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.