Troy

I recently blogged about the fact that most authors who post links to Amazon do not take advantage of Amazon's affiliate program. http://aalbc.it/oWrxtM Someone tried to explain to me why authors do not take advantage of it, by saying they just don't care and are not interested. This seems so illogical because Amazons commisions can be 7, 8% or more depending upon sales -- often exceeding even the author's share of a book's sale. But based upon the acitivity on my latest Blog post on the subject, there seemed to be little interest in the whole issue. Of course the more sophistciated authors are aware of the commisisons that can be earned. Some authors who live in the cities where Amazon does not pay affiliate commisions (currently, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, North Carolina, Rhode Island, & Connecticut) use the codes of business associates. I give authors a discount on services in exchange for using an AALBC.com affiliate code -- sometimes it even help those authors to make the AALBC.com bestsellers list. Are there any authors out there that link to Amazon without using an affiliate code to earn commissions? If so why?

NELS! Good to see you name again!

Ok I've heard a lot about there not being enough good writers. All all the writers are writing crap. Well here is your chance to download an entire book from a good writier for free! Check out the novel "The Rampage of the Rufus Buck Gang" by Leonce Gaiter: http://aalbc.it/lg-free-ebook The eBook is available in all the popular formats. This promotion ends October 6th. Use must use coupon code WB45M at check out. Leonce is a excellent writer and has crafted a throughly researched novel about little known chapter in American history. Again the eBook is free. What do you have to lose -- except a chance to discover terrific story? Thumper, one of my most critical reviewers described Leonce novel "Bourbon Street" this way, "It has been a long while since I read a book as complex and gorgeous as Bourbon Street written by Leonce Gaiter. A novel which explores the spectrum of inner naked essence of human nature, Bourbon Street was a sheer joy to read from beginning to end." Read the entire review here: http://aalbc.com/reviews/bourbon_street.htm

Funny I remember back in the 70's darker skinned Brother used to complain about how the lighted skinned, wavvy haired Brothers (ala El Debarge) were all the rage. When I think about some of my favorite male actors, they all happen to be of the dark complexion variety, Idrissa Elba (in fact all the male leads from HBO's The Wire are excellent actors). I aslo love the work of Don Cheadle. Humm maybe the dark skinned brother are just better actors (just kidding). I have to admit it seems to help female actresses, a great deal, if they are mixed race (ala Halley Berry, Zoe Saladana, etc). Humm maybe you have a point Nels. Can you provide examples light skinned Brothers, who are talented actors that are being over looked because of the bias you mentioned?

Kevin I'm going to launching the Best Black Book Video competition for 2011 pretty soon -- please be sure to enter.

You got it Shawneda!

I have the 1st chpater on my Nook!

Can't argue with that.

Yeah all 6 of them. As an aside, the 10 year old shooting the father is a horrific and tragic story.

Cool, but with so many other books that are actually available I would not fixate too much on this particular title. Besides, Amazon customer reviews not not exactly the most reliable.

Mr. Johnson Welcome. I'm glad to see a Brother chime in here. I completely agree with what you wrote. Ignoring the analysis presented, what do you think about the validity of the premise: That there are very few eligible Black men for Black women?

Anika99, the most recent publication of Jason's book I could find a record of was from 1985 pubed by Holloway House the ISBN's are 0870677187 9780870677182 Jason Grant's saga of a renegade cowboy named Coal, who went from slave to be called "El Diablo Negro" (The Black Devil). An unforgettable portrait of one of the many ex-slaves who became cowboys. There are many sources with which you can use the information to find this book (many use the same data), but you can look around deeper in the search results and maybe you'll get lucky. I'm curious why are you looking for THIS particular book? If you are interested in similiar stories you might consider Leonce Gaither's I Dreamt I Was in Heaven - The Rampage of the Rufus Buck Gang: http://aalbc.com/authors/leonce_gaiter.html

Hi Christi, yeah the definition of what a "good man " (or women) is of course subjective, and to use it as a means for determining the unavailability of good men for women in the generla case is flawed reasoning. As you suggest there are of course good men that are overweight, perhaps a child from a previous marriage, and recently laid off. Of course some women might look for Brothers that are Christian or has some form of spiritual beliefs, and many other criteria that are not on the list above. At the end of the day women (and men) need to have realistic expections of what another human being can and are capable of offering. Humans are all individuals and should be evaluated as such. Using a laundry list like the one above, as the basis for your selection criteria for findling a "good man", will virtually guarantee that you rule out many of them.

Shawneda, Thanks. I won't forget. I actually have to redesign the iPhone ap. The backend of the current ap no longer works and is no longer pushing update to the phone. I get to it shortly :-)

Hickson help folks out always provide a link: http://aalbc.it/concandy

The next AALBC.com eNewsletter is scheduled for publication on September 27th. It will be emailed to almost 20,000 subscribers and Facebook friends. It will also be shared via AALBC.com social media networks and is permanently archived on AALBC.com. There is only ONE ad in each enewsletter and it is only $149. If you are interested visit: http://aalbc.com/enewsletter_banner_advertisement.html for more information. Let me tell you, this is a really inexpensive ad given the reach. I will be raising the price for this ad going forward.

Diane everyone need a break from time to time, thanks for weighing in :-) Don't get me wrong, I'm not shooting down data as a tool for understanding issues like this. My problem is with the way the data is used in this particular case.

Kola, first thank you for comment HERE. I will invite the creator of this "infographic" to comment here, she has the link. I'm not sure how old she is, but I suspect she is relatively young as well. The problem I have with the analysis, is that the comparions assumes all the women actually meet the criteria that have been used to eliminate the available men. In order words, it ignores that fact that there are also fat women, uneducated women, gay women, incarcerated women, etc. The analysis also fails to consider that man of the men fall into multiple categories and as a result are double, triple, quadruple counted which greatly exaggerates the number of men eliminated from contention. The are many problems with the data as presented. Then of course there are the social ramifications of using flawed data, misinformation really, to promote an agenda which is not based in reality. If a woman finds it difficult to find a "good" Black man it will not be because of the reasons describe above.

While this may be an interesting or thought provoking analysis; does anyone see the problem with this particular comparison?

Check out the inforgraphic below, courtesy of Best Black Dating Sites Via Best Black Dating Sites

http://aalbc.it/oWrxtM I'm suggesting that authors who are in states where Amazon does not pay affiliate commissions, to use an AALBC.com affiliate code in exchange for potentially free advertising. Check out the article and let me know what you think.

Ok it appears Bill Cosby did not write the article. I asked my buddy to see if he could find a source and he dug up this blog post: http://tartanmarine.blogspot.com/2009/02/robert.html Of course this does not mean that THIS blogger is the originator of the content. It just deepens my suspicions that Bill did not write the article. The Blogger's rant is more indepth in this case I believe (can't prove) that it is correctly attributed to: "The Old Jarhead"

I found this one Bill website, while looking for a source to prove Bill actually wrote the statement above:

Presumably this came from Actor Bill Cosby. I got it in an email from a buddy. It sounds like something Bill would write, but it really does not matter too much in that I can relate to some of his sentiments. I'm not nearly as old as he is, and have not lost a child to murder or realized his financial sucess, but somethings are universal for men how have raised children in this society and have been around long enough to see how jacked up things ae becoming. What do y'all think? Bill Cosby: "I'm 76 and Tired" I'm 76. Except for brief period in the 50's when I was doing my National Service, I've worked hard since I was 17. Except for some some serious health challenges, I put in 50-hour weeks, and didn't call in sick in nearly 40 years. I made a reasonable salary, but I didn't inherit my job or my income, and I worked to get where I am. Given the economy, it looks as though retirement was a bad idea, and I'm tired. Very tired. I'm tired of being told that I have to "spread the wealth" to people who don't have my work ethic. I'm tired of being told the government will take the money I earned, by force if necessary, and give it to people too lazy to earn it. I'm tired of being told that Islam is a "Religion of Peace," when every day I can read dozens of stories of Muslim men killing their sisters, wives and daughters for their family "honour"; of Muslims rioting over some slight offense; of Muslims murdering Christian and Jews because they aren't "believers"; of Muslims burning schools for girls; of Muslims stoning teenage rape victims to death for "adultery"; of Muslims mutilating the genitals of little girls; all in the name of Allah, because the Qur'an and Shari'a law tells them to. I'm tired of being told that out of "tolerance for other cultures" we must let Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries use our oil money to fund mosques and mandrassa Islamic schools to preach hate in Australia, New Zealand, UK, America and Canada, while no one from these countries are allowed to fund a church, synagogue or religious school in Saudi Arabia or any other Arab country to teach love and tolerance.. I'm tired of being told I must lower my living standard to fight global warming, which no one is allowed to debate. I'm tired of being told that drug addicts have a disease, and I must help support and treat them, and pay for the damage they do. Did a giant germ rush out of a dark alley, grab them, and stuff white powder up their noses or stick a needle in their arm while they tried to fight it off? I'm tired of hearing wealthy athletes, entertainers and politicians of all parties talking about innocent mistakes, stupid mistakes or youthful mistakes, when we all know they think their only mistake was getting caught. I'm tired of people with a sense of entitlement, rich or poor. I'm really tired of people who don't take responsibility for their lives and actions. I'm tired of hearing them blame the government, or discrimination or big-whatever for their problems. I'm also tired and fed up with seeing young men and women in their teens and early 20's bedeck them selves in tattoos and face studs, thereby making themselves un-employable and claiming money from the Government. Yes, I'm damn tired. But I'm also glad to be 76.. Because, mostly, I'm not going to have to see the world these people are making. I'm just sorry for my granddaughter and her children. Thank God I'm on the way out and not on the way in.

Hi MissRMP, I hear you. Initially, and before I was reminded about Bill's abuse of Denise, I was raving about the film. I came away really admiring Bill. We are all human and make mistakes Bill is not different. However, I hold a special kind of animosity for those that abuse people weaker than themselves -- especially men who abuse women or children. Some abusers are the most charismatic people you'd ever want to meet. At the end of the day, I don't know BIll. I just felt slighted by a documentary that presumably revealed so much but clearly hid much more. It might have been a better documentary if he discussed that very public chapter of his life.