Troy

Again Del, these are not my scientific discoveries or revelations but the information that has been disseminated by the vast majority of scientists to study the subject and inform the public. Again, increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere is causing Earth's average temperature to rise faster than it would naturally. This can manifest in aberrant weather all over the planet which could result in colder weather in some locations. Your unwillingness to accept this fact again betrays you inherent bias on this subject. I wonder why continue to engage in a conversation on a subject where your opinion is so frigid? I previously shared a very detailed article, and easy to understand, from National Geographic on the subject. Obviously you did not read it, given your request. You can look it up on your own. I see you going to have to learn this on your own, me telling you is not helping you understand. Again seek out an alternate perspectives, which in the case it will be easy because it is the mainstream, commonly accepted science, based upon the best available information, not the rants of the fringe.

You can't go by the change in temperature in a isolated to evaluate on the global impact. Actually "climate change" is probably a better description that "Global warming" because deniers point to a cold winter or big snow storm as "proof" that made made climate change is not a pending disaster, but merely nature at work. This concept has been communicated to the general public by climatologist. @Delano, rather than looking for articles to confirm you world view (which are easy to find in the age of the internet), try looking for articles from reputable sources that run counter to your beliefs. Did I say Cosby was innocent? I don't recall ever believing that he never did anything wrong. I definitely expressed doubt given the sheer volume and the extremely delay of the accusations. Again he is a rich Black man in America and a target as a result. I definitely had doubts, still do, that he "raped" all of the women that the media likes to promote has. Did he surreptitiously drug and grope some women, yes that seemly very likely. but a jury has trouble convicting...

I'm familiar with Townhall, it is a right wing publication I used to regularly read Thomas Sowell's articles. It has been a while I should look him up.... Pioneer anything is possible, but for me to believe Obama wanted Hillary to lose and Trump is inconceivable. Again I need a good reason to explain the motivation for Obama to want this outcome.

Cynique it is interesting that the way you described Pioneer's reaction is reflective of the "honor" culture. It as been studied and written about quote a bit. They even did an experiment and compared the reactions of two white guys one from the honor culture was one was highly offended from a simple perceived slight, their heart rate increased, Blood pressure rose, everything Pioneer said he felt. The other guy simply brushed it off. The honor culture is part of southern culture it way the Hatfields and Mcoys fought each other for generations, it is why while folks duel and are so quick to join the military. Black folks have adopted this culture and carried with them to the north. It is why you can't talk about their mommas, step on their sneakers, or use the word nigger with out they blowing a gasket, and even becoming murderous... Pioneer where are you from originally? By the way, you do know us niggers really did not wear pants back in Africa right?

The really incredible thing was that Douglass was half white. Having a white father not enough to save him from enslavement... And to think, 45 didn't even know who this man was.

I just posted an article on my blog, "2 Ways Google is Killing Book Websites & How You Can Help" which includes the video below. I'm afraid the poor quality of my mike will hurt the impact if the video. I wish I had the resources to create a more professional video to make this point...

Actually "nigger does not really bother me. I've been called it by white folks a couple of times but never really felt threatened except for once and this was in Brooklyn NY. It really depends on the context. If there is a mob of white folks, with a nose saying, "lynch that nigger," I would be scared to death and trying to break Usain Bolt's record. Now some little white guy using it in a bad joke is relatively innocuous and we should not act like it is the same thing.

Pioneer I can;t know the answer to your questions, but if I followed your logic it would be reasonable to conclude that Obama actually wanted Hillary to lose and for Trump to be president. I find this hard to believe. Do you believe this @Pioneer1? If not who else would you explain Obama's behavior?

I actually was going to read this until I saw that it was 13 years old and written by a student trying to get a PhD, can you explain why you think this is relevant to the conversation?

Oh, OK sorry about the statements regarding you lumping me in with Pioneer. OK I'm clear you see a difference between my position and Pioneer's I won't mention it again... Regarding my softening on Hillary. I think that started when I saw reaction to loosing to Trump. That must have been hard; my heart went out to her. Honestly I kinda forgotten that she is a human being, who fought hard to become president. Again, in hindsight, she was more qualified than Obama and we don't even need to compare her to 45. She probably could have done more specifically for Black people too, because she, unlike OBama, did not have to worry about showing favoritism to Black folks. Again Trump won more electors and that is what Hillary and the Democrats failed to do. Everything else is largely irrelevant. I truly hope you see Trump get kicked out office or whipped in 2020. Hey I'm a Black man in America--I hope I get to see it myself

I wish I knew someone that was playing cards (or dominoes) and BBQing this 4th, I would so be there. There was an interesting section in the Sunday NY Times, where they explain the Constitution. The 2nd Amendment; "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Right wingers often construe this to mean we have to right to buy as many guns as we want, to protect ourselves, but the reality was that this amendment was put in place to guarantee that the southern states could stockpile enough weapons to crush any potential slave rebellions. America's independence is rich white folks business... I have not held a 9 to 5 for 10 years so if others get a day off from work I'm happy for them--too bad more of them don't make time for simple pleasures like playing cards ;-)

LOL nice try... two things; (1) If I change my mind about something after additional consideration that is not vacillation that is evolution, growth. This is also a problem with the political process where nobody is allowed to change their position without being called a flipflopper or a vacillator, which is code for "weak." So my stance on Obama has hardened over time and my position on hillary has softened (a bit), but over all they have both been largely ineffective relative to the strength and effectiveness of the Democratic party. This is not subjective this is a fact as evidenced by the results of elections. (2) Pioneer wrote, "If you love Obama, you should love Trump....because Obama MADE Trump," I completely disagree with this statement and any conclusions that flow from it. I would have to invoke my "Power to Defy Logic," to cosign on that one Still, I fail to see any connection on what I wrote that allows you to join me at the hip with Pionner's opinions on this topic. Iif Pioneers says Obama was responsible for Trump and I agree that he was a factor, you can't then assume I cosign with all of Pioneers other opinions solely because you disagree with him in this issue. So while I would agree that Obama deserves some blame, there were of course other more important factors that contributed to Trump's victory like the scared (often racist) white masses. I'm not surprised that you did not vote for Obama the second time. In fact, as I reviewed my statements I forgot that I was in FL when I voted in the 2012 election and I voted for Jill Stein. Which had zero impact other that to voice dissatisfaction with the party we needed fundamental change, which I saw, but it was all going in the wrong direction... So what do you want me to do regarding the President is elected? What are you doing? Changing this would require a constitutional amendment with 2/3's of both the house and the senate voting in favor of it. With the GOP owning both houses the likelihood of this happening is virtually nil. The current rules can, and have, worked for us, but if people are so disaffected by, and disappointed in, our democratic politicians and candidates we don't have a chance...

There was a single wrong word im my last statement (I did not bother to rewrite it). I do like the idea of the "power to defy logic!" That is a super power 45 has and it is powerful indeed.

Cynique I'm simply not an all or nothing kind of guy. I can loath Hillary on something and have sympathy on another. I can be critical of Obama on many issues but still be his supporter. When you cast me as someone who is "...all of a sudden you are defending Hillary's honor" you make it appear as if I can't hold more than two thoughts in my head at one time. I love you and your way with words, but I can still disagree with you on many things, right? Cynique, a lack of disputing something does not imply agreement. If could be I just did not know enough or care enough about the issue Pioneer raised to voice an opinion. The popular votes does not mean anything when it comes to how the president is elected. i don't agree with it, but that is the was it is. Just because more people voted to Hillary and Gore does not mean they win the election--that s not how the rules work. Just because you don't recall me saying anything positive about Obama does not mean I have not done it. Don't you recall my, admitted over the top, endorsement of Obama even before he announced his candidacy? Don't you recall your support of Hillary, and my calling you (unfairly) a self-hating negro, for failing to endorse "the Brother?" In hindsight, time has appeared to proven you right. I say you are twisting my words, because you keep putting me in the same box with Pioneer on this issue, you have a position on Obama and you allow for no nuance or subtlety. There is no gray area with you on this issue. Anyone who expresses a critique of Obama that you disagree with is in the same one dimensional box--you are unable to see any difference between Pioneer an myself--we aren't even in the same political party! Obviously we agree on the Democrats needing to get their act together, however we strongly disagree on Obama's role in this. I feel he is part of the problem, you obviously don't. Again, I'm don't understand your reasoning why you think a two-term president bares no blame at all. But again, we'll agree to disagree.

"... wanting to patronizingly tell me how i should react to a word she had no say-so about, and that Oprah does not speak for me." That is exactly the sentiment that I was trying to express Cynique. It was completely patronizing and disingenuous. Ice Cube can accept Bill's apology all day long. It makes no difference to me one way of the other... Cube does not speak for me any more than Oprah speaks for you. Despite what Mr. Cube says, Black people don't "own" the word nigger. Bill Maher demonstrated that quite clearly and ice Cube is still his boy. Words have the power and the meaning we give them, and right now, whites hold this power because they can utter the word and people go apeshit. What single word can Black folks utter that will exert similar power and reaction in the white community? That is right, there isn't one...

Cynique, I made a very simple statement regarding Obama's leadership of the democratic party. He was the president for 8 years--not Hillary, but you put the blame on Hillary, without seeing how inconsistent and unfair that is... If Black people fail to vote for Democratic candidates in all of the midterms of the last 8 years and the last presidential election what is difference does it make whether they leave the party or not? They did not vote for the last Democratic presidential candidate, that says it all. Now if I point out the fact that the majority of Black democrats did not bother to vote for the Democratic presidential candidate, you call that "petulance." You can't substantiate that statement based upon what I wrote. Also, please don't conflate what I write with Pioneer's statements. If you try to understand what we are both writing you will see that the perspective are actually quite different in some regards. Before Obama ran for democratic nomination, I was a registered independent, but I changed to Democrat party (unlike Pioneer) to vote for Obama over Hillary in the primary. I also voted for Obama in both presidential elections. I voted for Bernie in the primary and Hillary in the general. I even contributed to his campaign and attended a rally. I have never done this for a candidate (for any office). I recall give YOU grief for not be supportive of Obama when he first announced his candidacy (I did not forget that). I SUPPORT Obama, arguably more than you. Misconstruing my words is not going to change that fact Surely I can critique the man and still support him. Presidents are not elected by popular vote, it is a waste of time to even bring that up and it does not change the fact Blacks turned out in far less numbers. this presidential election. Actually, gerrymandering is a more significant problem, but here too, the democrats, under Obama's leadership, have failed to do anything about it. The impact of this abject failure to combat the impact of gerrymandered districts will be felt for generations.

I just scanned this thread and did not see you defintion. Nonetheless I'm sure by understanding of the word is sound, and therefore my previous post is sound as well. Right?

Pioneer, Bill's comment did not bother me either. I was surprised by reaction from some. But Bill brings out Ice Cube a man who has made his living with word Nigger. The name of his group is NWA for christ sake (spare be the BS about there being a difference between Nigger and Nigga). The notion that I have to be offended because a comedian uses Nigger in a bad joke is ludicrous. But I live in a place where I hear the word used everyday and maybe I've become desensitized to it. Maybe we all need to become desentized to it. Take away the power of the word and white folks have one less tool to use against us. Cynique, I did not hear about the invitation to from the Senator to come work in his fields. That was actually a much better joke. Yes I would have ignored it, but I suspect Bill had his bosses all over him so he had to do some damage control. Again the apology was sufficent, the faux outrage and staged dressing down was unnecessary and condescending in my opinion. I'd bet most people, like Pioneer and myself (I bet you too), were not outraged or even needed an apology. But you put you finger on it. The expression of outrage was a great way to get attention and having Dyson and Cube put Maher in his "place" was probably great for ratings, and ample contrition to ensure the show would last another season... It is all political correctness, from a man you once touted his political incorrectness.

Hi Alicia, sounds like an interested event. Is this the first one? If not, do you have any photos or videos from the last years event that you can share here or direct me to? Thanks

OK, all I'm saying is that Tupac was one guy. If he never existed do you think anything would be materially different in the Black community?

You may be right @Pioneer1, but I can see someone being offended by what really should be perceived as a compliment. Political correctness has gone too far. because it masks what people really feel. I watch the HBO's Real Time with Bil Maher, recently Maher said, during an interview he was giving with another rich white guy that, "I'm a house nigger." It was a dumb joke which fell flat. However apparently a lot of people where "outraged" by the statement. I was not outraged. Bill was making it plain who he was and I was not surprised. This is the same guy you dated "Superhead." The next show, Bill had Michael Eric Dyson, on his show, in an act of contrition to placate the Black masses and his white liberal audience and maybe keep his job (who knows). To me that make his stupid joke worse because Maher, flaunted his rich white privilege by trotting out a couple of his Negro firends (Dyson and Ice Cube) to chastise him--but not too hard. Basically Bill Maher was rubbing our noses in the fact that he can go around dropping the N-bombs on TV and all he has to do is trot out a couple of his Black friends and now we are supposed to believe he is conscious, as if that was the first time and last tie he'll use the word "nigger." Phulese!

@Mel Hopkins, sometimes I like to play with word choice for fun. "Fornication/Deflowering" are good words. @Delano we are apparently working with different definitions of "omnipotent," or at least a different understanding of what it means. Omnipotence includes the power of suicide. Get it?

Cynique I was keying off your statement, "He always responded to his harshest critic, Cornel West, by asking him to submit an agenda and be specific about what he wanted the presidency to do." West was always crystal clear on the agenda. Obama was the leader of the democratic party. The democratic party has gotten it clock cleaned by the Republicans. If you don't want to give Obama any credit for the failures of the party that is cool, we'll just have to agree to disagree....

Del what is Jay Z's percent ownership of the Brooklyn Nets?

Pioneer Trump's behavior appears to be motivated by ignorance of the issues, self-aggrandisement, lack of civility, greed, and narcissism. I'll take Obama over that any day of the week--shoot I'll take Bush (1 or 2). I understand that some people confuse Trump's characteristics as desirable in a world leader at this time, but this reflects a profound dysfunction in our culture and the way our government operates, not anything positive about Trump. Cynique, I'm not so sure Obama dismissed West because of a lack of agenda. Keep in mind West campaigned with Obama hard--something like 85 trips. I saw one of these campaign stops in Harlem, when the local democrats were still supporting Hillary Clinton. He knew what West was interested in achieving. I also know West had an agenda, both he and Tavis Smiley (think of him what you will), even published some books in the subject the most popular was The Covenant with Black America, Obama jettisoned West early. West became harshly critical once it became obvious that Obama was not going to do any specifically to address the needs of Black people. West was I 'm sure felt betrayed because Obama presented himself differently during the campaign. Perhaps West, indeed many in the Black community were reading into Obama, because of his brown skin characteristics, he simply did not have Obama then when on to align himself with sycophants (like Sharpton) and Ivy League educated elites who were already with the program...his "advisers." So while "Obama creating Trump," as Pioneer suggests, is a stretch in my view; Black America's complete disillusionment with the democratic party made itself abundantly evident at the polls. Some of this blame ,I'm sorry to say, belongs to the Obama presidency.