Michelle Obama and My Stimulus Check

When I read the new stimulus cuts that have been signed into law, I must admit it was not very much in the bill that is going to help me and my family right now. Today, tomorrow, or next Wednesday at 4:00pm for that matter. I know I am not going to get a loan anytime soon, nor will the fifteen dollars extra go into my lint lined pockets. But then again, I am one dollar from being a millionaire and twenty-five cents from being bankrupt. That is the life of many pest control operators at the moment.

When I think of the weatherization part of the bill, where everyone will get a tax incentive to fix up their homes to keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer,I get a little ticked. If we are going to help everyone with their homes, I wonder why Congress did not throw pest control services in there with everything else. Can we get everyone's bugs under control? Now, if that was part of the package,I might be signing a different tune.

Times like this got me putting two careers to work. My part time career, got an ace in the hole with the Obama's new stimulus plan. It is not written in the bill per se but it is up close and in your face. That ace is the First Lady, Michelle Obama. Mrs. Obama has given new life to women of color in the fashion industry and many young designers. Her style and poise are making the every day woman look good and she put curves in couture. She got me working out twice a day because the agents are calling. After a brief hiatus from the fashion pages, I have been called back to work thanks to Mrs.O. Ad agencies are calling to put black models in the pages of magazines, in television commercials, and film projects. For me, life has been very, very good lately due to Mrs. O's influence. Mrs. Obama has single handily done what no agent or diversity program could do for me, she made it acceptable and a must have to feature black women in a positive and flattering light in the advertising and fashion industry. Gone are days are putting Lil' Kim on the cover of any magazine.

And to go one step further, one agent said "we are looking for mothers, executives types, and you are not excluded if you are over forty." Thank God. Real women with real ages, not someone who looks like she had not eaten a two piece ever in her life. Curves are okay. This is heaven. I have been in and out of the business for nearly twenty-plus years and I am hearing things, I never thought I would hear. Black, a mother, in her forty is now the IN look for fashion.

Mrs. O has given me an unexpected stimulus. She is changing the face of the fashion industry by just being her self. Half naked, girls with ribs showing are no longer in style. Women who are act like teens will not be the new cover girls. Drama and dysfunction is out of style. Real hair is okay! J Crew is the new JC Penny and ordering off line has replaced shopping at the mall. Being a mom and raising your kids while never letting them forget that you have several degrees, is not only good for the fashion industry but good for families as well.

I did not get much from the new law signed this week directly, but I got far more than I expected when the Obamas decided to go to Washington. I got Mrs. O as a fashion icon, a role model and a new life on an old career.

Award Winning Civil Rights Reporter to Speak in Nashville

Howard Witt, the ground-breaking journalist who broke the Jena 6 story in 2006, will speak to the public and student journalists at 1 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 18, in Lipscomb's Shamblin Theatre and again Wednesday evening at 6:30 at Woodmont Hills Church.

The Jena 6 story, involving the trial and public outcry surrounding several African American teens accused of assaulting a white teen, became one of the most significant racial controversies of our decade. Witt was recognized in 2007 as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting for his coverage of civil rights issues.

Witt will speak on "Writing Stories that Change Lives."

Among many stories of international significance, he covered the Lockerbie bombing, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the ouster of Ceausescu, the release of Nelson Mandela and the end of apartheid, the Moscow coups in 1991 and 1993 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Since 2003, Witt has been stationed in Texas. In 2005, he wrote a series documenting the long-term aftereffects of the Oklahoma City bombing on survivors and first responders, as well as a series tracking the resurrection of Antoine's Restaurant, a New Orleans icon crippled by Hurricane Katrina.

He is the Southwest bureau chief of the Chicago Tribune, based in Houston. He joined the paper as a summer intern in 1982 and during his nearly 25 years at the Tribune, has been a national correspondent, foreign correspondent and editor. He left the paper in 1999 and was editor in chief of the Washington City Paper in 2000-01. In late 2001, Witt returned to the Tribune, joining the paper's Washington bureau as chief diplomatic correspondent.

Witt has won the Nieman Foundation's Taylor Award for Fairness in Journalism, the American Judicature Society's Toni House Journalism Award, and the Chicago Bar Association's Herman Kogan Award.

Reality TV and the Business of having a bunch of Kids!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Update: Mom of Octuplets did her first interview on the Today Show. I got the weird feeling that I was watching Angie Jolie without the adoptions but the same expression on her face. I am Angel Jolie. Geez, God help me I am trying not to judge here.

I was watching the Today Show when I learned of the mother in California who had not a set of twins, not triplets, but eight babies. I was working out on my Gazelle and my first reaction was to touch my stomach to make sure there was nothing in my outdated uterus. I thought "God help her" and put the thought quickly out of my mind.

I must say I recoiled in horror when I learned later that the mom had six other kids. All under of the age of seven. I immediately thought damn The Gosselins and the Duggars. Jon and Kate Plus 8 and 17 kids and Counting are reality shows on TLC Channel that follow large families around documenting what it is like to raise a van load of kids. Reality TV has warped our vision of everything decent in America.

What ever happened to having a bunch of kids because you did not know having that two or three kids was okay? I come from a family of big families. My mother was number four from a litter of twelve, my dad was the youngest of eight, and I am the oldest of five. 4-8-5, box and straight. I lived in a small town where your family size determined how long you stayed for choir practice or if your team won a state championships. (So please don't think I am against anything about the number of kids or who can and cannot have kids). I was raised before the days of fertility clinics and donated sperm banks. I can hear my granddaddy saying, "why would you want people seeing you raising your kids, that is what you suppose to do?" The man who raised his children's children would not find it very exciting having cameras following him as he whipped our butts for various offenses throughout the day.

My concern is that we are seeing gigantic families being glamorized by reality tv and impressions have been drawn that the more kids you have the more money you make. This is not the real world. TLC Channel makes a fortune from The Gosselins and the Duggars and they in turn have become very wealthy sharing their families with the world. And I ain't mad at them.

But to the untrained eye or unschooled mind, many do not see the number of assistants that show up to produce an episode or the reported number of churches and volunteers that give to help serve these families. Nor do you see the PR agents contacting companies for product placements on the shows and every conceivable free item they can get. One mention of a brand on any given episode can be worth its weight in gold. Everyone wants to see these families lives and to see them succeed. Although we may question their ethics, it WAS cute at one time to wonder how do they managed with all those kids in this day and time.

The Duggars started off as a family who was living out their religious beliefs. But after several appearances on morning programs over the years, the idea to pitch this wholesome brood to the public at large led to a number of lucrative deals and a weekly TV show. They now have eighteen children and counting. Mrs. Duggar had her kids the old fashion way, "Oops, honey I am pregnant, again."

Kate and Jon Gosselin got in on the act with their kids and we saw a different type of parenting show. Kate had a little help from fertility drugs and she believed her miracle children should be helped out by everyone. This was the first time we actually heard someone say, "You owe me help, I got a bunch of kids that I planned to have." This show does not come off as wholesome and we can see where this couple is a younger more edgier reality-tv generation. Kate was the first "mother" from TLC that had a little of 'Real Housewives of OC' air about her. Drama and dysfunction seem to be okay in their household. While the Duggars may leave you baffled, they had a fan club following from day one. Kate and Jon Gosselin did not bring natural wholesomeness to the your local channel right away. For everything the Duggars represent; order, grounded, spirituality and perkiness, the Gosselins are just the opposite. Chaotic, self-centered, religious, and bitchiness. The two shows represent two generational mindset on raising kids in front of the cameras. Both are making pay dirt and both are selling us a delusional world. A world that may have influenced our California mom to step off the edge and take the plunge into the world of actually producing babies for a television deal and product endorsements for her and her children. Folks this has just gotten ugly.

A single mother living with her parents, the world is not going to be as gracious and as loving to her and her decision to raise fourteen kids. The hospital bill for one preemie along can run into the hundred of thousands. We see this was planned out without a plan other than "here are my babies, let's make a deal". This is where the gravy train got derailed. There will be takers(offers and deals galore) but it will not be without outrage. Where Kate Gosselin left off, this mom stepped in and said I will take this another mile or so.

She is responsible for her decision to have her kids, but my goodness, flip the switch and darken her skin a bit and the outcry would be louder. Single mom making bad decisions and living off the government would be the headlines in much larger print. Where is Anne Coulter on this issue by the way? Wouldn't she be a perfect guest speaker at the next OB-GYN fertility convention?

Back to reality television shows depicting motherhood as a paid adventure. In my mom getting-together-for-drinks-while-raising-teens club, all of us are screaming what the hell is going in America. The club member with four kids was nearly in tears trying get to our monthly meeting. Her kids practices were all scheduled at four different parks. No one had anything good to say about the mom in California. Are we mad and want to get an endorsement deal with paid assistants? Well, of course. But truth be told, no amount of money in the world could get me to try to raise more than my lot of three. Love my darlings dearly, but love my sanity even more.

Reality Television should be renamed to Altered Reality. It has desensitized us to the truth and leaves false expectations for those who have not learned that most of the shows are scripted. I do not know what will happen with the mom. I hate that she was not given serious counseling prior to making this decision. I hope the doctors who participated in this get hauled before the medical review board. I pray for the grandparents who seem to have been caught in the middle of watching a grown child make a decision that will affect all of them. Most of all, I pray for her children. I hope they get the support they need. They did not ask for any of this. In the meantime, I hope that reality shows depicting parenting as pay-to-play adventure get canceled before a young mom decide to bring 12 kids into the world for the mother of all deals.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Gimmicks, Race, and the RNC

I have lived in several Red states all of my life. Born and raised in the Magnolia State, lived for a stint in the swamp lands of Louisiana, and I am raising my kids in the volunteer state of Tennessee. I will always be the girl from Mississippi and I learned to love cultural diversity from Louisiana, but the great state of Tennessee has help shaped my world view more so than any of the other states. All have taught me that a Repub does not make a conservative and every conservative is not a Repub.

The Grand Ole party not only has a visual image problem but it is in a place that we normally see Demos; absent of leadership, trying to figure out who they are and what group is their base. President Bush's fall from grace made the Repubs' reputation take a nosedive in the area of public trust and perception. Big government and outrageous spending that would feel right at home with the Demos, seemed to cloak the Bush Administration like a warm blanket. A message was sent in 2006 that the country was not happy with business as usual, but it took the elections of 2008 to really nail the casket shut. Many folks were buried alive politically. A few, however, managed to dig themselves out of their Rovian graveyard. But hanging out with the walking dead is only popular among morticians and grave diggers.

Senator McCain's decision to pick Governor Palin was brilliant in strategy, but dumb in execution. Clinton supporters were yelling and screaming to the high heavens for a minute there. They would have voted Strawberry Short Cake in office immediately following Senator Clinton's primary defeat because they wanted a woman so badly. A cartoon character would have sufficed as long as she was a female. Picking a woman was a good call for McCain but the plan lacked intelligence. Those 18 million cracks needed sealing. Gov. Romney (IMHO) would have been a deal sealer and would have made those of us who were hurting in the pocket feel safe and secure (money wise). Many moderate Repubs would have spent more time analyzing the issues than wondering if Palin was sane or not.

Watching Palin come unglued right before America's eyes, was not how to win an election. It was at times too painful to watch. Palin and that hail Mary pass was a gimmick and it backfired on the Repub party. Senator Obama went on to become our 44th President. Folks had enough of buffoonery and gimmicks.

Now, the RNC is trying the same gimmicky move with Michael Steele. Electing a black man to prove that the RNC is up for the challenge of becoming more diverse and inclusive will be tested earlier than later. Race, gender, faith, and sexual orientation will ALL be part of the diversity dialogue with the good folks at the RNC. Many of these conversation have not been had in my neck of the woods. As a matter of fact, some on this list are not even considered. I live in the land where the "Happy Negro" song originated. I socialize and do business with Repubs and Conservs daily. Michael Steele WILL NOT bring diversity to the RNC is my hunch based on my years of sitting at my grandfather's feet listening to him discuss politics. Daddy believed strongly "never try to play tricks with folks, you will get burned every time!"

Diversity is a state of being, a mindset if you will, not all about color. Having a black man in charge does not rally the troops, especially if the troops tend to see things in black and white. Mainly white. Ask Speaker Pelosi and she will confirm my assertion. Well, maybe not publicly.

It will take daily efforts of being totally intentional in reaching out to minorities,women, and everyone else from now until 2012 to make any headway in that area. It take years to break down barriers and it is rarely done in one election cycle. I remember attending McCain/Palin rallies and personally hearing "terrorist", "monkey", "nigger" and the like to the tunes of many of my beloved CMA songs. I was sent the Magic Negro CD for Christmas. Folks will not forget these enduring heart to heart monologues and shouts of love quickly.

I enjoy hearing both sides of any argument. I love to make my decisions based not on a party view but what is the greater good for my family, my business, my customers, and of course my country. I plan to visit Mr. Steele in DC when I make my annual trips for several legislative days that I will be attending regarding women and minorities in business, and an industry meeting. I am hoping that he will not give me lip service or talking points. I have shared with him in the past that forming a group to help speak to diversity issues does make an organization diverse or even open to diversity. Often diversity is only a side topic or regulated to a department in many non-minority organizations. I belong to several. Many of these organizations rarely sit in meetings and say "hey, we need more diversity". They see me and believe "we are covered". It only happens if pressure from the outside, and in rare cases from the inside, address the issues and then and only then a mad dash is made to pull a "token" somebody to fit the agenda of looking diverse. How many times I have seen this? Let me count the ways!

I am part of a group, at the moment, where everyone on our committee is coming to the same conclusion that the organization is only giving the group lip service and has very little intention in becoming more diverse. The staff is non-color, the board is non-color, and the few of us trying to make a difference, have gotten tired of the step-children antics that are being played out right in front of us. At a time where diversity is very IN, and folks are scrambling to at least pretend they see EVERYBODY, some folks are still slow to embrace diversity and inclusiveness. Even when it is presented as good business model vs. it is the right to thing to do. Money usually can get every ones' attention. Usually. Change has come to Washington, but not everyone is going to change.

Michael Steele has a huge task ahead of him, if he is to bring the RNC closer to the year 2002 by reaching out to embrace others (and by others, I do mean others) than where it is now, 1964. Mr. Steele's success will be determined if the RNC see a need to be inclusive. He will be the the Toast of the Town and not a piece of light bread. I do hope he is successful although I think the motives are suspect. But even good things can come from bad intentions. At least it will be a learning curve for participants as well as spectators. One thing about toast, it must be watched because it can easily burn.

Blogvacation over!

Too much going on to sit on the sideline. Vacation over!

Genma Holmes On The Home Stretch Radio Show with Debbie Alan

Time sure has a way of getting away from you. My friend, Debbie Alan and I have been trying to connect with each other for over a year. Messages through friends, emails lost, address misplaces. We live right here in the same town and it seemed as if she was on the East Coast and I was on the West Coast trying to plan a reunion.

We finally connected over the holidays and the first question she asked, "will you come on my show?" It was not a question per se but a I will not accept "no", time to catch up and go to lunch, but we will make a pit stop before we do statement. This is not about PR or the show but two friends getting together that really should not. We are trouble together with a capital "T".

Debbie Alan is a long time TV personality and she has a laughter that is infectious and a love for people that is undeniable. You love her instantly. She never takes no for an answer. Several years ago, she made one of the ultimate sacrifices, she put her kids and family above showbiz. That is rare in an area where you can find a star on every corner. Our children are the same ages. We were pregnant around the same time and she was the first "spokeswoman" of motherhood that I met and actually LIKED. She rarely missed her sons games and you can hear her yelling for her boys before you saw her.

Debbie and I would often swap fund raising events and ideas. "I need you" was our battle cry to each other. We would laugh at how we never followed the proper way of raising money for our favorite causes. She knew the Brentwood crowd intimately and has never been shy to ask for their purses or billfolds. When that did not yield enough, she would ask for their bank accounts. Everyone would laugh but handed over the funds with joy. I took notes and was a quick study. Debbie taught me that fund raising should be fun! Her heart has always been to help others and to give back to a community that we both love and call home. Her number of trips to Africa each year would always have an extra seat for me to claim if I wanted to go.

Four years ago she decided to get her feet wet again in the "business" with a radio show, I was honored she called to say come do a few demos with me. In her living room, she ordered her domain names and scribble her future on a note pad. Her zest and zeal for life was stronger than ever! Her original concept has never changed; celebrate the second half of living...the best years of your life and have a platform to help others. The kids were older and leaving home and she wanted to do something "different". We went to Dave Ramsey's studio and the rest is history. Her star is brighter than ever and millions hear her nationally.

We had not talked since the demo was taped until the holidays. Life threw me a few curve balls that I am still learning how to bat out of the ball park. We picked up right where we left off, laughing at the natives and talking about the next fund raising event that is scheduled in our lives. She is headed to Africa this summer and I will be at the Oasis Center this spring working on Divas Nashvegas.

My life has been in management mode with my teens. Trying to keep them from going astray and I did what I saw her do, put some things on hold to focus on the kids and to keep the family on track. I have a healthy respect for those who have made career changes or adjustments that at the time seemed as if they were career killers. I got to tell her how much she was an inspiration to me while trying to raise my three over the last several years. It has not been easy but full of adventure and I learned to keep me seat belt on when it comes to raising my kids. I could hear both of us missing the other.

I believe this guest appearance is a sure sign of me starting the year off right. This is Debbie's first show of 2009 and I am looking forward to being On The HomeStretch today. Debbie and I will laugh (and laugh and laugh) and catch up on all things Nashville. I will talk about the bug business, photo shoots, fundraisers and my crazy kids. She will talk about the her radio show, her growing staff, her mission trips and her crazy kids. I can't wait. Join us, I guarantee you will have a blast!

Tune in to the On The HomeStretch Radio Show with Debbie Alan M-F 10:00-11:00 CST.
http://www.OnTheHomeStretch.com
The call in number is 877-474-3302.

Drop in and catch the laughter. You will be glad you did!

(If you miss the show, it will be posted on my blog later this week!)

Getting a Book Published in 2009

For several years I have promoted a few authors. I am asked often how I got into the business and to give input on how to get your book in the media. Since today is a day off for me, I thought I would share with you some success stories and give you a few pointers on how to get media attention for your book.

I started my career many moons ago as a swimwear model for Carol Wior. I learned from her the grass roots of marketing and branding. She gave me advice that I will never forget and I it took to heart. "Learned every aspect of the business, don't be a pretty face with an empty head." That advice took me from in front of the lens to PR. Not public relations, but PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. Every contact became a source for building relationships with others. And most relationships that I have in the media today have spanned my two decade career. The girl with the southern drawl speaks often with reporters in New York, LA, and DC and every city in between. With the rise of social media, those relationships have become even more important as we recall the phone pitch and complain about the number of emails that often get deleted after reading the first sentence.

My first big dive into the world of publishing and authors was with David L. Steward, author of the Doing Business by the Good Book. Mr. Steward is a quite billionaire entrepreneur in St. Louis who is the founder of WWT. I was introduced to him by Earl Graves, Sr. in Dallas at a conference. Mr. Steward was named the number one Black owned business that year (2001) and I was impressed with his humility and compassion for others in spite of the title that was bestowed on him.

He taught a Sunday school class, every Sunday, called Doing Business by the Good Book. He taught his class to everyday business owners and showed by example how he modeled his company based on biblical principles. After meeting him, I attended his class and knew he was on to something. The book deal was brokered by a member of his class,and I was asked to help promote it. His words to me were "promote me like you do Holmes Pest Control!" He had done his research on me and knew how passionate I was about my environmental pest control business. My company was successful despite all of the odds of me not succeeding in the pest control industry.

George H. Bush was asked to write the foreword to the book. At that time, the Bush name carried much clout, and this was considered a home run in the publishing world. DBBTGB was not only promoted in the faith community but was a leadership manual for servant leadership study within many large corporations like Dell, Microsoft, and Johnson & Johnson to name a few.

DBBTGB tells Mr. Steward's story of being a 'nobody' top sales person working for FedEx and with no prior knowledge of the technology biz, to his thirteen year journey through tough economic challenges to becoming the largest Black owned business in the country. Not Oprah folks, David L. Steward. He was ranked in Forbes and Fortune magazines. I still refer to him as my gentle giant. He is soft spoken and never allowed his billionaire status to corrupt his values. I am still learning from him.

Because of his humility, he was easy to work with and did not come with a list of demands. Coordinating his schedule for promoting the book was the tricky part but the first year was a learning curve. He gave away more than he sold as the case with most first time authors. After a few book signings with George H. Bush and several bookings on local TV and radio stations, the book sales started to rise significantly. Being around such powerful individuals got me in front of many and led me to work and promote others who had similar books or was transitioning from CEO corporate leadership to faith base and marketplace ministry.

We hit our target market by booking him for speaking engagements at business conferences and several large business schools where he was the keynote speaker. He is booked six to twelve times a year for fundraisers for non-profits and business conferences and a minimum book order is required. Books are shipped two months in advance so that organization can sell the books as part of their fundraiser. Prepaid Legal ordered several thousand for one of their annual conferences one year. This helps the group cut costs and promotes his visit as well as the book. The buzz about the book is built ahead of time and it makes for good discussions if you have Q&A time set aside.

Press releases are sent eight weeks in advance as well as contacting local radio and TV stations. This doubles the sale of the books as well as builds the name of the charity. (Make sure the charity or organization is worth the work.)

As a promoter of the author and the book, follow up is essential. Most authors do not have a promoter but there are some things you can do yourself.

1. If you agree to speak for an organization, make sure they order a certain number of books up front. I often find if they are serious about you coming, they will order the books.

2. Contact local radio and TV yourself. Do not leave the promoting of you to another person. Send a signed copy of the book to the show host as well as the producer, AND the person who takes the call. The assistant to the host has the power folks!!

3. List your upcoming engagement, in every paper in the town or city. Do not expect others to do it. The difference between selling a book and a hundred books is making sure you hit the daily as well as the local weekly community papers. Community papers will often give you more detailed study so do not leave them out.

4. With the rise of blogs, bloggers are an excellent choice for book reviews. Ask fellow bloggers to mention your book on their blogs. Give the JPEG of your book to those who are willing to write about it. A picture is worth a thousand words. Do not ask someone to pay for a book that you want to have reviewed. You will not get a review, I promise you. (Ask me how I know that?)

5. Be consistent. I find it frustrating to deal with on and off authors. If you are going to write a book, 'Just do it'. Talk is cheap. I know several authors who have been writing a book for ten years. When I see them at business conferences, I try to find the nearest exit. They want to talk about their imaginary book that they want me to help them promote for free! In my office, we call them ‘Gonnas’. "I am going to" (fill in blank.)

6. If you are not journaling or blogging every day, I would make that one of my top goals in '09. My favorite journal is from www.journalsunlimited.com. Great for making sure you get all those great details out of your head. Tell them I sent you.

One of my favorite authors is Henrietta Anne Klauser. Her book Write it Down, Make it Happen should be a requirement for anyone interested in publishing a book. On my desk is my journal, my study bible and her book. Following her suggestions helped me get into the publishing business myself. Remember the advice I was given by my first boss, Carol Wior, "Learned every aspect of the business, don't be a pretty face with an empty head." After pitching Mr. Steward to countless magazines and writing for numerous publications on various subject topics, I took the plunge into the world of magazines and started a new career.

Now, if I can go from skinny swimwear model, to environmental pest control, to flying around with a billionaire to a magazine, all with a southern drawl that someone from the Philippines would immediately know I was from Mississippi, what is stopping YOU from publishing your book?

Overcoming doubt and finding the funds to publish is what I hear the most from potential authors that keep them from publishing their baby.

I think everyone has a book inside of them waiting to be birthed. Why? We all have stories that have shaped our lives and our world view that can impact others in a positive way. I am not in the business of being a dream crasher but for the thousands that have heard me speak and ask how to get their work published only a few actually follow through on getting it from thoughts to paper and from paper to book.

I challenge you to not allow circumstances deter you from achieving your dream of being a published author. It takes work and research but I do believe with forums like www.48Days.net, several authors can be birthed in 2009. Good luck and I will share more in future posting.

Genma Holmes Luncheon Keynote for 2008 Summit for Sunstainable Tennessee

Nashville, TN - Many voices, one vision at the 2008 Summit for a Sustainable Tennessee
Listen and learn from the chorus of voices coming together for a sustainable Tennessee, November 13-15, at the second annual Summit for a Sustainable Tennessee in Nashville. Sponsored by the Tennessee Environmental Council, Tennessee Conservation Voters and Greener Tennessee, the event will unite participants to bring a common vision for generating a practical
and sustainable plan for all of Tennessee that re-establishes the connection between an improved quality of life, a healthy economy and our natural landscape.

Gathering at the Lipscomb University campus' Ezell Center, Summit organizers have invited citizens from a broad array of backgrounds to participate in three days of breakout sessions, guest speakers (including Mayor Karl Dean and entrepreneur Genma Stringer Holmes) and opportunities to exchange ideas and solutions and
forge new partnerships while finding common ground. Summit participants will focus on sharing best practices, successful working models and case studies to demonstrate the most effective and environmentally sound practices, products and programs in Tennessee. Attendees will include concerned citizens, representatives of private industry, conservation groups, scientists, engineers, environmental policy experts, elected officials, educators, students, artists and community leaders from across the state. Summit participants will identify and prioritize
issues facing Tennessee and outline strategies for addressing them as a unified body. This statewide plan - Thee Sustainability Agenda - will create everyday action items that every Tennessean can use to positively impact our economy, quality of life, environment and natural landscapes. The goal of this year's Summit is to build upon the process created at the 2007 inaugural gathering and to focus on conservation and sustainability as an opportunity for our economy and our state's
health. Protected green space, sustainable land use practices, green energy, transportation, and other technologies and green building methods save money, earn profits, create green jobs and make Tennessee a green place to live and work.
We hope you will join your fellow Tennesseans in discovering how to create a sustainable future.

To read more about this year's Summit and the successes of last year's inaugural gathering, visit www.sustainabletn.org

Photo credit: Blair Morgan

A day like no other...November 4th

No matter who wins today, November 4, 2008 will be a day like no other. I am volunteering at the polls today. All day. One of my customers owns a bottle water franchise and we did a little bartering. Free pest control for bottled water. That is $585.00 in pest control tender, for those who do not know the dollar value in bug killing terms. My trucks are loaded down with bottled water.

I also managed to get snack crackers from another client who is a local grocer. Mr. Benson thinks I am crazy and was too shocked to say no when I asked him for crackers for some of the older folks in line today and might need a little pick me up. Daddy could make a meal out of saltines, so I figured someone close to his age would appreciate my efforts.

My Mississippi roots are urging me to run find a few cans of sardines to complete my culinary dish but I am pretty sure those standing in line would not savor the odor of the meal most requested by folks that live along Hwy 61 in the Great Magnolia State. Sardines, crackers, and cold water what else would one want while waiting in line for hours to cast a paper ballot that has the value of a cherished, priceless diamond.

My greatest wish today is that everyone vote. No matter how long the line is, no matter how cold or hot, no matter how one might feel about standing in the rain or heat, please vote. My granddaddy was willing to give his life for the right to vote. Joe Jackson is not here but I can hear him asking, "did ya vote?"

This morning, I looked heavenly, and answered, "Yes Daddy, you know I voted!" I pictured him smiling and rocking in his favorite lounger after hearing the only answer I was taught to say. Voting was the only option when you were raised by Joe Jackson. His thoughts will be missed tonight as the polls close and the non-news pundits give their bias on this historic day.

Maybe, I should picked up a few cans of sardines after all. That should help the lines moved faster, I would think.

Why Walk Saturday in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, Oct. 25th?

Because of my granddaddy, Daddy, I have become active with the American Cancer Society. I asked my good friend Ronni to share her story here today.

By Veronica Gliatti
Breast cancer kills.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in American.
1 out of 4 women will be diagnosed and 1 out of 3 in the state of Tennessee with breast cancer.
Infant girls are born every day without the foresight to know what they might be facing in the years to come.

To eradicate cancer, all types, the key is awareness for prevention and funds to research cures. This walk, Saturday, sponsored by the American Cancer Society is to accomplish both. It is aptly called Making Strides against Breast Cancer.

I waited to get involved in this after the fact, after I began treatment for cancer. I have been in treatment since October 2007 and will not completely finish till November of 2008. Do you want to make that same mistake?

I got the news I had a cancerous tumor in my right breast in September 2007. My life was forever changed. Thus began a year with marks on my calendar for doctor appointments, surgeries and chemo therapy sessions. I could not work, could not function without the aid of many drugs to combat the side effects of the drugs needed to kill any remaining cancer cells in my body after a mastectomy. I kept waiting for what the media calls, ‘the good drugs’ but they never came. The reality of battling cancer is to kill a bad cell; many good cells get killed in the process. Along the way, the spirit gets spit on too.

Thus, I choose to take on this cause, raising money and awareness for breast cancer research. My goal is simply that, to make the future prognosis of this horrible disease easier, more timely and the cure within our reach. Each dollar counts, each person walking represents another survivor and every few represent another death at the hands of this diagnosis.

My team is called Make Some Noise. I believe we must all do this, start a chorus that can be heard by everyone, near and far that sings of hope, and of live. Please care enough about this issue to give it a moment of your time; a dollar from your pocket change makes us one step closer to a cure.

If you wait till the day you hear the words “You have cancer” you may have waited a second too long! We need to recognize this disease causes financial hardship on families, an emotional drain on marriages and a killing of the spirit of live. Please walk with me, if not ‘in person’ do it in spirit - in the memory of all the lives that have been lost battling breast cancer in the wonderful land of the free.

Engaging the Community's Involvment with Young People and the Oasis Center

I spent Monday morning sharing with the Willis Group about the importance of their contributions to the United Way. The donations made to the United Way help the youth of Middle Tennessee and the Oasis Center. My daughter, Hurricane Alexis, is gearing up for her fourth year of baking pies for the Oasis Center. Alexis became apart of the Oasis' family in Aug of 2005. As a mom of a teen that has benefited from the generosity of others, I am compelled to share my gratitude and my story with others.

Since that time, I have spent many hours sharing locally, regionally, and nationally about the good deeds of the Oasis Center. For more information about the Oasis Center go to www.oasiscenter.org.

To schedule a speaker (or me) from the Oasis Center for the your church or civic group contact, Kay Haygood (Faith and Religious Groups) or Hal Cato (corporations or civic groups) you may reach them at 615-327-4455.

General Colin Powell Shares his Views

In a move straight from the set of the Maverick, General Colin Powell endorses Senator Obama. General Powell, respected by Demos and Repubs alike, broke with the Repub Party and stated that he was voting for Obama. Powell is not the first but he is one of the most influential Repubs that have thrown their support behind the Senator from Illinois.

Here is a quote from the interview:
"Mr. McCain says that he's a washed up terrorist, but then why do we keep talking about him? And why do we have the robocalls going on around the country trying to suggest that because of this very, very limited relationship that Senator Obama has had with Mr. Ayers, somehow Mr. Obama is tainted. What they're trying to connect him to is some kind of terrorist feelings. And I think that's inappropriate. Now, I understand what politics is all about, I know how you can go after one another and that's good. But I think this goes too far, and I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for."

The next two weeks of this campaign will be a nail biter for sure. I am stocking up on my popcorn. Watching how the crazies on the left and right on the don't-believe-a word-they-say-news spend Powell's endorsement is going to be entertaining for sure.

Endorsements for the most part do not matter, but this one can not be overlooked by either side of the isle. As my granddaddy would say, it ain't over 'til it is over.

Second Saturday Ladies

Last fall, I got the opportunity to cover the wonderful Second Saturday Ladies for Inspired Living Magazine. I revisited them to do a 'bread drop'( take bread to the church) a few weeks ago and I thought it would be great to introduce them to the blogsphere.

There is something different about the ladies of Second Saturday. There are no committees to delegate God's work and no annual fund raising luncheon chairperson to acknowledge their good deeds; no gala, yearly ball, fancy invitations or awards to pat each other on the back for a job well done. They are ladies on a mission, a band of sisters, serving sandwiches and love every Second Saturday.

Like most good causes, Second Saturday started from someone's personal trail. The journey began in Vanderbilt Hospital waiting rooms where families sit and wait for hours, even days, on end for their loved ones. Joan Gregory and a friend had both experience the saga of hospital waiting room and a losing a loved one. With her firsthand experience of the stress and misery of hospital waiting rooms, Joan decided to bring cheer and joy to others with a simple bag lunch and a note of encouragement. Thus began a women's ministry.

"We started out with 10 lunches at first...then 25...then 35 sack lunches," says Joan. "Our very first outing was on the second Saturday of the month."

Since the first outing to Vanderbilt Hospital and its eight intensive care waiting rooms, on the second Saturday of each month, like clock work, a group of ladies deliver sack lunches to everyone waiting in the the intensive care unit.

Nearly twenty five years later, over 20,000 lunches have been served. Each sack contains sandwiches on fresh bread, homemade cookies. fruit, mints or candy and a special note card from the Second Saturday ladies: "We realize that IC rooms and situations you're facing today can be very stressful...it is our prayer that this lunch brings a smile to your face."

Many of the ladies who participate bring their children and grandchildren to learn the art of serving others. The second generation of this ministry is already in training.

The ladies of Second Saturday believe that God chose them to do this work, and it is not about one person. More than making lunches, they are feeding souls. Through simple sandwiches, the ladies are reminding people who are hurting of God's unfailing love. Second Saturday has received thousands of thank you cards and notes, and many people have started similar ministries in their hometowns or churches.

The Second Saturday ladies are a breath of fresh air to everyone in our great city. The families that they touch monthly, in turn touch others. When Daddy was ill and I spent many hours by his side, the work of the women, came to mind often. I longed for them to walk through the doors and say hello. I would have loved one of their famous bologna sandwiches. My time at home with my granddaddy helped me to appreciate the ladies gift of caring for others all the more.

If you ever want to spend time with Second Saturday Ladies, by all means stop by Woodmont Hills, 3710 Franklin. They meet every Second Saturday at 8:45am.

For more info go to www.woodmont.org
Photos by: Russ Corley

Say it ain't so; Joe's no plumber

Joe Wurzelbacher, "Joe the plumber", learned a big lesson this week about pollies and the media. Both will stroke your fires when they need air time and flatter you to no end. But the minute they smell the smoke they helped create, they spend the rest of the time throwing gasoline on the fire. "Joe the plumber" needs a fire truck from Engine 212 ASAP.

"Joe the plumber" (as he is know in affectionate and despicable terms at the same time) welcome to fifteen minutes of fame. Joe's name was mentioned twenty six times during the presidential debate on Wednesday night. Thursday morning, Joe was in desperate need of an press agent and a few talking points. By the way, Joe's name is really Samuel which he will probably start using again. He was declared the winner by many, including me, of the final presidential debate. Anytime a plumber consumes the attention of a candidate that has never met him, you are the winner.

The clip of Joe asking the Demo candidate about his tax plan and how it would hurt "his business" was shown hundreds of times by every crazy pundit on cable and network news. He was the toast of the town. But it does not take but a few seconds to burn toast. After a minute of vetting Joe, it has been revealed that Joe does not own a business, does not have a license to do business, and is not required to have a plumber's license. Hold up, wait a minute! I am okay with his questioning taxes and the like, but please have your crap together. Do not give the stupid pundits any reason to make you look like an idiot. It will not be long before we see an exclusive of a few customers who are unhappy with the work that Joe has performed in the past. Say-it-ain't-so-Joe before long, Joe will need a fire hydrant outside his home.

In the pest control industry, we can not service a client's home or business without being certified or licensed. We can not operator a business without a charter which must be inspected by the state. We can not advertise our business without meeting these litmus tests. This is the law. So how is Joe making his money, the pest control operators are asking?

As a business owner in the pest control industry, I would not want an unlicensed, non-certified person representing me or my industry. No, Joe was not speaking for his industry but we are going to forever associate him with plumbers. By the way the national union for plumbers release this statement to The Hill.com


Plumbers union rips McCain on ‘Joe the Plumber’
By Chris Good
Posted: 10/16/08 03:54 PM [ET]
United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA) says Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) "manufactured outrage" over Democratic rival Sen. Barack Obama's (Ill.) tax plan in last night's debate by invoking the now-famous — or infamous — "Joe the Plumber."

"Last night John McCain made Joe the Plumber a household name. His manufactured outrage on behalf of Joe would be a lot more believable if his economic plan had anything to do with helping working people deal with the economic crisis," UA Assistant General President Steve Kelly said in a statement released Thursday afternoon.

The UA union claims to be the first organization of any kind to endorse Obama in the presidential race. It did so Jan. 9, 2008.

Joe Wurzelbacher, the now-famous Toledo, Ohio plumber who sparred with Obama over taxes at a campaign event in his hometown, is not a UA member, a UA staffer told The Hill.

The UA staffer claimed that Wurzelbacher is a member of the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC), a non-union trade group that has endorsed McCain.

Gail Raiman, vice president of public affairs at ABC, stated in an e-mail that Wurzelbacher reportedly works for Newell Construction in Toledo, Ohio, which is a residential contractor. ABC, Raiman stated, “represents commercial and industrial contractors, not residential contractors.”

Neither Wurzelbacher nor Newell Construction is a member of ABC, Raiman stressed.

The UA staffer noted that Wurzelbacher does not hold a plumber's license in the state of Ohio, though Wurzelbacher says he does not need a license as he works for someone else.

"Unlike McCain's, Obama's outrage for the middle class is real. He will turn us in a new direction, not keep us on the same, tired old path of the Bush years," Kelly said, going on to blast McCain's tax proposal.

"McCain's plan gives massive tax giveaways to CEOs and mega-corporations while leaving working families out in the cold. At a time when our economy is bleeding jobs, McCain also opposes investment in infrastructure spending, which would create good jobs and help put our economy back on solid footing."

Geez. I thought it was crazy killing bugs and dealing with the industry's big bug stompers, I can not imagine the sh**, I mean fallout the plumbers will be dealing with because of their new found media star, Sam...I mean Joe. So much for calling a plumber for the truth.

Go vote, then call a LICENSED pest control company.

A Plumber won the Final Debate of 2008

Joe Wurzelbacher, "Joe the Plumber", was the clear winner of the final debate of the 2008 Presidential election. I thought that it was befitting since so much poop was thrown out that a plumber was truly needed to flush out the truth. As always, I strongly encourage you to check facts before you repeat a statement from either candidate.

A partial list of the major blunders from Factcheck.org are listed below:

Spin and hype were apparent, once again, at the third and final debate between McCain and Obama:

* McCain claimed the liberal group ACORN “is now on the verge of maybe perpetrating one of the greatest frauds in voter history ... maybe destroying the fabric of democracy.” In fact, a Republican prosecutor said of the first and biggest ACORN fraud case: “[T]his scheme was not intended to permit illegal voting.” He said $8-an-hour workers turned in made-up voter registration forms rather than doing what ACORN paid them to do.

* McCain said “Joe the plumber” faced “much higher taxes” under Obama’s tax plan and would pay a fine under Obama’s health care plan if he failed to provide coverage for his workers. But Ohio plumber Joe Wurzelbacher would pay higher taxes only if the business he says he wants to buy puts his income over $200,000 a year, and his small business would be exempt from Obama’s requirement to provide coverage for workers.

* Obama repeated a dubious claim that his health care plan will cut the average family’s premiums by $2,500 a year. Experts have found that figure to be overly optimistic.

* McCain claimed that Obama’s real “object” is a government-run, single-payer health insurance system like those in Canada or England. The McCain campaign points to a quote from five years ago, when Obama told a labor gathering that he was “a proponent of a single-payer health care program.” But Obama has since qualified his enthusiasm for Canadian-style health care, and his current proposal is nothing like that.

* Obama incorrectly claimed all of McCain’s ads had been “negative.” That was true for one recent week, but not over the entire campaign. And at times Obama has run a higher percentage of attack ads than McCain.

* McCain described Colombia as the "largest agricultural importer of our products." Actually, Canada imports the most U.S. farm products, and Colombia is far down the list.

* Obama strained to portray himself as willing to break ranks with fellow Democrats. His prime example was his vote for a bill that was supported by 18 Democrats and opposed by 26. Congressional Quarterly rates him as voting with his party 97 percent of the time since becoming a U.S. senator.


A detailed analysis of the debate is listed at www.factcheck.org. The debate was boring and for all the hype given to "whipping his you know what" and the "say it to my face" talk on cable-don't-believe-the pundits-news-networks, the candidates would not have gotten a crowd at my Catholic School playground. No street fighting here. No even a good school yard dust up!

I did appreciate the "kill him" comments being addressed or in this case, not answered. I think all grown men and women should be responsible for their actions. As for McCain's facial expressions, his looks would have made a blind man laugh. Only a few more weeks to go folks, hang in there. In the meantime, if you are looking for the truth call a plumber.

It Ain't Over until It's Over

There are sure signs in the air that the talking heads and fake news pundits contracts are coming to a close. Every channel has someone declaring a winner and a loser. November 4 is over two weeks away. Being ahead in the polls does not make one a winner. First lesson in Joe Jackson's school of street fighting politics. It ain't over until it is over. You do not stop campaigning until the campaign is over. You fight to the end.

So what is my beef? We have given away common sense thinking to the 24 news cycle. Gloom and doom or psyche and fear. That is all we hear. McCain may act insane but he has risen from the ashes several times. In a million years, I would never have thought McCain would be the Repub select for 2008. Who knew? I know my man Romney is sitting at home going "what the hell happened?"

Do not forget about 2000? A winner was not declared until several months later. History has a way of revisiting the present.

My granddaddy would have never declared a winner before midnight on the day of election. And that was back in the days of the old trusted paper ballot. No tricked out voting machines in his day. Folks are out buying meat to barbecue already, planning their "galas" for the Demos sweep through out the country. How tacky is that! Mississippi folks know their manners...you plan a fish fry with fresh catfish (from the Delta of course)!

It ain't over til it is over! Got to run, today is the first day of early voting in Tennessee.

Just Vote!

Genma Holmes Speaks to McCain's supporter James T. Harris

Last week James T. Harris, a talk show host and McCain's supporter, made national news when he begged McCain to take it to Obama at a rally for McCain. I had never heard of Mr. Harris until the clips of him were replayed repeatedly. I was instantly intrigued and wanted to find out more about him.

Mr. Harris remarks were not something that many have not heard before. What made Mr. Harris stand out was the fact that he was a man of color in sea of white faces yelling "take it to him". The crowd, according to the pundits, were angry and upset. Two other men spoke of their frustrations with the McCain campaign as well, but Mr. Harris got most of the attention from the talking heads and media critics. He has been the subject of several talk shows over the last few days.

On Friday, several national radio programs played Mr. Harris remarks through out the day and left us with much to digest over the weekend. There were many theories on why he would say what he said to the crowd. The cries that he was a plant or paid by the McCain camp from people of color got my investigative juices flowing and I went to work. I did my faithful Internet research and decided to give him a call. I have always been one to get it from the source, the talking heads are paid to spew their mindless garbage and it is hard to know what is the truth from our news junkets anymore. Instead of spending the entire weekend waiting to see how this will be played out on Monday,I decided to ask questions why the topic was hot. God knows, this week, we will have something else to talk about.

Mr. Harris show is on the weekend lineup for his station, 620 WTMJ. After finding his time slot, I waited to see what the fuss was all about. I listened to the first hour of the show and called his producer the second hour. During the first hour, he took calls from only those who supported his statements to McCain. He shared about the level of hate mail and death threats that he was now getting. He asked his callers "did they see anything wrong with what he said"? Now that made me pause, because he stated at the beginning of the show he only wanted to hear from those who supported his statements. The lines were on fire, according to Mr. Harris. This gave me time to listen to his style and check out his website as well. He is a Repub through and through. He was raised in a Demo family but became a Repub later in life. In Nashville, Black Repub capital of America, he would be right at home.

I had two questions for Mr. Harris. I told the producer my first one and saved the second one for on the air. Our initial greetings were pleasantries and nicies (as I was taught by my granddad to say). Manners count when you are from the South. Besides he had the power to cut me off at any time. He mentioned he had a cousin from Mississippi who was concerned about his safety and I went there with the whole "I am from Mississippi too". You may laugh but that one liner has opened more doors for me than I can count. Back to Mr. Harris.

My first question was how does it feel to receive hate mail and death threats the same way Obama gets? Oh, yes I did. I think it is important to understand what others feel and maybe just maybe we can give each other grace. We discussed what he meant about taking Obama on and hitting him where it hurts. My concern with him was that he can say one thing to an audience and the audience may have a different take on the meaning of those words. In Mississippi, an angry crowd of white folks was never a reason for black people to celebrate. We went home and locked our doors and prayed. Many people(black and white, Jew or Gentile)can recall what happens when you see a group of angry folks getting together and wanting to make things happen. My granddaddy told us enough stories that I do not have to go looking for a group of angry people, black or white.

My second question, why he did not wear the attire in his publicity photos to McCain's rally? In his publicity photos, he would have been mistaken for a Muslim easily. He said his wife told him not to wear that. He went on to state that he was in line and one of the organizer recognized him brought up front.

I tried to load the radio link on this post but could not get it to cooperate with me. Hearing it first hand is so much better and you can come to your own conclusion about him. In the link I am providing, if you move the dial button to almost half way, you will get our ten minute conversation. He was pleasant with me.

My concern comes from my years of being a Mississippi brat. You do not agitate a group of angry folks and do not think violence will not happen. If we are going to have a campaign, let us do it with out the mob mentality. Remarks like "kill him" and "off with his head" should be saved for your children football games where cries of dissent are respected and welcomed. Okay, yes I do get rowdy at my kids games but I do not view the opposing team as terrorists.

Whether you are a Demo or Repub the rules are the same. Race baiting is becoming a familiar theme in too many elections. Mr. Harris did not give me an answer about why he did not wear the publicity photo clothing to the event. I have a strong sense that he would not have been on the front row, nor would he have been given a mic to share his views. Less than three weeks left to in the campaign season. Thank God. I do not think I can take any more.

James T. Moore 10-11-08 Hour 2
http://www.620wtmj.com/podcasts/jamestharris/30846109.html?video=pop&t=a

The Eyes of the Nation Are on Nashville

For the last several months, Belmont University and the city of Nashville have been preparing for the Presidential Debate. There will be viewing parties across the country and throughout our great city. I will be inside seeing the debate live and in person. I have gotten several calls over the weekend asking me to attend several meet and greets, I mean donor parties, for the Presidential Candidates. To meet Obama with Governor Bredesen at his home is going for $2500 and to meet McCain a cool $1500.

I told the supporters since I am still counting my pennies left over from the Wall Street mess, "thanks, but no thanks". I did managed to throw out my media credentials with Inspired Living Magazine and will be able to get a few photos snapped for the media outlet. Daddy would be proud. Not one cent spent to hob nob with the few people with money left in the city.

I will be updating throughout the day on the happenings around the city. Hopefully, no one will suspend their campaign before Tuesday or no late breaking news that the sky is falling.

She stayed on her feet!

Through out the night, I received texts and emails asking how was Governor Palin doing in the VP debate? My answer was the same to everyone, she stayed on her feet. Biden never really knocked her down. She was charming. She put her pageant skills to work and because expectations were so low, she held her own. My granddaddy always said never underestimate your opponent. And the shoes and suit were cute.

Now putting all that aside, I have learned to listen to the candidates but check the facts immediately. As soon as the debate was over, I checked several trusted fact checking websites and here is what I got in summary:

Biden and Palin debated, and both mangled some facts.

* Palin mistakenly claimed that troop levels in Iraq had returned to “pre-surge” levels. Levels are gradually coming down but current plans would have levels higher than pre-surge numbers through early next year, at least.

* Biden incorrectly said “John McCain voted the exact same way” as Obama on a controversial troop funding bill. The two were actually on opposite sides.

* Palin repeated a false claim that Obama once voted in favor of higher taxes on “families” making as little as $42,000 a year. He did not. The budget bill in question called for an increase only on singles making that amount, but a family of four would not have been affected unless they made at least $90,000 a year.

* Biden wrongly claimed that McCain “voted the exact same way” as Obama on the budget bill that contained an increase on singles making as little as $42,000 a year. McCain voted against it. Biden was referring to an amendment that didn't address taxes at that income level.

* Palin claimed McCain’s health care plan would be “budget neutral,” costing the government nothing. Independent budget experts estimate McCain's plan would cost tens of billions each year, though details are too fuzzy to allow for exact estimates.

* Biden wrongly claimed that McCain had said "he wouldn't even sit down" with the president of Spain. Actually, McCain didn't reject a meeting, but simply refused to commit himself one way or the other during an interview.

* Palin wrongly claimed that “millions of small businesses” would see tax increases under Obama’s tax proposals. At most, several hundred thousand business owners would see increases.

Always, check the facts. There is information more than what is mentioned above. Senator Biden looked very secure and was very respectable and Governor Palin looked confident and ready to show that she can think and talk at the same time.

www.factcheck.org

And the People Cried Out!

Many times in our history, the cries and groans of the people have helped shape policy and laws of the land. The Women's Suffrage movement lead to the Nineteenth Amendment. Cries, shouts, and mass protests from the Civil Rights era gave people of color the right to vote with the signing of Voting Rights Act of 1965. The outrage from many in the late sixties and early seventies helped end our participation in the Vietnam War. The voice of the people will always be heard.

The calls to Congress to vote against the Wall Street bail out are from people crying out "enough" with lies and trickery. I have seen one polly after another admit that they really do not understand what is being asked of them in the bail out package. If the people had not rebelled, our foolish pollies in Washington would have signed a blank check that our unborn children's children know will bounce. We would have given our country away, again, without accountability and transparency. The Secretary of Treasury emerged from a cave to ask us for money that sounded like a gazillion dollars. We are still trying to get our minds around the amount. Had we given in to his demands, that would have been truly naive on the part of Congress and the people. Because we did not give in to his demands, we are being blamed for the huge loss of market value on Wall Street this week. I am not buying what is being sold and seems like many others are thinking the same way.

We have overstretched our military and bankrupted our future trying to save the people of Iraq and constantly justifying the cost of a war that we should never have started. We did not ask enough questions and accepted what we were told as the absolute truth. Our shock from 9/11 allowed our emotions to be used and common sense was thrown out the window. Not this time. The back lash, from the misinformation and out right lies that lead up to the Iraq war, has created a country of skeptics who distrust our elected officials. The cost of the funding of the war is rarely mentioned when we discuss the financial mess we are in. Our pollies have developed amnesia about the daily cost of the war and all of our financial problems are now being blamed on color people who became homeowners. Please, give me a break. 10 billion a month to fund the Iraq war. Are we forgetting that many of the people who are losing their homes are over in Iraq or wounded veterans who can not go back to work?

The cries on Capital Hill that the sky was falling, only on Wall Street by the way, were met by a public that demanded more information and more accountability than we asked for when we were presented the same blank sheet of facts for Iraq. As a country, we are smarter, angrier, and tired of the mind games that are played with taxpayers' money. Our money. We are demanding facts and have realized that the fact presenters are not very good fact checkers.

Honestly, I do not know if the sky is falling. I do know we were told that if Wall Street was not bailed out 16 days ago, we would loose out country. Yet, we still own the country and the President is still residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Do I believe that we are in serious financial trouble? Yes. Do I believe giving billions upon billions to one neighborhood street is going to solve our crisis? No.

We bailed out the airlines after 9/11 and we are now being charged for a pillow to fly. We bailed out the automotive industry at one point and we are having more recalls than ever before. Bailing out large industries for the sake of our country, rarely benefits the country. The airlines and the automotive industries are going belly up, jobs are disappearing over seas and workers are being forced out with early retirement options to save the executives at the top.

I called my Senators and Congressional representatives. I am not happy about the financial crisis. I want our country to be safe and financially strong. I suggested that the financial experts do what I do at my home and in business when things are tight, I get on a budget and stick to it. Sounds elementary but it does work.

I left my money in the bank but I am asking more questions of my financial advisers than ever before. I am becoming more educated about my retirement investments and if it does not sound right to me or my kids then you need to keep explaining. If that is too much to ask, I can always go else where with my money.

I am against the bailout as presented the first, second, and third time. I do not understand the bigger picture because it did not make sense. I do agree that something must be done but what, I can not answer at the moment. How it will affect my children's children children, that I do not know either? Hopefully and prayerfully we will get through this crisis, our country is strong and resilient. In 2009, we will have new elected officials with a different mindset on how to handle a crisis and taxpayers' money. Prayerfully. Some of the financial advisers from Wall Street would now make excellent pollies. They would be able to explain to us what happened to all our money when they were working on Wall Street. Then our country will have pollies who can read our country's financial portfolio and understand hogwash from the Secretary of Treasury when it is heard the first time. Hopefully, this will help hold up the sky when it starts to fall again.