[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8g8YZA2FioQ&w=610&h=443]
Due to animal print’s eternal popularity among women and men alike, most fashion addicts realize that animal print is no longer a “trend,” as lace or bursts of floral have been in past seasons. Animal print has evolved into a fashion staple and a classic, which is now beginning to function as neutrals have.
Kate Dimmock, the fashion director of PeopleStyleWatch.com told the Houston Chronicle that designers are creating amazing pieces that function as a classic neutral would in a standard wardrobe. “Leopard-print pumps are a complete outfit-maker, and you can wear them with anything,” she told the interviewer.
However, the fashion faux-pas that gracing our college campuses is the overdosing on animal prints in our wardrobes. You should have the option of turning a wardrobe into wild kingdom, but with the hats, headbands, earrings, scarves, hoodies, leggings, and stilettos, students are adding leopard bags with leopard shoes to equal a fashion disaster.
Dimmock advises against two prints in the same outfit. “I wouldn’t ever pair a leopard shoe with a leopard bag,” she told the Houston Chronicle.
When wearing animal prints, remember that a little bit goes much further.
Stephanie Solomon, Bloomingdale’s fashion director, advises against wearing head-to-toe animal print. It should be worn in smaller doses. “Never, ever do a head-to-toe look in animal prints,” she told the Chicago Tribune. “A touch of these designs goes a long way.”
Animal print brings attention to the area where it is being worn, so it is best to wear zebra or cheetah sparingly when an outfit needs it.
Jennifer Uglialoro, a spokeswoman for H&M tells the Chicago Tribune, “They definitely don’t camouflage. If you want to draw attention away from your bottom half, maybe you don’t want to wear leopard pants.”
If there is a need to wear a large dose of animal print, be sure to tone the outfit down with neutrals. A leopard print dress should be paired with a neutral-colored blazer and stilettos that complement rather than distract from the animal print.
Most of all, the perfect complement to an animal print ensemble is confidence.
“When you wear any animal-print piece, you’re telling the world — in a good way — that you’re a little wild,” Solomon told the Chicago Tribune.
Have fun and get wild!
“That’s what we’re working on, being able to finish,” said head coach Donita Rogers. “You also have to look at [the fact that] we’re still starting two freshman in Savannah Carter and Cierra Ceazer.
The Lady Tigers outscored the Lady Braves 38-30 in the second half to clinch a 66-58 victory after being tied at 28 in the first period. Freshman Savannah Carter totaled 15 points and seven assists while her counterpart, freshman Cierra Ceazer, aided with 13 points.
After suffering losses to Texas Southern and Prairie View, in which the Lady Tigers were outscored in both second halves, the Lady Tigers outscored their opponents in the second half of five consecutive games, resulting in four wins, including two in the Hobdy Arena.
In the first half, Alcorn opened the game with a full court press which caused problems for Grambling. In the first three minutes of the game the Lady Tigers gave the ball away four times but still led 6-2. Carter, who went 1-11 in their win over Southern, did the majority of her damage in the first half by scoring nine points and converting 5-6 from the charity stripe.
“I just made my free-throws and layups,” Carter said.
They would eventually go on an 8-0 run to take a 20-14 lead with 7:40 left in the half, but instead of going into halftime with an advantage, Alcorn State took advantage of the 16 extra possessions courtesy of the Lady Tigers.
“Historically, we will cough it up early in the first half then we’ll get it together,” said head coach Donita Rogers. “They wouldn’t let my girls get their flow or a good dribble or anything going. As soon as they put it (the ball) on the floor they got one bounce maximum and the double is coming.”
The Tigers surely got it together. Their start to the second half was contrary to the first. The Tigers kept the ball and kept the lead. Rather jumping out to 6-2 lead early they went on an 11-2 within the first three minutes, and they doubled their largest lead in the first half and held a 49-37 with 12:35 left to play. The Lady Tigers never trailed in the second half.
It is not hard for Rodney Perry to stand out on the campus of Clark Atlanta University.
Impeccably dressed in all black and a crisp white shirt, he brushes back his shoulder-length dreadlocks as he mingles and laughs with fellow students on a recent freezing Wednesday morning.
A freshman class president straight out of central casting, Perry is part of a harder-to-find breed on college campuses — particularly historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) — a man.
Women outnumber men 3-to-2 at black colleges, according to the Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. At the 100 accredited HBCUs, 61.5 percent of the students are women, up from 53 percent in 1976 and exceeding the overall national average of 56 percent. Ten percent of black males who attend college go to an HBCU, most of which are located in the South.
“Women are very motivated to pursue education. Their ambition is fueled by advancement,” said Michael L. Lomax, president of the United Negro College Fund, an umbrella organization of private HBCUs. “Black women get it, but for whatever reason, that same impetus hasn’t been happening with African-American men, or with men, period.”
Experts and students say black men are less prepared than their female counterparts for the rigors of college, face tougher financial hurdles, have fewer role models to inspire them to further their educations, and are less likely to ask for academic or financial assistance.
In addition, of the black males who make it to an HBCU, only 29 percent will graduate within six years, which is worse than the 33 percent national average of black males at all colleges. Nationally, the six-year graduation rate is 57 percent.
“We have gone from a situation where more males were in schools than females, and the trend seems to be continuing,” said Meldon Hollis, associate director of the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
But Johnny Taylor, president of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, an umbrella organization of public HBCUs, said the country is now seeing the results of programs created to address gender parity.
“I don’t know if we should try to reverse that,” Taylor said, “but there should not be such a disparity between men and women, especially when there is a black male crisis.”
In 2011, a report issued by Education Week showed that while the 72 percent high school graduation rate was the highest in decades, blacks were graduating at a paltry 57 percent clip. And while the overall black unemployment rate is around 15 percent, college-educated black men who are working still make far less than their white counterparts.
In Georgia, black males make up about 14 percent of the overall population.
The gender gap is magnified at CAU, where a staggering 74 percent of the students are female. Last fall, as the school welcomed one of the largest freshman classes in history — more than 1,000 — fewer than 100 were men.
“This is a national problem. What you see at CAU is a microcosm of education,” CAU Provost Joseph H. Silver Sr. said.
Why the gender gap?
Getting ready for an 11 a.m. class, Perry nods to every other guy he sees. He can’t help but know them all and said many came to get away from rocky home environments. The 18-year-old business major from Jackson, Tenn., was encouraged by his mother to move away.
“Being from a small place and having the ambitions that I had, I wanted to get away,” Perry said. “Everything that colleges are doing now should be attractive to 
men. But things like grades, finances and parental pressures are stopping a lot of men.”
Having ambition is only part of the battle. For every Perry, there are dozens with little hope of getting where he is.
“The literature is clear where this starts. Not the first year of college or the first year of high school, but the third grade,” Silver said. “If we don’t address it then, by the ninth grade they are preparing to drop out. Socially, we have allowed black males to have a bye in being held accountable for their actions and future.”
Across campus in a media law class, Ahshia Juss from New Orleans tells a story about how generations of her family went to college. Next to her, Destiney Mathis of Atlanta brags that she will be the first person in her family to earn a degree. Both have brothers. Neither tried to go to college and were not pressured by family members.
“Mothers raise their daughters and love their sons,” said University of Georgia counseling professor Deryl Bailey. “I will not say it is a piece of cake for black females, but the obstacles that impact males are more difficult.”
And even when black men get to college, there are temptations to take another path.
Curshawn Bussey, a senior from Atlanta, has had to fight the urge to drop out of CAU when lucrative — albeit freelance — jobs in television and news photography were offered.
“My brother stays on me every day about staying in college,” Bussey said, “and every morning when I get out of bed to go to class, I know someone else is getting out of bed to go to work.”
But the biggest challenge might be finances. CAU, which is a private school, charges around $30,000 annually. In-state students at Georgia State University pay less than $5,000 per semester.
The standard for attracting black males — by the very nature of its founding and mission — is Morehouse College, the country’s only black all-male school. This month, school officials were in Milwaukee recruiting students and partnering with corporations to help pay for their educations.
“We have great name recognition, so when we go to towns, people are excited to hear from us,” Dean of Admissions Kevin Williams said.
The school generally enrolls between 700 and 800 students through 2,600 applications, although enrollment is slightly down this year, which Williams blames on the sagging economy.
“State schools are competition because of the financial aspect,” Williams said.
It’s an issue that CAU officials understand well. Silver said it was a “buyer’s market,” and if CAU can be “competitive financially, we can attract the best and the brightest.” But CAU, like many HBCUs, struggles to provide scholarship money to students, 96 percent of whom are on some form of financial aid.
“The president has asked us to have a more focused approach to recruitment, scholarship and retention of black males, so we will see some changes soon,” said Silver, who retired from the University System of Georgia in 2006.
The dating game
The diversity at CAU is sometimes hard to find.
Take James McJunkins’ media arts class, where all of the students are female. Tahajah Samuels, a 20-year-old mass media major in the class, said she rarely has a class with more than three men.
Aside from the academic and cultural problems the gender imbalance creates, there are also simple social problems, such as dating.
“It can be unfortunate for the girls in terms of social life, because it almost feels like we are overpopulated,” said Carmella Baldwin, a senior from Detroit and the reigning Miss CAU. “And with dating, it is always, ‘You don’t want to talk to such-and-such, because he has already talked to so-and-so.’”
But for guys, it is golden.
“I can honestly say, being around so many accomplished women makes you very comfortable,” Perry said.
To address the imbalance, CAU has instituted a series of programs designed specifically for men.
“We have created an environment here were we preach success,” said Silver, noting Perry, who defeated three freshman women to become class president, “but these students are few and far between.”
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Highest percentage of women at HBCUs in fall 2010
School Women as Total black
percentage students
Coppin State University 76.6 4,212
University of Virgin Islands 74.8 2,464
Xavier University 74.5 2,863
Southern University at Shreveport 74.1 3,627
Dillard University 72.7 1,141
Southern University at New Orleans 72.5 3,627
Morehouse College of Medicine 71.6 268
Clark Atlanta University 71.3 3,846
Winston-Salem State University 69.3 5,607
Note: Atlanta’s Spelman College and Bennett College in Greensboro, N.C., are 100 percent female.
Georgia HBCUs and the percentage of women
School Women as Number of
percentage black students
Spelman College 100 2,083
Clark Atlanta University 71.3 3,846
Morehouse College of Medicine 71.6 268
Albany State University 67.1 4,606
Paine College 63.7 1,082
Savannah State University 57.3 4,024
Fort Valley State University 56.7 4,042
Interdenominational Theological Center 45.6 447
Morehouse College* 0 2,706
*All-male school
Source: U.S. Department of Education data provided by American Council on Education
Courtesy of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In a lawsuit that could shake the publishing industry, a Brooklyn woman is claiming Hearst Corporation owes wages to her and others who interned at Harper’s Bazaar and other magazines since February of 2006.
In a complaint filed in Manhattan federal court, Xuedan Wang says she was not paid for working 40-55 hours per week during 2011.
SEE ALSO: What Salary Freeze? Newspaper Wages Are Actually Rising
The class action suit says Hearst, whose publications include Cosmopolitan and Good Housekeeping, violated federal and New York state minimum wage, overtime and record keeping laws. It seeks millions in compensation for interns across the country and for a subset of people who worked in New York.
Elizabeth Wagoner, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said in an interview that the case is the first of its kind to involve “interns” but that there are many successful precedents involving minimum wage violations and jobs in which workers were paid only with tips.
The case poses philosophic and economic challenges not just for the publishing industry but for an overall economy in which more and more businesses are using interns.
On one hand, internships can provide valuable experience and connections that lead young people into the workforce. But on the other, employers have come to regard internships as a pool of free labor that can be tapped with no reciprocal obligations to provide a job.
This reality means that internships can go not to the most talented candidates but to those with the financial means to treat them as a lifestyle choice.
Internships are widespread in the publishing business. The New York Times (NYSE: NYT), which regularly warns that internships can be exploitative, uses students for unpaid research work (I interned as a fact-checker in 2010, providing French translation and GDP calculations for its columnists. I didn’t receive a salary, a lunch or, some days, even a greeting).
In the case of Hearst, its practices may be no better or worse than the dozens of other companies that use interns. The publisher may simply have had the bad luck to have become a test case for the legal parameters of America’s internship economy.
Hearst is likely in for a fight as the lead plaintiff is represented by Outten & Golden, a firm experienced in employment-related class action. The firm paid to publicize the case on newswires this afternoon.
Wagoner said Hearst has yet to be served with the complaint. The company did not immediately return calls for comment.
Courtesy of PaidContent.org
Smithsonian Black History Month Family Day Celebration
February 4, 2012, 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum. The Smithsonian kicks off its celebration of Black History Month with a day of music and drama performances, arts and craft activities and other themed activities.
National Archives
Celebrate Black History Month in February with special films, public programs, and lectures. These programs are open to the public and will be held at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC and at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland.
DC Public Library
Throughout the month of February, the DC Public Library offers special programs celebrating Black History Month. Programs include art exhibits, jazz concerts, book discussions, theatrical workshops and more.
Navy Memorial & US Navy Band Concerts
Two African American Diversity Concerts – free, live performances by the U.S. Navy Band will be held at the United States Navy Memorial in honor of Black History Month. African Americans have had a major presence in the U.S. Navy since the 19th Century. Their role grew tremendously during the Civil War when many newly freed slaves joined forces with U.S. sailors in working towards a common goal. The concerts are part of a series that celebrates different ethnicities in the Navy.
Anacostia Community Museum
Throughout the year, the Smithsonian Institution’s museum of African American history and culture offers exhibitions, educational programs, workshops, lectures, film screenings and other special events that interpret black history from the 1800s to the present.
George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate
Throughout the month of February Mount Vernon will honor the slaves who lived and worked at George Washington’s estate with a daily 12 p.m. wreathlaying at the Slave Memorial. On Saturdays and Sundays in February, visitors learn about life as a slave with Silla and Slammin’ Joe, two of Washington’s slaves, at the recently-opened slave cabin. Tom Davis, an enslaved brickmaker, presents his perspective on Saturdays and Sundays in the greenhouse at 2:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. The Marquis de Lafayette talks about his efforts to end slavery in the Greenhouse on Sundays at 3:00 p.m. All Black History Month events are included in the regular admission price to the estate.
Arlington House
1:30 p.m., Sundays and Saturdays throughout February. Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial, will present special guided tours in recognition of African American History month. Visitors can explore the newly restored historic North slaves’ quarters and learn about the enslaved population living at the Arlington estate on the eve of the Civil War.
Abraham Lincoln Birthday Observance
February 12, 2012 at noon. Lincoln Memorial, 23rd & Constitution Ave., NW Washington, DC. Honor Abraham Lincoln at a Presidential wreath laying ceremony and a dramatic reading of the “Gettysburg Address.” For more information, call (202) 619-7222.
African American Civil War Memorial and Museum
This Washington, DC site honors and examines the African American’s heroic struggle for freedom and civil rights. The memorial is the only one in the United States to honor Colored Troops (USCT) who served in the Civil War. The museum uses photographs, documents and state of the art audio visual equipment to educate visitors about this important part of American history.
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
1411 W St. SE, Washington, DC. Tours of the historic home are available daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. On February 11, 2012, 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Frederick Douglass’ birthday will be celebrated with music, presentations, programs on the history of Anacostia, children’s activities, and lots of talk about the books he wrote, the books he read, and how reading and writing can change the world.
Black History Month Cruise Aboard the Spirit of Washington
February 18, 2012. Take an educational and entertaining lunch cruise to remember those who have influenced African-American culture. This cruise will feature DJ and live entertainment in tribute to Duke Ellington, Marvin Gaye, Roberta Flack, Michael Jackson, Miles Davis, Diana Ross, Prince and much more. The cruise boards at 11:00 a.m. and cruises from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The cost is $44.90 per person.
Old Town Alexandria
The National Register of Historic Places lists several historic sites in Alexandria, Virginia as locations where African Americans lived, worked and worshiped during the period 1790 through 1951. Take a tour of these sites and learn about this important part of our regional history. Read more about Black History in Alexandria.
Courtesy of About.com
Shields has taken his love for the hip hop culture and transformed it into a coloring book, “The Hip Hop Coloring Book Vol. 1.” The book is a 28 page coloring book and a history lesson for young children to learn about art and hip hop while exercising their creativity.
Shields understands the important role Hip Hop and the youth play in our community. He is utilizing his talent to not only help give hip hop a more balanced image, but wants to uplift the youth through creativity. Learn more about Howard University graduate James Shields.
HBCUBuzz: What led you to create this hip hop coloring book? Was it a project you felt you were born to create?
JS: While in the process of creating a graffiti inspired art curriculum for a local school, I decided that I would much rather enjoy creating a Hip Hop Coloring Book and using that as the foundation of the lesson plan.
I wouldn’t say that I was necessarily born to create this book, but I’m grateful for that I live in a world where I have the opportunity to pursue this type of passion.
HBCUBuzz: What inspired your love for hip hop? Do you have a favorite artist or album?
JS: My mom played a huge role in my love for hip hop. My parents didn’t allow us to listen to music with cursing but she knew we loved rap so she would buy us tons of gospel hip hop. I think that set me on the path to listening to alternative types of hip hop (conscious, underground, global) instead of what was happening in the mainstream.
Some of my favorite emcees are Ghost Face Killah, Mf Doom, Mos Def, & Cee-Lo Green.
HBCUBuzz: I read that an app was supposed to be coming out for the Hip Hop Coloring Book. Is it out yet? Where can we find it?
JS: The demo was released and we got some great feedback. However, the app is still under development while I work out some new ideas with my design team. I’m hoping to release the full digital version this summer.
HBCUBuzz: The Hip Hop Coloring Book serves as a bit of a history lesson in hip hop. Was that your intention in the creation of this book?
JS: Definitely. Hip Hop is a huge part of recent African-American history so it was my goal to tell our story in a way that was culturally relevant. The book also bridges the gap between young and old generations, because you have some people that enjoy the nostalgic feeling they get from the content and others who love that it’s a coloring book that they can relate to.
HBCUBuzz: What lasting impression do you want to leave on the youth through your art?
JS: I want the youth to be empowered through their own creativity. I want them to take pride in their individuality and know that its okay to be themselves. Once they embrace their uniqueness they’ll realize they can accomplish whatever they desire.
HBCUBuzz: It was said in an NYDN article that your parents did not fully support your decision to leave your corporate job and pursue art full time. How did you stay motivated to achieve your goal during that time?
JS: I put my heart into pursuing my creativity and I made the decision that I wouldn’t let anything stop me from giving my all. Antoher thing that helped keep me going was the support I received from my Howard University family. I feel an artist is only as successful as the community that supports him/her and my Howard family supported me 100 percent. They really showed me the power that we could have if we all worked together toward a common goal, which in this case was lending expertise, time or resources to helping each other pursue our respective entrepreneurial endeavors.
HBCUBuzz: Did you ever imagine that hip hop would play such an integral role in your life?
JS: Yes and no. I love hip hop because it’s not just an art form or entertainment for me, but a lifestyle. I’m just glad that I have an opportunity to not only be a part of, but also shape this culture through my art.
HBCUBuzz: How did you find your way to Howard University? Was attending an HBCU always a desire of yours?
JS: In high school I knew very little about HBCUs and even less about Howard. During the Spring Break of my first year of community college my parents sent my younger brother and I to DC to hang with my older cousin for a week. My cousin (who studied math at Cal Berkeley and Maryland) took us to visit Morgan State, Hampton, and Howard. He really opened our eyes to a black educated lifestyle on the east coast.
Howard was the last school we visited. We walked on the yard at noon on a Friday. It was the first warm day of Spring. Needless to say my decision was made right then and there.
HBCUBuzz: How did Howard help you prepare for the world after graduation?
JS: Attending Howard and seeing the diversity and richness of Black people across the world gave me immense pride in who I am. I’m very greatful for that experience and all the people who helped mold me.
I was a marketing major in HU’s School of Business. And aside from learning and developing a solid business theory foundation, HU also groomed me and taught me how to be a professional. I also got my first taste of entrepreneurship when a friend and I launched a t-shirt business called Daydreamer during my junior year (Daydreamer would evolve into an art collective).
HBCUBuzz: What does it mean to you to be an HBCU alum?
JS: It means accepting the responsibility to expose others to the possibility of life through higher education, especially young black males.
HBCUBuzz: Is teaching something you see yourself doing in the future?
JS: Yes. I would love to be a professor one day. Really for the sake of sharing my life experiences and helping others accomplish their dreams.
HBCUBuzz: Is there a message that you want to convey to the youth of today through your art?
JS: Just be yourself. Express yourself. Stay true to who you are.
The goals of the conference are to enable attendees the opportunity to learn about business development, entrepreneurship, grants, contracting and fellowships, with a special focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics from an entrepreneur’s perspective. The conference is held on March 5-7, 2012.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 “to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…” With an annual budget of about $6.9 billion (FY 2010), NSF is the funding source for approximately 20 percent of all federally supported basic research conducted by America’s colleges and universities. In many fields such as mathematics, computer science and the social sciences, NSF is the major source of federal backing.
As described in its strategic plan, NSF is the only federal agency whose mission includes support for all fields of fundamental science and engineering, except for medical sciences. NSF is tasked with keeping the United States at the leading edge of discovery in areas from astronomy to geology to zoology. So, in addition to funding research in the traditional academic areas, the agency also supports “high-risk, high pay-off” ideas, novel collaborations and numerous projects that may seem like science fiction today, but which the public will take for granted tomorrow.
Since January 2009, Dr. Marrett has served as NSF’s acting Director, acting Deputy Director, and Senior Advisor, until her confirmation as Deputy Director in May 2011. Before her appointment as acting Director, Dr. Marrett was the Assistant Director for Education and Human Resources (EHR). In EHR, she led NSF’s mission to achieve excellence in U.S. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at all levels, in both formal and informal settings.
From 1992 to 1996, she served as the first Assistant Director for the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) directorate. Dr. Marrett earned NSF’s Distinguished Service Award for her groundbreaking leadership of the new directorate. From 2001 to 2007, Dr. Marrett was the University of Wisconsin System’s Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. She also served concurrently as Professor of Sociology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before joining the University of Wisconsin, she was the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.
Dr. Marrett holds a Bachelor of Arts from Virginia Union University, a Master of Arts and a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, all in Sociology. She received an honorary doctorate from Wake Forest University in 1996, and was elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1998 and the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1996. In May 2011, Virginia Union University awarded Dr. Marrett an honorary degree as a distinguished alumna.
For additional information about the conference, visit www.asu-hbcu.org.
Romney, who notched his second consecutive victory Saturday by easily winning the Nevada caucuses, continues to solidify his position as the front-runner in the race for the GOP nomination. But as the contest has grown more negative, public impressions of the top Republican contenders have soured, as has the former Massachusetts governor’s standing as a general-election candidate.
Obama remains a polarizing figure, with Americans closely divided on whether he deserves reelection as well as on many aspects of his performance in office.Although better than they were a few months ago, his ratings on handling the economy and job creation remain negative, with intensity continuing to run against him.The poll results underscore how important framing the contest could be to the outcome.
If the fall campaign becomes largely a referendum on Obama’s tenure in office, as Republicans hope it will, he could struggle to win a second term — barring an economic recovery that vastly outperforms expectations. If, however, it becomes a choice between the incumbent and the challenger, as Obama advisers predict it will, the president’s prospects would be brighter.
The survey was conducted Wednesday through Saturday. During that time, the president and the Republican candidates were in the spotlight: Obama had just completed his State of the Union address and held campaign-style rallies in battleground states, and the Republicans were in the middle of a series of primaries and caucuses.
Overall, 55 percent of those who are closely following the campaign say they disapprove of what the GOP candidates have been saying.
By better than 2 to 1, Americans say the more they learn about Romney, the less they like him. Even among Republicans, as many offer negative as positive assessments of him on this question. Judgments about former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who denounced Romney on Saturday night in Nevada, are about 3 to 1 negative.
Meanwhile, the president’s recent remarks are better reviewed. Among the roughly 6 in 10 Americans who heard or read about the president’s State of the Union address, 57 percent say they approve of most of what he laid out.
Obama’s overall approval rating stands at 50 percent, the highest in a Post-ABC News poll since a brief run above 50 percent immediately after Osama bin Laden was killed in early May. Still, nearly as many — 46 percent — disapprove. Among registered voters, 49 percent say Obama’s performance warrants a second term; exactly as many say it doesn’t.
Among political independents, who are likely to determine the outcome of the election, 47 percent approve and 50 percent disapprove of the way he is handling his job. The president’s approval rating among independents had dipped as low as 34 percent in the fall, and just a month ago, he faced a 10-point deficit here.
Read more at The Washington Post
In the inaugural Bayou Classic on the Hardwood, Southern’s Jameel Grace scored 19 of his 24 points in the second half for Southern to rally back and defeat Grambling State 57-53.
“I really think we got him (Roberts) tired,” said Jaguars head Coach Roman Banks, who led Southern to its first win at Grambling (3-17, 3-7 SWAC) since 2000. “He can jump over you and shoot it, but you could see he didn’t have that lift and we made him work defensively.”
In the game played Saturday night in the Hobdy Assembly Center, Coach Banks ran several plays for Mike Celestin. Although he scored only 3 points on 1 of 5 shots, his role was vital in slowing the down the onslaught of Roberts.
In front of a crowd of about 4,000 people, Grambling led 16-0 and Roberts scored 21 of the Tigers’ 31 first half points and they led by 10. Roberts finished with 27 points and 5 rebounds.
Southern (12-11, 8-2 SWAC) couldn’t get anything going early in the first half as they went scoreless for the first four minutes. It wasn’t until Grace connected on 3-pointer that gave the Jaguars their first points and propelled a15-6 run for Southern. That tightened the score to 21-15.
Then Roberts scored eight of the Tigers last 10 points to close the half with him matching Southern’s total score of 21.
“Quincy Roberts was a one man show in the first half for us, which is great that’s exactly why I got him here,” said Coach Washington in a halftime interview with Grambling’s sports radio network. Roberts’ highlights show was cancelled due to the different looks and defenders Coach Banks threw at him.
After making his first few shots in the first half, five minutes would pass before he registered his next points.
“In the first half they played me man to man, so I was able to get to my own shot and create,” said Roberts. “In the second half they played more of a face guard zone so it was really hard to get my shot off.”
The Tigers offense became stagnant once Southern’s scheme to take Roberts out the game became successful. While Grambling’s offense stood still, the Jaguars whittled their way back in to the game and held a 34-33 lead after a 12-2 run early in the second half. Southern stretched their lead out to eight points with 9:01 remaining, but the Tigers battled back and went on their own 9-0 run regain lead with the score at 52-51.
Quietly, Grace made big plays for the Jaguars and it started with a go ahead layup with 3:21 left to play, which made the score 53-52. Since then Southern never trailed. Peter Roberson tied the game at 53 with a layup, but Grace answered with a bucket of his own.
With 13 seconds left Roberts missed a 3-pointer that would have forced the game in to overtime. Successful free throws by Southern secured them with a 57-53 victory and two games back of Mississippi Valley for first place of the South Western Athletic Conference.
The North Carolina Central Eagles dominated the Florida A&M Rattlers in all aspects of the game to take a 78-61 win at the Alfred Lawson Jr. Multipurpose Center and Teaching Gymnasium.
Yannick Crowder led the Rattlers in scoring with 17 points. Amin Stevens added 15, while Reggie Lewis chipped in 10 points. Stevens completed the double-double with 11 rebounds. Crowder continued his impressive pace with four blocked shots.
The Rattlers were done in by poor shooting, and what head coach Clemon Johnson described as poor effort. “We just didn’t put forth the effort tonight. It’s a team still trying to grow up and it caught us. We kind of went through the motions for 35 minutes tonight and played for five minutes. I told them in the locker room we were playing like we were hoping to win…not playing to win,” A disappointed Johnson said.
The Rattlers shot a dismal 14-of-25 (56 percent) from the field in the first half and 6-for-24 (25 percent) in the second half for a game total of 40.8 percent. The stats from long range offered a dreary performance as well with FAMU shooting 3-for-17 from 3-point range, to finish with 17.6 percent for the game.
Read the complete story at NCCU Athletics
Virginia Union University’s Danielle Ferguson scored 20 points to lead the Lady Panthers to a 60-44 win over Elizabeth City State University in a showdown of the two teams who were tied for first place in the CIAA Northern Division, played on Saturday, February 4, in Barco-Stevens Hall in Richmond, Va.
The win gives VUU sole possession of first place in the CIAA Northern Division.
VUU’s Valentine Wheeler scored 14 points while teammate Vicki Collier added 12 points in the win. Wheeler and Collier had nine rebounds apiece to lead the Lady Panthers on the boards. Elizabeth City state was led by Stephanie Harper’s 16 points and 13 rebounds.
The win raised VUU’s record to 9-11 overall and 6-5 in the CIAA. The nine wins are the most for a Lady Panthers since the 2005-06 team won 13 games.
The loss dropped Elizabeth City State to 12-9 overall and 6-5 in the CIAA.
VUU now travels to Petersburg, Va., to face Virginia State University at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 11.
Courtesy of VUU Athletics
BALTIMORE, Md. – Akeem Ellis hit two free throws with 0.5 seconds remaining in regulation lifting Coppin State to an 88-86 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference victory over Morgan State on Saturday in Hill Field House.
Morgan State’s DeWayne Jackson tied the game at 86-86 when he drilled a three-pointer from the top of the key with 11.2 seconds to play.
After a Coppin State timeout, the Eagles worked the ball to Ellis who drove the lane and was fouled by Kevin Thompson with 0.5 seconds to play. After Ellis made the two free throws, Justin Black misfired on a three-pointer as the buzzer sounded.
Coppin State (12-11, 7-3 MEAC) shot 47.5 percent from the floor and 41.9 percent from the three-point line in posting its third straight victory, and sixth in the last eight games.
Read more at CoppinStateSports.com.
| Name | Pos. | HT. | WT. | Hometown | High School |
| Joshua Alexander | DB | 5’10 | 175 | Houston, Texas | Sharpstown H.S. |
| Dwight Bazilee, II | OL | 6’2 | 285 | Channelview, Texas | Northshore H.S. |
| Marlon Brown | OL | 6’2 | 230 | Dallas, Texas | Skyline H.S. |
| Brandon Byrdsong | TE | 6’2 | 225 | Fayetteville, Ga. | Sandy Creek H.S. |
| William Cowan | OL | 6’2 | 300 | Alexandria, La. | Peabody H.S. |
| Ka’Jandre Domino | ATH | 5’10 | 170 | Baton Rouge, La. | Scotlandville H.S. |
| Shawheem Dowdy | ATH | 6’2 | 220 | Owings, Md. | New Town H.S. |
| Ernest Echols | DT | 6’3 | 330 | Stone Mountain, Ga. | Martin Luther King H.S. |
| Centerio Ford | DT | 6’3 | 320 | Marion, La. | Farmerville H.S. |
| Justin Fortson | ATH | 5’8 | 165 | Shreveport, La. | Fair Park H.S. |
| Vickey Gilbert, II | LB | 6’2 | 220 | Rogersville, Al. | Laurderale County H.S. |
| Trevion Goins | OL | 6’1 | 280 | Monroe, La. | Richwood H.S. |
| Akil Hawkins | OL | 6’4 | 285 | Fayetteville, Ga. | Fayette County H.S. |
| Dominique Leake | WR | 5’10 | 165 | Memphis, Tn. | Southwind H.S. |
| Justin Miller | OL | 6’3 | 301 | Simsboro, La. | Ruston H.S. |
| Tyler Olivier | DB | 5’10 | 180 | New Iberia, La. | Catholic-New Iberia H.S. |
| Nicholas Peoples | DB | 5’10 | 185 | Shreveport, La. | Bryd H.S. |
| Travondre Rabon | WR | 6’2 | 190 | Dallas, Texas | Skyline H.S. |
| Samuel Reese | DE | 6’2 | 236 | Center Point, Al. | Center Point H.S. |
| Curtis Stapleton | DT | 6’1 | 250 | Ozark, Al. | Carroll High |
| Henry Taylor | LB | 6’1 | 205 | Baton Rouge, La. | Scotlandville H.S. |
Forget Cam Newton. David Six has come up with an even more unusual way to dupe the NCAA and keep point guard and team leader Jericka Jenkins at Hampton University past her senior season.
“You didn’t hear? Jericka’s not leaving,” Six said. “We found a loophole in the NCAA that allowed her to stay for one more year — the ‘Please, baby baby please,’ loophole.”
Newton escaped fallout from a pay-for-play scandal after his father, not considered an agent at the time under a since-adjusted NCAA rule, shopped his skills to schools.
Six’s suggested circumvention, no matter how heartfelt, is unlikely to bring Jenkins back next season. So he’ll just have to settle for appreciating her while he has her.
Jenkins ranks second in the nation with 7.8 assists per game and is second all-time in that category at Hampton with 554 career assists. She also leads the Lady Pirates (16-4, 8-1 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) with 14.9 points per game.
Her impact, though, goes beyond numbers. To wit: In Monday’s 74-60 win against Morgan State, the Lady Pirates, who lost their first conference game in 20 tries in Saturday’s overtime defeat at the hands of Coppin State, found themselves in another close game late. The Lady Bears were within six with 4:30 to play and threatening, for the second straight game, the invincibility HU has built in winning back-to-back MEAC tournament titles and a regular-season championship last season.
Jenkins was having none of it. She drove the lane, got fouled and made both free throws. Then, after a block from Hampton center Sherena Abercrumbia led to a shot clock violation, Jenkins head-faked a defender out of bounds and drained a baseline jumper. Abercrumbia put the game away by going 4-for-4 from the free-throw line after twice being fouled on turnaround jumpers in the post — courtesy of entry passes from Jenkins.
Her teammates rain praise on her, game after game. Six calls her the maestro and, when she’s on, one of the best point guards in the country.
It’s a lot of adulation for anyone, especially a 5-foot-4 point guard who arrived at Hampton in 2008 fresh off the battle of her life.
A hard-won perspective
In 2005, Jenkins was a 14-year-old three-sport athlete in Lancaster, Texas, when a lump on her collarbone led to a devastating diagnosis: Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer that causes abnormal growth of the cells of the lymph system.
Jenkins reacted with disbelief — “I thought (the doctor) was lying,” she told The Daily Press in 2009 and allowed herself to cry. Once. Then, the summer after her freshman year of high school, she got down to business, undergoing six rounds of chemotherapy, followed by radiation.
Her hair fell out and friends who couldn’t handle her illness stopped calling, but Jenkins was determined to play college basketball. She drove herself to her final chemotherapy treatment, then to the gym to work out.
In November 2007, when she was 17, doctors declared Jenkins in remission. She graduated from Lancaster High with honors and brought her hoop dreams to Hampton.
These days, Jenkins has once-a-year checkups. Hodgkin’s disease can recur, sometimes years after treatment.
“Honestly, I do worry every time I go, because you never know what it might be, just because of the all the long-term side effects that they talk to me about,” said Jenkins, who went in for her checkup earlier this month. “Every time I go, I just pray that everything comes back OK. Usually it does, but I still worry, just a tad bit.”
When Jenkins does get tired or sore, it’s nothing ibuprofren can’t fix.
“I just take some vitamins and over-the-counter things, and I’ll be all right,” she said.
Jenkins’ battle with Hodgkin’s disease has left its mark in other, more positive ways.
Read more at The Morning Call
