Troy

How the government could screw up the website is almost bewildering. Clearly they were aware that the opposition was looking for any excuse to call affordable health care a failure. But I guess all the good developers are working for Amazon and Google. One thing I truly wish the government would get through their thick skulls is that everyone does not have a desktop computer with a high speed connection to the internet at home. They make it sound so easy, but for MANY people their only access to the internet is through their cell phone. A lot of people don't have, or even want, an email address. The task of doing everything from looking for work, applying to college, paying taxes, and signing up for health care is very difficult for a great many people. Of course Black people are most effected. So unless this website system is fast, super intuitive and easily accessible from any computer (a friend's, the library's), people will have difficulty. Needless to say the people without a health insurance are the ones most likely to have challenges accessing and using the website. I just visited the site https://www.healthcare.gov/ for the first time and it is down for maintenance. Since I'm in New York the system directed me to NY State's website. It too is down due to maintenance until at least 8AM. Both system say you can apply via phone -- I can't image that would be much better, for I presume the person on the other end of the line has to use the same system. ...and that does not even address the data integrity problems, people who were forced lose existing plans. In New York many of the best hospitals, like Memorial Sloan-Kettering, won't accept any of the plans offered. Universal healthcare is a good idea. It would seem like the US with all its resources could figure it out and get it done. The same country that can get a billion people on a social media site and put a Buick on Mars can't figure out how to take care of it's population. Obama promised a great deal with his message of "hope and change." Sadly the people -- save Obama’s black constituency who apparently are happy just to have a Black family in the White House -- expected even more. We got the change, but it was not what we hoped for...

Here are all of my videos from the National Book Awards events: http://aalbc.it/nbaward

It was a good night. But I'm beat... it has been a busy week.

Scientists are not very... well... scientific. And what?

Well I was correct that one of the three books listed above would win. They are from three different categories so I was not playing the odds, just the subscribing to the notion that something "Black" had to win.... Cynical huh, maybe.

Well James McBride wins the 2013 National Book Award for Fiction!

There were 407 submissions for the Fiction category. It was announced many were not very good. The "business of giving literary awards leaves out books that are equally deserving" Again, I like Rachel and James is my brother.... the winner is James McBride!

Winner of the National Book Award for Nonfiction goes to George Packer. I liked Alan's book, but you can not go wrong in this category :-)

Nikky Finney Announces winner for Poetry: Mary Szybist. Her book is INCARNADINE Her speech was poetic (she was prepared) smart. Video coming I have an interesting conversation with Nikky after the affair. I told her, as everyone else has how great her acceptance speech was in 2011. She told me the main thing she wanted to do was not use the words "Thank You" -- that was too easy (see acceptance speech here). And she wanted to pay homeage to our ancestors. We also recognized how the poets give the best acceptance speeches.

Cynthia Kadohata wins award for Young People's literature for THE THING ABOUT LUCK.

Ms Morrison took a photo with me :-) Actually someone told me this was a "selfie," presumably a photo one takes of themselves -- which it is. L.A. Times Books ‏@latimesbooks launched the Hash Tag #nobelselfie

E.L. Doctorow, recipient of the medal for distinguished contribution to American Letters, description of the impact of the internet is worth the price of admission

Maya Angelou accepts her award with grace. Like a fine wine she really gets better with age (like my friend Cynique). I'll load video tomorrow (left the laptop at home!@&)

Kicking off the event Toni Morrison presents Maya Angelou with the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community!

Well I'm 40 deep in the press pool at perhaps the planet's premier book event. The food is good and I have a clear shot to the stage. So I can't complain. ...well actually I can, but I'll do that latter ;-) Calvin Reid, from Publishers Weekly was in the press pool with me.

There is Alan Taylor reads from his book, The Internal Enemy: Slavery and War in Virginia, 1772-1832. He is one of my handicapped favorites to win a National Book Award. I will post more of my favorite readings here over the next few days. Our Brother James McBride has some stiff competition in the Fiction category. I'm liking Rachel Kushner's The Flamethrowers. I'll post a video of her reading from that book, as well as video from other readings I enjoyed.

Christians are often not very... well... Christian.

Pioneer how would you definite "race" for the purpose civil rights benefits? Would a mulatto like Obama qualify? Would an octaroon (just one Black great-grand parent out of 8) like Homer Plessy qualify?

Rev. Al has done exceedingly well for himself. He is quick witted and can turn a phase. It comes naturally to him and he has been doing it for 50 years and the talking points have not changed. The size of the audience often does not the reflect the importance of what the speaker has to say. I'd rather be healthy and "look good" fat. Though, in Sharpton's case he does look almost sickly. Pioneer why specifically do you praise Al Sharpton so highly. There are many articulate and quick witted people.

Zimbabwean novelist NoViolet BulaWayo reading during the National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 book celebration November 19th 2013:

...or you could be hearing things Ma.

No I don't like Wikipedia. If you ever read that article I wrote about Wikipedia earlier in the year, that will give you some insight. Yes, I'm complaining about sharing detailed about Alice's sexual relationships. It really has nothing to do with Alice herself. It could be Bozo the Clown and I would feel the same way. In theory what Wiki prints is in the public domain, but not necessarily because anyone can contribute. As a result, some of the information is factually inaccurate or out right lies. That is why is can't be used as a source by students. I guess we will disagree about the expectation of privacy for authors. I never liked, for example, the way they put Terry McMillan's business in the street. But to make matters worse the nature of the WWW exaggerated all of her marital drama. So while I'm just looking for information on Terry McMillan, or the Walker ladies newest books, all the details about their relationships is trust into my face. In the past, if I wanted the dirt on Terry I would go to a gossip site. Today I can't avoid the nonsense. No, I would not expect Britannica to publish the names of past sexual partners (they don't). I also decided to look for a proper encyclopedia citation for Alice Walker and stumbled upon this: Why does Wikipedia beat Encyclopedia.com in search when is has a much better citation? Certainly Wikipedia is a sign of the times, one of several signs I do not like. Students copying from Wikpedia is the least of my worries as they could copy from the encyclopedia too.

Well your family is still fortunate. I have 5,000 friends on Facebook. But I'm not friends with either of my children. Why on Earth would I want to be all up in their friend space with a bunch of other children. I would not worry about a son unfriending you. I'm not friends with my mother either :-) On synchronicity, my theory on that is that it is just heightened awareness about a subject at a given time. In other words then seem to be happening in concern much, simply because you are aware of it more. For example I can learn a new word that I seemingly never heard before, then next thing I know -- I'm hearing the words everywhere. I was always exposed to the word, but now I'm just tuned into it. I saw a program investigating the conspiracy theories on the JFK killing. I'd never seen the entire Zapurder (sp?) film before. This was the first time saw I saw the top of JFK's head's being blown off in full color -- my God; It was terrible! What happened to the warning; "The images you are about to see my be disturbing"? Perhaps your life means more to others than it does to you, as you age. Perhaps that has always been the case. Your family is not the only ones who are fortunate. We are too.

While I was at Bill board's site I discovered Eminem has a new "album" currently at #1 While anyone can rap. Marshall Mathers is pretty talented. [Verse 1] But for me to rap like a computer must be in my genes I got a laptop in my back pocket My pen'll go off when I half-cock it Got a fat knot from that rap profit Made a living and a killing off it Ever since Bill Clinton was still in office With Monica Lewinsky feelin' on his nut-sack I'm an MC still as honest But as rude and as indecent as all hell Syllables, skill-a-holic (kill em all with) This flippity dippity-hippity hip-hop You don't really wanna get into a pissing match with this rappidy rap Packing a Mac in the back of the Ac, backpack rap crap, yep, yep, yackity-yak And at the exact same time I attempt these lyrical acrobat stunts while I'm practicing that I'll still be able to break a motherfuckin' table Over the back of a couple of faggots and crack it in half Only realized it was ironic I was signed to Aftermath after the fact How could I not blow, all I do is drop F-bombs, feel my wrath of attack Rappers are having a rough time period, here's a maxi pad It's actually disastrously bad for the wack While I'm masterfully constructing this masterpiece (yeah) cuz

Del a buddy of mine told me that he believed Tracy Chapman funded the cafe, which was named Coco Bar (I think). Here in NYC, it is not unusual at all to go into a Starbucks and see every table or seat taken up by someone on a Laptop computer. A modern day Starbucks looks very much like an internet cafe from the mid 1990's. Except Starbucks provides the internet access for free and charge exorbitant prices for their food and coffee. I was really speaking about internet Cafe's in general not necessarily Rebecca's spot in particular. Cynique, I did not say I was offended by the info of Alice Walkers personal life. It is not clear what I wrote to make you arrive at that conclusion. I thought I was very clear stating that I do not like the idea of Wikipedia sharing the information. Clearly, neither Rebecca or Alice are hiding the sexuality. Again, that has nothing to do with my point. I'm questioning why Wikipedia is sharing the details about their personal relationships? Giving information about a spouse is one thing, but sharing detailed about people they are 'going out' with in a supposed encyclopedia reference seems questionable at best. Now I get that since the partners mentioned are celebrities that people might find that interesting or noteworthy. But again those details are fodder for a gossip column, People Magazine, or a memoir, not a citation in a encyclopedia. "My life is not to be somebody else's impact - you know what I mean? And it was delicious and lovely and wonderful and I totally enjoyed it and I was completely in love with her [Tracy Chapman] but it was not anybody's business but ours." --Alice Walker, The Guardian, Thursday 14 December 2006