BET on Barack... (kinda like the saying "bet on Black"

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Barack Obama didn't attend the BET Awards, but that didn't stop attendees from talking about him.
"If we all register and vote, we will have the first black president in the history of America," Sean "Diddy" Combs told the crowd Tuesday at the Shrine Auditorium before chanting "Obama or Die" - a declarative remix of his neutral "Vote or Die" motto from the 2004 presidential election, when he attempted to boost the youth vote.
Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, was just a few blocks away at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for a fundraiser with a Hollywood guest list that included supermodels Heidi Klum and Cindy Crawford, boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard and movie stars Samuel L. Jackson and John Malkovich. While Obama didn't make an appearance at the BET Awards - either live or on tape - his presence was felt.
As she picked up her award for best female R&B artist, Alicia Keys told the crowd that it's time for black people to erase the word "can't" from their vocabulary.

(AP) Alicia Keys accepts the award for best female R&B artist at the BET awards on Tuesday June 24, 2008..."Together we can do anything," she said, playing on the Democrat's "Yes We Can" mantra before shouting: "Obama y'all!"
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee, John McCain, failed to merit a shoutout by any of the BET presenters or performers.
"For the first time in history, we have the opportunity for somebody who's not in the good ol' boy network to get into office," rapper David Banner told reporters backstage. "People talk about his lack of experience, but there's people with much more experience who haven't done such a good job."
Stephen Hill, executive vice president of entertainment and music programming at BET, said there was talk of having Obama attend the BET Awards but it didn't work out.
"We would've loved it if he would've stopped by," said Hill.
During his monologue, host D.L. Hughley cracked jokes about Obama. Other attendees were more flattering. Backstage, Humanitarian Award winner Quincy Jones said he wanted Obama to be elected and create a Secretary of Culture position. Actress Nia Long beamed about possible first lady Michelle Obama.
"Michelle is graceful, beautiful and not afraid to be exactly who she is," Long said backstage. "It's wonderful to see their love in the midst of all the political madness. They have something we should all be proud of. She's smart. She's educated. And she's fearless. I'd love to have tea with her one day."
One attendee used fashion to show her support for Obama. Actress-comedian Kym Whitley, who revealed she'll be appearing in a small role in the upcoming "Transformers" sequel, donned a tight purple shirt that read 'Barack Obama 08' in glittery black letters
"I don't know him, and he doesn't know me," she said. "But we're gonna make eye contact one day."
Longtime Obama supporter John Legend affirmed the importance of voting in the upcoming election: "I'll be working to make sure people get out to vote this fall."

By DERRIK J. LANG

By the Numbers, Keeping them Honest..

"If a Nation expects to be ignorant and free in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be... if we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed." -- Thomas Jefferson

Just the Facts:
Putting it in Perspective:
Terrorism Against U.S.
The wealthiest 1%, in 2003, earned 14% of the income and paid 35% of all individual income taxes.
By comparison, the bottom 60% of all taxpayers earn 28% of all income and pay just 1% of all individual income taxes.
Solders killed in Iraq (5 yrs): 4,308 (3,501 in combat)
Soldiers killed in Vietnam War (64-73): 58,200
Soldiers killed in Persian Gulf War (90-91): 382
Americans killed on 9/11/01: 2,986
Americans murdered in U.S. (1 yr) (2005): 16,692
1993 World Trade Center bombing (1 mth into Clinton's first term)
1995 bombing in Saudi Arabia (Clinton)
1996 al-Khobar towers bombing (Clinton)
1998 bombing of US embassies in Africa (Clinton)
2000 bombing of the USS Cole (Clinton)
2001 attack on World Trade Center (8 mths into Bush's first term)

Barack Obama inspires Milan men's runway styles

MILAN, Italy - The latest "first" for Barack Obama comes off the Milan runway.

Calling the U.S. presidential hopeful "the man of the moment," Donatella Versace dedicated her Spring-Summer 2009 collection presented Saturday evening to Obama, creating a style she said was designed for "a relaxed man who doesn't need to flex muscles to show he has power."
Chatting with reporters in the cool of the garden of her private palazzo in downtown Milan at an after-show dinner party, the designer also had some fashion tips for the campaign trail. "I would get rid of the tie and jazz up the shirt," she said.
In fact, there were no ties in Donatella's latest show, and shirts under jackets were either super easy with rolled up sleeves or replaced by a silk T-shirt.
The new Versace suit has a structured jacket softened by a double lapel or no lapel at all and slim trousers with slick techno-fabric sheen. Crazy zigzags break up the monotony of pinstripes and checks, while the pastel palette gives the collection a warm summer feel.
Sitting in the front row, actor Rupert Everett applauded enthusiastically, showing that even if it was not dedicated to him, he found the collection right up his alley.
Overall, this round of "moda Milanese" menswear preview collections, which ends Wednesday, promises to be all about chilling out, a refreshing thought in a Milan in the grip of this summer's first heat wave.
The relaxed feel of the collections is epitomized by the return of the unlined jacket, which, when coupled with wide loose trousers, creates a casual yet elegant summer suit.
Right at home with this look was Tomas Maier, the creative director at Bottega Veneta, who presented his collection Sunday morning.
From the ultra soft pajama jacket to the classic blazer, to the white shantung silk dinner jacket, the idea is to keep a guy stylish and comfortable throughout the day. Novelty comes in the "double jacket" which appears to have separate layers, creating a two-jackets-in-one effect.
"If you think about the gap in menswear between a tailored suit and a T-shirt and jeans, it's filled by the jacket," Maier says in his show notes.
Ultra-soft trousers with well-defined cuff, cool khaki and pastel shades, loafers and saddle shoes, and the latest men's shopping bag in Bottega's exquisite leather complete the collection's casual chic.
Sunday afternoon, Giorgio Armani presented his second line Emporio collection aimed at a younger customer.
The first part of the show reflected the current return of the jacket and suit, with the added attraction of the vest, either as part of the suit or on its own. Here the designer was tops, but then suit tailoring comes naturally to the maestro who invented the unlined jacket back in the 1970's. An Armani suit is a must in the closets of the rich and famous.
The second half of the show, dedicated to sportswear, strayed from this tradition. Ruffled surfing shorts and rubberized — or were they patent leather? — Bermudas made one yearn for Armani the tailor.
Earlier Saturday, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana underlined the relaxed feel of these previews with a series of silk bathrobes and boxer shorts — the utmost in the luxury of indolence.
Models walked down the runway of the designers' theater in downtown Milan wearing pinstriped suits as loose and easy as silk pajamas. Their horn-rimmed eyeglasses and leather sandals told a tale of a contemporary business man who can combine beach and office with ease.
When home he might be lucky enough to find his better half in a Dolce&Gabbana robe number, just like the one Naomi Campbell flaunted for the show's finale.
Also showing Saturday, Christopher Bailey for Burberry embraced the easy life for next summer wrinkling everything from jacket to trench coat before it gets crumpled in a suitcase or soaked in the rain.
Typically British, the summer Burberry man can't part with his cardigan — this round so light it can hardly be called sensible — and his traditional hat, the latest version a cross between Paddington Bear and a scarecrow.
To complete the first day of showings, the minimalist Jil Sander label presented its take on the current casual look: Jackets cut close to the body in color blocks like a Mondrian print with zippers instead of buttons for an extra cool fit.

By DANIELA PETROFF, AP Fashion Writer