Dave James

I've been seriously looking at buying this box set for the last couple of months. The going rate is something like $250.00. To say the least, this is a bit more reasonable. Thanks for the heads up, mjzee. I'm downloading it right now.

Two thumbs way up for Twin Peaks. So weird, so bizarre, so unpredictable. There were times I was sure they were handing newly written pages of the script to the actors while the cameras were still running. The first season was somewhat grounded at least in comparison to the second season which was completely off its nut. Too many ancillary characters to keep up with. Andy, Lucy, the Log Lady, Bob...the list goes on and on. Not to mention some pretty hot women. That sure was one damn fine cup of coffee wasn't it.

I always thought Girardi's triple to dead center field off Greg Maddox was the key hit in that World Series. I was drinking a bottle of Widmer Hefeweizen when the Yankees won that Series. I still have the bottle cap. Dan, Listen to yourself. Last year at this time you would have killed for Varitek to break his foot.

I'm a hard core Eagles fan, but I must say that MIchael Vick is one of the stupidest, most pathetic people on the planet.

Video of a golf ball hitting a steel plate at 150 MPH. Pretty amazing considering that some professional golfers swing speeds exceed 140 MPH. My link

There were more WTF moments in Lost than I can count. One that stands out occurred at the end of the first season when they finally popped the hatch and that light shot straight up in the air. Then you had to wait six months to see what was going on. Very compelling. I also recall an episode of the X-Files that was particularly memorable. It had to do with Mulder finding a buried box car in the middle of the desert filled with alien bodies. I think that may also have ended a season. The very last scene of the final episode of The Sopranos spoke volumes about the series. That's still the best television I've ever seen or probably ever will see.

Notice to all Yankee fans. Enjoy last year's World Series championship. It's going to be awhile before you see another.

Anyone who hasn't fully explored the Dragon catalog is doing themselves a disservice. Not only will you find multiple recordings from the very best Swedish players, but a nice assortment of American jazzmen as well.

This isn't jazz, but if you're a fan of The Marshall Tucker Band, do not under any circumstances pass up Toy Caldwell's solo album, Son Of The South. There's some mighty fine music on that one. I was shocked when I stumbled across it the other day. If I recall correctly, I paid something like $35.00 for the CD.

Someone has listed the Don Pullen Select for $284.00. At $95.00 a CD, this may represent a new per disc record.

Mack Brown The University of Texas at Austin Head Coach $5,100,000 Richard D Barnes The University of Texas at Austin Head Coach $2,150,000 Michael F Sherman Texas A&M University COACH $1,700,000 Thomas Tuberville Texas Tech University Head Coach $1,500,000 Gail A Goestenkors The University of Texas at Austin Head Coach $1,040,000 Scott B Ransom University of North Texas Health Science Center President $904,562 William L Muschamp The University of Texas at Austin Asst Coach $900,000 August E Garrido The University of Texas at Austin Head Coach $850,000 Francisco G Cigarroa University of Texas System Chancellor $750,000 Clarence W Byrne Texas A&M University Athletic Director $690,000 Martin S Weiss University of North Texas Health Science Center Assistant Professor $675,000 Darrell D Dodds The University of Texas at Austin Athletics Director $627,109 William C Powers The University of Texas at Austin President $600,600 Kenneth I Shine University of Texas System Exec Vc For Health Affr $600,000 Lee F Jackson University of North Texas System Chancellor $581,028 David Michael Lichtman University of North Texas Health Science Center Professor $560,004 Russell A Wagner University of North Texas Health Science Center Associate Professor $550,008 Mckinney Michael D Texas A&M System Chancellor $533,816 Thomas W Gilligan The University of Texas at Austin Dean $525,000 Charles Anthony De Berardinis University of North Texas Health Science Center Associate Professor $500,004 Mark L Turgeon Texas A&M University COACH $500,000 John A Griswold Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Department Chairperson $493,000 Scott W Dahlbeck Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Physician $485,000 Thomas Harris State of Texas Chief Investment Officer $480,000 John C Baldwin Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Professor $450,000

The University of Texas athletic department takes in approximately $200 million in revenue each year. Over the last several years (the article does not specify how many years "several" entails) the athletic department has contributed $6.6 million to the University. They pay their football coach $5.7 million a year. Silly me. How could I ever have thought that was wrong?

David, Have you tried Pristine Classical? http://www.pristineclassical.com/

And what convinces you of this? Major college football is a huge money-maker for universities. Even if the money raised supports non-revenue enhancing sports, is that so bad? That right there is more money for the academic mission if track and field or gymnastics isn't asking for it. Check out. If this seems right to you, fine. It doesn't to me. http://www.statesman.com/news/texas/does-big-time-college-football-deserve-its-big-149737.html

What's really perverted about all this is that not a single dollar of the truckloads of additional television revenue will go towards improving the academics at these so-called institutions of higher learning. What a wonderful set of priorities.

Kevin, you're 48 years old. The best part of your life, or at least the part when you're old enough to genuinely enjoy and appreciate it, lies dead ahead. Transitions are always tough because you haven't been there before, but things tend to work out fine and for the best. Anyhow, from a soon to be 62 year old who's been there and done that, trust me. Hope you had a special day today.

The Crosby Mosaic is no longer eligible for the 25% discount. I wonder how many people got in under the wire on that one. Seems odd that they'd dangle this and the Selects and then pull back so quickly.

The Sandole Brothers, Adolph and Dennis.

Amen to that. Pronger is a thug. Did you see him maul Marian Hossa behind the Flyer's net in the first period? He got two minutes, but he could just as easily have gotten six. Then he has the nerve to bitch about the call. There aren't too many things in hockey I enjoy more than a power play goal with Pronger in the box.

If you mean neither one of them had any business winding up in the net, yes.

Congrats to the Flyers. Who'd have thought in their wildest dreams that they'd come as far as they did. I still think the better team won, and that's the way it should be, but, jeez, what a great series.

Getting away from Strasburg for a second, here's a link to an interesting piece I came across on CNN having to do with the origins of baseball and it's relationship to the game of cricket: http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/sports/2010/06/01/baseball.cricket.origins.cnn?hpt=T2

I'm assuming this can apply to sidemen as well as leaders. That being the case, I've never cared much for Philly Joe Jones. I find him too busy and way too repetitive. If I've heard his typical opening drum sequence once, I've heard it a hundred times. I own a fair number of CD's that include him simply because he played on so many classic, gotta-have-'em dates, but, in almost every instance, I would have preferred someone in the drum chair with less of a "look at me" style. Also, and I'm going to slide this in here and hope not too many people notice, but try as I may, I don't get Monday Michiru. I have four of her CD's, Routes, 4 Seasons, Delicious Poison and Episodes in Color. I've listened to all four extensively, but I can't get beyond the canned, overly processed sound of her music. I keep wishing she would tone it down a bit and spend a little more time on melody. Something along the lines of Sade. Fire when ready. Just one guy's opinion.

I didn't realize there was a Yiddish version.

Once you have a better handle on this, I'm sure a lot of us would be interested in what's in the collection.