Troy

Leadership of the free world has its advantages. I'm not impressed with Obama's picks. I just looked them up and I see he selected all four #1 seeds to go to the final four -- anybody can do that. Experience demonstrates that no one ever wins a bracket pool by betting like that. A lack of experience can manifest in many ways. Hopefully we'll have more luck with Obama's choices regarding Libya.

Preach dgivensterry!

Someone explain to me how Obama's behavior is any different than say Bush in Iraq? Ooops, I forgot Obama is flawless, above reproach with motives pure and 100 righteous. And of course as America's president it is wrong to even suggest that he do something specific for black folks here.

(FinalCall.com | 03-11-2011) - Minister Farrakhan blasted Pres. Obama and Secy. Clinton for their arrogance in meddling in another sovereign nation's affairs and publicly recommending regime change. He then instructed Americans to look beneath the surface to see who stands to benefit from the unrest and warned Pres. Obama to be careful of the words coming from advisors lobbying him to move in with military forces to depose Libya leader, Col. Gadhafi.

Well Cynique I did not think it was an original though of Clarence's but I'd never heard it before. It does sound like the poetry Big Buck shared with us earlier in the year. If he were a Democrat he would not be on the Supreme Court.

“Niggers and flies, I do despise. The more I see Niggers, the more I like flies.” --Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States This from the brother who succeeded Thurgood Marshall. This quote was obtained from the novel from Clarence's ex girlfriend, Lillian McEwen, who penned the tell-all book (sorry, memoir) D.C. Unmasked & Undressed: A Memoir. You can't make this stuff up.

The march 20th NY Times best sellers list is aready out. Iyanla's book is now at #5. You can see which other Brothers and sisters made The List this week: http://aalbc.it/iyanla1

Try the award winning book The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson Published by Random House (September 7, 2010) I was reviewed by Cynique:http://aalbc.com/reviews/warmth_of_other_suns.html

Cynique, I think people derive some "entertainment value" from the problems and tragedies Iyanla has had to content with. That is probably as appealing to some, than the actual advice she dispenses. In regard to her ability to turn a phrase she is right up there with Al Sharpton.

Sunday (March 13th) the NY Times released their bestsellers list. Iyanla Vanzant's Broken Pieces: How to Get Through What You're Going Through tops the list. Some of us were speculating (well I was) about the benefit of Iyanla appearing on Orpah's show. I felt she came across more as someone needing help rather than someone who could provide it -- sort of like Steve Harvey on the subject of relationship (I ain't hatin', am I?). Anyway, Iyanla now has the #1 selling book in the Advice category and I have to believe the Oprah appearance had a lot to do with it. Goes to show how much I know.

Kola's suggestions are excellent. Indeed, I've heard them before from others with a more vision than I. I also realize how much work it would be to execute those ideas -- seriously jeopardizing my relative life of leisure ;-) Cynqiue, I glad I was able to provide consumers some insight.

Cynique: Preach, Ma, Preach!. Xeon: A Brew and Miles -- sounds liek a plan! Carmelgirl: Thanks for making it plain! Cool avatar I gotta make me one of those

Cynique and "work The System" we do. Folks now how to work longer enouugh to collect unemployment for the full 99 weeks. Other folks know how to work just long enough to collect that fat Earned Income Credit Check in April. Don't even get me started on the under ground economy!

I just blogged about an issue that gets zero attention and that is the virtual extinction of websites dedicated to books by and about Black people. In fact there are very few websites dedicated to anything about Black people that is created by Black people. When I first started there almost no Black owned websites dedicated to Black books. Over the years new years were coming on-line all the time. But many of those sites have disappeared and fewer new sites are being created. While the number of websites over all is exploding year after year; the number of Black book websites continue to go down. Have you noticed this trend too? My concern is while everyone is wringing their hands over the bankruptcy of Borders, there is a crisis, in our own backyard this is going completely ignored. Let me know what you think about the article: http://aalbc.com/blog/?p=476

The "Image" awards are a popularity contest. I will say in the book category the nominees, over the years, have improved. It looks like was a fun event and Bernice's reports from the field were interesting. Seeing Bernice, a regular down to earth person, on the red carpet being interviewed and having her dress critiqued was fascinating. I was actually very happy to share in her experience. Cynique -- forget image. In today's celebrity fixated world you get more media attention "props" for being an animal than you do for being an upright citizen, a square.

I 'm glad we can proceed from the assumption that we both recognize that we are Black, love our Blackness and will defend our rights has human beings. That said... Kola Chinese people, for example, don't just come into Black neighborhoods and open up restaurants, they open restaurants all over the country. Koreans open up massage parlors in places when a Negro can not be found for miles. "Cohesive groups": going into a community and opening up businesses is not unique to just Black neighborhoods. It is about business, neither Black American (or the white ones) want to work the long, hard hours, 7 days a week preparing, delivering and serving cheap Chinese food. Those Chinese people are taking advantage of opportunities. The same way all groups have. Mexican's dominate restaurant kitchens and lawn care. Black people dominate the NBA, rap, barbershop and hair salons. "Black America" is not dying. Something can not die that never really existed (at least not in the sense that you are thinking). It is a cliche to say it, but it is as true today as it has always been. Blacks in America are not a monolithic group, there are multiple "clans", "tribes", and "groups". This is like saying Homer Plessy and Harriet Tubman are the same because they are Black. They are the same in so far is that they havd to fight for equal rights in a country that treats them as both as "Blacks" Similarly Barack Obama and I have virtually nothing in common, but we are both so called "Black" men. Indeed one could argue that Barack and I have even less in common than Tubman and Plessy because we no longer have to struggle against institutionalized racism. I'm sure most Blacks can identify at least one white person they've meet that is more socially Black than another Black person they know. It is not just about skin color. When Africans were brought to these shores we came from different cultures. We were no less different than someone coming from Japan or Italy. The bond was a common enemy. Remove the enemy and the need for the bond disappears. You've been to New York City Kola, I'm sure you observed that African's and Black American rarely work together. It is not hatred, there is a great cultural barrier to over come. It is not just language as Mexican do really don't hang with Puerto Rican's in East Harlem either and Dominicans used to war with Puerto Ricans back in the day... But bring in a common enemy and all of these disparate groups close ranks to protect their interests. The terrorist attach in New York was a perfect example. American flags were everywhere, flown by people of all colors. People recognized that they were on the same team, for a minute, and quickly pulled together despite differences in language or color. So yeah I do think Black Americans need to transcend race. All Americans need to do it. Anything less is suboptimal for everyone here. So while I'll fight for Black people specifically, I'm really fighting for everyone.

Xeon, Kola, you are both right. I did not mean to imply the the US is unique. I do not however agree that it is "necessary" on any level. But it is what it is. I was born on a particular side and I'm forced to the defend the rights of my team. And I like the team on on too. :-)

Xeon This is not a problem, but a consequence of freedom. You don't like the name Shaniqua, but you can't say why. Where do you draw the line with names? Does name have to be included in some 1950's baby name book to past muster with you? I have no problem with Shaniqua, but I would have a problem with Shaniqa or Shah'Kneeqwaa for the reasons mentioned. Again, if someone chose to use those names that is entirely up to the parent.

I guess we are truly "post racial". I did not follow the Chicago election, but it appears Obama did not support Braun. Do you think Obama should have endorsed Braun. Who was the best person for the job? Why didn't Black folks blindly support Braun they way they supported Obama over Hillary Clinton? I have no idea what to say about the mixed race thing, other than the obvious...

I also posted the review here: http://aalbc.it/savion A slight correction, this book was not published by the author (i.e. self published) but was published by Charisse Carney-Nunes' publishing company from Brand Nu Words In any case, the book still sounds like an "exception to the rule".

A review of this book by our very own Cynique has been posted: http://aalbc.it/savion

Interesting, sounds like a good read. I need to recycle this into a review to share with the borader readership (again). Cynique I migrated this review over to the Book discussion board.

Xeon OK. While I would not name my kid one of those names; when it is all said an done I don't have any problem with someone that does. Actaully i take that back, the names for English speaking American children conform the the following conventions Phonetically correct (if one sounded the name out it should should match the intended pronunciation)Should not require dash to spellA "u" should follow the "q"The name should conatin at least one vowelShould use only lettersOnly the first letter of name should require capitalizationideally 12 letters or less in lengthThis is only to make it easier for OTHERS who have to deal with the jacked up names some ppeople make up.

We live in a very stupid country when it comes to issues of "race". We classify each other based one's appearance rather than their geneaology. We already know there is only one race. But people are stupid and will fight any argue over the whole concept. If you look at the census categories, over time, it is mess with folks ultimately picking any "race" they want. That guy Homer Plessey, who was only 1/8 Black, could not sit in a train with other so called "white" people. The case went to the supreme court -- assinine.

Xeon, I feel you. When I wanted Obama to be president I did not want to hear anything bad about him. Black people who did not tow that line were self hating negroes, plain 'ole haters or both. You can't bolster your agrument with hyperbole. You say, "...no other major world leader has done what he did!" It is astonishing you write something like this. You can look at the activities of US presidents like Jimmy Carter's involvement in the Arab Israeli conflict, Nixon in China or even Lincoln at home. Three very different men who atually did more than give good speeches (though one could argue Obama has nothing on lincoln). You describe my comments as "personal vitriol", those are very strong words in the content of my comments -- I guess you wanna take folks like me out back and execute us huh? As far as Tavis goes, I assume you, like I, don't know him very well and therefore can not devine his true motivations regarding Obama. My question to you is how can YOU be so sure that what is in Tavis' heart is what is a "...hate thing that is simple minded and ridiculous", then just as easily turn around and paint me with the same filthy brush? Here is my own reasoning: First I KNOW I don't hate Obama. I voted for him the first time and will vote for him a 2nd time (not that it will matter very much). As an adult, my record demonstrates my love of Black people in Africa and across the Diaspora. Any critque I have for Obama, or any Black man, is not born of hate -- trust me on that. I freely admit that I have no clue what the "...criteria that the people who awarded him the prize" was. I was basing my comments upon the comparions to the other Noble Peace Prize winners that I knew of including Dr. King, Sadat/Begen, et al. I would not put Obama in the same category with Dr. King; at least not yet. Would you? Please, at least, answer that question Xeon.