BFT Discussion: Thoughts on First Lady Michelle Obama?

President Obama has been in office for a little less than two years and in my opinion is doing a good job for what he inherited and is trying to clean up. I believe he still has a lot of work to do. However, he is married to one of the most powerful women in the country right now, Michelle Obama. To me, she is beautiful, smart, and engaging. What are your thoughts on First Lady Michelle Obama?

President Obama's Weekly Address: GOP Rewarding Corporations that Create Jobs Overseas

President Obama Urges Democrats to Not Get Discouraged

What To Do If You're Facing Foreclosure

Financial analyst Clyde Anderson explains what you should know if you're facing foreclosure.

BFT Remembers: Solomon Burke

BFT Remembers: Albertina Walker

It has been reported that gosepl singer legend, Albertina Walker, passed way. Close friend and WVON radio host, says Walker died Friday morning of respiratory failure in at RML Specialty Hospital in Chicago. She was known as the "Queen of Gospel Music" which was coined by the late Rev. James Cleveland and Rev. Jesse L. Jackson for her outstanding achievements within the genre after the death of Mahalia Jackson in 1972.

Nicole's Corner: Keeping Up With The Joneses

Have you ever heard the phrase "Keeping Up With The Joneses"? Do you sometimes compare where you are in your life to other people? Well I am here to tell you, STOP! Stop doing that!

All of my life, I wanted certain things to happen. I wanted to get married, have children, have a good job, live in a wonderful home, drive a fabulous car, and have a generous amount of money in the bank. I felt that was what I was suppose to do. I thought that was the way of the world. I later found out that is not true.

I am now 40 years-old. I realized that the world is not always right. I realize that you encounter things in your life that are out of your control which delays what you planned or dreamed for your life. I also realize that the lives of others are not always what they seem. Their lives are not as wonderful as they may protray. They have children out of wedlock, they go through divorces, they have financial issues or live beyond their means, they don't pay their bills, their children are getting into trouble, they can't have kids, they have health problems and so on. There are a myraid of things that happens with other people that we don't know that we try to emulate.

I say all of that to say this. Live your own life. Stop trying to live up to or out-do others. Stop comparing your life to others because you could end up worst off than before you began this rat race. Achieve the goals that you want to accomplish. If you want to get married, then get married because you want to not because that is what everyone else is doing. If you want a house and/ or a car, then get what you can afford. Don't go into debt trying live like others. It is not worth it.

As of this day, I am pledging to live my life according to my terms. No more comparing my life to others. I am going to embrace where I am in life and build on that. No matter what happens in my life, I am going to embrace it and build off that to create the life I want, know I can have, and deserve. What are you willing to do?

President Obama's Weekly Address: Strengthening Education, Not Cutting It

BFT Discussion: Black Teenagers and the Future of Tomorrow

By Chelsea Mumford

Why are there so many Black teenagers with unrealistic ambitions or no ambitions? Why are Black teenagers only interested in becoming entertainers? But more importantly, there is a serious shortage of Black Physicians, Lawyers, Scientists, Engineers etc, which is very detrimental for the future of tomorrow. Also why is the achievement gap between Black children and their White counterparts still in existence? Your comments will be greatly appreciated.

BFT Discussion: Remember When We Stood For Something?

By Michelle Morris-Pulliam

I was listening to my SIRRIUS radio the other day and I heard Victoria Rowell telling her personal story about leaving Y&R and how she was treated. On this show, was some other black actors that are also on that show now. She discussed how she was treated and the racial overtones and struggles of blacks in the daytime soap opera industry. It was a compelling story. The response to her story is what has me a bit confused.

When she told her story, as she was invited to do on the show, she was met by other black folks in the industry, who were telling her she was on some "sour grapes" stuff and she needed to basically sit back and collect her money and stop making trouble.

I could only listen to this for so long before I had to cut off my radio. I never thought I would see the day when black folks, who can stand around cussing, shouting BS all day long, clowning and carrying on, would actually try to deter someone from standing up for their rights and the rights of our people.

Have our hollywood stars gotten so used to being fed that they no longer know what it means to have dignity and pride? Are we as consumers so used to being entertained by the dancing bear, that we have no principles of our own to stand for anymore.

After this show, I watched the March that Rev. Al had. NOT A SINGLE major hollywood star was there!!!! NOT ONE!!!!! Its sad and a damn shame that the day of Sidney Poitier and Harry Belefonte is long gone. The day when black stars used that stardom for more than just B.S.

People are so worried about not having money, not getting paid, not being able to SHINE!!!!!!!! So they have in turn, sold their souls and our future as a people in this country right on over to those who mean us no earthly good. What will it take for these people to stand for something again? Will we have to be re-enslaved? Will we have to be almost exterminated? Or maybe....we will just have to stop spending that money on them!!!!!!!!!!

What will it take for these folks to stand for SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????

BFT Discussion: Furlough Days?

What are your thoughts on furlough days? Should the government or any employer have the right to instate furlough days on its employees? If you took a job for a certain amount of money for a certain amount of days, should that be taken away from you because the government or an employer can't balance their budget? Should the employees get back pay for these days? Thoughts?