61% of houses in Jeff Sessions state receives assistance from SNAP…and Soledad calls the Republican Senator out for wanting to cut back on funding!

According to the interview, he says the figures ‘aren’t accurate’, and Soledad asks ‘why are you trying to balance the budget on people who make less than $23k a year?!?!’

Soledad O’Brien grilled Sen. Jeff Sessions over his efforts to cut the federal food stamps program on Tuesday’s “Starting Point.”

Earlier this year, Sessions proposed removing $11 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. He advocated cuts on Tuesday, arguing that food stamp spending has gone up even though unemployment is currently on the decline.

O’Brien seemed skeptical. “There are people who’d say if you’re doing cuts, you invariably hurt people who need food and people who need food stamps to buy supplemental food,” she said.

Sessions argued that the program has been “growing out of control” and “there are a lot of people receiving benefits who do not qualify and should not receive them.” O’Brien said that Sessions himself voted to expand the program in 2002 and 2008, and cited research that found the program has a low rate of fraud.

Later, she said, “When you’re thinking of things to cut, people basically say, why are you trying to balance the budget on people making less than $23,000 a year… So why not cut something else? There are other things that could be on the table before you pick a program that is feeding the nation’s poor children.”

Sessions said that he was not picking on solely the food stamp program. “I say all programs need to be examined in this government,” he responded. “This government is wasting money every day.”

SMH…when will these old azz white men stop slashing monies for those in need??

Images via youtube/tumblr

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People are saying these two have fallen off since they started going the “lighter” route.

Turn the pages to see the transformation and to ask yourself… “what happened to the Collins Twins”

Click Here To Vote On the Bossip Awards…. Bossip.com/awards

So sad…

Teenage Girl Commits Suicide Because Of Online Bullies

Jessica Laney, 16, of Hudson, Florida, was a popular soccer-playing high schooler in her real-life, but when she got home to the privacy of her computer she had a busy social media alter-ego on sites such as Tumblr, and Ask.fm, where people can ask questions and make anonymous comments…

Via RadarOnline reports:

The student at Fivay High School bantered with other users on the site under the name Jessica Marieee1, and while many posts were about boys, songs and make-up, some took on a much more sinister tone, calling her fat and a loser.

One visitor asked her, “Can you kill yourself already?” and another commented “nobody even cares about you.”

While many of her real friends believe that the taunts from Internet trolls are to blame for Jessica’s death by hanging, an official from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office says neither Laney’s parents nor Laney’s boyfriend were aware of any bullying in her life.

“Our thoughts and prayers go to the Jessica Marie Laney’s family as they deal with their loss. (Pasco County Sheriff’s Office) is not aware of any formal complaint to the Pasco School District or PSO about her being bullied,” said Doug Tobin, Public Information Officer for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

However, some telling online comments from Jessica herself on Ask.fm hint at deep rifts in her home-life and trouble with her family. “I miss so many people, but honestly I miss my brother, not the person he is now, but the one he use to be,” she wrote two days before her death. “I know he doesn’t miss me, but it still hurts to know he will never come back and more than likely never talk to me again.”

Many of Jessica’s friends are now campaigning to have the controversial website taken down and have launched a petition on Change.org, that has already garnered thousands of signatures.

“After I saw that, I thought they should just delete the website. Nobody should have that, to have people say stuff like that on there,” said school pal Laney Torres.

The old adage “sticks and stones will break bones, but words will never hurt” is so far from the truth. Parents need to be into their kids business, all of it. Our deepest sympathies to this young girl’s family.

Damn we luv da skrippers! This is the first part of a 3 part web series about Magic City — probably THEE most legendary gentlemen’s club in Atlanta.

Shout out to the homie Director Artemus Jenkins!

Kelly Rowland, Kim Kardashian, Beyonce And More Spotted Out And About

It might be getting cold outside, but the Hollyweird bangers are still out and about steaming up red carpets and camera lenses across the globe.

Kimmy Cakes and her sister Kourtney hit the strip in Miami for some shopping before visiting their DASH store, while Kelly Rowland kept it casual on the streets of NYC.

Meanwhile, Pussycat Doll turned X-Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger was seen on the scene in the UK with her boo thang Lewis Hamilton in all black everything, while Beyonce opted for a more colorful look as she was spotted strolling out of Solange’s concert in NYC.

Hit the flip for more of all the ladies showing off their bangin’ bawwdies and fashionista footwork, and then tell us, who looked more bangin?

Talk that talk Jimmy!

Jimmy Carter Says The Mary Jane Should Be Legalized Because The Laws

Via Huffington Post

Former President Jimmy Carter gave a full-throated endorsement of state efforts to legalize marijuana during an appearance at a CNN forum aired on Tuesday.

Carter, who as president supported an era of marijuana decriminalization in the mid-1970s, told CNN’s Suzanne Malveaux that he was “in favor” of states that were taking steps to legalize the drug.

“I think it’s OK,” Carter said. “I don’t think it’s going to happen in Georgia yet, but I think we can watch and see what happens in the state of Washington for instance, around Seattle, and let the American government and let the American people see does it cause a serious problem or not.”

The ex-POTUS goes on to say:

Speaking about the issues of an anti-drug system focused on enforcement, Carter suggested that large incarceration rates, especially among minorities, were being perpetuated by harsh punishments for marijuana possession.

“It’s a major step backward, and it ought to be reversed, not only in America, but around the world,” Carter argued, later going on to say that nations such as Portugal, which decriminalized all drugs in 2000, could be a model for the United States to look toward in the future.

Jimmy has a point, there are a LOT of brothas (AND sistas) in jail for what most would consider “minor” Mary Jane offenses.

Image via Carter Center

What kinda hater plots to de-schlong Justin Bieber?

Via TMZ reports:

A convicted killer locked up in New Mexico plotted to have Justin Bieber murdered and castrated … but for some mysterious reason, he threw a wrench into his own plans — this according to a local news report in New Mexico.

According to KRQE News, convicted murderer Dana Martin — currently serving two life sentences for raping and killing a 15-year-old girl in Vermont in 2000 — recruited a fellow inmate at Las Cruces prison named Mark Staake to carry out the murder once Staake was released.

It’s unclear when the plot was originally hatched, but Staake and his nephew Tanner Ruane — whom Staake had later recruited to help — reportedly planned to execute the murder plan in NYC last month, where Bieber was performing at MSG.

Martin reportedly told police the plan was to kidnap Bieber and his bodyguard and strangle them with paisley ties, Martin’s calling card. Ruane was then going to castrate them.

According to KRQE, Martin is obsessed with Bieber and even has a tattoo of Bieber on his leg.

But for some reason Martin blew the whistle on his accomplices — and Staake was arrested in Vermont on outstanding warrants before carrying out the deed.

Ruane made it to NY with a stash of tools — including pruning shears — but according to the report police intercepted him before anything happened, and placed him under arrest.

Well we — and Selena Gomez — are so relieved this plot was foiled. Homeboy would be singing nothing but high notes for the rest of his career. Although we guess if the plot were successful he’d be dead so that doesn’t make much sense.

Really??

According to Bloomberg, Governor Christie got put on blast when Barbara Walters interviewed him for her “10 Most Fascinating People” special that airs today.

The 50-year-old Republican, who plans to seek a second term as governor next year and hasn’t ruled out a 2016 White House bid, said he was “more than a little” overweight when Walters asked him about his size.

Walters tells Christie that concerns about his health are the reason people raise questions about his weight. The governor said he was perplexed by those who say that his size should disqualify him from the White House.

“That’s ridiculous,” Christie said. “I don’t know what the basis for that is.”

Christie has said his struggle with weight began 30 years ago when he stopped playing organized school sports. He told Oprah Winfrey in January that he was working with a dietitian and exercising more regularly.

The governor has shown a willingness to joke at his own expense, last month kiddingly refusing to answer questions about the bankruptcy of Hostess Brands, maker of Twinkies snack cakes.

During the Walters interview, Christie highlighted his recent response to superstorm Sandy as proof that his size doesn’t slow him down.

“I’ve done this job pretty well and I think people have watched me for the last number of weeks and Hurricane Sandy doing 18-hour days and getting right back up the next day and still being just as effective,” he said in a clip of the interview. “So I really don’t think that would be a problem.”

Do you think the Governor’s weight means he has a lack of control???

Images via Bloomberg/WENN

Jay-Z made this man’s day…

Artist Hebru Brantley was just doin’ his thing this past Sunday when he got the sale that will probably change his career forever:

According to sources,

For many artists, Art Basel Miami is an incomparable opportunity to have their work seen by the eyes of wealthy collectors, top gallery owners, curators from around the world…and Jay-Z. For 31-year old Chicago artist Hebru Brantley, brought to Basel as a finalist in the BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Artisan Series, it wasn’t until the last day of the preeminent art fair that his work was discovered by the most distinguished of this pool of viewers, Mr. Shawn Carter himself.

Brantley’s piece “Everyone’s Scared,” which earned him a final spot in the annual Art Basel exhibit presented by Bombay Sapphire and Russell Simmons’ Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, sold to Jay for $20K on Sunday night.

When LeBron James’ manager Maverick Carter caught sight of the piece on Sunday, December 9th, he immediately knew it was the newest addition to the Shawn Carter Collection that the hip hop king had hoped to find in Miami this year. After being sent a digital image of the artwork, Jay-Z named his price and requested that Brantley deliver “Everyone’s Scared” directly to his hotel room later that evening.

Good work man.

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Mimi won’t be outdone! And why the hell is Nicki’s lace front always so cotdayum low??

It’s been a Diva showdown at Idol auditions lately and we’re wondering if you’re feelin’ Nicki’s getup or Mariah’s red carpet dress more?

Can you even decide with these two?

Images via WENN

This may sound like great news…but don’t be fooled by Ben Bernanke’s azz dressed in sheep’s’ clothing.

According to The Huffington Post, the hold on rates may help stimulate the economy, but it’s going to hurt millions who are retired and others who live off of savings.

The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that it plans to keep interest rates ultra-low even after unemployment falls close to a normal level – which it thinks could take three more years.

For the first time, the Fed made clear to investors and consumers that it will link its actions to specific economic markers. As long as inflation remains tame, the central bank said it could keep key short-term rates near zero, even after unemployment returns to a more typical rate.

Previously, the Fed said it expected to keep interest rates at record lows at least through mid-2015. Now it expects rates to stay low at least until unemployment drops below 6.5 percent – a threshold the bank believes may not be crossed until the end of 2015.

Analysts said the Fed’s new guidance will make it easier for companies, investors and consumers to make financial decisions because they will have a clearer grasp of when borrowing costs will begin to rise.

“This approach is superior” to setting a timetable for a possible rate increase, Chairman Ben Bernanke said at a news conference after the Fed held a two-day policy meeting and issued a statement. “It is more transparent and will allow the markets to respond quickly and promptly to changes” in the Fed’s economic outlook.

Though the Fed’s low interest-rate policies are intended to boost borrowing, spending and stock prices, they also hurt millions of retirees and others who depend on income from savings.

Bernanke made clear that even after unemployment falls below 6.5 percent, the Fed might decide that it needs to keep stimulating the economy. Other economic factors will also shape its policy decisions, he said.

Economists regard a normal unemployment rate as 6 percent or less.

“The Fed has become more explicit and more transparent,” said Steven Wood, chief economist at Insight Economics. “This should provide the markets with much more clarity around monetary policy action in the upcoming year.”

Still, Bernanke warned that none of the Fed’s actions could outweigh the economic pain that would be caused by sharp tax increases and government spending cuts that are set to kick in next month. The standoff between President Barack Obama and Republican lawmakers over how to resolve the “fiscal cliff” is already hurting the economy, in part by reducing consumer and business confidence, he said.

We’re not surprised that some people are blaming Barack on this one…even though he doesn’t control the Federal Reserve.

While Bernanke holds rates so low, older working folks aren’t earning any interest on their 401k’s and, IF the unemployment rate ever drops below 6.5%, that 3% interest everyone’s been enjoying in the housing market is going to jump up to ‘normal’ again and then what??

Another real estate collapse?

Watch out folks!

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These freakazoid junkies have the same Mom…and when cops rolled up on them parked and getting high, they got popped for incest too.

According to The Daily Mail, the half siblings had their baby in a broke down car; the one-year-old was only wearing a t-shirt and a diaper even though it was 38 degrees outside:

A half brother and sister in an incestuous relationship were arrested on Friday after police found them smoking meth in a car with their one-year-old baby.

Danielle Lacey, 22, and Brandon Lesli, 35, from Lake Stevens, Seattle were charged with endangerment with a controlled substance, criminal mistreatment and incest. They share the same mother.

Police were called after witnesses spotted Lacey and Leslie sitting in the car with the baby and the windows rolled up. They told a local resident who they knew they were smoking meth.

Daniel Price told Fox13: ‘They said they were out of gas and asked if they could borrow $10. I knew something was going on so I went inside and they told me they were smoking meth with the baby in the car.

‘If they want to go out and do that themselves, hopefully they don’t hurt anyone, but when you have a one-year-old involved that’s a lot different.’

When police arrived, Lacey was holding the baby in the front passenger seat. It was 38 degrees and the baby was only wearing a t-shirt and diaper. There was no blanket to keep him warm.

Because the car was out of gas, the heater was not on.

The police report said Lacey appeared to be high on methamphetamine because she exhibited sudden, jerky movements and the inability to concentrate.

When she was interviewed by police, the 22-year-old admitted she had smoked meth with her baby present several times before and also with her other children, aged five and six.

She said she has been using the drug on and off for the last six years.

The baby has been handed over to Child Protective Services, and Lacey’s other children are in the care of her father.

CPS said they had been in contact with Lacey once before but would not give any details.

The couple are being held in Snohomish County Jail on $150,000 bail.

According to Fox13, both Lacey and Leslie have criminal records which include assault, theft and possession of a controlled substance.

Those poor kids…SMH.

Images via facebook/tumblr

What the hell was he thinking???

This story has us wondering when public officials will learn their lesson about spittin’ racially charged comments online and in the media??

According to The Huffington Post, John Sims publicly apologized after other lawmakers and residents complained:

“To those of you who were genuinely offended, I offer my deepest apology,” said Sims at Tuesday’s workshop meeting. “Rest assured that I will continue to serve our city well and continue to work equally for all people in Cooper City regardless of religion, ethnicity or social status.”

The comment Sims posted Nov. 30 read: “Just wanted to let you know … today I received my 2013 Social Security Stimulus Package. It contained two tomato seeds, cornbread mix, two discount coupons to KFC, an ‘Obama Hope & Change’ bumper sticker, a prayer rug, a machine to blow smoke up my ass and a ‘Blame it on Bush’ poster for the front yard. The directions were in Spanish. Yours should arrive soon.”

Newly elected Mayor Greg Ross made a last-minute decision to add the item to the city’s workshop meeting after he received an outpouring of email from outraged residents.

“The residents’ phone calls asked me to please ask him to resign or to fire him,” said Ross. “I don’t have the right to do that. It’s the citizens who vote him in and the citizens’ right to vote him out.”

Ross added that Sims would benefit from “sensitivity training.”

Resident Gabriel De Gedeon shared with the commission his family’s distaste with Sims’ comment.

“Those comments are 100 percent bitter and ignorant,” he said. “I’m shocked that those offensive comments were written by a Cooper City commissioner.”

Sims said he did not come up with the post on his own; rather, he reposted it from another site.

“The post was done as a humorous commentary,” he said. “I deeply regret that I failed to consider that some might find it offensive.”

Resident Jimmy Jones, who is the Hollywood assistant police chief, originally brought the comment to the city’s attention and requested Sims’ resignation last week. Jones said he was open to an apology from the commissioner Tuesday night.

“As a resident in this community since 1999, I want my community served by people who care about everybody in the community,” said Jones, who is white.

Another resident, Christine Timmons, defended Sims, saying he should not be humiliated for exercising his right to free speech.

“Every time a white person opens his mouth, people say, ‘Oh, he’s a racist,’” said Timmons, who is black. “He can say what he wants to say. He’s got a right to free speech like anyone else.”

The mayor and commissioners said they do not condone Sims’ comment and apologized to the city’s residents.

“The comment was vile, offensive — it reminds me of a Neanderthal comment because it’s very backward. It was not in good taste,” said Commissioner Lisa Mallozzi. “But I accept his apology and we’re going to move forward.”

This story’s got people talkin’ about the double-standard like this guy wasn’t out of line?!?!

Images via facebook

Art wasn’t the only thing folks were celebrating in Miami during Art Basel weekend.

Jay-Z hosted his official D’USSÉ Cognac launch party at LIV Nightclub on South Beach. In case you didn’t know, D’USSÉ is Jay-Z’s joint venture with spirits giant Bacardi, and the party brought out some of his famous fans.

Beyoncé tagged along and a host of their other friends, including Fabolous, Flo Rida, The Dream, Kelly Rowland, Paris Hilton, Young Chris, DJ Clue, Stevie J, Don P, Teyana Taylor, Memphis Bleek, Floyd Mayweather, Pusha T, and Claudia Jordan, were all in attendance for the launch.

Check out the vid produced just for the event and let us know what ya think!

Do you hate or love Camel promoting liquor to the masses??

Images via vimeo/tumblr

What the hell was this fool on??

According to WPXI, this dad of the year found a creative way of breaking in and copped all of his kids gifts!?!?!

A Uniontown man is facing burglary charges after police said he broke into his children’s home and stole several things, including Christmas presents.

Police said Amanda Miller came home about 5 p.m. Friday and saw Myron Rose, 33, running from her Cinder Road home carrying a large bag.

Channel 11’s Courtney Brennan reported Miller was able to identify Rose because he is her ex-boyfriend and the father of two of her three children.

Miller alerted police and officers arrested Rose a few days later. Inside the bag detectives said they found electronics, jewelry and several Christmas presents.

“We’ll never get that stuff back,” the children’s great-grandmother said about the Christmas gifts.

Police told Brennan that Rose broke into the mobile home by climbing underneath and digging a hole through the floor.

“What kind of person would make a hole in the floor and break in a house to steal his own kids’ Christmas presents?” the great-grandmother said.

Rose is facing burglary, criminal trespassing, theft by unlawful taking and criminal mischief charges. He remains in jail on $50,000 bond.

“When the guys down at the prison find out what he did, they don’t take kindly to people who steal from kids,” the great-grandmother said.

Drugs will make people do some crazy things.

Images via shutterstock

We don’t blame the man.

And according to celebuzz, L.A. says he has a real job to get back to:

Just as Simon Cowell has rebuilt FOX’s The X Factor from the ground up for Season 2, one of his original judges is leaving.

“I have decided that I will not return to The X Factor next year,” L.A. Reid told Access Hollywood. “I have to go back and I have a company to run that I’ve kind of neglected and it saddens me a little bit, but only a little bit.”

Reid is currently the chairman and CEO of Epic Records. The record executive and music producer is responsible for finding many of today’s most successful stars including Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Rihanna and Pink.

Reid says that he’s leaving solely for business reasons and that he’s still on very good terms with the show and fellow judge and executive producer, Cowell.

“I love Simon,” he said. “We have a great relationship, we have fun together, we talk, we laugh, we do bad things, we’re friends. I owe so much to Simon. I really have a lot [of] respect for him and I always will. I support him, I support the show and I’ll always be in business with him.”

Cowell chose to keep Reid on after Season 1, but fired judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger along with host Steve Jones. This season, Britney Spears and Demi Lovato filled the empty judging spots while Mario Lopez and Khloe Kardashian Odom were hired to co-host the FOX talent competition.

Did you even watch X-Factor??

Images via tumblr

They went cray after Barack’s win and their bitter behavior cost them their college education.

According to The Huffington Post, they shouted some racist isht and shot off fireworks, but it wasn’t in celebration:

One student has been expelled and three others are being punished for their roles in a racially charged uproar on a Virginia college campus the night of President Barack Obama’s re-election, the school said Thursday.

They were among approximately 40 students who gathered outside the Minority Student Union at Hampden-Sydney College on the night of Nov. 6 within minutes after Obama won a second term. Some shouted racial slurs, tossed bottles, set off fireworks and threatened physical violence. No one was injured inside the house, and some left the building to peacefully confront the crowd, as did other students.

The four were found guilty by a student court of violating the college’s student code of conduct, the school said in a statement released to The Associated Press. Hampden-Sydney spokesman Thomas H. Shomo said the students are not being identified, and that college administrators never comment on student court verdicts.

Chris Howard, the all-male school’s first African-American president, condemned the students’ actions as a “harmful, senseless episode” in an email to parents after the incident. “There is no place for bigotry or racism on this campus,” he wrote.

The expelled student was found guilty of disruptive and lewd behavior and harassment. The other three were found guilty of violating the code of student conduct. They included lewd behavior, hazardous acts and fireworks violations. The college did not elaborate on the charges.

Each was put on probation and ordered to do community service ranging from 25 to 100 hours.

The racially tinged uproar after Obama’s re-election was among two on U.S. campuses. A protest at the University of Mississippi in Oxford involved about 400 people, some of whom shouted racial slurs. Two people were arrested.

The night after the Hampden-Sydney problems, nearly 300 members of the campus community gathered to discuss what had happened. Many spoke out against the actions of the students outside the union, Howard said.

“There were a lot more at that town hall meeting denouncing what happened than the knuckleheads who were misbehaving terribly that night,” Howard said in an interview then.

Hampden-Sydney, located about 60 miles southwest of Richmond, has a black enrollment approaching 9 percent of its 1,080 students. The private, tradition-bound school was founded in 1775 and is one of only three all-male colleges in the U.S.

The campus is known for its decorum and honor code. Visitors are greeted by passers-by, backpacks are left lying around without fear of theft and students dress in coat and tie for football games.

Students are expected to hew two standards of honorable behavior:

“The Hampden-Sydney student will behave as a gentleman at all times and in all places.”

“The Hampden-Sydney student will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do.”

Its former students have included a president, William Henry Harrison, and comedian Stephen Colbert.

It’s these types of stories that make us wonder why folks act like racism still isn’t running rampant in the good ‘ole south!?!?

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“Break a fools back for that there Chop”- friends dad back in the day.

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