New England Sun-Times

By Meg Kinnard, The Associated Press Columbia, SC (January 4, 2012) -- After a lengthy legal battle between a black South Carolina church and members of the Ku Klux Klan, a judge has ruled that the church owns a building where KKK robes and T-shirts are sold. A circuit judge ruled last month that New Beginnings Baptist Church is the rightful owner of the building that houses the Redneck Shop, which operates a so-called Klan museum and sells Klan robes and T-shirts emblazoned with racial slurs. The judge ordered the shop's proprietor to pay the church's legal bills of more than $3,300. Since 1996, the Redneck Shop has operated in an old movie theater in Laurens, a city about 70 miles northwest from Columbia that was named after 18th century slave trader Henry Laurens. Ownership of the building was transferred in 1997 to the Rev. David Kennedy and his church, New Beginnings, by a Klansman fighting with others inside the hate group, according to court records. That man, ...

Senator John McCain made a major boo-boo on the campaign trail for Mitt Romney when he spoke to an audience in South Carolina and said: "I am confident... with the leadership and backing of the American people, President Obama will turn this country around" McCain kept pushing and praising Obama until one of the audience members and some Romney supporters corrected him. Either way, sounds real to me. I say Obama should use it and play it at the beginning of every speech on HIS campaign trail. Check out the video link below: FOLLOW: QuadeerShakur

Presidential hopeful Rick Santorum said in Iowa: "I don't want to make black people's lives better by giving them somebody elses money. I wanna give 'em the opportunity to go out and earn the money". When confronted by the media about why he made the comment, Santorum first said he spoke in context of the movie "Waiting for Superman" where black children needed money for education. Later, Santorum said he was about to say another word, and never finished his word. We have tried to figure out what word starts with "BL" that COULD have been the word Mister Santorum wanted to say. Here's the video clip. What do YOU say? video source: cbs news

Casey Anthony, the mother of little Caley Anthony, has broken her long silence and released a video diary, which some say may be the first of a string of video blogs from the mother found not guilty in the death of her toddler. The high profile case had millions of Americans glued to their TV sets awaiting a guilty finding, but Anthony walked away a free woman. The mother is reportedly in talks with various individuals offering money for print and video deals. Here is the video of what appears to be Casey Anthony doing a video diary. She does not mention the trial nor does she mention her daughter. Follow me on Twitter: QuadeerShakur Facebook: Quadeer Shakur

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- America is about to run on twice as much Dunkin'. Dunkin' Donuts plans to double its locations in the United States over the next 20 years, the company announced Wednesday. The coffee and doughnut chain currently operates nearly 7,000 stores nationwide. Each new store adds an average of 20 to 25 new employees, both full and part-time a Dunkin spokeswoman said. Dunkin' Donuts controls roughly 23% of the coffee and snack-shop market, according to Los Angeles-based industry research firm IBISWorld. Its biggest competitor, Starbucks ( SBUX , Fortune 500 ) controls about 32.6% market share and operates about 11,000 stores in the U.S. The announcement came as Dunkin' also said it has finished streamlining its supply chain, consolidating four existing regional suppliers under one entity, National DCP. The company said the move will cut costs. Shares of Dunkin' Brands ( DNKN ), the parent company which also owns Baskin-Robbins, we...

By VICTORIA MACCHI Posted Jan 3, 2012 @ 2:05 p.m., updated Jan 3, 2012 @ 9:10 p.m.  NAPLES — A 15-year-old who fatally stabbed his school mate will no longer face criminal prosecution. A judge’s ruling, made public Tuesday, granted a motion to dismiss the second-degree murder charge against Jorge Saavedra in the death of 16-year-old Dylan Nuno on the grounds that he acted in self-defense under Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. The State Attorney’s Office has indicated that it will not appeal the ruling. Nuno’s family and friends criticized Collier County Circuit Judge Lauren Brodie’s decision, calling it “unbelievable” and “heartbreaking.” “We know this wasn’t the right decision,” said Dylan’s aunt, Adriana Nuno. “(The judge) is showing those kids it’s OK to get away with murder.” Saavedra, who was 14 at the time of the stabbing, was charged as a juvenile. If found guilty, the former Palmetto Ridge High student would have been released by the age of 21....

Jan 4, 2012 Mariah Carey announced on Twitter Wednesday that her husband, rapper and actor Nick Cannon, is in an Aspen, Colo., hospital suffering from what she called “mild kidney failure.” “Please pray for Nick as he’s fighting to recover from a mild kidney failure,” the singer tweeted. On her website, Carey posted a photo of herself lying in a hospital bed with Cannon, 31. “We’re trying to be as festive as possible under the circumstances but please keep Nick in your thoughts because this is very painful,” she wrote in a message on the site. Dr. Giselle Guerra, assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine, isn’t involved with Cannon’s treatment, but said he may have a case of acute kidney failure, also known as acute renal failure. “Acute kidney failure happens all of sudden, whereas chronic failure happens over time, often as a result of other illnesses like diabetes or high blood pressure,” she said. Acu...

First Published: January 4, 2012 6:43 PM EST LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Natalie Wood’s death investigation is now a cold case, Access Hollywood has confirmed. Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Steve Whitmore said the investigation into the late actress’ death, which was prompted by new information in Marti Rulli’s book, “Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour,” is now in the LASD cold case file and not going anywhere. Whitmore told Access Hollywood he argued against announcing a new probe. He called the reopening of the case in the actress’ death 30 years ago a “one day deal,” driven by book publicity. As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, on November 17, 2011, the LASD announced – just a little less than two weeks before the 30th anniversary of the actress’ death – that they were reopening the investigation into her drowning. “Sheriff’s Homicide Investigators were contacted by persons who stated they had additional information about the Natalie W...

Judging by his recent comments on Twitter , rapper 50 Cent is not feeling optimistic. "I don't think I'm gonna live much longer," he wrote during a series of tweets that began on Monday. Earlier Tuesday, he clarified the remark: "To be conscious that life is short is not suicidal," he wrote. "I'm good if I die tonight." The rapper also claimed that he has "lost all the faith in the team I'm on. I have nothing left to say. I will not be promoting my music." The comment comes after months of discord between the artist and Interscope Records, who are expecting the delivery of his next album. Last month, 50 Cent released the self-produced mixtape "The Big 10," marking the 10-year anniversary of "50 Cent Is the Future." If he's disillusioned with the music industry , he has plenty to keep himself busy. Most recently, 50 has been concentrating on promoting Street King, his new energy drink,...

Until the death of me, I will defend the Culture of Hip Hop and the founding principles that make this Culture so rich. All who know, are well aware of the story of the young man who led the notorious Black Spades gang in New York in the early 1970's. This young man was on the subway one day and saw a promotion for an essay contest where the winner gets a trip to Afrika. The young man entered the contest and won. During his trip to Afrika, the young man told the people of the Zulu Tribe about his gang back home and how he controlled so many powerful young men on the streets. The young man was quickly taken aside, and the tribesmen warned him that the gang behaviour was a setup. They also told the young man that hundreds of years ago, the tribe got rid of the men and women who would plot to steal and rob gold from the families and kingdoms. These type of people did not reprsent their culture, kingdowm or tribe and were sold off where they spent their lives in servitude or prison. ...

By Anthony Chiang and Ira Winderman South Florida Sun-Sentinel ...

WASHINGTON (Tierramérica) - Lobster fishing off the Honduran Caribbean is a source of livelihood, but also of death and injury. The lack of safety regulations has left nearly half of the Miskito Indian lobster divers physically disabled. This indigenous community in La Mosquitia lives from the lobster catch. The export of the 'Panulirus argus' is also one of the most profitable Honduran exports, especially to the United States. In 2002, according to sources of the Honduran Central Bank, lobster exports brought in $31 million in state revenues. Most are sold to the U.S. restaurant chain Red Lobster, whose spokesman assures that the company purchases only trap-caught lobsters, not dive-caught. During the lobster season, from August to May, most of the adult Miskito men dive, while younger males accompany them in small boats known as 'cayucos', floating alongside the bigger lobster boats. Moving from the cayuco to diving is a rite of passage in the Hondu...

Dec 29 | by Natasha It's an amazing love story that shows love conquers all. And sadly, it came to an end this week. Former NFLer Chris Draft lost his wife of 1 month to cancer, a friend of Chris' confirms to TheYBF.com.  Story inside... 35-year-old Chris Draft married the love of his life, Keasha , in a touching ceremony November 27th in Atlanta.  The bride was battling cancer and used a wheelchair to meet her groom down the aisle.  But amazingly walked the last few steps, as seen in their wedding video below. The fairytale came to an end Tuesday--one month to the day of their wedding--as Keasha (Rutledge) Draft lost her battle with cancer, a longtime friend of Chris' has confirmed to TheYBF.com. Chris' friends are also asking everyone to send prayers to the families as they navigate this difficult time.  The couple's wedding "trailer" is below: Keasha & Chris Draft Wedding Trailer from KRJ PRODUC...

-- Jobless women can sign up for free email notifications about local jobs in their areas -- Nationwide (December 22, 2011) -- A new service is helping women to find local jobs that pay as much as $30 an hour. Its called Jobs4Women.org, and it's very simple and easy to use. Interested ones simply have to visit the web site, sign up, and download an e-book. According to CNN, MSNBC and other media outlets, millions of Americans are either unemployed and underemployed. Women job seekers are on the rise, as many households are struggling financially to make ends meet.  In the UK, from 2008-2009, women accounted for only around a fifth of the fall in employment, but with the current recession hitting public sector jobs, and reducing the number of part-time roles in services such as retail, it is expected that female unemployment will increase at a greater rate in the near future. The same is expected in the United States and Canada.    ...

Nationwide (December 29, 2011) -- In The Book Of Lies, Mistrust, and Mistakes by Andrew J. Rainey, Jr, nothing is what it seems in the hood. Readers travel with the main character, Kim, as she tries to commit the ultimate betrayal, and discovers in the hood only the strong survive. This debut novel is filled with street life, envy, revenge, and greed. In the end, readers will ask themselves who can they trust, who made a mistake, and who told the lies. Andrew J. Rainey Jr is a native of Kenbridge Virginia, and is relatively new to the writing scene. He began his writing in 2008, and is currently working on promoting his new book and doing book signings. Here's what readers are saying: "This book touch on a little bit of everything, lies, trust and mistakes. Loved every bit of it. Lessons learned throughout this quick read. Young love between Deon and Keisha turns to lies and mistakes but love brings them back together to have craz...