Rex Features via AP Images

Valerie Jarrett has served as a trusted adviser to President Obama, and served as a surrogate of sorts on Small Business Saturday when she paid a visit to two Chicago businesses to bring attention to the day.

“I visited two small businesses in the same community in which I grew up,” Jarrett tells Black Enterprise during a Q&A.

“I think part of it that gives me hope is to see someone who is young and talented who has an idea [for a] business that’s also intended to help improve the quality of life for the people who live in the community,” she adds, referring to one of the businesses she visited, Little Black Pearl, a glass blowing business. “I think you see that across the country at small businesses. They really are the backbone of our communities.”

Jarrett goes on to talk about working with President Obama, the Affordable Care Act, and more. To read on, click through to Black Enterprise.

Image: Gawker.com

-The Federal Trade Commission says it’s considering rules that would require digital advertisers, third-party Web sites and social networks to ask parent for permission before collecting information about users ages 12 and younger. The existing Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule, which went into effect in 1998, didn’t anticipate the Web as we know it today. With apps now aimed at users as young as two, the FTC has decided to take another look at the regulation and has opened up the issue for public comment. Online privacy has been a hot-button topic as marketers try to use the immense amount of online activity as a source for market research.

-NBC’s ratings went through the roof on Tuesday night, with 38.7 million viewers tuning in to watch the U.S. women’s gymnastics team win gold at the London Olympics. Gabby Douglas is a favorite in the women’s all-around competition, taking place today. On the men’s side, Danell Leyva shocked us with these photos (!!) and with a bronze medal in the all-around competition. And in your morning LOL, London’s Mayor Boris Johnson got stuck on a zip line holding two British flags during a stunt in Victoria Park. Now it’s a hilarious meme. Thanks Internet!

-Toyota is recalling 760,000 RAV4 vehicles and 18,000 Lexus HS 250h hybrid cars because of a suspension problem. The models in question were made between 2006 and 2011. If you’ve got one of these cars, get it checked!

-Restaurants and retailers fear the new healthcare law will cost them big-time. The law requires that those business owners with 50 or more employees provide insurance. Franchisees, who typically don’t offer health insurance, will have to now if they reach that employee threshold. Franchisees from companies like Subway and McDonald’s met with lawmakers in Washington last week and industry trade organizations are pushing for a softening of the Affordable Care Act through more specificity.

-Twitter reaches 500 million users. (You can follow us @MadameNoireBiz.)

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Photo: Comstock

In addition to introducing the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans, President Obama used the podium at the National Urban League to talk up the benefits to blacks and Hispanics of the Affordable Healthcare Act. During his speech, he emphasized the provision that would keep children of the insured on their policies until the age of 26, lower prescription drug prices for the elderly, the end of “discrimination against  sick people,” and health insurance for 30 million additional people.

And it’s not just the President that’s making this case to African-American voters. Senior adviser Valerie Jarrett talked about the various provisions at an African American Policy Forum meeting at Baltimore’s Morgan State University. Staff members have met with African American members of the media and with people across the country at various events.

“Given the health disparities, it will disproportionately benefit the African-American community,” Jarrett said at an event on July 13. She noted elsewhere, more generally, that the government plans to subsidize healthcare exchanges though some GOP lawmakers have said they won’t expand Medicaid.

Talk over the past couple of weeks has emphasized the need for black voters to come out for President Obama if he’s going to take certain key swing states (North Carolina, for instance). A National Urban League study shows that if even five percent fewer black voters show up in November, it could determine the outcomes in certain states.

From HelloBeautiful.com

In this exclusive opinion piece, actor Gabrielle Union issues an impassioned and very personal plea to spare the Affordable Care Act, now under attack by politicians.

————

I am going to do something that most people in my position don’t do often – tell you my age. I am 39 years old. I am at an age where I realize that life isn’t always fair and that unlike fairy tales, life doesn’t always have a happy ending.

Nearly two years ago, I lost a close girlfriend to cancer. Diagnosed with stage 4 cancer at 32 years old, I remember thinking this wasn’t part of the plan. We were too young to worry about getting sick. In fact, we were supposed to be invincible.

For the complete story, visit HelloBeautiful.com.

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