Sign In Stranger Archives -- February 2003

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: >Ole...You ARE the heart of the GB!

AMEN Brother!

StAl

User: Hutch | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Busy in here for a Friday night!

Ole and t - I seriously doubt that these guys are going to quit making records as Steely Dan. Getting the Grammy for album of the year after a twenty year break (as Steely Dan) certainly says a lot about their core fan base. It's a money making venture I should think. The song EMG could be about .coms going under or maybe even about throwing out all the commercial trash we've been hearing in contemporary music in recent years. There seems to be seeds of a movement back to real music written by real musicians and good lyricists. So maybe D&W wrote something to prod those media mogul types and record producers into seeing the light. But, from what Donald said in the article, it sounds much more ominous than that doesn't it? Websters New World Collegiate defines ominous as "a foreshadowing. Especially of evil". Scary.

That was a great find Ole. You ARE the heart of the GB!

Bill - Appreciate the info on buying a house. That's something I'm getting ready to do soon and I need all the insight I can get.

Herm - Your post 1576 was, IMO, the best post I've seen yet about all this shit. A pretty level-headed way of thinking I'd say.

Amsterdam. It's like another world.

Hutch

User:  | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: It's contagious. Looks like a Nobel Prize winner has the same disease as W

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030227/ap_wo_en_ge/na_gen_us_europe_wiesel_1

User: ¦ - whentheworldisrunningdownyoumakethebestofwhat'sstillaround | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Ole: I'm glad someone reads the trades

Bluz: You owe me a Margarita!

post redux: short stories, fantasized lyrics encouraged - we've got 3 months

01-steely dan-Things I Miss the Most

Yeah, posts about Steely Dan

02-steely dan-Pixelene

A winsome fairy is emitted from the flat screen of a new iMac computer

03-steely dan-Everything Must Go

A drunken polka complete with accordion followed by the sound of all instruments being thrown in the trash

04- Steely.Dan--The.Last.Mall

We've pumped in Aja to the malls so many times that all will simultaneously collapse of materials fatigue

05 steely dan - Blues.Beach

Remember those chairs? Don and Walter with ukeleles on the sand

06 -Steely Dan - Godwhacker

Tribute to the group - or is that Godsmack?

07-steely dan-Slang of Ages (Walter on vocals - I can feel it)

Look what I did with this Def Leppard song!

08.Steely.Dan - Green.Book

Imagine an internet site where intelligent life lives...nah

09-Steely Dan - Lunch with Gina

Segue into Fagen's next solo album. Amsterdam, it's like another world...

User: Frankenstein Sinatra | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Donald and Walter,

I see that you decided to take the advice of my two associates Carmine
and Nunzio and put the release date of your next cd off until July 10th.
That was a good move on your part as I'm sure that Carmine explained to
you the complete ramifications of releasing an album that doesn't rock.
Taking the extra time to include some Jimi Hendrix-esque type licks
and whole lot of hard-driving bass work will pay off for you in the
future.

As far as Steely Dan breaking up goes just remember this...
YOU AIN'T GOIN' NOWHERE!

Seeya on tour,
Franky

User: t | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Ole - Wow. That means that someone has actually *heard* it, or at least the title cut. And it also looks like those titles on the fake mp3's are real.

I sure wish DF had catagorically denied the breakup question though...

thanx!

t

User:  | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: "...Watson says that low intelligence is an inherited disorder..."

- explains the similarities in the two Bush administrations, doesn't it?

User: oleander | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Well, shit. June 10; it's official. No explanation. I am glad to say that there was no bet in the pool for this date; therefore I don't have to ante up another prize.

This from Rolling Stone 918, 3/20/03:

IN THE STUDIO

Steely Dan
"Everything Must GO"
Due out June

For their follow-up to the Grammy-winning "Two Against Nature," Steely Dan's Walter Becker and Donald Fagen decided to forgo "Nature's" high-tech approach and record the album live in the studio, using analog machines. Becker takes over lead vocals for the first time in the band's history on "Slang of Ages." And in the title track, Fagen sings, "I move to dissolve the corporation in a pool of margaritas....We're going out of business/Everything must go." Does this mark the end of Steely Dan? "Interpret that however you want," Fagen says. "These days it sounds like the general state of the planet."

User: Oops! Forgot to answer LP's post... | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: LP,

When given the choice between buying an existing home or building a new
one, one should ALWAYS choose to build new.

Why?
Well I can only answer this question based on my experience with home
construction. The first reason you would want to build new rather than
buying an older home has to do with the age of the structure itself.
When you buy an older home you're also buying old plumbing, old wiring,
old insulation, old drywall, old sheathing, old roofing, old everything.
Now all of these may be fine and then again they may not be, NO ONE
CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE. No building inspector can tell you exactly what
is going on inside of a water pipe or inside of a wall. Are the water
pipes corroded and ready to burst? No one can say...
Is there water leakage around the windows that is seeping into the walls?
No one can say for sure. Is there past evidence of termite damage within
the walls themselves? Who can tell without actually opening the walls up
an taking a look? A task that I can assure you no seller will allow to
begin with. So what I'm trying to say is, when you buy an existing
structure you are buying it as is. If there are problems you will inherit
them.

Another problem with buying an existing home is that you didn't design it.
Sure it might seem fine and it might suit your needs but wouldn't you
rather sit down with an architect yourself and design YOUR home
YOUR way? Sure you would. And of course buying an existing home with
and existing footprint means that all changes in the future will entail
the dreaded "R" word... REMODELING. Have you ever lived in a home that
was being extensively remodeled? Home remodeling has probably caused
more divorces than any other single risk factor lol!

You're lucky actually. Many people who live in larger cities don't have
the choice of whether to build new or not. The lots are simply not
availiable to be had. This is the case in my part of the New York Metro
area, virgin land to build on is nearly impossible to get so you're
forced to buy an older home and go through the rigors of remodeling
it to suit your needs.

So my advice is to build new if you can. When you move in it will be
the exact home you want and everything will be new from the roof to the
front door knob.

Good Luck!,

Bill

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Herm,

I don't recall what your questions were as every third word of your
posts was an insult, but to make a long story short I did present facts
it's just that you chose to ignore them. Anyway, as I said before,
I WON'T comment on this subject further because no matter what facts
are presented to you they won't be taken seriously as they probably
don't support your view of the subject.

In any case, Bullwinkle is on in 15 minutes. You better hurry or your
gonna miss it. In this episode Natasha admits to Boris that Clas is
actually his son. A CLASSIC!

User: Bobby Darin not to be confused with James Darren for Gods sakes | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: "every night, I hope and pray
A dream lover will come my way...

B. Darin
suggested reading..dream lovers..the magnificent shattered lives of Bobby
Darin and Sandra Dee by their son..Dodd Darin

Molly girl..thanks"

BwaySteve..as always thanks for the dogs and Flordavid laid it down on
the cd with all you guys & gals..Jaz thank you for the turn on to it"
the pens are a hit at the shriner meetings" hahaha

josie..great card

Tommy cat..one of the best cats in the world

played today

Horace Silver.."paris blues"(previously unreleased)

Paul Chambers.."chambers music"

Bobby Scott.."baby won't you please come home"

Jimmy Witherspoon.."it rains but it never pours"

Johnny Adams.."come rain or come shine"

David "fathead" Newman..(new) "the gift".."don't let the sun catch you cryin"

Ben Sidran/Bob Rockwell Quartet..(new) "walk pretty"

Dexter Gordon.."one flight up"

Jimmy Ponder..(new)" "alone"

Rickie Lee jones.."up from the skies"

Slowburn.."time and memory"..(outstanding new one!)

John Scofield.."a go go"

Zan Gardner.."metaphoric heartbreak"

Andy Bey.."shades of bey".."midnight blue"

If I don't go crazy,
I wiil surely lose my mind.

Son House
"Louise McGee"

User: BeerberIan | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: War à.in perspective ??à I donÆt know ( but I do know spellcheckers hate ô??ö)

Three ôthingsö happened today àà No ! this is not a lyricàbut it does go verse, refrain, verse, closure, maybe àà.

1/ One of my work colleagues very casually comes up and tells me à.. ô IÆm off û to the cabbage suit again, and then to Kuwait , hell maybe Iraqö He is in the TAÆs (Territorial Army) I knew that à ôcabbage suitö is camouflage , I found that out à He is 22 married to a full on Australian (No fear allowed there then) and Looking Forward to conflict à ok?

2/ My wifeÆs best friend (and our bridesmaid, before you start) drops me an email to tell me ..She is in fact now going back to live with her physically & mentally abusive partner, ALSO called Ian (he is however not a nice Ian) Apparently she cannot divulge this to my wife à but is perfectly fuckin happy to burden me à

3/ I decided to defend the yellow on the blue OK IÆm not qualified and probably made it worse à but I tried à.sanctimonious pricks just get me up for it ..SORRY Pat

4/ In true Monty P style à. There is no 4

5/ Now ôThe hit homeö We, in the UK, have this chat show host û Graham Norton û and tonightÆs guest was George Michael Faith, Club Tropicana etc à. But now since you US guys ôoutedö him heÆs got political ANYWAYS à after the inane banter he sang a song à no surprise maybe BUT he chose as below

DON MCLEAN - The Grave

The grave that they dug him had flowers
Gathered from the hillsides in bright summer colors
And the brown earth bleached white
At the edge of his gravestone
He's gone

When the wars of our nation did beckon
The man, barely twenty, did answer the calling
Proud of the trust
That he placed in our nation
He's gone

But eternity knows him
And it knows what we've done

And the rain fell like pearls
On the leaves of the flowers
Leaving brown, muddy clay
Where the earth had been dry

And deep in the trench
He waited for hours
As he held to his rifle
And prayed not to die

But the silence of night
Was shattered by fire
As the guns and grenades
Blasted sharp through the air

One after another
His comrades were slaughtered
In the morgue of marines
Alone, standing there

He crouched ever lower
Ever lower, with fear
"They can't let me die
They can't let me die here!

I'll cover myself
With the mud and the earth
I'll cover myself
I know I'm not brave!

The earth, the earth
The earth is my grave."

The grave that they dug him had flowers
Gathered from the hillsides in bright summer colors
And the brown earth bleached white
At the edge of his gravestone
He's gone

About ænam I know But makes me think àà

Too long ? Like I care ......

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Hey Stevee ~ I have absolutely no problem with people expressing opposite viewpoints. My problem with Bill was that he was accusing people of acting one way, then when asked to back it up with fact, he chose to be a cute little smartass in return. He still hasn't answered any of my original questions. It took me a while to realize that he wasn't going to add anything productive to the mix, so I've decided not to continue playing the game. Having an opposing viewpoint on issues is one thing. Making shit up in order to get your point across is another. I love interesting conversations. Macho pissing contests bore the shit out of me.

Anyway, I just wanted to get that out.

Later,

Herm

User: But No Hope For Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: !

User: Hey, there's still hope for dubya: | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Stupidity should be cured, says DNA discoverer

18:13 28 February 03

NewScientist.com news service

Fifty years to the day from the discovery of the structure of
DNA, one of its co-discoverers has caused a storm by
suggesting that stupidity is a genetic disease that should be
cured.

On 28 February 1953 biologists James Watson and Francis
Crick discovered the structure of DNA - the chemical code for all
life. The breakthrough revealed how genetic information is
passed from one generation to the next and revolutionised
biology and medicine.

But in a documentary series to be screened in the UK on
Channel 4, Watson says that low intelligence is an inherited
disorder and that molecular biologists have a duty to devise
gene therapies or screening tests to tackle stupidity.

"If you are really stupid, I would call that a disease," says
Watson, now president of the Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory,
New York. "The lower 10 per cent who really have difficulty, even
in elementary school, what's the cause of it? A lot of people
would like to say, 'Well, poverty, things like that.' It probably
isn't. So I'd like to get rid of that, to help the lower 10 per cent."

Watson, no stranger to controversy, also suggests that genes
influencing beauty could also be engineered. "People say it
would be terrible if we made all girls pretty. I think it would be
great."

More at http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99993451

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Yup, on the ODP now ...%$^%$^$#&^*%^#%@^&^%#%!^!!!!!!

User: Boy Scouts | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: camp camp camp camp camp camp camp camp

User: SteveeDan (staying away from pit bulls ...) | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Bad Sneakers û I too love that "Shadows and Light" DVD. It is great to be able to see Jaco perform live. In a King Crimson vein I strongly urge you to check out a Steve Hackett DVD called "The Tokyo Tapes Live In Japan" with John Wetton, Chester Thompson, Ian McDonald, and Julian Colbeck. They play some Crimson, early Genesis, solo Hackett and some (yuck) Asia songs. The lighting for this concert was great, and the individual performances are really great. Are there any really good Peter Gabriel DVDs out there? I havenÆt searched for DVDs in a while now.

St. Al û I too am one of those who take Steely Dan way too seriously. Guilty as charged, but I read every post to keep up with what's happening around here.

Hi Herm û I do believe that Bill has served his country. I don't think that he would lie about it. This isn't even the problem. It's the intolerance that has been shown to opposing viewpoints that stokes the fire. I am a very tolerant person. Opposing viewpoints is precisely what makes discussion and debate interesting. Pointing fingers at someone for what they believe, or say in a discussion is a cheap smear tactic. No thanks.
Besides, I see that Bill is being playful with you right now ... that's a good thing.

... Oh, and the anvil line ... priceless.

"... roll out the bones, and raise up your picture ..."

Clas û I am not an Israeli, I am an American Jew. I prefer Beverly Hills to Israel ... too dangerous ... and everything I have said to you is justified and based in fact. But don't let that get in the way. Why do you think that I should move anywhere anyway ... what does that prove? You and I always end up in the same argument over Israel. I'll end the current dialog with words of appreciation for your country's King in the 1940's who helped to hide a few Jews during the Holocaust. That was a glimmer of hope in a hopeless time for the Jews.

... and the most memorable quote of the day goes to the Mighty Duncan B. who by reacting to the news that EMG's release date has been pushed back wrote:

"shite shite shite bollock fuck nob."

Now how do you top that one ... a right zinger eh?

... The pen is mightier than the ... FUCK NOB ? ...

SteveeDan

User: angel | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: lp: I would choose number 1, but then again, I don't build/design houses.

St. Al: I read somewhere that "Not in My Name" may have some old organizations from the McCarthy Era as their organizers. Communist Party type stuff. You know anything about that? I looked for the article that I read, in the online edition of my local paper and of course it is not archived.

User: lp, is there a pollster in the house? | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: i know there is clear impending doom in the world and depression amongst the ranks that the new one is further delayed, but i have bigger issues -

do i purchase a sweet victorian in a village/urban setting (really urban) that needs some exterior work and thus know i have a place to live this summer and thereafter?

or

do take my chances on finding a camp to live in this summer (for too much money), then go back to my rental where i am right now in the fall, and hold out for the hopes of finding a 2 acre lot in a more rural setting to build a new house upon?

same money, btw

and:

may to june delay - it's really not that bad - you people need to hang out in your town halls more often

i have the war on my local ballot here next wednesday - a town of 4800 year round residents deciding foreign policy - democracy is alot of fun, kids

User: bassicinstinct | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: 
Beerberian:

Worry ye not - I have emailed you at your workplace email address.

Look forward to hearing from you via snailmail soonest!!

TTFN.

User: duncan | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: it's official

-----Original Message-----
From: duncan butterfield [mailto:xxx.xxxxxxx.xxxxx.xxxxxxxx.com]
Sent: Friday, February 28, 2003 8:43 AM
To: Burland, Luke
Subject: steely dan release

Q
has it been put back ?
i read some rumours
cheers
db

A
June 10

shite shite shite bollock fuck nob

User: Elmer Fudd | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: StAl: the number of allied countries with us is now 90! a lot more than Kosovo, Bosnia, aspirin factory bombing, Haiti...

User: should read | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: 

The ONLY possibility for them to obtain a WMD is to use as a resource a Country with the capability - Iraq (the greatest supplier of terrorist supplies/support etc.), Iran, or North Korea. France, Germany are alway possibilities ;-0, but the other most likely scenario isWITHIN the US.

User: should read | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: 

The ONLY possibility for them to obtain a WMD is to use as a resource a Country with the capability - Iraq (the greatest supplier of terrorist supplies/support etc.), Iran, or North Korea. France, Germany are alway possibilities, but the other most likely scenario with WITHIN the US.

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Just checking during a Bugs Bunny commercial break...

Herm,

Right on brother! I love the part where Coyote gets slammed by the anvil!
How many times does he have to fall off a cliff before he learns that
he can't catch that roadrunner? Coyote musta voted for Gore. Too Funny!

Actually "Sociable Hermit" sounds like a cartoon character doesn't it?
Do you actually look like that little martian guy with the broom on his
head? What was his name again? Oh yeah! "Marvin The Martian" he was a rip!
I don't believe he ever did find the space modulator did he?
Anyway, come on over man yer gonna miss the best part!

:)

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Just checking during a Bugs Bunny commercial break...

Herm,

Right on brother! I love the part where Coyote gets slammed by the anvil!
How many times does he have to fall off a cliff before he learns that
he can't catch that roadrunner? Coyote musta voted for Gore. Too Funny!

Actually "Sociable Hermit" sounds like a cartoon character doesn't it?
Do you actually look like that little martian guy with the broom on his
head? What was his name again? Oh yeah! "Marvin The Martian" he was a rip!
I don't believe he ever did find the space modulator did he?
Anyway, come on over man yer gonna miss the best part!

:)

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: t: Make that 23, ...and 16 to whine about how they posted it on the Yellow first and no one responded, or how yellow is below blue on the rainbow or something...Waaaaahhhhhh!

Hey mu: I'll tell you what June 10th means. That means Trouble. Trouble. Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble Trouble....I mean terrible terrible trouble. With a capital T, and that rhymes with Z and that stands for Zoo. That's right, snowed in at the Washington Zoo. Idle bandwidth is the Devil's Playground! Have you noticed the 5 chimps. who look like men int the not treez, not coming down until darK? Have you noticed words slipping into their conversation? Words like.........."swell" What we need is a Boys band right here in River City. No, a Boys and Girls Band. I'm talking MP3s. I'm talking trombones, tympanis, a server, a burner, a DanFest, a written apology to the estate of Meredith Wilson...

Paige: There is no shift re: Iran - it's part of a plan. Now you may disagree with the plan, but it was articulated in W's first state of the Union Speech on 1/29/02 - 13 months ago...on national tube. The argument is that it is a phase or fron of the same war, just as the Pacific, Europe and North Africa were in 1942 (a year after Pearl Harbor). Check out the Second Goal:

http://www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/01/29/bush.speech.txt/

St.Al finally raised the first, logically- driven point against using Force to remove Saddam NOW - Is the danger imminent?! Can we know that for sure? I don't know - Powell and Iraqi exiles (Saddam's bomb maker, ex-girlfriend etc.) indicate danger, but I'd like more info. Human nature and Joe Lieberman and Powell's current stance indicates the danger is grave...is the risk of inaction greater than action?...

Al Qaeda's labs an ability the make WMDs have been destroyed - the Afghanistan campaign is a success even thout Osama may or may not be alive or on a dialysis machine. The ONLY possibility for them to obtain them a Country with the capability - Iraq (the greatest supplier of terrorist supplies/support etc.), Iran, or North Korea. France, Germany are alway possibilities, but the other most likely scenario with WITHIN the US...

That's why my biggest beef with W is regarding Homeland Security: the ineffectivenss of Tom Ridge, the PC concerned INS, and porous borders/shores. 11 of the 13 9/11 highjackers were illegal aliens, and most came through the Canadian border. In addition, the Coast Guard still can't spot a drug dealer or Haitian boat. Some credit to the FBI and CIA has to be given that we haven't had another 9/11, yet.

W's biggest mistake IMO was telling folks in the US just to go about their business. I understand the idea was not to frighten the citizenry, so they would continue to spend and bolster a sagging economy hit by the triple whammy of tech stock bubble burst, 9/11, and Enron/Global Crossing illegal activities...in order would have been a Series of Public Service Announcements - real Information, more frequent updates other than on CNN, perhaps a weekly fireside chat series, as FDR...but then he's no FDR...

Any ideas? (no DNC or RNC talking points allowed) What's your plan? Hide in here and hope it just goes away by itself?

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Some people confuse "cheap" whores with hobbists.

Not everyone's in it for the money.

Later,

Herm

User: And more: | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: The fact that illegal Israeli practices continue to deliberately bleed the Palestinian civilian population is obscured, hidden from view, though it continues steadily all the time: 65 per cent unemployment, 50 per cent poverty (people living on less than $2 a day), schools, hospitals, universities, businesses under constant military pressure, these are only the outward manifestation of Israeli crimes against humanity. Over 40 per cent of the Palestinian population is malnourished and famine is now a genuine threat. Non-stop curfews, the endless expropriation of land and the building of settlements (now numbering almost 200), the destruction of crops, trees, houses have made life for ordinary Palestinians intolerable. Many are leaving, or as is the case with the inhabitants of Yanun village, must leave because settlers' terror against them, the burning of their houses, and threats against their lives make it impossible to stay. Ethnic cleansing is what this is all about, although Sharon's demonic plan is to do it in tiny daily increments that won't properly be reported and are never seen cumulatively as part of a general pattern. With the Bush administration backing his policies unconditionally, no wonder that Sharon can afford to say "we are placing no restriction on our operations. Israel is under no pressure. No one is criticising us or has the right to do so. We are talking here about Israel's right to protect its citizens." (Reuters, IHT 15 November, 2002). Why this kind of arrogance goes unanswered or isn't immediately associated with the kind of thing for which Slobodan Milosevic is now being tried in the Hague is a sign of how mendacious the international community has become. With US cover, Sharon kills Palestinians at will under the guise of fighting terrorism.

Edward Said Dec 21 2002

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: June? JUNE!?!?

Guess that means I'll keep talking politics..

Speaking of which. Just heard on CNN. The majority of Americans only support action in Iraq IF the weight of the UN and the rest of the world is behind us! The MAJORITY do NOT support pre-emptive action without a major coalition of support from our allies and the United Nations.

So, Bill, sucks being the in the radical fringe -- don't it?

SCHHHWING!

StAl

PS. Did someone say cheap whores? Oh *boy*...

User: Clas | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: I agree with Altamira on this Pit Bull issue, it's the owners responsibility to raise them.

And for letting dogs come near, or left alone with kids, I wouldn't let ANY dog be left alone with kids. Dogs cannot understand kids signals.

Pompe, my great Dane, is probably the nicest dog on earth, but I keep him away from children, a dog is an animal, a predator, so just for being on the safe side, I always say no when kids asks if they can come near him and hug him.

And Israel, you're saying "the fact that Jews and their homeland Israel have been in existence practically since the beginning of mankind."

That's fairytales.

And if it's your homeland, why don't you move there?

"5,000 years of oppression of the Jews" you say. Does that justify the apartheid politics Israel uses against the Palestines?

User:  | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: bones, ya may be cheap, but we luv ya anyway...

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: 

Gee, Bill, I'd love to come over and watch cartoons with you, but I wouldn't want to ruin your concentration while you're getting your daily fulfillment of brain power.

It is so cute, though, to see you get all excited, point at the T.V. screen, and yell, "Watch out for the anvil! Watch out for the anvil! Ohhh!"

Later,

Herm

User: SteveeDan | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Altamira - that's a little, no make that a lot, harsh, don't you think? I still agree with Mu on this one ... pit bulls are hell hounds. The fact that you love them and haven't had any bad experiences with them first hand (witnessed or otherwise) doesn't for one second change my mind. I wouldn't leave my child (or yours if you have one ... or how about a niece or a cousin ...) alone with a pit bull EVER. I love dogs, but there are certain breeds that I just won't go near. Pit Bulls top the list. It is not worth the risk to see if a pit bull will play nicely with a child. If, by chance, the dog turns on the child and attacks the child, everybody loses.

By the way, I am intolerant of your interance of me.

Clas - that was an interesting article about the attrocities of the Israelis ... still, what say you about the other 5,000 years of oppression of the Jews. I am not accusing you of being anti-semetic, like I have done a long time ago, but, I have never heard you acknowledge the fact that Jews and their homeland Israel have been in existence practically since the beginning of mankind. How does that fact stack up against the 50 or so short years that the Palestinians have been around?

I have to end the post now, my son's schoolbus just honked outside. I better go get him before some FUCKING pit bull does.

SteveeDan

User: bones | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: How many yellow bookers does it take to screw a cheap whore?

All of them.
Mu posts the directions.
The rest scroll over them.

User: Dano | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: t , Ya big lummox , had me on the floor with that blue book dooser, im laughing my bollox off with that one.....what a star.

Sneaks , you have my e-mail dont ya mate.Will be at the Iceland game and the Liverpool games hopefully Henrik will be up for it!!

Beers , Is there a Travelodge / Travelinn in Burton or nearby for May?? Or will i have to twin up with the Sneakers?? Doh!!

Dunc , Linda got a Sista!!

PS. I live in a dreamworld right!!

Dano.

User: L | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: with

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: whoever it was that mentioned "wah-wah sax" - King Curtis made the ultimate treat on "I stand Accused" from the "Live at Fillmore West" album 1971. Fantastic interplay between Billy Preston on organ and KC. Purdie on drums, Cornell Dupree on fantastic guitar (whatever happened to him? One of the few guitar giants never playin wid D&W). The whole album is a treat.

L

User: tones | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Time for a little balance -

How many "blue bookers" does it take to read liner notes?

Seven - one to post it as "news", and six to congratulate the first one on the "great post"...

with l-u-v...

t

User: C | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: America uses Israel's words to justify occupation

Robert Fisk - 28 February 2003

Ah, to be a "viable" state! The word "viable" has now become the be-all and end-all of American policy towards Palestine. "For its part," George Bush told us, "the new government of Israel, as the terror threat is removed and security improves, will be expected to support the creation of a viable Palestinian state."

Well, since Ariel Sharon, the Israeli Prime Minister, says that the Palestinians may only get 50 per cent of the West Bank and his new chums in his coalition government are all for more settlements in that area, why should Muslims take this talk seriously? They don't. It's just another word trick to kick-arse the Arabs into support û or at least acquiescence û in the American invasion of Iraq.

Not once did President Bush mention the word "oil" û save for a brief reference to the disastrous oil-for-food "programme" û though there was just one mention of the occupied territories (or "so-called occupied" as Donald Rumsfeld infamously called them). But once America occupies Iraq, what argument can the Arabs deploy against Israel? If the West Bank is occupied, well so is Iraq. If the United States occupied Iraq to spare the world from "terror", why shouldn't Israel occupy the West Bank to spare itself from "terror"? Few have yet worked through this dangerous equation.

Much of the Bush speech to the American Enterprise Institute was written in the language of Israel. "If war is forced upon us by Iraq's refusal to disarm, we'll meet an enemy who hides his military forces behind civilians, who has terrible weapons, who's capable of any crime." This is precisely the language of Ariel Sharon. The equation that other Arab states are expected to understand is contained in that ominous suggestion by Mr Bush that after the "passing" of Saddam Hussein's regime, "other regimes will be given a clear warning that support for terror will not be tolerated". Primarily, this is a message for Syria, then for Iran and then for anyone else who has not knelt before the Americans.

To support this, we are asked to believe û even the Arabs who live in the Middle East are asked to believe û that "in Iraq, a dictator is building and hiding weapons that could [sic] enable him to dominate the Middle East and intimidate the civilised world". The same man "has close ties to terrorist organisations and could [sic] supply them with the terrible means to strike this country". Or not, as the case may be.

And if it's North Korea we're talking about, you can forget all this nonsense about "regime change".

Arabs were, obviously, interested in the "coalition of more than 90 countries", until they realised that this "coalition" was merely arresting al-Qa'ida suspects, not planning to invade Iraq. And when Mr Bush said that America had "arrested or otherwise dealt with many key commanders of al-Qa'ida", a smile or two on the faces of America's friendly Arab dictators might have been forgiven. The phrase "or otherwise dealt with" will be as familiar to them as it is shameful to the US.

So on we go to a "free and peaceful Iraq". But what was it President Bush told us? "Iraqi lives and freedom matter greatly to us," he said.

Since when? When Iraqi men and women were being raped in President Saddam's torture chambers in 1983, Donald Rumsfeld was in Baghdad asking the Iraqi leader if he could reopen the US embassy. Rebuilding Iraq will require "a sustained commitment from many nations" but "we will remain in Iraq as long as necessary and not a day more". How extraordinary. For these are precisely the same words used by Israel when it invaded Lebanon in 1982. It took Israel 22 years and hundreds of Israeli lives û and thousands of Arab lives û before that occupation ended.

Ah, what it is to fight for "the liberty of an oppressed people" û this is Mr Bush on Iraq û provided, of course, they are not Palestinian.

User: Jimbo | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: JUNE 10TH?

I'll be old enough to join the Stones by then.

User: C & W | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: It's okay Paige, I just scrolled over it.

User: Paige | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Random Thoughts
(Warning: Long rambling monologue follows that has nothing to do with Steely Dan...or does it?)

I remember when Reagan became our President. It was the first time that I learned that I was truly a Liberal, or at least, left of center. It was also the first time I learned that the "L" word was a "bad" word.

I never thought of myself as being bad or evil as the Right would have one believe. I just remember feeling really uncomfortable. Suddenly, it became important...important that I was on a "side." Before 1980, I simply lived my life and had certain beliefs and convictions that made sense to me. I really didn't care what anyone else thought of my beliefs. They were mine and I owned them.

Now, I was being made to feel like I was out of step with an oncoming storm of "different thinking" people. Up until that time, I was nanve enough to think that "everyone" cared for the downtrodden and underrepresented people in the world. I didn't know it was possible to turn inward and ignore those that did not have the same opportunities and privileges I had enjoyed. It was a rude awaking for me.

Among other influences, the Reagan era solidified my determination to remain the person I was. I was a Democrat. I admit it. Ironically, it was Reagan that allowed me be proud of that fact. Without him, I just would have remained an inactive Democrat.

Of course, that was nearly 25 years ago.

Although I have always registered as a Democrat, I've voted for my share of Republicans. I've tried to always vote for the man or woman and not necessarily for the party they belonged to. I held to the belief that "extremism, by its very definition, is wrong." I wasn't going to become a "yellow dog" Democrat.

I've been asked in heated discussions through the years, what separated a Democrat from a Republican. I never could come up with anything that was profound or definitive. There's too much variation in each party (especially in recent years) . But I did begin to use the following observation to express what I saw as a line of separation between the two. It seems to me that when faced with an issue like abortion or drugs, Republicans seem to use our tax dollars in an attempt to pass legislation hoping to dictate our morality. That is to say, they increase law enforcement and penalties in hopes that we will "get the message." On the other hand, Democrats seem to use the same tax dollars in an effort to "educate" the population on the dangers of undesirable activity.

I realize that this is rather simplistic and certainly a generalization. But it has helped me to further the dialogue on what makes me different than my friends on the Right.

Republicans constantly complain that the Left wants to put "more government on our backs." I don't know what is more intrusive (by a government) then to go into our bedrooms or to prevent a woman from her right to choose. Contrary to what the Right would have you believe, people on the Left are not "pro-abortion." Abortion is not a good thing. But that decision is between the individual and their God, not the government. My favorite bumper sticker (which seems to say it all):

"If you are against abortion, don't have one."

I remember when the Republicans wanted to establish a law that prohibited the burning of the American flag. You know, I would be the last person to burn the American flag. I served my country and I realize that many before me gave their lives for what that flag "stood for." But if you outlaw flag burning, what does that make us?. Aren't we so sure of our system that we can tolerate idiotic activity by zealots on the fringe? We seem to tolerate the KKK, as disgusting as they are, they have a right to assemble and speak. I'd rather not see anyone burn the American flag, but I wouldn't want to live in a country that was so unsure of itself that it couldn't tolerate those that disagree with our government's activities. We would be no better than those countries that we claim are repressive and lack liberty. Does Tenimen's Square come to mind?

The two things that scare me the most about our "great experiment" are those that wrap themselves in the flag and the extreme religious right. As I mentioned before, extremism by it's very definition is wrong.

Remember this wonderful tidbit from Jerry Falwell?

"I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America. I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this (9/11) happen.'"

Need I say more? And for all of you true Christians out there, doesn't this kind of bile give your good cause a "bad name?"

No, I don't think it's necessary that we take "In God we trust" off of our currency. However, I don't think that posting the Ten Commandments is exactly right either. I mean, as long as you are willing to include the tenets from the multitude of religions that make up our society on the same wall, I suppose that would be okay.

Today:
We are about to go to war. We are about to place in harms way, the best and brightest of our youth. Yet, if you were to ask "why," I'm not sure that many would actually know. Therein lies the problem. Why are we doing this? Is it an act of "liberation?" Is it for the oil? Is it "nation-building?" Is it "religious?" Is it terrorism? Is it weapons of mass destruction? Is it "all of the above?"

I sincerely wanted to support President Bush when he took office. If you truly love this country, you would support whoever takes the Oval Office, even if he is not a member of your party. You want the country to do well and you want the President to do well. America is more important than any single individual (including the President) in our country. If you doubt that, recall the day after President Kennedy was assassinated, the world's heart barely skipped a beat.

Unfortunately, President Bush has confirmed my worst nightmares about him and where he is leading our country. I didn't believe that Bush had the sophistication to hold the highest office in the land. I didn't believe that he had the inherent intellectual ability to make a good President. I didn't think he had the experience in so many areas, I feared for our country. I was simply "afraid" back then. Now, I'm truly "terrified."

Weapons of Mass Destruction:
So, if Saddam has WMDs, when do you think he'll use them? Perhaps on our troops? Pretty safe bet. Sort of makes one think. The President states that Saddam has WMD, yet seems to ignor the fact that Saddam is determined to keep his "throne" at whatever cost. If he's got 'em, our troops will know it soon enough. How smart is it to send young men and women into battle when you are convinced that they will be facing weapons of mass destruction. I don't get it.

Terrorism:
So, do you think that a war with Iraq will increase or decrease the incidents of terror in our country and in other countries? Seems clear to me that when you slaughter another country?s men, women and children, (collateral damage) the people that remain might become a little pissed. If they weren't radical before we came, they will be before we're done (assuming that there is some sort of secret "endgame"). Yet, another generation of children will learn to hate America and Americans.

And speaking of terrorism. What happened to our hunt for Osama Bin Laden
??? How did Bush switch our focus from Osama to Saddam without even blinking? Quite a PR trick. Oh yes, the connection. Sorry, not convinced that they dine together and share niceties. Saddam and Osama don't exactly see eye to eye when it comes to religious matters.

And speaking of PR. Isn't that how Bush referred to the millions of protesters around the world?"PR?"

Hey, I'm no fan of the French. I mean, any country that thinks Jerry Lewis is a comical genius, has got some serious problems that even medication couldn't correct.

The World Around Us
It wasn't that long ago that the rest of the world expressed in unison, their support of the United States. The destruction of the WTC garnered the kind of sympathy and sorrow for the American people like nothing in history. Yet, Mr. Bush has somehow been able to turn that global unification into a general hatred and mistrust of America and Americans. Quite a trick.

Protecting America
What has Bush really accomplished in further securing our country from terrorism? Are our nuclear power plants protected any better than they were before 911? Perhaps, but not much. Are our water supplies being protected? The California Aqueduct seems pretty wide open. In fact three or four family members were killed just a week ago when they swerved into our water supply. Are our borders any more secure? I don't know. Perhaps. Are airports more secure? Yes, I suppose that they are. But are they secure to a level that allows us to feel safe from infiltration? I don't know, they still seem pretty porous to me.

Let?s face it. There has not been a clear and definitive plan that has been put into effect. I'm still waiting for something besides duct tape. I wonder if Bush's tax cuts would have helped pay for our security?

I love this country. And I don't have to wrap a flag around me to prove it to anyone. I have proudly served my country and would serve it again against any foe, foreign or domestic.

I simply feel that Mr. Bush is out of his league. He has backed himself into a corner and cannot find his way out (even if he wanted to). He does not understand foreign affairs in an ever-increasing complex world. For the first time in my life, I honestly believe that I am witnessing a President that does not have the slightest sophistication to handle what has been placed before him. This is not the time to have "on the job training" when you are the leader (or was the leader) of the free world.

If I were a religious man, I would fall to my knees and pray for our soldiers and for our President. I would pray for his clarity of thought and compassion for all people. I would pray for our country because beyond those that might lead us, our country survives us all. And the experiment continues.

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Beer: Elvis Costello collaborated with Mingus Big Band on their latest effort "Tonight at Noon" on one track (lyrics and vocal) and scored pretty well to my ears.

L

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Herm does this mean you're not coming over to watch cartoons?

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Here I go again...

St.Al ~ I must respectfully disagree. Bill does not have a point. Just because you called certain elected (which in some cases is stretching the definition of the word), officials "John Wayne types", "idiots", "morons", or "War mongers", does not make you un-American. In fact, the very idea that you can do it without being shot or jailed proves how pro-American you are. To me, being un-American means an overall rejection of things like the Constitution, the Bill Of Rights, our basic political structure, etc. Being an actual anarchist and trying to bring down the government. Working with a foreign government as a traitor in order to bring down our government. Actions like that. The problem is, in these days of post 9-11, there are far too many scare-mongers who will force you to believe that acting like that is in fact un-American, when it is not. They say that the slightest slight against G.W., or any of his ilk, means that you are sympathetic toward our enemy. And you know it's bullshit. I think a lot of people do, but because of the possible implications and reprucssions in this paranoid state, even people smart enough to know better have fallen silent. I wonder if that's why so few Democratic leaders have not been very vocal lately. Disliking Bush and his overtly personal agenda does not mean that I am sending money to the Taliban. Some other poster said that this country was built on fight and dissent. That's true. If we merely followed our leaders, we'd be nothing more than an extention of the British government, or German, or Japanese, or whoever history would have dictated.

Bill ~ never once did I say that we should ignore Sadaam. Your ignorance astounds me. Again, because I have a contrary viewpoint, you feel you must sweep me into the furtherest end of your polar spectrum. If he has weapons that he shouldn't have, then let's find them and force him to disarm. Let's TALK, instead of threaten. And, ask yourself this ~ why now? Why not two years ago? Why not pre 9-11? Because, as I said, this is a personal vendetta of G.W.'s, to finish what his father started, to make himself seem powerful to the country and the world, (which is hopelessly backfiring), to help him get re-elected, and, probably more than anything, to help all of those Texas oilmen that he has sticking out of his pockets. Get this through your head, no one has ever linked Hussein and the Taliban, or Al-Quaeda. Yeah, they're all arabic, so what? I'm Irish; does that mean I am a follower of the IRA? Love the Clancy Brothers? If we want to fight the Taliban, then let's go back in Afghanastan, find bin Laden and either kill him or bring him to an international tribunal. But, once again, it's all macho posturing, we go in, blow things up, but don't get the job completely done. Ten years from now, one of G.W.'s daughters are going to have to become president just so they, too, can attempt to finish the work of their father.

SteveeDan ~ How do you know that he served his country? And in what capacity. Remember, this is the internet, and anybody at anytime can claim anything about themselves in order to back up their argument. It doesn't mean that they are telling the truth. And as far as serving in the Armed Forces, but sorry, just about anyone can join, and being a member doesn't automatically make you a noble warrior. Most of the time it means you're a misguided youth searching for your compass. Or trying to get some money for college in a few years. Don't get me wrong, I respect every person that ends up fighting for our country, but in this case, I just don't see this as fighting for our country. Iraq did not attack us, (and please don't say, "no, not yet", because that means, ALOT of countries haven't attacked us yet. Why not go after India, or North Korea, or China? Oh, wait, I know, 'cause they're not as big as Iraq, yeah, that's it), so let's keep doing what we're doing, forcing them through the U.N. to get rid of these weapons. And, as St Al said, they are under such an intense microscope right now, that if anything did happen, they know that we'd just wind up snapping and bombing the shit out of them, anyway.

Anyway, the point I was making when I suggested that Bill join the front line fighting was that if he, and others like him are so hell-bent on fighting, then let them experience the feel of combat themselves. It's easy to sit back in your comfortable chair and let others do your fighting, but let's see how gung-ho you are when you're in the thick of it. And, okay, so he claims to have been in the service ~ you know, it's kind of like the Columbia House Music Club. Once your enrollment obligation has been fulfilled, you can always re-join.

I feel strongly about this mainly since I became a father eleven years ago. In seven years my son will be draft-eligible, and I cannot think of anything in the world that would allow me to send my child into battle. I would rather fight in place of him and put my own life at risk than have it happen to him. These aree indeed scary times that we live in, so why try and make it any scarier by acting like a macho idiot?

War should only be the very last option after every other option has been thoroughly exhausted.

Sorry if I've seemed testy lately. I've been on this diet, and, well, you know...

Later,

Herm

User:  | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Hear that? do not reply.

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Pat,

There you go again.
I refuse to comment of this subject further. You are wrong on this
particular subject and that is that. Refusing to admit that these
problems are rooted in religion is truly being naive. Certain members
of the Arab community have interpreted thier religion to mean that
that the infidels, which includes me, you, and yes even Donald Fagen
must be eliminated. This has been the belief of these people for
thousands of years, recent U.S. foreign policy has NOTHING to do with it.
But hey, go ahead and blame Isreal and The United States and the whole
western world if you want to. I'm sure that one thing you won't ever do
is to blame them for being the twisted religious psycho's that they are.

DO NOT reply to this post because you WILL NOT get a reply on this
subject from me.

Herm - wanna come over and watch cartoons? :)

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: OK, promotional Wizards, what does this mean? The album is really, really good OR they can't figure out how to package German Polka music?...

"EMG release date reportedly pushed back to June 10
A source indicates that the release date for Everything Must Go's release has been delayed by more than a month. No reason was given for the delay. It is worth noting that the CD is reportedly 100% done and already circulating under extremely tight security within music industry circles, so the delay is likely for promotional reasons.

MORE EMG NEWS DEVELOPING.."

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Altamira: There's a reason that the AKC doesn't recognize Pit Bulls - "it's the GENOME, stupid." While negligence in ownership doesn't help and may increase the risk of a meltdown, and one has to wonder about the mind set of an individual who would own a pit bull hardly more or less than one who keeps a tiger in the yard.... The notion that if the owner is good that that ensures the pit bull will not just snap one day and attack someone is simply a FALLACY and not backed up at all by hard research and statistics. Each year there are numerous examples of pit bull attacks out of the blue, those that had previously expressed positive behaviors. I'm a huge dog fan, especially Laboradors, but have looked into the eyes of a pit bull a few times, these suckers just aren't "wired right." In a nutshell, regardless of ownership raising, pit bulls, are susceptible to paroxysmal meltdowns. If a Chihuahua has a meltdown, who cares? Punt the little rat-dog. However, a pit bull can put thousands of lbs of pressure per square inch on a child's skull, ergo DMD...They ALL MUST GO!!!

Reminds me when news reporters talk to neighbors of serial killers "He was so quiet. A nice boy"

What's this June 10th shit!?

User: time for a laugh | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: http://www.smokehammer.com/

User: steelydoubt | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: JUNE TENTH! WHAT! is this for real?

User: Altamira | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Stevee Dan--Pit bulls are wonderful dogs; smart, friendly, affectionate, and beautiful. They just have the misfortune of often living with the wrong people, who treat them badly and ignore them. It isn't an animals' fault if it's corrupted by evil people. It's dog abusers who should be banned, or at least put in jail for a while, given education in treating other beings decently, and made to do some community service. If you feel that way about the only dog breed I even like (I'm a great cat lover), then you can just fuck off. I hate your sort of intolerance--it's dog abusers you should be opposed to, not their unfortunate victims. I used to enjoy reading your posts, but never again--you've shown your intolerant, ugly side, and it is pretty frightening. The cruelty and intolerance of you "blame the victim" folks makes this world a much worse place to live in.

User: Beerberian | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: And another thing ........

In Canberra, Australian Prime Minister John Howard yesterday said the world was closer to war and played down Iraq's offer to destroy its al-Samoud missiles.

"That doesn't represent total co-operation . . The one thing that will stop force being used will be if Iraq becomes FAIR DINKUM about co-operating," Mr Howard said.

Now I would love to see how "fair dinkum" translates into Iraqi LOL

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Bill: Your small world ignorance is staggering. We did not directly provoke Al Qaeda, no. Years of dumb foreign policy mostly certainly contributed. Therefore we are culpable. When are you going to learn this fact?

Weak-kneed: I haven't visited the bluebook in quite a while, so I wouldn't know about this site getting slammed. It's nothing new. So what? Funny, with the exception of Clas, I never see anyone on this guestbook slamming the Bluebook (but he slams everyone including me). Does this mean it's full of a bunch of anal retentive jerks who take Steely Dan WAY TOO SERIOUS?

Certainly not -- save maybe a few like you. Right Frank Fried?

Man, it's only a website. Sheesh...

User: Beerberian | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: This Off Boston Globe Website full post on above URL as per req LOL

Lately, ''Piano Jazz'' has taken a more populist turn, perhaps to stave off any thoughts of canceling the show, which airs Wednesdays at 2 p.m. on WICN-FM (90.5) in Worcester.

''We just booked Bruce Hornsby for the show and, believe it not, Elvis Costello -- he's a big jazz fan,'' she says. ''I'm trying to make it as varied as possible so they don't give us the ax. We're trying to do different things and keep it as lively as we can. We had the piano player from the Rolling Stones, Chuck Leavell. He's a very good blues piano player. You'd never know he was with that group.'' Does any guest stand out as her favorite? ''The one I always think of as my favorite is Bill Evans,'' she says. ''Lately, I don't know, there have been a lot. I must say I really enjoyed Donald Fagen and Walter Becker [of Steely Dan]. Nobody can say they don't play a lot of jazz. Donald Fagen is really into all of that early Ellington music and Armstrong and people like that. It sort of surprised me. I guess they're known pretty much as a rock group.''

User:  | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: There's that Bill guy again...

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Theres that turing guy again...

One thing you've got to understand is that all this arguing over foriegn
policy is just useless noise. Not only is it harmless, it also pointless
because the decisions have already been made by persons, some democrat
some republican and some independent, that we are going to engage in
some kind of action in the middle east.

Pat and Herm are of the opinion that if we just ignore the Hussien's of
the world that they'll just go away and leave us alone. From my
perspective this is a very Polyanna viewpoint which does not adequately
answer the question of why we were attacked on 9/11/01 in the first place.
Did we provoke Al Quieda? I don't think so. This goes beyond the point
of any "live and let live" philosophy. This is a religious thing to
certain members of the Arab world. They will not leave us alone because
they believe that thier religion dictates that the infidel must die.
Do you really think that they will leave the Isreali's alone in the future
and adopt a "live and let live" philosophy in stark contrast to the
supposed dictates of Allah in thier viewpoint? Dont be rediculous...
That hasn't happened in thousands of years and it certainly isn't going
to happen tommorrow either. This thing has to dealt with and it has to
be dealt with now. Enough of these religous wacko's already.

And here's something else to think about. Why do you suppose the Al Queida
attacked New York? Because New York is America's largest city? Perhaps.
Or was it because New York has the largest concentration of the Jewish
community in the United States? Think about that. Maybe Herm and St.AL
would sing a different tune if both Donald and Walter were killed in NYC
on 9/11/01. Now we get a better perspective on the mind of the enemy
don't we? Not that any of this chit-chat between us means anything but
now I think we see that this fight must be fought because the enemy isn't
going away and the consequences of sticking our heads in the sand again
is too great.

(Hey I tried to talk Steely Dan back in Post #1521 didn't I?)

User: Weak-Kneed Pussy | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: "Is it May yet?"

Who are you kidding St.Al? "Is it May yet?" Is that your Steely Dan reference for the month? You and this guestbook are a joke! You guys are getting slammed over on the Blue...and rightly so! Steely Dan.com should remove this place from it's link page. Garbage!

User: Beers | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Dunc; Hell yes take the week off ...yehaaaaaaaaaa

User: duncan | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: I'm thinking i may need to take the monday off also !!!

User: BB | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Bad S; you got mail(s) Do we need to: 1/ Warn Hadrian, 2/ Lock up our daughters 3/ Brew extra .. with all you guys rampaging south ?

Bassinstinct/Fingers; CHECK IN !!! please........

User: Bad Sneeks | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: BB - OK arrive East Midlands 7PM approx Friday May 2nd

(transport from airport to Burton - trains ?? taxi ??)

Night on the tiles Friday -Hope the pubs don't close at 10.30 PM !!!
Do you do the Burtons brewery tour Sat ??? Nice restaurants down there ??
Dan Collective Sat night :-) - New CD chat, can't wait !!
Back on Sunday night.

trying to organise accomodation now - will try to liase with Dano et al

Cheers

User: Beers on Trent | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: Bad S; Yep that's us 20 miles from the airport ... Dano and Dunc are booking accom you may want to liaise....... look forward to meeting you - You will not be dissapointed with the boys I'm sure ...

User: bad sneakers | Month: 1 | Day: 28

Message: BB - Is it Burton on trent near East midlands airport ? - if so I am booking a flight today for the 2nd May (eve) - back on the Sunday (eve)

Dano - Check in Man - Or are you still celebrating ????

Steveedan - That Metheny DVD is awesome, as is the Joni "Shadows and light" DVD with Jaco, Brecker, Mays and Metheny - I am also enjoying "rocket science" by Tribal Tech, "The ProjeKcts" by King Crimson, All the old Peter Gabriel stuff again and the piano jazz sessions with D & W.

Moll - Lets talk Furry sometime ??? Have you heard "Outspaced" ???

User: Clas @ Work | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Steeve Dan - the carnegie Hall album isn't too good, that's right. I remember James Pankow, in an interview, said that the only thing he used those vinyls for was putting the dog food on them. He also said that half of the band was high, the other half was drunk.

---

And this is an article by Robert Fisk, for you Steevie, read it and weap:

Thank God, I often say, for the Israeli press. For where else will you find the sort of courageous condemnation of Israel's cruel and brutal treatment of the Palestinians? Where else can we read that Moshe Ya'alon, Ariel Sharon's new chief of staff, described the "Palestinian threat" as "like a cancer û there are all sorts of solutions to cancerous manifestations. For the time being, I am applying chemotherapy."

Where else can we read that the Israeli Herut Party chairman, Michael Kleiner, said that "for every victim of ours there must be 1,000 dead Palestinians". Where else can we read that Eitan Ben Eliahu, the former Israeli Air Force commander, said that "eventually we will have to thin out the number of Palestinians living in the territories". Where else can we read that the new head of Mossad, General Meir Dagan û a close personal friend of Mr Sharon û believes in "liquidation units", that other Mossad men regard him as a threat because "if Dagan brings his morality to the Mossad, Israel could become a country in which no normal Jew would want to live".

You will have to read all this in Ma'ariv, Ha'aretz or Yediot Ahronot because in much of the Western world, a vicious campaign of slander is being waged against any journalist or activist who dares to criticise Israeli policies or those that shape them. The all-purpose slander of "anti-Semitism" is now used with ever-increasing promiscuity against anyone û people who condemn the wickedness of Palestinian suicide bombings every bit as much as they do the cruelty of Israel's repeated killing of children û in an attempt to shut them up.

Daniel Pipes and Martin Kramer of the Middle East Forum now run a website in the United States to denounce academics who are deemed to have shown "hatred of Israel". One of the eight professors already on this contemptible McCarthyite list û it is grotesquely called "Campus Watch" û committed the unpardonable sin of signing a petition in support of the Palestinian scholar Edward Said. Pipes wants students to inform on professors who are guilty of "campus anti-Semitism".

The University of North Carolina is being targeted û apparently because freshmen were required to read passages from the Koran û along with Harvard where, like students in many other US universities, undergraduates are demanding that their colleges disinvest in companies that sell weapons to Israel. In some cases, American universities û which happily disinvested in tobacco companies û have now taken the step of blocking all student access to their records of investment.

Lawrence Summers, the Jewish president of Harvard, has denounced "profoundly anti-Israel views" in "progressive intellectual communities", that are û I enjoyed this academic sleight of hand û "advocating and taking actions that are anti-semitic in their effect if not their intent". Mr Said himself has already described all this as a campaign "to ask students and faculty to inform against pro-Palestinian colleagues, intimidating the right of free speech and seriously curtailing academic freedom".

Ted Honderich, a Canadian-born philosopher who teaches at University College London, tells me that Oxfam has refused to accept ú5,000 plus other royalties from his new book After the Terror following a campaign against him in the Toronto-based Globe and Mail. Now I happen to take issue with some of Professor Honderich's conclusions and I think his book û praised by the American-Jewish scholar Noam Chomsky û meanders. I especially don't like his assertion that Palestinians, in trying to free themselves from occupation, have a "moral right to terrorism". Blowing up children in pizzerias û and Professor Honderich's book is not an endorsement of such atrocities û is a crime against humanity. There is no moral right to do this. But what in God's name is Oxfam doing refusing Professor Honderich's money for its humanitarian work? Who was behind this?

Our own John Pilger made a programme for Carlton Television called Palestine Is Still The Issue. I have watched it three times. It is accurate in every historical detail; indeed its historical adviser was a left-wing Israeli academic. But Carlton's own chairman, Michael Green û in one of the most gutless statements in recent British journalism û announced that it was "a tragedy for Israel so far as accuracy is concerned". Why Mr Green should want to utter such trash is beyond me. But what does he mean by "tragedy"? Is he comparing Pilger to a suicide bomber?

And so it goes on. It is left, of course, to the likes of Uri Avneri in Israel to state that "the Sharon government is a giant laboratory for the growing of the anti-Semitism virus". He rightly says that by smearing those who detest the persecution of the Palestinians as anti-Semites, "the sting is taken out of this word, giving it something approaching respectability". But we can take comfort that 28 brave academics have signed a petition condemning President George Bush's build-up to war and Israel's support for it and warning that the Israeli government may be contemplating crimes against humanity on the Palestinians, including ethnic cleansing.

Have Mr Pipes and his chums put the names of these good men and women on their hate list? You bet they haven't. Because all of them are Israeli scholars at Israeli universities. I wonder why we weren't told about this.

Robert Fisk

User: SteveeDan | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Herm --- I am not defending Bill, or anyone else here, after all, some of you might remember that my ass was char-broiled here quite a few times, but, Herm, Bill has served our country, and even if you think of his as a smart-ass, he doesn't need to be seen on TV coverage at the front line of a war. I am not saying that just because he has served that we have to respect anything he says (Hi Bill, ...), but, I am saying that the guy has been what he always says that he has been ... that being ...

a patriot. Now Bill, I also agree with Herm that just because some of the more liberal, pacifistic viewpoints voiced here by others whom you have sparred with have differing opinions than you do, they still do love America.

How the fuck did I become the arbitrator all of a sudden? Where's a good red-blooded (or is that Pink?) attorney when you need one?

I very humbly offer the following:

How about we post whatever we want to say about this terrible mess and try hard not to attack those whose viewpoints we disagree with?

That would return a little safety to this forum and still allow for the free-flowing of ideas to be placed here.

I have already (from a few months back, and Aja nailed me for it ... no problem, I still like you Aja, it's OK ...) voiced my opinion that we should go in and bomb the fuckers. I know it's not the really popular opinion here, and it goes against my Berkeley upbringing ... and after reading a lot of the information that has been posted here, and also hearing on the news about the post-war occupation, it has become quite clear to me that America needs the blessing of the International Community in order to not have to go it alone - either with man and women power and also with MONEY.

As far as the "war over oil" idea is concerned, I cannot deny that oil does figure heavily into the equation, but my main motivation has to do with protecting and sustaining Israel as the Jewish homeland. That motivation is purely a product of my up-bringing in the Los Angeles Jewish community. No, I'm not Kosher, I go out on Friday nights, and I cannot read Hebrew fluently, so kindly steer clear of all of that BS.

My biggest fear about this whole operation is that if we do go in and start the bombing, we might still not be able to get Hussain. That would be 2 straight failures ... Hussain and Bin Ladin. Not good, and very expensive. America already has suffered some deaths and we aren't even at war yet.

And to end on a Chicago thread: "It Better End Soon My Friend".

Steveedan

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Oh, I forgot...

I believe it has an awful lot to do with control of the 2nd largest reserve of OIL in the world.

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Bill has a point. Certainly some of the things I've said could be taken as an affront against the very country I dearly love. I frequently refer to people such as bill as "John Wayne Types," "Warmongers" "Idiots" and "Morons." I can't help the fact that I'm entirely frustrated at what I see as a ridiculous foreign policy -- the very policy which brought us 9/11 to begin with. You'd think by now our "leaders" would learn, but clearly they have not.

It is my opinion that pre-emptive action at this stage will do far more harm than good. I believe this action will turn more against us and we will forever be looking behind our backs -- living in fear of another 9/11 style attack.

I do not believe Saddam posses nuclear capabilities. I further think that he is under such tight scrutiny that his ability to wage large scale terror attacks against neighboring countries have been compromised to the point of non-existence. Or at the very least, he knows the consequences if he attempts such an action because the international community will stomp him like a grape. By the time the UN is done he'll have a couple of guns and some water balloons filled with anthrax that he can lob at an opposing ground force.

I do not believe in pre-emptive action. Call me a pacifist but turn the other cheek. This cheek was slapped in a manor no one dreamed possible, and as Bill has pointed out -- "we kicked the shit out of the [Taliban]." But, I believe a pre-emptive move at this stage will set us up for more terrorist attacks. I believe if we have a more cohesive international support behind us, we're better off if pre-emptive action is deemed necessary.

I believe George W Bush is the most ineffective president since Hoover.

I believe people who think if we don't do something about Saddam RIGHT NOW -- damn the consequences -- are misguided. Fred Thompson, a former senator from Tennessee and actor in such movies as the Hunt For Red October, is making a counter statement to Martin Sheen. He states: "What should we do with the inevitable prospect of nuclear weapons in the hands of a murderous and aggressive enemy? Can we afford to appease Saddam?"

I believe he is misguided and is exactly the type of rhetoric that has duped so many Americans.

I believe Saddam must be held accountable for the treaties he signed after George Senior had his way. This might mean war. I believe we simply aren't at that stage yet.

I believe many Americans are letting their anger over the events of 9/11 dictate a policy which this president seems intent on fulfilling.

Not in my name!

StAl

PS. Is it May yet?

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: It gets me exactly what I suspected ~ a smart ass answer from a smartass who isn't smart enough to come up with a smart answer. (I think that proves I'm not an English teacher). All you do is criticize, then when confronted to provide answers and explinations, you evade the issue, focusing instead on being a smartass yourself, then trying to point blame back at your accuser. It's a feckless game. SO, unless you are willing to substantiate any of your claims, I will stick with my original assertion, proclaiming you to be the idiot you present yourself as, then ignore you. You are not worth my time. And, if the war that you so strongly support does happen, I hope to see your patriotic ass on the news at front lines.

Hi, to everyone else.

Later,

Herm

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Herm,

From the very first sentence of your post you come off as a smartass Herm.
What are you the english teacher of the guestbook?

Just for that I'm not coming over for dinner tommorrow night okay?
See Herm, shoot your mouth off and what does it get you?

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: SteveE: Welcome back. With all due respect, bullies don't develop Marshall plans:

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/27/international/middleeast/27IRAQ.html

We've lost France for the time being, but we have Vaila, the President of Latvia - that's one tough lady who stood up to the Soviets...for what's it's worth I have some inside medical info that Cheney mostly sleeps on Air Force Two and it's now Rice and Powell running the show - Rumsfeld is the honorary yap dog...speaking of which, that duct tape could really come in handy to muzzle all Pit Bulls.

t: Don't strain - It's too close to Spring Break...I'll only use the "stairs" method for grading anyway...

Randy: You mean you were the only one on the GB not to get a promo copy a month before TvN?

...I just buy the same Steely Dan albums over and over...

Can't wait to buy Eveything Must Go twice...

Mr. Stewart: Don't forget line 23 on the new 1040 for Educator Expenses deduction...

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Bill,

Who is "casting dispersions" as you so uneloquently put it? Again, no one is saying anything bad about America. They are commenting, (or, more appropriately, bitching), about the leadership of America, which, according to the Bill Of Rights, gives us every right to do so. Please, site names and quotes of those people in here who have said that they hate America. I'd be interested to see them since I am firmly convinced that they do not exsist. You, sir, exemplify the Republican party by arguing a case then lashing out with no basis of reality, other than, "These people don't agree with me, so they must be the worst type of people in the world." Paranoia, coupled with ignorance and arrogance, is a dangerous combination. Are you sure you didn't vote for Bush, because you both suffer from the same lack of morals and ideals?
I don't even know why I bother, though, since I'm sure you'll merely come back with another of your lame and patronizing responses that don't really answer anything.

ASPERSIONS

DISpersion means to disperse. Therefore, casting dispersions could be considered an oxymoron. An OXYmoron is a phrase that contridicts itself. A MORON is whom I'm writing to.

And by the way, I'd love to see G.W. debate Sadaam. I have no love whatsoever for Sadaam, but I would love to see the tounge-tied cowboy make a fool of himself over all of this.

All Gore had to do was win Tennessee...

Later,

Herm

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Steveedan,

Long time no hear.
My "blunt" views are only in response to the blunt views of some of our
posters who, in thier desire to voice thier disagreement over a foriegn
policy issue, see fit to cast dispersions at the country itself.
Maybe if they simply said "I disagree with our foriegn policy in regards
to...because..." then I would say fine no problem we either agree or
disagree, but this is not what Pat and others have done. They present
thier views in such a way as to make the entire country look bad.
I dunno I kinda like the country, sure it's got problems like any country
on earth does, but it's not a bad country just because you don't happen
to agree with a foriegn policy issue. Just my .02

User: tones | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Hey everyone... looks like a properly punctuated and spellchecked version of post #1484 might end up in the "Free For All" section of Saturday's Washington Post. Apparently the author of that original article had no idea how the Grammys are voted on, yet he somehow felt the need to slam our boys anyway... the schmoe...

¦ - alright already. You're right. What was I thinking? I'm registering as a Repulsive... uh, Republican, and (to paraphrase Garrett Morris) I'm gonna buy me a gun and kill all the Iraqis I see, so we can "free" them. That'll show Osama... uh, I mean Saddam...

I'll reply more in detail soon...

Maaaaaaan... I *hate* homework...

Aja - Are you ok down there? Thought you'd be posting more since you're convalescing. Take it slow... maybe only bi-ath for a while...

peace... oops! I mean c - i - l 'dem Iraqis...

t

User: SteveeDan - catching up after a few gigs ... | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: I'm catching up on almost 3 weeks of posts here ... normally I would apologize for the length of this, but, in light of the other lengthy posts that I have waded through in the past 500 or so posts, I don't feel that it's necessary.

I am making specific responses to various posts in order to catch up with everybody ... so here goes.

Fingers Shotan û great to see you back in the fold again, and back in the "dan swing" ... which I hope is not like "swinging your dan" ... I still want to know about the PLG-150 PF expansion. Please advise.

Clas û Traffic back in the day ! That is a nice slice of history. Traffic when they were still new and fresh. All I can say is Wow. Oh, so you were talking about sequencing software. I have not taken the time to get into any of that but I do have a few different pieces of software ... Cakewalk, CoolEditPro, etc. and I havenÆt a clue how to use them. But just like I said earlier about not having enough spare time to get into my other piano study that I would like to do, I face the same lack of time for this project. No doubt, it would be fun, and I might even get into some composing again ... I probably should, but I am just having way too much fun being a Dan Clone (or is that a Damn Clown?). You should see me make balloon animals ...

Altamira û I am sure that WordPerfect is a better, much more powerful program than Word. I would think that people who are in literary fields would choose WP over Word ... as for me, I like (or is that need) things simple ... and Word is challenging enough. I would imagine that WP is one of the best word processor programs ever written.

To "Shine On" Post #1204 û check out the made for TV version of The Shining staring Steven Wever and Rececca DeMornay. It is now available on DVD. ItÆs 4.5 hours long and really builds to a huge conclusion. "... Words of wisdom Lloyd, words of wisdom ...).

Molly û in a similar vein to your "trapped in an elevator with Kenny G., Michael Bolton, and Yanni" joke ... Kenny G. steps into an elevator which is playing one of his songs. After a while heÆs heard saying: Man! This joint's a'rockin' !!!" And Molly (1477) !!! BFE !!! ... talking like that and wearing red lycra body-cat-suits ... I'll let you know when my wife is leaving town ... heh heh heh ...

Tones (#1310) you may be right about Chicago's 4-LP Live at Carnegie Hall set being ... not so great ... although, it came with great posters and books ... one of the most generous album packages I have ever seen ... this is the reason why I really miss the larger visual format of the long playing vinyl LP ... but, one of my favorite songs of that entire era was their live version of "Sing A Mean Tune Kid" from that Carnegie Hall album. That groove has stuck with me all this time.

Bad Sneakers (1368) û IÆve been raving about Metheny's "Imaginary Day Live" DVD for a long time ... in fact I just watched it again after not seeing it for roughly 6 months. I again got that visceral electric experience like I did the first time I watched it. I followed it with 2 other Metheny DVDs I proudly own. Glad you like it too.

Hi W1P (1450) û Our Platinum Live gig (that's "PL live at PL") went great. We had a good crowd there and the band played great. It seems we have reached a higher plateau since we took our act out and began gigging back in July. We've recently added Gaucho and Third World Man to our set list as of this month's gigs. You should hear our new guitarist Dave handle the TWM solo. It's beautiful. I am looking forward to your gig there. That should be great.

Beers (1455) û Garden Party AKA - A Smooth Jazz Tribute to Steely Dan is a very unmemorable CD. I bought it, and listened to it once only. It made virtually no impression on me. The songs arenÆt produced poorly, it's just that it's way too "smooth jazz musak" for me. It's a de-clawed cat. This CD wouldn't even get played in dentists' offices ... and that's probably a good thing.

¦ (1478) regarding the pit bull (DMD) ... I totally agree. A dog like that around children (let alone adults) is just a tragedy waiting to happen. Fuck the dog's owner/neighbor. This jagoff is just a neighbor by definition of proximity alone. I don't know why these dogs are still being "consumed" (I know, it should be the other way around) by families or anyone who has close neighbors. Why not get a black cobra snake, starve it, piss it off, and then let it loose near a nursery school? ..."no dark sarcasm in the classroom ... Teachers leave them kids alone ..." û Sir Floyd of Pinkness

(Here's my current belief about the Iraq-Invasion discussions ...)
St. Al (1485) û As much as I despise Saddam Hussain and support action against the arab nations who have been trying to eliminate Israel for centuries, I too agree with you that dubya is a buffoon. His bullying tactics will ruin decades of alliances that the U.S. has built up and nurtured with many nations in short order. If we agree to wait a while longer before invading Iraq we might have the support of the world with us. That's a good thing because if we bomb the shit out of that sandbox and reform their political infrastructure and rebuild their country and its economy we'll be there for decades, maybe, forever. We will need help funding these "Monroe Doctrine" efforts. After all, who says the U.S. is still a deep pocket? Dubya has seen to that already.

Also, I am sorry to see that you (and others) are sparring with Bill. The fact of the matter is that even though America is a Democracy, when it comes to warfare, it's really not up to its citizens. I realize that it is supposed to be a government serving the needs of its citizenry, but (and St. Al youÆve got it right) weÆve got a "John Wayne" characterture in office and he is trying to bully this whole military action through no matter what.

Bill, I understand to a limited extent why you say what you have said here, but, it's not surprising that your blunt views as you have voiced them here are attracting a shit storm in your direction. And as far as the Israelis are concerned ... it shouldn't surprise anyone why they would welcome the attack on ANY Arab nation. The fact that the Arabs have been trying to rub out Israel is not a made up one ... and this fact has existed for thousands of years. If you don't believe me, ask any Jew ... ask one who is a holocaust survivor.

Randy (1486) û I still have my "Question Authority" button that I used to wear daily in Berkeley ... and I too am interested to learn what Carlton has to say.

I love the misheard lryic from "Sign In Stranger" ... is this appropos for the current tumult that's been going on around here or what?: ...

"Do you have a dark spot on your PANTS ?"
Frickin' hysterical. Good call Hutch.

SteveeDan

User: Altamira | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: St. Al--I like that. If people post a paragraph or two, then I'll know whether I want to read the rest of the article. If they just post the URL, I may not be curious enough to take the time to look at the article to see if I want to read it.

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: ........and up them, too............

User: C & W | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Randy - the sad thing is, young people, horny to become stars and famous, signs everything that's put under their noses.

---

And speaking of misheard lyrics, I remember when Gaucho came. I saw the title "Gaucho" and I thought it was the english word for "kautschuk" (rubber, eraser).

And though I had a vauge idea that they made rubber out of gumtrees, which I thought was growing in Argentina, I found the slight tango-rythm in the title song-refrain suitable.

Later on I learned to know that the English word for kautschuk is "caoutchouc" and a Gaucho was a South American (Argentina) Cowboy.

Pretty strange shit, isn't it?

Holy man, I need some sleep.

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Roy: a m¦tant haik¦ for yo¦:

Scambled brains
On a chain
See those fangs
Mushroom

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Randy,

"...unless the album is huge, the band is in a perpetual state of owing
the company money. As the record sells, all the money goes to the record
company until the band has paid it's "debt" (which may never happen)."

This kind of reminds me of the Chinese immigrants who are brought to
the United States illegally and forced to work off thier "debt" to thier
transporters before they are allowed to go free.

Suppose your boss told you that he was going to extend a loan to you so
that you could complete your job for the week and that he would pay you
after he was able recover the loan he gave you, would you be working for
him very long? I don't think so... Sound like the contracts that many
professional boxers sign doesn't it? No wonder so many of them wind up
broke.

I realize that no one can force anyone to sign a business contract but
certainly these sort of practices should be looked into by the U.S.
Supreme court in order to determine if there is a constitutional issure
here.

Pat,

Yes you're part of "the radical fringe minority" and I'm part of the
Bush administration, EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T VOTE FOR THE GUY.
I voted for Ralph Nader remember?

User: Clas @ Work | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: URL above:

"For his reporting, Pilger has twice won the highest award in British journalism. His latest book is "The New Rulers of the World" (Verso, 2002). His political films include "Paying the Price: Killing the Children of Iraq," "Death of a Nation: East Timor," "The New Rulers of the World," and "Palestine Is Still the Issue." These documentaries are shown all over Britain, Canada, Australia, and much of the rest of the world but are rarely seen in the United States. PBS, the Public Broadcasting Service, which has seemingly unlimited space to air specials on animals, can't seem to find a spot for Pilger's work.
"The censorship is such on television in the U.S. that films like mine don't stand a chance," he told me, and he illustrated this point with the following anecdote. Some years ago, PBS expressed interest in one of his films on Cambodia, but it was concerned about the content. In something out of Orwell's Ministry of Truth, the network appointed what it called a "journalistic adjudicator" to decide whether the film was worthy of airing. The adjudicator adjudicated. The film did not air. PBS also rejected another film on Cambodia that he did. But WNET in New York picked it up û the only station in the country to do so. On the basis of that one showing, Pilger was awarded an Emmy.

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Bill: You want to keep lumping me in with "the radical fringe minority." I believe I've made my case. Oh, and currently 38% of US Citizens are against action (increasing as I type). 54% are for it -- HARDLY an overwhelming majority. In fact, just about the same amount that voted for Gore and instead we got stuck with the moron from Texas...

I guess "majorities" don't mean shit?

Regarding long posts... Here's my $.02. I've said this many times. I would personally prefer it if people posted a link instead of reprinting the whole article. A good compromise might be to reprint a portion of the article and then the link?

It's used to be a much bigger problem with the old guestbook script, as I had to manually archive it. Anymore this isn't the case. However, I would still prefer link instead of the whole thing.

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Hutch - when I was new to their music, I misheard the lyrics as:

"In the mornin you go gunnin' for the man who stole your wallet..."

and

"Give us some fucked up music..."

and

"Are you really in the years?"

and

"All those dago freaks who used to paint the face..."

User: angel | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Royscam: What a cool thought about the open to West of Hollywood. Something to keep me going during a very busy (obviously) day.

That Godwacker title reminds me of a Gullwacker from a Redwall book.

User: Hutch | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Here's an amusing little diversion. Some of them are downright hilarious.

http://www.amiright.com/misheard/artist/steelydan.shtml

User: Randy | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: 
Record companies do not "intentionally leak" anything when there is a new forthcoming release; this has been an issue between artists and record companies for as long as there's been a record industry. Describing it as an "intentional leak" is a disservice; it's more of an affront to artistÆs rights via blatantly illegal activity, all of which have nothing to do with getting the music "out there" via a "leak."

The issue is this: when artists/bands want an assessment of precisely how many records/CDs have been sold, they ask to have their catalog audited. This procedure determines how many records were sold. The problem is, the number the record companies start with is 90% of the records/CDs manufactured (not 100%); record companies contend that the other elusive 10% goes out the window via promotional copies (reviewers, radio stations, etc.); artists contend firstly that 10% is too a high a number for unaccountable "promotion" and that they should still receive royalties on 100%. Considering how much the record company is making on the recording to begin with (if the artist has made one million, you can bet the record company made 12 million), accountability for 100% of recordings "sold" is not unreasonable.

Not only that, but there is also the issue of regular instances wherein recordings went out illegally RIGHT FROM THE PLACE OF MANUFACTURE, a situation that would allow a record company to make money on the recording without having to pay any accountable royalties on recordings sold. (Since they weren't "sold," they are unaccounted for when it comes time to tally artist's royalties.) Many artists have suggested then that they should be paid royalties based on records/CDs MANUFACTURED for projected sale as opposed to SOLD, based on the enormous losses taken with this non-declared company policy.

As always, big business takes and screws. The contracts young bands foolishly sign today are so legally "rigged" from line 1 it's an insult. Some bands sign contracts wherein they write and record all their own music via a sizeable advance from a record company (like a loan), thus putting them in a situation where they owe the company money and don't own their own recordings (standard music biz practice).

Now the money owed to the company is taken from the band's royalties (like a lien) before they even see it, so when the record starts to sell, they see no money. In some instances the band literally has to PAY THE RECORD COMPANY to be on the road to support the record they wrote and conceived, now owned by the record company. A tour expense account is given (against royalties), so unless the album is huge, the band are in a perpetual state of owing the company money (known as "unrecouped"). As the record sells, all the money goes to the record company until the band has paid its "debt" (which may never happen).

In addition, no contract is guaranteed. The company has the right to drop the band at any time for any reason, and may secure the rights to release any solo work from any given band member should all this shit result in the band's splitting up altogether. Bands sign contracts like this every day, thinking "getting signed" by a major label is the way to go. It's the way to go all right.

"Name" artists (like Steely Dan) have clout to set up higher royalty rates and can sometimes even retain ownership of their masters (McCartney, Van Morrison and Paul Simon are some of the artists who have done this). That way, if an artist leaves a company, they take their catalog with them. With a sizeable built-in fan base, they are unrecouped in a few weeks in regards to new recordings, as the record's sales overtake production costs. Having a solid sales reputation and name recognition ameliorate the hassle of finding a lucrative contract. If a company can't offer something worthwhile, Becker and Fagen can go elsewhere. Regardless, if one takes manufacturing and promotion off the top, you still have a situation wherein Steely Dan make can make two million on sales alone (before royalties), with the record company making ten million. It's simply how the record business works.

"Where did the bastard run / is he still around..." - Steely Dan, "Everything You Did"

Randy
NIGHTFLY62@aol.com

User: Howard | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: 
Hutch - nice find on Elliot Scheiner. Interesting stuff in general, and the extra snippet on SD is yet another welcome sneak-peak at their recording process for EMG.

My brother recently showed me a book "Behind the Glass" - interviews with most of the top producers and engineers. Only had a chance to flick through it, but some great stuff from Eddie Kramer, Elliot Scheiner, Geoff Emerick. Worth checking out.

Howard

User: Howard | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: 
If people type in long posts, and it's all their own words, no problem. You can scroll by if you like.

My original point (which seems to have been missed by some) is that for articles that are *available elsewhere on the web*, there's no need to replicate the entire article. A quick summary, a couple of paragraphs and then "follow this link for the full text" or something similar will work fine. Just my idea, you don't have to follow it, but it makes things a little easier to deal with on the GB *without* resorting to any censorship.

I seem to remember requests along this line a few months back...

Howard

User: C & Western | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Dr Mu - Drivel? Are you seriously saying that the writings of John Pilger, Robert Fisk and Edward Said is drivel?

Man, you're not only neurotic, you're also completetly taken in, duped.

I give up, there was a time when I thought I could help you, but to hell with it... good luck and good night "doctor".

---

This only confirms what we say here in Europe, between the US East- and Westcoast there's a continent of brainwashed morons, knowing nothing of the world outside their own.

User: Hutch | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: A look into the mind of Elliot Scheiner...

http://emusician.com/ar/emusic_hit_men/

User: Beers Loves Stevie | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: LP; But the chain will keep us together ............

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Mr Rogers RIP - I'm not in charge, Howard is.

And the "Flame" wasn't YGK, it was his "co-worker".

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Roy: England and 39 other countries including the buyout ot Turkey - that's what I call unilateral collateral...

Most importantly, what do you think of these titles? Imaginative sketches/outlines encouraged....or we...no you all can go back to the WAR - with 500 more posts than my single post regarding Kosovo where 900,000 Muslims were displace on a Bataan like death march to Albania...and after the war those that came back slaughtered the Serbs. Kosovo remains under Serb control...no matter

01-steely dan-things I miss the most

Yeah, posts about Steely Dan

02-steely dan-pixelene

A winsome fairy is emitted from the flat screen of a new iMac computer

03-steely dan-everything must go

A drunken polka complete with accordion followed the sound of all instruments being thrwon in the trash

04- Steely.Dan--The.Last.Mall

We've pumped in Aja to the malls so many times that all will simultaneously collapse of materials fatigue

05 steely dan_blues.beach

Remember those chairs? Don and Walter with ukeleles on the sand

06 -Steely Dan Godwhacker

Tribute to the group - or is that Godsmack?

07-steely dan-slang of ages.mp3 (Walter on vocals - I can feel it)

Look what I did with this Def Leppard song!

08.steely.dan_green.book

Imagine an internet site where intelligent life lives...nah

09-steely dan-lunch with gina

Segue into Fagen's next solo album. Amsterdam, it's like another world...

Lars - I've seen the Indiana Jones movies - I'll drag out my wife's .38 next time...no matter than I'm the only male in Texas never to fire a handgun...

User: Mr Rogers RIP | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Whooddahell left you in charge of the GB, Clas? If Mu, Bill and, yes, StAl, want to post their long posts about Iraq, then let them. Maybe you need to take a computer course and learn about scroll bars. They're on the right side of the window, you know? This Iraq thing is serious shit! If you are not interested, scroll by. Instead you play censor by saying don't post.

Are you really ygk, flame?

Two Against Nature tracks deliberately leaked? You are nuts Mu.

User: Mr Rogers RIP | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Whooddahell left you in charge of the GB, Clas? If Mu, Bill and, yes, StAl, want to post their long posts about Iraq, then let them. Maybe you need to take a computer course and learn about scroll bars. They're on the right side of the window, you know? This Iraq thing is serious shit! If you are not interested, scroll by. Instead you play censor by saying don't post.

Are you really ygk, flame?

Two Against Nature tracks deliberately leaked? You are nuts Mu.

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Howard: Good point - there are 60 countries that have ties with terrorist networks, but Iraq provides Supplies and Cash more than people. Think a Supplier-Distributor business model

Creator/Bill: I also think the Dan will take a lot more chances on this one and I anticipate a more varied rhythm section as well

But as I said, let the leaks BEGIN! About 2.5 months before TvN was released, files and promo copies were deliberately leaked out as part of their stealth campaign. I believe the same thing will happen this time. It was no fluke that Two Against Nature started out as #6. Would not be surprised to see EMG start off in the #1 or #2 spot.

Here is their stealth promotion model:

stage 1 - Malls, grocery stores
stage 2 - Piano Jazz
stage 3 - leak out files over the internet
stage 4 - leak out promo copies
stage 5 - contest and other stuff on the ODP (might come before 4)
stage 6 - "radio single" by the Ides of March

Lars: My Big Fat Greek Kennel

Roy: Hilarious. In honor of your post, and also that if Clas is going to contiue to cut and past volumes of drivel, I might as well cut ans paste something truly education and actually worth reading. That is... the hilarious rants and perspective of the late great Tom Lehrer!!!! Think of him as Dennis Miller's whimsical uncle.

Tom Lehrer was a math professor who made a few classic albums in the 50s and 60s. A lot like Mark Russell... except Lehrer was funny! His songs were not only topical then, but even more so nowàand theyÆre still hilariousàhe had great timing as well as materialà

Here are lyrics from a few pertinent songs from Tom LehrerÆs classic ôTHAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WASö - 1965

ôWhoÆs Next?ö (a song about nuclear proliferation)

First we got the bomb and that was good,
'Cause we love peace and motherhood.
Then Russia got the bomb, but that's O.K.,
'Cause the balance of power's maintained that way!
Who's next?

France got the bomb, but don't you grieve,
'Cause they're on our side (I believe).
China got the bomb, but have no fears;
They can't wipe us out for at least five years!
Who's next?

Then Indonesia claimed that they
Were gonna get one any day.
South Africa wants two, that's right:
One for the black and one for the white!
Who's next?

Egypt's gonna get one, too,
Just to use on you know who.
So Israel's getting tense,
Wants one in self defense.
"The Lord's our shepherd," says the psalm,
But just in case, we better get a bomb!
Who's next?

Luxembourg is next to go
And, who knows, maybe Monaco.
We'll try to stay serene and calm
When Alabama gets the bomb!
Who's next, who's next, who's next?
Who's next?

ôSend The Marinesö

Tom said: ôWhat with President Johnson practicing escalation on the Vietnamese, and then the Dominican crisis on top of that, it has been a nervous year, and people have begun to feel like a Christian Scientist with appendicitis. Fortunately, in times of crisis like this, America always has its number one instrument of diplomacy to fall back on. Here's a song about it:ö

(Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, Somalia, Iraq û things never change)

When someone makes a move
Of which we don't approve,
Who is it that always intervenes?
U.N. and O.A.S.,*
They have their place, I guess,
But first - send the Marines!

We'll send them all we've got,
John Wayne and Randolph Scott;
Remember those exciting fighting scenes?
To the shores of Tripoli,
But not to Mississippoli,
What do we do? We send the Marines!

For might makes right,
And till they've seen the light,
They've got to be protected,
All their rights respected,
Till somebody we like can be elected.

Members of the corps
All hate the thought of war;
They'd rather kill them off by peaceful means.
Stop calling it aggression,
Ooh, we hate that expression!
We only want the world to know
That we support the status quo.
They love us everywhere we go,
So when in doubt,
Send the Marines!

ôMLF Lullabyö (Don't Mention the War)

Tom said: ôA considerable amount of commotion was stirred up during the past year over the prospect of a multilateral force, known to the headline writers as MLF. Much of this discussion took place during the baseball season, so the Chronicle may not have covered it, but it did get a certain amount of publicity; and the basic idea was that a bunch of us nations, the good guys, would get together on a joint nuclear deterrent force including our current friends, like France, and our traditional friends, like Germany. Here's a song about that, called the MLF Lullabyö

Sleep, baby, sleep, in peace may you slumber,
No danger lurks, your sleep to encumber.
We've got the missiles, peace to determine,
And one of the fingers on the button will be German. (e.g., Wernher Von Braun û see below)

Why shouldn't they have nuclear warheads?
England says no, but they all are soreheads.
I say a bygone should be a bygone,
Let's make peace the way we did in Stanleyville and Saigon.

Once all the Germans were warlike and mean,
But that couldn't happen again.
We taught them a lesson in 1918
And they've hardly bothered us since then.

So, sleep well, my darling, the sandman can linger.
We know our buddies won't give us the finger.
Heil - hail - the Wehrmacht, I mean the Bundeswehr,
Hail to our loyal ally!
M L F
Will scare Brezhnev.
I hope he is half as scared as I!

ôWernher von Braunö

Tome said: ôAnd what is it that put America in the forefront of the nuclear nations? And what is it that will make it possible to spend twenty billion dollars of your money to put some clown on the moon? Well, it was good old American know how, that's what, as provided by good old Americans like Dr. Wernher von Braun!ö

(note: After World War II, the Soviets and the US split the German scientists. Wernher Von Braun designed the V2, and later nuclear missles and of course the Saturn rocket for US)

Gather 'round while I sing you of Wernher von Braun,
A man whose allegiance
Is ruled by expedience.
Call him a Nazi, he won't even frown,
"Ha, Nazi, Schmazi," says Wernher von Braun.

Don't say that he's hypocritical,
Say rather that he's apolitical.
"Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down?
That's not my department," says Wernher von Braun.

Some have harsh words for this man of renown,
But some think our attitude
Should be one of gratitude,
Like the widows and cripples in old London town,
Who owe their large pensions to Wernher von Braun.

You too may be a big hero,
Once you've learned to count backwards to zero.
"In German oder English I know how to count down,
Und I'm learning Chinese!" says Wernher von Braun.

User: lp, never breakin the chain | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: uh, well, oh forget it...

User: Flame | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: couldn't you, Clas, type your stories in the field, and then DELETE everything you wrote?
that would be nice

User: Clas @ Work | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Come to think of it, couldn't we all just give away just the first sentenses of our posts, and if it seems to be interesting for someone, just email the person in question and ask for the rest.

Wouldn't that be a great idea, June?

Molly?

Bill, dr Mu... humphrf... maybe not.

User: Live From New York It's...THE CREATOR | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Sorry I had to come as my alternate self in order to talk Steely Dan
rather than Iraq.

Hopefully the next cd will have more of a rock element to it.
I'm not asking for a complete switch from the jazz elements of the
music but Steely Dan music should have a bit of tension to it and
without the underlying rock element it just isn't going to groove.

Take a look at the song "FM" for instance. This song has the perfect
mix. A hard underlying beat and bassline which carries an exquisite
jazzy sax solo. That's they way it should be, there's an irony to the
pairing of the two. This is something that's missing from thier
post-Aja work.

Since Aja, thier music seems too uniform. The bassline and beat seems
too subdued, almost as if thier afraid to just let loose. It seems
restrained. It doesn't make you want to crank up the sound on the
ride home from work does it? THAT is the problem... The music has
to have an underlying harder edge in order to support the softer jazz
stuff otherwise it all sounds too soft and dreamy.

Comments?

User: Clas @ Work | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: A quick request:

There are quite a few (long) articles being posted here in relation to Iraq. So Mu, and Bill, write the first couple of paragraphs of your posts, so we get the hang of the nonsens, include your email addresses, and we'll get back to you IF we are interested to read the complete blaha blaha.

User: C & W | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Howard - why? I scroll over Mu's endless posts, you can do the same with mine.

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Hey Mu - you're not alone! Look at this from todays Athens online:

"It was a hit-and-run burglary at Bulldog Sporting Goods early Tuesday.
The traditional smash-and-grab heist took a bizarre twist when two men threw a cinder block through a glass front door at the Athens sporting goods store and stole $18,000 worth of softball bats."

Georgia's mobilizing!

L

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: NMN: I'm plannin on 1st weekend..........

ygk

User: lp, and another thing | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: those titles are hilarious on the mp3 hoax!

as you know, fleetwood mac is releasing this year too - can you say, 1977?

User: lp | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: woohoo! nmn and aus in da house!

nmn - have you been talking to aja about norah? lol!!!

User: Hutch | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Nice post Roy.

I couldn't agree more, Howard. A link is all that's needed. That way the scrolling finger doesn't become worn out and can be used later out on the highway for other appropriate purposes. It's almost become like, "Nyah, nyah, nyah. My post's bigger than your post".

Mu - Whining? At this point it would be more like PLEADING. But what the hell. Carry on, carry on.

And now back to the Pat and Bill show.

Oh yeah. New Dan album May 6th! Woooohoooo!!!!

User: Molly | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y B L U Z !
Hope all your wishes come true my friend *many hugs and kisses*

User: Roy.Scam | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Doc, I found this in an old Dr. Seuss book. I think the original title was Dallas Dogs and Desert Despots:

Dr. Mu's new metaphor
for Mr. Bush's private war
is 'Mu against the dog next door'.

Before the weapons can be found,
let's bomb them till we scorch the ground,
and foil them like the heinous hound.

Since dogs sometimes become attacky;
donate your son for W's lackey,
sent off to kick the ass Iraqi.

Speaking of children's entertainment: Rest In Peace Fred Rogers. I admire a guy that can be gentle all his life and still get things done. (I'm not too good at gentle, myself.)-- I also always sort of liked his keyboard playing. The intro to "West of Hollywood" still makes me think of Mr' Rogers' Neighborhood.

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Pat,

Are you still in the throws of your Iraq tantrum?
I thought we solved this already. You're a fringe-group freak with no
real national support for your ideas, so just drop it already okay?
France and Germany will pay for thier betrayal many times over believe me.
And when this little police action in Iraq is over we will finally know
the extent of thier complicity in supplying a psychotic dictator with
nerve agents and nuclear weapons capability. THAT is the reason why
these two countries don't want the action in Iraq to go forward; they
don't want the sheets pulled off thier little indiscretion...

And you're right, I will be watching it all on television BUT there is
one big difference between you and I Patty, I spent six years in the
U.S. Military. How many years did you spend serving the country?
I have friends in the military that I still speak to on a weekly basis.
Don't worry Pat, THEY will solve this problem for us not you.
I have confidence in the future because of them and I know they will
correct this problem no matter how loud your little tantrum gets.

But that's the thing about America Pat, it's a democracy, and in a
democracy the MAJORITY rules. The majority will not be held captive by
a small fringe group of militant radicals with no clear direction for
the future. Think about it.

P.S.) Air France is having a 50% off sale this month. Why not avail
yourself of the opportunity and make that big move you've been planning?
I'm sure they'd be happy to have you.

:) Herm, stop sending me flowers already...

User: Howard | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: 
A quick request: there are quite a few (long) articles being posted here in relation to Iraq. I'm always keen to have my understanding of the issues broadened, but if the stuff is available online, could we just have the link? Copying and pasting the first couple of paragraphs would be fine, so we get the main thrust, but copying the whole thing is sometimes a bit much. If we're interetsed, we can follow the link to read the whole thing. Just a thought.

Now - sorry, but I couldn't let a couple of recent comments pass without responding.

(Afghanistan) "The U.S. Military kicked the living hell out of the people who were opressing them (women)... See? Force works."

There are still a lot of soldiers in Afghanistan, struggling to keep control, and still doing quite a lot of "kicking". Has Al-Qaeda been permanently displaced? Far from it. Is the country a happy and settled example of a people at peace with themselves? Far from it. The same could happen in Iraq: a long, drawn-out occupation by US/UK military, a struggle to maintain law and order, a growing resentment to occupation by outsiders, ongoing and increased unease in the middle east... Bush is living in cloud cuckoo land if he thinks a post-Saddam Iraq can be a "shining example of freedom and democracy", which is what I heard him quoted as saying.

"Iraq is the major exporter of terrorism on the globe"

...Eh? Have a look at: http://www.fbi.gov/mostwant/terrorists/fugitives.htm
How many of the FBI's 22 most-wanted terrorists are from Iraq? Let's count:

Saudis: 5
Egyptians: 7
Lebanese: 3
Libyan: 1
Tanzanian: 1
Kenyan: 3
American: 1
Kuwaiti: 1
Iraqis: none

This must have some relationship to the "major exporters of terrorism", no?

The Iraq Al-Qaeda connection has always seemed, to me, the weakest part of the Iraq argument. The more Blair, Bush or Powell try to push the connection, the less convinving it sounded.

And what about the recent announcement that 90 Saudi nationals are to stand trial accused of membership of the al-Qaeda network? (with more than 250 other detainees still being investigated on similar charges). That sounds like pretty solid evidence of a Saudi connection.
See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2777477.stm

I keep coming back to a couple of questions:

1. What's the rush? Are we really in imminent danger of attack from Saddam in the next few months? I don't think so. Is he a threat? Absolutely. Should he be disarmed? Absolutely. Should Iraq be invaded without a UN resolution to authorise force, with scant evidence of non-compliance and with the weapons inspectors calling for extra time to uncover some more solid evidence? Absolutely not.

2. Is an attack (without UN approval) really in the interests of world peace? I don't think so. It will stir up YET MORE anger, hatred and bitterness against the US (and allies), and increase the likelihood of future terrorist attacks. If Bin Laden could choose, do you think he'd prefer a war? Of course he would, it would justify his continuing campaign of terror!

An attack without UN approval will just stir up yet more trouble in a region that could do with a lot, lot less.

Howard

User: Beers | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: Bad S; You comin down with Dano in May ?? He's lookin @ hotels as we speak

The Danny Steel Orchestra are no more :( .. BUT from the ashes of that fine fine group arises - The Dan Collective www.thedancollective.co.uk Hurrah !! All new and improooved .........AND most importantly retaining the incomparable Mr Glyn Davis - Axeman unsurpassed, in their reformed ranks .

Anyways by pulling strings, promise of sexual favours and down right badgering of people involved I have managed to swing them a gig @ The Bass Museum in Burton on Trent on Saturday May 3rd 2003 - upshot is, a mere ú5 sterling per head will buy you 2 hours + of the best Walt & Don avail this side of the Atlantic ...would I lie to you guys ? .... AND just in time to celebrate the release of the NEW Dan album .................

User: Schwinn | Month: 1 | Day: 27

Message: My skin crawled when Simon and Garfunkle sang that creepy song at the grammys. I would have much rather preferred " I am a Rock". I hate it when old people sing stuff to make young people feel weird and useless. Here's a news bulletin: Stop listening to your conscience and start listening to your children. Action and young blood will beat old, useless shit every time. The young people who are in line to rule this world were sleeping through that "hello darkness my old friend" bullshit. The wheezing, almost dead music industry was singing at its own funeral with that "fool said I you do not know" crap. People are always more interesting than the music they make and you can't make a "celebration" bigger than the voices that make it. In other words, "EVERYTHING MUST GO!"

Bringing on the Nubiles,

SEMB

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: A monument to hypocrisy

by Edward Said
al-Ahram
February 14, 2003

MIDEAST

It has finally become intolerable to listen to or look at news in this country. I've told myself over and over again that one ought to leaf through the daily papers and turn on the TV for the national news every evening, just to find out what "the country" is thinking and planning, but patience and masochism have their limits. Colin Powell's UN speech, designed obviously to outrage the American people and bludgeon the UN into going to war, seems to me to have been a new low point in moral hypocrisy and political manipulation. But Donald Rumsfeld's lectures in Munich this past weekend went one step further than the bumbling Powell in unctuous sermonising and bullying derision. For the moment, I shall discount George Bush and his coterie of advisers, spiritual mentors, and political managers like Pat Robertson, Franklin Graham, and Karl Rove: they seem to me slaves of power perfectly embodied in the repetitive monotone of their collective spokesman Ari Fliescher (who I believe is also an Israeli citizen). Bush is, he has said, in direct contact with God, or if not God, then at least Providence. Perhaps only Israeli settlers can converse with him. But the secretaries of state and defence seem to have emanated from the secular world of real women and men, so it may be somewhat more opportune to linger for a time over their words and activities.

First, a few preliminaries. The US has clearly decided on war: there seem to be no two ways about it. Yet whether the war will actually take place or not (given all the activity started, not by the Arab states who, as usual, seem to dither and be paralysed at the same time, but by France, Russia and Germany) is something else again. Nevertheless to have transported 200,000 troops to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, leaving aside smaller deployments in Jordan, Turkey and Israel can mean only one thing.

Second, the planners of this war, as Ralph Nader has forcefully said, are chicken hawks, that is, hawks who are too cowardly to do any fighting themselves. Wolfowitz, Perle, Bush, Cheney and others of that entirely civilian group were to a man in strong favour of the Vietnam War, yet each of them got a deferment based on privilege, and therefore never fought or so much as even served in the armed forces. Their belligerence is therefore morally repugnant and, in the literal sense, anti-democratic in the extreme. What this unrepresentative cabal seeks in a war with Iraq has nothing to do with actual military considerations. Iraq, whatever the disgusting qualities of its deplorable regime, is simply not an imminent and credible threat to neighbours like Turkey, or Israel, or even Jordan (each of which could easily handle it militarily) or certainly to the US. Any argument to the contrary is simply a preposterous, entirely frivolous proposition. With a few outdated Scuds, and a small amount of chemical and biological material, most of it supplied by the US in earlier days (as Nader has said, we know that because we have the receipts for what was sold to Iraq by US companies), Iraq is, and has easily been, containable, though at unconscionable cost to the long-suffering civilian population. For this terrible state of affairs I think it is absolutely true to say that there has been collusion between the Iraqi regime and the Western enforcers of the sanctions.

Third, once big powers start to dream of regime change -- a process already begun by the Perles and Wolfowitzs of this country -- there is simply no end in sight. Isn't it outrageous that people of such a dubious caliber actually go on blathering about bringing democracy, modernisation, and liberalisation to the Middle East? God knows that the area needs it, as so many Arab and Muslim intellectuals and ordinary people have said over and over. But who appointed these characters as agents of progress anyway? And what entitles them to pontificate in so shameless a way when there are already so many injustices and abuses in their own country to be remedied? It's particularly galling that Perle, about as unqualified a person as it is imaginable to be on any subject touching on democracy and justice, should have been an election adviser to Netanyahu's extreme right- wing government during the period 1996-9, in which he counseled the renegade Israeli to scrap any and all peace attempts, to annex the West Bank and Gaza, and try to get rid of as many Palestinians as possible. This man now talks about bringing democracy to the Middle East, and does so without provoking the slightest objection from any of the media pundits who politely (abjectly) quiz him on national television.

Fourth, Colin Powell's speech, despite its many weaknesses, its plagiarised and manufactured evidence, its confected audio-tapes and its doctored pictures, was correct in one thing. Saddam Hussein's regime has violated numerous human rights and UN resolutions. There can be no arguing with that and no excuses can be allowed. But what is so monumentally hypocritical about the official US position is that literally everything Powell has accused the Ba'athists of has been the stock in trade of every Israeli government since 1948, and at no time more flagrantly than since the occupation of 1967. Torture, illegal detention, assassination, assaults against civilians with missiles, helicopters and jet fighters, annexation of territory, transportation of civilians from one place to another for the purpose of imprisonment, mass killing (as in Qana, Jenin, Sabra and Shatilla to mention only the most obvious), denial of rights to free passage and unimpeded civilian movement, education, medical aid, use of civilians as human shields, humiliation, punishment of families, house demolitions on a mass scale, destruction of agricultural land, expropriation of water, illegal settlement, economic pauperisation, attacks on hospitals, medical workers and ambulances, killing of UN personnel, to name only the most outrageous abuses: all these, it should be noted with emphasis, have been carried on with the total, unconditional support of the United States which has not only supplied Israel with the weapons for such practices and every kind of military and intelligence aid, but also has given the country upwards of $135 billion in economic aid on a scale that beggars the relative amount per capita spent by the US government on its own citizens.

This is an unconscionable record to hold against the US, and Mr Powell as its human symbol in particular. As the person in charge of US foreign policy, it is his specific responsibility to uphold the laws of this country, and to make sure that the enforcement of human rights and the promotion of freedom -- the proclaimed central plank in the US's foreign policy since at least 1976 -- is applied uniformly, without exception or condition. How he and his bosses and co- workers can stand up before the world and righteously sermonise against Iraq while at the same time completely ignoring the ongoing American partnership in human rights abuses with Israel defies credibility. And yet no one, in all the justified critiques of the US position that have appeared since Powell made his great UN speech, has focused on this point, not even the ever-so- upright French and Germans. The Palestinian territories today are witnessing the onset of a mass famine; there is a health crisis of catastrophic proportions; there is a civilian death toll that totals at least a dozen to 20 people a week; the economy has collapsed; hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians are unable to work, study, or move about as curfews and at least 300 barricades impede their daily lives; houses are blown up or bulldozed on a mass basis (60 yesterday). And all of it with US equipment, US political support, US finances. Bush declares that Sharon, who is a war criminal by any standard, is a man of peace, as if to spit on the innocent Palestinians' lives that have been lost and ravaged by Sharon and his criminal army. And he has the gall to say that he acts in God's name, and that he (and his administration) act to serve "a just and faithful God". And, more astounding yet, he lectures the world on Saddam's flouting of UN resolutions even as he supports a country, Israel, that has flouted at least 64 of them on a daily basis for more than half a century.

But so craven and so ineffective are the Arab regimes today that they don't dare state any of these things publicly. Many of them need US economic aid. Many of them fear their own people and need US support to prop up their regimes. Many of them could be accused of some of the same crimes against humanity. So they say nothing, and just hope and pray that the war will pass, while in the end keeping them in power as they are.

But it is also a great and noble fact that for the first time since World War Two there are mass protests against the war taking place before rather than during the war itself. This is unprecedented and should become the central political fact of the new, globalised era into which our world has been thrust by the US and its super-power status. What this demonstrates is that despite the awesome power wielded by autocrats and tyrants like Saddam and his American antagonists, despite the complicity of a mass media that has (willingly or unwillingly) hastened the rush to war, despite the indifference and ignorance of a great many people, mass action and mass protest on the basis of human community and human sustainability are still formidable tools of human resistance. Call them weapons of the weak, if you wish. But that they have at least tampered with the plans of the Washington chicken hawks and their corporate backers, as well as the millions of religious monotheistic extremists (Christian, Jewish, Muslim) who believe in wars of religion, is a great beacon of hope for our time. Wherever I go to lecture or speak out against these injustices I haven't found anyone in support of the war. Our job as Arabs is to link our opposition to US action in Iraq to our support for human rights in Iraq, Palestine, Israel, Kurdistan and everywhere in the Arab world -- and also ask others to force the same linkage on everyone, Arab, American, African, European, Australian and Asian. These are world issues, human issues, not simply strategic matters for the United States or the other major powers.

We cannot in any way lend our silence to a policy of war that the White House has openly announced will include three to five hundred cruise missiles a day (800 of them during the first 48 hours of the war) raining down on the civilian population of Baghdad in order to produce "Shock and Awe", or even a human cataclysm that will produce, as its boastful planner a certain Mr (or is it Dr?) Harlan Ullman has said, a Hiroshima-style effect on the Iraqi people. Note that during the 1991 Gulf War after 41 days of bombing Iraq this scale of human devastation was not even approached. And the US has 6000 "smart" missiles ready to do the job. What sort of God would want this to be a formulated and announced policy for His people? And what sort of God would claim that this was going to bring democracy and freedom to the people not only of Iraq but to the rest of the Middle East?

These are questions I won't even try to answer. But I do know that if anything like this is going to be visited on any population on earth it would be a criminal act, and its perpetrators and planners war criminals according to the Nuremberg Laws that the US itself was crucial in formulating. Not for nothing do General Sharon and Shaul Mofaz welcome the war and praise George Bush. Who knows what more evil will be done in the name of Good? Every one of us must raise our voices, and march in protest, now and again and again. We need creative thinking and bold action to stave off the nightmares planned by a docile, professionalised staff in places like Washington and Tel Aviv and Baghdad. For if what they have in mind is what they call "greater security" then words have no meaning at all in the ordinary sense. That Bush and Sharon have contempt for the non-white people of this world is clear. The question is, how long can they keep getting away with it?

User: Aussie | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: I was at the Grammy Awards Ceremony at Madison Square Garden a few nights ago. Simply an amazing evening. Of all the surprises for me, was running into Mr. Marshall Mathers. And guess what? Very very cool and down to earth. That bad boy attitude is just what the media gets....

Senor Tones: Stopped into Virgin MegaStore this evening and picked up Krimso's USA and Earthbound which were recently re-released after so many years on the shelves. The new one, "The Power to Believe" wasn't on the shelves and I really can't wait sinse I'm seeing them March 5th and March 6 at The Town Hall in New York City.

Hey Kinky: If you're going, I'll be the cat in the black blazer and the "Red" tee-shirt, second row centre, orchestra, both evenings.

Beemer: Expect a voice blast from me pronto...hope the family's well.

WormTom: Nice to see you resurface.

LuckLess Pedestrian: Helloo June lovie!

YGK: Great news on the new effort release date! Congrats! And about time!

Everybody: l-u-v

Aus

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Why not compound an unsubstantiated rumor with a Prediction: Morrrtonnnn!

Walter sings "Slang of Ages"

User: ¦ - history will teach us...everything | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: 
Y'know - I was thinking last night...Let the LEAKS BEGIN!! Now in the post Piano Jazz era and infiltration of grocery and mall muzak selections - could it be the first volley?

From Bluebook - maybe be bogus, non-readable MP3s. I cannpt verify using LAMEwire (so much for getting work done tonight)

Anyway, I like these titles, whether real or not:

01-steely dan-things I miss the most.mp3
02-steely dan-pixelene.mp3
03-steely dan-everything must go.mp3
04- Steely.Dan--The.Last.Mall.mp3
05 steely dan_blues.beach.mp3
06 -Steely Dan Godwhacker.mp3
07-steely dan-slang of ages.mp3
08.steely.dan_green.book.mp3

Yellow + Blue = puke green? Scary

09-steely dan-lunch with gina.mp3

Hutch: loved the BeeGees parody, but for whining on the blue...I wasn't going to post this but SCROLL BABY SCROLL

tooooooooooooooones:

U ôW's just getting started, and whether or not it's our own citizens or innocent women and children of another country, slaughter is slaughter. And this is needless violence. This is not a case of national security.ö

Yes, it is, and Kosovo, Bosnia, and Haiti were not. War should be the last resort, but this issue is of vital national security. Again, terrorist networks need host countries to survive. Host countries take advantage of the portability of terrorist networks. Nuke or anthrax in a suitcase û Iraq and Al Qaeda and affiliated terrorist groups are working these now. Iraq is the major exported of terrorism on the globe. Our targets are military, and our purpose is to stop the slaughter in Iraq and around the globe. And our goal is the liberation of the Iraqi people û in contrast, the very definition of terrorism is to kill and instill fear on innocents for political gain and power.

U ôI don't know about Texas, but here the price of gas shot up about .50/gallon in '91, and only fell about half of that after the war slowly increasing back up to around the .50/gallon more as the "regular" price until last week, when it's shot up almost another .50. You think the price of gas will ever go back to pre-war levels? Not if Big Oil can help it... But I'll admit, we get reamed by gas prices here more than any other place; not just in the Bay Area, but in the country, so I don't have anything else to base that on.ö

Oil prices per barrel decreased by 60% in the second half of the year and gas prices followed suit. You are correct, a major cause of price gouging lies with the distributor. We are seeing it again this month in some parts of the country.

U ôAnd how can we say anything to North Korea about rejecting the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and kicking out the UN inspectors when we are threatening to bypass UN protocol ourselves?ö

Our actions in the current administration have followed the Powell Doctrine every step of the way. I will remind you again that Kosovo, bombing of the aspirin factory in the Sudan, 450 Cruise missiles, Somalia, invasion of Haiti were all done WITHOUT UN approval!!!!! 41 and 43 are the only Presidents since Harry Truman to seek UN approval before a military action!!

U ôNot to mention the treaties we've nullified since Bush took over. Oh, and how about those headlines about "safer nukes" we're looking to develop. We've turned into the United States of Hypocrisy.ö

I notice the UN doing el zippo regarding North Korea. They expect us to take care of that ourselves. This is a temper tantrum by North Korea to get more oil and food for their soldiers. ItÆs nuclear blackmail (Thanks Jimmy!). Since South Koreans and the North are the same people, and since missles are pointed at Tokyo, other nations in Asia: South Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, etc. must be part of the solution. Thirteen million Koreans live in Seoul 30 miles from the DMZ. The North Korean army has two million soldiers just waitingàfor take-outà

Me: "We KNOW they are anti-Semites or has the history of the last 2 centuries left you unconvinced? Intolerance of immigrants in
Europe has been a consistent problem."

U ôSpeaking of the United States of Hypocrisy... I think I've already answered this, but let me add this: every country has issues with intolerance to some extent. If we weren't so unwilling to do our own cheap labor we wouldn't be able to muster what barely passes for tolerance in this country. And I really find the stereotyping of France and Germany offensive.ö

Describing the current actions of a nationÆs government and their motivations is not stereotyping û donÆt I get to throw in a Jerry Lewis joke or two to deserve this kind of narrow mindedness on your part? Seriously, my problem is obviously with the government not people. My wifeÆs half French, ya half wit.

If we weren't so unwilling to do our own cheap labor - Does this mean illegal aliens? ThatÆs a left-handed racist commentà

U ôI understand historically the French have treated African Americans with more respect than African Americans found here at home.ö

Does that mean blacks moved from the USA to France? I donÆt think so, outside the military. Yes, they were very nice to the blacks that were in their coloniesàNOT, remember the French foreign Legions?

U ôLet's not saddle France and Germany with the sins of their fathers,ö

Why not? YouÆre doing that to US. THAT is the definition of Hypocrisy my friendà.öIÆm shocked, shocked to find gambling going on hereöàöyouÆre winnings, siröà Seriously, I said it also because there has been anti-semitism leaking from those countries for the over 40 yearsàbut then as Tom Lehrer once sang errrràvoiced ôeverybody hates the Jewsàö Hey, was that a cowboy ref? Bwaaahhhh

U ôbecause if you want to do that, there are several million Native Americans who suffered their own holocaust at the hands of our government.ö

I know, those Casinos are allowing winning at too high a percentage. Look, I canÆt defend what happened, but it took place long before my ancestors came to this countryà

U ôAnd far as I know, the Germany stopped killing Jews over 50 years ago. We still have reservations.ö

No one is forced to live on a reservationàor run a casino

U ôThanks for asking. Clinton was all for it. The Republicans dragged their heels because they couldn't push their agenda through the UN. Here ya go:ö

Nice try. That can be done with an executive orderàyÆknow like pardoning rich asshole criminalsà

ME "Yes, on the part of France, Germany, and Russia! One thing to keep in mind.is that Big Oil companies are multinationals: with
all the bad and good things that entails. Two out of the top four are owned in Europe!"

U ôSure, but don't think this administration isn't trying to change that.ö

ThatÆs illogical. We could have taken a % of Kuwaiti oil in 1991 or conquered Iraq and taken their oil. If we drop the sanction now, oil companies, consumes get fat and Saddam can build another 50 palaces while de poor people sleepinÆ with de shade on de light. Consumers and oil companies would be happy.

Powell will honor the contracts of Fina and German companies, no matter what kind of assholes their governments act likeà

ME "No one wants war..."

U ôExcuse me? How can you say that? What has this debate, all those headlines, and all those marches been about?ö

Wrong again. ItÆs about hypocrisy of the marchers û where were the re: Kosovo, Aspirin factory, you know the tuneà

U ôThose wouldn't be those same "independent sources" responsible for the "orange alert" this past week, would they? Funny (not really) how we were "orange alerted' right when the public opposition against this pending war was at it's strongest. They're yanking our chain again and this time it's not working. At least not completely (I bet Bush owns stock in Duct tape too...) ô

Whether you want to believe it or not, itÆs real. Predicting an individual terrorist event is more precarious that predicting the weather, but storms occur in either case. Who couldnÆt have predicted the Bali bombing. Many Israeili families keep duct tape, water plastic in every home. No doubt that Tom Ridge has been a poor communicator and organizer so far. A year after they should have started, public service announcements are beginning to hit the airways û letÆs hope theyÆre coherentàDoes Orange duct tape go with the Orange Alert? - or is it Blue? - color macthing? - will ask my wife...and donÆt get me started about the INS, as ineffectual under 43 as Clintonà

U ôBut back to my point: Saddam's no closer to world dominationö

ThatÆs not the point. Saddam together with terrorist groups are very capable of killing tens or hundreds of thousands. He has destabilized the Mid East and has killed or tortured a million of his own citizensàover 60,000/annum

U ôthan he was two years ago. So why go to war now? Because we have to have something to divert attention and waste time and money (and lives) on until they find Osama, which isn't happening. Oh yeah and there's all that oil...ö

Clearly you donÆt get it. Not only are we still looking for Osama, but as many Al Qaeda operatives as possible. Remember that well-placed missle in Yemen a few months ago? ItÆs all part of the same waràjust as North Africa, the Pacific, and Europe were all part of World War IIàThe oil argument against the US is bogus, as IÆve pointed out more times than is necessary to an undergrad classà

U ôSo far the "grim spectre" has done exactly what Bush didn't want him to do - cooperated, for the most part, with the inspectors. So now they've got to pull out fuzzy satellite images, "unamed sources", and a vague telephone conversation. Talk about cheap special effects! If those satellite images are so incriminating why not direct the inspectors right to the stockpiles instead of making them look all over Iraq for empty warheads? Where's that engineering and science?ö

Powel presented enough evidence to damn OJ outside an LA courtroom. Vague, my ass. Hide in hereàno hide in here!! LOL The purpose of 1411 is for Iraq to disarm or else, not for a group of Inspector Clouseaus to wander around a desert the size of California. Now lately, the missles are not empty, and their range reaches to Israel and Turkey by land and anywhere by sea.

U ôForeign Minister Dominique de Villepin declared that inspections "are
producing results" and that there was no justification yet for a war
with Iraq. ô

Villepin is a delusional prig. The purpose of Saddam and the French govÆt is to string this thing out with no resolutionàor as a result until the next major terrorist attackà

U "At stake is our credibility, and our sense of responsibility. Let us
have the courage to see things as they are," he said. "No one can
assert today that the path of war will be shorter than that of the
inspections .... For war is always the sanction of failure."

No, sounds like the radical stupid rhetoric I have to listen to in academics, if I paid attention to the e-mails...tried to arbitrate a tiff between the brain dead ôChristian coalitionö and ôleft wingersö in writing a diversity statement - that was a wasteà

The point IS about lives, freedom, safety, liberty, not credibilityàwhich will come after Iraq is liberated

If you want competence, listen to Powell. I notice his support here has vanished û I put emphatic trust in his wisdom - the most powerful African-American this country has produced, and its about f**ing time! When heÆs concerned, I am as well û when I saw the look on his face after being blindsided by the French govÆt, I knew they had made a big mistakeàor listen to Tony Blair today with a powerful debate at the Brit Houseà

Blix bungles onto a bio weapon todayàlife is unrealà

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Bill: You ain't going anywhere. You're gonna watch it on CNN. No, make that Fox News...

Mu: Everyone wants to compare/justify these types of actions based upon past history. You cannot do this. Each circumstance is unique and must be judge solely on this basis. Comparing to WWII is patently wrong. But that is a glaring example. It gets a little fuzzier when you ask about Bosnia. However, my recollection is I wasn't completely happy with the way Clinton handled it. So what?

Read my posts. My bone of contention is with the way Bush is handling this crisis. Not just the fact we might actually go to war. In general, yes, I'm against military actions. However, yes, sometimes they are justified. Case hasn't been made. Plain and simple.

Funny. The only country where the majority (shrinking daily) of its people support this action is in the United States.

But WTF. We're a bunch of self-righteous people that know what's best for the rest of the world, right? Oh, I'd imagine the Israeli population probably support this action too. Big surprise.

StAl

User: ¦ - Is that a big stick or are you happy to see me | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Lars: LOL, fortunately... Only for working on the kids swing!

So Pat are you saying, a few years too late, that you were actually opposed invasions of Haiti, Bosnia, bombings of Aspirin factories, 450 cruise missles into Iraq? Clinton was one lucky SOB, considering how insane Wesley Clark is - he almost got us into a war with the Russians for no reason...

Why don't we just close the borders, waive the WHITE flags and import fuel cells now!! ...and I'll just continue to buy the same Steely Dan albums over and over..

We accidentally killed civilians in WWII and WWI. Y'know German grammar is harsh and strict, but we could have all learned to love it while worshipping a statue of Hirohito IV!!

Wait, I see Saddam surrendering to Greenpeace on CNN!

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Hmmm... NYBoob.
That must be my special girl from North Carolina!
How's your website dedicated to that special part of the male anatomy
going? :)

Pat,
You seem to be having a difficult time accepting the facts, but hey
don't you always? Lemme try one more time...
Right now I'm watching the biography of Saddam Hussien on A&E. I would
advise you to watch this program and then we'll discuss whether or not
the case has been made against removing this savage animal from power
okay?

All kidding aside, (which I don't do very often so relish the experience)
you think you're being hip and smart but your really playing a very
dangerous game with a very dangerous motherfucker. You and your
associates, no matter how enlightened you think you are, will not
be allowed to cause more mayhem in the streets of this country.
So just sit back and enjoy the experience baby cuz' we are going over
there and we aint going over to play any games. Just stand back and
it'll be over before ya know it. You can thank us later of course.

Herm stop hugging me...

User: NMN | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Re: Norah

look hot, skew old, start your melody with a maj7 arpeggio = grammy

she has merits, yes, but I can't quite buy the act

Oleander, please re-tell your Amy Tan anecdote (alluding deeply here, probably only to Oleander). It speaks volumes about the roots of grammy rooting

Anyone going to the NO Jazzfest? I am!

this place is crazy

I love this place

User: ** | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: sorry, Pat. that was for NYBooB

User: * | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: shaddup, you ass!

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Bill: You may think you've made a point. I supported the action we took in Afghanistan. The Al Qaeda - Taliban connection was clear. The case was made. The international support was there. It was not a preemptive action.

Now, dipshit, pull your head out of you ass for a minute and explain how our dumbass administration has made their point against Iraq?

Your John Wayne attitude is pathetic. Think for a minute...

Problem is too many of you simply don't think. Or, they do but via the head that's on the end of their tiny little...

StAl

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Pat,

You're in luck!
The conditions for women in Afghanistan have improved!
Unfortunately your demonstrations had nothing to do with it.
The U.S. Military kicked the living hell out of the people who were
opressing them...

See? Force works.

User: W1P | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: You can't have once bitten without twice shy ;-0

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: I forgot. Grateful Dread... been there, done that.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000000NXD/ref=m_art_li_6/102-1180898-4584137

StAl

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Herm: Very funny.

Bill: Funny. Sad, but funny.

Also, I have participated in other demonstrations. Specifically I attended one put on back in the 90's protesting the conditions of women in Afghanistan. Also, at various times in my life I've contributed to Amnesty International, as well as participated in a HOST of online protests against worldwide injustices. I've put my money where my mouth is. I always do.

So, I guess that means you owe me an apology?

W1P: The only thing that scares me is you stated what sits right next to your "Great White collection?" This would imply you posses more than one Great White CD.

Now THAT is scary.

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Sociable Hermit,

I recieved the lovely flowers and chocolates that you sent.
The card was lovely. I don't normally accept checks this large from
mere aquaintances but I'll make an exception this one time because
I know your feelings would be hurt if I didn't. Thank You So Much!

Your Friend,
Bill

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: St. Al ~ I'm right there with you, buddy. Great post. That was exactly how I was going to respond ~ which makes me think; where the hell did my notes go? Hey, wait a second...

Bill ~ Please, go to a specialty boutique in your town and buy the largest dildo you can find. Paint G.W.'s face on it, along with every word and phrase that "Mr. Yale graduate" has publicly massacred, then shove the entire thing up your ass. Then, when that's over, run to the nearest recruitment office and ask for front line service. No, it doesn't help the debate over war, I just think it needs to be done.

Later,

Herm

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Pat,

You're so wrong and so backwards and so twisted around the axle and so
fucked up that I don't even know where to start.

Okay look, I know better than to try to convince you of anything because
you are so brainwashed by the leftist, pacifist, peacenick assholes that
to try and de-program you at this point would be useless.

Rather than convince you, let me just help you understand reality for one
second okay? We ARE going to stop the bullshit over in Iraq. YOU are not
going to prevent it. The world WILL be a safer place whether you like it
or not. We would like to have you with us but we don't need YOU with us
because we can do it without YOU. YOU represent less than 30 percent of
the American population. YOU do not have a stranglehold on morality.

And so dear Pat, the middle east situation will be solved once without
you but there is one question I would like to ask you even though I know
the answer already...

WHEN will you begin to demonstrate against the man who is causing all
the fuckin' trouble? WHEN will you lash out at this moron of a dictator
who is going to get HIS innocent people killed? WHEN Pat?

I understand... demonstrating against the government of another country
wouldn't be a hell of alot like the 1960's would it? Oh what the heck,
let the fantasy ride I suppose.

User: W1P | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Grateful Dead is the correct answer. This week's sign that the apocalypse is upon us: Clas used the phrase "tribute band." You'd think that a Jamaican tribute to Jerry and the boys would be Grateful Dread, mon. I have that Garden Party tribute CD. It's very 94.7 The Wave.

User: Altamira | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: St. Al--And "well spelled out consequences" that remain the same. I hate the way Bush keeps changing the rules; it lowers his credibility even further.

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Pretty much on the money, Tonesy.
To become an Academy member, you need to have 6 credits on recordings produced under the RIAA umbrella. So, if you performed on a track, helped write a track, etc. you earn a credit.......
This makes up the Academy and the Academy votes.......

ygk

User: Randy | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: 
Steely-folk,

In regards to post #1478: There is work being done in regards to Hussein's/Iraq's human rights violations - look into Amnesty International if you want to get involved in counteracting/activism. While there may not be high profile protesting regarding human rights issues, efforts are being made (not all issues have the media attention of 1989's Tiananmen Square).

The U.S. Government frequently mentions issues like human rights in regards to Iraq, but only as a sideline issue; the real issues are special interest, investments (oil), power and control, all under the pretext of the war against terrorism; the systematic removal of civil rights via issues like the Patriot Act is deplorable; the U.S. Government hardly has a track record wherein they can be considered trustworthy by their own people, and forced regime changes have never been successful. Unless the U.S. changes its approach to foreign policy in general, little change will come of any political or military maneuvering. Changing foreign policy is the only deterrent to terrorism. Terrorists respond to actions of other governments, not necessarily other people(s). But their only recourse is through the people of other governments, thus 9/11.

So whatÆs the answer? Murder certainly isnÆt; ôwarö hasnÆt worked since 1945 (and even then at what cost?). Sanctions certainly crippled Iraq pretty decently, but part of the whole point in attacking Iraq is this looming ôthreatö; when did they threaten the U.S.? IÆm not suggesting waiting until they try something, but where is the hard evidence of a ôthreatö? And what gives the U.S. government the right to determine anything for anyone else?

In terms of the country, the U.S. is a fine place with decent people (if a little removed from the workings of the rest of the world, in some instances solely due to geography); itÆs the government that needs to be dismantled û it doesnÆt serve its people, it deceives and lies to them (Vietnam, Iran-Contra), oppresses them (Kent State), destroys their living space (choose your favorite ecological problem; Yucca Mountain for instance), and wastes their hard-earned money. ItÆs a government that serves itself, i.e. the antithesis of democracy. While it may be better than elsewhere (these are hardly problems exclusive to the U.S.), that doesnÆt mean there isnÆt room for much needed and deserved improvement (I deserve it and so do you). The first rule of a ôfree countryö is ôQuestion Authority.ö I'll choose to question everything they do, thank you very much.

I canÆt think of a country that would be happy (an important distinction) to cooperate if another country marched in and told them what they could and couldnÆt do and what they could and couldnÆt have; the American government needs to be an active participant of the world instead of acting like they own the whole fucking planet. At the very least we all have the right to both have and voice different opinions û for now.

"If you succumb to the temptation of using violence in the struggle, unborn generations will be the recipients of a long and desolate night of bitterness, and your chief legacy to the future will be an endless reign of meaningless chaos."

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

"An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind."

- Mahatma Gandhi

Randy
NIGHTFLY62@aol.com

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Mu: No, I'm trying to save our country before it loses ITS mind. We're not there yet (I'll bet Amnesty International would say otherwise). But really, what is the difference? Just because he's "badder" than us? He's killed more? Destroyed more? Oh, he's bad alright and deserves prosecution. But we're better justified to kill innocent people and destroy property? If so, your righteousness is appalling. And don't even try to cite Hitler as an example. It just isn't the same.

What, September 11th all of a sudden gave us the right to strike first and ask questions later? This was one of my fears right after it happened. We'd have more Bill's running around this country...

It really boils down to this. The United States has not made the case. The link you cite to Al Quedea hasn't been established. Plain and simple. We lack cohesive worldwide support and will ultimately alienate too many people against the US. It will further destabilize an already fucked up region. So while the government dumps money down this war toilet, this country is going to SHIT, economically and socially speaking.

Wave your flag!

But after all this you'd be surprised to learn I'm not as much of a pacifist as you might think. Quite frankly if we had stronger support from all of our allies, I'd probably support action as well. Saddam has turned the whole process into a big joke. It's a shell game for him, but he must know there is a limit. I support France's latest proposal. 4 more months of rigorous inspection accompanied by military build-up and well spelled out consequences in the event he fails. See, by then, no one could really say we didn't give this guy a chance. I believe we'd also have more worldwide support. People are turned off by this idiot president thumping his chest. He's a moron and the world knows it. No one likes a bully and that's the way the world perceives him/us. Therefore, with few exceptions, most countries are completely against action at this time. Sure some of their governments might support it, but their people don't.

StAl

User: t | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Look, there's really no mystery on how the Dan or Norah Jones or anyone else win Grammys. It has nothing to do with the quality of the recording, though as with the Dan they get lucky every now and then. Members of the recording industry - anyone who's worked on a recording project - get to vote (by the way, there is no requirement for members of the academy to actually *hear* the nominated albums before they vote); the more producers and engineer, and guest artists you have on your album, and more importantly, the more well connected they are, the more votes they get. How in the world do you think *Britney Spears* last album got nominated this year? Funny how no one batted an eye at that one. She had practically a different producer on every track. That formula has worked for albums like Sheryl Crow's first cd, Santana's big album, the O' Brother soundtrack, etc. Norah Jones was lobbied for by Arif Mardin, who's been a heavy hitter in the music industry for years; thus loads of connections and loyalties were called in. Springsteen's album was produced by Pearl Jam's regular producer, a relative new comer in the business. And though Springsteen has been in the business quite a while, it is unlikely he would call in favors for Grammy votes. He's not the type.

In the case if the Dan vs. Eminem, as much as I'd like to believe otherwise, it was just more of the same. These guys have been in the business much longer, had 3 engineers, and many session musicians. And their industry connections are much deeper. Unfortunately, that they actually write *songs* performed by *real musicians*, and not just sample riffs that someone can shout belligerent nursury rhymes over, had little to do with it.

But *we* knew that already...

t

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: ... but you never used that softball bat Mu, or did you?

User: angel | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Oh, yeah. Loving my new computer. :-)
Now I just have to pay for it.... There's always a down side.

Beers: I think that is the Garden Party recording that came out a few years ago. Very laid back. Not my personal cup of tea, but check it out.

User: Altamira | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Moll--I'm glad I no longer miss my boyfriend Dave between his visits. I enjoy seeing him when he's here, but when he's not, e-mail's fine. I find being in a long-distance relationship much easier than being in one with someone who lives near me; Dave and I get along a lot better now that he's living in St. Louis.

User:  | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: sanitation

User:  | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: perhaps

protestors

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: St.Al: You've lost your mind. Really. Go Scoreboard:

Saddam:

1,500,000 Dead

1 in 5 children die before the age of one due to poor snitation/health conditions ("OUTRAGEOUS! - doctor slaps the guy - Identify the scene & movie, but later shakes his hand as a hero "have we met?")

funds PLO, Al Qaeda, Hammas and other terrorist organization...killing additional thousands of innocents. Saddam's lackeys take pictures giving large checks (in size and $$) to families convinced to let their children act as suicide bombers It looked the the Publisher's Clearing House giveaway - I'm not kidding...then Arafat steals the check and adds to his Billions in ASSets....

If Saddam had CHOSEN to disarm at ANY time in the last 12 years in accordance with the cease-fire, and he doesn;t gas the Kurds and promote terrorism in the Middle East and world wide, 41, Clinton, OR 43 would have lifted the sanctions, Iraq and the non-French (i.e., not FINA) oil companies get rich, and gas prices become lower - boosting the economy. Pehaps the Iraqi people get food, the tortured let out of jail...yeah, right...

Where are the protestors against the human rights violations in Iraq??...well, nobody protested against Hitler either ("Peace in our time")?

This is touching - where were the protests re; unilateral military action without the UN and with NO threat against the US and NO interest?

Kosovo?

Bosnia (Sheryl Crow entertained the troops)?

Haiti (and they didn't even bring back a decent ball player - now things are worse than ever)?

Somalia?

Where was the outrage when we bombed an aspirin/preparation H factory in the Sudan?

when we launched 450 cruise missles (more than in Gulf War I) into Iraq in 1998?

Now lives are at stake from Java to Israel to Iraq to NYC. Pure political hypocrisy - but the ironic result is the moves of the French and protestors have eliminated the chance of peaceful exile of Saddam. He saw the noose than saw what he thought was a knife to cut the rope...

Should we make nice to the serial rapist who moves into our neighborhood?

Should a cop not arrest an obviously drunk driver until he crashes into another vehicle or house and kills someone...

When my neighbor bought a Pit Bull (a dog of mass destruction or DMD), did I wait until the DMD took a limb or worse from my 7 or 10 year old kids? Pit Bulls are not recognized by the AKC - they were bred for "cock-fighting" 90% of pit bull attacks are unprovoked where they run outside their property to attack. 95% of morbidity and mortality with DMD attacks are from Pit Bulls and to a lesser extent Dobermans. PBs can be docile and playful and even well-trained for years and then just "snap" in a second. Did I encourage petting, playing, *appeasement* of the DMD?? Did I merely laugh when the grown up boy used a rag doll to "train" the DMD? Did I asume because the pit bull seemd friendly at 3 months, that it would not be a DMD as an adult? Did I merely call for "inspections" when the DMD escaped as a pup from the back year, ran around the around the neighborhood?? Once the animal reached 7 months of age and had the muscle definition of Mike Tyson, did I bring the DMD more food, so it would just leave us alone?

FUCK NO! I demanded that the neighbor get rid of the DMD, since it clearly was not adequately controlled, and most importantly it was a Pit Bull! They have a whiny rat-dog Chihuahua that still runs around the neighborhood - who cares? I put a large softball bat at the ready in case the DMD came into my property if the kids were out. I stood toe to toe as "negotiations" broke down and things got ugly. Did I kiss and make up in hopes that the neighbor would put a bigger chain on the dog and an electric fence up? NOT!! I told my kids to immediately not to go near their property, come in if the DMD was loose or even on the 20 lb test chain they used. Close the door - no duct tape needed. My wife and I then Harrassed the SOB, calling animal control if a paw went over the property line, or tried to knock through fence boards or was left alone in the front on a chain for hours. Fortunately, for us, there were NO French or misguided animal rights protestors anywhere in sight! The neighbor finally saw he was outgunned, and sent the DMD into exile. The neighbor hates my guts now. However, I don't give a Fuck. My children are Safe.

User: Moll | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Sneakers, I would love some touring clothing! You promised to look me up for drinks while you were in the US... :( I remembered you telling me how great Supper Furry Animals were. So I asked Deck and the Viking if they had any of their stuff. My last package from Deck had some SFA, they are terrific. Doubt they'll ever get down my way, that's the bad thing about living in BFE. Hope all is well! *hugs*

User: Moll | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Clas, my Sugar! I'll try to remember. Please tell Jason aka King of The World, "hello" for me on his next visit. ;)
Angel, do you like new PC? Thank goodness you're not having an affair with St. Al! I'd get jealous if you were, and write all sorts of mean, catty things on the guestbook about you..lol
My Viking, I'm needin those big Viking arms of yours around me. I'm missin you something fierce... *kisses~~~~~~~~~*

I am soooooo tired of snow and ice. *sighs*

User: bad sneakers | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: C - No - I did offer to do a location recording for Fingers but we never got round to it - Maybe soon ??? BB ??? Fingers ??? Bass C ???

Molly - Very ironic that you are now into the SFA !!! Want some used tour clothing ???? :-)

User: C | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Bad Sneakers - never mind. I thought the Dan Collective was your homepage/project.

User: bad sneakers | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Cl@s

What ?? If you mean how long does it take to mix something then the answer is "how long is a piece of string"

If you mean when can you HEAR what you recorded - Eh - try pressing playback ???

If you are wanting me to mix it for you - send me a message to my email address and we can discuss details - won't be able to do anything until the 14th of March though

If you are being faceceous - AH RIGHT - Got you !!!

No capisco man

User: C & W | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Aha! There you are StAl.

Did you know there's a Grateful Dead tribute band in Jamaica?

Grapefruit Dread.

User: C & W | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Bill! Three dots you did, I'm proud of you!

But there's one thing brother, you're saying "Rap music has nothing good to offer the world."

It should be:

"Rap music has nothing good to offer me."

And for heavens sake Bill, it's "their" not "thier".

And it's funny you're mentioning rap-music, I bought tickets to the Roots concert today, they're playing Stockholm, in March. I'm looking forward to that.

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Bill: Once again you show how out-of-touch you are with the rest of the world. Man, you're getting good at this.

StAl

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Quoted from MSN 2/26:
On Tuesday, Bush warned that the Iraqi leader could be tried as a war criminal if the United States goes to war with Iraq. If the Iraqi president and his generals ôtake innocent life, if they destroy infrastructure, they will be held accountable as war criminals,ö he said.

Um... Am I missing something here? Is there a difference between the US military taking "innocent life" & "destroying infrastructure" vs. Saddam? Does that mean Bush and his cronies will be tried as "war criminals" as well? Somehow I doubt this glaring example of hypocrisy and righteousness is noticed by the warmongers.

Weak-kneed Pussy: Because I can. And because it's true

W1P: Grateful Dead? I hope.

YGK: Check the email line above.

StAl

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Rap music has nothing good to offer the world.

Back in the 60's and early 70's Motown artists also commented on the
conditions of the poor but they did it in a way that not only pointed
out the problems in the inner city but also offered something that
Rap music doesn't... HOPE.

Rap artists seem to revel in the conditions that they complain about.
Rather than using the genre to elevate thier condition, they use it to
perpetuate thier angry and violent world. Never will you hear that
violence is not the answer. Never will they elevate the position of women.
Never will they offer a way to a brighter day. Never.

When I was younger I used to listen to the music of Stevie Wonder.
When you were done listening you felt that you had a greater understanding
of the subject he was speaking of and yet you always had a feeling that
the future would be better, that there was a brighter day just around
the corner. Rap music has never offered that and it never will.

User: C @ Work | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Gallary Galore, Ladies and Gentlemen, how's the night been?

Tight?

Fair enough.

---

Hey there Pussy, three dots, not five, two or seven, three dots... and then space... got it?

---

Molly dear, space after comma, see?

---

Bad Sneakers - "A recording session was held in February 2003." When will I be able to hear the result?

User: Weak- kneed Pussy | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: "I'll say it again but I don't personally agree"

St. Al..What the fuck does that mean??
If you "don't personally agree" why say it?

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: St. Al: what's your biz e-addy?

User: YGK - Cousin Dupree as Theme? | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2786-2003Feb25.html

I was listening to a Rockline Radio broadcast in 2000, and one 'caller' from Georgia expressed his surprise about CD, asking, "Is that ssawng about in-sest?"

ygk

User: bad sneakers | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: W1P

I saw a great white once - Don't think it was a real one though

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0073195

Peace to all

:-)

User: W1P | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: St. Al, in the heat of the night there's no one like you breaking the chains that bind you. I suspect that I'm probably in a tiny minority of GBers who either have seen Great White or own one of their records. (My CDs are alphabetized -- what do you think precedes my Great White collection?).

User: Or perhaps... | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Or maybe, just maybe, Steely Dan beating out Eminem during the 2000
Grammy's will go down as one of the rare times in the history of the
Grammy awards that the participants actually made a stand for something.

They actually took a stand against the entire violent gangsta rap culture.
I guess even shallow Hollywood types have thier moments no?

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: >Perhaps by voting time the Boss was a story that everyone
>had already heard too many times.

Precisely!

I'll say it again. Even though I don't personally agree -- Steely Dan beating out Eminem is going to go down as one of the all-time great Grammy blunders. 10 years from now -- 20 years from now.

W1P: Whitesnake? Dokken? Scorpions? Good god man.

By the way...The tags at the bottom of a post are pretty much meaningless when it comes to determining who a poster is.

User: BIll | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Aloha Kakahiaka y'all!,

Well it's another beautiful day here at the Becker estate, and what shall
we do today? Take the yacht out for a spin? Nah, we took the yacht out
yesterday (although flying the helicopter off the aft deck was kinda fun).
Another shopping spree? Nope, been there done that. Play some tennis and
hit the beach? Bingo! Beach it is!

Well, life is hard and...
No, actually life is kinda great! We'll check back in after the sauna and
massage thing okay?

A Hui Hou!

User: Hutch | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: Here's the answer to all our speculation:

http://www.brokennewz.com/entertainment/steelybeegees.asp

User: The Weatherman | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: LP,

Maine = 8 months of bitter cold
Hawaii = 12 months of tropical paradise

You decide...

User: lp | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: help - someone at the natalie merchant site is debating me on why no doubt is better than norah jones!

insanity, i must walk away...

and it's freezing up here again, wow!

jeff lorber, richard elliot and dave koz are the only names i recognize in the smooth jazz lineup - is that a good thing? is this a good thing that smooth jazz artists are doing steely dan, what does that really mean? ah well...

User: Beerberian speculating | Month: 1 | Day: 26

Message: GB; Is this News ..... Just appeared in my suggested choices list on Amazon.co.uk

AKA - A Smooth Jazz Tribute to Steely Dan

Track Listings
1. Do it again (Can't Buy a Thrill) - Garden Party
2. Peg (Aja) - Doc Powell
3. Fm (No static at all) (Gold/Best of) - Jeff Lorber
4. Rikki don't lose that number (Pretzel Logic) - Warren Hill
5. Black cow (Aja) - Norman Connors
6. Babylon sisters (Gaucho) - Kymaera
7. Deacon blues (Aja) - Richard Elliot
8. Bad sneakers (Katy Lied) - Roger Smith / Eddie M
9. Caves of Altamira (Royal Scam) - Michael Sims
10. Josie (Aja) - Dave Koz
11. Hey nineteen (Gaucho) - Tony Guerrero
12. Reelin' in the years (Can't Buy a Thrill) - Eddie M
13. Pearl of the quarter (Countdown to Ecstacy) - Steve Nieves / Jango

User: Kraftwerk | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: 

User: So, thatÆs why Steely DanÆs forgettable ôTwo Against Natureö beat EminemÆs far superior ôMarshall Mathers LPö for best album in 2001 | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: How did Norah whup the Boss?

JonesÆs tortoise meets hare
of Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen and Norah Jones perform at
the Grammys.

By David Segal
THE WASHINGTON POST

Feb. 25 ù Until they started opening envelopes on Sunday night, Bruce SpringsteenÆs ôThe Risingö looked like one of the most perfect Grammy-grabbing machines in pop history. The album has it all: serious themes, strong sales and a beloved artist long overdue for the most prestigious trophy in the music industry. So there was palpable shock when album of the year honors went to ôCome Away With Me,ö by a 23-year-old pianist and singer who 12 months ago was playing venues tiny enough for open-mike nights.

æItÆs stunning. None of us here had any idea this was going to happen.Æ
ù CEM KUROSMAN
spokesman for
Blue Note Records

NOT ONLY IS Norah Jones new to the business, she plays the sort of slow-burning and jazzy ballads that havenÆt breathed the thin air at the top of the charts for a very long time. She wears cocktail dresses, not thongs and halter tops. The core of her audience is pushing 50.
Even her label sounded shocked yesterday.
ôItÆs stunning,ö said a jubilant Cem Kurosman, a spokesman for Blue Note Records. ôNone of us here had any idea this was going to happen.ö
So: Just how did Norah whup the Boss?


Officials at the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the group that organizes the awards, declined to speculate. But as the music business scratched its collective head, some theories emerged. And the more you ponder them, the less mysterious this upset seems.

QUALITY ALBUM PLUS MASSIVE SUCCESS
Start with some history. The Grammys have always tended to skew old, which is to say their 15,000 voters favor music that is targeted to adults rather than kids. ThatÆs why Steely DanÆs forgettable ôTwo Against Natureö beat EminemÆs far superior ôMarshall Mathers LPö for best album in 2001. ItÆs why, last year, the ôO Brother, Where Art Thou?ö soundtrack, a collection of old-timey country tunes that country-format radio wouldnÆt touch, defeated U2Æs ôAll That You CanÆt Leave Behind.ö

Though Jones is about 30 years younger than Springsteen, her primary audience ù at least the one she found initially ù is grayer. MTV didnÆt play the video for her single, ôDonÆt Know Why,ö until six months after its release. SpringsteenÆs music was in heavy rotation right away.
When Grammy voters arenÆt asking, ôWhich of these albums is my speed,ö theyÆre asking, ôWhich album sold the most?ö Here, and surprisingly, the edge again goes to Jones. In the United States, 3.6 million copies of her debut have been sold, about double the sales of ôThe Rising.ö
ôWhen academy voters feel like they have a combination of massive success plus a quality album, thatÆs a pretty potent combination,ö said Sean Ross of Airplay Monitor, a publication that tracks radio.

PERFECT TIMING
Perhaps by voting time the Boss was a story that everyone had already heard too many times. Jones, by contrast, was a fresh, not to mention beautiful, face in January.

But the most important element in the Jones victory might be timing. Grammy nominations are announced in early January, with the deadline for voting in mid-February. That, by glorious chance, coincided with the crescendo of JonesÆs gradual, year-long march up the charts. On Jan. 25, her album took the No. 1 spot on the Billboard charts and stayed there for three weeks, just as the academy was picking winners.
ôThe Risingö was actually released months after ôCome Away With Me,ö in late July, but it was immediately seized upon by every newspaper, magazine and TV show in the country. For a while, you had to hide under your bed and cut the power to your house to avoid Springsteen, and perhaps by voting time the Boss was a story that everyone had already heard too many times. Jones, by contrast, was a fresh, not to mention beautiful, face in January, one that had only recently come into view.

You wonÆt find ôThe Risingö in the Billboard Top 100 this week. JonesÆs album, on the other hand, stands at No. 3.
ôBruce wasnÆt top of anyoneÆs mind at that point,ö said Tom Calderone, MTVÆs executive vice president, of the Grammy voting period. ôYou hate to [make a decision] on that, but people vote on what they remember, the last thing they heard.ö

SLOW, STEADY MOMENTUM
She started off as a hit with adults, and gradually word spread to younger listeners.

JonesÆs momentum was built slow and steady. Her album sold a mere 10,000 copies in its first week. Then came a series of late-night talk show performances ù sheÆs done the ôTonightö show three times now ù each one causing a noticeable spike, though hardly a stampede. She was profiled on National Public Radio, toured with Dave Matthews over the summer, and was finally added to MTVÆs lineup around the same time.

At the start, you could hear ôDonÆt Know Whyö only on adult alternative radio (think Sheryl Crow, Ryan Adams), then she became a hit on smooth jazz stations (Kenny G), then adult contemporary radio (Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt), and most recently on Top 40 stations. She had started off as a hit with adults, and gradually word spread to younger listeners. Profiles in Seventeen and YM magazines helped. By the time she showed up on ôSaturday Night Liveö in December, she was on her way to No. 1.
ôItÆs been a very consistent slow burn, plateau after plateau,ö says Blue NoteÆs Kurosman. ôEveryone gets a boost during the Christmas shopping season, but she went up during that time and then never came down.ö
ThereÆs a lesson in all this thatÆs old as Aesop. It has something to do with a tortoise and a hare.
-------
¬ 2003 The Washington Post Company

\

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Howard: I didn't have it quite right...must have been all the cursing been the droupouts last week - my last chance is a Texarkana Station this week. I've got 4 partial "burns" of Piano Jazz. They mentioned early on after playing Ellington's "Limbo Jazz" that they were mostly self-taught, with donald having scattered theory at Bard, Berklee, etc.

I did remeber a passage prompted by an Ellington tune where there was a contrast drawn between Marian and donald in learning Ellinton tunes:

Found it scanning through...right after Marian plays donald's request Mood Indigo:

Marian: "How do you *learn* those Ellington tunes? Off a record? You don't bother with sheet music, I'm sure (a little snobbery comes through - no real jazzbo needs sheet music - like cheating - put on your cheaters and sit right down)"

Donald: "Uhhh, sometimes (sheepishly), but uhhh, I dunno, just off records, mostly - the way, I think the was most jazz musicians actually probably get tunes..." (good recovery)

Marian: " Funny, I was lucky...I had a, years ago in England I had a boyfriend who...he started out with my sister, but she wasn't interested in jazz, so he switched to me, so that's how I got to learn these Duke Ellington tunes (Walter amused)...thousands of records...

...are you still now buying more jazz records?"

Donald: "I just buy the same ones over and over" (There's a Zinger!!)

User: Senor Wences | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Si

User: W1P | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Steeve, how'd Platium Live go on 2/21? I like Clocks by Coldplay but they are a bit of a poor man's Radiohead. King Crimson here at the Wiltern on 3/29 -- the same night as Which One's Pink? at Platinum Live (a bad pattern is developing, I had to miss Scorpions, Whitesnake and Dokken on Saturday because W1P was playing).

User: Guestbook Grammy | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: And the shortest post in GB history goes too...

Saint Alphonso! Post 1446!

User: angel | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Gee, I only posted 2 times from that computer and Molly already caught us, St. Al. :-)
Actually, I just bought a new computer and figured I would try the IP thing out, to see what I post as.

Back to work....

User: Molly | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Bill, Honey as much as I like Hutch and Lars.. they have to move before we get married. What if I wanted to model a new belt for you? Well it would just be awkward.lol *wink*
Mick, my PC crashed. Send me your addy again.. Hope all is well your way.
Drew, My messages have been bounced. PC seems to be going through it's demonic period again.I made reservations at the lodge. Somehow sleeping on wet,cold ground has lost it's charm. I guess I'm getting old..I don't care if your buds tag along. But if they start doing weird things with their food again I'm out of there! See ya Friday....

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Bill: No

User: steelydoubt | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: I THINK IT IS A WAY TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THE NAME OF THE TRACKS THAT WILL BE ON THE ALBUM. WELL MAYBE.

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Molly,

Hutch, Lars, and I have the same address?
It's amazing how long you can live at the same address and never bump into
the other occupants. Hold on lemme check downstairs...
Lars you down there? Hutch? Hmmm... they must be out.

St. Al,

I clicked the IP Address icon at the bottom of my post but all I get is
a Login window that says "Please enter admin password".
So whaddyasay, can I have the administrative password?

WJAZ,
Still hanging out at Don's house but not for much longer unfortunately.
The problem is that he and Libby constantly dote on you.

"Another pillow Bill?"
"Can I get you another Cuban Breeze Bill?"
"Like to hear the new CD again Bill?"

It gets annoying after a while. I liked it better at Walter's place.
He just handed you the keys to the house and cars and left you alone.
He seemed a bit upset after we crashed that hangglider into his recording
studio though...

User: t | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: ...and a late tonesy is presented to:

Best Album to Listen to While Your PLace Is Being Remodeled: Starless and Bible Black - King Crimson

aus - saw that the Kcrim is playing SF late March. The album is due next week...

~ - stick around dude. Your trails are missed around here...

Toby - I'll bet you're right... or maybe the Dan have gone industrial for the new one. Maybe it's the sound of everything going...

pizza

User: Moll | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Wild Bill, did you know that you, Hutch and Lars all have the same address at the bottom? The ISP's ? Are y'all housemates Bill? Cause it HAS to be the same from the same computer. Angel's and St.Alphonso also have the same listed.They must be having a torrid affair. Angel posts on Al's computer while he's showering. Clas and King of the World also have same listing. Perhaps King of World flies to Sweeden and posts on Clas's PC? My computer doesn't show the listings at the bottom in the archives or I'd research this matter in depth. However, if I get a bit of free time from my current Chat-Slayer duties, I intend to get to the bottom of this.. LMAO
Lars, I love Cassandra Wilson. Norah ain't got a thing on her IMHO. Belly of the Sun is fantastic.
Duncan, thanks very much for my e-mail. It made me laugh until my sides hurt. Please tell the Mrs. "hi" and kiss little Dan for me. My friend from London sent me some Super Furry Animals....I'm listening to them at the moment. I sent him some Buckwheat Zydeco, Johnny Cash and Townes VanZandt. Oddly, he loved the stuff I sent.
St.Al, My friend from London tells me if you're determined enough and have the right skills, a hacker could find just about anyone. Anonymizer and Web TV included. True? I like your style Al. If you were ugly as a troll, you'd still be attractive to me because of your essence.
I didn't watch Grammy Awards... I never watch anything like that. Hell, I hardly ever watch TV period. lol

User: angel | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: But, but, but...Wormy, we hardly had a chance to even say hi. :-(

User: ym row | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: hi gang (shoutouts to all)
wormhead here

Hi Aja - so you detected my 6 month obligatory post
sorry to hear of your accident
when life bites, bite back

I'm encoraged by all the tidbits from Everything Must Go

the sonic drawbacks of TaN were the drum samples and digititis
a few changes in musicians should be nice too

oh well, I guess I'll pop back here in early May

take care all

wormtom

User: Toby Howard | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: I see that mp3s of "Everything Must Go" are out there in P2P-land. But guess what -- they're all BLANK -- just a rumbling sound. I'm serious. Do you think this is a Royal E-Scam by the net-savvy D&W to saboutage IN ADVANCE bootleg mp3s of the album?

Toby

User: Duncan | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: lp: load's of people here love coldplay
I'm just not one of them.

Sorry that piano jazz fortnight has ended now, but heard some great stuff whilst surfing.

proud owner of 3 different format copies :)

User: t | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Btw lp, you're *not* old. Because I'm not old.

User: tones | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Aj - Sorry to hear about your mishap. Hope you feel better fast... next time go a little faster so you can jump that sucker! :-)

Gina! Hey there!

lp - I like Coldplay... but I partial to Parachutes... It's excellent - especially if you're at all a Jeff Buckley fan (similar vocal styles) - and it's even a bit psychedelic. My favs are "Don't Panic" and "We Never Change." St. Al, I think even you would like those songs. The new album I'm not as crazy for but it's good; as for the Grammys, I thought they were ok... that was by far the best version of "Chopsticks" I've ever heard...

Speaking of the Grams... questions abound: why have Peter Gabriel there and not have him bring his big rubber ball? Why give away major awards off the air but air the best *comedy* album presentation? (though Robin Williams line - "Listen... you can actually hear the sound of careers ending!" was the best of the night) Why not have acts who actually need the exposure perform instead of those who have already sold tons of cds this year? (Do we really need to see No Doubt, Faith Hill, The Dixie Chicks, Eminem, etc. on yet another awards show?) Why do I watch these shows expecting anything of substance? (yes, I have no life...)

I thought N*sync was surprisingly good... but it's also the first time I've heard them sing songs of any quality.

I Like Norah Jones, but I think her cd flatlines (and her producer and engineer won Grammys? It's all politics folks...)... I hope they let her show some range on the next one, but I'm afraid Robin Williams will be proven right...

And I'm with you snakie ("great minds...", eh?), I wish Bruce had done another song... there's so many better on that album.

"London Calling" was awesome.

Enough of me...

laters

t

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Bill: Turing Machine Users = Weak-kneed pussies.

Seriously, Turing machine is the name applied to the headers of anyone using the Anonymizer.com service.

Oh, and Turing guy a.k.a. Weak-kneed pussy = Mayer isn't close to being in Matthews league. His band could only wish to be as hot.

But I still like him.

StAl

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Can somebody tell me what the heck a Turing Machine is?

Someone said it's one of those free supermarket computers.
Buy $250 worth of groceries and get a free turkey OR a Turing Machine...

User: It's True... | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: St. Al...Of course you like John Mayer. He's a freakin Dave Matthews clone!!

User: Jimbo | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Hate to spoil the moment, but..

BAD NEWS:

Howie Epstein, former bassist for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers died of an apparent drug overdose yesterday. He was 47 years old.

Check Google search engine for further info.

R.I.P.

User: StAl........PS | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Oh, and yes, you are getting old!

Love, StAl

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: LP: Nope -- you're it. Got tired of Coldplay after two or three listens... More of that Brit Rock that pretty much makes me want to vomit...

But I like John Mayer!

Love StAl

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Howard - I am pretty sure he said he worked ¡mostly by ear when learning new jazz tunes.

User: lp | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: hey hey hey now - i said that was the least best song on that coldplay release that they chose to perform that night - listen to the rest of the coldplay release, really!!!

am i really the only coldplay fan in here, st al, you too?

lol/smirk

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: ¦: embarrasing? maybe, but it was just non-musical masturbation - how, oh how did that happen? with the Philharmonic? jeez!

ygk

User: Clas @ work | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Everybody's heard James Taylors "Fire & Rain", right?

The first time I heard the song was Blood Sweat & Tears's great version.

And now, Howard, Steeve and other chord freaks, listen to these chord-progressions during the line "...Susan the plans they made put an end to you...":

Left hand - Right hand

C - B E G

B - A D F#

A - G C E

G - A B D F#

Not very unusual this far, but the part is landing on this Cmaj6/7-5 kind of chord:

C - A B F#

Sounds just wonderful on an acoustic piano.

Sophisticated.

User: Gina | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Didn't keep track of the Grammy thang, instead watched the BAFTA award on BBC, the english equivalent of the Oscars. Some good comments were made regarding current american politics and how it should not cloud the minds of those who like america for all the nice things the country has to offer. although there might be criticism towards any kind of industry, as well the entertainment business, still, entertainment is meant to enjoy people, bring them relief and enable to spend time with loved ones and friends etc etc.
Found some real old old MGM postcards, calling cards and pictures of Hollywood-musical celebrities from way way back when, the Rita Hayworth-Ava Gardner-Gene Kelly-Mitzi Gaynor-Tyrone Power kinda folks.
Movies as well as music apt for creating dreams and illusions and escape, food for mind and some warmth on cold wintery lonely days perhaps. Those were different times in general.

It's strange to see who the heroes of nowadays young ones are.
And if they're truly a sign of their times or merely a dot along a line of neverending tissues :-) dancing to whatever need they're needed for.
Time will tell.
There are many faces as well as many voices out there.
Many strokes for different tastes.
Too much too many, often.

Won't be long now until it's May, eh?
hey Hutch, hope you enjoy these rare items. There aren't many of them to begin with :-) As soon as there's time to make a collection of the songs stuffed in the Mac, you'll find them in your mail :-)

off now, toodles as in ~~~slang,
G.

User: Dennis Hopper | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: You have a problem with Eminem? We call him "The Colonel" my friend.

Hey man you don't talk to the colonel, you listen to him.
The man's enlarged my mind, he's a poet-warrior in the classic sense.
I mean sometimes he'll... uh...well, you'll say hello to him right, and
he'll just walk right by you and he won't even notice you. And suddenly
he'll grab you and he'll throw you in a corner and he'll say "Do you know
that "IF" is the middle word in life? If you can keep your head when all
about you are losing thiers and blaming it on you...If you can trust
yourself when all men doubt you..." I mean I'm no...I cant..., I'm a
little man, I'm a little man, he's a great man... I should have been
a pair of ragged claws scuttling across floors of silent seas...

And what are they gonna say about him? What are they gonna say?
That he was a kind man? That he was a wise man? That he had plans?
That he had wisdom? Bullshit man!

User: Howard | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: 
Speculation on the new new one:

I'm encouraged/interested in the increased emphasis on analog recording and live tracking, but I don't think the sound will be so different to 2VN. These guys know what they like, and they've been refining their technique for many years. I reckon (despite the album title) that the sound will be close to 2VN, but a little looser. I'm keen to hear the drums have a little more fun, while still maintaining their duties in holding down the essential grooves.

Also, the "warmer" analog sound... again, I don't expect much of a difference to 2VN, more of a subtle change in tone. Each album tends to shift in small steps, and this will be another small step in the evolution of great music from SD.

Hutch - guitar solos. I too would love to hear a guitar solo or two from someone other than Walter, much as I love his playing. 4 WB solos and 2 from others sounds about right (leaving room for a few sax, trumpet solos etc). I'm not sure if Herington will be doing much soloing though - he seems to have found a slot as a reliable rhythm player (although his solos were superb during the tours). I think it will be other guitar players, if any, that get the non-WB guitar solo slots.

¦ - I've only hear the Paino Jazz once through, but I thought Donald said he worked *mostly* by ear when learning new jazz tunes? I need to listen again to check.

Howard

User: Schwinn | Month: 1 | Day: 25

Message: Argyle, Texas.

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: lp: Herbie was drunk with award giddy?

As a PSA, 'cause I had no clue about the jazz categories -

Will have to check out Directions

Field 10 ù Jazz

Category 45

Best Contemporary Jazz Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

* Speaking Of Now
Pat Metheny Group
[Warner Bros. Records]

Category 46

Best Jazz Vocal Album
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of VOCAL tracks.)

* Live In Paris
Diana Krall
[Verve Records]

Category 47

Best Jazz Instrumental Solo
(For an instrumental jazz solo performance. Two equal performers on one recording may be eligible as one entry. If the soloist listed appears on a recording billed to another artist, the latter's name is in parenthesis for identification. Singles or Tracks only.)

* My Ship
Herbie Hancock, soloist
Track from: Directions In Music (Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker & Roy Hargrove)
[Verve Music Group]

Category 48

Best Jazz Instrumental Album, Individual or Group
(For albums containing 51% or more playing time of INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

* Directions In Music
Herbie Hancock, Michael Brecker & Roy Hargrove
[Verve Music Group]

Category 49

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
(For large jazz ensembles, including big band sounds. Albums must contain 51% or more INSTRUMENTAL tracks.)

* What Goes Around
Dave Holland Big Band
[ECM]

Category 50

Best Latin Jazz Album
(Vocal or Instrumental.)

* The Gathering
Caribbean Jazz Project
[Concord Picante]

I like in My Place from the album, but YGK is right. The Moby/Midnight Oil giant dude progeny mutant playing that chord over and over and over and over and over and over and over while bobbing up and down over the piano was embarrassing!!!

Vanessa Whatshername has nice pipes and not a bad pino tinkler - if she could only take vocal lessons and stop mumbling into the mic...just growing old skuhl...

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: Hutch: On Piano Jazz the guys mentioned that they are putting more short little themes/phrases, pre-written sections into the music, like mini-birdges that Duke Ellington used to do. For example, there's this short section in Gaslighting Annie/Abbie just before Walter's fingernails on the chalkboard one note solo...also check the Annie outtro, TvN, Almost Gothic, Janie Runaway - just the notion of 2 sax solos.

That dovetails nicely into what may happen on EMG. A progression I've noticed over the years, emerging in Gaucho on tunes like My Rival (the instrumental break), and later on Century's End, Snowbound, Florida Room, Annie, TvN - title track, Almost Gothic, Negative Girls is the 3-D communication and interplay amonthe the instrruments. Almost conversational or more orchestral. The first albums through Aja feature sections of linear themes with clever accompaniment, done is a polished professional manner and sophistication to give it an ear candy flavor. But they've gotten increasingly more sophisticated, outside the metronomic grooves, allowing strange themes to intertwine and bounce off each other. Like a drunken German round meet Miles Davis. The outtro to Annie or TvN illustrate this nicely. The only early tunes that get close are Turn That Heartbeat Over Again instrumental bridge and King of the World outtro.

I expect continuance of said progression with a looser rhythm section this time around...maybe more Latin rhythms and more acoustic piano - will it be more like Katy or Monk (i.e., Fire in the Hole?)

All outtakes and live trial balloons are longshots, but then Black Cow, I Got the News, Brooklyn, Everyone's Gone to the Movies all stewed a while. There is a distant possibility that Wetside Story, I Got the Bear(!) a snippet from Kind Spirit might have snuck in - and there may be outtakes from TvN that we' haven't heard that may get pan fried. No chance on 2nd Arrangement unfortuantely and little or none on Can't Write Home About You, Kulee Baba, or Mr. Sam

Those horns from the stage played Live on Body and Soul knock your socks off. I expect some killer horns - some in the Ellington channeling Miles Davis vein and spurts with Potter digging the Shorter mother lode?

Randy: looking forward to the Larry Carlton report from Katy Lied!

C: Donald told Marian McPartland that he learned to play the Ellington tunes primarily from charts while listening to others. Evidentally, Marian plays by ear more than Dr. Fagen - plus she MET most of the Giants...

StAl: The Mentos video is hilarious - the scene with the Happy Days Al's place band is another one?

34 mph sustained on level ground? Your doc should be impressed - most mortals do 25, Tour de France 45, Breakin' Away kid behind a truck 55

User: Luckless Pedestrian at home | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: and another thing on the grammies to add to below:

could lou reed look any less interested in being there? it was so funny, the hermit! can you picture elvis costello storming his pad and saying "look if i gotta go, so do you!" i do love his music btw...

beer - thanks for the nod - the other "thing" i didn't like on their take on landslide, giving it more thought, is that their place of a twang on it makes the song lose some of its poignancy - yes, that's the ticket - something is missing when it became so forlorn

and wtf is up with herbie hancock gushing all over them anyway? i thought he had gone a little stir crazy there

and who miked up john mayer's guitar, it was off - and, i'm a big fan of his as you know, but he could use a little public speaking tips and stand up straight, dammit! LOL, god, i am old, aren't i? LOLOLOL

okay, enough, waiting for powerpoint to finish printing - and, just so you know, i'm using my homeland security money for... well, you don't care, do you?

nighty night ward!

User: Beth_Times_3 | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: From Bruce Cockburn Interview, Guitarist Magazine, Nov 1999.

"...-I must contribute to what I was doing. The choice wasn't unconscious the connection was..."

User: shatupandread | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: Subject: Chemical and Biological Attacks Read this; it may save your life.

Subject: A rational look at the WMD terror threat
A Soldier's Viewpoint on Surviving Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Attacks

From: SFC Red Thomas (Ret)
Armor Master Gunner
Mesa, AZ

Unlimited reproduction and distribution is authorized. Just give me credit for my work, and, keep in context.

Since the media has decided to scare everyone with predictions of chemical, biological, or nuclear warfare on our turf I decided to write a paper and keep things in their proper perspective. I am a retired military weapons, munitions, and training expert.

Lesson number one: In the mid 1990s there were a series of nerve gas attacks on crowded Japanese subway stations. Given perfect conditions for an attack less than 10% of the people there were injured (the injured were better in a few hours) and only one percent of the injured died. 60 Minutes once had a fellow telling us that one drop of nerve gas could kill a thousand people, well he didn't tell you the thousand dead people per drop was theoretical. Drill Sergeants exaggerate how terrible this stuff was to keep the recruits awake in class (I know this because I was a Drill Sergeant too).

Forget everything you've ever seen on TV, in the movies, or read in a novel about this stuff, it was all a lie (read this sentence again out loud!). These weapons are about terror, if you remain calm, you will probably not die. This is far less scary than the media and their "Experts," make it sound.

Chemical Weapons

Chemical weapons are categorized as nerve, blood, blister, and Incapacitating agents. Contrary to the hype of reporters and politicians they are not weapons of mass destruction they are "area denial," and terror weapons that don't destroy anything. When you leave the area you almost always leave the risk. That's the difference; you can leave the area and the risk but soldiers may have to stay put and sit through it and that's why they need all that spiffy gear. These are not gasses, they are vapors and/or air borne particles. The agent must be delivered in sufficient quantity to kill/injure, and that defines when/how it's used.

Every day we have a morning and evening inversion where "stuff," suspended in the air gets pushed down. This inversion is why allergies (pollen) and air pollution are worst at these times of the day. So, a chemical attack will have it's best effect an hour of so either side of sunrise/sunset. Also, being vapors and airborne particles they are heavier than air so they will seek low places like ditches, basements and underground garages.

This stuff won't work when it's freezing, it doesn't last when it's hot, and wind spreads it too thin too fast. They've got to get this stuff on you, or, get you to inhale it for it to work. They also have to get the concentration of chemicals high enough to kill or wound you. Too little and it's nothing, too much and it's wasted.

What I hope you've gathered by this point is that a chemical weapons attack that kills a lot of people is incredibly hard to do with military grade agents and equipment so you can imagine how hard it will be for terrorists. The more you know about this stuff the more you realize how hard it is to use.

We'll start by talking about nerve agents. You have these in your house, plain old bug killer (like Raid) is nerve agent. All nerve agents work the same way; they are cholinesterase inhibitors that mess up the signals your nervous system uses to make your body function. It can harm you if you get it on your skin but it works best if they can get you to inhale it. If you don't die in the first minute and you can leave the area you're probably gonna live.

The military's antidote for all nerve agents is atropine and pralidoxime chloride. Neither one of these does anything to cure the nerve agent, they send your body into overdrive to keep you alive for five minutes, after that the agent is used up. Your best protection is fresh air and staying calm. Listed below are the symptoms for nerve agent poisoning: Sudden headache, Dimness of vision (someone you're looking at will have pinpointed pupils), runny nose, excessive saliva or drooling, difficulty breathing, tightness in chest, nausea, stomach cramps, twitching of exposed skin where a liquid just got on you.

If you are in public and you start experiencing these symptoms, first ask yourself, did anything out of the ordinary just happen, a loud pop, did someone spray something on the crowd? Are other people getting sick too? Is there an odor of new mown hay, green corn, something fruity, or camphor where it shouldn't be? If the answer is yes, then calmly (if you panic you breathe faster and inhale more air/poison) leave the area and head up wind, or, outside. Fresh air is the best "right now antidote."

If you have a blob of liquid that looks like molasses or Kayro syrup on you; blot it or scrape it off and away from yourself with anything disposable. This stuff works based on your body weight, what a crop duster uses to kill bugs won't hurt you unless you stand there and breathe it in real deep, then lick the residue off the ground for a while. Remember they have to do all the work, they have to get the concentration up and keep it up for several minutes while all you have to do is quit getting it on you/quit breathing it by putting space between you and the attack.

Blood agents are cyanide or arsine which effect your blood's ability to provide oxygen to your tissue. The scenario for attack would be the same as nerve agent. Look for a pop or someone splashing/spraying something and folks around there getting woozy/falling down. The telltale smells are bitter almonds or garlic where it shouldn't be. The symptoms are blue lips, blue under the fingernails rapid breathing. The military's antidote is amyl nitride and just like nerve agent antidote it just keeps your body working for five minutes till the toxins are used up. Fresh air is the your best individual chance.

Blister agents (distilled mustard) are so nasty that nobody wants to even handle it let alone use it. It's almost impossible to handle safely and may have delayed effect of up to 12 hours. The attack scenario is also limited to the things you'd see from other chemicals. If you do get large, painful blisters for no apparent reason, don't pop them, if you must, don't let the liquid from the blister get on any other area, the stuff just keeps on spreading. It's just as likely to harm the user as the target. Soap, water, sunshine, and fresh air are this stuff's enemy.

Bottom line on chemical weapons (it's the same if they use industrial chemical spills); they are intended to make you panic, to terrorize you, to heard you like sheep to the wolves. If there is an attack, leave the area and go upwind, or to the sides of the wind stream. They have to get the stuff to you, and on you. You're more likely to be hurt by a drunk driver on any given day than be hurt by one of these attacks. Your odds get better if you leave the area. Soap, water, time, and fresh air really deal this stuff a knock-out-punch. Don't let fear of an isolated attack rule your life. The odds are really on your side.

Nuclear Weapons

Nuclear bombs. These are the only weapons of mass destruction on earth. The effects of a nuclear bomb are heat, blast, EMP, and radiation. If you see a bright flash of light like the sun, where the sun isn't, fall to the ground! The heat will be over a second. Then there will be two blast waves, one out going, and one on it's way back. Don't stand up to see what happened after the first wave; anything that's going to happen will have happened in two full minutes. These will be low yield devices and will not level whole cities. If you live through the heat, blast, and initial burst of radiation, you'll probably live for a very, very long time.

Radiation will not create fifty foot tall women, or giant ants and grass hoppers the size of tanks. These will be at the most 1 kiloton bombs; that's the equivalent of 1,000 tons of TNT. Here's the real deal, flying debris and radiation will kill a lot of exposed (not all!) people within a half mile of the blast. Under perfect conditions this is about a half mile circle of death and destruction, but, when it's done it's done.

EMP stands for Electro Magnetic Pulse and it will fry every electronic device for a good distance, it's impossible to say what and how far but probably not over a couple of miles from ground zero is a good
guess. Cars, cell phones, computers, ATMs, you name it, all will be out of order.

There are lots of kinds of radiation, you only need to worry about three, the others you have lived with for years. You need to worry about "Ionizing radiation," these are little sub atomic particles that go whizzing along at the speed of light. They hit individual cells in your body, kill the nucleus and keep on going. That's how you get radiation poisoning, you have so many dead cells in your body that the decaying cells poison you. It's the same as people getting radiation treatments for cancer, only a bigger area gets radiated. The good news is you don't have to just sit there and take it, and there's lots you can do rather than panic.

First; your skin will stop alpha particles, a page of a news paper or your clothing will stop beta particles, you just gotta try and avoid inhaling dust that's contaminated with atoms that are emitting these things and you'll be generally safe from them.

Gamma rays are particles that travel like rays (quantum physics makes my brain hurt) and they create the same damage as alpha and beta particles only they keep going and kill lots of cells as they go all the way through your body. It takes a lot to stop these things, lots of dense material, on the other hand it takes a lot of this to kill you. Your defense is as always to not panic. Basic hygiene and normal preparation are your friends. All canned or frozen food is safe to eat. The radiation poisoning will not effect plants so fruits and vegetables are OK if there's no dust on em (rinse em off if there is). If you don't have running water and you need to collect rain water or use water from wherever, just let it sit for thirty minutes and skim off the water gently from the top. The dust with the bad stuff in it will settle and the remaining water can be used for the toilet which will still work if you have a bucket of water to pour in the tank.

Biological Weapons

Finally there's biological warfare. There's not much to cover here. Basic personal hygiene and sanitation will take you further than a million doctors.

Wash your hands often, don't share drinks, food, sloppy kisses, etc., .... with strangers. Keep your garbage can with a tight lid on it, don't have standing water (like old buckets, ditches, or kiddie pools) laying around to allow mosquitoes breeding room. This stuff is carried by vectors, that is bugs, rodents, and contaminated material.

If biological warfare is so easy as the TV makes it sound, why has Saddam Hussein spent twenty years, millions, and millions of dollars trying to get it right?

If you're clean of person and home you eat well and are active you're gonna live. Overall preparation for any terrorist attack is the same as you'd take for a big storm. If you want a gas mask, fine, go get one. I know this stuff and I'm not getting one and I told my Mom not to bother with one either (how's that for confidence).

We have a week's worth of cash, several days worth of canned goods and plenty of soap and water. We don't leave stuff out to attract bugs or rodents so we don't have them. These people can't conceive a nation this big with this much resources. These weapons are made to cause panic, terror, and to demoralize. If we don't run around like sheep they won't use this stuff after they find out it's no fun.

The government is going nuts over this stuff because they have to protect every inch of America. You've only gotta protect yourself, and by doing that, you help the country. Finally, there are millions of caveats to everything I wrote here and you can think up specific scenarios where my advice isn't the best. This letter is supposed to help the greatest number of people under the greatest number of situations.

If you don't like my work, don't nit pick, just sit down and explain chemical, nuclear, and biological warfare in a document around three pages long yourself. This is how we the people of the United States can rob these people of their most desired goal, your terror.

SFC Red Thomas (Ret)
Armor Master Gunner
Mesa, AZ

User: father william | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: Aja: All I can say is "OUCH"! The last time I did something like that was last summer on a bike path in Woodland Park, CO in the dark. I hadn't noticed earlier while driving past that a section of the path had washed out. You're never too old for a bit of gymnastics training. The best vault I ever did was during a 30 mph road race pileup - nailed the landing and realized that landing with cleats that protrude leaves something to be desired.

User: father william | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: Aja: All I can say is "OUCH"! The last time I did something like that was last summer on a bike path in Woodland Park, CO in the dark. I hadn't noticed earlier while driving past that a section of the path had washed out. You're never too old for a bit of gymnastics training. The best vault I ever did was during a 30 mph road race pileup - nailed the landing and realized that landing with cleats that protrude leaves something to be desired.

User: Beerberian | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: LP; "I think the dixie chicks have great voices, but nobody can beat stevie on landslide - maybe i'm getting old" ........Yes, Definitely !! & Hell NO !

User: sh | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: 
lp - i agree with you on the "urban accent" thing - sounds really dumb...i live in the same general part of michigan that Eminememmemem is from...i drive by that house that was for sale on ebay for a zillion $$ almost every day...and i don't talk like that...

yo, whaat up dawg??....uh..ahem...excuse me...

heheheheh

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: Norah's good and her album is great. Bruce Lundwall turned down Eva Cassidy because she was - "not jazz - not folk - not rock". A move he publicly regreted and then signed Norah ... . Cassandra Wilson (another Lundvall signee) does more or less what Norah does¦ but with maturity and wisdom, but shes not young & white ... .

User: lp | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: ouch aja!

no st al, haven't seen that movie - only one theater on the island and he's really into foreign films at the moment - supposedly he serves great pizza though and our councilors gave him a wine and beer license to boot!

i am a big michael moore fan as i am al franken - saw michael moore speak on the planning profession actually at a conference a few years back and he was brilliant!

29% republican, how did you fare, st al?

User: Aja....................all bruised up | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: No, Aus, not what you think-LOL! I'm home recuperating today-I crashed my bike into the asphalt at 34 mph when the guy in front of me didn't signal there was a road hazard. My doctor can't believe I walked away (okay, limped) with just nasty bruises and torn muscles. He put me on the disabled list for at least a month, but being a compulsive triathlete, I plan to start training again next week. Hope everyone else had a better weekend!

Hey, there's a worm back in the house! Wish I were going to Jazzfest, wormy. You'll just have to have some extra Crawfish Monica for me ;o)

My new favorite song, "Don't Know Why", ran away with the Grammies!

Aja

User: W1P | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: Norah's great. But Bruce should have won best album. I thought Dave Grohl had the best vocal pass on London Calling -- complete with accent -- even better than Elvis.

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: However, next year Norah will begin her rapping career, appearing on a new Eminem tune about the historic signifigance of Swedish bathroom habits, tentatively titled, "Swedish Urinary Tracks".
I don't find her boring, but pleasantly pensive. It would be nice to hear her really play........

LP: so that was Coldplay? yyyyyyyyyyyyyyech! what a waste of use of a grand piano........

Shameless PLUG!
...................and speaking of new music...................

CORE NYC has a release date!
March 27th at Coda, 34 East 34th Street

Finally finished............

more to follow.......

ygk

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: Clas: Oh I disagree. Even though I don't care for her music she most certainly doesn't deserve to lumped into that category. She'll be around for a long time to come I'm sure.

pssst: Now that is funny.

Anyone seen Bowling For Columbine yet? LP? I've got tickets to see Michael Moore speak at a local college in April. Can't wait. Want some fun reading, check out his website: www.michaelmoore.com

StAl

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: StAl - absoloutely my point on Norah Jones so called "soul - blues - music".

She's gone from the music scene next year.

She's just the same fake as Britney, Spice Girls and whatever they call themselves.

Goodnight.

User: psssst - the scoop from inside sources: | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: As we know WB sings one song. Well guess what - there's only one song one the entire album. It's a 45 minute song with the majority of the intrumental passages performed on Jew's harp, accordion, and that virtually silent but deadly portable keyboard DF plays live. Carlock plays the occasional washboard, which just doesn't translate to digital very well; hence the analog production. The title track - the only track - also features the newest member of the bare midrift section, Joan Rivers.

Also, lyrically, EMG borrows heavily from an old Yiddish folk tale involving midgets, UFOs, and an extinct species of mountain goat native to what's currently known as the Kingdom of Morovia.

Label representatives are said to be "dismayed" and "baffled", but are enthusiastic about what's sure to be a strong Grammy presence by EMG in 2003.

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: >...are what I call "music". Sophisticated ...

And BORING

Love, StAl

User: Speaking of backup singing... | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: ...Jackson Browne with his excellent band are playing here in Stockholm March 23.

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: If Steely Dan tours again I wish they skip the lame babe-choire.

Put in some real voices, 2 male and 2 females, just for making "...the Cuervo Gold..." "...Peg, it will come back..." and other songs sound better.

More substance in the backup voxes.

User: lp | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: ygk - lol- though i am a big coldplay fan, that song is my least favorite on that release and was surprised that was their chosen song to do, given that release had many other better tunes

in general, i do like, however, bands that float some strings into their music ala FM, Pink Floyd and many others

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: St. Al: those sounds you heard coming from Norah and her band are what I call "music". Sophisticated ordered sound with soul - an intangible - most in the industry, don't get.
I know you have a wide palette of musical appreciation, bud. But I think the industry is to trying to get home to where the heart is. And she's a perfect start.
Simple, laid back sounds played by musicians.......she and her band actually created those sounds with the skill in their fingers and voices. Amazing, huh?

Who was that jerk banging the same piano chord for 5 minutes? Was that Coldplay? It was horrendous........I heard the Philharmonic had to wear gag-bags so they didn't lose it on nationwide TV.

ygk

User: angel | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: I managed to get through about 2/3rds of the Grammys. Actually, I thought Bruce looked better then I had seen him in years. Couldn't tell what song he was singing though (I now hear it was indeed, "The Rising"). My little one going to sleep and had to keep the volume down. :-(
What was the rap duet thing? I was thinking that Frank Sinatra would have been shocked.
LP: Same thing went through my mind regarding the fire set. Very bad taste.

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: Wow! 8 Grammys.

I still don't get it.

LP: Yeah -- Bruuuuuuzzzzzzze. But frankly, his shtick got old around 1980...

Mu: Grohl does that to you too, 'eh? Funniest man in Rock and Roll. Save Walter Becker whose humor is typically too high-brow for most rockers.

Is it May yet?

StAl

User: different drummer | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: maybe the kid will go out on the road with them this time

interesting resume

http://solutionsnetwork.yamaha.com/knowledge/artists/drums/artists.asp?artist=109

User: ym row | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: Encouraging signs for Everything Must Go

1) analog not completely digital - warmer, gentler hifi
2) live tracks - maybe they didn't sample the drummer to the millisecond
2) 2 years 3 months and with a summer tour thrown in there to boot
3) a different drummer - http://www.planethoffman.com/jazz/jphotocarlock6153.htm - stew copeland's younger bro?
4) 6 string slingers Herrington, McCracken and Becker
5) more Ted Baker (hopefully higher in the mix)
6) no mention of a bare midriff section
7) name popping like Pharah Sanders (excuse the Tommy James irrevelance)
8) Walter gets to sing and it won't be a starkey throwaway
9) same production crew plus one
10) Don's adding his classic ivory embellishments
11) no side diversions with honey mustard or swedish cookies campaigns

User: lp | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: hey, i enjoyed watching the grammies for once - i did turn in at 11 EST, though

it was great to have the show more packed with performances than stand-up crap

i was disappointed more awards' presentations weren't shown, i had gotten used to not seeing the jazz awards shown anymore, but even alternative taken out??? - i am a coldplay fan and was happy they got an award

kudos also to pat metheny - but what did herbie hancock win for?

norah was wonderful in her humble slam that she didn't think her music would be appreciated by the pop industry or words to that effect - her performance was excellent though my god, she looked nervous, again, cool to see a little humility

in contrast to avril who proved she cannot sing without hyper-engineering behind her

no doubt is okay (she has better "range", dare i say, than avril, at least)but i get tired of the girl group anger/look at me thing many of them got going - the "industry" may agree given the awards bestowed upon norah jones

bruce was laughable i thought - his "working man" look just doesn't work anymore and his whining is no longer cool

eminem was just a lost soul out there, really looked like he felt out of place - i hate that "urban" accent too, it really gets tiresome and i know i'm a new england snob, but accents can make you look dumb, it's not fair, not right, but it happens

i think the dixie chicks have great voices, but nobody can beat stevie on landslide - maybe i'm getting old

the fire/pyro effects were completely distasteful imo, given the event that occurred in rhode island - i usually don't think this way on hyper-inflated-reverance to current events, but the event was in new york, not los angeles, which is closer to home and culture to rhode island - they should have known better

i actually thought it was pretty gutsy of In-Stink to give a go at singing Bee Gees tunes and i think they did admirably at it - i was shocked that they pulled it off but i think they did

i was hoping the handel & hayden society in boston would have taken the classical music award, but they lost

sheryl crow was as usual awesome! she is very cool

off to brave the harbor winds, enjoy!

User: Randy | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: 
Cheers to "Hutch" and "¦" for the inclusion of not only Steely content, but content that relates to the NEW one, 'Everything Must Go.' Surely the Pharaoh Sanders reference infers some blistering atonal sax work, with the Tommy James reference being somewhat more arcane: perhaps a musical allusion to an obscure song in the James catalog, or a quick passing phrase that relates to a hit ("Mony Mony"?); who, as always, can tell?

Lo the many questions that pop and sizzle in the synapses of Steely fans across the globe - will there be fewer horns and more guitar? Will the song on which Becker sings be the bristling stunner many have waited for? Will old(er) songs, which previously suffered the tyranny of the disallowed, be refurbished and presented anew? (Don't count on that one, babies.)

In closing, what else can one due but speculate and ponder, but in the end, we'll just have to fucking wait now, won't we? Rest assured, it's but a mere few WEEKS until some semblance of a single begins to traverse the dull, repetitive and uninspiring airwaves; and who will be the first to hear and post about it? Stay tuned, as they say.

ALSO: During my continual research of Steely history, I have recently received official word from Larry Carlton on his role in the 1975 'Katy Lied' sessions; all information will be forthcoming when some further confirmations have been made; stay tuned for that as well-

Randy
NIGHTFLY62@aol.com

User: sh | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: 
I was kind of bored with the Grammys...I love Bruce and his lyrics are always great...but The Rising is one boring song...yawn. I do think Norah is adorable and has a definite style/sound. I wish Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock had done a different song. I've always thought Erykah Badu was cool and loved her sound...but she looked like an idiot not being able to read a teleprompter. Aretha's been my singing idol forever - but the way she looked last night scared me...lol

Jimbo - Looks like you called it!

Tones - impressive list...i've only heard a few of those artists...but i trust in your good taste ;-)

User: Hutch | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: Mu - Yes, Randy's post #1263 pretty well sums up what my first draft was all about. And things like post #1386 (seemingly one of an endless series) was another part of it as well. But we won't dwell on all that except to say "ENOUGH ALREADY" !!!!!

Congrats to Norah Jones. So nice to see real music making a comeback. Let's hope it continues. I can do without "Da Boss", but that's just me.

Speculation about EMG... As I said before, I wouldn't be surprised to see more guest guitarists on the lead solos. Actually I would welcome it. As much as I like Walter's style and tone (that Bogner amp kicks ass) it would be nice to have some variety in that area. We know that Jon Herington played on several tracks. Most likely he'll be playing more solos. After all he really proved himself on the 2000 tour IMO.
Although Becker and Fagen know they can't please everybody I'm leaning toward thinking that they've heard the cries for "more edge" to the songs. Well, at least for some of them. I doubt that they'll completely abandon the laid back jazz groove they've come to love recently. Fake jazz or real jazz? Hopefully we'll hear a little of both. Plus we know that WB sings on one cut. There's your edge.
Horns will likely play a big part again. Wouldn't it be interesting though if there were no horns at all except for an occasional sax solo? Unlikely but it would be different wouldn't it? (Think Kid Charlemagne).
Will Wetside Story, Cash Only Island or 2nd Arrangement show up on EMG. I doubt it. I'm sure they've abandoned those songs in favor of keeping things new and fresh. Of course Jack of Speed made it from 1996 to 2vN but that's just a great song that simply couldn't be put aside.
Well the light just went out in my crystal ball. Now we can all go to John Pilger's home page and hope the endless cut and paste here will end.

But I doubt it.

Hutch

User: Teewha | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: YM Row...I couldn't disagree with you more. I thought all of the performance were really good. I guess you weren't paying much attention. After all Dustin Hoffman wasn't the host. Oh yeah, I thought "Cousing Dupree" was really good.

User: ym row | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: Grammys

A weak year should make a weak show.

Dustin Hoffman runs the show, hell Robin Williams could have done better with complete walk on ad libbing.

Was waiting for Eminem to say "I'd like to thank Steely Dan for not releasing an album this year" ala Paul Simon/Stevie Wonder in the 70's

Norah Jones handled herself well, maybe record labels will start giving us more of this variety and less souless Britney Agrullera clones.

John Mayer was a trip.

Peter Gabriel looking Dwarfish closes the show?

London Calling was entertaining. But did we really need another Bee Gees tribute?

Still can't fathom how Steely Dan won with Cousing Dupree last year?

User: pretzel_logic | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: You mention the new Dan album coming out in May as being recorded in analog. I welcome this. Isn't live music analog? I personally haven't found any CD's that were also released on vinyl to even come close to the sound of a good clean LP. I will admit that some digitally recorded LP's I have sound wonderful, Joe Jacksons "Body and Soul" is spectacular, but also better sounding on LP than the CD. I wish all the new albums would be released on vinyl, that would be the ultimate.

Brian

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: Looks like Ashley Kahn extensivly refers to Steely Dan. In the new Mojo (#112)he writes about record company Impulse! and it's history:

"But the second golden age of Impulse was brief. "It lasted two or three years," Backer notes. A paucity of best-sellers from the pop side of the company - Steely Dan were ABC's sole hit act during that period - meant "you feel it in the jazz end"."

L

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: Thanks Mu for your elucidation re the French. Very impressive and soooo razor-sharp argument. And that take on fascism did for sure convince me that we can feel secure here in Europe. Keep up with your studies!

L

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 24

Message: William Russell, the great correspondent who reported the carnage of imperial wars, may have first used the expression "blood on his hands" to describe impeccable politicians who, at a safe distance, order the mass killing of ordinary people.

In my experience "on his hands" applies especially to those modern political leaders who have had no personal experience of war, like George W Bush, who managed not to serve in Vietnam, and the effete Tony Blair.

There is about them the essential cowardice of the man who causes death and suffering not by his own hand but through a chain of command that affirms his "authority".

In 1946 the judges at Nuremberg who tried the Nazi leaders for war crimes left no doubt about what they regarded as the gravest crimes against humanity.

The most serious was unprovoked invasion of a sovereign state that offered no threat to one's homeland. Then there was the murder of civilians, for which responsibility rested with the "highest authority".

Blair is about to commit both these crimes, for which he is being denied even the flimsiest United Nations cover now that the weapons inspectors have found, as one put it, "zilch".

Like those in the dock at Nuremberg, he has no democratic cover.

Using the archaic "royal prerogative" he did not consult parliament or the people when he dispatched 35,000 troops and ships and aircraft to the Gulf; he consulted a foreign power, the Washington regime.

Unelected in 2000, the Washington regime of George W Bush is now totalitarian, captured by a clique whose fanaticism and ambitions of "endless war" and "full spectrum dominance" are a matter of record.

All the world knows their names: Bush, Rumsfeld, Rice, Wolfowitz, Cheney and Perle, and Powell, the false liberal. Bush's State of the Union speech last night was reminiscent of that other great moment in 1938 when Hitler called his generals together and told them: "I must have war." He then had it.

To call Blair a mere "poodle" is to allow him distance from the killing of innocent Iraqi men, women and children for which he will share responsibility.

He is the embodiment of the most dangerous appeasement humanity has known since the 1930s. The current American elite is the Third Reich of our times, although this distinction ought not to let us forget that they have merely accelerated more than half a century of unrelenting American state terrorism: from the atomic bombs dropped cynically on Japan as a signal of their new power to the dozens of countries invaded, directly or by proxy, to destroy democracy wherever it collided with American "interests", such as a voracious appetite for the world's resources, like oil.

When you next hear Blair or Straw or Bush talk about "bringing democracy to the people of Iraq", remember that it was the CIA that installed the Ba'ath Party in Baghdad from which emerged Saddam Hussein.

"That was my favourite coup," said the CIA man responsible. When you next hear Blair and Bush talking about a "smoking gun" in Iraq, ask why the US government last December confiscated the 12,000 pages of Iraq's weapons declaration, saying they contained "sensitive information" which needed "a little editing".

Sensitive indeed. The original Iraqi documents listed 150 American, British and other foreign companies that supplied Iraq with its nuclear, chemical and missile technology, many of them in illegal transactions. In 2000 Peter Hain, then a Foreign Office Minister, blocked a parliamentary request to publish the full list of lawbreaking British companies. He has never explained why.

As a reporter of many wars I am constantly aware that words on the page like these can seem almost abstract, part of a great chess game unconnected to people's lives.

The most vivid images I carry make that connection. They are the end result of orders given far away by the likes of Bush and Blair, who never see, or would have the courage to see, the effect of their actions on ordinary lives: the blood on their hands.

Let me give a couple of examples. Waves of B52 bombers will be used in the attack on Iraq. In Vietnam, where more than a million people were killed in the American invasion of the 1960s, I once watched three ladders of bombs curve in the sky, falling from B52s flying in formation, unseen above the clouds.

They dropped about 70 tons of explosives that day in what was known as the "long box" pattern, the military term for carpet bombing. Everything inside a "box" was presumed destroyed.

When I reached a village within the "box", the street had been replaced by a crater.

I slipped on the severed shank of a buffalo and fell hard into a ditch filled with pieces of limbs and the intact bodies of children thrown into the air by the blast.

The children's skin had folded back, like parchment, revealing veins and burnt flesh that seeped blood, while the eyes, intact, stared straight ahead. A small leg had been so contorted by the blast that the foot seemed to be growing from a shoulder. I vomited.

I am being purposely graphic. This is what I saw, and often; yet even in that "media war" I never saw images of these grotesque sights on television or in the pages of a newspaper.

I saw them only pinned on the wall of news agency offices in Saigon as a kind of freaks' gallery.

SOME years later I often came upon terribly deformed Vietnamese children in villages where American aircraft had sprayed a herbicide called Agent Orange.

It was banned in the United States, not surprisingly for it contained Dioxin, the deadliest known poison.

This terrible chemical weapon, which the cliche-mongers would now call a weapon of mass destruction, was dumped on almost half of South Vietnam.

Today, as the poison continues to move through water and soil and food, children continue to be born without palates and chins and scrotums or are stillborn. Many have leukaemia.

You never saw these children on the TV news then; they were too hideous for their pictures, the evidence of a great crime, even to be pinned up on a wall and they are old news now.

That is the true face of war. Will you be shown it by satellite when Iraq is attacked? I doubt it.

I was starkly reminded of the children of Vietnam when I travelled in Iraq two years ago. A paediatrician showed me hospital wards of children similarly deformed: a phenomenon unheard of prior to the Gulf war in 1991.

She kept a photo album of those who had died, their smiles undimmed on grey little faces. Now and then she would turn away and wipe her eyes.

More than 300 tons of depleted uranium, another weapon of mass destruction, were fired by American aircraft and tanks and possibly by the British.

Many of the rounds were solid uranium which, inhaled or ingested, causes cancer. In a country where dust carries everything, swirling through markets and playgrounds, children are especially vulnerable.

For 12 years Iraq has been denied specialist equipment that would allow its engineers to decontaminate its southern battlefields.

It has also been denied equipment and drugs that would identify and treat the cancer which, it is estimated, will affect almost half the population in the south.

LAST November Jeremy Corbyn MP asked the Junior Defence Minister Adam Ingram what stocks of weapons containing depleted uranium were held by British forces operating in Iraq.

His robotic reply was: "I am withholding details in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information."

Let us be clear about what the Bush-Blair attack will do to our fellow human beings in a country already stricken by an embargo run by America and Britain and aimed not at Saddam Hussein but at the civilian population, who are denied even vaccines for the children. Last week the Pentagon in Washington announced matter of factly that it intended to shatter Iraq "physically, emotionally and psychologically" by raining down on its people 800 cruise missiles in two days.

This will be more than twice the number of missiles launched during the entire 40 days of the 1991 Gulf War.

A military strategist named Harlan Ullman told American television: "There will not be a safe place in Baghdad. The sheer size of this has never been seen before, never been contemplated before."

The strategy is known as Shock and Awe and Ullman is apparently its proud inventor. He said: "You have this simultaneous effect, rather like the nuclear weapons at Hiroshima, not taking days or weeks but minutes."

What will his "Hiroshima effect" actually do to a population of whom almost half are children under the age of 14?

The answer is to be found in a "confidential" UN document, based on World Health Organisation estimates, which says that "as many as 500,000 people could require treatment as a result of direct and indirect injuries".

A Bush-Blair attack will destroy "a functioning primary health care system" and deny clean water to 39 per cent of the population. There is "likely [to be] an outbreak of diseases in epidemic if not pandemic proportions".

It is Washington's utter disregard for humanity, I believe, together with Blair's lies that have turned most people in this country against them, including people who have not protested before.

Last weekend Blair said there was no need for the UN weapons inspectors to find a "smoking gun" for Iraq to be attacked.

Compare that with his reassurance in October 2001 that there would be no "wider war" against Iraq unless there was "absolute evidence" of Iraqi complicity in September 11. And there has been no evidence.

Blair's deceptions are too numerous to list here. He has lied about the nature and effect of the embargo on Iraq by covering up the fact that Washington, with Britain's support, is withholding more than $5billion worth of humanitarian supplies approved by the Security Council.

He has lied about Iraq buying aluminium tubes, which he told Parliament were "needed to enrich uranium". The International Atomic Energy Agency has denied this outright.

He has lied about an Iraqi "threat", which he discovered only following September 11 2001 when Bush made Iraq a gratuitous target of his "war on terror". Blair's "Iraq dossier" has been mocked by human rights groups.

However, what is wonderful is that across the world the sheer force of public opinion isolates Bush and Blair and their lemming, John Howard in Australia.

So few people believe them and support them that The Guardian this week went in search of the few who do - "the hawks". The paper published a list of celebrity warmongers, some apparently shy at describing their contortion of intellect and morality. It is a small list.

IN CONTRAST the majority of people in the West, including the United States, are now against this gruesome adventure and the numbers grow every day.

It is time MPs joined their constituents and reclaimed the true authority of parliament. MPs like Tam Dalyell, Alice Mahon, Jeremy Corbyn and George Galloway have stood alone for too long on this issue and there have been too many sham debates manipulated by Downing Street.

If, as Galloway says, a majority of Labour backbenchers are against an attack, let them speak up now.

Blair's figleaf of a "coalition" is very important to Bush and only the moral power of the British people can bring the troops home without them firing a shot.

The consequences of not speaking out go well beyond an attack on Iraq. Washington will effectively take over the Middle East, ensuring an age of terrorism other than their own.

The next American attack is likely to be Iran - the Israelis want this - and their aircraft are already in place in Turkey. Then it may be China's turn.

"Endless war" is Vice-President Cheney's contribution to our understanding.

Bush has said he will use nuclear weapons "if necessary". On March 26 last Geoffrey Hoon said that other countries "can be absolutely confident that in the right conditions we would be willing to use our nuclear weapons".

Such madness is the true enemy. What's more, it is right here at home and you, the British people, can stop it.

John Pilger

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Lars: Some great (non-political) science coming out of Paris - Here's an instance where a German and 7 French scientists have collaborated to link 2 major causes of aging: reductioin in growth hormone (& its downstream protein of action - insulin-like growth factor or IGF-1) AND free radicals or oxidative stress first articulated by Denham Harman in 1956...been thinking about this for a while. They used transgenic models where a gene is removed or added. Just published in Nature, the premier basic science journal in the world:

Holzenberger, M. et al. (2003). IGF-1 receptor regulates lifespan and resistance to oxidative stress in mice. Nature. 421: 182-187.

An instant classic...

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Jimbo : Yes, that talented crowd with Norah accepting Album of the Year Grammy said it all... It's the Musicianship, Stupid!

Simon and Garfunkel was a great and surprising moment - Garfunkel still sounds great...just thinking about how "Hearts and Bones" would have sounded if Paul hadn't erased Garfunkel's vocals weeks before the release..."Rene & Georgette Magritte and Their Dog After the War" If I close my eyes, I can hear Garfunkel harmonizing on the bridge...

User: HA! | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Aja- NORAH JONES RULES!!!!!!!!

hahahahahahahahahahahahsa

User: Jimbo | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: GRAMMY WRAPUP PT2

AND HOW ABOUT SIMON AND GARFUNKEL? What did you think?

User: Jimbo | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: GRAMMY WRAPUP PT 1.

The people who ran the telprompter for the presenters seemed to be more qualified to work at McDonalds than they crappy job done tonight. That's why I eat at Subway. ;)

EVERYONE- Last spring when I was one of the first to bring up the name Norah Jones, we had a very good debate about it. I mentioned that she was an alternative to the top 40 driven that we've been bombarded with.

And with all due respect to those who had good reason to disagree with me,
all I can say is... I TOLD YOU SO! I TOLD YOU SO! I TOLD YOU SO!

ALBUM OF THE YEAR (or the Steely Dan award)
NEW ARTIST
RECORD OF THE YEAR
POP VOCAL ALBUM
Plus..
BEST ENGINEERED ALBUM
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR-Arif Mardin
SONG OF THE YEAR (Don't Know Why) Jesse Harris

Norah showed her contemporaries how it's done. It's all about the music.
You can debate if you want, but in your hearts, you'd prefer her over an
album of N'Stink singing Bee Gee tunes. Maurice must be turning in his grave now.

I was surprised that Bruce only won two. More surprised that Norah beat
Bruce for Album of the Year. But Bruce recorded a great album as well.

Dixie Chicks and Johnny Cash won and proved to be more country than the sorry Faith Hill.

Happy that John Mayer got a grammy for Best Male Vocal. He'll get more in the coming years.

I thought that the new President of the RIAA was thoughtful in explaining the powerful force that music brings in these crazy times.

Kim Cattrall deserves better than to be on stage with P.Diddy or is it
Puff Daddy. (Maybe she could have stood next to me;) )

Did anyone see the Grammys? What did you think?

User: ¦ - the Whysing | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: hint

User: ¦ - Br¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ce | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Norah Jones would like to thank the engineers and producers of the Academy who also voted for Two Against Nature...they know a quality recording when they hear it...

Ashanti has a nice Stevie Wonder-lite like touch, Norah - elegant, James Taylor - immaculate...pretty good London Calling finale...Dave Groh cracks me up with just a look. Is his girlfriend legal?

Lars: ??????? just ask your Dad or Uncle, wait, better make that someone's uncle in Finland or Norway...obviously yes as national movements

Define Nazi-sim as a form a government - hit; think business structure relationship. This is an open book pop quiz...

Hutch: I agree, now won't you comment on the thread Randy and I and I are batting around re: EMG...

reviewing a paper on carbon dioxide prevention of proliferation of free radicals...write your own joke here...

User: Long Gisland | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Bill- Good job. You're starting to sound more and more like Clas.

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Eminem wins a grammy for Best Rap Album!

Eat your heart out Steely Dan. The man has finally redeemed himself as
the formost songwriter of the last 50 years. The man has purpose.
Your primitive skills are nothing in his presence. You must feel like
all those 50's guys when the Beatles landed at JFK in 1964. I pity you.

(Do I sound like Dennis Hopper in Apocalyse Now yet?)

User: Hutch | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Gina! What a great surprise I found in my mailbox! Thank you so much for the cds. I'll be checking them out tonight. That was very kind. You're a sweetheart. By the way, the friends that I traveled with to London and Paris two years ago are talking about another trip this Fall. Looks like it's going to be London and Amsterdam this time so maybe we can have that cup of tea after all.
I can't believe I'm actually going to Amsterdam. Of course I would never set foot in one of those "coffee houses". Oh no. Never. Not me.
Let's just say I'll think I've died and gone to heaven.

My humble 2 cents:
More Dan talk, less war talk.
(the original "my humble 2 cents" draft was much longer, but I didn't want to seem overbearing so I edited it down to six words)

Hutch

User: 15 Watt Bulb | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Yo! I'm in the chatroom as we speak.
You think you can take on my friends and I?
Show up and find out...

User: Beers missin' the rockies | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Oh Man I miss those hills.............

But I cling on to the constant , that IS this GB ... I am back in this GREEN and peasant (yes) pheasant land, butt my heart still rests with the Denver Nuggets cheerleaders.... Hey Coach Play the F****** Mascot - Rocky, he can out-score the whole 5 cent team !! (opinion based on one game vs some timberwolf types)

User: Moll | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Beth, I'll heed your advice for now and wear a latex dress. Although I'm leaning towards a lycra catsuit instead. I decided to go with a red one as Fife suggested. I think it'll look nice with my newly dyed, whiplash blonde hair. Can't decide on fishnet or seamed stockings? Do you think stilleto-heeled boots are over the top? Any imput will be appreciated. ;) I loved Bruce Cockburn btw. Now on to kickboxing classes... A chat slayer's work is never done.
Clas, I love your stories... please continue *kisses*

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Molly dear, did I ever tell you about my grandpa (my mothers dad)?

He had this great idea of having food, beer, cigarrettes and moist snuff, available for people any time around the clock.

With two (2) empty hands he started to build a chain of convinience stores. He opened his first store in Joggeb÷l (north part of Sweden), and he named it "5 NINE".

To be continued. Got to go.

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Don't mention the war in Afghanistan
The near collapse of peace in this savage land is a narrative erased from the mind of Americans
By Robert Fisk - 05 February 2003

http://www.independent.co.uk/story.jsp?story=375608

There's one sure bet about the statement to be made to the UN Security Council today by the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell û or by General Colin Powell as he has now been mysteriously reassigned by the American press: he won't be talking about Afghanistan.

For since the Afghan war is the "successful" role model for America's forthcoming imperial adventure across the Middle East, the near-collapse of peace in this savage land and the steady erosion of US forces in Afghanistan û the nightly attacks on American and other international troops, the anarchy in the cities outside Kabul, the warlordism and drug trafficking and steadily increasing toll of murders û are unmentionables, a narrative constantly erased from the consciousness of Americans who are now sending their young men and women by the tens of thousands to stage another "success" story.

This article is written in President George Bush's home state of Texas, where the flags fly at half-staff for the Columbia crew, where the dispatch to the Middle East of further troops of the 108th Air Defence Artillery Brigade from Fort Bliss and the imminent deployment from Holloman Air Force Base in neighbouring New Mexico of undisclosed numbers of F-117 Nighthawk stealth bombers earned a mere 78-word down-page inside "nib" report in the local Austin newspaper.

Only in New York and Washington do the neo-conservative pundits suggest û obscenely û that the death of the Columbia crew may well have heightened America's resolve and "unity" to support the Bush adventure in Iraq. A few months ago, we would still have been asked to believe that the post-war "success" in Afghanistan augured well for the post-war success in Iraq.

So let's break through the curtain for a while and peer into the fastness of the land that both President Bush and Prime Minister Blair promised not to forget. Hands up those who know that al-Qa'ida has a radio station operating inside Afghanistan which calls for a holy war against America? It's true. Hands up again anyone who can guess how many of the daily weapons caches discovered by US troops in the country have been brought into Afghanistan since America's "successful" war? Answer: up to 25 per cent.

Have any US troops retreated from their positions along the Afghan-Pakistan border? None, you may say. And you would be wrong. At least five positions, according to Pakistani sources on the other side of the frontier, only one of which has been admitted by US forces. On 11 December, US troops abandoned their military outpost at Lwara after nightly rocket attacks which destroyed several American military vehicles. Their Afghan allies were driven out only days later and al-Qa'ida fighters then stormed the US compound and burnt it to the ground.

It's a sign of just how seriously America's mission in Afghanistan is collapsing that the majestically conservative Wall Street Journal û normally a beacon of imperial and Israeli policy in the Middle East and South-west Asia û has devoted a long and intriguing article to the American retreat, though of course that's not what the paper calls it.

"Soldiers still confront an invisible enemy,'' is the title of Marc Kaufman's first-class investigation, a headline almost identical to one which appeared over a Fisk story a year or so after Russia's invasion of Afghanistan in 1979-80. The soldiers in my dispatch, of course, were Russian. Indeed, just as I recall the Soviet officer who told us all at Bagram air base that the "mujahedin terrorism remnants" were all that was left of the West's conspiracy against peace-loving (and Communist) Afghans, so I observed the American spokesmen û yes, at the very same Bagram air base û who today cheerfully assert that al-Qa'ida "remnants" are all that are left of Bin Laden's legions.

Training camps have been set up inside Afghanistan again, not û as the Americans think û by the recalcitrant forces of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's anti-American Afghans, but by Arabs. The latest battle between US forces and enemy "remnants" near Spin Boldak in Kandahar provinceinvolved further Arab fighters, as my colleague Phil Reeves reported. Hekmatyar's Hezb-i-Islami forces have been "forging ties" with al-Qa'ida and the Taliban; which is exactly what the mujahedin "terrorist remnants" did among themselves in the winter of 1980, a year after the Soviet invasion.

An American killed by a newly placed landmine in Khost; 16 civilians blown up by another newly placed mine outside Kandahar; grenades tossed at Americans or international troops in Kabul; further reports of rape and female classroom burnings in the north of Afghanistan û all these events are now acquiring the stale status of yesterday's war.

So be sure that Colin Powell will not be boasting to the Security Council today of America's success in the intelligence war in Afghanistan. It's one thing to claim that satellite pictures show chemicals being transported around Iraq, or that telephone intercepts prove Iraqi scientists are still at their dirty work; quite another to explain how all the "communications chatter" intercepts which the US supposedly picked up in Afghanistan proved nothing. As far as Afghanistan is concerned, you can quote Basil Fawlty: "Whatever you do, don't mention the war.''

User:  | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Yes Mu, you must be kidding.
Fascism and Nazism is alive and well in Lars and Clas.
So there goes your proof.

Boycott French Products!
France is one country that deserves to be under Nazi control.
Those scumbags haven't got a shred of respect for what was done for them
(emphasis on DONE FOR THEM) back in WW2. I will never buy another French
product in the rest of my life. Ever!

And while we're at it, let's boycott German products too.
We should pull our military out of Germany and force them to spend
the money to defend themselves. Who brought down the Berlin wall?
It sure as hell wasn't them.

Sometimes it's good to test your friends just to see if they really are
your friends. These two countries have failed that test miserably.

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: You must be joking Mu - "World War Two ended Nazism and Facism"... .
And why pickin' on France?

L

User: bad sneakers | Month: 1 | Day: 23

Message: Tones - nice list - Went to see "rabbit proof fence" the other night and the soundtrack is A1. Have managed to blag the guestlist for Gabriel in Manchester at the start of May - will keep all posted.

Also watched "Bowling for Columbine" and that is scary !!! Don't know how much is smart editing and how much is frightening though.

Dano you will be glad to hear that I took the bookies for a small fortune on Tyson winning in the first - Biggest mismatch since the last Gulf War. Great hoops performance on Thursday big man - more to come this week for the Battle of Britain ???

Jazz fans check out the Pat Metheny DVD "Imaginary Day" - It is spectacular - What a piece of music - Also bought the DVD Audio of "Nightfly" and "2VN" - Great work by the remix engineers - relative to the other "put the drums over there" remixing these are considered pieces of work which actually enhance the experience of listening to some classic tracks.

Can't wait for EMG either.

Back to work - Peace

User: The Byrdman Of St. Alcatraz | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: I'm innocent I tellya!

User: Nothing to do at work... so here's the 1st (or is it 2nd?) annual tonesy's - | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: Album of the Year: Everything Must Go - Steely Dan

just practising...

Album of the Year 2002: Simple Things - Zero 7

Record of the Year: "Alibi" When I Cruel - Elvis Costello

Song of the Year: "Empty Sky" - Bruce Springsteen

New Artist: Zero 7

Best "Alternative" Album: Forever - Cracker

Female Pop Vocal: Daybreaker - Beth Orton

Male Pop Vocal: Up - Peter Gabriel

Pop Duo or Group Vocal: ()- Sigur Ros

Pop Collaboration with Vocals: "Sky Blue" - Peter Gabriel and The Blind Boys of Alabama

Pop Intrumental Performance: "Marwa Blues" Brainwashed - George Harrison

Hard Rock Performance: Audioslave

Best Latin Album: Invoke - Arto Lindsey

Original Music Soundtrack: Long Walk Home: music from The Rabbit Proof Fence - Peter Gabriel

Best Original Song in a Soundtrack: "Whatever Happened" Earth Wind & Fire - music from Undercover Brother

Best Live Album: Live & Unreleased - Weather Report

Best R&B Performance: Live in Rio - Earth Wind & Fire

Best Cover Art: Shania Twain (What? There's a cd inside?...)

Biggest Waste of Rack Space in a Retail Store: Nor... just kidding... Best of Both Worlds - R. Kelly & Jay-Z

Hey... now I gotta give all these folks a little statue or something... maybe a little gold lower case

t

User: Eloquence.Inc | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: Byrd's "white nigger" comment was one year ago! Where was the outrage?

User: fool's hall of fame | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: Riddler: yeah, Son of Sam, Alexander the Great, Mein Kampf - youthful indiscretions...

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: To answer my own Steely Dan related response to Randy - why, yes, MUUUUUUUU expect more varied rhythms on EMG, instead of finding a funk groove and staying on the metronome...

Turing: Have you ever had a Dan related post?, instead of whining and bitching - I mean we already have the French! and I have 2 kids...reminds me a class this semster - they bombed the first test due to lack of commitment and we built this massive website full of support material. I'm beginning to wonder if that in fact detracted from their diligence...the grad. class more than makes up for these bozos...

Things have been rough for my main grad. student - and international student who's church was arsoned Thursday by 2 kids - not quite teens!...no knowledge of whether trickle down racism is involved. Unf**ingbelievable. Should we "cane" the kids or the parents?...out...

User: TheRiddler | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: If we're to ignore Senator Byrd's spew becaue of his youthful indiscretion, then what credence should we give the President and Vice President's continued spew given their multiple youthful indiscretions?

Three strikes and you're out.

User: Whiter Shade of Pale | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: Tienemen (Google is a wonderous thing, even for spell checks) Square.

War, HA, What is it good for?
Absolutely...
Nothing (bold, italics, underscore)

Religion, HA, What is it good for?
(chorus)

Religion = War

irony = lesson never learned the first time

User: American History for $200 Alex | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: Ms. Kennedy - Abe was referring to the Monroe Doctorine, ergo "neighboring countries"

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: air

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: 
angel: Like a guy waking up after the Bomb:

4:00 - soft wah wah stuff (left channel - listener perspective)

4:17 - a little louder noodling on the low strings as an accompaniment

4:37 - pure bop them

Probably Hodder's best drumming?

Bill, StAl: It's fitting Byrd (D-KKK) in played a Confederate general in the new movie "Gods and Generals" - I wouldn't put any more creedence or value in what Mr. Filibluster is spewing than for Trent Lott...

I'm not in support of war, but case has been made for disarmament - and that concerns me as well as the plight of the tortured citizens of Iraq. If France is interested in avoiding war along with the protestors, the consequence of recent actions has been increasing the war risk as Saddam is embolded. Remember, 1441 and 12 prior UN resolutions call for disarmament by Iraq, not the inspectors.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;$sessionid$I4GFK35AW50IFQFIQMFSFGGAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/news/2003/02/21/wirq21.xml

Delicious irony re: French and War:

The only war they really won in the past 250 years was the American Revolution!

1954, French surrender at Dien-Bien-Phu, Viet Nam

1940, French surrender to the Nazis

1914, occupied by Germans

1.3 million French die in the bloody trenches until Woodrow Wilson in 1917 reverses his pacifist stance, that won him re-election in 1916. Not only are the Germans defeated through American support and ir power This also allows the British to defeat the Ottoman Empire on the Mid-East front

1870, beaten by Bismarck in the Franco-Prussian war

1815, beaten by British at Waterloo

1792, French Revolution where they guillotined most of the
aristocracy including Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette, not to
mention the fact that the ruling tribunal turned on themselves, and many
of them were executed during the Reign of Terror.

1783, French help a fledgling country gain its independence from
the British. However, the French insisted on placing that new country in
so much debt that it felt compelled to condone slavery in parts of the new country in order to survive financially and as a union, because its currency was virtually worthless, despite Herculean efforts by Alexander Hamilton. To wit the famous phrases "pass the buck" and "not worth a Continental." (no, I'm not blaming the French - it's simply ironic)

1763, beaten by the British Army and American colonists in the
French & Indian Wars

War is a last resort and a horrific aspect of human behavior that we know now from forensic evidence goes back hundreds of thousands of years, long before there were countries or religion (sorry Mr. Lennon, wherever you are)

However, the concept of Liberty, which we still struggle with, only became a reality after the American Revolution

The Civil War ended Slavery
World War Two ended Nazism and Facism
The Cold War ended Communism in Europe (and Asia if Bush 41 had put more pressure on China during Tienemann (sp?) Time)

It is grave indeed, and not the only way of solving difficult problems, and we should honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice to rid the world of the above tyrrany...

User: Beth_Times_3 | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: To Moll: I have to say latex dress DOES do well with slayer moves....bluz was correct......I rest my case.....see you on the SD MasterMind chat......As always....SD disciple....Beth

User: Beth_Times_3 | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: IT'S... SHOWTIME........

To Bill: You are a velly funny/serieux man.........I LIKE IT

To: Clas @ Work: "Night Train": http://www.rounder.com/cockburn/roun3180-13.ram = Best, but not complete.........

or http://www.brucecockburn.com/gallery.html#....

mea culpa should you be familiar, my apologies of course....anyways... your thoughts on Just War Tradition/Theory/Doctrine?.....

User: angel | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: St. Al: Is Banyan Trees email out of service? Just wondering....

User: angel | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: W1P: I think that the best thing about Tedde and company is that they do Steely Dan "With Attitude". Somehow, that makes it more in the original spirit of The Dan.

I bought Steely Dan Gold a few weeks ago and really like the groove on Century's End. Sorry I waited so long to buy it. Anyone know the history of that album? The choices seem to almost be a Don and Walt favorites set (minus the 4 extra cuts).

Mu: You ever notice the Denny stuff at around the 4:30 mark on King of the World. It seems organized, at that point. Very cool.

The LA Weekly had several articles on the antiwar protests from last week and a really frightning look at a possible scenerio for LA. Makes an earthquake look tame. Click the link above, if interested.

User: Guess who Pat...hehehe... | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: Senator Robert Byrd.
Yep, Senator Byrd is really a swell guy. This isn't the same Senator Byrd
who lead a fillibuster against the Civil Rights Act back in 1964 is it?
Or is this the same Senator Byrd who was an active member of the
Ku Klux Klan way back when?
Or how about this little ditty form March of 2001;

"There are white niggers. I've seen alot of white niggers in my time.
I'm going to use that word. We just need to work together to make our
country a better county, and I'd just as soon quit talking about it
so much."

This statement enraged civil rights groups so much that they demand
Senator Byrd undergo sensitivity training. Of course he never did.
Hmmm... a Democrat ex-Klansman (so far as we know).
Still wanna give em' a kiss Pat?

User: The Original Sin | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: Moll..you just grazed me..mercy

Beth..thank you for the inspiration as always..remember bob the "bear" hite
canned heat.

Fife..whoo whoo" the actors studio.

Bill..the laughs and music abound bro.

played yesterday

David AAron Thomas..(new)"wingin it"

Eddie Harris..lp "mean greens"

Johnny Griffin & Steve Grossman Quintet "the d train"

Tom Waits.."small change"

Cannonball Adderly Quintet.."cannonball live in japan"

The Rob Thorsen Quartet.."drawing room blues"

Nina Simone.."work song"

Lou Donaldson..lush life "sweet slumber"

Stanley Turrentine..lp "straight ahead"

Albert Collins.."too many dirty dishes"

Miles.."steamin"

Freddie Hubbard.."gypsy blue"(alternate take)

Bobby Darin.."darin live at the copa"

Jesse Davis..(new)"the set up"

Coltrane.."blue train"

B.B King.."don't make me pay for his mistakes"

Johnny Copeland..'boom boom"

The highway is like a woman-
soft shoulders and dangerous curves.

Albert Collins
"highway"

bluz

User: Paige | Month: 1 | Day: 22

Message: Yeah...after reading the Byrd speech, I realized that I wasn't crazy afterall.

-Paige

PS - I thought I broke the GB.

-P

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: I'd kiss Robert Byrd on the lips if he wasn't so ugly. For days I've been struggling to put into words what he has so eloquently done.

What really scares me is 52% of the population still thinks Bush is doing a good job. It sickens me to believe that 52% of this country is either too stupid, too careless or too misguided to see how dangerous and reckless the Bush administration's policies (both foreign and domestic) are. He simply must go. Re-election in 2004 is not an option.

User: Paige | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: Sorry that this is so long, but I thought it was well worth the read.

Senator Robert Byrd
(Delivered on the Senate floor - February 12, 2003)

To contemplate war is to think about the most horrible of human experiences.á On this February day, as this nation stands at the brink of battle, every American on some level must be contemplating the horrors of war.

Yet, this Chamber is, for the most part, silent -- ominously, dreadfully silent.á There is no debate, no discussion, no attempt to lay out for the nation the pros and cons of this particular war.á There is nothing.

We stand passively mute in the United States Senate, paralyzed by our own uncertainty, seemingly stunned by the sheer turmoil of events.á Only on the editorial pages of our newspapers is there much substantive discussion of the prudence or imprudence of engaging in this particular war.

And this is no small conflagration we contemplate.á This is no simple attempt to defang a villain.á No.á This coming battle, if it materializes, represents a turning point in U.S. foreign policy and possibly a turning point in the recent history of the world.

This nation is about to embark upon the first test of a revolutionary doctrine applied in an extraordinary way at an unfortunate time.á The doctrine of preemption -- the idea that the United States or any other nation can legitimately attack a nation that is not imminently threatening but may be threatening in the future -- is a radical new twist on the traditional idea of self defense.á It appears to be in contravention of international law and the UN Charter.á And it is being tested at a time of world-wide terrorism, making many countries around the globe wonder if they will soon be on our -- or some other nation's -- hit list.á High level Administration figures recently refused to take nuclear weapons off of the table when discussing a possible attack against Iraq. What could be more destabilizing and unwise than this type of uncertainty, particularly in a world where globalism has tied the vital economic and security interests of many nations so closely together?á There are huge cracks emerging in our time-honored alliances, and U.S. intentions are suddenly subject to damaging worldwide speculation.á Anti-Americanism based on mistrust, misinformation, suspicion, and alarming rhetoric from U.S. leaders is fracturing the once solid alliance against global terrorism which existed after September 11.

Here at home, people are warned of imminent terrorist attacks with little guidance as to when or where such attacks might occur.á Family members are being called to active military duty, with no idea of the duration of their stay or what horrors they may face.á Communities are being left with less than adequate police and fire protection.á Other essential services are also short-staffed.á The mood of the nation is grim.á The economy is stumbling.á Fuel prices are rising and may soon spike higher.

This Administration, now in power for a little over two years, must be judged on its record.á I believe that that record is dismal.

In that scant two years, this Administration has squandered a large projected surplus of some $5.6 trillion over the next decade and taken us to projected deficits as far as the eye can see.á This Administration's domestic policy has put many of our states in dire financial condition, under funding scores of essential programs for our people.á This Administration has fostered policies which have slowed economic growth.á This Administration has ignored urgent matters such as the crisis in health care for our elderly.á This Administration has been slow to provide adequate funding for homeland security.áThis Administration has been reluctant to better protect our long and porous borders.

In foreign policy, this Administration has failed to find Osama bin Laden.á In fact, just yesterday we heard from him again marshaling his forces and urging them to kill.á This Administration has split traditional alliances, possibly crippling, for all time, International order-keeping entities like the United Nations and NATO.á This Administration has called into question the traditional worldwide perception of the United States as well-intentioned, peacekeeper.á This Administration has turned the patient art of diplomacy into threats, labeling, and name calling of the sort that reflects quite poorly on the intelligence and sensitivity of our leaders, and which will have consequences for years to come.

Calling heads of state pygmies, labeling whole countries as evil, denigrating powerful European allies as irrelevant -- these types of crude insensitivities can do our great nation no good.á We may have massive military might, but we cannot fight a global war on terrorism alone.á We need the cooperation and friendship of our time-honored allies as well as the newer found friends whom we can attract with our wealth.á Our awesome military machine will do us little good if we suffer another devastating attack on our homeland which severely damages our economy.á Our military manpower is already stretched thin and we will need the augmenting support of those nations who can supply troop strength, not just sign letters cheering us on.

The war in Afghanistan has cost us $37 billion so far, yet there is evidence that terrorism may already be starting to regain its hold in that region.á We have not found bin Laden, and unless we secure the peace in Afghanistan, the dark dens of terrorism may yet again flourish in that remote and devastated land.

Pakistan as well is at risk of destabilizing forces.á This Administration has not finished the first war against terrorism and yet it is eager to embark on another conflict with perils much greater than those in Afghanistan.á Is our attention span that short?á Have we not learned that after winning the war one must always secure the peace?

And yet we hear little about the aftermath of war in Iraq.áIn the absence of plans, speculation abroad is rife.á Will we seize Iraq's oil fields, becoming an occupying power which controls the price and supply of that nation's oil for the foreseeable future?á To whom do we propose to hand the reigns of power after Saddam Hussein?

Will our war inflame the Muslim world resulting in devastating attacks on Israel?á Will Israel retaliate with its own nuclear arsenal?á Will the Jordanian and Saudi Arabian governments be toppled by radicals, bolstered by Iran which has much closer ties to terrorism than Iraq?

Could a disruption of the world's oil supply lead to a world-wide recession?á Has our senselessly bellicose language and our callous disregard of the interests and opinions of other nations increased the global race to join the nuclear club and made proliferation an even more lucrative practice for nations which need the income?

In only the space of two short years this reckless and arrogant Administration has initiated policies which may reap disastrous consequences for years.

One can understand the anger and shock of any President after the savage attacks of September 11.á One can appreciate the frustration of having only a shadow to chase and an amorphous, fleeting enemy on which it is nearly impossible to exact retribution.

But to turn one's frustration and anger into the kind of extremely destabilizing and dangerous foreign policy debacle that the world is currently witnessing is inexcusable from any Administration charged with the awesome power and responsibility of guiding the destiny of the greatest superpower on the planet.á Frankly many of the pronouncements made by this Administration are outrageous.á There is no other word.

Yet this chamber is hauntingly silent.á On what is possibly the eve of horrific infliction of death and destruction on the population of the nation of Iraq -- a population, I might add, of which over 50% is under age 15 -- this chamber is silent.á On what is possibly only days before we send thousands of our own citizens to face unimagined horrors of chemical and biological warfare -- this chamber is silent.á On the eve of what could possibly be a vicious terrorist attack in retaliation for our attack on Iraq, it is business as usual in the United States Senate.

We are truly "sleepwalking through history."á In my heart of hearts I pray that this great nation and its good and trusting citizens are not in for a rudest of awakenings.

To engage in war is always to pick a wild card.á And war must always be a last resort, not a first choice.á I truly must question the judgment of any President who can say that a massive unprovoked military attack on a nation which is over 50% children is "in the highest moral traditions of our country".á This war is not necessary at this time.á Pressure appears to be having a good result in Iraq.á Our mistake was to put ourselves in a corner so quickly.á Our challenge is to now find a graceful way out of a box of our own making.á Perhaps there is still a way if we allow more time.

User: W1P | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: How dare Bob Tedde try to entertain people by signing and playing the music he loves. It's criminal. Good thing we have a choice -- we can avoid it if we dont like it and we can attend if we do. I plead guilty to enjoying tremendously what Bob does. Feel free to continue to discount my opinions accordingly.

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: My vote for

Best Merengue Album goes to:

Mal Acostumbrado
Fernando Villalona

and to Best Tejano Album:

Estamos Unidos
David Lee Garza y Los Musicales

and finally, Best Polka Album:

My Father's Shoes
Eddie Blazonczyk's Versatones

L

User: Dano | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: Jimbo , Norah J won our award last night "The Brits" she went down well and was a good choice on the night.

Talkin of Brits , I thought we had a pile of shite last night , and was it me or was Chris Martin ....Jimmy Dickheed?? British music to me is totally crap at the minute and i cant see it gittin any better??

Cyn , Did we miss on the boat or are you still in Blighty my dear??

Snakie , E-Mail all ok now will blast you back soon.

LP, Same as that young un??

Duncan , Derby on the 3rd?? Is that March ? as that falls on a Monday , if it is Monday i will be strugling, but if its in April i can maybe swing it for a lash up at a weekend date.Can you let me know mate cheers.

Where are all the Sweatys gone?? TWM , Sneaks , Check in Mencub??

t , Keep posting that good shit mate , always makes me crease??

I am on my Jack Jones the night, Aja ,Cyn ,fancy going out for a wee snifter. As long as the Rude Waitress is serving.

Getting into Boomtown over here , and Reelin was blasting out in last weeks episode? Top stuff coming from over the pond at the minute, and NYPD Now in full belt.

Have a good weekend everyone.
Regards Danahooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

User: Jimbo | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: HERE'S MY GRAMMY PICKS:

NEW ARTIST- I'd say Norah Jones. Second choice would be John Mayer. Both had debuts that ruled. Ashanti is overrated. She's an OK singer, but OK doesn't make her a favorite.

COUNTRY ALBUM- The Dixie Chicks. Down home bluegrass influence gets the nod. Second choice is Willie, just to show the other bores out there how it's done.

POP ALBUM- Norah, need I say more. If Britney wins, Norah should file a lawsuit.

POP GROUP- Dave Matthews Band. Always good. No Doubt would be the alternative. Even N'Stink is nominated. If they win, Dave, Gwen and the boys should file a lawsuit.

SONG- The Rising-SPRINGSTEEN. It's a rock/gospel type of song. Especially in these post9/11 times. Alan Jackson's song was too mournful for me. Don't Know Why by Norah would be my second choice.

RECORD-Don't Know Why- Norah Jones. Low key, yet very memorable.

ALBUM- THE RISING. Bruce delivers a one two punch with strong rock tunes that's worth remembering more than anything that Nelly does. Second Choice, surprise, Norah.

What do you think? What are your choices?

User: angel | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: Ok Battle Apple, I can't resist.

I really feel like one of Walter's characters when I am at work.
"The tortured angel..."

Hey, looks like webdrone has been at work again. Check out the lyrics page. http://www.steelydan.com/theworks.html
What the heck are those things? :-)

User: huh? | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: Cornflakes on your camel toe?

User: Moll | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: Hey everyone! I don't know if this will be of any benefit to my fellow Banyan Trees Brothers and Sisters ... But just in case, I thought I'd pass it along! The Beaumont Foundation will be awarding out almost 400 million in computer equipment starting this year.(2003) Persons with disabilities or an illness that are homebound are encouraged to apply. Grant applications are being accepted up to March 31,2003. The web address is:
http://www.bmtfoundation.com/grants

BB, Whoo hoo Sugar... Lucky lobster! You are still devastatingly handsome BTW. Yes we are the meetinest bunch of folks I've ever known. Are you having meetings to discuss the meeting yet? lmao Talk soon?!! *hugs*
Snakie and Cyn, y'all gotta try some bourbon! It'll make you never want to taste that nasty vodka or gin again. Makers Mark or Johnny Walker red-lable are good choices. ;)
Beth, I'm practicing my "slayer" moves. I've added the ol double backflip and an elbow punch. I'm now searching for more suitable attire since I tore my latex dress. I told Bluz the fish-net stockings and latex dress weren't a good choice,but he talked me into it! Saying " that dress will be fine Moll, you won't have to fight any disorderly chatters" (Bill wasn't even there) All was going fine until Bluz starts acting rowdy! I tore my dress doing that roundhouse kick. Men! Oh well.. :)
Bluz, sorry I kicked you in the head. Hope it didn't bruise too badly ;)
Jaz, Buddy you still following the Herman Hermit's reunion tour? Come back to us!
BatlApl,for most of the late 80's and 90's I felt I resembled a Walt character lol Thank God I had my son in 1996. If it weren't for him, I would have succumbed to the ground fog and ate that bullet several times by now.

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: Lars - to be honest, the only album I've heard with Jarreau is "High Crime". I think some of the songs were pretty cool.

Have a nice weekend now.

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: David,
Got your voiceblast........
I'm planning a trip south for jazzfest, and hopeing to parlay over to Ft. Meyers for the following week..........
don't know if you're getting your emails........
Hope you and D are well....
ygk

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: Al Jarreau's "High Crime" good? c'mon Clas. His career resembles the one of Chicago: started out good & then "sold out". Compare "High Crime" to "We got by" or "Look to the rainbow". Progression?

L

User: C | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: Jimbo - I find it strange that David Foster and Jay Graydon were using those sequenced machines on there records, and specially on Al Jarreau's "High Crime", produced by Graydon. Great GREAT songs, but overloaded with synths and drummachines.

George Benson did a good cover of "Turn your Love around".

I saw Graydon in Stockholm 7-8 years back, it was a very good show, in a tight club. Joseph Williams on vocals, Mick Porcaro on synthz and, the one and only one, Bill Champlin on guitars and Hammond.

He sang "After the Love is Gone", so good.

Then I bought Graydon's, at the time, new album, which was a disappointment, I guess the only "live" on that album were the guitars and the vocals.

---

Lars - aha! You're a former Rockstar!

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: Yeah, we made a famous tour in Kristianstad. First at Sommarlustparken then some years later at the Teatern. Kind of Yardbirds cover-band. Ha ha ha. Terrible! Tuning ... who cared?

L

User: C & Western | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: "You really feel like one of Walter's characters when you're alone in your cave, with Cornflakes and Camel."

User: Did you play? | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: In a band?

C

User: C | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: It was hell when those Clavinets went out of tune, and you started to tune them...

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: That about progg was just a guess. I once had a Clavinet too but didn't have to use a fuzz-box. I used a BSckst÷m bassamp instead. Same result. Almost like ManfredManns Chapter III !

L

User: Clas @ Work | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: Jimbo - yes, that's probably why he's not in the band any more.

Lars - Vildkaktus, yes early 70's, did a couple of albums. With Olle "John Lennon" Nilsson on guitar and awesome vocals, G÷sta Nilsson (my musicteacher) on a terribly fuzzboxed Wurlitzer (I think he had a Hohner Clavinet with a Wah Wah too...). Ali Lundbohm on drums.

They did songs like "Tidsmaskinen", "Is ps Vindarnas VSgar" & "Prylar".

They changed name later, to "Ibis", with Petur "Island" +stlund on drums.

They weren't "progg", not like Hoola Bandoola, Nationalteatern & Turid, they were more into making good songs.

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: Vildkaktus? I just recall the name (not the music though). Progg, early 70ies?

Still huntin those frenchies on this site? Animal blood in the wine and so on ... Why not put the effort on understanding your own government?

User: Jimbo | Month: 1 | Day: 21

Message: CLAS-Looks like Danny Seraphine had good taste. Maybe that's partly why he's no longer in Chicago. Graydon and Foster always made records sound wimpy.

I'll have my Grammy list later on. And let's debate on it.

User: Clas @ Work | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Schwinn - the Eskimo Biker (Brett) - I don't HATE cover bands. I could enjoy a cover band playing catchy pop-songs on a night club or whatever, it isn't that. The problem is when folks like Bob Tedde becomes a Donald Fagen wannabe, like in the TV show "Aiming for the Stars", when young girls is dressed up like Britney Spears or Madonna.

We have this band in Sweden, they are all 50+ and they are die hard Beatles fans, and they have this group "Liverpool" and they are playing Beatles songs better than Beatles ever did. I happen to know one of the guys in the band, the one "who's John Lennon", a talented composer who wasted his talent by playing in this cover band. And they are all dressed up in Sergeant Pepper's clothes when they perform. That's just laughable.

Lars - do you remember the Swedish band Vildkaktus?

Tones - I agree, Terry Kath would never play Sun City (back when). And I read this interesting thing about when Jay Graydon & David Foster should produce one of Chicago's albums, the drummer Daniel Seraphine refused to play on the tracks that were produced by Graydon and Foster. They had to hire Jeff Porcaro.

---

Liverpool, hmmm, I picture a freezer at a hospital filled with livers waiting for being transplanted.

User: Ms. Turnbull | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: You really feel like on of Walter Beckers characters when..... You're eating french fries soaked in maple syrup?

User: batl apl | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Today is also my wife's birthday. Since I feel relatively anonymous here in the banyon trees, I don"t mind telling everybody that two weeks ago, my wife landed in jail for forging a prescription (vicodin).
My lawyer and I will probably get it reduced to a misdemeanor and she'll have to do some public service (which she does anyway), so I'm okay with that, but it leads to the following possible thread:
Complete the following phrase:
"You really feel like one of Walter's characters when ____________________"

User: jimbo | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Happy 53rd Birthday, Walt. Let's hope, come next year's Grammy's that you get a special 54th Birthday gift with a few more Grammys.

Speaking of which, with all the war rhetoric that's been going on, The Grammys will be on this coming Sunday. I'm busy preparing my list on who should win this year

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
RECORD OF THE YEAR
POP FEMALE VOCAL
POP MALE VOCAL
BEST NEW ARTIST
POP GROUP

If anyone has any ideas, bring em' on.

User: inyourheartyouknowI'mright | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: 

The Chirac-Hussein Connection - Courtesy of Stratfor.com
February 19, 2003

Summary

French President Jacques Chirac is a pivotal figure on the international scene, whose views on Iraq are of vital concern. Those views are not driven simply by geopolitics, however. The factors that shape his thinking include a long, complex and sometimes mysterious relationship with Saddam Hussein. The relationship is not secret, but it is no longer as well known as it once was -- nor is it well known outside of France. It is not insignificant in understanding Chirac's view of Iraq.

Analysis

In attempting to understand FranceÆs behavior over the issue of war with Iraq, there is little question but that strategic, economic and geopolitical considerations are dominant drivers. However, in order to understand the details of French behavior, it is also important to understand a not really unknown but oddly neglected aspect of French policy: the personal relationship between French President Jacques Chirac and Saddam Hussein.

The relationship dates back to late 1974, when then-French Premier Chirac traveled to Baghdad and met the No. 2 man in the Iraqi government, Vice President Saddam Hussein. During that visit, Chirac and Hussein conducted negotiations on a range of issues, the most important of these being IraqÆs purchase of nuclear reactors.

In September 1975, Hussein traveled to Paris, where Chirac personally gave him a tour of a French nuclear plant. During that visit, Chirac said, ôIraq is in the process of beginning a coherent nuclear program and France wants to associate herself with that effort in the field of reactors.ö France sold two reactors to Iraq, with the agreement signed during HusseinÆs visit. The Iraqis purchased a 70-megawatt reactor, along with six charges of 26 points of uranium enriched to 93 percent -- in other words, enough weapons-grade uranium to produce three to four nuclear devices. Baghdad also purchased a one-megawatt research reactor, and France agreed to train 600 Iraqi nuclear technicians and scientists -- the core of IraqÆs nuclear capability today.

Other dimensions of the relationship were decided on during this visit and implemented in the months afterward. France agreed to sell Iraq $1.5 billion worth of weapons -- including the integrated air defense system that was destroyed by the United States in 1991, about 60 Mirage F1 fighter planes, surface-to-air missiles and advanced electronics. The Iraqis, for their part, agreed to sell France $70 million worth of oil.

During this period, Chirac and Hussein formed what Chirac called a close personal relationship. As the New York Times put it in a 1986 report about ChiracÆs attempt to return to the premiership, the French official ôhas said many times that he is a personal friend of Saddam Hussein of Iraq.ö In 1987, the Manchester Guardian Weekly quoted Chirac as saying that he was ôtruly fascinated by Saddam Hussein since 1974.ö Whatever personal chemistry there might have been between the two leaders obviously remained in place a decade later, and clearly was not simply linked to the deals of 1974-75. Politicians and businessmen move on; they donÆt linger the way Chirac did.

Partly because of the breadth of the relationship Chirac and Hussein had created in a relatively short period of time and the obvious warmth of their personal ties, there was intense speculation about the less visible aspects of the relationship. For example, one unsubstantiated rumor that still can be heard in places like Beirut was that Hussein helped to finance ChiracÆs run for mayor of Paris in 1977, after he lost the French premiership. Another, equally unsubstantiated rumor was that Hussein had skimmed funds from the huge amounts of money that were being moved around, and that he did so with ChiracÆs full knowledge. There are endless rumors, all unproven and perhaps all scurrilous, about the relationship. Some of these might have been moved by malice, but they also are powered by the unfathomability of the relationship and by ChiracÆs willingness to publicly affirm it. It reached the point that Iranians referred to Chirac as ôShah-Iraqö and Israelis spoke of the Osirak reactor as ôO-Chirac.ö

Indeed, as recently as last week, a Stratfor source in Lebanon reasserted these claims as if they were incontestable. Innuendo has become reality.

Former French President Valery Giscard dÆEstaing, who held office at the time of the negotiations with Iraq, said in 1984 that the deal ôcame out of an agreement that was not negotiated in Paris and therefore did not originate with the president of the republic.ö Under the odd French constitution, it is conceivable that the president of the republic wouldnÆt know what the premier of France had negotiated -- but on a deal of this scale, this would be unlikely, unless the deal in fact had been negotiated between Chirac and Hussein in the dark and presented as a fait accompli.

There is some evidence for this notion. Earlier, when Giscard dÆEstaing found out about the deal -- and particularly about the sale of 93 percent uranium -- he had ordered the French nuclear research facility at Saclay to develop an alternative that would take care of IraqÆs legitimate needs, but without supplying weapons-grade uranium. The product, called ôcaramel,ö was only 3 percent enriched but entirely suitable to non-weapons needs. The French made the offer, which Iraq declined.

By 1986, Chirac clearly had decided to change his image. In preparation for the 1988 presidential elections, Chirac let it be known that he never had anything to do with the sale of the Osirak reactor. In an interview with an Israeli newspaper, he said, ôIt wasnÆt me who negotiated the construction of Osirak with Baghdad. The negotiation was led by my minister of industry in very close collaboration with Giscard dÆEstaing.ö He went on to say, ôI never took part in these negotiations. I never discussed the subject with Saddam Hussein. The fact is that I did not find out about the affair until very late.ö

Obviously, Chirac was contradicting what he had said publicly in 1975. More to the point, he also was not making a great deal of sense in claiming that his minister of industry û who at that time was Michel dÆOrnano -- had negotiated a deal as large as this one. That is true even if one assumes the absurd, which was that the nuclear deal was a stand-alone and not linked to the arms and oil deals or to a broader strategic relationship. In fact, dÆOrnano claimed that he didnÆt even make the trip to Iraq with Chirac in 1974, let alone act as the prime negotiator. Everything he did was in conjunction with Chirac.

In 1981, the Israelis destroyed the Iraqi reactor in an air attack. There were rumors û which were denied -- that the French government was offering to rebuild the reactor. In August 1987, French satirical and muckraking magazine, ôLe Canard Enchaineö published excerpts of a letter from Chirac to Hussein -- dated June 24, 1987, and hand-delivered by Trade Minister Michel Noir -- which the magazine claimed indicated that he was negotiating to rebuild the Iraqi reactor. The letter says nothing about nuclear reactors, but it does say that Chirac hopes for an agreement ôon the negotiation which you know about,ö and it speaks of the ôcooperation launched more than 12 years ago under our personal joint initiative, in this capital district for the sovereignty, independence and security of your country.ö In the letter, Chirac also, once again, referred to Hussein as ômy dear friend.ö

Chirac and the government confirmed that the letter was genuine. They denied that it referred to rebuilding a nuclear reactor. The letter speaks merely of the agreements relating to ôan essential chapter in Franco-Iraqi relations, both in the present circumstances and in the future.ö Chirac claimed that any attempt to link the letter to the reconstruction of the nuclear facility was a ôridiculous invention.ö Assuming ChiracÆs sincerity, this leaves open the question of what the ôessential chapterö refers to and why, instead of specifying the subject, Chirac resorted to a circumlocution like ônegotiation which you know about.ö

Only two possible conclusions can be drawn from this letter: Chirac either was trying, in the midst of the Iran-Iraq war and after his denial of involvement in the first place, to rebuild IraqÆs nuclear capability, or he wasnÆt. And if he wasnÆt, what was he doing that required such complex language, clearly intended for deniability if revealed? No ordinary state-to-state relationship would require a combination of affection, recollection of long history and promise for the future without mentioning the subject. If we concede to Chirac that it had nothing to do with nuclear reactors, then the mystery actually deepens.

It is unfair to tag Chirac with the rumors that have trailed him in his relations with Hussein. It is fair to say, however, that Chirac has created a circumstance for breeding rumors. The issues raised here were all well known at one time and place. When they are laid end-to-end, a mystery arises. What affair was being discussed in the letter delivered by Michel Noir? If not nuclear reactors, then what was referenced but never mentioned specifically in ChiracÆs letter to his ôdear friendö Hussein?

Whatever the answer, it is clear that the relationship between Chirac and Hussein is long and complex, and not altogether easy to understand. That relationship does not, by itself, explain all of France's policies toward Iraq or its stance toward a war between the United States and Iraq. But at the same time, it is inconceivable that this relationship has no effect on Chirac's personal decision-making process. There is an intensity to Chirac's Iraq policy that simply may signify the remnants of an old, warm friendship gone bad, or that may have a different origin. In any case, it is a reality that cannot be ignored and that must be taken into account in understanding the French leaderÆs behavior.

stratfor.com

User: Evan Coyne Maloney | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: 

The Alliance of Liberty
Meet the U.N.'s replacement
Posted: 10 February 2003

By Evan Coyne Maloney

Would the McDonald's Corporation make an appropriate sponsor for a seminar on obesity?

Should Bacardi be providing refreshments at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings?

If Bill Clinton offered you marital advice, would you take it?

Unless you're a fat, drunk adulterer or a former president, I assume your answer to each of those questions is no. I also assume you wouldn't let Iraq run a conference on disarmament, or let Libya lead a human rights commission.

You might not. But the United Nations would.

Yes, the United Nations--whose purported purpose is "to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person" and "to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom"--decided that Iraq would make an appropriate leader for its U.N. Disarmament Conference, and that the U.N. Commission on Human Rights should be entrusted to Libya.

The U.N. pays lip service to human rights and freedom, but then lets countries like Libya and Iraq drive the discussions where these concepts are debated and defined. Is it any wonder, then, that the U.N.--for all of its inconsequential finger-waving and resolution-passing--has been unable to achieve any of the aims set out in its own charter?
Flawed By Design

The real problem isn't that the U.N. is weak and morally blind, the real problem is that it is built to be this way. As a result, the U.N. is structurally incapable of fulfilling its own goals:

The United Nations makes no distinction between democracies and dictatorships. Libya, Syria and Iraq have the same voice and the same vote as countries like Canada, Iceland and Japan. Because much of the world is not free, any serious effort to liberate the oppressed would be stifled by the sizable bloc of nations that freedom threatens.

The United Nations can't enforce its own resolutions. It has neither the brawn nor the backbone to do so. Without a fighting force, resolutions can't be enforced unless members commit their own troops. But, because other nations rarely put their resources where their rhetoric is, violators correctly calculate that enforcement will never come. Emboldened by years of U.N. inaction, the Saddam Husseins of the world now understand that continual stonewalling is the formula for escaping punishment.

Powder-blue helmets. Like Rodney Dangerfield, U.N. peacekeepers get no respect. This may have something to do with the fact that they wear powder-blue helmets in the middle of war zones. Or maybe it's because the U.N.--hamstrung by an institutional fear of force--discourages its peacekeepers from taking action, even in self-defense. Whatever the reason, peacekeepers are able to maintain tenuous peace only when combatants are willing to grant it. How effective are they? Not very: in a few brutal days during the summer of 1995, as U.N. peacekeepers stood by, some 8,000 people were massacred in Srebrenica, Yugoslavia, a city designated a "safe haven" by the United Nations.

Because these flaws are inherent in the design and culture of the U.N., they won't go away without rebuilding the U.N. from the ground up. That's not going to happen, so we must recognize the U.N. for what it is: a terminal patient, an abject failure, a latter-day League of Nations. And, like its precursor, its time--if it ever came--has come and gone. It's time for a replacement.
The Alliance of Liberty

What we need instead is an Alliance of Liberty, whose purpose is to ensure the eventual freedom of every person on the planet. It would state its mission as follows:

We, the free people of the world, in recognition of the fact that freedom is a gift given to us through the selfless sacrifice of our ancestors, and in agreement on the belief that it is our moral obligation to share this gift with those who were not fortunate enough to be born into it, declare ourselves united in an Alliance of Liberty, whose purpose is to secure the freedom of every human everywhere.

The Alliance would have two main objectives: to free the unfree, and to bring about long-term peace. When it must, the Alliance would use force to topple tyrants. But, by defeating tyranny--even when war is required to so do--the Alliance will be working towards an ultimate peace, a goal touted but unattained by the United Nations and the League before it.
What Is Peace?

Paradoxically, conflict is sometimes required to secure peace. In World War II, peace in Europe was achieved through the exercise of military muscle. But let's say the pacifists had been successful at convincing the allies that--to use the words of Jacques Chirac--"war always means failure and therefore everything must be done to avoid war." If Hitler gobbled up Europe and satiated his appetite for expansion, the fighting in Europe would be over. Pacifists would declare success, because by allowing Hitler to roll over Europe, war was avoided. In the minds of those who believe that peace is the absence of war, a war-free Europe living under the thumb of the Nazis would be a Europe living in peace. Talk about doublespeak.

Of course, peace is not merely the absence of war. Peace is the absence of threat. That's why the Cold War--a conflict containing much threat but no direct fighting--is referred to as a war; for forty years, the world lived under a frightening threat, and we rightly recognized that state of threat as a state of war.

Only by eliminating the threats that the world faces today will we achieve meaningful, lasting peace. Given that such threats invariably come from repressive regimes--how often do you find free countries at war with each other?--bringing freedom to those without it will eliminate these threats, and will lessen the likelihood of new ones emerging in the future. In other words, we may need to fight wars now if we want peace in the future. Or, we can let threats fester, and leave future generations even less secure than we are today. But, remember: threats do not go away simply because one side wishes to avoid conflict. There is no such thing as a unilateral peace.
The Future of the U.N.

In the coming weeks and months, we will hear much debate about the future of the United Nations. Such talk is futile. The United Nations is a world body in rigor mortis. It is not, as it set out to be, a body for promoting progress. Instead, the U.N. promotes stasis. And it has not, as it set out to do, brought about larger freedom. Instead, the U.N. winks at dictatorships by granting them the same consideration as democracies. The U.N. may truly desire world peace, it just doesn't know how to get there.

History gave the gift of freedom to many, but it overlooked many more. Is it right that we enjoy this gift without sharing it? What we now call a coalition of the willing should band together in a permanent alliance to replace groups that--like the U.N. and NATO--find themselves struggling for relevance. Those free nations that agree to fulfill the mission of the Alliance are welcome to help the United States carry the light of liberty to the darkest parts of the globe. And to those other free countries, the stingy ones that seem to think freedom is finite and must be hoarded, I ask: is the only freedom worth fighting for your own?

User: Jim# | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Altimira: Re 1304 ~ Argyles? Web site? This is one of those occasions frequently referred to by my better appendage as "Must have been the other Jim."

In any case, the only reference to Argyles attributed to, or subsequently referenced (though only in a completely idle and careless sort of way) by me would be as coining to a particularly mundane pair of footwear worn under a trendy set of Doc Martins.

And even then, never before Labor Day.

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Happy Birthday Dr. Walter Becker - can't wait to hear the new stuff..........enjoy! Cheers!

ygk

User: angel | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: This just in:
Steve Thomas leaving "This Old House" after 14 years.
Sorry Bill....and after the hang glider thing, too. Bad day for you all around.

User: Aja.......................on overtime | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: *ahem* good doc-"facts" is debatable, and the "if, therefore" reasoning of logic doesn't equal being right..........

Aja

User: ¦ - an acid bath is an excellent exfoliator... | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: T&A: Yeah, I noticed the futility of presenting logic and facts...must be the manilla vanilla color here...

I'll be baaaaaack...

User: Aja...................more politics as usual | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: tonesy-in order for someone to change their mind, they need to have one.......

Aja

User: t | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: ¦ - oh maaaaaaaan... I thought maybe I'd convinced you and saved you from your misguided views...

Funny thing about talking politics: no matter how right you are, nobody ever changes their mind...

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Happy Birthday Walter!

My daredevil hangglider fell out of the sky over your place in Hawaii.
I unfortunately dropped your birthday cake and it landed on your dog.
The hangglider then crashed through your veranda, sliced the top off
your convertible in the driveway, and eventually impacted the southwest
side of your recording studio completely obliterating most of your
guitar collection. But don't worry I'm okay...

Have a great one Walt!

(oh uh... here's your doorknob. It's the only thing left of your front
door. Sorry.)

User: ¦ - reading last weeks papers | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Randy: I think it's buried under the noise BUT

Everything Must Go - possible referral to throwing the usual Steely Dan method of songwriting and recording out the window. A loose approach, live recording, RIP Wendell and loops, limited editing, all in analog (an AAD recording), more obvious lyrics, up-front jokes, numerous rhythm changes (?)

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: C: I'm outted - I'm really head of the Texas Rangers. We've been called up, but there was a mix-up in the supply chain and we are only armed with 36 oz baseball bats...

t: When I have a free semester, I'll get to you...but for now - I'll rely on Sen Biden:

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr., Delaware Democrat, at a recent Senate hearing on the future of a post-Saddam Iraq, recalled being told repeatedly during a recent European trip by skeptics that the debate about an Iraq war was "really about oil."
"And I agreed with them," Mr. Biden recalled. "It is about oil ù French oil and Russian oil."

Ever hear of FINA?

Rumors of Saudis and other Arab states negotiating for Saddam asylum - maybe in Neverland??? Then drop the neutron bomb...

User: snakehips - is it a crime? | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: 
lp - i knew it! i've been waiting for you to chime in on the martini thang...sorry, some of us just can't do gin...vodka for me please

tones - lol! you know what they say about skunk...tastes like chicken ;-)

sh

User: lp | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: alti - pbs did an excellent documentary on bobby darin, if you have an over the top video store, i would give it a rent - he was an amazing person with an incredible voice - or wait, was that what you were talking about already below? sorry...

i have one of his collections and it gets plenty of airplay on my cd player

sinatra was quoted to have said he though bobby had a better voice than he

rude waitress - i said i wanted gin in my martini, never ever vodka, that's a crime

bill, i live in maine now, remember? that must have been my neighbor

listened to kama this morning while cleaning up the house for weekend guests - what is that wonderful tingling guitar layered underneath trans-island skyway? never noticed that before

how many anarchists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?............
..........................................................all of them!

a february thaw arrived on this sunny island today - the tide is ever so grateful to finally break through on its moon-fed path

User: t | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Btw, gotta love a place where you can hit your dinner and have it washed off your bumper while you wait... I'll have a side of fries with my skunk when you get a chance, Rude one.

Hey, is that a new hair-do? Tips must be adding up, somehow...

User: tones | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Hell... it's not often I agree with both Clas *and* ¦ (or that they agree with each other) so I might as well chime in. I was a huge Chicago fan, even bought Hot Streets hoping they would survive the death of my favorite member (who shot himself on my birthday -da bastad!). I probably even owned 13 for a few weeks, but by then they were completely over the shark... At one point I could whistle almost every horn chart on albums 1 - 11, except for 4 (live at Carnegie Hall, which everyone knows was shite). 15 (fingerprint) wasn't bad... it had a pretty good song called Manipulation; I think the album was an attempt to rescue the band from the vapidity of the "Cetera years", but no one seemed to notice and the attempt failed. And once Danny Seraphine (sp) quit they had no spine left. I think the only original members left now are the horn section and Lamm...

Never knew they played South Africa... I doubt Kath would have put up with that crap. Btw, remember when the Lionel Ritchie-less Commodores played South Africa? Wtf was *that* about? (I already know - $.)

Bill - you *really* want my suggestion about where you should store that recording equipment? Nah... that's too easy...

pieces

t

User: Aja.........................still not working | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Jim#-I have to confess that I now have TWO NJ songs I like-"Don't Know Why" and "Come Away With Me". I just may show up ;o)

Bill-Six won't work, I'll still be running my hot bod up and down the beach. Make it eight. And I prefer red.

Rude Waitress-I'll take a drink as well, and a big helping of possum au gratin.

Aja

User: The Box Set | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Altamira
You have great taste in music..Bobby Darin..all can be found in the
rhino box set "the bobby darin collection"

bluz

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Happy Birthday Dr. Becker!

Bill: very funny

C: that's about right re: Chicago...but the album just before Kath accidentally shot himself (with Take Me Back to Chicago) and the one just after (with "No Tell Lover") aren't bad. No Tell Lover may be my fav Chicago pop song. Very, very good horn chart, instrumental bridge, and Peter Cetera's voice had developed to the point where it sounded like part of the horn section. After that, they dug their own artistic grave with a string of vapid power pop ballads...

User: angel | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Happy Birthday Walter!!!! :-)

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Aus: WtF?

User: Altamira | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Duncan--I'm so sorry about the loss of your cat.

Roy Scam--We got about two feet of snow. I've been greatly enjoying it; I love snow.

Jimbo--There weren't any pledge breaks on the station where I listened to the program; I suppose the one you listened to was in the midst of a pledge drive. Where did you get that Bobby Darin recording? I'd love to get a copy of it; I'm quite fond of him.

Jim#--I tried to visit the Argyles' web site and found an error message urging the person responsible for the site to call a phone number about the problem.

User: Reverend Al | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Hello brothers and sisters,

I would like to take this opportunity to inform you of my position on
the current state of affairs regarding advancement of my constituency
in the world of unfairness foisted upon us by the systematical deluge
of caucasian disinformation.

As it so happens, the treaty of incorporation between the powers-that-be
and the persons of disproportionate representation has be less than
satisfactory to the brotherhood for whome I speak. While we have striven
to achieve the highest level of self-fulfillment, the path has been
strewn with the seeds of disaster in an attempt to pulverize our hopes
thereby injection-molding the black man into a form which is unacceptable to potential employers. Hence the Koreans.

I therefore ask for your support during the next election cycle in order
to right the wrongs of injustice by passing such legistlation which would
allow for the incorporation of my contituency into the field of origamy
which as you know has been closed to persons such as myself for trillions
of years. Go ahead and look it up.

Sincerely,
Reverend Al

User: Jim# | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: RoyScam: That radio station you mentioned? I tried it the other morning and got a mezzo-soprano and a waltz (which was fine, since I'm under a lot of Strauss lately. . .), maybe I'm checking in at the wrong time frame?

YGK: Hey brother, no real plans to do the Fest this year. 'Course, last year I planned to go right up to the last week before and then gracelessly dumped. So you never know. Reverse karma. (by the way, I would have responded sooner but then Bill posted something political and the GB locked up for two days. . . )

Interesting that Norah Jones has an ampitheatre-venue concert scheduled locally in early June and the media is already beating the drum. 4 months advance plugging around these parts is normally reserved for the Molly Hatchet's of the world.

Hey Aja, wanna go? :-)

User: Schwinn | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: On December 1st, 2001, I quit smoking cigarettes. On December 20th, 2002, I did my first gig as lead singer for the Argyles. I quit smoking cold turkey and never cheated once. Not once. I feel like a school kid with a fresh set of pipes and we have packed the dance floor wherever we have played. And guess what...the $$ is GOOD! Sorry, Clas--I know you hate cover bands but we are a damn good one and I hope to add a Steely tune or two before the band throws another groupie out the window. Ooops, well, she had high hopes! Check us out at www.theargylesmusic.com It's a simple site and the calendar hasn't been updated but we are progressing quickly. Anybody know where I can get my canines filed like Donalds?

East St. Louis,

Toodle "Schwinn" Ooo

User: Aussie | Month: 1 | Day: 20

Message: Dear Bill: The Yello Enzo.

Yours, Aus

User: Roy.scam | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: fezo, Hank, YGK ~ Thanks for the welcome.

Becker's solo on "Black Friday" on the Piano Jazz show was the best I'd heard in years, second only to the definitive one on Katy Lied 28 years ago (Was it really that long ago that she lied?). He nailed that middle part and inserted the little Ellington riff, just like the original. I know there's nothing sacred about musical improvisations, but I always feel mildly cheated in some way when a live version of one of my supreme favorites strays down a different path. Sort of like tasting Butter Pecan when you're expecting Toffe Crunch. Why does Walter ever let anyone else play that Black Friday solo?

Wolf~ Your comment on the scarcity, nay, dirth of Steely content was well taken. However, our audit showed that there was a fully documented Becker/Fagen mention only 20 posts before yours, not 25 as alleged. This disqualifies your lament from being "duly noted", on the grounds of statuatory falsification by exaggeration (however slight). If you wish to retract your allegation and downgrade the degree of your criticism from disgust to moderate annoyance, your petition will be considered.

Beth-o Matic~ That "August day" song to which you linked us was a beauty. I listened to it thrice and was still awed by the moody harmonica solo. I'm wondering why I'd never heard that one before.

I must now get back to sculpting my receptors; they've gotten a little flabby in the last 3 years.

RS

User: To Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Oh oh oh ...that is just too good....

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Hello friends,

I would just like to say that I am sorry for not responding to your
most heartfelt support during my recent "Anarchists get the hell out
of America" campaign. I would like to take this time to you all.

Pat,
Thanks for the unlimited use of your new boat. Providing me with
your credit card for fuel wasn't necessary but it was a nice touch.
I'm overwhelmed, thank you.

Malcolm,
Please brother, all these hugs in public aren't really necessary.
I like you too.

Herm,
I appreciate the airline tickets to Maui. I'll think of you while
I'm there. You're the best!

Tones,
Where am I going to store all this brand new recording equipment you
sent me? These flying faders are way cool! Thanks man.

Aussie,
Another large check? You're too kind my brother. I'll sign it over to
the Ferrari dealership like you suggested. Should I take the red or the
yellow Enzo?

Aja,
Whew! I almost got caught opening that email you sent stuffed full of,
shall we say, "personal" photos? Man you ARE hot aren't you? I'll pick
you up at six with the new Enzo Ferrari that Aussie bought me okay?

Cyn,
I might be able to stay with you for a couple of weeks or so but England
is kinda rainy this time of year. Why not join Aja and I in Cancun?
Now THAT would be a good time no? Lookin' forward to it babe...

YGK,
Offering to sign me over the deed to your NYC digs is going a bit
overboard brother. Donald has assured me that his place is my place,
but you can come over and hang with us anytime you want. You numero uno
in my book. Rock on!

LP,
You're place in Massachusetts is lovely. It was fun hanging out with you
last night while hubby was away. Maybe we can do it again sometime real
soon? At least I have this video to remember it by... Till next time,
you're forever my girl.

Did I miss anyone?
Oh yes...

Clas,
Don't send me anymore of your undergarments in the mail you naughty boy!

User: duncan | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: film
contains the phrase...
are you married, homeless...a drummer !!!
LMAO...
PG on the soundtrack also

a real surprise !

Good

User: A message from the Rock & Roll Arbitration Board | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Rule # 128, Subsection 5b, Paragraph 1a, of the Rock & Roll Handbook
strictly forbids any reference to "The Golden Girls" television show
as this been determined to be blatantly uncool.

Paragraph 1b forbids the use of the name "Clas" when attempting to
describe coolness as it applies to the art of music in general.

Thank You.

User: Andrew Gold | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Best remembered for his mid-'70s smashes "Lonely Boy" and "Thank You for Being a Friend," pop singer/songwriter Andrew Gold was born in Burbank, CA on August 2, 1951. The son of composer Ernest Gold (who won an Academy Award for his score to the film Exodus) and vocalist Marni Nixon (the singing voice of Natalie Wood in West Side Story and Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady), he first attracted attention as a member of the Los Angeles band Bryndle alongside Kenny Edwards, Wendy Waldman and Karla Bonoff; in 1973, both Gold and Edwards joined Linda Ronstadt, appearing on classic albums including 1974's Heart Like a Wheel and 1975's Prisoner in Disguise. A noted arranger as well as a skilled multi-instrumentalist, Gold swiftly emerged as one of the most sought-after session musicians on the West Coast scene, and his resume ù including dates with James Taylor, Carly Simon, Loudon Wainwright III, and J.D. Souther ù reads like a Who's Who of the singer/songwriter movement.
In 1975 Gold released his self-titled solo debut; its follow-up, What's Wrong With This Picture?, was his commercial breakthrough, notching an international hit with "Lonely Boy." "Never Let Her Slip Away, " from 1978's All This and Heaven Too, also reached the British Top Five, but the album's most enduring moment remains "Thank You for Being a Friend, " the blockbuster ballad later remade as the theme song for the hit sitcom The Golden Girls. However, 1980's Whirlwind stiffed, and Gold was cut loose from his contract with Asylum; after spending the early part of the decade touring with Ronstadt, he teamed with 10cc alumnus Graham Gouldman to form Common Knowledge, recording a self-titled LP in 1984. Gold and Goldman then rechristened their duo project Wax UK, notching a minor hit in 1986 with "Right Between the Eyes." "Bridge to Your Heart" was a British smash in 1987, but after 1989's A Hundred Thousand in Fresh Notes Wax UK disbanded.

Returning to his solo career, in 1991 Gold issued his first effort in over a decade, Home Is Where the Heart Is, before immersing himself in production work for artists ranging from Nicollette Larsen to Stephen Bishop to Eikichi Yazawa. In 1995, he reunited with Bonoff, Edwards, and Waldman in a new incarnation of Bryndle, releasing an eponymous LP before Gold's move to Connecticut forced him to leave the group soon after. 1996 saw the release of a new solo effort, ...Since 1951, as well as Halloween Howls, a record for children. Leftovers, a collection of unreleased material, followed in 1998.

User: Gina | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Oh Clas? Never heard the Golden Grrls theme song?
About friendship ... An Andrew Gold song.

Had a Steely Dan dinner yesterday.
As in singing along with various albums, Katy Lied-Royal Scam-Can't buy a thrill. Sipping cheap wine, some salad and pasta. Hm.
Although some of nowadays music also appeals, one simply has to acknowledge SD transcends time. Maybe it's age, nostalgia for younger years. Still, in general it were better times back then.
Still room for dreams.

User: C & W | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: I lost interest in them when I heard they played Sun City, South Africa, back in the good old apartheid days.

I guess they were well payed.

User: Clas @ Work | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Lars - yes Chicago went down the skidrow after the 4th or 5th album. The last I saw of Robert Lamm was a charity show from +rnsk÷ldsvik, acoustic stuff with a guy from America, the group. Maybe 1990.

BingoLotto you say? Did they perform there? Holy Moses.

User: Cyn...shaken..not stirred | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Hahahaha...Snakie! C'mon, sistah...lets have a Chocolate Martini whilst our cars are being washed. And I'll take the no.6..'possum and wild rice.

User: sh | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: 
Cyn - there's a car wash at the Roadkill Cafe? woo hoo! i'm so excited i can barely cope (ever so slight SD reference) what could be more Americana than a place where you can get roadkill and drinks served up by a Rude Waitress AND get a car wash - all at the same location? Life is good ;-) Let's have another drink...

User: Beth_Times_3 | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: To: Bluz....I ordered the three last evening....there that is done.

My days off have been numbered...I have to get back to working the traffic on I-95. It is a sunny day out there...and it's going to be a beautiful day.

To: St. Al. The site in which we spoke about briefly....www.geocities.com/sisteralphonso/home.html....sexy renditions of FM...(lounge lizard bait)....and the site from the SD fan...the guy with the unusual name (I never pay enough attention)is: www.geocities.co.jp/Broadway/6433/mp3.html (SHINE OF YOUR JAPAN-MP3)....(I know some of you have already been there)

To All: Peace and Love.......Living and Loving it Beth

User: kingoftheworldasfarasiknow | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: neurological twilight zone takes another quantum leap upward, and becomes much harder to even begin to describe. how anyone ever had the imagination to invent anything as loathesome as Life I have no idea.

computer shutting self down. is it virus? it's not what it's telling me it is.

User: Ms. Kennedy, Abe's personal secretary | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: "Allow the President to invade a neighboring nation, whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion, and you allow him to do so, whenever he may choose to say he deems it necessary for such a purpose -- and you allow him to make war at pleasure. Study to see if you can fix any limit to his power in this respect, after you have given him so much à [power]. If, today, he should choose to say he thinks it necessary to invade Canada, to prevent the British from invading us, how could you stop him? You may say to him, 'I see no probability of the British invading us' but he will say to you, 'Be silent; I see it, if you don't.'"
Abraham Lincoln

www.whatreallyhappened.com..for your reading pleasure

User: Cyn | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: 
hahaha...you guys have gone and done it again...without fail...had me in stitches over Bill's (aka Sen. MaCarthy wannabe) lastest post.Just cuz I'm pissy and sick of all the snow..I'm going to start naming names of ALL the left-wing, pinko, commies in here.I'll also call the RudeWaitress...shes overheard some very interesting conversations at the "Roadkill Cafe and Carwash" from some of these radicals.

#1269..."I'm digging a ditch where madness gives a bit"..Dave Matthews (Busted Stuff)

My newest Fav saying..."Never interrupt your enemy whens he making a mistake"....Napoleon

Back to the bar for me...I'm having another drink

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: yeah, we can need a little blessing down here. Forget about what I told about snow and Lund. We have had it for 3 weeks now!

My work is just opposite to a concert hall where I saw Chicago in mid 70ies. What a drag ... . That Pankow guy makin' fuckin'hips instead of blowing that bone; "If you leave me now" ... . Heard they¦re still playing - at shopping malls and at BingoLotto.

L

User: C & W | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Lars - Earlier marriage. Monica is stepmother (brrrr... come to think of The Stepfather)).

---

God - and the south parts of Sweden. Lund in particular.

Maybe I am asking for too much now?

User: Holy Hell! | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Presumptuous.

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Well behind was more from our view, she leaned her head at the keyboard then ... . But they are related in some way. Monica and Lisa. No? But that drummer, from what I can recall she looked awful in that B52.

L

User: Oh, shit! | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: I almost forgot:

God, Bless America.

Would I be presumptous if I asked you to bless the south part of Stockholm too?

C

User: C | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Fell asleep BEHIND the piano?

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Of course they had a female drummer! I was in love with her :-)

No, Monica isn't Lisas mother.

Can you believe that I am one of very few people who have seen Lisa Nilsson naked?

Okay, she was only 2 years old...

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Monica Borrfors - nice voice and mother to Lisa Nilsson too I think. My music teacher worked at a nightclub too and during class she often fell asleep behind the piano. We left in silence. Didn't Honeycombs have that female drummer?

L

User: C & W | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: I know what record store you're talking about. It's long gone. I think I bought my first LP there, Honeycombs, I was in love with that drummer.

Me and my brother went to China teatern and saw them and Cliff Richard. The singer in Honeycombs made a parody on PJ Proby, very funny. Zzzing, went the strings of my heart.

My brother didn't applaud during the whole concert. When I asked him why, he said;

- I don't need to, everybody else does.

User: C & W | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Andrew Gold? Never heard of him.

Chicago Transit Authority! Isn't that great stuff? I'll never forget when I first heard that music. We had this new music teacher, he came walking down the hall with a bunch of Blood Sweat & Tears, Chicago and Miles Davies records under his arms the first day. G÷sta Nilsson, he then married my schoolfellow, Monica Borrfors! The bastard...

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: C: this week it's exactly 33 years since I bought the original Chicago Transit Authority. In Stockholm during the february break in school. At that small record store in one of those big buildings by H÷torget. Added Pink Floyd's "Ummagumma" and S&G's "Bridge over troubled water". What a week!

L

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: C: It's Andrew Gold and "How can this be love". By the way, I bought the remastered "Chicago Transit Authority" the other day. What a listen!

L

User: C & W | Month: 1 | Day: 19

Message: Can you believe what I found at the Robert Fisk.com site? Listen:

"The show was over, recorded for one of those nice liberal local American TV cable channels û this time in Texas û where everyone agrees that war is wrong, that George Bush is in the hands of right-wing Christian fundamentalists and pro-Israeli neo- conservatives.

Don Darling, the TV host, had just turned to thank me for my long and flu-laden contribution. Then it happened. Cameraman number two came striding towards us through the studio lights. 'I want to thank you, sir, for reminding us that the British had a lot to do with the chaos in the Middle East,' he said. 'But I have something else to say.'

His voice rose 10 decibels, his bare arms bouncing up and down at his sides, his shaven head struck forward pugnaciously. 'Yeah, I wanna tell you that the cause of this problem is the fucking medieval Arabs and their wish to enslave us all û and I tell you that it is because we want to save the Jews from the fucking savage Arabs who want to throw them into the sea that we are about to fuck Saddam.' There was a pause as Don Darling looked at the man, aghast. 'And that,' cameraman number two concluded, 'is the fucking truth.'

Darling called to the studio manager. 'Where does this man come from?' he demanded to know. The lady from the University of Texas û organiser of this gentle little pow-wow û advanced on to the studio floor in horror: 'Who is this person?' I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. All of a sudden, our nice anti-war chat had been brought to a halt by a spot of redneck reality. There really were right-wingers out there in the darkness who really did want George Bush to zap the Arabs. I asked the guy his name: 'Doctor Bill Mu,' he said. 'And the FBI can do nothing to me if you give them my name.'"

User: C & W | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Wolf - no comments.

---

I found this cassette tape that has been around since the 80's, I don't know hell where it comes from, it has a song on it, the refrain is something like:

"How can this be love when it makes us cry..."

Very catchy, a good song.

Is there anyone out there knowing what this is?

User: W1P | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: angel -- true story. Saturday night I went to the Viper Room to catch my buddies Numira. After the show, we all spilled onto to Sunset to bask in the glory of Numira's blistering set. A car honks and a (young) woman leans out the window yelling "Dan, Dan" Yes, I was noticed by passing traffic in front of the Viper Room because of my connection with Which One's Pink? This week's sign that the apocalypse is upon us.

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Hello people of the drainage ditch... I mean people of the guestbook,

Your arguments have been heard and filed in the appropriate round bin.
My opinions may be easier for you to swallow once you realize that I
am vastly superior to you in all ways imaginable. You are subservient
riff-raff from which no opinion of consequence could ever come forth.

I, yes I, am your only stop for truth and guidance on this rag you
call a guestbook and yet I show my grace by addressing you directly.
I am the way, I am the light, and I am your truth. You may now
make your sacrifices in my name.

ALL HAIL THE NAME OF BILL!

User: angel | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: W1P: A last minute addition to our schedule. Hubby works weekends, so it took quite a bit of planning, to pull off. I stayed at the Catamaran Hotel and found out that you don't pay the cover charge, when you are a guest. Helped me almost justify the hefty hotel fee. :-)

I was talking to one of our (young) interns the other day and mentioned that I knew the manager of a Pink Floyd Tribute band. She goes "Which One's Pink?" I couldn't believe she had heard of you. :-)

User: W1P | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Hey angel, didn't know you were going or I would have tried to talk the wife into the trip too! On the day of the bad rain storm I got off the 101 at Highland and took Sunset all the way to downtown. I wanted to stop at the Shortstop, but I was afraid I'd float away. W1P and Led Zepagain this Saturday at the biker bar in Reseda! Steeve's Pretzel Logic is at Platinum Live this Friday (we're there on 3/29).

User: angel | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: I feel almost as scarce as Royscam. :-)

I haven't had internet connection at home for the past week and work keeps me pretty occupied, this time of year.
I did manage to make a quick trip down to San Diego and see "The Steely Damned" Sunday Evening. For any who care about such things, they did 2 new (for them) songs, "Monkey In Your Soul" and "Brooklyn". I got a real kick out of Brooklyn, except they didn't put in the final Brook... :-)
Hey W1P, they Did "Green Flower Street" too, so I did get to hear that.

Piano Jazz was a real pain to find, with the correct guest. Sheesh, you would think NPR stations would all air the same show during the same week. (she says with tongue planted firmly in cheek) ;-)

User: fezo | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Roy: You're sudden reappearance has hopefully not been overshadowed by the reaction to Bill's waxing philosophic for the days of Joe McCarthy and the House UnAmerican Activities Committee.

Those were the good old days. When the laundry list in ones shirt pocket could pass for hard evidence of the evildoers in our midst. Now we just need Karl Rove to give George II a nudge and the color code for the Homeland Security warning system is upgraded.

Anyway . . . welcome back, Roy, and please stick around.

I caught Piano Jazz Sunday night after a moment of panic. I live in such a lefty part of the country I actually get clear signals on five different NPR stations, three of which were carrying the show, but only one with our heroes as guests. Pretty good stuff, when I finally caught up to the broadcast. Loved the music, did think that perhaps Ms.McPartland
is finally showing her age a bit. She didn't seem quite as sharp as in
other shows I've heard. But hell, she's pushing 85, and still playing her ass off, so I'll just shut up

Snowbound four days and counting . . .

User: Zeke | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: I don't want to steal any of Bill's thunder.....

The lineup for the New Orleans Jazz Fest is out.
check it out at nojazzfest.com
One show to check out is the Herbie Mann Reunion Band, feat. Larry Coryell
David "Fat Head" Newman, and Chuck Rainey.
Also, there's a new "Blues" tent.

Don,Walt, hey, could you add New Orleans to your list of tour stops???
Thanks.

User: Randy | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: 
Steely-folk,

This may appear, in a comparative sense, monumentally inconsequential, in light of the current "world political climate" issues which currently permeate the 'Sign In Stranger Guestbook,' but there are those of us who do our political debating elsewhere; that being said, has anyone given any thought (by way of speculative interpretation) to what the seemingly arcane references mentioned in the press release concerning the next Steely Dan effort, 'Everthing Must Go' might infer, specifically those that mentioned "musical allusions [which] range from Pharaoh Sanders to Tommy James, and whose literary echoes bound from William Gibson to Burmashave"?

It appears little discourse has taken place in regards to these aforementioned seeds of information, even on a Steely Dan related site such as this; to those that suggest visitation to "the Bluebook," I say in advance that there are admirers of Steely Dan music here as well, go fuck yourself, on with the tirade(s), and forget I said anything-

"Did we ever stand a chance girl / Now I guess we'll never know / Thanks to George Bush and those Nazis / Down in Washington, D.C."
- Steely Dan, 'Fall of '92'

Randy
NIGHTFLY62@aol.com

User: YGK-Worried Yet? | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Reprint of "Worried Yet?"

Some of these seem too good to be true, but here goes...
These are from a Washington, D.C.Travel Agent with 30 years experience...

I had a New Hampshire Congresswoman ask for an aisle seat so that her hair wouldn't get messed up by being near the window.

I got a call from a Candidate's Staffer, who wanted to go to Capetown. I started to explain the length of the flight and the passport information then she interrupted me with, "I'm not trying to make you look stupid, but Capetown is in Massachusetts." Without trying to make her look like the stupid one, I calmly explained, "Cape Cod is in Massachusetts, Capetown is in Africa." Her response ... (click).

A Senior Vermont Congressman called, furious about a Florida package we did. I asked what was wrong with the vacation in Orlando. He said he was expecting an ocean-view room. I tried to explain that is not possible, since Orlando is in the middle of the state. H! e replied, "Don't lie to me.&nbs p; I looked on the map, and Florida is a very thin state!!!"

I got a call from a Lawmakers Wife who asked, "Is it possible to see England from Canada?" I said, "No." She said, "But they look so close on the map."

An aide for a Bush cabinet member once called and asked if they could rent a car in Dallas. When I pulled up the reservation, I noticed they had only a 1-hour lay-over in Dallas. When I asked him why he wanted to rent a car, he said, "I heard Dallas was a big airport, and we will need a car to drive between the gates to save time."

An Illinois Congresswoman called last week. She needed to know how it was possible that her flight from Detroit left at 8:20am and got into Chicago at 8:33am. I tried to explain that Michigan was an hour ahead of Illinois, but she could not understand the concept of time zones. Finally, I told her the plane went very fast, and she bought that!

A New York lawmaker called a! nd asked, "Do airlines put your physical description on your bag so they know who's luggage belongs to whom?" I said, "No, why do you ask?" She replied, "Well, when I checked in with the agent, they put a tag on my luggage that said (FAT), and I'm overweight, I think that is very rude?" After putting her on hold for a minute while I "looked into it" (I was actually laughing) I came back and explained the city code for Fresno, CA is (FAT), and that the airline was just putting a destination tag on her luggage.

A Senator's Aide called in inquiring about a trip package to Hawaii. After going over all the cost info, she asked, "Would it be cheaper to fly to California and then take the train to Hawaii?"

I just got off the phone with a freshman Congressman who asked, "How do I know which plane to get on?" I asked him what exactly he meant, to which he replied, "I was told my flight number is 823, but none of these darn planes have numbers on them."

A Lady S! enator called and said, "I need to fly to Pepsi-Cola, FL. Do I have to get on one of those little computer planes?" I asked if she meant "fly to Pensacola, FL on a commuter plane". She said, "Yeah, whatever!!"

A Senior Senator called and had a question about the documents he needed in order to fly to China. After a lengthy discussion about passports, I reminded him he needed a visa. "Oh no I don't, I've been to China many times and never had to have one of those." I double checked and sure enough, his stay required a visa. When I told him this he said, "Look, I've been to China four times and every time they have
accepted my American Express!"

A New Mexico Congresswoman called to make reservations, "I want to go from Chicago to Rhino, New York" The agent was at a loss for words. Finally, the agent: "Are you sure that's the name of the town?" "Yes, what flights do you have?" replied the lady. After some searching, the ag! ent came back with, "I'm sorry, ma'am, I've looked up every airport code in the country and can't find a Rhino
anywhere." The lady retorted, "Oh don't be silly! Everyone knows where it is. Check your map!" The agent scoured a map of the state of New York and finally offered, "You don't mean Buffalo, do you?" "That's it! I knew it was a big animal", she admitted!!!

Should we be worried about the state of the union?

ygk

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: On yet another non-Steely Dan related subject...

I think now is a ripe time for everyone to pull out their copies of Utopia's "Swing to The Right". Those of you without copies can share with those of you who do. This album came out in 1982, and unfortunately, it seems to have a timelessness about it.

And ladies, particularly those married or otherwise engaged with those in charge, pay particular notice to "Lysistrata".

Later,

Herm

Geez, what is this, four posts in one day? I'm downright chatty today.

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: T.J.

Too bad your maid didn't wasn't allowed that option.

Herm

User: Thomas Jefferson | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: I think I said once:

"The first duty of a citizen is to question their government"

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Wow! Bill really stirred the pot on that last post of his, didn't he?

I suspect he's sitting on his porch swing laughing his ass off. The bastard...

Here's another one. American (US) citizens are under-taxed. Though I don't disagree with the concept of more money in our pockets means we'll spend more. The fact is too many important social services are suffering while we spend stupid money on millitary build-up and our dipshit president gives me an extra $100 to spend. In the meantime he's sending our deficit back into the stone age (Reagan era).

Oh -- Steely Dan

StAl

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Oh, I'm sorry.

Steely Dan! Steely Dan! Steely Dan!

Don And Walt Rock!

Can't wait for the newest one!

There, happy?

Herm

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Wow.

Who the fuck ever said that they hated America? Now granted, I didn't scroll down and scrutize every post post, but I don't ever remember anyone ever saying, or even insinuating for that matter, that they hated this country. Susan Sarandon and Ed Asner hate America? I don't think so dumbfuck. What they hate, or at least what I interpret their hate to be directed at, are certain leaders,law makers and people in charge of the country. Not the country itself. It's like being a fan of your hometown ball club. You don't have to love every member on the team and every person in the front office in order to be a fan. You can outright despise management for the way they are ruining the club, the way they treat the players and fans, the way they are only in it for the money, the fact that they give nothing back to the loyalists, etc. The idea that you have to fall in line with the ideology of those in charge is anti-amercan, not pro-american. It's fascism, and sadly, that's what the Republicans are more inclined to be representing lately. It reminds me of what I've read of the 1950's and McCarthy-ism. All of this fear mongering that the establishment is beating into us. The terrorist alert levels, buy duct tape and water, be careful, they could strike at any minute...It's just instilling fear into us so the people in charge, (Bush and all of his cronies, or is it vice versa?), can keep us in line. Democrats are afraid to say anything contrary out of fear of mass ridicule. Th Republicans have a vast majority brainwashed.

I love America, and I feel that I can speak for many here in this guest book and say that they, too love America. Just because we aren't draped in a flag and screaming out our opinions on the Fox News doesn't mean we are against it. We are just very unhappy with the state of affairs right now. Instead of trying to find a peaceful solution, Bush is bent on war. A war that he has been tipping off for the past six months. We went into Afganistan and did not kill our objective. Who's to say that we'll do any better in Iraq? And quit purposely trying to piss off North Korea. And quit all the late night policy changes and law signings that help noboby but your rich friends.

Thousands of innocent young men and women stand to be killed because a stupid rich man is too arrogant and ignorant to settle it any other way. It makes a blow job and a vaginally inserted cigar seem rather tame, doesn't it?

Idiot...

Later,

Herm

User: Aja.......................on overtime | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Bill (who else?) wrote: "The problem with the United States is that we have no mechanism by which
to remove people from our country who have no loyalty to it."

That's right, because we ARE America! There are countries who "remove" people for lack of "loyalty", however, if that's what you're looking for, Bill. Try China, Cuba, North Korea, and of course, Iraq.

Aja

User: Aja...........feeling fiesty and wtf'in' | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Doc mu wrote: "since IÆm the only one in this venue with any family that might find themselves in harmÆs way, IÆll ignore the gratuitous comment"

Are you kidding me, doc? I've got loved ones flying Blackhawks and F-14's out there-what's in the water in Texas that you thought you were the only one?

I love this country-it gives idiots like Bill the right to spew their (see that?) ignorance. It's the current government I hate. God bless America, F*$% Bush! I was at the Saturday anti-war protest, and I did it for those same loved ones in the service who are being used as freakin' pawns and human sacrifices for Bush's questionable agenda.

YGK-looking forward to your release! No, no N'awlins for me this year-is anyone going to Jazzfest?

Aja

User: lp, taking a break from saving the world from village sprawl | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: so, as i was saying, bill...

at the last town i worked in, there was this guy at town meeting, every damn spring and fall for town meeting, every damn thing i said, every damn line item in my budget, every damn article on the warrant i explained, this guy would question it to the bone - i was exhausted - but because of him, every damn thing i brought forward was voted unanimously in the positive, in part, possibly, to shut the guy up since a motion to call the question usually got invoked at some point (LOL), but i usually attested it to the fact that because he questioned, things got explained, it got defended in answering to the why, which, who, what, where - so when he would apologize to me at my office the next day for wrangling me in public, i would say, no, actually thank you... and ireally meant it

complacency makes even nice people like me able to push anything through the system - this guy never let me do that

so let the people assemble, speak, get pissed off, question the hell out of everything - it forces the administration to say, wtf, this is why we have to do this...

the problem, of course, is that de-construction of the why and wherefores is really hard to do when the information is classified

thus this is a rare moment in democracy (sorry aja, i'm repeating myself) when we have to depend upon our elected officials to do what's right

your laughter i can hear from the depths of the atlantic tells me the reason why it's so difficult to do that - there is no trust in our elected officials in its collective, and there is limited trust in this particular administration

so the right to assemble continues in great force

get used to it

User: t | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: "The problem with the United States is that we have no mechanism by which
to remove people from our country who have no loyalty to it."

Bill, my loyalty is to the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, both of which are under attack by facists like you in the name of "patriotism."

Without them your America wouldn't exist. Not that you would give a shit until you were somehow inconvenienced.

----------------------------------

Wolf - insightful input, as usual. Put down that picture of yourself and try typing with both hands...

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Really Wolf: Hmmm. I believe I was speaking to my new bands gigs, our recording process and progress. I don't think that "star" is actually part of my m.o.
And, actually, I think the damn thing will be out in March. What do I have to say for myself? Well, how about "listen to the record.........."
One more thing buddy - advice is is spelled with a "C". But I will advise you not to put your face on that hot iron.

ygk

User: Aja...................politics as usual | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Bill-read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. You're the one who's Unamerican-and too stupid to know it. By the way, it's "their". Get yourself an education so you can actually READ those two documents.

Aja

User: Nightfly | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Lars, yep heard the Gospel at Colonus. Be careful though, if you buy the CD version of it, it's not totally the DF-produced version. That one (from the off-Broadway original version) was on vinyl when it first came out and was totally produced by DF and Gary Katz. But when they later released the CD, it included a bunch of tracks from the Broadway version of it, which DF had nothing to do with. There was maybe 1 or 2 tracks from the original soundtrack on it.

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Wolf: At least YGK isn't a pussy like you. I've heard The Core's new one and it's better than anything you cold even dream of creating, so keep on trying. Oh, and Wolf, I don't moderate this place. It is self-governing, which means we have to listen to asshole like you too. If you want a nice cozy environment where things are more focused on the band pictured above, may I suggest Hoops' guestbook. You know the address. Otherwise, how about a nice big cup of...

Bill: I like living here just fine. Mainly because I can tell John Wayne types like you to go to hell. It's my right as a citizen. It's also my right to tell the same John Wayne types running our government to go to hell. Which I gladly do.

Now, lapdog, go fetch Georgie boy his morning paper.

I'm feeling feisty today. Can you tell?

User: Bill Bixby | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Uncle Martin is that you?

User: Wolf Blitzer | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: YGK.. I took your advise and went to the archives. Amongst all of the lyrical interpretations and analysis, my favorite posts were the ones you were making about your new record. "When my new record hits I will be a star" "This record will take the country by storm" Well braggart...now what do you have to say for yourself?

Clas- Feel free to comment on this subject.

Wolf

User: Phillip--yadda | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Bill, I hear you and I'm with you.

User: Phillip--Not to be confused and yadda yadda yadda | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Wolf: It's like cotton, "Fabric of our lives"

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: LP,

Yeah patriotism does mean saying WTF sometimes, but not all the time.
Seems like certain people around here should decide where they want
to live and move there cuz' it certainly aint here.

What we have here is the whole Susan Sarandon/Ed Asner crowd just
wishing for the good old pre-9/11 days when it was cool to hate the
country. In the past thier philosophies garnered sighs of disgust
whereas today they recieve an angry challenge. I don't think they've
quite come to grips with that. I think people have had about enough
America bashing from these simpletons that's all.

Back to Steely Dan now please...

User: Phillip--Not to be confused with any other | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Bill: I like your style. "For evil to triumph, is for good men to do nothing" I watched the interview with Dr. Germ. I was wearing a none-to-subtle necktie and pressed pants, and I had to wonder "what the hell?" All the charm was lost.

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Nightfly - tanx; I found C2 at a site in Germany called Musik-Laden (music barn). Looks kind of strange with minimum order-amount and stuff like that, but what the heck ... .

In my search for it I found (old)news (but new to me):Don produced and did vocals on a musical by Bob Telson "The Gospel at Colonus". Anybody heard it?

L

User: lp | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Bill, it's posts like that which make moderates like me move that much closer to the left...

We are founded on rebellion, did you really think we'd change in over 200 years? Please...

Your talk makes me think we should be donning our Mao jackets - that's the rhetoric that got that started, my dear...

patriotism means sometimes saying wtf...

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: Moll: That's pretty damn funny.

Roy: I aim to please...

My apologies for the following - sometimes I write to amuse myself only...

jjeff:: Excellent question. Germany and France have not supplied Iraq with actual weapons, but supplies that can be used for chemical and bio weapons since 1991 and the cease fire ending Gulf War I:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/iraq/2001/

The extent of their contributions is unknown, but their recent behavior raises suspicions û any certainty is only possible if and when Iraq is liberated.

During the Cold War and the Iran-Iraq War companies from both Europe and the US contributed supplies to Iraq from 1980-1990 that were later used to develop chemical and bio weapons. The extreme right wing media (right of Newsmax.com) first claimed that the Reagan administration ordered this. Salon.com and the extreme left picked up on this û but these reports been proven false. However, Reagan and Weinberger did NOT enforce laws that forbid American companies from selling supplies that could be used for development of bio and chemical weapons. German companies at that time by far were the greatest provider of bio/chemical, but the US companies were not far behind.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/iraq/stories/wartech091790.htm

http://www.inesap.org/bulletin15/bul15art18.htm

http://www.rense.com/general32/suppe.htm

France built a nuclear reactor in Iraq which was bombed by the IsraeliÆs in the 1980s (one of the pilots was aboard the Columbia)

http://www.mod.uk/issues/cbw/history.htm

ôMu: interesting discussion and arguments but what's your conclusion? You forgot one "fact" about France; as quick as they can they take a contraire position against USA.ö

I think you mean that France will reverse itself, as usual, if war starts especially as it will end in short order. Yes, Powell promised that their Big Oil contracts will be honored, and the French debt cannot afford otherwise

ôToday small,rich countries in EU (like Sweden) pays far more than France (per capita) and benefits far less than France (due to the structure of their structure of the agricultural industry.ö

IÆm sorry Lars, France > Sweden in both GDP per capita and total GDP:

perso.wanadoo.fr/ces/Pages/english/OS02-1Slides.pdf

http://www.wien.gv.at/english/investing/

The top 10 richest nations of the world
(GDP per capita at purchasing power parities 1996,
source: OECD)
USA 41.180
Switzerland 37.742
Japan 34.498
Denmark 33.523
Austria 32.162
Germany 31.735
France 30.872
Italy 30.091
Sweden 28.964
Great Britain 27.838

www.worldbank.org/data/databytopic/GDP.pdf

Total GDP 2001
(millions of
Ranking Economy US dollars)
1 United States 10,171,400
2 Japan 4,245,191
3 Germany 1,873,854
4 United Kingdom 1,406,310
5 France /a 1,302,793
6 China 1,159,017
7 Italy 1,090,910
8 Canada 677,178
9 Mexico 617,817
10 Spain 577,539
11 Brazil 502,509
12 India 477,555
13 Korea, Rep. 422,167
14 Netherlands 374,976
15 Australia 368,571
16 Russian Federation 309,951
17 Argentina 268,773
18 Switzerland 247,362
19 Belgium 227,618
20 Sweden 210,108
21 Austria 188,742
22 Poland 174,597
23 Saudi Arabia 173,287
24 Norway 165,458
25 Denmark 162,817
26 Hong Kong, China 162,642
27 Turkey 147,627
28 Indonesia 145,306
29 Venezuela, RB 124,948
30 Finland 121,987
31 Iran, Islamic Rep. 118,868
32 Greece 116,347
33 Thailand 114,760
34 South Africa 113,274
35 Israel 110,386
36 Portugal 108,479
37 Ireland 101,185
38 Egypt, Arab Rep. 97,545
39 Singapore 92,252
40 Malaysia 87,540

Currently, tax rates are set within EU countries, but that is changing! I think you misunderstood. The law I mentioned refers to an EU that takes its tax base across all countries. The structure will be less progressive than the US û meaning RICH COUNTRIES get a HUGE TAX CUT!!

ôAnyhow, what's your conclusion?ö

It is simple. The motivations of the recent stalling tactics by France and Germany, and much of the anti-war protests is rooted in politics and power, rather than principle and pacifism. Also, it appears that the European actions embody all the things of which Americans generally accused !!

Again, where were the protestors not too long ago? re: Kosovo, IraqÆ98, Aspirin Factory in the Sudan, Osama bombing Æ99, Haiti, Bosnia, Somalia, etc??

Call me cynical û but it reeks phony. I will say that the protestors in England are displaying a valid, if misplaced motivation. Their argument is that Osama and Iraq will target them if Iraq is attacked. Of course that would mean that Osama and/or Iraq must then have WMD. The risin incident in London clearly indicates that if we do NOTHING, then terrorist attacks are a certainty that would continue ad infinitum as proliferation continues. I think that UN must be involved in this because of the need for anti-proliferation enforcement of rogue nations. Clearly, the case has been made by Powell and the resolution passed for disarmament. With the cooperation of France and Germany, I firmly believe this could have been accomplished without war. Now I just donÆt know.

Some are even more pessimistic than I, who believe that the genie is out of the bottle and proliferation is simply inevitable. With the knowledge of horror and capacity of men like Osama and Saddam, the destruction of the human race cannot be prevented. That seems extreme, but I have first had knowledge that in the past 12 years there has been a huge influx of graduate student from the Middle East including Iraq who are studying chemical engineering, nuclear engineering, mechanical engineering, etc. While the vast majority undoubtably have good intentions, with the freedom weÆve enjoyed over the years and open borders, how many snakes have climbed the tree of knowledge? Monitoring foreign students properly is on itÆs way without being intrusive (I can vouch for this as I have International students working with me)

If this is about human rights, what about the children and adults of Iraq, whoÆs suffering makes Michael JacksonÆs life look like a walk in NeverlàerrràDisneyland?

t: dude, cÆmon, you much smarter than that. LOL

¦ - Our tyrant is really no worse than theirs, and he just can't wait for a chance to prove it.

WÆs got 1.5 million innocent bodies tortured and killed on purpose to catch up on then, including gassing hundreds of thousands of his own citizensà

ôIf Saddam just had nukes instead of oil, we wouldn't give a shit.ö

My wife, who is completely apolitical, said it best: ôif the Middle East supplies the majority of US imported oil, why risk it with a war. ThatÆs stupid. WonÆt oil prices drop if the war is successful, just like 1991?ö She nailed it. That benefits the consumer, but not the oil companies. In fact, Big Oil is lapping up profits Now because of the uncertainty that the waffling French (or is that Belgian) have provided instead of demanding disarmament now. Suspicious minds would conclude that that is a factor in stringing out the Inspector Clouseau charade. Crude oil prices of $30/barrel encourage drilling and raise profits. After the war, they are likely to slide to $15/barrel or lower, which reduces oil company profits, but also puts a lot of workers out of business û somewhere in the middle is best, but we have to achieve energy independence soonà

Which raises the obvious question, why the YAWN regarding fuel cell cars. I fell out of my EZ chair, but is it because W rightly proposed significant R&D spending? A fuel cell car in every garage would eliminate our need for Mid-East Oil and I also believe combat terrorism as well. WhereÆs Green when you need æem? Make it so.

ôHell, China has killed 1.2 million Tibetans and we granted them "favored nation" status.ö

Yes, that was a big mistake by both Bush41 and Clinton. Appeasement of the Chinese has only led to them sucking Hong Kong dry of capital, tricking and bribing US into providing them with missle guidance systems (supposedly for a ôspace programö) that allows Chinese and perhaps north Korean nuclear missles to hit the West Coast (and us still without an anti-missle system)

ôMaybe if Iraq had a billion potential McDonald's customers we wouldn't be in such a hurry to slaughter them.
About France, germany, and Russia: pretty slick trying to portray them as racists,ö

We KNOW they are anti-Semites or has the history of the last 2 centuries left you unconvinced? Intolerance of immigrants in Europe has been a consistent problem.

ôbut why would try vote to prepare a country for a war they don't want? Granting protection for Turkey would have been giving the green light for war and obligating UN to pay for the reparationsö

ThatÆs TurkeyÆs perogative and they have requested protection and are eager to get rid of Saddam.

ôfor the damage WE- a country that until recently owed 1.7 BILLION in U.N. dues - cause.ö

Why didnÆt Clinton pay that with the ôsurplusö? Hey, the UN owes us back RENT?!ö

ôAnd even if what you say about France, Germany, and Russia is true, can you really blame them for not wanting the US to have control of their oil supply? Even by making that point, you're just pointing out right there that IT'S ALL ABOUT THE OIL. ô

Yes, on the part of France, Germany, and Russia! One thing to keep in mind.is that Big Oil companies are multinationals: with all the bad and good things that entails. Two out of the top four are owned in Europe!

Shell/Texaco/Chevron/Pennzoil/Quaker State û Netherlands (long way from Texas, eh Lars?)

Exxon/Mobil û US

BP/Amoco û Great Britain (Aberdeen, Scotland)

Conoco /Phillips66 û US

ôThat is no reason to murder. Funny how people so in favor of war sit on their asses and spout political rhetoric about how it's ok people have die to make their lives more convenient. This isn't some game of Risk where lives are just numbers. The only "collateral damage" is when war mongers themselves are killed.ö

No one wants war, and since IÆm the only one in this venue with any family that might find themselves in harmÆs way, IÆll ignore the gratuitous commentàIt is interesting to note that I was the only one on this venue critical of the War on Kosovo and both Republicans and Democreatsà

ôAnd one more point: none of this is getting us any closer to Osama. It's the old baitö

Al Qaeda has been damaged, but they are not out. Their infrastructure and ability to build WMD have been severely damaged. The ONLY mechanism by which Al Qaeda can receive supplies or finished WMD (e.g., small pox or nuke in a suitcase). Powell and a mountain of reports from many independent sources link Al Qaeda with Iraq and Iran. ItÆs engineering and science, not Hollywoodàa grim spectre that must be dealt with competently, not by the French and Hans Blix.

Howard: that reminds me of your ôWhat is Green?ö post. Is Kermit right? Or is it easy being green? CO2 and water vapor originally came from volcanos. When plant life appeared on earth 600 million û perhaps1 billion years ago, they produced gobs of oxygen. Now the O2 and CO2 cycles include plants, animals, oceans, mountains. ItÆs all good. Something interesting long-term over the past 60 million years besides global cooling is ôglobal drying.ö Until recently, I did not know that grasses (i.e., wheat, buffalo grass, etc. û no, not hemp St Al!) have existed on this earth for only a little over 20 million years! In other words, there was not enough deforested lands with sunlight. The Sahara as most know was not always a desert. Did global drying threatening ape habitats no result in the evolution of humans? That has been arguedàlater on that

User: Secretary Ashcroft | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: Clas and Jimbo,

Your membership fee is overdue at WWW.Gay_For_Allah.Com

I'm sure this was just and oversight on your part but unless your
membership fee is recieved within the next 48 hours the webmaster
may have to post your latest vacation pictures.

User: Moll | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: A joke I heard,
If you got trapped on an elevator with Kenny G, Michael Bolton and Yanni with only one bullet in your pistol who would you shoot?
Answer: Yourself, it's the only way to ease your suffering.

User: roy.scam | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: If you haven't heard the Piano Jazz program with Walt and Don as guests, waste no time; even if you have to hear an inferior scratchy recording. -- It's not just good, it's life-giving. The interview was good; the playing was great. It's nice to hear them fielding questions from someone they respect. "Josie" sounded so good it almost seemed new; the tempo was patient, and drummer Keith Carlock made it sound more like a rock song than before. Makes me think that perhaps Everything Must Go will mark somewhat of a return to rock and roll, since I believe Mr. Carlock is on EMG (or are we calling it The New New One?) The duets of jazz classics with Mrs. McPartland were great, D & F's small band was great, and Mrs. P's solo was terrific.

Dr Mu~ This place is magic. I mention a song title and artist for a potential song parody, and, on the very next frame of the Guestbook, appears a finished product of Yanchovickian satirical caliber. Quick and funny work, sir. --- Perhaps it will serve to bring the Worm Man to the surface in order to achieve parody parity. (PARODY PARITY! Oooooh Smithers, I think I've cracked another rib laughing at myself.)

Hank~ Keep up the good work. Marriage is a ... well, I don't know what the hell marriage is, but keep up the good work.

Jim # ~ How's it going over there on the other side of the distant lights across the bay? I haven't been southside lately, but my Plymouth van is spending the weekend there. It apparently contracted water pump cancer while carrying my son to Norfolk so we checked it into Texaco Medical Center for some transplants, rather than towing it home.--- Next time you're idle by a radio , check out the new 88.7 station located in Chesapeake: some really old and varied music.

Altamira~ Are you under snow? I heard there was an unprecedented dumping of the white stuff in your area. (I'm talking meteorilogical, not pharmaceutical.)

RS

User: jjeff-groundhog | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: Jimbo:New York, is it? The local station has prophecied doom all day re: this storm coming. Just my luck to be snowed in at work( on call tonight).
It's great when you're at home as long as the power flows.

Midnite/Lp: How did you fare snow-wise? Reports are coming in of 20+ deaths attributed to this last one, from W.Virginia up to N.Y.

Mu:French and Germans supplying chemical and nuclear weapons to Iraq? I've never heard this before. What's your source?

Clas: Nice piece of work by Robert Fisk, thanks.

Tones:We shall overcome.:-)

Good to see Hermit and Gina, hell all of you.

User: steelydoubt | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: thanks jimbo. i dont think of kenny g. as jazz either

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: Jimbo - love to hear that cd too. 1996 I suggested it to WB and he answered:

"I did something along these lines a few years back with Los Angeles tenorman Marty Krystall and the aforementioned Mr. Erskine. The album, which was to be called Beyond the Blue Horizon, was so scary and fine that it was immediately shelved by Windham Hill Jazz and has never been released."

Shame on Windham Hill Jazz!

L

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

User: Moll | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: BarFly....umm well...I'm the marrying kind. Don't ask LMAO

User: The Bar Fly | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: To: Beth-O-Matic

"There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience"
"One good turn ..... deserves the whole duvet"
"Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow ye diet"

Moll: Your first husband????

"Close your eyes and you'll be there.....it's everything they say"

User: Beth_Times_3 | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: To: Tommy....sleeping on the sofa....marking time w/Hypnos...you had me at "meow".
Wherever you are out there, and if you're listening....this song is for you....August Day in February 2000 and three.

http://maski.org/FozFan/dec.29_2002.htm

Right Coast Beth

User: Beerberian of the Rockies | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: GB; How Y,all doin? .......

Snowmobiling yesterday AWESOME !!!!!!! bluz I played Jt Drive Live up on top of the continental divide - It worked !!

Just back from a couple of cold ones and a buffalo melt Happy Presidents day to all ...

User: time zone guru | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: time has come today. as your duly deputized guru de temps (with all apologies to those of you who actually speak en Francais), I would like to suggest maybe all of us in the Dan Nation declare may 6, 2003 as an international holiday. i propose that everyone in the Dan Nation take the day and celebrate the release of Everything Must Go. skip school, work, weddings, funerals, elective surgery, court appearances, suicide attempts... everything must go. just stop the world and take a listen to the latest from the greatest. if we all stop and listen, at least a small percentage of our friends will wonder what the hell is so important, and in turn a small percentage of them will stop and listen too. and in case you think this is just a frivolous idea, think in terms of the greater public safety. if all the Dan Nation is safely off the roads listening to the new one there's bound to be less traffic and therefore traffic accidents involving those of us who were distracted reading the liner notes while driving, or were car dancing uncontrollably, or momentarily closed our eyes while blissfully anticipating hearing the new songs live on the next tour... you know how it is...

so to the crew of the S.S ShipWhacked and beyond... what d'ya say? we all deserve a day to celebrate what's really important to us while we still got it. anybody got the time?

with l-u-v

your

tzg

User: Jimbo | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: Writing to you from the inner comforts of my crib. The snow plows came late, but missing work today was well worth it. That way I can sit back
and pop in some DVDs of The Sopranos, Sex and the City, and Minority Report (Cruise's best in years). I'm surprised no one called for me to work considering my workplace is closed :)

Caught Piano Jazz. It was great. Don and Walt, along with the rest of the gang really truly played like jazz musicians. Makes you wonder if they could possibly put out a CD of jazz standards without any pressure.
Maybe it will be on a Piano Jazz CD. Don and Walt really felt right at home even when they asked Marian some questions. Her introduction was kinda odd,but since she was around before them, I can understand. But, it's nice for Marian to expand the show's horizons. I wonder if her show with Norah Jones got high ratings. As long as Marian doesn't put on anyone like N'Stink or anyone who claims that Kenny G. or Yanni is jazz, I'll always listen to Piano Jazz.

Speaking of which, there is a DVD of a Norah Jones concert in New Orleans coming out next week. Two days after the Grammys.

CLAS- Keep em' comin'. Spread the word. Put Rice, Asscroft, i mean Ashcroft and Rumsfeld in the Asses of War category.

TIGER WOODS IS BACK! BE VERY AFRAID, ERNIE.

User: Hank (Snowbound in PA) Silvers | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: 
After a few mild winters, I suspected we were due for a nasty one this year. This sure fits the description. It started yesterday afternoon, and I believe it just ended, after a couple of feet of snow. Statewide snow emergency, roads are closed, and no driving to work today. Maybe not tomorrow, either, unless the plows get to my street sometime soon.

Caught Piano Jazz on Saturday night, and intended to do the same again the following morning, but the Philadelphia PJ outlet didn't run the SD show. Too bad -- wanted to hear Hesitation Blues again. Got the feeling that DF and WB wanted to ask Marian McPartland more questions about Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong than the show's format would allow.

Thanks, Roy -- married life agrees with me. Hope all is well with you and Myra, too.

White nights ahead...

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: To: Mrs. Mary Robinson, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
ôHistory teaches that as long as the duty of justice has not been discharged, the spectre of war can re-emergeö, Judge Claude Jorda.

WE, the undersigned, as the people of this planet, call urgently on Mrs. Mary Robinson to set up a committee to investigate the involvement of Ariel Sharon in war crimes against humanity according to the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the General Assembly resolutions 260, 2391, 3074 and Security Council resolution 1296 of United Nations, on behalf of the victims of 1982 massacre of Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Lebanon. UNÆs resolutions have made it clear that the perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and War Crimes should be prosecuted and duly punished. It is also made clear that the total protection of civilians in an occupied country is in the hands of occupying army.

In 1982, Israeli Army was an occupying force in Beirut (Lebanon); according to the international laws they had the responsibility of protection of all civilians under their control. At that time the Israeli Army was under total control of Israeli Defence Ministry, and Ariel Sharon was the Defence Minister. He visited Beirut and pledged total support for the Israeli allied Lebanese Christian Militia. Ariel Sharon himself gave the green light to Lebanese Christian Militia to enter the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila in west Beirut, which consequently resulted in the massacre, torture and rape of hundreds of unarmed civilians, mainly women and children.
The Israeli Army was not only monitoring the camps and did nothing to stop the massacre, but as a matter of fact, they paved the path for Militias to enter the camps. They had their direct and clear orders from the Israeli Defence Ministry not to interfere and give free hands and assistance to the Lebanese Christian Militia.

ôThere was a clear obligation on political and military leaders to take reasonable steps to protect civilians when they made their orders. In a situation where civilians' lives were clearly at risk, the person giving orders was even more responsible than the ones carrying them outö, Judge Richard Goldstone.

With the outbreak of news of massacre in the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila, Israeli public was outraged and went on demonstration, and demanded the resignation of Ariel Sharon and an inquiry to the matter. Israeli Knesset took action and sat up a parliamentary committee to investigate Ariel SharonÆs involvement in this inhumane act of atrocity. As result of that inquiry, Ariel Sharon was found responsible for the actions of Lebanese Christian Militia, and consequently forced him to resign from his post as Defence Minister. But of course, as he is an Israeli and these crimes were not committed against Israeli nationals, he was never charged and never appeared in any court of justice in Israel.

Now the time has come, all evidences and documents are gathered and ready to set up an investigation committee in order to bring those responsible ones to justice beyond their social or political status.

May justice prevails and heals the wounds of survived victims.

http://www.petitiononline.com/warcrime/

User: Howard | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: 
Caught most of Piano Jazz over the weekend. Interesting stuff. The "back to basics" version of Josie was especially good to hear.

For those in the UK (or Europe I guess), I put together a list of web sites that are broadcasting the show at "UK-friendly" times.
I've only covered the weekend slots, but there are a lot of these so this is usually your best bet. Folks in Europe may need to tweak the time by an hour or two as appropriate, if your time is not the same as UK time.
Thanks to Duncan for the "world clock" link (http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/search.html).

NB - you will have to check the individual sites to confirm the schedules for the Piano Jazz program. I found a few discrepancies over the weekend (sorry, haven't updated the list). Also, the sites vary as to what audio stream format they offer, and the connection quality/reliability etc. You'll need to try a few to find one that suits best. I hope this list gives you a head start - it's not an exhaustive list of all UK/Europe possibilities, but it has most of them.

Howard

FLORIDA
Orlando: WUCF-FM/89.9, Sundays at 11 AM
http://wucf.ucf.edu/
5 hours behind UK
Sundays, UK time 4 pm

WISCONSIN
Wausau: WXPR-FM/91.7, Sundays at 1 PM PT
http://www.wxpr.org/
6 hours behind UK
Sundays, UK time 7 pm

TEXAS
Texarkana: KTXK-FM/91.5, Saturdays at 3 PM
http://www.tc.cc.tx.us/ktxk/
6 hours behind UK
Saturdays, UK time 9 pm

PENNSYLVANIA
Mt. Pocono: WRTY-FM/91.1, Sundays at 1 AM ET
http://www.wrti.org
5 hours behind UK
Sundays, UK time 6 pm

Pittsburgh: WDUQ-FM/90.5, Saturdays at 1 PM ET
http://www.wduq.org/
5 hours behind UK
Saturdays, UK time 6 pm

OKLAHOMA
Ardmore: KCCU-FM/90.3, Saturdays at 1 PM CT
http://www.cameron.edu/admin/kccu/index.html
6 hours behind UK
Saturdays, UK time 7 pm

OHIO
Athens: WOUB-FM/91.3, Sundays at 1 AM
http://woub.org/radio/

Cambridge: WOUC-FM/89.1, Sundays at 1 AM
http://woub.org/radio/

Chillicothe: WOUH-FM/91.9, Sundays at 1 AM
http://woub.org/radio/

Ironton: WOUL-FM/89.1, Sundays at 1 AM
http://woub.org/radio/

Zanesville: WOUZ-FM/90.1, Sundays at 1 AM
http://woub.org/radio/

5 hours behind UK
Sundays, UK time 6 pm

MISSOURI
Cape Girardeau: KRCU-FM/90.9, Sundays at 12 PM CT
http://www4.semo.edu/krcu/

6 hours behind UK
Sundays, UK time 6 pm

MARYLAND
Princess Anne: WESM-FM/91.3, Sundays at 5 PM ET
http://www.umes.edu/wesm/

5 hours behind UK
Sundays, UK time 10 pm

User: Clas @ Work | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: The Double Standards, Dubious Morality and Duplicity of the Fight Against Terror

by ROBERT FISK

The Independent

I think I'm getting the picture. North Korea breaks all its nuclear agreements with the United States, throws out UN inspectors and sets off to make a bomb a year, and President Bush says it's "a diplomatic issue". Iraq hands over a 12,000-page account of its weapons production and allows UN inspectors to roam all over the country, and--after they've found not a jam-jar of dangerous chemicals in 230 raids--President Bush announces that Iraq is a threat to America, has not disarmed and may have to be invaded. So that's it, then.

How, readers keep asking me in the most eloquent of letters, does he get away with it? Indeed, how does Tony Blair get away with it? Not long ago in the House of Commons, our dear Prime Minister was announcing in his usual schoolmasterly tones--the ones used on particularly inattentive or dim boys in class--that Saddam's factories of mass destruction were "up [pause] and running [pause] now." But the Dear Leader in Pyongyang does have factories that are "up [pause] and running [pause] now". And Tony Blair is silent.

Why do we tolerate this? Why do Americans? Over the past few days, there has been just the smallest of hints that the American media--the biggest and most culpable backer of the White House's campaign of mendacity--has been, ever so timidly, asking a few questions. Months after The Independent first began to draw its readers' attention to Donald Rumsfeld's chummy personal visits to Saddam in Baghdad at the height of Iraq's use of poison gas against Iran in 1983, The Washington Post has at last decided to tell its own readers a bit of what was going on. The reporter Michael Dobbs includes the usual weasel clauses ("opinions differ among Middle East experts... whether Washington could have done more to stop the flow to Baghdad of technology for building weapons of mass destruction"), but the thrust is there: we created the monster and Mr Rumsfeld played his part in doing so.

But no American--or British--newspaper has dared to investigate another, almost equally dangerous, relationship that the present US administration is forging behind our backs: with the military-supported regime in Algeria. For 10 years now, one of the world's dirtiest wars has been fought out in this country, supposedly between "Islamists" and "security forces", in which almost 200,000 people--mostly civilians--have been killed. But over the past five years there has been growing evidence that elements of those same security forces were involved in some of the bloodiest massacres, including the throat-cutting of babies. The Independent has published the most detailed reports of Algerian police torture and of the extrajudicial executions of women as well as men. Yet the US, as part of its obscene "war on terror", has cosied up to the Algerian regime. It is helping to re-arm Algeria's army and promised more assistance. William Burns, the US Assistant Secretary of State for the Middle East, announced that Washington "has much to learn from Algeria on ways to fight terrorism".

And of course, he's right. The Algerian security forces can instruct the Americans on how to make a male or female prisoner believe that they are going to suffocate. The method--US personnel can find the experts in this particular torture technique working in the basement of the Chateau Neuf police station in central Algiers--is to cover the trussed-up victim's mouth with a rag and then soak it with cleaning fluid. The prisoner slowly suffocates. There's also, of course, the usual nail-pulling and the usual wires attached to penises and vaginas and--I'll always remember the eye-witness description--the rape of an old woman in a police station, from which she emerged, covered in blood, urging other prisoners to resist.

Some of the witnesses to these abominations were Algerian police officers who had sought sanctuary in London. But rest assured, Mr Burns is right, America has much to learn from the Algerians. Already, for example--don't ask why this never reached the newspapers--the Algerian army chief of staff has been warmly welcomed at Nato's southern command headquarters at Naples.

And the Americans are learning. A national security official attached to the CIA divulged last month that when it came to prisoners, "our guys may kick them around a little in the adrenaline of the immediate aftermath (sic)." Another US "national security" official announced that "pain control in wounded patients is a very subjective thing". But let's be fair. The Americans may have learnt this wickedness from the Algerians. They could just as well have learned it from the Taliban.

Meanwhile, inside the US, the profiling of Muslims goes on apace. On 17 November, thousands of Iranians, Iraqis, Syrians, Libyans, Afghans, Bahrainis, Eritreans, Lebanese, Moroccans, Omanis, Qataris, Somalis, Tunisians, Yemenis and Emiratis turned up at federal offices to be finger-printed. The New York Times--the most chicken of all the American papers in covering the post-9/11 story--revealed (only in paragraph five of its report, of course) that "over the past week, agency officials... have handcuffed and detained hundreds of men who showed up to be finger-printed. In some cases the men had expired student or work visas; in other cases, the men could not provide adequate documentation of their immigration status."

In Los Angeles, the cops ran out of plastic handcuffs as they herded men off to the lockup. Of the 1,000 men arrested without trial or charges after 11 September, many were native-born Americans.

Indeed, many Americans don't even know what the chilling acronym of the "US Patriot Act" even stands for. "Patriot" is not a reference to patriotism. The name stands for the "United and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act". America's $200m (lbs125m) "Total Awareness Programme" will permit the US government to monitor citizens' e-mail and internet activity and collect data on the movement of all Americans. And although we have not been told about this by our journalists, the US administration is now pestering European governments for the contents of their own citizens' data files. The most recent--and most preposterous--of these claims came in a US demand for access to the computer records of the French national airline, Air France, so that it could "profile" thousands of its passengers. All this is beyond the wildest dreams of Saddam and the Dear Leader Kim.

The new rules even worm their way into academia. Take the friendly little university of Purdue in Indiana, where I lectured a few weeks ago. With federal funds, it's now setting up an "Institute for Homeland Security", whose 18 "experts" will include executives from Boeing and Hewlett-Packard and US Defence and State Department officials, to organise "research programmes" around "critical mission areas". What, I wonder, are these areas to be? Surely nothing to do with injustice in the Middle East, the Arab-Israeli conflict or the presence of thousands of US troops on Arab lands. After all, it was Richard Perle, the most sinister of George Bush's pro-Israeli advisers, who stated last year that "terrorism must be decontextualised".

Meanwhile, we are--on that very basis--ploughing on to war in Iraq, which has oil, but avoiding war in Korea, which does not have oil. And our leaders are getting away with it. In doing so, we are threatening the innocent, torturing our prisoners and "learning" from men who should be in the dock for war crimes. This, then, is our true memorial to the men and women so cruelly murdered in the crimes against humanity of 11 September 2001.

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Hey Wolf: If you want to read previously discussed Steely Dan Analysis, Chord Changes, lyrical interpretations, etc. try reading the Archives for some insightful and gb "relevant" info - there's a ton of stuff that has been discussed.
BTW - since - if you didnt' know already - Everything Must Go is dropping on 5/6, why not do a feature on your show? I mean, this IS news, perhaps moreso than much of the crap out there anyway, so spike up your ratings for a change.........

ygk

User: Wolf Blitzer | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: St.Al...Man, you have really let this place go to shit! The last last 25 posts and not one mention of the band who's picture you have up on the top of this page. This place is a joke! I'll turn on CNN when I want to find out about the crap you people are talking about here. Dr Mu...You really need to get yourself a life!

oh yeah...What I really wanted to post today was that Joni Mitchell put an end to that tribute album D&W were on. It ain't coming out. From the looks of things, I'm sure nobody here really gives a crap anyway.

Sorry...Back to the war

User: Nightfly | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Lars, actually there is one way to hear "one" track of that long-lost Marty Krystall album. Before the album was shelved, in '92 or '93, Windham Hill Jazz put out a compilation (or "sampler") CD called "Commotion 2", which had tracks from many of the artists on the label at that time. One of the tracks was from the "forthcoming" Krystall album which obviously never came out. So if you can find that "Commotion 2" CD, you will have a small treasure in there!

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Yo Pat,

Why not just rename this place the "America Sucks Site" and just drop
the Steely Dan reference completely?

Did everyone have fun at thier respective "peace rally" this past week?
I think eight New York city cops were injured during your so-called
peace rally in NYC... Would you care to explain? Yep, sounds like
people united for peace alright.

The problem with the United States is that we have no mechanism by which
to remove people from our country who have no loyalty to it. Think about
it, is there any possible way for a person to lose thier American
citizenship? There's no question that certain members of our society,
some of whome post on this guestbook, should have thier citizenship
stripped from them and should be deported to one of the third-world
nations that we help to support through foriegn aid.

But don't worry... once we're done straightening out the terrorists
abroad we'll have plenty of time to focus on you. You might want to
get your passports ready in the meantime.

User: lp | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: ygk - i'm on maine public tv now so i think we are thursday but i'll have to check

enjoy the snow in the city!

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Hey lp: WWII - In Color - next phase is Wednesday, right? We're all slushy street wise here - was an enjoyable weekend with the snow and company for a change ;-)

ygk

User: lp | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: ygk - i saw the same program, excellent and scary stuff, all in color

only a few inches overnight and into this morning on the island, more later is expected - boston got hit pretty bad, though, so how are you nmn?

snowshoeing to get my lunch today

more security training next week for us - the least expected place is the likely point of entry is what we are told - now where did i put my hummer?

User: It should have read........ | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: concerns, event so = concerns, events of

ygk

User: YGK | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: I happened to catch a Channel 13 - PBS - broadcast of a thoroughly interesting documentary on WWII. I think sometimes we tend to forget how the US took it's time getting involved then, to the horror of many. Also was reminded of our domestic racist policies towards Asians with our internment camps, isolated black soldiers, etc. With what is going on now, the WWII perspective is eerily reflective and perhaps, even forshadowing. The number of lives lost in various concerns, event so that distant time frequenty mentioned numbers like 3,000, 2,500, 4,000 - numbers which were the numbers of WTC.
While 1 life is too many, the lives lost in WWII seems to make 9/11's numbers small in contrast. But then again, those numbers are civilian attacked in a time of "peace", so it still is alarming and horrendous, especially when the site is just down the block.........
my $.02

Roy Scam: great to see you, bud.......always worthwhile contributions.........hope you are well. J'aurai la nouvelle musique bient(t.......
Jim #: so r u goin or what?
Ole: r u and permaqueeze N'awlins bound?
Aja?
Wormy: where are you?

ygk

User: C & W | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: That was me, forgot to sign.

C

User: WOW! | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Good stuff there Tones!

User: Duncan | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: The French ''Cheese eating surrender monkeys''
c/o Groundskeeper Willie

Lost a cat today :(

Ozzy xxxxx

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Mu: I didn't write about GDP - my writings was about tariffs to EU.

User: Bad Sneakers | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: Good work C

More Robert Fisk

http://www.progressive.org/0901/intv1201.html
http://www.zmag.org/meastwatch/robert_fisk.htm
http://www.counterpunch.org/fiskbeaten.html
http://www.counterpunch.org/fisk01042003.html

Could not believe the Australian perspective on this - they are solid with Bush and Blair. Much more encouraging the thousands marching across Europe last weekend against the invasion.

Although the French are obviously being French and looking to their own self interest when the war ends, there is still another way out of this mess - Are you listening George ???

User: tones longest post ever... | Month: 1 | Day: 18

Message: ¦ - "dude, cÆmon, you much smarter than that. LOL"

no, I'm not, and I'll prove it to you. But thanks for thinking so anyway, lol...

"WÆs got 1.5 million innocent bodies tortured and killed on purpose to catch up on then, including gassing hundreds of
thousands of his own citizensà"

W's just getting started, and whether or not it's our own citizens or innocent women and children of another country, slaughter is slaughter. And this is needless violence. This is not a case of national security.

"My wife, who is completely apolitical, said it best: ôif the Middle East supplies the majority of US imported oil, why risk it with
a war. ThatÆs stupid. WonÆt oil prices drop if the war is successful, just like 1991?ö She nailed it. That benefits the consumer,
but not the oil companies. In fact, Big Oil is lapping up profits Now..."

I don't know about Texas, but here the price of gas shot up about .50/gallon in '91, and only fell about half of that after the war slowly increasing back up to around the .50/gallon more as the "regular" price until last week, when it's shot up almost another .50. You think the price of gas will ever go back to pre-war levels? Not if Big Oil can help it... But I'll admit, we get reamed by gas prices here more than any other place; not just in the Bay Area, but in the country, so I don't have anything else to base that on.

"Yes, that was a big mistake by both Bush41 and Clinton. Appeasement of the Chinese has only led to them sucking Hong
Kong dry of capital, tricking and bribing US into providing them with missle guidance systems (supposedly for a ôspace
programö) that allows Chinese and perhaps north Korean nuclear missles to hit the West Coast (and us still without an
anti-missle system)"

And how can we say anything to North Korea about rejecting the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and kicking out the UN inpectors when we are threatening to bypass UN protocol ourselves? Not to mention the treaties we've nullified since Bush took over. Oh, and how about those headlines about "safer nukes" we're looking to develop. We've turned into the United States of Hypocrisy.

"We KNOW they are anti-Semites or has the history of the last 2 centuries left you unconvinced? Intolerance of immigrants in
Europe has been a consistent problem."

Speaking of the United States of Hypocrisy... I think I've already answered this, but let me add this: every country has issues with intolerance to some extent. If we weren't so unwilling to do our own cheap labor we wouldn't be able to muster what barely passes for tolerance in this country. And I really find the stereotyping of France and Germany offensive. I understand historically the French have treated African Americans with more respect than African Americans found here at home. Let's not saddle France and Germany with the sins of their fathers, because if you want to do that, there are several million Native Americans who suffered their own holocaust at the hands of our goverment. And far as I know, the Germany stopped killing Jews over 50 years ago. We still have reservations.

"Why didnÆt Clinton pay that with the ôsurplusö?"

Thanks for asking. Clinton was all for it. The Republicans dragged their heels because theycouldn't push their agenda through the UN. Here ya go: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/congress/jan-june98/dues_3-11a.html

ôAnd even if what you say about France, Germany, and Russia is true, can you really blame them for not wanting the US to
have control of their oil supply? Even by making that point, you're just pointing out right there that IT'S ALL ABOUT THE OIL. ô

"Yes, on the part of France, Germany, and Russia! One thing to keep in mind.is that Big Oil companies are multinationals: with
all the bad and good things that entails. Two out of the top four are owned in Europe!"

Sure, but don't think this administration isn't trying to change that.

"No one wants war..."

Excuse me? How can you say that? What has this debate, all those headlines, and all those marches been about?

"...and since IÆm the only one in this venue with any family that might find themselves in harmÆs way, IÆll
ignore the gratuitous commentàIt is interesting to note that I was the only one on this venue critical of the War on Kosovo..."

I think that these are assumptions on your part. You may have been the only one to *voice* your opposition, but you have no way of knowing who has family where...

"Al Qaeda has been damaged, but they are not out. Their infrastructure and ability to build WMD have been severely
damaged. The ONLY mechanism by which Al Qaeda can receive supplies or finished WMD (e.g., small pox or nuke in a
suitcase). Powell and a mountain of reports from many independent sources link Al Qaeda with Iraq and Iran."

Those wouldn't be those same "independent sources" responsible for the "orange alert" this past week, would they? Funny (not really) how we were "orange alerted' right when the public opposition against this pending war was at it's strongest. They're yanking our chain again and this time it's not working. At least not completely (I bet Bush owns stock in Duct tape too...)

But back to my point: Saddam's no closer to world domination than he was two years ago. So why go to war now? Because we have to have something to divert attention and waste time and money (and lives) on until they find Osama, which isn't happening. Oh yeah and there's all that oil...

"ItÆs engineering
and science, not Hollywoodàa grim spectre that must be dealt with competently, not by the French and Hans Blix."

So far the "grim spectre" has done exactly what Bush didn't want him to do - cooperated, for the most part, with the inspectors. So now they've got to pull out fuzzy satellite images, "unamed sources", and a vague telephone conversation. Talk about cheap special effects! If those satellite images are so incriminating why not direct the inspectors right to the stockpiles instead of making them look all over Iraq for empty warheads? Where's that engineering and science?

As for competence... from http://www.canada.com/news/story.asp?id=%7B9948268A-DB2B-4792-9D2C-05396DC4A55D%7D:

Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin declared that inspections "are
producing results" and that there was no justification yet for a war
with Iraq.

He recommended that arms searches in Iraq continue and that chief
weapons inspectors Hans Blix and Mohamed ElBaradei return to the
council with another progress report on March 14.

The French opposition to a quick war and call for more inspections
was supported by a majority of the council members, including
Russia, China and Germany.

De Villepin argued that in the end, inspections would be swifter than
a war against Iraq, as conflict would disrupt regional and
international stability and require a long recovery period to build
peace.

"At stake is our credibility, and our sense of responsibility. Let us
have the courage to see things as they are," he said. "No one can
assert today that the path of war will be shorter than that of the
inspections .... For war is always the sanction of failure."

Sounds competent to me. Can anyone really expect an entire country to be inspected in a month? The French Foriegn Minister and Hans Blix deserve a Nobel Peace Prize. The French Foriegn Minister for saying, "The UN should be a tool for peace, not a tool for war." And Blix for putting that into practice by being fair and unbiased in the face of what must be overwhelming pressure.

Look... I've reasoned and debated myself into a stupor here... let just put the blame for this crises right where it squarely belongs and bomb the fuck out of Neverland Ranch!!!

In closing I'd like to leave you with this bumper sticker I saw yesterday:

No Warts on My Yak!

t

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: The case against war: A conflict driven by the self-interest of America

By Robert Fisk - 15 February 2003

In the end, I think we are just tired of being lied to. Tired of being talked down to, of being bombarded with Second World War jingoism and scare stories and false information and student essays dressed up as "intelligence". We are sick of being insulted by little men, by Tony Blair and Jack Straw and the likes of George Bush and his cabal of neo-conservative henchmen who have plotted for years to change the map of the Middle East to their advantage.

No wonder, then, that Hans Blix's blunt refutation of America's "intelligence" at the UN yesterday warmed so many hearts. Suddenly, the Hans Blixes of this world could show up the Americans for the untrustworthy "allies" they have become.

The British don't like Hussein any more than they liked Nasser. But millions of Britons remember, as Blair does not, the Second World War; they are not conned by childish parables of Hitler, Churchill, Chamberlain and appeasement. They do not like being lectured and whined at by men whose experience of war is Hollywood and television.

Still less do they wish to embark on endless wars with a Texas governor-executioner who dodged the Vietnam draft and who, with his oil buddies, is now sending America's poor to destroy a Muslim nation that has nothing at all to do with the crimes against humanity of 11 September. Jack Straw, the public school Trot-turned-warrior, ignores all this, with Blair. He brays at us about the dangers of nuclear weapons that Iraq does not have, of the torture and aggression of a dictatorship that America and Britain sustained when Saddam was "one of ours". But he and Blair cannot discuss the dark political agenda behind George Bush's government, nor the "sinister men" (the words of a very senior UN official) around the President.

Those who oppose war are not cowards. Brits rather like fighting; they've biffed Arabs, Afghans, Muslims, Nazis, Italian Fascists and Japanese imperialists for generations, Iraqis included û though we play down the RAF's use of gas on Kurdish rebels in the 1930s. But when the British are asked to go to war, patriotism is not enough. Faced with the horror stories, Britons û and many Americans û are a lot braver than Blair and Bush. They do not like, as Thomas More told Cromwell in A Man for All Seasons, tales to frighten children.

Perhaps Henry VIII's exasperation in that play better expresses the British view of Blair and Bush: "Do they take me for a simpleton?" The British, like other Europeans, are an educated people. Ironically, their opposition to this obscene war may make them feel more, not less, European.

Palestine has much to do with it. Brits have no love for Arabs but they smell injustice fast enough and are outraged at the colonial war being used to crush the Palestinians by a nation that is now in effect running US policy in the Middle East. We are told that our invasion of Iraq has nothing to do with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict û a burning, fearsome wound to which Bush devoted just 18 words in his meretricious State of the Union speech û but even Blair can't get away with that one; hence his "conference" for Palestinian reform at which the Palestinians had to take part via video-link because Israel's Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, refused to let them travel to London.

So much for Blair's influence over Washington û the US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, "regretted" that he couldn't persuade Sharon to change his mind. But at least one has to acknowledge that Sharon û war criminal though he may be for the 1982 Sabra and Chatila massacres û treated Blair with the contempt he deserves. Nor can the Americans hide the link between Iraq and Israel and Palestine. In his devious address to the UN Security Council last week, Powell linked the three when he complained that Hamas, whose suicide bombings so cruelly afflict Israelis, keeps an office in Baghdad.

Just as he told us about the mysterious al-Qa'ida men who support violence in Chechnya and in the "Pankisi gorge". This was America's way of giving Vladimir Putin a free hand again in his campaign of rape and murder against the Chechens, just as Bush's odd remark to the UN General Assembly last 12 September about the need to protect Iraq's Turkomans only becomes clear when one realises that Turkomans make up two thirds of the population of Kirkuk, one of Iraq's largest oil fields.

The men driving Bush to war are mostly former or still active pro-Israeli lobbyists. For years, they have advocated destroying the most powerful Arab nation. Richard Perle, one of Bush's most influential advisers, Douglas Feith, Paul Wolfowitz, John Bolton and Donald Rumsfeld were all campaigning for the overthrow of Iraq long before George W Bush was elected û if he was elected û US President. And they weren't doing so for the benefit of Americans or Britons. A 1996 report, A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm (http://www.israeleconomy.org/strat1.htm) called for war on Iraq. It was written not for the US but for the incoming Israeli Likud prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu and produced by a group headed by û yes, Richard Perle. The destruction of Iraq will, of course, protect Israel's monopoly of nuclear weapons and allow it to defeat the Palestinians and impose whatever colonial settlement Sharon has in store.

Although Bush and Blair dare not discuss this with us û a war for Israel is not going to have our boys lining up at the recruiting offices û Jewish American leaders talk about the advantages of an Iraqi war with enthusiasm. Indeed, those very courageous Jewish American groups who so bravely oppose this madness have been the first to point out how pro-Israeli organisations foresee Iraq not only as a new source of oil but of water, too; why should canals not link the Tigris river to the parched Levant? No wonder, then, that any discussion of this topic must be censored, as Professor Eliot Cohen, of Johns Hopkins University, tried to do in the Wall Street Journal the day after Powell's UN speech. Cohen suggested that European nations' objections to the war might û yet again û be ascribed to "anti-Semitism of a type long thought dead in the West, a loathing that ascribes to Jews a malignant intent." This nonsense, it must be said, is opposed by many Israeli intellectuals who, like Uri Avnery, argue that an Iraq war will leave Israel with even more Arab enemies, especially if Iraq attacks Israel and Sharon then joins the US battle against the Arabs.

The slur of "anti-Semitism" also lies behind Rumsfeld's snotty remarks about "old Europe". He was talking about the "old" Germany of Nazism and the "old" France of collaboration. But the France and Germany that oppose this war are the "new" Europe, the continent which refuses, ever again, to slaughter the innocent. It is Rumsfeld and Bush who represent the "old" America; not the "new" America of freedom, the America of F D Roosevelt. Rumsfeld and Bush symbolise the old America that killed its native Indians and embarked on imperial adventures. It is "old" America we are being asked to fight for û linked to a new form of colonialism û an America that first threatens the United Nations with irrelevancy and then does the same to Nato. This is not the last chance for the UN, nor for Nato. But it may well be the last chance for America to be taken seriously by her friends as well as her enemies.

In these last days of peace the British should not be tripped by the oh-so-sought-after second UN resolution. UN permission for America's war will not make the war legitimate; it merely proves that the Council can be controlled with bribes, threats or abstentions. It was the Soviet Union's abstention, after all, which allowed America to fight the savage Korean war under the UN flag. And we should not doubt that û after a quick US military conquest of Iraq and providing 'they" die more than we die û there will be plenty of anti-war protesters who will claim they were pro-war all along. The first pictures of "liberated" Baghdad will show Iraqi children making victory signs to American tank crews. But the real cruelty and cynicism of this conflict will become evident as soon as the "war" ends, when our colonial occupation of a Muslim nation for the US and Israel begins.

There lies the rub. Bush calls Sharon a "man of peace". But Sharon fears he may yet face trial over Sabra and Chatila, which is why Israel has just withdrawn its ambassador to Belgium. I'd like to see Saddam in the same court. And Rifaat Assad for his 1982 massacre in the Syrian city of Hama. And all the torturers of Israel and the Arab dictatorships.

Israeli and US ambitions in the region are now entwined, almost synonymous. This war is about oil and regional control. It is being cheer-led by a draft-dodger who is treacherously telling us that this is part of an eternal war against "terror". And the British and most Europeans don't believe him. It's not that Britons wouldn't fight for America. They just don't want to fight for Bush or his friends. And if that includes the Prime Minister, they don't want to fight for Blair either.

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: Q: How much is spent on military budgets a year worldwide?

A: $900+ billion

Q: How much of this is spent by the U.S.?

A: 50%

Q: What percent of US military spending would ensure the essentials of life to everyone in the world, according the the UN?

A: 10% (thatÆs about $40 billion, the amount of funding initially requested to fund our retaliatory attack on Afghanistan).

Q: How long has Iraq had chemical and biological weapons?

A: Since the early 1980Æs.

Q: Did Iraq develop these chemical & biological weapons on their own?

A: No, the materials and technology were supplied by the US government, along with Britan and private corporations.

Q: Did the US government condemn the Iraqi use of gas warfare against Iran?

A: No

Q: How many people did Saddam Hussein kill using gas in the Kurdish town of Halabja in 1988?

A: 5,000

Q: How many western countries condemned this action at the time?

A: 0

Q: How many gallons of agent Orange did America use in Vietnam?

A: 17 million.

Q: How many civilian deaths has the Pentagon predicted in the event of an attack on Iraq in 2002/3?

A: 10,000

Q: What percentage of these will be children?

A: Over 50%

Q: How many Iraqis are estimated to have died by October 1999 as a result of UN sanctions?

A: 1.5 million

Q: How many Iraqi children are estimated to have died due to sanctions since 1997?

A: 750,000

Q: Did Saddam order the inspectors out of Iraq?

A: No

Q: How many inspections were there in November and December 1998?

A: 300

Q: How many of these inspections had problems?

A: 5

Q: Were the weapons inspectors allowed entry to the BaÆath Party HQ?

A: Yes

Q: Who said that by December 1998, ôIraq had in fact, been disarmed to a level unprecedented in modern history.ö

A: Scott Ritter, UNSCOM chief.

Q: How many UN resolutions did Israel violate by 1992?

A: Over 65

Q: How many UN resolutions on Israel did America veto between 1972 and 1990?

A: 30+

Q: How much does the U.S. fund Israel a year?

A: $5 billion

Q: How many countries are known to have nuclear weapons?

A: 8

Q: How many nuclear warheads has Iraq got?

A: 0

Q: How many nuclear warheads has US got?

A: over 10,000

Q: Which is the only country to use nuclear weapons?

A: the US

Q: How many nuclear warheads does Israel have?

A: Over 400

Q: Has Israel ever allowed UN weapons inspections?

A: No

Q: Who said, ôOur lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matterö?

A: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 17

Message: Did I mention - Germany and France desparately need the Big Oil dues because they are running fed deficits of 4-5% of GDP even without the "help" of Greenspan, 9/11, dot.coms, and Enron...Germany also has a high end tax rate that is far higher than Sweden's...hey C & L, I'm proud of you guys for lowering it from 80% 20 years ago...

User: Shine On | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: Walter:
"Mr. Grady, you were the caretaker here. I recognize ya'. I saw your
picture in the newspapers. You uh...chopped your wife and daughters up
into little bits and then you blew your brains out."

Mr.Grady:
"That's strange sir, I don't have any recollection of that at all."

Walter:
"Mr. Grady, YOU WERE the caretaker here."

Mr. Grady:
"I'm sorry to differ with you sir but YOU are the caretaker. You've
ALWAYS been the caretaker. I should know sir, I've always been here...

Mr. Grady:
"Did you know Mr. Becker that your friend is attempting to bring an
outside party into this situation? Did you know that?"

Walter:
"Who?"

Mr. Grady:
"A cook."

Walter:
"How?"

Mr. Grady:
"Your friend has a very great talent, I don't think you're aware of how
great it really is, and he is attempting to use that very talent against
your will."

Walter:
"Well...He is a VERY WILLFUL boy."

Mr.Grady:
"Indeed he is Mr.Becker. A VERY willful boy. A rather naughty boy if I
may be so bold sir."

Walter:
"It's his wife. She uh...INTERFERES."

Mr. Grady:
"Perhaps they need a good talking to if you don't mind my saying so.
Perhaps a bit more. My girls sir, they did'nt care for The Overlook
at first. One of them actually stole a pack of matches and tried to
burn it down. But I CORRECTED them sir. And when my wife tried to
prevent me from doing my duty, I CORRECTED her too."

User: wb knows medical science... | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: 
My man Stanley
Suave but manly
Taking cover from the mark within
Now he's hiding
Pretty soon he's sliding
Looking for a lonely heart to take refuge in

Down the alley
My gal Sally
A little bruised and battered maybe from a couple times before
Hold her steady
You know I think she's ready
To climb into the ring and do it all once more

Does it hurt when I do this
Can you laugh when I go like this
All right keep it down
This one's cool for maybe one more round
Just look for big pieces when we sweep up tonight boys

Nobody's going to blame you
Scratch 'em right off that list
You know medical science is helpless
Helpless in a case like this
I know you're gonna thank me later
For giving this one a miss
'Cause medical science is helpless
Helpless in a case like this

Ivory Eddie
Half dead already
But too dumb to lie down or even let a brother know
Trouble's cruising
You know Ed's still using
Never known for passing on a chance to just say "Yo"

Little Leroy
Eddie's homeboy
Still too wet behind the ears to know his right from his wrong
And what big E's sporting
Little Lee is snorting
Guess Ed stopped on his way down to drag the kid along

And all the jiveasses and the true believers
The bullshit givers and receivers
Here today tomorrow gone
To the triage tent in the great beyond
Wherein the angel tangoes with the infidel

Normally I'd be angry
Normally I'd be pissed
But medical science is helpless
Helpless in a case like this
Better make mine a double
Serve it up with a twist
'Cause medical science is helpless
Helpless in a case like this

Nobody's gonna blame you
Scratch 'em right off the list
Medical science is helpless
Helpless in a case like this

I know you're gonna thank me later
For giving this one a miss
'Cause medical science is helpless
Helpless in a case like this
Normally I'd be angry
Normally I'd be pissed
But medical science is helpless
Helpless in a case like this

Walter Becker (1994)

User: wb | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0865772266/qid=1045456565/sr=8-13/ref=sr_8_13/002-9387434-1571249?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: thanx t - there's even more to it. Consider the possibility that the governments in France and Germany actually cares about their peoples will (I know that may sound a bit naive to some). We have had millions and millions people out in the streets this weekend. Paris alone 1 million, Rome 3 millions ... telling their politicians that war is not a solution. If not for anything else politicians cares about our votes. I know it's hard for Texans to see beyond the oil but ...

User: Jim# | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: Hey Cynny: Just announced - John Mayer at New Orleans Jazzfest!

Also CSN. And Gladys Knight. And Bob Dylan.

I'd go just for Gladys, but you know I've been on that whole boycott thingy since she put the Pips out to pasture. Shame.

RoyScam: Hey neighbor!

User: t | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: ...and you can't be serious:

"(d) While the French and Germans hate ethnic minorities, they are afraid of the large influx of Muslims over the past 20 years (6 million in France)...why? Do they all look like terrorists??!"

More like - "While Bush, Rumsfeld, and Ashcroft hate ethnic minorities, they are afraid of the large influx of Muslims over the past 20 years...why? Do they all look like terrorists??!"

It's shameful what Arab/Muslim Americans are being put through in the name of "homeland security". And before you say it's no big deal, go find one and ask he or she what it's been like having to report your wherabouts like a parolee. Latinos and African Americans might as well line up now. The irony is if there is another terrorist attack, I bet the culprits won't look anything like an Arab or Muslim; Osama could probably find a several disgruntled postal workers to do his dirty work (obligatory Dan reference).

rant over... for now...

User: cheat sheet: | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: try = they

have die = have to die

User: t | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: ¦ - Our tyrant is really no worse than theirs, and he just can't wait for a chance to prove it. If Saddam just had nukes instead of oil, we wouldn't give a shit. Hell, China has killed 1.2 million Tibetans and we granted them "favored nation" status. Maybe if Iraq had a billion potential McDonald's customers we wouldn't be in such a hurry to slaughter them.

About France, germany, and Russia: pretty slick trying to portray them as racists, but why would try vote to prepare a country for a war they don't want? Granting protection for Turkey would have been giving the green light for war and obligating UN to pay for the reparations for the damage WE- a country that until recently owed 1.7 BILLION in U.N. dues - cause.

And even if what you say about France, Germany, and Russia is true, can you really blame them for not wanting the US to have control of their oil supply? Even by making that point, you're just pointing out right there that IT'S ALL ABOUT THE OIL. That is no reason to murder. Funny how people so in favor of war sit on their asses and spout political rhetoric about how it's ok people have die to make their lives more convenient. This isn't some game of Risk where lives are just numbers. The only "collateral damage" is when war mongers themselves are killed.

And one more point: none of this is getting us any closer to Osama. It's the old bait and switch, and anybody who buys into it has a sibling born every minute.

Btw, I knew of demonstrations for each of those military operations you mentioned. Wonder why you didn't hear about them... oh yeah, it's not something Fox "news" would tell you...

peace nik

t

User: Senna | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: Thank God I'm a woman.

User: ''men r cool'' | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: Cool things about being a man:. Our ass is never a factor in a job interview. Our last name stays put. The garage is all ours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. We never feel compelled to stop a friend from getting laid. Car mechanics tell us the truth. We don't give a rat's ass if someone notices our new haircut. Same work .. more pay. Wrinkles-add character. Wedding Dress $2000; Tux rental $100. People never glance at our chest when talking to us. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle our feet. One mood, ALL the damn time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds. A five-day vacation requires only 1 suitcase. We can open all our own jars. If we are 34 and single, nobody notices. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. If another guy shows up at the party in the same outfit, we just might become lifelong friends. We are not expected to know the names of more than five colours. We don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. We are unable to see wrinkles in clothes. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. our belly usually hides our big hips. One wallet and one pair of shoes, one colour, all seasons. We can "do" your nails with a pocket knife. Christmas shopping can be accomplished for 25 relatives, on December 24th, in minutes.

User: Moll | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: Hey Barfly, Great news about Fingers. Yes I am a fan of Ms. Tzuke. BB and Bluz told me about her. I am registered at her site :) That voice...oh man, she gives me chills sometimes. I don't say much to folks out in the real world. I tend to attract enough strange people anyways...lol However,upon meeting my first husband I did ask him if he were my destiny. He replied "God I hope so" . We were married 4 months later.

User: Lars | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: Mu: interesting discussion and arguments but what's your conclusion? You forgot one "fact" about France; as quick as they can they take a contraire position against USA. Ian Anderson know a song about that ... .
I don't know if you got the tax- (or more correct tariff)issue with all the facts. Today small,rich countries in EU (like Sweden) pays far more than France (per capita) and benefits far less than France (due to the structure of their structure of the agricultural industry. Ireland , France(& Portogal & Greece)have historically gained too much due to stiff regulations in the agri-sector.

Anyhow, what's your conclusion?

User: The Bar Fly | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: Hi Moll and Beth

Are you into JT at all?
Just crazy about October Road.

Moll: Fingers and the new band recording a few tracks today in the studio.

Beth: The say: "The greatest gift you can give to a friend is time."
So how about this phrase twister: "There's no present like the time."

www.thedancollective.co.uk

"Close your eyes and you'll be there...it's everything they say"

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: C: the stupidity, racism, and politics are as transparant as professional wrestling. The hypocrisy is appalling:

US bombing of aspirin factory in Sudan, Afghanistan (1999): Only served to piss off Osama
US bombing of Iraq (1998): did nothing
US bombing of Kosovo (1998): Regime chamge only, Serbia kept Kosovo, ethnic cleansing and removal of 900,000 muslims
US invasion of Haiti (1994)
US giveaway of nuclear power to North Korea (1994)
US/UN invasion of Bosnia (1994)
US invasion of Somalia (1992-1993)
US invasion of Panama (1990?)

Where were the peaceniks then, eh???!!

So, if a tyrant kills 1.5 million and enslaves a country of 3 ethnic groups, it is only important to the UN if they are European white? If they are black (Rwanda) of Arab (Iraq), it doesn't count? Smacks of racism to me and the Telegraph...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fopinion%2F2003%2F02%2F16%2Fdo1601.xml&sSheet=%2Fportal%2F2003%2F02%2F16%2Fixportal.html

Plus, the security interest of the US and Europe were not in jeopardy in the military "operations" above!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...reminds me of the deeply sarcastic, barbed comment Omar Sharif (playing a Saudi) to Laurence of Arabia (played by Peter O'Toole) after the 'Aurens orders the slaughter of a regimen of Turks retreating ("no prisoners!) instead of going around them to Damascus. "We know that the Arabs are a barbarous people"

The Racism is illustrated by veto of the French and German veto of self-protection of the Turks against Iraq. It is "interesting" that France and Germany refused to admit Turkey into the EU!!!!!!!!

It is obvious that the French and Germans and even the Russians (a) are interested in maintaining their BIG OIL contracts with Iraq. (b) The French and Germans are using this as a power ploy to dominate the EU. This is illustrated by the "non-progressive TAX plan they shoved through the EEEy-Yooooou. POOR countries like Ireland have to pay the same taxes as "rich" countries like France. (c) the French and Germans will be obviously embarrassed when it is revealed that since 1991 they have been supplying Iraq with supplies to build chemical and nuclear weapons. (d) While the French and Germans hate ethnic minorities, they are afraid of the large influx of Muslims over the past 20 years (6 million in France)...why? Do they all look like terrorists??!

Pure politics, nothing more nothing less. Indeed, the recent stunts of the French and Germans have greatly DECREASED the chances of a peaceful removal/exile of Saddam! ...and in fact greatly INCREASE the likelihood or War!! nice going, assholes!

However, given the history of the 20th Century, the sight of masses of faux pacifists certainly beats the alternative...the Great Nations of Europe can't be trusted "hide your wives and daughters, hide your sons as well, with the Great Nations of Europe, never can tell"

User: Moll | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: Hey Everyone. Everything is glittering with ice here in Hooterville. I hope you all had a Happy Valentines Day.
Beth and Barfly, I also love John Prine. You might like Greg Brown, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Townes VanZandt. All write beautiful songs similar to Prine's. M.

My Pueblo Waltz

by Townes Van Zandt

Sunrise comes and I don't know why
living loves and the day does fly
soon the moon and baby and I
will be lyin' side by side

How many of your skies are blue?
How much of your love is true?
Where to get them eyes of green?
I'm knowin' you know just what I mean

If I have to go I won't be long
maybe we'll move to Tennessee
leave these Texas blues behind
see Susanna and Guy

Well, I'm in this cold room all alone
I guess I'll try the telephone
it'll be busy or she won't be home
tomorrow is another day

Sunrise comes and I don't know why
living loves and the day does fly
soon the moon and baby and I
will be lyin' side by side

User: Beth-O-Matic | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: To: Bar Fly.....Excellent......Bravo......Absolutely shameless.

User: Beth-O-Matic | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: Hello all.....Hello Bluz....I listened to the "Drive" clip (Juide Tzuke)....v. nice, v. nice indeed.....I am glad you recommended it to me, and I am glad that I took you up and went to the site...www.tzuke ah dot com....."I just get in my car and drive" See you on chat in the cold light of reason. Live well and prosper. Beth

User: To: Beth-O-Matic .........................................The Bar Fly | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: You are indeed correct, Beth. John Prine has been around the Folk / C&W scene for a long time. I got into him way back when a fellow musician, Philip Donnelly from Dublin, Ireland, worked with John on different studio projects and gigs.

I love phrases as well and get a great kick out of dropping them into every day conversations.
My favourite "drop" is when I'm passing by two people having a serious conversation and "drop a witty". (contributing a witty remark)

e.g. I overheard two men discussing a project. One said: "One more f*** up
and this deal's sunk". To which I added in passing: "Small Judges".
They replied: "What do you mean Small Judges"
I said: "Little things that are sent to try us".

"Close your eyes and you'll be there...it's everything they say."

User: C & W | Month: 1 | Day: 16

Message: Wasn't it mighty, watching the whole world marching for peace yesterday?

Asses of Evil:

Bush, Blair and Sharon.

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: roy: You have shown your infinite wisdom in not wasting the kind the time I have in the past annum.

In honor of your return, senior moments, and fishing for Wormy - I throw out (or up) the first (lame) Par-Oh-Dee:

My Rifle

Neurons firing, whatÆs his face
silhouette of Grizzly bear
[My rifle - show me my rifle]
The missle slammed in, heating place
Somebody screamed somewhere

I struck a match and blew the door
Of Anthony's Gunpowder Mill
I was the senile stranger
WhoÆs my love
And timeÆs a sieve

We got doctors on my case
They scan the whole tomography
[My rifle - show me my rifle]
IÆve got NRA etched in the brain
Hearing aid ainÆt where it used to be

Sure I shot up Long John Silver's
Since whenÆs the second amendment a crime
Yes I'll match ACLU brief for brief now

I can no longer recall when I first held
Your tiny holster in mine
[My rifle - show me my rifle]
I loved you more than I can tell
But now it's shootinÆ time

Sure he's Iraqi Dodger
If I could remember his millions of crimes
Yes I'll match him round for round now

User: Roy.Scam | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: Pucker up. I've been out of touch for a while, so I'm hereby webcasting my annual belated 'besa de distance' to all you distaff danophiles who are denizens herein. My heartfelt Valentine wishes, and only a day late.
I know that one wouldn't expect a Steely Dan site to be a watering hole for diehard romantics, but this time of year I sometimes sense a bit of the hidden nougat seeping from within some of your bittersweet exteriors.

You are the people who like Pearl of the Quarter, Walk Between Raindrops, Florida Room, and Little Kawai, so don't try to deny your sentimental side you angry purveyors of dildotheism.

If you're in the Tidewater, Virginia area, the Piano Jazz Becker/Fagen broadcast is supposed to be on 8:00 tonight on FM 89.5.

Hank~ congratulations. If you need a model,I'm thinking and hoping that Midnite Cruiser and Sher are still my nominees for the couple that makes long term relationships look like a good idea. Happy V-Day kids.

And now here's Charlton Heston to sing "My Rifle (Show me my rifle.)"

RS

User: Beth-O-Matic | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: To: The Bar Fly.....I have not heard "Speed of the Sound of Loneliness"...never knew it existed, however.....I like the lyrics....especially "So what in the world's come over you....And what in heaven's name have you done"....some drama there (I LIKE IT)....what genre are we talking here (C&W?....indications point to C&W, but then again I could be wrong....and in most cases I am wrong....so then eventually you might want to let me know)....it has been quite a long while since I've yelled at someone: "WHAT IN THE WORLD'S COME OVER YOU" but I distinctly remember having said it in my history....too bad I used it so sparingly (it's no great fault). Thank you for the lyrics, I shall try to employ some of those phrases in my day to day conversations, of course prefacing with "Damn you (person's name), what in the world's come over you, and what in heaven's name have you DONE???" Should go over well.
As always, the SD disciple...Live long enough and you get to see everything Beth.

User: Midnite Cruiser | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: well okay then.... : )

anyway, i'm serious about checking out Bodhisattva from the new Toto album....if you don't want to buy it, then download it ( you know that you know how) and just check it out....delete it after you listen to it if your conscience is bothering you *lol*.

i know Donald has been said to be no fan of Steve Lukather, but the guitar work on Toto's take of this Dan classic is absolute killer stuff....Luke plays the signature lines like the original but also rips some original fusionesque lines that sizzle....the whole band is incredibly tight, but it would have been perfect to hear Donald's vocal over the instrument track of Toto's version.

check it out, you won't be sorry.

later gators,
MC

User: Happy Birthday Jimbo | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: keep lovin jazz

User: Jimbo | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: As I'm writing this, I'm listening to Piano Jazz with Don and Walt. Jay Leonhart, Michael and Carolyn's father is on the show, playing bass. They just got done playing Limbo Jazz by Ellington. They sound very much like a jazz band. Different from other Dan albums. Right now I'm listening to a pledge break.

For anyone else whose listened; Was there a series of pledge breaks during the show?

Anyway, for this show to come on what is today my 34th birthday is just too friggin' much. So cool.

Well, I'll be listening as well as party for the rest of the night. I'll get back to you as soon as the alcohol is out of my system.

Ciao

Jimbo

User: Duncan | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: Anybody fancy a countdown clock for there PC.
I've set it to May 6th 2003
E-mail me at above addy & i'll send it your way.
db

User: prine | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: your a good man fly

User: To: Beth-O-Matic .........................................The Bar Fly | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: Speed of the sound of loneliness by John Prine

You come home late and you come home early
You come on big when you're feeling small
You come home straight and you come home curly
Sometimes you don't come home at all

Chorus:
SO WHAT IN THE WORLD HAS COME OVER YOU?
And what in heaven's name have you done
You've broken the speed of the sound of loneliness
You're out there running just to be on the run

Well I got a heart that burns with a fever
And I got a worried and a jealous mind
How can a love that'll last forever
Get left so far behind

Repeat Chorus:

It's a mighty mean and a dreadful sorrow
It's crossed the evil line today
Well, how can you ask about tomorrow
We ain't got one word to say

Repeat Chorus:

Ending:
You're out there running just to be on the run
You're out there running just to be on the run
You're out there running just to be on the run

User: Mu | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: Mu sir yes
find me a lady who still gets the blu note artwork.

User: birds | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: THERE'S some things i don't have now
Some things i don'talk about
These things are between myself and I
In my thick skull the joker hides

There's consequences I'm scared to taste
Cold hard truths I can't face
These days are different than the past
Reflections change in the looking glass

And everywhere I look there's something to learn
A sliver of truth from every bridge we burn
A hatful quarters and a naked song
Don't answer the question of where we belong

How come birds
Don't fall from the sky when they die?
How come birds
Always look for a quiet place to hide
These words
Can't explain what I feel inside
Like birds I need a quiet place to hide

These independent moves I make
This confidence I try to fake
You can hear the beating of my heart
But not a feather falling in the dark

And everything I hear never makes any sense
Another old prophet perched on the fence
A cupful of pencils and a self help guru
Don't answer the question of what I am to you

How come birds
Don't fall from the sky when they die?
How come birds

b.taupin

I've heard thousands of great songs..on ten thousand nights
this one strikes me

gmb

User: It dices it slices.. | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: Beth
"reach out I'll be there" the 4 tops..black dylan
above all they are the sound..beth on a thousand radio nights you heard
bless you...

User: Beth-O-Matic | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: Just some passing thoughts concerning that song "What in the world's come over you"......(ancient ones would remember that tune) but just to give it alittle kick, I'd make the following changes and add:

What in the world's come over you, dammit
Will you ever change your mind....

(I don't get out much) Ciao

User: Beth-O-Matic | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: Hello all, hello Bluz....I could not find your post, and I tried hard.

"What in the world's come over you
Seems we never get along
Everynight I reminisce
Dreaming of your tender kisses

What in the world's come over you
Could you ever change your mind......"

My favorite parts of the whole tune is "WHAT IN THE WORLD'S COME OVER YOU"...
(I just like it) ....so, what in the world's come over you...

Ciao

User: C @ Work | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: I just read an interesting thing; a hundred years ago, 5% of the victims in a war were civilians.

Today it's 90%.

So this isn't about Saddam Hussein, this is about a bunch of innocent people in Iraq, right?

User: C @ Work | Month: 1 | Day: 15

Message: Duncan - thanx for the email. Thing is; I don't know if it has been sent or if it is coming, early Sunday morning, my time.

I'm a little bit out of the loop when it comes to piano jazz, if I might say so.

User: ¦ - we just suit up for a game... | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: 
http://washingtonian.com/inwashington/buzz/evacplans.html

"The New York Times bureau has geared up with a Geiger counter, dust masks, flashlights, food, water, and other survival equipment."

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: blooz: Do you have the Rudy Van Gelder remaster of Page One? Rudy is still kicking and going through the whole Blue Note collection, remastering them like polished gems - unf**ing believable sonics...you are there.

User: t | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: Um, bluz... you hearin' what I'm hearin'? Sounds like a lot more of the same masters to me...

User: T Bone Burnett not to be confused with Johnny Burnette | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: BB..thank you for Free.."tons of sobs" the best!! I see you and raise you
John Lee Hooker and I..as well as the tops" plus Jude and I from 80'
just need the digits.

Jaz.. no such luck yet.

Herm.. the sound is the same no difference..same masters.

to all happy valentines day"

played today

David "fathead" Newman.."for stanley"

Stanley Turrentine.."feelin good"

Joe Williams.."the great city"

Lee Morgan.."cornbread"

Dr. John & Rickiee Lee Jones.."makin whoopee!

Bobby Darin.."my funny valentine" live/"you're nobody till somebody loves you"..recorded live at the flamingo hotel las vegas early november 1963..
previously unissued

Joe Henderson.."page one"

Slowburn.."time and memory"..outstanding new one !!!

Eddie Harris..lp"the electrifying eddie harris.."listen here"

Jimmy Scott.."jealous guy"

Chet Baker.."my funny valentine"..the finest version of the tune next to mr. darin..recorded by chet 2/13/58

The blues is a worried old heart disease.
Son House
"the jinx blues"

bluz

User: t | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: Herm - Buy 'em up! BIG improvement over the other reissues...

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: Hey All,

Has anyone ever noticed any significant differences between the remastered SD catalog and the original issues on CD? I've been seeing them around at very cheap prices, but I hesitate to make the purchase if the sound quality isn't that much of an upgrade.

Any input would be grateful.

Later,

Herm

User: Hypothetical Spectre | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: Man that's another good one...
Maybe I'll be "Hypothetical Spectre" from now on.

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: Happy Valentines day to all of you from all of us!

P.S. ("Daredevil HangGlider" would make another good GB handle no?)

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: RIP Dolly:

http://channels.netscape.com/ns/news/story.jsp?floc=FF-APO-1501&idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20030214%2F123524933.htm&sc=1501

User: To the lovely ladies of the GB: | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: There's a special place for lovers
One we understand
There where neon bends in daylight sky
In that sunny room she soothes me
Cools me with her fan
We're drifting
A thousand years roll by...

Happy Valentine's Day!

User: figrrrs | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: oops.

thank girdles for burkas

seriously ...

pay attention, y'all.

be safe.

grrl

grinsquared

User: í í | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: okeedokee, midnite.

once you open up, ya gotta know that your strangerbuddies kinda look for you.

ok?

User: Altamira | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: Day-Glo Freak--I've done a lot of things with my chakras, but I've never centralized them! That sounds like it might be fatal.

Unfortunately, none of the radio stations in the Washington, DC, area have Piano Jazz, so I'm going to drive up to Frostburg, Maryland, tomorrow night and listen to it on my truck radio. It should be great; I'm really looking forward to it.

User: Midnite Cruiser | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: anyone heard Bodhisattva by Toto from their new album of cover tunes called Through The Looking Glass?

the tune rocks pretty good, as does the whole album....I sure do miss Jeff Porcaro though.

hope all's well out there in Dan Land....not much time for the 'puter lately but I'll be checking in from time to time.

later peeps,
MC

User: The President of Vices | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: 

vonnegut, sagan, ? and gardner

sorry, babe.

User: Babylon Monkey | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: Um, Bill, Fritz, Wavy- 3 stooges rolled into one: A butt plug might just be your ticket to nirvana.

User: Gina | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: yes ...
howdy to all GB-folk.
a cold wintery but sunny day.
given current war-kinda vibes, television has interesting things to show.
like the French documentary by William Karel, called Dark Side of the Moon. Kubrick's 2001 Space Odyssey, the 1968 Apollo trip to the moon, Nixon and Kissinger ... their scenario in case something would go wrong ... a clevery made documentary, in between truth and fiction, leaving the viewer with mixed sentiments. And did the former CIA general Vernon Waters really die at age 85, because of a stroke? In fluent French he spoke frankly into the camera ... and after this he suddenly died ... as the voice-over said, we left him in very good health ..
oh yes, that part about all witnesses being eliminated, the ones who helped fabricate a movie of a fake landing on the moon ...
And Kubrick's part ... anyway ... interesting documentary, also has Rumsfeld and Kissinger in it and others who were linked to Nixon's government at the time in 1968 ...
speak of skeletons ...

User: Howard | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: 
Clas - yes there has been a big police and military presence at several UK airports for the last few days. It seems there was intelligence suggesting an attempt to attack a plane using a surface to air missile.

Possibly connected (possibly coincidence) : a man on a plane from Venezuela was arrested yesterday at Gatwick airport with a live grenade in his luggage.

Also possibly connected: four people were arrested not far from Heathrow yesterday and are being questioned by anti-terrorist police.

The government more or less admitted that the tanks are more for effect than practicality.

Haven't tried to catch Piano jazz yet - looking for a broadcast that gives a UK time that is late evening rather than middle of the night!
I think there are some on Saturday that might do it. If anyone has recordings that can be made available, would be very grateful!

Sociable Hermit - that "Burma" quote is one of my all time favourite Python lines!

Howard

User: SoulMonkey | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: You leftists are amusing. I hope that when this is over that you are still have your freedom to be critical for no rational reason.
You zombie, be born again my friend.

Monkey boy

User: C O W | Month: 1 | Day: 14

Message: We're marching for peace all over Europe.

---

Howard - I saw that the military was alert at the Heathrow. But tell me, they were having Tanks all over the place.

Tanks?

For pinpoint bombing among the masses?

C

User: suedave | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Top 10 reasons for hating Bush: Aja, not working again? I love it when you don't work!

My kids watch lots of tv, and I don't, so I wouldn't even know what to censor them from. I do coach them on massive marketing efforts. My 10 year old daughter quickly outgrew Britney (who for a while was everywhere and unavoidable) - I give them the chance to indulge a bit...figuring they'll grow out of it. Now my daughter mostly watches Sponge Bob and my son watches mostly Wrestling. I'm not a fan of either show, but sometimes I like watching some of those wrestlers myself ;)

Tones, I think you hit the nail on the head, the music industry has problems ! They are blaming all sorts of things but when it really really comes down to it, the problem is that they go for the mass produced crap that never stands the test of time. Get the business suits out of the executive offices and put the ones passionate about music back on top. I wonder sometimes if we have the same issue with health care?

Gravy Bill - it isn't about the 60's. Its about, among many things, stirring up hatred by being a bully. Being an aggressor for oil. Can you say 'daddy' with a texan accent? Personnally I enjoy peace more than war, but don't get me started...

Pat - not making the rally on Saturday due to other committments but I have been to the Greenlake March and the local neighborhood march weeks past. I hope it is a huge turnout and that it isn't too late, like in after the start of the war, you know?

Peace, love, rock & roll, & blues,
Sue

User: Fritz The Cat | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Our communal Be-In will be a thing of the ages cats!
But beware my brothes and sisters, the generation gap grows wider.
Don't trust anyone over 30!

Ghandi sends his love from the 3rd astral plane.

User: Day-Glo Freak | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Yes we used to paint the face but we haven't given up on it entirely.
See you all in Seattle where we will centralize our chakras in order
to unify our love through mind expansion and cannibis!

Peace, Love, and Abbey Road my children!

User: ¦ | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Huey Bill Lewis: completely aware...'bout right in lost capital (human, monetary, and intellectual)

WOI streaming was scru,ptious...Hesitation Blues, Chain Lightning, and Black Friday were all just Charles Brown solid foundation with a twist stuff..."I love hearing the blues a different way"... Marianne McPartland can whip out a memory or a song she hasn't played in 20 years just like that. Her playing is reminds me of a storyteller or writer....an interesting conversation that leads somewhere. Donald's voice sounded very good...

User: Wavy Gravy | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Yeah Man! Lets all meet in Austin for the love-in brothers and sisters!
Tune in, Turn on, Drop out my friends in freakdom! I say most assuredly!
And don't forget to drag along your old men and old ladies as brother
Stewart is going to instruct us in the proper use of the bong.

It's assured to be a good time for all my hipster amigos!
THE 60's AIN'T OVER TILL WE SAY IT'S OVER!

Right On!

User: Mr. Stewart | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: StAl: I'll be marching in Austin Saturday with some friends, one of whom has come over to the anti-war side in the last few weeks. Why am I marching? "Shock and Awe" = "Blitzkrieg," Sadam will most likely live through it (just as Bin Laden has- remember him? Bush would rather you didn't), some top military officials (such as Schwartzkoff), WWII vets, and guys on the ground in Afghanistan are saying war with Iraq is unjustified and unwise, a country that supposedly stands for peace and justice does not attack unless attacked, we'll be setting ourselves up for certain terrorist counter-assaults here, nobody knows what the results of war will be (except a lot of dead innocent Iraqi citizens), code orange means "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain," I trust National Guardsman silver coke spoon bush as far as I could throw him, I listen to Nelson Mandela and MLK, being anti-war mostly pisses off the right, and, last but certainly not least, maybe I'll score with an anti-war babe.

Oh, and Steely Dan is cool. I like his music so much, especially his song, "Shake Your Groove Thing."

User: Still Looking For You | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Still looking for you

Ain't much I ain't tried
fast livin' slow suicide
then a-runnin' in a place to hide
just looking for you

My friends they all agree
ain't many a fool like me
I just tell them wait and see
go looking for you

Looking low and looking high
looking far and looking wide
try to tell myself that I'm fine
but it just ain't true
it just ain't true
I'm still looking for you
still looking for you

From the shadow of the darkest pine
to the edge of the sweet sunshine
I keep looking till they make you mine
looking for you

When the curtain tumbles down
I'll be somewhere hanging round
with my heart laid on the ground
just looking for you

Looking low and looking high
looking far and looking wide
try to tell myself that I tried
but it just ain't true
it just won't do
I'm still looking for you
still looking for you

Townes VanZant

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Burma!

What did you say 'Burma' for?

I panicked.

User: db | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: IÆve had the most fantastic day today !!

I awoke at 5.30 this morning with a hangover courtesy of the æÆsoccerooÆsÆÆ
I first heard the trailer for the show around 5:45 hmmm time for a couple more coffees I thought.
The stream was streaming not great sound but I could hear it fine (only 24kbph)
I started recording at 5:58àthe show started around 6.02amà.great !!!!
I was grooving to the sound of the first songàI was so excited IÆm on my 5th cup of coffee
If only IÆde remembered to check the tikc box for sound mixer !!!!
Ohh well I only missed the first song anyhow.

I recorded at 1411kbph for over an hour & only lost a couple of frames.

IÆde forgot how funny those fuckers are I have been smiling since 6.00 this morning.

I still had time before work to burn a disk so I did.
I played the show again at 9.00/11.00 & 4.00àItÆs on now

SheÆs a funny old bird that piano jazz lady.

The real broadcast IÆm after though is WUCF on Sunday 11.00am -5 GMT & again on Fri 21st (156kbph) 10.00pm

Beers You can have a copy of that one !!!

User: Burma | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Spring has sprung
And grass has riz
Where last year's
Careless driver iz!
BurmaShave

Is he lonesome
Or just blind
The guy who drives
So close behind
Burma Shave

In this world
Of toil and sin
Your head goes bald
But not your chin
Burma Shave

Little Bo Peep
Was driving her Jeep
She fell asleep
Now's counting sheep
Burma Shave

It's better to burp
And bear the shame
Than not to burp
And bear the pain
Burma Shave

Around the corner
Lickety split
Beautiful car
Wasn't it?
Burma Shave

Following too close
Was a lot of bunk
'Till they pulled him
From someone's trunk
Burma Shave

Don't kiss your girl
At the gate
Love may be blind
But the neighbors ain't
Burma Shave

Don't stick your elbow
Out too far
It might go home
In another car
Burma Shave

You don't have a care
You don't have a worry
You've reached a point
Where you don't have to hurry
Burma Shave

He saw the train
He tried to duck it
Kicked first the gas
And then the Bucket
Burma Shave

User: Moll | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Hey everyone! The media in all forms sends out very insidious messages to all of us. Children for the most part are more vulnerable. They cannot differentiate that the images they see on the screen or magazine cover is an illusion generated to sell a product. I'm sure some marketing executive advised Brittany, Christina and the like to promote the image that they do. Let's face it, they have very little talent or ability. So, they market their sexuality. It is a parent's job to ensure that our children view these images for what they are. Lies and illusions.. I'd hope I could tell any child that is in my care that they (and everyone else) has much more to offer other than some fake image presented on MTV. I have a problem with the way women are denigrated and take even more issue concerning the violence perpetuated in our media today. Hopefully we can combat the messages our children are affronted with.
Still, it was difficult to explain to my 6 year old why Brittany Spears decided to strip on that awards show. I told him Brittany didn't have a Mom that taught her it wasn't polite to take her clothes off in public. Not sure what I would have offered as an explanation had he been older?
BB, I'm missin you bud.
Fingers, I got your message! I have been covered up in Advocate work. I'll answer soon. Glad to see you again.
My Viking, I love you.....I miss you more than you can know babe. *kisses~~~~~~~~*

User: The Bar Fly | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Happy Valentine's Day to all 'Dans and Danettes'

www.thedancollective.co.uk

User: Aja..............not working | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: St Al-I didn't see the video (don't really want to explain to the boss why I'm watching underage lesbian videos at work) but I'll take your word on the inappropriate commercialization.

tones-looking forward to your rant. You always have good ones!

Alta-congrats on great-auntdom! There's nothing better than being an auntie.

Aja

User: BB again | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Dunc; rip me a copy ?? please

User: Beerberian - of the Rockies | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: GB; How Y'all keepin ..... workin' my ass off for COORS USA here no time to surf... SHIT !!

UK GBers ; 'tis a fine sight the snow on the mts Cold ones will be hoisted tonight fo' sure

bluz; did ya get the package ? (whoops CIA will now descend on us right?)

hope to get on again soooon

User: tones | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: St. Al. - There's video? Why didn't you say so... wonder if they have a guestbook...

In all seriousness (yeah, right...), I deal with this crap all day everyday. I'm numb... If you remember Britney's first video, it wasn't exactly being marketed towards young teens. It was full of dirty-old-men imagery; they didn't play up the teen idol thing until they had tongues wagging. If fact, first 2 Britney cds we sold were to 40+ men of dubious intent. I suggested we have an age limit over which we wouldn't sell them. But really, the music industry has *serious* issues. I've had another rant festering inside me for a few weeks now... when I get the time I'm gonna lay down here to get y'alls perspective...

And hey, you're not foolin' me... if *my* tie -die still fits I know yours does...

-----------------------

Piano Jazz was pretty cool last night. Thanks for posting the link Duncan...

Hesitation Blues!! Delicious...

peace

t

User: Getty | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: James...May I suggest going to www.dandom.com/guestbook for information on piano jazz. This forum is more like the "Showdown In Iraq" guestbook. The above link is much more likely to answer your Steely Dan question(s).

Good luck

User: James Ellison | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Hi:
I don't know if this is the proper place to ask, but no NPR stations around here carry Piano Jazz. Anyone have a tape of the Steely Dan show?
Thanks,
-jde

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Aja: The problem I have with Tatu is the way they are being marketed and the audience they are being marketed to. I certainly don't care that they may be lesbians. What I care about is the blatant commercialism of this issue in an effort to make LOTS OF MONEY. Money that comes not out of a 25 year olds pocket, but money that comes out of my 13 year-old daughters. Check out the video.

Right-winged Huey: http://www.dandom.com/guestbook if you don't like the content of this guestbook. Otherwise may I suggest this instead. Cut and paste this http://www.banyantrees.net/images/bigcup.jpg or click above.

Bill: The bellbottoms and tie-dyes don't fit my fat ass anymore. I own two lava lamps and whats so wrong with being anti-war?

Jimbo: I agree. It's not just you.

StAl

User: Jimbo | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Duncan-Let us know how the show came out. Mine won't be on till Saturday.

User: Altamira | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Aja--Ok, that makes sense. By the way, I discovered a while back that my nephew's wife has a niece, which, I guess, makes me a great aunt-in-law. Wow, I feel ancient! ;^)

User: Ezekiel | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inquities of
the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name
of charity and good will, shepards the weak through the valley of
darkness. For he is truly his brothers keeper and the finder of lost
children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and
furious anger those who attempt to destroy my brothers. And you will
know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you."

I been sayin' that shit for years and if you ever heard it, it meant
your ass. I never gave much thought to what it meant, I just thought
it was some cold-blooded shit to say to a motherfucker before I popped
a cap in his ass. I saw some shit this morning that made me think twice.
See now I'm thinkin' maybe it means that you're the evil man, and I'm
the righteous man, and Mr. 9-Millimeter here, he's the sheperd protecting
my righteous ass in the valley of darkness. Or it could mean you're the
righteous man and I'm the sheperd and it's the world that's evil and
selfish.

Now I'd like that, but that shit aint the truth. The truth is,
YOU are the weak, and I AM the tyranny of evil men. But I'm tryin' Ringo,
I'm trying real hard to be the sheperd.

User: fezo | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: martin: there was a VH1 special on NYRSR in the early 90's. Mostly interviews some performance stuff, but not much. Don't know if it was ever released commercially

User: martin | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Hi There,

Would anybody know if a Video or DVD exists of the "New York Rock & Soul Review", or any footage of the gig in any format.

Thanks

Martin

User: db | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Anybody else caught Piano Jazz Steely Dan yet ?

there 6 times...happy now ?

User: Right wing hooey -or- Hey ¦ --WTF? | Month: 1 | Day: 13

Message: Now I'm not gonna march in line with the ultra liberal garbage being posted here, but I've got to dispute some of your facts.

1) "UPI estimates that 9/11 cost $700 Billion in direct and indirect losses..."

Ok, not disputing that UPI said this, I'll take your word, but are you aware that $700 billion is a little less than 10% of GNP. There's no way that 9/11 destroyed 10% of our economy.

AND

2)"If there is another one, we are frankly done as the #1 economic power in the world"

Ok, who's gonna step up and take our place? Seriously...

On a rather sad note, the word "war" has been mentioned 5 times on this page, "Iraq" three times, and "Steely Dan" once.

User: MoreWisdomOfTheAges | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: "People sleep peaceably in thier beds at night only because rough men
stand ready to do violence on thier behalf." - George Orwell

You better fuckin' believe it Mr. Hussien...

User: Bill | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: Pat,

An anti-war rally?
Man, it's just like the 60's aint it? Are you guys gonna chant
"Hey, Hey, LBJ how many kids did you kill today?" and walk around
with tie-dye tshirts, bellbottoms, and platform shoes on?

Hey I know!, let's see if we can lease the old Partridge Family bus for
this little trip down memory lane okay? That would be a blast wouldn't it?
Hehehe...

Lemme see now, where did I put that lava lamp.

User: Duncan | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: ATTENTION JIMBO

piano jazz 16 mins away & I heard the trailer... i'm wetting myself now.

''Ladies Gentlemen & Children''
No Standing in the cars, Please fasten your seatbelts.

ohhhhhhhh

10.00pm central time -8 GMTn 24kbps
http://www.kpbx.org/programs/pianojazz.htm

User: Jimbo | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: Is it me, or is America going back to the 50's in terms of racial attitudes, paranoia and a need for conflict against other countries?

ARLEAN- You're right. (No pun intended) There are too many right wing books using the flag and 9/11 to promote their personal agendas. These bastards even use 9/11 to promote their books without respect, intelligence or integrity. Even more shitty programs like JAG use 9/11
to get high ratings.

I am so tired of the same rhetoric I hear on the news. "WHITE HOUSE PREDICTS TERRORIST ATTACK." Since 9/11, this country hasn't. But the more the House and it's puppy, Tony Blair cause trouble, the more we may consider
praying to God to blow us up in order to prevent the constant conflict.

LET'S ELECT MARTIN SHEEN FOR PRESIDENT!

Jimbo

P.S. THREE MORE DAYS TILL PIANO JAZZ!

User: lp at home | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: bink above for a much needed laugh after thinking about my kid...

or here:

http://members.shaw.ca/wpgclan/whatyouare.htm

User: Luckless Pedestrian at home | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: well i wish i had not allowed my 10 year old to watch britney with her behavior of late; but alas, it's impossible to bring them up in a closet - i think i could get arrested for that...but seriously, britney, cristina, avril, they are only on a list of too many things that have made pre-teens act like teens

it's scary shit, i can tell you - once i calm down from an outburst, i just hope i'm doing the right thing - i am much more strict than the other parents in her school, but so was my mom

it's exhausting, you just keep it all in check

i have eaten my words so many times since she was infant by saying "i won't do that when she's that age" - what a joke!!!

User: arlean | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: St. Al, I will be with you in spirit! You go!

This is week of peace. On the 18th, NYC, Chicago and San Francisco will have a unification of "Peace" or as I think "Truth". Be there or be a name in the book of liars with a star.

There is a name for what has happened in the past two years, a coup, a farce. Dr. Mu, in your own self-righteous being you must know the cause or name of this! Don't be objective, just name the coup de villes.

Walking through Barnes & UnNoble, just so many titles and hard covers regarding the "right" of things and blasting the left. I would like to think a bad cup of coffee would envoke some truth. What sells America anyway? Are bookstores more Noble than gas stations. BP gas is bad stuff. It clogs things up. Just ask my car.

And it is all about the cars you drive anyway.
I have a bus pass myself.

User: Aja..................this is better than working | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: Altamira-for starters, my niece is 4 and doesn't understand sexuality and provocation, nor does she really need to at this point. I also don't want her to think that the type of things Christina Aguilera does are acceptable, at least until my niece is old enough to decide for herself what kind of person she wants to be. Lastly, given that my niece is very young, and that pedophiles are out there, I wouldn't want her to be influenced by Aguilera's behavior (or worse, act it out) since she really doesn't understand it, or the effects it might have on someone with pedophilic tendencies.

Aja

User: Altamira | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: Aja--I can see where you wouldn't want a pedophile watching Christina Aguilera, but why shouldn't your niece watch her? (My nephews didn't care for television, so I doubt they watched MTV--one became an artist and art teacher and the other became a high school teacher and firefighter; he recently married a law student who plans to become a ACLU lawyer. They're both enthusiastic Johnny Cash fans and are liberal and politically active.)

User: Aja...................more politics as usual | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: Uh, St. Al, I went to the site you listed and didn't find anything offensive.......maybe I missed something? I saw two fully clothed girls, and it was inferred they were lesbians. yaaaaaaawn, whatever! On the other hand, I wouldn't let my little niece watch Christina Aguilera dancing in her little skirt (which flies up so you can see her ass hanging out of her underwear)-a pedophile's fantasy.

Aja

User: StAl | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: Anyone heard about this new teeny-bopper group called Tatu? The envelope is once again stretched. It illustrates why I won't let my daughter watch MTV.

http://www.tatugirls.com

And I'm about as open-mined and liberal as they come on matters such as this.

Hermy: Are you busting my balls?

StAl

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: Aja,

A 'Top Ten Reasons For Hating Bush' probably wouldn't be a good idea here. St. Al will just end up getting pissed at everyone for not being able to keep their lists to ten.

Great idea, though.

Herm

User: Aja...................more politics as usual | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: I'm preparing my protest signs, lp, can you tell? LOL!

More reasons why we need the space program:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030212/ap_on_sc/infant_universe_3

Aja

User: lp | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: go get em aja! lol!!!

how's the mediation life today?

lots of snow here - think i may have to snow shoe across the island today just to get home!

User: Aja...................politics as usual | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: mu-what are they classifying as "direct and indirect losses"? I've seen many good arguments that the cost of 9/11 is much lower than 700B, so I'd like to know how they are arriving at that figure.

Or maybe that's the current administration's way of deflecting attention from the fact that the proposed Bush "tax cut" is likely to damage the economy far worse than 9/11 by plunging us into several trillion dollars of debt (further than even Reagan managed to do).

Not to mention Bush has proposed opening up the Sierra Nevada for logging.....hey St. Al, how 'bout making the next list "Top ten reasons for hating Bush"?

I watched Spike Lee's "Mo' Better Blues" the other day-damn, what a soundtrack! I need to amend my desert island discs to include "Kinda Blue" and anything from Cannonball Adderley.

Aja

User: tones | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: Herm - I agree with what you said. One thing I thought that might make the Other Ones a success creatively is that they weren't trying to recreate the Dead as much as take all that they accomplished and move it *forward*, like the Dead would do when they were at their best. When I saw the Others last year there seemed to be a healthy attempt to do that; at the very least they were just the best Dead cover band ever, which is fine but a little too nostalgic for my tastes. (And I also think Garcia would want them to "get over it already and get on with it) And I liked the fact that they had changed the name, because it isn't the same band and never will be. Of course, I understand the only reason they didn't call themselves "Grateful Dead" last year is because Jerry's estate wouldn't let them.

I thought The Strange Remains wouldv'e been a great name, if a bit tasteless...

See you in the parking lot...

t

User: lp | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: http://www.villagevoice.com/specials/pazznjop/02/album_winners1.php

http://www.villagevoice.com/specials/pazznjop/02/single_winners1.php

top winners for albums and singles for your discussion above...

good call on norah jones, coldplay and jimmy eat world imho...

went snowshoeing yesterday and again today - what a job!

anyone in here from denver - i may be off to there at the end of the next month

now what's the deal with piano jazz again - i am missing that info - maine public radio i presume for me?

User: Sociable Hermit | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: Hey,

What happened to, "The Other Ones"? That was the name that the Grateful Dead minus Jerry plus new guitar guy was previously touring under. "The Dead" sounds like the name that Jerry, Pigpen, Keith and Brent should be using. Of course, they'd have to augment that line-up with a decent rhytym section. As it is now, it's way too keyboard-heavy.

I know it's easy to be critical about them reforming in Jerry's absence, but what do you really expect them to do? Singularly, they couldn't do much of anything. Weir's Ratdog was little more than a cult draw. Mickey's world music forays were interesting, but hardly a money maker. Phil had his, "Phil Lesh and Friends" tour that did well. The best draw out of all of them was Hornsby, a lot of which had to do with the fact that he was already established well before joining them. Seperately, not much fire, but together as a reformed Dead, they will play the big venues, rake in the bucks, (cynical point of view); reunite wayward fans, make millions of people happy, and carry on the tradition of Jerry and the GD. (Positive point of view). In a way, they kind of remind me of the Seinfeld cast: great together, but on their own...? "The Michael Richards Show"? And whatever the names of those other shows were. (Actually, the Julia Louis-Dryfus show wasn't all that bad, even though the only actor of real interest was Steve Correll [sp?])
Anyway, it will be no comparison, New Dead to Old Dead, not matter who they recruit as their lead guitarist, because Jerry was amazing. The perfect combination of voice, masterful guitar, taste, humor, subtlty, and balls-out rock when needed. Listening to all of the live recordings, especially the many volumes of Dick's Picks, just shows how incredible he was, how much the world lost when he died, and how he'll never be replaced. I don't care if they bring in Clapton or B.B.; Jerry was the soul of the Dead, and as much fun as it might be to see the Other Ones perform, they will only be a high calibre tribute band.

That everyone wants to see.

Later,

Herm

User: StAlphonzo | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: Mu: You still support our governments decision to attack Iraq (assuming they do)? Am I reading into your post too much?

Big anti-war rally in Seattle this weekend. Yours truly will be in attendance with family in tow. I believe there are similar rallies being stage across the country. Check this site out for more information and a rally near you.

http://www.notinourname.org

Ok, just a gentle reminder. Many of you have posted your Desert Island Discs to the guestbook but haven't yet posted it here. I can only tabulate the responses when it's submitted via the web form:

http://www.banyantrees.net/topten

SueDave: I laughed at loud when I read the message the band sent about the name change. "The Dead".... And though I'm sure I'll go see them if they come this way, it just won't be the same without Jerry.

Are you going to the rally this Saturday at the Seattle Center?

StAl

User: C @ Work | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: G÷ran Lagerberg - what about a Grymlings reunion? I'm jumping for joy.

User: G÷ran Lagerberg | Month: 1 | Day: 12

Message: Dead? The voice of L.O.D. ? And not a word on this site ... .What a shame.

g L

User: Gunther Godless | Month: 1 | Day: 11

Message: Clas, you old bastard. How's the male corset coming and are you still prohibited from leaving the country?

User: Sean Hannity | Month: 1 | Day: 11

Message: Don't you think that Donald Fagen is just reading from a script like the liberals?

User: C @ W | Month: 1 | Day: 11

Message: Lalla Hansson - Lenne & the Lee Kings can't reunite! Lenne is dead.

User: ¦ - behind the big casino by the oasis | Month: 1 | Day: 11

Message: I'll be listening and burning a CD or two using iTunes and StreamripperX - can't wait!

Jimbo: The man you should be worried about, with all due respect, is Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, MD, Al Qaeda's #2 man (the dude with the stupid beard, the thick glasses, and the turban),

http://www.terrorismanswers.com/groups/jamaat.html

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/01/06/alqaeda.threat/

a genius of organization and mastermind of the African Embassy bombings and 9/11 along with the late Atta. Ayman al-Zawahiri is also the functional leader of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, and was responsible for the 1981 assasination of Anwar Sadat, simply because Sadat signed the Camp David peace accord with Begin and Jimmy Carter. The Egyptian Islamic Jihad merged with Al Qaeda becoming the formidible metastasizing terrorist organization it still remains. al-Zawahiri and his Al Qaeda and Egyptian Islamic Jihad followers have been inside Iraq planning something big. Al Qaeda supplies the organization, host nations supply resources (bio, chemical , perhaps nuclear besides the usual conventional weapons usually used by Al Qaeda). Be careful out there Friday, the end of Hajj and Valentine's Day (hence the orange level)...hopefully absolutely nothing will be attempted or if so, thwarted...

The "radical" news agency UPI estimates that 9/11 cost $700 Billion in direct and indirect losses. If there is another one, we are frankly done as the #1 economic power in the world...and worse of course many innocents will be injured or killed...It seems clearer now is that we've staged a build-up in the Middle East and telegraphed every move in a large part to send a message to al-Zawahiri and Saddam as a deterrent...

User: suedave | Month: 1 | Day: 11

Message: Jimbo, I'm with you on that one....but just in case I think I'll have to put plan b in place and try to catch the show via streaming audio sometime this week.

Did you see the remaining members of the Grateful Dead have renamed themsel