Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Bsi 1,806.57 +44 +2.44%

A historic year for the market closes with the Index on the upswing.

It wasn't a bad year for black folk.  Particularly this guy.

Editor's Note:  The market will be closed until Jan. 5, 2009 in observation of the Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Years holidays.

Yeah, yeah... we know what we said about Kwanzaa.  It's a made up holiday, but it's one we'll be taking off.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Bsi 1,762.57 +10.93 +.62%

The Index feels charitable.  The result: modest gains.

BUY

Killer of Sheep

This Charles Burnett classic can make for a excellent last minute gift for any cinephile.

SELL

Zwarte Peit (aka Black Peter)

Some analysts here thought about adding Kwanzaa to the "Sell" list, because, well... who really celebrates Kwanzaa.  However upon further review this Dutch tradition that deserves the proverbial "gasface" much, much more.

Say what you will about race relations in America, at least you'd never see THIS in 2008.

Seriously... wtf?

Monday, December 22, 2008

Bsi 1,751.64 -8.71 -.49%

The Index takes a bit of a step back as the weather affecting most of the country stalled the market as well as travel plans.

Friday, December 19, 2008

Bsi 1,760.35 +22.83 +1.3%

A bold decision from President-Elect Barack Obama leads to the market's largest one-day percentage gain of the month.

The Left not wanting him to sit down with Warren is really no different than the Right not wanting him to talk with Iran.

Obama has and will continue to take heat for picking Pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at January's inauguration.  While it may peeve his base in the short-term, analysts here see it as a wise move if he's to become the kind of uniting figure he promised he'd be.

WINNERS

Lena Horne 10.5 +1.4 +13.33

Not dead, people.  Not dead.

What did she ever do to you EW?

Analysts here love blogger Undercoverblackman's "Misidentified black person" bit.  This, though, takes the cake.

LOSERS

Mozilla Blackbird  .32 -.53 -62.35%

Although still only released in beta, the idea that there needs to be a search engine that caters specifically to the African-American community seems unnecessary and laughable to the point of sounding like something out of a 'Saturday Night Live' sketch (but, you know... funny).

Stop me before I unleash a whole slew of bad search engine query result jokes.

Isn't there already a name for destinations specifically designed for African-Americans?

Harlem.  South Side Chicago.  East St. Louis.  South Los Angeles.  Blackbird???

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Bsi 1,737.52 +16.53 +.95%

The market and Jesse Jackson Jr. bounce back after a tough week behind the news that the Illinois representative wasn't illegally tied to disgraced Gov. Blagojevich.  Rather, Jackson had been informing Federal agents on Blagojevich and others for years.

This information should clear Jackson's name and is good news to all but a few.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Bsi 1,720.99 +11.23 +.65%

The Index ends the day up for the first time all week on news that Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Films has signed an exclusive deal with HBO, not so much for the potential of bringing quality African-American themed fair to cable televisions premiere outlet, but rather on the idea that there now exists an outlet for the world to finally hear Winfrey say the word "fuck".

She's from Mississippi... you know she cusses.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Bsi 1,709.76 -7.45 -.43%

The Index dips slightly as the Republican's guilt by association gambit, trying to link President-Elect Obama to disgraced Governor Blagojevich, seems to be gaining traction.  

BUY

Quasimoto's "Good Morning Sunshine" Music Video

From 2000.  Analysts here would take its simple beauty over a Hype Williams directed joint any day.

SELL

College Football

Two weeks ago we advised people to sell because of the lack of black head coaches in the sport's highest level.  Now we're back, advising anyone holding on to get rid of this investment after word started to leak that there's reason to believe Buffalo coach Turner Gill wasn't seriously considered for the head coaching vacancy at Auburn because his wife is white.

Something to chew on for all those who think that in the Obama era the only color people see is green.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Bsi 1,717.21 -9.58 -.55%

There's hope that 2009 and a new Obama administration will help turn around dire jobs forecasts.  However, today finds more dismal news as the Arena Football League voted to suspend its season.

Don't laugh... the "fifty yard indoor war" employs a lot of brothers.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Bsi 1,726.79 +5.48 +.32

With the Index losing over 100 points since Thanksgiving any gains, even modest ones like today, are welcomed.

WINNERS

CC Sabathia (CCS) 23.35 +16.1 +306.85%

Sabathia may have been denied consecutive Cy Young awards, but he has 161 million reasons to be excited as he moves east to anchor the Yankees pitching staff.

 

Well, someone doesn't have to worry about the financial crisis.

LOSERS

Barack Obama (BHO) 250.33 -9.32 -3.59%

The first down week in a while for the President-Elect was brought about by the scandal in Illinois and the worsening financial crisis.

Analysts here are confident there are moves Obama can make before inaguration to reverse this slide.

Starting with getting this guy to stop e-mailing me all the damn time.  Enough David.  Enough.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Bsi 1,721.31 -18.24 -1.05%

Whether Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. had any role in the Illinois Senate scandal or not (and we're hoping he didn't), there's no doubt that the news coming out has stained his thus-far pristine image.

Analysts here have a pretty good idea where Gov. Blagovich may have come up with his pay-for-play concept.

Shiiiiiiiit

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Bsi 1,739.56 -11 -.63%

Analysts here are all for black male vulnerability... but maybe not as much on the basketball court.

Especially if your nickname is "Big Baby".

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Bsi 1,750.56 +8.97 +.51%

A slight tick upward as we get closer and closer to turning the page on another year and an era.

BUY

The Intuitionist

Colson Whitehead's first novel still reads as fresh as it did when it first came out a decade ago.

SELL

Allen Iverson

The trade to Detroit is highlighting the fact that the most culturally significant baller since Michael Jordan may be past the point of being a difference maker.

More questions than Answers now... sadly.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Bsi 1,741.59 -33 -1.86

While a second Simpson-related miscarriage of justice causes the Index to fall, analysts here are hopeful that this will be that last time the Juice will have any influence, positive or negative, on the markets.

To paraphrase Karl Marx: History repeats itself. The first time as tragedy. The second time, farce.

Friday, December 5, 2008

Bsi 1,774.59 +11.74 +.66%

The market takes a turn for the positive after a week of minor losses.

WINNERS

Lil Wayne (LILW) 16.28 +2.59 +15.91%

It's been a banner year for one of hip-hop's hardest workers.  First "Tha Carter III" goes platinum in a week and now he's picked up eight Grammy nominations.

 

Looks like he's gonna get another use outta that tuxedo.

We wonder how he'll celebrate when he wins...

Just stirring the pot... all in good fun, folks.

LOSERS

Clarence Thomas (JCT) .35 -.42 -54.55%

Analysts here didn't think this Supreme Court justice could get more bankrupt, but now comes word that Thomas is asking his fellow justices to consider a case that challenges Barack Obama's citizenship.

Leave it to this notoriously silent bootlicker to pick this moment to speak his conscience.  There are no words.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Bsi 1,762.85 -7.8 -.44%

The market responds to the loss of folk legend Odetta.

1930-2008

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Bsi 1,770.65 -6.54 .37%

A slow day causes slight losses, led by McDonald's, as a result of their latest ad campaign.

McNugget's Love

Analysts here can't figure out who this indicts more: Mickey D's or the million and one Chico DeBarge videos that are EXACTLY like this commercial.

Sadly, as creative a people as African-Americans are, the one place where there's been little movement in the past decade and a half has been music videos.  

Of COURSE the Roots nailed it... and ten years ago to boot.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Bsi -1,777.19 -50 -2.74%

World AIDS Day brings to light the fact that African-Americans make up nearly half of all new AIDS cases in the United States.

BUY

Free Darko Presents... The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac

It's worth a look-see.  Even if you're not a sports fan.

Basketball and literature get the Reese's peanut butter and chocolate treatment... and the results couldn't taste better.

SELL

College Football

Forget the BCS mess.  How can you get behind an institution that features a largely black, unpaid labor force and now, with the resignation of Sylvester Crooms at Mississippi St., only three African-American head coaches (of 119 top division schools)?

And then there was one. Randy Shannon: The only black head coach of a major conference college program.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Bsi 1,827.19 -17 -.92%

December starts in the red as New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress shoots himself in the foot -- literally.

For the last time negroes: bringing a gun to a club isn't an exhibition of "survival instinct".  Avoiding any place where you wouldn't feel safe without a loaded weapon is.  

Friday, November 28, 2008

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Bsi 1,844.79 +16.32 +.88%

The Index enters the holiday weekend higher on news that John Forte gets a second chance via presidential pardon.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Bsi 1,828.47 +42.13 +2.3%

The market recoups most of yesterday's losses on news that President-Elect Obama is getting to work early in order to slow down the financial crisis.

"Better him than me... knowwamean?"

BUY

Wattstax

A pitch perfect music documentary capturing a time, not long after the Civil Rights Movement, when Dr. King's dream seemed to be getting further away, rather than closer.

SELL

"I Am... Sasha Fierce"

No one here has heard the album, so we have no idea if it's any good.  Although analysts here will admit to feeling as though Beyonce's songs of late always sound like she's mad at someone. 

Alright girl, damn.

However, it's never a good sign when you feel that you're on the part of your career trajectory when you feel it's necessary to re-invent yourself through a fictional alter-ego.

Never a good idea... but often hilarious.

Next thing you know you're changing your name to an unpronouncible symbol.

Sigh...

Monday, November 24, 2008

Bsi 1,786.34 -50.00 -2.72%

Analysts here anticipated a selloff of The Current Play of Black Quarterbacks back in September.  Now the market as a whole catches up to the crisis after Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb got benched Sunday.

No soup for you, Philly.

McNabb -- benched.  Tavaris Jackson -- benched.  Vince Young -- benched.  Mike Vick -- jail.  What looked like a promising future for African-Americans at the position is going south fast.

Help us Jason Campbell.  You're our only hope.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Bsi 1,836.34 -16.24 -.88%

The Index feels the sting of serious losses in other markets.

WINNERS

Barack Obama  (BHO) 243.88 +11.61 +4.76%

Contrary to right-wing propaganda it looks as though the terrorists actually supported John McCain.  This, brought into the light as Obama is called a "house negro" by Al Qaeda.

There's an Arabic translation for "house negro"?  You learn something new every day.

LOSERS

Katt Williams  (KWPMP) 10.95 -3.28 -23.05%

News of a recent arrest and missed appearance on NBC's Conan O'Brian leading up to his leaving the road for exhaustion are the latest setbacks in a career poised for the superstardom his talent deserves.

Analysts here hope things get sorted out before Williams finds himself with on the margins with other promising, but now Missing in Action negroes.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Bsi 1,852.58 +37.92 +2.05%

Considering the historically, let's just say "complicated", relationship blacks have had with the police, the fact that the nation may have it's first African-American top cop in Eric Holder merits almost as much attention as the election of the first black president.

We've come a long way baby.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Bsi 1,814.66 -27.51 -1.49%

News that The Roots will be leaving the road to become Jimmy Fallon's house band on NBC's new late night show sends the market down for the day.

Through their craftsmanship, political literacy, and ability to push the boundaries of their sound The Roots have represented the best of hip-hop.  They've certainly earned the payday, but live hip-hop will be all the worse for it.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Bsi 1,842.17 -6.53 -.35%

The market stays relatively calm as analysts await news of President-Elect Obama's cabinet choices.

BUY

Detroit Pistons

Does Allen Iverson makes sense in Detroit? 

Is the Pope Catholic?

SELL

Detroit Lions

First it was Kwame Kilpatrick, now the prospect of the automotive industry going belly up.  But does it get any worse than the Lions?

It's so cold in the 'D'.  So cold and so bad.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Bsi 1,848.7 +14.56 +.79%

The market responds to Wanda Sykes taking a stand for gay marriage.

Sykes, "I'm proud to be gay.  I love you all and let's go get our damn equal rights."

Coming out is obviously a personal decision, but the more prominent African-Americans who do it, the closer the black community will come to having a discussion about our homophobia and, hopefully, move beyond it.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Bsi 1,834.14 +8.79 +.48%

With the election behind us the Index expects to stabilize after months of volatility.

WINNERS

Black Hollywood (BHWD) 8.91 +1.65 +18.52%

A lot has been made this week of the "Bradley Effect" and whether it extends to the box office.  Whether or not that's the case has yet to be determined and still every movie with more than two black people in it is treated as a referedum on wheather or not to make any more of them.  However, the Internet is changing the face of distribution and access -- and it won't be long before it changes the expectations of what appears on the big screen.

Can you imagine a network giving this the green light?  Neither could I.

Analysts here figure it won't be long before a wide array of black written and produced material is readily available outside of the bootleg DVD market.

LOSERS

The Creative Integrity of The Smiths  (CIFP) 1.23 -.78 -38.81%

No, not Marr and Morrisey, but Will, Jada and their son Jayden.  The three parties who, in part, will be responsible for the ruining of yet another classic, this time "The Karate Kid".

Why Jayden-san, why?

We're sure they'll make a mint from the movie and probably, in time, the movie going audience will be the real losers.

Just don't fuck with Ferris Beuller, okay?

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Bsi 1,825.35 +12.0 .66%

While followers of this Index could look at the fact that John McCain beat President-Elect Barack Obama by a sound 12 points for the white vote in last week's election, analysts here choose the see the class half full, and note how it's the increasing strength of the black and Hispanic vote that put him into office.

Of course, as this Slate.com piece points out, no Democratic candidate since Lyndon Johnson has won the majority of the white vote -- something some see as a sort of punishment levied on the party for LBJ's support of the Civil Rights Legislation of the mid-1960's.

What?  You didn't think we'd vote for the black guy, did you?

And while talk show hosts on the right like to cite Obama's win as proof of the end of racism, here we look at it more as a sign of racism's weakening grip on the country -- as evidenced by the way younger people view and address issues of race.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Bsi 1,813.35 -15.73 -.86%

The Index takes a dive as speculators fear rumors surrounding a possible Wonder Woman movie.

You're kidding... right?

While there are those who believe a superhero movie starring a black woman, of all things, would be cause for the market to celebrate, the anxiety here is a direct result of who they have in mind.  Analysts here can't think of a worse candidate. 

We stand corrected.

Uh-uh... don't even play.  Cause somebody might think that's a good idea.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Bsi 1,829.08 +19.42 +1.06%

Analysts are still bullish a week after the nation's historic election.

BUY

Basehead

A smart, innovative and funny forgotten band from the early 1990s that seamlessly blended hip-hop, soul and rock into it's own brand of unmistakable music. 

A black band that actually got college radio air-play -- can you believe it?

SELL

The Huxtable-Obama Cause and Effect Thesis

Just about everyone is trying to take claim for last week's historical achievement in politics.  Including Bill Cosby.

Hey, where Sandra at?

While the show certainly was ground-breaking, the fact that the show was an instant mega-hit throws water on the theory that America is just now ready to accept the idea of professional African-American images.

And while whites have long accepted blacks as entertainers, they're just now accepting them as politicians.

While people may have been watching Cosby, Michael Jackson and Magic Johnson in '84, they sure weren't voting for Jesse.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Bsi 1,809.66 -24.58 -1.34%

As South Africa was with us in celebrating Barack Obama's victory, this Index feels that nation's loss and ends the day down.

"Mama Africa" Miriam Makeba

Friday, November 7, 2008

Bsi 1,834.24 +65.13 +3.55%

The Index has 65,132,315 reasons to end the week in the black.

WINNERS

Barack Obama (BHO) 229.8 +144.0 +168%

Obviously.

Oprah Winfrey (HARPO) 156.8 +19.24 +12.27%

Ladies and gentlemen... she just put a man in the White House.  That's power.

Kiss the ring, bitches... kiss the ring.

Almost makes up for "Beloved"...

Well, almost.

LOSERS

Negative Images  (NEGIM) 2.09 -7.26 -77.65%

The election of Barack Obama will not end racism, but for the next four years a more positive, well-rounded image of blacks will be presented to the world.

Because this...

this... 

...and even this...

...can't compete with THIS...

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Bsi 1,769.11 -80.00 -4.33%

The passage of California Proposition 8, which amends the state constitution to prohibit gays from marrying, tempers Wednesday's euphoria.  Particularly in light of the support black voters gave the measure (seven in ten supported it -- far greater than any ethnic group).

Analysts here played down the idea that high black voter turnout would spell defeat for gay marriage.  Sadly, we were wrong. 

Lest we forget, "injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Bsi 1,849.11 +215.69 +11.66%

There are no words.

How'd he get here?

Yes, we did!