The Roundtable, a networking group consisting of lawyers and other young professionals, hosted this event at the Highland Conference Center in Birmingham’s Five Points South district. The forum was scheduled to include the five candidates who are mainly considered to be the primary contenders in this race for mayor of Birmingham.

They include Emory Anthony, William Bell, Steven Hoyt, Carole Smitherman, and Patrick Cooper. Securing the presence of only the leading candidates was, in my personal opinion, a good decision that would allow voters to learn from and listen to those asking for their support without having to cut through the unnecessary clutter that can come with a field of (now) thirteen candidates.

That said, two of the scheduled participants, Carole Smitherman and Patrick Cooper, did not make the event. However, with good timing on their sides, the two candidates who were planning only to sit in on the event, Harry “Traveling Shoes” Turner and Jody Trautwein, were afforded the opportunity to participate as well.

Despite the absences of two leading candidates, the debate was still a successful and informative event as five mayoral contenders were able to speak and debate in front of a packed and engaged audience.

The debate itself touched on a host of issues and concerns surrounding the city. Much of them focused on crime, urban flight and brain drain, economic development (not only in downtown but also throughout the city), urban renewal, fiscal responsibility, education, and the hot-button topic of the multi-purpose facility, also known simply as “the dome.”

The debate lasted over an hour and, obviously, much was said about each aforementioned concern. However, in the interest of time and clarity, only the main points and highlights of each candidate will be emphasized. It should be noted that Bell arrive approximately 25 minutes after the debate’s start.

Crime and Safety

This was the first issue tackled by the candidates who, at this point, consisted only of Anthony, Turner, and Trautwein. All were fairly unanimous in their desire to retain current police chief, A.C. Roper. There was little deviation from the praise of Roper and acknowledgment of the declines that have been realized under his watch.

Anthony vowed to make available all funds that Roper would need, Turner insisted we to teach kids that “crime is illegal,” and Trautwein expressed his wish to see more police on the ground with a closer relationship to the communities they serve.

Urban Flight and Brain Drain

Next, the candidates were asked about their plans to mitigate urban flight and reverse the current trend of “brain drain,” or — in other words — the outflow of young professionals who leave the city soon after college. Turner responded with “it is what it is” and pointed to a need for “partnerships” to provide the “right tools for young professionals.”

Trautwein identified a “decline in education” and “jobs [that are] leaving” the city as the primary reasons for Birmingham’s battle with urban flight and brain drain. His solution would call for partnerships with schools, recruiting new professionals, and connecting them with business incubators. Anthony identified the topic as a “quality of life” issue which should be addressed by encouraging more young professionals to seek leadership roles.

Economic Development (and Urban Renewal)

In order to attract more businesses such as Fortune 500/1000 companies, Anthony believe we should first work to retain the businesses we have now. Then, work with them to attract new jobs and enterprises. Turner answered with what he said “[was] basically his platform:” credit scores and the need for citizens to improve them. He argued if Birmingham residents had higher credit scores, companies would locate here because citizens would have more disposable income. His response drew many incredulous stares.

Trautwein stated that he would target which industries Birmingham could attract based on research. He also mentioned, lowering taxes and cited Irondale’s coup of Tom Williams as evidence to support his low-tax principles.

On the subtopic of UAB and urban renewal, Anthony and Trautwein agreed that more focus should be placed on working with the school to recreate and build on current successes. Turner, again, answered with the need to increase “credit scores,” which would make urban renewal easier. The incredulity turned to confusion and blank stares.

Fiscal Responsibility

Many of the answers regarding this topic were similar in nature, as everyone articulated the need to, first, examine the books before any further decision could be made. William Bell, who arrived during this question, stated that the books can be cleaned up without the need to layoff any city employees.

He also cited his experience with Birmingham finances and touted his familiarity with the budgeting process as an example of his qualifications. No mention from Turner about credit scores regarding fiscal responsibility; however, it was mentioned when candidates were asked to chime in about securing stimulus funds.

Education

Steven Hoyt arrives shortly before the topic of education arises — in which case, the candidates were asked about how they would positively impact the school board’s agenda. Anthony stated he would find all necessary funds in the budget to help them execute their plans. Bell would like to see state legislation changed to give the mayor ability to appoint a superintendent.

Hoyt cautioned the audience that there is very little that could be done currently to change their the school board’s agenda, given that it’s a completely separate entity. Turner stated his wish for increased test scores. Trautwein echoed Hoyt’s sentiment but added that he would “talk with, not at” the school board to build a consensus on goals and agenda.

Multi-purpose Facility (Domed Stadium)

One question on the minds of many votes is that of the planned domed stadium and its future. All candidates addressed this concern and most offered similar responses that detailed the need for a new venue, but not completely at Birmingham’s expense. Most candidates offered assurances that they would seek additional support for the project from surrounding municipalities, the corporate community, and the state.

Turner, staying true to his beliefs, closed with another reference to increasing credit scores in the community, since “no dome will come if folks can’t [pay to attend].” The confusion gave way to muffled laughter throughout the room.

In closing…

Thursday night’s event was a welcome departure from the benign and “softball” nature of debates people have typically witnessed and come to expect. The various topics, in addition to the multiple question formats, made it easy for one to stay engaged and interested throughout the entire program.

The forum gave voters and interested area residents a chance to: listen to individual platforms, witnesses a spirited debate between Anthony and Bell over education-related and qualification issues, and share a few laughs throughout it all.

Go out to vote and exercise your right that was earned and paid for through the sacrifices of so many. With that said, remember: your vote is your voice.

Caveat: I don’t really measure my ingredients. I do a lot of “eyeballing” so these sizes aren’t the most precise.

Ingredients:

• Talapia fillets (2)
• Olive oil
• Shredded Parmesan cheese (1/3 cup)
• Sea salt
• Cracked pepper
• Garlic powder
• Oregano
• Lemon juice
• Sour cream (1 cup)
• Scallions/Green onions (1/2 cup), chopped
• Portobello mushrooms (1 cup), diced
• Cherry tomatoes (handful), slice half of them and set the whole ones aside
• Crumbled bacon (1/2 cup)
• Butter (3/4 of a stick)
• Asparagus (1/2 cup), diced

Here we go:

Coat a large skillet with oilive oil and 2 tbsp. of butter. Heat on medium-high.

Brush fillets with oilive oil and butter. Season by lightly sprinkling with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano.

Cook fillets appoximately 2 minutes on each side. Add 1 tbsp. of lemon juice to fish, once before turning and once before removing.

Heat another skillet on med-high heat. In it, melt 4 tbsp. (half a stick) of butter. Wait until butter begins to brown.

Add diced portobello mushrooms. Cook until golden brown.

Add asparagus… sear in the pan for 1 - 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Next, add all of the remaining ingredients (except for the sour cream): sliced cherry tomatoes (not the whole ones), asparagus, bacon, scallions, and cheese.

Reduce heat to med-low.

Add 1 tbsp. of butter, 2 tbsp. of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Add in the sour cream and stir thoroughly.

Remove fillets and drizzle cream sauce over them. Add the remaining whole cherry tomatoes. Lightly sprinkle plate with salt, pepper, and oregano.

Enjoy.

Serves:

1 hungry dude with dreadlocks (normally: serves 2).

After deleting two recently installed Firefox addons — to no avail — I finally had the bright idea to check Twitter. Surely, if I wasn’t the only one experiencing this problem, others would be tweeting about it.

Turns out, I was right (as evidenced by the plethora of #googlemayharm tagged tweets). The ability to see the world in real time is exactly why I’m a Twitter user and advocate.

We saw another example of this last July when an earthquake rocked Southern California. Literally, within seconds, Twitter was abuzz with people talking about the event. It would be minutes before any news outlet was able to organize and report the story.

Today is another example of Twitter’s power and potential. It’s ability to quickly dissiminate information is one of the reasons I believe the tool will change the landscape of not only social media, but the entire Internet as well.

Whatever you’re looking to do — connect with new friends, engage your customers, or even start a business — Twitter should be a part of your equation.

Anthony was featured in a video that showcased his pizza joint and managed to capture a bit of his unique and dynamic personality. If there’s an Italian version of Gary Vaynerchuk, this guy is it!

Anthony oozes passion and I found him to be shockingly authentic, yet curiously down to earth. The guy talks with such an intensity that you wonder if he’s able to convey the meaning of life through a parable about pizza making.

I’ve quickly realized that, for majority of the cases, success is going to be much harder to come by if you don’t LOVE what you’re doing. I want my success to be measured by the amount of time I spend doing what I’m most passionate about.

Check out the video of Anthony. You might come away with a completely different interpretation of what it means to have love and passion for what you’re doing in business.

Watch. And be inspired.

photo credit: notsogoodphotography

At the beginning of this year, I decided to pick up and read Robert Cialdini’s book, Persuasion, again.

By the way, If you’re involved in anything concerning business, marketing, or human psychology, pick up that book today. Persuasion is practically a part of marketing canon. It’s a very easy, entertaining, and insightful read.

Moving along, I recently stumbled upon a passage about Cialdini’s son, Chris, that detailed the father’s frustrating and failed attempts to make the 3-year-old swim without his inflatable inner tube. The father had failed at convincing his son otherwise. Even Cialdini’s graduate student, who was a former lifeguard, had failed.

However, after going to pick his son up from camp one day, Cialdini watched his son run and jump into the deepest end of the pool. Visibly excited and shocked (and relieved that his son hadn’t drowned), he asked how he was able to swim without the ring. Chris cooly explained: “Well, I’m three years old, and Tommy is three years old. And Tommy can swim without a ring, so that means I can too.”

All it took for Chris to get over his hurdle and achieve swimming success was to see someone whom he could identify with doing the same thing. Chris couldn’t relate to a tall, college-age lifeguard. But he could identify with Tommy, someone who looked and acted just like him. All Cialdini’s son needed was a relevant point of reference.

Could something so simple be the push you need to help you get over your hurdle? Perhaps, all you need to motivate you into that proverbial next gear is to find someone you can easily identify with who has already done it. Maybe, it’s a single mother. Or, it could be a college dropout. How about someone who’s close to your age?

Have you ever felt like you couldn’t make it to the level of success you deserve? Or maybe you just don’t know how you’re going to get there. Instead of an older mentor, what you might need is a motivational peer — someone you can identify with; a person with whom you can relate.

The more I think about it, the more I realize I didn’t get that “push” I needed until I was able to find someone I could relate to as well. In my case, it came in the form of two great buddies of mine, Alejandro Reyes and Jermaine Griggs — a couple of very young, motivated, spiritual, and wildly successful men. The fact that business — and even life, in general — took off in a new direction after getting to know them has not been lost on me.

So, Tommy can succeed… Can you?

The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he’s always doing both.

-James A. Michener

2008 was a fun and interesting here. Here’s to an even better one in 2009. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours. Be safe and remember the things that matter most. Don’t take them for granted.

All the best,

Deon

photo credit: Pear Biter

It’s been a while since I’ve blogged. Sorry about that. I’ve been, shall we say, going through a bit of some self discovery. It’s been a pretty fun and interesting month to say the least. The past 30 days have really brought me closer to a passion of mine — helping others succeed in their business (and, ultimately, their lives).

That said, there might be some changes coming to the site soon. But, rest assured, I’m still going to be talking about steaks, McRib sandwiches, and business like there’s no tomorrow. And now that that’s (consecutive “thats” have always bothered me) out of the way…

This past weekend was a good one in my book. I witnessed our archrivals, Alabama, fall at the hands of Florida in the SEC Championship game. I had a great conversation in the back of a nightclub with two women who wanted to start their own businesses (talk about random!). And, I also unexpectedly served as a guest panelist on a local talk show about business building tips. A great weekend if there ever was one.

And, it were the last two events (the nightclub conversation and radio talk show) that motivated me to write this post. As I started to reflect on the past few days, I realized that it’s hard for a lot of people to take those necessary first steps when starting a business. Now, I recognize the fact that my background is in Internet marketing but, the principles are pretty much the same all across the board.

If you want results; if you want to start your own business, you have to take action. (Random thought: That spinach I just ate might have been bad… my stomach hates me right now). Unfortunately, taking action for an offline business owner means spending money that he or she probably doesn’t have. Or, at least, that’s what we’re led to believe.

photo credit: Lisa Brewster

Case in point, one of the women I was talking to told me how she wanted to start her own business. We’ll say it was a catering company for the sake of her anonymity. After asking a few questions, Sarah (not her real name) informed me that she had no way of building the necessary client base to get started. She had no referrals and no industry contacts. And while that may have been true in terms of reality, it was false in terms of possibility.

I learned a long time ago that resources (or lack thereof) are NEVER the problem. The real problem is not being resourceful enough. Maybe I should say that again. Lack of resources are never the problem. Lack of resourcefulness is.

Simply put, there’s no excuse for not taking those first steps in your business building process — not when they’re tens — if not, hundreds — of people who a budding entrepreneur could access, network, and partner with.

If Sarah wanted to start a catering company with low capital, she could easily contact existing business owners who offer complimentary — not competitive — services. Sarah could ask herself, “who often deals and interact with caterers?” or “what businesses use catering services?” There are two that immediately come to mind: wedding/event planners and rental/special events facility owners.

Those people are constantly communicating with others who need the services of caterers, whether it be for weddings, corporate functions, political galas, reunions, rehearsal dinners, baby showers, and the list goes on.

That, right there, is a very healthy list of possible clients for a catering business. All Sarah would have to do is step a little bit out of her comfort zone, contact those business owners, and negotiate a revenue sharing agreement with them. For access to their networks, they’ll get a percentage of the revenue she generates if someone decides to use her catering company. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.

There’s nothing wrong with taking shortcuts, as long as they’re ethical and produce the desired results. As entrepreneurs, we have to learn to think outside of the box… to recognize opportunities that others miss. If you’re just starting out, having trouble building your client list, or don’t have access to a lot of capital then train yourself to look for ethical shortcuts. Remember, a lack of resources is NOT the problem.

Coming from Birmingham - ground zero of the Civil Rights Movement - this election has surreal and historic implications for me. But, regardless, of political affiliation, race, gender, or economic background, make sure you get out and vote. Make History!

Today, I’ve already driven over 100 miles to my polling place, had my car door hit by a baffled senior citizen, and heard my aunt recount a hilarious story about an overzealous voter throwing the Black Power Fist in Wal-Mart. I’m sure there’s more laughing and head-shaking to come.

If you have any political stories to share, let’s hear ‘em. I can only imagine what you all have been seeing and hearing out there. Until then, enjoy the day and make sure your voice is heard.

I’m Deon Gordon, and I approve this message.

Original photo by: brycej

Twitter has already become an integral part of many of our online experiences. It’s used throughout the week on CNN by anchors such as Don Lemon (@donlemoncnn) and Rick Sanchez (@ricksanchezcnn) to communicate and interact with viewers. If that’s not a stamp of approval, I don’t know what is. And, as the volume of users rise, so does the number of third party sites, tools, and services that all serve to make Twitter more dynamic, meaningful, and useful.

A lot of them, such as Ping.fm and Tweetdeck, are probably familiar to most of us. Others, like TwitHire and Twubble, not so much. Sifting through it all can be a challenge. So, to help make things easier, I’ve searched the Web, combed through the blogosphere, and rummaged through my del.icio.us bookmarks to sort and list some of the best Twitter sites and services the Net has to offer. This is by no means a definitive list, but I think it’ll serve us bloggers, Internet marketers, entrepreneurs, and social media junkies well.

I’m sure there are some good, and probably a few essential, services that I forgot to mention. If you know of one I missed, perhaps one you’re using, please let us know in the comments section. Domo arigato.

Oh, and follow me here: @deontee

Contact Management

1. TweetBeep - Google Alerts meets Twitter. Great service that notifies you whenever your name (or any other word you specify) is mentioned. Use it to catch @replies that might have been missed, for reputation management, or customer support (you’d be surprised how many people vent their frustrations on Twitter).
2. GroupTweet - Great tool to use if you want to send public tweets simultaneously but only to a select group of people. For instance: sending notifications to your web development team or special updates to members of your family.
3. DoesFollow? - Find out if who if the person you’re following is following you back.
4. FriendOrFollow - Gives you breakdown of a) those you follow who do the same, and b) a list of those you don’t follow but follow you.
5. Twubble - Want to find more Twitter peeps to follow? Twubble is a sweet site that searches through your “friend graph” to get an idea of your current social network. It then returns a visual list of those who you might consider following based on that information.
6. Tweet2Tweet - Allows you to view a conversation in a much easier fashion.
   

   Twitter for Bloggers

7. Twitter Tools - This plugin allows you to “pull in” your tweets to your blog. It can also updates Twitter whenever you make a new blog post. (note: you might have to scroll below the fold to find the plugin on the site)
8. Twitter for Wordpress - Simple plugin that also “pulls in” your tweets using a sidebar widget. Very easy to use; in fact, this is what I’m currently using on www.deontee.com.
   

   Search and Directories

9. Twitter Search (formerly Summize) - Hands down, one of the best tool for finding Twitter conversations and conducting niche/keyword research.
10. Twitscoop - Real-time current events for Twitter. Use it to research the latest trends and to find out what’s the hottest buzz… Also has a nifty tag cloud feature that’s quite useful.
11. Twellow - A great Twitter directory… Fantastic way to connect with others in you niche and industry. Also links to other social networking profiles such as Facebook and LinkedIn. P.S. Don’t forget to add your profile as well.
12. Just Tweet It - Another cool directory. This one allows you to be notified of new additions to your particular niche/industry category. Great for connecting with like-minded individuals.
13. Twitterholic - Showcases the top 100 Twitter users. Test out your reverse engineering skills by following with these Twitter rockstars and find out what they’re doing to gain followers and increase their visibility.
    

    Time Savers, To-Do’s, and Productivity

14. Tweet Later - An essential service for many Twitter users. This site is all about automation. With Tweet Later, you can automatically 1) send ‘thank you’ and welcome messages to new followers, 2) “return-follow” your new followers and 3) schedule tweets to be delivered at a specified time in the future.
15. Remember the Milk - The popular task management service now has Twitter integration to let you manage and create tasks right from Twitter. Notification and task reminders can also be setup to be delivered.
16. TwitterCal - If Google is your calendar of choice, take a look at this site which lets you add entries just by sending tweets.
17. iTwitter - An application that integrates with your iGoogle homepage.
    

    Desktop Software/Clients

18. Tweetdeck - An absolutely fantastic Twitter client. This Adobe Air application integrates with your desktop and gives you a enormously wide range of features and controls to extend and enhance your Twitter experience. You can sort your tweets into replies, groups, keywords, topic, etc. Other features include multiple columns, overnight updates while you sleep (or bar hop), and tweet filters.
19. Twhirl - Another great Twitter client. Features include the ability to cross post (to sites like Jaiku and Pownce), a built-in URL shortener, and the ability to connect to other services such as Seesmic and Friend Feed.
    

    Status Updaters

20. Ping.fm - Update Twitter and a plethora of social networking sites such as Myspace, Facebook, and Pownce at the same time… Wonderful time saver!
21. Hellotxt - Another good status updater for your social networking.
    

    Creative Uses, Interactivity

22. TwitPic - Easily post your photos and share them on Twitter.
23. TwitSay - Record a 10 second voice message and share it with your Twitter peeps. Use it as a quick and creative way to engage your followers, especially when you can’t text or don’t have access to a computer.
24. Twitter Keys - Have you ever seen icons and shapes in someone’s tweets? You might’ve even sent some yourself. Well, this cool site provides you with a bookmarklet that you can drag to your bookmarks toolbar. Click it to reveal a nifty, little popup with plenty of characters and icons you can use to spice up your tweets and make them stand out.
25. TwittyTunes - If you’re using the FoxyTunes plugin for Firefox, you can use TwittyTunes to easily tweet about the song you’re jamming to online. You can also share the sites you’re viewing, and videos you’re watching.
26. TwitHire - A free job listing board. Employers can promote their employment opportunities to social savvy job seekers… One of the most unique uses of Twitter I’ve seen.
27. Straw Poll - Need to get feedback? Create a poll and solicit responses just by tweeting… Cool interface, too!
    

    URL Shorteners

28. Snip URL - As I’m sure you know, Twitter doesn’t lend itself well to the long-winded. With only 140 characters at your disposal, shortening long website addresses is a must. Snip URL is one of the best in the game, in my opinion. You can create an account, easily share your links, and even view unique clicks (something many similar sites don’t offer).
29. TinyURL - One of the most popular URL shorteners around. Also has a bookmarklet you can drag to your bookmarks toolbar… Allows you to create shortened URLs with a single click.
30. is.gd - With only four letters (and a dot), is.gd is great for URL shortening.
    

    Account Management and Notifiers

31. TweetTake - Backup your followers, favorites, or just your entire Twitter account. Why? Remember the Twitter crash of Black Thursday (back in July 2008 when scores of users lost followers overnight)? I rest my case.
32. Twitterless - Service that sends you a DM (direct message) when you lose a follower.
33. Qwitter - Another services that sends you a notification when someone stops following you. This one sends you an email instead of a DM. Caveat: I think the jury is still out on these services. There might be legitimate reasons someone stops following you (e.g. they’re “following” you more on Pownce or Facebook). Or, there might not be a reason at all. However, this service might be good to use if you’ve been losing followers and want to find out why. Perhaps, you’re adding more noise than value. Maybe you tweet entirely too much. Regardless, use at your own discretion. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend confronting the person who un-followed you. Use this tool for research, not battle. (Make love, not war.)
    

    Stats, Metrics, and Tracking

34. TweetBurner - Another essential service to add to your Twitter toolbox. This service lets you track the links that you share on Twitter… Also acts as a URL shortener.
35. Grader for Twitter - A tool that grades your relative reach and influence on Twitter. It also suggests a few people you should follow based on your profile.
36. Twitter Counter - Simple to use site (just plug in your Twitter name) and get stats that span a week. Use it to chart your progress in acquiring followers. Also offer a chicklet counter that can be added to your website or blog.
37. TweetStats - Add this stats tool to the essentials pile. This site offers detailed stats of your tweets, who you sent them to the most and when you usually sent them… Very nice breakdown of data.
38. twInfluence - Great tool for measuring the reach of your account and your entire network… Measures metrics like your “velocity” and “social capital.”
39. Hashtags - A service that lets you tag your posts as a way to group and organize them with others.
40. TwitterTise - Brand advertising meets Twitter… Track your links and measure their effectiveness.
    

    Mobile

41. Twittelator - Twitter for your iPhone… Comes with a massive and very impressive feature list.
42. TwitterBerry - Crackberry users rejoice! The latest version boasts new features and a larger cache.
    

    Honorable Mentions

43. Twitter Digest - A site that helps you read your Twitter updates in a more manageable fashion. You can view the tweets in a “digest” format in either a Web page or RSS feed.
44. Twittad - Monetize your Twitter account by selling your background space. The idea is interesting, but I’m not sure how much it’ll catch on (or even if it should). Regardless, it’s definitely something worth checking out.
45. TwitterIM - IM junkies can send tweets using their Windows Live chat client.
46. CurseBird - A hilarious site that culls the profanity laced tweets together and displays them in a real-time feed. Great for a quick laugh — especially when a sports team is playing. Ah, the things that piss people off.
47. Twitturly - Think Digg meets Twitter. Twitturly is a site that acts as a real-time link tracker. A great way to find out what’s the latest buzz on Twitter. As of now, a lot of the entries appear to be links pointing to the same few topics, but as Twitter grows, I believe the usefulness of Twitturly will too. Regardless, there are still some gems to be found. A site worth checking out, in my opinion.

–

Blog Jams [Listening To: Common, "I Used to Love H.E.R."]