Mel Hopkins

Heh heh heh... Thank you! I feel exactly the same way!

Yes, Quick witted too! Good Times! Very good times!

Yes, Yes, Yes! “Stop-the-love-you-save-may-be-your-own Fine Black Men?” The fine Black men that trigger the lip-licking-I-want-to-eat-you-like -a-cookie response? I used to see them in “The Cage” at West 4th. Mmm, those brothers are next-level beautiful! Now my heart is racing!

It was a pun. But you’re correct.

Welp - as they say, "The thirst is real"

Someone has to be mentally impaired to hate on a federal holiday. Dang.

Justin Edmund, recognized as one of the top digital product designers in the world, help create the world's largest vision board "Pinterest." Justin was Pinterest’s 7th employee. Today he is one of the most sought-after digital designers. When he's not working on his own projects, he's fielding consulting request from the top global software companies. Here's what Business Insider wrote about him in their 2019 Top 75 Designers article. "Product Designer, Pinterest Social bookmarking site Pinterest has sparked a major revolution in web design, with many sites blatantly copying Pinterest's style because it simply works in attracting users. Justin Edmund got his start in 2010 when he interned on Facebook's design team during college. After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, Edmund landed a job at Pinterest where he has played a crucial role in the building the site's look and feel."

OFF-TOPIC Is English your second language? I've dated men from other parts of the world. I've noticed when English is a second language, they have a different connotation for North American English words and colloquialism. Further, as a broadcast journalist, I've never had that problem presenting news to people whose first (and only language) is English. The most I've had is an elderly English teacher calling the TV station to correct my grammar. But they never had a problem understanding my content. And yes, I am a wordsmith, but I do my best to keep it simple. I'll continue to work on it. PLEASE STOP ASSUMING; just ask . And yes, I figured as much, which is why I mentioned I recognized your contribution. ON TOPIC Access in this context is an extension of privilege, meaning "freedom of movement" The K-J clan can go where they decide without restriction. And no. there's plenty of evidence that women don't marry or procreate within their financial and/or social class. The fact that money or even social class isn't a motivating factor for women makes it even more clear the destination is Black Men.

WHOA, Stop! You are making way too many assumptions based on something I WROTE. 1. I wrote the prose. If someone else wrote it. I would have put it in quotes and provided attribution. 2. Privilege doesn't mean better class...it means privilege: a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group. 3. Kardashians' mom descended from Europe - which forms the basis of the social construct of white. 4. I used the Kardashians -Jenner clan to point out that women who have access choose Black men. Black Women, even if they suffer financially, choose BLACK MEN to procreate. I recognize your cautionary tale to the brothers. But this post is about how WOMEN see Black Men - and because of it - white men and some black men are threatened by it. And what man wouldn't be. Especially if no woman wants to gestate their genetic material.

You mean like here in the U.S. LOL (I think Black women don't kiss and tell men about their escapades - but we tell each other LOL) I know I do, as do my daughters. We all say "beautiful" when describing aesthetically pleasing Black men. I hadn't noticed until you wrote this passage. After I read this I asked my mother and she said, "you know what, that's true"... So I'm with you because it is puzzling but it is a term women reserve for Black men. I saw an instagram post, (I wish I saved it - because the OP said, "why are you Black men so beautiful? and the man responded, "because we come from you." #blownaway

From youtube: Iddris Sandu discusses his journey from a young aspiring engineer to a technologist, as well as the role of technology as an agent for sustainable change in the Black Lives Matter movement (in the US, the diaspora, and across the continent of Africa). Paving the way for those who might one day be deemed an "Architectural Technologist", Iddris Sandu is a pioneering young technologist seeking to level the playing field for fellow African youth & other marginalized groups. Having worked with the likes of creatives such as Nipsey Hussle and Louis Vuitton & Off-White's Virgil Abloh, Iddris has been making waves since before he turned 18. Not only is Iddris breaking ground in the use of emerging technology in creative spaces, but also in creating unique and sustainable designs to impact some of the most vulnerable populations in society. I follow this trend but since "clayton bigsby" pop up in the forum time to time, I think I'll maintain this thread when I discover new information about technologists from the African Diaspora... Meet Alan Emtage, the Black Technologist Who Invented ARCHIE, the First Internet Search Engine Internet search has had a profound impact on our own internal makeup—on how we learn, and how we think. https://daily.jstor.org/alan-emtage-first-internet-search-engine/#:~:text=But it's worth revisiting that,FTP servers%3A “ARCHIE.” "At a time when “googling” has become the generic term for conducting an internet search, it can be hard to remember that search had a long history before Google came along. But it’s worth revisiting that past during Black History Month, because the pre-Google era saw one of the most momentous black contributions to the development of the internet: the invention of internet search itself, by Alan Emtage."

Note: this is a theory - something I'd been thinking about recently. Consider this: Critical thinking may be a sculpting tool of 90 percent - creativity and imagination—the beyond reality, quixotic that makes up our intelligence. Critical thinking, inductive and deductive reasoning, allows us to use the information for solutions in the current paradigm. Maybe this is why "the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself." ~Leon C. Megginson I think a closed mind will communicate to manipulate. Still, an open mind will relate (commune) with others and adjust their perspective to the other's wavelength. BTW, I love how we've been (consciously/subconsciously) exploring communing vs. communication. Thank you for the initial observation!

Exactly! That's what caught my attention in that thread! I thought, wait, this dude is allegedly a Black man, and he decides' another Black man's worth? And then condemns the entire group of Black women for our mating decisions? He seemed to be jealous. It was an odd take. Kind of like those men who call themselves "Incels" - they don't understand why "women don't like "good guys" LOL. They forget women are hardwired for the continuation of civilization...and there are certain biological traits, including "strength, intelligence, etc., that we need to make that happen. Even though Emily objectified that man, her honesty was inspiring.

I was about to say you need to be curious to have an open mind - and then I looked at the article and curiosity was number 1! I used to believe critical thinking was key to intelligence - but now I’m leaning towards curiosity and creativity. In fact, if it’s true we only use 10 percent of the brain’s capacity -then 90 percent is iMAGInation.

No, ET, not yet! You have so much to share and I’m glad you are sharing it with us!

Baby Girl got her father shook! We know who Emily is bringing home for dinner once she's old enough. And what she saw is exactly what the rest of the world sees - and FEARS. So, let's flip the script here and recognize the power of the Black man. When a Black man speaks, everyone listens. I don't even know if we're aware of it. But I saw three women, powerhouses in publishing, all shut up when Troy, the only black person on the WSJ panel, started speaking. Image consultant and multimillionaire Kevin Samuels passed away last month and is still trending on Twitter. Women will take to the streets and protest a state-sanctioned execution of a Black man. Every time. If the Supreme Court overturns Roe, these legislators better prepare for all the "beige" babies about to come into the world. We already know - we already see it. Even privileged women select "chocolate." Kardashians. And I get it… Black women with much less will go into debt to give birth to and raise a black man's child by any means necessary. I couldn't figure out why there's been a lot of derogatory talk on this forum about Black Men lately… One dude even wrote he couldn't believe Black women could be so stupid for loving Black Men. But it couldn't be more evident through all the propaganda, rhetoric, hate, and jealousy. Emily got it right.

Actually, Thank You. Your thread here led to an epiphany! Thank You!

These folks work on troll farms. But they're nothing like day laborers who pick fruit and vegetables. They are puppets paid to disrupt by posting propaganda. I like your approach too! I bet, academic debate teams are training using these pawns too! Ok @Cynique remember when @Delano said you're a magi and we all agreed lol... Look what came up in my feed yesterday "Four-year-old given vasectomy when doctors performed wrong operation" Four-year-old given vasectomy when doctors performed wrong operation (msn.com) " The child from Texas went in for an operation for the hernia in his groin area in August last year, but a doctor mistakenly cut one of the tubes that carries semen. It means the boy will likely need to have further surgery and could face fertility issues later in life."

Because "passa" didn't say it. Our history was supposed to be preserved by our black churches. But like many black booksellers, black churches have also come under federal fire for keeping, teaching, and preserving our legacy. A sniper assassinated cur "passas," and ghouls bombed our churches. All these activities, over the years, have weakened those who lead in our sacred spaces. But more than ever, we have to share our history orally now that the current powers are removing our books from public institutions. We must continue speaking out and sharing Black American and African tribal history the best we can. Note: Passas = Pastors

@Pioneer1 oh hon-ty, You should read my book! Or even have read my blog back in the day! Google kicked me out of the advertising program until I removed one of my posts. So let's be mindful of Troy's platform. Google AdSense frowns upon "let's talk about sox" topics. Most women I know aren't shy about sox or even talking about it. But think about it - we are all still learning when we're young. So it's anything that goes until you know what works. Now, if someone asked me back then or even now how many O's I have had... I'd wonder why he wanted to know and I would most likely be turned off. I've heard women my age and younger say "He ain't ready" and here's why. I learned early on that you can learn a lot about a man's approach to intimate encounters by his ability to hold a stimulating conversation about everything else. It seems to have something to do with intellect, an open mind and creativity. Compelling conversationalists always seem to bring heightened encounters. While climaxing is great, the best encounter can transpire over days...Sort of like the scene from Modern Problems with Chevy Chase and Patti D'Arbanville. I didn't know that was possible but I learned it is transcendent. I believe this is why many women seek out "sapiosexuals." With those types,a lot of O's happen while we're fully clothed. And usually that's just the beginning.

@Troy was a panelist on the Wall Street Journal May 18, 2022 event "The Future of Publishing. He gave an excellent presentation, and representation for #readingblack.com. So much of what the panel said resonates with what we tackle here on Readingblack.com. It also resonates within the independent and traditional black publishing world. One part that struck me as tone-deaf was the panel's talk of more mergers in traditional Big 5 publishing due to its valuable "back list." So you probably know, I cheered when Troy pointed to the richness of our "black book backlist that is selling handily, 20 years or more after its debut. The "BLACK LIST" seems like an opportunity for some authors to republish their out-of-print books. I recently bought an out-of-print book published on September 11, 2001. Sympathy for the Devil is timeless, and its subject matter is still relevant. Troy mentioned Discoverability was a pain point for publishers, authors, and readers. Well, I first heard about this book on Twitter in 2021. The thread I followed came from another black author "Victor LaValle ("The Devil in Silver.") The Topic: "Worse day for a book release." The Discoverability of this title didn't come from a pitch but rather from an exciting topic. Since this panel discussion is beyond a paywall, I'll share some notable points raised during the panel. As Troy mentioned, Discoverability is the first challenge in the publishing world. Frontlist books (new releases) have a hard time gaining attention. The less time and money you have to promote your book, the worse your chances for discovery. Book packaging/platform. Readers consume books in different ways, including accessibility (braille, audio, digital, paper, etc.) Most publishers start with digital, but It is important to know your audience before spending money on packaging/platform. Word of mouth /trusted voices promotion. For example, it's difficult for some books to get mainstream reviews or be short-listed for awards. Shortage of hand-selling booksellers who can get the right book into the right hands. If your book gets shelf space - it will stay put if the bookseller doesn't know how or who needs a recommendation. The moderator wanted a solution for getting Black-authored books into the booksphere. Troy's suggestion of a hybrid approach to bookselling, "take advantage of the data but infuse that with a personal touch," will help readers discover new books. The bottom line: The future of publishing depends on Building awareness and making the book available to those who need to read it.

@Delano this is so powerful and intimate! You took the time to "see" beyond you. A lot of people say that's "soft" but this is true strength! Thank you.

@Delano Truth! This is truth and ranks right up there with the other genius and profound observations you’ve shared in this space (and on my blog too!) Communication is like sequence, a simple algorithm that causes folks to carry out tasks. It is absolutely manipulative - that’s the function! @Troy said something very powerful in his WSJ appearance -(paraphrasing) algorithms will have a lot of things popping up for you to buy but they are meaningless without context - therefore sharing your experience cuts through the noise . I realize now from this simple distinction is why I call you twin. We don’t communicate, we commune ( a word that has become obsolete) we share feelings and experiences. Commune rises to a level of intimacy. The only time you and I have locked horns here was that one time we tried to out-fact each other. lol … Aside, I remember @Pioneer1 made a comment that I never called the black men in this forum “brother” .. I always wondered about that but later I began to feel a kinship. From your observation - I get why some folks I’ve never met now feel like family and others can eff all the way off. The old and new currency is intimacy —🗝 “Don't give the fact; give the feeling" -Crossing Lines

I don’t watch TV local news and i don’t watch cable news. So I never see the Black community through that lens. But back to your statement, I hear Juneteenth utterance with its pairing of 1865 w/ freedom and enterprise. I see the activities planned in my neighborhood, which is majority black and in other black majority counties and cities in the U..S. So far these events are related to commerce and our natural environment. What black people do is indicative of what they believe. Just today, the proprietor of black-owned business in Cincinnati came to the aid of his vendor whose business was gutted by fire. The first thing he said was 1865! Let’s help this brother in the spirit of 1865. So, it this is your belief and action… .” I have said in this very community that black people have always owned businesses. I am certain of that based on my bloodline, whose business ownership goes into the 1800s. “ Then you know after slavery ended in the Land of Dixie, enterprise and job creation was the only way black people could survive. By now LLC is embedded in our psyche and DNA . Voting came much later. BTW, be careful with local tv news. When I prepared MOS (Man on the street) interviews for my CBS network affiliate - I edited the responses the way I wanted them to appear on the evening news. That is to say, what you see on air isn’t necessarily what the community or individuals believe. It’s what the news producer wants you the viewer to believe about your community. Local news programming aims to keep the attention of teens. And video story development borders on propaganda - produced to win “hearts and minds of its viewers.

1. Always demand evidence from those who troll forums and liter threads with egregious and false generalizations. Don’t click any links. Their information only leads to more propaganda and malware. Instead, demand they include the url and a legitimate source. Note: Trolls never have a primary source - they are lazy and don’t have the capacity to do the research on their own.