Troy

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Actually this year Youtube has made it much more difficult to swipe content from their website. All the browser plugins that made it easy to copy video from Youtube have stopped working. Of course this is a minor annoyance as anything in digital format can be bootlegged. I still "own" all of my old LP's I guess down the road this will be the only music I own. Just as well that music was better anyway ;-)

What is so crazy about the Dylan situation is that yesterday I went to his website and it said Winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize for Literature. I did not have time to share the link here, to demonstrate that Dylan in fact did acknowledge the win. Today however, the text acknowledging the win is gone! I wonder if Dylan will be bad enough to turn down the $900,000 too. Amazon has "Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature" in all caps and boldface on every book by Dylan. Amazon also has the book at #1 on multiple categories. As an aside: I wonder just how many categories has--there are so many #1 bestsellers, and countless top 10 books. Of course this drives sales because the authors share this nebulous accomplishment widely. Amazon is a really brilliant marketer. Here is a screenshot of the page before mention of the Nobel Prize was removed. It is odd that he is being coy about the honor. At this point he should just be like Obama. Take the honor and the money and joke about what a farce it was down the road.

Once you buy a book, CD or DVD, it’s indisputably yours and can’t be taken back by the seller. You can lend it, give it away, leave it to your heirs or sell it to a secondhand store. But the truth is that in most cases, “buying” digital content doesn’t confer any of those other rights. Rights to digital content or items have been revoked abruptly by Amazon, Apple and Barnes & Noble for a variety of reasons. Amazon stealthily removed versions of George Orwell’s “1984” and “Animal Farm” from customers’ Kindle e-readers after copyright issues arose with those versions; iTunes has removed albums from users’ accounts after the albums were withdrawn or changed by the artists or their labels; Barnes & Noble shut down a customer’s access to an e-book after the user’s credit card expired, even though the book already had been paid for. The above article is from today's LA Times, "Consumer deception? That 'Buy Now' button on Amazon or iTunes may not mean you own what you paid for" I know this to be true and it is extremely frustrating. I migrated all of my music, taking CDs I purchased and converted them to digital files that I managed using the Itunes application. After a few years I gave away all those antiquated old the CDs. Any other music I acquired I purchased at the Itunes store. I have an Ipod that I listen to my music on, but most of the time I used my Iphone to play music. My desktop crashed (they all do eventually), and I migrated from an I phone to a Samsung phone. It was a royal pain in butt to the get my music onto my new computer. I won't even go into the details, but it involved hacks, 3rd party apps, unhiding hidden files, all just to migrate music I "owned" to a new computer. I felt ripped off... because I have been. Now both of these companies want you to migrate everything to the freaking "cloud" so that they can stay in your pocket for ever. F Itunes! I'm going to be like everyone else and steal my music from youtube.

Yeah you should, but you know an increasing number of authors I encounter don't have a website. If I created a web prescence for you on AALBC.com would you share it whenever you shared information about your book?

Well Cynique if I had my way companies would not have the ability to make profits by enslaving Black people. It is not clear to my why folks are so willing to over look this thing. Just because our sensibilities are not offended with the sight of negroes in picking cotton does not make the situation any less cruel. Walmart can make money without taking advantage of enslaving people. @Cynique, you should try to catch Ava DuVernay's Documentary ‘The 13th.’ I have not seen it yet, but I heard that they talk about Walmart taking advantage of slave labor right here in the United States. And as far as fashion you definitely got me wrong on that point. I never was into brand names. Besides today, I don't have the income to waste on over priced brand-name clothing. I go for function and price over brand names. I only buy clothing when something wears out, and my clothing takes a long time to wear out. So I don't buy new clothes very often. Remember, I sell African American literature ;-)

The 13th The title of Ava DuVernay's extraordinary and galvanizing documentary refers to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which reads "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States." The progression from that second qualifying clause to the horrors of mass criminalization and the sprawling American prison industry is laid out by DuVernay with bracing lucidity. With a potent mixture of archival footage and testimony from a dazzling array of activists, politicians, historians, and formerly incarcerated women and men, DuVernay creates a work of grand historical synthesis. The film opened in a limited number of theaters two weeks ago and has been available via Netflix since October 7th. I actually have not seen it yet, but I will. I guess I have not been in such a rush to see it because I'm sure I'll learn nothing new. What made me think about it however was a conversation I'm engaged in on these forums about the prospect of Walmart boycott of shoppers, until Walmart stops using the labor of enslaved prisoners here in the United States. Given the virtually complete lack of support to the idea of boycotting Walmart it occurred to me that maybe some folks are not aware of just how bad things have gotten as a direct result of the privatization of our prison system. I strongly recommend everyone watch this film.

OK Pioneer if you are talking about the manager of high priced call girls; the person who vets the clients, ensures they are protected from STD's, manages their appointments, fine. But I'm not sure why these people would engender any more respect than the night manager at a Denny's Restaurant. When I think "pimp" I envision the monsters that prey on wayward teens, coercing them through physical and mental abuse, having them give unprotected blow jobs to truckers at truck stops or miscellaneous dudes in the back alley of seedy neighborhoods. I assume you have no respect for, nor admire them cats, right? No Cynique, none if it is new.

Cute story I remember my mother tell me about God when i was a kid and all I could envision was a "guard," some big dude with weapon protecting a important place. You should post a link to your website Dee.

Deep thanks for sharing that article @Mel Hopkins. @Pioneer1 I suspect based upon your statements that you have not read the article that Mel linked to. Please read it when you get sec, then let me know if you still don't care about the historical accuracy of the film.

This is one thing that puts Obama heads and shoulders above both Donald and Trump. As Obama illustrates there are men who have far more control than Bill or Trump, men who do not abuse their power to have sex women. Cynique it really does not matter if Clinton hooked up with under ages cildren before, after, or during. It is still statutory rape. The take aways should be that we live in a culture where men take advantage of women. If you have a little money, power, or connections you will usually get away with it. Apparently, Nate Parker got away with it. Bill Cosby will get away with it, as will Trump and Clinton (that BS impeachment does not count). We live in a culture where "successful" pimps command respect. Listen to our music, visit a strip club, look at the proliferation of pornograhy on the web, visit any place where you find great numbers of poor black people... and you will begin to understand why men treat and talk about women the way they do.

Interesting. I was not aware of this turn of events (I never kept up with the conversation on social media). So Dylan has not even acknowledged the award, and folks are getting all bent out of shape over the whole thing and Dylan hasn't even batted an eye... Dylan is the man! When the Swedes gave Obama the prize for "Peace" I thought that was premature, for Obama did nothing for peace other than talk about it. I wonder, given the countless innocent casualties as a direct result of Obama, do they think they made a mistake?

"I may detest a rapist, I actually have respect for a successful pimp." Pioneer, you must realize that this statement is at the very least incongruent, and the reasons should even require an explanation. You wouldn't say Bill is as bad as Trump... OK I can't dispute your feelings on a subjective matter such as this. But I have to believe this is more a matter of Black folks loving Bill Clinton and hating the republican Donald, rather than clear-eyed objective evaluation of their known behavior. I heard recently heard that Bill frequented an island owned by a billionaire buddy, who was convicted of sex crimes, where they had sex with under aged girls (sex slaves). Man the stuff we know about these guys doing is just the tip of the iceberg... I'm not going to go to the mat defending either one of these degenerates. Who is worse? Flip a coin.

There are always alternatives Bruh I was actually contemplating the prospect of customers boycotting Walmart, not the employees stricking. But a strike--assuming not scab intervention--would have the immediate effect of shutting the franchise down and that may make sense too. No I'm just talking about people like you and I spending our dollars are other stores; until Walmart ends the practice of using slave labor in our prison systems.

Wow... given what you wrote it is troubling and I believe he did it. Like I said before whenever someone goes over-the-top-religious I look at them with the side eye. I cosign Roxane Gay's boycott of the film. I heard some speculation that he is being targeted, to prevent the film from being nominated for an academy award. But from what I've also heard the film is really not that good anyway.

@Cynique it is a bug that was introduced with the upgrade to the forum's software that I performed yesterday. I have been having the same problem. Basically what I do to get around it is reload (hit the F5) then the post the message. I know it is a real pain and will confuse new posters but it is the nature of the beast... It was clever of you to update the a previous conversation and tag me on it :-) I opened a ticket with the support folks for this application. Hi @Cynique I just applied a patch that should get rid of the intermittent problem we have been have with replying to posts. Thanks for reporting it to me; that helped me know it was not just a problem on my end. I guess you still have the problem with posting images. If so I can;t out what could be causing it... Do you know how to take a screen shot of your PC's screen? Do you use Google Chrome browser? Is so I can remotely connect to your PC as see what the problem is, if you like. -------------- @Cynique you were called a "Nig-er Bit-h," just the other day. Do you really want me to go through the archives to dig up how Kola used your light complex to denigrate you in more ways than I can remember. How can you say "race" was never a factor?

Yes Mel, I too am surprised you would write that. First that article was excerpted from a press release (I'm sure), if not it certainly read like it. Second, Walmart generated revenues just shy of half a trillion dollars last year. $30 million isn't even a rounding error. This would be like you or I donating a penny to a thousand different organizations, for them to divide. Then writing a press release to pat ourselves on the back. Websites dutifully get their unpaid interns to publish this stuff because they have no other content to publish, because they can't pay journalist and remain in business. Third, sure Walmart provides millions of jobs. But even if we ignored the horrifically low wages relative to revenue, that about the millions of higher paying jobs that were lost as a result of Walmart putting countless other business out of jobs. Finally even if Walmart donated a sum that was meaningful relative to their bottom line, paid employees a living wage, and did not engage in monopolistic practices, none if this would justify the enslavement of Lord knows how many Black people. But if we looked at Walmart for what they are, sans the propaganda and hype, all Americans should boycott them not just the Black ones.

For immediate release Contact: Tara Brown 803-448-2698; publicitytara@aol.com Literary Festival Launches in Bluffton More Than Thirty Authors to Participate in the Inaugural Bluffton Book Festival Which Will Support Literacy and Bookselling Non-Profit Organizations The Festival Will Be Held on Calhoun Street in Historic Old Town Bluffton on Saturday, November 19th with a ticketed event held Friday, November 18th (Bluffton, SC – October 18, 2016) – When well-respected publishing industry veteran Rockelle Henderson moved from New York City to Bluffton, she instantly became enamored with the heart of the low country. Having spent more than 25 years crafting blockbuster marketing campaigns for national bestsellers that include “The Pursuit of Happyness,” “State of Fear;” the Pulitzer prize winning “The Known World,” and others, she traded in her time in the big city for a more relaxed change of pace. However, two things that she never left, and what never left her, was her love of all things literary; and her continued commitment to support worthwhile causes. Through her founding of the Bluffton Book Festival, she has found a way to perfectly blend together those two passions. The Bluffton Book Festival will spotlight, and bring awareness to local and national literary talent, who range from first time authors to those who are more prolific. A portion of the proceeds raised during the 2-day event will benefit two non-profit organizations: The Book Industry Charitable Foundation (Binc) and The Literacy Center – both of which support literacy, education, reading, authors, bookselling and the publishing community as a whole. Kicking off the festival will be a VIP fundraiser on the evening of Friday, November 18th; and then on Saturday, November 19th, the public is invited to come out from 10:00am to 4:00pm to meet and hear from authors, and purchase signed copies of their books; to bring their children for story time and face painting; and to buy food and wares from local and regional vendors. Those in attendance will also have the chance to win books, vacations, and other prizes through various raffles. Among the literary talent scheduled to appear at the Bluffton Book Festival are International and New York Times bestselling authors Sarah Pekkanen, Denene Millner and Pulitzer Prize journalist Nick Chiles; as well as award-winning authors Stephanie Austin Edwards and William C. Walker. In addition, autographed books by film and television actors Eriq LaSalle (ER, Coming to America, Under the Dome); and Taraji P. Henson (Empire, Person of Interest, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) will also be available. Rockelle Henderson said, “I am excited to bring the Bluffton Book Festival to life. Books, reading, and all things related to such are near and dear to my heart. With the help of The Literacy Center, thousands of adults and children have been equipped with reading and writing skills; and through the Binc Foundation booksellers are provided with financial support for medical bills, domestic violence situations, and more. Their work help to pass on better futures to the next generation, and it is my honor to work with them. With participants attending from next door to 3,000 miles away, I’m looking forward to a great event, and meeting as many people as I can.” “The Literacy Center is excited to participate in the inaugural Bluffton Book Festival,” said Pam Wall, Executive Director of The Literacy Center. “We strongly believe that the ability to read opens many doors. Our Family Literacy 360 program is based on families reading together and the opportunity that provides to make families stronger. Reading is truly a gift!” "Binc is honored to be named as a benefactor of the first Bluffton Book Festival," said Executive Director, Pamela French. “The Festival aligns with our mission to strengthen the bookselling community and reinforces the importance of helping local businesses thrive. As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Binc Foundation and the thousands of booksellers who have been helped we greatly appreciate the support from the Bluffton community. And sincerely thank Rockelle Henderson for including us in this exciting event." For more information about the festival (#blufftonbookfest), including how to become a sponsor or an exhibitor, please visit www.blufftonbookfestival.com; or call 843-707-6409. About the Charities The Binc Foundation The Binc Foundation provides emergency financial assistance to booksellers in times of natural disaster, as in the cases of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and the 2013 flooding in Colorado. The majority of assistance requests, however, are of a much more individual nature. Whether the need arises from a serious medical expense, domestic violence incident, threat of eviction, essential utility shut-off, or the unexpected loss of household income; Binc works with each bookseller to help get them through the current emergency and return their household to a state of financial equilibrium. The Literacy Center Our mission is to strengthen literacy in Beaufort County by providing people with the reading, writing, math and speaking skills to be successful in the community, workplace and family. We are proud to be Beaufort County's only nonprofit adult and family literacy organization, serving more than 600 students a year at eight sites.

Well Mel it feels like a lot longer :-) I'm pretty sure I have not seen Del in about ten years. He did some readings in my home for a group of people.... this had to have been in '06 or earlier.

Really? Do you think the average woman would prefer for her husband to have an affair, or make a crude remark about a woman? As far as discretions, both Bill and John seemed to lack that in spades given the very public nature of their affairs. And as far as the "cat fights" with the others, that is my point. If I lifted one of your barbs, out of context, and used it to say you hated all Black women, that would make no sense. But if the media constantly repeat the sound bite, while going viral on internet memes, you would just become a caricature, a distortion of who you really are. Now image how you would sound if you used the, "it was just a cat fight defense" to justify your comments. All your sanctimonious, self righteous critics would pile on an say how they would never say anything as vile as what you said to another Black woman, which the media would also repeat on constant loop. Do you see my point? Again, there is plenty of things which make Trump a poor presidential candidate. His comments about women is low on the list especially when you hold up the behavior of Clinton and Kennedy in comparison.

Man that is terrible story. I wonder why they were never charged. It could have been just a troubled young lady... but then again from the little I've heard. I've never heard Nate deny anything, even in the Interview, I just published with him all this was all he could manage to say in response to the question, What do you have to say about the incident? “I’ll say this. I’m 36 years-old, and my life has been a series of obstacles, a series of educating moments. As I said before, I’m trying to come as close to my faith as possible, and I see this journey as just that, a journey. I set out to make this film because I felt like it was written in my heart. And any obstacle that has come before or will come after I will have to deal with accordingly, with my faith. My hope is that people will see this film for what it is, and I also hope they will be able to see a bit of my heart and of what I’m striving to do with this film.”—Nate Parker

I don't view Bill Clinton, for example, any differently than I do Donald. One could very easily argue Bill Clinton is worse in the "dissing women" department. Since Hillary enabled, or at the very least tolerated, Bill's behavior I can only assume she was cool with it too. Besides Cynique, you have been called some pretty terrible things by Sara and Kola Boof. That does not make them sexist or racist... or does it? Should the things they wrote disqualify them from running for the POTUS, or would you consider other factors as well?

I'm sure you are right Cynique. But what was different about the people, or the circumstances in Montgomery that allowed the bus boycott to be initiated and succeed? People risked jobs and endured a great deal of inconvenience for over a year. There could have tolerated sitting in the back f the bus the way people tolerate making $10 and hour. You were a grown woman when it took place were people that much different then than now?

Man some things are better left to the imagination. One of the complaints I heard about this film was that there is no record of Turner's wife being raped. Author Roxane Gay says she is not seeing the film because of Nate's past as a rapist himself (I don't know the details of the accusations or charges). At the rate, I probably will not get a chance to catch the film in the theater, but I do want to see it.

Do men make lewd comments about women, sure. The phrase "I'd F-uck that." is a cliche, as is the cat calling construction worker. Jesse Jackson got caught saying he'd like to cut Obama's balls off. Do I need to quote any misogynistic rap lyrics for you? Yes, Cynique men make lewd comments about women, each other, everything. People say a lot of crazy sounding things. I'm sure someone with enough motivation could cull enough quotes from me, out of content, make me sound like a raving lunatic. Of all the things I have against Trump, this is way down on the list.