Will mail be delivered today, Martin Luther King Day?
Here in the United States, we celebrate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. each year on the third Monday in January. This year, Martin Luther King Jr. Day — also called “MLK Day” — falls on Monday, January 16th 2017, which is today, and people want to know whether or not to expect any mail or packages to be delivered today.
So, to answer your question of “Will mail be delivered on Martin Luther King Day?” … we’re gonna have to say a big “NOPE.” Because MLK Day is recognized as a federal holiday, that means all federal offices of any kind — and that includes U.S. Post Offices — will be closed for the day. This means that neither businesses nor homes will receive ANY mail, including USPS packages.
If you’re expecting a package via USPS and the scheduled delivery is today, Monday, January 16th, then you should expect for that package to de delivered tomorrow, Tuesday, January 17th. According to USPS, ALL post offices will be closed for the day (FYI: federal workers will still be paid for the day).
And, for future reference, here is a list of holidays on which mail will not be delivered:
New Year’s Day 2017 — Mon. January 2nd (observed)
George Washington’s Birthday — Mon. February 20th
Memorial Day — Mon. May 29th
Independence Day/4th of July — Tues. July 4th
Labor Day — Mon. September 4th
Columbus Day — Mon. October 9th
Veteran’s Day — Fri. November 10th (observed)
Thanksgiving Day — Thurs. November 23rd
Christmas Day — Mon. December 25th
President-elect Donald Trump continues to attack any network or media outlet that spills the truth criticizes him, but NBC’s SNL is not scared of his tweets and is not holding back.
During its Jan. 14 broadcast, the sketch comedy show’s cold open mocked Trump’s sh*t-show of a press conference he held on Wednesday (Jan. 11).
Alec Baldwin returned to SNL to “rebroadcast” Trump’s first press conference in 167 days and his first since becoming president-elect. Baldwin began the cold opening by stating:
“Yes, this is real life. This is really happening. On January 20, I, Donald J. Trump, will become the 45th president of the United States, and then, two months later, [Vice President-elect] Mike Pence will become the 46th.”
The running gag of the 7-minute skit involved reporters asking Trump questions regarding a dossier that was released last week that suggested Trump once paid for prostitutes to perform “golden showers” during a trip to Moscow, Russia.
The unverified claims raise even more concerns Russia may have compromising information over Trump. The president-elect has denied the claims and the intel has not been authenticated.
However, no pun intended, any reports of golden showers and Trump is comedy gold. SNL writers did intend these puns. SNL Trump says:
“Guys, I do not want to talk about the pee-pee. I want to talk about what is really important, which is jobs. I am going to bring back a thick stream of jobs in this country. The biggest, strongest, steadiest stream you’ve ever seen. This country will be literally showered with jobs because I am a major wiz at jobs. This will be a golden opportunity for me as president to make a big splash.”
SNL’s parodied press conference also touched on the lack of A-list stars slated to perform at Trump’s inauguration, Trump’s sketchy plan to divest from his businesses, and his awkward/troubling encounter with “fake news” CNN reporter Jim Acosta. Vladimir Putin even makes an appearance.
Of course, thin-skinned-fragile-ego-Twitter-troll Trump blasted SNL.
.@NBCNews is bad but Saturday Night Live is the worst of NBC. Not funny, cast is terrible, always a complete hit job. Really bad television!
(I’m pretty sure he has more important things to do, but that would mean actually doing work and putting his country first.)
Keep in mind, Trump hosted SNL in November 2015. He recently said on Today (an NBC show) that hisSNL episode was a “good show,” but now feels “there’s nothing funny about [SNL]. The skits are horrible.”
Media (news and entertainment) will be extremely important over the next four years — if Trump even lasts that long. As hard and loud as Trump rails against media, it needs to respond even stronger. Despite the tweets, I hope SNL will continue to call this fool out while also making us laugh in the process!
(And, yes I just called PEOTUS a “fool” because I’m not scared.)
Ezekiel Elliott of the Dallas Cowboys just showed why he’s possibly the best running back in the NFL.
During Sunday night’s (Jan. 15) against the Green Bay Packers, Ezekiel Elliott made Clay Matthews look ridiculous when he hit a quick spin move to avoid Matthews’ tackle.
WATCH HERE:
Though it looked like Matthews, a linebacker for the Packers, was going to make a massive play to cause a loss of yardage for the Cowboys, “Zeke the Freak” avoided Clay’s tackle with just enough finesse to not only gain some yards for the Cowboys, but also set up a touchdown for wide receiver Dez Bryant.
Following Dez Bryant’s TD, the Cowboys went on to score a two-point conversion to tie the game at 28, but that wasn’t enough for them to win. Green Bay ended up winning the game, 34-31 and will advance to the next round of the playoffs, ending the season for the Cowboys and dashing their hopes of going to Super Bowl LI.
After battling “an aggressive form of cancer,” megachurch pastor Bishop Eddie Long passed away Sunday (Jan. 15). His Georgia church, New Birth Missionary Baptist confirmed the news.
It has been known for several months that the bishop was dealing with an undisclosed “health challenge.” However, concerns of his health grew as he emerged in late December looking extremely thin.
Through his health battles, his wife of 27 years has remained by his side. Here are some things you need to know about Vanessa G. Long (57).
Vanessa Griffin Long is a Columbus, Georgia native and received a B.S. degree in office management from Morris Brown College.
Vanessa Griffin Long grew up in Columbus, Georgia and attended Carver High School. She was described as a quiet student, but was well-known by her fellow classmates as she was a library assistant, an office aide, kept statistics for the basketball team, and sang in school and church choirs.
Vanessa was crowned “Miss Carver High” 1975-76 by the student body and was also named an Outstanding Senior.
She later attended Morris Brown College in Atlanta and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in office management. Her first job was with the federal government.
Vanessa and Bishop Eddie Long wed in 1990, but she was his second wife.
Vanessa was introduced to Bishop Eddie Long by one of her co-workers who attended New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. They were married in 1990 and have three children together (sons Eric & Jared and daughter Taylor).
However, Vanessa was Bishop Long’s second wife. He was previously married to Dabara S. Houston. The two wed in 1981, but divorced in 1985 due to Long’s “violent and vicious temper” as described by Houston. She says she was subjected to “cruel treatment” by Long and “had to flee the couple’s Fairburn home [with their 2-year-old son] to ensure their safety.
Long denied all of Houston’s allegations, but Houston was granted custody of their son, Edward, in 1985.
Vanessa responded to sexual misconduct allegations against Bishop Long by filing to divorce.
In 2010, four men accused Long of sexual misconduct and coercing them into sexual relationships when they were teenagers. Long, who held an anti-gay stance and hosted “homosexual cure” programs and “Sexual Restoration” conferences, denied all allegations. The cases were settled out of court in 2011, but the settlements were never publicly disclosed.
However, the allegations affected Vanessa and Long’s marriage. Vanessa filed for divorce in December 2011. She initially planned to withdraw the petition, but decided to go ahead with the divorce.
She released in a statement:
“After a great deal of deliberation and prayer, I have decided to terminate my marriage to Bishop Eddie L. Long. Accordingly, I authorized my attorneys to file for divorce on December 1, 2011.
It is my sincere hope that this matter can be resolved expeditiously, harmoniously, and fairly. I ask that you respect my privacy and that of my family, as my attorneys and I have agreed that we will not try this case in the media, and I do not intend to make any further statements concerning this matter.”
Following Vanessa’s divorce filing, Eddie Long announced he would be taking a leave from New Birthto focus on “some family business.” He told assured his congregation, “I’m still your pastor, you will receive my direction.”
Long also released this statement:
“God has blessed us with a wonderful family. Vanessa is, and has always been, a loving, dedicated and committed wife and mother. My love for her is deep and unwavering. It remains our sincere desire to continue working together in seeking God’s Will in these circumstances.”
Vanessa decided to give her marriage a second chance and felt her experience could help other women “going through a storm.”
Though the documents stated their marriage was “irretrievably broken” with “no hope of reconciliation,” Vanessa eventually decided to drop the divorce. She explained her decision during an August 2012 Heart to Heart event for women at New Birth:
I was in the middle of a storm, and I got off the ship. I realized that the best thing I could do was to let you see me as a woman, just like you. A woman capable of making good decisions and a woman capable of making bad decisions. Instead of condemning myself, I can use what happened as an opportunity to minister myself to someone else going through a storm.
Vanessa says, though her husband’s passing leaves a void, she believes in now in peace and resting in a better place
Vanessa released a statement via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution regarding her husband’s death.
“I am confidant through my belief in God that my husband is now resting in a better place. Although, his transition leaves a void for those of us who loved him dearly, we can celebrate and be happy for him, knowing he’s at peace.”
Vanessa supported Bishop Long throughout his illness, even standing by him in October 2016 as he told their congregation that God had healed him from his then-undisclosed “health challenge.”
Regarding Bishop Long’s passing, New Birth’s statement says he battled “an aggressive form of cancer.”
After news of the death of Bishop Eddie Long was revealed Sunday morning (Jan. 15), Twitter was quick to respond to the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church’s controversial pastor’s passing.
Long, who became pastor of New Birth back in 1987 and grew the church’s membership to nearly 30,000 parishioners, first became the talk of social media after 2010 when four male church members accused the Bishop of sexual misconduct.
Because the men were of legal consenting age when they allegedly had sex with Long, no criminal charges were ever filed. The lawsuits against Long, who vehemently denied the accusations, were eventually settled in 2011 for an undisclosed amount, but his reputation suffered irreparable damage from then on.
The following month, in September 2016, as speculation about Long’s illness grew, he and New Birth were forced to release a statement in an attempt to quell the rumors.
“I am recovering from a health challenge that I trust God to deliver me from,” the statement read. “It is unrelated to the eating for life diet consisting of mostly raw vegetables that I am continuing, as part of a holistic approach to good health. At this time, my family and I are requesting that you respect our privacy. I truly appreciate your prayers and support for me, my loved ones and my beloved New Birth Church Family.”
A few months later, in December 2016, the discussion surrounding Eddie Long’s health was brought back up again after photos of him preaching a sermon showed him with a weak/frail-looking body.
Following the news of his death Sunday morning, the responses on Twitter were mixed, with some offering sympathy and expressing sadness, while others are unbothered or believe the Bishop basically “got what he deserved.”
See the Twitter reactions below:
My heart is heavy, but God is in control. See you in the rapture Bishop Eddie Long. It was my honor to serve New Birth for 12 years.
According to New Birth, Bishop Eddie Long died from an “aggressive” form of cancer. Read the church’s full statement on Long’s passing below:
NEW BIRTH CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF BISHOP EDDIE L. LONG FOLLOWING HIS TRANSITION TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER
LITHONIA, GA – Sunday, January 15
New Birth Missionary Baptist Church celebrates the life and legacy of Bishop Eddie L. Long who is now spiritually healed and home with the Lord. Bishop Long, Senior Pastor of New Birth, transitioned from this life early Sunday morning after a gallant private fight with an aggressive form of cancer.
As a man of God with unyielding faith, Bishop Long maintained his commitment to our Heavenly Father as he proclaimed that cancer would not kill his faith nor his spirit. First Lady Elder Vanessa Long, Bishop Long’s wife of 27 years offered the following.
“I am confidant through my belief in God that my husband is now resting in a better place. Although, his transition leaves a void for those of us who loved him dearly, we can celebrate and be happy for him, knowing he’s at peace.”
Deeply committed to his church, even in his last days, Bishop Long delivered his final message to New Birth as we ushered in 2017. He told the church that God was already working in our favor and what we have been praying for was already manifested.
In his departure, we receive that and as faithful members of New Birth, we praise God for the life of Bishop Long. Bishop Long was known as one of the most influential faith leaders in the world. He stood strong as a Kingdom Builder, pioneering leader, and revolutionary mind changer.
Long was a family man and spiritual leader who was well respected and loved for his passion to unapologetically and courageously preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Long inspired thousands of believers around the world through his global ministry that literally changed lives.
Through his earthly battle, Bishop Long believed that God was once again using him to help others see the power of the Holy Spirit through the love New Birth displayed to him and the countless prayers sent up by others from every corner of the earth.
Bishop Eddie L. Long was 63 years old. He is survived by his beautiful wife, First Lady Elder Vanessa Long, 4 children Eric, Edward, Jared and Taylor and 3 grandchildren.
The Long family thanks you for your prayers, condolences and messages of love. The family appreciates your support and respect of their privacy, as they prepare along with New Birth, for the homegoing service to honor Bishop Long. The date and other details will be announced in the near future.
Following the news of Bishop Eddie Long’s death Sunday morning (Jan. 15), the New Birth pastor’s daughter Taylor took to Instagram to share a few words about her late father.
“I love you Dad. Thank you for being perfect. I cherish every moment i’ve shared w/ you even up to your last breath. I don’t blame God for wanting you back, i would too. everything i do is for you, it’s been my honor to be your daughter. thank you for being the greatest example of a wonderful father & husband. You kicked cancers ass! Job Well Done my angel.”
Bishop Long’s death was announced during Sunday morning church services. “Today it is with great sadness I announce that our bishop has transitioned,” Bishop Christopher C. Smith said. “He’s no longer in pain. He’s no longer dealing with the complications that he had to deal with.”
An official statement from the church revealed Bishop Long died early Sunday morning after “a gallant private fight with an aggressive form of cancer.” The statement added that Bishop Long “maintained his commitment” to God “as he proclaimed that cancer would not kill his faith nor his spirit.”
Long reportedly delivered his final message to New Birth as the church brought in 2017. “He told the church that God was already working in our favor and what we have been praying for was already manifested,” the statement read.
The Bishop’s wife of the past 27 years, First Lady Elder Vanessa Long, released her own statement, saying that she was happy for him to finally be “at peace.”
“I am confidant through my belief in God that my husband is now resting in a better place,” Vanessa Long said. “Although his transition leaves a void for those of us who loved him dearly, we can celebrate and be happy for him, knowing he’s at peace.”
In addition to his wife Vanessa and daughter Taylor, Bishop Eddie Long was survived by three sons, Eric, Edward and Jared, as well as three grandchildren. Long was 63 years old.
Bishop Eddie Long, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia near Atlanta, died Sunday (Jan. 15) at the age of 63 years old. How did he die? What was his cause of death?
According to Long’s church, the Bishop succumbed to complications from an “aggressive” form of cancer.
“Today it is with great sadness I announce that our bishop has transitioned,” Bishop Christopher C. Smith said during New Birth’s Sunday morning service today, according to AJC.
“He’s no longer in pain,” Smith continued. “He’s no longer dealing with the complications that he had to deal with.”
An official statement from the church revealed Bishop Long died early Sunday morning after “a gallant private fight with an aggressive form of cancer.” The statement added that Bishop Long “maintained his commitment” to God “as he proclaimed that cancer would not kill his faith nor his spirit.”
Long reportedly delivered his final message to New Birth as the church brought in 2017. “He told the church that God was already working in our favor and what we have been praying for was already manifested,” the statement read.
Bishop Eddie Long and his wife Vanessa in September 2010.
First Lady Elder Vanessa Long, the Bishop’s wife of the past 27 years, released her own statement, saying that she was happy for him to finally be “at peace.”
“I am confidant through my belief in God that my husband is now resting in a better place,” Vanessa Long said. “Although his transition leaves a void for those of us who loved him dearly, we can celebrate and be happy for him, knowing he’s at peace.”
In response to reports that Long had been hospitalized and only had months to live due to him battling a “grave” illness (which many believed to be cancer or AIDS/HIV), Long released a statement in September 2016 confirming that he was recovering from a “health challenge.”
“I am recovering from a health challenge that I trust God to deliver me from,” the statement read. “It is unrelated to the eating for life diet consisting of mostly raw vegetables that I am continuing, as part of a holistic approach to good health. At this time, my family and I are requesting that you respect our privacy. I truly appreciate your prayers and support for me, my loved ones and my beloved New Birth Church Family.”
Questions regarding the the New Birth Pastor’s health were raised once again when he emerged months later in December 2016 with a shockingly frail appearance.
Eddie Long was born on May 12, 1953 in Huntersville, North Carolina. He was chosen as pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in 1987, four years after the church after the church adopted its current name. When Long became pastor, the church had around 300 members, but as of today, the church’s current membership is nearly 30,000 parishioners.
In 2010, Long was accused of sexually abusing four male members of his congregation. The men, who are all now in their 20s, each filed separate civil lawsuits, and told similar stories of Long approaching them in their early teens.
The young men accused him of indoctrinating them as “spiritual sons” and offering them cash, cars and trips to exotic locations around the world. When they turned 17 or 18, the men said their relationships with Long would quickly turn sexual.
Though no criminal charges were filed (because the men were of legal consenting age when they allegedly had sex with Long), the lawsuits against Long were eventually settled in 2011 for an undisclosed amount.
Bishop Eddie Long is survived by his wife of 27 years, First Lady Elder Vanessa Long, as well as their four children (three sons and a daughter): Eric, Edward, Jared and Taylor, and three grandchildren.
Read New Birth’s full statement on Bishop Long’s death below:
NEW BIRTH CELEBRATES THE LIFE OF BISHOP EDDIE L. LONG FOLLOWING HIS TRANSITION TO OUR HEAVENLY FATHER
LITHONIA, GA – Sunday, January 15
New Birth Missionary Baptist Church celebrates the life and legacy of Bishop Eddie L. Long who is now spiritually healed and home with the Lord. Bishop Long, Senior Pastor of New Birth, transitioned from this life early Sunday morning after a gallant private fight with an aggressive form of cancer.
As a man of God with unyielding faith, Bishop Long maintained his commitment to our Heavenly Father as he proclaimed that cancer would not kill his faith nor his spirit. First Lady Elder Vanessa Long, Bishop Long’s wife of 27 years offered the following.
“I am confidant through my belief in God that my husband is now resting in a better place. Although, his transition leaves a void for those of us who loved him dearly, we can celebrate and be happy for him, knowing he’s at peace.”
Deeply committed to his church, even in his last days, Bishop Long delivered his final message to New Birth as we ushered in 2017. He told the church that God was already working in our favor and what we have been praying for was already manifested.
In his departure, we receive that and as faithful members of New Birth, we praise God for the life of Bishop Long. Bishop Long was known as one of the most influential faith leaders in the world. He stood strong as a Kingdom Builder, pioneering leader, and revolutionary mind changer.
Long was a family man and spiritual leader who was well respected and loved for his passion to unapologetically and courageously preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Long inspired thousands of believers around the world through his global ministry that literally changed lives.
Through his earthly battle, Bishop Long believed that God was once again using him to help others see the power of the Holy Spirit through the love New Birth displayed to him and the countless prayers sent up by others from every corner of the earth.
Bishop Eddie L. Long was 63 years old. He is survived by his beautiful wife, First Lady Elder Vanessa Long, 4 children Eric, Edward, Jared and Taylor and 3 grandchildren.
The Long family thanks you for your prayers, condolences and messages of love. The family appreciates your support and respect of their privacy, as they prepare along with New Birth, for the homegoing service to honor Bishop Long. The date and other details will be announced in the near future.
Bishop Eddie Long, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Georgia (near Atlanta) has died, according to numerous Twitter reports.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution and other official news sources have since confirmed the news, reporting (via his church) that the Bishop’s cause of death was an “aggressive” form of cancer.
News of Long’s death was announced at church this morning. From AJC:
“Today it is with great sadness I announce that our bishop has transitioned,” Bishop Christopher C. Smith said.
The expectant crowd, many already informed by social media and text messages, wails and shrieks at the official announcement.
“He’s no longer in pain,’ Smith continues. “He’s no longer dealing with the complications that he had to deal with.”
A statement released by the church this morning confirms Long died early Sunday morning after “a gallant private fight with an aggressive form of cancer.”
The statement adds Bishop Long maintained his commitment to God as he proclaimed that cancer would not kill his faith nor his spirit.
First Lady Elder Vanessa Long, Bishop Long’s wife of 27 years said she is confidant through her belief in God that her husband is now resting in a better place.
“Although, his transition leaves a void for those of us who loved him dearly, we can celebrate and be happy for him, knowing he’s at peace,” she said.
Long delivered his final message to New Birth as the church ushered in 2017.
“He told the church that God was already working in our favor and what we have been praying for was already manifested,” the statement says.
BREAKING NEWS: @BishopEddieLong, pastor of New Birth in ATL, has died. He was 63.
Months before, in September 2016, Long admitted he was dealing with a “health challenge,” though he never confirmed (or denied) what the illness was. But whatever the sickness was, it made him virtually unrecognizable and sparked a lot of discussion/speculation on social media.
Back in August, the controversial pastor appeared in a video showing off a shocking new slim physique, which he attributed to a new diet that consisted of him eating raw vegetables instead of food that could be found on what he called the “slave menu.”
“I said to my congregation that I’m going to live to be 100 years old, maybe add a few more years. But you know what, I wasn’t going to get there by stopping by Popeyes,” he said in the video. “That was my weakness. The biscuits with honey and chicken wangs, spicy, and all of that. Many of us are still eating from a slave menu, you need to check that out.”
The video was followed by an official statement from Long and New Birth confirming that he was “recovering from a health challenge.”
“I am recovering from a health challenge that I trust God to deliver me from,” the statement read “It is unrelated to the eating for life diet consisting of mostly raw vegetables that I am continuing, as part of a holistic approach to good health. At this time my family and I are requesting that you respect our privacy. I truly appreciate your prayers and support for me, my loved ones and my beloved New Birth Church Family.”
In 2010, four men accused Long of coercing them into sexual relationships as teenagers. The lawsuits were settled out of court the following year, and details of the settlement and Long’s plea were never officially disclosed. Bishop Long took a leave of absence from his church in December of 2011.
Charges were also never pressed against Long, due to the age of consent in Georgia being 16 years old, and all four boys were 17 or older at the time they claim the sexual misconduct happened.
I definitely did not see this coming. A new young Hollywood couple may have just formed. Selena Gomez and The Weeknd were spotted smooching and on a “romantic dinner date.”
Selena and Weeknd spent Tuesday night (Jan. 10) at celebrity hotspot Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica. Following their dinner, paparazzi snapped Selena with her hands all over the singer and giving him a kiss on the cheek. A source tells People magazine the relationship is “new and nothing serious.”
An eyewitness to the date shared a few more details to People:
“It was a romantic dinner date in the rain. They acted like a couple. They ordered pasta and shared the food. She seemed very into him — she was smiling a lot. They left holding hands.”
The Weeknd — whose real name is Abel Tesfaye — broke up with model Bella Hadid in November, after a year and half of dating. Selena’s romantic history, of course, revolves around her high-profile relationship with Justin Bieber.
Just to show you how small young Hollywood really is, Selena is actually really good friends with Bella Hadid’s sister Gigi. They are both part of Taylor Swift’s “squad.” Gigi might have to take sides though, because People is also reporting Bella unfollowed Selena on Instagram Wednesday (Jan. 11) after the Weeknd/Selena photos made the social media rounds.
Speaking of social media, Twitter definitely had mixed reactions to the rumored new couple.
Selena recently took a break from the limelight to focus on her emotional health and deal with complications from lupus. She made her return in November at the American Music Awards, where she took home the Favorite Female Pop/Rock Artist award.
It looks like she’s taking a giant leap to get back in the dating game as well. There’s no way a relationship with The Weeknd is going to be low-profile or quiet.
The time is sadly upon us, my friends. In just nine frightening mere days, Barack Obama will no longer be the sitting President of the United States. To say his goodbye to the country, the president gave his farewell address Tuesday (Jan. 10) at McCormick Place in Grant Park in Chicago, the same place where he gave his victory speech after the 2008 election. Here are a few highlights from President Obama’s goodbye.
I personally believe Barack Obama has been one of the greatest presidents the United States has ever had. However, some have constantly questioned his legacy. During his farewell, Obama briefly highlighted a few of his accomplishments over his two terms.
“If I had told you eight years ago that America would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history — if I had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people, shut down Iran’s nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, take out the mastermind of 9/11 — if I had told you that we would win marriage equality and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens — if I had told you all that, you might have said our sights were set a little too high.”
And just imagine what more he could have done without petty Republican obstructionism.
Obama and the crowd thanks Vice President Joe Biden.
Who won’t miss Joe Biden? He has been a respected figure in American politics for nearly 45 years. He answered Obama’s call in 2008 and represented our nation with heart and humor as Vice President of the United States.
The VP and President were both visibly teary-eyed as Obama thanked his running mate and friend.
"In the bargain, I gained a brother." Pres. Obama thanks Vice President Joe Biden during farewell speech. pic.twitter.com/OKGtTUupOb
“You were the first decision I made as a nominee, and it was the best. Not just because you have been a great vice president, but because in the bargain I gained a brother. And we love you and Jill like family. And your friendship has been one of the great joys of our lives.”
The crowd chants “Four more years!”
Given what we face with the president-elect’s term, it was inevitable that a “Four more years!” chant would break out during Obama’s farewell. And it did!
“I can’t do that,” Obama said with a smile before resuming his speech.
Barack gets emotional when he acknowledges and praises Michelle.
Barack Obama got emotional (and so did we) as he recognized his wife, partner, and First Lady Michelle Obama. He even needed a tissue to wipe away a tear.
“Michelle LaVaughn Robinson of the South Side…for the past 25 years you have not only been my wife and mother of my children, you have been my best friend. You took on a role you didn’t ask for. And you made it your own with grace and with grit and with style, and good humor. You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. You have made me proud, and you have made the country proud.”
I guarantee Barack wasn’t the only one shedding tears during this heartfelt moment, but I think we may have been crying for different reasons.
(Please, don’t go Barack and Michelle!)
The President tells his daughters, “I’m most proud to be your dad.”
In addition to be an amazing president, Obama is also an amazing father. He and Michelle raised two black girls in the White House and, together, they were the shining example of not just the First Family, but an American family. “I’m most proud to be you dad,” he said to Malia (18) and Sasha (15).
“Under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women, smart and beautiful, but more importantly, kind and thoughtful and full of passion. You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. Of all that I have done in my life, I’m most proud to be your dad.”
Sasha was notably absent during her father’s farewell address and her whereabouts were not mentioned during Obama’s speech. However, an official White House statement later explained she remained in D.C. to prepare for a Wednesday morning exam. This just shows how much the Obamas value education, even on important/historic moments like this.
The Obamas will also remain in D.C. until Sasha graduates from high school.
Obama addresses the state of race relations in America.
People have claimed that since we elected America’s first black president twice, that we must now be “post racial.” However, the opposition and racism Obama faced for 8 years and the current state of race relations would suggest this isn’t so. Many (including me) would also argue the 2016 election just much power racists still possess.
Obama acknowledged racism continues to be an issue and that “hearts must change.”
“Race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society. Now I’ve lived long enough to know that race relations are better than they were 10 or 20 or 30 years ago… But we’re not where we need to be. And all of us have more work to do. Hearts must change.”
He even defended those who protest against systemic racism.
"Laws alone won’t be enough. Hearts must change." – President Obama on discrimination in his farewell address pic.twitter.com/0GYtDLt1Tc
Who thought we’d ever the see the day when NeNe Leakes and Kenya Moore would once again be on friendly terms?
NeNe Leakes, the original queen bee of The Real Housewives of Atlanta franchise, made it clear that Kenya Moore was no friend of hers in the past few seasons. She has shown outright contempt for the former Miss USA winner and has mocked her intelligence, her sanity and her (allegedly) fake booty.
Furthermore, when NeNe was last on RHOA, she had cozied up to Phaedra and Porsha, Kenya Moore’s two mortal enemies.
But I suppose it’s a completely brand-new day because NeNe Leakes decided to shock the world when she announced that her surprise +1 for the Golden Globes was none other than Twirl herself: Miss Kenya Moore.
What’s really going on here? While I’m heartened to see NeNe and Kenya kiking it together again (I’m one of the few who like NeNe and Kenya better as friends than enemies), I think NeNe’s motivation for ballin’ so hard with Kenya was for two reasons.
1) NeNe wants RHOA viewers to say her name, say her name. NeNe is not an official cast member of RHOA this season or even a friend of the show like she was the previous season. NeNe may have played hard ball when it came time for contract negotiations, but she knows RHOA is her bread and butter so this move is her way of maintaining links to the franchise regardless.
2) They want to piss Marlo Hampton off. When Kenya wanted to piss NeNe off before, she decided to pull in NeNe’s one-time friend Marlo Hampton, which thoroughly pissed NeNe off. Well, the shoe is now on the other foot as word on the street is that Kenya and Marlo are now on the outs. The enemy of your enemy is always your friend.
A Dairy Queen in Zion, Illinois was closed after the owner hurled a racial slur at a customer and her children.
Last Wednesday (Jan. 4), 21-year-old Deianeira Ford requested a refund on an order that was messed up. She reported that the Dairy Queen owner responded to her by calling her and her children “ni***rs.” Confused, Ford’s 3-year-old daughter asked her mother what the slur meant.
When Ford asked for the owner’s name, he replied “Bill Clinton” but then changed his mind and said, “Better yet, I’m Donald Trump.” He then told Ford to go “back where she came from.” Unsurprisingly, this lie didn’t keep his actual name, James Crichton, from being discovered.
After Ford’s Facebook post about the incident went viral, there were calls for protest, but then both Crichton and the Dairy Queen he owned were terminated.
Dairy Queen released a statement saying, “The recent actions of this franchisee are inexcusable, reprehensible, unacceptable and do not represent the values of the Dairy Queen family, our employees, fans and other independent franchises around the world. We expect our franchisees and their employees to treat every single person who walks through their doors with the utmost dignity and respect. Nothing less is acceptable.”
Crichton made a public apology, stating “I take full responsibility of my actions. As the owner of this restaurant, I should be a model for others. My actions were inexcusable and unacceptable.”
Ford doesn’t buy the apology and is considering taking legal action against Crichton, who initially denied using the N-word, called the accusations “99 percent lies” and said the entire thing was “stupid and “blown so far out of proportion.”
“His apology didn’t even address me personally,” Ford pointed out.
Zion mayor Al Hill, left, talks with Deianeira in front of the Dairy Queen on Jan. 7, 2017
Immediately after the incident, Ford called the police and the responding officer wrote in his report that Crichton, who Dairy Queen said was a franchisee, “proudly admitted” to calling the woman and her children the N-word and said he would gladly go to jail.
“I asked him what happened with Ford and told him she was so disturbed by his behavior she was willing to sign a complaint against him,” the officer wrote. “(He) boastfully told me he would be happy to go to jail over the issue and proudly admitted to calling Ford a slur. He added that he is ‘fed up with black people.'”
And, believe it or not, that wasn’t the end of Crichton’s stupidity. Not too long after Ford’s post on Facebook went viral, a Black Lives Matter activist showed up to the Dairy Queen franchise to confront Crichton about his remarks, and after the owner called the police for “harassment,” the same officer responded to the scene.
Crichton told the officer that “nothing racial took place,” not realizing that he was talking to the same exact officer who he freely admitted to using the racial slur earlier in the day.
“He did not recognize me as the officer who spoke to him (Wednesday) morning and I reminded him that he already admitted to me what he did and I was on the scene to handle the current complaint,” the officer wrote in his report. “He continued to contradict his story about (Wednesday) morning to me several more times and was becoming angered that I did not believe him.”
Black Lives Matter planned to stage a protest around the Dairy Queen on Saturday (Jan. 7), but in light of the Dairy Queen’s closure, the protest turned into a celebration. Activists surrounded the defunct restaurant, chanting “this is what democracy looks like” and “treat us right or get shut down.”
Ford attended the celebration and she addressed the crowd to thank them for their support. “No one should be treated how me and my children were treated two days ago,” she said.
For Ford and her supporters, the closure of the Dairy Queen was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were reportedly seen visiting Beyonce and Jay Z Friday (Jan. 6). Apparently, they came to attend the 5th birthday party for Beyonce and Jay Z’s little girl, Blue Ivy.
This news is surprising after Kanye’s very public rant against Beyonce and Jay Z back in November. Kanye used a Sacramento concert as a venue to air his grievances against the his longtime friends.
He went on a huge tirade, berating Beyonce and Jay Z for various slights against him. One thing he took issue with was Beyonce’s words against him regarding competing for Video of the Year.
He lamented, “Beyoncé, I was hurt. I went down seven years on behalf of you … I am putting my career, my life, my public standing at risk when I talk to y’all like this. This is a moment in the matrix, bro. … Beyoncé, I was hurt because I hear that you said you wouldn’t perform unless you won Video of the Year over me and over ‘Hotline Bling.’”
He also took Jay Z to task for not calling him after his wife Kim Kardashian was mugged at gunpoint. “Jay Z — call me, bruh. You still ain’t called me.” Bizarrely, he even implied that Jay Z would stoop so low as to send hitmen after him. “Jay Z, I know you got killers. Please don’t send them at my head,” he said.
Not many would want to associate with someone who accused them of being a murderer, but the two power couples appear to have decided to let bygones be bygones. Kanye and Kim took off for Holmby Hills.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West on their way to Blue Ivy;s party from x17onlineKim Kardashian and Kanye West on their way to Blue Ivy;s party from x17online
Kim was wearing a pretty dire-looking lumberjack shirt and sweatpants ensemble, but looking at the lace peeking out from under it, it’s likely she had on some cute party clothes underneath it. She probably changed into it when she got to Blue Ivy’s big bash.
It’s a testament to the strong friendship between these celebrities that they’re still hanging out even after all the venom Kanye spewed. Most people would be done with him after that, but they’re still apparently pals. Of course, that doesn’t mean we won’t see more drama from Kanye in the future. Nothing can stop that drama king.
One question though: Where were Kim and Kanye’s kids, North and Saint West?
Odell Beckham Jr. (reportedly) showed his whole ass Sunday night (Jan. 8) after the New York Giants’ devastating 13-38 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Beckham and his team’s dreams of going to the Super Bowl in February were deaded after the Packers ate them for Sunday dinner. The Wide Receiver had trouble holding onto the ball in the first quarter. One of those dropped passes happened in the endzone, which cost the Giants a touchdown, the first time he’s ever done so in his career.
According to reports, OBJ, who is popular on social media right now for surprising Lyft riders did not take the loss well and, once again, let his anger get the best of him.
The 24-year-old football star reportedly threw a temper tantrum, and was seen banging his head against a locker room door at Lambeau Field in Wisconsin. He’s believed to have punched a pretty large hole in the wall near the door, and had tad to be calmed down by stadium security.
There’s no video footage yet, but it probably looked like this (but apparently way worse):
Despite the lack of video footage for Odell’s latest meltdown, we do have a couple of photos of the aftermath from sports reporters for ESPN and the New York Daily News:
Odell Beckham was banging head against locker room door, per Sal Pal. Also believed to have punched this hole in pic.twitter.com/dOpRJyremD
Prior to the alleged head banging and wall punching, Beckham didn’t show any signs of anger during the postgame press conference and seemed to take the loss in stride.
“These are the learning experiences, as tough as they are,” Beckham said (via ESPN). “This is what you stand on and grow from. It sucks. There is no way to put it. It sucks. It is a horrible feeling.”
He added, “I’m sure it’s going to be a long offseason. At the end of the day, you just have to take it and you have to grow. You have to learn from it and find ways not to have this feeling again.”
Giants QB Eli Manning took up for his teammate, telling reporters that Odell is just “disappointed” because he’s “an emotional guy.”
“I saw him with his head down and disappointed,” Manning said. “There are a lot of guys that will shed a tear or two. When you lose a playoff game — and for a lot of guys it’s their first time in the playoffs — to kind of have the season abruptly end like that is a shock. Everyone handles it differently.”
Some people are blaming Beckham’s poor performance tonight on the cold weather and winter storm Helena bringing temperatures to near-single digits, but Twitter has its own theory:
Odell wouldn't have dropped it if he didn't party with Justin Bieber
People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story murdered the competition at the Golden Globes and took home the big prize. The show won in the category of Best TV Movie or Miniseries.
People v. O.J. Simpson is the first season of the FX True Crime Anthology series American Crime Story. It dramatizes the infamous case where former National Football League Star O.J Simpson was tried for the murder of his ex-wife and her friend. The show is based on Jeffrey Toobin’s 1997 book The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson
The miniseries beat out some stiff competition. It won over well-received shows like American Crime, Night Manager, The Dresser, and The Night Of. Producer Nina Jacobson accepted the award on behalf of the miniseries.
This was by no means the only award People v. O.J. Simpson won. Just prior to the show’s win, Sarah Paulson took the Best Actress in a Miniseries Award for her role in the show as Marcia Clark.
This ceremony was the 74th Annual Golden Globe Awards. It was hosted by Jimmy Fallon and the event was held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
This is only the latest honor bestowed on People v. O.J. Simpson, which also won several Emmys a short while ago. The miniseries may be over now, but the accolades it has earned assure it will loom large in television history.
Atlanta may only be on its first season, but it still creamed the competition at the Golden Globes.
The quirky comedy is about two cousins trying their best to navigate the rap scene in Atlanta, Georgia. It was created by Community‘s Donald Glover and also happens to star the man. Atlanta toppled strong contenders like Black-ish, Veep, Mozart and Transparent.
Donald Glover was elated at the news. “This is incredible,” he said. “I want to thank Atlanta and all the black folks in Atlanta, for real. For being alive and being amazing people.”
This is the fifth year in a row that a show nominated for the very first time has killed it the Golden Globes. Last year, Mozart in the Jungle won and the year before it was Transparent.Atlanta‘s win is especially impressive considering it only debuted September of last year.
But it’s not entirely a surprise. Atlanta has been a critical darling. It was the best-reviewed new show of last year according to Metacritic. It got a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and also cracked the AFI Awards Top 10 TV List.
Atlanta airs on the FX channel and has already been renewed for its second season. After this big win, we can bet that it will be airing for quite a long time.
The fight between Chris Brown and Soulja Boy is apparently really about to go down. However, the celebrity boxing match may not be a clean fight because Soulja has gotten really dirty by bringing Chris’ 2-year-old daughter into their beef.
Soulja accepted Chris’ boxing challenge and has been getting ready for the match on social media. He has also enlisted the help/training of Floyd Mayweather to prepare him.
On Thursday (Jan. 5), to irritate Chris, SB mentioned Chris’ daughter, Royalty, and her mother, Nia Guzman, who has apparently been getting close to Floyd lately.
In a now deleted post, SB reposted one of Nia’s photos of Royalty with the tags “TheMoneyTeam” and “FloydMayweather.” SB captioned his post with “#TMT.”
He also posted in a now-deleted tweet: “Chilled with royalty and Nia tonight at Floyds house.”
The insinuation is that Nia and Royalty are both team Soulja.
Obviously, the low blow did not go over well with Chris. An angry Chris recorded an Instagram video to warn Soulja to stop talking about his daughter and bringing her into their beef.
“Ima be real with you, stop bringing my daughter into this, my ni**a. Stop saying sh*t about my f**king daughter, bro…I’m telling you right now, on Jesus Christ, on anybody you f**king believe in, Allah, Buddha, I don’t give a f*ck, ni**a. On my daughter, stop talking about my daughter, bro. That sh*t ain’t cool. Real gangstas and street ni**as know No. 1 rule, no girls, no daughters, no kids. You’s a bitch, my ni**a. Stop.”
I don’t know why, since it’s a perfect reaction to such a low bow, but Chris has since deleted the original video from his account.
Nia also made it clear on her private Instagram account that she has nothing to do with the situation writing, “people love to twist a positive to a negative.”
She says she was using the Floyd Mayweather tags before the beef even started because she is working with the boxer as he has been “sponsoring [Royalty] for 3 months,” whatever that means.
Black Twitter was on fire last night (Jan. 5) and is was all thanks to a typo by a Yahoo Finance employee.
Yahoo Finance covered a story on President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to expand the U.S. Navy. The story was shared on the news site’s Twitter account, only who ever composed the tweet did not type the word “bigger” as (hopefully) intended and wrote something entirely different.
Now, Black Twitter could have responded to this in two ways: Blast the news site for blatant racism and carelessness or humor. The later was chosen and, man, did Black Twitter come with the jokes. Twitter users created a “Black Navy” complete with battleship names, uniforms, recruitment ads, playlists, and more.
As “Black Twitter” became a trending topic, of course some white Twitter users tried to take away all the fun by somehow calling the social media sub-group racist. Or they tried to join in. Black Twitter was having none of it though.
To be fair, the letter “B” and “N” are right next to each other on a qwerty keyboard, so this really could have been a really unfortunate typo. At least we had Black Twitter to give us a many great laughs.
It’s well after Christmas, but mark this date down as the day we received a true gift, for Nicki Minaj announced to the world on Twitter that her romantic relationship with Meek Mill had officially come to an end.
To confirm, yes I am single. Focusing on my work & looking forward to sharing it with you guys really soon. Have a blessed New Year. Love u?
If this is a sign of things to come in 2017, then I think it’s fair to say that great things lie ahead for us all.
Reports of Meek and Nicki’s relationship being on the rocks have been swirling for some time, but for everything the gossip blogs (*ahem*) picked up about the bad blood between Rahmeek and Onika, they’d post a nauseating PDA pic of them on IG to shut the haters down. You know, like this one:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNkomOzhOIa/
The thing about Meek Mill and Nicki’s relationship is that it didn’t ALWAYS seem like a bad idea. In the beginning, Meek and Nicki made sense, as Meek’s star in hip-hop still seemed to shine brightly. But then Meek started an unnecessary beef with Drake, Nicki’s Young Money littermate, and ended up getting completely ethered, roasted and toasted by everyone on the world wide web.
After THAT, Meek just seemed like a neutered dog and Nicki seemed like a babysitter, as Meek time and time again took L’s in public for temper tantrums that played out on social media in ways that continue to mar his brand and reputation.
To Nicki’s credit, her willingness to stick by Meek’s side through the rain, even when most women would’ve said, “This dude is trippin’ and he’s not taking me down with him on this ship.”
Meek Mill for his part, has done his usual thing of commenting and dropping petty hints on social media about his break-up with Nicki, then deleting them. The Shade Room, however, sees and hears all.
You already know he’s slidin’ back up in Nicki’s DMs as we speak.
Once again, congrats, Nicki, on dropping that deadweight! Hopefully this leads to great music and a revitalized focus on your craft, since you no longer have to make excuses or cover for a spoiled man-baby.
Four suspects have been charged with kidnapping and hate crimes in Chicago after torturing a special-needs teen for hours and broadcasting it during a Facebook Live session.
Jordan Hill (18), Tesfaye Cooper (18), Brittany Covington (18), and Tanisha Covington (24) have each been charged with felony kidnapping, unlawful restraint, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and a hate crime after taking an 18-year-old hostage, tying him up and torturing him.
In the video, the attackers can be seen kicking, punching, and beating the special needs teen, even taking a knife and cutting his scalp. They also took the knife to rip his sweatshirt.
The attackers can be heard saying “F*ck Donald Trump” and “F*ck white people,” even forcing the 18-year-old to repeat the statements.
One video shows them forcing the victim to drink from a toilet.
The Chicago Police Department says the victim was tortured for nearly 5 hours. While the viral Facebook broadcast (which has since been taken down by Facebook) only lasted 30-minutes, police say they have more videos.
Conservative conspiratorial website Infowars.com attempted to link the crime to the Black Lives Matter movement, which caused #BLMKidnapping to trend on Twitter. However, police have refuted this claim and also don’t believe the victim was targeted due to his race.
CPD actually believes the suspects targeted the teen because of his diminished mental capacity, which constitutes a hate crime under Chicago law.
BLM activist DeRay McKesson tweeted:
It goes without saying that the actions being branded by the far-right as the "BLM Kidnapping" have nothing to do w/ the movement.
The victim was able to escape his captors after someone in the neighboring apartment he was being held in complained about the noise and called the police. Police found him wandering on the street. He was treated for his injuries and will recover at his parents’ home.
David Boyd, the victim’s brother-in-law, released a statement on behalf the family:
“We’re so grateful for all the prayers and efforts that led to the safe return of our brother. We’re fully aware of the charges being brought against the offenders. At this time, we ask for continued prayers for all those involved, for our family’s privacy as we cope and heal.”
According to the victim’s parents, they last saw their son Saturday (Dec. 31) after dropping him off at a McDonald’s to meet their son’s eventual kidnapper/torturer Jordan Hill; the two were high school friends. The parents reported the 18-year-old missing Monday (Jan 2.) after not hearing from him for a few days.
CPD reports Hill picked the special needs teen up in a stolen van and held him captive for several days, even sleeping in the van, before taking him to the Covington sisters’ apartment. CPD says a “play fight” escalated that led to the torture.
President Barack Obama, a longtime Chicago native, called the video “despicable.”
“What we have seen as surfacing, I think, are a lot of problems that have been there a long time. Whether it’s tensions between police and communities, hate crimes of the despicable sort that has just now recently surfaced on Facebook. The good news is that the next generation that’s coming behind us … have smarter, better, more thoughtful attitudes about race.”
Facebook pulled the original video stating, “We do not allow people to celebrate or glorify crimes.” However, the site says copies of such content may be reposted in order for users to “condemn violence or raise awareness.”
Clips and/or the full 30-minute video of the Chicago teen torture can be found on Twitter and YouTube. However, such clips may only last a short period of time before being pulled as well.
