Internships The New Form Of Slavery

nyunews.com:

Interns, on the other hand, are expendable and exploited. Internships keep you imprisoned as the corporate errand boy with the tenuous promise of maybe being able to use the big, shiny photocopier one day if you can master the outgoing mail. And while it may come as a shock to hear that you were never part of Morgan Stanley's 10-year plan, the employer is not the only one complicit in this dupe of an internship.

Read the whole story: nyunews.com

Unpaid Internships Investigated: 'Mostly Drudgery' Means Employers Must Usually Pay, Say Regulators

New York Times:

Convinced that many unpaid internships violate minimum wage laws, officials in Oregon, California and other states have begun investigations and fined employers. Last year, M. Patricia Smith, then New York's labor commissioner, ordered investigations into several firms' internships. Now, as the federal Labor Department's top law enforcement official, she and the wage and hour division are stepping up enforcement nationwide.

Read the whole story: New York Times

How To Get Your Credit Report For Free

Now that it will be easier to find your free credit report, you may be curious about who else can see it and how it can be used.

Starting Friday, a new Federal Trade Commission rule will require Web sites advertising free reports to direct consumers to the government-approved . TV and radio ads must do the same starting Sept. 1.

http://www.annualcreditreport.com

The problem is that these ads typically don't disclose that the advertised free reports are part of a package of services that can cost as much as $14.95 a month. Consumers may not realize they can get free reports with no strings attached.

Once a report is in hand, however, it only raises a slew of other questions. Here's what you need to know about credit reports and scores.

THERE'S MORE THAN ONE FREEBIE A YEAR

Let's start by clarifying when you can get free credit reports.

You're entitled to a free copy every year from each of the credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Off the bat, that means you get three free reports a year.

On top of that, you can request free reports if you're the victim of identity fraud or unemployed and looking for work. In the latter case, the idea is that you should know what's on your report in case a potential employer wants to pull it. You're also entitled to free copies if you think your report has errors or if it's ever used against you.

Goodbye "Charlie" - John Forsythe, Television Legend, Dies at 92

Actor John Forsythe, who became one of the biggest television stars ever thanks to major roles in 'Charlie's Angels,' Dynasty' and 'Bachelor Father,' has passed away at the age of 92 after a year-long battle with cancer.

In a statement obtained by CNN, Forsythe's family said the following: "He was 92 years old and, thankfully, he died as he lived his life... with dignity and grace."

For as famous as Forsythe was, his voice was even more infamous thanks to his role as the voice of Charlie in the 'Charlie's Angels' TV series and also in two 'Charlie's' movies. His deep take on the phrase "Good morning, Angels," became almost synonymous with the franchise -- enough to land him a $5 million contract to voice Charlie in the two recent hit movies.

According to his IMDB biography, Forsythe began his early career was interrupted by World War II, during which he served in the Army Air Corps. In 1957, he struck television gold with 'Bachelor Father,' where for 157 episodes he played the lead character of Bentley Gregg.

He later went on to star as Blake Carrington in the massively popular 1980s television series 'Dynasty.'

Forsythe was married three times, and was still married to Nicole Carter at the time of his death.

Give A Damn!

Move over Ricky Martin, Anna Paquin says that she's "bisexual"

Anna Paquin is a self-admitted bisexual. The news hit just before April Fools’ Day, but it was no joke. Anna Paquin is bisexual and would like more people to educate themselves about people of different sexualities. She appeared recently in a new Public Service Announcement (PSA) for Give A Damn, an anti-discrimination program launched by Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors Foundation. The organization was formed to educate and help in the elimination of discrimination and violence committed against the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender populations.

Many have watched actress Anna Paquin in various roles over the years, doing such a commendable job that she has been awarded several prestigious trophies, including an Academy Award (for “The Piano”) and a Golden Globe (for “True Blood”) along the way. But her latest role brought her sexuality to the fore. And it seems to have caught many by surprise, judging from the reactions on the internet. It would seem that Anna Paquin’s public persona and because of her love life on the hit HBO drama “True Blood,” many were under the impression that the New Zealand native was “straight.”

But she isn’t. She joins Cyndi Lauper, Elton John, Clay Aiken, Eric Roberts, Wanda Sykes and many others in the Give A Damn PSA, offering information about discrimination and inviting others to give a damn and join in their fight. Some of the stars, like Anna Paquin (“I’m bisexual”) and Cyndi Lauper (“I’m straight”), declare their sexuality at the beginning of the ad. Then others provide disturbing information, like Cyndi Lauper’s statistic: ”A hate crime is committed approximately every hour of every day in this country” and Eric Roberts’ startling line: “In the past 16 years, over 13,000 men and women have been discharged from the military for being gay.”

Although her “outing” of herself as bisexual in the Give A Damn PSA might not garner her any awards, it will most likely be one of the most rewarding roles Anna Paquin has taken on. What could be more rewarding than to attempt to ensure that everyone be accorded equality and basic human rights, not just under the law but in the hearts and minds of their fellows?

For more information on the Give A Damn program, go to to WeGiveADamn.org.

ABC's Announces Summer Line Up