Cynique

I think you're overreacting, Troy. The media has moved on. Cosby is yesterday's news. The only mention he gets is when he's the butt of jokes by late night talk show hosts. They do the same thing to Bill Clinton. All celebrities are fair game to them. If another Cosby accuser pops up, this is duly reported and whether she is lying or not, if the media reports that there is a new accusation, it is telling the truth. What the media reports is not always a lie. What do you suggest the black community do to sanitize Bill Cosby's lapses in good judgment? Should it tar and feather Beverly Johnson for revealing what he did to her? The black public has all it can handle with trying to blindly support Barak Obama who the media correctly reports is the victim of Republican obstructionism Bill Cosby has all the financial resources at his command to legally defend himself. He used his money and power in the past to craft and canonize his image; now let him use it to prove that he has been infairly villainized.

People are easily manipulated by every institution in Society: the government, law enforcement, politics, churchs, schools, the work place, marriage, the family ciricle. We are all encouraged to accept what others tell us, all manipulated by those with personal agendas. Misinformation is rampant and the truth is not only elusive, but it's relative. You, yourself, tell us what to think, when you tell us that the media is lying to us. The trick is to rely on your own personal experiences, find your own truth, and come to terms with reality. Survival is the name of the game and getting your priorities in order enables this. The alternative is to go live on a desert island and create your own media-free world.

People just can't cope without a belief that provides them with something to have faith in. They need myths to supply the context for a paternal figure who they can look to and lean on, an all poweful omniscient being who understands their troubles and answers their prayers, - if he sees fit to do so. They need commandments to protect them from themselves and a devil to blame sinful things on. The question could really be posed did God create Man or did Men create God because they couldn't wrap their minds around the idea that - life just is. Over the centuries, religion has become a habit easy to fall into, a tradition that promotes fellowship, an addiction that produces a high, a sanctuary for hypocrisy. And so it goes...

Well, guys, none of this was entirely new to me; either what the video reports or that 47 years ago, Cosby released a clip to primarily educate Whites about things which were taught in black history classes and only brought up during black history month. Nobody is saying that Cosby didn't have race pride or didn't make well-publicized generous contributions to good causes. What do you suggest the black community do in regard to the accusations against him? Since none of them have been proven - or disproven, he's at the mercy of his reputation which has a good and bad side. Blacks are apparently more caught up in the glamorous escapism provided by EMPIRE, busy discussing what they can look forward to when it returns. It's obvious that they don't identity with the woes of a real-life black millionaire who probably hates this hit series because it represents a type of culture that he rejected in his public criticism that reeked with a "do as I say do, not as I do" attitude. IMO, I don't think Blacks are obliviovus to what a villain the media is. It is their second favorite favorite scapegoat. But they've simply resorted to taking its output with a grain of salt since they are helpless to do anything else. It should be noted however, that everybody is victimized by the vague nebulous sinister media that feeds the appetitie of the blood thirsty massses, giving them what they want... Society has gotten it all wrong, and in a perfect world, it would go back to square one. Time for a reality check.

LOL Well, Chris, maybe you should broaden your history when you make your assertions, then you wouldn't have to back track. And excuse me but "the debate about natural hair and the culture built around it" was what the black is beautiful era during the 1960s was all about. The pro and con arguments have changed very little since then. janelle monae the new "it" girl? Incredibly beautiful - in a tradional way, which is why I beg to differ. Or do you see fashion designers vying for the prestiege of having her wear one of their creations on the red carpet. That distinction goes to Lupita, in spite of the fact that janelle monae doesn't have acne, either.

A book, right up my alley, too, Troy! I'm going to order it!

Hummmm. That definition of lynching can be applied to suspended white NBC new anchor, Brian Williams, who the media is having a field day with thanks to his lying about his war experiences and exagerrated incidents during Hurricane Katrina. Also to the frat boys caught chanting songs about "niggers", thoughtless young men who the media is punishing in spite of the fact that these hapless jerks have apologized. I really can't get up tight about rich and famous Bill Cosby being a sympathetic character in this scenario. I'm more sorry about poor young black boys who don't know any better. Cosby is an arrogant, powerful man who had everything, - enough to allow him the luxury of criticizing his fellow, less fortunate Blacks and he risked it all just to indulge his perverted fantasies or maybe even to take out his simmering anger on white women in pay back for the unsung black heroes history forgot. He played by his own rules and in the process played into the hands of those just waiting to thwart a black idol with feet of clay. There's no reason to believe that black people won't eventually forgive Billy Cosby for his indiscretions, and he can go take his place next to MikeTyson who has apparently redeemed himself and also Muhammad Ali who people seem to forget was once a pariah branded by Whites as a draft dodging black Muslim who regarded them as blue-eyed devils. And if OJ gets out of jail maybe he and ol Bill can hook up and go on the road together as a comedy team.

Nobody said Lupita wasn't pretty or that short natural hair was unacceptable. The fact that you read this into what I said says something about you, Chris, and the girls you had to "console". Short hair is a preference many women of all ethnicities choose, myself, included, whether it is a pixie or gamin cut. It is a style that dates back to the 1920s when the Flappers wore boyish bobs. Over the years, natural hair has never gone completely out of style and is now back in vogue, so the girls you had to counsell were overly-sensitive. You, yourself, are biased in favor of people who conform to your preference in body types that are the result of working out. Cookie on Empire is voluptuous and she is not fat. And, just because an African American is is not Lupita's complexion does not mean they are light-skinned, It means they are a lighter skin as in the many hues of brown which is why I have a problem with you quoting white studies pontificating about negroid Americans. What is the explanation for those of Lupito's color who do have acne or the "red bones" who don't have acne or the multitudes of brown skinned ones who don't have a lot of body hair. But, everbody is entitled to their own opinion and mine is based on my years of observation.

Lupita is short in stature, slight and flat chested body-wise, and her close cropped hair is groomed by a barber. It is not a stretch to call her little "boyish". This is not to be construed as a put-down; it is simply a fashion industry "type". Voluptuous women are chesty and curvaceous and pliant. They are not muscle bound and hefty like Serena Williams. I didn't see anything in the article you provided a link to, Chris, that said dark African American women have less acne than lighter skinned ones. But I did see that they have a tendency toward keloids which can blemish the skin. They say "black don't crack" but that applies to wrinkles, not acne. You tread a slippery slope when you try to generalize about African Americans because their skin tones run the gamut of colors and their gene pool is hybrid and there is no typical model. Diet has an effect on skin condition and oily skin does contribute to pimples and these factors vary from individual to individual. Obviously, when it comes to what appeals to whom. - to each his own. Aretha croons about "giving him something he can feel" and a lot of men claim "nobody wants a bone but a dog". But, since they're a lot dogs out there who follow their inner feelings, thin women with tight coochies have nothing to worry about. Women are a tad less superficial than men when it comes to what is attractive. A good personality, along with a good job, scores high with them.

I agree about Lupita, Troy. I also disagree with Chris' observations about certain skin flaws occurring more among one complexion as opposed to another. Good skin doesn't discriminate. A smooth flawless complelxion comes in all colors as does a pimply one. Genes play a role in this. As for moustaches, with razors and all of the dipillatories available, no female has to settle for facial hair - unless she wants to. And don't get me started on bikini waxing. People do see things differently, and what strikes one person as pretty doesn't necessarily impress another. No accounting for taste. Anthropologists say that a female of any race appeals to the male eye if the arrangement of her facial features have the symmetry that conforms with what is referred to as the "golden ratio". Whether natural or treated or enhanced, if hair provides a good frame for the face, it has served its purpose.

Maybe black people in America envision Jesus as white because they subconsciously think it is a white master who they have to worship in order to receive blessings. No black idol, no matter how high up he becomes, has completely liberated black folks. Whatever color the revered Hebrew rabbi was, he has thrown his most faithful flock under the freedom bus. Black folks, who have been praying to Jesus all through their centuries of bondage, are still victims, struggling to overcome the curse of their skin color. De Lawd and Allah also seem to have better things to do when it comes to turning things around for their faitihful black worshippers, who hover around, spouting verses that enable them to criticize others, while wallowing in their own sins. Perhaps black folks should consider the credo of the Buddhists who are enlightened enough to worship no god above but who believe in the divinity of man, and preach that salvation comes from within. In the meantime, money grabbers like "Cashflo" Dollar, head of a mega TV ministry, implores the thousands who make up his congregation to each send him $300 so he can buy a luxurious private jet to fly around the country in. Have mercy, Jesus.

References are always made to black women wanting to emulate European standards of beauty but very few women of any race are perfect examples of this idealistc paragon. It's not like Caucasian and Asian women don't strive to change and improve their appearance in an attempt to replicate the ideal image. No white woman wants a pale complexion, stringy, mouse brown hair, a flat ass, and small boobs and they do whatever it takes to improve their appearance, When it comes to hair, they color it, have it straightened if it's too frizzy and curled if it's too straight and add extensions for length and fullness.They also patronize tanning salons to bronze their skin and, of course, keep plastic surgeons in business, having their eyes, noses, and lips "fixed". Most women are weight conscious and very few want to be fat. Vanity thy name is woman. Black women nowadays wear their hair anyway they want to, switching off from time to time. They have many options and they choose between wigs, weaves, perms, dreads, corn rows, and "naturals". there is no one style more popular than another. The female characters on the hit TV show, EMPIRE, for instance, all wear their hair different ways Lupita has become the "it" girl thanks to the fashion industry which is always looking for a certain look and her "little boy" image fits the bill. Dark skin is also considered exotic by many of these movers and shakers. From what I observe, Society is no longer preoccupied with hair styles making a ethnic statment. Anything goes. Black men have a whole spectrum of appearances to choose from and some of them are even liberated enough to like a woman for her brains and personality and other hidden assets.

Humm. A good example, Chris, of how people interpret things differently. The quotations I cited in bold letters didn't represent "cliches" to me. They were ideas that kinda resonated with me. There is one phrase that has impacted on my life, not necessarily for the good, because it inhibited my being a risk taker. A little voice in my head would always prevent me from taking a big chance by saying, "yeah, but what if..."

Mother Africa is awesome. I learn something new every day, but an ongoing lesson for me is that Life is an exercise in deception and misinformation and, above all, mystery. There's a big difference between the way things actually are and the way they are reported and portrayed and incapsulated by various means of communication. Add to that, how differently things are interpreted and perceived by the individual and there is yet another hurdle in the search for the truth. Or does language adequately facilitate because it is difficult to capture what words cannot express. I am growing world weary because I can't figure things out. Is my existence something I am dreaming? Am I in limbo, waiting to wake up? Are the answers contained within the questions?? In the sanctuary of my solitude, I ask myself if "life is a journey that is homeward bound?" Or is "life the question and love the answer"? And should I consider that "no man is an island entire of himself". and should I "ask not for whom the bell tolls, because it tolls for me"?. And is "this above all to thine ownelf be true"a snippet of advice that's "all you know, and all you need to know?" I wonder.

Knowledge is power and freedom ain't free. You do need to be free to acquire knowledge. In order to defeat anyone who denies you the freedom to gain knowledge, you need strength which can involve the wherewithal to commit violence. I think this might've been the mindset of the cave man who took up a club to confront his enemy. The first thing Man learned was that you have to fight for your freedom. And the rest is history... I chose my children bonding and looking out for each other as what is most important to me, because of what I noticed in other families, where "blood being thicker than water" was seemingly their motto. Siblings had each other's backs and stood by one another when push came to shove. To me, that is the ultimate in loyalty and is what family is all about. However, if I were to make a second choice in regard to what I considered the most important thing to me, in all honesty I would say money because I could provide for my family and would not have to be worried about them looking out for each other, and there are other charitable philanthropic things that I could bring about if I had the money to do so.

Are you talking about the movie "her" with Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson? I watched some of it but it didn't draw me in enough to maintain my interest. I couldn't get into the concept. If I wanted to communicate with an artificial intelligence I would prefer an android who would be programmed to amuse me as well as stimulate my intellect, and - who would also be an appealing stud.

Where is the question? Oh. In the title of the post? Not surprsing, the answer to the question was elusive for me. I really wish I could wrap my mind around the mystery and meaning of life but pondering this provides me with something to occupy my mind when I'm bored. I've given up on reforming the world by making it a more humane place where peace and prosperity and racial justice will prevail. I leave the concern about the importance of this to others, including the religious gang waiting for Jesus to return. As for the obvious possibilities, at my age, I'm just grateful to wake up in the morning in a comfortable environment that includes adequate food and engaging passtimes. Money would make my life more affluent but I am wary about the whole new set of problems it could generate. I confess, however, to buying lottery tickets with multi-million dollar payoffs. After much soul searching, I narrowed it down to something very personal and what I've decided is important to me is to make amends for an indifferent family circle that had me as a role model. I consider it most important that my 3 sons and 2 daughters become less distant from each other in favor of forming a close bond of loving siblings who will look out for each other as they grow older. I learned the value of this too late with my own brother and 2 sisters who died never knowing how much I appreciated their admirable qualities; something I'll always regret. What is the most important thing for you, Delano?

Very interesting. Troy. As for the dress, there was no consensus in my family in regard to the colors of the it. Some saw black and blue and others saw gold and white. Have you ever tried those exercises where you are directed to stare at what seems like a random display of colors and if you gaze at it long enough allowing your eyes to shift out of focus, a 3-D image of a scene will sudden spring out at you from the page? I became quite good at this but after a while doing so would give me a headache. Along these lines, I have noticed something about you and Delano, when it comes to your posts. It's like you guys type words instead of letters. Your brain grasps patterns so, for instance, if you hit "a" and "n", the letter "d" will automatically follow making the word "and", when you might mean to type another word that starts with a-n. The same pattern occurs with your other "typos". Also, you sometimes use a word that sounds similar to the word you mean to type, as if you are hearing words as you type them. I realize that if you are typing on an iPhone or a tablet and you are in a hurry, this can contribute to this. Your omission of words is a common occurrence because people think faster than they can write. Delano, you are very spontaneous in your responses and don't always put your comments in context. Ideas come to you and you often express them in a series of separate posts. Me, I type a word twice and don't realize it until I read a post over later. I guess these are things that can be attributed to the computer age and how it is affecting our brains. I express my thoughts as they come into my stream of consciousness. What I type in the process of doing this are not necesssarily convictions that I believe but possibilities that I wonder about. You reinforced my remarks about standards for right and wrong being tools of survival, Troy, - boundaries are necesssary to keep humans from destroying themselves. And, of course, how we see things differently does contribute to the ongoing conflict among groups within the group.

I likewise find it bizarre that you see the dress as gold and white, Troy. Scientists attribute how people perceive the colors to a variation that occurs in the rods and cones in individual's eyes and how the brain interprets this. One person's truth is another one's falseness. So, - what else is new?? BTW, did you have your famiy members take the test and, if so, what did they see? A counter culture does exist whether you want to legitimize it or not and it is comprised of iconoclasts who believe in free speech and don't observe "the lines" drawn by the dictates of society. There's a whole element of nonconformists who think outside the box, and inject the phrase "compared to what" when judging what's "right " or "wrong". "Gallows humor" that spares no subject or situation has been around since Shakespeare's times. That's what the shooting incident in Paris was all about. The French magazine ridiculed the prophet Muhammad as did the Denmark publication that was recently in the news. SNL won't attack Muhammad, not because they are ethical, but because they fear violent retaliation and repercussions from the network and sponsors. They have ridiculed Jesus from time to time. Designating what's right and wrong are surival tools because if humans were left to follow their natural, primitive instincts they would destroy the species. Who is to say that this isn't happening anyway but because it is gradual, it doesn't command attention. There is a standard of life as it arguably should exist, and then there is a pattern of life as it chaotically does exist. Reality is a bitch - but "bitch" and "reality" are just words... As a remedy for all of this, religion has failed because it became toxic, itself.

I saw and see the dress as black and blue which is what it was designated to actually be, Troy. I can find aspects of humor in everything, and have no quarrel with pushing the envelope because ignoring the foibles of life won't make them go away. Life is crude, and reality is cruel. Tragedy is a joke played on us by Fate Life is also ironic and multi-facted, both of which go hand and hand with "gallows humor". I leave drawing the line to others and cast my lot with those who utilize the impact of shock and don't take this world too seriously because existence on it is a farce. Ridicule is a powerful weapon. Lament is victimization. Moral standards are subjective and relative. Interracial marriage was considered immoral by racists. Homosexulaity is still considered an immoral abomination by religous people. Abortion is considered immoral by those who think they have the right to neutralize the personal set of morals a woman invokes when she demands the right to control her own body. Rape is a very slippery slope when labeling poor judgment as immoral. Polegamy is not considered immoral by those who practice it. Incest came to be immoral because the odds of a bad gene manifesting itself in the offspring of such unions are 1 in 5. Pedophilia is not considered immoral by willing participants in it and this does occur; there is a whole underground community of boys and men who couple. A lot of folk humor emerged from slavery. People make fun of the sanctimonious missionaries who went to save Africa and the bleeding heart celebrities who want to adopt Rwandan orphans. There are those who pooh-pooh the holocaust claiming it never happened, and Hitler was always a favorite candidate for paraody. 911 has been revered to the point of maudlin bathos. And speaking of dropping the atomic bomb on the atolls of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end World War II, are you familiar with the history of Japanese atrocities that occurred in the Rape of Nanking? War is Hell, and Might makes Right! LOL. Me, I shake my head and chuckle at the hypocrisy that mocks morality. And my alter-ego is CYNIQUE

I'm not so quick to dismiss this "dress color" controversy as insignificant. It does prove that people see things differently because how their brains are wired has an effect on their vision and this same predisposition probably affects areas of their psyches as well. It certainly provides one explanation as to why there is so much conflict involved in the human experience. Agreement and harmony within the group are not natural states. They have to be striven for and it's a battle the human race is losing because it is fragmented by the individuality that the ego too often corrupts. Introspection is the source of serenity and we have to find this within ourselves via shutting out the dissonance of the external world. Just days ago yet another example of how things strike people differently presented itself via a skit on SNL, wherein a doting father was ostensibly bidding a poignant farewell to his young army-bound daughter. But then the camera panned away and focused on a truck flanked with bearded, rifle-toting masked men who the daughter exited the car and ran to join before explaining to her father that "it's just ISIS, Daddy". After she hopped aboard and waved a smiling goodbye, the truck sped off in a blaze of gunfire. Not surprising the Internet is abuzz, pitting those who thought this was offensive against those who found it harmless. I thought it was funny and liked the idea that this had to piss ISIS off because it ridiculed and neutralized the great threat it considers itself to be. But, that's just ME. Well, Delano. I'm sure you know that black and white magic, as opposed to illusion and sleight of hand, is meta-physical. It involves mind over matter. All the Mystics down through the ages practiced it. Be careful not to succumb to the dark side...

Black and blue or gold and white? (OK, Troy, I assume this is something you aren't familiar with since you boycott pop culture trivia, but bear with me.) I found interesting the much ado about how people perceived the colors of a dress posted on social media, and how this pitted them against each other to the point of belligerancy. This controversy created such a stir that scientists chimed in and offered explanations, calling the phenomenon that went viral on the internet an optical illlusion, an example of how our brains are wired differently when it comes to processing what we see, explaining further that lighting can have an influence on an image and how the rods and cones in our eyes, which are as unique as our fingerprints, have an effect on the visual interpretation that varied among those looking at the dress. This was what caused some to see it as black and blue and others to see it as gold and white. Anyhow, I saw it as black and blue. The dress was actually black and blue - which proves nothing except the revelation that we all have our own reality. In addition to proving what a bunch of wackos the social media is turning us into, this latest event emphasized how for quite a while now, I have been having to sort out what I'm seeing because the shape of my eyeballs have changed over the years, something that is not uncommon among older people. My nearsightedness has improved as I aged because my retina was filtering light differently. Yet, I often have to blink my eyes to figure out what it is I'm seeing. When I am waking up from being asleep, I frequently see an unfamiliar scene but after I close my eyes and re-open them I see my familiar surroundings. Strange. But, I guess it's all about the mystery of the brain as it applies to hallucination. Mystery defines my existence. I watched a lecture by Deepak Choprah on PBS the other night. Everything he said about the meta- and quantum-physics of "god" was like he had been reading my mind. But I think it's because I have been absorbing his thoughts over the years, picking up bits and pieces of his quotes and the gist of his philosophy. Listening to Choprah was a very validating experience because the things he said about consciousness, the universe, infinity, and the divinity of Man were things I have long been mulling over in my search for life's meaning. I felt a kinship with the audience whose faces, like mine, were transfixed as he shared his insights with us, one of which was "we are a drop in the ocean but the entire ocean is contained in that drop." I now realize I belong to a spiritual community of pondering contemplaters. My moment of ZEN.

Ex-NYC mayor, Rudy Giuliani, desperate to make headlines, recently declared that Obama doesn’t love America, presumably because POTUS displayed religious tolerance when it comes to Islam and doesn’t saber rattle and threaten to put boots down in countries that won’t stand up and defend themselves from terrorism. STFU, Rudy. I wouldn’t blame Obama if he didn’t love the America which you personify: arrogant, white, conservative, super patriotic, capitalistic, hypocritical Republicans, who are anti-poor and anti-women. Right wing racists like you jerks make me sick to my stomach, and I wish Fox News would collapse under the weight of its lies and stupidity. A Texas jury found the guy guilty who gunned down the assassin who took pride in killing hundreds of Iraqi citizens suspected of aiding and abetting the enemy. Chris Kyle, and his side kick, Chad Littlefield were the victims of pot-smoking Eddie Ray Routh, a veteran afflicted with PTSD.The trial judge immediately sentenced Routh to life imprisonment for murdering these 2 who were supposedly trying to help this troubled misfit, diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. Routh’s attorneys mounted an insanity defense, but is someone who gave Chris Kyle a shot of his own medicine really crazy? The blood-thirsty Texas jury, for whatever reason, took less than 3 hours to avenge the manslaughter of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield. Of course there is a whole community of people who saw "American Sniper", the blockbuster movie about Chris Kyle, and who think he was a courageous hero. Me? Not so much. I think his karma caught up with him. He lived by the gun and died by it. The family of Chad Littlefield, declared that they were “thrilled” God answered their prayers, happy I assume, because the killer of a killer was found guilty. Any chance they'd consider that, like Chris Kyle’s Iraqi targets, their son Chad was a victim of collateral damage. Giuliana Rancic a bag of bones host of the "E" channel's Fashion Police TV committed the faux pas of criticizing the dreadlocks Zandaya appeared on the Oscar’s red carpet wearing. Zandaya, an 18-year-old Disney Studios star, took offense and burnt up social media boards, criticizing Guiliana for giving thumbs down to the coarse ropes sprouting from her head and crawling around her shoulders. On and on she ranted, lecturing Giuiliana for her racism and insensitivity. Eliciting 2 apologies from Rancic, didn’t silence Zandaya’s bitching about her hair style being slammed. I gotcha back on this one, Guiliani, even if you are an anorexic air head with a name that sounds just like Rudy’s. I can’t stand dreadlocks. 'Have never figured out what statement they make or why anyone who wasn’t a Rasta would waste money and time having coarse synthetic fiber braided into their hair so they can look like Medusa. If I want to sneer at this coiff and my doing so offends the wearer, tough shit. I don’t care for your hair style so why should you care about my opinion??? Shake it off. Then there’s Patricia Arquette. The buxom, fashion-challenged, best supporting actress spoke out for equal pay for women during her Oscar acceptance speech. But she took heat later from those who couldn’t relate to a white woman complaining about equal pay, considering that she makes much more than the average black male actor. When she elaborated on her statement by saying she was also speaking for poor people, minorities and - omigod, Gays, her noble intentions really tanked! Poor Patricia, she can’t win for losin. Elsewhere, Lady Gaga’s fiance presented her with a million dollar engagement ring, and JayZ and Queen Bee have purchased an 18 million dollar mansion in Beverly Hills. Yawn. The excesses of the rich and famous never fail to bore me. Extravagance is no substitute for class. And who but an jeweler knows the difference between a diamond and a cubic zirconia. Who needs a hotel to maintain instead of a cozy home to live in. Or, does being able to afford materialistic things automatically increase your value as a person of substance. Books are cheap, and reading them cost nothing. But people involved with these things are probably a lot more interesting than these 3 superstars. I'm done.

My TV is on 24 hours a day. I may or may not be watching it, and when I do watch it, it is mostly in snatches, Very few programs do I sit down and view in their entirety. A good part of the time, my TV is turned to the Music Choice channel where l listen to 1950 ballads or jazz standards. Television is such a constant in my life that is like a background to it, and sometimes I don't even know it's on because its volume is usually low. I can tune it out and have no problem reading or contemplating and meditating when it's on. I also go to sleep with it going and very often what is on influences what I dream about. Needless to say it is my companion. i dont know why television has become an integral part of my life. Whenever power outages occur I retreat into dark silence and listen to what's going on in my head and visualize whatever images I choose to conjure up. I still enjoy this in spite of being brainwashed by TV. I was about 18 years old when my family got their first TV. Up until that time we listened to the radio and went to the movies for entertainment. Me and my friends also read a lot of books. When one of us came across as good one, we'd pass it around among ourselves. A bygone time. The longer I live, the more odd my life gets. A blank computer screen and a keyboard stimulate my creativity which seems to feed on itself. Like now. Also, another strange phenomenon is occurring in my life. I could always draw a little, now suddenly I have taken to sketching the human body and have become quite adept at this. I do remember one of my college roommates was an art major who actually had the medical volume, Gray's Anatomy, as a textbook and I would watch her practice drawing parts of the human anatomy that were illustrated in this book. What's really strange is that I have advanced to the point of drawing bodies in what are probably Kama Sutra positions. How I know how to do this I have no idea. I didn't go see "50 Shades of Grey", have always been a missionary position prude, and suspect that I still am. What do you make of this, Delano??? Sorry. folks. Slow day.

I watched the show because I'm a glutton for punishment. In an attempt to compensate for its snubbing people of color, the Academy via its prissy MC, Neil Patrick Harris, overcompensated and was slavishly patronzing, especialy when it came to Harris making Olivia Spencer a straight woman for his jokes by appointing her the insulting job of watching the ballot box. He also singled out Oprah Winfrey and David Oyelowo to poke fun at, in an akward attempt at flalttering them about her wealth and his British accent. As usual the acceptance speeches were too long, and the scripted exchanges between the presenters stilted and unfunny. What was up with Terrance Howard and his effusive flubbing of his lines? And it's hard to believe that Eddie Murphy was once so funny. Nowadays he is so dry and serious, as opposed to the manic Kevin Hart, who makes me what to reach for the can of bug spray. There was little suspense because all the predicted winners won. My rating: 21/2 stars.