Venus Williams of the United States chases down a volley from Ioana Raluca Olaru of Romania at the US Open tennis tournament in New York, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) 

Venus goes to the next round in the U.S. Opens and Eurweb.com reports, she also launched her new clothing line.

*Shortly before beginning play this week in the U.S. Open, Venus Williams attended the official launch of her fashion line EleVen at retailer Steve & Barry’s in New York.     

      The store partnered with Williams in the creation of the 120-piece collection, the largest ever launched by a female athlete.      

      The line includes nine styles of athletic footwear in a variety of color ways, track suits, fleece outerwear, street active apparel, graphic t-shirts, puffy down jackets with removable sleeves, denim jackets and jeans, velour items, tote and gym bags, jewelry, sports socks and bras.      

     I’m rooting for Venus on and off the court.

 How many times will you put yourself through the same types of pain? When is enough really ENOUGH?

Have you ever gone back to an ex? Has one of your siblings done something and you swore you wouldn’t give in to them the next time? What about the friend that drains you with his or her drama but is never there to listen to you? When do you finally say “enough is enough?”

Where were you two years ago when one of the most horrific events of my state and nation happened? Where were you when the levees crashed in New Orleans as a result of Hurricane Katrina making it’s home in the Gulf of Mexico? AP Photo

I remember being glued to the TV because I had friends stuck in New Orleans.  I remember trying to reach those friends, but the phone lines, including cell phones were down. In fact, at that time my cell phone number was a 504 number so no one could reach me unless they sent me a text message. 

I could remember waiting by the phone, waiting and waiting to hear from loved ones hoping they got out in time or if they didn’t get out, they were on higher ground.  I can remember the joy I felt when my friend Kev sent me a text message to alert me he was safe in Baton Rouge at a relatives house. The only downside was he hadn’t heard from his brother; so more prayers went up.

I can remember seeing the devastation as if the area that was flooded in New Orleans was a war zone. I can remember a TV reporter showing things in the water that looked like bodies floating.

I can remember the tears that wouldn’t stop falling as I saw my people, our people, suffering, thinking there was no hope because it seemed like our nation’s government had forgotten about them.

Do you remember where you were on that ill-fated day when the Levees broke? 

I received this in my inbox from Jackie M and I wanted to share.

D.I.V.A.

Earlier this summer I wrote an article about virtual dating.  Here’s an excerpt:

The internet has become the new way to meet people; whether looking for a casual or long-term relationship. Although dating is dating, virtual dating adds an extra element. There are pros and cons to virtual dating.

Pro – You get to learn a few things about the person before meeting them in person.
Con – The person on the other end of the computer may not be who they say they are.

Pro – Both parties are given a chance to be attracted to the inner beauty and not be blindsided by the person’s physical attributes.
Con – A picture or description can be fabricated and what you see when you actually meet might not be who you envisioned.

Pro – You don’t have to leave the comfort of your home.
Con – It can be anti-social and you won’t be able to see how the other person acts in a social setting.

Overall when it comes to virtual dating safety is important. Although you may chat, instant message, etc. on a daily basis, in reality you still don’t know the person. If you decide to meet in person, someone close to you should have all of the other person’s information just in case something happens. I would even suggest that not only do you meet in a public place but take a friend along with you (even if the friend sits at another table).

Beware, the person on the other end of the computer screen can be whoever they want to be while hiding behind a screen name.

Virtual dating doesn’t always mean real! Virtual dating can be fun, but it can’t replace face to face interaction. 

Shelia M Goss writes women’s fiction. She’s the Essence Magazine Bestselling author of My Invisible Husband, Roses are thorns, Violets are true and Paige’s Web. For more information, visit www.sheliagoss.com or www.myspace.com/sheliagoss.

But I do like for my hair to look good. Thanks Tia for this beauty secret that I’m willing to share with my readers.

Did you know there was a product out there that could cleanse your hair and scalp without having to shampoo it? You know for those in between washes…what is a woman to do?  To find out the answer and the name of the product that works a miracle without bursting a sud, click here.

DMX a/k/a Earl Simmons is in trouble or is he? Over the weekend, the police raided his home in Arizona and removed some dogs and some reports mention drugs and weapons were also found during this raid.

According to DMX’s attorney Murray Richman, it was all about the blazing Arizona heat. Richman claims that someone reported the dogs were at risk because of the extreme temperatures, telling TMZ “Earl has a caretaker, who obviously wasn’t taking care. Earl loves those dogs.” Richman added that DMX isn’t even in Az and hasn’t been there for several months because he’s off working on a project. Source: TMZ.com

Will DMX be the only rapper targeted for raids due to the Michael Vicks case or will this become more common? Cruelty to animals is a no-no; but folks shouldn’t assume that people with more than 1 pet mistreats them.

I care about dogs and if you know me, you know I’ve had one since “peter was a pup” but I care more about kids.

Stopping child abuse and locating our missing kids is what people need to be concerned with.

Kendrick Jackson, missing since April 2006

Thirty-three percent of the 700,000 children who go missing are Black, but the news rarely reports them. 
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