VP Kamala Harris Makes History With 33 Tiebreaker Votes, Receives Golden Gavel
Vice President Kamala Harris broke an almost 200-year record.
The Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, broke the record for casting the most tiebreaker votes in the Senate with 33 votes.
The first woman and first person of color, the VP received a golden gavel from New York Democrat and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for the accomplishment on Dec. 5, according to The Associated Press. The news outlet reported that her record-breaking 33rd vote went in favor of a new federal judge in Washington, D.C..
That same day, Harris supported the nomination of Loren AliKhan to U.S. District Court judge. The result: AliKhan was confirmed after a few hours, according to The Associated Press. Schumer said Harris is responsible for more people of color and women being confirmed.
Vice President Harris’ response to receiving the gavel was that she was “truly honored” for breaking the record that Schumer referred to as a “great milestone.”
A difference in time between Harris and the previous record holder, former Vice President John C. Calhoun, spans 191 years–meaning Harris broke an almost 200-year record. The Associated Press reported that Calhoun cast 31 tiebreakers during his eight-year term from 1825 to 1832.
The news outlet also reported that Harris achieved her record in much less time than Calhoun – less than half the time it took for Calhoun. The division between Democrats and Republicans in the Senate likely means that Harris will continue to add votes to her record-breaking 33 tiebreakers already made.
The Associated Pressnoted a record of the number of tiebreakers that former U.S. Vice Presidents made before Harris assumed office in January 2021. According to the graph, former Vice President Calhoun beat out John Adams, who had 29 tiebreakers during his eight-year term from 1789 to 1797.
Woman Arrested After Allegedly Dousing Martin Luther King, Jr’s Birth Home With Gasoline
The 26-years-old woman, who is Black, is facing charges including criminal attempt to commit arson and criminal attempt to damage government property.
Sometimes it helps to be nosy. Off-duty New York City police officers and tourists from Utah visiting Atlanta are being credited for stopping an attempt to burn down the birth home of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Atlanta, Fox 5 reports. After reports of vandalism were called in, Atlanta Police rushed to the scene of the tourist attraction on Dec. 7 shortly before 6 p.m. Chief Darin Schierbaum said the tourist witnessed a woman pouring what smelled like gasoline on the plants, porch, and front door of the home.
BREAKING UPDATE: Woman charged with pouring gasoline, trying to burn down Martin Luther King Jr.'s Atlanta birth home, according to police. Here's what we know: https://t.co/4jdq6B3r8lpic.twitter.com/x7JpHQNAzK
They immediately stepped in when they saw her pull out a lighter trying to ignite flames. The NYPD officers were able to detain the assailant until Atlanta law enforcement arrived.
The woman, who is Black, hasn’t been identified, but according to Schierbaum, she is 26 years old. She is facing charges including criminal attempt to commit arson and criminal attempt to damage government property. Federal charges could be added since the home is considered federal property. Investigators have located her family to inquire about her mental health.
Battalion Chief Jerry DeBerry of the Atlanta Fire Department credited the bystanders for stepping in, because it could have been a lot worse if they didn’t. “It could have been a matter of seconds before the house was engulfed in flames,” DeBerry said, according to WSB-TV.
“Tonight, an unfortunate incident occurred at the birth home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as an individual attempted to set fire to this historic property. Fortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful, thanks to the brave intervention of good Samaritans and the quick response of law enforcement,” the statement read.
“We thank the Atlanta Police Department, Atlanta Fire Department, the National Parks Service, and Mayor Andre Dickens for leading the efforts to ensure the safety of our cherished national landmark and its adjacent neighbors. Our prayers are with the individual who allegedly committed this criminal act.”
Built in 1895, the birth home of the civil rights leader has been undergoing renovations for several weeks. While fire department’s HAZMAT team will work to clean up the gasoline spill, current renovations are scheduled to wrap up by the end of 2025 and the home will remain closed until the project is completed.
If You’re A Small Business Owner In These Industries, It Might Be Time To Start A Franchise
Members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) talk about the industries that currently lend themselves to franchising and doing it well.
Originally Published Mar. 24, 2017
The following answers are provided by members of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.
Concierge Services
It would be good to have city-based concierge services for travelers and people new to cities that could offer assistance in finding anything they may need. While people can do this online to a certain extent, it’s not as personalized as it could be. This could be a way for a brand to bring together many types of services under one franchise brand.
– Murray Newlands
Green Energy
As the “Enernet” grows in popularity, a lot of companies should take advantage of the demand in even the most remote areas. Instead of leveraging capital to meet the demand, franchising and licensing aspects of the business to construction companies and stand-alone shops can help meet the demand and further persuade more consumers to make the switch from fossil fuel and nuclear-based energy.
– Cody McLain
Tattoo Parlors
I’ve always wondered why tattoo parlors have no franchise options, especially with an eye toward bringing respectability to the business with an emphasis on hygiene, safety, no-pressure sales, refusing to tattoo minors, and other options that would take tattoo parlors out of the medieval mindset they seem to enjoy. They should guarantee a certain skill level, mandated classes, and certification, etc.
– Brandon Stapper
Wearable Technology
Now that we’ve figured out how to make wearable technology that’s stylish, it’s probably going to be in stores a lot more. But having a franchising business dedicated to new tech could appeal to a certain demographic.
– Thomas Smale
World Travel
Gone are the days when you had to walk into a local mall or travel agent to book your vacation. Now it’s all online and automated. However, this is still a very personal and usually expensive decision. The world of booking travel is one that could easily be franchised to independent brokers or agents who can work out of their homes while focusing on being great salespeople.
– Zac Johnson
Healthy Fast Food
Fast and convenient will always sell in the food industry. Even big box brands are introducing organic and all-natural versions to stay competitive within the marketplace. The younger generation is starting to demand healthier options and many smaller drive-thru restaurants and ready-made fitness food restaurants are thriving concepts, presenting a great opportunity for a franchise model.
– Hillary Hobson
Anti-Aging and Wellness Centers
Men, particularly successful entrepreneurs between 30-40, are taking care of themselves. Gone are the Don Draper health routines of the past. The anti-aging space from botox to floatation tanks is booming after an initial beachhead in large metro areas. Clinics and spas are popping up across smaller “micro-urban” towns across the country, and the demand is stirring.
– Ryan Bradley
On-Demand Car Wash
Automated car washes did it already. On-demand car washes are leaning that way. The Uber-type business model is picking up quickly. Few companies out there are trying to break ground outside their state and, in some cases, their country. I think that “on-demand” businesses will go the franchise way and be better off.
– Adrian Ghila
BusinessCollective, launched in partnership with Citi, is a virtual mentorship program powered by North America’s most ambitious young thought leaders, entrepreneurs, executives, and small business owners.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Warns Of The Consequences Of Anti-Trans Legislation
AOC contextualized her remarks, placing the position from conservatives who testified in concert with Republican policies attempting to control the bodies of women
In Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks during the House Oversight Subcommittee on Health hearing, the New York congresswoman warned that if there are rules that mandate genital checks, it could result in people with vaginas having to get their private parts checked.
AOC described this practice as an overzealous attempt to keep trans children from competing with cis-heterosexual children in sports.
AOC contextualized her remarks, placing the position from conservatives who testified in concert with Republican policies attempting to control the bodies of women, saying, “We are talking about opening up all women and girls to genital examinations when they are underage, potentially just because someone can point to someone and say, I don’t think you are a girl,”
Ocasio-Cortez continued, “And we’re saying this in an environment of a post-Dobbs America, where states are criminalizing access to abortion and want nothing more than data on women to figure out when, who’s getting a menstrual cycle, who doesn’t have one, and we’re supposed to believe this is going to make us better and safer?”
Ocasio-Cortez ended her remarks, answering her previous question by saying, “I think not, and, per usual, I don’t believe we’re sitting here on a panel of men that has actually thought about the biology and privacy consequences of all women, trans or cisgendered.”
Targeting trans children for playing sports makes all women, whether trans or cisgender, less safe. Sex testing is regressive, invasive, discriminatory, and a fundamental violation of our privacy as women and as Americans. This is shameful. pic.twitter.com/ikrdhBMfpj
AOC: We’re supposed to sit here and see a party that has voted against women’s access to abortion, equal pay, the violence against women act, against our right to have access to contraception… and I’m supposed to believe they’re looking out for my best interests? I think not pic.twitter.com/2cHQj8mEc2
According to Fox News, the Ohio Senate removed a provision from its state House proposal that barred “biological men” from competing against women, which would have required both “internal and external” exams to confirm a student-athletes’s gender. That provision was eventually replaced with a requirement that student-athletes present a copy of their birth certificate when their gender identity was called into question. Effectively, this would render trans athletes unable to compete against cis athletes, which is likely the intent of the original proposal.
This is @Riley_Gaines_, after she tied with Lia Thomas for 5th place behind 4 cis women she decided to devote her entire career to "being a victim of trans women in women's sports", with the funding of right wing billionaires of course pic.twitter.com/yIt6OQCBmO
I would've hoped that the 1st @OversightDems hearing I presided over would be on holding big oil, big pharma or banks accountable for preying on hardworking families.
Instead, it's yet another extremist Republican hearing attacking trans kids.
Riley Gaines, the ex-University of Kentucky swimmer who has become a conservative media darling, making several appearances on Fox News and other right-leaning programs, attempted to argue that Pennsylvania Democrat Summer Lee was a misogynist when Lee called her remarks in the hearing transphobic. Gaines responded to Lee, saying, “Inclusion cannot be prioritized over safety and fairness,” Gaines began, “And ranking member Lee, if my testimony makes me ‘transphobic,’ then I believe your opening monologue makes you a misogynist.”
🚨REMINDER🚨
80% of Republicans voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. Zero Republicans voted for the Women’s Health Protection Act. @RepSummerLee explains how today’s hearing is just hatred and bigotry wrapped up in faux concerns about women and girls: pic.twitter.com/qlNBnz6Vnc
— Oversight Committee Democrats (@OversightDems) December 5, 2023
In her statements to the Committee, Lee attempted to show that the hearing was just hatred and bigotry disguised as concern for children and that their alleged concerns for the safety of girls and women were a smokescreen, saying, “While this committee purports to care about the safety of women, in 2021, when the House voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act, 80% of the Republican Caucus voted against that law, not a single Republican member of this committee, nor our current Speaker voted for it.”
Lee went on to ask Fatima Goss-Graves, the president and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center, a series of questions relating to how mandating that transgender youth should have their genitals examined so they can participate in sports as the gender they identify as could open up those athletes to privacy concerns, to which Goss-Graves replied that the idea of genital examination of children deeply concerned her.
Lee would later characterize the hearing on Twitter/X as yet another attempt by the Republican Party to attack trans children, writing, “I would’ve hoped that the 1st Democratic Committee on Oversight and Accountability hearing I presided over would be on holding big oil, big pharma or banks accountable for preying on hardworking families. Instead, it’s yet another extremist Republican hearing attacking trans kids. What a cruel, unserious party.”
Billy Porter Reveals He’s Making Meager $0.6 Residual Checks From ‘Pose’
Porter shared that most artists live check to check.
Billy Porter sat down to talk about the lingering struggles following the huge SAG-AFTRA writers’ strike in an interview with Channel 4 News’ Ways to Change the World podcast on Dec 1.
The 54-year-old actor and singer revealed how little he makes from his residual checks. He explained, “I’m making six-cent checks on Pose. A show that I won an Emmy for.”
“That’s why we were on strike for 118 days. No. Y’all don’t get to do that to us anymore … Everybody in this business, except for the ones who are making the F-you money, are three months away from homelessness.”
The shocking numbers caused the podcast host to question if it was true, asking if the financial situation was so bad that Porter “really lost a home.”
Porter confirmed that, as previously reported, he had to sell his house at the height of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Amid his divorce from his former husband of six years, Adam Smith, he had to stay with friends around London in August since he had no home.
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8ajAXXH/
“Yes, why would I be lying?” Porter said incredulously, “If you lost your job tomorrow and didn’t get a job for three months, you’d be in a [bad place].”
After selling his house due to the financial strain of the strike, Porter told outlets that it was unbelievable that many artists had to live check to check with no complaint before the SAG-AFTRA strike began.
“The life of an artist, until you make F-you money — which I haven’t made yet — is still check-to-check,” he told outlets. “To hear [the CEO of Disney] Bob Iger say that our demands for a living wage are unrealistic? While he makes $78,000 a day? I don’t have any words for it, but f*** you.”
Texas Councilman Wishes ‘Queen of Rap’ Nicki Minaj Happy Birthday During City Council Session
Texas's District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez is a certified Barb. So, of course, he gave Nicki Minaj her flowers for her 41st birthday.
Make no mistake that Texas’s District 2 Councilman, Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, is a certified Barb. So, of course, he made sure to give the “Queen of Rap” her flowers for her 41st birthday.
Nicki Minaj turns 41 on Friday, Dec. 8, and to celebrate, she released her new studio album “Pink Friday 2.” Texas held a city council session on Thursday where one of Minaj’s loyal fans was present to do his job.
To kick things off, Mckee-Rodriguez did something he’s done in the past and sang praises to Nicki Minaj before returning to regularly scheduled programming. He took to Twitter to share a clip of his Barbified opening statements.
“A moment of joy: Tomorrow is the QUEEN @NICKIMINAJ‘s birthday and, as her appointed Mayor of #GAGCITY, it’s only right I honor her at today’s Council meeting,” he wrote.
A moment of joy: Tomorrow is the QUEEN @NICKIMINAJ‘s birthday and, as her appointed Mayor of #GAGCITY, it’s only right I honor her at today’s Council meeting. #PinkFriday2 comes out tomorrow and it’s one of the only things I’ve looked forward to for quite some time now! 🩷 pic.twitter.com/uu3NnwNtF1
— Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez 🇵🇸 (@theloserteacher) December 7, 2023
The councilman kicked things off “on a positive note” by wishing a “very, very happy birthday to a very special woman.”
“She is an advocate for higher education, a philanthropist, a mogul, a poet, and a mother,” McKee-Rodgriguez said of Nicki Minaj. “She actually has many, many children, sons particularly.”
Citing a few of Nicki’s rap lyrics that referenced the San Antonio Spurs, the Texas councilmember noted the rapper’s witty way of celebrating their home team while inviting “the opposition to collect their L’s in peace.”
“Happy Birthday to the Queen of Rap, Nicki Minaj. I can’t wait to get a copy of her new album “Pink Friday 2,” he said in closing.
It’s not the first time McKee-Rodriguez has rapped Nicki Minaj lyrics at council meetings. The state’s first openly gay Black man elected into office did the same in 2021 and received an endorsement from the “Anaconda” rapper.
“Now barbz, y’all know what to do. Y’all better vote for this great man for the rest of y’all life!!!!” Minaj wrote on Twitter at the time, via My San Antonio.
McKee-Rodriguez had also wished the rap queen a happy birthday for her 39th birthday and followed suit two years later. He has plenty more to celebrate this time as the Barbz enjoys Minaj’s first full-studio album since 2018’s “Queen.”
After A Pardon From Trump, Kodak Black Arrested Multiple Times On Drug Charges
The "Super Gremlin" rapper was asleep at the wheel of his car in his Bentley in Plantation, Fla.
In a scene reminiscent of apast arrest, Florida recording artist, Kodak Black was arrested after police officers stated that he was asleep at the wheel of his car on a road in Plantation, FL.
According to 6 South Florida, Bill Kapri, better known to the hip-hop world as Kodak Black, was arrested and taken to Broward County jail on Thursday, Dec. 7. He was booked on charges of possession of cocaine, tampering with or fabricating physical evidence, and improperly parking or stopping a vehicle. He was bonded out of jail later that night.
The “Super Gremlin” rapper was picked up in a black Bentley SUV. The Bentley was parked as the police officer discovered that Kodak was sleeping at the wheel. When he approached his vehicle, he stated, according to a police report, that there was “a strong odor of burnt cannabis” emanating from the vehicle. He opened the door of the Bentley to turn it off. He noticed a cup on the side of the door that smelled of alcohol, as well as some “cannabis wrapping paper and suspect cannabis residue” in the center console.
After waking the rapper up and requesting that he leave the car, the police officer asked him if there were any weapons or anything illegal in the SUV. Kodak told him there was some weed. Yet, the officer claimed that he saw some white powder falling from Kodak.
“The powder was visible due to the strong scene lights of my patrol vehicle,” the police officer wrote in the report. “I reasonable believed Kapri was trying to discard illegal narcotics.” He also mentioned that Kodak’s mouth was “full of white powder.” The officer also said that there were “white rock like substances on the ground,” and Black said it was Percocet.
After testing the substance, it was determined that it was actually cocaine.
This news comes at an inopportune time for the Florida-born rapper as his attorney has recently filed a motion to dismiss the charges of his July 2022 arrest. He alleges that the pills he was accused of possessing at the time of the arrest were actually Tylenol, after police officers stated it was Oxycodone.
The rapper was arrested after his vehicle was stopped by Florida police officers. They accused him of having an expired registration tag and tinted windows that “appeared darker than the legal limit,” said Lt. Alex Camacho.
Florida police officers said they smelled a strong odor of marijuana from inside the vehicle. After they made him pull him over, they discovered a small clear bag that allegedly contained 31 tablets of oxycodone and a total of $74,960 in cash. Kodak was then held at Broward County Jail for possessing a controlled substance without a prescription and trafficking oxycodone of fewer than 25 grams.
NCAA Now Wants To Compensate Student-Athletes After Fighting It For Decades
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is proposing a new plan that would allow schools to finally compensate student-athletes directly
Now that many college athletes are being paid a substantial amount of money through name, image, likeness (NIL) deals, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is proposing a new plan that would allow the schools to finally compensate athletes directly after fighting to do so for many decades.
According to ESPN, the proposal was presented by NCAA President Charlie Baker in a letter to Division 1 schools on Dec. 5. Per the letter that was sent out, Baker wants to allow the schools themselves to be able to compensate their players and remove the cap on education-related money that the students can get.
“[This proposal] kick-starts a long-overdue conversation among the membership that focuses on the differences that exist between schools, conferences, and divisions and how to create more permissive and flexible rules across the NCAA that put student-athletes first,” he wrote in the letter. “Colleges and universities need to be more flexible, and the NCAA needs to be more flexible, too.”
NCAA president Charlie Baker sent a letter today to Division I members proposing a new tier of Division I membership for the highest-resourced schools.
Here are the highlights of enhanced benefits for athletes that would be allowed. pic.twitter.com/gK0eztHBe4
The proposal is expected to be presented at an upcoming convention in Phoenix next month when the NCAA stakeholders meet in January.
Baker, who has only been NCAA president since March, proposes that schools in the new, highest-paying subdivision would have to set aside a minimum amount of $30,000 per student-athlete for at least half of them yearly. That number is just a minimum, as the schools can set it as high as they feel a student should be compensated. Those students would not be required to finish and/or obtain a degree before receiving the funds.
There is also a suggestion that a subdivision within the most well-resourced schools in Division I can, if they want to, set their own rules to suit their needs as they see fit.
No timeline was provided for the proposals, but changes within the NCAA system typically take a year to implement.
The Natural Hairstyle And Braid Coalition Responds To New York’s Recent Bill
The Natural Hairstyle and Braid Coalition has released a statement in response to Allure’s piece about NY State’s new law on textured hair.
The Natural Hairstyle and Braid Coalition (NHBC) has released a statement via EINPresswire in response to Allure’s piece about New York State’s newest law regarding textured hair.
Penned by Co-President Diane Da Costa, the statement expresses concerns regarding the state’s latest legislation, which mandates textured hair education without required professional oversight.
“The Natural Hairstyle and Braid Coalition (NHBC) appreciates Allure’s attempt to spotlight the evolution of textured hair regulations and protections in New York State,” Da Costa wrote on Dec. 5.
“However, its narrative requires additional context to fully understand New York’s legacy in normalizing natural hair. In 1993, New York became the first state to adopt a natural hair styling license. The groundwork was laid by a group of visionary Black women stylists, barbers, entrepreneurs, and advocates in the nineties to create a license for natural hairstylists and braiders.”
She continued, saying, “Their efforts culminated in the 2017 legislation introduced by Assembly Member Gary Pretlow (Bill A898B), this law mandated two natural hairstylists to the Appearance Enhancement Advisory Committee and additionally form an advisory committee for the inclusion of texture education in cosmetology; to further advise the Secretary of State on educational policies for all hair types and textures.”
The NHBC has doggedly worked to implement more regulations regarding textured hair styling while refining Bill A898B and recognizing the activists spearheading the natural hair licensing movement. However, the passing of Bill S6528A has sparked new concerns due to its informality. Hair experts such as Da Costa also fear that its approval will advance corporate-centered agendas rather than hairstylists’ and consumers’ best interests.
“This is about ethical education that mandates everyone who receives a cosmetology license to be fully versed in all hair types and textures. The NHBC is leading the fight for texture inclusivity in New York State,” she wrote.
On Dec. 1, Allure reported on Bill S6528A, speaking to several legislators and hair professionals about its implications. “It provides a legal framework to address longstanding issues of discrimination and bias related to textured hair,” said New York State Assemblywoman Michaelle C. Solages, who brought the legislation into assembly.
“The introduction of Bill S6528A was a response to the ongoing need for diversity and inclusion in the cosmetology industry, ensuring that everyone, regardless of their hair type, receives the attention and expertise they deserve in salons.”
With Bill S6528A, some professionals expect to see a positive shift in haircare. Others fear the worst. Still, as the scope of the bill’s influence remains undetermined, Da Costa cautions against taking the bill at face value.
“The NHBC urges Allure and other publications to provide more comprehensive representation in future discussions, emphasizing the work of advocates and organizers in creating solutions for inclusive natural hair training, education, and licensing based on all hair types and textures.”
Olympic Gold Medalist Simone Manuel Takes The Plunge – Says ‘I Do’ To Denzel Franklin
The 27-year-old Olympic swimmer and Denzel Franklin got engaged in July 2022.
Twenty-seven-year-old Simone Manuel, the first African American woman to win a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle swimming event at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro, said “I do” to Denzel Franklin.
The swimmer announced the celebratory event in a press brief by SwimSwam on YouTube, and talked about her life out of the pool.
She said in the video, “I got married, so that’s been awesome.”
She also talked about how her mom planned the event.
“I didn’t have to do so much planning for the wedding because my mom did all of it, but it came out perfectly, and it was really nice to have that experience with my family and friends,” she shared.
The couple hasn’t gone on a honeymoon yet. “I wanted to not have a honeymoon that kind of centered in a way around swimming, like taking a week off. I would be thinking about swimming or thinking about what I’m missing out on,” Manuel said in the interview, Essence reported. The swimmer, who also won gold in the 4×100-meter relay in 2016, said, “So, you know, whatever happens next year, I wanted swimming to, like, not be a part of it and for us to enjoy our time together. But he’s amazing; I know he sacrificed so much for us, so I’m grateful to him.”
Manuel posted a picture on Instagram holding a cardboard sign that read “Eloping is Underrated” on Oct. 31, 2023. The caption next to the image said, “Stressedbridewithsign [sic] getting ready for a wedding in 4 days.” The next post showed the Olympic gold medalist holding a bridal bag from Vivienne Atelier on Nov. 3. Finally, on Nov. 12, the swimmer and bride appeared in a photo with a white bridal dress and sneakers next to her groom, who also wore sneakers.
The couple got engaged in July 2022, Essence reported.
