Saudi Arabia Women Protest Ban on Driving June 17th

By Te-Erika Patterson

On June 17th courageous women in Saudi Arabia will take to the streets in protest of Saudi Arabia's longstanding ban against women driving. Manal al-Sharif, the organizer behind the Women2Drive protest which began last year after she posted a youtube video of her driving, is now the subject of violent threats against her life.

After posting this video that shows her driving, Manal has been honored by numerous organizations for her bravery in a country that punishes women with public lashing for disobeying cultural rules like driving and not covering their bodies.



According to a report that ran in Women's E News, Manal has stated that she has been taught since she was a child that as a girl she was sinful to expose. She defied that definition last year by organizing a protest that received international attention as 100 men and women in support of Manal's stance on women's liberation in Saudi Arabia got behind the wheel of cars. Two women were reportedly stopped by police and one of them was sentenced to a public lashing which was never carried out because she went into hiding.

My Savvy Sisters stands behind Manal al-Sharif and her efforts to quell the attack on women's freedom and personal development in Saudi Arabia. To show your support please visit the Women2Drive facebook page and follow this developing movement.

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Reader Mail: Your Videos Are My Remedy

Hey, Te-Erika :)

I just have to let you know that you have become a huge inspiration to me. Your videos have brought me such immense peace and hope. I'm coming to the end of a huge struggle in my life and your videos have been a remedy to my state of mind and the way that I choose to tackle my circumstances.

This transitioning phase in my life has not been smooth sailing and it has been incredibly helpful and empowering to have your blunt, yet soothing honesty and motivation right along with me through that. I really just want to say thank you so much for that. It means so much and if I ever get the opportunity to repay you for that, I won't hesitate. I hope that you never feel your videos and your huge humanitarian-psychological effort isn't unappreciated because it really is and I can't be the only one who feels this way. Finding your youtube channel has been a huge stepping stone for me and my progress and I am just so deeply grateful that there is someone selfless and considerate enough to spend so much time pouring insight, encouragement, empowerment, healing, and advice into strangers.

Stay wonderful :)

A. Smith

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3 Tips For Disputing a Credit Card Charge

By Ashyiah Hill

Disputing a credit card charge can save you money when a purchase goes awry or when someone uses your card without your permission. However, the process of disputing a credit card charge can be a little complicated. Plus, when you dispute a charge, it's often an all or nothing situation. You'll almost always either get all your money back if the credit card company decides in your favor, or none of it if the company decides in favor of the vendor.

Whether you're dealing with goods that haven't been delivered, cancelled travel plans, or an unauthorized charge, these three tips will help you in your credit card dispute:

Know the Rules in the Fair Credit Billing Act

Obviously, you've got to understand what protection you have under the law before you know how far to take the credit card dispute process. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, many different types of disputes are covered. Here's a list of what you can dispute according to this law:

• Unauthorized charges: You're only responsible for up to $50 for unauthorized charges, and some credit card companies limit your liability to $0 in their own contracts.
• Non-delivery: If you're charged for goods or services that were unacceptable, weren't delivered at all, or weren't delivered as agreed, you can dispute the charge.
• Errors: Charges that involve mathematical errors or that list the wrong date or the wrong amount can also be disputed.
• Failure to pay: If you've returned an item successfully but the vendor doesn't post payment to your credit card, you can dispute the original transaction.
• Failure to bill: If your creditor gets your change of address in writing before a billing period ends but fails to send your bills to the right address, you can dispute their charges.

These rules offer more protection in some areas than in others, and for the most part, credit card
companies get to decide whether you or the vendor who is charging you is in the wrong. For instance, if you buy furniture that is delivered months late, the credit card company could negate the charge because the goods were not delivered as agreed, but they could also rule in favor of the vendor because the furniture was eventually delivered.

Check with the Vendor First

Because a credit card dispute is an all or nothing proposition, you may need to go to the vendor first to try to work out your problems with them directly. Often times, instead of getting a full refund, you'll get a certificate for future services or products, or you may even get a partial refund.

Unless the charge is very large and the process of disputing it is financially high stakes for you, checking with the vendor can be a better option. When you work directly with a vendor, you may get something back. If they won't work with you at all, then you can go to the credit card company in hopes that they'll help. But if you go directly to the credit card company and they rule in favor of the vendor, you won't get anything back, and you won't have anywhere else to turn except, possibly, and expensive lawsuit.

File it as a Fraudulent Charge if at all Possible

Any time there are unauthorized charges on your credit card, make sure you file them as such. The law offers more protection for unauthorized charges, whether they're from a thief or from your teenager who swiped your card to pay for an online purchase or even from a vendor who charged you for services or goods you didn't ask for. Of course, you should never be fraudulent yourself by saying that a charge was unauthorized if it was authorized by you, but if you can file the charge this way, you'll get more protection and, often times, a better response from your credit card company.

Know Your Credit Card Provider

One thing that you should always check out when looking at credit card reviews to try to find the best possible credit card for your needs is the company's records of settling disputes with customers. While a credit card company may not openly share these exact statistics, you may look at reviews from other consumers who have worked with the company on disputes. At the least, you want to make sure that the credit card company you choose works with customers courteously and is easy to file a dispute with.

Disputing a credit card charge takes some time, and it needs to be done in writing. But it can definitely be worth it if it saves you money on goods and services you didn't receive as promise or charges you didn't authorize.

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How My Village and I Fought Mesothelioma

By Heather Von St. James

At one point or another, I’m sure you’ve heard the old phrase “it take a village” during times of hardship. While it may be thrown around a lot, I’ve recently come to realize that this phrase is very true.

On August 4, 2005, my daughter, Lily, was born after a pregnancy, which, with the exception of a C-section, was relatively uneventful. Throughout this process, however,
our “village” surrounded my husband and me. It included my parents, his family, and our many friends. While the aura of the delivery room that day was one of celebration, joy, and excitement, there was a dreadful storm on the horizon.

A month or so after I returned to work, I began to feel tired, breathless, and completely devoid of energy. While these symptoms are often attributed to being a new mom, I still felt as if something was wrong. Playing it safe, I decided to schedule an appointment with my doctor to see if everything was alright. After a myriad of tests and procedures, I found that my symptoms weren’t that of motherhood, but of something much worse.

On November 5, 2005, I was diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Affecting the lining of the lung, pleural mesothelioma is usually caused by exposure to asbestos. After a little
research, I found out that I had been unknowingly exposed to it as a child. Since then, it had
remained dormant in my system, only to rear its ugly head 30 years later.

My prognosis was very grim. If I didn’t seek treatment, I would have only 15 months to live. The first thing that came to mind, however, was the thought of my husband and daughter being all alone. This thought made me realize that we had to do whatever it took to rid me of my cancer.

As a result, my husband and I decided to take the most drastic move, which was to seek
treatment from specialists in Boston. Leaving Lily behind in South Dakota with her grandparents, my husband and I flew to Boston so that I could undergo a form of treatment known as an extrapleural pneumenectomy. The procedure required the removal of my left lung, followed by 18 days of recovery in the hospital. This would be followed by an additional two months of recovery, along with chemotherapy and radiation treatments shortly thereafter.

Despite the hardships, I eventually walked away from my fight completely cancer-free. However, I couldn’t have done it without my village. Family and friends from all parts of our lives not only came to us in our time of need, but also helped my parents raise Lily. During our stay in Boston, my husband and I made many new friends who were just as supportive. Without all of the support and love, I probably wouldn’t be here to tell this story.

Knowing how fragile life can be, we as a family try to embrace everything life throws at us, be it
good or bad. While the bad things can truly be horrible, a lot of good can still come from them.



Heather Von St James is a 43-year-old wife and mother. Upon her diagnosis of mesothelioma,
she vowed to be a source of hope for other patients who found themselves with the same
diagnosis. Now, over 6 years later, her story has been helping people all over the globe. She
continues her advocacy and awareness work by blogging, speaking and sharing her message of hope and healing with others. Check out her story at the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog.

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