John Smith

In the long run, the Beatles and Buddy Holly might still be more important and relative to American music than many bands out there today.

Importance is relative. I feel that there are no

Speakign of the new guv. He's been in a month now, Isn't he about due for a scandal? Afterall it is tradition in Illinois.

I had a friend who went there to go Scuba. They went on a liveaboard and dove several times daily. That's what I want to do. There are hundreds of hammerhead sharks that I think seeing would make the trip perfect. Seminary? Or Cemetary? When I went the battlefield was over grown and not even close to 1863 conditions so Little round top, devils den and the slaughter pen were not as impressive as I thought they might be. I believe everything has been cleared out sicne then. I have to get back.

I think the cartoon was intended to be a play on two things, the Travis episode and the old saying that if you give a bunch of monkey

Easter Island and the Galapagos Islands.

On presidents day the history chanel was running all kinds of stuff on presidents. I was particularly interested in 12 - 16 and the origins of the war. Seems like everything they mentioned about what one president did or did not do that led to war centered on the issue of slavery for the south and ending slavery for the north. From the compromise of 1850 right on through the election of Lincoln. So sure the war was nominally about states rights, butultimately the states right they staked their claims of independance on was slavery. In akll fairness Stewart is cloaser to real news than

I'll be stunned if he lasts into April.

I like it enough to have gone out and gotten several more shows with Page & the Crowes all different, all very fun to listen to. I have the original Music Maker version, I have no clue how it stands up to the other release except that they have one or two different songs.

I loved Creed saying "I can get you a kid for that much" He has the best one liners.

Just rememeber he's not a Bush fan or Bush Apologist.

I think a big difference is that people do not quote the onion as fact, well except for that woman I know who thought the Harry Potter story was real. Rush listeners do not readily admit that Rush s one of, if not the primary news source for them. Nope they don

The conventional wisdom for antything that turns out bad, regardless of where it originates who passed it etc... is that if a democrat voted for it signed it whattever then the democrats are responsible. I have never been taught that the war wasall abotu slavery, I was always taught that it was abotu states rights and how the southern states felt that the federal government was overreaching when it dictated to the southern states. Once the slave/free state ratio tipped irrevocably towards free states war became inevitable. BTW Ever read the sourthern states declarations of indepen

I lived in El Paso (Not part of Texas according to my friends) annd the people I knew from Odessa, Lubbock, Midland out that way felt they were in the US by their good graces and that they could leave anytime they wanted. Did I meet every Texan? No, but the thoughts they expressed were exactly those.

Just recently a Missouri lawmaker made reference to the war of northhern agression when hammering some bill that was originating with the Obama administration. He apologized later for his choice of words, but those were his words and I think represent a fairly common thought pattern with a lot of people. I knwo when I lived in TX many people I knew felt that they were still an independent republic that consented to be part of the US and coudl leave at any time. Coming form the north these are alien thoughts.

Yankee Stadium? In the latest Spin magazine (It just started showing up in the mail recently, neither I or my wife subscribed to it, mainly because it sucks.) Lionel Ritchie was asked about the song Brick House. Lionel said it still earns him between $200 and $400K annually. Holy shite I thought if he is correct I can only imagine what some of these other guys are earning in royalties on the fairly popular standards that get played fairly frequently and get licensed out. Multiply that by ten songs or 100 songs add it to concert and merchandising revenues and it is so easy to see how the f

I wouldn

I'm not 100% on this particular issue. I don

For me it depends onthe song and the setting. But I do have a friend who can not stand Joan Baez singing with Bob, so your view is nto uncommon.

Insurance in general works this way too, but HMO's handle stuff this way. Also it's not quite so easy to get anew plan, it can be cost prohibative to get on a differennt plan if you are already offered a standard plan at work. Those who shop for their own will most likely run into the same situation with most insurance coverage they look at.

I do agree that the rising is a bit too long for single and too short for a double. The thing about the risiing for me is that it may be about 9/11 but it does nto have to be. For me the record sounnds like a record of mourning and loss that could fit into many situations. It just happens to be about 9/11 and fits our national conscious in that regards, but in twenty years I think it will still stand up as being relevant.

I have a very hard line stance on issues like this. These guys should face huge amounts of prison time. When people are palced in a position of public trust and violate it they should be subject to the max. It's why I was against Ryan getting a pardon or commutation. And when Jefferson from LA gets his sentence I hope he serves the full amount. On the other hand I also think that people who harm or attempt to harm public officials shoudl also be subject to the maximum penalties. Squeeky Frome, Sarah Jayne Moore, Sirhan Sirhan, Hinckley all deserve the time they get.

I like them and think they are worth the money. Songs are redundant but they are different more ragged to my ears than on Amorica. I do prefer the Tall disc over the Band disc by a wide margin, but both are pretty good. Amorica is a darn near perfect album for it's genre and in comparing it to Tall I have to use the cliche's. tall is more ragged, looser, I just like the texture better overall. When I choose something to listen to it usually vascilates between Tall, Amorica and Southern Harmony. My take: Tall Amorica Southern Harmony Band Shake Your Money Maker The Black Crowes Live at

Five Nights with Letterman The band will be guests on the Late Show with David Letterman on Monday March 2nd... and then again on the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Coinciding with the worldwide release of No Line on the Horizon, it's the first time a musical guest has performed an entire week on the CBS late night broadcast. Monday, March 2-Friday, March 6 (11:35 PM-12:37 AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.