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22nd Century Press & Black Author Showcase Get Publishers Weekly Mention

Posted by Diane on April 14, 2009 at 4:23am

The article sidebar Issues of Race in SF in this weeks' (April 13th) Publishers Weekly has a quote from BAS founder and 22nd Century Press publisher, Diane Williams.Writer Rose Fox takes a quick look at two presses who produce speculative fiction for non-white readers and authors.http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6651138.html

Searching for Atlanta Wedding Vendors

Posted by LG on April 13, 2009 at 11:27pm

We are looking for unique and creative wedding vendors, in the Atlanta area, to spotlight your work on our site. The idea is to get great pictures and short quotes about what you have designed and do a feature story. We are looking to provide our readers with fresh ideas and increase awareness for your business as well.If this sounds like something you are interested in being involved with, please send us an email and we will contact you as soon as possible.Best Regards,Louise GillCo-Owner/Editore: info@inthedetailsblog.com

Your Feedback is Needed!

Posted by Dominique on April 13, 2009 at 10:45pm

Eminent EmpressI want to hear back from you! I have added a few pieces of my personal collection in hopes to get your feedback. Click the link here: http://eminentempress.webs.com/castyourvote.htm to view the pieces and vote anonymously on what you've seen. I'd really appreciate the feedback and the vote will take less than 5 minutes.Also, I have added a few new pieces that can be seen at the webstore: http://eminentempress.webs.com/apps/webstore/ they are marked with the yellow NEW signs.I look forward to hearing back from al of you and again, if there's anything you are interested in on the site, contact me!--Indulged in Inspiration!www.eminentempress.webs.comFounder: Dominique L. Watson

Too Excited!

Posted by Latrice Fowler on April 13, 2009 at 8:27pm

I was just talking with my Mom, she called to see if I was stressing out about this coming weekends' event. (our cooking demo with Real Men Cook) and I told her calmly that I wasn't and really you would think I should be with all that's been going on.In order for me to be able to serve people samples I would need to prepare all the ingredients ahead of time in a commercial kitchen, which I no access to. My husband may have to travel to California for his boss this week so he will miss our event. ( still up in the air on that) The kids and I will have to cram in my Mother's small car and drive to Plano which is 30 to 45 min away @ 6 AM on Sat. Our demo should only last for 30 min so we should be good on that. So for some reason I'm not stressed @ all! I gave it to GOD and I'm letting him work it out! So why stress, right? Wish us luck, this is just another amazing opportunity that may lead to another bigger opportunity.

Teaching Me About Pain!

Posted by Shannon Bryant on April 13, 2009 at 6:00pm

Yesterday’s Sunday school lesson was about Jesus’ crucifixion and how we enjoy the life that we have because he died for our sins. Pain was also discussed as a vivid occurrence by saying that we all endure some type of pain before we experience joy!This statement started me to reflect upon the birth of my daughter. I went through a natural delivery, impacted by back labor which caused me to feel as if my back was breaking into many pieces. But at the exact moment my daughter was able to open her eyes and grace upon the light of my room that pain became a distant memory. Joy filled my soul! As I look back on the pain that I thought would be etched in my brain with the association of child birth it was replaced at that exact moment with unbridled bliss!With the topic of pain, I take a page out of my 6 year olds book and aspire to obtain a portion of her resilience and loving nature and tailor it to myself. I look at the times when my daughter has been her sickest and she always mustard up enough energy to say “mommy are you okay” or “I Love You, mommy” or just walk into the next room to be under me. For me, children have a natural disregard for themselves when it comes to the bond that they have with their parents. They possess a desire to overlook their pain to make sure that we are experiencing joy and not pain.As my daughter gets older, I see the life lessons that God has laid before me to bestow upon her. But I am also learning through her some lessons of my own that I have forgotten as time went on.We never stop learning, until we die! Take time out one day and observe your children; they may have a lesson for you.

April Week 2 CIOF Tip: Do the Math!

Posted by Annetta Powell on April 13, 2009 at 12:30pm

Never buy a property until you have completed the calculations to determine whether you will make a profit once the property is renovated.

Visit CahInOnForeclosures.com for more Information!
Clicking the link above will not take you away from this siteAnnetta PowellQueen of Real Estate

New Rules for the New Economy

Posted by Richelle Shaw on April 12, 2009 at 10:50pm

What used to work, is so far from working now. If you haven't found this out yet, just keep doing what you used to do for a while longer.Tuesday, LaShanda and I are hosting a free webinar to feature sista's making money now and show you what is working now.Join us? You don't want to miss it.Business Women of Color is hosting a Marketing Webinarnext week Tuesday at 7pm est. There is no cost and it's in the evening, soour 9-to-5 entrepreneurs can get a chance to join in.The What's Working Now Webinar on April 14Space is limited. | Reserve your Webinar seat now at:https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/275433626What strategies can work to boost your business in today's difficulteconomy?Small Business Expert Richelle Shaw and Web Expert LaShanda Henry have puttogether an information packed webinar for Small Business Owners who wantto know what's working now.Space is limited. | Reserve your Webinar seat now at:https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/275433626

Social Networking Profit Possibilities for Entrepreneurs

Posted by LaShanda Henry on April 12, 2009 at 5:59pm

When I created my own social network, Black Business Women Online, my initial intention was to simply network with other women in business. However, over 5,000 members later and the BBWO Space has turned into so much more. Having created a space that works for my target I quickly began to see my sales increase along with the visibility of my primary business. For me, the key to social networking success is creating a niche-specific space that you are interested in, being as active as you want your members to be, and always working to create a quality space with great content. Between ad sales, direct sales, and a constant influx of customer questions, my social network has benefited me in more ways than one. And the best part is that my members love it too and credit it to be one of the few places they can really connect with other women entrepreneurs of color. I turned my Social Networking Success Story into an eBook to help other new network creators. Download my eBook: Create Your Own Ningalicious Network LaShanda Henry, Information Entrepreneur www.createawebsite4profit.com

Is your business working?

Posted by LaShanda Henry on April 12, 2009 at 5:16pm

This week's Topic on the SistaSense Newsletter: Is IT Working?

Wouldn't it be great if your business worked exactly like you wanted it to? Now I know for some that thought seems like a dream that might never come true, but it is possible to create the business of your dreams. One way to turn your dreams into reality is to get into the habit of spring cleaning your business. Sit down with a pen and paper and answer the following questions:

( 1 ) Are you happy with your present business?
( 2 ) If you are not, what do you need to fix?
( 3 ) How are you going to fix it?

If you are having trouble with your business right now here are a few recommendations that I have for you:

( 1 ) Read my article: What's NOT working with your website?
( 2 ) Join me on the What's Working Now Webinar on Tuesday April 14th

Do you need to Start At the Beginning?
If you are in the beginning stages of business planning and you want to learn more about starting your own business, visit my website: Startup Sista.com

Need Help with Your Online Sales?
Get my 3 eBook Bundle: Selling Your Products and Services Online, Internet Marketing, and Over 500 Web Tools for Entrepreneur.

Do you want a Free Web Business eBook?
Click here to subscribe to the SistaSense Newsletter and get a free eBook!

Sleepwalkers

Posted by Antavia Cooper on April 12, 2009 at 7:30am

I sometimes catch myself "spiritually sleepwalking". I don't take time to read the Bible or spend time talking with my Father...and before you know it, I'm walking around going through all the motions...but it's me, not the Lord moving through me. Sure enough, when I find myself this way...I fall flat on my face, in a rut, stressed out...and wondering "...Where are You, Lord?". Then He has to gently smack me on the face to wake me up and say, "I've been here all the time...where have you been?". So...let's awake from our slumber...and get back on track with the Lord...He's waiting.Scripture for the Day:"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Romans 10:17"The word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified."Acts 20:32"That through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." Romans 15:4"Now these things happened to them for an example, and they were written for our instruction"I Cor. 10:11"But He answered and said, 'It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John.8:32Point to Ponder:I need to wake-up and get moving for the Kingdom and glory of God!Prayer for the day:"Father, forgive me for having a "sleepwalking faith".

Real Men Cook & Raising Chefs teaming up...

Posted by Latrice Fowler on April 12, 2009 at 6:00am

Celebrate Love

Posted by Joneen Horton on April 12, 2009 at 4:00am

I just want to remind you of how much your Heavenly Father loves you. He wants to beintricately, intimately involved in everything concerning you. Choose to love God first.Show how Him how much He means to you. Praise Him, fellowship with Him in prayerthroughout the day, lean on Him in all circumstances. Show God how much He trulymeans to you and let God show you how much you mean to Him.What do you do each day to fellowship with our Father?You can read and comment on more posts here: My Life as a Divine Image.Peace.

Big Gyrl of the Quarter Contest Winner

Posted by Lipstick Killers Collection on April 11, 2009 at 9:52pm

Congratulations goes out to Miss Chievous!!! She is the Quarterly Big Gyrl winner, and trust me when I say the Big Gyrl is sharp! She is daring and beautiful. Great dress girl!Thanks to all of the ladies that entered, every month my voting team’s job is getting harder and harder. That means that BGC is reaching to more and more ladies which is fabulous! Don’t fret if you didn’t win and please do not get discouraged, you are considered every quarter until you win. Please visit the Big Gyrl Fab Tab page today and admire this Plus Diva doing her thang!Stay beautiful and blessed,BGC Incwww.biggyrlclothing.net

Are You Making Your Dream a Reality? Has Your Business Been Featured?

Posted by Alive Inc & ALIVE Magazine on April 11, 2009 at 5:14pm

At ALIVE magazine we highlight women business owners, authors, community leaders, and artists on our site! We want to add YOU to our entrepreneur highlight page. Our team receives many requests for highlight, so we ask that you please provide a summary of 25 words or less. Please send the summary along with business contact information to inquiries@alivemagonline.com.We look forward to receiving your information.Regards,The ALIVE Magazine TeamEmpower. Inspire. Connect.www.alivemagonline.com

Small Business owners unite and grow your business

Posted by Ola Akinsanya on April 11, 2009 at 4:13pm

It is my honor to inform you that the official African Entrepreneur magazine 1st edition is coming out soon. Our goal is to recognize African business owners and professionals for their achievements and influence on their respective industries.If you're interested in advertising in our global publication and network, please send your request to africanceo@aol.comAll Black business owners and professionals are encouraged to join our business directory list for more exposure @ http://www.africanentrepreneur.netThanks

Better Late Than Never Excerpt

Posted by Stephanie Morris on April 11, 2009 at 1:54am

TITLE: Better Late Than NeverAUTHOR: Stephanie MorrisAUTHOR URL: http://www.stephaniemorris.webs.comGENRE/THEME: Interracial RomancePUBLISHER: Amira PressISBN: 978-1-935348-31-3RELEASE DATE: April 10, 2009URL TO THE BUYING PAGE: http://www.amirapress.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=37_43&products_id=211EXCERPT RATING: PG-13BLURB:Kristen Smith loves to work with children and her life-long dream of opening her own childcare center has finally come true. Everything couldn’t be more perfect until her high school sweetheart walks through front door with his son in tow. Randy Stroud was the "one" that she has never gotten over. She has never understood why he’d ended their relationship but it was obvious that he’d moved and she was more than willing to pretend that she had.EXCERPT:Randy smiled to himself when he looked over at his three-year-old son, Wade. He was taking him to enroll him into the new day care center that had just been opened. Being the sheriff of Appling County was a tough and demanding job at times, but he loved it. The downside was that there were times when he was on call twenty-four-seven, but when he wasn’t, he spent all of his time with Wade. His son was his life. One of his deputies, Gary, had recommended the new day care. His sister had enrolled her children and had nothing but good things to say about the day care and its owner. She seemed to work very well with children. There were two other day care centers in Baxley, but Gary was a pretty reliable guy, so Randy was going to take his advice and look at the day care center. His mother had been watching Wade when he needed her to, but she was getting up in age, and she shouldn’t have to keep a rambunctious three-year-old, whether she enjoyed it.He cut off the engine to his truck after he pulled up in front of the decorative building. It would appeal to the eye of a child. Hoisting his thirty-two-year-old body out, he walked around to the passenger side and opened the door to the back seat. Wade had been an excuse for him to get the larger truck he always wanted. Randy’s frame was too large for a car. It was dangerous for a child Wade’s age to ride in the front seat, even if he was in a car seat. So the double cab truck was the perfect solution. He unbuckled Wade out of his car seat, Wade hopped into his arms, and Randy shut the door to the truck. He made his way up the steps. Randy opened the door and stepped inside. It closed behind him but not loud enough to draw the attention of the woman who stood behind the counter. He grinned when he recognized her.They had grown up together in Baxley, although she was four years younger than him. In high school, he and her older brother Max had been good friends and had played on the football team together.“Morning, Zeb.”She looked up in surprise then smiled.“Good morning, Sheriff. Good morning, Wade. What brings the two of you to this side of town?”“I came to see if I could enroll Wade into day care here.”Zebbie gave him a concerned look. “Is your mom sick?”He shook his head. “No, but the fact you just asked the question let’s me know I’m doing the right thing.”Zebbie reached under the counter and pulled out a clipboard with paperwork on it. “Fill this out, and when you are finished, let me know.”He nodded and walked over to the chair and took a seat. If he didn’t know any better he would say Zebbie looked nervous, although he couldn’t figure out why. Shrugging the thought off he turned his attention to the paperwork in front of him. Wade settled onto his lap, and he began to fill out the paperwork. They were simple questions like Wade’s age, if he was potty trained, and other questions to determine how much individual attention Wade needed. Once Randy answered all of the questions, he handed the clipboard to Zebbie. She gave the paperwork a once-over, then looked up at him.“Okay, follow me to the conference room.”They were led to a room with a large table and three chairs. There was also a small table with four little chairs and a large toy box sitting next to it. Wade eyed them with obvious hope and then looked up at him. Zebbie left the room, and Randy led Wade to the table where they could have a seat.“You will have to wait to see if you can play with the toys.”Wade nodded like he had all of the patience in the world, a deception that would fool any person who hadn’t been in the presence of his son for more than five minutes. While Wade was well behaved, it would dissipate. Wade ventured over to the smaller table and sat in one of the chairs. It resembled the set he had at home. Randy glanced down at his watch just when the door opened. He froze in surprise when he saw who stood there. It was Kristen, the only woman he ever loved and had never been able to tell.* * * *Shocked, Kristen stared at the man in front of her. She fought the instant reaction of wanting to rub her eyes to make sure they weren’t deceiving her. It had been six years since she had last seen him. Six years that she tried to forget him, and now, she realized it had all been in vain. She was more in love with him now than she had been when she was a teenager. He seemed to have become more handsome than she recalled. His brown eyes still held the mystery they used to, and his light blond hair was cut short, yet still long enough to show his hand had been raked through it several times despite the early hour. He looked taller. His shoulders were broader, and he it looked as though he exercised to stay in shape judging by the way his uniform fit.Kristen gave herself a mental shake. What was she doing? Drooling over a man whom she shouldn’t be. Looking down at the paperwork in her hands, she used the distraction to collect her thoughts and herself. If she had read it before entering the room, she wouldn’t have been unprepared. It was too late to think about that now. She stepped farther into the room and closed the door behind her. Walking over to Randy, she held her hand out to him and hoped he would shake it.“It is a pleasure to see you again, Mr. Stroud.”Before he could react to her formal attitude, Kristen continued. “Wade is more than welcome to enroll at the day care center. I would like to explain some things to you about the operations of my center, and then you make your final decision.”Her gaze drifted over to Wade, and another pang traveled through her chest. He was a carbon copy of Randy, and he should be their son but wasn’t. What made it even worse was that there was no reason why he wasn’t.Randy had walked away from her with no explanation at all. After walking over to the little boy, she knelt beside him.“Hi, Wade. My name is Ms. Smith.”He gave her a brief look then looked to his father for approval. When Randy gave it, Wade smiled before speaking. “Hi, Ms. Smith.”“How old are you, Wade?”“Three.”Kristen’s mouth curled upward in amusement. He was such a sweetheart. “Do you see the box over there?”He nodded eagerly, and she grinned. She explained to him that it was full of toys he could play with while she talked to his dad. “But you must put the toys up when you are finished playing with them.”He agreed to the bargain, and she stood. Once she was out of his way, he headed to the toy box. She walked over to where Randy was sitting and took the empty chair next to him.“You are good with kids.”“Thank you. Now to discuss the business of . . .” She stopped when Randy’s hand touched hers.“How have you been?”“Fine, now if we could get—”“Talk to me, Kristen.”She shook her head and tried to pull her hand back, but he wouldn’t let her. “There is nothing to talk about, Mr. Stroud.”He refused to let her distract him with her formality. Instead, he leaned forward. “Yes, there is.”“What is there to talk about?”“You can tell me how you have been.”“I already have.”“Kristen, I know we didn’t end on a good note, but the past is the past.”Her eyebrows rose in disbelief. “It may be easy for you, but it isn’t easy for me. You know me well enough to know that I don’t make the same mistake twice.”“Kristen, we—”She held up her hand. “A long time ago, you broke my heart, and it took a long time for the wound to heal. Needless to say, I don’t want to open the wound again.” She looked down at the papers she was organizing. Her hand trembled before she steadied it. “Now, if you want, Wade can stay today. I will just need you to fill out these forms and he can.”As she handed the forms to him, she explained what they were. One was a medical emergency form giving them permission to take Wade to the hospital if needed. Another asked about his history of health and immunizations. The last form explained the payment that was expected and when.“Do you have any questions?”He shook his head, and she knew he was being dishonest. His eyes told her he was.“Not at the moment.”Kristen knew he had as many questions for her as she had for him, and none of her questions was related to the paperwork.“Good, then fill out these forms and he can stay today.”He remained silent, but she could feel his gaze burning a hole into her, and she looked up. “Is something wrong?”He shook his head. “I was just looking at how beautiful you are?”She wanted to disagree with him, but his heated stare told her he still believed it. Her curly dark brown hair fell a few inches below her shoulder blades. Randy had always loved her hair and in the past could never resist touching it. Today, she had pulled her hair back into a French braid, a style that complemented her creamy cocoa colored face. She stared at him with milk chocolate eyes she tried to keep devoid of emotion, and it was a difficult task. Letting Randy go after he broke up with her had been hard to do, and now with all of the emotions bubbling to the surface at the sight of him, Kristen wondered if she had ever really moved on.Looking down at his left hand, she looked for a ring or a ring tan line, and when she didn’t find one, she frowned. From what she heard, he should be married. Was he divorced? She tampered down the excitement rising to the surface. Baxley wasn’t a small place, but with a population a little under forty-five hundred, a few major events still got around. Like it had when she and her sisters had moved to Baxley with their mother. To this day, they were the only triplets to have lived in Baxley.She was pulled from her thoughts when he leaned forward and brushed his hand against her cheek. Her eyes widened with weariness, and she had to force herself not to pull away. She couldn’t let him know his touch affected her.“Give me a chance, Kristen.”She did pull away then. This was exactly what she didn’t want. Couldn’t afford to give into. She already suffered one heartache, and that was plenty.“Give you a chance to what?”He gave her a gentle smile. “I want a chance to make things right between us.”Kristen shook her head. It was something she couldn’t allow to happen. She looked over at Wade. “I don’t think your wife would approve.” Randy held up his left hand. She furrowed her eyebrows together in puzzlement. She heard he had married six years ago, but she hadn’t heard anything about a divorce. “Are you one of those guys who doesn’t wear a wedding ring?”His lips curled upward. “I’m not married, and I never have been.”She remained silent. That only meant she didn’t know Randy like she thought she did. He always seemed to be the kind of guy that would do the honorable thing and marry the mother of his child.“Then his mother wouldn’t approve of it.”He shrugged. “I doubt she would even be concerned.”The comment bothered her. How could he be so unconcerned about flirting with one woman while he was involved with another? Randy continued speaking, not giving her the chance to respond.“I know I hurt you. I also know I made a mistake. It is a mistake I plan to correct. I wanted you six years ago, and I want you now although this time it is for keeps.”Kristen pulled away and stood up. “Finish filling out these papers, and I will take Wade and show him the rest of the center.”At the mentioning of his name, Wade looked up. Kristen walked over to him. “Would you like to take a look around?”He looked over at his father, and when Randy nodded. Wade did the same. That Wade always wanted approval from his father before he made contact with strangers was comforting. She held out her hand, and he took it. “We are going to meet some of the children your age.”She led him from the conference room to the main room. This was the room where the three-, four-, and five-year-olds spent the majority of their time.“This is where you will spend a lot of time.” She explained this would be the place where he would improve his counting and alphabet, writing, and drawing skills. “This is also the place where you will take your nap.”Wade frowned at the idea, which gave her the indication that naptime wasn’t his favorite activity, and she laughed as she led him out of the room. She showed him the kitchen where he would eat breakfast, lunch, and a snack. Wade’s face lit up at the mention of food.“Now it is time to meet some of your classmates.”She led him to a large room where all of the kids were sitting, waiting for story time. “This is where we come for story time. Would you like to stay and hear the story?”“Yes.”She led him over to his age group. “Good morning, everyone. This is Wade, and he is going to be joining us today.”Everyone welcomed him, and his face lit up. She knelt down in front of him. “I need to finish speaking with your dad, but I will be back to check on you.”He nodded, and she stood and took a deep breath trying to prepare herself to go back in to talk to Randy. When she returned to the conference room, he looked up briefly. She studied him when he looked down to add his signature to the last page. She blinked when he shuffled the papers back into their original order and handed them back to her.“Would you like for Wade to stay today?”“Yes. I will be back to pick him up at six.”“That is fine. Our hours are five in the morning to six-thirty in the evening. If there is ever a time when you are running late, just call and let us know.”He stood. “If I am running late, my mom or dad will come and pick him up. I put them down as the next of kin. They also have permission to pick him up when I can’t do so.”Kristen smiled. “Okay.”A strange expression materialized on his face, and she wondered what he was thinking. Curiosity coursed through her, and she fought it. She wanted to know, but she wasn’t going to ask. The last thing she should do was give him any indication there was any interest on her part. Instead she walked him to the entrance of her day care.“It was good to see you again,” she replied casually.He grinned. “It was good to see you, too.”She wanted to stand there and watch as Randy got into his truck and drove off but knew it would be a bad idea. Instead, she turned and headed back into the day care. For the first time since Randy walked into, she allowed herself to react. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed against the wall. Randy had a way of making her weak in the knees. It was more than his sexiness. Randy always affected her in a way that no other man had. To be honest, she was surprised she was just now running into him. Kristen would never admit that she had been trying to avoid him. She had done a good job up until now. The only thing she wondered was if he was using Wade to get to her. She wasn’t the only person with a day care center. He had to have known this day care center was hers. Then again, she hadn’t placed any official advertisements. It hadn’t been needed. Word of mouth traveled faster.Still, to have him show up with his son had hurt. When she found out about Wade several years ago, she had been upset. It bothered her that the son Randy had wasn’t with her. Wade should have been theirs. He would have been if Randy hadn’t called off their relationship. What had annoyed her even more was the fact that he had moved on. She hadn’t moved. She never had. There was no one else for her. She knew from the time she laid eyes on him. Randy was a good man. He had always been good to her. Even today she was puzzled as to why Randy had called their relationship to an end.What irritated her now was he thought he could just walk back into her life and they could pick up where they left off. She didn’t like it, and she wouldn’t fall for it. After the way Randy broke her heart, he would have to prove that he wanted her back. Shaking her head to clear it, she groaned. She was going to hear it from her sisters when she made it home this evening, but it would be worth it because she needed their advice on this one.

7 Tips for Safeguarding Your Identity in a Credit Crunch

Posted by Alive Inc & ALIVE Magazine on April 10, 2009 at 10:01pm

The economy has fallen on tough times. With the combination of the housing crisis and increased fuel and food prices many Americans are more desperate than ever to get their hands on cash…or credit. Unfortunately for them, credit is harder to come by these days as numerous banks have been forced to squeeze their belts and tighten up their lending standards.With credit no longer as readily accessible as it once was, some people are lowering themselves to depths they never dreamed they would go. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and some people are just desperate enough to traipse on the names and credit histories of friends or family members to keep up with their lifestyles or just to get by.Now, more than ever, it is important that you take extra precautions when it comes to protecting your identity. Be careful who you divulge personal information to as many identity theft cases (especially those involving credit fraud or social security number theft) can be traced back to a relative or acquaintance of the victim. Treat your financially sensitive information like you do cash—give it away sparingly because once it’s gone, it’s gone. And you may spend the rest of your life trying to get your own identity back.7 Tips for Safeguarding Your Identity in a Credit Crunch1. Undergo a major overhaul on your online logins and passwords. If you are like most Americans, you prefer to do your banking and bill paying online. While this is convenient, it also poses certain risks. Make sure that you regularly change your passwords and that neither your passwords nor your answers to online security questions are easy to guess. In fact, you may want to consider coming up with fake answers to your online security questions or at least mixing your answers up so that the name of the street your childhood house is on appears in the slot designated for your mother’s maiden name. This will confuse identity thieves—even if they happen to be someone close to you.2. Scrutinize your monthly statements. One of the quickest ways to catch credit card fraud or bank account fraud is simply to check and double check each purchase charged to your account at the end of each month when your bank and credit card statements come. The amount you are liable for changes the longer a fraudulent purchase goes unreported, so in order to decrease your liability and maximize your rights, check your statements as soon as they come and report any suspicious activity immediately. If you have a hard time keeping track of legitimate credit card purchases, try keeping a ledger similar to the one you use for your checking account. Write down each purchase and the amount charged and then reconcile that to your statement when it comes.3. Take advantage of your free credit reports. Each year consumers are entitled to one free copy of their credit reports. This is an excellent first step toward monitoring your existing accounts. If you have been a victim of credit card fraud in which the thief opens new credit in your name that information should appear on your credit report. Once it is spotted, you can begin the process of reporting the fraudulent activity and repairing the damage done to your credit. You can obtain your free credit report by clicking here.4. Sign up for a $1 trial of ID Secure. Because credit reports are only free once a year, and identity thieves can defraud you at anytime—especially in the midst of a credit crunch—it would be wise to extend the effort you put into monitoring your credit to include public records searches and social security monitoring. Purchasing a product like ID Secure might greatly increase your peace of mind as well as the level of protection guarding your identity. For just $12.99 a month (after the initial $1 trial period) a professional identity monitoring company will use advanced web crawling technology to search the internet and public records to make sure that your social security number, credit and ATM cards and other personal information isn’t being fraudulently used in any way. ID Secure makes sure your identity is being monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week helping to keep it safe. If fraudulent activity is suspected, you will be informed immediately. You can learn more by clicking here.5. Employ specific safeguards at the office. Since the workplace tends to be a prime place where identity thieves lurk, it’s important that you are constantly aware of who is around you and who may have access to your private information. Don’t be afraid to approach someone in Human Resources at your office to ask about how they safeguard employee information. Also, beware of the information you photocopy on the office copy machine. Some machines have hard drives that store copies of all material duplicated. Those hard drives can be a goldmine of information for thieves who may know how to harvest them for information.6. Stop using your debit card and use only your credit card or cash instead. Although both debit and credit cards can leave you vulnerable to becoming a victim of identity theft, you have less liability with a credit card than you do with a debit card. It’s also important to note that banks have 30-90 days to return funds wrongfully taken from your bank account while the theft is still being investigated. If your debit card number was stolen and money was siphoned from your bank account, financial hardship might result from losing that money for one to three months.7. Use only bank ATMs. Identity theft at non-bank ATMs is on the rise, and it’s important that you be aware of the risks. Savvy identity thieves have discovered how to measure key strokes through faulty keypads in order to steal people’s pin numbers. In some cases, pin sized cameras were installed to digitally record that same information. Whenever possible make sure you use ATMs attached to a legitimate bank. Generally, it’s a good idea to have one or two ATMs that you usually frequent so that you can memorize the look and feel of the machines. That way, if something suspicious is going on, you are more likely to be tipped off.The Federal Trade Commission states that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. With between 9 and 10 million people falling victim to the crime each year you really need to make every effort to ensure that you are safeguarding yourself from this crime in whatever ways possible. These seven steps are a great starting point to helping make sure your identity remains your identity.ID thieves will stop at nothing to get your identity. Safeguard the identity of yourself, your family and your business, visit www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/adamsonb.

LifeLock and The Celebrity Apprentice

Posted by Zucchinni M Hubbard on April 10, 2009 at 8:41pm

FDI is excited to announce that on Sunday 9/8 C, April 12th, LifeLock one of FDI's premier strategic alliances will team up with Donald Trump and the cast of the Celebrity Apprentice in a special episode of the reality television juggernaut.Lifelock is included in you FDI Membership. If you are not already enrolled...Call your personal Financial Assistant today to get enrolled! Sign up your friends and family today and help protect from Identity Theft.To explore FDI's products and services, and what people are saying about FDI visit: www.FDIoverview.com/274419Zucchinni Hubbardjaipure2@yahoo.comwww.FDIoverview.com/274419www.FDIREP.com/274419

The Path to Happiness and Prosperity - TeleSeminar

Posted by Omitunde on April 10, 2009 at 6:44pm

This seminar is only for people who believe in prosperity!

Great! Since this includes you, read on.Recognize prosperity and correct your views about money.Gain the tools you will need to discover what is blocking your prosperity and change your views about money and wealth.Examine the milestones we experience in life that influence our attitude and values around money.Believe that you deserve the best and can receive it.We all want to pursue happiness by living a comfortable life and having all the things we want.Do you find that prosperity and wealth stays just beyond your reach?How do you get in your own way?* We can see prosperity when someone else has it.* Is there a difference in having money or wealth?* What does prosperity mean to you?* What are your symbols of prosperity.Send in your Prosperity Questions in advance to network@aafamilyconnection.comFacillator: Omitunde, mentor and creator of African American Family Connection “Kitchen Table Wisdom for A Stronger African American Family”®AAFC empowers families locally, nationally and globally to establish and reclaim a presence as a viable positive force for change. http://www.africanamericanfamilyconnection.comThe Teleseminar will be April 23rd, 2009Start time 7:00 p.m. EST (East Coast Time)AAFC Conference Line:218.486.1616 (Access Code Sent after Confirmation)So put the kids to bed early, get yourself settled and join us.

Register early to reserve your place now!http://africanamericanfamilyconnection.com/the-path-to-happiness-and-prosperity.htm

Submit your inspiration. Deadline is the 15th for May Edition!

Posted by Dominique on April 10, 2009 at 4:25pm

Do you have an inspirational message you would like to submit to encourage someone else? Submit your inspirational message today and it will be published in next month’s newsletter.We encourage those who love to write and love to inspire through their writing to submit a writing today. Your inspirational words could help someone else.We allow writings on varies topics such as:Spiritually Growth and Relationship With GodPraising GodFighting the Temptation of the WorldParenting/ChildrenHealth/Exercise/Weight Gain/Weight Lose etcSubmit a writing today!http://ladiesofchristproverbs31.webs.com/donateyourinspiration.htm

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.