All Articles Tagged "President Barack Obama"
President Obama Sings the Blues at White House Concert
Source:Calgaryherald.com
President Obama is a true soul man. We already found out he could carry a tune when he sang a line of “Let’s Stay Together” at the Apollo last month, and last night Mick Jagger B.B. King, and and a blues ensemble made the president prove his soul by singing during a concert at the White House.
Music legend Buddy Guy egged the president onstage during the blues event, telling him during the finale, “We were trying to get you to help us sing that because I heard you singing Al Green. So you’ve started something. You’ve got to keep it up.”
Although he was hesitant at first, the president took the mic and belted out a few lines to “Sweet Home Chicago” and he did not disappoint with his line, “Come on… Baby don’t you want to go.”
The Black History Month special is set to air on PBS soon but for now check out President Obama’s singing in this segment below. He definitely needs to make this a part of his campaign.
Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.
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Louisiana Students Depict Violent Images of Obama in Political Cartoons
Students at Boyet Junior High School were told to draw a political cartoon as part of an assignment for history class, but when the drawings went on display at Slidell Junior High, the images didn’t sit well with at least one parent and controversy soon erupted.
Malicious is the word being used to describe the drawings of President Barack Obama that were on display. One drawing showed the President with a bullet in the side of his head, and according to Nola.com:
“At least five images were posted, including a drawing of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck standing next to a tree with a sign that read, ‘Obama Season,’ underneath a likeness of the president. Also in the depiction was an image of what appeared to be presidential candidate Mitt Romney smiling.”
James Davis, President of the local NAACP chapter,and the disturbed parent met with the superintendent and school board about the issue and said they are waiting for the school to take action before they proceed further. But he finds it odd that no members of the school administration expressed concern for the drawings that were on display.
“You’re supposed to be a professional, and you are a teacher. We’re putting our kids in your hands for six or seven hours per day. Not only black kids, but white kids, too, are going to look up at that wall. That doesn’t say too much about the people we put there to take care of our kids. It really is (scary) to see that. …
“This just puts hate right into the children. Why would they draw that if it weren’t coming from someone else? … It was there for a few days, and no one brought it up.”
School officials have launched an investigation that includes interviewing parents, students, teachers, and administrators to figure out the basis of the situation, and according to superintendent Trey Folse, “The St. Tammany Parish public school system takes matters such as this very seriously” and “the appropriate disciplinary action will be taken as soon as all of the facts are in and legal requirements have been met.”
What do you think the correct course of action is for the students and school faculty involved in the controversy?
Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.
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Michelle Obama Attends BET Honors
First Lady Michelle Obama took the stage at the BET Honor awards ceremony alongside poet Maya Angelou, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, and other notable African American celebrities who called the black community to civic action, starting with voting in the 2012 presidential election.
The taping of the BET Honors, hosted by Black Entertainment Television was held at the historic Warner Theatre in downtown Washington. It brought out stars including singers Patti LaBelle and queen of soul Aretha Franklin, as well as Washington political figures such as former Secretary of State Colin Powell and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
The politics-meets-glamour event fits in with the recently ramped up efforts by Obama to help her husband, President Barack Obama, win a challenging re-election bid in November.
Speakers at the ceremony praised the Obamas for being the first black family in the White House and told the audience to “vote like your life depends on it.”
“We have to exercise our constitutional right to vote. And there’s a man out there with a vision for this country and he intends to finish what he started,” said Beverly Kearney, head coach of the University of Texas’ women’s track team.
Those honored were filmmaker Spike Lee, World War Two Tuskegee airmen, as well as Angelou, Kearney, Wonder and Carey.
Obama stayed for the three-hour taping during which several acts had to be done over. While posing on stage with the award winners an audience member yelled, “We love you, First Lady!”
Read the rest of the story at Huffington Post….
Daddy’s Little Girl: Our Favorite Papa’s and Their Little Princesses
There are few things more endearing than seeing a man with his children. But a man with his daughters just steals my heart! Here are just a FEW of some of our celebs with their daughters. We know the list can go on and on so feel free to mention your faves as you comment and hit me on Twitter (twitter.com/DrennaB) !
Study Says Black Women Among the Hardest Hit During Economic Downturn
According to an article by The Washington Post, a study done by the National Women’s Law Center said that black women have lost more jobs than gain during the recovery period. Almost 260,000 black women lost their jobs, compared to the 233,000 who lost their jobs during the recession. Black women make up 42.2 percent of the women who lost their jobs overall from 2009 to 2011.
So why are the unemployment rates for black women so high?
One major reason listed was the huge cuts in the public sector which women are usually most employed in. According to Joan Entmacher, vice president for family economic security at the National Women’s Law Center in Washington “When it comes to job growth in the private sector, women are also doing less well than men. Whether employers feel it is more important to put men back to work first, we just can’t say at this point.”
This month the national unemployment rate has actually declined from 9.0 back in November, to 8.6. But even with the decline black women’s unemployment rates have increases from 12.6 to 12.9 according the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Black women aren’t the only one’s struggling, Latinas are too. A recent study done by Wider Opportunities for Women has pointed out that “66 percent of Hispanic women — do not have enough income to pay for basic household expenses” while 62 of African American don’t make enough to support their households.
Did President Obama’s current push for employment really affect women?
He has proposed a bill that could help many women who are struggling, especially black women. In the bill it includes rehiring of teachers, jobs for recent veterans returning home from war, jobs repairing public roads and bridges, and much more. Yet as we all know only parts of this bill has won the support from Congress, it is very unlikely that it will be passed.
So how are black women coping? Any of you Madame Noire ladies out there have any tips or advice for women who are struggling financially right now?
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Over 40 and Fine: Mature Men We Mush Over!
So the trend now is for older women to play the “cougar” role, dipping their toes in a pool of men who were probably in diapers when they were in high school (yeah, I went there). And while the cougar prototype has been embraced, what about us ladies who crush on men older than us (we want a cool nickname too)?
There’s a wealth of fine men over the age of 40 in Hollywood (and walking the street right now) that could be moving around with walkers in a few years and still might catch our eye cause they’ve just got “it”. So with that, here’s a list of 10 men who will always make us think un-pure thoughts from the 40 and up club.
Is Cornel West Just Jealous of President Obama?
I used to rock pretty hard for Dr. Cornel West. I own several of his books, his numerous appearances on Bill Maher’s HBO show are always entertaining, I kept a picture of the two of us as my Facebook profile pic for weeks and most of the time I find myself agreeing with his musings on human nature and theories on how the world works and how it can work better. But lately? Oh, dear.
The good professor has been going in extra hard on President Obama and if it was just that alone, I’d be fine with that. I don’t agree with every little thing Obama has done and the first amendment gives all of us the right to express our opinions on his job performance.
But West’s criticisms (Did you see where he said Obama is afraid of free black men?) seem to be rooted in what he perceives as a personal slight.
Was President Obama Almost Given Up for Adoption?
Not that you were lined up at Barnes & Noble waiting for it, but another book has been penned (and comes out next week) to try and expose the supposed pasts and ugly “truths” of a public official and/or their family. This time around it is the current commander-in-chief’s father.
According to the book, The Other Barack: The Bold and Reckless Life of President Obama’s Father, written by Boston Globe reporter Sally Jacobs, before President Obama was born, his father, then a college student at the University of Hawaii, told an immigration official about the pregnancy of his wife, Ann Dunham. Allegedly, the two weren’t living together at the time the memo was written by the official, and the book claims that Obama Sr. said that he and Dunham were planning to make arrangements with the Salvation Army to give baby Barack up for adoption. According to both the book and The New York Times, it’s not clear if the two truly planned to give the unborn future president up, or if Obama Sr. had only told immigration officials this info to get his Visa extended. Especially since records show that Obama Sr. had lied to officials before about divorcing his wife in Kenya, since having more than one wife was grounds for deportation.
In an interview with an uncle of the late Ann Dunham, the individual said President Barack Obama’s mother was actually excited and optimistic about the birth of her son, and a future with her new husband. According to CBS News, the uncle, Charles Payne, said the following:
“I never heard any talk of adoption whatsoever. Ann decided she had done this and this was her child and she was going to take care of him. From day one, as far as I could tell, she and Madelyn [Dunham] and Stanley [Dunham] were all completely committed to Barack.”
So this information in Jacobs’ book could possibly be false. Former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said the President was unaware of any adoption questions asked to his father, and believed his mother never “seriously” considered it. But it’s interesting to think where he would have been and who President Obama might have ended up being had he actually been given up for adoption. But first and foremost, do we believe it?
Do you believe that President Obama’s parents actually considered giving him up for adoption?
Cash Strapped Single Mom Sells Obama Letter
Yahoo News says that a 26-year-old single mom is selling a letter hand-written by President Obama so that she can avoid being evicted from her home. Indiana resident Destiny Mathis is a college graduate with years of experience as a surgical technologist, but in January she lost her job and has been struggling ever since.
Who’s Osama? How to Explain Recent Events to Your Kids
In the wake of the death of Osama Bin Laden, patriotism has (momentarily) reached new heights—from Ground Zero celebrations to Tennessee fireworks. Sentiments of joy and relief have filled the hearts of many; and, whether it was to congratulate President Obama or take a dig at Osama, most of us have made at least one commemorative comment—likely in front of our children.
As parents we want to protect our kids and shield them from the complex issues that plague the adult world; but, in the age of the internet and endless media coverage, there isn’t much we can hide. Now, it is a matter of properly explaining the what, where, who and whys. The questions are coming, and there are three things to always keep in mind: truth, simplicity and age-appropriateness.
