Another Job Producing Company Bites the Dust in South Carolina!

Amazon packing after House vote

Online retailer cancels contracts, job postings for Cayce site

Amazon all but told South Carolina goodbye Wednesday after the online retailer lost a legislative showdown on a sales tax collection exemption it wants to open a distribution center that would bring 1,249 jobs to the Midlands.
Company officials immediately halted plans to equip and staff the one million-square-foot building under construction at I-77 and 12th Street near Cayce.
“As a result of today’s unfortunate House vote, we’ve canceled $52 million in procurement contracts and removed all South Carolina fulfillment center job postings from our (Web) site,” said Paul Misener, Amazon vice president for global public policy.

How they voted


YES


M. Allison, R-Spartanburg, T. Atwater, R-Lexington, N. Ballentine, R-Richland, B. Bannister, R-Greenville, J. Battle, D-Marion, K. Bingham, R-Lexington, J. Brady, R-Richland, L. Branham, D-Florence, N. Brannon, R-Spartanburg, C. Brantley, D-Jasper, H. Brown, D-Fairfield, M. Butler Garrick, D-Richland, W. Clyburn, D-Aiken, G. Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, J. Cole, R-Spartanburg, D. Cooper, R-Anderson, J. Daning, R-Berkeley, P. Forrester, R-Spartanburg, M. Frye, R-Lexington, M. Gambrell, R-Anderson, R. Harrell, R-Charleston, J. Harrison, R-Richland, C. Hart, D-Richland, J. Hayes, D-Dillon, C. Huggins, R-Lexington, P. Knight, D-Dorchester, D. Loftis, R-Greenville, D. Mack, D-Charleston, W. McLeod, D-Newberry, H. Mitchell, D-Spartanburg, V. Moss, R-Cherokee, J. Neal, D-Richland, D. Neilson, D-Darlington, H. Ott, D-Calhoun, A. Patrick, R-Beaufort, R. Quinn, R-Lexington, J. Rutherford, D-Richland, R. Sabb, D-Williamsburg, B. Sellers, D-Bamberg, B. Skelton, R-Pickens, J. Smith, D-Richland, F. Sottile, R-Charleston, K. Spires, R-Lexington, L. Stavrinakis, D-Charleston, T. Stringer, R-Greenville, E. Tallon, R-Spartanburg, M. Toole, R-Lexington


NO


P. Agnew, D-Abbeville, T. Alexander, D-Florence, K. Allen, D-Greenville, C. Anderson, D-Georgetown, M. Anthony, D-Spartanburg, L. Barfield, R-Horry, E. Bedingfield, R-Greenville, E. Bikas, R-Pickens, D. Bowen, R-Anderson, W. Bowers, D-Hampton, R. Brown, D-Charleston, W. Chumley, R-Spartanburg, A. Clemmons, R-Horry, T. Corbin, R-Greenville, K. Crawford, R-Florence, W. Crosby, R-Charleston, F. Delleney, R-Chester, C. Dillard, D-Greenville, T. Edge, R-Horry, S. Erickson, R-Beaufort, L. Funderburk, D-Kershaw, W. Gilliard, D-Charleston, J. Govan, D-Orangeburg, D. Hamilton, R-Greenville, N. Hardwick, R-Horry, G. Hearn, R-Horry, P. Henderson, R-Greenville, D. Hiott, R-Pickens, W. Hixon, R-Aiken, J. Horne, R-Dorchester, L. Hosey, D-Barnwell, L. Howard, D-Richland, J. Jefferson, D-Berkeley, K. Johnson, D-Clarendon, J. King, D-York, H. Limehouse, R-Charleston, D. Long, R-Lancaster, P. Lowe, R-Florence, J. Lucas, R-Darlington, P. McCoy, R-Charleston, J. McEachern, D-Richland, D. Moss, R-Cherokee, E. Munnerlyn, D-Marlboro, C. Murphy, R-Dorchester, W. Nanney, R-Greenville, J. Neal, D-Lancaster, R. Norman, R-York, P. Owens, R-Pickens, S. Parker, R-Spartanburg, J. Parks, D-Greenwood, L. Pinson, R-Greenwood, M. Pitts, R-Laurens, T. Pope, R-York, K. Ryan, R-Georgetown, W. Sandifer, R-Oconee, J. Simrill, R-York, G. Smith, R-Sumter, G. Smith, R-Greenville, J. Smith, R-Aiken, B. Taylor, R-Aiken, A. Thayer, R-Anderson, D. Tribble, R-Laurens, T. Vick, D-Chesterfield, T. Viers, R-Horry, J. Weeks, D-Sumter, J. Whipper, D-Charleston, W. White, R-Anderson, W. Whitmire, R-Oconee, R. Williams, D-Darlington, M. Willis, R-Greenville, T. Young, R-Aiken


NOT VOTING


J. Bales, D-Richland, G. Brown, D-Lee, W. Herbkersman, R-Beaufort, K. Hodges, D-Colleton, J. Merrill, R-Berkeley, C. Umphlett, R-Berkeley

Read more: http://www.thestate.com/2011/04/28/1795776/amazon-packing-after-house-vote.html#ixzz1Kq9IPD8m

Read more: http://www.thestate.com/2011/04/28/1795776/amazon-packing-after-house-vote.html#ixzz1Kq8RN1FR

LIVE Streaming About Tonight's Tornadoes on The Weather Channel

At least 39 dead as storms slash through Southern states

The Fast Five!

The Cast of Fast Five Hijacks Myspace

FAST AND FURIOUS | Myspace Video

White House releases Obama birth certificate

The White House on Wednesday morning released the president's long form birth certificate (pdf) in an attempt to put "birther" questions to rest.
"The President believed the distraction over his birth certificate wasn't good for the country. It may have been good politics and good T.V., but it was bad for the American people and distracting from the many challenges we face as a country," White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said in a statement.
The president had released his certificate of live birth in 2008, but many "birthers" said the absence of a long form birth certificate prompted questions about Obama's birthplace of Hawaii. In recent weeks potential GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump has brought birther questions into the forefront of the media.

PDF VERSION OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE

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BCDN's Perspective:

Yes, Donald Trump . . . a Black Man can be born in Hawaii!  Thank you so much for manifesting your true colorless self!

Now What? A Black Man Can't Be Born in the State of Hawaii?

Some Obama Birth Records - Public For Years

Lost in the renewed scrutiny into President Barack Obama's 

birth records is the fact that anyone can walk into a Hawaii vital records office, wait in line behind couples getting marriage licenses and open a baby-blue government binder containing basic information about his birth.

Highlighted in yellow on page 1,218 of the thick binder is the computer-generated listing for a boy named Barack Hussein Obama II born in Hawaii, surrounded by the alphabetized last names of all other children born in-state between 1960 and 1964. This is the only government birth information, called "index data," available to the public.

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BCDN Perspective of 'For Crying Out Loud':

Perhaps if President Obama was born in Detroit, Chicago, or New York, it would not be a big deal.  But Hawaii?  Or how about the Fiji Island?  No, no - wait.  How about if President Obama was born at Lake Tahoe, or on Washington, D.C.'s Capitol lawn . . . would that make a difference? 

Homeless woman prosecuted for enrolling son in Conn. school

Connecticut authorities have filed theft charges against Tanya McDowell, a homeless woman, alleging that she used a false address to enroll her son in a higher-income school district, The Stamford Advocate reports. If she's convicted, McDowell may end up in jail for as many as 20 years and pay a $15,000 fine for the crime.
McDowell is a homeless single mother from Bridgeport who used to work in food services, is now at the center of one of the very few false address cases in the Norwalk, CT, school district that is being handled in criminal court--rather than between the parent and school. Authorities are accusing McDowell of enrolling her 5-year-old son in nearby Norwalk schools by using the address of a friend. (Her friend has also been evicted from public housing for letting McDowell use her address.)

McDowell says she stayed in a Norwalk homeless shelter sometimes--but she didn't register there, which would have made her son eligible to attend the school.
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Discovery of Barnes’ body could yield new leads



As the desperate search for missing honors student Phylicia Barnes came to a heartbreaking end Thursday, police said the discovery of her body in the Susquehanna River could be "instrumental" in hunting down new leads in a 4-month-old case that has yielded painfully few clues.

Train for a Hot Career in Health Care!

See how you can prepare for a stable career in this growing industry.

If you're looking to get into a stable career, look to the health care industry.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• In February 2011, health care added more than 34,000 positions.
• Health care is projected to add 3.2 million new positions from 2008-2018.
• The health care industry provided 14.3 million jobs in 2008. 

When Will Any of Us Begin To Give a Damn About Others?

Hudson River Mom Felt No Way Out

She saw no way out.

The overwhelmed mother who drowned herself and three kids in the Hudson River tried her best to provide her family with a happy home life -- but was consistently let down by their deadbeat father, who failed to provide the love or money they desperately needed, her friends said yesterday.

Lashanda Armstrong, 25, kept a steady job and took college classes but was abandoned by Jean Pierre -- the fly-by-night father of the three dead children -- and had nowhere to turn for help.
"He was terrible to her. He was very domineering and controlling over her. He was just so cruel. She just wanted a normal family," said one friend, Christine Santos, 29, who lives nearby.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/lashanda_deadbeat_hell_2oWeUXdq2lg1MvNVFxhYeO#ixzz1JaqWLIse

New York, San Diego No Longer Have White Majorities 

New census data confirm that some major metropolitan areas flipped from majority white to majority populations of minorities during the past decade.

White people are now in the minority in 46 of the nation's 366 metro areas, including New York, Washington, San Diego, Las Vegas and Memphis, said William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution.

That number is up from 32 in 2000, 10 in 1990 and nine in 1980, Frey said.

The changes are a result of relatively slow growth among the white population, white people moving outside metropolitan areas, and huge increases in minority populations, especially Hispanic and Asian, he said.

How to find hidden airfare deals

If you're looking to get away this summer, brace yourself: Airfares are likely to be 10% to 15% higher than last year, warns Rick Seaney, CEO of FareCompare.com.  

Airlines have been hiking prices in response to escalating fuel costs and seat demand.

Making matters worse, a few carriers have been withdrawing flights from popular online ticketing sites

RELATIVE LINKS:

GALAXY - The place to book your own air flights, hotels/motels, vacations, rent vehicles, and more!

Shutdown of U.S. government averted, for now

“In the final hours before our government would have been forced to shut down, leaders in both parties reached an agreement that will allow our small businesses to get the loans they need, our families to get the mortgages they applied for, and hundreds of thousands of Americans to show up at work and take home their paychecks on time, including our brave men and women in uniform,” Mr. Obama said in the White House Blue Room, the Washington Monument visible outside the window behind him, even as the House and the Senate were voting on a stop-gap measure, good until April 15.

The value of communication in a time of crisis

How important is the power of communication, especially in what is called the end of time?

“To disregard the awesome facts staring blankly at us all would be a demonstration of ineptitude and incompetence so enormous that none of us could sleep soundly in our beds. For we trust our very lives to these people, who now hold in their hands many ways to destroy our planet—not the least of which is an electronic arsenal of deadly weapons.
“It has to be inconceivable that inexplicable objects dancing across our skies would get the categorical brush off after four decades of study. They do not. These official investigations continue; which, any applications of logic will tell you, means we have made some discoveries of apparent importance. No government in these economy-conscious days throws money down the drain after a non-existent phenomenon.

Finally, Someone Is Thinking About What I've Been Saying for Four Years!

The Absence of Evidence Is Evident To Those Who Are Absent of Knowing!
by Miriam G. Aw

Well, I guess it's finally coming to light about Facebook's deep secret thought by some, and not given too much attention by many!

Some time ago, I'd wrote about my suspicions about this popular social network site on one my other blogs, and I took the time to mention it on a podcast site of mine about how I suspect that this phenom site should be a concern by many who use this cyberspace tool to communicate with family members and other relatives, friends, co-workers, and so forth.

Now, thanks to one of the people on my FB friend's list, I saw this video noted above, and became elated to know that I am not alone in what I had to say publicly when all others refuse to say anything at all.

What tipped me off about this half a billion member site is when I (and millions of others) were asked to HOW a person is related in respect to naming him, or her, as your brother, sister, parent, 1st cousin, and so forth.  It's bad enough  to mention that you are related to someone, but FB (or should I say 'Family Tree') wanted to know HOW you are related!\

It's no one's business as to how I'm related . . . I'm related!  Period!

All I can say to everyone is to take heed to what is being told here because although you may feel that you do not have anything to hide, or believe that you are not worth looking into by any agency in this country, it would behoove you to become cognizant in what you do, and how it's being done from this point forward.

Let's start using the ideology of Gin Rummy, a character played by actor, Samuel L. Jackson, in 'Boondocks' by Aaron McGruder: "The absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence."  In other words, 'Just because there is no evidence doesn't mean it doesn't exist.' 

Get to know the unknown, so that you may know what you thought you knew was known to be unknown!


Peace.

copyright 2011.  All rights reserved.

Warning to the Black Family!

GALAXY! The Place to Buy Mother's Day Gifts!

Galaxy!

 The Place to Buy Your Mother's Day Gifts!

After all, it's HER Universe . . . Take Advantage of It! 

Great Opportunities For Anyone Who Is Seeking Employment in Their Local Area!

McDonald's To Hire 50,000 Workers All In One Day!

McDonald's said Monday that it is planning a one-day hiring spree of 50,000 new workers on April 19 for its U.S. restaurants.

McDonald's (MCD, Fortune 500) said that these new "Mcjobs" will include crew and management positions, part-time and full-time.

McDonald's, which has 14,000 restaurants in the United States, said the hires will occur nationwide.
"We're excited to offer 50,000 new jobs, all across America, all in one day," said Jan Fields, president of McDonald's U.S.A.

McDonald's Crew Workers

McDonald's Management:

Hackers hunt prey on smartphones, Facebook

Hackers are following prey onto smartphones and social networking hotspots, according to reports released Tuesday by a pair of computer security firms. Cyber criminals are also ramping up the sophistication and frequency of attacks on business and government networks, one of the companies, Symantec, said in the latest volume of its Internet Security Threat Report.

Tsunami warnings and advisories remain across Pacific region

What would be shut down?

With the federal government on the verge of a shutdown, many government services and agencies would be closed, suspended or otherwise affected.
From IRS refunds to military paychecks, many Americans would see functions they rely on come to a halt until congressional leaders and the president reach an agreement on the 2011 budget.

Here is a summary of how some services could be affected:

CLOSED/CEASED
No new Federal Housing Administration loans
No new approvals of Small Business Administration loans
National parks, museums and all national forests will be closed
No new patients, clinical trials at the National Institutes of Health
No IRS processing of paper tax returns or refunds; other customer services halted
Passports and visas will not be processed except in emergency circumstances
Military personnel will not receive paychecks
Personnel who normally answer Social Security and Medicare questions will not be at work
Most government websites will shut down or have limited functionality
Across government, anything that requires permits probably will not be processed

OPEN/UNAFFECTED
FAA, air traffic control
Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster relief services
Social Security checks
National Weather Service weather monitoring
U.S. Postal Service continues mail pick-up and delivery
Customs and Border Protection services continue
NASA satellite monitoring continues
Food stamps continue
Federal student aid continues
FBI, Federal Marshals, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, federal prisons continue to operate

Bronzing the Bronx with Beauty and Substance!

BRONX FLAVOR AT ITS BEST!

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How a big US bank laundered billions from Mexico's murderous drug gangs

As the violence spread, billions of dollars of cartel cash began to seep into the global financial system. But a special investigation by the Observer reveals how the increasingly frantic warnings of one London whistleblower were ignored.

During a 22-month investigation by agents from the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the

Internal Revenue Service and others, it emerged that the cocaine smugglers had bought the plane with money they had laundered through one of the biggest banks in the United States: Wachovia, now part of the giant Wells Fargo.

YouTube Recasts for New Viewers

Google Plans to Organize Site Around 'Channels,' Fund Original Content as TV and Web Converge

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704013604576247060940913104.html#ixzz1IrgpMzw4

Google Inc. is working on a major overhaul of YouTube as it tries to position itself for the rise of televisions that let people watch online video in their living rooms, according to people familiar with the matter.
YouTube is looking to compete with broadcast and cable television, some of these people said, a goal that requires it to entice users to stay on the website longer, and to convince advertisers that it will reach desirable consumers.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704013604576247060940913104.html#ixzz1IrhEHxwc

Japan Earthquake 2011: Magnitude 7.4 Temblor Causes Tsunami Warning

Japan's meteorological agency says it has lifted a tsunami warning for the northeastern coast 90 minutes after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck.

offshore.
The quake hit about 11:30 p.m. Thursday Japan time. It has rattled nerves nearly a month after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that flattened the northeastern coast.

Census Shows U.S. Becoming White Minority State Faster Than Thought

According to the U.S. census, America will become a nation in which white people are no longer that majority faster than people have expected. The Huffington Post reports:

The data shows a declining number of white adults and growing under-18 populations of Hispanics, Asians and other minorities.
Nationwide, 67 percent of adults are white, but just 54 percent of children are.
“Were it not for Hispanics, the nation’s child population would have declined,” the report’s authors wrote. According to the analysis, Hispanics saw the largest absolute increase in children, at 4.8 million. The nation’s white population grew by only 1.2 percent, far lower than the national growth rate of 9.7 percent and well below the 43 percent growth rates for Hispanics and Asians.

United States Hispanic Population Tops 50 Million

The states that are reported to have seen the most dramatic increases are Nevada, Virginia, and North Carolina. The Obama administration could greatly benefit from this demographic shift, as recent polls show that the President has held a 70 percent approval rating among Hispanic voters.

In Census, Young Americans Increasingly Diverse

“This is a huge demographic transformation,” Mr. Frey said. “A cultural generation gap is emerging.”

Congress, Obama get paid in a government shutdown

Did you know Congress and President Obama would be paid if the federal government has to shut down this weekend?
Despite attempts in the U.S. House and Senate to block such a move, members of Congress and the president are considered "essential" government employees and would be paid in the event a budget deal cannot be reached by Friday. The same goes for aides deemed "essential" in helping members of Congress in carrying out their constitutional duties.

Obama administration warns of shutdown's economic impact

A government shutdown starting this Saturday would have immediate economic repercussions for Americans, affecting everyone from applicants for small-business
loans, lower-income homebuyers to people who file their income-tax returns on paper.
That warning came from a senior Obama administration official during a Wednesday telephone conference with reporters. Unless Congressional Democrats and Republicans reach a last-minute budget compromise, some 800,000 federal employees likely will be furloughed starting this weekend, the official estimated.
Each party is attempting to deflect blame in the event that the government runs out of operating funds for the first time since 1996. A stopgap spending bill called a continuing resolution expires midnight Friday.
After that, the government must halt all operations except essential services and programs that are funded through mandatory appropriations, such as Medicare and Social Security benefits.

House GOP instructed to stay in D.C. this weekend, budget talks continue

As talks continue on an eleventh-hour budget deal that could forestall a government shutdown, House Republican members have been given guidance to stick around this weekend rather than leave Washington for their home districts, a House aide tells NBC News.The instructions mean that House leaders could be planning for a weekend session of Congress to pass some form of compromise legislation to keep a potential government shutdown from spilling into the work week next Monday.
But, while House and Senate aides say that talks are still ongoing, a concrete plan to avoid a shutdown is far from in place.

The next housing shock

April 3, 2011 5:00 PM

As more and more Americans face mortgage foreclosure, banks' crucial ownership documents for the properties are often unclear and are sometimes even bogus, a condition that's causing lawsuits and hampering an already weak housing market. Scott Pelley reports.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7361572n&tag=related;photovideo#ixzz1IiHimgzv

Mortgage mess: Who really owns your mortgage?

As it turns out, Wall Street cut corners when it bundled homeowners' mortgages into securities that were traded from investor to investor. Now that banks are foreclosing on people, they're finding that the legal documents behind many mortgages are missing. So, what do the banks do? As Pelley explains in this video, some companies appear to be resorting to forgery and phony paperwork in what looks like a nationwide epidemic.

Who's to blame for U.S. housing debacle? 

Last updated: Feb 10, 2011

As the 112th Congress begins and new committees are formed, our nation's marathon housing crisis seems far from over and no sure cures to its billion-dollar economic effects have been identified. In the meantime, agencies and laws intended to expand

affordable housing nationwide have now come under attack. So-called “risky borrowers,” the Community Reinvestment Act and two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have all been accused of creating the lengthy downturn in housing and more than 2.5 million foreclosures.

Lawmakers would be well-advised to focus on the facts and to seek sustainable answers instead of new villains. Before the housing bubble burst, modest increases in Black homeownership were achieved. Now, the effects of the extended housing crisis have erased those same gains.

PRAY ON JUST A LITTLE WHILE LONGER.


Prices are low! Mortgages cheap! But you can't get one

Yep, mortgage interest rates are low, but there's a catch: It doesn't matter how cheap rates are if you can't get a loan.

And these days, only highly qualified borrowers can get financing -- let alone the best rates.

Nearly a quarter of people who apply for loans are turned down, according to the Federal Reserve.

"Good borrowers with one or two blemishes on their credit are being denied credit," said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors.

Nissan GT-R 2012

Nissan GT-R 2012 Interior

Nissan 2011 GT-R

GALAXY! 

Get 'Cash Back'
Whenever You Rent, or Buy, Your Next Vehicle!

It's Your Universe . . . Take Advantage of It!
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3 More Sets Of Human Remains Found On LI Beach

 "I'd like to report at this time we found human remains, three human remains so far, in the area between Oak Beach and Gilgo Beach," said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer at an afternoon news conference.  "Certainly the Medical Examiner is going to be looking at the possibility that Shannon Gilbert is one of the remains."

How to land a job at Facebook

The first step is almost always a recruiter phone-screening -- Facebook will begin exploring your resume, asking you about your previous work, especially about what you've built and what leadership roles you've had in the past. Sometimes there's a second screening, depending on the role.

If you pass the screening, the company will fly you out to its Silicon Valley headquarters for a series of on-site interviews with the hiring manager (your potential future boss) and a group of your peers -- in other words, you will be interviewed by the members of the team you're hoping to join.

Mastering Your Emotions

Whether we realize it or not, emotions play a very significant role in our Stress level and ability to decrease Stress within our lives. Our (Core) Beliefs and thought process also affect our Stress level. This is made possible by way of our Perception or view of people and events regarding whether we see them as a potential Threat or Opportunity. Our Thoughts form the basis of our Beliefs, which gives rise to our Emotions, which ultimately drive our Behavior.

Relevant Link:

How To Succeed in Life By Understanding the Meaning of Your 'Date of Birth!' - by Miriam G. Aw.  The numbers in your date of birth have spiritual significance revealing your God-given 'natural born' personality, talents, gift, positive & negative qualities, and more, that affect you throughout your lifetime. 

One Meal a Day 

In eating once a day or once every other day, you must not eat between meals. And, you should try to eat at the same hour tomorrow as you eat today. Do not change your meal hours if you can help it. That causes your stomach to react to various hours of the day for a meal, and will set up gas on the stomach. Do not even drink juices, milk or soft drinks between meals.

Virtual socializing and social networking online

With the advent of technology a host of opportunities and dangers have opened up with the use of social networks like Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo groups, Linkd In and other virtual communities that bring people together.

Student debt, joblessness rising for recent grads

Michael Stevenson left for college five years ago with big dreams and high hopes. Since graduating last year his dreams have been deferred because he can't find a job in his field and his high hopes have been replaced with high student loan debt.

“No job and bill collectors was not part of the plan,” he told The Final Call. “I have a college degree and can't find a job. I'm about to get a Christmas job with the hope that they keep me year around. I need the money.”

What is The Entrepreneurial Secret?

In this book, Mr. Muhammad shares his “secrets” in the areas of networking, etiquette and negotiation. No one seriously interested in business can afford to ignore his wise recommendations. Of central importance is the proper evaluation of one's support base, when embarking on an entrepreneurial journey, a lesson he learned in 1995 from a friend and mentor over a breakfast meeting in Philadelphia. This includes understanding the Five Power Types and Sources, which include:

    Coercive
    Reward
    Legitimate
    Expert
    Associative/Referent

He writes: “Since that time, I have advised artists, business leaders, spiritual guides, cultural icons and elected officials on the subject. I am always struck by how often people both underestimate the power of themselves, while overestimating the power of others.”


HUD report: Low income renters suffering

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently released its bi-annual report to Congress on the housing needs of low income Americans.

It shows an increased number of very low income households have severe housing difficulties, particularly housing costs that far exceed what they can afford.

By race, Hispanic very low-income renters had the highest incidence of worst case needs in 2009, with 45.3 percent. White renters had the next highest incidence, with 42.7 percent, followed by Black renters, with 36.5 percent, according to the report.

A Cigarette for 75 Cents, 2 for $1: The Brisk, Shady Sale of ‘Loosies’

By 8:30 a.m., amid the procession of sleepy-eyed office workers and addicts from the nearby methadone clinic, Lonnie Loosie plants himself in the middle of the sidewalk on Eighth Avenue in Midtown. Addressing no one in particular, he calls out his one-size-fits-all greeting: “Newports, Newports, packs and loosies.”

Past News Article(s) Worth Repeating

Has truth been told about 9-11?

Call for probe ignites controversy, but many still say September 11 tragedy needs investigation

After President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spoke before world leaders and the international press at the 65th Session of the UN General Assembly, an uproar followed and the United States expressed outrage at his remarks.

The U.S. media widely reported that the Iranian president accused the U.S.

government of killing U.S. citizens in an attack on the World Trade Center in New York on the fateful day of Sept. 11, 2001.  But the world leader's question and message were much more nuanced and important than that—his core assertion was that a horrible attack that killed some 3,000 people and the U.S. response changed the world:. . . . read article by clicking on title.

McDonald's To Hire 50,000 Workers In One Day: April 19, 2011

McDonald's To Hire 50,000 Workers All In One Day!

McDonald's said Monday that it is planning a one-day hiring spree of 50,000 new workers on April 19 for its U.S. restaurants.

McDonald's (MCD, Fortune 500) said that these new "Mcjobs" will include crew and management positions, part-time and full-time.

McDonald's, which has 14,000 restaurants in the United States, said the hires will occur nationwide.
"We're excited to offer 50,000 new jobs, all across America, all in one day," said Jan Fields, president of McDonald's U.S.A.

McDonald's Crew Workers

McDonald's Management:

They're hiring!

These 25 Best Companies to Work For have at least 700 openings each, totaling nearly 137,000 available jobs. What are they looking for? See what their recruiters say.

GALAXY! 

It's Your Universe . . . Take Advantage of It!

Get 'Cash Back' To Save & Make Money!

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: Killed April 4, 1968

Haunting speculations still arise today in the 21st Century as to who was really behind Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s murder on April 4, 1968.  Do any of us really care?

What kind of world do we live in that allows great men and women, who fight unbalance injustices, to become victims of plotted intentional violence?

Undoubtedly, many of us are aware of Dr. King's famous speech "I Have A Dream," but most folks do not get to listen to his speech regarding the VietNam war, which is one of the few reasons many people believe, and  hold deep within themselves as to why he was murdered.

Another belief many people cite in unison regarding Dr. King's death is the notion that there was a 'stool pidgeon,' or a 'snitch' lurking within Dr. King's inner camp circle of [so-called] friends, whereas King learned about his identity, and was swiftly snuffed out because of it.


And of course, let us not forget about Dr. King's visit with both the late Malcolm X, and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, whom many believed (and had knowledge of) Dr. King's intentions in becoming a part of the Nation of Islam.  Thus, giving an additional reason to believe that is why his death had to be fulfilled.


Much like the death of former President John F. Kennedy, whose demise ended with murder, a myriad of credible conspiratorial theories relating as to why he, too, was snuffed out, continues to spell-bound millions of people.

In remembrance of Dr. King's death on this day in April 1968, I've posted some videos relating to some of the reasons millions of people believe why his death was indeed plotted to keep him silent, forever.

PLEASE NOTE: These videos are not in any way posted to intentionally discredit anyone.  They are all available for the public to view and analyze on their own accord.  Ignorance has a price, and in the age of technological advancement made readily available for anyone to take advantage of is something we cannot afford not to become a part of, particularly during these uncertain times of economic woes plagued with wars, unemployment, home foreclosures, lack of jobs, religious & spiritual conflicts, and so forth.  Critical thinking and independent thought are keys to answers. 

In other words, seek knowledge, don't deny it, but instead apply it!  Peace.    




Who Helped to Kill, and Killed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? - Part 1 of 4; Part 2 of 4; Part 3 of 4, and Part 4 of 4.

Free at Last, Free at Last.  One Day the Truth will be Revealed to be Free At Last!

When a Girl Is Executed … for Being Raped

We’re all focused right now on Libya and budget battles at home, but this story from Bangladesh just broke my heart and outraged me — and offers a reminder of the daily human rights struggles of so many women and girls in villages around the world. A 14-year-old Bangladeshi girl, Hena, allegedly was ambushed when she went to an outdoor toilet, gagged, beaten and raped by an older man in her village (who was actually her cousin). They were caught by wife of the alleged rapist, and the wife then beat Hena up. An imam at a local mosque issued a fatwa saying that Hena was guilty of adultery and must be punished, and a village makeshift court sentenced Hena to 100 lashes in a public whipping.

 

Missing: Black males on campus

Fewer and fewer are making it ‘into the pipeline’to state’s largest four-year schools, officials find

Read more: http://www.thestate.com/2011/04/03/1762317/missing-black-males-on-campus.html#ixzz1IRAUxrIU

Farrakhan addresses attack on Libya, warns of catastrophe headed for America

The Minister called the news conference to address U.S. policy in the Middle East and military attacks on Libya. He again condemned U.S. military action against Libya and warned the president about tricks that could lead to his disgrace and ruin. The bombing of Libya has ended hope in Africa and in the Middle East that President Obama would usher in a different type of U.S. policy and hurt the president's popularity, he said.

Relevant Video

Teachers, workers and activists fight for rights


A diverse crowd of hundreds convened outside city hall to express their displeasure with budget cuts proposed by Governor Rick Perry and the Texas GOP Legislature.

The “Texans Day of Outrage” rally was held on March 15.

Despite having an estimated $9.4 billion in its Economic Stabilization Fund, also known as the Rainy Day Fund, the state of Texas is facing a $27 billion budget crisis. Gov. Perry is on the verge of cutting $10 billion in funding for schools and possibly laying off 100,000 school employees over the next several years. Gov. Perry has also come under scrutiny for refusing to accept $830 million from the federal Education Jobs fund that could be used for teacher assistance.





Angry workers march, fight back as wages fall, rights threatened

William Peterson, 46, the son of a Hartsville, South Carolina, brick mason, has worked at the Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx for the past four years.

Now he is in a fight to keep his $24.50 an hour union job. Management wants to lay him and 23 other workers off, saying it is cheaper to outsource their work to a private contractor.

GALAXY! It's Your Universe . . . Take Advantage of It!

GALAXY!  Get 'Cash Back' whenever you make travel plans, such as: Booking flights, hotels, cruises, group trips, vacations, and/or rent vehicles, and you can combine your travel plans!  Plus, get 'Cash Back' when you make purchases at your favorite online stores, earn college credits, buy insurance (auto/health/life/home), and more!

 

Garden As If Your Life Depended On It, Because It Does

There are at least five reasons why more of us should take up the spade, make some compost, and start gardening with a vengeance. 

And so has the price of most foods, which is particularly devastating just now when so many Americans are unemployed, underemployed, retired or retiring, on declining or fixed incomes and are having to choose between paying their mortgages, credit card bills, car payments, and medical and utility bills and eating enough and healthily. Many are eating more fast food, prepared foods, junk food -- all of which are also becoming more expensive -- or less food.

Relevant Link

How To Look Good Using Food Stamps: Beautify Yourself with the Foods You Buy at the Market!

Father Beheads Daughter's Rapist: Hero or Monster? 

The question about the "rightness" of vigilante revenge definitely comes up after a father, an ex-South Africa rugby star, went on what looks to be a revenge killing spree, using an axe to murder three men he believes gang raped his daughter and gave her HIV. One of the victims' heads was found a mile away from his body. One of the two other men, also killed by axe, was nearly decapitated as well.

For anyone who has a daughter or a child, it seems a rightly served form of justice on men who would commit a heinous and violent crime against a young girl, especially leaving her to fight a deadly virus for life; however, this string of violence at the hands of a rage-filled father also reminds us to consider that taking the law into our own hands might not always work out how it should.

 

1 in 5 US moms have kids with multiple dads, study says

Poverty, lack of education and divorce perpetuate lack of opportunities

One in five of all American moms have kids who have different birth fathers, a new study shows. And when researchers look only at moms with two or more kids, that figure is even higher: 28 percent have kids with at least two different men. 

Leading black scholar dies days before Malcolm X biography release

New York (CNN) -- Dr Manning Marable, director of Columbia University's Center for Contemporary Black History has died, according to a statement from the NAACP. He was 61.
The statement did not give a cause of the Friday death.
"Dr. Marable's contributions to the struggle for freedom of African Americans will never be forgotten," stated NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous.
"Dr. Marable brought one of the keenest intellects of our age to the contemporary conversation on race in America," Jealous said.

Protests Over Koran Burning Reach Kandahar

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Violent protests over the burning of a Koran in Florida flared Saturday for a second straight day, with young men rampaging through the streets of this southern capital city, flying Taliban flags and wielding sticks. 

Libyan rebels struggle to explain rift

BENGHAZI, Libya — Libya’s rebel military struggled Saturday to explain an apparent rift within its highest ranks while acknowledging its soldiers’ role in a mistaken NATO bombing of rebel columns the night before.

The strike, which killed 13 rebels and injured seven, illustrated the hazards of conducting an aerial bombing campaign against a fluid and fast moving front line. Several cars and an ambulance were also incinerated, and opposition leaders said rebels may have been responsible for the bombing because they had fired their guns into the air in celebration.

 “It was a terrible mistake, and we apologize, and we will not let it happen again,” said Abdul Hafidh Ghoga, vice president and spokesman of the opposition’s Transitional National Council.

 

Hon. Min. Louis Farrakhan - News Press Conference Re: Libya & Pres. Obama, March 31st, 2011

APRIL 1st, 2011

These RELEVANT NEWS LINKS of today relates to what Minister Farrakhan spoke about at the news press conference held yesterday, March 31st regarding Libya, and the State of America's Woes.  [See Video Posted Above].

Libya: Gaddafi forces reject ceasefire

Col Gaddafi's forces have rejected a ceasefire call from Libyan rebels, saying government troops would not leave Libyan cities as demanded by the opposition.

Blankfein Received $27.2 Million From Goldman Funds in 2010 

April 1 (Bloomberg) -- Lloyd C. Blankfein, Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s chairman and chief executive officer, received $27.2 million from his investments in funds managed by the firm last year, 43 percent more than his annual compensation.

Tax the Super Rich now or face a revolution 

Commentary: A ‘Super-Rich Delusion’ is leading us to ruin

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Yes, tax the Super Rich. Tax them now. Before the other 99% rise up, trigger a new American Revolution, a meltdown and the Great Depression 2.

Revolutions build over long periods — to critical mass, a flash point. Then they ignite suddenly, unpredictably. Like Egypt, started on a young Google executive’s Facebook page. Then it goes viral, raging uncontrollably. Can’t be stopped. Here in America the set-up is our nation’s pervasive “Super-Rich Delusion.”

Many Low-Wage Jobs Seen as Failing to Meet Basic Needs

 

We've Become a Nation of Takers, Not Makers

More Americans work for the government than in manufacturing, farming, fishing, forestry, mining and utilities combined.

If you want to understand better why so many states—from New York to Wisconsin to California—are teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, consider this depressing statistic: Today in America there are nearly twice as many people working for the government (22.5 million) than in all of manufacturing (11.5 million). This is an almost exact reversal of the situation in 1960, when there were 15 million workers in manufacturing and 8.7 million collecting a paycheck from the government.

U.S. officials, opposition warn Libya could get bloodier

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- From the halls of Congress to the shell-pocked streets of Libyan cities, intertwined themes rang clear Thursday: Leader Moammar Gadhafi is determined to prevail, and the opposition needs more training and allied air strikes to have a chance.

Gates reiterated the Obama administration's promise that no U.S. ground forces will be used in Libya, telling committee members that the rebels had indicated they didn't want such an intervention.
But the United States does have CIA personnel on the ground.
A U.S. intelligence source said the CIA is operating in the country to help increase U.S. "military and political understanding" of the situation.
A former counterterrorism official with knowledge of U.S. Libya policy said there is a presidential finding authorizing the CIA to conduct operations in support of U.S. policy in Libya, including assessing the opposition and determining their needs.
Specific activities by CIA officers will be determined by conditions on the ground and would need further approval from the White House, the source said.

 

The 10 most segregated urban areas in America

Slide show: The new census numbers provide a sobering reminder of how separate white and black America still are 

Decades after the end of Jim Crow, and three years after the election of America's first black president, the United States remains a profoundly segregated country.
That reality has been reinforced by the release of Census Bureau data last week that shows black and white Americans still tend to live in their own neighborhoods, often far apart from each other. Segregation itself, the decennial census report indicates, is only decreasing slowly, although the dividing lines are shifting as middle-income blacks, Latinos and Asians move to once all-white suburbs -- whereupon whites often move away, turning older suburbs into new, if less distressed, ghettos.


END OF TODAY'S RELEVANT NEWS LINKS FOR APRIL 1ST, 2011
===========================================================================


Are Whites Racially Oppressed?

Many white Americans have lived under the assumption that if they worked hard, they would be rewarded. Now more white Americans are sharing unemployment lines with "those people" -- black and brown, Wise says.

"For the first time since the Great Depression, white Americans have been confronted with a level of economic insecurity that we're not used to," he says. "It's not so new for black and brown folks, but for white folks, this is something we haven't seen since the Depression."

SEEKING THE TRUTH BEHIND AN AFRICAN WOMAN'S DEATH: Murder, Suicide, or Cover-Up?

92-year-old shoots neighbor's house after he refuses to kiss her; woman swooned for 'smooth talker'

Patrick Colon, son of Salsa music legend Willie Colon, arrested on child pornography charges





'Tupac' movie holding online auditions: The Marquee Blog
If you think you've got what it takes to portray slain rapper Tupac Shakur in a movie, now's your chance.
As Marquee previously reported, a biopic about Shakur, who was shot to death in 1996, is currently in the works and is slated to begin shooting this spring. Now producers are holding an online open casting call to find an actor to portray the music icon, reports the L.A. Times.
To audition, aspiring actors must visit InSearchOfTupac.skeetv.com and upload a five-minute video of themselves reciting the provided monologue from one of Shakur's courtroom appearances and performing a 60-second rap of one of Shakur's songs. Auditions began on March 18 and end April 30.

Top Secret America: Who is TSA? 

According to the article, find out more about "The Top Secret Network of Government and Its Contractors."

Monitoring America

Strike Hits Gaddafi Compound in Tripoli - Africa - AlJazeera English


A three-story building in a military command centre used by Muammar Gaddafi has been destroyed in an air strike by coalition forces.

The Sunday-night strike was the first reported attack on the Bab al-Azizia, a sprawling compound in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, that Gaddafi has used several times as a setting for televised addresses, and which was bombed by the United States in 1986.

Arab League Condemns Broad Bombing Campaign in Libya

The Arab League secretary general, Amr Moussa, deplored the broad scope of the U.S.-European bombing campaign in Libya and said Sunday that he would call a league meeting to reconsider Arab approval of the Western military intervention.

Moussa said the Arab League’s approval of a no-fly zone on March 12 was based on a desire to prevent Moammar Gaddafi’s air force from attacking civilians and was not designed to endorse the intense bombing and missile attacks — including on Tripoli, the capital, and on Libyan ground forces — whose images have filled Arab television screens for two days.







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