AMERICAN IDOL'S JASON CASTRO - DREDS or DREADS

When I quiz my friends on their opinions of the outfits, makeup and hairstyles of the previous night's American Idol episode, we usually agree on the winners and losers of the evening. Today was unusual in that on the issue of Jason Castro's dreadlock hairstyle the votes were split pretty much down the center.

Some of the girls who are much more trendy that I could ever dream to be and whom I expected to consider the appearance of dreds to be cutting edge and stylish were surprisingly opposed to this cute guy's fashion statement. One gal pal said if he'd cut the hair that he'd be her favorite hands down, and another said she'd rather see the return of the huge 70s style afro rather than Marley dreds.

Some of my more conservative (unofficial of course)voters who are sticklers for classic haircuts and tradition shocked me by slobbering all over themselves over the dreadlocks. Well, maybe not the dreadlocks themselves, but the handsome guy with the guitar who just happened to have them attached to his head.

No matter how you feel about his hairstyle, Jason Casto has charisma. He might not be as strong a singer as David Archuleta, but there's no denying that Jason has star appeal much the same as a young Bob Dylan. I know that Simon and Randy wanted to hear more vocals and less strumming, but I think the audience was loving the whole package...dreds and all.

IF "BITCH" IS THE NEW BLACK WILL EVERYBODY BE WEARING PANTSUITS?

Can Hillary Clinton possibly appreciate all the "Bitch is the New Black" jokes going around? Does she even know that the statements are directed at her and depicting her as a power hungry, ball busting masculine sort of femme fatale in a designer skirt or pantsuit. Does she really care?

Probably not! She has not become so well positioned politically by being thin skinned and sweating the small stuff. If she will focus on the big picture of building this country back to the level of greatness in the world that it once enjoyed the same way she has tunnel visioned her way into the political spotlight....hang on people we're going up like a rocket.

But then again, this blog is not about the political arena. Leave running the country to experts. I have had ever so much fun observing Hillary's fashion metamorphosis over the years. Remember how people criticized the large blue hat that she wore so long ago for hubby's swearing in? Then people began harping on the pantsuits and what that might be telling us about the hierarchy of the Clinton household post Monica.

I couldn't help but notice that once Ms Clinton became a senator, her grooming seemed to suffer. One might hope that she had bigger fish to fry than spending time perfecting her hairstyle and practicing eye makeup tips. I hope that Hillary has a plan in place for all of her campaign promises and that she hires a really great personal shopper.