OK, now it's 19 hours later and I really, really miss Siobhan Magnus.

I was dismayed Wednesday (see previous blog) when she was ousted from "American Idol." I'm even more dismayed after talking to her today and finding her to be an immensely bright and interesting person. Here's the story I sent to papers:

As I start to write this, Siobhan Magnus has been off of "American Idol" for all of seven minutes. I miss her already.

Some of this year's final five -- Aaron Kelly, Lee DeWyze, sometimes Casey James -- are good in a standard, everyday sort of way. Siobhan, by comparison, is distinctive.

She's distinctive in sound. That high-pitched note she usually saves for the end is amazing. Simon Cowell hates it, sort of like dogs hate high notes, but I think she uses it well.

I really do think "inspirational song" week should include songs that are ... you know, inspiring. I don't know why so many "American Idol" contestants disagree.

Tonight's show started at the low point -- Casey James' "Can' Stop" was simple, sing-song and dispassionate -- and ended with a high point: Crystal Bowersox was even more sensational that usual, with her stirring "People Get Ready."

You may have heard about the global lights-out exercise last Saturday. At 8:30 p.m. in each time zone, many homes and businesses turned off their lights for an hour.

I mention it now only because of this: I'm quite sure that all the electricity saved then was cancelled out by Diddy's number tonight on "American Idol."

Lights flashed, lights glowed. I could almost hear people rushing new power plants to keep up. Beyond that, here are my comments; please add yours:

Wasn't this supposed to be the year that women ruled "American Idol"? By the end of Wednesday's show, the men could outnumber then 6-3. If Didi Benami goes, that will be OK; if Siobhan Magnus goes, it will be tragic. Here are my comments; please add yours:

1) On what was called "soul/R&B" night, many people chose songs that were neither soulful nor rhythm-and-blues. I guess anything that had been sung by an African-American individual counted.

For a few splendid minutes tonight, "American Idol" was everything we could hope for: Two of the greatest songs ever written were performed by the two best people in the competition.

Here are a few of my comments; please add yours:

1) Those best-songs-ever? "Me and Bobby McGee," sung by Crystal Bowersox, and "When a Man Loves a Woman," by Michael Lynche. To hear them back-to-back was a great pleasure.

No one did us any favors by declaring this Rolling Stones week on "American Idol."

You may have noticed in a previous blog that I'm deeply bummed about Lilly Scott failing to make the top 12 on "American Idol."

That's enough about me, though. Now let's hear from the people involved -- Scott and Katelyn Epperly, who was also voted out. Here's the story I sent to papers. I don't put all of my stories in this blog space, but I try to include all the "Idol" ones:

This is a good sign: Halfway through the first full "American Idol" performances, I already have four favorites. Maybe four-and-a-half.

This was women's night, with the men singing Wednesday and the results -- plus Kris Allen (see previous blog) and Kris Allen -- on Thursday. Here are my favorites; please comment on yours:

-- Lilly Scott, not far removed from when she was living in a car and singing on the sidewalk. Big and blond (platinum), she's memorable for her quirky look and her personal music style.