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Knowledge is Power...

Posted by Sonjia C. Gales, CAM, CAPS on August 25, 2008 at 5:23am

Knowledge is Power...

Pay Yourself First: The African American Guide to Financial Success and Security -- by Jesse B. Brown Achieve your financial freedom with step-by-step instructions from award-winning investment manager Jesse B. Brown. Discover the easy-to-follow, down-to-earth secret to living your dreams, whether it’s buying a new home, buying a new car, sending your children to college, retiring rich, or going on that once-in-a-lifetime vacation Black Enterprise Guide to Investing by James A. AndersonBLACK ENTERPRISE is the nation’s leading business authority for African Americans. This guide incorporates the work of several staff editors, all of whom bring a sense of compassion and commitment to the Black Enterprise mission of furthering the progress of African Americans.Read more...

In Denial Of Self Denial!

Posted by Pastor Aminata on August 24, 2008 at 7:31pm

Wow I constantly meet christians who are so caught up in this prosperity ring. That's what I call it, a ring, because it appears that more and more, people forget that the Lord requires something from us, as opposed to us expecting something from Him. After all, did not Jesus pay it all on the cross? Did not Jesus, shed his blood for the remission of our sins? Are we not the benefactors of such a supreme sacrifice!

You would think that the bible was all about prosperity. Now don't get me wrong, I ain't hatein on anyone, just sad to know that the true meaning of the Gospel has been replaced with a psuedo gospel of "let me get mine" and "God's gonna do it for me too!"

But what about when Jesus asked us, if anyone would be my disciple, let him deny self, put away his own selfish ambitions.... how does that line up with all this prosperity teaching today? I know I'm probably gonna be a lone voice on this one.

Pastor Aminata

Ladies..............

Posted by Dominique on August 24, 2008 at 4:44am

Ladies Of Christ has a brand new website. Please check it out and leave your comments!! We are trying to broadcast our ministry and get as many women as possible to encourage others.Here's the link for the new website: http://ladiesofchristproverbs31.webs.com/The current network is still active, we are just expanding!Thanks, Dominique

Alluring Ads...

Posted by Jubilee Jones on August 24, 2008 at 1:00am

Thanks for stopping by Allure Design Graphics!Allure Design Graphics is a design and commercial printing company of business cards, post cards, brochures, posters, flyers, banner signs, t-shirts,CD & DVD duplication, printing and packaging. We are artists first and are sure to give the results you want!+Full color offset printing+100lb, 12pt, and 16pt gloss stock+Environmentally safe soy inks+Professional and creative design art+Low costs and high quality!Perfect for:Businesses- Coupons, direct mailers, sales anouncementsMusicains/ Promoters- Low cost retail ready CDs and DVDs,club flyers, posters, t-shirtsChurches- Music/ sound ministry, bulletins, fans, t-shirts for church eventsEvents - Parties, celebrations, concerts, invitations, family reunionsand more!Our designs are stunning, brilliant, and crisp,guarenteed to wow your prospects!At Allure Design Graphics we are artists first,which means we take great care and pride in whatwe do for our customers. Our reputations are onthe line! Each custom design is a piece of art!Allure designs:Business cardsPost cardsFlyersPostersBannersCD and DVD design,duplication, print, and packagingT-shirtsBrochuresDoor HangersTable TentsHang TagsLogosArt for any application

Taking Charge of Your Life and Finances

Posted by Careasa Greer on August 23, 2008 at 3:30pm

Finance Article.pdfOne of the reason I decided to build a business in insurance and finances is due to "our" lack of building a lucrative future for ourselves and our families. It is to the demise of the African American family, that we do not make amends with ourselves and learn to be viable members of our communities through educational resources, financial resources and spiritual resources. If you are a subscriber or avid reader of Black Enterprise Magazine, you know they always include the DECLARATION OF FINANCIAL EMPOWERMENT. 10-simple rules to help "us" to understand how taking control of our lives and our finances will help us to be more progressive people. Declaration #6 seems to be the one many of us tend to subconsciously ignore. It specifically states: I will preserve and protect my assets through proper financial and insurance planning. Nonetheless, this seems to be one of the primary things we need, but tend to forgo. Whether it is a lack of understanding or just not wanting to spend the money - in order to build a viable business, a viable future and a legacy - you must have properly planning. Instead of searching for insurance based upon price - look at what you have to protect and your future. In the state of Tennessee, drivers are required to maintain at least state minimum coverage in liability on their automobiles to drive. However, most drivers do not understand how state minimum coverage can impact their pocket book if they were to be involved in a serious and/or catastrophic accident. At best, with state minimum coverage, you can expect to have $60,000 worth of coverage available to a third party ($50,000 in total medical bills and $10,000 in property damage). However, I highly recommend to my clients to maintain a minimum of $400,000 in liability ($300,000 in medical bills and $100,000 in property damage). For those clients who have a substantial amount of assets to protect, I always recommend $600,000 in liability or more AND an Umbrella! Yes, for pennies on the dollar, clients can protect their assets against claims with an Umbrella policy. This is very important for those individuals with assets to include, a home, vacation homes, investments (whether small or large), boats, motorcycles and children. Having an Umbrella will allow you to protect your finances when you need it the most. An Umbrella policy works like a security blanket. You have your liability coverage under your base policy (auto, home, business). However, once your underlying policy's liability has been exhausted, that is when your Umbrella policy kicks in. $1 million Umbrella policies can be as low as $160 per year! This is also great for families with teen drivers! Why? Most teen drivers do not have a lot of experience behind the wheel and make mistakes. Some of those mistakes have resulted in serious to catastrophic losses in automotive accidents. If you base policy has been exhausted and there is not enough money to pay for medical bills, pain and suffering, loss of wages, property losses, etc - the responsibility comes back to the parents! ALL ASSETS ARE GAME! What does this mean? Any assets you own or your name is attached to will be fair game for the other party to pursue to gain restitution! That means, everything you have worked so hard to accomplish can be taken away with the blink of an eye! I made a pledge to myself years ago to stop allowing my circumstances to control me - rather to control my circumstances. I made a pledge to work diligently in building lucrative businesses and putting the proper plans in place to protect me, my family and my assets. My goal is not just financial freedom, but to leave a legacy to my family. My legacy will be built upon providing my children with the skills and tools they need to be productive, financially savvy and educated individuals who can provide a guidance and assistance to those who want to find a pathway to obtaining their goals!So, why do so many of "our people" allow their circumstances to take control of them? Is it a lack of understanding? Lack of confidence? Or perhaps there is NO DESIRE to change? At some point, we have to wake up and realize that if we don't take the initiative to change, we are doomed to stay within the cycle of which we have become complacent. The first step is PUTTING A PLAN IN PLACE! Start by insuring your current assets properly! Get Renters Insurance if you are a renter. Get better auto coverage! Review your homeowners insurance with your agent to determine if you have sufficient coverage! GET LIFE INSURANCE! In our community, more than 89% of our people fail have LIFE INSURANCE! Make sure your businesses are covered properly and have Workers Compensation Insurance! Umbrellas are available for individuals, families and businesses! An Umbrella will provide an extension of your underlying policies liability coverage. Start putting money towards your future and your family's future! DO NOT DEPEND OF SOCIAL SECURITY - It's a joke! There are a variety of programs out there to help you put money towards your future (some with a minimum amount down and small monthly deposits). Start and keep an emergency fund! Emphasize to your children the importance of education and help them get a good start by putting money away into a college fund! Ask your agent about the different programs available! Don't forget there are some state programs available to lock in tuition rates!Feel free to read the attached is an article. I found to be very interesting and informative!

Avon Announces Second Year of Grant Program to Empower Women

Posted by Alive Inc & ALIVE Magazine on August 23, 2008 at 2:30pm

Avon Announces Second Year of Grant Program to Empower WomenDeadline: QuarterlyThe Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund is an initiative of Avon Products, Inc. (http://www.avoncompany.com/ ) designed to empower women and improve society by providing individuals with cash awards that will enable them to pursue a project to better the lives of women (of all ages) in the United States.Initially launched in March 2007 as a one-year initiative in celebration of International Women's Day, the Hello Tomorrow Fund has been extended for a second year. The fund will continue to award $5,000 each week, through April 2009. Winners are deserving individuals who have submitted a compelling application to launch or expand a program or project to empower women in their communities and beyond.The award is for an individual, not an organization or company. Women and men are eligible to win as long as the program or project benefits women of all ages in the U.S. Applicants must be 18 years of age or older and a legal permanent resident of the U.S. or a U.S. citizen to apply.Application submission and selection of winners is organized in a quarterly cycle. Upcoming deadlines are September 1, 2008; and December 1, 2008. One winner will be publicly announced every Tuesday through the Hello Tomorrow Web site.See the program's Web site for complete program and application information, profiles of the winners, and links to resources and organizations relevant to women's issues.www.youravon.com/brandyadamson

Jolt! ™ – Networking – Are You Successful?

Posted by Alive Inc & ALIVE Magazine on August 23, 2008 at 1:06pm

Many of us we have joined various online social networks and have begun accepting friendships from members of those groups. While online social networking is an excellent way to build your network, what are you doing once you have a long list of friends in your networks? How do you establish true professional relationships? How do you develop that network? Are you really utilizing that network to build synergies and collaborations, develop a referral system thus increasing your business revenue?How do you do this? There are many options:1. RECOMMEND one another for specific services each of you provides2. SUPPORT local events3. EXCHANGE links4. PURCHASE their product5. HIRE that company for a serviceBy doing this you not only build a long lasting network but a solid business track record.This week’s assignmentSelect 5 friends from your social networking groups and determine which of the 5 options listed above you will utilize to strengthen your alliance with the individual/organization.Your Success Advisor,Alive Inc. Coachseed. plant. grow.coach@aliveincorporated.comwww.aliveincorporated.comALIVE Magazine™www.alivemagonline.comCopyright © 2008 Alive Incorporated

Ask Oprah

Posted by Kimberley Robinson on August 22, 2008 at 9:30pm

Life affords us many opportunities and with opportunities come opportunists. Those who come out of the wood work, with an idea, or marketing scheme, to prey upon your fears, and lack of information. They are usually pushing a product or an agenda for shear profit, and they are easily recognizable, simply by the way they promote or advertise. One of the things they will do is degrade, or lessen the value of a competitors product or company, to draw you away from their competition, and they'll use those testimonies or cases where satisfaction was not achieved as proof that their competition, is a scam, or that their product is no good. If you know the saying no two people are alike. Then you would also have to accept that not all people are going to respond to a products application the same either. That doesn't necessarily mean that the product will not achieve the results it is intended for, or claims it will.The best example of advertisers who use deceptive means or diversionary, divisive, tactics to secure a potential customer-by attempting to destroy the credibility of another company-is to look at what takes place in the political area. Nothing's fair in politics, and war. You can learn a lot from elections and what one opponent will do to another to win. Even if it means distorting the truth, they'll often do whatever it takes to sow, seeds of doubt, in order to win, and after all is said and done, they'll kiss and make up, thinking little of what has been done to their supporters. Because after all its a competition. And the only competitions that seemed to have rules, is sports. In most other arenas it tends to be fair game to do and say whatever you have to to win. The same is done in the courtroom to win a case, which is an even more deceptive, and destructive arena, and some in the field would agree to the above with pride and adulation.So why then should it be any different in business. I've learn, and even very recently, that some business people are like children. Remember in school, when a kid didn't like you, so, they would put you down in front of others, just to make themselves feel better about themselves. They would do what ever it took to gain acceptance from others, even if it means destroying your reputation in the process. Well these same people grow up and take this behavior into business, politics, relationships, and any other endeavors they decide to engage in for the same reasons, competition, and recognition. The key in all of theses instances is to know it's happening, and to be prepared. Being prepared means being well inform. In politics, becoming well informed of the candidates, stances on the issues, will keep you from getting to personally attached, and more focused on their platforms. In law, there's no other way to protect yourself then to learn it, know it, and understand it. Be very informed, be very very informed. In business, the best way to know if a business is being truthful, especially when it comes to discrediting their competition, is to learn about the company, and look for people who can vouch for a companies, products and services. This would come in the form of testimonies, from people whom have exactly used the products, those whom have gotten results and those whom have not.Now you are probably wondering where does Oprah fit into the scheme of this argument. Well, simply because recently, there appears to be a company on the lose trying to gain traction for its own product and services, who's products, may be phenomenal, but feels the way to achieve their goals, is to declare their competition a scam. So my advice to anyone, who see's this ad, and wants a testimony to prove one way or the other, there is no better person to ask how they feel about the product then Oprah. Oprah seems to think this product is right on the mark, and unless this person who is calling their competition- presumably the Laws Of Attraction-a scam, is worth 3 plus billion dollars, who's testimony would you find more credible, theirs or Oprah's.My point here is not to pick on this company, which is why, I didn't mention their name, but to advise, people not to let companies or people, steer your thinking, for their benefit. Wallace Whattles, in the Science Of Getting Rich states, "Every person who becomes rich by competition knocks down the ladder by which he rises, and keeps others, down, but every person who gets rich by creation opens a way for thousands to follow, and inspires them to do so. Wallace Whattles wrote this almost one hundred years ago, and this sounds a lot like what Oprah has put into practice in her life.Whether or not you have an interest in the the Laws Of Attraction they do in fact work. And if you need, or desire a testimony, to back that statement up with, ask Oprah, whom believes they have had a great affect in her life or ask Jack Canfield, the author of Chicken Soup For The Soul series, another billionaire, who studied under a laws of attraction mentor, Napolean Hill.The reason I am adamant about this issue, is because some people as I mentioned in the beginning, do not look at the importance of who's lives they are affecting when in route toward getting what they want. So to protect, yourself and your interests, which is the things you want, get informed, and stay informed. Get the facts, so you aren't enriching other peoples lives at the expense of your own.Wallace Whattles also stated, "It is flagrantly wrong to coerce people by mental power as it is to coerce them by physical power. If compelling people by physical force to do things for you reduces them to slavery, compelling them by mental means accomplishes exactly the same thing: the only difference is in methods. If taking things from people by physical force is robbery, then taking things by mental force is robbery also. There is no difference in principle.Don't buy into deceptive tactics, be an informed consumers, and citizens, and your life to the fullest

The Story Behind The Portrait

Posted by Kimberley Robinson on August 22, 2008 at 9:29pm

I've been asserting pretty vehemently of late to take whatever is in your mind that would enrich your life, or make your dreams a reality, and go make it happen. Because anything is possible.Below is a ink portrait of my dear Uncle Trillman, who passed several years ago. His army portrait sits on my mother's coffee table. He was her only sibling.

Here's the story behind this portrait. One day I was sitting in my mother's room, and out of no where I got the urge to draw. Now let me tell you a little bit about me and drawing.....I can't. No more than I can play the cello, can I draw a portrait or anything, so I thought. So who drew this portrait? I did. You see, up until that day, I had allowed myself to believe I was only capable of stick figure drawing, and not very good stick drawing, and insisted that I hadn't the talent nor the patience to learn how to draw (It is most often the latter that henders most people.). And since I was never good at it, as I lead myself to believe, I stopped trying to become good at it.Now let me preface this by saying, I come from an artistic family. Music, writing, drawing painting, acting, boxing, you name it, and it falls somewhere on my family tree, background. However, things have a tendency to skip a generation. And so assuming as that goes, that my drawing abilities weren't visible, I accepted after a few attempts at it, that was my case, and I resigned myself to writing being my contribution as an artist, and that was fine with me.But on this particular day, I got the urge to draw something, and was thinking what could I draw. Meanwhile my mother, reminded me how I hated drawing. Yea, I replied, but not today, today I'm in the mood to draw some stick figures, or something.Then it came to me, why not try to draw my Uncle. Why this came to me I'll never know, but I ran downstairs grabbed his picture off the coffee table, and headed back up to my mother's room, who quickly chastised me for removing her dear beloved brother from his alter...of sorts. Anyway, I sat down and I looked at my uncle, realizing, I couldn't make a mockery out of him by scratching some horrible scribble on cardboard, that would be disrespectful. So now I'm thinking my great idea to draw, was not so great any more. But the desire stuck in my mind. And the more I looked at my uncle, the more I wanted to draw him, and the more I wanted to draw him the more I was determined to do the best job possible (there's that word possible).So I grabbed a pen, one with an eraser of course and set out to task of drawing my uncle. I can't tell anyone where the creative energy came from or where it was sleeping, accept that the universe answered my request, and by focusing on my intent, I drew my uncle's portrait in less than fifteen minutes. After, which, I sat and stared in disbelief, before, saying "Look mom, look what I've done." After, which the two of us sat in disbelief. (My mother just happens to be one of the gifted and trained artists in the family, who felt pitty on me and my stick figures up to that point.) By the way, at this point I was also in my thrities, so I was quite surprised. Who knew. Even my mother thought for a first time portrait it wasn't all bad.In each individual's head is a boat load of endless possibilities itching to see the light of day. Is it drawing? Maybe its writing, or gourmet cooking, running your own business, learning to play an instrument, what ever the possibilities, they some how find a receptive space in your head and at a moments notice, demand attention. And you might want to think "Where did that come from moment" don't think, just act. The possibility wants to manifest itself and it chose you as the vehicle.Don't second quess possibilities, with doubts, fears, or I can't does, "Make It Happen!"

MAKING A WAY

Posted by HABWWE on August 22, 2008 at 8:30am

MAKING A WAY: BAKE ME A WISH.comSTORY OF ANGELA LOGAN

2 for one!

Posted by Dominique on August 21, 2008 at 11:59pm

2/FOR $12You can now purchase Dominique's Books here: http://dominiquewatson.webs.com/apps/webstore/Get both books for $12.00/ $6.00 each SIGNED! NO SHIPPING ADDED!Also available at....http://www.barnesandnoble.com/http://www.amazon.com/“The Tension Reliever”Volume 1A Poetry CollectionBy: Dominique L. WatsonMy 3rd book coming this fallCheck out my forums as well!http://dominiquewatson.webs.com/forums.htmview a sample of my poems on my bloghttp://blog.myspace.com/mrs_creative_divaGod Bless, Dominique

How To Read e-Mail Headers

Posted by Jim Neusom on August 21, 2008 at 4:03pm

Greetings Family,(Contact Information At The Bottom Of The Page)It's your friendly neighborhood "Digital Drummer" again...smileSpam is a consistent problem in our online world. Now personally, I believe everyone has a right to tell you about their business/products/service. It is called free speech or in this case "Business Speech", and protected by Constitutional law. But that does not change the fact the Unsolicited Commercial E-mail or UCE is more then just an inconvenience (like traditional junk mail), it is a serious problem, that slows productivity, wastes bandwidth and infuriates us all.There is nothing worse then receiving an email from yourself, that you know is pure SPAM. Many of us wonder how many of our friends and business associates were fooled into opening a UCE or virus, simply because they recognized our name or email address. So the question becomes, how do you recognize a real email message, from one that has spoofed (forged) your name, your banks name, or another trusted source? This can be done by simply reading the email header.***************(Advertisement)*********************Need some great ideas for corporate or personal gift-giving?Then go to City Lights Software(http://www.citylightssoftware.com )and see some of the most unique afrocentric gifts available online!We Deliver ONLINE - Direct To Your Desktop for just $14.95Please take the time to purchase one our afrocentric screen savers TODAY!Don't Just Talk the Talk...Let Your Dollars Walk the WalkIf you have any problems with purchasing online contact me direct at sales@citylightssoftware.com or call (213) 944-4176******************************************************I know, E-mail headers, as a topic is not as exciting as the latest get rich quick scheme, Kobe scoring 40 points, or the latest "Black folk need to get their act together" group thread. But learning how to quickly determine the authenticity of e-mail is important—especially if someone is abusing your network, or your name/email address. Spammers have gotten so good that there's nothing that can stop them from manipulating e-mail headers, and they're generally not verifiable unless you understand how to read them. When you receive a letter by snail mail, it has a postmark. If e-mails followed the same logic, you'd be able to see where the message originated before you opened it.The email header is the information that travels with every email, containing details about the sender, route and receiver. It is like a flight ticket: it can tell you who booked it (who sent the email), the departure information (when the email was sent), the route (from where it was sent and how did it arrive to you) and arrival details (who is the receiver and when it was received). As when you would book a flight ticket with a false identity, the same goes for emails: the sender can partially fake these details, pretending that the email was sent from a different account (common practice for spammers or viruses).Regardless of your operating platform (Windows, Mac, Linux) or application software (Outlook, Eudora, Netscape or Mutt), all can display message headers with a simply click of the mouse. How you view the headers (before opening or while viewing) depends on the program that you use.In Outlook: Select: View->OptionsIn Eudora: Click the Blah Blah Blah button.In Netscape: Select: View->Headers->AllIn Pine: Type H. (Requires the enable-full-header-cmd feature.)In WebMail: Click View Full Headers.***************(Advertisement)*********************Looking For More Exposure, Want To Help A Good Cause, Need Money???Come on over to www.freshfaces2u.com and register to win $10,000 dollars CASH!At Fresh Faces2u it's NOT about how you look...But Who You Are!Join us in our mission to change the image of women in the mediaSign Up Today At Fresh Faces2u.com***************************************************Here are the actual headers from a forged UCE courtesy of theTechRepublic.com (www.techrepublic.com):From collegebabe@aol.com Mon Mar 27 16:54:12 2006Return-Path: collegebabe@aol.comReceived: from trademeca.co.kr (unknown [211.219.20.86])by mail.someplace.com (Postfix) with SMTP id 2304964253Afor ; Mon, 27 Mar 2006 16:54:10 -0500 (EST)Received: from smtp0422.mail.yahoo.com (80.237.200.67)by trademeca.co.kr (211.219.20.86) with [Nmail V3.1 20010905(S)]for from ;Thu, 23 Mar 2006 15:55:00 +0900Date: Thu, 23 Mar 2006 11:34:52 GMTFrom: "Prendawen" collegebabe@aol.comSubject: Hey buddie! What's going on?RECEIVED: HEADERSThe Received: headers of any email message will tell you where the message originated and what route it took to get to you. That's What You Need To Nnow To Complain About And Report SPAM.You read Received: headers in reverse order. The sequence from the last Received: header in the message's headers -- that is, the one furthest down in the headers -- to the first Received: header -- the one at the top -- should take you from the email server where the message originated, to a local incoming email server, and finally, to your inbox.In this case, the last "Received" header tells the real story of this poor forgery, but you have to examine several of these to truly understand the details. This particular e-mail is identifiable becauseit doesn't make any sense for a person with an AOL account to use one of Yahoo's e-mail servers to relay e-mail through a server in the .kr top-level domain, which is Korea.Furthermore, a DNS (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_Name_System) lookup failed to find smtp0422.mail.yahoo.com, so this IP address doesn't exist. Even if it did, the IP address(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IP_address) 80.237.200.67 belongs to a network in Germany, which I discovered by checking the online American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN) database. So don't waste your time sending a nasty reply, because chances are that collegebabe@aol.com didn't have anything to do with it.Since forgeries are becoming more difficult to identify, gain experience examining e-mail headers so you can differentiate the good from the bad. This knowledge will help you report junk e-mails to ISPs or reporting agencies such as Spamcop.net that track junk e-mailers.Remember, We Must Share The Knowledge (Network)... To Share The Dollars!!! ***************************************************This Online Journal was brought to you by InterServe Networks. Feel Free To Forward To Your Network Of Online FriendsWe Practice Responsible E-Commerce Marketing and Privacy Policies. We do not indulge in or encourage Spamming. We never send unsolicited emails. You are receiving this message as part of our opt-in subscriber mailing list or you are a member of an affiliated newsgroup.For comments or suggestions please contact us at the following;Jim Neusom (jneusom@yahoo.com)Executive Director/PublisherInterServe Networks/City Lights Software, Inc.www.citylightssoftware.comwww.freshfaces2u.comwww.myspace.com/jimneusomwww.myspace.com/freshfaces2uTo subscribe to our opt-in mailing list simply send an email to; The_City_Lights_Reporter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com ( on Myspace go to http://blog.myspace.com/jimneusom )

Put your two cents in!

Posted by Dominique on August 21, 2008 at 3:18pm

Get in the Spotlight Tuesday is still going "Hot Topic" one poster said. Check out the question and get your comments in there before the next question goes up! http://fromawriterspov.webs.com/fromawriterspov.htmAlso...looking for poem writers!!If you write poetry and want to be featured on our homepage for one week, submit your poem today! http://fromawriterspov.webs.com/becomeawriter.htmDominiqueFrom A Writers POV

My Grandmother's Purse

Posted by Kamilah Campbell on August 21, 2008 at 3:04pm

What I love about accessories is that even an antique piece looks pretty when you wear it today. I remember my grandmother would pass along some of her small handbags and jewelry pieces to my sister and I. In fact on my wedding day, my “something old” was a gold kitten brooch my grandmother gave me when I was 10 years old.If you love antique and vintage items as much as I do then you may want to check out this gold and green vintage chain mesh purse by Lang Antique & Estate Jewelry. It does more than just tell a story that has lasted generations. It reminds us that even back then women took pride in their treasured pieces. Designed with pure precision and craft, this piece is pricey but there’s nothing wrong with having a wish list.By: Kamilah CampbellThe Pink Lockethttp://thepinklocket.com

Blogging: So Easy, Anyone Can Do It

Posted by Donna Maria Coles Johnson on August 21, 2008 at 2:24pm

5 Actions That Keep Blogging Simple And Fun

I'm helping a client launch a blog this week so I'm answering a lot of questions. While each one has a different slant, there is one central theme: Am I doing this right? Unfortunately, there's really no right or wrong way to answer that question.

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I've been blogging now since 2005 and I've helped a lot of people launch blogs. One thing that's universally true is that no one feels comfortable when they first start blogging. But for most people, blogging eventually becomes second nature with practice and consistency. One way to help make that happen is to commit to these five actions that keep blogging simple and fun.

1. Be Yourself

As with most things, successful blogging starts with who you are as a person. Blogging requires authenticity. Before adding your first post, make up your mind that the only requirement is that you be yourself. If you remind yourself of that each time you prepare a post, your blog will be natural and genuine, and it must be both in order to capture people's attention.

Blogging should reflect your personality. Displaying your personality is effortless, right? Be yourself and the rest will follow.

One of my favorite bloggers is Michael Hyatt, the president of Thomas Nelson Publishers. Michael's blog posts are sometimes long, but they are chock full of good content to help anyone lead a more fulfilled life. Michael links to lots of other bloggers, and his positive and engaging personality really shines through.

2. Blog Your Passions

Blogging needs to be consistent and interesting, not complicated. If you write about what you are passionate about, blogging is not work.

Don't like to write? Take pictures or videotape things you care about and post them to your blog with a bit of text, if needed, to explain the point you wish to make.

Hate to write? Not a shutterbug? Maybe you like to talk. In that case, get a phone and get a free account at Free Conference Call. Then pay $19.95 a month for Audio Acrobat and take their free training. Record your thoughts or an interview with someone exciting and load the stream and/or download link to your blog.

A picture adds extra interest, so if you are interviewing someone, get them to send you a clear photo of themselves. They don't have a picture? Get one free at 123RF. Click on the icon for Absolutely Free Photographs. I got the picture in this post there.

Hate to write? Not a shutterbug? Don't like to talk either? Don't blog. Instead, see #4 below.

3. Edit

The best blogs are professional, yet informal. But informality doesn't mean sloppy. The good news is that you don't have to be a professional copy editor, or hire one, to:

make sure words are spelled correctly (use the spell check)
make sure there is adequate space between paragraphs (if reading the post hurts your eyes, add some spaces between paragraphs)
make sure your grammar is reasonably proper (read the post out lout and fix everything your mother would correct).

And if you want to hire an editor, my friend Charlon Bobo is one of the best.

4. Start and Invite Conversation

Even if you don't want to host a blog, you can participate meaningfully in the blogosphere and enhance your business by making contributions to other people's blogs. By adding your input in their comments section, you can enjoy networking and sharing your points of view.

If you do have a moment of brilliance, you could even prepare a post and submit it to one of your faovrite blogs as a guest blogger. See my guest blogger guidelines.

As a blogger, it helps to think of yourself as the host of a dinner party. In that role, you have to set the table for your guests. If you invite people over, you have to help them have a good time, right?

One of the ways to ensure that happens is to initiate conversations that help people connect and develop new relationships.

It's the same as the host of your blog. Prepare posts that connect people and help them have a good time. Start interesting conversations that feature your points of view, and invite others to share theirs.

5. Show Link Love

Nothing is more boring than reading online content that features a bunch of words and no links to other places of interest. Blogs like that are self-absorbed, and who likes hanging around people like that?

Link love shows that you are well connected and confident, just the kind of person that people like to hang out and connect with. Showing link love also simplifies the blogging process by giving you interesting content that you don't have to make up yourself.

What about you?

What are your favorite simple tips for blogging? Share them in the comments section below, and link to your blog so we can head over and connect with you.

For more great blogging tips like these, subscribe to Indie Business Blog today!

What is on Your To-Do List Today?

Posted by Barbara Howard on August 21, 2008 at 1:00pm

Representative Stephanie Tubbs-Jones died yesterday ...When I saw the news through my Google alert, I went to my To-Do list. And found the notation:"Contact Tubbs-Jones office re: Medicare Improvement Bill, see attached email) for interview on Cleveland Talks! Provide local cell# for callback."(btw: I produce several talk shows on BlogTalkRadio. Cleveland Talks! is one of them.)You see, I was a constituent. I was on her email list. I let my voice be heard, regularly. I always got a response. I did not make the call on that day. Too busy, schedule too full on that day, moved to the next day, then the next ...Facing the list again last night, a note scribbled in haste, I had to pause. I did not complete the task. A missed opportunity. I have to cross it off the list now. I had to pause. And write this blog.Representative Stephanie Tubbs-Jones was an icon in the truest sense of the word. Not a self-proclaimed "Diva" - a word so overused in today's culture that it has become meaningless. She was approachable, accessible, a sister, a mother, a community advocate, an effective politician, a neighbor, a girlfriend, and strong ally that worked tirelessly through a life dedicated to living honorably. And, pursuing the greater good.When I was a child, they taught Civics, and Social Studies, and Good Citizenship. And Community Service. (btw: that was before "community service" was categorized and issued as a punishment because the county jail is too full to contain another community delinquent)When I was a child, I wanted to be an astronaut. Or, a Supreme Court judge.My love for mathematics ended at trigonometry. So, in college I majored in Political Science and moved to the greater Washington, DC area to earn some cash and continue my education. I did not become a judge, or a lawyer, or a paralegal. Although, I did serve as a court recorder for a brief period (Think electronic recordings, microphones, wires). The guy crawling under the table adjusting the cable connections just before the BIG briefings on the Hill. I was "that" guy - or gal. It was fun. Then I moved on. But I hung around the scene for 2 decades and worked it. Part of "the entourage" and "in the know" - it was an addiction. A drain. A thrill. And I loved it. Then I moved on. Or, I should say that I moved "back" - to oHIo.And people ask me, "So, what do you do [now]?"And I asked myself that last night. And this morning, my hometown is in mourning. What DO I do, for the greater good?I try to think more about others than myself. And when I fail to do so, I try again. (Note to self: try again)I amplify the voices of others (btw: see Encourage Me I'm Young). I write inspirational books for adults and chapter books for children. I tutor inner city children in the gymnasiums of schools in "academic failure" and teach Bible lessons in church basements to adults. I bake cookies and give them away. I don't complain about my neighbors hedges being too high, unless I am in the mood to help trim them. Or when the neighborhood fireworks display runs on until 3:00am because, after all, it's only once a year. God bless America!I stopped hating on Oprah, and Rosie, and Brittany, and Paris, and Condi, and all the others whose lives I DO NOT know and handle pressure that I can not imagine. I buy bags of peaches or beets when I visit the local farmer's market. I hate peaches and beets. But, my sister loves them. I feed the birds. And the skinny neighborhood cats. I plant flowers that attract butterflies so that the little children can chase them. I give treats to my little dog and bring enough to share with his little doggy friends. I try to care. About things, about people, and their situations. Locally, globally, eternally.I lift young people on my shoulders and say "Can you see the future? I can. And it's glorious. And it's all for you. Can you see it? I can. I can see it in you."(btw: Please listen to Cleveland Talks! E-City Teen Entrepreneurs)This is about Representative Stephanie Tubbs-Jones.And my To-Do List.Before I cross that missed opportunity off my list, what will I replace it with?What will I do today, instead?What will you do today? (note to self: try again)Thanks for reading my blog.(btw: please listen to Tony Reeve's "In The Know" podcast with Former State Senator State-Senator-Lesley-Les-Miller"">Leslie Miller)And do something today...for the greater good.

“Urbanny SpotLight and ArtFace Studio Presents“

Posted by jo perry on August 21, 2008 at 6:22am

The Picture Show

"Ubanny SpotLight and ArtFace Studio Presents“Creativity and Innovation... a beautiful combination.Walida "Jo Perry" Johnson Visual Matrix Artist, Teaching Artist, Creative Writer and OwnerBusiness of Art…Urbanny SpotLight and ArtFace Studio Presents are, Arts Integrated, Multimedia Presentation for Small Business Solution, Marketing and Entertainment“A New way to Advertise and Promote your voice, while supporting the arts.”About the Artist works…Artistic Portraits and DesignsAs an Visual Matrix Artist, she integrates innovation and technology with a vas array of traditional mediums, through the digital canvas and paletteArtist Statement…The Soul of CreativityWhen creating an art piece I study the image and listen… to see what that image is saying to me.It is a silent dance of creative energy, imagination between me, the image, the digital canvas and palette. I am student, to the soul of creativity, exploring the imagination, the possibilities of what could be or what lies underneath what is visible. I have found that there is more to the human image, than what is captured, each one has a story through my minds-eye. -JoWalida “Jo Perry” Johnson is currently working on two major projects, which will be complete by mid Oct-Dec. 2008Sponsorship and Advertisement Opportunities are available go online and purchase today while space is available.Great Opportunity for promote your voice and bring awareness to causes and social issues.Be apart of book projects and Multimedia Presentations.Learn more about her at,www.urbannyarts.comwww.myspace.com/joperryakawjohnsonhttp://au.youtube.com/ArtistJoThe value of Friendship is the only true currency.

Wynn - This weeks featured Las Vegas Hotel

Posted by Teresa on August 20, 2008 at 8:27pm

Wynn Las Vegas3131 S. Las Vegas Blvd.Las Vegas, NV 89109Opening date April 28, 2005Previous names Desert Inn (which includes Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn, ITT Sheraton Desert Inn, and MGM Desert Inn)No.of rooms 2,716Permanent shows Le RêveDanny Gans (starting Feb. 2009)

Wynn Las Vegas Resort and Country Club (often just called "Wynn") is a AAA five diamond/Mobil four-star and Mobil five-star (for The Tower Suites at Wynn Las Vegas) casino resort located on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. The US$2.7 billion resort is named after casino developer Steve Wynn and is the flagship property of Wynn Resorts Limited. The resort covers 215 acres (0.87 km2).It is located at Las Vegas Boulevard South and Sands Avenue (on the N.E. corner), directly across The Strip from the Fashion Show Mall.The 2,715 rooms range in size from 640 square feet (58 m²) to the villas at 7,000 square feet (650 m²) with a 111,000 ft² (10,200 m²) casino, a convention center with 223,000 ft² (20,700 m²) of space, 76,000 square feet (7,000 m²) of retail space.The Wynn does not have any floors that start with the number 4, since it is an unlucky number in Chinese culture.HistoryView north from Las Vegas Boulevard. The site was assembled by buying the Desert Inn Hotel and golf course for most of the land. The remainder was acquired by purchasing private residences that were generally located along Paradise Avenue. While some owners sold early on, others held out. This resulted in numerous legal actions between the various parties. In the end, the site acquired totaled 215 acres (870,000 m²).Wynn Las Vegas LLC contracted with Marnell Corrao Associates on June 4, 2002 to design and build the resort. The original name for the project was "Le Rêve" but was changed to "Wynn Las Vegas" well before the project was complete. The original name lives on in the stage production. Built at a cost of US$2.7 billion, it was the largest privately-funded construction project in the nation. This compares with the budget for reconstruction with the World Trade Center site which at that time was projected to be $1.7 billion.[citation needed]The historic Desert Inn Golf Course was rebuilt while the hotel was being constructed. The course is now known as Wynn Golf and Country Club.Early advertising for the resort featured exterior images of the hotel tower, with Steve Wynn standing on the roof, just above his signature logo. The initial commercial aired in some local spots during the 2005 Super Bowl, and eventually national spots as opening drew near. A "teaser" website for the resort included both the commercial and a "making-of" video.The resort was featured on an episode of the Fine Living network's What Makes it Tick.Wynn Las Vegas, designed by Jon Jerde, opened on April 28, 2005, Wynn's wife's birthday, the 55th Anniversary of the opening of the original Desert Inn, and five years from the day Steve Wynn purchased the site. When it opened, the Wynn had many firsts and notable features, including:The first Vegas casino to combine the room key and the casino frequent-player card in one cardThe first casino to include a car (Ferrari-Maserati) dealershipThe world's largest distribution of HDTV, into hotel rooms using high-speed Cat-6 Ethernet cablesThe largest installation of Voice over IP technology for hotel phonesThe tallest hotel building on the stripIt was also among the first casinos to install RFID tags inside chips to better detect counterfeiting.Inspiration and visionWynn taken from the freeway in Las VegasWynn purchased the Desert Inn hotel and casino to obtain property for his future dreams. The Desert Inn was imploded to make room for his new hotel project. Along the way, Wynn Resorts Limited was formed and continued development with Wynn being the controlling stock holder.Wynn has stated that the major shift with this new resort is the concept of designing from the "inside out." In contrast to his previous hotels Bellagio, The Mirage, and Treasure Island, there is no Las Vegas Strip attraction to draw in passers-by. Instead, visitors must venture inside to see what the hotel is all about. Wynn has said that "there is no franchise in a casual observer, there is a franchise in a guest."RestaurantsAlexBartolotta Ristorante di MareStrattaThe Country Club - an American SteakhouseDaniel Boulud BrasserieOkadaRed 8 - Asian BistroSugar & Ice (in the Wynn Esplanade)SW SteakhouseTableauTerrace Point CaféThe BuffetThe Drugstore CaféWing LeiZoozacrackersWynn Dealers ControversyOn May 12 and 13, 2007, Wynn dealers voted 444-149 in favor of representation by the Transportation Workers Union. The vote is a result of controversial policy changes made by Wynn to share tips with floor staff.AttractionsPenske-Wynn Ferrari-Maserati dealershipWynn Las Vegas is the first casino to include a luxury car dealership. Brand new factory-authorized cars include the Ferrari and Maserati brands. Used cars are sold "as-is" and include other luxury car brands, with some cars on display ranging in price from little more than $100,000 to $1.6 million. The dealership also includes parts and other car-wares.Non-buying guests of the resort can go into the dealership to take a look around. When the resort opened, there was no fee to enter, but the dealership became so crowded that management began charging $10 for admission;[5] registered Ferrari-Maserati owners are exempted from this fee, as well as children accompanying paying adults. The Penske-Wynn is one of the few casino car exhibits in Las Vegas metropolitan area. Other exhibits can be found at the Imperial Palace and Caesars Palace. However, the Penske-Wynn Ferrari-Maserati dealership is the only casino/dealership in the Las Vegas area.The dealership is placed near the valet parking of the resort, so that people can look at the model cars while waiting for their own cars to arrive.The cars are not the only thing that the resort offers with the Ferrari name. A Ferrari Store accompanies the dealership, Offering such goods as apparel, racing merchandise, electronics, and even a home gym all branded with the Ferrari logo. This is the first ever factory authorized Ferrari Store in North America and only the seventh in the world. The staff wear Ferrari pit crew outfits and a sound system blasts engine noises as would be heard on a race track.The Wynn Art CollectionThe Wynn Art CollectionThe Wynn Gallery, which had charged an entrance fee, closed shortly after the start of 2006 as a result of poor ticket sales. The artwork from the former gallery is now scattered around the resort.Lake of DreamsIn a departure from the trend established when The Mirage opened of providing free sidewalk attractions to draw in customers, Wynn Las Vegas is constructed so that visitors must enter the building to view the free attractions. The main attraction is a large, curtain waterfall behind a mountain that faces the strip. The waterfall falls into a 3 acre (12,000 m²) lake. Both the waterfall and lake have images displayed on them to produce a show called "Lake of Dreams". This show starts on the hour beginning in the afternoon. When the show is inactive, the waterfall creates an animated color sequence on the screen.The show can be viewed from the Parasol Up (a bar and viewing area), and can be viewed through a glass window with no audio. Or, the show can be viewed from Parasol Down, with a larger view. Visitors can go to the platform at the Parasol Down bar to view the show with full-volume audio. Those dining at SW Steakhouse or Daniel Boulud Brasserie may also have a full view of the show while dining. Children under 18 are prohibited from going to Parasol Down.ShowsLe RêveThe first production show to open was Le Rêve. Le Rêve is set in a 1 million gallon water-oriented theatre where no seat is more than 40 feet (12 m) from the stage. The production was created by Franco Dragone and is similar to the shows produced by Cirque du Soleil.Le Rêve was the working name of the resort before it was changed to Wynn Las Vegas. "Le Rêve" means "The Dream" in French, and the name of the centerpiece painting that Steve Wynn owns, Le Rêve by Picasso.Most recently, Wynn Las Vegas bought the rights to the show from Dragone to make some changes, including the logo. Wynn now owns all rights to the show, with Dragone still in the label.Avenue QAvenue Q, a puppet and people musical which enjoyed considerable success on Broadway, was the second production show to open at Wynn. It debuted on September 8, 2005 in the 1,200 seat Broadway Theatre and closed on May 28, 2006.According to Steve Wynn Avenue Q was shut down due to the lack of real estate and the exorbitant costs of constructing a new venue. Wynn had a contract with Spamalot to perform at Wynn Las Vegas, but this required a third theater to be built. Potential sites for the theater included the skirts of the golf course or a portion of the convention space in the planned Encore expansion tower. Since Wynn did not want to build on the golf course or cut between the convention spaces of Encore and Wynn Las Vegas, he was forced to terminate the Avenue Q contract. Wynn was quoted as saying "Avenue Q was making money, but not enough money."Monty Python's SpamalotSpamalot, a Tony Award-winning comedic musical based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail, opened for previews on March 8, 2007 at Grail Theater (formerly, The Broadway Theater). The official run began on March 31, 2007 and starred John O'Hurley as King Arthur through September 26, 2007. An understudy was the lead as Mr. O'Hurley was on sabbatical until January 28, 2008. The show closed on July 13, 2008.Danny GansOn April 17, 2008 Wynn Resorts announced that current Mirage headliner Danny Gans will move to the resort in February 2009.[7] Gans will move into the theater formerly used by both Avenue Q and Spamalot, which will be renamed Encore Theater and be marketed as part of the Encore expansion.NightclubsTrystTryst is now the flagship of the Wynn's nightlife scene.BlushBlush opened on Labor Day 2007.RestaurantsAlexBartolotta Ristorante di MareStrattaThe Country Club - an American SteakhouseDaniel Boulud BrasserieOkadaRed 8 - Asian BistroSugar & Ice (in the Wynn Esplanade)SW SteakhouseTableauTerrace Point CaféThe BuffetThe Drugstore CaféWing LeiZoozacrackersShops and boutiquesWynn Esplanade ShoppesBlack Satin IntimatesBrioniChanelChristian DiorManolo BlahnikCartierOscar de la RentaLouis VuittonVertuAlexander McQueenJo MaloneGraff JewelersJudith LeiberBlack SatinWynn Signature ShopShoe-InOutFitWynn & Company - JewelryWynn LVNVSan GiorgioIn Wynn Las VegasDecorazziBags, Belts & BaublesTiny BaublesCabana Shop (on Pool Deck)The DrugstoreMojitos Resort WearThe Pro ShopW.InkFerrari StoreThe Show ShopAmenitiesWynn Golf and Country Club18th greenThe Wynn Golf and Country Club is the only golf course on the Las Vegas Strip. It was designed by Steve Wynn and Tom Fazio, who previously worked together on the Shadow Creek Golf Club, in neighboring North Las Vegas. Use of the course is restricted to hotel guests at a cost of $500 per round.The Tower Suites at Wynn Las VegasThe Tower Suites at Wynn Las Vegas consists of all rooms and suites in the separated southernmost section of the main tower. These rooms and suites have a private driveway and entrance, a separate check-in area and elevators, and a private pool area. In 2006, The Tower Suites at Wynn Las Vegas was evaluated independently from the rest of the property by Mobil Travel Guide for their 2007 ratings. It was awarded the first and only Mobil Five-Star rating ever awarded to a hotel in Las Vegas. Wynn Las Vegas itself received the Mobil Four-Star rating for 2007.Villa SuitesIn addition to the Fairway Villas, Wynn Las Vegas contains six Villa Suites which are not available to the general public. One of these villas is the private residence of Steve Wynn.[9] Three of these villas are along the West side of the hotel, between the tower and the Lake of Dreams. The other three are located along the Western edge of the pool area, South of the tower. In February of 2007, Wynn requested approval to build four additional villa suites on the South edge of the property.The Villas by the Golf Course cost an average $5,000 a night.Future developmentEncoreOn 28 April 2006, the resort celebrated its one year anniversary by breaking ground on a second hotel tower.[10] Called Encore, the tower will be a $2.1 billion, 2,034 room hotel project adjacent to the existing resort and on the remaining frontage of Las Vegas Blvd.Wynn Golf Course redevelopmentWynn Resorts are developing a long-range master plan for the 142-acre (0.57 km2) golf course that will include a large mixed-use hotel, casino entertainment resort complex. The complex may include multiple waterfront hotels built around a lake offering water sports and other entertainment. The complex also may include multiple restaurants, retail offerings and entertainment venues. Wynn Resorts have not yet developed specific plans for such a complex, and there can be no assurance that such plans will be developed. Wynn Resorts cannot predict the cost of such a development or whether Wynn Resorts will be able to obtain the necessary financing for the development on suitable terms, if at all. It is not expected that any construction on the golf course land would begin before 2009.Additional villasIn February of 2007, Wynn Las Vegas submitted a request for approval to construct four additional villas on the South side of the property, which would bring the total number of villas to ten. The description of the new villas closely matches that of the six existing villas on the property.*Article provided by - Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a U.S. registered 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit charity

Information & Direction For Robbie

Posted by Denise Bethune on August 20, 2008 at 7:02pm

Greetings All,I need your assistance. Robbie began his culinary skills first by watching our mother then by working in restaurants where he was considered quite a chef. My brother Robbie had a stroke in March 2004 which impaired his left side. He was hospitalized for about 3 months, went to a nursing home for rehab and began to drive, and do some other mobile activities. Before Robbie had his stroke he always had a passion for food, this was one thing that Robbie enjoyed the most. He is considered disabled but you know what his desire to open up his own restaurant is still much alive. We need your help, if their is anyone that can help us to put together a plan which includes funding please reach out to me at deb157_2000@yahoo.com, we may have a location already invisioned right here in our community.

From A Writers POV Updates!

Posted by Dominique on August 20, 2008 at 6:08pm

From A Writers POV has been updated!New Links page has been added. Check it out here: http://fromawriterspov.webs.com/apps/links/Weekly Feature has been posted by Jason. "I want True Love" Check it out on our homepage http://fromawriterspov.webs.com/fromawriterspov.htmIf you write poetry and want to be featured on our homepage for one week, submit your poem today! http://fromawriterspov.webs.com/becomeawriter.htmBack to School Writing has been posted as well by Daniel Willimas. Read his story on our homepage and leave your comments and feedback! http://fromawriterspov.webs.com/fromawriterspov.htmWe are still......looking for male writers to submit a writing on being a male figure in a child's life. The full details are on our homepage so check them and sign up. We are only looking for 2 spots now so sign up today!http://fromawriterspov.webs.com/fromawriterspov.htmJust a couple of weeks to reserve your spot for September Ads. If your interested check out the details here: http://fromawriterspov.webs.com/advertisementinfo.htmI look forward to hearing from all of you!God Bless,Dominique

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.

Note: this page contains paid content.