REST IN PEACE MIKE SMITH

Singer Mike Smith of The Dave Clark Five has died, less than two weeks before the band was to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The band's publicist says Smith died of pneumonia today outside London. Smith was 64.

The Dave Clark Five's hits include "Glad All Over," "Catch Us If You Can" and "Over and Over."

Smith's illness was a complication from a spinal cord injury he sustained in September 2003 that left him paralyzed below the ribs. Smith had been in the hospital since the accident and was just released this past December.

He had intended to attend The Dave Clark Five's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York on March 10th.

What America needs in 2008

Is Bipartisan Unity. We can't stand united against China and Islam with Democrats that hate Republicans and Republicans that hate democrats. We need to put aside our desire to impose our belief structure on the other side of the Isle and come together as Americans for survival of our future.

Go Roger Go

It seems the tide of evidence is turning on MacNamee. Roger Clemens is proclaiming his innocense. He's taking a huge risk IF he is guilty. Which makes most of us who want to believe he's innocent wonder why he would be taking such a huge risk when he didn't have to. He could have easily sat back and said no comment. But Roger went to Washington to proclaim his innocense.

I didn't see Barry Bonds defending himself. Mark McGwire wasn't in Washington to talk about the past. Subsequent he's personna non-grata at the Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown. And Barry Bonds is in court because of perjury charges, something Roger could face if in fact his denial is a big dog and pony show.

But the questions everybody asked when Jose Cansecoo wrote his book "Juiced" are being answered now. The question was: "Why doesn't Barry Bonds sue these people for deformation of character"? Actually that was the question they tried to ask Bonds when "Game of Shadows" came out. The answer is: Because if you sue someone, they have the "right" to subpeona your personal life. Roger obviously doesn't care about that issue which leads one to believe he has "nothing to hide". Unlike other former San Francisco outfielders.

To quote one of the Senators in front of Clemens and MacNamee:"Both of can't be telling the truth. One of you is lying".

Stay tuned. This could be either the greatest or saddest sports story of the year.



Ace out......

The Longest Yard 2005

I told myself I wasn't going to watch the new version of "The Longest Yard". I love the Burt Reynolds original from 1974. My friend Bill saw it when it came out and had the same "trepidation" I did. Why mess with a classic. I mean, why color Casablanca? And I'm not the biggest Adam Sandler fan either. And Adam Sandler looks nothing like an NFL quarterback. He doesn't even look like Jeff Garcia.

Burt Reynolds was indeed a running back for Florida State and looked the part in the original. Strangely enough; Burt is back in the new version as "Nate Scarborough".

But what I did enjoy about the new version was that they did make it a bit more realistic. For example, they had to get on a bus to go to the stadium. They had to pick locks to get into the film room. It had a bit more thought put into it. Chris Berman was a nice touch, but if Chris Berman starts covering prison games; you know ESPN is desperate.

Letting Burt Reynolds score the last touchdown was a nice touch. But still even with all the stars that had cameos in this movie. (and there were a multitude of them, everyone from Steve Austin to Michael "Do you know who I am?" Irvin was in it) I still think it was a waste of money.

Just another example of Hollywood unable to be original anymore.



Ace out...............

Preparing to record the new X-15's Album ~Maybe 2

I've begun preparations for the recording of the next X-15 album. Expect it to sound more like the stuff at the beginning of "American Infidel" ie, Sort of Power Pop/Grunge/New Punk . If the sessions go well, I might actually continue and record material for my first Christmas Album. I always wanted to do a Christmas album called Christmas and Holley. (those of you in the know understand that Buddy Holly's real last name was Holley). This would be a Rocking Christmas album with a BH and the Crickets flavor to it.

Expect 14 originals on the X-15 album. It will be a thematic constructed album. Meaning all the songs and genres will fit together. And perhaps there will be several guest vocalists on this album as well. But we won't drop any names until the release party.

Cheers,


Ace out.........................

Creative Connections

Through out my life I've come across certain entertainers that I could feel a certain connection with. Sometimes it was obvious, other times it was hard to explain. In 1970 I was quite a fan of the western sitcom "Alias Smith and Jones". I felt a certain connection with actor Peter Duel (Deuel). This was one of those connections that I really couldn't explain. But on December 31, 1971 when Duel shot himself in the head with a .38 pistol, it was like a part of me died. I took it really hard. I was about 16 when it happened and I can remember talking to my friends all that week about suicide. One of my friends was so worried he actually approached me and asked me if I was considering taking my life.

Again, another actor I felt a closeness to was Freddie Prinze. And again I can't say why. Perhaps there was a similarity in looks. I know he played drums like I did. He will be known for his portrayal as "Chico" in the ABC sitcom "Chico and the man". He was born almost exactly 2 years before me. Again, in January of 1977, unable to deal with the pain of emotional distress, he put a .32 to his head and pulled the trigger. Death wasn't instantaneous but days later he was taken off of life support.


Another Artist that I always had a kindred spirited connection with was Terry Kath, the guitarist for Chicago. Kath was known for his hard driving rhythm in his guitar playing that I use a lot in my solos. I think it comes from being a former drummer. On January 23, 1978 Kath took his life with 9mm pistol at a party at Don Johnson's house. It's rumored that his last words were, don't worry; it's not loaded.

Kath was one the few guitarists that Jimi Hendrix was infatuated with. I also felt a connection with Jimi. Although I was a bit young at the time to understand Jimi before he died, I feel that his riffs come natural to me when I'm playing a Hendrix tune. When I see film clips of Jimi, I can almost feel his movements and anticipate where he's going with a progression. To quote Weslie Snipes: "I can hear Jimi". Jimi was found dead of a drug overdose.

One person that is still alive that I do feel a very close connection with is Art Alexakis. I've never met Art, but from what I've read and heard, we have way too much in common. More than I care to confess to in this forum. Our upbringings are identical. We both know what it's like to have tradgedy take a loved one. And I would say that we've both suffered the after effects of a dismal youth.

Art! Please stay away from handguns.



Ace out.................

SUPER TUESDAY ~ ATTENTION REPUBLICANS

NO ON JOHN McCAIN

Do NOT Vote for Juan McCain today. Ignore the pollsters that want to influense the election. They're bought off by the liberal media. They want McCain as he would be the weakest target for Obama or Hillary.

VOTE FOR RON PAUL or Mike HUCKBEE. PLEASE

Millionare Ball Players Vs. The Hometown Hero

Baseball is one of my only materialistic external passions. I can only imagine at the turn of the century how exciting it must have been to sit in the stands and root for hometown heroes. The Walter "Big Train" Johnsons and the Honus Wagners of the league that were on YOUR team for their entire career. Jackie Robinson was as much a part a Brooklyn as the Brooklyn Bridge. Even latter day heroes like Mike Schmidt and Cal Ripken were just a few of the hometown heroes that only wore one MLB uniform.

When I was a kid; Willie Mays was as much a part of San Francisco as dungeness Crab or sour dough bread.

But with free agency came the end of America's past time as we knew it. Only the player with a dedication to his community or his team would stick with the team. As of late, my kudos go out to

1. Eric Chavez Oak. 3b

2. Ichiro Suzuki Sea. OF

3. Frank Thomas * not his fault he got traded

4. Roy Halladay Tor. P

5. John Smoltz Atl. P

6. Mark Buhrle CHW. P

7. Michael Young Tex. SS

8. Todd Helton Col. 1b

9. Craig Biggio/Jeff Bagwell Hou. OF/1b

10. Garrett Anderson CA. OF

Perhaps there are 3 or 4 more I missed that belong on this list. But I'm really sorry that it is so short.

I'll be brief with the list of money hungry heart breakers:

1. AROD (aka PayRod) Sea/Tex/NYY/NYY
2. Alfonso Soriano Tex/WA/ChC
3. Barry Zito Oak/SF
4. Miguel Tejada Oak/Balt
5. Roger Clemens Bos/Tor/NyY/Hou/NyY/?


I could go on and on but it would just be a waste of energy. Right or wrong, MLB players use to be examples for the youth of the world. If you work hard and follow your dream, you could play amongst the best. Now to take it one step further, if you work really hard. Perhaps enhance your performance with drugs if needed, you can put yourself up for sale on the free agent market after 5 years.

This is teaching the youth of America that BBD concept. In other words, you only need to be as loyal to your club and teammates (and especially your fans) until the "Bigger/Better" Deal comes along.

That's sort of how 50 percent of married couples look at marriage.

What happened to faithfulness? Talk to a 49er fan. They'll tell you about faith.

It's just aweful that teams go to the trouble of drafting fine prospects just to prepare to replace them in 5 years. Even Billy Beane can't keep the bucket loaded that quickly. And what does a fan have to keep him coming back? Why should a fan get excited over a rookie of the year on their team when they know that if the team doesn't have deep pockets like the Red Sox and Yankees, they'll end up on the east coast in 5 years.

Baseball whores are what they've become. Steroid whores at that.

Now let me see it from the other side. Let's say I'm drafted by a poor small market club like Kansas City. Let's say I'm an adequate pitcher that wins 14 games a year for 5 years. If my E.R.A. is somewhere in the mid 3's I'm guarunteed a great contract with the Yankees. Because Kansas will be outbidded by anything NY has to offer. But what do I owe the Royals? Are 5 good seasons a quid pro quo transaction? What if I'm on a team with no defense. Then perhaps my ERA goes from 3.50 to 4.60. and instead of 14 wins a year I'm barely breaking double digits. Then the offers are only coming from my own team. So the better I am, the more I owe my teammates. Don't I? Not to mention the fans holding the signs of support for me for 5 years. How can I in good faith say, "Up your's, I'm getting a Steinbrenner contract"?

I honestly feel that scouts should re-prioritize their scouting criteria with a parameter of not just "signability" but "re-signability". If I grew up in the rural Kansas City area I might be more prone to stay with the team I called mine for 18 years.

Or perhaps salary caps need to come to the MLB. With MLB in such a flux these days, drastic cures are needed. If the Mega Million dollar contracts are no longer being thrown around like Cocaine at Club 51 in 1976, then perhaps the players won't be using steroids to get themselves a sweet deal. We might even see the return of the hometown Hero.

The Country formerly known as the United States

The MEDIA, meaning Radio, Television, magazines, and newspapers somewhere back during the civil rights marches in the 60's became extremely liberal. Mostly because liberal actions often lead to good news. But in the long run, it only makes it harder to be "shocking".

Why is it that a liberal writer can be nasty and vile in an attempt to bait the conservative, then when the conservative loses his or her composure, the liberal strikes like Satan and says "see, that's what you're really like". Misery loves company.

But somewhere in the late 60's and early 70's around the time of the Nixon demise, it seems Satan was released from his cell for a while to infect writers of the media who were just victorious in ousting the everso miserable Richard M. Nixon. At this time liberal changed from "helping the downtrodden" to "attacking society and it's Mores"

What we're seeing is nothing new. The greatest empires in the world crumbled from within. They imploded. Look at the Greeks. An excellent example would be the Roman empire. By any standards, truly the largest empire amassed by any one country. And who would conquer the Roman empire? Nobody. It crumbled from within.

The United States is no different from Rome. Sure we have Blackberries and email. And we have "The Bomb". But we also have a fractured political system. We have a political system that is so diametrically opposed that elections only indicate the swing of the penulum. A country so divided by polarized wealth, technology,and social mores can not unite against a common enemy. Just look at the former Soviet Union. It can happen here.

The liberal media tells us what it wants us to believe. Pollsters are the newest tools of the media to "rig" elections.

This upcoming presidential election could very very well determine the fate of this country. The Democrats have narrowed the choice down to a young inexperienced black American and a former first lady of a corrupt president.

On the conservative side; the true conservatives are being weeded out. John McCain who has voted WITH the liberal agenda the last 3 years has been "kissing up" to the liberal media in hopes of getting support in the wake of the Anti-Bush firestorm.
The liberal media recognizes this and is practically giving McCain the Republican nomination. Of course once he's nominated, they'll turn on him with venom.

I never got the chance to vote for Tom Tancredo from Arizona. I just missed being able to vote for Fred Daulton Thompson from Tennessee (and NBC's Law and Order) and it looks like Mike Huckbee and Ron Paul will be history before Super Tuesday.

That leaves Mit Romnie. A nice guy. But a Mormon. Now I know this doesn't mean much to the average democrat, but right wing Christian republicans are going to find it real hard to vote for Romnie. I mean, this guy believes that American Indians our decendents from the 12 tribes of Israel. The book of Mormon is going to make Mit Romnie as electable as Tom Cruise and his flying saucer Gods from the Scientologist movement.

So it's Obama/Clinton/McCain . No matter what happens. America LOSES.