Dan Gould

Wow, I'm a prophet. Yeah, except prophets don't generally backtrack two days later:

In the online world, anything may be shorthand, regardless of whether or not it has a euphemistic effect on the communication.

Well I just did some quick checking and discovered some encouraging matchups in the final 9 or 10 games of the season: Yanks face both Doc Holladay and AJ Burnett in their four game tilt against the Blue Jays Sox will miss Dan Haren when the A's visit Fenway, and it looks like Johan Santana's final start will come the day before the Twins arrive for their four game set. I may feel like the wild card is a foregone conclusion, but if we can get our shit together, at least the Sox avoid the most unfavorable pitching matchups.

Can we get this pinned?

How about a special Paypal-only account at the bank? Transfer money in when you need to use it, otherwise its empty or nearly empty. Then there's no risk involved of Paypal identify theft of some sort, if there's no money for them to steal.

"not all that special", yes. Your Mileage May Vary.

If I remember correctly, this one is the more "late night" mood album. Big Hits at least had "Sack O' Woe" and a couple of other decent tunes on it ... I agree. Gave a listen to Lavender Sax and was not that impressed, "mood music" is correct. How would either of you compare "Lavender sax" to the Black & Blue "Midnight slows" series? MG Um, I'll say "fine what they are but not all that special".

So many people have wanted to hear this, I hope it lives up to long-simmering expectations. Fortunately, having heard it, I'm pretty darn sure it will.

What, did it drop under 90 degrees so you decided it was time to go for a jog?

I'm sure it is head to head records when two are tied, but I wouldn't be surprised if that is the sort of tie that would actually require a playoff game or two to determine. Maybe Patrick or Quincy have the answer, but I wouldn't sweat it, I don't think it is too likely to occur.

After the most recent debacle last night, I went into Total Media Blackout mode but unfortunately took a look at the CNN-SI website this afternoon, where I found this stupidity from one exceptional moron, John Heyman: Now I think everyone knows just how I feel about the apparent inevitability of the Yankees winning the division. But "do everything he can" to win it? How fucking stupid is that? Does Heyman think that Okajima should be forced to pitch as often as necessary down the stretch, regardless of whether or not it will make him worse in October? Does Heyman think that Manny should be forced back into the lineup, regardless of whether or not it makes a season-ending re-aggravation of his strained oblique more likely? Maybe Heyman thinks that Tito should set up the rotation so that Beckett will go a week from Saturday or Sunday, on three days rest, if the division is still in play? I mean, it sure as hell doesn't matter if that will mean that Beckett can only pitch one game in the ALDS - winning the division will make it worth it! Heck, he should be ready to run Beckett and Dice-K out there on three days rest next Saturday and Sunday, if the team is within two of the all-important AL East crown. Who cares if that keeps Beckett and Dice-K out of the ALDS until Games three and four! The division championship is paramount! Or, they might take a lesson from Detroit last year, who skipped Bonderman and Verlander in that series against KC, got swept on the last weekend, lost the division, and then watched Bonderman and Verlander lead them to the pennant, in games that really mattered.

No, it doesn't prove anything, but it maybe it will make Goodie re-think his "steroids can't help you hit home runs" stance? Nah. What could I be thinking? The only thing he will take out of that article is "Not an indictment of Bonds" and "doesn't prove anything".

To pay with a credit card via Paypal is free. If you want to receive money, paypal takes a cut. So if you want to pay for something with a credit card because you can always tell them that you didn't receive the merchandise, then using paypal to pay with a card makes perfect sense.

That's actually not entirely true. My Nero burning program recognizes FLAC files and allows you to add them directly to the CD you are creating. I guess I need to update my Nero. Is that just a feature of your version of Nero, or is it a plug-in? Tom, its not a plug in, my updated version is 6.6.1.4 I'm so far behind in burning FLAC files from Dime that I ought to use the feature to just burn them all instead of taking the time to extract them as wav files and then check if any editing is needed. But I always find it too annoying when people put track indexes in the wrong spot or have really low levels.

Amidst all the jokes, I am curious about one thing. Assuming the $125,000 bail money was all OJ's, assuming he doesn't skip out on it, when his bail is exonerated at the end of the court proceedings, is there anything to stop the Goldman family from trying to lay claim to it as partial payment of the civil judgment?

That's actually not entirely true. My Nero burning program recognizes FLAC files and allows you to add them directly to the CD you are creating. As far as renaming FLAC files, I don't really understand the question - why would you need to rename the file, unless maybe its got an extension that makes it "not" a FLAC file even though it is?

Without listing out what you have and what their condition is, no one here is likely to be interested. Its even less likely that anyone would want the entire set. Do you care about what you get for them? If not, the easy thing would be to take them to Backbone Music in downtown Delray: 61 Se 4th Ave Delray Beach, FL 33483 They are open most afternoons, they'll pay you I imagine about a dollar a piece for whatever you have, assuming the condition isn't bad. The alternative is to sell them yourself on eBay. You'll need to familiarize yourself with the Goldmine Grading Standards and either invest some time in play-testing the records or put each under a bright light and visually inspect them. I'd recommend setting your initial price at the very lowest you would accept and see what happens. Note: If these LPs are original 50s-early 60s pressings, are in excellent shape, and are not filled with a lot of the best known, highest selling albums of the era, they may be worth far more as individual pieces than as a set.

And why shouldn't that happen? The offensive piper is now being paid in the absence of Manny and Youklis and neither of them are even close to returning. And because they care about the playoffs more than the division, Dice-K is pitching Saturday on eight days rest, same for Schilling, he is pitching Tuesday on eight days rest. In all likelihood, both make their final starts then. Top that off with the A's and Twins coming to Fenway, and there is no reason for this team to start winning before the playoffs arrive. Whether they can turn it around then, who the fuck knows or cares.

It is time to give credit where credit is due: When we fuck it all away, we REALLY fuck it all away. Predicted final standings: Red Sox 93 wins and FOUR games behind the Yankees. Book it.

Refused to pay, and the only thing "missing" was the odd sports column I might wanted to have read. Not being able to read the Op-Ed page cut down on the time I spent with the paper in the AM, and believe me, there's no reason to start up again now. But I knew they'd eventually drop the pay for content scheme.

Keep it going, I'll be happy if Buchholz stops the bleeding tonight and we go to bed with a magic number of 2.

Well, I missed the news about Manny: He had a setback while running yesterday. I would say the earliest you will see him would be when they return to Fenway next week and it will probably not be until the last series of the season. I'd love to see the Yankees win for a month if A-Rod were on the shelf.

Patrick, of course all is forgiven It is clear to me that Theo, Tito and the Minions have made a decision, and that is that rest is more paramount than winning the division. If winning the division was paramount, Papelbon would have been in before the tying run had scored off of Gag-Me. If winning the division was paramount, they wouldn't be giving three extra days rest to Dice-K. As I understand it, without the adjustments to the rotation, they would get 4 more starts from Schilling and Dice-K but are now only getting two. Indians may have surprising home/road splits for some players but the results have been pretty positive overall - their record is second to the Sox for away games. As for these losses, having to play Hinske isn't helping very much, and while Youk was seen throwing yesterday, I would be surprised if he plays before Friday at Tampa. Manny ... no one knows about. He's got to get back in to get his swing back in time for the playoffs, but he can't do it any sooner than is safe because he can easily reinjure it and end his season. If you didn't hear, we have a new, all-time Manny Moment. He actually asked Francona about being sent out on a rehab assignment! Uh, Manny, its September, the minor league season is over and all the Sox teams are out of the playoffs. No instructional league til next year, so uh, no, there's no place to send you. What a maroon. Last comment for the Yankee fans, in line with my earlier observation about how the AL Central finished last season and what happened in the playoffs. Last time the Yanks made a furious comeback to snatch the Division on a tie-breaker, how well did that momentum carry over into the playoffs for ya? Ousted by the Angels, that's how.

You need to provide a source for that, for it makes no sense. As the article I linked says, HGH simply makes everything grow. Can visual acuity improve because the eyes are bigger? I kinda doubt it.

That makes one of us. As they so typically do, the Red Sox are in the midst of late season swoon. It came a little late this year but it is here nonetheless. Tito should do an Amex commercial, only the card he would be holding would say WILD CARD: Do you know me? I manage to blow late season division leads to our hated rivals. That's why I carry one of these: It saves my ass from the firing line. I am left to remember two important facts: 1) Last year Minnesota made a late, sustained, furious comeback and took the division championship. Where did it get them? Bounced in the ALDS by the West division champs. 2) The Tigers blew the division after dominating it for almost the entire season (and having the best record in the league for most of that time) and where did it get them? The World Series. BTW - the Red Sox have the best road record in the league. Hopefully we'll face the Angels, who have significant bullpen issues, Lackey can't beat us, Escobar has a 9 ERA in September, and they are barely over .500 on the road.