Meet the Real President During Bush 43: Dick

Want to wake up to a nightmare? We're back in the days of darkness with dickhead Dick Cheney, the lawless thug who slept during the first 7 months of the Bush Administration and then ransacked the Constitution for the next 7 years. Cheney gave a speech today defending the great work of Bush Administration which he apparently led while the young Bush 43 slept, watched sports and read the Cliff Notes.

Keith Olbermann speaks for me and a majority of the Nation.

SF MusicTech Summit Hits The Spot

Fourth time's a charm? Maybe. The 2009 SF MusicTech Summit really hit the spot this year. Organizers Brian and Shoshana Zisk brought together a who's who of music industry executives, managers, musicians, promoters and lawyers, to discuss the current state of the industry and how it should move forward. Topics covered included technology - tools artists and labels can use for marketing, promotion and measurement, and monetization - new models and legal issues related to how music will be delivered and paid for in the future.

There has never been more opportunity for musicians to take control of their careers. Recording and career promoting technologies are now in the hands of the artist rather than the record label. At the same time, there is lots of competition out there among artists. Someone in the band also needs to wear the hat of a 'creative director' for it's often superlative creative marketing across new platforms (i.e. MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) that helps gain attention for an artist and his/her music and can make the difference and help elevate music among its intended audiences.

There was a terrific mid-day performance by songwriter/singer Matt Morris, whose new album is produced by Justin Timberlake. My friend and triple-Grammy winning record producer / hit-maker Narada Michael Walden showed up at the post-conference reception to promote Let The Sunshine In, a benefit concert taking place on May 25th in San Francisco, featuring Sting, Earl Klugh, Bob Weir, Dave Grisman, and many others.

This year's' event was standing room only...and I suggested to Brian that it might be time for a larger venue. One more thing...there was nobody on the floor I met who was bummed out about the economy. People were excited and optimistic.

(PIC: Narada Michael Walden, Matt Morris, S. Neil Vineberg)

Bill Clinton Named UN Special Envoy to Haiti

According to CNN, former U.S. President Bill Clinton will be named UN Special Envoy to Haiti. Having spent six years as a staff member at UNICEF and another ten years as a consultant to several United Nations agencies, this upcoming appointment gives me a feeling of delight. 

It is a brilliant recognition of the extraordinary achievements of the President Clinton both during his presidency and beyond. It banks on his ability to uplift the welfare of the Haitian people in sustainable ways. 

Bill Clinton as UN Envoy will add prestige to the UN and the Clinton himself.  So whose idea was this? Bill Clinton, The UN, Hillary, or the Obama administration? Perhaps all.