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.