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manufacturing consent

One of the things I find so amusing about reading news on Yahoo is watching the headlines change depending on who they think they need to appease. Today’s top news story on Yahoo was about the UN Inspections in Iraq and the preliminary report that Hans Bliz was delivering. The story has not changed during the day but the headline has.

This morning’s headline:
Blix: No ‘Smoking Gun’ in Iraq

This afternoon’s headline:
Blix Says Iraq Violated U.N. Sanctions

The story is the same for both, and also, by the way, supports both headlines. But the tone of the article is much different depending on which headline it’s saddled with.

The point… is this is how important language is and how easily we can be manipulated subtly by the bias of the agency presenting the news. It’s why it’s so important to know what their motivations are.

But try to point it out to people and they give you the stare they reserve for Kennedy conspiracists.

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2 Jan: Atlanta

2 Jan – Eddie’s Attic (Atlanta, GA)
w/ Sue Witty; Ryan Williams; Adam McIntyre; Pat Walsh; weaklazyliar

Okay. I’m really sorry. But I honestly remember very little. For those of you who weren’t there I have… something. The flu, I suppose, but it’s nasty whatever it is. The day before the show I didn’t leave the bed. The show went well from all accounts. The crowd was a good size and I was actually sort of surprised by that. I didn’t recognize a lot of the people there, I don’t know if they were fans of other people or just new people, but they stayed for the whole show. Thanks to you, new people!

I’m trying, I really am. But I can’t really recall anything. A few people have helpfully sent me some notes. Apparently I was funny (delirium does that). I gave away a house concert. I know I forgot words a couple of times. I had trouble playing the melodica because I couldn’t get enough oxygen in my system.

But everything seemed to go really well. I was surrounded by musicians who I consider to be good friends as well as very talented. Jimmy Ether played a short acoustic solo set and Adam McIntyre drove all the way from Nashville to do a set.

Okay, this is the worst summary I’ve ever done. It was a good show, so they tell me. Thanks to everyone who made it out, I can’t believe I’ve managed to keep that thing going six years in a row now. Every year I think will be the year that no one shows and every year you guys come out anyway. Thanks so much!

Meanwhile…
I knew playing the show that I was shooting myself in the foot as far as whatever it is that I have. Sure enough the next day I felt awful. This weekend has been exclusively me, at home, not moving around much. I have shows next weekend… singing a song with Susi French Connection on Friday and then a band show on Saturday. Which means I have rehearsals during the week. And right now, today? I can’t talk.

Wish me luck.

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20 Dec: Charlotte

20 Dec – Evening Muse (Charlotte, NC)
w/ Danielle Howle; Black Eyed Dog

The thing that is so frustrating about my career right now is that, for every show where I win over 1000 people with one song, I follow it up with a show where I fail to grab 20 people with 10 songs.

I drove up Friday afternoon, my cold really kicking in. Got in just in time, set up, met the club people who were all extremely nice. While I was waiting to start I got a call from home letting me know that the Indigo Girls wanted me to open a couple of shows in February (in Delaware and Ohio). So my spirits were pretty good. but then, the show…

The crowd was just small and disinterested. They were polite, but there was just no interest. I sold nothing. What’s worse is that I actually felt like I had played a really good acoustic show, which for me is something.

Danielle Howle, however, is one of the nicest people I have ever met and fun to be around even when I am sick with a cold. I also met a couple of guys from Jump, Little Children (they were playing across the street and knew Danielle) and gave them a CD.

Then I went to the hotel (knowing I’d never survive the drive home in my condition) and crashed.

I don’t know if the show will lead to more there. I hope so. But it’s hard to know whether times are just bad at clubs all around. I suspect they may be.

It makes it very hard to figure out what I’m doing.