Troy

I hear you Cynique. But don't you think asking the public to smarten up and not be so easily duped is a bit like blaming the victim, or asking someone to pull themselves up by their bootstraps? Do you know why I really bailed on social media? Sure I part of it had to do with how they killed organic reach, but the final straw was how social media was used, in part to influence the outcome of the election. I'm not sure if you read any of the articles Mel shared, on the issue, but I immediately stopped using social media after reading one of the articles. One company working for the Trump not only used data from social media to influence who people voted for, but they also used the data to prevent people from voting! With laser-like precision, they targeted the right people in the right districts and won the election with 3 million fewer votes. I already shared on these forums, a couple of years ago how Facebook was busted manipulated people moods. Obviously, companies have not stopped there. To me this level sophisticated psychometric manipulation is unacceptable and should be illegal. The idea that we know this is being done to us and we let it go boggles my mind. But we let tobacco companies sell cigarettes... So no, I can't blame the people--they don't even know they are being manipulated. Even if they knew their Facebook activity was being used to manipulate them in ways they can not fathom; they still would not quit--because they are hooked! Like a cigarette smoker. I don't blame the smoker I blame the tabacco companies. Big data companies have taken subliminal suggestion to the next level. Why isn't mainstream media reporting on this? Instead, we are treated to stories about Kellyann putting her feet on the sofa!?

Cynique speaking for myself I do not feel, in the least bit, that Pioneer has slurred me in any way close to the way you and Sara did each other. I definitely would not put anything Pioneer or I wrote in the same category. I'm very surprised you have drawn that conclusion. Share with me something specific that I have written about Pioneer that has insulted him that way you and Sara dissed each other. Or find something pioneer has written against me that you feel rises to the level of your exchanges with Sara. Maybe I missed something. As far as Del and Pioneer, speaking with my moderator hat on. As Del just wrote the S/N ratio on the spirituality thread is higher than I would like too, because there are some potentially good things that could come out if it. For example, I'm going to try to astral project again (no, I never wrote that I did this myself previously). It has renewed my interest in the subject. Back to Del and Pioneer. I do think Del has gone in on Pioneer a bit hard, harder than he normally does to others. But this is not Del's normal pattern and as he said it is not a pattern he wants to maintain. He does not do this in every exchange with everyone, the way Sara did. Pioneer really has not changed his pattern, but again he has apparently irked Del on the spirituality thread. So if Del asked me I would suggest that rather than reply in the sarcastic or condescending manner he has, he should just ignore Pioneer for now. I know you did not want me to ban* Sara, but she was getting progressively more vulgar. Kola got my the last discussion banned by Google, and immediately stopped posting after she shit all over the place. I'm not keen on having this happen again. Besides when she called you a "nig-er bi-ch." she crossed a line. As liberal as I try to be I have to draw a line somewhere. *BTW Sara (and Kola for that matter) are technically not banned they can post here anytime. They just can't get a buck wild.

@Mel Hopkins, you know what would convince me if you told me something that only someone back from the dead could know... but I don't even know what that could be. Obviously, it is nothing personal (am I'm glad you haven't taken it that way), but I'm a natural skeptic, so it takes a lot to convince me something is true... just as it take a lot to convince me something is impossible. Does that make sense? I friend of mine studied Reki. I spend the night at her house once and she and her boyfriend told me they both saw a UFO (alien spacecraft) while they were driving down the New Jersey turnpike. Needless to say they were amazed and pulled their car over to watch it more carefully. They also told me other cars were pulled over watching it too! Now this is a smart sister and she is educated, but I found her story hard to believe. One would think something like that would at least make the news... Now I don't think she was lying to me or yanking my chain, but I have no way to disprove her story and while find it hard to believe I have not ruled it our of the realm of possibility. I'm an open minded skeptic. Of course, if she took a photo that would have helped. If I saw it myself, that would help even more. But even if I saw it with my own eyes, I probably would not believe it right away. I would consider very strongly more likely causes than a visit from extraterrestrials.

If anyone is in the area, this weekend (Saturday, March 11th) I plan to attend the Punta Gorda Book Festival. The following weekend I plan to attend the South West Florida Reading Festival Saturday, (March 18th) in Fort Myers, Florida.

I don't think you did Maya then. You must have done it via email. I can query the archives, when I get a chance, to see if I can nail down a time frame. Did you do it around the same time you did others on the website?

A name is different than a definition. If we can't agree on what the word "race" means; debating the subject is certainly a waste of time. Lets see how Pioneer responds to my question Sure people can find any reason to oppress someone else. White people have oppressed each other throughout recorded history. Yeah it might be idealistic to believe that humanity will ever behave as if we were one big happy family, but if we insist in asserting racial differences puts us classes and caliber of humans we will never be one be a happy family. I wonder if racism persists in the astral realm?

No, quite the contrary, I wish the media was stronger and not the punks they are now. I'm not arguing that Trump's tweets are not newsworthy. What I'm arguing is how the media are handling them. Rather, than saying these tweets are the raving of a lunatic and help the public understand why. The media, for ratings, they just parrot what he says while challenging very little of it. This allows some to view Trumps lies as plausible; lending credibility to his statements. Sort of the way the media give wing-nut climate change deniers equal coverage as 99.9% of the scientists who study the subject. This sets up a false equivalency and confuses people, which leads to bad decisions. Covering innate tweets also takes resources away from the more serious things we chose be covering in greater depth. Like why my damn taxes went up dramatically this year. It is pathetic that comedians (John Oliver, Bill Maher, etc) are the only ones challenging Trump in no uncertain terms. But as comedians, we can just laugh and not take them very seriously. When will journalists state that our emperor is nuts. I'm also not arguing how this plays out is not historically significant, most tragedies are, and the collapse of a civilization always is.

I just noticed Mahogany Books is also using the events calendar. They get it. I'm also modifying my website's code such that if they offer any deals, the buy links on my website for that book will only go to Mahogany Books. Generally, when they offer a deal the book is priced less that Amazon and often signed. Now I know people may still choose to leave the site and buy from Amazon, but they will have discovered MahiganyBooks. Who knows maybe somewhere down the road, that reader may ultimately choose to support and Black indie bookseller over Amazon.

As far as I know @Del and @Delano are the same person. The differences in writing styles I assumed were due to the platform being used. The bad writing I assumed made have been on a cell phone or similar device where typing and correcting errors is harder. Del speaking of readings last night I was talking to Maya about this conversation and the first thing Maya said was, "When is Del doing my reading." I was actually surprised cause I know you did it, but I thought I gave it to her. Apparently, I did not. Do you happen to have a copy? I'm sure I have a hard copy, but all my Astrology material must be in FL.

@Pioneer1 Do you understand that there is only one Race? Can you answer that very simple question yes or no? Of course people look different, but saying those differences are based upon race is scientifically unfounded for the reasons stated a bazillion times. Of course our physical differences are genetically determined, but this is not based upon differences in race--because there is not difference for Christ's sake The so-called racial categories you like to use are arbitrary and there is no genetic test check for these Pioneer I did not mention the word ethnicity once. Ethnicity has nothing to do with genetics, why you introduced this part of my argument is unknown to me. It reflects you state of mind not mine. If you chose to group people based upon their phenotypes, fine. Just don't; attribute those differences to race. Further, when a blond haired, blued eyed, light skinned person says they are Black, your racial categorization of people based upon what they look like becomes meaningless. Doesn't it?

Sure I remember Mel and we are still talking. As much as I love Mel, I'm not convinced that she went to the other side; at least not yet. Indeed I don't even know what that means, really. Did she go to where all the people who die go, or some other realm? Obviously, she experienced something very profound that I can't explain or fully understand yet. So tell me @Pioneer1 , was Mel's statement the thing that convinced you that people can die, transition to the afterlife, and come back to tell the tale, or did you previously believe this? If so why?

THE COLOR OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE CONFERENCE "Join us at the New York Times Conference Center in midtown Manhattan on Saturday, April 8, 2017, 8AM-5PM as we prepare to honor Walter Dean Myer's legacy with a conference that celebrates our voices, our stories, our truth. Kweli's spring conference is an excellent opportunity for writers and illustrators of color to learn, get inspired and network with others in the industry. We have an exciting line up for the day with a keynote address by New York Times bestselling author, CYNTHIA LEITICH SMITH, and panels and workshops with 2017 Caldecott medal winner, JAVAKA STEPTOE , Coretta Scott King award winner PAT CUMMINGS, FRANCISCO X. STORK, winner of the 2010 Schneider Family Book Award for Marcelo in the Real World and TRACEY BAPTISTE, whose latest novel, The Jumbies, was named to Bank Street's Best Books of 2016. Please note that there will be three separate tracks this year: a Publishing Track, a Novel Track and an Illustrated Books & Nonfiction Track. Our panels and workshops will cover topics from the craft of writing to the business of writing. Top editors, agents, and authors will discuss crucial steps to help launch a writer's career and offer carefully considered manuscript critiques. Critiques will run concurrently with panels, and books will be available for sale and signing. More information on all this soon."

@Pioneer1, I'm not aware of anyone who has made it to the "other side" and has come back to tell us anything, at least nothing revelatory. @TSegal, do you mean like extrasensory perception?

I don't like the term "bi-racial" or "mixed" either, all of humanity is mixed; the term is superfluous. In fact I like biracial even less because it implies a mixing of characteristics that are arbitrary and randomly inherited. This is why one sibling can come out looking 100% Black (using your terminology), and another can come out looking 100% white--but they are both bi-racial?! The people I was thinking about who are very dark but have straight hair live in southern India, as well as other parts of the world. I assume you would put this young lady in the "Black" category, since she has naturally straight hair. I would then have to presume kinky hair is not a requirement for being Black. Of course, I could provide additional examples of humans without broad noses, thick lips, and or even dark skin, that you would probably call Black, or not, depending on your arbitrary definition. But I doubt any of this will have any impact on your belief in race, you as well as most people since to want to rigidly adhere to the belief in race. @Cynique, has anyone ever asked you "What are you?" As in what is your race. The question may sound pretty innocuous, but what they are really trying to determine is what "race" you are, so that they can associate all of the characteristics of that race too you. It is a lot easier than actually getting to know you. Over time I hope humanity will come to embrace reality, and dispense with archaic racial categories, and the resulting prejudice and bigotry that accompanies it. Perhaps without racism as a distraction, we can deal with our real enemy.

Well the media broadcast every inane thing Trump says without ever challenging him. I wish some journalist would simply say you are lying and here is the truth. There are now people who believe Obama tapped Trump because the media have given legitimacy to the statement by repeating it.

Well yeah if you put it that way the Brother does sound wacky. I do remember the statement about Obamacare being the worst thing since slavery. Even if he wanted to stress how bad he thought The American Health Care Act was that is a terrible analogy because it is so hyperbolic it is ridiculous. I can't really think of a way anyone can justify that one. So Ben said the enslaved Africans were in search of a better life?! That makes no sense... so little sense it is hard to imagine that is what he meant. I would need to hear the whole statement in context to judge it. But I probably won't because I don't go out of my way to hear anything Carson or anyone in the Trump administration has to say. But based on how you have related Ben's statement it too is ridiculous. Cynique you (as well as Harry and QueenX) are probably right about Ben, as you've paid more attention to him. At this point, I'm tired of the media covering their silly statements as if their stupid statements is the news. Meanwhile, the planet is heating up because of our activity and most people don't even believe this is a problem... Corporate run media have failed the American people.

If Trump says Caron is mentally unstable, that means nothing to me because Trump appears mentally unstable himself and has demonstrated a willingness to lie about anything. It is not clear from Harry's post exactly what Ben Carson said and in what context. Nor was it clear what point he was making since technically speaking kidnapped slaves were immigrants, albeit forced. It would be hard for me to make an assessment of Ben Carson . On one hand, you have the accomplished surgeon who has been the subject of books and a movie. Were it not for his run for president I'm sure he would still be revered by all in the same way the Hidden Figures mathematicians are. However, he ran for president as a republican, instantly making him persona non-grata to many Black people--but not all. Carson is both a Christan and conservative so he did have an appeal to a significant number of Black people who found his candidacy appealing. So if you watch liberal news and SNL Carson is a clown. If you listen to right-wing news Carson is a much more respectable figure, a worthy man to be president. I don't know what to think about the man. I've be given such a distorted view of him, from both sides, it is impossible for me to confidently assess him. As result @Cynique I would not feel so confident to say that Ben Carson has "no common sense." I don't see how one gets through medical school and become an accomplished neurosurgeon without at least some common sense. Why don't you see that as a sign of a little common sense?

Cynique I had my DNA checked because I was interested in tracing my family tree. I'm discovering family members, close relations, all the time. In fact, you don't have to go back very many generations to find a common ancestor for all 7 billion people alive today. Genetics is a fascinating subject. Humans are influenced by what they feel than even what they see. When presented with facts versus emotions, emotions wins every time. I will always tell people when asked that there is only one race and while many older white people will go to their graves believing they are genetically superior because they have white skin, it will be more difficult for their children to internalize these beliefs. Continuing to use the terms is what helps propagate the lie of racial differences in humans. I don't what you mean by "exact science." If you say that biology is not an exact science, how can you say that DNA can be extracted from bones to make a factual determination about the so-called "stock" using an inexact science? Besides, I never read anywhere about a test that can check for one's race, as you've indicated. In fact, everything I've read on the subjects suggests that there are so many genes involved in one complexion we don't even know all of the genes required to determine one complexion. If you have information to counter this please share the reference. Cynique you know there are people with much darker skin than you or I have, but who also have very straight hair. Are they "Negro?" Given your complexion are you Negroid? If not, what are you? If so why do you consider yourself negroid? Do you see where I'm going with this? You can't simply can't reliably group people into a handful of buckets based upon a few superficial physical characteristics. If we did that we could start saying that women with large breasts belong to a different race than flat chested women, Short people belong to a difference race than tall people. Then you are presented with issues like where do you draw the line with cup size or height. The same way we have problems with drawing the line with skin color. Do you see why this is no different that saying someone with kinky hair and thick lips belongs to a difference race? Even ignoring the science surely you can see how flawed the logic is. Again, I know the reality and how the word is used today. I know Black people are dumber, more violent and sexually promiscuous than members f the white race. Indeed Barack Obama is only as smart as he is because of his white mother right? All I'm saying is that the concept of race it is factually inaccurate, scientifically flawed reasoning, that has caused Black folks nothing but misery in the last few centuries

I knew it They used to say, a little knowledge... well they don't say it anymore 'cause that is all we've been conditioned to consume, just a little. Like quantum physics, race, and other issues like climate change caused not by our mere presence but by our activity, I rely on people who study this for my information. So the information on that site I linked to had no impact on your ideas on race @Pioneer1? There is an interestI g documentary that goes with the site. It changed view on the entire subject. Creating a great deal more interest in genetics on my part.

Harry why do you listen to anything Trumps says or does? How can you reasonably be surprised when he is caught in a lie? This is what he does. People were manipulated into either voting for him, or not voting at all. We are paying the consequences of this. The last straw with me and social media was the realization that the platforms are used to collect data to manipulate us. When I see people all around me mindlessly scrolling through screens on a handheld device I get scared for humanity. We are liable to be manipulated into doing anything.

Wow confusion abounds Working backwards The racial classifications everyone is throwing around have nothing to do with science. Racially classifications are a purely social construct. Science tells us there is only one race; the human race-dammit! Cynique when you say "pure African," genetically speaking that means nothing. The people who live in Africa are the most genetically diverse people on Earth. It is more accurate to say that all Humans are "pure African." Sickle cell has nothing to do with "race." Greek people carry the trait, so do Jewish people. Carrying the sickle cell trait makes you less likely to get malaria it is about geography, not skin color. Of course there was confusion on the plantation sometimes the child of a raped slave came out looking "white." if they were lucky they got to pass, or at least work in the big house. Sure Cynique if you want to put people into buckets based upon skin color and pioneer if you want to attribute behavioral characteristics to people in these buckets go ahead, but don't make that bad practice worse by defining it as race. Why is it so hard to accept that all of us make up one race. We are FAR more alike than different. Do y'all deny the impact of man on climate change?

Yes using each other's sites they way we try to use social media, as long as both sites link to each other it is all good. If someone discovers say, your review of VL Towler's novel on AALBC.com they can discover your site (and so can the search engines).

@Cynique, sure I understand if you, like @Pioneer1, are not convinced about race being an artificial construct. This fiction has been pounded into our heads since it was invented. Sure people can look at people like ay Barrack Obama see that he has some color and put him the in the Black category, based strictly on a 19th-century Americanized evaluation on the way he looks. This of course completely ignores his so-called "white" genetics, but this is not about science. And that is the problem. While we are all indoctrinated about "race" we are woefully ill-informed in science. Look, the typically African American is a pretty genetically diverse lot. So much so, that a Black person can have more in common genetically with a white person that another Black person (but I'm repeating myself). They way we look is a complex combination of ancestry, genetic makeup, gene expression, and environment. Racial classification is purely subjective--because there is no gene for Blackness, or whiteness, or any so-called race. In fact, as I demonstrated with the photo I showed many people defy racial classification. If one's race could be scientifically determined it would be possible to put everyone into a racial category. Race, however, is a necessary tool of the racist to justify explaining why people with more melanin are inferior to people with less melanin. I understand why the racist tries to perpetuate the lie of race, but it is less clear why the victims of racism choose to hold onto this fiction even after it has been scientifically debunked. Pioneer, I'd encourage you or anyone else confused or interested in understanding more about the illusion of race to visit this website . It can explain these scientific concepts better than I. What you choose to believe after that, is up to you.

Well, Del I hope we "agree" on the fact that there is no genetic basis for race. The other stuff like my feelings about Rachel are purely subjective. Though I have to believe you are not in favor of using racial stereotypes.

If every author used the events widget, the authors would benefit, the events would benefit and readers would benefit. I'm not aware of any resource that provides this information so freely. Mel I have almost 3,000 authors on this website. I know I link to at least 1,000 author websites (benefiting their sites more than mine as I have more traffic than 99.9% of them). Now if they all linked back to AALBC.com and generated just 2 visitors to the website a day that would be about 3/4 of a million visitors a year--an extra to this site! That would allow me to finance more and better content and less dependency on the large corporate sites. I'd be able to reach more readers and help them buy the books they will enjoy--everybody wins. It really is just that simple. Jamacia... oh my! @Mel Hopkins, I failed to update the query on the widget I just updated it. Please refresh the page, it is fine now. The Jamaican Festivals (Kingston and Calabash) are not until 2018. But you are correct the widget is a really cool thing. I'll remind people that it is available. By the way, I started adding an icon to the sites most popular pages to make it easier for visitors to share out content via email.