Yahoo Local News beta -has NO African American-YET

Yahoo seems to be gaining on Google with a very innovating news gathering approach Baltimore Area (BETA) by partnering with local newspapers, the Baltimore Sun, Citypaper etc, and tv stations wbal,wjz - to offer late breaking and all in one viewingof local news sources in one place. The only problem is that there are NO African -American news sources?The Afro, The Baltimore Times,The Power Magazine and other African-American sources are great for staying abreast of what happening in a city that will have a African -American mayor and is over 60% black.Yahoo has a great concept which just needs to be broaden and "yes" I know its in beta, butdrill down and get some African Americans on your local search so we can be empowered and empower Yahoo. Maybe the NAACP should not move so soon?

REGINALD F. LEWIS MUSEUM

Clergy Luncheon on Thursday Dec.15th to promote ways to increase awareness in the faith based community

REGINALD F. LEWIS MUSEUM

Clergy Luncheon on Thursday Dec.15th to promote ways to increase awareness in the faith based community

REGINALD F. LEWIS MUSEUM

Clergy Luncheon on Thursday Dec.15th to promote ways to increase awareness in the faith based community

Healthcare For the Homeless

attended a forum " Changing the Paradigm:Providing Housing First at Beans& Bread a outreach shelter offering services for the homeless and here's what I found out
1- 80% of the homeless people in Baltimore are
African-American
2- 3000 - 4,000 people per night are on the street
3- Baltimore is in the process of developing a 10 year plan and procuring a federal grant to combat homelessness fron HUD
4-ex-felons are not able to receive housing
5- there is NO hotline for a centralized call center (800#)
for homeless organazitions or support services
6-our new soon to be African -American mayor can make a difference
7-the faith based community needs to be at the table on activating the political community to combat homelessness
8-there is a leadership council, made up of i.e.developers, bankers, the Downtown Partnership, etc who are meeting to
plan the process for the grant from HUD.

these are just a few of my observations, stay tuned for more
as I hope to be covering the upcoming forum on Dec.20th-3pm
@ the University of Md School of Social Work - 525 W. Redwood St

Healthcare for the Homeless

Housing First- meeting at Beans & Bread 402 S. Bond St. Baltimore, MD on Wed.Dec.13th,06

Healthcare for the Homeless

Housing First meeting at Beans & Bread 402 S. Bond St. Baltimore, MD on Wed, Dec.13,06

Healthcare for the Homeless

Housing First- meeting at Beans & Bread 402 S. Bond St. Baltimore, MD on Wed.Dec.13th,06

Healthcare for the Homeless

Housing First- meeting at Beans & Bread 402 S. Bond St. Baltimore, MD on Wed.Dec.13th,06

IMA Clergy Alliance endorses Peter Franchot

as Comptroller for Maryland in the upcoming election.

IMA Clergy Alliance endorses Ben Cardin for Senate

Rev. William Calhoun, IMA president endorses Ben Cardin at a press conference at Trinity Baptist Church in Baltimore, MD on Wednesday, Oct.18th.

IMA endorses Balto. Mayor Martin O'Malley

Rev. William Calhoun and clergy alliance of Baltimore endorses Mayor O'Malley for Govenvor of Maryland.

Creativecamp -Phila.Pa. Vblog

coworking wiki presentation

CreativeCamp - Phila.PA -Sept.16-06

I am at CreativeCamp in Phila. We are in a very unique house built 1860’s.
Hoping to make connections for the social networking site.
The camp is running from 1-4pm. I am trying to blog on site so its a little uneven in places.
It was posted up of online http://cmaccess.pbwiki.com/
political action types, graphic designers, podcampers, social networkers and more. The order of the day is finding out as much as we can about this new media and each other.
Its very informal and in a unconference style as we had our first presenters:
1- LinkedIn-1st- subject -was really touted as a great way to network in finding friends in your area and people you didn't know that were related. It was also good for doing a job search Much was made of the fact that there is no advertising on the site. I asked the question
Q-DO YOU GET PAID OR IS ANY TYPE OF RETURN FOR SIGNING PEOPLE UP? the response was NO.
LinkedIn is great for referrals for your resume and it has a search feature available.
Q-PAY FOR IT BY VIRAL MARKETING ? the response was unclear as many of these services hope to be sold someday for lots of $$$.
keeps contacts up to date no forums or discussion groups premium members-
LinkedIn also,makes money is made through jobs listings?
2-Next was a discussion on blogging as a new style of writing .
"best of craigslist" was referenced as a place of great writing
other topics covered included:
wordspy- new word everyday , webzen - collects cliché, favorpill, and flickr- was not user friendly for writing.
3- A presentation was made on a very exciting concept a - “Coworking wiki” which seems like a great idea- where you network with others to accomplish tasks in private spaces on a venture or meet-up vs out of your house or at the local Starbucks. -space seems to be the limiting factor for starting up a
-loft or current company's conference room might work?
4- Final presentation was on podcasting by Eric Moss of Fader magazine I believe.
The close - out quickie was a - possible photoshop type plugin-from Toomatation.
cookies, sodas and veggie sticks were appreciated,even though I'm glad I had stopped at the local KFC - Thank God! I had not had time to eat breakfast and the 2 hour drive from Baltimore made for a big appetite.
My quest continues for building a social networking site for my magazine – where are all the web developers at?
I will be checking out the upcoming:
http://www.thenewnewinternet.com/ Wed.Sept.20-Mclean,VA
http://www.peacethroughcommerce.com/ Sat. Sept.30 in DC
and http://convergesouth.com Friday Night, October 13, 2006 Saturday, October 14, 2006 Greensboro North Carolina

Christian Social Sites (CSS)

the following social networking sites I received for analysis.
My review:
1) http://www.mychurch.com
went to the site and it appears to be down, I got the following message when I tried to get email:
We own mychurch.com.You make it your own.
NetIdentity reserves thousands of name-based domains, then we share them with our customers.
2) http://www.holypal.com
this is a site copied after MYSPACE, looks & feels with
the same type of graphic effect. I wonder who's behind it
3) http://5loaves.net
not very different in look and feel from holypal
these 3 social networking sites above are preety much knockoffs of what has already been done before.
4)http://royouth.com/
now I found this site to be HOT- it the #1 Romanian Youth website. Good layout and design. Praise God!
I am more interested in creating a site that will enable you to stay current on what is happening, more along the lines of http://eventful.com ! Who Can Help ME!!!

Social Searching BETA #1

Hey, I like the above title !!!! I think I'll keep it as a lead in for future posts,we'll see.
MYSPACE - is the talk about how they are trying to limit youtube from posting /linking from their site. seem as if they have gone corporate on a great grass roots medium. thats what happens when money rules. it would be great to see if myspacers rebell and let the corporate bigwigs know that in a web 2.0 era the people are in POWER!
SOCIALIZR- http://www.socializr.com a new social networking site has os being when I tried to sign-up I got the follwing message: "Sorry, you don't seem to be on our Gamma Testing list." How UN social is that? It seems to already be blocking out early adapters. So whats up with being a on "A list"? who are the "A lister's" anyway? Also,where is the Socialzr BLOG? So where'sthe beef? Myspace the #1 social networker tries to BLOCK as well as startup Socialzr. Hmm!

Social Networking Beta

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" Hebrews 11:1

The above scripture is my mantra for the journey I am starting to find the resources to form a social networking community for the faith based community specifically and the African-American community at large. I hope to be posting daily as I pursue this venture. There are many conferences on this new phenomon call web. 2.0 that I will be attending. Also, there is a wealth of bloggers, social web communities, venture capitalists, and many other leading edge or should I say bleeding edge companies who are trying to develop this new and exciting internet medium. I invite you to join me as I seek to put together a business model, socialweb company that will empower God’s people and and help us connect with one another.
Currently I publish “The Power” a Christian monthly magazine www.thepowermag.com to the African- American community that has “calendars” of events for an entire month.
Calendaring is a HOT topic in the web 2.0 world, so I’m hoping to use some of my 16 years experience in magazine publishing to try and CONNECT THE DOTS!

Social Networking - Just Got Better!

Yesterday I discovered what I had been searching for in article in the Baltimore Business Journal!

I had attended the Syndicate conference in NY looking for it. I had thought that the Google calendar or the Yahoo calendar, both of which I use would do it. Both Yahoo & Google came close, but close only counts in horseshoes. The genius for a great social networking site is Clarence Wooten of CollectiveX

It does everything any group needs to communicate and stay abreast of events. The great thing I like is that it is ORGANIC! IT GROWS!

Your list of contacts or other groups can exchange information, discuss projects and so much more! I just created site for my church and already I've told 4 people about using it for their ministries or groups!

I must admit that the founder and president Clarence Wooten, is the nephew of my best childhood friend, whose family I've known for many, many years. God Bless!

Blogs & Prayers - We Are Family!

Below is a post made at Robert Scoble's site:

Observe the power of blogs and keep Robert in prayer.

Thanks Robert, for giving the blogosphere a HEART! I'm glad to know you won't be attending the conference, although I had been looking forward to meeting you. You made the right decision NOT to go.There are more important things to do than miss a conference. Your most important being is to be holding and focusing on your MOTHER, the person who gave you LIFE!Finally in closing you will not miss being the conference keynote. God has arranged for your keynote to be made via your blog. Your blog is more than a keynote it is a living testimony to the POWER of blogging, by allowing your many friends to share their love and wisdom with you, when you need it the most. No keynote speech can compare to what you have allowed us to share with you and each other. We are truly a family. Thanks for letting us see the spririt of each blogger in their post. We are more than words,because now we see the flesh and blood and the tears of the BLOGGING. My prayers are with you and your FAMILY. May God continue to strengthen you!

Sun paper finds out "Diversity has a Heart"

I had been looking forward to the Wendi Thomas column. I didn't understand how the Sun wanted a out of town writer to deliver "metro" content. It takes at least 5 -10 years to get to know the nitty -gritty of Bmore. I think Ms. Thomas best sums it up that she felt it would be tough to leave the pulled pork for the white crab meat. See (New Sun columnist returns to former job.)

Maybe the Sun will realize that diversity is more than a transplant. Its having the feel for Baltimore and being knowledgeable about the heart of a city. What makes you click in one place sometimes doesn't click in another. BELIEVE it!

Unsatisfactory Customer Service

I wrote the below letter to the media contact for Best Buy corporate. I hope I can get some satisfaction on a Toshiba notebook I bought based on reviews by Scoble.

No problem with the Toshiba its just a lack of follow through from the Best Buy customer care and geek squad people. Its been over almost a month and 1/2 and I still don't have my computer, nor has it been fixed. Its under warranty also. The front end looks good but the back end is what keeps bringing customers back!

Below is my letter, not having my computer really has effected my blogging!
--------------------------------------------------------------------

bought a Toshiba notebook on 7-9-05 with warrantyguard performance plan. The unit required service on 2-22-06.

the service order # 00149-842125299. The unit was sent back to me w/o any paperwork and nothing was done to the unit and there was not any explanation of what was done by DEX service. The unit was sent back out again and nothing has been done to repair or replace the unit. On yesterday I call the Towson store a a geek supervisor named Marty advised me that the DEX service center said there was a approx $500.00 charge and the unit still had not been serviced.

I was told to call corporate and spoke with several people who passed the buck. Finally I spoke with a helpful person named Marilyn on extension #60392, who advised me that it would be another 5-7 days before any resolution. I have been w/o my computer now for almost 1 1/2 months and my original completion date was 3-5-06.

I used my unit for my blog and for my magazine company.

I have left a message on your voicemail and I hope you can help restore my confidence in Best Buy as we have brought many other computers, tvs, and printers from this store.

I as a customer feels that Best Buy needs some serious support in the customer care area. I look forward to hearing back ASAP.

Suckin up is for Wimps!

Thanks to Scoble's blog I found the following link to Guy Kawasaki's blog post on the art of the suck:

"One of the great misconceptions of selling, pitching, and partnering--basically, any time you want to get someone to do something for you--is that you should suck up to the people with the big titles and “A list” designation. Sometimes you do--as you've already read in this blog, but the ability to suck up to the folks who don't have big titles but make the world run is more useful. "

The above is quoted by Guy Kawaski as the way to get what you want from the common working stiffs or average joe, the non big title people of the world. What a WIMP! Who says you should have to "suck down" or for that matter "suck up" to get anyone do do what you desire, want or should be entitled to as a customer or a self respecting person? The ticket agent who would send you to Paris and your luggage to Australia should be FIRED!

First, of all without having any idea why the customer was so upset, just dealing with anyone who has this agents mentality is dealing with a person who is "damaged goods" and that type of person should not be dealing with the public. Guy you are a great tech guy, but to suck up, suck down, kiss-up or make up for what should be a professional and expected level of service is what makes life HARD for those of us who don't mind paying for good service and expect the best, without GUY"S like you sucking down to get it.

Wake up America, just like there are plenty of customers who are arrogant unpleasant and abusive and they should be dealt with openly by management or for that matter by you / Guy and not have their bad behavior reinforced by the "non-big titles" of the world who do things just as abusive if they don't feel someone isn't suckin down or suckin up.

Finally, sucking up / sucking down should not be the way of getting what you want from life. Who wants to be a sucker for anything or anybody! To hell with bowing and scraping, bucking and jiving, laughing when it ain't funny and scracthing when you don't itch! Demand what you are entitled to or let them kiss your grits!

ACTIVATED AGAIN!

Hey blog world, friends and foes, its been a long time, but I am back.
I needed a rest from all that activism.
Now I'am ready for new adventure.
I will share with you our direction and the new voice
of Powerspeaks. Stay tuned and thanks for listening!

AN UNEXPECTED SPARK!

I love blogging! Unless I have a cause or purpose for blogging like our protest of Elkridge Club in Baltimore,MD which for 127 years hadn't had any African American members until our protest movement: www.powerspeaks.blogspot.com - SPARKED them to accept African Americans. I generally just like to read other people blogs. My favorite and the first blogger I view each morning is Robert Scoble http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/ . In today Jan.3rd post Scoble mentions Evelyn Rodriguez site as the best blog to come across his aggregator this past weekend.
So I link to Evelyn's site and what to my IMMENSE pleasure do I find but one of my comments which I had posted on Scoble's site some time back when he was in Ireland and had met Charles Handy. Here's my comment to Scoble which Evelyn posted: "In a comment by William on Robert Scoble's blog where Charles Handy, a founder of the London Business School, and his storytelling is praised (btw, Scoble has great links to Ernie the Attorney's posts from his Katrina-ravaged home yesterday plus a nice mention of this tsunamianniversary.com project):Thanks so much for sharing with us the wisdom of Charles Handy, I found this quote of his: “It is a time for new imaginings, of windows opening even if some doors close. We need not stumble backwards into the future, casting longing glances at what used to be; we can turn round and face a new reality. It is after all a safer posture if you want to keep moving”I would like to apply the relevance to this quote to the news today regarding the announcement by Mayor Ray Nagin that New Orleans will have the nations first wireless internet service, Overcoming Hurricane Katrina and opposition from cable television and telephone companies. Kudos to Mayor Nagin and the visionary team for new imaginings and having the guts of “not stumbling backwards into the future, casting longing glances at what use to be; but turning round and facing a new reality”.
In 2006 I am looking to face a NEW REALITY, a reality I have never seen before and one in which the interconnection of blogging enables someone like Evelyn who is in Thailand and Scoble in California and me in Maryland can share with one another, and empower one another with knowledge for the mind as well as the spirit. Blogging is the SPARK to make it happen! The blogfire is burning bright!