The west African country has been blighted by ethnic and Islamist violence in recent years.
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Friday, February 14, 2020
Ball State University professor suspended after calling cops on Black student
A Ball State University professor who made headlines after calling the police on a Black male student who refused to switch seats has now been suspended.
According to FOX59, Wednesday, the university announced marketing professor Shaheen Borna – who has been a member of the Ball State faculty since 1983 – would not be present for the rest of the semester, explaining in a statement, “This decision is in the best interest of Dr. Borna and University.”
READ MORE: Uber driver graduates college thanks to passenger paying off her student debt
“The decision was made to ensure continuity in the curriculum, eliminate any unnecessary distractions, and help our students complete the appropriate course expectations,” the correspondence concluded.
Sultan Benson, who is a senior at BSU, said that on January 21st he walked into his Marketing 301 class and noted another student was sitting in his assigned seat.
“I just decided after the professor asked me to sit in the back, take my seat in the back. It is what it is, no problem, no harm no foul,” Benson told the local FOX affiliate.
READ MORE: Morris Brown president seeking accreditation for the financially troubled college
A half-hour into the class when another student left, Borna asked Benson to move up. Benson admits he was already settled into the back of the class with his belongings unpacked and his laptop was charging, and inquired as to why him moving was necessary.
That’s when the professor told him, “Either move your seat or I call the police.”
True to his threat, two campus police officers showed up to the classroom at his request. A cell phone video shows several students attempting to come to Benson’s defense.
“He didn’t do anything,” he can hear them arguing in protest.
Borna later conceded that Benson would be allowed back in class Thursday and sent a letter apologizing to him and the entire class.
“Dear Mr. Benson, Today, during our Marketing 310 class, a situation arose that I mishandled. I sincerely apologize for this,” read the message. “As a professor at Ball State University, it is my responsibility to ensure that you and all of my students receive an excellent educational experience. I am sorry that my actions today did not contribute to that. I hope you accept my sincere apology.”
Despite the apology, Benson no longer feels comfortable returning to Borna’s class and has met with the dean to change classes.
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Charles Barkley says Kobe Bryant’s NBA career and rape case are both part of legacy
Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has chimed into the ongoing public debate over Kobe Bryant‘s dual legacies, which he believes should be allowed to co-exist in the court of public opinion.
“You have to tell the picture in totality,” Barkley told NBC’s Today while being interviewed ahead of this weekend’s All-Star Game in Chicago. He went on to elaborate on why the LA Lakers legend should be remembered for both his basketball career and for the polarizing sexual assault allegations made against him when he was only 24.
READ MORE: Vanessa Bryant changes name of Kobe’s foundation to honor her late daughter Gianna
“We’re not making Kobe out to be no hero. We’re celebrating his basketball excellence. We understand what happened in Colorado. That’s fair, but two things can be true,” he maintained.
In 2003 Bryant was accused of sexual assault by a 19-year-old female hotel worker in Colorado, where he was scheduled to undergo knee surgery. These allegations resurfaced following the recent helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and seven others.
READ MORE: Kobe Bryant and daughter Gigi laid to rest in private ceremony
Recently, CBS’ Gayle King was publicly dragged for asking WNBA legend Lisa Leslie about her thoughts on the subject during an on-air interview, but Barkley seemed to have no qualms about addressing the topic candidly.
“Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest basketball players ever,” said the 56-year-old. “And he had a flaw that we all know about.”
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar agrees
In his piece for the Hollywood Reporter, retired Lakers star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, also addressed Bryant’s complicated legacy. He echoed Barkley’s sentiments.
“We can love and respect Kobe without canonizing him as perfect,” wrote Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. “Death often immortalizes the ideal rather than the real. But it was the real Kobe, flaws and all, that we should love.”
“Snoop Dogg has 39.1 million followers on Instagram and 50 Cent has 25.3 million followers on Twitter,” Abdul-Jabbar wrote in response to King’s most vocal critics. “When they send out to their followers a threatening and abusive tirade, they are influencing a younger generation of men to continue to refer to women who don’t do what men want as bitches.”
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Black Former PNC Bank Employee Wins $2.4M Sexual Harassment Judgement Against Bank
A former PNC Bank employee will be receiving $2.4 million in damages from a lawsuit filed against the bank after a customer grabbed her in a sexual manner, according to NJ.com.
The lawsuit, which was filed in 2015, was based on an incident that took place in October 2013 at PNC Bank’s Glen Ridge, New Jersey, branch. Damara Scott, a former wealth manager at the bank, claimed that customer Patrick Pignatello sexually harassed her as she was leaving the branch. There had been several previous complaints lodged against Pignatello for groping other employees; the bank temporarily banned him but kept him as a customer.
“The jury recognized that PNC had failed to provide a safe workplace for Ms. Scott,” Nancy Erika Smith, one of Scott’s attorneys, told NJ.com. “We hope PNC will now take the steps to eliminate harassment throughout the company.”
PNC Bank cited that it plans to appeal the verdict, saying there were “errors made by the court.”
“PNC does not condone harassment of any kind. We have a long-standing history of providing a safe workplace for our employees, and robust policies and procedures to help ensure that we continue to do so. We are disappointed by the verdict, even though the jury expressly found that this was not a case where punitive damages were appropriate,” bank officials said in a statement.
Scott had previously settled a lawsuit against the estate of Pignatello, who died less than two months after the incident of an apparent heart attack while out shoveling snow. She is bound by a non-disclosure agreement where she cannot disclose the terms of the settlement, which was reached last spring, her attorney said. Pignatello was also charged with sexual assault after the 2013 incident.
Scott, who is black, said she sued her employer of 18 years because she is still traumatized by the incident. “I want it to be clear to companies, to businesses, that women matter and women should matter above profit,” Scott told NJ Advance Media on the eve of the trial last month.
“One of the great things about our justice system is that citizens can sit in judgment on powerful corporations and hold them accountable,” said Smith. “Women are tired of employers who tolerate sexual harassment.”
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Vanessa Bryant changes name of Kobe’s foundation to honor her late daughter Gianna
Vanessa Bryant, widow of Kobe Bryant, announced yesterday that the Mamba Sports Foundation is now the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, in honor of the NBA legend and their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna.
READ MORE: Vanessa Bryant says her ‘brain refuses to accept’ that Kobe and Gigi are gone
Bryant posted the change on her Instagram page.
“Because there is no #24 without #2, we have updated the Mamba Sports Foundation to now be called the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.” a shout out to Kobe and Gianna’s basketball jersey numbers, both of which have been retired,” Bryant wrote.
The change accompanied an updated logo. “Our mission remains the same – and stronger than ever – to provide opportunities to young people through sports,” Bryant wrote.
Kobe and Gigi were killed on January 26 after the helicopter they were riding in tragically crashed in Calabasas, California. Seven other people, including a few of Gianna’s teammates and their parents, were also killed. The passengers were headed to a tournament at the Thousand Oaks sports academy when their helicopter went down. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Kobe Bryant created the foundation to offer underserved communities sports programs that helped kids with “socio-emotional and physical development,” according to its website. The foundation also offers funding for ballers to play in school or league teams and to help fund sports programs providing equal opportunities for girls.
In her Instagram note, Vanessa also thanked people for sending in donations. “Thank you all for the outpouring of support and your kind donations to date as we carry forth Kobe and Gigi’s legacy. We hope to empower young athletes in a world they left us all to help shape.”
The Instagram page for the foundation also announced the name change. “In commemoration of Gianna ‘Gigi’ Bryant, Mamba Sports Foundation will now be known as the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. The Foundation exists to further Kobe and Gianna Bryant’s legacy in youth sports and beyond.”
READ MORE: Date set for Kobe Bryant and Gigi’s public memorial service at Staples Center
A public memorial service for Kobe and Gianna will be held at 10 a.m. on February 24 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where the athlete played with the Lakers for his entire 20-year career. The 2-24 date was chosen because “24” is the jersey number Kobe wore and “2” was Gigi’s jersey number.
The memorial will be broadcast on TV.
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Rep. Ayanna Pressley schools on Fed Chair Powell on Civil Rights
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) taught Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell a Civil Rights Movement history lesson on Tuesday.
READ MORE: Ayanna Pressley bumps heads with police union over ‘straight pride’ parade demonstrators
At the end of the House Financial Services Committee meeting, Pressley told Powell that the belief that anyone who wants to work should be able to work goes back to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. During the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King and wife, Coretta Scott King, advocated for full employment policies for all Americans, which has come to be known as a “jobs guarantee,” according to Business Insider.
“In a 1944 address, FDR called for a second Bill of Rights which included the right to a useful and financially rewarding job,” Pressley told Powell. “Justice Thurgood Marshall argued that the Right to a Job is secured by the 14th Amendment. And Dr. Martin Luther King called on the government to guarantee a job to all people who want to work, and are able to work.”
“Dr. King’s legacy is often reduced to just one speech, and the March on Washington often mischaracterized. The March on Washington was actually the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It was a March for Economic Justice,” Pressley said, reported Forbes.
“And I take special claim to the fact that Dr. King and Coretta actually met in Boston. I represent Boston, and I don’t think she gets enough oxygen for the role that she played in the movement,” Pressley continued. “And so, after Dr. King’s assassination, Coretta Scott King picked up the mantle, pushing the Fed to adopt a full employment mandate, and was actually standing behind President (Jimmy) Carter as he signed the Humphrey-Hawkins Act into law. And that’s the reason you are here today.”
READ MORE: Squad breaker, Ayanna Pressley, endorses Elizabeth Warren for President
Powell appeared to look stunned before commenting: “First, thank you for that history, I didn’t know that. So that’s our goal, that’s what we’re working to do at all times,” Powell stated about the notion of full employment. “And we’re never going to say we’ve accomplished that goal, but we’ve certainly made some progress.”
In the words of Biggie Smalls, “and if you don’t know now you know.”
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Reps. Maxine Waters and Joyce Beatty call out U.S. banks for lack of diversity
Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (D-OH) released a 56-page report Thursday that found that the financial services industry remains white and male and that banks need to be held accountable for their failure to be inclusive.
READ MORE: Maxine Waters to Mark Zuckerberg: ‘Perhaps you believe you are above the law’
The report entitled “Diversity and Inclusion: Holding America’s Large Banks Accountable” documents the attempts by Waters, chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, and Beatty, chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion, to look at the diversity practices of 44 financial institutions. On behalf of the Committee, Waters and Beatty sent requests to the banks asking for their diversity and inclusion data and policies and found the banks to be widely failing to meet their commitments to diversity and inclusion, even though they say otherwise.
“This landmark report marks the first of several deep dives the Committee will take into the diversity practices of financial services industries,” Waters wrote in the report. “I hope that banks and others will pay heed to these recommendations and work to ensure their institutions are as inclusive and diverse as the customers and communities they serve.”
The report follows two Committee hearings last March and April, in which financial services leaders say they believe diverse, inclusive organizations are more profitable and productive. Despite the talk, however, the report found banks had taken little action in terms of diversifying their workforces and leadership, as well as bank boards of directors, suppliers and asset managers.
Further, the report found banks conducted “limited spending and investments with diverse firms.”
One way banks get away with this is by failing to fully disclose their diversity and inclusion data or policies, the report found. Plus, there hasn’t been much pressure by the Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI), created out of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act), to make banks report this data. OMWI allows banks to submit this information voluntarily, according to the report.
Because of this failure to submit diversity and inclusion numbers, Waters and Beatty asked the 44 largest banks and savings and loan holding companies—those that had at least $50 billion in assets or more—to share their diversity data with the Committee. All 44 institutions responded although not all responded fully, according to the report.
READ MORE: Syracuse man who threatened to kill Maxine Waters and President Obama found guilty
Now the congresswomen are asking their colleagues to get tougher on this issue.
To make banks comply with Section 342 of the Dodd-Frank Act and to “increase transparency into banks’ diversity and inclusion results,” the report is asking Congress to consider legislative action to force banks to improve their diversity and inclusion numbers by:
- Requiring that they share diversity and inclusion data with their regulators and the public;
- Requiring banks to track and make efforts to increase their spending with diverse firms; and,
- By requiring banks to publicly disclose the diversity of their boards.
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Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage — Which Plan Is Right For You?
Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage — What Are The Differences?
Medicare offers a variety of options and plans for you to choose from to best fit your healthcare needs.
Original Medicare covers services like hospital visits and outpatient needs, but has certain limitations. If Original Medicare doesn’t cover everything you’re looking for, you can enroll in a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) or Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage) plan.
- Medigap plans are best if you’re seeking plan flexibility and control while reducing out-of-pocket costs.
- Medicare Advantage plans may better suit you if you want an alternative to Original Medicare with additional benefits like prescription drug coverage.
In this article, we’ll go further in-depth on the differences between Medigap and Medicare Advantage to cover:
- Original Medicare and the gaps in coverage
- Medigap plan options and extra benefits
- Medicare Advantage plan options and extra benefits
- How to choose the right plan
Review Of Original Medicare
Before we discuss Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage, let’s review Original Medicare and the gaps in coverage. Original Medicare consists of two parts — Part A and Part B.
Medicare Part A
Part A covers inpatient services and procedures like hospital visits, skilled nursing needs, home health, and hospice care. You must pay the Part A deductible before your coverage begins. For 2020, the deductible is $1,408.
You pay the deductible for each “benefit period.” A new benefit period begins when 60 days have passed since you received Part A services. If you go to the hospital twice in one month, that’s only one benefit period. But, if your visits are separated by six months, that’s two benefit periods and two deductibles.
You could pay the Part A deductible several times during the course of one year.
Medicare Part B
Part B covers all your outpatient medical needs. Part B helps with:
- Doctor’s visits.
- Therapy visits (physical, occupational, etc.).
- Durable medical equipment like CPAPs and oxygen.
- Diagnostic tests like blood work, X-rays, MRIs.
- Infusion-based cancer treatments like chemotherapy.
Just like with Part A, you will have some out-of-pocket expenses for these services. Costs for Part B come in several forms:
- Part B deductible ($198 for 2020).
- Part B coinsurance (20% of the cost for every Part B service or procedure).
- Part B excess charges (amounts up to 15% of the Medicare-approved amount — this only applies if your doctor or facility doesn’t accept Medicare pricing).
Gaps In Original Medicare Coverage
Important points to always remember about Original Medicare:
- Prescription drugs are not covered by either Part A or B;
- There is no out-of-pocket maximum – your total potential costs are uncapped; and
- Original Medicare does not provide emergency coverage outside the United States.
Medigap Insurance
Medigap plans are a great tool for limiting your out-of-pocket costs with Medicare. These insurance policies, which are issued by private insurance companies, work with Original Medicare.
Medigap plans fill in some or all of the gaps in Original Medicare, hence the name. You will pay an additional premium for Medigap coverage. This premium goes directly to the insurance company.
Medigap policies are issued in standardized “plans.” Every insurance company must offer the coverage specified by Medicare for each plan. There are 10 standardized plans: A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M, and N. Not all companies offer every plan in every state.
| Medicare Supplement (Medigap) Plans | ||||||||||
| A | B | C | D | F* | G | K | L | M | N | |
| Part A coinsurance and hospital costs up to an additional 365 days after Medicare benefits are used up | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Part B coinsurance or copayment | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50% | 75% | Yes | Yes |
| Blood (first 3 pints) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50% | 75% | Yes | Yes |
| Part A hospice care coinsurance or copayment | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50% | 75% | Yes | Yes |
| Skilled nursing facility care coinsurance | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50% | 75% | Yes | Yes |
| Part A deductible | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 50% | 75% | 50% | Yes |
| Part B deductible | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Part B excess charge | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Foreign travel exchange (up to plan limits) | No | No | 80% | 80% | 80% | 80% | No | No | 80% | 80% |
| Out-of-pocket limit for 2020*** | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | $5,880 | $2,940 | N/A | N/A |
* Plan F also offers a high-deductible plan. If you choose this option, this means you must pay for Medicare-covered costs up to the deductible amount of $2,340 in 2020 before your Medigap plan pays anything.
** After you meet your out-of-pocket yearly limit and your yearly Part B deductible, the Medigap plan pays 100% of covered services for the rest of the calendar year.
*** Plan N pays 100% of the Part B coinsurance except for a copayment of up to $20 for some office visits and up to a $50 copayment for emergency room visits that don’t result in inpatient admission.
Each plan covers a different portion of the gaps in Original Medicare. An important benefit to all the standardized plans is that they allow you to see any doctor in the nation, as long as they take Medicare patients. Several of the standardized plans provide worldwide emergency coverage.
Medigap plans do not provide drug coverage, so you’ll need to enroll in a standalone prescription drug plan if you enroll in Medigap.
Medigap Extra Benefits
Many insurance companies choose to offer extra benefits with their Medigap plans. They are not required to do this and the extra benefits are not guaranteed. However, insurance companies tend to keep the extra benefits in place as a service to their customers.
Some of the extra benefits that companies offer include:
- Discounts on vision, dental, and hearing services.
- Healthy living packages including gym membership programs.
- Access to 24-hour nurse hotlines.
Medicare Advantage Plans
The Medicare Advantage program is also known as Part C of Medicare. Unlike Medigap plans, Medicare Advantage is a distinct alternative to Original Medicare. When you enroll in a Part C plan you are no longer in Original Medicare. Part C not only combines Original Medicare Part A and Part B, but usually includes Part D prescription drug coverage in addition to extras such as hearing, dental, and vision coverage.
Medicare Advantage plans work like traditional private health insurance. You will generally pay a small copayment or coinsurance for every service or procedure you receive. The payments are usually less than you would pay under Part A or B. Costs you may encounter with Part C plans include:
- Monthly premium (many have $0 premium).
- Annual deductible (many have no deductible).
- Copayments / coinsurance for services and procedures.
Medicare Advantage plans are usually network-based. Some are Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), which require you to use their network of doctors and facilities. A HMO plan provides medical coverage and health care from a specific set of doctors, specialists, and hospitals in a plan’s network. If the situation is an emergency, medical care is accessible regardless of the network.
Other plans are Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs). One of the major benefits of PPOs is that you can receive care without a referral from a primary care physician. PPOs have a network of preferred doctors and facilities. You will pay less if you stay in-network, but you can use out-of-network doctors if you’re willing to pay more.
Many Medicare Advantage plans provide prescription drug coverage, which is a big plus for many people. Medicare Advantage plans must offer a hard yearly out-of-pocket maximum. You will know with certainty the most you can spend in a bad year, unlike with Original Medicare.
Extra Benefits Of Medicare Advantage Plans
Just like Medigap plans, Medicare Advantage plans frequently come with extra benefits. These plans often provide:
- Vision coverage (for exams, lenses, and sometimes frames).
- Hearing coverage (for exams, and also discounted hearing aids).
- Dental coverage (sometimes included, sometimes for a low extra premium).
- Fitness or gym memberships.
Choosing A Medicare Plan
We’ve looked at options for Medicare coverage and compared Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage plans, but you may still want a few guidelines to help you choose. Here’s a quick way to apply what we’ve covered:
- Medigap plans likely have a higher monthly premium, but more complete coverage
- Medigap plans allow you to see any doctor who accepts Medicare patients nationwide
- Many Medicare Advantage plans also offer prescription drug coverage
- Medicare Advantage plans are likely to offer more complete extra benefits in the form of vision and hearing coverage.
The bottom line is that if you’re most concerned about out-of-pocket costs, Medigap is probably your best bet. If you’re worried about paying too much each month, then a Medicare Advantage plan probably suits you. Regardless of the decision you make, conducting your own research, recognizing what your needs are, and speaking with a licensed Medicare insurance agent before choosing a Medigap or Medicare Advantage plan will help empower you during the enrollment process.
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