What Was He Thinking?

How many people who have done so very well, especially in athletics, have done really stupid things - in public, where someone is always there to record the event?

The common phrase is, "What was he thinking?" Well, the truth is, he wasn't thinking!

What makes anyone think they can do something against the law and get away with it . . . you know, just this once?

What makes a person think they can say something rotten about someone and that it will never get back to that person?

So, the obvious hardly needs stating.

Here you have an excellent athlete like Michael Phelps whose whole life of work (not to mention his Mother's work) all came together at the Olympics so he could have endorsements, extra education, be whatever he wants to be. What does he do? For one brief, silly, stupid moment, he tests the system and takes the chance of throwing it all away!

Michael Phelps is not the first to do this. Professional athletes are among the greatest offenders.

Not only are these people chancing throwing away everything they (and their families) have worked so hard for, they forget that they are who young people pattern themselves after.

WAKE UP!

BlackBerry Convenience

It has been two weeks to make your head spin - well, almost two weeks. Since Barack Obama was sworn in (at least once) as President, every day there has been something new to consider when watching FOX and CNN.

(By the way, I subscribe to the rule that Mr. Obama officially became President at noon, EST on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 and that the swearing-in ceremony is ceremonial.)

I think a lot about the mind and health of Barack Obama. His quick mind was evident when he was campaigning, debating and speaking before the Election. Occasionally we saw his self-deprecating humor.

My cousin, Tom, would have said Barack Obama would make a good dinner companion.

You have to like his wife, Michelle and their daughters. You don't have to look too carefully to see how much Barack and Michelle truly love each other.

Most writers are observers of life. That is where we find our stories.

At the Alfalfa Dinner last night, Mr. Obama made fun of himself suggesting that keeping his beloved BlackBerry was his hardest work so far.

Now, Mr. Obama is not in my "fave five" but I know I would miss my cell phone if I had to give it up. Since Hubby is generally driving, sometimes I get calls made while we are in traffic around town.

Since I learned to text, I have been able to cut messages to one granddaughter to bare minimum words and she seems to like that. She's a busy Mom with a job and a house and is often on call. A brief, precise message gets an answer.

So, although I don't have Mr. Obama's number, he can get mine, can't he?

Now, we all know he texts because he texted his choice for VP.

Since texts are short and to the point, can I expect:

Pls send recipe for dumbed-down guacamole dip PDQ for Steelers fans. Thx, B.

Yup, that's what we're having this afternoon. If I am well enough, I'll be at Super Crop and Hubby will be watching Super Bowl here at the house.

So I just hit the reply on my-less-than-BlackBerry:

1 pack Wholly Guacamole. 1 lge Sour Cream. Blend together till it tastes right. Welcome, M.

Enjoy the game, all and especially you, Mr. President!

A Gentle Way For Tourists to See Cities

Now animal activists want to remove the horse-drawn carriages from New York City.

In many major cities of the world, you can tour the downtown area riding in a carriage drawn by a horse. It is such a nice thing to do!

I personally find it difficult to believe that these horses are mistreated. The person who would buy a carriage to tour the city, showing tourists the the sights first-hand knows this horse is his livelihood and probably takes very good care of him.

This is not a time in history to do away with gentle niceties!

A Feel Good Story About Some Texans . . .

Here is a story to at least make us think a little about some of our beliefs.

We are in tough times: everybody knows that.

Many of us have cut back or are cutting back, especially if we are seniors, on fixed incomes with investments that have shrunk. We gasp each time we hear of high-paid executives of failing companies reaching for more bailouts, taking b0nuses, ordering jets. It is a rather ugly time for America.

This past week most of us have been following the first two weeks of the Obama administration and hoping - yes, and praying - that Barack Obama and his Team can help all of us back to some sort of solvency.

On TV there are ads offering to purchase old and broken gold jewelry. Everywhere there are ads for debt consolidation companies. There are many temptations to let go of something we could do without to raise a little cushion of cash.

In Atlanta, Georgia, there is a young family - parents and three children - who found out in the past year that two of their children needed special care for medical problems.

It is not so odd that the Peters family put their belongings on E-Bay.

What is unusual is the response outsiders had.

First, other people established a website for these people which you can visit to see some kind and some not so kind remarks. They did this in hopes of people sending the Peters family some cash. They were hoping the Peters would not have to sell their things.

There was a winning bid on E-Bay the other day - from a Texas couple, Donnia & Keith Blair.

The winning bid - for about $40,000 of household stuff and a 2000 Chevy Tahoe - was for $20,000.

So, what is the story here? The Blairs do not want any of the stuff and have said that the Peters can sort of think of themselves as storing the things. The Blairs just want the Peters to have the $20,000.

What motivates a couple like the Blairs to give someone they don't know, a real nice break like that? What motivates the people who have given online to give money to someone they do not even know?

Many Christians believe in tithing - in giving 10% of what they earn back to the Lord (The Church). Many believe that everything we have comes from God.

It is very interesting that here in East Texas, peoples' gifts to their churches have remained level during this past year. Why is that?

Why would someone just give away $20,000 to someone they do not even know? Why indeed!

I am not sure these are valid questions! Too many people see life only from a glass half-empty mentality.

Why ask "Why" when you could ask, "Why not?"

I don't think I know the Blairs and I do not know where in Texas they live. Texas is big, but in the twelve years I have been here, I have seen lots of people help others.

Several times, I have seen people stand up and say we don't need to all contribute money for something, because they will be happy to donate the amount needed.

I watched a man and his wife applaud one Sunday when someone thanked the anonymous donor of new computer equipment. That man and his wife genuinely wanted to remain unknown, but Hubby and I were there when he carried in the new things.

There is something very special about doing something for someone without them knowing who did it.

In our church we have a Mission Group and each quarter we select who we are going to help. Each of us who can gives extra to that mission. We have helped some local projects, but we have also sent Peruvian students to college and helped Habitat for Humanity.

For all I know, the Blairs are not the "Blairs" at all. They could be people I already know. I can, however, tell you something about the Blairs. They sleep at night and are thankful for everything they personally have. They might live in a house just like mine - not too big, not too small. They are extremely thankful that they do not have children who need expensive medical attention. Gee, maybe they don't even have children of their own. Perhaps they inherited some money. Perhaps they won one of the Texas Lottery games that Keith and I have not . . . yet.

I am pretty happy to see the Family in Atlanta benefit from the couple in Texas. I am always sad to see skeptical people. Did everyone forget that it is more blessed to give than to receive?

Oh, yes, one more thing. How special are their parents that they were willing to do without so their children could have what they needed? That is a very special family and they will be blessed more than they have already been.

http://site.everythingweown.com

foxnews.com - EBay Winners . . .

Once A Marine by Nick Popaditch: The Cigar Marine

Jesse is coming home to America this week. He is not quite finished his tour yet but we sure will be glad to see him. He joined the Marines right out of high school and has had three tours of Iraq. We pray for him all the time, just as all families and friends pray for these young men.

Is there a Jesse in your family or your circle of friends, your church? His father once told me that always, Jesse wanted to help people. He was home one time when we had our Sisters in Christ Banquet and he helped serve the ladies alongside the other men of the church. I cannot see that Jesse sees himself as any different from anybody. Mind you, his whole family is kind of like that.

So, I was interested to catch an interview with another very special Marine who has written a book, Once A Marine. This book is available (signed) at his website or at places like Amazon.com. It originally came out in October.

I am not very military-smart, but there was a picture of a marine, holding a cigar in his hand, driving a tank at the Saddam Hussein statue they pulled down. Nick, from Indianapolis, Indiana, was that "Cigar Marine". He says people sent him all manner of cigars after seeing the picture. Unfortunately, that is not the end of Nick's story.

Later, Nick was very badly injured. He did survive but lost one eye and most of the sight in his other eye. He usually wears an eye patch, but does wear a prosthetic eye with a Marine emblem on it.

Nick loved being a Marine; Nick loves life! Now; Nick is going to be a High School Teacher! (High School Teachers and Marines need about the same amount of courage!)

There is an expression: Once A Marine, Always A Marine. It is considered discourteous to use the term ex-Marine. The correct expression would be "former enlisted Marine" or "former commissioned officer Marine". Hence the title of Nick's book.

One hopes this book will become a movie! Websites where you can learn more and see official photos are listed:

http://www.cigarmarine.com

http://www.onceamarine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPDpg7FC0sI

CHARM: Me . . . A Senior?

At the bottom of today's blog, there is a link to a wonderful local magazine my friend Denise Hoepfner edits. Charm is distributed with our Lufkin Daily News and is found at various shops around town. It's fun because it is about local people, places and things and you'll often see someone you know in there. The cover this time features a couple who have been married for 60 years! Gee, they sure don't remind me of my grandparents from the 50s! (You'll find me on page 9 in a story about social networking.)

Denise was in the theater lobby when Keith & I exited the first showing of Charlie Wilson's War here in Lufkin, to ask us questions. When I joined Facebook, I found her there along with Ashley Cook who is now the City Editor of Lufkin Daily.

Ashley has been to our home because she wrote a couple of very nice stories about me when I was becoming an American Citizen back in (finally) 2004. Yup - I've been a Citizen for 5 years now!

When I joined Facebook, I also found two local friends who are pretty close to me in age, so I will have to live with us being called "seniors". That's what we like to be called when it means a discount, right?

Denise also has featured the year 1959 - because of course, that is 50 years ago. So, now is a good time to mention again that Keith & I will be travelling to Toronto for my 50th St.Clement's School Reunion. (My friend, Nina once asked me why our reunions did not coincide and of course that is because we used to have five years of high school in Ontario. )

Now, St.Clement's is a girls' school where we even had religion classes and an assembly each morning. I used to get there on a TTC (Toronto Transit Authority) bus, and the building then was a lot different from the one I will see this year. When I started in fall of 1954, the "Upper School" - grades 9 to 13 were held in a modest building with a small laboratory and a basement where Phys. Ed. , Assembly and Lunch were held. Junior School (grades 1 to 6 or 8) was in a two-storey house., across a small area where we could play basketball.

I should mention here that for "lower school", I went to Havergal College which had boarding students, a large, grand building and massive grounds where I learned to play tennis, my sport of choice in my youth. During Grade Eight, my friend, Judy, invited me to her place in a Detroit suburb for the Easter vacation. Her father just happened to be the Executive V.P of Ford Motor Company whose executive Canadian offices were still in Windsor.

Judy and I flew on a DC-3 and it was my first flight. I was thirteen and what a week that was! Judy's family lived in a house with about 17 rooms on an immense property and had staff and two Boxer dogs. They were wonderful people and treated me like royalty. When I got back to Toronto, my parents started seriously looking for another girls school (no distractions for learning, you know) with a mix of girls from families more like ours. (They were probably disappointed to ultimately find lots of wealth there as well, but the school itself was certainly less unpretentious. )

Today, I still get a kick out of checking the bottom of the hymns I remember so well from assemblies at that school because Frances Ridley Havergal wrote many of them and that is why they are so familiar! So Havergal was not totally lost on me!

Back to St. Clement's. I am a Life Member of the Alumni Association and logged two years on their Executive back in the 80s when it was created. I have gone to some of the reunions since I have been in East Texas and they are enjoyable. It is fun to see old classmates - sorry, girls - who have aged right along with me.

A few years ago, a new building rose on the same site - on St.Clement's Avenue, near YONGE STREET, about six blocks north of Eglinton Avenue. It was about four or five stories with a basketball court on the roof.

One of the most interesting things for me this year will be to see the newest St.Clement's building. Toronto real estate is extremely expensive (compared to East Texas) but probably no worse than cities like New York and Los Angeles. One of the parents and his company worked at picking up the block of houses on that side of the street. From my own real estate sales experience, I can assure you this is one of the trickiest achievements and that was a wonderful feat for the school!

So, when I go up in May, I will see a structure totally unlike the original one with high tech facilities and equipment, still in that wonderful North Toronto location! On Friday evening, they will treat me to wine and a viewing of art by students. (Wine at St. Clement's! That was a shock to me the first time we had that reception!)

My friend, Andrea has said she will come in this year. She sends detailed messages at Christmas each year of her events that keep her commuting from Canada to England and back. Well, heck, is that any bigger commute than Texas to Toronto to Texas? Ah Ha!

There are some girls who live in Western Provinces, and one in Florida, but most have stayed in the Toronto area.

There is another perk I received this year, not so much because I am a Senior, but because I have been a member for 30 years. Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) has made me a Life Member. That is really nice for me because (perhaps some of you know) my late husband, John Devlin, was not only a Life Member of CKC but also served as Vice President and Chair of many committees during his 50 years as an International All Breed Dog Judge. (I was happy they did this even though I am in Texas now.)

I have never been sure of the expression, "With Age Comes Wisdom", but I do know that if you are healthy and able to get around fairly easily, there are lots of perks that come with being a Senior!

http://shopping.lufkindailynews.com/SS/Page.aspx?secid=59744&pagenum=9&sstarg=&facing=false&

How To Stay Trim and Healthy In The White House

Chicago native, Sam Bass, has been invited by the Obama family to come to the White House to be their chef. He is 28 years old and was working with them in Chicago.

Mr. Bass is concerned about healthy eating. There is a staff already there to prepare for special functions.

This will set a nice example for the rest of us. If you've noticed, the Obama Family all look pretty healthy!

This ties in nicely with Richard Simmons' call for healthier eating and more exercise, particularly for children. Obesity is a big problem for children and adults alike in our country.

He Was There!

There is a wonderful columnist, Leon Hale, who writes for the Houston Chronicle and currently is doing a blog. He will never retire and he loves to tell the stories of the old days.

The other day, Leon Hale wrote a blog that really spoke to my heart.

I haven't talked a lot about it, but I was saddened when I came to East Texas to find less Blacks and Whites socializing than what I was used to in Toronto.

The stories I heard of how African-Americans were treated in the South were heart-breaking. Because I wouldn't give up, I made Black friends here and in fact, they are probably my truest friends!

So, Leon Hale told about a son of a maid in his neighborhood who used to kick the football around in the front yard after Leon's white friends had left. The bottom line was that Leon was watching the crowds in Washington last week and he was thinking his friend was probably there. (Of course, we don't know for sure if that man is even still alive, but I, too, would like to think he was there.) For sure he would have been watching his TV to see how a Black person finally broke down a bunch of barriers and is living - for all of us - the Dream of Martin Luther King, Jr.

I made a new friend on Facebook who went from Houston to Washington for that man and all those just like him. She had tickets and gathered her family from various places and her bottom line was that you could not put a price tag on that experience.

The best part for me was that Carolyn sent pictures from her phone of her family, the massive crowds, her tickets, her autographed photos of the President and Vice-President. I printed a few of those and along with the best photos I could find of Barack and Michelle Obama, I started my own scrapbook of this historical event.

After the Inauguration, Carolyn and her family toured Washington and so there are pictures of where MLK stood and the words on the inside and outside of the Lincoln Memorial.

Yesterday I told you about my wonderful friend whose Grandma wasn't home when the school bus brought her home yesterday. She's 8 years old and in Grade 4. I told you we did a couple of multiplication tables and had the Willie Nelson bear sing and offered her a cookie. I guess I didn't tell you she is African-American, did I?

I have told her Grandma, my precious friend, that I just don't get it - but she knows I do. When her late husband told us about sitting at the back of the bus when he came home from war wearing his uniform, I cried. When I think about the things they have told me, I still cry for how these people were treated.

So, how happy was I yesterday to show Grandma and "Susie" the beginning of my album of the Inauguration?

Just as Leon's friend was there in Washington, I think Susie's Grandpa was there too.

I talked a bit to Susie about how hard she must work in school to get really great grades so she can be whatever she wants to be. Then, I told her,

"Well, we have a Black President now, but do you know what we have not had?" She shook her head like the good listener she can be.

"We have not yet had a WOMAN President!"

Still lots to conquer when you're only eight years old!

http://blogs.chron.com/leonhale/2009/01/was_my_friend_at_the_inaugurat.html

What If You're Not Home When The School Bus Brings Your Child Home?

We have some wonderful neighbors and one of them has a granddaughter I'll call Susie.

Susie knows that she can come to our house and stay for a while. We have all the phone numbers to get in touch with her family.

Now, Buddy the Lhasa knows the time Susie's bus comes and he knows it came early today! That was okay because she had somewhere to go. Susie came in, had a cookie and played with Buddy. Then she recited two arithmetic multiplication tables and looked at the pages I have so far cropped of the inauguration and played the Willie Nelson teddy bear who sings "On The Road Again".

If we had not been home, the family at the corner would have been.

Shouldn't every child have that safe haven?

Duke Ellington Quarter Coming!

While Hubby is still waiting for a Hawaii quarter to round out his collection, the U.S. Mint has unveiled its new 25 cent piece for District of Columbia. It features Duke Ellington and Washington City's motto, "Justice for All".

This coin is the first quarter for 2009 and kicks off the DC and U.S. Territories Quarters Program.

Duke Ellington is a fine choice not only because he was born in Washington but because jazz is THE true American art form.

Collectors can buy these in bulk online for now. There will be an event to celebrate this coin later.

Hmm . . . just when your folder was just about full!

What's On Your Desk?

It's not very often that I have "writer's block" but today was hectic and I really could not focus on anything you'd like to read.

So, while thinking of what to write, I looked up at the books on the shelf of my computer desk.

When you go to a lot of homes, you don't see bookshelves with real books on them. When you do, if you look at the titles, you'll learn a little bit about the people who live there.

We have lots of shelves in our "great room" and without going out there, I can tell you there are reference books - atlas books, bibles, dog books, cookbooks, and some autobiographies on the one side of the fireplace. On the other, there are trinkets, and memories. On one and a half shelves there is a collection of Americana that people have given me since I became a citizen.

Back here, in my work area, where nobody visits, it is more definitive. I have some "Dummies" books on how to use various computer programs. Who would have ever thought that people would buy books for dummies? Catchy title for sure!

There are lots of dictionaries - big ones, little ones, a Thesaurus, and German, Spanish, French-language ones. There is one of Papiamento: that is the native language spoken in Aruba when Keith worked there many years ago. (I might need to refer to that!) There are books on writing technique and marketing alongside Bill Graham and Wayne Dyer. There is another book on Lhasa Apso, and a couple of photos of Hubby and me. There is some stationery and various size envelopes, alongside fresh printer cartridges.

To the left is where the real prizes are - my Toronto Blue Jay cap (old style), and an autographed baseball from one of the years they won the World Series. I see a small Houston Aeros hockey stick, a jar that counts the coins you put in it and . . . a small Ronald McDonald!

To the right of my computer is my Rolodex and my Sisters in Spirit Cup from my friend Bonnie, that holds my pencils, scissors, and pens. I see a Canada pen there which of course I am reluctant to toss even though it is dry.

To be fair, I must tell you there are files waiting to go in the cabinet. You have those too, right? There's a calculator and another bible.

What's on your desk?

There's No One As Irish As Barack Obama!

If you haven't yet heard this song, composed and sung by the Corrigan Brothers, an Irish folk group, do go to the link below to see an animated version - my personal favorite! (You will also find other versions on YouTube.com of the Corrigan Brothers singing.)

A friend drew my attention to this tom-foolery yesterday. This is light-hearted fun that is perfect for taking our minds off the realities of today. All of us with links to Maritime Canada really understand how much fun can be had with this sort of parody.

Word is that Barack Obama's great, great, great grandfather, Falmouth Kerney, resided in Moneygall (Ireland) before emigrating to the United States in 1850. The animated version gives "dancing" lyrics and is absolute fun. ENJOY!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HplZ_taHXLM

Time to Scrapbook the Inauguration

I love to scrapbook and tonight I was "cropping" the Inauguration of Barack Obama. This is an event that your children and grandchildren will want to know about and remember. There are photos online which you can download for your own use. You will find photos in many current magazines.

Don't forget to journal about what you were doing - were you at work; were you at home? Put down the dates, identify the people in the photos and some of the special things that were said. Add a little about where you live, how old everyone in your family is, where you live, and your impressions. Talk about how you feel about this historical day.

I used patriotic paper for the actual swearing in and a photo of the Lincoln bible. I used wonderful papers to compliment Michelle Obama's outfit. I still have the Inauguration Balls still to do and I will be using silvers and whites.

You'll be glad you put down your thoughts and detailed it for future generations and they will love to see just how history was made. And yes . . . this time we are a part of history!

A Great Hat for Aretha!

If "The Queen of Soul" wanted to have a special hat to sing at the inauguration, she would probably go to a man named Song, right?

Well, that is exactly what happened and that is just another thing that makes life - and writing a blog - so fun!

When I was a kid (yup, there she goes again), my mother wore hats all the time - to just about everywhere. We all wore hats to church.
Today, hats are not so popular.

A 36-year-old South Korean immigrant named Luke Song (honestly) is a designer for Song Millinery, his family's business in Detroit. (They sell to about 500 millinery boutiques across America.)

Thanks to Aretha Franklin walking into Song Millinery and asking for a bow on one hat to be placed on another hat to match a coat she had already purchased, Mr. Song's phone is ringing loudly this week!

Mr. Song will not be selling the exact hat but has offered something similar in satin ribbon for $179 and people are buying!

Now, if Mr. Song would just start turning out those plain ties Mr. Obama and his staff are wearing, he could capture the tie market too!

http://www.mrsongmillinery.com

You Gotta Love It!

I hope you got to see a little of the Obamas dancing at some of the 10 Inaugural balls because it helped us get to know them a little better.

The first lady's gown was very pretty and not overdone. It suited her perfectly.

The President doesn't have to worry about being asked to compete on Dancing With The Stars (ABC) but I think his style is similar to that of many men today.

The line he used that endeared me was a really old one that many of us heard a long time ago . . .

"I'm gonna dance with the one who 'brung' me." You gotta love that!

Keep That Pen Handy, Mr. President!

I have been thinking recently about when the salaries of doctors were capped in Ontario - in the late 1990s. Since it is a socialized system, that was a government decision.

There are many people whose salaries are absolutely beyond reason, in particular some executives of major corporations and some athletes.

It is hard to believe that some team sports are paying individual players exorbitant salaries, far beyond what any individual needs to live a luxurious life. The bottom line in sports is that tickets are priced beyond what an average family can afford.

(As an aside and I know this is perhaps small of me, but there is one thing that truly troubles me when I watch professional basketball. These men are making huge bucks and they miss the FREE throw! I can hardly believe that! It is called "free" and gives you an opportunity to throw that ball like you did in your driveway when you were a kid! Sounds simple to me!)

In the case of corporations, it is hard to fathom that executives are making enormous salaries and bonuses while the companies' stocks are sinking.

I cannot believe that humans are so indispensable that they should be making millions of dollars, particularly when the economy is making it very difficult for the average citizen to balance his budget, much less pay college tuition, travel or purchase new things.

When we cannot spend, more bad things happen to the economy. It's pretty simple math.

How happy I am to see President Barack Obama start at his own desk by capping all White House salaries over $100,000 today.

Thank you, Mr. President - keep going!

Inauguration Parade, Washington DC January 2009

Inauguration Parade, Washington DC January 2009, originally uploaded by sini.vlaisavljevic.com.

Today is THE day of this decade, if not of this generation. Martin Luther King Jr. believed we would have a black President within 4 decades. He called it pretty close, didn't he?

God Bless Barack & Michelle Obama and God Bless America!

Not Such A Patriotic Thing To Do!

Sometime between the hours of 11:00 p.m. last night and 7:00 a.m. this morning - Martin Luther King Jr. Day - and the day before the Inauguration of Barack Obama, the American flag flying in front of our house was stolen. We have replaced it with another one but we feel really sad about this.

Vanilla?

I thought I should take a moment to explain what I mean when I use the term "vanilla" about my writing. Vanilla is the most bland flavor and generally I try to write blogs that are inoffensive and do not get people upset. I guess it is one of my downfalls that I like to be liked!

A Very Big Job!

Sometimes I think it is an advantage that I have come from somewhere else to East Texas. I know I am different. (People point out that I speak differently.) Perhaps this is not a bad thing that I have a different view and have only been here for twelve years. You know I came from Toronto, a diverse city where people of all colors and languages mix and mingle. A person can go into any restaurant and see people of all nationalities and hear many languages spoken.

America - The United States - and Canada are countries full of immigrants. (I too am an immigrant!) If no one had chosen to come to North America, we would be very sparsely populated and we would not have come as far as we supposedly have.

How far have we really come since Martin Luther King Jr. had his dream? How many African-Americans truly have the same opportunities that White Americans have?

Actually, if you look closely, you can see that some Blacks are actually doing very well. Why is it that there is not a higher percentage of successful Blacks? Is Barack Obama being President going to change that? Young Blacks need role models. Barack Obama is a not the first person to represent what can be achieved if you work hard at attaining your goals. He just happens to be the first one to run and be elected President.

It could very well have been Colin Powell instead of Barack Obama. If you recall, he told Barbara Walters he did not have "the fire in his belly" to be President.

Condoleza Rice has served America well as Secretary of State. If you look carefully, you will find several outstanding Blacks in government and business. What is it that separates successful Blacks from non-achievers?

Many - not all - young Black people have been raised in single-parent families with no father. Mr. Obama has mentioned this and of course, comedian Bill Cosby has also addressed this.

The figures for young Black men graduating high school in United States are around 32%.

It is long overdue that people who are true patriots of the United States - people who really want to see things go well - extended a hand to underpriviledged Black young people. It is time for faith-based groups to mentor young Blacks who do not have enough positive role models.

It is time for Blacks and Whites to work toward encouraging disadvantaged young Black people, showing them that the road to achievement is paved with hard work and kind actions. I have heard some of the stories that are passed down from grandparents to parents to children about how badly Blacks have been treated, particularly in the South. It is fact that Blacks were abused terribly.

Will Barack Obama make a difference to what young African-Americans can achieve? Maybe, maybe not. He is indeed an excellent role model, as is his wife, Michelle. I see and know other Blacks with all the same characteristics as they have developed. But we must reach out to others who have not had loving parents who worked at two jobs to send their children to college. We must show the not-so-privileged that they too can have the American Dream, no matter what their color.