Florida not on board with DNC decision

Democratic Party officials agreed Saturday to seat Michigan and Florida delegates with half-votes.
Amids a day of speeches and raucous behavior from the stands, Florida promised amidst yells of "Denver, Denver, Denver" to take the decision to the convention in August which will be held in Denver.
The DNC motion to seat all Michigan delegates with half vote each passed and a thank you was issued. Michigan is on board.
The rules committee agreed on the compromise offered by the Michigan Democratic Party that would split the difference, allowing Clinton to take 69 delegates and Obama 59. Each delegate would get half a vote at the convention in Denver this summer, according to the deal.
Nineteen in favor, eight opposed and no abstentions.
Need to win is now 2,118 delegates to clinch the nomination and Barack Obama has 2,050.

I believe it is disrespectful of Hillary to not concede the race. She will not and cannot win. This is not good sportsmanship, I gather but indeed, politics.

Obama's name wasn't on the Michigan ballot and Clinton got 50 of the vote with 40 percent uncommitted.
A much better story on this matter: DNC vote

Barack & Michelle Obama resign from Trinity United

Presidential Candidate Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have tendered a resignation from their church Trinity United Church of God in Christ.
A phone call placed to the church rendered the switchboard operator who said she knew of no resignation one way or the other. She said the officers of the church were not available.
I believe what Roland Martin reported is true in that he is a respected journalist and radio talk show host.
And I know he would not ever go off half-cocked on bad intel...however, a quick search found this item:
Sen. Barack Obama is leaving Trinity United Church of Christ, his longtime religious home in Chicago and a place that has triggered repeated controversies during his presidential bid, according to a Chicago Tribune blog entitled, "The Swamp."

Sex in the City (lives on in all of us women)

A comment made on the NPR site got me to thinking about my life.
I made the comment.

I said I had failed while reaching for the Sex in the City lifestyle. Actually, I met the same fate as the show and the women in Sex in the City: My activities were halted. Our society doesn't want women purposely behaving like Carrie, Sam, Charlotte and Miranda.

The story line of each character changed over time and then Sam got cancer (was this to replace her getting HIV?).
Each of the women had some unhappiness injected into their lives. Carrie was a victim of abuse when she went to Paris with the artist (whatchamacallit--i forget his name) and my heart fell to the floor. He slapped her. Was this a way to say women who behave like her get what they deserve? I hated that part.
Charlotte married and divorced, finally found happiness and then was infertile. *Sigh*
Miranda the high-powered lawyer, married a bartender turned owner and moved away from Manhattan--after she was turned into a baby's mamma, single mamma. *sigh of disappointment and dangit!*
They almost made it.
In short, they were no longer fabulous. They were less-than-fab reality-bitten normal, everyday bla-ze.
Why did this change occur? No man would have lived with or married any of those women.
First, dating one of them means you date them all. We know how girlfriends and marriage are like oil and water sometimes. Second, they have sex and enjoy it. Sex to them is not a giving up but a sharing or sometimes a taking (just to take the edge off a bit, ya' know)and many, many men do not like that attitude.
Matter-of-fact, I remember the disappointment I felt when reported on the news, was the story of N.Y. club owners banning women who behaved Sex-in-the City-ish on premises.
Yes, people the women were banned. They were banned for being free and expressing themselves and being too forward and I gather, the behaviors caused problems inside the clubs.
I can see how.
Before watching Sex in the City, I would have argued anyone on this point.

However, when women are grown and sexy and pick their mate for intimate encounters--like a man, a man-like situation happens.

Fights, public and humiliating are in the character of high-schoolers on the playground after school. Hurt feelings and misunderstandings are not handled well by the majority of the men we all know. They process feelings differently. Hurt a guy's feelings and see how hateful he gets. I mean, the kind of hatefulness that is scary and hard to forget.
He is not built to wait by anyone's phone. Unlike a woman, who will carry that hurt around inside, the guy may take action. And naw, it won't be pretty at all.
So I can see why these women were banned or at least gently encouraged to behave as ladies and not grown-ass women who are free in America to do as they please.
I gotta see that movie but remember the good old days when Sex in the City was really like a page out of Cosmopolitan magazine?
Wishful thinking, ladies.

Fan’s injury should force bat policy change

The wire came out of Susan Rhodes’ mouth this week. Doctors replaced it with rubber bands, so now people can understand her when she tells the story of how a maple baseball bat shattered her jaw.

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Good campaing, planning wins race to the White House for Obama

Unlike Hillary Rodham Clinton, rival Barack Obama planned for the long haul. Clinton hinged her whole campaign on an early knockout blow on Super Tuesday, while Obama's staff researched congressional districts in states with primaries that were months away. What they found were opportunities to win delegates.

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MasterCard sees double-digit 2008 revenue growth

MasterCard Inc, a credit and debit card processor, said it expects double-digit net revenue growth for 2008. According to slides in the company's investor day presentation, in the first eight weeks of the second quarter MasterCard is seeing transaction volume growth in dollar terms slowing in t

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Incomes and spending both slow in April

6 hours ago -AP - Consumer spending barely budged in April and growth in personal income slowed sharply, even though the government started sending out billions of dollars in economic stimulus payments.

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Nic & Weston's "Voodoo Child"

Weston & Nicolas Cage's Voodoo Child: Limited Edition Hardcover
Item# VCTH001
$29.99
Product Description
LIMITED TO 1000 COPIES WORLDWIDE

Big, bold new series! In 1860, the plantation of Mason Moore -- a known
Unionist sympathizer -- is burned to the ground by secessionists. In
the battle, Moore's illegitimate son is killed, but as he gasps his
last breaths, a voodoo bokor places a spell upon the dying boy. Flash
forward to 2005: four months after the worst natural disaster in its
history, New Orleans is gripped by fear as young girls start to
disappear from its streets while a brutal gang war rages. When
Detective Robert Julien starts to investigate, he finds that there's
something else out in the shadows: something that's neither dead nor
alive. The Enigma. But is it a possible ally or the darkest nightmare
of all?

--e-mail from a nicster on the issue of "Voodoo Child"

China quake survivors forced to scavenge

Dozens of men and women swarm over the mounds of debris of this ruined city, an eerie replay of the early days following China's devastating earthquake.

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Group: Music Is Key to Luring Young Latino Voters

The Latino vote could have a major impact in the presidential general election in November. In an attempt to appeal to younger Latino voters, Voto Latino, a voter registration group, is using popular music as part of its outreach. Rapper Armando Perez, a.k.a. "Pitbull," explains his role in the project.

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Cyclone survivors victimized by Myanmar soldiers

AP - It's not much, but the flimsy bamboo lean-to on the side of the road is all Aye Shwe has to keep his family dry. They lost their home to the cyclone and may soon be uprooted again — this time by soldiers ordering them to leave.

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U.S. Money May Get Makeover to Help the Blind

Last week, a federal appeals court ruled that the U.S. discriminates against the blind by producing currency that is not user-friendly for the visually impaired. A host of other countries incorporate shapes, colors and textures to help people identify denominations.

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Congo Highlights Safety in Search for Mine Operator

Congolese warriors used to smear a mineral all over their bodies before going into battle. It made them glow and frightened their enemies at night. Unfortunately, the mineral was radioactive. Congo's uranium deposits later became crucial to the Manhattan Project. Nowadays, the mining site is closed--or are they?

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Obama says he will fight McCain for western states

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama set his sights on the West on Tuesday, saying he will fight for states there that narrowly voted Republican in the last presidential election four years ago.

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Loan Auditor: Supervisors Covered Up Bad Loans

Millions of people are facing foreclosure because they got loans that should not have been approved. A big unanswered question is whether Wall Street banks knew they were selling garbage loans to investors. One former worker whose job was to catch bad loans says her supervisors covered them up.

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As gas goes up, driving goes down

At a time when gas prices are at an all-time high, Americans have curtailed their driving at a historic rate.

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Humanitarian workers take advantage of impovershed children

According to the charity "Save the Children", children told researchers they were too frightened to report the abuse, fearful that the abuser would come back to hurt them and that they would stop receiving aid from agencies, or even be punished by their family or community.

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Billionaire set for biggest tax refund payout--Post-Trib.com

When Gov. Mitch Daniels ordered Lake County to distribute property tax rebate checks to the low-income taxpayers of the county, he presumably did not have Dean White in mind.

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Homeland Security Grants to secure nations ports, transit

Release Date: May 16, 2008

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today more than $844 million in grant awards as part of its Infrastructure Protection Activities (IPA) grant program.
Grant awards will strengthen security at ports and enhance transit, trucking and intercity bus systems. Funds provided will be used to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies.

“With this year’s funding, the department will have provided roughly $3 billion in grants for securing the nation’s critical infrastructure and transportation systems,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “As capabilities mature, we’re encouraging state and local governments and the private sector to prioritize IED prevention and protection, communications capabilities, information sharing, and regionally based security cooperation.”

Fiscal Year 2008 IPA awards represent a 29 percent increase from last year. They include:

Port Security Grant Program: $388.6 million
The Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) supports sustainable, risk-based efforts to enhance access control and credentialing, protect against an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and other non-conventional attacks, and conduct exercises for disaster-response scenarios. The seven highest risk port areas that comprise Group I will receive $220.9 million, which is a 26 percent increase from last year. There are 40 Group II port areas that will receive a total of $138.1 million, and 16 Group III port areas will be awarded $17.3 million. Other port areas will receive a total of almost $9.9 million, and five ferry systems will be awarded more than $2.4 million. DHS has provided nearly $1.5 billion in PSGP grants since 2003.
Transit Security Grant Program: $380.1 million
The Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) supports sustainable, risk-based efforts to protect critical transit infrastructure, particularly against explosives and non-conventional threats that could cause major disruption to commerce and significant loss of life. The eight highest risk Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Tier 1 awardees will receive a total of $333.2 million, which is a 46 percent increase from last year. There are 23 UASI Tier II awardees that will receive a total $16.9 million. They will also have an opportunity to re-compete for another $8.5 million. DHS has provided roughly $921 million in TSGP grants since 2005.
Freight Rail Security Grant Program: $4.9 million
The Freight Rail Security Grant Program (FRSGP) provides awards to railroad operators that transport security-sensitive materials through high-density population areas. This is the first year of funding for the FRSGP, which will prioritize the development of vulnerability assessments and security plans, as well as security training of railroad front-line employees.
Intercity Passenger Rail Program: $25 million
The Intercity Passenger Rail Program (IPRP) will fund the National Passenger Railroad Corporation (Amtrak) to harden underground and underwater track and tunnels against IEDs, train key employees in counter-terrorism, and expand visible deterrence activities. DHS has provided more than $50 million in IPRP grants since 2005.
Intercity Bus Security Grant Program: $11.2 million
The Intercity Bus Security Grant Program (IBSGP) provides awards to operators of fixed route intercity and charter bus companies serving one or more defined UASI jurisdictions. Funding priorities include: IED prevention and detection; protection of high-risk/high consequence assets; antiterrorism training and preparedness exercises; visible, unpredictable deterrence activities; and the development of vulnerability assessments and security plans. There are six awardees providing extensive service to UASI Tier I jurisdictions that will receive $6.2 million. The remaining $5 million will be allocated to UASI Tier II eligible recipients. DHS has provided more than $71 million in IBSGP grants since 2003.
Buffer Zone Protection Program: $48.5 million
The Buffer Zone Protection Program (BZPP) provides grant funding for security and risk-management capabilities at state and local levels to bolster pre-designated UASI Tier I and Tier II critical infrastructure sites, such as chemical facilities, financial institutions, nuclear and electric power plants, dams, stadiums, and other high-risk/high-consequence facilities. DHS has provided more than $236 million in BZPP funds since 2005.
Trucking Security Grant Program (TSP): $15.5 million
The Trucking Security Grant Program (TSP) provides an award to a single grantee selected through a competitive process. The funding will support: participant identification and recruitment, planning, training, communications, and information analysis and distribution. DHS has provided nearly $78 million in TSP grants since 2003.
IPA grants reinforce the department’s approach to risk-based funding and commitment to regional planning and security coordination. The department considered the threat, vulnerability and consequences of an attack on critical infrastructure as well as the effectiveness of proposed solutions in making grant determinations. The risk-based methodology is consistent across IPA programs and is aligned with methodology used to determine eligibility for core DHS state and local grant programs.

IAEA: Iran may be withholding information in nuke probe

VIENNA, Austria - Iran may be withholding information needed to establish whether it tried to make nuclear arms, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Monday in an unusually strongly worded report.

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Both camps deny talks of Clinton's graceful exit plan

Several close friends and supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton said they are seeking a "graceful exit strategy" for Clinton from the race for the Democratic nomination, possibly as part of a joint ticket for the White House. However, Sen. Barack Obama's spokesman says there have been "zero talks."

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Oil prices up after government reports supply jump

Just recently, our government voted to stop putting oil into U.S. reserves and now it is being reported oil has jumped to $132 a barrel. I just don't understand. Gas is already $4 a gallon in Indiana--one of the lowest-cost states in which to live. What has to happen for the price of gas to fall?

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Obama leads McCain in November match: Reuters poll

It has been indeed, "an unlikely journey," for presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama. His win in Oregon Tuesday catapulted him to win enough pledged and superdelegates to capture the party's nomination.The so-called lower class white vote is still a vote for a Democrat. Now they have to decided what is more important: to be racist or Democrat.

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Should Hillary reject racists?
Heard on CNN Tuesday night while discussing the projection of an Obama win in Oregon, one of the political analysts expressed near disgust at the comments on an exit poll in Kentucky.
When asked point blank, about 21 percent of voters there said yes, race matters to them--in that, they will not vote for a black.
The look of embarrassment on some of the reporters and analysts faces said enough. We have all been there.
Whenever a black is on the news during a man-on-the street interview, blacks all over the viewing area are either relieved or saddened at the appearance and diction of said interviewee.
Statements like, "at least she didn't have a curl bag on her head," or "jeeze, couldn't they pick someone who speaks English?" has been uttered by more than one black. Sometimes I think it is an African ism that all blacks feel affected by the actions of one black. But it is not so. We are all individuals.
Last night, whites on the CNN panel had their moment in the "Oh-My-God!" hands over face, head-shaking category.
Several expressed displeasure at the fact that some of the lower-class white voters in Kentucky would be so unvarnished in their statements on race.
I applaud the network for being honest with the American public in reporting exactly what the Kentuckians who voted for Sen. Clinton said. In effect, they will vote for any white person.
That has to change, of course because in this election, you are either a Democrat or Republican.
It's not about white or black because our racial make-up in this country is inclusive of just about every race ever made by God. There are more than just whites and blacks in the country.
It is my hope that those in Kentucky and elsewhere who feel like not voting for a black is the right thing to do, will instead consider voting the issues.
Besides, voting for Hillary now is like throwing a vote away. She can't win mathematically. Voting for McCain is stating you approve of the current condition of this country. So if you have enough money or oil stock and are doing well and gas isn't priced out of your range, vote Republican.
If you are like the rest of Middle America and your budget can't take another gas price increase or you are losing your home or you are tired of divisive politics that hurt the whole of us, vote Democrat. Vote Obama.
Remember, lower-class white voters: don't let racism keep you poor. Most of you don't make the income requirement to vote Republican. All of us Democrats are in the same boat (different ends) so let us stick together.
Congratulations, Sen. Obama!

Obama: 'Lay Off My Wife'

Barack Obama, the Dems might-as-well-be presidential nominee, warned the GOP and any other considering bashing his wife, Michelle, to watch it! He feels dirty campaign tactics are, "low-class."

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Selma family's oil well producing 3 barrels a day | thestarp

Talk about Jed Clampett! A Selma, Indiana man discovers oil in his backyard, so he purchased oil drilling equipment and says he produces three barrels a day.

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Swapping Blood for Gas

U.S.citizens swapping plasma for gas money--up to $80 per week.

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blogTV.com

Some cholera confirmed in cyclone-hit Myanmar

Reuters - An international aid agency has confirmed some cases of cholera in Myanmar's cyclone-hit Irawaddy delta but the number was in line with normal levels in previous years, an aid official said on Friday.

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Chicago overturns ban on foie gras in restaurants

AP - Dining on foie gras — a delicacy made of duck and goose liver — will soon be legal again in Chicago. Mmmm--delicious!

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Edwards endorsement pays off for Obama

- Barack Obama collected the support of four of John Edwards' Democratic National Convention delegates on Thursday, then gained the backing of a West Coast congressman and a large labor union as he marched steadily toward the party's presidential nomination.

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The list grows: Superdelegate Visclosky backs Obama

U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky threw his super support behind Sen. Barack Obama's presidential bid Wednesday.Ending months of speculation -- and prodding by supporters of Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton -- Visclosky said the Illinois senator has the ability to unite the country

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John Edwards formally endorses Sen. Barack Obama for the DNP nominee

Announced as breaking news on CNN, John Edwards will endorse Barack Obama on stage in Michigan today. Go to CNN.com for the live feed.
An endorsement means Edward's 28 delegates could be added to Obama's total delegate count.
Barack Obama, our country's next president, took the podium in Grand Rapids, Michigan to rousing cheers and the song, "It's a Beautiful Day," by ? (respond in comments, please)
He gave an enthusiastic "Thank You" and told the crowd, "I am fired Up!"
The crowd was going wild. (Much love to the supporters in Michigan!)
Sen. Obama introduced John Edwards and the crowd went wild again.
The boos came about when John Edwards mentioned the H.C. issue and began to heap praise onto her shoulders. Alas, the rosy accolades couldn't help but sound like her campaign's epitaph. However, Edwards began to speak about unifying the Democratic Party.
"What brought us here?" he asked the crowd.
"O-baam-a!" "O-baam-a!" "O-baam-a!" cheers interrupted his speech.
Then he spoke of making two Americas into one America.
"We have so much work to do because all over America, there are walls," he said.
"Our job as of January next year is to tear that wall down and give America back to its people!"
The fans went rabid with cheers and screams.
"The reason I am here tonight is because the Democratic voters made their choice and so have I. There is one man that ...knows how to create lasting change...and that man is Barack Obama, the next President of these United States," Edwards said.
(Hellofva endorsement speech!)
Might-as-well-be-presumptive Democratic nominee, Barack Obama said that he was grateful for John Edwards coming to Michigan and giving his support.
"John Edwards and I believe in a different America--one American where we rise and fall together as one people," Obama said.
The crowd chanted, "Yes WE Can"
Obama said he will support Edward's 10-year-campaign to cut poverty in half and endorsed it as well.
**Just then the CNN crawl had something about unemployment rates being higher than previous government estimates.**
Then someone fainted during Obama's speech. He threw a bottle of water into the crowd to aid the fainter. Signs in the crowd read: "Obama Rocks", "Change we can Believe in" and "WE believe Obama"
Sen. Obama told the crowd that the campaign was about them, the American people--not the candidates for president.
"This campaign is about you, your hopes, your dreams--it's not about Hillary, McCain or me. Obama also reminded everyone that winning the election would continue to be hard work and that change is difficult process because of the resistance of the status quo but also that hope is stirring all across America.
To hear further commentary on this issue, please tune into "Saturday Night Sip with a Scanner" call-in show on Blogtalkradio/imadeamesss at midnight Saturday--347-324-3011.

Nicolas Cage to star in 'Bad Lieutenant'

By Gregg Goldstein

Nicolas Cage to star in 'Bad Lieutenant'
Werner Herzog to helm the remake of the 1992 cult classic

May 13, 2008, 04:59 PM

CANNES -- Nicolas Cage will star in Werner Herzog's remake of the
1992 cult classic "Bad Lieutenant" for financier Nu Image /
Millennium Films.

Pressman Film Corp. will produce the new version of its original Abel
Ferrara NC-17 film about a drug- and sex-addicted corrupt cop. Cage
takes the role originated by Harvey Keitel, with TV police show
writer Billy Finkelstein scripting. Production begins in July, with
exec producer Avi Lerner promising it will deliver as much filth as
the original.

Ed Pressman and Stephen Belafonte will produce. Nu Image/Millennium' s
Danny Dimbort, Lerner, Trevor Short and Boaz Davidson will executive
producer with Elliot Rosenblatt, Alessandro Camon and Randall Emmet.

Herzog, who follows up the film with Focus Features' "The Piano
Tuner" later this year, is repped by Gersh. Cage is repped by CAA.
Nicolas Cage to star in 'Bad Lieutenant'
Werner Herzog to helm the remake of the 1992 cult classic.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This item was snagged from an e-mail so I don't know what publication in which to assign credit. Please forgive this transgression.

Unstoppable Obama!

Hours after being routed by Hillary Rodham Clinton in West Virginia, Barack Obama picked up two more superdelegates, offering fresh recognition from Democratic leaders of his inevitable nomination.

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Obama Picks Up 3 More Superdelegates

The movement of Democratic superdelegates to presidential hopeful Barack Obama gained steam Friday with endorsements from a union president and two congressmen, including one who switched his backing from rival Hillary Rodham Clinton.

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Obama: World wants to see U.S. lead

Sen. Barack Obama said Thursday that the most important thing he could achieve as president would be to deal with Iraq and the threat of al Qaeda in Afghanistan while improving "our influence around the world."
Obama has the negotiation skills and is more likely to be successful at it because of the "world view" way he was raised. Interacting with other cultures in far away lands should be handled with care because impressions last a lifetime. A good impression may lead to lower gas prices and less threat of terroristic threats around the globe.

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Eighteen Months - Lulu.com

This publication is a script for a political thriller/action adventure film. I am seeking to option this script. It's about a woman named Lois DuSol. Lois is a reporter who becomes entangled with a lawyer, dirty cops, federal agents and her editor--all while experiencing her first love, carrying her first child and uncovering secrets that some say, shouldn't see the light of day.

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YeahandSoWhat- Broadcast your self LIVE

The Rev. Al Sharpton and Sean Bell's fiance jailed after arrest during civil disobedience protests in N.Y.

The Rev. Al Sharpton was arrested at the Brooklyn Bridge on Wednesday as he and hundreds of demonstrators blocked traffic to protest the acquittal of three detectives in the 50-bullet shooting of an unarmed black man fleeing police on his wedding day.

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11Alive.com - McGovern Says Clinton Should Quit

Yet another former Hillary supporter begs her to quit after an ugly, hardfought win in Indiana and last minute call for donations during her so-called victory speech in Indianapolis May 6.This morning, however, it was announced she loaned her campaign more than $6 million. Who wants Hillary to keep running?

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Indiana Primary Part II

I watched the returns on CNN May 6 and the group of them questioned repeatedly Gary Mayor Rudy Clay about why it took so long for Lake County to present election results.
Finally, still calm, he explained three of four times about the absentee vote. He said he wanted to be careful not to disenfranchise anyone. Mayor Clay actually said to them, "I have told you three or four times..." so patience was a virtue--in a whorehouse! Wolf just kept passively aggressively asking the same question over and over again.
Jeffery Toobin kicked it off, actually, with "it is a shame and a disgrace about what is going on in Indiana right now."
He said it was "totally unusual" and accused vote counters in the county of taking a page out of the "old days of Chicago politics" (what is that supposed to mean!?") nearly accusing them of holding back votes.
The grousing by CNN actually surprised me. They appeared to be familiar with old time election coverage but I guess they have forgotten about the past and like the lightening quick MTV broadcast age. Sorry. I am trained in print journalism so I was used to waiting up late on election nights and drinking coffee.
However, Toobin took issue with all of Lake County withholding vote totals because they were still counting absentee ballots. There were more than 11,000 to count still, way late into the evening. I guess the CNN staff figured it would rapped up early like in other states. The midnight deadline CNN was given, I suspect, was Indiana time.
The machine votes were held until the absentee ballots were counted properly.

In spite of all of this, the CNN coverage was the best ever. I know their ratings had to be high. I was so delighted to watch the whole thing churn out with the gripes and the whining and unbleached opinions! Everyone was so real last night. My stomach was in knots!
Thanks CNN.

Lake County's vote return was the largest ever for absentee voting.
As the returns chunked in, it was clear that Indiana was not the decisive victory Hillary was seeking.
Pundits said that Obama White Women made up 39 percent of the vote. It was speculated that they didn't like the whole shots-of-Crown-Royal think when she was out with Evan Bayh at a bar in Crown Point.
Pundits went so far as to say Hillary's camp would have to come up with another revelation on Barack to get a Clinton win.
Matter of fact, her speech, delivered in Indianapolis was more conciliatory than victorious. She expected a big win and that didn't come. She, instead, just barely won.
Barack, on the other hand, enjoyed a resounding victory in North Carolina, rounding the whole night out with a stirring speech that revved up his supporters even more. Congratulations, Sen. Obama!

Obama wins N.C. primary, Clinton squeeks, struggles to finish in Indiana primary

--Delegates will be divided
I live in Lake County, Indiana and am watching the CNN returns. My stomach is in knots! I voted early for Barack Obama and am waiting for the results of my county. Please watch the video below.

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INDIANA and OBAMA - Things are Looking GOOD

About 20 percent of the 127,000-plus absentee ballots received as of early Friday were cast in three Indiana counties — Marion, Monroe and Lake — that political observers believe Obama is strongly favored to win.

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Shortages threaten farmers' key tool: Fertilizer - CNET News

Shrinking grain stocks and an increasing appetite for meat have collided with a shortage of fertilizer.(From The New York Times)

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Albert Hofmann, inventor of LSD, dies.

Albert Hofmann, who died on Tuesday aged 102, synthesised lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in 1938 and became the first person in the world to experience a full-blown acid trip.

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