papsrus

Bump for important notice: To whomever purchased the following Braxton box sets, I just discovered that I neglected to include the booklets for them. (Sorry, can't remember who bought these and PMs have been deleted). 1. Anthony Braxton -- "23 Standards (Quartet) 2003" 2. Anthony Braxton -- "20 Standards (Quartet) 2003" My apologies, and please contact me and I'll send you the booklets. (I also sold a Coltrane, "Live in Japan" box about a year ago either here or at AAJ, and can't remember who bought it, but I have a booklet for that also that I need to get to them. So, if you're out there, contact me.)

Very nice ...

And if you ever decide to join a cult, you're all set with that wtf thingy.

I think I might have one of those already.

Yep. This is what makes it smell really bad:

But there's always more to the story. I guess the thing I'm not quite convinced of -- and some comments here and elsewhere have reinforced this -- is that if and when the other 103 names on that list are made public, and we learn that some of the players with positive test results are from our favorite teams, will we begin to point out the little caveats that sound like excuses? Or will we be as harsh on them as we are on A-Rod? A failed test is a failed test. And ignorance of the law is not an excuse that works too often. I know you're not defending Romero and are simply pointing out some mitigating factors, but there are those who still defend the most obvious of the offenders. Why? Because they played on the hometown team -- or at least, that seems to be part of the equation.

I'd send them an extra $10 and try to keep this thing going!

And yet, as recently as January of this year, they were still getting caught, according to test results. These are plucked from a pretty detailed and seemingly up-to-date listing of steroid users or users of other banned substances in baseball. Whatever A-Rod did, and however lame his apologies, he's not alone.

Couple of guitarists: Wes Montgomery -- "Full House" Kenny Burrell -- "Midnight Blue"

Hm. While there's some truth in what you're saying, and I understand your being pissed off, I sense there's a little more to it. I think it may be a mistake to assume everyone knew and looked the other way. Some may have. Others may simply not have known. But it goes beyond that to the question of when the public became concerned about steroid use in baseball. That's the point at which coverage of the issue took off because there was a demand for the information. Again, I wouldn't excuse any reporter who knew and looked the other way -- and I'm sure there were some. But coverage of the issue also involves how the public views drug use in general. Baseball itself didn't seem to care until recently. Same might be said of the public in general. To give a parallel example, suppose we all know that cocaine use on wall street is rampant among traders. Well, we kind of do know that. But there are no stories about it because the public doesn't really care. In a few years time maybe a part of the economic collapse will be pinned on drugged up traders. Investigations will be launched. Reporters will report, and will be blamed for not bringing this to light earlier; for looking the other way. We all looked the other way.

A-Rod's a head case and a superstar who draws a lot of negative attention onto himself, but there are a lot more names on that list (well, names on one list associated with numbers on another. I guess that's how they compiled the lists in an effort to preserve anonymity.) I wouldn't presume that any team is clean. In fact, I'd presume just the opposite -- that no team is clean. And forget the personal stats for a moment, if no team is clean what does that say about the championships won during this era? What if Manny is on that list? Or Big Papi? Or Schilling? How do we judge those championships? I think you also have to presume that management turned a blind eye to the whole thing -- ka-ching. It's a little hard to believe otherwise. The only way we're going to be able to judge this thing is for every test result to be made public. Otherwise, we're just dealing with fragments of information.

I'm beginning to think that (including the 'perhaps'; no certainy here!) as well. Everyone's talking about a stimulus package to get things going again until the economy recovers, but I don't know if the levels of consumerism we were used to will return or not. Or for that matter, whether it should. Well, what are we talking about here? The way "we" lived, or the way "they" lived? ... And by "they," I mean crooked money managers, real estate flippers, dot-com visionaries, and those who preferred hard "assets" (now maybe worthless) and debt over cash. I believe when things turn, we will (by definition) be headed in a different direction -- one where jobs are being created again instead of lost, one where people are doing business with one another again. Always darkest before the dawn, and all that. We're learning now that a lot of the wealth that was created in this country was an illusion -- literally. We never were living as well as we thought we were. Our homes aren't worth as much as we thought they were. Our retirement and stock portfolios certainly aren't worth as much as we thought. But once jobs begin appearing again, people will resume buying homes, and cars, and going to restaurants, and on vacations. The market will begin moving up again. Our houses will be appreciating again (eventually).

Agree with all the above. From a selfish standpoint, you likely won't enjoy it (or at least, won't enjoy it as much as you could) if you simply keep it and say nothing.

I don't think there's a single athlete in any sport that I'd be surprised to learn used a performance enhancing substance. They're definitely using in high school these days, and some coaches look the other way. Hell, some parents look the other way, if they think their kid can get a scholarship or have a shot at a pro career. The culture of "win at any cost" plays no small role here, I believe. If I were a "clean" athlete, I'd be pretty eager to prove that I was clean at this point, union rules be damned.

I guess this is as good a place as any to admit that I had it on pre-order and canceled. Maybe next month.

Hah! I just ordered that one last night, along with these two. It'll be a week or so before they arrive. Frankie Newton -- "1937 - 1939" (chronological classics) Bill Coleman -- "1936 - 1938" (chronological classics)

You can do that in her discography thread. That might be moving a little too fast.

A real jolt.

Electrical panels can be costly.

Yes, absolutely, good luck Shawn.

That's interesting. Hockey's kind of a niche/cult sport in the US, and many non-fans who never played complain that they have trouble following the puck; it's a common theme in newspaper columns by writers who don't like the sport. (I'm a fan, as stated above, but have played a lot.) I used to love hockey. But for me it has become too watered down; too many franchises, too little talent, too long a season (playoffs in June?!). I think dynasties in general are a good thing for any sport because you can watch the game played at its highest level. And every now an then you'd get "upsets" (remember those? The Miracle on Ice?). Now, when every team basically has the same talent level (give or take a superstar), the whole thing becomes a series of somewhat predictable maneuvers. Nothing spectacular. Nothing compelling. Just a long-ass season. The endless series of overtimes and shootouts, or 3-2, 4-3 games bears this out. Wake me up in May and let me know who's favored. ... IMO.

The ax fell again Tuesday. I survived, as does a certain amount of guilt. I do have the general sense that things may be about to turn. Nothing I can hang my hat on, just a reading of the overall tone of things. I am confident people want to do business, they're just waiting for balance sheets to stabilize to begin moving forward again. So folks shouldn't think opportunities won't emerge. They will. Easy for me to say, though, I guess.

Oh, I suspect you're crazy. Just crazy enough. As someone I love said to me the other day, "I'm sure there are people out there who've had normal lives, and I feel sorry for them."

Jack Teagarden -- "Mis'ry and the Blues" (verve)