Cynique

Back in my young, single years, my friends and i always discussed and fantasized about having a guy for every mood, a smart guy, a fun guy, a sexy guy, a handyman, and a big spender because it was so hard to find the "complete package", aka "Mr. Right". We knew the chances of this happening were slim, because although males tend to be polygamous, they "slut shamed" any females who wanted to diversify her steady male companionship. So most of us just exclusively dated one type at a time, eventually settling for Mr. OK when it came to marriage, - suspecting that 2 husbands would be more trouble than they're worth. I can't vouch for what the situation is nowadays, however.

AARP welcomes you into its ranks at age 50! But - age is just a number, I keep telling myself.

Black folks aren't the only ones sporting rainbow hair which dates back to Rock and Heavy Metal groups and which has now gained popularity among whites and Hispanics, too. Just like high falsetto voices date waaay back past "Switch" and the DeBarges (who are bi-racial and do not have to "process" their hair). The BeeGees were examples of white guys singing in high falsettos, and all the lead singers in the Doo-Wop quartets and later the MoTown male groups sang in high falsettos, one of the most prominent one being Eddie Kendricks of the Temptations. And, of course, Prince, - and Phillip Bailey of Earth, Wind, & Fire, and the Isley Brothers. There was a famous male singing group back during the 1930s and '40s called the "Ink Spots" whose lead tenor sang in a high falsettos. Men who are secure in their masculinity do not have a problem vocalizing in this style which probably originated in Italian operas.

@Michel MontvertWhat you say is why I have become so jaded and disillusioned with politics. I wish reform was forthcoming and voters would become more aware and involved but I've also lost faith in people. And I am a bad example, myself. I've given up, just retreated into being a bystander mired in my malaise. My revulsion for right wing nut-cases is the only thing that ignites any fire in me. I fear this country is on the brink of self-imploding because the population is so polarized. I have surrendered to indifference and you have verbalized what has me in its pall. The only way I can justify my cynicism is my belief that the world and civilization have never been or ever will be anything but a struggle for power, and "power corrupts". I am glad, however, that people like you exist to deconstruct past failures and encourage future success.

@Del @Troy@ProfD Thanks, guys!! Nice to be remembered by my online buddies! What would I do if I didn't have you to keep me on my toes? For now, I'm enjoying my day. Hope we can do this again next year.

It's the height of absurdity that black women call themselves embracing their natural roots by wearing these huge wigs made out of synthetic fabric in places like Taiwan. But that's what's trending, and if attention is what they are seeking, then - mission accomplished! You know what they used to say back in the day - "blondes have more fun!"

Suffice to say I don't agree with your OPINIONS. That's all you're expressing. Babble on.

@Michel MontvertWelcome aboard. You bring a much-needed broader perspective to the proceedings.

Change is change. Young people are receptive to what's new and different. Everybody is not stagnant, stuck in a time warp. i am NOT of the same generation as Millennials or Gen Zers. We have very little in common because of the huge age gap.

That's beside the point. Millennials and GenZers are the vanguard of the future, and they are who will determine what the future of Society will be like. Their mindsets and lifestyles are already changing and they are why the future will be different from the present. Your generation will become the past.

I think some folks could've done with out it.

I'm not so sure that "truth" isn't a delusion. @ProfDWell, my dear, you are one of the reasons, I was flabbergasted that pioneer would think HE would be who I would single out to admire from afar - if I was so inclined.

@Del I commend you for being able to stand back and take an honest look at yourself. Self examination is a crucial trait. People don't really have to offer excuses for the way they are, but they shouldn't be indignant or surprised when others find them insufferable. I consider myself condescending when I correct people's grammar and spelling. And I'm always surprised when nobody catches some of my errors - which are usually typos. I just set high standards for people who hold themselves in high regard. Especially since they don't have to be college-educated or intellectual to speak or write standard English correctly. or be detail-oriented enough to proof read what they write. These are elementary things. I also invoke "ad hominem" arguments, but my thinking is that what I say about a person is directly related to what i believe is their "flawed" argument. I am a hyper-critical person and, needless to say, argumentative. But I am not thin-skinned nor easily intimidated so when I dish it out, I am prepared to take it. I'm also surprised that people think I am upset when i am arguing. But I'm not. I'm in my element, enjoying myself. So much for "true confessions". @ChevdoveI am also surprised at you because you are usually neutral and non judgmental.

A new forum could be referred to as the POW WOW, the stomping grounds for all Chiefs, - and no Indians. Same ol, same ol.

You all speak of the past in the present. Your explanations and suspicions and accusations about the black dilemma are familiar ones. Familiar because I have been hearing them for over 50 years. How ironic that I, in the course of counting down to my 89th birthday in 4 days, speak of the future. You don't have to be a seer to predict that change is going to come. The changes may not be what you expect or what you desire but that doesn't mean they won't be for the better. Society will transform itself through adjustments. Skin color requires no high tech science to change. Sexual fluidity is a natural form of population control. Survival is about evolving. That's not opinion, that's reality. But believe whatever makes you comfortable. Makes me no difference. Why should it???

@ProfDAre they? One of my daughter's white male coworkers told her it is currently "a black woman's market", that they have usurped both white and black men, in America's mid corporate "power dynamic". If black men could be a fly on the wall in a room full of single young black women, their ears would burn. Maybe it's all a part of a grand plan. Both sexes dating out of their race, may produce a generation of bi-racial children, who will eventually mate with each other. Where is it written that this should not be the case? These hybrids may very possibly produce a new race which embodies the best of both/all races, and color will become irrelevant. The same with sexual orientation. Change is inevitable. And time has sped up.

@DelHow new is Stefan? I mistakenly put you in a box, believing you were passive rather than aggressive with people who irritated you, something I admired your having the will power to be. I somehow find myself a little in sync with Stefan. Probably because he mentioned being retired and is a dedicated Democrat, like so many of the people I associate with. BTW, what's the word on the street about gravity(?). Lately, I feel as though my shoes are like buckets of concrete and this affects my walking. It's as tho a force is pulling me to the ground. i haven't gained any weight, but i feel heavier. i know the moon is closer to the earth this month when it was full it really appeared big in the night sky. Meanwhile, stars are nowhere to be seen. I wonder if the universe is shifting.

Because some people can dish it out but can't take it and it escalates from there.

@Del. I'm surprised at how you have overreacted to this situation. At one time or another everybodu on this board has been condescending when imposing their beliefs on others. LOL

i don't agree with this Audre Lorde quote. It's not a contest for freedom, It's a contest for leadership. Black men want to lead, despite the fact that they have not proven their leadership skills. Black women don't want to to follow because they are too strong to bend to the demands of incompetency.

Well, looks like replacements have been sent in. With the expulsion of Greg, a new troll has appeared on the board to take up the bad mouthing of "the black community", Different name (Pierre), same script. Since their weaponized words reinforce rather than dismantle problems, these agents of the right wing turn dreams of black unity into a nightmare. So, what else is new?

The Internet, beng the matrix of social media. certainly provides a platform for people with axes to grind.

I don't patronize Family Dollar because it's not a bona fide dollar store. Much of its merchandize is priced for more than a dollar. And, yes, with "inflationary prices, dollar stores are now $1.25 stores.

Everybody rags on China. 99 percent of everything in a Dollar Store is made in China. I love dollar stores. The only way Africa impacts my life is to be irritated by all of the Nigerians who haven't paid their dues come over here and reap what benefits native born descendants of slaves have fought and died for. The moral of this story is... Ka-Ching!

@Stefanthe internet has become the equivaent of a soapbox. It enables people who believe the world is waiting to hear what they have to say.