The thousands of happy smiling people (which seemed to be comprised mostly of families with small happy children) seems to suggest that, at last, they got something right. Good weather, the right balance of entertainment and activities and very happy merchants who are enjoying the largess of a well planned off-season bonus. If you were still here, you would have been there with your gaffers and you would have been enjoying it as much as everyone else. They never used the term "smart" once.

It did seem that they finally clicked that giving something to the community was what the community wanted...but was it a tribute band or the real thing?

No idea Al, tickets were sold out to the whole event long before I considered going - I have limited my observations to hearsay as well as numerous news broadcasts.

It is interesting that you seem to think it is important as to if it was the real thing - or a tribute. This points out a flaw in your well sharpened stick. It really does not matter if it lives up to your view of being (inyour eyes) a great event. What matters is the intended audience enjoyed it.

Reminds me of a question I asked Mr. Cedarstrom, my grade 8 English teacher. I had just returned from Ticondaroga, were a distinctly rural twang was spoken. I asked him what was proper English. His answer - "proper English is the particular dialect of English that is spoken in the community you are in."

You might wish to ponder those words.

You have become well versed in the Island chip, grasshopper. My only point was the idea that there might be a tribute band of The Stampeders. That fact that you have taken offence both on behalf of the English language, the event and no doubt the entire population is something of a tribute. Irrelevant to anything that was in my mind of course but, as usual, what another thinks is irrelevant to that particular chip which takes offence so readily.

Oh my, oh wise and eloquent keeper of the pointed stick - I took no offense, having carefully considered the source of the original poke. The young student, ever reaching for a level of perfection, seemingly only available West of Quebec, strives ever diligently for understanding - only to find failure again.

Ok - but were you in Canada when The Stampeders were big? They are the only band to have ever mixed scat singing with a banjo.

Relevance?

Good Lord. Let me hold your hand then. 30 years ago there was a band. It whad a couple of hits. It was, however, a bad band. They did things like mix scat singing and banjo. Time passes. A town announces that there will be some tribute bands playing and leaves it uncertain as to whether one would be a tribute band to a thity year old bad band. Funny is the idea that there would be a group of three guys hacking a living for three decades out of being a tribute band to a short lived bad band that mixed scat singing and banjo. I know none of this is an insult to anything you are connected with and that is the second funny that you took it as such. Actually that is the much funnier thing. Now the third funny thing will occur when you hit the roof and consider this a now a personal insult. It just isn't worth it, Craig.

Setting the hook in you my friend, is far easier than trolling for Ann on Rukavina's site..<chuckle>.. moving along to drop an anti-binns comment on Ruk to see if Ann will swallow.

Hit the roof? Personal insult? Take yer meds Al - yer not making any sense. All said, of course, with a huge grin.

I will admit that your (at times) contemptuous, arrogant and condescending pokes at all things PEI get under my skin at times. Probably good for me though, because it always reminds me of just why I love being here.

You really have mystified me. I said nothing about PEI but you made it that and somehow it becomes comment by me about PEI. If you feel like telling me where I went wrong please feel free except if making any remark about something like a Stampeders tribute that happens to occur in PEI is "arrogance" and "contempt". Then I get what you are saying and you can start again at the first sentence in this comment and repeat as often as you like. Apparently it provides some warmth.

FTR: It was the actual Stampeders, not a tribute band. Please carry on sniping.

Thank you. I don't know if we really need to pick up the handbags now. Craig feels worse than I do I am sure. I am just thankful that I was only making fun of an imaginary class of entertainer.

<i>Apparently it provides some warmth.</i>

That was a shot at our "come feel our warmth" commercial, right? Opps, my Elavil is wearing off.

I was only looking through one squinted eye when I saw there was a 13th comment, bracing for another broadside. But no. Aw, heck, if you can't give the Tinky-Winky-let's-all-hug on St. Valentines when can you. So I'll say it first. You are forgiven.

Elavil is an anagram of "Evil Al"

did they do "then came the white man?" that's a classic.

I wonder if the folks still have my copy of The Stampeders first album. I vaguely remember that one but clearly remmeber they had one of those Satanic hits of the pre-politically correct era.