Hey Rich...glad to hear from you. Keep your thoughts coming!

Dorothy and Helen...I'm with you. I find a lot of the music today is angry noise. Lee, I can't take Dr. Dre, Wu-tang, Eminem and a lot of the hip-hop. I don't want to watch women grinding their pelvis or any other area in a close-up shot. The music and videos lack depth, soul, and creativity.

The US black-african musicans, sports stars and hollywood celebritites have made a negative impact on the age group of 9-35 down here. The girls wear extremely revealing clothing. The language is rough and foul. The majority of this age group is highly negative and materialistic. Reading is considered a ancient hobby. BET, WWF, soap operas are the main form of entertainment here. Totally mindless TV. Drinking, drugs and sex predominate favourite social gatherings. I shake my head in disbelief at school-leavers that come in all rough and ready to apply for a job position. The girls dress like street-walkers and the guys look like "gansta's".

Although my Sam listens to and enjoys the music, thank God he appreciates variety. He listens to Rush, Steve Miller, The Eagles, Hootie, Bruce, classical and lots of other music.

I can also hold an intelligent conversation with him at 18. We can discuss world issues along with talking nonsense. As with you Rich, I thank God my bridge between the generation is not a long one. And who wants to grow up anyway????

Lee the tatoos and pirecings are the result of a generation that screams for attention. Look what we used to do. Long hair on the guys, work boots and straight legs jeans on the girls, halter tops, from the Stones, to America, to Black Sabbath, to KISS...etc...*laughter* I can remember when my parents heard on the news that Elton John was bi-sexual. My father refused to let me play his music in the house.

You know I can remember my parents getting upset over the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show and my brothers and I watching it with such relish. I can remember seeing "A Hard Day's Night" at the movie theater in Luzerne and falling in love with Paul McCarthy.

And I cringe now thinking I used to watch The Partridge Family! *laughter*

Doc...I pray that as your kids grow older that some positive changes in the world will have been made and that the angry and violent music, movies, etc...will become less and less and quality entertaintment will become more and more.

As for the church ladies, include me in. Although my profession is not affiliated with the church right now, I do spend a lot of time volunteering for lots of things at church.