sal

This is true, Jon. "Resurrection" is still my favorite Common album.

"Electric Circus" is the only Common album that I couldn't get into myself. He really returned to form with "Be".

Oh boy...

Chicago's own Common (formerly known as Common Sense) has long been one of the great voices in hip hop. He's a dangerous MC with great delivery and a lot on his mind, and in the age of rapping about guns, drugs, bling, bitches and hoes, Common has always stood out for his thoughtful and intelligent rhymes. I've really been enjoying his new release "Finding Forever". It goes back to basics.....bangin' beats with Common just tearing it up on the mic, rhyming about things that matter. This is a more consistent album than "Be" from a couple years back, which was an album I absolutely loved. Just a couple of throwaway tracks on here...the rest are gems. Its great to know that there are still great MCs out there like Common amidst all the garbage that passes for hip hop these days. It reminds me of listening to guys like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul back in the early 90's when it was all about gangsta rap. I'd say this is the best mainstream hip hop recording I've heard since the Roots dropped "Game Theory" last year. Anyone check this out yet?

This is the shit! I've been playing this non stop for the last 7 days.

Will be thinking of Joe in the coming days.....

I'm predicting a Bears/Pats Super Bowl if everyone on the Bears org stays healthy. Despite all the flack that Grossman's caught, last season was still technically his "rookie" year, and he looks to significantly step up his game this season. The Pats are a scary team....much scarier than the Colts were last year IMO! Will be interesting to see how this season unfolds. Despite my allegiance to the Bears, I have alot of respect and fondness for this Seattle squad. If they were to get past the Bears (which won't happen ), I'd be rooting for them to go all the way.

Watch out, ya'll! From ESPN: Hester, Bears' offense stepping to the fore By John Clayton BOURBONNAIS, Ill. -- As I walked out of the buzzing, over-crowded football stadium at Olivet Nazarene University on Saturday night, I looked to the clear, star-lit skies and said to "Papa Bear" George Halas, "Forgive me for what I am about to do." I came to the Bears training camp and I'm writing offense. That's right, offense. Bears football is usually all about defense. It's the franchise of Dick Butkus, Buddy Ryan and Brian Urlacher. In terms of Bears history, the offense is usually designed to stay on the field long enough to give defenders enough of a breather to make the next big play. This summer, however, the Monsters of the Midway have electrified fans with their offense. And it's more than just a revitalized Cedric Benson splitting the middle of the Bears' defense with a fast run up the gut. Devin Hester, the pinball whiz on returns and converted defensive back, is wowing Bears fans and burning defenders with his pass-catching skills at wideout. Rookie tight end Greg Olsen is stretching the field and catching everything within grasp. Tiny halfback Garrett Wolfe (5-foot-7, 177 pounds) looks like he's on fast-forward on sweeps and short passes in the flat. So far, Chicago's offense has been the best thrill ride in the summer tour of training camps. "We're hoping to get some playmakers out there," offensive coordinator Ron Turner said. "We've got some guys who are willing to make some plays." The story of camp is Hester. Bears beat writer John Mullin officially named the 2007 camp, "The Devin Hester Experience." Watching him run routes is like listening to old Jimi Hendrix records -- explosive, exciting and unpredictable. Any fan would love to hang from the "Watchtower" to see the show. In 2006, Hester was the underground candidate for offensive rookie of the year by returning six kicks for touchdowns, including a kickoff for a score on the opening play of the Super Bowl. Turner and the team's other offensive coaches had been plotting to bring Hester's play-making skills to the offense. Their thought was Hester would be a natural for catching balls out of the backfield or as a receiver. In the spring, Hester caught just about every pass thrown his way. "I started playing football when I was 4 years old, and I played wide receiver, quarterback and defensive back," Hester said. "God blessed me with the talent to catch the ball. When I had pickup games I would play quarterback and wide receiver. I'd do a quarterback sneak and just run the ball." Now, the experiment is over. Hester is a receiver. Turner says that Hester will be on the field on offense more than the five or six plays a game he logged last season. Hester predicts about 30 plays; however, there is one problem. He is so valuable as a returner that the team can't afford to see Hester get hurt on offense. Coaches will have to find the right balance in order to keep him fresh and healthy for the entire season. Hester is just an incredible athlete. For his size and position, Olsen isn't too shabby either. The rookie tight end had the crowd going crazy when he angled his body to the ground and made a remarkable catch before it hit the grass. As Olsen came back toward the huddle, Hester, who is 5-foot-11, soared into the night sky to do the highest of high fives with the 6-foot-5 Olsen. Things, however, got a little carried away Sunday. Hester jacked up the crowd and played more inspired football after each catch. Fans motivated him to do too much. Before long, Hester started to drop a few passes. Coaches, sensing something wrong, found he was a little dehydrated and gave him some extra rest. Wolfe, meanwhile, brings a Dave Meggett-type option to the offense. He catches the ball well and is quick. Each day in practice, the Bears unveil new packages to showcase the increased speed and athleticism to their offense. Sometimes, they will go with two tight ends Desmond Clark and Olsen, who is second only to Vernon Davis as the league's fastest tight end. And while all this is going on, Bernard Berrian -- developing as the team's No. 1 wide receiver option -- is burning cornerbacks with his speed on crossing routes and long passes. All of the sudden, the Bears, who usually look as slow and methodical as a Big Ten offense, have speed and lighting-like scoring ability. "We've just added another dimension to an offense that already knows the system so well and advanced it a little bit," quarterback Rex Grossman said. "Bernard Berrian is going to take another jump this year, and he's a mismatch for a lot of corners in this league. He's a relatively and unknown guy. ... He won't be after this year." Things have been so electrifying that some of the fan gloom about Grossman as the team's starting quarterback is brightening up. Grossman looks much improved from last season. With more weapons to work with, the goal is to get Grossman's completion rate to 60 percent. It is clear in camp that Grossman -- a 54 percent career passer -- has devoted a lot of time to improving his game, so that 60 percent completion rate should be attainable. First, Grossman has more weapons to use. Berrian has 70-catch, 1,000-yard potential. Clark is a 45-to-50-catch tight end. Second, from his study of game film, Grossman found ways to be more defined with his throwing fundamentals when his first two receiving options are covered. One of Grossman's strengths last season was being defined in his throwing motion and setup on his first two reads. But if they were covered, Grossman looked lost and his feet were everywhere. Bears coaches do a great job fixing fundamental problems. Lovie Smith hired Pep Hamilton from the Jets as quarterbacks coach. If there is any idle time at practice, he'll take quarterbacks to a field and work with fundamentals. Hamilton studies every Grossman throw and offers immediate suggestions to repair small technical flaws. Those suggestions have helped with Grossman's accuracy. Despite going to the Super Bowl, Grossman had a tough time last year. Fans wanted him benched. Critics around the country called for Brian Griese to replace him. At press conferences, Grossman seemed increasingly uncomfortable and defensive. Folks were out to get him. Teammates and coaches totally supported Grossman. Smith never gave much thought to benching him. Turner worked hard to keep Grossman's head in the game. "We are [a] fully loaded offensive team," Grossman said. "It's a veteran offensive line and a good running back. Last year, we went from 29th in the league to 15th. Hopefully, we crack the top five or top eight." Turner, meanwhile, is opening up the playbook. He's considering incorporating some shotgun formations and running no-huddle series. He's even asking Grossman to run a little more. Last year, Grossman ran only 24 times. He gained 2 yards. Now, the coaches want Grossman to run a little bit -- even if it's only three or four yards. Grossman can now look around and get the ball to speedier players. There's something different about these Bears.

I honestly don't see the Colts winning their division this year due to all the changes/problems that have come their way. But Manning is one of those guys who can rally and lead a deficient team when he's in the zone, so you never know.

Wish I could watch the match!

Same here. Can't wait to get em!

Keith Jarrett is an ass. He plays a motherf***er of a piano, and I'll always be a fan of his, but he's an ass. Especially that line about the privilege being the audience's.....fuck that. Artists of his stature owe everything to their fans/audiences. What would happen if we just decided to stop buying his CDs or attending his shows? He'd be playing his piano in a homeless shelter. These stars owe their fans everything. What a dick.

Nevermind, here they are. I'll be in Europe when he swings through Chicago....damn. A Wonder Summer's Night Tour Aug. 23 San Diego, CA. Humphrey's Aug. 25 Lake Tahoe, CA, Harvey's Lake Tahoe Amphitheatre Aug. 26 Concord, CA, Concord Pavilion Aug. 28 Santa Barbara, CA, Santa Barbara Bowl Aug. 30 Portland, OR, Edgefield Amphitheatre Aug. 31Woodinville, WA, Chateau Saint Michelle Winery Sept. 4 Saratoga, CA, Mountain Winery Sept. 5 Los Angeles, CA, Greek Theatre Sept. 10 Chicago, IL, Charter One Pavilion Sept. 12 Detroit (Rochester Hills) MI, Meadow Brook Sept. 14 Atlanta, GA, Chastain Park Amphitheatre Sept. 16 Baltimore, MD, Pier Six Pavilion Sept. 20 Boston, MA, Bank of America Pavilion

Chewy, where did you find tourdates for this?? I must attend.

J.J. Johnson without a doubt. Followed closely by the Golson/Farmer Jazztet.

This is reallly a frightening tragedy. My heart goes out to all the victims and their loved ones. And I hope that none of our board members are directly affected by this.

Freddy Adu is off to play in Portugal. A good for move him, I think. He'll be an exciting figure on the USA team to watch for the next couple World Cups.

A nice piece from Slate: http://www.slate.com/id/2171375/nav/tap3/ Rock Star The indelible cinema of Ingmar Bergman. By Dana Stevens Posted Monday, July 30, 2007, at 7:14 PM ET Ingmar Bergman To mourn Ingmar Bergman, who died Monday at the age of 89 on his beloved island of Faro, is to mourn a certain kind of hope for what cinema could do. For a time around the height of his fame—the late '50s to the early '70s, when each new Bergman film was an internationally discussed event—this new medium, still less than 100 years old, emerged as the most ambitious of the muses. Films like The Seventh Seal and Wild Strawberries (or, from other directors, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Ikiru) were suddenly taking on a metaphysical cargo traditionally associated with literature, theater, or opera, daring to ask, like the suicidal protagonist of Bergman's Winter Light, "Why must we live?" It's easy to laugh now at the portentousness of that line, not because we've figured out why, indeed, we must live, but because the movie theater stopped being the place to ask that question. In the past couple of decades, cinema has scaled back its ambitions, and Bergman's own artistic ambition—his films can be cerebral, austere, unashamedly indebted to psychoanalysis and philosophy—has come to seem dated: noble, to be sure, but faintly quaint. This falling out of favor has been subtle: The few films Bergman directed after the glorious Fanny and Alexander (which he claimed, upon its 1982 release, would be his final theatrical film) were, for the most part, acclaimed by critics. His last, Saraband (2003), a kind of 30-years-after sequel to Scenes From a Marriage, was praised to the skies, and deservedly so. But it nonetheless seemed, in the past two decades, as if Bergman's work had dropped out of the conversation, relegated to the shelf of Janus classics, more respected than watched. (Though the recent release of a restored 50th-anniversary print of The Seventh Seal did spark a revival of that gloomy repertory favorite.) By way of mourning the man, then, I propose a trip to your local video store (or to Netflix) to remind yourself just how juicy a director Bergman could be. Walking out of The Best Intentions (1991), a superb three-hour exploration of Bergman's parents' marriage—written by Bergman and directed by Bille August—the wife of a friend marveled, "Can you imagine what it would be like to live with that level of insight into your parents' relationship?" Bergman's best films had an almost fearsome astuteness, yet they were far from devoid of beauty or joy. One of my best Bergman memories is of watching his delightful comic adaptation of The Magic Flute with my 80-something-year-old grandmother on New Year's Eve, the libretto open on the bed between us. Of the great filmmakers of the high-art period—Kubrick, Fellini, Kurosawa—it was Bergman who worked on the smallest and most intimate scale. "I'm passionately interested in human beings, the human face, the human soul," he told Dick Cavett in an interview. When screening a mental clip reel of my most memorable Bergman moments, I find that nearly all of them involve faces: There's that shot late in Persona in which the simplest of effects, a vertically split screen, creates a terrifying image of madness, as the perfect features of Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann merge into one asymmetrical and shockingly ugly face. There's the rapt face of the child in the audience in The Magic Flute (played by Bergman's daughter), and the solemn face of Alexander (Bertil Guve) peering into his toy theater at the beginning of Fanny and Alexander. That theater-mad boy, of course, was Bergman himself, who wrote in his autobiography how desperately he coveted his younger brother's "magic lantern," a kind of proto-film projector that threw animated shadows on the wall. He swapped 100 tin soldiers for the toy, and proceeded, in one form or another, to play with it for the rest of his life. I think, on this day, we can safely say he made a good trade.

Hey Sal, you been in the bay area lately??? When I saw that you were the last poster in this thread, I somehow had the feeling your post was going to mention my name!

Toliet paper. I always buy the soft, smooth stuff. I splurge on vacations too. Travel to me is the best way to spend ones money. You can't put a value on experiences and memories.

One of my favorite filmmakers of all time. His work is one of the reasons I love film today, and in some ways, his films changed my life at the time when I first saw them. RIP Mr. Bergman. You will be missed.

This was my first thought.