With high unemployment numbers, a struggling economy and record foreclosures, it’s easy to get caught up in the tough times Americans are facing on a daily basis. That’s why I feel it’s important to every once and a while see what others are facing around the world. In a recent podcast on  ghettoGEEK Radio they focus on the current political struggle in IRAN with fellow blogger Sable Verity! Sable discusses the Iranian conflict from a political and cultural vantage point. Utilizing Neda Soltan’s death, Ahmedinejad’s rhetoric, and America’s current strategic posture, Sable provides insights on gender issues, issues of oppression, and implications for Iran’s affect upon the global community.

The hear the audio, check out the ghettoGEEK blog post “Bombs Over Bagh—….IRAN!”.

In a time when jobs are scarce and people are nervous about losing the job they have, networking is becoming all the more important. There was a time when you had to join professional societies (which I still recommend) to get your network on. But now, connections with people all over the world can easily be made from the comfort of your cozy couch.

If you don’t know what LinkedIn is all about I’d recommend starting here first. From there, check out a post shared by Mario Sundar called Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn by Guy Kawasaki. That should get you stared and hopefully will convince you to open up an account. The world of social networking is growing on a daily basis and it’s becoming an easy and affordable way to get attention for a service or product you offer. I started using LinkedIn to keep up with friends and advertise my business. I made some good contacts and my network has grown over the years to include business relationships with people all over the world.

After getting schooled on the world of LinkedIn, here’s the article you came here to see.

How best to use LinkedIn – from HR people looking for you

Who woulda thunk it! Before he announced he was officially running, I was one of those who thought Obama should have waited to let Hillary get her eight years and then take his after she was done. I figured it would guarantee the Democrats 16 years in Office. I never thought the American people would go for it. Boy was I wrong.

Today is a special day for all people. Whether you voted for him or not, Barack Obama is the 44th President of the United States of America and is in need of your help to set this country back on track. I was never one to think he would come in a fix everything with a magic wand, but I am one who believes Obama is the change agent this country needs. I’m hoping he will continue to be open to ideas from other parties and will push all Americans to get involved in making things better for all people. We’ve been selfish for a long time and the problems we are facing today are a result of our actions. It’s time for a change in our thinking and how we view the world around us.

One thing that I’m excited about the most is that my boys will be able to grow up under the administration of a black president. It’s been funny to see him get excited when he sees a picture of Obama and he knows without us telling him who his president will be. There’s a renewed hope in what’s been accomplished and America is a better place because of it. So if you pray, let’s keep him and his family in your prayers. If you don’t pray, then wish him luck. But whatever you do, he’s going to need it because there’s a lot of work ahead of the Obama Administration.

Check out this great poem by Samira Edi entitled “Obama’s Humble Shoes”.

I can’t imagine what it’s like to have people despise you everywhere you go. An Iraqi journalist with al-Baghdadia television network chunked a shoe at President Bush during a press conference. I use the word chunked because this was not your typical throw. He was right on target to clock Bush in the head. If it hadn’t been for the President’s quick reflexes, we would have had an international crisis on our hands. The act of throwing a shoe at someone is considered to be a major insult to a person. That guy will never been seen again. To Guantanamo Bay you go.

Last year I had the opportunity to post about Worlds AIDS Day and found a lot of interesting information about how it affects us on a local and international scale. I was amazed to find out how many black people were infected with the disease. It’s not something that’s always discussed in our community and this is why I appreciate the effort of those willing to blog about this important day.

HIV/AIDS can be prevented and there’s a lot of good information out there on how you can get tested. I won’t re-type it because you can find the information in the post I did last year.

This time I wanted to highlight a new bill passed in Congress (HR 5501) that will authorize $50 billion for assistance to certain countries for combating HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis for the five-year period of 2009 through 2013. It was sponsored by Rep. Berman, Howard (D-CA) and was signed into law in July 2008. Due to the recent economic conditions, I’m curious to see if the money will be allocated. One thing that I like about the bill is it’s emphasis on educating people on ways to prevent the spread of the disease. While the message of abstinence is one to admire, you shouldn’t expect everyone to do so. For those who don’t, education is the key. You can find more information on HR 5501 at votesmart.org.

Spread the word and check out aids.gov to learn what you can do to get involved. For those who have an avatar in Second Life, there will be a new island created just for this day. Events will be happening all day and I plan to drop by to check them out. Visit this link for more information.

Thanks to Yobachi at blackperspective.net for making the effort in getting more bloggers to participate.

There’s a new social networking site for people interested in creating relationships with Africa, discovering African cultures and reconnecting with Africans worldwide in a fun and dynamic environment. In my quest to “think global” I joined and I’m on my way to learning more about ways to do business in Africa.

It’s always been something I’ve been interested in, so we’ll see how it goes. I was invited by fellow blogger Benin Mwangi who has been integral in helping me learn more about the continent of Africa. I enjoy meeting people from other parts of the world and the Internet has made doing so easier.

Check out the Village at African Path and let me know what you think.

I’m in, are you? I just signed up for the Blogging While Brown Conference in Atlanta, GA July 25-27, 2008. According to the website, the most important purpose of the conference is to share knowledge. The conference will promote intellectual, social, and cultural development of the blogging community by bringing bloggers of color together. Blogging While Brown is an opportunity to meet other bloggers and blog readers of color for the first time, discuss current issues of interest to bloggers of color, network with individuals and organizations interested in leveraging online activity with offline results, and learn about the latest technology that will assist bloggers with publishing their work and improving their readers experience by fully engaging in the newest media technology.

I’m excited because I’ll finally get the chance to meet some of the bloggers I read on a regular basis. In a way, you sort of connect with the author after reading their blog for a while, so it’ll be nice to meet them face-to-face. I also hope to learn more about blogging and ways we can all work together to benefit our communities. Since I’m not sure all who’s attending, I thought I’d call out just a few of the bloggers I want to see. If you’re registered, let me know. If not then register here. Hope to see you there.

• Angela & Markus
• Benin
• blackgivesback
• JD
• JW
• Kanute
• Marty
• Paula
• Shawn
• Vanessa
• Wayne
• Yobachi

Today is World AIDS Day, which reminds us of the impact of HIV/AIDS on the world’s health. In preparing this post I wanted to gather as much information as I could because AIDS is a serious epidemic in the black and international community. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,

Of all racial and ethnic groups in the United States, HIV and AIDS have hit African Americans the hardest. The reasons are not directly related to race or ethnicity, but rather to some of the barriers faced by many African Americans. These barriers can include poverty (being poor), sexually transmitted diseases, and stigma (negative attitudes, beliefs, and actions directed at people living with HIV/AIDS or directed at people who do things that might put them at risk for HIV).

When we look at HIV/AIDS by race and ethnicity, we see that African Americans have

• More illness. Even though blacks (including African Americans) account for about 13% of the US population, they account for about half (49%) of the people who get HIV and AIDS.
• Shorter survival times. Blacks with AIDS often don’t live as long as people of other races and ethnic groups with AIDS. This is due to the barriers mentioned above.
• More deaths. For African Americans and other blacks, HIV/AIDS is a leading cause of death.

As alarming as these statistics may be, early detection through testing is the best way to control this disease that kills millions of people around the world. I’ve heard people say, “If I have it, I don’t want to know”. To them, I urge to change their mindset. Don’t be selfish. Take the test and take control. Be responsible because you’re not just putting your life on the line. You’re also affecting the lives of everyone who you’ve had unprotected sex with. The sooner you get tested, the sooner you can get help.

If you don’t know where to go for testing, you can use you cell phone to text message your zip code to 566948 or visit www.hivtest.org.

You have the power to control this. The ball is in your court. All you have to do is shoot. Please take the time to review the links I’ve provided. It’s some important information and you might learn something that will save your or someone else’s life. Let’s spread the word and take control.

The Basics on HIV Infection and AIDS

How to keep from getting AIDS

Rapid HIV Testing Podcast (1 minute)

Rapid HIV Testing Transcript

HIV Transmission: Questions and Answers

African Americans & AIDS

HIV/AIDS among African Americans – Fact Sheet

2007 AIDS Epidemic Update

Fact Sheet – Key Facts by Region

Black AIDS Institute

I wanted to share this video from Inside Africa CNN about a program called “Black to Our Roots”. It is an educational tour where fifteen black youth are selected to go to Ghana to learn about their roots. I’ve always thought the best way to learn is through first hand experience. To apply each youth must write a 500-word essay which answering the following:

• Who Am I. (50 words)
• What I know about African history and culture. (200 words)
• Why I want to go to Africa. (200 words)
• What I expect to learn. (50 words)

The program is sponsored by HABESHA, Inc., whose aim is to broaden our youth’s knowledge of the world and themselves; Through it, may be expanded our youth’s awareness, to include Africa in their thoughts, their educational horizon and life long ambitions. If you know of someone who is interested, encourage them to submit an essay. These type of opportunities don’t happen everyday.

I had a post about cre8buzz.com and wanted to let you all know the community is now open to the public. Since I’ve joined, I have noticed an increase traffic to the site and have gained a couple of readers in the process. It’s a great way to get exposure for blogs, personal, business and anything else you feel the need to share with the community. It’s a fun safe way to meet people all over the world to share ideas and opinions.

So check out the site and visit me in the People > African American community. If you want to rate my content or show your own stuff, sign up for a free account. Let me know what you think and give me a shout out after you join.