Why Birds Fly Home

By Andrée Dion

Her mother begged her to stay;
but try convincing
a butterfly to stay grounded.

Her father tried to bribe her,
but try finding a replacement
for freedom.

They couldn't teach her experience.

An untamed creature,
she roamed the streets
without boundaries.

Finally free.

Windows are transparent,
but still there to crash into.

When they found her,
her hair was a tangle
of dirty blonde, and
her fingers were numb
from the cold.

Everyone thought she was crazy,
but the ecstasy in her eyes
wasn't there before.

And only she knows
why birds fly home.

Harlem Week's Golden Hoops tournament tips off

The myriad of cultural, educational and entertainment venues has made Harlem Week (really Harlem Month) the most celebrated program of the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce. The chamber is planning a massive 110th birthday celebration tinder the savvy business acumen of Lloyd Williams, its CEO/President, in the fall. But it's still August, and summer in Harlem means the playgrounds of the world's most famous Black community are filled to the brim with Summer League hoops.

As part of the 32nd Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce Harlem Week, the annual Golden Hoops Basketball Tournament, directed by Bob McCullough, will tip off at Riverbank State Park today (Thursday) with a 3:00 p.m. girls game, followed by a pair of boys games at 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. The semifinals are set for Friday and Saturday with the championship games being held on Sunday as a Biddy Future Stars game will begin the show at 1:00 p.m. followed by the girls championship game at 2:30 p.m. and the boys championship at 4:30. An added attraction will feature the Puerto Rican All-Stars facing off against the Dominican All-Stars. That fierce rivalry will tip off at 6:00 p.m.

All the games will be held at the beautiful Riverbank State Park situated on the banks of the Hudson River, New York side. Top high school girls teams who will see action include the 2005 champs, Douglas Panthers, SCAN, Harlem Lady Knights, Kips Bay, Kennedy Center and the Bronx Stars.

El Faro will head up the slate of boys high school teams that will include a team from New Haven, Connecticut, who lost to Brooklyn in last year's championship game, The Metro Hawks, Bronx Gauchos, Harlem Stars, Brooklyn All-Stars and the New Jersey Road Runners.

Source: New York Amsterdam News, 8/10/2006

What are the real secrets of success? Here's what some proven winners say

By Julie Scelfo

1. Be competitive: "To succeed in business you have to want to win," says Liz Lange, founder and president of Liz Lange Maternity. "Too often, women feel they have to be nice. Don't," says Lange.
2. It's not about friendship: "Women want everyone to like them but it doesn't really matter what people think of you," says Renee Edelman, senior VP of Edelman. "It's that you get the job done and deliver results."
3. Stand up for yourself: Restaurateur Donatella Arpaia is responsible for two restaurants and 140 people. "I protect my interests, their interests. If someone is going to mess with that, I cut them out like cancer."
4. Trust your instincts: Dozens of people tried to talk Lange out of growing her business, now a major force with nationwide distribution at Target. "There are a lot of naysayers out there," says Lange. "Shut out negative noise andgo for it."
5. Always project confidence: Oscar-winning film producer Cathy Schulman says presentation is key. "When someone asks 'How are you?' don't go into a litany of what's wrong with your life," says Schulman. Instead, present yourself as in control and happy.
6. Own your success: Say goodbye to fear and insecurity, says Arpaia. Have confidence in your decisions, and make them.
7. Reach out to other women: When Lange started her business, she called every woman (and man) she admired and asked to meet. "Don't be shy," she says. Schulman begins each day by noting colleagues' accomplishments with a quick call or e-mail. "We don't have golf so create other communities of support."
8. Insist on being well paid: Don't view wanting money as inelegant or "not classy," says Schulman. "Men make decisions on the bottom line. Why shouldn't we?"
9. It's OK to make mistakes: When Arpaia realized a business partnership was doomed, she cut ties and moved on. "Don't obsess over things," she says.
10. Be a problem-solver: If something on Schulman's desk seems difficult to deal with, she tackles it first. "Big problems are an opportunity to grow."

The 5 Hottest Majors

By Meghan Aftosmis

Undecided? These majors score the most job offers and bucks. Get ready to cash in, CG!

1 COMPUTER SCIENCE
WHY IT'S HOT: One million new positions will be created in information technology by 2014. Enough said. "I talked to a Microsoft recruiter when I was a junior. Microsoft asked me to intern for the next two summers and then gave me a job!"

Carolyn, 23, program manager, Microsoft
JOB OPTIONS: Big-name companies include Microsoft, Intel, and Cisco, but companies doing anything from cloning research to filmmaking need computer science grads.

STARTING SALARY(*): $43,000-$57,000

2 NURSING
WHY IT'S HOT: People are living longer, and the health industry can barely keep up with the increase in our elderly population. Registered nurses in particular are in increasingly high demand. "I applied to a hospital in November of my senior year, and they offered me the job during my interview!"

Heather, 23, registered nurse, surgical intensive care unit

JOB OPTIONS: You could work at hospitals, insurance companies, nursing homes, schools, and more.

STARTING SALARY: $37,440-$45,000

3 ACCOUNTING
WHY IT'S HOT: After the accounting scandals at Enron and WorldCom, Congress is cracking clown on fraud. And that means accountants are in demand. "I interviewed with all the large accounting firms recruiting on my campus and received tour job offers."

Amy, 24, dispute analysis and investigations associate, PricewaterhouseCoopers

JOB OPTIONS: The big four (Deloitte, Ernst & Young, PwC, KPMG) are obvious choices, but even the FBI needs special agents with accounting backgrounds.

STARTING SALARY: $41,800-$52,000

4 BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
WHY IT'S HOT: Training for administration and management is so versatile--it can get you in the door of almost any business and help you work your way up to CEO. "I graduated during the recession of 2003, but I still got offers from my top two choices and was able to find my second job easily."

Tara, 27, associate, Deutsche Bank

JOB OPTIONS: Finance companies, retail headquarters, and nonprofits are looking for analysts, associates, and coordinators.

STARTING SALARY: $34,000-$45,000

5 CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
WHY IT'S HOT: These undergrads were the highest paid of 2005 because they know what companies want: how to make new products safely and economically. "There were so many jobs available that the most difficult part was finding what interested me the most."

Alison, 23, research engineer, Compact Membrane Systems, Inc.

JOB OPTIONS: You could develop anything from new medicines and new beauty products to new plastics for use in appliances.

STARTING SALARY: $53,500-$60,000

If I were a paper doll, I could try on a new job every day!

(*) All figures are based on starting salaries offered to graduates with a bachelor's degree in each field during 2005 or 2006.

Did you know? Being a girl in a male-dominated major pays off--literally! Groups like the Society of Women Engineers offer female-only scholarships to entice more applicants.

Cosmo Girl, Sep2006