Mel Hopkins

HW is out on a million dollar bond - his next hearing is in November 8 postponed from September 20th in New York Supreme Court. Weinstein wants the charges thrown out. He’s also being investigated for a federal case, Los Angeles and in the UK - -

I see this as cooperation. These partners care for each other and their values are the same and they are working towards shared goal and maybe longevity.

The most random thing is he had enough money to pay for his freedom - Like the other wealthy folks do. I think he sacrificed himself for Camille.

i agree ... and you know I’m OTP west, right? I’m going to have to think long on that one - because I can’t think of any “spiritual mecca” that’s landlocked. Re: Mark Z , Bezos And a bit of Kabbalah and I Ching too! Btw @Troy commerce grew as a result of the energy - not the other way around. Malidoma Patrice Some speaks about this phenomenom, I think, in “Of Water and The Spirit”...

I cooperate with others but I don’t compromise. I think compromise is disingenuous and the injured party will always look for their comeuppance. In an intimate relationship, cooperation is my tool of choice. For example, I had a lover who was polyamorous. I’m not. I love him like cooked food. He loves me and wanted to continue our relationship - but that would mean I’d have to compromise. I wouldn’t and didn’t. I let go. You can compromise your values but you can cooperate them. In intimate relationships, values match and goals are the same - or yes, partners will compromise themselves - and as @Delano mentioned that’s a soul killer.

Yes! @Delano you and I twin in esotericism... I felt so strongly you could hear me on this subject. Africans are drawn to the energy spots. If you came to georgia you’d live near me... I live above the water yet I’m surrounded by it... in a energy vortex. I didn’t consult my charts but I knew my career would have a bright spot this year... So, yes Billionaires use astrology - and Queen Elizabeth knew it was time to get an African woman in the monarchy... also speaking of Billionaires - Richard F Smith didn’t get married in Rome - but he did marry in Italy ... (Rome is still financial district and “home to the Gods”

Oh snap! This is like Marley Dias, her mom and their close relationship with Black Thought and The Roots! - I love it! Black folks are forming powerful coalitions!

Thank you for the acknowledgement @Troy ! Seriously, how many hours in Stacey Abrams’ day?

You really do crack me up... you disagree but intuitively hit on all the right notes. (You know that’s why I hang around here... it’s like manna for my 3rd eye) It’s not a spiritual mecca because it’s home to financial markets - it’s home to financial markets because of its spiritual energy. Thank you for reminding me - By the way, does Dallas have a Giant Ferris Wheel ? Oh never mind - I guess the churches aren’t working - they have plans for their own Giant Ferris wheel on the water.. (I didn’t even know Dallas had a body of water lol! Welp, now they’re getting their own Sun Dial... to Join London, New York, Dubai, Chicago , and the list goes on

@Troy, I kind of feel sorry for you - most likely when you marry again it will be to some PYT and you will have to revisit fatherhood again... That is another thing that hasn’t changed. Yes, I’m casting a wide net with my generalizing but if a woman wants to marry these days it’s for financial asset growth and babies! As for your comment lol - my mother always says, “men come into this world through the Pu-C and spend the rest of the life working to get back in it.”

THE ARTS and OCEAN! - New York is a spiritual mecca - it is situated on energy vortex that I think I’ve only felt in Peru and Rome... (I’ve never been to African or Australian continent )

Me too! And She’s on my list to read too! Thank you for introducing her!

When I read the Hugo caption I thought about Octavia Butler too! However, I was thrilled two black women won the coveted award. Thank you for the follow-up. I thought about it but didn’t care enough to find out since I’m not a huge fan of awards.

That’s the best part! I used to love having men finance my entertainment. There is no shortage of men willing to take a woman out on a great date. And I’ve been on a few - my daughter called one of dates a “bae-cation” because we went to Peru for a week. Another date - was so good it was the end of all dates because I know no man can top it. Further, dating just to date gets old fast. I find that most men bore me for the very reason you’ve expressed @Troy - They can’t shake the hack ... and so to sit across from a shell of a man who has been socially engineered to the point that he doesn’t know who he is - is heartbreaking. I’ve been single longer than any relationship I’ve ever been in, including my marriage - and I’m good. So, unless, I meet my wealthy prince charming and marry him -this woman is leaving the planet the same way I arrived.

I left the black church back in the early 80s... why would any woman listen to some man spew misogynist bs. I Also left because I’m not into worshipping Ha’Satan.. It never made sense to me to give equal time to an entity that according to scripture work for but is no where near the greatness of THE ALL. The reverend at my church helped baptize me into the First Christian disciple of Christ denomination -and they don’t mention the accuser in sermon, song or praise or worship. Only thing I missed was some “ Sanging”. I can’t imagine black american women are actually leaving the church - but i can see the young women not joining in the first place.

Inspiring fitness stories! I’ve done this so many times in my life, I’m embarrased by it. Especially since I usually fall off the wagon by year 3. These women came here to slay! Bravo to them and much success to you @Chevdove !

Hangs-man noose and the word nigger weren’t chosen black Americans nor did they give either meaning. However the symbol and language incites fear and triggers anxiety in an individual or in a group dynamic. This may interfere with their decision-making abilities and in no way can they divorce themselves from it. But to be clear it was never their choice. However, those who did choose to create the symbol and the language have done a great job of divorcing themselves from it. In fact, they’ve created a whole tiki-torch carrying group and assigned it to them. So again, decision (strike down) choice - to perceive. Now i’ll agree outside forces can interfere with our decision making abilities ... but even then, there are ways to keep outside influences at bay.

why when you , @Delano explained it perfectly in the Cynique’s Kaepernick post when you spoke of the genius of Apple - which is an old symbol made new again... They’ve made a conscious effort to “fit in” with a group - I’d even say that it’s a choice because they perceive themselves an identity that goes with being an Apple head.

Symbols. Except I’ve never experienced group think - but rather people trying on “identity”

They aren’t shapers but rather tools to communicate. Like someone mentioned in another post “code” - you learn a code you don’t necessarily think in the communal code. Even in the same immediate family there are nuances that are unique to each. So, as I mentioned earlier - language shaping thoughts is a concept/theory- I reject. I especially reject the notion that without language there can’t be thoughts...language is an expression of thoughts - and it’s lousy at best. Still, if we spend all day discussing this, it won’t change the genus of choice/ choosing is in perceiving/creating.

I’m not the arbiter of what someone perceives. Perception is personal. Perception happens through my senses. I can perceive the world how I choose. -BUT I cannot perceive what another receives. I can only decide to accept or reject the interpretation of what someone else perceives. I.e, you perceive the sky to be cerulean blue - I decide it’s not. The spider analogy is to illustrate even if you’re locked up in a cell - you’re still free to choose even when there is nothing left for you to decide upon.

@Delano this question excites me! First, understand I’m answering this in the spirit that what you’ve written is a theory and not a fact. If it were everyone in the culture would be exactly the same. This forum would simply be an echo chamber and we would have nothing to contribute. - Our thought process is NOT a function of language and culture...our thoughts are independent of communication. It is only when we seek to transmit to another what we’ve conjured up does it get tricky. When I think, dream or even contenplate it is in symbols and pictures - and then attempt to translate what I have envisaged into a symbol someone can understand. BUT none of that is predicated on our ability to think freely.

Why isn’t that free will. Who controls my perception or your perception for that matter? Who controls what you think? And how you process what you conjure up? But anyway this is the difference between choice or decision. You read what i wrote ... and decided against it (“strike down” ) you didn’t choose it because you couldn’t. You can only choose what you create - but you didn’t create my response. So, now you have your answer as to why people think they have a choice - - in most situations since people rarely think for themselves - they don’t choose. They merely decide on commentary.

Choice is always an option because it is dependent on nothing but thought. Choice is about you and your perception. As long as you can imagine you can choose. God forbid, if you were locked up in an 8 x 10 cell 23 1/2 hours a day you could still choose. Without getting too deep - in that cell you could envisage the perspective of a spider... you can choose to determine how a spider exist in the world... drawing on everything you witnessed about a spider before lock up - you can choose to create and recreate a spider like life.. You can’t decide to become a spider - it’s not a option for us based on our biological makeup - but you can choose to live out your days attempting to become the highest life of spider - you can. That’s choice. That’s exercising “free will”.