Another voice: Revenge of the Chicks | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

This from The Boston Globe

In 2003, Dixie Chicks singer Natalie Maines told fans in London that she and her bandmates were ashamed that President Bush was from their home state. In response, Clear Channel Communications struck the group from play lists at its country radio stations.

The music-business insiders who gave the Dixie Chicks five Grammy Awards Sunday night — including three for their song Not Ready to Make Nice — aren't the same people who shunned the Texas trio four years back. But the Chicks' resurgence, coupled with other rumblings of discontent within the world of country music, shows how much the nation's mood has shifted since March 2003.

You know, I said then and I still say I agree Natalie. I told everyone I knew around the country in 1999 and 2000 that George W was a mistake. I guess the lesson I learned from this whole episode is that putting too many stations into the hands of too few lends itself to a shutting down of unpopular voices, especially voices unpopular with the people who control the mikes. This whole experiment in media consolidation has and is a major mistake that we may not recover from.

I watched the Grammy Awards on Sunday and even with the "Chicks" sweep, I was unimpressed with the show. For some reason I would think the "Music Industry" would at least get the sound right. For some reason about half of the performances seemed to be coming out of a well. I am not sure what they should do differently, but at least they should hire someone who can broadcast decent sounding and mixed music. After all, isn't that what it's all about?

Source: Another voice: Revenge of the Chicks | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Tuesday Coffee Meditations

After days of overcast, I stepped out the back door this morning before first light and say the moon. After the initial shock wore off I glanced around and saw stars too...Amazing. I had almost forgotten what clear sky looks like.

This photo is what the Bluebonnets we Texans are so proud of each spring look like at this time of year. The little star shaped leaves scattered through the background clutter are the Bluebonnets. I don't have any good digital shots of what a field of Bluebonnets looks like so I guess you'll have to wait for spring and a trip to the northwest of here for me to capture a good one. One would almost think it was the shape of the leaf that led the Texas Legislature to designate the Bluebonnet the state flower of Texas

As the day lightens it is almost springlike outside. I sit here with the door open drinking my first cup and listening to some hawks playing noisily outside. I am not sure what has them riled up this early but something has them announcing to the world they are here. Not a common birdsong of the early morning. It probably arose from them being discovered by crows or mockingbirds, both of which will sometimes drive a hawk from a roost.