HOPE and VICTORY

I have been advised by many--colleagues, friends, counselors, authors, family and others--that there is some truth to visualization. Visualizing is the prelude to manifestation. No matter what the present truths and realities may dictate, if you believe hard enough, a visualization can become a reality. The church mother always told me to "be careful what you pray for" when I mused about wanting stuff, like a house, a family, a education, etc. Believe it or not, when I am able to visualize and to focus many of my desires have been fulfilled--good or bad. This brings us to group- visualization. This is where the international community (mainly the Western powers and, of course, Israel) is visualizing Iran creating a nuclear bomb. While Iran has been steadfast in disputing the international community's atomic bomb visualizations for its country by declaring over and over that it will use its nuclear power for peaceful purposes. However, the power of group-visualization se...

Wal-Mart was one of the few beneficiaries when the Great Recession began, as shoppers traded down to save money. Now it's having trouble keeping customers in a slowly recovering economy. Cash-strapped shoppers are looking elsewhere for better deals such as dollar stores and local grocery chains. And some wealthier customers, feeling more flush, are starting to head back to the mall. After returning from a local Walmart today, I'm scratching my head wondering what's all the fuss about. Since when did reducing pricing on arguably unhealthy beverages warrant free advertising? Or maybe they are talking about the greasy potato chips that happen to be the nutritional centerpiece on every family dinner table? Now, I don't think it's anything in the healthy vegetable and fruit section. Did anyone check the price of onions lately? Their bananas keep going up, and, no good news for the holidays. Well I did see a few shoppers stacking up on the white bread--the hot dog and ham...

By Allen C. Guelzo – Christian Science Monitor Gettysburg, Pa. – “I am no minister of hate,” wrote the black abolitionist Frederick Douglass in 1871. But as he watched Northerners in the years after the Civil War turn to teary-eyed embraces of their former Confederate enemies at postwar reunions and veterans’ meetings, he was appalled. “May my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I forget the difference between ... those who fought to save the Republic and those who fought to destroy it.” Douglass can be forgiven a certain measure of resentment toward the Confederacy. After all, he was born a slave in Maryland, escaped as a runaway in 1838, turned to a public career as an abolitionist newspaper editor and lecturer, and sent two sons to fight in the Union Army. But he had a point that Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) might have been wise to ponder before Tuesday, when he proclaimed April as Virginia’s “Confederate History Month.” Just what is it, exactly, that Governor McDonnell is p...

Growing up in the segregated South, where my neighbors, community, churches and schools were exclusively Black, to this day I am still (no pun intended) mystified how blacks were (are) intrinsically enticed by whiteness. Oh, by the away, we did have a popular grocery owned by Chinese-Americans in the our neighborhood. However, besides the white transients who entered from time-to-time to sell their wares or to toss their dead animals on our streets, or to return our parents from maid service, it would appear our exclusive physical culture of blackness was in control of their destiny. So, the unsolved mystery is how was our supposed (Black) culture penetrated so thoroughly by the patois of a white majority? How was it that little dark skinned girls preferred white dolls or our exclusively black student body preferred light skinned beauty queens, etc? The white superman or white Mickey Mouse Club were just too enticing. While legal segregation was successful for intentionally keeping peo...

First let me applaud the work of two positive social and justice pioneers. The work of Judge Greg Mathis and that of Coach Tony Dungy speaks for itself. Both men are very successful in their respective fields where Mathis has become a succcessful judge and Dungy is a retired successful major league football coach. Both are African American and both have overcome odds that are not foreign to African American men who are striving to create a life of dignity and pride for them and their love ones and for the community at large. Through the Black Prisoner Initiative, PEER, (Prisoner Empowerment, Education and Respect), Judge Mathis is working to assist young (and old) African American men rebound after being criminalized and imprisoned for their alleged mistakes in life. The Initiative pushes for another chance for these individuals that would help them to redeem their place in society and attempt to replicate the success of other African Americans who have learned to overcome in envi...

The MoneyMutual site reads: Why does Montel Williams endorse MoneyMutual? Celebrated talk show host and Daytime Emmy Award winner Montel Williams associates himself only with products that help people live better physically, spiritually, financially and emotionally. He understands that people will find themselves with difficult to pay expenses due to lack of funds or credit and agrees that a cash advance can provide the needed quick assistance and help avoid more costly fees. In times where the welfare of many is being threatened by runaway bank charges, high interest rates, high unemployment, a spirited IRS, predator credit lending companies, the cost unjust wars and general corporate greed in general. It makes since that in our desperation we become victimized by Payday loan companies that have proliferated in the last decade in both the depressed inner-city communities over the Internet. It's simple. If you're already living from paycheck to paycheck, why not s...

Looking at Faithful, my cat, I am pretty fun of him. He's been a joy and a comfort in tough times, feeling a void where no human could possibly fill. It has been also a thorn, demanding attention at the most awkward times and refusing to cooperate when life demands that I do. More or less, domesticated animals as well as those locked-up in the zoo are a pleasure to experience. Which brings me to the next point. In general, has our attachment to the animal hindered us in anyway from evolving to the next spiritual plane? BREAKING NEWS: Effort to ban cat, dog meat updated Tue March 9, 2010 CNN's Emily Chang reports on legislation in China that would ban eating dog and cat meat. (Warning: Disturbing content) CNN A few times I've watched a medium, John Edwards TV show called " Crossing Over ". It was interesting to observe how believable it is as one witnesses the interaction between the living (those still detained on earth) and love ones who have c...