Tookie Williams

Much as already been written about Stanley "Tookie" Williams. The black economist believes the only thing that has gone unwritten is that it is a shame that some black men only achieve consciousness when they have been locked down.

Racist, Racist Australia

The recent race riots in Australia come as no surprise to the black economist or anyone familar with colonial history. Aboriginies were the objects of genocide. The "stolen generation" is a horror show of a society gone mad.
More recently during the filming of, "The Matrix", Larry Fishburne compared modern day Sydney to 1950's America. Later in the interview he does say that ,"once they know you" things are fine.
More disturbing to the black economist is the way cell phones were used to organize beatings and meeting places for the attackers.
Looked at from the Macro level one can see that Australia is on the precipice of real change. A few months ago (while the potential bird flu pandemic was hot news) there were a number of press reports saying that "Australia could survive if it found itself cut off from world trade". Indeed, they seemed to be well prepared for a closing of borders.

Philanthropy and the Black Athlete

An article by the Washington Post reprinted by the Black Athlete Sports Network discusses charitable giving by black athletes. The main focus of ire are Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. Apparently, Jordan and Woods have not been generous to the point of appeasing the authors. African-American museums, we are told, can barely stay open because of a lack of donations by wealthy African-Americans.
The article is typical propaganda. It goes into no detail about the museums in question. It assumes that they are worthy institutions without mentioning their history. The article does not even mention a single piece that is preserved within them.
The black economist beleives that is where the real story is. The athletes must have a reason for not supporting them and that reason is....what?

Black Women, Success and Marriage

As the black economist read about materially successful black women attempting to find spouses he couldn't help but think of the destruction of the Black Family and how this was known to be decades ago.
This example displays the power of public policy as a predictive tool. In this case it was predicted that by freezing the black male out of educational and professional opportunities he would be unable to fulfill core requirements of family participation resulting in the dissolution of the black nuclear family.
In saying that modern day racism has become more insidious and unseen many black commentators would do well to simply take stock of current public policy and its likely consequences.

Katrina, Racism and the Media

It would seem that the media has played the role of friend to black america. The mainstream press has dutifully reported the charges of racism by former New Orleans residents. Numerous stories have covered poverty and race in america.
The black economist suspects that the sensationalized coverage of New Orleans is meant to detract focus from the tens of thousands of whites affected adversely by the storm. By making Katrina and its aftermath a "black issue" the fact the government failed all of citizens is wrapped in an obfuscating logic cycle of rascism.

Other Blogs 2

European Ethnocentrism has more of an academic air to it. There are extensive qoutes from obscure (to me) journals and texts that go into great detail concerning anthropology, socialology, and genetics. The propaganda of white supremacy is all over the web.

Other blogs...A history of Violence...

It's important to be familar with what others are saying and writing. Christianparty.net has an article on homicide rates that focuses on black america. It reminds me of Charleton Heston's qoute in Bowling for Columbine. Heston says that america has such a high homicide rate because of it's black population.
Black men and women in America do suffer from high homicide rates. Actually, it's high assassination rates because they are mostly surprise attacks.

I-Terations

Realize=Real Eyes
Ignorance=Ignore Us
Televison=Tell I Vision
Intimacy=Into Me See
Democracy=Dem' A Crazy
Politics=Polly Tricks
Prescription=scripture

Peter Tosh was a lover of Liberty. He could take what he was given and make it his own.

Black Friday

When the black economist heard it was Black Friday he rushed out and spent as much as he could with Black merchants. There was only a slight disappointment when he was informed that it was so-called because that was the day when shopkeepers traditionally went into the black(profits).
The photo is the interior of one of the places of business visited.

Biggie and Tupac

Rolling Stone magazine has a pretty well written article concerning the murder of Biggie Smalls. Covert Action Quarterly delves into the murder of Tupac Shakur. Covert Actions' website can be tricky, but it is there in the back issues. It is well worth the read.
To the black economist the details of their killings pale in comparison to the broad generalizations and troubling assumptions that can be made from them. True, the details are important, but have no doubt been clouded at this point by the massive publicity surrounding the events.
Those broad assumptions however, are still crystal clear. Namely that great wealth, fame and the respect of one's peers cannot prevent black men from meeting violent deaths in America.

The Economics of Pimping

Pimping has a certain allure in pop culture. Rappers and Hollywood moguls help to give a very dirty business a sanitary sheen. There is incentive for them to do this. There is no question that sex sells. As a good it has very few ,if any, substitutes and complementary goods are many so there is potential for upsell.
Essentially, the ho performs a service and the pimp collects the payment. If we are liberal in our possible definitions of service and payments we see that there are a far greater number of pimps and hos than we might first speculate. Indeed it would seem that pimps have there hands in far more than the sex pot.
Key Points
1. Pimping ain't easy. There is significant risk for uncertain return.
2. All workers have pimps. Since Profits are unpaid wages to workers.
3. Some of the most prolific pimping takes place in boardrooms.
4. Human capital is the background of any economy.
5. A Pimp understands that wealth is a product of a (wo)man's capacity to think.
Pimping is often thought to consist simply of sexual commerce relegated to the underground economy. In reality, Pimping is a far more auspicious and penetrating subject matter upon which to meditate. Slick dressed Pimps and dolled up whores are but the tip of the iceberg of a phenomenon that represents itself throughout the human economic universe. This is because at it's essence Pimping contains within it the metaphysical secrets of wealth creation. Metaphysical because the pimp works his mind and not his body, the pimp has someone else perform the physical labor. The benefit of this is that the body's strength may be preserved while the mind is exercised.
Marshall McLuhan (and others before him) note that all things that man creates are but extensions of himself. That the fashioning of a knot or a skyscraper originates in the mind of man and in a very important but unquantifiable way remains a part of him.
So does pimping originate in the mind of man and is a part of him. As we shall see Pimping can be rationalized but it is, like any art, ultimately intuitive.
Sex sells due to an idea. That idea is to increase Net Present Value. The Pimp has that idea. It originates in his mind. He then combines that idea with his tongue to manifest the physical creation of his mental vision. Like lawyers, economists and journalists Pimps need the gift of gab to succeed. They have to be rhetorically persuasive.
The hos (workers) are drawn by that idea. They are mesmerized by the Pimps propaganda. In particular they are attracted by a vibration that the pimp gives off. Different Pimps have different vibratory levels, as do Hos. When these vibrations resonate, click so to speak, a pimp and ho relationship is formed.
It is most certainly an exploitative relationship. It differs from slavery in that it is consensual. Pimps don't collect rent because (as much as they might want the ho believe it) they don't own hoes. Hos leave pimps for any number of reasons.
Make no mistake, a Pimps heart is cold. There is no room for caring or compassion in what is sometimes reffered to as "the game." That ultimately is why most people don't become pimps but find themselves laboring as hos.

Get Rich or Die Trying

The commercialization of Hip-Hop is old news. Product placements and payola are evidence of that. Most recently the black economist observed Flavor Flav (of Public Enemy fame) indicate by the large clock on his chest that it was time for Bud Light.

Black Economics?

Though many people have heard economics described as the "dismal science" few are aware of the origins of the term. The phrase was first used by Thomas Carlyle in his book "The Nigger Question" written in 1849. It is also worth noting that during the time Carlyle was writing; assorted academic papers, newspapers, books and magazines all took for granted that the world and its resources were for the exclusive use of the white race. Richard Heilbroner in "The Worldly Philosophers", notes as much when he (belatedly) discusses imperialism and "Anglo-Saxon infallibility" in chapter seven.
More modern a reflection on the theme is given by Samuel Huntington in his "The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order", copyrighted 1996. Quoting Jeffrey R Barnett, Huntington writes, "(Western nations) Own and Operate the international banking system, Control all hard currencies, Are the world's principal customer, Provide the majority of the world's finished goods, Dominate international capital markets, Exert considerable moral leadership within many societies, Are capable of massive military intervention, Control the sea lanes, Conduct most advanced technical research and development, Control leading edge technical education, Dominate access to space, Dominate the aerospace industry, Dominate international communications, Dominate the high-tech weapons industry." Huntington also writes, "..is the only civilization which has substantial interests in every other civilization or region and has the ability to affect the politics, economics, and security of every other civilization or region. Societies from other civilizations usually need Western help to achieve their goals and protect their interests." Note that "Anglo-Saxon infallibility" has been transposed with Western nations.
It would seem that in the ensuing 156 years Carlyles' question was answered. No wonder Noam Chomsky speaks of not intelligent but "Malignant Design."
The black economist has heard no reports of federal reserve chair nominee Ben Barnake being questioned about such things and seriously doubts that he will.

Destruction of the Black Family

The family unit is the foundation of society. In 1965 the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan (a senator from New York State) released a report entitled, "The Negro Family:The Case For National Action." Following are excerpts:

"Nineteenth-century racists readily believed that the 'Sambo' personality was simply an inborn racial type. Yet no African anthropological data have ever shown any personality type resembling Sambo; and the concentration camps molded the equivalent personality pattern in a wide variety of Caucasian prisoners."

"Lincoln freed the slaves," but they were given liberty, not equality. It was therefore possible in the century that followed to deprive their descendants of much of their liberty as well.

"The principal challenge of the next phase of the Negro revolution is to make certain that equality of results will now follow. If we do not, there will be no social peace in the United States for generations."

"...the Negro male, particularly in the South, became an object of intense hostility, an attitude unquestionably based in some measure of fear."

"The fundamental, overwhelming fact is that Negro unemployment, with the exception of a few years during World War II and the Korean War, has continued at disaster levels for 35 years."

"It was by destroying the Negro family under slavery that white America broke the will of the Negro people. Although that will has reasserted itself in our time, it is a resurgence doomed to frustration unless the viability of the Negro family is restored."

"More important, it is clear that Negro females have established a strong position for themselves in white collar and professional employment, precisely the areas of the economy which are growing most rapidly, and to which the highest prestige is accorded."

Vote?

There have been some literate, well reasoned, articulate polemics against voting produced. As slippery as the idea may be to grasp it makes very little difference who is in office. After eight years of bombings during the Clinton administration is there any doubt that Gore would have invaded Iraq with Lieberman playing the role of Cheney?
Well, I suppose there is doubt because that's not what happened. Still you have to wonder.
One argument I have heard is that Democrats fund more social programs while Republicans cut them. Maybe. Of the 2.1 trillion dollars spent on the federal budget a marginal amount is devoted to social programs (social security is an actual security cost for the US). In addition, if you cut or increase the budget of a program that it is not fulfilling its commonly understood purpose what are you really cutting or funding?
Still the black economist votes because he can and he should to honor his ancestors and the other americans that made sacrifices so that he can. Dismal invectives and voter conspiracy thoughts aside.

French Freakonomics

The black economist has a special place in his heart for francophones, which is why the current news out of france is so disheartening. However unfortunate it was not unexpected. Perhaps the black masses of France are also familar with Steven Levitts' book. Perhaps they heard about it from Dr. Kambon.
Distasteful jokes aside we can only expect such events to happen with more frequency as Europe continues to adopt the "american model" for its economy. The countries of europe are burdened with increasing costs for security and labor markets adjusting to new economies of scale. There have been cuts in the generous (health care, short working weeks, job security, education, unemployment benefits) welfare state.
Interestingly enough, NPR reported that the cuts in benefits were not due entirely to economic concerns. Europeans, they reported, did not like the idea of providing such benefits to nonwhites. A sentiment no doubt shared by many americans and thus one example of europe's adaptation of the "american model."

Red State Conundrums

This is a map provided by the Census Burea showing the Black population in the United States. I have often wondered how it is that with such extremely high population levels (much of the map indicates

50% or more in the south) neither Gore nor Kerry carried a southern state in the recent presidential elections. What about the lack of black governors or senators from these states?

A large proportion of the black voting age population is incarcerated. There are also laws prohibiting former felons from voting. Overall, we know most citizens of the country who can vote don't.

Still, in 1995 the Million Man March registered a record number of voters. In fact voter registration drives were one of the strategies employed to inform people about the march. That campaign did continue after the event.

Ironically, one of the democratic parties' strongest constituencies seems to have no discernible impact on presidential elections yet should hold the swing vote throughout the south.

Did Dr. Kamau Kambon read Freakonomics?

A friend suggested to me that I read Freakonomics. Generally I consider pop nonfiction on economics to not be worth the time. Authors of these tomes often attribute outrageous conclusions to economic "laws." Economics has no "laws"; it only has resilent theories that can be applied successfully or unsuccessfully to individual events on a case by case basis.
I came across a copy of the book at Barnes & Nobles. The hardback was marked 30% off (a clear signal if there is one). I decided to read a few chapters to see if there was anything to it.
There is not.
The author (Steven Levitt) writes in one chapter that there was confusion surrounding falling crime rates. The answer ,he concluded, must be that as abortions rise crime must fall. His reasoning is that since low income women with no spouse have most of the abortions and since most criminals come from poverty stricken single parent homes crime falls as abortions rise.
This line of reasoning is flawed on many levels.
First, it really depends on how you define crime and what kinds of crime you are focusing on. Corporate and political malfesance has risen for instance. Second, correlation between two variables (crime and abortion) does not indicate causation. Third, where is he getting his numbers? Does anyone track the number of abortions by american citizens outside our borders? What about their income level?
Lastly, no where in his writings did he indicate the benefit or intrinsic value of human life.
Ideas are insidious. Like the flu they can be easily spread from person to person. In this case the idea is that killing is good, that it is beneficial.
Enter William "abort every black baby and the crime rate falls" Bennett. He likes the book and the ideas. His remarks were widely reported. If you missed them NPR played them for you at the top of every hour. All the major television networks, newspapers and the blogosphere were filled to the brim with his comments. He said this a few weeks after americans had watched over eight days worth of nonstop black pain, suffering, helplessness and poverty (white suffering was edited out and discredited, by no less than Tim Russert, when exposed) run rampant in New Orleans.
Further along in Freakonomics Levitt points out that terror is a powerful incentive. This is in the chapter comparing Klansmen to Real estate agents (I am not making this up). His reasoning is based on lynchings falling as Klan membership rose. By this thinking every white person should have joined the Klan in order to bring lynchings to their lowest possible number.
I do agree that terror is a powerful incentive.
Maybe Bennetts' comments were given so much press because after hurricane Katrina and Kanye West black people needed incentive to calm down. African-American fear and paranoia (for that matter all americans fear and paranoia) is well documented, and has been running high since the presidential election of 2000.
Maybe those horrific images of Katrina made a large portion of the american population wish those poor, huddled masses would just disappear.
Such specualtion is dangerous, but if you have read this far you deserve something unadultered.
Into this echo chamber of "Freakonomics" comes Dr. Kamau Kambon who is the author of such books as "Black Guerilla Warfare: A peoples guide and manifesto" and "Subtle Suicide."
Dr. Kambon is no stranger to mainstream media. CNN's headline news featured him a few years ago saying that black people should not celebrate Christmas because it is economically and socially debilitating. This time he made genocidal comments concerning white people. Coming on the heels of the Bennett comments I am not surprised that someone voiced the obverse.
My questions are: Has Dr. Kambon read Freakonomics? Was he using terror as an incentive?

Icon of Black Liberty: Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks reached that iconic level of fame and influence reserved for world leaders. Her act of not giving up her seat and the widespread media attention it received has inspired generations of americans. The simple message of not doing something if it's wrong, of not being afraid, to show courage, still resonates.

Black Self Interest

Adam Smith ,regarded in academic circles as the founding father of economic thinking, stressed the magic of self-interest as the key to the division of labor. Others after him such as Frederic Bastiat and Ayn Rand continued the theme. In essence the theory is that if everyone acts in his or her self interest everyone benefits. Self interest meaning that individuals made those decisions and took those actions that most benefited themselves.
In my opinion, the most succint and complete (and therefore most economical) written expose to expound this is "I Pencil."
The magic trick is that by one person producing the best product that he can produce by innovation and another doing the same everyone benefits from higher quality goods and the resulting competition. In essence, the desire for material wealth properly channeled through a constructed social system produces prosperity.
In reality, economic history is riddled with examples of lust for material items causing great destruction or in economic parlance unintended and intended consequences.
Whatever. This is the generally accepted philosophy of capitalist economies and the actors within them. For the sake of brevity and a desire to give the subject its just due I am leaving Black Game Theory for a seperate post.
Where then is Black Self Interest? Is the black consumer acting rationally? What is black self interest?
Like the Hippocratic oath, first do no harm, to yourself that is.

The Myth of Black Class Distinctions

In reading coverage of hurricane Katrina and the Millions More Movement I keep coming across references to there being a black lower, middle and upper class. I agree that upon first glance it may seem so. What they are actually referring to is differences in black income. Money is typically associated with class when such distinctions are made in the popular press.
Class is more than money. It is also association and control. Despite great riches blacks control very little land, hold little sway in fiscal and monetary governmental policy and own or manage none of the top banks and (while prolifigate content developers) mass media networks. Another example is racial gerrymandering. Blacks are not themselves drawing the demarcation lines between counties and congressional districts. These are functions of class that supercede money.
For there actually to be true class distinctions in the black community (not simply rich and poor blacks) some groups of blacks would have to exert a wholly disporportionate and precise influence on varied significant events. In short they would have to be in a position to decide the fate of capital and the legal and social enviroment in which it operates.

Millions More Movement

Roughly ten years ago I participated in the largest demonstration of black men in america's history. These are my thoughts between then and now.
I was leaving an organizing meeting with a friend. Since we had known of the march for months we had time to petition our college for buses and publicize the event on our campus. As we walked home we were set upon by street thugs. They flashed their guns and demanded the cash. What drives black men to treat each other this way? Why did these men threaten our lives for the money we had in our pockets?
Negative experiences of black men, women and families was a compelling, overarching reason for our support of this march. What man among us had not felt the role of sex and race in unpredictable ways in our daily lives. The sting of bigotry, the injustice of being prevented from consideration.
I did not travel with my college classmates to the march. I caught a greyhound bus 35 miles north and met two friends from high school. I recall we left in the small hours of the morning after one of my friends' girlfriend had cooked us dinner. I hadn't known that it had been requested that women make their men a meal before they left; as the men would be required to fast until sunset during the day of atonement.
Conversation was sparse and tense. A mystical leader known to speak of a "great fiery wheel" that foiled American interests throughout the world was the primary face of the movement. He was organizing (along with thousands of others) a Million Man March to be held in the District of Columbia. The gathering was exclusively for black men. No others need come. It was also on a monday. If that didn't show the organizers were serious what would?
The memory of my most recent encounter with black men I didn't know still fresh on my mind I beleived that there was a chance things could go badly. Conspiracy theories abounded. No one will come. The air will be poisoned, there will be riots and mass arrests. The federal government had declared holiday. Even the president left town.
My parents were at best skeptical. They ,like many older black folk, thought it a bad idea. Perhaps they still had memories of Bull Connor fresh on their mind.
The moon was full and unusually bright as we traveled. We arrived early and slept in the car on some downtown DC street. Around six o'clock we awoke and made our way over to the mall. There were already some people there but it was far from a million. That changed in time. Soon we were part of a ocean of black men. All of us laughing, crying, talking, praying, shouting, smoking, rapping, dancing, watching and listening. Maya Angelou spoke and her words said what we feeled. Deep was how she described it. Stevie Wonder told us he could see us all around him. Cries of "Cube" eruptered when the jumbotron showed the rappers face. Jesse Jackson told us to beware the change in law concerning crack cocaine. A man whose name I forget told us of the worlwide plan to dominate us. Farrakhan spoke of the number 19 and the building of the Washington monument. We waved our money for the cameras and then it was over. No violence, no hatred, no doom or gloom.
When we returned home there were tears in the eyes of our family and friends. A number of people said that if we did it again we would get two million. Many a man nursed the regret of not having gone. They should. It was a beautiful experience. I still get a shiver done my spine when I think about it. Such peace.
Ten years later it is time for Millions More. I have lost touch with the gentleman who was robbed with me and one of my traveling companions. The other friend is well. When I saw him last we didn't mention this new march.
This time we are told there will be follow through. I think when you compare black america then and now some things have changed but others (like the black prision population) stay the same or even have grown worse.
Now we need policy. We need effective ideas. We must communicate to and educate ourselves. That means more black media.
I am sure this weeks participants will experience a spiritual catharsis but I will not be among them.

Katrina Diaspora

I saw this map over at Black Feminism. This is the Katrina Diaspora map by epodunk.

Confederate States of America

The film has yet to recieve wide distribution in the US. The images are certainly provocative though.

Black GDP

The US Census estimates that blacks make up 13% of the population. The BEA estimates current US GDP at 11 trillion 734 billion. The World Bank has it at 11 trillion 667 billion. My rough estimate (13 percent of 12 trillion) is that blacks should account for one and a half trillion dollars of GDP.
The figure for black buying power in the united states varies between 600 billion and 700 billion. That is impressive as it places black america in the 14th to 9th spots on a list of the worlds' richest countries. Still, by population blacks should rest at number 3 only behind Japan or at 4 if you include the eurozone as a single entity.

Development

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

Blacks and Globalization

Like many americans I have been exposed to the writings of Noam Chomsky. One of the things I recall him saying in his interviews and writings is that america is turning into a third world country. By this he means a society more clearly delineated between the haves and the have nots. Others make essentially the same argument but in a different way. Thomas Friedman simply says that in a world of 3 billion new capitalists everyone's job is up for grabs. Friedman also tends to focus more on the upside of globalization, pointing out that opprotunities are now available were there were none before. The social darwinist authors of the Bell Curve say that he who is smartest wins.
They are all correct. There is no doubt that local labor is experiencing international competition as the photo illustrates. Ironically enough though, automation (read: increasing efficiency) not outsourcing or offshoring is responsible for most job losses, which happens to be what a number of subcontractors engage in.
These particular subcontractors are Infosys employees. Their swarthy brown skin does not seem to be a hindrince to their gaining employment. No, it would seem that their intellectual resources and willingness to work are all they need to travel the globe. They are here as a modern effect of globalization.
Outgoing federal reserve chairman Alan Greenspan notes that the economy is getting lighter and lighter in terms of a physical weight to GDP ratio. This is the knowledge or information or digital effect. Software, legal documents and numerous other transactions have no physical weight but their share of the economy continues to grow. Accordingly the supply of money itself has become weightless to a large extent, being stored in the servers of banks. Commodities still have value it's just that ideas seem to have more and more value everyday. Those with ideas find themselves prospering more than those without them.
What does this mean for black folk? Properly interpreted it could be a great boon. I would argue that Black Poverty is a result of not physical but mental phenomena at this day and time. There are numerous examples of wealth born not in backyards full of goldmines and oil wells but in the fertile ground of the mind. Some argue that true wealth is metaphysical. Bob Marley and Peter Tosh are two excellent examples of this. Born dirt poor in Jamaica their words and song (not local natural resources) made them wealthy.
In a digital world in search of content, in an enviroment where tricolor cameras and desktop media studios are reaching the prices of microwaves, in a world of the $100 Laptop blacks and specifically african-americans have a distinct advantage.
Black creativity and culture, black ideas drive american culture to a very large extent. True "Viacom and Hennessy" run rap music as Mos Def raps but once the means of production and distribution are dispersed that could quickly change (it could intensify or wane).
This is the opprotunity of Globalization.

Black Freedom

I have often wondered how it is that certain groups manage to appropiate words and phrases and other groups seemed to have missed the boat. When you look up the word freedom in a dictionary or research database I would expect to see numerous citations from african-americans. After all, in the present time who should have more interest in freedom and defining liberty?

Black Income

This news release from the us census gives facts and figures for what we already know. 24% (or roughly 1 out of 4) of african-americans live in poverty which is about $20,000 a year for a family of four. The median income (meaning half make more, half make less) for african-americans is roughly $30,000. By these figures half of all african-americans don't have enough income to make ends meet in an increasingly inflationary price enviroment. Food, gas, and healthcare have all risen at staggering rates over the past ten years.
Why is this? The Economic Discrimination of the past certainly plays a role. There was no forty acres and a mule or New Deal for Black America after emancipation. Cynical as it may seem, what's past is past (though illustrative): what is needed are new economic survival strategies.

Racial Gerrymandering

This is one of the most interesting reports I have come across on the internet. It describes in detail a process where populations of african-americans are excluded from the local political process by placing their homes outside of city limits. It doesn't focus on the souths' major metropolitian areas, but it instead surveys small communities.
Buried deep within it we find that local governments have a mandate to maximize revenue, thus they cannot be reasonably expected to integrate nonrevenue producing properties into their cities. They do at their discretion, however, maintain effective governmental control of the properties.

Leela James

Leela James (the orange blot in the center of the photo) does a pretty good show. I very much like her song "Music" where she reminds us of the days when "sangers sang" and played instruments. She offered no political commentary other than to say," it's alright if you're black and it's alright if you're white." I must assume that if there had been any other races of people present she would have acknowledged that being alright to.
She is a positive woman and I appreciate her. I am sure she appreciated my ticket purchase.

Francophone Folly

This is an interesting, recently published article that attempts to refute the french model of racial organization. What I find most compelling about the article is at the end where Dogoui says, "We are consumers, not decision makers."
In economic theory the only decisions that matter are those involving consumption. By deciding what to consume individuals drive the destinies of nations. Dogoui might not see how he drives this process (and yes with or without his decisions the processes are little changed) but in the aggregate those decisions impact his life and the lives of those around him very much.

Hugo Chavez is black and owns the disco "CITGO"?

From the the truth is stranger than fiction section. Read it in two parts here and here.

A Course in African Philosophy

Black poverty is rampant. Whether in the slums of France, South Africa or Detroit there are plenty of poor black people to go around. Looking closer we find that in Africa with it's abundance of commodities the population is among the most impoverished on the planet. Why is this? The answer seems clear. It is a mental poverty, a famine of the mind that grips the people.
Don't take my word for it however, read what Marcus Garvey has to say in his course of african philosophy.

Black Economics?

This blog will examine black culture , wealth, and life in America and elsewhere on the planet. The goal is to provide thoughtful and interesting commentary and to disseminate links to interesting articles on the web.