Troy

I don't propose that I KNOW anything I'm just telling you what I think about a particular idea. Is it possible that some infinitely intelligent being (God) set our universe into motion almost 14 billion years ago? Sure. Is it possible that there is some universal consciousness that we can all tap into, and derive inspiration? Sure. Is it possible that this very consciousness actually gives rise to our physical being, rather than the other way around? Why not? All I'm saying is that given the physical nature of our being, indeed, the universe itself, that we can predict the eventual outcome of anything because the universe is not at all random, there are known physical laws. That said; On a quantum level if you look at a particle like an electron, you can't say precisely where it is at any given time. All you can do is calculate the probability of where it will be might be but that is about it. Some believe this fact leads to infinite possibles at a macro scale; believing there are an infinite number of universes a new one spawned anytime a decision is made. I could argue that we have complete control over our destinies, our universe even. I was just interested examining the other idea...

LOL, Pioneer. I know I've made an impact as you are now aware at least aware of how statement like "Black men in general are more polygamous than White men from Northern Europe" might be found so profoundly problematic. As you may have gathered I don't think Black and white people are very different as many people do. The differences in class and culture are much more profound that skin color. Black people in America really do have more in common with white people in American that they do with Black people anywhere in African (not controlled by the West). I do not believe for a split second Black men are more polygamous than white people. There are polygamous white groups right here in the US. I could poke holes in the theory all day. But I won't bother... ...because I actually agree with your conclusions. Clearly, this system does not serve the formerly enslaved people in the US. It seems the only people interested in getting married are homosexual. Sure Black married men sleep around, but supporting multiple wives and raising the resulting offspring is a COMPLETELY different thing that just screwing those women. So while this system dominated by the dictates of the Christian church (monogamy, etc) clearly is not working very well for us. There are those that will argue that if EVERYONE was a Christian then all the problems would be solved. I think it is obvious that would never work. I have no clue what would model would work better for us, so I'm inclined to believe improving our current system is as good an idea as any...

Pioneer the idea that we control our choices is merely an illusion. There is a incredible amount of variability in what we could do, but with sufficient intelligence we could know the outcomes. In much the same way we could predict the weather, if we were smart enough. But to our feeble minds the weather is too complex for us to understand. Before we knew as much about the weather as we know today came up with stories to describe it too -- angry Gods and the like. We even sacrificed each other to placate these imagined Gods. Our genetics, our environment, my typing this message could have been predicted before the creation of this planet so many billions of years ago. But the complexity is so great, and we are so limited in our understanding, that whether we have control or not does not make a difference to us over the course of our lives.

"I'm just saying what I think, what pops in my head." Right Cynique. All I'm adding is that we don't know really how our thoughts are created. All the stuff about ideas (inspiration) coming from deceased loved ones, any form of ESP or a breaded white guy in the sky are not likely.

Pioneer is you have not already don so reach out to Sylvia Hubbard of the Motown Writers Network 313.289.8614 http://motownwriters.com She can connect you to a a bunch of other similar minded folks in your neck of the woods.

I know since you will not reply directly this question is purely rhetorical; but here it goes anyway: What do you propose that we do with Black ministers and churches -- blow them up and lynch all the minsters? Convert all the "saved" people and turn them into atheists or Islam? I'm not defending the Black Church I just don't know what you expect to happen. Now that it is a very lucrative money machine and source of power what makes you think anyone will relinquish it?

I don't give the scientists all the credit, I give humans credit, scientists are just one subset. The truth is complex and will not be completely told by a scientist or a spiritual leader -- perhaps in aggregate we will learn the truth. I just think people ascribe too much, including inspiration, to ethereal sources, that could be much more easily ascribed to ourselves.

MySpace did a complete reboot. There are no ads, the content scroll sideways. Which might work well on a mobile device that swipes, but is a pain with a mouse (but mice and a keyboard going away anyway right?). I have no cue how to add content yet, but it look like the site is mainly for musicians. For what is is worth here is my URL https://new.myspace.com/aalbc let me know if you figure out what to do when you get there :-)

Pioneer, I mean just that, "we don't have free will". We are machines, albeit sentient ones, basically fulfilling the programing of our genetics and environment. You basically touched on the matter when you described how our very personalities are impacted due to chemical or physiological changes. But we can take it further; scientists can already predict choices you will make before you are conscious of having made a choice and they can even control the choices we make. Every rationale we can dream up for why we do something is not based upon reality, they are just stories craft and tell ourselves. Some stories are quite wonderful other are dangerous. They allow us to make accept the tragic shootings that occur and are largely ignored in cities like Philly, Newark, Chicago. They help us accept that the bodies we inhabit will eventually decay a cease to work. These stories helped us survive enslavement as we had the hope of a better place and allowed others to believe taking another man's freedom was is OK, ordained even. They are the stories that convince some that Obama is a great man who will do great thing for Black people if we are just patient. Perhaps if our conscious were and not bound by our physical limitations we would know much more and maybe treat each other a little better.

Pioneer. I lived in NY City most of my live but I've lived other places and spend a lot of time in the south now. I've been running my own business for the last 5 years but sent a ton of years work relatively cushy jobs in corporate america, the Big House is you will. Population density is over rated -- the conditions under which most people live under in NYC is really quite bad. Many don't truly appreciate how bad the conditions they live under are, because they have nothing better to compare it to. I know many pole you are 3, 4 generations now living in a public housing project. They are quite happy. When you have large populations you have all the problems that come with it -- housing as mentioned, but even more importantly schools. The people responsible for running the schools in NYC should be in jail. New York City's public transportation is decent (I don't use it I'll drive, walk ride, my bike or simply won't go somewhere that requires me to get on the subway or bus), but I hear over crowing, price increases and declining service is straining the system and the people who ride it. Not to mention a passenger is run over by a train on average once a week. New York is diverse which brings positives and negatives. But New York City is one of the most stratified cities I've ever seen. Racial groups tend to self segregate, and most people just stay in the lanes. New York City as a bastion of diversity loving hand holders is mostly hype. Laws and ordinances that promote creativity -- hell to the no! Small business that are viable are usually that way because they remain off the grid -- engaging in a cash economy. The are so many rules, regulations and taxes any business on "the books" has a tremendous amount of over head. Do you think any of those cats on 125th street are collecting or paying sales tax, income tax? If they did they most would not have a business. Things a working stiff takes for grated like paid vacation, sick leave, health care, etc most "hustlers" don't have it Many cats my age don't even have all their teeth for this reason. I'm not trying to discourage you Pioneer I just want to you get NY City out your head as a model, 'cause NY only works for people with serious paper.

Also check out this Brother in 1999 he became the 1st African America International Grandmaster. Interestedly we attended the same high school. (He started the year I left) Maurice Ashley immigrated to New York from Jamaica at the age of twelve, only to be confronted with the harsh realities of urban life. But he found his inspiration for a better life after stumbling upon a chess book and becoming hypnotized by the game. He would eventually break the chess world's color lines by becoming an International Grandmaster in 1999. Read more

Interestingly Nah'Sun, in hindsight, I wish I had not paid to for my entire family to see Django in the theater. Here is an article you all may find interesting: http://blockreportradio.com/news-mainmenu-26/1484-django-unchained-the-pornication-of-black-history.html While I think critiquing the film on it's historically accuracy is a silly exercise -- I did fond it a interesting diversion from the Spike Lee said this and Jamie Fox said that. As in "articles" like the one we find in the ghetto section of the HUffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/jamie-foxx-spike-lee-django-unchained-criticism_n_2505894.html

One of the young ladies featured has the potential to become the 1st female African-American "Master" Chess player Brooklyn Castle In Theaters: Oct 19, 2012 Limited PG, 1 hr. 42 min. Documentary, Special Interest Directed By: Katie Dellamaggiore Producers Distribution Agency Brooklyn Castle is the remarkable and improbable true story of I.S. 318 in Brooklyn. The school, where 65% of students live below the federal poverty level, has the highest ranked junior high chess team in the nation. The heart of the film is the engaging young students who populate the team: Rochelle, who has the goal of becoming the first female African-American chess master; Pobo, the team's charismatic leader; Justus, an entering student who must manage the high expectations that come with achieving master status at an early age; Alexis, who feels the pressure of his immigrant parents' desire for him to realize the American dream; Patrick, who uses chess to help overcome his ADHD; and James, the young rapping maestro and budding chess talent; among several others. the official website.

We've spoken quite a bit about Tim Wise here on these discussion board in the past Read more about Tim Wise Here

We've spoken quite a bit about Tim Wise here on these discussion board in the past Read more about Tim Wise Here

La Pirogue - Film Review For those of you interested in great cinema, telling stories of Black people, and are tired the the gnashing of teeth and hand-wringing over Hollyweird's films like "Django" then check out the new Senegalese film "La Pirogue" directed by Moussa Toure. This drama tells the story of 30 Senegalese peasants who make a break for Spain by sea in search of a better life. La Pirogue puts a human face to illegal immigration. If you agree tell someone: https://aalbc.com/reviews/film-reviews.php?id=1703 the film opens in a limited number of theaters next week. If you live near New York City the film will be showing at the Film Forum: http://www.filmforum.org/movies/more/the_pirogue

"By the way, weather has nothing to do with anything..." What?! You must be joking Nah'Sun All other things being equal people will pick environments with nicer weather. Forget the East coast folks don't hustle harder here than anyone else under similar conditions. You wanna see some real hustling Brothers go to the streets of Lagos. Pioneer, sure if you replicated the diverse, densely populated, environment of a place like New York you'll get something different. But I doubt it will be like New York -- it may be better. But it won't be like New York. Don't try to replicate NY. The vast majority of us are not benefiting from the environment. I'd even argue the few success are not worth the trade off overall. I've been all over the country and people grind everywhere. Of course the grind will be will be a little different. You can't sell as many books on the streets of Raleigh, because they don't have anything like a 125th. New York has scores of streets like 125th street. We also have laws that allow people to sell books on the street. People in Charlotte, for example, have to grind differently. Maybe they are in the car driving 100s of miles from church event to greek letter organization event to barber shop, There are lazy folks in the heart of NY City and there real hustler in the mid-west.

Pioneer, as Del suggests a class in statistics, demography would be required. I'm not prepared give those classes right now, so I'm not going to give you a number. Shoot, I don't even completely understand the selection criteria you've used to draw the conclusions that Black and Italians are similar. Honestly the comparisons you've mentioned make you sound like the eugenicists who believed Italians were closer to Black people, not fully white. Perhaps this is where the stereotype, you've embraced, started. Del regarding sampling that would require a class too but consider the following; The straight line defined by the points x=0, y=0 and x=3, y=4 These two samples completely describes every point on the line. This is not a proof, but maybe if can help you think about sampling in a way that appeals to you intuitively. But our intuition is not always the best way to understand the way the world actually works. For example, on a quantum level it is not intuitive at all. None of the information we have about the way the world works in the macro world would help us on the quantum level.

Harlem Book Fair 1999 to 2007 Slide Show

Del it is a fact as simple as 1 + 1 = 2. Would you dispute 1 + 1 = 2? If so, then what I say, or what can be looked up in a first year college math text book would not matter to you. Again if a sound wave sampled at slightly higher than twice it's highest frequency (say 40K samples per second) you be able to faithfully reproduce the original sound waves from those samples. Don't get me wrong, to Pioneer's point, even with people, if you sample enough people you can make generalizations about the group. It is not prefect as in the math case above, but you can get the margin of error down reasonably low to make generalization about a group. My main disagreement with Pioneer is that individuals are usually not very rigorous in their observations and certainly don't make enough of them to be useful for drawing conclusion for a group.. So if is cool, and factual, to say "I've observed that American Italians and Black people have similarities", but then to make the leap to say is true for all (or even the majority) of other Italian Americans problematic.

2013 Harlem Book Fair Celebrates New Voices, New Vision Dear Book Lovers & Words People, The weekend of July 19 marks the 15th anniversary of the Harlem Book Fair and we are asking you to join us for a most signature event. Along with our outdoor celebration of books, authors, and exhibitors, our author main stage, indoor author panel discussions, readings and workshops will offer surprising and engaging entertainment for every type of booklover. Under the banner of New Voices, New Vision, we will celebrate theater, books to film, e-book authors and e-book workshops (I know you like to turn that page but trust when I say e-readers are seductive and here to stay. I have 5 two-hundred page books by my bed waiting to be read! How many do you have???) We can talk about it at the Harlem Book Fair. Leading up to the book fair are the Friday night Wheatley Book Awards at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Featuring the music of Atiba Wilson and the Befo Quotet, and the Harlem Book Fair Poets of the Dispossessed, the Grammy Awards will have nothing on this event. You can preview our awards nominees now (or nominate your own) at the Wheatley Awards Nominations page. Here is your link to your reservation to the 2013 Wheatley Book Awards Program. Reserve seats now or forever hold your peace (I had to look that one up.) Does it sound like I am having fun? Does it sound like I am excited by the 15th Anniversary celebration of the Harlem Book Fair? I am. And check out our hotel discounts from Aloft Harlem and Marriott Hotel partners! Books, Film, Theater, E-Books, Music, Poetry, Food, and Awards? File this one under Too Good to Miss. Here is your link to your HBF 2013 Exhibitor Application. A whole bunch of somebodies are going to want to buy your book! Please set your calendars and pass the Word! Words People, this is our event and we are going to fill the house! See you in July! The QBR Wheatley Book Awards The QBR Wheatley Book Awards will recognize the best African American books and writers in Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Children's books. Special awards will be also given for Publisher of the Year and Poet of the Year. Music and Entertainment by Atiba Wilson & the Befo' Quotet and Poets of the Dispossessed. Seating on first-come basis only. Join us for a stellar night of music, literary awards, and memorable entertainment on the night before the Harlem Book Fair (Saturday, July 20). Reserve your seat and visit QBR or www.harlembookfair.com to vote for the award nominees. (You need not attend to vote.) Max Rodriguez Founder, Harlem Book Fair

:-) I like the visual. OK Pioneer, I'll give up on trying to get you to see the problem with stereotyping people. Del, it is interesting to reject the mathematically proven fact that a finite sample can reproduce a continuous signal. But you have much less of a problem with the flawed process of using anecdotal evidence to describe an entire population. Of course Pioneer's observations are true for a subset -- the subset he has observed. Again, this is where we part ways; using his limited observations and extending them to entire population. I guess if Pioneer lived in Greenwich Village he'd assume the majority white men were homosexual.

Cynique my belief in predestination implies no such thing as "higher power is in charge". If does not exclude it either. It does not exclude much of anything including astrology, a multiverse, mental telepathy, none of it.

There is a book which came out recently that suggested the Black artistic out put of Chicago was superior to that of the Harlem Renaissance. Of course the northern migration of Black was true during most of this nation;s history, but the north is losing Negros to the south today. You'll find growing population of conscious Black folks in cities like Atlanta, the DC metro area and even places like Charlotte, NC. Michagan is a tough sell, in 2013, for people not from the region.

Cynique your unwillingness to consider predetermination is exactly why we make up stories (some quite elaborate and motivating) -- to explain what we do not understand or control. If I hold an egg, at arms length and drop it; most of us know the egg will fall to the floor and not remain suspended it mid air, or go flying into outer space. We don't know what the egg's splatter pattern will be. But with a sufficiently powerful computer and model, we include factors from your height to the gravitation force of the Moon to determine where every molecule of the egg will land. The seemingly random splatter pattern of a dropped eggs is not so random. The same logic goes into predicting the weather. But the weather is such a highly complex system we can't seem to do a very good job predicting the weather today. But as we learn more, build more powerful computers are ability to predict weather will improve Everything from the origin of life on this planet can be predicted if we have enough information. But life is infinitely more complex than the Earth's weather system, that it is effectively random. Man can will never have the computing power to model what any of us will do in the future -- let alone what we will do collectively. So we make up stories or collect data, to help us make sense of something we can never truly comprehend -- let alone predict.. But from my perspective it feels like I have some control over my experience and that is really all that matters to me -- otherwise if I knew what was going to happen and I did not have any control over it would would be the point of going through this exercise called life?