God, I hate the C-word. Rotten damn spawn of the devil. Lost both parents (and one set of grandparents) to diff. forms of that ugliness. Not to mention various vital vertebrae in the backbone of what's best in the world. Enough reason to be angry and miserable.

But raspy voice? RASPY VOICE!!!!????

Woody Guthrie, noone's idea of Pavarotti, still converts hearers, and he's been dead for how many years? I'm not a major Dylan fan, but he's another iffy-voicd singer who appeals to people. And I know folks who hold their breath listening to Dave van Ronk... It ain't the tone-quality, it's what's said.

The most important job in the world is Storytelling. It's the way we learn to know truth, love, decency, beware of viciousness. You were right about lying: Real Storytellers never lie. They find verbally creative ways to present inner, eternal truths.

Storytellers are NOT affordable losses. You get in to that doc, and past this laser thingy, and ROAR BACK. Serious consequences to disobeying a direct order, soldier.    Tw