Category: Uncategorized

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Donald Trump Praises Heroes Of 7/11

Donald Trump, speaking in Buffalo last night in advance of the New York presidential primary, praised the heroes of 7/11.

I had no idea he was such a fan of the convenience store chain.

From the clip:

“I wrote this out, and it’s very close to my heart,because I was down there and I watched our police and our firemen down at 7/11, down at the World Trade Center right after it came down. And I saw the greatest people I’ve ever seen in action.”

Of course, we all believe he must have meant to say 9/11. It’s worth noting the Trumpster never corrected himself.

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5-Time Emmy Winner Doris Roberts Dies At 90

Television icon Doris Roberts has passed away at the age of 90.

Although her TV debut dates back to 1951, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that she found her niche in maternal figures on shows like Soap (1978), Angie (1979-1980), Remington Steele (1983-1987), and the role of her lifetime – “Marie Barone” on Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005).

Along the way, Roberts won a total of five Emmy Awards – four for her performances on ‘Raymond;’ her first for a guest spot on St. Elsewhere.

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NY Primary – Polls Show Clinton & Trump With Strong Leads

The latest Emerson poll  shows former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with a 15 point lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders in tomorrow’s Democratic New York state primary (55% – 4-%).

Real Clear Politics poll averages show Clinton with an average 12 point lead over Sen. Bernie Sanders.

On the Republican side, Donald Trump leads his rivals with 55% of those polled, versus Gov. John Kasich at 21% and Sen. Ted Cruz at 18%.

Real Clear Politics shows similar poll averages of 53% / 22% / 18% respectively.

We’ll see how this goes by tomorrow night.

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Broadway Blockbuster HAMILTON Wins Pultizer Prize For Drama

The Broadway blockbuster Hamilton joins a distinguished group of only eight other musicals to win the coveted Pulitzer Prize in Drama.

The producers of the show shared the news on Twitter this morning.

The award is given with an emphasis on “a distinguished play by an American author, preferably original in its source and dealing with American life.” In addition to the honor itself, there is a $10,000 cash prize.

The most recent musical to win the Pulitzer was Next To Normal in 2010. The other seven musicals to be awarded the honor, since the Pulitzer began bestowing the honor to dramatic pieces, are:

• Rent (1996)
• Sunday in the Park With George (1985)
• A Chorus Line (1976)
• How To Succeed in Business without Really Trying (1962)
• Fiorello (1960),
• South Pacific (1950)
• Of Thee I Sing (1932)

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Rock Band BOSTON Cancels Three North Carolina Concerts Over HB2

One of my absolute favorite bands of the late 70s/80s, BOSTON, has cancelled three concerts in North Carolina over the recently passed anti-LGBT legislation, HB2.

Boston’s hits include “More Than a Feeling”, “Peace of Mind”, “Rock and Roll Band”, “Smokin'”, “Don’t Look Back”, and “Amanda”. The band has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, including 31 million albums in the United States, of which 17 million were from their self-titled debut album released in 1976.

From the band’s Facebook page:

While the enjoyment of our fans is our central concern, and we have been looking forward to celebrating forty years of history performing for our listeners in North Carolina with spectacular live shows this spring, human rights are more important. It is with deep regret, that I must announce the cancellation of our upcoming shows on May 4, 5 & 6 in Charlotte, Greensboro, and Raleigh in order to raise awareness, and protest in the strongest terms, the recent passage of HB2, the so called “North Carolina bathroom law.”

HB2 has the appearance of an oppressive discriminatory law against a small minority, who already have to deal with a narrow-minded world regarding issues beyond their control which they did nothing to bring upon themselves. Other aspects of the new law arguably encourage bigotry. With thousands of fans in attendance at our shows, it is likely that some members of our audience and/or their loved ones are affected on a daily basis by this ugly expression of intolerance.

My sincere apologies to our fans who have already made arrangements to attend these shows. The removal of the shows from our schedule is a major disappointment. It has always been my wish to inspire people with BOSTON’s music. Hopefully the sacrifices we are all making here will inspire people to do the right thing in the future. We look forward to the day that the state government of North Carolina will come to its senses and treat ALL individuals with equal freedom in their pursuit of happiness here in the United States. ~ Tom Scholz

I love when folks you admire for a long time don’t disappoint 🙂

One of my favoritest recordings – ever.

(h/t JMG)

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Hillary Clinton: I’ve Got Hot Sauce In My Bag

During an interview with THE BREAKFAST CLUB, Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton shared that she always keeps hot sauce in her purse.

Via TMZ:

Charlamagne asked the Prez hopeful what’s in her purse, and she went for the sauce … clearly a reference to Beyonce’s “Formation,” in which she sings, “I keep hot sauce in my bag, swag.”

When asked if she was pandering to black people, she jokingly said … “Is it working?”

She’s been getting blasted for the comment, but truth is Hill’s talked about her love of chili peppers and hot sauce since 1992, when she started using it to boost her immune system.

So basically, Clinton was on the sauce long before Bey.

As TMZ points out, this really isn’t a new thing for Clinton. Chilies and hot sauce have been a “thing” for her for a long time.

She has previously talked about her love of hot sauce and peppers many times in the past like here and  here and here.

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Kasich On LGBTs Fighting Discrimination: “Can You Just For A Second Get Over It?”

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, in an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash yesterday, was asked whether he would do anything to stop the current flood of “religious liberty” laws that are targeting LGBTs across the country.

His answer? No.

And in his answer Kasich said, “If you feel as though somebody is doing something wrong against you, can you just for a second get over it?”

Mind you – in Kasich’s homestate of Ohio, you can be fired for being gay.

TJ Helmstetter, spokesman for the Democratic National Committee, issued a statement calling the governor out which read in part:

“John Kasich can’t have it both ways. Either you’re for discrimination, or you’re against it. To tell LGBT victims of discrimination to ‘just relax’ and ‘get over it’ is disrespectful, outrageous, and not the kind of leadership expected from a credible presidential candidate. Kasich can continue trying to put a friendly face on his party’s discriminatory policies, but the fact remains that his own state remains a minefield for LGBT people who can still be fired for being who they are. As governor, Kasich has done nothing to help end discrimination against LGBT employees, and he was the final obstacle preventing marriage equality in Ohio before the Supreme Court’s decision. Trump and Cruz may make a lot of people look reasonable by comparison, but Kasich is no ‘moderate.’ He’s certainly no friend to the LGBT community.” – TJ Helmstetter, DNC spokesperson

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GMA: Ted Cruz Side-Steps Question On Same-Sex Marriage

GOP White House hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz was asked a question this morning on Good Morning America by a gay Republican businessman concerned about so-called “religious freedom” laws and Cruz’s support for a constitutional amendment to overturn same-sex marriage in the United States.

It will come as no surprise that Cruz stealthily side-stepped what the gentleman was asking and instead talks on how “religious freedom” in the Constitution “protects everybody.”

Even though hosts Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos circle back to the center of the question, Cruz never really addresses the issue.

The moment feels like everyone is being a bit “polite” – the question gets posed but no one really goes to the heart of the matter. Watch below from ABC:

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North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory Discusses Anti-LGBT Legislation On MEET THE PRESS

Embattled North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory had a not-so-successful appearance on NBC’s Meet The Press this morning where he was questioned about the passage of his state’s anti-LGBT legislation, HB2.

Chuck Todd began with this: “Any estimates we have of lost revenue so far, we have come up with calculated, conservative calculations, $39.7 million, $186 million perhaps in revenue, and some have suggested billions in lost revenue. All of this now, do you have regrets signing this law?”

Ouch.

Among other “interesting” remarks, McCrory told Chuck Todd that he has been thanked by citizens at an “African-American buffet restaurant,’ and he now find the “Human Resources Commission” (the pro-LGBT Human Rights Campaign) to be “more powerful” than the NRA.

McCrory also erroneously said that no one had talking about transgender/gender identity issues until last year’s Houston Equal Rights Ordinance. That, of course, is false since over 200 local municipalities (including 19 states) have had gender identity protections for some time now.

From Think Progress:

Todd began by highlighting how much the law has already hurt the Tar Heel state economically, noting that 160 companies have called for the law’s repeal. “Bloomberg, Capital One, United Airlines, Williams-Sonoma — that’s just on Friday,” he observed, adding that the law has cost state that at least $39.7 million in lost revenue already. He asked McCrory if he has any regrets about signing the law.

McCrory responded that he would “always call out government overreach,” like Charlotte’s law, blaming “the left” for passing a mandate on “every private sector employer” in the city. He then boasted that while the business community has criticized him, people at “an African American buffet restaurant” in the small city of Hamlet, NC had thanked him protecting them.

Here’s the clip: