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Post by D'oh J. Simpson on Jul 24, 2004 2:23:58 GMT -5
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Post by Barefoot In Kailua on Jul 24, 2004 6:01:11 GMT -5
Ronstadt gets audience walkout encore
By Bonita Brewer
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
LIVERMORE - Linda Ronstadt's political message sent close to a hundred concert-goers home early Thursday evening.
What had been a mellow evening at Wente Vineyards, with the crowd even serenading her with "Happy Birthday" at one point, turned into a rush for the exits by some fans angry by her encore tribute to filmmaker Michael Moore.
"She just had to do it," one fan steamed as he headed for the parking lot. "It was good until the end," another yelled to TV crews waiting outside the concert.
"She's getting out of line; it's ridiculous," said Cindy Williams of Livermore, as she left during the last song of the evening.
Ronstadt's encore dedication of the song "Desperado" to Moore, the controversial maker of "Fahrenheit 9/11" who she described Thursday as "a great American patriot," got her booted from a Las Vegas casino Saturday and drew cheers, some boos, and a few "traitor" yells from the Livermore crowd.
Until that last song, the concert had been an evening of good music and happy fans.
About 20 people angered by Ronstadt's comments dropped plans to attend, but their traded-in tickets were snatched up and the show was sold out Wednesday.
"It was just a handful (turning in tickets) when you consider there are 1,700 folks coming," Wente said before the show.
Wente said she did not ask Ronstadt to refrain from any political comments.
"We don't take any position on any of our artists' political thoughts or perceptions," she said.
With her comments Saturday, Ronstadt became the latest liberal musician to use the stage for political views, and another to suffer conservative backlash.
• In March 2003, Dixie Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines' comments against Bush and the Iraq war triggered a boycott by a group of more than 200 radio stations.
• At a recent John Kerry fund-raiser, actress Whoopi Goldberg made several crude puns on Bush's name, and complaints led to her firing as a spokeswoman for Florida-based Slim-Fast.
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Post by sonofbarcelonabob on Jul 24, 2004 21:35:06 GMT -5
At a recent John Kerry fund-raiser, actress Whoopi Goldberg made several crude puns on Bush's name, and complaints led to her firing as a spokeswoman for Florida-based Slim-Fast. It was all a Slim-Fast sham, anyway. Whoopi didn't lose an ounce while she was their spokesperson. She just wore baggy clothes. She was still fat. LOL.
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Post by Barefoot In Kailua on Jul 24, 2004 21:37:56 GMT -5
It was all a Slim-Fast sham, anyway. Whoopi didn't lose an ounce while she was their spokesperson. She just wore baggy clothes. She was still fat. LOL. Fat and stupid!
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Post by sonofbarcelonabob on Jul 24, 2004 21:50:12 GMT -5
>-(Gorf)-<[} link=board=news&thread=1090455976&start=47#3 date=1090650013]"I think President Bush has an electoral edge despite the fact that Senator (John) Kerry has a better military service record," said Loren Thompson, the chief operating officer of the Lexington Institute, a conservative Washington think tank. "That said, the prolonged tours of duty, the unexpected intensity (of the war) and the way reservists are being deployed are working against the president. There is a lot of resentment in the ranks about the level of commitment demanded of the reserves, particularly among the families." There has certainly been a wakeup call for many Reservists and Guardsmen over the past 10 years regarding what exactly it means when you commit to joining a Reserve or National Guard unit. In the old days (pre Gulf War I) the reserves/guard were looked at easy ways to retain your military privileges (i.e. Base Exchange, Commissary, Recreation Facilities, etc.) and getting an extra paycheck for the "one weekend a month and two weeks a year" duty commitment, after a servicemember's term on active duty was completed or for those who didn't want to serve full-time or wanted to stay close to home (National Guard duty). However, with the downsizing of the Active Force, military leaders came up with what was called the Total Force Concept, whereby some key elements of the US military capabilities would be turned over wholly to Reserve or Guard units. This is why so many Reserve and Guard units have been activated for both Gulf War I and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Their respective units are key elements of the overall ability of the US Military. This is also why the perception of reserve or guard duty is no longer just the "weekend warrior" thing. I think most people leaving the active duty military, and alot of young people looking at it as an alternative to enlisting in the active force full-time, are giving it alot more serious thought than in years past. Also, since retirement in the Reserves or the National Guard are based on a point system, and not merely on time-in-service like active duty servicemembers, alot of folks who are in Reserve and Guard units are "locked in" since they haven't accumulated enough points to retire, yet they don't want to give up the points they already have towards retirement.
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