How many eligible voters in us

Unless the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame can find a way to be more inclusive, it can “go to hell in a handbag,” according to rocker Courtney Love . While there’s an annual debate over nominees and inductions, who is nominated and inducted is far from a silly matter. The Hall has a real economic impact on its chosen artists, Love claimed in a blistering op-ed in The Guardian . Love said the Hall’s voting process hasn’t done enough to honor some important figures in music. “So few women are being inducted into the Rock Hall, then the nominating committee is broken. If so few Black artists, so few women of colour, are being inducted, then the voting process needs to be overhauled.” She added, “Shame on HBO for propping up this farce.” While Love acknowledged that this year included more women nominees than ever before, the Hall still made such icons as Kate Bush cool their heels, waiting for a chance. Artists can be nominated 25 years after their first record release. … [Read more...] about Courtney Love Blasts Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Exclusions In Scathing Op-Ed

TMZ.com L.A.'s new "mansion tax" is about to go into effect, forcing sellers to cough up a ton of cash if their property sells for at least $5 million ... and Josh Altman is one of many real estate agents who think it's absurd. Josh joined us Thursday on "TMZ Live," and immediately dumped on measure ULA ... calling it "the dumbest tax ever put through in the history of Los Angeles." Passed on the ballot last November, it slaps a 4 percent tax on homes selling for $5 mil and up, and 5.5 percent on those selling above $10M. Josh points out the ridiculous ways agents would have to work around the taxes if they wanted to, including listing it for cheaper than its actual value ... just to dodge the additional tax. Gallery Launch Gallery The selling point to voters who supported the tax was the funds would go toward battling the homeless crisis in L.A. by developing more affordable housing -- it's projected to bring in $1B annually. Josh tells us … [Read more...] about ‘Million Dollar Listing’ Star Josh Altman Blasts L.A.’s New Mansion Tax

YouTube has restored the account of Donald Trump , joining other tech platforms that are removing restrictions put in place following the January 6th attack on the Capitol. Leslie Miller, vice president of YouTube public policy, said in a statement that the Donald J. Trump channel “is no longer restricted and the ability to upload new content is restored.” “We carefully evaluated the continued risk of real-world violence, balancing that with the importance of preserving the opportunity for voters to hear equally from major presidential candidates in the run up to an election,” Miller said. “This channel will continue to be subject to our policies, just like any other channel on YouTube.” Last month, Meta said that it was reinstating Trump’s accounts on Facebook and Instagram. After he purchased Twitter, Elon Musk restored Trump to the platform, but the former president has yet to return and continues to post on his own social media platform, Truth Social. In the … [Read more...] about YouTube Restores Donald Trump’s Account

Carrie Budoff Brown is expanding her role at NBC News , leading the network’s politics and elections while retaining oversight of Meet the Press with Chuck Todd. Budoff Brown will have the title of senior vice president, politics. She joined the network in 2021 as senior vice president of Meet the Press , having served as editor of Politico. In a note to staff, Rebecca Blumenstein, president, editorial for NBC News, wrote that Budoff Brown’s new role “is a natural extension of her skillful leadership since her arrival. In addition to expanding the Meet the Press franchise, she introduced an election coverage strategy unique to all of TV news last year — focusing early on key states and communities and encouraging teams to prioritize reports on voter attitudes over ‘horse races.’ Her strategy yielded stronger coverage, more scoops and big interviews, higher ratings across platforms, and a tight integration of our digital and broadcast operations.” Budoff Brown … [Read more...] about Carrie Budoff Brown Expands Duties At NBC News As Senior VP Of Politics

SAG-AFTRA has reached a tentative settlement with the studios regarding unpaid Covid testing stipends. The stipends in question are for Covid testing payments on days when performers also were paid for fittings. In the Return to Work Agreement between the companies and Hollywood’s unions, actors and background performers who traveled outside their homes to take a Covid test on a day in which they did not work for the producer are entitled to be paid a testing stipend if they were not otherwise paid for the day. The Return to Work Agreement provides that “an employee or prospective employee, other than a background actor, who travels outside his/her home to undergo a test on a day in which the individual does not work for Producer shall receive a stipend of $250. A background actor shall receive a stipend of $100, which shall be subject to pension and health contributions only if the background actor is ultimately employed by the Producer following the test…However, no stipend is … [Read more...] about SAG-AFTRA & Studios Reach Tentative Settlement Over Unpaid Covid Testing Stipends

Bill Maher celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on Friday during his Real Time on HBO – or, as he referred to it, “Alcoholic Christmas” – by bringing up the dangerous parallels between the religious hatreds that fueled politics in last century Ireland and the turmoil in today’s United States between Democrats and Republicans. “You can’t think about the Irish without thinking about the division,” Maher said, harkening back to the violent rebellions that created a fractured society there. Now, the same level of intensity is bubbling between Democrats and Republicans here, he noted. “We used to pray for the nation. Now each side prays the other side doesn’t destroy the nation.” Taking excerpts from a speech former President Donald Trump gave recently at the CPAC convention, Maher noted how it reflected an almost Biblical level of intensity about smiting the other side. It was “big talk from a guy who can’t even shut up his girlfriends,” Maher joked, but then noted, “That’s … [Read more...] about Bill Maher Gets His Irish Up With A Warning To Those Who Want To Subdivide The US Into Separate Political States

Martin Luther King Jr. would be stunned by the rollback of voting rights in this country and efforts to suppress the teaching of the struggle for civil rights, according to his eldest son, Martin Luther King III . “People ask me, what do you think your father is doing? He’s not just turning over — he’s spinning in his grave,” MLK III told Deadline in a conversation at the SXSW Conference and Festivals. He imagines his late father thinking, “’What the heck is going on? Me, my team, we opened doors that should never be closed.’ And yet we’re going, it feels backwards — at least temporarily. Which is interesting because he prophetically wrote in his last book, Where Do We Go Here: Chaos or Community? , obviously he wanted us to revert to community, but we are seeing chaos constantly. Every day something else comes out that’s more extreme than the last thing. And, so, our work is cut out for us.” King and his wife Arndrea Waters King were among the panelists at an SXSW … [Read more...] about Martin Luther King III: My Father Is “Spinning In His Grave” Over Voting Rights Attacks — SXSW

TMZSports.com Patrick Beverley 's right -- at least, that's what Ja Rule is saying, telling TMZ Sports he believes Ja Morant is absolutely being poorly influenced by hip hop. The Chicago Bulls guard made waves earlier this week by sayin' he believed rap and the culture surrounding it are contributing to Morant's recent missteps ... and when we got Ja Rule out at LAX this week, he couldn't have agreed more. Getty NBA's Pat Beverley Blames Today's Rap Music for Ja Morant's Behavior He said growing up he was influenced to smoke weed by Redman 's "How To Roll A Blunt" -- and pressured to drink booze by Snoop Dogg 's "Gin and Juice" ... and he made it clear, he thinks Morant is being similarly impacted by today's tunes. But, the "Holla Holla" rapper told us he thinks Morant needs to quit all of that ASAP ... telling us, "that ain't the way." "Go play ball, man," he said. "The streets ain't about nothing, man. Go grind on … [Read more...] about Ja Rule Says Hip Hop’s Influencing Ja Morant’s Poor Decisions, ‘That Ain’t The Way’