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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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Imagine
Who’da thunk Natalie Maines and John Lennon could be compared for any reason other than to distinguish the difference between schmaltz and brilliance? Then, Maines does something Lennon-esque and it’s deja vu all over again. The lead singer for the Dallas-bred Dixie Chicks said in London, “We’re ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas.” Good for her. Nothing is more American than trashing political leaders, and it’s certainly more substantial than doing bad remakes of Stevie Nicks tunes. Static also applauds Maines for characterizing as “ignorant” Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue”, with its imperialistic lines such as, “we’ll put a boot up your ass, it’s the American way.” Of course, Maines started backpedaling faster than a circus monkey once fans vowed to trash the Chicks’ c.d.’s, and disk jockeys from Palestine to Paducah dumped the trio from playlists.
In a 1966 interview with London Evening Standard, Lennon made the perceptive comment that Christianity had become so weak that his little moptop group was “more popular than Jesus now.” A U.S. teen magazine reprinted the quote out of context and created public uproar. Radio stations organized public bonfires of records, and wackos sent death threats. With a pending tour at risk, Lennon apologized and quieted the din. Still, that was the Beatles’ last tour. As for the Chicks, we can only hope.
Back Scratching
President Bush took time off from war-mongering this week to appoint former Arlington mayor Richard Greene as regional head of the Environmental Protection Agency, an appointment that would be funny if it weren’t so maddening. Greene was an executive at two thrifts that failed in the 1980s, costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. Several of Greene’s S&L colleagues were convicted of federal crimes. Greene was not pursued criminally, but settled a federal civil lawsuit for $165,000.
Critics wondered then if Greene was spared because George Bush was president, and little George W. was managing partner of the Texas Rangers, a struggling team that badly needed a publicly funded ballpark so that team owners could sell out and make millions on their investment. Thanks to then-Mayor Greene, the ballpark proposition passed. George W. made a fortune and went on to become the president who embarrassed Natalie Maines. Now, even though Greene has no environmental experience and a less-than-inspiring business background, Dubya is handing him a top EPA job. At least he didn’t make him a general or anything
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