Dan Gould

Monday marks two weeks since the season started, and there are three starting pitchers who are 3-0. 2 of them pitch for Boston: Schilling, 3-0, 1.64 Beckett, 3-0, 1.29

The closest I've come to hearing Chuck Mangione play jazz was at a Roy Haynes concert. At the end of the first set, he stood by each member of the group and held the microphone as they introduced themselves. Nicolas Payton said, "Chuck Mangione"

I'm thinking specifically about the 70s-80s recordings (Blues Summit and Blues on the Bayou, among others, marked a strong return to form in the 90s, imo). What are the best of that era? Any comments on To Know You Is To Love You or Indianola Mississippi Seeds, the former features Stevie Wonder and the latter includes Carole King? I've recently acquired the Bobby Bland collaborations ( ) and of course we all know about Live at Cook County Jail. How about the Live in London set, which AMG suggests is a misconceived meeting of rock stars and blues royalty? And what about the collaborations with the Crusaders? I've just about exhausted the Modern/RPM/Kent/Crown stuff and am trying to pick my way through the post-Bluesway era, so any advice is greatly appreciated.

Just do me a favor and beat Wang today, OK? Yanks in last place for at least another day would make an awfully nice Easter present.

I got a new question for the B.B. experts: I just finished "The B.B. King Reader" and learned that B.B. returned to the Bihari brothers in 1965 for one six song session, and that B.B. was saving his own material for his ABC albums so he didn't record any of his own compositions. "Ain't Nobody's Business" appeared on an Ace box set, I believe. But what I am left wondering is, how were these six songs released? On AMG there are several albums released around this time, but none show "Ain't Nobody's Business" on them which leaves me wondering if they used these six songs for the singles market, or what. Can anyone shed light as to how I might obtain these final Modern recordings by B.B.? Thanks!

the twinkies just came from one run down to defeat mariano! Kind of a confidence builder for the team when they take the first two games from the Yanks. Started out 1-5, now 6-5. If Johan could get back on track, maybe we could do something. Just do me a favor and beat Wang today, OK? Yanks in last place for at least another day would make an awfully nice Easter present. In the meantime, my Red Sox are getting killed with injuries. Crisp going down has really hurt the offense (he better be back in 10 days rather than a month); Manny can't even buy an extra base hit; and when Wakefield pitches, the combination of Josh Bard, Alex Gonzales, et. al, at the bottom of the order amounts to a freaking offensive black hole. At least Nixon is supposed to be back by Monday or Tuesday. But now Wells is out, and may very well be done. Personally, I think the team is greatly improved if Wells is out and Papelbon returns to the rotation. But That requires Foulke to get himself fully situated, and we haven't seen that yet. I do think that you're going to see Foulke getting more work, several two inning appearances, if possible, to get him in place to be the closer again. Then you'll know that despite their claims to the contrary ("we're not going to yank Papelbon around") that their long term solution is for Paps in the rotation. Then it will be look out, American League, because there is no top three that matches Schill, Beckett and Paps. None, and not in the National League either.

My nominee for intriguing stat of the season (so far) Last year, the Red Sox went 3-22 in games in which they scored two or fewer runs. This year, less than two weeks into the season, they are 3-0 in games in which they scored two or fewer runs.

After two dates with my wife, I told my closest friend that I believed I had met my future wife. It probably had something to do with the fact that at the end of the first date, she was moving my hands off her *ss but at the end of the second date, she was moving them towards her *ss. Oops, that was probably too much information. Seriously, I knew (and she knew) (and her family knew) where this was headed, however, being a cautious person, it went like this: First date, October 1999 (I didn't date multiple people at one time, so we were "exclusive" immediately thereafter) Became engaged, New Year's Eve 2000 Moved in together, Summer 2001 Marriage, September 2001

Sangrey stirred up some interest in this recording here.

This has been an issue since the Internet boom started: How to get people to complete their purchase, and figuring out why they don't. So, Joe, websites have tracked your "window shopping" since you started doing it online! As far as the problem with this particular website, the usual issues that websites address is how complicated it is to checkout, how many pages does the purchaser have to fill out, and also, how clear is the checkout process? If it says at the top "page 1 of 3" then people know where they are at. Its been shown that some purchasers will bail if they get to a second page and still haven't completed the purchase, they just close their browser Or, as Hans and Joe suggest, its just a matter of "window shopping". But converting browsers to buyers is going to be critical, so I would look closely at the process of checkout and the clarity of it.

Is there anything to be concerned about, Yankee fans, with Unit leaving after five innings and 87 pitches today? I saw a 4-0 score and no hits by the Royals in the third inning and the next time I check, RJ is gone after 5. Not a typical Torre move when the game isn't exactly in hand. Leaves me wondering if Johnson tweaked something and this was precautionary. Guess I gotta watch Sportcenter tonite.

I've heard those Tonite Show performances and can only assume that their source is a lot closer to the original than what I have.

Meanwhile, Willie Mo Pena helped a fly ball reach the bullpen on a drive off of Foulke, and Nixon may have tweaked his groin, so maybe there are some worrisome things at Fenway, too. But A win is a win is a win, as Papelbon takes ten pitches to close the door in the ninth. 5-3 Sox is your final.

An interesting opening day in the Bronx. No surprise that it ends with a win, and I guess that is what counts. But are Yankee fans glad it took a five spot in the eighth to avoid a loss to those fearsome Royals? The fearsome Royal lineup that outhit the Yanks 12-8? Is the bloom off of Wang yet, with an ERA almost 6 after two starts (Beckett after two starts: 1.29, and in line for the win today)? And can Joe possibly bring Sturtze in again in a competitive situation? A win is a win is a win, but there are some disconcerting things going on under the surface, methinks.

So how can a lender calculate at the start the full cost of the mortgage, as Dan said? MG Variable rate mortgages in the US have caps on both the maximum increase in an adjustment period as well as a lifetime cap (typical are 2/5 or 1/4). Therefore, at closing, there are more disclosures given and a worse case scenario is used to determine the maximum full cost of the mortgage. I find it very surprising if fixed rate mortgages are literally unavailable in the UK, as most people recognize them as the safest, most conservative way to finance home purchases. What happens in a situation where interest rates are rising and payments increase to the point where homeowners can no longer make their payments? Usually, the mortgage lender will work out a refinancing option that takes the final payment further away in time and costs the borrower even more. Since interest rates usually rise when house prices are rising faster, there's usually sufficient equity for that to be a reasonable proposition. But people's homes do get reposessed. If that happens when prices are falling, the homeowner is in the mire; no home and a big debt. MG Are there annual or lifetime caps to how much a rate gets adjusted? Why aren't fixed-rate mortgages offered?

You weren't given the best advice. Certainly, in the past 5-8 years, you've missed the opportunity to refinance and lock in a much lower fixed rate (assuming you're credit score is good). You could still shave 2-3 points off your interest rate by refinancing now (again assuming a high credit score). ARMs are definitely good choices under certain conditions.

So how can a lender calculate at the start the full cost of the mortgage, as Dan said? MG Variable rate mortgages in the US have caps on both the maximum increase in an adjustment period as well as a lifetime cap (typical are 2/5 or 1/4). Therefore, at closing, there are more disclosures given and a worse case scenario is used to determine the maximum full cost of the mortgage. I find it very surprising if fixed rate mortgages are literally unavailable in the UK, as most people recognize them as the safest, most conservative way to finance home purchases. What happens in a situation where interest rates are rising and payments increase to the point where homeowners can no longer make their payments?

So how can a lender calculate at the start the full cost of the mortgage, as Dan said? MG Variable rate mortgages are possible but fairly uncommon in the US. Most people do have fixed rate mortgages. "possible but fairly uncommon"???? Fixed rate mortgages remain more common than variable rates in the US but variable rates have grown enormously more popular for ten years or more, and the percentage of mortgages that are fixed rate will continue to fall as different financial instruments continue to be marketed.

IMHO, it's even harder to deal with because he stocks so many great titles. This guy stocks (or at least LISTS) Steeplechase titles but people should know that its Peter at Stateside Distributors that has all the Steeplechase titles. He's the authorized distributor (I think) for that label. As far as Caiman goes, I understand the aggravation people express, but not only have I had no problems with them, but it seems as though they have worked to improve their system a great deal. My recent purchases have included several discs that they did not actually have in stock. Now, however, your purchase generates an email notification that includes a link to your order status. For things that are not in stock, it will show "In Transit" with an approximate ship date. In the last three or four cases, I knew that they were securing my discs so I didn't have to wonder, and ultimately all items were secured and shipped out before the anticipated date. So, adding in the fact that Caiman ships from Miami and I usually receive their CDs much much faster than mot media mail packages, I plan to continue shopping with them. Really my only complaint is that you don't get a break on multiple CDs. Each one gets charged the full shipping price, which is already well over the true cost of Media Mail. Obviously they've worked that in to their business model so they can offer lower prices.

Interesting. I remember having a problem with Jazz Loft once quite a while ago - don't remember what it was, I think maybe an unconscionable delay in shipping (there's a surprise!). Then recently I found a Brew Moore Steeplechase CD on CDHut's ebay listing. It shipped very quickly so obviously the guy doesn't just list catalog but he actually does stock some items. No doubt though his listing could be a lot more clear. BTW, that Cochrane CD is pretty nice.

Several points, Patricia: Even if one misses a payment and is threatened with foreclosure, it is still likely, unless the housing market has slumped terribly in the interim, that the house may be put on the market, with the mortgage being paid off (at minimum) and possibly still clearing some cash from the deal. In the US, there is a law which states that the total cost of credit must be disclosed to a borrower. So it is not true that "Few actually calculate what they will be paying for their house at the end of the lending period, twenty or thirty years from the initial down payment." That number is right there in black and white, and the buyers sign that sheet of paper at the closing table. Given the purchase price of a house, it is virtually impossible for at least 90% of current homeowners to pay cash for their home. They have no choice but to seek a lender. It is certainly true that the total cost of that loan is, over the course of 30 years, astronomical. But what is worse? Throwing away $800 a month to rent, or paying $1200 in principal, interest, insurance and taxes, to own your home, and to build equity in its ever appreciating value? It seems clear to me that it is mostly a psychological thing with you, as you continue to say that banks "own" your property. They do not. If they did, would you have the right to sell it?

Actually I hate the concept of interest payments also. Different cultures, different ways. I can't help but think that my mother, who was born and raised in Scotland, must have secretly been Middle Eastern. She saw no sense in borrowing money to buy something for which you could pay cash. She felt that paying at least twice as much in the long run for something, including a house, if you didn't have to, was insane. My youngest brother, taking her at her word, paid cash, over the last thirty years for seven houses, which he rents to teachers, thus creating a substantial income, should he decide to retire, which he's not ready for yet. Using other people's money to buy something means that other people own that something until you make the last payment. So, who can say which is better? I would tend to think that actually owning something, which you can sell if bad times appear over the horizon, is the more secure investment. There is no guarantee that your income will rise, remain stable, or disappear, making you unable to meet your monthly payments of $177,400.00 per month. I'm not saying that Tiger Woods will suddenly stop winning, or become indigent, but one never knows. A home is something that a person needs and it just seems to me that owning it makes more sense than the bank or a mortgage company owning it. But, what do I know? Banks and mortgage companies do not "own" your property. They have a security interest in it, represented by the note and the mortgage that you signed at closing. The loan you took out is secured by the property purchased, but so long as you are current on your payments, you own the property, because you are free to sell it, rent it out, etc. So long as the value of your property does not decrease, you will always be in a position to sell at a profit "if bad times appear over the horizon." This statement is also false: "Using other people's money to buy something means that other people own that something until you make the last payment." My parents will own their house outright in September of this year, after thirty years of mortgage payments. Do you think the bank has some control over the property? At this point they owe about $5000 in principal and have something like $950,000 in equity. Their bank doesn't "own" anything.

Checking out AMG, looks like an interesting set of tunes: 1 Something Worth Waiting For (Con Alma) Caswell, Gillespie 3:34 2 All You Need to Say (Never Say Yes) Adderley, Caswell 4:22 3 Lightining (Lazy Bird) Caswell, Coltrane 2:58 4 A Long Way to Go (Equinox) Caswell, Coltrane 4:39 5 Strollin' Hendricks, Silver 4:43 6 I Found the Turnaround (The Turnaround) Caswell, Mobley 4:03 7 Follow the Footprints (Footprints) Caswell, Gillespie 4:07 8 Life Is a Groove (Jordu) Allyson, Jordan 4:14 9 A Tree and Me Brown 3:09 10 I Can't Say (Teaneck) Adderley, Caswell 3:44 11 But I Was Cool Brown 4:06 12 Give Me a Break (Unit 7) Caswell, Jones 3:48 13 Everybody's Boppin' Hendricks 3:35 I have no idea who this Caswell person is writing the lyrics to most of these tunes. Has there ever been another Mobley composition given lyrics? I'll be very interested to hear feedback on this one once it hits the stores.

I only have but it is surely one of my all-time favorite vocalist albums.

What are the chances of a Tigers-Brewers World Series?