T.D.

Hockey's always been my favorite sport, but I gradually followed it less after I stopped playing (age 40). During the long NHL strike (about 1-1/2 years?) I realized that I could get by without the NHL, and I've rarely watched post-strike. FWIW, my impression is that the Wings have gotten a bit long in the tooth, and losing the Finals wasn't a big surprise. Pitt finished the season strong (after horrid start), and was still improving when it mattered. I really wanted Det to win, though, among other reasons because I think Bettman and the League want to over-hype Crosby, who I don't like that much.

Recently finished Anthony Burgess's The Devil's Mode (old book picked up used), which has some very interesting short stories/novellas (e.g. one based on Shakespeare/Cervantes, one on Der Rosenkavalier, one on Faust, a couple on colonial Malaya and one on Debussy). Finishing one of Jeffrey Tayler's travel books, Glory in a Camel's Eye, which is OK but not his best. About to start Larry Devlin's Chief of Station, Congo, which has been on the to-read list for a while.

My family lived in BKK for a long time, and I visited frequently, but way back (before 1980). There's a lot going on , and lots of freedom, as Conn said. People who are prone to excess (alcohol, sex, drugs, hanging out with bad people, etc) can wind up with big problems over there.

Actually aside from the "embarrassment" I'd think the family might ultimately feel better that it was an accidental self-hanging rather than suicide. Suicide presupposes depression, and the family of someone with such a great future might spend a lot more time obsessing over whether or not there were "signs" and if they missed them. At least they knew the truth and didn't go to their own graves wondering "what if". Dan, I always assumed that the family was fully apprised of the details, and that the issue was public dissemination/reporting. It's certainly possible to argue for disclosure (in the straight suicide case, the University could conceivably have been faulted for not making counseling sufficiently available), but the way the incident was reported left a bad impression on many (recall this was '76 or '77, when such things were hardly spoken of).

It's not just celebrities. I first became aware of the a.asph. thing when I was in college, either 1976 or 77 (forget the exact year). There was a puzzling suicide reported: a really high-ranking math student hung himself in the shower. A week or two after the official (no details) announcement, the daily student newspaper (Michigan St. State News) broke a big story detailing the a.asph. explanation. It was very controversial, and met with big criticism, but the paper stuck to its guns. I'm sure the family was crushed.

Damn. I never comment on reported "hangings" until some time for investigation has passed, because of the seeming frequency of autoerotic asphyxiation. I was especially wary given the Bangkok (noted destination for sex junkets) location. But WTF would you take a trip to BKK and then wank? RIP.

Lots of RVGs for $6.99. FWIW.

Supporting my semi-local music shop (Hudson Valley region of NY), which actually does a good job of stocking jazz. New: Mingus, The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Used: Dizzy Reece, Blues in Trinity

Wow. I used to occasionally read Archie comic books, quite a bit more than 35 years ago. Didn't know the comic book series was still going (though I faintly recall seeing some comic strips)...didn't think "modern" kids'd be interested in that sort of thing.

PM sent on Jazztet- with Curtis Fuller, Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, etc- on Savoy

Kudos to Jim A. and neveronfriday.

I pretty much agree with Dan (rare event?): if Vick has done his time, he could play tomorrow for all I care. No opinion on what the NFL commissioner may say or do; I reckon that's part of the shit Vick has to deal with.

I thought it was in the Artists forum, but it seems to have been deleted. No comment (as a matter of policy, I never get involved with the controversial threads).

I'm just about to pull the trigger on Dynasty, not just for Mr. Getz's playing but also for Rene Thomas's. Tough for me to imagine Getz playing with an organ combo, but should be interesting.

http://reports.chessdom.com/news-2009/nata...ogonina-website "Chessdom.com presents Natalia Pogonina's website Chess Kamasutra top secret project ... Natalia Pogonina revealed to [Chessdom.com] her "top secret" project - Chess Kamasutra. It is a book that teaches chess using analogies from sex, and vice versa. More info will be published later on Chessdom." Hubba hubba... [i couldn't access the home page]

Even if Gruden brings nada (and he seems fairly bright), it's addition by subtraction. I never could stomach Kornheiser, that shouting contest thing on SportsCenter is (was? I no longer watch) abominable.

I think EPL football is by far the best televised sport. Not just the game itself, but the format: no commercials, and games are typically over within two hours. My only quibble, not having ever been a soccer player, is that I find the theatrical diving offensive, but that seems to be a greater problem in international play.

Damn. I recall reading about the lower leg amputation, but didn't know his health had gotten worse from there. RIP.

Wow, what a high-powered intellectual conclave. I'm sure there will be oodles of clever repartee...Won't exactly evoke images of Bloomsbury, the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, or even a Mensa meeting.

http://photos.chessdom.com/carmen-kass-chess

I dunno who Bill Plaschke is, but I figure that the concept of "sample size" is beyond the comprehension of most sportswriters...

Getting off the chemical subject... Hey, Big Al, I see that Tom Hicks just defaulted on a loan linked to the Rangers (also the Dallas Stars hockey club). This might get interesting.

Yup. And, as I like to point out, nobody ever sued him for libel.

Funny Manny story: He was taking the stuff because of a limp dick...

For the record, though I quibbled about Ms. Ripa's annoyance factor, I would of course do her (in the unlikely event she was willing )... Thinking back to the chess babe thread, how about big and smart? IM Elina Danielian (ARM, 2496)