White Privilege and Your Value

As a child growing up, my parents always instilled in my mind that I could do anything or be anything even if they didn't believe it was completely true.  Why wouldn't believe it, you ask?  Because they both grew up in the rural South in the early 1930's----need I say more?

Of course, I was crazy enough to believe my parents but what I discovered was I lacked the one thing that could open ANY door, ANYWHERE, ANY TIME.  The difference between me and my white friends is PRIVILEGE and white fathers always figure out how to use the system of systemic racism to give their children the advantage:

A  father said to his daughter “You have graduated with honors, here is a car I bought many years ago. It is pretty old now. But before I give it to you, take it to the used car lot downtown and tell them I want to sell it and see how much they offer you for it.”

The daughter went to the used car lot, returned to her father and said, “They offered me $1,000 because the said it looks pretty worn out.”

The father said, now “Take it to the pawn shop.” The daughter went to the pawn shop, returned to her father and said,”The pawn shop offered only $100 because it is an old car.”

The father asked his daughter to go to a car club now and show them the car. The daughter then took the car to the club, returned and told her father,” Some people in the club offered $100,000 for it because it’s a Nissan Skyline R34, it's an iconic car and sought by many collectors”

Now the father said this to his daughter, “The right place values you the right way,” If you are not valued, do not be angry, it means you are in the wrong place. Those who know your value are those who appreciate you......Never stay in a place where no one sees your value.  #whiteprivilege

Blacks and Debt Harassment

If the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau gets its way, a proposed rule would expand how often you and I can be contacted for debt collection.  The proposal includes allowing debt collectors to call people with outstanding bills (primarily medical) more often for each debt in collection.    The proposal would also allow collections to contact you via social media by leaving messages on your Facebook and Twitter pages or by text.  Can you imagine?  .  

As a result of the proposed rule, a survey was conducted to find out how people feel about it: 

• 76 percent oppose allowing debt collectors to leave messages for people in places that are not private---like your job or a relative's phone.

• 74 percent oppose allowing debt collectors to contact them via private direct messaging on Facebook and Twitter.

• 73 percent oppose allowing debt collectors to call them up to 7 times a week.   So, for example, if you have five outstanding debts, you could be called up to 35 times in 6 days (unless they decide to add Sunday). 

This rule would undoubtedly focus on people who are struggling to make ends meet for one reason or another.  One in 5 poll participants says they were contacted by a debt collector within the past month with 1 in 3 being black and an average income of $50,000 or less.

Needless to say, if passed it would amount to government-sanctioned harassment by debt collectors.  And we all know, bad debt equals bad credit for many minorities and debt is the worst poverty.

Just Say NO to Omarosa

There's an old saying that goes something like, "Be careful who you piss off on the way to the top because when you fall there won't be anyone to catch you."

I wonder if Omarosa has heard that saying.  The Apprentice villain, everyone loved to hate, appears to be trying to extend an olive branch to get back in our good graces so we can buy her new book scheduled for release in August.

The woman, who is known in the black community as the Trump loving-ass kisser, has now flipped the script and wants us to support her new book project, which the Publisher claims is a tell-all about the foolishness going on in the White House.  She wants us to empathize with her and the torment she went through the while serving as the Director of Communications for the Office of the Public Liaison.  Yes, this is the same woman who gave a television interview during Trump's campaign and said, "Every critic, every detractor, will have to bow down to President Trump. It’s everyone who’s ever doubted Donald, who ever disagreed, who ever challenged him. It is the ultimate revenge to become the most powerful man in the universe."

So now that she has become his critic, does that mean she will be bowing down as well?

As a black woman it does pain me to speak ill of Omarosa because, Lord knows, we get enough criticism from white America but here is a woman who literally sold her soul to the devil.  If she had done her homework she would've known about Trump's history when it comes to dealing with blacks and other minorities.  (I found it in a Google search) 

Only she knows why she put Trump on a pedestal and tried to stay near his side.  Perhaps she thought it would give her some much needed clout in the high society circles or in that Deplorable Base of blue collar, neo-nazis, skinheads and white supremacists.  Perhaps she saw Trump as a meal ticket to bigger and better opportunities.  Ironically, it was only AFTER she was removed (or left) her position in the White House that she came out and said she felt it was her call to duty to serve in the administration and not to serve Trump personally.    

Whatever Omarosa's reasons were for singing Trump's praises and dissing those of us who would've had her back during the tough times on Pennsylvania Avenue, she must now atone for her sins and maybe she will be forgiven---but not by me. She may be selling but I'm not buying!

And as much as I can't believe I'm saying this:  I hope Trump's base turns their back on her too and calls her out for her disloyalty.

JUST SAY NO TO OMAROSA AND HER NEW BOOK!

Dear Hiring Manager

Recently I saw a posting for a position I previously applied for several months ago.  The job title was:  Development and Communications Officer.  Now based on the job description, I believed I was well qualified but I never got so much as an email acknowledging my letter of application and resume had been received.

Has this ever happened to you?  Have you applied for jobs you knew you could do with your eyes closed---only to be rejected without comment? When you don't get any type of feedback from your letter of application and resume, does it leave you feeling dejected?  You want to know why you weren't considered especially when your credentials seem to line up with their job description.  You want to know what research they did, if any, to determine who they would weed out.  How much did race and age play a factor (in my case)?  Of course, we know employers claim they don't discriminate based on race, gender or age but the real truth of the matter is THEY DO.  The most common way they discriminate is by determining the "whiteness" of your name.  Cody Baker versus LaSchon Jones---get the point.  (Source:  Forbes).  I can't say I've had more than 20 years of experience because that ages me and if I send my resume via gmail the potential employer will clearly see my race because my picture is a part of my profile.

I was attempted to apply for the position again but then I thought about writing this letter to the Hiring Manager:

Dear Hiring Manager:

I see that you recently re-posted the SAME POSITION I applied for several months ago.  Obviously that means you either didn't have any applicants you believed were qualified in your applicant pool or the person(s) you selected to interview didn't quite pan out for one reason or another.  So now you are re-posting the position in hopes of getting a better crop of candidates.

I was tempted to re-apply because I know I am qualified due to the fact that I am a "strategic thinker and team player..."  I also have "superior written and verbal communication skills..."  What I DON'T have is a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration Non Profit Management or related field."  Obviously, my degree in Journalism is irrelevant.  

Ms. Hiring Manager, it would've been nice if you had at least acknowledged my resume the first time around with a note saying something like: 

Beverly, Thank you very much for your interest in Book Harvest and the position of Program Director.  We have received your materials. We will be considering applications over the next several weeks; we regret that we will not be able to interview all candidates.  We will be in touch with you if we need further information. We will notify all applicants once the position has been filled.

Now that was nice and classy and I wasn't really qualified for the position.

Ms. Hiring Manager, I don't want to believe you are using my race and/or my age against me.  I would think you would want someone who has enough "experience" for the detailed job description you listed and since your Organization claims to value diversity, one would think you'd want to demonstrate that in your hiring practices.  That means offering jobs of value to people of color--instead of the typical office worker type.

Since I don't plan to re-apply for the position I just want to take this opportunity to wish you well in your employee search.  Only you know the TRUE REASON I wasn't given an opportunity to interview for the position so may you get what you deserve.

Respectfully submitted,

Beverly Mahone.

Stop Blaming Others for Your Failures Papa John

John "Papa John" Schnatter took a page out of the late Attorney Johnnie Cochran's bag of defense tricks when he pulled out the race card as the blame for his company's drop in pizza sales. To be clear, John didn't come right out and say, "Those black niggas in the NFL are messing up my money" but that's what he implied. 

During a recent conference call with investors, the 55-year-old Schnatter blamed low pizza sales on the NFL Players protest.  You know the protest I'm talking about...where predominately black players are taking a knee during the national anthem to protest the injustices committed against blacks in this country.  Thanks to the ignorance of Donald Trump,the protest got turned into a protest against the anthem itself and the military, which is definitely NOT the case.

During this conference call, Schnatter is quoted as saying "The NFL has hurt us by not resolving the current debacle to the players' and owners' satisfaction."  As a result, he says he is pulling ads from some of the NFL games for the remainder of the season.  He blamed a 24 percent drop in his company's stock to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell not being able to control those black players who are exercising their rights under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.  He, like Trump, has made this an issue about disrespecting the anthem, while closing their eyes to the FACTS behind the ongoing protests. 

Schnatter has, very cleverly (and stupidly) used the NFL protests to cite his company's poor sales performance. The fact that some of his products aren't all that great doesn't seem to be a factor.  I can tell you, first hand, how bad their chicken philly cheese pizza is. Without coming out and blaming it squarely on the black players, he knows the overwhelming majority of protesters are black and they are an easy scapegoat since he can rally the Trump base to be on his side and take up his cause.  And guess what?  That's just what they did!

The day after the Papa John conference call, the white supremacist website, The Daily Stormer, came out and pledged its support for Papa Johns's pizza and posted a photo of a pizza with the swastika symbol displayed with pepperoni.  The called Papa John's the "Official Pizza of the Alt-Right."

I bet Papa John's pizza sales will probably drop even lower.  Whether or not the majority of whites support the NFL black players peaceful protest, I do believe the majority will fail to support the company knowing they are supported by a neo-nazi, racist group.  Schnatter knows that too since he was forced to come out and issue another statement on the matter:

"We condemn racism in all forms and any and all hate groups that support it.  We do not want these individuals or groups to by our pizza."  

TOO LATE!

Perhaps the Trump base will keep Papa John's in business.  After all, he did support Trump's campaign financially. Perhaps the NFL owners will rally to his defense, since he has been the official sponsor of the NFL since 2010 and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, owns at least 100 of the Papa Johns franchises in Texas. 

One thing I do believe is, he has lost the support of the general public and the people on social media will not let him forget it.

Why Twitter Works for Me

I've been on Twitter since 2008.  To date, I have over 5800 followers and I've sent out nearly 50K tweets. (My goal is to reach 100K by the end of this year).

I LOVE TWITTER!  I know many people in my baby boomer age group like the so-called intimacy of Facebook. There you can search out long lost friends, former classmates and lovers and you can even find yourself renewing old rivalries or creating new ones.  Facebook does allow you to interact on a more personal level, however, Twitter allows you to send your messages well beyond the limited contacts you can have on Facebook, which is 5000.  With Twitter, your messages can be possibly seen by hundreds of thousands of people depending on who's in your circle and if you have a circle of trust.

So how do you develop a circle of trust with your followers?  For me, I want the people I'm connected with to know how much I appreciate their decision to follow me and let them know how much I value them by my re-tweets of their posts and general engagement.  I have established my very own Twitter Crew, who are the Rock Stars of my stream.

The problem I see with many folks on Twitter is they are so busy wanting to share all of THEIR good information that they forget the role their followers could play in helping to spread their message. It takes less than 140 characters to greet your followers daily just to let them know they're on your radar.

Once you have established the initial connection, give them a fun fact or positive message to help them get their day started.  I always start my day by saying "Hello" to my "Twitterverse" so they know I am ready to get the Twitter stream party started.  I then acknowledge my most active, engaging followers by giving them a shout out.  Why is this important to me?  Because I know people appreciate acknowledgement.  They want to know you see them when they pop up in your stream.  And even if they don't pop up when you're there, you can still give them a "holla" because they will eventually see it and acknowledge you in return.  More importantly, they will appreciate the fact that you took the time to recognize them during your time on Twitter.

I purposely go to pages of my followers to see what they've tweeted and if it's interesting to me, I will re-tweet it.  I do have some followers who only re-tweet messages from others so I find unique and creative ways to give them a shout out.  I have one follower @jimjavor, who I call my Re-tweet King because he ALWAYS re-tweets my messages.  He is definitely one of my favorites.

The other thing I love about Twitter is being able to connect others to each other.  On a daily basis I give ((shout outs)) and I purposely link people together who should know each other.  One day I'll do authors/writers or health experts.  Sometimes I connect fellow baby boomers and bloggers---just so they know they are connected with someone else who shares their passions and expertise.

The one thing you want to be careful of is people who only follow you because they want to use you and your followers to get their own messages out.  I have those folks in my stream but I am quick to dismiss their intentions when I see they are not actively engaging with us.

As a baby boomer who didn't grow up with social media, I've had a lot to learn and I'm still learning because this platform is every-changing.  Thanks due in part to #45. (but that's another story all together).

My point is when you demonstrate to your followers that you are providing service beyond yourself, they will be more inclined to support your endeavors.  And I have to tell you, I do love it when I get those messages of appreciation for my efforts to expose them to my other followers.  One other fact: Both my books:  How to Get on the News Without Committing Murder and The Baby Boomer Millennial Divide:  Making it Work at Work went to Number 1 because of Twitter. @bevmahone

Recently I received a direct message on Twitter from someone who said they had a difficult time understanding my brand because my my page was so cluttered with tweets of other people. I thought about the message and wondered why I had to be limited to a specific brand.  After all, I'm a baby boomer expert, an author, a veteran journalist, a grandmother, wife, etc.....so I have a variety of subjects I am very well versed in.  Finally, I wrote back saying, "it's all about service to others." Besides, I with my Media/PR background---that's what we do---only I'm doing it for FREE.

Millennials Are Changing the "Business as Usual" Way of Thinking

Whether baby boomers like it or not, a changing of the guard is taking place and millennials are leading the charge.

They are not thinking or behaving the way they are expected to.  Perhaps it's because the "old way" of doing things doesn't work for them.  Most baby boomers had traditions and values passed down to them from their parents.  Not true with millennials because a lot of their baby boomer parents were too busy focusing on careers, keeping up with the Joneses, and being helicopter parents.  

So now we have a generation who is rising up to make their own mark in the world.  And they're doing just that.  It shouldn't surprise us that social media and social media campaigns have inspired them in ways their older parents and grandparents can't seem to understand or appreciate.

For instance, according to an article written by NerdWallet, when a number of young activists learned that Wells Fargo was among those providing financing towards the construction of the South Dakota Access pipeline at Standing Rock, they immediately withdrew their money and deposited it elsewhere.  The same goes for Justin Garrett Moore who transferred all of his savings to a black owned bank and spear-headed a #BankBlack campaign.

Soon television executives, sports owners and venues may feel the brunt of this new millennial power.  A recent report released by L.E.K. Consulting indicates millennial sports fans are bypassing cable television and totally abandoning traditional sports for online video game tournaments and other "eSports." These changes are likely to have implications on viewership for professional sports leagues like the NFL, MLB and NASCAR, and networks like ESPN, Fox Sports and individual teams.

"The old model is under pressure," says Alex Evans, Managing Director in L.E.K.'s Sports practice and a co-author of the study. "Traditional sports organizations rely on TV, especially cable TV, to attract new fans and to generate revenue now through ownership of regional sports networks. But they will likely come under increasing pressure to change their model, especially 5 to 10 years down the road. 

So it looks like OLD habits may not be so hard to break.

No Ticket No Meeting With Our North Carolina Senator

Senator Thom Tillis decided to come out of hiding this week and meet with his constituents.  On Monday, he held a ticket-only event for his "political base."  These were the so-called good republicans who will sit very quietly in their seats and allow the politician to tell them all kinds of half-truths and alternative facts without demonstrating any anger.

The angry crowd was outside begging to be heard but because they had no tickets, their concerns fell on deaf ears.

Senator Tillis and Senator Richard Burr must've thought they would have it relatively easy over the next four years with a republican controlled Senate and House. But then Donald Trump became President and everybody's world got turned upside down.  Their staunchest supporters are now starting to question their party loyalty.

The fact that Tillis has been unwilling to meet his constituents face-to-face until now and the fact that he made his Town Hall Meeting a ticket only event is very telling.  Either he and Senator Burr know they are in a world of trouble and don't want to face the music or they are going to see how long they can ride the storm with their good, ol' southern republican base.  

Speaking of Senator Burr, it is obvious that he is not and has not willing to listen to the voice of the North Carolina voters.  I was among hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people who called his office to ask him to vote AGAINST the confirmation of Betsy DeVoss as Secretary of Education.  But what he do?  Read his statement below which he posted on Facebook:

Betsy DeVos has dedicated her life to improving education, so I am glad she will continue to fight for all children as Secretary of Education. Attempts by Senate Democrats to stall the President’s nominees only distract from the very real struggles of North Carolina’s families seeking the best education for their children.


Maybe Tills and Burr will come to their sense before long and act like true representatives of their voters.  If not, we will do the same thing #45 says he is committed to doing:  We will drain the swamp to make sure they don't return to Washington.

Did Your Employer Thank You Today?

It's 5:00 pm, my work is done and I just realized that my Supervisor didn't take time out today to say, "Thank you Beverly.  We really appreciate the work you do for the Company.  We are grateful to have someone with your dedication and commitment and, yes, your maturity."

No, not one of the managers I work for bothered to acknowledge that today is EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY.  Instead they sent out emails telling us we should have "no excuses" for not giving the customer the best customer experience EVER!

Yes, the first Friday of the month of March has been declared Employee Appreciation Day with a purpose of strengthening the bond between employee and employer by having employers recognize and thank their workers. Not acknowledging it is truly a sad commentary on the state of the work environment I'm in and perhaps in many companies around the country today.  Employers are so caught up in the bottom line of "profit" that they forget those who help them achieve their financial goals.

Why is Employee Recognition important?  According to a article by Justin Reynolds on the TinyPulseBlog:   "Employee recognition is strongly correlated with productivity. According to a recent study, 69% of employees say they’d work harder if they felt as though their contributions were valued. Even so, our 2017 Employee Engagement Report found that only 26% of workers feel strongly valued at their jobs. That’s a problem. Planning a special event should help your workers feel like they are appreciated at least a little more."

Because I work from home, I feel more isolated than others who go into the office daily.  That's why it's even more important that Managers do what they can to make everyone feel like they belong--rather than to make us feel like we're on a plantation for the "Massah."

I'm a baby boomer on my way to retirement so I probably have a thicker skin than my younger peers.  Imagine how Millennials must feel knowing their work goes unnoticed day in and day out---especially since statistics show they do crave recognition for what they do.  

Employers must find ways to do a better job in keeping their employees happy and appreciated.  Sometimes all it takes is a personal email, phone call or "stop by my desk" visit to show you care.

Don't Be Hoodwinked by Your Insurance Plan

I had a very unpleasant experience with my insurance company recently which prompted me to write this post.  

I woke up one Saturday and was suffering from severe back pain.  I wasn't sure if I should go straight to the hospital or to an urgent care center.  My insurance plan says I can talk to registered nurse 24/7 if needed so I called one.  After going through a terrible automated phone system to identify myself, I finally reached a nurse who had me identify myself all over again while I was suffering excruciating pain. She finally determined I should go to an urgent care center.

Here's where the it got messy.  Because I have an HMO Plan, I only have in network benefits which means every doctor, every clinic, every hospital I go to must be in the network of my insurance company.  If I fail to do so, I will be responsible for 100 percent of the expenses.  I checked for urgent care centers in my area. There were 14 listed within 10 miles of my zip code.  I wrote down two addresses and called the first one, only to discover they were closed.  I figured the second one was good so I had my husband lock the address into his GPS and off we went.  The GPS took us to the Wal-Mart area and when we arrived at what we thought was the location we discovered it was an ABANDONED building.  I then looked up the center's phone number through my insurance company's website and called it.  Guess what?  The number was disconnected.  Now, how did that happen?  Who is responsible for checking to make sure the numbers and addresses are updated?  We then found another urgent care center not far and went to it---not knowing for sure if they are "in network."  But even if they aren't I will not be paying that bill because of this fiasco!

Here are some things you should know during your annual insurance enrollment period (or any time you sign up for insurance):

1) Be sure you understand how your plan works.  It may say it will pay 80/90/100 percent of eligible expenses but ONLY after you satisfy your deductible.  Make sure you are reading the fine print. 

2)  Check your deductible.  More and more plans are moving to higher deductibles which means you will have to pay out of pocket costs until you reach the deductible.  So, if you have a $5000 deductible, guess what that means?!

3)  Be sure you know what type of plan you have.  Is it an HMO or PPO?  An HMO plan (like mine) means you have only in network benefits and if you go outside of the network you will be responsible for paying the entire bill.  It also means you have to select a Primary Care Physician and that PCP is responsible for making ALL referrals.  If he/she doesn't refer you to someone in your Plan's network of Providers, you will both be penalized.

A PPO means you have both in and out of network benefits.  You don't have to declare a PCP and you don't need a referral to see a Specialist.  You may still need a referral in some cases so it's always best to check with your insurance company about that.

4)  Check to see if your plan requires any pre-authorizations for specific testing like MRI's or CT Scans or for some types of medical procedures.  Failure to do so will cost you dearly.

5)  Don't be afraid to ask questions about your plan  to your insurance company.  You'll save yourself headaches and some money if you take the time to get educated on exactly how your plan works.  

6)  Take advantage of any rewards/incentives the plan has to offer.  Some employers offer discounts on your premiums so find out what they are and sign up.

Don't let yourself get hoodwinked by your insurance plan because plans as we knew them 10 and 20 years ago have definitely changed---and it's not always for the better as I have discovered.

Dear Uneducated Blue Collar Rural Poor White People

Dear uneducated, blue collar, rural , poor white people,

Since you're uneducated I promise not to use very big words because you probably won't understand the meaning and I don't want to further insult you.

What you did on Tuesday, November 8, 2016 was show the world that although you might be classified as dumb, ignorant and stupid, you were pretty darn smart when you got Bobby Jo, Cooter, Cletus, Mary Lou, Savannah Jean and everyone else in rural white america to drive their pick-ups down to the polls to vote for your man, Donald Trump.  And to think the pollsters and all of the so-called intelligent think-tankers got it wrong.  They said "There's no chance in hell that buffoon can win!  The country will never stand for a bigoted, racist womanizer who says he will make America great and white again."  Hello No!  That won't happen.

But ha! ha! uneducated, blue collar, rural, poor white people....the joke was on Anderson Cooper, Rachel Maddow, and the rest of those liberal, communist, mainstream media jokers because, once again, you showed how darn-tootin' smart you were by believing in Fox News as much as you believe in the Bible and you showed up at the Trump rallies fired up and ready to punch out anybody who protested against him.  And some of you made national headlines Ya-hoo!!!

Trump spoke the language you've been speaking and wanting to hear from a Presidential Candidate since you heard your pappy tell you about George Wallace's campaign slogan of"Segregation now, Segregation forever!" back in 1968.  He was a real son of the South for down-trodden southern whites.

Dear uneducated white people, you also showed those lazy, no good, no votin' niggas and those prissy little college-educated white women that your voice would be heard at the ballot box and you did it loud and clear.  You can be proud of what you did because for the first time in a long time YOU actually made a difference. 

You can now be proud to know you have some claim to the White House--yes it's the WHITE house.  It doesn't matter how many times your President has disrespected and sexually assaulted women because your uncle Bobby Ray, Billy Bob and Bodean have probably done it so many times they've lost count.  And I bet you are now looking for all those nude photos the First Lady-elect posed for as a model (if you don't already have them).  

The next four years should be a good ol' hell raisin', take off your kkk hoods time for ya'll!

But dear uneducated, blue collar, rural , poor white people, I hate to tell you the joke is going to be on you.  And don't say I didn't warn you.

Peace be with you.

A 401K Education for Black Baby Boomers

Before I begin this blog post let me issue this disclaimer:  I am NOT a financial expert.  Yes, I did work at Merrill Lynch for a brief time (more than 30 years ago) and I did get to understand a little about how the Stock Market works so the information I share here is only based on my personal knowledge.  You can take it or leave it.

This blog post was inspired by a co-worker, who is a fellow black baby boomer (in a world of Millennials). We were discussing our 401K accounts.  I asked her if she had one. She did.  I then asked her if she knew what she was invested in.  She did not.  I then asked her if she knew how much money was in her account. She did not and then she proceeded to tell me how she really didn't understand much about the account. 

Surprising?  No, not really.  Disappointing?  Yes, absolutely!  But in all reality, she can't be totally blamed for her lack of knowledge.  That tends to be the issue among many black baby boomers when it comes to financial matters.  We are not on golf courses or fancy cocktail parties discussing our investment portfolios. Ask the majority of black baby boomers if they know the difference between an over-the-counter market versus an exchange market and I'll bet you they don't know.  And then we wonder why we don't have enough money to live on in retirement---all the while continuing to make our pastors rich and looking for God to grant us our financial blessings.  Maybe the church should spend more time educating us on financial matters. 

I'll be perfectly honest.  Had I never worked for Merrill Lynch I probably wouldn't know as much as I do now but that education has inspired me to learn even more and to take charge of my 401K because I do want to live comfortably in retirement without relying solely on social security.  

What you should know:

401K:  A deferred compensation plan set up by an employer so that employees can set aside money for retirement on a pre-tax basis.  Employers may match a percentage of the amount you contribute to the plan (And you should take FULL ADVANTAGE of that!)  Contributions by both you and your employer, as well as investment earnings and interest, aren't taxed until the money is withdrawn from the account.  And if you do withdraw early you will be subject to an early withdrawal penalty of at least 10 percent.  


Stocks:  Shares you purchase which gives you ownership of a corporation.  Of course, the more you buy the more you own.


Common Stocks:  Securities that represent equity ownership in a company.  Common shares let an investor vote on matters involving the company like the election of the board of directors.  They also give the holder a share in the company's profits via dividend payments or the capital appreciation of security.  

Blue chip stocks:  Stocks from companies that have a history of growth and dividend payments (IBM, Proctor and Gamble, Wal-mart are some examples)

To learn more about 401Ks, please read this article from one of my favorite online writers Emily Brandon:  10 Strategies to Maximize Your 401K Balance 

Black Lives Matter No Matter How Old You Are

A few months ago I bought a Black Lives Matter T-shirt.  

I LOVE wearing it!  If I could wear it every day I would.  It makes a statement on how I feel about the state of race relations in this country.  It should say to anyone who sees me that I care about the mistreatment and downright brutality being levied against our people---especially the young black males.

This brings me to an incident I had today at Harris Teeter.  I was standing in line behind another older black woman.  She saw my shirt and proceeded to comment about how she didn't understand what the movement was all about and why was it necessary to make a t-shirt to demonstrate.  Being the soft-spoken person that I am, I told her it was no different than what young people did during the 60s and 70s movement and I wanted young people to to know I stand in solidarity with them.  

You know, I am always amazed at how older people tend to forget they were young once and all of the things they did---right or wrong/good or bad---for the "cause."  Once we turn a certain age we become holier than thou and act as if everything is okay the way it is.  We turn a blind eye to the things we see and read and what we hear falls on deaf ears.  

Police brutality against blacks didn't just start in the new millennium.  The only difference is there was no social media back then---no camera to record what was really going on. And, unlike, many of today's youth, a lot of people, back in the day, stayed silent in fear of what might happen to them.  Perhaps the woman in Harris Teeter feels like her fight is over and she chooses to remain silent, but as for me I'm going to keep wearing my Black Lives Matter T-shirt because I know the struggle is very real and it continues. 

As Desmond Tutu once said, "If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor."

Donald Trump Speaks One Truth at First Presidential Debate

I gave up Monday Night Football and an evening of virtual Spades to watch the first Presidential Candidates' debate.  

I was happy to see fellow journalist and baby boomer Lester Holt acting as moderator, although I was somewhat disappointed that he didn't take better control of Donald Trump's rants.  But, then again, that is who "the Donald" is so he was true to form.

And speaking of being "true", Trump stated something during the debate that I have been saying for years about the Democratic candidates.  He said they court Blacks and other minorities during election season and then dump us once they get elected.  Now that, in my opinion, is a TRUE statement.   I am not sure how we (especially Southerners) got hoodwinked and bamboozled into believing the Democratic Party was our Saviour from the economic, racial and social ills that continue to plague us. Obviously, black people in the South don't recall the history of the Dixiecrats, the Southern Democrats who seceded from the party in 1948 and created their own agenda which included states' rights to freedom from governmental interference and the right to exclude whomever they wanted from business and other organizations.  

Democratic candidates constantly dangle a carrot of hope and opportunities in front of us making us believe they will fight for our rights once they get elected.  What they NEVER tell us is they will be fighting against a majority of other elected officials who have their own hidden agendas  that don't include the well-being of minorities.

Case in point:  About 10 years ago when my daughter was entering college at North Carolina A&T I had an issue and wanted my local Congressman, David Price, to get involved and help me or at least guide me in the right direction.  I called his local Durham, NC and Washington offices repeatedly and left messages.  I got no response.  I lost all respect for him and his staff after that and have never voted for him again---although he keeps winning.  He is a great example of "showing up" when he needs us but he obviously didn't need me at that time or I'm sure there would've been a response.  

So even though I think Donald Trump is an imbecile and unfit to be President I do give him a kudos for ranting one truth at the first Presidential debate.  

Blogging for Good Customer Service

This is written as a follow-up to my previous post Avis Needs Some Customer Service Tips.  

First of all, let me say kudos to Avis for taking the time and effort to respond to my September 6, 2016 rant. When I posted the blog link on Twitter for all the world to see, Avis sent me a tweet asking me to contact them directly about the issue.  Although I didn't respond to the tweet, the local rental car company did notify me that my grandson's cellphone was miraculously found----even after I was told the car had been rented out to someone else just hours after I called to report the phone had been left in the vehicle.

OK---today all is well and now I can move on to the next issue but here's my point:  If there were no social media platform to air my grievance, that cell phone might still be missing today.  Had I not taken the time to write about my experience and post it on Twitter, Avis would have never known how one of their local franchises were responding, or in my case, NOT responding to their customers.  Remember, I called a total of 18 times before I wrote anything.

It's a shame that anyone would have to resort to a social media arena to make a complaint but perhaps this is what is needed more often.  Companies would be forced to stop ignoring or taking advantage of little people like me if we use our social media voices.  

Hopefully, one day the police who have been killing young black men and under the alleged "I was threatened for my life" banner will get that message.

For me, blogging is a means to a resolution. 

Avis Needs Some Customer Service Tips

When you do business with Bev, you need to bring your "A" Game because I have lived long enough to know the difference between good, mediocre and bad customer service.

In the past 24 hours, Avis RDU has shown me why the Company is #8 on the Top 10 Car Rental Services list for 2016. It all started when my grandson informed me he left his phone in our Avis rental car upon returning from a trip on Labor Day.  Whether or not you think my grandson was irresponsible for leaving it in the vehicle or I, as his grandmother, was irresponsible for giving a cell phone to a nine-year-old is IRRELEVANT.  The point is how Avis RDU responded after that has driven me to write this post.  Ahhhhh....the power of blogging and social media.  Now instead of me complaining and letting it fall on deaf ears, I have the potential to reach thousands of people who may think twice about doing business with them.

So when we discovered the cell phone was missing I started calling the car rental place.  After getting through their horrible automation and speaking to people who weren't in the location I was calling, I finally got to someone who swore to me they would look for the phone and call me back to let me know if they found it.  

Well, 18 calls later, no one has had the decency to return a call and update me on the status of the lost cell phone.  18 calls!!!  You would think someone would just call you back to keep you from calling.  

After the 18th call, I decided to drop by Avis RDU to speak to a manager to find out why they had such poor customer service.  Of course, the manager I spoke with (Connie) said she just couldn't believe no one would call me back and it was so unlike the designated person (Brenda), who was the one I managed to speak to briefly.  And she sounded like she had an attitude---as if I was disturbing her day.

Oh, and I did learn the car had been re-rented Labor Day evening at 10pm---a full three HOURS after I called.  And I also learned from Connie that the vehicle could've been put on hold while they did a thorough search.

To put it all in perspective, this post isn't about a lost cell phone, it's about business and customer service which Avis RDU has certainly NOT PASSED THE TEST.

Years ago, they had a commercial admitting to being #2 behind Hertz, which made them try harder.  Today they don't even rank in my book---and they don't seem to be trying to change my opinion.

Avis Needs Some Customer Service Tips

When you do business with Bev, you need to bring your "A" Game because I have lived long enough to know the difference between good, mediocre and bad customer service.

In the past 24 hours, Avis RDU has shown me why the Company is #8 on the Top 10 Car Rental Services list for 2016. It all started when my grandson informed me he left his phone in our Avis rental car upon returning from a trip on Labor Day.  Whether or not you think my grandson was irresponsible for leaving it in the vehicle or I, as his grandmother, was irresponsible for giving a cell phone to a nine-year-old is IRRELEVANT.  The point is how Avis RDU responded after that has driven me to write this post.  Ahhhhh....the power of blogging and social media.  Now instead of me complaining and letting it fall on deaf ears, I have the potential to reach thousands of people who may think twice about doing business with them.

So when we discovered the cell phone was missing I started calling the car rental place.  After getting through their horrible automation and speaking to people who weren't in the location I was calling, I finally got to someone who swore to me they would look for the phone and call me back to let me know if they found it.  

Well, 18 calls later, no one has had the decency to return a call and update me on the status of the lost cell phone.  18 calls!!!  You would think someone would just call you back to keep you from calling.  

After the 18th call, I decided to drop by Avis RDU to speak to a manager to find out why they had such poor customer service.  Of course, the manager I spoke with (Connie) said she just couldn't believe no one would call me back and it was so unlike the designated person (Brenda), who was the one I managed to speak to briefly.  And she sounded like she had an attitude---as if I was disturbing her day.

Oh, and I did learn the car had been re-rented Labor Day evening at 10pm---a full three HOURS after I called.  And I also learned from Connie that the vehicle could've been put on hold while they did a thorough search.

To put it all in perspective, this post isn't about a lost cell phone, it's about business and customer service which Avis RDU has certainly NOT PASSED THE TEST.

Years ago, they had a commercial admitting to being #2 behind Hertz, which made them try harder.  Today they don't even rank in my book.

Black Friday is an Insult to Black America

Before I get on my soapbox about the nonsense of "Black Friday", let me just say I have shopped on the "so-called" Black Friday, in the past, looking for the best deals for Christmas but for the past five years I have not.  

Black Friday is an insult to Black America.   For 51 weeks and 6 days, the word black has a negative meaning.  Blackmail, blackball, blacklist, blackmarket, black cat, black people are all examples of what the majority of society sees as negative. And we, as Black people, are constantly targeted with racial bias, violence, hatred, insensitivity and downright meanness on a daily basis.    

But on one day (and now weekend) during the year, the word black is celebrated as a day when retailers look to capitalize on our hard earned money by dangling carrots (so-called sales) in our faces to take back the pennies we get paid in wages.  And we certainly don't disappoint.  We line up at midnight or wake up during the wee hours of the morning to make sure we are one of the first in line to get some of those carrots.  And some of us act a fool in front of the TV camera by fighting, others get trampled upon and even killed in order to be a part of the frenzy.  And worst yet, the majority of us would rather patronize big businesses than to support our own small, hard working, struggling, minority-owned businesses. Perhaps we can learn from our Latino brothers and sisters. 

Yes, I know this blog is written AFTER the fact, but perhaps if we start thinking about our actions now, we can send a clear and concise message to the retailers from this moment forward AND we can teach our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren about the value of the dollar and the importance of keeping it in our own communities.

There is actually a Black Boycott of Black Friday going on right now.  Did you know that?  I bet you didn't hear about that on the news, did you?  Why not?  Because whites control the majority of the media and their friends are the advertisers who are trying to take our money.

There's an old saying:  Money talks and BS walks.  Let's stop serving those who don't and never had our best interests at heart.  

To learn more about the Black Friday Boycott, click here:  BOYCOTT

Success is a Mindset

Success is a state of mind.  If you want success you have to start thinking of yourself as successful.  A positive mental attitude can go a LONG way especially when it looks like everything around you is falling apart.

A few months ago I came in contact with a young man named Andre Boyd.  He never had much to say but when he spoke, his words were empowering.  To those who have never taken the time to get to know him beyond his few words, he would come across as arrogrant and cocky.  But I saw someone who was digging down deep to uncover his true identity.

And then one day he sent me a poem to read.  I was blown away by it because it was at that moment in time that I believe I understood him and his quest and respected him for the journey he has taken.  I could see him digging deep down into the crevice of his soul to find the answers he's been seeking.  When I asked him why he wrote the poem this was his response:

I was working at the Wake County Detention Center.  Amidst all of the depression, violence, and insanity within the confines of that facility, I began to question all of the decisions I made in life that landed me in this position of employment.  I felt that I was better than my surroundings.  This poem crept into the forefront of my mind as a conscious effort to motivate myself to move forward and to vanquish the pessimism surrounding my regret for the path I chose.

And here is the poem he wrote.....

Ramifications of remembrance, stemming from errors we wish nonexistent
Dwelling within a subconscious realm tucked underneath reminiscence...

Here lies that shadowed doubt.  Could success be gained without falter?
With hindsight appearing in perfect vision, how so would our paths be altered?

Yet the challenges lie within mystery, for omniscience shall remain unattainable
If granted the wisdom of infinity, would the joy for the quest be sustainable?

Would there be such a term as motivation? Or an innate desire to persist?
Because if we really knew then what we know now, our NOW would never exist. 



So whether or not you understand this poem, understand this:  If you can imagine it, you can achieve it.  If you can believe it, the mind can achieve it.  Just ask Andre.

It's All About YOU in Business

I'm sure you've heard people say "It's not about you when it comes to business.  It's all about the customer and making sure they are satisfied."  


Yes, there is definite truth in that statement---no question about it.  If you have a service or product, your objective should be to have a "more than satisfied" customer because that customer is more than likely to refer other customers to you.

But I'm here to tell you, it's all about YOU too.  You are the most important part of your business.  Without you there is no business.  You are the designer of your destiny.  From the beginning you get to decide how much effort you want to put into your success.  You are the captain of your ship and you get to alter the course when necessary.

So here's what YOU have to do each day to jump start and maintain your successful business mindset:

• Wake up ready for the challenges of the day.  Some people just lie in bed dreading the thought of having to get up and face the day.  What I started doing was making a list the night before of things I wanted and needed to accomplish the next day so that would give me a jumping off point.  

• Get in the zone with a heart of gratitude (whatever it takes--I use prayer and meditation).  I also keep a journal where I write down the things I am grateful for as a reminder of the blessings I have already received.

• Put the right food in your body.  You've heard the saying---a healthy mind and a healthy body go hand in hand.  Starting out with a nutritious breakfast goes a LONG way in helping to keep you energized.

• Sweat out the Small Stuff:  Along those same lines, a healthy dose of exercise is good for the mind and body and it helps relieve stress.  So on those days when you're feeling a little overwhelmed, take a break and find an exercise routine you enjoy with some great music to move you along.

• Get perspective.  If you don't know where you're going, how will you know how to get there?  Take some time to map out your day so you can hit as many of your objectives as possible.

• Build strategic alliances.  Look at businesses associated with yours.  Connect with them and discuss what you're both looking for and see if there are ways you can help each other out.  These types of relationships can prove extremely powerful when it comes to referrals so make sure you give as much as you receive.

There are those who work all day.  There are those who dream all day.  And then there are those who spend an hour dreaming before setting to work to fulfill those dreams. Which one are YOU?