Buncha’ Slackers


For those of you who are still undecided when it comes to the presidential election, perhaps this missing link will sway you.


The Slacker Spotlight.


You guessed it: sign on to Slacker.com and you too can listen to the musical preferences of Barack Obama and John McCain. Depending on how deeply you read into stuff like this, their selections may seem surprisingly telling of how “with it” each candidate is.


Play On


There’s something for everyone: gay, straight, black, white, young, old, really old … Alabaman.


Predictably, Obama’s playlist kicks off with a song about high gas prices and all the problems in the world that he alone will fix: India Arie’s “There’s Hope.” Other favorite artists include Earth, Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, Bob Dylan, Sheryl Crow, Aretha Franklin, John Mayer, Elton John, Kanye West, Marvin Gaye, U2, Bruce Springsteen and of course the legendary Beyonce.


McCain’s playlist is equally as varied, but maybe more interesting. I’m not making this up:


Elvis Presley
Beach Boys
ABBA
Hank Williams Jr.
Chuck Berry
Kenny Loggins
Dooley Wilson
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Survivor
Franki Valli
The Platters
Queen
Osbourne Brothers
Darryl Worley
USHER!!
AC/DC
Daddy Yankee


Am I alone in having a hard time picturing John McCain EVER enjoying AC/DC, even when he was young(er)? Maybe “Back in Black” and “Highway to the Danger Zone” were ringing through his helmet while he was crashing all those planes? And who the hell is Daddy Yankee? (Just Googled him. He’s a Latin Grammy winner.)


Oh, yeeeeaaah – need to appeal to the Latinos… Score one McCain. (Quick, someone alert the Obama campaign and tell them to add Ozomatli to the list. Wait. What? Oh, it’s already on there…)


That’s our guy, always one step ahead with a less-obvious, genuine choice. At least he’s consistent.


Well-played, Obama.

Trying to stay nonpartisan for purposes of this blog... failing miserably.


Check out the latest pro-Obama movement - PSAs produced by the Malibu-based non-profit Heal This Nation.


It's refreshing to see even the most steadfast Obama supporters take an inspiring, aboveboard approach to endorsing their candidate. Unlike the GOP, which counts on their herd-mentality supporters blindly believing (and parroting) any negative, slanderous mis-information they concoct and spoon-feed to FOX News.


The Heal This Nation :30, :45 and :60 second segments are scheduled to run in key battleground states in the coming weeks. (If you're in one of them and you're still not sure who you're voting for - you need to make up your mind and fast!)


Here's hoping these PSAs, coupled with this Friday's release of Oliver Stone's latest satirical biopic "W" - not to mention McCain's sloppy, erratic campaign in its own right - should seal the deal for this election.


Fingers crossed.

Generation Y Not?


Christine Hassler knows twenty-somethings. And a whole lot more.


As a best-selling author, counselor and motivational speaker, she’s in very high-demand.


Based in Santa Monica, Christine has made a career of researching and understanding issues that twenty-somethings commonly encounter. Now in her early thirties, she credits that understanding to her own experience with many of the same issues she faced in her twenties - everything from love, to heartbreak; career choices to body image issues.


“As a counselor, I ask the questions I call ‘The Twenties Triangle:’ Who am I, what do I want and how do I get it?”


Adept at spotting trends, especially as they relate to the 20-something sect, Christine has written not one, but two best-selling books, Twenty-Something, Twenty-Everything: A Quarter-life Woman's Guide to Balance and Direction (New World Library) and The Twenty-Something Manifesto (New World Library). She’s also a regular contributor to the Huffington Post, where she proffers advice on everything from relationships to adults who refuse to grow up (a phenomenon she's dubbed "adultolescence"). As a professional speaker, Christine leads seminars and workshops to audiences around the country.


Most recently Christine has formed a program for companies regarding the unique challenges that go along with hiring, attracting and retaining twenty-something talent – a common issue many businesses face today.


Generation Y, those born between 1978 and 1999, now make up over one-fourth of today’s workforce.


“The work ethics and attitudes of (Gen Y) are exponentially different from the Gen X’ers and Baby Boomers who are hiring and working with them,” she said. “The generational dynamic in the workplace today is increasing frustration and decreasing productivity. Employers and corporations are struggling to attract, motivate and develop Gen Y’ers who fuel aggravation due to their sense of entitlement and desire for instant gratification.”


Christine is confident there are ways to motivate these individuals. She said her program "empowers managers and executives to unlock the talent, loyalty, and work ethic of this emerging workforce."


“With the appropriate leadership and reinforcement, today’s twenty-somethings can become the type of employee who is vital to the success of a company,” she said.


For more information, visit http://www.christinehassler.com/

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Seventy three percent of 18- to 25-year-olds have received financial assistance from their parents in the past year, and 64 percent have even gotten help with errands.