Political Hoopla?
I had reported last week that Krist Novoselic, Nirvana Bassist, was giving up his music career in pursuit of politics. I was enthusiastic about his decision and if he decided to run for the ‘Big Kahuna’ of them all, being the United States President, I’d carry him all the way to Washington on my shoulders even if he threw his bass guitar up over his head in the process. I even thought for a moment that maybe we’d see a trend starting, in Jesse Ventura proportions, where entertainers finally use their powerful presence and take political offices by storm. A few days later this daydream became a nightmare….
Instead of Bob Weir or Trey Anastasio announcing they would run for Governor of Vermont or Colorado a seismic quake of insanity arises in California. ‘The Terminator’, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is running for Governor! Then, to counter the ray gun toting Republican meathead from advancing closer to Sacramento, Gary Coleman, of 70’s TV ‘Different Strokes’ fame, rises like a diminutive phoenix from the California smog to challenge the politically rabid cyborg and announces he’ll fight for the seat in office!
What can we do to counter-attack this insanity? Do Californians REALLY want a ‘Shoot-Em Up’ action figure as Governor? For Christ’s sake you’ve already got the LAPD filling that slot! What will happen when those two forces unite? Gary Coleman? C’mon now! Give me Re-Run or J.J. Walker and then you’d get some asses up and into the balloting booth!
Don’t be fooled, people. This is all just a plot to lull you to sleep again so you’ll forget that ‘GW Gump’ is your elected President. So, take another Zoloft, put on your Britney Spears CD, do what the ‘Good Tube’ says and you’ll be just fine.......
S. Remington – Editor
PhreshWater.com
Questions or Comments: editor@phreshwater.com
8.12.2003
8.11.2003
Cuban Music Crisis
Over the weekend it was reported that Cuban music artists nominated for the Latin Grammy Awards this year are having problems securing a visa in time to be able to attend the ceremony. Some of the effected musicians include Ibrahim Ferrer, of Buena Vista Social Club, Afro-Cuban jazz star Chucho Valdez and the salsa band Los Van Van. Many Cuban-Americans have threatened to boycott the Latin Grammy's, and rightly so, if actions are not taken to speed the process of helping these artists obtain visa's to get the recognition they deserve.
A very unimaginative and stiff spokeswoman from the US State Department, who obviously sees everyone on this planet as yet another wad of paper in her wastebasket said, "We have not received any visa applications from Cuban citizen Grammy nominees in connection with the Latin Grammy Awards ceremony. Visa applications received from award nominees to attend the Latin Grammy Awards are adjudicated in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations governing the issuance of non-immigrant visas." Good God, I know burnt slices of whole wheat toast with more personality than this jaded automaton.
This is yet another ongoing problem I'm having with our establishment and society. What ever happened to 'Grace'? What ever happened to extending yourself to help another human being, regardless of their geographical location or race, in order to give someone the credit they deserve? What about the US record labels that raked in cool millions for the stellar performances of Ibrahim Ferrer and the other Cuban artits? What other countries muscians can we exploit next year and stockpile our bank accounts?
As much as this is a tragedy to music and art we only have ourselves to blame by letting these heartless dimwits into political office in the first place. It's not even the State Department spokeswoman's fault; She's simply doing what her stodgy elitist boss requires her to do and say so he can hit the golf course this morning and make more underhanded deals at the expense of the real inhabitants of this planet.
S. Remington - Editor
PhreshWater.com
Questions or Comments: editor@phreshwater.com
Over the weekend it was reported that Cuban music artists nominated for the Latin Grammy Awards this year are having problems securing a visa in time to be able to attend the ceremony. Some of the effected musicians include Ibrahim Ferrer, of Buena Vista Social Club, Afro-Cuban jazz star Chucho Valdez and the salsa band Los Van Van. Many Cuban-Americans have threatened to boycott the Latin Grammy's, and rightly so, if actions are not taken to speed the process of helping these artists obtain visa's to get the recognition they deserve.
A very unimaginative and stiff spokeswoman from the US State Department, who obviously sees everyone on this planet as yet another wad of paper in her wastebasket said, "We have not received any visa applications from Cuban citizen Grammy nominees in connection with the Latin Grammy Awards ceremony. Visa applications received from award nominees to attend the Latin Grammy Awards are adjudicated in compliance with all relevant laws and regulations governing the issuance of non-immigrant visas." Good God, I know burnt slices of whole wheat toast with more personality than this jaded automaton.
This is yet another ongoing problem I'm having with our establishment and society. What ever happened to 'Grace'? What ever happened to extending yourself to help another human being, regardless of their geographical location or race, in order to give someone the credit they deserve? What about the US record labels that raked in cool millions for the stellar performances of Ibrahim Ferrer and the other Cuban artits? What other countries muscians can we exploit next year and stockpile our bank accounts?
As much as this is a tragedy to music and art we only have ourselves to blame by letting these heartless dimwits into political office in the first place. It's not even the State Department spokeswoman's fault; She's simply doing what her stodgy elitist boss requires her to do and say so he can hit the golf course this morning and make more underhanded deals at the expense of the real inhabitants of this planet.
S. Remington - Editor
PhreshWater.com
Questions or Comments: editor@phreshwater.com
8.08.2003
String Cheese Gets Tough
I just received this press release last night in my in-box:
‘On Wednesday, August 6, SCI Ticketing, a company owned by The String Cheese Incident and Madison House Inc., filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Federal Court in Denver, Colorado, claiming that ticketing giant, Ticketmaster, has monopolized the concert ticketing industry, using its immense market power to prevent competition for the sale of concert tickets. SCI Ticketing also alleges that Ticketmaster has entered into agreements with, among others, Clear Channel Communications Inc., to restrain trade in the market of concert tickets.
On Monday, August 11, at 11:00 a.m. to Noon EST, at the Inter-Continental Barclay Hotel (Drawing Room and North Parlor II), 111 East 48th Street in New York City, a news conference will be held to explain the lawsuit, and present the argument that fans shouldn’t have to suffer financially at the hands of Ticketmaster, and artists should be able to provide their own ticketing services, thereby maintaining relationships with their fans and controlling their own musical futures.’
Here again, music fans, is your chance to start using your hard earned (or borrowed) money, your brains, and hands to swing your ‘political’ bat. I know that’s a scary word for some of you but if only half of you who read this actually believed that your voice and actions make a difference this world would be a different place.
Why has Ticket-Bastard become a huge monopoly? It’s because you and I and the rest of our brain-dead society, who would rather blindly accept our Mc Jobs and X-Box entertainment, has allowed it to happen. Period. Even I am guilty of Ticket-Bastard convenience: I have allowed them a link in our ‘Tour Central’ page on the website as a ‘convenient’ way for fans to get the tickets they really want. But that stops today! To show our support for String Cheese going up against the unconstitutional tactics of Ticket-Bastard and in the best interest of music fans globally we will take down this link and interface before the weekend is over.
This is not the first time Ticket-Bastard has tried to seal itself off from the constitution to siphon the wallets of music fans. My suggestion to you all who are buying tickets for events is to go to the artists website FIRST and put your money THERE. That’s politics!
S. Remington – Editor
PhreshWater.com
Questions or Comments: editor@phreshwater.com
I just received this press release last night in my in-box:
‘On Wednesday, August 6, SCI Ticketing, a company owned by The String Cheese Incident and Madison House Inc., filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Federal Court in Denver, Colorado, claiming that ticketing giant, Ticketmaster, has monopolized the concert ticketing industry, using its immense market power to prevent competition for the sale of concert tickets. SCI Ticketing also alleges that Ticketmaster has entered into agreements with, among others, Clear Channel Communications Inc., to restrain trade in the market of concert tickets.
On Monday, August 11, at 11:00 a.m. to Noon EST, at the Inter-Continental Barclay Hotel (Drawing Room and North Parlor II), 111 East 48th Street in New York City, a news conference will be held to explain the lawsuit, and present the argument that fans shouldn’t have to suffer financially at the hands of Ticketmaster, and artists should be able to provide their own ticketing services, thereby maintaining relationships with their fans and controlling their own musical futures.’
Here again, music fans, is your chance to start using your hard earned (or borrowed) money, your brains, and hands to swing your ‘political’ bat. I know that’s a scary word for some of you but if only half of you who read this actually believed that your voice and actions make a difference this world would be a different place.
Why has Ticket-Bastard become a huge monopoly? It’s because you and I and the rest of our brain-dead society, who would rather blindly accept our Mc Jobs and X-Box entertainment, has allowed it to happen. Period. Even I am guilty of Ticket-Bastard convenience: I have allowed them a link in our ‘Tour Central’ page on the website as a ‘convenient’ way for fans to get the tickets they really want. But that stops today! To show our support for String Cheese going up against the unconstitutional tactics of Ticket-Bastard and in the best interest of music fans globally we will take down this link and interface before the weekend is over.
This is not the first time Ticket-Bastard has tried to seal itself off from the constitution to siphon the wallets of music fans. My suggestion to you all who are buying tickets for events is to go to the artists website FIRST and put your money THERE. That’s politics!
S. Remington – Editor
PhreshWater.com
Questions or Comments: editor@phreshwater.com
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