6685: Erotic And Obscene.

Saturday afternoon with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Despite all the drama surrounding the Craigslist Killer, the creator of Craigslist said there are no plans to remove the “erotic” section from the site. The alleged murderer reportedly met his victim through the listing service. “Sometimes a bad guy of some sort tries to pull a fast one on our site,” said the Craigslist creator. “We don’t want it there, it’s wrong, and that’s why we have the help of the general community and the law enforcement community getting rid of things like that.” Right, let’s count on citizens like Eliot Spitzer and Larry Craig to police the site.

• General Motors picked up more bailout money; plus the automaker plans to dump the Pontiac brand. U.S. taxpayers’ investment in GM now totals $15.4 billion. That exceeds the amount of money U.S. taxpayers have spent on GM cars by about, oh, $15.4 billion.

6684: Hotties At HotJobs.

This contextual ad actually kinda makes sense. Creative Directors are always seeking their next gig—and their next trophy girlfriend.

6683: Islam And Hip-Hop In Harlem.

From The New York Times…

In Harlem, Reaching Out to Muslims Through Hip-Hop

By Souad Mekhennet

There is nothing typical about Jorge Pabon. He may be a hip-hop D.J. and dancer from the mean streets of Spanish Harlem, but he keeps the lyrics clean and women dancers at arm’s length.

As a teenager he emerged on the scene as PopMaster Fabel. But today he prefers to be called Shukriy, “the thankful one” — the name he took 20 years ago when he converted to Islam.

Now he is part of an “Islam and Hip-Hop” movement in the United States that is reaching out to Muslim young people via the hip-hop beat.

At a recent “Islam and Hip-Hop” concert in Harlem, young men in wide trousers and women in head scarves made waves in the air, trying to simulate Shukriy’s robotic movements. They did not touch each other unless they were a married couple.

Shukriy, 43, has come under fire from conservative Muslims who accuse him of sinning by dancing on stage with women or acting as D.J. for a mixed audience. Some argue that even listening to music is a taboo in Islam.

He dismisses such critics as the “haram police,” using the Arabic word for sin or taboo.

“I think it is absurd that some of the ultra-orthodox Muslims don’t see the chance of using hip-hop to extend the religion,” he said. “Hip-hop is the voice of the youth.”

He added: “I think, if you don’t like to see these things, then don’t come to the show. Allah will judge me.”

Rami Nashashibi, executive director of the Intercity Muslim Action Network, a nonprofit community organization in Chicago, said hip-hop of the kind practiced by Shukriy was becoming a global phenomenon among young Muslims, despite the critics.

“Hip-hop has become a space where young Muslims can express themselves and not feel like an alien, but feel respected,” said Mr. Nashashibi, who has taught courses on hip-hop and Islam at the University of Chicago. People like Shukriy “are the reason Muslims have been so respected within hip-hop.”

He added: “He was part of the hip-hop movement from the beginning. He is a very proud Muslim and a proud Puerto Rican.”

Read the full story here.

6682: Lowering Profits, Prices And Expectations.

• Ford Motor Company posted 1Q losses at $1.4 billion, yet insisted it was better than expected and the company won’t need federal bailout money. This sounds like the NBA coach whose team loses by triple figures yet still compliments his players’ scrappiness.

• Chicago grocery chain Jewel-Osco announced plans to lower prices by up to 20 percent, hoping to lure cash-conscious customers and battle discounters like Walmart. This sounds like the chain admits it’s been overcharging customers by up to 20 percent for all these years.

• BET owner Viacom announced plans to launch a new channel—to be called Centric—targeting middle-aged Blacks. Viacom executives said Centric is designed to complement BET. Which means it will probably feature reruns of Girlfriends and old school music videos.

6681: C.H.A.N.G.E. Has Come To America.

From The Chicago Sun-Times…

C.H.A.N.G.E. is her key to economic survival
Money Smart Week | Teen wins $5,000 scholarship for economic survival tips

By Francine Knowles

Chicago has a new financial ambassador -- 13-year-old Jackson Beard, an eighth-grader at Whitney M. Young Magnet High School.

She was named the winner of the annual Money Smart Week essay contest for writing about current economic challenges and what families can do to meet them. Beard used the acronym C.H.A.N.G.E. to offer six suggestions, and her effort landed her a $5,000 scholarship from HSBC North America and the role of ambassador, responsible for making public appearances.

“As the Money Smart Kid, hopefully I can help promote financial literacy,” said Beard.

“I’m hoping that I can get kids interested in learning about financial matters and personal financial matters. I hope that at least one person decides to think about it as a result of me.”

The event was part of Money Smart Week activities held throughout the metropolitan area this week to help children and adults raise their financial IQs.

Beard said in her essay that American families “can weather these hard times” by cutting energy costs, among other things.

She said she tries to walk the talk.

“If I know I’m not going to be in a room, I turn off the lights,” she said. “I turn off the power switch. I run appliances at night. I do everything that my parents do. I’m very supportive of [energy conservation].”

On the small-business front, she said she’s a fan of books and shops at neighborhood bookstores instead of going to another area of Chicago. She also patronizes small boutiques and eats at mom-and-pop restaurants, she said.

“Prosperous business districts provide jobs and increase property values,” she wrote in her essay. They should be supported because they “are the backbone of the American economy; their survival is key to our economic recovery.”

In the midst of recession, Beard has cut back on personal spending.

“I’ve become way more conscious of what I actually need and what I just want,” she said. “Me and my friends, we sometimes go to Starbucks. I’d get the largest drinks. Now I just go for the smallest or the medium-sized ones. That’s just one example. I’ve cut back on a lot of things that I was buying.”

Beard said she has taken financial classes at Northwestern and participated in Money Smart Week events over the last few years to become more financially savvy. She said her parents have also taught her valuable financial lessons, including this one:

“When you’re thinking about finances, you have to think about your future self. You have to think of who you’re going to be in 10, 20, 30 years, and you have to base your decisions around that.”

HER WINNING ENTRY
During these difficult economic times, every family needs to C.H.A.N.G.E. in order to adapt to the current situation. If American families can C.H.A.N.G.E. in the following ways, we can weather these hard times:

C—Cutting energy costs is one of the simplest ways to save money. Families like mine can run appliances overnight when energy rates are lower. Programmable thermostats can reduce heating and cooling costs.

H—Help small businesses by supporting entrepreneurs in your community like my family does. Prosperous business districts provide jobs and increase property values. Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy; their survival is key to our economic recovery.

A—Analyzing daily expenses can allow families to take an honest look at how they spend their money and help distinguish needs from wants. If families spend wisely on what they need and save for what they want, Americans can manage money more effectively.

N—Negotiate! Car prices are not the only expenses that are negotiable. Families might be surprised to discover how willing some businesses are to bargain in order to make a sale or keep existing customers.

G—Go green and save money, too! My family uses compact fluorescent light bulbs and turns off appliances that are not in use. Switching from paper to cloth napkins cuts an expense. Walking instead of driving saves money.

E—Educate yourself! Take the time to learn about saving, credit and retirement planning. Go back to school and make yourself even more valuable in the marketplace. Attending crafts and home repair classes can help cut back on household expenses.

6680: The World According to Google—Part 6.

The World According To Google presents content discovered while searching for other things.

Today’s search word: Ageism.

6679: Shake, Rattle And Roll.

Shaking up the news in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• “There’s an app for that” no longer applies to baby shaking. The “Baby Shaker” iPhone app—which presented a loud, crying baby that could only be quieted by shaking the iPhone—was pulled by Apple after outraged parenting groups complained. Blog critics are weighing in too. The PC Guy is ROFLMAO somewhere.

• General Motors is laying off 20 percent of its marketing and communications staff. Can’t imagine the automaker’s advertising will suffer, as its campaigns are consistently lame and awful. Is there an app to shake up this company?

6678: Weird Chocolate News.

There’s a mini-controversy brewing at BNET over coverage of GlobalHue’s alleged mishandling of the Bermuda Tourism account. GlobalHue apparently took offense to BNET editor Jim Edwards calling the agency’s media expenditures “weird.” Actually, the real weirdness involves the contextual ad depicted above. A story spotlighting a Black (or multicultural) agency and the predominately Black islands is posted alongside a banner for chocolates—for Valentine’s Day! Now that’s weird.

6677: Chocolate Stimulates Economy…?

Sweet and sour news in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Hershey’s reported 1Q earnings rose 20 percent, spurred by Easter chocolates sales. It’s always nice to profit from the commercialization of a spiritual holiday.

• UPS reported 1Q profits dropped 55 percent. Looks like Brown can’t get in the Black. The company should have introduced Easter boxes.

• Jobless claims rose to 640,000. Is it too early to get people started on making chocolate Easter bunnies for 2010?

6676: Head Of The Unemployed Class.

From The Chicago Sun-Times, figures show unemployment for Black college students is disproportionately higher than other groups. Gee, you mean all those diversity job fairs and Madison Avenue youth outreach programs aren’t working?

Unemployment for black college graduates at 7.2 percent, nearly twice as high as whites

By Francine Knowles

Unemployment among African-American college graduates is 7.2 percent, nearly twice as high as their white counterparts and significantly higher than among Hispanics and Asians with four-year degrees.

That’s according to U.S. Labor Department data compiled by the Economic Policy Institute that also showed the jobless rate among Hispanic and Asian college graduates also exceeds that of whites. The rate for Hispanic graduates was 5 percent. It was the same for Asian Americans. For whites it was 3.8 percent.

Several factors could account for the disparity, said Algernon Austin, director of the institute’s program on race, ethnicity and the economy.

“The black population is somewhat younger,” he said. “The situation of the last hired, first fired dynamic could be at play.”

The concentration of blacks in regions and cities with higher unemployment rates is also likely a factor, along with discrimination, he added.

Even in good economic times, “there are disparities among college grads by race at all educational levels,” he said. “The disparities are even greater among individuals who just have a high school diploma or equivalency and even greater among high school dropouts. It looks pretty clear that there’s discrimination in the labor market.”

6675: Profiling Black Drivers. In NASCAR.

From The New York Daily News…

NASCAR teams up with BET for new ‘Changing Lanes’ show

By Richard Huff, Daily News TV Editor

Black Entertainment Television, a network keyed to African-Americans, will air a show next season with NASCAR, a sport that has tried for years to improve diversity within its ranks.

“Changing Lanes,” a docu-reality series expected to launch in 2010, will spotlight drivers in NASCAR’s “Drive for Diversity” program.

“I wanted to see more opportunities created in NASCAR for people of color, especially on the competition side,” said Max Siegel, a former record executive turned stock car insider.

Siegel, who had been president of Dale Earnhardt, Inc., took the idea to Jay Abraham, who runs NASCAR Media, the sport’s production arm, and together they shopped it to networks. BET will announce the show today as part of its new programming presentation.

“We’re going immediately into creative meetings,” Siegel said. “We’ll come up with a pretty quick production schedule.”

BET has bought 10 episodes of the hour-long show.

NASCAR has a number of on-and-off-track diversity programs, including the “Drive for Diversity,” which backs female and minority drivers in feeder series for the sport’s top level. Some of those drivers will participate in the reality show, said Siegel.

“Every week, there’s a lot of competition, on-track performance, a lot of back story, and getting to know the participants,” Siegel said. “We want the audience to get to know what it takes to participate at this level.”

“Changing Lanes” is far from the first reality series to delve into the sport, however.

FX aired “NASCAR Drivers 360,” a show that followed drivers on and off the track. ABC tried a celebrity series pairing stars with drivers in a race competition. And TLC aired “NASCAR Wives.”

None, however, has focused exclusively on drivers who are women or of color.

“We want to tell a true story that is racing authentic,” he said.

Few of these sports-related reality shows have become mainstream hits, however.

“For people who don’t know racing,” Siegel said, “it has drama built into it. There’s a lot of speed. There’s a lot of complexity in racing. Those are the key touch points to make an entertainment product successful.”

Does that mean villains and heroes? Well, not exactly.

“I don’t know that you necessarily need any villains,” he said. “What people need are good story lines. Look at [”Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”]. We want to do things that, obviously, cast NASCAR in the exciting and fun light that it is. We won’t script it in a way where we’re creating villains and rivalries.”

Siegel said NASCAR officials have gone a long way in diversifying the sport, noting that there’s been an impact off the track, but he acknowledged that until there’s a top female driver or one of color, NASCAR will continue to be criticized.

“I do think fans will catch on when we do have a star that people can connect with,” Siegel said, hoping to have a hand in that with “Changing Lanes.” “It will have an impact.”

6674: McLipstick On A Pig.

Mickey D’s brags about the authentic sausage served to customers. So why doesn’t the bag depict a real pig?

6673: Earth (Wind & Fire) Day.

On Earth Day, Let’s Groove in a Boogie Wonderland until September.

6672: Stereotypical Characters Welcome.

USA Network continues to run the Character Project, an “ongoing artistic initiative committed to celebrating America’s characters—the interesting, dazzling, and distinctive people, from all walks of life, who make this country extraordinary.”

OK, but did you have to depict the Black woman in the upper right corner singing and dancing? And the Latino dude in the center is wearing a sombrero?!!

6671: Show Me The Monsoon, Rainmaker.

This actual job listing is funny. An advertising agency is seeking a New Business Development specialist with “a knowledge of the ad-agency business.” Plus, the candidate must “present competently; and close.” Oh, and you won’t get paid unless you deliver, as it’s a commission-only position. Click on the agency website link below and decide if it’s even possible to sell this place to potential clients.

New Business Specialist

Description:
The Russell Agency is looking for a New Business Development specialist. The position requires strong and proven sales experience, a knowledge of the ad-agency business, a desire to help clients solve their marketing challenges, and the drive to succeed.

Basically, we need the right person who can speak knowledgeably about advertising; effectively position the agency with prospects; set appointments; present competently; and close.

Compensation is commission-only and income potential is limited only by your ability and your determination. This person will play an integral part in helping move the agency to the next level.

View our website:
www.russell-agency.com

6670: Oprah’s Burger List.

A photo of Mickey D’s new Angus Third Pounder appears alongside Dr. Oz and Oprah’s secrets for looking slimmer. Um, guess the secret’s out…?

6669: Taking Race To The Supreme Court.

From USA TODAY…

The Supreme Court tackles race

By Joan Biskupic, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — In his first major speech as attorney general, Eric Holder tried to spur a conversation on race by bluntly describing America as “essentially a nation of cowards” and saying people “simply do not talk enough with each other about race.”

Two months later, the issue of race is squarely before the Supreme Court, which begins hearing this week four cases that could dramatically alter the landscape of civil rights law. The cases also could provide a revealing look at how the administration of the nation’s first African-American president will address racial matters before the Supreme Court, led by conservative Chief Justice John Roberts.

The disputes come to the high court just months after the election of Barack Obama as president and the confirmation of Holder as the nation’s first black attorney general. They also arise at a time when a majority of the nine justices have signaled they want to end government policies that favor racial minorities to remedy past bias or enhance diversity.

The cases encompass fundamental issues — voting rights, employment, housing and education — and will test the court’s stance on civil rights more comprehensively than at any time in the past decade. Their outcomes will determine, for example, the Justice Department’s authority to screen state election policies that might hurt minority candidates.

The justices also will examine the validity of tests that don’t seem to discriminate against minorities, including written exams or strength requirements, but that end up disproportionately disqualifying minorities from jobs or promotions.

During the presidential campaign, Obama did not make race a central theme but was willing to confront the divisive topic, as he did in a March 2008 speech in Philadelphia after racially incendiary comments from his former pastor threatened to derail the campaign.

The new president is partly a reflection of the legacy of voting rights laws that help to ensure participation by minorities in the electoral process. And yet, his victory is fueling arguments before the Supreme Court that some voting rights protections aren’t necessary anymore.

His “historic election … stands as a remarkable testament to the tremendous progress this country has made in terms of racial equality and voting,” says the conservative Pacific Legal Foundation.

The foundation has signed one of six “friend of the court” briefs siding with a Texas utility district’s challenge to Congress’ 2006 renewal of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The landmark law sought to end discrimination at the polls, in part by giving the U.S. Justice Department the power to oversee election laws in parts of the country with a history of bias.

Civil rights advocates, among the groups signing 18 such briefs on the other side, are battling any potential decrease in enforcement of federal civil rights laws, from those that protect voting rights to those that shield minorities from even indirect discrimination in the workplace.

“We still have a lot of work to do,” says John Payton, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, arguing the 2008 election that vaulted Obama to the presidency also included situations in which some black voters faced intimidation at the polls.

Read the full story here.

6668: Fair Housing Ads Fairly Awful…?

From The Chicago Tribune…

Group pitches diversity as the new patriotism

By Kathleen Parker

WASHINGTON — Racial and ethnic diversity is the key to happiness, success in the global marketplace and, not least, an interesting life.

So we are told in a batch of new “fair housing” radio ads that are the sort of treacly propaganda that causes sober drivers to run off the road.

The ads were produced by the National Fair Housing Alliance, a private, non-profit group whose stated purpose is to make sure the Fair Housing Act is properly implemented. The act bans housing discrimination and imposes stiff penalties for those who get caught.

Lately, the fine intent of eliminating discrimination seems to have morphed into diversity advocacy.

Before I proceed, let me say that I prefer a world in which not everyone is the same. I like that my neighbors include a gay couple and a single mother, and that several languages are spoken on my street.

But happy diversity is an organic process that results when like-minded citizens congregate around shared values and interests. Often those interests and values have evolved from racial and ethnic identities, but not necessarily. Sometimes neighbors of diverse backgrounds share affection for old houses, or window boxes or pet-friendliness.

That not all people have access to all the same housing opportunities is called life in a free-market society. But the fair housing folks want life to be more fair and the ads are warming us up for some really fun social engineering.

The wormiest of three ads posted online features a mother and daughter just home from visiting mom’s workplace. Daughter is breathless with wonder at how diverse Mom’s workplace is, but wants to know why everyone in their neighborhood “looks just like us?” Dum-de-dum-dum.

A cheerful, third-party voice explains that “diversity shouldn’t be left behind at work each day. In our neighborhoods, we can create a greater appreciation and respect for cultural differences and prepare our children for the global life that lies ahead. After all, your family doesn’t live in a 9-to-5 world. Why should diversity?”

Another ad called “Parallel Lives” features a boring white guy and an exciting Latino. White Guy is dull because “my neighborhood always stayed the same.” Latino is vivacious and engaging because his diverse neighborhood “always got more interesting!”

In a flourish of diversity solidarity, dull White Guy and fascinating Latino say in unison: “I want my kids to live a richer life.”

Doesn’t everyone? But is diversity the key to prosperity and happiness? Or, is diversity what naturally occurs when people from different backgrounds are drawn to a nation where prosperity can be earned and the pursuit of happiness is a founding principle?

In fact, Harvard political scientist Robert Putnam found that diversity actually hampers civic engagement: The greater the diversity, the less people engaged in charity and community projects. In the most diverse communities, people trust each other half as much as they do in the most homogenous settings.

Putnam, a pro-diversity fellow, didn’t particularly like his findings and has insisted that the data suggest challenges rather than excuses to avoid diversification. Hear, hear. But wouldn’t those challenges best be met by individuals discovering the rewards of diversity rather than by receiving the superior wisdom of bureaucrats through chirpy public service messaging?

No one’s suggesting that the government or the alliance intends to direct where people live, but coercion usually nips the heels of propaganda. More than a hint of inorganic engineering seeps between the lines of a December 2008 report by the National Commission on Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.

Based on hearings across the country, the commission found high levels of residential segregation, which “result in significant disparities between minority and non-minority households, in access to good jobs, quality education, homeownership attainment and asset accumulation.”

And what is the solution to such disparities?

Commissioners have recommended creation of an independent enforcement agency to “advance fair housing, not just to avoid discriminating.” (Emphasis mine.) They also want to “break down residential segregation and provide households isolated in segregated areas the opportunity to find integrative alternatives.”

What exactly this means isn’t clear, but it doesn’t sound like a prescription for self-determination or free markets. And “Love Thy Neighbor” is beginning to sound like an “or else” proposition—not so much an expression of Christian charity, but a patriotic duty.

Washington Post Writers Group

6667: Burgers, Boogers And Bombing Business.

Wondering aloud with a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• Mickey D’s is unveiling its Angus Third Pounder sandwich, which will retail for $4. The executive vice president of a Chicago-based restaurant research firm said, “They delayed introducing it because of the economic environment, but they’re recognizing that all of the chains have a high-quality burger.” Is that an admission that Mickey D’s didn’t previously have a high-quality burger?

• Domino’s is introducing new products. And no, the items do not contain boogers. Right?

• General Motors proceeded to dump 1,600 workers on Monday, moving closer to its goal of shedding 3,400 salaried employees. GM North America President Troy Clarke said, “In these unprecedented times, GM is reinventing every aspect of our business, including our organizational size and structure, to create a lean and agile company.” Is that an admission to having been fat and clumsy?

6666: The World According to Google—Part 5.

The World According To Google presents content discovered while searching for other things. And to commemorate the Diversity In Advertising Career Day—taking place on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 in New York City—MultiCultClassics offers a special exhibition.

Today’s search words: Diversity Job Fair.