What Does Oprah Have That You Don't?!

by Kelly Green(Email: kelly@holisticbrandingcoach.com)

What does Oprah have that you don't? Well besides 1 billion dollars, the one thing that all successful people (and companies), like Oprah, have in common is a commitment to their brand. They have firmly established the message they want to send to their target consumer and have consistently maintained that message. Although it may need to be tweaked over time, the basic essential message remains the same. Think of some of the most popular brands you know - Oprah, Coca-Cola, Mercedes Benz, Tina Turner, etc. With each of these brands you know exactly what to expect when you buy into their product - an informative, entertaining talk show; a cool, refreshing beverage; a quality, luxury vehicle and a high-energy, electrifying concert. By staying true to the brand message they want to convey to their target audience, these people/ companies have been able to turn their passions into profits!

You too can build a successful practice by considering the commonalities of those entities. Start by doing the following:

1) Identify your brand early in the business development stage. When developing your business plan, the mission statement should reflect the image you wish to portray to the public; ie, your brand. Once you have a solid business plan, constantly refer to your mission statement when devising any business strategies. This will greatly increase the chance that all marketing campaigns going forward will incorporate your brand objective. Furthermore, by staying committed to that brand, you solidify a standing with your ideal clients/ customers. Staying committed means nothing more than believing in your product or service and presenting it in its' most authentic form. In a previous article I wrote about identifying your personal values while developing your brand. With every marketing message you put out, constantly refer to those values. Making sure that once again the core message is the same.

2) Re-evaluate, re-evaluate, re-evaluate! Is your product/ service reaching your ideal consumer? No? Then clearly you are off-the-mark with your branding. One of the ways in which to get back on track is to re-evaluate your marketing strategy. Now normally I wouldn't advise doing any marketing without first establishing your brand. However, in this case marketing can be justified. Depending on your type of business, doing a simple, inexpensive marketing campaign such as creating a blog, circulating a newsletter, offering coupons or discounted services allows you to get feedback as to what your customers like and dislike. You'll also recognize what campaigns garner the desired sales results. The ones that work can be tweaked and used to attract your ideal client.

3) Research, research and more research! You should always be current with any trends that are taking place in your industry; in other words, stay ahead of the curve! The best way to do this is to stay connected. In today's climate of social networking, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., makes it easier than ever to connect with potential customers and others in your industry. You will want to be very specific with your networking endeavors; not all of them will get you in front of your target audience. Some other strategies include joining industry specific associations, getting involved with community activities that will get your name publicized and trying a referral partnership with other local entrepreneurs that can send business your way.

Many people tend to overlook the value in doing research of your direct competition. It's one thing to look at the competition who are doing well and envy their success, but it's quite another to take that information, dissect it (research how, why and the ROI) and utilize it to benefit your bottom line. In some industries it's perfectly acceptable to collaborate with your competition or even form an affiliate relationship. If that's not possible, pay attention to their marketing campaigns and take note of the factors that caused sales to spike or slump. Bottom line in research - track the trends and capitalize!

Staying committed to your brand is sometimes daunting especially when your business does not take off right away, but don't despair - think Oprah! If this is your passion, stay the course! Happy Branding!

(To contact this author, Email: kelly@holisticbrandingcoach.com)

Filmmaker and Director Bobby Yan Wraps Commercial for Ford Motors

Local Talent Continues to Make National Impact

Last weekend, in Atlanta, Ga., director Bobby Yan added another national campaign to his very successful stint of recent projects. He was chosen to shoot a Ford Motor commercial featuring the new 2010 Ford Taurus for a strategic partnership to promote TV One's new premiere program, "Unsung".

Two weeks prior, in Los Angeles, he directed the first two videos off of the Oscar Award winning group, Three 6 Mafia’s forthcoming album, "Laws of Power" including the first single, "Shake My" featuring Kalenna (Diddy's new group, Dirty Money).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_OgbjO6pp4

The second single is titled "Lil Freak" and was shot in Three 6's hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUcB0Vkwn

Just a few months prior, Mr. Yan directed videos for 2 Stellar Award nominees, GI, “Get Up” and the James Fortune’s smash single “I Trust You” which is still in heavy rotation on radio and has been deemed the most played Gospel song of the year.

When asked what inspires Bobby to be so steadfast and relentless in his approach to his craft, he responds, “My passion for filmmaking both on and off the set keeps me going.” He continues, “I always want to outdo myself on each new job, growing leaps and bounds and continually evolving my look and style. It keeps me fresh and always on the forefront of creativity and technology.”

Other video projects include; Super 400, “Flashlight”, Hurricane Chris, “A Bay Bay”, Mecca/ft. Raheem Davaughn, “Doggstarr” remix and Julius Petty, “Get Out Of My Way”.

About Bobby Yan

Asian American filmmaker Bobby Yan was born and raised in Washington Heights, moved to Hollis Queens, and later spent his very formative college years in New Orleans, La. His rich background surrounded by a diverse melting pot of cultures, people and experiences have had a major impact on how he sees the world and the filters by which his creativity flows. His artistic eye is influenced by living and breathing the Hip Hop culture in New York City as well as the spirit of the South and his Chinese American heritage. This true hidden talent recently graduated from NYU with a Masters in Digital Design, honing his visual skills with CGI and EFX. With a passion for change, Yan's commitment to film is to create works within the Hollywood system, as well as outside of it.

For Bobby Yan’s reel and other clips: http://immigrantfilm.com/directors/Bobby%20Yan/

Contact: SheNotes Ent, Raychelle LeBlanc, shenotes@gmail.com

Top 7 Ways to Create More Productive Hours in Your Day

1. Use the 80/20 rule. We all know that 80 percent of our results come from 20 percent of our efforts. Figure out what the top 20 percent of your activities are and concentrate on them. Delegate the other tasks or put them off until later.

2. Reduce the Time You Spend on Email. Set up electronic file folders and flag messages from clients and other key contacts. Avoid the urge to check your email every few minutes.

3. Put Fun Names On Your Daily Activities. According to Lisa Nichols, one of the teachers in the Secret Movie, we need to put fun names on our tasks. Instead of checking email, she calls it "Finding money." Instead of working out, she calls it, "Bringing sexy back."

4. Work with a Timer. Buy a kitchen timer and turn it on when you start a task. When I'm editing corporate sponsor proposals for my clients, I put the timer on for 20 minute intervals. Just knowing the timer is on, makes me more productive.

5. Take Frequent Brakes. Avoid working for hours on the phone or your computer with no brakes. Get up, stretch and walk around every hour. If you're in a home office, you could take a walk around the block. If not, you can just go outside. Breathing in fresh air and looking at nature will re-charge your battery.

6. Strive For Completion, Not Perfection. This is a favorite mantra that I use with my clients. Too many of them are perfectionists and it blocks them from completing tasks and moving on to the most important cash flow activities in their businesses.

7. Reward Yourself For Completing Tasks. I love chocolate, so after completing a task, I eat a piece of chocolate and savor the flavor. I eat the good quality chocolate, so I my hips haven't gone condo yet.

Good stuff right?? As seen on www.WealthyBagLady.com.

10 Words to Delete from Your Vocabulary - By Barbara J. Henry

Words are powerful because they shape our thoughts, determine our actions, and chart the course of our lives. This is true whether the words are positive, giving hope and encouragement, or negative utterances that steal our joy and confidence.

Wherever we are in our lives, personal relationships, or careers, the words we have used consistently are partly responsible.

This fact should prompt us to become more aware of our words, and when needed, to change them so that we can begin to get the results we really desire.
Recently, during a particularly challenging period, I discovered that I was using some of the following words far too often to get the favorable results I sought.

1. Can't The use of this word is primarily responsible for countless hopes and dreams lying dormant on the "drawing boards" of our lives. Completely eliminate your use of this word and you will see a significant positive change in your life.

2. But When used as a conjunction, "but" negates whatever statement that precedes it." I want to study law, but it will take a lot of hard work." Your mind does not focus on your desire to become a lawyer or judge; it only sees the hard work you will need to perform. Replace "but" with "and."

3. Should Any statement that uses the word "should" generally elicits guilt. "I should go to the gym," makes you feel guilty for not going. Replace this word with "choose," as in, "I choose to go to the gym, or I choose not to go to the gym today."

4. Maybe This word indicates indecision, doubt, or uncertainty as to a course of action. For example, "Maybe I'd better wait to..."
For those of us interested in personal development, "maybe" should be used very sparingly. Use "I will" or "I will not" instead of maybe. The mere sound of the more positive words emits feelings of confidence and resolve which are so important to our personal well-being.

5. Soon or Later Both are indefinite references to time. They are also non-committal. They should be replaced with a definite time and date. When someone tells you he or she is going to do something "soon" or "later," there is no way to determine when whatever it is will get done. Imagine what could happen to deadlines and your integrity when these words are used frequently.

6. Someday Someday, like soon or later, is much too indefinite, and when it is used, it shows the same lack of commitment. Replace "someday" with a specific date and time.

7. Never This word is absolute, and there are only limited situations when "never" is absolutely true. The use of this word, in my opinion, suggests a closed mind, which seriously hinders our self-growth efforts. The word "never" should be replaced with a non-absolute term.

8. Won't The word "won't" implies an unwillingness, reluctance, or closed mindedness, and like the absolute term "never," it is quite harmful because it closes the door on many of the actions we need to take to reach our goals.

9. If This is a small word that carries large doubts and uncertainties, and when used often, it gnaws away at our confidence and intended actions, two qualities necessary for any type of success.

10. Try or (I'll Try) I don't know about you, but each time someone has said these words to me, or the few times that I have used them in conversations with others, whatever the subject of "I'll try" was, rarely, if ever, got done. Replace "I'll try" with "I will."

These words must be given serious thought before we use them in our "self talk" or in the conversations we have with others.
We must remember this: Our words affect our thoughts, our actions, our very lives, and because of their power, we must choose them with the utmost care.


An article fromSelf Growth.com http://www.selfgrowth.com/

Parenting 101 - Contract included. :-)

OK, these rules, in the form or a contract, that were set forth today by my cousin Rose to her 2 boys ages 7 and 12. The family is in full support so they will be held accountable to this contract by EVERYONE!

I laughed hysterically but she is absolutley correct in setting guidelines. You would have to know her (and the boys, especially the youngest one) to understand but none the less, here is a contract for all of the parents out there that have just had it!!!

This should be interesting. :-)

*********

The Rules

Grades
You must maintain a c average, as well as citizenship. If you receive any grade below a C you will be put on restriction for 30 days, B’s will receive $5 dollars each and A’s will receive $10 each and every progress report. If teachers call home for any negative reason you will be restricted for 2 weeks, for every additional phone call that is negative, a week will be added on. Example: one phone call 2 weeks, two phone calls 3 weeks etc. One book will be chosen by me weekly for you to read during family reading time.
Home work is to be done before 7pm unless circumstances do not allow it. If it is not done by this time, $1 will be deducted from your allowance, if it happens twice in one week you will be restricted for the week

Duties at home
You will have days and chores assigned to you, the chores will need to be completed before you do anything else other than home work, there will be a certain amount of time that you are given to complete these tasks, if you are asked to do additional chores or something different you will comply immediately with out question. Upon completion you will receive $5 every Saturday night, if they are not completed or you do not do them in the allotted time you will be restricted for the week and $1 will be deducted for every day that work is not done. If you see things were they don’t belong or messed up fix it clean it up take pride in your house and your things.

Restriction
When you are on restriction (or grounded) you will NOT be allowed to watch television, talk on the phone, play any video games, play on the computer, go over any ones house, have company, you may have extra chores, and no extra snacks. I will talk to grandpa, and other family to make sure we are all on the same page and your restriction follows you. If you break any of these rules while grounded like sneaking on the phone or computer, a week will be added on to your time and you will loose your allowance for that week. Although you are restricted you will still be able to earn your allowances if you follow the rules while grounded.

Punishment
Punishment consist of: staying in your room only, spending time on the wall, push ups, running, writing, reading the dictionary and writing sentences, washing walls steaming curtains or clothes, and anything else that is asked of you. If you back talk, or do not follow anyone’s instruction you will be immediately punished, by the adult in charge of you. Let’s not forget you are not too old for corners and there is nothing to do there.

Respect
Treat people how you want to be treated;
I have noticed that over this past year the disrespect giving to me by my children has gotten completely out of hand it has also been brought to my attention and mentioned by many other family members, teachers, and friends that my children are very disrespectful regularly, to others, and mostly towards me, this is going to end, I work too hard and do too much for you guys, and am too nice a parent to be treated badly by my children. I have tried to be more than fair and the methods that I have been using to discipline you so far and you are just not mature enough for. You are not to speak to ANY adults disrespectfully not teachers, or anyone whose care you are under. If I have a friend or anyone that I have given authority over you, you are to listen to them the first time they speak without resistance or back talk. When an adult gives you direction or orders you DO NOT need to check the with me or double question what they have asked of you even if I am home there is no need ask me the same question, also you both have a habit of undermining people and being sneaky or manipulative this will also stop. If you do not listen, or you attempt to take advantage of a person or situation you will be punished and put on restriction. If I or any other adult gives you direct instructions, you are to respond with yes ma’am or yes sir. Let’s understand that we are not equals and I do not have to follow your rules nor do I have to answer any of your questions, you both need to learn to stay in a child’s place and when to shut your mouth. I am the boss

Changes And Other rules
These rules will be posted implemented and followed, so you can not say you didn’t know.
You will not be left alone at home, neither of you are mature enough for that, also you will not be around adult conversation.
If the week is good we will have family night were we can go bowling play games have company, watch movies, go swimming, family work out time, play time, reading time and other fun stuff. I will listen to your ideas for that. Also we are going to begin going to church again I expect you both to participate with an open heart. I want to be able to have fun with you and do things with and for you but you have to work for it and your behavior MUST be respectful, appropriate, and deserving of these privileges. You must ask to watch movies or shows, listen to music, with cursing or anything else not for children and you must ask to use the phone, computer, or get something to eat or drink, also eat at the table unless told otherwise.

There are no sides with kids only right or wrong and what we say, so I do not want to hear any negative comments about anything if you do not get your way, this is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
OK here are some examples of reasonable response to instruction that are acceptable:
Yes ma’am, or yes mama, here I come, I will get to in one minute, and I am working on it.

You will come directly home from school unless you have permission or you are after school with a teacher. Do not talk any family business out of the house; also do not talk negatively about any adults or discus adult business with others. No wrestling in the house or at school it is not always play time you need to learn self control, if you are not getting along with someone even your brother then you need to take time away from that person. There will be no cursing, rolling eyes, mean faces, or sucking teeth. When any one calls you, your response should be yes or yes ma’am nothing else. Also unacceptable behavior is slamming doors, storming off, talking under your breath, making unnecessary comments, speaking out of turn, getting smart, making faces, taking about adults in a negative manner, and just blatantly doing what you want when you want, this behavior will be disciplined, if you break these rules you will face punishment and restriction. There maybe rules added on as well. And if you should forget you can sit in the corner and re read the rules.

This is not a democracy and the things that I or adults tell you to do are not up for discussion and we are not in need of your opinion, you both learn how to keep your mouth shut we don’t always care to hear what you have to say.

What have you learned that you would want to pass on??

“If you had the chance to impart your wisdom to the world to leave as your legacy, what lessons have you learned that you’d want to pass on to humanity?”


Jen Blackhert's Top 10 Lessons for Humanity

1. TRUTH: Let go of all your inner struggles or fights by accepting what is. What IS the truth? When you accept what is, you can then choose to keep what you may not want or change it. So be impeccable with your true word, so you can accept and see what is – this will allow you to make conscious decisions to change it what you don’t like. “..the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

2. PASSION: Listen to the desires and passions in your heart. There is reason for these passions – you see — your passions are your divine path. Spirit guides us with our feelings within – go within or go without.

3. SEE: See yourself living your dreams now. Hold the vision and make your decisions based on what you see. It really is that simple.

4. EXPERIENCE: Too often we find ourselves “doing” things and not “experiencing” life. Be in life and stop “doing” things to get things done. The great Taoist master Lao Tzu said, “Do without doing.”

5. GIVE: When you give yourself, your gifts and gratitude the universe send opportunities and rewards in abundance for all areas of life.

6. RECEIVE: When we can do both give and receive openly — life flows with ease. Be open to every opportunity to give and receive.

7. LOVE: Fall in love with everything that is in your life. This includes the people you interact with, your environment, work, life and even how you operate you. Take time to take inventory of what you tolerate and what you don’t love, then remove what you aren’t in love with.

8. POWER: We are more powerful than we may ever know. Too often we allow illusions such as fear, doubt and worry to creep in. When you understand these are just feeling in your human body and they are not you — you can shift your emotions positively and stand in your power.

9. JOY: Allow life to be simple, easy and FUN. Do what you want. Love the life you lead. Stop following the rules of the world and march to your drummer.

10. PRACTICE CHANGING YOUR MIND: Know the techniques you need to change your subconscious habit and behaviors so you can live a life of personal freedom.

Super 400’s Future Looks Bright with New Single “Flashlight”

Response Records Releases Junior Album, “Sweet Fist” in Fall 2009

Super 400 is slated to hit the airwaves this month with their new single “Flashlight” from their forthcoming junior album. Denver, Colorado based Response Records is releasing the album in the fall of 2009. Sweet Fist will be manufactured and distributed through Rock Ridge Music with an exclusive license.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Response Records to distribute and promote Super 400” , says Jason Spiewak, Rock Ridge Music. He goes on to say, “Sweet Fist” is a tremendous rock record, one that will please the band’s current fan base and surely make them new ones.”

Lifelong fans of the influential Memphis sounds of Stax Records and Big Star, Super 400 chose the legendary Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee to record their third album, Sweet Fist. As much history museum as functioning studio, Ardent has captured the essence of such greats as Led Zeppelin, Stevie Ray Vaughn, ZZ Top, Isaac Hayes, & Big Star, to name a few. As the legends before them, they recorded the album entirely on tape, capturing most final cuts on the first take.

Hall of fame mastering guru Larry Nix, along with son Kevin, refurbished the one and only Stax Record Lathe that before being moved to Ardent, created the first copy and master for every Stax Record and later classic albums such as Led Zeppelin: III, Stevie Ray Vaughn: The Sky Is Crying and ZZ Top: Afterburner. Months of valuable time and unmentionable resources were spent to insure that the historical lathe made its’ return debut to cut the new Super 400 album. It can humbly be said that history has been made.

Adam Anderson, Response Records states, “The new album Sweet Fist marks a magnificent pinnacle in the sonic evolution of Super 400. Both powerful and soulful, the band took the analog Memphis sound and gave it a shot of adrenaline on this record."

The band has become one of the most loyally followed rock bands in the Northeast, and the fan base is growing; last year's national tours started a chain of bootleg recordings that have been traded and coveted around the world. Back home, the mayor of Troy gave Super 400 their own official holiday, 'Super 400 Day', to recognize the band's musical achievements as well as the love and support the city has shown for them.

Each of their completely unique performances evokes the raw, euphoric essence of Rock and Roll. Their upcoming release, Sweet Fist, truly reflects the light and dark of this new millennium; it unravels the tales of this modern world with an analog tongue rarely heard in the digital age. It represents both homage to their influences and an insightful progression of the dynamic power of Super 400.

For more info visit: www.responserecords.net or http://www.super400.com/

Define Your Values, Then Yourself

Another great tip from our friends at Daily Launch
http://www.ladieswholaunch.com/magazine/daily-launchtip-june-4-2009/3260

In the same way that losing 10 pounds is not a panacea for depression, manifesting what you want won’t make you happy unless what you are manifesting is what you truly want. The only way to get clear on what you want is to take inventory of your values. In their simplest sense, values can be defined as “what you spend time on”, “what you focus on”, and “what you devote your energies to”. There is a short exercise you can do that will give you insight into what you say your values are versus what your actions indicate. First, make a list of the top 5 things you value and put them in order of the most important to the least. Be honest with yourself and keep your list private. Next, spend one week recording the time you spend on every activity from talking on the phone, to walking the dog, to picking up your child, to the thoughts you think. Compare your top 5 list to the record you created of your activities. How do they match up? For example, if one of your top 5 was “traveling with my family”, how much time in the last week did you spend around this value (doing it, researching it, talking about it, even daydreaming about it)? Notice the gaps or the disconnects between your list and your actions. Ask yourself: Am I spending time on the things I listed as values or am I unconsciously exerting energy in directions that don’t serve me or my life goals? Only you can know the answer and then make changes accordingly.

Swine Flu Virus - Pharmaceutical Cartel Up To Its Old Tricks

This article is from Dheyuty Ma-at Ra. I frequent the site and was really interesting in hearing what he had to say about the "Swine Flu". Well...here it is.
The site is a great resource for detoxing, alternative medicine and everything holistic.
Enjoy~
***************


by Djehuty Ma'at-Ra.
www.dherbs.com

So here we are again faced with another man-made and concocted swine flu virus scam and scare. First of all let me say that I don't believe in so-called viruses such as the HIV virus, AIDS virus, or herpes virus. From my research these are not the same kinds of things (alleged viruses) that are concocted and stored in virus banks and purposely let loose on the society.
Herpes appears to be a microorganism infection (especially genital herpes) and blood disorder, AIDS is the result of dangerous medical drugs impairing the immune system, and HIV only exists in name only.

Viruses such as swine flu are concocted by bio-chemical warfare specialists in laboratories. They (bio-chemical engineers/specialists) have been doing this for a very long time.
This most recent swine flu frenzy is a public health scare tactic to terrorize the fragile-minded public and push the government-Big Pharma agenda. This is all this is, folks!
Swine flu virus is nothing but an attempt to get a national flu vaccine program legislated. Since the American people won't vote for it, government and the pharmaceutical industry will simply attempt to scare the people into accepting their national flu vaccine program which will bring in billions of dollars (or Ameros) for the pharmaceutical companies.

NOTE: The Amero is the proposed new currency for the North American Union that is in the works. The North American Union will replace the sovereign de facto nations of Canada, the United States, and Mexico and the Amero currency will replace the currencies of all three nations including our Federal Reserve Note (dollar bill). The North American Union is basically a corporate merger between three major corporations called nations or countries. To learn more about this, watch the video "The Cause and Effect of Hijacking Humanity" available from www.meanmore.com

There was an attempt back in 1976 under the Gerald Ford Administration to launch a national flu vaccine program. The public didn't fall for the BS back in 1976! But a lot of chemicals have been added to the food, water supplies, candies and gums, and commercial beverages and what we listen to on the radio and watch on television since 1976 has become more toxic (degenerate) so the Leaders/Rulers (of the Matrix) think we may be ready to buy into their BS because our minds have been so conditioned and our brains so impaired.

Since a flu vaccine program is based upon a vaccine, who would manufacture that vaccine? Would it not be some pharmaceutical company? Of course it would! And would the vaccine serum be made for free? Hell no! It would cost money! Health care, medical treatment, and medical research are big money makers in the world, especially in the United States where people are so successfully conditioned to pop a pill for every little ailment.
Another thing the people need to know, in case they don't know already, is that pharmaceutical companies purchase their influence using the media. After all, they have the mega bucks - all thanks to the loyal pill poppers of drugs.

I mean, after all, pharmaceutical companies couldn't remain rich absent profit that happens to be the lifeblood of business. It is people who keep these pharmaceutical companies in business and power. That's right! People! People who are not responsible for their own health! People who are ignorant! People who blindly trust! People who are frightened and scared to death! People who are, simply put, unconscious! People who are oblivious, apparently, that the human body is not made up of any drugs. No part of the human body is made up of drugs. No part of the human brain is made up of aspirin. No part of the female reproductive tract is made up of the drug 'Midol.' No part of the male reproductive system, including the penis, is made up of 'Viagra.' We are not made of chemical drugs, people!


Pharmaceutical drugs, unlike Nature's herbs, are not carbon-based and thus cannot be assimilated into the body.

Right now in the media you are purposely hearing these words: "Right now there is no vaccine for this strain of swine flu." You are hearing this on purpose! The government and the pharmaceutical cartel (a/k/a Big Pharma) want the people to demand that a vaccine be created and ultimately that legislation be passed whereby the vaccine is made mandatory, perhaps even for newborns in hospitals. The entire nation would be made to follow the model of the criminal enterprise called the State of Maryland which forces vaccinations on all schoolchildren, even against the parent's wishes, and at gunpoint too. Read about this more in detail in my upcoming Dherbs.com article entitled "Beware the New Childhood Vaccine Agenda." A lot more American children born to unconscious, ignorant, confused, and in some cases, "stupid as hell" parents (that really had no business birthing a child into the world) will develop autism and other neurological disorders.


Don't mind my words, those of you with overly sensitive ears. Focus on the content!
Again, in the media you are purposely hearing the words: "Right now there is no vaccine for this strain of swine flu." But would a new vaccine really have to be created? Knowing the criminal and sinister antics of the pharmaceutical drug companies and how they do things, they already have vaccines waiting and all they would need to do is simply select one or two vaccines and put them on the market. Big Pharma via the corporate sponsored and controlled media are already prescribing two drugs for this scam including the drug "Tamiflu," a/k/a/ Oseltamivir.

Just as AIDS (as a scare tactic) was created to reintroduce a deadly cancer drug, AZT, they're at it again attempting to create an epidemic (swine flu virus) in order to introduce a new vaccine for the virus, and that new vaccine may be an old one, one already in existence but not yet marketed to the public.

"But Djehuty, what about those 2000 cases of swine flu virus reported in Mexico?" What about them? Who are these people? What is their medical history?

According to Brasscheck TV:

"Many millions of them [in Mexico] live in crushing poverty, poor health and with poor sanitary conditions. 1,000 "cases" (which is higher than the so-far reported number) equals 0.005% of the population. 60 deaths equals 0.0003% of the population. And, of the few deaths, no one has mentioned who these casualties are. Are they elderly or infirm people who could just as easily be killed by the common cold or a slip and fall? It makes a difference."
For real news, I highly recommend you sign up for Brasscheck TV


There's no need to be frightened by swine flu virus. It's nothing but a media scare tactic promulgated and financed by Big Pharma so as to introduce a national flu vaccine program and thus a new swine flu vaccine. God made your defense (immune) system to ward off foreign invaders. Just focus on keeping your so-called immune system healthy, fortified, and boosted and you'll be all right! Just remember: "What you fear will appear!" Job the Prophet of the Bible said: "The thing I have feared has come upon me!" People, we attract what we fear!
Fear, worry, and stress also weaken and impair the immune system. You've probably already heard about this but I'm here to tell you that it is factual.

Stop listening to idiots on the radio airwaves like Tom Joyner and others of his ilk that propose taking a loved one to the doctor. For what? To keep the doctor in business and rich while the loved one stays sick, weak, and incapacitated?

I'll say it again: doctors, hospitals, pharmacists, and drug companies cannot and will not tolerate health and wellbeing, for these states threaten their livelihoods and threaten to put them out of business. THEY NEED YOU SICK TO STAY IN BUSINESS!

Well or healthy people don't take drugs. Conscious people don't take drugs because they know all drugs are poisonous. The drug container (box or bottle) has written on it in fine small print: "IN CASE OF ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSE, CONTACT A POSION CONTROL CENTER!"
Now why in the world would you be contacting a poison control center if you weren't consuming poison? Shouldn't you be contacting a "medicine control center?"
It's time to start thinking, People.


Pertaining to swine flu virus, as rap group Public Enemy said: "DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!"
Eat healthy, preferably organic raw foods and vegan foods. Drink good drinking water, preferably alkaline water. Detoxify your body with herbs at least 2-4 times per year. Think positive! Have a positive attitude! Live righteous! Stay away from negative and toxic people! Start thinking independently! Operate from love, knowingness (knowledge), and self-power and not fear, ignorance, and powerlessness.

Dherbs.com is always here for you and we will always bring you the raw truth in the form of information.


If you're interested in eating better, i.e. becoming a vegan or raw foodist, visit our "Dietary Choices" section or order our e-book "Alternative Diet and Lifestyle Manual."

To learn more about alkaline water, read our article "Alkaline Water" in our Articles section.

To learn more about herbal detoxification, visit the "Full Body Detox" section.

To learn about naturally boosting the immune system, read the article "Immune System and Immune Health" in our Articles section.


Thank you for reading!

This particular article is the exclusive property of Djehuty Ma'at-Ra and expresses the sole and exclusive sentiments, opinions, and research of Djehuty Ma'at-Ra as an individual, expressed pursuant to U.S.Const.Amend.1

Have You Uploaded Your Video Yet?

What are you waiting for?? This is a direct connect between you and your fan base. Upload your video and blast it to the masses!

Enjoy~
*********

PowerPlayed.com Becomes Go To Site For Unsigned Artists Video Uploads.

New York, NY – April 11 - PowerPlayed.com, a cutting edge music video portal, and more, explodes onto to the new media scene as the “go to” website offering amazing visibility and promotional opportunities to seasoned artists and leveling the playing field for independent artists and bands. It has quickly become the website for “first looks” at videos, interviews and happenings of today’s most popular artists from all genres of music including, R&B, Gospel, Rock, Pop, Country and Hip-Hop. The site is a win, win for all artists as it is designed to promote and maximize their creativity to the masses.

Independent artists have found Powerplayed.com to be a viable tool because it allows them to upload their videos to the site for free. Unsigned artists can send their video link out to the masses and will be eligible for Power Play Video of the Week depending on the number of views they receive. As a result they can be included in the e- blasts, be added to any play list and are visibly aligned with today’s hit makers.

PowerPlayed.com has a direct connect to consumers and music video enthusiasts through the element of technology. With massive weekly e-blasts, videos are sent virally to thousands of eager fans, heat-seeking DJs, first-to-know On Air Personalities, Radio Station Music & Program Directors, and the Industry's Elite. The site is modern technology at its finest.

For more info: http://www.powerplayed.com/

Contact: SheNotes - shenotes@gmail.com


.

Seven Habits of Highy Defective People (humorous)

This excerpt was taken from the Facebook Group: The Happiest Days of Your Life by Nithya Shanti. Nithya always has a message of inspiration and so naturally I am compelled to share most of the time. Who doesn't need inspiration? :-)
Enjoy~
*********

You may have heard of Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Sean Covey’s 7 Habits to Highly Effective Teens. The lessons are profound.
According to Sean Covey (that's Stephen's son), the key to understanding the seven habits is to examine what they are not. So here's presenting the humorous, but also not uncommon...

Seven Habits of Highly Defective People
1: React
Blame all of your problems on your parents, your boss, your lousy neighborhood, your partner, the government, or something or somebody else. Be a victim. Take no responsibility for your life. Act like an animal. If you're hungry, eat. If someone yells at you, yell back. If you feel like doing something you know is wrong, just do it.

2: Begin with No End in Mind
Don't have a plan. Avoid goals at all costs. And never think about tomorrow. Why worry about the consequences of your actions? Live for the moment, but never 'in the moment'. Sleep around, get wasted, and party on, for tomorrow we die.

3: Put First Things Last
Whatever is most important in your life, don't do it until you have spent sufficient time watching reruns, talking endlessly on the phone, surfing the Net, and lounging around. Always put off your homework until tomorrow. Make sure that things that don't matter always come before things that do.

4: Think Win-Lose
See life as a vicious competition. Your colleagues are out to get you, so you'd better get them first. Don't let anyone else succeed at anything because, remember, if they win, you lose. If it looks like you're going to lose, however, make sure you drag that sucker down with you.

5: Seek First to Talk, Then Pretend to Listen
You were born with a mouth, so use it. Make sure you talk a lot. Be first off the mark, and never lose an opportunity to express your side of the story first. Once you're sure everyone understands your views, then pretend to listen by nodding and saying "uh-huh." Or, if you really want their opinion, give it to them.

6: Don't Cooperate
Co-operation is synonymous with compromise. Let's face it, other people are weird because they're different from you. So why try to get along with them? Teamwork is for the sledge dogs. Since you always have the best ideas, you are better off doing everything by yourself. Be your own island.


7: Wear Yourself Out
Be so busy with life that you never take time to renew or improve yourself. Never study. Don't learn anything new. Avoid exercise like the plague. And, for heaven's sake, stay away from good books, nature, this Facebook group or anything else that may inspire you.

Wasn't that funny!? As you can see, the habits listed above are recipes for disaster. Yet many of us indulge in them regularly (yes, you and me included). And, given this, it's no wonder that life can be really unpleasant at times.
Now now lets look at this another way, what are the seven characteristics that happy and effective people the world over have in common.

Here they are, followed by a brief explanation:
Habit 1: Be Proactive
Take responsibility for your life.

Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Define your mission and goals in life.

Habit 3: Put First Things First
Prioritize, and do the most important things first.

Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Have an everyone-can-win attitude.

Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Listen to people sincerely.

Habit 6: Synergize
Work together to achieve more.

Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Renew yourself regularly.

I feel we can all benefit from reading and re-reading the two books mentioned above. Whether we choose habits that make us feel miserable and trampled by life or we those that make us feel magnificent and strong - the amount of work is the same. Why not emphasize effective habits over defective ones?? The important thing is not really where we are, but in what direction we are moving.

The Four Agreements

I saw a post on FaceBook today that talked about the Four Agreements. It was absolutely accurate in saying that adopting these principles will change your life. They are from the book The Four Agreements by Don Miquel Ruiz. I recommend this book to everyone and have given it as gift time and time again. It is an easy ready and you walk away some great tools for life's little tool box. :-) #s 2 and 3 were life altering! Enjoy~

SheNotes
***********************

1. BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST Your best is going to change from moment to moment. It will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

To check out the author's page go to: http://www.miguelruiz.com/

Here is a powerful video to go along with it:http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=PX90DZq2OLA

South African Reggae Star's Killers get Life

He is truly missed. RIP Lucky
SheNotes
*************

April 2, 2009, 6:07 AM EST
JOHANNESBURG (AP) -- A judge sentenced three men convicted of murdering an internationally known South African reggae star in a botched carjacking to life in prison Thursday.

Lucky Dube's 2007 killing drew worldwide attention to crime in South Africa, which has one of the world's highest murder rates.

Sifiso Mhlanga, Mbuti Mabe and Julius Gxowa were convicted Tuesday in Dube's death. Hours before the verdict was announced, Mabe and Mhlanga assaulted police officers in a foiled bid to escape from the court.

Thokozani Dube, who was in the car when his father was shot, broke into tears as the sentences were announced and was comforted by his mother. Later, family members and their supporters gathered outside the courthouse and sang South Africa's national anthem.

Dube, who launched his career in the 1980s with criticism of the apartheid regime, went on to become a huge international star. He recorded more than 20 albums and shared stages with the likes of Michael Jackson, Peter Gabriel, Ziggy Marley and Sting.

As seen on MSN.com http://music.msn.com/music/article.aspx?news=402166&GT1=28102

Daily LaunchTip, April 1, 2009

From Victoria Colligan, Founder, Ladies Who Launch

Many self-help book authors espouse the values of expressing gratitude on a regular basis. Being grateful for what you have, they say, paves the way for more good things to come, puts you in a positive frame of mind and causes you to attract opportunities and positive energy to keep you moving. One easy way to express gratitude that takes less than 3 minutes, even 10 seconds, is to say “thank you” to someone directly. Every day, I thank at least one person (and often many more than one). Some of my thank you’s are for big things: a partnership that materialized or a revenue opportunity that was successful; more often than not, however, my thank you’s are for the little things: Help from a fellow mom driving my children to an activity, phone call from a friend just to say “Hi” or a complement from someone close to me on what I’m wearing or some advice I gave that worked. Saying “thank you” without any extraneous information, caveats or hesitation is the simplest way to express gratitude on a daily basis and bring more positive vibrations into your world.

Check out Ladies Who Launch @ http://www.ladieswholaunch.com/magazine/daily-launchtip-april-1-2009/2970

Ethnicity Models CEO, LaShawnna Stanley Clears Diddy’s Name.

I am not a Diddy fan but LaShawnna is a friend that I have had the pleasure of meeting while speaking with on a couple of panels. She is very passionate about her agency and everything that is represents. I posted this blog in support of her. :-)

Check out her sites below to learn more about her agencies.

SheNotes

***************************

Apparently the blogs have been having a field day, her name got thrown into all the mess so she clears the air!

Ethnicity Models CEO LaShawnna Stanley who has casted for Diddy for the past 8 years clears Diddy’s name.

“First let me start of by saying I have casted talent for Diddy and Bad Boy for the past 7 or 8 years and Puff has NEVER EVER requested only a certain type of model. He just wants beautiful models of all ethnicities. However I was contacted by an affiliate agency that I work closely with in Miami requesting models for the Ciroc Promotion, this email is NOT from Diddy or Ciroc. Here is the original email:

---------- Forwarded message - Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:06:55 -0400

Subject: CirocTo: <>

>

Hey,We are doing Ciroc promo this Friday from 3pm - 7pm and from 12m - 3am. If you have any girls that want to do it? It will be cash at wrap and He really wants white, Hispanic or light skinned black and at least 5'6 or taller and must wear a size 7 or smaller. Let me know if you have any girls that want to do it because I will be booking 13 girls.

Ramona

Diddy is NOT a racist and has NEVER only requested white, Latin or light skin models in the 8 years that I have been casting for him. However someone on his promotional staff reached out to an agency in Miami that I have a close working relationship with, which in turn reached out to me via email requesting what she THOUGHT Diddy would like based off of what she has seen in his previous videos, ad’s etc. The assumption that he only wanted white, Hispanic or light skinned black models was an assumption from that affiliate agency ; not a request of Diddy or Ciroc. All castings that come to Ethnicity Models or Ethnicity Talent are legitimate and exclusive castings http://www.ethnicitymodels.com/ and http://www.ethnicitytalent.com/.

Imperative management based in Atlanta, GA was not authorized or contacted to post the casting on their website, they have no access to my clients, they copy castings from other sites in order to lead talent to believe they can book them on certain jobs that they have no access to. First the fake show on E! Candy Girls trying to swagger jack Ethnicity now this drama! Models of various ethnicities were booked.

<>>

Black 'Idol' viewers drop by almost a third after Jasmine Murray's exit

Black 'Idol' viewers drop by almost a third after Jasmine Murray's exit (March 17, 2009) Fox's "American Idol" went from a big black audience gain to a serious drop off after last week. The show, which saw the exit of African-American contestant Jasmine Murray, had a 28 percent decrease from the previous week's black household figures. Lil Rounds is the only remaining black contestant.With "Idol" out of the top three, ABC grabbed the No.1 spot with "Dancing With the Stars," followed by CBS' interview with President Barack Obama on "60 Minutes." ["American Idol" was still No.1 and No.2 with white audiences]. CBS had no trouble holding on to the title of most watched TV network in black households, posting 18.6 million for its Top 25 shows. ABC knocked Fox out of second with its 10.2 million, compared with Fox's 6.7 million.The total number of viewers watching the Top 25, according to Nielsen Media Research was -- again -- 38.2 million.

Top 20 Broadcast Shows in Black Households
Rank Program Network

1 DANCING WITH THE STARS ABC

2 60 MINUTES CBS

3 CSI: MIAMI CBS

4 AMERICAN IDOL-WEDNESDAY FOX

5 AMERICAN IDOL-TUESDAY FOX

6 CSI: NY CBS

7 DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES ABC

8 CRIMINAL MINDS CBS

9 THE MENTALIST CBS

10 WITHOUT A TRACE CBS

11 NCIS CBS

12 DANCING W/STARS RESULTS ABC

13 CBS NCAA BSKBL CHMP-SA-4 CBS

14 GREY'S ANATOMY-THU 9PM ABC

15 LAW AND ORDER:SVU NBC

16 COLD CASE CBS

17 PRIVATE PRACTICE ABC

18 THE UNIT CBS

19 THE GAME CW

20 CBS NCAA BSKBL CHP-EVETH1 CBS

Source: Nielsen Media Research. Number of viewers ages 2+ shown in millions. Rankings are based on share of black households. Representing more than 13.45 million television households in the U.S., the African-American television audience is the largest minority segment in Nielsen measurement samples. All times eastern.

Nonprofits Collaborate to Send New York City Teenagers on African Volunteer Mission

Another worthy cause! If you can not attend please visit the link to make a donation. :-)

SheNotes
*******

About the March 20 NYC Fundraiser

WHAT: Assorted Flavors Entertainment Presents "Downtime" Benefiting Project54Tour

Brings GSWS Harriet's Heart to Kenya

WHERE: Katra, 217 Bowery Street (between Prince & Rivington Streets)

WHEN: Event Time: 5 to 7 p.m./After party 7 to 11 p.m.; Cocktails: 5 to 6 p.m. 2 for 1;
VIP Red Carpet and Press Interviews: 5:00 to 6: 00 p.m.

WHO: Naomi Silie, Esq, Commissioner, The Bronx Democratic Board of Elections;
Angelo Ellerbee, CEO, Double XXposure Media Relations; Surayya Barbee, Proprietor of SVNTN Below Restaurant & Lounge and Board President GSWS, Inc. Harriet’s Heart

NYC FUNDRAISER TO HELP YOUTH MAKE A JOURNEY OF THE HEART
Nonprofits Collaborate to Send New York City Teenagers on African Volunteer Mission

NEW YORK, NY (March 12, 2009) – Two nonprofit organizations have joined forces for a March 20 New York City fundraiser to help send Harriet’s Heart on a missionary trip to Kenya. Seven, of the nineteen, young women of African-American, Latina, and Caribbean decent, known as “Harriet’s Heart,” are part of a four-year effort that selects and guides girls into womanhood -- helping young women develop leadership and life skills, and provides assistance with completing high school while helping families with the money and other resources to fund college.

Founder, Pamela Salaam Jaha, gave birth to Harriet’s Heart as a revitalization of the principal, “it takes a whole village,” challenging corporations, athletes, entertainers, professionals, civic leaders, elected officials, and ordinary people to be a part of the solution, preparing leaders of tomorrow by embracing the role of educating and investing in our children today. “I believe it is the responsibility of all of us to lead our children and our communities to social leadership, economic strength, political promise, and academic excellence! I know that ordinary people can make a change, such is when and how we become Extra-Ordinary, says Salaam, the proud surrogate mother of 19 girls.

Project54Tour, and GirlSpirit WomenSong Inc., (GSWS) have united to help support Harriet’s Heart, an extraordinary group of young women whose name pays tribute to civil rights leader Harriet Tubman. Each girl represents one of Tubman’s nineteen courageous journeys on the Underground Railroad. “We have a responsibility to help young girls become successful confident women,” said Naomi Silie, Esq., Commissioner, The Bronx Democratic Board of Elections who will provide remarks at next week’s fundraiser.
Project54Tour Founder and Executive Director, Chris Surrey added, “The upcoming missionary trip will offer a meaningful volunteer opportunity that will help engage, empower and educate the citizens of Africa by improving the socio-cultural benefits that change lives for the better.”

The fundraiser scheduled for Friday, March 20 at Katra located at 217 Bowery Street in New York City will bring together a “village” of professionals from all fields and backgrounds to help raise additional funds for the mission – keeping Salaam’s vision and promise alive. Celebrity guests and community leaders have been invited to attend the affair and provide remarks.

Each of the two nonprofit organizations involved in the March 20 event will continue to serve those in need despite the tough economy and a drastic decline in volunteers and donations. Anyone interested in making a contribution to support the cause can do so online at: www.project54tour.org (under Contact Us) or by sending a check made payable to “Project54Tour Aid Program, Inc.” at The Buzz International Group, Att.: Chris Surrey, 419 Lafayette Street, 2nd fl., New York, NY 10003. Every dollar given to Project54Tour will be to help improve the lives of developing communities and empowering the youth. All donations are tax-deductible.

Guests must RSVP to info@precisionpluscommunications.com to attend; and please note that space is limited. The suggested donation is $5.00 for the nonprofit. Attire is Red Carpet Ready.

About GSWS
GSWS is a 501(c)(3) serving as the “Social Responsibility Arm” of Salaam Arts & Inspiration. GSWS is most commonly known for its annual Bring Me Your Daughters Empowerment Conference in New York City, every first Saturday of March, in tribute to Women’s History Month, with a savvy mission to enhance the mind, body and spirit of girls & women, by introducing healthy behaviors & attitudes of self-awareness, self-respect, self-determination and self-reliance, encouraging independence, responsibility and the elaboration of basic human competencies for healthy growth and development, across global hearts!

About Project54Tour
Project54Tour is a non-profit community development aid program inclusive of music artists, sports figures, member countries of the African Union, global communities and corporations dedicated to community development. It encourages a movement to help rebuild Africa’s most under developed countries and supports the United Nations’ eight (8) Millennium Development Goals.

View the video http://www.youtube.com/PaintBoxLabs to learn more about the mission.

Larry Woodard Blogs About NAMD's Marketing Mondays.

Last night NAMD hosted another informative and engaging Marketing Monday titled "New Media and How to Use it to Create Engaging, Results-Oriented Advertising Campaigns".

On the panel was Denitria, The Dnyree Group (Blue Flame, WalMart); Mike Street, Zezza Network (Beam Global Wine & Spirits); Alissa Jenkins, Wieden & Kennedy(ESPN) and Larry Woodard, Vigilante Advertising (Heineken, General Motors, Sprint).

As you can imagine the information that was shared was invaluable! I was thrilled to see that out panelists were just as excited to be there as we were to have them.

Below it the blog from Larry Woodard's blog, The Idea Machine.

Thanks Larry!

SheNotes
www.namd-nyc.org
*******************



As seen at http://www.theideamachine.com/blog/

A Glimpse at the Future of Advertising & Marketing

My parents moved to Alabama when I was 27 years old. I was recently married and had started my own firm after working for a local advertising agency. A few years later, I sent them tickets to come up and visit us as well as some of their old friends. I’ll never forget the look of pride on my father’s face as we drove into the parking lot of my office. It was located in a suburban office park. Once inside he walked slowly through each office taking everything in. He put his hand on my shoulder and said approvingly, “You’ve passed me!”

That was 22 years ago. Neither I nor my father could have envisioned what great things the industry had in store for me, but I have never forgotten that look he gave me or the words he said. Today, our economy is faltering and the advertising industry is being challenged by Cyrus Mehri and the Madison Avenue project to become more inclusive. I often find myself wondering where the industry is headed and where the next generation of leaders is.

After tonight, I have no more questions. I was part of a panel discussion hosted by the National Alliance of Market Developers (NAMD) New York Chapter. I could not have been more impressed by the young people in attendance. They were bright, inquisitive, determined and undaunted. I witnessed in them the same fire I had more than 25 years ago that allowed me to forge a career out of hope and determination even when I rarely saw anyone who looked like me. They have the same fire but they are smarter and have more information than I did.

I caught a glimpse of the future of marketing and advertising tonight. It was a brilliant white light and hot to the touch. It was a group of young people who will take what you will not give them and leave it for future generations better than it is now.

Thriftonista Blogtspot, Where Vintage And The World Of Fashion Meet.

Cute, cute, cute! Vintage deals at your fingertips.
************

Thriftonista (TM- trademark) is a term coined by the TaRosa Jacobs to describe anyone who recognizes that being fashionable is not about how much money you spend but about spending your money on clothes that allow you to express your own unique sense of style while looking great, feeling fabulous and still being able to pay those bills!

TaRosa says,"I am so excited to be embarking upon this enterprise! I can't wait to help you thrift, shop, live and share love--cheap!If you see something you'd like to buy or have any questions or comments, you can contact me at thriftonista@gmail.com."

Check out http://thriftonista.blogspot.com/

Two Arizona Female Teens Accused of Pimping Other Girls

This is really sad!!! My mouth is still open from reading this article.
Our youth are out of control. Does it go back to the messages of chasing paper and "hustlin" and getting money and stackin chips and did I mention "GETTIN MONEY"?????? (Broken record!) Not to mention the images of sex that have been branded into the brain of our babies and has most of them feeling inadequate. Solution time!

As seen on http://www.blackpower.com/

The grandmother of a 16-year-old Arizona girl accused of prostitution — and recruiting and pimping other teen girls — said Wednesday she hopes to fight the charges in court.
“I really want to take it to trial,” Linda Tye, grandmother of Tatiana Tye told CNN Radio. “She needs to meet her accusers.”

Tatiana Tye and a second 16-year-old girl, Jazmine Finley, were indicted earlier this week by a grand jury, Maricopa County, Arizona, prosecutors said in a statement. Although the girls are juveniles, prosecutors released their names and said they will be tried as adults.

Tye is charged with one count of child prostitution and three counts of pandering, or serving as a go-between or liaison for sexual purposes, prosecutors said.
Finley faces nine counts of child prostitution; two counts of receiving earnings of a prostitute; and one count of pandering. All the charges are felonies, prosecutors said.

The two were arrested last week after a five-month investigation, Phoenix police told reporters. Authorities believe Tye and Finley recruited at least five girls, ranging in age from 14 to 17, on the campuses of their high schools, police spokesman Sgt. Andy Hill said in a Monday news briefing posted on the Web site of CNN affiliate KTVK.

“We have a situation of two girls, 16 years old, who are, in essence, pimps,” Hill said. “And they ran their own brothel.”

Police believe the girls had rented an apartment used solely for acts of prostitution, he said.
Prosecutors, citing a police probable cause statement, said the teenagers recruited girls by telling them of “all the money they would be making. Additionally, they were told that it was better working for them as opposed to male pimps because they would not get beat up.”
Hill said, “I think we were all surprised at, you know, were these 16-year-old girls that were arrested, were they running this business? And the answer is yes, they were.”

In a jailhouse interview with KTVK, Tatiana Tye blamed Finley for introducing her to the world of prostitution, and said she was “a follower, not a leader, following whatever Jazmine does, and those were bad things.”
She denied recruiting anyone or receiving any money, although she did acknowledge she was scared at times.

“All I’m saying is, before (Finley) came into my life, none of this stuff was going on,” Tatiana Tye said. “I don’t even know much about prostitution and stuff. I’ve seen it before, because Jazmine had a pimp.”

However, she refused to answer questions about whether she had worked as a prostitute or about the apartment.
KTVK said it attempted to interview Finley, but her guardian failed to show up at the jail to give permission.

Accompanied by her grandmother, Tatiana Tye told reporters she didn’t want to talk to them initially, but “then again, I thought about, people need to know the truth. I mean, I would never, ever call myself a pimp or a madam.”
Asked what she would say to other teens, she said, “I would just tell them, don’t hang out with people that you know are doing bad stuff, because they’ll drag you down with them.”
Linda Tye said she had custody of her granddaughter, who moved in with her after leaving her mother’s home.

She said Tatiana Tye “admits to knowing Jazmine, hanging out and being with Jazmine. That she admits to. The rest, she doesn’t really want to talk about before she goes to trial and talks to her lawyers.”

As of Wednesday, she said, attorneys had only visited her granddaughter briefly, but longer visits are planned.
She said she is worried about Tatiana Tye’s health in jail, as she is eating only grapefruit and refuses to drink the water. The girl’s younger sister, 13, misses her and hasn’t been able to see her, she said.

She told CNN she does not understand how prosecutors can try her granddaughter as an adult.
“I want (people) to know that my little granddaughter, she is a loving person. She smiles all the time … she’s a little confused, but that’s no reason, and people shouldn’t sit and judge people. I just don’t like that. You don’t know the facts, you don’t know the truth, don’t do that,” Linda Tye said.

But asked whether she had any advice for others, she said, “Pay attention to your kids. If you’re a grandparent, pay attention to your grandchildren, because you never know what they’re up to. This is a big mess, and that’s what it is.”

(CNN)

Happy Super 400 Day!!!

Today, February 25 is Super 400 Day in the band's hometown of Troy, NY. Mayor Harry Tutunjian began the holiday in 2006 (see attached proclamation), in honor of the love and support the band has given the city throughout their career. This year, we invite you to celebrate with us as we offer a glimpse into the new Super 400 sound!

Visit http://www.super400.com/ all day to hear a clip from the new record!

The past year has been explosive for Super 400. After coming off the US and European tours of 2008, the band recorded their new album at the legendary Ardent Studios in Memphis, TN, and penned a deal with Denver based Response Records. Last week, the band experienced another career highlight, when they cut their first vinyl record on the original lathe from the Stax Records studio! This is the lathe that cut all of the legendary Stax recordings, as well as Led Zeppelin, Big Star, Stevie RayVaughan, and ZZ Top, just to name a few.

The band is preparing for the release of their new album on Double Vinyl this spring, so check back for updates and release info. Thank you all for your continued love and support.

"In This Low Economy, It's High Time To Get Your Product Right..."

Enjoy~

Another gem from Victoria Colligan, Founder and CEO, Ladies Who Launch

Instead of being anxious about the economy and submitting to fear, try the reverse: Take a step back, take a deep breath, and use this time to get your product right. You’re not the only one struggling right now, but you CAN be the one who takes advantage of the economic slow down. Now is the perfect time make changes you would be too busy to bother with if business were booming. Tweak your product, lay a proper foundation, and set yourself up for success down the road by moving slowly, being methodical, and putting a carefully thought out strategy in place. To do this, solicit feedback, the good, the bad, and the ugly, in every way possible. Embrace it as your personal challenge for growth. The more you can accomplish right now, the less work you will have to do when this economy turns around. At that point you’ll be perfectly positioned to leverage the better times.
http://www.ladieswholaunch.com/magazine/daily-launchtip-february-23-2009/2870

NY Association of Black Journalists Calls On NY Post to apologize!

It amazes us that in the year 2009, in what was supposed to be the beginning of a new era of race relations, a picture could get past editors to disgrace the pages of a major metropolitan newspaper, during Black History month nonetheless.

We, at the New York Association of Black Journalists, take offense to the New York Post cartoon depiction of two officers shooting a monkey and then saying, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill" The history attached to racial slurs connecting people of color to monkeys isn't new. In fact, the issue was brought up during the Obama campaign and clearly characterized by him as offensive. Yes, it is true that former President George Bush was often depicted as a monkey, but historical context is what makes this different.

How do you think the Jewish community would feel about the use of rats in any depiction of them? How do you think the Italian community would feel about being generalized with mobsters? Monkey slurs against Africans and African Americans go back to the days of early colonialism, when Anglo Saxon, Spanish and Portuguese conquerors used these types of drawings and descriptions to dehumanize black people so that their mistreatment and enslavement would not be viewed as wrong or sinful. The practice also took on more sinister roles later in history including during the slave trade here in the U.S. and in Hitler's Nazi Germany.

We, at NYABJ, demand both an explanation and an apology from Sean Delonas of the New York Post. We find it unconscionable that such a depiction, especially during this time, would be used in an attempt at humor or political satire. Would it be a leap to suggest that it is funny or ok to shoot the President, if this is who the chimp in the drawing is suppose to represent? We are not laughing.

We often hear Elinor Tatum, publisher of the NY Amsterdam News and Chair of the NABJ black media committee, say that incidents like this "underscore the need for more black-owned media in this country, to counteract the actions and insensitivities of right-wing or even so called mainstream media outlets".
We could not agree more. Shame on Mr. Delonas and shame on Mr. Rupert Murdoch who has allowed something like this to happen.

Gary Anthony Ramsay NYABJ President

Zachary DowdyNYABJ VP-Print

The New York Post Jumps the Shark (repost from Huffington Post)

WOW, I could not believe this when I saw it. So blatant and disrespectful. Some may question why we expected something different?? Because it is time to not only expect but be proactive in change! Of course ya boy Al Sharpton is all over this but let's see who else steps up to rectify this wrong?

If you would like to protest write a letter or you may contact the New York Post @ 212-930-8000. YES WE CAN!

SheNotes
****************

The New York Post today ran a cartoon that splashed classic dog-whistle racism (in black and white no less) depicting two cops, one with a drawn firearm, and a dead chimp. The kicker: "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."

Whose stimulus package is it? Come now. There's no room for the innocent shrug. Over at Air America, we have a special dog-whistle racism decoder: Racists have a long history of referring to African Americans as monkeys. This cartoon panders to that notion. Once upon a time, the New York Post editors called me (and to be fair Time Magazine) moral cretins for a book project I was working on. It wasn't true. Today I'm calling the Post a bunch of moral cretins, and it is true.

Payback's a ten-year affair in this instance, but oh so sweet.
In a different cultural setting this cartoon would have brought death threats already. Remember the Danish paper's depiction of verboten Muslim folk? Is it more acceptable in this instance? Not at all. We live in a tolerant society. That does not mean you have to buy the New York Post. Don't go to the site. Send people to good sites to see the bad journalism. It's that simple. Don't reward bad media with what they need--your eyes and ears.

You can act in the even older (than American racism) tradition of wu-wei--the spiritual boycott. Do nothing. At least when it comes to reading this rag and for that matter any Rupert-owned lie-machine. Spread the word about this American media atrocity. Mete out the penalty with loyalty to sites like Huffington Post, Air America and other progressive voices of truth and justice.
Have a nice day.

As seen online on the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/beau-friedlander/the-new-york-post-jumps-t_b_167892.html

Jan Marie Dore's Top Seven Business Tips for Women Entrepreneurs

Enjoy

**********

Over the past thirteen years, I have worked with hundreds of women entrepreneurs as their business coach. I've noticed that many women small business owners experience the same challenges in growing and running their businesses, such as feeling overwhelmed and isolated, having difficulty keeping focused, not enrolling enough support, and not planning for growth.

Here's a summary of my best advice for any woman running a small business - my top seven tips for women entrepreneurs:

1) Focus on your strengthsThere's an old saying - 'Do what you do best and delegate the rest.' Know what your top strengths are. Delegate or drop anything that you're not exceptionally skilled at, and focus at least 80% of your time using your key talents that bring you income.

2) Put yourself firstYour growing business needs a lot of time and attention. Many women in business put themselves third or fourth on their list of priorities. Put you and your business first and everything else will fall into place.

3) Learn to say 'no'I ask women who have started a business to drop anywhere from 25% to 50% of their time commitments when we start working together. Most women are too over-committed with non-business related activities. Be strategic about what you say yes to, especially in the first few years of your business. Guard your precious time as the valuable asset that it is.

4) Plan for successLack of planning causes more businesses to fail than anything else. Planning is very valuable because it causes you to think ahead to your vision and next steps to reach your goals. You can create a simple one page marketing plan that outlines your business objectives and how you will achieve them.

5) Ask for supportDon't try to figure it all out by yourself. Notice where you are stuck and could use some help, and ask for it. Ask colleagues or others who have been in business and could mentor you, hire a business coach, or form your own mastermind support team.

6) Delegate or drop your weaknessesGet clear on what you don't enjoy doing or don't do very well. Either stop trying to do it, or find someone who will do it for you. A perfect example is bookkeeping. If you dislike it, give it to someone else to do, and free up your time to earn money doing what you do well.

7) Keep an eye on the bottom lineYou don't need to have complex financial statements, but setting targets and tracking some key indicators every month will help you understand how you are doing. You'll know sooner what's working and what's not working so that you can make strategic adjustments.

Implement at least three of these tips, and watch your business flourish!

© by Jan Marie Dore of Femalepreneurs.com. Jan Marie Dore mentors coaches, speakers, consultants and other solo-professional women to work fewer hours and make more money with online businessbuilding strategies. Get your free 'Professional Women's SuccessKit' and other marketing resources at http://www.femalepreneurs.com/ezine

Singer Chris Brown Under Investigation In Alleged Assault

OK..straight from the LA Times!
**************

R&B singer Chris Brown, one of the biggest-selling performers in pop music, was booked tonight in Los Angeles on charges stemming from an alleged assault on his girlfriend, pop singer Rihanna, according to police and other sources familiar with the investigation.

An official police statement did not name Rihanna, but said the woman in the incident “suffered visible injuries.”

Details of what took place between the two were sketchy, but authorities and sources said that about 12:30 a.m. Sunday, Brown and a woman got into an argument in a rented Lamborghini on North June Street in Hancock Park. Brown stopped the car, the two got out, and the argument escalated. A witness called 911, but police said Brown was gone by the time officers arrived at the scene. The woman identified Brown as her assailant.

Authorities did not describe her injuries or whether she was treated for them.
The sources said the woman was Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty.
Brown was booked on a charge of making criminal threats, and police said he remained under investigation for felony charges of domestic violence. “The exact charge was criminal threats and it is going to be investigated as a criminal threats investigation,” said Police Sgt. Bridget Pickett, who spoke to reporters at the Wilshire Division police station, where Brown was booked. “There may be domestic violence charges added later, but that will be up to the district attorney’s office.”

Pickett defined a criminal threat as “a threat that is made to a person with the likelihood that it may occur.” She said that Brown arrived at the police station about 6:30 p.m. dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. “He was very professional,” she said. Brown was joined at the station by his lawyer, Mark Geragos, and Geragos’ investigator, Scott Ross.
After posting $50,000 bail, Brown left the station before 9 p.m.
Both Brown and Rihanna had been scheduled to perform at the Grammy Awards, which began at 5 p.m. at Staples Center. Neither appeared, and Grammy officials issued a statement just before the show saying, "We have just been informed Rihanna will not be attending tonight’s 51st Grammy Awards. Rihanna will not be performing. We are sorry to see she is unable to join us this evening.”

A publicist for the Barbados-born star, who sold more digital song downloads than any other in 2008, with nearly 10 million tracks, said Sunday night, “Rihanna is well. Thank you for your concern and support.”
Her song “Disturbia,” which she’d been scheduled to perform at the ceremony, was the sixth best-selling digital track of the year. She was replaced by veteran soul singer Al Green, who was accompanied by country singer-guitarist Keith Urban.
Brown and Rihanna had appeared together Saturday night at producer Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy gala in Beverly Hills.

A spokesman for Brown’s record label did not respond to The Times’ request for comment. Brown finished 2008 as the fourth-best-selling artist in the digital realm, posting 6.8 million tracks sold, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

--Andrew Blankstein, Randy Lewis, Ari Bloomekatz, Mitchell Landsberg

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/02/chris-brown-boo.html

BET Networks Acquires Rights To Air Hit Series 'The Game'.

(February 2, 2009) BET Networks announced today that it has acquired the off-network cable rights to the sitcom "The Game" from CBS Television Distribution.

"The Game," currently in its third season on The CW and produced by CBS Paramount Network Television, is the #1 show on broadcast television among African American adults 18-34 and African American women 18-34, beating out powerhouse shows such as Grey's Anatomy, House and Law & Order: SVU.

"We're excited that "The Game" is joining our line-up," said Barbara Zaneri, Executive Vice President, Programming, Strategy, Scheduling & Acquisitions, BET Networks. "As the #1 rated show amongst African American viewers in broadcast television last season, it's a series that resonates with our audience, and we're thrilled with the long list of fresh stars associated with the series."

"The Game", which will debut on BET in February 2009, stars Tia Mowry (Sister Sister) as Melanie Barnett, who is thrust into the world of professional football when her boyfriend becomes a wide receiver for the San Diego Sabers. The series follows Melanie as she struggles with the ups and downs of having a "famous" other half and a new group of friends - the other players' wives. "The Game" also stars Coby Bell (Third Watch), Pooch Hall (Miracle's Boys), Hosea Chanchez (For Your Love), Brittany Daniel (White Chicks) and Wendy Raquel Robinson (The Steve Harvey Show).

"The Game" is a production of Happy Camper Productions and Grammnet Productions in association with CBS Paramount Network Television. Kelsey Grammer (Frasier, Girlfriends), creator Mara Brock Akil (Girlfriends, Moesha, The Jamie Foxx Show), Kenny Smith (One on One, The Jamie Foxx Show) and Steve Stark serve as executive producers.

** As seen in Target Market News www.targetmarketnews.com

Confidence: The First Step Toward Career And Life Success

As seen on Self Growth.com www.selfconfidence.com

************

By Bud Bilanich

In my work as an executive coach, I have found that the single biggest mistake that people make is assuming that competence and performance are their ticket to success, when in fact they are merely the price of admission. Most people are good performers. It's a huge mistake to think that good performance is the only element of a successful career.

All executive coaching consultants will tell you that it takes a combination of self-confidence, positive personal impact, outstanding performance, communication skills, and interpersonal competence to succeed in your career and life. People who are successful in their lives and careers have mastered all of these five elements, and excel in one or two of them.

Outstanding performance is very important to career and life success. It's at the heart of the five success elements. No one can be successful without being a highly competent, outstanding performer. The incompetents and poor performers get identified and asked to leave or are placed in marginal positions pretty quickly. However, as I always remind my executive coaching clients, don't forget the other four.

You also have to be self-confident, make a positive personal impact, have highly developed communication skills, and act in an interpersonally competent manner if you are going to succeed. These four elements are necessary complements to outstanding performance and are at the core of my executive coaching services.

This article is about Self-Confidence.

As an executive mentor and coach, I always tell my clients that all self-confident people have at least three things in common:
1. Self-confident people are optimistic.
2. Self-confident people face their fears and deal with them.
3. Self-confident people surround themselves with positive people.
Let's take a look at each of these in a little more detail.

Optimism
Max More says optimism is "the fuel of heroes, the enemy of despair, the creator of the future." Optimism is the opposite of pessimism, which Denis Boyle says is "as magnetic as any black hole, swallowing one good day after another until there are no good days left.
" In a very interesting article in AARP, The Magazine (yes, I'm old enough to be a member), Mr. Boyle makes some great points about optimism and pessimism:
"The essential truth about optimism: the opportunities for it are everywhere. They just get ignored... Pessimism though, is the default state of our psyche, and the easy way out. We tell ourselves there is nothing we can do because life sucks, black holes abound, Murphy's Law rules. Meanwhile, optimism takes effort. Despites tons of information provided by zealous pessimists, optimists believe everything will turn out fine. They are able to do something no pessimist can: they do their part to make sure tomorrow will be better than today. To subscribe to optimism means that you have a role in shaping your own future (italics added). Why is this important? Because it's how stuff gets done. No successful individual could conduct business with a set of pessimistic assumptions... Work, progress, great ideas all are fueled by optimism.

"I agree. I am an optimist. I admit that sometimes it is difficult being optimistic, but I am relentlessly optimistic. I believe every day is going to be a good day -- and set about making it so. I believe I will succeed in every project I undertake. This optimism fuels my self-confidence, and my self-confidence drives my performance.

Tal Ben-Shahar teaches a course in Positive Psychology at Harvard. He had 800 students in his course last year.
He offers the following three tips for becoming more optimistic:
1. Give yourself permission to be human -- don't beat up yourself about mistakes.
2. Express gratitude often.
3. Engage in activities that give your life pleasure as well as meaning.

Fear
Fear is the enemy of self-confidence. It's also very normal. We're all afraid sometimes. Usually it's a fear of failure. Fear can be debilitating, paralyzing us into inaction. Over the years, I've found how to face up to my fears and to conquer them. Indecision, procrastination, and inaction feed fear. Action cures it.

Here are my four easy steps for dealing with fear.
1. Identify it. Figure out why you're afraid. Is it fear of failure? Is it fear of making the wrong decision? Is it fear of lost opportunity? Are you afraid that you aren't up to task? Once you identify the reason behind your fear, you are well on the way to overcoming it.
2. Admit it. It's OK to be afraid. You wouldn't be human if you were never afraid. A common definition of courage is the ability to feel fear, but to go ahead and do what you need to do regardless. In 1988, I faced a very frightening decision. Should I stay in a comfortable but ultimately unsatisfying job with a large corporation, or should I start my own business? I definitely was afraid of failing. Failing meant that I would lose my savings and have to start over again -- looking for a job in another corporation. However, once I identified and admitted my fear, I was able to take the next step -- acceptance.
3. Accept it. Accepting your fears is important -- because it shows that you know that you are human. Once I accepted that I was fearful of failing, I was able to start my business, and succeed. In fact, I embraced my fear of failure -- it made me work harder. In some ways, my fear of failing pushed me to work long hours and learn the lessons of entrepreneurship necessary to be successful as an independent consultant, coach, and speaker.
4. Take action to deal with it. Action cures fear. You have to identify, admit to, and accept your fears first, but action is the most important of these four steps. Do something! The worst thing that can happen is that you'll find it was the wrong thing to do -- and you will have eliminated at least one thing from your list of possible actions. Action is the antidote to fear. In most cases, you'll choose wisely and your fears won't be realized. In the cases where you choose poorly, you'll find that failure isn't as catastrophic as you imagined. Stars learn from their failures. So, by taking action on your fears, you win on both counts. You win if you make a good decision and things work out. You win if you make a bad decision and things go poorly because you have an opportunity to learn from your decision and the subsequent problems you faced.

Positive People

Successful people surround themselves with positive people -- people who are both positive by nature, and positive about their success in their life and career. Positive people are optimistic -- and as I've discussed above, optimism is the first step in building self-confidence.

Positive people help you feel good about yourself because they feel good about themselves and life in general. Positive people are there when you begin to doubt yourself. They help you build your self-esteem because they have a strong sense of self-esteem. People with a strong sense of self-esteem are not threatened by others. They realize that self-esteem is not a fixed pie. There is an unlimited amount of it to go around. Therefore, you can build your self-confidence just by being around upbeat, positive people.

Self-confident people take the time to identify and build relationships with mentors. Wikipedia defines a mentor as "a trusted friend, advisor, counselor, or teacher; usually a more experienced person... Today mentors provide their expertise to less experienced individuals in order to help them advance their careers, enhance their education, and build their networks." Mentors are positive people by definition. You cannot be willing to lend your wisdom and expertise to another person without being hopeful about that person and his or her future.

I have had several mentors over my career. Bert Phillips, Maggie Watson, Dick Pelton, Bill Rankin, Howard Sohn were all trusted friends and advisors at one time or another in my career. I believe that mentoring is so powerful that I have engaged the services of Tom Antion, a professional mentor, to advise me as I embark on turning over 30 years worth of intellectual property that I have developed into products that can be sold online.

Mentors challenge you to do better. That's why they are so important in building self-confidence. As they challenge you, they are also telling you that "you can do it." Having someone who believes in you -- like a mentor -- is a one of the best ways I know to build self-confidence.

Self-confidence is a big part of my executive training and coaching. As an executive mentor, I work with the people I coach to help them develop their self-confidence, as I believe self-confidence is a necessary prerequisite to success.


Bud Bilanich, The Common Sense Guy, is an executive coach, motivational speaker, author, and blogger. He helps his executive coaching clients succeed by applying their common sense.
Dr. Bilanich is Harvard educated but has a no-nonsense approach to his work that goes back to his roots in the steel country of Western Pennsylvania.
Bud is a cancer survivor and lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife, Cathy. He is a retired rugby player and an avid cyclist.
In addition to helping people succeed in their lives and careers, Bud likes movies, live theatre, and crime fiction. Visit him at http://www.budbilanich.com

Check out the Experts page for Bud Bilanich, the Official SelfGrowth.com Guide to Executive Coach and Executive Coaching.