Officials say Fla., Mich. delegates will get half-votes

WASHINGTON - Democratic party officials said a party committee agreed today on a compromise to seat Michigan and Florida delegates with half-votes after Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton failed to get enough support to force their positions through.

The deal was reached after committee members met privately for more than three hours, trying to hammer out a deal. The sticking point was Michigan, where Obama's name was not on the ballot.

Clinton's camp insisted Obama shouldn't get any pledged delegates in Michigan since he chose not to put his name on the ballot, and she should get 73 pledged delegates with 55 uncommitted. Obama's team insisted the only fair solution was to split the pledged delegates in half between the two campaigns, with 64 each.

The committee agreed on a compromise offered by the Michigan Democratic Party that would give Clinton 69 delegates and Obama 59. Each delegate would get half a vote at the convention in Denver later this summer, according to the deal.

They also agreed to seat the Florida delegation based on the outcome of the January primary, with 105 pledged delegates for Clinton and 67 for Obama, but with each delegate getting half a vote as a penalty.

Did Father Pfleger Do More Harm To The Obama Campaign?

Rumors today are circulating at the DNC Rules Committee meeting that presidential candidate Barack Obama and his wife have resigned from Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ because of the most recent sermon, given by visiting pastor Father Pfleger (see below) about Hillary Clinton.

Designer Sexy

National Masturbation Month Reaches Its Climax

As many of you know, I live in Oakland, but what can I say about the city across the Bay - San Francisco!

SF Weekly has a wrap up of the San Francisco "Masturbate-A-Thon", complete with a photo gallery. If you flip through the pictures real fast, it's almost like you're actually living it—doubly so if you're touching yourself at the same time. It's hard to believe the month has cum and is almost over!

Hide Your Porn DVDs In Mysterious Magic Box

Porn collectors who want to build a DVD sex library inevitably run into two problems—a lack of space and a lack of shame. Because you've spent all your money on DVDs, you probably don't have a house big enough to hold them all, and even though your friends and loved ones are cool with your obsession, maybe you would still prefer that they not know that you own the entire Thugporn series.

Once again, technology saves the day! The Disc Manager 100 holds 100 DVDs in a small white box that is compact, stylish and—most important of all—does not have the word "Ass" or "Dick" written anywhere on it.

It's also digitally connected, can call up and eject your favorite discs at the push of a button, and can even password protect the discs you don't want prying eyes to see. (What it doesn't do, sadly, is play any of these DVDs on your TV. Nothings perfect.) If you find that you need this level of space-saving security, then this gadget could be the answer. · Disc Manager 100 (discmakers.com).

· See also: DVD Disc Manager 100 Keeps Your Adult DVDs Safe (Gizmodo)

Clay Aiken, American Idol Vet, Fathers Child

"American Idol" vet Clay Aiken is going to be a father, according to TMZ.com.

Citing "multiple sources," the site reported that the mother is Jaymes Foster, who served as executive producer of his new album, On My Way Here, and is a close friend. The site said he stays at her home when he's in Los Angeles.

The site said Foster, 50, is due in August, and this will be her first child. She is the sister of hit producer David Foster. Aiken is 29. The site also reported that Foster was artificially inseminated, but Aiken will take an active role in raising the child.

Aiken talked briefly about Foster with "Access Hollywood" last month.
"[She] is the executive producer of the [new] album," he said. "She's been my executive producer for the last two years."

The pregnancy report comes as a surprise, especially because Aiken's sexuality has long been the subject of media speculation. He talked about the issue in an interview with MTV News in 2006.

"[Knowing] who I'm dating and what kind of cereal I eat ain't gonna benefit anybody else," he said. That kind of thing is not important. I think there's a distinction. ... People have different opinions on that type of thing. I told you what mine is, and I think for each person, you do what's right for you. For me, part of the reason that I have anxiety is the fact that I feel like people are always staring at me. So it's important for me to make sure that I have my friends and vacation, and what I do at home with my family and that type of thing [stays private]."

At press time, a rep for Aiken had not responded to MTV News' requests for comment on the pregnancy.

SEX AND THE CITY NYC PREMIERE PICS

Sarah & Jennifer

Mary & Hubby

Gail (Oprah's Friend)

Lil Kim (plastic surgery is not working for her)

Michelle (Destiny's Child)

Complete picture album here

Duncan Donuts Dunks Rachel Ray Ad

Rediculous but true. Dunkin Donuts has pulled a commercial featuring pitchwoman Rachael Ray wearing a scarf because Michelle Malkin and other conservative observers thought the scarf looked too much like a keffiyeh, what Malkin describes as "the traditional scarf of Arab men that has come to symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad."

Bush Insider Tells All And Becomes #1 On Amazon

R. Kelly Trial Full Of Surprise Witnesses

Court adjourned abruptly Wednesday, after R. Kelly's attorneys suggested someone had stepped forward with information that could undermine the testimony of the prosecution's star witness.The newfound defense weapon is flying into Chicago tonight to meet with Kelly's team. It's unclear what insights the man will provide."I have no idea what's going on," Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan said. "It might be the impeachment of the [prosecution's] witness."

Defense attorneys insisted the situation wasn't an 11th-hour attempt to prevent the trial's most controversial witness from taking the stand today. They argued they needed to speak with him before the star witness testifies so they could prepare a proper cross-examination.
Complete story at source here>>>

Flavor Flav’s Shocking Proposal

Flavor Flav is saying “yeah, boy!” to one special lady: the mother of his child. The rapper-turned-reality TV star won’t be romancing any more ladies on Flavor of Love because he proposed to Liz (who wasn’t even a contestant) on the reunion show last night.
And the rapper did it the old-fashioned way, getting down on one knee, to which Liz exclaimed, “Finally!”
Flav’s explanation for the shocking twist? “The best gift you can give your child is to love his mother,” he said.
So it seems Karma—their son—did play a huge

TV Roundup: Ugly Betty Heading to Broadway?

Ugly Betty may be moving to New York, now it may be heading to Broadway? That’s according to Michael Urie, who plays Wilhelmina’s scheming assistant Marc St. James on the ABC hit. Singing, dancing and all that jazz hands–love it!
Story here at source>>>

Anti-Gay Legislator Shares Tirade With Supporters

In an unguarded moment of principled, homophobic bigotry; Sally Kern, a Oklahoma Legislator, delivers a jaw dropping anti-gay tirade to a group reported to be made up of about 50 people. Hear her message to the group in the youtube clip below.

To get involved see Victory Fund or The National Black Justice Coalition.

CALIFORNIA GAY MARRIAGE - May Begin As Early As June 17

SACRAMENTO – A new poll finds that for the first time in the state's history, a slim majority of voters supports same-sex marriage, which the state Supreme Court declared legal this month.

According to the nonpartisan Field Poll, 51 percent of California registered voters favor allowing same-sex couples to marry, 42 percent are opposed and 7 percent have no opinion.

Support for same-sex marriage has steadily increased during the 30 years that the Field Poll has surveyed voters on the issue. But this is the first time more voters expressed support than opposition.

“This is in many ways a historic poll,” said Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo. “It's a very significant moment.”

The poll also found voters are not inclined to support an amendment to the California Constitution banning same-sex marriage, such as the one targeted for the November ballot. Only 40 percent of those surveyed said they favored such a measure, 54 percent were opposed and 6 percent had no opinion.

The survey showed big differences in opinion on keeping same-sex marriage legal. Supporters include younger voters, Democrats, liberals and residents of Los Angeles or the San Francisco Bay Area. Opposed were older voters, Republicans, conservatives, residents of the Central Valley and Southern California counties besides Los Angeles, including San Diego and Orange counties.

Women and men support allowing same-sex marriage, though men less so. Women are in favor, 53 percent to 39 percent, with 8 percent having no opinion. Support among men is 48 percent to 44 percent, with 8 percent having no opinion.

In 2006, the last Field Poll on the issue, 44 percent approved of same-sex marriage and 50 percent disapproved.

Since then, several things have happened.

In 2007, the Legislature passed for a second time a law approving same-sex marriage, which was again vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. For years, California had already allowed same-sex couples to register in domestic partnerships that confer many of the same rights and responsibilities that go with marriage.

Last fall, a gay-rights group, Equality California, conducted a campaign that included television and Internet advertising along with house parties in support of making same-sex marriage legal.
Most significant, the state Supreme Court on May 15 ruled 4-3 that statutes banning same-sex marriage violate the right to marry embodied in the state constitution.

The decision overturned a law passed by the Legislature in 1977 and Proposition 22 approved by 61 percent of California voters in 2000. The ruling made California the second state after Massachusetts to legalize same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriages may begin in the state as early as June 14.

See complete story at source>>>

Fraud-prevention pitchman becomes ID theft victim

SAN JOSE, California (AP) -- Todd Davis has dared criminals for two years to try stealing his identity: Ads for his fraud-prevention company, LifeLock, even offer his Social Security number next to his smiling mug.

Now, LifeLock customers in Maryland, New Jersey and West Virginia are suing Davis, claiming his service didn't work as promised and he knew it wouldn't, because the service had failed even him.

Attorney David Paris said he found records of other people applying for or receiving driver's licenses at least 20 times using Davis' Social Security number, though some of the applications may have been rejected because data in them didn't match what the Social Security Administration had on file.

Davis acknowledged in an interview with The Associated Press that his stunt has led to at least 87 instances in which people have tried to steal his identity, and one succeeded: a guy in Texas who duped an online payday loan operation last year into giving him $500 using Davis' Social Security number.

Complete story at source>>>

Oprah Ratings Down - Are White Women Defecting Because of her Obama Endorsement?

LOS ANGELES — Oprah Winfrey is still the queen of all media, but her crown is beginning to look a bit tarnished.

The average audience for “The Oprah Winfrey Show” has fallen nearly 7 percent this year, according to Nielsen Media Research — its third straight year of decline. “Oprah’s Big Give,” an ABC philanthropic reality show, beat every program on television except “American Idol” in its premiere week this winter, but steadily lost nearly one-third of its audience during the rest of its eight-week run, according to Nielsen.

The circulation of O, The Oprah Magazine, has fallen by more than 10 percent in the last three years, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, and the magazine is now seeking a new editor in chief after the announced retirement of its longtime steward, Amy Gross.

And while Ms. Winfrey still displays a Midas touch when it comes to the endorsement of books and products, some of her latest picks have attracted criticism from longtime fans as she has strayed into new-age spiritualism and, perhaps more dangerously, politics. Her endorsement of the presidential bid of Senator Barack Obama appears to have alienated some of the middle-aged white women who make up the bulk of her television audience, many of whom support Senator Hillary Clinton.
Complete story at source>>>

BLACK IS VERY BEAUTIFUL

Lalah Hathaway Interview About New Album - Self Portrait

Over the Memorial Day weekend I had the pleasure of interviewing Lalah Hathaway (daughter of the legendary Donny Hathaway) on Real Talk about her 5th studio album "Self Portrait" featuring the single "Let Go" (Stax Records) due in stores and online June 3, 2008.

I also must give a special shout-out and thank you to my friend Peter Albertelli over at Fly-Life Inc. in NYC for hooking this interview up for us!

Lalah's performance at the world famous Yoshi's Jazz Club in Oakland was nothing less than stellar. Lalah, you so very cool and so very funny (you could be a comedian) for real. And she is a techie!

Thanks for taking time to talk with us and we look forward to taking another musical journey with you on your new album. I hope that everyone will go to see her when she is in your city or town. Click here for tour dates.
Take care.
Joe
See video interview below

See some of my previous music related Real Talk video interviews below:

1. Ru Paul

2. L.L. Cool J

3. Regina Bell
4. Rahsaan Patterson

5. Angie Stone

6. Slick Rick

7. Vivica Fox & Boris Kodjoe

8. Kelly Price

9. Kirk Whalum

10. World AIDS DAY Concert -Martin Luther, Ise Lyfe, Sunny Hawkins, Mayor Dellums

11. Latoya London

12. Kevin Aviance

13. Corey Action
14. Tim 'M West

15. Billy Porter

Click here for some of my LGBT Youtube Interviews.

Click here for more real talk interviews with numerous people to include straight and gay folks from actors to athletes, politicians to poets and people in our community who make a difference.

Enjoy!
Joe

Janet Gets GLAAD

JANET JACKSON accepts the "Vanguard Award" from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) at its 19th Annual Media Awards in Hollywood in April. The Vanguard Award is presented to media professionals who have increased the visibility of the gay/lesbian community through their work.

Congratulations to all of the honorees to include Deondray Gossett & Quincy LeNear, creators of "The DL Chronicles" for their award for “Outstanding TV Movie, Mini-Series or Anthology.” I also want to encourage you all to purchase "The DL Chronicles" DVD of season one so that you can see for yourself just how good this show really is.

The 19th annual GLAAD media awards will air on BRAVO June 27th at 7pm. See Glaad.org for details for this year's event. Click here for press info>>>

BRAZIL BLACK HOMOSEXUAL HAVEN?

Homosexuality has been legal in Brazil since 1823, except in the armed forces, and civil unions are allowed in some areas.

Brazil's population of over 184 million people is about 45 percent black and mixed race. Bahia's is more than 80 percent black. Compare that to America's 12% black population and you get the picture.

For more about Brazil click here.