Troy

Cynique we folks as overweight back then as they are today (again based upon your observations). Have you seen this report on obesity in America: http://runt.it/fatamericans

I have a cousin, approaching 50 years of age that lives in Philly. He is always lamenting the derth of available women. His argument is that most of the women his age, that are available are simply too fat. The data seems to support his observations: http://runt.it/fasinfat In many ways this is sad. I've also read that this generation is the first one whose life expectancy will be LOWER than the orevious one -- primarily due to obseity.

I think I'll get a resident white guy tee short myself Bookfan, I'm not sure the board is exactly dead -- at least not yet. I can still drop by from time to time and find iteresting things to read. There are a few things working against the board right now: It is summertime. Summertime is ALWAYS the slowest time of the year for AALBC.com and website traffic in general.facebook is competing for folks time on-line. I probably spend an average of an hour a day on facebook. I have conversations on facebook that i used to have here. I still think this board (even the old board) is better for holding and preserving ongoing discussions.We only have 152 registered users now. More imprtantly active uses (always a small percentage of registered users) is way, way down. This is not likely to increase, on it's own, until the fall.We still have a lot of lurkers -- this is a good thing, and this is likely to increase over time.I have not make a big effort to promote this board. I'll do more of this going forward -- hopefully some of you will do the sameIt seems (let me know what y'all think) that online debating/arguing is waining. Sure people post triades' flames, outbursts and offer opinion, but they do not engage each other in debate as often.It could also be these types of discussion board are waining in popularity, are going out of style. Seems unless some celebrity controversy is involved people can't be bothered.

Even better than the first -- thanks! Interestingly, during a recent vacation I was speaking to a gentleman who grew up a few blocks from where I was raised; expect he is at least 30 years my senior. The most stricking thing was that his recollections of his childhood were very similiar to mine. When I contrast this with the differences of kids you came just 20 years after me... welll we may as well have been born 1,000 years apart.

I even read it it was a great book: http://aalbc.com/authors/bernicemcfadden.htm. I actually liked the paperback cover better (the larger image). If memory serves I believe Bernice prefered the original cover. Here is the chat transcript: http://thumperscorner.com/chatarchive/sugar_chat.htm (yeah it could be reformated but at least it is still on-line )

Chris I agree with you sans the lack of sympathy. As an aside, Bernice is quite "down" and I'm sure you'd like her as a person. That said, I know the publisher of her current book Glorious (AALBC.com has published two reviews of this book (http://runt.it/Glorious2) does not spend much on promtion and advertising. They publish excellent books, but that is not good enough in a world where you have competitors also publishing excellent books AND spending money to promote them. Sure you'll get some traction from favorable reviews, but you still have to promote the favorable reviews. In our society a half way decent book with bucks for promotion will do much better than a really good novel with $0 spent. If I listen to the agents I know many great novela -- especially from Black folks are not even being published... ..

Chris LOL! Thumper actually I'm not saying technology is "better". I am saying it is different and I'm not completely convinced that society is actually better off as a result -- what did people do before there were books? I'm don't know if people were less happy or dumber then than they are now. It does not look like America will not last 1,000 years. I'm virtually certain that nothing we've built, save the plastics we've dumped into landfills, will last that long. There are, however, civilzations and cultures that lasted much longer than 1,000 years. The pyramids are still standing and those folks did not read too many books...

AALBC.com and Mosaicbooks.com Founders discuss social media http://runt.it/troyron

Black writers in a ghetto of the publishing industry's making by Bernice McFadden http://runt.it/bernicemac My debut novel, "Sugar," was also published by a Penguin imprint. Set in the 1950s South, the story line deals with racism and celebrates the power of friendship and acceptance. The original cover depicted a beautiful black woman standing behind a screen door. "Sugar" was marketed solely to African American readers. This type of marginalization has come to be known among African American writers as "seg-book-gation." This practice is not only demeaning but also financially crippling. When I looked into why works by African American writers were packaged and marketed so differently than those by their white counterparts, I did not have to search far for my answer.

Chris, I've listened to the music. I'm sorry but I don't agree with your assessment of Ms. Monae. Give me the titles of your favorite cuts, I'll buy them from itunes, an listen to them again to see what I may be missing. Sometimes I buy music to play for others even if I don't particularly care for it (for parties and the like). But I did not hear anything so revolutionary that would get me to buy a single cut even for the enjoyment of others...

Cynique perhaps that is why Lil Wayne is one of the most popular rappers recording today. Though my youngest said the last album did not do too well... Sure many, perhaps most people can not sit still long enough, for a host of reasons, to fully engross themselves in a long article let alone a complex literrary work. Thumper reading, as you enjoy, it will go the way of letter writing and the horse and buggy. Sure some will people always enjoy it but most folks will not be willing to spend the extra time and expense of particpating in those antiquated activities. The will send a text of hop in their car. If we are to thrive, survive even, we will need to find new ways to relate, acquire, tranfer and build upon information. While books have served us for the last 1,000 years, I'm not convinced that they are the only way, or even the best way to accomplish these things. Man created and maintained great cilivizations all over the planet before there were books. I think we will continue to do so long after the last one has turned dust.

No Chris, you do the research: If you provide me a me a single example of someone dying from starvation in the US in the last 50 years, from a reliabl,e documented source I'll buy your next novel. The person you find can not have been lost in the widerness, restrained against their will, an abandoned child or insane. I'm talking about a person with so little access to food that they actually starved. This is not the first time you've challenged my starvation statment. Here is your chance to back up your challenge with facts rather than hyperbole. Again speaking from my own experience. All of us kids, in the hood, had access to at least two meals a day, provided by the school or local centers during the summer, for free. Often I was drink the juice and threw the rest of the food away. There is SO much food thrown away in NYC, at least, no one is starving. Sure some folks my be really hungry from time to time, but starvation -- negro phulese!

Yesterday I published a review written by Robert Fleming of Three Days Before the Shooting. Thumper it looks like you'll be in for a real treat!

Cynique thanks again for your thoughts. I know many people from your generation, including my own mom, but rarely do I get this level of insight and observation. I often ask my mom what Harlem was like before I was old enough to remember. All I know is that Sam Cooke gave a great show at the Apollo and folks you to dress up on Sundays. Chris I hear you. There have been studies to support what you say about recollection. Often folks recollections have little to do with reality. When I think about the Harlem I grew up in my impressions are positive. I would play all day with the kids in the neighborhood. We played all types of variation on the game of tag, hide-n-seek, dodge ball, stoop ball, basketball (often using a trash can as the goal). I had a lot of fun. But when I really look at it gangs were a big problem -- my family was robbed at gun point once. Almost everybody's mom was mugged at least once. More and more of us were sent to jail, murdered, dropped out of school, had children as a teenagers, became addicted to drugs. It was a bad in a lot of ways... Looking at it objectively Harlem is much better place to live now. Though I suspect, in many ways, it was even better in the 50's and earlier. While poverty was prevalent when I was younger, it was not crushing as it is in a 3rd world country (no one was starving). Plus everyone was pretty much in the same boat and we were not bombarded by images of the rich and famous, as kids are today. Our plight, relatively speaking, did not seem so bad. I think technology while making things better also exposes people to what they don't have or what they think they need. Easy access to credit, has made it easier for people to immediately get things they could not otherwise afford. Saving is unnecessary. Why wait when you can have it now -- especially when the entire culture is geared to facilitate and encourage this behavior. While yearning for a "simpler time" today would be fruitless. We can simplify our lives... something I have lately been striving to do.

Zane's latest novel The Hot Box is out (almost) the hardcover is available for pre-order at $15.59 (a 40% discount) now.

Hey Cynique I just read your post here: http://aalbc.com/tc/index.php?/topic/322-a-gallery-of-thoughts/ and it added some insight to this post. It would still be interesting to read your reponse to my question.

Thanks for that perspective Cynique!

Chris in some ways you sound like Uncle Ruckus from The Boondocks. We'll have to disagree about Black women who straighten their hair trying to be White. Again this is perhaps more about a need that has been created. White and Asian women make their hair less straight. Are they trying to be Black? What hair style would YOU like Black women to have Chris? Oh mighty arbiter of acceptable hairs styles for Black women. Personally I would not want to live in the any other time but the present. As a relatively young man of modest means, I've been able to travel the world, send my kids to private school, buy Manhattan real estate, run my own business. This, with rare exception, would not have been possible 50 years ago. The most fascinating thing about your argument is that it would be better applied to YOUR way of thinking not mine. You tell me to "Repeat this 400 times. Our ancestors were SLAVES! SLAVES! SLAVES! SLAVES!" I know some of my ancestors where enslaved here; but what does it mean? You and Ish can languish and wallow in the muck and mire of some perceived modern day slavery if you like, but I choose to live -- In 2010, we have that option. The whole idea of trying to equate chattel slavery pre 1865 with modern day America, on any level, is fucking ridiculous. Chris remember this: Freedom is not Free. You, nor anyone, else will be free, unless you WORK at it. Sometimes you have to fight for it. But always have to learn and educate yourself. You never be free sitting around complaining about our ancestors being enslaved. I bet if one of our enslaved forefathers saw read the ideas you were espousing -- they'd slap you upside the head!

Sounds like good eating! The Pig Bomb

Cynique, I agree with you, but you are missing to things especially with regard to Burrell's book. (1) The book is not about White people, Chinese people or any other folks. It is about Black people. So the valid points you make about white folks getting tans to darken their skin, for example, are beyond the scope of the book. In fact I would add (and this was not a point that Burrell raised); that the "brainwashing" especially by ad men knows no color boundaries. It is about money. They have sold us ALL on the idea that we all need to change to look better. Perfectly normal white women spend billions on cosmetic surgery. They spend hours in tanning beds, beaches and roof tops across the country to make themselves darker -- despite the cancer risks. They are all duped ("brainwashed") into believing that their skin color is too light. They will even buy creams to darken their skin. While dark skinned women buy skin creams which purportedly lighten their skin because it is too dark. The same companies sell both products and hire ad men to brainwash us into thinking we need them. (2) The consequence of Black people's brainwashing is that we lag in virtually every measure of success in this country. While Asian women are getting surgery to "fix" their otherwise normal eyelids, they are not lagging behind in academic achievement. Cynique, forget the stats for a moment. Anecdotally, do you think Black folks are doing better now in 2010 or in 1950? Do you think our prospects for the future are better now or then? Why? Thanks

Carey in some ways your reaction to the woman shows how shallow you are. Or rather it betrays how shallow and fragile your definition of "Goddess" is despite the flowery prose and poetry you've heaped onto the woman. Your admiration was so fragile that it could all be swept away solely because of the color of the man she fell in love with. The fact that she could find love should be more reason for admiration, not less. Think about it.

Very Funny, but one hell of a promo Chris. I actually was familiar with Janelle Monae. But 10 Daya ago I was not. Last Saturday I went to a concert (the 25th anniversary of the Black Rock Coalition). In Living Colour was the headliner. It was an outdoor, free concert. I went by myself -- I guess I know too many squares. Well I ran into this sister, who recongized me from the National Black Writers Conference. We hung and she schooled me on Ms. Monae. This sister who is also a professor and acomplished singer herself. Chris all is not lost!

Chris I'm not a woman, and I don't have the data, but I don't believe that all the women who wear perms, extensions, weaves ad wigs are trying to be white. I've been married almost 20 years I was raised by a woman and I raised two women myself. I don't see these women trying to be white. I doubt you have sufficient evidence to provide otherwise. While YOUR experience may be different, the plural of your anecdotes is not data... Negroes [men] processing their hair was generations ago, move on Brother, let it go and move on, the rest of the world has. Chris you were never enslaved, nor was your father or was his father before him... How much longer do you want to use this as an excuse or a reason for not going to school or doing the work required to succeed? We did it right after slavery ended, why are we stopping now? Spend less time watching the "Black Klansman"; it seems to have poisoned your mind.

Check out advertising pioneer Tom Burrell’s video, which highlights his book Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority. It is running on almost every AALBC.com page, including the homepage. Burrell is taking advantage of an AALBC.com video advertising unit: http://runt.it/video_ad I have to admit when I get a client that understands advertising it make me smile.

ROTFLMBAO! dag Cynique, I'm glad Carey is not the sensitive type... Carey I have to say that I agree with Cynique and Chris for the most part. And this is coming from one of the few Black people who freely admits they voted for Obama because he was Black. I rationalized this by with the belief that Obama could not be any worse than the last guy in office. I also believed that Obama would be smart enough to assemble a supporting cast that would compensate for his inexperience. Finally while I did not buy into all that "change" stuff. I did believe he would at least try to make a difference for everyday folk. Well it remains to be seen if Obama is any better for the country than Bush. The comparison to Carter does not seem far off. Carey, if Obama was Republican he would be hung in effagy if not for real. Kayne would be saying how much Obama hates Black people (at the least the ones in the gulf). I read somewhere the other day that troop levels in both theaters when added up are actually higher that during Bush's reign. I know my taxes are higher, my property vales are lower and college cost are astronomical. The changes in health care mean nothing to me, at least not yet. Sure it is early in Obama's term and no one reasonable should expect immediate change. But pretty soon Obama will have a serious effort ahead of him to just win a second term. This will distract him even futhure... Even before Obama officially announced I predicted that he would win the office of POTUS. Immediatedly after the election I went on record predicting that Obamam would be a one term president. I see no reason to change my prediction today.