Big Al

Same here!

Amen on both counts. I feel for you guys though (Shawn, Alex, etc), because I know from personal experience those meds cost a lot of money. Wish there was some way I could help, because I know if I ever couldn't afford my meds, I'd go apeshit and God only knows what would happen. At this point, I'm just extremely thankful I have a job. A buddy of mine has what has to be the worst job in the world: middle management in charge of layoffs. This guy's daily routine is to recommend to his superiors who to lay off. Talk about being trapped in a horrible job.

Agreed on all points. Lots of people enjoyed his writing, and I read a couple of his books when I was in college, but they never really connected with me. RIP nonetheless. Hopefully a Nobel will be posthumously awarded at some point.

Well I have an additional problem: I often don't understand what he's trying to say. I admit that I tend to read quickly and maybe I should take the time to decipher what he's saying. But he seems so proud of his erudition that it's more than a bit off putting. Agreed, which makes yanking his chain with his own verbiage that much more fun.

PM sent on the Adderley/Evans. the Drew, and the Young.

Mine has that as well. A replacement is on its way from BMG; I'll post when I get it with the results. But I agree: there are a lot of times on this CD where it sounds like a badly-pressed CDR of a cassette copy of a poorly balanced needle-drop. If I ever see this on vinyl for under $35, I'm snapping it up. Hell, even I can make a nicer-sounding needle-drop than this.

My son and I are big Ringo fans. Yesterday, I played "She Said She Said" for him and told him to listen to the drums. Afterwards he asked me, though he liked the song, what was so special about the drumming? The answer, I told him, is in what Ringo DIDN'T play. IMO, Ringo is the Count Basie of drummers with his use of space and his ability NOT to overplay a song.

Two tracks: 1) "Minawa" by Hugh Masekela (from Home is Where the Music Is). It's a beautiful composition anyway, but I was listening to it while driving to my folks house to help my dad get my mom from the car to the bed after having eyelid surgery. What would normally be a five-second walk for my mom became an hour's journey guiding my pain-killer-stuffed semi-conscious (and fiercely independent) mother to her bed for much-needed rest and recuperation. (I'm happy to report she's fine now and is seeing much better than before the surgery). The tune just sounded very longing and fit perfectly with the anxious mood of the drive. 2) "On the Corner / New York Girl / Thinkin' One Thing and Doin' Another / Vote for Miles" Listened to this while driving to church this morning. I happened to get behind a vehicle which had a license plate, on which the word SLY was part of the license-plate number. How cool is that?

These have been added to the first page. Thanks, crisp!

I have only the 1978 reissue on Impulse IA-9343/2 (or Impulse 2-4147, as this double LP was renumbered after Impulse was sold to MCA) - it has the same fadeout as the CD. Okay, that's cool. Kinda like on Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti where "Kashmir" is listed as being more than 9:30, but it's actually like 8:45. I found an original vinyl at Forever Young today. That was quite a gatefold on that thing, right up there with some of those Limelight issues. Too bad it couldn't be transferred to the CD, but whattya gonna do?

Question for the two or three people who have the original LP and the CD reissue: is there an early fade on track 9, "Maesha?" The LP/CD says the track is 11:49, but the track on the CD fades out at around 10:20. Hate to think this is an early fade-out, as the entire 11:49 would've fit just fine.

Same here. Lifelong Pepsi drinker here. In fact, if we're somewhere that doesn't have Pepsi, I'll order Dr. Pepper instead. Coke is just TOO sweet for me.

Just my opinion, but this set bored me, so if you already have a "fair bit of it," that's probably all you need.

AMEN AND HALLELUJAH!!! That's wonderful news, Bruce!

I had no choice when one of my hinges broke, but now I find it easier to handle the LP and the TT than before.

It certainly would've awoken... awakened.... woken..... hell, I'da jumped outta my bed screaming, that's for sure!

I had a similar dream, probably back in '93 or '94, in that I was at the University of Texas Swim Center with then-president Bill Clinton and then-VP Al Gore. Bill jumped in and got stuck at the bottom of the deep end. Gore tried to save him, to no avail. He was very sad about this, and I vividly remember putting my arm around him and saying "From one Al to another..." and comforting him.

Too bad Alfred Hitchcock isn't around anymore; he could make a great movie out of this! Locusts + aliens + movie = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062168/ . Nice one, Chas! MG No kidding! Nice call!

Essential, no. Special...definitely. You got THAT right! Especially the trio tracks that close the discs.

Drat! Now that the Charges are out, the only team left for me to root for in order to spite Jerry Jones is.... ....gulp.... ...the Eagles. But at least it spites T.O. in the process.

Too bad Alfred Hitchcock isn't around anymore; he could make a great movie out of this! I mean, you had ME hooked!

So, how did you celebrate yesterday's win? (BTW, this Cowboys fan is loving this! Normally I hate the Eagles, but as long as T.O. is on the Cowboys, I want the Eagles to go all the way!)

Last night, I dreamt I got a phone call from a friend saying Pudge Rodriguez killed himself because he made five errors in one game. The whole dream was a strange experience to begin with, but that part felt so real I checked espn.com just to be sure it was only a dream. Thank God it was; Pudge appears to be alive and well. Ever have something like that happen to you?

It's definitely a good one!

I was SO hoping you were referring to Jerry here. You know he'll bring Pacman back. He'll figure out some way. He's Jerry Jones, and he never gives up on anyone, seeing as he's never met a reclamation project he didn't like.