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Thomas Sowell - “It’s Not Race, It’s Behavior”

I don’t like the guy who interviews him. But Sowell should run HHS.

Math - she no lie.

Why do white Appalachian kids start even, then fall behind generation after generation?

Same reason 100 years of progress seen in intact black families starts to fail in 1960, continuing to date.




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Creed/3 Doors Down

Watched really good concert last night at Ruoff in Noblesville. Creed back on the road after 25 years.

Interesting crowd of folks in their 60s down to 20s. Around 25,000, it was packed.

3 Doors down had American Flag on stage and was prominent in their videos. They actually mentioned Jesus. Seemed odd pairing with Creed.

Crowd broke out in USA chant a few times during the night.

Quick breakdown of the Safety position


I'm hoping that by moving Nic Toomer to FS they've adequately replaced our biggest loss (L.Moore to Ole Miss) of the off season...

Should be fun to watch this group fly around and make plays...

One guy I'll watch with interest is Sanguinetti... He's close to being good if he could become more consistent...

Twenty Olympians to Represent Indiana University in Paris

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Twenty Indiana University athletes and coaches will participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Indiana has tied its second-largest group of Olympians all-time, having produced 20 Olympians in 1976 and a record 23 in 1968. Hoosiers will represent nine different countries, marking a school record. The 2024 Paris Games will officially kick off with the opening ceremony July 26 at 1:30 p.m. ET, with IU athletes competing the next day. NBC and Peacock will provide live video coverage throughout the Olympics. Stay tuned to IUHoosiers.com/Olympics for full coverage of IU athletes in Paris, including feature stories, recaps and athlete schedules.

IU is represented in five unique sports, including, for the first time ever, open water swimming. Within that, four different IU athletic programs produced Olympians – 17 from swimming and diving (13 swimming, four diving), two from water polo and one from track and field. Ten Hoosiers will represent Team USA in France, Indiana’s largest contribution to the U.S. Olympic Team since Seoul 1988. All 10 Team USA Hoosiers emerge from the IU swimming and diving program – six swimmers, three divers and two coaches.

Indiana has produced a U.S. Olympic diver at every Summer Games since 1964. Tokyo 2020 medalists Andrew Capobianco and Jessica Parratto return for their second and third Olympics respectively. Reigning NCAA Champion Carson Tyler is set to make his Olympic debut in the 3-meter and 10-meter competitions as the first U.S. male diver since 2000 to qualify in both events. The remaining 10 Hoosiers combine to represent eight more countries. For the first time ever, Indiana sends Olympians from the British Virgin Islands, Singapore, Lithuania and the Netherlands. IU athletes will also compete for Egypt, Germany, Israel and Canada.

In addition to the 20 individuals that currently train or coach at Indiana University, or have graduated from IU, three more Olympians have cream and crimson ties. Swimmers Matt King (United States) and Zalán Sárkány (Hungary) are set to transfer into the IU program following their summer in Paris. U.S. Olympic Diving head coach Drew Johansen will be joined on deck by Jenny Johansen, named an assistant coach by USA Diving. Jenny Johansen is a two-time Olympian, coach at the Johansen Diving Academy at IU and Parratto’s personal coach. Together, the Johansens become the first married pair to coach U.S. diving together at an Olympic Games.

Eleven Hoosier Olympians have previous Olympic experience. Drew Johansen leads the way, coaching his fourth consecutive Summer Games. Five more Hoosiers will attend their third Olympics, including Lilly King, Ray Looze, Parratto, Blake Pieroni and Marwan Elkamash (all swimming and diving), who became the first Egyptian swimmer to qualify for three consecutive Olympics. King announced prior to U.S. Olympic Swim Trials that the Paris Games will be her final cycle.

Nine Hoosiers – Rikkoi Brathwaite (track and field), Cory Chitwood, Mariah Denigan, Ching Hwee Gan, Josh Matheny, Rafael Miroslaw, Anna Peplowski, Carson Tyler and Kai van Westering (swimming and diving) – will participate in their first Olympics.

See the full list of Indiana University Olympians below.

Olympic History:

Few universities, or even nations, can match Indiana University's Olympic record. Indiana boasts 261 total Olympic berths, representing 30 countries. On 21 occasions, Olympic coaches have come from Indiana. The Indiana University athlete medal count is at 121 including 60 gold, 23 silver and 38 bronze after the 2020 Tokyo Games. The Hoosiers have earned a medal at every Olympic Games they have competed in except 2004. IU’s most productive year was 1968, with 17 medals for IU competitors in Mexico City.

Hoosiers at the 2024 Paris Games

NameNo. of OlympicsNationSportEvent
Rikkoi Brathwaite1British Virgin IslandsTrack & Field100-meter
Andrew Capobianco2United StatesDiving3-meter
Cory Chitwood1United StatesOpen Water SwimmingAssistant Coach
Mariah Denigan1United StatesOpen Water Swimming10K
Marwan Elkamash3EgyptSwimming1,500-meter freestyle
Tomer Frankel2IsraelSwimming100-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly, 4x100-meter freestyle, 4x200-meter freestyle
Ching Hwee Gan1SingaporeSwimming800-meter freestyle, 1,500-meter freestyle, 4x100-meter medley
Jessica Gaudreault2CanadaWater Polo
Drew Johansen4United StatesDivingHead Coach
Lilly King3United StatesSwimming100-meter breaststroke, 200-meter breaststroke
Shae La Roche2CanadaWater Polo
Ray Looze3LithuaniaSwimmingAssistant Coach
Josh Matheny1United StatesSwimming200-meter breaststroke
Rafael Miroslaw1GermanySwimming200-meter freestyle
Jessica Parratto3United StatesDivingSynchronized 10-meter
Anna Peplowski1United StatesSwimming4x200-meter freestyle
Blake Pieroni3United StatesSwimming4x200-meter freestyle
Kotryna Teterevkova2LithuaniaSwimming100-meter breaststroke, 200-meter breaststroke
Carson Tyler1United StatesDiving3-meter, 10-meter
Kai van Westering1NetherlandsSwimming100-meter backstroke, 200-meter backstroke, 4x100-meter medley


Additional Olympians with Indiana University Ties

NameNo. of OlympicsNationSportEventIU Affiliation
Jenny Johansen3United StatesDivingAssistant CoachCoaching Jessica Parratto, Coach at Johansen Diving Academy
Matt King1United StatesSwimming4x100-meter freestyle2024-25 Transfer
Zalán Sárkány1HungarySwimming800-meter freestyle, 1,500-meter freestyle2024-25 Transfer
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Message to our non-subscribers that frequent the site.

We appreciate everyone, especially our subscribers who support theHoosier.com allowing new, daily content.. For those of you that are not currently supporting the site I will bluntly ask that you begin doing so. Rivals recently made some revolutionary changes to the site that over time will be seen as an improvement and a way of providing a better experience overall. If someone seriously cannot afford the $10/month (.27 cents a day) that a subscription costs, then I understand. Most of you can easily afford the $10 a month, but choose not to be a subscriber for whatever reason. You want more? We are trying to give more. But we need your support to edo that.

But if you are not in that boat there is no reason for not being a subscriber. If you think for one second I, or anyone is getting rich here, well that would be astronomically inaccurate. We only want to be able to provide as much and the most content as possible and try to do just that every day. Everything we do to accomplish that cost money. Staff, payroll, traveling to events, equipment, and on and on. We strive to improve every day and to be better every day. We would like to add some things that we think would add to your experience.

Some things that are coming in the immediate future are basketball related. A basketball analyst for the Premium Forum page. This role will see readers have the opportunity to talk IU hoops in a deeper manner. Game strategy, game results, individual performances, coaching, etc. Separate from that have a new writer who will be focusing solely on basketball recruiting. There will also be more Premium content and less "free" content.

Personally, I would like to see the "free" boards go away. They do not benefit us, but equally bring issues we have to deal with. We are a subscriber based site, not a "click-based" one. I know there are tons of you that float on the "free" boards, but TH.com needs your patronage as a subscriber. If you are a subscriber, thank you! Encourage non-subs to come aboard. I can only ask that you BECOME A SUBSCRIBER today. Seriously, it's .27 cents a day.

Thank you!

Links inside.

Couple of resources here that get into the story behind Tiffany’s number one single “Could’ve Been.” This record (MCA 53231) ruled the airwaves for two weeks starting February 6, 1988, having entered the Billboard Top 40 on December 12, 1987. It was taken from the album Tiffany (MCA 5793), which itself spent two weeks at number one, a multi-platinum rookie effort from the star.

Interview.


Stereogum.com retrospective, part of their complete review of all chart toppers from 1958 to the present.


I’ll update as I find more. This journey started out as curiosity about Tiffany’s death but has evolved into a deep dive on the singer, on the song, and on songwriter Lois Blaisch — both her career and her personal life.

SNEAK PEEK. Did you know that the instrumental tracks on “Could’ve Been” were actually recorded in 1983?

EDIT.

Official website.


Short essay examining the lyrics of “Could’ve Been.”


EDIT TWO.

Here’s a great link to manager/producer George Tobin’s discography. Dude has worked with everybody: Gene Pitney, Tommy Roe, Robert John, the Manhattans, the Commodores, Smokey Robinson, Thelma Houston, Kim Carnes, New Edition, and many, many more. I would note parenthetically that Lois Blaisch calls Tobin a “scum bucket” or something like that in her Songfacts.com interview. 😂


EDIT THREE.

Before we get too far in, it’s probably a good idea to just post the lyrics. Consider this a quick reference as you explore the other content here.

“Could've Been”
(Words and Music by Lois Blaisch; ©️ 1987, George Tobin Music Inc. and BMG Talpa Music, BMG Rights Management [UK] Limited; All Rights Reserved)

The flowers you gave me
Are just about to die
When I think about what could've been
Makes me want to cry

The sweet words you whispered
Didn't mean a thing
I guess our song is over
As we began to sing

Could've been so beautiful
Could've been so right
Could've been my lover
Every day of my life

Could've been so beautiful
Could've been so right
I'll never hold what could've been
On a cold and lonely night

The mem’ries of our loving
Still linger in the air
Like the faded scent of your roses
Stay with me ev’rywhere

Every time I get my hopes up
They always seem to fall
Still, what could've been
Is better than what can never be at all, at all

Could've been so beautiful
Could've been so right
Could've been my lover
Every day of my life

Could've been so beautiful
Could've been so right
You can't hold what could've been
On a cold and lonely night

Could've been so beautiful
Could've been so right
You can't hold what could've been
On a cold and lonely night

No-oh, no-oh
How can you hold what could've been
On a cold and lonely night

—————

I’ve managed to dig up a couple of “live gems” with “Could’ve Been” songstress Lois Blaisch. First, we have a retro countdown show from NYC that features an interview. Definitely worth listening to the broadcast recording in its entirety: you get off on the right foot with Prince’s “I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man” in the eight spot.

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YouTuber qWaqq also has a sit down with her. I think the video provides a nice glimpse into both the song and its author. Ten minutes of my time well spent.

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EDIT FOUR.

For some reason the pic of the “Could’ve Been” ad in Radio & Records is no longer displaying. Here’s a link to the entire issue.


OTF musicians may be interested in tabs/chords for the song.


Link to purchase the sheet music if you’re considering performing it at church or something.


EDIT FIVE: TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2024.

In the late 70’s, Tiffany’s manager/producer George Tobin built a recording studio in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, originally named Studio Sound Recorders and, later, George Tobin Studios.


Among the other luminaries who used the facility (Herb Alpert, David Byrne, et al.), the attentive reader will have noticed the presence of Mojo Nixon, whose 1987 LP Bo-Day-Shus!!! (“Elvis is Everywhere”) was recorded there.

Nixon followed up this effort with his 1989 album Root Hog or Die, which, of course, includes the track “Debbie Gibson is Pregnant with My Two-Headed Love Child.” Dispelling then-current rumors that Gibson engaged in bestiality with Spuds Mackenzie, the lyrics speak of Nixon’s sexual arousal while watching Tiffany defeat “Debbie G” in a jello wrestling contest.


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The Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week of November 28, 1987 (link below) tells a more complicated story about the two teen pop sensations of the day. As “Could’ve Been” entered the charts (debuting at #86) one sees Gibson’s “Shake Your Love” (Atlantic 89187) in the number ten spot — still ascending to its peak of number four — a song celebrating a love that will be given another chance. Tiffany’s “Could’ve Been,” on the other hand, laments a romance that never really took wing, yet the single commercially surpassed Gibson’s release.


EDIT SIX: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2024.

Tiffany official (I can’t believe I’m just now posting this). Check out the merchandise section: if you give her like $40 she’ll sign shit and send it to you.


EDIT SEVEN: THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2024.

So I guess a video featuring the song as recorded was never released, and instead we got this.

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As overwrought a performance as that was, I feel it still somehow came off better than this, by Lois Blaisch herself. Tiffany’s rendition is merely ludicrous; the song — especially as performed here at the Highland Grounds Restaurant by Blaisch — is nothing but the rankest of bathos when it’s coming out of the mouth of a fortysomething.

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EDIT EIGHT: FRIDAY, AUGUST 16, 2024.

The complete Tiffany Top 40 single videography, in order of release. George Tobin was largely or entirely responsible for this.

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Tomorrow I hope to present at least a rarity or two.

EDIT NINE: SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2024.

I see that this thread has now surpassed 1,000 views, and, to mark the milestone, I offer you a promised rarity. In fact, a super rarity: Houston, New Year’s Eve 1987, Tiffany in concert. Video and audio quality is … uh … not the best, but I’m sure that this document’s existence is enough to satisfy even the biggest little bitch among us. Enjoy the show.

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Tomorrow: more rarities to come. Stick around for joy.

EDIT TEN: SUNDAY, AUGUST 18, 2024.

Did you know that Tiffany appeared on Ed McMahon’s Star Search? She sure did. Billed as Tiffany Renee, here’s some of the earliest film we have of her performing, singing “I Am Love” only to go down in defeat to Melissa Moultrie.

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Many years later, Tiffany would make an appearance on The View in an attempt to address her failed career, her life a grotesquerie and caution to all.


EDIT 11: MONDAY, AUGUST 19, 2024.

Not content with simply being a pop music star, at the turn of the decade Tiffany tried her hand at movies, doing voice work as Judy Jetson in Jetsons: The Movie (the incomparable Mel Blanc also provided his voice to the film). Released July 6, 1990.


On July 12, the Ellensburg (Wash.) Daily Record published the following interview with Tiffany. A nice look at how a Hollywood production is put together as well as a peek into how Tiffany saw her career developing.


EDIT 12: TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2024.

I’ve put my hands on a remarkable document: George Tobin’s apologia for his management of Tiffany’s career.

GEORGE TOBIN FIRES BACK.

Reproduced here as written.


Sept. 24, 2005​

As many of you know, I have re-released Dreams Never Die. This is not a multi-million dollar venture for me. I'm not 'cashing in' at this late date, or trying to steal some success from Dust Off and Dance. I've had many inquiries through-out the years from fans who didn't get their copy of DND, or who could not afford one after they became scarce. I've actually been thinking about doing this since 1997, but when Could've Been was performed on American Idol I decided to go ahead and release DND again. In one short week I've been called everything from a scum bag to a thief, and the word 'Svengali' has reared its slimy head again, too. After having my nose bloodied by critics for 18 years, most of whom had their own agendas, there seems to be a new generation of fans who are carrying this torch of misinformation. The majority of these criticisms just roll off me, but with today's internet and blogging, much of this expanded dialogue is unresearched and unfounded gossip that gets blown all out of proportion. No one has ever allowed me to give an unedited account of the true facts regarding my history with Tiffany. After all these years I'm still amazed at how little the fans and the critics really understand about the music business, and the role of the manager, the record label, and the producer.

To rewind the clock from my perspective: When I first met Tiffany she was 12 years old and under contract to a manager whom she had met at a talent show. This man had no connection whatsoever to the music business, and I was later told that he turned out to be a con artist with a federal criminal record for selling guns and was under police surveillance for suspected drug dealing. He had persuaded Tiffany's mother to let him manage her. As a bonus for Janie (Tiffany's Mom), he started paying her bills and even had Tiffany living with him part time. He brought her to my recording studio in Los Angeles and was interested in having me produce songs for his non-existent production company. I turned him down because I felt he had no business being in this business, and I don't work for hire. However, when Tiffany sang for me I was really impressed.

The lady who drove her to my studio that day took me aside and asked me if the manager wasn't involved, would I be interested? I told her to keep in touch. She later called and said the manager had disappeared several months prior, and they didn't know what to do. At this point I agreed to produce Tiffany, and signed her to a recording agreement that was very standard at the time. It stated that she and I would each receive 50% of the profits on all sales of her records. Simply put, it was an even split.

This agreement was reviewed by the juvenile courts of Los Angeles. They review any and all contracts regarding minor actors and recording artists. Everything was approved. I never had a formal "management agreement" with Tiffany because I was trying to find a big-time manager to represent her, so I show-cased her to several well established managers. However with the amount of time it would take to invest in a 13 year old, as well as the many demographic negatives presented on the radio side, they all declined. Their primary reasoning being that she was a nobody, without a record deal, and financially there was no immediate up- side for them. Sadly, many didn't even recognize her talent.

Now, move ahead to John Duarte and I recording over 50 songs with Tiffany to try and get a handle on the right direction for her. We tried all sorts of ideas because we didn't know anything about her. It was obvious something was there, we just had to find it. The only way to do that was to dig in and record her on every tempo, key and style we could think of. Looking back on it, she sounded great on just about everything we tried, which made it even more difficult. Her Mom was confused by all this, but it can be a lengthy process searching for the right song. I wanted not only a deal maker, but a song that could launch a career. If Tiffany had been a songwriter like other hit acts of the time it might've gone quicker, but I had to come up with all the songs. Music publishers and writers do not give their best songs to unknown artists without record contracts. Those songs are generally shopped to hit acts only. We had several really good original songs as well as a few oldies she sounded good on, and that slowly became our direction and resulted in defining a sound and a clear image for her. Finally all of the pieces starting falling into place, and I thought we had a very solid product that could compete with anything on the radio.

During and after the project was completed, my then studio manager, Brad Schmidt (who eventually went on to manage her and is a very smart and capable businessman) and I shopped her to 13 record companies -- and not one company offered her a deal. We then changed tactics and invited the A&R people to the studio, where she sang live. I also took her to the Beverly Hills Hotel for a live audition with Clive Davis, a man responsible for the careers of some of the biggest names in recording history. She sang 3 of the same songs that were on her debut album, including Could've Been and I Think We're Alone Now. Clive smiled politely and told me he wasn't interested. MCA's then A&R man Steve Moir was a friend of mine, and agreed to a meeting which he actually tried to cancel before he got there, but I told my assistant (who btw later married him) to tell him Tiffany was already on the way and couldn't be reached, and that she had to drive 120 miles round trip. He relented, showed up, and then signed her -- possibly out of guilt, possibly out of friendship, but mostly out of belief. So we finally landed the deal with MCA.

Soon after the signing, and before anything was set in motion, Steve left MCA. I was stuck with a new A&R man who didn't like the album. For 6 months he not only wouldn't return my calls, but when he finally showed up to the studio to listen to the songs he turned to John with, "That song (ITWAN) has a good beat, could you have the writers work on the chorus?" -- on a song that had already been a hit! This was what we were up against. Exasperated by the endless runaround and the fact that he'd never return my calls, early one morning I just showed up at his house. That didn't work either, so it was at that point I called Irving Azoff (the head of MCA records) and offered to buy Tiffany's contract back. Irving finally agreed to let me direct the project. I met with their head of special projects, Larry Solters, and the 'mall tour' was born.

I went to Salt Lake City to see a friend who was a program director at the local pop radio power house station, and he put ITWAN on the radio. I called another friend in Chicago at Z100 and he also added ITWAN into rotation. Within 3 weeks we had thousands of believers, and a record company that finally came around. I later tested Could've Been on a station in Santa Barbara and it got tremendous response. MCA didn't want me to release it. Once again another battle ensued and yes, we won, with another #1 record.

I did all this as a record producer, not Tiffany's manager. Those who think that I made too much money have a disconnect from business reality. I didn't just sprinkle fairy dust in her hair and she magically became an international star. There were countless hours logged trying to make all this happen.

As to management, I did it by default. I came to the realization that most managers don't really care about the artists they manage. They sometimes juggle 10 to 20 acts simultaneously, and most of the work gets done by secretaries and interns. The manager makes photo-op appearances and the money is actually generated by record sales and booking agencies. These managers collect 15 - 20% off of everything: touring, writing, record sales, public appearances, the whole pie. In reality, they rarely generate a dollar on their own.

I never took a commission on the dollars that I generated, that's known as double dipping. Therefore, on a typical deal at that time, if an artist in a production deal got 7% on record sales the manager would get a 1.4% free ride. In Tiffany's case, with about 10 million albums sold world wide, that would have been about 10 cents an album, or a million dollars she didn't have to pay to someone who did nothing on the recording.

Now let's examine the money I saved Tiffany by refusing to pay a lawyer who presented her with a bill for $250,000 for things like reviewing contracts on concerts that had already been performed. Here we all sat in a meeting that she and I never wanted in the first place, and also in attendance were two other lawyers (billing at a rate of $1400 an hour) just sitting there like potted plants. I pointed out that there weren't enough billable hours available to justify this charade. So he reduced it by $125,000. Every time a similar situation came up, I made sure Tiffany wasn't being taken advantage of, and I got her every dime that was due to her for anything and everything she did.

When Tiffany went through the process of emancipation from her mother, Janie hired lawyers and a 'forensic accountant' to see if I had cheated or misappropriated any monies due. Their team scoured though millions in revenue and couldn't find one dollar unaccounted for or missing. Had they found something, the contract could have been broken immediately. She continued under the agreement, what does that tell you?

After leaving me, Tiffany went with Dick Scott, the manager of New Kids On The Block. He hired Maurice Starr. Maurice also produced the NKOTB. As it turned out, the Dick Scott/Maurice Starr team spent $500,000 to produce her album (my 2 albums combined only cost $250,000 -- and sold about 10 million world wide, plus millions of singles.) If you recall, New Inside was a total stiff, but Dick Scott still received a commission on her advances from that album. After the Scott/Starr experiment, Tiffany left MCA -- and MCA was left holding about 2 million dollars in unpaid advances, so show me how she was taken advantage of, and by whom? The fact remains that because of work John Duarte and I did, Tiffany made millions of dollars. Tiffany, her former husband and friends through asinine spending habits, went through it all... every last dime. Who's taking advantage of who?

When Tiffany and I got back together in the early nineties radio taste had completely changed, and not one pop 'teen act' from the 80's survived though to the 90's. (I know this very well because I invested my money a little differently than Tiffany did, and at the time I owned a top rated Las Vegas pop/alternative radio station, which I sold 10 years later for more money than I ever made with Tiffany.)

Tiffany had just had a baby, and hadn't performed on stage for a while. We recorded her original DND CD, got together a band for her, and a contact I had in Las Vegas booked her at the Hilton. This was only temporary, I just wanted her to start singing again and get back up to speed. I tried to find a more adult direction for her with the DND CD. Some of the songs were previously recorded by John and I on another act. Tiffany absolutely was aware of this during the recording sessions. I gave her their album to learn the songs, and also played their vocals in her headphones during her master recording session to show her the melody. At no time did Tiffany have a problem with them being so called 'cover songs', as is now contended. Oh and btw, one song was "If Love is Blind", which was never even released as a single for that act.

Sure, ILIB, Can't You See and Almost In Love were recorded previously, but it didn't work out. They were never hits, and the act dissolved. And what about the writers who wrote great songs? Should I toss out the baby because the bath water went down the drain? As it turned out, ILIB was a hit song for Tiffany in Southeast Asia…remember? And as a producer, should I shelve great songs because someone else has previously sung them? If that's the case, ITWAN and ISHST would never have been recorded. No producer, manager, A&R rep, record company, you name it, would ever pass on an opportunity to release a great song just because someone else did it first and failed. This was a standard procedure at Motown where John and I were both producers for a time. If Berry Gordy had a good song every act on the label might record it, until HE liked it. Listen to 'I Heard It Though The Grapevine' by both Gladys Knight and Marvin Gaye, for starters. Or how about 'Don't Leave Me This Way'? Thelma Huston would never have had a Grammy because Teddy Pendergrass recorded it first. If you really want to go back, how about Pat Boone having cover hits of Little Richard's songs? It happens all the time - you try to find the right act for the right song.

The fact is, Tiffany was asked by a reporter if she realized her song had been recorded by another group already, and she was caught off guard. All she had to say was, "Yes, but now it's mine!" I don't know what the deal was, but if you think she wasn't aware she was singing songs already released by an act that I had previously produced, that's bull -- and you can quote me on it.

When I took her CD to MCA and made a deal to release DND in Southeast Asia, I needed a testing ground. ILIB charted real well (it was a cover song, remember?), and was accepted with great enthusiasm. My plan was to carry that momentum into a U.S. release. I was going to replace some of the songs on the CD with ones having more of an edge, gearing the new ones toward the U.S. market. We thought we were back in the saddle, but MCA had an option for the rest of the world, and they didn't think she was viable any longer. They decided not to pick up the option, and things with Tiffany and me unraveled again.

Since I paid for the production myself, I own it. I'm free to do with it whatever I choose. I spent my own money to pay musicians, engineers, studio time, tape costs, arrangers, lawyers, and miscellaneous things from meals to advances -- let alone my time and my contacts. Yes, I'm a business man, and Yes I work hard, and Yes I can be generous. According to some of you however, I'm not entitled to recoup my investment. Remember, I spent my money. Not yours. Not Tiffany's. I can only stay in business when I make money. Tiffany buys clothes, affords nice homes, and pays her bills, because she makes money. I find talented acts like Tiffany, and we both make money. I'm not running a homeless shelter where we all sit around and "sing cumbyeya". I run a business and I don't apologize for it.

Some of you fans are troubling to me though. You say you love Tiffany, and you're concerned about me stealing money from her. Yet when I reissued the 2005 CD for those of you that didn't get one the first time around, within hours of the release the new bonus songs and photos were uploaded and available on the internet. Out of all the managers, producers, A&R reps, record companies, friends, family members and hangers on who have passed through her 30 plus years, who has she earned the most money with, and had the most success with? I'm supposedly the scum bag who's stealing from her, but every file YOU share is income stolen from her, and from all of the writers and publishers who worked so hard for her, and on and on.

I get a sense from some of you fans, "Hey, I already got the DND CD, why is he putting this out again?" Some old fans (who never got one) and new fans (who may want one) now have a chance to get theirs too, plus 6 unreleased songs and some bonus photos. Why do you have a problem with that? For whatever reasons, I've been criticized for years by the media and it doesn't really bother me personally. You can like me or not, but your negativity over shadows Tiffany's body of work, and that's wrong.

If you fans are in love with her and her music, then put your money where your mouth is and support her yourself. You don't understand the power that you have as a fan base. If each of you got on the phone and jammed your local radio stations with Tiffany requests, or if you called your local Tower Records, Best Buy or whoever, and told them to get her on the shelves -- she would have a better chance to be on a major label. THAT'S how it happened the first time. Remember, she's not signed to me anymore, I can't profit from it. Sell out her shows, buy her merchandising, and buy the CD's so they'll get Sound Scanned. You can make a difference for Tiffany. She'll get her share of this little CD after expenses are paid, just like always. If DND 2005 only breaks even I'm fine with that too, or even better if Celine Dion wants to record a "COVER" of If Love Is Blind...

And to some of you: What part of DEMO don't you understand? As her fans and the general public too, you're rarely ever privy to how an act gets from A-Z. Tiffany generally meets and exceeds all expectations, but I thought it would be cool for you to hear some of the stuff that didn't make the first cut. Some of you hate the production on the bonus songs, but still like the singing and the song. We made rough cassette copies of 'Angel Baby' and I decided it wasn't right for her at that time, that's it. You're looking too deep -- IT'S A DEMO! That's the process a producer goes through to match a song with an artist. When you strip a production down to it's bare bones, only then do you know if you have something: John lays down a quick drum track, piano and bass part, we find a key, Tiff sings. You don't spend a lot of time and energy on something that's not right. You move on.

I didn't write this (for those of you who stuck with it this long) to pat myself on the back or make excuses. I'm just trying to provide you with some insight, and to clarify some notions that have taken on a life of their own through the years. I hope you continue to support Tiffany. Encourage her to sing and record more songs that really showcase the full range and depth of her voice. She has an incredible feeling for ballads. Doing pop music isn't such a bad thing when you're that good at it.

Two things I'm grateful for: the day I decided to manage Tiffany, because I knew she would be huge even though nobody else could hear it - and I'm glad I went ahead and recorded I Think We're Alone Now, even though she thought it was an awful idea.

I sincerely wish Tiffany well. Together, we actually realized a dream that some of you may have had yourselves, at one time or another. She's in the history books with back-to-back #1's and a #1 on the album charts, all at the same time. Not bad for a little redhead from Norwalk, CA.

Best to you all,
George Tobin

EDIT 13: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2024.

Only one thing to add today, but boy, is it a thing.

Here we have Tiff providing lead vocals to “Pretty Vacant” as performed by Sex Pistols bassist and songwriter Glen Matlock’s band.



EDIT 14: THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2024.

Excerpt from a 1997 online chat between Tiffany and fans, first in a series.

Welcome To Tiffany Talk
From:Tiffany(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:14 PM
In 1998, I will be in the UK. I am looking forward to it.
From:Chas (Home Page)(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:14 PM
Tiffany good luck in contry music and teach Lea Ann Rimes how to sing
From:Rachelle(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:14 PM
Remembering Love you sang it in 1984, do you remember doing it?
From:Mark(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:14 PM
Tiffany Who is your Favourite Country Singer ??
From:Chrave(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:14 PM
TIFF ARE YOU GOING TO READ THE SONG LATER?I HOPE YOU'LL LOVE IT BECAUSE IT'S SINCERE FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART....
From:DJ Izzy(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:14 PM
Another question for you Tiffany, is there any way to get reel to reel or cassette or CD that I could play on my radio show in Murfreesboro?
From:Tiffany(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:14 PM
The is going to be a fan club before the beginning of 1998. I am also opening up my own herbal company, in January. So, I am very excited about the coming year.
From:Tiffany Fan #1 (Home Page)(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:13 PM
Tiffany will you talk to me?
Please
From:Dan Tobias (Home Page)at 10/8/97 8:13 PM
I think the title was "Remembering Love", but that's one of the very few Tiffany items I don't have a copy of...
From:Rachelleat 10/8/97 8:13 PM

How does it feel to be 26? I can’t believe 10 years have gone by. In my heart....you are still the best. I just had to tell
you that:)
From:DeeAnn (Home Page)at 10/8/97 8:13 PM
My friend Celia is here and she says "Hi!" too. She has to leave for a class pretty soon, though. : ) Celia says hi!
From:Steven (Home Page)at 10/8/97 8:13 PM
TIFFANY
WHILE YOU ARE TRAVELING ON THE ROAD WHAT FAST FOOD RESTURANTS DO YOU EAT AT?
MY FAVORITE IS TACO BELL MY COUSIN OWNS TACO BELL
From:Carissaat 10/8/97 8:13 PM
Well, thank you for all the great music and fun you helped bring to our lives, past and present...
From:Chraveat 10/8/97 8:13 PM
TIFF WHEN DO YOU THINK YOU'LL BE COMING TO MALAYSIA AGAIN ESPECIALLY PENANG?PLEASE STAE DOWN MYNAME.......
From:Rob (Home Page)at 10/8/97 8:13 PM
You're more than welcome. I hate to ask since the list's web archive is down, but have you looked at the mailing list yet? You and that list were a big part of the inspiration for my career :)
From:DJ Izzyat 10/8/97 8:13 PM
Tiffany, is the rumor that you worked at the Green Hills Pier 1 Imports true?
From:Robert Bat 10/8/97 8:12 PM
Rachelle, now that's a rare tape...Buckingham Nicks...and it is great...
From:Tiffany Fan #1 (Home Page)at 10/8/97 8:12 PM
Automatic Message: Tiffany Fan #1 Joined Chat Room

EDIT 15: FRIDAY, AUGUST 23, 2024.

As promised, another excerpt of a fan chat with Tiffany.

Welcome To Tiffany Talk
From:DJ Izzy(New Msg) at 10/8/97 9:09 PM
Looks like Tiffany is gone
From:Joe(New Msg) at 10/8/97 9:08 PM
Bye Tiffany...and Shawn...and Robert (even though he left already)...
From:Tiffany(New Msg) at 10/8/97 9:08 PM
Automatic Message: Tiffany Logged Off
From:Tiffany(New Msg) at 10/8/97 9:08 PM
Chrave, I am going to answer as many questions as I can...

I don't think I made a misstake in 1990 recording the dance album, new inside it was something differnt for me. and I learned alot from it. It made me realize what kind of music I really like and what I really want for a career. I hope my fans will continue to grow with me through thick and thin. I have been writing alot of songs that I feel really great about and there are things that I feel comfortable about. I hope to be doing some touring soon all around the world. I am really looking forward to working hard in 1998. Sorry I can't answer all of our questions. We will have to do this again soon.... Bye guys with all my love, Tiffany.

PS Could everyone send us your addresses so that we can offically start a fan club, also if you haven't responded to our survey, could you please and be sure to tell your friends... Thanks, God Bless...Bye.
From:Rachelle(New Msg) at 10/8/97 9:08 PM
April, I sent out that SASE today, so I hope I get the pic:)
From:JayJ (Home Page)(New Msg) at 10/8/97 9:08 PM
Me thinks she's gone.
From:Rob (Home Page)at 10/8/97 9:08 PM
Myra suggested I put this in caps... TIFFANY-REQUEST@INDYRAMP.COM ... the mailing list is free, unofficial, and just about as old as Elijah (the list is coming up on 5 years old next month), and you only have to have a real name to join.
Good night all, and Tiffany, thanks much for taking time to be adored here.
From:April Wahl (Home Page)at 10/8/97 9:07 PM
Rachelle,
I'm still here
From:Ravenat 10/8/97 9:07 PM
Thanks Myra, thanks Coyote *but should we really believe the Trickster of legend? ;->!!!*
From:Myraat 10/8/97 9:07 PM
Jesse: Tiffany may be too busy with her music career to sit and write individual letters to all her fans.
From:Chasat 10/8/97 9:07 PM
Automatic Message: Chas Logged Off
From:Darkmanat 10/8/97 9:07 PM
Tiffany, Are you still here???
From:Rachelleat 10/8/97 9:06 PM
April are you there???
From:Tiffany Fan #1at 10/8/97 9:05 PM
Write ME Please
Jesse Sobol
2875 West Highland Street
Unit #1192
Chandler, Az 85224
I'm Moving I'll Send you my new address A.S.A.P
Lets be Pen-Pals

EDIT 16: SATURDAY, AUGUST 24, 2024.

The last two fan chat excerpts. They exceed all expectations.

Welcome To Tiffany Talk
From:Chrave(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:18 PM
BY THE WAY TIF PLEASE ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS I SENT EARLY BECAUSE I NEED TO SEND THEM TO THE LOCAL PRESS IN MALAYSIA TO HELP PROMOTE YOUR NEW CARER AS A COUNTRY SINGER........
From:Patrick(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:18 PM
I told your manager Pam Lewis that the C/W market is ready for the next "superstar" to emerge!
I really believe that will be you!!!
From:Mark(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:18 PM
Automatic Message: Mark Joined Chat Room
From:Robert Johnson(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:17 PM
Tiffany, have you thought about signing with MCA Nashville, Olivia Newton-John just did after leaving MCA for 7 years...(Hey Sean)
From:Robert B(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:17 PM
Herbs, eh...now that's interesting do you have a product name yet?
From:Tiffany(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:17 PM
Chrave, I am trying. Your first. GO!
From:Rachelle(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:17 PM

How was the moving adjustment from California to Tennessee? Do you like Tenn? Do you live in the country?
I myself live in the country, I can’t immagine living elsewheres.
From:Carissa(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:17 PM
something's stirring....actually, a lot of things--you've got the VH1 and CBS shows coming up soon, meetings, this online chat, and now your own herbal company!--wow, how does it feel to have all these things going on after this long break from music??
From:juanito(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:17 PM
Hi Rachelle, how'd you get off work? Just so everyone knows Rachelle is Tiff's biggest fan
From:Steven (Home Page)(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:17 PM
TIFFANY
May I please work for your company?
Tiffany check my homepage out
From:DJ Izzy(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:17 PM
Can you tell I'm speechless?
From:Tiffany Fan #1 (Home Page)at 10/8/97 8:17 PM
Tiffany i have been listening to you since i was 3. Jesse Sobol ever read my letters
From:JayJ (Home Page)at 10/8/97 8:16 PM
I was there for the "Mall Tour." That was fun!
From:juanitoat 10/8/97 8:16 PM
Hi Rachelle, how'd you get off work? Just so everyone knows Rachelle is Tiff's biggest fan
From:DJ Izzyat 10/8/97 8:16 PM
From:Tiffanyat 10/8/97 8:16 PM
Hi Jesse, its great to hear from you.
From:Tiffanyat 10/8/97 8:16 PM
Rachelle, put in the first couple of lines-if you remember.
From:Chraveat 10/8/97 8:16 PM
TIFF,COULD YOU ANSWER ALL OF US ONE BY ONE SO IT WILL BE MUCH CONVINIENCE...THANK YOU..REMEMBER IT'S CHRAVE HERE IN MALAYSIA!!!
From:Rachelleat 10/8/97 8:16 PM

I just want to let you know that I will always support you in anything you do. I have liked you for 10+ years now & I
will always like you. You will get your time to “shine” as a counrty singer. When you get your new country fans,
please remember the old fans that stuck by you. I believe in you.
From:Patrickat 10/8/97 8:15 PM
Hi Tiffany! Dallas/Ft Worth is one of the top (if not the top selling) market for C/W music. Any chance of local touring/promos/signings?
From:Myraat 10/8/97 8:15 PM
"Remembering Love" is a dance song that was put out as a 12" single.

Welcome To Tiffany Talk
From:Robert B(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:47 PM
April, I am not the only one *wink*
From:Tiffany(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:47 PM
Chrave, I don't have plans to come to Malayasia yet, but I miss the country and the people. And the food!!!
From:Mark(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:47 PM
Tiffany do you ever get tired of fame or do you like it ?
From:Chrave(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:46 PM
IS THERE ANY PLAN FOR EXTENDING YOUR FAMILY,TIFF?ANOTHER BABY....
From:Chrave(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:46 PM
IS THERE ANY PLAN FOR EXTENDING YOUR FAMILY,TIFF?ANOTHER BABY....
From:Darkman(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:46 PM
The order of people for turns.
Staring with Rob then to you ect.
From:Rachelle(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:46 PM
Good idea, I would love to get some kind of VHS tape on Tiffany,hint, hint....
From:Raven(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:46 PM
Sorry personal to Robert Johnson....HEY GUY!!!
From:Tiffany(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:45 PM
Yes Shawn, it was a single overseas!
From:Chrave(New Msg) at 10/8/97 8:45 PM
TIFF WHEN WILL YOU BE COMING TO MALAYSIA AGAIN?THE FANS HERE MISS YOU SO MUCH.BTW I LOVE THE MOVIE TOOO
From:Joeat 10/8/97 8:44 PM
Tiffany what is your favorite song you have recorded?
From:Tiffanyat 10/8/97 8:44 PM
YES Jesse, I have!
From:Shawnat 10/8/97 8:44 PM
Was "Can't You See" released as a single overseas ? Is there a 7inch or cd single for it ? The video for it was awesome !
From:Markat 10/8/97 8:44 PM
Whats that Darkman ?
From:Rachelleat 10/8/97 8:43 PM
I loved the movie "My Best Friend's Wedding" too!!!
From:Darkmanat 10/8/97 8:43 PM
Ok. Rob, Mark, Chas, Robert Johnson and juauito.
From:Carissaat 10/8/97 8:43 PM
I see that you're keen on acting more for the art and passion of it than for the rewards it brings....GOOD LUCK AND BRAVO FOR GOING OUT AND DOING YOUR THANG...DON'T LET ANYONE STOP YA!!!
From:Tiffanyat 10/8/97 8:43 PM
House, that's a great thought! I'll see what I can do!

EDIT 17: MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2024.

I missed yesterday, first time in over two weeks. I apologize.

But I’m gonna make up to you all! Here are some vintage quotes, both from and about Tiffany!

"She's going to be around for a long, long time. She's going to have a long career. The whole trip with Tiffany is that she's real. It's going to last. We've built a fan base of support, and now that we're solidifying it, I'm sure that you'll be writing about her many, many times in the future."

- George Tobin in Rolling Stone, April 21, 1988

"She's the next Barbra Streisand. I'm serious."

- Elain D'Andres, grandmother from Inverness, Ill., while attending Tiffany’s mall tour, in People, Sept. 14, 1987

"Talk about Tiffany should be moved to alt.trash."

- Darren Griffiths, writing in the alt.rock-n-roll newsgroup on Usenet, December 1, 1989, 20:47:23 PST

"Do I look like a bimbo to you? … Can I put words together? Am I a wind-up doll? Am I stupid? So I come from Norwalk? OK, so it's not Beverly Hills, but it's not the slums, either. Does that make me a bimbo? Of course not. It's important that people don't see me as this stupid, shallow person."

- Tiffany, quoted in The Los Angeles Times, April 9, 1989

EDIT 18: TUESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2024.

Remember me telling you a few days back that if you send her $40, Tiffany will autograph things and mail them to you? Yeah, you remember.

But this is better than that. Here’s a site through which you can custom order a personalized video message from Tiffany. If there’s enough OTF interest, I’ll open a PayPal account and you can send me money and I will have one of these done and then I will post it here. I hope there’s enough interest. DAMN.


EDIT 19: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2024.

Among the many, many outrages one can find on the internet this 2002 web fossil takes its place.


EDIT 20: FRIDAY, AUGUST 30, 2024.

I’m travelling; I’m presently in Davidson, N.C. I will try to resume regular updates once again as soon as I can. Do not lose faith in me, my friends: much more that is very good will come your way.

EDIT 21: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2024.

I’m really, really sorry for my extended absence from the thread. I returned to Indiana and was out of routine in updating the post. Well, that, and I also got distracted by Charles In Charge. I’ve set a personal goal to resume with the Tiffany stuff. Come back tomorrow and I’ll have some more goodness for you. I’m going to make it up to you.

Baby, please let me make it up to you.

EDIT 22: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2024.

In August 2022, “Could’ve Been” songwriter
Lois Blaisch (with co-plaintiffs) filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County seeking redress for some sort of personal injury. I’m asking any lawyers here (I know there’s at least one practicing in Marion County who’s a semi-regular on the football forum) to take a look at the following documents and give me an idea of what’s going on here.


Thank you in advance.

Why so much institutional incompetence?

Boeing’s Starliner is now scrap—and stuck at the ISS. Secret Service comes within a fraction of an inch and a fraction of a second of plunging the United States into chaos. Cloudstrike cripples much of the world. We can’t build a dock for Gaza.

The United States, and its agencies, old line companies like Boeing, and new companies like Cloudstrike, used to be the gold standard in ideas, competence, and making lives better. Now? Not so much. And look who we have for a choice for president.

Are we now paying the price for our crappy education system?

The link attempts one explanation. Crunchy systems compared to soggy systems. Crunchy works. Soggy doesn’t. Crunchy has aspects of individual responsibility. Nobody is responsible in a soggy stem. Everything is systematic—soggy institutional.

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