John Adams

You used the phrase "real character from Rush." Good one. He'll be using this single compliment as fodder as justification for future insults for the next 4-8 years.

And unless you go to a powerhouse school (Dartmouth, Princeton, etc...which you are not), it doesn't matter much as long as you finish. If you get a degree worth something (sciences), it will also help. Otherwise, it's a piece of paper that gets you past a certain level in the job-searching process. Your priorities from your first post were school spirit and gossips. It doesn't sound like like you are focused on what matters.

Their marketing people have SATURATED the market. Hard to find unpaid opinions about it.

Check the Consumer Digest forum. Some discussion there.

He's sure to be discovered any second. (Your throbbing heart is impairing your hearing!)

This country has had a capitalist/socialist blend of government for a long time. FDR was definitely the biggest step in mixing the two and Republicans and Democrats have been building on the socialist principle ever since. There is no difference between the parties when it comes to big government. It's still a blend because we're not as far gone as some other countries--there's still some vestige of capitalism here (not in politicians but in business) but it's a lost cause. The US is pretty much socialist and it isn't going to change without a major sea change/war/revolution or something like that, which is not likely.

It may be too obvious but I've been waiting for him to do Elvis for weeks. He might save that for the end. I can see him coming out completely Elvis-retro and singing Hound Dog.

Hey! I think I'm up to 5.

Nonsense multimedia references can be seen at sig link) ** I have no juice for this episode. Adam has removed the drama and tonight was the same. Danny Gokey. Stand By Me. I paused the Tivo to make this note. This is a bad song choice. It's been sung too many times and unless he's really done some out-there arrangement, this can be no better than OK. Unpause. This is the worst by him in several weeks--totally mailed it in. Slow, dull smooth jazz. He closed strong but I note that he disregarded the judges good advice to move around. Moving around takes the focus off of his dorky looks. Did you know Stephen King wrote the story that the movie Stand By Me is based on? God, I love that movie. And most of the reason is the scene that precedes this one, also in the junk yard (stupid Youtube doesn't have the great moment when they talk about the "A" and "E" starting to bend around the edges of Annette's sweater on the Mickey Mouse Club). Kris Allen. He told a nice anecdote about how someone told him to say hi to Adam. That made me like Kris just a little more than I don't; even he knows it's over. All She Wants To Do Is Dance. Idol has a new locale that some people get to sing in: "The pit"...surrounded by teen girls. He's got a too-cool-for-school-jazz vibe that is unbearable. I despise the arrangement. I listened twice and guarantee that the guitar was not plugged in. (That is unwatchable.) Lil Rounds. What’s Love Got To Do With It. It's about the best she’s looked, which is not great. Her shoes are so high that she can’t move comfortably. Her vocals are OK but not great. I feel sorry for her now. At one point, she was a front-runner. Now she's solidly middle of the pack. Uh oh…when Paula pans you, it’s trouble. Judges hacked it up. Anoop Desai. True Colors. Go Heels. It's a beautiful song, beautifully done. His lime-striped sweater is G. A. Y. Kara offers sage advice, "To win, you have to control the song, don’t let it control you." Every time she talks, I want to do that--->. Scott McIntyre. Speaking of pounding heads into walls. The Search Is Over. Scott, Scott, Scott. If you're going to pick a Survivor song, there's only one to choose: (If that song is on in my head, I start strutting like Travolta. Ah !@#$, that calls for another video aside. This is the best video aside ever. All this is way better than Scott's review.) His kid photo is him dressed as a vampire. (The Staying Alive music is still playing as I write this. SO AWESOME!) I have to apologize for this in advance Scott. I hoped you would not last so long that I finally had to do this but here goes. Dude, the vampire costume was perfect because you, my blind friend, have some bad chiclets. Run home, get a file, and shave those things down. Your super-handsome brother is not looking out for you man. You're Danny DeVito to his Arnold. A dentist could get rich off you. Scott's guitar "playing" was awful. He went to the Kris Allen school of guitar where moving around the E form barre chord counts as guitar-playing. Only it doesn't, especially when it !@#$ing blows. His guitar-playing is better than his vocals, which made even my too-kind wife cringe. Good thing this show has Simon, who is the only judge not on eggshells, "It was horrible." No doubt one of the most painful Idol performances ever. Allison Iraheta. I Can’t Make You Love Me. ("I'm going nowhere, somebody help me yeaaaahh....") Another Tivo pause. I'm a bit worried because she's already got a Bonnie Raitt-like voice and the perfect way to sing this song--for Allison--is just to copy it, which sometimes is dull. Unpause. She should have picked something more rocking but she still does a good copycat. Allison’s always got me. The judges once again spend the entire time criticizing her for something unrelated to her vocals. ("You need to let America get to know you." !@#$ off.) But the judges know she's good. Come on America. Keep her in it. Matt Giraud. Part-time Lover. (Staying Alive music just ended. !@#$all.) He's back with the awful hat. Despite his New Kids look (I refuse to put that video up), his vocals won me over by the end of the song. Judges love it. Adam Lambert. It's striking that his parents look so normal. I have no idea what this song is. (Mad World.) The first thing I notice is how he's lit differently every week. I have to guess that this is part of his mastery of the stage. Most others just come out and sing their song with little variation--he's in some funky blue glow, which goes along with the unpainted Blue Man sitting unmoving in the audience tonight. The show is completely rushed for time and he still pulls off a slow ballad masterstroke. The competition for second goes on. Adam wins the night again. Top. Adam. Top of the rest: Allison, Matt. Bottom. Most of the field was OK. Except Scott. He !@#$ing blows. I am off my game this week. You deserve better my 3 readers. Even Jordan had an off night every once in a while.

It's one of those rare moments when we agree. Although I have to admit I skip the content of his masturbatory posts, which are in the vein of Molson's old rants, except that Romeo cannot even begin to spell or compose a coherent sentence.

Borderline Personality Disorder.

No way man. This level of crazy is entertaining.

Meh. I am just pointing out that people want/don't want aid to go out. I have no idea about the truth/veracity of the 50K. It might have been 50K to provide specific need that the US could provide. Or it was cash that was in a vault that could go to the city to buy immediate needs. Seems hard to believe that the US just wired 50K over to Italy.

You're currently my favorite poster. No one has ever accomplished that in less than 30 posts.

Your command of logic is second to your command of English, i.e., piss-poor.

Parentheticals are fine. Your commas are not. Adding the comma after "but" above is awful. You start the sentence with a conjunction (which is proper) in order to link two sentences and speed up the reading process. Right after the "but," you insert the comma road block. The later comma is fine.

Then use them both properly. When ending a sentence with an ellipsis, add a period. When using the dash, make sure it's the em dash (as you would use it above) and not the en dash or hyphen.

Absurd. His use of commas is offensive to even the most grammar-illiterate on this board. Overuse of commas slows reading and obfuscates clarity.

You righties are too much. "Keep our money in the US where it belongs!" vs, "Damn us for not sending billions to another country." Try--for just a single day--not to be a hypocrite.

Now he has my alarm code too. Oh well. The only things I would hate to lose are my TiVo (because of the existing programs recorded) and my guitar. I'd hate if someone stole all my books too but that seems unlikely.

Yet another life lesson from Die Hard. I always return to my one home invasion when I was actually at home. About 11pm on a Friday night. I've just taken out my contacts and my wife and daughter are in bed. I hear my back door open (before I got my home alarm). A gruff accented voice calls out from downstairs. I head to the top of my stairs and grab my dog. I tell whoever it is that they better get the hell out and that I'm holding back my dog (who is more dangerous as a 100 lb projectile than an attack dog). The voice sounds kind of high and confused saying that he's supposed to be in the house and what am I doing there. I repeat that he should get out of my house right now. Then he turns the corner to the staircase where I can (kind of) see him. It's then that I realize he's my dogwalker, who I forgot to cancel when I rescheduled a trip I was supposed to take. We share a somewhat adrenaline-pumped laugh. Ha ha (thud). If I'd had a gun in that situation, I don't know if I would have shot him but I definitely would have had it out and pointed at him. A few more confused responses and it may have turned out really ugly. Me without contacts. Him not having the best grasp of English and stumbling around in the dark in his winter jacket and hat. I have nothing against anyone having a gun but sincerely believe that most handguns are capable of way more harm to the owners (and their families) than good.

When you're crazy in the head, you're crazy in bed.

Sorry Hedd. Palin is being firmly shoved into the trunk. She won't be back.

Most home invasions actually ARE unarmed because criminals know the differences between the sentencing for one and other (HUGE). I say keep the sword for protection. But be warned. When I break in, I am usually in steel armor and carry a shield. Good luck sensai.

Your word choice proves my need to descend. I haven't had a good fight here since Bill in NYC and I made up. Don't go Friday soft on me.