Gabe's Musings

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Earl Graves, Sr., trailblazing founder of Black Enterprise magazine, dead at 85

Black Enterprise founder Earl G. Graves Sr. died Monday night after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 85.

Graves’ son announced the passing on Twitter: “At 9:22 pm this evening, April 6, my Father and Hero Earl Graves Sr., the Founder of @blackenterprise, passed away quietly after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. I loved and admired this giant of a man, and am blessed to be his namesake. LOVE YOU DAD!” tweeted Earl “Butch” Graves Jr.

At 9:22pm this evening, April 6, my Father and Hero Earl Graves Sr., the Founder of @blackenterprise, passed away quietly after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. I loved and admired this giant of a man, and am blessed to be his namesake. LOVE YOU DAD! pic.twitter.com/UoerizfX8a

— Earl Butch Graves Jr (@EarlButchGraves) April 7, 2020

Graves was a trailblazer and a legend who leaves behind a magazine created in 1970 to help Black entrepreneurs traverse the challenges of business to succeed and “achieve their measure of the American dream,” according to Black Enterprise. The magazine was created to educate, inspire and empower readers to accomplish their professional and economic goals.

The Brooklyn, New York native began with that dream and built a multimedia business empire that now delivers financial information to more than six million African Americans across print, digital, broadcast and live-event platforms. Graves also once operated Pepsi-Cola of Washington, DC, one of the country’s largest soft-drink distributors owned by African-Americans, and is the author of the book, How to Succeed in Business Without being White, according to Black Enterprise.

Graves was a graduate of Morgan State University where he earned a degree in economics. After graduating, he served for two years in the Army as an officer and later worked in law enforcement and real estate. In 1975, he became an administrative assistant for Senator Robert F. Kennedy. When Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, Graves decided to start a magazine that would provide a roadmap for Black people pursuing entrepreneurship.

“Black Enterprise was just a modest magazine when I founded it—just me, a few brave advertisers like Pepsi, ExxonMobil, and General Motors; and a small but spirited staff. And one other person who did just about everything there is to do to put out a magazine—my wife, Barbara,” Graves wrote, according to Black Enterprise.

He landed a $250,000 loan from Chase Manhattan Bank to start Black Enterprise and was so successful at selling subscriptions and advertisements, along with running the magazine that it turned a profit in less than a year, allowing Graves to fully repay the loan. The magazine has featured everyone from media moguls Oprah Winfrey and Bob Johnson to former American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault and money manager and tycoon, Reginald F. Lewis.

Graves’ wife, Barbara, predeceased him in 2012. The couple has three sons, Earl Jr., Johnny and Michael, and eight grandchildren.

The post Earl Graves, Sr., trailblazing founder of Black Enterprise magazine, dead at 85 appeared first on TheGrio.

from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2URCg4R
via

The Best iPad (2020): Which Apple Tablet Should You Buy?

Choosing an iPad is more complicated than it needs to be, but we're here to help with our complete guide to all of Apple's tablets.

from Wired https://ift.tt/2wG37a7
via

The Power Plant of the Future Is Right in Your Home

If we want more renewable energy, our grids will have to manage themselves. A small experiment in Colorado is lighting the way.

from Wired https://ift.tt/34gwxZk
via

How to Escape From a Sunken Submarine

First of all, you can't just open the hatch when you're trapped at the bottom of the ocean. But there is a way out—it requires physics and some audacity.

from Wired https://ift.tt/39QNE52
via

Telecommuting Shows Its Advantages During Coronavirus Outbreak

The coronavirus outbreak is currently changing every aspect of life, however, work is continuing for many at home and its advantages are showing.

Everything from job interviews to daytime and late-night television shows has changed in recent weeks. However, telecommuting is showing that with widespread implementation, it could provide significant advantages.

According to Fast Company, the coronavirus is showing governments and countries that working from home can be the new standard.

“Coronavirus is going to expose more people to working remotely than ever,” said Greg Caplan, CEO of Remote Year, a company that helps businesses with working remotely. “Most people will see that it is very possible and start to grow accustomed to the benefits of [remote work], including autonomy, no commute, and less distractions than open offices. Companies that don’t allow remote work already are going to have to continue supporting it going forward, now that they have proven to themselves that it works.”

Some believe that telecommuting forces people to stay more connected to the teams and people they work with.

“Our individuals and managers make more conscious efforts to clarify roles, expectations, and to discuss progress with remote employees,” said Shanna Tellerman CEO of Modsy, an E-interior design company. “Our remote employees rank 5% higher than office employees when asked if they know what is expected of them at work. They also rank 5% above office employees when asked if they have had discussions with their managers about progress in the past six months.”

Many remote workers thrive on routine and discipline and as a result, will often complete work assignments faster than if they were in-office. Madeline Kelley, a global enterprise sales manager, told Fast Company she’s far more productive and effective as a remote worker “Because no one is around to hold you accountable, you have to be accountable for yourself.”

“I spend most of my days in my apartment—with my two dogs—on sales calls, replying to emails, and having internal video meetings. And I always manage to get everything done.” Kelley added.

Another advantage of telecommuting is the cost. Businesses across the world pay thousands in rent for office space. Meanwhile, mass transit or gas and food costs are just a few of the daily expenses for employees. Being able to save on office space is a great way for companies to save money while paying their workers more at the same time.

“Most companies spend 10 to 15% of revenue on rent. We use that savings to pay our employees above-market wages,” said Chris Neumann, who started his company, Cro Metrics, with a remote workforce in 2011. “We are providing really great jobs that team members would otherwise not have access to, and in return, we are able to attract the best talent from around the country.”

While the news is good for those who can work from home, for African Americans, the chances of working from home are lower than most races. Making things worse, is that low-wage workers are putting themselves at a greater risk for contracting the virus.

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2UPsLTP
via

Cheap Home Audio Gear and Tips: How to Get Great Sound

Here are our favorite tips and gear to crank up your home speaker or vinyl setup.

from Wired https://ift.tt/2Vn2JGH
via

One Way to Potentially Track Covid-19? Sewage Surveillance

How many people have been infected with the new coronavirus? A group of Bay Area researchers aims to find out—by tracking what's in the local wastewater.

from Wired https://ift.tt/3dZu7ml
via

Muscle Giants, Zoom Orgies, and the New Erotics of Isolation

Global lockdown is making shameless kink seekers of us all.

from Wired https://ift.tt/2USOr1r
via

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is Donating $100 Million to Feeding America For Coronavirus Relief

There have been many moves to make sure people don’t go hungry through this coronavirus crisis. Amazon‘s Jeff Bezos is just the latest to contribute to the cause. The Amazon CEO posted on his Instagram account, the efforts of his funds being donated to Feeding America, a Chicago-based nonprofit with more than 200 food banks across the United States.

“Even in ordinary times, food insecurity in American households is an important problem, and unfortunately COVID-19 is amplifying that stress significantly. Non-profit food banks and food pantries rely in large part on surplus food from a range of food businesses. For example, many restaurants donate excess food. But during this time of social distancing, restaurants are closed, and many other normal channels of excess food have also shut down. To make matters worse, as supply is dwindling, demand for food bank services is going up.⁣

⁣“Today, I want to support those on the front lines at our nation’s food banks and those who are relying on them for food with a $100 million gift to @FeedingAmerica. Feeding America will quickly distribute the funds to their national network of food banks and food pantries, getting food to those countless families who need it.⁣

⁣“Feeding America is the largest non-profit focused on food security. Millions of Americans are turning to food banks during this time. If you want to help, the link to Feeding America is in my bio. They’d be excited and grateful for donations of any size.”

Feeding America will distribute the funds to its national network of food banks and food pantries, helping those in need.

View this post on Instagram

Even in ordinary times, food insecurity in American households is an important problem, and unfortunately COVID-19 is amplifying that stress significantly. Non-profit food banks and food pantries rely in large part on surplus food from a range of food businesses. For example, many restaurants donate excess food. But during this time of social distancing, restaurants are closed, and many other normal channels of excess food have also shut down. To make matters worse, as supply is dwindling, demand for food bank services is going up.⁣ ⁣ Today, I want to support those on the front lines at our nation’s food banks and those who are relying on them for food with a $100 million gift to @FeedingAmerica. Feeding America will quickly distribute the funds to their national network of food banks and food pantries, getting food to those countless families who need it.⁣ ⁣ Feeding America is the largest non-profit focused on food security. Millions of Americans are turning to food banks during this time. If you want to help, the link to Feeding America is in my bio. They’d be excited and grateful for donations of any size.

A post shared by Jeff Bezos (@jeffbezos) on Apr 2, 2020 at 11:00am PDT

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/3aQV6yD
via

Tiger Tests Positive for COVID-19 at The Bronx Zoo in New York City

The spread of the coronavirus has reached so far that, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo, a tiger was tested and received a positive test result for COVID-19 at a New York City Zoo.

The Malayan tiger, who is named Nadia, is believed to be the first known case of an animal being infected with COVID-19 in the United States. It is believed that Nadia and six other big cats were infected by an asymptomatic zookeeper at New York City’s Bronx Zoo. The test result was confirmed by the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Iowa.

Nadia, a 4-year-old female tiger, along with her sister, Azul, two Amur tigers, and three African lions developed a dry cough and all are expected to recover.

In a written statement from the Wildlife Conservation Society, “We tested the cat out of an abundance of caution and will ensure any knowledge we gain about COVID-19 will contribute to the world’s continuing understanding of this novel coronavirus.

“Though they have experienced some decrease in appetite, the cats at the Bronx Zoo are otherwise doing well under veterinary care and are bright, alert, and interactive with their keepers. It is not known how this disease will develop in big cats since different species can react differently to novel infections, but we will continue to monitor them closely and anticipate full recoveries.”

It’s also been reported that none of the zoo’s other cats, including snow leopards, cheetahs, clouded leopard, Amur leopard, puma or serval are showing any signs of being infected by the COVID-19 illness. Appropriate preventive measures have been put in place for all remaining staff who are caring for the animals and the other cats in four Wildlife Conservation Society zoos in order to prevent further exposure of any other of our zoo cats.

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/34mtgrt
via

Obama’s Ebola Czar on What Strong Federal Response Looks Like

Ron Klain explains why government needs to speak with once voice—and what he'd do if he were in charge.

from Wired https://ift.tt/34irN5o
via

How Un-Miracle Drugs Could Help Tame the Pandemic

Scientists are scrambling to create Covid-19 antivirals. But what if medicines we already have are good enough to buy patients more time?

from Wired https://ift.tt/2RkKRL4
via

Coronavirus: Moroccans without masks in public risk jail terms

Offenders face sentences of up to three months and a hefty fine as part of anti-Covid-19 measures.

from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/2xdlq7x
via

Building and reconnecting MIT in Minecraft

Many MIT students, like their beaver mascot, are well-known for engineering skills, industrious habits, and for creating some amazing things late into the night. So, an ambitious project to build a 1:1 scale replica of MIT in Minecraft may come as no surprise. “As MIT students normally are nocturnal people anyway, there’s no doubt that we would apply our normal schoolwork habits to a light-hearted project like this,” says Shayna Ahteck, a first-year student involved with building and community outreach for the initiative.

With the Covid-19 pandemic scattering students around the globe, Minecraft — a sandbox style game akin to digital LEGO — has served as a creative and cathartic outlet for some students while they are physically away from campus, while also providing the entire community with some sense of stability. “Getting back to the basic structure of what campus looks like, while not a replacement for the feeling that I got from people and everything, it reminds me of all the times that we had, as well as processing some of my own grief from leaving campus,” says Ahteck.

The initial idea to recreate MIT’s campus in Minecraft surfaced in the Busy Beavers Discord server, a chat platform that has connected nearly 1,000 students and other displaced members of the MIT community. Jeffery Yu, a sophomore in Course 18, originally hosted the project on his personal computer. “We told people they could build whatever their heart desired, and it’s been really interesting to see how many MIT interests have come together,” Yu says.

As more students joined the project, it had to be migrated to a server. The game is now hosted and supported by the Student Information Processing Board (SIPB), a volunteer computing group that has worked to improve MIT’s computing environment since 1969.

Alexander Patton, a senior in mechanical engineering who laid the groundwork in the Minecraft server, has been pleasantly surprised by everyone’s creative collaboration. “I've really been blown away by the attention to detail that people put into all the buildings and projects,” he said. “When we started this, I kind of expected, like, okay, there's so many buildings, we probably will just build the outsides so it kind of looks like MIT, but people really have been trying to build the whole interiors. It really just shows to me how much these spaces meant to them and how MIT is basically like a second home.”

The Minecraft platform launched in 2009 and was acquired by Microsoft in 2014. Today, 112 million players are active each month, and it is now considered the best-selling video game in history. The platform is so flexible that courses on paleontology, chemistry, and computer coding have been launched through an educational version.

The project truly is a community-wide project, including admitted members of the Class of 2024. With long stretches of social distancing on the horizon, Minecraft is serving as a channel for human interaction for many during a time of uncertainty. “To be able to see everyone from all these different walks of MIT when you otherwise wouldn’t have is cool because otherwise it would a little while longer until we randomly happen across these people and have interesting conversations about the things they enjoy,” says William Moses '18, a PhD student in electrical engineering and computer science and chair of SIPB.

from MIT News https://ift.tt/2x9mrgP
via

No celebrations but Burundi league to go on until virus spreads

Burundi's football federation introduces a series of measures as it tries to finish its league season amidst the coronavirus outbreak.

from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/3bYRPxn
via

Earl Graves Sr., Founder of Black Enterprise And Ultimate Champion of Black Business, Passes Away At 85

Black Enterprise Founder and Publisher Earl G. Graves, Sr., the quintessential entrepreneur who created a vehicle of information and advocacy that has inspired four generations of African Americans to build wealth through entrepreneurship, career advancement and money management, has died. According to his son, Black Enterprise CEO Earl “Butch” Graves Jr., he passed away quietly at 9:22 p.m. on April 6, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Graves was 85.

Graves was widely considered to be the ultimate champion of black business, launching Black Enterprise in 1970 to not only chronicle the rise of African American entrepreneurs, but also provide the tools for African Americans to succeed in the business mainstream and “achieve their measure of the American dream.”

In his award-winning, now classic, business bestseller, How To Succeed In Business Without Being White, Graves stated his life-defining purpose for founding Black Enterprise in simple, direct terms: “The time was ripe for a magazine devoted to economic development in the African American community. The publication was committed to the task of educating, inspiring and uplifting its readers. My goal was to show them how to thrive professionally, economically and as proactive, empowered citizens.”

Driven by that mission, Graves became a trailblazing entrepreneur in his own right, building Black Enterprise from a single-magazine publishing company 50 years ago, to a diversified multimedia business spreading the message of financial empowerment to more than 6 million African Americans through print, digital, broadcast and live-event platforms. As such, Black Enterprise was one of two companies that would appear on the BE 100s—the publication’s annual rankings of the nation’s largest black-owned businesses—each of its 47 years. At one point, Graves would operate two companies on the list, including Pepsi-Cola of Washington, DC, one of the nation’s largest soft-drink distributors owned by African Americans.

Graves’ influence and reach also extended into the mainstream of corporate America. One of the few African Americans to serve on the boards of major corporations such as American Airlines, Daimler Chrysler, Rohm & Hass and Federated Department Stores (Macy’s), he was a staunch advocate for African American inclusion in the C-Suite and corporate governance. Graves was also a tireless champion of major corporations doing business with black-owned companies.

Beyond business, Graves was a force in politics, civil rights and philanthropy. In fact, he played a pivotal role in galvanizing support for the election of the first African American president of the United States, Barack Obama, through his endorsement in Black Enterprise and service as a surrogate campaigning on his behalf. Before that, Graves also championed the historic presidential bids of Rev. Jesse Jackson. Moreover, his fight for racial justice and economic parity earned him the NAACP Spingarn Medal, the organization’s highest honor, in 1999.

Graves was also known for his dedication to family, and especially to his wife Barbara Kydd Graves, who passed away in 2012. Together, they raised three sons, Earl Jr., Johnny and Michael, and were blessed with eight grandchildren.

Born in 1935, Graves reaches the pinnacle of power from humble beginnings in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York. It was in that community where he learned the lessons of hard work and perseverance from his parents, Earl Godwin and Winifred Sealy Graves. After graduating from a Morgan State University with a B.A. in economics, he served two years as an officer in the Army, and held jobs in law enforcement and real estate. In 1975, he joined the staff of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy as his administrative assistant. When Kennedy was assassinated in 1968, he decided to start a publication that would provide blacks with the pathway to go into entrepreneurship.

He wrote: “Black Enterprise was just a modest magazine when I founded it—just me, a few brave advertisers like Pepsi, ExxonMobil and General Motors; and a small but spirited staff. And one other person who did just about everything there is to do to put out a magazine—my wife, Barbara.”

The young publisher managed to gain a $250,000 loan from Chase Manhattan Bank and proved so masterful at selling and running the magazine that it became profitable in 10 months — enabling Graves to repay the loan to the major financial institution.

With his wife Barbara at his side, he grew the magazine into one of the nation’s most successful and respected. The world first discovered such business luminaries as Oprah Winfrey, former American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault, billionaire dealmaker Bob Johnson and the late financier Reginald F. Lewis on the pages of Black Enterprise. In fact, Robert Smith. the billionaire CEO of Vista Equity Partners, like so many successful black entrepreneurs and corporate leaders, admitted that he switched careers to high finance after reading Black Enterprise.

“The truth of the matter is that we are humbled by the achievements of the talented people we report on,” Graves wrote. “We are in awe, still, by the courage it takes to put oneself on the line in an unmerciful marketplace.”

Hundreds of thousands express awe and gratitude for the role he played and example of excellence and achievement he set for generations to come.

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/3bVEBkN
via

Monday, April 6, 2020

Rwanda genocide: Treating the trauma 26 years on

Photojournalist Chrystal Ding documented the treatment of survivors of the genocide in Rwanda.

from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/3aT3tK0
via

Drones in Africa: How they could become lifesavers

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame says drones will become important for his nation, but can they really deliver?

from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/2JKqeDX
via

Kenyans mourn Catholic Archbishop Ndingi Mwana a'Nzeki

One of Kenya's most controversial clerics is being buried on Tuesday after he died at the age of 89.

from BBC News - Africa https://ift.tt/39NLaof
via

Floyd Mayweather breaks silence following daughter Yaya’s arrest

Boxer Floyd Mayweather is breaking his silence in the wake of his daughter, Iyanna, getting arrested over the weekend, which has prompted many to question his parenting.

Sunday evening, the boxing champ shared a video of him with his son Koraun, training him on some boxing moves. Seemingly, in response to those who criticized him for his daughter’s actions, he captioned the clip, “Never claimed to be perfect, but I strive to be the best father possible. #DaddyDuties”

View this post on Instagram

Never claimed to be perfect, but I strive to be the best father possible. #DaddyDuties @kingkoraun

A post shared by Floyd Mayweather (@floydmayweather) on Apr 5, 2020 at 10:29pm PDT

TMZ reported that the boxer’s 19-year-old daughter, whose nickname is Yaya, stabbed another woman, Lapattra Lashai Jacobs, in a confrontation over her boyfriend NBA Youngboy, 20. She was arrested Saturday morning at around 1:30 a.m. and held in Houston’s Harris County jail.

Iyanna Mayweather mugshot (Credit: Harris County Police Department)

Yaya was charged with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after attacking the young woman who is the mother of rapper NBA Youngboy’s child. There has been no update on Jacobs’ condition.

Yaya has since been released on a $30,000 bond and will reportedly plead not guilty to the attack. She was also was seen back in the rapper’s home, by his side, with him calling her his “wife” like nothing happened.

The last few months have been rough for Mayweather’s family. In March, law enforcement sources were puzzled by the circumstances surrounding the death of Josie Harris, his ex-girlfriend of and mom to three of his children. Floyd’s uncle, Roger, also died after battling illness.

It’s been speculated that all of the upheavals have led Floyd to postpone his return to the ring.

The post Floyd Mayweather breaks silence following daughter Yaya’s arrest appeared first on TheGrio.

from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2UOr3Cc
via

Tyler Perry tips $21K to restaurant workers during COVID-19 shutdown

Tyler Perry is out here offering cheer to essential restaurant personnel as the country battles the novel coronavirus pandemic.

During a trip to a Houston’s restaurant in Atlanta on Sunday, Perry surprised each of the 42 unemployed servers with a $500 tip. Perry apparently loves the restaurant chain and has been frequently driving to a location on Northside Parkway to grab some takeout, according to TMZ.

Perry’s generosity added up to more than $21,000, way more than the 20 percent tip.

While restaurant servers have been hard hit by the shutdown of indoor dining as the novel coronavirus outbreak ravages on, huge donations like this go a long way in helping workers recoup some of their lost wages due to tips. Adding to the tough time, federal money may get delayed by up to 20 weeks, TMZ reported.

Perry is one of the most generous celebrities in entertainment.

He has flown supplies to hurricane-ravaged areas, including The Bahamas last September after Hurricane Dorian caused significant damages. In November, Perry paid a $14,000 medical bill for an Atlanta couple after they were stranded in Mexico, a source told PEOPLE. Tori Austin and fiancé Stephen Johnson were on a Carnival Dream cruise when Johnson, 31, became ill. Johnson was later diagnosed with pancreatitis and diabetes. He was admitted and treated at a hospital in Progreso, Mexico and spent several days in intensive care.

When the couple was told they couldn’t leave the hospital until the bill was paid, Perry helped them out.

The Georgia Department of Public Health has confirmed the state has 6,742 COVID-19 cases. According to The Atlanta-Journal Constitution, 219 people have died from the disease.

Fulton County, in which Atlanta is the county seat, leads the state with 970 cases.

The post Tyler Perry tips $21K to restaurant workers during COVID-19 shutdown appeared first on TheGrio.

from TheGrio https://ift.tt/2JOE205
via

Delroy Lindo urges white anchor to say n-word in viral clip from TV show

Actor Delroy Lindo was a whole mood on Twitter for the way he seemingly handled a white reporter’s question regarding the n-word.

The scenario actually played out in an old clip from Lindo’s CBS show, The Good Fight. In the clip, the veteran actor challenges white newscasters after they suggest that there’s a double standard when it comes down to who can use the n-word. The show, a spin-off of The Good Wife, is set to begin its fourth season on April 9, according to Media, Entertainment, Arts Worldwide (MEAWW).

In the viral clip from the show’s second season, Lindo, who plays attorney, Adrian Boseman, is a panelist on a TV news show where newscasters are discussing “Is racism a one-way street?”

Lindo listens quietly as a white man, also a panelist, explains how white people feel victimized by racism. “I see racism against whites every day. Every single day. Yet, I’m a racist for pointing that out?”

Still choosing not to comment, a white newscaster interjects, “I think Chuck is pointing out a double standard here. Take Hip-Hop. We’ve talked about this on the show before. You have African American rappers saying n-word this and n-word that, but a Caucasian can’t.”

It is at this moment that Lindo calmly shoots back, “So, say it. Say the word you want to say.” The newscaster says he can’t say the n-word but Lindo urges him to get it out. “Sure you can. Say it right now… I will say it with you.”

When another panelist calls Lindo hypocritical for suggesting that the newscaster can utter the word without repercussions, Lindo says: “Sure you can. This is America!” and then proceeds to try and help them by saying the first syllable of the racial slur.

It is unclear why the old clip has resurfaced and gone viral, but people across social media were clearly here for Lindo’s response. One Twitter user pointed out, “You would think Delroy Lindo was acting here… but he wasn’t. This is 243 years of collective ‘tired of your sh*t’ right here.”

You would think Delroy Lindo was acting here… but he wasn’t.

This is 243 years of collective “tired of your shit” right here.🤣 pic.twitter.com/HomdgDEwTg

— Generation Xillenial (@RochardScott) April 4, 2020

And another made Lindo’s facial expression on the topic a meme.

“Delroy Lindo is an amazing actor. His facial expression at 0:11 is a mood,” tweeted travis is tired of 2020.

Delroy Lindo is an amazing actor. His facial expression at 0:11 is a mood. 😂 pic.twitter.com/jpfD1wnR8v

— 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟶. (@tdnewyork97) April 4, 2020

The post Delroy Lindo urges white anchor to say n-word in viral clip from TV show appeared first on TheGrio.

from TheGrio https://ift.tt/39KvXEw
via

Recovering After COVID-19: Coach Jennifer Harris Offers Mindset Shifts To Make Now

Recovering after COVID-19 may seem like a remote and distant objective as the nation fights a fierce battle to overcome the deadly health crisis that is the coronavirus. Between daily news reports tallying the escalating numbers of Americans battling and succumbing to the disease, and the millions of people facing the loss of income, jobs, and businesses, it may be difficult to think about life after the crisis, no matter how often we are reassured that we will get through it.

Coach, real estate entrepreneur, speaker, and author Jennifer Harris faced and overcame career and financial disruption when her successful career as a network engineer was derailed. The corporation she worked for shifted her entire department overseas. The founder of Purses, Pumps and Power, a network created to empower women to “step into their destiny of wealth,” shares the key mindset shifts she made to survive and thrive after her personal crisis, which is applicable to the challenge of recovering after COVID-19.

Recovering from COVID-19 mindset Jennifer Harris

(Purses, Pumps and Power Network Founder Jennifer Harris)

DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE CRISIS IS OVER TO TAKE ACTION

Harris says that as a single woman with only herself to rely on, she began by dealing head-on with a reality that can be both frightening and empowering: “I am 100% responsible for my income.”

When Harris realized that her income and financial stability were at risk because of tech jobs being outsourced to other countries, she didn’t wait out the crisis; she took action. “I already had a plan in motion to go into real estate,” she explains. “I didn’t wait for my roof to tumble down. I had to change my mindset: Repair your roof while it’s sunny outside.”

Recovering after COVID-19 will require you to adopt similar thinking. Don’t let sheltering in place cause you to go into hibernation until the crisis is over. Whether you are working from home for an employer or you are a business owner, remain an engaged, visible, and valuable asset to colleagues, customers, and others in your industry via videoconferencing, phone, and social media. Use this time to explore other opportunities, both to generate immediate income and plant seeds of opportunity once coronavirus restrictions are lifted. Be an active participant in virtual conferences, webinars, and other activities where you can demonstrate your skills and abilities, pick up new ones, and make networking contacts you will need once the crisis is over.

BE PREPARED TO ACCEPT RISKS IN PURSUIT OF OPPORTUNITY

It is natural, when facing unemployment and loss of income, to become gun-shy and risk-averse. However, recovering after COVID-19 will require you to accept some risk in pursuit of opportunity.

“My first coach was my father,” says Harris. “He taught me to look for and go after opportunity. Accept some risk, but also evaluate the potential reward.”

Setting yourself up for opportunities to generate income and restore your finances once the crisis is over, will likely require you to spend and invest money now, even though resources are tight and the future is uncertain. In Harris’ case, it meant investing time and money to begin learning and investing in real estate even when she knew that the elimination of her job and the income she relied on was imminent. During the COVID-19 crisis, it might mean spending money on that webinar or online training or subscribing to services necessary to launch a new business or generate more income from a hobby or side-hustle. If you’re a small business owner, this is the time to investigate and apply for loans and grants being offered by both the government and private companies aimed at getting you through the crisis while saving jobs.

Don’t just passively wait for relief from the government, or rely on a temporary reprieve from paying rent, mortgage, and other bills. When the health emergency is past and the economy is no longer on pause, those financial obligations will return and you will have to meet them. The worst thing you can do is to just Netflix and chill until the coronavirus nightmare is over. Failing to seek out and pursue opportunities now will make recovering after COVID-19 that much more difficult.

“Scared money don’t make money; closed mouths don’t get fed,” says Harris. “You can’t afford to sit on the sidelines and wait to jump into the game.”

MAKE A PLAN TO RESTORE AND DIVERSIFY YOUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES

Begin thinking now, while the economy is shut down and many activities are on hold, of ways to generate income from sources other than those you may have relied upon before the coronavirus crisis—even if you will have a job or business to go back to once economic activity resumes and America goes back to work. Also, make plans to rebuild or establish savings, insurance, retirement accounts and other resources that you may have been forced to deplete or let lapse during the crisis. Diversifying sources of income, as well as investments and other financial assets, must be a key priority of recovering after COVID-19.

Through her organization Purses, Pumps and Power, Harris coaches women to identify and fill seven “purses”: real estate, stocks, career, investments (including retirement accounts), savings (including an emergency fund), entrepreneurship and foreign exchange (FOREX) trading. While each person will prioritize these according to her individual financial situation, goals, and lifestyle, Harris’ larger goal is to help her clients to diversify their resources so that they can adapt to change and weather disruptions.

However, Harris says, it won’t happen without adopting the right mindset. “That’s what the ‘pumps’ represent,” she explains. “You need to commit to the life work and personal development that will drive you to your goals. Your pumps represent the fuel that will empower you to move forward in the face of uncertainty, challenges, and disruption.”

Hopefully, once the nation makes it past the current crisis and the engines of our economy have been restarted, most people will have jobs to return to and businesses to revive. However, with the unprecedented disruption to both employment and business ownership, many will not. No matter which outcome seems more likely, it’s important that people begin to adapt their mindset for a new normal—both new challenges and new opportunities—after the coronavirus crisis is over. Doing so may be the difference between merely surviving the health crisis and thriving after the coronavirus is beaten. Recovering from COVID-19 starts now.

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2V8rCWe
via

Neuroscientists find memory cells that help us interpret new situations

Imagine you are meeting a friend for dinner at a new restaurant. You may try dishes you haven’t had before, and your surroundings will be completely new to you. However, your brain knows that you have had similar experiences — perusing a menu, ordering appetizers, and splurging on dessert are all things that you have probably done when dining out.

MIT neuroscientists have now identified populations of cells that encode each of these distinctive segments of an overall experience. These chunks of memory, stored in the hippocampus, are activated whenever a similar type of experience takes place, and are distinct from the neural code that stores detailed memories of a specific location.

The researchers believe that this kind of “event code,” which they discovered in a study of mice, may help the brain interpret novel situations and learn new information by using the same cells to represent similar experiences.

“When you encounter something new, there are some really new and notable stimuli, but you already know quite a bit about that particular experience, because it’s a similar kind of experience to what you have already had before,” says Susumu Tonegawa, a professor of biology and neuroscience at the RIKEN-MIT Laboratory of Neural Circuit Genetics at MIT’s Picower Institute for Learning and Memory.

Tonegawa is the senior author of the study, which appears today in Nature Neuroscience. Chen Sun, an MIT graduate student, is the lead author of the paper. New York University graduate student Wannan Yang and Picower Institute technical associate Jared Martin are also authors of the paper.

Encoding abstraction

It is well-established that certain cells in the brain’s hippocampus are specialized to store memories of specific locations. Research in mice has shown that within the hippocampus, neurons called place cells fire when the animals are in a specific location, or even if they are dreaming about that location.

In the new study, the MIT team wanted to investigate whether the hippocampus also stores representations of more abstract elements of a memory. That is, instead of firing whenever you enter a particular restaurant, such cells might encode “dessert,” no matter where you’re eating it.

To test this hypothesis, the researchers measured activity in neurons of the CA1 region of the mouse hippocampus as the mice repeatedly ran a four-lap maze. At the end of every fourth lap, the mice were given a reward. As expected, the researchers found place cells that lit up when the mice reached certain points along the track. However, the researchers also found sets of cells that were active during one of the four laps, but not the others. About 30 percent of the neurons in CA1 appeared to be involved in creating this “event code.”

“This gave us the initial inkling that besides a code for space, cells in the hippocampus also care about this discrete chunk of experience called lap 1, or this discrete chunk of experience called lap 2, or lap 3, or lap 4,” Sun says.

To further explore this idea, the researchers trained mice to run a square maze on day 1 and then a circular maze on day 2, in which they also received a reward after every fourth lap. They found that the place cells changed their activity, reflecting the new environment. However, the same sets of lap-specific cells were activated during each of the four laps, regardless of the shape of the track. The lap-encoding cells’ activity also remained consistent when laps were randomly shortened or lengthened.

“Even in the new spatial locations, cells still maintain their coding for the lap number, suggesting that cells that were coding for a square lap 1 have now been transferred to code for a circular lap 1,” Sun says.

The researchers also showed that if they used optogenetics to inhibit sensory input from a part of the brain called the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC), lap-encoding did not occur. They are now investigating what kind of input the MEC region provides to help the hippocampus create memories consisting of chunks of an experience.

Two distinct codes

These findings suggest that, indeed, every time you eat dinner, similar memory cells are activated, no matter where or what you’re eating. The researchers theorize that the hippocampus contains “two mutually and independently manipulatable codes,” Sun says. One encodes continuous changes in location, time, and sensory input, while the other organizes an overall experience into smaller chunks that fit into known categories such as appetizer and dessert.

“We believe that both types of hippocampal codes are useful, and both are important,” Tonegawa says. “If we want to remember all the details of what happened in a specific experience, moment-to-moment changes that occurred, then the continuous monitoring is effective. But on the other hand, when we have a longer experience, if you put it into chunks, and remember the abstract order of the abstract chunks, that’s more effective than monitoring this long process of continuous changes.”

The new MIT results “significantly advance our knowledge about the function of the hippocampus,” says Gyorgy Buzsaki, a professor of neuroscience at New York University School of Medicine, who was not part of the research team.

“These findings are significant because they are telling us that the hippocampus does a lot more than just ‘representing’ space or integrating paths into a continuous long journey,” Buzsaki says. “From these remarkable results Tonegawa and colleagues conclude that they discovered an ‘event code,’ dedicated to organizing experience by events, and that this code is independent of spatial and time representations, that is, jobs also attributed to the hippocampus.”

Tonegawa and Sun believe that networks of cells that encode chunks of experiences may also be useful for a type of learning called transfer learning, which allows you to apply knowledge you already have to help you interpret new experiences or learn new things. Tonegawa’s lab is now working on trying to find cell populations that might encode these specific pieces of knowledge.

The research was funded by the RIKEN Center for Brain Science, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the JPB Foundation.

from MIT News https://ift.tt/2JHpBuT
via

Will Smith and D-Nice Team Up With Club Quarantine Hoodie Benefiting COVID-19 Relief

Derrick Jones, better known as DJ D-Nice, is continuing his Club Quarantine online event for another great cause. The former rapper-turned-DJ has partnered with Will Smith, who was once known as “The Fresh Prince,” to assist people affected by the coronavirus pandemic, according to Billboard.

The popular pair have linked up to join forces in the fight against COVID-19 as Smith‘s Bel-Air Athletics has released a limited-edition hoodie. Sales of the sweatshirt will benefit healthcare professionals on the front lines fighting the coronavirus pandemic across America.

“It’s truly special to collaborate with Will and Bel-Air Athletics on this initiative,” DJ D-Nice told Billboard. “This is a unique opportunity for us to take our passion for entertainment, fashion, and connecting people, and use it to support our healthcare professionals in a meaningful way. They are the true heroes on the front lines of this battle against COVID-19.”

“DJ D-Nice’s Club Quarantine sets have become a unifying form of entertainment during this unprecedented time,” Bel-Air Athletics brand general manager, Samyr Laine, says of the philanthropic venture. “In that spirit of unity, the Bel-Air Athletics team is thrilled to partner with D-Nice on this endeavor that will support our courageous healthcare professionals as they combat COVID-19.”

The specially made Club Quarantine hoodie is available to be purchased on the Bel-Air Athletics website. The ‘party’ took place over the weekend during D-Nice’s marquee Homeschool entertainment on Saturday evening on his IG Live. Half of the net proceeds from the hoodie, priced at $75, will go straight to the CDC Foundation’s Combat Coronavirus Fund.

This follows one of DJ D-Nice’s most recent collaborations with the former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama. The party, “Couch Party: A Voter Registration Live Set” was an online collaboration with When We All Vote, Mrs. Obama‘s voter registration initiative. The event took place on Instagram two weeks ago on Wednesday, March 25.

DJ D-Nice has also partnered with Spotify to curate his own exclusive Homeschool playlist.

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2JL7Bjc
via

The Defense Production Act Won’t Fix America’s N95 Face Mask Shortage

The Trump administration put off using the DPA for weeks. Now it may be too late to help secure N95 masks where they're needed most.

from Wired https://ift.tt/2V4CVi9
via

The Deliciously Surprising Science of Taste

That famous map of the tongue, with the different sections for bitter, sweet, salty, and sour? Way wrong. Here’s the fascinating truth.

from Wired https://ift.tt/39R5jtn
via

Tressie McMillan Cottom talks supporting Black entrepreneurs during coronavirus pandemic

Although the recent COVID-19 pandemic has fueled a national conversation about how to create an inclusive and stable economy in times of emergency, for Black Americans the conversation is anything but new.

A growing pandemic only adds more strife to an already “aggressively hostile environment” for Black people and enterprises hustling at a community level.

In the first episode of theGrio’s flagship podcast, Dear Culture, sociologist and professor, Tressie Mcmillian Cottom, Ph.D., breaks down how Black communities are often vulnerable to crisis and challenge in boom and bust economies.

“All those people who are working on the side, hustling on the side- that’s all really legitimate economic activity,” Dr. Millan Cottom tells theGrio‘s Natasha S. Alford. “We’ve got to figure out how to also stimulate that part of the economy because that’s where a lot of Black folks are.”

Trump reignites conflict with PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor

President Trump was apparently in the mood to pick a Twitter fight with PBS journalist, Yamiche Alcindor, on Sunday.

“A very biased “journalist,” Trump tweeted, forwarding a post by Media Buzz, a Fox program hosted by Howard Kurtz which analyzes media coverage.

A very biased “journalist”. https://t.co/4jN4LW63FV

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 5, 2020

The Media Buzz tweet reads: “@gayletrotter said PBS correspondent Yamiche Alcindor asked President Trump “a hostile gotcha question” and “misrepresented” a statement from Trump. “He was right to push back, and where is the spirit of 9-11 in these reporters?” wrote #MediaBuzz, a Fox News program, quoting Trotter, a conservative attorney, columnist and news analyst.

People came to Alcindor’s defense.

“Yamiche Alcindor is a very respected journalist from PBS, which isn’t even part of the corporate media. It’s curious that Trump would specifically bully Yamiche much more than other journalists who ask him “hostile” questions. Maybe it has to do with the color of her skin,” Eugene Gu, MD responded to Trump’s tweet.

Yamiche Alcindor is a very respected journalist from PBS, which isn’t even part of the corporate media. It’s curious that Trump would specifically bully Yamiche much more than other journalists who ask him “hostile” questions. Maybe it has to do with the color of her skin.

— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) April 5, 2020

“In fact, Trump earlier responded to Yamiche Alcindor with the derogatory phrase “you people.” He’s called black NFL players “sons of bitches” for taking the knee to fight racism. He falsely accused the Central Park 5 of rape and said President Obama was born in Kenya. Patterns,” Gu added.

“Hey #Trump… we can see you. We can see you on Twitter all day. And when we see you on Twitter all day that means you’re not working. And if you’re not working, as #coronavirus cases and deaths are at their worst, than you are THE WORST PRESIDENT EVER” tweeted Andy Osstroy.

Hey #Trump…we can see you. We can see you on Twitter all day. And when we see you on Twitter all day that means you’re not working. And if you’re not working, as #coronavirus cases and deaths are at their worst, then you are THE WORST PRESIDENT EVER… #Covid_19

— Andy Ostroy (@AndyOstroy) April 5, 2020

But some backed what the president tweeted.

“Personally I think @potus is doing everything he can to protect this country and the reporters in these briefings represent the very worse of journalism. The dems are taking a very serious situation to try and take down our President AGAIN!” tweeted Jeanne Tredway.

Personally I think @potus is doing everything he can to protect this country and the reporters in these briefings represent the very worst of journalism. The dems are taking a very serious situation to try and take down our President AGAIN!

— Jeanne Tredway (@jeannetredway) April 5, 2020

Alcindor weighed in as well. Ultimately, she invited Trump to a sit-down interview with her to further set the record straight.

“Mr. President @realDonaldTrump, I’ve asked you fair & relevant questions on your evolving approach & rhetoric regarding coronavirus. For example, last Sun., I asked: “You’ve said some governors don’t need the equipment they’re requesting. How might that impact your decisions?” Alcindor wrote in an initial tweet.

Mr. President, @realDonaldTrump, I’ve asked you fair & relevant questions on your evolving approach & rhetoric regarding coronavirus. For example, last Sun., I asked: You’ve said some governors don’t need the equipment they’re requesting. How might that impact your decisions? 1/3 https://t.co/vJWH2tk4Ch

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) April 5, 2020

“You denied saying that & said: “Be nice.” Yet days before on Fox News, you said, “I don’t believe you need 40,000 or 30,000 ventilators.” You have since repeated that sentiment. Yesterday, you said of states: “Sometimes when they know they don’t need it they want it anyway,” Alcindor continued.

“Now, there are more than 328,000 confirmed U.S. coronavirus cases & more than 9,300 people have died. You have said the next two weeks will be the toughest. I welcome you to come on PBS NewsHour for an interview on your administration’s response & how Americans can stay safe,” Alcindor concluded her 3-part response.

Now, there are more than 328,000 confirmed U.S. coronavirus cases & more than 9,300 people have died. You have said the next two weeks will be the toughest. I welcome you to come on PBS NewsHour for an interview on your administration’s response & how Americans can stay safe. 3/3

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) April 5, 2020

The post Trump reignites conflict with PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor appeared first on TheGrio.

from TheGrio https://ift.tt/3bSLB1Z
via

Thinking of Moving to Africa? Here’s How To Invest In Real Estate on the Continent

Travel to Africa has become increasingly popular over the last few years, thanks to everything from captivating images shared by travel influencers on social media to thousands flocking to Ghana to celebrate the Year of The Return. The travel movement has inspired many to not only visit African countries but relocate there permanently. More and more African Americans are moving to different countries on the continent and taking advantage of expat work opportunities to create a life outside of the U.S.

If you are interested in staying abroad long term, it would be wise to invest in some real estate. Population growth in the region is a key trend in the recent surge of real estate development across major cities. The United Nations has projected that by 2100 there will be 4 billion people in Africa, 1 billion of whom will live in Nigeria. In 2015, 42% of Africa was urban and by 2050, this figure is estimated to be 62%.

Due to inaccurate media coverage, many people have a distorted image of African real estate. “The first misconception that people have is that it’s super cheap,” says Faye Tillery, a travel blogger and entrepreneur who helps advise people who are interested in foreign real estate, to BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Someone contacted me the other day and asked if the price of this beautiful and modern home in Nairobi, Kenya, was $3,000 for purchase. That was actually the monthly rental rate. Don’t get me wrong, the property is cheaper than what you’d pay in the Western world, but it’s not that cheap by any means.”

Others are looking to challenge misconceptions about real estate through new media platforms. Senegalese entrepreneur Aliyah Mahdi is using her background in real estate in Senegal to launch her own television show called The Real Homes of Afri ca, which will take viewers through some of the best homes in Senegal.

“The series falls directly in alignment with our goal to build Alkebulan, a city for repatriates to return to here in Senegal. We will display homes available for purchase from local developers and private owners. It will show local interior design, and viewers can get a feel for how they can furnish their homes,” explains Mahdi to BLACK ENTERPRISE. “Viewers will also have a reliable source for pricing different style homes for personal or investment purposes. People will see Africa at its best, and the show will make an eternal impact on the way living on the continent is viewed.”

Mahdi offers some sensible advice to those looking to invest in properties in cities like Alkebulan with realistic figures to keep in mind when considering buying a property. “The best part about buying land in Senegal is it isn’t on a lease. Once it is yours, it is yours. We have land deals for Alkebulan starting at $2,000 all the way to $10,000. These deals won’t last long because of the demand for land here,” she explains. “Others choose to purchase homes that have already been developed. Some of these require all money upfront, and others have payment plans available. If you are doing a payment plan, expect to put a minimum down of $5,000 USD.”

Tillery suggests getting to know the location a little more intimately before making a rash decision after one visit.”I suggest people actually visit the countries they’re interested in investing in then ride around checking out neighborhoods of interest,” explains Tillery. “Once you’ve found neighborhoods that you’re interested in, hire a trusted real estate agent, and then hire a trusted lawyer based on referrals from folks you trust. Just something to note is that some countries don’t allow foreigners to purchase property.”

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/39QnOye
via

Pages - HTML

Translate

Pages

Pages

Pages

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

Monday, April 6, 2020

DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE CRISIS IS OVER TO TAKE ACTION

BE PREPARED TO ACCEPT RISKS IN PURSUIT OF OPPORTUNITY

MAKE A PLAN TO RESTORE AND DIVERSIFY YOUR FINANCIAL RESOURCES