Ebbie...I've had a hundred death threats in the past year. Republicans are being worked into a lather by their handlers, so when I go into a forum and point out that their 'conservative' leader just Clintonized the national school system, they threaten to kill me. They don't hear the message...that GWBush has tied federal funding of public schools to national testing designed to dumb down kids...they just hear criticism of 'their guy' and threaten to kill. I encourage them to do it because it's the only way they'll shut me up, then I go back again the next day. Your statement above makes me think of school counselors who used to say 'it's not what you said but the way you said it'. We are TAUGHT to focus on HOW things are said...but then we're supposed to grow out of it.

It wouldn't matter if I typed (LOUD FART) every other sentence, the impact of the message shouldn't be lessened by that. That's why America is in the state it's in...too many people listen to the WAY things are said and now WHAT'S being said. Go back and look at some of the things I've said...would they be any less 'thought-provoking' if I flattered you (LOUD FART) and told you how beautiful and brilliant and blah blah blah? No. Men with weapons are STILL coming to kill you, and the men are controlled by your so-called government. This is the end of the U.S. Constitution, and by extension, the end of all hope placed in democracies by people around the world. When the big domino falls, the others fall, too.

And let's see...I play guitar...but not much nowadays. I don't have much to contribute to the musical discussion around here unless someone has comments on the 'Road to Perdition' soundtrack. I haven't seen the movie, but I've been listening to the soundtrack CD. Lots of celtic influences in the orchestral music, so maybe someone has some knowledge on that. Some beautiful music.

Oh, I have contributed to some of the blues threads. Texas is crawling with good blues guitarists and I've been fortunate enough to hear a bunch of them. A good one right now in Austin is a guy named Steve James. Several CDs out, I think. Kind of rough...bottleneck. I hear a lot of Fred McDowell in him...others, too.

I sometimes put on the Sex Pistols when I'm debating with the neo-conservatives, if that helps any.