Affinity4 Community Blog

The president should be pleased that his Republican challengers are making the race into a choice rather than just a referendum on the economy. The Republican primaries are just a preview of what will be an ugly election campaign for all sides, no matter the end result. Americans are fearful about their economic future and seeking tangible solutions. But instead of voters being swamped with negative ads from politicians, Newt Gingrich benefited in South Carolina from a shift in strategy that recalled his approach when he briefly soared to the top of the polls in Iowa. At mid-week he began airing a television commercial that dropped all references to Romney and his other rivals, and contended that he was the only Republican who could defeat Obama.

In victory, Gingrich praised his Republican rivals and attacked President Barack Obama and “elites in New York and Washington.” Obama is “the most effective food stamp president in history,” he said. “I would like to be the best paycheck president in American history.” Those declarations and his attack on the “elite news media” reprised two of his more memorable lines from a pair of debates that helped fuel his victory.

Nor did Gingrich flinch when ex-wife Marianne said in an interview on ABC that he had been unfaithful for years before their divorce in 1999, and asked him for an open marriage.

Asked about the accusation in the opening moments of the second debate of the week, he unleashed an attack on ABC and debate host CNN and accused the “liberal news media” of trying to help Obama by attacking Republicans. His ex-wife’s account, he said, was untrue. He reprimanded the mediator and his approach, “To take an ex-wife and make it, two days before the primary, a significant question for a presidential campaign is as close to despicable as anything I can imagine.”

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Here at Affinity4 we are always looking for opportunities to improve the products and services we offer to you – our customers. To help customers meet their daily Internet needs, we’re very excited to announce our partnership with EarthLink. They have several services you can choose from including budget friendly dial-up service and, for faster access, high-speed DSL service. Faster connection will help you save time when downloading information, shopping online, or just using the various search engines, like Google and Yahoo. Prices start as low as $14.95 per month for the first 3 months and a DSL modem is no-charge!

Our customers will also receive 20 hours of free dial-up service to use when you’re away from home. This comes in handy when you’re traveling and need access to your emails or files. Since services vary by the location or the phone provider in your area, our Customer Service Representative will advise you of the available packages to meet your needs.

If high speed internet is not what you’re looking for, EarthLink offers dial-up service starting as low as $9.95 per month for the first 6 months. This includes free EarthLink Accelerator software that allows you to surf faster. All services include EarthLink’s award-winning 24/7 tech support where support is available by phone, live chat online or the web. When accessing the web, security against viruses is a must have. With the services offered through EarthLink you’ll receive free security tools providing protection against viruses, spyware, hackers and online scams.

Plus, when you purchase EarthLink’s internet services through Affinity4, we’ll donate 10% of the proceeds to select worldly causes including American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, Feed the Children, Salvation Army, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital and other valuable organizations working to make a difference in our world! So, join countless of others who give back to their ministry or charity with the services they purchase through Affinity4…sign up today to save more and get better internet service through our new partnership with EarthLink.

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It’s been over 40 years since Martin Luther King, Jr.’s death, and 26 years since Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was established as a U.S. federal holiday. To me, and much of my generation, the most significant implication of that statement is that much of my generation doesn’t understand the meaning of Dr. King, Jr.’s work.

Our perception of civil rights has changed dramatically over the years, from racial desegregation and gender equality, but one thing has remained certain – we still strive for nonviolent justice and the ability to live without discrimination.

My generation is reaping the rewards that Dr. King, Jr., and so many others fought so very hard for. The power of his spoken word, his teachings, and his memory, changed the course of history. For this reason, on the third Monday in January, we honor one of the greatest American heroes.

In keeping with these teachings, we must all work together toward a “beloved community”. If we all work together, we continue to make it a better place for everyone. So be sure to volunteer at your local nonprofit, church, or community function and remember:

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”-Martin Luther King Jr.

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Jana Gordon wishing you a happy Friday!

Hello Affinity4 World!

My name is Jana Gordon and I’m what you could call a California girl turned east-coaster. I joined the Affinity4 team as Digital Media Coordinator in November with a background in integrated marketing communication previously working in the non-profit, television and advertising industries. Prior to moving to the area, I attended the University of Nevada Las Vegas – GO Rebels – and have been in Hampton Roads for three years.

My passion is not solely limited to marketing, digital media, pr and advertising, I am heavily involved in youth ministry and community service project planning. I love volunteering and working with people to help people! So it’s a double-bonus that I get to work for an awesome company that shares my same core value of giving back.

Thank you for taking time to get to know me! To close, I’ll leave you with a quote: I knew everything and received everything. But real happiness is giving. – Alain Delon

Have a super-fantastic day

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I used to think New Year’s resolutions were silly. I thought they were goals you made for yourself, but typically forgot about by the end of January, especially if they seemed insurmountable. But that was many years ago, before I learned the meaning behind New Year’s resolutions and what they stood for.

See, to me, a New Year’s resolution is still a goal I set for myself – but it’s a goal about how to be a better person, more than how to make life better for myself, and I think that’s something that I learned with maturity. “Get a better job”, “budget better”, “go down a dress size”, you’ve heard them all before in one way or another.

But as I’ve grown, I realized that a New Year’s resolution should really be about making myself a better person, and that would ultimately result in making life better for myself – and others around me. When I joined Affinity4 a few years ago, it only underlined this notion.

So, this year, I’ve resolved to be healthier, which will affect more than just my clothing size. I’ve also resolved to do the best job I can here at Affinity4, which will affect more than just me, but also my colleagues, the partner nonprofits I talk to and work with, the customers I work with directly, and any trickle-down effect that has.

A New Year’s resolution is only as effective as the person who makes it, and makes the effort to see it through. We hope you enjoy 2012 with happiness, peace and joy, and we hope to continue to keep each of our customers happy and Giving Back with us.

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At Affinity4, we want to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas!! No, not “Happy Holidays” – that’s right, a Merry Christmas. Christmas seems to have become a somewhat commercial holiday to so many, but we still hold on to the spiritual and religious notions that Christmas really is all about.

We understand the true reason for the season. We will always embrace the traditional values of giving, sharing and helping the less fortunate during Christmas.

We appreciate our customers’ commitment to our efforts this year, and every year.  We wish you the merriest of Christmases, filled with peace, promise, and blessings of the best New Year to come.

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When we began preparing our office for Christmas – setting up the Christmas tree, planning our office Secret Santa, all that – we also began to plan how we could help others in the midst of all our fun. Parties, decorations, and shopping are fun indeed, but we at Affinity4 work very hard every day to make a difference in the lives of others – which is even more fun!

For the past few weeks, our office has been a flurry of activity: collecting clothing and toys for the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program. We adopted 50 Angels from the Salvation Army, in hopes of giving 50 underprivileged children a very Merry Christmas.

We held a wrapping party to place all items in gift bags, and put everything under the Christmas tree until the day we delivered all gifts to the Salvation Army. On delivery day, we went to the distribution center and spoke to the staff at the Salvation Army, as well as the military personnel that were helping to organize the entire process – and it was very humbling.

I am so very proud to work for an organization that puts so much effort into giving back. Knowing that we helped provide for kids that may not otherwise be able to enjoy Christmas helps make my Christmas.

When we began preparing our office for Christmas – setting up the Christmas tree, planning our office Secret Santa, all that – we also began to plan how we could help others in the midst of all our fun. Parties, decorations, and shopping are fun indeed, but we at Affinity4 work very hard every day to make a difference in the lives of others – which is even more fun!

For the past few weeks, our office has been a flurry of activity: collecting clothing and toys for the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program. We adopted 50 Angels from the Salvation Army, in hopes of giving 50 underprivileged children a very Merry Christmas.

We held a wrapping party to place all items in gift bags, and put everything under the Christmas tree until the day we delivered all gifts to the Salvation Army. On delivery day, we went to the distribution center and spoke to the staff at the Salvation Army, as well as the military personnel that were helping to organize the entire process – and it was very humbling.

I am so very proud to work for an organization that puts so much effort into giving back. Knowing that we helped provide for kids that may not otherwise be able to enjoy Christmas helps make my Christmas.

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In late October, the North Carolina Women’s Right to Know Act was passed requiring a woman to speak with a physician or qualified professional either in person or over the phone 24 hours before having an elective abortion in the state. If the physician believes the woman is being coerced into having an abortion, then the physician must refer her to several agencies, including a “pregnancy care center.” The law also requires that a woman must receive an ultrasound and other educational information from a qualified medical professional 72 hours before having an elective abortion.

According to WRTK a women must be give extensive information, including material about the medical risks of abortion, the gestational age of the fetus at the time of the operation, whether the surgeon has liability insurance for abortions, the resources available for birth and child care, the abortion-alternative centers on the state website and that the father of the child is liable for financial support. The law also states that doctors who violate it can be sued by not only the patient, but by the woman’s spouse, parent or sibling.

Several days before the law was to go into effect, a federal court judge blocked the most controversial part of the law; the requirement that patients be presented with a narrated ultrasound image of their womb within four hours of the operation. U.S. District Court Judge Catherine Eagles granted a request for a preliminary injunction sought by PP, the NARAL and state civil-rights organizations who filed suit against the law. Eagle did uphold all other provisions of the law until the lawsuit is resolved.

Eagles ruled that the ultrasound requirement is likely an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment. She stated in her order that the First Amendment generally includes the right to refuse to engage in speech compelled by the government and added that freedom of speech precludes limits on both what to say and what not to say.

How can we not require that anyone undergoing a medical procedure not be fully informed of what the procedure entails? If a woman was having a nose job, she would meet with her surgeon; go over the procedure in detail, view images of what her nose look like now and what it will look like. She would learn all the risks and complications and would then be scheduled for surgery at which time the doctor would review what is going to happen and have her sign off that she agrees to the procedure. That’s informed consent!

Whose interest is being protected when we don’t require the same type of informed consent to a woman who is considering an abortion, which is clearly a medical procedure? And help me understand how providing patient education in regard to a medical procedure is a violation of the First Amendment?

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“The First Thanksgiving” was celebrated in 1621. In 1620, the Mayflower landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It held 102 colonists, also known as Pilgrims, who had left England in search of religious freedom and opportunity. Unfortunately, the Pilgrims arrived in December, and 44 of the new colonists did not survive the harsh winter.

With the help of local Native Americans, they were able to plant crops in the spring of 1621, and enjoyed a bountiful harvest that year.  As a result, Governor William Bradford decreed that December 13, 1621, be set aside as a day of feasting and prayer to show the gratitude of the Pilgrims for their all God had blessed them with.

From that year forward, Thanksgiving has been celebrated in this country as a day to give thanks to God for His gracious and sufficient provision. President Abraham Lincoln officially set aside the last Thursday of November, in 1863, “as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.” In 1941, Congress ruled that after 1941, the fourth Thursday of November be observed as Thanksgiving Day and be a legal holiday.

The history of Thanksgiving isn’t just about a group of people or one faith. It is a time to gather together with friends and family to feast and fellowship.  And it is a time for every American to pause and give thanks to God for all his blessings in our lives.

From the Affinity4 family to yours we send prayers for a Thanksgiving holiday filled with joy, peace, love and laughter!

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