Obama Proposes Money for Black Farmers

President Obama wants the federal government to provide $1.25 billion to cover claims by Black farmers who say they were systematically denied loans and other aid that was traditionally afforded White farmers. Read more.

African-European Named ‘Playmate of the Year’
For the first time in the half-century history of Playboy, the iconic gentlemen’s magazine has named an African-European as its “Playmate of the Year.” At a high-profile bash in Las Vegas, Playboy introduced Swedish-African beauty Ida Ljungqvist as the 50th Playmate of the Year. The 27-year-old former Miss March 2008 is the daughter of a Tanzanian mother and Swedish father. “She traveled the globe while her father worked for UNICEF. She is fluent in three languages – English, Swedish and Swahili,” said Hugh Hefner, the magazine’s founder. Ljungqvist said she came close to turning down the offer to pose for the magazine. “This was never a dream for me; I didn’t even know what Playboy was and I was scared at first,” she said. “I have a lot of over-achiever in me, so I am self-critical. But after I met Hef and saw how beautifully they portray women, I was really excited. This experience has inspired me to broaden my horizons, to take chances in life.” Ljungqvist, 5-foot-4, was working at a Bebe clothing store on Rodeo Drive, when she was discovered by Playboy. Ljungqvist quit her job at Bebe a month later and appeared on the cover of Playboy in March of last year. She said her parents were hardly proud when she told them she was going to bare all for Playboy. “My mother didn’t speak to me for a month,” she said.

Hatemongers Deface Texas Church Van

The pastor of a Dallas-area church discovered the new van he had received as a gift had been turned into a collage of racist, sexually graphic messages. Cedric Malone, 37, pastor of a Grand Prairie church said that his son saw the hateful language while walking to school Tuesday morning. Read the rest.