Troy

No I had not seen this video (I posted it below). It was actually hard to find as there were so many "reaction" videos where others were goofing on the original video. The behavior of both the bus driver and the girl were are atrocious. I think recording an posting these videos makes matters worse, as it actually trivializes the behavior. There is also a financial incentive for people to record this stupidity an share it on yourtube. There are commercials from BMW on these videos for Christ sake!. People unfortunately make money on these videos. This is another one of my gripes against Google (but that is another story). You are may have heard about all the police shootings in NYC. You may not have heard about all the folks following the police with cell phones and ipads filming the shooting -- risking their lives. In a recent shooting 9 innocent bystanders were shot by the police. I'd be willing to bet money at least one of them were trying to record it. Here is another video I found while looking for the one above. I recorded a similar fight right outside my window a few years ago. I thought about posting on youtube myself, but thought better of doing it as I could not think of a single positive thing that could come of it. All people are doing are exploiting the idiocy of others for fun and monetary gain. Kinds of reminds you of the network news, huh?

Yeah I think Perry would be more sympathetic than not. I'm sure he realizes that despite his hard work he was truly lucky/blessed to be where he is. A man in Perry's position knows more than most people that there is a ton of Black talent out there -- much of which will languish in obscurity. Beside there are not enough vehicles to showcase this talent. I think, on balance, Tyler Perry is doing his part. I also like what folks like Ava Duvernay are doing as well; going the independent route and making it work. Hollywood seems to consider fame strongly when it comes to Black actors, so if you are a rapper, a comedian or Tyler Perry you are much more likely to get an acting gig than someone who is who is Black and only studied acting. Cynique, I'm not convinced a Black publishing company could not create something "new" in that is commercially viable in the literary market place.

No. I never understood why there was never a Black literary equivalent of Motown. The talent is available but it is difficult to corral as the best and the brightest Black folks usually want to work for someone else. Perhaps in todays world where some much of this talent is unemployed it will be more likely for a Black Motown Publishing company to emerge, but I'd be very surprised to see it happen. I could have tried myself but was unwilling to make the financial sacrifice. Getting others of similar financial resources to share the load is exceedingly difficult. Tyler as Alex Cross I guess we will see what his acting skills are like. I never really thought of Tyler Perry as a box office draw (outside of a dress) -- let alone an action figure. But hey what do I know I felt the same way about Will Smith.

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Yeah I saw that too. I find myself watching youtube videos on TV more than anything else. People have uploaded and shared so much fascinating content it is really amazing.. I hope people will one day think of some of my videos in that way: http://www.youtube.com/aalbc

I posted the same image on Facebook the conversation there is getting interesting as a SEO expert has weighed in: http://aalbc.it/look4troyfbconvo Interestingly he actually read the post here too, but chose to comment on the facebook conversation.

I'm writing an article about this issue but I thought I'd preview it here first, maybe even get some more ideas from your comments. Click this link http://aalbc.it/look4troy to run a simple Google query on my name, Troy Johnson. Your results will vary depending upon... well God know what, but I can guarantee you the following will be the same no matter who you are. The query will returns the big social media sites before anything on AALBC.com! My Facebook profile is at position #4 My LinkedIn Profile is at position #6 My Twitter profile is #10 AALBC.com does not appear until #16 on the 2nd page! Given that there are almost 25 million pages returned, and that I have a common name, shared with a few celebrities, the fact that I have 3 pages in the top 10 would normally be considered as great by some. This is very bad news because I do not own the 3 top pages. Forget about giving me SEO (search engine optimization) advise, I got that down. Besides my content is more complete and comprehensive that the other social media sites (I created it all). My site's content is almost 15 years old the oldest site beating me, with my own content, is less than 5 years old. I put very little information about myself on Twitter. Facebook has nothing that AALBC.com does not have -- indeed all I use Facebook for is to link back to AALBC.com. I don't really use LinkedIn. The obvious reason for this is that Google, despite all their bullshit about directing people to the best sites with their, complex and secret algorithm, is simply sending people to the large sites first. You might say why of course genius -- waddya expect? Well the fact of the matter is that this was not the case since there was such a thing as a search engine. Google only recently started favoring these large social media sites. If you queried my name a few months ago an AALBC.com page would have come up in the top 5. Watching this happen is astonishing, partially because it is happening right under our noses and no one not the government or the people have a clue it is happening or why it is important. The Internet was once a truly open an democratic environment. Today it is not. Tomorrow is scary.

Hi DT. I never was a big fan of the way employment figures are calculated. Indeed none of the people who lost their jobs 1 year after Obama took office and are still unable to find work are counted in the latest numbers. A direct comparison with 4 years ago based upon the unemployment figures does not really tell us very much -- partisan politics aside.

Writegirl, "We talk and talk and love to hear ourselves speak and see our words come together on these message boards. We like to be heard." this is why Facebook is so popular for some and a complete turn off for others. In fact on Facebook when, "...someone offers a different viewpoint than our own, we get all up in arms" all you have to do is block them and they are silenced. As a result Facebook is a big echo chamber of the same opinions, memes, religious messages and so forth. That is what I like about forums like this people can disagree. I would rather have a Nah'Sun come through and make a case that some just say Oh I agree with everything you say -- that is boring and you can learn anything if you are never challenged... Carey, seriously, I don't blame Bernice for not giving you a book. I have never asked an authors for a free book in over 15 years (today may actually be the 15 anniversary of me sitting down to start AALBC.com it was this month I'm just not sure of the day). If I a request a book from an authors it is because I'm publishing a review of it. The other example of actors in roles were fine with me. First they were all in the same ball park of appearance and Jamie is a great mimic and had Ray Charles down, Denzil is a terrific actor and could probably pull off a great Carey. If you wanna go for miscasting try the 60+ year old Samuel L Jackson playing a 39 year old Martin Luther King in Mountain Top. Zoe Saldana does not have any of Nina's characteristics. I'm not even sure Zoe self identifies as Black... What were you doing in the presence of Harvey and the others Carey. Were y'all working on a movie.

Well they have white actors playing Cleopatra and Jesus Christ; so hey they gonna go what they wanna do anyway. Like the trained dogs we are we will gladly lap it up. Seems even Spike Lee has stopped bitchin' and moaning. His last film Red Hook Summer came and went and the majority of people I asked about the film didn't even know Spike had a new film out. Sure the reviews were bad but that is not the point. In fact I just ran a query to fine my review: http://aalbc.com/reviews/red-hook-summer.html and I was unable to do it. I seriously believe there is more going on, to crush us, than we are aware.

LOL! Cynique if you posted this on Facebook I guarantee I would never see it on my wall. Carey you can

Time will tell if I'm right about Obama's strategy. But I know if he mentions it Romney has a comeback prepared. If Obama decides not to mention it, that will be very telling and I would not chalk it up to simply just taking the high road there will be a reason conscious reason for not mentioning it. I should emphasize that Facebook makes it "seem" like "all" my friends are rabid Obama supporters. I KNOW they are all not. I just don't see their comments on my wall. And if could be only the most ardent supporters of Obama post comments about him while those more indifferent, simply don't post.

I just looked at the posts on my Facebook for the last 16 hours; aside from a handful of "look what my kid just did" it has been all debate all the time. Or rather it was ultra rabid Obama supporters saying how Obama kicked Romney's ass last night. One thing I hate about Facebook is that I usually only get one perspective only. With 5,300 friends this seems unlikely. All of my friends, judging by my wall, are blind supporters of Obama. If there is anyone with anything less than pure worship of Obama, it does not appear on my wall...but I digress form the point of this post. Many people wondered why Obama did not mention Romney's statement: "There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it -- that that's an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what. ... These are people who pay no income tax. ... [M]y job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." I believe the Obama's advisers realize there are similar things the Romney camp can cherry pick from Obama's past including "You didn't build that" MC Hammer inspired version below: I don't think Obama should mention the 47% so early in the debates. I say wait to a point in the debate, perhaps when Obama gives his final statement, a point when Romney will not have an opportunity to give his reaction -- which I'm sure his camp has taken a great deal of time to craft a response.

Anyone but a dark skinned woman play Nina is a travesty. But that is hollyweird for you. I hope I'm getting older and wiser; but correlation is not causation. Give us time

Ann Coulter: An Un-American and Very Dangerous Mind by Kevin Powell Very sad and tragic that some people will do virtually anything to be famous, and practically anything to sell a book, even if it means spewing hatred, division, and manufactured lies and half-truths just to get a rep, as the late rapper Guru once rhymed. Case in point is Ms. Ann Coulter, the right-wing political commentator, syndicated columnist, and omnipresent media personality whose new book, "Mugged: Racial Demagoguery from the Seventies to Obama," is so bad, so poorly written, so drenched in shameless historical revisionism that one has got to wonder if she, Ms. Coulter, believes anything she has put on paper. Click here to read Kevins full blog post. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tnhlo0qgr4I To me this type of "dialogue" is pointless. No one can learn anything about the issues in these forums where people just talk over each other hurling insults and unsubstantiated claims. I think the subject matter warrants serious conversations and people like a Joy Behar are not the ones to mediate. In fact I just noticed she is in both videos...

Hummm I agree with many of your statement Carey (let me check myself for a fever). I saw a post by Thumper on Facebook about a book he read, something along the lines of what he would post here. Only Cynique and I replied. Thumper did not engage. His profile page looks like it is not being used very much. I don't believe "long open discussions has become an outdated custom", sure there are a small percentage of people willing and able to do it, but they are out there. I think the impact of individual niche sites best able to provide the platforms has been diluted by social media. On facebook all of the groups I'm a member of that are designed to talk about book or facilitate the communication between authors are ghost towns, or just dumping ground for people self promoting -- they post an advertisement for something and leave. Actually Facebook make this very easy to do -- I do it myself. I have yet to come across a good discussion about a book.on Facebook. They may exist, I just have not seen one and I'm on facebook more than most people. And I'm not talking about a conversation where an author writes, "Hey I have a new book out", and all the authors fans heap praise and and congratulatory messages. People also edit too much on Facebook. They delete messages, entire conversations or complete ban people they don't like. It would never occur to me to ban someone who disagreed with me personally. Facebook will implode eventually. Honestly I'm already tired of it, but I appreciate I used it a lot more than most. But I've met as many old classmates I think I'm going to meet. I communicate with my actually friends the old fashioned way, and I think discussion broads like these are much better suited for conversation. Another thing I hate about Facebook is that when I do have a long conversation with someone it is very hard to retrieve if -- even after a few days. Here I'm committed to persevering all of our conversations and have done for for over a decade.

I think Obama, in addition to being limited by his position, is also limited by his temperament. Oh now if you wanna add "...convince me that what they are saying is true." to the mix sure I'd personally take every mega church leader I've heard off my personal list. but trust me after seeing TD Jakes in action at his potters house; there are many thousands of people who would disagree with both of us. The debate was interesting. Romney had an advantage in that he could simply say what he was going to do (the same thing Obama did 4 years ago). While Obama has to defend what actually happened on his watch. Obama's ability to say what he is going to do is tempered by what he has actually done. The grandiose claims of "hope and change" are muted . Mitt does not have that disadvantage. At the end of the day people see what they want to see. A local New York City poll should more than 80 of the viewers said Obama won the debate last night. While a CNBC poll (picked randomly from a query I just ran), shows 65% think Romney won with 10% said neither. Carey, in my opinion, last night's debate did more to help Romney than Obama.

"...the truth is non partisan and people don't let it get in the way when they become passionate about something." Exactly Cynique. I watched "The View's" clip and considered adding it to the interview, but choose not too. At least the Boondocks video was funny and there was no pretense at journalism as there is with the Fox interviews I saw, or serious dialog as with "The View"'s clip shown below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxLIPLU1yM8 I have to admit Ann held her own against emotional women coming at her from every side. That actually is a very difficult thing to do especially in front of an audience and keep your composure

I did not mention King because that would be too easy. I could run a list of baptist ministers that would rings around Obama in their sleep. To help you with the white orators who are better than Obama -- look to the mega churches and you'll be able to answer your own question. It has nothing to do with agreement with Obama, Sharpton has said a ton of things I disagree with. Sure Obama enunciates better than Sharpton, but Shaprton is funnier, better unscripted, but most importantly says what he feels in a much more compelling way than Obama. Even at a pep rally I videoed, in Harlem, of Obama speaking Cornel West was more dynamic than Barack. Barack is a good speaker, but overrated as the white media has a tendency to overate Black speakers who sound like them an devalue Black speakers who don't. But you did hit on a point about Barack "...born from the fact that he has to measure every single word and/or phrase that come from his mouth". And this I'm sure is a factor in way I rank him below so many others. Unfortunately this is one of the more disappointing things of the political process. ANYONE who speaks for more 5 minutes will make a mistake in speaking. The way these mistakes are blown out of proportion is a distraction away from real issues. And no I don't expect you, or very many others, to follow me down the Green Party path. Honestly I'm not all that charged up about them either, as they have a snow ball's chance... Consider it a protest against both of the other parties. Besides I'm in NY I could cast 1,000 votes and it would not make a difference in the out come of the election; Obama still wins NY.

http://aalbc.it/anncolt KW: Richie the intern asks: What did you think of how the cartoon The Boondocks depicted you? AC: I’ve at least heard of The Boondocks. But again, I have no idea how that was done. I wouldn’t know all that I do about history, if I spent my time watching cartoons and other TV shows. [Chuckles]

Three location in the database: http://www.huria.org/bookstores/store.php?store_name=TLJ Congrats on the sales!

Nah'Sun, I never wrote I have a full understanding of hip-hop. While I know a lot about some things I would never say I have a full understanding of anything. However because I was there from the beginning of hip-hop, I have a knowledge of hip-hop you don't have and you will never will have because you are too arrogant to even be interested. No, I don't view hip-hop the way you view it, but I don't view Christianity the way a church deacon might. That however that does not mean that I don't know anything about either one. To assume so is just... dumb. It will be interesting to read your response to Cyqniue and Writergirl's questions.

Carey! Long time no read. Yes, I did predict that Obama would not gain a second term. I said so early on in his presidency. I also accurately predicted that he would win the 1st term -- before he even announced. While I don't feel nearly as strongly about an Obama 2nd term defeat, I definitely don't think he is out of the woods -- despite a $1 Billion+ war chest. The only thing saving him is his lackluster republican opposition. I never wrote or said I was not voting for Obama. At least you wrote "I believe" instead of stating it as a fact an running with it. I see you've come a long way The best orator in the last 50 years -- 'ole man you must be mad! Obama can't even lick the bottom on Farrakhan's shoes in the oration department. Obama does not have the range of emotion nor the intensity, to make him one of the greatest. Sure he is good but great -- naw. He always looks like he is watching a tennis match while he is speaking. Obama does not even stack up well against Al Sharpton. Others that would knock Obama out the top 5, all of whom I heard speak personally, include; Iyanla Vanzant, TD Jakes, and if I thought for two more minutes I could name another 10 and get Barack down to under the top 15 -- without even considering non-Black speakers. Oh, and as far as who I'm voting for; Jill Stein of the Green Party.

So Nah'Sun you are opened minded? It was not an attack, just an observation. But if you can point to anything you've written in the week or so that we've been carrying on this conversation I'd be glad to read it and reconsider my observation. I write that you are closed minded because you don't seem willing to let new information in, if it goes counter to your current beliefs. Again that is nothing new; it is more common than not. Here is an example; If I tell you I witnessed, first hand, the birth of hip-hop. People who are really interested in learning more might take pause and say hey -- as much as I know about hip-hop here is a Brother that witnessed it from the beginning; maybe it is worth hearing what he has to say, perhaps it will give me a new perspective -- better yet I'll take advantage of the forum and ask him some questions. Maybe I'll try to understand why he no longer feels the same way he used to feel. But because I tell you I don't by into all the depth and gravitas others ascribe to hip-hop, you tell me I don't know anything about it. This is a religious debate -- pointless. As pointless as a scientist trying to get a Christian to believe dinosaurs were long extinct before man came along or that there is nothing wrong with same sex marriage... But like your relative age, your are also sensitive about any slight against hip-hop. I'm just not sure why, unless the strengths of your beliefs are a little shaky. As an aside, and I'm just speaking for myself here, I try not to insult, demean or attack people personally here or anywhere or in the real world. I do try to be honest and sometimes when you are not mincing words that can be construed as an attack.