By Lynia White

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Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — Resilience is defined as “the ability to recover from illness or adversity.” We all face various degrees of adversity in our life. Therefore, resilience is an extremely important quality to cultivate. Sherman L. Turner is an outstanding example of resilience. He has chosen to share his remarkable story in two books – Minorities Deceived and Kenya: Rehabilitation. His story inspires hope and helps readers to develop determination to overcome all obstacles.

Turner grew up in a poor family in Buffalo, New York. Schools in his area were substandard. It was very difficult for him to get a good education. Despite his humble beginnings, he worked very hard to become a plumber. Because of racism, he encountered many obstacles. Even though Turner’s grades were the highest in his apprenticeship class, it was difficult for him to secure employment to receive the field-training that he needed. He chose to take the Master Plumber test and start his own business. At that time, the city of Buffalo had never had a black master plumber. He received death threats for taking the Master Plumber test. That fact did not stop Turner. He was determined and it paid off. He became Buffalo’s first black master plumber. He paved the way for other minorities to reach their potential.

He worked as a contractor for the Small Business Administration (SBA). Turner was accepted into the SBA 8(a) Business Development Program. This program was designed to assist small businesses that are owned and operated by individuals who are at a social and economic disadvantage. Turner intended to hire minority workers on his jobs. However, the “Wall Street Money” contractors did not want black workers on government jobs. Turner struggled for many years to fight for minority rights.

Partially due to the stress at his job, Turner suffered a massive stroke. The stroke left him in a coma for several weeks. When he woke from the coma, he realized that he was paralyzed. In his second book, he tells the story of his recovery. It was a tough road for him. Again, he was determined to overcome all obstacles. He worked hard to learn how to walk and talk again. As a result of the stroke, he lost much of his memory. His doctors encouraged him to learn a new language to help with his memory loss.

Turner enrolled in a local college and began learning Swahili. He could have easily remained in that school close to home. Instead, he chose to travel to Kenya to attend the School of Languages and Rehabilitations. It was no easy task to travel such a long distance. He did not let his disabilities stop him from making the trip. In fact, he made several trips to Kenya. He regained his memory and graduated from the language class.

The Sherman Turner story led me to question my own resilience. I wondered how I would fare if I had to face all the hardships he endured. This story truly touched me. Turner’s life shows the strength of the human spirit. Anyone who reads this heartwarming memoir will be strengthened and encouraged.

Lynia White is a columnist, book reviewer and the founder of The Quality Corner Bookstore – www.thequalitycorner.com. For more book reviews by Lynia, visit her blog at http://thequalitycorner.blogspot.com. To request a review, go to www.blackbookreview.com

CHICAGO, IL – The Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois warns that data breaches such as those that occurred recently with McDonald’s, Walgreens, and the online media company Gawker show how easily your personal, medical, or financial information can be compromised, through no fault of your own.

In the case of these three companies hackers did not obtain any medical or financial information; however, for McDonald’s their customers were potentially exposed to having their e-mail information, names, addresses, phone numbers, birth dates and gender information compromised. Walgreens said hackers only gained access to customers e-mail information which may have allowed them to send spam asking their customers to input personal data into a false website.

“One very important lesson learned with the Gawker breach where more than 1.3 million people had their emails and passwords compromised is to develop good habits for updating passwords and at the very least, not using the same password for every website,” said Steve J. Bernas, president & CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. “As consumers, we must always be vigilant in protecting ourselves against becoming a victim of identity theft.”

Should you find yourself a victim of a data breach, the BBB advises six things to do:

1. Contact the organization that suffered the breach – A hot line may be setup to address your concerns and answer your questions.
2. Contact any affected financial companies – If your bank accounts, credit card accounts, or investment accounts are affected, immediately contact the companies and request that the account be closed and a new one opened.
3. Monitor your bank and credit statements closely - Check every item on your bank statements and credit card statements to be sure they are legitimate charges and expenditures. It is imperative this is done immediately after a data breach.
4. File a fraud alert with all three (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion LLC) credit reporting agencies - Credit reporting agencies are required by law to flag your credit report for 90 days if you file a fraud alert. Then if someone tries to open a new account using your information you should be contacted for verification.
5. Sign up for any free credit report monitoring that’s offered – If the company that compromised your information offers a free monitoring program take advantage of it.
6. Obtain Annual Credit Reports - Consumers should obtain their credit report on a yearly basis to see if they have been a victim of identity theft. FREE reports can be obtained from www.freecreditreport.com

 Bernas adds, “Identity theft is still the fastest growing white collar crime. The BBB is here for consumers not only when they need help finding a trustworthy business or when they have a grievance with a company, but also to help protect their identity. Go to www.bbb.org for free information and www.chicagoshreds.com for free shred day events.”

For more information on preventing identity theft, visit www.bbb.org.

 Funds from Legal Settlement Will Feed People in Need in All 102 Counties                 

Chicago, IL — Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan distributed $1.2 million from a legal settlement to food banks across Illinois to help feed families and people in need. Madigan said the money will make food available to local food pantries in each of Illinois’ 102 counties.

 Attorney General Madigan was joined today by Kate Maehr, executive director and chief executive officer of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, and Joanne Ekberg, director of North Park Friendship Center, 3448 W. Foster Ave., to announce the contribution. The Friendship Center is one of 650 agencies served by the Greater Chicago Food Depository, which received $655,000 and is one of the state’s eight regional food banks.

 “These are very tough times and people all over the state are struggling to make ends meet,” said Attorney General Madigan. “No one should go hungry. This settlement will help feed thousands of families across Illinois and bring hope to many who are hurting in this economy.

 “This money will allow Illinois’ eight regional food banks to purchase food and distribute it through their local food pantries, which reach all Illinois counties and help families in need all over the state,” Madigan said.

 The funding comes at a time when the food banks are seeing demand steadily increasing as unemployed Illinoisans struggle to make ends meet.

 The Greater Chicago Food Depository estimates that from 2006 to 2009 the number of people they have fed has grown by 36 percent, serving 678,000 people last year alone. From July through October of this year, which is the most recent data collected by the Food Depository, there were 1.7 million visits to its food pantries throughout the Chicago area.  

 The organization estimates every $1 it receives translates to more than five pounds of food.

 “We are humbled to receive this donation as we serve record numbers of people at pantries, soup kitchens and shelters in Cook County,” Maehr said. “These funds will allow us to purchase nutritious food, including fresh produce, which will be distributed to thousands of our neighbors.”

 The funds that the Attorney General distributed to battle hunger comes from a $25 million settlement reached by her office and 22 other states with nearly a dozen vitamin manufacturers.

 The settlement resolved the remaining claims from an international conspiracy in the 1990s by vitamin manufacturers to fix the price of vitamins and overcharge in order to make a larger profit – in violation of federal and state antitrust laws. The court ordered the settlement funds to be used toward improvements in the areas of health, nutrition or science.

 Illinois received nearly $1.4 million from the settlement, of which Madigan is distributing $1.2 million to the food banks. The remainder will be used to fund consumer education and enforcement of Illinois’ antitrust laws.

 The following is a breakdown of the $1.2 million donation: 

• Greater Chicago Food Depository, Chicago, serving 650 agencies: $655,000
• Northern Illinois Food Bank, St. Charles, serving 510 agencies: $259,116.71
• Eastern Illinois Food Bank, Urbana, serving 220 agencies: $62,500
• Central Illinois Food Bank, Springfield, serving 160 agencies: $54,000
• River Bend Food Bank, Moline, serving 100 agencies: $37,500
• St. Louis Area Food Bank, Bridgeton, Mo., serving 160 Illinois agencies: $63,000
• Peoria Area Food Bank, Peoria, serving 127 agencies: $30,000
• Tri-state Food Bank, Evansville, Ind., serving 44 Illinois agencies: $22,000

America SCORES Chicago students have done something only a few daydream of: writing and professionally recording a song.

Through a national partnership with ASCAP, a handful of students from Chalmers Elementary met with producer The Legendary Traxter to write, perform and record “We Are the Future,” a song about their hopes, fears and dreams.

Their story and song was featured on FOX Chicago News. Over three weeks, the students met with Traxter and his writing team to learn about the songwriting process, how melodies and beats are made, and how to work collaboratively with a creative team.  On their last day together, students took a trip downtown to record “We Are the Future” in a professional studio.

Their single will be released on ASCAP’s America SCORES compilation album early in 2011.

Senator Kirk: 

“Over the last several months, I urged Congress to wait for the considered judgment of our uniformed military through the Joint Chiefs of Staff’s report before changing the policy.  If we are to eliminate one military personnel policy, we must have a new one that is easily understood to guide the First Sergeants and Navy Chiefs who really run our squadrons, squads and ships.

I very carefully read the Joint Chiefs of Staff report and met at length with Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Gary Roughead.  Following their exhaustive and considered military judgment, I support the Joint Chief’s recommendation to implement the repeal of the current policy once the battle effectiveness of the forces is certified and proper preparations are complete.  The legislation before us provides our military leaders with the time they requested to change the policy.  Without this legislation, Admiral Roughead warned that courts, like California’s federal courts, would issue further confusing stop and start orders to our military, causing chaos in our military recruitment and retention programs.  In the end, the Constitution charges the Congress with setting military policy and the Executive branch with implementing it.  The legislation containing the recommendations of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will remove the various orders of conflicting and uncertain court litigation from our military, allowing uniformed leaders to once again effectively manage our national defense.  As a 21-year Navy Reserve officer, I believe it is important for military leaders, not federal judges, to run our armed forces.”

(Note: As federal courts took control of military policy, the Department of Defense has been recently ordered to both start and stop the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) policy.  After ruling that the DADT policy was unconstitutional, a California federal district court imposed a world-wide injunction on the policy on October 12, 2010 (Log Cabin Republicans vs. U.S.).  The Department of Defense then suspended DADT.  Two days later, the Obama Administration filed an emergency stay of the district court’s ruling which was rejected.  On appeal, the 9th Circuit Appellate Court granted the Obama Administration’s stay of the district court’s order on October 20th.  The Department of Defense then reinstated the DADT policy, pending further litigation.  On November 12, the Supreme Court denied a motion to vacate the temporary stay, allowing the main case on the merits to go forward in California’s 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.  The final disposition of the case for or against DADT is unclear.)

 Statement of Senator Kirk on H.R. 5281, the DREAM Act:

“The American people believe our borders are broken.  It is a fundamental duty of our government to know who is entering the country, making illegal entry nearly impossible.  In the coming Congress, we have an overwhelming bipartisan consensus to restore confidence in the security of our borders — before we pursue other immigration proposals.”

 Statement from US Senator Mark Kirk on restoring the current law that bans bringing Gitmo terrorists to the Heartland

“In order to block a the House Defense Authorization bill with the Gitmo terrorist transfer provision included, I threatened to place a hold on the bill in the Senate.  Illinois Republicans worked together to protect our national security and strike the provision, restoring the current law that bans bringing Gitmo terrorists to the heartland.”

Statement by Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) on Transferring Gitmo Detainees to the United States
 

“Instead of providing Congress with a clean Defense Authorization bill that could win overwhelming bipartisan support, Speaker Pelosi buried a provision in the House defense bill that permits bringing Guantanamo terrorists to the United States.  Such a provision would weaken the security of our country.  Therefore, should the Defense Authorization bill come to the Senate with the Gitmo terrorist transfer provision included, I will place a hold on the bill and would seek to strike the provision, restoring the current law that bans bringing Gitmo terrorists to the homeland.

“We should not put ourselves in a position where a rogue court can order the release of a member of the al Qaeda core.  Just this week, a terrorist attack directed by a former Guantanamo detainee and now senior Taliban commander, Mullah Zakir, killed six U.S. soldiers in Kandahar.  

“While we could authorize a federal prison in Thomson, Illinois to support economic growth, it should never weaken our nation’s security by housing Gitmo terrorists.  I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to continue our bipartisan prohibition on transferring Gitmo terrorists to the heartland.” 

Panelists to Consider What the Future Holds for the Next Generation

Los Angeles, CA (BlackNews.com) — Two costly ongoing wars, a fledging economy, a failing educational system, and job losses have Americans worried not only about the fate of the country but its legacy as a global leader. This January, broadcaster Tavis Smiley will convene a panel of thought leaders to wrestle with how America can return to its greatness.

“We are all aware of the challenges we face in our country. In fact, many other countries are facing some of the same economic and social issues. But what’s striking for some of us is the slide in our global standing. On so many indicators we are lagging behind where we were once considered a front runner,” said Smiley.

The nationally televised discussion, America’s Next Chapter, will be held from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. Thursday, January 13, 2011 at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St. NW, Washington, D.C. The event is free and open to the public. Advanced registration is requested at www.americasnextchapter.com.

The event will broadcast LIVE on C-SPAN Thursday, January 13. The conversation will rebroadcast for three nights on Tavis Smiley on PBS beginning Tuesday, January 18 through Thursday, January 20. The conversation will continue during The Tavis Smiley Show and Smiley & West from PRI (Public Radio International).

Panelists include, among others: Cornel West, Princeton University professor and author; David Frum, speechwriter for former President George W. Bush and founder of FrumForum; Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post; Dana Milbank, lead political columnist for The Washington Post; Helene Cooper, White House correspondent for The New York Times; David Brody, CBN News White House Correspondent and Maria Teresa Kumar, Executive Director/Co-Founder, Voto Latino.

“How do we rebuild cities with empty homes and no jobs? When does economic recovery really happen? Have we become a nation that is good at destroying things (i.e. school programs, health services, libraries) and the salaries that go with them?” Smiley added. “If this is true, what should be our response as the citizenry to take part in the recovery? Perhaps we are the ones with the answers as opposed to government or even big business.”

Birmingham, AL (BlackNews.com) — The Sam Cooke Tribute Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the life, legacy and music of the late gospel and soul singer, Sam Cooke, plans to honor the legendary singer during the weekend of what would have been his 80th birthday in Los Angeles the weekend of January 20-23, 2011.

Event organizer, Richard Nichols, a relative of the Sam Cooke’s late brother in law, Joe Hoskins, says this tribute will honor the legendary soul singer in a befitting birthday celebration with fans from around the world. “The legion of new Sam Cooke fans continues to grow worldwide and as one who was directly involved in the previous Sam Cooke Tribute in Los Angeles in 2005, I think this is the perfect opportunity for old and new Sam Cooke fans to come together to celebrate the life, legacy and music of Sam Cooke,” Nichols said.

Cooke was killed December 11, 1964 in Los Angeles, CA under still mysterious circumstances according to Reginald McDaniel, first President of the Sam Cooke Tribute Foundation, Inc. Sam Cooke was at the pinnacle of his career when his life unexpectedly ended on that December night. “Many circumstances surrounding his death remain cloudy and many of his contemporaries, family and fans believe foul play was involved,” McDaniel said. “Cooke was a music industry pioneer in many ways and way ahead of his time. Sam Cooke had the audacity to tell the music industry that he would write, produce and control his own music and career. He encouraged other artists of his time to do the same.”

Sam Cooke signed an unprecedented deal with RCA in 1960 that essentially turned RCA into a distributor for Cooke’s Tracey Records. This allowed him to become the second leading seller on RCA behind only Elvis Presley. Cooke also founded his own record labels, SAR and Derby, and his own publishing company, KAGS. “No other black artist had such power,” McDaniel said.

Sam Cooke was also the biggest gospel star of his time as a member of the legendary and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group, the Soul Stirrers, for whom he sang lead with from 1950 to 1956. He recorded such hits as Touch the Hem of His Garment, Be With Me Jesus, Jesus Be a Fence, Farther Along, That’s Heaven To Me and Wonderful, with the Soul Stirrers before deciding to crossover to pop music in 1956.

Cooke exploded onto the pop/soul music scene in 1957 with his number one hit and two-million seller, You Send Me. Cooke had 29 top forty hits over the seven-year period of his career. They include such classics as: Cupid, Chain Gang, Another Saturday Night, Bring It On Home To Me, Nothing Can Change This Love, Wonderful World, Having a Party, and his epitaph, A Change Gonna Come which was instrumentally used by President Barack Obama during his rise to the White House.

The story of Sam Cooke is very complicated. He was much more than a singer. He was a soul music pioneer, business entrepreneur, and civil rights activist during a very turbulent time. “We the fans, want to keep his legacy alive and get the truth out about how truly great Sam Cooke was and still is,” Nicholsl said.

Music channel, VH1, ran a Legends special on the life and career of Cooke which won a Grammy Award earlier this year as best long-form music video. Cooke was named one of the top 15 artists of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine this year, and his song A Change Gonna Come was credited by Rolling Stone as the greatest R&B record of all time.

Although it’s been over 45 years since Cooke’s untimely death, his influence is still strong today as many artists from R. Kelley to Rod Stewart emulate Cooke’s unique vocal style and phrasing.

The Sam Cooke Birthday Tribute 2011 is scheduled in Los Angeles, CA, January 20-23, 2011 at the Marriott Hotel LAX. Registration is $150 for fans who will enjoy a weekend of activities including a tour of Sam Cooke’s home, burial site and performances by the Legendary Soul Stirrers, Bobby Womack, Gerald Alston and more, according to Nichols. The tribute has traditionally drawn thousands of fans from the United States and around the world including, Canada, Bahamas, Scotland, England, Hungary and Germany.

The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles will officially open a display room honoring Sam Cooke on January 21st when the mayor of Los Angeles will proclaim Sam Cooke Day. The Greek Theatre will hold a press conference to announce the first annual Sam Cooke Concert on May 19, 2011. Los Angeles Unified School District will also be at the press conference to announce the naming of a school in Sam Cooke honor.

For more information on the tribute or to contact the foundation, call Richard Nichols at 909-210-6999.

(From the Better Business Bureau)

Create a car safety kit – Holiday driving often includes the threat of dangerous winter weather. Snow and ice lead to accidents, car troubles, long delays and road closures. You can prepare for bad weather by creating your own safety kit. Basics for the kit include a blanket, flares, flashlight with extra batteries, radio, first aid kit, jumper cables, non-perishable foods like granola bars and nuts, bottled water, an ice scraper and warm gloves.

Take the car in for a checkup - Breaking down on the side of the road can definitely put a damper on the holiday spirit. If your car is due for a check up, take it in before making that long haul. At the very least, check the car’s fluid levels, wipers and tire pressure. Check the condition of your tires and, if you plan on driving through serious winter weather, consider getting snow tires. For a listing of dealers and mechanics you can trust, visit www.bbb.org

Start early and slow down – The best way to fight holiday traffic is to give yourself some extra time to make the trip, and don’t speed. Speeding leads to accidents which increase traffic even more. Also, if you’re caught speeding by law enforcement, that adds travel time and puts a dent in your holiday spending.

Drop the distractions – When you’re behind the wheel, don’t text and drive; if you must, use a hands free headset when talking on the phone and put someone else in charge of the GPS.

For more advice on staying safe over the holidays, visit www.bbb.org