Sunday, September 28, 2008
Dr Boyce Watkins, Tom Joyner Speak Black Money
By Dr. Boyce Watkins
Most of you have been watching politicians shuck and jive in predictable ways to try and manage the even more predictable liquidity crisis that has terrorized our financial markets. As a supporter of Senator Barack Obama, I am hopeful that this will serve as the final signal to America that a Harvard graduate with extensive Economics training might be a better choice than a mediocre student who claims to know nothing about the economy. I won’t even mention Sarah Palin, who now makes George Bush the runner-up in the “Unfit to Manage a Burger King” contest. I am not big on Obama-mania, but I tend to be big on common sense. It is also telling that many Americans would sacrifice our nation’s future in order to avoid the discomfort of seeing a Black man in the White House. OK, let me shut up before I say what I REALLY think.
This is not about the pale one called Palin or John McCain’s Black Extermination Plan for criminal justice. It is about USOBA. USOBA doesn’t stand for the “United States of Obama”, rather, it stands for the “United States of Black America”. This is about finding ways to manage, contextualize and internalize this crisis so we can figure out what to do right now. Neither McCain nor Obama is going to take care of you and your family, since politicians tend to take care of themselves (note Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson’s prior affiliation with Goldman Sachs will likely drive his desire to save his Wall Street buddies). The truth is that we are all Presidents of our own households, and as President, your job is to shield your household from the impact of FICA - The Financial Ignorance Crisis of America. Here are some quick thoughts:
1) The government bail-out doesn’t necessarily mean you should bail-out of the Stock Market: If you are invested in the Stock Market, I would strongly consider staying there, especially if you are under the age of 50. In fact, you might want to buy more stocks. Warren Buffett (a man who is sometimes wrong) had it absolutely right when he said that you should “be greedy when everyone else is cautious and cautious when everyone else is greedy.” Drops in the Stock Market can be the best times to invest because the historical data clearly shows that when the US Stock Market declines, it eventually comes back up. Personally, I plan to use this market decline as an opportunity to expand my portfolio. But I am not going to try and pick individual companies: I am going to buy into a diversified mutual fund that spreads my money around the entire global economy.
2) Paying off credit card debt is one of the best investments you can make: Which would you prefer? To possibly earn 10% interest in an investment in the Stock Market or to DEFINITELY save 18% per year on that high interest credit card in your purse? Remember that money SAVED is money EARNED. Get rid of the bulk of your high interest debt before you even consider investing in the Stock Market or anywhere else.
3) Change the game: With all of Barack Obama’s speeches about how Black men need to learn personal responsibility, he may have wanted to save that speech for the rest of America. The typical American consumer has been incredibly irresponsible with spending, saving, borrowing and investing habits over the past 20 years. I grow sick of seeing one article after another attempting to argue that African Americans have a monopoly on irresponsible financial behavior. Don’t believe the hype – ALL OF AMERICA has a problem with financial choices. The goal is not for you to emulate the behavior of the rest of America….it is to set a new standard. Black people can be quite good at saving money. Many of our grandmothers could support a household with two nickels and a hot dog bun. Perhaps we can tap into our natural survival instincts to get us through this mess.
4) This crisis might be the tip of the iceberg: I agree with my respected colleague Paul Krugman at Princeton, who is the only other commentator I’ve heard mention that recent financial problems may be nothing more than a symptom of more serious fundamental issues in the US economy. All I could say when I heard that was “Amen”. Without going into much detail, I can say that it is time to remember that old saying “Learn to save your money, so your money can save you.”
5) Don’t be “scuuuurred” (translation for the uppity among us: “Don’t be afraid”): This is NOT the end of the world. The financial systems are not going to melt down. This is not likely going to be the start of any kind of Great Depression. Truth be told, the Black community has been in a Great Depression for about 400 years! We have survived worse, and just because the economy struggles, that doesn’t mean you have to struggle along with it. Remember that our greatest challenges are usually our greatest opportunities for growth. Learn from this experience, grow from it, and we will continue to move forward.
Your financial liberation is part of your social and spiritual liberation. Let’s use the shake-up as an opportunity to shake ourselves off the plantation. I’m tired of someone else owning me.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of the forthcoming book “Black American Money”. For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com.
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Friday, September 5, 2008
Black Men in America: BMI Urban Awards honor The Jacksons
LOS ANGELES(AP) — The Jacksons were crowned icons at the BMI Urban Awards, but the King of Pop was an absentee.
Janet Jackson presented her music-making brothers — Michael, Tito, Jackie, Marlon, Jermaine and Randy — with the lifetime achievement BMI Icon award following a musical tribute at the award show celebrating R&B and hip-hop's top hitmakers. While Tito, Jackie, Marlon and Randy reunited Thursday to accept the award, Jermaine and Michael didn't attend the Wilshire Theatre ceremony.
Where was the Moonwalker?
"I don't know," Marlon told The Associated Press before the show. "I think he's in Egypt riding a camel or something."
The Jackson Five — which included Michael along with Marlon, Jackie, Tito and Jermaine — was a groundbreaking, best-selling act that debuted on the 1969 album "Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5." The group simply became the Jacksons after leaving Motown in 1976, replacing Jermaine with Randy. They continued their multiplatinum success with such hits as "ABC" and "I Want You Back."
"It's a great honor to know your music influenced a generation," said Tito. "We're very proud of this moment."
The tribute kicked off with dance troupe Jabbawockeez performing a funky "Dancing Machine" routine. Music group ONE sang "I Want You Back." JoJo and Lloyd partnered on "I'll Be There" before Mario unleashed a high-energy rendition of "Heartbreak Hotel" and Keri Hilson crooned "Who's Loving You." The finale featured Mario, Bobby Valentino, Lloyd and Ray J teaming up for "Never Can Say Goodbye."
Before presenting her brothers with the award, Janet said her family was her greatest commodity and that she was proud to salute her siblings for their accomplishments in the music industry.
Following the acceptance of the icon award, the Jackson brothers posed on stage for photos with father Joseph, mother Katherine and sisters Janet, LaToya and Rebbie. The Jacksons did not perform.
Other BMI Urban Award winners included Soulja Boy, Polow Da Don, Rodney Jerkins and DJ Montay. Song of the year was awarded to Ne-Yo, Espen Lind and Amund Bjorklund for "Irreplaceable." Jonathan "J.R." Rotem, Kanye West and T-Pain were honored as producers of the year. T-Pain was also selected as songwriter of the year. Universal Music Publishing Group was given the publisher of the year award.
BMI — Broadcast Music Inc. — is a performing rights organization that collects license fees on behalf of its songwriters, composers and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed.
Source: Associated Press
Black Men in America: Usher Announces First Ever Ladies-Only Tour
Sorry, fellas: Usher's upcoming tour is for ladies only.
The multiple Grammy Award winner plans to announce details of his "One Night Stand" tour soon - a series of 15 shows for women, according to the Associated Press.
Usher, a married father of one, said he sees his choice to perform solely to the fairer sex as a challenge.
"There's only a few artists that can pull that off," the 29-year-old said.
"I feel like I've had such a connection with my audience. This album, I felt like, was definitely the type of one that was more intimate. So what better way to get up close and personal than to make it all women?"
Usher's latest album, "Here I Stand," debuted at No. 1 in May, but had disappointingly low sales compared to his previous album, 2004's "Confessions."
His upcoming shows will be performed in "intimate" venues, he says.
Usher married makeup artist Tameka Foster last year, the mother of his only child, Usher Raymond V.
But, while he's a family man, Usher says he still wants to prove he's a sex symbol.
"The ladies like to see that masculine build," he said. "They question if I still got it."Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Black Men in America: Akon to stand trial in New York
By Steven A. Gilley
Stevengilley15@aol.com
Akon is set to go on trial for criminal charges that he tossed a fan offstage at an upstate concert last summer.
Many people saw the YouTube video in which a fan tossed an object at Akon and he tossed the fan into the crowd in retaliation.
The 35-year-old singer, whose real name is Aliaune Thiam, asked for the jury trial during a brief appearance with his lawyer in Fishkill Town Court on Wednesday.
He's due back in court for trial Dec. 1 unless a deal is negotiated in the meantime.
He pleaded not guilty in December 2007 to misdemeanor charges of endangering the welfare of a minor and second-degree harassment, a violation.
Click here to read the entire story
Black Men in America: Stevie Wonder honored by Library of Congress
By Steven A. Gilley
Stevengilley15@aol.com
According to the Associated Press, The Library of Congress will honor Stevie Wonder with its second Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
Wonder, 58, will receive the award on Feb. 23, 2009. The first Gershwin Prize was awarded in 2007 to Paul Simon.
The prize honors an artist whose work transcends musical styles to bring diverse listeners together and foster mutual understanding. It recognizes a musician's lifetime of work, said Librarian of Congress James Billington.
Wonder has been in the music industry since the age of 12 and received 26 Grammy awards in the course of his career, most recently in 2007 for Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals (awarded to Tony Bennett and Wonder) "For Once In My Life."
