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CDBurns

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Everything posted by CDBurns

  1. Man please! Cheers all around and congrats!
  2. Troy I can't get past her voice or her look. I agree it's a distraction. Other than that it will be nice to see such an amazing artist gain a higher profile. I wish that Kimberly Elise, or better yet Anika Noni Rose would have been chosen for the role. I really can't get around her look, which sucks. Rose can sing, she actually could pull off the transformation and her body shape has the power that I associate with Nina Simone. What I mean by body shape is that Nina was not as fragile or small as Zoe at least in any picture of video I've seen of her. This has a world of potential but it was definitely a poor casting decision.
  3. Pioneer I've often said that the military would be a good option for guys straight out of high school. I've softened my position because we are warmongers looking for a fight. It may have been this way of course in the past, but today it just feels more blatant in disregard to maintaining a strong military that can act, vs a military that always acts. Cynique, as sexist as your son sounds, I was with him. I was a part of the first Fighter Squadron VF-213, that allowed women to fly F-14s. I was completely against this as I worked on the jets and felt that women simply weren't strong enough to fly the jet. Some men had problems with older F-14s which were pneumatic, hydraulic and electronic flight systems vs F-18s which were fly by wire and much easier to control. I was getting ready to get out when the squadron began work ups (getting ready for cruise by flying to the ship to test out new crew). I told my chief and my shop that this new lady pilot was going to die. 6 months later here is the story: http://articles.latimes.com/1994-10-27/news/mn-55338_1_dagny-hultgreen My sister was in the Navy and I didn't have a problem with women being on ships or in the Navy, I just knew that certain jets shouldn't be flown by women. I also didn't think that a woman could be in certain aspects of Aviation because of the heavy labor, but we couldn't speak out and say much and today, I typically avoid the dialogue. Planes are easier to fly now. The F-14 is retired and most female pilots are assigned to fly-by-wire aircraft squadrons or as Rios or Navigators... but I wasn't wrong and if someone had listened to me when I was taking my terminal leave that lady would probably be alive. They trained her on F-14 Ds and sent her to a squadron with the oldest jets at Miramar...bad move altogether.
  4. It's just sitting in my computer. Started it years ago and never got around to finishing it once I became a professor. Now that I'm running this business, I don't write like that very often.
  5. I wanted to try and vote for you, but I don't know a lot of the people or subjects in the categories and it's forcing me to pick one. Sorry about that. Good luck though!
  6. There wasn't any race discrimination. People need to stop looking for something if they weren't a part of it simply to create a book or expose something that wasn't there; in my opinion. I experienced zero race issues while in the Navy from 90-98 Active, Reserve and Inactive. The military for me was the one place where your race didn't really matter. You could either fix the jet or you couldn't. You either passed the test, or you didn't. You either did your job or you didn't. When I was snatched away from in front of a propeller while on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-72 when I was in VF-114, it was by a white boy. When I prevented a huffer from rolling down the flight deck and hitting someone, it was to help a white boy. We all worked 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week. We all went to the Philippines before heading to the Gulf to rescue and move people from Manilla to Cebu after Mt. Pinatubo. When we were finally able to get off the ship, my crew that I ran with, my boys, had a Vanilla Ice, a Puerto Rican, Blacks and Zu, Yu and Edu. It was the fucking UN. During my second cruise I was one of the only sailors to make 3rd class in one of the toughest rates in the Navy. AE (Aviation Electrician's Mate). Our PO in charge was Black. We all had shitty chiefs who we knew were probably bigots, but we held our own issues with each other and it didn't affect the way the squadron was run. If you did your job and everyone made it in safe it was good. if we lost someone, which we did in a plane crash while doing sorties in the Gulf, we all shed tears together. The only issue with race was more white guys went to OCS so we had more White officers than Blacks and the Black officers we had tended to be more standoffish than the White ones. If you want to ask me a question, then fire away right here on this forum and maybe someone else will jump in and offer their POV, but before I went in the Navy, I should have been killed or in jail. The Navy saved my life. This is only my version as an Enlisted Sailor. Now, I think maybe if you want a different perspective you should focus your search on guys who were probably E-5 and above with more than 8 years in. Those guys will probably have a completely different view than me.
  7. I get what you are writing, but it fails to address the primary point addressed in the video, when Facebook articles kicks in the articles will be read on Facebook. What you are assuming is that people will eventually click through to an RSS and by my own research they don't. In all honesty RSS feeds only work with high powered tech sites or sites that don't really need the traffic that arrives from a feed. What you have to consider is most people don't have feeds enabled on their site. They aren't even aware that they can do so through their CMS. But even by chance, everything you wrote is to the benefit of Facebook. Anytime you see Facebook native it is in regard to the content remaining on Facebook to improve their numbers. What I have is not a bias. I can't speak for Troy, but I've been reading and following his own tests in regard to the ability for Facebook to generate consistent traffic and social media simply does not do very well for non-social media that requires a person to actually click through and visit your site. You are excellent proof of this as you aren't even on Facebook, yet your site is gaining ground. Which leads me to this question, why would you even defend something that you don't use yourself? What Facebook articles is, in essence, is a frame. When a person utilizes a frame your website does not get a page view/load. This takes away the impression on that ad. You can be an advocate and look at the other side, but doing so means that you would be okay with losing ad impressions. Now, when a frame is used the ads very rarely show up. What's worse is this detail in the following quote reaffirms my thoughts: But there’s still an open question about what the impact of Instant Articles is for publishers. Facebook significantly restricts how many ads publishers can show in Instant Articles. According to its policy, “Each ad must be separated by a minimum of 350 words. If your article consists primarily of images or media, ads must not exceed 15% of the content.” For some sites, that’s fewer ads than they’re accustomed to showing. Meanwhile, the stripped down, sterilized design format can remove important links that help recirculate traffic to a publisher’s other posts, and that encourage people to pay for subscriptions, buy event tickets, or sign up for newsletters. The Wall Street Journal reports some publishers are now earning as much per click to an Instant Article as to a traditional page. But that doesn’t factor in the decreased likelihood of subsequent page views. http://techcrunch.com/2016/02/17/instant-articles/ As always this is a good, productive discussion and it is one that lurkers and posters will benefit from.
  8. Damn, they sound like us. These guys get it. They understand that utilizing social to share your info without making it just a link on social is dangerous. The goal should be to get people back to your site. Those who don't really look into their statistics are going to be seduced into thinking they are reaching and building their audience with Facebook's new tool. All they will be doing is adding another step in the conversion process. Troy, there isn't a black site that will cover this. We should do a Google Hangout and discuss this.
  9. Until Facebook decides to create an ad publishing system everything they do will only benefit them and give us "potential" revenue. As far as I'm concerned if I can't monetize it, I will use it for what it's for and that's to connect to friends and family. My main point is providing content to Facebook can potentially earn you revenue. But until Facebook develops an ad program and actually says the words "content providers can apply for Facebook Adsense" or something like that, then Facebook is a not that vital to non-entertainment business ventures. IN MY OPINION. I can only provide evidence based on what I've done which is why I draw the same conclusion as Troy. I say it a lot, but it's always worth repeating, content is king and community creates revenue. Oh and if you build that community via social media you are adding one more step in the process of monetizing that community which hurts you.
  10. You are nuts. I mean N-U-T-S. Get another hobby. I don't have time for people who live their life behind a screen name. I live in plain view and say the things I want, with a profile pic and contact information. You on the other hand, talk a big game, but in the time that I've seen you post all of your "wisdom" I don't know who you are. If I came at you sideways, you'd know it for certain, but I wasted a lot of screen time going back and forth with you on another thread. So I'm only giving you about three posts of my time so this is it. If anyone wants to know who a fruitcake is, all they have to do is take a moment and look at all that you've written in response to people. All they have to do to know me is visit my websites to discover who I am and what I stand for... You on the other hand are a clown.
  11. Huh? I honestly don't get what you just wrote. I'm not mad, just saying that the way you phrased your comment looks like an attempt at questioning why I didn't witness men when I was growing up. Did you honestly go back and count what I liked and didn't like? You are one nutty chick, lol.
  12. Sara if it wasn't a question then it has to be an underhanded way of saying I was lying since you can't believe that I wasn't around men early in life, but everyone is starting to realize that's just how you get down. I've known that since our last hurrah, but thought I'd give you a response since you snuck it in as a way to say you didn't believe me and that you don't respect Troy. I guess I'm reading between the lines.
  13. I was digging the dialogue, but I guess it did detract from the original point of the post which was to highlight the book. I definitely think the discussion though is healthy enough to carry to another thread, or it can be left alone. I will make an effort now to keep my points on the original post.
  14. Not to turn the discussion but I just saw this and thought of this discussion: http://news.yahoo.com/exposure-air-pollution-could-increase-risk-obesity-112047443.html My first thought was this is kind of a support system for your discussion, but what it fails to do is to consider that Mississippi is one of the most unhealthiest states in the country, but as far as air pollution it's almost non-existent. This article does what I think you've done. You've given a theory that has legs, but is just hard to conceptualize for me.
  15. I have never been one to knock the idea that being efficient at business is art, but this is not what I'm talking about. I'm saying her music lacks in creativity and substance. There really isn't any originality. I'm not willing to shift the discussion of her artistry in music, to her overall ability to earn money with her skill. The original point and discussion is in regard to how many people see Formation as "game/life" changing. It simply isn't and when you look at these lyrics When he fuck me good I take his ass to Red Lobster, cause I slay When he fuck me good I take his ass to Red Lobster, cause I slayIf he hit it right, I might take him on a flight on my chopper, cause I slay Drop him off at the mall, let him buy some J's, let him shop up, cause I slayI might get your song played on the radio station, cause I slay I might get your song played on the radio station, cause I slayYou just might be a black Bill Gates in the making, cause I slay I just might be a black Bill Gates in the making I mean I could take any section of this song and when I post it, it becomes clear that this is not this: I got a middle finger for mass media mute the news'Cause when the gun draws received a million viewsWhich gives me the right to break the rulesSay fuck the radio if the people can't pick and chooseWhile BET gets screwed by ViacomThe new revolutionary is shyamanIt's not brush fire rap, it's five alarmMotivational music after I am goneMy inner visions, mysticism call me Mr. WisdomThey wanna turn the globe into a prisonAnd being sick is better than being dead'Cause when you sick and in bed, you're indebted to medsCloned chickens walking around without headsThe food is contaminated, the water got lead in itPopulation control, make the babies sickAll these 5G chips, are you for 86?This is a war against consciousnessControlling your soul, sort of a psychological dictatorshipAnd we are on the front linesGuilty as charged if intellect is a crime So attempting to justify what Beyonce does as art, with support is cool. If it was a paper in college I would give you an A, since you have created an idea/thesis and supported it, but I would not agree with it because it has an element of a red herring that takes the discussion away from how "Formation" is now a rallying cry and a symbol of the "best Black History Month" ever. It simply isn't. Beyonce is married to a very wealthy man who got there because he was a drug dealer. Too often we fail to look at just where Jay started and only look at where he is. I've had multiple opportunities to do things the illegal way. Jay Z does not impress me. If you remove the drug money from Rocafella music there isn't any money to create and promote. Would he have been Jay-Z without that? Who knows, but it shouldn't be celebrated. When you two state that she benefits from his business acumen, that doesn't say a lot to me either because, once again dude killed his own people to get where he is. I commend her business savvy. She is definitely a role model. She is a dope performer, but the notion that Formation is "groundbreaking" really is a sad testament to how little it takes to impress us as a people when there are so many more empowering things that could be presented as evidence of our power and greatness. Oh and I definitely disagree with your statement that there is no separation between business and artistry. You need to clarify that. I've I ask you to "scan a line of poetry giving me the breakdown of the poem and whether it is using trochee or dactyls and why the poet chose to use a substitute foot," more than likely you will have no damn idea of what I just said without researching or looking up what I'm asking. The creation of a poem using poetic meter has absolutely nothing to do with business. Can it generate business? Yes, but creation is not a business thing and should not be so easily lumped in with it to prove a point.
  16. Mel, I'm talking about musically and if you go back to the beginning of this I already established all that you wrote with the statement that as a business person she should be respected. I'm talking artistry, let's not confuse what I'm talking about here.
  17. Right, but my main point is for this to be happening it isn't just a Black thing. It's a human thing that affects all of us, because unless these areas with Heavy metal poisoning have a valve that can be shut on and off, white flight is a real thing. Most of the areas where Blacks live, Whites used to live, so your theory is flawed simply based on the fact that many of the places Blacks lived, whites now live through gentrification. If your theory is correct there should be a heavy spike in violence and health issues in the White community now by default. I'm not saying the poisoning doesn't happen. I'm just not accepting the idea of the increase of violence in the Black community is a metal issue. If I have to do a correalative essay to begin to analyze the years from 1970-86 and how this is the era that literally created the problems today I just might do that and if you'd like to add to that discussion with an analysis on Heavy metal as a contributor, then I will nod my head when I'm reading it and say "yep". Right now even if I googled it, it's a suspect theory and your comments about the gangs in Dago proves my point. For an area from Southeast Dago to Sweetwater and Bario Logan down to the Border to be affected enough to have Latinos, Asians and Blacks killing each other, that would be amazing considering the amount of area that would cover and the fact that it would have to avoid high scale Latino neighbhorhoods like Eastlake and Lemon Grove. I guess I'm not arguing with you...I'm only saying I place the real emphasis on choices and decisions made by people and the crack epidemic and post Vietnam issues of Black America.
  18. Like I said, over all of these years I have never really written anything about Beyonce, I've never bought any music, the most I've done was enjoyed the Terrence Howard BET Lap dance which any guy would enjoy, lol. This will probably be the last time I actually say anything about her because as I said, nothing she does is groundbreaking and if you take a look at my site the artists I typically spend energy on are independent artist who are creating new sounds. I just find it really strange that the defense of Beyonce and this current "firestorm" is over a video where she actually doesn't say anything and utilizes imagery that gets people to talk. As a small biz person, if I really analyze what she's done I would say it was just an attempt at finally "killing" her nemesis Rihanna. This was one of the most amazing roach spray tactics I've ever seen. She effectively wiped Rihanna off of the map who had just released an album only a few days earlier. As a business person the move was savvy, but if she was "really" about empowerment of women she wouldn't have dealt her sister girl such a low blow. As a sidenote, the person who directed Beyonce's Formation video is the same person who completed disregarded and disrespected Native Americans in a previous video. If that doesn't make you wonder about how empowering the project is, I don't know what will.
  19. Damn I never expected the word Saraian to be a thing! LOL! I thought I posted my thoughts on the other post about Flint and Lead Poisoning. The reason I don't think this theory can be proven throughout the country is based on my living experiences in LA, San Diego and now back in Memphis. Let's take Memphis. We have one of the highest murder rates in the country and crime rates. We are also one of the Blackest cities in the country. We have people in power positions throughout Memphis, so a lot of the racism and classism that exists in other places is just not the same in Memphis. Now, one of the most crime filled areas in Memphis is an area named Hickory Hill. According to your theory part of the reason that this area could possibly have such a poor school system and crime is that it could potentially have lead poisoning. The only way what you are saying makes sense is if you are only analyzing Flint. Only Flint... because just looking at what I'm about to write disproves your theory in relation to a majority Black city with high crime in a particular area. Hickory Hill up until about 20 years ago was primarily White. There aren't many apartment complexes. There are single family homes. Around 20 years ago Memphis began getting rid of the projects. Interestingly enough crime was much lower in the projects than it is in Hickory Hill. The murder rate and crime doesn't even compare in some instances. Once the projects began shutting down the housing in this area turned into section 8 rentals and the condos/townhomes also became section 8. According to your logic, this should have decreased some of the problems over the last 20 years since lead poisoning takes time to manifest. Since the people no longer lived in the projects in 20 years the way of life should have improved and violence should have decreased... this has not happened. It has increased. This year alone only two months in and we've had 34 murders. Now I can look at San Diego where the Blacks are pretty much concentrated to Southeast San Diego, but so are all of the minorities and immigrants for the last 30+ years. Crime and violence is higher in Bario Logan and south near the border at Chula Vista because you have a lot of the cartels and gangs coming from Tijuana. I mention this to say again that unless you are only talking about Flint, crime and violence in San Diego has very little to do with the possibility of lead poisoning and more to do with the fact that in Southeast San Diego there is a corner called the 4 corners of death where a Blood street intersects with a Crip street. Remember though I said there is a huge immigrant populations and the Africans (Sudanese, Ethiopian, Congo, etc) are some of the highest performing kids in the district. Even the Black kids who are in the gangs overcome their surroundings in many cases. I know these are isolated introductions, but my point is if you said South Memphis has a lot of factories and therefore a lot of kids have asthma and this leads to health issues and potentially other issues, then yes I can definitely agree with you... but I grew up in the hood and many of the people I know did as well. We didn't see any killing and violence until the Reagan Era and Crack and gangs came into play. I tend to blame the problems of Blacks in American on the time following the death of Dr. King and the introduction of crack. All of the problems of Black America can really be tied to that moment in time. 1970-88. The lead poisoning is just an additional hurdle.
  20. I'm cool with artists being artists... BUT I do want my artists to be like Nina Simone. I want my artists to be acutely aware of their environment and what is happening. I can't expect Beyonce to really create anything that is too challenging. She never has, so if the extent of her ability to show "awareness" is "Independent" and "Formation", it's what I expect. I am just dumbfounded that people found that empowering. The lyrics alone make it one of the oddest juxtapositions of imagery and lyrical content in music. I guess my point was that we have a very low bar, in my opinion, when Formation is something to be celebrated. Like Sara, I am not her core audience.
  21. Does Facebook have a measurement of how long the video was watched? I guess ultimately it doesn't matter because as we both know that video is not social content (music, art, something funny) so it doesn't give you notoriety or the interest to create other opportunities. Most importantly, those views on Facebook aren't monetized as they are on YouTube. The more I look at it, the more I realize even more than I have that if you are not in entertainment or selling a product that is unlike anything else, the promise and potential that Facebook offers is better served using the aspects that actually move product. For me that's Amazon ads and Google Search and of course AALBC.
  22. Okay Chasitie, please, please, please, (in my James Brown voice) install Disqus. Unlike Troy, I'm too lazy to comment when I have to sign in and I want to comment on the page. Dope post again! Love the appropriation of "Blacker the Berry"! You killed that. It's a good analysis. I still hate Squarespace because no one seems to know how to add ads to their platform, but that's a different story. It was a good post though.
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