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10-20-08 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE
COLIN POWELL ENDORSES BARACK OBAMA: Former Secretary of State crosses party line; calls senator 'transformational figure.'
*Former Secretary of State Colin Powell went against his Republican party and endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president Sunday, saying a victory by the Illinois senator would "electrify the world."
"I think we need a transformational figure. I think we need a president who is a generational change and that's why I'm supporting Barack Obama, not out of any lack of respect or admiration for Sen. John McCain,"
Powell said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
Powell praised McCain as a war hero and a good friend for 25 years. He said both McCain and Obama are qualified to be commander in chief, but concluded Obama has "displayed a steadiness. Showed intellectual vigor. He has a definitive way of doing business that will do us well."
The retired general said he was disappointed with McCain's campaign strategy in the past two weeks, which has included bringing up Obama's ties to former 1960s radical Bill Ayers.
"Mr. McCain says that he's a washed up terrorist, but then why do we keep talking about him? And why do we have the robocalls going on around the country trying to suggest that because of this very, very limited relationship that Senator Obama has had with Mr. Ayers, somehow Mr. Obama is tainted," Powell said. "What they're trying to connect him to is some kind of terrorist feelings. And I think that's inappropriate. Now, I understand what politics is all about, I know how you can go after one another and that's good. But I think this goes too far, and I think it has made the McCain campaign look a little narrow. It's not what the American people are looking for."
Powell, who served as secretary of state in President Bush's first term, and helped make the case before the United Nations for the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003, also expressed disappointment in McCain's choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as the Republican vice presidential nominee.
"Now that we have had a chance to watch her for some seven weeks, I don't believe she's ready to be president of the United States, which is the job of the vice president," Powell said. "And so that raised some question in my mind as to the judgment that Sen. McCain made."
"Meet the Press" host Tom Brokaw asked Powell if he was concerned that critics may assume his endorsement of Obama is based on their shared African American race. Powell said it did not factor in his decision. If it did play a role, he said, he would have made the endorsement months ago.
Responding to Powell's endorsement of Obama, McCain said he disagreed that Obama is qualified to be president.
"We have a respectful disagreement," McCain said of Powell on "Fox News Sunday."
BET CROWNS LIL WAYNE 'MVP': Plus, T-Pain replaces Katt Williams as host of Hip Hop Awards; T.I. makes it inside this time.
*Lil Wayne was a big winner at Saturday's BET Hip Hop Awards, taking home Lyricist of the Year and MVP of the Year at the ceremony held in Atlanta.
The artist, nominated for 12 awards, was also named Alltel Wireless People's Champ at the ceremony, which was hosted by T-Pain after scheduled emcee Katt Williams was a no-show, reports the Associated Press. While accepting his MVP Award, Wayne revealed that he's expecting a son.
"I got a son about to be born any day now, so shout-out to him. Pray for me," he told the crowd.
LL Cool J presented Russell Simmons with the "I Am Hip-Hop" Icon award, given to an individual who has made notable contributions of outstanding significance to the hip-hop community.
A hip-hop matriarch medley featured MC Lyte, Yo-Yo and Salt-N-Pepa, while Young Jeezy, Soulja Boy and Bow Wow performed together to represent their home base of Atlanta.
T.I. was present and accounted for this year. The Atlanta rapper was scheduled to headline last year's ceremony, but was arrested hours before the event on federal weapons charges after he was caught trying to purchase semi-automatic guns and silencers. T.I. pleaded guilty earlier this year and is scheduled to be sentenced in March.
Rocking black-rimmed glasses, N.E.R.D. and Common impressed the crowd with "Numbers," "Universal Mind Control" and "Spazz." T-Pain took a break from his hosting duties to perform "Can't Believe It" with Lil Wayne and "Chopped and Skrewed" with Ludacris. Surprise performer Ice Cube had the audience on its feet for "Why Me" and the classic "It Was a Good Day."
DJ Khaled, Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Big Boi, Lil Wayne, Fat Joe, Birdman and Rick Ross took home the award for Best Hip-Hop Collaboration for "I'm So Hood (The Remix)." Shawty Lo was named MySpace Music Rookie of the Year.
The ceremony is scheduled to air on Oct. 23.
JANET 'ROCKS WIT' ATL: Slows rumor mill with consistent performance
*The Janet Jackson 'Rock Witchu' tour came through the ATL's (her hometown) Phillips Arena Sunday night with Jackson in full regalia and with plenty of energy to spare. She had been dogged by numerous show cancellations, causing much speculation, reportedly due to a temporary medical condition that caused her to experience vertigo. she silenced the 'crazy talk' by playing a full 2+ hour set, breezing through her arsenal of hits and signature dance moves like the seasoned pro she is. There was no show opener, which some had thought would be LL Cool J, but a DJ set the mood right before Janet took the stage. The modestly full arena gave her a very warm welcome home, to which she responded, "It's so good to be home...I LOVE Atlanta!" She was nearly brought to tears.
Janet's three most recent albums have been sales disappointments, but based on her repertoire of hits, it's easy to forget that fact. She took full advantage of all she had at her disposal by lip synching (you did realize that, right...?) her way through everything from 'Rhythm Nation,' 'That's The Way Love Goes,' 'Black Cat,' 'Escapade,' 'When I Think of You,' 'Funny How Time Flies,' 'So Much Betta,' and the list goes on, but she stopped to perform 'Never Letchu Go' (Discipline album) live. She even threw in rare tracks "You'll Never Find (A Love Like Mine)" and "Young Love" from very early in her career.
The bulk of the show was pretty much standard Janet and her troupe of dancers (with heart stopping pyrotechnic additions here and there), but the temperature rose pretty quickly in Phillips when she naughtily performed 'Discipline' to a dominatrix style set, using an unsuspecting -- and ulitmately very happy -- audience member as a prop. Black leather, whips, suspension apparatus...you get the picture. If THAT's what Jermaine gets at home, I'm sure there will be much pushback from him on those splitsville rumors; stay tuned...
Janet delivered a performance that certainly met fan's expectations and she showed no signs of trouble in paradise.
KORTO TALKS 'PROJECT RUNWAY' STINT: Designer voted fan favorite, discusses Web site dedicated to her 'booty.'
*Project Runway's Korto Momolu may have come in second this season, but she was No. 1 in the eyes of fans who watch the Bravo reality series.
Explaining her vote as "fan favorite" for the fifth season, the 33-year-old Liberia-born designer told E! Online it must be because "People relate to me. I'm real. I cry when it's time to cry, and I pout when it's time to pout. [Laughs.] I'm a mama, I'm a wife, I'm an immigrant. I got booty."
Korto admits that her ample backside has its own set of devoted fans.
"I'm like, Lord Jesus help me if one more shot of my butt is shown on TV," she told E! at Martell Cognac's finale screening party at L.A. hot spot STK. "I found a Web site dedicated to my butt! It's hilarious. He writes things like, 'Oh, my god! They're gonna show her booty again next week!'"
Asked what her husband thought of the fan obsession over her derriere, she said: "He knows I have a good booty."
The reality show star says she plans on moving from Arkansas to Philadelphia, preferring to steer clear of designer-friendly cities such as New York or Los Angeles.
"My parents live close by in Jersey," she explained. "I figured it would be a good place because it has grass. I want my daughter growing up seeing grass. There's no grass in New York. There's a tree every now and then. I live in Arkansas. There are leaves, flowers."
Her dream client?
She says: "Oprah! I've been stalking her for like five years...Just everything she stands for. She's freakin' Oprah. She's up and down like me and she traced her roots back to Liberia, where I'm originally from. We have that connection. I think I should be one of her favorite things next year."
NE-YO TO STORM 'VENICE BEACH': Singer signs on to star in, executive produce and write soundtrack for romantic feature.
*R&B singer-songwriter Ne-Yo will bring his talent to the big screen in the Fox Atomic film "Venice Beach" as star and executive producer, confirms the Hollywood Reporter.
The chart topper will also write the soundtrack to the film, which follows an 18-year-old Manhattan Beach woman who, after her talented older sister dies in a car accident, represses her own singing talent until she meets a gifted musician-singer (Ne-Yo) from Venice Beach.
A budding romance between the two turns into a quest for musical careers, which meets resistance from his friends and her family.
The music-driven screenplay is being written by Duane Adler, whose credits include "Step Up" as well as "Save the Last Dance" and its 2006 sequel, in which Ne-Yo appeared.
Paul Hunter is in talks to direct the film. He is best known for helming music videos for Eminem, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears and Marilyn Manson.
F. GARY GRAY TO DIRECT JAMIE FOXX: Director replaces Frank Darabont for 'Law-Abiding Citizen.'
*Director F. Gary Gray has taken over for Frank Darabont at the helm of legal thriller "Law Abiding Citizen," according to the Hollywood Reporter.
As previously reported, the film will star Jamie Foxx as a man who seeks vigilante justice against a district attorney, played by Gerard Butler, whose plea deal set free the killer of his family.
Darabont, who co-wrote the script, recently left the project over creative differences with the producers, according to the trade magazine.
DANITY'S DAWN DENIES SOLO RUMORS: Essence talks to singer about rumors following dismissal of Aubrey and D. Woods.
*Dawn Richard of Danity Kane continues to deny rumors that she is on the verge of leaving the group to become a solo act for label head Sean "Diddy" Combs.
During Tuesday's live finale of "Making the Band 4," Diddy fired Aubrey O'Day and D. Woods from the group, leaving speculation over the fate of remaining members Richard, Shannon Bex and Aundrea Fimbres.
She told Essence magazine: "It's so interesting how the media chooses to interpret or report things. I have never said that I was pursuing a solo deal. I told someone that I have waited so long for my dream, and singing is my dream and has been for so long. I have done nothing on the side as far as solo projects. I'm not sidestepping."
Instead of asking her about solo projects, "Everyone should ask Puff if that's what he has in line for me," she suggested. "If he does, then I'm honored and I will work hard, as I've always done. Who knows what can happen, because Puff changes his mind every five seconds. I'm going to work hard. I'm going to be the same person I was in the beginning."
Richard says she has always remained loyal to the group, even when other members were actively pursuing other endeavors.— most notably O'Day.
"I have totally been supportive of the group — that's my priority," she said. "We had shows where Aubrey didn't show up, and we had her back and no one wrote about it or said anything."
"Some of the other girls have pursued their interests, and I have sat back and supported them in their individual pursuits," she continued. "It truly hurts my feelings, because I work so hard, and I've been so honest from the beginning. Again, my priority has always been Danity Kane. I've never missed a show or meeting, so it's just interesting how people perceive things. I can only put it in God's hands."
CASH MONEY'S BABY, SLIM PLEAD NO CONTEST: Label heads sentenced to probation over marijuana possession charges.
*Cash Money CEO Bryan “Baby” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams were sentenced to probation Friday (Oct. 17) after pleading no contest to marijuana possession.
The Williams brothers and 12 of the 13 other co-defendants entered the same plea, which stemmed from a November 2007 incident in which a pound of marijuana was found inside their RV, according to Allhiphop.com.
The charges were dropped to misdemeanors because prosecutors believed the pound of marijuana was for their own use, and not redistribution.
The siblings were sentenced to 11 months and 29 days of unsupervised probation. If they manage to stay out of trouble, the charges will be wiped off their records for good.
“If you get in any trouble and the state finds out about it then your subject to having this probation revoked and you could serve 11 months and 29 days in jail,” Judge Toohey warned Bryan Williams.
Two of the Williams brothers’ entourage failed to show at yesterday’s hearings, resulting in each man being issued two separate felony failure to appear warrants.
WYCLEF GETS B'DAY WISHES IN HAITIAN SLUM: Artist was not there, but locals at Cite Soleil gathered to honor hometown hero.
*Reuters is reporting that scores of children and young adults gathered in Haiti's largest slum on Friday to celebrate the 36th birthday of Haitian-born rap star Wyclef Jean and vowed to embrace hip-hop to escape misery.
In Cite Soleil, a sprawling seaside shantytown in the capital, several young artists took turns rapping in Haiti's Creole language and said they wanted to follow in Jean's footsteps.
"I want to become somebody. I want to make myself known and earn my living through hip-hop," said Josue Morancy, a 12-year-old who called himself "Mr. Jo." "Wyclef was also poor like us, but he made it. We can do it too. You never know."
Jean -- who was not in Haiti for the birthday celebration -- born on October 17, 1972, in the Haitian town of Croix-des-Bouquets, moved to New York as a child. He rose to fame as a member of the Grammy-winning hip-hop group The Fugees.
He has become a hero in his Caribbean homeland for his efforts to bring peace and education to the poorest country in the Americas, where malnutrition is rampant and most people get by on less than $2 a day.
Several of the children who gathered on Friday sang some of Jean's songs and rapped their own lyrics.
"My name is MC Mike and I am from the ghetto. I am broke and poor and I go hungry for days. But I won't lose hope," said Ronald Michel, 14, in his native Creole.
"My dream is to become a Wyclef. Then I'll say bye, bye misery and welcome the good life."
Jean said recently he would set up a recording studio in Cite Soleil to promote and assist young rappers who want to record in Creole. "I want no guns, I want no violence. Give me a guitar, a beat and a mike and I'll rap for peace and a better tomorrow," sang another young artist known as "Jah."
HOPKINS HANDS PAVLIK FIRST LOSS: The 43-year-old boxing veteran dominated 26-year-old in non-title bout.
*Bernard Hopkins silenced critics and defied conventional wisdom by not only beating an undefeated opponent who is seven years his junior, but making the younger fighter "look slow and powerless," according to the Associated Press.
Hopkins, 43, "used lightning quick combinations and a cagey, near-perfect defense to embarrass and confuse Pavlik in a 12-round non-title bout Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall," the AP reported.
"I think this was my best performance, better than (Antonio) Tarver, better than (Felix) Trinidad, better than Oscar (De La Hoya), better than my 21 defenses," Hopkins said. "I am extremely happy."
Pavlik, the 26-year-old WBC and WBO middleweight champion, was fighting for the first time at 170 pounds, 10 pounds over his weight class. The mismatch was obvious from the opening bell, AP reported, and Hopkins reveled in the beating he gave the Youngstown, Ohio boxer. By the fifth round, Pavlik was bleeding from the nose and by the seventh Hopkins was taunting him.
Hopkins received winning scores of 119-106 from Judge Alan Rubenstein, 117-109 from Barbara Perez and 118-108 from Steve Weisfeld.
VENUS WILLIAMS WINS ZURICH OPEN: Tennis star claims second title of the year Sunday.
*Venus Williams got the best of unseeded Italian Flavia Pennetta to win the Zurich Open women's final Sunday 7-6 (7/1), 6-2, earning her second title of the year, reports the Associated Press.
Pennetta was looking for her fourth consecutive win over Williams, after beating her in Bangkok in 2007 and at Roland Garros and Moscow this year. But Venus, playing in her 60th final, took home her 38th title and added to the Wimbledon trophy she earned in July.
The Italian appeared to be the stronger player in the opening set, but showed signs of weariness in the second. Neither player faced a break point in the entire first set, although Williams was taken to deuce five times. But having held serve more easily, only going to deuce once, Pennetta was totally overwhelmed in the tiebreak, dropping the first six points.
In the second set, a slightly tired-looking backhand into the net gave Williams a break for 2-1, and the American held her next service game with four consecutive aces.
Williams thought she had won when a ball from Pennetta was judged to have landed right in the corner of the court, a dispute that brought Venus's father and coach Richard to his feet. That brought the score to deuce, but the contest was over two points later.
SPRINGSTEEN, JOEL ROCK FOR OBAMA: India.Arie, John Legend join in during Thursday's fundraiser in New York.
*Music heavyweights Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel shared a New York stage Thursday night to drum up financial support for Barack Obama's presidential campaign and the Democratic Party.
The singers alternated between each other's songs and clearly had fun, noted the Associated Press. India.Arie, John Legend and Springsteen's wife, Patti Scialfa, joined in to perform the pair's biggest hits. When they launched into "Born to Run," Springsteen said, "This is for the senator."
Obama appeared at the end of the historic concert at Hammerstein Ballroom, calling the event "a magical evening." He said he wouldn't ruin the moment with a long speech, then proceeded to make a speech comparing the struggling, everyday people in Joel's and Springsteen's songs to the people he's met on the campaign trail, reports the Associated Press.
He warned supporters not to get too cocky because he leads in the polls. "Don't underestimate the capacity of Democrats to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Don't underestimate our ability to screw it up," Obama said. "I want everybody running scared."
Obama also offered a new explanation for his decision to seek the White House. "I was sitting offstage with (his wife) Michelle, and I ... said, 'Honey, the reason I'm running for president is I can't be Bruce Springsteen. I can't be Billy Joel,'" Obama said.
Springsteen hugged Joel during "Spirit in the Night," then ended up laying across the piano as he sang. Joel left the piano and picked up a guitar for "Glory Days." They even stuck a bit of the Beatles' "Hard Day's Night" into the middle of Joel's song "River of Dreams."
Tickets for the "Change Rocks" concert ranged from $500 to $25,000 each.
Performance clips:
"Spirit in the Night" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYne9E4LL0c
"Allentown" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POFZsRuVtQM
"Born to Run" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zreaj4hrTo
FOXX'S 'SOLOIST' MOVED OUT OF OSCAR WINDOW: Paramount to release film in March instead of November.
*In a move that stunned producers and film insiders, Paramount Pictures has taken its Jamie Foxx-led film "The Soloist" out of Academy Award contention by moving its release date from Nov. 21 to March 13.
"We decided it's a commercial movie that will play well in the spring, and we'll give it an aggressive wide release then," Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore told Variety.
According to the trade, DreamWorks producers had high hopes for its film starring Foxx as a homeless schizophrenic musician who dreams of playing at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The film is based on a series of L.A. Times columns by Steve Lopez, played in the film by Robert Downey Jr.
DreamWorks wouldn't comment, but insiders tell Variety that bosses are very disappointed by Paramount's decision, while conceding that it might benefit the film's box office prospects due to the competitive field of year-end films.
U.K.'s Working Title, also a producer on "Soloist," and director Joe Wright were also reportedly taken off guard. Paramount risks tainting the movie's profile with this move, which the industry and media will read as a vote of no-confidence. It had built positive buzz during long-lead screenings.
With "The Soloist" moved to March, Paramount is clearly throwing its Oscar campaign money at Sam Mendes' "Revolutionary Road" starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, and David Fincher's "The Curious Life of Benjamin Button," starring Brad Pitt as a man who ages backward.
SYL JOHNSON SUES CYPRESS HILL OVER SAMPLE: Blues singer says group never got permission to sample 1969 track.
*Cypress Hill is being sued for $29 million by legendary blues singer Syl Johnson, who claims the rap group sampled his 1969 record "Is It Because I'm Black?" on a track from their 1993 album "Black Sunday."
Johnson, the father of R&B singer Syleena Johnson, says the song was used on the group's track "Lock Down (Interlude)." He's suing Cypress Hill – recent honorees of VH1's Hip Hop Honors – as well as a number of record and publishing companies for the brief soundbyte.
In January, TMZ reported that Johnson sued a long list of artists – including Michael Jackson, Will Smith, Tupac Shakur and KRS-One – claiming they stole his 1967 single "Different Strokes" without attributing him or paying for the sample.
DIDDY EYING 'T LA ROCK' FILM?: Mogul seen dining with execs involved in Denzel Washington-directed project.
*Sean "Diddy" Combs was spotted at New York's Nobu 57 last week with execs involved in a film about old-school rapper Terry "T La Rock" Keaton.
The project was written by Antwone Fisher and will have Oscar winner Denzel Washington in the director's chair. According to the New York Post, the rap mogul dined with stage director Jerry Zaks and casting director Bonnie Timmerman.
The story follows the life of the Def Jam star through 1994, when Keaton suffered a traumatic brain injury while breaking up a fight in The Bronx. Keaton eventually regained his memory and motor skills.
In other Diddy news, cops in Miami Beach cited him for blasting his music too loudly while driving his Jeep.
According to TMZ.com, the music was so loud that Diddy didn't hear initial orders to turn it down. When he didn't comply with the command, police pulled him over and gave him a ticket of about $100.
OBAMA BITS: TV One/BET election coverage; senator raises more than $150 million last month; Michelle tells African Americans to vote.
*TV One and BET are planning extensive coverage of the presidential election returns on Nov. 4," reports Richard Prince's Journal-isms column. TV One's broadcast will begin at 7 p.m. EST, anchored by team members from its Democratic convention coverage in August. Arthur Fennell, Joe Madison and Jacque Reid will host from seven different locations, including Obama and McCain election night headquarters. Michael Eric Dyson and Tom Joyner will provide commentary and perspective, and CNN's Roland Martin will report live from CNN election headquarters in New York. TV One also plans to offer remote broadcasts from Florida A&M and North Carolina A&T State universities, two historically black institutions in battleground states. Keith Brown, senior vice president, news and public affairs at Black Entertainment Television, said his network would soon announce its plans, and "They will be extensive. We are absolutely covering," he told Journal-isms.
*Barack Obama raised a mind-boggling sum of more than $150 million in September, an unprecedented amount that has given him a wide spending advantage over rival John McCain, reports the AP. The Democrat's campaign released the figure Sunday, one day before it must file a detailed report of its monthly finances with the Federal Election Commission. Campaign manager David Plouffe, in an e-mail to supporters Sunday morning, said the campaign had added 632,000 new donors in September, for a total of 3.1 million contributors to the campaign. He said the average donation was $86.
*In a conference call with black-owned media last week, Sen. Obama's wife Michelle told African Americans that it's not enough to just register to vote. “This is such an important issue, especially this year because this may be the most important election of our lifetime,” she said. “It is critical that we all have our voices heard, which means being educated on how to cast your ballot on Election Day.” In Florida, more than 600,000 African Americans who were eligible to vote in 2004 did not show up to the polls, “[President] Bush’s margin of victory in Florida was 380,000 votes.
The African-American vote could have made the difference here [in Florida] four years ago,” she said.
ITTY BITTY BITS: Sly Stone contributes to CD; Ashanti eases down 'Road'; MLK III confronts poverty; T-Pain in Blender.
*After a 20-year hiatus, Sly Stone has produced new music for the January release of an album to benefit "The Dr. Martin Luther King/SCLC Civil Rights Foundation." The new project, from music industry executive Stan Sheppard and producer Kirv, also features a verse from rapper Snoop Dogg, and the track "The Word Love" from Musiq Soulchild. Also joining the project is R&B legend Lenny Williams ("Dr. King We Love You"). Each song on the CD will feature a famous speech by Dr. King.
*R&B singer Ashanti will join "The View's" Joy Behar, comedian Mario Cantone, "Ugly Betty's" Mark Indelicato and "Gossip Girl's" Matthew Settle for The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken, a one-night-only benefit performance celebrating the fifth anniversary of Wicked. Proceeds from the Oct. 27 event at New York's Gershwin Theatre will be donated to Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project.
*Martin Luther King III will convene a meeting of the world's foremost civil rights and social leaders to confront poverty, civic disengagement, and violence on Wednesday, Oct. 22 in Washington, D.C. at the Grand Hyatt Hotel from 8:30 to 11:15 a.m. The Summit will focus on redressing poverty, building community through civic engagement, and fostering peace through non-violence. The ultimate goal of the Summit is to develop a five-year plan that includes concrete recommendations to address challenges identified during the Summit.
*In the November issue of Blender, 23 year-old T-Pain takes a break from promoting his new album to talk about being a regular guy, family matters, and how he stays happily married. “My wife and I download pornos together," he explains. "She goes with me to strip clubs. She’ll be tipping b**ches and everything. I’ll be at a club, just surrounded by h**s, and I’ll literally call my wife, like, ‘I’m so, so happy I married you." Click here to read the full feature:
http://www.blender.com/PainsWorld/articles/41938.aspx
VOTER REGISTRATION SNAFUS THREATEN ELIGIBILITY: Transition to statewide databases not going smoothly.
*The Washington Post reported Sunday that thousands of voters across the country must reestablish their eligibility in the next three weeks in order for their votes to count on Nov. 4, a result of new state registration systems that are incorrectly rejecting them.
The confusion is taking place as states switch from locally managed lists of voters to statewide databases under federal law. The new system is seen as a more accurate way to keep lists up to date.
But in the transition, the systems are questioning the registrations of many voters when discrepancies surface between their registration information and other official records, often because of errors outside voters' control.
On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a challenge to 200,000 Ohio voters whose registration data conflicted with other state records.
In Alabama, scores of voters are being labeled as convicted felons on the basis of incorrect lists. Michigan must restore thousands of names it illegally removed from voter rolls over residency questions, a judge ruled this week. Tens of thousands of voters could be affected in Wisconsin, the Post reported. Officials there admit that their database is wrong one out of five times when it flags voters, sometimes for data discrepancies as small as a middle initial or a typo in a birth date. When the six members of the state elections board -- all retired judges -- ran their registrations through the system, four were incorrectly rejected because of mismatches.
The changes stem from the Help America Vote Act, passed by Congress in 2002 in the aftermath of the deadlocked presidential race two years earlier. The law provided millions of dollars for states to upgrade voting equipment and procedures, and to create the centralized databases, which allow voters in most states to check their registrations and polling places on the Internet.
EUR MOTIVATIONAL NOTE
"You grow up the day you have your first real laugh--at yourself." — Ethel Barrymore
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
Oct. 20: Rapper Snoop Dogg is 37. Actress Jennifer Nicole Freeman ("My Wife and Kids") is 23.
WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
Aspiring African American actors, models, dancers and singers will want to bookmark Young Black Starz.org (www.YoungBlackStarz.org).
Submit your favorite Web site to us along with a 15-20 word (or less) description to info@eurweb.com.
BLACK HISTORY
Oct. 20, 1898: John Merrick starts the North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, the first to be owned by an African American. (Source: www.BlackFacts.com)
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