“To be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships.�
W.E.B. Dubois, The Souls of Black Folk
There are historical reasons why African Americans need to make radical changes now in order to reap great financial rewards as a people. Collectively, we have been denied access to the river of wealth. A few unstoppable individuals have successfully made it but the majority is still not even close to the river’s edge.
Furthermore, as our people made progress and broke down social and political barriers in our society, dramatic economic shifts occurred that have changed how money is made and service is profitably rendered. It’s a natural progression resulting from our great technological advancements; nonetheless, the unprepared and unskilled will be the losers during these changes.
History has many examples of people of color not being in the right place at the right time during these economic shifts in time. We have historical evidence to show that the ancient Egyptian civilization was an advanced society with a stable system of government, military strength and technology such as that used to build the pyramids. They had the basic elements of a sewage system, they lived in cities and houses they constructed and practiced medicine to heal diseases.
Much of Europe during this time was in its primitive stages, still living in caves and fighting the natural elements. However, rapid population growth and overcrowding, harsh living conditions, and disease forced the European cultures to compete aggressively for growingly scarce land and food resources. They developed more advanced weaponry in their constant conflicts with each other and for hunting purposes. They came together to form stable systems of government and increased their military might. After constant warring internally with each other, they turned their eyes outward toward expansion and domination. The natural pressures on European society created a compelling fighting instinct and ingenuity. With ships, armor and superior weaponry, the “Dark Continent� was conquered. The Europeans got downstream the river of wealth. These nations would reap the rewards for centuries to come. They found mostly mild resistance in their exploitation of native peoples in the conquered territory.
The historical record doesn’t end here. The European ruling class did not treat their own people much better. They sought religious freedom and eventually a few brave souls set off for the new world across the Atlantic Ocean. These people worked hard and struggled to carve out a niche for themselves here. Others came here seeking the opportunity to achieve wealth and land ownership without being nobility. A new era was ushered in and wealth began to flow in a new direction. Those that could claim, tame and make fruitful the land in this country would form the new noble class.
At this time of wealth transference, Black people were further removed from the flow of wealth. Instead of acquiring land and property in the new world, we became the property of others, compelled to work the land in this new world. We became living symbols of wealth to those that held ownership rights over us. We served the tables of the wealthy, worked their fields and nursed their infants but we would never become wealthy under this system. We were denied ownership rights, marital and familial bonds were disallowed and decimated. Also, physical and psychological deprivation threatened to rob us completely of our humanity. Survival and freedom comprised the hopes and dreams for our children.
Leaders emerged and a movement to abolish slavery grew both aboveground and underground. Whites and Blacks put their lives at risk to end the oppressive institution of slavery. By the time the bloody Civil War ended, slavery was already an archaic institution that achieved its economic purpose and was really a liability to southern slave owners who fought to keep the social order alive.
Technology, such as the cotton gin, was more efficient and cost effective then slave labor. The industrial age was in its infancy.
The flow of wealth was again changing directions as we began to experience freedom for the first time in this country. Farming and agricultural occupations were diminishing assets and manufacturing and industrial occupations were the new vehicles for wealth creation. Meanwhile, former slaves were promised forty acres and a mule. These assets would have served as vehicles for wealth creation in the agrarian age but they represent assets of waning value in the industrial age. They would have been a nice head start for economically deprived former slaves but the promise was never kept.
New methods were developed in the industrial age economy to keep us from the banks of the river of wealth. Segregation, racism and intimidation were used as weapons to hurt us and shut us out from all means possible of wealth creation. African American workers were only allowed to perform menial jobs in this economy. African American entrepreneurs were denied much needed start up capital, prime locations and key business contacts and contracts solely based on race. During this period of time, our attention was focused on expanding our freedoms by exercising them in the face of racial hatred and ignorance. And, again, leaders emerged breaking down barriers and opening many doors through which this generation may walk.
Now a new economic era is beginning. We have been behind the curve when it comes to changes in our economy. That one deficit alone will ensure that we will fail to prosper as a people and raise our standard of living in this society. The advent of the internet is just the beginning of this new era. The defeat of Soviet communism and the opening of global markets to capitalism clear some social hurdles to help make this new economy possible. Our world is tremendously smaller and more connected then ever.
For African Americans, this represents the first time in our evolutionary 350 years struggle that we can consciously make our way to the banks of the river of wealth and to take it as far as we can go. Like many that approach the river untrained and unprepared, the risk of shipwreck lies ahead. We must learn the new thinking and new skills demanded by these times.
This book will make you aware of these new skills and guide you in how to apply them to whatever you do now or desire to do in the future. These changes call for quick and radical change today.
This part of our continuing struggle must not take as many years as the first part. Gradual change will take too much time and be too late for us to generate wealth that we can pass on to our future generations. Though we fought and were victorious in all our struggles, we are left with the scars and a few open wounds that must heal before we move forward. This also makes us unique in our quest and why this book is different from any other book written that focuses on entrepreneurship and business success aimed at the majority of Americans.
Monday, June 29, 2009
How to Maintain Your Income Stream If You Are Laid Off? by Nicole Reebi
How to Maintain Your Income Stream If You Are Laid Off?
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The world has entered into a recession, many corporations and companies had announced their job cutting news. If you are an employee for any of the companies that have plan to reduce their company's headcounts; then, your job will not be guaranteed. The question is how you are going to maintain your income stream just in case you are being laid off and unable to find a new job due to the job opportunities have been cutting down tremendously by most companies. It's time for you to think of setting up a second income source.
If you are thinking of getting a part-time job from other company, and go to work after your day job, then you probably will have a hard time find one in today's recession situation. Then, what other ways to source for income if you can't find a part-time job?
What if you create one for yourself? There are a few ways to make your own business without the need to investment a lot of money. By using the advantages of internet and online business features that allow you to work from home, here are the 2 common ways of earning money online:
1. Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is a business model that enables you to make money online without the need to have your own product. There are many online merchants looking for marketing outsourcing. They make their products available for online freelance agents, called affiliates who will be given commission based on their sales. You can set up a website to sell a few selected affiliate products. Your role as an affiliate is to drive web traffic to your website or directly to merchant's website through a unique link that will identify you as the affiliate who makes the sale.
Affiliate marketing has been a good income source for many people either as the part-time job or a full-time income. You may consider to set up a second income source through affiliate marketing while you still with your day job. Invest some time and efforts to make it successful; it can become your main income source just in case you are being laid off.
2. Set up an online store
Unlike traditional business, you don't need to invest a lot of money to have your own business on internet. You can choose to become your own boss by opening an online store to sell physical or downloadable products. In addition, you don't need to own a product for an online business. There is a business called dropshipping where you can easily find the products you are interested in selling at your online store; buy it at wholesale price and sell it at retail price at your online store. Under the dropshipping business model, dropshippers will sell you their product at wholesale price for individual item and they will deliver the ordered items to your customers on your behalf.
You don't need to quit your day job to start an online business. In fact, you can do it in parallel and work it out for a success. The income from online store can replace your main income just in case you have lost your job due to being laid off.
Summary
Under the bad economy situation where companies are looking for potential cost cutting and headcounts reduction, no job is guaranteed. As a working individual, you need to start to think of how to maintain your income stream if you are hit by the recession wave. Internet can be the best source to set up an income online and be the back up income stream while you are still with your day job.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Arts: The Passing of a Pop Icon - NYTimes.com/Video
Michael Jackson, the legendary singer, songwriter and dancer, died in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Interview with Michael Cheney from Adsense Videos
Interview
with Michael Cheney from AdSense Videos
Q. So what made
you get started with AdSense?
A. I
was looking for a way to monetize some of my websites. AdSense
is such an easy thing to get started with the eye for it would
be a great way to start earning more money without actually putting
into much more effort. I think as soon as you see the first earnings
coming into your account you get addicted to AdSense. I know is
what happened to me and since then I've just spent time working
out how to earn more and more each day.
Q. How much do
you make with AdSense?
A. Some days I can earn
close to $1000 and others it's less than that. But it all comes
down to how much time and effort you devote to creating a quality
site that people like visiting. AdSense is not what my business
is based on by any means - but it is a great way to earn revenue
almost on autopilot.
Q. What is the
biggest mistake people making with AdSense?
A. Probably
the biggest mistake people make is thinking the AdSense earnings
are easy to achieve. It is very easy to get started but as I learned
it takes a lot of effort to increase your earnings. I got really
downhearted whenever I would log in to my account to see that
I had only made a few dollars. And that's when I decided to spend
months and months of my time learning everything I could about
AdSense.
I basically buried myself
away and devoured every single piece of AdSense information I
could find. I ran thousands of AdSense tests and started to see
a dramatic effect on my click through ratio and therefore on my
earnings.
This is why I'd decided
to record the videos - because I knew that it would help people
who were in my position to also increase their earnings. I've
read an absolute ton of AdSense e-book's but they take so long
to go through and always seem to keep information back.
With AdSense Videos I
knew that I had to tell the story exactly as it is and actually
show people and lead them by the hand through the exact techniques
that I use to generate large earnings from AdSense.
Q. In your videos
you show people how to increase their AdSense earnings - can you
give us a taster of this advice?
A. I
don't want to give away my biggest secrets as you can understand!
But some of the more basic things that you can do to increase
your revenues include using ads that blend in rather than stand
out from your content. Flat out the worst thing you can do with
an AdSense ad is make it look like the standard Google ad. What
you need to realise is that you will get more clicks if your ad
actually appears part of your site rather than something that's
just been dropped into the page.
Q. What would
you recommend that someone do right now to increase their AdSense
earnings?
A. I've
created a totally free AdSense minicourse that people can go through
to learn some of my techniques. It takes you through the four
cornerstone principles that I've used to build up my AdSense empire.
You can check it out, as well as all the AdSense Videos, here:
CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEOS
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Michael Jackson Dead At 50: "R.I.P."
One Word... "Legend" "Which Michael Jackson song is Your ALL TIME FAV?"
Beyonce Chats With Ed Gordon
Dream Girls cast sits down with Ed Gordon on Our World with Black Enterprise.
HS: Suburban vs Urban
High schools are not all the same. These CHS students show possible differences that high school students from different backrounds might experience.
Jada Pinkett Smith - Ebony Cover Shoot
Behind-the-scenes at Jada's cover shoot for the June 2009 cover of EBONY.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Al Sharpton Rips Racist New York Post Cartoon On "Countdown"
Reverend Al Sharpton comments on a New York Post political cartoon linking President Obama and a chimpanzee on "Countdown".
In the cartoon, two cops shoot a chimpanzee dead, and one of the cops says to the other, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."
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