Dr. Thompson: How To Make Money During a Down Economy

Economy

By Dr. Maxine Thompson

Are you angry about the economy? I don’t know about you, but I get angry in this down economy. Why? Because it has a trickle-down effect on all small businesses.

In my case, particularly as a literary service provider, some clients don’t pay when they should because someone hasn’t paid them.

We, as literary entrepreneurs, must adjust our marketing strategies.

But, instead of getting angry, how about if we get busy?

How about if our anger could move us to another level? A level of action.

Let’s look back in history. During the depression, women found ways to make it for their families by cooking, sewing, quilting, washing and ironing clothes for other families, etc.

Earned Income Tax Credit for Harlemites

Community

Congressman Charles B. Rangel, City Council members Inez E. Dickens, Robert Jackson, Melissa Mark-Viverito and Ydanis Rodriguez and New York Assemblymen Adriano Espaillat, Danny O’Donnell and Keith LT Wright were among the several elected leaders Friday that urged New Yorkers not to let a moment go by without claiming every single tax benefit that their hard work had entitled them to on their 2009 taxes — especially the Earned Income Tax Credit.

Sponsored by Congressman Rangel and passed in 1975 on a bipartisan basis, the EITC is the federal government’s largest benefits program for working families and one of the nation’s most powerful anti-poverty programs.

“It’s hard to believe, but each year, millions of Americans — an estimated 5-7 million nationwide and close to 20,000 in Northern Manhattan alone — miss out on getting money that they are entitled to,” said Rangel, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and Dean of the New York Congressional delegation.

J.D. Salinger: another Harlem Great

History

From Harlem+Bespoke

Acclaimed writer J.D. Salinger passed away this week and many of the papers have been writing about his relationship to New York City but most of them only give a nod to his original childhood nabe: Harlem. We mentioned J.D. Salinger’s works a couple of times last year since many did not know that one of America’s most famous writers was born in Harlem. The year was 1919 and the Salinger family lived right across from Trinity Cemetery in West Harlem. The young family would represent what was then a majority ethnic white Harlem which was mainly Jewish and Irish in some parts.

Until about 1928, the Salingers would move (this year would correspond with when the great migration of African-Americans would start to shift Harlem’s demographics) down to the Upper West Side and this area would then be the focus of much of his writing. More recently, the famous Glass family from his novels showed up in the film called the Royal Tanenbaums which coincidentally was filmed in Harlem.

Salters Scene: P-Star Rising at Tribeca Cinemas

 

P-Star and Jesse Diaz

Monday January 25, 2010 was the last showing of P-Star Rising at Tribeca Cinemas, before airing on PBS February 9, 2010.   This great documentary gives the viewer a look into the life of 9 year-old Priscilla“P-Star” Diaz as she becomes a star. 

The film follows Latina and Harlemite Priscilla Diaz, her father Jesse and her sister Solsky over a 4 year period.   During this time Pricilla becomes P-Star – a rap artist.  Trying to pick-up where her father left off, P-Star sets out to make it big in the music industry.  You get to travel with her as she embarks on this journey to stardom, as she signs a record deal, performs for huge international audiences, becomes part of the a group and hits rock bottom.   

Directed by Gabriel Noble, the film, balances the good, the bad and the ugly.  You get a front row seat into the stress the Diaz family battles in show biz.  

After the showing of the film Monday night, there was a question and answer session.  On hand to field questions were the film’s Producer Marjan Tehrani, Director/Cinematographer Gabriel Noble, Jesse Diaz and P-Star.  

P-Star, in response to a question about whether she had any fears during this time in her life depicted in the film, said the only thing that she feared was losing the trust of her father.

Check your local listings for P-Star Rising airtimes on PBS .

Black History @ the Schomburg

History

It’s Black History Month and We’re Loving It!

The Schomburg Center has an exciting month of activities for you and your family to see and enjoy! We look forward to seeing you this month!

Opera aficionados don’t miss Opera at the Schomburg on February 1 and Jazz fans come on in for James Carter on February 8 and Wycliffe Gordon and Eric Reed on February 22.

Ordinary Dolls, Extraordinary Results

Health

Imagine a patient needing an x-ray who kicks and screams and refuses to lie still. Then imagine that very patient calm and cooperative—without drugs or restraints.

That’s the reaction of numerous patients to a program known at Mount Sinai as “The Doll Project.” It’s as simple as it sounds: agitated patients on the geriatric psychiatry unit are given dolls used as a proven therapeutic intervention to calm behavior.

Chuck and Tod “In the Life”

Art

Partners Tod Roulette (Harlem resident and HW arts contributor) and Chuck Allen, III featured on PBS’s “In the Life” TV special. Here is an excerpt from the show:

Join Tod on February 20th, at 12-2pm to meet the artists who have donated to SCAIII Scholarship fund set-up in Chuck’s name at Swann Galleries at 104 East 25th Street, New York, New York 10010, Tel. 212-254-4710, Fax. 212-979-1017, www.swanngalleries.com/index.cgi

Moreland at the Movies: Edge of Darkness

By T. A. Moreland

Veteran Boston police officer, Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) is excited to have his 24 year old daughter, Emma (Bojana Novakovic) home for a visit.

She becomes ill and as Craven supports her out the front door to get her to the hospital, an unknown assailant blasts her with a shot gun. Law enforcement theorizes that the shooter was aiming at Craven. But investigators soon realize that explanation is too simple and that the true story is much deeper and more complicated.

Chris Matthews On Obama “I Forgot He Was Black”?

Chris Matthews, host of “Hardball” on MSNBC launched into pretty ignorant drivel on air following President Obama’s address last night, calling the president truly “post-racial” before adding, “I forgot he was black for an hour.”

Rev. All and Wyclef to Discuss Yéle

Al Sharpton was seen this past weekend in Harlem at the Yéle press conference with Wyclef to discuss how the relief organization delivered cooked meals, water, and medical supplies to survivors of the earthquake in Haiti.

Bossip.com

Sister’s Uptown Books 10th Anniversary

Books

Sister’s Uptown Bookstore and Cultural Center is celebrating ten years of community service. We are grateful to all of you who encouraged and supported us over the years.

Please join us as we celebrate the 10^th Anniversary on Saturday, January 30, 2010 from 1pm-9pm at 1942 Amsterdam Avenue @ 156^th Street, New York City.

Greet friends, eat heartily, and appreciate the music, spoken word, local artists, silent auction and authors. Share our joy.

Motivational speaker ‘did a Kevorkian’

Exclusive

It was too crazy to be true — a motivational speaker from Long Island, bent on suicide, drives to East Harlem, announces, “I want to do a Kevorkian,” and is stabbed to death in his car by a helpful passer-by.

But in a stunning turnaround, prosecutors now think the admitted stabber’s wacky explanation for the July 16 death of tragic Jeffrey Locker may actually be what happened.

The account is substantiated by Locker’s huge debts and recent life-insurance purchases and computer searches for funeral arrangements, Manhattan prosecutors said in a dramatic filing made public yesterday.

“It makes sense now,” said one law-enforcement source, speaking on condition he not be named.