (Angel's son).


R to L: Me, with Cousins Keith (Karen's older bro) and Doobie, "ballers shot-callers" in the Executive Suite at Sox Park in Chicago


Karen with Cousin Daryl DeCuir


Karen with Michael Jackson in Las Vegas


Karen in Las Vegas May 2014


Karen and her girl with Playboy Hugh Hefner in Las Vegas


Cousin Karen in LA with Magic Johnson


Karen Smith back in the day


Karen and her girl in Las Vegas May 2014


Karen rests after a long day in Las Vegas May 2014


Karen wanting to stay in Las Vegas

Outrageous kidnappings show why U.S. needs better policy toward Nigeria

Commentary by Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.
May 13, 2014

An outrage against decency — the kidnapping of over 270 young girls in northeastern Nigeria by the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram — has brought Nigeria international attention, however unwanted. The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to hold Boko Haram accountable for crimes against humanity. Michelle Obama voiced her outrage at the grotesque kidnappings. The U.S., China, and Britain sent advisors to help locate and free the little girls. The protests inside Nigeria — led significantly by grieving mothers — have received international attention.

Moslem religious leaders from Saudi Arabia to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have condemned the kidnappings. The Nigerian government has belatedly begun to respond, with President Goodluck Jonathan announcing that he hoped that the “kidnap of these girls will be the beginning of the end of terror in Nigeria.” The popular revulsion has yet to be translated into action on the ground, and even that is not sufficient. The U.S. should use this moment not simply to help bring back the kidnapped young girls, but to also bring forth a comprehensive U.S. policy towards Nigeria.

In many ways, the global reaction to this tragedy seems like a throwback to the days of the Cold War. Then, Africa would get attention only when there were reports — often distorted — of communist infiltration or communist insurgencies. Only when threatened would sub-Saharan African countries sneak into the newspapers or pierce the consciousness of the White House, much less the American public.

This neglect is costly. Nigeria is not simply a poor African country plagued by Muslim terrorists who kidnap little girls. It is a country of 170 million people, one fourth of the population of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is a vital cog in security across Africa, dispatching more troops on peacekeeping missions than any other nation in the world.

This year, Nigeria was recognized as the largest economy in all of Africa. It is the largest producer of oil in Africa, and the world’s fourth leading exporter of liquid natural gas. Europe is the largest importer of its oil. For decades, it supplied the U.S. with about 10 percent of its oil, and now that number is down to about 5 percent as U.S. production expands at home. Its economy is increasingly sophisticated and diversified, with services providing an ever-higher percentage of GDP. It has 120 million cell phone subscribers. Nollywood — its burgeoning movie industry — is now ranked at about 1.5 percent of its economy and employs over a million people. The size of the economy would earn it membership into the G-20, or other major international bodies. Nigeria is the second highest recipient of U.S. investment in Africa. And an estimated 1.5 million Nigerians and Nigerian Americans live in the U.S.

It also has the highest number of people living in extreme poverty — $1.25 a day or less — in Africa. It has a democratically elected government, but one that has been plagued by corruption.

The kidnappers of the girls, Boko Haram, pose a growing threat. Violence in the isolated and impoverished northeast is spreading. Boko Haram indicts the government for corruption and violence. It promises to enforce Sharia law across the territories. To date this year, according to United Nations figures, Boko Haram has killed more than 1,500 people. It is well funded, well organized and deadly. It will take significant international assistance and coordination to root it out.

Providing assistance in trying to save the kidnapped girls is beneficial. But the U.S. needs to have a far more comprehensive policy towards Nigeria — and sub-Saharan African in general. Nigeria is far more important to us than Ukraine is. Yet the U.S. government is fixated on Ukraine, and relatively disengaged from Nigeria. We should not need the threat posed by Boko Haram to make us realize the importance of Nigeria. Isolating and crushing Boko Haram, while engaging and helping to build Nigeria, should be a centerpiece of U.S. policy and attention.

Comedian Aries Spears speaks about getting ready for a comedy performance

Aries Spears interviewed by Roland Martin on comedian prep (Video by News One)

Magic Johnson to Donald Sterling: "Correction Donald, I own the Los Angeles Dodgers not work for them (laughter)"

Captions and Videos by CNN
Link to Donald Sterling's interview: http://kirktanter.blogspot.com/2014/05/donald-sterling-tells-anderson-cooper-i.html


Magic Johnson responds to Sterling's comments and discusses the scandal with Anderson Cooper.


Magic Johnson spoke candidly with Anderson about his decision to announce that he had HIV 22 years ago. Magic also discussed his work helping others with HIV and AIDS. Anderson also asked about Magic's business that brought thousands of jobs to urban areas.


Magic responds after Anderson plays a portion of the Sterling interview where he says, "Jews, when they get successful, they will help their people, and some of the African-Americans - maybe I'll get in trouble again - they don't want to help anybody,"


The NBA is moving ahead with its process for removing Donald Sterling as the owner of the L.A. Clippers. Magic Johnson spoke to Anderson about the future of the team, and his possible role as a future NBA owner.


After Donald Sterling's interview aired on AC360, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement apologizing to Magic Johnson on behalf of the league for being "dragged into this situation." Magic Johnson spoke to Anderson about the league's handing of the scandal. He also discussed the impact the scandal is having on the playoffs that are going on right now.

Policy Forum and Hill Day on July 8. 2014

National Action Network will host its' First Annual Policy Forum and Hill Day July 8, 2014.

This event brings together National Action Network Chapter Leaders and Members as well as our Partners and Leaders in the civil rights community to focus on pressing issues, policies, and legislation to work on concrete ways to achieve Dr. King’s dream.

The Policy Forum and Hill Day will allow National Action Network and our Members the opportunity to address with their federal representatives issues that we are concerned about including jobs, voting rights, criminal justice, minimum wage, paycheck equity and immigration reform.

NBA Hall of Famer and former LA Clipper GM Elgin Baylor calls Sterling "A Racist"

Former L.A. Clippers General Manager Elgin Baylor and his wife talk about working with Donald Sterling.

Donald Sterling tells Anderson Cooper: I was 'baited'

Story/Videos by CNN
Written by Ismael Estrada and Catherine E. Shoichet

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling says he's sorry but feels he was "baited" to make racist comments, nearly two weeks after the NBA fined him and banned him for life for his remarks in a recorded conversation.

"When I listen to that tape, I don't even know how I can say words like that. ... I don't know why the girl had me say those things," he told CNN's Anderson Cooper in an exclusive interview set to air on Monday.

"You're saying you were set up?" Cooper asked.

"Well yes, I was baited," Sterling said. "I mean, that's not the way I talk. I don't talk about people for one thing, ever. I talk about ideas and other things. I don't talk about people."

Sterling, an 80-year-old married lawyer and billionaire real-estate investor, hasn't spoken publicly about the accusations since celebrity gossip website TMZ posted a 10-minute audio recording of him that drew widespread condemnation from fans, players and the league.

In that audio clip, Sterling chastised friend V. Stiviano for posting pictures online of her posing with African-Americans, including basketball Hall of Famer Earvin "Magic" Johnson.

The recording triggered a firestorm that led to Sterling's lifetime ban from the NBA and a $2.5 million fine. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has asked the other 29 owners to force Sterling, the longest-tenured owner in the league, to sell the Clippers.

"I'm not a racist," Sterling told Cooper. "I made a terrible, terrible mistake. And I'm here with you today to apologize and to ask for forgiveness for all the people that I've hurt."

Asked by Cooper why he took so long to say he's sorry, Sterling said he was "emotionally distraught."

"The reason it's hard for me, very hard for me, is that I'm wrong. I caused the problem. I don't know how to correct it," he said.

Sterling said he doesn't want his comments to eclipse his lengthy tenure with the NBA.

"I'm a good member who made a mistake and I'm apologizing and I'm asking for forgiveness," he said. "Am I entitled to one mistake, am I after 35 years? I mean, I love my league, I love my partners. Am I entitled to one mistake? It's a terrible mistake, and I'll never do it again."

Now, Sterling said, his fate is in the league's hands.

"If the owners feel I have another chance, then they'll give it to me," he said.

'I thought she liked me'

Last week, another audio recording surfaced online, allegedly showing Sterling trying to add context to the racist comments that got him banned from the league.

In that recording, Sterling purportedly explained that his comments were driven by jealousy.

"The girl is black. I like her. I'm jealous that she's with other black guys. I want her. So what the hell, can I in private tell her, you know, 'I don't want you to be with anybody'?" the man purported to be Sterling said in that recording, according to RadarOnline.

On Sunday, Sterling told CNN that in the recording "I spoke to a girl that I was fond of."

Stiviano told ABC News earlier this month that the recorded conversation was similar to many she's had with Sterling about race.

"There's been a number of occasions where Mr. Sterling and I had conversations just like this one," she said. "Part of what the world heard was only 15 minutes. There's a number of other hours that the world doesn't know."

Sterling told CNN he's not sure who released the recording.

"I don't know. An 80-year-old man is kind of foolish, and I'm kind of foolish. I thought she liked me and really cared for me," he said. "I guess being 51 years older than her, I was deluding myself. ... I just wish I could ask her why, and if she was just setting me up."

Sterling says he's spoken with Magic Johnson

Referring to Johnson, Sterling purportedly said on the recording: "Admire him, bring him here, feed him, f**k him, but don't put (Magic) on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games."

As criticism over the recording spread, Johnson was among the first to say that Sterling should be forced to sell the team.

"He shouldn't own a team any more. And he should stand up and say, 'I don't want to own a team any more,' " Johnson said in an ABC pregame show interview last month.

Sterling told CNN he's spoken twice with Johnson.

"Did you apologize to him?" Cooper asked.

"If I said anything wrong, I'm sorry," Sterling said. "He's a good person. I mean, what am I going to say? Has he done everything he can do to help minorities? I don't think so. But I'll say it, he's great. But I don't think he's a good example for the children of Los Angeles."

Will owners force sale?

The matter of the team's sale is with the NBA's Advisory/Finance Committee, which met Wednesday in a conference call. Members discussed the "termination of Mr. Sterling's ownership of the team," the NBA said in a news release. The committee will meet again next week, the statement said.

NBA's strategy to force a sale hinges on 1981 document

If the case proceeds to a full vote, 75% of the owners would have to approve the forced sale.

However, an attorney for Donald Sterling's estranged wife, Shelly, told CNN Friday that she wants to keep her 50% stake in the team.

"She wants to remain a passive owner," said attorney Pierce O'Donnell. "She's not going to want to manage the team. She's going to want a very skilled, professional, well-heeled new owner to come in and replace Donald," O'Donnell said. "She only wants to own the team in her lifetime. She's 79 years old. At this point, she's earned it. She's been an owner for 33 years, and she's an avid fan."

In an interview with ABC News on Sunday, Shelly Sterling said she was prepared to fight any attempt by the NBA to take away her stake in the team.

"I will fight that decision," she told ABC's Barbara Walters. "To be honest with you, I'm wondering if a wife of one of the owners, and there's 30 owners, did something like that, said those racial slurs, would they oust the husband? Or would they leave the husband in?"

NBA spokesman Mark Bass said in a statement after the ABC interview aired that what happens if the owners vote for a forced sale is already spelled out in the NBA Constitution.

"Under the NBA Constitution, if a controlling owner's interest is terminated by a 3/4 vote, all other team owners' interests are automatically terminated as well. It doesn't matter whether the owners are related as is the case here," he said. "These are the rules to which all NBA owners agreed to as a condition of owning their team."

The First Lady Marks Mother’s Day and Speaks Out on the Tragic Kidnapping in Nigeria

In this week’s address, First Lady Michelle Obama honors all mothers on this upcoming Mother’s Day and offers her thoughts, prayers, and support in the wake of the unconscionable terrorist kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian girls.

Take a Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Solar Panels on the White House Roof

Solar power is an increasingly important building block on our path toward a clean energy future. Watch the video below for an inside look at the solar panels we recently installed on the roof of the White House.

Black Americans Left Behind as Rights Milestone Nears: Economy

At 11.6 percent, the unemployment rate for Blacks in April was more than double Whites’ 5.3 percent. The spread is little changed from where it was in 1990. The median income of Black households was $33,321 in 2012, about 58 percent of the $57,009 for Whites. In 1972, the comparable figures were $5,938 and $10,318, also 58 percent.

Story by Bloomberg
Written by Victoria Stilwell

Half a century after the Civil Rights Act committed the federal government to narrowing the racial divide, Black Americans are still being left behind.

Blacks remain less likely to climb the income ladder and more likely to drop than whites, according to research published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago last month. It also found that blacks will probably continue to suffer from lower mobility unless the causes of the disparities are addressed.

Such stagnation isn’t just troubling in the framework of American history -- it’s bad for the economy, said Richard Reeves, a fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution in Washington. If Blacks don’t have the opportunity to rise, income inequality will become more severe, labor markets more inefficient and welfare rolls more burdened.

“It’s nice to look at President Barack Obama and the higher-profile African Americans who have done well, but the U.S. is very far from being a post-racial society,” Reeves said in an interview. “Crudely, we can’t afford to maintain such sharp divides in the life chances of Black and White Americans.”



Fissures persist since President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act on July 2, 1964, forbidding discrimination on the basis of race and sex in hiring, job advancement and firing as well as banning segregation in public accommodations.

Read More: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-08/black-mobility-belies-u-s-civil-rights-hope-as-milestone-nears.html

First Lady Michele Obama Calls For Return Of Nigerian Girls

Story by News One/AP

Michelle Obama is adding her voice to worldwide calls for the safe return of nearly 300 kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls.

The first lady says on Twitter that, quote, “our prayers are with the missing Nigerian girls and their families.” She also says “it’s time to bring back our girls.”

Mrs. Obama packaged her tweet with a photo of herself in the White House holding a white piece of paper with the message “(hashtag) Bring Back Our Girls” written in black, capital letters.

The tweet was signed “-mo,” indicating that she sent it herself.

The U.S. is sending technical experts to Nigeria to help authorities find the girls.

The girls were abducted from their school more than three weeks ago by an Islamist extremist group whose leader has threatened to sell them.

Radio One, Inc. reports First Quarter Results

NEWS RELEASE

May 8, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Washington, DC

RADIO ONE, INC. REPORTS FIRST QUARTER RESULTS

Washington, DC: - Radio One, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROIAK and ROIA) today reported its results for the quarter ended March 31, 2014. Net revenue was approximately $111.1 million, an increase of 12.1% from the same period in 2013. Station operating income1 was approximately $35.2 million, a decrease of 1.9% from the same period in 2013. The Company reported operating income of approximately $15.8 million compared to operating income of approximately $15.5 million for the same period in 2013. Net loss was approximately $25.2 million or $0.53 per share compared to net loss of $18.1 million or $0.36 per share, for the same period in 2013.

Alfred C. Liggins, III, Radio One’s CEO and President stated, “Reflective of the broader economy, we experienced a slow-down in revenue growth in Q1. Adjusting for timing differences on major events, consolidated revenue was up by 5.4% compared to Q1 2013. Looking across the segments, TV One achieved its highest ever show ratings, with the NAACP Image Awards Show. However, the benefits of the NAACP partnership will be felt over the longer term as during the 1st quarter, TV One had higher programming amortization associated with the initial telecast of the Image Awards. Our internet business continued its profitable trajectory and had robust 27.6% revenue growth year-over-year. Looking ahead, core radio revenue is currently pacing down mid-single digits for the second quarter, but we anticipate markets picking up momentum in the second half of the year as political spending ramps-up.”

The First Family Portrait

In case you missed it, here it is: The First Family Portrait. If you or someone else does not have it, it's here to download - compliments of the White House.

100 Million Dollar Home

100-million dollar home in Holmby Hills, California. The $102 million sale of the 5-acre Fleur de Lys mansion in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles sold to a “European billionaire” who beat out two other bidders. Photo by Westside Estate Agency.

Michael Jordan Homes

The Chicago Home (Highland Park, Ill.) that Michael Jordan bought in 1995. Video by Concierge Auctions

December 19, 2013 AP article:

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. -- Michael Jordan's 56,000-square foot home in suburban Chicago has failed to sell at auction after the bidding fell short. Jordan spokeswoman Estee Portnoy says nobody offered the reserve price of $13 million for the seven-acre estate in Highland Park, north of Chicago.

Portnoy says Concierge Auctions publicized Monday's auction well, but that market conditions aren't ideal. She says options for the property will be evaluated next year. The former Chicago Bulls superstar's home originally was listed at $29 million in early 2012.

It has nine bedrooms, 15 full bathrooms, a pool pavilion and a regulation-size indoor basketball court. It also features what's described as a "gentleman's retreat," complete with a library, wet bar and the original doors from the Playboy Mansion in Chicago.

Jordan now owns the Charlotte Bobcats.


NBA legend Michael Jordan is best known for scoring on the basketball court, but these days he's netting a lot more than three-pointers. Jordan's a pro in real estate, too, it seems -- because he's just gotten a huge deal on his second home in the Charlotte, N.C., area. The b-ball star and Charlotte Bobcats owner bought a 12,310-square-foot home on North Carolina's Lake Norman for $2.8 million, the Charlotte Observer reported. Photo by Zillow


The Bears Club in Jupiter, Florida - developed by golf-famed Jack Nicklaus - is now home to the world’s greatest basketball player, Michael Jordan.

MJ Links:
http://www.jeffrealty.com/blog/2010/11/exclusive-look-at-michael-jordans-new-jupiter-home/
http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2013/02/28/michael-jordan-home-charlotte-north-carolina/#!slide=861284
http://www.lonny.com/Michael+Jordan%27s+House/articles/NkQtrRcjvEq/MJ+s+Legend+Point+Estate
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/05/06/michael-jordan-racism_n_5275413.html

Indenturing our young people

Commentary by Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.

The young in America are being forced into cruel levels of debt, and this debt is already curbing their life prospects. Its economic effects are damaging to everyone. Yet with Washington frozen, the debt burdens on the young are likely to get worse.

For the young, a college education or post-high school professional training is the equivalent of what a high school degree was a generation ago. College is the necessary but not sufficient ticket to the middle class. For the nation, educating the next generation beyond high school is essential both for producing the citizens we need for a healthy democracy and for producing the work force we need for a healthy economy.

And yet college costs keep soaring, growing faster even than health-care costs. Government support for public universities and community colleges is down 25 percent since 2000. Students and their families must pay more and more of the cost. But family incomes have stagnated, failing to keep up with soaring costs of college, health care and housing.

The result is an explosion of student debt. It has nearly quadrupled since 2003, soaring to nearly a trillion dollars. Two-thirds of all students now graduate with debts averaging $27,000. The poorer the family, the higher the percentage of students with debt.

These debts are brutal; 12 percent are more than 90 days delinquent, but that figure is misleading because nearly one-half (47 percent) are in deferment (students can defer payment on their debt while in school, for example). That means nearly 1 out of 4 working loans are delinquent. Staggeringly, over 20 percent of loans for those 30-49 — in the peak of their earning years — are more than 90 days delinquent.

Because of the force of the bank lobby, student loans can’t be discharged with bankruptcy. They cannot be refinanced. They burden students for a lifetime. The feds will even garnish your Social Security to repay them.

As Slate contributor David Dayen argues, this is very much like indentured servitude that Americans suffered at the beginning of the Republic. Then impoverished workers and peasants traded years of labor for the cost of passage to the new world. For three to seven years, depending on the contract, they would labor, virtually like slaves, for masters who paid their way.

This injustice offends America’s tradition. Historically, America prided itself on its public education. We were first to provide secondary school free for all. With the GI bill, 3 million veterans received tuition-free college or advanced training. For much of the post-war period, great public universities — from City College in New York to the fabled California schools — were free or close to it. Now, as college education becomes ever more necessary, it is becoming ever more unaffordable.

These debts, racked up before beginning one’s work life, are devastating. It means that the young postpone saving. Many more must live at home, burdening parents trying to save for retirement. The young will buy a home later (if ever). They will marry later. They will accumulate far less for their retirements — even as they are expected to save more due to the collapse of pensions.

Demos, a research institution, created a model to estimate the losses. Their study found that for a young couple with B.A. degrees from four-year colleges, with median incomes and college debts for their education level, they would lose an average of $208,000 over the course of a lifetime, in comparison to a couple without college debts. Two thirds of the losses would come from retirement savings — since they would be unable to save as much while paying down their debts. One-third comes from loss of home equity, since they would either purchase a home later or be able to afford less of a down payment.

Not surprisingly, researchers at the Federal Reserve worry that the debt burdens will harm the economy, as the young put off buying cars or renting apartments or starting new families.

This is the down side of Gilded Age extremes in wealth. As the rich get richer, they rig the rules to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Top rates go down; tax dodges proliferate. Some billionaire hedge fund operators pay lower rates than their chauffeurs.

Billion-dollar companies like GE use overseas tax tricks to pocket refunds rather than pay taxes. From 2008 to 2012, GE paid less in taxes than the smallest mom and pop store with a profit.

So instead of taxing the rich and powerful, we squeeze public investment. Government cuts back on support for universities. Students and families get the bill. The result is that an entire generation racks up deep debts or forgoes needed education.

This can’t go on. We need fair taxes to generate the income needed to make college affordable for all who merit it. We should put clear limits on the debt burden graduates must bear — and how long they must bear it. Rep. Karen Bass has a bill — the Student Loan Fairness Act – that would limit repayment to 10 percent of after-tax income and 10 years at most. Sen. Elizabeth Warren suggests students should be given the same interest rate — 0.75 percent — that the Federal Reserves gives the biggest banks (that taxpayers had to bail out).

The only way this will change is if students, parents and indebted graduates make their voices heard. But all of us should demand action. It is unacceptable that the sons and daughters of America’s working families must face indentured servitude simply to get the education they need.

United States to send team to Nigeria in response to Girls' Kidnapping. So what does this mean?

Story by AP

The White House says a U.S. team will head to Nigeria as soon as possible to aid in the search for nearly 300 teenage girls abducted from their school more than three weeks ago.

Spokesman Jay Carney says Secretary of State John Kerry reiterated the offer during a conversation Tuesday with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.

Carney says "time is of the essence." He urged the Nigerian government to ensure that it is using all available resources to ensure the safe return of the girls.

Carney says the U.S. team would include military and law enforcement personnel capable of sharing with the Nigerians expertise in intelligence, investigations, hostage negotiating and victim assistance.

President Barack Obama and Kerry were to discuss the issue at a White House meeting Tuesday afternoon.

'I will sell them,' Boko Haram leader says of kidnapped Nigerian girls

Story by CNN
Written by Aminu Abubakar

A man claiming to be Boko Haram's leader has said he'll sell the more than 200 girls that the Islamist militant group abducted from a rural Nigerian school last month.

"I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market, by Allah," a man claiming to be Abubakar Shekau says in a video, according to a CNN translation from the local Hausa language. "There is a market for selling humans. Allah says I should sell. He commands me to sell. I will sell women. I sell women."

The nearly hourlong video, first obtained Monday by Agence France-Presse, appears to be Boko Haram's first public confirmation that it abducted the girls on April 14 in northeastern Nigeria's restive Borno state.

According to accounts, armed members of Boko Haram overwhelmed security guards at the all-girls school in Chibok, pulled the girls out of bed and forced them into trucks. The convoy of trucks then disappeared into the dense forest bordering Cameroon.

On Friday, Nigerian authorities updated the number of girls kidnapped to 276. At least 53 of the girls escaped, leaving 223 in the hands of their captors, police said.

Authorities said the number of missing girls could grow as police fill in spotty school enrollment records.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. wins a tough fight

Story by AP

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- It might have been the toughest $32 million Floyd Mayweather Jr. ever made.

Marcos Maidana did everything Saturday night but beat Mayweather, taking him 12 tough rounds before losing a majority decision.

Mayweather remained unbeaten, but not by much. Maidana swarmed all over him from the opening bell and gave him perhaps his toughest fight in a 16-year professional career.

Cut over his eye and temporarily blinded by a head butt in the fourth round, Mayweather had to rally in the last half of the fight to avoid losing for the first time since he was beaten on a controversial decision in the 1996 Olympics.

In the end, though, Mayweather got the win - just as he did in his previous 45 fights in a decision that was met with disbelief by Maidana and booed heavily by the crowd. He retained his welterweight title by winning 117-111 on one scorecard and 116-112 on another. A third judge had it even at 114-114.

The Associated Press scored it for Mayweather 115-113.

Maidana threw far more punches, but Mayweather was more accurate with his as the two battled into the late rounds with the fight still very much in doubt. Cheered on by a large contingent of Argentine fans, Maidana took the fight to Mayweather, who was cut by the right eye in the fourth round by an accidental head butt.

''It was a tough, competitive fight,'' Mayweather said. ''I normally like to go out there and box and move. But he put pressure on me. I wanted to give the fans what they wanted to see so I stood and fought him.

Maidana raised his arms in victory when the final bell sounded, and Mayweather watched pensively from his corner as the scorecards were added up before he was declared the winner.

''I think I won the fight,'' Maidana said. ''He didn't fight like a man.''

Punch stats by Compubox showed Mayweather landing 230 of 426 punches to 221 of 858 for Maidana. It was the most punches landed by any fighter against Mayweather in 38 fights where punch stats were compiled.

Maidana had a big lead in the early rounds through his constant aggression. But Mayweather won five of the last seven rounds on two scorecards and six of seven on a third to pull out the win by a narrow margin.

''I couldn't see for two rounds after the head butt,'' Mayweather said. ''After I could see again it didn't both me. That's what champions do, they survive and adjust.''

Maidana had said before the fight he was going to treat Mayweather like any other fighter and go right after him. He did just that, bringing the sellout crowd at the MGM Grand hotel to its feet as he landed some big overhand right hands to the top of Mayweather's head.

''He never hurt me with a punch,'' Maidana said. ''He wasn't that tough, I thought I won.''

Maidana complained about being forced to fight with gloves he didn't want to use when the two camps engaged in a standoff over gloves at the rules meeting a day earlier.

''If I would have had my gloves I would have knocked him out,'' Maidana said. ''They took away my advantage.''

Mayweather, who earned $32 million for the fight, was a 6-1 favorite coming to remain unbeaten. He had picked Maidana as an opponent because Maidana beat Adrien Broner in an upset in December, but he almost made the wrong pick.

Mayweather seemed confused early and unable to adapt to the wild punches thrown by Maidana. It wasn't until the middle rounds that he got into more of a rhythm, hitting Maidana with hooks to the body and right punches to the head.

Still, the fight was in doubt late as Maidana wouldn't quit coming forward. With the crowd on its feet in the final round he tried to land big punches, but Mayweather was able to escape most of them.

Maidana, who was cheered by the crowd as he left the ring, said he wanted a rematch, and both promoter Richard Schaefer and Mayweather said he just might get one after nearly pulling off one of the biggest upsets in recent years.

''If the fans want to see it again, let's do it again,'' Mayweather said.

Fight Hightlights video link: http://sports.yahoo.com/video/floyd-mayweather-vs-marcos-maidana-061635240.html

Bad blood between LA Clippers, Golden State Warriors spills into hallway altercation after Game 7

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors entered their first-round playoff series with a lot of talk about how much they hate each other. They were still jawing at each other even after it ended, with police and other security personnel summoned to calm down a hallway altercation between the teams after the Clippers' series-clinching 126-121 Game 7 victory on Saturday night.

"It was a crazy scene," a source who witnessed the incident told Yahoo Sports.

After the game ended, the Warriors thought they heard a Clippers assistant coach yell, "It's a little quiet in there," several times outside their locker room, multiple sources said. Warriors guards Stephen Curry and Steve Blake were the first to dart from the locker room and confronted some Clippers ball boys in the hallway between both locker rooms, a source said. The Warriors' coaching staff and players followed Curry and Blake into the hallway where they also confronted Clippers staff members and some players, including forward Glen Davis, sources said.

Jeremiah Rivers, the son of Clippers coach Doc Rivers, said on Twitter that Warriors center Marreese Speights "barged into" the Clippers' locker room, but that was not confirmed. He later deleted the tweet. Another source said Davis and Speights yelled at each other with Speights having to be held back. No punches were thrown, but a lot of screaming took place. The Los Angeles Police Department and game security calmed the situation, a source said.

Between postgame news conferences, Clippers coach Doc Rivers stopped Warriors coach Mark Jackson for a private conversation in the locker room hallway. It's uncertain if they were talking about the incident. The bad blood between the teams included a chippy Christmas game; the Clippers deciding to have separate pregame chapel services from the Warriors; Warriors center Jermaine O'Neal and Clippers forward Blake Griffin engaging in a shouting match after a game; and Rivers and Jackson making multiple snide remarks toward one another during the playoff series.

The fallout from the racist comments made by Clippers owner Donald Sterling and uncertainty over Jackson's future with the Warriors only heightened the drama in the series, which produced thrilling basketball and went the maximum seven games.

President Obama's Weekly Address: The President's Year of Action

In this week’s address, the President provided an update on the work his Administration has done to strengthen the economy and expand opportunity for hardworking Americans in this Year of Action. While Republicans in Congress are setting records in obstruction, the President is making progress for the American people and has taken more than 20 executive actions since January.

The President vowed to continue taking action on his own wherever possible, but underscored that much more progress could be made if Republicans in Congress were less interested in stacking the deck in favor of those at the top, and more interested in expanding opportunity for all.

First Lady Michele Obama: "Why I'm wearing my college t-shirt today"

The Reach Higher initiative is the First Lady's effort to inspire every student in America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university.

Hi, everyone,

There's not much that makes me happier than seeing young people excited about college.

But just getting into college isn't enough in today's world. Students have to finish their education past high school to get the training and the skills they need to compete in our global economy.

That's why, for the past few months, I've been speaking with young people all across the country about committing to their education beyond high school.

And today, I'm proud to announce that I'm giving that initiative a name and an aspiration.

It's called the Reach Higher Initiative -- an effort to inspire more young people to take control of their future through higher education.

And I want you to help encourage them by sharing your own school pride.

Today, take a photo wearing your school shirts or colors, and share it on Instagram, Facebook, Vine, or Twitter with the hashtag #ReachHigher.

Sharing your school spirit will help young people across the country set a high bar for themselves -- and help them realize that finishing college is something they can achieve, too.

That's what the Reach Higher Initiative is all about: encouraging every student in America to believe in themselves and complete their education past high school -- whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university.

That's why we're focusing on things like financial aid, summer learning opportunities, college visits, and supporting school counselors -- so more students can get into college and go all the way.

Let's inspire our students to take charge of their future, and do everything we can to help them on their journey.

Thank you,

First Lady Michelle Obama

Link to Reach Higher Initiative: link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/reach-higher-initiative?utm_expid=24505866-28.0hqzDe6lSkKVqA8aiflMDg.1&utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=email327-text1&utm_campaign=education

Los Angeles NAACP President Leon Jenkins resigns amid the Donald Sterling Controversy

Story by NewsOne

Read the NAACP statement below:

NAACP Interim President and CEO Lorraine C. Miller has accepted the resignation of Los Angeles NAACP President Leon Jenkins.

In his letter of resignation, Mr Jenkins stated, “Please be advised that the legacy, history and reputation of the NAACP is more important to me than the presidency. In order to separate the Los Angeles NAACP and the NAACP from the negative exposure I have caused the NAACP, I respectfully resign my position as President of the Los Angeles NAACP.”


The national office of the NAACP is developing guidelines for its branches to help them in their award selection process.

Sterling had been set to receive his second Lifetime Achievement Award from the NAACP, until the group reversed that decision on Sunday.