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I knew the Black Panthers were a powerful movement when I learned they took care of the community in ways that embarrassed the government. Today, we need more of that ingenuity. Protesting in the age of smartphones and surveillance will only work against the protestors and aid those who control surveillance equipment. We have to create programs like the Black Panthers did and follow through with them. One of the many ways ICE could enter these dwellings is because the residents are renters, and impoverished renters at that. The first thing we need to do is develop cooperative housing where residents have ownership, even if it's in small shares that come with affordable payments.

On Friday, 3 October, the judge gave Diddy 50 months in the penalty box and a $500k fine. Diddy has already served 12 months or so. Remains to be seen which federal penitentiary he will be confined. Wherever Diddy lands, the next 38 months or so will be a breeze compared to the detention center he's currently housed. There's also the outside possibility that POTUS OJ could pardon Diddy before he gets comfortable in the fed pen. From the trial circus to the melodramatic sentencing, Diddy will be free before the next election. No need to feel sorry for Diddy. He's still a rich Black man.

YES!!! I agree, and understand why, but I've yet to come up with the how? Most people who are wealthy have borrowed and stolen from the future of others.

I use it for that exact reason. I just prompted a chat on how to provide clean water for a community that only has sewage backups, and the government has just taken away their grant because of "DEI". ChatGPT provided me with actionable solutions, including how to address laws that prevent ordinary citizens from tackling the problem when the government puts up roadblocks. *** Chat GPT said: Treat the problem like a high-stakes community project: minimize legal risk, build legitimacy, and move fast with pilots that are lawful, visible, and persuasive. Below is a practical, lawful playbook you can use to get clean water in your community while protecting yourself and your volunteers. 1) Immediate refusal of the illegal route Don’t undertake actions that: violate health/safety codes, tamper with sewage infrastructure, perform unpermitted construction in waterways, or create public hazards. Those acts expose you to criminal and civil liability and endanger people. 2) High-level strategy (mindset) Think like a scrappy micro-operator who: designs small, replicable pilots that prove solutions work, reduces legal/financial exposure up front, documents everything (photos, water tests, receipts, volunteer logs), partners with credible institutions (health dept, university, nonprofit), uses visibility to generate political pressure for system-level change. 3) Practical step-by-step plan Assess & document the problem (2–4 weeks) Collect photos, time/date stamps, testimonies from residents. Get simple water tests (bacterial and basic chemistry) — local health department or university extension can often help or direct you to accredited labs. SMART example: “Collect 30 household water samples and 20 resident testimonies by Nov 1.” Map stakeholders & legal landscape (1–2 weeks) Who owns the sewer systems, utilities, or storm drains? City, county, private utility? Which agency enforces water quality? (Health department, EPA/state agency.) Identify allies: neighborhood association, churches, school, local university, watershed groups, community health clinics. Design a low-risk pilot (4–8 weeks) Options (lawful, immediate relief + demonstration value): Community water station (bottled or filtered) in a public, permitted space. Point-of-use home filtration voucher program (buy certified filters and distribute with instructions). Temporary rainwater harvesting for non-potable uses (with proper signage and permits). Each pilot should have measurable outcomes (e.g., “Provide safe drinking water to 200 people/week; show lab-confirmed reduction in E. coli in 90% of distributed samples”). Legal protections & structure before operating Form an entity (a nonprofit or an LLC) to separate personal liability from project assets. Purchase insurance: general liability (covers bodily injury/property damage), product liability (if you distribute hardware/filters), and directors/officers (if you run a nonprofit). If you have volunteers, confirm Volunteer Liability coverage or use waivers where lawful. Get permits when needed (temporary events, signage, modifications to public right-of-way). Consult a local attorney for project-specific counsel — many law schools offer pro bono clinics. Launch pilot with partners & document impact (8–12 weeks) Partner with a trusted local org (church, school, clinic) to host the pilot. Publicize: press release, neighborhood socials, local reporters. Collect data: usage numbers, lab results, testimonials, cost per household. Scale, fund, and pressure for systemic change Use documented pilot results to apply for grants, municipal funding, or crowdsource donations. Present findings to the city/county with a clear ask (repair schedule, budget, policy change). If government inaction continues, use civic tools: public records requests, city council hearings, petitions, and coalition building. Legal enforcement routes (e.g., citizen complaints to regulatory agencies) can be powerful — consult counsel. 4) Risk mitigation specifics Insurance: shop for general liability and product liability; nonprofits often get discounted policies. Ask about volunteer liability and event insurance. Waivers & signage: have clear, plain-language signage and intake forms; do not rely solely on waivers to avoid negligence claims — they help but don’t eliminate risk. Permits: always check local codes before modifying streets, storm drains, or public infrastructure. Even “helpful” repairs done without permission can trigger fines and removal. Recordkeeping: keep receipts, vendor contracts, volunteer logs, and test results. This builds credibility and legal defense. 5) Technical quick wins you can pursue lawfully Distribute NSF/ANSI-certified point-of-use filters and train households on maintenance. Repair or replace household plumbing fixtures that cause contamination (privately funded). Deploy green infrastructure pilot(s): bioswales, rain gardens, permeable pavement demonstrations (with permits). These reduce sewage runoff into drinking sources. Launch community education on septic maintenance, proper disposal, and pollution prevention. 6) Power moves that shift the system Get credible third-party testing and publish results. Nothing shames a municipality more than independent lab data showing contamination. Mobilize a broad coalition (schools, faith groups, parents). When the issue affects children, public pressure accelerates policy response. File targeted public-records requests and use them in media and council hearings. Offer the municipality an “easy win” — propose a funded pilot they can co-brand and adopt. 7) When civil disobedience becomes relevant Civil disobedience has a long role in social change, but it’s risky and requires willingness to accept legal consequences. If you’re considering that route, consult experienced organizers and legal counsel first and plan for bail funds and legal defense. Quick checklist you can use now Take 20 photos of the runoff/contamination with timestamps. Contact local health dept to ask about water testing. Identify 3 community partners (church, school, neighborhood assoc.). Draft a 1-page pilot plan with measurable goals and budget. Look into entity formation and call one insurance broker for a quote. I ended the prompt here because it was a hypothetical situation. So many people think advocacy is doing something but I wanted to show a movement requires actionable goals and measurable results.

The bigger problem is that some people will say and/or do anything to get what they want. Deciphering the motivations of another person and balancing it with one's own needs, wants and desires is the slippery slope in the negotiations.

Well, as Delano once told me when I expressed confusion: "when the student is ready, the teacher will appear." I'm not quite ready when it comes to figuring out the nature of my existence. I have, however, separated myself from my name. I am simply "me". I mentioned before I feel as though I am still that same 18 year old who in 1951 celebrated her golden birthday. For me, Life remains a mystery. But I do think there is an answer to every question. We just don't know it...

I tuned into this thread, and I feel a sense of sadness. I'll go back and read, and it just might be me, but from the few entries I've read, it feels as if each writer is in the phase of "slipping into nothingness" - that's not what is sad, though. It is as if the words written mean that no one wants to let go and venture into nothingness to see what lies on the other side. I know that feeling too, because for over three consecutive nights, I dreamed that I lost my identity and worked tirelessly to retrieve it to no avail. I kept asking everyone if they had it or had seen it. I think I was looking for certainty, for the people and signs to define me or my circumstances. In the dream, I didn't realize what I was looking for; I was actually manifesting. But that is the nature of this universe: "Seek ye shall find," or what you're seeking is seeking you." Still, I kept saying, "I lost my identity." ...Now, I'm on the other side of 'identity' loss, and I'm into the unknown, moving through with nothing but being present in the moment with "feeling." Before the dream, I think I was angry, feeling that it was rude for people to continue telling me, "Cheyenne is still with us." I was offended because I thought, "Let her be where she wants to be." It is selfish of us to believe that she'd want to spend eternity looking over us, while we are in this dimension living our lives... wtf. Then I reflected on that dream - and realized in that dream I wasn't here, I was with random people in some random place (s). Even now, I'm connecting with others spiritually, whether I know them or not. I'm also connecting and watching over all my daughters. Case in point, my oldest daughter left her phone in the car. A few weeks before, I kept feeling, "My daughter is going to lose her phone." She did, but it was in her friend's car. She was able to retrieve it. To see this, I had to be in the future —and in New York. The West has a term for this: déjà rêvé. I saw something similar with Cheyenne, but I got it confused with her actual life. I kept feeling that she was "under the gun." And I would check in on her, but I didn't mention it because she was an actual gun owner who went to the range for practice shooting. I rarely tell my daughters what I see in their lives, but Cheyenne always felt a physical presence of a spirit. Now I wonder if it was me hovering in her space. I say all this to share: "We exist everywhere and can step into any version of ourselves at any time." The only thing that keeps us anchored is "identity."

How beautiful that would have been! I guess you don't know how I long for a big family! @Cynique @aka Contrarian' has a big family that I could only envy! OMG, this is bringing me so much joy! I'm so thankful! This exchange feels like you all are celebrating with me! Not that you all are wedding crashers, but it reminds me - do you know we had actual wedding crashers at the celebration? I didn't think folks really did that Twin, that is me and my mom, BUT in reverse! My mom says what's on her mind, and I'm like, "OMG, please stop." I don't remember what we were chatting about, but I'm sure it was something that embarrassed me

Why aren't you calling out Troy and Chevdove and Richard and Harry and Frankster and Ubraquist for not responding to Mel's good news the way you imagine they should have? You need apologize to Mel for injecting all of your far fetched silliness into her celebratory post.

Thank you for sharing. Lovely photos, I really like the last one. You have a really naughty elf look, and your Moms has that no you didn't look.

Every group of people on the planet seems to have folks who do whatever it takes to blend into the dominant society here in the US. European white folks put their ethnicity aside in order to reinforce the white population here in the US. White folks no longer identify themselves as [insert ethnicity here]-Americans. They are just Americans. Black folks from Africa and the Caribbean also lighten themselves with make-up. If they're too dark to hide it...they'll just conform to whiteness. Begs the question is it considered self-hatred when folks deny their ethnicity.

Of course, our perspectives are shaped by a number of factors. The biggest factor is time. The people who are thriving would claim the world is a great place and these are the best of times. I'm non-religious but I believe what people consider heaven and h8ll are co-located right here on the planet. Again, just a matter of one's existence and experiences resulting in their perspective. @aka Contrarian, hang in there. Depending on your beliefs, there's really no other choice. Gotta ride it out.

To me, Language is a tool which can often be inadequate. Abstract ideas often dwell in the spaces between the lines. ZEN exemplifies this.

Well , Trump is sending 300 National Guard troops to Chicago over the protest of everybody including the Governor of Illinois who is looking into ways to legally challenge this action. Public demonstrations are mounting and people are taking to the street. It might get violent. Meanwhile, my little town is making the national news as it fights back against the ICE takeover. We're holding down the fort agsinst the invasion of the storm troopers. How do I know? I saw in on the news. All this is taking place on the other side of town while it's business as usual where I live. Unreal!