Why did the drummer get the applause?

Recently the Barbican in London held a series of wonderful concerts, in which the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig (Germany) played all nine Beethoven symphonies. The performances were impeccable, all the musicians were excellent. They got a big ovation each time. The flautist (flutist) got a big applause, the woodwind had a similar response, the strings were clapped, as well as all the other deserving musicians.
But then the conductor pointed to the kettle drum player, who stood up, and then the house was brought down with a thunderous applause, whistles, howling. And this happened in every single concert (I was there). So, why did the drummer get the biggest applause, when he didn't do anything extraordinary?


The VATES solves the riddle: --- there were too many dumb asses, who had come to hear Beethoven so they could go home and brag about it, but couldn't appreciate the actual music (maybe, they didn't even like it), they just understood that the drummer had bravely bashed those big shiny kettle drums, and ain't that cool, baby? Must get some kettle drums for the brats this Christmas! F**k Beethoven!

what's on the face?

Some idiot wrote here in a blog: "There is ONE European politician who doesn't ignore the voters, after all." How wrong. Good old Papandreou has been intimidated easier than I had thought. We hear how angry other EU leaders and others outside have been with Ole Papa, we hear that Papa is willing to sell out his own principles. What we don't hear is what the Greek populace thinks about not being consulted after all. So, the butchers are not going to ask the stupid sheep if they want to go to the slaughterhouse. And Europe is trying to preach democracy to those nasty Africans?

The VATES revises his prediction: --- they'll make Papandreou retract his referendum plans totally, then they'll make him eat humble pie (or humble moussaka), and then finally he will be ousted, and then maybe he can practice his fine American English serving giros somewhere in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens in New York.