<p>My heart, thoughts and prayers?go out to all of the victims of Hurricane Katrina.? Living in the midwest my entire life, it is impossible for me to understand what you could possibly be going through.? I wish there were something more?I could do to ease the pain of the <em>millions</em> affected by the nations worst natural disaster. I am praying for you all, and I pray that you will get back on your feet <em>soon.</em></p><p>I do have one question for those of you who decided to "wait out the storm."? <strong><em><u>WHY???</u></em></strong>? If you had a car and were able to leave, why didn't you go when you had the chance?? Don't you realize that instead of rescuing those who really need it (handicapped, people without cars, etc), they are wasting time on you idiots???<em>Hundreds of people are dying because the rescuers are wasting time, energy and their efforts to rescue you who just wanted to "wait out the storm."</em>? I do not understand, and I am afraid I will never understand.? The warnings were there.? You could have left.? I just hope you are able to come to terms with the fact that you put yourself, possibly your <em>family</em>, and many others at death's door because you were simply too stubborn to leave.? Congratulations.? </p>
<p>When I was growing up, I remember going to the District Fair and the Bootheel Rodeo?and watching some of our favorite country singers put on a good performance.? We would stand in the crowd, often up by the stage, with the hope of getting a guitar pick, or better yet, our fingertips touched by "oh-my-gosh-I-can't-believe-he-touched-me Bryan White (or Alan Jackson, or whoever the favorite singer was at the time).</p><p>As I grew to adulthood, my music tastes began to expand, and I started listening to Pop, alternative, and, yes, even Rap/Hip Hop music.? To be honest, for the past year or so, Rap has been the primary sound waves gracing my ears to and from work.? Although the music has questionable lyrics, you have to admit that these artists are talented!!? They are poets with rhythm, and that was what I was expecting to hear at Friday night's concert.</p><p>Justin and I bought the tickets to this concert when they first went on sale.? What fan can resist going to see 50 Cent, Ludacris, Ciara, Little John and the Eastside Boyz and Mike Jones all in one concert for $19.50 a pop?? Well, not I!? So, last Friday we got to the UMB Bank Pavilion an hour ahead of time to get a good parking spot and so we could walk around a bit before Mike Jones started off the concert.? I don't know much about Mike Jones, and I wasn't impressed or disappointed.? Ciara came to the stage next.? She was neat to watch, but with all of that dancing and booty shaking she did, you KNOW she was lip-syncing!? No one can be that active and have such a crystal clear voice at the same time!? However, when she started singing songs that are usually accompanied by Ludacris, he didn't come out to sing with her??? But he's here! Why didn't he sing??? </p><p>After Ciara left the stage, Ludacris came on and started "singing." No, let me rephrase that — SHOUTING the lyrics rhythmically into the microphone.? There was no singing to it (yes, rappers sing on the radio).? I can't sing along to shouting!? Not only that, but he sang his part to the duet that he should have been singing 10 minutes ago with Ciara!!? Why couldn't they sing them together?? Finally! He's off the stage.? </p><p>Now for Little John (50 Cent was the headliner, so he was last).? The stage gets rearranged and then…50 Cent shows up? Where's Little John? No Show, No Explanation. Go figure.? Ah, well.? At least 50 Cent will be enjoyable — he's the reason I came!? WRONG.? Another artist who only knows how to shout into a microphone.? Not only that, but the entire group, G-Unit is shouting into the microphones in unison instead of letting 50 Cent sing his solos!? And who are all of these no-names he keeps introducing to the stage and letting take the spotlight?? Let's go home.</p><p>So we did.</p><p>Country concerts are definitely more enjoyable than rap concerts.? You can sing along to your favorite songs, you can get close to stage without getting killed in the mosh pit, and, as an added bonus, people know how to dress.? There is no temptation to pull that one little piece of twine holding a girl's shirt onto her body to see what would happen, or to gently tug on a guy's 10-sizes-too-big pants and watch him trip over his own stupidity.? Give me a country concert over a rap concert any day!</p>