Never Underestimate the Latino Market Segment - The Latino Book is Here in the USA

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AppId is over the quota

The Hispanic and Latino market is on fire, there is a lot of spendable income there and they love personal electronics, and they are good voters. This is changing the dynamics in the United States and the way we live. This is one incredible consumer market segment that no business can neglect. Perhaps, it is for that reason that I have a very good book I'd like to recommend to you. The name of the book is;

"The Latino Boom! - Everything You Need to Know to Grow Your Business in the US Hispanic Market," by Chiqui Cartagena (female), published by Ballantine Books, New York, NY, 2005, (232 pp), ISBN: 0-345-48235-2.

This author knows exactly what she's talking about and she grew up in Spain and runs a Hispanic media company. She tells us that in 2005 Hispanic families made $4000 more annually than African-Americans in the United States. Hispanic could be many different nationalities - Mexicans, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Latin Americans, and people from Spain. The teens are urban trendsetters and by 2020 Hispanics will be 25% of the population in the United States and that is at the low end of the projection.

It is estimated that by 2012 the spendable income from Hispanic citizens will be well over $1 trillion. Although Hispanics also have the highest dropout rates, many of them also are self-employed or own businesses. In the United States Black Americans account for 36 million people or 13%, whereas Hispanic populations account for 41 million or 15%, and Hispanics are outpacing in population growth almost 2 to one presently. In Puerto Rico alone there are 3.8 million Hispanic folks.

The Hispanic voters were the decider in the 2004 elections. In the 1960s hundreds of thousands fled from Cuba and came to Miami. Miami is also home to Argentinians, Brazilians, and Venezuelans all considered Latino. They bring with them their culture, strong family values, and future buying power. 80% of the Hispanics in the US live in seven states; California, Texas, New York, Arizona, New Mexico, New Jersey, Florida, and Illinois.

In 2008 they had an estimated $800 billion in buying power, and at that time only 4% of Hispanics who were over 50 years old made $50,000 per year, although that number is rapidly climbing. The average Cuban-American is 30 years old and they are one of the most industrious groups running many businesses in Florida. 30% of Hispanics are foreign born do not speak English very well and 10% of US-born Hispanics don't speak English, although 30% are bilingual.

With larger families they lean towards collectivism and they believe in fate and God, very religious folks. They are spontaneous and are much more able to relax than a typical whitey American. Their spending on personal electronics is way up, and perhaps this accounts for the reason that Carlos Slim is now the richest person in the entire world and he is involved with cell phones and personal technologies. It is also known that in North Carolina Hispanic populations have quadrupled in the last decade - a story which will be repeated in many states in coming years.

This book is a complete eye opener for anyone who thinks they can neglect the Hispanic market in their business. Because nothing could be further from the truth - this is definitely the demographic and market segment that you need to watch in your business, and that's why I highly recommend that you buy this book and get yourself educated on this topic. This is a game changer, it will change everything, and it's time that you went with the flow to greater profits in your business.

Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank. Lance Winslow believes intelligent demographic study and hiring intelligent contractors too; http://www.yakimabuilders.com/.

Note: All of Lance Winslow's articles are written by him, not by Automated Software, any Computer Program, or Artificially Intelligent Software. None of his articles are outsourced, PLR Content or written by ghost writers.

Three Cups of Tea

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AppId is over the quota

When Greg Mortenson traversed Pakistan's rugged terrain in 1993, it was to climb and conquer the indomitable K2. He left the country without conquering the peak, yet he left with something more important - a promise. A remote village called Korphe had taken in the weary mountaineer and helped him recover after an arduous expedition. When Mortenson saw 82 children (only 4 of them girls) attending school outdoors, "kneeling on the frosty ground, in the open," he knew what he wanted to do for these people who survived on so little and had given him so much. He promised to return and build them a school.

He didn't know that fulfilling his promise would direct the course of his life and lead to building 130 more schools that would educate 51,000 students in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Today he is the director of Central Asia Institute, an organization formed to accomplish Mortenson's goal of creating schools for girls in remote regions. Three Cups of Tea documents the challenges and successes of the finding the funds, of transporting roof beams by hand for 18 miles, of persevering through religious resistance and hostile environments. Mortenson is kidnapped, spied upon, and stuck in the middle of a showdown between opium smugglers.

Through these epic adventures, the story maintains a deeply personal tone. Korphe's town leader becomes a surrogate father for Mortenson. He falls in love and has children. Men vow to die to protect his life. Mortenson cultivates relationships that transcend barriers of tradition, religion, and race amidst the complex cultures of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He approaches each new people group and school building project as a learner.

Armed with this attitude and the conviction that education will change lives, Mortenson serves some of the world's most impoverished children and fights terrorism in his own way. If you want to learn about Pakistan and Afghanistan beyond what you hear on the radio waves, if you want to see a successful grassroots model of education in undeveloped areas in progress, if you want to believe that one person's life can make an impact, then read Three Cups of Tea.

Julia Phillips blogs regularly about social justice issues and parenting at [http://www.dosmallthings.com].

Hard Revolution By George Pelecanos

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AppId is over the quota

I have had this book on my bookshelf for several years. Don't ask me why I did not pick it up and read it for the great read it turned out to be. I have read several of Mr. Pelecanos' books over the years but this one I enjoyed more than any of them.

Hard Revolution starts by introducing Derek Strange and several of his friends when they were very young. It takes place in Washington, DC where they were born and grew up over the years amidst changing social situations. During their youth Derek, a black boy, and his best friend, Billy Georgelakos, a white boy, did almost everything together. They traveled through each other's neighborhoods, sometimes being gawked at, sneered at, and laughed at. Some, mostly in their own age range, could not understand why a black and a white boy would hang out together. It did not happen in the days of the 50's and 60's.

Derek's parents, Darious and Althea, were hard working people doing all they could to raise Derek correctly. Darious worked over a hot stove in a restaurant while Althea was a domestic worker. Dennis was a son of theirs too. Dennis was not the hard and caring person that Derek was, despite his parents attempt to make him so.

Frank Vaughn was a detective, white, and he truly tried to keep justice in the neighborhood as well as the city of Washington. The feelings between the whites and blacks were very much on edge. Some of the younger blacks thought the world owed them a living while the whites thought they owned the blacks. The streets were very much separated by class and color. Frank Vaughn tried to smooth things but it was an impossibility.

Hard Revolution gives a terrific account of the racial tensions of those years and shows through the characters in the book how difficult it was to live during those times. There was NO normal. Gangs and groups of mostly young people did not want a peaceful coexistence with each other. They would be more likely to hurt, or even kill, others to show THEY were in charge. The police had a never-ending job.

Hard Revolution follows history, giving very vivid descriptions of the fights, the burning, the killing, and the attempt of law enforcement to keep control of Washington. Derek became a police officer when he was old enough. He was an exception being a black policeman in a white controlled police force. Derek made friends but many of his former friends turned against Derek's pleas for calm. Some of his friends turned to violence, as did many blacks in the city.

The book also covers Martin Luther King's actions in peace making while seeking justice for all blacks. Dr. King had many supporters that came to Washington during these times, most of who attempted to help him, but some that fought peaceful resolution. You will be amazed at the vivid descriptions and detail in Hard Revolution. The author tells it like it was. There were victims on both sides of this brutal showdown.

I highly recommend this book. It is a winner with non-stop action.

Reader review by Cy Hilterman.
Reviewer of many types of books.