Has It Really Been 25 Years?

It wasn't until I read this article on the Attitude website, did I realize Vogue is celebrating it's 25th Anniversary!

I still think this is one of the best videos of all time.

Pic Of The Day - 01.12.15 - Music Makes The People Come Together

Originally I was going to use this for my pic of the day because the other day when I was in Bed Bath and Beyond with no comma, I heard a David Bowie song from the '80s and a Go-Go's song and they both brought back memories.

Music tends to do that to me. Some songs will take me all the way back to elementary school. Some songs bring back happy memories and some bring back memories that are not so happy.

So...as I was walking to my car after work on Monday, I noticed this:

It's pretty in an old worn out kind of way.

Because it was trash pickup day, I couldn't park in my normal area of the neighborhood so I had to venture out and park on a side street. I've parked here before but had never noticed this gate. Maybe because it was gray and cloudy, the pop of colour caught my eye.

"I Wanted To Be A Boy Scout.."

Congratulations Anderson Cooper on being presented with the annual Vito Russo Award at the 24th Annual Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) Awards.  Anderson was recognized for his stature and accomplishment as an openly gay journalist.

Madonna, dressed as a Boy Scout presented Anderson with his award after her comments on injustice and bullying. 

"[The bullying epidemic] is no different from a white supremacist hanging a black man from a tree before the Civil Rights movement. It's no different than a member of the Taliban shooting a young girl in the head for writing a blog about the importance of female education. It's no crazier than an Iranian gay man being hanged for falling in love with a man. I don't know about you, but I can't take this sh*t anymore. That is why I want to start a revolution. Are you with me? It's 2013, people. We live in America -- land of the free, home of the brave -- that's a question, not a statement."

To read more about the event, visit Huffington Post here and here.

Source: AP

Source: Getty Images

The Harlem Shake - Part II

I had a feeling that it was just a matter of time before someone stood up and said, "This is the real Harlem Shake."  And Melissa Harris-Perry did it today.  Of course she had to give a commentary, because she's that way, before the viewers actually get to see it happen.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

It sort of reminds me of Voguing.  Madonna didn't invent it, she just brought it to the spotlight.  In fact, it was while I was watching Paris Is Burning that I was introduced to the New York City ball culture and the houses.  Voguing is something that had been happening for years and was brought to the general public via the movie and Madonna.

I wonder what the next craze will be that we'll buy into but that already exists? Any ideas?

Sticky & Sweet @ Minute Maid Park

Madge blew into town this weekend. Even though she said she had never been here (maybe she meant Minute Maid Park and not Houston) we knew better. I wasn't here when Blonde Ambition came to town (although I saw it in Dallas) but it is documented in Truth or Dare that she was here and staying at the Omni. I figured this time around she would stay at Hotel Icon (because she is an icon), Hotel ZaZa, St. Regis or Four Seasons. Turns out she was at Four Seasons and her crew was at The Hyatt.

So she was spitting distance from the Pre-Madonna Party I went to at Houston House Mike's apartment. While I was Pre-Madonnaing, KIM (Kenny In Montrose) got a lesson on why it is good to have a Crackberry AND be on FaceBook. In a matter of minutes, the following picture was, uploaded and posted on FaceBook.

Tall Todd and I both discussed how easy it is to keep up with folks via FaceBook. However, some status updates are a bit cryptic

Neighbor Nina and Friend Cassie showed up at the Pre-Madonna Party and wowed the crowd with the outfits. I told them to strike a pose. And they did.

They brought some accessories along with them so I donned some sunglasses and a halo.

Neighbor Nina and Friend Cassie had floor seats and took the following photos. I was Club Level (near a bathroom and a bar) and life was good.

Madge was two hours late taking the stage. Geez...she was staying right down the street. I figure she gets a cut of the bar tab which if that is the case, she made out really well.

She didn't do many of her vintage songs. As expected, it was heavy with Hard Candy songs. I like Hard Candy so I was fine with her selection.

She took ONE, yes ONE, request from an audience member and what does goofus ask for? Secret. Yes, Secret from Bedtime Stories. I think that was her lowest selling cd and he asks for a song from it? LOL I would have said, Material Girl or Express Yourself. OY!

At first I thought it was odd that she sang You Must Love Me as her selection from Evita and then I remembered that she wrote the song! The queen of self-promotion was self-promoting.

Another odd thing was that there wasn't an encore. When she left the stage, Holiday started to play and I got excited and then the lights came up. ?????

I enjoyed the trip to the candy shop and the group I was with, we all needed insulin shots when we left. We danced. We laughed. We chatted. We people-watched. We drank copius amounts of vodka while we were at the candy store. Maybe that is why we had such a good time.

Where do I begin?

To tell the story of how great a love can be? Everytime I start a conversation with that question, "Where do I begin?" I hear Andy Williams singing The Theme from Love Story. Well, I don't have a love story to share. Sorry.



I feel like I haven't stopped dancin' yet I haven't been able to stop and have a cocktail catch my breath. There's been quite a bit going on.

Work is pulling me in 20 different directions all at once. I was at a conference for part of this week and picked up some new ideas. Even though I was about 1.5 miles from the office, I might as well have been 1600 miles away. So of course I get back into the office mid-morning today and caught myself having to take deep breaths and not feel overwhelmed.

I haven't been running. I haven't been working out. I'm going to get as big as a house. More of me to love.

I did attend a fun soiree at Museum of Fine Arts/Houston on Monday night. That also happened be at the same time of the arrival of the typhoon that hit Houston this week. OY! Thunder & lightning and lots of rain.



I met some interesting people from around the country. I'm always amazed at the number of people who know about my place of employment.

The Latin Grammy Awards will take place tomorrow night. Downtown is full of Latinos & Latinas. David Dust would be in Papi Heaven. Having the awards here in Houston really puts us on the map. From what I understand, this will be broadcast all over the U.S. & Latin America. ¡Aye Dios Mio! And I think this is the first time that the awards have not been held in Miami or Los Angeles.

So it's been cool to see all the happenings around the Toyota Center, the George R. Brown Convention Center and the Hilton Americas. I'm just wondering if Ricky will be shaking his bon bon and will Shakira's hips not be telling lies?

Madge arrives on Sunday and brings her Sticky & Sweet Tour to Minute Maid Park. I'm not sure what to wear. A Jean Paul Gaultier inspired bustier? There was some banter about wearing a WWMD? t-shirt. LOL

I've been so busy I didn't even realize that Top Chef/New York starts tonight so on that note...gotta go!

Sticky & Sweet

Madonna performs onstage at the Cardiff Millennium Stadium on August 23, 2008 during the first concert of her "Sticky and Sweet" world tour. This was the first of the 49-date tour.




source: Getty Images

50 Is The New 30

I have had some unusual coincidences within the past of couple of weeks. Another one happened this morning.

I arrived at Memorial Park for my Saturday run. Wasn't quite sure if I was up to a run. Not the best thing to do after a full Mexican dinner at Cyclone Anayas (with frozen Margarita-Sangria Swirls) from the night before. I was in my WWMPD?* mood.

So I turned on the iPod nano and wasn't really paying attention to the playlist. The first song that played was Madonna's Give It To Me. The coincidence? Today is her birthday! Once again, the nano spoke to me through music.

Birthday greetings go out to Madge, Mo, The Material Girl, Madonna!


Madonna is celebrating her 50th birthday today. I have a few more years before I hit the Big 5-0 so I have bought into the idea of 50 being the new 30. In fact, last week I was told by someone that he thought I was in my thirties.

Her Madgesty is often the target of criticism; some of it from Kaye Sedilla. In spite of that, she is still raking in the dough and adopting kids. Last year I did a brief tribute to Madonna. She is a business woman that knows how to keep us entertained and she knows how to reinvent herself.

One of the things I forgot to mention last year was an interview that was done on the 10th Anniversary of MTV. The president of MTV was asked, "Where would Madonna be without MTV?" He replied, "Where would MTV be without Madonna?" Definitely a symbiotic relationship.

Mo, if you're reading this, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! In the words of ABBA, "Thank you for the music..." and in the words of Rihanna, "Please don't stop the music..."

OVERHEARD AFTER DINNER:
Person #1: "I wouldn't pay $20 to see a Madonna concert."
Person #2: "Oh? Hmmm....but you paid $250 to see Kaye Sedilla!"

*What Would Michael Phelps Do?

Overheard at a different party (today)

"If Justin Timberlake needed a shot in the ass, I'd be happy to fill him up."

Ramblings of A Caffeinated Mind 13.0

Hey. Did you notice? 13.0

Significance? This blog is a year old. Yes. 1 year old. Happy Birthday to Str8 Up With A Twist!

While Str8 Up With A Twist was on hiatus for a few days the milestone passed. (BTW...hiatus always makes me think of Hyannis which makes me think of the Kennedy's but more on them later.)

I would like to thank all of you who read this either on a daily basis or on an occasional basis. I didn't set a counter on it until August and then I accidentally deleted in November so I can only assume how many hits I have had.

I looked at what keywords have brought people to this site. This doesn't include those of you who have me booked marked or have used a link from a Comments section or from another blog. Here are some of the top keywords:

attyhou

str8up

erik barajas

ryan korsgard

mardi gras party at rich's

world aids day houston

get into the groove

santa speedo run 2007

last night

Interesting huh?

Spunk

My horoscope for Thursday, June 5 said:

Though you might be serious, you have spunk and resilience. Your sense of humor comes out when dealing with someone you care about deeply. A relationship could go from very serious to simply silly in a few hours.

It made me think of the Mary Tyler Moore show (I believe the first episode):

Lou Grant: You know what? You've got spunk.

Mary Richards: Well, yes...

Lou Grant: I hate spunk.

That always makes me laugh because she thought it was a compliment.

I used to get a daily horoscope sent to me but the service is no longer available. I would forward it to Friend Janet and we would try to figure who it was more applicable to. You see...

Our birthdays are just a few days apart. So we would try to figure it out. I mention this because one day in December of 2003 I received an e-mail that said, "blah, blah, blah and look in the mirror and congratulate yourself on how fabulous you are." It applied to both of us and that is by far the most fabulous horoscope I have ever received!

Flasher on Memorial Drive

I'm Not Fit To Run has been trying to acclimate to running in the heat. I used to be able to run in the heat but then I switched to becoming a morning runner and became accustomed to running in high humidity.

So. Being inspired by I'm Not Fit To Run, I decided to give it the old college try. Wednesday and Thursday I was at the park around 500ish/530ish and let me tell you bois and gurls, it was hot!

According to the Tim-o-meter (LOL I just thought of that), it had to be in the low to mid-90s on both days. And it was WINDY on both days. According to the Tim-0-meter, wind gusts had to be at least 20 m.p.h.

Well, I need to issue an apology to anyone who might have been driving on Memorial Drive. You see...

The wind was catching my running shorts and was causing them to fly every which way. So I'm sure you saw my butt and my kibbles and bit. I was doing my best Marilyn Monroe impression to try and keep them down but it wasn't working. Please don't call the cops. There was nothing I could do.

Quote of the day

Everyday I get an email from Runners World. It is called Daily Kick In The Butt. This morning when I opened the email it hit me right between the eyes.

"I think some of the most celebrated moments in human achievement should be those times when everything is going against a person and they are down in the dumps but they simply choose to get up. That's real greatness!" -Ryan Hall

This is Ryan Hall in Houston setting the U.S. record for 1/2 marathon.

Heights Fun Run

I have not done a 5K fun run in 2008 so tomorrow I will be in The Heights doing The Heights Fun Run.

Some of you may think that is an oxymoron: fun/run. It is a run and it is fun. The thing that I like about it is that it has the feel of a neighborhood party even if it starts at 730 a.m.

There is still time to sign up. For info, click here.

Hillary

I haven't given up on her yet. I still have my sign in the window.

I honestly wish things had worked out differently but it is what it is.

There are people out there who are not pleased that she didn't concede the other night. There are people out there who don't want her on the ticket with Obama.

I'm sure deals are being brokered that we won't know about for awhile and if you're naive enough to think that alliances and deal brokering only happen on Survivor, I've got some $4 bills I'd like to sell to you.

I am a bit perplexed as to why Caroline Kennedy is part of the search team. Don't get me wrong, I like Caroline. Being a quasi-conspiracy theorist, I have some thoughts about what has transpired and what is going to go down. Just remember something. Caroline's dad wasn't too thrilled about having LBJ on the ticket and LBJ was too thrilled about being on the ticket but they both knew it was a winning ticket. I'm just saying...

Clouds

The weather today is a bit odd. Still windy. Still hot. Dark clouds sometimes. Vice President Dick Cheney is in town. Coincidence? I'm just asking.

Hard Candy

For the past couple of weeks I have been sucking on Hard Candy and I think I'm addicted.

I can't stop listening to Give It 2 Me in the car or on the iPod nano. I think I've become one of those people that I despise...you know, they dance and sing at the gym and are oblivious to laughs and stares. THEN, the other morning I woke singing Incredible. And I find that every time I have to be somewhere, I start singing 4 Minutes (you know, like in four minutes I'm gonna save the world whenever I get to wherever I have to be?). WTF is wrong with me? LOL

Well, that sort of catches me up for the past few days. Catch up with you soon!

Hello

OK. Yes. I know. I've been a bit quiet. Not much to say about anything.

It's getting hotter here in H-town. It's so hot (how hot is it?), The Calvinator is cutting his walks short. Seriously. When he has had enough and is ready to turn around he just stops and digs in and won't move. It's sort of like trying to get a mule to budge.

I went running this morning a bit before 800a.m. and it was already in the low 80s. In fact, when we went for our morning stroll at 630a.m. it was already 83 degrees and the humidity was high. I'm one of those people who sweats like a whore in church (no comments please) and I just can't understand those lizard people who don't sweat.

This morning as I was finishing up my 5 mile jaunt at Memorial Park, I saw a familiar face...well, familiar from his blog. It was Active Runner. I had about 1/2 a mile to go and REALLY wanted to finish so I didn't stop to chat him up. I think I surprised him though.

So I showered and went and did some weights and worked up another sweat. And showered again.

Then later on I went to AttyHou and Everyday Italian's pool and was joined by Neighbor Michael. At this point the temperature was in the 90s. OY! I didn't last long because I was sweating like a whore at The Vatican. So yes, I showered...again.

I must ask. Is it normal to take three showers in one day? Am I bordering on OCD or am I OCD?

So that's what's on my mind tonight...well that and whole bunch of other stuff that you may or not may not be interested in, like:

1) I can't figure why gas is so high in Houston when the f_cking refineries are right down the road in Texas City, La Porte and Deer Park? I'm just saying.

2) Is it normal to have a job interview at 800a on Memorial Day? Is this some kind of test?

3) I finally had to look up the words to 4 Minutes and I still don't understand part of it and I'm laughing at myself for not incorrectly singing some of the lyrics. (Lyrics I don't understand: "Keep it up, keep it up, don't be a pri..")

4) I'm wondering if Candy Shop will be remixed?

5) I don't think Betty Suarez went to Tuscon (with Henry) or Rome (with Gio). If she was going to marry Henry, that would mean she has to leave Mode and there goes the whole show. Plus, she would want her family at the wedding. I think she is afraid of Gio because she knows she belongs with him. I think she went on a trip to Mexico to visit family and get her head together.

And while I'm on the subject of Ugly Betty, did anyone else LOL when Naomi Campbell pulled out her cell phone and everybody took cover? And poor Hilda. She gets a hunkalicious love interest only to find out he is still married.

6) Did anyone watch The Bachelorette? Deanna was in her own Candy Shop. My assumption is that they don't let the guys eat any food and then do a vodka drip so the alcohol can go directly into their bloodstream. And the guy who didn't get picked and was howling at the moon? Uh...LOL

I hope everyone is having a safe and fun holiday weekend!

Sticky & Sweet

Madge (aka Madonna) is coming to Houston! It was announced this morning that things are going to get sticky & sweet in the Bayou City on November 16 when the Sticky & Sweet Tour makes a stop at Minute Maid Park. Houston is the only Texas stop on the tour. The last time that Madge did a concert in H-town was in 1990 when she brought the Blonde Ambition Tour to town.

Tickets go on sale on May 31. Prices will range from $55-$350. I'm thinking about pimping out Calvin to raise the funds for a ticket!

I have only been to one Madonna concert and that was Blonde Ambition at Reunion Arena in Dallas. I have never, repeat never, had so much fun and danced so much at a concert. My clothes were covered in sweat when I left the arena. It was more than a concert; it was a show. A really big show.

Her Hard Candy cd debuted on Billboard's Top 20 with sales of 280,000 cds. 4 Minutes with JT was her 37th Top 10 hit.

The Queen of Reinvention just keeps coming back and never stops. Long live the Queen!

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 11.0

Party Pix
You will recall that in a previous post I mentioned Legacy's gala at Neiman-Marcus. If you would like to view photos from the gala, click here. I am only in one pic and it isn't very good because I'm laughing and I look like I have chipmunk cheeks. Everyone else looks good.

Weather
OK, so what's the deal? This morning when I went to walk The Calvinator it was 58 degrees! And the heater had turned on! Just the other day I was running the air conditioner. I'm thinking Al Gore might be a bit wrong about this global warming thing. It's already supposed to be hot in H-town.

Actually, hell froze over and no one sent me an e-mail or text message. Seriously. You see...

Something happened the other night and when I found out about it via email, I replied back, "Did hell freeze over?" So it must have and that is why the temp was 58 this morning.

Big Brother
I am so glad this season is over. I was over it a few weeks ago. Did you notice that I stopped blogging about it? Adam won. (In case you were wondering.)

Goober
Howard Dean is a goober. I think I would be better at heading up the Democratic National Committee. He should have taken care of this whole Michigan & Florida thing long ago.

This morning on the Today Show he was being interviewed by Meredith Viera. She asked him a question and when he answered, he called her Andrea. Uh, would that be Andrea Mitchell? LOL

Physic
Did you know that I'm a physic? You see...

Several years ago on Westcott here in NoRO, there was a lady who set up shop. She was a psychic (who ended up going to the pokey) but her big sign on Westcott said Physic.

So why am I a psychic/physic? Well...

Last night I was too tired to fall asleep so I was channel surfing and what do I run across? Evita starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas. Fortunately I fell asleep after some of my favorite songs had been sung.

One of the songs that I *heart* is Buenos Aires. So this morning, on the Today Show, Matt Lauer started his Where In The World Is Matt Lauer Tour and where in the world was Matt Lauer this morning? In Buenos Aires! Who knew? Well, I guess I did.



Oh no he didn't
You know there are some people who just are not meant to get into the groove, especially with a New Orleans jazz band. I know he doesn't drink alcohol but maybe he should have had a Hurricane from Pat O's or a Long Island Iced Tea from Lafitte's before he decided to bust a move. (BTW...I've been meaning to post for a few days now so this is probably old news to some of you.)

What Did You Just Sing?

In a previous post I told the story about a guy who confused the words to one of Madonna's songs. Admit it. We've all done it.

Remember the song Guantanamera? The chorus is, "Guantanamera. Guajira Guantanamera." Well someone once sang, "One ton tomato. I ate a one ton tomato."

How about Creedence Clearwater Revival's Bad Moon Rising? There is a line in there about "There's a bad moon on the rise." Someone thought that they were singing, "There's a bathroom on the right."

And I think I've previously mentioned a former neighbor who thought Madonna's Isla Bonita contained the lyrics, "Last night I dreamt of some bagels." Instead of "Last night I dreamt of San Pedro."

So now I present the Bulgarian version of American Idol. Everytime I watch this I giggle.

Music makes the people come together

4 minutes

I downloaded the single off of iTunes the other day. All it took was one listening and I was hooked. Watch the video. It will only take four minutes.

EDIT: The video has been removed from YouTube. However, Kenneth In The 212 has it on his blog. Click on his name and it should take you there. (I couldn't figure out the Russian language to find the code to embed.)

Madonna's New CD Cover

Str8 Up With A Twist Reader alnhouston sent me an e-mail with a link to ET Online about Madonna's new CD Cover.

Not sure what this has to do with Hard Candy but hey, it's Madonna. And you know, for an almost 50 year old, she ain't looking bad.

So now I'm humming, Hard Candy Christmas from Best Little Whorehouse/The Movie.

Madonna Gets Inducted Into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

Last night Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The event took place in New York City at the Waldorf Astoria.

Some of Madonna's detractors have said that she doesn't belong in the Hall of Fame. Why would someone say that? When you look at where she started and what she has accomplished she definitely deserves the honor.

The story from the AP is below and it has some of Madge's comments.

While I am a big fan of Madonna, I can't help but question the dress that she wore last night. You can rate the runway at the end of the post. I've posted a full length photo of the dress.


Madonna, Mellencamp Head to Rock Hall
By DAVID BAUDER AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- Madonna, pop music's quick-change artist, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Monday and paid tribute to people who encouraged her and even critics who panned her for helping drive her career.

Heartland hitmaker John Mellencamp, with his son Speck playing guitar and his parents watching from a balcony above the Waldorf Astoria Hotel ballroom, joined the rock-kicking with a rumbling version of "Authority Song."

"I wrote this song, and I still feel the same way today as I did when I wrote it 25 years ago," Mellencamp said.

Philly soul producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, literate songwriter Leonard Cohen, British rockers the Dave Clark Five, and surf instrumentalists the Ventures were among the other inductees.

Madonna recalled key moments of her career, from playing her demo tape for record company president Seymour Stein when he was in a hospital bed hooked up to an IV, to her shock at looking out from the stage at thousands of girls dressed like her. "It freaked me out," she said.
She fondly remembered a teacher who encouraged her to follow her dreams when she was only 14, and said she's lucky to have people around her that are still doing that.

Even the people who "said I was talentless, that I was chubby, that I couldn't sing, that I was a one-hit wonder, they helped me, too," she said. "They inspired me because they made me question myself repeatedly and pushed me to be better."

Singer Justin Timberlake, who helped produce Madonna's upcoming album, inducted her with an innuendo-laden speech.

"The world is full of Madonna wannabes. I might have even dated a couple," said Britney Spears' ex. "But there is truly only one Madonna."

Timberlake told of how he felt ill one day while working on Madonna's new album and she asked whether he wanted a B-12 shot. He said sure, expecting a doctor to show up, but Madonna pulled out a syringe and said, "drop 'em."
After he pulled his pants back up, "she looked at me and said, 'That's top shelf,' and that was one of the greatest days of my life," he said.

"Everything he said is basically true," Madonna confirmed, "but I didn't say 'drop 'em,' I said, 'pull your pants down."

Madonna didn't perform but asked punk rockers Iggy Pop and the Stooges to sing "Burning Up" and "Ray of Light." At the end, a shirtless Pop said, "you make me feel shiny and new, like a virgin touched for the very first time," and tossed his microphone to the floor.

Mellencamp talked of having surgery for spina bifida when he was 6 weeks old, saying doctors were worried he would be paralyzed below the neck. The 56-year-old rocker said he never knew of the surgery until his teen years, when a classmate asked him about the scar behind his neck.

His grandmother always whispered in his ear, "Buddy, you're the luckiest boy alive."

"I'm lucky to be standing here for any number of reasons," said Mellencamp, a heart patient who snuffed out a cigarette as he took the stage.

Fellow Hall of Fame member Billy Joel, who inducted Mellencamp, said, "You scared us a couple of times when we thought we might have lost you a couple of times, even though it might have been a good career move."

The world needed Mellencamp's voice, he said.

"They need to hear somebody out there feels like they do, in the small towns or the big cities," Joel said. "And it doesn't matter if they hear it on a jukebox in a gin mill or on a ... truck commercial."

Gamble, taking the stage with his longtime partner, invited the audience to answer back his wish for "peace."

"Thank you so much, because that's exactly what our music represented," Gamble told the people gathered at the famed hotel for the annual ceremony, televised on VH1 Classic.

Patti LaBelle performed a chandelier-shaking rendition of "If You Don't Know Me By Now" to introduce Gamble and Huff. The songwriters and producers created a lush, melodic brand of soul known for their hometown and performed by a variety of artists.

Gamble cited one: Billy Paul's tale of the adulterous affair in "Me and Mrs. Jones."

"There's a little 'Me and Mrs. Jones' going on here in New York," he said to laughter, hours after New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer was accused of hiring a prostitute.

He dispelled one rumor. The song "MFSB" stood for mother, father, sister, brother, he insisted. For years, others let their imaginations run wild with the initials.

One odd sign of the times: among the favors distributed to guests at Monday's dinner was a box of 30 blank CDs, presumably so people wouldn't have to worry about buying CDs anymore.

The Ventures excelled at what is almost a forgotten art in rock music - the instrumental. Nokie Edwards' twangy guitar gave the band its distinctive sound. They performed their first hit, "Walk, Don't Run," and "Hawaii Five-O."

John Fogerty recalled how he and fellow members of Creedence Clearwater Revival used to hang out in a garage learning the Ventures' songs.

"When the Ventures first hit the radio, I would say I was gone," Fogerty said. "The Ventures went on to record 250 albums. Think about that. These days, some of us would be happy to sell 250 albums."

Cohen, a Canadian, is one of music's most highly regarded, if not best-known, songwriters, through pieces like "Suzanne" and the much-covered "Hallelujah." Damien Rice sang the latter song in tribute.

Lou Reed, who was inducting Cohen, carried a sheaf of papers to the stage and read several examples of Cohen's lyrics.

"We're so lucky to be alive at the same time Leonard Cohen is," Reed said.

Cohen, dressed in a black tux, recited the lyrics to his song "Tower of Song" in a hushed voice.

"This is a very unlikely occasion for me," he said. "It is not a distinction that I coveted or even dared dream about."

The Dave Clark Five followed the Beatles in the original British Invasion, with catchy hits including "Glad All Over." Led by drummer and songwriter Clark, the band enters the hall at a tragic time: singer Mike Smith died at age 64 of pneumonia less than two weeks ago.

"Mike tried desperately to be here with us tonight," Clark said. "At least he knows he's a hall of famer. Mike, you're with us in spirit, my friend, and always will be."

Little Walter, who died in 1968, joins the hall in its sidemen category. He recorded frequently with Muddy Waters in the 1950s.

© 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Fact or Fiction Tuesday

Fact or Fiction #1:

People still live by the gospel according to Rush Limbaugh?

Fact or Fiction #2:

Republicans are voting in the Democrat Primary today because they think they can help pick a candidate who can lose to John McCain?

Fact or Fiction #3:

Madonna was in another one of my dreams last night?

Ramblings Of A Caffeinated Mind 9.2

I AM the queen
...and I have the bosom to prove it!

photo: AP/Kevork Djansezian

Feb 13, 6:27 AM EST
Franklin slams Beyonce Grammy intro

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- When Aretha Franklin is unhappy, she does not mince words. On Tuesday, the longtime Queen of Soul slammed Beyonce Knowles' intro to Tina Turner at Sunday's Grammy Awards, in which Knowles called Turner, not Franklin, "the queen."

"I am not sure of whose toes I may have stepped on or whose ego I may have bruised between the Grammy writers and Beyonce," Franklin said in a statement issued by her publicist. "However, I dismissed it as a cheap shot for controversy."

E-mails to Knowles' publicist Yvette Noel-Schure and calls and e-mails to Recording Academy spokeswomen Jaime Sarachit and Barb Deghan were not immediately returned.

In the first few seconds of Knowles' intro to Turner's performance, she name-dropped Franklin and a long list of famed female singers. Then the "Crazy in Love" chanteuse focused on Turner.

"There is one legend who has the essence of all of those things: the glamour, the soul, the passion, the strength, the talent," said Knowles, strutting in hot pants. "Ladies and gentlemen. Stand on your feet and give it up for the queen."

At a party later that night, Knowles called Turner her "ultimate icon."

Still, Franklin ended her brief criticism on a gracious note, thanking the Grammys and the voting academy and saying, "love to Beyonce anyway."

Known for such hits as "Respect" and "Chain of Fools," Franklin tied with the Clark Sisters for best gospel performance trophy for her duet "Never Gonna Break My Faith" with Mary J. Blige.
© 2008 The Associated Press

Hillary's Dream
This was sent to me from a good friend out on the West Coast.

Driving Miss Hillary

Confessions On A Dance Floor1. I'm already hooked on Big Brother Season 9.

2. I almost ran over a blind person and his partner tonight when they were trying to cross the street IN THE DARK

3. I've been 2-timing the people at the office on Memorial Drive. It's been really crowded and noisy and I can't always get a desk to read my paper, enjoy my coffee and use my laptop. Plus at certain points in the morning it is hell making a left turn on Memorial Drive. So if I've been to the gym (aka LeFittes) it is easier to go the big office on Shepherd @ W. Gray. I can always get a desk and it's not crowded. (I feel better now that that is off of my chest.)

4. I'm getting really frustrated trying to do this career change. I'm trying to keep my pecker up but some days...

VD
Tonight after the gym and before Big Brother 9, I stopped at Kroger to pick up a few things. GEEZ! You would have thought it was the night before Thanksgiving. Parking was a problem. People everywhere. And then I realized (as I was looking in their grocery carts and baskets) that they were stocking up on stuff for tomorrow.

Champagne. Flowers. Balloons. Chocolate covered strawberries. Condoms. Green M&Ms.

Afew weeks ago Brechi Reborn listed 15 things that he did over the weekend. Even though they were in no particular order, #13 was Ate Green M&Ms and #15 was Did X-Rated Things. I think there is a correlation there.

I remember in high school hearing that green M&Ms were an aphrodisiac. If I remember correctly, the green M&Ms only made up 10% of the M&M production and they carried that mystical quality.

M&M has embraced the legend and I noticed that this year they have special packaging just for green M&Ms. So Brechi, this is for you! Happy VD!