ProfD

We as in Joe Q. Public don't have anything.

Right. Engineering knowledge isn't required. Understanding how flight controls works requires training. Even with a free pilot's license, I'm imagine you would book a few flight lessons with that instructor before taking to the friendly skies. Right. Operating it without knowledge or training could lead to disaster.

The company that everyone knows of and has probably used at least once to deliver packages was founded by a man who dropped out of school at 11 years old. At 19 years old, with a $100 dollar investment, James Casey started American Messenger Company in 1907. His company would later become United Parcel Service (UPS). The shipping industry catapulted another successful product...bubble wrap. UPS was used as one case study but there's no shortage of successful businesses past to present. To date, there is no Black-owned equivalent of Sam's Club or Am*zon or G**gle or F8cebook. In fact, there's no majority Black-owned professional sports franchise. As I mentioned in another thread, if Black folks poured more energy into studying success and wealth building instead of religion, freedom and a better life can enjoyed in the here and now instead of waiting on a sky fairy and/or afterlife.

The owner of our beloved forum lives in Florida. But, it's not on @Troy to save Black history in his state of residence. Requires a collaborative effort. It's up to the Black elected leaders, celebrities, investors and citizens to keep their states from banning books.

Pimps in the pulpit is what some of us call preachers. Especially considering the majority of church members are women. There aren't too many men who are willing to sit up under another dude unless it's mutually beneficial. A minister, deacon or trustee has certain privileges being in close proximity to the main guy. Religion has been a legal hustle for a very long time. It's a multi-billion industry. As long as that dough keeps rolling in, the Vatican turns a blind eye to its pimps and pedophiles too.

The law will crack down on those who operate them without the *right* permissions and/or in an unsafe manner. Operating a drone may not require it but flying a plane definitely requires aviation training. That's why they issue pilot's license. There's a reason we don't see more privately owned airplanes flying around. Beyond the purchase price, owning a plane entails other costs (fuel, maintenance, insurance and storage, etc.). Sure. Plenty consumers can afford drone. Of no interest to me but I know a few folks who own drones. Funny issue is the *home* feature doesn't always work. The drone flies off and doesn't return. $500 just flew away.

The name changes but the objective remains the same...to keep people engaged in believing it.

@frankster, a drone hit one of the Super Scooper airplanes dropping water on the wildfire. The drone put a fist-sized hole in the left wing of the . No crash landing or loss of life. No UAP/UFO/ET. It was probably some clown trying to gather video for YouTube.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/10/obama-trump-jimmy-carter-funeral-video/77593085007/ At former POTUS Jimmy Carter's funeral service yesterday, former POTUS Obama shares a laugh with incoming POTUS-Elect. Of course, this does not indicate any type of friendship between them. However, it does show they belong to the same fraternity. Former FLOTUS Michelle Obama was absent. She was in Hawaii handling other business. The media didn't make too big a deal about it. All five (5) POTUS were in attendance at National Cathedral yesterday. Respects paid to POTUS Carter a statesman and humanitarian.

On cue, Right wing folks are blaming Democratic leadership for failure in response to the wildfires. They are mentioning budget cuts and DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) and the mayor traveling to Ghana are reasons that an area of Los Angeles the size of Pittsburgh has burned up. California has been a tinderbox for decades. They could cleared brush and cut down trees a long time ago. Of course, the people didn't want to give up the beautiful scenery, views and outdoor activities. Politicians act like children when it comes to pointing fingers at each other instead of solving problems.

Correct. Black immigrants do not share the history of slavery FBA/ADOS/AfroAmericans. They do no understand our perspective. Most non-FBA/ADOS Black folks think AfroAmericans should "get over it" when it comes to the legacy of slavery. Black immigrants respect, fear and admire white people. Go to any predominantly white country and the Black folks are just happy to be there. They aren't rocking the boat or ruffling any feathers. Just trying to get in where they fit and survive. Instead of building up their home countries, Black immigrants are showing up in lands of opportunity i.e. white countries in order to have a "better life". Here in America, white folks are more than happy to replace FBA/ADOS Black folks with those who are quiet, compliant and most importantly...allow them whitewash the history of America's original sin...slavery. Black folks in a white beauty pageant is an oxymoron. White folks do not see us as beautiful.

State governments in places like Florida are banning books. The Black folks in Florida should be protesting against it. If Black folks want to keep our history from being whitewashed or banned in books, we need should be using every avenue available to insure that it doesn't happen. Black folks should be keeping our history alive in churches, schools, barbershops, beauty salons, books, music, TV, film, sports, etc. One of the biggest challenges Black folks face is waiting for someone or something else, especially non-Black folks or sky fairies to save and deliver us from the forces of evil. We should be fighting the devils ourselves.

Sure. Rhetorical question. Several reasons people to chose to stay and/or live in or move to certain places. I personally wouldn't build or buy a house in a natural disaster zone (flood, wildfire, hurricane, tornado, mud, etc.). But, I get it that location, weather and scenery can make a place desirable to live.

That's why I worded the post in such way. Again, I'm not accusing anyone of anything. Just using it as comedic source material.

Not to get in the middle of the dialog but humans could solve 2/3 of those problems among themselves. Curing diseases is not a goal under Capitalism. Maintenance is the money-maker. Especially if it's accepted that everyone dies in end. Social Security as constructed cannot *afford* to have too many people living beyond life expectancy. I believe they could cure all diseases if population control wasn't an end goal.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/video-shows-mayor-karen-bass-refuse-answer-l-fires-questions-returns-t-rcna186957 Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass looks like a deer in headlights when confronted about her actions regarding city budget and being on vacation during the wildfires. It's always interesting how folks want to *blame* someone else for natural disasters. Mayor Bass could not have done anything short of finding the spark that set it off. Otherwise, it would have taken every fire truck in California, Nevada and Arizona to prevent that wildfire from spreading so fast. The whole point of natural disaster destruction and loss of life from natural disasters is Mother Nature's way of showing us that 1) we don't know sh8t and 2) we are powerless when the Earth needs to purge itself. I believe the insurance policies were cancelled before the latest wildfires but as a result of past blazes. The state of California has an insurance that covers residential properties up $3 million dollars and business properties up to $20 million dollars. The real question is why do people want to live in a tinderbox of a state. It's hot and dry with a lot of trees.

People should not abused in any way no matter where they are housed i.e. asylum, prison, hospital, etc. In the most highly developed country on the planet, we can insure that those individuals in need of the most care, get it. People should not be subjected to experimental treatments or over-medication with drugs. Only a *sick* society would condone such behaviors against people who have mental or physical issues.

Unfortunately, that's what happens when people are ill-informed. They rely on second-hand information instead of watching the news and/or reading for themselves. POTUS-elect prides himself on being a deal-maker so he hates NAFTA like every other *deal* he wasn't involved in and/or didn't negotiate. During POTUS OJ's last term, he threatened to blow up NAFTA because Mexico and Canada aren't paying their *fair share* of the agreement. Those 25% tariffs POTUS-elect OJ is proposing will be his way of making *right* what he believes is *wrong* with NAFTA.

Yep. Back in the 1990s, many folks were wearing over-sized and colorful clothes. Tommy Davidson has on a big azz suit in the above Magic Johnson show video. Folks have gone from one extreme to another. Now, dudes are wearing tight azz suits with sneakers. As I mentioned before, the sock model dudes are wearing their pants high like Urkel. Then, there's the pajamas and Crocs. Fashion has gotten f8cked up.

Misery loves company. We live in a society where people would rather see others *suffer* along with them rather than exit the scene on their own terms. Some folks will even call the person who committed suicide a *coward* for not sticking around to deal with whatever was going on in their head and life. You're right...we have no idea of how that other person feels prior to making that final decision. The kicker is that if it's not time for that person to go, their *attempt* at ending it will be unsuccessful. Right. But, there's no shortage of both women and men who for one reason or another like people who are weird, crazy, controlling, etc. At least they like it until the tables turn on them. Men like a weird or crazy chick until he wakes up in the middle of the night and she's hovering over him butt-naked, smiling like a Jack-O-Lantern.

A brush fire can start in California at any time during the year. The worst part of it is that homeowners insurance is hard to obtain and expensive in the areas affected. Luckily, many of the people affected by this wildfire are rich. They already have a 2nd or 3rd home if they choose not to rebuild in LA. So far, about 17,000 acres burned up in the wildfire. Unfortunately, about 5 people lost their lives.

https://apnews.com/article/wildfire-southern-california-santa-ana-winds-b565a3bd043d6444820f1571b2307bf1 Thousands of acres of multimillion dollar homes are burning up in Los Angeles. Houses, cars and material possessions can be replaced. Human life cannot. Anyone living in the path of the fires should evacuate when ordered to do so. Stay safe.

Reason doesn't matter because most people won't agree with taking your own life. Also, in some beliefs, suicide is considered a sin which makes it harder for people to talk about their issues/problems. Pain is the common denominator. Nobody else gets to determine the reason or rationale as it relates to the *degree* of pain for that individual. Through one's own prism, it's easy to suggest that a person should keep living despite their situation or circumstances. That's why they don't allow just anybody to work the suicide prevention hotline. The last thing they want us to say is...get over it already. Most definitely. Dude could have been nice and kind but just weird enough to leave alone.

I vaguely remember Magic having a TV show. That's how much I didn't watch it. Could not have sat through a whole episode.

Every now and then, I'd imagine they get invited to drop a few chips at the poker table.