Hit HBO Series Accused of Race-Based Casting

The former bodyguard of a popular Hollywood actor has charged that the hit HBO series "Entourage" only casts actors according to race. The series, which stars actor Adrian Grenier, "Vince," as a rising Hollywood star, is inspired by real-life actor Mark Wahlberg and his early years in show business. Leonard Taylor, a black man who formerly worked for Wahlberg, now says that the makers of the series have failed to include any people of color in the show. In an interview with the New York Post, Taylor says he takes the show's lacking diversity as a personal insult. "There are no black or Latino bodyguards, like Mark used to have—it's a slap in the face," says Taylor. An "Entourage" representative rejects Taylor's claim, stating that the show is "loosely based on Wahlberg's experience." Is this an excuse for race-based casting if it's true that "Entourage" only casts actors who are white? Read more.

Democrats Move to Repeal Tuesday's Supreme Court Ruling

A highly controversial 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court decision, which will make it more difficult for employees to file pay-discrimination lawsuits against their employers, has prompted the Democratic Congress to take action. House Education and Labor Chair George Miller, D-Calif., and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chair Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., are drafting legislation to reverse the court's decision and allow employees more time to build their cases. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., also expressed disapproval for the court's decision and hope that Congress would succeed in repealing it. What will happen next? Read more.

(See also: Pay-Discrimination Lawsuits Severely Limited by Supreme Court)

Gay Candidate Drops Out of House Race

After weeks of personal attacks from conservative blogs over his sexual orientation, Jeff Dion has decided to withdraw his Democratic nomination for the 51st seat with the Virginia House of Delegates in Prince William County. Dion, an openly gay single father, denies that the vicious online attacks prompted his decision to withdraw from the race. So why did he decide to drop out? According to a statement on his web site, jeffdion.org, Dion says he was influenced by other Democrats who suggested he might have trouble winning the House seat. Dion declined to identify these individuals, but party officials say Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and former Gov. Mark R. Warner urged Dion to withdraw and back Paul Nichols, who practices family law, for the Democratic nomination. Read more.

Bad Marriages Cost Companies Up to $6 Billion Annually

Stressful marriages and relationships can cost employers up to $6 billion annually in lost productivity, according to a new report. That's why some employers are implementing relationship-training courses: free education classes, lunch-and-learn sessions, lectures, audio and video programs and relationship-management toolkits designed to facilitate communication skills both at home and at work. What's the problem with this approach? Some companies fear accusations of discrimination from single parents and same-sex couples, for whom marriage training isn't necessarily designed, and others are concerned about bringing personal lives into the workplace. Will this trend catch on? Read more (subscription required).

NCAA: Number of Black Coaches Up by 76 Percent

The number of black coaches in football and men's basketball has skyrocketed 76 percent in the last decade, according to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)'s biennial study on ethnicity and gender. Encouraged by the "robust" increase, the NCAA believes the numbers reflect a meaningful trend toward improved representation of black coaches in these professional sports.  The increase in black coaches did not match the increase in black athletes, however, which gives cause for concern. "There appears to be a ceiling that's preventing growth and there's a need for some answers and action to remedy this," Charlotte Westerhaus, NCAA vice president for diversity and inclusion, said in a statement. Does the NCAA have the answers? Read more.

Asylum for Immigrants in Shaky Hands

Immigrants seeking asylum in the United States will get it ... maybe. A new study that analyzes 140,000 decisions by immigration-law judges shows inconsistencies in the rulings that stem from factors such as court location and  judges' gender and professional background. "It is very disturbing that these decisions can mean life or death, and they seem to a large extent to be the result of a clerk's random assignment of a case to a particular judge," said study co-author Philip Schrag, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center. The proposed immigration-reform bill does not include major revisions in asylum laws. Read more.

Calif. Bill May Grant More Rights to Domestic Partners

Domestic partners may soon be able to choose their surnames, a right traditionally afforded only to married women. If the proposed bill passes in California, it would be the first  of its kind in the nation. Unfortunately, the processing for changing one's name, even for married women, can be expensive and lengthy, and critics of the proposed bill already are jumping to the defense. What are they saying, and does the legislation stand a chance? Read more.

Iraqi Women's Rights in Jeopardy

Iraqi women's rights are in jeopardy as the nation's new constitution doesn't afford them the same basic civil liberties it guarantees men.. The new constitution, which is based on the Islamic Sharia law system, will repress women's legal ability to work, study, marry and divorce, and dress as they please. Yanar Mohammad, founder of the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq, continues to advocate for equality, despite death threats and rampant repressive attitudes. Read more.

NYC Police Reach Out to Immigrants

In an effort to garner trust, the NYPD is reaching out to its immigrant population through a new Immigrant-Special Outreach Unit created by the department's Community Affair's Bureau. The primary goal is to drive down crime, but bureau liaisons say this outreach is the first step in building strong community relationships. "This is the most diverse city in the country; people are coming here from every corner of the world," Commissioner Raymond R. Kelly said in a statement. "It's incumbent on us to be better positioned to identify them and to service them and be aware of their issues." Read more.

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