Tim McG

I feel your pain...trust me.

I think we may have dodged a bullet. They have been predicting 80'-90's this week, but it looks like it's gonna be MUCH cooler. LOVE the fog! So do I. Supposed to be yet another scorcher today. Grrrr

Sergio Corbucci Eduardo Fajardo Quentin Tarantino

101. And it sucks.

The first pipe I would recommend for a beginner is a good old Missouri Meerschaum corncob pipe. Yeah, I know; every potential pipe smoker who hears that rolls their eyes and mumbles something about wanting "a real pipe", but the lowly cob has several advantages over briar. First, the obvious: it's cheap. You can get a decent cob (stick with the MM brand; the others are generally crappy junk imported from Japan) for less than $10, in some places close to $5, leaving you more cash to spend on tobacco. Secondly, the cob needs no break in. Many briars can be a bit nasty at first until a cake of carbon and tars is formed on the bowl. With a cob, you don't need the cake; it smokes fine right from the start. Finally, (and this is probably just an extension of reason one), when you start, you'll probably puff too fast and too hard, raising the possibility of damaging the pipe. It's much better to learn and possibly destroy a five dollar cob than a hundred dollar briar, right? Now, if you're stubborn and really want a briar, I'd recommend getting a Dr. Grabow. It's cheap, tough, and a good starter pipe. Yeah, neither of these suggestions are for sexy, name pipes, but we're talking starter pipes. If you decide you like it, and think you've got the hang of it, you can move up to Stanwells, Savinellis or Petersons. All three make fairly inexpensive briars (and some nice high end briars as well). But I'd seriously wait on that until you're sure you're really interested in pipe smoking. There's really no point in plunking down $100 for a decent pipe and then discovering that pipe smoking really isn't for you. The good thing with the cobs are, it's not like you've wasted your money on a crappy pipe if you're still smoking pipes a year later. Cobs are great knockaround pipes, and I've yet to meet a pipe smoker, either in 'real life' or online that ever smoked a cob and then quit smoking them. As far as tobacco, it kind of depends on where you're coming from. If you're looking for a great smell to impress the ladies, good old Captain Black is all you need. If you're looking for taste, however, I'd skip that dreck. For some reason, pipe shops have this thing about recommending aromatic tobaccos to newbies. I have no idea why. Take you, for example, Alexander; you're coming from smoking cigars, so you already know you like the taste of tobacco, but I guarantee that if you went to a pipe shop, they'd recommend some kind of sugared up candy concoction that reeks of vanilla, or cherry, or some such; anything but tobacco. My recommendation would be to start with either Prince Albert or Carter Hall. Yeah, another recommendation that gets the eyes rolling from new pipesters, but they're decent tobaccos, without any added flavors. A good start, I think. After that, the exploration road gets a little tricky, as you have various avenues to choose from: straight Virginias, Virginia/Perique blends, English blends...all very different from each other. I don't know if this helps at all, as I don't know what kind of cigars you smoke, but I used to love cigars with maduro wrappers, and english blends kind of remind me of that deep, smoky taste. English blends are one of those things that people either love or hate, though. Tell ya what, we pipe smokers are pretty much as evangelical as jazz fans; if you decide to go ahead and get a pipe, PM me your address, and I'll throw together a sampler package from the stuff I have. I don't have any aromatics, but the rest I can cover. Don't forget, you also need a pipe tool, cleaners, etc. Pipes, even more than cigars, are as much about futzing around with shit as smoking... When I was smoking a pipe I was kinda partial to the Black Cavendish blends. Nice vanilla-like aroma and no bite on the tongue. And I used to take a corn cob pipe on backpacking trips because it is small and didn't burn hot. I own several briar pipes [some straight, some curved] but my Meerschaum "bone" pipe is my favorite. BTW, the bigger the bowl the cooler the smoke. And as Jazzmoose will attest, the delicate art of packing your bowl with tobacco takes time and practice to get it right. Pack it too hard and the draw is uneven or constricted. Pack it too loose and the tobacco will just smoke out like a wad of newspaper. Puff, don't suck...and keep plenty of matches around to fire-up the bowl. Pipe tobacco tends to be very wet and so it goes out easily. The key to success is not to smoke it all down on the first go, but to ease it down with a few puffs, relax, re-light, repeat. When the pipe is empty just gently tamp it out in an ash tray then begin the packing process again...if you so desire. Oh and be sure to "cure" your pipe bowl, too. It will make for an enjoyable time while puffing on your favorite tobacco.

I can think of a few, but generally [not always the case, but a good easy reference] you want to go with a Natural or Connecticut Shade-type of wrapper and stay away from the Maduro and dark wrappers. Anything with a paper wrap is going to just fry the back of your throat. Always go with a long filler. Also, it has been my experience that the longer the cigar, the cooler the smoke. Dominican Republic makes some of the best, IMHO. It has been a great long while since I have smoked a mild cigar but these might be a good start: Nestor Reserve Connecticut [mild] Don Diego Corona [mild] Dunhill Peravia [mild-medium] Macanudo Prince [medium] La Gloria Cubana [medium] All are well made, hand-rolled cigars. BTW...If you feel like splurging [my personal favorite, when I have the money for it]: Davidoff Double R [medium] Get to know your tobacconist, too. He will be a certain wealth of information. And if you buy in box quantities...go online. I can name several trustworthy and low cost sites to visit once you get to that point. They all sell cigars in five-packs, too. Let me know, OK?

Already been done...numerous times, WB3. And you're right, the Giants need to dial it up a notch if they are going to compete for the NL West tittle. But taking the Dodgers for granted isn't going to get it done. Besides, because the Dodgers finished ahead of the Giants this year and last doesn't account for the head-to-head competition. This year the Dogers won it. Last Year the teams tied. The year before the Giants won. Overall, the Giants have beaten the Dodgers more times in head-to-head battles. Why would Casey Blake mock Brian Wilson? Why did Eric Gagne flip off the Giants fans? Why did Jim Tracy get tossed at so many Giants-Dodgers games? Because these teams hate each other. It ia a rivalry, Dude. It's always there just below the surface. Because the young guys punked out on the Giants faithful by not getting the best of the Dodgers these last two series doesn't play well with us long suffering fans. If a player cops a who gives a shit attitude with us we'll boo his ass. Mercilessly. Count on it. Just ask Tyler Walker or Chili Davis or Felix Rodriguez or Armando [fucking] Benitez if that's true. The young guys need to get dialed in on that one...Fresno isn't that far from SF. On the flip side, you bust your butt trying to get the win and we'll love you forever. There is a very good reason why fans still love guys like JT Snow, Rich Aurilla, Will Clark and Matt Williams to name only a few. The BoSox and Yankees fans sure as hell don't feel that way and their teams play up to that expectation when they meet. The W-L record means nothing....it's all about beating the other guy.

Maybe that's the problem. And I don't mean hate in the sense of violence or mayhem [though that Johan Santana beanball exchange after- Cain nailed David Wright- directed toward Sandoval and Molina a month ago sure doesn't prove these guys all love each other either]. What I'm talking about is the fire in the belly; the will to go out and beat your rival no matter what the stakes are. If a team can't get up for that and during the regular season, then they will never get to the World Series. The drive to win needs to go beyond just a job at that point. That whole respect thing is just an excuse not to go hard even if the win is meaningless. That isn't what the fans pay to see.

Exactly, Jon. I'd share a brewsky with you any day. In SF the worst it ever gets is the Beat LA! chant. No big deal. Nobody is going to care if you root for your team. It's the jerks who blow it for everybody.

Lincecum just didn't have his best stuff...gone by the 5th. If anything good comes out of this experience, I sure hope the young guys on the Giants got a good education from the Dodger fans chanting "giants suck" and start to feel the bile come up in their throats even at the mere mention of the initials "LA". This is why having veteran Giants players makes the difference. I don't think the young guys really understand the meaning of or the history behind the oldest rivalry in baseball. The vets get it, the kids don't. You just don't roll over and act like road kill when the Dodgers play the Giants. It just plain isn't done. And I don't care what the W-L records are or what the playoff possibilities are. The recent play by the Giants is completely unacceptable. Those young guys need to get that inside their guts and man-up next year against the [hated] Dodgers. Signed, A Dissatisfied Customer Grrrr

I don't have the energy to hate the Dodgers like before but damn seeing Lincecum get knocked out in Dodger stadium which also knocked out the Giants hope for the post season was a psychic blow. I look forward to seeing the Giants return the favor to Dodger fans next year. Officially Baseball season has ended and Football Season has started in SF. Go Niners then, I guess. Grrrr I don't have the energy to hate the Dodgers like before but damn seeing Lincecum get knocked out in Dodger stadium which also knocked out the Giants hope for the post season was a psychic blow. I look forward to seeing the Giants return the favor to Dodger fans next year. Officially Baseball season has ended and Football Season has started in SF. Funny... baseball season AND football season ended here in Arlington simultaneously yesterday! Ouch!

Mistake number three: You probably smoked it on an empty or near empty stomach. The jury is out among my cigar smoking friends on whether it's best to smoke on a full stomach or not. I've heard people swear that you are MORE likely to get sick on a full stomach than an empty one. But yes, it had been a while since I had last eaten... La Flor Dominicana, for example, tells people that you need to smoke their cigars after a full meal. Now, I limit my cigar smoking to one a week, max....which has given my palate and stomach some elevated tolerance to tobacco juices. However, my experience is...they're right. Smoking, especially the stronger cigars, on an empty stomach is just asking for trouble.

Yes we do. Now the Giants have little control over where they end up. Rockies get the Dodgers on the end and the Giants have their shot at them this weekend. But unless they sweep [which is doubtful] and the Rockies tank, the season is done. It was a good run, but they just blew their chances this last week. Grrrrr!!!!

Mistake number three: You probably smoked it on an empty or near empty stomach.

Nate fucking Schierholtz. Giants lose. The season's over. Go back to Fresno. Grrrrr

That is just too cute...and I love her Daddy's response

Because Jazz is more important.

Sad.

Keep on keepin' on, Bruce

Not at 5000 yet. I'm just shy, is all.

Christopher Marlowe Thomas More Alfred Lord Tennyson

I get your point, Dan. All I'm saying is the teams who are still in it aren't just the ones in the lead. Hence, they have control over what happens to them if they win. The Dodgers need help, too: The Rockies have to lose games when they are or the Rockies could knock them out of first place in the NL West. And if the Dodgers or Rockies tank, the Giants could, conceivably, catch and pass either the Dodgers or the Rockies depending who is closer to them. It ain't over yet, Dan.

C'mon, Dan. You said if the Rockies go 17-3, and the Dodgers go 14-6. They could go sub .500, too. And those losses could come at the same time the Giants win. The Dodgers are the only good bet here because the Rockies away record isn't all that great. Everything depends on the performance of the other teams regardless if your team is in the lead or not. Lose, go home. Win, there is still a chance. Being in the lead doesn't guarantee anything.

That's "pennant," Brother Goodz. It was the perfect storm. The Giants were considered "mathematically eliminated" but went on one of the greatest stretch runs in the history of MLB. So, it was not only a Dodger collapse, but the Giants played out of their minds. The highlight clip is amazing, and the emotion in the announcer's voice is some of the best sports audio ever. I have it on an old Sports Illustrated VHS. I pulled the spelling off the web, spell check didn't catch it either...thanks for the correction, Brudda Noj. OTOH, I will suggest to you that Hiroki Kuroda pitched out of his head on Friday. Sanchez, OTOH, just plain blew it on Saturday. Penny, however, looked real good....and thanks for letting him go. I am happy for your guys [i've always liked Joe Torre], but pissed that my guys can hit but not score runs. Grrrr

Oh fer crissakes...is everything a competition with you, Dan? So, the only way to "control your fate" is when you are in the lead. Nice. Tell that to the 1964 Phillies or the 1969 Cubs or the 1978 Red Sox or the 1995 Angels or my personal favorite: The 1951 Dodgers. And I quote: The Dodgers rank No. 1 on this list [of MLB collapses] because no other team can combine such a profound collapse in a pennant race with a profound collapse in a deciding game. That game, of course, was made famous by Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard Round the World", which was preceded by the Dodgers holding a 4-1 lead to start the bottom of the ninth inning. Under those circumstances the Giants could only be expected to win 1.8 percent of the time. To have come back from a 50-to-1 shot after coming back from a 400-1 shot -- and the Giants had to put the pedal to the floor to do it, going 37-7 to close out the regular season and force the playoff -- was very special. source: Dan, you're wrong. THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!!! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!!! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!!! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!!! THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT!!! And they're going CRAZY!!!!! Yeah...that stuff never happens huh, Dan.