Last Tuesday, the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a study indicating that, although the pay gap is closing, as of 2007, women managers in corporate America earn 81 cents for every dollar earned by a male in a similar position. If the woman is a mother, she earns 79 cents for every dollar paid to male managers who are fathers.

One wonders if that data still holds up today, during what many are calling a "mancession" -- a recession that is disproportionately affecting men. Recent data does indicate that, due to the recession, the rate of women's pay is increasing at a higher rate than men's even though we still earn less. In addition, a recent segment by CNBC indicated that women pursuing computer science degrees are more likely to be employed six months after graduation and make on average $2,000 more a month than their male counterparts. Evidence that at least in some arenas, sisters are doing it for themselves.

But these gains don't explain away that 2007 wage gap or why the gap exists at the corporate managerial level. Plus, in addition to the wage gap, there is an underrepresentation of women in management in general. A recent New York Times articles puzzles over these findings, stating: "It is difficult to determine why a wage gap exists between female and male managers, and to what extent these differences might be because of discrimination or other factors, like hours clocked" (NY Times).

While the rest of the world is focused on a small dust up at a certain megachurch in Atlanta, Slate, the journal of record for white people fascinated with black culture, just published a new expose on black church tourism in Harlem. Apparently 60 of the 338 black churches in Harlem are offering tours of their churches to foreign tourists with the help of the Harlem Chamber of Commerce. Slate reports: "As the summer tourist season draws to a close in New York, so too winds down the high period for one of the more peculiar attractions the city has to offer: Sunday church services in Harlem, which bring in thousands of foreign travelers each week." And it's not just nice tours of the buildings. Church tourism includes observing the service itself, receiving a "blessing" and a very special welcome from the pastor.

When I first read about Harlem church tourism, I was outraged -- outraged for all the wrong reasons. I grew up in a church where selling things in church was a sacrilege. I remember the response to other churches selling catfish and chicken dinners. It. Just. Wasn't. Done. Whenever this subject would come up, blatant selling of wares in the church house, there would be some vague reference to money changers in the temple. We know how that worked out! (P.S. I also went to a church were women couldn't stand in the pulpit, enter the pastor's study or walk inside the sanctuary wearing pants -- but let's stick to the money-changing in the temple stuff today.)

I was taught that the church should be able to survive on the tithes and offerings of its members and that God would provide. And just in case the congregation forgot their biblical obligation, every Sunday right before offering we were treated to a recitation of Malachi 3:7-10:

I guess the 2012 presidential campaign is already in full swing. Yes, it's two years before the next presidential election, but no need to wait on the political back-biting and smears that accompany the modern political campaign. It's 2010 and everything old is new again, including the attacks on First Lady Michelle Obama. As the founder of a blog called Michelle Obama Watch, I have a PhD in MIchelle Obama Victriology. By 'Victriology,' I mean the rabid anger and rage directed at a woman who did nothing more than marry a man with political ambition and abandoned her relatively quiet life as mother to two adorable children to support her husband's ambitions.

And support it she did. Many of you who joined the Obama bandwagon AFTER the Iowa caucuses may have forgotten, but back in the days of 2007, then Senator Barack Obama was not the most beloved figure of all of Black America. Let's get real. Many black folks viewed him with outright suspicion. There were even articles wondering if Barack Obama was "black enough." Does anybody remember 'Barack the Magic Negro'? That meme was originally started by a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, whose mother is half African American.

Back then, Senator Obama was running against two tag teams, Hillary and Bill along with Elizabeth and John. In addition Senator Obama had a problem that he continues to suffer from to this day -- he had no charismatic surrogates. It was just him. The black political caste system was either sitting on the sidelines or openly in favor of the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. Michelle Obama didn't really have a choice in the matter regarding whether to step up and fulfill that role. Her husband was battling two political couples and suspicion from us black folks. She had to step out there and step out there she did.