keepingfaith

OMG! Don't tell me someone was raped in LA! Your reference reminded me of seeing Rashoman Rashomon during a Kurosawa festival in LA back in the 80's. Solo's calltones are CMSU!

Reaching not so far back, this one is still amazing. There's nothing here but pure giving.

OMG! Thanks so much for bringing those over, footloose! The pictures made my pulse beat increasingly faster! WOW, he so gorgeous it makes me want to SHOUT!

merrieeee, the guys that Berkeley referenced from the OMWH sessions are part of the more current Steely Dan sessions and tours, but not from their halcyon days. FYI: Nathaniel Kunkel is the nephew of Cass Elliott. Depends on whether by "longtime" you mean back in the glory days of Steely Dan -- the 70's and early 80's -- which they are not. The Steely Dan band of fame was Fagen and Becker -- with Jeff Baxter, Jim Hodder, Michael McDonald, Denny Dias, and David Palmer. I haven't done any research on the OMWH musicians, but no doubt they are first class session players if they are in the current Steely Dan touring/recording family. Fagan and Becker are known for being exacting and temperamental taskmasters so they would only be working with consummate professionals. I'm finally cooling off -- not 'cause I'm mad, but because the compressor went out in my AC yesterday. And it was a Hot Mess in Houston yesterday and today. Fortunately the compressor was still under warranty so only had to pay $600 for labor, but still I may need to order a small cup of gumbo at the eHP lunch next week. Or half a crawfish poorboy! That would fit. It's taken a couple of hours, but it's cool again and I can finally breathe! Ahhhhhhhh. Interested to read about everyone's "lowered expectations" and I'm not going there in my mind, because it's always been about how important Clay is to ME. Tell me who are the superstars today. Nigel Lythgoe said that the AI Finale this year would have "the biggest star in the world" -- was that George Michael? Maybe in his opinion. But I don't know anyone else who thinks so. Is it Beyonce? Timberlake? Celine Dion? Madonna? There's no consensus about the biggest and best of anything, and especially something as subjective as music. And since Clay is the ONLY person I've traveled to see, that makes him the biggest star in the world for one kf. That's not subject to change. As many times as it's been repeated that the record business is on the way out, so many get up in arms about record sales. Clay made a major move this year. He expanded his celebrity and experience to a starring role on Broadway in a highly acclaimed limited run. He has cred as a singer, he has cred as a personality, and now he has cred as a first-class actor and comedian. And his friends in the business are the movers and shakers. If someone needs to reel in their enthusiasm because he didn't sell more records than Neil Diamond and Toby Keith, so be it. If you want to go crazy because he had a 78% fall off in the second week, well Madonna had a 71% fall off on her second week. So? The business is tanking and at a rapidly expanding rate of tanking. I mention Clay Aiken to very few people who don't know who he is. He's in the collective consciousness. And he's out there still learning, growing and showing us more of himself. OMWH is excellent music. If some of the LA-scene critics don't like it, I'm not surprised because it isn't Top 40 club music, which is what they're interested in . So what? Is anybody saying Clay Aiken can't sing? I haven't heard that. Are they saying he's not putting out the music they like to listen to? Yeah, some are. But I don't listen to the tripe they like either so we're even. I discount their opinions, with cause. To each his own. And Clay is all my own in my world of music appreciation. Please do not disturb this adoring fan. Fans always come and go for whatever reason, and I wouldn't spend 5 minutes of my time trying to determine why. No one seems to be able to foretell the future, any more than they can agree on the past. So my suggestion is to, in the immoral words of Adam Clayton Powell, KEEP THE FAITH, BABY! ETA: I learned my lesson on critics many moons ago. There was a time when I gave critics more power than deserved, and as a result I bought many albums that I gave away or threw away. I went to see many movies that I left wishing I had my $5 back. I bought too many books that were left unfinished because they were Terrible! I soon learned that there were a couple of critics that I had respect for, but I still wouldn't give them undue influence. And there were many more critics that in writing why they gave a movie only one star, or a thumbs down, would mention a criticism of it that compelled me to see it. These comprise some of my favorite movies. Hasn't this happened to anyone else? I've always thought that critics are a passing thing for people as they figure out where their individual tastes and inclinations are in relation to another's critical assessment. Then when it comes to these flash-in-the-pan internet reviewers. How can you trust that? Whether you're inclined to agree and disagree, just any self-proclaimed arbiter of taste on the internet should be viewed with a jaundiced eye.

One year ago, in May 2007, I knew absolutely no one in the fandom. When I joined FCA last year and merrieeee realized that I live in the Houston area, she invited me to lunch one Saturday last May and I drove 60 miles across town and met merrieeee, KAndre, Kareneh, Scarlett, and Solo standing outside a barbecue joint. Soon 00lsee and PerusingOne arrived. After what I would learn to be a typically loud and boisterous eHP lunch, we departed for Hobby Lobby, and I was officially inducted into the group when KAndre forced me to buy glitter. My compliance bestowed everlasting minionhood. Yes, I bought several colors of glitter, what of it? Next I found myself at merrieeee's house where PerusingOne opened her travel bags and produced this contraband known as Cheez Doodles, which were devoured by the lovers of cheez, which apparently is everyone in the eHP other an me. It's the "Official Snack of the eHP" -- only you can't get it in Texas. Plans were made to meet in two weeks to work on nametags. Clay soap. and slipknots for tiny horses. For that work session, I summoned my sister, an arts & craps aficionado who possesed not one, but TWO glue guns. By the time the evening ended -- oh wait, the evening didn't end -- by the next morning I was committed to seeing Clay Aiken for the first time ever in Dallas. The eHP makes offers you can't refuse. Be forewarned if you haven't met them, they are highly addictive. So when July 4th FINALLY rolled around, I trek back to merrieeee's, and after Scarlett finally showed up, and I met Playbiller for the first time, and after KAndre happily accepted the red, white and blue sparkly/glittery cap (because we minions have responsibilities), it's off to my Virgin Clay Experience. That afternoon in Dallas, KAndre and I make a run to Love Field to pick up muskifest and Claygasm. After spending the night in Dallas at the home of a total stranger, who was the most congenial and lovely person, it's back to Houston with Playbiller and I drop her off at the Hyatt in downtown Houston, but not before going the wrong way down a one way street. I have worked in downtown Houston for over 25 years. I know it like the back of my hand. So, I suppose the fact that I was going the wrong way on Clay Street evidenced the complete fog I was in. I know Play was relieved when I pulled up at the Hyatt! The next day I went to a pre-show confab and met many, many people, and hooked up with ldyjocelyn who would be spending the night with axe-murderers my sister and me. Following that unforgettable concert, ldyjocelyn invited my sister and I up to her room, and that's where I first met HeidiHo -- whom I would later meet in another hotel room in NJ! (I love you, HeidiHo!) Next morning it was on to Tulsa and as soon as we got to the hotel we ran into our roomie Clayzorback -- who is the cutest thing and most dynamic and fun person to be with. Yeah, security was calling the room that night, probably because I could never learn to laugh quietly .. especially after the best damned martinis in the world! Clayzor is not only a gourmet cook, she makes a bad-ass martini. And then I met sheiladownunder and thoroughly enjoyed hearing of the escapades of Clayzor and sheila as they searched for ice on an upper floor. Hmmmmm. I flew alone to Florida last August and was picked up by another stranger who wouldn't be a stranger for long -- Kimiye! (Oh Kimiye, I really look forward to seeing you in Houston soon!) Kimiye and I arrived at the hotel at the same time the eHP were literally falling out of their car, having just returned from another roller coaster experience and finding a new cell phone for KAndre who left hers at Busch Gardens. Florida was just a gas all the way around -- Clay was magnificent and funny and wonderful and it was all just FUN. I got to know the lovely Ficus, such a sweetie she is. I also got to know/see/sit by/observe some of the notorious fans and some of the nicest fans -- and even had a FC experience that was such bullshit I still can't believe anybody swallowed that crap. I didn't make any Christmas shows because that old thing called WORK. Dammit. But did enjoy another eHP dinner in February when muskifest was in town, and we all got to meet the lovely Desertrose. Hope to see you again soon, DR! I went to NY with the eHP in April and saw Spamalot five times, and it wasn't enough!!! I finally got to meet the fabulous Couch Tomato, eeeeeeeeeeee, and her friend whose screen name I don't know (if she has a screen name), and the beautiful ShellyC, all the while wandering around the city with 00lsee (such a doll, she is) and the amazing merrieeee-Jane, and rooming with HeidiHo, who I think I'm now engaged to. The rest of the eHP were riding wooden roller coasters and eating PhillyFood! At Spamalot I was able to reconnect with Claygasm and Playbiller, although too briefly. So welcome to all the newbies. The way things have gone for me in the past twelve months, there's a good chance that you could be sleeping with me in a strange town before long! So be nice! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

There was all the difference in the world in the DC and DA re-creations of the Risky Business number. Cook's was great. I loved every second of it, until the "Guitar Hero" logo and voiceover came up. And as a Flower Child of the 60's I will never, never, ever, never, ever feel comfortable with artists/musicians selling out for commercial products. Although I think Daughtry could move a ton of Milk of Magnesia. And Josh Gracin could have sold the hell out of Preparation H. I won't even mention David A.'s turn at the "Old Time Rock & Roll" -- poor kid. He's probably a really sweet kid, but he's so immature, even for his age. Also, Clive (ooo a Clive rant from me!!) didn't do him any favors having him sing DLTSGDOM. The song is not open for changing in accordance with the limitations of any singer's voice, i.e., lack of range. When you bring down the high notes, and move up the low notes, you've created some bastardized hybrid. The changes fit his voice, but it didn't come close to Clay's version which was true to the written song, and staggeringly good. I can't believe that Sir Elton would be happy with the way it was fundamentally changed by David A. And someone said that David A. changed the lyrics to Imagine, but I didn't hear him sing that one. If he did, he'd better watch out for Yoko!!!

OMG I thought she was drunk on her ass. She's always slurry, but last night she couldn't get the words out. I just disagree on Donna Summer -- Syesha's part sounded good, until Donna came back in and the difference was amazing to me. I think Donna looked good -- you do what you gotta do -- and she had an added dimension to her voice. I gave her an A. ZZTop -- that thing just dragged. It was a great pairing for David Cook, but Sharp Dressed Man was so slowed down I thought it would never be over. Repetitive, repetitive, repetitive. Jordin's dress was history-making bad. George Michael's Praying for Time left me speechless. I don't know if I was even paying attention to his voice -- it was the emotion with which he delivered the song last night that was electrifying. There was palpable honesty being transmitted and it was a huge WOW moment, I thought. Carrie Underwood's version didn't make me want to cry, didn't make me feel anything, other than oh, she's doing the George Michael song. It's definitely his, and he took it back in a big way last night. Carrie looked beautiful last night. And I hated that song so much I'm at a loss to adequately describe just how much I loathed it. She sang it fine for what it was ... but what it was was crap. JMO now. I barf at this "New Nashville" country music. It's a waste of sound waves. Repetitive, repetitive, repetitive. I don't understand what you guys were hearing/not hearing with New Republic. Ryan Tedder sang that song perfectly. He was on key, he can stretch that octave and hit it on the money. It sounded like the radio version to me. And I LOVE that song. I'll repeat ... Bryan Adams looked great last night. Seal, not bad but not his best. Graham Nash ... what was he doing there? And Brooke didn't hold up her end on that song. I kept waiting for her to blank out on the words; she seemed so tentative. The Jonas Brothers were beyond hopeless-no-talent-embarrassing-bad. Worse than that. And they are "successful" in this universe? Overall, the show looked over-produced, the Top 12 seemed even more lackluster than usual, and Simon's take-back before the big announcement was a huge tell. He may be a powerhouse in the music business, and he may be a nice guy in real life, but judging by what I've seen on that show for the last five years, he's a dweasel. (dick + weasel = dweasel). How weird was Frank Zappa??? ETA: Yes, I guess the film maker dude is Michael Moore. But I always make the mistake of making Murphy the last name of Michael Myers. I have done it forever. And did it again last night. There's so many Michaels -- and Davids!

I make that mistake a lot with Michael Myers because I have known a Michael Murphy for years (not the film maker dude) and he's a crazy man like Myers. My brain can't keep it straight. I like Michael Myers better as Shrek than anything he's done. I could never get into Austin Powers, and I'm not yet sold on Guru Pimka(?). Loved him on SNL. Chris Daughtry has his work cut out for him with David Cook coming on the scene. That's the problem for a lot of these Idol kids -- there's always a "new and improved" whoever coming around year after year. And then there's the irreplaceable Clay Aiken. An original, incomparable voice and a major talent in every which way. He's has a place that's all his own.

Conjecture here: That place were Clay was seen having lunch was near Disney? On Idol tonight Ryan talked about the American Idol experience Disney is putting together that will open in January. I don't know what this experience entails, but Clay could have been recording/filming or doing voice overs for that. That's such a tragedy for SCC's family. My heart goes out.

I thought Archuleta would probably win it after the premature coronation of last night ... until the judges final words before the "verdict" when Simon said he realized that he was wrong to disrespect David Cook last night, and actually apologized to him. Then he said that, for the first time ever, he didn't care who won. I'm still curious about what went on last night. Ya think the judges were intimidated by Archuleta's father? ETA: CG, I'm NOT kidding. It happened. I'm glad I watched the show tonight if only to hear that incredible song George Michael sang.

I'm still laughing at the visualization of someone out there tonight deciding to turn on AI for the big Finale just at the moment the guy in white plumage was singing I Am Your Brother with Paula, Randy and the whole marching band. Why does that CMSU? It just does. It was sooooo unforgiveably baaaaaaad. The influence of KAndre overcame me. That's my story.

I did! And it fits you. I like it. I understand the Jaymes thing, too. Both of the men I married called me by my nickname for a long time before meeting my family, eventually both were influenced by the rest of the family and would call me either/or. That's a cool name, Either/Or? I think Jaymes and Clay are so close that she's been around the family a lot. Ha! My daughter was called Nee Nee by her Dad's family. She and I (the ubiquitous "we," **in my best Ed Grimley voice**) liked "Noelle" much better, but they didn't give it up until she was a teenager. I am here to applaud the banner. It is stunning, hot, stuff. I watched Idol. Was happy with the result. Obviously have completely different tastes in music than what I've read above. I enjoy the fact that musically we are all over the map, but we come together over Clay Aiken. Cue John Lennon. Come together ... Over me!

I think Clay is he, and Team Clay is we, and Clayton is what people called him before he become famous. I don't think there's a Clay/Clayton split. The thought of that is weird to me. He's the same guy no matter what you call him. People in Raleigh who knew him "when" still call him Clayton because they knew him as Clayton in school or church or wherever. I have a nickname and if my parents called me that it would freak me out. I'd be confused. Vice versa with the people who have called me by the nickname for many years. I answer to either one, but I'm not different whatever you call me. You can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay, and I'm still the same hard-headed woman! I really don't think he has compartmentalized himself to have an alter ego named "Clay" the famous singer -- I think he's all the same guy. Even if I call him Ray, or Jay, or RJ, or Ray-Jay, or Johnson!

Where did you find this "liberal media?" I keep hearing about and I've searched for at least 30-40 years now. I must find this grail liberal media. Are you saying that people support Obama because the "liberal media" told them to? This sounds vaguely familiar, like from the mouth of Rush Limbaugh. Come on girl, please tell me you're NOT listening to Rush now, because those are his words. BTW, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich .. both way to the left of Obama. The "liberal media" didn't like the two most liberal candidates? Clayzor, where are you getting this unadulterated shit? What I'm hearing you say is that you only like the Clintons ... and that if they can't win, you're willing to contribute to four more years of what we've got. You and your family will have to live in it too, you know. And you're good with that? And the war will go on. And the Supreme Court will kill every individual liberty we enjoy. The Constitution will be, and I quote George W. Bush ... "just another piece of paper" and women's rights will be in the toilet. But you'll be satisfied with that, huh? Say it ain't so, Joe. Say it ain't so.

I spent a lunch today surrounded by a group of students in their 20's here to register for summer classes, discussing Idol last night. Here's what I got out of it: Everyone was disgusted by the over the top pimping the judges were giving David A. last night. No one's ever noticed Randy Jackson acting so weird before. Thought David C. was deflated because they've already told him he's not going to win, or else he's seen the writing on the wall. One guy said he's never voted before and never will, but was tempted to call in and vote for David C. just because the judges were pushing so hard for David A. that it turned him off. David C. seemed upset about something last night and a discussion about him tearing up at the end of The World I Know. David A. has a beautiful tone to his voice within his very limited range, but it gets boring before the song's over. No, David A. has a creepy voice. Is Randy now taking the same drugs Paula's been on? What's up with him? Why do judges tell contestants they didn't like a song choice, when they had to sing what they were told. Cook is better than Daughtry. No, Daughtry is better than Cook. Daughtry is an asshole. Cook's hair sucks. David A. acts 12 years old. Ruben sounded better than David A. or David C. Ruben looks like he's gained more weight. Who's Ruben? The people who DVR'ed didn't see Ruben because the show ran over and he was cut off. Nobody cares that much who wins because it doesn't mean anything anymore. This whole season was not good TV. The women liked Michael Johns. Someone said they're only watching the Finale to see him. And that's about it.

DR, I have requested it twice. But I know from experience and being told two years ago by someone at Sunny99, that they watch the charts and only add songs when they have taken off at smaller stations in the area. AC is a grassroots enterprise and only when something takes off in small and mid-size markets does it get added by the major market stations. That's why I've been requesting at KKMY-FM in Beaumont, which is listed as an OMWH Starter at Mediabase. KKMY reports six spins in the past seven days ... all overnights. For the record, Clay's Mediabase numbers this morning are: Last Week: No. 37 This Week: No. 30 with a bullet Last Week Spins: 48 This Week Spins: 71 (+23) Audience/Millions: .210 Edited to ask Playbiller: What's IDF?

Cat's out of the bag, babe. Just to note: My son was in McAllen yesterday, down in the Valley, and last night when he got in from the airport he said, "Hey, Mom, I heard Clay Aiken on the radio today." "Where?" "In McAllen." "What song was it?" "That song he's singing on TV, about the kitchen floor." Yea McAllen. And I almost forgot -- I was in Randall's this morning (I spread my Starbucks love around to the three in my immediate vicinity) and they were playing Clay's Solitaire. I said, oooo I love Clay Aiken, and the Russian girl making my latte said, "Oh, is that who that is? I very much like his voice, but working here they play the same tapes over and over and over. I'd like to hear something different." Oh, Tatyana, I think that can be arranged somehow. KF's Thought For The Day: It's so frightening When the morning feels like war Why you tryin' to carry the weight of the world?

I love you. That's the most appropriate comment I've read in days! I'm pretty sure that it's not an accident that the same people are stirring up the same shit and the same people are falling for it, and in it. Nope, no accident. Hello, my name is keepingfaith, and I'm a Clay Aiken FAN.

Just had to say, Kim, that I've always believed that "knowledge is power" is the best reason to NOT gossip!

Perhaps I'm being misunderstood here. I had a hard time picking a candidate this year because there were several of them that I could have supported whole-heartedly in any given year, and this year they were running against each other. Each had strengths and weaknesses -- there is no perfect candidate and never will be. But most of these arguments are so specious. If experience is such a big thing, why didn't Joe Biden get one delegate? Politics is a dirty business and always will be. It was so at the time of the founding of this country and it remains so. The Clintons claim to fame was that they could give as good as they got. I don't think of it as evil-driven, I think of it like this: Every four years somebody's trying to overthrow the government. We have a legal coup d'etat everytime one party takes over for another. We don't shoot our leaders (well, most of the time we don't), but a war is fought for the power and instead of guns we use ballots, or touch screens. It's rougher than hell whether we like it or not, it doesn't matter whether we approve or disappove. It is what it is. If you need to think that your candidate is all goodness and light and doesn't stoop to twisting the truth, or using fear as a tactic, believe what you need to. It's all a matter of seeing the speck in your brother's eye and missing the beam in yours if you think there's a candidate that doesn't resort to tricks and spins and set-ups and all manner of manipulations. I don't think the Clintons are racist in any way whatsoever. Will they use racism to their advantage? Hell, yeah. Hillary didn't say that she was getting the support of "hard working Americans, white Americans" because she's racist ... she's playing on the fears that a black man can't win white votes. The Republicans have been doing this sort of thing quite successfully since 1964, it's not some new tactic. Is she a racist? Most definitely no. Does she want the votes of racists? You betcha she does. And if that bothers you, that's your value system. If it doesn't bother you, that's your value system. I started supporting Obama when it became crystal clear to me that he will be the Democratic nominee this year and that he will face John McCain in November. That makes him my guy. And, frankly, he played a better game. He's pretty much wrapped up the nomination and has a fortune in the bank and hasn't had to shake up his staff. He's been a cool customer. And inasmuch as John McCain is a well-known hothead, I think that's a real positive for Obama in this campaign. Do I mourn for Hillary's loss. I did for a while, but I'm over it and I don't believe for a minute that she got a dirty deal, or wasn't treated right, or any of that scapegoat stuff. In the long run,, she played it too safe for too long. I could write a paper on the failings of her campaign staff. But she's ultimately responsible for her staff, and if these are the people who would have gone into the White House next year in a Clinton administration, we didn't miss a thing except power struggles and back-stabbing. Barack Obama wasn't on my radar until the late stages. I do remember watching his speech at the 2004 convention, the first time I'd ever heard of him, and my sister called and said, "he's going to be the President of the United States one day." I agreed. I just didn't think it would be this soon. I thought this was Hillary's year and that after eight years of Hillary it would probably be Obama. Things happened faster than I imagined. If I could turn back time, I would go to New Orleans and forceably prevent John Edwards from withdrawing from the race when he did. Not that he'd be the one to win in the end, but it would have been healthier for the party with what's going on. I will say this straight up. Any Democrat who doesn't go to the polls in November and vote for the nominee of the party this year, of ALL years, with the condition of this country and the whole world being what it is, if you let cult of personality, or campaign grudges and disappointments keep you at home, that is unforgiveable. I don't care if Biden, Dodd, Kucinich, or Mike Gravel is the nominee, they'd all be better than John McCain. They could dig up Harold Stassen and he'd be better than McCain. I guess I'm the designated defender of Barack Obama on here. I'll be that, because he's gonna be the nominee and it's time to close ranks. Prolonging the contest is playing right into the hands of the Republicans. Hillary seems willing to do that. Seriously, something else is going on besides Hillary wanting to make sure the Puerto Ricans get to vote in their primary, when they don't even get to vote in the November elections. There's something else going on ... and I don't like it. When the Democrats didn't settle the nomination before the convention in 1968 and 1972 -- they lost. When the Republicans had a fight all the way to the convention in 1976 -- they lost. When the Democrats didn't settle things before the convention in 1980 -- they lost. The way I see it, our entire democracy, the Constitution of the United States of America and The Bill of Rights is at stake. The Supreme Court is at stake. And this ain't no hyperbole. Very sad news about Ted Kennedy.

I recall that Clay said he wanted the new album to come out soon after Spamalot ended ... and specifically said (paraphrasing) ... "If I have my way it will come out on the Tuesday following my last performance of Spamalot." Obviously he got his way on this. Then he wrote at OFC to blame him about promotion because they had to have a lot of lead time to set things up and they couldn't without an established release date. He also said DWTS was not an option because they didn't want someone identified with a competitor on another network. I'm just curious, is the lynch mob going after Clay now? Or did Clive force him to say these things? ETA: Desertrose, have you ever made it over to that Chinese restaurant? I still want to go.

I'm not getting this argument about popular vote at all. This isn't a popular vote contest. That's a strawman argument and it gets people riled up for no reason. The Republicans don't choose by popular vote. The Democrats don't choose by popular vote. The country doesn't choose by popular vote. I think it should, but that's not the law in case of national elections, nor is it the historical practice of party nominating processes. It's a non-issue that has been raised in an effort to influence the super-delegate votes. But that hasn't worked either. It's all talking points and propaganda and has nothing to do with the nominating process. There's no reason for this to be going on. If this were reversed, Obama would have dropped out a long time ago. But Hillary couldn't give up and all she had in her arsenal was to keep on going in hopes that something ugly would stick to Obama and then her campaign went out full force to make that happen. It's politics. The Clinton campaign was behind the Rev. Wright business. Hillary's been playing toe-sies with Fox lately, and Fox has been pro-Hillary. If the Republicans were holding the Rev. Wright information, why did they release it during primary season and not wait until October? It was only in Hillary's interest that it came out when it did. And the Republicans seem to be so apprehensive about Hillary not being the nominee. Ultimately, it's good that Obama could deal with this guilt by association early and move on. It's so silly. Everyday I read about another pastor or priest arrested for molesting children, or doing kinky stuff with prostitutes of both sexes. Do people really let their pastor make decisions in their lives? Are people across this country turning their minds over to pastors? We had a preacher for a time when I was a kid who left the church because he was accused of hitting on a young widow who sang in the choir. He went on to getting a woman pregnant at his next church. His wife divorced him and I think he was last seen driving a truck. So much for pastors. But I personally do not doubt that it was someone associated with the Clintons who kept the Wright story afloat, and probably leaked it to Sean Hannity in the first place. It's something Karl would do. And it was a Hillary Clinton insider who invited Rev. Wright to speak at the National Press Club. It's politics. She tried. It didn't work and it's over now. That's part of politics, too. The Clintons are not accustomed to losing and this hasn't been a graceful exit. And I was negatively impressed when Hillary went on O'Reilly's show and got the kid glove treatment. Interesting Couchie, hearing Obama early on didn't fire you up. He didn't fire me up either. But he is the candidate least beholden to Washington power lobbyists. Hillary's campaign had a Mark Penn problem, but nothing to even compare with the McCain campaign. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/5788685.html And McCain's adviser/lobbyists aren't just your regular run of the mill lobbyists either. Noooooo. We're talking registered agents of foreign governments and totalitarian regimes: Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, a Somali warlord ... it goes on and it's not pretty. And these guys are being purged from the campaign because the press was investigating, and it wouldn't look good for these guys to be, oh .... Finance Co-Chairman of the campaign what with John McCain being the former posterboy for lobby reform. I've embraced support for Obama around the fact that he isn't part of the entrenched power structure. Look where experience got us with Dick Cheney -- tauted as the most experienced man in Washington. Disappointment. It's always the same after every election ... and so often it's the winner's fans who are ultimately the most disappointed, unless they're lobotomized. Expectations run sky high, but regardless of who wins, the power doesn't move. I think the "power" is under attack from within for the first time in a long time and it's a golden opportunity for a non-aligned outsider to move the cheese. It doesn't hurt that the population is energized for change. Maybe it's nothing more than slim hope at this point, an outside chance. But it's the best chance we've had in 45 years to clean up the overt corruption that has become so bad it's starting to sicken even the corrupt themselves. Bill Clinton still blows my mind. Before the Texas primary, I watched Bill Clinton doing a townhall at A&M and I was mesmerized listening to him elevate mundane policy matters into the most interesting amd entertaining discussion of the intricacies of decision making that I have ever heard. He's simply amazing. I couldn't tear myself away. Obama has to make use of Bill Clinton's special genius. He's an intellectual gift.

First, there's no way around the Scaife business, and I wish there were. It was his paper, and he is the editorial board for all practical purposes. The pictures are available for googling to see the two of them together having a wonderful time. And he personally wrote the editorial endorsement for the paper. I can't stomach it. Accountability? I'm interested in accountability for the hundreds of billions of dollars spent to make us much less safe, while sacrificing thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of innocent lives for nothing. I'm looking for that accountability. Is anybody addressing that? I do understand exactly where you're coming from, Fear. I have an uncle who is freaking out that Hillary seems to be losing the nomination. Several years ago when she was on a book tour, he stood in line for hours in the hot sun in Dallas and passed smooth out on the concrete. They moved him inside and got him something to drink and then Hillary appeared, gave him an autographed book and held his hand for a while. Yeah, he loves her a lot and gets really angry when people call her cold and calculating. I'm in the middle as usual trying to keep peace in the family over politics!!! I do know one thing, there's not a one of them that won't vote Democrat in November, no matter whose name is on the ballot. Even if it's that old Texas yella-dawg! I'm with you here. Our primary here in Ohio was tough since he was still on the ballot, but officially out of the race. There are actually quite a few Edwards supporters at work and in talking about all of this, we've found that we're all over the place as to who we're going to support in Nov. It's obviously going to be Obama in November. I like to face reality and deal with it, and the handwriting has been on the wall for a couple of months already. Obama drawing 75,000+ yesterday in Oregon, and old Sen. Byrd endorsing today ... West Virginia's Sen. Byrd .... there's no getting around it anymore. I keep hearing that Hillary is persevering to pressure Obama to put her, or one of her surrogates, on the ticket. I have no idea whether that's true or not, but it does make sense. I don't think Obama wants her on the ticket; and I would have guessed she wouldn't want it. The scuttlebutt says that's what this is all about. And one reason why Obama doesn't want her on the ticket is, according to what I hear, so that this can be the first election since 1976 without a Bush or a Clinton on the ticket. I think this has influenced a lot of people who want BIG CHANGE and think it's time for a fresh start. It is ponderable that this country has had either a Bush or a Clinton as Prez or Vice Prez since 1981. Which is why I see Wesley Clark as a strong, potential Veep candidate. ETA: Just read your your post, Clazorback. You know I love me some Bill Clinton and always will because there's no one that can touch him ... not even Hill and she's very, very good. But what happened here when it started to slip away has been really ugly, and loyalty only goes so far. And that is why I don't understand saying that because you supported someone in January, you have to support them in June. I don't get that, unless they're making my house payment or holding me hostage. I don't respect the hardball Rovian tactics the Clintons are employing to win at any cost. I just do not. The end never justifies the means in my book of ethics. Granted, the truth is the first casualty of most political campaigns, but the twisting and spin has been much too obvious and coarse for my blood. It cuts against my grain. I'm not loyal to any person as much as I'm loyal to my own moral code and ethical standards. You breach that, I will walk away. But I'm overstating this without a doubt, as I will vote for the Democratic candidate in November, whoever he or she may be, for a million different reasons. So, at this point, it's actually totally impersonal to me as to names and faces. And Clayzor, while I do understand your passion for Hillary ... I just don't get the anger you have for anyone who opposes her. It's a freaking election for crying out loud. I've been up to my chin in politics and I've won some and lost some -- but I don't get the anger, because Hillary has played it hard and rough herself, and there's no victim here. It's a change year and she's not a change candidate. She would have undoubtedly won had she run in 2004. Just like Cuomo would have won in 1988. Timing is everything in politics. And so it goes.

**duplicate**

No doubt the illegal download situation has hurt artists across the board -- with the exception of the High School Musical/Hannah Montana-type CDs. But I can envision a silver lining with the international market. Record companies can limit distribution of hard CDs and the available legal download sites, but they can't limit people online all over the world from downloading at the P2Ps, whether in Japan, Finland or Slovenia. A record label doesn't have to "ship" to Europe and Asia for music to be heard there. And then there's YouTube and the YouTube clones ... that genie is completely out of the bottle now. While concerts don't sell CDs as much as CDs sell concert tickets, music downloaded legally or illegally, or burned from a friend's MP3's, or watched on YouTube can sell concert tickets. Since artists make their money primarily from touring .... it's a modern day ponderable. I wonder who's going to figure this all out one day? Clay is unique. There's no one on that list of Top 50 that actually competes with him, IMO -- not even Groban. Clay is Clay, and you either love his voice, or you don't. I don't think the style of music matters so very much, because his voice is the golden goose. No doubt that young people and people like me too, definitely enjoy a heavy beat -- something to make them move it, move it. This isn't new, nothing different since I've been paying attention to music and shakin' my thang. If Clay can do parodies of hot sexy tunes with a heavy beat, then he can do it for real, but he very obviously doesn't want to. Kipper pushed him to do EIDN. He thought that was out of his lane and yet it's his voice that makes that otherwise ordinary song succeed. He could sell a gazillion records if he wanted to push his comfort zone, but he repeats that he wouldn't be taken seriously (as if the numb-nuts are taking him seriously now). But he has a freedom in what he's doing. It's his show, his career, his voice, his songs, his friends -- and he can blow raspberries to anyone who doesn't like it. This career is his baby, and discussing every extraneous factor in the world of sales and promotion techniques and gimmicks, and, worse, looking for scapegoats, for God knows what, is all a colossal waste of time. Clay has made it clear that he doesn't have the desire to write his own songs. Does it matter how talented he is at songwriting? He doesn't like to do it, and I got from the tour banter last year that Jaymes not only had to push, but had to push extremely hard to get lyrics out of him. But if that all changes and Clay spends the next year writing out his heart lyrically, and fashions those words to rhythmic Timbaland-style products, would he sell a lot more? Oh no doubt about it. But that is not what he wants to do, not now, and maybe not ever. But Clay does make changes and he does grow so his future styles and methods are for him to determine. I do know that I'll be looking forward to concerts and will take every opportunity I can afford to be in his audience. Because I'm here for the voice. I guess what I'm trying to say in too many words, is that selling 10 million copies of OMWH wouldn't make it any better than it already is for me. And if it's all about him being heard by more people, then nobody should bitch about the international free download sites.