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Got this one last night! I forgot. The photographer owns this copyright. I removed it from my YouTube channel. 🫥

Hey Fam! I shared my heartbreak with all of you; now here is my joy! Mom, my twin daughters' father, my oldest daughter, Cheyenne's (my daughter who passed away) childhood bestie, is in the family photo with us. I love her so much, and me sitting next to my oldest twin daughter! My daughter married the love of her life in August, and we all got to share in their transformative weekend celebration. 😍 Here's me getting ready for the wedding and checking my rearview🤭 . Yes, this is a very current photo!! And that's my gorgeous mom!!! Yep, she's in her 80s!!!

Well, Y'all, August 18th finally arrived and I woke up this morning. Completed yet another trip around ol Sol. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

Nobody I know uses the term "Afro-American". As far as I'm concerned, it is an obsolete label like - "jive-assed nigga". Over the past 50+years, "Black" is the most common word used when referring to America's slave descendants. Previously, Whites soliciously refrained from publicly calling us what was considered a derogatory term until we started calling ourselves that via the "Black is Beautiful" slogan embraced by the Black Panthers who took their cue from Malcom X. This all took place back in the late 1960s, and from that time forward we, as a people, proudly became "Black" with a capital "B"; going from an adjective to a noun. The idea of blackness being "a state of mind" also came about during this era, presumably to promote inclusiveness, especially since such dynamic activists as Huey Newton, Angela Davis, and Malcom, himself, were light-skinned. In the present, calling negroid Immigrants "African" suffices, because that is what they are, and nobody is confused as to what segment of the American population is being referred to when using that description. This applies to West Indians as well.

Here I am, setting the record straight again, doing so, not because I think anybody cares, but rather because some may be curious as to why a 92-year- old-senior citizen wastes what little time she has left, hangin' out on an online discussion forum, engaging in verbal fisticuffs with a pioneer who has never blazed a trail anywhere except up his own butt. My answer: since the cyber space universe enables one to adopt an alter-ego, and take on a user name and lead a secret existence, quite a while ago I decided why not do this? What the heck. Might be fun. And it has been. In the real world, I am a widowed mother of 5, grandmother of 7, great grandmotherk of 8, family members of whom know very little about Nana's on-line activity; too wrapped up in their own pursuits. They just know she surfs the internet, amusing herself by engaging in various activities, and they remain clueless about the extent of my involvement on this forum since they don't come to this site. Nor do any of my associates. And, rest assured that my "Contrarian" persona is different from how I am in real life among polite company. However, because I can come here and hide behind an avatar, all bets are off and I can express myself anyway I please, Since I'm no longer a single young woman "out-to-catch", I feel no need to tread lightly and act sweet and feminine. I'm off the grid, and favorably impressing men is no longer a priority of mine. Who needs 'em? Welcome to Super Bitch land. Anyway, I say all this to say that, contrary to what some seem to think, I do not expect others to ward off my detractors or take my side. I can fend for myself. Now you know. What we don't know is how much longer I'll be around? Who cares. I don't. But until my time is up, Nana aka Contrarian will just keep poppin in and out, doin' her thing competing with others who jam the board with long self-indulgent posts full of useless information. 😴

If the NYC mayoral race were a novel, I'd deconstruct its architecture. From one election to the next, the narrative appears to shift away from focused policy debates, instead centering on the influence of religious groups. The major religious factions—Christian nationalists, Muslims, and Jews—each appear to compete for cultural and political dominance within the city. Amid this religious competition, the African diaspora in the U.S.—a powerful and often underestimated voting bloc—continues to be overlooked and taken for granted by both the candidates and the dominant religious groups. It sometimes seems as though these competing religious groups neglect the African diaspora’s influence. Ironically, the roots of these religions trace back to African science-based spirituality, yet this connection receives little attention in political or religious discourse. This dynamic played out in Election 2024: Christian nationalists—including evangelists, southern Baptists, and likely Catholics—rallied strongly behind DJT. Media and external influencers shifted the conversation away from local policy and toward polarizing international issues, like the U.S. stance on Israel and Palestine, further affecting how voters chose among domestic candidates. When reviewing 2025 election results, I noticed Mamdani was not the only Muslim elected, which raises the question of whether heightened coverage of Gaza led to greater sympathy and increased Muslim representation—a trend potentially extending into the midterms. Don’t misunderstand—I bear a grudge against all religions. Religious study should bring wisdom, spirituality, and growth, yet it often has the opposite effect. Religions lead to violence instead of joy and peace. Add patriarchy, and it’s chaos. Returning to the story's structure: Is this a narrative of democratic socialism rising in the heart of Wall Street? Consider Manhattan—the FINANCIAL CAPITAL OF THE WORLD—and its boroughs. Is the city that never sleeps really ready to move from capitalism to social ownership? Notably, NYC is the largest property owner according to Curbed.com, and the mayor administers these assets. Perhaps social ownership is the underlying story arc behind recent shifts. So, in this story—call it Project 2025 (S)—the central figure is a young millennial poised to challenge the reigning power and reclaim Manhattan for the people. Behind the scenes, religious struggle, human trafficking disguised as immigration reform, and pervasive surveillance set the chaotic stage for change in the city. Meet the Muslim and Arab Americans who won in US local elections Jews vote for Andrew Cuomo over Zohran Mamdani in NYC mayoral race | The Jerusalem Post "In addition to the Jewish vote, Mamdani lost the Catholic vote by a significant margin: 53% supported Cuomo and 14% backed Sliwa, against 33% for Mamdani. A decisive 75% of voters with no religious affiliation supported Mamdani." Here's a past look at Manhattan when DJT began buying up NY property in the early 70s(?) a look back at Palestinians, Israel, Libya, etc.

My other "Twin" HeyGen AI-ed this one of our Flexx promotional photos taken in the 90s. She updated us I'm on the right. 😄

I don't know if it's animal magnetism but I don't put up with rude behavior regardless of gender.😁 Patent & trademark it.😁 Homies call to conduct business & the wifey or kids roll up & start a whole conversation in the background. N8gglet doesn't have enough sense to shut them down. So, I help him out by hanging up. Call me back. My folks..anybody around me knows not to start bumping their gums if they see I'm on a call. Wait your turn to talk to me.😁 I almost dropped outta school in the 2nd grade. Teacher tried to make me participate in recess along with the other kids. I told her azz I don't play.🤣 I've been a grown azz man ever since I was a little boy.😁😎

I had not considered there may be gender component to doing this. I’ve known so many women, over so many years that post so much personal information on social, that I have long since given up even commenting about the activity to them. That behavior will not change anytime soon, as social media creates all types of incentives for people to share as much as possible about themselves. It’s one of the reasons I deleted my original Facebook account. But going back to the point of this conversation 🙂 I’ve considered the fact that something that I, or someone else, has written here could be taken out of context and come back to bite me in the real worl. I’m not anonymous, because it takes some effort to do it, and I’m too lazy to maintain anonymity. @Mel Hopkins I might stop short of the word “love.” but if you consider the fact that AALBC.com is almost 30 years old with the boatload of content and there’s increasingly less competition from other website, AALBC really should rank high in search be referenced by aggregators. But I still feel that Google search has done more harm to the web than it has to benefit it. I think AI will do even more harm so much more that it poses and existential threat to the WWW we know today. I’m not confident what we get in return will be better than what we have today.

My father & mother. Music & books allowed me to see a world beyond my own environment & expand my knowledge respectively. Life experiences & traveling & meeting & kicking it with different people.😎

Here's when I hung out with PRINCE. 😉 I'm really having fun doing what it's possible to do nowadays!😜

@Mel Hopkins I’m glad you were serving him drinks and not the other way around. @Pioneer1 welcome back!

History class was kicking my butt! It was a short semester class jammed packed with a lot of work including up to the very present. I did get an "A" and learned a lot about the United States that even I didn't know! And I read a lot! Some of it was so depressing I felt like I was struggling through PTSD. Thank goodness my professor was a Black woman with a PhD - she held the light towards the finish line. I took the summer off from school. I needed a break. 👋🏽🙋🏽‍♀️

The city of Tampa recognizes National Black Bookstore Day.

Tempus is fugiting. And before we know it, election day will be here and that bad ol Donald Trump will be ousted and Democracy will be restored and gas prices and grocery bills will plummet and the Economy will skyrocket and everybody will be able to afford to be sick. Black folks? They can all come out of hiding .God will be in his heaven and all will be right in the world... Or - maybe not. Hope all you optimists have a Plan B. 🥴

Back in my teens and 20s, I wouldn't have believed that I would feel so obliged or dedicated to people I wasn't related to or something I wasn't getting paid to do. But as we know, things and often attitudes and mentalities change with time. Now if I spend an extended amount of time away from AALBC whether it's a few days, a few weeks, or a couple months.....I feel OBLIGATED to go back and as best I can respond to all posts directed at me or about me. And also, if time permits....address posts that grab my interest even if they weren't directed at me. And it appears that most of you seem to feel the same way. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ And by the way let me thank @Troy for providing this space for us to do so. It's been a while since I sent a token of my appreciation because I've had new personal obligations to focus my resources on these past few years, but your treasures are building up. Trust me 😉 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ I suppose it's just human nature; however knowing this makes me feel good, proud, and hopeful. Why? It shows me that there are certain feelings, emotions, and drives that are just innate in human nature that guarantees that no human society will degrade down past a certain level. We will never get so selfish and individualistic AS A COMMUNITY where we simply ignore eachother and focus on our own issues and promotions. Some will, but the vast majority will not. There are certain ways we relate to other human beings that seem to be "in" us; ingrained in our psyche. These are the traits a progressive well functioning society should be built on and modeled after. Characteristics that agree with basic human nature.

@aka Contrarian....your home team, Da Bears had an excellent season. Especially compared to the past few years. 1st year Head Coach Ben Johnson deserves a lot of credit for helping QB Caleb Williams and the offense play better. HC Johnson assembled a very good coaching staff too. Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen earned his money in his 1st year with Da Bears. I thought HC Johnson should have gone for a 2 point conversion after QB Williams threw that miraculous TD to tie the game. If the conversion was successful, Da Bears would have been in the NFC championship game. From a strategic perspective, I understand why HC Johnson played for overtime. Hindsight is always 20/15. Nonetheless, Da Bears and their fans should be very proud of the team. They have a bright future ahead.😎

Sounds like somebody has replaced Pioneer with an AI entity. the BEARS continue to amaze, inspire, and revitalize me. I adore Caleb and I'm loving every minute of this fantastic season, - knowing all good things must come to an end! 😑

"Thinking outside the box" is fine if you are of a mind to do a lot of work and shoulder a lot of responsibility and stake claims on critical thinking. And, come to think of it, I never met a conspiracy theorist who didn't brag about "thinking outside the box"... so, there's that. But lazy lovers of leisure like me are not so inclined. However I, too, was an avid reader, with writing skills that enabled me to become a contributing columnist to the op-ed pages of a major Chicago newspaper back in the 1970s where my letters-to-the-editor invoked so much response that I was approached by the newspaper to become their resident voice of the black viewpoint. Which I was, for several years. Boy, was that fun. 😬 On the job at my local Post Office where I passed up supervisory positions because dealing with time cards required much more effort than the job I held stamping "Registered" on the envelopes of mail containing valuable contents, along with being the go-to person for revising and editing the bulletins and memos dispatched from the front office. And tho I wasn’t thinking outside the box, - I did sing outside the building, because on many mornings one of my favorite things to do was tag along with the maintenance man when he performed his flag-raising duty. While he ran ol glory up the flag pole in front of the building, I would stand by and sing the national anthem. To me, this was just for fun, but being a veteran, the janitor took his duties very seriously and always saluted when he was done. God bless America. And of course after I retired back in the 90s, I got caught up in the self-publishing craze and churned out 3 books which I lost interest in when time came to promote them; too much trouble. Having 5 kids would have to serve as my accomplishments in life, what I achieved - between the sheets. 🙂‍ So the roles of a dilettante and wanna-be Renaissance person have been the "this above all" to which mine ownself "has been true". Have at it all you innovative go-getters. Somebody has to take up my slack. But keep in mind, being lazy may have something to do with my longevity. zzzzzzzzzzzz Being a CHICAGO BEAR 🐻 fan may just become my undoing. I might slit my wrists if they lose to those damned cheese head Green BayPackers tonight! 🙄 GO BEARS!

For those who have rolled into 2026, let's hope that it is a year filled with Love, Joy, Peace, Prosperity, Health and Happiness.🎉 In the meantime, I will continue calling balls & strikes i.e. offering my opinions/perspectives on whatever comes up around here. I enjoy the easy chair I've taken up.🤣 As always, many thanks to brotha @Troy for providing & maintaining this platform. Much appreciated.😎

This video popped up when I brought up YouTube today. On some level it feels like Google knows I was talking about this subject 😉 Neil describes 13 of things you should consider when evaluating information online. Some of this is common sense. @Pioneer1, for what it is worth, you should check out this video. Perhaps it will help you think about information you pull from the web and how you use it to form opinions.

For anybody who is curious as to why I no longer use my original user name on this forum, why I, who was once known as "Cynique", am now known as "aka Contrarian", this is the explanation. I have been contributing to this discussion forum off and on for over 20 years. Back in the day, as a retiree who was an aspiring author, its "African American Literary Book Club" title drew me to this site. And having always considered myself to be somewhat of an "iconoclast", I decided I wanted my avatar to reflect my personality, so I came up with what was a combination of "cynical" and "unique". And the "Cynique" moniker was born, replete with a somewhat devil's advocate persona; always skeptical and a tad sarcastic, - (something which contributed to my ongoing feud with the notorious Kola Boof, a semi-famous drama queen). Otherwise, with a few innocuous exceptions, over the years, I formed several cherished friendships with people I encountered here and with whom I still keep in touch with on FaceBook. Anyway, with the passage of time, while others came and went, I remained a long standing member of AALBC, and Troy rewarded my loyalty by naming this site "Cynique's Corner". As more time passed, however, I eventually became burnt out and, contrary to the insinuations of some people, I voluntarily decided to go on hiatus, subsequently telling Troy he could drop the "Cynique's Corner title; which he did. With the passage of more time, I finally decided to check back in, but I couldn't log on because I'd forgotten my pass word. When I tried to log on with a new password word, I was unsuccessful, the reason given by the computer being that somebody already had that user name. The fact that the "somebody" was me made things more entangled, and after I contacted Troy, he assigned me a special password to use. That, along with adopting a different user name, enabled me to log back on to the discussion forum, at which time I explained that "aka Contrarian" was the poster formerly known as "Cynique". Obviously, the word "contrarian" preserves the cynical essence I originally wanted to convey. Only one person ever found this to be a problem. Whatever. As Shakespeare once said: "What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." It is what it is... And, don't be surprised if that "one person" chimes in with a stream of pictures along with references to flowers and bees and wasps and Cynique this and Dolemita that, yada,yada,yada. zzzzzzzzzzzzz

Well, today is the American holiday where folks gather with family and friends in food, fun and fellowship. Eat, drink and enjoy however you so choose. I know the history behind *holidays* but I do not skip them for the aforementioned reasons. I use holidays as a time to further build and connect with my tribe. Every several years, my birthday happens to fall on Thanksgiving Day. When that happens, I don't have to cook anything for the family dinner. I'll pull up, eat, enjoy my folks and watch football games.😁 Happy Thanksgiving to all.😎

Nature putting on a show via the northern lights, reminding Earth to not sweat the small stuff.

I am finding words and numbers allow me to access the unconscious mind of the Querent and for myself i use omens and clock time Yes just be open and don't have set beliefs or feelings. Just allow the information to speak to you. One of the ways is to just doodle or write down the words that pop into your mind.

Thank you! That is one of the most classic and fabulous wedding celebrations that I have ever seen! Oh My Gosh! I don't know how many times I have watched this. @Mel Hopkins I can't imagine how happy you must feel! Your daughter and her husband are so incredibly beautiful. Again, you look amazing. LOL! Okay... @Pioneer1 Come on! But you are right on one count, that wedding look like a movie; As if it was straight out of Hollywood.

"He who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, is a fool."

Yes. I voted. Dystopian executioner. For me, it's not about skin color, I just appreciate beautiful men, spiritually and physically, no matter what color or culture. However, as a Black women, I cannot help but to be drawn to beautiful men of African descent especially.

Computed by whom? NASA? Or the aliens who launched it and subsequently turned it green for "GO"! 👽

Facts. For a number of reasons, it's better keeping one's cards closer to the vest. People make a huge mistake trying to impress others by spilling their bizness. Then, wonder why they got robbed in one way or another.🤣😎

Sista @Mel Hopkins it's always great to have your presence in the proverbial coffeeshop. @aka Contrarian (Cynique) has been on an AI tear lately. She's jet-setting through pics.🤣😎

More than anything, my parents shaped my views growing up, but after a certain age it was school and reading. My parents were religious and not racist, and I don't recall ever hearing the "N" word from them, but they grew up poor in the South, with separate water fountains and facilities. They held distinct views about minorities, especially Black people. Our humble home was right next to what my parents called a "colored" neighborhood. So I frequently saw colored kids but was not allowed to play with them (and I don't think they wanted to play with me). There was only one colored girl in my high school class of 400. As I became a teenager and exposed to the news on TV and reading, I realized there was something fundamentally wrong with our society. Now that I'm am older white man, I see our country recently going backwards towards more unacceptance and hatred of others, especially minorities. It’s scary. To me, MAGA means pull minorities down or send them home to make some white majority greater. That's one of the reasons I wrote my novel, The Short Happy Life of Wyatt Outlaw. It tells the tragic story of an enslaved man that history wants to forget. The novel is framed with the murderous events that occur in Graham, North Carolina, on February 26, 1870. The atmosphere is thick with political tension and impending violence. Wyatt Outlaw, a Black town commissioner, master carpenter, and Union veteran, is marked for death by the White Brotherhood and KKK. To me, Wyatt Outlaw is a hero who overcame great odds to become successful. To me, our country has made great strides in accepting people who are different, but we still have a ways to go. I hate to see us going backwards. It would be nice if, on our 250th anniversary, we could celebrate for all Americans, and not just for a select group.

🫩 Tired of hearing about the war in Iran? Disgusted by the Supreme Court's dismantling of the Voting Rights act? Mad because your team got eliminated from the NBA Playoffs?Unimpressed by the ridiculously extravagant garb of the celebrities at the annual Met Gala? Worried about the possibility of a new virus epidemic? Fed up with high gas and grocery prices? Broke because you blew $500 on 2 tickets to the upcoming Usher-Chris Brown concert tour coming to a theater near you? Saddened by the evening news reporting the shooting death of yet another inner city black teen? How about something to take your mind off of these bummers? Read on... Rule No. 1 is the foundation to lure an athlete with a pick-me mindset: “He’s the prize. Remember he can change your life; you can’t change his.” Rule No. 2: “Dealing with cheating, DON’T LOOK FOR IT… if it’s just a fling, LET IT GO!” He’s the prize, remember he can change your life, you can’t change his …” Rule No. 3: “Completely integrate yourself in his life to where he can’t function without you.” Rule No. 4: “Don’t embarrass him. Don’t cheat, don’t text other men.” Rule No. 5: “Go completely WILD ON HIM IN BED!” Rule No. 6: “DO NOT tell his mom ANY personal information.” Rule No. 7: “Always look good and appealing." **************** OK, back to things worth caring about. 🥴

..., he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket." No, he will just blame some whomever he is told to blame. Mexicans, The Blacks, Gay People. Muslims, Jews, etc. I was reminded of the quote in a review I just published: Book Review: Weathering the Storm: Navigating the Anti-Social Justice Wave by Tiffany G. Townsend

I also out danced him one night in Nell's. It was around the time Graffiti Bridge was released. He does just disappear.

@Troy....thanks again for everything you're doing to maintain this site.😎

In the mean time, silky-voiced Nat Cole, a Chicago product, enjoyed tremendous popularity among his own people. He put out a lot of single 78 vinyl records in the '50s as I recall, and they were all hits! We loved us some Nat "King" Cole. Back in the day, a lot of - perish the thought - colorist negro women used to pay him the left-handed compliment by declaring that "the only thing they liked black were Cadillacs and Nat Cole". To this day, like one of his best sellers, he remains "Unforgettable".

I guess it would be helpful to know the changes you are referring to which Black folks were forced to adapt.😎

No, not at all please explain why. It being overly flattering was my biggest critique of Open AI's earlier models. Yes, this is the kind of thing I'm talking about. For any quotes you HAVE to ask the AL for sources and check them. The funny thing if you bust it hallucinating, it will quickly admit the mistake and praise you for it.

University of Michigan football coach got his black ass fired for having an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. Then the disgraced brotha was later arrested for assault after police were summoned to an apartment he'd gone to. I'm sure Sherrone Moore has a large penis. And his "victim" was probably white. Nothing surprising about this situation. Gee, he's almost as bad as - Barack and Hakeem.

@ProfDI agree with you. For somebody who considers himself sooo in touch with the "Afro American" scene, Pioneer is frequently off the mark, lacking authenticity. Young black girls are not sittin around, pickin up on messages celebrities are supposedly sending them. They're more interested in hair and nails and eyelashes and fashion - attached to their phones, going on FaceBook threatening each other, working part time at WalMart. They are not suceptible to the idea of white boyfriends. They enthusiastically pursue their own kind. Many attend black colleges, where they will not be around whites guys. Or go to large white universities where they will not be competing with white Barbies for white Kens. It's not until they are full grown adults and have careers and are on the dating merry-go-round that black females make up their own minds and begin to consider other options when it comes to a mate. Plus, the vast majority of them are not going to be superstars in sports or entertainment where they can pick or choose. In fact, as Troy has reminded, most people, including black ones, marry within their own "race" The only explanation for Pioneer's preoccupation with white men is that he's jealous of them, undoubtedly afraid that there's a chance their penises might be quite adequate.

also starring..... in his first motion picture role.... "I need me TWO queens to help me build MY kingdom" You know him from his beefs with Tariq Nasheed "Why you wear so much lip gloss and chap stick nigga? Huh? Why you always lickin' ya lips and dissin' Africans? Yuze an ENEMY....to the Black nation!" You also know him for his 15 years of fund raising to open up a private school for Black children "I'm a DESCENDANT...of Frederick Douglas! We need that school. I'm a DESCENDANT....of WEB Dubois We need that school. I'm a DESCENDANT....of Chaka Khan We need a school to teach our girls how to sang. I'm a DESCENDANT....of Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson We need a school to teach our boys how to rap. Send your Donations to FDMG Academy!" Philadelphia's own...... Dr. UMAR JOHNSON as Brutha OLINGA The local neighborhood conscious brutha, agitator, dope buster..... and Dolemita's chief enemy "That jived ass hotep hustlin' nigga is threatening to fuck up my whole operation!" "No no see....yall don't understand. We need to get rid of the pimps, the pushers, the sell outs We need to get rid of the haters, the addicts, the prostitutes We need to get rid of the strippers who try to black-mail conscious bruthaz with free lap dances We need to get rid of them FOR GOOOOOOOD! ....and start our communities all over again, clean."

Talking to ProfD about the ratchet behavior of some of the people we knew and saw growing up brought back memories of Cooley High and scenes like this: I don't care what city you grew up in, we all knew a "Damon"....literally. Either somebody NAMED "Damon" or somebody who ACTED LIKE Damon. Mostly likely MULTIPLE....lol.

@Pioneer1 and @aka Contrarian...whether you all ever agree or not, the back and forth dialog between you two is worth the price of admission. I certainly enjoy reading it.😁 Your contributions keep the forum going especially since fewer folks post compared to a few years ago.😎

What Troy just posted is on point. And, the demograph for the "Wicked" franchise is not black people. Young black girls are not flocking to theaters to see this latest film fantasy. Nor is there any great interest in it by the black population in general.To them, it's just another Disneyesque Hollywood fantasy like "Sleeping Beauty" or "Shrek". They ain't paying no money to go see it. Pioneer overestimates the gullibilty of black folks as well as the deviousness of Hollywood whose primary goal is profit; not promoting racism. Attributing racial overtones to this movie's subliminal message is a stretch saturated with paranoia. Cynthia and Ariana have admitted they have an affectionate, gender based, non binary relationship. So what else is new? In today's social climate this is not an eyebrow raiser. Who cares if this is their "thing"? Hollywood has always been a freak show. But, as usual, the Strawman has to manufacture a hysterical scenario in an attempt to substantiate his far-fetched argument characterizing some bald headed green skin character as a racist surrogate for a black person. For the person with a hammer, every issue is a nail. Much ado about nothing.

No I'd gently "tap" it so as not to cause unnecessary trauma....lol. When it comes to sex with women of ANY age, there are considerations. With a 24 year old, you have to consider unwanted pregnancy. With an 84 year old, you have to consider who's going to pay if she ends up needing a hip replacement.

I haven't seen it but reads like the Super Moon dropped down and got its eagle on over your backyard.😁😎

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.

@Troy I found the video interesting and pretty much typical of what 100-year-old- people have to say. As far as age is concerned, I adhere to the old cliche about it being just a number. 92 - 29, whatever. Let's hear it for your 96- year-old acquaintence who's still driving! On August 18th, 1951, at the age of 18, I celebrated my "golden" birthday! And golden I was. Just graduated from high school and was poised to enter my first year at the University of Illinois where a whole new world awaited me. The most enduring lessons I learned there, however, were not in the books. I learned who I was, and basicsally I'm still that same person. I've never stopped being that 18-year-old who viewed the world through skeptical eyes, and preferred to do this from a place of comfort in a situation where I didn't have to exert myself too much. Hence, my 30-year job as a "flexible" clerk at the Post Office, - where I completed my lessons in life, penning a weekly newspaper column along the way. I married a guy who understood me, and who made me laugh. We shared a love of jazz and movie trivia and - each other. One month after our 50th wedding anniversary, he passed. I miss him every day. Every time I smell a particular cologne I think of him. Certain songs tug at my heart. A widow's pension is part of my monthly income. In addition to giving birth to 5 kids, after retiring from my job, I self-published 5 books - which obviously were not best-sellers. I am neither religious nor nurturing. No baking brownies for me, but Nana is still referred to as being "cool". I do miss my siblings and all my krazy friends who've passed on. They contributed so much to what was fun and unique about my life. I do not consider myself an inspiration, and I have no advice to offer any one, nor have I yet discovered what my purpose for being here is. I agree that longevity does have a lot to do with luck. I've never watched my diet, never given up sugar, red meat and have a heavy hand with the salt shaker. 'Smoked and drank up into my 70s. But here I am, - until I'm not...

Many folks are born gifted and/or talented. White folks have the hardest time understanding or believing it. They want to associate hours or practice time and/or study to people being proficient. It works sometimes. That whole train of thought falls apart when a 7-year old prodigy sits down and plays a piano effortlessly by ear or a savant solves complex math problems without years or decades of education. Many Black folks regardless of the circumstances into which they were born seem to be *blessed* with talent and/or intelligence beyond their environment. Art is the best display of gifted and talented individuals. 😎