“Oh, hi, Bob. Just looking over the new tours on Pollstar.com in one window and catching up on current events in the other.”

“I didn’t know you were a news junkie, Harry.”

“You bet, Bob. Like the old proverb says; ‘May you live in interesting times.'”

“I hear you. How long are they going to continue bombing?”

“As long as it takes to get the job done. Did you see those new dates for Slayer?”

“Uh, uh. I’m ordering tickets tomorrow. Er… Do you think the bombs are going to be enough?”

“Nobody thinks that, Bob. That’s why they’re sending in ground troops. Even though the bombing helped break down the resistance, they still need to send in the Marines, and as our president said; ‘smoke ’em out.’ Oh, by the way, do you want to see Alien Ant Farm next month?”

“Count me in. I’m also thinking of seeing John McEuen and Bryan Adams.”

“I can go for that.”

“Say, Harry, what happens after the ground troops go in? I mean, how long do they stick around?”

“Don’t know, Bob, but I figure that it will be like the bombing. As long as it takes. Well, what do you know? Staind has some new dates.”

“I’m there. But getting back to what we were talking about, they’re bombing and sending in ground troops. I would think that would be enough to convince anyone to capitulate.”

“Yeah, I know. But some people are just plain stubborn. You just can’t reason with them. Hey, look, Jim Brickman is playing Richmond, Virginia, in December.”

“Sounds like a road trip to me. Anyway, I gotta admit, Harry, it looks like you’re really up on the situation in Afghanistan.”

“Afghanistan? I wasn’t talking about Afghanistan, Bob.”

“You weren’t?”

“Oh, no. I was talking about how radio stations persuade stars like Alanis Morissette and Bush to play all of those Christmas shows.”

“I always wondered how they did that.”

“It ain’t pretty, that’s for sure. Now if you have a few more minutes, I’ll tell you how they decide which songs get played on the radio.”