Troy

...yeah Warren as a running mate would help placate those who want a female president.

It looks like he will be running on the democratic line. Though he is actually an independent. "...there is a hunger in this country for a movement that is prepared to stand up to the billionaire class, which has so much influence over not only the economic life of the country, but the political life of this country. Everybody knows that the middle class continues to collapse, we have more people living in poverty than ever before, and the wealthiest people and largest corporations are doing phenomenally well, and people are angry." He has my vote.

I not disputing when the poem was put to paper it may have been true. But in 2015 it does not carry the same gravity. Now if the word Negro was replaced by "Poor People" (of all colors), then I'd say it would be more applicable today. WARNING! Negroes, Sweet and docile, Meek, humble and kind: Beware the day They change their mind! Wind In the cotton fields, Gentle Breeze: Beware the hour It uproots trees! Del, your Aussie compatriots are not alone, Americans are asking the same question. I'm not surprised it is making news in Australia, it is the same 'news' everywhere in the western world. Have the Australians completely exterminated the Aboriginal people yet?

No, Black folks will never over throw the government. But this current iteration of civil unrest, like all the others in the last 1/2 century, seems to be focused on destroying our own neighborhoods. I don't really know how much more counter productive we can be. I think Hughes' warning was directed at white folks. White folks who took the suffering of Black folks for granted, and who should not be surprised when our anger is directed at them directly, their neighborhoods, their businesses, their people. Seriously, as far as I can tell White folks attention would be better spent worrying about what they are doing to each other, than concerning themselves with some angry Black folks might do. This Hughes meme is more wishful thinking than a portent of the future.

Maybe 50 years ago this would have meant more. But in 2015, with drone technology, anyone can be taken out at anytime--and we wouldn't even know what hit us.. We also know Negroes are out numbered and out gunned. Many of the Brothers who already "changed their minds" are incarcerated or pushing up daisies. Besides changing our mind is against our religion: "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;" --Colossians 3:12 (king James Version)

"Stop making Facebook the center of your relationship marketing efforts." --Nate Elliott, Forrester Research, Inc. This is one of the conclusions drawn from research conducted by Forrester Research, and summarized in an article Facebook Has Finally Killed Organic Reach. What Should Marketers Do Next? It’s not as if marketers could count on much organic reach or engagement anyway. Ogilvy reported that in February 2014 large brands’ Facebook posts reached just 2% of their fans (a number that was falling by .5% per month). And earlier this year a Forrester study showed that on average, only .07% of top brands’ Facebook fans interact with each of their posts Obviously, We've been know this for sometime now, but it is nice to have a reputable, unbiased, market research company validate your observations. The research report is $499. Check out the teaser they used: Marketing leaders use social networks like Facebook and Twitter to build stronger customer relationships. But few people see companies' social posts, and even fewer engage with those posts. The result? Brands don't actually have social relationships with their customers. It's time for marketers to start building social relationship strategies around sites that can deliver value. This report will detail where brands can successfully reach and engage their customers, what social relationship strategies they should use, and what this means to the future of social marketing. The emphasis is my own. Man is this not exactly what we've been trying to get folks to do? Here is a graph from the Ogilvy's website Now if I could just get our people to understand this and react accordingly...

Sure most corporations are not blatantly racist. But what is the difference? When we were forbidden to use white owned businesses we formed our own including schools, banks and newspapers. They thrived. Today we have 25 banks, a hundred or so newspapers and about 100 colleges--most, if not all, are struggling. Sure a good idea and a more affirmative action to would be to support some Black owned businesses. But I think boycotting a corporation that is not "serving" us, but thriving because of our financial support has a place. Lets say every Black person put they money into a Black owned bank (I know that will never happen, but stay with me for a second), that bank would then have the resources to open branches, join a network, grant loans and create jobs in the community, etc. This would not happen over night, but it could happen pretty darn fast. Suppose every Black person subscribed to their local newspaper AND stopped support the corporate publication. Those weeklies could become dailies reporting in issues that matter to us. Jobs would be created. If the people actually read the paper who knows what could happen ;-) Imagine if we sent out kids to HBCU's and supported them financially, instead of aspiring to attended and enrich institutions founded by slaveholders. I agree with you Chris, we have to support out own, but boycotting has its place--even if there are no Black alternatives. Maybe we should do without until we build our own. Meanwhile Baltimore burns...

Chris I'm waiting for someone suggest what should we boycott--Seriously. Is there a company that Black people disproportionately patronize, while at the same time taking that patronage for granted. Maybe they don't advertise in our media, many they don't have Black employees in high level positions, maybe they only produce products that are bad for us, maybe they don't pay their employees a living wage. Are there any companies we should be boycotting?

LOL, "pair of divas ridiculing each other’s plastic surgery." I'm going to quote you in the next eNewsletter. Sure, white indie businesses have to compete against corporate monopolies too. Google put a lot of indie websites out of business, or marginalized them--most of those where white owned. But those white owned business owners simply don't have the additional burden of being Black in a country suffering from the legacy of hundreds of years of legalized slavery and institutionalized racism. Black business, indeed people, have no choice but to work together. Consider the fact that West posted his response on Facebook. As short as it was imagine the potential benefit to a Black owned property if they were given the scoop. ​Also, Dyson wrote his brutal critique of West for a white owned publication. He could have easily given it to a Black owned newspaper. Again, we lose, big white owned companies won, and Black folks are the losers. One day we will get it together.

145 Blogs and counting. I hope the number of Blogs will increase more dramatically as I add more features and begin more active promotion, starting with a mention in Tuesday's eNewsletter and my sharing my it at the Blogger Week conference I'll be speaking at next week. My next task is to make sorting through the Blogs more easily. I'm not sure the categories are working well, so I'm going to add a search feature, but I hope to have much more feedback in the coming weeks.

The Montgomery Bus Boycott, lasted over an year and was effective. Today, Black people, poor people, or any group of people with sufficient numbers could not organize a boycott of anything. Even if we could organize a boycott would we be willing to make any short term sacrifices for a long term gain? There are many things that Black people are responsible for making happen from the Obama presidency to the success of TV shows like Empire. Black people complain all day long about the bias of Fox News; why should Fox enjoy any level of financial success due to Black people? Would Black people be willing to Boycott the show Empire (watched almost exclusively by Black people) or even better the entire station? Black Enterprise reported that Black buying power will reach $1.1 Trillion this year. How much of that money goes to Black owned Businesses. I don't know, but I'll bet my life very little of it does. Sure boycotts have been called for in recent years, but were they sustained, effective? The main reason we won't execute a boycott of anything at a national level, is that we don't have any organizations with the capability or desire to do it. It appears the organization we do have are either exclusive, in the pockets of corporations, platforms for enriching those in the leadership, or are purely social. In any event, there is no organization, or group of organizations, capable of executing an important tactic like running a boycott. Often I hear people talk about how great social media is an getting information out, and organizing people--Phulese! Social media has done nothing to benefit Black people--nothing. When the Montgomery Bus Boycott was launched many of the Black people involved did not have a TV or a telephone, let alone a Twitter account. How did they do it? Perhaps a better question would be; why did they have boycotts and why don't we do it?

Michael defends his tearing down Cornel's work over the last 25 years...

Pass the Mic! Tour of Tavis Smiley Con Game or True Struggle for Social Justice Featuring Michael Eric Dyson & Cornel West An editorial by Rudolph Lewis Baltimore (12 December 2003) — They each in turn (these men in business suits) danced onto the stage of the Lyric Theater (Baltimore) with the latest moves of the Hip Hop Scene. They were cheered and received standing ovations (by some) as they strutted their stuff, shook their tail feathers, and flashed their pearly whites as they approached the mike to entertain the receptive throng of 1200 who each (mostly) paid his (or her) $60 for a ticket to hear the word from three popular and glib black leaders. Though their lingo and style were that of thugs from the hood, these three men — Tavis Smiley, Michael Eric Dyson, and Cornel West — are highly respected black entrepreneurs or Baptist preachers, or university professors (with tenure) or all three. With each delivering for forty-five (45) minutes a "sermonic lecture," it was difficult to establish whether the occasion was one for careful reflection on and examination of the plight of the oppressed in America or a combination of an evangelical (get happy) church meeting and a hip-hop rap concert....

Send me the link page where you have pressed the Pardlo article. I agree that is a great way to share content. I went three million visitors deep. As you and I suspected the story is consistent. Social does not bring users to my website. It is amazing wikipedia brings as much traffic to my site as Facebook. Again I spend no time on wikipedia. The impact of Google ranking Wikipedia so high in search is significant.

Pretty interesting Blog posts. I've made some of the work I produce available on the web for students. Nowadays many schools use a system called Blackboard I just use it for entering grades. I keep my lecture notes on a website I created for the course: http://cis3630.org/ It would be interesting to know how many professor use the web in the way that we have?

You are probably answering your own question. Given the hostile environment we live in. And lets be clear, it has always been hostile; cell phone has just made it easier to see. Church provides an outlet for the anguish we live with and promises an eternal future of bliss, if we can get through this life. It gives the oppressed hope while placating the masses, and keeping them out of the business of the oppressor. In the modern era some ministers have begun to use their ministry in much the same way the oppressor has, which leads to the problems you are inclined to rant about. While there are many independent thinkers, people who do not need to belong, are happy not being part of a club. Are not easily lead or manipulated. Don't need what the church is offering. They don't fall for ponzi schemes, they throw away chain letters, they step on cracks, and spend more time reading than on Facebook. But the majority of people very easily led, they happily drink the kool-aid. Indeed they we would not know what to do with ourselves if it were any other way Harry. This characteristic will define humanity long after we are gone...

Here is an interesting article in reaction to, the New Republic article and defense of Cornel West: In Defense of Cornel West: Is Barack Obama Right, or Has Michael Eric Dyson Lost His Mind? By Carl Dix and Lenny Wolff (April 22, 2015 | Revolution Newspaper) This article is a more accurate description of West activities, in my opinion. Unfortunately the smaller publication will not get nearly the attending the New Republic's article will get. Those who own the media control the narrative. The following is a statement by Dr. West The escalating deaths and sufferings in Black and poor America and the marvelous new militancy in our Ferguson moment should compel us to focus on what really matters: The life and death issues of police murders, poverty, mass incarceration, drones, TPP (unjust trade policies), vast surveillance, decrepit schools, unemployment, Wall Street power, Israeli occupation of Palestinians, Dalit resistance in India, and ecological catastrophe. Character assassination is the refuge of those who hide and conceal these issues in order to rationalize their own allegiance to the status quo. I am neither a saint nor prophet, but I am a Jesus-loving free Black man in a Great Tradition who intends to be faithful unto death in telling the truth and bearing witness to justice. I am not beholden to any administration, political party, TV channel or financial sponsor because loving suffering and struggling peoples is my point of reference. Deep integrity must trump cheap popularity. Nothing will stop or distract my work and witness, even as I learn from others and try not to hurt others. But to pursue truth and justice is to live dangerously. In the spirit of John Coltrane’s LOVE SUPREME, let us focus on what really matters: the issues, policies, and realities that affect precious everyday people catching hell and how we can resist the lies and crimes of the status quo! I pulled this statement from Facebook, West posted it there on April 23rd.

Well I'm dependent upon traffic to my site. If I were a restaurant and I was simply interested in people knowing my location, menu and hours, it would not matter very much where people discovered my website. But since Facebook requires me to cannibalize my content, without any form of financial compensation, in an effort to tear people away from the platform to visit my website, it does not make sense for me. I'm going to go two or three million deep. I suspect the info will more strong support what is shown above.

I have not watched all the videos All the back peddling on the use of the term "African American," at the beginning of this video was pretty funny. However, I could relate as it is a surprisingly controversial term that I've had to defend many times. She does a good job explaining it. Though it won't change anyone's opinion or the term, those who don;t have a clue will learn about the controversy.

Well my interaction on Facebook when I actively engage there is decent. But it is very difficult to get people to come to my site FROM Facebook and engage here. Again, the ability to do this has become even harder over that last two years. The main reason is that Facebook is very,very good at what they do. They have made a science of making sure people stay on their platform--it is a super "sticky" website. Another factor, implied by the stats is that many people, perhaps most, who use Facebook are doing so from Facebook's mobile app, that is not the type of configuration that lends itself to people leaving the Facebook ap to click away go to the browser app to visit another website, particularly one that is not optimized for mobile (thought this discussion forum is optimized for mobile). So unless you put you content on Facebook's website, people are not likely to click away to read it. Finally my demographic, are not the type of people who are going to be heavy users of Facebook. It would be like me advertising in XXL magazine or buying a commercial on The Housewives of Atlanta--pointless. Sure they have have a big Black demographic, but those are not the people who would most likely be interested in say, knowing that Gregory Pardlo, recently won a Pulitzer for Poetry or even reading his work. You see what I mean?

Here is a article, Dwayne Alexander Smith wrote exclusively for AALBC.com on his winning the 2015 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Debut Author

Gregory Pardlo just won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize Winner for Poetry!

Despite all of the money, time and energy only 2% of my traffic comes from Facebook. Not much more than Wikipedia, which I have invested a negligible amount of energy. Chris, this will be the type of information I will share in the article I'm writing. I created this image for the course I teach at Baruch College. I have also looked at Facebook data from a fews years ago when I had 1/10 the number of fans than I do now and I was get more traffic back then than I do now. As you can see not other social media platform, including Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn cam in the top 10 and generated much less than a 1% of my overall traffic combined. I'm going to run a similar chart for a few million visitors (unique). I'm willing to bet that less than 5% of my traffic comes from all social media combined. The end of the day, for me, search is the answer. Now if I was running a restaurant or something, my engagement on social media would be welcome, but I like my Blogging buddies, need readers to visitor our platforms.

Here is one thing that I noticed as both an entrepreneur and as corporate employee. White people in power always hook each other up. Black people in power rarely hook each other up, indeed they may do you harm. NWA described one aspect of their rap "F*uck Tha Police" But don't let it be a black and a white one Cause they'll slam ya down to the street top Black police showing out for the white cop In corporate America, it is not uncommon for Black managers, in an effort to "prove" themselves, to treat other Black employees more critically. Often there is the desire to be "the only one," which creates a hyper-competitive environment between Black folks in the corporate arena. Rare is the Brother or Sister who will go out on a limb to help you--usually out of for fear of their own job security. On top of all of that, there are rarely Black folks with sufficient power to help in the first place. So while Obama prides himself as being the "President of ALL Americans," all the other presidents had no problem being the presidents of rich white people. This really is the source of the disappointment some Black feel regarding Obama. Black people got no special benefit, under an Obama presidency, but wealthy American benefited a great deal as the income gap continues to broaden. Sure one can explain that Obama would never have won the white house if he gave anyone a clue that he would show favoritism to other Black people, but once you are in you can do whatever you want, right? I believe Obama did do what he wanted to do once he got in... If a police officer pulls another cop over for speeding, there is an understanding that they won't get ticketed. You have a buddy with a nice job, you'll get that interview. Getting the "hook up" has become a disparaging remark in the Black community. Within the white community it is just doing business... ...or running the country.

OK fellas thanks! I fixed the problem. Having to select the category twice was the clue. Basically, the first selection was sending the category to the wrong form. The 2nd selection, on the correct form would work. The visitor could not tell the difference, I only noticed if because the URL were different. If you would both retest the form I'd appreciate it. You may need to refresh the page first. Thanks when testing the function on my cell phone I noticed a worse problem. I was sending people to a mobile version of the page that I'd abandoned, but never took out the code. Also all the Blogs have been categorized now. Thanks Del and Chris for taking the time to point out this problem!