aka Contrarian

@Delanoyour feedback was very on point and relevant. I did get very creative with the crystals I encircled my little pyramid with because I wanted to align them with the energy pyramids supposedly radiate. Also, I chose the screen names "Cynique" and "Contrarian" for a reason. I have always had a compulsive tendency to take the opposite and often unpopular view during discussions because I fancy myself an iconoclast. Maybe it is more to it than that. As you speculate, my unorthodox views might stem from meditation during which Ive gotten into the habit of thinking on another level. And, yes, I was excited after I got my Canon desktop word processor way back in the '90s, wĥen I purchased it on a whim after I had just acquired an OfficeMax credit card! I knew zilch about this device but gradually through trial and error I mastered it, becoming very attached to it, loving how it enabled and facilitated my book writing aspirations. It was almost like an alter ego... You have always been my Guru, Del, the "teacher who appears when the student is ready", and I thank you!

I wondered the same thing about my old school, the University of Illinois. No demonstrations taking place on the campus of this huge midwestern college which is typical of the Big 10 designation it is a member of. Unlike its fellow Iliinois members, the University of Chicago and Northwestern, who have both staged protests, not a peep from the U. of I. Located in central Illinois, drawing students from all over the state, Illinois has always been a meat znd potatoes institution, its student body middle class, both urban and rural . Most interesting is that it has always had a substantial Jewish enrollment. Whatever the case, as ProfD and Troy have suggested about other schools, the "fighting Illini" apparently have more pressing things to command their attention.

@DelanoI agree with what you said about me drifting into other realms. There are just too many otherworldly things that happen to me at night, and in "dreams". And then there are the different versions of a single event that exist in my memory of the event. I wonder if I opened up some kind of a "portal when a couple of years ago I surrounded the tiny pyramid I had on my night stand with several crystals, mistakenly thinking this arrangement might create some good vibes. I just recently removed this dispIay when I began to suspect it might be dangerous. Am I crazy - or what ??? (When I re read what I just recently posted on other threads, what I was saying didn't make a lot of sense in this realm)

Since everybody is technically descended from Africa, then nationality is irrelevent to the esoteric knowledge which the human brain siphons from the omniscient realm of the universe. But the same brain is also inhabited by the ego, which craves acclaim, so mankind quibbles about who should get credit for that which was just waiting to be channeled. Incidentally, the above was just a thought which my brain drained from somewhere. This has been happening to me a lot lately. It's like what my psyche would be doing if I was smoking weed. I compulsively write things. Anybody got a theory as to why, at age 90, I am experiencing this automatic writing phenomenon which usually overtakes me in the wee small hours of the night. I wonder if the keyboard on my phone is like an Ouija board... And does anyone know anything about the African tribe who plays checkers - or maybe chess real fast because they can instantly visualize what the outcome will be if they make a certain move? Here's a picture of me standing under a tree, waiting for an acorn to hit me on the head and trigger a brainstorm, ala Chicken Little.

Truth be told, average white and black folks don't really like each other too much.They just tolerate one another. The ones who resort to gun violence to display their hate are usually mentally unstable whites. But harboring contempt and mistrust for whites is second nature to most Blacks. If Donald Trump wins the presidency, it will be due in great part to white racism. Even so, bi-racialism seems to be the wave of the future and is generational. So maybe things will sort themselves out. Who knows what lies ahead? Seems to me, that since the solar eclipse, the sun appears to be shining brighter. And the latest displays of Northern lights were especially vivid. The new format on this site, has me entangled, however.

The longer I live, the more inadequate I feel when trying to capture things in words. To me, Love is too multi-faceted and layered to be coherently defined. An emotional ink blot to be silently interpreted . One person's sigh, another's yawn. Here then gone.

@tipsyturvSeems like you've decided that the darker the skin tone of African Americans is, the worse they are treated by society, and you feel no kinship with anyone who has less melanin than you. I'd submit that white society is not that concerned about how light or dark skin is when it comes to racism. Maybe your friend's empathy is just a symbolic gesture. And perhaps you are being overly sensitive. Ironically, colorism still exists within the black race, - and you are proof of it.

Hummm. "mixed" is not the word that comes to my mind when looking at that picture. Nor would I call Kelly Rowland "dark-skinned". Descendents of slaves are all mixed and they come in many shades ranging from high yellow to deep brown. Facial features and hair texture are also traits that figure into the equation. None of this, however, matters to white folks who have an affinity for the word "nigger". Typically, "Afro-Americans" tend to use their own skin color as the criteria when categorizing others of their race. This is a very subjective measuring stick and varies from person to person. So it's all about opinion. Dating back to the time in the mid 1960s, thanks to Malcolm X, the term "negro" was replaced by the title "black" which previously carried a stigma. This was when the concept of blackness being "a state of mind" was introduced. I'm not sure what the current mind set is...

Can we assume that the individuals in question became outstanding after they finally learned to read, not in spite of not being able to read?? I could see the latter being the case when it comes to the Arts, but not the Sciences.

l@Troyas far as happiness goes, any technology that replaces tedious drugery can be a temporary fix. But technology that usurps creativity can replace the joy of discovery. Children, in particular, need to be outside running free, interacting, and improvising rather than being as they are today, cooped up inside, preoccupied with computerized devices. AI is a convenience that saves time to spend on leisure. But It does so at the cost of the creativity and spontaneity which can give rise to enjoyment and - happiness! What if, as ProfD hints, AI comes up with an artificial companion, - an android to satisfy all of our needs, an all-purpose mate. The worst case scenario could lead to humanity becoming obsolete, its members ultimately having no use for each other; science fiction becoming science fact! We may have to find a way for artificial Intelligence to keep itself in check...

You best believe that if that 77 year old woman, who can "look up" longer than a man can "look down", is of a mind to have an active sex life, she ain't looking for no 77 year old coot trying to hold it together and pull it off, Ideally, she'd be just fine with a 30- something hottie right out of her fantasy, with a body to die for, and a "size matters" probe that searches for love in all the right places, viagra personified, a human vibrator, a - well you get the idea. Misogynists, indeed. Don't get me started...

Actually, everybody is illiterate before they learn to read. There's nothing extraordinary about learning to read, and no stigma justified in not yet learning to read. Nor does it matter if your education is informal. Education is education. Moreover, people don't really need to be able to read in order to learn the lyrics to a song. Just like they don't need to know how to read in order to talk. All that's necessary to do these things is to be able to hear and remember. Being able to sing in spite of being illiterate is actually no big deal. Being a good singer is a gift.Talent is innate. Ideally, however, children should be taught to read and comprehend in order to become well functioning adults. When schools fail to adequately develop this ability, then we're in big trouble. IMO

Yeah, black music promoters were very good students of white entrepreneurs. The popular girl singing group TLC claimed that their manager, former R&B artist known as "Pebbles", cheated them out of millions and they took her to court. Just recently a claim was made that Puff Daddy learned everything he knew about controlling and exploiting musical talent from Clive Davis, who was Whitney Houston's Svengali. (Rapper mogul Shug Knight didn't need a white role model to emulate when it came intimidating his stable of performers.) Joe Jackson spent years trying to extricate his kids from the grip of Berry Gordy. Marvin Gaye also had a contentious relationship with Gordy stifling his career. Prince, of course, considered himself enslaved by Warner Brothers even if he was a control freak, himself, when it came to his proteges. Little Richard was someone else who said he was a victim of the satanic music management he sold his soul to. There's no business like show business when it comes to being taken advantage of by behind-the- scene parasites who come in all colors. As for Farrakhan, I always wondered what he did to deserve his life of luxury and status, other than to tell black folks how misguided they were, and give a marathon Founders' day speech every year, spewing anti-semitism. And, if course, meekly going along with the decision to put super star Malcolm X away.

@ProfDIn what area is the man who wrote the Gettysburg address considered to be illiterate? What does RKelly being able to sing have to do with his not being able to read?

@ProfD You owe me no explanations. As I said, you and I view the subject at hand through different lenses and your responses proved this because you misinterpreted many of my observations. in particular what I said about Democrats wooing Blacks being like a husband courting his wife. Which simply meant it wasn't necessary to court her because he was already married to her, not the scenario you created to tailor your response to. And, of course, we disagree about whether Blacks are sitting at the table with white Democrats because you insist on underestimating local politics. I repeat: you and I view this situation through different lenses. So be it.

These protests are apparently inspired by the college student demonstrations of the 1960s. But, to me, they somehow have a false ring to them. Some participants are too overwrought, taking themselves too seriously, actually believing they will win people over by blocking traffic and parading around with signs while injecting the unrelated issue of free speech into their action in order to ennoble themselves. White kids finding a cause to embrace that will make them feel good about themselves. Glad black students have refrained from joining in. It is a tragic situation, taking a toll on innocent lives but there are no good guys in the equation; Just fanaticism gone amok, - reeking with religious overtones.

What is a black American example of "self-inflicting jocular ni**erization fetish"? Something right wing Conservative Republicans would consider authentic?

I took the picture of me and my suster-in-law down because it intrudes on her privacy and she didn't give me permission to post it.

@ProfDThe lens you and nels view this subject from is a blurred one, as far as I'm concerned. It's like you regard black voters as non partisan Indepenðents, standing around trying to make up their minds about who to vote for. It doesn't seem to occur to you that black people vote for Democrats because they ARE Democrats. That is the party most of them belong to, the party where at the local levels, average blacks see people who look like them running the show, the Mayors and Aldermen and Police Chiefs and County and State Officials and powerful Machine bosses, - who are usually Democrats, and they feel at home. The reason they by pass Republicans is because they don't identify with them. To say that the Democratic Party woos black voters is like saying a husband courts his wife. But you conveniently choose to discredit all of this as being about individuals rather than race. And this is where you expose how naive you are. You confuse politics with altruism. Unfortunately, politics is not about selfless charity and serving the needs of the great unwashed masses and the have-nots and the opressed minorities. It's about wheeling and dealing, about perfecting "the art of the possible" . And, of course, about power corrupting. Get real. If the government isnt showerkng Blacks with a abundance of blessings, then take that up with da Lawd. Not the Democratic party where Blacks reside in great numbers. Jesus done failed y'all.

Will we ever know what the final effect AI will have on Humanity? Or will it be programmed out of our consciousness? @TroyNo I never knew an ex slave. Although there were a few of them still alive in the 1960s. However, both my mother and my father were the grandchildren of slaves. As to whether or not someone 90 years old would've been better off 75 years ago than I am now, I don't know. They certainly would be more self sufficient if they were healthy. Having more free time to contemplate life mightve made them a wiser person, and more serene.

Actually, I've reached the point in my life where I no longer have to work for anything, living off a generous pension, having everything done for me by my family or hired help or computerized technology. I am a generic beneficiary of AI. Mostly all my friends and contemporaries are dead and, by choice, my social life is nearly non existent. Alas - I am too unsteady on my feet to dance and revel. >sigh< But - television is my window to the world, recently allowing me to watch the NFL draft in Detroit and see da Bears for the first time in over 20 years exercise their first pick privilege, selecting a Heisman trophy QB as Chicago's hopes for a winning season soar! I also watch the news and pop culture programs and late night talk shows and documentaries about a variety of subjects dealing with both the past and the present. My phone is my companion which, via social media, enables me to interact with "frienemies" and play card games with robots and scroll through comedy club video clips of foul-mouthed stand-up comics and music videos from back in the day. My plush adjustable recliner is my lover in whose arms I languish and snooze and reminisce... Weather permitting, I go for a daily stroll up and down my driveway. What about reading books, you ask! As a lifelong reader, unfortunately, my short attention span has hampered this pass time, but I still manage to fit an occasional crossword puzzle into my routine to preserve my love of language. Very little cooking for me. Ignoring diets, I snack on goodies, and feast on a variety of fast foods - liberated by my vices. So goes what's left of my one-day-at-a-time life. Is this the chronicle of a lonely person? No, it is not. It is a preview of what Artificial lntelligence will improve upon. But there's one last thing that makes it all work for me. it is what Delano, Troy, and ProfD instinctively know. And it all has somethijg to do with the "who that is you" discipline . I am good company for myself; my own best friend. I am never alone. And when all the substitutes for participation recede, Me, Myself, and I, commune, - energized by solitude. Awareness is the ultimate defense against the potential toxicity of AI. Don't forget to think.

I'm saddened by the rift that has gradually developed between Blacks and Jews because during the Civil Rights era these 2 group were closely allied as the Jews, having a history of beingg ensiaved and subjected to anti semitic prejudice, became among the staunchest black allies. (And spare me all the vicious remarks sbout the insincerity of Jewish Liberals.) Back then, many wealthy Jewish philanthropists put their money where their mouths were, contributing heavily to, and supporting black organizations. In this country, it behooves Blacks, to some degree, to make a difference between the Israelis and the radical Zionists. Especially since Pro Palestinians want a distinction made between them and Hamas. Yes, Jews have earned a lot of the flak and cynicism they now receive from the black community. But the A-Rab "parasites"aren't much better when it comes to urban neighborhoods.

@ChevdoveHave you seen the reel of the 4x100 Womens' relay race that took place at the Worlds Track & Field event that took place in Budapest last summer? The USA team anchored by our girl. Sha'kerri Richardson. took first place in an exciting finish against Jamaica. I never get enough of watching it! A magnificent display of talent and teamwork as the 4 sistas brought it home for a thrilling victory! I've tried to post the URL here but I haven't been able to do it!

@Pioneer1: just for record: "all the insults and nasty things" I've said to you "over the years" were in response your repeated attempts to insult and ridicule me. I'm posting this to provide closure in case you're recuperating from slitting your wrists because frankster got the last word in your recent debate about the complexion of Muhammad - or in case "I go to sleep and don't wake up". zzzzzzz

@PatreonSounds to me like you ARE your hair. It's an outgrowth of who you are. Back in the 60s, when I had a head full of unleashed hair, the person i was, wanted attention. Preferably from a fine brother who was a tad militant. Eventually having manageable hair became who I was. Nowadays whether a man grows a beard or not seems to be making a statement. I'm sure it all has something to do with symbolizing their manhood. With some bearded guys I'm inclined to not wanna be around them when the moon is full. Then there are the ones you expect to Baaaaa instead of howl. Being clean shaven never goes out of style to females like me