may 2009 houston business connections newspaper

Restoring business isan important part ofrecovery from disasters. Businessesthat plan for disasterbefore a storm typically have less damage, loss, anddowntime than thosethat do not. It’s a goodreason, according tofederal and state officials, to include disaster preparations in the normal course of business planning.

The Federal Emergency Management Agencyendorse disaster readiness for businesses not only asa means to reduce damage and loss but also as a wayto help a community recover after a disaster.

Businesses should consider several elements inpreparing for a disaster. Not only is it important toprotect the staff, building, data and inventory of a

company during a damaging event, it’s also critical toprepare a plan to continue operations after mosteverything is destroyed. Agood plan may include provi-sions to relocate to a pre-identified site; retrieve data,including employee, customer and vendor records;and a way to operate efficiently with a smaller staffof key individuals.

There are Internet resources available to helpwith disaster planning for businesses. FEMA pro-vides a step-by-step approach to emergency plan-

ning, response and recovery for companies of allsizes in its Emergency Management Guide for

Business and Industry, a checklistfor business recovery and other“how to” resources atwww.fema.gov/business and

www.ready.gov. The Institute for Business andHome Safety, www.ibhs.org/business_protection/,

DOWNLOAD THIS ISSUE ON THE WORLDWIDE WEB BY VISITING: WWW.PEOPLEDOINGBUSINESS.COM

BUSINESS

BUSINESS CONNECTIONSAubrey R. Taylor’s

Published By Aubrey R. Taylor • Serving The Houston Community Since 1998 • Email: [email protected] • SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL

BUSINESS CONNECTIONSwww.peopledoingbusiness.comwww.peopledoingbusiness.com

PREPARE:It’s Good Business To Prepare for Disaster

FEMA mitigation specialist speaking with a resident in Texas: Baytown, TX, October13, 2008 -- FEMA Mitigation Specialist Jim Workman listens to a resident describe thedamage to his home from Hurricane Ike. FEMA sets up mitigation information tables athome improvement stores to provide information on minimizing the impact of futurestorms on homes and businesses. Photo by Greg Henshall / FEMA

Houston Mayoral Candidates to ShareViews on Houston Small BusinessDevelopment During Mayoral ForumHosted by Texas Business Alliance

ouston’s mayoral candidates willshare their views regarding smallbusiness development during theTexas Business Alliance (TBA)

Houston Mayoral Forum on Thursday, May21, 2009, at the Barbara Jordan-MickeyLeland School of Public Affairs at TexasSouthern University, 3100 Cleburne Street,Houston, TX 77004. The general and privatereceptions begin at 6 p.m., with the one-hourMayoral Forum beginning at 7 p.m. Art Rascon(pictured right), reporter/anchor, KTRK-TV 13Eyewitness News will moderate. The public isinvited to attend.

Participating in the Mayoral Forum are

candidates Peter Brown, Houston city coun-cilman; Gene Locke, partner, Andrews Kurth,LLP; Roy Morales, trustee, Harris CountyDepartment of Education; and Annise Parker,controller, city of Houston.

“Houston prospers only when small busi-nesses prosper,” said Dr. John M. Rudley, pres-ident of Texas Southern University. “IfHouston is to remain a place where jobs andopportunity are abundant and where theAmerican dream is within reach for every family,then one of our greatest goals must be to help smallbusinesses suc-ceed. That’s whyTexas SouthernArt Rascon

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DOWNLOADABLE: If you missed get-ting your hard copy of Aubrey’s QuarterlyMagazine, you may still download a copyonline at: www.peopledoingbusiness.com.The next issue will be released nextmonth. Call (832) 212-8735 for inclusion.

It’s Not the CriticWho Counts:Reflections onRoosevelt’s Manin the Arena

“It is not the critic who counts,nor the man who points out how thestrong man stumbled, or where thedoer of deeds could have done thembetter. The credit belongs to the manwho is actually in the arena; whoseface is marred by dust and sweatand blood; who strives valiantly;who errs and comes short again andagain; who knows the great enthusi-asms, the great devotions, andspends himself in a worthy cause;Who, at the best, knows in the endthe triumph of high achievement;and who, at the worst, at least failswhile daring greatly, so that hisplace shall never be with those coldand timid souls who know neithervictory nor defeat.”

— President Theodore Roosevelt

QUOTE

HOMEPAGE

SEE page, P.14

SEE continued on page, P.23

Aubrey R. Taylor’s

Award By North HoustonAssociation RecognizesLeadership In Long-TermHurricane Planning

arris County Judge Ed Emmett andHouston Mayor Bill White wererecently awarded the North HoustonAssociation’s 2009 North Star

Award in recognition of their work inresponding to Hurricane Ike last yearand preparing for future hurricanes.

The North Star Award is present-ed to individuals or companies in north-ern Harris County who have made a long-term,significant contribution to the region. Officialswith the North Houston Association said thisyear’s award was given to Emmett and White“for their leadership in long-term regional hurri-

cane planning and strategy implementation” andnoted that the two “were at the forefront provid-ing strong leadership and action for our area”during and after Hurricane Ike struck the area inSeptember 2008.

The award to Judge Emmett was pre-sented by former Harris County judge andstate Sen. Jon Lindsay, the president of theNorth Houston Association.

“This award is especially meaningfulbecause it comes from a group with which I havelong been active,” said Emmett. “In fact, I was

president of the North Houston Associationin the mid1980s, when I represented thearea in the Texas House ofRepresentatives. I am extremely grateful

to be honored this way.”The North Houston Association is a non-prof-

it organization that identifies, advocates and sup-ports projects and initiatives that advance the busi-ness environment and improve the quality of lifein north Harris and south Montgomery counties.

he Los Angeles-based Women’s Self WorthFoundation has announced a $10 million pledge toorganizations working to help advance and empowerwomen and girls.

Recently established by psychologist andauthor Cheryl Saban, the foundation also awardedits first grant: $1 million over four years to the

Women’s Funding Network, to support ACCION USA’smicrolending programs to small business owners in this country.The foundation also will receive 100 percent of the proceeds fromSaban’s latest book, released May 1, What Is Your Self-Worth: AWoman’s Guide to Validation, which examines how society per-ceives women, how they perceive themselves, and how they canvalidate their contributions to the world.

“By acting as such a dedicated champion for women’s empower-ment, Dr. Saban is leading the way for a growing community ofsmart and thoughtful donors,” said Women’s Funding Network presi-dent and CEO Chris Grumm. “We celebrate the commitment that shehas shown to the personal and economic empowerment of women,which is essential for rebuilding local and national economies duringthis current time of crisis.”

Aubrey R. Taylor, Publisher Houston Business Connections NewspaperDirect: [email protected]: [email protected] Ad: [email protected]

Contact The Publisher: 832.212.8735

ENTREPRENEURS CREDOI do not choose to be a Common manIt is my right to be UNCOMMON...If I canI seek Opportunity - not SecurityI do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulledby having the state look after me.I want to take the “Calculated Risk” toDream and to Build,to fail and to SUCCEED.I refuse to barter incentive for a dole.I prefer the challenges of Life to the“Guaranteed existence”,the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of Utopia.I will not trade FREEDOM for Beneficencenor my dignity for a handout.I will never cower before any master norbend to any threat.It is my heritage to stand erect,proud and unafraid,to think and act for myself,to enjoy the benefit of “MY CREATIONS” and to face the world boldly and say:“This with God’s help, I have done. All this is what it means to be a ENTREPRENEUR”

Houston Business Connections Newspaper is published byAUBREY R. TAYLOR. All right reserved. No articles may be copied,rewritten, published, or otherwise distributed without the prior writ-ten approval of the publisher. For special requests please call:832.783.1113 or call the publisher directly at: 832.212.8735.

MAY 2009 ISSUE

CONGRATULATIONS: The gentlemen in the photo are: (L to R) North Houston Associationchairman Roy Hearnsberger, Houston Mayor Bill White, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett andNorth Houston Association president Jon Lindsay.

Judge Emmett, Houston MayorBill White Named Recipients of 2009 North Star Award

H

cConnell Jones Lanier & Murphy, LLP(MJLM) is proud to announce the recentappointment of John Redd as TaxDirector. In his new position, Redd willmanage the firm’s tax services group

which works with public and private companies aswell as individuals to manage to provide tax compli-ance and planning services.

With more than 15 years experience in feder-al, state, and local tax matters, Redd’s backgroundincludes working with Fortune 500 firms to per-form federal and multi-state income tax return,state and local excise tax returns, and tax mini-mization planning projects.

Redd holds a bachelor’s degree in accountingfrom the University of Houston and is a member ofthe Texas Society of CPAs.

“I am delighted to have John join our team,” saidMJLM Tax Services Partner Thomas Jones. “John’sexperience and well-rounded tax background will beinvaluable as we continue to grow our practice”

About McConnell & Jones LLP: McConnell& Jones LLP is a certified public accounting firmregistered with the Texas State Board of PublicAccountancy. The organization specializes in solv-

ing problems, reducing risk andimproving business performancefor public, private and governmentclients in variety of industriesincluding individuals, private com-panies and non-profit agencies.McConnell & Jones is an affiliateof McConnell Jones Lanier &Murphy LLP, a full-service profes-

sional services firm providing accounting, financialplanning, management consulting, engineering andtechnical services. According to a recent survey bythe Houston Business Journal, McConnell and Jonesis the 16th largest CPA firm in Houston. ---------------------------------------------------------------For additional information on McConnell & JonesLLP please visit www.mcconnellandjones.com.

McConnell Jones Lanier & Murphy, LLPAppoints John Redd as Tax Director

M

Redd

If You Have or Know of AnOrganization Working ToAid Women’s Causes orOrganizations, Please PassAlong This Information

T

PUBLISHER’S ANNOUNCEMENTS & INFORMATION

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By Debra Semans, Senior Vice President, Polaris Marketing Research

As many of youknow, I teach twobranding classes forthe AmericanMarketingAssociation: a brandbasics class and aclass on InternalBranding. In thisposition, I am oftenasked about the “onething” you must doto have a strongbrand or the “worstthing” that compa-nies do to hurt theirbrands. So here it is:Debra’s Top TenBranding Mistakes(in no particularorder):

1. Losing control of yourbrand. Letting your ad agency, yourmarketing research firm, your distri-bution channels, your subcontractors- just about anyone “take control ofand define your brand. No oneknows your brand “internally andexternally” like you do. No oneunderstands your business strategyand objectives “and how yourbrand fits into those” like you do.Never cede this power to another.

2. Not establishing a differenti-ation. Differentiation is the onething that makes your brand standout from the crowd and gives thecustomer a reason to choose you. Ifyour brand is not differentiated,you have eliminated any competi-tive advantage and are well on yourway to becoming commoditized.

3. Benign neglect. This is thesituation with many brands today.You’re not really hurting them, butyou’re not strengthening andenhancing them either. That’s why Icall it benign neglect. This is possi-bly the most vulnerable brand state.If you’re not paying attention, youcan bet your competitors are!

4. Not defining a target mar-ket. No one brand can be “allthings to all people.” If you are try-ing to do that by avoiding targetinga specific market segment, you willend up being “nothing to every-one.” No brand can exist without aclearly defined target audience.Without this, brands lose all focus,effectiveness and efficiency.

5. Not aligning promise anddelivery. The number of brandswho do not deliver on their brandpromise is legion. “We love to flyand it shows.” No, it doesn’t. “We

try harder.” No, you don’t. Whywaste advertising dollars making apromise that your organization issimply going to break” The sadfact is that not only does this wastetoday’s marketing budget, it canactually erode any positive equityyour brand may hold.

6. Not making branding“Everyone’s Responsibility.”Marketing alone cannot continuallybuild and strengthen the brand. Ifeveryone in the organization is notholding the brand promise as adecision standard and a behaviorguide, then Marketing’s best effortswill fall short. “If ‘it takes a vil-

lage’ to raise a child, then “it takesa company” to manage and protectthe brand.

7. Changing too much or toooften. Brands do not change radi-cally; they evolve. A well definedbrand with a strongly differentiatedposition doesn’t need to change toofrequently. If you find yourselflooking for a new brand positionevery couple of years, slow down,do some research and get it right.Then stick with it. Monitor com-petitors and consumers to makesure you need to change before youabandon your position. And evenwhen you determine you must

change, do it gradually so that youbring your market “and your brandequity” along with you.

8. Do not over-brand. In somecompanies, everything is a brand orbranded. This might be because noone really knows what a brand is,it might be because the organiza-tion doesn’t have enough branddiscipline to keep this from hap-pening. The creation of new brandsshould not be undertaken lightlyand should be done with theutmost deliberation. This is anexpensive undertaking that willrequire resources and support foryears to come. Only brand what

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The Top 10

Branding Mistakes

Debra Semans is the SeniorVice President for PolarisMarketing Research, withresponsibility for AccountManagement, Marketing andBusiness Development. With more than 25 years ofmarketing experience, Debrabrings rich and varied experience to her clients.


needs to be branded.

9. Not understanding yourbrand from the consumers “per-spective.” We know what our cus-tomers “want.” “We know what ourcustomers think of us.” Perhaps thetwo most dangerous sentences ever

spoken in a business meeting. Thevery fact that you are employed bythe company almost pre-determinesthat you do not know what your cus-tomers are thinking. And the high-er up in the organizational struc-ture, the more likely it is thatyour perceptions are wrong. So

beware and do some marketingresearch to be sure.

10. Not understanding yourbrand space. “Gerber’s AdultFoods.” “Levi’s Men’s Suits.”Many new products fail becausemanagement does not understand

where the brand fits for the con-sumer. Understanding your brandspace (in short, the areas of themarket where your brand fits) canhelp you avoid miss-steps in newproduct introduction and can helpyou identify brand extensions thatmight be very valuable.

So there it is. Try to avoidmaking these mistakes and you willgo a long way toward keeping yourbrand strong. We’d love to hearfrom you on this, so if you haveother “Brand Mistakes,” pleasesend them to me by email [email protected]

ADVICE PROVIDED BY POLARIS MARKETING RESEARCH


By Mark Hugo Lopez, AssociateDirector, Pew Hispanic Center,Paul Taylor, Executive VicePresident, Pew Research Center

The electorate inlast year’s presiden-tial election was themost racially andethnically diverse inU.S. history, withnearly one-in-fourvotes cast by non-whites, according toa new analysis ofCensus Bureau databy the Pew ResearchCenter. (1) Thenation’s three biggestminority groups —blacks, Hispanicsand Asians — eachaccounted forunprecedentedshares of the presi-dential vote in 2008.

Overall, whites (2) made up76.3% of the record 131 million peo-ple (3) who voted in November’spresidential election, while blacksmade up 12.1%, Hispanics 7.4% andAsians 2.5%. (4) The white share isthe lowest ever, yet is still higherthan the 65.8% white share of thetotal U.S. population.

The unprecedented diversity ofthe electorate last year was drivenby increases both in the number andin the turnout rates of minority eli-gible voters.

The levels of participation byblack, Hispanic and Asian eligiblevoters all increased from 2004 to2008, reducing the voter participationgap between themselves and whiteeligible voters. This was particularlytrue for black eligible voters. Theirvoter turnout rate increased 4.9 per-centage points, from 60.3% in 2004to 65.3% in 2008, nearly matchingthe voter turnout rate of white eligi-ble voters (66.1%). For Hispanics,participation levels also increased,with the voter turnout rate rising 2.7percentage points, from 47.2% in2004 to 49.9% in 2008. AmongAsians, voter participation ratesincreased from 44.6% in 2004 to47.0% in 2008. Meanwhile, amongwhite eligible voters, the voterturnout rate fell slightly, from 67.2%in 2004 to 66.1% in 2008.

Much of the surge in black voterparticipation in 2008 was driven byincreased participation among black

women and younger voters. The voterturnout rate among eligible blackfemale voters increased 5.1 percent-age points, from 63.7% in 2004 to68.8% in 2008. Overall, among allracial, ethnic and gender groups, blackwomen had the highest voter turnoutrate in November’s election — a first.

Blacks ages 18 to 29 increasedtheir voter turnout rate by 8.7 percent-age points, from 49.5% in 2004 to58.2% in 2008, according to an analy-sis by the Center for Information andResearch on Civic Learning andEngagement (CIRCLE) at TuftsUniversity, The voter turnout rateamong young black eligible voterswas higher than that of young eligiblevoters of any other racial and ethnicgroup in 2008. This, too, was a first.

The increased diversity of theelectorate was also driven by popula-

tion growth, especially amongLatinos. Between 2004 and 2008, thenumber of Latino eligible voters rosefrom 16.1 million in 2004 to 19.5million in 2008, or 21.4%. In com-parison, among the general popula-tion, the total number of eligible vot-ers increased by just 4.6%.

In 2008, Latino eligible votersaccounted for 9.5% of all eligiblevoters, up from 8.2% in2004. Similarly, theshare of eligible voterswho were black increased from11.6% in 2004 to 11.8% in 2008. Theshare of eligible voters who wereAsian also increased, from 3.3% in2004 to 3.4% in 2008. In contrast, theshare of eligible voters who werewhite fell from 75.2% in 2004 to73.4% in 2008.

With population growth and

increased voter participation amongblacks, Latinos and Asians, membersof all three groups cast more votes in2008 than in 2004. Two million moreblacks and 2 million more Latinosreported voting in 2008 than said thesame in 2004. Among Asians,338,000 more votes were reportedcast in 2008 than in 2004. The num-ber of white voters in 2008 was also

up, but only slightly --increasing from 99.6million in 2004 to 100

million in 2008.The Pew Research Center analy-

sis of Census Bureau data also finds adistinct regional pattern in the state-by-state increases in turnout. From2004 to 2008, the greatest increaseswere in Southern states with largeblack eligible voter populations:Mississippi (where the voter turnout

rate was up 8 percentage points),Georgia (7.5 points), North Carolina(6.1 points) and Louisiana (6.0points). It also increased in theDistrict of Columbia (6.9 points).5

According to the exit polls inlast year's presidential election, thecandidate preference of non-whitevoters was distinctly different fromthat of white voters. Nearly all (95%)black voters cast their ballot forDemocrat Barack Obama. AmongLatino voters, 67% voted for Obamawhile 31% voted for Republican JohnMcCain. Among Asian voters, 62%supported Obama and 35% voted forMcCain. In contrast, white voterssupported McCain (55%) overObama (43%).

RESEARCH PROVIDED BY THE PEW RESEARCH CENTERDoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

Black women had the highestvoter turnout rate in

November’s election — a first

Dissecting the 2008 Electorate: Most Diverse in U.S. History

POLITICS

continued on page, P.22


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Most of us gothrough life plan-ning and workingtoward financial,personal and careergoals, but fewerthan 30% ofAmericans have avalid Will whenthey die. Though we realize death isinevitable, toomany of us are notconsidering thethreat it will haveon the future of ourfamilies.

Without careful planning, yourproperty will be distributed accord-ing to the prevailing state law. In theabsence of a Will, the State of Texaswill make decisions for your family,without the benefit of your input.

Under the State of TexasPlan, some of the following could happen:

• Property for your minor chil-dren could be managed by someonenot of your liking

• Burdening your heirs withcostly court proceedings

• A large sum of money goingto a 18-year-old

• The surviving spouse owningan interest in the homestead with achild from a previous marriage.

Exactly why do people fail toprepare a Will? The reasons varyfrom person to person but far toomany people have not taken thetime to do so, creating a tremen-dous burden on their families andleaving important decisions to bemade by the state such as:

• Who will take your propertyand in what amounts

• Who will act as guardian foryour minor children

• Who will pay your debtsand taxes

• Who will handle your estateBy writing your Will, you will

be analyzing the family's presentfinancial affairs and developing astrategy to meet the needs of thefamily upon your death.

Below is a list of definitionsthat will be helpful in preparingyour Will.

Executor - The person named inyour Will to administer your estate.The executor is responsible for pay-ing all of the debts, collecting thedebts owed to the deceased, payingany taxes owed, and representingthe estate before the probate court.The executor is also expected todistribute property to persons inaccordance to the Will, includingthe transfer of any real estate.

Guardian - The person you wouldname in your Will to be legallyresponsible for the caring and rais-ing of your minor children in theevent both you and your spousedie. This relationship would lastuntil your children are 18 years old.Therefore, it is important to includealternative choices in the event

your first choice is unwilling orunable to accept guardianship.

Probate - The process of adminis-tering a deceased person's estate.The court reviews your Will andconfirms the appointment of yourexecutor. During this process, theExecutor will inventory your assets,pay your debts and taxes.

Property - Under Texas law, yourproperty is classified asCommunity or Separate if you aremarried. Community property isproperty acquired by a married per-son through his or her efforts, skill,or labor during marriage.

Examples of community propertyare wages, retirement benefits, andinterest income. Separate propertyis property owned by one spouseprior to marriage. A gift or aninheritance during a marriage isalso considered separate property.

Testator - The person who is exe-cuting a Will.

Trust - An arrangement wherebyone person or entity holds title toproperty and manages it for the ben-efit of one or more persons (calledbeneficiaries). When a Testator cre-ates a trust in his will, it is called atestamentary trust. One of the most

common reasons for using a testa-mentary trust is to make sure minorchildren are provided for in theevent that of both parents die. Itcould also be used to provideincome for grandchildren or childrenwith special needs. A testamentarytrust is a good way to provide forthe care, maintenance, support andeducation of your beneficiaries.

Trustee - The person designatedfor management of property placedin a trust. This person is responsi-ble for making investments, payingtaxes and making distributions.The trustee can be a person, a bankor a company that manages trusts.

Oswald J. Scott, Jr. is an attorneyand municipal court judge who spe-cializes in wills & probate. He canbe reached at (713) 227-8060 or [email protected].

HAVE YOU WRITTEN YOUR WILL?

LEGAL CORNER PROVIDED BY JUDGE OSWALD J. SCOTT


UBy Aaron G. Adams, Esq.

Unless you are a busi-ness owner or own a sig-nificant amount ofassets, you probably willonly ever need an attor-ney in the case of anemergency. In an emer-gency situation, you asthe client are in a highlyvulnerable position andtherefore are susceptibleto being taken. I havesolved many clients’problems, only after theyhave spent large sums ofmoney with anotherattorney who did not.When I ask them whythey hired their firstattorney they say: “Well,I thought he was a goodattorney because hisoffice is in [insert yourfavorite ritzy part oftown].” or “I thought hewas a good lawyerbecause he got [insertfamous person] off.”This article is primarilygeared toward those hir-ing an attorney in anemergency situation andwill serve to shed somelight on how to make asound decision whenseeking counsel undertrying conditions.

How do I find an attorney?

It is best to find an attorneythrough a personal referral. If noreferral is available, you can use theInternet, local newspapers, or phonebooks to compile a list. After creat-ing a list of prospective attorneys,you should you read their profiles atthe Texas Bar website located atwww.texasbar.com. On the TexasBar website you will be able tofind the bare minimum about yourprospects. The website will tellyou whether or not the attorney isin good standing, how long he orshe has been in practice, andwhether or not he or she has everbeen disciplined. You will want tobe weary of any attorney that hasbeen disciplined by the bar.

What should I say when I call myprospective attorney?

When calling an attorney forthe first time you should be ready topresent your issue in an easy tounderstand manner. Never startwith: Do you handle [insert type oflaw or type problem]? This lets theattorney know that you have notdone your homework about him orher. Another no-no is to expect aprecise fee quote for your casebecause each case is different.

What do I need to bring with meto my consultation?

To get the most out of yourconsultation, you will want to bringany and all documentation related toyour case. Therefore, the attorneycan give you an honest assessmentof your situation and a more accu-rate fee assessment.

What is a retainer?

The word “retainer” is definedin Black's Law Dictionary (7thEdition) as “a fee paid to a lawyerto secure legal representation.” Thetwo most common types of retainersare described as follows: The firsttype is the type that most clients arefamiliar with; it is akin to an

advance. Here's how it works. Theclient pays the attorney an upfrontfee, which is placed in the attorney’strust account. As the attorney works,he or she deducts from the retainer,by “paying” to his or herself earn-ings. Once the retainer is drawndown to a certain point the attorneyrequests that the client replenish theretainer. In this arrangement theattorney asks for a significantupfront fee in order to hold in trustbecause he or she is bearing thecredit risk of the client. That is, theretainer serves as a credit reserve.The second type of retainer is anamount that is paid on a monthlybasis, regardless of whether or notany legal work is performed. Thistype of retainer functions more likean insurance policy, except that you

have actually paid for somethingtangible, a small block of time everymonth. Attorneys have numerousclients and cannot work on multiple

problems at once. With this type ofretainer the attorney has alreadyworked into his schedule a time toservice your needs. This type ofretainer is most commonly used byhigh net worth individuals, business-es and entertainers that have ongoinglegal needs that arise randomly.However this type of retainer isbecoming more widespread in themarketplace for all types of clientele.---------------------------------------------

Aaron Gabriel Adams is a practicingattorney in the Houston area focusingon Business, Intellectual Property,and Real Estate Law. Need a realestate attorney? or Do you have ageneral Legal Question? Contact himat [email protected] orhis office at 713-566-1990.

LEGAL CORNER FROM ADAMS & ASSOCIATES, L.L.C.

Aaron G. Adams, Esq.

How to hire a lawyer


PRAIRIE VIEW,Texas — Dr. Freddie L.Richards, formerlyinterim dean, Collegeof Agriculture andHuman Sciences andinterim administratorof the CooperativeExtension Program,has been appointeddean of the College ofAgriculture and HumanSciences at PrairieView A&M University.He will also serve asthe Administrator ofthe CooperativeExtension Program.

Richards officially assumed hispost April 1, after being confirmedby the Texas A&M UniversitySystem Board of Regents.

“Dr. Richards is a distinguishedresearcher and it is under his leader-ship that PVAMU has established theEthiopia Sheep and Goat ProductivityImprovement Program,” saidPresident George C. Wright. “Thispartnership with Langston Universityis designed to train farmers toimprove their goat and sheep herdsthereby improving their standard ofliving. Indeed, this global projectdemonstrates Prairie View’s commit-ment to a progressing society.”

As Dean of the College ofAgriculture, Richards will serve asthe chief administrative officer of thecollege in all matters related to aca-demic, faculty and student affairs.He will also be responsible for funddevelopment, policy compliance andstudent recruitment and retention.

Richards began his tenure atPrairie View A&M University in 1976,as dean and research director in theCollege in Agriculture. He was respon-sible for the groundwork that estab-lished the Jesse H. Jones building thathouses the Cooperative AgriculturalResearch Center and the livestock andpoultry labs on the University Farm,worked diligently to establish theInternational Goat Research Center,and, in the early 1980s, secured anendowed scholarship in the amount of$100,000 from the Houston LivestockShow and Rodeo.

Recently he developed theMobilnet E-bus, a mobile computerlab designed to connect disadvan-taged communities with internetaccess. The MobileNet bus isequipped with computers and a satel-lite dish that travels to rural areas toteach computer use.

A native of Alabama, hereceived a bachelor’s degree in agri-culture education from AlabamaA&M College. Richards holds amaster's degree in agriculture educa-tion from Tuskegee Institute and was

awarded a doctoral degree in agricul-tural education from PennsylvaniaState University.

About the College of Agricultureand Human Sciences:

The College of Agriculture andHuman Sciences is comprised of threeunits. The Department of Agriculture,

Nutrition andH u m a nEcology, theC o o p e r a t i v eA g r i c u l t u r a lResearch Center andthe Cooperative ExtensionProgram. The mission of the Collegeis to provide quality, relevant academ-

ic, research and outreach programs inthe agricultural, food, family and envi-ronmental sciences.

About Prairie View A&M University:Ranked the only Texas school

on Black Enterprise magazine’s2006 list of “Top 50 Colleges andUniversities for African-Americans,” Prairie View A&MUniversity was founded in 1876 and

is the second-oldest public insti-tution of higher education in

Texas. With an establishedreputation for producingengineers, nurses andeducators, PVAMU offersbaccalaureate degrees in

50 academic majors, 41master's degrees and four

doctoral programs throughnine colleges and schools. A

member of The Texas A&MUniversity System, the university isdedicated to fulfilling its land-grant

mission of achieving excellence inteaching, research and service.During the university’s 132-yearhistory, more than 51,500 academicdegrees have been awarded. Formore information regardingPVAMU, visit www.pvamu.edu.

1 8 3 4 S o u t h m o r e , H o u s t o n , T e x a s 7 7 0 0 4 I T e l e p h o n e : 7 1 3 - 9 4 2 - 8 9 2 0

Hours of Operation: The Museum opens and conducts tours Monday thru Friday from 10:00a.m.to 5:00p.m. and on Saturdays from 10:00a.m. to 4:30p.m. the Museum is closed on Sundays.

www.buffalosoldiermuseum.com

APPOINTMENTS PRAIRIE VIEW A&M UNIVERSITY NEWS

PVAMU Names FreddieRichards Dean of theCollege of Agricultureand Human Sciences

Freddie Richards officiallyassumed his post April 1, afterbeing confirmed by the TexasA&M University System Board of Regents.


Commercial-gradeWine Guardian pre-serves fine wineinvestments.

Syracuse, NY — Thefounders of Air Innovations,father and son Larry andMike Wetzel, have spent mostof their careers designingand manufacturing specialtyair conditioning and refrig-eration equipment. They alsoare both passionate aboutcollecting fine wines. Itbecame only a matter of timebefore they applied theirexpertise in both subjects tobuilding a better wine cellarcooling system. The resultwas Wine Guardian, a com-mercial-grade unit sold inNorth America and Europe,first introduced by the com-pany in 1998.

The Wetzel family’s first winecellar was hand-dug by Larry and ateenaged Mike under their 1820’sfarmhouse foundation, utilizing thenatural coolness and humidity fromthe earth and stone surrounding it.From that date forward, wine cellarsbecame an essential part of theirfuture residences.

The first attempt at providingartificial cooling came about inLarry’s 1989 house renovation andinvolved using a home air condition-er–still the basic framework for manywine cooling units today. It soonbecame apparent that the unit could-n’t adequately keep the recommend-ed 55 degrees Fahrenheit nor providethe proper humidity. It was also cum-bersome and noisy. After studyingwhat was available for purchase, theWetzels determined they could builda better product, and soon WineGuardian was born.

Larry, who is an active memberof the international burgundy wineorganization, the Confrérie desChevaliers du Tastevin, has a WG-controlled 900-bottle cellar in hisCazenovia, New York home andanother 200-bottle cellar in his sec-ond home on Nantucket. Mike, wholived in Strasbourg, France for sever-al years and is particularly knowl-edgeable about the wines of theAlsace, recently installed a 600-bot-tle cellar in his home on SkaneatelesLake, one of the wine-producingFinger Lakes in Central New York.His cellar features a ducted, water-cooled Wine Guardian with humidifi-er, which is installed in an adjacentmechanical room and mounted overthe door to conserve space.

Wine Guardian wine cellarcooling units can be ordered in foursizes to condition fine wine collec-tions from 20,000 bottles to fewerthan 500 bottles, and are designed tomaintain optimal temperature andhumidity so wine can be kept at thecorrect aging temperature. The unitsare self-contained and ductable,which makes them quiet and easy to

install in many different types of loca-tions, up to 25 feet away from theactual wine cellar. Wine Guardianproducts are made ofc o m m e r c i a l - g r a d ecomponents and corro-sion-resistant, powder-coated alu-minum for durability. They are ETLand CSA safety certified.

Wine Guardian products are dis-tributed internationally, and repre-sentatives can help customers deter-mine which size unit and whatoptions are best suited for their winecellar design and storage needs andthe preservation and enjoyment oftheir valuable wine investments.

Wine Guardian is a registeredtrademark of Air Innovations®,

which designs and manufacturesWine Guardian wine cooling systemsat its headquarters in Syracuse, New

York. Air Innovations,established in 1986,builds specialty air

conditioning, refrigeration and envi-ronmental control products that alsoare used in the defense, aerospace,healthcare, semiconductor and retailindustries. - (PRWEB)--------------------------------------------

For more information on WineGuardian products, visit www.wine-guardian.com, call toll-free 800-825-3268 in the U.S. and Canada(315-452-7400 other international)or write info(at)wineguardian.com

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No Indication of FurtherDemocratic Gains

Over the first four months of 2009, theRepublican Party has continued to lose adher-ents. Interviews with over 7,000 respondentsnationwide so far this year found fewer than aquarter (23%) of the combined total identifyingthemselves as Republicans. This is down from25% in 2008, and from 30% in 2004. In total,

the GOP has lost roughly a quarter of its baseover the past five years.

But these Republican losses have nottranslated into substantial Democratic gains.So far in 2009, 35% of adults nationwideidentify as Democrats, about the same as in2008 (36%). While GOP identification hasfallen seven points since 2004, theDemocrats have gained only two points over

that period. Instead, a growing number ofAmericans describe themselves as independ-ents, 36% in 2009 compared with just 32% in2008 and 30% in 2004.

Looking at the individual monthly sur-veys since December suggests that both politi-cal parties are facing declining membership inthe wake of an engaging election cycle. In thePew Research Center's April 2009 survey, 33%identified as Democrats, down from 39% inDecember 2008. Over the same period, the share

calling themselves Republicans has fallen from26% to 22%. By contrast, the number of inde-pendents has risen from 30% in December to39% now. While it is not unusual for Republicanand Democratic identification to grow over thecourse of an election and subside afterward, themagnitude of these changes is noteworthy.

In announcing his change in party affilia-tion from Republican to Democrat,

Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter mentioned thechanging composition of his state as a consid-eration. Across a typical year the Pew ResearchCenter conducts well over 1,000 interviews inPennsylvania, including 384 in the first fourmonths of 2009. The data, so far, support Sen.Specter's contention. When he last ran for hisseat in 2004, 38% of Pennsylvanians said theywere Democrats, while 34% identified asRepublican. This year, the share identifying asDemocrats is the same 38%, but only 27% call

themselves Republicans.What had been a slim four-point Democratic identifica-tion advantage is now aneleven-point advantage.

The pattern of partisanchange in recent years has been remarkablyconsistent across the nation. Since 2004, theGOP has lost at least five points in party identi-fication in every region of the nation.Meanwhile, Democratic identification in 2009is either at or just slightly above 2004 levels.The Northeast stands out from other parts of thecountry not for the magnitude of the shift, butthe overall balance in favor of Democrats. Even

in 2004 – when there were nearly as manyRepublicans as Democrats in the rest of thecountry – Democrats held a substantial 35% to26% advantage in Northeastern states. Thatadvantage has widened to a nearly two-to-oneedge (38% to 20%) in 2009.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

About the Data:All figures in this report are based on

adults 18 and older. Figures add to less than100% because some respondents say theybelong to other parties, have no preference ordecline to offer a partisan affiliation. Yearlytotals are calculated by combining all PewResearch Center national surveys for the cal-endar year. The 2009 total is based on inter-views with 7,127 adults interviewed betweenJanuary and April, 2009, with a margin oferror of plus or minus 1.5%. Figures for April2009 are based on 3,013 interviews conductedbetween March 31 and April 21, with a mar-gin of error of plus or minus 2.0%.

GOP Party Identification SlipsNationwide and in Pennsylvania

Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Congressman Al Green’sStatement on House ofRepresentatives Passage ofThe Local Law EnforcementHate Crimes Prevention Act

ASHTINGTON, DC- Congressman AlGreen (TX-09) released the followingstatement on the U.S. House ofRepresentatives’ passage by a 249-175vote of H.R. 1913, the Local Law

Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act:“The founders of this great nation recognized in

the Declaration of Independence that ‘all men are cre-ated equal, that they are endowed by their Creator withcertain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’ Yet, to this day,all too many of our brothers and sisters are denied theserights because they are the victims of hate crimes.

The FBI has documented over 118,000 hatecrimes since 1991. Those who commit these crimesmay be motivated by any of myriad different reasons-be it a victim's race or gender or religion or sexual ori-entation or national origin. Yet, these crimes all havetwo things in common. First, they are injurious notjust to the direct victim of the attack, but to the wholecommunity. Second, they are unequivocally wrong andmust be stopped.

This important and bipartisan bill will providemuch needed assistance to state and local law enforce-ment agencies attempting to stop hate crimes and it willensure that our government can help stop hate crimescommitted on the basis of the victim's sexual orienta-tion or disability. I was proud to co-sponsor and vote infavor of the Local Law Enforcement Hate CrimesPrevention Act because we must ensure equal justiceunder the law for all Americans.”

University is proud to host theMayoral Forum focusing onsmall business matters.”

“Specifically, the TexasBusiness Alliance is interest-ed in hearing the candidates’viewpoints on the issues thatmatter to small businesses inHouston, such as how deci-sions to hire or not hire localfirms will be made, theAffirmative Action andContract Compliance area,their plans to ensure MWBEsare developed to do businesswith the city of Houston, andsmall business taxes,” saidJeffrey L. Boney, founder andCEO, TBA. “The success ofsmall business in Houston andits future will be shaped byone of the candidates attendingthis forum.”

The public is invited and

encouraged to attend and hearthe issues firsthand. To reservea seat, online regis-tration is availableat www.texasubsi-nessalliance.org.Registrants wish-ing to attend the private meet-and-greet reception with themayoral candidates may regis-ter and pay on the TBA Website. The cost of the privatemeet and greet is $25 for non-members and $20 for TBAmembers. There is no cost toattend the general reception orMayoral Forum.

For more information,please contact 281.213.9554 orinfo@mwhpublicrelations.com.----------------------------------------About Texas Business AllianceA member-driven, solutionsoriented, 501(c)(6) nonprofit

organization, with a missionto equip minority- and

w o m e n -o w n e dbusinessesto be quali-fied sup-

pliers, ready to compete forpublic, private and interna-tional opportunities throughprogressive development andspecialized training. Its visionis to strengthen the Texaseconomy and spur job cre-ation by expanding minority-and women-owned business-es, and encouraging youthentrepreneurship. Chapterorganizations are being pur-sued in Dallas/Ft. Worth, SanAntonio, Austin and El Paso.Visit www.texasbusinessal-liance.org for more details orcall 281.213.9554.

Houston Mayoral Candidates to ShareViews on Houston Small BusinessDevelopment During Mayoral ForumHosted by Texas Business Alliance

UPCOMING EVENT

BROWN

CANDIDATEScontinued from P.1

PARKER

LOCKE

MORALES

INFORMATION UPCOMING EVENTS & SURVEYS

W


6565 West Loop South, Ste. 114A I Bellaire, Texas 77401


By Gina Parker Ford

Article VI of the United StateConstitution states: “ThisConstitution, and the laws of theUnited States which shall be madein pursuance thereof; and alltreaties made, or which shall bemade, under the authority of theUnited States, shall be the supremelaw of the land. . . ”

Our Foundersthought it wise thatour blossomingnation shouldremain sovereignand that the laws ofthis land shouldrule. At least onecurrent SupremeCourt Justice couldnot disagree more.

Recently, Justice Ruth BaderGinsburg spoke to students andreporters at the Moritz College ofLaw at Ohio State University abouther concerns that the U.S. SupremeCourt was not considering foreignlaws in their decisions. She com-mented, “I frankly don't understandall the brouhaha lately fromCongress and even from some ofmy colleagues about referring toforeign law.”

Trying to persuade those whodisagree, Justice Ginsburg likes toreference the Canadian SupremeCourt, noting they are regularlycited around the globe reasoning,“You will not be listened to if youdon't listen to others.”

In addition to her support ofconsidering foreign laws for casesbefore the Court, Justice Ginsburgalso discussed her role as a litigatoradvancing women’s rights prior tobeing nominated to the Court in1993. Do you think she would beopen to one of Afghanistan’snewest laws which provides a hus-band can demand sex with his wifeevery four days and regulates whenand for what reasons a wife mayleave her home? I doubt it.

Before jumping off the prover-bial cliff, perhaps Justice Ginsburgshould consider not only the differ-ence in American laws, but also thefact that “We the People” are ableto monitor our laws and changethose that are unreasonable. AsChief Justice Roberts stated duringhis confirmation hearing, “If we'rerelying on a decision from aGerman judge about what ourConstitution means, no presidentaccountable to the people appointedthat judge and no Senate account-able to the people confirmed thatjudge…and yet he's playing a rolein shaping the law that binds thepeople in this country.”

We have already seen theaffects of international law has hadon some Supreme Court casesincluding, Roper v. Simmons, 543U.S. 551 (2005). This is the casethat ultimately banned the deathpenalty for anyone under the age of18. The facts surrounded two 17year olds who stalked, kidnapped,then duct-taped a woman, and threwher off a bridge - killing her. Despitethe premeditated, heinousness of this

crime, the Court looked to the lawsof Iran, Pakistan, and China to namea few. Is this the example JusticeGinsburg wants to set?

As Chief Counsel for theAmerican Center for Law andJustice (ACLJ), Jay Sekulow, com-mented, “The ObamaAdministration - through its foreignand economic policies - is embrac-ing an ideology of global gover-nance – a strategy that may put atrisk our national sovereignty - ourconstitutional framework. . . TheU.S. is a sovereign world leader andmust not surrender its autonomy.”

Who will the ObamaAdministration appoint to the U.S.Supreme Court? Will they continuedown the path of eroding ournational sovereignty? As PhyllisSchlafly opined, “It should be the

Senate’s duty to require all judicialnominees to proclaim their fealty tothe U. S. Constitution as writtenand their rejection of the use of anyforeign laws or courts.”

------------------------------------------

Gina Parker Ford - CEO ofDental Creations, Ltd., a dentalmanufacturing company, and a suc-cessful attorney - is the NationalEagle Forum Chairman for JudicialReform. Mrs. Ford is immediatepast chairman of the TexasDepartment of Licensing andRegulation. She serves on theAmerican Family Radio AdvisoryBoard of Central Texas, and shewas both the former RepublicanParty of Texas Treasurer andAssociate General Counsel.

LEGAL PROBLEMS? PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS!

Family MattersNothing is more painful than when familieshave problems. And in times of high emotion,it’s easy to make poor decisions.

That’s why it’s important to have sound adviceduring difficult times. Sandra J. Peake,Attorney / Mediator, concentrates on legalissues of importance to families. We can helpduring your darkest hour with solid legalcounsel and, perhaps even more importantly,compassion. We listen, and we care.

Please contact us today.

713.723.5082Sandra J. Peake, Attorney / Mediator9660 Hillcroft, Suite 435Houston, TX 77096

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The Supreme Law of the LandOPINIONS FROM ATTORNEY TINA PARKER FORD


Greetings! I’ve some goodnews to share with you:

alveston matters, and theIsland’s next Mayor must ensurethis message is clearly under-stood: Galveston is more than astorm ravaged Island with a his-tory; it is an iconic Texas

coastal community with a future!It’s time to make it official: I announce my

candidacy to become Galveston’s next Mayor. Theelection is one year away on May 8, 2010, and I’mlooking forward to leading a robust, positive cam-paign for Galveston’s future.

The Joe Jaworski for Galveston MayorCampaign believes that Galveston matters, and it’sour intention to broadcast that message positivelyand often. We begin by announcing the launch ofour campaign website www.JoeForGalveston.com.Please visit our website, review the issues, email meyour views, sign up to volunteer, add your name toour list of supporters and help us raise the moneywe need to reach every voter by making a securecontribution online via credit card. Thewww.JoeForGalveston.com website will be our pri-mary communication tool, and we'll maximize ourcampaign's presence on social networking sites suchas Facebook, Youtube and the like, so stay tuned.

Our campaign proudly acknowledges supportfrom both on and off the Island; that’s one of ourstrengths. Galveston is coming back, and whateveryour zipcode – especially after Ike – we are allGalvestonians! So join our campaign to show yoursupport for Galveston’s brightest future.

Ultimately, this campaign is aboutGalveston’s future and the Galveston voters who

will step up and make this campaign somethingwe can all be proud of. Here’s my pledge to you:We’ll campaign the same way we’ll lead: expect aclear, positive and thoughtful campaign where wewill address issues, determine priorities and draftan action plan. The election is a year away, butGalveston’s future begins now.

I’m asking for your vote and your support. I’mrunning to be Galveston’s next Mayor because I’mready to work for you every day to show the worldthat Galveston's best days are ahead.

Onward!

Joe Jaworski

AUBREY R. TAYLOR: Mrs.Chairman, can you tell my readers, andthe citizens of our great state of Texaswhat it means to be a Republican?

HAIRMAN BENKISER: Millions of Texas voterswho share a set of core conservative principles and acommon philosophy of government make up theRepublican Party of Texas. Republican principles arebased on respect for each individual and his or herright to life, freedom and liberty. Our nation was found-

ed on the fundamental principle that individuals have certain rights andfreedoms that cannot be infringed and may only be restricted to the degreenecessary to preserve the rights of others.

Republicans believe that freedom is a God-given right, affirmedby our Founders, articulated in the Declaration of Independence, andprotected by the United States Constitution. Republicans alsobelieve that government exists to protect individual rights andindividuals’ freedom of opportunity to succeed. In fact, Texans’belief in and Republican policies encouraging the entrepreneurialspirit of the individual has and continues to solidify Texas as aworld economic power.

Republicans believe in all the Constitutional limitations on govern-ment and that government closest to the people is best. However, thefederal government is responsible for providing a strong nationaldefense. Critical to negotiating from a position of strength in our con-tinuing effort toward peace and international friendship, only a strongAmerica can remain a free America.

Republicans also believe that with freedom comes responsibility.To continue in freedom, individuals must take personal responsibilityfor their own actions. Taking care of ourselves, our children, our fam-ilies and our future without government interference is key to a suc-cessful nation. Further, we believe in a society that assists those inneed rather than a government that inappropriately intrudes into peo-ple’s lives attempting to solve every problem by simply spendingmore of other people’s money.

Republicans believe in building strong families. We know thatour nation is stronger with families intent on giving their children thehope of a better tomorrow, the promise of a safe and secure today, andan appreciation and respect of yesterday.

Republicans also believe in an educational system that prepareschildren for tomorrow’s workplace regardless of race, wealth or geo-graphical location. Education is the bedrock of freedom and the gate-way to opportunity. In fact, when Republicans gained the TexasLegislature in 1869, they established a system of free public schools toeducate all the children of the State – something Democrats hadrefused to do.

Republicans believe that everyone should have the opportunityto chart one’s own course – start a business, chase a dream, or build alife – regardless of gender, race, or religion. Republican Party historyconfirms our dedication to empowering all people. Our Party wasstarted by anti-slavery activists who chose the name “Republican”because it alluded to equality and reminded them of ThomasJefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party. Further, when the 14th and15th Amendments extending civil rights and voting rights to BlackAmericans passed, not even one Democrat in Congress voted forthose amendments. More recently, Republicans elected twice thenumber of Black and Hispanic Texans to statewide office within thefirst ten years of becoming the statewide majority than Democrats didin the 122 years they controlled the State.

Texas Republicans promote principled, innovative leadership.Republicans expect leadership that effectively empowers peoplerather than government and that is unwavering in the face of criti-cism, steadfast when confronted with adversity, and committed tobuilding a better State. The Republican philosophy is a true reflectionof traditional Texas values. It is these values – core Republican princi-ples – that will sustain Texas into the future and continue to make ourState strong, prosperous and proud.

The primary difference between the Republican Party and otherparties is our belief in and celebration of the individual. Republicansbelieve in people and that we empower people when we enact policiesthat promote strong families, personal responsibility, a strong nationaldefense, lower taxes, limited government but unlimited opportunityfor all. The Republican Party of Texas is the political party that canbest help all citizens achieve their hopes and dreams.

What Does It Mean To Be A Republican?

C

Note From The PublisherI would like to personally thank State

Representative House District 146, Al Edwardsfor taking the time to care about an event that wasvery important to me. Rep. Edwards, I thank you forbeing a man of your word and coming to the recentprogram at Prairie View A&M University at myrequest. I am most grateful, and I know the entirePrairie View A&M family appreciated you leavingAustin and traveling to Prairie View, Texas to showyour support..

Prairie View A&M University, recognized asa producer of African American engineers, recentlyused its 2009 Gala to celebrate its College ofEngineering through the theme “Celebrating OurGlobal Impact on Engineering and Technology”. Theblack-tie Gala featured an expansive technologyexposition and program, at the George R. BrownConvention Center in Houston. PVAMU alumnus RoyG. Perry, served as the honorary Gala chair.

This year’s Gala was preceded by the namingceremony of the PVAMU College of Engineering,in honor of Perry, a class of 1978 graduate. Perrymade a name for himself when he became oneof the first black executives at Dell, Inc. Theuniversi ty hosted the special name dedica-t ion ceremony on Thurs . , Apri l 23rd in theElectr ical Engineering Building on thebeaut i ful PVAMU campus.

Sincerely,

Aubrey R. Taylor, Publisher

G

THANKS FOR COMING!

INFORMATION INTERVIEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH: State Rep. Al Edwards has served the people of Texas for morethan 28 years. However, he is most noted for working to make Juneteenth an official Texas holi-day. Over the past 20 or so years, Al Edwards’ Juneteenth U.S.A. (JUSA) and the celebration ofEmancipation Day, “Juneteenth,” has emerged as primary symbols of African-American culture.From as far away as Japan the legacy of Juneteenth is celebrated. If you would like more infor-mation on Juneteenth U.S.A. or would like to make a donation, call: (713) 741-1900 today!


MARINE CORPS BASECAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Allacross the United States, from coastto coast and from border to border,you’ll find thousands of small, one-stoplight towns where livestock out-number people.

In these tinytowns – just likeClarks Hill, S.C.,population 376 –your neighborseither are friends,family or both,and you usuallynever have tothink twice aboutleaving your doorunlocked at night.

Marine Corps Chief WarrantOffice 4 Rodney Freeman, a 40-year-old Clarks Hill native andchemical, biological, radiological,nuclear defense officer with 2ndAssault Amphibian Battalion, 2ndMarine Division, 2nd MarineExpeditionary Force, credits hisgreat-grandmother and being raisedin small-town America for his suc-cess in the Marine Corps.

“My great-grandmotherembedded in me some extremelyvaluable core traits,” Freeman said.“She instilled in me discipline, agood work ethic, caring for othersand a sense of family [and] unity.”

Freeman, who’s been in theMarine Corps for 21 years, saidbeing a Marine has been one of hiswisest decisions, and that he hasenjoyed his time in service.

“Those values my grandmotherinstilled in me definitely made bootcamp and being a Marine easier,”Freeman said. “From my perspec-tive, I believe that the majority ofgood Marines are the product of agood upbringing.”

Freeman said as a teenager hewas certain he wanted to become a

Marine. He never second-guessedthe decision.

“The Marine Corps caught myattention when I was in the 11thgrade,” he said. “I was at a baseballgame when I saw a reservist Marinein dress blues. He didn’t say a singleword; he didn’t have to. He juststood there with a high-and-tight,looking lean and mean. He didn’tsay anything. It’s just the way hecarried himself.”

Courage, oneof the core valueshe learned as ayoung boy, has been especiallyimportant to Freeman throughout histime in the Corps.

“One of the most challengingsituations in the Marine Corps ishaving the courage to stand up tothose who are senior to you,”Freeman said. “To address issuesthat you feel are unfair, and not tojust give up because they don’t par-ticularly agree with you. You just

have to continue to fight for whatyou believe in.”

While Freeman was in Iraqpreparing for a flight to anotherlocation, he sparked up a conversa-tion with a younger Marine. Heasked the Marine a common ques-tion: “What do you do?”

The Marine then gave a com-mon response, “Nothing much, sir.”

“What do you mean by noth-ing much?” Freemanasked.

“Well, sir, Iwould rather do other

things, I would rather [leave here].”Freeman told him he was an

important asset, and that's why hewas doing that particular job. Thenthe Marine finally told him his exactjob description.

“Sir, removing and loadingdead, blood-dripping bodies fromaircraft and vehicles gets really tir-ing,” the Marine said.

At that instant, Freeman said,

he realized how strong and selflessMarines are.

“It really dawned on me at thatpoint. To be a Marine, or to be a ser-vicemember, period, is specialbecause we’re all willing to give theultimate sacrifice, which takes a lotof courage,” Freeman said.

Freeman said after he serveshis final two years in IndianHead, Md., working with theChemical Biological IncidentResponse Force, he plans toreturn to some small town in theCarolinas or Georgia.

“I’m not one of those guyswho chase dollars,” Freeman said.“So right now, I’m looking to do mydream job of becoming a JuniorROTC teacher, which would giveme the opportunity to mentor, lead,and hopefully help out some youngmen and women.”

(Marine Corps Cpl. CaseyJones serves with the 2nd MarineExpeditionary Force.)

Success

Marine Corps Chief Warrant Office 4 Rodney Freeman, a 40-year-old Clarks Hill, S.C., native, and chemical,biological, radiological, nuclear defense officer with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division,talks to Lance Cpl. Robert Forsyth, a CBRN Marine, about the importance of having good leadership skills.U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Casey Jones

Face of Defense: Small-town America Leads Marine to

Big-timeBy Marine Corps Cpl. Casey JonesSpecial to American Forces Press Service

MILITARY

SPOTLIGHT PeopleDoingBusiness.Com • PROFILE


HattieRose.comoffers designer baby“dinner wear” thatgift givers go gagaover and moms love

Business owners and sistersJill Sandager and Amy Addingtonannounce the grand opening oftheir online baby gifts boutique,HattieRose.com, specializing inoriginal designer baby bibs thatare as useful as they are cute. So,what’s so great about anotheronline mom-owned baby bou-tique? Where else can you find aballerina bib with an actual tutuor a shirt bib with an actual tie?And these bibs work! They soakup more drool and spit up thanany other bib on the market.

But why would two sisterschoose to start a high-fashion babyboutique in the middle of such anunstable economy? The answer issimple. They both needed a bailout.Jill needed a product that worked forher drooling babies and Amy, a sin-gle mother of 4, needed a job.

I bought bibs for a friendwhose little girl spits up all daylong. She was going through about12 bibs a day, plus her clothes weresoaked. Now she uses 1 bib a daythanks to Hattie Rose! I have beensinging the praises of Hattie Roseto many people!

After her recently acquired‘single mom’ status, Amy found thatshe needed to return to work afterbeing a stay-at-home mom. But sheneeded a flexible job. About 5 yearsago, her oldest daughter was hospi-talized and nearly died. Afternumerous tests and surgeries, shewas finally diagnosed with such arare combination of diseases thatshe is the only documented case inthe history of medicine. She has hadto be very closely monitored and hertreatments continue to be adaptedfor her specific medical needs. Amycouldn’t simply pursue a regular 9-to-5 job because of the time she ded-icates to her daughter’s health.When Jill approached her sister withthe idea of starting an online busi-ness, it seemed to fit the bill.

“Between drool and spit up,my daughter was constantlysoaked. I started making her bibsmyself because I got so frustrated.I was tired of bibs not staying onbecause the Velcro had worn out,and I was tired of the paper thinfabric that seemed to be just forshow – and not a very good showat that! How many times do I haveto read ‘Some bunny loves me’ ona bib that sports a generic cartoonrabbit? It was a necessity for me tomake something that would beboth absorbent and adorable." saiddesigner Jill Sandager.

So the two moms decided tosell Jill’s designs online. The wordis spreading. During the first quarterof 2009, total sales have more thantripled. Ultimately, this e-commercestore is succeeding because it fills apractical need for many parents andit offers something truly original.

“I bought bibs for a friendwhose little girl spits up all daylong. She was going through about12 bibs a day, plus herclothes were soaked.Now she uses one biba day thanks to HattieRose! I have been singing the prais-es of Hattie Rose to many people!"said Sally A., customer.

About Hattie Rose Designs, Inc.Hattie Rose Designs is the cre-

ator of innovative fashionable bibsand gifts for baby. Everything foundin our store is a Hattie Rose Designs

Original®, created byour own talenteddesigners. It is ourpassion to provide

distinctive gifts that will be bothpractically useful and make yourbaby the center of the conversation.Every item is meticulously hand-made of the highest quality materi-als in the United States. — (PRWEB)

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Two Minnesota MomsCREATE TheirOwn Bailout Package

BUSINESS


hile trying to enjoy a quietSunday afternoon at home,one of my sons came to mybedroom and told me “thereare some teenagers here to

see you.” Funny, since I have a house full ofteenagers, I am the last one they want tosee. The curiosity got the best of me and Iwalked out where I found two young peoplein their late teens, dressed very casually andeach holding a clipboard with a stack ofpaper and a pen.

The conversation went something like this:

“May I help you?” I asked. “Yes, I waswondering if you wanted to sign a petition tolower the community college tuition for peo-ple in our area.” I was familiar with the issue(I am one of those odd fellows that watchlocal news) and went along with him. “Howdoes it work?” I asked. “All you have to do issign this petition and if we get enough signa-tures it will be on the ballot for this next elec-tion and if that happens and it passes...wewill have lower tuition.” At this point it getsvery hard for me to not get sarcastic. I wouldlike to say, “oh we are voting for a tuition fairywho will lower our school fees” or “ah, youfinally figured out how to grow a money tree,”or something like this, but I decided tobehave. “So if this passes, how will it lowertuition.” The young man kind of looked downunsure of himself. “I’m not sure,” he said. Iknew the answer and informed him that thetuition would be lowered through higher taxesfor everyone in the area and that many peo-ple who don’t have children will be forced topay the tuition of others. He thanked me forthe information and said, “I guess you are notsigning?” I said, “that is correct” and hewalked away.

It is through this form of false advertisingthat government tends to grow. People thinkthese programs are magical, they can simplyappear with desire. It is like the Fox News pollwhere they asked people how government wasgoing to pay for the various bailouts and 25percent said the “government has its ownmoney.” You would think these are the answersof small children, but Fox assures me that onlyadults answered the survey.

The public attitude towards Uncle Sambeing Santa Claus also reminds me of thelate Sen. Russell Long (D-LA) who said “don’ttax you, don’t tax me, tax the fellow behindthe tree.” That is exactly how tuition “is low-ered” for people, by burdening everyone else.

One of the best examples of the lie of“free government programs” is whenever Itake a trip to Galveston, Texas and ride thestate’s ferry. Shortly after you take off thecaptain announces that “this free service wasbrought to you by the Texas Department ofTransportation.” In reality it was paid for bytaxpayers through out the state, many wholive 15 hours away and have never evenseen the Gulf of Mexico.

A sensible policy that government on alllevels should pursue is a truth in advertising.These agencies should be forced to inform boatriders what it cost the taxpayers annually or theindividual impact in terms of taxes. That is thekind of transparency we need in government.

Kevin Price is a syndicated columnistwhose articles frequently appear atChicagoSunTimes.com, Reuters.com,USAToday.com, and other national media.Kevin Price is Host of the Price of Business(M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650) and Publisher ofthe Houston Business Review. Hear the showlive and online at PriceofBusiness.com. Visitthe archive of past shows at the Web site.

Free CE Seminar forRealtors on Credit, plusGreat Information onMarketing and More

Kevin Price, Host of the Price of Business(M-F at 11 AM on CNN 650 on AOL Radio)announced a free seminar for Realtors to

receive two CE Credits on the first week ofJune. Jay Pirrote of Ball Park Mortgage willprovide a two hour seminar on how Realtorscan help clients improve their credit scores.In addition there will be short presentationsby Kevin Price (marketing), Wanda Reyna(title insurance), EON Business Line ofCredits, and others. For more informationemail [email protected].

Kathy Bowersox to TeachExecutive Coaching at HCC

Houston Community College has teamed up with the Rescue Institute(www.rescueinstitute.org) to teach ExecutiveCoaching Classes. Kathy Bowersox ofQuantum Leap Success Coaching(www.QuantumLeapSuccessCoach.com)announces that she will begin teaching thesecourses in April. As more people are con-cerned about remaining employed and arebeing asked to do more in their positions,they are often overwhelmed and need coach-ing to be as successful as possible in theirpositions. Executive Coaching is the answerto help them succeed. Get more informationat HoustonBusinessDaily.com.

Price of Business AddsWomen in Business Panel

In the next two weeks we are formallyannouncing our new Women in BusinessPanel and this new segment of our show willbe an important contribution to our program.Our members include entrepreneurs, market-ing executives, financial advisors, and more.

Two of our new panelists include Margo P.Geddie, a Senior Vice President for WealthManagement at Smith Barney and Dina McCain,a professional marketing consultant. Both ofthese women have decades of experience intheir respective industries and listeners willenjoy their knowledge, insights, and experi-ences that they will bring to each program.Detailed biographies of both of these womenwill be released in the next few weeks.

If you are a woman in business and believe that you can make a contribution to ourprogram, we want to hear from you. [email protected] andput “Women in Business” in the subject line. Wewant to hear from you.

Know Where to Find Your Next Job?

HoustonBusinessJobs.com is waitingfor you. With over 1.5 million jobs and over8,000 in the Houston area alone,HoustonBusinessJobs.com is the place togo to find a job or to find an employee. Nowis a great time to look for a new job. Peoplesimply don't know if there job is secure, it canmake good sense to go seek companies thatare actively hiring rather than merely wait tosee if you have a job tomorrow. In additionto postings, readers will also find great tools,including current salaries for many positionsand the means to learn how to get yourresume in front of decision makers.

Currently there is a five part series on thejob search at HoustonBusinessDaily.com.

Kevin Price FrequentlySeen on Fox News“Strategy Room”

Kevin Price has been a frequent guest on theFoxNews.com hit program, Strategy Room inthe 2 PM hour hosted by Eric Bolling. Theprogram today focused on the seizure bypirates of a US boat. Following the showPrice said it was an “excellent experience. Ilook forward to future opportunities of beingon the show.” Recently Bolling asked Priceto be a regular guest on the program.

LISTEN TO THE PRICE OF BUSINESS MONDAY — FRIDAY @ 11:OOAM

with Kevin PriceMonday Through Friday at 11 AM

on CNN 650 and AOL RadioSponsored by the Bank of Houston

Your Business Wants You to Listen!Some of the leading personalities you will find at Price of Business and

PriceofBusiness.com• Kathy Bowersox of QuantumLeapSuccessCoach.com • Rick Ray at

WealthDesignGroup.net • Quincy Long of theEntrustGroup.com• Ron Delo of ThePublicAdjusters.Biz • And many others!

Kevin Price’s BizPlusBlog.com Sponsored by Swiss America, “Surviving the Financial Storm”Kevin Price's articles on BizPlusBlog are syndicated on Reuters.com,Chicago Sun Times, USA Today, and other national publications. Find

out why by visiting Business Plus Blog!• Check out HoustonBusinessDaily.com for the best in business

articles, video, audio and more, including Rick Ray's newdaily market update done through avatar technology.

Visit Houston's Premier Job Board atHoustonBusinessJobs.com. Over 1.5 million

jobs available each and every day in Houstonand Around the world.

Don't forget to tune into past shows at the site's archive, sponsored by:

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Government and “Free” Shouldnot be in the Same Sentence

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This report summarizes the participationof voters in the 2008 presidential election andfollows reports from the Pew Hispanic Center,a project of the Pew Research Center, on theLatino vote and Latino public opinion aboutthe election and the candidates.

The data for this report are derived fromthe NovemberVoting andRegis t ra t ionSupplement ofthe CurrentP o p u l a t i o n

Survey (CPS). The CPS is a monthly surveyof about 55,000 households conducted by theCensus Bureau for the Bureau of LaborStatistics. The November Voting andRegistration Supplement is one of the richestsources available of information about thecharacteristics of voters. It is conducted afterElection Day and relies on survey respondentself-reports of voting and voter registration.

----------------------------------------------------

Pew Research1. The measurement of race in the CurrentPopulation Survey changed betweenNovember 2000 and November 2004. Priorto 2003, survey respondents could only pickone race, either white, black, AmericanIndian or Alaska Native, or Asian or PacificIslander. Beginning with all CurrentPopulation Surveys in January 2003, surveyrespondents could identify multiple racecategories. As a result, demographic sharesbased on race for 2000 and earlier are notdirectly comparable with demographicshares for whites, blacks and Asians in 2004and 2008. White, black and Asian demo-graphic shares in 2004 and 2008 are forwhite only, black only, and Asian only popu-lations, and do not include those of mixedrace. These changes in the measurement ofrace do not affect the definition and meas-urement of the share Hispanic across allyears (Suro, Fry and Passel, 2005).2. In this report, "whites" refer to non-Hispanic whites, "blacks" refer to non-Hispanic blacks and "Asians" refers to non-Hispanic Asians. Hispanics can be of anyrace. 3. According to the CurrentPopulation Survey November 2008 Votingand Registration Supplement, 131.1 millionU.S. citizens say they voted in the 2008presidential election, slightly lower than the131.3 million votes cast for president asreported by the Center for the Study of theAmerican Electorate (Gans, 2008). 4. Theremaining share of voters in 2008 was ofother racial or ethnic heritage. This groupincludes Native Americans and mixed-racevoters. In 2008, 1.7% of all voters were ofother race or ethnicity, up from 1.5% in2004. 5. According to Pew Research Centertabulations from the Census Bureau's 2007American Community Survey, blacks consti-tute 35% of eligible voters in Mississippi,30% in Georgia, 21% in North Carolina,31% in Louisiana and 58% in the Districtof Columbia. Nationally, 12.2% of all eligi-ble voters are black.

Dissecting the2008 Electorate:Most Diverse inU.S. History

HISTORYcontinued from P.6


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may 2009 houston business connections newspaper

Documents

good business

city of houston

houston community

disaster preparations

helpwith disaster

checklistfor business

business isan important

mayoral forumhosted