Read more on The News-Times

Read more on Ohio State Buckeyes

Read more on The Fargo Forum

Read more on The News-Press

Read more on The Brownsville Herald

Read more on The Brownsville Herald

Read more on The Barnstable Patriot

Read more on USA Today

(IBNN.org)…Too many mainstream radio, television and print media outlets in the Twin Cities, actively deny residents the opportunity to see, hear and read news about the local minority-ethnic population.

News and information racism – a form of structural, systemic racism, manifests itself in the form of a virtual blackout in terms of reporting on events that take place day-to-day in the local population of color.  In other words, “White News,” appears be the only “Right News.”

On Friday, August 21, 2009 a press conference was held in north Minneapolis to discuss an upcoming engagement with local activists overseeing the remodeling of foreclosed homes.  The problem? Minnesota’s “trusted news source” never showed up. Nothing new!

When Blacks or other people of color call press conferences, the local media does not seem to feel moved or obligated to cover events of this nature.

This week in the Twin Cities, no minority-ethnic news item could possibly top Brett Favre becoming a Minnesota Viking.  While newsrooms hurried to get crews to the Viking training camp, the minority-ethnic population of the Twin Cities became the shadow of concern, again – no news is good news?

On Friday August 21, 2009, the Barnes and Noble stores at the Mall of America and at the Galleria decided that a published black author, who was a star athlete at the University of Minnesota, and is today a highly-regarded motivational speaker, was not an appropriate candidate for a book signing at their stores because of their customer base.

When IBNN called the Mall of America branch of the company,  customer relations manager Mike Sedki told us, “The author you speak of is not a good fit for the MOA. Our guests are from all over the world – they wouldn’t be interested in the author or his book. We want authors like Marie Osmond and Buzz Aldridge at this store.”

If you want to clean the bathrooms, there’s always a place for minorities at the Mall of America.

Despite the election of a black man as president, news distribution outlets continue to overlook, bypass, and hoodwink the minority-ethnic community,  by failing to consider their news to be “news that’s fit to print.”

It’s like, “You guys got a Black President, what more do you want?”

In 2009, Black males are still most often portrayed as a menace to society.  Black females appear routinely as hoes or sex objects, and the mainstream media has done little to show the American public that those stereotypes are incorrect.

Soledad O’Brian’s highly touted “Black in America” CNN mini-series is a patronizing, simplistic portrait of the American-American community, that appeals to the voyeuristic curiosity of the liberal White audience, but has no real substance or meaning. The show should be called “Black in America (Made for Whites).”

As an article from Science Daily (July 17, 2008) reports,  “Watching the news should make you more informed, but it also may be making you more likely to stereotype. . . . In a pair of recently published studies, [one] professor found that the more people watched local or network news, the more likely they were to draw on negative stereotypes about blacks.” (*University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2008, July 17). Negative Perception of Blacks Rises with more News Watching, Studies Say.)

Of course, if a Black man shoots himself in a night club and gets two years in jail –that’s news.

If a Black man commits a heinous crime, it’s on at 5, 6 and 10.

Other than the above examples, Blacks in the media are almost non-existent.

As another article from The Ohio State Research News  titled, “African Americans Still Nearly Invisible in Media,” states, “While African Americans have made inroads into some parts of American society, they are still nearly invisible in many parts of the news media and the entertainment industry. . . . Rudolph Alexander, Jr., professor of social work, argues in a newly revised book that the media often ignores African Americans in stories of both heroes and victims, even when they are an integral part of the narrative. (From the book, “Racism, African Americans, and Social Justice, (Rowman and Littlefield, 2nd edition, 2005)

Black leaders in the Twin Cities and the broader US must address this ongoing disparity in coverage of a population that in 2025 is estimated to be the “majority” in the United States. (NY Times, “In a Generation, Minorities May Be the U.S. Majority,” by Sam Roberts, published on August 13, 2008)

“Will the roles be reversed?

Will White America protest against the minority mainstream media for overlooking them?

For now, the mainstream media must be held accountable for the slice of “white cake” that they call news. Furthermore, mainstream media must broadcast and report on issues in the minority-ethnic community with “unconditional coverage.”

Now that’s love!

Read this strory and see follow the links at www.ibnn.org.

1. LIVE LIKE A BOWLER
Having a pet has been shown to make you happier, more attractive to women, keep you fit and increase your life span. Researchers in the UK examined the health status of adults after they acquired a dog or a cat. They experienced a “highly significant reduction in minor health problems.” Reason: the pets’ insatiable love for walks forced their owners to abandon their couches and it really makes a person happy playing with pets. The university of Minneapolis states having any sort of per can cut your risk of heart attack or stroke by 30%. So why not install an aquarium? The university of Pennsylvania found that blood pressure plunges after 20 minutes of aquatic viewing.

2. ACE THIS COURSE
Dust off your visitor spikes (or pick a set up of golf clubs), because new research has found that every man’s favorite walk to spoil a walk can protect their brain. According to John Hopkins Medical School, Maryland, being over your optimal weight can increase the risk of mental deterioration by 42%, dementia by 73% and Alzheimer’s by 80%. The American college of Sports Medicine calculates that a round of golf twice a week is enough to lose 2kg in 3 months, while the fresh air will help keep your memory intact for longer. “If you can’t hit the golf course for some reason, try jogging or walking in the morning”

3. BANK YOUR MEMORIES
A survey by Unisys, a global technology service and security firm, found that 86% of respondents are worried about unauthorized access to their personal information. Phishing is the latest high-tech fraud and it uses spam or pop-ups to deceive you into disclosing your bank infos or details, passwords or other sensitive information. Storing your sensitive info on a thumbprint memory stick will keep it safe from artful online dodgers- and the “password” is always on hand.
Thumb rule:
1) Delete messages you think look suspicious right away.
2) Always look for “https” in your internet browser instead “http” cz if it’s got “s” you could be secure.
3) Always double check your internet browser and address typed there and put your password and confidential information only when you are sure of it because some phishing sites create the same display page like original but these pages are being headed to their personal server address. ( For eg. If the page is displayed of hotmail, don’t forget to check the browser as http://www.hotmail.com)
4) Commit your password to memory not to any guy who claims to provide you “account maintenance” services

4. GET YOUR OWN BACK
Injuries were a lot more outdoorsy. Whereas we once suffered from athlete’s foot and tennis elbow, hunching over tiny screens has left us with painful bad backs. Nearly half of notebook users interviewed report some form of postural discomfort, with 85% of them complaining of back-related pain. Also, the State University of New York found sitting with the laptop increases scrotum temperature, therefore hindering sperm production. Free yourself from your portable torture by using a stand to see straight wherever you sit and stop your spine (and your sperm) from logging out. And if you are too lazy to find a stand, keep your chair at the right height, let your wrists rest on the desk, let your feet sit flat on the floor, keep your shoulders and back relaxed…and take regular breaks away from your PC.

5. SET THE TONE.
Staying in shape means just that, not swelling into that shape. Recent research suggests women like their guys ripped, not ripping out of their shirts. In a survey by UCLA professor David Freidrick, brawny or larger-built men were considered volatile by the girls, while toned, athletic guys were rate the most attractive and sexually desirable. Your six-pack is the sure-fire showcase of your muscle tone. If you choose boxing as your fitness tool, spend 20 minutes shadow boxing daily. If you are a gym regular, try some bad work. It burns more calories that most other forms of cardio and strengthens your core. An hour and a half of shadow boxing and bad work a week can burn between 700-800 calories.