Could somebody explain to me why I can’t get Google Maps to open? I can’t get it to load in either Firefox or Safari. My iBook G4 runs OSX. I’m able to open Google, Gmail and Google Reader, but Google Maps refuses to come up. I’ve cleared cookies and cache, tried disabling all of my Firefox plugins, nothing works. Help!

P.S. I will also accept help from Tom Cruise, Oprah Winfrey and Rhonda.

UPDATE: Rebooting the modem and router seems to have done the trick.

King Willie is about to resign; perhaps he’s launching his Presidential campaign.

Tonight’s bottom three:

Carly Smithson. Somebody get Al Gore’s lawyers on the phone–I demand a recount.
Kristy Lee Cook. No surprise there.
Amanda Overmeyer: Please let it be her. Please.

Results (more…)

Beatles Week Redux

Sorry I missed last week; I was out of town on business, and by the time I got back and caught up on AI it was old news. Shame, as I would have relished writing about the abomination that was “Eight Days a Week” done as a country song.

Elvira, Mistress of the Suck

Most memorable moment: Playing on the big stage.

Tonight: “Back in the U.S.S.R.” 2 straight weeks of Beatles songs and she never chose “Helter Skelter”? Forgot the words in the first line, other than that the rest of the lyrics were screamed correctly.

Randy: Pitchy in the beginning, but picked up in the middle. 7 out of 10.
Paula: Sketchy at first, weren’t hearing the timing. When you connect, you’re authentic. I’d love to hear a vulnerable ballad from you at some point. (is she kidding?)
Simon: It was what it was. Predictable, a mess in parts.

Final take: Can we please vote her off before she sings that ballad? Please?

Big Sky Barbie

Most memorable moment: Being the last one not voted off each night.

Tonight: “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away.” This is a hard song to sing, but she’s making it easier by singing it wrong. Maybe she’ll do better on Monkees night.

Randy: Should have been more emotional. I’m not even sure you were singing the melody in the chorus right. (that’s because she wasn’t…)
Paula: Sometimes it’s safer to stick to the melody. You look gorgeous tonight.
Simon: You need hypnosis, because you’re not a good performer. It’s like musical wallpaper. You make no impact apart from when you’re terrible, like last week.

Final take: At least she’s pretty.

Raspy McVocalchords

Most memorable moment: Singing “Imagine”, forgetting his lyrics on “We Can Work It Out”. (more…)

The House of Representatives has unanimously passed a bill aimed at scalpers who sell or use software designed to circumvent the “security measures” and “control systems” of online ticket vendors. HB 2420, as amended, would make such activity a criminal offense punishable by a fine of $500, or “any profits made or tickets acquired in the course of the violation,” whichever is greater.

The legislation is a ham-handed response to complaints from parents who balked at the market value of tickets to Hannah Montana’s concert tour last year, exacerbated by some resellers’ high-tech “ticket sniping,” bypassing Ticketmaster’s queue.

While it may provide some psychological comfort to a few middle-class malcontents, the bill’s dubious necessity is matched by its uncertain enforceability. The issue is already being confronted by Ticketmaster, both internally and in court. And since the bill can only be enforced with the assistance of Ticketmaster and other ticket vendors, the state’s involvement makes little difference. Not to mention the fact that the majority of its targets operate outside of the state, and may quite possibly reside in other countries.

Fortunately we appear to have dodged, at least for now, a much worse version of the bill, which would have made it “unlawful for any person to sell or offer to sell any ticket to any music entertainment event at a price above” face value. That version appears to have failed in the House on a 49-39 vote, largely along party lines. My representative, Curry Todd (R-Collierville), sided with the Democrats and voted for both versions, as expected.

Meanwhile, Rep. Todd is sponsoring another bill that would allow cities and counties to regulate and restrict ticket sales; HB 2612 would require a $200 quarterly or $500 annual license in order to resell tickets, and would confine such transactions to a “Reselling Zone” defined by local governments.

Another bill, HB 3099, would limit the sale of tickets to face value and also make it a criminal offense to sell more than 10 tickets to any single public event.

Thank you, big government.

Al Gore, time to call a lawyer.

David Byrne, time to call a lawyer; I think I know someone who’d be happy to represent you.

I’ve made no secret of my displeasure with Curry Todd, my state representative. And now, just when it seemed he was turning the corner by supporting a sensible bill relaxing restrictions on the sale of wine, pressure from a special interest group has caused Rep. Todd to back off:

Prospects for passage of legislation allowing Tennesseans to buy wine over the Internet may have diminished because of an organized attack from a group that is apparently sponsored by wine and liquor wholesalers opposing the bill.

…

Under current state law, all wine and liquor must go through wholesalers to licensed retail liquor and wine stores. Tennessee citizens cannot legally receive shipments of wine from other states; only wholesalers.

There are two bills to change that. One is sponsored by Jackson and Rep. Doug Shepard, D-Dickson, and the other by Sen. Paul Stanley, R-Germantown, and Rep. Curry Todd, D-Collierville.

…

The Stanley-Todd bill includes a provision declaring that a person accepting delivery of a wine shipment must provide a driver’s license or other photo identification. Jackson said a similar provision would be included in the bill he sponsors.

Todd said faxes and e-mails sent to his constituents by the new organization said juveniles would be allowed to purchase wine with “no ID required” if the bill passes, and “that’s a bald-faced lie.”

Todd said he now intends to abandon efforts to pass the Internet wine sales bill.

Of course, Rep. Todd wouldn’t want to alienate the special interest groups, the very folks he hopes will provide him with $75 meals once he reverses the ethics law, but it does give a whole new meaning to the term “wine and dine.”

It also suggests that curry goes with chicken just as well as it does with pork.

My only question is about the “D-Collierville;” has Rep. Todd actually switched parties, or was that just a Freudian slip?

Kady Malloy:  We will miss your hotness.

Asia’h Epperson:  We will miss your apostrophe.

Danny Noriega:  We will miss your attitude.

Luke Menard:  He got voted off tonight too.

I’ve kinda sorta sworn off AI blogging, at least for the time-being, but guest-blogger Popfly has provided tonight’s recap; you can blame him for what follows. - M. Wright

80’s Week.

AsiaaspostropheH

Most embarrassing moment: Extra in a roller skating movie, crashed into a light set.

Tonight: “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Not bad. Her singing was better than her choice of pants.

Randy: I recorded with Whitney Houston. It was hot!
Paula: You nailed it.
Simon: 2nd rate Whitney Houston at best, but good enough to make the top 12.

Final take: I agree with Simon.

Britney Pickler

Most embarrassing moment: 9th grade talent show audition. I would have guessed her answer would be “last week.”

Tonight: Queen’s “Who Wants to Live Forever?” Why in the world would she try to sing Freddie Mercury? She’s making a good song boring.

Randy: You hit the big notes well, missed some of the smaller ones.
Paula: Your best performance to date.
Simon: Better than last week, but still have issues with your massive lack of personality.

Final take: She only made it this far because she’s hot.

Elvira, Mistress of the Suck

Most embarrassing moment: burned her pool down. (more…)