Cynique

I give. Who? You?

If December 21st doesn't turn out to be Dooms Day, through the grace of its GPS, the world will continue its journey toward the future. Have Mercy, Jesus. CHURCH SERVICES IN THE FUTURE PASTOR: Praise the Lord. CONGREGATION: Hallelujah! PASTOR: Can we please turn our tablet PC, iPad, cellphone, kindle Bibles to 1 Cor. 13:13. And please switch on your Bluetooth to download the sermon.. PASTOR: Let us pray, committing this week into God's hands. Open your Apps, BBM, Twitter and Facebook and chat with God. PASTOR: Please have your credit and debit cards ready as we shall now take tithes and offerings. You can log on to the church Wi-If using the password Lord909887. Ushers circulate mobile card swipe machines among the worshipers. Those who prefer to make electronic funds transfers are directed to computers and laptops at the rear of the church and those who prefer to use iPads are allowed to flip them open. Those who prefer telephone banking are allowed to take out their cellphones to transfer their contributions to the church bank account. (The holy atmosphere is truly electric as the cellphones, iPads, PCs and laptops beep and flicker!) [Announcement] SECRETARY: This week's cell meetings shall be held on the various Facebook group pages where the usual group chatting takes place. Please don't miss out. Thursday's bible teachings will be held live on Skype at 1900hrs GMT. Please don't miss out. You can follow your Pastor on Twitter this weekend for counseling and prayers. God bless you and have a wonderful week!

Well exscuuuuuuuse me,Troy. I thought you and JennyWhoa were pissed because the media never showed black couples paired together in normal happy relationships. But I guess what you hopeless romantics actually want to see are lovers fawning and schmoozing, staring breathlessly into each other eyes, starring in movies of the soap opera variety. Seriously, I hear "Good Deeds" a movie released earlier this year starring Tyler Perry and Gabrielle Union was a good relationship film, with a plot that sounds like your cup of sweet tea.

The nation is in a state of mass mourning in the wake of a shooting rampage at a grade school in Connecticut. 20 small children gunned down in their classrooms, victims of a black clad gunman gone amok, turning his gun on the kindergarteners taught by the mother he had killed earlier. As the story broke, TV programs were interrupted, the screens filled with the stricken faces of news anchors, their laments followed by the appearance of President Obama, fighting back tears, empathizing with parents. Then came the cops who'd responded to the 911 call, and the wide-eyed youngsters all hustled before the cameras to describe what they had witnessed. Throughout the country the reaction was one of shock. Things like this aren't supposed to break out in idyllic little New England towns, - havens far removed from the death and violence found in the streets of big city ghettos. How could this happen was the question on everybody's lips as vows were made to prevent tragedies like this in the future, disasters that are unacceptable - when they occur in peaceful white enclaves where the chief worry was more apt to be about the outcome of a child's soccer game.Something had to be done and the outcry for gun control filled the airways as if hoping to get a jump on gun owners reminding that the madman who pulled the trigger was the real culprit. Meanwhile, back in the black inner cities, residents familiar with the violence that is a part of their every day existence, shared the pain of grief stricken Connecticut parents. But who could blame battle-scarred black mothers if they are a tad case hardened? Who could chide them if "welcome to the real world" was the phrase that came to their minds? Who could doubt that the tears they'd shed over killed loved ones were any less salty than those of America's privileged? Welcome to the real world, indeed. "And this, too, shall pass." But for some, the struggle remains constant.

All very interesting. A lot of the observations reinforce my claim that the black experience is different things to different people and the delineations are blurred. I grew up in a small suburb of Chicago that has been integrated from its founding back in the early 1800s. There was no overt blatant racism there, and Black and Whites co-existed. And when the civil rights movement started to heat up, black and white residents of good will worked together to try and solve problems that arose. In both the black and white communities there were all different classes of people. I was raised with middle-class "values" but I wouldn't consider the financial circumstances of my parents as above average. Yes, they "owned" the house we lived in, and we did always have a car, but they both were common laborers. The only reason I was able to go to college was because way back then, tuition at the state university was very low; under $100 a semester. Room and board at the dormitories only cost about $350 a semester. Even at those prices it was a struggle. I hear a lot of black people saying that, as youngsters, they were poor and didn't know it. This is because the quality of our lives wasn't lacking. I had a little problem with the Cosby show because I thought it tried too hard to make its point, and that the message it was sending was that if black people emulate white people and are perfect in every aspect, then this makes them acceptable to the American public. Also, I don't think young black kids are sophisticated enough to comprehend the implications of Obama's back story or the fact the he is bi-racial". All they know is that a black man who looks like their kind is president, and this is inspiring to them. As for how Blacks are portrayed, this may seem like a silly question, but why would the white media have a problem with showing black couples in loving relationships? Why would white Americans, in general, reject scenarios that show black couples mating with their own kind? Isn't this how they want it? Are Blacks overreacting with their gripes??? Furthermore, on BET and CMT there are a lot situation comedies where black couples have normal loving relationships. Has anybody every watched "Everybody Hates Chris?' Or "My Wife and Kids?" or "The Game" or "Are We There Yet?" Did anybody see the movies "Jumping the Broom" or "Why did I Get Married?"? ...Just to name a few examples. Of course, the situation is not where it should be, but it does behoove critics to acknowledge what is out there. As far as the elitist thing, it would seem that certain things are more about class than race.

Meanwhile, Beyonce just signed a 50 millon dollar deal with Pepsi to be their Ambassador. They will even be releasing a limited issue of commenmorative Pepsis with her image on the bottles. Not one to be star struck by fame and fortune, everybody's favorite "Yenta" Wendy Williams, was quick to acknowledge what a great coup this was considering that "Bey has the vocabulary of a 5th grader". Elsewhere one of Serena Williams' white tennis colleagues mocked Serena's bootylicious body by appearing in a tennis match in Brazil with a humongous fake butt and gigantic false boobs. The fans in the stands loved it. Twitter was alive with howls of racism. Too bad Halle Berry has given up on being black. She has 2 crazy white men fighting over her - and her fortune. For those pining to see a loving black couple, there are still re-runs of the Cosby show, which was criticized for being unrealistic when it was first aired. Or - we could look to the white house for role models. I guess...

The longer I live, the more I realize how language hampers as well as facilitates communication. Semantics are very much involved in interpretative meaning. After reading the ambiguous definition of race, to my subjective ears it sounded like race and breed are interchangeable. Dogs are all classified as canine, but there are many different breeds of these animals. When it comes to people, "breed" is a less palatable term than "race", but the principle is the same. Also, I've learned to question the "scientific facts" that are used to support studies and tests. People calling themselves "experts" can manipulate conclusions, and are not above making results comply with their theories in order to gain prestiege among their colleagues, and make money off their reputations. One reason they are always recalling medications is because the drug companies have the medical community in their pocket. e.g. There has been an ongoing debate about the effectiveness and safety of popuar prescription drugs to treat cholesterol. There are 2 schools of thought as to whether cholesterol is even harmful and whether the cure for it is worse than the condition. But the drug company that manufactures Lipitor, the best selling pill for lowering bad cholesterol, favor the "scientific" study that supports their product. Similarly, every year diet pills formerly touted by scientists as being safe are taken off the market because they are found to actually be dangerous. What's good or bad for cancer changes every 6 months depending on the latest scientific study. And of course there are the scientific polls that can be extrapolated to favor whatever trend they are used to study. Their reliability is suspect because people lie when questioned about things. Polls are what led Romney to believe that he would win the presidency. When it comes to the infallibility of studies, the classic faux pas involved the distinguished anthropologist Dr. Margaret Meade who back in the 1920s went to the South Pacific and lived among the Samoans to observe their behavior. The book she wrote about this experiment came to be regarded as the prototype in the study of ethnic culture until years later when it was found to be bogus after these natives confessed that what she reported was inaccurate because they simply told Margaret Meade what they thought she wanted to hear. Race is a controversial subject that lends itself to being politicized, and ulterior motives are always a factor. When it comes to the conclusions about it, words matter. Science is what urges observers to question everything. And that's what I do when it comes to the latest findings about whether or not race is real or concocted. This is not to say that different tribes don't have common traits or that that the homo sapiens species isn't evolving, but it is to question as to whether there is a difference between bi-racial and in-breeding. Polemecist that I am, I just couldn't let this subject go unchallenged.

I've heard this, too, Pioneer. It has been further suggested that songs, in particular, already exist in the nether world and are just waiting to be "downloaded" into this one by the artist who taps into them. In classical mythologyy there were 9 Muses, female goddesses who could be called upon to be the "wind beneathe the wings" of artists. Nowadays people like me still refer to an alter ego who inspires them to create, as a "Muse". This is a fascinating subject that deals with the mysteries of the human mind.

This is a subject that has come full circle, Troy, a situation where "art imitates life". For so long when it came to interracial pairing, it was black men with status pursuing white woman whereas black women were relegated to the ranks of sex objects coveted by lascivious white men, looking for a hot time. In the real world, Black men and white women are no longer a big thing, but a white man with a black woman can still raise eyebrows. In the past, breaking tradition, a few movies allowed super negro characters to successfully woo white leading ladies and, lately, black actresses are getting their chance to play romantic leads against white actors but, agreed, the scenarios are questionable. Apparently, a couple of any race in a happy, normal relationship is too boring to make a movie about; no conflict. But, that's show biz! Frederick Douglass did, indeed, lead an extraordinary life. He was a trail blazer. Particualrly when it came to how black men treat their women. He brought a white wife to live in the home he shared with his first wife, a black woman he'd left for this white one. tsk-tsk. We need, people like you, Troy, to remind us of how things should be. Me, I'm jaded.

There are now challenges out there in regard to the concept of race, with the latest one being that it is an artiificial construct that's more political than scientific. When it comes to the human species in the African continent, people from different tribes and different countries are not monolithic in their appearance. Their skin color has a wide range, running from the blue-blacks to the mahoganies. Body types span the gamut from the keen-featured, tall, slender Watusis to the broad featured short and pudgy Pygmies. Hair grade includes both wooly and crinkly. Because the slave trade was focused mostly on West Africa's ivory coast, particularly Nigeria, these natives are the ancestors of African Americans, and how Nigerians look is how we tend to picture Africans. The natural diet of Africans is not really compatible with that of the Western World. That's why so many Blacks in this country are lactose intolerant, and prone to diabetes and high blood pressure. Since slaves were given left-overs from the massah's table this influenced their eating habits. But I'd be the last one to condemn soul food. I love it and ain't about to stop eating it. Since Africa is the cradle of civilization, Homo Sapiens sprung from there. Mutations of the Negroid stock are what account for the Caucasian and Mongoloid breeds. That's why some say, in jest, that when white mutants were driven out of the black tribes because of their pale color, they vowed revenge and have been punishing Blacks ever since. And doing a very effective job, I might add. My observations in regard weight changes over the years, Troy, is that women of all ethnicity are packing on the pounds. The average dress size is now up to 14 from 12. A lot of this has to do with availablity of fast foods that are high in caories. I was once slim, myself, but my now being heavier has somethng to do with the aging process. I've confess to never eating heathy, however. Enjoying what I like to eat is one of the many vices I refuse to give up because as Little Wayne say, "YOLO". I try to convince myself that my RH-Negative blood handles food in a different way. Any excuse will do. Anyway, I'm still here as opposed to many of my diet-conscious dead friends.

White people do seem embarassed when their under belly is exposed. They'd much rather convince themselves that Western Civilization is alive and kicking - inside the stomach of a barfing aspirant to the British throne. The only difference between the family of Honey Boo-Boo and the unfaithful Prince Charles, his adulterous wife Camilla, the nude bathing Duchess Kate, the strip poker playing Prince Harry, the tittering, simple-minded Queen Elizabeth is an accident of birth. These coarse peasants posing as well-bred Anglo Saxons are no more blue-blooded than the family of red necks from Arkansas.

I agree with the gist of what I get from what you're claiming, Balogun. Fiction can free up an opportunity to convey a message or advance a cause and then illustrate and analyse their ramifications through story telling. Non fiction inhibits because it involves the daunting task of researching facts and separating gossip or rumors from the truth. I have heard so many different things about Huey Newton, for instance, that I don't know what to believe. But his direct quotations could be the inspiration for a novel that incorporates his stance. Since they can utilize poetic license, myth and legend are usually more interesting than historical "facts". Maybe that's why the bible endures... Ironically, your long factual dissertation extolling the virtues of fiction is a - paradox.

Yes, I agree with you Pioneer - to a degree. Mexicans are managing to survive by using the system, but they are not beating it as they hover together, afraid to assert themselves, working at low wage jobs, living in constant fear of immigration authorities. The same is true of black people, when it comes to getting over on the welfare plantation. But anytime you are totally dependent on the charity of the government, then you are at its mercy. And this is what The System is designed to do. The underclasses wield no power. They are enslaved to the perks that rob them of their initiative. Yes, shiftlessness does plague the black race. And since nobody knows how to eliminate it, disillusionment sets in. Everybody shoots me down when I say this, but I still think most of our problems stem back to the wanton breeding on the part of young single black women and their poor parenting skills. Most people want to blame it on something else. Hillary probably would've fared better than Obama as president, Troy, mostly because she would've had slick Willy advising her. I've never been impressed with Obama's inner circle. They've never had their finger on the pulse of black America. As soon as Obama was elected, getting re-elected became the priority and every move was calculated to pacify everybody but black folks.

Veeery interesting discussion. I'd venture to say that a lot of these personal preferences can be attributed to being in the "eye of the beholder". As I recall from the 6 weeks devoted to anthropolgy in the general study of the physiology course I was required to take at college, -standards which may have changed since way back then, - was that the stereotypical view of African women was their being more prone to have narrow hips but high, fleshy buttocks. When it came to their busts they were usually more veritical than horizontal. Their legs also tend to be skinny. European and Scandinavian women are the ones with wide hips, flat butts, sturdy legs and broad breasts. Obviously African American women are hybrids, a combination of all body types, because their blood lines are mixed with Caucasian as well as Native American which is a sub-division of the Asian classification. (whew!). You can see typical body traits in African athletes. Their ability to run is fascilitated by their short thighs and long skinny legs. The guidelines for obesity were recently revised, reflecting the distribution of weight on the body frame. So a woman can weigh a lot but not be obese. I don't know if this has any scientic authenticity, but I always heard that wrist bones were clues to whether a woman was large-boned. If they are prominent then this is an indication that one has big bones... Another term applied to a woman's figure is "heavy-set", which can be either good or bad, depending on what parts of the body are heavy. A small waist line has always been an asset which is why every woman longs to have one.

Where I come from, the word thIckness is associated with solidness, not flab. Thick is to fat, what thin is to skinny. Measurements don't have to conform to 36-24-36, they just have to be proportioned.And stomachs don't have to be flat. A rounded little protusion is acceptable.Thick girls are often big, as opposed to little. And, of course, there is the pleasingly plump category that's another classification. To me, Obeseness is overweight to the extreme. As I often remind, my years of working at the post office exposed to me to a very broad spectrum of black types, both physical and mental. And the girls considered thick got just as much play as the slender ones. The males in my grandsons' generation make a distinction between thick and fat. I'd venture to say that such matters differ from place to place.

I agree. But Obama was the one who tailored his political platform to appeal to the best interest of Black people. Then he flipped. Still black voters hung in there, because they had no choice. If Blacks have become increasingly passive, it's because they're disillusioned, finally realizing that you can't beat the system. The powers-that-be always prevail, and - "the revolution will not be televised."

LMAO.

"Me thinks the boy doth protest too much." As much as you try, you can't control the impression your words give. I don't have to justify my observations Your book doesn't sound like anything I'd be interested in spending my money on. Maybe somebody else here will post a review that is concise enough for me to bother reading. yawnnnn.

Silly boy.

It says to the world that Barack Obama was so busy trying to be president of all the people that he stiffed the ones who got him elected. And It's not like he can deliver on any agenda submitted to him by his black constituency. The senators elected by the peope who didn't vote for Obama couldn't care less about what the president and his black supporters want. Can you say "lame duck"?

Oh, come on, NAH. Italian men, in particular, have always had a thing for voluptuous women, dating back to the Renassiance when buxom hefty women were prominently featured in their art. You stereotype black women when you imply that they are the only ones who are coveted for their big butts and large boobs. The adjective "Rubenesque" which is a term applied to plus-sized women comes from the way famous artist Paul Rubens depicited women in his works centuries ago. Also the dimension of the archetype Venus Di Milo reveal her to be anything but wasp-waisted and petite. The Mona Lisa is a chubby woman. You seemed to have limited your research to a narrow window, - unlike Chris Rock who declares with a good deal of authenticity how confident fat black women are. There is a sizeable element among them who are not lacking in self-esteem, (pun intended) and there's no way you can't tell them that they ain't lookin good when they hit the clubs, exuding confidence, decked out in their too-tight outfits and sausage toes exploding out of their sandals. Body size is not a big issue with black women. Anorexia and bulemia are rare among their ranks. And over the years, I've encountered very few black men who don't appreciate a well-proportioned "thick" woman. In fact, black men are the ones who coined the word "thick". Back in the day there was even a very popular song wherein the male vocalist salivated about wanting "a big, fat, momma with the meat shakin on her bones". Even obese women have been rhapsodized. Sounds to me like you got carried away with your idea for an original novel. Did it work? Do you work?

I thought about it and decided that I don't write to be appreciated. I write to express myself. And the only thing feedback does for me is to give me an excuse to argue if it's negative. If it's positive, appreciation is not what I feel. It's recognition of a person who thinks like me. Is there something wrong with "intellectual masturbation"?? Who needs company? A vibrator can out perfrom a lover.

This is such a common occurrence, that public indignation has become desensitized. Life in America, - land of the free white man and home of the brave black one. A 15-year-old girl in Chicago was an innocent victim of a drive-by shooting, while elsewhere in the city, gun fire broke out at a funeral for a gang member, and 2 of his friends in attendance at the church were shot by a rival gang member. One died at the scene and the other was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. No eyebrows were raised. Just another day in the streets of "Chiraq".

Well, there's famous and there's infamous. It's not a given that what a writer puts out there for the world to see, will result in appreciation. That's the dream. In reality, it's not enough for a book to simply be good as opposed to bad. It has to be a monumental masterpiece that makes an impact on the world because it is a classic representation of its genre. Of course, being appreciated by your family and immediate circle can also be gratifying, even it's only because they are related to you or consider you a good friend. Or, in other words, they are patronizing. I'll take any kudos I inspire after death, because I don't need to be validated by others while I'm alive. I'm my own biggest fan. OK, Troy, new writers being groomed by publishers is the best case scenario. But, personally, I wouldn't a buy a book just because the author was poised and pleasant. The proof is in the pudding. In fact I'd be more curious about an edgy, compelling artist rather than a bland suck-up.

That was one reason Stephen Carter was mentioned, Troy. His books are well-written and intellectually stimulating. But I don't know how many black people I've heard complaining about his novels being too long and too convoluted and using too many big words. The same compaint is frequently lodged against Toni Morrison books. And even you complained about not sticking with the long, highly acclaimed epic "The Warmth of Other Suns." Very often, one has to be a hard core reader to tackle the "uplifting" books of literary black authors. This not to say that such books shouldn't be available for the esoteric readers. But - like they say, "be careful what you wish for..." What DeBerry and Grant wrote was "chick lit". They were very good at what they did and garnered success because there is an audience for this "lite" pop genre. But it is, what it is: entertainment. The same goes for Tannarive Due. She is a talented writer who specialized in the paranormal: horror books are intriguing - and also entertaining. Nevertheless, these books arguably have no redeeming social value. Also I question whether it's the job of publishers to nurture and pamper and "bring authors along". As stiff as the competition is, is it asking too much for editors to prefer writers who don't have to be groomed???? It's like you want affirmative action to apply to the publishing industry. Incidentally, I'm reading "The Devil in Silver", the book you recommended, and so far, so good. It is published by a subsidiary of one of the "big houses" and written by a black man who is an excellent writer. It is engrossing and it's enlightening. My kind of book. This is obviously a subject where many factors come into play.