Details, details, details

....it's all in the details and how a story gets spun. I wasn't at the Baltimore meet up that's been written about by Bart Blasengame in Details magazine. However, I'm reading a story with three different versions. Version one from the Clay Aiken fans that were there, version two from Mr. Blasengame and version three from those who love to put a negative spin on anything Clay.

This email from a Clay Aiken fan who was in Baltimore at the meeting with Bart Blasengame was just too good to get buried in the comments section.

"For those of you who weren't at the Meetup, it was a lot of fun! Bart was great, young, tall, cute, even helped us clean up! There was a female photographer named Rebecca (and her assistant) who was really great and she took pictures constantly throughout the Meetup. We had a table set up with all kinds of Clay stuff, autographed items, Clay bears, scrapbooks, etc. and a great dessert table featuring Krispy Kremes with a photo of Clay stuck on each one (thanks to Angel!) Bart talked to quite a few people and we insisted that he watch some JBT Clack. When we told him he had to watch Clay singing WDC he looked very surprised and said, "Clay Aiken sings WDC???!!!" Yep!!! And does he ever sing it!!! He took notes! (actually he took a ton of notes all through the Meetup) I had a lengthy agenda which included a lot about Penny Lane, Special Olympics, UNICEF, and other things that the group is involved in or hopes to be soon. I think we all did Clay proud and showed Bart that Clay fans are not "rabid" but are loving, caring people who are looking to do good in the world just as Clay is AND that we love Clay to bits!!!"

There's a lesson here. Don't ever trust a journalist. These ladies thought they were showing support for Clay Aiken and are quite upset that the spin put on the printed article makes what they saw as a positive and fun encounter negative and insulting.

This quote posted by one fan seems so appropriate. "Every flower that ever bloomed had to go through a whole lot of dirt to get there."

So what about version 3, the version being spun by the Clay Aiken haters? Well, since this is my blog I'm exercising my right to be biased and not repeat any of it.

Update - 5/31/06: The Detroit Free Press put their own spin on the Details article by leaving out three words - "In popular imagination".

My rule for what I get upset about is will it matter 10 years from now. Of course the answer is no - 10 years from now this current crop of haters will be gone, Clay Aiken will still be a superstar, will still have a huge, loyal fan base and will still be making a difference in the real world.

Tsunami-stricken Banda Aceh - March 2005

Uganda "Night Commuters" - May 2005

A picture is worth a thousand words!

Metamorphosis

Watching G-d Create a Butterfly
I tell my wife I'm quite confused, why do I feel this way?
How am I so very moved by a skinny kid named Clay?
It started in Atlanta, he came out of his cocoon,
He looked kind of goofy then but, boy, that kid could croon!

As Clay began to change and grow, what made him stand apart,
Was each time I heard "That Voice," it really grabbed my heart.
Now each time this young man sings, he spreads his wings to fly,
Soaring on the wings of love, his limit is the sky.

I am no longer that confused 'bout why I feel this way,
Or why I am so very moved by that skinny kid named Clay.
I think I've found the answer and I think that I know why,
It's because I'm watching G-d create a brand new butterfly.
....(used with permission) copyright OlMass

Atlanta, Ga - Oct. 27, 2002

Simon - You don't look like a pop star.

Randy - Where is that voice coming from?

Clay - Let America decide.

Week 15 - Tuesday, April 29, 2003

Week 9 Judge Gladys Knight "You're a mystery… you have your own look, there's something very magical about your look… your voice is so pure… I don't know what will happen to you in the contemporary world but something exceptional is gonna happen for you."
Neil Sedaka: "Clay, you sing like Andre Agassi plays tennis, perfection, perfection. And I would KILL to write and produce your first CD."

July 2003 - Rolling Stone Cover

Sept 2003 - Jerry Lewis, MDA Telethon: "We have someone here today, from the smash hit show American Idol, we're thrilled to have him joining us today, because when it was made known that he would appear on this Telethon, the emails and the fan clubs that this young man has have sent us $30,000.00 just at the fact that he was here.

And I can honestly say I have never, in all of my life, seen a theatrical groundswell that this kid has motivated, that it makes us all come right back to the bobby sox and Frank. And isn't it nice to live through that magnificence again? Here is Clay Aiken"

American Music Awards - won Fans Choice Award

2004

New Music Weekly - Won Top40 Male Artist of the Year
The Independent Tour, co-headlining with Kelly Clarkson
The Not a Tour 2004 Summer Solo Tour
The Joyful Noise Tour
Appointed United States Fund for UNICEF National Ambassador
Guest appearance on Saturday Night Live
Stared in his first TV special, titled A Clay Aiken Christmas
Learning To Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life debut at #2 on the NY Times Best Seller List

2005

March - UNICEF sent Aiken to tsunami-stricken Banda Aceh

April - Clay testified before the United States House of Representatives Subcommittee on Foreign Operations for UNICEF

May - UNICEF sent Aiken to Uganda

July - kicked off The JukeBox Tour

November - kicked off the Joyful Noise 2 tour featuring vignettes he penned

American Christian Music Awards - Won - Outstanding Yule CD

May 24, 2006 - AI5 Finals

01/17/2006, Reality News OnLine: An Interview with American Idol Producer Nigel Lythgoe by Logan Martin --

Nigel, will American Idol ever reveal the weekly vote totals?

I don’t think so. We do at the end of each of series, it is released, but not during the week. If you knew, for instance, that Clay Aiken was so far ahead every week, it would be a waste of time watching. You wouldn’t vote for anybody else because you would think, well, he’s never going to win; no one else is going to win. He is so far ahead of the game. And yet that didn’t happen on the finale for whatever reason. And I think a lot of that was to do with Kimberly Locke’s votes went to Rueben as well, when they couldn’t vote for Kimberly. But if you had known those results each week, you just wouldn’t have bothered voting. He was that far ahead, is what I’m trying to say.

....to be continued

Talk of the Town

Brilliant!

Shock and Awe!

Local reporter for the FOX station in Houston reporting live from the Kodak summarized the evening with this quote: "Hands-down the favorite reaction from the 33 media crews watching the live show.......Clay Aiken! "

PEOPLE: "But the biggest show-stoppers were Clay Aiken, who debuted a jaw-dropping new hipster hairdo, and Prince, who performed two songs solo before an ecstatic audience. "

Titanium! That's what it takes to parody yourself. As one fan put it, "Clay just let us know he can be mocked, made fun of and take all the crap thrown at him and he is still standing and back better than ever. A royal up yours to the haters and slime in front of a TV audience of 200 million people."

...and another fan found this quote appropriate.

"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." ...Ghandi

I really do hope "Back For More" is on Clay's new CD.

Buzzzzzz...

Adriana Costa, CNN Showbiz Tonight - "and come on, the red hair doesn't hurt--he is just adorable!"

Can you believe the buzz created by a rumor that Clay Aiken might appear on the AI5 final show. Fox, CNN, the Insider, E!, ET...it's almost like someone saw Elvis. That's star power.

Whether it turns out that Clay does make an appearance on the AI5 final show or it was just a rumor, there is no denying Clay Aiken is a winner. Main stream entertainment media knows it, AI knows it, RCA knows it and we know it.

I can't wait to see the numbers after his new CD drops and his next tour.

Insider poll: "Who is your all-time favorite American Idol" Answer: CLAY AIKEN

Elvis has left the building...

....to Clay

Elvis Set List - Cary, NC - Aug. 5, 2005

Love Me Tender
Hound Dog
Blue Suede Shoes
Don't Be Cruel
Heartbreak Hotel
Jailhouse Rock

and

Suspicious Minds

ENJOY!!!

''Our Friend, Mikayla''

Writing for Mikayla
Foundation to publish work that showcases disabled Lower Nazareth classmate.
By Arlene Martínez Of The Morning Call


Mikayla Resh is a young girl with a disability. Her friends and classmates have written a book about her. The Bubel/Aiken Foundation is publishing the book and it will be available on their web site.

Not only does Clay Aiken use his voice to sing, he uses it to help make the world a better place for all of us. If only that were true of everyone. He said he wanted to use his celebrity to make a difference. So far, he's been true to his word.

The Boy who cried Wolf

There was a Shepherd Boy who tended his sheep at the foot of a mountain near a dark forest. It was lonely for him, so he devised a plan to get a little company. He rushed down towards the village calling out "Wolf, Wolf," and the villagers came out to meet him. This pleased the boy so much that a few days after he tried the same trick, and again the villagers came to his help. Shortly after this a Wolf actually did come out from the forest. The boy cried out "Wolf, Wolf," still louder than before. But this time the villagers, who had been fooled twice before, thought the boy was again lying, and nobody came to his aid. So the Wolf made a good meal off the boy's flock.

A liar will not be believed, even when telling the truth.

***********************************************************

Your wondering why I tell this story. There's a simple answer. A rumor was started to once again get a certain young pop superstar's fans in a state of angst. The rumor wanted us to believe that Clive Davis was cutting Clay Aiken loose. He was going to appear on AI5 but there would be no mentions of Clay.

If you watched AI5 last night, you know just how untrue that rumor was. You heard Mr. Davis say Clay's first album has sold over 3 million copies. In the cascade of CD's shown, Measure of a Man was the last one so you got to see it the longest. You saw Clay's photo on the plaque (shown below) presented to Mr. Davis.

Once promotion starts for Clay's new CD, we will hear more about what Clay Aiken has accomplished and the awards he has won.

How his first single, Bridge Over Troubled Water/This Is The Night debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and was RIAA certified platinum 5 weeks after it's release. How it was the fastest selling single since Elton John's remake of Candle In The Wind, his tribute to Princess Diana.

How Measure of a Man sold 613,000 copies and debuted at #1 on Billboard 200 and the highest-selling debut for a solo artist in 10 years. The album was released on October 13, 2003 and received RIAA Double Platinum certification November 17, 2003.

How Merry Christmas With Love set a new record for fastest-selling holiday album in the Soundscan era and tied Céline Dion's record for the highest debut by a holiday album in the history of Billboard magazine. "Merry Christmas With Love" sold over 1,000,000 copies in 6 weeks and was the best-selling holiday album of 2004, receiving RIAA Platinum certification on Jan. 6, 2005.

American Music Awards
* 2003: Won - Fan's Choice Award
* 2003: Nominated - Favorite Male Artist - Pop or Rock

Billboard Awards
* 2003: Won - Best Selling Single of 2003 - ">"Bridge Over Troubled Water / This Is The Night"

* 2004: Won - Best Selling Christmas Album - Merry Christmas With Love
* 2005: Won - Best Selling Christian Album - Merry Christmas With Love

New Music Weekly Awards
* 2004: Won - Top40 Male Artist of the Year

American Christian Music Awards
* 2005: Won - Outstanding Yule CD - Merry Christmas With Love

Clay Aiken has only just begun and I can't wait to see what he has in store for us with his new CD.

Cool Clay mentions - May 2006

Fans post all these cool Clay mentions, then they float off into cyber space and get lost. So my brilliant idea for the day is to have a place to store them. Maybe not so brilliant when I realize how much time I'm going to be spending collecting them.

Chicago Tribune: White House Press Article
"As for the rumor that Snow might abolish the televised briefings, he gave no straight answer. But after last week's reportedly chaotic off-camera briefing and Tuesday's slick performance, I can't imagine he's even considering it. Like Bill Rancic and Clay Aiken before him, Tony Snow shines brightest with the cameras on."

Medialink Captures Top Honor for Video Excellence at SABRE Awards
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 16, 2006
The Amazon.com project involved a series of more than 20 video shoots produced over a 10-day period when celebrities, including Harrison Ford, Anna Kournikova and Clay Aiken, personally delivered orders to unsuspecting customers across the United States.

"Pyramid" - the game show
Category was "People on American Idol"
Clues - Ryan Seacrest, Paula Abdul and Clay Aiken

Saturday Night Live - intro skit
"Alternate Universe" happenings
Clay Aiken beats Ruben Studdard

Malaya Entertainment
Philippines May 15, 2006
"American Idol" is such a hit that even those who didn’t land in the top spot are assured of fame. That is, if they really have what it takes to make it big.

Take Clay Aiken, for instance. Aiken, who placed second behind Ruben Studdard in Season Two of "Idol," has far surpassed Studdard in album sales and fan base.

Fox Good Day Live in LA
Jillian Barberie to Katherine McPhee
"Well, I just want to remind you that even if you don't win, I look at Bo Bice, I look at Clay Aiken, these people, their careers are phenomenal. So, no matter what happens from here on in, you've already made it."

Forbes
People to Watch re:Chris Daughtry booted off
But even for the losers, life can be sweet: From previous seasons, also-ran Clay Aiken inked a deal with Sony BMG's RCA Music

MSNBC Scarborough Affair
"Idol Bias"
SCARBOROUGH: So why were they gunning for Elliott? Why do they select people that they want to knockout?

O‘NEIL: They just have their own biases, the same way that we do. And they‘re not necessarily based on reason, which is the problem. For example, the notorious year between Ruben and Clay, “Newsweek” magazine caught Simon saying, “We must stop him,” referring to Clay. “At all costs, we must stop him.”

Well, that‘s not your job, Simon. Your job is to critique his music.

SCARBOROUGH: And they did stop him.

Ruth Hilton, you know, why is it that these three judges can basically start gunning for a contestant and do whatever they can to try to knock him out of the winner‘s position?

RASMUSEN: They absolutely do. It doesn‘t matter if you‘re the best singer; it doesn‘t matter if you‘re the prettiest, if you have the most charisma. They are looking for someone who will make them the most money and who is different from the past years.

SCARBOROUGH: Tom O‘Neil, what do you think of that?

O‘NEIL: I think she‘s wrong on one point. Of the four winners that we have seen on “American Idol,” the one they have ruthlessly pushed out of the running, the one they ruthlessly pushed, Ruben is the only one who has not paid off on the pop charts. Clay has, of course.

So what does that tell us? That they‘re not necessarily right here. And now we‘re entering the finals, and my heart breaks for Katharine McPhee, because this is a terrific singer. And you just see that Simon doesn‘t like her, that he hates those big power ballads that are done on Broadway, the kind that Clay sang and she sang.

05/10/06 / UNICEF Spokesperson Clay Aiken visits Middlesex Middle School in CT
AND THE WINNERS ARE … STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA, CONNECTICUT, AND TEXAS WIN THE UNICEF KIDS HELPING KIDS® CHALLENGE

UNICEF Ambassador and 2005 Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF spokesperson Clay Aiken visits Middlesex Middle School in CT

In addition to having a donation from P&G made in their name, the top-winner - Middlesex Middle School - was visited by UNICEF Ambassador and 2005 Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF spokesperson Clay Aiken. Multi-platinum recording artist Clay Aiken served as the national Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF spokesperson. Throughout October, the Raleigh, N.C. native and former teacher, encouraged kids to participate in the program.

Today’s announcement comes at the end of what has already been a historic record-breaking year for the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF program. The Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF program raised a record $5.1 million dollars this past year. Since its inception in 1950, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has raised over $132 million to fund UNICEF's lifesaving work for the world's poorest and most vulnerable children.


Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Clay Aiken (runner-up, Season 2) — After a huge start to his post-"Idol" career, including a big-selling first album, a Christmas CD and several big tours, he's been quiet lately. His Web site, www.clayaiken.com, says he's working on a third album, but no details are given.

"You've Got Male".....author is Elizabeth Bevarly.
"But Andrew was agreeing with her that the music of Clay Aiken could, if people would just open their eyes and ears and hearts to it, bring peace and harmony to the entire planet."

North County Times Serving San Diego and Riverside Counties
But online communities still exist on the Web. By community, I mean people of similar interests who enjoy discussing issues with each other. They get to know each other well enough to mimic one another's writing styles and feel a sense of kinship. They can be organized around politics, religion, sports, or other lines.

I came in contact with one such group last year, while writing a obituary about a San Marcos resident, James Dale Leverton. A long-haul truck driver, Leverton in cyberspace was a bulwark of the ClayDawgs, (www.theclaydawgs.com), a Web site for male fans of singer Clay Aiken. There, Leverton was more than a fan; he was a friend to children and adults who were lonely.

After Leverton's death in a trucking accident, tributes began pouring in from fellow ClayDawgs. They also established a memorial fund in his name, with proceeds going to the Bubel/Aiken Foundation, which helps autism and other developmental disabilities.

"Luann 3: Sixteen Isn't Pretty"
Author - Greg Evans (due out in Sept '06)
12 of the "Luann meets Clay" strips from 2004 are in this book, along with a full page drawing of Luann with Clay. And sharp-eyed Claymates will spot Clay's picture on the book's cover as well.

SEDAKA: 'I'M STILL THE TOPS'
Movie & Entertainment News © WENN.com All Rights Reserved
2006-05-07 22:43:29 -
"They don't realise that I had the top-selling record in the United States of 2004 - Solitaire by (American Idol runner-up) CLAY AIKEN and the top-selling record in the UK in 2005 - I wrote TONY CHRISTIE's IS THIS THE WAY TO AMARILLO?.

Teen People
June/July issue
One summer, three American Idol alum releases: Clay Aiken's untitled disc, Mario Vazquez's solo album and Josh Gracin's All About Y'all. What will Simon think?

Norwich Bulletin Norwich, Conn.
Local judges' verdicts
Judges split over who will get the boot

Elliott is now our Clay Aiken in this competition. His looks aren’t pop standard, but his personality and voice make him enjoyable to watch. He’s finally figuring out his style and has grown increasingly consistent in performance in the last few shows.

Unlike Clay, he hasn’t quite figured out how to be all of those things at once. Solve that, and he’s a solid contender for the top three.

What's good for the goose is good for the gander

http://www.threadless.com/submission/63144/What

A saying to denote that one oughtn't have one set of rules for yourself and another set of rules for everyone else.

In other words:

Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.
If you can dish it out, you had better be able to take it.
You got what you deserved.
A taste of your own medicine.
What goes around comes around.

You reap what you sow.

Quoted from the FOC blog: "Oh and the story in the Globe about the Pure Fashion dabacle... I called and provided them with the information. See I have many friends there."

There goes that ego again.

debacle
noun, Definition:

1. chaotic failure: a sudden disaster, defeat, or humiliating failure
2. breakup of river ice: a sudden breakup of river ice in the spring thaw, causing a violent rush of water and ice

A sudden, disastrous collapse, downfall, or defeat; a rout.
A total, often ludicrous failure.
The breaking up of ice in a river.
A violent flood.

The only place I've seen any mention of a "story" was on the FOC blog, so yeah - you could say whatever was intended to happen with that was a ludicrous failure.

Story: the telling of a happening or connected series of happenings, whether true or fictitious.

Blueprint for a Con Artist

In order to defend yourself against a con artist, you need to know what they do and how they do it. So whether the con artist is an individual or a group they use the following guidelines to perpetrate the con.


Create a Controversy
* Controversy sells.

Create a Public Image
* Make a big public spectacle of whatever issue you choose.
* Dehumanize those on the other side whenever possible.

Manipulate the Controversy
* Sell fear and divisiveness.
* Gain followers.
* Get our spokesmen in front of the media.
* Get our position expressed in the media.

Practice Mind Control
* Remember the classic rule, "divide and conquer."
* Create anxiety and doubt - twist the truth
* Plant believable lies - use "anonymous insiders" for this

Destroy the Opposition
* Threaten punishment to those who questions us.
* Pick a dissenter and attack and destroy him/her in every way possible.
* Publicize his destruction. This will discourage others.
* Get rid of those who are influential or have leadership potential.

Topple All Heroes and Positive Role Models
* Leave no hero standing.
* Leave no reputation untarnished, except, of course, our heroes.

Rules
* There are no rules.
* Always claim the high moral ground.
* Follow the letter of the law completely ignoring it's intent.
* Set up secret groups to do the illegal, unethical or immoral tasks.


Con artists have been with us since time began. Not every con artist wants your money, some just want the feeling of empowerment they get from scamming you. Don't give it to them. Don't fall for their tricks.

Cyber Smear Campaigns

Cyber Terrorism and Cyber Stalking have a cousin called Cyber Smear. Cyber Smearing is false and misleading information posted under the guise of informing the public. Message boards, chat rooms and blogs make it easy for a small group to seem larger than they are and to push their smear agenda, but more and more state laws are addressing Cyber Smearing and those engaging in this "hobby" are now running serious legal risks.

Why do those engaging in the smear campaigns do this? Is it to gain a sense of power? Sadistic pleasure? An ego trip? Revenge? Make themselves look better by tearing down someone else?

Becoming the victim of Cyber Smearing most likely means you've accomplished more than your detractors ever will. The smear mongers want nothing more than to silence you and use the anonynimity of the internet to further their depraved schemes.

One web site CyberSmear Watchtower states "Slander, Smear, Libel, Defamation, Pernicious Claims, Baneful Statements, Virulent Accusations, and Injurious Representations: all terms that are as old as sand. But with the transformation of the simple grain of sand into silicon, and the resultant transformation of the Industrial Age into the Information Age, each of these terms undergoes their own metamorphosis. Character assassination of an individual or company is nothing new, but the advent and popularity of the Internet provides a new and effective format for propagating these oldest of human malignancies. "

Stealing screen names

Most of us are aware of criminals out to steal identities. There have been warnings all over. Did you know there's a new game in town? Yup! Stealing screen names.

It happened right here in my Kool-Aid thread. The perpetrator got cold feet and deleted the comments but not before screen caps were taken. This perpetrator, whom I will call Anti-fan, did a Google search on the screen name of a Clay Aiken fan. Long ago, "Carol" had joined a fan site supporting Clay Aiken and given her real name and location. Anti-fan found this through Google. So what does Anti-fan do? He creates a bogus Blogger identity and used "Carol's" information.

Anti-fan is on a crusade to tarnish the name and reputation of Mr. Aiken. Anti-fan has been joined by a few others who are all too happy to help. For clarity, I'll call the "others" Non-fan. If your clueless and reading this, the back-story is that Non-fan has an axe to grind and over the years has been nursing a growing hatred for some of Clay's fans and Clay himself.

Anti-fan used the bogus "Carol" identity to post some derogatory comments here on my blog, which I deleted. I did think it was a bit strange for someone to be using what looked like a real name saying what was said. After one question to a real person I know, I not only knew the post was bogus I also knew that identity was stolen. Within minutes the real "Carol" also knew.

Anti-fan and Non-fan are using bogus identities to post derogatory comments on other blogs where anonymous and made up screen names are allowed. So, if you see a post that seems out of character from what you know about the person behind the screen name, just remember Anti-fan and Non-fan are stealing your screen names.

Another one of their games is making up fake email addresses pretending to be legitimate media sources. Don't fall for this one. You'll be giving them your personal information they can use in their fake screen name game.

elprup selkcip dna sgniht elprup

Fun with Purple
- it's not just a color

Professor Plum

Tidyup (hint - purple blob)

elprup selkcip

Daucus carota 'Purple Dragon'

The Purple Onion

Phaseolus vulgaris 'Purple Queen'

The Color Purple

Deep Purple

Physalis ixocarpa 'Purple de Milpa'

Purple Top Strapleaf

Purple Heart

Tinky Winky

Purple Rain

purple finger

eggplant

Purple Haze

The Kool-Aid Factor

Kool-Aid? Clay Aiken? Clay's fans? What did one have to do with the other? I first saw the term used as an insult and at the time it made no sense. Given that I'd read it on a message board that chewed up and spit out anyone who dared to even mention the name Clay there was no way I was going to ask for an explanation. It may take me a while, but eventually I will find the answers ... and I did.

Back in the '60s when the hippies were hippin', flowers had power and LSD was a way to tune in, turn on and drop out, Ken Kesey (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest) hosted Acid Test parties for his group of Merry Pranksters where he served grape Kool-Aid laced with LSD along with other drugs of choice.

Not to be confused with purple pickles. That's a whole n'other subject.

In 1978 Jim Jones and 913 followers of his People's Temple committed mass suicide by way of drinking Flavor Aid laced with cyanide, taking cyanide injections, or by gun shot in Jonestown, Guyana.

The term "drinking the Kool-Aid" came to mean blindly following like sheep. So is saying Clay fans are Kool-Aid drinkers meant as an insult? You bet!

But....and this is a big one....there is a flip side.

You see, if Clay Aiken was your run of the mill pop star we'd be seeing mediocrity and indifference. Instead, we see passion for a well loved artist, who at the beginning of his career has already become a commercial success and is the yardstick by whom others have been and still are measured. His success leads others to use his name for for their own gain. Mediocrity generates indifference. Passion generates love and hate. The chart below illustrates my point.

"Forget the tipping point--if you want to measure passion, look for the koolaid point." says Kathy Sierra, who graciously gave me permission to use her charts.

Those on the hate side of passion ("koolaid-hunters") will try whatever they can to make sure that everyone knows we have lost our minds, we are nothing more than sheep, we are Kool-Aid drinkers. Quoting Kathy Sierra again "Where there is passion, there is always anti-passion... or rather passion in the hate dimension."

So whether it's love or hate it proves that Clay Aiken is a force to be reckoned with.



Now pass me some Kool-Aid!!!

You can read more about the Physics of Passion: The Koolaid Point here

Silver linings

From John Milton's 'Comus' (1634) 'Was I deceiv'd, or did a sable cloud/ Turn forth her silver lining on the night?'

When I first heard Clay Aiken sing little did I know where falling in love with his voice would lead me. Because of him I've learned more about autism than I knew before. I've learned about the children of Uganda referred to as "Night Commuters" and the children who survived the tsunami in Banda Aceh.

I've found friends around the world. People who, even though they live in different countries, are very much like me.

I've learned about the recording industry, pay for play and pop charts. I've learned about "spin", that not everything you see or hear is truth.

I've been exposed to unselfish acts of love and kindness among strangers and seen unfathomable hatred.

The silver lining for all the hatred that's been directed at us, as fans of this man and his voice, is that it has made us stronger, made us dig in our heels so to speak, and made us more determined than ever to stand up and fight. We're not giving up or going away.

I will use my voice to support truth and do my best to ignore the lies and hatred. I know I'm not alone.

Pinocchio

Pinocchio starring stalker boy

The perfect analogy. Does Pinocchio travel the right path and become human...or travel the wrong path and turn into an ass? For every lie he tells, his nose grows longer.

They may not have had the internet back in 1883 when the story was first published but the the allegories remain as true today as they were then.

"Once upon a time, there was ... 'A king!' my little readers will say right away. No, children, you are wrong. Once upon a time there was a piece of wood.... "

There are no Swiss cheese holes in the truth.

North Carolina § 14‑196; § 14‑196.3

State Computer Harassment or "Cyberstalking" Laws

SBI Sees Growing Number Of Cyberstalking Cases

On January 5, 2006 President Bush signed into law a prohibition on posting annoying Web messages or sending annoying e-mail messages without disclosing your true identity. Sec. 113, Preventing Cyberstalking, was included in Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act and rewrites existing telephone harassment law to prohibit anyone from using the Internet to post annoying web messages or send annoying emails without disclosing your true identity. Criminal penalties include stiff fines and two years in prison.

Sounds like some of stalker boy's "Anonymous" minions are breaking a Federal law.

Googling Cyber stalking, Cyber bullying and Cyber harassment turns up some very interesting reading material.

WARNING!!! The purple pickle struck again and got his hands on the "Friends of Clay" blog. There is no limit to how low, desperate, and despicable this sorry excuse for a man will go in his efforts to destroy someone's good name. This time it's Adam and Leon.

Journalist vs. Gossip Columnist

Do you wonder why those who write for the tabloids and gossip columns read internet gossip sites, blogs and give out their phone numbers hoping to solicit whatever story they think will sell papers? Why they don't use fact checkers? Why the more salicious the story is the better? Why they don't care about the integrity of their sources? Why they say a "source" without naming them?

Can you find the answers below?

Gossip columnist
"A gossip columnist is someone who writes a gossip column in a newspaper or magazine, especially a gossip magazine, that prints gossip stories, spreading news of a personal, private nature, and/or rumors and lies, usually about show business, the motion picture, theater, and television industries, celebrities, movie stars, superstars, people of politics, sports, and of wealth and society."

Journalist code of ethics
"Members of the Society of Professional Journalists believe that public enlightenment is the forerunner of justice and the foundation of democracy. The duty of the journalist is to further those ends by seeking truth and providing a fair and comprehensive account of events and issues. Conscientious journalists from all media and specialties strive to serve the public with thoroughness and honesty. Professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist's credibility. Members of the Society share a dedication to ethical behavior and adopt this code to declare the Society's principles and standards. "

Stalker boy needs glasses

FOC has a picture of Thom Yorke of Radiohead that stalker boy posted and said was Clay. Poor boy's eyesight is failing.