Does spanking a child equal child abuse?

NFL star Adrian Peterson being charged with child abuse after beating his son with a switch has again raised the issue of child discipline. I like many my age grew up in the 70s and 80s where beating was a way of discipline. It's what our parents knew and did. I was spanked with a belt, the switch you had to go get yourself ( ..don't bring back no little switch either), and a damned Hot Wheels track, you remember the orange one. I don't believe at all that my parents beat me. As a matter of fact 99.8% of the time I had earned that ass whipping and it taught me right from wrong. Let me say I wasn't just beaten, there were talks and lessons that accompanied those beatings. But then again that was in the 70s.

Now most in society are against beating a child and like my wife and I don't beat their children. In the Black Community there are still a good number of old school parents and grandparents who believe in spankings. They follow the spare the rod and spoil the child rule. The problem now is that what many consider discipline many more consider abuse. Is spanking a child abuse?

Danny Ferry takes leave of absence from Atlanta Hawks

[ SOURCE] Atlanta Hawks general manager Danny Ferry has taken a leave of absence in the wake of racial comments made in a conference call with team owners in regards to veteran forward Luol Deng.

"This afternoon, Danny Ferry requested, and I have approved, taking an indefinite leave of absence, effective immediately," Hawks CEO Steve Koonin said in a statement Friday.

Koonin has resisted calls that Ferry be fired but says, "It is my hope that this time away from the Hawks organization allows him the privacy he needs to listen to the community, to learn about his mistakes, and to begin the long process of personal healing."

Head coach Mike Budenholzer will assume oversight of the basketball operations department during Ferry's absence.

George Zimmerman threatens to kill someone

Conservative hero and murderer George Zimmerman is up to his old tricks again. In a road rage incident Zimmerman threatened to kill another driver after asking him if he knew who he was. So what he was really saying is , "I'm George Zimmerman dammit. I've killed before and will do it again.". Read more on this story below:

The man acquitted in the shooting death of unarmed Miami Gardens teen Trayvon Martin may be in trouble with the law again. Police say a driver has reported that George Zimmerman threatened to kill him after a confrontation on the road.

Police are investigating two reports involving the driver and 30-year-old Zimmerman, who was acquitted in 2013 of a second-degree murder charge for shooting unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin.

Police say that on Tuesday, the man called police after a truck pulled up next to him and the driver yelled, “Why are you pointing a finger at me?”

Police spokeswoman Bianca Gillett says the man recognized the truck driver as Zimmerman. The man says Zimmerman asked, “Do you know who I am?” and threatened to kill him.

Read more: Police: George Zimmerman Named In Fla. Road Rage Incident "

New witnesses say Michael Brown's hands were up.

CNN's Randi Kaye has fresh details from two construction workers in Ferguson who witnessed Michael Brown's shooting. Their version of the shooting matches those who say Michael Brown's hands were up.

Interview with George Cook, author of NAPPY a story book for little black girls

Here is a short interview with myself (George Cook) about my children's book NAPPY. NAPPY is a short picture book letting little black girls know how beautiful both they and their hair are.

AAR (African American Reports): How did the book NAPPY come about?

George Cook: It was actually a poem in a book of poetry I wrote back in 2009. I wrote the poem to let little black girls know how beautiful they truly are. It was also written with my daughter in mind. it was kind of prophetic because now she is trying to go natural and is completely comfortable with her hair. She is breaking my wife and I financially in the process of going natural but it's cool.

AAR: When did you have the poem illustrated?

George Cook: I actually tried to illustrate it myself in 2010. It wasn't that well drawn, okay it was badly drawn..LOL. But I promised myself that as son as I could afford an illustrator I would have the book redrawn. I was able to do that in 2013.

AAR: How has the book been received?

George Cook: Very well. The book currently has a 4.4 rating on Amazon with 9 reviews and I'm proud of that. The only thing that bugs me out is that someone gave the book a three star review because it shows that girls have the option of also perming their hair. it bugged me out because I was trying to show that girls have many options in how to wear their hair and that they are ALL beautiful.

AAR: Why did you price the book at 99¢?

George Cook: I wanted the book available to all girls and 99¢ is the lowest price that you can set at Amazon for Kindle. I hope that makes the book affordable for most. I didn't want to go the physical book route because in my opinion the cost is prohibitive and the book would just cost to much to produce on my end and to the consumer on the buying end.

AAR: where is the book available?

Currently only on Amazon for the Kindle. You can use the link below to check it out. Thanks for the interview.