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************************************************************************************ I think it's a great idea but I think in order to receive an endowment one would need to be a non-profit, and an actual institution like a university or a foundation. Not a business. But I certainly agree that what Troy has done here is PHENOMENAL and he should be commended in every possible way. WE LOVE YOU TROY!!! ❤️ ************************************************************************************

At over 20 years old......AALBC is literally an INSTITUTION right now. A Black Literary institution. I HAVE said over the years that AALBC should receive an ENDOWMENT. Sort of like colleges and universities receive from various agencies like governments, corporations, and even their successful alumni. I think those of us who've benefited from AALBC whether from Troy selling our books, giving our literature free reviews, giving our poetry a place to be read, or just giving us a platform to speak....should show appreciation. I've said often that if I were wealthy I ABSOLUTELY would be sending in funds to not only expand and promote this site but I really want to see atleast one AALBC PHYSICAL BUILDING where people can hold events, purchase books, and warehouse books and other material. Some of you may or may not believe this but it could actually expand to end up a major Black institution like Morehouse or Howard over the next 20 or 30 years with proper support and funding.

IMO, maturity and a real desire to work together and procreation agreed upon usually leads to a better outcome. People turn out better when they're created out of some kind of love and raised with it. Those oops babies have a 50/50 chance of getting the love and support needed to become well adjusted and productive members of society. Most dysfunctional people can be traced back to the crash dummies who created them. 😁😎

The late Dr. Frances Cress Welsing said black folks shouldn't procreate until they're at least 30 years old and married. That would definitely solve a few problems and prevent crimes. 😁😎

I'm a True Crime buff. I love reading about or watching re-creations of murder cases that dedicated detectives and dogged police work eventually solve. I tune into all of the TV staples on this subject: DATELINE, 20/20, 48 hours, Discovery ID, and last but not least, "Fatal Attraction", which is a black series that I watch on a regular basis. Like Maury's show, Fatal Attraction gives you a snap shot of the life styles of the black Section 8 sub culture or, in these cases, the death styles. The story lines on this show are very predictable because they all follow the same pattern. For all the black sistas out there, there are valuable lessons to be gained from watching this show. (1) if you are a vivacious, attractive, goal-oriented student whose smile lights up the room, beware of hunks with athletic scholarships in their future. When you fall for one and a week later you find yourself pregnant, forget about having the baby and graduating in an oversized cap and gown. Never mind that Big Mama and Motha Deah, are OK with the idea, and you've found an after school job to help pay for baby clothes. When your speedy running back boyfriend prefers that you bring an end to these plans, do it. Or you will be murdered. Either by him or his cousin who knows somebody who has a gun. Your body will be found in a deserted area and his other more vivacious, more attractive, more ambitious girlfriend will tell cops he was with her during the time the coroner says your murder occurred. Yes, the law may catch up with him on the campus where he's tearing up the grid iron, but it will be too late. You will be dead. (2) If you are a bright, vivacious, attractive twenty-something with plans to attend your community college to get a nursing assistant degree, and you meet this cool guy whose erection builds you up and a week later you are pregnant and, over the objections of your lover, you have the baby, beware! Don't find another guy and get on with your life, or your baby daddy will kill you. Never mind, that he has a wife and 3 kids. You his woman and no bitch walks away from him. (3)Or, - if you are a bright, vivacious, career woman who exudes confidence and you finally meet and marry Mr. Right, but 5 years later you're paying all the expenses for his extravagant lifestyle, don't tell him you've changed the beneficiary on that 6-figure insurance policy. He will try and kill you to collect on it but beat him to the draw. Slowly poison him with massive doses of Murine eyedrops, and cremate his ass. I don't like to be a killjoy. But, I'm just sayin...

Yep. I see the ads and figured it was par for the course in maintaining the site. I understand the mixed feelings. But, every little bit helps as long as you don't have to dress like Wanda. 😁😎

Troy If you have a patio with pelicans dancing around in your back yard....YOU SIR...are in the Upper Middle Class, lol

So true. Now I'm hearing that he was murdered. The truth is that he was 84 years old and had underlying issues. Let it rest; that's what I say. May he RIP.

It is as simple as that. @Pioneer1 I would not take this personally at all. Sometimes it bees that way. I have seen Cynique take what I considered abuse from people like Sara. Kola Boof took that to a whole 'nother, but Cynique defended them both. What is the difference between Pioneer and Kola I did not know. I'm trying to think of someone I took an instant disliking to on these forums and honestly I can not think of anyone. It may not be in my nature. There are of course posts I dislike, or disagree with, but it did not extend to the person. Actually there is a class of poster I have an immediate distain for: Remember the guy who posted all those conspiracy theories about Covid at the beginning of the pandemic? What differentiated him from you and Mzuri's posts regarding covid was that he was deliberatively trying to misled people. When he was exposed he left. You and @Mzuri strike me sincere in your anti-vaxxer position and are not trying to get others not to take the vaccine.

That thought occurred to me. The best a Black person can really do is upper middle class. A level I have never reached. These folks have trust funs setup for their children -- i.e. they will never have to work a day in their lives and enjoy generational wealth. They attend private schools. Their parents, grand parents, and even great grand parents are educated. They enjoy legacy admission to Ivy league schools. A middle class person can not see a penny of income, for at least 6 months, and it will not impact their lifestyle one iota. They live in safe clean neighborhoods, go on a nice vacation every year, may have a 2nd home, money is not a source of stress. They will pass on wealth to their children. A lower middle class person is essentially living paycheck to paycheck, but can consistently supply their basic requirements. Extravagances like private college education and two week foreign vacation is out of reach. A lower class person struggles to meet living required living expenses like housing or food. These are the folks who get evicted and have homes foreclosed, they have cars reposed, have bad credit scores, and no saving, etc. Too many people, in a country as wealthy as ours, are in this situation. *These are Troy's definitions and like most things their is some overlap, for example, some lower class people will have good credit scores. I've spent most of my life between lower middle and middle class.

I just thing the Wanda character is crass and not very funny. Was the intent to show how it feels to a guy when an unattractive women is attracted to you? What make it funny? I do too. But they can simply patronize the site too. Every day I have to explain to an author that, as a bookseller, telling me your book is available on Amazon does not interest me. Just this week I was on an almost 100% Black zoom conference commemorating a Black owned business. There were several established Black booksellers on the call to. But every time a Black author talked about buying a book they mentioned Amazon -- I'm not talking about young ignorant authors either. I'm talking about supposedly conscious Black writers. Again they are completely clueless on this sort of think. Their default is anything but a Black business. When the web started this was true, but today that is no longer the case. The web, for most people, is really just a few sites. This makes my point to @ProfD Facebook famously told businesses that you have to pay to reach your contacts. I appreciated their honestly, but I took a few years to build 20K fans and Facebook simply took the information and charged me for it. It was not long afterwards that I stopped meaningfully participating on the platform. I've already shared with you how Facebook regularly rejects innocuous books on their website. They have banned numerous romance titles from their website: I regular research Black author and Black business information for many, Facebook is their primary web presence, for most of the others there Facebook presence is actually superior. Plus Google serves up one's Facebook page before their official website. Another reason I ditched Facebook because it was beating my website on searches for my name! This is a big deal. I benefited a great deal with my office space in Tulsa. I'm working with someone to establish our own coworking space in Tulsa as well. I'm actually in Florida right now, looking for office space (shared).

ProfD When the business requires moving into a building the owner(s) will know. Like when they run out of room in their grandmother's basement for storing boxes of t-shirts or mix-tapes? Or when she starts upping the rent money to deal with the inconveniences of having to move 10 boxes every night just to do her laundry? "DeMonte! Gitcho ass down here and move this shit outta the waaaaay!"

Pioneer, rest assured that a lazy and stagnant business won't last very long. 😁 Most business cards aren't worth the paper on which they're printed. I toss a lot of them into the garbage can. 😁 . Whether it's brick and mortar or an online business, there are costs associated with running it. Opening a McDonald's franchise used to require about $100k in start-up money. It's probably closer to a half a million now. Granted, nobody's gonna open a food service business online but instead of looking for a brick and mortar building, some folks will start with a food truck. They can do pretty well showing up in busy work areas around lunch time. Same food. Different delivery model. Again, it goes back to vision and scale. When the business requires moving into a building the owner(s) will know. 😎

ProfD The late Dr. Frances Cress Welsing said black folks shouldn't procreate until they're at least 30 years old and married. That would definitely solve a few problems and prevent crimes. I remember she said that often. I notice that children who come from older parents tend to be better adjusted than children who come from teenaged parents. This isn't ALWAYS the case, but it is in the majority of cases. Older parents usually have gotten their "mistakes" out of the way early so they know what they're doing by the time they get into their 30s. Cynique No you're wrong. There's no inconsistenccy here. Just your lame attempt to try and distract from the fact that my paraody went over your head. Oh, is THAT what it is? Ok.......

Mzuri BTW, the above comment was intended to be humorous. Well I'm not Dave Chappelle (sorry Mel..lol) but let me give you some advice.... With few exceptions.....almost any statement with the word "coitus" in it probably won't be seen as very funny, lol Kind of like telling a "gerrymandering" joke. Cynique You can go to the drug store and purchase an early pregnancy test kit which if administered 6 days before your expected period, will give you a 98 percent accuracy result. So.... Your scenario about a woman finding out she's pregnant a week after conception wasn't such a joke or exaggeration AFTER all. You just needed more confirmation of it's possibility before standing by it. Yeah....ok...😏...gotcha, lol

ProfD Everything is about scale. Not all businesses require a physical location which generally means more overhead and operating costs. True But this so-called "modern" business environment is giving too many AfroAmericans an excuse to be be lazy and stagnant. I've ran into so many Black folks who are claiming to be "business owners" and "entrepreneurs" passing out cards and shit. But their businesses are online. Little pop-ups here and there. Don't get me wrong there is need for an online presence. But what we need MORE of is solid brick-n-mortar businesses. A place to lay your head and wash your rusty ass when you come to town for business. A Black hotel will give you that. But some "online" crypto-currency crap won't. The internet created a paradigm shift in the way businesses set up and operate. It's definitely a win for smaller businesses. The internet...yes. Social media in specific...I'm not so sure. Jury's still out. I remember when facebook came out some many Black businesses SWITCHED OVER from having an actual website to just getting a facebook page. Sheer laziness and lack of forward thinking. Why would you give up your independent website just to sell your wares under someone else's domain/roof? Now at one of my main soul food restaurants if you want to take a look at their menu you have to sign up for facebook and become a member. Absolutely ridiculous. Our people need to stop seeking what they THINK are the easiest ways so much. Post pandemic, the future will be less buildings and more shared spaces (hoteling) and remote work. I think that's what Troy's doing right now. Working in some creepy ass building with nothing but funny acting White folks who all stop talking and stare at their laptops as soon as HE walks through the door....lol. "Hey there T......" We gotta get that brother a BUILDING with a top floor and penthouse office...lol.

You can go to the drug store and purchase an early pregnancy test kit which if administered 6 days before your expected period, will give you a 98 percent accuracy result.

Evidence. Witnesses? Okay, but this is not a court case, it’s just a discussion. The next time you’re with some sweet young thing who is behaving like she wants you to impregnate her, you can document her responses to your interrogation. BTW, the above comment was intended to be humorous. LoLoLoLoLs 😆

Everything is about scale. Not all businesses require a physical location which generally means more overhead and operating costs. However, that doesn't preclude an endowment by way of each and everyone making a charitable contribution to AALBC and spreading the word of its existence. The internet created a paradigm shift in the way businesses set up and operate. It's definitely a win for smaller businesses. Post pandemic, the future will be less buildings and more shared spaces (hoteling) and remote work. Again, AALBC will be a fine institution as long as we the people continue to put our proverbial 2 cents in it. Of course, that has to be adjusted for inflation. 😁😎

Troy That is probably my problem I think too small. Perhaps you're so focused on day to day operations you don't have time to sit around imagining what "could" be. I have a HUGE (Donald Trump said "Yuge") and very vivid imagination...lol. I have mixed feelings on the Wanda character. I like it for what it is.... Which was a Black comedy show that knew it's Black audience would find humor in such a masculine/muscular man like Jamie...a man who was so obviously NOT feminine....portraying a woman. Perhaps that's the the "humor" in most cross dressing skits. But if it were a White comedy show like SNL or Mad Tv who had a Black man dressing up like a Wanda...I'd take offense to it. Why? Because I wouldn't be sure if it was an attempt at pure comedy or an attempt to humiliate and psychologically castrate Black men. Mzuri I think it's a great idea but I think in order to receive an endowment one would need to be a non-profit, and an actual institution like a university or a foundation. Not a business. Really? I'm not too educated on the matter so perhaps you're right. I know SOME are state owned, but I thought most colleges and universities WERE businesses. They weren't owned by the government. Perhaps they had 501C3 status or something that puts them in a different category all together. At any rate.... When I say "endowment" I'm not talking STICTLY government money. Don't get me wrong: I would like for someone to set up a plan where AALBC would get money from either the Federal, State, or Local government! Ofcourse Troy would have to look into it to make sure there were no strings attached (and there usually are) that would affect how he operates his business. However.......... When I say "endowment", I'm really speaking of Black people and businesses who have benefited from this site. -Those who have had their intellectual property promoted. -Those who have had their poetry given a platform. -Those who have gotten free reviews. -As well as those who haven't, but just want to see more Black success in this society . I think THEY should actually be giving some of THEIR money to maintain and expand this institution! Now ofcourse if you're BROKE and living in your grandma's basement with a stack of comic-books in the corner....you probably don't have the money to give. But those who are successful authors and poets who have benefitted CAN share some of those earnings to help maintain and expand this site and turn it into a major institution. Say you're an author who makes over $100,000 a year.... You mean to tell me you can't VOLUNTARILY send in 2 or 3 grand every year or even every quarter to maintain the largest and oldest Black literary site? But if a bunch of White kids come to you asking you to donate to the "Clean-up-the-Environment Foundation" and promises you a seat and the annual luncheon just to sit around a bunch of White folks and grin at corny jokes...... "Climate Change is worse than slavery! Air Pollution is worse than the holocaust!" ....you're writing ALL TYPES of checks for them. Silly Negroes giving money to rich White folks with nothing better to do than yell and scream nonsense, who don't even need it. "Ooooooo I'm gonna do a GOOD deed! White Jesus will be so proud of me!"

Mzuri I have heard women say they knew that they had conceived at the time or right after coitus. I guess they had women’s intuition or they were doing some entrapment trickery where they were trying to get knocked up on purpose. Perhaps.... But you know a lot of people are "after-the-fact prophets". They saw all kinds of signs and premonitions AFTER it happened and they're talking about it afterwards. But before whatever happened....happened....they were carrying on as normal. Kind of like these people who claimed they had premonitions about 9/11. Same with a lot of these cases. It was only AFTER they went to the doctor and were declared pregnant that they "knew" they had conceived the moment it happened. I'd like to see evidence of them saying it right then and there and weeks or months LATER having their statement confirmed. I'm not saying it's impossible....because nothing is impossible. However you have so many dreamers out there. When I have an intuition or premonition I like to not only document it but tell it to a few other people as WITNESSES.....so when it comes true they can bear me witness. Del Yes that's true. A few women have told me they could feel their ovum. I'm sure women have told you a LOT of things....when you dress up and impersonate a gynecologist, lol. "Yeah, from the looks of things... This ain't your FIRST baby. Is it?......sweet thang."

Yeah it happens that way. It is sad his death has been used “evidence” against getting vaccinated.

That is probably my problem I think too small. I love y’all too that is why every newsletter ends with “peace and love.” None of this would be possible without y’all. I watched the skit with Jamie Foxx dressed up as a woman. I did not find it funny at all. I never did like the Wanda character… Jamie Foxx, I would later learn is super talented. The role of Wanda was actually beneath him, but in this wacky culture of ours, roles like that launch careers. Jamie has a new memoir out.

Yes that's true. A few women have told me they could feel their ovum.

Like everything else in this "lampoon", that was an exaggeration. This parody was satire; meant to amuse.

What I don't like about these crime and law shows is that not only are they carefully scripted and used as propaganda......but they never show any crooked cops and never show cops setting up suspects. They leave THOSE part out.

ProfD I guess the question becomes what are we drinking and pouring out for Gen Powell since his thread has become a watering hole Hmmm.....🤔.....I'm not sure. Seeing as how he was not just a military man but a General.... How about some STEEL RESERVE???

I guess the question becomes what are we drinking and pouring out for Gen Powell since his thread has become a watering hole.😁😎

There's a few more like "I Almost Got Away with It" and "Murder in the Thirst". The funniest part to me is how any of these people really think they're going to get away with their crime. Technology has only made it easier for detectives and forensic specialists to do their jobs. The dumb sh8t people do and trail of clues they leave behind usually don't take more than 15 minutes to solve. The 1st 48 is hilarious especially when they get folks in the interrogation room. Eventually, the story doesn't add up, their head drops, true confession and they go out in cuffs. 😁😎

Come on Cynique!!! 🙃

Cynique and you meet this cool guy whose erection builds you up and a week later you are pregnant and, over the objections of your lover, you have the baby, beware! Do women typically find out they are pregnant a WEEK after having sex? First time I heard that one. ProfD Hunt thirsty well beyond menopause cougars. Buy a pair of rose colored glasses to make them look vivacious and a tub of K-Y Jelly to make them more pliable. Or let them hunt you...lol I've always liked older women. Even when I was in my teens I was trying to get with women in their 30s and peeping out a few in their 40s. But didn't realize how much some older women actually liked younger dudes until I went to Europe and had so many older women approach me. I was in my 20s and had women in their 60s (but didn't look it) coming on strong to me. I'm sure the fact that I'm Black helped a lot with that though (smile)

🙄 ....I know she saw it.

Cynique, I think you've covered the bases in providing excellent advice to young ladies. if I may tell young fellas overflowing with testosterone how they should interpret this PSA: Hunt thirsty well beyond menopause cougars. Buy a pair of rose colored glasses to make them look vivacious and a tub of K-Y Jelly to make them more pliable. If you're really lucky, she'll love to f8ck and cook and may have a few coins too. Do not spend the night as you may not appreciate how she smells and prepares for bed and/or how she looks in the morning when she awakes. I think we've provided some good advice to both sides of the aisle. Hopefully, they'll heed it and be great. 😁😎

A day ago, I saw an interview with Gen Powell from July 2021. His mind was still sharp and voice clear. 3 months later, he's outta here like last year. Time isn't waiting around or standing still for anyone. Get busy living or expedite dying. The lattter is inevitable. 😎

ProfD You must ain't never heard of the "gay mafia".....lol.

Hilarious. But, nah bro, I'm a hood n8gga who stays on code. I'd do a strip search physical before anyone could step foot on the bus. Let some nutz hang and watch the left hook and cane swing. Singapore style. 😁😎

ProfD If i was a younger man, I would charter a bus to go down there and pick up those damsels in distress and bring them back to my house. Problem is.....half of the "women" you pick up might not even be real women. And you won't find out until it's TOO LATE...lol. Fuck around and pick up Lil Nas X and have HIM chasing you around the house....lol I actually learned quite a lot about the homo/bisexual community in general during my brief residence in Atlanta. One of the things I found out was like you said, a man doesn't necessarily have to talk with a lisp and look feminine to be gay. There's a lot of very muscular masculine dudes who are as gay as picnic basket. Sexual preference is different than gender and your "operating system". Same with women. You have women who are very feminine and petite...but are Lesbian. You also have women who are butch and Tomboyish....but LOVE them some Vitamin "D"...lol. Speaking of which...... I also used to live in Charlotte North Carolina. And just like Atlanta was a capital for gay Black men; Charlotte seemed to be the capital for Lesbian Black women!

Yeah, I don't know when ATL developed that lisp. I didn't notice it when I visited down there back in the early 2000s. I've been told there's a certain part of the city with all types of brothas on the alphabet soup stroll. We talking about football player, Suge Knight and Deebo looking n8gglets. A sad state of affairs. Well, the silver lining or pot of gold at the end of that rainbow is that there is a plethora of lonely, thirsty, AfroAmerican women in ATL. If i was a younger man, I would charter a bus to go down there and pick up those damsels in distress and bring them back to my house. 😁😎

Colin Powell was a prime example of a high-risk person because he had the pre-existing conditions of cancer and Parkinson disease. and was 84 years old. Chances are he wouldn't have died had he not already been debilitated by age and the 2 deadly diseases which the covid vaccine doesn't lessen the severity of. Millions and millions and millions and millions of people have experienced no ill-effects from the vaccine which does not claim to be 100 per cent risk free. Comparatively speaking deaths directly attributed to the vaccine are rare.