there's 'pain' in 'palin'

Old conventional political wisdom dictates that vice presidential picks don't change the outcome of a race. When Sarah Palin received larger fanfare than John McCain a month ago, the pundits cautioned, "people vote for President, not for Vice President."

Well, vice presidential candidates may not win elections, but this year it's looking increasingly likely that Sarah Palin may help lose one.

In an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released last night, the number one concern about McCain was Palin's perceived lack of qualifications.

Today Show/NBC News graphic

This morning, NBC's Political Director Chuck Todd explained McCain's "Palin problem":

"Speaking of Palin, her numbers have plummeted in our poll. For the first time, she has a net-negative fav/unfav rating (38%-47%), the only principal [candidate] to carry that distinction. What's more, 55% think she's unqualified to serve as president if the need arises, which is a troublesome number given McCain's age. (Have worries about McCain's age risen because of Palin? Seems to be the case)."

Other polls reflect this perception problem for the McCain/Palin camp as well. Pew released its latest poll that echoes many of the NBC/WSJ's findings about voters' perceptions of Palin and their effect on McCain. Pew's headline doesn't mention Palin specifically -- "Growing Doubts About McCain's Judgment, Age and Campaign Conduct" -- but it has this telling observation in the write-up:

"Notably, opinions of Palin have a greater impact on voting intentions than do opinions of Joe Biden, Obama's running mate."

Then ABC pulls McCain's poll problems together with this nugget explaining its most recent poll: "Fallout continues from McCain's pick of Sarah Palin for vice president, with 52 percent saying it weakens their confidence in his judgment."

Obviously, the McCain people aren't loving this and Politico reports that the candidate himself says he's "amazed" by the reaction to his VP pick. Politico writes:

"She is a governor, the most popular governor in America," McCain said. "I think she is the most qualified of any that has run recently for vice president."

"I'm amazed. I'm amazed. Which is better? Serve 35 years in the United States SenateIraq into three different countries, or be governor of a state and a reformer and give people their tax dollars back and bring about reform in the way that your state does business? Which is better?" and say you've got to divide

a-rod is a gentleman

i haven't really mentioned much about the whole a-rod/madonna thing but after watching this stupid attempt to fuck with him by tmz i respect him a little. he takes their taunting like a pro and must have been coached by madonna in that respect. it's this kind of celebrity voyeurism and sensationalism that helped make sarah palin a household superstar. these people at tmz couldn't hack getting a real job so they make a living off of other people's hard work. i guess we can also thank asshole perez hilton for this too.

i've also really only seen pictures of alex and wasn't really impressed but watching his proud stride i can see why people consider him a sex symbol...and oh yeah...he's cuban too haha


A-Rod Endures Most Painful Probe Ever (MySpace Exclusive)

join the dj support beam!

for those of you on facebook...me and friend DJ Craig Mingus have created


The DJ Support Beam!

A forum where DJ, Club Owners, Club Promoters, Music Producers, and Artists can get together to support one another and share ideas.


join
here

flashback freestyle!

ok..shoot me...but i've been listening to ktu a little bit too much recently but i gotta keep in touch with the current dancey stuff because i'm a dj right? they also play some classic freestyle and house tunes once in a while...this one just came on recently and it brought back so many innocent memories of grammar school and high school and i must say i think i had a crush on all three members...especially in this video...yummy latinos and a classic freestyle track...who can resist?

(it's funny....some of the scenes look like they were filmed on my old block in east harlem haha)



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS47k0HcOxc

into the keith haring groove!

wow! so excited that this leaked! it's the backdrop video of 'into the groove' from madonna's sticky and sweet tour. it's a gorgeous clusterfuck of classic 80's dance songs mixed with 'into the groove' laid over 'toop toop' by cassius! this show has definitely been dubbed 'the mash up tour' and rightfully so. the editing is joyously fantastic and really evokes the spirit of that decade and is a true homage to madonna's dear friend keith haring who passes away almost 20 years ago!

the hidden cost of war

In 2003 Donald Rumsfeld estimated a war with Iraq would cost $60 billion. Five years later, the cost of Iraq war operations is over 10 times that figure. So what's behind the ballooning dollar signs?

(if you're reading this on facebook click on read original post to be transported to my blog to see the video for yourself)

creepy tube part 1

since halloween is approaching...i'm going to bring you some creepy youtube videos of commercials and scenes from classic horror movies to help get us all in the mood!

the first one is courtesy of fellow mnation member cubb (thanks for inspiring this post)

enjoy!

(if you're reading this on facebook click on 'original post' to watch the actual videos)



this video used to scare the shit outta me!



next...a horrifying gem from my childhood. i used to watch this movie like i was hypnotized whenever it was on....here's a devilish scene from 'something wicked this way comes'. bradbury was a poetic genius! there are some special effects in this scene but the masterful dialogue is, by far, creepier than any monster or ghoul or masked man could ever hope to be.



and this one is really, really, really spooky!

chauncey treat - filthy lust

it's been a while since i've offered up a chauncey treat to you guys.

this one is a monster! it's the kind of remix that horror movies are built around if that's the way they made horror movies haha

i've always loved trentemoller's production work and it's nice to have followed his progression from minimal nasty beats to minimal with a sleazy rock edge


enjoy! it's a perfect song to get you in the mood for the halloween season


the raveonettes - lust (trentemoller remix)

electrify the world!

Obama revels in Powell endorsement and cash mountain

FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina (AFP) — Barack Obama profited Sunday from the coveted backing of former secretary of state Colin Powell and a jaw-dropping cash haul entering into the final fortnight of the epic White House race.

The Republican Powell, the first African-American to serve at the apex of the US military as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the 47-year-old Democrat would be a "transformational president."

Powell carries the burden of his role in promoting the Iraq invasion. But his endorsement was still a stinging rebuff to Republican candidate John McCain, 72, and could help sway swing voters and military veterans.

His backing came as the Obama campaign announced a fundraising take of more than 150 million dollars last month, demolishing its previous record of 66 million set in August.

The gigantic treasure trove is enabling Obama, who enjoyed a 10-point lead in Sunday's Gallup tracking poll, to hit McCain even harder with a nationwide advertising blitz before the November 4 election.

Addressing a carnival-like rally of more than 10,000 supporters here, Obama said he was "beyond honored and deeply humbled to have the support of General Colin Powell."

The Illinois senator said the Fayetteville area of North Carolina, home to the giant Fort Bragg army base, knew something about military heroism.

"And this morning, a great soldier, a great statesman, a great American has endorsed our campaign to change America," he said.

"And he knows, as we do, that this is a moment where we all need to come together as one nation -- young and old, rich and poor, black, white, Hispanic, native American, Republican and Democrat."

Powell, on NBC program "Meet the Press," said Obama had "met the standard" to be commander-in-chief "because of his ability to inspire" all ages, ethnic groups and political persuasions.

McCain remained a friend, Powell said while launching a hard-hitting critique of the Republican's rightward lurch, his haphazard response to the US economic crisis and his choice of Sarah Palin as vice presidential nominee.

Powell said that Obama, in contrast, had emerged looking presidential with a "steadiness, an intellectual curiosity, a depth of knowledge" in his approach to the financial tumult.

The nation's first black secretary of state added that victory by the mixed-race Obama in two weeks would make all Americans "proud," not just African-Americans, and would "electrify the world."

Speaking on Fox News Sunday, McCain said he had "always admired and respected General Powell."

"We're long-time friends. This doesn't come as a surprise," the Arizona senator said, touting his endorsement by other former secretaries of state including Henry Kissinger, James Baker and Lawrence Eagleburger.

McCain also defended automated "robo-calls" unleashed by his campaign in at least 10 swing states, insisting charges that Obama is a closet radical who would subvert democracy were "legitimate and truthful."

The tenor of McCain's campaign, whose robo-calls also accuse Obama of supporting the killing of babies born alive in abortions, was bitterly decried by Powell along with anti-Muslim discrimination in Republican circles.

Obama said the campaign would "probably get uglier" as it climaxes but stressed his own focus on issues such as the economy and Iraq and said: "We've got to have a line that we don't cross."

McCain renewed his condemnation of Obama's economic policies as "socialism." Obama said McCain backed tax cuts for wealthy corporate bosses "who've been making out like bandits."

Stopping by Fayetteville's "Cape Fear" barbecue restaurant, Obama was accosted by 54-year-old shop worker Diane Fanning, who yelled "socialist, socialist, socialist -- get out of here!"

Fanning refused to shake Obama's hand when he offered it, and she told reporters that Powell was a "RINO" -- Republican In Name Only.

Other customers were more welcoming of Obama as he foraged for votes in North Carolina, which last voted for a Democratic presidential hopeful in 1976 but which like other Republican "red" states is now very much in play.

Furniture salesman Mike Long, 33, said he had been less than 50 percent likely to vote for Obama. But after discussing health care with the candidate, he was now "98 percent" certain.

g.o.p.ocrisy

'nuff said

'that's so gay'

The Ad Council and GLSEN have teamed up for a campaign, ThinkB4YouSpeak, intended to educate young people about homophobic language and its consequences. To that end, they've enlisted Wanda Sykes and Hillary Duff to appear in two PSAs that draw attention to the phrase "that's so gay" and its interpretations.

The campaign will utilize print, internet, and radio, and television spots.

Watch Sykes and Duff hand it to some teens...






i like wanda's better than hillary's except for her little comment at the end haha

i'm also glad in a corny activist way that these commercials exist...things are changing more quickly than i expected.

madonna sans child!

Leave out the ageist sexist slander surrounding the Queen of Pop's divorce, please. Guy clearly just couldn't keep up

Bidisha
guardian.co.uk, Friday October 17 2008 12.00 BST


Keeping the beat going, forever.
Photograph: Dan Smith/AP

It's inevitable that the Queen of Pop should eventually have to confront issues of age, decay and sexual redundancy. There comes a time to abandon embarrassing obsessions and admit that no amount of effort can convey an impression of youthful readiness. Yes, it's finally happened: Guy Ritchie has become too old to be Madonna's consort.

The divorce is confirmed and Ritchie is to be banished from the royal realm with £2.50, a packed lunch and a spare pair of socks. I'm surprised; I thought it was a logical match and that standard interpretations of the Madonna-Ritchie dynamic are transparently sexist. Madonna is vilified as a voracious castrator-succubus, preying upon once-talented males like Sean Penn and, er, Warren Beatty and Carlos Leon, leaving them spent and careerless. She's slandered as a monstrously butch alpha female whose incomprehensible success publicly emasculates her gamma male companions. Or else she is a once-relevant, once-tough wretch who's gone soft, becoming a country wife in masochistic thrall to a chauvinist.

"What does she see in him?" asked Madonna fans as the vows were exchanged at Skibo Castle eight years ago. I think she saw a man who likes intelligent women, as evidenced by Ritchie's own formidable mother. I think she saw a kind father to her children. What did Ritchie see in Madonna? Probably her talent, charisma, guts and brains. Maybe he couldn't keep up with her. After all, she's made of brushed titanium and fuelled by some dark matter that makes her impervious to the laws of space-time, physics and biology. When astronomers spy burnt planets and frazzled satellites scorching the cosmos, they know that these are power sources that Madonna has consumed for fuel, to keep the beat going.

It's amazing that the paucity of Ritchie's talent should be put down to Madonna's ruining of him. The sexist ageism against Madonna has been overwhelming ever since she appeared looking frankly amazing in a leotard in the Hung Up video in 2005. "Madonna falls onstage, does not break hip!" crowed the LA Times recently, referring to a moment when she lost her balance during her Sticky and Sweet tour. A commenter on the website sneered "Sit down old woman".

Does she care? Probably, but that won't stop her. Romances come and go, but Madonna is forever. She's a genius, a true artist, a polymath who's written some of the best pop songs in history. She deserves all of the acclaim and none of the insults. Think of Vogue, Live to Tell, La Isla Bonita, Oh Father and Hung Up. Think of the triumvirate of perfect albums, Like a Prayer, Ray of Light and Confessions. The street coolness of Desperately Seeking Susan. The video for Die Another Day. I'm Breathless on the Dick Tracy soundtrack. And the great twinsets in that clothing collection for H&M.

I reckon Madonna's next album will be her best ever. In the meantime, I hope Ritchie's lottery funding application for Snatch 2 works out.

the fags of life

i'm so excited about this! things are really changing finally...i want to be a kid again!

Chicago may get 'gay-friendly' high school
By Mallory Simon

(CNN) -- Public school officials in Chicago, Illinois, are recommending approval of a "gay-friendly" high school because harassment and violence are causing gay students to skip class and drop out at alarming rates.

The School for Social Justice Pride Campus, which officials say will not be exclusive to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, is aimed at being safe and welcoming for any student looking for another school option, said Josh Edelman, executive officer in the Chicago Public Schools' Office of New Schools.

"It is not going to be a 'gay high school,' but yes, in a way, it is meant to target kids who feel they have been victims of bullying for their sexual orientation or perceived orientation," Edelman said.

Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan announced his recommendation Wednesday. Officials said Pride Campus would be separate physically but be attached administratively to the School for Social Justice.

School officials said the standards and curriculum for the school would be in line with other schools in the district. The school would also offer counseling for students, though because of federal laws, officials cannot ask students about their sexual orientation. The curriculum would not rely on, but would incorporate lessons about, sexual identity inhistory and literature classes, officials said.

"It's about creating another option for kids," Edelman said. "When it comes down to it, though, it is all about having a choice and providing high-quality options for students, whether they are gay or not."

The school could be a lifeline for students who are struggling for academic success.
iReport.com: Are you in a similar situation? Share your story

Gay and lesbian students are three times more likely to miss school because they feel unsafe, according to a 2003 Chicago Public School District survey. And a study released Wednesday by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network showed similar trends across the country. Is this the best solution? »

The national study, which the group says is the most comprehensive report ever on the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students nationwide, found that 86.2 percent of those students reported being verbally harassed, 44.1 percent physically harassed and 22.1 percent physically assaulted at school in the past year because of their sexual orientation.

This harassment, the study concludes, has affected students' ability to achieve success in school, causing their grade-point level to be, on average, half a point lower than that of heterosexual students nationwide.

Dropout levels are higher among lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students because of more frequent truancy, the study found. Almost 32 percent of those students missed a class because of feeling unsafe, compared with only 5.5 percent of heterosexual students nationwide, the study said.

Truancy and lower grades aren't the only repercussions of anti-gay sentiments in schools, said Kevin Jennings, the founder and executive director of GLSEN. He cited the killing of Lawrence King, a 15-year-old student shot by a classmate in Oxnard, California, in February after King asked to be his valentine.

Jennings said the repercussions of harassment alone underscore the need for Pride Campus.

"If we keep doing nothing, we are going to keep getting these horrifying levels of harassment, greater rates of skipping, not going to college and more tragic violence like the murder of Lawrence King," he said. "Those are our choices. We can continue to do nothing, and we know the results, or we can save young people's lives and offer them an education and a future."

A similar school in New York, the Harvey Milk High School in the East Village, was created because of similar fears.

The school, which had been around since 1985, serving gay and lesbian students, expanded to a "gay-themed" school for 100 students in 2003. The Pride Campus is expected to serve 600 students, school officials said.

Harvey Milk High School, like the Pride Campus, is open to all students regardless of sexual orientation. But unlike the proposed school in Chicago, Harvey Milk requires its attendees to be at risk of dropping out because of harassment.

Harvey Milk boasts a graduation rate of 95 percent of its students -- all of whom were at risk of or had dropped out -- well above the city average of 52 percent.

When the school opened its doors, protesters, led by anti-gay Kansas minister Fred Phelps, screamed at supporters gathered outside to repent for their "sodomite behavior."

Edelman said that while some concerns have been raised about Pride Campus at community meetings, officials have not heard any large-scale opposition.

One Chicago resident said at a meeting that he could not support the school because of his religious beliefs, Edelman said. Others told local media they didn't support the use of public money to create the school. Some thought that if gay students went to the Pride Campus, students in other schools would not learn to accept the gay community. Instead, they suggested, the focus should be working toward acceptance in all schools.

"Absolutely, we should work for [acceptance] across the board," said Jennings, the GLSEN executive director. "But it's not going to change overnight, and in the meantime, these kids aren't going to graduate."

Jennings said that GLSEN research shows acceptance among peers is helped by having a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender support group at school.

The most important factor, according to the GLSEN study, is the existence of a state law that protects students from harassment based on their sexual orientation.

Thirty-nine states, including Illinois and New York, do not have laws offering that specific protection, Jennings said citing the GLSEN study. Some have laws, but they don't specify on what basis the protections apply, which Jennings said was essentially as effective as having no law at all. California, Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin are the only states with specific sexual orientation protections for students.

The Chicago School Board will vote October 22 to approve the School for Social Justice Pride Campus in addition to 17 other proposed schools.

As far as Jennings is concerned, the school board's choice is an easy one.

"The choice they are making is not should we have this kind of school," he said. "The question is 'Are we going to do anything we can to get these kids an education?' And there's only one right answer -- yes."