10:10am ET, USA: Florida Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll Keynotes Black History Month Convocation At FAMU

From WXTL, about the conservative Republican: "Students and faculty at Florida A&M University will hear from a special guest at the university’s annual Black History Month Convocation. We’re told Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll will serve as the keynote speaker for the event. It’s scheduled for Feb. 17 at 10:10 a.m. in the Alfred L. Lawson Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium. Lt. Gov. Carroll was the first female elected to the position. Organizers of the event tell us this year’s theme is 'Black Women in America Culture and History.'"

What's on your mind? Don't huddle in a corner somewhere. Tell us all about it.

To celebrate Black History Month, Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) took to the U.S. House Floor with a remarkable speech on the relationship between American blacks and the Republican Party:

[ http://www.youtube.com/embed/9J8rJxQ7aRI ]

To help his presidential bid. From CNN: " Gingrich spokesman R.C. Hammond confirms that businessman and former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain will campaign with the former Georgia congressman Saturday. There will be a rally in Cobb County Saturday afternoon. Earlier in the day, Gingrich holds two town halls in Forsyth and Gwinnett counties. He will kick off his visit with a rally in Peachtree City Friday evening."

The article continues: "Georgia is one of several states that holds its primary on March 6, Super Tuesday. The longtime Georgia resident is hoping to pick up a majority of the state's 76 delegates."

Things got a little rowdy today in the Ghanaian Parliament, as members of the center-right New Patriotic Party heckled center-left President John Atta Mills during his State Of The Nation address. However, at least they added song to it. From VibeGhana.com: "President John Evans Atta Mills’ State of the Nation address in Parliament on Thursday was characterized by much heckling by the Minority singing 'Woyome Woyome Woyome gargantuan munkye-ndi' while the Majority remained calm. The address on the theme: 'Still Building a Better Ghana' President Atta Mills who was equally calm despite the attitude of the Minority remarked at the end of the address, 'I am aware of heckling in the House, but did not expect such gargantuan heckling'."

The article continues: "In separate interviews with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) [center-left] Majority members expressed satisfaction with the address while some of the [center-right] Minority disagreed to most of the issues raised in the address, saying the NDC Government had failed to achieve the targets in their manifesto."

More: "Mr Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, said the address was a collection of information from all the sector ministries and a true reflection of the economy. He said, 'I am sad and ashamed about what happened in the House, the Minority pulling out red cards which showed so much indiscipline. We need to stop this because the President is a spiritual embodiment of the nation, I would not do this if they are in government'."

And more: "Minority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, said President Mills pledged to achieve all the targets in the NDC manifesto but had failed. However, he admitted that government was a human institution and not expected to achieve all its targets and yet new promises were made. Mr Paul Collins Appiah Ofori, NPP Member for Asikuma/Odoben/Brakwa said President Mills had failed and pointed out that the Minority in mourning clothes indicated the demise of the NDC Government and the red cards signified that there was danger ahead for the NDC."

The moderate blogger in California writes: "Harvard Alum and Knicks basketball star Jeremy Lin has earned all the positive attention he is getting, despite comments from idiots like boxer Floyd Mayweather, who try to detract from his recent media recognition (here)."

He continues his commentary: "Now I ask, how is it fine for Black folks to beam with pride from the attention received upon members challenging all manner of barriers, but if somebody else does it (in this case someone Asian), 'it ain't no big thang!'? That's just ignorant and racist. And don't tell me folks can't be racist, either. While Mayweather clearly does not speak for all folks, his comments resemble others who are similarly stupid."

From the Associated Press: "New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is strongly defending his decision to have flags lowered to half-staff Saturday for the late singer Whitney Houston amid criticism partly related to her history of substance abuse. Christie says he rejects the idea the New Jersey native 'forfeited the good things that she did in her life' because of her substance abuse struggles."

More: "The Republican governor said Wednesday disparaging emails and other messages have been coming into his office. He says critics are wrongly accusing him of treating Houston better than fallen soldiers. He has ordered flags flown at half-staff for all 31 fallen New Jersey soldiers and every fallen police officer during his time in office."

The moderate-conservative Republican blogger in Massachusetts writes: "What do Republicans say to their gay friends? How do they explain the fact that so many in the GOP’s base seem to be enthralled by Rick Santorum, who has never said one positive word about an LGBT person in his entire political career? How do they justify the party’s history of denigrating the gay rights movement and characterizing same-sex marriage in apocalyptic terms? How do they excuse the talk-radio tirades, the religious right’s ridicule, the punditocracy’s prejudice?"

He continues his commentary about homophobia: "I can’t speak for every Republican, but I know I've made plenty of excuses for the GOP’s homophobia. My logic was pretty simple: to denounce GOP gay-bashing would be to help 'the left,' and helping 'the left' was simply out of the question. So I didn’t complain when George W. Bush exploited fears about same-sex marriage to renew his lease on the White House. I didn’t speak up when self-righteous senators and reactionary representatives made noises about passing a Federal Marriage Amendment. I didn’t turn the dial when conservative radio and television personalities insisted that gays and lesbians were grotesque and loathsome. I kept my mouth shut. For the team."

From Yahoo! News: "Lawmakers signed off Thursday morning on a $150 billion agreement that would leave in place through the end of 2012 the Social Security payroll tax cut, and extended unemployment benefits -- both of which were scheduled to expire at the end of the month."

More: "The payroll tax cut, worth about $100 billion, reduces the amount that workers pay into Social Security, from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent. For a worker making $50,000 a year, that's an extra $83 a month. The jobless benefits extension will ensure that around 1.8 million long-term unemployed Americans aren't thrown off benefits at the end of the month. Still, it cuts the maximum time that a person can receive benefits from 99 to 73 weeks for states hardest hit by joblessness, and to 63 weeks in states that are faring better. It also allows states to conduct drug tests on people receiving benefits if they lost a previous job because they failed or refused to take a drug test -- something that advocates for the unemployed have described as stigmatizing and unnecessary (pdf)."

From the Associated Press: "A U.S. federal judge ordered life in prison Thursday for a young Nigerian man who turned away from a privileged life and tried to blow up a packed international flight with a bomb concealed in his underwear. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who has said he was on a suicide mission for al-Qaida, was the same defiant man who four months ago pleaded guilty to all charges related to Northwest Airlines Flight 253. He seemed to relish his mandatory sentence and defended his actions as rooted in the Muslim holy book, the Quran. 'Mujahideen are proud to kill in the name of God. And that is exactly what God told us to do in the Quran,' he said. 'Today is a day of victory.'"

More about the Nigerian Muslim terrorist: "Abdulmutallab, the 25-year-old, European-educated son of a wealthy banker, told the government that he trained in Yemen under the eye of Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical American-born cleric and one of the best-known al-Qaida figures. He chose to detonate a bomb on the Amsterdam-to-Detroit flight but the device failed and badly burned him. He quickly confessed after he was hauled off the plane."

The moderate Democrat and former Congressman opines about the conservative Republican presidential candidate: "A conviction politician whose convictions don’t persuade is not who Republicans mean to nominate. At best, it’s a diversion from a case about the twin deceptions of Washington and Wall Street that Santorum makes when he is in full flight. At worst, it’s a precursor to a party spending the fall fighting to recover a culture that has vanished."

Mr. Davis continues his commentary: "So, Santorum should consider a modest proposal. Santorum would benefit from one comprehensive, major address — à la Obama on Jeremiah Wright — that addresses the perception that his religion would embroil his administration in a culture war. He needs to describe a faith that is sensitive to the assault on religious liberty, but one compassionate enough to know that there is legitimate conviction on the secular side of the equation, and that realizes that even the faithful don’t always end up with the same views. He needs to confess the limitations of having been a politician who has had to compress moral matters into a sound-bite. Without retreating on what he holds dear, Santorum needs to be overt about the fact that his presidency would not demonize or impede a shift toward more autonomy for women. The Iowa speech suggests he has the eloquence to do it. If he can’t, he is about to enter the week that undoes his surge."

From the Associated Press: "Interracial marriages in the U.S. have climbed to 4.8 million – a record 1 in 12 – as a steady flow of new Asian and Hispanic immigrants expands the pool of prospective spouses. Blacks are now substantially more likely than before to marry whites. A Pew Research Center study, released Thursday, details a diversifying America where interracial unions and the mixed-race children they produce are challenging typical notions of race."

The article continues: "The figures come from previous censuses as well as the 2008-2010 American Community Survey, which surveys 3 million households annually. The figures for 'white' refer to those whites who are not of Hispanic ethnicity. For purposes of defining interracial marriages, Hispanic is counted as a race by many in the demographic field. The study finds that 8.4 percent of all current U.S. marriages are interracial, up from 3.2 percent in 1980. While Hispanics and Asians remained the most likely, as in previous decades, to marry someone of a different race, the biggest jump in share since 2008 occurred among blacks, who historically have been the most segregated."

From the Associated Press: "The number of people seeking unemployment benefits in the U.S. fell to the lowest point in almost four years last week, the latest signal that the job market is steadily improving. Weekly applications for unemployment benefits dropped 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 348,000, the Labor Department said Thursday. It was the fourth drop in five weeks and the fewest number of claims since March 2008 -- six months before Lehman Brothers collapsed and only a few months into the Great Recession."

The article continues: "The four-week average, which smooths out fluctuations in the weekly data, fell for the fifth straight week to 365,250. The average has fallen nearly 13 percent in the past year. The consistent decline indicates that companies are laying off fewer workers, and hiring is likely picking up further. When applications drop below 375,000, it usually signals that hiring is strong enough to lower the unemployment rate."

From the Daily News Journal: "Local businessman and educator Richard Garvin Jr. announced today he is running for the Republican nomination to the newly-created 37th state House district in Rutherford County. As an African-American Republican, Garvin said he seeks to represent the people of Rutherford County by bringing fresh ideas, common sense, and conservatism to Capitol Hill. He believes his story, perspective and vision are unique and will differentiate him in the hearts and minds of the electorate from his Republican and Democratic competition. Garvin has served on the Town of Smyrna’s Planning Commission, currently manages his father¹s medical practice and teaches Psychology at Fisk University in Nashville."

The article continues: "Richard’s father is Richard Garvin Sr., who has been a trusted physician in Smyrna for more than 20 years and has been a lifelong Republican -- even having worked for the Ronald Reagan Presidential campaign in the early 1980s. Garvin said, 'I’ve seen what has happened to small businesses due to a struggling economy, over-regulation and taxation. I believe our economy and culture have been damaged due to intrusive government and a lack of personal responsibility. I will encourage increased personal responsibility and advocate for pushing back on government intrusion. The people have the answers to get our economy going again and to make our communities safer.'"

The moderate blogger in California writes: "If it looks and quacks like a duck, then it's a duck. Even if it is black. The Obama Administration just pushed through a $26 billion settlement with the banking industry for 'improprieties', calling it a win for the victims of the Wall-street engineered, mortgage-backed securities, scam! Ha! How is getting your home stolen away by the bank, for a measly $2K, a win? That's something like a penny returned for every dollar stolen! The reality - it's an election year and Mr. Obama needs to manufacture some smoke to blow up Democratic voting butts, and this is it. Get ready to hear about this alleged win, over and over through November, until you puke."

He adds: "A statistical sample audit of foreclosures in California showed that 85% were illegal, meaning the banks broke that law in 85 out of every 100 cases (here). AND NOT ONE BANKER HAS GONE TO JAIL! Has anyone seen Mr. Eric Holder, the Attorney General? Considering that black people, voting for Mr. Obama in mass (past, present, and future), are at the front of the long line of hues getting ripped-off by the banks, Obama and Holder need to return their cards, and go sit in the box with Ward Connerly. After all, a duck is a duck, regardless of the color of the feathers."

From The Hill, about the 39-year-old conservative: "When GOP kingmakers elected Reince Priebus chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), they had one thing on their mind. One year later, Priebus has shown them what they wanted to see: money. And lots of it. Republicans enjoyed a historic election in November 2010, but when Priebus took over a couple of months later, the RNC was $23 million in debt. Many donors had stopped giving to the RNC, which had been tarnished by various high-profile controversies. Priebus has brought them back, wiping out the RNC’s debt."

The article continues: "The RNC kept pace with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in 2011. The GOP committee has $20 million in the bank and $13 million in debt, while the DNC has $12.5 million in cash on hand and $6.5 million in debt. Priebus, who is not one to crow, told The Hill, 'We shot for a huge goal and we hit it. We shocked some people who didn’t think it could be done.'"

Asserts the conservative Republican columnist in Maryland: "Ann Coulter isn't running for a darned thing. We have to take the things she says with a grain of salt. The conservative pundit and author doesn’t say things to get votes. She says them to sell more books. So, when she compared President Barack Obama to rapper Flavor Flav, she had those book sales in mind. Coulter made her comments before a Conservative Political Action Committee confab this past Friday. Her exact words were these, according to several news reports: 'Voters with 40 years of politically correct education are ecstatic to have the first black president. They just love the idea, even if we did get Flavor Flav instead of Thomas Sowell.'"

He continues his commentary about the conservative Republican commentator: "Sowell is a noted black conservative economist and columnist, more to Coulter's liking, I suspect, than Obama. And the president is who he is: Handsome, brilliant, urbane, refined and much closer in comparison to Sowell than he ever will be to Flavor Flav. What inspired Coulter's outburst, one of quite a few she makes when she goes breakdancing in the minefield of race? Other than her realization that 'book sales are a-slumpin’, and I sho'nuff needs to sell me some,' who knows?"

More from Mr. Kane: "There are two ways to react to Coulter's Obama-Flavor Flav wisecrack. One is to ignore her, realize she did it to seek publicity and boost book sales and to not give her the forum and notoriety she craves. The other is to realize that the cat's out of the bag, so we might as well try to spay, neuter and civilize the critter. I've chosen the latter, because, as much as Coulter loves the spotlight, I love correcting her on matters of race."

"I often ask why black people would call themselves African American when white people don't say European American. White people say they are American, despite the country from which their ancestors came, even if they still embrace some of the culture. That denotes an identity that is unique to the United States. Black people, those whose families helped build the United States and who have lived here for hundreds of years, are unique as well." — Kenneth Durden, libertarian-conservative blogger, on the growing black American backlash against the term

The conservative blogger in Georgia opines: "I see no problem in setting aside some time to acknowledge the history and accomplishments of any racial group. I see it as a great gesture by this country to acknowledge the contributions of various groups. To me that is a good thing."

He continues: "What troubles me is how MLK Blvd. in just about any city in the USA is the most crime ridden. Schools named by the same man oftentimes have the lowest scores in the district. Same goes for schools and roads named after other towering figures in Black history. To know your history is one thing. To adopt the character of these great individuals is something that takes more than a month. Carter G. Woodson was right in his drive to create a time of reflection of Black history. But the knowledge of history alone does not improve a person’s character. That is a totally separate endeavor that should be treated as such."

More: "The recent release of the movie 'Red Tails' produced personal stories on Facebook that talked about how little Black kids were wide-eyed and inspired while watching this amazing piece of Black history. But what good is it if the same kids walk away from the movie, get into the car, plug in their iPods and absorb the music of 'new' Black icons that constantly celebrate sex, alcohol, and gettin’ paid? So the question should never be 'Do we still need Black History Month?' Instead, we need to stop expecting that simply the knowledge of history is enough. Let’s continue to celebrate the month. But character is a lesson that never ends."

The conservative blogger in Georgia ain't impressed with the Chinese-American NBA player: "I agree with Floyd and [sports blogger Stiletto] Jill. I’m glad I don’t live in New York where the media overhypes everything. I watched Lin play and I don’t see the big deal. He is a typical ball hog who misses more shots than he hits, rather than passing the ball to the open man. Judge a player by his season stats, not over 6 games against weak opponents."

From 9News (Australia), about the center-right parliamentarian of Aborigine descent: "The only indigenous member of federal parliament says the latest Closing the Gap report into disadvantage doesn't look enough at urban Aboriginal people. While Liberal MP Ken Wyatt praised the report, released by Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Wednesday, he said there are still key areas where work needs to be done. 'Over 75 per cent of Aboriginal people live within urban capital cities and it's a key area we're going to have to do a lot more work in,' Mr Wyatt told Sky News. 'One of my criticisms of Closing the Gap is, it is a tremendous initiative, but it doesn't capture people living in the urban context. That's a gap in itself that we've got to address.'"

More: "The report said two out of six targets were on track: halving the infant mortality rates for indigenous children under five by 2018 as well as ensuring access to early childhood education for all indigenous four year olds in remote communities by 2013."

One Texas man apparently got handcuffed just for going on an outing with his granddaughter. This isn't the first time that it's happened to him either: "On Friday, February 10, a middle-aged white man named Scott Henson was walking his 5-year-old black granddaughter Ty home from an Austin, Texas rollerskating rink when several police cars suddenly surrounded them, and officers aggressively approached Henson demanding he 'step away from the child.'"

The article continues: "Henson said that Austin police proceeded to question his relationship to the girl, with one superior officer saying, 'When we get a call about a possible kidnapping we have to take it very seriously.' This wouldn't be completely egregious if it weren't for the fact that police had questioned him earlier the same day. Perhaps there been two separate 'anonymous calls' placed to 911 reporting a possible kidnapping? Henson asserts that this was harassment was nothing short of racial profiling."

More about this case, which is starting to make national news: "During both encounters with police [in 2008 and last week], Henson says, he vehemently resisted giving away personal or familial information about Ty and him. 'Not wanting to violate the failure to identify statute, I gave her my name, address and birth date, but refused to answer any other questions,' he says of the incident in 2008. Henson describes at length how both ordeals have left him fearing that his granddaughter will grow up not trusting law enforcement. For her part, according to the blog post Ty has made her own deductions, telling her grandpa in an exchange after the first incident, 'the police should leave you alone. It's not right that they want to arrest you for being my Grandpa.'"

Booker Rising response: Granted, it is unusual to see a white man with a young black child. That's probably especially the case in Texas. I think if it was a white woman with Ty or if Ty was mixed race, folks wouldn’t have tripped and dialed the police. Also, good to see the cops are vigilant about protecting black kids. However, I’d assume that he was her stepfather or adopted father (since she doesn't look like she is his biological granddaughter). Unless he was acting suspect or the girl looked like she didn’t know him, I’d glance and then keep it moving.

From the liberal Huffington Post, about the conservative Republican Congressman: "Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) hasn't been a candidate in Florida's 18th Congressional District for long, but already there are a number of people prepared to complicate his road to reelection. On Tuesday, Martin County Sheriff Robert Crowder, a Republican, announced that he decided to challenge West following the congressman's decision to switch to the more GOP-friendly district from the 22nd, which he currently represents. West's move had a lot to do with Crowder's decision to jump into the race. According to the Palm Beach Post, Crowder explained that he's running 'to provide some local representation for a new district -- rather than having someone who's not really familiar with the district coming in and purporting to represent the people here. I just think the people need to have that option. If they choose to elect an outsider, that's their choice.'"

More: "Crowder isn't the only challenge from the right that West might have to contend with. The Palm Beach Post reports on Wednesday that South Florida Tea Party Chairman Everett Wilkinson is considering a third-party challenge to West, also over his belief that the 18th Congressional District needs a non-transplant option this fall. 'Congressman West doesn't live in this district. I've lived in this district four years,' said Wilkinson, according to the Post. 'There's local people in politics that may have considered running in that district who live there. Why shouldn't they?'"

The article continues about Rep. West's opponents: "Democrat Patrick Murphy also displayed some excitement at the prospect of playing foil to West, following him to the 18th District this month after having previously intended to campaign against fellow Democrat and West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel for the party's nomination in the 22nd District."

Walter E. Williams: "Rising Black Social Pathology"

Responding to a report about violence in Philadelphia's schools, the Philadelphia-born libertarian commentator argues that black American students' approach to education is very different than it was back in his day: "Many black students are alien and hostile to the education process. They are permitted to make education impossible for other students. Their misbehavior and violence require schools to divert resources away from education and spend them on security, such as hiring school police and purchasing metal detectors, all of which does little for school safety. The violent school climate discourages the highest-skilled teachers from teaching at schools where they risk assaults, intimidation and theft. At a bare minimum, part of the solution to school violence and poor academic performance should be the expulsion of students who engage in assaults and disrespectful behavior. You say, 'What's to be done for these students?' Even if we don't know what to do with them, how compassionate and intelligent is it to permit them to make education impossible for other students?"

More: "The fact that black parents, teachers, politicians and civil rights organizations tolerate and make excuses for the despicable and destructive behavior of so many young blacks is a gross betrayal of the memory, struggle, sacrifice, sweat and blood of our ancestors. The sorry and tragic state of black education is not going to be turned around until there's a change in what's acceptable and unacceptable behavior by young people. That change has to come from within the black community."

Kenneth Durden: "Walter E. Williams Is Right"

The libertarian-conservative blogger responds to Dr. Williams' piece: "Read a little history and see how black people achieved great things, even in the face of slavery, murder, rape, and Jim Crow. Read Frederick Douglass if you can, a brilliant, self-taught former slave whose eloquence could not be understood today. Read W.E.B. Dubois and Carter G. Woodson. Listen to the articulate passion of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Andrew Young, etc. Black people did not overcome by walking around grunting and calling it 'talking black.' They did not overcome by trying to see how rude and uncouth they could be. They did not overcome walking the streets, dressed like they just got out of bed. Black people and black communities, today, are victims of a collapsing culture far more than racism. Enough is enough."

But less than what Michael Jackson's estate reaped. I hope Bobbi Kristina Brown, her 18-year-old daughter, is ready for all the vultures that are gonna come her way. From "Good Morning America": "While there were recent reports that Houston was struggling financially, the sales of her music since this weekend would improve the condition of her estate regardless. Michael Jackson sold over 8 million albums in the U.S. alone in the six months after his death, and close to 30 million worldwide. Zach Greenburg, Forbes writer, said Whitney Houston will not match Jackson's postmortem earnings, but if her music sells even half as well as Jackson's did, her artist royalties alone could bring the estate more than $10 million in the coming year."

The article continues about the late entertainer's estate: "Keith Caulfield, Billboard's associate director of charts, said while Houston's sales will not come close to the financial success of Michael Jackson, who had publishing, song-writing and recording royalties, her greatest hits album will re-enter Billboard's Top 10 chart possibly this week. Already, 50,000 were sold in the first day or two after her death. However, Caulfield said it is difficult to estimate how much Houston will receive because how her contract was structured is unknown."

From South Africa.info, about the moderate-liberal politico: "Leader of the opposition Lindiwe Mazibuko detailed several initiatives to tackle education and the economy that her party would implement if it were in government. She said South Africa's economy remained uncompetitive, particularly in key sectors such as mining, manufacturing and farming through labour regulation."

The article continues: "To boost the economy, the Democratic Alliance (DA) would introduce voluntary exemptions on labour regulations for certain sectors, a youth-wage subsidy and a one-stop business registration office for those looking to set up businesses. Mazibuko said the current black economic empowerment (BEE) model had only succeeded in creating a small elite who had access to finance over and over. Her party wanted to incentivise share ownership across the economy to allow workers to partake more in BEE initiatives, she said."

More from Ms. Mazibuko: "The DA would not choose to focus on particular sectors, as the Industrial Policy Action Plan (IPAP) does, but rather help new businesses to start up by creating targeted incentives and venture capital funds. In education, the party would give schools the 'maximum resources' for the first three grade years in schools and carry out assessments on pupils in grades 3, 6 and 9. It was also necessary to limit the ability of teachers to strike and only allow them to go on strike after consulting with the government, Mazibuko said."

The R&B group's song went #7 on both the U.S. R&B and pop charts back in the day. Definitely one of New Edition's classic ballads:

The libertarian Republican commentator in New York argues that Obamacare’s new contraception mandate is unnecessary: "Insurance companies must have been startled to find themselves at the muzzle end of federal police power. They now face a brand-new, unfunded mandate whose costs they surely will pass along to their entire clientele, thus boosting the insurance rates that Obamacare was supposed to reduce."

He continues about the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandate: "Utterly perplexing in all of this is why Team Obama ever saw this regulation as necessary. Is any adult American female unable to secure birth-control pills if she wants them? Is there even one American woman who cannot walk, bike, ride a bus, or ask a loved one or neighbor to drive her to a local drug store to pick up the Pill, contraceptive foam, intra-uterine devices, or other birth-control products? And if any woman happens to be insured by a Catholic organization or other anti-birth-control group, is it too much to ask her either to find contraceptive coverage elsewhere or go work somewhere that offers such insurance?"

More: "Here is another idea: American women who lack birth-control coverage can buy it themselves. BirthControl.com offers one-month supplies of popular pills and patches for roughly $35 to $50. Are American women without contraceptive insurance incapable of salting away $50 per month to enjoy pregnancy-free sex with the men in their lives? Given the joys of sex, is $1.66 per day an unbearable burden requiring massive federal intervention? 'Emergency contraception' pills, such as Plan B and Next Choice run from $35 to $60. This is costlier than cough drops, but hardly a sum that demands Santa Obama’s involvement. And if even these sums are too high, Planned Parenthood operates about 800 women’s health centers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Its staffers are eager to help women prevent and even terminate pregnancies. Planned Parenthood prices its services on a sliding scale. Low-income women pay less than those with heavier purses. Why must Obama compete with Planned Parenthood?"

From The Times (South Africa), about the center-right Zulu nationalist: "Warning that corruption was on the verge of making South Africa dysfunctional, IFP [Inkatha Freedom Party] president Mangosuthu Buthelezi told President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday that he was shying away from tackling it. 'Corruption is the bane of our country,' he said during debate in the National Assembly on last week's state of the nation address."

More: "Buthelezi described corruption as a fundamental threat to South Africa's constitutional democracy. 'Yet, sir, you shy away from this issue.' He said a measure of Zuma's leadership could be taken less by what the president had said than by what he had not said. 'How can we embrace hope when our leadership refuses to acknowledge the many problems confronting our country, or the causes that lie at their root? Year after year, the state of the nation address shifts, without ever addressing previous failures.'"

The article continues about Mr. Buthelezi's comments: "'On a scale of 0 (being highly corrupt) to 10 (being very clean), we have fallen from a ranking of 5.1 in 2007, to 4.1 in 2011. The unspoken fact is that we are on the verge of joining the ranks of dysfunctional states, as the effects of corruption debilitate all spheres of life,' Buthelezi said."

Yes, I'm giving the sistas some shine. After a few years of showcasing the same so-so looking, around-the-way black models (Jessica White, Damaris Lewis) in their swimsuit issue, SI thankfully switched it up this year. To see all of the 2012 Sports Illustrated swimsuit models, go here.

Adaora Akubilo (Connecticut)



Ms. Akubilo is a 20-year-old college student at Central Connecticut State University. The 5'11" beauty from Windsor, Connecticut beauty was discovered from many contestants in SI's swimsuit model search. Judging from her name, I assume that her parents are of Nigerian origin. Cute girl, fresh-faced, and love the hair. Ms. Akubilo is my fave out of the three.

You can see all 30 of her SI photos here. To vote for her as SI Rookie Of The Year, click here.

Kirby Griffin (Georgia/Wisconsin)



Ms. Griffin reminds me of a younger Tyra Banks. The 5'8", Georgia-born-but-Wisconsin-raised beauty attended the University of Wisconsin for a year before embarking on a modeling and acting career. I'd say that her hazel eyes are her cutest facial feature.

You can see all 29 of her SI photos here. To vote for her as SI Rookie Of The Year, click here (and scroll down to access her vote link).

Ariel Meredith (Louisiana)



Unlike the other two ladies, this is Ms. Meredith's second appearance in the SI swimsuit issue (she also appeared in the 2009 edition). The 5'10", mid-twenties beauty is a native of Shreveport, Louisiana and has been modeling since age 14.

You can see all 48 of her SI photos here.

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, about the conservative Republican businessman and former presidential candidate: "A spokeswoman for Herman Cain confirmed this morning that the former GOP presidential candidate was approached by ABC’s 'Dancing with the Stars' to appear on this season’s competition. But Cain nixed the idea. 'He can’t dance in an eight-count. He can only dance in a nine-count,' said Lisa Reichert, Cain’s executive assistant. Nine-count. Get it? 9-9-9 [Herman Cain's tax plan]."

From the National Post (Canada): "Convinced long before Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation that the fight against slavery and the preservation of the Union were synonymous, Henry Jackson, a black Canadian, wrote: 'I wish to impress upon your mind that the war is a trial between freedom and slavery not only here, but all over the world.' True to his convictions, he enlisted in the Union Army and was killed at Campbell’s Station on Nov. 16, 1863."

The article continues: "Black Canadians had no problem choosing sides in the American Civil War. Bred in slavery, they rallied to the Union cause as soon as president Abraham Lincoln issued a directive allowing black enlistments in the Union armies. Maritimers made their way to Massachusetts to enlist in the famous 54th, celebrated in the movie Glory, while young blacks from the Elgin and Buxton Settlements in Ontario crossed the border at Detroit to join the 1st Michigan Colored Infantry. Others, encouraged by Josiah Henson, a schoolteacher at Dresden, Ont., whose escape from slavery inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, would serve in the cavalry, artillery and navy in every theatre of war. Black Canadians, fighting for the freedom of black Americans."

More about Canadian black history: "Military hospitals had separate but unequal facilities for black and white troops leading to a higher death rate among blacks. Only eight black surgeons received commissions and they were resented by their white colleagues. Dr. Alexander Augusta, who had trained at Trinity College in Toronto, was removed from his position as head of surgery at Camp Stanton in Maryland after his white assistants personally complained to the secretary of war. Returning to Washington by train, he was attacked by two men who tore his officer’s insignia from his uniform while white passengers silently watched."

Man, black dudes have been throwing much shade lately at the Chinese-American baller. However, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't chuckle at Whitlock's comment....even though it was foul. From USA Today: "Jason Whitlock is a columnist for Fox Sports who frequently weighs in on issues involving race. And now he has weighed himself down with a racist comment about Jeremy Lin. Whitlock made a totally inappropriate stab at humor after Lin's 38-point performance against the Lakers on Friday, with this tweet that played on an Asian stereotype: 'Some lucky lady in NYC is gonna feel a couple of inches of pain tonight.'"

The article continues: "The Asian American Journalists Association called for an apology and Whitlock, who is African American, came back with one, writing that: 'I get Linsanity. I've cried watching Tiger Woods win a major golf championship. Jeremy Lin, for now, is the Tiger Woods of the NBA. I suspect Lin makes Asian Americans feel the way I feel when I watch Tiger play golf. I should've realized that Friday night when I watched Lin torch the Lakers. For Asian Americans and a lot of sports fans, his nationally televised 38-point outburst was the equivalent of Tiger's first victory in The Masters. I got caught up in the excitement."

More from Mr. Whitlock's apology: "The couple-inches-of-pain tweet overshadowed my sincere celebration of Lin's performance and the irony that the stereotype applies to pot-bellied, overweight male sports writers, too. As the Asian American Journalist Association pointed out, I debased a feel-good sports moment. For that, I'm truly sorry."

The conservative Republican Congressman has released a statement going in on the president's fiscal year 2013 budget: "President Barack Obama’s budget is an unserious approach to a very serious situation. Filled with exaggerations, gimmicks, and historic tax increases, the budget released today is bad for jobs, bad for seniors and bad for the economy. For seniors, the budget does nothing to address Medicare, a program sinking and heading towards bankruptcy, and instead increases the power of the Independent Advisory Board, a panel of unaccounted for bureaucrats making decisions for our nation’s elderly. For hard working Americans, the budget increases taxes by an astounding 1.9 trillion dollars, taking money out of people’s pockets during an already turbulent economic period. For small business owners, this budget leaves them with even more uncertainty, as the United States debt increases and regulations remain. With $3.8 trillion projected spending in 2013, increasing every year for the next decade, this President still believes he can spend his way out of this economic crisis. It seems he will never learn the lessons of the past."

Rep. West continues his statement: "The President will have accumulated $6.4 trillion in new debt in just one, four-year term. According to his own evaluative criteria, doing so is unpatriotic. In ten years, America will have a gross debt of $25.9 trillion dollars. This is unsustainable and immoral to our children and grandchildren."

More: "House Republicans have a Plan for America’s Job Creators and it is time for the President and Democrats in the Senate to stop blocking our jobs bills. We’ve passed a jobs budget with fundamental pro-growth tax reform, the elimination of corporate loopholes and subsidies to help create more jobs. The President is wrong again and completely out of touch and inexperienced with how to create jobs and turn this economy around."

Asserts the moderate-liberal commentator: "The events of the last two weeks prove that the culture wars are still with us. And with the economy improving, the search is on for new wedge issues to help the GOP in the 2012 campaign."

Mr. Williams continues his commentary about the Republican Party: "The political irony here is that this culture war over insurance coverage for contraception shows little evidence of winning votes for Republicans — even among Catholics. As a wedge issue it is a political pretender. The healthcare law already exempts churches. It did cover hospitals and schools but late last week Obama allowed those church-affiliated institutions to distance themselves from providing birth control. Instead, insurance companies will offer coverage at no extra cost."

More: "Republican nominee John McCain lost the votes of women to Obama by 13 percent in 2008. If the GOP candidate this year runs aggressively against universal coverage for birth control, that gulf will increase to a Grand Canyon. The same is true of the gay marriage issue. Polls show too many Americans, including younger conservatives, are not opposed to the idea. It is lacking as a political wedge. Similarly, the Komen Foundation’s attack on Planned Parenthood’s work in breast cancer screening — because of the congressional probe into its abortion work — turned into a political disaster for Komen. Planned Parenthood reported a surge in donations. There are two ends to every wedge. At the moment the GOP is sliding down these wedges. But the search goes on."

The moderate-liberal Democrat and former Congressman opines: "The White House should not lose focus. Last week's distractions involving contraception and religious liberty took the White House off message from addressing jobs and economic growth. The focus must be regained if the White House is to retain the recent momentum in the head-to-head poll matchups with the Republican front-runners. I recommend two things to hold the momentum."

He continues his commentary: "First, embrace Simpson-Bowles or something really like it. The President's obvious vulnerability heading into the fall is two-fold – not enough jobs and too much spending. With the pressures in Europe as a backdrop and inspiration, forcing a national conversation – and hopefully a resolution – on cutting long-term spending and reforming the tax code on the President's terms will help the country understand the terms and stakes better. Furthermore, it will bolster the President's re-election fortunes and Congressional and Senate Democratic chances of winning seats."

More: "Second, the President should give a big and important speech on the Obama health care law soon. Lay out what is working, clarify the elements that are causing anxiety within the business community and outline specifically the parts of the bill that need to be changed. And then, change those parts. All of this should be done before the Supreme Court oral arguments occur in the spring."