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	<title>BLACK ENTERPRISE &#187; Tamara E. Holmes</title>
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	<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com</link>
	<description>Your Ultimate Source for Wealth Creation</description>
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		<title>Making the Right Moves on the Net</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/11/17/making-the-right-moves-on-the-net-2</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/11/17/making-the-right-moves-on-the-net-2#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:26:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[e-commerce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social networking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[startup]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.blackenterprise.com/?p=41114</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When Candi Carter launched a line of educational DVDs for children in March, she had to deal with a problem that’s all too common for entrepreneurs—a lack of cash. 
]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Dare to Take a Chance</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/10/16/dare-to-take-a-chance</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/10/16/dare-to-take-a-chance#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:08:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[startup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Waterlicious]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.blackenterprise.com/?p=41334</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[One executive with Waterlicious, a Marina Del Rey, California-based water manufacturer found an unconventional way to gain exposure for his brand.]]></description>
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		<slash:comments>6</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Keep the Faith</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/2009/09/08/keep-the-faith</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/2009/09/08/keep-the-faith#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:23:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[faith]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mental health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[spirituality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stress]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.blackenterprise.com/?p=39434</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Got Faith? Author Westina Matthews offers advice on making it through these uncertain times.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/2009/09/08/keep-the-faith/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>What You Sow</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/09/01/what-you-sow</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/09/01/what-you-sow#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:55:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mentoring]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tutoring]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[We Are S.E.E.D.S. Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[workshops]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=38925</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In an effort to help teenage girls blossom where they are, Terri J. Brown launched We Are S.E.E.D.S. Inc. which sends mentors into the community to work with girls between the ages of 11 and 18 to help them increase their self-esteem, discourage promiscuity, and make responsible choices.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/09/01/what-you-sow/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Making the Right Moves on the Net</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/08/27/making-the-right-moves-on-the-net</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/08/27/making-the-right-moves-on-the-net#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:02:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Baracka Wear Inc.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[It's Hip Hop Baby]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MySpace]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[social networking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Twitter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=39013</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When Candi Carter launched a line of educational DVDs for children in March, she had to confront a lack of cash.
“We didn’t have a multimillion dollar budget,” Carter says. So instead of paying for advertising, the 40-year-old mom and television producer turned to social media—blogs, online videos and social networking sites such as Twitter (www.twitter.com) and Facebook (www.facebook.com)—to expose her business to potential customers and build a brand.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/08/27/making-the-right-moves-on-the-net/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>A Call to Serve</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/08/25/a-call-to-serve</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/08/25/a-call-to-serve#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:42:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[community service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IRS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nonprofit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[We Are S.E.E.D.S.]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=38832</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Terri J. Brown, 33, came out of a troubled past involving drugs and truancy and developed a desire to not only give back to her community, but reach back. “I wanted to go back to the heart of North Philadelphia where I grew up and show the youth that there are alternatives,” says Brown, who went on to become a college graduate and successful professional. Founder of We Are S.E.E.D.S. Inc. Brown’s nonprofit organization—whose acronym stands for Sisters Empowering Excellence, Determination, and Success—sends mentors into the community to work with girls between the ages of 11 and 18 to help them increase their self-esteem, discourage promiscuity, and make responsible choices. Mentors present workshops, take girls on field trips, and expose them to educational and career options.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/08/25/a-call-to-serve/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Clear the Way</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/08/01/clear-the-way</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/08/01/clear-the-way#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2009 20:04:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Careers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cutts Consulting LLC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Raise The Bar LLC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=37553</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[To take her career to the next level, Lindsey C. Holmes decided to create a vision boards–– a graphical representations of what one wants to achieve in life.  ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/08/01/clear-the-way/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>How Economic Uncertainty Can Spark Entrepreneurship</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/07/07/how-economic-uncertainty-can-spark-entrepreneurship</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/07/07/how-economic-uncertainty-can-spark-entrepreneurship#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:16:40 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recession]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=35930</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There’s no doubt the economic downturn is sparking a lot of anxiety as people worry about financial woes and job loss. But anxiety is nothing more than nervous energy, which can be channeled into actions that can improve your standard of living, experts say. One way to do this: Start a side business so you’ll be less impacted by a salary cut or layoff. “It’s a great time for people who are entrepreneurs who can come up with things to help people now,” says Dr. Gloria Morrow, a licensed clinical psychologist in Upland, California. “Millionaires are born out of a time like this.”]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/07/07/how-economic-uncertainty-can-spark-entrepreneurship/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Surviving the Storm</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/07/01/surviving-the-storm</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/07/01/surviving-the-storm#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:17:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[downturn]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[entrepreneur]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[income]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=37294</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Toward the end of 2007, Jacqueline Jackson, a realtor in Orland Park, Illinois, was struck by how much her business had taken a tumble. She had sold more than $3 million in property the year before, but she says, “One day I woke up and I realized I hadn’t had a closing in a year.” Grim projections for the ailing real estate industry only added to the uncertainty Jackson felt about her ability to maintain her business and standard of living.  ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/07/01/surviving-the-storm/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Making Concessions For Customers</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/06/24/making-concessions-for-customers</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/06/24/making-concessions-for-customers#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:27:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[customer service]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[negotiation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=36600</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As business owners struggle with today’s economic reality that many customers can’t or won’t pay as much for products and services, some are finding creative ways to keep customers loyal and get them spending again. Letting customers know that you’re willing to offer them more value or a bargain since they’re experiencing tough times builds trust between you and those customers, says April C. Seals, owner of Scentsational Greetings, a greeting card company in Monrovia, California. “It’s important to foster those relationships so later on down the road when everyone is doing well they will remember how well you treated them during that tough time,” says Seals. Here’s how business owners can adjust their business models to the economic slowdown to keep customers happy and make money in the process.  ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/06/24/making-concessions-for-customers/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Doing Business in a Down Economy</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/06/23/doing-business-in-a-down-economy</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/06/23/doing-business-in-a-down-economy#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:29:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[rebound]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recession]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Start-Up]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=36572</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For entrepreneurs whose businesses are less than eight years old, this is the first time they’ve operated in a recession since the previous one took place in 2001. But for business owners who’ve experienced other downturns, there’s a sense of security in that they’ve been through this before and will in all likelihood go through it again. Here are some suggestions from business owners who are no strangers to recessions about how to survive and even thrive when running a business in a down economy.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/2009/06/23/doing-business-in-a-down-economy/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Dealing With a Large Tax Bill</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/04/24/dealing-with-a-large-tax-bill</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/04/24/dealing-with-a-large-tax-bill#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:21:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[CPA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IRS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Taxes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=30402</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After De’Lante A. Rawls, 34, left his job as an insurance agent in 2002 to open his own  agency, he was hit with a $7,000 tax bill because he hadn’t withheld taxes on his self-employment earnings. When he couldn’t pay the entire bill immediately, he consulted with a certified public accountant who advised him to file his return on time and arrange an installment plan with the Internal Revenue Service. “They put me on a five-year plan to pay it off,”says Rawls, now founder and managing principal of National Insurance Consulting Group in Washington, D.C. The monthly payments of $150 covered the balance plus interest and late penalties. But Rawls, determined to accelerate the payments, applied every extra cent he could and paid off the balance in 18 months. 
]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/04/24/dealing-with-a-large-tax-bill/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Voices of Economic Survival</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/2009/04/07/voices-of-economic-survival</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/2009/04/07/voices-of-economic-survival#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:08:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Wealth For Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Great Depression]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[money management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recession]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=29250</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As bad as the economy has gotten in the past few months, the hardships many are encountering pale in comparison with the challenges endured by those who lived through the Great Depression. Between 1929 and the early 1940s, Americans suffered the longest, most devastating economic period in history. Self-sufficiency was the key to getting through those tough times, survivors say, and the importance of saving was the greatest lesson.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/2009/04/07/voices-of-economic-survival/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Angst of Acquisition</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/04/02/the-angst-of-acquisition</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/04/02/the-angst-of-acquisition#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2009 14:14:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[acquisition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Best Warehousing and Transportation Center Inc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Winston McDonald]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=28997</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Winston McDonald says he never really saw himself as a corporate man, even though that was where his career path veered. “Everyone in college talked about working 20 or 25 years for a company, but in the back of my mind I knew I wanted to do something different,” recalls McDonald, the owner of Best Warehousing and Transportation Center Inc., or BWT (www.bestwtc.com; 404-344-1121). BWT’s revenues hit $925,000 last year and are projected to reach $2 million for 2009, partly because of increased opportunities stemming from the company’s certification as a minority business enterprise or MBE, and from the more than $1 million worth of contracts currently under negotiation.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/04/02/the-angst-of-acquisition/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Staring Down Disaster</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/04/01/staring-down-disaster</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/04/01/staring-down-disaster#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Apr 2009 05:00:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Disaster]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=26789</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[For Dayton, Ohio-based Comtactics L.L.C., 2008 was turning out to be a banner year. The five-year-old marketing and Internet solutions firm, which develops Websites, logos, and videos, finished 2008 with $540,000 in sales and in December moved into a larger, newly renovated office. 
]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/04/01/staring-down-disaster/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Rebuilding Your Reputation after Redemption</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/2009/03/18/rebuilding-your-reputation-after-redemption</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/2009/03/18/rebuilding-your-reputation-after-redemption#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:36:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Lifestyle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[chef]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cherry A. Collier]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food Network]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jeff Henderson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[life coach]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=27583</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Chef Jeff Henderson has reached the heights of culinary success, having served as the executive chef at Las Vegas’ Café Bellagio and starred in the Food Network’s The Chef Jeff Project, where he mentored six at-risk youth while teaching them to cook. But before he scored success, Henderson had to confront his past. After serving nearly 10 years in prison for selling drugs in his 20s and 30s, Henderson, 44, had a stigma to live down.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/2009/03/18/rebuilding-your-reputation-after-redemption/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Why Should I Care?</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/03/01/why-should-i-care</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/03/01/why-should-i-care#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:54:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mental health]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Motivation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stress]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.blackenterprise.com/?p=40578</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With cutbacks causing employees to do more with less, morale is down in many companies and it’s easy for apathy or indifference to set in. Apathy, however, can be a career killer, particularly in a tight job market, since employees who don’t care are less likely to give their all, making them ripe for receiving a pink slip.
“An uninterested employee is less valuable to the company and faces a real danger of being swept up in a wave of layoffs,” says Rhoda Smackum, a career coach with Career by Design in Laurel, Maryland. Smackum adds that if you’re unmotivated, “you’re less likely to showcase your skills and the value that you bring.”]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/03/01/why-should-i-care/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Cut Your Insurance Costs Without Sacrificing Coverage</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/consumer-affairs/2009/01/23/cut-your-insurance-costs-without-sacrificing-coverage</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/consumer-affairs/2009/01/23/cut-your-insurance-costs-without-sacrificing-coverage#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2009 20:38:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Consumer Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=23248</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With people looking to cut costs in a tight economy, some may be thinking about decreasing or even eliminating certain types of insurance. But while such a move may save a few dollars in the short-term, it could jeopardize your long-term financial health, experts warn.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/consumer-affairs/2009/01/23/cut-your-insurance-costs-without-sacrificing-coverage/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Coaching Through Crisis</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/careers/2009/01/06/coaching-through-crisis</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/careers/2009/01/06/coaching-through-crisis#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:23:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Careers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Career By Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[coach]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cylient]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Resume Writers’ Association]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rhoda Smackum]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=22257</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With layoffs and economic uncertainty forcing many Americans into unplanned career changes, it’s only logical to want to cut back on expenses and save as much money as possible. But that may be a mistake, at least as far as your career is concerned, experts say, since a coach or consultant can help you navigate a tough corporate landscape and stand out from the crowd.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/careers/2009/01/06/coaching-through-crisis/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Did They Cause the Credit Crisis?</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/01/01/did-they-cause-the-credit-crisis</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/01/01/did-they-cause-the-credit-crisis#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Jan 2009 03:26:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[housing crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[subprime lending]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=25090</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Conservatives claim minority home buyers hobbled the financial system. Really?]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/01/01/did-they-cause-the-credit-crisis/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Did They Cause the Credit Crisis?</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/01/01/did-they-cause-the-credit-crisis-3</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/01/01/did-they-cause-the-credit-crisis-3#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:10:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community Reinvestment Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[loans]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.blackenterprise.com/?p=41217</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The loud, angry chorus of blame began almost immediately. As big banks and brokerage houses crumbled, and the financial markets spiraled downward last fall, observers searched for someplace—anyplace—to cast culpability. Was it greedy lenders? Lax regulators? Money-hungry Wall Streeters? For some political conservatives, none of those familiar culprits would do. For them, one group played a central role in bringing the entire global financial system to its knees: minorities.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2009/01/01/did-they-cause-the-credit-crisis-3/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Did They Cause the Credit Crisis?</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/homeownership/2009/01/01/did-they-cause-the-credit-crisis-2</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/homeownership/2009/01/01/did-they-cause-the-credit-crisis-2#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:04:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Homeownership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[housing crisis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[subprime lending]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=26453</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ The loud, angry chorus of blame began almost immediately. As big banks and brokerage houses crumbled, and the financial markets spiraled downward last fall, observers searched for someplace—anyplace—to cast culpability. Was it greedy lenders? Lax regulators? Money-hungry Wall Streeters? For some political conservatives, none of those familiar culprits would do. For them, one group [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/homeownership/2009/01/01/did-they-cause-the-credit-crisis-2/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Scam Artists Adapt to Economic Crisis</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/consumer-affairs/2008/12/29/scam-artists-adapt-to-economic-crisis</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/consumer-affairs/2008/12/29/scam-artists-adapt-to-economic-crisis#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:40:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Consumer Affairs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FBI]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Federal Bureau of Investigation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Federal Trade Commission]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[fraud]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FTC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scams]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=20955</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[While scams are always a concern of law enforcement, experts are warning that the tough economic climate may lead even more people than usual to fall victim to the sweet-sounding promises of scam artists. “In tough times people are likely to be looking for attractive solutions to their problems, whether it is money-making schemes or bogus claims to save them from foreclosure,” says Frank Dorman, a spokesman for the Federal Trade Commission.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/lifestyle/consumer-affairs/2008/12/29/scam-artists-adapt-to-economic-crisis/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Making the Most of Benefits</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/careers/2008/12/15/making-the-most-of-benefits</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/careers/2008/12/15/making-the-most-of-benefits#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:09:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Careers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[benefits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[human resources]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=19917</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[While most employees are interested in finding out how much of a raise they will get each year, a new survey suggests that nearly a quarter don’t pay attention to changes to their benefits packages.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/careers/2008/12/15/making-the-most-of-benefits/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>An Alternative to Credit: Layaway</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/credit-debt/2008/12/10/an-alternative-to-credit-layaway</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/credit-debt/2008/12/10/an-alternative-to-credit-layaway#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:07:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit & Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Burlington Coat Factory]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[layaway]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marshalls]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[retail]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[T.J. Maxx]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wealth For Life]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=18616</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With its roots in the Great Depression, layaway allows shoppers who don’t have enough money to pay for merchandise at once to put the item on hold while they pay over time. While layaway gives shoppers more leeway over purchases, is it a good deal for consumers in today's economy?]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/credit-debt/2008/12/10/an-alternative-to-credit-layaway/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Human Toll of Belt-Tightening</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/entrepreneurs-news/2008/11/12/the-human-toll-of-belt-tightening</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/entrepreneurs-news/2008/11/12/the-human-toll-of-belt-tightening#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:14:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurs News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alston Marketing Group]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[cost-cutting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cutts Consulting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Emerald Harvest Consulting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=6723</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[small business owners are finding themselves faced with the task of cutting costs while maintaining employee loyalty. “You have to have already created a healthy organizational culture and one that inspires loyalty to begin with,” says Nicole Cutts, CEO of Cutts Consulting (www.cuttsconsulting.com), a professional training and development firm in Washington, D.C. “People are not going to feel loyalty and stick with you through tough times if you haven’t been genuinely involved in their lives before this.”

While every employee won’t ride out the storm, there are strategies business owners can use to keep valued employees on board as the business weathers economic turmoil. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/entrepreneurs-news/2008/11/12/the-human-toll-of-belt-tightening/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Credit Cardholders&#8217; Bill May Lighten Load for Businesses</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/entrepreneurs-news/2008/11/10/credit-cardholders-bill-may-lighten-load-for-businesses</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/entrepreneurs-news/2008/11/10/credit-cardholders-bill-may-lighten-load-for-businesses#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:29:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Entrepreneurs News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[credit cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nancy Pelosi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Small Business Association]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/?p=6575</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others are calling for the enactment of a second economic stimulus package in the lame duck session of Congress, small business advocates are making the case that such a measure should include legislation designed to make credit card terms friendlier to entrepreneurs.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/entrepreneurs-news/2008/11/10/credit-cardholders-bill-may-lighten-load-for-businesses/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hip-Hop Political Support</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/08/07/hip-hop-political-support</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/08/07/hip-hop-political-support#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Aug 2008 05:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barack Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hip-hop renamed]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[youth vote]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/08/07/hip-hop-political-support/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With such high-profile hip-hop celebrities as Russell Simmons, Sean Combs, and Jay-Z publicly supporting Sen. Barack Obama, many political watchers and hip-hop activists expect the appeal of a black presidential candidate to inspire a higher-than-average turnout among hip-hop supporters.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/08/07/hip-hop-political-support/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Winning the Vote</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/07/29/winning-the-vote</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/07/29/winning-the-vote#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Jul 2008 05:20:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barack Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John McCain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/07/29/winning-the-vote/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Campaigns are exploring ways to win the endorsements of respected groups and organizations that can bring hefty donations to the campaigns and wield influence that may even sway the election.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/07/29/winning-the-vote/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Avoiding Insurance Fraud</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/start-up/2008/07/22/avoiding-insurance-fraud</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/start-up/2008/07/22/avoiding-insurance-fraud#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jul 2008 19:45:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Start-Up]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[General Accounting Office]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[insurance fraud]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://beta.blackenterprise.com/?p=4696</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[There are a lot of health insurance scams out there. Not only must small business owners be concerned with the cost of a group health insurance policy, but they must make sure it’s a legitimate plan, says Walter A. Bell, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Insurance and a former president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/start-up/2008/07/22/avoiding-insurance-fraud/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>2</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>On a Lonely Highway</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/franchise/2008/07/22/on-a-lonely-highway</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/franchise/2008/07/22/on-a-lonely-highway#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:45:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Franchise]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Franchising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[International Motor Home Rental Systems]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://beta.blackenterprise.com/?p=4690</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As the owner of one of the nation's first RV rental companies, Las Vegas-based Bates International Motor Home Rental Systems Inc. (www.batesintl.com), Bate had no companies to look to for guidance. She enjoyed the benefits of being the first to market her service, but she also endured the difficulties and shares how to circumvent some of them.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/franchise/2008/07/22/on-a-lonely-highway/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Obama&#039;s World Tour</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/07/21/obamas-world-tour</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/07/21/obamas-world-tour#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barack Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John McCain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[polls]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/07/21/obamas-world-tour/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Most recent U.S. public opinion polls have the presidential contest between Democratic presumptive nominee Sen. Barack Obama and Republican nominee Sen. John McCain relatively close, with a percentage point difference within single digits. But global opinion is far different, with Obama being the decisive favorite in many parts of the world including some African and European countries, recent polls and political watchers say.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/07/21/obamas-world-tour/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Spoiler Effect</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/07/09/the-spoiler-effect</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/07/09/the-spoiler-effect#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barack Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cynthia McKinney]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John McCain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/07/09/the-spoiler-effect/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[While the next president of the United States is expected to be either Democratic Sen. Barack Obama or Republican Sen. John McCain, a trio of third-party candidates stands to make their own mark on the 2008 presidential election, possibly pulling votes from the two front runners in states that could be instrumental in deciding the election.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/07/09/the-spoiler-effect/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Internet Rumors Take Center Stage in Election Season</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/06/27/internet-rumors-take-center-stage-in-election-season</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/06/27/internet-rumors-take-center-stage-in-election-season#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:50:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barack Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Internet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John McCain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/06/27/internet-rumors-take-center-stage-in-election-season/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Every election cycle, voters must sift through media sources and other information outlets to discern where the candidates stand on various issues. But some political watchers say the proliferation of Internet rumors and misinformation is taking a front seat in this campaign season and may influence the outcome like never before.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/06/27/internet-rumors-take-center-stage-in-election-season/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>You’re Out!</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/careers/on-the-move/2008/06/27/you%e2%80%99re-out</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/careers/on-the-move/2008/06/27/you%e2%80%99re-out#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:40:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[On the Move]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New York Mets]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Willie Randolph]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/06/27/you%e2%80%99re-out/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The firing of New York Mets manager Willie Randolph last week was a top headline in the world of sports and led to a storm of criticism about the way Mets officials handled the dismissal. Some say managers can glean lessons in the business world about what not to do when dismissing employees.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/careers/on-the-move/2008/06/27/you%e2%80%99re-out/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Jaguar Dealers Take Final Drive</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/06/22/jaguar-dealers-take-final-drive</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/06/22/jaguar-dealers-take-final-drive#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:55:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[auto dealers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jaguar]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://beta.blackenterprise.com/?p=4700</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As Ford Motor Co. struggles to maintain competitive and return to profitability, at press time the automaker was making plans to spin-off its Jaguar and Land Rover brands to India-based Tata Motors. It is a move that has come too late for most of Ford's black-owned dealerships.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/06/22/jaguar-dealers-take-final-drive/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Beyond Government</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/start-up/2008/06/22/beyond-government</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/start-up/2008/06/22/beyond-government#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:52:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Start-Up]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[business resources]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[non-profit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[small business funding]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://beta.blackenterprise.com/?p=4698</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The federal government is not the only source of support for small business owners. A number of nonprofit organizations have been formed for the purpose of expanding business ownership, as well. "As a business owner, you have to have people you can call and learn from, and you've got to be able to take advantage of value-added services that business associations offer," says John F. Robinson, president and chief executive officer of the National Minority Business Council Inc.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/start-up/2008/06/22/beyond-government/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Looking Ahead</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/06/20/looking-ahead</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/06/20/looking-ahead#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jun 2008 05:45:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barack Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cory Booker]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Deval Patrick]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/06/20/looking-ahead/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Whether Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential run ends successfully at the White House, the historic implications and the visibility of his campaign may provide a boost to the careers of other prominent African American politicians, as well as those who come behind them, experts say.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/06/20/looking-ahead/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Mending Fences</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/06/12/mending-fences</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/06/12/mending-fences#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barack Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hillary Clinton]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John McCain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/06/12/mending-fences/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With the primary season over, presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama has his eyes on defeating the Republican candidate Sen. John McCain. But some political watchers say McCain may stand to benefit if Obama and his former rival Sen. Hillary Clinton don’t take steps to mend fences with each other and with their prospective supporters—a move that may be easier said than done.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/06/12/mending-fences/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>African Americans in the GOP</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/06/05/african-americans-in-the-gop</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/06/05/african-americans-in-the-gop#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jun 2008 12:20:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GOP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John McCain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sen. Barack Obama]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/06/05/african-americans-in-the-gop/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Many African American Republicans are entering the general election campaign season balancing their concern that their political views be represented with their admiration for a black man who is a viable candidate for president.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/politics-news/2008/06/05/african-americans-in-the-gop/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Radio One Buys Blackplanet.Com</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/06/01/radio-one-buys-blackplanetcom-2</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/06/01/radio-one-buys-blackplanetcom-2#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/06/01/radio-one-buys-blackplanetcom-2/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ With its acquisition of Community Connect Inc. for $38 million, Lanham, Maryland-based Radio One Inc. is expanding its Internet reach by adding BlackPlanet.com to its arsenal of media properties. In addition to BlackPlanet.com, CCI owns and operates several social networking brands under its umbrella including MiGente.com and AsianAve.com.
"Radio One has been interested in expanding [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/06/01/radio-one-buys-blackplanetcom-2/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Get Creative With Compensation</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/06/01/get-creative-with-compensation</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/06/01/get-creative-with-compensation#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[401k]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[benefits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Simply Salads and Smoothies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[staffing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/06/01/get-creative-with-compensation/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[When Stephany Deberry opened her first Simply Salads and Smoothies restaurant in Leesburg, Virginia, limited funds left her with a dilemma. "You have all these dreams, but then you realize it's very difficult to grow a business when you're the only employee," says DeBerry, who launched the company in February 2005. The ability to offer competitive salaries was out of her reach, so she got creative]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/06/01/get-creative-with-compensation/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Reel In The Resources</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/06/01/reel-in-the-resources</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/06/01/reel-in-the-resources#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Small Business Development Centers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Valens Marketing & Consulting Group]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/06/01/reel-in-the-resources/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA["Small business owners need to do their due dili gence," says Lauren R. Beard, president of Valens Marketing &#038; Consulting Group L.L.C., a Silver Spring, Maryland-based consulting and marketing firm with services that include helping small businesses secure financing. Beard adds that resources abound to help small businesses grow, if business owners take the time to look for them. Here are some government-sponsored entities that can help you take your firm to the next level.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/06/01/reel-in-the-resources/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Good of Green</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/06/01/the-good-of-green</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/06/01/the-good-of-green#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Jun 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environment]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[green jobs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/06/01/the-good-of-green/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The numbers are surprising: each year, changes to the Earth's climate contribute to at least 5 million illnesses and more than 150,000 deaths resulting from extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes and excess heat.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/06/01/the-good-of-green/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Raking It In</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/2008/05/28/raking-it-in</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/2008/05/28/raking-it-in#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 May 2008 11:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barack Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John McCain]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oprah Winfrey]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/05/28/raking-it-in/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ If fundraising dollars translated directly to votes, Sen. Barack Obama would have the election wrapped up, as he continues to surpass his opponents. With nearly $32 million raised in April compared with nearly $27 million for Sen. Hillary Clinton and $18.5 million for Sen. John McCain, Obama campaign strategists are impressing political analysts and [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/2008/05/28/raking-it-in/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Noose Displays Illegal</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/diversity/diversity-news/2008/05/23/noose-displays-illegal</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/diversity/diversity-news/2008/05/23/noose-displays-illegal#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 May 2008 05:05:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Diversity News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gov. David A Paterson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jena 6]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[noose]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/05/23/noose-displays-illegal/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[New York Gov. David A. Paterson signed into law a bill that makes displaying a noose illegal. Nooses used as threats are now considered a felony crime punishable up to four years imprisonment. New York, where Paterson is the first African American governor, joins a handful of states looking to crack down on growing incidences of noose hangings.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/diversity/diversity-news/2008/05/23/noose-displays-illegal/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Capital Crunch for Black Businesses</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/credit-debt/2008/05/08/capital-crunch-for-black-businesses</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/credit-debt/2008/05/08/capital-crunch-for-black-businesses#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2008 02:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit & Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Banking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[loans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SBA]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/05/08/capital-crunch-for-black-businesses/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A Federal Reserve report released this week underscores the increasing difficulty that small business owners are facing in securing loans during the current economic climate. It is a reality that has both African American entrepreneurs and legislators looking for solutions.
]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/credit-debt/2008/05/08/capital-crunch-for-black-businesses/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>On the Issues: The Economy</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/on-the-issues/2008/05/02/the-economy</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/on-the-issues/2008/05/02/the-economy#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 May 2008 05:25:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[On The Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barack Obama]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John McCain]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/05/02/on-the-issues-the-economy/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The economy is the top concern for American voters, according to a recent Associated Press/Yahoo News poll, making it a hot topic among candidates stumping for votes. Democratic candidate Sen. Barack Obama and Republican candidate Sen. John McCain all have different views on improving the economy. This makes the stakes even higher for voters who are trying to decide which plan will benefit them the most.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/on-the-issues/2008/05/02/the-economy/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>The Pursuit Of Happiness</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/05/01/the-pursuit-of-happiness</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/05/01/the-pursuit-of-happiness#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/05/01/the-pursuit-of-happiness/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Spring is a time of renewal. As the days grow warmer and longer, we're more likely to respond to our more generous impulses. Whether or not one decides to act on such positive thinking is a decision, says the Rev. A.R. Bernard, author of Happiness Is...Simple Steps to a Life of Joy (Touchstone Faith; [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/05/01/the-pursuit-of-happiness/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Fight a Denied Health Insurance Claim</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/05/01/fight-a-denied-health-insurance-claim</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/05/01/fight-a-denied-health-insurance-claim#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 May 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/05/01/fight-a-denied-health-insurance-claim/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ It was supposed to be an enjoyable afternoon. Last March, 88-year-old Samuel Coley Sr. was on his way to his 7-year-old grandson Chase's birthday party when he suddenly felt dizzy. At first he shrugged it off, but when he noticed that his heart was beating rapidly, he took his pulse. Counting 120 beats per [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/05/01/fight-a-denied-health-insurance-claim/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Radio One Buys BlackPlanet.com</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/04/15/radio-one-buys-blackplanetcom</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/04/15/radio-one-buys-blackplanetcom#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[BlackPlanet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Radio One]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/04/15/radio-one-buys-blackplanetcom/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With its acquisition of Community Connect Inc. for $38 million, Radio One Inc. is expanding its Internet reach by adding the popular community networking Website BlackPlanet.com to its arsenal of media properties. ]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/04/15/radio-one-buys-blackplanetcom/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>U.S. Recession–Are We or Aren’t We There Yet?</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/04/08/us-recession%e2%80%93are-we-or-aren%e2%80%99t-we-there-yet</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/04/08/us-recession%e2%80%93are-we-or-aren%e2%80%99t-we-there-yet#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Apr 2008 09:45:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ben Bernanke]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[recession]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/04/08/us-recession%e2%80%93are-we-or-aren%e2%80%99t-we-there-yet/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[As the debate continues over whether the nation is officially in a recession, some economists say the relevant question is how long a recession will last, since Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has voiced concerns about the short-term economic outlook when he testified before Congress last week.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/04/08/us-recession%e2%80%93are-we-or-aren%e2%80%99t-we-there-yet/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>High School Dropout: A Silent Epidemic</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/diversity/2008/04/04/high-school-dropout-a-silent-epidemic</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/diversity/2008/04/04/high-school-dropout-a-silent-epidemic#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:45:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Diversity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[college]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GED]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/04/04/high-school-dropout-a-silent-epidemic/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Underscoring the release of a landmark study on high school graduation rates, the U.S. Department of Education announced plans this week to have all states use the same criteria to track students’ achievements. It is a move civil rights groups say will help close the educational gap between minority and white students.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/diversity/2008/04/04/high-school-dropout-a-silent-epidemic/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Lloyd Trotter Leaves General Electric</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/04/01/lloyd-trotter-leaves-general-electric</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/04/01/lloyd-trotter-leaves-general-electric#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/04/01/lloyd-trotter-leaves-general-electric/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ General Electric Co.’s top-ranking African American executive, Vice Chairman Lloyd G. Trotter, 62, is ending his nearly 40-year tenure with the company to become a general partner with New York-based private equity firm GenNx360 Capital Partners. Trotter was named one of be’s Top 75 Corporate Executives in February 2005.
Trotter, whose achievements at GE include [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/04/01/lloyd-trotter-leaves-general-electric/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>A Critical Conversation</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/04/01/a-critical-conversation</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/04/01/a-critical-conversation#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/04/01/a-critical-conversation/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ He found himself in a financial bind. When Khalid Sumner became the father of twin girls in 2003, he could envision future college tuition bills for his daughters. But a year later, when his grandfather became ill, Sumner was hit with expenses he hadn’t anticipated and learned a harsh reality about family finances in [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/04/01/a-critical-conversation/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Challenging Times</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/04/01/challenging-times</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/04/01/challenging-times#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/04/01/challenging-times/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Recession has been on the mind of Tanya Allford-Thompson in recent weeks. While business is good today, the co-owner of The Amazing Cakes Bakery in Mableton, Georgia, is keeping her eye on reports that the nation is headed toward a recession (two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth) and contemplating what that would mean [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/04/01/challenging-times/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Detroit&#8217;s  Battles</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/2008/03/27/detroits-battles</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/2008/03/27/detroits-battles#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Politics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Detroit]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kwame Kilpatrick]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/03/27/detroits-battles/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The indictment of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is causing a firestorm and mixed reactions from local African American civic and political leaders.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/politics/2008/03/27/detroits-battles/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Financial Meltdown</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/investing/2008/03/20/financial-meltdown</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/investing/2008/03/20/financial-meltdown#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Mar 2008 23:55:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Investing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ariel Capital Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bear Stearns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wealth For Life]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/03/20/financial-meltdown/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With the Bear Stearns collapse underscoring the vulnerability of the nation’s financial institutions, leaders of African American-owned companies are facing their own challenges. The tumultuous market and economy continue to impact black-owned organizations. The subprime mortgage crisis, financial downturn, and current credit crunch still weigh heavily on their portfolios and business operations. The action the Fed took earlier this week to stimulate the economy is likely to offer some relief to black asset management firms and investment banks, but it won’t be immediate financial experts say.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/investing/2008/03/20/financial-meltdown/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
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		<title>Market Mayhem</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/retirement/2008/03/19/market-mayhem</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/retirement/2008/03/19/market-mayhem#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 19 Mar 2008 13:50:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Retirement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ariel Capital Management]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bear Stearns]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wealth For Life]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/03/19/market-mayhem/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The federally backed buyout of Bear Stearns Cos. Inc. by J.P. Morgan Chase &#038; Co. over the weekend was perhaps the most glaring example yet of a dismal economic climate. But while acknowledging its significance, financial experts and advisers say African American investors should keep the collapse of Bear Stearns in perspective when considering its impact on their own financial strategies.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/retirement/2008/03/19/market-mayhem/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<title>Economic Woes Could Seep into the Student Loan Market</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/credit-debt/2008/03/17/economic-woes-could-seep-into-the-student-loan-market</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/credit-debt/2008/03/17/economic-woes-could-seep-into-the-student-loan-market#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:45:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit & Debt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[college]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Consumer Bankers Association]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[economy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[loans]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[National Association of Student Financial Aid Administr]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/03/17/economic-woes-could-seep-into-the-student-loan-market/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With the annual cost of tuition and fees at a four-year private institution averaging $23,712, it’s no surprise that students sought more than $148 billion in financial aid during the 2006–2007 academic school year. However, funding for college may not be as readily available, as some low-cost federal student loan programs dry up and private student loans become harder to get.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/credit-debt/2008/03/17/economic-woes-could-seep-into-the-student-loan-market/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>PRWT Services Acquires Pharmaceutical Plant</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/03/01/prwt-services-acquires-pharmaceutical-plant-2</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/03/01/prwt-services-acquires-pharmaceutical-plant-2#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/03/01/prwt-services-acquires-pharmaceutical-plant-2/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Philadelphia-based PRWT Services Inc. (No. 62 on the BE industrial/service 100 list with $65 million in sales) is expanding its reach with the acquisition of a chemical manufacturing plant from Whitehouse Station, New Jersey-based Merck &#38; Co. Inc.
The venture marks a new direction for PRWT, which has primarily offered business process outsourcing and facilities [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/03/01/prwt-services-acquires-pharmaceutical-plant-2/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>NAACP Expands Mortgage Class Action Suit</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/03/01/naacp-expands-mortgage-class-action-suit</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/03/01/naacp-expands-mortgage-class-action-suit#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/03/01/naacp-expands-mortgage-class-action-suit/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Calling the Bush administration's plan to stem the tide of foreclosures deficient, the NAACP in December expanded its class action suit against mortgage lenders that the organization says engaged in racially discriminatory lending practices. (See "Subprime Lenders Under Fire," Newpoints, October 2007.) The new defendants are CitiMortgage, SunTrust Mortgage, GMAC Rescap, JP Morgan, National [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/03/01/naacp-expands-mortgage-class-action-suit/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Are You Overinsured?</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/03/01/are-you-overinsured</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/03/01/are-you-overinsured#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/03/01/are-you-overinsured/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Obtaining the right insurance is vital to your financial security. Having life, health, disability, and long-term care insurance can help you through tough times, but you don't want to overdo it. "You want to look at how much the insurance costs and what you're going to get back under what circumstances," says Jeanne Salvatore, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/03/01/are-you-overinsured/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>MV Transportation Plans Layoffs</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/02/13/mv-transportation-plans-layoffs</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/02/13/mv-transportation-plans-layoffs#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Feb 2008 19:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[film budget]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[layoffs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MV Transportation]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/02/13/mv-transportation-plans-layoffs/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[MV Transportation Inc. (No. 10 on the BE INDUSTRIAL/SERVICE 100 list with $430.5 million in sales) will lay off 178 employees by March 1 in Montgomery County, Maryland, as a contract to provide bus service for the county comes to an end.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/02/13/mv-transportation-plans-layoffs/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>ICV Capital&#8217;s new investment</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/02/01/icv-capitals-new-investment</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/02/01/icv-capitals-new-investment#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/02/01/icv-capitals-new-investment/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ New York City-based private equity investment firm ICV Capital Partners L.L.C. announced in October that it had acquired Press-A-Print International L.L.C, a promotional products company with roughly $18 million in revenues. Press-A-Print joins a portfolio that includes packaging, food, and hospitality companies.
The financial terms of the deal-the second platform investment from ICV's $313 million [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/02/01/icv-capitals-new-investment/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>The Right Remedy</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/02/01/the-right-remedy</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/02/01/the-right-remedy#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/02/01/the-right-remedy/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Leah Brown is helping to save lives. When pharma-ceutical companies want to conduct clinical trials to see if specific drugs or treatments will relieve certain symptoms, her company, Aten Solutions Inc., finds the staff to make it happen. "Our mission is to specialize in therapeutics that fight diseases that have the highest impact in [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/02/01/the-right-remedy/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Laying The Groundwork</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/02/01/laying-the-groundwork</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/02/01/laying-the-groundwork#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Feb 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/02/01/laying-the-groundwork/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Hiring the right employees is important for all companies, but for small-business owners, a bad hiring decision can be lethal.
"Strategy and execution around hiring will make or break a small business," says Darrell Williams, founder of DuSable Capital L.L.C., a business advisory firm in Chicago. While having the right personnel in place can free [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/02/01/laying-the-groundwork/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Lloyd Trotter of GE Leaving to Join Private Equity Firm</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/start-up/2008/01/29/lloyd-trotter-of-ge-leaving-to-join-private-equity-firm</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/start-up/2008/01/29/lloyd-trotter-of-ge-leaving-to-join-private-equity-firm#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Jan 2008 06:55:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Start-Up]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[GE]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lloyd G. Trotter]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/01/29/lloyd-trotter-of-ge-leaving-to-join-private-equity-firm/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[E’s top-ranking African American executive, Vice Chairman Lloyd G. Trotter, 62, is closing the door on his nearly 40-year tenure with the company to become a general partner with New York-based private equity firm GenNx360 Capital Partners.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/entrepreneurs/start-up/2008/01/29/lloyd-trotter-of-ge-leaving-to-join-private-equity-firm/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Outside the Bubble</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/homeownership/2008/01/15/outside-the-bubble</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/homeownership/2008/01/15/outside-the-bubble#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Jan 2008 17:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Homeownership]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[EXER]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/01/15/outside-the-bubble/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Alternative financing options fuel real estate investor's success]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/wealth-for-life/homeownership/2008/01/15/outside-the-bubble/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>PRWT Services Acquires Pharmaceutical Plant</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/01/03/prwt-services-acquires-pharmaceutical-plant</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/01/03/prwt-services-acquires-pharmaceutical-plant#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pharmaceutical companies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PRWT]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://content.blackenterprise.com/2008/01/03/prwt-services-acquires-pharmaceutical-plant/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Philadelphia-based PRWT Services is expanding its reach with the acquisition of a chemical manufacturing plant from Whitehouse Station, New Jersey-based Merck.]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/business/business-news/2008/01/03/prwt-services-acquires-pharmaceutical-plant/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Keeping It Green</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/01/01/keeping-it-green</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/01/01/keeping-it-green#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/01/01/keeping-it-green/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ For many entrepreneurs, the No. 1 concern is adding clients at any cost. But for Charnelle Hicks, it’s more important to build an evironmentally responsible business, even if that has meant turning down work.
"When I started the firm one of the things I decided I would not do is work on a new greenfield [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/01/01/keeping-it-green/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>The Next Generation</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/01/01/the-next-generation-2</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/01/01/the-next-generation-2#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tennille M. Robinson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/01/01/the-next-generation-2/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Who’s waiting around to grow up? Now more than ever, age is becoming less and less the qualify_ing factor in starting a business. Young people want to be their own bosses and aren’t waiting to do so. Generation Y (born between 1981 and 1995) is three times more likely to have started a business [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/01/01/the-next-generation-2/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>Without Consent</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/01/01/without-consent</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/01/01/without-consent#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2008/01/01/without-consent/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ When Mary English, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was 22, a routine trip to the doctor left her infertile. The doctor told her "they had a procedure and if I went with this procedure, I wouldn’t have to worry about birth control," recalls English. What the doctor failed to tell her, English says, is that [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2008/01/01/without-consent/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Me First!</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/12/01/me-first</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/12/01/me-first#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Dec 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/12/01/me-first/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Andrew J. Milisits Jr. thought he could do it all. The 36-year-old husband and father of three is an entrepreneur, a soccer coach, and an active member of boards and organizations in the Washington, D.C., area. As the operating manager of the Landover, Maryland-based information technology firm Aitheras L.L.C., Milisits wore many hats, managing [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/12/01/me-first/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>The Power Of Commitment</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/11/01/the-power-of-commitment</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/11/01/the-power-of-commitment#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Nov 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/11/01/the-power-of-commitment/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Michelle Tucker Kirk has never had a shortage of entrepreneurial ideas, ranging from starting an event planning company to launching a charter school. Among those ideas is her bridal shop, A Beautiful Day Bridal, located in Durham, North Carolina.
"I've come up with ideas before, but I'd never acted on them," says the 30-year-old. "I [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/11/01/the-power-of-commitment/feed</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<title>Free Entertainment</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/free-entertainment</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/free-entertainment#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/10/01/free-entertainment/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Looking for an alternative to paying $10 for a box of popcorn and a soda at the movies, or trying to beat out other movie lovers at the video rental store? Several Websites let you bring Hollywood to the comfort of your home and straight to your computer at no cost. Three you can [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/free-entertainment/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>Bundled Services: Bargain Or Nightmare?</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/bundled-services-bargain-or-nightmare</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/bundled-services-bargain-or-nightmare#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/10/01/bundled-services-bargain-or-nightmare/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Having telephone, cable TV, and high-speed Internet service provided by one company and all on one lower monthly bill may sound convenient, but such offers may not be as great as they appear. Any time you buy multiple services from one provider, there’s some risk, says James R. Hood, founder of the consumer advocacy [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/bundled-services-bargain-or-nightmare/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>Risks And Rewards &#8230;</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/risks-and-rewards</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/risks-and-rewards#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/10/01/risks-and-rewards/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Two years ago Patricia Roberts-Rose of Catonsville, Maryland, stopped working full time to stay home with her two young children, Amaya, 6, and Aliya, 3. Knowing that they now would be relying on one salary, Roberts-Rose and her husband, Eugene, cashed in on the equity in their home to consolidate bills and supplement their [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Overcoming Anxiety</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/overcoming-anxiety</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/overcoming-anxiety#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/10/01/overcoming-anxiety/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ After a company restructuring last year, Shaquell Truesdale, 35, an operations quality manager in Baltimore, expected some work-related stress. "I had worked in this industry for a while, so I was used to stressful periods that come and go," she says. But after six months, Truesdale continued to feel overwhelmed and started having insomnia [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/overcoming-anxiety/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>The Personal Touch</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/the-personal-touch</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/the-personal-touch#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/10/01/the-personal-touch/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Philadelphia resident Chaka Fattah Jr. has always had expensive taste whether for high-end restaurants or Cartier watches. In December 2005, Fattah started tending to the expensive tastes of others, launching American Royalty (www.americanroyalty.com), a luxury travel and concierge service that caters to business owners, corporate executives, athletes, and entertainers.
"We help people with a variety [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Johnson Publishing Expands</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/johnson-publishing-expands</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/johnson-publishing-expands#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/10/01/johnson-publishing-expands/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Chicago-based Johnson Publishing Co. Inc. (No.7 on the be industrial/service 100 list with $472.2 million in sales) has chronicled the lives of black families in its flagship publications EBONY and JET since the 1940s and ‘50s, but now the media giant is eyeing a new generation by creating entertainment content for television, the Internet, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/10/01/johnson-publishing-expands/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>&#191;Hablas Espa&#241;ol? Parl&#233;z Vous Fran&#231;ais?</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/09/01/hablas-espaol-parlz-vous-franais</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/09/01/hablas-espaol-parlz-vous-franais#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Sep 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/09/01/hablas-espaol-parlz-vous-franais/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Maybe you have always wanted to learn a foreign language but haven't had the time--or dinero--to sign up for a class. Well, a world of free lessons is just a mouse click away. Free online translators and multilingual dictionaries round out many of these online offerings.
Whether you're looking to learn a foreign language to [...]]]></description>
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		<title>AUTO DEALERS APPLAUD CHRYSLER SALE</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/08/01/auto-dealers-applaud-chrysler-sale</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/08/01/auto-dealers-applaud-chrysler-sale#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/08/01/auto-dealers-applaud-chrysler-sale/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ News that DaimlerChrysler AG would sell Chrysler Group to a private equity firm was met with relief and optimism by African American Chrysler dealers who expect the deal will bring much-needed stability to the organization.
DaimlerChrysler ended months of speculation about the automaker's future in May, when it agreed to sell a majority stake in [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/08/01/auto-dealers-applaud-chrysler-sale/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>Keeping Kids Safe</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/07/01/keeping-kids-safe</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/07/01/keeping-kids-safe#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/07/01/keeping-kids-safe/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[  It takes a virtual village to raise a child, as several Websites make it easier for parents to protect their children from predators.
Family Watchdog at www.familywatchdog.us not only lets parents search for registered sex offenders by address, it also keeps a running tab of how many are in each state.
Enter an address and [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/07/01/keeping-kids-safe/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>Consumer Complaints 101</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/07/01/consumer-complaints-101</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/07/01/consumer-complaints-101#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/07/01/consumer-complaints-101/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ After spending all day in the airport waiting for her flight to take off for Atlanta, Elaine Walker was nettled.
"We passed the departure time and there were no announcements made," says Walker, though at one point, a flight attendant apologized for the lack of information. Though the flight was scheduled to land in Atlanta [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/07/01/consumer-complaints-101/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>Keeping Consumers Out Of The Dark</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/07/01/keeping-consumers-out-of-the-dark</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/07/01/keeping-consumers-out-of-the-dark#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/07/01/keeping-consumers-out-of-the-dark/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Any homeowner who's been hit by a lengthy power outage knows the inconvenience of being in the dark. Luckily, the right residential generator can meet both budget and power requirements to provide temporary electricity during emergencies.
The number of homeowners installing generators is rising, says Lucrecia Gomez, research analyst for global market research firm Frost [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/07/01/keeping-consumers-out-of-the-dark/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>Rich in Translation</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/07/01/rich-in-translation</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/07/01/rich-in-translation#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/07/01/rich-in-translation/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[  The company founded by Steve Stoute, the consumer marketing whiz who created McDonald's "I'm lovin' it" ad campaign and linked the fast-food giant with pop stars such as Justin Timberlake, may become the latest addition to the Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. conglomerate, according to reports that the two firms are in talks.
While [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/07/01/rich-in-translation/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>Cutting Costs</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/06/01/cutting-costs</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/06/01/cutting-costs#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/06/01/cutting-costs/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Few things in life are free, but some products and services can be bought at significantly discounted prices if you're willing to make a sacrifice or two.
Electronics Savings: Planning to buy a new television, computer, or other electronics? Many stores sell display models for 10% to 20% savings since the product is technically "used." [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Considering Long-Term Care</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/06/01/considering-long-term-care</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/06/01/considering-long-term-care#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/06/01/considering-long-term-care/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ For years, Richard Payne, a neurologist and cancer specialist who lives in Durham, North Carolina, saw firsthand how patients without long-term care coverage had limited healthcare options.
"Most health insurance plans do not cover long-term care," Payne says. "They may cover a few days in a long-term care facility as part of a discharge plan, [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/06/01/considering-long-term-care/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>Making Sense Out Of Energy Deregulation</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/06/01/making-sense-out-of-energy-deregulation</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/06/01/making-sense-out-of-energy-deregulation#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/06/01/making-sense-out-of-energy-deregulation/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ In the last four years, business owner Abby M. Locke has seen her electricity costs triple. To avoid cash flow problems, the 39-year-old founder of Premier Writing Solutions in Washington, D.C., elected to sign up for her electricity provider's budget payment plan. "The budget plan has provided some temporary relief," she says. "At the [...]]]></description>
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		<title>The Evolution of Jay-Z</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/06/01/the-evolution-of-jay-z</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/06/01/the-evolution-of-jay-z#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/06/01/the-evolution-of-jay-z/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ Def Jam President and CEO Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter is redesigning his business empire. The hip-hop mogul recently announced the sale of his Rocawear clothing company to Iconix Brand Group Inc. for $204 million in cash and $35 million in stock. Carter will continue to oversee product development, marketing, and licensing for Rocawear, whose annual [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Wall Street Comes Uptown</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/06/01/wall-street-comes-uptown</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/06/01/wall-street-comes-uptown#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/06/01/wall-street-comes-uptown/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ New York-based Carver Federal Savings Bank and Merrill Lynch recently announced an alliance in which the global investment firm will make its wealth management products and services available to Carver customers. "The folks that live on our blocks don't often interact with Wall Street," says Deborah C. Wright, chairman and chief executive officer of [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Admitting when you&#8217;re wrong</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/05/01/admitting-when-youre-wrong</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/05/01/admitting-when-youre-wrong#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 01 May 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/05/01/admitting-when-youre-wrong/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ At some point in their careers, Most people will have to figure out how to salvage a work-related decision that, in hindsight, led to a wrong choice. Whether it had to do with personnel, the direction of a project, or accepting or rejecting a new position, wrong choices are something just about everyone can [...]]]></description>
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		<title>It&#8217;s Tax Time!</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/04/01/its-tax-time</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/04/01/its-tax-time#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/04/01/its-tax-time/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ While it's prudent to engage in tax planning throughout the year, here are some tips, tools, and advice to guide you through last-minute filing.
Credits and Exemptions Taxpayers can deduct more for each exemption this year. The amount has increased from $3,200 to $3,300 per exemption. If your adjusted gross income is above a certain [...]]]></description>
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		<title>House Swap</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/03/01/house-swap</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/03/01/house-swap#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Mar 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/03/01/house-swap/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[ If you've ever planned a vacation, you know costs can add up. But thanks to house exchange programs, you can subtract hundreds of dollars in hotel fees from the bottom line.
Home exchange programs let consumers switch homes for the duration of a vacation. Rather than paying for housing, you simply pay your mortgage as [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/03/01/house-swap/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>B. Smith Sells Brands</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/03/01/b-smith-sells-brands</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/03/01/b-smith-sells-brands#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 01 Mar 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/03/01/b-smith-sells-brands/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[  Not only has Barbara Smith, 57, proved to be a successful model, restaurant owner, and entrepreneur, she's also shaping up to become one of America's top product endorsers. Since Smith has appeared on the General Mills' Betty Crocker Cornbread &#38; Muffin Mix package, sales have risen an impressive 22.3% in the 12-month period [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/03/01/b-smith-sells-brands/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>Get Educated</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/01/01/get-educated</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/01/01/get-educated#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jan 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/01/01/get-educated/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[  If you want to get your kids to dive into learning, why not pair their studies with everyday learning experiences? The U.S. Department of Education, along with 30 federal agencies, has formed Federal Resources for Educational Excellence, or FREE (www.ed.gov/free/ index.html), a site that offers teaching and learning resources on everything from history [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/01/01/get-educated/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>Developer Lands $600m Deal</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/01/01/developer-lands-600m-deal</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2007/01/01/developer-lands-600m-deal#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 Jan 2007 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://blackenterprise.com/uncategorized/2007/01/01/developer-lands-600m-deal/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[  New York-based urban development company Full Spectrum NY recently landed its first major project outside the New York metropolitan area with a deal worth approximately $600 million to develop a stretch of downtown Jackson, Mississippi. Full Spectrum will oversee $500 million in vertical infrastructure and $100 million in horizontal infrastructure on the project.
The [...]]]></description>
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		<title>Redefining Womanhood</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2006/12/01/redefining-womanhood</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2006/12/01/redefining-womanhood#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Dec 2006 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://magazine.blackenterprise.com/2006/12/redefining-womanhood/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[  When Tara Jackson was growing up in Fairfield, Alabama, she learned about proper etiquette through formal classes in school and church. Today, Jackson, now 37, is convinced that such lessons were instrumental to her development as a young woman with self-respect and respect for others -- two things she sees lacking in many [...]]]></description>
		<wfw:commentRss>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2006/12/01/redefining-womanhood/feed</wfw:commentRss>
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		<title>Minimum Wage Hike Turned Back Again</title>
		<link>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2006/11/01/minimum-wage-hike-turned-back-again</link>
		<comments>http://www.blackenterprise.com/magazine/2006/11/01/minimum-wage-hike-turned-back-again#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 Nov 2006 04:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Tamara E. Holmes</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://magazine.blackenterprise.com/2006/11/minimum-wage-hike-turned-back-again/</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[  Congress demonstrated that it has no intention of raising the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour when the Senate struck down the minimum wage bill in August. Some economists say the move was to protect businesses, but they add that putting more money in the pockets of workers can only spur [...]]]></description>
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