May 2014 – Alondo

Karma for the Russian Space Program?

Dispersions of national karma are usually slow, taking months or years for such coincidences to overlap. That is not the case in the instance where Russia, who announced a retaliatory ban of rocket engine sales to the US only two days earlier, had a rocket fall back to Earth shortly after launch. Unfortunately, Russian rocket malfunctions might be a growing trend.

Dr. Dre: From Compton to Forbes

465075-d0ea2a4a-e6b3-11e3-ba62-a129b4e220c3[1] Dr. Dre would eclipse the current richest hip-hop mogul, Sean Coombs, should a rumored deal of Apple buying Beats Electronics (Beats By Dre) for a reported $3.2B be true. There are numerous questions of why this move would make sense, but neither company takes such large decisions lightly, so it is probably not for us to know until the inevitable reveal.

Retooling Jet for an Interactive Generation

Following other publisher trends, Jet magazine has decided to exclusively move to web and digital delivery after more than 6 decades of providing news and insights to the African American community. Jet rose to stardom with its coverage of civil rights issues and maintained its position as one of America’s top black magazines. This shift recognizes that readers want more dynamic content.

Numbers That Make a Parent Cringe

Last week, a White House report outlined policies that colleges and universities should follow in response to the 49% rise in campus rape reports over 4 years. I applaud that this goes further than a USDOJ report issued in 2000, but more needs to be done. If even one woman is attacked in an institution of higher learning, we all need to be outraged.

Polio Resurgence in a Modern World

It has been decades since the word “polio” was in our common lexicon. However, here we are in 2014 watching this disease fight it’s way back from the brink of eradication. It’s rebirth in war-torn Syria, Pakistan, and Cameroon has prompted the WHO to take emergency action because it is spreading even further. I am hopeful poliolyelitis quickly meets its worldwide demise.

But I’m Somebody Important, Aren’t I?

At a collegiate championship cycling event, an elderly cyclist meandered across the race course, nearly colliding with an oncoming broom wagon. As he arrived on the opposite side, an officer asked him why he ignored the vehement shouts of impending doom by officials, the man responded that he was on the Mayor’s Bicycle Council. Really? He should heed their own advice.

Continued Media Negligence of African News?

Last year, when armed gunmen ran rampant through a mall after over a year of planning, I was dumbfounded at the lack of media coverage. The gut-wrenching stories slowly trickled into mainstream news. Is this pattern repeating itself with the armed abduction of over 200 school age girls over 2 weeks ago who are now being forced to marry their captors? For shame.