Mammoth Blog

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that elected leaders should really obey the U.S. Constitution.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that before the United States invades and occupies another country, Congress must first declare war.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe the federal government should live within its means, like everyone else is forced to do.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you think that taking away people's liberties in the name of security is neither patriotic nor does it make the country more secure.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you would like to see politicians be forced to abide by the same laws they make everyone else submit to.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you understand that we have three coequal branches of government that are supposed to hold each other in check and balance.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that the federal government has no authority to be involved in education .

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You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that gun control laws do nothing but aid and abet criminals while trampling the rights and freedoms of law abiding citizens.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that the income tax is both unconstitutional and immoral and, along with the I.R.S., should be abolished.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you understand that outsourcing American jobs overseas is not good for America.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that the United States should get out of the United Nations and get the United Nations out of the United States.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that the Boy Scouts are not a threat to America.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that the federal government should honor its commitments to America's veterans.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that U.S. troops should never serve under foreign commanders or wear the uniform or insignia of the United Nations.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that federal agents who murder American citizens should be held to the same laws and punishments that any other citizen would be held to.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you understand that NAFTA, GATT, the WTO, and the FTAA are disastrous compromises of America's national sovereignty and independence.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you would like to see Congressmen and Senators be required to actually read a bill before passing it into law.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you understand that it is the job of government to protect and secure God-given rights not use its power to take those rights away.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that airport screeners have no business touching women's breasts and confiscating fingernail clippers.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that many public schools' "zero-tolerance" policies are just plain stupid.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that parents have a right to home school their children.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you believe that governmental seizure of private property is plain, old fashioned thievery.

You might be a Constitutionalist if you think sound money is the best thing since sliced bread

If you think 99 percent of politicians give the rest of them a bad name

If you think taxes are ridiculously high

If you think that the problem with civil servants is that too many of them are neither civil nor servants

If someone asks you to take a urine test and you feel like telling them you'll give them a taste test

If you think that there are way too many laws about way too many things,

If you believe in the Bill of Rights

If you believe that no one should go to jail for smoking flowers

If you believe that just about everything should be bought and sold on an open market except politicians
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If you your glad you don't get all the government you pay for

If you think the US Constitution is the only contract with America you need,

If you think the only gun permit you need is the Second Amendment,

If the only way you can tell a left winger from a right winger is by which one of their hands is in which one of your pockets
.

If you think the left is too left and the right is just plain wrong

You might be a Constitutionalist if you would like to meet one single Congressman or Senator beside Ron Paul who acts as if he or she has ever read the U.S. Constitution.

Well, how did you fare? Are you a Constitutionalist?

It was one of the world's first, greatest cities -- a place where astronomers mapped the stars millennia ago and kings created an early code of law and planted what became known as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

Yet little remains of the ancient capital, as seen by The Associated Press during a trip to Babylon last month on one of the few permits issued by Iraq's government since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. The site has the aura of a theme park touched by the ambition of dictator Saddam Hussein and the opportunism of looters: Modern walkways run beside crumbling old walls, a reconstructed Greek theater and a palace built for Saddam atop an artificial hill.

Now, for the first time, global institutions led by the U.N. are thoroughly documenting the damage and how to fix it. A UNESCO report due out early next year will cite Saddam's construction but focus, at the Iraqi government's request, on damage done by U.S. forces from April to September 2003, and the Polish troops deployed there for more than a year afterward. source>>>

Ticketmaster is famous for fees that concert goers love to hate. Now the ticketing giant is experimenting with dropping those fees in an attempt to gain customers in an increasingly tough economic environment.

Tickets for the Eagles' upcoming concert will be available without any Ticketmaster [TKTM 6.29 0.66 (+11.72%) ] convenience fees, and if you print your tickets at home, no delivery or handling fees. That doesn't mean concertgoers aren't paying Ticketmaster anything, explained CEO Sean Moriarty in an exclusive CNBC interview. Rather Ticketmaster is working with the Eagles to create an all-in ticketing price, i.e. giving Ticketmaster a cut of the total ticket price.

This partnership between the Eagles and Ticketmaster has come about since the band's manager Irving Azoff became CEO of Ticketmaster Entertainment, the new parent company, when Azoff's FrontLine Management merged with Ticketmaster on October 30. This way the Eagles keep their fans happy and Ticketmaster keeps their cut without sending concertgoers running. If it works the company will institute "all-in ticketing" for many other concerts. It makes sense- why not let people know upfront exactly how much they'll be spending? And with Front Line managing big names like Christina Aguilera and Neil Diamond this could be the beginning of a big plan.

And dumping their much-hated fees is a key way for Ticketmaster to compete with its new rival, Live Nation [LYV 5.75 -0.10 (-1.71%) ], the nation's largest concert promoter. In January Live Nation will no longer be Ticketmaster's partner and will become a major competitor, taking about 15 percent of Ticketmaster's revenue with it. Ticketmaster's merging of talent management and ticketing seems to mirror Live Nation's "360", all-inclusive deals with talent like U2 and Madonna partnered with its new ticketing business.

Ticketmaster announced its new ticketing strategy Monday afternoon when reporting its earnings for the quarter ended September 30. While revenue grew 16 percent from the year-earlier quarter revenue dropped 76 percent on higher royalty payments, lower ticket sales and costs from the acquisitions of two subsidiaries.

The company also bore the weight of some severance costs and says it will continue to do more cost cutting. Ticketmaster only spun off from IAC/InterActive Corp [IACI 16.37 0.68 (+4.33%) ] in August, and between the economic downturn and the competition it's been a rough time. I'll be curious to see if a new ticketing strategy and new musician partners can help the company ride out the economic downturn. Source>>>

FM 106.1 welcomes the incomparable Dolly Parton to The Riverside Theater on Monday, November 17th at 8pm.
Dolly reigns as one of the most legendary artists in all of country music! From humble roots to international super-stardom, Dolly Parton is without question, one of the greatest living American artists alive today. Don't miss Dolly live at The Riverside!
It's sure to be an incredible evening with a true country legend! You'll hear all of Dolly's classic hits like "9 to 5", "I Will Always Love You", "Islands in the Stream", "Here You Come Again" and many, many more!
An internationally renowned superstar, the iconic and irrepressible Parton has contributed countless treasures to the wold of music entertainment, penning classic songs such as "Jolene", "Coat of Many Colors", and her mega-hit "I Will Always Love You". With 1977's crossover hit "Here You Come Again", she successfully erased the line between country and pop music without noticeably altering either her music or her image. "I'm not leaving country," she said at the time, "I'm just taking it with me."
Dolly Parton is the most honored female country performer of all time. Achieving 25 RIAA certified gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards, she has had 25 songs reach #1 on the Billboard Country charts, a record for a female artist. She has 41 career top 10 country albums, a record for any artist, and she has 110 career charted singles over the past 40 years. All-inclusive sales of singles, albums, hits collections, paid digital downloads and compilation usage during her Hall of Fame career have reportedly topped a staggering 100 million records worldwide.
She has garnered 7 Grammy Awards, 10 Country Music Association Awards, 5 Academy of Country Music Awards, 3 American Music Awards and is one of only five female artists to win the Country Music Association's Entertainer of the Year Award.
In 1999, Dolly Parton was inducted as a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. She has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and became a member of the National Acedemy of Popular Music Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2001. Broadcast Music, Inc. honored Dolly with their Icon Award in 2003, and in 2004, the U.S. Library of Congress presented her with ther Living Legend Award for her contribution to the cultural heritage of the United States. This was followed in 2005 with the National Medal of Arts, the highest honor given by the U.S. government for excellence in the arts.
Always dreaming and always looking forward, Dolly is busier than ever, she wrote the music and lyrics for the new Broadway play "9 to 5" which opens in Los Angeles in the fall of 2008 before moving on to the Great White Way in 2009 - showing again that there is nothing she can't do in the world of music.
With the music industry rapidly changing, the "never scared of a challenge" Dolly decided to lead the pack. The iconic American singer and sonwriter's new album BACKWOODS BARBIE - her first mainstream country album in 17 years - marks the first release on her independent label that will focus on quality releases from her catalog. In conjunction with the launch of the new album's first single "Better Get to Livin", Dolly has introduced the first authorized music website in her 45-year career: www.DollyPartonMusic.net.
Her world tour on the horizon will give Dolly the chance to share her new album. Music lovers around the globe will again see that Dolly is the consummate performer. Music, tours, plays, television, movies, internet, merchandise...who else touches more people in more ways than the one and only Dolly Parton?
Tickets go on sale Friday, October 3rd at The Riverside Theater Box Office. Ticket prices are $125 (Gold Circle), $85 and $55 plus applicable fees. For more information click here. source>>>

When shopping for kid's toys this holiday season, there's one thing we don't have to worry about as much, recalled products.

Recalled toys due to high levels of lead are down sharply in 2008, after spiking last year. In 2007, 112 products were recalled, this year there's been 64 but that's still way up from 2005 when there were only 20 lead recalls.

Most of the recalled products this year are from China and other parts of Asia. Plus, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is taking action, they're increasing the screening of toys coming into the country by using a tool, XRF Analyzers, they help detect lead.

Plus the government's come out with this years top five toy hazards. They include: scooters or other riding toys, small balls or other small parts, balloons, battery chargers or adapters and lastly, toys with small magnets that can be swallowed. source>>>

A lot will be written in the next few days and weeks about Jimmie Johnson tying Cale Yarborough's record of three straight NASCAR Cup championships.

Reporters and media pundits will go out of their way to compare the two stars from different eras.

But really, there is no comparison.

Jeff Owens (NASCAR Scene)

Johnson's third straight title is much more significant. In fact, it is one of the most significant accomplishments in NASCAR history.

Richard Petty, who has a record seven Cup championships, never won three in a row. Dale Earnhardt, the other seven-time champion, didn't either.

Nor did Jeff Gordon, the four-time champion who has emerged as the greatest driver of the current era.

David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison. All were great champions and are legends of the sport. But none accomplished what Johnson will do when he seals his third straight title at Homestead this week.

Only Yarborough, the legendary tough man, accomplished the feat, and it had been grossly overlooked until Johnson came along to match him.

Yarborough turned the trick from 1976 to 1978, dominating part of the decade that most consider NASCAR's glory years.

For more news from the track and the shop, check out our NASCAR Scene headlines page.
# Get NASCAR Scene headlines

But Yarborough won his titles at a time when winning the series championship wasn't such a huge deal. Back then, winning big races -- the Daytona 500, the World 600 and the Southern 500 -- were how the greats were measured.

Now, during Johnson's reign, winning the Chase and the series championship means everything. It's what puts the best head and shoulders above the rest.

Johnson's three straight titles are one of the most impressive accomplishments in NASCAR history because it comes in the sport's most competitive era. His streak, in fact, may be just as significant as Petty's career total of seven because of the competition he has faced and the drivers and teams he has beaten.

When Yarborough won three straight titles, he had to beat only a handful of elite drivers. Though he outran such legends as Petty, Allison, Waltrip and Benny Parsons in the championship race, the list of drivers and teams capable of winning races back then was a short one.

Only eight drivers won races in 1976. Only seven won in 1977 and again in '78.

By comparison, there were 16 different winners when Johnson won his second title last year. There were 13 in 2006 and 12 have won so far this season.

When Yarborough won his three titles for Junior Johnson, there were only 11 to 14 teams that ran the entire Cup schedule in order to contend for the championship. It wasn't until 1976 that series sponsor R.J. Reynolds began offering teams and drivers bonus money and other incentives to run every race. Until then, only a handful of teams ran every race, with only a few running enough events to contend for the title.

Yarborough and his team took advantage of the changing series to win the first three titles under NASCAR's new incentive program.

Thirty years later, more than half the 43-car field starts each season with their eyes on the championship or at least making NASCAR's championship playoffs.

Johnson not only has more potential race winners to contend with each week, but he has had to beat nine to 11 teams in the Chase the past three years.

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Racin', no G on the end, has always been the playground of dangerous men. That's why they boo Jimmie Johnson. They don't see the danger. Sure, he can drive the wheels off a car; nobody could deny that. His crew chief, Chad Knaus, could make a Radio Flyer wagon do 190 mph. He's about to win his third straight NASCAR Cup championship, first man to do that since an old boxer and an old moonshiner teamed up 30 years ago.

But Jimmie Johnson didn't box like the old driver Cale Yarborough. He didn't haul moonshine like the last American hero, Junior Johnson. The guy grew up on dirt bikes in California. He's approachable. He's friendly. He's savvy. He does not wear black. He types racing reports into his computer. He cuts business deals. He has a charitable foundation. He flies in a Gulfstream jet, he's married to a New York model, he plays himself on TV shows, he does commercials, and he never seems to have a bad week. And he's the Tiger Woods of his sport.

And that would make him the biggest thing going in just about any other sport. He should be Derek Jeter or Tom Brady. Only racin' is different. The fans, many of them, want something else, something risky. Jimmie Johnson isn't a dangerous man. At least that's what they see.

And so, they boo.

Junior Johnson hails from Wilkes County, N.C., and he learned to drive a car fast by delivering moonshine to customers on time. He would outrun federal agents, or outsmart them. Sometimes he sounded off a police siren as he closed in on roadblocks, and the Rosco P. Coltranes would open up the lane and then kick the dirt as Junior roared by.

"You used to keep us up nights, Junior," those agents would say years later after they had all retired from the madness.

"Why was you losing sleep?" Junior would tell them. "There wasn't no way you was going to catch me."

Jimmie Johnson grew up in El Cajon, Calif., out near San Diego. His father was a heavy equipment manager. His mother drove a school bus. Jimmie Johnson is so polished and well-spoken, he cannot help but give off this impression that he grew up rich, that he was the kid in the neighborhood with the tricked-out Soap Box Derby car.

Only that wasn't it at all. Jimmie Johnson invented this persona he has now, the way that Jimmy Gatz created the Great Gatsby. He was just a daredevil kid who wanted to go fast. Dirt bikes. Motorcycles. Jet Skis. In his school photos, Jimmie's the one off to the side wearing a cast, propped up by crutches, sitting in a wheelchair. He broke both of his feet in a motorcycle accident when he was 14. That's when his father, Gary, said, "Son, we need to get you in something with four wheels."

* * *

Cale Yarborough grew up on a tobacco farm in Timmonsville, S.C. He tried to sneak into the driver's seat of his first NASCAR race when he was 15 years old, only they caught him and sent him home. He drove in his first race at Darlington (next town over from Timmonsville) just after he turned 18. He finished 42nd out of 44 drivers.

Two years later he got into his second NASCAR race, Darlington again. Finished 27th. Next year, third NASCAR race, he finished 14th at Darlington. Year after that he finished 30th at Darlington. He didn't seem to be making much progress.

Only Cale Yarborough didn't need good finishes to know that he could drive a car fast as any son of a gun out there. He knew that in his gut -- it's something the great ones are born with -- knew that he'd win every race if they'd just give him a car that could hold up. He kept trying to find a good car, and in the meantime he filled his time boxing Golden Gloves, jumping out of planes, wrestling alligators and, once, landing a plane though he'd never actually flown one before. Well, Cale just needed some kind of thrill. He finally got a decent car in '68, when he was 29 years old, and he won six races. He figured that it was about damned time.

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George Strait set a new record at last night's (11/12) CMA Awards, becoming the artist with the most overall wins in the Country Music Association's history.

The star added trophies for Album of the Year ("Troubadour") and Single of Year ("I Saw God Today") to his mantle, bringing his total to 22.

"Everyone says they've got the greatest fans," Strait said in his acceptance speech. "Well, I really got the greatest fans."

The highest honor of the night, Entertainer of the Year, was bestowed upon Kenny Chesney for the fourth time. He is now tied with Garth Brooks for most wins in that category.

Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, who co-hosted the gala at Nashville's Sommet Center, had to break from their duties to accept Male Vocalist and Female Vocalist honors, respectively. It was Paisley's second win in that category, and he also picked up his fourth Music Video of the Year trophy for "Waitin' On a Woman" featuring legendary actor Andy Griffith.

Underwood's award marked her third consecutive Female Vocalist win. In her acceptance speech, the "American Idol" champ thanked the music industry insiders who voted for her.

"I got through here in an unconventional way and you guys didn't have to accept me," she said.

First-time Entertainer of the Year nominee Sugarland scored its second consecutive Vocal Duo of the Year Award, and lead singer Jennifer Nettles won her first Song of the Year honor for writing Sugarland's single "Stay."

With their win for Vocal Group of the Year, Rascal Flatts tied The Statler Brothers for most consecutive wins in the category with six. Rocker Robert Plant and bluegrass sweetheart Alison Krauss went home with Musical Event of the Year for their performance of "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)."

The coveted New Artist of the Year Award went to Lady Antebellum, which performed its breakout hit, "Love Don't Live Here."

Other performers who brought down the house included Chesney with reggae group The Wailers, Sugarland, Paisley with Keith Urban, Alan Jackson, Taylor Swift, Martina McBride, Miranda Lambert, Brooks & Dunn with Reba McEntire, and the Eagles. Hootie and the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker showed off his country side, performing "Don't Think I Don't Think About It" from his recent solo effort.

The country music event was even infused with a little rock--Kid Rock, that is. The Detroit bad boy took the stage to perform his latest hit, "All Summer Long," with a surprise visit from rapper Lil Wayne.

Another highlight of the event was an appearance by Shania Twain, who hadn't taken part in CMA Award festivities since 2005, according to a press release. The songstress presented the Entertainer of the Year honor and received a standing ovation.

Here is a complete list of winners:

Entertainer of the Year
Kenny Chesney

Male Vocalist of the Year
Brad Paisley

Female Vocalist of the Year
Carrie Underwood

Vocal Group of the Year
Rascal Flatts

Vocal Duo of the Year
Sugarland

New Artist of the Year
Lady Antebellum

Album of the Year
"Troubadour"
George Strait
Produced by Tony Brown and George Strait
MCA Nashville

Single of the Year
"I Saw God Today"
George Strait
Produced by Tony Brown and George Strait
MCA Nashville

Song of the Year
"Stay"
Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles Publishing

Musical Event of the Year
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
"Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)"
Rounder Records

Music Video of the Year
"Waitin' On a Woman"
Brad Paisley featuring Andy Griffith
Directed by Jim Shea and Peter Tilden

Musician of the Year
Mac McAnally (guitar)
Source>>>

In many ways, R&B singer Eric Benet's latest album, "Love & Life," is a walk down memory lane. Benet wanted to pay tribute to the various eras of R&B on his new project.

"I knew that I wanted to make an album that almost felt like an homage to R&B, and that was where you could hear the different layers of different eras, if you will, of contemporary R&B going back to the '70s, '80s and the '90s," said the 41-year old Benet, born Eric Benet Jordan. "I knew I wanted it to feel like that."

Home is where the heart is, so he returned to his hometown of Milwaukee and collaborated again with his "crew"--longtime production partner Demonte Posey and Benet's cousin, writer/producer George Nash Jr.--to record "Love & Life."

"Because I wanted to go back to the roots of R&B, it seemed to be a matter of course that I would go back to my roots and be inspired by the streets where I walked with my first girlfriend, or where I got my first kiss, or learned how to ride a bike the first time," Benet said. "I just wanted to soak up some of that nostalgic energy from where it all started."

Once settled in Milwaukee, Benet--who was married to actress Halle Berry from 2001 to 2005--completely opened his heart, something that comes easy for him.

"My process has always been just going into my heart," Benet said. "When I write songs, it's almost like when I'm hearing the song for the first time; it's like it's already been written. It's almost like I'm hearing the song in its completion and it's just a matter of translating that."

His happiness is reflected in the album's title. He said he's enjoying love and life these days, therefore, it shines on "Love & Life." It also helped that his label, Friday/Reprise/Warner Bros., gave him complete creative control over his work.

"I have always been the kind of songwriter where I write about what's living and what I''m feeling at the moment," Benet said. "I definitely have a feeling of just being happy, kind of being upbeat. That's where I am right now."

Besides his former life in Milwaukee, Benet was inspired by his 16-year-old daughter India, whose mother died in an automobile wreck in 1993.

"My daughter inspires me in every aspect of my life," Benet said. "My daughter inspires me to be a better man, a better father, to work harder--her tuition ain't no joke. The unconditional love that we have for each other is definitely the most beautiful form of love I've ever experienced in my life. Something that pure and uncut and unconditional is inspiring in so many ways."

When Benet performs live he said he hopes fans can feel the positivity that emanates from his music.

"I would hope that my live show is a source of positive energy," said Benet. "There's so much that we could choose to worry about and bring us down. Even if you look at the music scene, there's so many--I want to say, not uplifting lyrics and musical energy out there. I hope they just take away some positivity and take away the fact that I'm an artist that's been true to my game since I started hence naming my first album 'True to Myself.' I've never really tried to chase the sound of the moment. I just stay true to me. And try to recreate emotions through music and in turn hopefully reaching people through some positive energy and then walking away with that."

TOUR ITINERARY

November 2008
24 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
25 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues
26 - West Hollywood, CA - House of Blues
28-30 - Oakland, CA - Yoshi's

Source>>>

R&B/neo-soul singer John Legend has added a second leg to his upcoming North American tour.

The Grammy winner recently announced the first leg, which kicks off Nov. 19 in Minneapolis and sticks close to the eastern US through mid-December. That run, featuring special guest Raphael Saadiq, includes two-night stands in Chicago and Montclair, NJ, and a stop in Toronto.

The tour's second leg is set to launch Jan. 12 in Oakland, CA, with London-based singer/rapper Estelle in the opening slot. Legend will make his way across the US through Feb. 7, and then jump into a two-week European jaunt. North American shows are detailed below and those overseas can be found at the performer's website.

The outing marks Legend's first major concert series since his 2007 world tour, which is captured on April's "Live from Philadelphia" CD/DVD set.

The soul man is supporting his third studio effort, "Evolver," which surfaced last month and debuted in the Top 5 on The Billboard 200, as well as the No. 1 slot on the magazine's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Lead single "Green Light," featuring OutKast's Andre 3000, has been making waves on the pop, R&B/hip-hop and dance charts. The tune is streaming at Legend's MySpace page.

The success of Legend's previous offering, 2006's platinum-selling, Grammy-winning "Once Again," didn't stop the entertainer from changing his formula for the new record.

"I am constantly evolving as a person and as an artist," Legend explained in his bio. "You still have the legacy of what you did before and the people's memory of that will always be there, but with each album you get to question that, to play with it and even rebel against if you want to and I did that with this album."

In addition to Andre 3000, the record features guest stars including pop singer Brandy, Estelle and Kanye West, who also lends his skills on the production end, along with Will.I.Am and The Neptunes.

Legend has sold more than 5 million albums worldwide and racked up five Grammys during his career, according to his bio. He has also been honored by several organizations for his humanitarian efforts.

TOUR ITINERARY

November 2008
19 - Minneapolis, MN - Northrop Auditorium
20, 21 - Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre
24 - East Lansing, MI - Wharton Center for Performing Arts
26 - Detroit, MI - Masonic Temple Theatre
28 - Toronto, Ontario - Roy Thompson Hall
29 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theatre

December 2008
1 - Montclair, NJ - Wellmont Theatre
2 - Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre
4 - University Park, PA - Bryce Theatre @ Penn State
5 - Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theater
6 - Fairfield, CT - Fairfield University/Alumni Hall
8 - Baltimore, MD - Lyric Theatre
9 - Washington, DC - Constitution Hall
10 - Greenville, SC - Peace Center
12 - Charlotte, NC - Ovens Auditorium
13 - Durham, NC - Durham Performing Arts Center

January 2009
12 - Oakland, CA - Paramount Theatre
13 - Universal City, CA - Gibson Amphitheatre
16 - La Jolla, CA - RIMAC Arena
22 - Dallas, TX - Nokia Theatre @ Grand Prairie
23 - Austin, TX - Bass Concert Hall
24 - Houston, TX - Verizon Wireless Theater
26 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium
28 - Orlando, FL - Bob Carr Performing Arts Center
29 - Clearwater, FL - Ruth Eckerd Hall
30 - Miami, FL - The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater

February 2009
3 - Atlanta, GA - Fox Theatre
5 - New York, NY - Radio City Music Hall
6 - Mashantucket, CT - MGM Grand Theater @ MGM Foxwoods
7 - Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata Events Center Source>>

George Clinton and Parliament/Funkadelic will hit the road at the end of the year for a few dates in support of Clinton's latest studio album, and Clinton also will take part in an upcoming reality-TV show.

The rock/funk visionary shows a New Year's Eve gig in San Francisco on his agenda, along with a Jan. 2 show in Los Angeles and Feb. 21 appearance in New York. Details are below.

The P-Funk leader's latest release, the all-star "George Clinton and his Gangsters of Love," slipped into stores back in September. The mostly covers set features guest appearances from The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sly Stone, El DeBarge, RZA, System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian and gospel singer Kim Burrell.

"It started out with me doing some doo-wop songs," Clinton recently told Billboard.com. "As we got going, people started coming through to be on it."

Streaming samples from the album can be heard on Clinton's MySpace page. Clinton's previous studio release with the P-Funk All-Stars is 2005's "How Late Do U Have 2 B B4 U R Absent?" That album was the funk legend's first new music in six years following a legal battle over ownership of his back catalog.

In other Mothership news, Clinton is set to go country on Season 3 of the CMT reality series "Gone Country." Hosted by John Rich (of Big & Rich), the series features celebrities competing to become a country singer. Clinton will be competing against six other contestants, including the Monkees' Mickey Dolenz, Richard Grieco of "21 Jump Street" fame, and drummer and Prince protege Sheila E.

According to a press release, production is currently underway for the show's third season and the series will premiere in January.

TOUR ITINERARY

December 2008
31 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theater

January 2009
2 - Los Angeles, CA - Club Nokia

February 2009
21 - New York, NY - Lehman Center of the Performing Arts
Source>>>

Reggae/funk-rockers Pepper have mapped out the dates for the second leg of their "Here Comes the Law" tour.

The US trek is scheduled to kick off Jan. 2 in San Diego, and hit nearly 20 cities in the Pacific Northwest through the end of the month. Two-night stands are booked in Aspen, CO, and Santa Cruz, CA. Details are listed below.

Pepper finished the first leg of the outing on Halloween and then crossed the Pond to open for Less Than Jake in the UK. That overseas tour wraps Nov. 19, and Pepper will finish off 2008 with a Dec. 6 performance at the Buzz Bake Sale in West Palm Beach, FL.

Though the Hawaiian-bred, Southern California-based trio is known for its laid-back vibe, fans shouldn't expect a mellow live show, according to drummer Yesod Williams.

"We pride ourselves on putting on the epitome of a rock show--super high energy, super-back-and-forth crowd participation," Williams told The Flint Journal in a recent interview. "We like to think of it as a big party and we're pretty much music fans like everyone else that is coming to the show. We're just lucky enough to be hosting the party."

Pepper continues to support its fifth studio album, "Pink Crustaceans and Good Vibrations," which was released on its own Law Records imprint in July. The set was produced by The Butthole Surfers' Paul Leary, who also helped produce the group's previous effort, 2006's "No Shame." Songs from the set are streaming at the trio's MySpace page.

Last year, Pepper also put out "To Da Max," a b-sides collection that comprises unreleased songs, demos and live performances recorded between 1997 and 2004.

Bandmates Williams, Bret Bollinger and Kaleo Wassman formed Pepper in the islands and then relocated to Southern California in 1999, thanks to a promotional deal with surf/skate/snow-lifestyle company Volcom Entertainment. The group has since sold more than 400,000 records independently, and its music has appeared in movies, television shows and video-game soundtracks, according to a press release.

TOUR ITINERARY

December 2008
6 - West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheatre/Buzz Bake Sale

January 2009
2 - San Diego, CA - House of Blues
3 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up Tavern
6 - Tempe, AZ - Marquee Theatre
8 - Grand Junction, CO - Mesa Theater & Club
9 - Denver, CO - Fillmore Auditorium
10, 11 - Aspen, CO - Belly Up Aspen
12 - Fort Collins, CO - Aggie Theatre
13 - Colorado Springs, CO - The Black Sheep
14 - Park City, UT - Harry O's
16 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory Concert House
17 - Seattle, WA - Showbox at the Market
18 - Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
20 - Eugene, OR - McDonald Theatre
21 - Sparks, NV - New Oasis
22 - Sacramento, CA - Empire
23 - San Francisco, CA - Warfield Theatre
24, 25 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst
28 - Los Angeles, CA - Club Nokia at LA Live
30 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues

Source>>>

The idea of NASCAR racing without Chevrolets and Fords on the track once would have been unthinkable.

But that possibility is no longer farfetched as the continuing economic meltdown puts the already struggling automakers in even greater jeopardy.

U.S. auto sales have plummeted in recent months, and Ford and General Motors, along with Chrysler, are fighting for survival amid the crisis. The three Detroit manufacturers - along with recent addition Toyota - are the cornerstones of NASCAR.

NASCAR boss Brian France, speaking over the weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, acknowledged that the auto manufacturers "play a very important role in lots of ways with supporting teams, the branding and heritage."

But he also said NASCAR can survive without one or more of them, if it has to.

On Friday, GM and Ford revealed multibillion-dollar losses for the third quarter of 2008, and GM warned it could run out of cash in 2009. It also suspended acquisition talks with Chrysler.

Still for those companies to remain viable, they need to sell cars and trucks - and NASCAR remains a key marketing tool for each of them.

Terry Dolan, manager of racing for GM's Chevrolet brand, said the sport remains an attractive partner despite the company's struggles.

"We actually operate with three core principals," Dolan said in a telephone interview. "We race to win; we want to make sure the audience that follows racing is relative to the products we sell, and we must get a return on investment. We're working diligently to make sure we've got all three of those balanced.

"The plus is when you look at the NASCAR fan base. It really does align with the Chevy product portfolio and there's some tremendous loyalty to our brand that's helped us to sell vehicles to this audience for many, many years."

Brian Wolfe, director of North America Motorsports for Ford, has a similar outlook.

"We're doing what we can, both on and off the track, to try and support the company," Wolfe said. "On the track, we're winning races and contending for championships ... we're creating a winning image for our products. Off the track, our drivers and teams in NASCAR and NHRA have been working hard to get the word out about our products."

Wolfe pointed out that Ford is in the midst of a seven-week online campaign in which its top NASCAR and NHRA stars test drive new products and blog about them.

"We're using their popularity to reach their fan bases, and help sell more cars and trucks," he said.

Toward that end, Ford will unveil its new Fusion Hybrid - three days before the official launch at the Los Angeles Auto Show - as a pace car at this week's NASCAR finale at Homestead Miami Speedway.

"That's what racing should do," Wolfe said.

But with the economy stumbling, unemployment climbing and just about everyone in the U.S. nervous about the future, race teams are feeling the effects.

Some of the biggest teams with the most resources have begun laying off employees, and smaller teams are finding the search for sponsorship growing more difficult by the day.

Teams without full sponsorship for 2009 in all three of NASCAR's top professional series - Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Craftsman Trucks - are trying to find multiple companies to fill up the quarterpanels, hoods and rear decks of their entries - 10 races here, 15 races there - hoping to get enough for a full season.

Partnerships are another possibility, and on Wednesday The Associated Press learned that Chip Ganassi Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. will combine their teams next year.

It's another sign of auto racing's rapidly changing landscape.

"The cost to run a team on an annual basis, a quality program, is in the $20-25 million range per car, per year," Dolan said. "And the resources available from corporate America, having rapidly contracted with the economy, is just placing pressure on teams to look at alternatives as to how they can continue to manage and run their businesses.

"And, unfortunately, in some cases that's causing teams to look for efficiency by joining forces with other organizations and, quite frankly, making some pretty severe changes in what the sport will look like even 12 months from now."

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"All, too, will bear in mind this sacred principle, that though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression.
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~Thomas Jefferson