Mammoth Blog

It's been a bad year for the Jeffersons.

And it could get worse.

The downward spiral began in December when, tainted by criminal charges, nine-term incumbent U.S. Rep. William Jefferson was defeated by a virtually unknown Republican. Last week, Jefferson was convicted on 11 counts of public corruption. A federal judge could send him to prison for the rest of his life.

This week, a legal assault on the family continues. The curtain is scheduled to rise on the bribery trial of Mose Jefferson, the former congressman's older brother and confidant, whose name was often invoked during the Virginia corruption trial.

In the spring, U.S. Attorney Jim Letten's office upped the ante on another pending case against Mose Jefferson; his sister, 4th District Tax Assessor Betty Jefferson; and other close associates, securing a new indictment that accuses the group of skimming money from government-financed nonprofit groups. A trial on those charges is set for early next year.
Michael DeMocker / The Times-PicayuneWilliam Jefferson

Taken together, federal prosecutors in Virginia and New Orleans portray the Jeffersons as a political crime family, in two cases even charging members under the federal racketeering law created to bring down the Mafia.

It's a disturbing image.

In the government's telling, William Jefferson often agreed to flex his congressional muscle only after he and his family members were cut into business deals. Mose Jefferson is accused of bribing the Orleans Parish School Board president to influence the purchase of an algebra curriculum he was hawking. And Mose and Betty Jefferson -- along with her daughter, Angela Coleman, and Mose Jefferson's longtime girlfriend, former state legislator and City Councilwoman Renee Gill Pratt -- conspired to steal taxpayer money allocated to help the poor, prosecutors say.
John McCusker / The Times-PicayuneMose Jefferson

"It is a shame, it really is," Mose Jefferson said of prosecutors' depiction of family members on Thursday as he left federal court in New Orleans. "If we have been a crime family, where is the money?"

Mose Jefferson's attorneys asked a federal judge to declare him indigent, arguing he couldn't pay his legal bills because the federal government has tied up his commercial property with notices of possible forfeiture. The request was denied.

In the Virginia trial, William Jefferson's defense attorneys offered up a competing narrative, telling jurors that although some of the former congressman's actions might be perceived as unethical, he committed no crimes. His business dealings were purely private and had nothing to do with his official work as a congressman, they argued.

That line of attack on the government's case failed -- at least for now. Jefferson plans to appeal his convictions.

Although not offering strategy details, Eddie Castaing, the attorney for Betty Jefferson, said her defense won't be shaped by what happened in the Virginia trial.
Ted Jackson / The Times-PicayuneBetty Jefferson

"The William Jefferson case and verdict have nothing to do with Betty Jefferson. The evidence in his case is totally irrelevant to Betty Jefferson," Castaing said. "She looks forward to her day in court. In the end, she will be exonerated."

The grand sweep of the federal scrutiny of the Jefferson family has been derided by defense attorney Arthur "Buddy" Lemann III in court filings. In his trademark colorful prose, Lemann called the case involving nonprofit groups "a patchwork of discordant and clashing designs hemmed together, not by a conspiratorial thread, but by Jefferson consanguinity," or blood ties.

Lemann charged that the prosecution by U.S. Attorney Jim Letten, who was originally appointed by a Republican president, is "political." He said the government seeks to "ride on the high tide of the public outrage over the cold cash found in brother William's freezer," referring to $90,000 in marked bills given to the congressman by a federal informant to bribe an African official.

The money was found by the FBI stashed between veggie burger and frozen pie crust boxes inside William Jefferson's freezer four years ago and became the defining image of his corruption trial.

"I guess the government is at first base," Lemann said after the Virginia verdict came down.

Noting he is prepared for guilt-by-association tactics, the defense attorney said: "Ultimately it is up to the jury to decide. Just because Cain killed Abel doesn't make Abel a murderer."

Defense attorney Michael Fawer, who represents Mose Jefferson in the School Board bribery case, said indictments against various members of the Jefferson family are bound to make an impression on the public.

"God forbid one of them should be innocent," he said.

Fawer on Friday filed a motion seeking a trial delay or a change of venue, saying the storm of publicity surrounding William Jefferson's trial and verdict makes it "virtually impossible to obtain an impartial jury."

But U.S. District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon, in a two-sentence order Friday, refused to immediately delay or move the trial, saying questioning of prospective jurors "will reveal the extent of prejudice, if any, resulting from media coverage of the trial of defendant's brother."

One sibling defects

Although most of the tight-knit family has closed ranks, saying it never did anything illegal, there has been one defection. Brenda Foster of Covington, one of 10 Jefferson siblings and a sometime employee of nonprofit groups controlled by the family, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony last year, or failure to report a crime she knew about. Foster is expected to testify, offering evidence of how Mose and Betty Jefferson, along with Coleman, the assessor's daughter, spent money on themselves that was intended for the poor.

Not every member of the extended Jefferson clan is facing federal charges. One of the still-living sisters, who doesn't live in the New Orleans area, is never mentioned in court proceedings. Three other siblings passed away during the past couple of years, while a brother and sister died years ago.

Ironically, the former congressman's younger brother Archie is the only one of the local siblings not facing charges recently. As a felon convicted a decade ago of writing worthless checks who was permanently disbarred from legal practice by the Louisiana Supreme Court, Archie Jefferson was once considered the family's chief source of scandal. But prosecutors have mentioned him only in passing as a possible beneficiary of his brother's business ventures in Africa.

Even the ex-congressman's five daughters have been dragged into the fray. Prosecutors argue that their tuition at expensive colleges and law schools was paid with ill-gotten money. The government has argued the children are the main reason Jefferson was so desperate for extra cash, although none has been accused of any wrongdoing.

Dominating the landscape

The decline of the family that that held a dominant place in New Orleans politics for two decades has been precipitous.

Just five years ago, William Jefferson was an influential member of the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, and his daughter Jalila Jefferson-Bullock had finished her first session as a state legislator. His protege, Renee Gill Pratt, the longtime companion of Mose Jefferson, held the Uptown-based seat on the City Council, while sister Betty Jefferson was the 4th District tax assessor. Everywhere, it seemed, the Jeffersons wielded clout.

"They were on a roll," said Lambert Boissiere Jr., the Orleans Parish constable and a sometime ally of the Jefferson clan. "Politically, they ran some of the best campaigns. They didn't win them all, but you couldn't find a better political organization for street work."

The Jeffersons' political organization, the Progressive Democrats, began to unravel after the FBI raid on William Jefferson's home and offices in August 2005, said Silas Lee, a pollster and Xavier University political scientist.

"That is when the organization started to witness and experience leaks in the political infrastructure," Lee said.

Spotlight shifts

With the Virginia trial over, it is now Mose Jefferson -- often described as the man responsible for running the Progressive Democrats street operation -- who is in federal prosecutors' crosshairs. He was frequently mentioned during the Virginia proceedings, a fact that Mose Jefferson's defense attorneys say poses a threat to his chance at a fair trial.

Indeed, prosecutors brought in witness after witness who testified that William Jefferson, in exchange for his offer to help work out regulatory or other issues with African governments, demanded that companies hire his brother as a consultant or otherwise cut him in on the deal. In most cases, the deals failed to pan out. But prosecutors still emphasized to jurors jury that Mose Jefferson had stood to gain hundreds of millions if the brothers' plans were successful.

In the trial scheduled to begin for Monday, Mose Jefferson is accused of bribing former Orleans Parish School Board President Ellenese Brooks-Simms in exchange for lining up board members' support in favor of buying $14 million worth of an algebra curriculum he was selling.

Jefferson has denied bribing Brooks-Simms, pointing out that the "I CAN Learn" program was unanimously approved by the School Board.

Although the case lacks the dramatic image of $90,000 stashed in a freezer, there are large numbers involved. Jefferson made more than $900,000 in commissions off the School Board's purchases and allegedly channeled $140,000 to Brooks-Simms. source>>>

The resignation of U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez means the unusually early start in the race to succeed him gets even more interesting before its time.

Martinez's announcement Friday leaves Gov. Charlie Crist with two unappealing options: Either appoint himself to the job, inviting resentment inside his party and easy shots from outside, or appoint a seat-warmer, somebody guaranteed not to hold onto the job after 2010.

Little wonder Crist ruled out the first option within hours of Martinez's announcement.

But the second option has drawbacks, too. There's always the off chance the person selected might come to like a job that Crist already is running hard for.

What to do?

The obvious choice is to reach back into the political past. Find somebody too old to be looking for a new political career and who comes to the job with the goodwill that comes from having been on the sidelines for a while. Someone who looks good compared to some of the clowns running things these days.

Your correspondent is no political genius, so it's no surprise this political calculus already has been performed by many others. But the names being mentioned are such blasts from the past that he believes he can perform a reader service just by explaining who these guys are.

Here are the frontrunners:

- JIM SMITH: What he used to be: attorney general, 1979-1987; secretary of state, 1987-1995; perennial gubernatorial candidate. Political benefits: You can't get more bipartisan than appointing a guy who's run statewide as both a Democrat and Republican. Heck, he might have even run as a Whig before. Unlikely to run on his own since he's untelegenic in a way you don't see much in politics anymore. Plus, he doesn't go over well south of Interstate 4. Drawback: Is distrusted by Republican activists because of his Democratic ties.

- BOB MARTINEZ: What he used to be: Florida governor, 1987-1991. Political benefits: Zero charisma and not all that well-known anymore so there's little chance he'll go rogue and run for office himself. Bonus: He makes Crist's governorship look good by comparison. Plus, he could cross Mel's name off the letterhead and reuse all the old stationery and signage. Political drawbacks: Won't mollify the base. Reminds Republicans that it's theoretically possible to lose gubernatorial races.

- CONNIE MACK III: What he used to be: U.S. Senator, 1989-2001. Such a perfect choice that reportedly he has already been asked and turned it down.

- ALLAN BENSE: What he used to be: Speaker of the Florida House from 2004-2006. Benefits: Liked by party establishment and has a reputation as a good soldier. His agenda as House speaker was to do what Gov. Jeb Bush wanted done. Drawbacks: At 57, he's hardly at the end of his career -- in Senate years he's just a kid. He might get ideas.

- TONI JENNINGS: What she used to be: lieutenant governor, 2003-2007; Senate president, 1997-2000. Political benefits: Who says Republicans are just a bunch of old white guys with Southern drawls? She's efficient, smart and so responsible and prudent that few party activists want to see her back in public life. Political drawbacks: The base won't be happy. At 60, is young enough in Senate years to get ideas.

- KATHERINE HARRIS: Ha-ha! Just seeing if you're the kind of reader who reads all the way to the bottom and doesn't just skim the bullet items. Florida columnists can still dream, though. source>>>

The resignation of U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez means the unusually early start in the race to succeed him gets even more interesting before its time.

Martinez's announcement Friday leaves Gov. Charlie Crist with two unappealing options: Either appoint himself to the job, inviting resentment inside his party and easy shots from outside, or appoint a seat-warmer, somebody guaranteed not to hold onto the job after 2010.

Little wonder Crist ruled out the first option within hours of Martinez's announcement.

But the second option has drawbacks, too. There's always the off chance the person selected might come to like a job that Crist already is running hard for.

What to do?

The obvious choice is to reach back into the political past. Find somebody too old to be looking for a new political career and who comes to the job with the goodwill that comes from having been on the sidelines for a while. Someone who looks good compared to some of the clowns running things these days.

Your correspondent is no political genius, so it's no surprise this political calculus already has been performed by many others. But the names being mentioned are such blasts from the past that he believes he can perform a reader service just by explaining who these guys are.

Here are the frontrunners:

- JIM SMITH: What he used to be: attorney general, 1979-1987; secretary of state, 1987-1995; perennial gubernatorial candidate. Political benefits: You can't get more bipartisan than appointing a guy who's run statewide as both a Democrat and Republican. Heck, he might have even run as a Whig before. Unlikely to run on his own since he's untelegenic in a way you don't see much in politics anymore. Plus, he doesn't go over well south of Interstate 4. Drawback: Is distrusted by Republican activists because of his Democratic ties.

- BOB MARTINEZ: What he used to be: Florida governor, 1987-1991. Political benefits: Zero charisma and not all that well-known anymore so there's little chance he'll go rogue and run for office himself. Bonus: He makes Crist's governorship look good by comparison. Plus, he could cross Mel's name off the letterhead and reuse all the old stationery and signage. Political drawbacks: Won't mollify the base. Reminds Republicans that it's theoretically possible to lose gubernatorial races.

- CONNIE MACK III: What he used to be: U.S. Senator, 1989-2001. Such a perfect choice that reportedly he has already been asked and turned it down.

- ALLAN BENSE: What he used to be: Speaker of the Florida House from 2004-2006. Benefits: Liked by party establishment and has a reputation as a good soldier. His agenda as House speaker was to do what Gov. Jeb Bush wanted done. Drawbacks: At 57, he's hardly at the end of his career -- in Senate years he's just a kid. He might get ideas.

- TONI JENNINGS: What she used to be: lieutenant governor, 2003-2007; Senate president, 1997-2000. Political benefits: Who says Republicans are just a bunch of old white guys with Southern drawls? She's efficient, smart and so responsible and prudent that few party activists want to see her back in public life. Political drawbacks: The base won't be happy. At 60, is young enough in Senate years to get ideas.

- KATHERINE HARRIS: Ha-ha! Just seeing if you're the kind of reader who reads all the way to the bottom and doesn't just skim the bullet items. Florida columnists can still dream, though. source>>>

When Attorney General Jack Conway's daughter was born a couple of weeks ago, he announced it on the social networking tool Twitter.

And when the University of Kentucky basketball team blew a game it should have won last year, Secretary of State Trey Grayson used Twitter to urge a player he blamed for the loss to transfer to another school.

Twitter has become the latest fad in politics, as office-holders and candidates across the country have taken to sending out "tweets" to followers who hang on their every word.

"I think it humanizes us," said Conway, a Democrat running in next year's Senate race who uses his Twitter account to reach out to younger voters. "They're an amazing generation. ... They vote in much higher numbers than my generation did at their age."

Twitter allows people to post short missives that go out to those who choose to "follow" them on the social networking platform. Messages are limited to 140 characters and can be about anything.

Most people have the messages delivered directly to their cell phones so they can always check in and see what others are saying at any time.

Accounts are free and allow anyone from your next-door neighbor to the biggest Hollywood star to opine about life, politics or, often, nonsense.

It has a language all its own -- eliminating extraneous words and letters and substituting longer words with just a few letters. In Twitterese, for instance, the word "you're" becomes "ur."

Politicians in Washington who tweet are so plentiful that The Hill, a Washington-based political publication, has a long list of tweeters on its Web site. source>>>

Those wanting a little taste of Buckcherry will have to wait.

The band has postponed its performance set for this evening at the Mansfield Center, but ticketholders are encouraged to hold onto their tickets.

According to concert promoters, Buckcherry lead singer Josh Todd has a respiratory tract infection and laryngitis.

Concert promoters said a new concert date will hopefully be announced later this week and all tickets will be honored for the rescheduled date.

Visit the Web site www.Buckcherry.com for more information or call the Mansfield Center at 455-8514. source>>>

Having read several less than stellar reviews of Van Morrison's recent performances, I have to admit I went in to Friday night's concert at DAR Constitution Hall expecting the worst. And for the first hour and 45 minutes, I was pleasantly surprised.

In spite of the fact that none of his "big hits" appeared on his set list that night, I thoroughly enjoyed the music Morrison played.

One of the greatest things about seeing an established artist like Morrison is the incredible musicians that make up the band. Morrison didn't disappoint in that respect - I don't think I've ever heard someone wail on the viola quite like Tony Fitzgibbon.

Of course, the caliber of musicians playing with Morrison didn't stop him from the occasional barking demand to play "long notes" or switch to the "tom-tom or whatever." ...
The crowd was loving it. Every other song was getting a standing ovation and people were even dancing in the hallways. But Morrison didn't seem too pleased. While I didn't notice any glaring issues, Morrison was clearly unhappy with the sound. And around 9:45 p.m., it seemed he'd had enough.

As the band played out the end of "On Hyndford Street," Morrison unceremoniously walked off stage. Someone muttered a quick "Van Morrison" into a mic and the crowd leaped to their feet in appreciation. With the crowd still standing, the band members looked at each other and almost sheepishly left the stage.

The applause continued for a few minutes, everyone clearly expecting an encore. But the house lights came on and the stage hands quickly began breaking down the equipment.

Never before have I seen an audience turn so quickly from thunderous applause to audible displeasure. Fans who had paid between $100 and $400 a ticket for the evening's performance were slowly realizing that not even two hours in, the night was over.

The concert was one I'll definitely remember and for the most part, think upon fondly. But nothing can sour a memory like exiting a venue to the boos and hisses of a disgruntled crowd.

Set List (from Van Morrison News)

Northern Muse (Solid Ground)
Fair Play
The Mystery
Foreign Window
Streets Of Arklow/You Don't Pull No Punches (snippet)
In The Garden
Astral Weeks
Beside You
Slim Slow Slider
Sweet Thing/Burning Ground
Cyprus Avenue
The Way Young Lovers Do
Ballerina
Madame George
On Hyndford Street source>>>

Tony Stewart has won the rain-delayed Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International.

Stewart held off Australian Marcos Ambrose over the final 25 laps for his record fifth victory at the famed road course. It was his third win in his first season as an owner/driver and seventh road course win of his career, second to Jeff Gordon's nine.

Ambrose was second, a career best, and Carl Edwards third. Kyle Busch, Greg Biffle, Juan Montoya, Kurt Busch, Max Papis, Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top 10. source>>>

According to a restraining order, that was never filed, Miller, who played for the Indiana Pacers, met Ms Kay at a party in July last year.

In March of this year he then bumped into her at a grocery store, then waited outside for an hour until she left, before following her up a motorway.
Former NBA basketball player Reggie Miller

Allegations: Former NBA basketball player Reggie Miller

He also allegedly harassed her by phone, including sending her 53 text messages over the course of less than four hours.

According to the document, when confronted by Mr von Furstenberg, who owns a surf shop in Malibu, Miller turned threatening.

'He said he had friends with guns. He implied I would get hurt if I didn't stop questioning him on his inappropriate pursuit of my fiancee and his attempts to subvert his efforts,' Mr von Furstenberg wrote.

The matter seemed to have ended when each party's lawyers got involved, and Mr von Fursternberg issued a statement saying:

'I was very upset about Reggie's behavior towards my fiancée. I think people in Malibu share my views that being a famous basketball player should not provide some sort of shield against inappropriate behaviour.

'Reggie sincerely apologised to me on a phone call with Ronald Richards, his attorney, and myself. I cannot comment further on the matter as I believe it has been resolved.'

But despite the matter being apparently resolved, the banner appeared over the beach on Friday afternoon.

Was it from another disgruntled husband? source>>>

All across this nation, on a college campus near you, fall camps are in full swing, which can only mean one thing: Football season is just around the corner!

The time has come for the experts to voice their predictions on the events that will transpire on the gridiron over the next few months. This Examiner is no different.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy as the coverage of the college football season begins, as it usually does, with a pre-season poll.

1. Florida Gators
2. Texas Longhorns
3. Oklahoma Sooners
4. USC Trojans
5. Ohio State Buckeyes
6. Ole Miss Rebels
7. Alabama Crimson Tide
8. Virginia Tech Hokies
9. LSU Tigers
10. Penn State Nittany Lions
11. Oklahoma State Cowboys
12. Oregon Ducks
13. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
14. Georgia Bulldogs
15. Boise State Broncos
16. California Golden Bears
17. Florida State Seminoles
18. Texas Christian Horned Frogs
19. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
20. Utah Utes
21. North Carolina Tar Heels
22. Oregon State Beavers
23. Nebraska Cornhuskers
24. Iowa Hawkeyes
25. BYU Cougers

As you can see, I think it's going to come down to the SEC versus the Big-12 again, this year. Florida lost some weapons but, but they still have Tim Tebow, and that may be all they need. The Red River Shootout should decide the Big-12 south, as well as who will win the conference, period. source>>>

Former Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, who agreed to serve as an adviser and mentor to recently reinstated quarterback Michael Vick, said on NBC's Sunday night broadcast of the Hall of Fame Game that he expects Vick to sign with an NFL team soon.

Dungy did not identify any teams that might be pursuing Vick, but said: "He's talked to several teams and he has several teams interested.... I think something may happen here pretty shortly."

Asked later if he anticipates that Vick's signing could come within the next week or so, Dungy said: "I think that's what's gonna happen. He's talked to several teams. We've kicked around different scenarios.... I just feel it's gonna come pretty quick here."

Dungy now works as an NFL analyst for NBC. His comments came during the network's broadcast of the Bills-Titans preseason game.

Dungy said he'd spoken to coaches of teams considering signing Vick.

On Monday, it will have been two weeks since NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell conditionally reinstated Vick, who missed the last two seasons while serving his federal sentence for his role in a dogfighting operation in Virginia.

The reinstatement allowed Vick to sign with any interested team immediately. Vick is eligible to play in his team's final two preseason games if he's signed. Goodell is to rule by Week 6 of the season on Vick's eligibility to play in regular season games.

No team has indicated publicly that it is attempting to sign Vick.

Green Bay Packers General Manager Ted Thompson said the club considers all options, and there were subsequent reports that the Packers were giving serious consideration to signing Vick and had sent a front office member to meet with Vick. Team president Mark Murphy said he didn't expect the Packers to sign Vick, however.

Carolina Panthers Coach John Fox did not rule out the possibility of signing Vick but said he thought his team was pretty well set at quarterback.

New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick did not rule out the possibility, either. But Patriots owner Robert Kraft said during a subsequent radio interview that he did not envision the club making any move that would result in quarterback Tom Brady being out of the lineup for even a single play.

When Vick's conditional reinstatement was announced, the NFL also announced that Dungy would help to advise Vick.

Dungy said Sunday that he'd originally become involved with Vick at the urging of Vick's Washington-based attorney, Billy R. Martin.

He said he isn't certain if Vick is in football-playing shape but said that Vick is "in a pretty good state mentally.... He wants to play football. He misses the game. He's excited to get back." source>>>

For an exhibition opener, quarterback Kerry Collins felt as if he was already picking up from where he was last season in leading the Tennessee Titans to the playoffs. As for teammate Vince Young, it is one step at a time.

Overshadowing receiver Terrell Owens' debut for the Buffalo Bills, the two Tennessee quarterbacks combined to produce three touchdown drives in a 21-18 victory to kick off the league's exhibition season in the Hall of Fame game before a crowd of 22,153 Sunday night.

"I'm encouraged," said starter Collins, who is entering his 15th season and was 7 of 10 for 82 yards. "It doesn't take as long to get ready, but I'll take advantage of the work I'm going to get."

Collins helped to produce two touchdown drives, one capped by reserve punter A.J. Trapasso's 40-yard run on a fake punt on the opening possession. Collins was especially efficient in going 3 for 4 for 49 yards on third down.

Young needed to shake off plenty of rust. After going 1 of 5 for 13 yards and an interception in his first three series, Young showed great touch in hitting Paul Williams for a 5-yard touchdown pass to put the Titans ahead 21-3 late in the second quarter.

"It happens, man," Young said of his sluggish start. "I know everybody wants me to go out and be perfect, but it's not happening like that. You can't just jump into it."

In five series, Young went 5 of 10 for 39 yards.

Some of the Bills' highlights were provided by Owens, who signed a one-year, $6.5 million contract in early March, days after being released by Dallas.

On the field for one series, Owens had two catches of Trent Edwards passes for 27 yards, including a 16-yarder on the second play from scrimmage.

"It was just what was open, Trent saw it and threw it to me," Owens said of his first catch. "Whether or not it was a statement remains to be seen." source>>>

There was a world of difference in Joe Nichols last week and what he was like when he made his previous appearance with me on CMT's Southern Fried Flicks. This time, he wasn't nervous or edgy. He was sure of himself and ready to admit past problems.

In fact, Joe seemed a lot like George Strait, the superstar he'll emulate in October when he begins rehearsals in New York City for the Broadway production of Pure Country. Joe will be taking on the role of Rusty, and George was cast as Dusty in the film version.

Lorrie Morgan has been cast in the role of Rusty's ruthless manager, Lula, portrayed in the film by Lesley Ann Warren. Familiar with his work, Lorrie calls Joe an amazing talent, and she's very excited about working with him on Broadway.

But for now, Joe has a wonderful country album titled Old Things New that will be released Oct. 27. The first single is "Believers," a song that says all you think and know can (and will) come to pass if you only believe. I like to say, "Just believe. Don't worry or complain, and the wonderful things of life will fall in your lap." Some call it a miracle, but we know the maker of miracles, don't we?

Between now and October, there are beau coups of fair and festival appearances in Joe's future. These days, he looks to tomorrow with a positive attitude and a smile. With his marriage to Heather, Joe's life is just the best. He readily gives her credit for getting him over the hill that was almost a mountain.

New York is a mighty big town, and Joe just smiles and shakes his head when it's mentioned. Heather loves the idea of living there. She accompanied him up there in June when he performed at the Songwriters Hall of Fame and blew away those music industry bigwigs wearing their expensive gowns and suits. Joe was the man the crowd was talking about at the end of the night.

Joe is always there to help people, too, and he hasn't forgotten the men and women in uniform. He went to Iraq last year and plans to perform there again if and when he's needed. More recently, he finished a show Raleigh, N.C., and jumped on his tour bus to appear in Easley, S.C., at a public school catering to students who have not been successful in a typical school environment. When Joe read the invitation to visit, he immediately recognized that the kids had the same symptoms he experienced during his iffy childhood. Joe sang to them and talked to them. But more important than that, he gave them hope.

Rehab did Joe a world of good. It's worth noting that his favorite song on the new album is titled "An Old Friend of Mine." It's about finally saying goodbye to his old friend -- the bottle. Wait until you hear it.
source>>>

After simmering in second place for two weeks, Darius Rucker's "Alright" finally boils to the top of Billboard's country songs chart. Simultaneously, Taylor Swift's Fearless continues its hold as country music's No. 1 album.

The week's highest debuting (and only new) album is Telluride's Four Square Miles, which arrives at No. 52. Making comebacks are Ronnie Milsap's Then Sings My Soul: 24 Favorite Hymns and Gospel Songs (returning at No. 55) and Craig Morgan's That's Why (No. 75).

Songs making their first appearance include Josh Thompson's "Beer on the Table" (No. 55), George Strait's "El Rey" (No. 58), Sara Evans' "Feels Just Like a Love Song" (No. 59) and Brooks & Dunn's "Honky Tonk Stomp," featuring ZZ Top's Billy Gibbons (No. 60).

Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthew's "I'm Alive" re-enters the airplay fray at No. 41.

Completing the Top 5 albums in descending order are the Zac Brown Band's The Foundation, the soundtrack for Hannah Montana: The Movie, Jason Aldean's Wide Open and Rucker's Learn to Live.

Songs No. 2 through No. 5 are Billy Currington's "People Are Crazy," Swift's "You Belong With Me," Rascal Flatts's "Summer Nights" and, making its bow into the charmed circle, Randy Houser's "Boots On."

A couple of songs show extraordinary muscle: Toby Keith's "American Ride," which gallops from No. 19 to No. 14, and Brad Paisley's "Welcome to the Future," hopping from No. 21 to No. 16. source>>>

As a college senior, Yang Fugang spent most of his days away from campus this year, managing an online store that sold cosmetics, shampoo and other goods he often bought from local factories.

Today, that store on Taobao.com -- the fast-growing Chinese online shopping bazaar -- has 14 employees, two warehouses and piles of cash.

"I never thought I could do this well," said Mr. Yang, 23, who earned $75,000 last year. "I started out selling yoga mats and now I'm selling a lot of makeup and cosmetics. The profit margins are higher."

Taobao fever has swept the school Mr. Yang attends, Yiwu Industrial and Commercial College, where administrators say that a quarter of the 8,800 students enrolled operate Taobao shops, often from dormitory rooms.

And across China, millions of other ordinary people -- recent college graduates, shopkeepers and retirees -- are also using Taobao to sell clothes, mobile phones, toys and just about anything else they can find at neighborhood stores and wholesale markets or even smuggle out of factories.

Analysts say this booming marketplace -- reminiscent of the early days of eBay, when Americans started emptying their attics for online auctions -- has turned Taobao into China's newest Internet darling.

Though just six years old, Taobao -- which means "to search for treasure" in Chinese -- already has 120 million registered users and 300 million product listings, and generated nearly $15 billion in sales last year.

The company says that sales through its Web site are already larger than those of any Chinese retailer. And this year, analysts say, its online sales will double, surpassing the expected $19 billion in sales by Amazon.com.

"This is the next big segment for China's Internet," said Jason Brueschke, an Internet analyst at Citigroup. "It's their Amazon and eBay combined."

Like eBay, Taobao does not sell anything itself; it simply matches buyers and sellers. But Taobao has a firm foothold in China because many parts of the country still have poor transportation and some local governments favor their own government-owned outlets, making retailing inefficient. The global recession also has once-booming factories overflowing with goods the rest of the world does not seem to want.

The so-called Taobao addicts pick up the slack in a sluggish economy. "I can't live without Taobao," said Zhang Kangni, a graduate student in Shanghai. "First, it's cheaper. I found a dress at a store in Shanghai. It's a Hong Kong brand that sells for $175. I found it on Taobao for $33."

But skeptics ask: Can Taobao actually earn money and emerge as a true Web powerhouse?

The company, which is not publicly traded, does not disclose any financial information, but Taobao listings are free and the company earns no income from online transactions. Almost all of Taobao's revenue comes from advertising, which analysts say now covers about $200 million a year in operating costs.

The company has been criticized, however, for contributing to a flourishing trade in counterfeit goods. Taobao brushes aside such questions, saying it has a new program that is effectively cracking down on counterfeits.

Company executives also say that Taobao is poised to earn a huge profit but that their first priority is to create an online community. "Our vision for Taobao is to build a consumer's paradise, where people can shop online and have fun," Jonathan Lu, the Taobao president, said. "If you make the company better and better, profits will naturally follow."

His confidence in Taobao's future comes from the company's lineage. It is a division of Alibaba Group, which was founded by Jack Ma, who during the past decade created an Internet conglomerate with strong financial backing from Yahoo, Goldman Sachs and Softbank Group, of Japan. Yahoo now owns about 40 percent of Alibaba. source>>>

Beginning Tuesday, California consumers can shop and even start the purchase process for a Buick, Chevrolet, GMC or Pontiac vehicle on eBay.com through an official General Motors-eBay partnership.

General Motors is now offering its California dealers the opportunity to list select vehicles in their inventories on eBay. The inventories will consist of new 2008, 2009 and 2010 Chevrolet, Buick, Pontiac and GMC models; Cadillac, Hummer and Saturn are excluded.

The inventory will be listed in three places on eBay's site: on a special co-branded GM and eBay Motors micro site; on eBayMotors.com, where many dealers already list their new-car inventories; and on eBay.com, which lists all kinds of items well beyond cars.

The vehicles will have prices and will not be auctioned like traditional eBay-posted items. Instead, interested consumers can click the "buy it now price" and actually start the buying process online. Or, they can hit the "make an offer" button that sends a message to the dealer with the amount they are willing to pay. They can then negotiate online, by phone, or in person. Consumers also can hit a button to ask a question about the vehicle or dealership. The sold vehicle is then delivered at the dealership.

GM expects at least 200 of its 250 eligible California dealers to participate, listing thousands of vehicles.

Officially, GM's California eBay venture runs from August 11 to September 8. However, the automaker is optimistic it will be successful and expects it will be rolled out nationwide quickly.

Listing vehicles online is not groundbreaking, but GM's venture with eBay allows the automaker to draw more shoppers to vehicles without raising the ire of dealers by going around them. Dealers voluntarily participate.

California was selected because the state is quick to adopt new technology, a GM spokesman said. Plus GM sales have been weak in California, a state vital to the turnaround for the automaker that recently emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy thanks to taxpayer funding. source>>>