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@Mel Hopkins books and audiobooks for reading or listening:) Music is something I am working on. To any who may see the following I have to go into storytime mode , talking about Kobo, with the advantage of hindsight. The ebook industry's problem began with the firm first to make an ereader, Amazon. Amazon knew, based on how they dominated the eretail market, that people online in the usa are loyal to websites. They do not leave them voluntarily, for the most part. I know this having been forced to leave two blog sites, and only after the second actually doing real searching into what is out there. amazon also knew the only danger to their plan is not having a large library and not having a growing new publications list. Amazon thus opened their writing program and converted as many books as possible into ebooks, using their system. The last piece of their statian domination , though most vital, was their machines. the Amazon kindle was the first ereader, but the amazon fire is the economy car tablet. Thus, amazon had the two devices most people in the usa will have to read ebooks. And the kindle doesn't accept epub and the fire doesn't allow every other app, like kobo's for example. The dominance Amazon has in the usa market is like facebooks. I know for certain other websites do better or equal to facebook or instagram in the esocial , but their audience is not based in the usa. Sequentially, people in the USA are hard to see the other firms. That last point connect to Kobo but I continue. ... Barnes and noble tried to mirror Amazon's strategy, thinking their book stores gave them a userbase that can wither amazon's in the reading world. But, barnes and noble was wrong. amazon's strategy depended on being first, the second your firm is not first, you can not duplicate amazon. Another bookstore called Borders had to do something. They were not a tech firm like amazon and didn't have the money like barnes and noble to invest in making a product. But, this canadian firm Kobo, had a product. Me side my blood relatives, love to read, and liked going to borders. Sequentially, when they sold the first Kobo's we were interested. The best thing about the original kobo was the purpose. This was not a multipurpose device, this was a straight forward read ebook device. I do not like to buy technology that overlaps purpose, so I was interested. Over time, borders went out of business as Kobo couldn't provide the uptake needed in the usa market. But, Kobo survived cause outside the usa, many liked the universal nature of kobo. Unlike barnes and noble or amazon, Kobo's objective is getting people to read. And, they developed a nice market share in europe especially, where the buying habits to technology are not like the usa. THis is why in Europe, the nintendo game systems market shares are much larger than sony playstation or microsoft xbox. PEople in europe do buy sony or microsoft, but many people in europe have an affordable quality mentality to buying technology. Nintendo fits that mold, Kobo as well, fitted that mold. But, to make more devices, Kobo needed investment and they couldn't get it on there own. So, here comes Rakuten, a japanese company, biggest publisher in japan. They owned Overdrive, which is a website that was started in the usa, but centers on ebook collections. Rakuten bought them too and combined was able to advance both companies projects. Overdrive like Kobo are not well known by the average usa ereader, but in certain sections in the usa and definitely outside of it, are more well known or more importantly used. Now, what does this have to do with being a member of Kobo writing life. You have to comprehend, being a member of Kobo in the usa, means few will ever know what you are talking about. My storytelling was meant to explain the international strength of Kobo is key. Kobo is not the biggest ebook firm in the usa, and will not be any time soon. Many, not necessarily most, of the biggest kobo writers also have amazon accounts. But, if you are expecting people in the usa, to have automatic recognition to kobo, you are wrong. Having said that, I considered joining amazon aside others writing programs. But I joined Kobo after trying to join amazon first, it was too complicated or messy. It seemed amazon wanted me to sign an affidavit on something and that bothered me. I conclude with the following. Do what you want, in terms of writing program. I am not a fan to amazon but in the end I am not one to tell others where to go or what to do. But Kobo is a stable or straightforward writing program, that gives you access to strong unfamiliar reading markets outside the usa,which are becoming more accustomed to the ebook at a faster growing rate, or overdrive. I can't give you a revenue sheet to guarantee financial success. But, I can tell you that Kobo's writing life , even part of Rakuten, maintains their original premise, which is an open format, for writers to dictate their prices and how their books are sold. Kobo is not going to beg anyone to come to them but the door is open, use at your own will. Now, I am off that silly pulpit.

@Troy Exactly! We continue to tell authors not to let AMAZON use them, so this is the logical next step. I think sharing my book publishing journey and asking questions like this well help all of us. I do know, once I formatted my eBook for mobi (kIndle) I was able to read it in my kindle for pc. So I didn't need to publish through amazon to use its digital reader. It is literally a standalone file on my pc. I created the mobi file and the ePub file two different ways. I uploaded (import) my manuscript (microsoft word docx) to pressbooks.com. I formatted with front matter(copyright page and introduction), chapters and back matter (about the author, about the series). Export the document in .mobi, .epub, and pdf (for digital). There's a pdf format for print but I didn't use that one because its a short story. downloaded those formats to my pc. I opened the mobi file in my kindle for pc and it was perfect. I open the epub file in my microsoft edge browser - and it was perfect! I created a ePub file of my eBook by: first formatting my microsoft word docx - for ePub/Mobi conversion. This time I used lulu.com to convert my microsoft word document. Because I formatted the word doc correctly, the conversion was successful. You can see by checking out the preview <-This is the ePub file. When I launch it - it opens in microsoft edge. Others might have different results. I haven't used Kobo but I know who is an advocate - @richardmurray ! I believe RM's books and music are available on Kobo. EDIT | A little more about Kobo... "In January, Walmart partnered with Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten on online grocery in Japan, as well as the sale of audiobooks, e-books, and e-readers in the U.S. Today, Walmart is capitalizing on that relationship with the launch of a full e-book and audiobook catalog on Walmart.com, alongside its assortment of physical books. The new site, called Walmart eBooks, includes a library of over 6 million titles ranging from NYT best-sellers to indie titles and children’s books. And similar to Amazon’s Audible, Walmart will also now offer a monthly audiobook subscription service. However, Walmart is undercutting Amazon on pricing. While Audible subscriptions start at $14.95 per month for one audiobook, Walmart’s subscription is only $9.99 per month for the same." From TechCrunch - Walmart and Kobo launch Walmart eBooks, an online e-book and audiobook store August 18, 2018

Maurice I hear you...... I'm not sure about the laws in Romania but I'm a supporter of free speech. As long as you aren't calling for somone's harm or exposiong personal information about them like thier address or phone number.....I say you should speak your mind. Is it wrong? Ofcourse. But when you start punishing people for what they say it's becomes a slipperly slope. And ofcourse the station should have the right to fire that individual if they choose without the government forcing them to keep him or let him go. I say fight fire with fire. Serena should be allowed to go on a Romanian radio show and use some of the skills she learned growing up in "Da CPT" to roast his ass....lol.

I wish I could disagree with this, but I cannot. I will qualify my position with the fact that black people succeeded in building our own cities in the 1910s and 1920s, only for white people to destroy them. Black Wall Street (Tulsa, OK) gets most of the press in this regard. Rosewood, East St. Louis, Omaha, Kirven, TX...there were probably 100 cities/neighborhoods that former slaves built from the ground up from 1870-1930, only to have them destroyed in "race riots," meaning feral, jealous white people torching and looting the cities, and killing thousands of the ancestors. I think after that, ADOS collectively gave up. We're damned if we do, damned if we don't. But nothing you said is inaccurate. Its the main reason I don't watch TV and movies. I just can't stand seeing black people as willing, bojangling coons. This is very important. I've argued with many brothers and sisters that we were FAR better off before so-called "integration." The statistics don't lie. 89% of black babies were born to their married mom and dad in the 1960s. Black business ownership (meaning businesses that creates jobs in black communities and had black patrons) peaked in 1963. There were fewer than 150,000 black people in prison/jail in 1960. Today there are over 2 million. The most chilling stat of today - 80%+ of black babies in the USA are born to a single mom. Instead of improving ourselves, we pick a master (liberals or the Trumps) and try to be the best slave possible. That means alphabet-cooning for liberals and shoulder-monkey-cooning for Trump. Those who don't succeed at one of those end up in prison and drinking 40s in front of the liquor store. The remaining 20-25% (you, I, Troy, Chev, etc.) are going to be extinct by 2050. I've maintained that forever. The black man and woman in the USA will not exist in 30 years. This was the white imperial plan since 1619 and its come to fruition. Troy mentioned how I'm out of the loop for not knowing what Wakada is. I don't know anything about any of these rappers today; couldn't name one song by any of them. When Nipsey Hussle (sp?) died, that's the first time I heard of him. A lot of black folks seem to respect him. I'm curious of your opinion of him? I NEVER understood the obsession with 2Pac. I mean, he's a typical nigga to me. Rappers like KRS-One, X-Clan, Chuck D/Public Enemy, Paris, etc. were who got me into rap. I mean, I'd listen to Sir Mix-A-Lot, Too Short and other stuff because I'd hear it played around the house. You also notice how disco was the last CREATIVE genre of black music...where we actually played instrument and MADE music? Today disco is clowned as some circus act. They made stop MAKING music and created "rap" where you sample other people's music and talk over it. They even steal our creativity. You are absolutely right re: hood movies. Seriously, all these black filmmakers can't come up with black love stories, business stories, intelligent comedies, etc.? Hell, when I first saw Boyz in the Hood and Menace 2 Society, that shit shocked me. I'd never seen anything like that in real life. When I started trying to "talk black" after seeing those films as a kid, my dad and uncles beat my ass! This is true. But we know its coming. Bottomline is that we're still trying to impress a master, whether its liberals (probably 60% of ADOS) or Trump (probably 15% of ADOS). We've been conditioned to beg them for paychecks, for dignity, for respect, etc. We have no way to counter it. The most powerful black people in America are pushing white agendas. I'm going to be so sad when Minister Farrakhan passes away. He's the last of the true black power movement. the destruction of black America will accelerate quickly thereafter. That and the fake preachers like Creflo Dollar, Sharpton and Jakes will keep flying around in private jets preaching fear and submissiveness to poor black folks. Now I'm feeling depressed!

CONNECTING History from Past to Present through Words PELOPS = BLACK FACED Ethiop = Ethiopian or Black faced Sinop, Cheops, Cleopatra, Cyclops... OPS means 'to look like'. The Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC) was an ancient Greek war fought by the Delian League led by Athens against the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peloponnesian_War [25] And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. GENESIS 10:25. So, this descendant of Shem, named Peleg [ie Phelach] came long before AbraHAM or Jacob or Moses. Black Shem. And, so this man reveals that although, he was an original Shem, however, he marks that the Hebrew Israelites had early Egyptian ancestry. The root word 'EG' in PELEG and TUAREG means EGYPTIAN [ie EGUPTAN]. So today, ancient peoples do NOT apply to us today as it did in the past. We, are all intermixed but, it would be crucial to understand ethnicity, and how ancient dominant cultures developed and progressed overtime. Peleg would have lived during the 2000s BC. [14] And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. EXODUS 17:14. THE KELTOI-------- KEL-------- AmaLEK; The root word KEL-LEK is a common term to define the Berber/Tuareg people. During the Egyptian time period of the 18th Dynasty, this was a very old and common term to define a Canaanite-Magog peoples. And, many original Shem people were intermixed with them overtime, even the Hebrew Israelites. But the early formations was in the NORTHEAST in the Iberian Peninsula and Ancient Anatolia where they developed their first nation during Cush-Babylon times. KELTOI = TRI-KELT culture of people that became absolutely defined by a TRI-TRADE SYSTEM during the COPPER TRADE ERA. And they serviced the Amorite empire builders. And the term TWAREG [ie TWA-] carries the similar meaning of being Trade Masters from this early tri-trade theme that was set up in the most ancient of times. This 'tri-theme' defined their original cultures and their trade cultures. AMORITE = AMOR or ROMA; the original Canaanite Moors or Phoenicians. KULTEPE [ie Kult- Cult, KELTEPE] just to the north of Black-Cush-Babylon thousands of Cuneiform tables were said to be unearthed showing this tri-trade system of the earlier CELT-IBERIANS as they organized due to the Cush Hamites. Kutltepe, Kanesha & Cush-Babylon in Mesopotamia became a thriving era of advanced technology. These early AMALEKITES operated with their Asiatic relations and overthrew the Cush-Babylonians, eventually, however, even by this time, Cush-Ham and the Keltoi were intermixed. So, ancient history depends upon the early cultures that developed, initially based upon patriarch systems and not specific origins. But soon, Matriarchal system of the Asians prevailed and Black kings were overthrown constantly. 2000s BC [15] So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. REVELATION 2: 15. So here, NICOLAITANS or CHOLCHIANS; The origins of Saint NICHOLAS before it became Latinized to Santa Claus. In their origins, their supreme idol was Ashteroth and son from this basis, they become the ancestors of GOG or today's term 'Caucasians'. This history is vast. However, in a nut shell, the beginning formations centered around BAAL WORSHIP, [ie HEADHUNTING], Pedophilia and much more. But here would be the darkness of this human world, in the form of a series of questions: If a little Black baby malefactor becomes a victim of pedophilia because he is 'Black' and 'a male' and his abuser has not been judged, then how does he mature and be normal? If a baby malefactor is victimized by a pedophile and then mature to adulthood and becomes the same, a pedophile and predator upon other little BLACK MALEFACTORS, then should he be excused because his argument would be that he, too was victimized? When Black men are conditioned from birth to be violent against other Black men, where does that leave womankind!? How do we protect our malefactors? Why should Black people target White Supremacy and ignore Black systems that also enslave 'other Black people'? This would be the beginning of what the ancient scriptures are alluding to, about this original son of JapHeth. If a government willfully sets up a system based upon Child victimization and hatred against the priesthood, in order to serve Ashteroth, then, after the 3rd and 4th generation, the scriptures state that system will be judged. Child Sacrifice and Child Exploitation-- the Amorous lovers of ROMA! The Iniquity of the Amorites is now full. Now maybe if people of African descent study what happened during the 18th Dynasty in Egypt, therefore, they might reconsider all ancient scripts including the account of the Exodus. BRIDGING THE GAP -- the Past to the Present

To be clear, I meant white supremacists are ignorant or dumb. White supremacy is, of course, quite real. It is interesting to see I was not the only one who had not heard of Nipsey Hussle until his passing. Again, the media covers the dysfunction (his murder) but not the good he was apparently doing in the community. It is also interesting to hear from Black people who knew nothing about Blank Panther, despite the outsized media coverage -- especially by Black media. I saw the movie and was entertained, but I took it for what it was a low brow Marvel action flick created by white boys for mass appeal. It was visually appealing because it had so many attractive Black people. The film was also refreshing because Black people are shown in powerful roles. I've have always rejected the notion of doing the "Wakandan salute" or embracing anything in Black Panther as if if was some actual representation of Black culture or history. Doing so just reminds me of the void left in old culture because of the european transatlantic slave trade.

@richardmurray thank you! I remember when you first mentioned Kobo to me awhile back. It takes me some time to digest all the information I take it - but I rarely forget who shared the information. This is excellent background on Kobo and now I see why Walmart joined them. I did sign up with Kobo using my walmart account. I'll be sure to share how the program works for me too.

BRIDGING GAPS & CONNECTING THE DOTS from Past to Present == The Tuareg people == (… also spelt Twareg or Touareg; endonym: Kel Tamasheq, Kel Tagelmust [4]) are a large Berber ethnic confederation. … The Tuaregs have been called the [“] blue people [”] for the indigo dye coloured clothes they traditionally wear and which stains their skin. [7][8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuareg_people As such, the endonym strictly refers only to the Tuareg nobility, not the artisanal client castes and the slaves. [14] Two other Tuareg self-designations are Kel Tamasheq (Neo-Tifinagh; Kel Tamasheq), meaning [“] speakers of Tamasheq [”], and Kel Tagelmust, meaning [“] veiled people [”] in allusion to the tagelmust garment that is traditionally worn by Tuareg men. [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuareg_people Historically, there have been seven major confederations. · Kel Ajjer or Azjar; centre is the oasis of Aghat (Ghat). · Kel Ahaggar, in Ahaggar mountains. · Kel Adahg, or Kel Assuk: Kidal, and Tin Buktu · Iwillimmidan Kel Ataram, or Western Iwillimmidan; Menaka, and Azawagh region (Mali) · Iwillmmidan Kel Denneg, or Eastern Iwillimmidan: Tchin-Tabaraden, Abalagh, Teliya Azawagh (Niger). · Kel Ayr; Assode, Agadez, In Gal, Timia and Ifrwan. · Kel Gres: Zinder and Tanut (Tanout) and south into northern Nigeria. · Kel Owey: Air Massif, seasonally south to Tessaoua (Niger) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuareg_people

Honestly I had not heard of him before he died myself. I imagine i must have heard his music, because i do hang out, but to this day I cannot tie his name to a single song. There are apparently some conscious rappers out there but they are underground (obscure) and enjoy very little mainstream notoriety, for the reasons previously described. I hope you brothers don't remain depressed. That is wasted energy. Work to change something -- anything -- for the better every little bit helps and you'll inspire others. As you've inspired me -- knowing there are others with similar attitudes who support what im doing -- who can also disagree without running away but hopefully take something away and maybe look at something differently and build upon what they have. We need warriors. The newsletter I mailed today was dedicated to the warriors who oppressor tried to erase from history. A couple of the books shared i discovered here fron y'all. As you make progress and grow depression will be a distant memory.

@Chevdove up in here writing books and breaking down history! Great info.

I think you apply online to join Netflix. Pretty sure.