Troy

The Story of the Moors In Spain by Stanley Lane-Poole was a surprise bestseller. He is English Egyptologist who died in the 1930's. His work however is recognized as being quite substantial and accurately portrays the impact of Africans in Europe. I'm reading Barracoon now. I actually visited Eatonville, last week, where Zora Neale Hurston (the author) is from.

What?! Cosby drugging a woman to suck on her toes -- he is a freaky ole devil. Well I don't think you are trying to exonerate Cosby Cynique, but your word choice does suggests some level of "condoning." For example, you wrote the women were "asleep" when in fact they were drugged and knocked unconscious. It was not like they laid down and took a nap. "Violated" seems like a euphemism too when describing what Cosby did. I'm not trying to give you a hard time Cynique, indeed I initially defended Cosby as if he were a victim of a conspiracy rather than a victim of his own sick behavior. Remember the documentation I shared over three years ago explaining how each accusers accusation was questionable? Well they "proved" Cosby "violated" that woman in PA -- and Cosby's $3MM pay off did not work! Cosby probably was never accused because he could always write a check...

Troy Definitions for the purpose of this discussion Education: The process of acquiring knowledge and learning how to apply it. This can be done through formal education and training or independently. It is not uncommon for a college education to fail miserably at providing an education and there are very educated people that never set foot on a university campus. Violence: Engaging in the activity of physically assaulting someone. This includes drugging someone and fingering them while they are unconscious (ala Mr. Cosby). But does not include Obama's military calling drone strikes. I'm talking about the action of an individual on others.

@Delano Really? {I just edited my previous post. I know most of what I posts has typos. I do edit them when they are particularly egregious (when I catch them), but my last post was almost incomprehensible. I need to take more time to correct what I write before hitting save. This is just a catch-all apology. I try to do better}

@Delano you may have missed my question why did you get an MBA? Yes I am implying that uneducated people are more prone to violence. I'm not saying that education, or lack thereof is the cause, but there is a correlation would you agree? @Cynique, what Cosby is accused of doing is a degenerate move. Now that I'm back in the dating scene, I cant image doing what Cosby did to anyone. He is a low-life. This is not date rape where "no" means "yes." He He incapacitated people by drugging them without their consent and sexually assaulted them. He really belongs in jail (assuming he is guilty). If some female I was out with drugged me then started shoving thing up my rectum. She better just cut my throat while she is at it cause when I wake up -- she was I had 4 Phds

@Delano People get an education "to make more money." See this is what I mean; I do not believe that you think so little of humanity that even you believe what you wrote. Many people go to college to improve themselves I take course from time to time to acquire more knowledge. Indeed I teach to acquire more knowledge. We all read a variety of things to learn more about the world so that we can better navigate it, to appreciate and enjoy it more. I'm surprised you'd give such a shallow callus response to the question of why people get an education. Del perhaps I was not clear because clearly or you are not understanding what I wrote. I never said education makes people less violent. I said there is a correlation. If you reread my earlier post, you'll see I did not say it was causal relationship between violence and education. I said their as a correlation: one only need to look at the educational levels of those currently incarcerated for violent crimes and compare it to the general popular to see this correlation. Let's try this: Why did you bother to wasting all that time, energy, and money getting an MBA Del? Why to you continue to read books? Are YOU doing all of this just to make more money? @Cynique, initially I agreed with you regarding Cosby, but I decided not to bother with challenging what he did as violent. I think sexual assault is a form of violence. If Cosby did that to one of mine, he would have some serious problems (I don't care how many degrees I have, somethings just bring the ghetto out of you ). If Cosby paid for his degrees, then his situation would just make my point.

@Cynique, as I wrote in reaction to Chedove this is not a black and white argument, the subject is much more nuanced as you last post illustrated. Still I'm stubbornly trying to get Del to coneed that not only is there is a difference between having an education and not having one, but that it is also better to have an education. Of course there are educated fools and brilliant people who have no formal schooling. again I'm talking about the general case. My point about an educated person being less predisposed to reacting violently over a personal slight does not mean that the difference is causal, but that there is certainly a correlation. Of course there are always exceptions, outliers, and anomalies. To use these to loosely related exceptions like, Bill Cosby, just to refute a point seems disingenuous to me. In the final analysis, Del won't answer my question "why should anyone bother to get an education?" Because the answer is obvious and it would dismantle his argument.

OK @Delano, why should anyone bother to get an education?

@Delano, You still have not answered my question. I won't pose it a 4th time. Actually when I was writing about you being touchy about your academic credentials, I was thinking about your recent reaction to K2's questioning them. You obviously feel they are important, but you won't come out and say it now. Your education distinguishes you from your less educated Brethren -- embrace it Seriously, if you don't know no one else will... indeed a problem in our culture we don't value educational achievement: it is as if learning is something white boys do. How can I know if you are posting your true thoughts? When I ask you a direct question, for clarification, you ignore it. So I, reasonably, assume you are hiding what you truly believe as not to undermine your argument, or to appear elitist, to protect Pioneer, or for some other reason I can not devine. @Cynique There is psychology that explains mob violence. It explains why otherwise compassionate people can be moved to do very evil things

It endures because the ones in charge rule with an iron fist... and you better not mess with their money! There will be a movie made about the kids ordeal I'm sure. It made for perfect the very lucrative "entertainment news" we provide. Honestly I grew tired of hearing about the story. But again other more important stories don't lend themselves to reporting like this story. The individuals were immobile so camera crew could be set up easily, it was good for at least a couple of weeks of infotainment, the story was a cliffhanger, even Elon Musk got involved for a plot twist -- a diver even died during the effort. Wow. Children raised in America, truth be told, would not have been placed in that position. We generally don't endanger our little darlings in such a fashion.

I think you are on to something The problem is that it is hard to operate in our current system where the greedier you are the more you are rewarded. The more you can destroy you "competition" the better you are perceived. If you company can grow more profits buy paying works less -- it is all good. Black people will continue to be influenced by what you describe as "caucasian economics" because this is the yardstick that we measure ourselves. This has never served us, but I don't see it changing anytime soon. When the whole system collapses (it is not likely any of us will be around when it happens), perhaps then we will see productive change.

See this is what makes debating you guys impossible: Del does not answer any directly posed questions and Pioneer (like) Del continue to introduce extraneous issues that have nothing to do with the core point I've made. Pioneer we were talking about violence initiated because of minor slights like talking about one's mother, when you cherry picked my quote you took it out of context. Pioneer, as an educated man, I'm not about to go up to anyone and talk about their mother. Your proposed "experiment" is just silly. Did you really expect me to do that, to disprove your point? You are Del are so desperate, you'll dredge up anything you can come up with to confuse and muddle the point I made, and still stand buy, which is: Less educated people are more likely to react violently when someone speaks about the mother than more educated people. This includes additional other perceived personal slights like stepping on ones shoes or getting cut off it traffic. All these issues raised about presidents sending people to wars, degenerates like Bill Cosby, or white collar crime are besides the point. Pioneer says he would react violently if someone spoke about his mother. Again I suggest this is a function of his education. Del refuses to answer the question because he knows admitting that he would behave in such a fashion would make him look childish. Plus Del does concede points easily -- instead he obfuscates the issue with unrelated points and engages in name calling (like calling me elitist when he knows full well I'm not). While Del does not concede points easily he will do it from time to time. Pioneer on the other hand never admits he made a mistake, was wrong, or even misunderstood something (@Delano pioneer must be a fixed sign right?) Obviously, as I pointed out to @Chevdove, these issues are not as cut and dried as my bold faced statement above makes may make it seem.

Congrats on 15 years! I remember the day I met you. Feels like two life times ago so much has changed.

I just updated Stubb's page with his story: https://aalbc.com/authors/author.php?author_name=Stubbs I only have one book for Stubbs can you tell me which ones I'm missing. I hope he no longer lives a life of crime

I seriously doubt Cora Daniels has ever lived in a Ghetto. Cosby and others who believe all folks have to do is pull their pants up and everything in the Ghetto will change over night are either woefully ignorant or doing give a damn about the people they are talking about. How you live is a function of where you live not the other way around. People under stress and separate behave in ways comfortable and well off people don't understand. Books like GhettoNation usually leave out off of the exogenous factors that play a role in creating the conditions of a Ghetto. From the lack of government services including adequate schools, trash removal -- in some cases even water! Lack of banking services including loans. hyper policing including onerous fines and incineration for moniro offenses ignored in other communities. Lack of political presentation due to redlining, and on and on. We could get rid of ever single ghetto tomorrow if the people in ghetto were treat the way everyone else was and is treated - with some God damned compassion.

Yes the book, Becoming, comes out in November. It is sure to be a bestseller. I'm not exactly a fan of the cover, but the cover really does not matter in this case.

Del I don't think anyone doubt 45 is a charlatan, a snake oil salesman, dishonest, and a crook. The issue at hand is will they get him booted from office in less than 6 months. Sure this is possible but exceedingly unlikely. I'll pass on the $100 bet for now. It is funny how bad 45 is. The article shows, he refused to pay a guy below. The guy had to sue and was only paid $158K. Martin Greenberg, who sued the Trump National Golf Club after it failed to pay him a promised $1 million for scoring a hole-in-one at a charity golf tournament.

Del I won't argue with straw man, nor will I argue for absolutes. There are no absolutely when you deal with human being, so you can always fine an exception. I'm speaking about people in general, so if you want to believe that Phds are just as likely to commit crimes as a highschool drop out and that there are no differences between to the two people, then carry on. We'll have to agree to disagree. I see the reason you continue to avoid answering my direct questions is that doing so will reveal the obvious. But you won't do that. You waste time finding some exception to the general case. In the Cosby case, if he was still living in the 'hood without the wealth and education he probably would be more "rapey."

Del, for the 3rd time: do you believe there are any inherent differences between educated people and uneducated people? Del you have a habit of avoiding my questions, while I always make an effort to answer yours. Yes, in general as a person's level of education goes up, one's propensity towards physical violence goes down. Wouldn't you agree? How many MBA do you know who are convicted of doing drive bys? I'll tell you, zero. Most perpetrators of drive bys are high school dropouts.* @Pioneer1 when was the last time you were involved in a physical fight with someone? How old were you and what did they do (assuming you did not start the altercation)? ---------- *I don't know this to be true, but it sound perfectly plausible doesn't it?

I guess we view the paragraph differently Del. When I take your $50 in January. I'll be willing to bet Trump serves his full term, but you'll have to give me odds

I read the first article Del. It is very elucidating, but there is nothing in it that suggests, even in the slightest, that 45 could be removed from office before the year is out. In fact, the article explains why even impeachment may not even happen: "But impeachment is highly unlikely in current circumstances, given that it requires a 2/3 vote in the Senate to convict. It is unimaginable that Republicans, who have tightly yoked their party to Trump, will be willing to impeach..."

@Chevdove, admittedly I've simplified a very complex topic. I too was raised that if someone put their hands you you you hit them back, but my mother did not grow up in an environment with youth gangs. I recall quite clearly backing down from two fights against dudes I could have easily beaten because they were gang members. Neither guy pushed the issue so I was able to save face (saving face, trying not to look like a punk, gets a lot of dudes "kilt.") There are many issues that result in guys killing each other for not good reason. So ignorant, uneducated, and unsophisticated parents keep the cycle of violence going dooling out bad advice to their children. One of the things that struck me is the difference in the way my kids were raised and the way I was raised -- they never had to fight. Now they are girls and it sounds crazy to say it but girls fought almost as much as the boys in my day and the girls could be more vicious. Being afraid, or rather wary of danger, on a regular basis is not a good thing. It is just stressful. I'm sure this stress is far worse for some today than it was for me. I know this is the reason people explode over minor slights. People who live in nice neighborhoods have no clue what people who live in crime ridden ghettos have to deal with. It is hard. @Delano I did explain it. I'll quote you (again): I don't think you really believe what you wrote: Of course there are inherent difference between the educated and the uneducated how on earth can you say there aren't? If there is no difference why did you bother to get a graduate degree and why do you make sure people know you have one or feel threatened when someone questions it?

@Delano Let try to nail down some specific, because you are saying things that I have not said, then using those statements as a basis for arguing my point. I would start to call you "Mr Straw Man," if Pioneer did not hold the distinction. I'm not saying you are being disingenuous because you disagree with me -- that does not make sense. I'm saying you are being disingenuous, because I don't think you are articulating what you truly believe. Perhaps it is because you don't want to appear to be elitist, as you assumed me of being. I don't know your motivation, but I simply do not believe you are arguing, truthfully, that there is no inherent difference between someone who is educated and someone that is not. How many Phd's do you think are in jail for assault? @Pioneer1, next time to you see 45, or even, Obama, kicking someone's ass because someone talked about their Momma you let me know. Shoot, I seriously doubt Obama ever had a fight; that smooth talker probably talked his way out of plenty of beat downs LOL! Now both of these guys have used the armed forces to fight their battles. That reminds me, Hillary and Obama celebration over getting Gaddafi killed was disgusting...

@Kalexander2, the name of the charity is The Literary Freedom Project Enjoy your time off! @Delano, where are you hearing this stuff? Even the most optimistic observers (rabid anti-45ers) here in the U.S. don't see 45 doing time. Again I hope you're right but I don;t see it.

I know a few CO's and sex between the staff and inmates is not uncommon at all. Getting 4 officers pregnant at the same time is extreme but obviously happens. @Pioneer1 the picture you paint of married women with children from stable middle class backgrounds is not exactly the demographic to be a correction officers who alone lay up with some inmate and have their baby. I'm sure if we took a profile of these women we will not find that they come from stable middle class backgrounds.