Good Morning! Keep that umbrella handy today. There’s a chance of more thunderstorms. The weatherman says it will be partly to mostly cloudy with a high of 87°.

Did you know your belly button could be home to hundreds of different strains of bacteria? Microbiologists from North Carolina State University at Raleigh collected 95 belly button swabs as part of a biodiversity study. They found 1400 different strains of bacteria, 662 of which may be entirely new species not yet described by science. But the scientists say there is no need for alarm. Most of the bacteria is harmless and does not cause infection.

Here’s what else is brewing in the news:

Poster children for black women with issues

In an open letter to CNN, Shaunie O’Neal addresses concerns that her show VH1 reality-TV series “Basketball Wives” perpetuates a negative stereotype of black women.

In the letter, O’Neal writes:

“I certainly understand the opinion that the shows portrayal of black women is beginning to look somewhat negative… but when you put a group of strong, independent and vocal women who are going through or just came out of a bad relationship together, there's bound to be a little drama. Let's face it, we all know women like the ones on "Basketball Wives" and countless other reality shows: Women who are vocal if you cross them. The problem for me is when black women are portrayed as only being that way and labeled different than their non-black counterparts for the same type of behavior. That's when it becomes negative and damaging to our image.”

She said that the show isn’t exactly what she intended it to be when she signed on as executive producer. Still, she believes that if viewers were to look beyond the bickering, fighting, and drink throwing they will see “a group of women trying to get their lives back on track and figure out who they really are.”

O’Neal said she is working with VH1 and Shed Media to address concerns about the portrayal of black women and strike a balance of showing the positive despite the drama.

Erin Harper, a self described school psychology graduate student who likes to dibble and dabble in African American Women’s studies, said that while that’s fine and dandy it’s not enough. Harper said that she loves to see black women prosper, but she expected more from O’Neal.

In her own open letter, Harper wrote:

“I empathize with you because I am guessing you probably feel like a large percentage of Black America is holding you accountable for something that is MUCH larger than you and your show. It must bite to be the current poster child for a problem that has deep sociohistorical roots. However, I think your critics are so vocal (a) because we had higher expectations for a woman who, from afar, appears polished and levelheaded, and (b) we hoped your show would not perpetuate stereotypes of African American women as aggressive and hypersexual. I began writing this letter before I read the statement your publicist you wrote to CNN. While I am elated that you attempted to address the issue, I think I speak on behalf of your constructive critics when I say that your statement was not enough. As citizens concerned about images of women in the media and their effects on viewers from all racial and ethnic backgrounds, we have the right to continue to question how much you are truly doing to take your show in a positive direction.”

Harper went on to say:

“We must hold you accountable for the direct and indirect effects of this content on America’s children and families. I will not come down on you too hard because I believe you, like many entertainers, lack information about the results of research which shows that frequent exposure to violence, sex, and other behaviors on television are linked to various negative mental and physical health outcomes.”

***Question: Who should be held accountable for the portrayal of black women on shows like “Basketball Wives” (a) the millions of people who tune in each week; (b) the producers; (c) the cast; or (d) the real women who, as O’Neal says, we all know who act like the ones on the show?
***

13 year old learns a bitter lesson

Autum Ashante, 13, made national headlines last month when the teen prodigy was accepted to the University of Connecticut, but the school has since rescinded their acceptance, reports The New York Daily News. Autum's father Batin Ashante said his daughter was "devastated" when she learned the news. "They said they now feel she's not academically ready," he told the Daily News. "That's B.S.!" The family still has plans to relocate from the Bronx to Connecticut and explore other academic options for Autum. (Read more here)
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Sapphire releases ‘Push’ Sequel

Sapphire, the author of the novel “Push” said the book’s sequel “The Kid” is not a continuation of the same story. It doesn’t pick up where we left off with 16-year-old Clareece Precious Jones, an obese New York teenager who had been raped and impregnated by her father. It actually begins the day of her funeral, and tells the story through the eyes of her son Abdul Jones. In the following video clip, Sapphire talks about her new novel, released this week. “We will look at the continuing effects of the AIDS epidemic, poverty and parenting issues,” she says.

5 Questions for Sapphire

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TSA Warning of possible threats

Air passengers may soon have to endure more invasive screening procedures. The government is warning airlines that terrorists are considering surgically implanting explosives into people, reports The Los Angeles Times. Current scanners would not likely have the ability to detect bombs implanted under a person’s skin. Although there is no indication of an immediate plot, U.S. officials are ordering precautions both in the U.S. and abroad. (Read more here)
***

Say What?

"I did not say she was innocent," Casey Anthony juror Jennifer Ford (juror number 3) told ABC News. "I just said there was not enough evidence. If you cannot prove what the crime was, you cannot determine what the punishment should be."  

*** So, what's brewing on your mind this morning? It's your chance to speak out. Sound off in the comment section below.

Got news to share with Qcity readers? Email us at editor@qcitymetro.com.
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