Yesterday, President Barack Obama finally managed to speak to Shirley Sherrod on the phone. In his conversation, he expressed his regret over her ousting and said that USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack had acted in haste. Sherrod, whose name has dominated the headlines this week, seemed satisfied with the exchange between herself and the president, telling the Associated Press: "I really didn't want to hear the president of the United States say I'm sorry to Shirley Sherrod. Just by simply calling me, I felt it was in a way saying 'I'm sorry.' He didn't have to do it."

After Sherrod's week - described accurately by the president as 'hellish' - it must have come at some relief to have received the president's call. Yet, she is owed much more than just an apology or an expression of regret. It is totally unacceptable that one person's livelihood and reputation can almost be ruined because of dirty tricks and a media hungry for titillation and salacious stories and for those more than willing to make things up to satisfy that demand and score points in the process.

The president has a responsibility to ensure that this doesn't happen again and to ensure that those who work for him are not involved, through their haste, in an innocent person's downfall.

According to CNN, Shirley Sherrod, the Department of Agriculture staffer who was ousted from her job this week, is now on the phone with President Barack Obama.

Having found herself in the middle of a manufactured racial controversy, which not only saw her pushed out from her job but also her reputation undermined, there is probably a great deal that Sherrod could discuss with, and teach, the president and his administration. "I think [they] need to understand a little more what life is like. I'd love to talk to [the president], though, or people in his administration ... to help them understand," said Sherrod.

This week's blunder suggests that the White House does indeed need to learn a few things, the least of which is that the haste to get involved in matters that turn out to be hoaxes or purposely constructed manipulations does a huge disservice to the very real issues that people are facing.

Shirley Sherrod is owed a full apology. That much is clear from watching the full video of the speech that led to the loss of her job and the manufactured controversy that has been playing all over the media in recent days.

It is disgraceful that the right-wing media has purposely exploited a benign video for its own ends. It is even more disgraceful that the NAACP, the White House and the USDA have all given up sound judgment in favor of panicked, ill-thought-out reactions.

In a statement released today, the NAACP, which had previously denounced Sherrod's actions as "shameful," said:

" We have come to the conclusion we were snookered by Fox News and Tea Party activist Andrew Breitbart into believing she had harmed white farmers because of racial bias."

No, the NAACP was not "snookered"; it just did not do its due diligence, and, in an attempt to make itself look good, was keen to throw Sherrod under the bus without considering the facts.

The NAACP went on to say that it "now believes the organization that edited the documents did so with the intention of deceiving millions of Americans." Yet, if these major organizations -- ones that are supposed to rely on fact-checking and objectivity as part of their job -- are so drawn in by soundbites, what hope is there for the rest of the country?

Police have reported that there is more evidence to suggest that the bombings that happened in Uganda on July 11, the night of the World Cup final, were carried out by two suicide bombers.

Two as-yet-unidentified and unclaimed heads, thought to belong to the suicide bombers, have been found as well as a suicide vest which was found in a disco hall.

Interpol and the FBI are working with Ugandan law enforcement officials to trace the identity of both individuals who would have been part of Al-Shabab, the militant Somali group which has claimed responsibility for the attacks. So far, approximately 20 suspects have been detained, several of whom are of Pakistani origin.

The first World Cup to ever have been held on the continent of Africa came to a resounding close on Sunday. Many celebrated Spain's win while others lamented the Netherlands' loss. Mostly, there was pride and happiness that South Africa had successfully hosted the event and that the continent could wrap up the games with confidence and the knowledge that there had been no violence or major attacks.

That is until two bombings hit Uganda late on Sunday night. The death toll has now risen to 74, including one American. The bombs -- detonated at a rugby club and an Ethiopian restaurant in Kampala where scores of people were watching the World Cup -- added a sad end to an otherwise peaceful series of happenings in southern Africa over the past month. Just as the World Cup brought together people of many nations, the bombings wounded and killed nationals from all over the world including the U.S., India and Ethiopia.

The bombs, thought to have been placed by Al-Shabab, a Somali militant group that apparently has Al-Qaeda links, were clearly intended to target innocent watchers of the World Cup. Visiting the sports club after the incident, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni reportedly said, "If you want to fight, go and look for soldiers, don't bomb people watching football."

President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have expressed their dismay and condemned the terrorist acts.

Johannes Mehserle, a former Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) officer (pictured), has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the case of Oscar Grant, whom he shot and killed on a train station platform in Oakland, Calif., on New Year's Day 2009. The shooting, captured on a cell phone video, quickly circulated online, leading to riots in Oakland.

The jury also attached a gun enhancement charge, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. This would be served consecutively after the involuntary manslaughter sentence, meaning that Mehserle could serve 14 years.

Mehserle claims that he mistakenly shot and killed Grant when he pulled out his firearm, believing that it was a Taser.

The ousting of Gen. Stanley McChrystal (pictured), the commander of the U.S. Force in Afghanistan, has raised eyebrows today. What has got people talking isn't so much McChrystal's resignation, but the president's seemingly bullish and no-nonsense approach to the matter. President Barack Obama is often accused of being too soft on hard issues.

Not this time, though.

On Tuesday, President Obama said that McChrystal, whose candid remarks about the administration and its approach to war, which appear in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, had displayed "poor judgment" and that he would speak to the general before making any decisions. It was already clear at that point, however, that McChrystal's position was on the line.

Several White House officials, including Press Secretary Robert Gates, had publicly rebuked the commander for his comments. In it, McChrystal reportedly said that he had been "disappointed" after his first meeting with the president, and that he had found it hard to sell the idea that more troops were needed: "I found that time painful," said McChrystal, before adding that "[he] was selling an unsellable position."

Obesity is not the problem.

Tackling childhood obesity is one of the most important tasks that Michelle Obama has taken on as first lady. As an issue that impacts the future of America, there's no doubt that dealing with it from an early age is vital. Reducing the number of obese children -- the goal set out by the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity on Wednesday is to reduce childhood obesity from 20 percent to 5 percent by 2030 -- will also reduce the number of obese adults. Obesity impacts society in all manners, from reducing quality of life and increasing mortality rates to straining doctors and hospitals that have to deal with people who have diabetes and strokes.