Having teenage daughters I have to say "NO NO - please no more Justin anything - the pain, the pain."

That said, I hope they do a movie of Generation Kill and Thunder Run. Those would be good.

- dave

Sir Hawk you scared the hell out of me. Why do you know so much about Mr. Timberlake. Tell me you where not a member of a boy band. Say it aint so Hawk, say it aint so.

I can't believe you'd even suggest such a thing, Stu.

I liked Blair's comments about how these movies are supposed to gonna be so profitable because public opinion on the war is so low. So I looked up the numbers on Jarhead.

Ouch.

(Which wasn't actually that bad, for what it was. But I was *very* glad to have borrowed the DVD from a friend so that it was returned and is not sitting around the house.)

It really should be a no brainer. People who think that Stop-Loss, just as a *title*, is a good idea for a movie, don't want to go see war movies! It's not their thing. (The premis, of a soldier who returns to help his buddy isn't all that stinky, but Stop-Loss?) And people who are inclined to go see war movies aren't likely to go to one they percieve as preaching against the military or military service.

What is the target audience? I can just imagine approaching some of my more anti-war, don't-have-a-clue-about-the-military aquaintences or friends and suggesting we go se a war flick.

"Ex-boy-bander Justin Timberlake is reportedly furthering his movie career by signing on for his first leading role in the war drama 'Stop-Loss.'

"Justin is thrilled about getting his first leading role," said a source. "It is a huge challenge for him and he's excited as well as nervous."

You
Have
Got
To
Be
Freaking
KIDDING ME!

Now watch him go and get an Oscar for his performance after I went and said that.

"Back in the day" Greyhawk played guitar in a very hard-rockin', guitar-based bar band that was forced to attempt to adapt to the changing (MTV-driven) music scene of the early 80's. They did so, but the thrill was gone. (Note to any who believe their hobbies would make a fine profession: once you make that change, you'll find you no longer have a hobby, just work.) Unable to picture himself doing such at age 40, he ultimately left for other pursuits (this math also played a role: drummers + bass players + alcohol / wives + girl friends = frequent requirements for replacement drummers and bass players) , but still enjoys music as a hobby.

Seeing the now-60-something icons of an even earlier era still performing he now occasionally entertains the notion that he could once again take that position somewhere on stage right of a very small stage. (Don't tell Mrs G!) Such are the stuff of dreams...

Greyhawk ... as a bass player/guitarist who also did three years as a DJ in a college FM station, I know where you're coming from.

I often told my kids that you have to balance how much you love what you do, with how well you want to eat.

As you, I am sure, realized, for every superstar artist, there are thousands who are just as creative and proficient (if not more so!) as musicians ... but end up playing for chump change, with no real hope of jumping to superstar status.

Same goes for radio ... for every superstar DJ or talk-show host, there are thousands of wannabes working in small-market stations at or near minimum wage.

In 1983, I would have loved to be doing either ... but God gave me reliable (but sometimes tedious) skills that allowed me to feed me, and then my family, well, and He gave me the good sense to capitalize on them. The bonus was that it was still in a creative profession.

At least I still get to play bass in church ... and fortunately the music there has changed over the years, to reflect both our generation and those following. The opportunity to "rock the flock" -- and also guide the next generation in doing that -- is very satisfying.

Hollywood reigns supreme as anti-freedom's bejewelled bottomfeeder.

"Seeing the now-60-something icons of an even earlier era still performing he now occasionally entertains the notion that he could once again take that position somewhere on stage right of a very small stage."

Greyhawk, I went to New York last year to see Cream and that is one group of "60-something icons" that can still play! So keep that notion alive!

I checked your whole list of info and will be doing it more often. I did not find the letter from an iraq mayor about the help our troops are giving over there. Can you send me a copy, I would like to circulate it to some of the peacenicks I know.