A few weeks ago one of my beautiful NeeNees (translate: granddaughter) and her best friend came to visit during spring break.It was so special to spend this time with her because, unlike my local NeeNees, I only get to see her and her siblings a couple of times a year. Like most Nanas, I think all my NeeNees are the most brilliant, most special and most talented beings on the planet.

Needless to say, it was a busy five days as we made the rounds of the places on these mid-west teenagers’ list. Thanks in large part to the cousins, they checked out the stars on and around Hollywood Boulevard, strolled the sands of Santa Monica (no ocean contact for these mini-divas), and soaked up the atmosphere at Venice beach (need I say more).

When they proclaimed their love of sushi, I took them to dinner at a Japanese restaurant in Marina del Rey. Once we got there, their sushi love took a detour and all four opted for huge bowls of noodle soup. Of course, nobody liked it, probably because it didn’t taste like Top Ramen. So, $30 worth of SOUP sat uneaten. But, I have no complaints. It was good to be able to interact with them – and they did get a kick out of taking off their shoes and sitting on the floor.

Of course, we did Disneyland and California Adventure (thank you Uncle Geno). I volunteered to take them to Disneyland because I love Disneyland! We split up at the gate and they went their way. Solo, I spent the day revisiting my favorite attractions – the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Tours, I even rode the Mark Twain Riverboat for the first time. Along the way, I collected a stack of FastPasses for attractions that I wanted to visit after sundown.

But, these modern children of the 21st Century had other plans. Turns out, while they wanted to go to Disneyland, their main goal was to take pictures with as many Disney characters as possible. Indiana Jones held no intrigue for them. Lunching at the Carnation Cafe did not rock their boats. Instead, they spent the majority of the day at California Adventure, riding the adventure rides. They only crossed over to Disneyland to take pictures of those characters. They did not get on a single ride inside Disneyland.

Remember, I love Disneyland and I had made plans to have dinner with the girls at the Blue Bayou restaurant before watching the fireworks show. I even envisioned us jumping on the very last tram to the parking lot. Imagine how pissed I was (deliberately overstated for effect), when after just seven hours, these girls declared they wanted to go home. They were cold. Excuse me? Being cold is a rite of passage at Disneyland.  You’re supposed to be cold at Disneyland. You shiver, you huddle in bunches, you drink hot chocolate – you press on until your feet are frozen solid. Now, that’s doing Disneyland!

Needless to say, they didn’t buy my argument.  So, I relented and we left. It was probably for the best, especially since they might have accused me of child abuse if I’d insisted on staying longer!

Next Disneyland trip, we’re taking coats!

The Anguilla Tourist Board will host the first annual Anguilla Literary Festival May 24th through May 28th at the statuesque, Paradise Cove Resort.

Best-selling authors, publishing industry power brokers, celebrity notables and book enthusiasts will converge on the peerless Caribbean destination, known for its buttery soft vanilla sand, beautiful people, rich history and seductive water in shades of blue – turquoise, aqua and marine.

Officially billed as “Anguilla Lit Fest: A Literary Jollification,” the Anguilla Literary Festival is an auspicious five-day  celebration of literature, arts and culture featuring an array of distinguished authors from the Caribbean and Abroad. Best-selling author, screenwriter and professor Terry McMillan (‘Waiting to Exhale’) will join esteemed lawyer, activist and author Randall Robinson (‘The Debt’) in top-lining the festival, which will include exclusive author readings, informative workshops, empowering panel discussions and other specially-tailored activities.

Award winning author and actor Hill Harper (‘The Conversation’), producer/author Crystal McCrary (‘Inspiration: Black Woman Who Are Changing The World’) and actress/singer/activist and new author Sheryl Lee Ralph (‘Redefining Diva’) are also confirmed, along with literary industry key influencers Malaika Adero (Atria/Simon & Schuster), Lasana Sekou (House of Nehesi Publishers) and Marva Allen (Hue Man Books), among others.The Anguilla Literary Festival is sure to draw attendees from around the globe.

The distinctive name of the festival speaks to a very important facet of Anguilla’s cultural heritage–the Jollification, a gathering of people to share and help neighbors. This was traditionally done through the plowing and planting of ground, all against the backdrop of men working together, women cooking, and children playing, while the work was carried out free of cost, with much laughter, singing and “jollification.”

“This festival could not have been staged without the Anguilla Jollification approach,” said Director of Tourism Candis Niles. “Through the assistance, support and sharing of the Ministry of Social Development, the Anguilla Tourist Board, the Anguilla Social Security Board, Paradise Cove Resort & Conference Centre, Cuisinart Golf Resort & Spa, DaVida’s Restaurant, and our partners from the business sector, Coral Reef Bookstore, Merchants’ Market and Tropical Flower Distributors, we have been able to make the Anguilla Literary Festival a reality, and for that we extend our sincere thanks and appreciation.”

“Literacy has always been of paramount importance to the people of Anguilla,” said Hon. Haydn Hughes, Parliamentary Secretary Tourism. “The Anguilla Literary Festival was conceived to highlight the creative mastery of celebrated authors to promote excellence in publishing while also igniting the imagination and aspirations of book enthusiasts. We look forward to kicking off this worthwhile effort celebrating the literary arts and by so doing, motivate young prospective writers to embark on a career in writing.”

Special packages for the Anguilla Literary Festival are being offered by Anguilla’s leading accommodation establishments, including Paradise Cove Resort’s “Lit Talk Anguilla” package; Cuisinart Golf Resort & Spa’s “Invitation to Exhale with Terry McMillan” package; Little Butterfly’s “Lit Talk Anguilla” package, Anguilla Great House presents “Great Anguilla Lit Talk” and Anacaona Boutique Hotel’s “Book Binder Girls Getaway” package. For more info on exclusive hotel packages for the Anguilla Literary Festival, please visit the Anguilla Literary Festival at www.ivisitanguilla.com/anguillas-literary-festival-accommodations-packages/

We Are Anguilla
The beautiful and peerless island of Anguilla, site of the Anguilla Literary Festival, offers one of the most culturally enriching Caribbean experiences in the world. Rated by Conde Nast as one of the world’s “Most Romantic Hideaways,” Anguilla’s Cap Juluca Resort has held its standard as a premier destination for international travelers. As the celebrated cuisine capital of the caribbean Anguilla also boasts more than 100 restaurants and eateries ranging in a multitude of cuisine and tastes throughout its tranquil landscape; including the world renowned Blanchard’s, which has been hailed as one of the best restaurants in the Caribbean. Anguilla’s newest resort, Viceroy Anguilla, is a sprawling showplace of picturesque beauty, which was considered “perfect” by Vogue magazine. The small country has hosted Bankie Banx’s live music extravaganza, ‘Moonsplash’ for over 20 years. Accommodations on Anguilla range from beautifully-appointed boutique properties and visually stunning villas, to quaint bed & breakfast outposts and award-winning, five-star resorts. Flights can be arranged on American Airlines, Jet Blue, US Airways, United Airlines and Continental Airways through San Juan, Puerto Rico on Anguilla Air Express (T. 1-866-966-1881 E. info@anguillaairexpress.com) or St. Maarten with onward connecting flights or ferry into Anguilla; or on regional carriers LIAT and Winair via Antigua. For more information on travel to Anguilla, visit www.ivisitanguilla.com, Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/VisitAnguilla, or Follow us on Twitter: @anguillatourism or contact the Anguilla Tourist Board at (800) 553-4939.

As host of the Anguilla Literary Festival, the Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB) is responsible for the development and management of the island’s tourism industry, charged with the promotion of tourist travel, and the establishment, maintenance and improvement of high standards of product and service quality in the tourism sector. Working in tandem with its overseas Marketing Representatives in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, Scandinavia, Puerto Rico and South America, the board promotes Anguilla as the Caribbean’s premier, exclusive, quality destination experience, where “feeling is believing.”

The Environmental Health Trust, a group that promotes awareness of environmental issues they believe are linked to cancer, recently questioned a study published last year by the Journal of the National Science Institute that concluded that cell phone usage is not harmful to children.  The Trust alleges that the study really shows that cell phone usage more than doubles the risk of brain tumors in teens and kids.

In another study, the World Health organization has concluded that cell phone radiation can cause cancer. A team of 31 scientists from 14 countries, including the United States, found enough evidence to categorize personal exposure to cell phone radiation as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

A 20-year study that followed over 400,000 Danish smokers showed no increased risk of cancer from using cell phones. A German government agency considers the Danish report inconclusive. A multinational study showed cell phones caused no increased risk of cancer. Other studies, government agencies and research organizations have either corroborated these studies or presented conflicting conclusions.

Dr. Keith Black, chairman of neurology at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said of cell phones, “What microwave radiation does in most simplistic terms is similar to what happens to food in microwaves, essentially cooking the brain.” Dr. Black went on to say, “So in addition to leading to a development of cancer and tumors, there could be a whole host of other effects like cognitive memory function, since the memory temporal lobes are where we hold our cell phones.”

However, almost every study to date has concluded that long-term research is needed before the health effect of cell phone usage can be determined. All the while the wireless industry has responded that none of these studies shows cell phones cause cancer. However, while they will not admit to a link, most companies encourage users to hold cell phones away from their bodies and to send text messages instead of talking on the devices whenever possible.

The wireless industry uses popular celebrities like Blake Griffin, Beyonce, and Catherine Zeta-Jones as paid spokespersons for cell phones. Celebrities from Usher to Katy Perry flash cell phones in their videos and they are all over the movies. And, remember Tina Fey’s iphone in 30 Rock?

So it was with cigarette smoking and cancer.

As early as the late 1920s, German scientists showed a link between smoking and lung cancer. This finding led to the first anti-smoking campaign in modern history. In 1950, British researchers again showed a correlation between smoking and cancer. Throughout the 1980s, the evidence mounted, as study after study, doctor after doctor, concluded that smoking causes cancer.

Throughout it all, tobacco companies continued to cite “lack of long-term evidence” as the main reason for ignoring scientific facts and continuing to sell cigarettes all over the world.

Like the cell phone industry, the tobacco industry used the most popular celebrities to make cigarette smoking “cool” and allay health fears. From Al Jolson, to Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Barbara Stanwyck, Bing Crosby, Jane Wyatt, Bob Hope, and Joan Crawford, the list goes on and on. In fact, in the 30s and 40s, two-thirds of the top 50 box office stars endorsed tobacco products in advertising!

How long will it take for governments to take a stand on studying the impact of cell phone usage on health? How long will be before cell phone manufacturers are required to make safer devices?

Will something be done before cell phones are proven to be the new cigarettes?

Just before the NFL playoff games in January, I ran into Target to buy some cheap bowls for my viewing party chili. When I found the bowls, I did more than one double take at the sign identifying the tableware section as “TABLEWEAR.”

Keep this in mind – this was Target – not some isolated mom and pop store. Target, the Number 3 retailer in the United States. Target, with almost 2,000 stores around the country. Target, who I assumed would have scrutinized every aspect of its marketing and advertising to make sure its public image was unspoiled.

Yet, right there in the Target store in Echo Park, California, was this giant misspelled sign! “Tablewear” instead of “Tableware.” It was so startling that at first, I thought I misread it. I struggled to reconcile the incongruity – I knew the word was misspelled, but my brain refused to believe a store like Target would make such a blatant mistake. I realized that this was a corporate blunder of the first order.

To make matters worse, I went to the same store almost two months later. Guess what? They had rearranged the store departments and in the process, moved the sign about fifty yards from where it was when I first saw it.

But, they used they same misspelled signage. No one had noticed the error.

I have questions. How did the misspelling make it through layers of review and approval to be hung in the store? What about the copywriter who initially misspelled it? The supervisor who approved it? The graphic designer who transformed the copywriter’s word into the approved Target typeface? The pre-production team that readied the printing plates for the printer? The printer who printed it? The merchandising department that shipped the sign to the store? The store manager who received it and ordered it hung? The laborers who hung it? The store employees who walked by it every day?

How did this happen? Aside from pure negligence – how did all these eyes miss this glaring error? Could it be they missed it because they just do not know how to spell? Did it happen because America’s education system is not stressing basic reading and spelling?

For many years, America’s education system has been on a downward slope. The statistics prove it – fewer than 30% of American students are proficient in math and reading, 70% of 8th graders can’t read at grade level and U.S. students rank 17th in the world in reading (even lower for math and science). Look at what’s happening at schools in your neighborhood. To say there has been a de-emphasis on educating our children is an understatement.

I am NOT questioning individual teachers – there are so many dedicated teachers in classrooms across the country. But, as a whole, are teachers given the tools, the time or the direction necessary to teach students on something as basic as spelling? Homonyms anyone?

In the final analysis, this is not a diatribe against Target. Rather, it is a commentary on America’s education system. The fact that educated people, people with degrees, people who have been working for years, could misspell a simple word like tableware means, as a whole, there is something wrong with the education we are receiving.

So, the question becomes, was it as simple as Target making a corporate blunder, or has America’s education system failed us?

A major turning point in my life was making the decision to leave my successful career in corporate America and accept a job in South Africa. I was in my mid-forties, recently divorced, and my son had completed his education. For the first time, I only had to think about my needs, and I found myself yearning for a more meaningful work life. I needed to become fearless.

Climbing the ladder and earning a big paycheck were not important anymore. I started to wonder: What do I want my legacy to be?  Do I want to live the rest of my life thinking, “I really wish that I had,” or “I’m really glad that I did?” I was questioning how to become fearless!

During this time of introspection, a little voice relentlessly attempted to instill fear in me, saying: “What if things don’t work out for you in a foreign country? You’ll need to start over! Corporations won’t value your skills when you return!” That little voice was just trying to make me fearful. At that point, I certainly did not feel fearless.

However, I knew that if I had stayed in my corporate cocoon, I would miss the opportunity to meet people from all over the world, people with Ivy League educations who had given up Wall Street jobs to work for the good of humanity.

After much introspection, I decided to make the big leap. I would face my fear, take a cut in pay and free myself from an attachment to material things and “stuff.”  That was the moment I gave myself permission to experience life fully and completely instead of merely being a spectator.  So, what did I do?  I packed my bags and moved to South Africa! I had become fearless!

When I arrived in Johannesburg, a contagious feeling of hope was in the air. Nelson Mandela had just been elected president in the country’s first free elections. I was given opportunities that I could never have dreamed of in the United States, like being invited to functions at the American Ambassador’s home and attending the coronation of a King. In this country, I was recognized as an American, not as a hyphenated African-American. My professional experience was valued, and people listened intently to what I had to say.

Privileged to be part of the best of times, I felt a sense of responsibility to help remedy the worst of times for people who were not as fortunate. I started to understand the difference between my wants and needs and appreciated how much less I needed to be truly satisfied. As a result, I became more confident in my skills and abilities instead of relying on material things for approval.

As I looked back, I realized that had I not made my fearless decision, I might never have learned the lesson of Ubuntu, an African philosophy that affirms the dignity of every human being because, in spite of our differences, “We are One.” When you have the quality of Ubuntu, you serve the community, and you are known for your kindness and generosity.

When I left South Africa after four extraordinary years, I was filled with gratitude for the opportunity to have lived and worked in such a special place. I had learned to connect with my own values and with the “what” of life knowing that the “how” will always reveal itself in due time.  I had become fearless instead of fearful!

Betty LaMarr is the fearless author, business woman and Executive Director of  EmpowHer Institute, a nonprofit organization which she founded upon returning from South Africa in 2003.

See what Betty has done since she became fearless at  www.empowher.org

We welcome Betty to the Turning Point Generation!

We thank Betty Lamarr for sharing Becoming Fearless, her Turning Point Story. Share your story with us.

Turning Point is for those who have decided to learn from their turning points, celebrate them, and move forward positively. If you will, it is for the Turning Point Generation!

Having faced several minor and at least one major turning point of my own, I can speak from experience that usually these experiences result in positive changes. How many times does your hard work result in an outcome far removed from what you intended? How many times have you cried out, “why?” only to later discover that the topic of your anguished question was the best thing that ever happened to you?

Whether you have been downsized, outsized or re-sized in your business, or you realize  your finances will prevent you from retiring in the style you envisioned…. if you have faced other significant changes in your  life, it is important to realize that your turning points are the necessary experiences that can lead to greater fulfillment and open your eyes to different thinking patterns and habits.

Not every turning point is negative. Many are glorious unexpected windfalls. You receive an unexpected raise, new business drops into your lap, you meet the love of your life. Someone gifts you with an unexpected kindness. Each of these is also an important turning point.

And that’s what turningpointmagazine is all about. It is a platform for discovering new coping mechanisms and learning to embrace and celebrate your turning points.

Having experienced your turning points,  you probably have professional experiences or personal advice that you want to share with others. Can you provide a few words of encouragement? Will you use your wisdom to benefit others? Or do you simply want to sound off about something that irritates you?

If you answer “yes” to any of those questions, Turning Point magazine is your platform for sharing.  Through Turning Point magazine you become an active participant by submitting posts, participating in discussions, commenting on articles, or by becoming one of our experts.

Further, you might be looking for new ideas or different opportunities.  Do you need to boost your income? Augment your retirement savings? Start a business that will carry you into retirement? ARE YOU FINALLY READY TO PURSUE YOUR TRUE PASSION?

Although the legacy Turning Point Magazine has been around for 18 years, this is a new beginning, the beginning of a wonderful adventure. And, while we are starting with this site, look for expansion and improvement as we add more and more informative articles, new business opportunities, self-development opportunities, and much, much more.

Turning Point is your platform for getting involved, participating, learning and sharing your resources and knowledge. But, most of all, it is a place where you can celebrate your turning points!

May God continue to bless you!

SUBMIT YOUR TURNING POINT STORY

New Year’s resolutions are an opportunity for celebrating the “turning points” in your life and choosing to live life to the fullest.  As you develop your resolutions, here are a few “do you want” questions you might think about. (If you have questions you feel we should think about or have a comment, please add them to the comment section).

What kind of person do you want to be? Understanding the type of person you want to be is the first step in becoming the person you want to be.

Do you want to smile more? Do you want to have more fun? Do you want to listen more than you talk?  Do you want to add some spontaneity to your life? Do you want to worry less?

What do you want to be in your professional life?

Do you want to work less but earn more? Do you want to pursue your passion? Do you want to do what you love?

What kind of friend do you want to be? How would being a better friend help you live life more bountifully?

Do you want to have deeper conversations with friends? Do you want to meet new people? Do you want to say “I love you,” more?  Do you want to say “thank you” more?

What kind of parent to you want to be?

Do you want to really listen to what your kids are saying? Do you want to stop yelling so much? Do you want to tell them you love them more? Do you want to teach them meaningful life lessons?

Do you want to change how you spend your leisure time?

Do you want to read more? Do you want to watch less TV? Do you want to start exercising? Do you want to listen to more classical music? Do you want to learn a foreign language? Do you want to eat more vegetables?

The new year gives you an opportunity to look back on your life, while planning for the future. Keep in mind that when you take that final look back, you’re sure to regret the things you didn’t do more than the ones you did. Live life now. To be trite, tomorrow is not promised. We must take every moment of our present to really live life!

Welcome to Turning Point, a resource for the Turning Point Generation.

Live life to the fullest. Vida Viva!

As times go by, we can remember certain periods of our lives with great fondness. Whether it was how you looked in that tight little yellow dress, or how wearing that Members Only jacket made you feel like part of the in-crowd, we all cherish our good memories.

But, time goes on, everything changes.  Sometimes though, even those of us who celebrate the Turning Points in our lives find ourselves inadvertantly wandering back into 40 years ago.

The evidence of our “4 decades behind the times” behavior, style or language can be pretty funny. For instance, every time one of your friends ends a telephone conversation with a hearty “Ciao,” don’t you just know they’re channeling the 70′s TV show Kojak?

Or, what about your girlfriend who loved wearing peasant skirts in the 70′s and is now reliving her youth by showing up in today’s fashion interpretation of the style?

When was the last time you noticed that in some ways, you or someone you know has fallen victim?

Comment with your best examples of 4 decades behind the times living! Remember the ground rules – no mean comments, don’t identify anyone in particular….keep it strictly tongue in cheek! AND REMEMBER…BY POSTING YOU GIVE US THE RIGHT TO USE YOUR COMMENT (BUT NOT YOUR NAME OR CONTACT INFORMATION).

Eligible Project Costs include land acquistion, building acquisition, new building construction, renovation, equipment, furniture and fixtures, professional fees, interim interest, construction contingency and soft costs. The refinance of eligible existing debt is acceptable as part of an expansion project under SBA 504 guidlines.

Example for a $1,000,000 project:

 * The SBA 504 program offers financing in partnership with conventional lenders to help borrowers conserve working capital and lock in a below market, 20-year fixed rate.

Interest rates on the 40% SBA 504 portion are well below market (approx. 4.88% all-in as of November 2010) and fixed for 20 years!

Typical projects range from $150,000 to $10,000,000.

Contact Mac Dobson 312.360.3306

Dante’s latest book, Black Business Secrets, is another manifestation of his goal of putting African Americans on the path to entrepreneurship. Through the 500 tips, strategies and resources outlined in Black Business Secrets, Dante gives the reader a GPS that details the quickest and best routes to building a successful company; he includes pitfalls to avoid; and strategies to outsmart, outperform and out-earn competition. He also poses very real questions that the entrepreneur should address as part of his or her business ownership process.

I have watched with pleasure and amazement as Dante evolved from a young brilliant technology geek with a business concept well beyond his years, to become the internationally respected business mogul that he is today. By 30, Dante had built Diversity City Media, known for its marquee online businesses: BlackPR.com and BlackNews.com into a marketing and PR powerhouse with Fortune 500 clients too numerous to name.

The information in Black Business Secrets is solidly relevant, whether you’re starting a new business, or need to reaffirm your commitment to your existing company. And, you don’t have to be African American to benefit from Dante Lee’s rich advice. It is pertinent for all entrepreneurs. That is why it is one of my favorites.

Read this book!

Pat Means

A race official rushed over to give her two options. She could either be assisted off the track, or she could get one foot over the finish line on her own. Brave Holland chose to get across the finish line by doing the only thing her weakened body could bear; she raised herself up on all fours and crawled. With other runners easily breezing past her, Holland simply put one hand and then one knee in front of the other and slowly made it across the finish line.

Holland said, “I just kept on telling myself, ‘I need to finish and I need to cross the line.’”

When Holland decided she was going to finish the race by any means necessary, she did not take time to wonder if she could make it, she did not think about how she would look as she laboriously pushed herself forward, she did not worry that she might be putting her health in jeopardy – she simply did what was necessary to win.

Had Holland chosen to give up, her teammates, coach and parents would have been disappointed with the loss of the championship, but they would not have blamed her for her physical collapse. They would have been more concerned about her health and would have supported her, nurtured her and worried about her. They would have assured her that she made a “good try.”

Fortunately, “good try” was not part of Holland’s definition of success. To her, success for herself, the team and coach meant making it across the finish line. Finishing was the only successful outcome.

As businesspeople, we set many goals and objectives on our road to success. Every step of the way is filled with a million obstacles that keep us from being a true winner. When this happens, we often redefine our desired goal and settle for less than our original plan. We tell ourselves that we’ve given it our best and friends and co-workers join us in supporting our “good try.”

To real winners like Holland Reynolds, nothing less than success is acceptable. Winners experience setbacks and detours, but treat them as temporary conditions and not permanent roadblocks. Instead of falling victim to the “good try” syndrome, they figure out how to use these trials as building blocks for success.

When she was interviewed, Holland went on to say, “I don’t remember falling, but then I remember crawling across the line.”

That is how it is in life and in business. The joy of accomplishment is remembered forever, while overcome obstacles fade from memory. Winners know that the road to success is not a direct path, and adapt and respond to challenges as they make up their own blueprint for success.

 That is why we can all take a lesson from brave 16-year old Holland Reynolds. She demonstrated what winners do. She made it across the finish line, maybe not according to the original plan, but she finished successfully.

Whatever your background, but especially if you are a black American, The Warmth of Other Suns is a must read. Not only must you read this book, but you should pass it on to everyone you know.

The book, released in late 2010, chronicles a watershed event in American history – using the stories of three individuals and their families to recount the decades-long great migration of African Americans from the South to the North and West, which lasted from World War I through the 1970s.

Written by Isabel Wilkerson, who in 1994 was the first black woman in the history of American journalism to win a Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing,and the first African American to win for individual reporting, The Warmth of Other Suns will stand as a classic of narrative journalism and of modern American history, on par with works by Diane McWhorter, Doris Kearns Goodin and Robert Caro.

Ms. Wilkerson spent over ten years researching and writing this book, drawing on archival materials and over 1,200 interviews to trace the lives of Ida Mae Gladney, George Starling and Robert Foster from their difficult lives in the South to their critical decisions to leave behind all they know to look for a better life in Chicago, New York and Los Angeles.

The Great Migration is perhaps the most underreported stories of the twentieth century, perhaps due to the fact that it was so vast and unfolded over many decades. Yet the more than six million black Americans who participated in the Great Migration were the silent actors in racial and social change in this country. They weren’t the ones leading Civil Rights Movement marches or perhaps not marching at all. They were the ones who were quietly forced to leave the arcane and often brutal remnants of the South’s “percular institution” in search of an unknown better life for themselves and their children.

Some of these migrants, as well as their children and grandchildren, would go on to become among the most influential people in the country: Oprah Winfrey, Toni Morrison, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Michelle Obama, August Wilson, Denzel Washington, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Thelonious Monk, Arthur Ashe, Michael Jackson, Prince, Tupac Shakur, James Baldwin, and Malcolm X, to name a few. Yet, the ones who had the greatest influence on America’s history were the millions of other Great Migration characters who simply raised successful families and made positive contributions to their communities without fame and fanfare.

This extraordinary book is a universal story of longing, loss and hope – people leaving one isolated land for the dream of a better life in more fertile soil. As with Tom Brokow’s,  The Greatest Generation, theirs are stories of adventure and courage. Published by Random House, The Warmth of Other Suns is a must read.

BUY THIS BOOK

THIS POST WAS GENERATED BY THE TSA ON ITS BLOG SITE ON 11/18/2010

TSA Myth or Fact: Leaked Images, Handcuffed Hosts, Religious Garb, and More!

There are so many rumors floating around right now that it’s hard to keep them all straight. So, in an effort to get everybody on the same page with the facts, here goes…

 Pat-downs Myths & Facts

Myth: All children will receive pat-downs.

Fact: TSA officers are trained to work with parents to ensure a respectful screening process for the entire family, while providing the best possible security for all travelers. Children 12 years old and under who require extra screening will receive a modified pat down. 

Myth: The TSA pat-down is invasive

Fact: Only passengers who alarm a walk through metal detector or AIT machine or opt out of the AIT receive a pat-down. For this reason, it is designed to be thorough in order to detect any potential threats and keep the traveling public safe. Pat-downs are performed by same-gender officers and all passengers have the right to a private screening with a travel companion at any time.

Myth: The pat-down is a punishment for opting out of the AIT.

Fact: There’s nothing punitive about it – it just makes good security sense.  And the weapons and other dangerous and prohibited items we’ve found during pat downs speak to this.

Myth: Everyone who travels will receive a pat-down.

Fact: Only passengers who alarm a walk through metal detector or AIT machine or opt out of the AIT receive a pat-down. It is one layer in our tool kit to address the nonmetallic explosives threat. In yesterday’s hearing, Administrator Pistole said: “The bottom line is few people in the overall scheme of things will actually receive those pat downs. Now, we’ve heard some examples, and obviously, there’s a vocal group out there who have experienced this for the first time, and, rightfully so, raising concerns, what’s behind this. And the bottom line is we, the transportation security officers in particular, are trying to work in partnership with the traveling public to say we want to ensure that you are safe on this flight. Work with us in a partnership to provide the best possible security. And that’s what it comes down to.”

Myth: Complaints about the pat-downs are extremely high.

Fact: Only a small percentage of the traveling public receives a pat down as they travel through the security checkpoint.  Approximately 2 million people fly in the United States every day.  The number of complaints is extremely low.

Myth: Pat downs for certain individuals are limited to the head and neck.

Fact: No one is exempt. Everyone is subject to the same screening. TSA is sensitive to religious and cultural needs, but everyone must be screened effectively. Administrator Pistole echoed those sentiments on MSNBC’s Hardball recently.

(At 4:42 on the clip)

MR. SMERCONISH: All right, here’s another one that I hear from radio callers, the Muslim guard exception. You may not even know what I’m talking about. But if someone approaches a TSA checkpoint and they’re wearing, by way of example, a burka, what’s the drill?

 MR. PISTOLE: Everybody goes through the same process. So whatever their ethnicity or religious beliefs, which I’m sensitive to and appreciate, the bottom line is people are treated the same in terms of either going through the advanced imaging technology if that’s available or to walk through the metal detector. And if they alert, then they would have to have that alert resolved. And the best way of doing that is through a pat-down.

 MR. SMERCONISH: No free rides, right, Mr. Pistole?

 MR. PISTOLE: That’s correct.

 AIT Myths & Facts

Myth: AIT is not safe.

Fact: Backscatter technology is safe for all passenger and has been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, National Institute for Standards and Technology and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. All results confirm that the radiation dose is well below the standard for safety set by the American national Standards Institute. The technology is safe. A person receives more radiation naturally each hour than from one screening with a backscatter unit. In fact a traveler is exposed to less radiation from one AIT scan than from 2 minutes of an airline flight. 

Myth: There has been an overwhelming public outcry against AIT.

Fact:  A recent CBS News Poll found that 4 in 5 Support Full-Body Airport Scanners

Myth: AIT cannot detect powdered explosives.

Fact: This is false. Advanced imaging technology is deployed specifically because of its ability to detect both metallic threats – which a metal detector would pick up – and non-metallic threats – which a metal detector would not pick up. This includes explosive material that can take the form of powders, liquids and gels and be used in an improvised explosive device made up completely of non-metallic material.

Myth: Everybody who travels must undergo AIT screening.

Fact: Advanced imaging technology is optional – anybody can choose to opt out and receive alternate screening, which will include a pat down.

Myth: TSA Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT) images can be stored on the AIT machines located in our airports.

Fact: Completely false – TSA’s machines should not be confused with the recent stories about the U.S. Marshals Service.  The machines used by TSA at our airports cannot store, print or transmit images. They simply don’t have that ability. Administrator Pistole also addressed this on Hardball. (At 6:03 on the clip)

Myth: TSA Officers are sharing AIT images they are taking with their cell phones.

Fact: Our officers are prohibited from bringing electronic devices such as cell phones into the AIT viewing room. This is a fireable offense and no such reports have been substantiated.

Myth: The AIT images shared by TSA are proof the images can be stored.

Fact: The images shared by TSA are either from the vendor, or were photographed by the media at a press event where an example of the technology was shown.

Myth: Children must be screened by the AIT.

Fact: Anybody can opt out of AIT, including children.

Miscellaneous Myths & Facts

Myth: Airports can opt-out of TSA screening.

Fact: All commercial airports are regulated by TSA whether the actual screening is performed by TSA or private companies. So TSA’s policies – including advanced imaging technology and pat downs – are in place at all domestic airports.

Myth: Radio Host Meg McLain was handcuffed to a chair after choosing not to undergo AIT screening.

Fact: She was never handcuffed to a chair and many of her outlandish claims were proven to be unfounded.

AUTHOR:  Blogger Bob, TSA Blog Team

Some businesses are rising to the challenge by starting recycling programs and installing energy-efficient light bulbs, but think that further initiatives will be too complicated to implement. A green cleaning program, can, however, meet any business’ criteria for performance and cost.

If a product doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter that it is earth-friendly or
affordable. Companies can go to their distributors, who  will usually provide sample products. Companies can then test the products in as many scenarios as possible. Tests should take weather
into consideration. For example, businesses located in regions that experience heavy rain or snow all winter may not choose the best product if they test in dry, summery conditions.

Most product lines include highly effective products as well as others that don’t work as well.  Since it’s pragmatic to order all products from a single brand, businesses should match their most important cleaning needs to the best products in the line. For example, a jewelry
retailer must have crystal-clear display cases to showcase their products, so priority should be given to a line with a highly effective glass cleaner.

Evaluating the green claims of cleaning products can also be difficult. Several national organizations certify products as green, however each uses different criteria and specifications, based on proprietary definitions and internal reviews. One designation, DfE (Design for the Environment), is approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). DfE-certified products must meet rigorous standards for biodegradability and toxicity, health hazards, storage and shipping limitations, flammability, etc.

Companies also need to consider how products are packaged. Pre-measured packaging, for example, can contribute to a green initiative, as it creates less waste. Shipping and storage savings can be significant also.

The cost of cleaning products should be evaluated on a total cost
of ownership basis since so many factors contribute to the overall goal of a clean retail environment. Businesses can make an estimate by choosing one location and determining how much money it would cost to keep it clean for one year with each product in consideration, including storage costs, labor and supplies.

One size does not fit all when it comes to cleaning, especially for multi-location retailers. Consideration should be given to seasonal changes in cleaning needs as well as those based on general geographic location. National multi-location retailers can generalize by classifying stores in zones and considering the unique needs of each zone to ensure that the cleaning program is effective.  By calculating the cost on an annual basis, any seasonal impacts will be taken into consideration.

For more information, visit www.jbiglobal.com or www.pakit.com.

What affects employees affects their employers. With nearly one in three women reporting abuse at some time in their lives, domestic violence is likely to affect almost every workplace. The good news is that employers who address it can provide real help to victims and reduce the associated risks.

Domestic violence in the workplace affects the workplace when an abuser harasses an employee who is on the job, when a victim is absent because of injuries or less productive due to stress – or when violence occurs at the worksite. Helping employees who are experiencing abuse can be a real challenge for human resource professionals and managers – but it is a challenge worth meeting. Just as employers deal with substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, disability and sexual harassment, they can address domestic violence. Doing so begins with a strategic plan and written policies and procedures – and with a real commitment to offer support and resources to those in need.

When it comes to workplace solutions to domestic violence, one size does not fit all. Employers have their own policies, goals, structures, workforces and cultures, and must develop their own responses.

It is always a good idea for employers – especially small businesses with limited resources – to partner with local domestic violence experts. These community-based experts provide critical services to domestic violence victims and sometimes to batterers. Their expertise is applicable to the workplace, and employers are wise to engage them as they develop solutions.

For example, Jenesse Center, a thirty+ year old Los Angeles based domestic violence shelter program, utilized a grant from the California Endowment to launch a pilot workplace oriented campaign, South Los Angeles’ Domestic Violence Education Project:  Stop the Hurting.

Attempting to impact how local businesses view and deal with domestic violence and related issues, Stop the Hurting is a two-year employment and workplace action plan/policy advocacy project designed to address high incidences of domestic violence within the South Los Angeles business community by raising awareness of the need for training and implementation of related employee assistance programs.

“It is our intent to effect fundamental change in policies, attitudes, and behaviors in the South Los Angeles business setting,” explained Jenesse associate director Adrienne Lamar.  “We are aware that domestic violence carries over into the workplace and we want employers to know that there is a resource available to them to help their employees,” she said.  “Domestic violence has an impact on the entire community and not just the person who is injured or killed.”

Article compiled in cooperation with the Family Violence Prevention Fund.

That’s not the evolution that I’m talking about. I’m talking about an evolution that has become a true “turning point” in my life.

I have evolved from the woman, who with a college friend, founded the original Turning Point magazine, the one who carried on the dream when the partner who had the original idea decided (wisely, I might suggest) that it wasn’t her dream anymore.

Making the dream mine was not my evolution, it was my responsibility. Expanding the original concept from a local publication to an internationally recognized brand was not my evolution, that was a necessity.

My evolution occurred when I stopped. It occurred when I dared to stop and sit quietly and suffer the consequences of stopping and sitting quietly.

My evolution occurred when I stopped to tend to my rose garden. To get to know every one of those 13 (yes, unlucky 13) rosebushes. To realize how their heartiness is a metaphorical lesson for my life. When I watered and pruned and mulched and fertilized them they flourished. But, guess what, when I did nothing to them, ignoring them for weeks on end, and neglected to counter the days of hot sunshine with water and deadheading, they still flourished!

My lesson…sometimes we have to let it be.

To stop and literally smell the roses. That’s exactly what I have been doing the last couple of years…tending my roses! As a result, I have some beauties! A cacophony of color and varieties, each bush with its own distinct personality.

I also took time to define what I want to be when I grow up. What I want my life to be like for the next half. I did not set out to define what I want to DO, I set out to define what I want to BE.

And you know what; I found its pretty simple…at least for me. Once I stripped away all the must have’s, gotta be’s, have to go’s, my professional wants boiled down to some pretty simple stuff:

• I must be happy with whatever I do
• I must be able to do it wherever in the world I am
• I do not ever want another employee
• I must make money doing it.

See…simple.

And, that’s where turningpointmagazine.com comes in.  gives me a stripped down platform for celebrating the turning points in my life while creating a platform for others to do the same.  And, by making it a community effort, guess what, it satisfies three of my four life concepts. I’m really not looking for it to satisfy the money part. Although I am fully aware that if you follow your professional passion, reward will follow, monetarily or otherwise.

That’s enough self absorption for now. No more about me. Everywhere else in turningpointmagazine.com, it’s all about you!

May God continue to bless you!