In one of the most important employment law cases of the decade, the U.S. Supreme Court handed employees a 5-4 victory by recognizing that even good-faith employment decisions can sometimes lead to results that give rise to lawsuits if those results fall more harshly on one class of employees than on another. But the news is certainly not all bad for employers – the Supreme Court's ruling provides justification for those tough decisions . . . .

From cell phones and texting to religion and manners, younger and older Americans see the world differently, creating the largest generation gap since the tumultuous years of the 1960s and the culture clashes over Vietnam, civil rights and women's liberation. A new study released Monday by the Pew Research Center found Americans of different ages increasingly at odds over a range of social and technological issues. It also highlights a widening age divide after last November's election, when 18- to 29-year-olds voted for Democrat Barack Obama by a 2-to-1 ratio . . .

Some of the biggest stars on the planet turned back into gushing Michael Jackson fans at the BET Awards, donning single gloves, swapping stories about their idol and singing The King of Pop's standards.
In her first public appearance since her brother Michael's shocking death, Janet Jackson memorialized him as her beloved sibling and vowed his memory would live forever. "To you, Michael is an icon,'' a somber Janet Jackson told the crowd . . .

Last weekend when the National Newspaper Publishers Association ("the Black Press of America") held its annual convention in Minneapolis, The Skanner walked away with an armful of coveted national awards. "We dominated," said publisher Bernie Foster, gleeful that his small paper had triumphed. . . . Photo: Moses Brewer, Bernie Foster, publisher, and Larry Waters.

Government experts are scheduled to vote Tuesday on a range of options to curb deadly overdoses with Tylenol and other pain relievers, including reducing dosages and even pulling certain products off the market. As the second day of the Food and Drug Administration's meeting began, the agency is asking more than 35 experts to discuss and vote on ways to prevent overdose with acetaminophen - the pain-relieving, fever-reducing ingredient in Tylenol and dozens of other prescription and over-the-counter medications. . .

The Supreme Court ruling in favor of white New Haven firefighters who said they were victims of reverse discrimination will probably leave employers confused, civil rights advocates and labor attorneys say.
The court ruled 5-4 Monday that the white firefighters were denied promotions unfairly because of their race, reversing a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as a federal appeals court judge. The majority of justices said the city was wrong to scrap a promotion exam because no African-Americans and only two Hispanic firefighters were likely to be made lieutenants or captains based on the results. The city said it had acted to avoid a lawsuit from minorities. . . .

Immediately following the announcement of Michael Jackson's sudden death, enterprising individuals began selling memorabilia online to take advantage of the increased demand. Better Business Bureau warns that the value of most memorabilia and commemorative items being sold is sentimental and the currently inflated prices for many items will drop over time. According to Smartmoney, before Jackson's death, sellers listed an average 200 to 400 memorabilia items daily on eBay, but by the morning following his death almost 20,000 Michael Jackson-related items and memorabilia were for sale on the auction Web site. Items included autographs, gloves, posters, newspapers and even a Cheeto which supposedly predicted the death of the pop star. . . .

Organizers for the proposed charter school High School for Recording Arts Portland will be submitting their application to Portland Public Schools on July 15. They need letters of support from parents, students and community members in Portland in order to get their charter approved ...  The school provides specialized training in studio and sound engineering, graphic design, business practices, video production, dance and theater and other areas of expertise. . . .

Keith V. Goodman, a beloved figure in the Portland arts community, died suddenly of an apparent heart attack on Saturday, June 27. He was 54. Goodman collapsed after gracefully finishing a dance performance outside the Beaverton Library. A memorial service will take place this Thursday where artists who loved Keith will be sharing their work on stage. . . .

With this edition hitting the streets during record unemployment levels in Washington and Oregon, we at The Skanner sought out the most inspirational person we could find to offer advice on preparing for the future. That's why we spoke with recent De La Salle North Catholic High School graduate Shantel Monk about her preparations for college and her career plans. . . .