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@Pioneer1Typical of how you create your own scenarios and carve them into the wet cement of your brain, is how you continue to bring up my mention of a someone i have referred to as "trying to get next to me in the hope of lightening my fire", something your twisted imagination characterizes as a hot romance. I guess my debunking your pathetic theory about my being enamored of your masculine charms has put you in a projection mode. Also typical is how you can't accept what has become obvious. I disagree with you more than i do others here because they aren't stuck on stupid like you are. And your assertion that i reverse my positions and agree with you is a perfect example of your stating opinion as fact.

Please let us know who you are. What you'd like to accomplishment. How we can help you get the most out of this club? Provide your goals, expertise and even your expectations. Share as much or as little - and add when you feel comfortable. Thank you for being part of #readingblack.com movement and we want to make sure the movement serves us all. As for me, I read as much if not more than I write. So far, I've written, published two fiction titles and I’m working on a memoir. The former got me a full-page feature in a major business magazine; the latter is proving to be difficult to format. On the digital front, I've acquired several domain names currently valued at $10K. From those highly-coveted names, I’ve launched a personal website, a news magazine website that is growing in popularity due to the strategic alliances I’ve built with AALBC.com and PRNewswire. com I was half of a two-person start-up team who created and developed a popular lifestyle website and a weekly live 2-hour radio talk-show. With sweat-equity, and free social networks such as Myspace, Facebook, and BlogTalkRadio we built an engaged community for the website. By 2008, the Facebook page had 100K fans. We invited the most loyal fans to write for the site. In 2010, the website had a global ranking with an estimated value of about $35K. If sold, it would have been nearly 100% profit. The co-founder changed the format and pushed me out. The website lost 90% of its value after the community dwindled. Since 2002, I've consulted in Media Relations with a focus on building communities and creating strategic alliances. I've accumulated millions of dollars in earned media for myself and clients in publications with a monthly multimillion readership. Before building a media consulting business, I was responsible for corporate communications of several multimillion-dollar funded high-profile nonprofit organizations. I took those skills to work for a large customer-facing financial institution where I worked closely with marketing to handled internal communications and special projects for the Community Reinvestment Act department. As News Anchor and Managing Editor, at a CBS network affiliate, led a team of editors, photographers, reporters to produce #1 rated weekend newscast that gained 27% of market share. As AM drivetime news anchor/reporter for iHeart (formerly Clear channel) Radio Station 1170 AM WWVA acquired Associated Press credits for contributing breaking news resulting in an AP Radio Partner Award. Several national magazines and newspapers have published my features and opinions. Prior, I worked for trade book publishers, G.P. Putnam's Sons and Penguin USA (before the merger) in Special Sales, and Academic Marketing & Sales from 1987-1992. Oh, did I mention I spent 8-years flying the friendly skies for a major U.S. commercial airline?

The plan is to produce more videos of this type to promote the books of publishers and authors who have demonstrated a commitment to #ReadingBlack. To keep videos like these and more coming please subscribe to The Tea's YouTube Channel. Also subscribe to AALBC.com's YouTube Channel as well.

@Delano @Troy Ditto " Facts @Cynique Daaayum! This is fabulous! I need to post this on my pc - so that I'm always reminded not to do this! All learning stops at this level.

I am an avid reader. I don't generally join groups. I will list some of the jobs i have done. Cashier Messenger Tax Collector Tutor Bookkeeper Nude Model Statistician Psychic Bartender and Security Guard.

Freedom of thought is a choice that you have to make. Most people aren't aware they have that option. In one of my marketing classes I heard the following: Comsumers will often buy the same brand their parents bought. Its clear that Mel and Cynique are writers. Althoug we each have our own worldview , that doesn't make it the world's view. Nor does that mean our view or the world's view is correct.

@Pioneer1, I agree with a lot of what you said about Lipstick Alley. It is a very gossipy site which of course is part of its appeal. It definitely skews female and is heavily moderated. I can reply to comments in the books forum, but I cannot initiate my own new conversations. I also find the group to be somewhat cynical and snide, but also funny too. Virtually everyone there hides their identity behind pseudonyms and avatars. I guess this gives people the freedom to say whatever they want. I never was a fan of this because when you are truly free you can always say what you want without hiding behind a fake identity. It is a massive discussion forum the vast majority of it would be impossible for me to read. So my opinion is not unlike that of the blind man feeling a small part of an elephant. I did communicate with the owner of the website who confirmed that it was black-owned, but we did not develop a relationship. Pioneer have you, or anyone else, participated there?

I have not written the reply to this message yet because it is so meaty and so thought-provoking. I feel like a off-the-top-of-my-head response would not do the subject justice, so I have not replied. When I get a minute I'll just reply to one aspect of what you've shared here.

I actually asked the questions to point out inconsistencies in your reasoning. True, you cannot see electrons or galaxies with the naked eye, but you can't see chromosomes either. You state that you don't trust so-called "Western science" (is this code for "white science") and extol the virtues of one doing their own research. But I don't believe that you've done any research in genetics, astronomy, or particle physics. It is fascinating that you have no trouble dismissing science and feel comfortable promoting what you believe. Again, this not at all unusual; most people do it everyday; albeit not to the same extent as you. People are usually comfortable shrugging their shoulders and saying "I dunno." Do you believe the world is flat? I assume you have never been to outerspace to observe this on your own.

I like discussing topics and ideas. Since it is the opportunity to learn. Discussing a topic with someone more knowledgeable means learning more. Everyone has a particular style of communicating. Which may be related to their personality or rather their personsa. Why are people posting, what do they expect abd what are they trying to do. Also there is objectivity flexibility experience combative. Cynique you're the top dog. The pecking order if regulars is: Cynique Mel Troy Pioneer. Although Troy can change is position more quickly. And appears less wedded to ideas than anyone else I mentioned. Mel is really informed. There are three groups of people I find very interesting Writers Rappers and Comics. Thank you. The real vs the abstract. Time vs belief. It's one of my favorite quotes. Thank you @Cynique. The real vs the abstract. Time vs belief. It's one of my favorite quotes. Thank you. The real vs the abstract. Time vs belief. It's one of my favorite quotes.

3. Think Like an Editorial Director - and curate and create News your audience can use. Even if you have one name on your mailing list treat that one person like she represents 1,000 subscribers because she does if we can depend on exponential growth. Sometimes good content could be related to your book's subject matter - especially if you're an expert. Other times you may have to think beyond your book and really know what your customers need. For example, @CDBurns runs a website with the tagline "in-depth sneaker info. http://arch-usa.com/ I haven't sign up for his mailing list but I do follow him and his conversation on disqus. Chris Burns designs,and runs his shoe business but he also has his own publishing arm to the business too. Burns is ahead of the curve. Major Brands are now just realizing that they need a media department. I thought about him when writing this post because just yesterday, he told me about Brooks running shoes and their partnership with Black Girls Run. I'm not a sneaker head but his information appeals to me. This means when I think of sneakers, I remember him. You connecting with your audience through your expertise means they will remember you too.

Thanks @richardmurray, the more people we have thinking along these lines the better. Our think must change before our behavior changes for our collective benefit