�Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) has chosen his vice presidential pick and is expected to announce his choice on Friday, the Washington Post reports. McCain, wHO opposes abortion rights, in an interview in The Weekly Standard earlier this month aforementioned he would not rule out choosing an abortion-rights supporter as his working mate. However, a young Post-ABC News poll ground that selecting such a candidate for the vice presidency would be risky for McCain, who has worked strong to win the support of conservatives.
According to the poll of 1,108 registered voters, 20% of McCain's supporters would be less likely to vote for him if he picked an abortion-rights supporter as his running checkmate, such as Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) or former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge (R). The poll likewise found that nearly six in 10 of McCain's supporters aforesaid abortion should be illegal in most cases (Barnes et al., Washington Post, 8/28).
The New York Times reports that it is unclear how seriously McCain has considered Lieberman, whose selection could set off a "disgust" among delegates at the Republican National Convention next week in Minneapolis, as well as a "raging backlash" among Christian conservatives. The Times reports that as of Tuesday, McCain still was considering Lieberman. According to the Times, McCain's option of Lieberman could help him appeal to women, independents and conservative Democrats in a "tough year" for Republican candidates. However, other Republicans said they suspected that regardless of McCain's personal views, his aides "could be pushing" Lieberman with the media "as voice of a disinformation military campaign to arouse interest in the pick and to make it appear" as though McCain is "clear to all possibilities and therefore more than of an independent candidate" (Bumiller/Cooper, New York Times, 8/28).
Sen. Brownback To Discuss Abortion During Convention Speech
In related news, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) has proclaimed that he will promote his "whole life" philosophy, which golf links his antiabortion position with a call to time value life "at every stage," during his speech at the Republican convention side by side week, the AP/Denver Rocky Mountain News reports.
According to the AP/Rocky Mountain News, Brownback says that Republicans wHO accept the "whole life" ethic have more of a claim to compassion and social justice than Democrats. "It's a philosophical position for the political party that we're fighting to get the party to embrace," Brownback said. Brownback added that Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) and his running mate Sen. Joseph Biden (Del.) want voters to ignore the Democratic Party's position on abortion rights yet silent claim the higher ground on broader social justice issues. "What I'm expression is: Look at where the Republican Party is on hale life," Brownback said, adding, "That message competes now with what I think Obama and Biden will try to pitch. The Republican Party can be one of compassion, and there's a philosophical consistency for us that doesn't exist in their stance" (Hananel, AP/Denver Rocky Mountain News, 8/27).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You toilet view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
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Thursday, 4 September 2008
Monday, 25 August 2008
Download Axxis mp3
 Artist: Axxis: mp3 download Genre(s): Metal Metal: Heavy Rock Rock: Hard-Rock Discography:  Paradise In Flames Year: 2006 Tracks: 14  Time Machine Year: 2004 Tracks: 12  Collection Of Power Year: 2002 Tracks: 7  Eyes of Darkness Year: 2001 Tracks: 13  Pure and Rouht Year: 1999 Tracks: 9  Voodoo Vibes Year: 1997 Tracks: 12  Matters Of Survival Year: 1995 Tracks: 12  The Big Thrill Year: 1993 Tracks: 11  Axxis Ii Year: 1990 Tracks: 11  Kingdom Of The Night Year: 1989 Tracks: 12 Hoping to play along in the footsteps of the Scorpions earlier them, German metal/hard rock stripe Axxis was formed in 1988 by Bernhard Weiss (vocals, guitar), Walter Pietsch (guitar, vocals), Werner Kleinhans (bass), and Richard Michalski (drums). Quickly signed by EMI's German subordinate, Axxis unleashed their impressive Kingdom of the Night debut album the following class, and followed suit with 1990's II and 1991's live Access All Areas. Although none of these releases fared all that well outside of their native land, 1993's The Big Thrill was considered something of a band landmark for being their commencement effort recorded in America (Philadelphia, to be precise). (It as well saw the comer of keyboardist Harry Oellers and, soon after its transcription, the divergence of bassist Kleinhans.) Axxis carried on undeterred, nevertheless, touring consistently across Europe and transcription 1995's Matters of Survival in Los Angeles with celebrated producer Keith Olsen. 1997's Voodoo Vibes preceded an extended layoff punctuated by major musician employee turnover, as longtime guitarist Pietsch distinct to move back and was replaced by Guido Wehmeyer. A new basso purpose player named Kuno Niemayer was excessively on deal by the fourth dimension Axxis made their comeback with 2000's Back to the Kingdom, and, since then, the stripe has released Eyes of Darkness in 2001 and Meter Machine in 2004. |
Saturday, 16 August 2008
George Furth, Sondheim collaborator, dies
NEW YORK �
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George Furth, an actor and playwright wHO wrote the book for the forward-looking Stephen Sondheim musical "Company," died Monday. He was 75.
Furth died at a hospital in Santa Monica, Calif., said Dennis Aspland, his agent, who didn't know the cause of death.
Furth's quislingism with Sondheim started with 1970's "Company," an unconventional, revuelike musical which followed the tribulations of a thirtysomething New York unmarried man and his inability to commit to a relationship. Furth won a Tony for his book of the point, which was directed by Harold Prince and featured the choreography of Michael Bennett.
"Company" has had deuce Broadway revivals since so - in 1995 and again in 2006 in a production where the actors as well served as the show's musicians.
"Merrily We Roll Along," based on a play by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, was the duo's second musical collaboration. The 1981 show, which told its showbiz story in reverse chronology, closed in two weeks. Yet Sondheim's score remains a favourite of musical buffs, and revised versions of "Merrily" have been done in various regional theaters as well as in London.
Furth and Sondheim also collaborated on "Getting Away with Murder," a comedy thriller that had a little Broadway run in 1996.
Furth began his career as an worker, appearing on Broadway in such transient productions as 1961's "A Cook for Mr. General" and the Judy Holliday musical "Hot Spot" in 1963.
As a playwright, Furth had respective solo Broadway productions, most notably "Twigs" (1971), a comedy which won its star, Sada Thompson, a best-actress Tony. Directed by Michael Bennett, it told the story of quatern women, all members of the same family and all played by Thompson.
Among Furth's former Broadway efforts were the book for the John Kander-Fred Ebb musical "The Act" leading Liza Minnelli (1977) and two other plays, "The Supporting Cast" (1981) and "Precious Sons" (1986).
Furth too acted in movies including "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "Myra Breckenridge," "Airport '77" and "Shampoo," as well as numberless TV comedies.
There were no immediate survivors.
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Thursday, 7 August 2008
Australian Independent Label Eleven Enters Joint Venture With Universal Music Group
Missy Higgins
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SYDNEY, July 30, 2008 � Acclaimed Australian independent label, Eleven: a music company, and the Universal Music Group, the world�s leading music company, proclaimed today that they take entered into a new joint venture.�The two companies will partner equally in releasing recordings by preeminent Australian artists, including Missy Higgins, Kisschasy, Little Birdy, Paul Mac and Silverchair.
The agreement will continue to provide these artists with full ascendence over the creation of their music.�Marketing will be brought in house at Eleven, and promotion will be outsourced.�Universal Music Australia will provide funding, statistical distribution, back power services and strategic oversight.�This new poser will allow Eleven�s artists to aggregate the exemption and flexibility of an independent career with the �muscle� of a major label.
�Everyone at Eleven is very emotional to be entering into this partnership,� aforesaid label President, John Watson. "We share Universal's belief that transformative times like these demand new shipway of doing business.�This newfangled structure will allow our artists to make the music they want to make and to get it heard as widely as possible over the years ahead.�
George Ash, Managing Director, Universal Music Australia, commented:��John Watson, Melissa Chenery, the squad at Eleven, and their amazing artists are at the head of success and creative thinking, and the Universal Music family is honoured to be partnering with them as we work towards an exciting new future.�Our bond is based upon a heat for artists and connecting them with their fans in a fast changing music world.�Eleven are the leaders, the innovators and the dead on target home for artists.�We couldn�t be more than excited.�
John Watson Management, which counts well-nigh of the Eleven roster as clients, will go forward to operate as a completely independent entity for its current roster.�Future signings will be made to a new management company in partnership with Universal Music.�In each case, the new structure will provide JWM/Eleven artists to more than closely aggregate the exposure of their recordings and touring.
�In this cluttered media environment, we believe that artists need to aggregate their finite marketing and promotional resources,� aforementioned John Watson.��Instead of the traditional approach of having one grouping of people trying to sell �CDs� while others try to sell �concert tickets�, artists need to be in the broader business of building abiding relationships with their audiences in all the different forms that may take.�Universal Music truly understands all this, so our new deal testament allow us to integrate those processes much more than seamlessly.�
Max Hole, Executive Vice President, Universal Music Group International, and President, Asia-Pacific Region, said, �John Watson has an enviable track record for finding and developing capital talent.�This partnership with Eleven promises a new way of connecting those artists and their music to the widest possible audiences.�We can�t hold off to contract started.�
The Universal Music joint venture brings to an end Eleven's remarkably successful association with Virgin/EMI Music Australia.�During that time, Eleven's artists sold over 2 million albums and standard 21 ARIA Awards.
�On behalf of ourselves and our artists, I want to sincerely give thanks EMI Australia�s past and present stave for all their grand and consecrated work,� said John Watson.��While we�ll miss our friends thither, we trust that this new venture with Universal Music volition definitely provide the topper strategic fit for us over the years ahead.�We are very excited to be starting this newfangled chapter in partnership with George Ash and his team.�
The new distribution arrangements for Eleven will direct effect from September 1.�Existing global licensing arrangements for Eleven artists are unaltered.
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Friday, 27 June 2008
Soccer Just Got More Popular in the States
If Portuguese futbol star Cristiano Ronaldo always played shirtless, we'd actually watch a game. Gostoso!
What the hell are you doing reading this, when you could be looking at him?!
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What the hell are you doing reading this, when you could be looking at him?!
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Monday, 23 June 2008
Crossfire
Artist: Crossfire
Genre(s):
Drum & Bass
Metal: Heavy
Metal
Discography:
The Signz / Camouflage
Year: 2005
Tracks: 2
Crossfire (CF004)
Year: 2005
Tracks: 2
Avalanche (AVA002)
Year: 2004
Tracks: 2
Drop On Request (DOR002)
Year: 2003
Tracks: 2
Hideout Swordfight
Year: 2002
Tracks: 1
Live Attack
Year: 1986
Tracks: 9
Sharpshooter
Year: 1985
Tracks: 6
Second Attack
Year: 1985
Tracks: 7
See You In Hell
Year: 1984
Tracks: 8
Heavy metal play Crossfire hailed from Belgium, where they originally formed as a kindling careen band named The Onion Dolls. Finding themselves, care many European compatriots, swept up by the excitement of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (and perchance keenly cognizant that tough was already on the way out), vocalist/guitarist Nero Neerinckx, guitar player Marc new wave Caelenberge, bassist Patrick new wave Londerzele and drummer Peter De Windt got their first break from Holland's Aardschock Magazine, which featured 2 of their songs in their 1982 Metal Clogs compiling. When Neerinckx all of a sudden throw in the towel the band (later on to be confined for murdering a officer!), he simply opened the door for de Windt to take up his place as frontman, and, after the enlisting of new drummer Chris de Brauwer, this adjust recorded Crossfire's debut record album, See You in Hell, for Mausoleum Records. Released in 1983 to selfsame favourable reviews, its melodic and energetic weighed down alloy bordered on as-yet-undeveloped slam, and drew comparisons to former contemporary European bands care Helloween, Angus and regular the mighty Accept. 1985's soph Second Attack (where they added arcsecond guitar player Rudi Van de Sijpe) pretty a great deal replicated this recipe, though non the far-flung acceptance, and its overly rush and uninspired heir, 1986's Sharpshooter (featuring in time some other newfangled guitar instrumentalist in Jacky D'Hondt), injury up losing them their recording contract, to kicking. Crossfire managed a terminal live album the undermentioned year before quietly fading into obscurity, although de Windt hung on for a couple more age with German metal band Ostrogoth.
Monday, 16 June 2008
Jay-Z Agrees That Kanye West Is The 'Hottest'; Nas Says Barack Obama Can Put U.S. On The 'High Road': Mixtape Monday
Artist: Maino
Representing: Brooklyn
Mixtape: The Last Real N---a Alive
411: Jimmy Spicer definitely wasn't the best rapper in the world. You haven't heard of him, right? OK. He wasn't even good. But his "Money (Dollar Bill Y'All)" was influential. The repetition of "dollar, dollar bill, y'all" had to inspire the same words on the hook to Wu-Tang's "C.R.E.A.M." Also, in the '90s, Mary J. Blige took her classic "Be Happy" to another level by speeding up Spicer's instrumental and remixing her hit.
Now, in 2008, Brooklyn's Maino has used the same sample for his "Hi Hater," a record that embraces jealousy and uses the negative energy for positive fuel.
"It was the Mary beat," he said driving through downtown Brooklyn past the location where the famous Albee Square Mall used to be (shout-out to Biz Markie!). "I figured [the beat] was older. I wasn't really sure. It was the Mary beat, to the 'Be Happy' remix. I always wanted to rap to it. I loved that. Then I researched the beat and it was 'dollar, dollar bill, y'all.' That's why I started my song with 'Dollar bill, y'all/ Lot of bills, y'all/ New year, trying to touch me a mil, y'all.'
"A lot of people ask me, 'How did you come up with that [hook]?' " he continued. "That's what I heard. I was riding around in the car listening to the beat. That's what I heard: 'Hi, hater!' I saw it. We coming through, and the haters is over, and we roll down the window — 'hi, hater!' — waving at them."
Two Sundays ago, Maino, tore down the Hot 97 Summer Jam by coming onstage with Alicia Keys as a surprise guest. The tens of thousands embraced his record. Maino credits Swizz Beatz for hooking him up with A. Keys. His life is so much different than it was when he was serving out an almost 10-year prison sentence not too long ago.
"I know what it feels to wake up and the first thing you see is them bars," said Maino, who started his bid when he was just 16 years old. "One thing about being in prison I ain't lose, when I wake up now, the fist thing I see is those bars. You feel hopeless. You at your lowest low. You not able to take care of your own self. You're depending on people in the outside world to check in on you. ... It's very depressing. You try to find hope in that by reading. Music for me helped me get through that. We were able to get mixtapes and things like that."
Maino's rise in the music game has been a process. He had one deal with Universal Records that fell through, and he's since signed to Atlantic. While everybody in the streets knows him through his mixtapes, cameos with good friend Lil' Kim and appearances on street DVDs, "Hi Hater" is actually the first real single he's ever had. His next album is slated for September 30 with production from Cool & Dre and GQ Beats, among others.
His latest mixtape, The Last Real N---a Alive, was just released with DJ Superstar Jay.
"I think I got better as a song maker, and I wanted people to see that," he said of his street CD. "Instead of trying to display a bunch of frivolous lyrics — 'my rhymes do this, my rhymes do that' — I wanted to give them real talk. You hear a lot of good records — a lot of records that could have made the album. I'm just trying to give them what's in store."
Joints To Check For
» "The Streets Been Good to Me." "I'm just trying to show people the edge of me," Maino explained. "The streets been good to me. They raised me as a person, as a man. The streets gave birth to the way I think before I went to prison and while I was in prison. It was the streets I came back to."
» "Dey Know" remix by Shawty Lo, also featuring Lil' Kim and Busta Rhymes. " 'Maino, I keep it gangsta. The side of my face been cut with a razor,' " Maino rapped as a preview. "I learned when a person underestimates you, they really at the disadvantage. You're at the advantage. They letting their guards down. That's how people get hurt, literally! I love when a person underestimates me. He's taking away from himself. I did that one time and got cut in my face. I underestimated the dude and overestimated myself: 'He ain't gonna do sh--.' It was in jail, Comstock [New York]. Never could I overestimate myself again and underestimate the next man. I apply the same thing to music. You think I ain't got it? You think I ain't capable? You don't think I know how to play chess? First move, check! Do something."
» "Real Talk." "I'm the last real n---a in the game. That speaks for itself," Maino said. "Real n---as are outnumbered 99 to one. I don't think I'm the sole real n---a on Earth. But I'm speaking for all the real n---as that's outnumbered. Where they at? In this rap game, there's not too many that's stand-up. There's a couple. It ain't too many. It's a few. I'm just making my mark, man. I'm just trying to tell the people. Like I said, you need a G in office. Who else is gonna represent you?"
Don't Sleep: Other Notable Selections This Week
» D12 - Return of the Dozen
» DJ Bobby Black - Crack Addiction
» DJ Dolla Sign - Terminator: The Curtis Jackson Chronicles
» J. Period and G. Brown - March 9 V.2
'Hood's Heavy Rotation: Bubbling Below The Radar
» G-Unit - "Straight Outta Southside"
» N.E.R.D. - "Time For Some Action"
» Plies (featuring Keyshia Cole and J. Holiday) - "#1 Fan"
» Sean Garrett (featuring Pharrell Williams) - "Patron"
Celebrity Faves
Big brother is a proud brotha. The MTV News Hip-Hop Brain Trust recently voted Kanye West as the Hottest MC in the Game (the public is still up in arms over the top 10!), and Jay-Z agrees that 'Ye's development has been major.
"He's a complete package now," Hov said. "He's working on his craft as an MC. In the beginning, his flow wasn't as tight. It was more stretched out. He wouldn't hit everything all the time like the one, two. His flow was lacking, in my opinion. And this last album, everything came together. The songs were great, the hooks were incredible, and the lyrics — he really takes a lot of pride in what he writes. That happiness is seeing his evolution from the first album to now. It's like, 'Wow!' "
The Streets Is Talking: News & Notes From The Underground
You hear about it all the time: African-Americans who have "made it" but get reminders that racism in this country still exits, no matter how big your celebrity is or how much money you have. But how far up the food chain does racism go? Will it affect Illinois Senator Barack Obama if he were to become president?
"I get reminders," Nas told us of coming into contact with bigotry. "I see a lot of people get reminders all the time. But the president of the United States? I don't know. He can expect that everything that can happen, will happen. But he's a lot more powerful than Nasir Jones in a lot of ways. I think he'll be all right. People like me, we're gonna deal with [racism]. There's a lot of ignorance in the world. Look at the human family. We've been able to design iPods and so-called go the Moon. Yet, we can't get over racial difference and colors of skin. That's gotta go.
"If Barack becomes the president, it doesn't matter who looks at him as a n---er at that point," Nas continued. "Everybody gotta go through scrutiny, criticism by crazy people. They will criticize your child. They talked about the Clintons' daughter, and they talked about this one and that one. You gotta be able to take the high road on everybody. I think Obama is perfect for taking the high road. He's prepared. He's a black man. Him taking the high road is him taking the country on a high road. I think it's gonna benefit everybody in America with that guy in office. Let's hope it happens. Let's hope it's no funny business with that guy in office. Let's hope for the best."
After years of disinterest, the Big Apple native credits Obama's campaign for raising his awareness and excitement in politics again.
"It got me interested," Nas admitted. "I think in about 10 more years from today, you're gonna have more politicians who grew up listening to Illmatic that are ... MCs! That are rappers. You're gonna start seeing more rappers evolve into politicians. If we have a change this year and it's a positive thing, we trusting the system now. We believe in it more. We see something positive coming out of it that makes us want to get involved more. Five or 10 years from now, you might see somebody like me trust it more. Who knows? I won't say for sure."
Although he's anticipating a big change in the country should Obama take the Oval Office, Nas hasn't committed to casting a vote.
"I don't know what I'm doing as far as the vote this year," he admitted. "I'm excited about it, I just don't know what I'm doing. I'm still trying to figure out the next few months of my own life. My own politics. I'm the president of Nas World. That's a busy job already. To get out and vote? I gotta see."
The new song "Black President" appears on Nas' new The N---er Mixtape with DJ Green Lantern as well as his yet-untitled July LP. ...
Shawty Lo doesn't want to fight T.I. He doesn't even want to battle him song for song with disses. The self-proclaimed "King of Bankhead" is ready to see his rivalry with the King of the South go up one notch, though. L.O. says he and Tip can duke it out on Saturday with their sets.
Both rappers are on the bill for the Atlanta radio station Hot 107.9's 13th annual Birthday Bash concert. The roster also features the Game, Lil Boosie, Webbie, DJ Khaled, Young Jeezy, Plies and Rocko.
"We gonna give the people what they want," Lo said late last week about what he and Tip will bring to the concert in their separate sets. "It's gonna be either he wins or I win. It ain't no beef or nothing. He said he's gonna have the best show. I say I'm gonna have the best show."
So what's at stake? "Bragging rights," Lo said. It's just that simple.
"He put the challenge out there. I'm going out there to do my show," Lo explained. "He said the Birthday Bash is his. It probably was. But now Shawty L.O. is in town."
He's in town for the show, at least. Shawty is still in demand out of town for various spot dates. He said his record label would love for him to put out the follow-up to his debut, Units in the City. The Georgia bulldog is still collecting beats from people like Polow Da Don, Jazze Pha and Soulja Boy but says he needs to finally buy an iPod so he can listen to and write tracks on the road. In addition to his next solo LP, there might be a group album on the horizon. Not with D4L, but with his favorite collaborator: Gucci Mane.
"Gucci, we were grinding together before it got to this point," he explained. "We were grinding hard. Right now, we're thinking about putting an album together. It's more than us two. [The record company was] saying me and Gucci, Lil Boosie and Gorilla Zoe. It would be crazy. We're gonna take it one day at a time and see how it goes. I believe we could put it together. We all get along very good. It's about making it make sense and making it happen." ...
Usually, rappers jack a singer's song and make an unofficial remix. Unless the singer is R. Kelly, we don't typically see it the other way around — especially not with a star as big as Janet Jackson.
"It was weird, bruh," Plies said about finding out that Janet took it upon herself to remix his "Bust It Baby 2" by adding her vocals. "I was in Milwaukee. One of the [program directors] said, 'I love the "Bust It Baby" remix. The one y'all did with Janet Jackson.' I didn't even know she did the record. Then I got a call from one of my peoples in Atlanta. They said Jermaine [Dupri] had just dropped the record off to the station. For the first 15, 20 minutes, I really thought the person who was telling me this was just talking.
"But to see a person of her caliber embrace my craft enough to feel that she wanted to be a part of it, that made me not only appreciate it, but made me feel I was going in the right direction," he continued.
Plies' Definition of Real comes out this week. Other than Ne-Yo, he has guest appearances from Jamie Foxx, J. Holiday, Keyshia Cole and the "radio killer" himself, The-Dream. No other rappers. And get this: He's already almost done with his third LP. It's called The Realest and comes out December 16.
For other artists featured in Mixtape Monday, check out Mixtape Mondays Headlines.
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