News Update: What's next for George Zimmerman?

Trayvon Martin parents elated by Zimmerman arrest

By SONYA ROSS, Associated Press – 2 hours ago  

WASHINGTON (AP) — Trayvon Martin's parents expressed relief Wednesday over a special prosecutor's decision to charge the man responsible for the 17-year-old's death. Martin's mother said if she could speak directly to George Zimmerman, she would allow him a chance to say he is sorry for what happened.

"I would probably give him an opportunity to apologize," Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, told The Associated Press in an interview. "I would probably ask him if there were another way that he could have settled the confrontation that he had with Trayvon, other than the way it ended, with Trayvon being shot."

Her voice trailed off, and tears welled in her eyes. She remained stoic, and expressed faith that the justice system would work as it should.

Martin's father, Tracy Martin, offered several questions that he would like to ask Zimmerman about the sequence of events that led up to Trayvon's death, but in the end he would want to know, "Was it really worth it?"

"The question I would really like to ask him is, if he could look into Trayvon's eyes and see how innocent he was, would he have then pulled the trigger? Or would he have just let him go on home?" Tracy Martin said.

The parents spoke in Washington shortly before special prosecutor Angela Corey announced in Florida that Zimmerman, 28, had been arrested on a second-degree murder charge in their son's Feb. 26 death. The parents and Trayvon's brother, Jahvaris Fulton, were attending a national conference convened by Al Sharpton's National Action Network.

They watched Corey's announcement on television in a room at the Washington Convention Center. As soon as Corey uttered the words "second-degree murder," Martin and Fulton grasped hands, and their attorney, Benjamin Crump, placed his hands over theirs. Fulton smiled slightly at the news.

"We wanted an arrest and we got it," Fulton said later during a brief appearance before reporters. "Thank you, Lord, thank you, Jesus."

Before the arrest, Fulton said: "That won't bring Trayvon back but at least that would give us reassurance that the justice system is working."

Zimmerman's shooting of the black teenager brought demands from black leaders for his arrest and set off a furious nationwide debate over race and self-defense that reached all the way to the White House. Zimmerman, whose father is white and whose mother is Hispanic, said the teenager attacked him, and he shot in self-defense. Martin's family argued Zimmerman was the aggressor.

They appealed for their supporters, as well as Zimmerman's supporters, to remain calm in response to the prosecutor's decision.

"We've always said that we want peaceful resolution, no matter what side you're on," Martin said.

"We don't want them to stop the protest and the rallies, we just want to make sure that they remain peaceful," Fulton said. "We're going through the process the right way, the proper way. We just ask that everybody that supports us do the same thing. Even the ones who don't support us, we want to make sure that they protest in a peaceful manner."

Copyright © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Should Beauty Contests Rewrite The Definition Of What A Woman Is?

Apr 9, 2012

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by Elev8 Staff

Sex-changed beauty queen Jenna Talackova was working the talk show circuit this morning with her lawyer Gloria Allred talking about rewriting the definition of what a woman is for beauty contests.

Read:How To Handle Your Pets During Your Move

In an interview with ABC Television’s “Good Morning America,” Talackova says she initially didn’t tell her boyfriend she was born a boy.

The 23-year-old from Vancouver says they had to get to know each other as friends first. Talackova says fellow contestants in the Miss Universe pageant are very supportive. She says they have made it clear they want her to compete. Talackova was disqualified from the Miss Universe Canada pageant because she was not born female, but was reinstated when contest owner Donald Trump reversed the decision.

This morning of ABC’s  The View she revealed that her transgender operation was extremely painful but that she was a full-fledged woman. Ms Allred said that the quest now is to have all beauty contests review their rules. She and attorney Gloria Allred, known for taking on high-profile cases, held a press conference in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

“Jenna entered this competition and gave the pageant her time, her best efforts and her money,” Allred said at the press conference, Talackova at her side, as TMZ reported. “She did not think for one moment that what she looked like at birth would be relevant. She did not ask Mr. Trump to prove that he is a naturally born man, or to see the photos of his birth to view his anatomy to prove he was male. It made no difference to her. Why should it have made a difference to him?”

What do you think? Should the beauty contests such As Miss USA, Miss Universe and other rewrite the definition of what a widen the competition realm? 

International Pursuits: 5 Tips for Transitioning Into a Global Job

1. Have a plan. It's becoming increasingly difficult to live and work in some countries, such as the UK, on a lengthy visa, so be sure you have your move planned well, Burke says. Talk to your company or professional advisers and mentors and let them know what you want from your experience working and living abroad. Do your research on visas and country guidelines, safety issues and resources.

2. Be resourceful. There are thousands of fun and free events happening every day. Visit museums, go to the flower market, or go to a music show. Research things to do via Websites, newspapers, blogs, and magazines that keep you up-to-date with the world.

3. Be humble and open-minded. Explore all you can and get to know various people and cultures. Though it's great to enjoy and have pride in your home, don't be locked into your thoughts on other cultures without first being open to learning about them.

4. Get bilingual. Wherever you go in the world, there will be a foreign language spoken among the people. Commit to learning the language for yourself and for the benefit of your career.

5. Don't constantly compare your native home with your new home. A mistake some professionals make is comparing their local work/social environment to work/social environments back home. It can be a major turn-off. Embrace what has been offered to you, influence, and be influenced.

Atheist Target Religious groups on Billboards

Atheist group targets Muslims, Jews with ‘myth’ billboards in Arabic and Hebrew

By Dan Merica, CNN

(CNN) – The billboard wars between atheists and believers have raged for years now, especially around New York City, and a national atheist group is poised to take the battle a step further with billboards in Muslim and Jewish enclaves bearing messages in Arabic and Hebrew.

American Atheists, a national organization, will unveil the billboards Monday on Broadway in heavily Muslim Paterson, New Jersey and in a heavily Jewish Brooklyn neighborhood, immediately after the Williamsburg Bridge.

“You know it’s a myth … and you have a choice,” the billboards say. The Patterson version is in English and Arabic, and the Brooklyn one in English and Hebrew. To the right of the text on the Arabic sign is the word for God, Allah. To the right of the text on the Hebrew sign is the word for God, Yahweh.

Dave Silverman, the president of American Atheists, said the signs are intended to reach atheists in the Muslim and Jewish enclaves who may feel isolated because they are surrounded by believers.

“Those communities are designed to keep atheists in the ranks,” he says. “If there are atheists in those communities, we are reaching out to them. We are letting them know that we see them, we acknowledge them and they don't have to live that way if they don’t want to.”

Silverman says the signs advertise the American Atheists’ upcoming convention and an atheist rally, called the Reason Rally, in Washington next month.

Atheists have long pointed to surveys that suggest atheists and agnostics make up between 3% and 4% of the U.S. population. That number increases when Americans unaffiliated with any religion are included. The Pew Center’s U.S. Religious Landscape Survey found that 16% are unaffiliated, though only a fraction of those are avowed atheists and agnostics.

Silverman acknowledges that the pair of new billboards will likely cause a stir.

“People are going to be upset,” he says. “That is not our concern.”

“We are not trying to inflame anything,” he continued. “We are trying to advertise our existence to atheist in those communities. The objective is not to inflame but rather to advertise the atheist movement in the Muslim and Jewish community.”

The billboards will be up for one month and cost American Atheists, based in New Jersey, less than $15,000 each, according to Silverman.

Mohamed Elfilali, executive director of the Islamic Center of Passaic County, laughed when he learned the Arabic billboard would go up in the same town as his office. He says he’s surprised that someone is spending money on such a sign.

“It is not the first and won’t be the last time people have said things about God or religion,” Elfilali says. “I respect people’s opinion about God; obviously they are entitled to it. I don’t think God is a myth, but that doesn’t exclude people to have a different opinion.”

But Elfilali bemoaned the billboards as another example of a hyper-polarized world.

“Sadly, there is a need to polarize society as opposed to build bridges,” he says. “That is the century that we live in. It is very polarized, very politicized.”

Rabbi Serge Lippe of the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue had a similar response.

“The great thing about America is we are marketplace for ideas,” he says. “People put up awful, inappropriate billboards expressing their ideas and that is embraced.”

But Lippe acknowledged that there are a lot of agnostic and atheist Jews. A recent Gallup survey found 53% of Jews identified as nonreligious. Among American Jews, 17% identified as very religious and 30% identified as moderately religious.

“When you have two Jews in the room, you have three opinions,” joked Lippe.

American Atheists have used the word “myth” to describe religion and God on billboards before. Last November, the organization went up with a billboard immediately before the New Jersey entrance to the Lincoln tunnel that showed the three wise men heading to Bethlehem and stated “You KNOW it’s a Myth. This Season, Celebrate Reason.”

At the time, the American Atheists said the billboard was to encourage Atheists to come out of the closet with their beliefs and to dispel the myth that Christianity owns the solstice season.

The Christmas billboard led to a “counter punch” by the Catholic League, a New York-based Catholic advocacy group. The Catholic League put up a competing billboard that said, “You Know It's Real: This Season Celebrate Jesus."

Silverman says his group’s billboard campaigns will continue long into the future.

“There will be more billboards,” Silverman says. “We are not going to be limiting to Muslims and Jews, we are going to be putting up multiple billboards in multiple communities in order to get atheists to come out of the closet.”

How do We teach our children that Violence does not Solve Problems?

11-year-old girl Joanna Ramos dies after fight with fifth grader over a boy 

She was rushed to the hospital after complaining of a headache

By Meena Hart Duerson / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

A fight over a boy may have turned fatal for an 11-year-old California girl, who died after an altercation with a classmate on Friday.

Fifth grader Joanna Ramos was rushed to the hospital where she died of unknown causes hours after fighting with another girl in an alley next to their elementary school.

"They were fighting just for a boy," Ramos' friend Stephanie Soltero told KABC. "It's just stupid."

Seven other students from the elementary school flocked to the alley to watch the fight, which police said was planned in advance. The confrontation lasted roughly a minute and Ramos didn't have any visible injuries, according to police.

"We believe nobody was knocked to the ground," Deputy Chief Robert Luna said, according to the Los Angeles Times.

After the fight, Ramos went back to her after school program where she complained she wasn't feeling well and was taken home.

Her family brought her to the hospital just before 6 p.m., where police said she arrived unconscious and not breathing. She was rushed to surgery, but died just before 9 p.m.

"My sister-in-law rushed her to the ER, and two hours later she's gone. It's just sad. Very sad," her aunt Celina Cervantes told KTLA.

Luna told the Los Angeles Times the cause of her death remains "undetermined."

"There are still many questions, many questions that cannot be answered,” he said.

KABC reported Ramos had an ongoing issue with the other girl, and that they had also fought on Thursday and again on Friday over the same issue.

The other student in the fight has been identified and interviewed by police, according to KTLA. No arrests have been made.

"It is hard to understand how this could ever happen," Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster said at a press conference Saturday. "All of us are anxious to get answers from the investigation in hopes that they will help us make some sense of this heartbreak."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/11-year-old-girl-joanna-ramos-dies-fight-grader-a-boy-article-1.1028760#ixzz1njzMKbtJ

l

What Do you think Of President Obama's State of the Union Address?

Momma's Boy Tim TeBow Meets Playboy Tom Brady

By Patton Dodd, Special to CNN

Denver, Colorado (CNN) – A few weeks ago, a joke made its way around Denver about Tom Brady, the New England Patriots’ living legend, and Tim Tebow, the raw Broncos quarterback who is turning in a legendary season. It went something like this:

Tom Brady dies and goes to heaven and is greeted by God, who shows him to his new house – a cozy, modest home with a Patriots flag flying from the porch. “Gee, thanks God!” says Brady, feeling very special.

As Brady walks to his door, he notices another house down the street – a sprawling, gorgeous home with a 50-foot pole flying a Broncos flag, a swimming pool shaped like a horse, and a Tim Tebow jersey pinned to the front door.

“Um, God?” Brady begins. “I’m not ungrateful, but I don’t get it. I won three Super Bowls and went to the Hall of Fame. Why does Tim Tebow get a better house than me?”
God chuckles. “That’s not Tim’s house,” he replies. “That’s mine.”

It’s not a very good joke, but it neatly summarizes cultural attitudes toward Brady and Tebow, whose teams meet this weekend in the second round of the NFL playoffs.

Brady is a quarterback’s quarterback; his fellow players voted him the best player in football at the beginning of 2011, and he rewarded their admiration with another spectacular season. He’s been at this for a while – he was the winningest playoff quarterback of the last decade – and he’s settled into a life reserved only for guys like him: really good at sports, plus really, really, really good-looking.

Brady dated actress Tara Reid during his initial rise to fame, then settled into a relationship with actress Bridget Moynahan, with whom he had a child. By the time the child was born, Brady had moved on to Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen, to whom he’s now married and with whom he’s built a Brentwood, California mansion. (Forbes named them the world’s highest-paid celebrity couple.)

Brady’s post-game press conferences can be fashion shows. When my wife and I lived in Boston, we would watch Patriots game coverage until the conference began so we could spy Brady’s gingham shirts, thick-knotted ties, and pocket squares. No matter how tough a game he played, Brady looked ready for the red carpet. The man can wear a suit.

Tebow is something else altogether – an apparently God-blessed raw talent who wins games with a little bit of passing and a whole lot of prayer. Haters aside, he’s the most popular athlete in the nation.

He’s also made football itself more popular this year, drawing in admirers who wouldn’t be watching otherwise. Last weekend’s Broncos-Steelers matchup drew the highest television ratings in the history of the wild card round.

A Zillow.com poll named Tebow America’s Most Desirable Neighbor, and anyone who has sat through one of Tebow’s press conferences (or read his autobiography) can see why. Whatever you think of his faith commitments, he’s the genuine article. He builds orphanages and visits with sick kids and deflects praise and plays the game like a kid whose parents wouldn’t let him go outside until all the chores were done.

Brady is the guy every teenage boy wants to be. Tebow is the guy every teenage boy’s mom wants him to be.

Both quarterbacks overcame low expectations. Brady was drafted in the sixth round and seemed destined to life as a backup until Drew Bledsoe was severely hurt in Brady’s second year. Tebow was drafted in the first round, a move that every expert opinion deemed a mistake.
Both emerged in breakout fashion. Brady’s first season as starter turned him into a famous football player. Tebow’s is turning him into a cultural phenomenon.

What’s the difference? Why is Tebow’s fame supercharged? Why does Brady get a Brentwood mansion with Gisele, but only a quaint house in heaven?

Recall that Brady’s rise happened in the fall after 9/11, which was also an era before media platforms were numbered like stars in the sky. The nation is in a different mood now, and for better or worse, we have new, more powerful ways of making people famous. Twitter, Facebook and a billion blogs helped Tebow saturate everything.

But the biggest difference is that, in Tebow’s case, religion is a factor. Brady, a cradle Catholic, became famous as an athlete. Tebow is becoming famous as an athlete, acolyte, and avatar all rolled into one.

Tebow the athlete is fun to watch with his passion and flashes of brilliance. Tebow the acolyte – the devoted follower of God – is easy to admire, and even those annoyed by public piety can be won over by his goodheartedness and the sheer joy with which he plays the game.
Perhaps most acutely, he’s a cultural avatar. The internet meme “Tebowing” took off because it’s a readymade symbolic gesture people can use to express themselves against our scoffing, serious times.

Brady is a great football player. Tebow is a great football story, and stories are immersive – they give us a chance to get involved, to see ourselves through them.

Tebow’s story tees up the questions that frame many people’s lives: Is God involved? Can he help us overcome? Can he help us win? What if he stops helping us – where is God when our critics are correct, when our flaws are exposed for everyone to see?

Saturday’s game will likely be the most-watched second round playoff game in NFL history. Millions will be watching because they want to see how the story will unfold, and the hero most of them will be rooting for is not the playboy, but the momma’s boy.

Tim Tebow & Matters of Faith

"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
-- Psalm 37:4

Believe. Have faith. Trust.

I've heard those words a lot lately, and not just in church or at Bible study. Now, they're as much a part of the discourse of sports as "cover 2," "helmet-to-helmet" and "boo-yah!"

Thanks, Tim Tebow.

Tim Tebow's record as a starter has been an illumination to those who predicted he could not succeed in the NFL. As a sports journalist and a Christian, I can appreciate the dual meaning of three phrases that are at the core of the bona fide cultural phenomenon that the Denver Broncos' second-year quarterback has become.

In a season that should be dominated by the excellence of the Green Bay Packers and their quest for perfection, Tebow has snatched the spotlight and become a lightning rod for opinions -- about his skills, and even more, about his faith.

The latter has been largely spurred by his PDFs (public displays of faith), especially the Tebow Bow, in which he drops to one knee in prayer following a touchdown. Of course, now everyone knows it as Tebowing.

By whatever name, it has inspired a full chorus of hallelujahs, hand-wringing and even hatred and ridicule.

From the onset of training camp, when he was the Broncos' fourth-string quarterback, Tebow was almost universally derided by NFL purists (snobs?) who labeled the run-first signal-caller as unfit to play the position. After he finally forced his way past the competitors on the roster, some called him the worst starting quarterback in NFL history.

And yet, Tebow has engineered one of the most extraordinary runs I've ever witnessed. He has guided the once-lame Broncos to seven wins in eight starts, and executed so many dramatic, unlikely late-game finishes that by now even your grandmother pretty much describes the fourth quarter of Broncos games as "Tebow Time." (Has Pat Riley trademarked that phrase yet?)

Before Tebow took over, the Broncos were 1-4 and threatening to join the Andrew Luck Derby. Now they're 8-5, leaders of the AFC West, all but a Stone Cold Lead Pipe Lock to make the playoffs, and must-see television.

Much of the discussion of the Broncos' transformation credits how Tebow has inspired his teammates to pull together for one another and achieve beyond their physical gifts.

In other words, they now believe in each other, have faith in each other, and trust each other -- and are simply playing better because of it.

Christianity teaches us to believe and have faith in God, and to trust that He will not only provide for our needs but also bless us in ways our minds cannot fathom.

And He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Tebow has essentially embodied these tenets, steadfastly, even in the midst of public scorn and mockery.

Sunday, just after Broncos kicker Matt Prater converted a 51-yard field goal in overtime to defeat the Chicago Bears 13-10 and complete yet another Tebow Time comeback, the quarterback pointed toward the sky from the sideline and said with a smile, "Thank you, Lord" before hugging teammates and coaches.

Moments later he began his postgame interview as he always does, by thanking "my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." And he ended it just as he always does, as well, telling the reporter: "God Bless."

Clearly, Tebow's public testimonies make many people uncomfortable and some have lashed out.

Former Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer recently expressed admiration for Tebow's success but also disdain for Tebow's PDFs. "Regardless of whether I wish he'd just shut up after a game and go hug his teammates, I think he a winner," Plummer said. "I think that when he accepts the fact that we know that he loves Jesus Christ, then I think I'll like him a little better."

In two widely seen displays of immaturity and disrespect during Detroit's 45-10 rout over Tebow and the Broncos in Week 8, Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch and tight end Tony Scheffler made light of Tebowing. In the first half, Tulloch struck the pose after sacking Tebow, and Scheffler mimicked it after catching a touchdown pass.

Just as he has done throughout the storm of criticism, Tebow did not stoop to their level, saying only that he didn't even see either player and that their actions do not bother him.

The Herd with Colin Cowherd
NFL Network analyst Kurt Warner talks about the discussion about Broncos QB Tim Tebow's faith, Tebow's leadership and more.

Well, I was incensed, though not at all surprised.

Despite the fact that America is widely considered a "Christian" nation that believes in religious freedom and respect for all faiths, attacks on and mockery of religions are as old as the Constitution codifying their protection. But to see it done on such a stage, and in such a fashion, was an embarrassment to Tulloch and Scheffler, the Lions and the league.

Other players were annoyed as well, especially other Christian players.

Larry Fitzgerald, the gifted Arizona Cardinals wide receiver, is one of about 35 teammates who participate in Bible study each week. "It was sad to see," he told me this week. "It was a bit disrespectful. [Tebowing] is a quiet tribute to the Lord and should not be mocked."

Fitzgerald is open about his own faith, though he is not as demonstrative as Tebow. That said, he has no dispute with the quarterback's PDFs.

"From the first time I heard about him at Florida, I never had a problem with him," Fitzgerald said. "I don't wear [my Christianity] on my sleeve but I don't have a problem with anyone who does. I respect him for his boldness and his ability to do that."

Christianity also implores its adherents to "walk" in a way that pleases God so that others may see Him in us.

Tebow's success has indeed transformed many into believers -- if not to his faith, then at least to his abilities as a quarterback. Once "the worst there ever was," he has become the "Mile-High Messiah."

Larry Fitzgerald may not be as demonstrative as Tim Tebow, but he doesn't hide his faith.

ESPN colleague Merril Hoge, who had long been extremely critical of Tebow's skills, said this week on "Mike & Mike in the Morning" that he had finally come around to believing Tebow was indeed a bona fide, if not unique, quarterback. "I've been wrong on a lot of levels with him," he said during the show. "I've lost the ability, or the opportunity, I should say ... to shed light on what an amazing story -- how he has worked, persevered, changed, his diligence, all those things that you try to teach young people [that] sports are really about. Now I'm a huge fan. [He is showing] what you can do with what you've been given."

Later that same morning, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, who had derided Tebow for weeks, was now, in his own words, "officially humbled."

"Something about this kid makes special things happen," he conceded. "He got it done [against the Bears] like an NFL quarterback. I sit before you here today a very humble man. I am officially humbled. It's as if he's been touched by a force that says bad things happen to those who go against him. ... The boy has clearly been touched."

Many of us have felt that all along.

"I'm happy for him," Fitzgerald said. "He's had success doing it the right way. He's setting a good example for kids by demonstrating that whatever your religion, if you believe strongly in it, live your life the way you want to live it, don't let society dictate how you live your faith."

Make no mistake: There are still Tebow naysayers, including those who want to "stop the madness" (the newest phrase to crop up when the discussion centers on Tebow). Charles Barkley used it last week during a radio show when he implored the Bears to defeat the Broncos. This week, according to NFL analyst Keyshawn Johnson, "some teams" have called players on the New England Patriots, the Broncos' opponents Sunday, and invoked the phrase as well.

I'm not sure what "madness" they're referring to -- other than working hard to improve, being a leader, winning football games and being a man of faith.

Even should the Patriots, or any team, defeat the Broncos, it won't stop the "madness," if you're referring to the people -- Christians or not -- who are proud of and inspired by Tebow's belief, faith and trust in himself, his teammates, and his God.

Coping With Depression When Money or Personal Problems Arise During the Holidays

Six tips on how to stay positive and enjoy (or endure) the holiday season: by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox

As the holiday season gets into full swing, you may not feel as cheerful and festive these days as some of your friends and family members. Money problems or personal issues can dampen even the brightest of outlooks.

In fact, for some people, the holidays end up being a time of sadness and even stress-filled days. If you don’t live close to family members or don’t have anyone to celebrate the season with, the holiday season can sometimes be downright depressing. That’s when the symptoms of chronic depression, anxiety and other negative feelings can rear their ugly heads.
Add the cold and dreary days of winter in most regions to the mix, and you may not be in the mood to do anything close to celebrating.

Still, there are some ways to stay positive and even enjoy the season. Here are six effective ways to cope with depression during the holidays:

1. Don’t band-aid the problem

Don’t let negative emotions drive unhealthy habits, such as endless (and mindless) shopping sprees, binge eating episodes, or excessive drinking sessions. Instead, refrain from engaging in any extreme behaviors that will only cause you additional mental, financial, or physical stress down the road. If you’re dealing with tough situations, take breaks, if only to clear your head and give yourself a little distance from stressful scenarios, people or environments.

2. Reach out for support

If close friends and family members have no idea what you’re going through, and you don’t feel you can clue them in on your troubles, look outside of your social circles and family for help. Seek out the help of a professional counselor or therapist so that you can talk about what you’re feeling. Your counselor can help you figure out what might have triggered your case of the “holiday blues” and give you a fresh perspective on situations that are making you feel sad.

3. Plan ahead

Feeling overwhelmed because you didn’t plan ahead or suddenly have too much on your plate can trigger stress and lead to depression. If you’re feeling “on edge” or anxious because there’s so much to do, start prioritizing and planning so you can take care of only the most important tasks. Taking the time to plan can make it easier to handle those hectic days ahead and might even keep depression at bay.

4. Talk to a trusted spiritual adviser

If difficult relationships with family members are making you angry, stressed, or depressed, seek out the help of a spiritual adviser to talk about your issues. Bottling up those emotions can backfire and make you feel even angrier or hostile. Many religious counselors have seen and heard it all. So don’t worry about shocking them or having them judge you. Just be honest about how you’re feeling so that your minister, clergy member or another trustworthy spiritual confidante can help you deal with any immediate problems and possibly help resolve the source of your anxiety or depression.

5. Maintain a healthy lifestyle

Skimping on sleep and eating unhealthy food can make this difficult time that much harder to cope with and successfully survive. So make sure you’re getting plenty of shuteye each night and eating well-balanced meals. If possible, try to also squeeze in a few workouts each week to take your mind off things and to promote overall physical well-being. Vigorous exercise will also release endorphins, lifting your overall mood as well.

6. Be realistic

Nobody has a “perfect” holiday and you may need to accommodate for some changes in your usual family traditions or rituals. Keep an open mind and don’t set your expectations too high. If you’re feeling tension between family members or things just aren’t working as planned, be willing to change direction and even try something new. Find ways to just enjoy your time together and make the most of it.

Even if mild or severe depression starts to kick in during the holidays, keep telling yourself that the situation isn’t permanent and neither are your feelings. If things get really bad, and you feel like you want to hurt yourself, do reach out to the toll-free hotline offered by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Otherwise, if all the December festivities occurring around you specifically triggered your case of the holiday blues, take comfort in knowing that – in all likelihood – your sad or negative emotions will pass after New Year’s Day has come and gone.

Even Millionaires Have Budgets. Two Reasons You Should, Too

Two rules to help you create a successful budget

If you’re operating without a normal monthly budget, that’s a huge financial mistake.
In fact, the lack of a budget is a big part of the reason that the average American household now has more than $10,000 in credit card debt. (To get rid of your credit card bills, read the free online version of my book, Zero Debt).

Of course, many people have mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and other consumer debt too.
But it’s possible that you can have tons of bills and still exist in a state of denial about your finances. I know, because I did it for a very long time before waking up and deciding to fix my debt problem once and for all.

For a lot of people, “budget” is a four-letter word because they often picture a budget as something that restricts them—something that says: you can’t have this, you can’t buy that, or you can’t do this.

Well, that is the wrong way to look at a budget.
A budget is really a part of your personal prosperity plan. It’s the financial blueprint you’ll use to help you get where you want to go in life.
Without a budget—without a clear sense of exactly how many dollars are coming in the door and how many dollars are really going out each month—you’re doomed to constantly live paycheck to paycheck.

A budget helps you manage your cash flow so that you can more readily achieve your personal and financial goals, including paying off those student loans.
Unfortunately, statistics show that about 70% of all Americans don’t operate with a basic monthly budget.

That’s a real shame because a lack of a budget explains, in part, why so many people don’t know where their money goes.
Have you ever been in a situation where you thought “Gosh! I just got paid last week and now I’m broke” or “I don’t know what happened to my money; it seems to have vanished just as quickly as I got it”?

The simplest way to identify and fix the problem is to come up with a realistic budget to operate from on a regular basis.
Believe it or not, even millionaires have budgets. In my book, The Money Coach’s Guide to Your First Million, I talk about my own transformation, and how I went from debt to wealth. I also highlight tips from many other people—including other financial experts and millionaires.
And all of them agree that having a budget as the basis for your spending plan is a smart way to exercise control over your dollars—instead of letting your money control you.
No matter how you configure your budget, to have a proper, successful budget, you need to conform to two rules:

1. Your spending cannot exceed your income.
Sounds basic, I know, but most people don’t stick to this one little rule. In fact, the average household in the U.S. spends $1.22 for every dollar that it earns, according to a study from Northwestern Mutual. Even though Americans have began saving more cash amid the Great Recession, people still generally spend more than they make.

2. Your budget must include a savings component.
Without some level of savings worked into your budget, you’ll always be behind the proverbial eight ball. I don’t care how much or how little you earn, you absolutely must “pay yourself first” and save money (for emergencies, the long-term, etc.) if you want to successfully budget.

If you’ve tried and failed in the past when it comes to budgeting, it’s probably because you didn’t create a realistic budget—one you can live with and one that isn’t overly restrictive. Or perhaps you’ve let certain budgeting mistakes get in the way. To fix either of these problems, and to learn more about budget, read these tips on how to create a proper budget.

Trust me, when you get your finances in order, you’ll find that budgeting is not only the smart thing to do – it’s also a healthy financial habit that can help propel you to millionaire status.

Coming Soon to Theaters: The Bully Project Trailer

18 Million Kids will be bullied in the U.S. this year.

3 Million students are absent from school each month because they feel unsafe at school.

What can we do to help solve this growing problem today........

How can we teach our Kids to be part of the solution and not the problem?

Watch this trailer - I pray that we take our children to see this when it hits theaters this year. Post your comments.

Billionaire Bob Johnson Offers Plan to Cure Unemployment

As Congress weighs the Obama administration's jobs package, RLJ Companies CEO Robert Johnson is pushing a proposal that he says marshals the capacity of the nation's biggest companies to significantly reduce black unemployment.
Johnson has dubbed his idea the "RLJ Rule." It calls on Fortune 1000 companies to voluntarily consider a more diverse pool of qualified candidates when filling senior level job openings and hiring contractors. Johnson has described it as the business version of the National Football League's Rooney Rule, a 2003 mandate that required teams to consider diverse candidate pools when filling senior positions.

Johnson, the United States' first black billionaire, has been critical of the way that the Obama administration and Congress have tried to address the nation's stubborn unemployment problem. He believes businesses can create solutions to social problems.
"You can't have a society where more than 42 million people are falling backwards," he said of the black population in the U.S. "That's just not sustainable. You can say that [the problem is] education or globalization. But you can also point to the fact that corporations are either not reaching out aggressively enough or are actively blocking the door."

Johnson is perhaps best known for founding Black Entertainment Television, in the 1980s. He promoted the network as a vehicle for airing and addressing black community interests. But, critics said BET televised a shrinking slate of news in favor of an expanded selection of syndicated sitcoms and music videos. In 2000, Johnson sold the network to Viacom for a reported $3 billion. Johnson founded what would become the RLJ Companies in 2005, and says its divisions have implemented the RLJ Rule.

The rule would have companies consistently -- but voluntarily -- consider at least two black candidates when filling job openings at the vice president level. Johnson also wants the country's largest companies to consider at least two black-owned businesses when contracting out work or buying supplies.

"Right now, when jobs at that vice president and above level come up, the senior VP or president goes out to dinner, maybe the golf course, and mentions, 'We are looking for a VP of this or that,'" said Johnson. "Before you know it, someone mentions a name, the job is filled and nobody feels they have done anything wrong."

"But if that's the way that most opportunities flow," Johnson continued, "then in most cases that's an opportunity stream that doesn't include many African Americans. So, consciously or unconsciously, what happens is a perpetuation of privilege and disadvantage that just goes on and on. "

A PRIVATE ANSWER
Johnson pointed to one of RLJ's employees, Thomas Baltimore, as an example of a different approach to hiring.

"This guy worked for Marriott and Hilton and was never in line to be CEO of either company, Johnson said. "Now, in our company, he is CEO of a $2 billion hotel REIT [real estate investment trust]. He's creating jobs, tax revenue and generating economic value. It was just a matter of giving him an opportunity."

Strayer Education, Inc., a for-profit college where Johnson is a member of the board, offers another example, he said.

Karl McDonell, Strayer's president and CEO, said practices similar to the RLJ Rule are "something that we have always done."
"What I can do is say to other organizations that many be curious about whether they should adopt it, that kind of effort has worked well for us," he said.

The company's senior management needs to be diverse, McDonell said, to reflect the school's student body. Strayer's average student is 35 years old. More than half of those studying at Strayer's schools are African American and about two-thirds are women, he said.
McDonnell estimates that about half of Strayer's senior management -- the dean level and above -- are women or African Americans.

"When we sit down and make decisions that will affect our students," he said, "we want to be sure that those ideas are being heard by people [who] have some first-hand knowledge of the practical impact of those decisions."
When asked about public response to his proposal since it was announced Oct. 2, Johnson said a member of the president's Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, La Opinion newspaper publisher Monica Lozano, had emailed him about it. (Lozano did not respond to a request for comment from HuffPost.)

Johnson said Lozano endorsed the RLJ Rule in her email, but called for it to include members of other racial and ethnic minority groups. Johnson said he is open to that idea.
But whether it includes other minority groups or not, the RLJ Rule would carry none of the financial penalties that have given the NFL's Rooney Rule teeth. And that, several economists said, is the primary problem. Even if widely adopted by Fortune 1000 companies, the proposal would likely have only a small impact on the country's staggering 16 percent black unemployment rate. That's because it calls on companies to do something most do not do very well.

A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM
Johnson's proposal is, "interesting," but likely to have only small impact, said Algernon Austin, a sociologist at the Economic Policy Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit where he serves as director of the agency's Race, Ethnicity, and the Economy program. Without a law to guide them, people that hire and award contracts evaluate their options and take cues from the broader culture.

"Most Americans have no concept of how bad black unemployment is or what nearly 20 percent unemployment really means," said Austin. "So, what most people do is dismiss it as some kind fluke of the recession or a problem of work ethic. Neither is remotely accurate."
Black unemployment sat at 9 percent when the recession began in December 2007 and reached a high of 16.7 percent -- a figure unseen since 1983 -- in August. Fresh federal data released Friday indicate that black unemployment fell slightly to 16 percent in September.
By comparison, white unemployment sat at 4.4 percent -- very close to what most economists consider full employment -- when the recession began. It rose to a high of 9.1 percent in November 2009. In September, the white unemployment rate was 8 percent.
Johnson says the RLJ Rule would immediately reduce the unemployment disparity between black and white individuals with bachelor's degrees (7.9 percent of African Americans with bachelor's degrees were unemployed compared to 4.3 percent of their white peers in 2010). Over time, it could also reshape hiring decisions throughout participating companies. And the RLJ Rule would also help companies that serve or sell products to an increasingly diverse public better understand their customers, Johnson said.
"This is not a mandate and this is not a program that attempts to appeal to the better angels of anyone's nature," said Johnson. "We've tried that. We are making the business case for fixing this problem."

But the RLJ rule would not address the crippling levels of joblessness among black workers with less education, said John Powell, executive director of the Kirwan Institute at Ohio State University, which produces research on the role race plays in shaping the economic condition of individuals and families.

In 2010, the most recent year for which data are available by race and education level, nearly 23 percent of black workers without a high school diploma could not find work, compared to nearly 14 percent of their white peers.
"Johnson has signed on to the idea of trickle down," said Powell. "But trickle down, as we can all see, does not work."

Margaret Simms, an economist and fellow at the nonprofit Urban Institute in Washington, D.C., considers some of Johnson's ideas to be grounded in well-documented patterns in in the labor market and economy. Minority-owned companies are far more likely than others to hire non-white employees, for example, while white-owned companies similarly hire white employees. The contracting portion of Johnson's idea could bolster black businesses and therefore reduce black unemployment, Simms said.

Affirmative action, diversity and inclusion programs have also played a critical role in expanding the number of African Americans with college degrees and the job experience to be qualified for high-level corporate posts. But these programs are only as effective as the managers behind them, Simms noted.

"Right now, companies say, 'We did announce widely, we put this in minority press, we tried,'" Simms said. "This idea might actually put more pressure on companies to make the effort, take action to be sure that their pool -- the people they actually consider -- is broad and in some ways deep."

Tom Shapiro, a Brandies University sociologist who studies racial inequality and public policy, spent the summer examining the impact of employment requirements written into the South African constitution after the end of apartheid. In South Africa, companies must provide evidence of their affirmative action-like efforts in order to remain eligible for government contracts.

In the United States, attempts to address the the economic legacy of slavery, Jim Crow and ongoing discrimination in the labor market and business lending have not been so direct. Today, any discussion of affirmative action or wealth distribution is highly controversial. In 2008, the Obama administration discussed but passed on the opportunity to apply something like the RLJ Rule to stimulus funding, Shapiro said.

"Unfortunately, this kind of idea is even less palatable in a moment where the lower 99 [percent], as they are saying now, are being squeezed," said Shapiro. "The majority of families are working harder and running faster on their treadmill. It's an idea that might make a lot of people angry even in the face of real evidence that everyone is not suffering equally."
Powell, of the Kirwin Institute, considers Johnson's proposal to be part of a growing slate of small-scale private efforts to address what are deeply rooted, systemic inequalities. Charter schools, for example, are supposed to solve problems in the public education system. And the city of New Orleans' Hurricane Katrina evacuation plan involved advising people to get in their cars and leave before the flood. Calling on private companies to solve the black unemployment crisis is no different, Powell said.

"We like to say a rising tide lifts all boats, but what if you are in a car or you don't have a car or a boat at all?" he asked. "Look what happened in New Orleans."

FYI - Is The iPhone 4s Using An African “Blood Mineral?”

The recent announcement of the release of Apple’s iPhone 4s has caused a great deal of attention in the media. One thing the media has overlooked it the use of coltan, one of the key minerals used in the iPhone’s circuit board.

Coltan, which is mined in the war ravaged country of the Congo, is considered my many to be a “blood mineral,” similar to the blood diamonds that cause thousands of deaths in Africa.

OkayAfrica reports:

It is also what Adam Hochschild has described as one of four main reasons for ongoing deadly violence in the Congo. So much violence in fact, that it has been coined the ‘blood mineral’ – joining the ranks of the ‘blood diamond.’ In addition to the violence, working conditions in the mines can be also be deadly. We’re not here to preach, but it’s always good to be reminded of the price others pay for our technologies.

Just in Case You Missed It! - President Obama at Linked In Town Hall

“May God Have Mercy On Your Souls”: Troy Davis Executed

JACKSON, Ga. (AP) — Georgia executed Troy Davis on Wednesday night for the murder of an off-duty police officer, a crime he denied committing right to the end as supporters around the world mourned and declared that an innocent man was put to death.

Defiant to the end, he told relatives of Mark MacPhail that his 1989 slaying was not his fault. “I did not have a gun,” he insisted.
“For those about to take my life,” he told prison officials, “may God have mercy on your souls. May God bless your souls.”
Davis was declared dead at 11:08. The lethal injection began about 15 minutes earlier, after the Supreme Court rejected an 11th-hour request for a stay.
The court did not comment on its order, which came about four hours after it received the request and more than three hours after the planned execution time.
Though Davis’ attorneys said seven of nine key witnesses against him disputed all or parts of their testimony, state and federal judges repeatedly ruled against granting him a new trial. As the court losses piled up Wednesday, his offer to take a polygraph test was rejected and the pardons board refused to give him one more hearing.
Davis’ supporters staged vigils in the U.S. and Europe, declaring “I am Troy Davis” on signs, T-shirts and the Internet. Some tried increasingly frenzied measures, urging prison workers to stay home and even posting a judge’s phone number online, hoping people will press him to put a stop to the lethal injection. President Barack Obama deflected calls for him to get involved.
“They say death row; we say hell no!” protesters shouted outside the Jackson prison where Davis was to be executed. In Washington, a crowd outside the Supreme Court yelled the same chant.
As many as 700 demonstrators gathered outside the prison as a few dozen riot police stood watch, but the crowd thinned as the night wore on and the outcome became clear. The scene turned eerily quiet as word of the high court’s decision spread, with demonstrators hugging, crying, praying, holding candles and gathering around Davis’ family.
Laura Moye of Amnesty International said the execution would be “the best argument for abolishing the death penalty.”
“The state of Georgia is about to demonstrate why government can’t be trusted with the power over life and death,” she said.
About 10 counterdemonstrators also were outside the prison, showing support for the death penalty and the family of Mark MacPhail, the man Davis was convicted of killing in 1989. MacPhail’s son and brother attended the execution.
“He had all the chances in the world,” his mother, Anneliese MacPhail, said of Davis in a telephone interview. “It has got to come to an end.”
At a Paris rally, many of the roughly 150 demonstrators carried signs emblazoned with Davis’ face. “Everyone who looks a little bit at the case knows that there is too much doubt to execute him,” Nicolas Krameyer of Amnesty International said at the protest.
Davis’ execution has been stopped three times since 2007, but on Wednesday the 42-year-old ran out of legal options.
As his last hours ticked away, an upbeat and prayerful Davis turned down an offer for a special last meal as he met with friends, family and supporters.
“Troy Davis has impacted the world,” his sister Martina Correia said at a news conference. “They say, `I am Troy Davis,’ in languages he can’t speak.”
His attorney Stephen Marsh said Davis would have spent part of Wednesday taking a polygraph test if pardons officials had taken his offer seriously.
“He doesn’t want to spend three hours away from his family on what could be the last day of his life if it won’t make any difference,” Marsh said.
Amnesty International says nearly 1 million people have signed a petition on Davis’ behalf. His supporters include former President Jimmy Carter, Pope Benedict XVI, a former FBI director, the NAACP, several conservative figures and many celebrities, including hip-hop star Sean “P. Diddy” Combs.
“I’m trying to bring the word to the young people: There is too much doubt,” rapper Big Boi, of the Atlanta-based group Outkast, said at a church near the prison.
The U.S. Supreme Court gave Davis an unusual opportunity to prove his innocence in a lower court last year, though the high court itself did not hear the merits of the case.
He was convicted in 1991 of killing MacPhail, who was working as a security guard at the time. MacPhail rushed to the aid of a homeless man who prosecutors said Davis was bashing with a handgun after asking him for a beer. Prosecutors said Davis had a smirk on his face as he shot the officer to death in a Burger King parking lot in Savannah.
No gun was ever found, but prosecutors say shell casings were linked to an earlier shooting for which Davis was convicted.
Witnesses placed Davis at the crime scene and identified him as the shooter, but several of them have recanted their accounts and some jurors have said they’ve changed their minds about his guilt. Others have claimed a man who was with Davis that night has told people he actually shot the officer.
“Such incredibly flawed eyewitness testimony should never be the basis for an execution,” Marsh said. “To execute someone under these circumstances would be unconscionable.”
State and federal courts, however, have repeatedly upheld Davis’ conviction. One federal judge dismissed the evidence advanced by Davis’ lawyers as “largely smoke and mirrors.”
“He has had ample time to prove his innocence,” said MacPhail’s widow, Joan MacPhail-Harris. “And he is not innocent.”
The last motion filed by Davis’ attorneys in Butts County Court challenged testimony from two witnesses and disputed testimony from the expert who linked the shell casings to the earlier shooting involving Davis. Superior Court Judge Thomas Wilson and the Georgia Supreme Court rejected the appeal, and prosecutors said the filing was just a delay tactic.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, which helped lead the charge to stop the execution, said it considered asking Obama to intervene, even though he cannot grant Davis clemency for a state conviction.
Press secretary Jay Carney issued a statement saying that although Obama “has worked to ensure accuracy and fairness in the criminal justice system,” it was not appropriate for him “to weigh in on specific cases like this one, which is a state prosecution.”
Dozens of protesters outside the White House called on the president to step in, and about 12 were arrested for disobeying police orders.
Davis was not the only U.S. inmate put to death Wednesday evening. In Texas, white supremacist gang member Lawrence Russell Brewer was put to death for the 1998 dragging death of a black man, James Byrd Jr., one of the most notorious hate crime murders in recent U.S. history.
Davis’ best chance may have come last year, in a hearing ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court. It was the first time in 50 years that justices had considered a request to grant a new trial for a death row inmate.
The high court set a tough standard for Davis to exonerate himself, ruling that his attorneys must “clearly establish” Davis’ innocence – a higher bar to meet than prosecutors having to prove guilt. After the hearing judge ruled in prosecutors’ favor, the justices didn’t take up the case.
The execution drew widespread criticism in Europe, where politicians and activists made last-minute pleas for a stay.
Spencer Lawton, the district attorney who secured Davis’ conviction in 1991, said he was embarrassed for the judicial system – not because of the execution, but because it took so long to carry out.
“What we have had is a manufactured appearance of doubt which has taken on the quality of legitimate doubt itself. And all of it is exquisitely unfair,” said Lawton, who retired as Chatham County’s head prosecutor in 2008. “The good news is we live in a civilized society where questions like this are decided based on fact in open and transparent courts of law, and not on street corners.”
—
Associated Press reporters Russ Bynum in Savannah, Kate Brumback and Marina Hutchinson in Jackson, Eric Tucker and Erica Werner in Washington and Sohrab Monemi in Paris contributed to this report.