The Lonely Goatherd Blog And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats - Matthew 25:32
Up to the minute notes on the current state of free thinking and free living: Kentucky moonshine - original analysis and reporting from MoreThings, and all round pop culture museum of sight and sound - photo galleries, mp3 and video downloads.
Al Barger and MoreThings - getting people's goats since 1998.
Live free or die!
----
I wouldn't want to ask people to just give me money cause they like my website, but do please take a quick look at Barger's Boutique. You might find yourself a little something-something for 2 or 3 bucks that you just can't resist! Any of the round images you find around MoreThings will get you to an Amazon page to buy my stuff and help ol' Al keep the lights on.
Links
To explicitly state the obvious, these external links go to interesting and provocative websites, but they speak for themselves. I don't necessarily agree with anything they say - especially that no-goodnik Richard Marcus.
*************
All original content on MoreThings.com copyright 2008 Albert Barger or the respective authors
April 25, 2003
Now the Dixie Chicks are just asking for it Like the old maid aunt in Elvis Costello's classic song, "I almost had a weakness." I was just about starting to feel bad for the Dixie Chicks getting continuing grief over a couple of stupid comments back in the long ago days before the war. Sure Natalie Maines was talking foolishness, but people have vandalized their property and made threats and organized boycotts. Damn, people, get a life already.
Then they go and do this:
Their considered response to this controversy is a softcore lesbian photo shoot for the cover of Entertainment Weekly. This amounts to a cheesy Madonna-style publicity stunt.
They have positively embraced the controversy. This photo amounts to a giant raised middle finger to their critics. Oh wait, that's not their middle finger, that's me...
Understand that this is not a rebuke. Hell, they look like they're just seconds away from filming the first Dixie Chicks video ever that I would be interested in watching.
Even beyond the amusing titillation though, I much prefer this to whining. Instead of complaining and backtracking, they have chosen to make a frontal assault. They have chosen to positively exploit this controversy for publicity and marketing. You go girls!
However, with this photo they have pretty much given up any right to bitch about people overreacting. The thing was dying down, and now they have purposely picked it up- and raised it to a whole new level. Does Miss Emily intend this picture to disprove the rude folks who have called them "dixie sluts"?
None of this constitutes any kind of a serious political statement or argument, mind you. I vaguely suspect that they want us to think that this picture constitutes some kind of significant political argument or artistic statement or something. It does not, in fact. It's just naked chicks. And I'm OK with that. :)
It's a publicity stunt. It might backfire and cause them to only sell 2 copies of their next album, or it might make a big splash and sell them 20 million albums. Bully for them. This little play is more interesting than any of their homogenized, pre-processed country cheese music product.
I just don't want to hear any whining if they get pickets at their concerts. After all, they're sending out an engraved invitation.
