The Politics of Daylight Savings Time

Here’s an energy policy trivia question for you. What do you get when you have a Republican control Congress with Texas Republican Tom Delay as House Majority Leader along with two oil men, President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney in charge of the executive branch? Give up? Here’s a hint. This morning it cost you and most notably your kids an extra hour of sleep a few weeks earlier than normal.

The Energy Policy Act in 2005 extended daylight saving time by four weeks starting in 2007 from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November. The objective, or the hope, was to save 10,000 barrels of oil each day through reduced use of power by businesses during daylight hours.

But what if the amount of energy saved during daylight hours is offset by the increase in usage in the morning hours when depending on where you live it may still be dark outside when the alarm clock goes off? And what about reducing energy cost? The law of supply and demand dictates that reducing oil consumption should reduce oil prices. However, prices can be fixed to remain stable or even increase by OPEC who can simply reduce production in order to artificially increase prices, manipulating the laws of supply and demand to its advantage.

The results of the effectiveness of daylight savings in energy conservation is all over the place. Therefore it is uncertain as to whether or not daylight saving time conserves energy. However what is absolutely certain is the conservation of profits of the big oil industry. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 gave huge tax breaks to American energy companies and corporate polluters, allowed for drilling both off shore and in the Alaskan Wild Life Refuge, and even shielded manufacturers of motor fuels and other persons from liability for claims based on defective product relating to motor vehicle fuel.

Watch as Rep. Fortney Stark (D-CA) voices his opposition to this bill:

Extending daylight savings time was a fuzzy attempt to disguise a deficit spending $14.5 billion tax break to the energy companies while pretending to exact real reform. And with subsequence summers of over $3 a gallon gas prices of 2007 and $4 a gallon gas prices in 2008, daylight savings time wasn’t the only thing making Americans lose sleep during the past few years.

Latest Health Care Insurance Woes

by Diane Mayer Christiansen
UPDATE:

March 15, 2010 2:00pm

Shot down by the insurance company again! Yes, today I received a letter in the mail from my husbands company, telling me that my son’s therapies for autism are not covered by our policy. Shocker! Here’s what bothers me the most:

The insurance company contests that my son is receiving Sensory Integration Therapy and since that type of therapy is considered “experimental” they can not cover it.
Okay…first of all J is not receiving therapies for Sensory Integration. I’ve explained this time and time again. I’ve sent letters from doctors and therapists telling them this time and time again. Every time someone tells them the therapies are Speech and Feeding, they somehow magically turn that into Sensory Integration.

Secondly, he did have Sensory Integration therapy several years ago, that I paid for. Unbeknown to the Insurance company, I am well versed in their lingo, after all, I’ve been battling the beast for seven years. I feel like I’m in this battle of good verses evil and the monster is barring his sharp teeth daring me to flee…but I can’t…it’s my son we’re fighting for.

The truth is, I just don’t understand why we’re fighting at all. Isn’t insurance about us paying our monthly fees and them taking care of our medical needs? I don’t care if any of my son’s therapies are “experimental”. They’re helping him. Looks like the insurance company is still just waiting until he ends up in the hospital due to malnutrition (have fun with that big bill). I think that in no time in the history of America, have so many people felt so completely misunderstood by medical insurance companies than today. Count me in!

Oh, and by the way…if you’re reading this Insurance Company…Not everyone is trying to take advantage of you. We’re just trying to help our kids.

March 11, 2010

Okay…the latest insurance issue: At the beginning of the new year, we were asked by the insurance company to prove that I was indeed married to my husband and that our son was really our son. I sent in my marriage license among other things as well as my son’s social security card and birth certificate. Apparently this wasn’t enough and they are questioning weather J is really my son.

OMG…really? Will they sink to any means to NOT pay. Let’s see, I distinctly remember going to the hospital for my scheduled inducement of labor. I remember vividly, how my unborn child’s heart rate became too low and how I was rushed into emergency surgery for a cesarean. I also remember thinking a was going to die as the anesthesiologist hummed the theme song from Star Wars and the many doctors crowded around me getting my son to breathe. Oh, yeah, I also vaguely remember how the insurance wouldn’t cover the cost of a Billy Blanket at home when my son was jaundice, causing me to have to stay in the hospital an extra couple of days so he could receive treatment (does this make sense?).Funny thing…I did bring a child home from the hospital seven days later.

Could it be that I imagined all of this and forged a birth certificate out of pure longing for a child? Hmmm, better not let the insurance company hear me say that.

(Read more from Diane Christiansen at www.imautisticnotartistic.com)

Health Care Summit 2010: Republicans You’re Excused!

Have you ever had a presentation to make in front of a crowd and were not prepared? Oh how you wished the meeting was cancelled. Remember how relieved you felt when you heard the buzz that the teacher was out and how jubilant you felt when you poked your head in the classroom to find a substitute sitting at the teacher’s desk? You felt like you dodged a bullet and did not have to make a fool of yourself in front of the entire class, exposing how unprepared you were! OK maybe it was just me.

With Anthem Blue Cross of California aiming to increase its rates by as much as thirty-nine percent despite record profits serving as a back drop, President Obama’s weekly address (see video below) makes the case for why the need for health care reform is all the more important. He therefore calls for bipartisan participation in the health care summit schedule for Thursday, February 25th, 2010, even releasing in advance the proposals for health care reform.

But House Republican Leader John Boehner, visibly not prepared to make his presentation in front of the entire country, has presented everything except a doctor’s note as an excuse not to attend the summit.

VAN SUSTEREN: The president said, you know, he was going to put everything on C-Span, so we can’t criticize him now for when he finally does put it on C-Span.

BOEHNER: Well, that’s fine, but I want to make sure that we’re going to have an honest conversation, you know, an honest, bipartisan conversation about how we can approach this. I don’t want to walk into some set-up. I don’t know who’s going to be there. I don’t know how big the room’s going to be. I don’t know — what the set-up is going to be.

Regarding the president’s proposal and transparency of a televised summit:

“The President has crippled the credibility of this week’s summit by proposing the same massive government takeover of health care based on a partisan bill the American people have already rejected,” Boehner said. “…This week’s summit clearly has all the makings of a Democratic infomercial for continuing on a partisan course that relies on more backroom deals and parliamentary tricks to circumvent the will of the American people and jam through a massive government takeover of health care.”

If the president’s proposals are that bad, would it not behoove the Minority Leader to attend the summit to make a case for reform? His complaint that the Democratic plans are not GOP enough is a very juvenile argument to make. Does he want the Democrats to do his homework for him? Is that not the Republican’s job, to present their own plan in front of the American people, making a stronger case as to why their ideas are superior? Or could it be, as I suspect, that Republicans really do not have a plan to present? Misleading health insurance lobbyists’ talking points and saying “No” to a Democratic proposal does not a health care plan make.

Perhaps Boehner is afraid that he and his party will yet again have another painfully embarrassing showing as was the case during debate with President Obama during the House Republican Retreat. Whatever the true reasons behind his trying to get out of attending the summit, they only amount to excuses. Excuses only satisfy those who make them. Therefore if Boehner wants to worm his way out of debating an important issue of our time because he has nothing to offer, excuse him and get on with passing a reform bill with or without Republican support. If there is one group of people who are not satisfied by all of his excuses, it’s the 50 million people in America who are uninsured or under insured.

How My Autistic Son is Like the Incredible Hulk

“Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” If you were a fan of the hit television series “The Incredible Hulk” that aired from 1977-1982 those immortal words will forever be linked to memories of a sad tormented soul that was trying to find his way in a world that did not understand the demons he was fighting within. He was the mild mannered scientist David Banner who tried to maintain his composure at every turn because not doing so resulted in dire consequences. When everyone else gets angry we have a management system that we can rely on that is therapeutic to our psyche, helping us to cope in a complicated world around us. However when he gets angry, even hurt or injured, he swells up with this rage so intense that to those in his path, especially to those who do not know him and made him angry, he becomes a monster. That’s when things get broken smashed and pulverized until the gentle man hidden within can find a way to overtake his out of control alter ego.

So it is with my five year old autistic son. Make him angry and he takes a path completely different than his non-autistic counterparts. With a daze in his eyes and a split second pause, you know what’s coming, a screech, a passionate scream that if not brought under control will surely escalate to something even worse-throwing things and slamming doors. If he accidentally hurts himself, he compounds the situation by intentionally hurting himself even more, except this time with slaps to his own face and head, clawing his arm or whatever part of his body he accidentally injured.

Nothing short of an extremely patient parent can help him wrestle through the struggles of the moment. The second we see an episode about to erupt we get down to his level, look him in the eyes, hold his hands and say “Use your words. Say ‘Daddy I’m angry’” or ‘Mommy I hurt myself’”. We offer him alternatives. “You may squeeze your hands or talk about it with Mommy but you may not hurt my little boy”. This seemed like a futile exercise in the beginning until we started seeing less acting out in furor, but on the other hand as he uses his words more it does offer some hopeful yet sad insights into his feelings. “I want to hurt myself” he’ll say. Once when deciding to talk about his anger at my denying him something he shockingly told me “I want to put fire in my face”. He has no fire fetish whatsoever so I can only conclude that fire metaphorically describes how intense the battle raging within is. Thankfully he is talking more and the acting outs while still there are less frequent and acute.

David Banner was a very misunderstood person, and the Incredible Hulk is not a monster. While to the characters in his path the Hulk looked strange and his behavior was socially extreme, those of us who knew the sad man within felt a deep sense of compassion and empathy for him. Even as a ten year old child I remember like it was yesterday how sorry I felt for him. Honestly, I would get a lump in my throat at the end of every episode as he would walk down a barren desert road hitchhiking to “The Lonely Man Song”, the most brilliant piano piece put to a television series since A Charlie Brown Christmas. As he went from place to place, seeking to understand how to cure himself of his strange affliction, he’d change his name at each new location to hide his true identity so as not to be judged harshly for the wreckage he left behind. We are trying our best to make sure our son does not share in his lonely fate.

FoxNews.com: How Stereotypical?

Do these FoxNews.com stories and images offer a racist stereotypical theme to its readers? I have come across overt racist neo-nazi sites before completely by accident. While looking up information on the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005 signed by George W. Bush, I clicked on a link to David Duke’s message board. One member asked isn’t this a bad bill that will hurt average Americans to which another responded so long as it hurts blacks he’s all for it. The site like many others I’ve made wrong turns into had a common theme. In addition to the obvious portrayal of minorities in a very negative light, the sites were plastered with links, articles and banners for “beautiful whites only” dating services. The pictures were very often of blond men and women, and almost always with stark blue eyes.

Anybody who pays partial attention to the news or politics knows that Fox News is a bastion for right wing extremism. A few moments is all it takes for you to be either seduced by the conspiracy theories of Glenn Beck or most likely moved to nausea by the fear and subtle racism perpetrated by the network as a whole to play on the insecurities of an ignorant audience, all in the name of high ratings.

Look I am not the ultra-sensitive type who looks on every racial comment or imagery with a raised eyebrow of suspicion. Policing subliminal messages is a very tedious and full time job, made complex by its ambiguity. But when racial overtone is a reoccurring theme as is the case with Fox News, it makes you think no wonder all of its contributors think the US government should open up the flood gates of racial profiling to ward off the brown skinned “terrorist” who would do us harm.

A recent independent Daily Kos poll found that a significant number of Republicans think that President Obama is an impeachable racist, terrorist loving, socialist foreigner who never would have been elected had it not been for the voting fraud of ACORN. This does NOT, I repeat, does not imply that Republicans are all racists. It does however indicate that the party has been taken over by its extreme elements (i.e. the Tea Party movement), and that is what is being catered to. Given the fact that this group is a key demographic of the Fox News audience you can easily draw the conclusion that the face of its web site FoxNews.com is not coincidental but instead is a pattern of race baiting and fear mongering. Or am I just reading too much into this.
Anyway…I’m just saying.

52nd Annual Grammy Award Winners

SUMMARY of Multiple Nominees:
Beyoncé 10 Nominations, 6 Wins (Song of the Year, Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, Best Contemporary R&B Album)
Talor Swift 8 Nominations, 4 Wins (ALBUM OF THE YEAR, Best Country Album, Female Country Vocal Performance, Country Song)
Black Eye Peas 6 Nominations, 3 Wins (Best Pop Performance by a Duo/Group w/ Vocals, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Short Form Music Video)

Special Presentation: Tribute to Michael Jackson in 3D
Honorary Award Recipient: Neil Young, 2010 MusiCares Person of the Year

2010 NOMINEES (*Winners)

Album of the Year
I Am… Sasha Fierce – Beyoncé
The E.N.D. – Black Eyed Peas
The Fame – Lady Gaga
Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King – Dave Matthews Band
Fearless – Taylor Swift *

Song of the Year
“Poker Face” – Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga & RedOne, songwriters
“Pretty Wings” – Maxwell
Hod David & Musze, songwriters
“Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” – Beyoncé *
Thaddis Harrell, Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash & Christopher Stewart, songwriters
“Use Somebody” – Kings of Leon
Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill & Nathan Followill, songwriters
“You Belong With Me” – Taylor Swift
Liz Rose & Taylor Swift, songwriters

Best Country Album
The Foundation – Zac Brown Band
Twang – George Strait
Fearless – Taylor Swift *
Defying Gravity – Keith Urban
Call Me Crazy – Lee Ann Womack

Best New Artist
Zac Brown Band *
Keri Hilson
MGMT
Silversun Pickups
The Ting Tings

Comedy
Best Comedy Album
Back from the Dead – Spinal Tap
A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All! – Stephen Colbert *
Internet Leaks – “Weird Al” Yankovic
My Weakness Is Strong – Patton Oswalt
Suckin’ It for the Holidays – Kathy Griffin
Tall, Dark & Chicano – George Lopez

Record of the Year
“Halo” – Beyoncé
“I Gotta Feeling” – Black Eyed Peas
“Use Somebody” – Kings of Leon *
“Poker Face” – Lady Gaga
“You Belong With Me” – Taylor Swift

Best Rock Album
“Black Ice” – AC/DC
“Live from Madison Square Garden” – Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood
“21st Century Breakdown” – Green Day *
“Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King” – Dave Matthews Band
“No Line on the Horizon” – U2

Best Female Country Vocal Performance
“Dead Flowers” – Miranda Lambert
“I Just Call You Mine” – Martina McBride
“White Horse” – Taylor Swift *
“Just a Dream” – Carrie Underwood
“Solitary Thinkin’” – Lee Ann Womack

Best Male Country Vocal Performance
“All I Ask For Anymore” – Trace Adkins
“People Are Crazy” – Billy Currington
“High Cost of Living” – Jamey Johnson
“Living for the Night” – George Strait
“Sweet Thing” – Keith Urban *

Pop
Best Female Pop Vocal Performance

“Hometown Glory” – Adele
“Halo” – Beyoncé *
“Hot N Cold” – Katy Perry
“Sober” – Pink
“You Belong With Me” – Taylor Swift

Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
“This Time” – John Legend
“Love You” – Maxwell
“Make It Mine” – Jason Mraz *
“If You Don’t Know Me by Now” – Seal
“All About The Love Again” – Stevie Wonder

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals
“I Gotta Feeling” – Black Eyed Peas *
“We Weren’t Born To Follow” – Bon Jovi
“Never Say Never” – The Fray
“Sara Smile” – Daryl Hall & John Oates
“Kids” – MGMT

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals
“Sea of Heartbreak” – Rosanne Cash & Bruce Springsteen
“Love Sex Magic” – Ciara & Justin Timberlake
“Lucky – Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat *
“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” – Norah Jones & Willie Nelson
“Breathe” – Taylor Swift & Colbie Caillat

Best Pop Instrumental Performance
“Bésame Mucho” – Herb Alpert
“Throw Down Your Heart” – Béla Fleck
“The Fire” – Imogen Heap
“Phoenix Rise” – Maxwell
“Funk Joint” – Marcus Miller

Best Pop Instrumental Album
In Boston – Chris Botti
Legacy – Hiroshima
Potato Hole – Booker T. Jones *
Modern Art – The Rippingtons Featuring Russ Freeman
Down the Wire – Spyro Gyra

Best Pop Vocal Album
The E.N.D. – Black Eyed Peas *
Breakthrough – Colbie Caillat
All I Ever Wanted – Kelly Clarkson
The Fray – The Fray
Funhouse – Pink

Dance
Best Dance Recording
“Boom Boom Pow” – Black Eyed Peas
“When Love Takes Over” – David Guetta & Kelly Rowland
“Poker Face” – Lady Gaga *
“Celebration” – Madonna
“Womanizer” – Britney Spears

Best Electronic/Dance Album
“Divided By Night” – The Crystal Method
“One Love” – David Guetta
“The Fame” – Lady Gaga *
“Party Rock” – LMFAO
“Yes” – Pet Shop Boys

Traditional Pop
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
“A Swingin’ Christmas” – Tony Bennett
“Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden” – Michael Bublé *
“Your Songs” – Harry Connick, Jr.
“Liza’s at The Palace…!” – Liza Minnelli
“American Classic” – Willie Nelson

Rock
Best Rock Solo Vocal Performance
“Beyond Here Lies Nothin’” – Bob Dylan
“Change In The Weather” – John Fogerty
“Dreamer” – Prince
“Working On A Dream” – Bruce Springsteen *
“Fork in the Road” – Neil Young

Best Rock Performance By a Duo/Group w/ Vocals
“Can’t Find My Way Home” – Eric Clapton & Steve Winwood
“Life in Technicolor II” – Coldplay
“21 Guns” – Green Day
“Use Somebody” – Kings of Leon *
“I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight” – U2

Best Hard Rock Performance *
“War Machine” – AC/DC
“Check My Brain” – Alice in Chains
“What I’ve Done” (Live) – Linkin Park
“The Unforgiven III” – Metallica
“Burn It to the Ground” – Nickelback

Best Metal Performance
“Dissident Aggressor” – Judas Priest *
“Set to Fail” – Lamb of God
“Head Crusher” – Megadeth
“Señor Peligro” – Ministry
“Hate Worldwide” – Slayer

Best Rock Instrumental Performance
“A Day in the Life” – Jeff Beck *
“Warped Sister” – Booker T. Jones
“Playing With Fire” – Brad Paisley
“Mr. Surfer Goes Jazzin’” – Brian Setzer Orchestra
“Now We Run” – Steve Vai

Best Rock Song
“The Fixer” – Pearl Jam
Matt Cameron, Stone Gossard, Mike McCready & Eddie Vedder, songwriters
“I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight” – U2
Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge & Larry Mullen Jr., songwriters
“21 Guns” – Green Day
Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt & Tré Cool, songwriters
“Use Somebody” – Kings of Leon *
Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill & Nathan Followill, songwriters
“Working On A Dream” – Bruce Springsteen

Alternative
Best Alternative Music Album
“Everything That Happens Will Happen Today” – David Byrne & Brian Eno
“The Open Door EP” – Death Cab For Cutie
“Sounds of the Universe” – Depeche Mode
“Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” – Phoenix
“It’s Blitz!” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs

R&B
Best Female R&B Vocal Performance
“Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” – Beyoncé *
“It Kills Me” – Melanie Fiona
“That Was Then” – Lalah Hathaway
“Goin’ Thru Changes” – Ledisi
“Lions, Tigers & Bears” – Jazmine Sullivan

Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
“The Point Of It All” – Anthony Hamilton
“Pretty Wings” – Maxwell *
“SoBeautiful” – Musiq Soulchild
“Under” – Pleasure P
“There Goes My Baby” – Charlie Wilson

Best R&B Performance By a Duo/Group W/ Vocals
“Blame It” – Jamie Foxx & T-Pain *
“Chocolate High” – India.Arie & Musiq Soulchild
“IfULeave” – Musiq Soulchild & Mary J. Blige
“Higher Ground” – Robert Randolph & The Clark Sisters
“Love Has Finally Come at Last” – Calvin Richardson & Ann Nesby

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance
“At Last” – Beyoncé *
“Soul Music” – Anthony Hamilton
“Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight” – Boney James & Quinn
“Sow Love” – Ann Nesby
“Woman Gotta Have It” – Calvin Richardson

Best Urban/Alternative Performance
“Daykeeper” – The Foreign Exchange
“All Matter” – Robert Glasper & Bilal
“Pearls” – India.Arie & Dobet Gnahore *
“A Tale Of Two” – Eric Roberson, Ben O’Neill & Michelle Thompson
“Blend” – Tonex

Best R&B Song
“Blame It” – Jamie Foxx & T-Pain
James T. Brown, John Conte, Jr., Jamie Foxx, Christopher Henderson, Brandon R. Melanchon, Breyon Prescott, T-Pain & Nathan L. Walker songwriters
“Lions, Tigers & Bears” – Jazmine Sullivan
Salaam Remi & Jazmine Sullivan songwriters
“Pretty Wings” – Maxwell
Hod David & Musze songwriters
“Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” – Beyoncé *
Thaddis Harrell, Beyoncé, Terius Nash & Christopher Stewart songwriters
“Under” – Pleasure P
D. Babbs, L. Bereal, M. Cooper, A. Dixon, J. Franklin, T. Jones,R. New & K. Stephens songwriters

Best R&B Album
“The Point Of It All” – Anthony Hamilton
“Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics” – India.Arie
“Turn Me Loose” – Ledisi
“BLACKsummers’night” – Maxwell *
“Uncle Charlie” – Charlie Wilson

Best Contemporary R&B Album
“I Am… Sasha Fierce” – Beyoncé *
“Intuition” – Jamie Foxx
“The Introduction of Marcus Cooper” – Pleasure P
“Ready” – Trey Songz
“Thr33 Ringz” – T-Pain

Rap
Best Rap Solo Performance
“Best I Ever Had” – Drake
“Beautiful” – Eminem
“D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)” – Jay-Z *
“Day ‘N’ Nite” – Kid Cudi
“Casa Bey” – Mos Def

Best Rap Performance By a Duo/Group
“Too Many Rappers” – Beastie Boys & Nas
“Crack A Bottle” – Eminem, Dr. Dre & 50 Cent *
“Money Goes, Honey Stay” – Fabolous & Jay-Z
“Make Her Say” – Kid Cudi, Kanye West & Common
“Amazing” – Kanye West & Young Jeezy

Best Rap/Song Collaboration
“Ego” – Beyoncé & Kanye West
“Knock You Down” – Keri Hilson, Kanye West & Ne-Yo
“Run This Town” – Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West *
“I’m On A Boat” – The Lonely Island & T-Pain
“Dead and Gone” – T.I. & Justin Timberlake

Best Rap Song
“Best I Ever Had” – Drake
Aubrey Drake Graham, D. Hamilton & M. Samuels, songwriters
“Day ‘N’ Nite” – Kid Cudi
S. Mescudi & O. Omishore, songwriters
“Dead and Gone” – T.I. & Justin Timberlake
C. Harris, R. Tadross & J. Timberlake, songwriters
“D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)” – Jay-Z
Shawn Carter & Ernest Wilson, songwriters
“Run This Town” – Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West *
Shawn Carter, R. Fenty, M. Riddick, Kanye West & E. Wilson, songwriters

Best Rap Album
Universal Mind Control – Common
Relapse – Eminem *
R.O.O.T.S. – Flo Rida
The Ecstatic – Mos Def
The Renaissance – Q-Tip

Best Country Performance by a Duo/Group With Vocals
“Cowgirls Don’t Cry” – Brooks & Dunn
“Chicken Fried” – Zac Brown Band
“I Run to You” – Lady Antebellum *
“Here Comes Goodbye” – Rascal Flatts
“It Happens” – Sugarland

Best Country Collaboration w/ Vocals
“Beautiful World” – Dierks Bentley & Patty Griffin
“Down the Road” – Kenny Chesney & Mac McAnally
“Start a Band” – Brad Paisley & Keith Urban
“I Told You So” – Carrie Underwood & Randy Travis *
“Everything But Quits” – Lee Ann Womack & George Strait

Best Country Instrumental Performance
“Under The (Five) Wire” – Alison Brown
“The Crystal Merchant” – The Greencards
“Mansinneedof” – Sarah Jarosz
“Producer’s Medley” – Steve Wariner *

Best Country Song
“All I Ask For Anymore” – Trace Adkins
Casey Beathard & Tim James, songwriters
“High Cost of Living” – Jamey Johnson
Jamey Johnson & James T. Slater, songwriters
“I Run to You” – Lady Antebellum
Tom Douglas, Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley & Hillary Scott, songwriters
“People Are Crazy” – Billy Currington
Bobby Braddock & Troy Jones, songwriters
“White Horse” – Taylor Swift *
Liz Rose & Taylor Swift, songwriters

New Age
Best New Age Album
“Faith” – Jim Brickman
“Prayer For Compassion” – David Darling *
“Laserium for the Soul” – Henta
“In A Dream” – Peter Kater, Dominic Miller, Kenny Loggins & Jaques Morelenbaum
“Impressions Of The West Lake” – Kitaro

Jazz
Best Contemporary Jazz Instrumental Album
“Urbanus” – Stefon Harris & Blackout
“Sounding Point” – Julian Lage
“At World’s Edge” – Philippe Saisse
“Big Neighborhood” – Mike Stern
“75″ – Joe Zawinul & The Zawinul Syndicate *

Best Jazz Vocal Album
“No Regrets” – Randy Crawford (& Joe Sample)
“Dedicated To You: Kurt Elling Sings The Music Of Coltrane And Hartman” – Kurt Elling *
“So In Love” – Roberta Gambarini
“Tide” – Luciana Souza
“Desire” – Tierney Sutton (Band)

Best Jazz Instrumental Solo Performance
“Dancin’ 4 Chicken” – Terence Blanchard soloist
“All Of You” – Gerald Clayton soloist
“”Ms. Garvey, Ms. Garvey” – Roy Hargrove soloist
“On Green Dolphin Street” – Martial Solal soloist
“Villa Palmeras” – Miguel Zenón soloist

Best Jazz Instrumental Album
“Quartet Live” – Gary Burton, Pat Metheny,Steve Swallow & Antonio Sanchez
“Brother To Brother” – The Clayton Brothers
“Five Peace Band” — Live – Chick Corea & John McLaughlin Five Peace Band *
“Rememberance” – John Patitucci Trio
“The Bright Mississippi” – Allen Toussaint

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
“Legendary” – Bob Florence Limited Edition
“Eternal Interlude” – John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble
“Fun Time” – Sammy Nestico And The SWR Big Band
“Book One” – New Orleans Jazz Orchestra *
“Lab 2009″ – University of North Texas One O’Clock Lab Band

Best Latin Jazz Album
“Things I Wanted To Do” – Chembo Corniel
“Áurea” – Geoffrey Keezer
“Brazilliance X 4″ – Claudio Roditi
“Juntos Para Siempre” – Bebo Valdés And Chucho Valdés *
“Esta Plena” – Miguel Zenón

Gospel
Best Gospel Performance

“Free to Be Me” – Francesca Battistelli
“Jesus Is Love” – Heather Headley & Smokie Norful
“I Believe” – Jonny Lang With Fisk Jubilee Singers
“Wait On The Lord” – Donnie McClurkin & Karen Clark Sheard *
“Born Again” – Third Day

Best Gospel Song
“Born Again” – Third Day
“City on Our Knees” – TobyMac
“Every Prayer” – Israel Houghton & Mary Mary
“God in Me” – Mary Mary Featuring Kierra Sheard *
“The Motions” – Matthew West

Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album
“The Big Picture” – Da’ T.R.U.T.H.
“Crash” – Decyfer Down
“Innocence & Instinct” – Red
“Live Revelations” – Third Day *
“The Dash” – John Wells – The Tonic

Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album
“Speaking Louder Than Before”- Jeremy Camp
“The Power Of One”- Israel Houghton *
“The Long Fall Back To Earth”- Jars Of Clay
“Love Is On The Move”- Leeland
“Freedom”- Mandisa

Best Southern/Country/Bluegrass Album
“Jason Crabb”- Jason Crabb *
“Dream On”- Ernie Haase & Signature Sound
“The Rock”- Tracy Lawrence
“In God’s Time”- Barry Scott & Second Wind
“Everyday”- Triumphant Quartet

Best Traditional Gospel Album
“God Don’t Never Change”- Ashley Cleveland
“The Law Of Confession, Part I”- Donald Lawrence & Co.
“Oh Happy Day”- (Various Artists) *
Bill Hearn, Ken Levitan, Ken Pennell, Jack Rovner & Cedric Thompson, producers
“The Journey Continues”- The Williams Brothers
“How I Got Over”- Vickie Winans

Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album
“Audience Of One”- Heather Headley *
“Renewed”- Sheri Jones-Moffett
“Just James”- J Moss
“Smokie Norful: Live”- Smokie Norful
“Bold Right Life”- Kierra Sheard

Latin
Best Latin Pop Album
“5to Piso” – Ricardo Arjona
“Te Acuerdas…” – Francisco Céspedes
“Sin Frenos” – La Quinta Estación *
“Hu Hu Hu” – Natalia Lafourcade
“Gran City Pop” – Paulina Rubio

Best Latin Rock, Alternative or Urban Album
“Rio” – Aterciopelados
“Y.” – Bebe
“Los De Atras Vienen Conmigo” – Calle 13 *
“La Luz del Ritmo” – Los Fabulosos Cadillacs
“La Revolución” – Wisin & Yandel

Best Tropical Latin Album
“Asi Soy” – Isaac Delgado
“Ciclos” – Luis Enrique *
“Guasábara” – José Lugo Orchestra
“Gracias (Omara Portuondo album)” – Omara Portuondo
“Bach In Havana” – Tiempo Libre

Best Regional Mexican Album
“Corazón Ranchero”- Shaila Dúrcal
“Necesito De Ti”- Vicente Fernández *
“Compañeras”- Mariachi Reyna De Los Angeles
“10 Aniversario”- Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea
“Pegadito Al Corazón”- Joan Sebastian

Best Tejano Album
“Borders Y Bailes”- Los Texmaniacs *
“Divina”- Stefani Montiel
“All The Way Live”- Jay Perez
“Point Of View”- Joe Posada
“Radiación Musical”- Sunny Sauceda Y Todo Eso

Best Norteno Album
“Dejame Soñar”- Cumbre Norteña
“El Niño De Oro”- El Compa Chuy
“Pese A Quien Le Pese”- Los Rieleros Del Norte
“Tu Noche Con…Los Tigres Del Norte”- Los Tigres Del Norte *
“Soy Todo Tuyo”- Los Tucanes De Tijuana

Best Banda Album
“Se Nos Murio El Amor”- El Güero Y Su Banda Centenario
“Mas Adelante”- La Arrolladora Banda El Limón De Rene Camacho
“Derecho De Antiguedad”- La Original Banda El Limón De Salvador Lizárraga
“Tu Esclavo Y Amo”- Lupillo Rivera *

American Roots
Best Americana Album
Together Through Life- Bob Dylan
Electric Dirt- Levon Helm *
Willie and the Wheel- Willie Nelson & Asleep At The Wheel
Wilco (The Album)- Wilco
Little Honey- Lucinda Williams

Best Bluegrass Album
“Could We Get Any Closer?”- Jim Lauderdale
“The Crow / New Songs For The Five-String Banjo”- Steve Martin *
“Buckaroo Blue Grass”- Michael Martin Murphey
“Almost Live”- Bryan Sutton And Friends
“Destination Life”- Rhonda Vincent

Best Traditional Blues Album
“A Stranger Here”- Ramblin’ Jack Elliott *
“Blue Again”- The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band Featuring Rick Vito
“Rough & Tough”- John Hammond
“Stomp! The Blues Tonight”- Duke Robillard
“Chicago Blues: A Living History”- Various Artists
Larry Skoller, producer

Best Contemporary Blues Album
“This Time”- The Robert Cray Band
“The Truth According To Ruthie Foster”- Ruthie Foster
“Live: Hope At The Hideout”- Mavis Staples
“Back To The River”- Susan Tedeschi
“Already Free”- The Derek Trucks Band *

Best Traditional Folk Album
“Cutting Loose”- David Holt And Josh Goforth
“Naked With Friends”- Maura O’Connell
“Polka Cola: Music That Refreshes”- Jimmy Sturr And His Orchestra
“Singing Through The Hard Times: A Tribute To Utah Phillips”- Various Artists
Jacqui Morse, Kendall Morse & Dan Schatz, producers
“High Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project”- Loudon Wainwright III *

Best Contemporary Folk Album
“Middle Cyclone”- Neko Case
“Our Bright Future”- Tracy Chapman
“Live”- Shawn Colvin
“Secret, Profane & Sugarcane”- Elvis Costello
“Townes”- Steve Earle *

Best Hawaiian Music Album
“He Nani”- Tia Carrere & Daniel Ho
“Friends & Family Of Hawai`i”- Amy Hanaiali`i
“Nani Mau Loa: Everlasting Beauty” Ho`okena
“Masters Of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Volume 2″- Various Artists *
Daniel Ho, George Kahumoku, Jr., Paul Konwiser & Wayne Wong, producers

Best Native American Music Album
“Siyotanka”- Michael Brant DeMaria
“Spirit Wind North”- Bill Miller *
“True Blue”- Northern Cree
“Wind Songs – Native American Flute Solos” John Two-Hawks
“Riders Of The Healing Road” Johnny Whitehorse

Best Zydeco Or Cajun Music Album
“Alligator Purse”- Beausoleil Avec Michael Doucet
“Lay Your Burden Down”- Buckwheat Zydeco *
“Stripped Down”- The Magnolia Sisters
“Live At 2009 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival”- Pine Leaf Boys
“L’Ésprit Créole”- Cedric Watson et Bijou Créole

Reggae
Best Reggae Album
“Rasta Got Soul”- Buju Banton
“Brand New Me”- Gregory Isaacs
“Awake”- Julian Marley
“Mind Control – Acoustic”- Stephen Marley *
“Imperial Blaze”- Sean Paul

World Music
Best Traditional World Music Album
“Ancient Sounds”- Rahim Alhaj And Amjad Ali Khan
“Double Play”- Liz Carroll & John Doyle
“Douga Mansa”- Mamadou Diabate *
“La Guerra No”- John Santos Y El Coro Folklórico Kindembo
“Drum Music Land”- Ten Drum Art Percussion Group

Best Contemporary World Music Album
“Welcome To Mali”- Amadou & Mariam
“Throw Down Your Heart: Tales From The Acoustic Planet, Vol. 3 – Africa Sessions”- Béla Fleck *
“Day By Day”- Femi Kuti
“Seya”- Oumou Sangare
“Across The Divide: A Tale Of Rhythm & Ancestry”- Omar Sosa

Children’s
Best Children’s Music Album
“American Heroes #3″- Jonathan Sprout
“Banjo To Beatbox”- Cathy & Marcy & Christylez Bacon
“Family Time”- Ziggy Marley *
“Great Day”- Milkshake
“Jumpin’ & Jammin’”- Greg & Steve
“Pete Seeger Tribute – Ageless Kids’ Songs”- Buck Howdy

Best Children’s Spoken Word Album
“Aaaaah! Spooky, Scary Stories & Songs”- Buck Howdy *
“Captain Nobody”- Dean Pitchford
“Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales”- Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johannson, Helen Mirren, Forest Whitaker & Various Artists
Sharon Gelman, Michele McGonigle & Alfre Woodard, producers
“The Phantom Tollbooth”- David Hyde Pierce
“Scat”- Ed Asner
“Through The Looking-Glass And What Alice Found There”- Harlan Ellison
Spoken Word

Best Spoken Word Album
“Always Looking Up”- Michael J. Fox *
“Jonathan Winters – A Very Special Time”- Jonathan Winters
“The Lincoln-Douglas Debates”- Richard Dreyfuss & David Strathairn
“The Maltese Falcon”- Various Artists Including Michael Madsen, Sandra Oh, Edward Herrmann & OthersYuri Rasovsky
Josh Stanton, producers
“We Can Have Peace In The Holy Land”- Jimmy Carter
“Wishful Drinking”- Carrie Fisher

Musical Show
Best Musical Show Album
9 to 5 the Musical
Ain’t Misbehavin’
Hair
Shrek the Musical
West Side Story *
Film/TV/Visual Media

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album
Cadillac Records- Various Artists
Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds
Slumdog Millionaire *
True Blood
Twilight

Best Score Soundtrack Album
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (Disc 1)- Alexandre Desplat
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince- Nicholas Hooper
Milk- Danny Elfman
Star Trek- Michael Giacchino, Varèse Sarabande
Up- Michael Giacchino *

Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media
“All Is Love” (From Where The Wild Things Are)
Karen O & Nick Zinner, songwriters (Karen O & The Kids)
“Decode” (From Twilight)
Josh Farro, Hayley Williams & Taylor York, songwriters (Paramore)
“Jai Ho” (From Slumdog Millionaire) *
A. R. Rahman, Sukhwinder Singh, Tanvi Shah, Mahalaxmi Iyer & Vijay Prakash, songwriters (A. R. Rahman, Gulzar & Sukhwinder Singh)
“Once In A Lifetime” (From Cadillac Records)
Ian Dench, James Dring, Amanda Ghost, Beyoncé Knowles, Scott McFarnon & Jody Street, songwriters (Beyoncé)
“The Wrestler” (From The Wrestler)
Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen)
Composing/Arranging

Best Instrumental Composition
“Borat In Syracuse”
Paquito D’Rivera, composer (Paquito D’Rivera Quintet)
“Counting To Infinity”
Tim Davies, composer (Tim Davies Big Band)
“Fluffy”
Bob Florence, composer (Bob Florence Limited Edition)
“Ice-Nine”
Steve Wiest, composer (University Of North Texas One O’Clock Lab Band)
“Married Life” (From Up) *
Michael Giacchino, composer (Michael Giacchino)

Best Instrumental Arrangement
“Emmanuel”
Jeremy Lubbock, arranger (Chris Botti & Lucia Micarelli)
“Hope”
Vince Mendoza, arranger (Jim Beard With Vince Mendoza & The Metropole Orchestra)
“Slings And Arrows”
Vince Mendoza, arranger (Chuck Owen & The Jazz Surge)
“Up With End Credits” (From Up)
Michael Giacchino & Tim Simonec, arrangers (Michael Giacchino)
“West Side Story Medley” *
Bill Cunliffe, arranger (Resonance Big Band)

Best Instrumental Arangment Accompanying Vocalist(s)
“A Change Is Gonna Come”
David Foster & Jerry Hey, arrangers (Seal)
“Dedicated To You”
Laurence Hobgood, arranger (Kurt Elling)
“In The Still Of The Night”
Thomas Zink, arranger (Anne Walsh)
“My One And Only Thrill”
Vince Mendoza, arranger (Melody Gardot)
“Quiet Nights” *
Claus Ogerman, arranger (Diana Krall)
Package

Best Recording Package
“Back From The Dead”
Brian Porizek, art director (Spinal Tap)
“Everything That Happens Will Happen Today” *
Stefan Sagmeister, art director (David Byrne & Brian Eno)
“Middle Cyclone”
Neko Case & Kathleen Judge, art directors (Neko Case)
“Splitting Adam”
Jeff Harrison, art director (Splitting Adam)
“Tathagata”
Szu Wei Cheng & Hui Chen Huang, art directors (Various Artists)

Best Boxed/Special Limited Edition
“A Cabinet Of Curiosities”
Mathieu Bitton & Scott Webber, art directors (Jane’s Addiction)
“The Clifford Ball”
Masaki Koike, art director (Phish)
“Everything That Happens Will Happen Today”
Stefan Sagmeister, art director (David Byrne & Brian Eno)
“Lost In The Sound Of Separation” (Deluxe Edition)
Jordan Butcher, art director (Underoath)
“Neil Young Archives Vol. I (1963-1972)” *
Gary Burden, Jenice Heo & Neil Young, art directors (Neil Young)

Album Notes
Best Album Notes
The Complete Louis Armstrong Decca Sessions (1935-1946) *
Dan Morgenstern, album notes writer (Louis Armstrong)
Dance-O-Mania: Harry Yerkes And The Dawn Of The Jazz Age, 1919-1923
Mark Berresford, album notes writer (The Happy Six)
Gonzo: The Life And Work Of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson – Music From The Film
Douglas Brinkley & Johnny Depp, album notes writers (Various Artists)
My Dusty Road
Ed Cray & Bill Nowlin, album notes writers (Woody Guthrie)
Origins Of The Red Hot Mama, 1910-1922
Lloyd Ecker & Susan Ecker, album notes writers (Sophie Tucker)
Historical

Best Historical Album
“The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967)” *
Andy McKaie, compilation producer; Erick Labson, mastering engineer (Little Walter)
“My Dusty Road”
Scott Billington, Michael Creamer & Bill Nowlin, compilation producers; Doug Pomeroy, mastering engineer (Woody Guthrie)
Origins Of The Red Hot Mama, 1910-1922
Meagan Hennessey & Richard Martin, compilation producers; Richard Martin, mastering engineer (Sophie Tucker)
Take Me To The Water: Immersion Baptism In Vintage Music And Photography 1890-1950
Steven Lance Ledbetter & Jim Linderman, compilation producers; Robert Vosgien, mastering engineer (Various Artists)
Woodstock – 40 Years On: Back To Yasgur’s Farm
Cheryl Pawelski, Mason Williams & Andy Zax, compilation producers; Dave Schultz, mastering engineer (Various Artists)

Production, Non Classical
Best Engineered Album, Non Classical
“Ellipse”
Imogen Heap, engineer (Imogen Heap)
“Gossip In The Grain”
Ethan Johns & Dominic Monks, engineers (Ray LaMontagne)
“My One And Only Thrill”
Helik Hadar & Al Schmitt, engineers (Melody Gardot)
“Safe Trip Home”
Jon Brion, Grippa, Greg Koller & Jim Scott, engineers (Dido)
“Swan Feathers”
Richard Alderson, Chris Allen, Roman Klun, Lawrence Manchester, Rob Mounsey, Jay Newland, Gene Paul, Jamie Polaski & Gordie Sampson, engineers (Leslie Mendelson)
Producer of the Year, Non Classical
T Bone Burnett
Moonalice (Moonalice) (A)
Secret, Profane & Sugarcane (Elvis Costello) (A)
Ethan Johns
Gossip In The Grain (Ray LaMontagne) (A)
Larry Klein
Acadian Driftwood (Zachary Richard) (T)
Bare Bones (Madeleine Peyroux) (A)
My One And Only Thrill (Melody Gardot) (A)
Our Bright Future (Tracy Chapman) (A)
Tide (Luciana Souza) (A)
Greg Kurstin
It’s Not Me, It’s You (Lily Allen) (A)
Ray Guns Are Not Just The Future (The Bird And The Bee) (A)
Brendan O’Brien
Black Ice (AC/DC) (A)
Crack The Skye (Mastodon) (A)
The Fixer (Pearl Jam) (S)
Killswitch Engage (Killswitch Engage) (A)
Working On A Dream (Bruce Springsteen) (A) *

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical
“Don’t Believe in Love” (Dennis Ferrer Objektivity Mix) – Dennis Ferrer, remixer (Dido)
“The Girl and the Robot” (Jean Elan Remix) – Jean Elan, remixer (Röyksopp)
“I Want You” (Dave Aude Remix) – Dave Aude, remixer (Dean Coleman Featuring DCLA)
“No You Girls” (Trentemøller Remix) – Anders Trentemøller, remixer (Franz Ferdinand)
“When Love Takes Over” (Electro Extended Remix) – David Guetta, remixer (David Guetta Featuring Kelly Rowland)
Production, Surround Sound

Best Surround Sound Album
“Colabs”
“Flute Mystery”
“Kleiberg: Treble & Bass”
“1970 – 1975″
“Transmigration” *

Best Engineered Album, Classical
“Britten: Billy Budd – Neil Hutchinson & Jonathan Stokes, engineers (Daniel Harding, Nathan Gunn, Ian Bostridge, Gidon Saks, Neal Davies, Jonathan Lemalu, Matthew Rose, London Symphony Chorus & London Symphony Orchestra)
“Mahler: Symphony No. 8; Adagio From Symphony No. 10 – Peter Laenger, engineer (Michael Tilson Thomas & San Francisco Symphony) *
“QSF Plays Brubeck – Judy Kirschner, engineer (Quartet San Francisco)
“Ravel: Daphnis Et Chloé – Jesse Lewis & John Newton, engineers (James Levine, Tanglewood Festival Chorus & Boston Symphony Orchestra)
“Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 15 – John Newton & Dirk Sobotka, engineers (Valery Gergiev & Orchestra Of The Mariinsky Theatre)

Producer of the Year, Classical
Blanton Alspaugh
Carlson, David: Anna Karenina (Stewart Robertson, Christine Abraham, Sarah Colburn, Robert Gierlach, Christian Van Horn, Kelly Kaduce, Opera Theatre Of Saint Louis & Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra)
Menotti: Amahl And The Night Visitors; My Christmas (Alastair Willis, Ike Hawkersmith, Kirsten Gunlogson, Dean Anthony, Todd Thomas, Kevin Short, Bart LeFan, Chicago Symphony Chorus, Nashville Symphony Chorus & Nashville Symphony Orchestra)
Ravel: L’Enfant Et Les Sortilèges (Alastair Willis, Julie Boulianne, Chicago Symphony Chorus, Chattanooga Boys Choir, Nashville Symphony Chorus & Nashville Symphony Orchestra)
Schubert: Death And The Maiden (JoAnn Falletta &; Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra)
Sierra, Roberto: Missa Latina ‘Pro Pace’ (Andreas Delfs, Nathaniel Webster, Heidi Grant Murphy, Milwaukee Symphony Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)
Steven Epstein
Adams: Doctor Atomic Symphony (David Robertson & Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra)
Bernstein: Mass (Marin Alsop, Jubilant Sykes, Asher Edward Wulfman, Morgan State University Choir, Peabody Children’s Chorus & Baltimore Symphony Orchestra)
Corigliano: A Dylan Thomas Trilogy (Leonard Slatkin, George Mabry, Sir Thomas Allen, Nashville Symphony Chorus & Nashville Symphony Orchestra)
Fauré: Piano Quintets (Fine Arts Quartet & Cristina Oritz)
Yo-Yo Ma & Friends: Songs Of Joy And Peace (Yo-Yo Ma & Various Artists) *
John Fraser
Britten: Billy Budd (Daniel Harding, Nathan Gunn, Ian Bostridge, Gidon Saks, Neal Davies, Jonathan Lemalu, Matthew Rose, London Symphony Chorus & London Symphony Orchestra)
Midsummer Night (Kate Royal, Edward Gardner, Crouch End Festival Chorus & Orchestra Of English National Opera)
Schubert: Schwanengesang (Ian Bostridge & Antonio Pappano)
Shadows Of Silence (Leif Ove Andsnes, Franz Welzer-Möst & Sinfonieorchester Des Bayerischen Rundfunks)
David Frost
An American Journey (Eroica Trio)
Journey To The New World (Sharon Isbin, Mark O’Connor & Joan Baez)
Korngold: Violin Concerto; Schauspiel Overture; Much Ado About Nothing (Philippe Quint, Carlos Miguel Prieto & Orquesta Sinfonica de Mineria)
Mozart: Piano Concertos 21 & 22 (Jonathan Biss & Orpheus Chamber Orchestra)
O’Connor, Mark: String Quartets Nos. 2 & 3 (Ida Kavafian, Mark O’Connor, Paul Neubauer & Matt Haimovitz)
James Mallinson
MacMillan, James: St. John Passion (Sir Colin Davis, Christopher Maltman, London Symphony Chorus & London Symphony Orchestra)
Mahler: Symphony No. 8 (Valery Gergiev, Choir Of Eltham College, Choral Arts Society Of Washington, London Symphony Chorus & London Symphony Orchestra)
Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 15 (Valery Gergiev & Orchestra Of The Mariinsky Theatre)
Shostakovich: The Nose (Valery Gergiev, Andrei Popov, Sergei Semishkur, Vladislav Sulimsky, Chorus Of The Mariinsky Theatre & Orchestra Of The Mariinsky Theatre)

Classical
Best Classical Album
“Bernstein: Mass”
Marin Alsop, conductor; Jubilant Sykes; Steven Epstein, producer; Richard King, engineer/mixer (Asher Edward Wulfman; Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; Morgan State University Choir & Peabody Children’s Chorus)
“Mahler: Symphony No. 8; Adagio From Symphony No. 10″
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor; Ragnar Bohlin, Kevin Fox & Susan McMane, choir directors; Andreas Neubronner, producer; Peter Laenger, engineer/mixer; Andreas Neubronner, mastering engineer (Laura Claycomb, Anthony Dean Griffey, Katarina Karnéus, Quinn Kelsey, James Morris, Yvonne Naef, Elza van den Heever & Erin Wall; San Francisco Symphony; Pacific Boychoir, San Francisco Girls Chorus & San Francisco Symphony Chorus) *
“Ravel: Daphnis Et Chloé”
James Levine, conductor; Elizabeth Ostrow, producer; Jesse Lewis & John Newton, engineers/mixers; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Boston Symphony Orchestra; Tanglewood Festival Chorus)
“Ravel: L’Enfant Et Les Sortilèges”
Alastair Willis, conductor; Julie Boulianne; Blanton Alspaugh, producer; Mark Donahue & John Hill, engineers/mixers (Nashville Symphony Orchestra; Chattanooga Boys Choir, Chicago Symphony Chorus & Nashville Symphony Chorus)
“Shostakovich: The Nose”
Valery Gergiev, conductor; Andrei Popov, Sergei Semishkur & Vladislav Sulimsky; James Mallinson, producer; John Newton & Dirk Sobotka, engineers/mixers; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Orchestra Of The Mariinsky Theatre; Chorus Of The Mariinsky Theatre)

Best Orchestra Performance
“Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique”
Simon Rattle, conductor (Susan Graham; Berliner Philharmoniker)
“Bruckner: Symphony No. 5″
Benjamin Zander, conductor (Philharmonia Orchestra)
“Ravel: Daphnis Et Chloé”
James Levine, conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra; Tanglewood Festival Chorus) *
“Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 15″
Valery Gergiev, conductor (Orchestra Of The Mariinsky Theatre)
“Szymanowski: Symphonies Nos. 1 & 4″
Antoni Wit, conductor (Jan Krzysztof Broja, Ewa Marczyk & Marek Marczyk; Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra)

Best Opera Recordimg
“Britten: Billy Budd”
Daniel Harding, conductor; Ian Bostridge, Neal Davies, Nathan Gunn, Jonathan Lemalu, Matthew Rose & Gidon Saks; John Fraser, producer (London Symphony Orchestra; Gentlemen Of The London Symphony Chorus) *
“Messiaen: Saint François D’Assise”
Ingo Metzmacher, conductor; Armand Arapian, Hubert Delamboye, Rod Gilfry, Henk Neven, Tom Randle & Camilla Tilling; Ferenc van Damme, producer (The Hague Philharmonic; Chorus Of De Nederlandse Opera)
“Musto, John: Volpone”
Sara Jobin, conductor; Lisa Hopkins, Joshua Jeremiah, Museop Kim, Jeremy Little, Rodell Rosel & Faith Sherman; Blanton Alspaugh, producer (Wolf Trap Opera Company)
“Shostakovich: The Nose”
Valery Gergiev, conductor; Andrei Popov, Sergei Semishkur & Vladislav Sulimsky; James Mallinson, producer (Orchestra Of The Mariinsky Theatre; Chorus Of The Mariinsky Theatre)
“Tan Dun: Marco Polo”
Tan Dun, conductor; Stephen Bryant, Sarah Castle, Zhang Jun, Nancy Allen Lundy, Stephen Richardson & Charles Workman; Ferenc van Damme, producer (Netherlands Chamber Orchestra; Cappella Amsterdam)

Best Choral Performance
“Handel: Coronation Anthems”
Harry Christophers, conductor (Alastair Ross; The Sixteen Orchestra; The Sixteen)
“Mahler: Symphony No. 8; Adagio From Symphony No. 10″
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor; Ragnar Bohlin, Kevin Fox & Susan McMane, choir directors (Laura Claycomb, Anthony Dean Griffey, Elza van den Heever, Katarina Karnéus, Quinn Kelsey, James Morris, Yvonne Naef & Erin Wall; San Francisco Symphony; Pacific Boychoir, San Francisco Symphony Chorus & San Francisco Girls Chorus) *
“Penderecki: Utrenja”
Antoni Wit, conductor (Gennady Bezzubenkov, Iwona Hossa, Piotr Kusiewicz, Piotr Nowacki & Agnieszka Rehlis; Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra; Warsaw Boys’ Choir & Warsaw Philharmonic Choir)
“Song Of The Stars: Granados, Casals & Blancafort”
Dennis Keene, conductor (Erica Kiesewetter; Mark Kruczek & Douglas Riva; Voices Of Ascension)
“A Spotless Rose”
Paul McCreesh, conductor (The Gabrieli Consort)

Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance (With Orchestra)
“Bartók: 3 Concertos”
Pierre Boulez, conductor (Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Yuri Bashmet, Gidon Kremer, Neil Percy, Tamara Stefanovich & Nigel Thomas; Berliner Philharmoniker & London Symphony Orchestra)
“Bermel, Derek: Voices For Solo Clarinet And Orchestra”
Gil Rose, conductor; Derek Bermel (Boston Modern Orchestra Project)
“Korngold: Violin Concerto In D Major, Op. 35″
Carlos Miguel Prieto, conductor; Philippe Quint (Orquesta Sinfónica de Mineria)
“Prokofiev: Piano Concertos Nos. 2 & 3″
Vladimir Ashkenazy, conductor; Evgeny Kissin (Philharmonia Orchestra) *
“Salonen, Esa-Pekka: Piano Concerto”
Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor; Yefim Bronfman (Los Angeles Philharmonic)
Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (Without Orchestra)
“Caroline Goulding”- Caroline Goulding (Christopher O’Riley & Janine Randall)
Chopin”- Maria João Pires
“Journey To The New World”- Sharon Isbin (Joan Baez & Mark O’Connor)
“Oppens Plays Carter”- Ursula Oppens
“Sonatas & Etudes”- Yuja Wang

Best Chamber Music Performance
“Ginastera: String Quartets” (Comlete)- Enso Quartet (Lucy Shelton)
“The Hungarian Album”- Guarneri Quartet
“Intimate Letters”- Emerson String Quartet *
“Schumann/Bartók: The Berlin Recital”- Martha Argerich & Gidon Kremer
“Takemitsu, Toru: And Then I Knew ‘Twas Wind”- Yolanda Kondonassis, Cynthia Phelps & Joshua Smith

Best Small Ensemble Performance
“Bach: Orchestral Suites For A Young Prince”
Monica Huggett, conductor; Gonzalo X. Ruiz; Ensemble Sonnerie
“Josquin: Missa Malheur Me Bat”
Peter Phillips, conductor; Tallis Scholars
“Lang, David: The Little Match Girl Passion”
Paul Hillier, conductor; Ars Nova Copenhagen & Theatre Of Voices *
“Song Of Songs”
Stile Antico (Alison Hill & Benedict Hymas)
“Vivaldi: Concertos”
Daniel Hope & Anne Sofie von Otter; Chamber Orchestra Of Europe (Kristian Bezuidenhout)

Best Classical Vocal Performance
“Bach”- Anne Sofie von Otter (Lars Ulrik Mortensen; Anders J. Dahlin, Jakob Bloch Jespersen, Tomas Medici & Karin Roman; Concerto Copenhagen)
“Bel Canto Spectacular”- Juan Diego Flórez (Daniel Oren; Daniella Barcellona, Patrizia Ciofi, Plácido Domingo, Mariusz Kwiecien, Anna Netrebko & Fernando Piqueras; Orquestra De La Comunitat Valenciana; Cor De La Generalitat Valenciana)
“Recital At Ravinia”- Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (Drew Minter; Peter Serkin)
“Un Frisson Français”- Susan Graham (Malcom Martineau)
“Verismo Arias”- Renée Fleming (Marco Armiliato; Jonas Kaufmann; Orchestra Sinfonica Di Milano Giuseppi Verdi; Coro Sinfonica Di Milano Giuseppi Verdi)
Best Classical Contemporary Composition *
“Crumb, George: The Winds Of Destiny”- George Crumb (James Freeman)
“Higdon, Jennifer: Percussion Concerto”- Jennifer Higdon (Marin Alsop)
“Pärt, Arvo: In Principio”- Arvo Pärt (Tõnu Kaljuste)
“Sierra, Roberto: Missa Latina ‘Pro Pace’”- Roberto Sierra (Andreas Delfs)
“Wyner, Yehudi: Piano Concerto “Chiavi In Mano”"- Yehudi Wyner (Robert Spano)

Best Classical Crossover Album
“A Company Of Voices: Conspirare In Concert”
Craig Hella Johnson, conductor; Conspirare (Tom Burritt, Ian Davidson & Bion Tsang)
“Jazz-Clazz”- Paquito D’Rivera Quintet (Trio Clarone)
“The Melody Of Rhythm”
Leonard Slatkin, conductor; Béla Fleck, Zakir Hussain & Edgar Meyer (Detroit Symphony Orchestra)
“QSF Plays Brubeck”- Quartet San Francisco
“Twelve Songs By Charles Ives”
Theo Bleckmann; Kneebody
“Yo-Yo Ma & Friends: Songs Of Joy And Peace”- Yo-Yo Ma (Odair Assad, Sergio Assad, Chris Botti, Dave Brubeck, Matt Brubeck, John Clayton, Paquito d’Rivera, Renée Fleming, Diana Krall, Alison Krauss, Natalie McMaster, Edgar Meyer, Cristina Pato, Joshua Redman, Jake Shimabukuro, Silk Road Ensemble, James Taylor, Chris Thile, Wu Tong, Alon Yavnai & Amelia Zirin-Brown) *

Music Video
Best Short Form Music Video
“Mr. Hurricane” – Beast
Ben Steiger Levine, video director; Sach Baylin-Stern, video producer
“Boom Boom Pow” – The Black Eyed Peas *
Mat Cullen & Mark Kudsi, video directors; Anna Joseph & Patrick Nugent, video producers
“Life in Technicolor II” – Coldplay
Dougal Wilson, video director; Matthew Fone, video producer
“Wrong” – Depeche Mode
Patrick Daughters, video director; Jonathan Lia, video producer
“Her Morning Elegance” – Oren Lavie
Oren Lavie, Merav Nathan and Yuval Nathan, video directors; Oren Lavie, video producer

Best Long Form Music Video
“In Boston” – Chris Botti
Jim Gable, video director; Bobby Colomby, video producer
“Johnny Cash’s America” – (Johnny Cash)
Robert Gordon & Morgan Neville, video directors; Robert Gordon & Morgan Neville, video producers
“Anita O’Day — The Life Of A Jazz Singer” – Anita O’Day
Robbie Cavolina & Ian McCrudden, video directors; Robbie Cavolina, Melissa Davis & Ian McCrudden, video producers
“Love, Pain & The Whole Crazy World Tour Live” – Keith Urban
Chris Hicky, video director; Blake Morrison, video producer
“The Beatles Love — All Together Now” – Various Artists
Adrian Wills, video director; Martin Bolduc & Jonathan Clyde, video producers *

Jon Stewart Spoofs Keith Olbermann

Jon Stewart of The Daily Show mocks Keith Olbermann’s visceral attack of Massachusetts Senator-elect and Republican extraordinaire Scott Brown. While the right would have you believe this is a shredding, a destroying, or a smack down by Jon Stewart, it is anything but. We’ve seen him tear into someone and it’s not pretty. This is The Daily Show’s way of telling the popular liberal host of Countdown with Keith Olbermann on MSNBC to tone down the hyperbolic rhetoric a bit and return to his roots, firm no holds bar journalism in the tradition of the great Edward R. Morrow that we all found so refreshing yet lacking during the dismal years of the Bush administration.

Watch for yourself. You be the judge:

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QUESTION OF THE DAY: Is the Massachusetts Senate Race a National Referendum?

While the world has been focusing with heavy and hopeful hearts on the cataclysmic earthquake in Haiti, a special election to fill the senate seat left vacant with the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy last summer is suddenly upon us. The candidates are Massachusetts Attorney General Democratic candidate Martha Coakley and State Senator Republican candidate Scott Brown.

I follow politics religiously, but I have to admit this one did sneak up on me. While politics are still important news out of Haiti puts it all into perspective – at least for some of us. In conservative circles however it is all that is talked about. This race has become a bell weather race, a referendum against the Obama White House and against national health care reform. In his eerie tone deafness about the news of the day, conservative talk show host and Fox News anchor Sean Hannity says if Brown wins this seat it will be “a political earthquake” registering “9.1 on the Richter scale”.

It is common for the national parties to use a victory or a close defeat especially in a race where they are usually the underdog. This past November Democrats saw the victory in New York’s 23rd district, one that hasn’t been occupied by the party since the Reconstruction period, as a referendum against the Sarah Palin, the Rush Limbaugh, and the Tea Party wing of the Republican Party.

And now the tables have turned. Coakley, once thirty points ahead in the polls is now in a statistical dead heat against Brown. The question of whether this is a referendum against the Obama agenda notwithstanding, you have to wonder how does a liberal candidate in a liberal state running for the seat of a beloved late senator who put his opponents away with commanding leads watch such a comfortable advantage evaporate. Joan Vennochi of the Boston Globe puts it all into perspective on the Rachel Maddow Show:

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If anything this reveals that Ted Kennedy always took his senate seat, the Massechusetts voters, and his political opponents seriously. But now that the seat is in jeapordy of falling into Republican hands, especially when every vote counts as the president tries to pass health care reform and other key measures through a fragile super majority in the US Senate, Is Today’s Special Election in Massechusetts a National Referendum?

Review of the 2010 Golden Globe Awards

I thoroughly enjoyed the 2010 Golden Globe Awards last night, the first major motion picture and television award show of the decade, and not just because one of the recipients I was rooting for, Sandra Bullock for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama for her inspiring role as the mother of Michael Oher, the troubled African American youth turned college graduate and professional athlete, but also because it had a delicate balance of so many things other award shows either lack or have in excess. Three things I loved about the Golden Globe Awards last night are 1) no all out sweeps 2) no surplus of painfully long drawn out acceptance speeches and 3) a straight forward format of award presentations.

I appreciated the fact that there were no sweeps where one movie, television show, actor or actress winning most if not all of multiple awards they’re nominated for. While Avatar was nominated for four Golden Globe Awards (Best Song, Best Original Score, Best Director, and Best Picture), it received only two – albeit the two big ones of the night – Best Director and Best Picture. As the delightfully graceful and humble jazz musician Nora Jones put it when she took home a whopping eight Grammy’s in 2003, “It’s like being at a party where I get all the cake and there’s none left for everyone else.”

It’s one thing for us the viewing audience to want our favorite performer to take home all the gold, especially since we tend to root for only the one or two we happen to have seen or are familiar with, but for the voting academy to put all of their eggs in one basket by over anointing one or two recipient is both boring and irritating. I’m not asking that a major motion picture epic that rakes in record breaking ticket sales such as Titanic or a television show with solid high ratings be forced to share its richly deserved accolade with its fellow nominees, but just be fair with the diversity of talents and recognize them all and not just vote robotically for the same one or two. Thankfully the Hollywood Foreign Press Association got this part right this year, and other award shows would do very well to follow suit.

Unlike several other award ceremonies (and it would be unfair to single out any one as they are all guilty of this) there were relatively few nudging along by the orchestra because of long drawn out acceptance speeches. Those uncomfortable cringes you feel while watching someone’s speech hurried by the sounds of flutes and violins is never dull.

For the most part that was not the case last night. Even Martin Scorsese, the recipient of the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement, while given more latitude because of the nature of the award made his speech relatively short and pointed. However, Sandra Bullock was given the hint to wrap up twelve seconds prior to completion even though she won in a major category and her speech was less than two minutes long. Perhaps it was because it was minutes before the show was over; nevertheless I blame the ensemble and not her for that one.

The content was especially great to hear in many of these speeches as well. Nicole Kidman set the stage by pointing out that everyone’s thoughts were with Haiti during their suffering through the devastating earthquake. Drew Barrymore, as she humbly receives her first Golden Globe in her long acting career, praises Mo’Nique, the first recipient of the evening, as a beautiful person who set the bar for giving speeches for the night in an attempt to draw inspiration to get through her own. If you come to see who wins the awards, you stick around if you must for a graceful speech. Last night there was much of that, including again Sandra Bullock as she fought back the tears in thanking her husband for having her back, a meaningful line taken from the movie for which she was awarded for. I didn’t wear out the fast forward button as in years past.

Finally I appreciated the format of the show. Twenty-five award categories and they went back to back in announcing the nominees and recipients. Imagine that, an award show actually presenting awards. Seriously! The Grammy Awards has made me really appreciate this simple yet profound format because of its lack thereof. The Grammy’s has transformed from an award show to a televised concert where they squeeze in the names of award winners and occasionally have a live celebrities present nominees plus winners. Simply displaying still shots of winner after winner between musical acts robs the audience of the opportunity for exposure to artists they would otherwise not have seen – the nominees. By quickly going through the categories last night, I was able to learn of movies that I may want to watch in the future. The Golden Globe quickly went through the presentations of all twenty-five categories, nearly one after the other, without excessive interruptions of performances or special presentations.

I look forward to the award shows coming up this year. The next major one is the 2010 Grammy Awards. I hope my accessment of the show turns out to be antiquated, and that it has returned back to its original format of more awards and less performances. It will do well to learn from last night’s Golden Globe Awards. I can only hope.

The Sickening Reality Over Health Care Reform

About forty-five million Americans are either without affordable health care insurance or have none at all. It is all too common for people to lose their health care benefit upon losing a job, something that is very familiar to many Americans especially in a staggering economy where the unemployment rate is 9.5% and climbing. And for those who are insured and have a job, many of them are being denied coverage by insurance companies upon becoming ill due to a “pre-existing conditions.” Medical costs is on the rise to the tune of two percent above inflation, and the number one reason for filing for bankruptcy is due to high medical bills.

Therefore Congress is currently debating a sweeping health care reform bill, H.R. 956: HealthCARE Act of 2009, which its official goal is “to expand the number of individuals and families with health insurance coverage, and for other purposes.”

President Obama is pressing for a sweeping change in the American health care system, and with his party owning a considerable majority in the House and filobuster proof super majority in the Senate, passing this bill should be smooth sailing, right? Well, not so fast.

A band of conservative Democrats known as the “blue dog Democrat” are pushing to have the vote postponed until Congress reconvenes in the fall after the summer recess. “We have successfully pushed a floor vote to September,” said Mike Ross (D-Ark.). “The American people want us to slow down, and that’s what we’re doing here.” The blue dog Democrats also want to introduce a more watered down version of the public option language in the bill, a feature designed to lower the cost of health care by introducing the government as an alternative insurance provider thereby introducing competition.

So what exactly does a Democratic member of Congress have to gain by delaying a vote on a health care reform bill? According to Opensecrets.org:

There’s a particular breed of lawmaker on Capitol Hill that is pushing hard against a public health care plan, much to the delight of two seriously moneyed special interest groups–insurers and pharmaceuticals. They’re the Blue Dogs: moderate, vocal and funded in part by the industries trying to protect their bottom line. Read Full Article

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Should Barack Obama Continute to Wear a Lapel Pin?

“Senator Obama, I have a question, and I want to know if you believe in the American flag. I am not questioning your patriotism, but all our servicemen, policemen and EMS wear the flag. I want to know why you don’t.”

That was the lone question asked by a Pennsylvanian Nash McCabe during the twenty-first Democratic debate that set it off. From that day forward throughout the campaign Barack Obama would be confined to wearing the lapel pin. Although he gave a remarkable answer, calling this a “manufactured issue that our politics have become obsessed with”, he gave in. He wore the pin, not as a sign of patriotism but as a shield to deflect the arrows launched at him by his detractors who would impugn his patriotism every chance they get.

So did this actually work? Now that the lapel pin is on in full form, will this reassure anyone who would second guess his loyalty to the American flag? Sure, if by reassure you mean give those already predetermined to find loopholes in his love for his country something else to look for as proof that he’s not a patriot. From being accused of prowling around with terrorists to having to produce a copy of his birth certificate to prove that he was born in the United States, the doubt and distractions continued, leaving one to ask what exactly is the purpose of the pin if yet again and again doubts about his patriotism would take center stage.

So if I had to give President-elect Barack Obama a peace of humble advice, I’d say this – loose the darn lapel pin! As a community organizer, a state and US senator, and now as the future president of the United States, you have helped the poor, serving your state and also your nation. Continute to show your patriotism by your deeds.

Reunited!

It was very difficult to imagine that after a high stakes democratic primary season between two very formidable candidates Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton that the Democratic Party could put its differences aside and reunite. Because the battle for the party’s nomination was so long and so intense, it was unclear as to what party unity would look like and who would be better at delivering it.

Yes it meant that whoever did not get the nomination, in this case Hillary Clinton, would have some heavy lifting to do, uniting a party that has just denied her the historic opportunity to serve as the first female nominee for the President of the United States. She would have to support Barack Obama with a smile, knowing that every word, spoken or not, would be analyzed and poured over for any signs of left over bitterness, discontentment, and outright phoniness.

But this was not her burden to carry alone. In fact it would be her husband’s responsibility to shoulder most of it. Why? Because despite of, or perhaps because of, the unsuccessful political coupe d’état orchestrated by the Republican Party to expel him from office, Bill Clinton’s popularity amongst the base was solid, making him the man for the job. While Hillary was merely a candidate, Bill Clinton had already been the two term president vetted and trusted by his base. It was his words and actions that were scrutinized by the pundits and the Democrats, as in this example by Chris Rock:

Getting over it is not that easy. Bill Clinton is to be totally commended for his efforts to unite the party once again. Not only did he preside over a failed attempt to get his candidate and wife nominated, but he also had to endure the process of watching his revamped and polished legacy take another bruising, this time by members of his own party. Although he was affectionately referred to as the “first black president” for all that he had done to support African Americans, the first sitting US president to visit Africa, and whose Clinton Global Initiative dedicates so much attention and aid to poor African nations, he was accused of race baiting when commenting about the South Carolina primary.

I don’t think that the Obama camp for one moment believed that someone of Bill Clinton’s stature and impressive track record for supporting blacks is now a closeted bigot. But the risk of coming to his rescue over something he poorly articulated was that they would loose an advantage over a tough opponent in Hillary Clinton. Similarly when Obama made the major speech on race in America, we all waited to see if Hillary would commend him on a brilliant speech that spoke to a matter much deeper than politics, but she too did not let up out of fear of looking conciliatory to her opponent in such a close race.

There is no doubt that an Obama administration would have the Clintons to thank for a White House victory. And regardless of which Democratic candidate you supported, or even how much you objected to the way they ran Hillary’s campaign, you can also thank the Clintons for a unifying the party.

Obama vs. Cosby: The Tale of Two Reactions

Barack Obama has made preaching the gospel of personal responsibility an integral part of his campaign message, as seen in his latest campaign ad:

But it was messages like this, shortly before the Democratic primary in Texas where he gave some rather strong parenting advice that earned him an equally as strong rebuke from Jesse Jackson (for which Jackson later apologized for being over the top):

WATCH |

Noticed the crowd’s reaction? This message is strikingly similar to that presented by Bill Cosby in criticizing the youths of the African American communities and their parents’ lack of involvement in their children’s education.

To compare, both Barack Obama and Bill Cosby have very impeccable records of giving back to the black communities. Obama, who could have written his own ticket with an impressive Harvard degree, chose to serve the least of these in poor minority communities in Chicago, and Cosby’s philanthropic endeavors are undeniable.

So with both individuals seeming to be reading from the same sheet of music, why was Barack Obama’s pull yourself up by your boot straps message met with a warm reception while Bill Cosby was practically castigated in the black communities?

The key difference is whether the solutions to the ailments of black youths lies within confronting one’s own demons or elected officials combatting the systemic shortcomings that result in unequal educational environments, Bill Cosby’s message had an either/or ring to it while Barack Obama’s approach was both/and. Cosby’s message seemed to have implied that while racism still exists in America, the problems that faces young African Americans are self inflicted. It treated racism not as a key ingredient in the problems they face, but as mere background noise that serves only as a distraction from the real problem – themselves.

Obama’s message, on the other hand, offers up solutions that can be implimented both by the parents and by sound, fair public policies. Both in conjunction can resolve a lot of issues that affect our children’s chance at a proper education and a decent chance to become strong and discipline members of society.

This explains why overnight Bill Cosby had become the media darling of Fox News and the conservative talking machines while simultaneously being rejected in the African American communities. The message of self help and self help alone is a favorite theme of the conservative movement, especially when espoused by someone who looks like those who could use some help.

For more details on why Bill Cosby’s cultural argument as the root cause of the economic and social problems that plague blacks in America is flawed, read the article “Why Bill Cosby is Wrong” at TomPaine.com