Showing posts with label black colleges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label black colleges. Show all posts

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Dave Chappelle's Odd Behavior: How it's Destroying His Brand

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, AOL Black Voices

What's the deal with Dave Chappelle? According to TMZ, Chapelle was reportingly acting strange on a private jet, so much so that the jet had to make an emergency landing in Pittsburgh. Their source is stating that the flight was headed from New Jersey to Ohio and that Chappelle "freaked out" refusing to put on his seatbelt.

The source also says that Chappelle repeatedly walked into the cockpit, asking the pilot how much longer the flight would be, and even grabbed the pilot's arms. That is when it was allegedly determined that Chappelle was a safety risk, and the flight was grounded.
TMZ then claims that after landing, Chappelle checked into a hotel. However, sources at the hotel are claiming that Dave told the employees that he wanted to rent a car to go back to Ohio, but that he didn't remember where he lived.


I'm not sure what the deal is with Dave Chappelle, one of the most talented and privileged comedians in America. He had the world at his feet, with a hit show and a $50 million contract to do what he does best. It does appear, however, that there is something inside Chappelle that simply can't handle fame.

 

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Saturday, June 19, 2010

News: Black Scholar Says NCAA Legally Exploits Black Men

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World

Professor Billy Hawkins of The University of Georgia has released a controversial new book that describes the experiences of NCAA athletes by comparing them to slaves on a plantation. According to the research of professor Hawkins, black athletes are exploited by the NCAA physically, financially and intellectually.


Hawkins cites the massive revenue earned by the NCAA via March Madness, which includes a 14-year, $10.8 billion contract with CBS sports. In spite of seemingly unlimited revenues to encourage athletes to stay focused academically, Hawkins notes that nearly one-fifth of the 64 teams participating in the NCAA tournament had graduation rates of less than 40 percent. Across the 36 sports monitored by the NCAA, men's basketball has the lowest graduation rates, where less than two-thirds of the players earn degrees.


The dismal graduation numbers for the NCAA support Dr. Hawkins' research, in which he argues and shows that black athletes at predominantly white institutions are being exploited while being neglected academically. In his book, "The New Plantation," the well-respected Professor of Sport Management and Policy uses a plantation model to present the black male athletic experience as part of a broader historical context.

 

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Tuesday, June 15, 2010

The Latest from Dr. Boyce - 6/15/10


Brought to you by The Great Black Black Speakers Bureau, the #1 Black Speakers Bureau in the world.  To join the Your Black World coalition, please visit YourBlackWorld.com.

Hey peeps,

Rev. Al Sharpton and I are going to be on MSNBC Thursday morning at 10 am - don't forget that you can also hear us on his radio show every Monday at 1:15 pm EST (SharptonTalk.net).  Also, to all the high school graduates out there, I want to encourage you to do the following:  1) Value education more than anything - it's probably the most important thing you'll ever have (so get as much of it as you can), 2) Pursue your goals relentless - working consistently toward something for 5 - 10 hours a day will always yield results, 3) Think like bosses, not laborers - get a great job, but eventually work to put yourself in a position to create jobs by owning your own business and financial assets,  4) Remember that life is a journey of love - money and career mean very little compared to how you treated the people you care about.  Life is too short to be mediocre - always do your best.

Dr. Boyce

 

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Dr. Boyce Video -- What the Hayell? What Is Wrong With T-Pain?

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Former NBA Star Antoine Walker Faces 12 Years in Prison

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Dr. Boyce Video: Images of the Black Woman in Media and Business

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Black Male Sets Trends in Finance: Houston Has More than Rappers

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Why the Hip-Hop Industry Doesn't Support Female Artists

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Financial Lovemaking: Diddy's Son Gets $360K Car -- Too Much?

South African Horns Criticized During World Cup

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What do the Vuvuzelas sound like - are they really that bad?

Posted by Staffat 9:32 PM0 comments

Anita Baker Accused of Butchering the National Anthem

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What do you think? ;

Posted by Staffat 9:23 PM0 comments

Rapper Vigalantee Raps about Black Women

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Check out the new joint by Vigalantee, celebrating the black woman.

Posted by Staffat 9:15 PM0 comments

Did This Officer Just Punch this Black Woman in the Face?  Was this Police Brutality or Resisting Arrest?

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Slim Thug Attempts to Defend His Comments about Black Women

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NFL Player Reggie Wayne Sues Mistress for Charging Up Credit Card

Dr. Boyce: How the Lakers-Celtics Rivalry Saved the NBA Both 30 Years Ago and Today

"Boyce Watkins"The NBA finals are not what you think.  You see, you’re watching the finals hoping that either the Lakers or the Celtics win, and wondering whether Kobe Bryant can outscore Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and the army of tall brothers that Boston is flying across the country to conquer Los Angeles.  That is not, my friends, the first thing on the mind NBA Commissioner David Stern.

First of all, Stern is wondering why LeBron James isn’t here.  Most of us expected, to the disdain of every other talented player in the league, that this would be the year that LeBron would take his rightful place on the Post-Jordan throne.  The natural and inevitable coronation of King James was part of the NBA marketing strategy, thus allowing Stern and company to make even bigger money in the Chinese market, where the fans want to see their All Stars become champions.  As we all know, it didn’t happen.

The second thought on Stern’s very sharp mind is that the finals he got this year, a renewal of the historic rivalry between the LA Lakers and Boston Celtics, is just as good, or better than what he would have gotten had King James shown up to play.  You see, there’s history here, and most of the relevant history isn’t about wins and losses on the court.

Click to read.

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NJ Officer Taped Spraying Pepper Spray in Detained Black Man's Face

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Brian McKnight Ruled to Have Fathered 14-Yr Old: Owes $341,640: All About Black Daddies

What does Barack Obama Have in Common with 50 Cent?

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Check out Barack & Curtis, a new documentary by Byron Hurt

Posted by Staffat 12:38 PM0 comments

SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 2010

Paterson NJ Cop Videotaped While Macing a Black Man

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This video is storming the web - a cop in Paterson, NJ is caught on tape macing a black man on the ground. ;


The Age of the Hoochie Mama is Over:  It's Time for Hip Hop to Grow Up

Lil Wayne disrespects women because he's allowed to.

In 2004, the women at Spelman College told the rapper Nelly to take a hike for sliding a credit card through a woman’s backside. The women told Nelly to take his music elsewhere, and his concert was cancelled. I thought that after this incident, women across America would slide their own credit card in the other direction, away from the record stores and websites used to purchase music from artists who make it their mission in life to disrespect black women. I have to admit that I was wrong.

What has always amazed me is the fact that we have trained young people to endure and embrace consistent disrespect from rappers like Slim Thug, who recently stated that white women are a far better choice for relationships, and Lil Wayne, who has done everything in his power to show just how little regard he has for African American females. Wayne even has a song called Alphabet B*tches, which isn’t exactly like the ABCs you learned in preschool. For some reason, we all keep dancing to the beat and showing up for concerts, reminding the artist that freedom of speech is in full effect, no matter how harmful that speech may be. 

Click to read.

This message was sent from Dr. Boyce Watkins: Your Black World to bwatkins@twcny.rr.com. It was sent from: Dr. Boyce Watkins, 23F Queens Way, Camillus, ny 13031. You can modify/update your subscription via the link below.

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Saturday, June 12, 2010

Officer Taped Spraying Black Man in the Face

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

I am not quite sure what to make of the ruffled YouTube video that is now scouring the web out of Paterson, New Jersey. In the video, the woman filming, who mentions that her mother works in the sheriff's office, is taping a New Jersey police officer holding a black man to the ground. The man clearly has his hands behind his back and appears to be restrained.


As the woman videos the incident from a distance, the officer inexplicably grabs the man, turns him around and puts pepper spray into his eyes. He appears to do it twice.

 

Click to read




Thursday, May 13, 2010

News: African American Scholars Speaking Up on Elena Kagan

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

I started the day thinking about Elena Kagan, Barack Obama's most recent nominee to the Supreme Court. I was wondering how in the world the president could appoint someone who has no experience on the bench, given the number of highly qualified judges he had to choose from. Then I was informed that this might be a good thing, since the Republicans don't have a judicial record to scrutinize. No problemo.


I then noticed that Kagan has past affiliations with The University of Chicago, The Harvard Law School and Goldman Sachs, and that she was appointed to her position at Harvard by Lawrence Summers, the head of the President's Council of Economic Advisors. I was starting to get uncomfortable at that point, because Kagan's appointment would mean that the entire Supreme Court would be filled with Harvard and Yale grads, which effectively says that every other law school in the country need not apply (so much for having a meritocracy). I also saw a very disturbing pattern of cronyism, elitism and Wall Street loyalty that lets us know that perhaps the President of Hope and Change is not quite what we ordered, making back room deals with his buddies, all for the sake of keeping American power locked into tiny social circles.

Click to read




Sunday, March 7, 2010

Myron Rolle Told He's Too Smart for the NFL

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

 

You would think that Myron Rolle, the NFL super-stud who also happens to be a Rhodes Scholar, would be the kind of man who makes us proud. You would expect that his status as being the man who represents the future of the black athlete in America would make the NFL happy to have him on the roster of one of their teams. Not only is Rolle brilliant, but he is also tough as nails and fast as lightning. The man has the whole package.
But at least according to some NFL coaches, Rolle may not be committed enough to be a part of their league.
"We'll have to find out how committed he is," an NFC assistant coach said, repeating the sentiment of five other NFL officials who said the same thing.

Click to read



Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Dr Boyce: The NCAA is a Billion Dollar Sweatshop

march_madness

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

I was invited this week to speak to the Stanford University NAACP about whether or not college athletes should be paid.  When I am asked whether I think college athletes should be compensated for their labor, I simply respond to the question with another question:  “Why shouldn’t they get paid?  Did they not earn the money?  Is someone else earning money from their labor? Is the labor of the athlete essential to the revenue-generating process?”  Answers to these questions help us to understand how insane it is that athletes earn billions of dollars for coaches, but aren’t entitled to any of that money for themselves.  I’ve seen race horses get better deals than that.

Click to read.

 

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Saturday, February 27, 2010

Dr. Boyce on AOL – 2/27/10

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Tea Party Leader Calls Obama a "Half White Racist"

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Rep. Charles Rangel of CBC to Be Admonished for Ethics Violations

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Biggie Smalls Estate Sued for Not Releasing Video Footage

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White Sorority Wins Step Competition, Then Told "Not Quite"

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Your Black News: Anderson Cooper 360 Covers the Heather Ellis Case

Editor’s Note: Watch Randi Kaye’s full report tonight on Anderson Cooper 360 at 10pm ET.

Randi Kaye| BIO
AC360° Correspondent

Is it a classic case of “he said, she said,” or is it a brutal case of racism? Whatever it is, it may land a Missouri woman, a preacher’s daughter who has never been in trouble with the law before, in jail.

It all apparently started at a Walmart store in Kennett, Missouri where according to police, customer Heather Ellis had cut in line to pay for her items. What followed is at the heart of a court case that may send Heather Ellis to jail for as many as 15 years!

Let me first say Ms. Ellis has pleaded not guilty. But here’s how police tell it: officers say they were called to the store after Ellis caused a “disturbance” at the cash register by “yelling and cursing.” Officers say when they tried to get her to leave the store, she turned and yelled at them, “I ain’t going nowhere until I get my (expletive) change back” but that even after she got her change, she continued to be “belligerent.” The lead officer says they tried to get her to remain calm and leave in a peaceful manner and told her they’d arrest her if she refused. That is when the lead officer says Ellis “issued a threat to assault” and said if the officer put their hands on her “she was going to beat my (expletive).” Well, it turned ugly according to police, who say she became “combative and began fighting.” The officers say Ellis “continued to fight, yell and curse” and was “completely out of control.” They say she “resisted arrest” and “stiffened her body” when they tried to put her in the police car. Read the full police report here.

Click to read.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

5 Lowest Paying Majors in College

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University 

According to the "College Majors Handbook," the 5 lowest paying college majors are Social Work, Special Education, Elementary Education, Home Economics and Music/Dance. As a college professor for the past 16 years, I was only surprised that other "interesting" majors were not on the list, such as Philosophy or Anthropology. In a recent NPR interview, I spoke on the value of going to college and whether or not it's worth the expense. The answer to this question is very simple: It depends.

Here are some things to remember when choosing a major for yourself or your children in college:

1) Know what you are getting. Don't major in a low paying major expecting to make the same money as business school students. It's simply not going to happen. Pick a major with the salary expectations that make you comfortable. Money doesn't have to be important to you, just make sure you're honest with yourself about how important money actually is.

2) Make sure that your major can help you repay your student loans. Most young people who went to college are going to die in debt. Don't let yourself become one of those people.

Click to read.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Dr Boyce supports Howard Student Protests

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

Howard University has a problem. Apparently, the school's students have taken lessons on freedom of speech to heart and actually believe they have a voice in running the campus. That problem is magnified by the fact that they are finally speaking up on issues of mismanagement and incompetence that plague many universities around the nation, particularly Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

We all know that HBCUs can be amazing places to get an education. But we also know that many HBCUs are as slow as molasses when it comes to adopting the necessary administrative adjustments to keep up with the demands of college students. We also know that many HBCUs are not even hiring very many black professors, particularly in business and the sciences (Howard University is one of them). Not having the funds to engage in sound administrative policy is almost understandable. But ignoring calls for appropriate change because it undermines your quest to maintain power....well, that just makes you a black version of the Bush Administration.

Click to read.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

5 MORE Things College Students Do to Destroy their Lives

Yesterday, I posted a list of 5 things college students do to ruin their lives. Now, I am going to give you 5 more things. This is an excerpt from my book, "Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About College." Education is one of the most important things for our people, and we need to make sure our kids are prepared.

6)Choosing a major you hate or one that doesn't make as much money as you would like

You should not choose a major just because it makes money. You also should not necessarily choose a major just because it is exactly what you want to do. The best way to choose a major is to figure out what combination of things are going to make you happy in the long-run. I LOVE playing basketball, but I would not enjoy playing basketball for a living, since I am not good enough to make money at it. So, I play basketball in my spare time and I work as a finance professor, which I enjoy, but also pays the bills. You should choose a major based upon the ability of the major to take care of your long-term financial needs, as well as provide you with a job you can enjoy. So, don't pick something just because you love it, and don't pick it just because you have money or prestige. Find out what is going to be important to you in the long run and let that be the basis for your choice. You should also factor in what kind of life you want to have when you are older, say, 30, and how this job fits into that plan. Do you want to have a family? Well, they are going to need time and financial support. Does your future job give you that? Also, you should never let anyone choose a major for you. That is usually the world's quickest way to unhappiness. Instead, you should listen to the advice of others and then use that information to make a decision that works best for you. It is silly to not listen to your elders, but it is also silly to let them control your life.

Click to read.