Troy

Sara did level of vicious ad hominem attack, which in my view crossed the line. I would not put pioneer in the same category.

No again, you may write what you want. I know. I was just saying I extend the same "benefit" to Pioneer. I rarely ban people. The last one was Sara -- way back when. In hindsight, I probably should not have banned her (on your advice). I could have redacted her post.

If you listen to the right-wing radio you'll easily get it. Try streaming 77 WABC out of New York for a dose. Then try stream any southern radio station that is not an NPR affiliate. The protests by themselves will accomplish nothing. That is not how laws and legislators are changed. Politicians are motivated by money. It takes less physical effort to hurt Meta than it does to march in the street. we probably can get more productive legislation passed by leveraging Meta than we can hollering in the streets. But since we are mentally incapable of staying off Instagram or Facebook for 5 minutes this will never happen. The only thing that will force change it the system imploding on itself after Elon, Mark, Sam and other become multi-trillionaires and 90% of the Earth's population is living in abject poverty.

Yeah, we had that too! That guy selling food cleaned up too. I was too boogie to even think about buying anything to eat from that setup LOL! This spot was just two blocks from the original location of Mosque #7 (where Malcolm X preached). That area is changing. I do miss it sometimes, but what I miss is long gone.

@aka Contrarian as far as I'm concerned, you've earned the right to write anything you want here. I'm sure most people here enjoy your insights. You are that combination I referenced as "Gold" in a recent exchange with Profd. Now as far as your exchanges with Pioneer coming "out a post office bag" (is funny twist on a term I have not heard in a long time), he has the liberty, in all fairness, to dish out the same

Pretty much your whole body of expression here LOL. Case in point.

Yeah, I was reacting to your statement; "Most of it takes very little effort." I would say some 40% of it requires more than a "little effort," like hitting the gym. For example, do you think the majority of brothers (or sistas) hit the gym regularly and are in good physical condition? I listened to a couple of Samuels videos on the urging of one of my boys. Do you have a favorite that you can share here? Maybe start a new conversation.

Sorry, I have not been following this conversation. I feel behind during my brief absence. I did, just now, skim the comments; I did not see anything to warrant a warning

I don't believe it -- seriously. This can't be true. I've been in some hood spots, but I have never seen anything like this. I'd agree the barber professions has changed. It would be nice to treat myself to a professional shave -- you know with the oils hot towel, warm lather, reclined in a proper chair, but those were the old days. Perhaps things have declined. The barbershop I described also has a masseuse. It really was a men's salon. My barber was a sister -- the only woman to ever cut my hair she was cute with a mice personality. This business did not survive it was in Harlem, but I guess the demographic could not support an upscale men's salon -- I guarantee it would have made it in the DMV or ATL. Now the barbershop I went to was not nearly as bad as you described. They had ghetto tendencies selling bootleg DVD's, Viagra, and God knows what else. Cuts there were 20 bucks $20 with the tip this was for the early aughts. Getting a shave was out of the questions unless you wanted a brother to run the clippers over your face. That business did not survive either. I think the younger cats started going to the "celebrity" barbers rather than the old-school neighborhood shops

No. I Black overseer then and today is part of the problem. Marcus Garvey. I tend to agree with this statement. Humans have evolved to preserve themselves most strive to do. If every African were not ignorant to the fact that they were being transported to a foreign land to be worked to death and that their descendants would suffer the same fate for generations -- I doubt many of those ships would have made it across Atlantic.

They would simply get a different judge to preside over the case. OK then, I could care less. They don't I was just providing a scenario to make a point. I could have said loving couple. If a woman wants to be a stripper, I'm fine with that. Now whether or not it is a "bad" thing is a different question, to that I say it depends. When it comes to humans everything is not Black and white as you like to think about it. I've been to the DMV a lot and I would put those sistas up against any in the US The question is not nearly as provocative as you are making it seem. It is simply a variation on "Do onto others..." Of that list of 10, I'd agree about 1/2 if it is easy and should be done whether you are trying to attract a woman of not. "Having a great conversation" is a skill. The same with "being knowledgeable." Many people are surface thinking deeply requires effort. Both go hand-in-hand. If you find yourself someone with those to two characteristics and a sense of humor, you have gold my friend

@Pioneer1 also related is that I reread that press release recently and thought to myself that Pristina is perhaps the only person's name I read connected to the organization that I do not know. I'm pretty sure Pristina is "Black," though I'm not interested enough to do additional research. I think is does matter on some level if the person sending the press release is Black, so I'd bet she is.

If the Borther or sista is useless what difference does it make. If the overseer is another enslaved Black man does that help? Does having Clarence Thomas on the Supreme court help?

Man, when I was getting my hair cut 15 years ago in NYC that is what it cost then. But they sanitized their products. T he last place I went they gave out drinks -- whisky. Freddy Jackson sat in the chair next to me once that was back in 2007 around the time, I decided to go bald. I have no idea what my hair would look like today. I assume I'm mostly gray. I thought about letting it grow out, out of curiosity.

It is a perfectly fair question, as it reveals a level of hypocrisy... Don't you think? Obviously, it would be impossible for me to have an opinion on the matter. I don't have a problem a married couple procreating of rolling around in the hay for kicks -- including my mom. Where did you get that from? Seems like you would have run out of straw by now LOL! Joe was an interesting talk show host. I miss him. Intelligent, financially well off, tall, handsome, musicians living in the DMV, like @ProfD (where there are plenty of sistas) have no problem attracting women they find desirable. The rest of us schlubs have to settle for who we get LOL!

I gave him a pass because he’s blind and probably surrounded by yes, men.

Yeah, MasterCard and Visa make more money. when you tap, the merchant actually pays more because it’s treated as if it’s a credit card not present (non-signature) transaction. That is my understanding anyway. The system is broken and rigged! Most New Yorkers that I talk to was not in favor of Eric one of my closest friends called a “scoundrel.”

that is hard to imagine the ones in high places seem to propagate the same imagery. Sounds like the stuff of speculative fiction and the world of Wakanda. Would you feel differently if it was your mother or daughter, twirling around naked on a pole and turning tricks in the champagne room? Money, obviously. Melaniia?

You don’t need the with bald heads part. lol! The worst are those brothers rockin the dread locks with the George Jefferson hairline, I was always on the lazy side when it came to my hair so cutting it off works for me. I can’t be bothered to shave every day though. Once or twice a week generally is enough and about all I can muster.

The "Me Too" movement, the suffrage movement, the women's liberation movement, etc. profound critique of white men by white women. Exactly. We call out Black-owned businesses because white-own is the default. No one is obligated to do this work. People who do it see a need and for some reason are motivated to address often a great personal sacrifice. When you say "civil war" are you talking about one between the classes or races? Yeah. Gregory was great in his prime a terrific comedian and a humanitarian. Toward the end he was going on about contrails, for example, and it was hard to listen to as he got agitated with people who question of did not blindly buy into the conspiracy theory.

What?! OK, I have to succumb to my basin nature and find that showI Wow! did they actually use the pronoun “ther?”

The lobbyists wanted "real people" to tell their stories. There were a bunch of booksellers from across the country who participated. I rolled with folks lobbying for Racetrac and Wawa. Did you know credit card sipe fees was their second largest expense behind salaries? The margins for their operations are less 3 to 4%. MasterCard and Visa have margins of 50% enjoying an effective monopoly and a much larger war chest to keep politicians in their pockets. I used to complain about the government about allowing Google and Meta to run rough shod over the internet and our people. But they get away with it because they have greedy politicians in their pocket. Trump has exploited this to the hilt. This system is broken. I'm not even sure if it is repairable. You need legislators who are unbought and unbossed. We are grasping for straws in desperation first Obama, then Trump. Now the 33-year-old Muslim socialist in NYC has won the democratic nomination for mayor.

Absolutely -- especially since I can't offer them anything to replace that need. Who says? Sure, one could make that argument. No, but they chase them down and devour them alive eat them alive. In this country it is actual slavery. I drove pass a prison here on the Florida panhandle where there were fields inmates worked.

...yeah @Pioneer1, thick. Badu is 54. How old is that photo? Melania epitomizes that "Resting Bitch Face" phrase people have been using lately. It looks like Bill gates and Donald use the same hairdresser. What is up with Mark Z's hair? Why are these buys, like Elon Musk, so afraid of going bald?

EXACTLY! Ex-military, Trump supporter ... obviously biased by my Florida environ LOL! Yeah, they have you believing the is one race and respecting woman as equals in no time. LOL! Knowing @Pioneer1 he's found unspeakable use of her unique attribute. Seriously, is she/they an actual living human being?! I'm surprised no one has made a reality TV show of her/them or at least a documentary.