Troy

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.

AALBC.com's February 2011 eNewsletter was published February 25th. Please check it out http://mim.io/2c95e (all ways looking for critical feedback)

Kola, if it helps, the IP addresses from where the last two posts were made are identical.

I'm sorry to read this. Dwayne and I are only a couple of months, in age, apart. Chris Hayden introduced me to his works years ago: http://aalbc.com/authors/dwayne_mcduffie.htm

Egyptian father Jamal Ibrahim has reportedly named his newborn daughter "Facebook" to honor the social media site's role in Egypt's revolution http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/21/baby-named-facebook-egypt_n_825934.html

My mom says while watching TV with my father one night they saw the actor Troy Donahue. My mom says my father said, "Troy, that is the name I want for my son". Nice to know the name has an African origin -- though I wish it meant something like "fearless lion cub who refuses to be a house pet". I admit I used to be more critical of unusual or "made up" names. I saw a documentary recently where a Brother described the names he came across studying stidents. There were 200 spellings of the name "Uniquue", incuding a version that went something like "Uneeqee". Now little "Uneeqee" did not choose her name, so I'm not about to hold it against her (or him). Beside most of the names I through where silly actually have African origins like "Shaniqua"; a name which drew the ire of many older people when it became popular about 30 years ago.

Ok Xeon, lets try it this way. Do you approve of the name "Shaniqua"?

Bookfan that is my maternal grandfather you can read more about him here: http://aalbc.com/blog/?p=396 I figured I pay tribute to him for Black History Month. Then go back to to using my mug shot in March.

I was talking to someone who said if Iyanla was white Orpah would have been a lot nicer to her. It then made me consider that Orpah may have simply used the controversy with Iyanla to bolster ratings (it got my attention). There was some speculation that Oprah would be giving Iyanla a show. Now I missed the beginning and end of the interview, but I would be surprised if that happned. It did not appear that Oprah was setting Iyanla up for that. I know they say no pubicity is bad, but I'm not sure how the interview helped Iyanla profile as a spiritual healer.

Cynique, I agree. The interview did not make Iyanla appear spirtually centered at all. Honestly I think it hurt her in terms of that perspective. She simply came across like any other woman -- which is why the conversation seemed "real". Indeed Iyanla looked like she could use a spirtual guru. Oprah came across as very, very powerful.

Hey Robert, your intent was not lost on the others. Issues with editting can adversely inpact a book's effectiveness -- no matter how well intentioned. Thanks for sharing information about your book here. No one will pull punches here and that frightens folks sometimes.