Thursday

True Crime Update-Handicapped Criminals, Mother Hated Baby, Left Him to Drown;More

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Not a Good Year for Cruise Ships

Earlier there was the infamous brave Captain as covered on this Blog, who accidentally fell into the life boat and was unable to remain on the sinking ship as Captains are supposed to do.

Now we have group of tourists who were robbed while on a land jaunt off of a Carnival Cruise. Details have been slow in coming but it would seem that the tourists were robbed at gunpoint.

Mexico, wow what a fine place, full of drugs and thieves and criminals. Not that anybody cares, but I shall never visit Mexico ever and I think most Americans, and cruise lines, should consider same.

Mexico needs to decide if it wants to be a tourist destination and be governed accordingly, or it should just give up all facades of civilization and become the lawless place it really is.

As I understand it via later stories, Carnival cruise lines reimbursed the 22 victims of the robbery and I also understand that many cruise lines will be changing their itineraries to exclude the fine country of Mexico.

Mother Leaves One Year Old to Die in Bathtub Because She Hated Him Since Birth

We pray this precious child of Jesus is now in His arms and receiving the love he never got during his one tiny year of life on this earth.

This woman's lawyers allege she is suffering from postpartum depression. Postpartum depression after a WHOLE YEAR?

Although there is something odd about this woman's story. Beginning with the fact that authorities say the child was killed by blunt force trauma while the mother says she just left the child in the bathtub and he drowned on his own.

The woman did exhibit strange behavior, driving around with the body of the child in her car. She also said she tried to kill her own self twice by jumping off of a roof of a garage but both times people were passing by.

It looks to me like this woman bludgeoned her son, realized he was dead, and set up this whole scenario...hating her son, postpartum depression. She has another child, a 4 year old daughter.

Sweet child of God, he never had a chance.

Man In Wheel Chair Stuck in Sand After Trying to Rob Convenience Store

This story would be kind of funny if it weren't so pathetic.

It's not clear why John Champion is in a wheelchair but it is clear that he tried to rob a convenience store using a knife as a weapon. The cashier fought back and ended up stabbing Champion three times in his leg.

In his attempt to escape Champion got his motorized wheelchair stuck in the sand. When police caught up with this wheelchair scoundrel he was hopelessly mired in the sand and drinking a beer.

Obama Administration Getting Tough on Guitar Makers, We Can Sleep In Peace


For some very convoluted reasons, in august 2011 a team from the Department of Homeland Security as well as from the Department of Fish and Wildlife (why have only ONE bureaucracy when you can have TWO do the job?)raided two Gibson guitar factories. As vaguely explained, the company was charged with using raw, unprocessed Indian rosewood .

Seems the wood must be a some agreed upon thickness or some such, with work put into the wood by the local populace. Gibson guitar was violating a law called the Lacey Act.

Yet another bureaucracy known as the EIA-the Environmental Investigation Agency-is part of the mix as well as, well why have TWO bureaucracies when you can have THREE?

Whatever laws Gibson guitar may have made, as of the date of this writing, 2/29/2012, there have been NO charges filed by the American government or has Gibson guitars had the materials taken by one of the several hundred bureaucracies involved returned to it.

Let's see, that's now six plus months that this company has been raided by every bureaucrat in Washington DC and still there has been no charges filed, their property has not been returned, and the company has no idea what it is charged with or how to defend itself.

Meanest Woman Who Ran Her Stepdaughter to Death Gives Birth In Prison


MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- An Alabama woman is under guard at a hospital after she gave birth following her arrest in the death of her 9-year-old stepdaughter, who authorities say was forced to run for three hours as punishment for lying about eating a candy bar.


Dear Lord how could any human being not know that forcing someone to run for three straight hours is deadly?

Folks this awful thing only happened on 2/17/12. Even more horrifying, Savannah's biological grandmother was also arrested, she was also part of this torture.

Savannah, 9 years old, ate a candy bar. When confronted by her 27 year old very pregnant stepmother, Savannah did what most kids do-she lied about it.

As punishment, her very intelligent stepmother forced her to run around the yard for three straight hours without stop, as it is alleged. Jessica Hardin, the epitome of evil stepmothers, was arrested and charged with Savannah's death. Jessica recently gave birth in prison. The baby was taken and given to a relative, along with this woman's 3 year old child. Jessica Hardin should never be allowed around children.


Imagine poor little Savannah, running around that yard, exhausted, in serious pain-let us remember Savannah DIED that day-likely begging her stepmother to please let her stop, please let her have a drink. THREE HOURS!

And it's not like the woman with no heart didn't know of Savannah's distress. She had to be monitoring the child else Savannah would have done the logical given her biological distress, which would be to REST/maybe get a drink.


According to the autopsy reports Jessica was severely dehydrated, but of course since the child DIED. Which means that evil woman had to be hearing pleas for liquids/rest and ...well evil is and Jessica Hardin is now in jail and Savannah is now safe in the arms of Jesus.

Man Stabbed for Taking Bag of Harmonicas instead of Tacos

This story is as funny for the horrible writing as it is for the story.

It is the BLOG of the newspaper instead of the news area but still, in telling the story, the Blogger rambles all over the place.

Still, it is a True Crime and kind of funny. Nobody died for the silliness. The car driver had a bag of harmonicas in his car, the passenger had a bag of tacos. Upon leaving the vehicle, the passenger picked up the bag of harmonicas, thereby angering the driver, who stabbed the passenger.

I suspect there's some serious drugs or drink involved in this story.

A bag of harmonicas?






Update on Run for the New 6th District; Ayotte Runs for Council; Delaware Gossip


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Ending My Feud With WGMD for Lent
 This anecdote, such as it is, is part of a Lenten exercise. For I am to sacrifice something during this Lenten season as my recognizing of the pain Christ suffered as he died for our sins.

The "sacrifice", as I understand it from the various sermons in my church, can't be something that doesn't cause some "pain", some...well...sacrifice. Thus you do not give up hot dogs for Lent if you already hate hot dogs.

Indeed the concept of giving up something is a bit misleading. Though it is perfectly okay to give up something cherished for Lent as part of taking on some of the pain, however miniscule, of Christ's suffering, giving up something is not all you can do to, eh, "qualify".

"Forgiving somebody who has hurt you, forgiving them while wanting nothing back from them, this is a form of sacrifice appropriate for Lent," as I paraphrase my priest's sermon at the beginning of Lent.

There were other options presented and so I broadened my concept of Lenten sacrifice.

It's been over five years now that I've held a deep-seated grudge against an on-air personality of WGMD, a very deep-seated grudge. For Lent, I am going to, as fairly and politely as possible, tell my story and I shall publicly forgive. I expect nothing back from the person in question, who I shall name.

It isn't so much that he and I had a falling out, of sorts. That is not the reason I harbored such dislike for the fellow. I carried a resentment with me for yea many years because I did humbly apologize to him and he never acknowledged my apology, not even to accept it.

Although my original intent at the time of the incident was to do nothing but good. In fact, the day I chanced to phone up the WGMD personality I was full of good spirit, so happy to be part of his radio show, to be in agreement with him, to welcome him, as it were, to Sussex county, as he was new to the air waves at the time.

The subject was, oddly, paper bags.

Bill Colley was new to WGMD and perhaps this is why he was so defensive, I don't know. He was certainly new to me but hey, I liked him, thought he was going to do well, wanted to join him on air, me as the caller, he as the host, both of us in agreement as was my intent.

Bill Colley said that he'd been told by a friend that paper bags were clogging up the landfills.

Oh my goodness, I was absolutely sure that Colley had misspoke. Paper bags compost quite easily. PLASTIC bags, however, were real clogs of the landfills across the fruited plains.

Let me say that I too was somewhat new to Sussex County Delaware at the time, having moved here about a year or so prior. I was absolutely delighted to have discovered this local talk radio station, WGMD. We'd never had such a thing in Anne Arundel county Maryland.

There'd been all sorts of personalities filling that 3-5 pm slot and I was so glad that WGMD finally hired a permanent replacement for the slot. I'd never called up a radio station in my life before that day but after hearing Bill Colley I decided to give it a try.

I dunno, I probably blew it. Today I do call up WGMD now and again but not all that often. I am, however, much better at it. I know to get my thoughts together before making that dial. For sure I know to turn down my radio, nothing will cast you as a boob than trying to talk on air with your radio on in the background. I also know that it's not considered polite to make the radio host look bad.

I probably said it wrong during that call. I mentioned that I was a Backyard Wildlife Habitat Steward, which I am but which probably means nothing to most people. I was so joyous because I thought that this new Bill Colley fellow would be happy to hear from an "expert" such as myself.

I forget what the subject was that day but it was probably something about landfills or such. To this day I believe that Colley made a mistake or misunderstood his friend. Paper bags do not clog landfills. Anybody ever spilled something on a paper bag knows how quickly they disintegrate. Plastic bags, again, are real landfill problems.

I really thought I was helping. I really thought he would be happy that I called. I really thought he'd stop and ask just what a Backyard Wildlife Habitat Steward does, maybe interview me. I was excited.

It happened so fast I didn't know what hit me. Colley ripped me loudly and rudely on the air. He told me I had a lot of nerve trying to make him look bad. I forget what I said, or even I said anything. I know that he and other callers continued to lambaste me on the air even after he'd hung up on me. I know my husband happened to be driving down the road and he heard it all.

My husband thinks I'm 100% right on this and he never takes my side.

Honestly I didn't mean anything bad. But once you get hung up on, what are your choices?

Except, perhaps, maybe you have a Blog, read by one or two people, and finally you get to tell your story.

I wrote an email to Dan Gaffney, WGMD's program director. Dan Gaffney wrote me an email back. There began an email exchange to rival the ages. Dan, for his part, was likely trying to make things right. He'd evidently just hired this Colley guy and didn't want to fire him so soon. I just kept explaining my point of view over and over until Gaffney got kind of silly about it and I was in no mood. Gaffney did apologize profusely for my hurt feelings but I wanted some kind of recognition that I'd done nothing wrong. I even, in desperation, wrote an email to Bill Colley, apologizing for any gaffe I'd committed, that I didn't mean it.

While Dan Gaffney emailed me over and over to distraction, Bill Colley NEVER had the common courtesy to answer my email. THAT is the source of my grievance with WGMD and in particular, Bill Colley. Because I felt like I did the decent thing though I still do not think I'd done anything wrong. But I was, really, truly, I was so very sorry I'd made him mad, that I'd somehow made him feel stupid or whatever he thought I did. I really was. I really was so very sorry. And with such sorrow expressed in a profound apology, he couldn't even bother to answer me? I felt like he was the smallest, tiniest little man on the planet.

I stopped listening to WGMD that day and continued to stop listening to it for almost three years. I listened to Rush Limbaugh over the Internet and never listened to WGMD for any other reason.

Now over the years I've had occasional run-ins...issues with WGMD...all based on that ill-advised phone call so long ago.

My husband listens to WGMD all day. At times I heard the content, couldn't avoid it. Over the years I had some scrapes with the station, one involving my choir director, one on a Blog. I am sure my "issues" with the station sparked my grievance than any sort of real problem.

In addition, well I am somewhat active in politics in this county as the passage of time would see happen. Bill Colley even joined my church for a while.

I absolutely despised the man. If he showed up at a political function that I was at, I got up and walked out. I changed my mass times so I wouldn't have to see him.

I felt like I put myself out there , made myself so vulnerable. And he couldn't answer my letter of apology? Yes, I've been bitter about it for over five years now.

I didn't get into shouting matches with the man, I didn't send him nasty missives, I seldom even talked about him. You judge people on their actions and I believe a man who doesn't respond to a heartfelt apology, even if he never wanted to speak to me again he could have put on an act….I believe a man who can't even do that to be someone I don't want to be around.

I've talked to Bill Colley on the air a couple of times this past year, tentatively, anonymously. I'm betting he doesn't remember me, doesn't know who I am, probably forgot all about that day. I'm pretty sure that Dan Gaffney knows me as our email exchange lasted many hours. But Gaffney really did feel bad about it so my grievance was not with him. Although I kind felt like he should fire that awful Colley guy, maybe.

I don't know if Colley knew it was me calling those few times I got bored and decided to call. Once I actually called him in the middle of the night, in the middle of a hurricane. I really felt sorry for him, having to man the radio mike in the middle of a storm. I admired him a bit for it. But I'm sure he didn't know it was me. I don't think Bill Colley even knows I exist, even to this day.

Anyway, today I grant full forgiveness to Bill Colley. I don't care if he never reads this, I hope he doesn't. Understand here that I STILL think he was horribly wrong not to acknowledge my heartfelt apology.

I will not leave should he be in the room, I might even introduce myself. He can come back to my church and I'll show him around even.

Maybe I'll even listen to WGMD again. I have begun to do so during the early morning Gaffney show as I have the clock radio to wake me up. I call Gaffney oncit in a while. I kind of think Gaffney knows who I am but it's really not important.

I still think I'm in the right with Colley. But I forgive him, I'll accept that he was new to the job and sensitive to looking bad, that maybe I didn't consider how I sounded and came across.

I made another Lenten sacrifice, neither of them great feats I admit. But I feel like both were a sacrifice for me and I ask God to bless me, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.

Local GOP Passes Resolution for the Impeachment of Barack OBama
This summary posted by, coincidentally, by Bill Colley


. Brigadier General Phil Drew is the former Commander of the 65th Air Division. Prior he used to shoot down Russian made aircraft over the skies of North Vietnam. A mutual friend, Glen Urquhart, today announced for a State Senate seat in Delaware. Just before the formal portion of the program started, the General told me he proposed an Impeachment Resolution during a Monday meeting of the local Republican Party. An excerpted portion reads as follows:


May I suggest the basis of this said resolution should contain:

1. Several quotes from the President where he has outlined his views of the Constitution such as: “it is a document and listing of negative liberties” and “it is old and outdated and “if congress will not act, I will” and etc.

2. Several examples of unconstitutional activities of this President such as the blatant disregard of our Constitution in the Government take over of General Motors & Chrysler; the bail out of Wall Street, the take over of the entire private sector student loan program, not enforcing the Defense of Marriage Act, making recess appointments when there is no Senate Recess and of course the crown jewel of Obama policy, the unconstitutional Obamacare.

3. Conclude with the President’s latest overreach then feeble attempt to walk back his assault our religious liberty.

The resulting conclusion to said resolution should be inclusion in the RNC convention and platform for a call for action by the United States House of Representatives to draft articles of impeachment for the President of the United States.
Man, anybody thinks the national GOP gonna put this resolution to impeach Obama in its platform, I gotta bridge to sell you cheap.  Dag, even here in Sussex County, where the GOP has a little bite, you better be careful what resolutions you go making, witness the sheriff flap.

I was there when this resolution was presented.  I agree with it completely.  Obama's broken his pledge to uphold the constitution plenty of times, the most recent being his in-your-face "recess" appointments.  The fine fellow who made this proposal better watch his back.  The Sussex GOP liable to throw him outta there.

Local Author Tells His Story

I always like to promote local writers when possible, and Orlando Camp's book and the story behind it deserve a big nod.

His book is "The Milford 11" and it's Camp's story about how he and ten other students tried to desegrate Milford High School.

tate Rep. Harvey Kenton (R-Milford); State Rep. Dave Wilson (R-Cedar Creek Hundred); Orlando Camp, author of The Milford Eleven; and State Rep. Jack Peterman (R-Milford) at the Public Archives Building holding copies of Mr. Camp's book.

 "Fifty years ago, I could not have stood at this podium.  I would not have been allowed in this building," said Orlando J. Camp, who delivered the featured remarks at a recent event (2/2) at the Delaware Public Archives marking the start of African-American History Month.


 Mr. Camp, the author of new book "The Milford Eleven," was one of eleven 10th grade students that were involved in an abortive effort to desegregate Milford High School in 1954.

The attempted integration was in reaction to the unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision handed down earlier the same year (Brown v. the Board of Education) that found racially-segregated schools to be unconstitutional.


Good luck to Mr. Camp on his book and bravo to his heroism in the era when his action took great courage.

Don Ayotte Challenging Joan Deaver for Councilmatic Position in 3rd Sussex County District

I know this because, well Don's told everyone.  But....TADA!!!  The Wise I is Don's campaign Treasurer.  Already it's been a real riot with me having to sign and run and learn.

Folks, it's time for Joan Deaver, the lady who wanted to change the phrase "Easter Break" to "Spring Recess", to get outta there.  She's the only Democrat on the Sussex County Council and that's one too damn many.

Visit Don's web site, and read what the Cape Gazette had to say about him.


Consider coming to Don's announcement of his candidacy....information below.

Don Ayotte to announce his candidacy for Sussex County’s 3rd Councilmanic District at:

Th Manor House-ocated at Sussex East on Rt.9, 1.3 miles east of the Intersection at Five Points in Lewes on March 10th  at 1:00pm.

Buffet provided with 50/50 raffle


No admission fee and donations will b accepted.


Come and be a part of helping Don get elected, eat good food and do some friendly networking


So Here's What Happens When the Democrats Are in Charge

Indeed, from the Caesar Rodney Institute, just a couple of interesting bits of info.  Like taxpayer paid employees getting paid TRIPLE their normal salary in overtime.

But It Gets Better

 I'm going on a hunch here that Hertrich Car dealership gave a big contribution to the Delaware Democrat party.  And anybody who thinks Deldot is not the instrument of the Democrat devil, I got ANOTHER bridge to sell you, cheap.

From the News Journal:

When Car Dealer Frederick W. Hertrich III wanted to expand operations along Del. 1 just north of Milford in 2003, he encountered numerous government roadblocks.


The state planning office strongly opposed a commercial rezoning needed to develop the 23-acre plot.

DelDOT had formal policies against new commercial entrances directly onto that section of highway.

And a planned interchange at Thompsonville Road threatened to cut through the heart of the proposed new dealership.

After Hertrich's son had a chance meeting with Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, however, the car dealer's path began to clear.

"He said his dad was having problems because [DelDOT] didn't want him to build. He was having entrance problems," Minner said. "I told him, 'It's a shame this can't be worked out.' "

Records show that it soon was.

Working at Minner's behest, high-level DelDOT staffers set out in 2003 to "push along" the project on land just north of Milford.

Defying state planners, they supported a commercial rezoning of the property. They did not require the traffic-impact study normally required for a large commercial rezoning. They abandoned previously developed plans for an interchange at Thompsonville Road in favor of a more costly design suggested

At every step, DelDOT's deal with the Hertrich project was characterized by private negotiations, public policy overrides and poorly documented concessions and agreements.

Folks, we have got to get two partys back in power in Delaware.  Left to their own devices the Democrats make Hugo Chavez look like a piker.


-Academy Awards 2012 Fashion Report. Some Categories Invented By Me

Video of the Day

One of the funniest videos I've seen in a while.  Notice the cat peeking over the steps.  Then watch the big brave dog scare the heck...NO WAIT!  Video about a minute long.






The 2012 Academy Awards....Ho Hum....As Always.

I don't blame these bunch of nothing-burgers for getting all guzzied up and giving out awards as if they'd all found a cure for cancer for the mere action of pretending to be someone else.  Hell's bells, if they get away with it, peeing upon our feet whilst telling us it's raining, dag, well they act pretty good, huh?

And I suppose there's a talent to acting, for sure there has to an inborn ability to sing if that's the talent.  I understand such as the love of a craft and scads of folks took to the podium on 2/26/12 to receive Oscars for such as photography, make-up, documentary, writing.  Indeed it takes talent to make a movie and yes, we've all, in our lifetimes, seen movies that inspired us, moved us, caused us to cry, made us laugh.

We really do understand this sort of thing out here in la-la land where we carry this country on our backs.  We just have it all more in perspective is all.





Like many Americans who watch the annual Oscar show, I didn't see many, or in my case, ANY, of the nominated movies.  Indeed the only movies I go to see are animated things that I go to with my granddaughter.  I can't imagine going to a movie just to, eh, see a movie.  If I was so interested in a movie I'd be waiting to watch it on HBO or Netflix.

The only movie I chanced to see that was in the running last night was the animated movie "RIO" and it was nominated for best song.  It didn't win.

The other major news of the night beyond the fashion was, heh, George Clooney, God Bless, was passed over for an actor WHO ONLY SPOKE TWO LINES THE ENTIRE FILM!  Hey, what an ignoble way to go down in Oscar history.

There was, as always, the fashion and for this we have our tongue-in-cheek awards.  Below.  Enjoy.
Best Fashion at Showing Right Boob-Jennifer Hudson

Best at wearing red trash bags hanging off back of dress for no discernible purpose.-Ann Hathaway

Best Looking All Around Male-Andrew Garfield

Best at showing No boobs or skin at top-Florence Weich

Best Looks like something I crocheted-Melissa Leo

Absolute best all around glamorous look-Sharon Stone

Second best looks like something I crocheted-Jacki Weaver

Kelly Osbourne scores again with great dress and hair

Best Plus sized dress-looks fabulouso-Octavia Spencer

Female with least amount of talent in all of the Oscar shows....EVER-Tina Fey

Second best all around sexy and glamorous look of Oscars 2012-Milla Jovovich

Best looks like a Catholic high school uniform

Best hairstyle Oscars 2012, Best Strap slipping off shoulder too-Missi Pyle

Best "I can't believe she's got an Afro" at Oscars 2012-Esperanza Spalding

Most all around best look-Oscars 2012-Maria Menounos

Best Not Bad for an Old Broad Oscars 2012-Merle Streep






Some other whacky fashion posts on this Blog yon reader might enjoy.
Grammys 2012-Fashion Summary on Music Awards Show Following Sad Death of Whitney Houston


Golden Globes and People's Choice 2012 Whacky Fashion Awards

Click here to go to this Blog's main menu and see what other TV series we're covering.







Top Chef Texas Down to Top Two. But We Know Whose Going to Win Don't We?

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Final Coming Up.  Will It Be Paul or Sarah?

It has been a great Top Chef season this Top Chef Texas and I have quite enjoyed. The contenders got along, there was a minimum of absurd scripting. The meals as prepared by the contenders were still just as way out as always, to include rabbit hearts and pureed wasabi but that's the nature of the series.


I don't quite understand why all of a sudden, after showing all season in Texas, everybody has to up and pack and go to frigid Vancouver. The winner of Top Chef wins the right to be a feature in a big cooking event in Aspen Colorado. It is cold in Aspen Colorado so I dunno, maybe they're preparing the chefs for the chill?

In the most recent Top Chef Texas episode as of this writing-2/22/12-the three remaining contenders had a couple of interesting tasks. For the Quickfire challenge with a prize of $20,000, the contenders were to work in tandem with another Top Chef to complete an Asian influenced dish.

It was kind of intriguing in that one part of the duo would go into the kitchen and pick ingredients, maybe get out the required pots. This with a ten minute time limit. The contender would then come in for ten minutes and try to figure out what the first part of the team was trying to make. And so it would go for twenty minutes.

Sarah won this quickfire….nice and that $20,000 sure is nice too.

For the elimination challenge, the contenders were charged with preparing a dish AND a cocktail for a so-called Fire and Ice cocktail party. The dishes as prepared by the contenders were supposed to meet a criteria of containing elements of heat and cool.

Lots of spice on this one, some cool concoctions.



Lindsay, alas, came in third for this challenge and was thus, sent home.

So it is down to the top two, Paul and Sarah.

I don't doubt that Paul will win this thing handily. Paul has won the most quickfire and elimination challenges of all the contenders and he has a much better personality than Sarah.

However I predicted that Bachelor Ben would go with KacieB and he sent her home last week.

So take any predictions by me with a big grain of salt.

The Top Chef Texas Grand finale is scheduled for Wednesday night,2/29/12, Bravo, at 10 pm.

Other Top Chef Texas posts on this Blog here

Click here to go to this Blog's main menu and see what other TV series we're covering.






-American Idol 2012 Top 24 Announced, Lists, Photos, Some Predictions

Pic of the Day

So I have watched with half an eye the home town auditions, the Hollywood round, the angst of the top 24 notifications up to the top 13 announced last night before this writing-3/2/12.


The Top 13 American Idol Finalists for 2012 are:

Colton Dixon
Deandre Brackensick
Elise Testone
Erika Van Pelt
Heejun Han
Hollie Cavanaugh
Jeremy Rosada
Jermaine Jones
Jessica Sanchez
Joshua Ledet
Phillip Phillips
Shannon Magrane
Skylar Laine


I did have some thoughts on the many singing competitions currently running, their technique, their foibles, their genres.

Whatever will happen in the future, as there are only so many terrific singers on the planet, for now and for the past ten years prior, it is Fox's American Idol that has captured the nation's attention. Indeed many American Idol winners have went on to great fame, a quick list that would include Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson and quite a few others. Some snipe that there are many AI winners who go nowhere (what's the latest on Taylor Hicks?) but that's a silly argument. The successful amongst the AI winners/finalists outshine those who've faded to oblivion quite handily.

Since this is AI's 11th year, there are now quite a few AI alumni who, per the rules I must assume, have re-entered the competition. A couple of those former top placers in AI made the top 24, at least one is now in the top 13.

Which brings up this strange thing with 13 finalists. For some reason hyped all over the place, there was a contender that the judges felt deserved a place in the top tier with the chance to possibly win. That person is Jermaine Jones and he was announced as being in the "top 13" so we begin the couple of months of weekly AI eliminations with 13 contenders instead of 12.

Yes, I do have some thoughts and opinions on the final 13. We will leave Jermaine out of the opinions because however this came down, I did not get a chance to hear him perform.

Colton Dixon has some sort of skunk like hairstyle, he sings quite well. My notes indicate he seems to be "the next Adam Lambert". Colton's sister also entered the AI competition and she did survive a few eliminations. Only Colton made it through to the top 24, and on to the top 13.

Deandre Brackensick has a head full of gorgeous curls. Deandre did not initially make the top 13 but got to move up via the judge's pick as a wild card.

Elise Testone plays the piano and is considered a real contender.

Erika Van Pelt got into the top 13 as a judge's wild card pick. Erika's mistake via a lot of pundits is that she jumped in too quick to try to be the next Adele. The judges praised her performance however and she won their admiration again to move up to the top 13.

Heejun Han is of Chinese descent and besides singing, Heejun considers himself quite the comedian. I didn't get any sense that the judges were all that impressed with Heejun but he made the top ten on his own. I don't see him winning this thing, not even the top five, but I do think he'll add some personality to this year's contest.

Hollie Cavanaugh is a contender who was in the competition before. She is a sweet young thing, has a nice voice and an all American look about her that could seduce American viewers.

Jeremy Rosada has a fine voice but it's not all that outstanding and he doesn't have the look of a star. For now I don't think he'll last long but I reserve the right to change my opinion based on future performances.

Jessica Sanchez, my goodness, the judges love her, lots of Bloggers love her, she gets the on air audience screaming paroxysms of joy. Jessica pulled the old sore vocal cords routine but told Ryan that she rested up and thought she could pull it off. I'm 62 years old, I sing but only in a choir, nowhere near a solo performer. In all my life I've never had sore vocal chords, indeed I wonder how one gets such a thing. Sure the voice gets tired but by me this ploy, pulled out at least once an AI season, is a way of garnering audience admiration. The judges gave the very young Jessica a standing ovation and otherwise carried on way beyond her talent, as I see it, of course. Still, Jessica's one to keep a close eyeball on. I think she'll definitely be in that top five.

Joshua Ledet sang, amazingly, a Jennifer Hudson song as the way to introduce himself to America. Jeremy is a black fellow. Just on a hunch here, this seems to me that it might be a year to have a black singer win this competition. If so, I think Jeremy is just the choice.

Phillip Phillips is another judge favorite who made it through handily into the top ten on the first ballot. I didn't much like but the fans went nuts and the judges adore. Look for this guy to be a real contender, top five most definitely, top two maybe, real chance to win.

Shannon Magrane is my personal favorite. First, she sang one of my all-time favorite songs-"Go Light Your Candle", a Christian song, also my favorite music genre. Shannon is only 16, she's very pretty, and after a top two last year of country singers, she could be just the ticket to be a real contender.

Skylar Laine is the contender I refer to as the next Reba McIntyre. She's got a real nice growl to her voice, she's just a young 19 and she performs her heart out. The thing going against Skylar as I see it, and it's minor I suppose, but again, the top two last year were country/western singers and this might not be an ideal year for this genre.

So that's the initial wrap up. It's a good group, talented, young, performers all.

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