etc.

[gb10@gte.com (Gregory Bossert)]

First of all, I quote Stephen Thomas:
> [Peter Morris] said to say "Hi!" to everyone, and could anyone who is going
> to the Convention please send their ticket money as soon as possible -
> they are on a very tight schedule.

!!??  I thought we were just sending our names at this point!  Can we
(here I am using that general sort of "we" which means Vickie, I guess...)
confirm whether or not we should send great gobs of money off to the U.K. --
for that matter, can we confirm the list of attending love-hounds??? (I'd
hate to show up and not get in!)  Thanks in advance! 8-]

Second, and I apologize for even mentioning this, particularly to those who
have lived through this debate on the JITR list, but re: Stinky old comments
Dave Nadler says:
>I also support Sinead's right to forego the US national anthem before her
>concert, but that doesn't necessarily make it a "STUPID" song.  For some,
>The Star Spangled Banner is a very moving song.  I may not agree with some
>of those people that maintain the song should be sung before every public
>gathering, but I also don't downplay the song's value, in consideration to
>their feelings.

and Robert C. Sinkovic says:
>       Right on, Dave! Vickie, you were totally off base on this one!
> Just because a song does not agree with your particular beliefs or opinions
> does not make it "stinky" or "stupid" to others. Who appointed you to be
> the musical conscience of this newsgroup? How many songs on your "playlists"
> have not been agreeable to all of the readers on this net, all of the
> time? Yet, noone has called your particular likes and dislikes "stupid".
>
>       You owe some big-time apologies on this one! Perhaps we should
> take a cue from your heroine Sinnead, and have a Vickie boycott on this
> newsgroup until you do....

all because Vickie said:
>I almost bought both of Sinead's albums to show support for her right not
>to want our stinky old anthem (it's a STUPID song!) played before her
>concert, ext the place I was going to buy them wouldn't accept a check

and I say:
Robert, you are welcome to go boycott Vickie yourself, but I look forward to
reading what she has to say, no matter whether I agree with her or not -- I
wouldn't pass up the pleasure of a missive from any of you love-hounds!  As
it happens, I agree with Vickie:  the Star Spangled Banner is a dull,
uninspired song with a disturbingly militaristic basis, and its underscoring
of the flag as in icon for the US makes me edgy -- I'm not big on icons.
If Vickie had called a *person* stupid and stinky, I'd be upset;  as long
as she is criticizing *ideas* (be they songs, speeches, or posts) I'll read
with great interest.  Of course, the same goes for Robert and Dave's posts:
I'm glad to encounter such reasoned discussions in .gaffa (I'm losing patience
with other newsgroups...)  Anyway, after Sinead's comments on the MTV video
awards, and her messy but devastating performance on Saturday Night Live I'm
a bigger fan than ever.

Re: Gurdjieff -- it seems given that Ms. Bush was exposed to and even sought
out the ideas of Mr. Gurdjieff at a relatively early age in her intellectual
development (though she also seems to have been extraordinarily precocious
in that development...).  On the flip side, it is quite clear from her
music and her interviews that her philosophy and outlook on life are her
own:  she is _not_ in any definitive way "into Gurdjieff", any more than she
_is_ a smoker, a vegitarian, or a pop-star:  these are relatively small parts
of a remarkable wide life.  (I do, however, appreciate the edginess this
debate seems to engender:  I cringe every time I hear Chick Corea talk about
Scientology, or Robert Fripp wax on about J.G. Bennett and, well, Gurdjieff...)

Well, that's more than enough of My Humble Opinion, so I'm off...  Whoops,
one more thing:  which issue of "Q" was it that had the KT Band picture??
All I can find is the August issue, and it seems to be sadly KaTeless...

Footah!!
-greg -- gb10@gte.com -- "I will sleep with a clear conscience, I will
			  sleep in peace." - Sinead O'Connor