On this thread nothing is off topic, though the rest of the comment policy still applies. If you want to say something off topic, this is the place to do it.
I am not sure how this will go, but I am willing to give it a try.
On this thread nothing is off topic, though the rest of the comment policy still applies. If you want to say something off topic, this is the place to do it.
I am not sure how this will go, but I am willing to give it a try.
The Open Thread is now open for business. If you want to say something off topic, this is the place to do it. There is a link to it at the top of every page.
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Yay, abagond! Now I’m trying to figure out what I’m going to say first. ๐
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Oh, and thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! ๐
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Lets discuss handbags, footwear, clothes, skin care, cosmetics, Belgian chocolates, beefcake and software, not necessarily in that order. How about starting with handbags?
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Yay! I have something interesting. Today is my 21st birthday, and I’ve never had an alcoholic beverage. I’ve sipped a beer once but nothing more. I’ll try something today and get back to you guys…
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@Y:
Happy Birthday to you! A Happy 21st a that! ๐
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I meant at that! ๐
@Herneith:
You remind me of my sister. ๐ She has quite the handbag collection. Thankfully, I can borrow her bags at any time.
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@Y:
Don’t bother trying alcohol! Happy Birthday!
@Leigh:
If any of my sisters look covetously at any of my handbags, much less touch them, they are forfeiting their very existence! Mind you, I have had to purchase them handbags over the years to prevent this!
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Talking about handbags, I bought a persimmon coloured one at the One of A Kind Show! I bought an orange chump change wallet to accompany it, it has a cute little handle!
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@Herneith:
Ooh, sounds like a great find. I bought a purse to add to my sister’s collection for X’mas. I hope she loves it.
Now here’s where I’ll need your help ladies. My lashes are skimpy and short (curses!) and I’ve been having the darndest time trying to find a mascara that doesn’t leave me with raccoon eyes. Can anyone please recommend a mascara to avoid the dreaded raccoon eyes?
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My lashes are skimpy and short (curses!)
I don’t use mascara frequently, but I have used Illegal Lengths by one of those brands, Cover girl, Revlon, I forgot which. I have used Christian Dior which came in cobalt blue, plum, green and black(I got a great deal, otherwise I wouldn’t have bought them). Lancome makes pretty good mascara as does Guerlain, however, the prices are prohibitive as you should throw your mascara out after three months. Stick to the cheap ones, they are all the same. You are paying for the advertisement and the names, the same with lipsticks, foundations etc. Oh I found this new lip paint by Revlon that stays on for most of the day! This thread calls for more shopping!
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Happy birthday, Y!
Oh, I like this thread. ๐
I am sorry, I can’t help with mascara question (my lashes are skimpy and short, too!, but I don’t use it), and I know nothing about handbags. Oh, well.
All I want to say is that I am still interested in following this blog. I know I’ve been away lately, but that’s mostly because I focused on other things (namely, NaNoWriMo and this novel I haven’t finished yet). I miss you all (well, minus the trolls).
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I know nothing about handbags.
Should you have any questions, feel free to ask me!
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OH Yes! Please Please can we talk and discuss more about handbags!!!!!
(Just kidding of course. Knock yourself out. You go gals!!!)
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They got plenty of man bags out there to, dear. These discussions are just for starter. Start off on a light note(s), and move up to heavier things.
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Oh, by the way, I bought my nephew a man bag to celebrate his new job!
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Herneith,
Should you have any questions, feel free to ask me!
Um, why are they important? (I’m not trying to be rude here… I really don’t see the appeal).
Then again, I am a tomboy.
Plus, I don’t wear a wallet (never- I used to, but I got robbed a couple of times, so no thanks), and my keys and smaller stuff are in my pockets. Other stuff goes in my backpack.
My grandmother had a kitschy, yet, adorable handbag. SO whenever I think of a handbag, I think of it. (I might take a picture for you to see it). It’s really something.
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Leigh,
Try Mabelline XXL. That’s the only mascara I use and I love it! I’m always getting compliments on my lashes because of it. Some women don’t like it because you have to put on a white coating before the black mascara but it worth the trouble IMO. I highly recommend it!
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Thanks for the B-Day wishes everyone.
I more interested in eating cake than trying liquor today. Also, the smell is off-putting, I may have to skip on it, lol.
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@Y: I have to admit, I don’t drink at all. Reason: I just don’t like the taste of alcohol. For a finn that is very strange thing indeed but I’ve learned to live sober.
As for the man bags: I’m sorry but as an uncivilized heathen from the western siberian woods I have to say: I don’t even know what they are. ๐
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Thank you, Herneith and thank you, Y, for your suggestions. I’m looking forward to long, lush lashes sans raccoon eyes. ๐
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Um, why are they important? (Iโm not trying to be rude hereโฆ I really donโt see the appeal).
If you don’t like handbags, then okay. Perhaps knapsacks are more to your taste?
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@sam:
This is a man bag:
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yes!!!!
agagond put up an open thread.
*chic noir looks at abagond bashfully*
thank you abagond.
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happy b-day y ๐
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Y have a strawberry daiguri, strawberry margaretta or strawberry mojito.
be careful, the margareetta is strong stuff.
I use clinique mascara in the grey tube. I have naturally long thick lashes but I still like them to look longer. I sometimes got the fake lash thing before fakes became popular again.
bags …. chile wear to start.
I’m saving for a Balenciaga moto bag. I refuse to buy it outright and feel guilty so I’m saving for it.
I also like the alexander wang darcy sloucy hobo bag in blk
and the brenda zip alexander wang bag.
there are few chloe bags I dig too.
I think my xmas gift to myself this year will be a blk or tan michael kors Skorpios E/W Tote bag.
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I’ma start a mini series here with abagond’s permission.
*chic noir blinks lashes sweetly at abagond*
It’s called blk women you should know</b.
Number one is Artist Wangechi Mutu. She's from Kenya and has been featured twice in Vogue magazine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqCH8uFdCG8
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I love Tano handbags! I bought my first:
I working on my second.
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Give the ladies an opportunity, and they will start talking about handbags ๐
@ Kwamla: nice new Gravatar picture! You like vaguely Idris Elba-esque.
@ Y: Happy Birthday!
Want to try a drink? Try the “Eurasian Sensation special”: blend up some tinned lychees, some cointreau or blue curacao, soda water, and a good squeeze of lime. I made it a while back and it was fantastic. Of course I was drunk at the time so I may have got the recipe wrong.
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Thanks herneith! Now I know.
@Y: if you drink, don’t pretend to be civilized. Drink like finns: straight and pure, fast and a lot. This way you get the true experience of being drunk. Totally.
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Hey thanks for compliment Eurasian. He is British too though!!!
All this talk about man bags reminds me of this scene with Riley from the Boondocks:
Do you think its gonna catch on?
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@kwamala: ๐ that is hilarious! no man bags for me, though. nor gangstalious shorts. nor purses. I have money in my pocket rolled, like I always have had. ๐
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๐ Glad you liked it Sam!
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Open topic – I love it!! Nice to have a place to simply say whatever I want about anything!
So, first question – how do I convert emoticons? I’m tired of just putting a : ) in…
Second question: Someone had mentioned in a post, somewhere, that they enjoy Ren Faires, MMORPGS, and medieval siege machines. I can’t recall who! I hoped to talk with them about the engineering behind ballistae, trebuchets, catapults, and battering rams. It can’t ALWAYS be about makeup and handbags, LOL – some of us ladies like to talk about a wide variety of subjects!
And Solstice is tomorrow – a full moon with a lunar eclipse; very exciting and auspicious!
For that matter…books and/or music, anyone? My favorite authors include Stephen King, Octavia Butler (R.I.P.), Robin Cook, Jonathan Kellerman, Harlan Coben, Karin Slaughter, Patricia Cornwell, Dan Simmons, David Gemmel (R.I.P.), Dean Koontz, and John Saul, just to name a few.
My musical tastes are as eclectic as my reading selections…
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For a random sampling of tasty tuneage, check out the link below…one of my many playlists:
http://www.playlist.com/playlist/5276991499
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sepultura 13- I can talk about books I guess. I read Octavia Butler’s Kindred, what a read. A very powerful, moving book.
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the blk people who post on this blog are a very eclectic group. With diverse interests.
I love it
๐
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Just reading: Joseph D. Serio, Investigating the Russian Mafia. Bit old (90’s stuff mostly), nothing new for me really, but interesting still.
@sepultra13: history is one of my passions though I have to admit that engineering behind the siege machines is not my fileds of interest, other than as a side show.
Did you know that the huns were good at using these? Yeah, during Attilas time they were dangerous just because they could and did break the city walls, so nobody was safe nowhere if and when the hun army came to visit.
So, contrary the popular image, the hun army in Attilas time was actually pretty slow moving military machine which dragged along its siege machines. It was also multiethnic by its composition. Cavalry seems to remained mainly as ethnic huns, though there were goths also on horseback. But hunnic army had vandals, goths and all kinds of peoples in it. Interesting, isnt it? ๐
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Books. My fav is Pillars Of The Earth by Ken Follett. It’s a great read. Set in 11th century Euorpe, it’s about a man name Tom who’s dream is to build a cathedral. The book follows his journey. The rest of the plot is hard to explain because there are many twists and turns. He is homeless with a pregnant wife and 2 kids. The wife dies on the beginning after she give birth. Tom can’t care for the newborn so he lives him in the forest to die. A monk comes along and finds the baby, taking him back to his priory. Tom and his kids come to town looking for work. They find work at the priory of the monk who found the baby!
That’s a very simple synopsis of the beginning of the book, there are more twists and at least 3 different story lines that come together at the end. It’s a beautiful novel. It’s a thousand pages, more or less. I read it in about 5 days, it’s really that good! I’m reading the sequel, World Without End, when I finish reading my current novels. I need to finish reading Eat, Pray, Love(a so-so book) and Black Skins White Masks. When I’m done with those three I will read The Autobiography of Malcolm X
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Sorry for the typos
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@ y
That’s a fantastic book. I read it a few years ago and never wanted it to end.
I started a more recent one of his “snowbound” i think. About a virus, i got bored with it though. I don’t think he can top pillars.
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@Y- macolm X comes across as a bit of a mysongnist. I’m not sure if Macolm was really that way or if it was the way that Alex Haley saw Malcolm X. Malcolm didn’t get a chance to speak on it since he was killed before the book was published.
I think I read half of blk skins/wht masks in high school. IIRC, The literial translation from French made it a bit wordy and drawn out for my taste.
My fav is Pillars Of The Earth by Ken Follett
I think I may have this book at home. Someone I know has read this book but I can’t think who.
I read a little bit of everything except westerns.
I’m currently reading a few things:
1. lipstick jungle by candace bushnell
2. the subterrans by jack Kerouac
*wink wink*
3. monthly magazine haul.
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Y,
I love Pillars of the Earth! Granted, it’s not one of those serious, literary fiction novels, but it’s definitely on my list of fav books!
Oh, and Aliena and Jack! I ship them soo hard! <- ok, now I sound like a fangirl.
They adapted the book into a miniseries:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1453159/
I wonder if it's any good. (Eddie Redmayne could make a good Jack, but Hayley Atwell is not pretty enough for Aliena, imo. The rest of the cast seems ok).
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@ Y:
The autobiography of Malcolm X is excellent. The Fanon book has some good parts but it can be tough reading at times.
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Oh, and since we’re at books, my favourites are:
Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Toni Morrison’s Jazz and Ian McEwan’s Atonement.
… And a few more.
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abagond The Fanon book has some good parts but it can be tough reading at times
good to know it wasn’t just I.
The autobiography of Malcolm X is excellent
agreed, alex haley is a good story teller.
anyone reads any african fiction?
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mira, you’re a bad chick if you can get through tony morrison. that woman’s writing is fog thick.
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@chic:
Kindred was an excellent book! Have you read Octavia’s Xenogenesis series? I’m searching for Fledgling and Wild Seed; they look great and I haven’t read them yet.
Ah, The Subterraneans! EXCELLENT BOOK. ; D
@sam:
Yes, I’ve read about the Huns and their use of siege machinery; that’s one reason it took them so long to march wherever they went. And you’re correct about the multiethnic composition of Attila’s armies. I wonder, how many other people consider the fact that, back in those days, the only people who got a chance to mingle with those who weren’t their own countrymen were the explorers, the conquerers, and the scholars. Of those three groups, only one went abroad due to their curiosity; the other two were generally motivated by greed and/or politics. History has always fascinated me because, when it comes down to it, has there ever really been a competely factual telling of any historical event? When the events preceding September 11, 2001 are questionable, then who’s to say that the Battle of Bosworth Field is correctly recorded? Or the Battle of Little Big Horn?
@y:
Pillars of the Earth sounds like an excellent book; at least three people at work have recommended it. I’ll have to run down to my favorite used-book store so I can pick up the paperback for $3!
Currently reading:
Worldbinder by David Farland
The History of White People by Nell Irvin Painter
@Mira:
I adore the Lord of the Rings trilogy (and the prequel, There And Back Again) and read the books every few years or so.
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sep 13 Have you read Octaviaโs Xenogenesis series?
no & I really should since I enjoyed kindred so much.
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Wow. I’m glad there are other Pillars lovers here!
I agree, the translation from the French makes Fanon a bit hard to read. I’ve had to reread paragraphs 2 or 3 times to fully understand. At any rate, the book is still very interesting.
I can’t wait to read Malcolm X!
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Y Iโve had to reread paragraphs 2 or 3 times to fully understand
Yes! this. I remember reading Fanon and thinking what is wrong with my brain until I learned that translation from French to English are usually like that.
I can only imagine how Tony Morrison’s books read when translated to French.
Y, have you ever read anything by Chimamnda Ngozi Adichie?
I love love love her stuff. I brought her last book new hot of th press.
here is a link for short story she wrote.
http://tobia.tumblr.com/post/1617557575
The endings to her stories always read unfinished thought. She leaves me wondering. BTW are you a Yoruba?
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Blk women you should know. Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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Anyone read any finnish litterature? Sofia Oksanen, estonian-finnish writer, has stirred some interest recently with her book The Purge. Should be available at bookstores in US too.
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Wow…never read the book but I did see the TV adaptation of “Pillars of the Earth” and was blown away!!! I see from the credits the director Ridley Scott had a lot of input into it. It was an excellent drama series which I throughly recommend seeing.
Malcom X autobiography was one of the first books I read which influenced me greatly along with “Black skins White Masks”.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a great author with a real, refreshing and inspiring incite. Even just listening to her you can pick this up.
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@sam:
I’ve been looking to read The Purge for a month or so – it looks interesting!
The Art of War by Sun Tzu is another great read.
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most men have no idea. the power of makeup
http://ykydaw.net/2010/12/06/episode-10245—beautiful-liar.aspx?ref=rss
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@chicnoir:
Speaking of the power of make-up. Behold! (Btw, the clip is in Chinese but you’ll get the gist of it.)
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leigh204 OMG
even the guys said :
WOW!
BOOM!
BOW!
i like the short haired lady’s hair cut.
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@sepultra13: really interesting history by David Rohl Legend, A Test of Time and From Eden to Exile. Did you know that word Adam means Red Man? Did you know that the actual geographical place of Paradise is known? ๐ Not the kind of history you normally bump into.
And to all of you: MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPIER NEW YEAR! or since I am a self confessed pagan MERRY JOULU!! ๐
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To those reading this, I want to ask for your help. I have written about my situation in a post to Abagond under the contact section on Dec 18, currently the last post. Since this site is willing to openly discuss past FBI criminal activity when it opposed the civil rights movement and other movements, I am hoping to find people sympathetic with my case and willing to help. To put it briefly, the FBI has targeted me for poverty, homelessness, and assault. Through monitoring of my phone calls (when I had a phone) and email account, they have been able to either keep people who might help from receiving my messages or convince them not to help me. The FBI has the power to commit crimes (including assault) and keep them out of the news. I am hoping to find people willing to call media about the crimes and cover-up that is taking place. I will be celebrating Christmas in my car on Western Av in Brighton MA. I hope you will help.
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@ Bill
Why don’t you just email them?
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I have over 500 people and groups on my contact list and none of them are willing to help me in any way.
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I am currently writing in the Watertown library, a place where I am harrassed daily, and librarians have twice called police to have me escorted out.
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@ Bill
email the publications and media sources you wish to contact. Eliminate the middleman.
Just like you are typing out a message here, you can also do so on an email to the Boston Globe.
This link goes directly to the editor
letter@globe.com
good luck
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King, The Globe knew about this story before I was homeless back in 2007. I have contacted 6 reporters with the globe and not heard back from any of them. I gave Maria Cramer FBI complaints I filled out against the police (before I realized the FBI was involved) and heard nothing back from her or the FBI. They will never do this story because they would not admit their working with FBI in this way. Try sending me an email and I will send you the whole story. It will be an interesting read if you get it. I sent 2 emails to Abagond but I don’t know if he received them. I really need people like you to call. It is easy for media to give me the brush off, but if people start calling and ask about a cover-up, they might get nervous and feel uncomfortable lying about what they know and are not reporting.
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@ Chic Noir
Ever read any Octavia E Butler?
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@ Chic noir
She writes mostly sci-fi but it’s good sci-fi mixed with African Folklore
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*sigh*
my people my people
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/22/world/africa/22mali.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=homepage
@student of the world- just Kindred I’ve meaning to read more of stuff.
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Anybody ever get tired of hearing white southerners claim that displaying the southern cross ‘stars & bars’ flag isn’t racist or a direct acceptance of slavery? Well, here’s a delightful clip that refutes the idiotic notion, once and for all! :smile
(I’m still trying to figure out the smilies/emoticons so bear with my inept flailings, LOL)
The Daily Show With Jon StewartMon – Thurs 11p / 10cThe South’s Secession Commemorationhttp://www.thedailyshow.comhttp://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:368116Daily Show Full EpisodesPolitical Humor & Satire BlogThe Daily Show on Facebook
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Nertz! I was trying to embed the video! Grumble grumble grumble…here’s the plain old link, then:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-december-9-2010/the-south-s-secession-commemoration
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I love comics. Not really superheroes, but anything written by Alan Moore, whose Watchmen was chosen amongst 100 best books of the century by Time magazine. I also dig “100 bullets”, “Fables” and “Hellboy”. I’ve drawn a few comics myself, natch.
And yes, I read books too. More fact than fiction, mostly history. I’d recommend Heather Pringle’s “The Master Plan. Himmler’s scholars and the Holocaust”. Himmler actually thought that Thor’s hammer Mjรถllnir was some kind of a REAL electromagnetic weapon created by ancient aryans and their รผberscience. Painfully sobering and yet perversely intoxicating read.
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@ Hannu L
Yes! Fables is my shit! And I read mostly non fiction
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@ Abagond
Have you read anything by Tony Judt?
I would love to see your take on “Ill Fares The Land”. Since you like Chomsky(I’m presuming?) I think you’ll find him interesting.
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Chic,
I have heard of her until now, but I will definitely look into her! Thanks ๐
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hey Abagond ,
i seen this the other day and i think you would love it. its on you tube its called Negroe History Lost, Stolen, or strayed Part 1 of 5 with host bill Cosby . i was so moved and sadden because not much has changed and i don’t see black people coming together like that anymore. tell me what you think of it.
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@ Bill Anderson
Maybe WikiLeaks would be interested.
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Omigosh! X’mas is nearly upon us. Eek! I’m nervous. I’m making X’mas dinner! And I’m not much of a cook. lol! ๐
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@Y- I think you’ll enjoy her writing. she is such a talented story teller.
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Happy holidays to one and all…enjoy some beautiful music:
…and, here’s another one of my playlists:
http://www.mixpod.com/user/19744921
The only songs that I couldn’t find to add here were by the Moody Blues (one of my favorite bands) and a great remix of Chaos A.D. (Refuse / Resist) by Sepultura.
Time to start cooking! : )
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Are you a tightwad with the dollars? Looking for a cheap way to prepare X -mas dinner? This advice is for you, call it my gift to all the posters on here!:
A Cheapskates guide to preparing X-mas Dinner
Just throw the turkey in a pot and boil it, chuck some salt and pepper on it. Go to the local cafeteria at school or work and swipe salt and pepper packets on a daily basis or at least whenever you are there. You can go to the store and purchase aluminum disposable pans for cooking or boiling the turkey. Personally, I prefer boiling the turkey, it’s quicker!
If you canโt afford a real turkey, then get a prefabricated turkey roll and do the same thing..
Purchase some Kraft dinner, throw some onions and tomatoes in it, bring it to a boil and throw it in a plastic storage dish or the garbage, depending on how it comes out. Kraft dinner makes a wonderful side-dish!
Throw some carrots and potatoes in a pot(donโt forget to peel the potatoes!) Oh yeah, put some water in it to boil the vegetables!
Get some frozen corn(preferably no name, itโs cheaper).
If you canโt afford real potatoes get some fake ones, again, preferably no name.
Mix the potatoes with lard if you donโt want to purchase butter, margarine or yogurt. Powdered milk works wonders!
Always check out the rotted vegetable section in the grocery store(usually referred to as the โsaleโ section in the vegetable aisle). You can always cut out the rotted parts, besides which, being cheap, you can purchase tons of them.
If you come across any road kill during your meanderings, use the parts that arenโt to badly rotted. Who knows, if the carcass is big enough, you may be able to use the skin to make coats, footwear and โฆhandbags! Besides, this is environmentally sound for all you tree buggers, I mean huggers, out there. I have heard that rat and mouse meat tastes suspiciously like chicken.
For dessert, you can go to the โday oldโ bread(probably ten days old!) and purchase moldy, stale bread to make bread pudding. You can employ this method with doughnuts too! Maybe you can pass the moldy bits off as raisins!
Cake? Get some no name cake mix at the grocery store. Mix it, throw it in a pan and bake it for an hour or so. Hopefully, it will come out okay if it doesn’t burn!. Hey, the burnt parts oftentimes are the best part of the cake!
Buy some rotted fruit, again at the sales table, cut off the rotted part, wash the cut up pieces and throw it over the cake. If you are not that health conscious, buy some no name icing and spread it over the cake.
Purchase paper plates and plastic cutlery at a dollar store, after all, who wants to wash dishes after.
Finally, if you and your guest can stomach the above culinary delights without the aid of Maalox and ex-lax, youโve got a hardier constitution than I do! If your guest(s) complain as to the quality of the meal, tell, or scream this at them; “You knew I am a cheapskate so why the he** did you accept my invitation to Christmas dinner a**holes? This is where the apparent wisdom of using paper plates comes in also. If your guest throws one at you, the worst injury you will sustain is a paper cut. Since there is nothing open, good luck trying to get something else to eat! Give them a bottle of Pepto Bismol or Maalox and send them on their way! They will be pi**ed off, but glad to be gone!
Merry X-mas, or conversely, Bah humbug, whatever your mode of celebration! Bon appetit!!! And a partridge in a pear tree, la de da!
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I use this opportunity to wish Merry Christmas to all who are celebrating it today. ๐
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Merry Christmas Mira!
And Merry Christmas everyone! ๐
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It’s not Christmas for me today, but thank you!
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Merry Christmas Leigh! And to all ๐
I believe that Mira must wait until January 7th! By then, I will have run out of eggnog.
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Indeed, January 7th it is! Today was just a random working day for me. Hope you all are having a great time with your family. ๐
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I’ve written much here about mixed race issues, but here are some additional thoughts on how to get beyond some of the difficulties that afflict some in the multiracial community.
First, it needs to be recognized that mixed race people’s identity is never going to be accepted by everyone no matter what they identify as. Someone of Wesley Snipes’ phenotype and background would be considered racially “black” under any concievable social system and a person of Dolph Lundgren’s appearance is considered “white” everywhere, but those who are very much in-between these extremes lack such certainty.
Second, we need to also realize that although “race” is in one sense a “social construction” it is also a natural fact. Obama is considered black by many in the US, but that does not change the fact that he REALLY is half African and half European. Just because somoneone refuses to aknowledge that you’re mixed does not negate the reality that a substantial amount of your ancestry derives from more than one continental grouping.
Third, although it is acceptable for someone to disagree with another’s choice of an identity, it’s not alright to accuse another person of being fraudulent or socially illegitimate for identifying as they do. That’s why there needs to be a campaign to discredit and stigmatize those who propagate notions of racial “passing”, which I’ve argued on previous occasions is in large part a conscious strategy to socially marginalize European-looking individuals of African descent.
Fourth, it needs to be recognized that the militants who advance notions of “passing” and other forms of racism against mixed race people are a tiny proportion of any given population. Most whites, blacks, Asians, etc, are of good will and do not project deep-seated insecurities or take their aggression out on multiracials.
Fifth, we must recognize that mixed race people constitute an organic part of the social fabric and have as much right to participate in civic life as anyone else. Just because they don’t have their own census box (yet) does not make them open game for political and social exploitation.
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Um, no, race is not a biological fact.
But I do agree, mixed people should not be discriminated against.
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Merry christmas to all, even though in Finland the big day was yestearday. Our christmas dinner consists traditionally a ten pound ham, sweet peas, sweet red gabbage, pickel, mashed potatoes, carrott mash, carelian pies, some salmon and other fish, ginger bread, cookies, chocolate and so on. And yes, I am stuffed ๐
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FG, the thing with Obama is he looks blk.
Obama good friend and former mentor, Rev. Wright has lighter skinned, thinner nose, and str8er hair than Obama has. As you outlined above, much of racial catergorization has to do with what you look like.
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Our christmas dinner consists traditionally a ten pound ham, sweet peas, sweet red gabbage, pickel, mashed potatoes, carrott mash,
That reads like a recipe for excess gas. I hope you go out in the snow when the after affects hit!
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Merry Christmas (and winter solsctice) to all of you wonderful people I have had the privilege to exchange opinions and world views with.
Monday morning I’m heading to UK to meet a woman from Zimbabwe to see if we’re able to find love that binds us for the rest of our lives. If not, the search continues.
I honestly wish all of you here understand and love of the variety and wonder of the wide spectrum of the human genome.
We are all different but we are also the SAME. We have the same dreams, aspirations, goals and possibilities given by our common, sapien genes.
But please, PLEASE, see people as individuals. Do not label anyone by physical or societal characteristics.
We are all individuals who want to belong to the great family of humanity. We are nothing alone. We are only “complete” with interaction of other human beings.
Peace, love, unity, love and HAVING FUN! Lol!
My full name is Hannu Lipponen, if u want to FB me. I hope some of you do. One never has too many friends.
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@ Chic Noir
That picture just made me crack up. I’ve seen him on television but he has that Dashiki on in that picture that says Africa LOL
I’m from Chicago. My mother grew up in Altgeld Gardens and I know our family has alot of Native American, in a way that’s physically obvious. Altgeld is an all black neighborhood, and people can always tell our family just by our hair. It’s weird. Alot of black people from the midwest do but they don’t consider themselves “mixed”(whatever that means).
We’re the only “black” people in the neighborhood who have long curlwavyish hair. My mom calls it “cooly hair” even my Uncles, when one of them died, women came to his funeral that didn’t even know himjust to look at how handsome he was. He was dark skinned and had long wavy hair. And our skin is like reddish-brown-to red-orange or it’s just light.
You never know what the kid will look like when it’s born in our family. It’s the funniest thing.
One of my aunts is extremely light skinned(she tans) and she has bright- red hair. When she was growing up in the 70’s she would try to wear Afros( it didn’t work with her hair, her hair is very thin and it’s strait!) and dashikis to fit in.
It just looked so off.
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@ Mira
I agree with you there, because my sister works in genetics/pathology. She has lupus, and all of her donor matches for organs are Asian people(she’s black).
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I have to credit Abagond for opening up the topic of the beauty of black women’s eyes. I never quite realized that until I read his post about it and now when I look, I see it everywhere. I really have become a fan of black women’s eyes:
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I wish everybody a happy and first of all peaceful new year!
Respect to Abagond for a well-written and thought-provoking blog.
Bonne annรฉe
Femi
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Bonjour Femi!
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@Olufemi and Herneith:
Happy New Year to you! And a Happy New Year to everyone!
May 2011 be a very prosperous year for you all! ๐
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May everyone do and receive what they’ve hoped for in the next year, and may everyone be blessed with the gifts necessary to live and prosper in this world. It’s a tough place, but with love, courage, strength, and open-mindedness, we can all make it through! Best wishes to everyone for all of 2011, not just the New Year!
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HAPPY NEW YEARS, HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!
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Happy New Year! It’s half past 3 here… Are you guys still in 2010?
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We (eastern America) still have two hours to go.
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I like these weird situations (like being in a different year and decade than some other commenters). ๐
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Happy New Year from Texas!
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Merry and Happy New Year to all of ya from Finland!!!
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Continuing from above …
6. It should also be noted that the chosen identity of those of mixed heritage is inevitably going to be highly variable. It seems reasonable to assume that people select a racial/ethnic identity that best summarizes their social experiences and describes their affective relationships or position within a community. For someone born to two parents who are both 100% African or 100% European, a “black” and “white” identity, respectively, are practically inevitable. However, identity selection gets fuzzy for those who are subtantially mixed. A multiracial person’s self-identity is likely to be a complex function of numerous variables, including physical appearance, cultural upbrining, attitudes about race and ethnicity of people in one’s community and family, as well as the racial composition of one’s peer group while growing up. Mixed people differ substantially on these variables. For instance, in terms of appearance, some resemble light skinned African Americans, others Mediterraneans, and a few Nordic blondes. With respect to childbhood experiences, some are raised in black neighborhoods others in predominantly white ones. Since mixed people differ so much on variables critical to social position, there is no single correct identity for all of them. That’s why there should be no rigid societal expectations about their choice of identity, such as the One Drop Rule. Furthermore, those who criticize the appropriateness of a particular choice of identity should keep in mind that they do know all of that individual’s life circumstances that impinge on social position and relationships.
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Happy Belated New Year to one and all… ๐
There was a sad story on the news during my week-long holiday and I just wanted to post it here since it isn’t really a suggestion.
I live in the Pacific Northwest, which is one of the whitest areas of the USA. In June of 2010, a little boy vanished from his school and hasn’t been seen since. The local news stations have been tireless and relentless in making sure that everybody on the West Coast is aware of this missing boy, even though the actions of his immediate family members makes it all too likely that one or more of them are directly responsible for his disappearance. The boy is white and was 7 yo at the time.
On New Year’s Eve, a story was briefly flashed on a local news station about a teenage girl who has been missing since the day before Thanksgiving. A brief follow-up story was aired about her on New Year’s Day, but that’s been it…nothing else. The girl is black and 15 yo.
It’s things like this that cause me great sadness and rage at the same time. Why does one person’s child get gold treatment, while another’s is merely an afterthought? If all missing children got the Kyron Horman treatment (billboards, daily news developments, donated time and money, search volunteers, etc.) then it could be a small step towards equality. Sadly, the only people who get justice are those who can afford it…
๐ฆ
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HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE READING OR WRITING ON THIS BLOG!!!!
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Does anyone have a job for this man? Spread the word…
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@ femi
Looks like he may come to my town!!
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Cavs-to-give-internet-famous-Golden-Voice-a-jo?urn=nba-303807
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He cleans up pretty well.
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why do men find it upsetting when women forget or mispronouce their names? I find this happens on the internet and in real life?
I want a real answer for this question please.
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Maybe the dumb broad is too busy gazing adoringly at the jacka**. She becomes tongue tied and forgets his name and how to say it, at least they do in the bodice ripper books. In real life, the woman cannot give a sh*t unless she is interested in the man or his pay cheque. Then you will see how fast she’ll know his name and how to pronounce it.
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In real life, the woman cannot give a sh*t unless she is interested in the man or his pay cheque. Then you will see how fast sheโll know his name and how to pronounce it.
herneith you made me giggle.
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Jourdan Dunn, one of the top blk models in the bussiness has a new ad for YSL makeup.
http://chicnoirhouse.blogspot.com/2011/01/jourdan-dunn.html
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Sam, or anyone else who can answer:
I know Atilla the Hun was, well, from Asia. At least I think I’m pretty sure of it. Well, do the Huns look like Central/East Asian people? I wonder because I sometimes see white people with squinty eyes. Not a lot, but a few people. Could the Huns have then mixed and assimilated into the local population or did the Huns somehow die in isolation?
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Those Huns must have got busy in Africa too.
Every race has some people in almond shaped eyes. Like you said, not a lot, but a always a few people.
However, you do find more Whites with almond shaped eyes in Russia, who are mixed with native Siberians who share lineage to our native Americans.
http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-First-Siberian-Language-Connected-to-Native-American-Languages-81790.shtml
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calculator wonder because I sometimes see white people with squinty eyes.
a bit off topic but you can find Europeans who look like this in Scandinavia. Google the Sammie people. Renee Zellweager has this look at her parents IIRC are from Finland.
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some real funny ish right here
A pretty white girl will be tried as a black man
just watch you will just die of laughter
http://www.theonion.com/articles/judge-rules-white-girl-will-be-tried-as-black-adul,18896/
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“Um, no, race is not a biological fact.”
You’re right that humans are not divided into sub-species. However, there are”races” in the sense of ideal typical phenotypes associated with each of the world’s major regions or continents. This is the popular understanding of race.
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“That picture just made me crack up. Iโve seen him on television but he has that Dashiki on in that picture that says Africa LOL
Iโm from Chicago. My mother grew up in Altgeld Gardens and I know our family has alot of Native American, in a way thatโs physically obvious. Altgeld is an all black neighborhood, and people can always tell our family just by our hair. Itโs weird. Alot of black people from the midwest do but they donโt consider themselves โmixedโ(whatever that means).
Weโre the only โblackโ people in the neighborhood who have long curlwavyish hair. My mom calls it โcooly hairโ even my Uncles, when one of them died, women came to his funeral that didnโt even know himjust to look at how handsome he was. He was dark skinned and had long wavy hair. And our skin is like reddish-brown-to red-orange or itโs just light.
You never know what the kid will look like when itโs born in our family. Itโs the funniest thing.
One of my aunts is extremely light skinned(she tans) and she has bright- red hair. When she was growing up in the 70โฒs she would try to wear Afros( it didnโt work with her hair, her hair is very thin and itโs strait!) and dashikis to fit in.
It just looked so off.”
Once again, why is mixed in quotation marks? It seems to me that claiming (disingenuously) mixed people don’t exist is just a tactic some use to deny them a legitimate social space, making it all the easier to push them into the margins of society. “Mixed” means having significant ancestry from multiple continental groupings. Your family sounds like it has mixture in it. It’s cool that they decided to identify as black (probably because they are predominantly black), but that does not mean that all mixed people need to follow suit.
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There are people with somewhat “almond” shaped eyes in Eastern Europe (I know I’m one of them). Usually, people don’t like to talk about it here. (Mostly because we all know how we got them, and we don’t like to talk about it).
FG,
There might be ideal physical phenotypes associated with each world region (MIGHT is a key word here; typical Scandinavians look different than typical Greeks, and they’re both white, for example), but it still doesn’t make race any more a biological fact.
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“One of my aunts is extremely light skinned(she tans) and she has bright- red hair. When she was growing up in the 70โฒs she would try to wear Afros( it didnโt work with her hair, her hair is very thin and itโs strait!) and dashikis to fit in.”
Yes, it’s kind of interesting how there is an intense obsession and repugnance with light mulattoes trying to “pass as white” (i.e. embracing their European heritage) but mulattoes putting vinegar in their hair to give themselves fake “afros” is viewed humorously or as a sign of “unity.”
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FG
light skinned blk does not always equal biracials
mulatto is offensive to some biracial people
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“light skinned blk does not always equal biracials”
Red hair and “extremely light” skin are almost certainly reflective of European admixture.
“mulatto is offensive to some biracial people”
Maybe to some. Others really like the term. It’s part of the standard vocabulary for Afro-European mixed people in Latin America. I know one droppists consider it offensive because it’s a highly specific and assertive ID (unlike biracial). It makes them kind of nervous.
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FG Red hair and โextremely lightโ skin are almost certainly reflective of European admixture.
you can have European admixutre and not be biracial. like your grandmother or great-grandmother is/was Irish.
also red hair and light skin is common among some groups of African people as a form of albinoism expression.
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Well you don’t need a full-white parent to be mixed/biracial/multiracial. The vast majority of mixed people on the planet have two mixed parents, not parents of different “races.”
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What is an “ideal typical phenotype”? There are tens if not hundreds in at least Africa, Europe and Asia.
I find the unworldly and selective perception of certain people somewhere between amusing and irritating. But well, who the cap fit, let them wear it.
It wouldn’t be the first (and the last) time that the majority believe they are right.
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FG to be biracal you do need one fully white parent or at least as to how we note biracial here in America. bi=2 btw.
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There is no such thing as race. There is only one species: Homo sapiens.
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@chic noir,
Well this is just a semantic argument. Politics of course plays a role. I want a larger mixed-identified population so of course I’ll make the definition more liberal than others would.
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“Bonjour Femi!”
Femi is French! Wow. That’s a shocker.
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sepultura 13:
Is your Avatar a Gundam? I can’ t tell. Which series is it from?
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http://www.theonion.com/articles/judge-rules-white-girl-will-be-tried-as-black-adul,18896/
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I saw that earlier today! It is amazing how everyone was able to keep a straight face.
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I love the one about the Sony television!
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http://www.theonion.com/video/new-google-phone-service-whispers-targeted-ads-dir,17470/
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@calculator; the huns were not a race of men in any sense. The core group seems to have been some nomads from central Asia, present day Uzbekistan, Tadzikistan, Kazakhstan and western China region. No one really knows where from.
By the time they showed up on the door step of Eastern Rome, they had assimilated other people too, such as goths etc. So the huns we know were more of a hodge podge of people than certain race. We do not know even what Attila looked like since there is only one coin image of him from the times. He does not look like “asian” in that but we do not know.
Present day hungarians are pretty certain that huns were their ancestors and they are proud of that too. Could be. But the hungarians are also finno-ugric people and related to us finns trough the language. Go figure…
Which brings me to the slant eyed white europeans. Here I think we can have some real fun. The swedish and german racists (race biologists) were certain that we finns were mongols only some hundred years ago. Well, we are not. The sami people, the real lapplanders, have high cheeck bones ja a bit narrower eyes but then again, not all the sami families. Some look like the guys I met in Dakota way back in 1980’s.
Some russians have this feature in their faces as does some other east europeans. These people and nations don’t have anything common. So could it be, that the slant eyes in Europe are not a racial phenomena but just a feature like a long nose or huge square jaw? Which brings me to another thing about face features; you do know that too much of growth hormone changes the faces of athletes? Some of them seem to have pretty long noses, heavy eye corners, wide ja strong jaws etc. Is that racial thing or what?
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@ sam and calculator:
I actually wrote about the racial depiction of Attila a little while back if you are interested.
http://eurasian-sensation.blogspot.com/2010/12/whitewashing-attila-hun.html
Based on history, geography and the descriptions of him, he sounds a bit like a Kazakh or Uighur in terms of appearance.
There has been so much population movement from Central Asia into Eastern Europe over the years that I would guess the eye shape you mention is a legacy of that.
Ever had a good look at the late actor Charles Bronson? he is of Lithuanian and Tatar ancestry. Clear Central Asian features.
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@eurasian sensation: interesting. I thoughed that he and the original huns came from that region and looked a bit like those folks over there. I’m also pretty sure that when they moved west they took locals as wives and surrogate kids etc. so the appearence was a bit different in few generations.
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Huns were central Asian people. We are unsure how they looked, but they were not “white” in today’s sense of the word. (Even if we apply European and not American criteria, which includes more people as white).
There are some indications they’ve had eyes with epicanthic fold. Same goes for Avars. Not to mention other Asian peoples were in some parts of Europe later on (during the Ottoman rule). The slightly “almond” (hate this word, but hope it explains what I’m saying) eyes some Eastern Europeans (and Northern Europeans?) have is due to these people’s genes, I believe.
Now. It’s something people don’t like to talk about (at least Eastern Europeans). For VERY clear reasons. But ignoring something doesn’t make it go away.
I know my eyes are like this. They looked completely Asian (or close to it) when I was a baby, but it happens to many non-Asian babies. But they are still a bit “almond” shaped. Maybe I could share some baby/child photos of myself?
PS- Eurasian Sensation: I like your article (and will comment). All I want to say here is: Didn’t Gerard Butler also play Attila the Hun? I’ve noticed that “ethnic white” actors are often cast in roles of people that are considered “ethnic white” (and it’s obviously how they see Attila), regardless of the actual ethnicity. That’s how you have an Irish actor playing an ancient Macedonian, for example. (All ethnic whites are the same? lol)
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@mira; well, movies are movies and after all, Yeshua the Jew has been played by almost anyone in this planet. Seldomly by a jewish actor, though. I think one of the funniest versions of Yeshua has to be great swedish actor Max von Sydow with his baby blue eyes… Brilliant! ๐
Yes, Gerard Butler played Attila and a scottish guy palyed his brother Blรถda, which is als very funny. But then again, Powers Booth was vandal who was the last roman general.
I always thoughed that avars were a turkish nation, more of a kind like present day turks. I did think they were “asian” as with mongols etc.
Finns have no genetic connection with mongols, at least the most resent DNA and gene tests say so. If I remember correctly we were genetically closer to the frisians and northern italians than swedes, russians or estonians, which again make one wonder; who the hell are we and where the hell we came from and when??? ๐
Maybe we were, like some researchers belive, the northern branch of the vandals.
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@ Sam:
As you know, Finnish is a Uralic language, a language family that appears to have its root in Siberia. Those original Uralic speakers were probably European-looking but with a significant East Asian component, much like so many Siberian people today.
Moving westwards, either one of two things (or both) would have happened. Possibly the ancestral Finns would have mixed with locals and become more European. Or possibly a small incoming Finnish-speaking elite would have spread their language to local Europeans without making a huge genetic imprint.
(The second instance is largely what appears to have happened in Hungary. The modern Hungarians are hard to separate from the surrounding Europeans, which seems to imply that the Magyars made a strong cultural and linguistic impression but only a small genetic one.)
That said, Finns are still have genetic elements that put them slightly separate from other Europeans.
Here’s an article about Finn genetics in relation to the rest of Europe.
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/gnxp/2008/10/finns-as-european-outliers/
The Saami appear to have retained a bit more of their Eastern roots, perhaps due to them migrating into the northern regions where there were less people already existing.
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Sam,
Yes, it’s interesting to note: Jewish actors rarely play Jesus. I wonder if it’s because they don’t want to, or (presumably) Christian directors don’t want to cast them?
Avars were another central Asian people who pay their visit to Europe during the Migration period (early Middle ages). We can’t be sure of how they’ve looked, but they were not white in today’s sense of the word.
About Finns: what about other Asian peoples, and not Mongols? I understand this is a touchy subject, and whenever these DNA results are published, people start acting really weird. It’s just a touchy subject. The most vocal group, though, are Balkan peoples. Balkan peoples are all mixed, incredibly mixed, and yet, each and every one of them want to claim indigenous origin (while, in fact, the differences are only in percentages). They are all a mix of all peoples that ever lived in the area, and many people lived there. Serbs are, for example, 15% Celtic, which is relatively high amount, given the fact nobody claim Celts (they are not interesting for inter-ethnic Balkan conflicts and discussion).
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So where is the Beautiful Black Man Post?
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Didn’t the Slavs migrate to Europe from Asia? I always keep reading that. If so, then why don’t they look Asian?
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Here’s something interesting:
All of today’s blue-eyed people are descendents from a man in northern Europe who developed that mutation for eye color 10,000 years ago.
What’s really intersting is that it all started with just ONE person. Plus, the gene is also recessive, which meant that there was a high sexual selection for blue-eyed people.
@Y
If you scroll up you will see “New Stuff” with abagond’s recent writings. Go down the list and you’ll find it.
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@calculator; well, I read somewhere that most present day researchers assume that blue eyes/blonde hair is just a variation on human genome, nothing more than that. I have never seen a shred of evidence of this mutant stuff, as funny as that would be.
@mira: for me personally DNA or genetics are all the same and thus I find these so funny. I guess the racial biologists of hundred years ago left their mark on collective minds and everyone is busy trying to be the Original Man of their lands. Thruth is, there never was such creature.
Just to point out how easy it is to move around even by foot (and therefore migrate to anywhere), friend of mine ja me were hiking in Lapland when we were just kids (16yrs). My backpack was some 27 kg and his was slightly heavier. We did some 15 to 20kms a day out in the wild. And mind you, both of us were city kids. So I figure people used to a nomadic life could have easily walked some 40 kms a day, 20 with no problem what so ever. In ten days at least 200km, three months plus 2000km. That is how easy it is to migrate anywhere.
And by boat it is even easier. Estonian guys used to row across the Gulf of Finland on tiny rubberboats back in the Soviet times and some finns still row across it today. It is a days trip back and forth. A good experienced rower can do 50 kms a day no problem in the lake district and crew of six even longer, so the idea that migrations were somehow expetional events or huge undertakings is false. Even during the so called stone age. Thus, ethnic mixing was done easily and earlier than we think, I belive.
@eurasian: there has been a lot of debate who we are up here and now, with EU and all that, the western identity has been promoted ever so slightly :-D. Truth is that culturally we belong more to the east, no doubt of that. Our language and thinking (and drinking) are eastern in many sense and our music differs from the western. We try to act like westerners but in reality we are siberians. Not slavs but siberians, you know. The woods, lakes, rivers, stillness, all these are important to us. Loneliness is natural, it is ok not to say anything among friends etc. All the traits of siberians :-D.
I read somewhere that the Russian people today, the ones living in the heart land of Russia, are mix of southern slavs migrating those parts in 6th-9th century and the local fenno-ugric people. The mari are still there but many others are gone and presumambly mixed with the slavs to form this russian nation. You know anything more about that? I also read in one website that Ruriks present day relatives DNA show finnish traits??? Carelian?? ๐
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@Sam and Calculator.
“…I have never seen a shred of evidence of this mutant stuff…
Well. You both may be interested in this news report from the Washington Post (2005) where scientists proved just that!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/15/AR2005121501728.html
I have posted this here before in another comment.
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@kwamla; thanks! I feel sorry for that guy. Think about that: not only you are the only blonde blue eyed creep around but you are also the first of your kind ever in the world. I bet that guy could tell us something about racism and prejudice against doffrent skin color ๐
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Ok, here’s my photo:
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@ Calculator:
Regarding Slavs:
I don’t think that’s strictly true about Slavs being Asian in origin. However…
Eastern Europe, where the Slavs live, is on the Western end of the great Eurasian steppe. As such, it has seen numerous incursions of people from Central Asia. The Avars, Bulgars, Turks and Magyars are all examples of this. They have added to the cultural and genetic mix of the Slavs, but the Slavs themselves are not Central Asian.
Of course, the Indo-European languages (of which Slavic is a branch) do originate from what is now southern Russia and Kazakhstan. So virtually all Europeans do have that ancient element, but it is more cultural and linguistic than genetic.
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@Mira:
Aww, you looked so cute as a kid. If I recall from visiting your blog, you are quite the lovely lady. ๐
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@mira: cute!
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Slavs are not Asian in origin (as far as we know). They originated in the Eastern Europe, far East of the Europe, near the border with Asia. But still Europe. Now, the borders of European continent (or any other, for that matter) are completely arbitrary, however, the way Europe is defined, Slavs definitely (as far as we can tell) originated in Europe (today’s Ukraine and Belarus… Probably).
They are described as being blonde to red haired, and blue eyed. It’s how Slavs that didn’t mix with other populations look. However, many of Slavs did mix, during the centuries. There were many, many (many, many) people who visited them, or they visited many different areas and settled down, so there’s a heavy mixing, especially with some Slavic groups. They’ve mixed with natives (which were already a mix of Illyrians, the Romans and the Celts), the Huns, the Avars, the Bulgarians, the Huns, the Germans (just to name a few on the Balkans)… And it’s only in early Middle Ages. Not to mention what had happened later, after the Ottoman invasion (again, on the Balkans).
But for all we know, Slavs did originate in Europe (and, I can’t stress this enough: Eastern Europe is Europe, and not any less Europe than Western Europe!!!! <- sorry, personal frustration). Now, if they mixed, originally, with some Asian peoples (those with eyes with epichantic fold), I have no idea. "Asian eyes" were not a significant race marker (since races in today's sense of the word didn't exist), so you can't expect writers to pay particular attention to this detail. I've always assumed, though, that the "slightly almond" eyes were due to mixing, not the original Slavic characteristics. (Hitler might have thought otherwise).
leigh204 and sam:
Thanks for the compliment! I posted the photo because of the eyes, though I'm not sure if it's a good one to judge that.
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Ok, my last comment came as disrespectful. I am not trying to argue it would be bad for (original) Slavs to have Asian blood, or that having Asian genes is a bad thing. But still (genes or not), Slavs, and Eastern Europeans in general, are Europeans. Contrary to what West might think, Europe doesn’t = Western Europe. That’s all I wanted to point out. Having Asian (to call them that) genes, or having African genes doesn’t make you any less European, so claiming only Western (and Northern) Europe is “real” Europe, while Eastern and/or Southern isn’t, is something that, well, pisses off Eastern and Southern Europeans.
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ฤokoviฤ is in the Australian Open final! I had no idea… I only found out five minutes ago.
Sorry. I just needed to share this.
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@mira: I hear you. We up here North were left out originally of the European map of EU ๐ generally speaking, sometimes it seems that people forget that Europe reaches to the Ural mountains geographically.
You know anthing about this alledged mix of russians with finno-ugric peoples in present day Russia? I know that they came up from present day Ukraine around abouts there according some.
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<font color=”blue”>This is coloured!</font>
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In practice:
This is coloured!
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<font color=”red”>….</font>
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Ok, it isn’t. Crap. Try putting a font code instead of a word. For example, #c0c0c0.
Let me try:
Is it working?
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this should be red
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Ok, not working. I guess it’s because font tag is deprecated and shouldn’t be used anymore. One must specify font colour in CSS, and I guess Abagon’s CSS is preventing us from changing font colour.
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this should be red too
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So why is working for you but not for me???
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Mira:
When I cut and pasted the HTML code, it did not work. But when I typed it for myself, it did. The trouble was with the quotes, which got quoted – or something.
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Ok, let me try:
Is it working?
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Has anyone ever heard of a movie called AfroPunk: The Movie. It’s about the race identity within the punk scene across America and abroad. The film focuses on the lives of four people dedicated to the punk rock lifestyle, interspersed with interviews from scores of black punk rockers from all over the United States. The interviews cover issues of loneliness, exile, interracial dating, black power, and the dual lives led by people of color in communities that are primarily white. This is why I dislike the so-called unity thing. Note that they never play this movie of BET or other so called black enertainment. Why do some bp feel like every single other bp should have the same culture, looks and beliefs.I don’t find” Black” culture appearing to me and don’t see why the hell I have go out my way to prove I’m black. Hip-hop is okay, I find R&B horrible. It’s country or close to it. I’m an atheist along the lines of Satanism (the one by Anton Levay) Soul food is meh and would eat chinese over it anyday. I find daishikis to be ugly. I mean, I’ve seen alot of beautiful African clothing, but why only daishikis? They look like a cross between a pokemon seizure and circus tent. Guntiinos kick way more a**. I have friends that love that but I just don’t see the point. The blackness concept needs to go. More Black goths.
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Usagi,
Here’s the thing. No matter what kind of music you (general you) like, no matter how you dress or behave, white people will still see you as black, and not as “one of their own”. (Nor would blacks see wiggers as one of their own, as far as I know- correct me if I’m wrong) Cultural items of this sorts are not what make people black or white. On the other hand, music taste and interests often play a significant role in making new friends, so if a person is into metal or grunge, chances are she will have more white friends. But it still doesn’t make anyone any less black.
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On the other hand, I believe people should not be forced to like the same stuff “their” people like. Anybody should be free to make whatever choice in music, movies, books, clothing, food, etc. he or she likes, as long as it’s not disrespectful (like some whites often do- appropriating Native American items, for example).
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@mira; it does not go like that in all subcultures. Nobody, I mean nobody does not call Frisco Bay area Dragons as bikers. Wheels of Soul, Redding Outsiders I think are also black. There are some mixed biker clubs too. Ok, they are recognized as black clubs but those guys are bikers first and foremost. Never mind what you read on the papers about bikers and racism. Oakland HA’s have respect to Dragons who’ve been around since late 50’s I guess.
I think usagi was not saying that he should be colorless or pretend not be what he/she is but said that not all blacks should be forced to the same mode. Because that is also racist.
I think we touched the black C&W guys before. Next are the black heavy metal bands and fans. Any pictures or names??
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I beg the differ, Mira. I have been told many times by other bp that I’m not really black. They were dead serious. No, I know wp are the same way. To me, it seems to be an American thing. Alot of foriegners don’t have a big problem with it.I have no problem with my nationality, but I had to argue with poeple about it. Alot of other bp don’t see as their own. I think it’s retared. The funny thing is that I’m not fair at all.
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This guy is the reason why asked about the black metal bands etc. He is the Great Grand Father of all the heavy rock and still kicks A like no one else. Who said that black guys don’t rock??
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Thanx u. Love Jimi. Other bp and so called anti-racists think that I’m hinding for who I am bs. These would be the same people saying that they’re pretty becasue they’re light skinned. Yes, I had a person tell me both of these things. Have u noticed that when a white person likes or admires another culture it’s means that they’re open and intellgent, but God forgid a bp does the same. I also, get weird looks because of my natural very dark lips. I had people tell me that I should stop dyeing my hair and became natural. I never dye my hair and hair wasn’t ever relaxed at the time. I’m a 3b/c, I forgot. Brunettes are awesome.
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@Mira,
I think Usagi makes an important point. I believe that much social differentiation these days is based on cultural dissimilarity. Shared cultural attributes can lead to a reduction in perceived racial difference.
In general, take statements about American race relations featured on this blog with a grain of salt. Much has changed in the US with regard to race since the Civil Rights Movement, but the agenda here seems to push a very old-school, early to mid-20th century vision of race relations. Skin color and “blackness” are still very important to determining one’s social position, but it’s not the end-all and be-all that it was just a few decades ago. Identities are becoming more fluid and ambiguous. As I’ve been arguing all along, US racialism isn’t as binary as it once was. There are now many Americans who are clearly neither white nor black (e.g. most Hispanics, Asians). Moreover, the younger generations no longer by and large adhere to a strict one drop rule concept and there is an acceptance of mixed race identity. Furthermore, as Usagi suggests, cultural attributes and socioeconomic status have begun to compete with “race” as the primary source of identity.
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Usagi,
I beg the differ, Mira. I have been told many times by other bp that Iโm not really black. They were dead serious.
I wasn’t talking about black people. I do not know their views on this. But sadly, the white majority is who makes these racial rules- they are the ones who started this all race thing, and their opinion is still what matters the most. And I am afraid they would not accept somebody who is into GN’R as one of their own. And if black people don’t want to accept said person as one of their own, I admit, it could be a very tricky situation to be in. (And yes, I agree it’s not fair- and it’s one of the main reasons I am not crazy about collective identities).
No, I know wp are the same way. To me, it seems to be an American thing. Alot of foriegners donโt have a big problem with it.I have no problem with my nationality, but I had to argue with poeple about it.
Well, I can’t speak for other foreigners, but I must say I don’t see rock (metal, etc) as a “white thing” at all. It just never occurred to me it could be considered white music, with so many non-white rock musicians around, so many non-white fans (yes, I know plenty- well, I know them online, but whatever), etc. I mean, the origins of rock are black. The person who is considered the best rock guitarist of all times is black. (thanks for the video, sam) So no, I don’t see it as white music, and I know plenty of non-white (and black) rockers.
Which brings us, once again, to the long-awaited black (POC) rock musicians post.
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True, notice that they’ll show a white rapper or Teana whathername on BET before a black musican that plays rock. .For some reason, people assumed that i would now who she is becuase she’s white. Hell, I DON’T like any R&B music. If I don’t listen jill Scott or whatever, why would listen to someone who sings the same crap of a different color? I do idenfy with my East african roots and some of my native american. Mainly Somail culture is really cool and was really the first time I’ve seen blacks that look like me.
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Alos, with white people, it tends to be 50/50. Mostly though as a foriegner.
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“I think usagi was not saying that he should be colorless or pretend not be what he/she is but said that not all blacks should be forced to the same mode. Because that is also racist.”
This is an area of interest for me and something I wish could be talked about more openly.
There seems to be this weird thing going on where many blacks will promote this kind of rigid conformity among themselves. The whole “not black enough” thing. Yet at the same time, it’s racist to carry any belief that “blacks do this or that” if you’re not black.
So at the same time you see rigid conformity to a certain idea of blackness within the black community, if you’re an outsider, to notice this blazingly obvious conformity is racist. It is racist, because it perpetuates the idea of black people as different or separate from whites, which on a fundamental level is of course not true. On a cultural level however, it most certainly is true, if in no other way than in our differing relationships with racism and society at large. (although I suspect there is much more to it than that)
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it was whites who forced this idea of “blackness” on BP in the first place. Or at least, made conformity a necessity by not treating blacks as individuals. Forced BP to stay within the confines of their own communities and to think of themselves as different. Almost another species.
I don’t know, but I wish I could find some answers on this.
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Anyone ever get into Bad Brains? Amazing black punk/metal reggae group from DC. And they were all Rastafarian, funnily enough. It’s odd but cool to hear a guy screaming about Jah and Babylon over shredding guitars.
I used to be really into hard rock. But Living Colour (brilliant black rock group) and Jimi Hendrix kinda acted like a bridge into funk and soul, which is what I’ve mostly been into ever since.
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Oh, but the best black heavy rock song of all time – “Super Stupid” by Funkadelic. Ohhh Yeahh.
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I love black women. Rrrrrrrrrr.
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I beg to differ EurasionSensation:
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@ eurasian; didn’t know that one before. Pretty cool. But still, Jimmy H is the one for my taste.
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Heres one from Jimi, Ozzy could do this one anyday and nobody would see any difference in genre.
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@herneith; niceee ๐
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“Theyโve mixed with natives (which were already a mix of Illyrians, the Romans and the Celts), the Huns, the Avars, the Bulgarians, the Huns, the Germans (just to name a few on the Balkans)โฆ ”
Uh… almost all of those groups are white. I don’t understand. White people mixing with white people?!
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White people mixing with white people?!
Shocking, isn’t it? ๐
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Doesn’t the word “Slav” come from “slave” because the Romans used them as slaves?
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Everyone likes to make fun of Poland.
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Oh yes, I forgot to ask:
What ethnic group do Gypsies belong to? Are Gypsies considered “European” or “white”?
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Doesnโt the word โSlavโ come from โslaveโ because the Romans used them as slaves?
For all we know, it was the other way around. Greeks and Romans misheard the way Slavs called themselves (which was probably taken from the Slavic word “slovo”, in this meaning: word, meant as language unity: people who spoke the same language).
So Greeks adopted the word sklรกbos to refer to this group of people (often enslaved), and it entered Latin language as sclavus. In time, it became a widely used term. In English, it became “slave”.
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Everyone likes to make fun of Poland.
Really? I wouldn’t know. My gran grandmother was half Polish, and I look a lot like her, so while I don’t identify as Polish, it sure makes me interested in the country. What’s so wrong with Poland?
What ethnic group do Gypsies belong to? Are Gypsies considered โEuropeanโ or โwhiteโ?
Gypsies (Roma) are nomadic people who came, for all we know, from India. They are Caucasians, and, therefore, white (at least there’s no difference between white and Caucasian in my culture). However, they are heavily discriminated against and most of the people don’t consider them to be of the same race. This is a strange situation, but should not be surprising, since there’s so strong ethnic hate against them, and they are darker than the rest of population. However, one must note Serbs and Croats often claim not to belong to the same race (wtf!), which proves the main point: in said part of the world, ethnicity is much more important than the race. (And also, people have no clear idea what the race actually means).
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“Everyone likes to make fun of Poland.”
People also make fun of the French (cowardly, can never win a battle or a war, womanizers, short men, etc.) Oh, well, it’s that some people think Poland is a poor, weak, backward country. (After all, at point in its history, Poland ceased to exist as a country after Germany and Russia took all territory from it.)
Poland is(was?) characterized as being “ghetto”–a word made up during WWII when Adolf Hitler began collecting Slavs onto concentration camps.
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@calculator:
โEveryone likes to make fun of Poland.โ
I don’t know that but I do know that norwegians, icelanders, danes and finns like to joke about the swedes. Like, what is the shortest book on history? The swedish war heros.
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Djokovic wins the Australian Open!
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The swedish war heros.
I beg to differ, it’s the Swedish Book of Culinary Arts! Britain, along with bad teeth, ain’t far behind, he** Northern Europe ain’t far behind, boiled beef and cabbage notwithstanding!
Djokovic wins the Australian Open!
Is he good looking?
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Is he good looking?
He’s average looking.
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@ herneith: the Big Book of Finnish small talk is one of the shortest. ๐
Theres a american joke about finns: two finns just moved to Hollywood and decided to celebrate the event. They bought a bottle of strongest vodka they found and went to nearest park to drink it. They sat side by side on a bench, passing the bottle from one guy to another. – Gimme the bottle, said the other. The other gave him a long hateful look and said: – Did we come here to drink or bullshit all day long?
Our food is ok. We don’t boil meat and we do not eat cabbage, we eat reindeers, salmon, bears, some berries and mushrooms, raw ofcourse, and drink milk, blood, water or alchohol. And black coffe, more bitter the better.
Some of the shortest books are also; The history of danish mountain climbing and Italian war heros in WW2.
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We donโt boil meat and we do not eat cabbage
Sorry, I was thinking of Denmark, or was it Estonia? It was one of those countries.
we eat reindeers
You mean your beloved companions, Joukahainen, Jalmari and Larssi, could double as a Sunday meal?
salmon, bears, some berries and mushrooms, raw ofcourse, and drink milk, blood, water or alchohol.
Do you eat these morsels before or after you consume vast amounts of liquor?
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hey everybody ๐
long time guys
black women you should know.
Amy Sall NY editor of Lurve Magazine
here is a roundup of what she has in her beauty arsenal.
http://intothegloss.com/2011/01/amy-sall-ny-editor-lurve-magazine/
this is one of my favorite blogs ladies, you ladies should add it to your blog list or google readers.
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@herneit: well yes, of course we eat our pets! What else you have them for???
And let me be specific here. We dont drink all the time like the french or those guys. When we drink we want to get drunk, not sip some expensive wine or fruity anisette. That is why we do not drink alchohol all the time. We get drunk only on weekends, fridays and saturdays, wednesdays, sauna days, birthdays, holidays, after hard days on the job, when we feel depressed, when we are happy, when we are sad, when we are bored, when we have nothing else to do etc.
So no need to get sarcastic with our drinking habits. So called wine countries consume more achohol per capita than we. We just consume ours in couple hours instead. ๐
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White women have the best feet!
Most men would probably agree with me.
This is one arena that no other woman can compete in or even come close to. The dark-red or dark-purple nail color in contrast with the delicate creamy milky-white foot is just absolutely beautiful. The high-arched soles with a pink undertone is stunning.
Black women can be beautiful in their own way, as Abagond has proved to us on his blog, but this is one area where black women just have to accept that white women are superior and have the upper hand (or foot).
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@Calculator
Are you effin serious?? Feet??? HAve you really made a thorough study on this, or is this some HBDers version of Foot Fetishism?
Finger licking and toe sucking good, eh? Good grief, said Charlie Brown.
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Eh, JOukahainen was a mythic hero from our national epic Kalevala. Hardly anyone would name their pets after Kalevala.
Reindeers are not pets, they are meant to be consumed -yummy! There’s an initiation rite among the Lapps, where you have to newter a reindeer -with your teeth! Look ma, no hands!
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Eeewwww… big booty butt fetish! And some people thought foot fetish was gross.
Different people have different tastes.
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Who has a big booty fetish? Not me.
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I’m not bothered by your fetish, but your claim that white women have better feet. Based on what evidence? Prejudice?
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“Who has a big booty fetish?”
Lots of black men. Abagond has one too. He openly wrote about it on one of his writings about black women.
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My preferences are similar to Calculator’s. White women do have great feet come to think of it … and Buffie the Body is grotesque.
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Calculator
do you have a foot fetish?
If so tell us about it please, I’m curious.
hey guys blk models are having a fabulous Spring season. There are ad campagns out and blk models scored some majors.
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“do you have a foot fetish?
If so tell us about it please, Iโm curious.”
What kind of things would you like to know? I believe that many men have an attraction/fascination/interest in women’s feet but that most men feel embarassed/awkward to talk about it with their wives, fiances, or a serious girlfriends. I hope people don’t find it creepy. Honestly, most guys who are in to feet are normal.
Men have all sorts of fetishes. No one today would call out Abagond because he has a “big bootylicious bootya fetish.” It’s seen as a normal for a black man to like that. Similarly, people don’t call most men “chest fetishizers” either. So I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. Some men are just mesmerized by a pair of beautiful feet.
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I will now explain how and why white women have superior feet than black women.
The average income for black families is lower than white families. Therefore, white women have more money to spend on beauty products than black women. Thus, white women can spend more money to take better care of themselves (by buying a gym membership and exercising) than black women–I mean no offense, but it’s a fact of racism that black families, on average, make less money than white families. This, in turn, allows white women’s feet to be pampered, massaged, and given all sorts of beauty ordeals. Black women, in contrast, due to their low-income level, can only muster enough capital to have their face and hair look “presentable.”
(Note: The above ideas may not apply to every black woman.)
And that is how white women have the best and prettiest feet in the world.
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calculator Honestly, most guys who are in to feet are normal.
It’s pretty normal among African-American men. Many won’t be bothered with a woman with ugly feet.
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Black women, in contrast, due to their low-income level, can only muster enough capital to have their face and hair look โpresentable.โ
Here in the states, there are have nail shops in the poorest blk neighborhoods.
I guess you’re in Europe right? Maybe it’s a cultural thing. So what nail polish colors do you abhour on toes? I’ve heard guys say they hate blk nail polish on toes. What colors look good on dark and medium skin?
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@chic noir
I’m from the states–the Deep South to be more accurate actually.
Red. Red is a safe color–always looks decent on most women. Red, purple, and maybe black are the best colors, but I’m thinking about white feet. Blue might be passable depending on the woman.
Light green, or light orange looks really gross no matter what race a woman is–it resembles somebody’s throwup. But that’s just me. Also, make sure to have all your nails the same color. Having five different nail colors on one hand or foot looks (and please forgive me for saying this) but it looks messy and slutty.
“Iโve heard guys say they hate blk nail polish on toes. What colors look good on dark and medium skin?”
Were those black men talking about black women’s feet? If so, they could be right. Contrast is the key word. Fair or light skin with a dark red or purple is sexy. I myself don’t like lighter colors, but perhaps you could try pink if you’re darker-skinned. Women with an olive skin-tone look just as fabulous as fair women do with a dark red color.
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no white men talking about white women’s (I guess) i guess.
I wear all sorts of colors on my toes. neon orange and yellow, purple and dark reds.
So what happens to you on the inside when you see a woman with nice feet?
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@ chic noir
Is your avatar really a picture of your feet? If so, they are hideous! You’re never going to catch a man with those type of feet–even if the man isn’t into feet, those will be a complete turnoff in itself. Trust me; I’m a guy.
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“no white men talking about white womenโs (I guess) i guess.”
Uh..yeah…I didn’t quite understand that statement.
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“So what happens to you on the inside when you see a woman with nice feet?”
I wonder if she’s single?
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Who has a big booty fetish? Not me.
I myself like a man with muscular buttocks you can carry shelves on, or bounce coins off of!
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@ Herneith
And as I recall, you like a bum in a nice shade of green?
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Hey, wasn’t Abagond supposed to write about the first island book poll post today?
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Feet? yaiks! I love the woman, not her feet. I’ve been with a woman with terrible feet but she was a pro ballet dancer. I’ve been with a woman who had very nice, clean and extremely feminine feet but she was a woman power lifter, so…:D
Maybe I am a freak of the month but for me it is the whole thing, not this or that piece. Some women look nice as bigger, some smaller, some more athletic some less, but they look nice all the same. It is not the teeth, nose, hair, ear, finger, toe, eye, bellybutton, or the mole near the ribs or what ever… ๐
Ok, I admit that I seem to like women with curves, but I am not picky. Main thing is that she is nice, calm, has a good selfesteem and is sex maniac in bed. That is all I need ๐
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My husband is White and he likes feet. Though he was never interested in them until he saw mine.
I think that if you have nicely shaped and easily manageable feet (e.g. not a lot of problems such as stubborn callouses, cracked heels, hammer toes…), it isn’t that difficult to take care of them yourself. For me, all I need is a pumice stone, moisturiser, nail clippers and nail polish.
I’ve never lived in the US, but when I lived in Canada I really felt the Black, East Asian and South Asian women paid more attention to their appearance than the White women. Yes, a lot of the White women would paint their toenails, but many would be walking around in their pyjamas or in baggy T-shirts and jogging bottoms and things like that. No effort was put into the rest of their appearance. I lived in a rather poor area as well and yet I still saw quite a few Black women who dressed in nice clothes, did their hair, wore jewellery, make-up and had their nails done (both hands and feet).
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I myself like a man with muscular buttocks you can carry shelves on, or bounce coins off of!
And, in contrast, I have foot fetish! ๐
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The murder of Meredith Kercher…
I just saw on the channel 5 news that a US TV station will broadcast a film around the murder.
Is this an attempt at the oh so well-known American whitewash again? It now goes international.
Why would have Amanda Knox tried to frame Patrick Lumumba, someone totally unrelated to this case, in a first place?
What’s the real role of Rudy Guede in all of this? He did confess first and told the story from his viewpoint. A welcome target for the so-called “good” white people to weasel their way out? ESPECIALLY a white American?
It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Amanda Knox was the sole perpetrator of the murder.
I am still appalled about this case, to say the least.
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It wouldnโt surprise me at all if Amanda Knox was the sole perpetrator of the murder.
I read about this case in the English language European newspapers and some British ones. It seems these white Yanks take ‘the ni**er did it!’ routine wherever they go!
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World’s Most Beautiful Women by Country (not in any particular order)
Brazil
Lebaon
Phillipines
Turkey
Argentina
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Correction:
Brazil
Lebanon
Phillipines
Turkey
Argentina
Puerto Rico
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Calculator wrote
โno, white men talking about white womenโs (I guess)โ
Uh..yeahโฆI didnโt quite understand that statement.
Sorry, that was in reply to your question below
Were those black men talking about black womenโs feet?
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What do angels poop?
Answer: Holy crap.
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To chic noir:
Were those black men talking about black womenโs feet?
Your Gravatar picture… are those your feet…? I am guessing no.
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What do angels poop?
Answer: Holy crap.
Hahahahahaha!! Keep em coming!
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If FedEx and UPS merged, it would be called FedUpSex.
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รdouard Glissant, French author originating from Martinique, died on the 3rd of February aged 82. He was one of the most influential French speaking Caribbean writers and intellectuals.
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I’ve visited Brazil for a month (only in one city though) and I was surprised how normal the women were with all the hype about how stunningly beautiful they’re rumoured to be (even by those who have been to the very same city). I’ve mostly heard it from people who are fans of Brazilian models (Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Ana Beatriz Barros), so I’m guessing that’s what they would expect… Well, I can tell you they are generally a lot shorter and stouter! I saw a few gorgeous faces and bodies, but no way near as many as I would expect with the rumours. Perhaps it is different elsewhere, though.
And now, something completely random: Do you think White people in the western world find it offensive when those who have cultural backgrounds and/or religions generally unfamiliar to westerners make it known it is a special celebration? e.g. The third of February was the Lunar New Year and I said, ‘Happy Chinese New Year!’ to someone.
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@iris: no, even in Helsinki Finland there was a big party for chinese new year in the city center. Finnish muslims have their ramadan every year with no problems. etc.
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Hey, Is anyone here a dog person? I love dogs! My favorite breeds are bulldogs,blue heelers, botson terriers, salukis, poodles, and saint bernards. Big dogs are my favorite , but I hate the fact that they don’t live long. I fall in love with american bulldogs from watching Homeward Bound as a kid. I love Petey, too. I have an american bulldog/APT mix and she’s the sweetest thing. She lost a fight to every dog and one cat that weight 2 pounds. Some people say she’s useless because she won’t fight no matter what. I think she’s a buddhist monk or somthing. Not everone that owns a lab goes ducking hunting.
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“I myself like a man with muscular buttocks you can carry shelves on, or bounce coins off of!”
That would gross me out! Big butts only look good on women. I also don’t like when they have poutier lips than me. My type is tall and lanky. Love long hair. My dream boyfriend is Gackt. If I find a guy that likes me than looks like a J-rock star, that would be heaven.
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@Usagi:
I am not talking about ‘big’ behinds per se. Having muscular buttocks doesn’t necessarily mean they are big. I am sure those men you like have muscular buttocks but they are more slender. As for the guy Gackt, he has a nice little set of man titays!
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It’s probably because I got a flat butt. /My cousin says that I have a Paris Hilton booty. LOL! Would feel alittle insecure if the guy I was dating have more junk in the trunk than me. My dream men are Miyavi, Hyde, Sid vicious, Axl Rose, David Boxie, Marilyn Manson, and Lenny Kravtiz. I would so ignore a guy like Brad Pitt or 50 cent. I think gothic men are the sexiest. Never been attracted to muscule and sometimes comes off ugly to me.
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@ Usagi
Gothic men? I thought the Goths were extinct/absorbed long ago. And then which Goths do you mean?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goths
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No, there’s still goths around. There’s a magazine called Gothic Beauty. I dress in gothic lolita style. I love victorain style clothes. There’s a bunch of different styles of goth. My favorite color is black. I also grunge or skater guys, too.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goth_subculture
These type of goths. I doubt that i would be interested in someone that wasn’t a part of the subculture. There’s alot of them on the North side of Chicago. Unfortunely, I live on the South side. Ewwwww, all these ghetto guys gross me out.
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@usagi: “Ewwwww, all these ghetto guys gross me out.” ๐
There are quite a few goths in Finland, few years ago they were everywere and all over the place. I guess it is because for some reason metal is mainstream music here, every one from our president down likes it, so gothic guys and girls are not that a rare breed.
Have you checked out finnish band called 69 Eyes? HIM? I think those might be your cup of tea at least fashion wise if not music ways.
I remember when 69 Eyes started way back and me and some friends of mine were putting up this Bike show (Biker culture festival) and the guys gave them a break and booked them to play there. They impressed everyone, but then again, they were much more raw back then. Then they kind a moved to states and softened a bit, I guess for a bigger market share or something…
If you are into that gothic style, check out also Tuska festivals in Helsinki, Finland. One of the biggest metal festivals in Europe and litterally in the middle of the city. They are thinkin to move to another place from where they used to be but I don’t know… But whole lotta goths out there, and I mean thousands. ๐
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@usagi:
Last year heath wave festivals.
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@sam: Thanks for the input. My husband seemed to think some people would be offended, but he’s probably going by what he thinks his own family would do…
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abagond can u do a post on this racist superbowl ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVQrH0aHGAc
http://www.change.org/petitions/boycott-pepsi—racist-superbowl-commercial-stereotypes-black-women#signatures
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Hey everybody, guess what?!!
New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan has a foot fetish!!! There’s videos on youtube.
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@ Peanut
I just saw that commercial on youtube and it was so hilarious!!! But I do see how one can see it as racist.
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i didn’t think it was funny either…put the stereotypes aside ,it still wasn’t funny. people don’t know what funny is these days…
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I have a question for all the women of the world:
What do you think about short men? I mean, how short is too short? Give me specific heights. Would you give a man a chance if he were the same height as you, or does he have to be taller than you by a couple of inches? What can a guy do to make up for his shortness except for being a billionaire?
Help, advice, and counsel much appreciated!
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Calculator,
I’d say my height or shorter is too short. I am 5’2″ or 5’3″ (I never seem to know hot to convert my height in foots and inches). To be honest, I consider anything shorter than about 5′ 8″ as short.
That being said, I don’t think height is a deal breaker, even if I consider a guy short. But yes, I do admit: shorter guys do need to have something to make up for being too short. I feel really bad for saying this, but I think it’s better to admit this to myself than to pretend I don’t care.
However, the “extra” thing has nothing to do with money, at least to me. I know many women say this, but deep inside, they do want rich men. Not me. I couldn’t care less, and in fact, I’d feel threatened with a billionaire by my side.
In my case, the extra thing could be either physical, or personality-wise. Physically, if a guy has a beautiful hair, possibly longish (see Maxwell post lol), he doesn’t need to be tall at all. Hair seems to be very important to me, so a short guy with great hair is better than a tall one with thin hair. <- Superficial, I know. Other physical features I pay attention to: eyes (warm, intelligent and interesting eyes are important), deep voice or interesting face. All these things can contribute to the overall impression, so to speak.
And of course, one should never forget about personality. This is very important. Nobody needs a guy they can't talk with, laugh with, or enjoy sex with. The last thing is more about personality than physical features. It's usually easy to tell by a guys behavior whether he'll be a decent lover or not.
So to conclude, while yes, I do like tall men and see that as a positive feature, height is far from being a deal breaker.
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@calculator; my own experience with women is this: it makes no difference in real life.
I’m short stubb, 173 cm, and look like an mix between orangutang and the hunchback of Notre Dame, but I have never been without female companion if and when I have wanted one. I’ve been married, engaged twice, have been going out with several women, and very seldomly any have asked how tall I am.
As an ugly son of gun I have also dated a model, “exotique dancer” and such, who have never asked how tall I am. The model was 180cm tall, very slim (59 kg) and stunning and she never asked how tall I am. One lady I dated asked how tall I am and after I told her, she just said that she toughed I was much taller. Go figure.
I think it is the personality. If you are ok with yourself, it is not that much of a deal. Short guys have also been on top all trough the history. Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin and Alexander the Great were not NBA material but I don’t think anybody told them that they were too short for their shorts, at least in their lifetime.
I never ask from a woman how tall she is. I just don’t care. Shortest woman I have dated was around 150cm but pretty and very feisty personality. Tallest was that model. They never asked my height either. I think this height obsession is just a thing now, like six packs and other doodoo, hairless chest and porcelain teeth. Just like those silicone boobs and other BS.
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Thanks for your answers. I was just asking since I’ve seen short women that are like in the 4’11”-5’3” range almost always with tall 6’0” guys. Mind you, I’m taller than these women, but I wonder if I’m not tall enough. These short women are with guys so tall that they’re barely above the guy’s waistline. I’m about 5’5”. I know it’s below average. I kind of regret not exercising as much or eating my vegetables when I was a child.
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@ Sam
Thanks for the input. 173cm = 5.675 feet tall. You’re a little taller than I am.
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@ Sam
For rounding, 173 cm = 5’7”. That’s not short. You’re almost average height.
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Here is what a college professor wrote about learning English:
“WHY IS ENGLISH SO HARD TO LEARN?
The bandage was wound around the wound.
The farm was used to produce produce.
The dump was so full that it had to refuse more refuse.
We must polish the Polish furniture.
He could lead if he would get the lead out.
The soldier decided to desert his dessert in the desert.
Since there is no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.
A bass was painted on the head of the bass drum.
When shot at, the dove dove into the bushes.
I did not object to the object.
The insurance was invalid for the invalid.
There was a row among the oarsmen about how to row.
They were too close to the door to close it.
The buck does strange things when the does are present.
A seamstress and a sewer fell down into a sewer line.
To help with planting, the farmer taught his sow to sow.
The wind was too strong for us to wind the sail.
After a number of injections my jaw got number.
Upon seeing the tear in the painting I shed a tear.
I had to subject the subject to a series of tests.
How can I intimate this to my most intimate friend?
There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple.
English muffins weren’t invented in England or French fries in France.
Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat.
Boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig.
If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn’t the plural of booth beeth?
One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices?
If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise
man and a wise guy are opposites?
How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and
quite a few are alike?
How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell another?
How can your house can burn up as it burns down?”
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Mira
Thanks for your honesty. I appreciate it.
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Calculator,
You must note that whoever women date might not always be who are they attracted to. Many women still chose not to approach men, so are left with whoever approaches them.
I am a short girl, and I would not reject a guy based on his height… And yet, I only dated tall or average men. Short men were never interested in me. I know this probably makes no sense, but it’s how it is. So of course I dated only tall men, and a few average ones (I am not one of those girls who approach… I am way too shy for that).
So please don’t think any short, or any other girl, dating tall men would never date a short one.
But I must say women do tend to often discriminate against short men. For most women, it’s not a deal breaker, but yes, many would praise tall men without realizing how offensive or hurtful that can be to short men.
And then they all get crazy about a short celebrity (yes, there are many who are around 5’5″ and nobody cares!) which is even more offensive.
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I just saw the pepsi advert and seriously WTF. Who in the bloody blue hell thought that that would be fine and dandy. It is not fine, neither dandy.
Sapphire stereotype in full effect, it’s what everyone loves to see. So I am not surprised but to have all of that bullshit but to shove all the Sapphire tropes into a 30sec ad. That really takes the piss.
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@ aiyo: don’t drink it, thats all.
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Short-man complex with a foot fetish….how creepy! ๐
And what’s with these Emo goths who think they’re better than everyone else? Satanism? Really? I can’t conceive of any self-respecting black person immersing themselves in such a racist ‘religion’, but I suppose it makes some sort of sense to one who wishes to distance themselves from the black community, just for the sake of ‘not being like THEM’. ๐ I have no religious or political affiliations and am damned proud of it.
I’m bored…slow day at work today and the sun is shining, so I want to be out in it!
Feeling snarky ’cause I’m hungry!!!!! ME WANT STEAK!!!!! Bloody, rare, and RIGHT NOW!!!!! ‘Twould be better if it was venison, though…fresh fish and freshly-killed meat – two of the few things I miss about Alaska, LOL ๐
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I’m a taller than average, but if I don’t approach a woman, what good does my height do? I like sam’s attitude. You cannot change your height. Just accept it and let it show. People who reveal that they are uncomfortable with some of their physical attribute/s are not seen as attractive. Confidence is a must, but over-confidence is a put-off.
Height, as far as I know any women, is rarely a deal-breaker. Usually, NO SINGLE PHYSICAL FEATURE is a deal breaker. If it is to someone you’re interested in, stay the hell away from said person. People always make compromises to their ‘wish list’, because they have to. Otherwise they die alone.
Nuff said! (Cookies to anyone who catches the reference!)
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Wolverine innit?
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You know it, jason, nothing beats a healthy dose of adamantium!
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Aiyo says,
I just saw the pepsi advert and seriously WTF. Who in the bloody blue hell thought that that would be fine and dandy. It is not fine, neither dandy.
Sapphire stereotype in full effect, itโs what everyone loves to see. So I am not surprised but to have all of that bullshit but to shove all the Sapphire tropes into a 30sec ad. That really takes the piss.
laromana says,
You’re absolutely correct in your analysis of the disgusting display of ANTI-BW RACISM/HATE this OBNOXIOUS Pepsi Superbowl commercial presents. To add insult to injury this disturbing “commercial” won Pepsi’s Superbowl ad contest.
Clearly, American media/culture/society have a serious problem with ANTI-BW RACISM/HATE when they choose to promote a “commercial” like this as a form of “harmless entertainment”.
Thankfully, there is a petition (please see link below) BW/BW SUPPORTERS can sign to CONFRONT/CONDEMN Pepsi for their decision to promote ANTI-BW RACISM/HATE.
http://www.change.org/petitions/boycott-pepsi—racist-superbowl-commercial-stereotypes-black-women
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What do you think about short men?
If they are packing and have a large paycheque who cares? I am of the old school’ Paycheque first, realizes who the real boss is, easy to get along with, doesn’t leave the toilet seat up(a deal breaker no matter the height!), looks are a bonus, if he possesses all the above attributes!
Give me specific heights.
I am 5’7, so 4′ would be ideal in some instances, 5’8 in tothers, 6′ in some, 6’5, in others. All heights have their uses, use them!
Would you give a man a chance if he were the same height as you, or does he have to be taller than you by a couple of inches?
Sure, as long as he’s breathing, has most of his wits about him and is packing and doesn’t drool and wear Depends! A good income is a must!
What can a guy do to make up for his shortness except for being a billionaire?
Since you asked, I’d settle for a multi-millionaire! All men are basically the same regardless of height give or take a few inches! It’s not the size of the boat, but the motion in the ocean! The same goes for height. I just want a man! I am sick and tired of these foolish men who just want to hold hands when we are on a date at McDonald’s. I am sick and tired of these men who think that holding hands and going for walks is romantic(they are just cheap)! For them, getting to first base means going to baseball game! Sniff snow sniff ahh arggg!!!!
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Herneith
lol
doesnโt leave the toilet seat up(a deal breaker no matter the height!)
May I ask, why?
It never bothered me. I think our toilet seat is up at the moment, actually!
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There’s not enough tall men in the world for every woman, so some will women will obviously have to settle.
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May I ask, why?
Why yes you may! Here’s a scenario I have encountered for example. Ever get up in the middle of the night and stumble half awake to use the washroom? Well I did! I actually fell into the toilet bowl and almost broke my buttocks! It can be dangerous!
Thereโs not enough tall men in the world for every woman, so some will women will obviously have to settle.
Seriously, settle? If the man is decent, the woman is not settling, she is gaining a good partner. In the end, height means nothing if the man is an assh*le! It is not a matter of settling, unless you consider settling for a good man ‘settling’. It is a woman’s loss if she bypasses a good man solely based upon his height! It’s like these clowns who love thugs and other losers and then complain because the man is an assh*le, something they knew when the met him.
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I saw Regina King on the cover of a couple of mags in the store today. Man, she is beautiful!!! Why wasn’t she on the Top 10 Most Beatiful Black Women?
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The video is a bit out-dated, but the song is definitely pertinent, especially in this day and age…
Red Rider – Lunatic Fringe
Lyrics:
Lunatic fringe
I know you’re out there
You’re in hiding
And you’re holding your meetings
I can hear you coming
I know what you’re after
We’re wise to you this time (wise to you this time)
We won’t let you kill the laughter
Whoa-oh oh (3x)
Lunatic fringe
In the twilight’s last gleaming
This is open season
But you won’t get too far
‘Cause you gotta blame someone
For your own confusion
We’re on guard this time
Against your FINAL SOLUTION
(Oh no)
Instrumental break
Whoa-oh oh (3X)
We can hear you coming (we can hear you coming)
No, you’re not gonna win this time (not gonna win)
We can hear the footsteps (we can hear the footsteps)
Hey, out along the walkway (out along the walkway)
Lunatic fringe
We all know you’re out there
Can you feel the resistance?
Can you feel the light?
(Lunatic fringe)
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I was re-reading the commentary about the Pepsi/Super Bowl ad and was reminded of an awful preview for un upcoming movie, which looks positively horrendous: Big Momma’s House II.
Why stereotypical drivel such as this so-called ‘entertainment’ is still being made, is beyond me… ๐ก
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Isn’t this fascinating?
http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/02/14/mississippi.kkk.controversy/index.html?hpt=Sbin
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Esperanza Spalding won the grammy for best new artist beating Justin Beiber and his crazy fans got even crazier. (If that were possible) and wrote some rude stuff on her wikipedia page. And other places too just some bad racist stuff.
These are little teen white girls by the way so if any parents wants to say that their child is colorblind and doesn’t notice color should really shut the fudge up.
I am glad she won I am fan of hers and I’m glad she is getting mainstream attention. I was surprised that a lot of people didn’t know who she is.
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abagond keeps ignoring my comments…:)
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abagond just give me a clue how old you are? are you in your 40s?
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this what u referring to: http://www.compellingmind.com/the-grammy-winner-esperanza-spaldings-wikipedia-page-gets-vandalized-by-justin-bieber-fan/2433291469/
i don’t get this justin bieber kid, i hear his name every so often ,i heard a clip of him singing “happy birthday” on youtube, wasn’t impressed…i don’t get what the hype is about him…is he the male version of miley cyrus?
i guess maybe to teenage white girls he’s an icon?
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To all the women of the world:
I’m not sure if this is the best place to ask (because I don’t hang out with women a lot), but, as a woman, what advice would you give men who try to ask you out?
OK, here’s the situation. I’ve been meaning to ask out this girl in one of my classes since around last September (shocking long time, isn’t it?). I met her and her male friend while we were being tutored at the beginning of last semester. They looked like they could be siblings, so I asked if they were brother and sister. The guy just replied that their families knew each other well and so I just assumed that they were friends. Well, fast forward after the first test, the guy drops the class because he failed, and I find out that she and her “friend” are actually in an “on-off relationship.” I’m like, WHAT THE HECK?! If you were dating, why didn’t you tell me that the first time I asked you? I don’t speak the language of women, so I didn’t know what an “on-off” relationship means. It’s kind of frustrating because I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to approach her since she has a semi-boyfriend or whatever.
Depressed, I tried to get over her. I have convictions and a code of honor so I don’t go around stealing people’s girlfriends. Even though I tried to forget about her, I couldn’t. Everytime I closed my eyes, I saw her warm smile, her beautiful eyes, and her freckles.
Well, I have a class with her again this semester (is this a coincidence or fate?or because we have the same major?) and heard her say that she’d broken up and is single.
Now, here’s the tricky part. I’ve never had a girlfriend in my life and have never asked one out before.
She’s an acquaintance, not a friend. I’m typically a shy guy (not a good trait in men) and am an introvert. I wish I could be more outgoing. I don’t know if I should ask her out before class, after class, or somewhere else. Does it make a difference if I try to be friends with her and try to ask her out or should I do so immediately? (I’m leaning towards going ahead and asking her.) Also, what kind of dates do women like? I don’t like going to the movies. It’s so cliche and we don’t get to talk and know each other.
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what advice would you give men who try to ask you out?
Ask us out. We like to see you are interested in us, just us (we don’t like guys who ask all girls out), but also that your life doesn’t depend on it. (= don’t look desperate).
If you were dating, why didnโt you tell me that the first time I asked you?
Obviously, they were not comfortable talking about it. Maybe they were “friends with benefits”. Maybe they were one of those couples that can’t be together but can’t break up either. In any case, they didn’t want to talk about their relationship.
(is this a coincidence or fate?or because we have the same major?)
It’s probably because you have the same major ๐
Now, hereโs the tricky part. Iโve never had a girlfriend in my life and have never asked one out before.
There’s a first time for everything. It’s important that you actually do something about this, even if it turns out badly. It’s better than to do nothing.
Sheโs an acquaintance, not a friend. Iโm typically a shy guy (not a good trait in men) and am an introvert. I wish I could be more outgoing.
Contrary to popular belief, many women like shy and introvert men. But most women still refuse to approach men, so even the shy guy has to ask them out.
Does it make a difference if I try to be friends with her and try to ask her out or should I do so immediately?
Yes, it does make a difference, I think. It’s best to find a balance: you want to be her friend, so she can get to know you a bit and see what a great guy you are. It’s more likely she’ll go out with a guy she knows, than a random stranger (unless he’s incredibly hot… like, movie star hot). If you’re not one of those guys, being her friend is a good thing.
HOWEVER – and this is THE most important: you don’t want to become her close friend. Because she’ll see you as a friend and not a boyfriend material.
So I’d say, being a little closer than an acquaintance is the right thing. Try to talk to her a bit, try to spend some time with her before and after the class. Be there, talk to her. And after a while (but not a long while, don’t wait for months or even weeks to do it), ask her out.
That’s the best advice I can give. There’s no guarantee it would work, but you must prepare yourself for that. And you know what? Even if she says no, you’ll live. And everything will be alright. So don’t look at this as so important or traumatic. Try to tell yourself it’s important, but not THAT important.
Iโm leaning towards going ahead and asking her.
Well, if it’s how you feel, do it.
Also, what kind of dates do women like?
It depends on a woman. Personally, I don’t like movies. I mean, I love movies, but as a first date… no. I like to walk (and talk) and honestly, I don’t expect anything arranged or special. A date doesn’t have to revolve around an event (going to movies, dinner, etc). But that’s just me.
However, this is another good reason to get to know her at least a bit. Also, you can always ask her what she’d like to do on a date.
In any case (I know this is cliche, but it’s so true): Just don’t pretend you’re something that you’re not.
AND DO NOT MENTION THE FOOT FETISH!!! ๐
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Also, what kind of dates do women like?
Take her out for supper(I’m starving as I type this)! Whatever you do, don’t take her to MacDonald’s! I will admit though, that the Angus Beef, bacon and cheddar cheese hamburgers are delicious! After you have your supper, take her for a walk in the park and get to know her better! Repair to a park bench for some after dinner beverages! The date will be cheap and romantic as well(you being a student and all, I’m sure your funds are limited).
Another methods is this; If you ask ten women out, at least two will say yes!
Iโm typically a shy guy (not a good trait in men) and am an introvert.
Many women love shy men. They love pulling him out of his shell! As a bonus, they don’t have to worry about him cheating as he is too shy to approach other women!
Now, hereโs the tricky part. Iโve never had a girlfriend in my life and have never asked one out before.
Nothing tricky about it! You seem like a decent fellow. Just ask, the most the girl can say is no. If she does, there are more out there! Move on!
Does it make a difference if I try to be friends with her and try to ask her out or should I do so immediately?
Do so immediately! The early bird gets the worm, you may get a leg-over if nothing else!
AND DO NOT MENTION THE FOOT FETISH!!! ๐
I beg to differ. this may be your calling card for attracting women! Good luck.
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Mira and Herneith
Thanks. I appreciate it.
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Just found out about this today.
http://jobbankusa.com/News/Hiring/hiring100803a.html
Abagond have you done a post on this? I know it’s stupid to be shocked by racism in America but I admit I didn’t think it was still like that. It’s sick. It makes me want to leave this country.
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Jason:
I have not done a post on the Pager study alone, but it was brought up here:
https://abagond.wordpress.com/2010/06/12/some-facts-about-racism/
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Calculator,
Just ask her out. “Hey, would you like to get coffee sometime?” is a good start. If all goes well on the coffee date you can proceed with something more ‘romantic’.
Since you are just an acquaintance of hers there is no need to get too heavy on the first try. You might get to talking with her and realize you have nothing in common and dont want to date. Use the casual daytime meet-up to feel her out before planning something like a dinner.
Hope that helps.
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Also if you go the coffee route and you realize it wouldn’t work, there is little monetary and time investment, which makes it easier to move on to another girl you are interested in.
Like Herneith said dating is a numbers game more than anything else. The more women you get to know the better your chances of finding a girlfriend.
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Thanks Y. It never hit me that dating was a numbers game.
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*shrugs shoulders*
lacromna what you think?
http://blackgirlsareeasy.blogspot.com/2010/11/are-black-girls-too-loyal.html#comments
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Has Thad been banned? I haven’t seen him comment in a long time.
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Yes, Thad was banned.
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Why was Thad banned?
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Thad was very vocal and insulted a lot of people. On the other hand, he was highly educated and an expert on his field. If this was my blog, I definitely wouln’t have banned him. Too many people here have too soft, baby skins.
I liked him, but the again, I’ve always gotten along with very abrasive people. I hope he’d come back.
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I liked Thad. Much of what he said offended people, but, like Hannu said, he’s an expert in his field and always backed up his statements with facts and evidence and solid logic. Things just aren’t the same without Thad.
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I don’t know if this has ever come up but out of curiosity, what is the age of the regular posters here.
I make a start. 48. 49 in a couple of weeks.
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“…I liked Thad. Much of what he said offended people, but, like Hannu said, heโs an expert in his field and always backed up his statements with facts and evidence and solid logic…”
Its true he could be an “arse” at times. But at least he provided some worthwhile contributions. Which also forced a higher standard of reply from those who opposed him.
As someone who has read and monitored posts here since his banning am I not the only one to observe that the quality of commentary has sharply deteriorated?
Its not just people like Thad too. There was also “J” his arch nemesis. I suppose he was also banned as well?
I think this says more about Abagond’s interpretation of a comments policy boarding precariously on authoritarian censorship. Something, in my view, one might want to strive to avoid in a new non-traditional medium like an Internet blog.
There are already plenty of strictly controlled mainstream arenas for polite expression so why would one seek to copy or replicate them? Particularly if they don’t represent the best model for the expression of not often talked about subjects like racism.
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Actually I think Abagond’s leniency does more to prevent good discussion than prohibit it. I think many intelligent commenters don’t spend their time here beyond reading Abagond’s posts. Too many trolls.
Thad derailed every thread with his nonsense I’m glad he got booted. Was he smart? I always thought smart people know when to shut the f*ck up.
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@ Femi
33
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http://blackgirlsareeasy.blogspot.com/2010/11/are-black-girls-too-loyal.html#comments
LOL. Thought it as funny but I really liked the one about phat butts. http://blackgirlsareeasy.blogspot.com/2010/11/are-black-girls-too-loyal.html#comments
It’s so true. I don’t see the appeal of a huge butt. Women like buffie look like circus freaks, to me. Really, it’s where poop comes from.
“Esperanza Spalding won the grammy for best new artist beating Justin Beiber and his crazy fans got even crazier. (If that were possible) and wrote some rude stuff on her wikipedia page.”
She deserved that award. I don’t like neo-soul/R&B music at all, but can tell thats shes good at what she does. Justin is just commerical pop that will go away in a couple of years. He’s as talented as Brintey Spears. That and I loooooooooooooovvvvvveeee her hair.
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I seem don’t get the whole loyality thing. I’ve noticed that bm are mad at me just because I don’t find them attractive, unless they’re like Slash. I can see if I was talking down to them or saying black men don’t do, or that. I just don’t find the “black” culture interesting in general or manly features are ugly to me. I don’t care about skin color or hair texture, but don’t like broad features. By black culture, I mean by aa or w. african standards. I don’t know. My dating is meh, but it wouldn’t be any different on the other side. Men drive me crazy overall. Besides alot of white, latino and asian men find me very attractive, for so weird reason. I heard about asians and latinos liking lighter skin, but alot seem to find my color pretty, so. Maybe people are just giving white people too much credit.
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At times I got pretty annoyed with Thad’s ability to miss the point, but some of his posts I found thoughtful and enlightening, especially the ones about history and human biology. I don’t like it that he got banned, but then it’s not my blog.
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@ Kwamla, Jason:
I agree more with Jason: I am too lenient – I do not have a strong enough policy against trolls.
J is not banned.
Thad was in some ways one of my best commenters but in other ways one of my worst. I probably deleted more Thad comments than anyone else’s. He could be very mean and uncivil and he played Last Man Talking to the hilt. He was something of a bully.
I banned Thad because he would not lay off of Menelik Charles. Just like what he did to B.R. – which led to B.R. getting banned even though it was Thad who drove him to it.
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“At times I got pretty annoyed with Thadโs ability to miss the point, but some of his posts I found thoughtful and enlightening, especially the ones about history and human biology. I donโt like it that he got banned, but then itโs not my blog.”
True, but sometimes I found him to be annoying.
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@Femi
18
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I donโt know if this has ever come up but out of curiosity, what is the age of the regular posters here.
Old enough to know, old enough to do something about it!
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What happened to Ankhesen Mie?
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I would like everyone to see this “the most dangerous place for the african-american is in the womb: http://hellobeautiful.com/hellobeautiful-original/yeahshesaidit/say-what-an-african-american-womens-womb-is-dangerous/
now what do you all think of this billboard i would like to know.
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they’re really getting out of hand with this racism towards black women this is unacceptable
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@ Femi
21
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Femi 47.
This dating game: I never realized it is was a game at all. I have always gone straight at it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I guess I’m too lazy and old for games. But then again, I always was, so…
Some women get terrified when I tell them that they are the most beautiful beings on heaven and earth, some take it as a compliment, and some laugh out loud. Some of those who laugh loudest have been with me. And, on a positive note, when our relationships have ended for a reason or another, they have been laughing still when we have separated. I think that is a positive thing. Too many times separtions include crying and sorrow. At least they have been happy to leave me. Some even today tell me that I am the most ridicilous guy they ever met. See, I put a smile on their faces and they have happy memories of me. ๐
On thad: he was a smart guy, but sometimes he seemed to take issues too personally and got little too exited. He also wrote a million words a minute and answered to all and percieved arguments. But he did put some contributions in discussions, that is for sure.
On abagonds line, personally I think that it is rather good one. Sometimes I have written some not so well thoughed replys and abagond has deleted them, which is all right with me. Most of those deleted responses have been rubbish or too personal attacks, so good riddance. And this is abagonds blog, so…
Personally, as a white guy, I think this blog has been a great thing for me. All these ideas, discussions, controversies, the whole lot has been a good experience for me. Some commentators make me laugh, some make me mad, some make me think etc. I think this is one of the better ones I have come across in the Net.
Also, without this blog I would have never known that herneith is going out with a martian guy, or what was it. A guy with four arms and nice green skin. I never knew they were here already.
So thanks to abagond and all of you! Lets keep it up.
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I’m 29. Well, 30 in a few months.
Thad was… One of a kind. This place is not the same without him, that’s for sure. As a commenter (and a person of similar academic interests), I could say I miss him here. But I wouldn’t want to be a blog owner who has to monitor his behaviour, that’s for sure!
He had a lot to say (a LOT). Some of it was among the best comments written here. Other stuff was his ego writing, splitting hairs and playing the Last Man Talking game. He also insulted quite a few people along the way.
(But I must admit I’d love to see his rants in the “Mefisto” and “race realist” thread. He sure had the patience and persistence other people, including myself, lack. )
The dating game: I hate it because I never knew how to play it.
Calculator: Any news concerning that girl you like?
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Usagi,
Yes, the loyalty thing is quite complicated. It works similarly for any kind of loyalty (ethnic, religious). While I certainly understand why it exists, it’s up to people to decide, individually, whether they want to engage in it or not.
I consider myself a very loyal person, but I choose my loyalties based on individual merit, not on shared ethnicity (or other collective identities- though I must admit I do feel a bit of of loyalty towards people of my gender. Not as much as some other people, though).
because I donโt find them attractive, unless theyโre like Slash.
Oh, but Slash is one of a kind! Joking, lol. If you’re referring to black guys who are into rock, metal, etc, I am sure it’s somewhat difficult to find them in real life… But there are many of them online. There are so many black (and other non-white) rock musicians and fans it was difficult for me to believe rock was considered a “white thing” in the US.
Itโs so true. I donโt see the appeal of a huge butt. Women like buffie look like circus freaks, to me.
Hey! It’s not like we can choose what kind of butts we have…
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@peanut:
You beat me to it – I was going to post about that abhorrent billboard as well. I find it disgusting, hateful, and blatantly racist – and the comments following the article are outrageous! The assumption that a majority of abortions are had by BW is false, so this billboard is merely living up to the pathetic stereotypes that people hold us down to. Reprehensible… ๐ก
the dating game: The rules of that are different for men than they are for women, so it’s imbalanced from the get-go. The rules also change based on your age, so adjust accordingly! ๐
@sam: The only one of my exes that I’ve remained friends with, has a similar outlook on life as you – he’s Australian. I can imagine that you definitely left women with big smiles on their faces, for many reasons! ๐
@Femi: 40 at the moment; turning 41 on the Vernal Equinox. I still feel 21 (some days, LOL) and look 30! No surgery, either… ๐
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@ Femi…
40
I miss Thad, J and B.R… I still enjoy Abagondยดs blog though. A lot of great stuff. I just donยดt engage in the comments as actively as I used to. Great stuff.
Cheers to all…
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no outrage over the billboard i see?
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I would like everyone to see this โthe most dangerous place for the african-american is in the womb: http://hellobeautiful.com/hellobeautiful-original/yeahshesaidit/say-what-an-african-american-womens-womb-is-dangerous/
now what do you all think of this billboard i would like to know.
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@peanut: what can I say? Notice the name of the organisation; Heroic Media. It is really heroic to accuse BW being most dangerous for their kids even before their birth. And yes, use the kids! That is always so heroic. Right? no.
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“Calculator: Any news concerning that girl you like?”
Well, here’s what happened. She and I are usually the firstcomers to class and I planned on asking her out before class started yesterday. Well, she didn’t come to class until about a minute before the instructor showed up and in a room full of students.
I was kind of shy asking her out in front of class full of people. I don’t want people to spread embarassing gossip. I wanted to ask her out privately.
We don’t have class again until next week, so if I don’t have enough time, I’ll just ask her if I could talk to her for a few minutes after class.
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@peanut
My Thought on the Billboard
Yes, there were a few of those billboards in my area. When I first saw them, I didn’t think it was racist or anything. It was just pointing out that black babies were being killed. They were trying to save black people’s lives!
However, when I think about it again, I can see how some people think it indirectly or subtly sends the wrong message that black women are somehow loose or demoralized.
In the end, I think those people were just trying to do a good thing, but… I don’t know how else they could do it since the black community was their target audience after all. Perhaps it would be less offensive if they just got rid of the picture of the little girl on the billboard.
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@peanut
Let me ask you. Do you WANT more black babies to be killed?
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@calculator: oh no, please, not the abortion debate.
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We donโt have class again until next week, so if I donโt have enough time, Iโll just ask her if I could talk to her for a few minutes after class.
Nice! Just remember: even if she says no, it’s not the end of the world.
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@ peanut:
See my post. I don’t get histrionic, but I am disgusted over the billboard. I don’t know if you saw my comment regarding it, so…
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@calculator
Abortion is a pretty common thing among white people too, if the data on http://www.abortionfacts.com/statistics/race.asp is to believe. I did not calculate and compare them, but at a glance it seems in the states where white and black populations are close in number the rape percentage is also pretty close, e.g Alabama has 7425 white population with an abortion percentage of 52.2% of the entire state compared to its black population of 6425 people accounting for 45.2% of abortions in the state. Georgia, Louisiana are two other states where number of black people is more or less equal to number of white people and their abortion rates are comparable. Besides, the number of abortions performed on white women is far higher than that of black women. Also, I don’t have much knowledge about how races are determined in the US but I think many of the American black women are more than half-white so when they have abortions they’re considered abortions on black women. So I don’t understand why they had to make it about abortion among black women instead of abortion in general.
I’m not going into the debate whether abortion is ethical or not. It just doesn’t make sense why they had to single out black women to make their case. Do they want white babies to be killed?
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@angelsanddimensions
I wasn’t saying that black women had more abortions than white women or that white women had more abortions than white women. I don’t know where you got the idea to compare white women to black women from.
“Besides, the number of abortions performed on white women is far higher than that of black women.”
Well, that’s because white women are the majority, and black women are a minority. White women outnumber black women about 6 to 1, so, of course they probably account for most abortions. What the group was trying to do was focus on black women.
Here’s the fact: Census data shows that by 2050, Asians will increase, Hispanics will incease, and whites will all increase in number. Guess what? Blacks will actually DECREASE in number by midcentury. And that’s with African immigrants and mixed people included as well.
Frankly, I’m surprised at many commenters here. Apparently, seeing more “strong, black families” was a lie.
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Apparently, political correctness and trying to be polite, rather than saying the truth, is still what people apply when they want to see things their own way.
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**Well, thatโs because white women are the majority, and black women are a minority. White women outnumber black women about 6 to 1, so, of course they probably account for most abortions. What the group was trying to do was focus on black women. **
What I don’t understand is why they need to focus on black women, as I said in my previous comment. Yes I know there are more white women than black women, but when the abortion rate is more or less the same(or as it seems), and the number of abortion is higher among ww, I don’t see why they had to focus on black women alone. Maybe you can explain that?
**Hereโs the fact: Census data shows that by 2050, Asians will increase, Hispanics will incease, and whites will all increase in number. Guess what? Blacks will actually DECREASE in number by midcentury. And thatโs with African immigrants and mixed people included as well. **
I’m not American, so it gets confusing for me at times. On one hand there exists the popular image of a black single mother with 4 children, and on the other hand the census data predicts that the number of black people will decrease.
Stereotypical bosh aside, with this statement you actually mean to say that bw have such a higher abortion rate than women of other races that their population is going to decrease. Otherwise I don’t see why it is relevant.
Assuming it is true that black population (percentage?) will decrease, there can be many possible other things contributing to it such as the number of black immigrants compared to others, black women staying single(Abagond did a post on it if I remember correctly), higher mortality rate among blacks(of course, if it is population you’re talking about and not percentage, then higher mortality rate alone cannot be the cause of decrease in population) etc.
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**Stereotypical bosh aside, with this statement you actually mean to say that bw have such a higher abortion rate than women of other races that their population is going to decrease. **
I never said that abortion is the single cause of a decreasing black population. It is only ONE of a number of reasons–reasons such as you mentioned like single black women are high mortality black rate.
–“Let’s take 100 black men. By the time you eliminate those without a high school diploma (21 percent), the unemployed (17 percent) and those ages 25-34 who are incarcerated (8 percent), you have only half of black men, 54 percent, whom many black women find acceptable.”
–http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/single-black-females/story?id=9395275
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“What I donโt understand is why they need to focus on black women, as I said in my previous comment. Yes I know there are more white women than black women, but when the abortion rate is more or less the same(or as it seems), and the number of abortion is higher among ww, I donโt see why they had to focus on black women alone. Maybe you can explain that?”
Excalty!! It seems that they’re always trying make bad bp sound so horrible. Like with the “black” love crisis. How can no one brings up things like John List, Chris Benoit, James Matory, or Jean-Claude Romand: a French drop-out from medical school, managed to make everyone in his family believe that he was a doctor working for the World Health Organization. The biggest irony is that he was knowledgeable enough in medicine so that genuine doctors would not realize that he was an impostor when they spoke to him, making you wonder why he just did not just pass his exams and become what he claimed he was. He killed his entire family when he was about to be exposed.
But black relationships are just sooooooo messed up.
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@angelsanddimensions and Usagi
I don’t know where you got your data from, but according to this:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22689931/ns/health-womens_health/
–“About 13 percent of American women are black, yet new figures from the Centers for Disease Control show they account for 35 percent of the abortions.”–
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@usagi: ๐ Right!
And lets not forget Adolf Hitler and his family life, or lack of it, or something. That guy was a bad dude, used drugs etc. But still, he was not a black man, as far I know.
I think this ad campaing is rasicst. It focuses on black women alone in a very conrtoversial subject (particulary in USA) and sublime message is that black women are dangerous for their babies. You can explain or say anything you want, but that is the message this ad carries along: black women are most dangerous for their babies, in womb or anywhere. And the fact that it is run by white southern organisation makes it even more creepy!
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I really believe that I may be the only person on this thread to care about black babies.
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@calculator; ok, think about this for a minute:
Louis Farrakahn and Black Muslims put up huge ads all over the country, in central place in New York, and in the ad there is a picture of a very sad and cute white girl alone and along side a huge text: “The Most dangerous place for white babies is their mothers womb!”.
I mean, white women do most of the abortions. Statiscally that would be right, no??
“The Most dangerous place for white babies is their mothers womb!”.
What would the public think? What would the media say? How dare these black fanatics… What would you think??
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anglesanddimensions,
I donโt see why they had to focus on black women alone.
I don’t know. The only thing I can think of is that they claim the whole campaign was directed to African Americans. ?
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@ Femi: I’m 34.
@ Calculator:
The billboard is in really poor taste because it tries to inject race into the abortion debate, where race is in fact irrelevant.
You are not the only person to care about black babies. It’s just that opinions differ about whether a fetus is of the same status as a baby.
The reason that black people are more highly represented in abortion stats is that they are generally of a lower socio-economic demographic than white people. Unwanted pregnancies tend to be more common amongst those with less money, power and education.
The best way to lower the black abortion rate would be to uplift black people. People with better life options usually are less likely to need an abortion.
However, if you stamped out abortion today, it would make it much harder for blacks to progress. The harsh reality is that unwanted babies are more likely to grow into problem children (and be more likely to end up causing more social problems themselves) , and will also hinder the ability of the mother to improve her lot in life (in economic terms).
Thus I actually think abortion is positive, rather than negative, for the black community.
Of course, I’d much prefer that everyone “put a sock on the pickle” and then we wouldn’t need abortion at all.
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Of course, Iโd much prefer that everyone โput a sock on the pickleโ and then we wouldnโt need abortion at all.
This. I really don’t understand the views in which you either have the baby or get an abortion. What about contraception?!? It is THE most important step one must make. If you are against abortion, then think about contraception. If you are not into having babies out of wedlock, or at the age of 17, or wherever, for whatever reason (be it economical, personal, etc.) – then use contraception.
I understand many programs in the US are designed in the way that make it seem contraception is more or less useless (it’s not 100% secure, so why bother, right?), but you know what- in most of the cases, yes, it DOES prevents the unwanted pregnancy, and the condom protects you from STDs.
That’s one of the reasons why I don’t think highly of men who refuse to use condoms.
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@Femi
soon to be 23.
@Mira
Yeah, that’s what their claim seems to be, but why would they campaign exclusively for black people? From what I read, they are a religious anti abortionist group (with a general agenda), not a black community upliftment one.
@calculator
I compared abortion rates of different races to find out a reason why someone would choose the black community as their target audience, i.e if abortion is an exclusively black issue. Turns out, as expected, it is definitely not so. In fact, the abortion data correlate much better with young age and to some extent poverty.
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Yeah, thatโs what their claim seems to be, but why would they campaign exclusively for black people?
Exactly. THAT was my first question. I understand they’d use black models for campaigns targeted to blacks. But why did they chose to target it to blacks in the first place?
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OK, sam’s comment changed my mind about the whole thing.
**This is what I get for living in a strong white culture; I have a hard time understanding or relating to blacks.**
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Does anyone watch anime?
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Anyone have suggestion for computer files/folder encryption software?
@calculator:
Yes.
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Herneith,
Really? Cool, which ones are your favorites?
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Past medical testing on humans revealed:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110227/ap_on_he_me/us_med_experiments_on_humans
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What does encryption software mean?
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@Calculator:
Bleach, Samurai 2, Beserk. Basilik, Twelve Kingdoms,Ruroni Kenshin, Saiyuki etc.etc.
Encryption software is for locking up your files and or folders from prying eyes. it does so by using algorithms in various strengths. So if you wanted to keep financial or other personal information contained in computer files confidential, you could use this type of software to do so. It supposedly prevents hackers from cracking your codes and hacking into your files. There is also password managers which work along the same lines, ad-blockers, and so forth.
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@Herneith
Sorry, I don’t know much about computers.
The only ones I’ve seen that you mentioned are Bleach and Ruroni Kenshin. Ruroni Kenshin is one of my favorites–though I haven’t seen it in a looooong time (like, 7 years ago when Toonami was still going).
I’m not much of a mainstream guy, I usually like the niche titles no one’s ever heard about. I checked out Bleach to see what it was all about. It’s quite good, but I felt like it was like Naruto or DBZ or any other long-running shonen series with the same ideas and theme (get beat up, learn a secret technique, go kick the other’s guy’s butt).
What about these?
Spirited Away (Miyazaki)
Elfen Lied
Higurashi
Death Note
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya
Rumbling Hearts
Shikabane Hime
Gundam Seed
Grave of the Fireflies
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I never got into this anime thing. My daughter did. She even started to draw her own comics based on the anime.
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@Sam,
How popular is anime in Finland? Is anime aired on TV in Finland? What about manga?
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@Sam
Is she a good artist? Has she gotten anything published?
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@calculator; well, shes just drawing for own amusement but has said that she will go on studying graphic stuff or something. She has the talent, but time will tell if she has the will to become an artist. Couple of years ago she was really into manga and some anime, but now, at 15, she has other interests ๐
Like a decent guy and father that I am, I have my shotgun ready for any guy who tries to sneak around ๐
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@calculator; anime was big for few years on tv, same as manga. They started the magazine called Anime here too. But now, I do not know.
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@calculator:
Anime fan here, too! ๐
Bleach
Blood+
Trinity Blood
Lelouche (sp?) of the Revolution
Ghost in the Shell
Death Note
Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Noein
Eureka
Robotech
Akira
Harmageddon
Grave of the Fireflies
Twelve Kingdoms
Ruroni Kenshin
DBZ
My son enjoyed Pokemon, Naruto, DBZ, and Inuyasha, too, so I would watch those shows with him often.
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I asked out the girl today in class. She said yes.
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Do any other college students feel like this?
You feel depressed. There’s a burden you carry everyday. You feel it in your heart. Pressure like boiling water comes down on you from your parents. Like there’s no end in sight to graduation. You barely sleep studying into the wee hours of the night. You’ve lost the interest and motivation to learn. You don’t care anymore.
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I asked out the girl today in class. She said yes.
Great! I’m happy for you. ๐
As for your question, I’m not good in handling pressure, and my mother tends to be possessive sometimes, so it wasn’t a good combination.
But then I moved and it was all well. I was one of the best students in my generation.
Losing interest midway tends to be normal, I think. But you just keep going (unless you realize you REALLY want to change major or something).
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How do you persuade a college professor to give you a better grade? It’s worth a shot.
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How do you persuade a college professor to give you a better grade?
It depends on a professor! Getting them to like you usually helps, at least here. But usually there’s nothing you can do.
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I just want to say thank you to all the people who helped me ask out that girl. I just feel down at the moment, which is why I seem sad. Something happened later during the day.
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How do you persuade a college professor to give you a better grade? Itโs worth a shot.
Slip them some cash!
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Well, OK here’s what happened. I asked her out. She said yes. I was in lala land.
Same day, I have a lab practical. Only except the professor was very poor at telling us how much time we had. If I would’ve known, I would’ve gone through the exam faster. I had maybe a whole page left blank. Yeah, I’m angry. I don’t know what I can do. Anybody else been in the same situation? How did you handle it?
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**Slip them some cash!**
Really, Herneith?! Did that really work for you? I’m desperate here. I’ve known a math professor who once refused an entire brand new car from a rich kid whose daddy owns a car dealership. And the kid was only asking to raise it from a D to a C!
Mira,
I’m not sure that getting him to like me would help much.
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And what makes me more angry is that I studied really hard for that practical. I should’ve done well. Ah, I just want to tear my limbs off!!!
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First of all, calm down. It’s not the end of the world. Plus, this girl wants to go out with you!
I advise you not to do anything illegal. Just try your best next time. That’s all you can do.
And remember how it usually goes: for every time you study hard and get a lousy result, there’s a time when you don’t study much but it turns better than you expected! (This is something I observed, lol)
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No it didn’t work for me, I was only joking! First of all, are you taking classes geared towards a career you really want? Many of today’s youth cannot make up their mind. Are you doing what you want to do or what others want you to do? What year are you in? It is usually the last year (4year degree, good marks) that counts should you wish to go into a profession or graduate school. Anyhow, you probably did better than you suspect. How many time have people thought they aced an exam only to have performed poorly? Wait for the results. Good or bad, you will survive! As for the girl, if she is a fellow student, she will understand these pressures and cut you some slack!
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Herneith and Mira,
Thank you for your kind words. You know what, there’s a bit of truth in what you guys said about studying hard and doing poorly on one test and not studying and doing well on another. It has happened to me on more than one occasion this semster. I’m not much of a literature guy, but one literature class is required for almost every student. I thought I was going to have to work hardest in World Literature than in Physics or Biology, but the opposite turned out to be true! Every class we have a quiz over the readings. The instructor drops our lowest quiz grades. One day, I had a busy week and didn’t have the time to read the assignment. I just skimmed the reading 5 minutes before class. Guess what?! I got a perfect score! It’s like, no matter what I do, I keep doing well in literature. I just wish it were true for my science classes.
I am a sophomore in my second semester. The reason I was up in arms about this whole thing was because this lab is a pre-requisite to pharmacy and dental school. I could care less if it were, let’s say, literature or a foreign language class. But the fact that graduate school and professional schools eye these classes more heavily is the reason I need to do well in them. I need to graduate with a 4.0 if I’m going to make it–at least according to my parents. How common are students that graduate with a 4.0?
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I am not familiar with the US system so I don’t know how common 4.0 is or how to get it. But isn’t there a way to do the lab again if you’re not satisfied with the result. or something?
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**isnโt there a way to do the lab again if youโre not satisfied with the result. or something?**
Sure, of course, I recently did a lab again for physics. It’s just that this was a practical–an exam. It would be no problem if it were just a regular lab.
4.0s are rare in the U.S. collegiate system the further one goes through college. The reason is that the instructors make the classes so difficult to weed out those who can’t withstand the rigor. Usually, students’ GPAs go up in the junior and senior years though.
Here’s how GPA (Grade Point Average) works in the U.S.:
4.0–all As
3.0–all Bs
2.0–all Cs
1.0–Don’t even bother showing up.
There is a formula for calculating exactly what your GPA is. I don’t remember it now, but if you get an equal amount of As and Bs, you end up with a 3.5.
How common is a 4.0 where you live?
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I even bled myself during the lab. Yes, my own blood. I was that determined. I’ve got a scar on the inside of my cheek to prove it.
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How common is a 4.0 where you live?
He have a completely different system. Elementary and middle school (middle school being equivalent to high school in the US) grades are 1-5, which correlates, as far as I understand, with US system in a way 5 = A, 4 = B, etc.
But for universities the scale is different. Grades are 5-10 (5 = fail), and I have NO idea how you can convert this to 4.0 scale.
My GPA is 9.57 out of 10.0 Using basic math, it’s around 3.8, but many people told me you don’t convert grades using simple math and that my GPA might actually be higher than 3.8 (depending on the subjects they take into account, I guess), maybe as high as 4.0.
But I honestly don’t know how to calculate it, and I guess each US university does the conversion based on some internal rules. International students are strongly advised never to convert their grades themselves.
But to answer your question, getting 10.00 on your whole studies is extremely, extremely rare, because getting 10 on an exam is more difficult than getting an A. (A is equivalent with the grade 9). So any GPA stronger than 9 is considered excellent, with GPA 9.50 and higher being considered a top score. So whenever is demanded excellence, they demand GPA higher than 9.50, and not whole 10.00.
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Iโve got a scar on the inside of my cheek to prove it.
Now I am scared to ask what you had to do in that exam, lol.
But on a brighter side, this girl wants to go out with you! (Focus on positive things).
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In the lab you had to take a toothpick and scrape off some epithelial cells (cells covering the outside, like skin cells) from your mouth. I went a little crazy because I wanted to do it right.
On the bright side, the girl accepted my date! I just hope my parents won’t go crazy.
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To all the people of the world:
How did you tell your parents about your boyfriend/girlfriend? Was it like “Hey, Mom, I just got a girlfriend.” How do you tell them?
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Calculator
I never tell them. I usually introduce one of my siblings to my SO thought just in case.
*chic noir gives calculator a hug and kiss on the cheek*
Don’t worry, everything will work itself out kido.
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I just hope my parents wonโt go crazy.
Why would they go crazy?
Also, it’s not their business, at least not yet. It’s just your first date with this girl.
Was it like โHey, Mom, I just got a girlfriend.โ How do you tell them?
Well, I preferred to keep things to myself, but since I lived with my mother I had to let her know I dated someone, especially if i wanted to bring him home.
But I was never really hiding my bfs or anything. I’d just go: “I met this guy”. But I never asked her about boyfriend advice or anything like that.
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@chic noir and Mira
Heh…heh… ha ha ha haaaa!!!!
I’d forgoten that you don’t know my situation. My parents are pretty strict, depending on the circumstances. They’re so strict, I’m 18 and still don’t have my driver’s license. I’ve never had a cell phone. A lot of students have part-time jobs so they obviously have a bit of spending money (plus mobilization and transportion).
So, yeah, (ahem), I’m not your average student.
The thing is, I need to tell my parents about her so that they can drive me to my date (how lame, huh?). There’s no other alternative. The date, however, should be affordable since it’s just coffee.
I would’ve liked to introduce her to my parents only if it had become a serious relationship, but as it stands now, I kind of have to let them know that I need their help dating her.
You as women probably think I’m pathetic.
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I’m 29 and I don’t have a driverโs license.
What about public transport, is that an option?
I don’t think you’re pathetic, I am just not crazy about the idea of parents being around when it comes to someone’s dating life. Especially if parents are strict.
They tend to make dating life more difficult.
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@ Calculator:
As chic noir says, you just gotta tell them. Don’t ask their permission, don’t act like its something you should be ashamed of. Just tell them, and act really happy.
Now that you’re 18, you gotta start being a man. You folks are gonna have to get used to it. Be nice, but don’t sugar-coat stuff too much for them, they need to enter the real world.
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**What about public transport, is that an option?**
That would be great!!!–if I lived in an urban area with trains and buses. I live in a semi-rural area where there are cows sometimes roaming through the campus because of the farms around the area.
Oh, did I forget mention that they never let me go out alone?! I mean it. They do, however, let me stay home alone if they ever need to go out and get something.
@Eurasian Sensation
**Now that youโre 18, you gotta start being a man. You folks are gonna have to get used to it. **
Any inkling of a rebellious attitude and I’m homeless begging for food. Their word is the law, higher than federal law.
I’m also half-Asian but I guess your parents allowed you greater freedom.
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@Mira
Europe is generally more centralized, densely populated, and urbanized than America. It’s normal for adults to not have driver’s licenses. Also, Europe discourages people from buying cars by increasing gas prices with high taxes.
America, on the other hand, is a wild untamed land that is still almost empty, especially in the Mountain West Region. More people live in New York City than in the entire states of Idaho, Wyoming, South and North Dakota combined.
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@sepultura 13
I loved Death Note. It’s in my top 5! The thing that makes it stand out is the plot. Cliffhangers at every episode makes you just want to watch more and more. It arguably has the best plot ever.
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I live in a semi-rural area where there are cows sometimes roaming through the campus because of the farms around the area.
I hate when people exoticize things, but I actually find this image endearing. Plus, I love cows. But I live in a large city (around 2 million people) so I guess that’s why I find this interesting.
Iโm also half-Asian but I guess your parents allowed you greater freedom.
Not that it matters, but I thought you were black. Not sure why; I guess because majority of commenters here are black (and female, but that’s another story).
It looks like your parents are extremely strict. I know they wish you well, but you need to find a way to grow up.
I am not talking about this date; let them drive you if that’s the only option, but don’t let them get involved in the date itself.
But you are 18, and soon you will have to face the world as a grown man. Your parents can’t protect you your whole life. You need to be prepared to face the world, not matter how hard they want to protect you.
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I don’t know about the rest of Europe, but people here do not choose not to have cars; many simply can’t afford it.
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**Not that it matters, but I thought you were black. **
Nope, half-white half-Asian (hapa).
“Don’t worry. Be hapa.”
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@ Calculator:
Iโm also half-Asian but I guess your parents allowed you greater freedom.
Hells yeah. I had what most would regard as a “normal” level of freedom.
I would say Asian parents are in general a bit more conservative than white ones. But yours sound like they are in a whole different league.
They need to decide if their need for control is worth the chance that their son will grow to resent them for the rest of his life.
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@Calculator: Whoo! Way to go!
About telling the parents: My parents won’t let anyone in our house date until college, but my sister got a boyfriend the first week! ๐ Do what she did: if everything goes well and you guys start going out, don’t tell them or have her come over to your parents’ house until a few weeks in if you think/know they’re going to freak out and demand to meet her as soon as they find out (like my dad did).
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On the subject of manga/anime: I don’t usually watch anime, but I love absolutely anything by Hayao Miyazaki! He’s amazing! My favorite mangas are:
Death Note, Eyeshield 21 (football manga), Yu Yu Hakusho, Natsume Yuujinchou
I also liked Hana Yori Dango (aka “Boys Over Flowers”) but I almost stopped reading it in the middle because it was so irritating. Tsukushi, the main character, couldn’t choose between two guys, and then there were all these random obstacles that kept popping up. *sigh*
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I love anime and manga. I draw manga and are working on one to put up online. I love Hunter x Hunter, Hell Girl, Baccono, Higarashi, and One Piece.
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@Halisi
My favorite Miyazaki film is Spirited Away. I consider it to be his best.
@Usagi
I love Higurashi! I love the complex plot, sort of like Death Note. It keeps you on the edge of your seat at every episode. I’ve seen some of Baccano! I’ve read the Hell Girl manga but haven’t seen the anime.
By the way, has anyone heard of Summer Wars? It was supposed to be nominated for an Oscar. I don’t watch the Oscars, but I am curious if anyone knows if this anime won something.
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Abagond,
You went to college, right? How did you get your instructors to raise your grade?
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@Halisi
If you’re looking for a good romance, try Rumbling Hearts. I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed. And this is coming from a guy!!!
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@Color of Love/ Abagond
Was J banned??!?!?! If so, when?
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Calculator:
I never asked teachers to raise my grades except when I thought they made a mistake in grading a test, which was rare.
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Here’s my plan that I concocted for convincing my instructor to raise my grade (tell me if you’ve got anything better):
1) Tell him about my sad life story. This coaxes him into understanding me and makes him look like an insensitive bad guy.
2) Tell him I’m not asking him to give me an A. Just a chance so that I can earn an A by doing better next time. But, this exam is worth so much, that anything below a passing grade on this one will destroy my chance at an A. Persuade him to have this exam have less weight. Depending on how I did, ask him to curve a little. Perhaps an extra lab report grade too.
3) Tell him it was just a stupid silly mistake. I misunderstood the time limits and left a page blank.
4) Tell him I’ve always made an A on every single one of his exams before and that I’ve never missed a homework assignment.
5) Tell him not to answer immediately, but ask him to give it some thought and time.
6) If that doesn’t work, threaten to blame him in my suicide note.
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Abagond
Did you have a 4.0?
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J was never banned.
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No, no 4.0.
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@ Y – as Abagond already stated, J was never banned. It would be nice to see him around again. Hope you are well !!!
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I just hope my parents wonโt go crazy.
They will probably thank the Lord you didn’t bring home a girl with a bun in the oven or a man!
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Calculator-
Eurasian & the ladies have given you great advice & support.
i just want to add that i think you will enjoy this girl’s company more if you see her for what she is right now–a new friend. that will relieve so much pressure on both of you. it may also lessen some of your stress about having to introduce her to your parents. “this is my friend _________. we’re going to have a coffee & talk about a class we have together.”
hey, you’re definitely not pathetic. you’re just having new & exciting experiences. that’s what this time of your life is supposed to be about, so you’re right on schedule.
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**I just hope my parents wonโt go crazy.**
They just went crazy. Apparently, I’m not allowed to date until I graduate? I don’t know when I will be able to date. 35?
It’s a shame since this girl is just the type of girl that they’d like. She’s quiet, kind, and understanding. We both have the same basic values. She’s not a party-girl. She’s both intelligent and beautiful. I’m frustrated at seeing all this for naught.
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@ Calculator
Thanks for the suggestions! I’ll definitely check them out.
I liked Death Note also not only because of the art (the drawings were clean and realistic, for a manga) but also because of the plot–it was suspenseful, fast-paced, and always kept on going, but not in a “my god, when is this going to end?!” way, like Hana Yori Dango.
I also thought Spirited Away was adorable, but Chihiro was a bit annoying at first because she didn’t listen and couldn’t stop whining. Howl’s Moving Castle, Porco Rosso, Whisper of the Heart and Princess Mononoke were wonderful, too.
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You can’t date until you graduate college? Now that’s ridiculous. If you’re eighteen, you’re a legal adult now and although you respect them, I don’t think this means you have to do everything they say that seems unreasonable. I’d talk to them levelly and see if you can compromise. But really–if you’ve proved to them that you’re responsible and that you can make smart decisions, then I don’t see why you can’t date.
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It’s no use talking to them. They immediately assume the worst of everything. Like if I start dating, that it will distract me from studying and that I’ll start failing.
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I think J perhaps got cheesed off and stopped hanging out here because Thad was giving him such a hard time. Which is part of why Thad got banned I guess.
I had a soft spot for Thad and think in many ways this is a much less interesting blog without his presence. However, I don’t blame Abagond for banning him, since he had this condescending and overly competitive approach to debating people which drove several people away. I wished he was able to tone it down a bit… a somewhat kinder and friendlier Thad would have been great.
Actually around that time, the level of personal abuse in some of the comments was getting a bit much for my liking, and I’ve been dropping in less and less since then.
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Yeah, play it cool…Just say you guys are going to talk about a class or a project over coffee
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This is what some people have said:
**If youโre eighteen, youโre a legal adult now**
**Now that youโre 18, you gotta start being a man. You folks are gonna have to get used to it. **
**But you are 18**
This is (paraphrasing) what my parents say:
“Sure, you’re 18, but you only have a high school diploma, no job, no money, no house/apartment/place to sleep, no one to take you in, no friends to help you, and above all, you have absolutely NOTHING!!! We virtually own you! We even own your s$#^! Without us, you’re nothing. We’re going to decide what you major in, what classes you take, when you’ll date, and what clothes you wear. We will not hesitate to disown you and throw you out. We’ll see who helps you then.”
So, as you see, I’m virtually their slave.
Then, they make me feel guilty by saying that people in Africa and other poor people are way worse off than I am and that I should thank them that I have such a comfortable life in America. This makes me feel like s!@%.
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Isn’t there a chance to go out with this girl after a class or something? When they are not around?
They are your parents and you should respect them, but… They also have to respect you, and you are 18; you’re not a child anymore. I’m not saying you should do something stupid and irresponsible, but they don’t own your life, you know.
There’s no reason for you to fail just because you date. It’s not like these things are mutually exclusive. What I think is that they want you to stay child for as long as possible. (Or they are very religious and want you to stay virgin till marriage or something… But it’s still not a choice they should make; it’s your own choice).
Do I sound harsh? Perhaps. But I’ve seen strict parents and while I understand their concerns, I don’t have much respect for this kind of behaviour. Not because I believe teenagers should be allowed to do whatever they want, but because strict parents’ motives often prove to be less than sincere and honest with their concerns. In short, they want you to stay child so they can control you. They think they know better than you what the world is like, and guess what, they’re right: you don’t know anything, because you are not allowed to. Not good.
I am not saying your parents are like this, Calculator, but thinking about this sure makes my replies a bit harsh.
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Calculator,
Your parents DO sound a lot like my friends’ parents were. Same rhetoric, same way of thinking (this is my house, my rules), etc. The only difference is that my friend is female; males are usually not given any hard time dating in my culture (unless they want to date other guys, but that’s another story).
This things usually give pretty bad results. Teens either rebel and make a mess (because they are inexperienced and don’t know how to behave in the real world, and it does it make seem like parents were right for not letting you do anything- my friend (another one) got raped, for example). Another common result is that a person lose any self esteem. The first friend I mentioned developed anorexia.
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My parents arent’s religious (I’m the only Christian in my family).
I do not want to do something stupid or irresponsible (I’m abstinent until mariage.) All I want to do is just respectfully get to know this girl. I can handle their picking my career, picking my classes, deciding what clothes I wear, occasinoally blaming me for their financial woes, but I’m going to explode like @$!& if they choose my spouse!
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Mira,
Why did she develop anorexia? Surely, (I’m assuming) she was somewhat attractive.
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It’s true that my parents want me to stay a child. They do not want me to grow up to and be an adult. (They have actually said that.)
Even though I’m male, I guess my parents treated and raised me a little bit like a daughter. (When I was a baby, people sometimes mistook me for a girl because of how cute I was dressed.) Don’t get me wrong; I’m not a cross-dresser or gay, but one time I was described as “soft” by them! Girls are soft; guys are not. That adjective is supposed to be used on females, NOT males.
Usually, parents worry about the quality of girls’ boyfriends. Their fathers have a shotgun ready.
I am the opposite. They worry about ME getting hurt.
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I can handle their picking my career, picking my classes, deciding what clothes I wear, occasinoally blaming me for their financial woes, but Iโm going to explode like @$!& if they choose my spouse!
Well, it’s not like they can do it if you don’t let them.
You say you “can handle” them picking your career and classes, but maybe you should think twice about being ok with it. It’s not like they are entitled to it, even if they are the ones providing you home and food and paying for your education and what not. I mean… they are your parents, it’s their job.
In situations like this, people sometimes choose to get a job and move out, so they can be free. I am not sure if that’s an option for you, but you might think about it.
Why did she develop anorexia? Surely, (Iโm assuming) she was somewhat attractive.
It’s a long story, and sure has a lot to do with psychological issues. She was somewhat chubby, which is considered very unattractive in my culture (beauty standards are very strict). A year before that, she lived in America as an exchange student, and nobody thought of her as overweight or unattractive. So when she got back, it was a cultural shock, so to speak, to be seen as ugly again. I guess it’s how it all started.
But the way she developed anorexia is not as important as the fact nobody in her home noticed it until she got really sick.
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Calculator,
Gender roles are complicated issue, but, in short, there’s no such a thing as a “true male” behavior. You are as male as any guy who pick up fights and act aggressive in public. So don’t worry about that.
Itโs true that my parents want me to stay a child. They do not want me to grow up to and be an adult. (They have actually said that.)
Well, it’s usually how it goes. You need to understand it has nothing to do with you as a person; it’s about them and their fears. But it’s not your fault. Strict parents usually have very good kids, kids that don’t drink, smoke, kids who behave their best and don’t go out much, if at all… And yet, parents treat them like they are juvenile delinquents, locking them even more, making them feel guilty, making them think they are bad and that the only way to get better is to listen to them.
I am the opposite. They worry about ME getting hurt.
Well, all parents want their kids to be happy and all worry about their kids getting hurt. But locking them up in a tower is not a solution.
One thing parents don’t understand, and it’s very important: if your children want to do things you fear or don’t approve, they WILL do it. They will behave nice around you, but will skip classes. They will dress modest (girls), but change into revealing clothes in the school. They will pretend to study, but will download porn. They will have unprotected sex. Or whatever is that you fear that they might do.
If they really want to do it, they WILL find the way.
So instead telling them “no, you can’t do this, because I’m your parent and this is my house and you must obey my rules because I say so”, they should make an effort to understand and get to know their children (many parents don’t know their kids at all!), and to be there for them, to explain the potential dangers and to teach them how to live in the outside world, because they will not always be there to protect them.
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What I’m saying is, instead of saying: “you can’t go to that party because I say so; you can start dating at 25”, explain the dangers and say what is that you fear. Inform yourself about what kids their age actually do these days, what are modern dangers that might not have existed in your time. Then, warn your kids about those dangers and offer an advice on how to behave. Saying: “always watch your drink, just in case” (of someone giving you a rape drug) is more beneficial than saying: “you can’t go in there, you will get raped”. (or, even worse excuse for an explanation: “because I say so”).
In short, teach your kids how to protect themselves and fight back; don’t lock them up hoping they will remain babies till they turn 25.
This is one of the reasons, btw, why I’m not a fan of abstinence-only sex ed. It doesn’t teach you how to protect yourself, should you ever need to know this information. It’s all down to: “no, you can’t, just forget about it”. So a kid who decides to have sex before marriage is completely unaware of real dangers and doesn’t know how to protect herself. A teenager armed with knowledge of contraception and, equally important, emotional aspects of sexual relationship will less likely end up pregnant, with STD or badly hurt.
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Mira
In America, there are men called chubby-chasers who actually PREFER, LOVE, DATE, and DESIRE fat women!!!
Your culture’s standards of beauty must indeed be very strict if she was thought of fat and not in America. America is generally an overweight and obese nation. There’s no shortage of fat people here. I read a study about obesity (I can’t remember where it was) but it basically said this about women:
Black Women: 80% (overweight or obese)
White Women: 43% (overweight or obese)
Asian Women: 16% (overweight or obese)
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Well, the point is that she wasn’t overweight, she was average. She had healthy weight and a normal BMI. But she wasn’t as skinny as a model, and usually, any hint of a butt or strong legs is considered a no-no. You know there are many Eastern European supermodels? Well, girls are expected to look as close to them as possible (ok, being short is not seen as a bad thing, as long as you’re skinny).
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Mira,
In America, people are so fat, that a slightly overweight person is lauded as a model.
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**In situations like this, people sometimes choose to get a job and move out, so they can be free. I am not sure if thatโs an option for you, but you might think about it.**
Getting a decent paying job in America is as rare as an honest politician. Did you know that people with college degrees are struggling to find jobs? Not jobs with good pay, but any job at all, whether it be working fast-food minimum wage or store clerk. For example, a Wal-Mart (a huge corporate grocery and clothing store)opened up near my area. With the store brought around 100 or 200 new jobs for the area. Guess what? The store received 5000 job applications! Applications from many people who have a college degree by the way.
The job market is fiercely competitve. Unless you have an advanced degree like a Ph.D, are an engineer or a doctor, you’ll be worrying about job security for your whole life.
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@calculator: one day you have to decide are you going to live YOUR life or the life your parents. I am aware of differences in cultures and so on, but if you want to live YOUR life, there is no way around it. You have to start make desicions of your own. Once you are of a legal age, it is up to you. No one, not your parents or anybody else, can tell you how to live your life.
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@calculator
is the coffee shop too far away from your home?if not, you can hire or borrow a bike or ask her to meet you at a place near your house. or as somebody suggested, take her to the date after class.
you can earn some money by tutoring some kids of your neighbourhood which i don’t think your parents would object to. there are several ways you can earn money from home. heard of e-tutoring? many of us do that here for extra bucks, but i’m not sure how the rates would suit you. besides, you’ll need a bank account, which i’m guessing you don’t have at the moment, so get one. next time they blame you for their financial woes, tell them you’re getting a part time job.
you shouldn’t’ve let them pick your subjects and now you shouldn’t let them pick your date. if you think you wouldn’t be able to handle the drama, don’t tell your parents and ask your date to make some compromises and try to make it up to her later.
every parent gives that ‘i’ll chuck you out’ s^&t, don’t buy it unless your parents are the type that beat their kids. avoid them as much as possible and save your pocket money for your dates. if you think talking to them and trying to make them understand your situation, do it, but with patience and tact. if you think your parents would treat the girl nice if you bring her home, you can try that.
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Getting a decent paying job in America is as rare as an honest politician. Did you know that people with college degrees are struggling to find jobs? Not jobs with good pay, but any job at all, whether it be working fast-food minimum wage or store clerk. For example, a Wal-Mart (a huge corporate grocery and clothing store)opened up near my area. With the store brought around 100 or 200 new jobs for the area. Guess what? The store received 5000 job applications! Applications from many people who have a college degree by the way.
True, alot of people are trying to pay off student loans, while looking for a job. It’s a no-win sititution.
“Itโs a long story, and sure has a lot to do with psychological issues. She was somewhat chubby, which is considered very unattractive in my culture (beauty standards are very strict). A year before that, she lived in America as an exchange student, and nobody thought of her as overweight or unattractive. So when she got back, it was a cultural shock, so to speak, to be seen as ugly again. I guess itโs how it all started. ”
I suppose to depends on the person. For me, being overweight in America was horrible. I was a size 22. It made look older, I hated the plus-size clothes, and still had a flat pancake butt. They still to like “thick” like Beyonce, but not fat like Jill Scott or Fantasia. I’ve heard that bm like big girls, but I think it’s a streotype. Weight tends to make people look less attractive.They also say that blacks have a different standard on fat. I don’t know. My mum’s a health nut and most of the pretty girls in school were thin.
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Wow…I think ‘Open Thread’ should officially be named “calculator’s thread”…nobody else can get a word in edgewise, unless it revolves around him!
Narcissus lives… ๐
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**don’t buy it unless your parents are the type that beat their kids.**
OK, my parents are the type that beat their kids. How does this change things?
American women have a bad reputation in my parents’ eyes (promiscuous, seducing, cheating, etc.) They don’t think that the girls here are “good.”
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The hardest part is finding a time when I can see her. My parents are always around me–even at college! There’s no way I can hide anything from them.
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Well, this IS the Open Thread, where Abagond has written:
“On this thread nothing is off topic, though the rest of the comment policy still applies. If you want to say something off topic, this is the place to do it.”
I’m just a guy with questions. I’m sorry. Now, that I’m getting banned, I want to say thanks to everyone.
Goodbye.
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Usagi,
I suppose to depends on the person. For me, being overweight in America was horrible. I was a size 22. It made look older, I hated the plus-size clothes, and still had a flat pancake butt.
Well, it’s all about the body shape. People might change their weight, but not their body shape, and it feels really sad to have a “wrong kind of body shape” that is not considered attractive in your culture (because, as we all know, men are shallow <- joke, joke!)
They still to like โthickโ like Beyonce, but not fat like Jill Scott or Fantasia.
She was thick like Beyonce, not overweight. But like I said, even that is considered fat in my culture. Thick (hourglass) figure tends to be rare, especially with young girls, so having a thick figure is considered bad.
Iโve heard that bm like big girls, but I think itโs a streotype.
I guess it is. What I do think is that they prefer a figure that is different than the one desired by white guys; but they still want a girl to be of average weight.
I don’t know if it matters, but most of the guys that asked my friend out were black or Latino. We didn’t understand it back then (because Latinos are white to us), but white guys weren’t as interested in her as these two groups. So there might be some truth to the fact black (and Latino?) men like thick; but not overweight. A woman still needs to satisfy their standards, and even with their groups, thin is considered better; they don’t seem to like big girls, but thin girls with body shape different than the one preferred by the whites.
Is this fair? No way.
sepultura13,
While it’s true some of us focused on Calculator’s problems, nobody else posted here in a while (except for this short conversation on anime). Plus, even if Calculator’s concerns are not genuine, I do think we touched a sensitive and an important issue (obsessively strict parents) that I feel strongly about.
Calculator,
Now, that Iโm getting banned, I want to say thanks to everyone.
You’re getting banned?
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What? Why?!
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There appear to be two competing models of race relations in the US today.
The first can be described, following David Hollinger, as the “ethnoracial pentagon.” According to this view, American society is fundamentally divided into five discrete groups: whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Native Americans. Everyone belongs to one and only one of these blocs. Furthermore, ethnic group membership is determined from birth and not closely connected to a person’s physical appearance and culture. Those who hold this view of race relations often conclude that everyone borne to one “white” parent and one “black” is “really black”, regardless of what they look like and their socialization. Those of a Hispanic background are often not considered to be “white” even if they have blond hair and blue eyes and not considered “black” even if they have strong African features. Mixed race people with partial origins in the “black” caste are strongly ridiculed for suggesting that they are anything other than “black.”
The second model is less rigid. Under this formulation, you are basically considered what you look like or what your predominant ancestry is. Cultural attributes, such as speech patterns and tastes in entertainment and food are also important. Ancestral origins and even parental identities are not so important as what your own tangible characteristics are. There are no rigid society wide rules about who is what. Rather identities and statuses are fluid and negotiated on an interpersonal basis.
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The proper way to dispose of any flag is to burn it…
http://www.kptv.com/news/27066714/detail.html
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@Mira and Halisi
I was only joking about the being banned part.
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The gawdawful Westboro Baptist Church gets to spew their vitriol at the funerals of dead soldiers. In light of that free-speech ruling, what do other USA citizens here think of this charming fellow? See below:
http://www.katu.com/news/local/117330013.html
Personally, I’m glad when people wear and/or air their beliefs on themselves and their vehicles – makes them EXTREMELY easy to spot!
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@ sepultura13:
While the USA’s commitment to freedom of speech is commendable, there is obviously an extent to which that principle can be taken too far. Most other Western democracies would have taken concrete measures against the Westboro Baptist Church by now to stop their insanely disrespectful funeral protests.
Maybe some police officer should just decide to believe that they are armed, handcuff them, plant crack on their persons and lock them all up. If the Westboro folk were black that might have happened already!
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(continuing from above)
7. In previous posts I made the argument (over-dramatically) that mixed people should have right to self-identity because of difficulties with social acceptance in certain communities. Though problems with social assimilation seem to be a major issue for many, the issue should not be thought of as a necessary defense of one’s identity choice. Really the only justification they need for identifying ethnically as they do is: “Well, that’s just how I feel.” Multiracial people know their social relationships and environment better than anyone else and should feel free to express their position in the community.
Now, as I mentioned above, everyone is free to agree or disagree in a civil manner with a person’s self-identity. However, highly overt and forceful challenges to a person’s stated ethnic affiliation are inappropriate and should be criticized. They are uncalled for because choosing to identify a particular way inflicts no tangible harm. Ethno-militants such as blogger Tragicmulattoes may disagree arguing that self-identification harms “people of color” and increases “racial inequality.” These arguments have always struck me as laughable. Anyone with common sense can see that the major threat to “POC” is not biracials identifying as they see fit but rather social pathologies such as fatherlessness, drug abuse, educational failure, and the commission of violent crime in the inner cities.
Highly emotive, negative reactions to mixed people’s identity choice should not be interpreted as a problem with multiracials but rather with those who take issue with them. The proper response is not flustered and half-baked justifications for one’s self-concept (which in any case is likely to be based on a wide range difficult to articulate social circumstances) but rather a question about the disordered conditions in the life of the critic which motivated such a display of insecurity.
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Tyler Perry picked to play “Alex Cross” in the movie adaption of “I, Alex Cross,” one of the books in author James Patterson’s Alex Cross mystery series.
“Alex Cross” is the main character in Patterson’s series of books about a DC-based psychologist/detective/FBI agent.
http://www.deadline.com/2011/01/tyler-perry-as-alex-cross/
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@Temple
Did you know that Alex Cross was made into a manga?
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While talking about freedom of speech in the US, what do you think about the arrest and imprisonment of Vikram Buddhi, an Indian researcher, in 2006 for allegedly posting anti-Bush messages such as calling on Iraqis to avenge the war and kill Bush, an allegation that Vikram(who’s still in jail) denies and no substantial proof is found to support?
http://rt.com/usa/news/indian-student-jail-bush/?fullstory
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@Calculator
That’s interesting. Although i’m not a manga fan.
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OK, I didn’t know where else to put this comment, so I posted this on the Open Thread–a new comeback to one defense whites use to deny racism.
Some white people that try to explain away institutionalized racism with the fact that Barack Obama is now president. That is like saying that just because Nelson Mandela became the president of South Africa in 1994, that all blacks have full equality in South Africa–which everyone knows they don’t.
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Calculator:
I call that the Black President Argument:
https://abagond.wordpress.com/2010/08/16/the-black-president-argument/
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Abagond: Who was the woman that was above your “Black Beauty of the Day” link?
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Bre Scullark
https://abagond.wordpress.com/2008/10/01/bre-scullark/
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http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/12/21/white.persecution/index.html?hpt=T2
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@leight 204
Interesting article!
But I have to ask, Abagond or anyone else who can answer, what about the hyped-up white people who point out increasing interracial marriages to deny racism? I mean, it IS true that interracial marriages are more common–well, OK, except for maybe black women.
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The number of IR (or general inter-group) relationships and marriages could be one of the indicators of how open people are to cross the racial (ethnic, religious, etc.) boundaries.
However, unlike what some (white) people think, these do not magically stop the racism. It just doesn’t work that way. Having mixed kids obviously doesn’t prevent racism, nor does it marrying outside your race.
Still, it is true there are more mixed marriages in cultures that are open to these kind of unions. But mixed marriages themselves can not cure racism and other forms of prejudice. It’s one of the common white fantasies to think that they can.
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You as women probably think Iโm pathetic.
not at all. your parents just need to back off. where are your parents from?
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@Caculator
In 2008 only 14.6% of newlyweds married someone of another race and only 8% of all current marriages are mixed. I don’t think marrying your own race makes you racist, but if America was really & truly color-blind, the numbers would be a lot larger than that. Furthermore, just bc someone is fine with others marrying at least one race(80% of Americans) doesn’t mean they are okay with all(63%). Blacks and whites are the least likely interracial/ethnic couple and polls have shown that only 66% of Americans would be fine with a family member marring someone who is Black. That number(mind you those are the ones that old the TRUTH) is horribly low for a “post-racial society.”
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1616/american-marriage-interracial-interethnic
I don’t know where you guys live, but I do not see all of this racial mixing in the Southeastern United States.
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@Abagond: Thanks! She has such a beautiful face, and her hair is nice, too. What happened to your Black Beauty blog, anyway?
@Cynic: I know what you’re talking about. In the mid-Midwest, the amount of casual ignorance here is stunning.
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All day I have been noticing typos that I KNOW I didn’t make. Now I don’t know if such a glitch is possible, but either somethin really funny is goin on or I’m startin to lose it!
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**where are your parents from?**
I’m half-white half-Asian (hapa). But my dad’s not American, he’s European.
“Don’t worry. Be hapa!”
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@Cynic
**
I donโt know where you guys live, but I do not see all of this racial mixing in the Southeastern United States.**
I also live in the South. I don’t know what you’re talking about not seeing racial mixing in the South. I see it all the time–although it’s usually a bm/ww or wm/aw.
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@Cac
Race mixing is not prevalent in my state. Certainly not as prevalent as people like you make it seem. I go to a VERY multi-racial, multi-culti university and I still don’t see all of this mixing. Maybe bc you yourself are mixed race you notice it more than it really occurs.
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halisi @Cynic: I know what youโre talking about. In the mid-Midwest, the amount of casual ignorance here is stunning.
could you give some examples please.
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from what country is your dad from calculator? Is he French?
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Cross-cultural relationships certainly can’t stop racism and xenophobia. The thing is that those are actually unrelated. It’s a very private choice which usually happens just naturally on an interpersonal level. It would be absurd to assume that two people of different origins get together for consciously making a point about racism.
However I would say the opposite is very true. Hostility, intolerance and denial towards “inter-racial” mixing promotes racism. Promoting “purity” is actually promoting racism. Then again, the desire for “purity” is fundamentally racist in itself. The perpetrators don’t care at all about the well-being of the “inter-racial” couples. All they care about is their own aversion towards people mixing. It is fundamentally self-righteous.
The worst problems arise when someone of mixed origin is automatically considered to belong to one side alone. Believe it or not, there are in fact cultures in this world where someone of different origins is widely considered to belong to all of them. That is however also dependent on how much affinity the mixed persons have to any of their origins. If they personally ignore any of them without any outside pressure, mostly out of lack of exposure or disinterest, it still doesn’t obliterate the truth of their origins.
Racism is a complex social illness. The majority choose to only look at the “us vs them” constellation which is the most promoted. However, what many people don’t (want to) realise is that there are countless examples where people mistrust or even reject many people of their own origin. I’ve encountered European French in the Antilles who considered white French obnoxious, Germans, Brits and Americans who are embarrassed about their “own” people, North Africans totally rejecting Muslim culture, Cameroonians stating that their fellow citizens are crazy and not to be trusted etc etcโฆ
The remarkable thing is that in all those cases the decisions of these people to adopt an identity they felt a stronger natural affinity to, were acknowledged with respect from their fellow citizens, apart from a few exceptions. Exceptions who would call them “traitors”. All those “exceptions” revealed themselves as racists, jingoists or at least intolerant populists.
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a blog to make you smile.
http://whatmadeyousmiletoday.blogspot.com/
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Announcement for the whole world!
I will now be going by the new name Serpentus (formerly Calculator). So, Abagond, I am NOT a sock puppet or anything.
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Thank you.
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I’m going to change the picture. The first hexagonal blue guy with the creepy smile freaked me out. This purple guy looks like he had too much to drink.
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@chic noir: Some examples from school-
-my biology teacher was writing the word “mitochondria” on the board, and misspelled it. She then apologized for “going all ghetto on us.”
-my orchestra teacher overheard some students talking about certain schools being ghetto, and said, “Those schools aren’t ghetto! I was working at this one school, and a girl got raped almost immediately after school. Now that’s ghetto.”
-Two people in my math class were talking about white girls who thought they were black getting pregnant at age four. The people listening to them seemed to think it was fine; they were laughing.
-A group of East Asian kids won this game in Spanish, and one student, obviously trying to be funny, yelled “That doesn’t count! They’re Asian!”
-Any time an East Asian student does something, it’s “because they’re Asian.”
-The n-word is used a lot here by some black students, but if any non-black person calls them out on it, that non-black is just being rude “because they’re black.”
There are probably more, but I can’t think of any more right now. I’ll give you some later.
P.S.: In retrospect, these actually don’t seem all that “stunning”. Oh, well; everyone’s entitled to a bit of hyperbole now and then! ๐
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The serpentus formerly known as calculator.
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Speaking of ignorance:
http://www.angrywhitedude.com/
See if they can be converted.
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Abagond
How do you put up pictures with your new posts? I’m at the dashboard, and I don’t know how to put up a picture with my new post.
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thank you Halisi.
I shudder at “our” letting the way we use the word “ghetto” become mainstram.
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Announcement for the whole world!
I just started a new blog (hence the name change). You can find me through Abagond’s Links Tab.
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๐
LMAO – this person reminds me of a certain individual who frequently posts here:
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…and one for the road…
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Come to the dark side–we have free cookies.
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Story Time:
A woman and her roommate were asleep in the middle of the night in complete darkness. One of them thought she heard a noise. She was conflicted about turning on the light. She turned on her side and her arm hung over the edge of her bed. She felt her dog lick her hand. Content that if the dog was O.K. then everything was O.K., she fell asleep.
In the morning, she horrifyingly discovered her rommate’s dismembered and cut up body with arms and legs scattered about. As she slowly made it to the bathroom, she turned on the light to see her skinned dog hanging by the ceiling of the bathroom. On the bathroom wall, written in dog’s blood were the words:
AREN’T YOU GLAD YOU DIDN’T TURN ON THE LIGHTS?
Coming to a traumatizing realization, it was not the dog who licked her hand–it was the killer!
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Surprising Way Race Colors Attitudes To Health Care Reform
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/08/race-health-care-reform_n_832783.html
“The racial bias that I looked at is a construct called racial resentment, it’s the idea that the reason why blacks don’t get ahead in society is because they don’t work hard enough,” said Daniel Byrd, research director at the Greenlining Institute. “Obama isn’t affecting their attitudes towards the healthcare reform law, it’s more about the idea that blacks may be getting something they don’t deserve.”
This video is satire people. Thought I’d mention that considering a lot of the commenters didn’t get that.
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“Obama isnโt affecting their attitudes towards the healthcare reform law, itโs more about the idea that blacks may be getting something they donโt deserve”,
This is something which I personally always find funny in good ole USA. There are really people who think that in society, in their country, there are people who really do not deserve a health care. I mean, really?
If you stop and think about it.
Somebody does not deserve health care.
What was the oath the doctors take? The Oath of Hippocrates? Don’t they promise to help all mankind and ALL people in need? Yes they do. I mean, they should. But once again, when health care is business, money talks and BS walks. And those poors walk out the door escorted by that burly security guard or local cops.
But really: a society where some people do not deserve health care? I mean, what kind of society is that? What happened to the idea that we are all humanbeings and we all have basic humanrights?
How the heck the people around the globe deserve medical help after an earthquake but not those guys who live couple miles down the road??
Can somebody explain that logical leap for me?? ๐
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@zek j evets
Dude, I was visiting your blog recently. Posting a comment is harder than a Calculus problem!
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sam asked, “Can somebody explain that logical leap for me??”
There is a formal as well as a fiscal explanation.
Rights, as defined, are freedoms endowed by the Creator to the individual. In the US these are enumerated in the Constitution. They do not cost money nor incur liabilities in others for your benefit.
Health care is not a freedom and it does costs money which often has to be extracted from others.
Therefore it’s not considered a “right”.
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I agree with Sam about US health care system. It’s atrocious. The kind people expect to see in a poor, oppressive system, not in the, you know, richest and the most powerful country in the world.
Ok, I admit, I grew up in culture where everybody had health care. It went without saying, along with education (from elementary school to graduating from university).
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It’s in every country’s best interest to keep their people educated and healthy. Particularly if the country takes pride in calling itself civilised.
An efficient health care system is not about “healing”, medication, surgery etc. It’s about prevention.
There’s loads of money to be made from sick people, so why would a system that’s based on private, for-profit entities make any effort on prevention and educating people about healthy lifestyles? There are a lot of sticky fingers in the chain just waiting for the next patient who dragged an illness out until costly therapy becomes indispensable (at least according to the medical and pharmaceutical industry).
This is not about “taking from the wealthy to give to the needy”. This is quite cynically about potentially losing profits.
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Just an add-on. One thing people should always keep in mind is that they could be next. Nobody is invulnerable.
I’ve seen people cry crocodile tears when they were hit with some nasty disease and the private insurance refused to pay for therapy or found some bogus excuse like a “preexisting condition”. Insurance they’ve paid many thousands for over decades.
Anybody could be next.
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I didn’t become so race conscious until I realized just how connected politics is to race. That truly disturbs me. Red, blue, Democrat, Republican, liberal, conservative… I don’t care. Race doesn’t belong in politics. Once you intertwine the two ppl become tribal and society becomes ugly. America is showing its disgusting face.
____________________
Black America is not a threat to White America. Black people don’t want to take anything away from Whites. If you analyze the numbers without bias, this becomes all too clear.
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“Can somebody explain that logical leap for me??”
well, we kind of have this thing here where we feel like everyone needs to pull their own weight. So the idea is that people who don’t work don’t really deserve health care.
And the idea is that “if I go to work every day and bust my ass so I can afford health care than everyone else needs to do the same or they can f*ck right off.”
It’s an overly simplistic and idealistic view of things but there it is. American’s have a way of ignoring the simple fact that we are all interconnected and couldn’t exist as a society without each other. We like to pretend that we are rugged individuals who rise or fall by our own hand. The reality is of course that we are both individuals AND part of an interdependent group. We can’t seem to be able to reconcile the fact that those two realities exist at the same time. Everyone likes to believe that it’s got to be either one or the other for some reason. Mostly I think it’s because we’re scared sh*tless of socialism and communism. So anything that even remotely smells like putting the group ahead of individual freedom gets thrown out.
And while we’re bickering about that stuff it’s not even the real issue. The real problem isn’t how we pay for health care, it’s why is it so godd*mn expensive in the first place. I wouldn’t mind my tax money going to health care for those who can’t afford it if it wasn’t so outrageously over inflated to begin with.
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Re: US healthcare – see this BBC article.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12674976
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Mostly I think itโs because weโre scared sh*tless of socialism and communism.
I guess it might be true. That’s the only explanation for the fact Americans (who praise human rights and freedom above all) do not consider the right to life and health care, you know, a basic human right.
Sure, the idea of “I work, and some lazy fuc.ers benefit” doesn’t seem “fair”, but let’s take a look at said “lazy person” (who might not be lazy at all, but that’s another story). What is his benefit? A benefit to be treated and cured, a benefit to stay alive. Is that so much for somebody to “give” to his fellow citizen of USA? Isn’t that, you know, a humane, fair thing to do, without asking anything in return?
This might sound selfish, but before people ask what they can do for their country, I think they should ask what their country can do for them. If the country sucks, you can move. It’s not like you HAVE TO be loyal to it or to blindly follow it. (This goes for all countries in the world). I’d say a country that can’t provide a health care for its people (and it’s not a poor country!) sucks, just like a country that can’t provide even basic economic stability, or peace.
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Just in case, if by chance anybody has seen anything in this case, please come forward. There are phone numbers at the end of the page
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23929367-man-stabbed-to-death-in-street-hated-conflict-says-his-sister.do
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I’m glad they caught this POS – too bad it was only an individual who won’t roll over on his entire ‘organization’…
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_us_mlk_parade_explosive.html
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Mostly I think itโs because weโre scared sh*tless of socialism and communism.
It’s called cutting off our nose to spite you face.
& to an extent some working and middle class people believe that NAMS will take advantage of the system. So they would rather do without than see some NAM getting help.
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When I was on vacation in Chicago, I was knocked down by a car, along with another woman. This was on a red light! It was pouring rain to boot. Anyhow, the cops showed up an hour later, I spoke to the woman, and the man who knocked us down on a red light. Two things struck me, the woman, who was coming from work, was terrified lest she suffered delayed reaction as she didn’t have insurance. They asked me where I was from. I told them I was from Canada. They told me I was lucky as we have ‘free health care’ there. The man who knocked us down offered the woman and me cab fare to get to our destination. The man offered her ten dollars, but she began to have pains in her back and neck. The more intense the pain, the higher the amount the man offered her. She ended up with about fifty bucks. He offered me money but I declined.
The police finally arrived and took our respective statements. The thing I found to be strange in this instance was the fact that they didn’t test this man to see if he was impaired. They just wrote tickets, or statements, took our ids, gave it back and that was it. Apparently there was a court date on it. Needless to say I did not return to go to court. Whenever I go down there be it for a day or several weeks, I always purchase medical insurance as I do not want to incur the fees which can lead to penury! Fortunately I was not injured. A parting gift from the Yanks!
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Herneith
I hope you keep that man’s information just in case you experience in injury in the future. The officer gave you the guys information and tickets so you could file a lawsuit against him if need be.
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@chic noir
What’s a NAM? I know what you mean by that acronym, but what does it stand for?
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Okay I am a bit blog backwards, so I’m gonna try italicizing for the first time. NAM
This ish better work!
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NAM–Non-Asian Minority.
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Is it my imagination or are the much ballyhooed Charlie Sheen “Goddesses” just White and blond?
They look (to me) like they fall into the average, or just above average range, but they are referred to, first by Charlie, and then by the media as, “Goddesses” and nobody seems to bat an eyelash.
It’s an amazing example of how far Whiteness and blondness will go, even without particularly good looks.
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Flippin awesome! Italicized virginity broken!!! Hooray! ๐
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Charly Sheen needs a woman like this:
She’d keep him in line for sure!
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@king- Denise Richards was much better looking than wither of the two. Actually I’m surprised Abagond didn’t include Denise in his lists because she is/was very pretty. She has the type of eyes that Abagond likes.
One of his two “goddess” isn’t so bad but the other is a bit plain looking.
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@ Herneith:
Holy crap! I am in both shock and awe about what happened to you! I’m glad you are okay, but so freaking scary!
@ King:
I never understood it either. These so-called goddesses aren’t all that.
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lolrof@Herneith
I love that clip ๐
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I really need some good info/research on Brazilian dance. Thad would probably know but he’s banned. I’d apprecate it very much.
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Herneith! Lol! You should have beat the man that hit you with his car like that! Glad to hear you’re OK.
THESE aren’t goddesses… are they?
Oh how the might have fallen…
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The guy kept going even as there was a woman across the street screaming for him to stop, I was shouting for him to stop also, luckily he was driving slowly. All and all a bizarre occurrence. The only side effects I suffered was that I cuss more now, and I was quite the vulgarian with a Troopers command of expletives before! I don’t understand why he wasn’t tested for for being impaired. I mean the meaning of red lights are universal aren’t they? As for a lawsuit, I couldn’t be bothered going through all that as I wasn’t injured physically. Nope, I prefer to look at the absurdity in a situation. That I walked away relatively unscathed I am truly thankful for!
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@king- and neither is a natural blonde.
Check out denise Richards in “wild things”, she had dark hair and was much younger and a real knock out then.
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@Herneith
Thanks be to God at least you’re still alive!
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Herneith
Thanks be to God at least youโre still alive!
agreed.
Lets make a toast guys to herneith’s health.
*chic noir sends off waiter Chuck to get a bottle of wine & glasses*
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Abagond
Did you get my e-mail?
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I always thoughed that in order to be a Blonde, you MUST not be a natural blonde. I mean, if you just happen to be blonde, whats the big deal? BUT if you are a Blonde, like Marilyn, Jean Harlow, countless others, then you are the Blonde. So being a Blonde is all about being at least a bit un natural.
Up here we have loads of natural blondes but we also have the Blondes and there is a huge difference in ones behavior. Natural blondes act naturally, live normal lives, but the Blondes do not, usually that is. Of course we’ve had natural blondes who have gone Blonde, that is bleached their naturally blonde hair even blonder, and thus, have become a Blonde.
Does somebody else think I’m not making sense here, because I do? ๐
About health care: well, I always think it is funny when american superstars and politicians are running the super hero capes fluttering to help the poor in some third world country after natural disasters and shout out loud how important it is to get some basic health care over there, for christsake, but then, few kilometers away where they live, people are dying for easily treatable diseases because “everyone has to pull their weight”!
Also, Canada chose the national healthcare system because it was cheaper for the national economy on the whole than US style private system. Simply because in private business model it is about making money and less effective in the big picture. And the system works something like this:
person takes an insurance for x dollars, the hospital charges its expenses from the insurance company with a healthy margin of profit, and the insurance company rises the payments because they also have to make a healthy margin of profit, and the person has to pay more, and then again the hospital charges even more from the insurance company, which again rises the payments etcetcetc. Costs are skyrocketing like good old Apollo rockets. Untill, person has no more money to pay and insurance company tells that schmuck that your insurance policy has been cancelled or untill this poor person goes to hospital and the insurance company tells him to shove it because he is costing too much for them. That has happened for thousands of americans.
And, like we all know, a sick individual is not a good consumer nor he is a good worker. So it is really costing for the economy in more ways than one.
Also, do we have a right to health care? I think we do. I think that society exists only for us, not the other way around. The only thing we need society is that it gives us security and takes care of us when we ourselves can not do so. That is why I pay taxes.
I give money for the state to take care of me in case I need that. I do not give money for my state so that they can send finnish soldiers to the other side of the world to fight in some war we do not have any stake. I do not give money for the state so that the politicians can steal it, like they have done. Which pisses me off but is another discussion.
I think that the state can not tell me what to do, how to live, what to eat, where to go, where to live, how to live etc. It is there for me in case I need it. It should not be there for any other reason than take care of those of us who can not. Somebody said that you can see how civilized a country is by looking how it treats its children, sick, elderly and prisoners.
Maybe I am a communist?? ๐
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Maybe I am a communist??
You’re not. There were never really such a thing as a communist, since communism didn’t really exist anywhere.
You might be a socialist, but it’s ok. One thing (American) people don’t get is that the bad thing about socialism is not that it’s so horrible and oppressive beyond words: quite the contrary, it’s too good to be true. Unlike capitalism, that (rightfully) assumes people only care about themselves, socialism assumes people work for each other AND the state, just of the sake of the fact “it’s the right and rightful thing to do”. It doesn’t work like that in reality.
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sam,
You say the state can’t tell you what to do. Yet, you would have the state tax everyone to support additional “rights” such as healthcare.
If this happens, why can’t the state then further compel people to lead healthy lifestyles to ensure a good return on the taxpayer’s investment?
Why should I have to subsidize someone who drinks, smokes, and eats excessively, thus vastly outconsuming healthcare benefits relative to their contributions?
In your model, the consumers are free but the contributors are not. Is that fair?
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@randy: I know it is hard for guy like you but we can talk about money here first.
You say that you do not want to pay somebody elses health care, right? Ok. Then why on earth you want to pay billions for a war that has nothing to do with the 911 attacks on your country? The War in Irak was like that and it did cost hell of a lot more than any frigging health care plan around. I assume you did not complain about the costs of that way. Also, are you willing to pay the costs of wounded soldiers? If you are then why? They are not taking care of themselves are they? No. They live on your tax money.
“You say the state canโt tell you what to do. Yet, you would have the state tax everyone to support additional โrightsโ such as healthcare.
If this happens, why canโt the state then further compel people to lead healthy lifestyles to ensure a good return on the taxpayerโs investment?”.
Because this is not business. It is not an investment for profit only. Besides, we already pay taxes on cigarettes and alchohol to cover these health costs, should they come up.
“In your model, the consumers are free but the contributors are not. Is that fair?”
Yes it is, because contributors get the same health care too.
But the most important thing is this: is it ok that those who can not pay for health care die because of lack of it? You seem to think so. Not that you are the only one.
I think this is not a question of commercial aspects or money, but a human right. Do all humans have a right for health care or only those who can afford it? That is the question.
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@ Randy.
“Why should I have to subsidize someone who drinks, smokes, and eats excessively, thus vastly outconsuming healthcare benefits relative to their contributions?”
but we’re already doing that now and have been since way before Obama’s plan. But see while were arguing over this stuff the real reasons health care is so expensive are as follows…
http://healthinsurance.about.com/lw/Business-Finance/Personal-finance/Why-is-Health-Insurance-So-Expensive-.htm
“Administrative costs. America’s patchwork of thousands of private insurers, each with different rules, and a massive government-backed Medicare system for the elderly and Medicaid for the poor, each with slightly different rules and payouts in different states, load the system with a huge amount of paperwork.
A 2005 study led by researchers at the University of California at San Francisco found that administrative costs chewed up 25% of the nation’s health care spending. Data generated by private insurers, doctors’ offices and hospitals showed that insurers spent 10% of their premiums on billing, marketing and profit, and doctors spent 14% of their incomes on insurance paperwork.
Legal concerns. Fear of malpractice suits causes U.S. physicians to order more tests and diagnostic procedures than are ordered in most other countries, driving overall costs higher.
Provider power. Partly because no single insurer holds enough market power to impose cost controls, American hospitals, physicians and other providers tend to be able to set higher prices on specific services than providers in countries with more concentrated insurance systems. Consumers, who are typically poorly informed about the true level of their medical costs, also tend to do a poor job of shopping around or researching less-expensive treatment options.
Supply. Though Americans typically consume more of the highest-priced medical procedures over the course of their lives, fewer hospitals, doctors and high-tech machines are in the US per capita than in most industrialized countries. Universal health coverage in those countries tends to drive up the demand for basic services, which drives up their supply and lowers their cost.”
_____________________
this is all stuff that liberals and conservatives should be able to find common ground on and fix but it doesn’t happen because we’re to busy being ideologues. Bickering about sh*t that doesn’t even address the real costs. the real drain on our paychecks.
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I don’t see what maintaining a country’s people in good health has to do with socialism. As mentioned, it’s in everybody’s best interest that citizens are healthy.
There are countries where the health insurances are in private hands but work on a non-profit basis, subsidised by the state in case of losses. (Mind you, non-profit does not mean that the employees of those companies work for free or for less than in other insurance sectors). By law, these insurances neither have the right to refuse payment nor patients because of “preexisting conditions”. The monthly rates are affordable for everybody who is employed (about $250-300) and for the unemployed the state pays.
The insurances are in direct competition with each other since the better their performance, ie. prevention, quality of service, innovation, cost optimised therapy etc, the more money is left for further expansion and optimisation and the more subsidies they can expect. Any surplus within a certain period has to be paid back to the state.
The fact that they are in competition boosts the efforts in keeping health care the cheapest and most innovative possible. Nobody wants to lose their jobs, so even though it’s non-profit they bust their arses to stay in the game.
Everybody who actively works in this system will get paid. However what this system does not have are fat cats (speculators, bankers etc) sitting in the background expecting big profit for doing nothing, except for shifting money back and forth.
Making profit from illness without providing any health related service is cynical and uncivilised.
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I’d seen these pictures before, but wanted to put the article here. With the overwhelming topics on genetics lately, I think this is something worth noting:
http://www.hoax-slayer.com/black-white-twins.html
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@Sepultura13
If this isn’t a hoax, British folks must have some strange stuff goin on with their genes!
These twins are hot!
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@ sepultura
quick! someone give them an IQ test!
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@ Chic Noir:
You are right: I do like Denise Richards and it is mainly her eyes.
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@jason: ๐ Yeah, and fast too!
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I believe in order things like this to happen (and they do happen), both parents need to be mixed. So it does happen, only it’s very rare.
The Cynic,
Nice video. But they both look white to me.
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Denise Richards looks cheap and generic, in lack of better terms. I am sure she is a smart and nice lady, but her image is such that doesn’t make her seem like a real person, more like a (sexy) doll or something.
Of course, none of this excuses what that %^$#$%#% Charlie Sheen did to her.
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LOL @ The Cynic
I was thinking the same thing! ๐
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@ olufemi:
I donโt see what maintaining a countryโs people in good health has to do with socialism. As mentioned, itโs in everybodyโs best interest that citizens are healthy.
Not exactly. It’s not in the interest of the pharmaceutical and health insurance corporations.
And it’s not in the interest of those wealthy people who want to have even more money but don’t care if poor people have to die for it.
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@ The Cynic:
If this isnโt a hoax, British folks must have some strange stuff goin on with their genes!
Not really. All it takes is for at least one parent to be mixed. To say that “one is black and one is white” says more about societal construction of race than it does about them. The “black” one looks more like her sister than she resembles a black African.
@ jas0nburns:
quick! someone give them an IQ test!
Too funny, dude. You’ve clearly been hanging out here too long!
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“Youโve clearly been hanging out here too long!”
I know right?
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Speaking of genes…check this out:
http://www.kgw.com/lifestyle/health/FDA-looks-to-crack-down-on-mail-order-genetic-tests-117704183.html
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Who cares about them? It’s not about the fat cats, it’s about people’s health without an economy can’t function.
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lol only in America… ๐
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Speaking of genesโฆcheck this out:
http://www.kgw.com/lifestyle/health/FDA-looks-to-crack-down-on-mail-order-genetic-tests-117704183.html
And I knew someone will see a conspiracy theory behind this! (Check the first comment)
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Here’s a colon clogging burger for you! Get it into ya Yanks!
Eat now, pay later!
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Does anyone have any good information/research on Capoeira–a form of Brazilian mixed martial arts/dance? I would appreciate it very much.
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@ Serpentus
The terrible/awesome capoeira film “Only the strong” is on Netflix streaming.
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@jas0nburns
Thank you. I appreciate it. But I do not have a Netflix subscription = (
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jas0nburns,
I completely agree with you that the onerous administrative burden and lack of price transparency with our current health care system can and should be addressable from a bipartisan standpoint.
But given that sam asked a more philosophical question, I answered along those lines.
sam,
Despite your ad-hominem comments, I’ll attempt to address your arguments.
“Besides, we already pay taxes on cigarettes and alchohol to cover these health costs, should they come up. “
That’s speculative at best, and doesn’t address the effects of poor diet and lack of exercise. Lifestyle diseases are now the primary cause of death in the west.
The social contract which you propose requires a balance of responsibilities to be effective. Otherwise what you’ll have is a classic “tragedy of the commons.”
I shouldn’t have to shoulder the extra burden for your poor lifestyle choices, nor you for mine. Contracts are two-way streets.
If a person desires total freedom for themselves, then they cannot demand that others give up any of theirs.
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BREAKING NEWS!!!
Black woman jailed for sending kids to a better school.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/27/kelley-williams-bolar-schools_n_814857.html
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A black gangster plays a Ku Klux Klan member in a game of chess.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_lf0x8xZwMV1qaclxyo1_1280.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=0RYTHV9YYQ4W5Q3HQMG2&Expires=1299922325&Signature=FyFm8B7crRMJGJkzeUJqHojEAvM%3D
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@randy: well, according to our ministery of finance, the high taxes on alchohol and cigarettes is precisely because they cover the health problems if need be. I have no idea about the USA.
I understand your idea, the way you see this thing, but for me this is not about you scratch my and I scratch yours. If I pay this you do that. This is about social justice and human rights.
Is it ok for you that your neighbour, because he/she is so stupid or such an looser that he hasn’t make enuff money, to die because of it?
Is it ok to look how somebody dies just because he/she can not afford the treatment?
Is it ok to condemn the poor to die earlier because they can not afford to proper health care?
Where do we draw the line? Who can die and who not? What if, for some reason, you would loose your ability to make money and got seriously sick? Would it still be ok for you to die just because you have no money for treatment? And remember, insurance companies have denied the payments in the past even from people who have been paying for them for decades.
But, of course, if you think it is ok to just look and watch as people die despite there is a cure or treatment, but not for them, then we are truly at the opposite edges. I have seen people die and if there is anything to save anyone, it should be done. Despite that some selfish rightwing ding dong complains about the bill. We are talking about human lives here, not sausages.
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sam,
Sorry to burst your bubble here, but every nation on earth assigns a monetary value to human life. They have to, as there’s only so much money to go around.
I’m not arguing against social safety nets, only against unfair and unsustainable ones.
Social obligations are a two-way street. If you can compel me to pay for your heart operation, why can’t I compel you to eat broccoli instead of cheeseburgers?
Fundamentally speaking, you cannot be completely free while also being dependent upon others. A balance must be struck. Where to set the balance point in any society is a fair topic for debate.
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@Randy.
Your right, you can’t be completely free while dependent on others. Which is why I support taxing the rich. Rich people are just as dependent on society as those on welfare because without society, you can’t get rich.
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@ serpentus
man you scared me. she only got 9 days.
I was about to start making signs
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@ Randy Garver:
I shouldnโt have to shoulder the extra burden for your poor lifestyle choices, nor you for mine. Contracts are two-way streets.
So if I eat too many cheeseburgers and get heart disease, you shouldn’t have to pay for my operation. Ok, fine. So what if my car’s brakes fail and I crash into a tree – should the public cover my health care or is that my fault? How about if my “lifestyle choice” is to hang out at a bar, where one day some drunk goon assaults me and I have permanent brain damage – do I deserve taxpayer-funded care or was it my poor choice to hang out in a place where that could possibly happen? What if my young son climbs a tree and falls out of it – his poor lifestyle choice?
Once you embrace the logic of blame to people’s sickness, where does it stop?
It’s interesting as well that the same people who vehemently oppose public healthcare in the US are usually the same people who oppose public health campaigns (like Michelle Obama’s) which are designed to get people eating healthier.
It’s weird that a country like the US that is allegedly founded on the teachings of Jesus Christ can so wholeheartedly embrace a mentality of self-centred individualism.
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Eurasian Sensation,
As I mentioned to sam, each society can and should decide where the bounds of personal and societal responsibilities lie.
However, to say that society has 100% responsibility while each person has 0% responsibility seems fundamentally unfair and unbalanced, and ultimately unsustainable.
The obesity epidemic alone is a nigh-inevitable fiscal time bomb which will affect all national health care systems sooner or later.
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Well part of the problem with the obesity epidemic is that it’s imposed by society in a lot of ways. I don’t mean to say that people don’t have free will. But the way things are set up right now in society people are kind of guided into being obese instead of guided into a healthy lifestyle. I mean it’s one thing to have the personal willpower to push back against the current and go out of your way to live healthy but most people just go with the flow. It used to be that life just didn’t allow people to get that fat unless they were wealthy. It’s just the opposite now.
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My grandmother was a nurse and for her to work in healthcare for a fairly small salary and to help people was a vocation, an honour.
It’s not about “assigning” a monetary value. The only fact we need to look at is that health care is not free to begin with, human resources being the biggest cost factor. Staff needs to be paid for the (hopefully competent) service they provide. The only relevant figure in this is the actual cost of the whole medical supply chain, including investments for R&D, public education, prevention, renovation, maintenance etc. Profit = 0. That’s what a health care system is ought to cost.
The culprit is the adjacent industries which are based on obscene profit making, with product margins in the pharma industry of sometimes several thousand percent and a huge following of sticky fingers in banks and at the stock exchange. Big pharma (Phizer, Glaxo, Novartis etc) only reinvest a small fraction of their revenue in R&D but astronomical amounts for marketing. Sell, sell, sell is the slogan, not heal, prevent and educate. That is a fact, published for everybody to read in hard figures.
The real cost of health is not determined at the hospital, specialised clinics, rehabs, the chemist’s, not to mention the good old GP. The (mainly private) health industry is a cynical gambling ground at the investment casinos. It’s a pyramid scheme that not only tolerates but actually induces squandering and overconsumption of pharma products, especially when private profit-oriented insurances are in bed with the rest of the bunch. Transparent control mechanisms are virtually non-existent. Why would anybody influential in this swamp blow the whistle if no outsider can look behind the scenes anyway?
The cost of all the BS is rolled over to the consumer, aka the sick person, due to the absurd number of intermediates who add no utter value to the health system itself. Profit makers in the health system are a liability, a bit like parasites. That is, for all citizens.
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@randy: you are right about the obesity thing but forget one thing: it is mostly because of the food industry. The obesity levels have followed almost one to one the rise of fast food industry, snacks and other crap they call food.
Also if you look at how industry guides consuming by price fixing thing come clear: healthy meat costs way more than almost poisonus sausages, snacks and other shit. I always have been wondering how it is possible that chunks of pure meat can be more expensive than troughly processed meat products, but some how the industry manages to do that. And increase the number of people who eat unhealthy.
The amount of chemicals and supplements, un-natural substances and ingredients in our foods is alarming. From genemanipulated stuff to hormone meats, from chemical aromes and syntehtic colours etc. And all this really dangerous stuff is always cheaper than pure clean food. Why? Should these big companies pay for the damages they have and are causing? Why they get away from the responsibility?
By the way, you do not need to force me to eat broccoli, I eat it already and like as well, just cook some a bit and sprinkle a bit of salt on top and it is perfect. I also go to the gym five days a week so… But I have to admit that I am a huge friend of good food etc. so I am not a fitness (read slimness) fanatic. ๐
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@ sam
Here’s a wild guess (probably not that wild after all). The upper management of the junk food and pharma industries concoct their recipes together over a pint or on the golf court. The former about how to clog up arteries, the latter how to unblock them again. Then they both work on one point they have in common – addiction!
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Wow – I think I like people who look like, well…people! Plastic freakshows have never done anything for me; then again, I’m not male so I don’t think with my genitalia! ๐
http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/gallery.asp?SubID=6476&page=1>itle=Celebrity%20Plastic%20Surgery&pubdate=3/10/11
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My heart is in Japan right now…the devastation is mind-boggling. ๐ฆ
I live in earthquake country.
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Yes sepultura13. Thoughts go out to Japan.
I have friends who were lucky enough to escape the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia. It must be absolutely terrifying.
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My friend was at Kaho Lak back then with her family. Barely made it. And now in Japan they have problems with nuclear powerplants too. Not good.
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Yes – looks like they have to evacuate 3,000 people near the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant because they can’t cool it down. They’ll have to vent some of the radioactive vapor to stave off a meltdown. Not good at all…
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And if that reactor gets out of hand, they will have their own Tshernobyl there. No good at all.
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I’ve heard that even a second reactor is in trouble.
(How does everyone like my gravatar?)
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My heart goes out to all those in Japan who have been affected by the earthquake and the tsunami.
Even though I have experienced natural disasters before, I cannot imagine what it must be like to go through this. I was in Japan just a few days ago and I feel lucky to have missed this, but unfortunately there are plenty of people who couldn’t have avoided it in any way…
It makes me angry too, if you see some of the racism it brings out of people towards the Japanese when there are human beings who have lost their homes, their families and their lives.
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@ Iris:
Yes, I’ve noticed some morons say what happened to the Japanese was payback for Pearl Harbor. Seriously?! The earthquake and tsunami have nothing to do with Pearl Harbor. Some people are very stupid in their thinking.
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lacromona check out this list of sites
http://www.forharriet.com/2011/02/45-must-follow-tumblrs-for-black-women.html#
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**Yes, Iโve noticed some morons say what happened to the Japanese was payback for Pearl Harbor. Seriously?! The earthquake and tsunami have nothing to do with Pearl Harbor. Some people are very stupid in their thinking.**
Yup, just like how some people blamed Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans’ gambling and immoral activities–oh wait, there’s also that in Las Vegas! Some people (indirectly) blamed that blacks’ gambling was what brought destruction to New Orleans instead of poorly mismanaged funds for upgrading the levees.
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@ leigh204
Yes, I’ve seen that too. I don’t know how thick they have to be to think that. I don’t understand how anyone can believe that someone deserved to suffer an earthquake and a tsunami because of something terrible their people had done in the past. It is like saying that everyone who died in 9/11 deserved it because Americans enslaved Black people in the past.
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Yes, Iโve noticed some morons say what happened to the Japanese was payback for Pearl Harbor.
*Cough* Hiroshima and Nagasaki *Cough*
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http://www.fxckfeelings.com/
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lacramona
check this out
http://sophisticatedhipstersdigest.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/an-insiders-affluent-report-the-black-supermodel-mega-success-stories-via-myrapanachereportblacksupermodels-naomicampbell-tyrabanks-iman-fashion/
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Oh my goodness! If I get one more person asking me about anything related to Japan i.e. earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear plant meltdowns, I’m going to scream! I’m not Japanese for gosh sakes!
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Abagond,
I would love to see you deconstruct Vanessa Williamโs song โColors of the Windโ. I was just listening to it and thought it was fascinating because the words clearly state what many talk about on this blog but in a melodic way. Itโs also fascinating because it was produced by Disney which tries hard to remain uncontroversial but the lyrics of this song many Whites would dismiss or label as delusional, misguided and controversial.
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I need help logging into my blog. The admin link isn’t there.
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http://serpentus.wordpress.com/wp-admin/
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But Leigh, if you’re not Chinese by default (as “all Asians are”), then you’re probably Japanese! As a last ditch effort to figure out what you are though, you HAVE to be Korean. As those are the only three Asian groups in the world.
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@Serpentus:
You can also click onto your blog homepage link, scroll down on the side bar with categories etc. When you get to the heading ‘META’, you will see ‘Log In’ as a sub-heading. Click on that heading and it will take you to the sign in screen. Sign in and proceed.
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Abagond,
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you a million times! I can’t thank you enough.
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O.K., I have a HUGE problem. I usually do most of my work on my laptop, but it recently got infected with viruses. I’m on another computer right now.
When I got first got my laptop 3 years ago, antivirus protection was pretty steep ($80-$200), so it was decided to forgo the antivirus protection (along with Microsoft Word, but that’s another story).
I did some research, and found AVAR, a free antivirus protection one can download online. (I should’ve done it when I first got my laptop.) Anyway, I’ve been a safe internet surfer, but it finally caught up to me. In the middle of downloading the free antivirus software, my computer shuts off. I’m having a hard time downloading the antivirus; I think it must be because of the viruses.
I’m a college student; I don’t have any money so I can’t purchase anything. If anyone here is good with computers, I would like some suggestions on how to get rid of the viruses on my computer.
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Do you do a lot of streaming of videos? Many of them contain viruses! Some free anti-virus programs I would advise are:
AVG
http://free.avg.com/ca-en/homepage
Avast
http://www.avast.com/en-ca/index
Try to start your computer in safe mode, install the anti-virus and run it. If this doesn’t work then you may have to take it in and have a technician look into it. Being a student, you may be able to purchase a reputable anti-virus program at half price:
http://us.norton.com/student_campaign.jsp
Norton has had a bad rap for slowing down computer speed but it has been improved greatly and now has little or no effect on the computer’s speed. If you wish to shop around, look up free programs or student discount security software on the internet. I use Norton Internet Security. When downloading from the internet, I download an item to my desktop and run a virus scan before opening it. I have had no virus infestations to date. This program also has a site safety component to it. Should you have to replace your computer, you may have to purchase a program as most of the ‘free’ ones have poor ratings when it comes to detecting viruses.
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Herneith,
Thanks. I’ll try your suggestions.
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Abagond,
I took a chance making this comment on such quite an old post. Since I am sure you did not see it there, I’ll re-post part of it here:
You might have already posted a link up thread, but where is the proof/study that
โPresent-day Egyptians are, by blood, about 60% Eurasian, like the Arabs who took over their country, and 40% black African.โ
https://abagond.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/how-black-was-ancient-egypt/#comment-80884
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@ Serpentus
Another program that is simply fantastic is Malwarebytes. It’s a really good (and most importantly FREE) program that focuses on Malware, adds a 2nd layer of protection, and picks up anything that your primary anti-virus could miss. Like the new Norton or (Symantec) it doesn’t slow down your computer in the least bit. With those two things, you should have NO problems with viruses.
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@Franklin:
When I mentioned I wasn’t Japanese, those people had to run down a list of Asian ethnicities and then say “Well, you all look the same so what would it matter?” Grrrr.
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@leight 204
Do Asians look at white people and say that they’re all the same because they look alike? Or is it just whites that do that to Asians?
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Omfg… the things ppl will list under -isms now-a-days!!!
NEWSFLASH: If a man isn’t attracted to you bc your skin is as black as tar that does not mean he hates you or himself. That is not the definition of colorism. He just has a preferences, no different than all of the other superficial preferences we ALL have(hair color, height, facial features, body type etc.)
I hate BW who delude themselves into believing that they are single bc of some black male deficiency. Their are FEW women who truly can’t find a date bc their skin is too dark. Most men have low standards anyways. Stop blame-shifting. Start the process of introspection and realize something is probably wrong with YOU!
Light skin b****es w/ curly hair and green eyes are NOT destroying the Black community. We have bigger problems to worry about.
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^I needed somewhere to vent. Some Black woman just blocked me from a youtbe video for opposing a view she had. Black ppl have beat this “colorism” issue like a dead horse, I swear. There are so many issues in the world and ppl think skin color attraction is a problem???
____________
Btw I can’t believe we’ve gotten ourselves into another conflict. Why the heck are we doing air-strikes in Libya? I’m tired of my gvmnt thinking the US is the police of the world
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@cynic: well your goverment is not alone, some euroweenies are in it too.
WTF? And what is this war crap anyhow?? Seems to me that these days countries just go to war just like that, you know, like: hey, lets do little warring there, hey! Lets bomb that place a bit. Lets send in some commandoes, hey.
We are talking about wars here! Not frigging pick nicks!
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@ The Cynic
Something must be up if so many black women are complaining about black men’s colorism. “Where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
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@ The Cynic
As Abagond has previously informed us, blacks represent about 6% of television–I’m willing to bet that there are similar numbers for other media outlets such as magazines and movies.
Do NOT tell me that black men are not color-struck–because they are. There is no way black men can grow up in America and not end up having some attraction toward white women. Since I’m not a black man or a black woman, I have no stake in the issue, and I can provide a more objective look on this issue.
I did a post on whether black men worship white women:
http://serpentus.wordpress.com/2011/03/12/do-black-men-worship-white-women/.
As I have previously written:
“American standards of beauty are Euro-centric. So, white women overwhelmingly appear in every magazine ad, television commercial, fashion show, and Hollywood movie. It is not the black manโs fault. My hypothesis is that most men are brainwashed by society to โpreferโ white women. The black man is helpless against a barrage of everday images of beautiful white women.”
Furthermore,
“In 2008, almost 1 in 4 black men who got married tied the knot with a white woman.
Source: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Media/black-women-marry-interracial-marriage-common/story?id=10830719.”
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@Serpentus
Read this comment I made last week on the “White man Zula” post.
https://abagond.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/white-mans-zula/#comment-81377
and keep reading the discussion btwn Caculator and I until you get to this comment.
https://abagond.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/white-mans-zula/#comment-81385
I’ve already discussed how people distort IR marriage statistics to fit their agendas and/or confirm their biases. Perception does not automatically equal reality.
p.s. My comment had nothing to do with whether Black men are color-struck or not.
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@Serpentus
A black blog entitled Verysmartbrothas already covered the Black athlete white woman myth. This is a much more thorough than your 5 examples.
“but when he gets on, heโll leave your ass for a white girlโฆor not”
http://www.verysmartbrothas.com/but-when-he-gets-on-hell-leave-your-ass-for-a-white-girl-or-not/
Here is a great video about the media’s role in this.
Once again, I am not arguing whether BM have color preferences or not. All I am saying is that it’s a waste of time to whine about stuff like this. Why don’t I ever hear Brunettes crying about how white boys love blondes? Is this preference destroying the white community?
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Why donโt I ever hear Brunettes crying about how white boys love blondes?
Huh? Brunettes cry all the time. That’s why many of them become blondes. Most of the blondes are not natural blondes, after all.
Of course, I’m not saying it’s the same thing as black women and white women, but it’s not like brunettes don’t care about this. It’s just not as huge as racial issue so it might seem nonexistent, but it’s not like brunettes are unaware of the beauty standards that say blondes are more attractive.
As for Libya… I’m so angry I feel a sharp pain in my chest .
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@The Cynic
“Iโve already discussed how people distort IR marriage statistics to fit their agendas and/or confirm their biases.”
I don’t have an agenda nor am i distorting anything. What do I have to gain from this issue? Since I’m not black, colorism doesn’t affect me the way it affects black people, and I can perhaps provide a more objective view of this issue. Instead, my ideas are immediately rejected.
“All I am saying is that itโs a waste of time to whine about stuff like this.”
O.K., I’m not the one who first brought up the skin preference and colorism–you did.
“If a man isnโt attracted to you bc your skin is as black as tar that does not mean he hates you or himself. That is not the definition of colorism. He just has a preferences, no different than all of the other superficial preferences we ALL have(hair color, height, facial features, body type etc.)”
Hmm, and just where did he pick up those “preferences”? From mainstream racist beauty ideals? Are we all not affected in some way from what the media tells us?
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@Serpentus
I donโt have an agenda nor am i distorting anything. What do I have to gain from this issue?
I didn’t accuse you of having an agenda and I really don’t know what you could gain from this issue.
“O.K., Iโm not the one who first brought up the skin preference and colorismโyou did.
I wasn’t directing this towards you. I was just venting about the actual people who do whine about such a pointless issue.
“Hmm, and just where did he pick up those โpreferencesโ? From mainstream racist beauty ideals? Are we all not affected in some way from what the media tells us?
It really doesn’t matter where it came from and I honestly can’t be sure. Many white men probably don’t know why their is a cultural preference for blonde hair in their culture. Might it stem from theories of a superior race of blonde hair blue eyed Aryans? Myths of white racial supremacy? If so, would that make it wrong for a white man to be attracted to blonde hair? Is his attraction to yellow hair a problem?
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” Many white men probably donโt know why their is a cultural preference for blonde hair in their culture.”
I actually prefer black hair on white women–I think it’s prettier. I just wish white women with black hair would stop lying to themselves by calling themselves brunettes–black-haired white women are NOT brunettes–they are raven-haired, even better.
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” actually prefer black hair on white womenโI think itโs prettier. I just wish white women with black hair would stop lying to themselves by calling themselves brunettesโblack-haired white women are NOT brunettesโthey are raven-haired, even better”
I think bruennttes are awesome. Second, to reheads. But I’m biased. Blonde and Black hair are okay, but it has to be a certain type for me. I mean they’re both are just meh. Blue-black and strawberry blonde are cool, though. We brunettes rock!!!
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Serpentus
I can only speak of my personal experience, but I haven’t heard the Asians I know say that about white people. However, I’m not saying saying Asians haven’t said it. I just haven’t heard it yet.
And regarding blue black hair, I used to have that kind of hair color when I was younger. When my hair was in the sun, you could see the vivid blue tones. As I’ve aged, my once blue black hair has turned a brownish black.
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black-haired white women are NOT brunettes
Huh?
My hair was black when I was a kid… Now it’s a bit lighter, dark brown I’d say. And I even have gray hairs! But I still consider myself a brunette.
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People are free to call themselves what they want. However, this is how I classify hair color:
Yellow = Blonde
Brown = Brunette
Black = Raven-haired (an older term)
Red = [No special adjective/word yet]
(Yes, I know there are different shades of colors of blonde and brown like auburn, but these 4 are the main general colors.)
If one stretches the defintion of a Brunette to include ALL brown-and black-haired women, then ALL BLACK WOMEN would be called brunettes. Call me an American, but wouldn’t calling a black woman a brunette seem sort of.. I don’t know… weird and strange?
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On an interesting note, does anyone know where the word, “brunette” originated from? It’s quite old and dates back to at least the 18th century since I remember reading Voltaire’s Candide where the maid was mentioned to be a brunette.
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“And regarding blue black hair, I used to have that kind of hair color when I was younger. When my hair was in the sun, you could see the vivid blue tones. As Iโve aged, my once blue black hair has turned a brownish black.”
That’s so cool! You must’ve gotten along with the emo and goth crowd well in school.–lol
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Am I the only man in the world who finds freckles attractive on women?!
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Fight the power… with black power.
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As long as woman has shaved everything away and is not a porcelin I do not care what color her hair is, nor do I care if she is bald.
And heres a joke: a politician was praying just before the elections. “Dear God, give ME an understanding of the needs of the people and help me to work foR the people instead of myself. I want to be less selfish and honest, please God. Help me on this”. There was a long silence in the heavens and then came thundering and roar: “SON, EVEN I CAN’T DO EVERYTHING!”
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๐ it should read: as long as woman has NOT shaved everything away…
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Idk what it is about blondes that give them such a good rep. I’ve always preferred long jet-black hair. The texture doesn’t even matter. Kinky, curly, or straight. Even when it comes to white women, I think the brunettes/raven-haired ones(as Jas0n puts it) are the best looking.
and freckles are gross looking. Sorry =(
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I used to have black hair down to my butt when I was a kid (don’t remember if it was blue black though), but as I got older it got lighter (the same as my eyes). It’s now brown, but under bright light you can see more red in it and so it can look auburn.
I’ve always liked brown and black hair more than blonde. Red hair can be beautiful too.
Question for everyone: do you believe it is appropriate to refer to East Asian and South East Asians as ‘chinks’ and to their eye shape as ‘chinky’? I’ve seen the latter (‘chinky eyes’) mentioned several times on this site and, at the least, I could say I was surprised. I assume the ‘chink’ is also seen as no problem by the people who have used the description ‘chinky eyes’, seeing as that is where that comes from. I would think these sorts of words would be treated much the same way as the N-word as it is used in a similar fashion against East and South East Asians.
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@cynic: I don’t think this woman is that gross even though she has freckels. And she has a jet black hair and brown eyes and is really good looking too!!
http://www.dominosguide.com/makeup-tips-for-freckle-faced-femmes.html
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Hey! I have freckles! Not much, but I used to hate it… They are not what’s considered attractive.
But well, at least I’m a girl. It is said it’s even worse for a guy. Nobody likes guys with freckles. Now, I tend to agree with that, to an extend (doe to self-hate?) But there are guys who look ok with freckles; they suit them.
Like Cillian Murphy, for example. ๐
I never got the blonde hair appeal, really, but hey, I’m a girl (with dark hair) so what do I know?
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Question for everyone: do you believe it is appropriate to refer to East Asian and South East Asians as โchinksโ and to their eye shape as โchinkyโ?
Well, only Asians can answer this question (and determine whether it’s offensive to them or not), but it’s the first time I hear about Asian eyes being called that.
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Question for everyone: do you believe it is appropriate to refer to East Asian and South East Asians as โchinksโ and to their eye shape as โchinkyโ?
Disclaimer: I don’t have a personal stake in this because I’m the wrong type of Asian (we don’t usually have “chinky” eyes in Indonesia) and I’m only half one at that. But here’s what I think…
CHINK: Don’t be saying this sh*t unless you are referring to a chink in someone’s armour. It’s offensive.
CHINKY: This is not quite as bad. I’m not sure why. It’s still a bit wrong, but it’s the sort of word you could maybe get away with using. Maybe if you are one of those non-Asians who is down with Asians and they acknowledge you as an ally, they won’t mind you using adjectives like this in the right context.
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@Mira
No, need to worry. I think a little bit of freckles are okay & I’m just one little opinion in this world. Dark hair is still hot though! ๐
@Iris
Question for everyone: do you believe it is appropriate to refer to East Asian and South East Asians as โchinksโ and to their eye shape as โchinkyโ?
I’ve always understood that term as being derogatory towards the Asian groups you mentioned. When I talk about the East and Southeast Asian eye form I usually say ‘epicanthic eye-fold’. The term may sound a bit nerdy, but at least I know I am not being offensive.
I must admit I have used the term chinky tho. I was making fun of a friend that has those kinds of eyes. However, he was black and I used the term jokingly. He wasn’t offended, so I didn’t feel bad using it then
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Iris: “Question for everyone: do you believe it is appropriate to refer to East Asian and South East Asians as โchinksโ and to their eye shape as โchinkyโ?”
The former seems to be universally perceived as derogatory.
As for the latter, my wife and her friends use the term “chinky” or “chinese-y” rather freely, but it may be significant to note that they’re mostly FOBs and have not yet been inoculated with western-style perpetual racial outrage.
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Speaking of Asian eyes, I wonder: is there a non-offensive term for Asian eyes except, well, to call them “Asian”?
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Speaking of female beauty, chic noir, tu es jolie.
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@Sam
Please don’t tell me that the stereotype about European men loving hairy women is true!
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“If one stretches the defintion of a Brunette to include ALL brown-and black-haired women, then ALL BLACK WOMEN would be called brunettes. Call me an American, but wouldnโt calling a black woman a brunette seem sort of.. I donโt knowโฆ weird and strange?”
No, not if it’s really brown. I don’t see why not. I consider myslef as a brunette because I have meduim-dark auburn hair. Is auburn considered red or brown ? I’m not sure.
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@Sam
That woman barely has any freckles at all! This is what I’m talking about:
http://redhairfrecklesandcurves.tumblr.com/post/3604026064/so-gorgeous-beautiful-eyes-wonderful-crimson
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@ Iris:
Here’s my two cents. Personally, I don’t think it’s appropriate at all to refer to East/SE Asians as “chinks” and their “chinky” eyes. Why? I had white people call me that as well as other Asian racial slurs when I was growing up. It was a way to demean me. Not to mention, they would pull the corners of their eyes and say my “chinky” eyes were so slitty and do that annoying made up ching chong sh!t language. Wtf?!?! Anyway, the slur “chink” would be used for Chinese. Nevermind the fact, I’m a Filipina.
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@ serpentus:
I have some freckles on my face and body and I’m not exactly hapy with it. I grew up with the Filipino ideal to have clear, non-freckled skin. The coveted look is this look. Free from “imperfections.”
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@leigh204
“I have some freckles on my face and body and Iโm not exactly hapy with it.”
Don’t let people force you to think their way! Women are beautiful with freckles.–A guy that loves freckles. = )
P.S. Is that a pic of what’s considered to be beautiful in the Phillipines? I’ll be honest, as a guy, I don’t think she’s hot or anything–barely average. She looks like she’s bleached her face! Either that or she’s powdered her face too much. I wouldn’t be interested in asking her out or anything.
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@leight204
I just noticed that the link to your pic was from crunchyroll. Are you also an anime fan?
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@ serpentus:
Thanks. I may not be happy with my freckles per se, but I’ve come to accept it as it’s a part of me. ๐
She’s a well known Filipina actress. I was simply showcasing the desired complexion ideal in the Philippines…without freckling of any kind and an even skin tone. Btw, this pic is about her not wearing any or minimal make-up and that her great skin is what makes her “beautiful.”
No, I was only googling for pics. Why? Are you an anime fan?
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@serpentus: No finnish guys do not like hairy women. It is more of a generational thing. Younger guys go for that acient greek gay style where you have no hair in your body. Older guys like myself, we go for more natural women.
It does not mean that woman should have a beard and grow wool matt on her back, but it means that she can have some body hair and most definetly the pubic hair. No, it does not have to be a wild jungle bush look, but pubic hair is a must for a guy like me. ๐
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Thanks for the input, everyone. As someone who is half East Asian and half White, I have also had people hurl ‘chink’ and ‘chinky eyes’ at me and my family as a way to insult us and bring us down. They are both words I have often heard while enduring physical violence, which is why I was surprised to see it here.
From my experience, I feel that ‘chinky eyes’ is very similar to ‘chink’. I am not sure why the two are seen so differently when ‘chinky’ obviously comes from ‘chink’, which everyone appears to agree is unacceptable. If calling somebody a ‘chink’ is bad, why is saying someone has ‘chinky eyes’ (i.e. Eyes like a ‘chink’) okay? I mean, if ‘n*gger’ is a terrible word to use, I don’t think people would easily accept the word ‘n*ggery’ to describe a feature they believe is common to Black people!
‘Asian’ by itself is confusing because, for example, in Britain it is used to refer to South Asians (Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Bangladeshi, etc.). Small eyes, single eyelids/single-lidded eyes, eyes with (epicanthic) folds, slanted eyes, almond eyes… these are all words I have seen used to describe them, though some people do still get bothered by the last two because not every East/Southeast Asian has eyes shaped that way. Round eyes are just as common. As are double-lidded eyes (depending on the area).
I’ve noticed that a lot of people don’t even seem to realise that ‘chink’ itself has anything wrong with it when used in reference to East/Southeast Asians. I’ve even had someone ask me if it would be okay to say, ‘What’s up, chink!’ to greet an Asian-looking stranger they see often and wanted to get to know.
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My yesterday’s comment was lost due to wordpress downtime. Grrrr…
Anyways…
Freckles
All I wanted to say I wasn’t happy with my freckles. They are definitely not seen as an attractive thing here. I don’t have many, but I am extremely pale skinned and I am the only even semi-freckled person I know, so… It’s interesting to know there are people who do not consider that ugly.
Europeans and hairy women
I have no idea how this stereotype came to be. I guess it’s one of the popular stereotypes Americans (and others?) have about Europeans. Now, I am not sure about the rest, but in my part of Europe that is definitely not true. In fact, the opposite is true. Beauty standards demand women to be shaved, waxed, etc. and basically hairless, except the hair on their heads and styled eyebrows. “Brazilian” on the private parts is also acceptable, but nothing more than that.
Seriously, the standards are crazy. That’s why seeing all those hairy Eastern European girls in the American movies seem even more silly/unrealistic.
(Well, there are obviously women and girls who don’t do this, but they are considered unattractive and can hardly find a date).
Asian eyes
I understand it’s difficult to find a non-offensive term, because focusing on the eyes with epicanthic fold is very Eurocentric, and definitely not something that make all those millions of people in Eastern Asia what they are.
Still, I am asking because I want to find a way to refer to that type of eyes without using any of the slurs, and I don’t want to use the term “Asian” either.
Any ideas? Saying “single eyelid” eyes, or “eyes with epicanthic fold” seems too clinical.
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No, it does not have to be a wild jungle bush look, but pubic hair is a must for a guy like me.
Sam, watch out! Your age is showing! ๐
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This thread definitely needs to be renamed! ๐
On a side note, my birthday was on Monday, 3/21 so I took the day off from work to enjoy a bit of sunshine and motorcycling. Nice to just have a ‘me’ day, away from asshats and douchenozzles and psycho-bitch supervisors! ๐
…not that anyone cares, but oh well – life’s to short to let those with short attention spans affect me negatively! ๐
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@mira: yes it shows, I admit, porcelin reminds me too much of children. Unless you are a professional model, dancer or scubadiver, there is no reason for it. Brazilian runway will do just fine ๐
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Happy birthday, sepultura! Hope you had a great time.
Sam: Well, there are some younger men who appreciate pubic hair, but, sadly, not that many. Not in my culture, at least. (Don’t ask me how I know ๐ ).
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@sepultura13:
Happ Belated Birthday to you! ๐
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@sepultura 13:
Happy Birthday!
Feliz Navidad!
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Im sorry for off. I’m confused , Kim Karadashian leaked tape that all keep talking – is it real?
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@ lacromona-
hey doll
*chic noir gives lacromona a hug*
here is a new blk model and this lady is totally “unmixed” She’s in the current issue of madamoiselle(usa) mag.
http://fashionbombdaily.com/2011/03/25/snapshot-ayor-makur-chuot-photographed-by-david-oldham-and-styled-by-taylor-tomasi-hill-for-marie-claire-april-2011/
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Happy belated birthday, Sepultra! Hope you had a good one.
@ Mira
I think it is very difficult to find one that does not shove all East and Southeast Asians into one box, yet does not sound too cold and scientific. I’ve been a member of some message boards where the majority are East/Southeast Asian or a mixture of that and something else and most people focused on the idea of having single or double eyelids.
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Iris,
Indeed. Putting all those different ethnicities in one box makes no sense… And yet, Europeans hate when somebody does that to them (being a Scandinavian and South European is oh, sooooo different!)
Single eyelid/epicthantic fold do seem to be the only terms, but they seem clinical, and I bet many people wouldn’t even know what they mean.
But I’ve been trying to find a more suitable way to describe that kind of eyes, and I want to avoid the term “Asian”.
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Has anyone read or have any opinions about this book (recommended to me by Amazon):
Tim Burrell, “Brainwashed” (2010)
http://www.amazon.com/Brainwashed-Challenging-Black-Inferiority-ebook/dp/B0032JSGA2
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Happy belated birthday, Sepultra ๐
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@Abagond:
I went to the site, read some of the reviews, which seem to be mostly 4 to 5 stars. Funnily enough, I read a couple of replies to comments which mirror some of your posts! Some commenter called LLoyd even used the old many of my friends are black, but goes on to say that blacks are dysfunctional. Anyhow I purchased the book, sounds interesting.
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Great News!
I got my computer back! Apparently, the free anti-virus downloads removed the viruses. I thought that I wasn’t able to download them because my computer kept turning off, but after I turned on my computer after a week of being off, it works!
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@ Herneith:
Tell me what you think of it when you get a chance to look at it.
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I have another question. Any ideas for a term for all ‘people of colour’ that is universally acceptable? Apparently, ‘people of colour’ is not it (I’ve seen people get upset with this one. All of them were from European countries), but I can’t think of another that would be more acceptable! One cannot really say ‘non-White’, ‘ethnic people’ or ‘minorities’ (all terms I’ve witnessed people get offended by). For many, the former two insinuate White people are the norm and then there’s everyone else. The latter is western-centric and implies we are always only a tiny group (that’s all right to be forgotten) when, looking at the world, Indians and Chinese are actually the majority.
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Iris,
That’s a good question, but I guess like with everything else, there’s no universal answer to this. What is considered acceptable in the US might be offensive elsewhere and vice versa.
“Ethnic people” is stupid because there’s no such a thing as a person without ethnicity. Ok, at least from my European POV. Ethnicity in Europe is NOT the same thing as race. Germans, Norwegians, Italians and Irish are all whites, but are of different ethnicities. So saying “ethnic” people makes no sense whatsoever, and so does the term “ethnic whites”. At least I find it offensive.
“Minority” might work, but people need to understand the label is in no way universal; it depends on the context. So non-whites might be minorities in the US, but they are in no way minorities in the world (something whites often forget!) Plus, what is considered a minority might not be a minority at all, but an oppressed group: remember, you don’t have to be a minority to be oppressed and to lack power.
“Non-whites” might work fine for explaining what’s meant, but, like term “POC” puts things into strong Eurocentric perspective.
That being said, from what I’ve observed, most of the people are ok with terms “non-whites” and “ethnic people” (though I never use the latter because I hate it). But it depends on a person. Many black people preferred to be called black, but there are some who find it offensive. So I guess just go with whatever a person in question wants to be called.
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@Iris
If the term “people of colour” is not universally acceptable. You have to ask who is it not acceptable to?
If, as you state, Indians and Chinese or East Asians are actually the majority on the planet then why would this term be unacceptable to them?
The people I see most likely to object are white people themselves for fear of “seeming” to be excluded from that definition. As you correctly point out terms like “non-white” and “ethnic” are clearly misleading as they assume that:
“…White people are the norm and then thereโs everyone else. The latter is western-centric and implies (POC) are always only a tiny group..”
Again…the incontestable reality is: people of colour (POC) are the majority on this planet. So how has illusion they are the minority come about?
On the issue of white people fearing exclusion from the POC definition its worth noting that from a Physics or Scientifically verifiable perspective a PURE white light source can ALWAYS be broken down into its constitutive components. This is easy to demonstrate when looking at the colours of a rainbow and when you do the experiment of shining a white light source through a prism. – It breaks down into several different SHADES of colours.
You have to ask: what does this tell us about white? Or about white being the absence of colour?
SIMPLE!!!
White is a combination of ALL other colours. In fact it owes its very existence to ALL other colours. So if people of colour didn’t exist FIRST then neither would white people.
The real fear white people have is NOT that they might be excluded from the definition of POC but that they ARE NOT an exclusively separate people (race) which they have been led to believe.
Its this belief that has formed the basis of White Supremacy/Black or POC inferiority. Its also become the fundamental basis of modern Western society. Its obviously a lie, untrue and an illusion but its one of many fear based driven beliefs that can account for why any white person might feel excluded from the inclusive term: People of Colour (POC)
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Personally, (as a white individual), I find “POC” offensive because it assumes whites are colour-less, which I find confusing. But I generally don’t think whites should decide what’s appropriate/offensive for non-whites, so I’ll just STFU.
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@iris: Well, I usually tend not to talk about people based on their color. If I say chinese, or indian or pakistani, listeners usually understand what I mean.
In case of so called multi racial countries like USA or France or Britain, I usually do not mention weather the individual I am talking about is black or white or whatever. Like Phil Lynnot was irish but also black dude, Slash is not white, Will Smith is an actor etc. I assume that either the listener knows or if she/he does not know, it does not matter. If and when someone asks was this the black actor, I may say yeah.
I takes a bit time to drop the race or color of skin out ones mind but if I can do it, so can anybody else. I mean, I am not the most flexible minded guy around and yet the race or color has been “fading” from my thinkig as years have gone by. So much so that my pal Sese is just Sese the guy, not a guy from Togo or african or black Sese, or what ever.
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Iris, racialized is a good term also.
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Thank you for all your interesting responses. ๐
@ Mira
Yes, one size doesn’t fit all, so to speak… Sometimes it can be an issue when a place is very international because it is guaranteed that someone will be upset. As a result, most people gravitate towards using the terms Americans would feel the most comfortable with (since they are often in the majority online), but then other people also get bothered by everyone deciding to cater to Americans!
Yes, I agree that ‘ethnic people’ is a silly term, though it is one I still see in use.
@ Kwamla
Perhaps it is indeed White people who voiced an issue with that term. I wouldn’t know as I have only seen people get upset about it on the internet. Nevertheless, what you’ve said makes sense.
I remember an old teacher of mine also talking about White being the combination of all colours, so she never understood why people thought of it as ‘colourless’. Though I can see how a White Supremacist could twist their colour being all colours into being superior again.
@ Sam
I understand what you are saying, but I did not mean I wanted to use it for individuals. When I want to refer to a large group of people of multiple races (of which none are White) it would be impractical to list every individual race among them. e.g. It’s much easier to say, ‘People of colour are more likely to suffer from hyperpigmentation than White people.’ than it is to list all the races or ethnicities in place of ‘people of colour’.
@ Herneith
That is indeed a good term. I’ll keep it in mind.
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Thank you for the belated birthday wishes, those of you who cared enough to say! ๐
I intend to start my own (brand new) blog here at WordPress, so stay tuned…I’ve abandoned my other one since it was more of a personal cathartic and not very informative, LOL
I’m also going to submit a guest post soon. Hopefully it will be interesting! ๐
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…and on a completely unrelated note, why do people insist on bringing their SICK CHILDREN TO WORK?!?!?!? Our company has insurance and paid sick leave and the ability to work from home, so…
USE IT, D@MNIT!!!!!
๐
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I am shocked at the idea that someone prefers to travel to work instead of working at home, if (s)he is allowed to (at least for a brief period of time).
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@sepultra: In Finland parents can stay at home legally for few days if their kids are sick and companies usually understand the situation. How ever, is has become more and more typical for businesses to put some shame on parents who choose their sick kids over their job.
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Abagond can you do a post about fighting racism? Or something? Is it even possible? What are some ways to do it?
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OMG, I had to deal with some color struck retard this weekend. This chick is about 250lbs, has almost has no hair and has huge bell pepper nose, but thinks she’s the hottest thing ever. I had to deal with her at my cousin’s baby shower. She kept answering about my hair and wanted to cut it. Seriously, just because you can’t grow your hair pass your earlobe doesn’t mean i have to be bald-headed. She thought I was insane because I like to tan. I can’t understand why most Blacks are obsessed with their hair. It’s not that big of a deal. I love having my Unkempt Beauty style.
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Here is something to think about. Specially for IQ and race.
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/race-and-intelligence-sciences-last-taboo
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^ I’ve watched this. It’s a great series, which I would also recommend. If I remember correctly, in the end they say that, in a few years’ time, Black people will meet and maybe surpass the IQ of White people (whose IQs have remained stable for a long time).
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@iris: Yeah, and as far as IQ tests goes, it shows well how and why they do not measure intelligence at all but kognitive skills. One mistake though in that porgramme: they said that IQ tests predict fairly accurately how well a person will be successful in their lives in modernistic society. Not always. One of my friends never finished school, flunked in all kinds of tests and was total failure and bonafide hooligan in his teens but is now one of the top european guys in the field of hi tech. ๐
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Happy April 1st! Play nicely, now… ๐
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This could be an interesting muscial…take a look.
http://www.whitenoisebroadway.com/education.php
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Individuals with relatively recent black-white admixture seem to generally fall into three broad genetic/phenotypical categories. First, there are the 50/50 types (“mulattoes”) who tend to resemble light-skinned African Americans. Famous examples are Obama, Halle Berry, and Alicia Keys. Second, there are mixed people who are close to 75% white and 25% black (“quadroons”) and are often mistaken for Mediteraneans or Arabs. A notable example is actress Jennifer Beals. Finally, there those with very marginal African ancestry (“octoroons”) who look like ordinary white Americans. Wentworth Miller might fall into this category.
Problems relating to social integration and identity seem to fall hardest on the quadroon class. The mulattoes look black to American eyes and for this reason don’t seem to have too much trouble convincing others that’s what they are. The octoroons lack any signs of admixture and resemble pure white people so their claim to being white will probably go almost unchallenged. The situation is different with the quadroons though. On the one hand, they don’t have obvious African ancestry and look vaguely caucasian so that creates difficulties with respect to integrating into black society. On the other hand, the quadroons have hints of African admixture (e.g. olive complexion) so they don’t really meet the criteria of whiteness. Most of the issues I’ve been discussing here have been from a quadroon perspective. Mulattoes and octoroons probably don’t have to deal with issues relating to “acceptance” to the same degree.
From what I’ve read online , it seems that many of those with a quadroon appearance don’t have much problem being socially accepted as white. Subtle ethnic undertones apparently don’t automatically disqualify you from whiteness these days. Nevertheless, this class is still vulnerable to attacks on its social status. For example, people might arbitrarily redefine your race so as to socially distance you from them in times of conflict. Furthermore, famous people of quadroon appearance are still attacked for “passing.”
Perhaps the solution to these issues is the establishment of an intermediate “colored” category. Official recognition for ambiguous multiracials would provide a foundation for the creation of community ties, resolution of internal social problems, and expansion of group influence.
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“Perhaps the solution to these issues is the establishment of an intermediate โcoloredโ category. Official recognition for ambiguous multiracials would provide a foundation for the creation of community ties, resolution of internal social problems, and expansion of group influence.”
I don’t know. it seems that the numbers for such a particular group of “quadroons” would yield a rather small population to draw a category from. Also, “multiracial” covers a lot of ground. Are talking only about persons of Black and White admixture, or anybody who is the product of a multi ethnic union?
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@FG
I think American society is literally confused on what they should call these people. This is just one and a seemingly simple, albeit important, reason Americans have the tendency to put biracials in one category or the other.
Mixed race Afro-Euro ppl should come up with a catchy name for themselves. Mulatto is quite archaic and some(blk, white, biracial, etc) find it offensive considering its root. Oh, and ‘colored’ is Jim-Crow sounding just like how Mulatto sounds like it belongs in slavery times. Once Afro-Euro ppl find a trendy name to call themselves ppl will catch on. Once that is done these racially ambiguous folks who aren’t accepted as white or black can just drop themselves into this mixed race category.
_______________
Personally I believe that if America ever becomes more interracial our racial classifications will soon resemble Latin America. Our acceptance of who is ‘white’ will include noticeably off-white looking people, race will also become less about a persons ancestry and more about how they look(all light skin blks will be dropped in the mixed category), and race will also be more fluid with white, black, native, and Asian all blending into one another.
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@FG I think you might find this interesting. A lot of your comments have to do with mixed ppl. You are biracial yourself correct? And one who identifies as non-black?
Census Data Presents Rise in Multiracial Population of Youths
By SUSAN SAULNY
Published: March 24, 2011
“Among American children, the multiracial population has increased almost 50 percent, to 4.2 million, since 2000, making it the fastest growing youth group in the country. The number of people of all ages who identified themselves as both white and black soared by 134 percent since 2000 to 1.8 million people, according to census data released Thursday.”
-The most common multiracials in the U.S. are Afro-Euro ppl(1,800,000). This more than likely has to do with the fact that blacks and whites are the 2 largest racial groups in the country, since their intermarriage rates are the lowest.
-In total their are 9 million ppl that identify as multiracial across the country. This is 2.9% of the population.
-Out of that 2.9% about 20% of them identify as being blk & white.
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Ugh… I forgot the link.
@FG
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/us/25race.html
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@Cynic,
I’ve been mulling over this issue a long time, veering between positions. I now think establishment of an intermediate group is the most viable strategy for stabilizing the social status of the light mulatto population and bringing it out of the shadows of American society. These folks often have a tough time measuring up to other people’s standards, so they would benefit from having an ethnic formation all their own.
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@FG: While I get your idea, or why you would like to see mixed ethnicity having their own label or name etc., personally I am happier with the situation where people are just mixing and can not be put into some racial box.
Race labels should be done with. That is my opinion. Cultures are much more diverse, religions are dividing too, but color of your skin…
It is good to know that Jennifer Beals is out there, confusing the whole issue of this race classification. I like the way Alicia Keys look like, a black woman with face of any white cover girls, and even racists have to admit that she looks good. I like the fact that USA has a black president. More mixed and confused the better, I think.
Who the hell wants to keep up the race barriers? I do not want to classify people by race. I talk about their cultures and/or countries were they come from. For me George W. Bush and Ice Cube are both americans, first and foremost. David Duke and Snoop Dogg are both americans, as in US citizens. Not whites and blacks. Two guys do not know much about the music and two of them have done some pretty good stuff. ๐
You look at the US troops and who do you see? All kinds of faces. From the albino ghostlike whites to the blackest guy in the world and everything in between. That is the real face of USA. I belive it has just not yet sunk into the american mainstream media and mind that you are totally mixed society, “racially” that is.
That day will come when nobody cares about the color of your skin anymore. Interracial realtionships are more and more common, there are more and more kids who are mixed and they will have kids who mixed and so on and so on. One day nobody can say who is who “racially”. It will take time, there will be backlashes and set backs etc., but the train left the station ages ago and it won’t be coming back.
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@FG
I understand what you are saying. I am not disagreeing with it, but what about mixed ppl that look like light skin blacks, but don’t identify as such?
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abagond, do you know anything about Dr. Gabriel Oyibo the nigerian physicist who did alot of work with einstein’s grand unified field theorem?
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Sam,
I think you’re right. The racial situation is easing to such a degree that mixed people probably don’t need their own ethnicity. In fact, there seems to be much goodwill and warm sentiments towards this demographic from many quarters these days.
I’m surprised by the amount of interest that my posts on the lives of mixed race people have drawn. Those concerning social relations between light mulattoes and the white people appear to elicit a special amount of curiosity (and titillation) for some reason.
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I don’t have much to say on this now, but I think this is a really important article.
Scott Berry Kaufman Ph.D.
Cognitive Scientist and Personality Psychologist; NYU Professor
8 Surprising Facts About Parenting, Genes, And What Really Makes Us Who We Are
Posted:03/27/11 10:52 AM ET
1)Genes, By Themselves, Can’t Determine Anything
2)Parents Matter, And Will Always Matter
3)Heritability Depends Entirely On Context
4)The Actual Heritability Value Simply Does Not Matter
5)Heritability Doesn’t Necessarily Have To Do With Biology
6)Heritability Says Nothing About Whether Intelligence Is More Determined By Genes Or The Environment
7)Twin Studies Do Not Reveal The Causes Of Intellectual Development
8)Heritability Is Not The Same As Heredity
I feel sorry for the next commenter. You’ve been cursed with the mark of the beast! LOL :O
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Posts on the following gorgeous black men are still to be done:
Chiwetel Ejiofor
Tyson Beckford
Blair Underwood
Shemar Moore
I think a guest post by a woman, especially a fan, would be much better than anything I could do.
So if you want to do a guest post on any of these, email me at abagond at gmail. Requirements: 480 to 500 words + plenty of pictures, the more the better. Or if you just want to send pictures, that would be a great help too.
Stuff you might want to put in your post: his claim to fame, bio, challenges he faced, what you like about him, quotes, trivia, etc. The Wikipedia and imdb.com are good starting points, so are interviews, YouTube videos and fan clubs.
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^^4got the link
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-barry-kaufman/nature-vs-nurture_b_837915.html
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Thanks Cynic, I’ve gotten a lot of good links from you.
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Abagond,
How can I write a guest post?
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@King
No problem
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I would like to right a post titled “How to solve all social illnesses in Black America in just two generations”
Interested?
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That would be great.
Write at least 480 words and email it to me. If you send more than 500 words, I will edit it down to 500. Send any pictures you want to go with it too. If you send no pictures, I will find at least one to put at the top of the post. I will edit it into a post, send it back to you for any changes you want to make. Nothing gets posted until we are both happy with it.
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Interesting article here – not a bad idea, actually!
http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/04/12/granderson.ignorant.vote/index.html?hpt=C2#
Considering the political landscape of late, this is probably an idea that was needed 10 years ago…
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check this out! just found it by accident: punk rock in Detroit before the punk explosion 1977 and by black guys!
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So, the fraud in my neck of the woods gets a mere slap on the wrist now that she has ‘expressed remorse’ for her lies; also, she has a convenient mental-illness label for what she did, so now that will be the excuse du jour for anyone else who does something similar.
http://vancouver.katu.com/news/news/bethany-storro-pleads-guilty-lying-police/439672
Ah, the privilege and benefit of having an excuse for anything and everything you do, no matter how reprehensible! Ain’t life grand? ๐
Love the comments at the end, too…people still feel sorry for her, although I’m betting that if her skin color was a few shades darker, there would have been an entirely different reaction, response, and outcome to this story! ๐
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Another interesting local story…Mira, this one is pertinent to your part of the world:
http://beaverton.katu.com/news/crime/beaverton-woman-accused-violent-war-crimes-bosnia/439758
I’ve always kept up with news from around the globe, as much as possible, and I vividly recall this specific one. I’m glad they caught this woman; one less war criminal to worry about, but so many more to find and bring to justice…
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Politics…blugh…
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/14/trump-says-he-has-good-relationship-with-the-blacks/
I first saw an interview with ‘the Stump’ years ago, when I was 14…even then, I thought he was one of the biggest scumbags alive – a reprehensible cretin of the worst type.
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Interesting stuff…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13073905
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/14/limbaugh-obama-base-savag_n_849246.html?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk3%7C209892
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Is anybody going to watch the new Henry Louis Gates Jr special, “Black in Latin America”? It’s a four part series starting April 19th-May 3rd on each Tuesday.
It looks very interesting! I hope they don’t spend too much time discussing the dumb one-drop rule(that debate is soo played out) or show Latin America from a 100% US bias. I want a documentary that plunges itself into Afro-Latino culture(music, food, religion, etc.), has a TON of historical facts, and presents their current socio-economic status w/o making Black Latinos look pitiful. I can’t wait to watch!
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Oh he’s going to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Mexico, and Peru.
I’m not interested in seeing Mexico at all. I wish Gates would switch out our Southern border neighbor w/ Venezuela and possibly Peru w/ Colombia.
This new series has me wishing they would do one for the Caribbean also. For some reason African/Afro-descent history is really interesting to me. I especially love learning about ppl of African descent in the countries below the US.
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@ The Cynic:
Thanks for posting those links…that special looks interesting to me as well. I’ve always wanted to visit Brazil and a few other Latin American countries; for me, knowing the historical and cultural backgrounds of any place I’d like to visit is an important first step.
On a side note, I love watching the Daily Show and Stephen Colbert – here’s a great article about how politicians of late are flat-out lying about topics, but as long as they throw out the disclaimer: “It wasn’t meant to be a factual statement”, they then have carte blanche to repeat those lies, over and over again, and have others pick up that drum and beat it loudly and often.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/04/15/avlon.kyl.truth/index.html?hpt=T2
Final side note: has anyone heard of “paid posters”, AKA “PeePees”? These are people who get paid to troll various websites, blogs, newsfeeds, etc. and completely derail topics with half-truths and outright lies. Something to ponder, no? ๐
Have a great weekend, everyone – gotta bounce…
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@Lookingforanswers (Apr 12)-
“I would like to right a post titled โHow to solve all social illnesses in Black America in just two generationsโ
Interested?”
I can’t wait to read this!
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@sam (Apr 13)–
“check this out! just found it by accident: punk rock in Detroit before the punk explosion 1977 and by black guys!”
Just read a post about them today, here:
http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/04/a-history-of-death/237382/
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Hey thanks Cynic, I’m going to check that out. It looks really interesting!
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@abagond (Mar 27)–
“Has anyone read or have any opinions about this book (recommended to me by Amazon):
Tim Burrell, โBrainwashedโ (2010)”
I see that Hernieth has replied to you.
My opinion: I started reading this it & was enjoying it, but near the middle it began to become kind of redundant & simplistic. I’ll probably go back to it since I hate to leave a book unfinished. I look forward to Hernieth’s opinion.
If you had a Kindle, I could loan you my copy ๐
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@King & Sepultura13
This is such a coincidence. I was reading another forum with a completely different topic and just happened to come across this link:
http://www-tc.pbs.org/video/media/swf/PBSPlayer.swfWatch the full episode. See more Black in Latin America.
Hope this embed works. Just in case you guys want to cheat the April 19th TV premiere, it’s already on the PBS site. I must say I enjoyed watching it.
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@Sepultura13
I once had the idea that ignorant ppl shouldn’t be allowed to vote. I’t sounds nice, but I wonder if any complications would arise from this thought.
For instance, we would eventually come across this complicated question, “Do ignorant people have the right to have their concerns represented in Congress?” Let’s say you don’t care about anything else, but ONE issue that is very important to your life. You don’t need to know anything else about society & politics, but that issue alone. Is it fair to withhold your vote bc you are not cognizant of an array of general issues, many of which are not essential to your life?
Idk the answer to that, so I have difficulty answering whether ignorants should be allowed to vote.
I do, however, have another suggestion that may improve democracies around the world. I think voters should be allowed to vote for the salaries of their representatives. At the beginning of a term politicians are given a median salary. Depending on how well they do their jobs voters get to decide how high or low they get paid. Of course, we’ll make set a limit to how ‘high’ or ‘low’ that salary is. We don’t want ppl to get out of control in their monetary punishments/rewards. Though, the lowest amnt that voters can punish their politicians w/ should be low enough to make bad politicians want to quit office.
I think this idea will help reign in on corrupt and inefficient officials around the world. What do you guys think? Is this idea feasible?
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Cool! Thanks, Cynic!
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@temple: thanks. I’ve always been mystified how the industry has played this out, rock for whites and r&b for blacks etc. It is all sucha BS.
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I found a great article about a black family’s experience in adopting a white child. Hope you enjoy!
http://www.newsweek.com/2009/04/22/raising-katie.html
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Attention all Pot Heads! Reefer Madness to take over Canada!
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/974409–lawmakers-police-seek-guidance-after-pot-laws-quashed?bn=1
They have until July to make a move in the courts otherwise, marajuanha will be legal. It will certainly boost the tourist industry!
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Breaking News!
The True Finns havae taken over Finland.
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olufemi
*chic noir blushes*
merci
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Abagond Chic Noir:
You are right: I do like Denise Richards and it is mainly her eyes.
See I told you so ๐ I know your type.
Mira Denise Richards looks cheap and generic
Really ? In her younger days, she was a very very good-looking woman. I canโt say that I;ve come across many real women who have this sort of big pretty puppy dog look.
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Some commenters have made the argument that violence in the inner cities is due to a lack of police protection. This is true in a sense. Crime rates are affected by how much opportunity there is to engage in illegal conduct. More police on the streets reduces miscreants’ ability to carry out assaults on people and property. And if you increased the police presence enough, crime would cease.
However, crime levels also depend on motivation; illicit acts only occur when there are people willing to commit them. Middle class suburbs often have very little police protection, but most residents feel perfectly safe because they have no reason to fear their neighbors. A need for extensive police protection signals an underlying social sickness. The fact that there are so many violence-prone individuals in the urban areas is an issue that needs to be examined and addressed in a sober manner.
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I hate phony apologies…it would be better to not apologize at all, rather than make a half-assed attempt at showing feelings of remorse that really aren’t there:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/18/racist-obama-email-califo_n_850754.html?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%7C210221
Personally, if I’m doing something, I’d rather use my WHOLE ass! ๐
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Here’s a great article – one of many reasons I’m happy that I had a son and not a daughter! Not that I’d buy her any of the crap mentioned in this article…hell, no. Not by a long shot!
http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/04/19/granderson.children.dress/index.html?hpt=T2
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@FG: You joking? Crime is up in areas where crime is a way and means to survive, gain recongnition, and/or social mobility (relatively).
As for the “violent individuals”, you can not separate the american violent crime from american culture of violence. Just looka at the whole gun culture!
Finland is sometimes called “the most violent country in the western Europe” (actually we live up north) and why is this? Because we have our own culture of violence going back at least since 1800’s.
Race has nothing to do with this. Just like Dave Chapelle famously put it: “black people don’t like to live in a ghetto”.
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Easter approaching and all that crime talk, here’s a very interesting stance on the “bad eggs”…
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Thats an interesting video Olufemi. But how many people actually believe that to make a change in the world you have to be that change?
Judging from most of the discussions that take place here. Maybe not that many!
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I love The Onion…it amuses me. ๐
http://www.theonion.com/articles/afterbirthers-demand-to-see-obamas-placenta,6866/
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Sadly enough, Kwamla, you are most likely right. However, it amazes me how many people, at least silently, agree. Those who disagree don’t have any plausible counter-argument, not even if one would assume a purely emotional level behind any of those ideas.
“Visionary people face the same problems everyone else faces; but rather than get paralysed by their problems, visionaries immediately commit themselves to finding a solution.” Bill Hybels
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I LOVE YOUR BLOG. But I have a serious question. Do you think that the majority of black men and women will ever change, meaning stop acting like the stereotype of being “ghetto”? Stop cursing and being mean to others for no reason. Do you think that blacks will ever take school seriously and want to get ahead in life?
Note: By no means do I think that ALL black people act like this.
Also do you think that the music industry has a negative affect on the African American society? I think that seeing other blacks on t.v act wild and curse makes the younger black generation want to act like that too. Also do you think that when they hear people like Lil Wayne rap about guns and drugs makes them think it’s okay because they have money, cars and fast women?
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Ah, the ‘birther’ (non)issue…it’s like the Energizer bunny.
http://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/22/fareed-zakaria-on-the-donald-trump-fantasy/?hpt=Sbin
If my dad had ever said that if I were not his daughter he would date me, I would have thrown up.
http://www.hollywood.com/news/Trump_Id_Date_Ivanka/3483077
@ThatkidLola:
Here are some questions for you.
1. When will you start worrying about your own contributions to life, and not what you stereotypically ASSume others are/aren’t doing?
2. When will you honestly interact with people from all walks of life, and stop treating them like cardboard cutouts from television shows?
3. When will you deal with reality?
Ask genuine questions. Don’t regurgitate swill and expect to be taken seriously.
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Note: The quote about “If my dad…” in my post directly above had been stated by a person commenting in the article itself – I wasn’t able to do the block-quote, so I just wanted to clarify.
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Gee – you’d think this winner would plead guilty and show PRIDE in his work, don’t ya think?
http://www.katu.com/news/local/120666764.html
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@sepultra: I liked how his attorney described possible life sentence ๐
Guys like these seldom do because they are cowards basically. You saw this in Nรผrnberg trials after WW2. Only one nazi stood up and said, yes, I was into killing the jews etc. He also called other nazi leaders as cowards and traitors when they tried to explain themselves.
Of course, normal humanbeings may ask is everything ok with this fella??
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Streicher
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American Justice
http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110425/us_yblog_thelookout/rally-for-prosecuted-homeless-mom-who-sent-son-to-a-better-school-district
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@ King
Wow. That is a VERY interesting story. Selective punishments still reign supreme, in 21st century US of A!
Speaking of selective punishments, I’ve been fascinated by the local shootings of police officers; fascinating to me because two of the shootings resulted in fatalities, but the caucasian cop-killers are still alive. Another who shot a cop (the cop lived) went on the run and has been ‘at large’ since January. A suicidal caucasian man deliberately shot at officers in an attempt to commit ‘suicide by cop’; he’s still alive, but a young Black man who HAD been suicidal, but was negotiating with a counselor, was SHOT IN THE BACK FIVE TIMES, WHILE COMPLYING WITH THE ORDERS OF THE NEGOTIATOR. Legal murder – ain’t it grand?
When a Black person looks cross-eyed at a cop, a beating is the least of what could happen – when a white person SHOOTS a cop, they’re more likely than not to live and talk about it!
I’m going to find the links for these respective stories and post them later on…no time right now.
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One final thing:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13200859
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The odds are high that Abu-Jamal was framed.
I just stumbled upon this. It made me realise once again what could be fundamentally wrong in this world. Over 2 billion total views on youtube…
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has anyone heard that chris brown is engaged to his new girlfriend? that man has had quite a time…a few weeks ago he’s breaking windows and flipping out on good morning america now he’s proposing to his girlfriend that he just started dating??
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And…let the nuttiness begin!
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/top-20-crazy-tea-party-reactions-to-obamas-birth
I’m not surprised…the knee-jerk reactions of the certifiably insane have become way too predictable.
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…thank goodness for the hilarity of the Onion…
๐
http://www.theonion.com/articles/trump-unable-to-produce-certificate-proving-hes-no,20250/
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Fascinating, but not surprising:
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/04/28/donald_trump_discrimination_suit
I noticed that a fairly new commenter, who claims to be black, used the same term for black people that Herr Trump did – some silly nonsense about how “the blacks need to stop blaming white people” and “take care of their own business”, which is fascinating sentence structure IMHO…
Book recommendation:
The Butcher’s Theatre by Jonathan Kellerman. A great, well-written mystery novel, with a plot that is completely feasible.
I was nearly halfway through it when I figured out who the killer was! ๐
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Osama bin Laden is dead!
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^Does anybody know if they have released any pictures. I wonder how this news is going to effect our role in the Middle East…
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@ The Cynic:
American government officials are currently debating whether or not to show a picture of Osama’s body, so we shall see…
I knew that the naysayers would jump on that – the ghouls won’t be satisfied until they see a corpse. Never mind the fact that a high-caliber rifle does severe damage to the cranium! I suppose people will be satisfied when they see the remaining, bloody pieces of his head being cradled by the gloved hands of an American Navy SEAL.
On that note…
http://www.borowitzreport.com/2011/05/02/2012-election-cancelled/
LMAO ๐
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http://www.borowitzreport.com/2011/04/24/trump-dogged-by-rumors-his-hair-is-not-from-us/
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…and finally:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/40-incredibly-dumb-facebook-reactions-to-osama-bin
Enjoy the comments…
Forgive my profanity below, but I need to vent my spleen for a moment:
Personally, the comments in the link above made me slightly ill…I don’t give a flying FUCK what one’s political leanings are, but I’m really tired of the outright hatred shown towards Obama, and let’s fucking admit it – the hate it solely based on racism.
Like it or not, Obama is the gawddamned President of the USA. I didn’t like G.W. Bush, but didn’t feel the need to engage in juvenile name-calling and sickening, hate-filled diatribes. We all know why others do this to the current president, so let’s stop beating about the bush and be fucking honest: PEOPLE HATE PRESIDENT OBAMA BECAUSE HE’S NOT LILY-WHITE!!!!
I’m not for eugenics, but I am for the euthanization of mad dogs and/or people! Osama bin Laden was one, and his execution was necessary. There are many others who hide behind computer monitors and shitty screen names, spewing their filth in the most cowardly ways possible. If I could reach through my monitor and destroy that ilk, I would cull them immediately…too bad I can only do things like that in the books I’m writing.
I’m done for now…
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http://www.thenation.com/blog/160353/cheney-tries-rewrite-history-rather-admit-he-was-wrong-about-obamas-approach-war-terror
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/03/osama_reactions_guide
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Thanks for the links.
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Here’s a great op-ed piece from my home city’s paper. The commentary following it is…to be expected.
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/connelly/article/Obama-s-past-week-From-birth-certificate-to-1364138.php
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-A short history on US debt, as well as a discussion on raising the debt ceiling.
http://www.wbur.org/npr/135898608/whither-the-debt-ceiling
-CEO’s are now enjoying more pay than they did b4 the recession.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/06/ceo-pay-high-pre-recession_n_858430.html
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I personally think Osama died long ago and that raid in Pakistan was an eyewash.
Keeping in line with the theme of this blog, did you guys know that Libyan rebels are specifically targetting and killing blacks based on the western media propaganda that Gaddafi has brought black mercenaries to fight the rebels?
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@angelsanddimensions: Well, he has. The reason being that Gaddafi pays more to those guys than they can ever make on their home countries so a lot of black guys go there and many are surprised that there is actual war going on.
The thing that western media does not report is the old one again; many rebels are openly muslim extremists. Once Gaddafi is out, then the west will get it, they think and some have even said so openly. Remember Afganistan in the old soviet occupation days??
Same thing happening in Syria. In one of the smuggled videos thousands are shouting Allah u akbar, allah u akbar! and the western commentators say: ” …the crowd demanding democracy blablablaa”. Looked like they were not demanding western style democracy at al but something else.
Not that I support those dictators but just to comment on how the western media plays these things out.
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it’s likely that Gaddafi brought in outside militia groups. but still we don’t have any proof of that except mainstream media reports (without any supporting videos or pictures). the fact is: Libya being one of the richest countries in Africa is a popular immigration destination in Africa and people from all over Africa go there to work. it’s those guys that are in the biggest trouble.
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/117665/20110301/libya-africans.htm
http://somalilandpress.com/libya-rebels-execute-black-immigrants-while-forces-kidnap-others-20586
no mainstream media has covered this issue yet.
the US and NATO countries know pretty well about the extremist element in Libya. Ex-Guantanamo detainees including al-Qaeda members are fighting against the current Libyan regime in Libya. They’re just deliberately leaving that bit out in order to gain public support for the invasion.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/libya/8407047/Libyan-rebel-commander-admits-his-fighters-have-al-Qaeda-links.html
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darn the moderation.. how many links can you post in each post without getting caught in spa