Be A Part Of Change

This e-mail was sent to me and I challenge all of us to become more than passive spectators ... we have to facilitate the change we desire.

President-Elect Obama is hard at work getting this country back on track, but he’s counting on all of us to get involved.

I just signed up to learn more about the presidential transition, and I thought you might want to do the same.

Just visit http://www.change.gov, and enter your e-mail address in the top right corner.

32 Ways to be a Champion in Business by Magic Johnson

In the me first, chest pumping and egocentric era of professional sports, it is truly refreshing to experience Earvin "Magic" Johnson's continued success and commitment in Urban America.

Magic's enterprises and business partnership have 1) revitalized the landscapes of several downtrodden urban areas including Compton, California and Harlem, NYC; 2) demonstrated that the underserved urban areas are ripe for business growth and investment.

Not to mention, Magic's ongoing commitment to health and HIV issues in America.

Now, Magic has authored a book called 32 Ways to be a Champion in Business.

Click Magic to read reviews.

For more info see videos on sidebar.

Holiday Season Words of Wisdom

This current Holiday Season finds many of us fraught with economic fears and anixeties: Are our jobs secure?; Can I pay my mortgage?; What happen to my 401K? These are a few of our pressing questions.

However, each Christmas and New Years offer us an opportunity for reflection, redemption and reconnection. Hence, I found this words from The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, so relevant.

There is no greater power in the Universe than the power of love. The feeling of love is the highest frequency you can emit. If you could wrap every thought in love, if you could love everything and everyone your life would be transformed...

I send my holiday cheer and blessings to all. Be joyous, reflective, thankful and safe. Peace, Ben

Diabetes Type II - Updated Diet Info

People with Type 2 diabetes on a high-fiber diet kept their blood sugar under better control when they ate foods like beans and nuts instead of the recommended whole-grain diet, researchers have found.

This report is from today's New York Times... to read the entire article click this link - diet update.

The media flip on Obama

I can't believe how people can turn against you so fast. People, and the media will build you up and then they will tear you apart. ... I read this from the Huffing ton Report letters to the editor and I could not agree with it more, as it presently applies to President-Elect Obama. There is still more than a month before his inauguration and I expected the haters from the loony right to vehemently and unfairly attack Obama. We all expected Rush, Sean, O'Reilly et al to go crazy (they are) but for main street press, I am a little bit surprised and disappointed.

Depression Help

Please read Seasonal Blues post first. This is the follow-up post that directs readers to finding free or inexpensive depression treatment. Remember: Life is too wonderful and short to live it under the cloud of depression!

Go to this link depression and you will find free and inexpensive medical treatment information - traditional and alternative; a listing of self-help groups; a link to non-profit foundations that help patients pay for drugs and services; and, directions on how to apply for government assistance.

For example, the author, Nancy Schimelpfening, reports:

There are several herbals and nutraceuticals on the market that are reputed to work well as antidepressants and anti-anxiety treatments. They are inexpensive and do not require a prescription. St. John's Wort, melatonin, Kava Kava and Valerian have all been very effective for me personally.

In particular, she identifies Kava Kava herb as personally effective for treating her anxiety disorder.

In summary, as with all medical advise, speak with your trusted medical physician before any treatment.

Seasonal Blues

I have a good friend who experiences a deep depression during the holiday season each year. This year's harsh and troubled economy has made his depression more severe. He, usually an upbeat person, becomes moody, despondent and anti-social. Several different times I have suggested therapy and shared with him my positive and somewhat liberating therapeutic experience. His response is to inaudibly mumble, yeah maybe I'll see so one. He never does. Neither do the millions of blacks who silently suffer from depression.

Terrie M. Williams, author of Black Pain: It Just Looks Like We're Not Hurting, poignantly states:

In the African-American community, there's a tendency to hide or ignore symptoms of depression, which include sadness, energy loss, feelings of worthlessness, thoughts of death or suicide, change in weight, and oversleeping or difficulty sleeping. That tendency means missed opportunities to hit the disorder with effective treatments, including talk therapy, antidepressant medication, or both. More than 20 million people in the United States are clinically depressed.

There's an entrenched negative stigma in our community regarding therapy. I remember, as a college sophomore experiencing an acute depression, I was told by many of my peers, at a small tight-knit HBCU (Historical Black College and Universities), I was feeling the blues because I did not have Jesus in my life.

As Psychology Information online explains:

Depression is a "whole-body" illness, involving your body, mood, and thoughts. It affects the way you eat and sleep, the way you feel about yourself, and the way you think about things. A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood. It is not a sign of personal weakness or a condition that can be willed or wished away. People with a depressive illness cannot merely "pull themselves together" and get better. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks, months, or years. Appropriate treatment, however, can help most people who suffer from depression.

We advise a person with a broken leg, high blood pressure or diabetes to see a doctor ASAP. It's time we overcome our phobia, machismo and ignorance of the importance of our mental and emotional health.

In my next post we will examine effective and affordable depression treatments.

Bush tired

Can January 20th, 2009 come fast enough? Why? Because we need a full time president and it is quite evident that President Do-Little is not up to the task of lifting a finger for Main Street America.

Case in point, while the country is losing over a half-million jobs a month, our auto industry is collapsing and mortgage foreclosures are at record levels, where the blank is our 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Resident-in-chief dumb-dumb? No where!

Remember his warp speed mode offer to his Wall Street cronies - the super rich - a no question asked 700 billion dollar bail-out? His bail out terms did not even compel these financial giants to offer Main Street mortgage help.

Where is the stimulus package for the less than super rich? The answer, grin and bear it until Barack Obama takes the oath. As we speak, W is content to ride out the clock like all is well.

Remember the immediate aftermath of September 11th, W just sat there with that deer in the headlights look. Remember Katrina, the worst national natural destruction storm in the history of our country, W did not want to end his vacation, so he did a fly by.

At this time, I will always remember the W standing for the worst ever!

5 bean soup

I want to share a recipe that is healthy, affordable, easy to make and mad delicious - five bean soup. This delectable dish contains 5 grams of both protein and fiber per cup, omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants per serving. Hit me up a let me know if you like it.

5 Bean Soup Ingredients:


1 c Pinto beans
1 c Navy beans
1 c Black eyed peas
10 c Water
1 c Chicken bouillon (low sodium)
1 c Diced onion
1 ea 16-oz can cut tomatoes/or one fresh diced tomato
3/4 ts Thyme
1/4 ts Pepper
1 c Red beans
1 c Northern beans
2 ea Whole bay leaves
1 1/2 c Smoked turkey (your choice or you can make it totally vegetarian)
1 tb Chili powder
1/4 ts Worcestershire sauce or low sodium soy sauce
1 md Grated carrot

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5 Bean Soup Instructions:

Place beans into 4 quart kettle, cover with 2 inches of water and allow to soak overnight.
Drain water then add smoked turkey, water and bay leaves.
Simmer covered for 2 hours.
Add bouillon, onions, chili and garlic powder, thyme, pepper, tomatoes, carrot and worcestershire sauce or low sodium soy sauce.
Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Add water as needed.
Serve with hot cornbread and rice.

Now the Work Begins

As our collective euphoria over Obama's victory settles down, the reality of the daunting tasks facing Obama's administration and America has settled in. We have a broken financial system, recession, high level of foreclosing homes, rising unemployment, bankrupting auto industry and engagement in two wars - to name a few of the major issues confronting us.

The conventional wisdom is, hard times makes great leaders; hence, if Barack Obama can successfully resolve the above mentioned issues, he would become one of our greatest presidents.

However, the truth is much more stark. Obama can not solve our problems overnight or by himself. Our politicians can not solve our problems by themselves. Americans across the country need to roll up our sleeves and toil, sacrifice and participate as never before in our lives - other than the Great Depression and WWII generation.

For example, Obama nor the police alone can make our neighborhoods safe. Teachers and politicians alone can not make our students learn better. Government can not nor should not raise a child. Parents, communities and neighbors must collectively organize and work together to address these issues.

Barack Obama often tells the story of how his single parent mother on welfare used to wake him up early to review and study his lesson. I also remember the childhood story of Dr. Benjamin Carson, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at John Hopkins Hospital, he recalls how his mother, with only a third grade education, consistently turned of the TV and encouraged he and his brother to frequent the neighborhood library.

To wrap things up, let us continue to celebrate Obama's historical and redemptive victory. But let us also use his success as a call for renewed pursuit of excellence in our communities. Let his victory serve as a template on how racism and poverty can be overcome with education and perseverance.

Agents of Hate

As the mosaic chorus of Americans sang out in celebration of President-Elect Barack Obama's historic and improbable election victory, voices from the Fox right, Sean Hannity, and from the radio right, Rush Limbaugh and Glen Beck, continued to spread lies and hate. In fact, Rush used a thinly veiled racial term Chicago Thug (borrowed from Bill Clinton, Rush claims) to describe Obama during his first White House meeting as President-Elect with President Bush.

These men, who claimed to have first dibs on patriotism, bemoan the fact that millions of Americans have put country first by elected the best qualified man for president, who happened to be black.

It is also obvious that Limbaugh/Hannity/Beck are working feverishly to disparage media coverage of black, white, brown and yellow people coming together to make history. Quite frankly, these men work overtime to keep these various groups apart. They use fear, racism and pseudo patriotism as their weapons.

To understand their agenda, I say follow the money. Rush/Limbaugh/Hannity are very well paid (Rush recently inked a 400 million dollar contract with a 100 million dollar contract bonus) to spread radio/TV venom by right-wing billionaires such as Rupert Murdoch. Their collective goal is to keep Americans divided so that corrupt businessmen can continue to rob and loot our economy - the old trick of divide and conquer.

Obama's amazing victory, supported by legions of Americans from diverse backgrounds, has just turned down the volume a few decibels of the disturbingly noisy right. Let us stay the course.

Dawn of A New Era

When I reflect on Barack Obama's electoral victory, I am just speechless. I can not find the words to adequately describe the emotions I am feeling. As a student of history/political science, I am overwhelmed with the realistic and symbolic significance of this election for our country. And, I am not the least bit ashamed to say I cried, no I wept.

The saga of African-American history in this country is embedded in our country's DNA. The original American sin - slavery - that attempted to remove the humanity from our ancestors' beings has come full circle.

From Sojourner Truth to Nat Turner to Harriet Tubman to Frederick Douglas; from Booker T Washington to Maggie Walker; from the Elijah Muhammad/Malcolm X to Martin Luther King/Dorothy Heights and to the millions and millions of invisible heroes and she-roes - black, white, yellow, brown; from Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus - the hopes and prayers of our ancestors have been redeemed and renewed.

From so many dreams deferred and dried up like raisins in the sun, as sister Lorraine Hansberry described, to stars finding their natural place among the firmaments in the heavens; this election represented the continued restoration of balance among the human family.

It's as if the United States of America has taken a quantum leap forward in our self-identification by electing the best qualified candidate for president; one who happened to be African-American.

President Elect Barack Obama may be the man of the hour; but, I say very respectfully (as he often states), this election is much much bigger than Obama. This election is about us reclaiming our cities, suburbs, economy, and country from the those that place their narrow minded self-interest, fears and greed above the good of the people.

In summary, Obama can not do it alone. We must continue to roll up our sleeves and toil in the field until the crops begin to harvest. Godspeed.

Anonymous writes:

This blog should be called bigotted souls. There's no healing here. Only backwater bigotry and hate that will keep our race down in the mud, regardless of who becomes president. THE MAN IS A CONSERVATIVE! He's pro-life. He's pro-traditional marriage. That's how he votes. Let the man be a man and quit with the racial hatred. Stop trying to tell us blacks to "get back in line" when we think for ourselves. The only one Tommin' is you, fool

I received this feedback from Anonymous (usually a name folks use when they do not want to proudly stand by there words). First, I would like to thank him/her for offering feedback and participating in my blog.

However, you write:
Stop trying to tell us blacks to "get back in line" when we think for ourselves.

First, I have no problem with black conservatives, in fact, historically, I believe far too many blacks have allowed the democrats to take our vote for granted. My dispute with James T Harris has nothing to do with his politics. My motivation for challenging the man has nothing to do with who he supports in the presidential election.

In fact, I admire several strong black republicans who have worked to make the republican party more inclusive. I believe it is strategically vital that blacks have a presence and voice in both dominant parties.

My problem with Mr. Harris is that on the world stage he was begging Mr. McCain to not offer remedies for our ailing economy nor a vision for foreign policy. He did not request for Mr. McCain to challenge Mr. Obama's position on the important issues that affect millions of Americans.

No, he begged Mr. McCain to smear Obama as a radical terrorist that is anti-American. To Mr. McCain's credit, he refused to go as far as Harris begged. The tactics Harris was begging for would have been divisive for our country and spread hatred among voters.

5 Things You Can Do to Prevent Diabetes

I found this informative post at ediets.com. As the explosion of diabetes overwhelms our country, this lists proactive steps we can take to stem the tide of this potentially fatal disease.

1. Lose Weight: We can't control our genes, but we CAN control the size of our jeans! Losing just 5 percent of our current weight can lower your risk for complications from diabetes. That's a start. There are a number of different eDiets plans that are great for weight loss and even a Living With Diabetes Plan that's especially dedicated to information and support for people living with diabetes.


Keep track of your waist size along with your weight. For women, a waist size of 35 inches or greater increases the risk for heart disease and diabetes, especially if your BMI is equal to or greater than 25. For men, a waist size equal to or greater than 40 inches with a BMI equal to or greater than 25 compounds your risk.

2. Exercise: New research shows that any type of exercise improves blood glucose control. You don't have to run every day or join a gym, but you do need to get out and walk, and if you add resistance training -- not heavy weights, but light weights and bands -- you can strengthen muscles.

3. Get Tested: This goes back to your genes... or your jeans! If you have a first-generation relative (parent, sibling) with type 2 diabetes, you have a genetic link. If you are overweight, your risk is doubled. Get tested now, and hopefully you'll be normal. But keep vigilant, enjoy a balanced diet, stay active and keep your weight within a couple of pounds of your goal. If your blood glucose is higher than normal but not at type 2 diagnosis (pre-diabetes=100-125mg/dl), it means you need to take control now to avoid complications.

4. Take Control: If you do have diabetes, you can manage the disease instead of letting it manage you; you control diabetes. Control your diet, your activity and how often you test. Then, you can control the controls. Follow your physicians' and your diabetes educators' recommendations and test your blood glucose frequently. Many blood glucose monitors have sophisticated software that lets you download your readings and create reports.


5. Connect: You can do it alone, but having support makes it better and more fun. eDiets Living with Diabetes Plan helps people by giving them a supportive, secure place online to get together and share their experiences.

Uncle Tom in Action

I honestly do not remember the last time I have seen such slave-to-master behavior as I witnessed when this negro, James T Harris, begged not once, not twice, but three times, for John McCain to

Take It To Obama

.

If you have not seen this deplorable video, click on one of the videos under the side bar A Slave In Action. I do not like to hurl names and invectives at people I disagree with; however, this man's (boy's) actions went far beyond proffering of an alternative political view. No, James T (Tom) Harris, performed in front of a crowd/mob of McCain supporters, supporters that have yelled out terrorist, traitor, Arab, kill him and off with his head at Obama.

In his virtuoso, this slave requested McCain, not to win the election, not to offer better political, economical or social solutions than Obama; no, this slave begged (literally) for McCain to destroy, smear and assassinate Obama's character.

In the end, following the script, Massa McCain reached down and gave his boy a nice hug and a pat. The thing most ironic and sad about this reckless display is that the slave also was begging (figuratively) for white accolades for his bravery.

One solace: Benedict Arnold's come in all colors, shades or hues - so let us also put his transgressions in perspective.

Election Notes

Registration: At this time, if you are not registered to vote, you are severely derelict in your civic duty. Additionally, ask all friends, associates, relatives, co-workers and family members, voting age, to register and vote in the most important presidential election of an era.

If they reply no, point at the economic, social, international blunders of George W Bush. Asked them do they enjoy four and five dollar a gallon gas, rising food costs and job insecurity. If they respond, hell no, emphatically explain, they must register and vote for change!

Palin factor: I am not fooled the least bit by her aw-shucks, I'm just a "hockey mom" persona. I find her to be a wacky, sarcastic, narrow-minded, shallow, holier-than-thou and anti-intellectual right wing mouth piece.

She is grossly unqualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency. On the contrast, Obama may not be as experienced as McCain, yet his judgement, ideas, policies, temperament and character under fire has more than demonstrated he has the gravitas, intellect and vision to be our next president - traits Palin/McCain are devoid of.

Just think, McCain Inc. is so scared of more Palin flubs, they hide her from the press. Palin has yet to appear on one of the Sunday political news programs; even Dan Quayle faced the Sunday morning political news programs. In fact, other than an occasional Fox news interview, Sarah Palin, who skillfully refused to answer any debate questions, only reads her prepared script, a script she can not elaborate on in her own words.

However, I do not underestimate her ability to connect to the lowest common denominator among many middle-Americans. Her statement that Obama pals around with terrorists and that he does not see America as we do incites raw fear, racism, hatred and potentially violence. Her actions are both very calculating and troubling.

What more? Her riled up into a frenzy crowd have chanted: off with his head, kill Obama, terrorist! To add insult to injury, after throwing toxic and tainted red meat to their supporters, McCain Inc. accuses John Lewis (he compared Palin's and McCain's tactics to divide and conquer along racial divides to George Wallace... correct but ill timed, because his quotes play into McCain Inc.'s strategy) of playing the race card.

John McCain and Sarah Palin, you two have demonstrated that no low is too low in order for you to fulfill your ambitions. You two seem to have virtually ignored our country's worse economic crisis since the Great Depression, instead you have employed the politics of division practiced by Lee Attwater and perfected by Karl Rove. It leaves one to ask the proverbial question: Mr McCain and Ms Palin, have you no shame?

Michael Moore's "Slacker Uprising"

The following information was initially presented to me via my mother, Barbara Harvey, in one of our very engaging political phone conversations. The basic premise of the film is the importance of the youth vote. In fact, if the youth vote turned out in force in the 20004 election, Bush would not have received a second term to wreck havoc domestically and internationally. I urge all my readers to pass along this information.

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - Oscar-winning film-maker Michael Moore is to release his new film via the Internet for free as a gesture to fans, the film-maker said in a statement on Friday.

Moore, 54, the director behind hit documentaries "Bowling for Columbine" and "Sicko," said his new film, "Slacker Uprising," about young voters at the 2004 US election would be made available for download later in September.

The statement on Moore's website said it was the first time a major feature-length movie has debuted on the Internet, with no theatrical release or television airing.

Moore -- who has made three of the top five highest-grossing documentaries of all time -- said he was releasing the film online as a thank you to fans as the 20th anniversary of his acclaimed film "Roger & Me" approached.

"I've been very blessed and fortunate to have so many people come to my movies over these two decades, I decided the way to say thanks was to make one that the fans can have for free, as a show of my profound appreciation of their support," Moore said.

The 97-minute film follows Moore as he travels across 62 cities in swing states during the 2004 presidential election.

The movie will be available for any US resident to download for three weeks from September 23 via the website SlackerUprising.com.

The statement said the download was being managed by Brave New Films and BlipTV. Neither Moore nor Brave New Films nor Blip would make money from the film, which cost around two million dollars to make.

Moore said he hoped the film would inspire young people to vote at the November 4 presidential election.

"The only return any of us are hoping for is the largest turnout of young voters ever at the polls in November," he said.

The Wrong Question!

Before I begin my diatribe about middle-America, let me first salute the racial/ethnic growth of my country. Yes, Obama's quest to become the first African-American president is possible - something that I did not think would happen in my lifetime - not because of the black vote alone. No, Obama has a 50-50 chance of becoming our next president because of his rainbow coalition of supporters (tongue and cheek thank you to Jesse Jackson).

We are far from living up to the virtues and promises of the US constitution; however, we are moving in the right direction.

Now, will these microphone blowhards please shut-up! Their bloviating over each scintilla of "news" so they can fill the 24 hour cycle makes them loony and hysterical. And I say this without putting the FOX network clowns into the mix. I may diss them some other time, but currently, I'm in the I don't do FOX frame of mind (y'all know why lol).

What boils my blood day in and day out is this faulty premise they use to explain why Obama seems to struggle to get six pack Joe's and Jane's political support. They frame the question as Why can't Obama close the deal with middle-America?

The question should be: Why don't working class white people vote their interest instead of their perceived identification?

The answer: The conservatives party operatives have long understood the value of selling the allusion of white privilege to poor whites. They have kept these folks on the ranch since the days of slavery. Poor whites, lacking wealth and influence, fear losing the one thing that makes them feel special over all of us non-whites - their whiteness - so, they eschew crossing over to support minorities that are not government approved (Clarence Thomas).

Bottom line: Until middle-America wakes up and smells the Fogers (coffee), they will continue to be pimped - like the rest of us - by the corrupt and greedy powers to be that want to continue to divide and conquer.

Are you ready for your blessing?

There was a flood and a man was waiting for god to help him. A boat came by, but he refused to go. Exclaiming, I am waiting for my lord.

A helicopter came but he refused to go. Stating, god promised me he would rescue me.

He ended up drowning and upon arriving at heaven, he asked god about it and why wasn't he saved.

God informed him he sent a boat and a helicopter. What more did the guy want? writer Unknown


At some point of our lives, the above rings true for all of us. In our times of trials and tribulations, we sometimes wallow so deep in our self-pity, we frequently do not recognize when god metaphorically sends us our boat and helicopter

Like the man in the flood, we think our salvation comes in a form of a physical law defying phenomenon. We wait and wait for blaring trumpets and angels grandly descending from heaven to rescue us.

We fail to realize god works his magic through live, breathing and yes sometimes very flawed human beings.

Truthfully, at times miracles are grand and instantaneous; however, most miracles arrive with inch by inch salvation. Most of the time, the miracle is that god has blessed us with the life, vigor, intestinal fortitude and support system to work for our rescue.

In summary, avoid the faith of the man in the flood, be ready when god sends you his blessings.

Urban Talk Radio

If you are anything like me, you are sick and tired of hearing the same 10 songs played on most urban radio station all day long - one long torturous loop.

If that is true, you can rejoice ... hope has arrived. The emergence of FM Urban Talk radio has provided a vastly more intelligent outlet for bored radio listeners.

The formats range from comedy - Steve Harvey, Tom Joyner, Monique; to adult topics - Michael Baisden; to political and social issues - Al Sharpton and Warren Ballentine.

The most redeeming quality of these syndicated shows is the dispensing of the down home/mother wit information. Even if you vehemently disagree with their opinions (as I often do) you have to applaud the overall message: we need to reconnect, restore and rededicate our energy to face the dire issues within our community.

The two standout personalities that impress me the most is my fraternity brother (blue-blue) and relative newcomer Warren Ballentine; the other one is, Michael Baisden - the leader of the grown folks radio movement.

Ballentine's show is very socially, politically and economically relevant. In conjunction with his program, he promotes community activism through his Thetruthfighers.com website. (I enrolled today)

Michael Baisden's grown folks radio program uses humor, wit and guile to elevate the communal conversation. His topics include male/female relationships, sexual abuse, marriage, parenting and sometimes politics.

At last the adults are given a broad forum to talk common sense, virtues and community organization to the intellectually deprived masses. Let's hope big brother doesn't pull the plug. Listen in and get energized.

The Journey

Enjoy the Ride

It is easy to judge your path when the results are obvious. Are you happy? Are you successful? But when you are on the path to living the life you want, what really matters is not the immediate outcome, but the meaning that it brings to your life. You know there is meaning when the process starts to matter more than the end results. It's then that you exude the divine beauty that shines from within.

I found the above in a wonderful website called Beliefnet (click link belief to find more). The above quote provides poignant insight to the key to success. Too often we fret over fear of failure or success; instead, we should focus on the process or journey - the net result will take care of itself.

Catharsis or Divisiveness

It was revealed this past week that the Obama and Clinton camps have reached an agreement on the Denver Democratic Convention agenda. First, Obama has agreed to both Clinton's playing a prominent role during the convention. Bill and Hillary will address the convention at prime time on back to back nights. Second, Hillary will have her name put in nomination for a roll call vote on the convention floor.

Some have argued that in order to unite the two camps and the party, after a heated and closely contested Democratic primary, that it was wise and shrewd for Obama to reach out to the Clintons and their backers. In conceding some of the convention spotlight to the Clintons, it will demonstrate respect to her primary electoral base (whom Obama desperately needs in Nov.) and allow them the opportunity to have their voices heard.

Still others argue, the convention should be about Obama and his platform being re-introduced to American voters. By caving in to the Clintons' convention demands (some say spotlight lust), he is allowing them to high jack and undermine his moment to re-ignite his campaign's momentum. The formidable Clintons, it has been stated, not so secretly have another agenda - upstage, therefore sabotage Obama's compaign. Obama's lost will be Hillary's opportunity for winning the presidential race in 2012.

We shall soon see if this will be the catharic or divisive moment - my instincts tell me the Clintons already know.

McCain and Fox TV spins the dirt

Usually when one makes a prediction that comes true it is time to gloat. However, my prediction (shared by millions) about the level of dirt McCain, Fox News, Rush and others, would hurl at Obama has been staggeringly accurate. Rather than gloat, I am outraged and disgusted. Read their words yourself:

Rush: This is an historical Obama campaign, for one reason. It's not because of his qualifications. It's for one reason only. It's his race.

This is code for Obama is the Affirmative Action candidate.

McCain: Barack Obama has played the race card, and he played it from the bottom of the deck,” Mr. McCain’s campaign manager, Rick Davis, charged in a statement with which Mr. McCain later said he agreed. “It’s divisive, negative, shameful and wrong.

This statement was issued after Obama joked in front of a 98% white and conservative audience about McCain's dubious and negative tactics that even worry many Republicans. Obama correctly stated tongue and cheek: “You know, he’s not patriotic enough. He’s got a funny name. You know, he doesn’t look like all those other presidents on those dollar bills, you know. He’s risky. That’s essentially the argument they’re making.”

Fox: Commenting on Barack and Michelle Obama's on-stage "fist bump" before the start of a June 3 speech by Barack Obama, host E.D. Hill previewed a segment on the June 6 edition of Fox News' America's Pulse by saying, "A fist bump? A pound? A terrorist fist jab? The gesture everyone seems to interpret differently."

Now who is playing the divisive and down and dirty race baiting card. The answer is obvious!

Dedication

Wikipedia: Dedication is to immerse oneself with sincerity into a certain subject.

Merriam-Webster: Dedication is self-sacrificing devotion

One of my most profound mentors use to emphatically declare each and every day the following: Will power, Build power. By chanting this mantra, he introduced me to the metaphysics of success; and he modelled the mindset of a positive and confident striver. He taught me that success begins as dream that is refined to a concept/strategy.

The lesson did not stop there. He both proclaimed and demonstrated that a dream/concept could be actualized through focus, determination and dedication.

This brings me to the operative word of success, dedication. Most people want to achieve success, may it be money, fame, acclaim, or happiness. Most people have dreams of achieving great things. But, few people develop their plans into successful action.

Whether it is fear, lack of grit or indiscipline behavior, many of us spend our lifetimes being content and just day dreaming of our great splash. In saying this, I recall a recent interview of Will Smith, in which he confessed that he did not think he was that much more talented than the average Joe. No, Will professed that his success was due to out working the average Joe.

Once again the familiar ring - dedication. In the business world I inhabit, the margin of success and failure can be measured in terms of determination/dedication.

To be successful, I need to use restraint in order to resist the gratifications of whims and desires.

I need to centered; avoiding the high highs and low lows of the daily business grind. But most of all, I must be cognizant that like a jilted lover, if I cheat on my business, it will cheat on me. All of the above require dedication. Is it in you?

Campaign Notes

Hillary Clinton: After a magnanimous and enthusiastic speech/appearance with Barack Obama, her stock is back on track. I thought Clinton struck all the right notes and proved she is a team player. This election is too important to not have party unity.

Bill Clinton: He and Barack shared a twenty minute phone conversation yesterday. Hopefully, Bill and Barack can patch up the bruised feelings and egos. The Democratic party is large enough to support three stars - Obama and the Clintons. In particular, as a true fan of the 1990's Clintons, I extend the benefit of the doubt to hear Bill's explanation for the tone of some of his campaign statements.

George Bush: Is it me, or is W trying to sabotage McCain's campaign? Just watch the body language between the two - there definitely is no love lost. In particular, just as McCain tries to distance himself away from W's shadow, W makes a statement that makes them seem joined at the hip. He did this regarding McCain's new pro-offshore drilling stance (W publically took the same position); and, W seem to echo McCain's position about speaking or negotiating with our enemies.

Karl Rove: He wins this week's, he said what award. After umpteen years of working with W - who brags that he was an average C student; who exclaims he doesn't like to read books, magazines and newspapers; who likes his presentations to come with bold bullet points; who admits that he is not intellectually curious; who did want to disrupt his vacation during our country's largest naturally disaster (I could go on) - Mr. Rove called Obama lazy! You gotta be kidding Karl and shame on you for trying to send coded false messages to those of you elk.

Karma

Have you ever experienced being caught in a rut, a rut when we seem overwhelmed by bad luck? I am not referring to the occasional experience of bad luck; no, I am speaking about the type of bad luck that leads to questioning one's karma.

If you answer yes, it is my belief that you are in the midst of a crisis of existence. You are experiencing a moment in which god or the universe is trying to capture your attention for a lesson or lessons to learn.

Many of us try so hard to avoid listening to this voice. We try to quiet this voice by staying busy, venting our frustration at people close to us, by using artificial substances to block out reality. But often to no avail, the pain becomes more and more intense until we can no longer ignore it.

As they sang in the Color Purple ... "god is trying to tell you something."

Our initial - and very human - reaction is to think we are being punish; hence, instead of acutely listening to this voice, we try to negotiate the "inconvenience" away by praying ...

God, if you release me from this pain or burden, I promise I will become rightous and I will never _____________________ (fill in the blank) do that again.

My belief is that god doesn't want us to bargain nor simply beg for forgiveness (even though seeking forgiveness and forgiving others are part of the process); god
wants us to pay attention to certain Universal Truths. God wants to free us from the prison our ego and vanity have built.

Once we successfully achieve this state, we can begin take action to improve our Karma. As we begin to take effective action, we better understand that god used that moment to help us grow not to punish us.

Diabetes and Exercise

I have been fully emerged in political dialog during this very exciting and historic political season. However, to add balance to my holistic blog, I am including this very informative piece I discovered on ediets.com. For those of us that suffer from diabetes - type 1 or type 2 - proper exercise is crucial to our health. Enjoy, process, implement and than share this information! For more info click on this link exercise

Type 1: Perform aerobic exercise three to five times per week at 55-70 percent of maximal heart rate. Each session should last 20- 30 minutes for health-related benefits and to better regulate insulin dosage. Those with Type 1 diabetes that do not have complications can strength train following a program that those without diabetes use. Strength training can be done two to three days a week performing 8-12 repetitions for 8-12 muscle groups, up to two to three sets of each exercise. Seek physician approval and heed strict limits on participation. To prevent hypoglycemia, you should link each session to the timing and site of insulin injection, antecedent and post-exercise nutrition, exercise at the same time every day and monitor your glucose before and after exercise.

Type 2: Perform aerobic exercise approximately five to six days of the week to burn calories and lose weight. Sessions should last 40-60 minutes in duration at a low intensity of 40-70 percent of maximal heart rate. Stick with moderate exercise to reduce the likelihood of foot irritation and musculoskeletal injury. Engage in light to moderate resistance training to increase muscle mass and lower basal insulin levels. For strength training, two days a week at a low level performing 15-20 reps for one to two sets per exercise. Also, try to increase activities of daily living like gardening, taking the steps and walking the dog.

On My Bookshelf: Frugal Duchess by Sharon Harvey Rosenberg

I can say with immeasurable pride that my one summer read and recommendation is a book recently released and written by my sister, Sharon Harvey Rosenberg called The Frugal Duchess: How to Live Well and Save.

With high gas, energy and food prices, the release of the book could not be more timely for families across the country. Here is a blurb from Amazon.com:

Award-winning journalist Rosenberg shares how she lives a life of high style without the stress of high costs or deprivation. She chronicles her often hilarious journey of luxury living for less in one of the most expensive cities in the U.S., while equipping readers with the tools they can use in their own cities.

What's next?

Yes, by now, the euphoria of Barack Obama's historic achievement has worn down and the reality of the task at hand is very sobering. McCain, Republicans, Fox News, conservative (hate) radio and corporate lobbyist are fully engaged in political guerrilla warfare.

Their strategy - we predicted months ago - character assassination by besmirching his name and record, and promoting lies. They have attacked Obama's religion (questioning his Christianity and church affiliation), patriotism and wife. The goal of this strategy is to make Obama the bogeyman - never mind fairly critiquing his position on issues. In response to the intensity of these lies, Obama established a website called factcheck.barackobama.com to set the record straight.

Our job? We must continue to campaign and canvass on the behalf of this movement. Obama's campaign can be reached in all 50 states for volunteer organizers. Here is a recent press release from the Obama campaign:

Senator Barack Obama's campaign today announced the kickoff of Vote for Change, an unprecedented 50-state voter registration and mobilization drive. The campaign will work with grassroots volunteers and partner with local organizations to register new voters and boost engagement in our Democratic process. The program will launch on May 10 with dozens of events around the country.

"If we're going to push back on the special interests and finally solve the challenges we face, we're going to need everyone to get involved," said Senator Obama. "Over the next six months, Vote for Change is going to bring new participants into the process, adding scores of new voices to this critical dialogue about our future. I started my career as a community organizer, and I worked to register voters in communities where hope was all but lost. I've seen what can happen when Americans re-engage and take ownership in the process." "We've already seen amazing new enthusiasm and involvement over the course of this campaign, and now we're taking that excitement to the next level in all 50 states," said deputy campaign manager Steve Hildebrand. "We've seen too many elections where turnout was less than 50 percent. At this critical time in our history, we know we can do better--this year and beyond."

Uncle Thomas

Once again Uncle Clarence Thomas has us collectively scratching our heads. This past Tuesday the Supreme Court correctly decided that:

federal civil-rights laws protect not only employees who suffer discrimination, but also colleagues who face retaliation for standing up on their behalf.

In this case, a manager of a Cracker Barrel restaurant was fired for complaining about the unfair dismissing of another employee because she was black. The court used the anti-discrimination civil rights law of 1866 (a law used to protect newly freed slaves) as their justification.

This manager, who is black, consistently received excellent reviews, overheard and witnessed another manager use racist language and fire an employee solely because she was black. He was fired for complaining.

The court rendered a 7-2 decision in favor of the fired manager. You asked, who were the two hold-outs? Yes, the smug Antonin Scalia (Vp Cheney's hunting buddy) and Clarence Thomas. To add insult to injury, Clarence wrote:

When an individual is subjected to reprisal because he has complained about racial discrimination, the injury he suffers is not on account of his race; rather, it is the result of his conduct," ... therefore Section 1981 provided no remedy.

Whaaaaaat!? He is essentially declaring that if one gets fired for validly complaining about racism that its the victims fault for complaining thus the firing is not against his (Thomas) interpretation of the law. Wow! Even Bush II's conservative appointees Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito agreed with the majority decision.

I could see Thomas ruling in 1860 that slavery is not inhumane nor unconstitutional!

For more on this story click Wall Street Journal.

Newsweek's Advice to Obama

The following excerpt was taken from the June 2, 2008 issue of Newsweek Magazine. This particular story was titled, A Memo For Senator Obama.

Sen. Jim Webb, the ex-Marine elected from Virginia, noted recently on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" that his people, the Scots-Irish who so heavily populate the hills of Appalachia, are like "tortured siblings of black Americans. They both have a long history and they both missed the boat when it came to larger benefits that a lot of people were able to receive." If poor rural whites and African-Americans could sit down together, they would find that they have much in common. When you visit West Virginia and Kentucky, you could begin that conversation with some town meetings. Webb has also observed that the Scots-Irish hill folk are by nature scrappers and fighters. That's one reason they admired Hillary and voted for her. You need to show them you are a fighter, too—and that you will fight for them.

Say no more, I agree 100% with Newsweek and Sen. Jim Webb, Obama has to tirelessly work to overcome the elite perception he has among working class voters in the Appalachian states in order to win the general election.

As they further state:

Your mission is to not wind up like Kerry, who ended up losing the rural vote by 20 points. The "reality," writes Davis, "is that when Democratic candidates run competitively in rural America, they win national elections. And when they get creamed in rural America, they lose."

Newsweek suggests that Obama use an issue like Affirmative Action to win over poor whites by taking the following position:

You need an issue that plays against prejudice or typecasting. Affirmative action is deeply unpopular with white, working-class voters who see African-Americans bestowed with privileges long denied poor whites. You've suggested—obliquely, but nonetheless provocatively—that you might prefer seeing affirmative action for disadvantaged whites rather than black elites, noting that you wouldn't expect your private-school-educated daughters to need an admissions break at college. Taking a stand for affirmative action based on socioeconomic class rather than race would send a powerful signal.

Once again I agree, Affirmative Action has long been a wedge issue that has created racial hostility among working class blacks and whites. I have long believe, we as African-Americans would make more progress in this country is we establish political, social and economic alliances with poor whites. By broadening the benefits of Affirmative Action to be based on economic status rather than just racial status would be a shrewd step in the right direction.

Blue Collar Electorate

Election pundits have repeatedly asked why Barack Obama has trouble attracting blue collar Whites as if he created the problem and could solve it. Hillary is seldom asked why Blacks don’t vote for her, a problem she could solve. But it is interesting why blue collar Whites consistently vote against themselves, supporting Republicans who care little about their problems.


This question, posited by columnist Ron Walters in a Final Call article this past May 14th, 2008, accurately underscores a political phenomenon that has placed our country in dire straits.

For the past 40 years - Nixon to Reagan to Bush I to Dole to Bush II - the white majority vote has gone to the Republican candidate even though the platform - economic and foreign - contrast with the interests of middle America. In plain words, it should be explored in depth why so-called "hardworking" blue collar whites seldom vote their interest.

The conflict of interest vote overwhelmingly supported President Bush and what did they reap from their votes: tax cuts that favor the very wealthy; financial and bankrupt laws written by Banks and Credit Card companies that hurt the middle class; an economic surplus turned into a huge deficit; an unwise, poorly managed, costly and unpopular war; and, higher gas, energy and food costs.

What are the roots of this phenomenon? The Republican image makers and king makers (and Clintons) intuitively understand the psyche of middle America; and, how to manipulate it. Each election cycle since 1968 (Nixon) the Republican strategist have used wedge issues such as abortion, crime, race, welfare, immigration, gay rights, women's rights, school prayer etc to either scare or stroke xenophobia in order to become recipients of white blue collar votes.


The sad reality is this strategy is very effective and it is also being used by John McCain and his surrogates in an effort to derail Barack Obama's campaign. In fact, just earlier today, I watched the sleaziest of sleazy Sean Hannity of the equally bias Fox Network actively engaging in scare the white folks politics. In mid-season form, he rarely mentions the relevant issues affecting millions of millions of Americans; instead, he opts to attack Obama's church and statements by Obama's wife. The goal is to inflame blue collar whites against Obama. He did not mention the war, gas prices, housing crisis, rising food costs nor the weak dollar. He did not challenge nor critique Obama's vision for our country. No, he attacked out of context statements written or spoken by Michelle Obama.

The ultimate challenge is for blue collar whites to stop being pimped and pandered to by those that do not share their best interest. Until that day occurs, we will continue to be divided and conquered by the corrupt.

Racial Undertones - Clintons

To win the presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 candidate Bill Clinton relied heavily on emotional and electoral support from the black community - in fact, even though he won both elections, he lost the white vote in both elections.

During President Clinton's impeachment days, when his white blue-collar support waivered, African-American's offered steadfast and loyal support.

So now it seems puzzling, disloyal and, frankly, hurtful to see the Clintons use subtle and not so subtle race-bating tactics in Hillary's race for the democratic presidential nomination.

Yes, make no mistake, Hillary and Bill, are win at all cost campaign veterans and they truly understand the rhectoric of racial politics. As a former governor of the southern Arkansas, Bill knows the racial politics of the southern strategy. Wikipedia defines the southern strategy as:


In American politics, the Southern strategy refers to methods of winning elections in the South in the latter decades of the 20th century by exploiting racial anxiety among white voters.

Hillary's latest quote that - “Senator Obama’s support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again.” There’s a pattern emerging here.” - was labeled race-bating by the paper that endorsed her, The New York Times.

Shame on you Bill and Hillary. I do not believe you two are racist, but you have demonstated that you will deploy any strategy or tactic to win an election; even if it pulls apart the democratic party and our country's tenuous racial relations. You two have super-elevated your personal ambitions above the needs of our country at a time, black, white, Asian, Latino, poor, working class, middle-class need unification the most in order to win back our country from the elk of Bush/Cheney.

Random Notes

Clinton - 2012

Many political writers and pundits are openly musing that Hillary Clinton Inc., realizing mathematically they have lost the 2008 democratic nomination for president, have shifted their focus to 2012. In their shrewd calculation, Obama will probably win the nomination and face McCain in November, therefore, their best strategy is to continue inter-party warfare in order to weaken Obama's chances in the fall election. This will ensure a McCain victory and because of his advance age - 77 in 2012 - he will most likely be a one term president. The net result: 2012 will be ripe for a Clinton victory; especially with Obama's status as damaged goods.

Rev. Wright -

Could Wright be more wrong - I doubt it. In his egotistical and paranoidal address at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, Wright seemed to beam about his controversial 15 minutes of fame. Instead on stepping out of the spotlight, in order to limit his damage to Obama's presidential bid, Wright relished the opportunity to pour more fuel on the embers to reignite the political firestorm. Wright clumsily tried to cloak his raison d'etre as being a defender of the black church by egotistically stating any criticism of Wright (yes he used the third person) is a criticism of the black church; and of course, he was not going to sit idly by and let that happen. In other words, criticism of Wright or the black church according to his flawed logic was bigger than Obama's campaign; therefore, he, Wright had to boldly speak out or our black church would be defamed (yeah right).

Is he being paid by the republicans or Clintons - makes you wonder.

Diabetes - top 10 excellent snack foods

If you are anything like me, as a person living with diabetes, you get a little bit tired of reading or hearing about foods that you once loved that you now must drastically reduce or completely eliminate from your diet.

If this is you, this list was constructed with you in mind:

1. Fruit - in particular berries, melons and kiwi; and excellent source of fiber.

2. Yogurt - there are delicious selections of sugar free yogurt on the market.

3. Frozen Fruit Cups

4. Hot Chocolate - sugar free of course.

5. Angel Food Cake

6. Hard Candies

7. Ice Cream - sugar free.

8. Frozen Fruit Slushes - my favortie.

9. Chocolate - dark chocolate and sugar free.

10. Jello - sugar free.

Same Ole Tune

P. T. Barnum once quipped, "You can never go broke underestimating the intelligence of the American Public."

I believe the above quote has also served as a mantra for the republican party since the 1960's. In election after election they are able to dupe the American electorate with the same empty rhetoric.

Republicans claim to be anti-flag burning patriots meanwhile they neglect our returning veterans after failing to properly equip them for the strategically poorly planned Vietnam and Iraq wars. Combat tours are arbitrarily extended as our war profiting VP Cheney states, "well, they did volunteer to join the forces."

Republicans pledge to cut taxes - and they do, mostly for the very wealthy - by telling the average American, its your money.

The result of the average republican tax cut: Joe and Jane Doe receive a $300.00 refund that they have to declare as income in their subsequent tax return; higher state taxes to compensate for less revenue states receive from the feds; less money to repair or fund our schools, healthcare, roads and bridges; billions and billions of dollar subsidies (welfare) for rich corporations that transfers middle-management and manufacturing jobs overseas; and, soaring deficits and a very weak dollar.

Another election year and the republicans are striking up the band to play the same ole tune in which middle-America has a Pavlovian behavior response.

Well, P. T. Barnum also said, "A sucker is born everyday."

Obama Endorsement

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said Democrats must unite behind a presidential nominee soon and end the "bloodletting" that can doom the party's chances of capturing the White House.
"Maybe after the remaining primaries," which conclude June 3, Democrats should "come together and look at who's ahead when it comes to delegates, when it comes to the popular vote, the number of states," Richardson told Fox News Sunday. "I just feel the time has come to come together behind a candidate."

Richardson, a former presidential candidate who served in Bill Clinton's administration as energy secretary and U.N. ambassador, endorsed Sen. Barack Obama on Friday. - Bloomberg News

Richardson endorsing Obama is a huge deal for three important reasons:

1. He is a superdelegate and superdelegates will decide the nomination.
2. His experience in foreign and energy policy brings gravitas to Obama's campaign.
3. His Hispanic heritage and popularity should help Obama with Latino voters (a demographic he desperately needs to improve upon).

One can infer, by Richardson's statements, he disapproved of the style and tone of the Clinton campaign. He cited the Obama healing speech on race as the motivating factor for endorsing Obama.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - Campaign 2008

Well, as one of my friends stated, the Clinton machine and Republicans are going to throw everything but the kitchen sink at Obama.

First, Geraldine Ferraro, re-interjected race into the campaign dialogue, by stating:

If (Barrack) Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color), he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept.

Observation I: It may help him with some black voters but being a black man (part Kenyan African) with a name Barrack Hussein Obama is probably more of a liability than asset.

Observation II: Ms. Ferraro, a virtually unknown congresswoman from New York, in 1984 was named Walter Mondale's running mate - becoming the first woman on the presidential ticket of a major political party. Did gender play a major role? Did Ms. Ferraro think she was the affirmative action candidate as she suggests about Obama?

By The Way: Ms Ferraro, in 1988 you said virtually the same about the reason Jesse Jackson was running - because he was black. You also claim that you are only telling the truth and are only being attacked because you are white. Funny, I have never heard you only tell the truth about George W. Bush - that is to say; as a self-acclaimed poor student who was accepted into Harvard and Yale because of daddy (can you say Affirmative Action) he benefited from his white status.

Well, to me the whole thing reeks of dirty politics. First, Ferraro, amid a blue collar state primary yells, Obama is an affirmative action candidate; fully aware it may negatively taint Obama as benefiting not from merit but only because he is black. The calculation is that blue collar, white America men would resent the perceived "unfair" advantage bestowed upon Obama.

Lastly, Hillary Clinton can appear to stay above the fray by asking Ferraro to resign and denouncing her comments; however, mission accomplished.

There is a wing of the Democratic Party that is ecstatic that an African American is on the verge of making history. Likewise, there is a wing of the Democratic Party that is ecstatic a woman is on the verge of making history. This narrative that began as a win-win scenario is now creating mistrust and division among the rank and file.

This benefits the Republicans.

Posted by healthysouls at 3:09 PM 0 comments

Diabetes Alert: 20 Reasons to Exercise

I love straight to the point concise lists ... especially on writers-block Saturday. I found this particular list on ediets.com. This entire web site is dedicated to helping people with diabetes live a fullfilling and healthier life.


Why Exercise? 20 Reasons!
By Michael Stefano
eDiets Contributor
Friday, February, 29, 2008



RSS With all we now know about the benefits of exercise, it's hard to believe more Americans don't work out. It's the closest thing yet to the fountain of youth, and truly the only way to change the appearance, shape and strength of your body.

In addition, the health benefits associated with an intelligently orchestrated strength, flexibility and cardiovascular training program can add quality years to your life.


Everyone exercises for different reasons. But no matter your initial motivation,you still get all the benefits. Below is a list of 20 reasons why you should work out. If you can find even one benefit on this list, you'll have enough reason to beginan exercise program and take steps to take care of yourself.

Regular exercise can...


Help you lose weight, especially fat

Improve your physical appearance

Increase your level of muscular strength and endurance

Maintain your resting metabolic rate to prevent weight gain

Increase your stamina and ability to do continuous work

Improve fitness levels, or your body's ability to use oxygen

Provide protection against injury

Improve your balance and coordination

Increase bone mineral density to prevent osteoporosis

Lower resting heart rate and blood pressure

Lower Body Mass Index (BMI) -- your fat-to-height ratio

Reduce triglycerides, bad cholesterol (LDL), raises good cholesterol (HDL)

Enhance sexual desire and performance

Reduce heart disease risk and stroke

Reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer

Increase insulin sensitivity -- prevents Type 2 diabetes

Reduce your level of anxiety and help you manage stress

Improve function of the immune system

Improve your self-esteem and restore confidence

Help you sleep better, relax and improve mood

Top Ten Things Successful People Do

I found this on a web site named, All Tips and Tricks. I plan to save a copy of this in my wallet.

1. Hard work. Successful people work very hard and they are keen on practicing or rehearsing things until they come out perfect. Their outcome is only the tip of the iceberg; it is only that 10% that people see. The rest of 90% is preparation and hard work.

2. Focus. When they do something, the rest of the world disappears until they stop. All their attention and all their resources work together for a common goal, to complete the current task they are on. Many times, they forget even to eat or sleep, because they are so absorbed into their action. They just don’t let themselves become overwhelmed by “non-urgent” issues. They are keen on prioritizing.

3. Passion. They like what they do or they do what they like. Either way you put it, they enjoy their work, they are so passionate about it, that hard work is a pleasure and a must for them. Do you think that Beethoven could have written any of his works without passion? Or Van Gogh would have been able to paint so astonishing if passion was not there? Of course not!

4. Curiosity. Successful people want to know. They want to learn. The questions they most frequently ask are not “What? When? Who?” but rather “Why? Or How?” The best way to repeat a successful action is to know why was it successful, what was that little trigger that generated attraction and recognition.

5. Empathy. Have you noticed how many people like successful guy? It’s because of their way with others, their way of establishing rapport. Highly successful people are empathic and often it happens despite their solitude, many people like them and feel good around them. That is because of their high level of emotional intelligence, because of their abilities to listen and learn from the world.

6. Responsibility. They are fully responsible of their acts. When something happens, they don’t waste time to search for who’s to blame, they rather move on to finding what needs to be done next. They don’t complain and they don’t look for pity.

7. Self-improvement. Successful people work on themselves, they change with the times, they learn from the past. Look at Madonna: how many times did she completely revamp her style? Too many times. Each time when she felt the need to shift to something new she was able to update her profile. The result: she was appreciated every time by her fans and she’s still tops after so many years.

8. Humor. They appreciate humor, they live in this spirit, they do serious things with relaxation and joy, they don’t rush or get hurried just to see things done.

9. Creativity. Successful people think out of the box. They search for new ways of doing things, when they don’t find something very comfortable, they try to adjust it to serve them better. Going with the flock is definitely not their way of life.

10. Flexibility. There is a saying that in an organization, the most flexible element always wins. It is true. Think no further than your workplace. Who are the colleagues you value most? Aren’t they the ones who are flexible, who can adjust themselves so much that they can understand your point of view? Yes, success comes with a large dose of flexibility, and this does not mean that such people do not have their own opinions. Not at all! It just means that they know how to listen and how to act to see things and actions going their way. They know how to spot opportunities and change them into more joy, satisfaction and success for themselves.

Now give it a thought and see what are your characteristics. Do you have something in common with highly successful people? If not, maybe it is time for a change, isn’t it?

The Souls of Black Folks

In The Souls of Black Folks, WEB Dubois wrote the following about the duality of the psyche or consciousness of African Americans:

It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness,
this sense of always looking at one's self
through the eyes of others, of measuring one's soul
by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt
and pity. One ever feels his two-ness, — an
American, a Negro ; two souls, two thoughts, two unreconciled
strivings; two warring ideals in one dark
body, whose dogged strength alone keeps it from being
torn asunder.

The timeliness of those eloquent words is staggering because they still accurately describe the state of the black soul. First, since we are bombarded, day after day, with negative messages and images we have internalized anti-black racism like the rest of America. We see ourselves and our community through the eyes of those that despise us.

Our self-hatred manifests itself in those black faces that wreck havoc in our communities throughout America. The uneducated and neglected children that learn to terrorize, kill, loot, sell drugs are not only problematic; they are symptomatic of a community short on self-love.

There is self-hatred in the black middle and upper-class. They frequently treat blackness as a condition to escape rather than a culture to embrace and uplift; hence, far too often they have become disconnected and overly critical of the community. Our black middle and upper-class has yet to become the head attached to the body of the masses. They have yet to become the talented 10th envisioned by Dubois - a group of educated people whose actions set the course for the empowerment of their representative group.

On the other hand, there exists a false understanding of blackness among too many of us. This has led to a misconception that “keeping it real” means rejection of all virtues perceived to be foreign or white. Education, mainstream ambition and, professional etiquette are labeled white virtues; therefore, those that practice them are called sell outs or Uncle Toms. Our kids are taught in songs, videos and playgrounds that real G’s don’t read and that one earns manhood stripes by going to prison or putting in work (crime).

As Dubois would suggest, the time for reconciliation is now! Reconciliation is nothing more than embracing who we were, who we are and who we can become. This self-love is the greatest gift we can pass on to the next generation (Remember the song the Greatest).

Why? Because, a people that loves self devotes energy, resources and talent to building schools, economies, communities and institutions that perpetuate survival, growth and excellence.

Join us in our journey. Peace.

Political Update - Democratic Primary

Well the two camps - Obama vs. Clinton - continue to slug it out after Hillary's astounding comeback last week in the large and important states of Texas and Ohio. In these wins it appears Hillary's desperate strategy (if Barack won these states, he would probably have wrapped up the nomination) to go nasty and negative was effective.

The 3AM ad was aired to place fear in voters' mind about Obama's experience and competence in dealing with a national crisis. The ad, which depicted children sleeping, asked the question, who would you want to answer 3am national emergency call; the inexperienced and untested Obama or the battle tested and experienced Clinton.

To further illustrate her point, Clinton has touted the battle readiness of McCain and herself in a manner which suggest republican John McCain is better prepared to be president than Obama.

Let's hope calmer heads prevail. We do not want the two excellent democratic candidates to destroy each other to the point they make it easy for another republican to win the White House.

I always have admired the Clintons. I even had a chance to briefly meet and speak with Hillary Clinton (Richmond 1992). I found her warm and engaging. I could proudly vote for Clinton or Obama. However, I find the win at any cost campaigning unstately and dangerous for the Democratic Party. In 1968, internal fighting gave us Richard Nixon. And, in 1980 the bitter campaign between Ted Kennedy and Jimmy Carter gave us 12 god awful years of Reagan/Bush. Let's not have, in the immortal words of Yogi Berra, deja vu all over again.

Quote of the Week

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
Nelson Mandela

Ohio Democratic Debate Notes

Yes, I tuned into the Tuesday night debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and here are a few of my observations:

First, I honestly have not made up my mind on which candidate would make a better general election nominee; or, more importantly, a better president. Clinton and Obama both share common goals: universal health care; non-imperial foreign policy; and, a domestic platform that addresses the country's environment, infrastructure and common citizen's concerns. I would embrace either candidate that wins ... so let us not demonize either one in this competitive yet spirited race.

Hillary was energized and in attack mode. She continued to harp on the theme that her experience trumps Obama's message of hope. The debating edge goes to Hillary; however, Obama has significantly improved since the early debates. He seems much more relaxed, confident and even presidential.

The Farrakhan question: I thought this relic litmus test was buried in the past. Once again this golden oldie reappeared. A prominent black leader is asked does he renounce Farrakhan. In the past when Farrakhan was at his zenith, the question's intent was to confound black leaders. On one hand, renounce Farrakhan and lose black grassroot support; or, on the other hand, fail to adequately renounce Farrakhan and be tagged anti-Semitic.

Without hesitation, Obama stated that he has a track record of repudiating perceived (my word) anti-Semitic statements Farrakhan has made. At this point, I thought Hillary, eager to interject, was going to magnanimously take the high road by stating this election is about serious issues and the Farrakhan question was a mere superficial distraction. She didn't take this road. Instead she responded that renouncing Farrakhan was not enough, he (Obama) had to flat out reject Farrakhan.

Obama retorted by stating: "There's no formal offer of help from Minister Farrakhan that would involve me rejecting it."

"But if the word 'reject' Senator Clinton feels is stronger than the word 'denounce,' then I'm happy to concede the point, and I would reject and denounce," he added.

The irony of this exchange, initiated by commentator Tim Russert, is that he (Russert) is a defender, enabler and supporter of Don Imus. Russert, of Meet The Press, was and is a regular guest on the Imus show. Russert has playfully tolerated the crude, sexist and racist comments frequently uttered by Imus and his cohorts over the years.

Economic Empowerment

I recently read a compilation list of the top 10 things African Americans should do, and I couldn't agree more with the following recommendation:

Start a business. In the bestseller "The Covenant", author Tavis Smiley urges blacks to start their own businesses. Why? A business is the one thing that can boost the economic wealth of a group or community. We've seen it done by our Asian brothers and sisters. So, it's our time now. Go to www.businesslicenses.com to obtain a license to sell and then get down to work. Even if it doesn't directly impact your own wealth, it will improve the well-being of your legacy.

Amen, I concur 1000%. We, as a community, have fought on the battlefield to end slavery; we have created organizations to fight for our judicial rights; we have boycotted to achieve equal social status; and, we have marched on congress to demand political rights - yet too many of our communities in city after city, rural area after rural area still suffer from poverty, crime, ignorance and high unemployment.

However, I am encouraged by the growing entrepreneurial spirit among African Americans. A recent report issued by the Census Bureau suggests:

The report, "Survey of Business Owners: Black-Owned Firms: 2002," says that between 1997 and 2002, the number of black-owned businesses in the United States rose 45 percent to 1.2 million, while the combined revenue increased 25 percent to $88.8 billion.

Each ethnic group that has voluntarily immigrated to America quickly learns the correlation of economic growth to improved status in this country. These immigrates understood that language, racial, religious and cultural differences could be overcome by creating a strong economic base. The wealth accrued by economic development allowed them to send their children to the nation's top prep schools and universities. At these institutions their children learn to become the power brokers of our society and the world beyond.

Do your homework, develop a plan and start a business - let's build a strong legacy for our future generations!

Dedicated to Family

Healing remains the focus of my blog. Healing is the restoration of health – and from a metaphysical and holistic perspective – I am speaking about spiritual, political, social, physical and economical health.

I believe the healing process begins when one better knows and understands self. Who am I? Where am I going? What is my mission or purpose in life? Our journey to answer these existential questions helps us form our personal theology or relationship with god.

In my continual quest for my purpose or mission in life, I have been greatly assisted by the two most endearing people of my life – my mother and father. Next, my three siblings or sisters have provided me with the stamina, motivation and vision to continue on. First, I would not be writing if my oldest sister, a brilliant writer, did not set an example of achievement from grade school to adulthood. Second, my two youngest sisters have, by their success, continued to set the bar high for achievement.

But back to my parents; the example and commitment of my parents to excellence demonstrated that anything is possible through hard work and dedication. Their philosophy remains: All it takes to succeed is persistence and integrity. Yes, integrity, because to my parents you could be a millionaire and still be an unsuccessful bum or you could be a dedicated street cleaner and be the model of success.

Additionally, they instilled in my sisters and me a profound sense of family. I can not tell you how much this alleviates stress and anxiety in life – the knowledge that you have unconditional support and love from family.

In our household, we suffered the normal trials and tribulations that most families face. We were not spared hardships. However, we always had a resilience to not only bounce back but to even climb to higher heights after a set back.

What am I saying: In your quest for healing, cherish and do not take for granted your biggest support system – family.

Obama sweeps DC.VA and MD

The Obama express continues to roll on in overwhelming victories in Virginia, Washington, DC and Maryland. The results were: VA – Obama 64%; Clinton 34% DC - Obama 75%; Clinton 24% MD – Obama 60%; Clinton 37%.

The total delegates needed to win the democratic nomination are 2025. The current delegate scorecard reads: Obama 1253 and Hillary 1211; this number could change when the remaining superdelegates decide which candidate they support.

Furthermore, Clinton has suffered critical and high level shake-ups in her campaign team and was forced to lend $5,000,000 of her own money to her campaign. These recent events has increased the pressure for her to do exceedingly well on the March 4th primaries in Ohio and Texas.

The question now becomes: Can Obama withstand the glare of being a frontrunner? We understand how this youthful and charismatic man has charmed voters and the press. His message of unity and hope resonates well. Yet, we understand, the far-right (or should we say the far-wrong) propaganda machine is awaiting the opening of Obama hunting season. They, unlike Hillary Clinton, do not lose points from their base if they play cheap and dirty. These scurrilous people will try to either Willie Horton or Swift Boat Obama.

The march continues…

Oh, one other thing, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, please stay off the stage. You two have got to know how the opposition will use you (baggage and all) to marginize Obama (that was code for: scare white folks). You two had more than your share of the center stage; hence, please do not become a campaign issue.

My Readers Talk

Greg Allen writes:

The big question that most people are asking of both Obama and Clinton is "Whether there is the possibility of seeing both names on the ballot in November as President and Vice President"?

Some say this won't be possible because of their stark contrasts. They say that there is no way Obama, if selected as the Presidential candidate would select Clinton because she is too polarizing and would outshine him as a Vice President. Others say that Clinton, if selected as the Presidential candidate, would most likely make an offer to Obama to be Vice President, event if it's just for GP, but they say that Obama would not accept second in command to Clinton.

One thing I am certain of and that is that we cannot go wrong with either Obama or Clinton or vice versa. But can you imagine how things would be if these two phenomonal energies teamed up. It most certainly would be a winning ticket for America.

Keep up the good work. Greg Allen, Atlanta, GAFebruary 9, 2008 12:14 PM


Greg, thank you for your well thought out comments. I agree a presidential ticket with Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton would be great. Whatever transpires, history is unfolding right before our eyes. Please continue to read and send this blog to your friends and associates. Ben

Rod writes:


Hey, I am glad this is an issue you are pressing. I am excited about this election and I hope as this process proceeds our next (President) democratic candidate can surface. This election for me is having a candidate that can unite all Americans and restore the greatness of America internationally. Together we can change this nation.February 6, 2008 9:25 AM

Rod, I couldn't agree with you more. I hope our next president puts an end to the Karl Rove strategy: politics of division. Ben


Russell Roberts writes:

I greatly admire Senator Clinton for all she has done on behalf of the American public and the Democratic Party. And I definitely believe she’s more than qualified for the job of President. However, I think that Senator Obama’s message resonates so deeply because folk the world over are simply tired of what, I think, appears as our American political dynasties (Bush and Clinton eras) that entrench themselves in the Presidency and the White House...

I, like many Americans, am frustrated and sick of the politics of this current president. They simply don’t work for me. I’m tired of the division among our elected leaders and the situation this country is in. I’m appalled at the senseless loss of lives endured through the war in Iraq and I honestly can’t see how we’re to realistically get our troops out of harm’s way without the additional loss of our soldiers. I remain hopeful, however. That's all I can do. I won't even start with healthcare and education. Whew! I’d actually like to see our political process really and truly affect the much needed change we need the world over. Then again, who wouldn’t?February 6, 2008 1:06 PM

Wow, you cover a lot of ground. Thank you for your comments. Please continue reading and sharing with others. Ben

Obama's Appeal - Newt Gingrich Fox News

GINGRICH: I don't know that I'm surprised because I went into it curious about what would happen. The only really big surprise to me was that in California you saw the impact of early voting, because my sense is that people who voted on election day were much more for Romney and for Obama, but that the number of votes that McCain and Clinton got before election day in absentee ballots, which are very big in California, really made a huge difference in the final outcome.

I guess the other surprise to me in California was that Obama actually carried both the white vote and the African-American vote. Senator Clinton survived by the Asian-American vote and the Latino vote, but lost both white and black voters to Senator Obama. That surprised me a little bit.

The other thing I'd say that I thought was a real surprise, I'm talking to you from Idaho, which is one of the states that Senator Obama carried. He did an amazing job of focusing on Minnesota, North Dakota, Colorado, Idaho, a number of states, Alaska, where he was picking up, I thought, very impressively, caucus after caucus, in states that don't have a very large African-American population, but clearly liberal activist whites had decided that Obama was their future

Don't Mistake Complaining For Action

As many already know, I relish a good debate or substantive political discussion. As a child, I enjoyed listening to my very informed parents and their friends discuss political, social and economic issues of the day. Our family's Sunday breakfast was spent with mom and dad poring over the New York Times and discussing their personal opinions on the important news topics.

In high school, college dorms and various jobs, friends and associates know I like discussing political and social issues. In saying all that, I must add, I never confused political debate as action. Nor do I confuse complaining as action. I fervently believe if one is greatly upset with status quo in society, one has the responsibility to organize and bring about change. Failure to do so renders all of your arguments and observations as moot bellyaching.

Life has taught me that anything worth having is worth the fight. Let us stop the defeatist mentality that introduces failure before we even start fighting. Jump into the fray and help bring about justice. There no guarantee we will win, but there is a guarantee that complaining from the sidelines will just give you more of the same.

The Only Thing To Fear Is Fear Itself. FDR

CALL TO ACTION

We should say never again to George Bush and the fanatical right wing of the Republican Party. We should pledge never again will we allow, without an all out battle, the ilk of Dick Cheney to highjack our country's government.

These crooked politicians have raided the country's budget surplus in order to reward their friends. They have ignored the issues that impact the average American. They have lied to start a war in Iraq. Meanwhile, thousands of young soldiers have been killed, maimed and seriously injured because of faulty equipment and incompetent war management. During this immoral war, Cheney's Halliburton Company has garnered no bid contracts while overcharging and failing to render adequate services. To add insult to injury; after Halliburton looted our tax dollars they have moved their corporate headquarters to Dubai - thus avoided American taxes (read Sen. Pat Leahy's comments):


Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., called the decision to move as "an example of corporate greed at its worst."

"This is an insult to the U.S. soldiers and taxpayers who paid the tab for their no-bid contracts and endured their overcharges for all these years," Leahy said in a statement.

Yes, our mantra should be never again!

Over these past 7-8 years, Bush, who pre-Sept 11th failed to respond to terrorist threats, has used the 911 attack to push his warped agenda down the throats of shelled-shocked America. This upcoming election we all must send a resounding rejection message to the right wing Bushees.

My friends, its not enough to complain - we have to become engaged and fight like hell. I advise all my readers to go to www.barackobama.com or www.hillaryclinton.com and join and participate. Let's take back our country!

SUPER TUESDAY - SUPER CHOICES

Ahh, primary season, for a self-acknowledged political junkie, this is truly my holiday. I have been mesmerized by the electricity in the air. The electricity from anticipation of history unfolding. For the first time in USA history, a woman or African American will be nominated as a major party's presidential candidate - Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama.

I find the energy, sincerity and commitment by both candidates as refreshing. I believe both Obama and Clinton would bring passion, clarity and voice to issues the GOP routinely ignore or evade such as universal health care, education, environment, our country's eroding infrastructure and poor/working class/middle-class people. I believe Obama and Clinton would usher in a more progressive foreign policy that represents the best of America rather than this pseudo John Wayne cowboy approach by Bush.

I am especially proud that these two fine candidates have decided, after the contentious and divisive antics of South Carolina (where some believe race and gender were infused in the campaign via surrogates), to behave like adults and seize the high ground.

They both are accentuating their positive attributes. Hillary is a determined, methodical fighter for her party's platform. She is very studied and has learned to be more practical in her approach. Obama is a transcendent and inspirational figure that creatively thinks outside the box without alienating those that do. With his youthful vigor and politics of hope message, he reaches beyond conventional categories.

My only endorsement is to become involved and learn the candidates' positions on issues important to you and your local community. Send e-mails to friends reminding them to participate and vote. Join a campaign, just be active. Remember my friends: People get the leaders they deserve.

Personal Spirtuality

I am not a church going person. I do understand how regular church attendance is critical to spiritual growth for the vast majority of the faith based population. I appreciate the fulfilling spiritual nourishment of a timely message and the warmth of a heartfelt gospel song.

As an African-American, I am humbled by the role of the black church in providing hope during the dark days of slavery. The church was a place of inspiration and refuge for the civil rights movement. The black church gave meaning and purpose to a downtrodden people. The church was our beacon that guided our ships through the perilous seas that begged to steal our hope and dignity. The church was there.

In my own life, I remember, as an 8 year boy, my grandmother, an AME pastor, charismatically delivering the word to a congregation partnering with her in a call and response emotional exchange. I vividly recall her excitement and passion as she rejoiced in exclaiming "hallelujah". I remember rediscovering my spiritual quest at 15 years old by joining a Baptist church in Camden, New Jersey. Oh yes, I have fond memories of listening to the inspirational and practical sermons of Rev. Mills.

I do fervently believe in the power of prayer. In fact, my days are spent in perpetual conversation with my god. My mission in life, albeit my personal flaws and shortcomings, is based on thy will be done and not for the sake of pursuing material reward as an end to itself.

Yet, I am not a church going person. Is it because I blame organized religion for the terror, violence, wars, poverty, hatred, racism and ignorance in the world today? Is it because I loathe the self-righteous and smug demeanor of the religious ilk? Is it because I see people with cold hearts pretend that one Sabbath/service a week of worship transforms them into a holy person?

While the above rings true to a certain extend (present company not excluded) the plain simple truth is I have not found a spiritual home.

Lettin Go

I found this meditative exercise on the web at beliefnet.com. I think it offers at excellent method of releasing the stress we build up daily. It's one thing to identify the toxic emotional and physical harm of anger; and, quite another thing to suggest practical techniques that help us cleanse and transform negative emotions:

Meditation Transcript:
Hello. I'm Liz Owen, and I will be guiding you into a few minutes of deep relaxation. I hope this special time will allow you to find within yourself a source of restored energy and healing.
Begin by lying down comfortably on a mat or blanket. Support your head on a folded blanket so that your neck and throat are soft. And support your knees on a bolster to lengthen and release your spine.

Release your shoulders away from your neck and allow your arms and your legs to rest slightly away from your body.
Breathe softly and naturally, focusing your mind on the sensations in your body, as warm, nurturing breath flows into every part of yourself.

Follow your breath with your mind as it flows into your chest, your shoulders, your arms. Let go in your arms.
Feel softness and openness in the palms of your hands. Let go in your hands.

Follow your breath into your hips, through your legs and into your feet. Let go in your legs. Let go in your feet.

Let go. Let go. Let go.

Feel your chest open, receiving each in-breath as a gift of healing life force from the universe.

Open to life force energy flowing through your body. Visualize this energy as gently pulsating streams of light.

Feel your body becoming renewed and restored as flowing luminous energy penetrates and brings healing from deep within your core into each layer of your body.

Let your mind become silent. Rest in this place of light deep within your center.

Visualize your body healed and whole, supported by the light of the universe.

You may remain in deep relaxation as long as you are comfortable. When you are ready, begin to move your body, gently and lovingly, so that you don't disturb the healing that has taken place.

Slowly roll over onto your side and come to a comfortable seated position.

Bring your palms together at your heart.

Honor your source of healing within.

The divine in me deeply honors the divine in you.

ANGER MANAGEMENT part 3 - Protestation Stance

A man steeped in anger can not clearly see opportunity or his blessings. A man steeped in anger can only focus on what other people have done to him. God can not place a blessing into a clenched fist. The act of anger transformation benefits the forgiver and begins with letting go of negative vibes.


I concluded part two of my Anger Management series with the above post and it truly applies to the black community. We have (out of necessity) been in the protest stance for a long long time in this country. We had to fight for our civil, human, political and social rights. We have over 400 years of continuous battle with some of the world's most rabid racist. That's just the facts.

However, acknowledgement of our struggle does not alter the metaphysical principles of the laws of attraction. Don't get me wrong, our anger should not be ignored or repressed; on the contrary, our anger should be constructively expressed. Nevertheless, we still have to transcend our anger. Transcending our anger helps us restore our balance and our spirit. Failure to complete this process leave us under the power of negativity. The following quote I found online was spoken by Masterh Ching Hai. (http://godsdirectcontact.us/sm21/enews/www/182/pw_61.htm)

Sometimes it’s very difficult to get along with our family members, neighbors and friends. But it’s even more difficult if we don’t try to get along; we’ll lose some of our power, our loving kindness. Anytime we hate our neighbor, we lose some of our enlightenment. Anytime we think negatively about someone, we lose some of our Self; we lose some of the Light and some of the Heavenly happiness that normally belongs to us. So if we see all this clearly, we know that we actually can’t afford to hate anyone but that’s the problem; that’s the most difficult part of living in this world. Because everything makes us angry; everything annoys us; everything seems to go against us. Yet at the same time, we must love them all and that can be very, very difficult