Uncle Skid

I was going to buy him that new Styx CD, but I'm sure he already has it! Happy Birthday, Big Al!

Looking forward to it!! B-)

Yes, welcome to the board, ajnorman!!

Dude, it's not even March yet!!! Good Luck!! B-)

FWIW, I've had excellent luck with these two *free* packages: Zone Alarm Firewall AVG Anti-Virus These two, in combination with Mozilla Firefox, have kept my PC clean for years. It also probably helps that I *never* use Internet Explorer or MS Outlook Express. In fact, I'm so paranoid about viruses and such that my email is on a different (Linux-based) machine.

I don't have #5 yet, so I don't know. But, it is pretty cool to see all of them lined up like that! B-) I'm jealous!!!

"Connie500" ***** I was somewhat serious when I first suggested that -- many of my CD purchases over the last year or two have directly been a result of discussions and recommendations on this board. One problem with it is that we all buy from so many different places: Mosaic, CD Universe, Dusty Groove, Early Records, directly from Chuck, CD Baby, and so on. I would definitely "click-though" if we had the option here, unobtrusive advertising like that doesn't bother me at all. If not, I'm glad the "Donate" option is available, as we all know this board costs $$ and time to keep it going. B-)

Well, my set (#766) finally arrived today via DHL dogsled. I was beginning like the kid that didn't get any ice cream at the party!

My RVGs arrived today as well, minus Basra. Looks like it is still available on amazon.co.uk. Anybody in the US going to try to get a copy that way?

Just got this email: (sorry, Chaney!!)

I've been checking this thread every day since Rooster's post! Who will be the first to receive their copy???

Somebody had to say it!! "I don’t care who you are, that’s funny right there…"

Well, could be, as I already know that you were (?) a HUGE Aldo Nova fan. B-) So, how do you feel about April Wine?? Dokken ("rhymes with ROCKIN'!!!)??? Triumph??? Dude, I still have my "Never Surrender" concert t-shirt.

I'm confused as well. I had to put in new furnace/air conditioning last year, so I wanted to find out for sure. Here's more information than you could possibly ever want: Publication 530 (2004), Tax Information for First-Time Homeowners But, it looks like hardbopjazz is correct -- the rules are different when you're talking about a home improvement loan. If I understand this one correctly, you can write off the interest on the loan, but not the actual costs of the improvements.

I also use an accountant, primarily because I'm self-employed (S-Corp, so I have to file a corporate return as well). Worth every penny I pay the guy, as I'm sure it's done correctly, and I don't have to deal with it. The cost difference between those PC programs and a decent accountant has come down over the years, so that's made the PC stuff less attractive. Dan, I'm pretty sure that improvements to your house are not deductible. Just mortgage interest, property taxes, and maybe some of your closing costs.

Mine haven't shipped yet, but Basra says "Pre-Order Now! Available: Tuesday, February 15, 2005". All the other RVGs say "usually ships in 1-2 days". I wonder if that will hold up the whole bunch. I think I selected the "ship them all together" option.

I sheepishly need to add that the first record I ever bought was Kiss' Rock and Roll Over, in 1977. So, what the hell do I know?? Maybe Styx *doesn't* suck?? No, they do really suck. And Tommy Shaw looks like a girl (or David Spade!), and that other dude looks like Andre the Giant! In fact, I didn't realize until now what Styx did after they broke up: "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, you made fun of my band, prepare to DIE!!"

Big Al, you crack me up!! B3-er's "utter musical hilarity" comment pretty much sums it up for me. I *was* a Styx fan, back when I was 15. Pieces of Eight and Grand Illusion still bring back memories to this day. BUT, I did grow out of it eventually. I started to realize how bad they were around the time of Paradise Theater, and that Kilroy nonsense just confirmed it. "Simplistic and juvenile": exactly! Sorry deus62, in this case, this is not just someone's subjective opinion. The only reasonable debate about this band is the *degree* of sucktitude -- do they suck just a little, or a whole lot?? I say they suck just a little, but only because I'm scared that they might come kick my ass:

I really like photos of Art Blakey, especially this one:

...MUST BUY MORE WARNE MARSH, VON FREEMAN, ROSCOE MITCHELL, ART ENSEMBLE.... :ph34r: B-)

I should have added that obviously, it wasn't just Chuck that has turned me on to some outstanding music -- I've had many great recommendations from other board members here. In fact, Dan found a great Cedar Walton disk for me a while back! Isn't this a great place, deleted threads, wynton trolls, and political squabbling overlooked, of course? B-)

I don't recall this question being asked recently, either. I consider myself fairly adventurous at this point -- I look at it this way: if I hadn't started listening to jazz 101 (Miles, Coltrane, etc), I'd still be listening to "progressive alt-rock", whatever the hell that is. The rewards of starting down the jazz path have been so great, that I don't want to confine myself to any specific period or style. I'm lucky enough to live only 20 minutes away from Chuck, and he has expanded my musical horizons much further than I had ever imagined possible. As I'm still relatively new to all of this, maybe I will eventually fall into a more predictable pattern. I really don't know at this point, and that's what keeps it interesting! B-)

Ian Hendrickson-Smith - Still Smokin' Roscoe Mitchell - Sound Preordered 4 of the new RVG's: Art Blakey - A Night In Tunisia Pete LaRoca - Basra Hank Mobley - Hi Voltage Johnny Coles - Little Johnny C Also have the Hill Select on pre-order, and Duke Ellington Piano in the Foreground is next in the queue at yourmusic.com. And I really need to order the new Grachan Moncur CD, as well as Von Freeman's Serenade In Blue from Chuck. B-)

Well, since I live in one of those uptight states that passed a gay-marriage ban, I hereby officially reserve the Swedish Bikini Team for all board members who are Michigan residents! Chuck, Jim, Joe, Randy, Bill, and Greg, please let me know where to send yours! * and don't worry Paul (conn), you live close enough to Michigan, so we won't forget about you!

I'll always remember the first time I heard The Sermon. Completely blew me away, never had heard anything quite like it before. B-)