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Every now and then, a 'blind' groundhog sticks its head out of its hole and when it does, there's a coyote waiting right above it. Reflecting, perhaps we all could chip in and order some liquid Valium for the (um) Ultra-Intelligent most senior memberazzi on this discussion board. "It is thought that diazepam works by enhancing the activity of certain neurotransmitters in the brain." (Epic Fail) | Re: https://www.drugs.com/valium.html IMO, white success is not a measure of accomplishment. Global impact, is. If back America stops thinking about 'white' for even a millisecond and starts thinking about 'forward', it might wake up from its generations-long blame-induced stupor.

@Cynique, I certainly respect your perspective because you have heard some version of this record for many decades. SInce I'm not religious, I choose to put my faith in the belief that one day black folks will become unified. If faith without works is dead, hopefully, encouraging black unity ticks the box of keeping that faith alive. It may not happen in my lifetime but I'm eternally optimistic. One day, I may resign myself to playing my keyboards and stop preaching for black unity and against white supremacy. I just haven't gotten there yet.😁 😎

I've seen that movie and it was very well done. 😎

Sure you do, as a consequence of reading the Daily Mail . Now I'm aware of the Cardi B debacle -- even though I could care less. See how that works? The Daily Mail always struck me as the equivalent of the National Inquirer (that still around?).

Hey @Delano sorry I missed your question when it was originally posted. I've been slammed recently and believe time markers made sense based upon your original post.

Stefan don't discount or overlook the purveyors of this garbage -- the platforms that encourage this are the true benefices and are apparently at little risk. Cardi B, win is purely symbolic, as I doubt the woman posting lies about Cardi has the money to pay and the platform pushing this stuff has plenty of others willing to do that same thing. Your reaction and @Mzuri illustrates why this sort of thing is so profitable. It creates controversy, and controversy drives engagement, and engagement drives revenue. Nothing will change, for the better, until we start engaging on more important things than a Cardi B and her trolls.

Russia invaded years ago.

Not from my perspective. I have to strongly disagree on that. Quite correct, and we all know there's more.

IMO, the assassinations of the 1960s neutered black leadership. They literally killed our progress towards unity. Any potential leadership is quickly bought off and/or replaced with crash test dummies.😎

The sound of a small mind. Truth Triggers The Left | Common Sense Triggers Mental Midgets | Harmony Triggers Trolls Now we all know what triggers you, and you'll never be able to insult your way out of that deep hole that you're still digging. With springtime approaching, Home Depot has got a great sale on new shovels. You might want to check it out.

I don't know, each black individual or community has a different financial or cultural connection to any war. Black people who live in ukraine , if war starts, will have some serious choices to make. In all earnest, black people ... or nonblacks who live in ukraine if they can take a small holiday away, need to for a little while. Black people throughout humanity vary in financial potency/cultural definition/labor... all of these things are factors.

The Wu-Tang Clan said it best..."cash rules everything around me..." I'm just as guilty of stopping at the gas pump, looking at the ridiculous price and filling up my truck. Same goes for the prices I see in the grocery store. I just shake my head and spend the money. A few months ago, when there was a cyber attack on the computer system controlling the east coast gas pipeline, the media told us the disruption would lead to a price increase at the pump and fuel shortages. Nevermind that before computers existed, we knew how to get gas from one place to another just fine. On cue, panic buying made it happen. When the pandemic started, there was a run on food, toilet paper, bottled water, Lysol, bleach, cleaning supplies, masks, etc. I've never known Americans to be so hungry or sh8tty or clean in my half century on the planet. Panic buying. Now, we have supply shortages and empty shelves and price gouging. Rinse and repeat. So, I wouldn't be surprised if they used a Ukrainian invasion to jack up prices on natural gas and everything else. They aren't doing it out of necessity. It's only because they can get away with it.😎

Prof D, You are right. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, it is estimated that the planet has at least 52 years before humanity depletes the current global reserves of natural gas, assuming annual consumption remains at present levels. But during the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, I distinctly recall NYC landlords demanding and then receiving approval for a special fuel surcharge to be added to monthly rents to offset supposed higher heating fuel costs. I, and many others, had to pay that damn surcharge. Many folks simply do not understand the underlying greed that rules the real estate rental world. It is the same type of avarice that is causing inflation and rising prices on foodstuffs and essential household items throughout the country. It is not so much a shortage of food and household goods as it is panic buying, price gouging and corporate greed that is to blame for rising food and consumer good prices. A steep rise in heating gas will have little to do with being disingenuous. Because the increase will definitely be tied directly to any war and explained as quite necessary by pundits, paid industry spokesman and complete liars. But in the end, greed will be main culprit.

@Stefan, your concern is valid as it relates to the market stability and natural gas production. IMO, it would be disingenuous to use fallout from a Ukrainian invasion as an excuse to jack up heating and fuel prices domestically or internationally. The world has enough natural gas in reserve to maintain current levels for several years. In fact, I believe we've been overpaying for several decades. Unfortunately, the middle class and poor have been satiated with just enough material consumption to keep them from protesting rising prices, food shortages and anything else that would make life better. As a result, the global elite get to sit around playing games with real lives. Always watch their hands and follow the money. 😎

@Prof D, Normally, I would agree with you. But any conflict has a potential for spiraling out of control. Not to mention upending the markets, which is always a driver of White angst. Personally, I could care less about how this affects rich, White folks. But I am truly concerned that what even a temporary halt in natural gas shipments from Russia to Germany via the Nord Stream pipeline system could result in. Not just higher prices at pumps. But in heating bills. And this is what scares me. With so many Blacks and Latinos in the U.S. homeless thanks to skyrocketing rents and home prices, higher heating costs will likely lead to surcharges on rents across the U.S. and elsewhere. This is going to really hurt the poor, the just-making-it and those trying save to improve their situations. And I am not certain that Germany wants to go along with any sanctions plan. Berlin has already frowned on the transfer of howitzers from Estonia to Ukraine. I don't know if you are aware that Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst is accusing Joe Biden of appeasement on Ukraine. But this is not a fight the U.S. should shed the blood of its military in. This is Europe's problem. And the die was cast for this foolishness soon after Mikhail Gorbachev was overthrown in a 1991 coup and replaced by the drunk Boris Yeltsin. While Russia was its weakest in a century, googly-eyed diplomats and politicians saw a chance to stick it to the old Soviet Union by vacuuming up former Warsaw Pact nations into NATO. As if they never expected Russia to regroup, re-arm and return to its dream of European domination.

In recent news, the US sees a Russian invasion of Ukraine as imminent. But, hold the phone, the Ukrainians see a Russian invasion as dangerous but not imminent. As the late, great Aretha Franklin once sang, "who's zoomin' who".😁 if we've learned anything from the Russian invasion of Crimea, the end result will be the same. The US and NATO will hit Russia with soft sanctions. Nothing detrimental to their existence. Smoke. 😎

************************************************************************************ Trump's penthouse apartment is a tri-plex. If each level is 10,000 square feet, then wouldn't that equal 30,000 square feet of living space? ************************************************************************************

You do not live for any challenge. You think your fellow Blacks are beneath you. But I am one who is not. As I said before, you know little about global relations and world politics. But prattle on.

@Delano, thanks for posting that link. Great to read that an AfroAmerican is creating in that space. I'm always going to be a proponent of ownership. Black folks have to think more like entrepreneurs and less like worker bees trading labor and intellectual property for a wage. Typically, an AfroAmerican who comes up with a video game or anything for that matter will be working for a white or foreign-owned company. That game becomes the intellectual property of the company. The AfroAmerican will make his hourly wage, no commission or profit-sharing. The company will make a windfall of money. OTOH, if a white man comes up with a video game, he'll quit his job and start his own video game company. He might even take some of his former coworkers along for the ride, er, riches. 😁😎

Cynique, Some of the comments I come across on here are really pitiful. So much anti-Black sentiment from people who claim to be Black. Unsubstantiated charges, repeats of decades old anti-Black tropes and a whole lot of ignorance of recent history. I am beginning to become convinced that some of these Trump supporters look at this lying, racist and clown as their god. They need to worship Massa Trump so they can be told whom to hate, whom to insult and how to grovel if they are ever going to be acceptable to him. I am not sure this is the case with all of them. But I bet a few have a secret desire to be pointed to the fields so they can live out their true dream as a subservient toady to a man they deem superior.

Richard Murray, the images are portraits, not photos. I have taken and shot hundreds and hundreds of photos. As well as at least 20 weddings and countless parties, baby showers and other events. But a photographic portrait is quite different. This type of photography entails conception, discussion and finally, cooperation between a shooter and a model.

I do have a band. No links. Contrary to my presence on this site, I'm not a social media guy. 😁😎

Nels, you need to take a long nap. Do you really think Vladimir Putin cares who is the White House? You really don't understand RealPolitik at all. You simply live to attack your fellow Blacks and Democrats.

IMO, a Russian invasion of Ukraine will not adversely affect blacks in that region or anywhere else. Russian President Vlady Putin is gangster. He doesn't want the US building strategic alliances in that region. Too close for comfort. That’s why he invaded Crimea in 2014. Putin sees the US as weak. Troop build up around Ukraine is his way of saber rattling. He's hedging bets that Russia might face sanctions if it invades Ukraine but the US nor its allies wants any real smoke.😎

It would appear that one has to look more closely at who's actually running the White House, before any truly valid assertions can be made about how blacks in Russia will or may be impacted. The concern you state may well be a very valid one, however, unless that concern gets more than lip service from the political elite, we may all be waiting for a very long time to get a fairly decent answer.

I taught myself Portrait Photography and collaborated with many a Black photographer as well as models of all stripes. I did not limit myself to only Black because beauty as well as art, can be everywhere. News Writing and Editor was my profession. Teaching my passion. Photography was a hobby that over a decade and half eventually morphed into a part time business. However, I really preferred charity, volunteering and aiding the homeless.