The Dean

Bud Selig gives him a run for his money.

"No harm" is not the same as "no harm to people". Taking the 405 North in Southern California during rush hour is a really bad idea, if you have a better route. No real harm to people is involved in that assessment. To make this more relevant to this topic, here is an analogy for you. Completely changing US currency, starting now, to add the phrase "Go Team!" somewhere on the bill/coin hurts nobody, AFAIK. But it sounds like a really bad idea.

Is that a serious question? Are the only bad ideas those which cause some direct harm to people?

While I'm not going to defend Duke, or suggest they don't get special consideration... I find your distinction above fairly meaningless. North Carolina has a lot of good hoop. Beating good teams from NC should count to Duke's credit as much as beating teams from other states.

Here's something for you guitar freaks to check out. RKS guitars makes some very unusual axes. All made in the USA. The top of the line is the Dave Mason Signature model. (Dave Mason is a part owner of the company, it seems.): http://rksguitars.com/new/company/davemasonsignature.php Even in this huge band it really stands out, IMO (you have to make it past Kid Rock's horrible vocal turn before Dave starts playing a little): The Mason model is $5k. But for those a little more frugal, they make a pretty flippy intro level model called The Wave for under $1K: http://www.electric-guitar-review.com/2007...t-the-attitude/ http://guitarcollecting.co.uk/2009/03/30/rks-guitars/

I only skimmed through the thread, but I have to say the complaining about SU's placement seems a tad ridiculous to me. They start in Buffalo, which is great for their fans. And the bracket looks very winnable. I really disagree with those who think the South is much easier. It may be a little easier in the early rounds, but when it gets to the top part of the bracket, I think the South may be tougher than West. And if the Cuse is going to the final four, it's the top teams in the bracket they need to really be concerned with. If they can't win their first two games, in ANY bracket, do they belong in the final four? Go 'Cuse!

I don't feel like filling out a form to test my speed. I use: http://speedtest.net/ 1.27 M down. 0.21 M up. My service is supposed to be 1.5 M down.

RIP, Peter. Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?

Aaron, I just PMd you. The North Star celebration is off for this week. Some complication in this week's plans forced them to have to rethink the idea. I will send along your sympathies, and Lauri's, to Chris. Anyone else who really knew Drew and Chris and wants to send their condolences, PM me.

Outstanding job, Joe. Beautiful axe. I look forward to hearing/seeing you play it.

I don't think Promo's statement suggests the word are "harmful to people". He just thinks their inclusion is a very bad idea. At least that's what I get from his post.

Very likely it was skimmed. ATM skimmers are becoming quite popular, too. Some stores (usually smaller bodega-type stores) who have their own machines install skimmers to steal numbers. Other times they are placed on ATMs by outsiders. It is very hard to spot a skimmer as they have become pretty stealthy: http://consumerist.com/2009/04/reader-find...n-bank-atm.html http://boingboing.net/2010/01/16/atm-skimmer----could.html http://consumerist.com/2009/04/id-an-atm-skimmer.html

It just occurred to me that a few here have met and drank and laughed with one of my very best friends, and my surrogate little brother, Andrew Miller. He was a semi-regular at the North Star for many years. He would come there, usually late, with his Jets fan wife Chris. If you watched games at the Star over the past 15 years or so, you probably have met Drew Miller. He was a big, silly and affable lug and one of the nicest souls you can imagine. This past Monday Drew went to the gym during his lunch break (something he did on a regular basis) and suffered a massive and fatal heart attack. He was 47 years young. His life may have been short, but it was very full and productive. He left behind the wife/girlfriend/companion of his entire adult life, Chrissy. I believe Chris will be a the North Star on Tuesday to watch the Sabres game and celebrate Drew with some of his Bay Area friends. If you knew him, or know Chris, you may want to stop by and have a drink. I wish I could be there, too. North Star Event has been cancelled.

Very nice, Cablebabe. I hope you remember him today, and have a few smiles.

12 two hour movies?

Why? I TRY to not be an !@#$. Whether or not I am successful is up for discussion.

Pascal didn't have his thinking cap on that day. What if SATAN is really in charge and believing in a God pisses him/her off? You lose BIG TIME! There are many ways to dismiss that simplistic credo. Be a decent human. Treat others well. Live a meaningful life. If there really is some afterlive, and that's not good enough for whoever is in charge of our fate, do we really want to live forever in their grace? Do we really want to live with a God who is only merciful if you praise him every 10 minutes? I have one general commandment: 1. Try not to be an !@#$. And I have one eternal wish: If there really is an afterlife, send me somewhere where Jerry Fallwell, Pat Roberstson and those of their ilk are not.

I share your skepticism. I actually talked to a surgeon friend and an anesthesiologist friend and they both said patients sometimes have "flashbacks" under anesthesia. But these flashbacks are sometimes pain flashbacks, traumatic event flashbacks, etc. If I had to guess (and I do), I think they are just extra cautious and considering liability. For the most part, I don't really think previous use of hallucinogens contributes any serious risk while under anesthesia. From this man's perspective, that possibility wouldn't influence my behavior. I think careful, occasional and recreational use of hallucinogens is a positive influence. But hey, that's me.

While I like onion flavor, I don't process onion very well. Garlic on the other hand...BRING IT ON!

I think anesthesia can cause flashbacks in patients who never took hallucinogens, too.

Actually he wrote an article about the winners and losers in the FIRST WEEK of free agency. It's right in the headline of the article. I wonder how the Original Poster missed that little tidbit.

Perhaps. But he did NOTHING else other than defend and rebound. He was great at it...at least for a while. His defense declined in his later years. But how many teams could afford to have one player who contributed nothing, and I mean NOTHING, at the offensive end? Not many, really. Hell, with all those rebounds (many offensive) he should have averaged 12 points a game on put-backs alone.

I don't have XM, Simon, but from your list I can tell you we could hang out and listen to music. No real conflicts from this end. I have a client with XM in the office and when I am there alone, I listen to channel: 70 Real Jazz (Real good!) 74 Bluesville (Might be BB King's Bluesville now. Very nice.) There used to be a decent channel called XM Cafe (I think) but it is no more. A good friend recommends Deep Tracks (ch 40). Good luck!.

You probably think Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks are Fleetwood Mac, too.

The hallucinogen or the steroid? I have no knowledge of the steroid and, surprisingly no personal knowledge of the hallucinogen. I can't advise you, really. But I wouldn't take the steroid. I'd probably take the hallucinogen a few seconds after it was offered. But hey, that's me.