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FEBRUARY 9

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Alban Berg, composer of "Wozzeck" and "Lulu" and "Violin Concerto," and best of all, "Lyric Suite." Whoever can conceive the following 12 pitches in this order

F-E-C-A-G-D Ab-Db-Eb-Gb-Bb-Cb

my favorite "all-interval row," is a genius.

Of the 479,001,600 possible 12-tone rows, Alban Berg's, "F E C A G D Ab Db Eb Gb Bb Cb" is in my Top 10, along with this row:

C#-G# D-B-G-F# A-E-F-C Bb-Eb

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GRAMMYS

I DIDN'T SEE MUCH OF THE GRAMMYS THAT impressed me. It seemed to be the usual middle of the road, average, vapid, safe and predictable stuff that permeates a lot of popular culture. It's good that there is a large body of music that makes up the history of rock music, R & B, soul, blues, jazz, hip hop and country already as thousands of good songs exist. If one had to judge the state of music solely by what gets Grammys, one could conclude that, yes, music is not important to society or to the education of the intelligent responsible citizen.

I really liked the Radiohead/USC Trojans performance. The Stevie Wonder/Jonas Brothers performance was good and better than tolerable. The hip hop guys and MIA were the best of what was there, just as hip hop at least often has more substance and originality han most of the formulaic pop stuff that is celebrated by those who vote for this stuff.

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PAUL MCCARTNEY - let the past stay buried or let someone else dig it up

And then there was PAUL McCARTNEY. PAUL - STOP IT! I am one of the millions of people you changed, along with the all-important invisible entity known as "music." You will forever be one of the greats who ever walked the Planet. But now you're old, and even though you wrote, sang and recorded, "well she was just 17, you know what I mean," and "I'll never dance with another" because the 17 year old is so good looking and your "well my heart went BOOM when I crossed that ROOM," you really would be much better off to let lounge singers in suburban Sarasota do Paul McCartney at age 21 than have Paul McCartney at 66 do Paul McCartney at 21. You should be the still very good songwriter you are (most of your post-Wings stuffs is average to good to very good and even a few songs are great). Why, with all of your money, does your hair color look so bad, and why would you sing songs that very young people should sing to each other? You are past the age of social security eligibility - don't lust for a 17 year old in 2009, eve if that 17 year old is someone you created. It's ugly-ing up your great legacy. I hope someone who can get your ear will step up and tell you to stop!

JOHN LENNON and George Harrison and George Martin and Ringo Starr all used to have input into what Paul did. From what is known, John Lennon and Paul McCartney could each give great advice. But who can coach a legend?

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A-ROD, always and forever

Fortunately for me, there is A-ROD, a gift that keeps giving, a guy who is so likely to hit fantastically mighty home runs when his team is leading by 6 runs late in the game and early in the baseball season. The guy who virtually guarantees that the New York Yankees will not win a World Series for another 8 years.

I hope A-ROD goes into ROGER CLEMENS mode and keeps denying, as he already did on CBS 60 MINUTES in 2007 that he ever used any steroid or performance enhancing drug and was never even tempted to do this... PLEASE, Alex, PLEASE KEEP DENYING the truth. You, like Barry Bonds, grew your big muscles much bigger, you both also grew your heads much bigger (not metaphorically - your head and Barry Bonds' head must be size 12 or so - I'm 7 1/4 and fairly large - you're the very big deal).

I am delighted and more that you'll be a New York Yankee for 8 more years. I always smile at the thought, as do many Boston Red Sox fans. In the words and affectation of Private Gomer Pyle, "THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

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The mother of the Baby Factory - the one who's already hatched 14 children (Nadya Suleman) - is not happy about her idiotic offspring and has called her actions, "unconscionable." That's very good to hear as I usually see parents who blindly praise and adore their children and want to, more than anything, make them feel good about themselves even if the children are not capable of living responsibly and being accountable for their actions.

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And I too am a proud of fan of Captain Sully Sullenberger. I could see wanting to take vacations to where he is flying just for the extra sense of safety. I loved the 60 Minutes interview with S and his crew I heard on CBS radio while driving last night.

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My life's challenges.... I've got to figure out how I can have time to Twitter. I am flattered that some very good people want to follow me on Twitter, but I just don't know where I am going to find the time to Twitter, along with being an active professor, creator, musician, citizen, friend and explorer, and one who is amazed by and wants to track his friends. It's bad enough I don't have time to write significantly, blog, Facebook or work out enough.

Annuit Coeptis

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INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR PRISON REFORM - the Right Way To Incarcerate

I WANT TO BE ARRESTED FOR SOMETHING AND GO TO JAIL if it can be where Bernie Madoff is jailed - his huge and beautiful Manhattan penthouse apartment. There are a few problems with this - I don't know how to get so many people to invest so much money with me. If I did, I wouldn't want to waste it and hurt them, even if meant getting to live in Bernie Madoff's Penthouse Apartment In Manhattan (PAIM). I also would not be extraordinarily talented or better than average at investing their money so that they could get a lot in return. But, still, I want to go to Bernie's PAIM. In fact, the fair thing to do would be to swap out prisoners. Bernie and I should trace places. He has to be confined to his place and cannot visit the best museums (MOMA, the Met, etc.), parks (Central Park), restaurants (Island Burgers, bars (Brazil Grill), clubs (The Bowery) and more.

Bernie will live in my AIPL (Apartment In Pompton Lakes) and I'll live in his PAIM. He can be confined here (I love it here, but also love leaving and coming back, except for all of the damn Cheney-ing traffic lights on Rt. 9A (AKA West Side Highway) on the West Side of Manhattan. West Side Highway!?!?! The West Side Strollway/Crawl Way would be a more appropriate. Bernie can't travel so he should stay here in my AIPL. I am allowed to travel but I could leave my car in my garage next to my AIPL, spare the roads of thousands of pounds of Acura at very high speeds eating up pavement, expelling pavement, dirt, grit and other particles form my exhaust into the NY/NJ air, and be a better citizen as a result. Bernie doesn't need a car, and I wouldn't if I moved into his PAIM thereby helping to clean up the world and improving both of our lives. He would benefit because he doesn't own my CD's, DVD's VHS's (remember those?), books and scores. I've also got some nice crystal glasses and I'll leave him as much rum, tequila and wine as he'd like. While I'm at it, I'll further educate him by letting him wear any of my Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics clothing. Even though he'd be wearing them in New Jersey (damn close to Manhattan) he'd not be harassed, harangued or harmed over this as he cannot go outside. I would have to struggle to acquire a new wardrobe but change is always good and I'd welcome the opportunity to buy some more Hell's Kitchen T-shirts and a suit or two.

I've read that Bernie's got a lot of jewelry. I don't think he should be able to enjoy all of his earthly goods. His jewelry should stay in his PAIM or better, be sold and the money should go to those he's harmed. But I can make him feel better as I am a hardcore passionate Santa Fe O'phile. Everytime I go to Santa Fe, I buy one, two or three very nice bolo ties. I've got a great collection of them but usually don't wear them because my friends always make fun of me when I do. But Bernie would be holed up in my AIPL. He wouldn't have to worry about his friends' humiliation. I'll leave him my bolo ties. He'll like wearing them, I'm sure.

THIS is making so much sense to me. I need to write to Bernie as this is a win-win situation. My AIPL would also serve as good transition from PAIM to penitentiary.

I can think of a lot more reasons now as to why Bernie should go to my AIPL and I should go to his PAIM. As Archie Bunker would say, "case closed."

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GEORGE W. BUSH..... I've got so much to say about his whining and classless press conference exit but I need to commingle tropical plants together and ingest (I'll try Dominican Republic rum and Dominican Republican oranges) and see what happens. It's surely better than wasting any more of those overly-pressed brain cells to think about G. Walker Bush.

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I FLY TO LOS ANGELES on Wednesday. YEA! Another tropical type place. 79 suburbs in search of a city!

I think I'll bring my prettiest bolo tie with me as Los Angeles is sort of the Southwest. Sort of.

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I'M FLYING TO NASHVILLE TOMORROW MORNING to attend a wedding, see friends, re-visit old haunts, cause trouble, receive trouble, see the hills and dales and roys, see how the population there is reacting to Obama and get surprised a lot. I will not carry any weapons (because the only weapons I have are five steak knives, so I won't shoot myself in the thigh or anywhere else - I love the NY Giants and their Plaxico Burress underpaid benevolent role model athlete problems), and I won't go to any strip joints because I don't like them and I don't want to see any Sarah Palin look alikes. When will there be a 24-hour All Sarah Palin All The Time cable station?

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I want to go to Pancho's and the even better Mexican place in Franklin, PM in Nashville, Radnor Lake in Nashville (some deer must miss me), hang out on the mountain in Smithville, walk the too-steep hills in Smithville, see if my house is missing me, and more.

I want to see the film, DOUBT.

I want world peace.

I want a better economy.

I want an emergency row seat tomorrow morning from LaGuardia.

I want a pumpernickel bagel with veggie tofu before I take the car service to LaGuardia.

I want it to stop raining tonight as driving to Manhattan at rush hour in the rain does not epitomize pure joy.

And more and more....

ANNUIT Coeptis

Love,

The Wanter

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I THINK I'LL COPY WHAT I WROTE THESE PAST FEW DAYS in Facebook as to my status and what I'm doing and see where that takes me. If you've read this before on Facebook, I apologize. From present to past:

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Michael just came from Trader Joe's - British whole wheat muffins, fetal spinach, spring mix, hummus, spanokopita, vanilla soy milk, Cap'n Crunch, AK-47 - all but 2

Michael just finished writing a report and is looking forward to listening to the second half of This Week In Law's podcast & interview with Fred Von Lohmann.

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It didn't take me too far.

I need to pick Obama's cabinet. I like Letterman's joke - while Obama is filling his cabinet, McCain will be filling his medicine cabinet... koapectate, mylanta, maalox....

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I haven't seen that much of Sarah Palin lately - Matt Lauer, Larry King, ABC, BBC, CBC, DBC, NBC, TBS, Fox Fox Fox Fox Fox, MSNBC (only as NBC replays)..... I need to know more about her clothes and The First Dude's clothes, about Sarah's spin on the 3 or 4 or 9 or 13 or 21 or 34 or 53 Continents of Africa the Country or City or the South Africa region of Istanbul, or what clothing stores on what continents can be seen from porches in Alaska......

I love the fact that she has made the strongest statement - that she YOU BETCHA will run for President in 2012 and can hardly wait the 19 months until 2012 is here so she can declare her Runnership for the Presidentship. I'll donate some effort just to hep her out. My need for comedic relief is burning. I no longer get to hear about:

Celebrities with blond hair (Obama, Hilton, Spears)

Terrorism

Terrorism as spread by the Terrorist-In-Chief, the Reverend Saddam bin Wright of Chicago

Socialism

Redistributing

Redistributing cause it feels good

Redistributing all night long

Islamo all the above (I'll demonstrate)

Islamo-Celebrities with blond hair

Islamo-Terrorism

Islamo-Terrorism as spread by the Terrorist-In-Chief, the Reverend Saddam bin Wright of Chicago

Islamo-Socialism

Islamo-Redistributing

Islamo-Aborting

Islamo-Gun Seizure

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Annuit Coeptis until we meet again.....

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Subliminal ad

McDonald’s frame inserted into “Iron Chef” (Food Network) as reported on Inside Edition (1.46) - was it innocent, i.e., unintentional?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xPvYgTvr8I&NR=1

Questionable (sound alike, reference to “The Pusher” by Steppenwolf)

Orange Business Services:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhYyBljqFf8

Questionable (sound alike, reference to “Rock & Roll Part 2” by Gary Glitter)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMbWAZfbqqc&NR=1

Siemens (two new compositions – not write around/reference), humorous, 1:18:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z9-hycvOX0

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Bob Dylan and Victoria’s Secret (song, master recording, artist appears in commercial)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq7W7icd-Fc

Bob Dylan & Sirius (artist appears in commercial)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPHybJvBKeY&feature=related

Sting (song, master recording, artist appears in commercial):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqItWzmnrD4

Rolling Stones/Sony Bravia (original song, original master recording “Like A Rainbow” 1967) for Sony Bravia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJmBdZ9czO8

Led Zeppelin/Cadillac “Rock & Roll” commercial (2003) - (original song, original master)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDe23UM6kjY

Chevrolet – Like A Rock – Bob Seger (original song, original master)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IocCC1-jeTY

Jimi Hendrix “Purple Haze” and Pepsi (original song, original master):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao6JntNIPHc

McDonald’s commercial in Egypt using the music of Meatloaf “I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)” (original song, original master):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9ajRIgTJNA

Educational:

The story behind “Oscar Myer Wiener” commercial (4 minutes)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAz5Jc0DWpg&feature=related

Tropicana (Brazilian style cover of Depeche Mode song, “I Just Can’t Get Enough”)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxS3yx1pelY&NR=1

Why is popular music used in commercials:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da4h1nWhAT0&NR=1

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1984 Apple Macintosh Commercial (Big Brother)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYecfV3ubP8&feature=related

OLDER commercials:

Slinky

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZL6RGkPjws&NR=1

VD it’s for everybody (original music, elaborate melody and music)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y83UJpJUO4w

Wendy’s with Clara Peller – Where’s The Beef?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug75diEyiA0&feature=related

Cigarettes

Camel Cigarettes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCMzjJjuxQI&feature=related

Kool Cigarettes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCxff1Dyy2w&NR=1

Winston:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrdp4xupUKA

Beverly Hillbillies smoke Winston:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8BTJx9JWqE

Cast ad # 07:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkZLFwPPYHw&feature=related

Flintstones smoking Winston:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZvHiiWFbBU

Music – “Little Red Riding Hood”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0tDjJwtLh0&feature=related

Super Bowl 2007 (humorous, Bud Light, Taco Bell, etc.):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACZgJAlPP-4&feature=related

The Geico commercials:

Flinstones:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSR1wZMJd08

The Beverly Hillbillies (“a poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed…” – lyric is likely owned by The Beverly Hillbillies production company – otherwise, one would need copyright permission)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hIYMyIZS_g&feature=related

Geico; Chatty Cathy (Mattel talking doll from the 1960’s):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSPXpc5N6Kg&NR=1

Jamaica

Bob Marley’s “One Love” by cover artist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYUI8pZOV2Q

“Original” music inspired by Marley – Marley themes “humanity” etc. are mentioned. At 0.48, “One Love” is finally heard:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHB6DyQ51nQ&NR=1

FreeCreditReport.com

Four commercials – fans have transcribed the lyrics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJk4BCMkRrs&feature=related

Five of their commercials – original music in different pop styles (hip hop, country, etc.) same cast, developing plot of sorts…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3oNNgM6P7E

The Mac commercials

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuqZ8AqmLPY&feature=related

Making a movie with a Mac v. PC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNnX6XRQBec&feature=related

iPhone:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrcsQvZz06g&feature=related

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Ford Taurus (1994) – does not infringe like the 1995 commercial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rda5RJxemCk

Ford Taurus (1985) coupled with “have you driven a Ford lately?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEuIc3xyOlw

Tropicana - sensual, original steamy blues – does not reference/write around

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwFxEEzPSso&feature=related

McDonald’s – very funny, effective:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eN9KP6lOZs

Humor:

Discovery Channel (original music, no reference)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5BxymuiAxQ

Blue Cross

Original music in background – cute little boys speaks about an injury he saw on television – the caption, “need a good doctor? Trigon Blue Cross”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RyHQlnMvWg

“We’re doing business here” - Spinach becomes Spanish, etc. The same Trigon Blue Cross kid and the same original music:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a189xAYBRv8&NR=1

Britney Spears & Bob Dole – Pepsi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jt8uNG02ixA

Americans in Japan

Arnold Schwarzenegger:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug8KM_nTkkU&feature=related

You Tube, November 8, 2008

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Funny but unrelated to course content:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nojWJ6-XmeQ&feature=related

1960’s Jello commercial about Chinese baby:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCKxWQCs3f0&feature=related

A commercial that should have been good but is awful – Jerry Seinfeld & Superman, and over five minutes in length! Original music, foolish script, waste of time…..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLuPTg8HcMY&feature=related

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THIS IS ONE OF THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF MY LIFE! I've been around so many racists and bigots and have heard so many negative things over the years, and have seen just how filthy and corrupt Republican activists can be - Nixon and Watergate and Liddy and Mitchell and the plumbers, and Rove and the 2000 election and the 2004 election. I wanted to rein in my enthusiasm and hopes so I wouldn't cry like I did in 1972 when this damn foolish electorate, or 49 states (not Massachusetts, the most American state from 1620 to the present time) voted for Richard Nixon for President instead of George McGovern. (Or all of my other great disappointments - the Republican presidents from Nixon to GW Bush.) I did have a few tears of joy last night listening to McCain (I'm thrilled that he was so gracious and peace-able) mention Obama's grandmother and praise Obama and the country, and then Barack Obama as his usual brilliant reassuring inspirational and grateful self.

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God bless and thank the lawyers who worked so hard to make sure things went as smoothly and legally as possible, as well as those who filmed polling areas and those who volunteered and blogged and bitched and those who stood in long and short lines to vote, and those who voted absentee ballot.

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I look forward to THE FIRST PUPPY that the two FIRST CHILDREN will bring into the White House.

I look forward to Obama's staff, cabinet, hires, international incentives (kill off Guantanamo immediately, get the hell out of Iraq and into Afghanistan, talk intelligently, calmly and confidently to our enemies, sign Kyoto, etc.)

I look forward to Joe The Plumber quickly fading away and becoming an answer on Jeopardy and getting in trouble for his plumbing-without-a-license.

I look forward to Sarah & The First Dude's syndicated television show that will compete for content and audience with Rachael Ray. Perhaps Rachael's First Dude and Sarah's First Dude can show what they're really made of - who can better pan sear a moose, skin a seal, and eat an elk.

I look forward to the Republican blood letting over who, what, where, how, when and why they lost so many of the 2008 elections. Was it Sarah? Was it McCain's nasty and tasteless and pointless and erratic campaign? Was it Bush Bush Bush and Iraq and deregulation and the financial costs these caused?

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Our standing in the world has changed so much so quickly. We'll be able to accomplish and fix so many things we caused. I am smiling and smilingly optimistic and very proud of our country now - I am always proud of our country's origins, the Bostonians, the non-Torys, the terrorists who fought the British, our Constitution, our geography and our immigrants (may they always increase in number). But the present day seems so great! Keith Olbermann stated it so well with one remark last night - "this is man on the moon." I remember that day well and view that day as being of similar magnitude.

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SARAH PALIN PROUDLY PROCLAIMED TODAY that she had flown to Wasila, Alaska to vote but JUST AS PROUDLY and stubbornly refused to say who she voted for. SHE was so proud to have such strong principles on such a non-issue - surely she voted for McCain and Palin. Or did she? Maybe Sarah Palin really voted for Barack Hannity Obama

What an odd person she is.

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I HOPE TO CELEBRATE election results in NY tonight. There will be more Democrats in the Senate and House. My favorite races are in Alaska, where I want to see Begich defeat Stevens, New Hampshire where I want to Shaheen defeat Sununu, North Carolina where I want to see Hagan beat the nasty mean spirited Elizabeth Dole, and Minnesota where I want to see Al Franken beat Norm Coleman.

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MY PREDICTION:

The Senate will be 58-42 soon and the House will be 250-183 soon. (I say, "soon," because there will be problems with voting machines, paper ballots and absentee ballots from Tennessee, Afghanistan, North Dakota and Iraq. I expect trouble because I lived and suffered through the Republican dirty tricks of 1972, 2000 and 2004.) Damn it - my superstitious nature should kick in now and I should edit out that last sentence. I wish I knew better.

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And I hope and have prayed that the tall blonde celebrity who spoke in Germany - Britney? Paris? No, Barack Obama - will be our next President. The world will change from hating us - justifiably for bombing the hell out of a country that did nothing to us, occupying Iraq, and torturing Iraqi prisoners - t respecting us, maybe liking us, and maybe loving us.

The nasty last minute Republican ads attacking Rev. Wright have likely backfired. At least those video authors will not be proud of their actions when they are on their deathbeds.

ANNUIT COEPTIS

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I AM NERVOUS ABOUT THIS ELECTION. If Obama does not win, there will be President Sarah Palin. She will never be intellectually curious, she will continue to appeal to the simplest and worst aspects of people, and the standards of decency and thinking will continue to plummet.

But the best things about her are:

she has been de-witched - the witches have been drawn out of her by that African minister guy visiting her old church.

Tina Fey represents her so well

it looks like her kids and the First Dude like her.

The First Dude is a smiling subservient guy who is very proficient at a winter sport

Sarah likes to tell people that First Dude is very good at a winter sport

Sarah's presidency will make George Walker Bush's presidency look like the time of a thoughtful, reasonable and insightful person ruled the land of the free and home of the brave

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I AM SITTING IN A BEDROOM on the third floor overlooking the ocean in Rockport, Massachusetts. In this bed in this bedroom, once slept Carrie Fisher. I could draw a lot of imaginary conclusions from that fact but the ocean and rocks and foliage and air are too beautiful to spend anymore time inside. Or as Gordon Lightfoot once sang, "but for now love let's be real."

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A PRE-ELECTION PRAYER (damn, there will be many more)

DEAR GOD, Help us. Don't give us Sarah Palin if we don't really deserve it. I promise to be better whether or not you answer my prayer. Thank you very much. Amen and I mean it.

Annuit Coeptis

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I WONDER WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BUSH/MCCAIN will pull off in the next three weeks:

the fake news that bin Laden has been killed

the fake news that a blond-haired white woman claims to have had an affair with Obama (every racist's fear of these community organizer types who are Arab and Muslim and Egyptian and Buddhist all rolled into one)

the fake news that Obama covered up a DUI (maybe not because he's not George Walker Bush)

the fake news that Iran attacked an American ship (along with the real war response)

the real news that Israel attacked Iran (because Iran has some politicians who are despots who want to have nuclear weapons and attack Israel)

the fake news that Barack Hannity Obama was behind 9/11

And so on.....

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TODAY I WILL BE SHOWING AND DISCUSSING THESE VIDEOS. It will be a great afternoon if these are central to the afternoon.

Dixie Chicks' "Without You"

Pearl Jam "Jeremy"

The Pixies' "Bone Machine" opening of "Pixies Sellout 2004 Reunion Tour"

The making of Peter Gabriel's "Digging In The Dirt"

Bjork "Human Behaviour"

Oh, the humanity... Oh, the timpanis and teddy bears rising up! Bjork, what's gotten into you?

Annuit Coeptis

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TERRORIST WATCH

I HOPE THAT SARAH PALIN and John McCain can track down all of the American and Middle Eastern terrorists that Barack Hannity Obama pals around with. I can imagine Sarah and her sidekick, John, walking along a beach with metal detectors listening and looking for evidence of Hannity O'Bama's terrorist ways. I just hope that they do not overlook what should be another obvious place to scour for evidence of Obama's terrorist ways - his daughters. Although they surely look sweet and innocent, the American people do not see what they do each day. Perhaps they are learning about bombing and not baking. They are the daughters of Harvard Law School graduates and if Barry Hannity O. is an American terrorist, wouldn't it follow that his wife is one also, and if he and his wife are terrorists (continuing along in the same oratorical manner as Eric Stratton - womanizer who chased Dean Wormer's wife and pre-law/pre-med student in Animal House - pleading that the Delta House be allowed one more chance to stay on the campus of Faber College in "Animal House"), how could the two cute little acorns fall from that tree? Haven't these thoughts occurred to Sarah Palin and THAT GUY (not "THAT ONE," but That Other One) yet?

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SARAH should do a better face than this - where is her charm when it's needed?

I THOUGHT SARAH PALIN should have put on a better face and facial expression than she did after John McCain called the American people, "My Fellow PRISONERS," instead of PEOPLE. Why did she not know how to react more quickly? She's a beauty queen who has been coached a lot as how to act and react. Why couldn't she have hidden her feelings about Poppy's Prisoner gaffe? Her face can contort very well and she can ooze charm and more. So why didn't she? I think she's just counting the days until the Elderly One can be put upstairs in the attic and she can get on with the business of governing. She is the GOVERNATOR of Alaska and if you can GOVERNATE a country that is perilously close and bordering two evil and dangerous foreign governments - CANADA and RUSSIA - surely she can governate the Lower 48.

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I think that this prisoner remark was a Freudian slip as he was thinking that we Americans are prisoners to this damn bad economy. It is also such a bored audience that Sarah Palin's running mate was speaking to, and the people carefully selected to be in every frame of the news coverage - those situated behind Sarah and her elderly sidekick, John - are supposed to be the most upbeat and engaged of all in the hall. All in the hall.....

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I WANT TO SEE SARAH PALIN rewarded for her anti-terrorists ways. Here is how one famous guy was rewarded for wanting to track down (and deport) drug users (even though he was a drug user). I think Sarah will be this good and look like this when she scores and captures her next terrorist.

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I'M BACK IN NEW JERSEY. I had such a great time in Atlanta and saw so many old friends, met great new people, heard good and great music, had great food - only great food... I didn't want to leave.

I flew back to Newark and despite bad weather the flight was perfect and smooth. We have lots of gas and rain here. Atlanta has little gas and no rain.

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I was surprised to see two NJ Port Authority policemen with very large machine guns - the kind they use outside St. Patrick's Cathedral on 5th Avenue in Manhattan on Sundays - standing outside of Door #8 by Qatar Airlines and SAS (Scandinavian Airlines). But as I thought about it, it occurred to me - Scandinavia and Scandinavians - terrorism! Maybe that's why there were such large weapons outside of SAS. People are afraid of the terrorist leaning Scandinavian countries.

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My car service came to Door #9, I got in, and the guy said, "you're on TV! I've seen you on TV. What show are you on?" (I was wearing a black suit - damn odd of me - and on a Sunday. I guess I looked more TV-like than normal.) I said that I was not on a TV show. I told him that I've been interviewed on TV. He went on to correctly guess that he had seen me interviewed about music on BRAVO, and on different shows. I was very surprised as this guy's memory for faces is astonishing. I can only remember a face after I've seen it several times over a period of a few weeks.

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SARAH PALIN might become President. She surely as hell wants to be President. Sadly she has to partner with some old guy (who left his first wife for a younger/hotter/wealthier alternative) to get there, but she's willing to do that.

A friend turned me on to this trailer of a not-yet-released Sarah Palin/Walt Disney-esque film this afternoon, "Head of Skate." Very very funny, unless enough people drink the Kool-Aid and this unqualified person gets elected. It would be a hell of a lot of fun for those of us who use politics rather than comedy clubs for laughter but still, I really love my country and after G. W. Bush, we don't need this.

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AND THEN....... there's this strong editorial by a strong conservative (Kathleen Parker) requesting Sarah Palin do the right thing and resign for hockey/moose eating) reasons, and from The National Review, God's word to real conservatives.

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THE BEST THING ABOUT TONIGHT'S DEBATE BETWEEN Barack Obama and John McCain was the fact that Sarah Palin was, 1. too frightened to speak or answer questions after the debate, 2. not knowledgeable to speak or answer questions after the debate, or 3. her handlers were too frightened to have her speak or answer questions after the debate.

SADLY and STRANGELY, the role of Republican Vice Presidential candidate was played by Rudy Guiliani, and in a way, that was appropriate because Rudy is very good at dressing up like a woman - and he does look like a pig with lipstick - and acting womanly. He had Sarah's nasty tone learned. I expected a "thanks but no thanks," and "I can see Russia from my front door," and "I don't know but I'll get back to ya," as she told Katie Couric.

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I MISSED HEARING HER INSIGHT. Sarah tonight was no talking head. What excuse could she have for chickening out of such a great opportunity to stand by her grandfather? Was it too early in Alaska? Was she too busy breast feeding? Did her husband need something? Did he need her? Her permission to do something? Were Sarah and Todd off snow-bogging somewhere?

Walking back from a friend's hotel room tonight I really enjoyed talking to so many people. Atlanta, at least my part of downtown, is damn excited at how well Obama did. I felt so at home and had so much fun with my new friends. This was the best place to be for this debate. Excellent time!

Annuit Coeptis and good night.

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THE FIRST SONG I HEARD THIS MORNING WAS IN A MEN'S ROOM at an airport (not Minneapolis as I don't want a Larry Craig wide-stance incident) but in Atlanta's petite cushy and intimate Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, and it was REM's "What's The Frequency Kenneth." How appropriate is that - Atlanta taking pride in the their almost sons, REM, kind of like hearing Louis Armstrong at the Louis Armstrong Airport (New Orleans). But the song is about Dan Rather being attacked by a couple of deranged guys, a thought that did not escape me as I stood in the men's room with best thought in hand wondering if a local Senator Larry Craig was going to be driven to some wide-stancing/wide-stancing action or not. Is "What's The Frequency Kenneth?" the appropriate song to be greeted with in a men's room airport? But then again, I slept from 1:15-2:45 AM and my mind could have been playing tricks on me.

I expected Ludacris or Outkast as they're more Atlanta than REM.

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I AM IN ATLANTA to speak this morning and be interviewed tomorrow and do a little more talking and chairing and responding and moderating and eating and drinking and socializing in this nice city.

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I MISS LARRY CRAIG, but perhaps he will get newsworthy again soon as he has tried to appeal his guilty plea as he decided that having a wide stance and fumbling around with a strange man in the next stall is only a wide stance and not a crime and that when wide stances are outlawed, only outlaws will have wide stances. Go Larry Go.

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THE RED SOX BURIED THE NEW YORK YANKEES LAST NIGHT. The Red Sox, with all of their home grown talent, beat Cleveland 5-4 but it spelled the mathematical end of the $209 million New York Yankees' hopes for a happy October. How can this be? I'm giddy happy of course especially because this will mark the beginning of A-Rod's last 10 years with the NYY and, I am convinced, will mean the NYY will not win a World Series until the great A-Rod's career ends.

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TIME FOR BREAKFAST. My room is not yet ready but the bartender is doing her best to suggest I need her services. Less than two hours of sleep, but it is happy hour in England..... TIME for a BAILOUT. What's $700 billion when there are thriving economies that can help us and grandchildren to burden with debt?

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I FLEW TO NASHVILLE YESTERDAY. Because I flew on a commercial flight, the flight was late. It left LaGuardia late (this time without the help of any stodgy quiet and subdued tennis tournament near the flight path), arrived in Charlotte late (of course), and just to make the day a little more (predictably) difficult, the Charlotte flight to Nashville left on time. I got to run from high in the E gate to gate B9, seemingly one city away from the original gate. I made it on time (the last person to board the plane) but my luggage didn't. By the time the luggage was to be delivered, I was at the Country Music Hall of Fame in downtown Nashville (one of the places where Next Big Nashville events are scheduled). So, it got delivered to me there by a large older guy in a large older green Volvo. Life was fine after that.

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There was a big stir at the US Air food court at LaGuardia yesterday at 7:00 AM as Montel Williams was there going from "restaurant" to restaurant trying to find the right food and the short line. He & I both came to the same conclusion and ate the same Mexican type breakfast. The Dunkin Donuts and McDonald's lines were too damn big. He was very well dressed and I wasn't.

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I AM SPEAKING ON A PANEL at noon today about fighting for artists' rights with some very good people. It should be fun. And the parties and events at NBN are already great. I look forward to seeing how strong my character, head, stomach and body are in the next few days.

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Am I man enough/Sarah Palin enough to survive and thrive in this pressure cooker of nonstop parties at Next Big Nashville? Sarah The Strong could dig down deep and be good enough for this. I should use Sarah Palin as a model for everything because Sarah Palin is perfect in every way. How dare the press or Democrats assume for a minute that there might be a flaw in her, or that she might have taken per diem funds in Alaska as governor? How could anyone suggest that we even need a Vice Preesident or a party to run the land? Why does Sarah Palin have to be attached to/ride the tail of such an old grumpy man as John McCain? And why should Obama and Biden even consider running now that there is Sarah Palin? Sarah can run her family, her state, her country and fight corruption (and women she doesn't know who would want to choose to give birth or not) without building up a sweat, or her lipstick being smudged. She is in with God - HE tells her how it is (perhaps he asks her how it should be) and she, in her almighty goodness, will be able to tell us how, what, when and where.

This seems like a simple thing - John McCain can step down, Barack and Joe can fold up their tents, and Sarah Palin can then do God's work without any meddling from others. I would first like to hear some speaking in tongues from Sarah because her speaking in tongues will be the right thing and probably very sensible. Sarah, please give me a "yabba dabba do." I know Fred Flinstone can do it and I know that old church lives through these gleeful other worldly emotive emissions. If Sarah speaks in tongues just once in public, then I'll take it upon myself to rent some Flintstone DVD's and go about learning the secret. Between Sarah and Fred what else would happen?

Time for breakfast in Franklin, Tennessee.

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GREAT NEWS FOR DETROIT - their crooked mayor is pleading guilty and resigning immediately.

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SARAH PALIN's sarcasm helps prove she is a pit bull with lipstick (to quote her own quoting of a well-known joke). But her remark that Republicans will shrink government?!?!!?! Republicans had complete run of the Executive, House, Senate (and U. S. Supreme Court) for 6 of the last 8 years. Bush increased the size of government at almost every opportunity, the worst by starting the Office of Religious Affairs, and the bloated money-sucking ineffectual Department of Homeland Security.

And the economy is great, there is no war or deficit or debt and we are all happy, except for the "whiners," as John McCain's ex-finance guy, Phil Gramm, stated.

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