Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Bsi 2,031.00 +12.39 +.61%

The Index gains behind the American celebration of a centuries old tradition of culture.

Is there any better day for Thin Lizzy... okay, every day's a good day for Thin Lizzy.

Here's hoping that there'll come a day when African-American cultural celebrations and universally celebrated with such vigor... and, well, vomit.  We figure all Juneteenth needs is a drink to associate it with.

Hmmm...

BUY

Death

Before Bad Brains, before the Gories, before Living Colour -- there was Death.

A recent New York Times article and the release of their 1975 demo is finally bringing their story and music to light.

SELL

Ish

Analysts here are against censorship of all kinds -- particularly self-censorship.  Just say/write "shit" people -- you're not fooling anyone.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Bsi 2,018.61 +11.29 +.56%

Followers of this Index know that analysts here have been tough on the NAACP.  Which is why it's a pleasant surprise to see them using their media clout to spotlight bank lending practices that steered black borrowers toward higher risk loans, even if they qualified for better ones.

The facts will bear out whether or not this is a case of institutional racism or just business opportunism -- still, it's good to see the problem coming to light.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Bsi 2,007.32 +8.27 +.41%

The Index sees gains Michael Steele's rather bold attempt to wrest control over his party and dismiss the idea that he's only a figurehead.

In an interview with GQ Steele asserted his belief that women have the right to choose abortion.  The stance, which deviates from the rabid, Limbaugh-listening base's ideology he's been counterposed against, may be calculated to show that he's no one's toadie -- regardless, it's effective.

WINNERS

Michelle Obama  (MRO) 31.94 +4.29 +13.43%

The First Lady seems to be the latest "It Girl".

LOSERS

Prince (PRN) 29.33 -6.92 -19.1%

Prince sees U2's five nights on Letterman, and raises by going on the the higher rated Tonight Show for a week.  

While we never miss out on an opportunity to check out His Royal Badness, analysts here feel that something's lost when The Artists stopped being as reclusive.  Of course, that may have more to do with the fact that his music hasn't been very good over the past fifteen years.

Let's just say this wasn't his finest hour.

While we'd never tell someone to stop doing what they do, it's clear Prince's influence from here on out will be greater than any new music he makes.  For better...

Van Hunt

And for, well... weirder.

Francis and the Lights

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Bsi 1,999.05 -3.41 -.17%

First D.L. and now D.A.G.  After the cancelation of "Chocolate News" it's safe to say it's the worst of times for black fake news show hosts.

Analysts here believe the problem lied not in the concepts, but rather the execution.  Maybe Hughley and Grier weren't quite ready to take up where Chappelle left off.  We just hope that this doesn't signal the moving of black themed shows back to television ghettos.

Maybe it would have succeeded at 4:40 in the morning.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Bsi 2,002.46 -9.62 -.48%

A recent study shows that African-Americans are far more optimistic about the state of the economy than the rest of the population.  Hmmm, you don't say...

Still making this song and this video, huh... maybe "optimistic" isn't the right word.  Perhaps "unrealistic" is the shoe that fits.

THIS DAY IN THE BLACK MARKET

March 11, 1959

Bsi 47.92 +7.68 +16.03%

Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun", Broadway's first play written by a black woman (and its first play directed by a black director), debuts.

It would be Hansberry's best known work and the feature film would be released two years later.

Hat tip to Undercover Blackman for keeping me from forgetting this anniversary.

CORRECTION

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

President Bush didn't ban embryonic stem cell research, rather he restricted federal funding for such research.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Bsi 2,012.08 +24.67 +1.23%

The Index reacts to Oprah Winfrey's stand against domestic violence.

If Chris Brown thought he was in trouble before... now he's gotta deal with Oprah.

Analysts here despise this movie, but it seems an appropriate reference point for this conversation.

BUY

Blacks and Science

With Barack Obama undoing W.'s executive orders prohibiting embryonic stem cell research and Neil deGrasse Tyson taking up Carl Sagan's mantle it may be time to dust off the old chemistry books.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

M - Th 11p / 10c

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Daily Show Full Episodes

Important Things With Demetri Martin

Political Humor

Joke of the Day

SELL

For the Love of Ray J

If "Flavor of Love" didn't posit that there really is a shortage of eligible black males, this certainly does.

Really?  At least "Flavor of Love" was a joke.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Bsi 1,987.41 +9.16 +.46%

D.L. Hughley's "Breaking the News" gets the axe.  Which is bad news for Hughley (who will stay with the network as a "contributor"), but good news for people who tune into news networks for, you know, news.

As Steele said on the show Rush Limbaugh is an "entertainer".  The canceling of Hughley's show will hopefully serve to help stop the blurring of the line between entertainment and news.