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Are Your Opinions 'Too Old to Matter?' Google Age-Bias Lawsuit Back in Court

A state appeals-court judge ruled Thursday that an age-discrimination lawsuit filed by a former Google manager, 54-year-old Brian Reid, against his ex-employer could be reinstated. Reid, who was hired in 2002 as director of operations and director of engineering, allegedly was told by his supervisor that his opinions were "too old to matter" before he was fired a year later. Reid lost his $200,000 salary and close to $10 million in stock options, was replaced by two younger colleagues, and amassed evidence alleging Google discriminates against older workers by giving them lower performance evaluations and bonuses than younger managers. The latest ruling overturns a lower court's opinion that dismissed the case entirely; the judge said arguments involved factual disputes that must be resolved by a jury, according to CNN.com.

(See also: Age Discrimination: What You Need to Know)

What Was Obama's Latest Move?

Sen. Barack Obama's recent political move to stall Senate confirmation proceedings for Federal Election Commission nominee Hans von Spakovsky, who has been accused of diluting voting power among people of color during his time as a Justice Department lawyer, may thwart the growing gap between the Illinois senator and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton in the race for the democratic presidential nominee, according to Politico. The senate plans to revisit the nomination when it returns from its one-week recess.

(See also: Face to Face With Barack Obama: He Talks Education, Healthcare, Unions)

Black Clergy Revive Fight Against HIV/AIDS

Dozens of black clergy gathered in New York Monday to discus HIV/AIDS, a leading cause of death among blacks. The meeting, co-chaired by Pastors T.D. Jakes, a renowned television minister from Dallas, Texas, and Rev. Calvin Butts III, pastor of the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, N.Y., and convened by the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS, was set to reevaluate the role of the black church in the fight against HIV/AIDS. "Since the movement of the '60s, we haven't seen a gathering of African-American clergy persons like this around a specific issue," says Butts. Read the full story from USA Today.

(See also: AIDS in Black America: 'Complacency Is Killing People' and Why Is AIDS/HIV So Prevalent Among Blacks?)

Town Says 'Sorry' for Racist Teen Murder 50 Years Ago

Officials from Sumner, a rural Mississippi town, apologized to the family members of Emmitt Till 50 years after the 14-year-old was tortured and murdered for allegedly whistling at a white woman. Till's killers were acquitted by an all-white jury and never served any jail time. Late last week, city officials apologized to relatives of Till. Till's mother and others closely involved in the matter have passed on, says NPR. 

Older LGBTs Hit With Double Discrimination

For many LGBT people, discrimination doesn't go away with age. LGBT people in nursing homes experience discrimination or harsh treatment more frequently than do their non-LGBT counterparts, reports the The New York Times. Experts say the issue is compounded when LGBT individuals fail to disclose who they are. While there are no official laws set in motion to protect the marginalized group, California says older LGBT people have special needs like other members of traditionally underrepresented groups. A new law encourages training for employees and contractors who work with the older LGBTs and permits state financing of projects such as senior centers specifically for LGBTs.

In Subprime Market, Who Gets the Best Deals?

Despite the shaky mortgage industry, one segment has remained stable—loans granted to undocumented people, called Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) mortgages. Applicants must have an individual taxpayer identification number to apply. The fixed-rate loans are designed for immigrants who can prove they are creditworthy and pay taxes even though they don't have legal permanent residency in the United States. Independent estimates pit delinquency rates for ITIN mortgage loans more than 90 days overdue at about 0.5 percent, reports The Wall Street Journal, compared with 1 percent for prime mortgages and 9.3 percent for subprime mortgages extended to those with spotty credit histories.

(See also: Blacks, Latinos Remain Top Targets for Subprime Lenders)

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