Motivational Quote
 

Houston ranks among cities where Blacks are doing the best economically

The 2007 housing crisis was particularly tough on African-Americans, as well as Hispanics, extinguishing much of their already minuscule wealth. Industrial layoffs, particularly in the Midwest, made things worse.

However the rising economic tide of the past few years has started to lift more boats. The African-American unemployment rate fell to 6.8% in December, the lowest level since the government started keeping tabs in 1972. Although that’s 3.1 percentage points worse than whites, the gap is the slimmest on record. A tightening labor market since 2015 has also driven up wages of black workers, many of whom are employed in manufacturing and other historically middle and lower-wage service industries.

The gains have not been evenly spread. To determine where African-Americans are faring the best economically, we evaluated America’s 53 largest metropolitan statistical areas based on three critical factors that we believe are indicators of middle-class success: the home ownership rate as of 2016; entrepreneurship, as measured by the self-employment rate in 2017; and 2016 median household income. In addition, we added a fourth category, demographic trends, measuring the change in the African-American population from 2010 to 2016 in these metro areas, to judge how the community is “voting with its feet.” Each factor was given equal weight.

No. 10: Richmond, Va.

Median Household Income: $43,265

Home Ownership Rate: 48.6%

Share Who Are Self-Employed: 10.3%

Change In Population, 2010-16: 3.2%

No. 9: Miami

Median Household Income: $40,239

Home Ownership Rate: 45.0%

Share Who Are Self-Employed: 8.7%

Change In Population, 2010-16: 11.8%

No. 8: Houston

Median Household Income: $47,588

Home Ownership Rate: 41.4%

Share Who Are Self-Employed: 7.1%

Change In Population, 2010-16: 14.8%

No. 7: San Antonio, TX

Median Household Income: $46,754

Home Ownership Rate: 44.3%

Share Who Are Self-Employed: 5.9%

Change In Population, 2010-16: 20.1%

No. 6: Charlotte N.C.-S.C.

Median Household Income: $42,108

Home Ownership Rate: 41.6%

Share Who Are Self-Employed:11.0%

Change In Population, 2010-16:15.1%

No. 5: Raleigh, N.C.

Median Household Income: $49,433

Home Ownership Rate: 41.3%

Share Who Are Self-Employed: 10.2%

Change In Population, 2010-16: 14.2%

No. 4: Baltimore, Md.

Median Household Income: $53,231

Home Ownership Rate: 44.6%

Share Who Are Self-Employed: 17.1%

Change In Population, 2010-16: 4.6%

No. 3: Austin, Texas

Median Household Income: $49,871

Home Ownership Rate: 42.5%

Share Who Are Self-Employed: 7.3%

Change In Population, 2010-16: 19.3%

No. 1 (tie): Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV

Median Black Household Income, 2016: $69,246

Home Ownership Rate, 2016: 48.3%

Share Who Are Self-Employed, 2017: 13.7%

Change In Population, 2010-16: 7.8%

No. 1 (tie): Atlanta, Ga. 

Median Household Income: $48,161

Home Ownership Rate: 44.7%

Share Who Are Self-Employed: 20.3%

Change In Population, 2010-16: 14.7%

O.J. Simpson dismisses Colin Kaepernick: ‘I Would Always Stand Up For The Flag’

O.J. Simpson said he appreciated fellow football player Colin Kaepernick’s decision to kneel during the national anthem the first time he did it, but still thinks it was “a mistake.”

He also said that Donald Trump is a lot of fun to hang around with, although he doubts he’d ever vote for the man.

The former NFL great-turned-“Trial of the Century” defendant offered his take on a wide range of topics in an exclusive interview with the Buffalo News published Friday.

For one thing, Simpson disagrees with Kaepernick’s decision to protest police brutality by kneeling during the national anthem.

“I think Colin made a mistake. I really appreciate what he was trying to say. I thought he made a bad choice in attacking the flag,” Simpson told the newspaper. “I grew up at a time when deacons were in the KKK. I don’t disrespect the Bible because of those guys. The flag shouldn’t be disrespected because of what cops do. The flag represents what we want America to be.”

His bottom line: “I would always stand up for the flag.”

Simpson also hesitated to say whether he would have voted for Trump, whom he called “a man’s man.” (It was a hypothetical question because Simpson was behind bars in November 2016.)

The two men were once friends and golfing buddies. Simpson even attended the future president’s 1993 wedding to Marla Maples ― six months before he himself was accused of murdering his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, as well as her friend Ronald Goldman.

“Somebody asked me if I’d have voted for him,” Simpson said. “Probably not, but I only know two of my friends I’d vote to be president. Some of my best, best besties I would not vote to be president. That has no bearing on it, you know?”

He also admitted that he sometimes wonders if he has chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) from his football days.

“Well, I don’t know,” he said. “I feel all right. But I have days when I can’t … I lose words, and I can’t come up with a simple word. I can’t remember a phone number, so forget that.”

‘Black Panther’ tops the box office for the fifth straight weekend

Not since “Avatar” has a box office hit had the kind of staying power of “Black Panther.” Ryan Coogler’s comic book sensation on Sunday became the first film since James Cameron’s 2009 smash to top the weekend box office five straight weekends.

The Disney release grossed $27 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates, pushing its domestic haul to $605.4 million. Worldwide, “Black Panther” has grossed more than $1.1 billion.

Although “Black Panther” has had little competition throughout February and March, such consistency is especially rare in today’s moviegoing world. Before “Avatar,” the last film to do it was 1999’s “The Sixth Sense.”

That left second place to the MGM-Warner Bros. reboot of “Tomb Raider,” starring Alicia Vikander as the archaeologist adventurer Lara Croft. The $90 million film opened with $23.5 million, largely failing to stir much excitement among moviegoers. Critics gave it mediocre reviews (49 percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), and ticket buyers responded with a “meh,” giving it a B CinemaScore.

With Vikander stepping in for Angelina Jolie, Roar Uthaug’s “Tomb Raider” is an attempt to rekindle a video game-adapted franchise that faded quickly the first time around. The 2001 original opened at $47.7 million and grossed $274.7 million worldwide, but the big-budget 2003 sequel flopped, opening with $21.8 million domestically and grossing $156.5 million worldwide.

Jeff Goldstein, distribution chief for Warner Bros., said that “Tomb Raider” came close to studio expectations in North America but that international ticket sales were a primary focus. “Tomb Raider” was No. 1 overseas, grossing $84.5 million, including $41.1 million in China.

“International was always a key part of the strategy,” Goldstein said.

The continuing success of “Black Panther” also didn’t help “Tomb Raider.” When release dates were being set a year ago, few could have foreseen “Black Panther” being No. 1 five weeks in. “How could you?” Goldstein said.

“Black Panther” has shown considerably fewer legs in China, however. Although it has grossed $96 million in two weeks of release in China, “Black Panther” slid steeply in its second weekend.

Yet last week, “Black Panther” even bested Disney’s own “A Wrinkle in Time,” Ava DuVernay’s adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s 1962 novel. In its second week, “A Wrinkle in Time” dropped by 50 percent, with $16.6 million in ticket sales.

The surprise of the weekend was the Lionsgate-Roadside Attractions Christian drama “I Can Only Imagine,” which grossed $17.1 million on 1,629 screens — fewer than half the number that “Black Panther,” “Tomb Raider” and “A Winkle in Time” played on. The film, which co-stars Dennis Quaid and Cloris Leachman, cost only $7 million to make. It stars J. Michael Finley as the singer behind one of the most popular Christian songs, by the band MercyMe.

“I Can Only Imagine” doubled expectations by sticking to the typical tactic of “faith-based” releases with a grassroots marketing effort that focused on Southern, Southwestern and suburban moviegoers. Eighty percent of the audience was over 35.

Playing to a virtually opposite audience was 20th Century Fox’s “Love, Simon,” the first film from a major Hollywood studio featuring a gay teen protagonist. Whereas “I Can Only Imagine” catered to the suburbs, “Love, Simon” thrived mainly in urban areas.

Greg Berlanti’s film, adapted from the best-selling young-adult novel “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda,” stars Nick Robinson as a gay 17-year-old who has yet to come out when another closeted boy from his high school begins an anonymous e-mail romance. The film garnered strong reviews (91 percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences agreed, giving it an A-plus CinemaScore.

“I feel good that we released this film. I feel great that we had the kind of exit polls that we did,” said Chris Aronson, distribution chief for Fox. “I think audiences are going to continue to find this jewel of a film that Greg Berlanti created.”

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore. Where available, the latest international numbers also are included. Final three-day domestic figures will be released Monday.

  1. “Black Panther,” $27 million ($30 million international)
  2. “Tomb Raider,” $23.5 million ($84.5 million international)
  3. “I Can Only Imagine,” $17.1 million ($195,000 international)
  4. “A Wrinkle in Time,” $16.6 million ($3.2 million international)
  5. “Love, Simon,” $11.5 million
  6. “Game Night,” $5.6 million ($3.7 million international)
  7. “Peter Rabbit,” $5.2 million ($14.5 million international)
  8. “Strangers: Prey at Night,” $4.8 million
  9. “Red Sparrow,” $4.5 million ($8.9 million international)
  10. “Death Wish,” $3.4 million ($1.3 million international)

Custodian allegedly stole SC students’ money during walkout protests

A custodian at a South Carolina high school cleaned out more than dirty bathrooms.

Aisha Evans is charged with rummaging through the bookbags of unsuspecting students and stealing $180 while students were out of the classroom, protesting during the National School Walkout at Richland Northeast High, CNN reports.

The Sheriff Department said Evans took the cash from at least three bookbags while students were stolen by Evans while students were outsideprotesting in support of stricter gun laws, following the Parkland school shooting. The 32-year-old was arrested and charged with three counts of petty larceny. As a result of the petty theft, Evans lost her job as a custodian for Service Solutions, an agency that contracts with the district to provide custodial services.

The school district told CNN affiliate WIS:

“On Thursday, March 15, Service Solutions notified Richland Two that Evans is no longer an employee of the company and was informed that she cannot come on any Richland Two property,” Richland Two School District said in its statement to the affiliate.

It’s unclear whether Evans has retained a lawyer.

Repercussions for Walking Out

The fallout from the National School Walkout continues across the nation.

While many communities have reported nothing but positive responses to students exercising their right to free speech there are some that are reporting different outcomes.

Approximately 1,100 students walking out of Downers Grove North and South high schools in a suburb in Chicago and school administrators have decided that the students will serve one hour of detention as a result.

READ MORE: Flight from Hell: Black man’s hilarious fight against white woman’s feet goes viral–

According to the Chicago Tribunethe Community High School District 99 representatives reportedly met with students before the planned walkout and offered several alternatives “that would not disturb the educational environment,” spokeswoman Jill Browning said in an email.” Students rejected the options, Browning said, and “intended to have a political rally around a variety of issues.”

According to the Chicago Tribune, Browning said, “Students have shared they consider the detention a ‘badge of honor’ and a symbol they truly are protesting and standing up for their rights at a personal cost.”

Three students in Arkansas reportedly received an old-fashioned punishment for walking out of their school during the national protests against gun violence.

Students at Greenbrier Public School in Arkansas are allowed to get “swats” as a form of corporal punishment for disobedience in the conservative school district, according to the Daily Beast.

Undeterred by the school policy, students felt empowered to join kids around the country when they walked out of their classrooms to advocate for stricter gun laws.

The Greenbrier Public School’s official policy, states the school board “authorizes the use of corporal punishment to be administered in accordance with this policy by the Superintendent or his/her designated staff members who are required to have a state-issued license as a condition of their employment.”

But one proud local mom said she didn’t mind that her child got the swat and supports his right to protest in support of gun reform.

“My kid and two other students walked out of their rural, very conservative, public school for 17 minutes today,” Jerusalem Greer wrote on Twitter. “They were given two punishment options. They chose corporal punishment. This generation is not playing around.”

 
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