Troy

Yes, @Mel Hopkins I was speaking about a life partner (of course this is a subject I'm more interested in lately). The questions you posed for @Pioneer1 are good ones. For the sake of clarity, I'm talking about a life partner that you are also making love to. I think both men and women have varying levels of sex drives over time. @Pioneer1 you should also consider the fact that our culture demonizes women who express a strong sexual desire and place an opposite pressure on men -- if you have not banged at least 10 women before you got out of high school and knocked a few up -- you must be a fag 😉 Pioneer, could it be possible that our male dominated culture as manipulated you into believing something about human sexuality that is not supported in our biology?

Yeah today people who start smoking are being manipulated to do so. The fact that cigarettes are addictive just complicates things. The fact they they will kill people makes it just evil. There have been a lot of articles recently that stated that no amount of alcohol is good for you. Will I stop drinking probably not -- at least not until I finish all the alcohol I have in my home 🙂 After a lifetime of conditioning and 40+ years of drinking (yeah we started early in my neighborhood) it will take some effort to stop. But common sense says I should stop. So I recognize that I'm being manipulated in this case.

Well that is true. Can the one who is truly controlled actually have the self awareness to know that they are being controlled? I don't think they can. This why if is often so difficult to convince one who is being controlled that this is indeed the case. We know people are being manipulated by through the cell phones through social media and other apps without their knowledge. Those being manipulated when made aware of it always deny it, say it does not matter, or find some other way to dismiss it the impact. This is the true definition of manipulation. We are all being manipulated. Some to a greater extent than others...

Because these sites do have the true numbers either. Del you know as well as I do that you can believe everything you read on the Internet -- bottom line Terrui and Tony are probably in the same ball park as far as net worth is concerned which was the point of your I was contesting. Obviously I don't think you are a "lazy" reader in general, because you are quite well read in the subjects that interest you. However you obviously are not sufficiently motivated to read Beloved. I was just trying to convince that it was worth investing the effort to try, but then you got all bent out of shape. Whoa! That was a low blow Brother... low are you trying to insult me 😉

Oh, OK Mel it is just you and I talking (and whoever else wants to join in). You are not researching for a Wall Street Journal article. Still, there are not that many Black authors being published. I would not be so quick to dismiss my anecdotal evidence given the number of people involved -- especially since you don't have any al all... Sure Mel, but how do you think that content becomes popular in the first place? Whose platforms does this popularity exist? Whose algorithms determine which content rises to the top? When you answer those 3 questions you will be begin to understand how gatekeeping works.

OK $24 and $40 are essentially the same given the fact that these site do not have access either woman's financials and are largely guessing. Also why did you not take the information for each women from the same site so that we have a bit more certainty that at least the same methodology was used. In any event, you make it sound like all Tony got were some awards while terry got all the loot which is not exactly supported -- even with the specious "information" you've provided. At the of the day, none of it this justifies why you felt insulted by a simple observation and a stab at an explanation. I already know why you asked whether I read Beloved and why you refuse to respond to my inquiry as to why you did it 😉

Mel, here you go again: you want to tell me about TV and film and female celebrities -- when I'm talking about books, and more specifically as they relate to the invisibility of middle aged Black men. The data that you are requesting for Black books does not exist. My information is based upon 20 years of observing the publishing industry and tracking published authors. As far as advances this is based upon conversation, usually confidential, I've had with authors. They complain about not getting new deals or getting advances so low they they either stopped writing, went to an indie publisher, or just self published. Virtual all of them are making less money. What is your source of information @Mel Hopkins? Actually, I probably have enough data to run a meaningful query of titles published by the big five over time. It won't be perfect, but it will be better than anything that is currently available and an excellent proxy. I'll run the query tomorrow and look over the data for any potential biases. Lets see if the huge explosion of Black books is revealed. Mel for every so called break out author you scrape up, I'll tell you about Big five Black imprint that shut down along with the professional who worked in them. Even if I entertain your distractions, where are all the movies you are talking about? ...Let me think Black Panther, Sorry to Bother You, and Black BlacKkKlansman” you can tell me about the names of the 3 or four others... but with the year 3/4 over it sounds like par-for-the-course to me. Also, how to you define "gate Keeper?" In terms of movies I define it as someone who can green light a major motion pitcure. Are there really that many Black folks in that position today? Or are we still talking about less than a handful? Again, I can't talk to TV the only thing I'm watching now is Bill Maher and John Oliver's shows, Luke Cage, and Fauda. So I'm not going to talk to you about that. Besides I've already explained my thing on the issue So Apple is in the movie business now wow! You realize there will be a glut of movies and there will be some losers -- big ones. Don't think for one second that Black folks won't feel the greatest impact when this bubble explodes. As competition the competition heats up there will be downward pressure on subscriptions prices. The ones with the most cash will win... This will result in gate-keeping steroids!

Del my engagement with you on this topic demonstrates patience if nothing else.

No Mel, book deals by Black people are fewer and those signed are getting smaller advances (at least not compared to the early 2000's). Perhaps I know this because I'm looking at the actual books published and not at social media. Here is a list of up coming books ow many of the really bug books are y talking about am I missing: https://aalbc.com/books/comingsoon.php I can't speak to movies but it is not like there have been an explosion of Black movies lately -- unless I'm missing something. Do tell. As far as TV, the streaming services are competing for content I image that this drive higher demand for any quality content. But I suspect, if history is any indicator, any benefit to Black folks will be short lived and really only benefit a few.

I'm reading Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now by Jaron Lanier -- which I'm sure does not surprise anyone here 🙂 I just finished reading, Raisins in Milk by David Covin and interesting story based upon his family. I also in the middle of Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo” by Zora Neale Hurston, which is out online book club pick.

...mic drop! Hey @Cynique why didn't you just say that in the first place 🙂 This are the articles that deserve a big platform IMHO. I'm clipping this one now.

LOL! But how can you joke about this when your progeny will have to live through the nonsense?

Yes @Delano all of Seuss' books have a deeper meaning. This was something that escaped me as a child, and that only I discovered while reading them to my own children as an adult -- the deeper meaning only increased the pleasure of reading his books to my children. This is why the books are so special to me. Again comparing Seuss to Morrison is only an insult to you in your own imagination. Now my comments are chauvinistic too?! Del now you are just talking crazy I'm not going to even try to defend that Is the real problem your contempt for elitists? Is that why you are so hyper-sensitive on this issue? Did an elitist hurt you in the past? Also, don't be so sure the Terry has more money Toni. While I'm sure Terry is no pauper. Toni is very well off perhaps far better off the Terry. Besides, since when did money become your barometer for success? Also, in case you missed me asking the question the last 4 times, why Del did you ask me if I read Beloved?

I prefer Cyniques response to anything Rock might say on pretty much any topic--especially women 😉

I went to the Bronx Zoo when I went to BTHS biology class freshman year. We spend the day getting high 😞 That as far as I can recall was my only field trip. Did you got on many? My big trip in grade school was a bus ride to Washington DC as a kid in the 5th grade. First time I stayed in a hotel room. This was all due to the effort of one teacher, who, years later was convicted of child molestation... We also went to a trip to Sleepy Hollow (home of the headless horseman, you probably went there) and the Central Park Zoo. A gorilla threw poop and hit ones of my classmates -- it happened just like it did in the movie Cooley High LOL. We did go on some trips and we also many things kids don't have today. My elementary school did not have much or do much, but my Jr. High school was much better. I'm always surprised me to here how few resources schools have in NYC claim to have. We had so much more and the city was struggling financially. We also did not have the additional funding provided by the lottery. All I can assume is that the government is simply not allocating the resources to public school education did way it did when we were younger. This is probably why there are so few Black boys in the NYC specialized high schools today -- grooming these young men for invisibility 😉

My source is personal experience and talking with teachers in the NY Public schools. One teacher told me about a boy who, during a field trip to a park, pointed to over to Manhattan and asked what was that? Sound like you went to a good school @Mel Hopkins I can assure you not all schools are the same. My school did not take me to Hayden Planetarium, rockefeller center (Wow!), Museum of natural history, or the NY botanical gardens. I went to these places as an adult. You might recall Mel that the city damn ear went bankrupt when we were i grade school. You may also remember the teacher strikes during the same era. I too traveled around NYC, but it was not without risk . I group of boys in the wrong neighborhood was liable to get jumped by a gang (this happened to me a few times). I recall walking with my girlfriend in HS, we crossed int the wrong neighborhood and white kids started throwing rocks at us it was not bensonhurst but it was clearly a racially motivated event in a white neighborhood. I guess today you just get shot... @Mel Hopkins, did your family take you to Disney when you were a child?

@Mel Hopkins, you are half right. The books exist (indie authors, small presses, etc), but the are not publicized for a variety of reasons most notably a lack of platforms with a sizeable audience promoting these books. They are invisible. Are you talking about me? I know you ain't talkin' 'bout me!? What the heck you think I've been doing the last twenty years 🙂 Bottom line: one man can not do this alone. I can tell you this because it comes from 20 years of experience, neither the culture or the media are aligned to publicize these books. Oh my, you could not be MORE wrong about that statement. One could always write what they wanted, but the gatekeepers are in full effect. The web and technology promised to help bring these walls down, but they are as high as ever -- perhaps higher. Yes I'm a bookseller and PW is a trade rag, so I would not expect it to be consumed by a casual reader. My job is to pull out the good stuff for the reader's benefit. However, I do think an avid reader would get a lot out of the magazine. It is a trade rag, but it reads like a commercial publication. Obviously PW is not my only source to discover books -- otherwise i would not have very many books on the site. 😉 No, that is not a digression, you make a good point. I have active promoted Victors work from jump. I even paid him to do a reading once. I'm glad you discovered one of his book here. His book The Devil in Silver was an AALBC bestseller, but you won't read that anywhere else than on this site... you can think about that for a minute. Yes, I do have my work cut out for me; On your final point we agree 🙂

Well if you still don't understand my perspective @Mel Hopkins it is not because of a lack of me trying. 🙂 @Delano, so when it is all said and done do you still believe I was insulting you (deliberately or otherwise)? Further "elitist" or even "a bit elitist" is the last adjective one would use to describe me relative to books -- I embrace them all and have the record to prove it. Again, I suggest you (and apparently Mel) are reading things that I've written that simply are not there. You have characterised me as some dude sitting around here looking down my nose and people who fail to appreciate Morrison's work. when all I'm saying is that if you gave it a chance you might find that you like it and no it is not Dr, Suess and requires more more effort to enjoy. If you recall my response to you post about "10 books that have stayed with you," you'll also see that Dr. Seuss is on my list. I love his books -- I actually did not appreciate the morals in the stories until I began reading his books to my kids. GIve me the benefit of the doubt... If you really think I'm trying to insult you just ask. I'm sure I have in the past 😉 but this was not one of these times Bruh. I'm still curious why you asked me if I read the book.

@Mel Hopkins Yeah you are right about not caring in the about least about what Mrs. Obama wore. Same goes for all the hullabaloo over the princess' gown. I know how much effort my ex put into making her hair blond and how she complained when the the color did not come out right--it was very high maintenance. I know I don't have that kind a patience, which is one reason I shave my head and face. She definitely did not do it for me, cause I could care less what color her hair was. I guess yall are right. @Delano 🙂 then why do so many women complain about how difficult it is to find a partner and I just dont mean a f-buddy?

Well @Milton please share your ideas 🙂

Gotchu @Cynique Related side bar: What do women do to attract the attention of a man?

@Cynique lets not go off the deep end. I was not saying that millions of men agree with me and Pioneer. Indeed I mentioned "The only men to comment on this issue is Pioneer and myself. " to indicate that it indeed was ONLY two opinions. Further to suggest the women don't style their hair to appeal to men seems to be a case of denial. I'm not saying ALL women, obviously you are not one, but surely you know a significant number do-- especially ones interested in attracting a mate. I'm sure there are plenty of brothers that Love Mary Blond hair look. It is not clear if @Delano is one of them.

LOL Word! But by then I'll be wondering where the books for Black Elderly men are 😉

@Delano you are being overly sensitive. I had no intention of insulting you: I acknowledged both your intelligence and your work ethic (which most people would find complementary). I supported the complement with the fact that you earned an MBA. I believe the only reason that you do not enjoy Beloved is that you have not decided to devote the effort to do so. This is not an insult, just my opinion. I could be wrong, but it is just my assessment Why did you ask me if I read the book -- after I recommended it to Mel and after I replied to your post about 10 books that stayed with you?

The Clark Sisters are a great group -- or at lest they were. I have not listened to them in a very long time, but I have purchased a couple of their albums. and enjoy their old stuff. I could not tolerate much of the video, because it is Wendy Williams, not Michelle Obama. Wendy she has made a career of saying crazy things. Did this go viral on social media? Did wendy williams actually fall out?! She does not look very well.