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i just never could get into the fairy tale scenario of Meghan marrying her storybook prince. In a fit of superficiality, I thought her wedding gown was a dreary affair, and her hair unkempt. And i was a little surprised at how sistas so eagerly bought into this scenario as if it were a romantic fantasy they had been secretly harboring. I have little or no regard for Brittain's Royals who i consider a family of dull-witted parasites, paid homage for absolutely no reason. During the frenzy over this marriage, some one mentioned that a black woman from Howard U had recently married an Ethiopian prince. That, I think is cool! Ethiopians are a handsome people. Harry is too fuzzy and ginger for my taste; i can just imagine his wet-dog essence when he sweats. Yes, Meghan is ensured a lifetime of luxury and a place in history, but if i was young and ambitious and given an opportunity to "marry up", i'd take a fione, smart, brotha from "old" money.

‘Roots’ Plagiarism Suit Is Settled DEC. 15, 1978 Alex Haley settled a lawsuit yesterday by acknowledging that his world‐renowned book “Roots” contained some material from a relatively unknown novel about slavery that was published nine years earlier. The settlement ended the six‐week trial of a suit by Harold Courlander, a 70‐year old author from Bethesda, Md., who contended there were substantial similarities between “Roots” and his own earlier novel, “The African.” He sued in Federal District Court in Manhattan for more than half the profits of “Roots.” ----------- @Kalexander2 You missed the information because the Black community largely ignored it. Most of the people I mention this to, including educators and writers, have not clue about the suit. When they did the Roots reboot recently Haley's reputation was completely intact. Again we are so needy, for stories it does not really matter whether Haley made things up or not. @Chevdove, who should check out the book Barracoon Zora Hurston interview a man who survived the middle passage. Like you ancestor he was kidnapped long after the transatlantic slave trade was outlawed.

@Pioneer1 and @Kalexander2 has been going at it pretty regularly for a few months now. I was just wondering what others (lurkers please chime in) thought about it. Is it entertaining, destructive, boring, an shame, funny, sad, or something else? I'm really very curious to read what others think. Battles like this are not uncommon indeed when there were more participants they were more frequent, though not as usually as protracted. The last ongoing battle was between Cynique and another poster. I maintained a hands off approach until the other poster wrote something that was really beyond the pale (at least in my book), so I deleted the offending post. The poster reacted by deleted all of her posts and leaving the forum the virtual equivalent of taking her marbles and leaving the playground On some level I believe that posters goal was to create utter havok. She left when it became obvious that I would allow her to go completely off the rails. Personally, I don't really care that much as long as people don't get too crazy and it does not get serious. Whether something has gotten serious is hard for me to tell. I can't tell what is said in jest and what is serious -- simply because I can't follow every conversation. Truth is, I don't have the time (nor inclination) to be a proper administrator. This is part of the reason for my largely hands off attitude. The other concern I have is that the protracted bickering tends to turn people off who are new to the forums -- it is intimidating to many. Besides the fact that the constant back and forth just clutters that board obscuring what might otherwise be interesting conversations. What do you think? Also if the name calling starts (or indirect insults) on this conversation I'll delete the posts. I'm only interested in serious comments.

Chicago. Street. Gangs, News. Says,21. People. Shot,2 Dead,I. Think. Past. Weekend. Some. Black. Males. In. Gangs,Are 2nd ,3rd. Generations. In. Gangs,Black. Man. Said. On. The. News..High. unemployment .. As. Church. Preachers. Drive,In. Rich. Cars,Bentleys,Merceds Benz ,Lexus,Preacher. Creflo -Dollar, Had. 2. Rolls. Royce Cars,I. Think. T. D. Jake's ,Private,Jet. Preachers. Do. Not. Care. About. Children,Poor,Communities ..Politicians,NAACP,,Preachers ,Controlling. Black. Votes,Wanting. Black. People. Money,Church. Money. United. Could. Help. Start. Black. Businesses ....Send. Black. Children. To. College. From. Poor,Inner. City. Schools. We. Need. Black. Leaders. With. The,Kwanzaa Principle. Thinking....Black. People. Enslave. Themselves. Black. Leaders. Enslave. Their. Own. People.. On,The. News. Elijah. Cummings. Close. To. Tears. Last. Week,About. Trumps Children. Jail. Cages . Maxine. Waters,Saying. People. Should. Confront. People. Who. Support. Trump. Waiting. For. Maxine. Waters. To. Talk. About,Confronting. Street. Gangs,Crack. Sellers,Pimps. Who,Prostitute. Teenage. Girls. .Preachers. who. Steal,Church,Money. To. Buy. Cars,Fancy. Suits,Mansions ,Women Preachers. As. Vile. As. The. Men...Moral. Voice,John. Lewis. ,Silent.. Maxine. Waters,Elijah. Should. Talk. About. Black. Police. Silent,As. Innocent. Unarmed. Black. Males,Shot,Dead. By. Racist. White. Police.....

K2 I've deleted a portion of your comment for the reason previously discussed. Again the rule applies only to this to this conversation. Cynique makes a good point if the barbs witty and clever AND written in jest it is all good -- indeed desirable. And the fact she stopped reading the posts was what I was afraid of happening. If she is not reading them why would someone, who is new, read them? @Chevdove, waded through the morass and made some excellent contributions only to inquire why did the conversation go south? Her question was part of the motivation for this discussion Mel, K2 as far as a vote down button. I'm sure that would not have any effect. Indeed Pioneer does not even use the like feature. Generally, if I disagree with something I express that disagreement with words. But I'll check to see if the software has a dislike or down vote options. You can currently block a posters comments, allowing you to completely ignore another poster. That approach is pretty heavy handed, but it has been used by some. Well, I look forward to more comments.

@Kalexander2 Here in America, we are still have due process. We are innocent until PROVEN guilty, And if anyone is following the rules without question that makes them a follower who is obedient to authority, That is the antithesis of being a leader. I asked because your comment was sending mixed messages and I needed clarification. YES!!! Now that's someone with the spirit of a leader.

i could appreciate the feud if the barbs were witty and clever, but they were just silly and irrelevant. i stopped reading their posts because they became boring.

You're welcome, Damani. Also, there are 18,000 libraries in the United States. Libraries BUY your book (not merely taking on consignment as independent bookstores do) and they don't return them (as bookstores will if they haven't sold in a specified amount of time). All the Best, Wendy

At the IBPA Publishers' University I sat at a table where a small group was listening to a speaker talk about block chain. We did not get anything like the detailed explanation that I just read in your post, Mel. Whenever someone asked him to explain how it would help us sell books, he just said, "Put it in the Blockchain!" We walked away with the feeling that this was a scam. Now, it's true maybe this person had more enthusiasm than knowledge, but he reeked of con man. The articles that you have posted give a much clearer picture of what Blockchain is and how it can help people sell books directly to readers and cut out the middle person. However, when I saw it was based on bitcoin and digital currency, I once again smelled a scam. I will look for cautionary tales to post about bitcoin. I don't expect anyone to be persuaded because of my skepticism without any evidence to back it up. I also know that everyone reading our posts will do their research before they leap into this. But so many of us writers and publishers are so desperate to get our stories and our books out, it would be heartbreaking if some of us fell into a trap. Yes, I am sure I would have been the last to ride in let alone buy one of those "new-fangled autoMObiles," so you should know that about me. But let's all look carefully before we leap. All the Best, Wendy

Great idea!!!

@TroyThis ^ ... I have a hard time following the topic when it's cluttered with name-calling/bickering. It's too bad there's not a vote-down collapse feature - where only those who are involved in the bickering can see their comments.

Brother – does a Black person need to be from Selma, Georgia, the projects, or Africa to be of value to the Black community? Or, do they need to be wealthy, famous, of profound intellect, or dark-skinned to be respected as a Black person? What’s that you say? NO. Then it really doesn’t matter whether he/she loves or hate their own community to instill a sense of pride and motivation. It’s not her politics nor her origin, she’s Black; whether she likes, accepts it or not. Can your daughters learn something, anything from the Black Duchess of Essex?

Come on @Kalexander2 Megahn is a white-looking multimillionaire celebrity she is not Nay-Nay from the projects. Let's not pretend that all people are the same or viewed the same way. @Mel Hopkins, people are not commodities for he reasons described above, a barrel is crude oil is, a bustle of corn is, but people are not -- we are unique, so we can not be "commodities." No two people or groups of people are equal. We, necessarily, made assessments of the "quality" of people every day. Whether you are hiring a welder, surgeon, or basketball player some people are better than others depending upon how they are being measured. If people were truly commodities it would not matter if Mehgan married me, Pioneer, or Prince Harry. But the reality is that we are not commodities; a wealthy Prince is worth more than struggling bookseller. Hence "marrying up" is an appropriate description. This is not a western construct; we, in the west, are more likely to marry across class, race, religion, than many other cultures.

Brother, Troy, does it not depend on the beneficiary? I think royalty there has much to gain having a Black woman in the family, I see Dutchess of Essex as an international value asset. I think the Prince married-up! 'What I think/ is true for me as well as true of a fact. Our Black women are humans this world is unworthy.

@Cynique While I commend Philip Nobile’s stellar journalism, he appears to have ‘gotten off’ on an attempt to debase truths in Haley’s work. Clarence Page’s rebuttal to Nobile justifies the two-books even more: “Haley's offenses are so egregious, Nobile says, that the Pulitzer Board should posthumously take back the prize it presented Haley in the "special award" category in 1977. Instead, Nobile charges, his story is being blacked out (or, if you prefer, "whited" out) by major media too frightened and guilt-ridden to pick up his crusade. Not surprisingly, Haley's defenders have lambasted Nobile's lengthy report as a racist attack on black intellectualism and cultural heroes. Who's right? I probably was touched more profoundly by Haley's two books than by any other except the Bible, yet I can't help but notice that those who knew Haley well seem to defend his character more vigorously than they defend his reporting. Haley was not a historian, nor was he a conventional journalist. He was a storyteller and a darn good one, not unlike the old griot …” Clarence Page 1993 Chicago Tribune. Don’t know I ever missed this information. Old age, I guess! Again, thanks for sharing.

Well said! Her background is not indicative of a woman without her own agenda or, someone's token plaything or tool. I look forward to paying close attention to her career and marriage!

@Troy @Pioneer1 People are NOT commodities. We are members of a networked community. So, marriage is not a step-up but rather a strategic partnership based on goals. Since marriage is also government-sanctioned some people marry to expand their territories. In this case, Meghan Markle put herself on a path to be a major player on the world stage. By the time, Kensington Palace announced Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's engagement - she had already had several international speaking engagements (one at the United Nations) and was a world ambassador for World Vision Canada Diplomacy isn't a new venue for Markle. She graduated from Northwestern University with a dual degree in Theater and International Relations. Before she graduated Markle briefly worked at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires while there she also took the test to be a Foreign Service Officer. She didn't pass. By the time she met Henry Mountbatten-Windsor, Markle was already a multi-millionaire. In addition to her starring role on "Suits" she was a successful entrepreneur; she'd launched a lifestyle website called The Tig named best website by Elle and InStyle Magazines. She also had several endorsement deals including Ralph Lauren and Reitmans department store . At 36, maybe she decided it was time to pursue her first vocation in diplomacy but full time. Prince Harry seemed to clearly understand her goals and indicated it worked for him. In their first media interview after engagement announcement, Prince Harry said, "...I know that the fact that she'll be really unbelievably good at the job part of it as well is almost is a huge relief to me because she'll be able to deal with everything else that comes with it. But, no, we're a fantastic team. We know we are. And, we hope to over time try and have as much impact for all the things that we care about as much as possible." Although, Hollywood may paint women as starry-eyed romanticist; it would be foolish for anyone to believe that's the truth. Those who are surprised by the strategy and tactics women employ in achieving their goals aren't paying attention. Markle marrying Prince Harry is a means to an end. It's also a great partnership because now Markle can really attend to world affairs. In fact, it's part of her job description as Duchess of Sussex.

yes @Mel Hopkins I have nothing against Justine or fiyah magazine but. a black writer, suggesting that a white writer is not warranting the fandom or the support cause the content in work from said white writer or perception to the value in said work is negative, is no other than what white media do to black artists all the time. I don't want white people to change. I want black people to be free from white physical assault. White people writing books or making movies or producing paintings where they depict their interpretation to black people as negative or positive is not a physical assault, it is emotional, pride based, but not physical. Some in the black community seem to want whites to speak well to blacks and I oppose that position. Donald Trump speaking ill to the central park five was negative, was ill, but the central park five suffered cause the assailed white woman who lied and the NYPD who interrogated, Trump is not the one who led to the pain the central park five went through. Birth of a nation, the original, is a vile movie to Black people, but that film was not hanging black people or incarcerating black people falsely, or financially entrapping black people through tricks, all supported through government initatives or actors, in 1915. That was city councils, mayors of cities, state legislators, state governors, federal representatives, federal senators, the president, white owned private enterprise. are the cause. The napir of american race relations, what I call the burning of southern black folk, was the fault of the us federal military leaving the south, which oddly enough they would had to return 100 year later, not the confederate flag, or statues or books written from whites.

@Kalexander2 telling a young girl or young woman to "man up" is just as bad as telling a young boy or young man to do the same... If a parent wants to raise a child into healthy adult - He or she will encourage them to experience and process the full range of emotions - not stifle them. We have a world full of people who don't know how to process their emotions - and as I mentioned earlier in this thread - it means these people are lying to themselves.

Bravo! Art is often commentary and commentary reflects a perspective. Eliminating that perspective or the one who perceives it is akin to censorship ... and similar to what happens in war. Removing artwork and the artist is an attempt to silence. Not cool. I rather be offended than to be a witness someone losing the right to express themselves.

Anthropologists , statisticians and everybody else are making it tough for biologists to get around it -because they reference the original Y-DNA in these published scientific research articles. I have noticed, however, more of a focus on what happened once "we modern humans" left out of Africa...

@Pioneer1 There is more genetic diversity today in African than there is anywhere else on Earth. Genetically, it is more likely that you are more closely related to the people you call white than you would be to people in Africa who share your complexion. Anyone who believes Africans are "less evolved" than the people who left Africa is simply ignorant of the most basic concepts of genetics. There is zero evidence that anyone is Africa is descended from people who came from Asia. ------------------ The idea that there is a Mitochondrial Eve and Y-Chromosomal Adam is just remarkable to me -- single individuals that we are all related to. Now these folks wree not arried to each other and they were not the only ones on Earth, but we still treat each other like Cain and Abel. ------------------

Being the only one can also be a powerful position. If you succeed you succeed as an individual but if you fail you feel as a Black person. Although I think you need a few personality traits to make that work. In my case I am contrary and don't feel peer pressure. Plus I can be mentally combative. The other advantage I had was I read a lot and had a good education.

Oh no! I don't! LOL. I am shooting in the dark! LOL. I grew up in the Black Church, and I am very frustrated with the omission of a lot of information. How can you believe in something, based on a book, but you only read a part of the book!? Anyway, your icon is gorgeous and you look like a news reporter! Awesome!!! LOL yes, I read about the the Loving story and my rebuke is not on that level because my husband is Black. But it is rough though. This world is filled with 'isms' ... when it comes to a Black woman choosing to be in a relationship.

Justina Ireland, an editor at FIyah magazine , stated the following: Are people really that mad that they stripped Laura Ingalls Wilder’s name from an award? That’s silly. She’s dead. It’s not like she cares. And it’s not like her books changed the world for the better. ... The Little House on the Prairie books reinforce the idea of white exceptionalism and the inherent benefit of colonialism without contending with any of the moral and physical drawbacks of such exploitation. Also, they are boring as fuck. Someone replied: First of all not true. And if you find them boring as F*&#.....maybe that says more about your attention span. Now, while the personal attack toward ireland is unwarrant or a false claim, the reality is, ireland's original position has flaws. First, Art does not have to be liked or admired by all to be admired by many. IReland ask, are people really that mad? yes. fans of wilder's work are. Some fans to any artist like said artist to be adored, admired, honored in ways like titling awards. IReland is an editor to a writing magazine and stated, that wilder's book didn't change the world for the better OR it reinforced idea's of white exceptionalism and amendments. Her first point is artistically sinful. The artist creates. The artist create from the soul, the charlatan does not. Wilder created from her soul. And like any artist, I include myself or Ireland side Wilder, it is up to others to feel beauty or wisdom or an infinite set from other states to anything we create. Not everyone likes the sistine chapel ceiling, but Michelangelo emitted his soul. And like mein kampf, the declaration of independence, or the revolution will not be televised, did these artistic entries change the world or were reflections to the world changed. If people like your work, they do, and your lucky. Poe died penniless, his art did not change the world when published. yet, after his death, epiphany amongst the readership. In similarity to the work from phillip k dick. If Wilder's soul wanted to emit white exceptionalism and inherent benefit of colonialism without contending with any of the effects from exploitation toward others... then she may have succeeded. But, that is her soul's business. I don't like little house on the prairie, mein kampf but others have the right too. Art is not meant to reflect one viewpoint or one lifestyle, art do reflect all lifestyle. USA is over 300 million people, ten percent is 3 million. I imagine wilder can get 9 million. I recall a show that was on tv for a long time called little house on the prairie, which i was not a fan to either, so many liked the books. ... In the end, Ireland's argument is to question why the uproar, but her position, at least the position i read, is absent any value. WIlder's work has fans who are mad at her name being treated as unworthy, or to said fans her work has influenced their life to various grades, or from her soul emitted a culture that many <enough to make a media uproar> like. In the USA organizations from private to public are trying to please a growing populace that has historically been bereft honor from private or public organizations and want to see those who emit what they do not like or who have insulted them be taken from acclaim, through naming buildings, statues, award names. If I had power over the award I would had replaced Wilder's name a while back, cause she is not the best in my view. But, an argument does exist. Is it wise to change these labels now? It is not true to state that a large populace in the usa is white and do not like non white. That is an honest statement. And, most people in the usa are white. Are these delabelings values from the collective soul or a lie covering truth? What say you? ... If I had my choice I would call the award, Association for Library Service to Children for best children's book, call me silly but why give one artist the title to an award that will be throughout time. it is not a one off. https://twitter.com/justinaireland/status/1011251924757352456

@Kalexander2 I blame it on black mothers - who would tell us, " Cry and I'll give you something to cry for". I wasn't even allowed to cry at my father's funeral. My mother said, "Don't represent your father that way"

@Chevdove As it relates to anthopology, the mtDNA mutates almost every 8000 years . The mutation here refers to assigning mtDNA haplotypes into halplogroups which is represented here in this phylotree ( A comprehensive phylogenetic tree of worldwide human mitochondrial DNA variation, currently comprising over 5,400 nodes (haplogroups) with their defining mutations.) http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0008260 Molecular Clock of the mtDNA hominid credit: van Oven M, Kayser M. 2009. Updated comprehensive phylogenetic tree of global human mitochondrial DNA variation. Hum Mutat 30(2):E386-E394. http://www.phylotree.org. doi:10.1002/humu.20921 Also, the mitochondria is not a chromosome such as the Y that recombines slightly or X that recombines with the other X chromosome and a little with the Y. (See this 2001 study on the question of mtDNA recombination https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1461814/pdf/11606549.pdf ) The Mitochondria are small membrane-bound structures contained in the cell's cytoplasm. It is responsible for generating energy needed for cell function. The mitochondria contains its own DNA and protein-synthesizing machinery. It reproduces by splitting in two to make a second copy of the DNA . https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-researchers-trace/ The offspring inherits the mtDNA from the mother. The father inherits his mother's mtDNA but males cannot pass it on. The Y only passes from father to son, whereas the mtDNA goes from the mother to both son or daughter. This link leads to an early study of Y-Chromosome mutation https://www.nature.com/news/2009/090827/full/news.2009.864.html . And yes, mutation is limited for the Y-chromosome because its the X that has all the genetic information to combine with the Y to form a viable human. Recent studies, previously stated the Y chromosome was on its way to extinction because it only recombines to provide genetic information for male reproductive organs - and had emptied itself of other genetic material. According the article (link) it has found a way to stabilize itself. https://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/news/140513_ychromosome https://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/evolution-y-chromosome But as you know the origin of mankind was the X chromosome. According to studies, and the aforementioned article) there was no Y chromosome until about 180 million years ago. .