Obama (16)

Hello Community, As President Obama prepares for his 2013 Inauguration

JMCC-Legacy Collection

Is Proud to offer

 

President Barack Obama 2008 Inauguration Mug

Collector Items For Sure !!

Add to your JMCC Legacy Collection

Barack Obama is the first African-American

president of the United States,

as well as the first born in Hawaii.

and now has the historic honor

of being ReElected as the 44th President!!!!

You can own this beautiful 11oz ceramic mug

featuring the 44th President of the United States,

Barack Obama.

 This is a cup to treasure.

It a JMCC Legacy collectible.

3 1/8" diameter x 3 7/8" high.Microwave safe. Dishwasher safe.

$ 4.00 members

$ 6.00 non members

Shipping and Handling $5.00 per item

Limited supply, Once Gone, Gone!!!!

Pricing is subject to change without notice

go to http://www.jusmcc.org 

select  special offer tab or

just scroll down on left

column and select the

JMCC Legacy Collection link

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Obama Four Years Later: Are You In?

10744076490?profile=originalAre you in? It’s the current battle cry of the 2012 version of the Obama Campaign, and though on its surface, it almost feels like a casual question, it’s rife with much deeper meaning almost three-and-a-half years after the historic election of President Barack Obama.

On its face, and in basic terms, the question says will you volunteer for me again? Will you donate regularly and at the historic levels you did in 2008? But deep down, it forces those of us who worked so hard to support then Senator Obama to ask ourselves, do we still believe in the vision and the man? Can we see Barack Obama’s presidency in its totality and conclude that it has overall been a success, and that his policies and leadership have been better for the country? Despite the historic nature of the election, and the joy we felt as African Americans – has he delivered on the vision of America that he convinced so many of us was possible?

But mostly, the question is an acknowledgement that a lot has changed in four years. The average Obama supporter is no longer in wide-eyed wonderment over the prospects of electing our first black president – four years after history was made, many of us are still grappling with the socio-economic ravages of Bush Administration policies, and confounded over what seems to be President Obama’s commitment to adhering to some of the most unpopular of them – Guantanamo Bay is still open; we’ve expanded what has been a costly presence in Afghanistan under President Obama, and he’s failed up till now to end the Bush-era tax cuts given to the wealthiest Americans and corporations, despite the fact that the nation’s debt and budget deficit continue to skyrocket, and our social safety nets are on the verge of collapse. It’s just a fact – whatever their race, many of the President’s supporters find themselves disappointed in the wake of what have been characterized as broken promises made during the 2008 election, and there are those on the left that have been vocal about their belief that President Obama has given up too much in tough fights with Republicans these last few years.

Even a rabid Obama supporter like me can admit that there have been some disappointing moments in his presidency. I question the wisdom, for example of expending vast amounts of his political capital on waging a long and protracted healthcare reform fight, only to end up with legislation that as of this writing, is being challenged constitutionally before the Supreme Court, legislation that did not go nearly far enough to protect the nation’s citizens in a way that every other industrialized country in the world has been able to. I understood the rationale then, and I understand it now – tackle the sector of our economy that seems most intractable, and that is in the most danger of destroying our nation’s ability to sustain a healthy economy and more importantly, a healthy citizenry for the future – I get it.

The need for reform was even more important in light of the fact that Baby Boomers, who outnumber every other age group in the nation, are approaching retirement, and in danger of completely overwhelming the healthcare system as we know it now if we don’t get costs under control. Again, I get it, and you probably do to. But waging that fight at a time when the country was literally hemorrhaging jobs that have been too slow to come back, and the fact that it all may have been for naught if the Conservatives on the Supreme Court have their way, can’t help but make even the President’s biggest supporters wonder what he and his advisors were thinking.

So it’s 2012, and even I, the original Black Woman for Obama have to ask myself the question: are you in?

It’s not as easy a question for me to answer as it might seem. It’s not just about will I vote for President Obama – of course I will. The question for me and others like me is will I work myself into the ground again to ensure his re-election? As one of the pseudo leaders of the original volunteer corps, will I shut down a large part of my life once more to go out and make sure that as many people in the nation as possible work to get President Obama re-elected, give more blood, sweat, tears, time, and money? Has he earned it?

In my opinion? Yes. Actually, hell yes. And I’ll tell you why. Feel me on this one for a moment.

Several months ago, Melissa Harris-Perry, the brilliant college professor and MSNBC show host did a segment on the Rachel Maddow show called the Tale of Two Michelle’s, where she talked about the disparities inherent in the way the media (at the time) treated Michelle Obama versus how they treated Michelle Bachmann during her failed run for the Republican nomination. It so happens that I have my own two-tales story. I call it – “The Tale of Two Shovels”

The Tale of Two Shovels

So, imagine there’s a job – everyone wants it. And to do this job, you have to be good at doing two things – digging a hole, and filling it back up with dirt – that’s it. Dig the hole and then fill it back up with dirt. The thing is – you have to dig this hole in such a way that the one that comes after you, can always either a) start the digging where you left off or b) begin to fill the hole where you left off. Simple, right?

Now imagine that you get this job – from what you’ve heard, every one of your predecessors, from the beginning of time, has dug the hole, oh, maybe 5, six feet deep, and worked like crazy to fill it back in. You’re not nervous – you know you’re going to have to dig a little, or toss a little dirt in, and you’re up for the task. Well – imagine your surprise, when (upon reporting for duty your first day of work, shovel in hand), you find that the guy that had the job before you, has dug a hole 100 feet deep, and left it for you to fill. Oh – and you have no idea where the dirt is. You still only have 5 feet worth of dirt to fill the hole in with.

In essence – your predecessor has thrown his shovel down, flipped you the bird on the way out, and ran back to his ranch in Texas, I mean, back to wherever he came from, leaving you to deal with the bizarre results of his efforts. And now, not only are your co-workers pressuring you to fill in the hole, those folks who want the job after you are yelling for you to fill the hole. Everyone everywhere wants you to fill in the hole. Fill in the damned hole! Do it now! Yikes.

You try to reason with them – “my predecessor dug a MUCH bigger hole than he should have, a-and there’s no more dirt with which to fill it kind people!”, and they tell you to shut your trap – less yapping, more hole management! Enough about your predecessor, it’s YOUR hole now, and you have to find a way to fill it with dirt. And you better not complain.

Get the picture? President Obama took office at an historic time for America and the world; 700,000 plus jobs were exiting the economy each month; our auto industry was on the verge of collapse, and in danger of taking another one million jobs with it; the financial institutions in this country were disintegrating in the wake of too much greed and too little regulation and because of an expensive and unjust war in Iraq, our reputation around the world was in tatters – when President Obama took the oath of office, he had been left with a very deep hole to fill indeed.

And yet – here we are four years later, arguably through the worst of the last big recession, with an auto industry that’s back on top around the world, and with an economy that has added 200,000 new jobs each of the last three months. This is of course not to say that Americans are no longer feeling the pain of the recession, but it can definitely be argued that as a result of Obama’s leadership and his administration’s policies, a lot of the magical, disappearing dirt has made its way back into the hole. So yes – I’m in. And you should be too.

I believed back in 2008, and I believe now that President Obama is a leader for this time; even as we debate policies, and distill critical issues into 30-second sound bites, there are important realities that we face as a nation, realities that I believe have informed the President’s policies, and which are as important and impactful today as they were then. I call them “the three shuns”:

Globalization. The harsh truth that many don’t want to face is that our ability to conduct commerce across shores easily and seamlessly due to technology means that there are many, many jobs that have left this country that are never coming back. Period. Competing tax rates aside, there are just too many countries with cheap, plentiful labor who are willing and able to do the work Americans used to do, and who can now, thanks to the internet and other communications technologies that make doing business across thousands of miles feel like doing business across the hall.

Education. America is not educating its citizens adequately to compete in the recently mentioned Global Economy. According to a study done by the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment released in 2010, 15-year-old students in the U.S. perform about average in reading and science, and below average in math. Out of 34 countries, the U.S. ranked 14th in reading, 17th in science and 25th in math. And even as unemployment continues to hover around 8.5 percent, many jobs that require high-tech skills are going unfilled and leaving companies no choice but to look outside our borders for workers they need.

Innovation. In every major recession since recessions have been recorded, it’s taken some major innovation to spur the country back into economic health. The commercialization of the Internet helped fuel economic recovery after the recession of the early 90’s, for example – innovation has facilitated the kind of economic expansion that results in periods of growth that are typically longer than the recession itself. But innovation takes a level of commitment that the nation has lost, and as a result, countries are cleaning our clocks when it comes to keeping up with our infrastructure, and investing in alternate forms of energy.

And I’m convinced that President Obama understands all of this, and that he has tried over the last three-and-a-half years (with debatable success), to manage the country to those realities always, with shovel in hand, trying to restore order to the hole.

And so as I look back on what’s been since my time as an Obama volunteer, and think about what’s to come, I can honestly say that no – this time, there will likely not be the tingles that ran up and down my and Chris Matthews’ legs during the last election; there may not be the adoring, impassioned crowds, the t-shirts and theme songs, or the plentiful celebrity spokespeople. And worst of all, there may not be the fired up, engaged volunteer corps that helped propel the President into office. So that’s where I come in. That’s where Black Women for Obama comes in. It’s our job this time to cut through the rhetoric, and the bias, and to spread the message of his real record – the record that includes passing the Lily Ledbetter Act to give woman equal pay for an equal days work;         a record that includes more financial reforms meant to protect average Americans than anytime in history, and an expansion of environmental policies that rivals any recent President. And a record that shows an ability to go after and defeat our enemies, in ways that actually make us safer as a nation, without all the lip service.

I’m in – I’m still a Black Woman for Obama. I believe in what the next four years will bring, and I believe in the President’s ability to bring it. So I hope you’ll come on in too – the political waters are fine.

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One of our community shared this powerful info. What I appreciate is not only was an marketing issue brought forth but an viable option is presented. click to start your financial legacyDon't Bypass African-AmericansMarketers Make Mistake by Failing to Expressly Target Nearly $1 Trillion MarketBy Marissa MileyPublished: February 02, 2009NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- In 2008, the country's top marketers tapped Barack Obama as Marketer of the Year. Many of those same marketers also cut spending directed at the African-American market.Najoh Tita-ReidWith advertisers chasing after niche markets such as mommy bloggers on tools such as Twitter, a "niche" worth $913 billion would seem the sort of market companies would be stumbling over each other to get to. Yet the African-American market has to continually make the case that it's a segment worth understanding, and one worth a dedicated portion of the ad budget.click to start your financial legacyAfrican-Americans -- and the African-American market -- were surpassed in the past five years by the growing Hispanic sector, leading many marketers and the media to focus intently on the "next big thing" in the minority sector. According to Nielsen, total spending in Spanish-language media in the first three quarters of 2008 was $4.3 billion, up 2.7% from the year before. Total spending on African-American media in that time period was $1.8 billion, down 5.3% from the same period in 2007. (Procter & Gamble was the largest spender in both categories.)click to start your financial legacyBLACK HISTORY MONTHFirst in a seriesStill, the African-American segment has buying power of $913 billion, according to 2008 data from the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia. That's why African-American marketing experts are flummoxed that there is an implied question floating around the C-suites in the U.S.: Why bother targeting the demographic specifically? Sales to be madePutting aside high-minded issues such as diversity and multiculturalism, the simple answer is: to make money."It makes sense to address 40 million people who are African-American if you want to capture their consumer behavior," said Alfred Liggins, president-CEO of Radio One, pointing out that marketers frequently target niche consumer segments such as new moms, outdoor enthusiasts and foodies. "Why is it an issue when you say that black people are a niche?"click to start your financial legacyThe justifications marketers use are many, particularly in a recession: Targeting African-Americans costs too much; it takes dollars away from general marketing; it does not add value. On a recent industry panel, Steve Stoute, founder-CEO of consulting/branding firm Translation, suggested some brands do well with African-Americans precisely because they don't market to the segment and are therefore seen as aspirational. (Mr. Stoute declined to participate in this story.)Another justification: "They speak English, don't they?" mocked Pepper Miller, president of Hunter-Miller Group, an African-American market research and consulting firm. She said marketers typically have this reaction because of the significant growth of the Latino market over the past couple of decades."That growth has become a catalyst for corporate America to embrace language as a cultural identifier, not race," she said. It's easier, she said, to make the case that a group speaking a different language deserves a unique type of marketing.African-Americans, on the other hand, because they share a common language with white America, are assumed to share the same culture and same interests. Why bother with the research and expense when you can just recycle general-market advertising and maybe throw in a couple of black actors?click to start your financial legacy
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Christianity

I received the following letter from an email buddy. I felt I should share this with others. Enjoy!Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus,We know as Christians that we live in a dangerous world. However, it is really sad when you see a minister of the Gospel preaching HATE. No matter how we feel concerning the leader of this country who God put in office, I personally don’t like some of President Obama’s policies but I do respect him and his office and don’t wish or pray anything bad on him or his family. We all have a right to our own feelings, opinions and choices no matter who or what we believe in. God made us a free will being. He let us pick and choose our own praying ground. I chose Jesus when I was seven years old. My only grand daughter asked me about a month ago “how do you know we are right about who we picked to worship.” My answer to her was “have you checked out the founders of the other religions” (I named off a few) and I asked her if she knew where their graves were, and later I asked her where was our founder of the Christian faith. She answered me and I asked her “now, since He is the only one that has an empty grave and witnesses saw Him when He departed in His resurrected body and promised to return the same way when He comes back here to get us, wouldn’t you want to worship and serve someone who conquered death and rose again?” You should have seen the light come on in her 11 year old eyes, nothing can describe it! HE LIVES and that is why I can face tomorrow.We as Christians, including myself need to be more aware of who we let influence us. We need to pick the Bible up for ourselves and pray and read it and not rely on someone who is NOT being led by the Holy Spirit. This man who is preaching a hate gospel is not of God, he is preaching the gospel of demons. Can you imagine a so called pastor telling his congregation that he wants the president to die because of abortions and the war issues? I don’t agree with anyone who sides with the abortion issue but I don’t condemn them for their thoughts. As far as the war, well Christ said himself that we will always have wars and rumors of wars, no one can stop that. We have always had warring nations and wars within our own America .I am sickened beyond reason and I know who is behind this hatred….old slew footed satan. I do NOT capitalize its name, too much attention given to the head demon. God said to let the wheat and tares grow together and He would do the sifting. I heard a sermon on Sunday that said we were not to judge people. Well, that is not what the Scripture said. “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye measure it shall be measured to you again” (Matthew 7:1-2). There is a difference between judging and Bible definition and sometimes we get that all mixed up.Yesterday and this morning my husband and I went to the lake, didn’t catch many fish but we had a glorious time in the Lord and God was ministering to us while on the lake. I caught some nice legal take home cat fish. My husband caught a lot more fish than I did but they were not big enough. He threw them back in the lake and said “I could get away with this but a man of God is going to obey God and mans laws.” Now me, I knew better and I sure wanted those nice “crappie” fish but I knew that Jerry wasn’t going to do the No No. Sometimes, we as Christians pick out certain passages and laws we want to obey but God don’t see it that way. That is truly a form of stealing if he would have kept those fish. How many ways have all of us at one time or another STOLE FROM GOD? You be your own judge on that one. It is sad when we point out someone else sin and not look at the things we are doing and call ourselves Christians. God wants us to obey all His rules, not just the ones that we like. The game warden may have not been looking but God was. The closest way to have a relationship with God is to OBEY Him and live your lives like HE has given us in the real love book called “THE BIBLE.” With the hatred of Pastor Anderson, he has judged himself and heaped coals of sin and death on himself, his family and those who follow him. That man is preaching a doctrine of demons. Don't walk in the flesh, Galatians 5:16-21. If you and I are powered by the Holy Spirit, our Christian character needs to be like the Scripture says in Galatians 5:22-26. May God Bless each and every one of you.
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I have a hot item that you can make money instantly online from. I currently made about 50 sales and counting.The item is a college radio station rep list for artist and record label owners. I am sure you see The item is a College Radio Station Rep List for artist and record label owners. I am sure you see everyone trying to promote music online. When they see your advertisement they will buy it if they are serious artists point blank. It is all about you posting the advertisement in the right places on the internet like blogs, forums and entertainment web sites dealing with music. After you purchase the item you will receive the college rep list document via email within 24 hours. All you have to do is create a banner and a paypal button and you are ready to go. I suggest you sale the list for just $20 when making the paypal buy now button for a fast turn around. click image below and it will take you to were you can purchase the College Radio Station Rep List. The list is official record labels like Def Jam use it to get there new artist a buzz in the music world
l_c7c1b4babb9dd5a0a3923f1d510a242c.gif
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1CCU Eco-Elite Event Planning

Creative Concept Unlimited Inc. offer an innovative and unique Green event planning package called Eco-Elite.An "Eco" Elite Event also known as a Green Event is an event that takes into consideration the environmental impacts of the occasion as well as the social effects. This includes everything from transportation, marketing material, to catering and travel. Let 1CCU plan your Corporate Event from start to finish leaving your conscious clear and our environment safe. We follow 10 key factors to design a complete Eco-Friendly Event. Eco Elite Events helps differentiate your company from the others. It shows your commitment to the improvement of our environment and will make you stand out as a leader in your industry. 1CCU guarantees it will be Eco friendly and Elite!1CCU specializes in Green Weddings as provided with or Eco-Elite Wedding Package.Eco- Elite WeddingsAn "Eco" Wedding is a wedding that includes everything from rings, transportation, wedding dresses, invites, to catering and also inclusive of the honeymoon and travel. Let 1CCU plan your wedding from start to finish leaving your conscious clear and our environment safe. We follow 10 key factors to plan your special day. 1CCU guarantees it will be Eco friendly and Elite! Making a wedding “Green” is not as difficult as it may seem. I have outlined 10 Key “Green” planning concepts that can be implemented to make your special day wonderful for you and even better for your environment.The VENUEChoose a natural setting like a botanical garden, beach or a beautiful park rather than a huge hall. You can exchange vows in a romantic setting under the stars, or by an amazing ocean scene.The MenuExplore booking top culinary chefs that will prepare a delightful, succulent variety of organic foods that will incorporate all aspects of fine green dining, from farm raised entrees, to bio-degradable dinning décor.The DÉCORSpeaking of décor not only can you find caterers that incorporate bio-degradable items in their service; you will find that there are also many companies that provide recycled event décor items.The INVITATIONA great option for invitations for the perfect Green Themed wedding will consist of recycled paper and to take it one step further you can have them printed with biodegradable corn-based ink or an even better and more modern day option is to send a sophisticated and exquisitely designed Electronic Invitations (e-vites).The GIFTS/FAVORSThink outside of the box and get creative by giving your guest an Wedding Day Eco-Bag filled with a variety of eco-friendly gifts like luxury Eco-Spa items, Personalized Organic Tea bags, and Elegantly Engraved Mini-Pots with a packet of Plan Seeds to symbolize the seed of love planted on the day of your special union.The TRANSPORTATIONEvery bridal party wants to be transported in luxury and style. With today’s Automotive Companies taking a conscious approach to preserving our environment and producing a large number of fuel efficient Hybrid vehicles, they have made it a point to remember the most important vehicle for a bride and groom, the limousine. Believe it or not there are many companies that provide luxury hybrid limousines as well as luxury cars for the wedding party.The RINGSOf all the pieces of jewelry a woman will own in her life, her wedding ring is the most important and holds the most meaning. Consider a jeweler that sells diamonds that are certified conflict-free. You should also consider bands that are created with recycled metals. I suggest you visit Brilliant Earth at www.brilliantearth.com; they are the leading provider in conflict-free diamond jewelry. Brilliant Earth also donates dedicates 5% of their profits to local communities that are affected by the diamond industry.The most important - The DRESSChoosing that perfect wedding gown is one of the most emotional and most important purchases of woman’s life. Choose a wedding gown that is made from natural fibers as well as your wedding party.My last recommendation is The WEDDING COORDINATOR/PLANNERIn order to fully design and plan the perfect reality of your Wedding day Dreams and also incorporate the fundamentals of an environmentally safe wedding, I suggest that you enlist the services of a professional Wedding Coordinator to ensure that your wedding is not just eco-friendly but truly represents the fantasy that you have always dreamed of for your special day.888.327.1794Copyright © 2008 1 Creative Concept Unlimited, Inc. All rights reserved * www.1creativeconcept.com * Cynthia Minor President/CEO
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Lose 2 dress sizes in 10 minutes!


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bT*xJmx*PTEyMzAzMTYzNTExNDMmcHQ9MTIzMDMxNjM2MTg1MiZwPTg3NTkxJmQ9Y29tbWVudHMlMkRjb2RlYm94Jmc9MSZ*PSZvPTZiNTI4NGE1MDU5ZTQ*MjA4OWU1ZWI5MDRlODE*ZmNh.gifHow would you like to lose up to 2 dress sizes in 10 minutes?Big Gyrl Clothing featured product “Body Magic”- This garment is an innovative creation that will sensationalize your body by giving you the appearance of lipo transformation without the surgery. It is designed to lift your stomach and flatten it as well as your abdomen muscles. It lifts and reshapes your buttocks and helps thin your thighs.- Contact Big Gyrl Clothing via email biggyrlclothing@yahoo.com or via phone 302.897.9695 to place your fitting & order today!www.biggyrlclothing.netFashion for the Urban Plus Woman
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Bring in the New Year right!


Big Beautiful Women MySpace Comments and Graphics
Big Beautiful Women MySpace Layouts Photobucket Login - Upload Pics and Videos
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bT*xJmx*PTEyMzAzMTUyNjEzOTYmcHQ9MTIzMDMxNTI2NTc2NCZwPTg3NTkxJmQ9Y29tbWVudHMlMkRjb2RlYm94Jmc9MSZ*PQ==.gifDo you have your New Year's Eve dress yet? Stand out in the crowd with one of Big Gyrl Clothing's exclusive party dresses on sale right now! Visit www.biggyrlclothing.net today and make a fashion statement! We now have flat rate shipping!
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How Obama won The Presidential Election…

How Obama won The Presidential Election…Most of the newspaper in America has Obama advertising in it.And the ad’s always tells you everything you need to know about why he should win the election.He didn’t win because he’s the candidate of “change” or because he’s offering 95% of Americans a tax cut or because he’s an incredibly charismatic politician who’s mastered the art of soaring.The only reason he won is because HE IS A GOOD MARKETER.Well let me explain (Here is a truly fascinating MARKETING case study that you shouldn’t neglect studying, even if you don’t like politics).~~~~~~~~~~MARKETING CASE STUDY~~~~~~~~~~~~Obama’s team has created the most powerful marketing machine ever heard of.His message is everywhere and his PRIMARY objective is - LEAD GENERATION.When you click on any of Obama’s ad like the one that was on www.washingtonpost.com, you will be lead to a landing page where you are “squeezed” for your contact info before you can get any of the free “goodies.”Why?Well it’s because he want’s to build a list of supporters.Here is another excerpt from www.Salon.com about Obama’s marketing machine. Love this.~~~~~~~~~~Articles from Salon.com~~~~~~~~~~~Barack Obama’s super marketing machineHe knows your neighbourhood, your favourite products and even when you open your e-mail. How Obama is betting on vast, corporate-style voter outreach to win the White House.By Mike MaddenJuly 16, 2008 | WASHINGTON — About every week or so, you get an e-mail from Barack Obama campaign manager David Plouffe, or top deputy Steve Hildebrand, or maybe Obama himself. They’re breezy and informal, addressing you by first name at the outset (before they ask you to donate money at the end). But that’s just the beginning.You know, of course, that Obama has your e-mail address. You may not have realized that he probably also has your phone number and knows where you’re registered to vote — including whether that’s a house or an apartment building, and whether you rent or own. He’s got a decent estimate of your household income and whether you opened a credit card recently. He knows how many kids you’re likely to have and what you do for a living. He knows what magazines and catalogues you get and whether you’re more apt to get your news from cable TV, the local newspaper or online. And he knows what time of day you tend to get around to plowing through your in box and responding to messages.The 5 million people on Obama’s e-mail list are just the start of what political strategists say is one of the most sophisticated voter databases ever built. Using a combination of the information that supporters are volunteering, data the campaign is digging up on its own and powerful market research tools first developed for corporations, Obama’s staff has combined new online organizing with old-school methods of voter outreach to assemble a central database for hitting people with messages tailored as closely as possible to what they’re likely to want to hear. It’s an ambitious melding of corporate marketing and grassroots organizing that the Obama campaign sees as a key to winning this fall.~~~~~~~~~~~~END OF Article~~~~~~~I believe that by now Obama would have grown his list past 5 million because this articles was written in July this year.Because he had a list, he can email his supporters to vote with a click of a button. He can push more people, more quickly, easily and efficiently, to take action on his behalf, than any other politician, company or individual.So why did Obama won, it’s because HE was A GOOD MARKETER.So let learn from Obama, if you want to know what to create a cash surge in your business. You need to have your database in order. Compile ALL the information on your past and present clients, your prospects, PR contacts, strategic alliances, and entire sphere of influence and hub them in a common HUB, then use the information you’ve gathered to market your services.I use ACT to manage my database and it works fantastically.Excel is also another system but it has limited capabilities to maintain a database, It a basic tool for organizing basic info about your contacts.But it’s far better to start with that to stuff names and addresses into your desk drawer.Being a successful marketer requires identifying and leveraging your marketing assets.There is no better way of leveraging than leveraging your client database. These are a list of people who know, like and trust you…and could buy from you.So, if you want to win the game of marketing - if you want to dominate your local marketplace and quickly become the “obvious expert” in your area, you MUST start with building and utilizing an actionable database.Pay close attention to this quote from the article…“About every week or so, you get an e-mail from Barack Obama campaign manager David Plouffe, or top deputy Steve Hildebrand, or maybe Obama himself. They’re breezy and informal, addressing you by first name at the outset (before they ask you to donate money at the end).”This reveals three of the secrets to RELATIONSHIP building that are so crucial to effective marketing (and something the vast majority of business owners do incorrectly. Frequency is key.Big hugs to you...
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The Big Gyrl Now, entry #1

Ladies I need to share this with you. That's what blogs are for right? Well, I recently attended the Delaware Black Awards a couple of weeks ago. I am proud to say that Big Gyrl Clothing was a finalist for the Best Retailer Award! Unfortunately we did not win, but we are all winners. Well, according to previous emails sent from DelawareBlack.com, it was going to be an elegant affair so I immediately starting thinking about a fabulous dress to make. Life becomes extremely hectic and busy in an instant and I did not get a chance to make my dress until 3am the day of. I finished the dress at 10am Friday, ran errands like a maniac, and by 6pm, was ready to attend the event. The dress is chocolate brown on the bottom and mint green on the top. There is gold detailing on the bottom of the dress with mint green and chocolate straps on top. The neckline was a braid of mint green and chocolate material. The dress was sleeveless with a train in the back. I wore my open toed gold shoes with an amber stone in the middle. They were strapped around the ankle. The event was held at the Grand Opera House which is a very popular place for comedy shows, concerts, orchestras, and other events. So my man and I finally arrived at the event. While we waiting in line I looked around excited seeing who was there and checking out other dresses. The only thing i saw were suits, business suits, jeans, a couple of plain garments, nothing elegant. Oh well, I always stand out no matter where I go, its just a positive nature and disposition that I have and carry with me, especially at a networking event. What I did not like were elevator eyes looking back at me. I will smile at everyone but most women would look like 'umph'. I am familiar with it, I have always and presently receive the Umph look everyday, but what bothers me is that 1- you are a grown a** woman looking at me like that because I have a beautiful and flattering gown on and you decided to where something casual, who's fault is that. 2- Do not hate on the big gyrl of the room and whisper and laugh when you cannot say anything to my face, who is the weak one? 3- We live in a country now that has a black president and you want to keep a petty mentality like this, come on, are you serious? I tell you ladies of BBC and I hope that I am not talking about anyone here and I pray that you do not act the same way as some of the ladies at the event was. Don't hate on the woman doing her thing. I am a fashion designer, I take risks in business, life, love, and clothing, I am not afraid of wearing anything and do not have a care in the world who talks about me. Until you live for yourself, you are not living at all. For us to overcome the major obstacles of racism, glass ceilings, etc. we must remove the hatred amongst each other. Who was standing there crying at Barack Obama's acceptance speech, Jesse Jackson. Did you know that he was on live television earlier this year saying he wanted to cut barack's testicles off? But yet despite all of this, he was overjoyed that obama won, he stood there crying tears of joy, not hatred and it takes a real man like obama to have someone who said such a thing to be there. I go through the same 'umph' situations at work but eventually the same chicks that talk all that mess, come around and ask where did I get this from, and they learn to respect me and my business. The awards night was wonderful and I met some great contacts for business. I did receive compliments on my dress as well, met some future models, and politic'd with the guys. All in all, with or without creating enemies, I had a great time. This is the first entry of the big gyrl now blog series where I will speak of various big gyrl comedies, tragedies, and life issues and successes. Hope you enjoyed this and if you are a hater or umph girl, don't you think its time you made a change? Maybe if you focused your energy on yourself instead of someone else, you will be halfway close to where they are.Keep motivated and have a fashion fabulous week!S
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In the dictionary definition, democracy "is government by the people in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system." In the phrase of Abraham Lincoln, democracy is a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people."Democracy is supposed to be set of ideas and principles about freedom. We have been told that is consists of a set of practices and procedures that have been set forth by our forefathers consisting of these four basic elements:1. A political system for choosing and replacing the government through free and fair elections.2. The active participation of the people, as citizens, in politics and civic life.3. Protection of the human rights of all citizens.4. A rule of law, in which the laws and procedures apply equally to all citizens.Today we have the opportunity to exercise what we believe as a collective group of citizens.What will we do with this opportunity? We will get drunk and raise the roof, what are we celebrating? It will be time to roll up our proverbial sleeves and improve upon whatever we are doing to be individuals that model the behavior of new president. Let's be sensible and really make a difference.President-Elect Barack Obama has shown us what it takes to fight for what he believes in. He has shown us that he believes in the America we were destined to be. Not just a super-power globally, but a country that takes care of its citizens.Be proud, be happy, be mindful the now the work has just begun.Omitunde, Publisher of African American Family ConnectionAn online magazine about African American Family values and community.Visit AAFC for the latest issue each month and a copy of "The Ripple Effect"
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November 4th is a day that seems to not be able to come fast enough. After months of screaming YES WE CAN…the day of reckoning is just around the corner. Now many of you think I’m speaking of the election….but instead I think it’s time for all of us as newly engaged citizens, on fire for a candidate, to use this day to confront our own needs for personal and spiritual housekeeping.We, more than most, get and connect with the fantastic voyage that is Barack Obama’s story. The question becomes, “will we allow Barack’s story to be just that, a story that happened in the midst of our daily complaints, fears, errands and etc.?” Will we get stuck in the land of amazement at our baby boy or girl’s love of Obama or will we figure out how to transition his faith walk and determination into lessons our babies can understand? Will we worry about the attacks coming from his opponents or will we make sure that we learn valuable lessons about moving forward through our own fear and threats of evil opposition? Will we make sure some young person understands that their opposition is not based on perceptions of their weaknesses but the fears of their undeniable strengths?As an early voter, I can say that I felt a surge when I was able to mark an x beside Barack Obama’s name. I was surprised at how choked up I felt when walking back to my car. I kept thinking, Lord Have Mercy…I just voted for Barack Obama, FOR PRESIDENT. I was proud for all of the reasons that we all are. But I admit that there were other things that I thought about that day and most days since.Maybe it’s just me, but when I look at Michelle Obama I see the many sisters coming out of the hair salon after a sweet blow out…when you can’t tell us a thing. When she infuses a certain look when making a point, I see my mom and my girlfriend Lavita. When I see her standing eye to eye with her husband, looking feminine and strong, it reminds me of my girls Nicole, Toni and Tina. When I see Sasha and Malia I see my very bright cousin Madison and the snaggle toothed smile of MaKenzi. When I see Barack’s cool “what’s up” swagger, I see men from my circle like Henry, CJ and Wade. When he’s blamed for being too much of an intellectual, I merely hear the same style of speech used by my friends Omar, Artis and Mike.So in the end, I guess that my greatest pride won’t be JUST that Barack may win but that people and images that are NEVER shown on TV, heck are rarely ever acknowledged, will be selected by MILLIONS for the role of the ultimate leader. And as many are patting themselves on the back for being so FORWARD thinking by selecting Barack, I will know that the things they admire are right in my circle; in my community; in my family.My only desire now is that our pride and recognition of similarities with the Obamas will transition beyond next week. Most of us won’t ever meet Barack Obama. He won’t come to our church and he may never kiss our babies, no matter how cute. Nevertheless, we’re not out of luck. On November 5th, every community has the ability to connect with its own Obama by meeting the NEW YOU. You won't be new because you’re gonna change but new because you’ll decide to share more of your gifts with the people around you. You will choose to vote NO to fear and self doubt. You will recognize that you're only limited by the questions you're scared to ask and the opportunities you're afraid of pursuing.On November 5th communities far and wide can learn that actually we have lots of great black fathers. We can choose to show that there are plenty of happy couples out there who actually like and support each other. Most importantly each of us can introduce our zip codes, our families, our jobs and our friends to a person who truly has FAITH not only in a candidate but in themselves. I’ll leave you with the words spoken by Mandela, but written by Marianne Williamson….“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”May we all be blessed and inspired during this GLORIOUS upcoming week. Enjoy your liberation. :-)Margarette PurvisFounder and CEOThe Purvis Consulting Groupwww.askpcg.com
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Felons Vote!

“Felons can vote this year.” I heard that statement on this Saturday. My questionable reaction was ‘What?!” and my feeling was dumbfounded. I speculated why I hadn’t heard of this and also I wondered what was so different this year than any other. My first planned course of action was to send out a world wide shout out to let everyone know of this; after some research of course.Monday morning on my way to the j-o-b, I phoned a family member who lives in CA and has been convicted of a felony in his past. Fortunately, he has not allowed that label hinder him. He is a profound business man and it making good for himself and his family. I asked, “Have you heard that felons could vote?” He chuckled and stated, “I have been voting all of my adult life.” I was so surprised. He stated that there was no question on the voter registration card that asked if you have even been convicted of a felony. Immediately, I began to wonder why everyone thought and believed this horrendous myth. I wonder why we just “went along with the flow” and didn’t research or ask questions.Now as I sit here informing everyone who was guided to this writing somehow, the statement, “Ignorance is bliss comes.” I say that because us not knowing this has hurt us so badly but it has blessed others, if you catch my drift. We have been walking around ignorant to the fact that as a people we have much more power than we allow ourselves to have. We have been the source of demise, just by carrying out the lie. I stand accused in this continued unawareness. As I speak I am internally forgiving myself for not knowing. I am forgiving myself for wondering why but not digging for the answers to my questions.I am now wiping my slate clean by informing the masses of people who are like me in this moment. I command you to do this research for yourself and alert everyone that you know to do the same. If you just do not have the tenacity to do so, at least spread the word that in some states, FELONS CAN VOTE, this year and every year after that! Let us not wonder why this genocidal fairy tale was carried out, we should all know the why. Let us work on the how. Let us focus on the what. Let us be the who. Together we can take a stand with the newfound knowledge that we have and we can make a difference. One person cannot change the world but together we can mold this puppy into what we want it to be. Let’s do this man!Depending on the state you live in, if you have had your voter right taken away due to a felony conviction or for any other reason, you can request to have your voter right restored. Certain states like Nevada have already restored felon’s right to vote. Go to your states government page and search for the election page or even more specific: voter right restoration. Don’t give up, look until you find the information you need and then pass the knowledge!Copy and paste the link below to register, if you have not done so already!https://ssl.congress.org/congressorg/e4/nvra/Love & Light, Literary Thought 2008http://www.literarythought.com
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Why I "Support" Sarah Palin

From One Career Mom To Another, You Go Girl!

The news has been out for over a week now. The shock is starting to wear off. But the insults continue, and I guess that's OK. That's how it is in politics. Yet I feel constrained to put my .02 cents in on the topic of Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin, and not about her politics either. In fact, I know little about her political views except that she's against abortion, that she favors drilling in Alaska and that she doesn't seem to be particularly pro-small business. I don't like that.

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Not only that, I think she took lousy, repulsive, cheap, underhanded and unprofessional shots at Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama, in particular by characterizing his community organizing work as anything less than a valuable and noble example of what all Americans should do. I don't like that either.

Having said all that, regardless of our political differences, I have a lot in common with Sarah Palin. We are both married to our high school sweethearts. We are both professional career women. We are both mothers of very young children. We have a loyal group of family members and girlfriends who have our back no matter what we say or do, win or lose.

And we love our families and our careers, and are determined to serve both well, simultaneously, in a world that makes it nearly impossible to do so.

I am weary of the editorials by other mothers criticizing Palin for returning to work 3 days after her child was born. When my first child was born, I scheduled an inducement so I could maintain my business and not miss publication of my weekly newsletter. I took pain killers, did not give birth in a pool and ended up having a Cesarean. And not only that, I gave an interview to a newspaper on a business related topic within 24 hours of giving birth. (Made some money as a result too.) I even gave the reporter my cell phone number so I could call her back quickly if she called while I was delivering my daughter.

Other mothers would not have made the same choices. And I took some heat for my choices, even to the point of being criticized for them on a television show once last year.

And so I support Sarah Palin for doing what she thinks is best for her life, at this time in her life.

At the end of the day, as mothers, that's all we can all do. Instead of criticizing her family choices, let's be collectively grateful that we live in a country where she has them in the first place. That, in America, a married woman can chose to: run for public office, wear whatever clothes she wants, have a career of her own, own businesses in her own name and purchase real estate without her husband's permission.

Sarah, if it was right for you and your family for you to return to work 72 hours after your child was born, then you just go sister. 72 hours after mine was born, I was sitting at my desk revising my website and learning how to breastfeed at the same time. Why? Because I felt my newborn needed the benefits of both my breast milk and my business acumen in order to have the best life possible.

I believe that a rising tide lifts all ships. And regardless of my political views where she's concerned, Sarah Palin's nomination, especially when coupled with how far Hillary Clinton came on the Democratic ticket this year, is a rising tide for women and mothers from all walks of life.

I don't have to agree with another professional mother's choices to celebrate the fact that she has them.

And regardless of the political differences I have with Sarah Palin, I'm going to ride her wave.

What do you think?

Other moms? Dads? Indie Business owners? What do you say?

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Hello All,A friend of mine sent me pics of Obama and his family. I found the pics to be very uplifting and wanted to share. I'm so happy to see the day where a man like Obama is a nominee for president of the United States. Not because he is African American but based on his beliefs and willingness to help the less fortunate. I hope you are inspired like I was after viewing these pics. It reinforces that we can all accomplish anything we set our minds to.Enjoy!

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