Delay Indicted

AP-A Texas grand jury on Wednesday charged Rep. Tom DeLay and two political associates with conspiracy in a campaign finance scheme, an indictment that could force him to step down as House majority leader. Click here for more details.

New note: Delay has temporarily stepped down from his Majority Leader seat.

Tavis Smiley Hosts PBS Hurricane Relief Concert

September 15, 2005

TAVIS SMILEY TO HOST PBS CONCERT FOR HURRICANE RELIEF
PBS Talk Show Host Went to Mississippi to Find Missing Sister and Family

Tavis Smiley had some very good reasons for accepting PBS's offer to host the
television coverage for Live From Lincoln Center's Jazz at Lincoln Center's
Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert airing nationwide on PBS stations
Saturday, September 17, 8-11 p.m. E.T.

It took the PBS late night talk show host less than a heartbeat to accept the
invitation. Not only did Smiley tour the devastation first hand in the immediate
aftermath and devoted extra coverage to it on his nightly show, he also went to
Mississippi to locate and retrieve his sister and her three children who had been
missing for five days.

Smiley was born in Mississippi but spent most of his childhood in Indiana.

"What I have tried to bring forward on both my PBS and PRI shows is the enormous
human magnitude of this disaster," said Smiley. "It is one thing to see the
destruction first hand and know how television images cannot begin to describe it.
It is another to look into the eyes of the people directly affected by it and to
hear their voices. I know that my sister and her family are indeed blessed.
I cannot begin to express how grateful I am to be part of this event."

Featured artists include Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Ken Burns, Shirley
Caesar, Cyrus Chestnut, Peter Cincotti, Elvis Costello, Bill Cosby, Aaron Nevile,
Robert De Niro, Paquito D'Rivera, Jon Hendricks, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, Abbey
Lincoln, Bette Midler, Dianne Reeves, Marcus Roberts, Paul Simon, Meryl Streep,
James Taylor, McCoy Tyner, Robin Williams, Cassandra Wilson, Jeffrey Wright,
Buckwheat Zydeco, and many more.

During the television broadcasts phone numbers will be shown on screen so that
viewers can make donations to the Higher Ground Hurricane Relief Fund, The Red
Cross, and Salvation Army.

"Tavis Smiley" is seen weeknights on PBS. For more information, visit
http://tavistalks.lyris.net/t/2268/12205/3/0/.

Crossing Jhordan's River Crosses over to #1

#1 on Essence Bestsellers List!!! Crossing Jhordan's River(Christian Fiction Blog's May Book of the Month,) the book that graced the #3 spot on September's Essence Bestsellers List makes the #1 spot its new home for the month of October!

In the September issue of Essence Magazine, Kendra was officially given the title of National Bestseller when her novel Crossing Jhordan's River made the #3 spot on the list for bestselling paperback fiction. This month, God gave her the increase and Crossing Jhordan's River now sits at #1 on the list in the newly released October
issue of Essence Magazine.

Kendra says, "Reaching national bestseller status was a direct answer to prayer. However, I never asked God to make any of my books a #1 national bestselling novel. But He did promise to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, so I know this is His doing. And I thank Him continuously." The new Essence listing has not been loaded onto their website yet, but feel free to go out and pick up a copy of the October issue - in stores NOW.

Kendra Norman-Bellamy is the author of five current Christian fiction titles: A Love So Strong (Moody Publishers), For Love & Grace (BET Books), Crossing Jhordan's River (Moody Publishers), Because of Grace (BET Books) and Three Fifty- Seven A.M. (KNB Publications, LLC).

Congrats, Kendra.

Dee

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christianfiction: Falcons Soared over the Eagles

christianfiction: Falcons Soared over the Eagles

Kanye West Telethon clip

Thanks, Dorioo for this clip. Dorioo's Kanye West Telethon clip

Search & Arrest: Hurricane Katrina

I've tried to only keep my comments to linking Hurricane Katrina relief organizations on my blogs, but I just saw something that singed me hotter than pressing irons on the back of my ear. On my local CBS channel in Atlanta I just saw two children being arrested in Louisian for taking food. Now I don't believe in stealing, but I don't agree with those two kids being treated like hard criminals. People need food, shoes, pamper. And I might be wrong, so please correct me, but the Red Cross and Salvation Army needs more help. I don't want to hear no political baloney. I don't want to hear a reason to justify why hungry children should still be hungry when we can drop food and relief to other countries' children. I don't want to hear why people are still sitting on house roofs waiting to be rescued, but can't be rescued because the sheriff's are arresting pamper thieves. And I'm really upset with the looters taking televisions out of stores. There's no electricity. And they should've been trying to find those kids some food.

Dee

Shots disrupt US storm evacuation

From the BBC...

A spokesman for the Louisiana ambulance service told the BBC the crowd had grown unruly and he was concerned for the safety of his staff. He said a national guard had been shot, but he had not been seriously injured.

Looting and lawlessness have plagued the city in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, which struck on Monday.

Check out my little blog on Katrina Aid blog to find out more about aid and rescue. Add comments of other efforts, too.

My Right to Vote

Tomorrow my county has an election and today we've been told that there has been a change in our qualifications to vote.

According to Don Plummer of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, "The U.S. Justice Department on Friday approved House Bill 244, which created one of the most restrictive voter identification laws in the nation...the rules for a Gwinnett County special election to be held Tuesday are changing in midstream due to last-minute approval of Georgia's controversial voter ID law. Voters will have to carry photo identification and will not be able to vote by absentee ballot on Monday, though they earlier received notices that they would, Gwinnett election officials said Saturday."

These changes offend me for two reasons. (1)I'm disabled, so I often use absentee ballot, and (2) having to have two forms of ID seems racially suspect.

Why racial, Dee? Please don't pull out the race card, Dee. Well...maybe I should pull the new immigrant card(as I am not a new immigrant, so I can appear non-biased. wink wink.) In order to vote tomorrow, you must show a state-issued photo ID. I have a drivers license, a state ID and an old GSA tag, if need be. But most non-drivers(Atlanta is the kind of town when you don't need to drive, because of the MARTA transportation system and you can walk or ride your back. It's that kind of city, so everyone has a driver's license. And some who do, may have lost theirs and had it taken away for driving, while taking Zyrtec. And there are some that aren't supposed to be in the states, but get free medical care and free public school education just like any citizen. So there are some georgians/hiding out georgians walking amongst us without state ids. You know...And then there are some who don't have state I, because they can't afford the ten dollar charge. Yes. In America, particularly in rural Georgia or project Georgia or college Georgia that can't spare ten dollars. If you've been in college, you know what I mean. ten dollars is the difference between a twelve pack of Top Ramein, a 2 liter sprite, a week of laundry, and 2 gallons in the tank. Ten dollars for a voter loving college student is hard. And you don't have to have state ID to use the college bank just your college id. Now if you attend state college--smile--then your id constitutes as a state id. But if you were like me and you attended a private ivy league institution(that's why you don't have ten dollars to spend) then your id is null and void outside of the campus walls. An old friend, Tyrone Brooks wrote a scathing opposition letter to this new law. But, of course, our justice department doesn't care about our justice. Thank goodness, I can vote. I hope you can, too.

A Bishop, A Bentley & Bad Taxes

A jaw dropping article about one of Atlanta's most beloved religious leaders, Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

Bishop's charity generous to bishop
New Birth's Eddie Long got $3 million

By JOHN BLAKE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/28/05

"I'm worried that a few people are confusing the ringing of a church bell with the ringing of a cash register," Grassley said in a statement in response to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's inquiries about the charity. "When I hear about leaders of charities being provided a $300,000 Bentley to drive around in, my fear is that it's the taxpayers who subsidize this charity who are really being taken for a ride."
-Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)

"In general, an individual(s) salary and benefits should not be excessive and must be approved by the majority of board of directors who are unpaid and not related to the individual(s)," said IRS spokesman Mark Green in a statement.

"We touch a lot of people," Bishop Long said in his defense. "This is a world-impacting ministry, and I personally get a little offended when my integrity is questioned."

To read the entire article-- which is a mammoth of an article that includes BISHOP EDDIE LONG'S compensation breakdown, incorporation papers for Bishop Eddie Long Ministries Inc., Quitclaim deed for house purchased by Bishop Eddie Long Ministries Inc. and Bishop Long (address omitted) and so much more-- click on the link to read the entire article.

Right now. I don't have an opinion on this article until I get more information. I was a former accountant so I may look through the tax documents. Other than that, I hope you can leave comments here either for or against this investigation.

Do you think megaministers should receive large compensation from non-profits?
What would be a more ethical way for these ministers to receive a deserving salary without costing tax dollars?

Christian author's eletter to Grieving Protest Mother

Best-selling Charisma House author Stephen Mansfield, who recently wrote The Faith of the American Soldier and the New York Times best-seller, The Faith of George W. Bush, is drawing national media attention for writing “an open letter” to the mother of a slain soldier who has kept a vigil outside President Bush's home in Crawford, Texas, this month to protest the war in Iraq.

On Aug. 16, Mansfield posted a 502-word letter to Cindy Sheehan on his blog, www.mansfieldgroup.com . Sheehan, whose son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, was killed in Iraq in April 2004, has generated a media firestorm since Aug. 6, when she camped outside Bush's ranch in hopes of meeting with him.

Mansfield, who read his letter to Sheehan on National Public Radio's All Things Considered last Thursday, said he does not want to diminish her grief, but he is concerned that she is detracting the heroic death of her son through her demonstration.

Whirlpool buys Maytag

From the BBC...

US home appliance firm Whirlpool has signed an agreement to takeover smaller rival Maytag for $1.7bn (£944m).

Georgia Mourns Fallen Soldiers in Silent Tribute Today

Flags will be lowered to half-staff and Georgians will be asked to pay silent tribute for two minutes Thursday at 1 p.m. to honor the memory of the state's war dead.

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue will lead an hour-long public prayer vigil at the state Capitol Thursday. The governor has also ordered all state flags be flown at half-staff in tribute to those Georgians who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Kindergarten Writing Diva Mom

This morning I jumped up, put on my Mommy MuMu and made my sweetie pie some sausage and waffles for her first day of school. She woke up around seven. Smiled. Beamed actually. I wanted to cry. Prayed over her. We ate and talked about how fun today would be. She would go to Kindergarten and be a big girl; And I would go to my computer and write 2000 words of novel. We both did what we were supposed to do. I feel like a superhero now--Kindergarten Writing Diva Mom and Selah, my trusty smiley faced sidekick.

Why Fiction Matters: Saint Ralph

Michael McGowan, writer/director of Saint Ralph, a Warner Bros. movie that will be released August 5th, spoke about one reason why he wrote this story.

...I was interested in exploring the notion of faith—or in this case, misguided faith—by using the Catholic Church as a backdrop. I felt a modern setting with priests at an all-boys school would necessitate exploring some of the darker issues that the church is facing and these weren’t part of the story. Perhaps more importantly, in the 1950s, for many Catholics, the church defined their world. It was the starting and stopping place. Either you were Catholic or you weren’t. This was important because the protagonist, Father Fitzpatrick, then becomes much more of a threat. To go up against someone like him, as Ralph does, would have serious ramifications. I didn’t feel like the stakes would be nearly as high today.

Question: Are there any raised stakes in Christianity today? What are they and can they be important enough to be discussed in our novels in progress?

Writing to see what the end's gon' be,
Dee

A New Face of Hunger, Without the Old Excuses

Lydia Polgreen at the New York Times talks about another issue of world poverty--from democratic nations like Niger. Click on title to read the article in full view.

Dee

From the Pulpit: Stop Hating on Reviews

Bible Verse for Thought: Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devils schemes."

Newsflash. I am a book reviewer.

Mostly, I write commercial reviews for a few local newspapers, two national print mags(one secular and one faith based,) and a slew of e-zines for free. My cashflow comes from writing reviews for publicists seeking an angle for their client or publishing houses looking for an in-house review before they decide if the book is contract worthy. And my bread and butter comes from literary magazines, whose soul's purpose is to dissect what's artistic. I also critique oils on canvas for my father's store, african dolls(a bad investment,) book arts(my love and pedigree), slave burial grounds and church iconography(my Master's thesis,) and people who criticize reviewers...priceless.

If you are a writer and not a reader first, then what are you writing about? If you are a reader and can't give a constructive review, then what are you learning about the craft? What do you know about your genre? And how can you defend it against unbelievers?

Breaking news. I am a writer.

I write christian celebrity interviews and christian life teachings for national print. Local christian news for local papers. Short stories for literary reviews. And I'm writing a novel.

For some strange reason I know that someone will go into my coat closet and read my novel and hate it. I also know that that same person won't call my characters two-dimensional, my writing weak and passive, my theme trite, and my voice unmoving. They may not like the story, but they will appreciate the effort to write something strong of all literary points.

See I don't care about reviewers, because I understand them. I don't care about people who may won't to tear down my business for unholy reasons, because I have on the whole Armor of God.

So if you can't write, for being upset with reviewers. If you can't do God's will for blaming reviewers, then stop typing. Get on your knees. And get yourself right. Because when it's all over, Christ don't care about your excuse and wouldn't have read the reviews.

Bless him why you can.

Writing to see what the end's gon' be,
Dee

Three School Boys Trapped in School Drainage Found

(CBS46 News) photo. Three boys trapped in GA Culvert.

-- Gwinnett County Fire and Police officials were on the scene of three boys trapped in a culvert.

Live images from Newschopper 46 showed workers trying to get to the children, who may be in the drain, which is located on the grounds of Taylor Elementary School, in Lawrenceville. Gwinnett officials say the drain could be several football fields long.

All three kids later found. Good news for a change.

Desperate Black Housewives Write

Grown Folks Business Early Release 

Before American society made women past thirty-seven disappear in tv, radio, cinema, on magazines, and in novels. But something has changed in the 21st century. Desperate Housewife's Nicolette Sheridan still has the goods. 50 something Oprah Winfrey still reigns supreme. 40somethings Darryl Hannah and Vivica A. Fox kicks butt in Kill Bill Volume II. Whitney Houston might just make a comeback. And Terry McMillan has a new bestseller for the summer.

Join our discussion board at Suite101 and lets talk about these books this summer. Also check out my blog at christianfiction dot blogspot dot com to learn more about Let the Lion Eat Straw and Grown Folks Business.

Dee

For my writing group friends