Zelda Speaks

speaking of genius...

2012-02-01T13:30:00.001-08:00

Tribute to SOUL TRAIN Creator
Don Cornelius
TV TAPING Sat. 2/11 at 7pm
RSVP ONLY
www.HigherLearningNetwork.org or www.ZeldaSpeaks.com
go to website to get email address!
FIRST COME FIRST SERVE!
LIMITED SEATING!
come and share your story!

speaking of your writing skills

2012-01-24T17:44:00.001-08:00

Become an INSTANT Author

Dear Author,

I say Author (even if your book isn't completed) because if you think you are an Author, you are. It's as simple as that. Now what can make that happen rather quickly, (or as slow as you like) is that you make the decision to make the process happen.

You do that by doing the following:

1. Make the decision NOW to begin this process and have it done as quickly or as slow as you like!

2. Committ to at least a page a day. (Write a sentence every hour)

3. Set aside $20.12 for your deposit to make it happen. (IRS Refunds, earn extra $$ doing odd jobs, borrow it, savings, etc.)

Total Payment for
-Self Publishing Project $99 for 1/2 Day Seminar
In Half Day seminar you learn the basics, manual included

-Whole Day Self Publishing Project $199.00
In Whole Day seminar you
-learn the basics
-1 on 1 consultation
-manual
-ISBN FREE!
-15 Second Promo (Commercial) for your book!
( www.zeldaspeaks.com/14.html) Scroll down to see author promo's!

Once you MAKE THE DECISION, UNIVERSAL LAW sets it into motion!
There is no turning back!

To help you along the way, I have included the FIRST Chapter of the book
FREE OF CHARGE! I will show you how to get your ISBN FOR FREE! ($300 Value)

Now you have NO EXCUSE! Email or call me and we can discuss making this happen for you! 2012 is yours for the asking!

email me now:

HigherLearningNw@gmail.com
to get your first chapter FREE!

Please share this with your fellow Writers, Spoken Word friends, Poets, Lyracists, Artists, etc.

If you alread have a book and ready to market it via TV, web, blogs, etc.
you too can have same results by amaking the decision to get started publicizing your book! (on Facebook, Linked Inn, Twitter and other social websites!)

Let me help you and other writers to promote book sales and/or create buzz around your work! It's just that simple. Never as hard as you think!

email me now:

HigherLearningNw@gmail.com

Be the first to have your own BOOK COMMERICIAL running BEFORE Black History Month!

First 20 people who sign up get a 50% Discount on future Book Trailer! (Book Commercial)
____________________________________________________________________
Taking requests now for TV Taping
Saturday Feb. 11th 8pm in Chicago!

Location will be revealed once we hear from you.
A reservation in your name will be held for you!

HigherLearningNw@gmail.com

First Come! First Serve! LIMITED SEATING!

I will teach you how to get your
-ISBN FREE!, produce an ebook, and more! Just in time for
Feb. 2012 (Black History Month)
March (Women's History Month)

Here's a SAMPLE from the Inner Author Self Publishing Manual!

INDEX Chapters
1. How to get started/Writer’s Block
2. Manuscript Development
3. The Editing Process
4. Copyright/Bar Code/ISBN
5. Choosing a Graphic Designer/Your Cover
6. Choosing a Publisher/Printer
7. Turnaround Time
8. What Will It Cost?
9. Marketing/Promotions/ Creative Visualization
10. Sample Press Kit

SECTION 1
1. How To Get Started/Writer’s Block
Now it’s time to get started. I’ve laid the foundation; you have to build the house. Answer these questions and you’ll be on your way.
• Why am I writing this book?_______________________________
______________________________________________________
• What is my book going to be about?_________________________
_______________________________________________________
• Who are my readers?_____________________________________
• Why would anyone want to read this book?___________________
________________________________________________________
• Am I willing to share a part of my personal self?_______________
________________________________________________________
(Readers love your personal business and it sells books!)
• Am I okay with the fact that this book may not become a bestseller?_______________________________________________
• What determines the success of my book?_____________________
• Who determines the success of my book?_____________________

email me now:
HigherLearningNw@gmail.com
________________________________________________________________________

Not only can you write your own book, but you can begin to make jobs in your community!

You will eventually need a marketing team! THINK BIG!

Watch this video!

www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Rus_AwwOeWQ&feature=player_embedded

__________________

the art of mind control

2012-01-18T12:05:00.000-08:00

speaking of unhealthy folks..

2012-01-18T11:03:00.000-08:00

George Carlin on Fat People!
(NEVER meant to insult, only to make us THINK!)

www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=nLRQvK2-iqQ

AFTER you see the movie, then call Berlina
to schedule your WELLNESS CHECK UP!

Doctors don't really care about anything but their
checkbooks and comittment to?!
NOT ALL DOCTORS, Just the majority!

You don't have to live in pain, be bloated, indigestion or stay fat!
We have the power of CHOICE! Choose wisely!

Encourage those you care about to get healthy!
THE BODY HEALS ITSELF!
Berlina can help you, heal you!
(773) 994-6323

speaking of resolutions... don't bother, instead...

2012-01-02T11:19:00.001-08:00

STOP talking about it and BE about it!

Don't Read about HiStory, MAKE History!
empower yourself on Dr. King's Birthday, Jan. 16th, 2012
MEET! GREET! EAT!
Free Veggie Taste Fest!
2-7pm

Stream of Life
754 E. 82nd (Cottage Grove in Chicago)
(773) 7994-6323
Tell Berlina Baker that Zelda sent you!

You don't have to live in pain, be bloated, indigestion or stay fat!
We have the power of CHOICE! Choose wisely!

Encourage those you care about to get healthy!
THE BODY HEALS ITSELF!
Berlina can help you, heal you!
(773) 994-6323

speaking of wellness, check out Dr. Momma Hawk

2011-12-21T08:22:00.000-08:00

more at
http://HigherLearningNetworknfp.blogspot.com

it all starts today 10am central time...

2011-11-14T06:56:00.001-08:00

http://www.naturessunshine.com/us/members/content1/webinar2/education-week.aspx

if PAIN or inflamation is what you speak...

2011-11-04T09:19:00.001-07:00

Be sure and join us around town for a host of events for
National Health Education week!

Join me at the
Stream of Life
754 E. 82nd Street Chicago
773-994-6323
Monday Eves
call for details

If you have PAIN or any Dis-Ease (from Asthma to Arthritis, Cancer to Kidney Failure, Liver to lung congestion) and anything else you can think of, come out and get EDUCATED! NOT MEDICATED! LEARN as much as you can!
FREE! OPEN TO PUBLIC! Costs you nothing but some time, and your opp to save your own life free from pain and disease!

May you never know the disease you prevent in your body!

Speaking of small biz...

2011-10-27T08:30:00.001-07:00

NASA, Defense, and Coast Guard Drop Minority Goaling
A recent Eblast from the National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) included that Federal minority business programs are silently being eliminated. HUD, under the last administration had achieved 40% of its contracting to minority owned firms. Today, that number is a single digit.

NASA, Defense, Coast Guard, and FEMA recently dropped their minority goaling. According to the Acting Chief Procurement Officer for FEMA, "FEMA did not have small business goals for the recovery of Hurricane Irene and they do not maintain information on the percentage of black businesses receiving Government contracts." However, this is the same FEMA that worked with NBCC members to bring in over $3 billion in contacting after Hurricane Katrina.

The American Small Business League has reached out to the NBCC for help in stopping this legislation and the proposed rule to end the Minority Business Goals at the Department of Defense, NASA, and the Coast Guard. According to the American Small Business League this legislation will prevent job creation.

Parties interested in protesting this ruling, can formally lodge comments in the federal register by going to: https://www.ncmahq.org/NewsPublications/LegAlertDetail.cfm?itemnumber=10488. Written comments need to be submitted to the Regulatory Secretariat at one of the addresses shown on their screen on or before November 8, 2011 to be considered in the formation of the final rule.
For more information, contact Mr. Karlos Morgan, Procurement Analyst, at 202-501-2364 for clarification of content and for information pertaining to status or publication schedules, contact the Regulatory Secretary at 202-501-4755. Make sure you cite "FAR Case 2009-016."

Have you seen UniverSoul Circus JEAN CLAUDE? OMG!

2011-10-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

UniverSoul Circus is in town Chicago!!
If you haven't seen it, you don't want to miss it!
We've been going for years, and every year it's something new!
This year they have outdone themselves!

UniverSoul Circus is truly universal now!
Crew from Ukrain, Africa, Switzerland, Yogoslavia, Mediterranean, South America, etc.
You name it, they've got crew from that country!

They are all over the place! The lions, elephants and more!
Take the WHOLE FAMILY to see it!

YOU WILL NOT be disappointed!
You will want to go and get more tickets and see it again, and again....

Enjoy these excerpts!

African Festitval of the Arts Labor Day Weekend!

2011-08-30T08:08:00.001-07:00

Washington Park!
Be there or be square!

2011 African Festival of the Arts

Friday Talent

8:00 to 10:00PM Al B Sure, Chico DeBarge, Jon B & Christopher Williams with Zzaje
6:30 to 7:00 PM Fela Queens (Fela on Broadway)
5:30 to 6:00 PM SPIRITS
5:00 to 5:30 PM DJ Kodjo (Traditional & Africa Popular Music)

Saturday

8:00 to 10 PM Bootsy Collins
6:30 to 7:30 PM Ronald Brown
6:00 to 6:30 PM DJ Kodjo (Traditional & Popular African Music)
5:00 to 6:00 PM AfroFlow
4:00 to 4:30 PM Afrinique Fashion Show
2:30 to 3:00 PM MUNTU Dance Theater
12 to 3:30 PM DJ Kodjo (Traditional & Popular African Music)

Sunday

8:30 to 10 PM Mary Mary
7:50 to 8:10 PM Cora Dunham/Drummer from Beyounce
6:30 to 7:30 PM Gerald Wilson
5:15 to 6:00 PM Selvy Singers of Ark
4:00 to 5:10 PM Joshua’s Throop
3:00 to 3:30 PM Taylor Mallory
2:00 to 2:30 PM DJ Kodjo (Traditional & Popular African Music)

MONDAY

8:00 to 10: PM INDIA ARIE
7:20 to 8:00 PM Awards & Recognition
7:00 to 7:20 PM Queen Cora Coleman-Dunham/Motivational Speaker, Author & Drummer for Beyonce
5:45 to 6:30 PM Joan Colasso
4:30 to 5:15 PM Kefee
3:30 to 4:00 PM SAMBA 1
2:15 to 3:00 PM Tambour san Frontiers
1:30 to 2:00 PM Tahurah
12:45 to 1:00 PM Senekeh

2011 African Festival of the Arts
Labor Day Weekend, September 2 - 5.
Washington Park Chicago.

speaking of Blacks in film...

2011-08-18T19:42:00.001-07:00

http://www.siskelfilmcenter.org/blackharvest2011

money for school...

2011-07-26T10:31:00.001-07:00

speaking of the late great Radio Legend Richard Pegue

2011-07-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

God bless the life and legacy of Richard Pegue and how he touched all of our lives. I'll never forget my first "teen DJ" show that Richard prepared me to do with him on WOPA-AM, but most significantly when I became the first Program Director of the new campus radio station WIUS-FM at Western Illinois University as well as radio personality at WHEN-AM and WIUM-FM I repeatedly won The Who's Who Awards for Best Radio Personality and Best Radio Program called what else "The Best Music Of Your Life." My thanks to Richard for allowing me to use the name while making broadcasting history at WIU as the first Freshman to be awarded a Prime Time Radio show, all because of my association with Richard Pegue along with a reference letter from Abe Thompson.

I CERTAINLY would like to join you on air on Friday and Saturday and hopefully we can use these two days to celebrate Richard as well as mobilize everybody on this list and radio listeners to kick off the latest call-in campaign to Bruce Dumont and The Broadcast
Museum on the nomination of Richard Pegue in the Radio Hall of Fame!!

Mark S. Allen
Proud student of Richard Pegue
773-392-0165

Would love to join you in the tribute!
Richard was also a great teacher and colleague of mine as well.
Who would'a thunk!
I listened to him while studying broadcasting at Columbia, and then to graduate and go to work in news room at
WGCI was a thrill. The kicker was when Dusty Radio changed to Gospel Radio 1390 and he was kicked off the air
and replaced with me! People thought I was the reason he was fired! They didn't know office politics like we did!

Well, eventually my shift went from 9 hours to 8 hours to 7 hours, to 6 hours, then 5, then finally 4 hours until they changed to gospel music! Richard worked his magic on the devil until the shift was eventually eliminated all together! Go Richard Pegue!

If people knew the real deal, they would have picketed like back in the old days! So much for radio rights!
Anywho, looking forward to the Richard Pegue Tribute! Keep up the good work! Stay on purpose, stay empowered!
Stay tuned to Higher Learning!

Zelda@ZeldaSpeaks.com

Super Man Movie Extra Casting in Chicago!

2011-06-26T14:50:00.001-07:00

Do you see yourself?

speaking of fathers...

2011-06-17T10:43:00.001-07:00

When I was Radio Personality on Gospel Radio 1390AM, we were not allowed to play secular music, unless it was a special occasion.
Here's the special occasion.

Kirkland Burke

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRYoBzf8fIE&feature=related -
"Let Me Be The Man My Daddy Was" - The Chi-Lites

"Color Him Father" - The Winstons - 1969
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYh4GlRlmPo

"Papa Don't Take No Mess" - James Brown - 1974
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDh5QbPoDdo

"Oh My Papa" - Eddie Fisher - 1954
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y04seHfYLAA

"Papa" - Paul Anka
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MTL7OMfFro&feature=related

"Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" - The Temptations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We4-lJe0JRY&feature=related

speaking of $$$ 4 school

2011-06-02T22:14:00.000-07:00

Check out Tony Hogues, Host of MEN On Higher Learning
Interviewing National Louis University Outstanding Students
with Success Coach Monica Ramos!

you thought the truth would help did you?

2011-05-16T08:56:00.001-07:00

DURING TIMES OF UNIVERSAL DECEIT, TELLING THE TRUTH BECOMES A illuminati REVOLUTIONARY ACT - GEORGE ORWELL

YOU MIGHT have to COPY AND PASTE!
You know they don't want you to know the truth!

www.galacticfriends.com/updates/whistle-blower/5684-benjamin-fulford-a-mers-lawsuits-may-1211.html?tmpl=component&print=1&layout=default&page=

The Self Employment Expo...

2011-04-06T15:45:00.001-07:00

The Self Employment Expo (www.SelfEmploymentExpo.com) was recently held at the Oak Lawn Hilton Hotel
9330 S. Cicero Ave on Saturday April 2nd!

Dr. Sandy Hickman, Business Owner
Author/Trainer/Life Coach

It was a bright crispy day and I want to personally say THANK YOU! to all the attendees who came out to the EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM:
How To Get Business Funding Seminar facilitated by
Zelda Robinson of the Higher Learning Network,NFP!

What a wonderful opportunity to have met so many soon to be entrepreneurs as well as businesses/vendors in attendance who really made a difference!

The high rate of unemployment brought many of the attendees out of their
comfort zone, in which this conference was designed especially for them.
It was such an awesome experience to see all the attendees in the class
with so many wonderful start up business ideas, as well as those already
in business!

We so look forward to helping many more!
You can view the seminar online at YOUTUBE!
Simply type in Higher Learning TV Show Self Employment Expo 2011!
Until 2012, here's some photos!

For those who still need grant money info, please email us:
Info@HigherLearningNetwork.org

nows the time......

2011-03-24T11:53:00.001-07:00

With unemployment at an all time high, this is your next best step to take!
Entrepreneurship!

Join CLTV's Zelda Robinson Traffic Producer for Coffee/Tea Morning Session
at 9A.M. to learn

How to Set Up a Non-Profit, Get Grant Money, Advertising,
Scholarships and more!

Saturday April 2nd
9am - 5pm
Oak Lawn Hilton Hotel
9330 S. Cicero Ave.

FIRST COME FIRST SERVE! LIMITED SEATING!

RSVP NOW!

www.SelfEmploymentExpo.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRCjMGlJvAo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpsftS8azgk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXFA7_vMBSU

facebook.com?

2011-03-08T07:08:00.000-08:00

Please sign our facebook page

www.facebook.com/TVShowHln#!/

We THANK YOU in advance!

______________________________________________

speaking of unemployment..

2011-03-08T07:04:00.001-08:00

Have you marked your calendar for the
2011 Self Employment Expo?

www.SelfEmploymentExpo.com

April 2nd 2011

www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XW2fK3tbh0U

self nurture month...

2011-02-01T16:26:00.000-08:00

speaking of inspiration...

2011-01-21T12:01:00.000-08:00

speaking of a new conversation...

2011-01-16T16:28:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gncm1SV8AQo

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT

2011-01-10T12:00:00.001-08:00

2011 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
EMPOWERMENT SUMMIT
Thursday, January 20, 2010

1O: AM—2:PM
5555 W. Grand Ave.

25th District

Chicago Police Dept.

Auditorium

Guest Speaker & Domestic Survivor

Zelda Robinson,CSP, DMT

CLTV Traffic Reporter

CEO Higher Learning Network,NFP

Come And Receive A
* Greater understanding of Domestic Violence *
* The Police Respond to Domestic Violence *

* Community Awareness & Assistance with
Breaking The Cycle Of Domestic Violence
* A Holistic Approach To Empowerment and Self Sufficiency *
Great Resources

AND

information on

Grant Money for Domestic Violence Agencies, Churches, Pastors, Ex-Offenders, Publishing, Marketing,

Scholarships, and more!

Please RSVP By January 10, 2010
edenadvocacycdc@sbcglobal.net
And or leave a message at (773) 609-3336 or (773) 494-4980

Special Thanks To Our Planning Team
* Eden Advocacy CDC

* CPD Community Outreach Org. 11th District

* Youth Outreach Services

* CCSAO Westside Community Justice Center

* Sista’s Of The Hood

* CPD DV Program Office Of The Superintendent

*2nd Chance Housing & Development Ministries

N'Spirational Conversations Volume 2 Global Release!

2011-01-07T20:44:00.000-08:00

Upgrade your life 2011!

2010-12-31T12:39:00.000-08:00

Upgrade Your Life 2011!

January 3rd

10am - 2pm

American InterContinental University

130 S. Franklin St. Chicago

FREE! Open to public!

U-p-g-r-a-d-e Your Life!
(Like you do your cell phone)

We pay more attention to our electronic gadgets in our lives
than we do to the people, places and things that keep us stuck!

What issue needs to be resolved in your life?
Relationships, Finances,Under-Employment, Spirituality?

Whatever your challenge is, it is something that can be resolved
or at least get a handle on. This session allows you to examine the
possibilities of MOVING FORWARD and Upgrading Your Life
so that you can begin to experience life on a more joyful level!

Higher Learning Network,NFP offers proven methods and techniques
that will assist you in the process. The best part: it's FREE!

Your facilitator will be Shelomith Yisrael aka Zelda Robinson,
Intl. Speaker/Trainer/Author/Media Consultant.
You may know her from radio/tv/print (WJPC, WNUA, V103, WGCI, Gospel Radio 1390AM, CLTV Traffic, NOIR Woman News,
Higher Learning Network TV Show, etc.)

She's spoken around the world, and now she'll be training right here in Chicago!

Reserve your space for the

January. 3rd - 10am-2pm
Life Changing Session at

American Intercontinental University
130 S. Franklin St.,

Chicago! USA

You can come and be a part of this

ground breaking, life changing
session at the beginning,

or come on your lunch hour!

You will be welcomed!

Bring a friend and receive a gift!
Limit to first 40 registrations!

Raffle! Prizes! Free Tickets!

DVD's, CD's and more!
The only thing you need to bring is:
1. You
2. Pen/Paper
3. Open Mind!

RSVP
Info@HigherLearningNetwork.org

Looking forward to the possibilities!
2011 is your year of leaven!

____________________________________

______________________________________________
Radio

www.WeightMattersRadio.com

Television

CREATE Your Own Job!

Using Your Natural God Given Gifts, Talents & Abilities!

see VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77z2XXxW0Pc

**********

Chicago - Sundays @ Midnight Channel 19

Wisconsin - Minnesota Channel 7

**Sundays Midnight Ch. 19 Chicago**

electronic pick pockets

2010-12-19T08:31:00.000-08:00

After watching this newscast, I had to share it with you!

The season of giving and TAKING is here!
Electronic Pick Pocketing is the new technology that will leave you and
your credit card with a balance you cannot afford to pay!

Be sure and check out this video and share it with everyone you know!
Happy Holidays!

www.wreg.com/news/wreg-electronic-pickpocketing-story,0,5636726,full.story
or

http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-electronic-pickpocketing-story,0,5636726,full.story

(Copy and paste in new window if it doesn't work when you click on it!)

speaking of the truth....

2010-12-06T17:22:00.000-08:00

I listen, then write.
Volume 2 of N'Spirational Conversations 2011 is here!
Here's an excerpt!

I once heard Motivational Speaker Sporty King say, “Network Before You Need Work.” Those thoughts have always stayed with me. One day as I was channel surfing and I saw a program on channel 19, Keith’s Collage (by Producer Keith McDonald) that showcased leaders in the community.

With that thought in mind, I contacted the number on the screen and Rev. Dr. Louis Flowers of the West Side Minister’s Coalition answered the phone and invited me to the Monthly Networking Meeting at the Jackson Park Reflectory on Jackson and Central. As a result of that networking, I have been hosting those monthly meetings for over 5 years now. Had I not inquired, I never would have been asked to host that meeting, and other invitations to host/speak.

So keep networking in mind as you travel the highways and bi-ways of unemployment and uncertainty. Know that there is a Higher Power, and that Higher Power has greater things in store for you that you could ever imagine. You’ve got to put the work in first. Where will you begin networking!

This book makes great gifts, 24/7/365
It's the gift that keeps on giving, long after you're gone!

speaking of discrimination

2010-08-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

My former Co-worker Crazy George Wilborn is gonna make a joke of this incident for sure! I just wish I could be there to hear it! All of it!
In case you hadn't heard, here's the latest!

Black Comedian and Family face housing discrimination in Bridgeport

Dream house turns into alleged discrimination lesson
Housing discrimination alleged in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood

George Willborn, a local comedian and radio personality, alleges that he is a victim of discrimination in his attempt to purchase a home in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood. (George Willborn, George Willborn / August 10, 2010)

By Mary Ellen Podmolik,
Source: ChicagoTribune.com

It seemed like the perfect house for Chicago comedian and radio personality George Willborn and his family.

Built in 2006, the 8,000-square-foot home in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood had large closets for his wife,
Peytyn, an outdoor basketball court for their 12-year-old son, a private bathroom for their 19-year-old daughter
and a home theater room that was to become Willborn's "man cave." They made an offer on the $1.799 million
home the day they saw it in early January.

"It was what we considered to be a dream house," said Willborn, co-host of the nationally syndicated radio program
"The Michael Baisden Show."

Register with Chicago Tribune and receive free newsletters and alerts >> What allegedly transpired after their offer
is at the center of a federal housing discrimination complaint.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Tuesday that it had filed an administrative complaint
against homeowners Daniel and Adrienne Sabbia, real estate agent Jeffrey Lowe and prominent Chicago real estate
firm Prudential Rubloff Properties. The agency charged that they violated the Fair Housing Act when the Sabbias
backed out of a verbal agreement to sell their home to the Willborns, who are African-American.

Despite agreeing on a $1.7 million purchase price for the home Jan. 4, the Sabbias never signed a purchase contract.
According to the complaint, Lowe told the Willborns' agent, Dylcia Cornelious, on Jan. 11 that the Sabbias had
changed their minds and were taking the home off the market, despite it being listed for sale for almost two years.

"By refusing to sign the sales contract," HUD said in its complaint, the Sabbias "committed unlawful discrimination"
by refusing to sell the home to the Willborns "after the making of a bona fide offer because of their race, African-American."

So, what else is new?

Pre Med Student Kathryn Todd Studying Marine Biology

2010-08-10T13:54:00.000-07:00

Higher Learning Network,NFP Intern of the Year 2010 Kathryn Jordan
Higher Learning Network,NFP proudly announces the Student of the Year!
Kathryn Todd- Studying Marine Biology in the Bahamas!

Kathryn Todd Intern of the Year for Higher Learning Network,NFP

Age 16, Junior at Daniel Hale Williams Prepartory School of Medicine

Her accomplishments are too many to name, but here are a few!
1.Won week long scholarship in the Bahamas for Marine Biolology!
2. Tutors other students
3. Olar Scholarship for being in Top 10% of Class
4.Future Doctors of America Class
5. Young Scientist Training at University of Chicago
6. Recieved Silver Medal for City Wide Science Fair for 3 years straight!
7. Shed Aquarium Marine Biology Program where she beat 40 other students!
8. Student on Recruitment Committee for new students
9 Completes all tasks, goes beyond the call of duty for any assignment given.
10. Very sweet and loving young lady!

I truly wish she was my daughter!
Thanks to Mr. & Mrs. Todd for allowing her to intern with us this year!
So looking forward to the future!

Water in the Bahamas

2010-08-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

speaking of oxymorons...

2010-08-01T18:18:00.000-07:00

O x y m o r o n s

1. Is it good if a vacuum really sucks?

2. Why is the third hand on the watch called the second hand?

3.. If a word is misspelled in the dictionary, how would we ever know?

4. If Webster wrote the first dictionary, where did he find the words?

5. Why do we say something is out of whack? What is a whack?

6. Why does "slow down" and "slow up" mean the same thing?

7. Why does "fat chance" and "slim chance" mean the same thing?

8. Why do "tug" boats push their barges?

9. Why do we sing "Take me out to the ball game"
when we are already there?

10. Why are they called " stands" when they are made for sitting?

11.. Why is it called "after dark" when it really is "after light"?

12. Doesn't "expecting the unexpected" make the unexpected expected?

13. Why are a "wise man" and a "wise guy" opposites?

14. Why do "overlook" and "oversee" mean opposite things?

15. Why is "phonics" not spelled the way it sounds?

16. If work is so terrific, why do they have to pay you to do it?

17. If all the world is a stage, where is the audience sitting?

18. If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?

19. If you are cross-eyed and have dyslexia, can you read all right?

20. Why is bra singular and panties plural?

21. Why do you press harder on the buttons of a remote control
when you know the batteries are dead?

22. Why do we put suits in garment bags and garments in a suitcase?

23. How come abbreviated is such a long word?

24. Why do we wash bath towels? Aren't we clean when we use them?

25. Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

26.. Why do they call it a TV set when you only have one?

27.Christmas - What other time of the year do you sit in front of a dead tree and eat candy out of your socks?
28. Why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?

When you figure it out. let me know! LOL!!

WELCOME TO THE Father Store!!

2010-06-20T12:44:00.001-07:00

A store that offers fathers for those who don’t have them has just opened in Chicago,
where anyone of the female species may go to choose a father.

Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates:

WELCOME TO THE Father Store!!

You may visit the store ONLY ONCE!
There are six floors and the attributes of the men increase as the shopper ascends the flights.
There is, however, a catch... ! You may choose any man from a particular floor, or you may choose to go up floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!

Happy Shopping!!!!

A woman goes to the Father Store to find a father
On the first floor the sign on the door reads:

Floor 1: These fathers have children and take care of them.
If you’re looking for a man who loves children, this is a good choice.

The second floor sign reads:
Floor 2: These fathers have children, but are not with the mother, who has the children,
but he still takes care of them. This is a good choice also.

The third floor sign reads:
Floor 3: These fathers are single parent fathers, and looking for a woman with children to make blended family. Great choice!

"Wow," she says, these are great choices, but I don’t want to stop here, there may be something better! She goes to the fourth floor and sign reads:

Floor 4: These men are fathers with no children and looking for women with no children.
They are very good looking, sensitive and patient.

"Oh, My God!" she says to herself, "I can’t do this alone! I need help!
Too many good choices. Still, she goes to the fifth floor and sign reads:

Floor 5: These fathers look like Denzel, Samuel L. Jackson and
Richard Gere all rolled up into one.
They are simply drop-dead fine, love to help with the housework, homework
and massaging your feet!
Did I mention they are all very romantic?
They love to give flowers, write love letters, work long hard hours just to give
you and the kids everything you need and desire.

A woman never satisfied, she has to try the last floor because if it gets better than this,
she has to know about it.

After she reaches the last floor, the sixth floor, the sign reads:

Floor 6:
You are visitor 20, 130, 214 to this floor.

There are NO fathers on this floor.
They are all on the first five levels.
This floor exists solely as proof that most women think they know what they want,
but maybe not really sure due to what eveyone tells us what we want, desire,
deserve, etc. We really don’t know what we want,
thereby making it hard to please a woman with or without children.

So please be very grateful for the father in your life!
At least he’s there and you don’t have to go looking for him.
And if you do have to go looking for him, you probably know where he is.
If you can’t find him, spend some time with yourself, so when the right man/father/father figure shows up in your life, you can appreciate him on whatever level he’s on.

Thank you for shopping at the Father Store. Watch your step as you exit the building, and have a Faith Filled Fantastic day! Please send this to everyone you know for a good laugh and to all the women who can handle the truth! If you see a community of fathers, give thanks for it! We can’t do it alone, so let’s stop pretending we can. We all need MALE energy to balance out FEMALE energy! He’s the yin, we carry the yang!
Stay on purpose,
stay empowered!
Stay tuned to MEN on Higher Learning, Ch. 19 Chicago. http://MENonHigherLearning.blogspot.com

speaking of unemployment

2010-05-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

Join the Higher Learning Network at our first TV Taping of

Create Your Own Job!

How To Create Your Own Job Using the Internet will be WEd. 12th
6-9pm

RSVP
Zelda@higherlearningnetwork.org

ThyBlackMan.com

2010-04-11T14:14:00.001-07:00

While many philanthropists – including New York City’s billionaire Mayor Michael Bloomberg – are cutting back on or redirecting their grants, many black people are doing what they have done since the way back times: helping their families and friends and communities. They may not think of this as such a fancy word as “philanthropy” but rather as the ancient concept of doing for others as you would want others to do for you.

“Mutual aid is as old as humanity itself,” says Erica Hunt, president of the 21st Century Foundation, which promotes black philanthropy.

In Conyers, Ga., there’s the Moral Elevation Society, founded by R. B. Carr at the Shady Grove Baptist Church in 1890. Its goal was what Earl W. Stafford, a BagMoney self-made millionaire, says today: “Just do a little bit and let it grow from there. ”

Stafford, through his foundation, brought 300 disadvantaged people of all races to Washington last year for a luxury weekend so they could participate in President Obama’s inauguration.

Major money is being given by people whose names are well known, including Bill and Camille Cosby, Tiger Woods, Oprah Winfrey, Magic Johnson, Colin Powell, Susan Taylor, Ludacris, and Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. And then there are people you may never have heard of. Like Oseola McCarty, a laundress in Mississippi who saved her money and gave $150,000 as an endowment for scholarships for minority students at the University of Southern Mississippi. Or Matel Dawson Jr., a forklifter at Ford. His obituary in the New York Times in 2002 says: “Mr. Dawson gave $680,000 to Wayne State University and $300,000 to Louisiana State University at Shreveport, officials at the universities said yesterday. He contributed $240,000 to the United Negro College Fund, the journal Black Issues in Higher Education reported last year. He also gave thousands of dollars to his church, the People’s Community Church in Detroit; other churches; community colleges; and civil rights organizations.”

You may not have heard of people who have set up giving circles through which they pool their money and decide how to distribute it for the good of their communities. Because this is 2010, and the economy is a factor, these giving circles might be on the money.

According to Ms. Hunt: “Giving of all types is down at all levels–mega gifts and small gifts, endowers and tithers, but people are still giving. The economy has definitely affected the amount of money people give, but it has not stopped their giving or their generosity.”

Indeed, the 21st Century Foundation last year raised $600,000 to support 36 organizations through its Gulf Coast Organizing, Advocacy and Leadership Fund and $1.2 million for its Black Men and Boys Fund for groups in six cities: New York, Los Angeles, Oakland, Chicago, New Orleans and Atlanta. That fund, Ms. Hunt says, helps mentor young men as they build – or rebuild – their lives en route to higher education and jobs.

“I think in the black community, we are sharply aware of the impact of the economic recession,” Ms. Hunt says. “We know that our unemployment rate is double the nation’s rate. And that families that were just getting by are facing homelessness. That the foreclosure storm has emptied some neighborhoods of new and first-time homeowners, often people of color. On top of that, the state education and youth support budgets are in line for additional cutting. These factors cause deep harm in our communities. ”

But, she says: “People are giving wisely to the causes they care about, and with an expectation of results. Show me what change looks like! How many and who? And, overall, how are the lives of this family, this community changed for the better because of what I give and how I have organized my network to give?”

Black Enterprise magazine published the results of an extensive survey of black philanthropy five years ago. At that time it estimated that blacks gave $11.4 billion in 2004: $7.2 billion to churches and faith-based organizations; $4.2 billion to charities and specific causes.

The 21st Century Foundation, founded in 1971, focuses specifically on what helps blacks in the U.S. and abroad. The Stafford Foundation, founded in 2002, is faith-based and color-blind and funds projects here and abroad. Both foundations are among those striving to recruit and advise a younger generation of philanthropists. The 21st Century Foundation supports a Wall Street Friends Fund that brings together lawyers, financial whiz kids and interns to raise money for good causes.

Mr. Stafford, the son of a Baptist preacher (who has recently launched the Doing Good Campaign with the support of the Cosbys), says that we, rather than government, are the primary solutions – the bailouts – for struggling communities “We have to be our brothers’ keepers..” And the mantra, he says, should be: “My life might not be perfect, but I can do a little bit for somebody who has less than I do.”

Written By E. R. Shipp

Latin American Chamber of Commerce invites...

2010-03-30T00:23:00.001-07:00

Zelda Robinson Communications to speak on
How To Get Free Radio/TV Advertising!

Tip of the Week!

2010-03-30T00:21:00.000-07:00

It really is as easy as it seems, if you know the tricks of the trade!

As a media personality, I'v learned a few things while working that you can do
on a daily basis to get FREE radio/tv advertising, here are just a few!

1 Send your Press Releases 3-6 weeks in ADVANCE of your upcoming event!

2. Don't send in your press releases blind! Know the Producer of the show you're listening to or watching. Take them to lunch! Who doesn't love to eat!

3. Don't bug them! Be persistent, but not a pest!

4. Be patient! They are extremely busy.

5. Invite them to the event, although they're probably too busy to attend.
It's a nice gesture!

There's a whole lot more where this came from.
If you need more, send email to Zelda@zeldaspeaks.com

speaking of old lost photos

2010-03-28T15:23:00.000-07:00

I found this one of my girl Effie Rolfe (Inspiration 1390AM/V103 Sounds of Inspiration) and the coolest of cool, LL Cool J!

Don't you love him now that he's older and more mature, and a family man!

See you at women's conference...

2010-03-21T16:38:00.001-07:00

from Tom Joyner

2010-03-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

Tom Joyner wants this information to reach his listeners.. You have probably heard of 'NUD' as a result of the Tom Joyner morning show related to Comp USA . NUD (Non Urban Dictate) is the acronym for a very subtle and little-known marketing term specifically directed toward people of color.

'Non Urban Dictate' These three words essentially mean that a company is not interested in the Black consumer. A NUD label means that a company does not want their marketing and advertising materials placed in media that claim an urban audience (black folks) as their main target. There are legitimate reasons for companies not using urban radio. It may be that Blacks don't index high in certain categories or that a company's strategy is to market to the Black consumer down the road after they have established a strong position in their primary target. But, NUD usually means that a company is not interested in the Black consumer. Companies evade discrimination liability by embracing it as theory rather than policy. As a service to Black consumers, the Urban Institute will list all companies that have a NUD policy. Armed with this information, we feel that Black consumers will be able to make informed buying decisions.

Here's a list of Companies with NUD policies:

1. Starbucks

2. Jos. A Bank

3. Comp USA

4. Weight Watchers

5. Keebler

6. Life Savers

7. Continental Airlines

8. Northwest Airlines

9. America West Airlines

10. HBO - Apollo Series

11. Paternal Importers

12 Calico Corners

13. OMScot

14. Pepperidge Farms

15. Ethan Allen

16. Busy Body Fitness

17. Mondovi Wines

18. Builders Square

19. Pottery Barn

20. Lexus

21. Aruba Tourism

22. Ciba Vision

23. Kindercare

24. Grady Restaurant

25. Eddie Bauer

26. Don Pablo

Please spread this information on to any other consumer that you consider a
friend and advise them to do likewise.

Remember, you CANNOT act wisely unless you are informed wisely.

Kids Off The Block Fundraiser

2010-03-14T21:38:00.000-07:00

Thanks for helping me make a differnce, as I co-host this event!

The Board of Directors of

KIDS OFF THE BLOCK, NFP

Respectfully Invites You To Attend Our

ANNUAL MEETING/ DINNER/ FUNDRAISER

Mayor Richard M. Daley
Honorary Chairperson/Guest Speaker

To be Hosted by:
Radio Station WVON – Talk of Chicago Personality
‘The Governor” Cliff Kelley

Friday, March 26th, 2010
6:00 p m thru 9:00 p m

To be Held at:
HISTORICAL PULLMAN FOUNDATION
11114 South Cottage Grove Avenue – Chicago
(Free Parking Available)

LET’S SAVE OUR CHILDREN Messages to be Delivered
By:
Deborah Sims – Cook County Commissioner
Anthony Beale – Alderman 9th Ward
Will Davis … State Representative

And
Other Distinguished Guests

DINNER WILL BE SERVED

Entertainment by:
The Rodney Gipson Trio
DJ P-Nut

Please confirm your attendance by calling 1-866/230-1864 no later than Monday, March 22nd

COME TO SUPPORT KIDS OFF THE BLOCK, NFP.

Donations will be accepted – cash and checks

Thanks for helping us make a difference, let's not talk about it, let's be about it.
Stay on purpose, Stay empowered & see you there!

speaking of limitations...

2010-03-07T13:11:00.000-08:00

Cyberwar Hype Intended to Destroy the Open Internet

This is an article I thought was too interesting to keep to myself so I had to share it with you. From my intern to you, who does much of our research. Enjoy.

By Ryan Singel
Cybarmageddon!
The biggest threat to the open internet is not Chinese government hackers or greedy anti-net-neutrality ISPs, it’s Michael McConnell, the former director of national intelligence.

McConnell’s not dangerous because he knows anything about SQL injection hacks, but because he knows about social engineering. He’s the nice-seeming guy who’s willing and able to use fear-mongering to manipulate the federal bureaucracy for his own ends, while coming off like a straight shooter to those who are not in the know.

When he was head of the country’s national intelligence, he scared President Bush with visions of e-doom, prompting the president to sign a comprehensive secret order that unleashed tens of billions of dollars into the military’s black budget so they could start making firewalls and building malware into military equipment.

And now McConnell is back in civilian life as a vice president at the secretive defense contracting giant Booz Allen Hamilton. He’s out in front of Congress and the media, peddling the same Cybaremaggedon! gloom.

And now he says we need to re-engineer the internet.

We need to develop an early-warning system to monitor cyberspace, identify intrusions and locate the source of attacks with a trail of evidence that can support diplomatic, military and legal options — and we must be able to do this in milliseconds. More specifically, we need to re-engineer the Internet to make attribution, geo-location, intelligence analysis and impact assessment — who did it, from where, why and what was the result — more manageable. The technologies are already available from public and private sources and can be further developed if we have the will to build them into our systems and to work with our allies and trading partners so they will do the same.

Re-read that sentence. He’s talking about changing the internet to make everything anyone does on the net traceable and geo-located so the National Security Agency can pinpoint users and their computers for retaliation if the U.S. government doesn’t like what’s written in an e-mail, what search terms were used, what movies were downloaded. Or the tech could be useful if a computer got hijacked without your knowledge and used as part of a botnet.

The Washington Post gave McConnell free space to declare that we are losing some sort of cyberwar. He argues that the country needs to get a Cold War strategy, one complete with the online equivalent of ICBMs and Eisenhower-era, secret-codenamed projects. Google’s allegation that Chinese hackers infiltrated its Gmail servers and targeted Chinese dissidents proves the United States is “losing” the cyberwar, according to McConnell.

But that’s not warfare. That’s espionage.

McConnell’s op-ed then pointed to breathless stories in The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal about thousands of malware infections from the well-known Zeus virus. He intimated that the nation’s citizens and corporations were under unstoppable attack by this so-called new breed of hacker malware.

despite the masterful PR about the Zeus infections from security company NetWitness (run by a former Bush Administration cyberczar Amit Yoran), the world’s largest security companies McAfee and Symantec downplayed the story. But the message had already gotten out — the net was under attack.

Brian Krebs, one of the country’s most respected cybercrime journalists and occasional Threat Level contributor, described that report: “Sadly, this botnet documented by NetWitness is neither unusual nor new.”

Those enamored with the idea of “cyberwar” aren’t dissuaded by fact-checking.

They like to point to Estonia, where a number of the government’s websites were rendered temporarily inaccessible by angry Russian citizens. They used a crude, remediable denial-of-service attack to temporarily keep users from viewing government websites. (This attack is akin to sending an army of robots to board a bus, so regular riders can’t get on. A website fixes this the same way a bus company would — by keeping the robots off by identifying the difference between them and humans.) Some like to say this was an act of cyberwar, but if it that was cyberwar, it’s pretty clear the net will be just fine.

In fact, none of these examples demonstrate the existence of a cyberwar, let alone that we are losing it.

But this battle isn’t about truth. It’s about power.

For years, McConnell has wanted the NSA (the ultra-secretive government spy agency responsible for listening in on other countries and for defending classified government computer systems) to take the lead in guarding all government and private networks. Not surprisingly, the contractor he works for has massive, secret contracts with the NSA in that very area. In fact, the company, owned by the shadowy Carlyle Group, is reported to pull in $5 billion a year in government contracts, many of them Top Secret.

Now the problem with developing cyberweapons — say a virus, or a massive botnet for denial-of-service attacks, is that you need to know where to point them. In the Cold War, it wasn’t that hard. In theory, you’d use radar to figure out where a nuclear attack was coming from and then you’d shoot your missiles in that general direction. But online, it’s extremely difficult to tell if an attack traced to a server in China was launched by someone Chinese, or whether it was actually a teenager in Iowa who used a proxy.

That’s why McConnell and others want to change the internet. The military needs targets.

But McConnell isn’t the only threat to the open internet.

Just last week the National Telecommunications and Information Administration — the portion of the Commerce Department that has long overseen the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers — said it was time for it to revoke its hands-off-the-internet policy.

That’s according to a February 24 speech by Assistant Commerce Secretary Lawrence E. Strickling.

In fact, “leaving the Internet alone” has been the nation’s internet policy since the internet was first commercialized in the mid-1990s. The primary government imperative then was just to get out of the way to encourage its growth. And the policy set forth in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was: “to preserve the vibrant and competitive free market that presently exists for the Internet and other interactive computer services, unfettered by Federal or State regulation.”

This was the right policy for the United States in the early stages of the Internet, and the right message to send to the rest of the world. But that was then and this is now.

Now the NTIA needs to start being active to prevent cyberattacks, privacy intrusions and copyright violations, according to Strickling. And since NTIA serves as one of the top advisers to the president on the internet, that stance should not be underestimated.

Add to that — a bill looming in the Senate would hand the president emergency powers over the internet — and you can see where all this is headed. And let the past be our guide.

Following years of the NSA illegally spying on Americans’ e-mails and phone calls as part of a secret anti-terrorism project, Congress voted to legalize the program in July 2008. That vote allowed the NSA to legally turn America’s portion of the internet into a giant listening device for the nation’s intelligence services. The new law also gave legal immunity to the telecoms like AT&T that helped the government illegally spy on American’s e-mails and internet use. Then-Senator Barack Obama voted for this legislation, despite earlier campaign promises to oppose it.

As anyone slightly versed in the internet knows, the net has flourished because no government has control over it.

But there are creeping signs of danger.

Where can this lead? Well, consider England, where a new bill targeting online file sharing will outlaw open internet connections at cafes or at home, in a bid to track piracy.

To be sure, we could see more demands by the government for surveillance capabilities and backdoors in routers and operating systems. Already, the feds successfully turned the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (a law mandating surveillance capabilities in telephone switches) into a tool requiring ISPs to build similar government-specified eavesdropping capabilities into their networks.

The NSA dreams of “living in the network,” and that’s what McConnell is calling for in his editorial/advertisement for his company. The NSA lost any credibility it had when it secretly violated American law and its most central tenet: “We don’t spy on Americans.”

Unfortunately, the private sector is ignoring that tenet and is helping the NSA and contractors like Booz Allen Hamilton worm their way into the innards of the net. Security companies make no fuss, since a scared populace and fear-induced federal spending means big bucks in bloated contracts. Google is no help either, recently turning to the NSA for help with its rather routine infiltration by hackers.

Make no mistake, the military industrial complex now has its eye on the internet. Generals want to train crack squads of hackers and have wet dreams of cyberwarfare. Never shy of extending its power, the military industrial complex wants to turn the internet into yet another venue for an arms race.

And it’s waging a psychological warfare campaign on the American people to make that so. The military industrial complex is backed by sensationalism, and a gullible and pageview-hungry media. Notable examples include the New York Times’s John “We Need a New Internet” Markoff, 60 Minutes’ “Hackers Took Down Brazilian Power Grid,” and the WSJ’s Siobhan Gorman, who ominously warned in an a piece lacking any verifiable evidence, that Chinese and Russian hackers are already hiding inside the U.S. electrical grid.

Now the question is: Which of these events can be turned into a Gulf of Tonkin-like fakery that can create enough fear to let the military and the government turn the open internet into a controlled, surveillance-friendly net.

What do they dream of? Think of the internet turning into a tightly monitored AOL circa the early ’90s, run by CEO Big Brother and COO Dr. Strangelove.

That’s what McConnell has in mind, and shame on The Washington Post and the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee for giving McConnell venues to try to make that happen — without highlighting that McConnell has a serious financial stake in the outcome of this debate.

Of course, the net has security problems, and there are pirated movies and spam and botnets trying to steal credit card information.

But the online world mimics real life. Just as I know where online to buy a replica of a Coach handbag or watch a new release, I know exactly where I can go to find the same things in the city I live in. There are cons and rip-offs in the real world, just as there are online. I’m more likely to get ripped off by a restaurant server copying down the information on my credit card than I am having my card stolen and used for fraud while shopping online. “Top Secret” information is more likely to end up in the hands of a foreign government through an employee-turned-spy than from a hacker.

But cyber-anything is much scarier than the real world.

The NSA can help private companies and networks tighten up their security systems, as McConnell argues. In fact, they already do, and they should continue passing along advice and creating guides to locking down servers and releasing their own secure version of Linux. But companies like Google and AT&T have no business letting the NSA into their networks or giving the NSA information that they won’t share with the American people.

Security companies have long relied on creating fear in internet users by hyping the latest threat, whether that be Conficker or the latest PDF flaw. And now they are reaping billions of dollars in security contracts from the federal government for their PR efforts. But the industry and its most influential voices need to take a hard look at the consequences of that strategy and start talking truth to power’s claims that we are losing some non-existent cyberwar.

The internet is a hack that seems forever on the edge of falling apart. For awhile, spam looked like it was going to kill e-mail, the net’s first killer app. But smart filters have reduced the problem to a minor nuisance as anyone with a Gmail account can tell you. That’s how the internet survives. The apocalypse looks like it’s coming and it never does, but meanwhile, it becomes more and more useful to our everyday lives, spreading innovation, weird culture, news, commerce and healthy dissent.

But one thing it hasn’t spread is “cyberwar.” There is no cyberwar and we are not losing it. The only war going on is one for the soul of the internet. But if journalists, bloggers and the security industry continue to let self-interested exaggerators dominate our nation’s discourse about online security, we will lose that war — and the open internet will be its biggest casualty.

UPDATE: In an interesting coincidence, the Obama administration unclassified on Tuesday portions of the secret Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative it inherited from President Bush, including unclassified summaries all of the 12 initiatives. Note the veiled references to deterrence. See Threat Level’s report from the RSA conference on the release.

Read More http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/03/cyber-war-hype/?intcid=inform_relatedContent#ixzz0hWlWWmjE

It's up to you to believe or not!

Chicago Black Author's Network!

2010-02-21T10:42:00.000-08:00

My youngest reader of N'Spirational Conversations: 365 Days of Empowerment!
You see, it's never too young for a child to read inspiration!
Some of the inspiration in the book comes from children so it's befitting that a child would show up to inspire me even more!

Ok! I really got to complete volume 2 now!

Congrats to the mom of this little one who already loves to read!
Readers are leaders. Ancient Scripture tells us to become a child, and I can't see a better way than to be a child by using your imagination and reading!
She's a leader and she's not even in elementary school! Would love to see this little one in the next 10-20 years! Led by a child! You go little one! Read on!
Reading Rocks!

New N'Spirational Conversations Readers!

2010-02-21T10:37:00.000-08:00

Special Thanks to Prasat Dvangoupa (Yellow Jacket) and
Justin Mallve for supporting the Black Author's Network at the
Thompson Center 100 E. Randolph for Black History Month
Feb. 17-19th! Couldn't have done it without you!

Special thanks to Videographer Tony Hogues for sitting in for me!
This is the back of the mother's head who bought the book
N'Spirational Conversations (365 Days of Empowerment) for her dauther! (1st Photo)

Special Thanks to Rev. Flowers and Staff!

2010-02-21T10:35:00.000-08:00

We can always count on West Side Minister's Coalition for support!
Thanks Rev. Dr. Lewis Flowers and Staff for your support!

New N'Spirational Conversations Readers!

2010-02-21T10:24:00.000-08:00

Like Mother like daugheter!
Readers and leaders!

Special Thanks to Prasat Dvangoupa (Yellow Jacket) and
Justin Mallve for supporting the Black Author's Network at the
Thompson Center 100 E. Randolph for Black History Month
Feb. 17-19th! Couldn't have done it without you!

My Columbia College Alumni Maureen!
What a pleasant surprise! We worked our first gig together on
Columbia College Radio! WCRX! What a blast!
She remembered me! I remembered her! What fun!
Thanks for coming out and making my day!
Kiss the baby girl hi! (Probably close to a teen now! :)

Supporters of the Black Authors Network!

2010-02-21T10:17:00.000-08:00

Organizer Black Author's Network Darryl Harvey
and his youngest reader!

Stars gather to cover 'We Are the World' for Haiti

2010-02-07T15:39:00.000-08:00

Singers Celine Dion, Justin Bieber, Usher, Katharine McPhee, will.i.am, Toni Braxton, Barbra Streisand, LL Cool J, Harry Connick Jr., Wyclef Jean, Vince Vaughn, Jeff Bridges, Natalie Cole and others perform at the "We Are The World 25 Years for Haiti" recording session held at Jim Henson Studios on Feb. 1, 2010 in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Handout) Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
SOLVEJ SCHOU
From Associated Press
February 02, 2010 9:38 AM EST

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The charity anthem "We Are the World" has been rerecorded by 80 artists who came together in the same Hollywood studio where the original was cut 25 years ago.

Pink, Natalie Cole, Kanye West, Jennifer Hudson, Celine Dion, Brian Wilson and others stood shoulder-to-shoulder on risers at Henson Recording studios Monday night to raise money for Haiti earthquake relief.

"This one, the enthusiasm, I've never seen anything like it," said Lionel Richie, who wrote the original with Michael Jackson and oversaw the new version with music mogul Quincy Jones, 76.

Jones, who produced the 1985 anthem, announced last week that he planned to redo the song to benefit recovery efforts after the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Jan. 12.

"We Are the World — 25 for Haiti" will premiere this month during coverage of the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics on NBC, according to a release from promoter AEG Live.

On Monday, stars converged on Studio A in the afternoon and stayed several hours. Richie and Jones worked with a select number of soloists, including Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger, later into the night.

At one point during a break, the musicians broke out into an a cappella version of "Lean on Me," a classic moment jump-started by singer Melanie Fiona leaning on another artist because her feet were tired.

Gesturing with her hands, and shifting her headphones from ear to ear, Barbra Streisand recorded her solo over and over, completely absorbed in the recording process and stopping only to correct her pitch.

Later, a who's who of rappers, including Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J and Wyclef Jean, recorded an interlude written by Black Eyed Peas frontman and producer will.i.am.

Rapper Lil Wayne said he was blessed to record the tune but was surprised when told he would do Bob Dylan's part from the original.

"I don't know how to sing," he said with a smile.

Asked how the earthquake had affected him, he said he had Haitian friends in Miami who lost relatives in the disaster.

The original "We Are the World" thundered up the charts when it was released in March 1985.

An unprecedented number of top pop musicians gathered at A&M the night of Jan. 28, 1985, following the American Music Awards, to record the tune. The song featured 45 American superstars, including Jackson, Richie, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen and Cyndi Lauper.

The record raised more than $30 million for USA for Africa, a nonprofit organization the singers founded to fund hunger relief in Africa.

None of the original performers returned Monday because none were asked, said Randy Phillips, chief executive of AEG Live and also Richie's manager.

"This is about a new generation mixed with an old generation," Phillips said.

Proceeds initially are to go to the newly formed charity We Are the World Foundation LLC, and then be distributed to Haiti.

Some top music names were either unavailable or chose not to rerecord the original, Phillips said. Taylor Swift's touring schedule kept her from joining, and Beyonce had returned to New York with husband Jay-Z, he said. Janet Jackson, who was out of town, will contribute vocals remotely, he said.

Filmed by Oscar-winning screenwriter and director Paul Haggis, the event was shot using 3-D cameras, a futuristic twist from the 1985 version. A few people dressed in head-to-toe green stood next to the celebrities as place holders so viewers would eventually be able to insert themselves into the star crowd, Jones said.

Josh Groban, flush from doing his high-flying solo, said: "I can only hope this can have the impact the original has had."

Ald. Dorothy Tillman and Troi Tyler of V103

2010-01-22T14:04:00.000-08:00

So many memories, so much fun!
Who'd have thought this trio would take a photo together?
It was the grand opening of the Harold Washington Center on 47th
King Drive in Chicago! Can you guess who the lady is on the left?

it all depends on you..

2010-01-01T12:29:00.000-08:00

Yes, everything does depend on you!

What you do and DON'T DO makes a difference.

Help us help keep our youth off the street and headed in the right direction.

The Link & Option Center Debuts Live Talk Show on CAN-TV21
“The Community Link Live Talk Show” airs Fridays through April 1

The Link & Option Center (TLOC), a non-profit human services organization that services
at-risk children, adolescents and their families in Chicago and south suburban Cook County,
is pleased to announce the debut of its live, call-in program, The Community Link Live
Talk Show, airing Friday, Jan. 8 on CAN TV21.

For the next 13 weeks The Community Link Live Talk Show will air every Friday at 4 p.m.
and feature special guests including community leaders, local government officials, and staff
and students from TLOC. Ms. Twin Green, founding President and CEO of TLOC,
will be the show’s first guest.

“This talk show is just one way we can communicate TLOC’s mission to a wider audience
and showcase our programs to families who may not be familiar with us,” said Ms. Twin Green,
founding President and CEO of The Link & Option Center. “Through our organization, we hope
to provide children and their families with progressive opportunities for learning, mentoring,
academic support and vocational training.”

Ms. Green founded TLOC in 1995 in response to the struggles her 8-year old son was experiencing
in school. His lack of focus and direction, due to the separation between he and his father, was
taking him down a negative path filled with failing grades and delinquency. As she worked with
her son, she discovered that this was what she was meant to do: to inspire and help unfocused
youth to stay in school, rise above their situations and strive to achieve their fullest potential.

“While helping my son and other youth in similar situations, I saw a growing need for structured,
academic tutoring in the community,” said Ms. Green. “Eventually, the needs of the community led
The Link & Option Center to expand its programming from providing only educational support
to offering mentoring services, family-centered referral services, computer training, an alternative
to school suspension program, anger management, 6th District Court diversion, and Juvenile Justice
mental health counseling.

The Community Link Live Talk Show’s format will focus on programming and services The Link
& Option Center provides to the community, which includes: Excel Beyond the Bell (tutoring program);
Alternative to School Suspension and Intervention; TeenREACH After School Program; Mentoring;
Mental Health Juvenile Justice Counseling; Mentoring Children of Prisoners/Caregivers Choice;
6th District Court Diversion (Peer Jury); and Adult Probation Treatment Services.

For more information on The Link & Option Center or the Community Link Live Talk Show,
please contact (708) 331-4880. To schedule an interview with Ms. Green, please contact Melissa Schuler
at (646) 752-6427 or melissa@link-option.com.

Happy Holidays from Chicago Black Writers Book Fair!

2009-12-20T17:39:00.000-08:00

Chicago Black Writers Netrwork Book Fair

2009-12-20T17:35:00.000-08:00

It's the First Annual Chicago Black Writers Book Fair
held at the Thompson Center
100 E. Randolph Dec. 14-16th

Chicago Writers in Full Effect including but not limited to:
Founder Darryl Harvey -Author of I CAN DO ANYTHING Children's Books
and Zelda Robinson (CLTV Traffic)Author of N'Spirational Conversations
as heard on the Troi Tyler Show on V103, and The Passion Principles
and numerous FREE GRANT MONEY RESOURCE MANUALS

Zelda, State Senator Ricky Henton and HLN Camera Man Tony Hogues

2009-12-20T17:33:00.000-08:00

Todd Stroger supporting Authors

2009-12-20T17:31:00.000-08:00

Curios Readers

Politicians need inspiration too!

2009-12-20T17:28:00.000-08:00

State Senator Ricky Henton, always out in the community encouraging everyone!

Senator with N'spirational Conversations and
HLN Camera Man Tony Hogues with The Passion Principales:
Pathways to Purpose, Power & Profit! Book

PhD Authors of a book in which you will be shocked!

2009-12-20T17:26:00.001-08:00

I cannot believe the story this woman tells of the life she's lived, by walkingon faith! A MUST READ FOR ALL SINGLE WOMEN!

2009-12-20T17:25:00.000-08:00

Mechelle, Great Grand Daughter of Ida B. Wells

2009-12-20T17:23:00.000-08:00

New Readers of N'Spirational Conversations

2009-12-20T17:22:00.000-08:00

Rev. Dr. Lewis Flowers
WestSide Ministers's Coalition

2009-12-20T17:20:00.000-08:00

Lawyers need inspiration too!

2009-12-20T17:19:00.000-08:00

2009-12-20T17:17:00.000-08:00

Gov. Pat Quinn with Tony Hogues
Readers of N'Spirational Conversations: (365 Days of Empowerment!

Gov. Quinn with Artist

Founder Darryl Harvey of the Chicago Black Writers Network

2009-12-20T17:14:00.000-08:00

Photo with Gov. Pat Quinn

Fans of I CAN DO ANYTHING Children's Book

Group Photos

2009-12-20T17:09:00.001-08:00

2009-12-20T17:06:00.001-08:00

Alderman Ed Smith and Camera Man Tony Hogues
Holding Zelda's Book, N'Spirational Conversations!

Longtime Friend/Producer Brenda Posey with Zelda

2009-12-20T17:06:00.000-08:00

Alderman Ed Smith and Camera Man Tony Hogues
Holding Zelda's Book, N'Spirational Conversations!

more fun with the authors...

2009-12-20T16:50:00.000-08:00

So little time, so much fun!
Chicago Black Writers Network Book Fair!

Zelda and Tony in front of the Christmas Tree
at Thompson Center 100 E. Randolph

Zelda at Booth

Zelda at her booth chatting with Author Brother G, Author of
Shades of Memnon! (A movie in the making with Wesley Snipes)

New Author with the Elves

taking kids to Africa!

2009-12-06T16:21:00.000-08:00

We need your help! The Higher Learning Network,NFP needs you! We are offering the 2010 FREE Grant Money Resources to all who vote for THE HIGHER LEARNING NETWORK! at CHASE Community Giving Program!

We are raising funds to take our youth to Africa! When we win the $25,000, we will be taking One or more of you who voted to help us win!! So please vote and then email me at MENonHigherLearning@gmail.com to claim your prize!

Go to www.Facebook.com and look for me, Tony Hogues, and VOTE FOR Higher Learning Network on the CHASE COMMUNITY GIVING!

Thanks in advance!
Stay on purpose, stay empowered!
Stay tuned to The Higher Learning Network TV Show and MEN on Higher Learning!

I can definitely SHOW YOU THE MONEY!

2009-11-15T18:30:00.001-08:00

Money can't buy you love, but it sure can make life more comfortable! All you have to do is open an account and use it, even if you already have an account. You can always use this as a backup account, college savings or any kind you prefer.

Higher Learning Network,NFP has partnered with National City Bank to offer you FREE MONEY just for opening the account.

(You must use HLN Community Banking Number 613)

YOU MUST USE THIS NUMBER TO GET CREDIT and get your FREE GIFT from HLN!

National City Bank is giving away $300 for new household accounts given that the customer completes our guidelines of establishing a direct deposit of at least $400 and uses the check card the dictated number of time

For details: Email: Josie Fritz

josie.fritz@nationalcity.com

312.755.0405 ext 21338 (office)

312.755.0402 (fax)

Be sure and tell her Zelda sent you! AFTER you open your acct. be sure and email or call us to claim your gift! (See Free Grant Money List of Manuals or your choice of other gifts!)

___________________

EMERGENCY FUNDING !
I get this question all the time!" Zelda, you always find funding for Non-Profits and nothing for individuals!"
Not anymore! I found grants for INDIVIDUALS too!
Funding now available for:
Writers - Poets, Authors
Artists - Visual, etc.

Film - Screen Plays

Video - Personal Projects

TV - Cable Networks
International and more!
___________________________________
BLACK FRIDAY SPECIALS!
Friday AFTER ThanksGiving is BLACK FRIDAY!
Be wise where you spend your dollars!
Buy 1 Get 2nd 1 Half OFF!
Buy 2 Get 1 FREE!

How To Self-Publish & Keep 100% Profit!

Everyone has a story. All stories can be told, sold and even made into movies. This class is designed to assist you in the process of discovering how to write your book and 5 things you must do before it goes to the printer. (ie. Why write a book. Who are your readers, ISBN, Bar Code, Graphics, pages, etc) You’ll also discover some things about yourself you didn’t know as well as make a difference in the lives of those who read it

It’s a labor of love. All the information you need to get started in becoming the Author you were destined to be, and keep all the profits!

It also includes How To Publish it yourself!

Eliminate the middle man so you can reap the benefits of your hard work. You get information on how to find a printer that suits your needs.
You’ll also discover tricks of the trade of the publishing industry and how to get free books from the printer. It includes printers who will print anywhere from 1 book to 100,000 books so they don’t have to sit in your basement or apartment and gather dust. You can publish alone or as a compilation. Remember Chicken Soup For The Soul?
You will simply light up when you see your name and book in print. Celebrate the Author/Publisher in you! Start a new career on the Speaking Circuit!

Marketing Your Book

With so many books on the market, you really have to do something out-of-the-box to get your book noticed. This course offers you the non-traditional approach of getting the word out even before it’s published. This course includes a Marketing Campaign, which is what will make the difference in how well your book does. As a Media Personality, Zelda can share insider information that books can't tell you!

Have your book ready for Xmas if you're dedicated, if not, there's Black History Month right around the corner!
Get that novel or poetry off the shelf, out of the shoe box and off the peices of paper crumpled everyone and become an author today!

All for low price of $29.99

www.Paypal.com

Send payment to: HigherLearningNw@yahoo.com

Other Topics Include:

-How To Get Scholarships For School!

-How To Get Free Radio/TV Advertising

-How To Make Money Doing What You Love!

(Using Your God Given Talents, Gifts and Resources)

-How To Get Free Grant Money!

(Arts, Visual Arts, Film/Video/TVWriters//EMERGENCY GRANTS & More!

Also for Churches, Pastors, Ex-Offenders, Housing, Women's Issues, Transporation, etc.

Email us with your plans/dreams/project and we will tell you what kind of grant you need!
.
_________________________________

you don't have to live in pain!

2009-11-15T18:24:00.001-08:00

Pain Free Living!

2 years ago I was shopping at a store and had just pulled out a shopping cart, (How hard is that?) and 2 seconds later I couldn't walk!

Pain so sharp hit me in my back I couldn't move.
I'd met this Chiropractor several months prior and kept his card on hand, just in case. So glad I did. I called him immediately and he asked me to come in to see him.

I told him I couldn't walk, and that it took me 15 minutes to get from my bed to the bathroom. (only 4 feet away) I cried through the pain and made my way to his office and life has been sweet ever since.

PAIN FREE AND NO PILLS!!!!!

He only weighs a buck fifty, but he pick me up and cracked my back and I literally skipped out the door! (I crawled in the door, which was only about 10 feet from the curb!)

The spinal alignment was just what I needed!

If you want to live a pain free life with no pills and feel good everyday, then see Dr. Jason Lee Smith (affectionately called Dr. J)
Be sure and tell him Zelda sent you!

www.wickerparkchiro.com
wickerparkchiro@sbcglobal.net
773-276-7300

31st Year Anniversary Scholarship Awards Banquet

2009-11-15T18:11:00.000-08:00

I am simply delighted to be a part of an organization whose mission is to empower and equip others and the organizations they represent!

I am even more honored to be asked to be the host again!
Please feel free to join me at the

West Side Minister's Coalition

31st Year Anniversary Scholarship Awards Banquet

Friday Nov. 20th
6-7pm VIP Reception
7pm Keynote Speaker/Recipient of the Rev. Dr. Charlie Murray Award, Founder of Bethel New Life, Mary Nelson

The Best Western Hotel
4400 W. Frontage Road
Hillside, Il. 60162

Platinum Table $8,000 Gold Table $5,000 Silver Table $2,500
Bronze Table $800 Individual Tickets $100

Tables are assigned according to whom payments are received.
Checks Payable to:
West Side Minister's Coalition
P.O. Box 24330
Chicago, Il. 60624
a 501(c)3 Tax Exempt Organization
Dr. Lewis Flowers
773-261-0207 Fax 773-261-0214
email: WestCoalition@aol.com

Hosted by
Zelda Robinson,
WGN/CLTV Traffic Reporter
CEO Higher Learning Network.NFP

Tell Rev. Flowers Zelda Sent you!
Receive FREE Gift of your choice with purchase of ticket!

Free Grant Money Manual with MEMBERSHIP!

2009-11-01T20:57:00.001-08:00

First Come First Serve when you become a member of Higher Learning Network.
email us for details
at HigherLearningNw@yahoo.com

why you haven't heard zelda on 1390?

2009-08-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

Probably because she's not there!

(She's a Traffic Reporter at CLTV-Sundays 3-7pm)

Yes, you might still hear her voice, but that's because it's now the property of the radio station and they can run those commercials and voice overs as long as they like.

If you remember, Kathy Lockett (Red Blouse) Queen of Old School Gospel, you remember the good times. Whenever Kathy was out of town, Zelda ran the show for her and kept you jumping!

If you want to hear/see/read more of Zelda, then be sure and tune in to CLTV and visit the website for appearances. Upcoming birthday celebration 8/19!

See you there!

Stay on purpose, stay empowered!

last blog of the year! speaking of...

2009-01-11T13:51:00.000-08:00

I know it's the first of the year and you say why am I writing the last blog of the year. I cannot write for 5 blogs and retain my sanity so I am compiling all blogs in one! See new one at end of this article.

But before I go, I had to do as I always do and spread the word about FREE Education! I've said it a million times and I'll say it before, I put myself through 8 years of college with no doctorate's degree, (too busy playing bid whist 101!)

So here's the latest FYI!

Speaking of Self Sufficiency

BY CHERYL V. JACKSON cjackson@suntimes.com
Consumers worldwide might be tightening their belts, but Maggie Anderson's mind is black with plots to spend.

Her Oak Park family is publicly committing to a year of buying from black-owned business and supporting black professionals exclusively, starting Jan. 1.

Maggie Anderson, daughter Cara and husband John vow to buy only from black-owned firms in 2009.

These days, she's searching frantically for black-owned firms for staple items and services, until she and her husband, John, can broaden their awareness of businesses and professionals.

That means she's got to find a new dry cleaner. She's looking for a place to gas up the family's two cars. And locating black McDonald's franchises is a must. "My girls love the fries," she said of her two daughters.

Her family's efforts will be followed by a team of college researchers as part of a project called the Ebony Experiment to determine the impact of the Andersons' spending if extrapolated to a larger portion of black America.

Proponents of buy-black initiatives say they are key to community prosperity, as studies indicate black-owned enterprises are more likely to hire black employees. Those firms are likely to sponsor community programs and their owners participate in institutions such as churches that provide community services, said Steven Rogers, director of the Kellogg Entrepreneurial Practice Center at Northeastern University's Graduate School of Management.

Book to detail experience
"It's not just a simple effort for the sake of show and a superficial statement about racial pride," said Rogers, a project adviser. "It comes from the desperate need for us to have a role in our own economic destiny."

The Andersons, who plan to spend about $10,000 a month next year, will move their checking account to and refinance home and car loans with black organizations. They'll seek black-owned firms to do home improvement projects and handle vacations they've put off until next year.

And they want black America to watch as they discover companies with which to do business.

The couple -- she's a lawyer; he's a financial adviser -- will blog and post videos at EbonyExperiment.com to document their spending, and invite people to offer their own accounts of shopping black.

"If we can get 3 percent of us to commit to doing this, that will translate into millions and millions of dollars going into our community," Maggie Anderson said.

Coming out of the project will be a database of black-owned businesses and professionals and a university-based study. Social commentator Michael Eric Dyson is on the team and will pen the foreword for a book detailing the experience.

"They have decided to put their money where their mouth is and forge connections within their own community to strengthen economic and social networks and ties that bind us together," said Dyson, a Georgetown University professor. "Hopefully, this will inspire others to take up the call."

'It takes some effort'
The couple are prepared to potentially pay more for services and put more miles on their cars to patronize the businesses.

"I'm ready to buy $300 worth of groceries at a time," Maggie said.

Michael Bennett, director of DePaul University's Egan Urban Center and a researcher helping to measure the Anderson impact, said this effort stands out from the loads of buy-black initiatives he has seen over his 64 years.

"What's different about this one is you have a family with an income level that will allow them to search out goods and services to be extremely intentional about doing the research about following up," Bennett said.

There'll be challenges, he noted. Finding a black barber is easy enough, and there are plenty of black medical professionals to choose from in Chicago. But finding a black-owned utility provider? That's tougher, he said.

Even a black-owner auto repair shop might prove difficult, Bennett said, as today's computerized vehicles call for more capital-intensive operations.

"It takes some effort. And that's what I like about the Andersons. They want to make the effort to see," Bennett said. "They don't know yet how difficult it's going to be."

OAK PARK | Family's commitment could hold key to community prosperity
Recommend (31) Comments

December 20, 2008

BY CHERYL V. JACKSON cjackson@suntimes.com
Consumers worldwide might be tightening their belts, but Maggie Anderson's mind is black with plots to spend.

Her Oak Park family is publicly committing to a year of buying from black-owned business and supporting black professionals exclusively, starting Jan. 1.

» Click to enlarge image

Maggie Anderson, daughter Cara and husband John vow to buy only from black-owned firms in 2009.
(Scott Stewart/Sun-Times)

These days, she's searching frantically for black-owned firms for staple items and services, until she and her husband, John, can broaden their awareness of businesses and professionals.

That means she's got to find a new dry cleaner. She's looking for a place to gas up the family's two cars. And locating black McDonald's franchises is a must. "My girls love the fries," she said of her two daughters.

Her family's efforts will be followed by a team of college researchers as part of a project called the Ebony Experiment to determine the impact of the Andersons' spending if extrapolated to a larger portion of black America.

Proponents of buy-black initiatives say they are key to community prosperity, as studies indicate black-owned enterprises are more likely to hire black employees. Those firms are likely to sponsor community programs and their owners participate in institutions such as churches that provide community services, said Steven Rogers, director of the Kellogg Entrepreneurial Practice Center at Northeastern University's Graduate School of Management.

Book to detail experience
"It's not just a simple effort for the sake of show and a superficial statement about racial pride," said Rogers, a project adviser. "It comes from the desperate need for us to have a role in our own economic destiny."

The Andersons, who plan to spend about $10,000 a month next year, will move their checking account to and refinance home and car loans with black organizations. They'll seek black-owned firms to do home improvement projects and handle vacations they've put off until next year.

And they want black America to watch as they discover companies with which to do business.

The couple -- she's a lawyer; he's a financial adviser -- will blog and post videos at EbonyExperiment.com to document their spending, and invite people to offer their own accounts of shopping black.

"If we can get 3 percent of us to commit to doing this, that will translate into millions and millions of dollars going into our community," Maggie Anderson said.

Coming out of the project will be a database of black-owned businesses and professionals and a university-based study. Social commentator Michael Eric Dyson is on the team and will pen the foreword for a book detailing the experience.

"They have decided to put their money where their mouth is and forge connections within their own community to strengthen economic and social networks and ties that bind us together," said Dyson, a Georgetown University professor. "Hopefully, this will inspire others to take up the call."

'It takes some effort'
The couple are prepared to potentially pay more for services and put more miles on their cars to patronize the businesses.

"I'm ready to buy $300 worth of groceries at a time," Maggie said.

Michael Bennett, director of DePaul University's Egan Urban Center and a researcher helping to measure the Anderson impact, said this effort stands out from the loads of buy-black initiatives he has seen over his 64 years.

"What's different about this one is you have a family with an income level that will allow them to search out goods and services to be extremely intentional about doing the research about following up," Bennett said.

There'll be challenges, he noted. Finding a black barber is easy enough, and there are plenty of black medical professionals to choose from in Chicago. But finding a black-owned utility provider? That's tougher, he said.

Even a black-owner auto repair shop might prove difficult, Bennett said, as today's computerized vehicles call for more capital-intensive operations.

"It takes some effort. And that's what I like about the Andersons. They want to make the effort to see," Bennett said. "They don't know yet how difficult it's going to be."

BY CHERYL V. JACKSON cjackson@suntimes.com
The views expressed in these blog posts are those of the author and not of the Chicago Sun-Times.

for future readings visit the only blog I wil be blogging at is

http://zeldaspeaks.wordpress.com/2008/10/19/hello-world/#comments

Speaking of the Black Agenda...

2008-12-21T14:00:00.000-08:00

Somethings are thought and never spoken.
Those brave enough to speak their minds will take the heat, and those who are not will simply dwell on the negative. Whatever your choice, this is an article worth reading.

Obama Needs a Black Agenda
By Laura S. Washington
Black America must demand that Obama cease pandering to the People of the Gun and launch a crusade for practical solutions to urban violence. Share Digg del.icio.us Reddit Newsvine The first black president of the United States cannot credibly govern without a national black agenda. But don’t depend on him to front it.

For the last 22 months, Sen. Barack Obama had one priority: getting elected.

Black progressives have a different, urgent mission: to put meat on the bones of a black economic and social compact.

It’s payback time.

Obama surged into the White House because he is one of the New Blacks — coalition-minded progressives who eschew tradition and piecemeal, narrow agendas. The New Blacks don’t take their cues from the Jesse Jacksons, Al Sharptons and Tavis Smileys.

Obama knows that if black people allow parochial and self-interested operators to nibble away at his ankles, black America will be the biggest loser.

But the conversation is long overdue.

Obama’s dodge around race was exquisitely choreographed. Practically the only black concerns he has addressed are his weak nod to affirmative action and his stump-speech admonishments to wayward black fathers and that trifling “Cousin Pookie” — a name he often referenced in his speeches to black audiences. In a March 2007 sermon at Brown Chapel in Selma, Ala., Obama declared: “If Cousin Pookie would vote, if Uncle Jethro would get off the couch and stop watching ‘SportsCenter’ and go register some folks and go to the polls, we might have a different kind of politics.”

Since his landmark speech in 2004 in Boston, Obama dismissed the red-state, blue-state paradigm and argued that “there’s not a liberal America and a conservative America; there’s the United States of America. There’s not a black America and a white America and a Latino America — there’s the United States of America.” It was lame, but it worked.

Still, that notion is an aspiration, not an accomplishment. Come Jan. 20, Inauguration Day, pressure groups will be tearing up the playing field to score points with the man. Black folks will be no different. Obama’s shadow base produced a monumental turnout, and that gives us major dibs.

Black progressives need to now lay out an agenda. Start with equitable educational opportunities for African Americans. Fifty-four years after Brown v. Board of Education, black schoolchildren are still relegated to the bottom of the educational opportunity barrel. Urban schools — which have a disproportionate number of black students — need more resources than their relatively meager tax bases can support.

Take another look at bugaboos like vouchers. Build more charter schools. It’s time to jettison the fraudulent No Child Left Behind initiative and replace it with a no-nonsense plan.

There is one non-negotiable item: Black America must demand that Obama cease pandering to the People of the Gun and launch a crusade for solutions to urban violence. During his campaign, dozens of Chicago-area children have been slaughtered in the streets — in Obama’s own backyard.

On the eve of the historical presidential vote, nearly 5,000 mourners filed into an Apostolic church on Chicago’s South Side to mourn the murders of three members of Oscar-winning Jennifer Hudson’s family. The youngest was 7. Hudson’s glittering talent made her famous, but it couldn’t shield her from the insidious flow of guns that is decimating our cities.

The Obama epic offers a glimmer of hope to some. On TheRoot.com, an online commentary outlet from the African-American perspective, writer Melanie Eversley posits that Obama’s victory will put beaucoup pep in the black man’s step. In “The Obama Swagger,” she wrote: “Maybe no group of Americans is more invested in the Obama phenomenon than black men who see in his success a transformation of their own public image.”

Maybe so, but on Jan. 20, tens of thousands of young black males will still be jobless, homeless or incarcerated within the prison-industrial complex. They’ve got some bigger problems than rehabilitating their public images.

Obama prevailed in the election in part because he brought a multiracial identity and global perspective that undermined America’s entrenched racial, ethnic and economic differences. He can — and must — govern beyond the base.

Still, he will step into the Oval Office courtesy of overwhelming turnouts dug out of the red hills of Georgia — and the gritty concrete of New Jersey.

Black folks are ecstatic about making history, but we can’t afford to settle for history. In 21st century America, a national black agenda is urgent and overdue. There may be a New Black at the helm, but it’s still the same old U.S. of A.

Laura S. Washington, an In These Times senior editor, teaches journalism at DePaul University and is a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times.

I've had the pleasure of chatting with Laura, as we are both members of AWJ
(American Women Journalists) and she certainly speaks her mind.
Hope you can say the same.
Happy Holidays!

speaking of journalists...

2008-12-14T15:25:00.000-08:00

The future of journalists is in jeopardy!
As a broadcast journalism major in college, I never thought I'd see the day when this would happen. Journalist now have to find a way to utilize their skills.
As a student of life, I discovered long ago that I needed to be able to have multiple set of job skills to survive corporate America.

Be sure and be well rounded in your studies, you're going to need it.
That's one of the reasons w hy I do such a variety of things. People often ask why I do radio, tv and print, Simple. ONE thing is not sufficient. I write, speak, train, publish, facilitate seminars, conferences and the whole nine yards. Tell all the student you know to tap into their God Given talents and abilitities. They're going to need them. Corporate America is not playing. Hope you'll get something from this article.

NPR Layoffs Include Trainer of Its "Next Generation,"
Network Says Program Will End but Not Internships
National Public
NPR's Doug Mitchell, left, among those laid off, helps Antonio Mejias of La Opinión through an exercise during a half-day workshop on learning to become an audio journalist. (Credit: National Association of Hispanic Journalists.)Radio is canceling "News & Notes" and "Day to Day" effective in March, and the network is reducing its work force by 7 percent, NPR announced on Wednesday.

A projected $2 million deficit for fiscal year 2009 has become $23 million with the downturn in the economy, the network said.

"Neither program was attracting sufficient levels of audience or national underwriting necessary to sustain continued production under these tough financial circumstances," Dennis Haarsager, interim president and CEO, said in a message to NPR affiliates.

"The two shows will go off the air on March 20, and 22 journalists working for them will lose their jobs, including hosts Madeleine Brand and Farai Chideya," NPR's David Folkenflik reported on "All Things Considered."

"Beyond the two shows, another 12 journalists will lose their jobs throughout NPR News," he said, naming Jacki Lyden and John McChesney. [On Thursday 's "Morning Edition," he added Kim Masters, Ketzel Levine and Victoria O'Hara, quoting O'Hara as challenging management at a staff meeting Wednesday to accept responsibility for poor judgment.]

Folkenflik noted that more than 300 would remain, but later in the day, Bob Butler, a board member of the National Association of Black Journalists, disclosed that Doug Mitchell, an NPR employee of more than 20 years who has trained scores of young journalists of color to enter broadcasting, was also among those laid off.

Mitchell is project manager for NPR's Next Generation Radio, which among other charges runs a training project during the summer conventions of the journalist-of-color organizations and the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. Next Generation Radio promotes itself as "training the future of public radio." Mitchell, who confirmed his layoff on Thursday, said he would continue to work with the journalist organizations, but NPR said Thursday that the Next Generation Radio program, started by Mitchell in 2000, would end.

"The choice to cut the Next Generation program was made with the greatest
regret," spokeswoman Anna Christopher said. "We are proud the Next Generations’ accomplishments and the dedication of the staff and all those associated with it over the years. If we were not forecasting such a severe downturn in our revenue we would not have made this decision. Given the limitations on what we could financially sustain, we chose instead to maintain NPR’s paid internship program, which over time has brought many young and diverse people into temporary and permanent jobs at NPR."

The Next Generation program is external, unlike NPR's internship program. "The external (next gen) projects were by specific design, geared toward attracting students who could not get into NPR's intern program," Mitchell told Journal-isms by e-mail, "and yes, these were by and large, people of color. Or, better still, to find them and THEN get them interest[ed] in NPR's intern program by working one-to-one-by-side for a week with some of the best and brightest of public radio and who were also of color. In a way it was a means to prove we existed within public radio."

Mitchell's departure also highlighted persistent grumblings about the fate of men of color at the network. One employee named two newsroom managers: Greg Peppers, who heads NPR's newscast unit, and Walter Ray Watson, who was a senior producer for "Weekend All Things Considered" until he took a fellowship at Harvard. He has since returned to the company.

However, the perception is such that another employee complained privately, "Unless I'm missing someone, there are no men of color in any management position in the newsroom."

Mitchell said his last day would be Jan. 12.

Another African American on the layoff list is Audrey Wynn, deputy director for staff development and an NPR employee for 28½ years. Wynn rose from receptionist on "Morning Edition" to assistant managing editor to her current job, which she described as "trying to make sure that all the trains run on time, when they're supposed to and without too much stress."

She also helped start NPR West when it launched "News & Notes With Ed Gordon." "I know this sounds really insane," she told Journal-isms on Thursday, "but I love doing paperwork and making things happen."

"Combined with the elimination of 'Day to Day' and 'News & Notes' the cutbacks constitute a retreat from NPR's efforts to reach new listeners, especially young people and members of minority groups who are not part of NPR's 'core' audience," as Paul Farhi wrote for the Washington Post. "The diversification effort started in 2002 with the opening of NPR West, the organization's first major production facility outside of Washington and New York. The facility will remain open after the cutback, but with about half of its 60 employees."

It will be NPR's first organization-wide layoffs in 25 years, Farhi wrote.

Tony Cox and Farai Chideya host NPR's 'News & Notes'"News & Notes" host Farai Chideya wrote on the program's blog, "We are still dealing with the news, but we are committed to making sure we give you our best, now and as long as we've got."

NPR's public announcement said, "Staff and expense reductions will be made in reporting, editorial and production areas; station services; digital media; research; communications and administrative support.

"A total of 64 filled positions have been eliminated against NPR's current staff of 889, 21 open positions will not be filled and travel and discretionary expenses have been cut across the organization," the news release continued.

"It's crucial to realize that these programming changes are being driven by a loss in revenue, not relevance," added Ellen Weiss, NPR's senior vice president for news. "With near-record audience levels, now more than ever people are relying on NPR to better understand the extraordinary events occurring in the world."

Earlier in the day, Weiss was reported to be on the West Coast meeting with the "Day to Day" staff. Both "Day to Day" and "News & Notes" are produced at NPR West in Culver City, Calif.

"Since its 2003 launch, 'Day to Day' with host Madeleine Brand has redefined the newsmagazine concept to become NPR's fastest-growing new program," with nearly 2 million listeners on nearly 200 stations, NPR says on its Web site.

"News & Notes" started life as "The Tavis Smiley Show," a vehicle for the network to reach out to African American audiences.

NPR had been expanding since it received a bequest of more than $236 million from Joan B. Kroc, the widow of Ray A. Kroc of McDonald's. In 2004, Lynette Clemetson noted in the New York Times that the network was pumping $15 million into its news division over the next three years, using interest from the bequest. "NPR executives have touted the expansion as unmatched in a time of media cutbacks and consolidations," she wrote.

Haarsager addressed the Kroc gift on Wednesday.

"Given the publicity that surrounded the bequest from Joan B. Kroc in 2003, it is understandable to wonder why NPR doesn't draw on it at this time," he said in his note to station managers. "Legal restrictions severely limit expenditure of the NPR endowment, which includes most of the bequest made by Mrs. Kroc.

"Fortunately, even though the endowment lost value and did not generate earnings for this year, the NPR Foundation was able to fund a separate $10 million distribution against what NPR had budgeted for FY 2009. The NPR Board also authorized us to access up to $15 million from the NPR operating reserves, allowing us to cope with the immediate situation and limit the depth of the cuts to staff and programs." [Updated Dec. 11]

Petition: Save NPRs 'News & Notes'
Earlier: "News & Notes" Wonders if Ax Will Drop
Tribune Co. Halts Severance Payments to Ex-Workers
The Tribune Co. has discontinued "all ongoing severance payments, deferred compensation and other payments to former employees" as a result of its filing Monday for protection from bankruptcy, the company said in an internal Q-&-A, Kevin Roderick reported on his LAObserved blog.

Those payments "will be the subject of later proceedings before the Court."

Roderick followed up that Monday report with this one on Tuesday:

"If the Los Angeles Times owes you money, you might have to wait a long time. Publisher Eddy Hartenstein told the staff yesterday that the Chapter 11 filing freezes pending payments to freelancers, but said the paper will ask the Delaware judge to allow the commitments to be met.

"This year's hundreds of laid-off former employees have not heard those assurances and are fairly frantic to find out how long their severance payments will be interrupted."

[The Baltimore Sun reported Thursday, "A federal bankruptcy court judge approved yesterday more than a dozen legal motions filed by Tribune Co. that will allow it to borrow millions, pay thousands of employees and maintain critical vendor and customer contracts.

["Yesterday's rulings will allow Tribune to maintain on an interim basis its centralized cash management system and to continue to pay certain taxes and insurance premiums along with health care benefits, expenses and salaries for its 14,600 full-time employees and 12,000 independent contractors. Health care benefits to roughly 500 terminated employees have been halted," Tricia Bishop wrote from Wilmington, Del.

[But a new q-and-a on the Tribune Co. Web site said Thursday, "For employees who already left the company: All ongoing severance payments (excluding enhanced pension benefits under the Cash Balance Plan), deferred compensation and other payments to former employees have been discontinued and will be the subject of later proceedings before the Court."]

Roderick continued, "Hartenstein apparently said the Chapter 11 status could last six months to a year. By the way, he told the staff 'town hall' meeting that the Times and the rest of Tribune's units remain profitable — this is about Sam Zell's debt load and inability to renegotiate his loans or sell properties like the Cubs."

Jesus Sanchez, laid off from the Los Angeles Times this year, told Journal-isms, "Most of us . . . laid off back in July have probably received our severance payments. Most of us got them as a special, one-time contribution to a 401k type of fund. I shifted mine out of there as soon as possible. I think the people who were laid off last month are the ones who probably are going to suffer most. It's just adding insult to injury."

The Tribune Co. owns the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Newsday and six other daily newspapers and commuter tabloids, in addition to 23 television stations, WGN America, WGN-AM and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. Many if not all of its media outlets have undergone layoffs.

Daniel Gross, Slate: The Road to Zell: How the Tribune deal went so bad, so fast.
National Press Photographers Association: Cut Newsday Photographers Told To "Re-Apply" For Visual Journalist Jobs
Mark I. Pinsky, the New Republic: Why Barack Obama should resurrect the Federal Writers Project and bail out laid-off journalists.

speaking of Obama replacements..

2008-12-07T11:29:00.000-08:00

It's the million dollar question, who's going to replace Obama in the Illinois Senate? Two good candidates are right here in the state of Illinois. Looks like Illinois is big on the world map right about now, so why not? Here's an interesting article that was sent to me. You be the judge.

Possibly Two Black U. S. Senators?
by Ron Walters
NNPA Columnist
<>
Before Barack Obama’s victory, thinking about the possibility of having two Black U. S. Senators would have been more unlikely than having a Black president of the United States. But right now there is at least the possibility, given the expected ascendancy of both Obama and Hillary Clinton to the ranks of the Presidency and Secretary of State respectively.
In Illinois, the decision lies with Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich and the Senior Senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin has said that race should not be a “litmus test” in Obama’s replacement.
However, it is widely expected that because Obama is African-American and there were none previously in the U. S. Senate that his replacement should be an African-American. At present, several prominent Black politicians have emerged to claim the seat, such as: U. S. Reps. Danny Davis and Jesse Jackson Jr. But it has also attracted Emil Jones, Illinois State Senate President, an early mentor of Obama’s who is retiring after an election loss. Even former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris has thrown his hat in the ring.
While politicians and the press consider Burris to be a long shot, others would seem to have a strong case. Rep. Danny Davis has a strong record in the Congress and his recent Second Chance Act is drawing praise from all quarters as a measure to link incarcerated individuals to their communities.
He also has the backing of West Side Black Elected Officials organization. Emil Jones, however, has cultivated a good relationship with the Governor and in his role as State Senate President and has served all parts of the State of Illinois, but his age of 73 raises the question of whether he would be a “place-holder” for someone else, a posture Durbin opposes.
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., has campaigned most feverishly for the post, having commissioned and distributed a Zogby poll which indicates that he would be favored by Illinois voters, by 21 percent to 14 percent for his closest rival Tammy Duckworth, Illinois Veteran’s Affairs Director, with a favorable rating more positive than Duckworth’s at 43 percent to 22 percent.
Positive statements from Southern suburban residents also appear on his website touting his bringing over $600 million to that area.
Ultimately, the choice made by Gov. Blagojevich has to strengthen his own re-election chances which means that who ever is selected has to also be strong in down-state Illinois where African American candidates have often been weak.
Durbin’s view is that the person has to demonstrate strength among all of Illinois’ 102 counties, but then, his views have often not been followed by the Governor.
In New York, while the rationale for picking an African-American may not be as strong as in Illinois, still Governor David Paterson will choose from a field that features some prominent persons such as: Byron Brown, Buffalo’s Mayor and a former State Senator, New York City Comptroller William Thompson and U. S. Rep. Gregory Meeks.
Rep. Meeks, a ten-year veteran in the Congress, undoubtedly gained notice for his outspoken support of Hillary Clinton’s bid for the Democratic nomination.
He recently said on MSNBC-TV that he “would serve if called.” Lesser known, Mayor Byron Brown would fill the bill of those urging Paterson to pick someone from upstate New York, thus strengthening his own re-election bid.
William Thompson is a popular figure in New York City politics whose appointment could help him avoid a bruising battle for Mayor against sitting Mayor Bloomberg who has just been supported by the City Council for a third term. Then, although he is not mentioned much, a surprise pick could be former State Comptroller Carl McCall who is known to be close to Governor Paterson.
Although there is much hope for a Black replacement for Barack Obama from one of these sources, the key factor here is what will help the sitting Governor win re-election. Blagojevich is under investigation by the feds for standard “pay-to-play” Illinois politics and will need a popular figure statewide to help him over the hump and that could diminish the chances for Blacks who are not popular with downstate white voters. Also, it would be a smart move for Paterson to take out the main rival for his re-election, Andrew Cuomo, who is running ahead in the polls for the replacement seat right now.
Also, neither Meeks nor Thompson may help Paterson much in Western New York State.
So, on both counts, I think that it’s far from a sure thing there will be a
Black replacement for Obama, in fact, it’s really cross your fingers time.

Ron Walters is the Distinguished Leadership Scholar, Director of the African American Leadership Institute and Professor of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland College Park. His latest book is: The Price of Racial Reconciliation (Rowman and Littlefield)

MORGAN MEMO NEWS SERVICE Monday, December 1, 2008Contact Mark S. Allen @ 773-392-0165

speaking of Obama...

2008-11-30T15:49:00.000-08:00

There's really not a whole lot to say! It's already been done! If you can't see the handwriting on the wall, oh well!

No more excuses!

Barack Obama did it. So can you!

Now if that's not empowering enough for you, I don't know what to tell you!
Read one of his books, maybe that will inspire you!
Contact www.HigherLearningNetwork.org to get your copy of the 2009 Collector's Edition Calendar or one of his books. Donations Tax Deductable to the fullest extent of the law!

Civil Engineer Scholarship Program

2008-11-02T14:01:00.001-08:00

Civil Engineer Scholarship Program Students can qualify for up to $7,000 each academic year
With a record number of civil engineers expected to retire within the next few years,
Governor Rod R. Blagojevich is pleased to announce the Illinois Department of
Transportation’s first Civil Engineer Scholarship Program. Scholarships provided
as part of this new program will give selected students up to $7,000 per academic
year as an incentive to continue their civil engineering education.

“We must begin to increase the interest in the rewarding field of engineering,” said
Governor Blagojevich. “This scholarship gives us the opportunity to grow a diverse
and quality workforce for the future and I encourage civil engineering students
to look into this program.”

This new scholarship program is for Illinois residents who are admitted to or enrolled
full-time at select Illinois colleges and universities in a curriculum leading towards a
degree in civil engineering. Scholarship recipients may be given the opportunity to
work for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) during summer breaks
and could be offered full-time employment upon graduation.

The program utilizes federal transportation funds to enhance the diversity and quality
of IDOT’s civil engineering workforce. IDOT may award up to 20 scholarships,
each providing tuition assistance in an Illinois pre-engineering or engineering
program on an annual basis.

Each scholarship recipient may receive up to $7,000 per academic year. The
scholarship program may provide support for up to five years per student. Up
to two years of graduate school may be included in those five years.

“Fewer and fewer college students in Illinois are choosing civil engineering as a
career,” said IDOT Secretary Milton R. Sees. “It is up to us to encourage our
youth and show them that no matter what their financial situation, higher education
is an option and a career in engineering is attainable.”

The application deadline is November 26, 2008 for the spring 2009 semester.
For additional information and to obtain an application, please visit the website
at www.dot.il.gov/scholarships.

To obtain information for other financial assistance opportunities for college
students, please visit the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC)
website at www.collegezone.com.

Deveda E. François
Program Manager - Employment Opportunity Grant Program (EOGP)

Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

STEALING AMERICA

2008-11-02T13:40:00.000-08:00

Vote by Vote
by OSCAR-nominated,
EMMY-winning filmmaker Dorothy Fadiman
Narrated by Peter Coyote
www.stealingamericathemovie.org
It's not too late!
Everyone can still take action
to make a difference.

speaking of college costs

2008-10-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading this column or any other columns I've written over the years, then you know I am a strong advocate of education! Especially with the costs of education, when information is available and free, you must take advantage of it!

Well here's something worth attending. Spread the news!

Chicago National College Fair

Saturday , October 25, 2008

10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Navy Pier, Chicago

www.nationalcollegefairs.org

Workshops: College Selection, Applications, Test Taking, Financing, Choosing a Major, and more. Sessions repeat

www.gotomyncf.com to register

International, national , private and public institutions, including;

Univ of Alabama, Univ of Alaska, Arizona State, UCLA, Colorado State, Regis, Univ of Denver, Coast Guard Academy, Howard, George Washington, Florida Institute of Tech, Clark Atlanta, Morehouse, Spelman, Univ of Hawaii, Columbia, IIT, Northwestern, UIC, UIUC, Tulane, Grinnell, Purdue, Michigan State, Swarthmore, Temple, Carthage, Ripon, Univ of Wisc and many, many, many, many more.

Over 300 institutions. Check the list and plan your day !!!!

For an updated listing, visit www.nationalcollegefairs.org

bush, laura and cheney on air force one

2008-10-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

I get a lot crazy stuff in email, but this one was too good to pass on!
Be sure and share the good news!

President Bush, First Lady Laura and Dick Cheney were flying on Air
Force One.

George looked at Laura, chuckled and said, 'You know, I could throw a
$1,000 bill out of the window right now and make somebody very happy.'

Laura shrugged her shoulders and replied, 'I could throw ten $100 bills
out of the window and make ten people very happy.'

Cheney added, 'That being the case, I could throw one hundred $10 bills
out of the window and make a hundred people very happy.'

Hearing their exchange, the pilot rolled his eyes and said to his
Co-Pilot, 'Such big-shots back there. Sh*t I could throw all of y'all
ass*s out of the window and make 56 million people very happy.'

If you're one of those 56 million, be sure and tell everyone to visit this blog.

I haven't been dancing in a while...

2008-10-05T13:11:00.000-07:00

Only because I couldn't dance, let alone walk!
Those close to me know that I have a routine, where the girls and I meet on a weekely basis and get our STEP, AND SHUFFLE ON!
Well, I haven't been in a couple of months due to a leg problem.
I couldn't walk, let alone dance!

I attended a monthly networking meeting where a friend girl of mine (Linda, of Sista's in the Hood) told me she'd been drinking this alkaline water, and now she goes stepping! She couldn;t do any of this before! She said it also helped her ARTHRITIS! HOW CAN THAT BE I TOLD MYSELF!
Easy!

Oxygenize the body!
How do you do that? With Water! BUT NOT JUST ANY WATER!
Read this and you'll see for yourself.
I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO BELIEVE ANYTHING I SAY!
See for yourself. Just don't wait until you have a health challenge to find out like I did! Anyway, I'm glad I found o ut about the alkaline water and how we've been ripped off drinking the popular BOTTLED WATERS!
SEE FOR YOURSELF!

let me help you help yourself

visit

www.yourbodyiswater.info/members/p1d3/559078

This site above is information on whats people are saying about the water and how it helping people who has been drinking the water.

more info
www.enagic.com

Gov. Palin says No African Americans on her staff

2008-09-28T16:07:00.000-07:00

Gov. Palin said she doesn’t intend to hire African Americans on her staff

The following is a statement from one of our Juneteenth Directors in Alaska: By Gwendolyn Alexander, President“As for Governor Sarah Palin’s involvement in the African American community, the Governor’s office hasn’t participated in any of our Alaska Juneteenth Events.

All previous Alaskan Governor’s have traditionally attended and participated
in our annual Juneteenth Celebration. Gov. Palin was the first governor not to
send out a congratulatory letter or assist us in any way with our Juneteenth
activities.I didn’t have the courtesy of receiving a reply when I asked for a representative from the Governor’s office to come and speak at our Juneteenth Celebration if Governor Palin was unable to attend.

I never even heard of Gov. Palin until she was elected Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, in Mat-Su Valley.Governor Palin is a very energetic and spontaneous woman. With some of the things being said and going around this state right now, I’m surprised none of
the national media have bothered to come here and get the words directly
from the mouths of the people who have lived with her all of these years
instead of ’surfing the net!’My other opinion is why would an individual who, to my knowledge, has not hired any African-Americans on her gubernatorial staff, insist so passionately on being on a television show owned and operated by an African American, Oprah Winfrey?

While meeting with black leaders concerning the absence of any African-Americans
on her staff, Gov. Palin responded that she doesn’t have to hire any blacks and
was not intending to hire any. What kind of attitude is this toward African-American
for who may be the first Vice-President of the United States?I understand Oprah did have Senator Obama on her show a few times and was the
main person raising funds for him “before” the presidency race was in full swing.

However, the key point here is that it is Oprah’s prerogative not be used as a
pawn to tilt the vote one way or another. Oprah has stated repeatedly that she
wasn’t going to have one side or the other on her show by choice. I thought that
was what the Civil Rights Movement was all about, a persons right to make
their own choices. I guess this isn’t a Democracy at all anymore.”

Gwendolyn Alexander, President
African American Historical Society of Alaska, Inc.
Alaska Juneteenth Celebration
P. O. Box 143105
Posted by straighttalkexpresswatch

speaking of RCN and sarah palin

2008-09-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

Check this out for yourself!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZyguIXJ1Fk&feature=email

Speaking of Obama on ZTV!

2008-09-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

The whole month of October, Obama will be featured on the
Higher Learning Network, Sundays at Midnight, Channel 19!

Pray for this presidency!
Pray for this man, he needs our prayers as well as our votes!
This prayer was sent to me. Pass it on!

Dear God,

We pray for optimum health, mental clarity and political prosperity for Barack Obama.
We pray that what he lacks in political 'experience' you make up for with supernatural wisdom and power.

We also pray that when his enemies come upon him they will stumble and fall; and that your love will fill his heart to the end that 'Your will' will be done through him.

We pray mightily for his protection.
As we plead the POWER OF PROTECTION over him and his family, we ask you to dispatch legions of angels to protect them from all hurt, harm, danger, and from all accidents and incidents as he seeks to become the next President of these United States.

We thank and praise you for answering the sincere prayers of the righteous.
In GOS's Name, AMEN
And So It Is!

All you are asked to do is keep this circulating.

A Candle Loses Nothing by Lighting Another Candle.

Please Keep This Candle Going!

Ron Brown Scholars Program-

2008-09-14T13:55:00.000-07:00

You know I put myself through 8 years of college with only 1 loan!
There's no need to take out loans when you can get free grant money!
You know we teach HOW TO GET FREE GRANT MONEY in one of our seminars.
This one you don't have to attend the seminar to attend.
PASS IT ON!

Ron Brown Scholars Program--November 1st Deadline

The Ron Brown Scholars Program seeks African-American high school seniors to receive $10,000 annually for four (4) years to attend an accredited four-year college or university in the US.

Deadlines: November 1, 2008 and January 9, 2009.

Mail application (attached), transcripts and recommendation
letters in one package.

For information, contact Ron Brown Program, 1160 Pepsi Place,
Suite 206, Charlottesville, Va. 22901; 434-964-1588;

info@ronbrown.org
www.ronbrown.org

Please pass this on to those whom you feel would be interested.

Latino Love

2008-09-05T13:52:00.001-07:00

I really hated to move from my last residence on the northwest side of the city, Wicker Park, now known as the "unofficial Lincoln Park."

After having lived off Damen and Division (Crystal and Hoyne) for 15 years, it was disheartening to see that the community was being overtaking by buppies. What I loved most about the neighborhood, was just that, it was a neighborhood, where people spoke to each other, not looked at each other and kept walking.

Times goes on and people, places and things change, not always for the better.
Many older residents were cheated out of their homes with a promise as developers came in and do what they always do.

What I miss most is the diverse crowd people that lived in my 'hood'.
I'll always cherish the memories of a little lady I met at the European Ameriacn Association Annual Community Event where I had the pleasure of eating the best German Potatoe Salad! (Something I've never even heard of!) Even the Greek, Mexican and Polish dishes were so scrumptious, I often go back just to eat the foods I miss most.

Sorry to say I am so glad I never knew about the CORN ON THE COBB (on a stick) with cheese, butter and mayo! Had I known, I'm sure I'd be at least 100 pounds heavier than I am. I never tasted it while living there, can you believe that? Well, I didn't. Every now and again, I ride through just to satisfy my taste buds and see how the community continues to change on Division Street from Damen over to Humbolt Park. I could write a book about those days, but I won't.

Simply enjoy what has been shared with me. Details below:

Explore Puerto Rican Experience in Chicago

New local documentary chronicles the Puerto Rican experience in Chicago
Airdate: Tuesday, September 9th at 7:30 p.m.

Source: ExtraNews.net
WTTW11, Chicago's leading public television station, is proud to present the world premiere
of the locally-produced documentary Chicago's Puerto Rican Story on Tuesday, September 9th
at 7:30 p.m. The program, several years in the making, paints an inspiring portrait of the
Puerto Rican experience in Chicago, looking at the early years of migration, settlement,
struggles and contributions of this vital community as it recollects the events and influences
that shaped its political awareness and activism.

Through the use of personal and archival photos and footage, and interviews with early migrants,
community leaders and historians, Chicago's Puerto Rican Story touches on the themes of family,
work, housing, education, and organizing successes: the creation of community organizations,
health centers and clinics; the implementation of educational reforms; the hiring of Puerto Rican
police officers; elected officials at every level of government; and the creation of a cultural and
commercial business district known as "Paseo Boricua." Interview subjects include
U.S. Congressman Luis Gutierrez, Chicago City Clerk Miguel Del Valle, Illinois State Senator
Iris Martinez, Chicago Aldermen Billy Ocasio and Rey Colon, and many other prominent
members of the community. The film is narrated by independent filmmaker and educator
Gloricelly Franceschi, who also wrote the script.

Be sure and tell all your friends and family to join me at the Latino Chamber of Commerce for my Free Seminar on how to Get Free Radio/TV Advertising on Wed. Sept. 10th, 9:30am!
visit www.ZeldaSpeaks.com for details and click on CALENDAR!
Asta lavista!

speaking of media coverage for the Obamas

2008-08-31T13:20:00.000-07:00

We have got to give America an accurate view of African Americans,
so what better way to do it than have African American Media Outlets?

Selected Media Coverage

Chicago Defender.com
WVON - Radio.com
Black America Web.com (Tom Joyner site)
Black Commentator.com
Black Press USA.com

be sure and visit
www.bronzevillemetropolis.com

What's your guess?

2008-08-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

> Is It the NBA Or the NFL?

> 36 have been accused of spousal abuse
>
> 7 have been arrested for fraud
>
> 19 have been accused of writing bad checks
>
> 117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
>
> 3 have done time for assault
>
> 71, repeat 71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit
>
> 14 have been arrested on drug-related charges
>
> 8 have been arrested for shoplifting
>
> 21 currently are defendants in lawsuits, and
>
> 84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year
>
>
> Can you guess which organization this is?
>
> Give up yet? . Scroll down,

> [http://by142w.bay142.mail.live.com/mail/SafeRedirect.aspx?hm__tg=http://65.55.153.121/att/GetAttachment.aspx&hm__qs=file%3d8bceb289-982f-45dc-9c73-de9b61403591.jpg%26ct%3daW1hZ2UvanBlZw_3d_3d%26name%3daW1hZ2UwMDMuanBn%26inline%3d1%26rfc%3d0%26empty%3dFalse%26imgsrc%3dcid%253aimage003.jpg%254001C8FE1C.6DFA78D0&oneredir=1&ip=10.1.106.117&d=d2234&mf=0]
>
> Neither, it's the 435 members of the United States Congress.
>
> The same group of idiots that crank out hundreds of new laws each year designed to keep the rest of us in line.
>
> …Let’s jut hope they don’t go into the Compliance business! Oops…too late!

Business and Grant Money Workshops

2008-08-17T12:41:00.001-07:00

From my friend Richard Blackmon:

Integration of Start-Up, Program & Economic Resources
African American Business Development Centers, Inc.
& Small Church Development Institute
Present I. S.U.P.E.R.

Integration of Start-Up, Program & Economic Resources

Grant & Proposal Writer Workshop
3 Day Bootcamp + 40 Hour Practicum Session

1: Not-for-Profit Start-UpSession
2: Grant Writing BasicsSession
3: Grant Writing Practicum
Followed by 40 Hours of Start-up & Grant Writing Practice
Cost: $225.00
Where: Sacred Heart of Jesus Church
5122 W. Division Street, Chicago, IL
When: Friday, August 22, 2008, 7 pm - 10 pm
Saturday, August 23, 2008, 10 am - 2 pm
Friday, August 29, 2008, 7 pm - 10 pm
To Register contact:
Richard at (773) 684-5080 or via E-mail: richblackmon@sbcglobal.net

Official Obama Fest Fundraiser hosted by Chief Nomo

2008-08-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

registration for attendance

2008-08-17T07:59:00.000-07:00

ready for good rally

2008-08-17T07:58:00.000-07:00

more Obama supporters

2008-08-17T07:56:00.000-07:00

Ready for Nomo's Famous Greens, Catfish and goodies

2008-08-17T07:54:00.000-07:00

enjoying community comraderie

2008-08-17T07:52:00.000-07:00

enjoying festivities

2008-08-17T07:47:00.000-07:00