Truth Life Revolution

More racially diverse emoji are on the way.  The new emoji are set to be released with the latest update of the Apple operating systems iOS and OS X.  Beta testers were treated to the new images which offer much more options than its predecessors.  In the update, users can pick a specific emoji from the “people” section and change its skin tone.  One new option did not have many fans. An emoji that had yellow skin was interpreted to many as being Asian. Rene Ritchie, the editor-in-chief of iMore, a website specifically catered for Apple information and news, stated otherwise via his twitter account.

“The yellow emoji aren’t meant to represent a skin tone. They’re default emoji yellow. Tap to hold to get one of the five skin tone choices”, he stated.  Many more country flags will also be added in the impending update.  Others seemed to have mixed feelings about the update, with many mentioning the emoji were missing things like hair texture, and hair color.  Emoji first became popular in Japan and rapidly spread beyond its borders.

Alaska has become the latest state to fully legalize recreational marijuana use. It becomes the third state in the United States to do so. It follows Washington State and Colorado.  A ballot measure was narrowly approved in November by 53% of Alaska’s voters to legalize recreational usage of the substance. However, it will still be illegal to light up in public. That will be subject to a $100 fine. Marijuana remains illegal federally. It is classified as a Schedule 1 Substance under federal law.

Marijuana legalization in Alaska has been in some interesting limbos. Under Ravin v. State of Alaska, a decision decided by the Alaskan Supreme Court in 1975, it was decided that Alaskans were protected under the state constitution to possess and smoke marijuana in their own houses. It was the first, and so far only state or federal court to invoke a constitutional right in regards to marijuana use and possession. However voters later recriminalized possession in a 1991 voter ballot initiative. That ruling was challenged in 2004, where it was upheld.

An E! News anchor has apologized after making inappropriate comments about an actress’ hair.  Giuliana Rancic, an anchor on the “Fashion Police” program seen on the network came under fire for her comments on Zendaya Coleman’s loc extension hairstyle.  “I feel like she smells like patchouli oil, maybe weed”, the anchor said.  Coleman, 18, later posted a lengthy statement on her instagram account, condemning the anchors for her statement.  “There is a fine line between what is funny and disrespectful.” Coleman explained.

Rancic later took to her twitter account to apologize for her statement. “Dear @Zendaya, I'm sorry I offended you and others. I was referring to a bohemian chic look. Had NOTHING to do with race and NEVER would!!!”. Many on twitter did not feel that Rancic’s apology was sincere. Coleman has recently sported numerous hairstyles, including a very short pixie cut. Usually known by just her first name, she came into the public conscience through a role on the Disney Channel show Shake It Up playing Rocky Blue. She was originally set to portray Aaliyah in the Lifetime bio pic Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B, but later dropped out.

Cleveland news anchor Kristi Capel has come under fire after referring to an Oscar performance as “jigaboo music”. While on the morning show, WJW New in the Morning, her co-anchor Wayne Dawson had mentioned Lady Gaga’s “Sound of Music” tribute, commemorating the movie’s 50th anniversary.  “It’s hard to hear her voice, with all that jigaboo music, or whatever you want to call it, She has a gorgeous voice. I never knew.” Capel said, referring to Dawson’s report.  

The term “jigaboo” has very strong negative connotations in the African American community. It had referred to dancing slaves during the 1800s. Since the comment, Capel has apologized profusely on her twitter account. She stated that she had no idea what the word meant. “I apologize if I offended you, I had no idea it was a word or what it meant. Thank you for watching.” Capel is also a former Miss Missouri USA.

Swarthmore College has named its first ever African American president. Valerie Smith, formerly a dean at Princeton University will become the 15th president beginning July 1.  During her tenure at Princeton, Smith headed its Undergraduate academic program, and also supervised admission and financial aid offices. She was also primarily responsible for a committee that studied the experiences of  low income and first generation students. Smith was also a professor of African American literature and culture, teaching numerous courses in the discipline.

Swarthmore College is located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. Originally established in 1864 by the Hicksite Quakers, it is a private institution. It is about 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia.  It has been known for its high academic standards. It is consistently ranked as one of the best  universities in the United States. It has about 1,600 students. About 6% of the students identify as African American.

An investigation has been launched after racist graffiti was found on the entrance sign of Lincoln University.  The “N” word was found spray painted on the sign. Public safety officials at the Historically Black University in Pennsylvania found the slur, and immediately began to clean it off.  Acting president, Valerie Harrison condemned the act, but urged the community to remain strong in a statement.  “This incident is a sober reminder that our forebearers persevered in the face of hatred and intimidation, yet achieved and maintained standards of excellence for which Lincoln University has become known. Let’s not allow the cowardly acts of others distract us from our commitment to maintaining this legacy or cause us to act in a manner that is inconsistent with our greatness."

A Detroit man who came into prominence after hearing about his 21 mile walk to work every day has now been forced to move after receiving numerous threats.  James Robertson, a factory worker received more than $350,000 in donations after a GoFundMe Page was set up for him, in order to get him a car. The goal was originally only $25,000.  Robertson, 56, lived at a boarding house and no longer felt safe staying there.   

According to Vice Magazine, Robertson’s Girlfriend, her son, and ex husband began pressuring him for money.  Robertson became concerned after hearing the story of Arthur Neal, also from Detroit who disappeared on December 19 after winning 20,000 in the lottery. He was found stabbed to death in a vacant home in the city.  Local police assisted Robertson with his move. They escorted him back to his former apartment and helped him gather his belongings.

It seems like things can only go up for Kevin Hart. He will be the first comedian to headline an NFL stadium. The “What Now” tour will begin on April 9 in San Antonio, Texas, with 45 dates throughout the United States and Canada.  The tour will end in Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field in his hometown of Philadelphia. The news of his stadium tour was released on the Philadelphia Eagles’ website.

Hart hosted the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards to much acclaim. His tours have sparked several successful stand up films such as Laugh at My Pain and Let Me Explain. He has also been seen in the satirical comedy series Real Househusbands of Hollywood. His popularity is not just limited the United States. He is only the second American to sell out the O2 Arena in London, England.

A graphic design company has come under fire for its use of racist imagery in the advertisement of their latest product. Seasalt & Co has been called out for the name of its latest set of images, called “The Hanging Tree”.  The set of images, in black and white, features a tree in the background, with a noose hanging from a branch.  The company has defended the usage of this imagery, even with constant backlash from social media. They have also directed many who may have issue with the advertisement to contact their legal department.  

They stated that the general public should not be offended by the imagery. This would not be the first time that backlash has affected a company for its usage of racist imagery. The former Strange Fruit PR of Austin, Texas changed its name to Perennial Public Relations in December after it received a similar backlash over its name. It profusely apologized for its behavior afterwards. Seasalt & Co is based in Florida, according to its twitter profile.

Lawmakers in Puerto Rico have proposed a controversial bill that would fine parents of overweight children up to $800. According to Puerto Rican senator Gilberto Rodriguez, the chief sponsor of the bill, it  would improve the overall well being of children in the commonwealth, and help their parents make better food decisions.  Teachers in Puerto Rican schools would identify overweight children and refer them to a counselor or social worker. Afterwards, the health department would intervene, and determine if their weight is a medical condition or caused by overeating.

They would then be given a diet and exercise program to follow. They would also have to meet with a counselor monthly.  According to the proposal, the child must show signs of weight loss in 6 months.  If they do not show adequate signs of weight loss, they would be fined from $500 to $800. Puerto Rico has struggled with childhood obesity rates. The commonwealth has a 30 percent childhood obesity rate. The United States mainland averages about 18 percent.

Netflix has announced that it will begin its streaming service in Cuba. It would charge the same 7.99 per month rate as it does in the United States. This makes it one of the first companies to take advantage of looser trade restrictions between the two countries. Many have seen this expansion as a bit of a public relation stunt. Only about 5% of Cubans have access to a  broadband internet connection. Also, the average salary in the country is about $20 a month. The monthly fee would be about 40% of the average income in the country.

CEO and co-founder of Netflix Reed Hastings expressed his excitement over the expansion to Cuba. “We are delighted to finally be able to offer Netflix to the people of Cuba, connecting them with stories they will love from all over the world,” “Cuba has great filmmakers and a robust arts culture and one day we hope to be able to bring their work to our global audience of over 57 million members.”  The streaming service has been expanding rapidly to new countries. Netflix began operations in 2007 and has grown to more than 50 countries.

A South Carolina House Committee has voted on a plan to that would close South Carolina State University for two years, due to financial constraints affecting it. The Higher Education and Technical Colleges subcommittee voted 3 to 1 to close the university. The bill must go to the full committee for further consideration.   If the plan was accepted, it would close on July 1, and would remain closed until January 2017.  All athletic programs at the university would be suspended.  

South Carolina State University has had severe financial issues.  It is about $10 Million in debt, and has been facing declining enrollment. Only about 14% of its students graduate in four years.  It is the only public historically black university in the state. If the school were to close, students with at least a 2.5 GPA could get scholarships to transfer to other schools. The plan to close the university still needs to be voted on by the South Carolina House and Senate.

Carolina Panther Greg Hardy is a free man. Domestic violence charges against him were dropped today after his accuser did not show up to court to assist in the case. Nicole Holder, the ex girlfriend of Greg Hardy did not report to court in Charlotte, North Carolina, causing the court to dismiss the charges against him.  According to the District Attorney, it is said that the two have reached a civil settlement, and that Holder has “intentionally made herself unavailable in the state”. They have been unable to locate Holder to issue a subpoena for her to appear in court. According to the District Attorney, without her testimony, the case was unable to proceed.

Hardy himself requested the jury trial on July 15. He only played one game with the Carolina Panthers this season, but was still paid $13.1 Million. He was originally found guilty, but his appeal overturned the guilty verdict. . Domestic violence in the NFL has  been under higher scrutiny ever since video surfaced of Ray Rice, then a running back for the Baltimore Ravens, hitting his then fiance, Janay Palmer.

The Grammy Awards were held this past Sunday in Los Angeles. LL Cool J hosted the ceremony for the 4th time. Sam Smith emerged as the top winner of the night, receiving 4 statues,  including wins for Best New Artist, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year. He also won the award for best Pop Vocal Album for  his album, In the Lonely Hour.  Singer Beck won for Album of the Year for his offering Morning Phase , something that seem to have taken some by surprise, including Kanye West, who took to the stage, seemingly in protest, briefly after Beck’s Win.

Iggy Azalea, a favorite of many this year, was shut out of any awards, losing all 4 categories she was nominated for.  Pharrell won for Best Pop Solo Performance for his song Happy. His album “Girl” won for best urban contemporary album. Eminem won for best Rap Album for Marshall Mathers LP 2. It was his 6th win from the category. Beyonce became the second most Grammy awarded woman in history, winning her 20th grammy. She won for best R&B Performance for “Drunk in Love” with husband Jay-Z. Her self titled surprise album also received the honor of Best Surround Sound Album. She surpasses Aretha Franklin, but is now only behind Alison Krauss, who has 27 wins.

The awkward black girl might soon be on tv. HBO has ordered a new pilot from Issa Rae.  Insecure, the name of the pilot was co written by Rae and Larry Wilmore, the host of Comedy Central’s The Nightly Show. Insecure focuses on some of the clumsy experiences of African American women in today’s society. Rae may best be known for her Youtube series, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, which originally ran from 2011 to 2013 for two seasons. The pilot has been in development well over two years.

Her youtube channel has gained her well over 20 million views, and 200,000 subscribers. In addition to  Awkward Black Girl, she has produced Ratchetpiece Theatre, a comical and satirical analysis of rap lyrics. She has also written a book of essays, also called The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, which will be in stores on February 10.  It is not yet known if Insecure will be ordered for a full season.

Suge Knight has been charged with murder after a hit and run.  According to statements from his lawyers, Knight was fleeing for his own life when he ran over two people in the process.  Terry Carter, the victim was struck when Knight fled. An Actor, Cle ‘Bone” Slone was also injured, but his injuries were not life threatening. His bail was set at $2 Million.  Suge Knight is the former CEO of Death Row Records.  

The incident happened in Compton, California. He was on the set of the biopic “Straight Outta Compton”, about the rap group N.W.A. The incident moved past the set and to the parking lot of Tam’s Burgers. It is said that he put his red truck in reverse and struck the two, drove away, and then hit them a second time. It was reported that there might have been video surveillance of the entire incident. However, security cameras near the site of the incident were not functional, and other cameras  in the area were not pointed in the direction of Tam’s Burgers.

A South Carolina judge has cleared the convictions of the Friendship 9, after more than 54 years after they were jailed for a sit in at a lunch counter. The men were students at Friendship College, located in Rock Hill, South Carolina. They were attempting to desegregate McCrory’s Lunch Counter, also located in the town. Plans of their protest were known in advance. They were arrested, and charged with trespassing. Rather than pay a $100 fine, they decided to take 30 days of hard labor. Their strategy became known as “jail, no bail”, refusing to support the same system that oppressed them. 

Ernest Finney, the first African American Supreme Court justice appointed to the South Carolina Supreme Court, originally represented them and was there to enter the motion to throw out the sentences. “There was only one reason that they were charged and convicted for trespassing, and that is because they were black. This could not happen today. It was wrong then. It was wrong today." Circuit  Court Judge John C Hayes III, the nephew of the judge that originally sentenced the 9, overturned all sentences, as the courtroom clapped elatedly.  Eight of the surviving nine appeared at the hearing. “We cannot rewrite history, but we can right history”, he said. The Friendship 9 are W.T. “Dub” Massey, Willie McCleod, Clarence Graham, David Williamson, James Wells, Mack Workman, John Gaines, Charles Taylor, and the late Robert McCullough.