Echelon Network Links

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Post Your Christian Book Trailers on BlackChristianBookVideos.com

Getting your video placed on BlackChristianBookVideos.com is free. Placing your Christian book trailer on BlackChristianBookVideos.com helps you get more exposure for your book. To get your book trailer posted on BlackChristianBookVideos.com just email us at BCBV@BlackCBV.com with the following information:

1. Title
2. Author
3. ISBN
4. Page Count
5. Price
6. About 100 words of sales text
7. A JPEG of the book cover exactly 240 pixels high
8. Embed code for the video (if you don't know what this means, give us
the URL where we can find the video)

Advertise on http://www.BlackChristianBookVideos.com

Advertising your Christian Book, service, or ministry on BlackChristianBookVideos.com is affordable. With costs starting at $6.00 per week or $20 per month, you can obtain a Video Spotlight Ad, a Side Bar Ad, or a Skyscraper Ad on www.BlackCBV.com.

Monday, March 30, 2009

March 30th: Today is National Doctor's Day

History of National Doctors' Day

The first Doctor's Day observance was March 30, 1933 in Winder, Georgia.
Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond, decided to set aside
a day to honor physicians. The red carnation is commonly used as the
symbolic flower for National Doctor's Day.

On March 30, 1958, a Resolution Commemorating Doctors' Day was adopted
by the United States House of Representatives. In 1990, legislation was
introduced in the House and Senate to establish a national Doctor's Day.
Following overwhelming approval by the United States Senate and the
House of Representatives, on October 30, 1990, President George Bush
signed S.J. RES. #366 (which became Public Law 101-473) designating
March 30th as "National Doctor's Day."

Ideas to honor your physician or a physician in your life:

Hallmark suggests you send your doctors a card of appreciation - (it's
no surprise to hear this from Hallmark). Card companies have cards for
this event....no surprise here, either!

OR

We suggest you simply tell your doctor(s) that you appreciate all that
they do for you and your health. If you don't see your doctor today,
make a note to thank him(or her) at your next appointment.

Virtual Fiction Writers Conference, April 16-18, 2009

Taking It To The Next Level In 2009
Virtual Fiction Writers Conference
"Coming to a computer and telephone near you!"
Thursday, April 16, 2009 - Saturday, April 18, 2009
$50 Registration Fee Includes All Sessions!

Faith Based Fiction Writers of Atlanta, formerly Visions in Print
Writers Group are hosting their second annual Virtual Writers
Conference. The proceeds will be awarded as a college scholarship to a
Class of 2009 high school student. They are offering seven workshops and
teleconferences sessions with top selling authors and industry experts
that will help you improve your writing and/or market your current work.
For details visit Urban Christian Fiction Today

Register Here

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Book Review: That Devil's No Friend of Mine by J.D. Mason





What Lies Beneath


Author, J.D. Mason, brings readers into the lives of characters Kristine Fontaine, Lamar and Rhonda, Cole and Nora, Rayne, T. Diggs, and Cash. That Devil’s No Friend of Mine is a story of a trail of secrets, lies and family ties left behind by a strong-willed man, Bishop Fontaine, with convictions that influenced his family and those he cared for to still be concerned with what he’d think of them and their actions, even after his death.

Upon Bishop’s passing, the author weaves a tale with characters whose lives are, unknowingly, intertwined by Bishop Fontaine. Kristine, Bishop’s only child, is the heiress to a million-dollar business owned by her father and family-friend, Lamar. Kristine’s vulnerability and innocence is tucked away when she finds new life in being able to make her own decisions, as well as come to terms with secrets of the past. Finding new love in Tauris Diggs helps Kristine to process her emotions, deal with her past and face the future. Supporting characters, Cole and Nora, Cash and Rayne add a twist to the story by offering subplots of volatile marriage and drug addiction.

The novel is a relatively fast-read. I did want to know what would happen next. I did close the novel, however, with a sense of not knowing if I was happy with the ending, only because I’d like to know how things turn out for Kristine and T. Diggs. Then again, that’s what sequels are for.

I liked this story. It read well for me and I would definitely consider other titles by this author.

World Deliverance Temple's Pastors Anniversary Celebration


Fantasia Barrino - Live in Detroit on Easter Sunday!


Friday, March 27, 2009

Beware - Computer Virus threat for April 1, 2009

A new virus known as Win32/Conflicker C (or sometimes as Kido or
Downadup) has been discovered and is expected to activate on April 1st,
which is Wednesday. We want to remind you not to open attachments in
emails from people you don't recognize, to make sure your firewall is
configured correctly, to check that all Microsoft critical updates have
been installed and to update your antivirus program to the most current
definition file.

According to an article on CNN.com,

"The malicious program already is thought to have infected between 5
million and 10 million computers. Those infections haven't spawned many
symptoms, but on April 1 a master computer is scheduled to gain control
of these zombie machines, said Don DeBolt, director of threat research
for CA, a New York-based IT and software company.

What happens on April Fool's Day is anyone's guess."

For further information see the following websites:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/technology/2009-03-24-conficker
-computer-worm_N.htm

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/dsn/en/docume
nt?c=us&docid=355792&l=en&s=gen

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/Bulletin/MS08-067.mspx

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/03/24/conficker.computer.worm/index.html

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/the-conficker-worm-april-fools-
joke-or-unthinkable-disaster/?ref=technology

44 Presidents

My bookclub buddy Jennifer sent this link - How many can you name?

VERY INTERESTING HOW THIS IS DONE.... A SEAMLESS TRANSITION FROM ONE PIC
TO ANOTHER...... Forty four presidents!!! (there is music too if you
would like to listen)
http://www.flixxy.com/presidents-morphing.htm

How'd you like it? Please leave your comments.

Braille appears to be dying, report finds

Blind literacy rate declines to below 10%

By Ben Nuckols, Associated Press

BALTIMORE -- Fewer than 10% of the 1.3 million legally blind people in
the United States read Braille, and just 10% of blind children are
learning it, according to a report to be released today by the National
Federation of the Blind.

By comparison, at the height of its use in the 1950s, more than half the
nation's blind children were learning Braille. Today, Braille is
considered by many to be too difficult, too outdated and a last resort.
Instead, teachers ask students to rely on audio texts, voice-recognition
software and other technology. And teachers who know Braille often must
shuttle between schools, resulting in haphazard instruction, the report
says.

"You can find good teachers of the blind in America, but you can't find
good programs," said Marc Maurer, the group's president. "There is not a
commitment to this population that is at all significant almost
anywhere."

Using technology as a substitute for Braille leaves blind people
illiterate, the federation said, citing studies that show blind people
who know Braille are more likely to earn advanced degrees, find good
jobs and live independently.
Technology no substitute

One study found that 44% of participants who grew up reading Braille
were unemployed, compared with 77% for those who relied on print.
Overall, blind adults face 70% unemployment.

The most recent report pulled together existing research on Braille
literacy, a method that its authors acknowledge was less than
comprehensive. The 10% figure comes from federal statistics gathered by
the American Printing House for the Blind, a company that develops
products for those who are visually impaired.

The federation also did some original research, including a survey of
500 people that found the ability to read Braille correlated with higher
levels of education, a higher likelihood of employment and higher
income.

The report coincides with the 200th birthday of Louis Braille, the
Frenchman who invented the Braille code as a teenager. Resistance to his
system was immediate; at one point, the director of Braille's school
burned the books he and his classmates had transcribed. The school did
not want its blind students becoming too independent; it made money by
selling crafts they produced.

The system caught on, but began declining in the 1960s along with the
widespread integration of blind children into public schools. It has
continued with the advent of technology that some say makes Braille
obsolete.

"Back in about 1970 or so, I was heading to college, and somebody said
to me, 'Now that you've got the tape recorder, everything will be all
right.' In the early 1980s, somebody else said, 'Now that you've got a
talking computer, everything will be all right,' " said Marc Maurer,
president of the federation.

"They were both wrong. And the current technology isn't going to make
everything all right unless I know how to put my hands on a page that
has words on it and read them."

April 10th is National Siblings Day

Today is National Siblings Day. The bonds forged between brothers and sisters is typically one of the most enduring relationships throughout life.

Today, nurture and celebrate your siblings.

To learn more about National Sibling Day (officially celebrated in 40 states), please visit http://www.siblingsday.org .

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Groundbreaking New Book - NAACP: Celebrating A Century, 100 Years in Pictures


March 20, 2009 - The NAACP and The Crisis Publishing Company have joined
with Gibbs Smith to bring you a visually stunning and groundbreaking new
book that captures the 100 years of the NAACP and The Crisis, NAACP:
Celebrating a Century, 100 Years in Pictures ($40.00; 1-4236-0527-6; HC;
600 Color and B&W Photos; 472 Pages; February 2009). The NAACP is built
on the collective courage of thousands of people of all races,
nationalities and faiths united in one premise: that all men and women
are created equal. From the ballot box to the boardroom, the NAACP has
led the fight for civil rights and social justice.

NAACP: Celebrating a Century, 100 Years in Pictures covers the founding
of the organization by Ida Wells-Barnett, W. E. B. Du Bois, Henry
Moscowitz, Mary White Ovington, Oswald Garrison Villiard, and William
English Walling, and follows it through to its widespread influence
today. Featuring over 600 photos from the NAACP and Library of Congress
archives, some of them published for the first time, NAACP: Celebrating
a Century, 100 Years in Pictures is a must-have!

Copies of this groundbreaking book are available for sale directly
through the NAACP website at http://www.naacp.org/ as
well as all major book retailers, independent bookstores and online
retailers. Buy your copy today!


Laura Ayrey
Director of Marketing
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
801.927.2156

Food for Thought: Meet Me Where I Am

"To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things
to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." 1
Corinthians 9:22

OK, so Paul never sinned in order to save a sinner BUT he understood
where a person was in their spiritual journey and met them on their road
as he began to minister.

I'm so happy and thankful that my God does not chastise me when my faith
falls short of His expectations. I'm so thankful for his everlasting
love, grace and mercy for accepting me as I am and meeting me where I
am. I know if I spend more time loving and worshipping Him, my faith
will increase.

For those of us that are not as mature in Christ as others, but know who
we are and whose we are, how do you feel when others stand in judgment
of you for not being who "they" want you to be in Christ or what they
"think" you should be doing on your spiritual journey?

Naked and Not Ashamed 1st Annual Women's Conference


Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Documentary: Up and Coming Filmmaker on Injustice for Women in the Penal System

IN JUSTICE

Contact: Oriana J. Bolden,Director (510)637-8262 info@reelchange.org
Contact: Brittany Ballard,Producer/Field Producer(310)488-062 brittany@littleplowfilms.com

What is really at stake in a system where corrections officers work overtime to take care of their children and inmates are separated from their children for up to 14 years for non-violent crimes they were set up to commit? Tearing women away from their families and leaving behind a legacy of shattered dreams - is this what federal mandatory minimum drug laws were designed for?

THE DOCUMENTARY

The system is not working; in fact, many legal experts have called mandatory minimums a“perversion of justice.” Yet judges, frustrated in their ever-expanding obsolescence cannot do much;prisoners sentenced to 15 or more years can spend nearly a lifetime seeking elusive justice whilethe hands of attorneys on both sides are tied. Mandatory minimum sentencing poses dangers to not only individuals but also society. Underrepresented communities feel the major brunt of ineffectual sentencing laws in multiple ways, i.e., families are torn apart; people of color often receive longer jail terms thereby decimating many urban communities; and police policies of using snitches/informants with quotas disproportionately land poor people of color in jail for crimes they did not commit, for sentences far longer than those that would be dealt by judges allowed to use their discretion in sentencing.

CURRENT CASE PROFILE: Guadalupe Zuniga - North Carolina (# 0653282) is serving 18 years and three months for living in a home with her eight year old daughter and boyfriend who she did not know was trafficking cocaine. The boyfriend served a much lighter sentence even though the drugs were his and despite the fact that he testified at her trial that she did not know what he was doing and had no knowledge there was a stash of illegal drugs in their shared apartment. By interweaving the stories of five women- one prison guard, one prisoner, one judge, one prosecuting attorney and one defense attorney- In Justice will tell the real life stories of the mandatory minimums’ impact on family, justice and hope.

HELP US TELL THIS STORY. Donate. Advise. Help us locate the real women who can tell this story from each seat in the courtroom–the judges, the attorneys, the prisoners, the guards, the children and the many families affected by mandatory minimum sentencing.

SPONSORED BY the San Francisco Film Society

Food For Thought

Here's something to ponder . . .

I read this on Steve Troxel's God's Daily Word . . .

Do we really know God's voice? How often do we set aside time to
listen? If we only occasionally listen to His voice, how will we even
recognize when He calls? We live in a world so filled with
distractions, that we must not wait until the crisis of a storm. If we
haven't learned to filter out the competing noises of the world, God's
call will be lost in the crashing waves.
________________________________________________

I don't know about you but it's high time I start making quiet time to
meditate upon God's word so His voice becomes clearer and clearer to me
each day. I pray for my spiritual filter to become very fine tuned, so
much so that when there's noise all around me, my filter will only allow
a single voice to come in.

So no matter where I am, whatever the distraction may be, I pray that
God will use me and allow my light to shine, touching others and
encouraging them to begin a relationship with Him or re-establish a
relationship with Him just as I have.

Follow-up Bible reading: Matthew 14; John 10:27

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

45 Lessons Life Taught Me

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland ,
Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled
over
To 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

**********************************************************

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about..
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is Special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words, "In five years, will this matter?"
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone for everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back..
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Orrin "Checkmate" Hudson Brings "Game of Life" to Dayton, Ohio to Inspire Kids to Make the Right Moves

Orrin "Checkmate" Hudson, founder and executive director of the non-profit organization, Be Someone will be in Dayton, Ohio on Friday, March 27, 2009 to show at-risk youth how to make better decisions in school and in life.


He will speak to the students and faculty of Thurgood Marshall High School, 447 Hoover Avenue, at 10:00 AM. At 12:30 PM, Hudson speaks at the Black Man's Think Tank in the Ponitz Center (Building 12) at Sinclair Community College. This event is free and open to the public.


Hudson, a former Alabama State Trooper and author of "One Move at a Time" says, "Nationwide crime is on the rise. I want to make sure that every child chooses to think it out, rather than shoot it out. Now more than ever before, it is important to teach the youth of America that success is not measured by cars, clothes or dollars." Hudson's mission is to visit all fifty states teaching one million students how to win the game of life through self-esteem, responsibility and analytical thinking skills. "Through chess, I teach children to push pawns instead of drugs and help them make the right moves to improve their future. My message is simple: heads up, pants up, grades up and never give up." Hudson hopes to inspire support for his cause. "When good people fail to act, evil prevails. Investing in our youth is one of the best ways to ensure a better tomorrow."


Inspired by Dr. Estes Taplin, superintendent of the City of Baker School System in Louisiana, Hudson embarked on a nationwide tour. The campaign launched with the City of Baker School System, in which the best-performing and worst-performing schools stand only a mile apart. Hudson's second stop is Dayton, Ohio.



About Be Someone



Established in 2001, Be Someone has touched the lives of over 20,000 students across the country. The results: higher motivation, improved attendance and better grades. In addition to the youth-focused initiative, Be Someone offers on-site programs for corporations and community organizations.


For additional information, or to schedule Orrin to speak at your school, company or church, contact Valerie L. Coleman at 937.307.0760.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

African Americans On The Move National Meeting - 2009


Having trouble with relationships? Here's some motivation.

EXCERPT: God's Daily Word, March 19, 2009 - Steve Troxel

"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more" (Hebrews 8:12).

Though we may carry a healthy level of new caution as a relationship continues, we must never place conditions on maintaining our forgiveness.

There WILL be times when we are burdened with hurt. But let's not seek revenge or try to withdraw and hide our pain. Let's follow the commands of God's Word and be set free! Let's grow closer to our Heavenly Father and see through His eyes.

Let's share His love and forgive as He forgave.

Cool Site for Teen Books!




Monday, March 16, 2009

Writtenvoices.com Book Review: The List by Sherri Lewis




The List by Sherri Lewis
Reviewed by Tavares S. Carney

The List by Sherri Lewis is the tale of best girlfriends, Michelle, Angela, Lisa, Vanessa and Nicole, on a search for “The One”. All but one of the group has experienced what she believes to be intimate love and the loss that occurs as a result of the relationship ending.


This novel has a storyline that is sure to appeal to women waiting for their perfect mate. With true-to-life characters, and a rawness that is sure to speak volumes to some readers, the author does a good job with her character development and plot, inviting us into the world of these girlfriends, their struggles, as well as their triumphs, as they search for “The One.” Read more

Stay Empowered Through Ministry


Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Rod of God





Christian Book Expo's African American Pavilion Highlights Authors and Products that Meet the Needs of a Multi-Cultural Community








ATLANTA, (March 9, 2009) - Get your tickets now and browse the Christian Book Expo's African American Pavilion at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, March 19-22, 2009.Come and meet over 200 authors and 60 publishers during the event. Take part in 150 seminars and nightly worship while picking up your copy of any of the thousands of Christian books that will be on display. Nightly inspirational events will feature Heather Headley and Nicole C. Mullen.The African American Pavilion (booth 734) features books, autograph sessions, book readings, comics, black gifts, give-away-items, special discounts and more. It highlights the many diverse products available from a wide range of publishers and manufacturers that meet the needs of a multicultural community. Book signing sessions include authors:

Thelma Wells, author of Don't Give In - God Wants You to Win

Sheron Patterson, author of Put on Your Crown: The Black Woman's Guide to Living Single (…and Christian)

Susan Williams Smith, author of Crazy Faith: Ordinary People Extraordinary Lives

Michelle McKinney Hammond, author of The Last Ten Percent and Playing God

Freddy Haynes, author of Soul Fitness and Healing Our Broken Village
Christian Book Expo will offer over 150 seminars, covering such topics as: How to Get Published, Marriage and Relationships, Wealth and Finances, Women's Issues, Men's Issues, Theology, and Spiritual Growth.

“Let's come together and share our joys, triumphs, and testimonies at the African American Pavilion. God has certainly been good, and we shall celebrate under one roof. I will see you there!” —Sheron Patterson

Get your tickets now! Combine codes church5off and cbe5off and pay $19 a day or $49 for all three show dates, a $10 savings per day. To register, go to http://www.evangelcontact.com/12all/lt/t_go.php?i=2034&e=NTgyMjY=&l=-http--www.christianbookexpo.com/.For more information, contact Linda Peavy of LiPav Consulting at (216) 531-5402 or by e-mail at http://us.mc456.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=lmpeavy@juno.com.The African American Pavilion is sponsored by Urban Ministries, Inc.

Written Voices Book Review: Talk to Me by Pat Simmons


Talk to Me by Pat Simmons

Reviewed by Tavares S. Carney


In the novel Talk to Me by Pat Simmons, the author introduces readers to Noel Richardson, an independent, wealthy and spiritual businessman with strong family values. His only perceived setback, and to varying degrees, according to supporting characters Mackenzie and Valerie, is Noel’s inability to hear. The author intertwines themes of faith and equal opportunity as the main character deals with challenges of acceptance, societal inclusion and developing even keel relationships. Read More

FOCUS ON YOUR SOUL


If you truly want to break through your addiction to mediocrity, your recovery must be spiritual. It doesn't necessarily involve going to church. That is good, but without a personal relationship with God, churchgoing is empty. Focus on what your soul hungers and thirsts for: to relate to God. God bless you as you pass on this message. - Bishop T.D. Jakes