"A book cover is a promise that the book itself either keeps...or breaks."

Lowell T.
The covers on the right are my ideas for books yet to be written.

Need I say more? I was going to put a big photo of Sarah, Rush, Glenn, etc. on the cover, but I didn't want to get sued. Beside, it would be redundant, wouldn't it?

As Malcolm once said about "Negroes", "white" Americans have been "took, had and bamboozled" - by other "whites". The latest economic meltdown is just the most recent evidence. But there's a long and sad history, starting with the terms "white" and "Caucasian".

It's about time...isn't it?

What happens when the secessionists finally succeed? You'd be surprised. Or would you?

I just thought of this this morning, January 22, 2010 - the morning after the latest bonehead, anti-American Supreme Court decision.

I was waiting for someone to write this book. But nobody did, so here I am once again to the rescue.

In the tradition of James Weldon Johnson's "Autobiography of an Ex Colored Man" and William Styron's "Confessions of Nat Turner" I thought I'd begin this series of books. Should it be fiction or non-fiction? You decide. Email me at lowellt@hotmail.com with your vote.OK? I'll be waiting here by my modem.

Most sentient beings seem to agree that the consequences of too much capitalism has pretty much put our species on the fast track to extinction. Right? But few are talking seriously about the devastation of our mental atmosphere, especially here in the capitalist capital of the world. Well, let the games begin, here.

Nobody asked me but here's my gratuitous comments on the state of the American Experiment. From George Washington to Booker T.. From Abe to Zsa Zsa, you'll get a second opinion on the gaudy spectacle they call the US of A from a member of its original "captive audience".

Now it can be told - the so-called experts, pundits, scholars, academic wunderkinds, etc., are clueless about so much that what they do actually know "fer sure" doesn't really compare. This is an exposé of the knowledge priesthood - and not a second too soon. I just read a piece by David Brooks on the NYTimes site that is exhibit A in the case against the punditocracy. No, I take that back. Alan Greenspan's "beats the hell our of me" response to Congressional questioning about how his Ayn Rand philosophy proved so wrong in our latest economy crash is Exhibit A. As Malcolm said, in essence, "We been took, we been had and bamboozled" by false profits (misspelling intended).

Out of a Job...And Lovin' it.

Out of a Job...And Lovin' it.
Isn't it about time our politicians told us the truth about the economy...and then design a way to deal with it in our post-industrial nation?

Making a Good Living.

Making a Good Living.
There's seldom been a better time to re-think your priorities. This is not your momma and daddy's job market. Maybe you should think about whether you really want to live their lives. I know it's kinda philosophical, but I'm in one of those moods.

Governed by Greed

Governed by Greed
Taking a hint from Deep Throat in "All the Presidents' Men" (at least in the movie version), I found that almost everything in American life can be understood if you "follow the money". In this book I plan to do just that, starting with our nation's first "killer app", slavery.

THE SKINNERZ

THE SKINNERZ
This is my first attempt at fiction on this site. In fact, it's not really fiction. It's a new category I just made up called Finction or Fuinction. (Don't ask me how to pronounce it). Or you can call it Functional Fiction, which I define as fiction designed to serve a purpose in the real world. I know, I know, real writers aren't supposed to care about that. But since I'm a writer without portfolio, I can do whatever I damn want. Right? Want to find out more, email me at lowelltho@gmail.com, OK?

America, AB

America, AB
How will the election of the nation's first "Black" President change US? Let the speculation begin.

Paying the Skin Tax

Paying the Skin Tax
Stuff happened since I posted this Cover a few weeks ago, 1. I found out somebody had already used "SkinTax" as a title for a poetry book a few years ago. 2. Henry Louis Gates became the poster boy (man?) for paying his Skin Tax and exhibit AA for the phrase. So I changed my title to "Paying the Skin Tax" and wrote a comment on Gates Gate on HuffPost. (Click on the cover if you want to read it).

DuhMocracy in America

DuhMocracy in America
We Americans love to lambast our politicians as we cynically watch them being bought and sold by our Monetary Masters. But what if we suddenly had to actually run the country ourselves? What if the much-touted "People" were really in charge? I'm talking about your idiot cousin and your barely sentient uncle J? Scary isn't it? I like to think of this book as the new millennial sequel to Tocqueville's 19th century tome, "Democracy in America". But, what do you think? Email me at lowelltho@gmail.com. BTW: I just my first vote from Dennis L.. He gives ""Duhmocracy..." Title 9; design 5" (which he upgraded to 6 after he realized my scratchy style was on purpose).

I came up with this when atheists like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens launched their attack on all things religious a few years ago. At first, not being faithful to any particular religion myself, I thought it was good to finally hear from the non-believing peanut gallery. 

But then I read reviews and parts of each book and felt a little conflicted.

On one hand, I liked their pluck and their willingness to express what many people think but would never think of saying.  They all were pretty articulate and even entertaining in their own ways. But they each expressed their faith in no-faith with a snarky certainty that rubbed me the wrong way. I thought, "There's got to be a better answer to this age-old conflict than this". "Faith in Good" is my answer. If you'd like to find out more, email me at lowelltho@gmail.com.

In 1957, a business journalist named Vance Packard wrote a book that woke Americans up to the dark magic of the ad industry, The Hidden Persuaders. Weapons of Mass Manipulation is its new millennial successor, not written by a journalist, but by moi, a man who spent his adult life creating ads. I guess you could call me a recovering adman, putting my communications skills to better use.

How much should we know about the self-appointed guardians of our freedom? More than we do. My idea is based on the old journalist's motto, "If your mother tells you she loves you, check it out".

Monday, January 15, 2007

10 comments:

Chicago Web Management said...

I like what you're doing, but you've got wAYYYYY too many images on the first page of your blog. Its taking over 2 minutes to load them all!

Might wanna bust them into smaller groups.

Other than that, keep it rockin'!

Lowell said...

Hey, CWM,
Thanks for checking me out.

I know the blog needs lots of stuff, but since I'm not a webhead, I'm happy I at least can give a hint of what it can be.

I'm figuring I'll get bought out by Google or Microsoft or Amazon or somebody and they can do the expensive plumbing...if you know what I mean.

But, once again, thanks...and be sure to tell your friends.
Lowell

BTW: Check me out on Huffpost. Just search my name and you'll see my posts, the latest being about H.L. Gates and paying the Skin Tax.

Unknown said...

Lowell, I have comments. I always have comments to what you have posted. You're great at triggering THOUGHTS in a person. And, my comment(ary) is:

There's plenty of stuff WHITE people don't like. Every Race doesn't like everything, even tho we all have the same DNA and basically bleed blood. U gotta love that TITLE tho...as good branding does sell a product, but in this day and age, it's not so much WHAT any specific Race - rich Whites or wealthy Blacks (or any other Ethnic Group) likes - it's what they CAN or CANNOT afford because of an ailing economy. Don't forget - as my Book:

SKiN: How 10 Beloved Plush Toys Redefine Race (C)2009

says: If we were all blind and no one could detect RACE, we'd probably HATE each other due to smell or sounds or can I add (EVEN) Age.

Think about that one, Good Buddy and thanks for MAKING A DIFFERENCE, LOWELL.

Posted by:
ASK: Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith
Author & Eventologist
Chicago, IL USA

9-13-9 - 2:03 PM CST

Lowell said...

Adrienne,
Thanks...again. You're one of the few people of any "hue" who takes the time to comment on my site. I really appreciate it.

I agree the book title is good. BTW: Did you know it started as a blog? In fact, it still is.

You wrote: "If we were all blind and no one could detect RACE, we'd probably HATE each other due to smell or sounds or can I add (EVEN) Age."

You might be right, but I doubt it. It's time for folks to realize how much our hatred and fear of each other is based on how our "Founding Fathers" convinced "whites" to go along with their money/power hungry needs for free labor - aka slavery. Much of what we think of as being just human nature comes from this original American Greed propaganda.

As for colorblindness being a positive thing, remember this line I wrote long ago:'"Why pray for a colorblind world when rainbows are so beautiful?"

And yes, you can quote me on that.

STUDIO MAINOR said...

Good blog Lowell. Keep us posted.

PM

Lowell said...

Thanks Paul.

But I'm just getting started. I just figured out how to use Google Analytics on my site and am now seeing that I've gotten hits from 10 countries (in the last week).

But I'm still working out the kinks. As soon as I figure out how to actually sell the covers, I'll start posting the details.

Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith said...

Lowell, Lowell, Lowell, will you ever learn?

There's a Difference between BEING HUNGRY for food and for fashion and fame. That's exactly what the Magazine is trying to do. Glorify FAT. Listen, I've been there. I was chubby when I was little becuz I was very fortunate and had a stay-at-home MOM who made meals -- real meals with real food -- all by scratch and not only did I eat what was in my PLATE, but a few helpings.

OK, granted the GAL is sticking up for our Fatter American Babes who have some 'sexy' flesh on their bones, but for the most part, the cover model is air-brushed and any BMI: Body Mass Index amount over 20 lbs. is just plain BAD - as in unhealthy for your bones; heart and what is known as longevity.

I rather have the Premise of that magazine be a helpful guide to OVER-coming your hunger for eating too much -- than a glorification of Flubber and Flab.

Another Pertinent Point (taking into account the APP Factor) that needs to be made at this crucial time since HUNGER got your attention, therefore it's of national concern now is that I actually watched 80% of NBC's Biggest Loser last nite on prime time and those 'young adults' have major problems. Their coaches even made mention of how these young adults - the 'contestants' if you want to call them by that label - were using FOOD to stuff their emotions. Granted, by being worked to the bone, some lost as much as 19 lbs. in a week, there's deep underlying problems to any addiction - whether it is food, drugs, liquor, sex, shopping, etc.
The most current statistics in America (as well as other industrialized countries) state that Morbid Obesity has never seen higher levels.

It's far better to BE AT THE GYM exercising and NOT exorcising your body every day...than to be behind a PC publishing and creating a Magazine that condones this kind of behavior.

Did the Editor of his mag ever think to put a 'HUNGRY' Black Kid starving in an African nation who is surrounded by Flies and Diseases on the Cover with the Nomenclature 'Hungry' atop his/her head? Now, this is may really help a 'bad situation.' And, wouldn't that be a much better depiction of what we should be doing for EACH other instead of condoning Addictions and glorifying them? Getting in touch with SPIRIT is what it is all about...

OK, so you're rating a Cover - but it's far deeper a problem than most men realize...and the capitalists of Western Worlds know.

Enough said. Your turn.

Posted by:
ASK: Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith
Author: SKiN: How 10 Beloved Plush Toys Redefine Race ©2009
Posted 9-16-9 - 4:28 PM CST

Unknown said...

Lowell,

Another rainy Friday in the Windy City - time to pull up a good book with a snazzy COVER...via:

LOWELL THOMPSON himself...

Spotlighting the trendiest covers anywhere on the Planet...a planet that rocks...no less.

Who sez WE need saving? I say we need SAVINGS - as in: $aving$ - that's more like it. As for the Boy who harnessed the wind, that's a title that's been used many of times during the past. Evidently, the Kid lived in Chicago -- and it was on a wet and rainy day that he decided to harness the wind - and hopefully SHIFT it south away from the lake effect/defect that we have here.

Once, again the Book Covers that are on the open market place at such establishments as B&N & Borders, SUCK as in SUCKING THE BIG ones compared to the witty and colorful covers you have created on the WRITE of the page.

I know: I write and have a good creative eye for talent.

Entertaining as always, Doctor T.

Posted by:
ASK: Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith
Author: SKiN: How 10 Beloved Plush Toys Redefine Race (C)2009

askoopersmith(at)hotmail(dot)com

Oct. 9, 2009 - 11:27 AM CST

Anonymous said...

Precious would be happy to have made your illustrious blog/website here, LOWELL. Now, I'm just wondering how she is going to deal with all the money, stardom and attention she is getting. Will she (as an individual) get fatter and fall into her Food Addiction moreso -- or will she blossom from those butterfly wings to a curvy, curvaceous Super-Star, who somehow doesn't get caught up in the Ways and Sways of Hollywood. Only time will tell. In the meantime, let's figure out a way to cut all these random acts of killing - on military and architectural firm bases - then you'll have plenty of COVERS to evaluate.

After all, PRECIOUS AND FEW are the moments we share...thank you Rock Bands for lyrics that always HIT on target.

Always with an Opinion, I remain a
FOL: Fan of Lowell's,

ASK: Adrienne Sioux Koopersmith
Author: SKiN: How 10 Beloved Plush Toys Redefine Race (C)2009

Posted: 11-6-9 - 3:26 PM CST

Lowell said...

"the Ways and Sways of Hollywood"

Dear Anon,
I like it. I like it a lot.

Of course, only time will tell about the young star. But I always appreciate your insightful comments.