Kevbeau

Great Pics. Tough to get the full effect without something to put it in perspective. The crain in the 2nd pic helps

I saw that program. Amazing that they can pretty much empty the river.

Have to agree. Anyone know what Haslett's motivation is on this whole thing?

Not sure if it's the beer, but this thread is killing me The Ding by Hot Pockets was priceless.

Snowmass is Aspen and it's a great mountain. It's about a 15 minute drive outside of town. The Highlands and Buttermilk are about 10 minutes. Ajax is in town. Go late season to Aspen and stay as close to the town center as possible. I've been three times and had a blast every time. Check this website for deals. I put together a late season trip for 7 guys last year. Cost us $350 each for 4 nights lodging/3 day lift tickets and to rent an Excursion. http://www.stayaspensnowmass.com/ You can find decent deals at pretty much any resort, depending on how close you want to be. Late March/April is considered low season for CO and UT resorts, but they still get plenty of snow. MLK - through last full weekend in March is prime season for most resorts. Some have a "value" season in early February. I've heard you can find cheap lodging at Tahoe if you want to stay in the Casinos. I've never been, so someone else will have to fill you in.

The group I hung out with in HS (St Francis) had eight guys. We all have Bachelor degrees from various NY schools. Three of us have Masters and two have PhD's. Two still live in WNY.

My parents still live on Tudor.

I remember seeing Top Gun and Raiders of the Lost Ark at the Seneca Mall Theatres. Two whole screens!!! Then walking over to the Ground Round for free popcorn. I grew up off of Potter Rd., so we used to walk to Seneca Mall all the time. In the last years of it's decline, I used to go walk it with my Grandpa so he could get some excercise. Nobody shopping and hundreds of seniors walking in circles. Once McKinley Mall went in, it was all over.

Think they'll throw in a pair of the "Slimming Pants," with the purchase of The Hot Dog Express? http://www.thpsales.com/store/viewItem.asp?idProduct=1006

He who eats crackers in bed, get crummy sleep. Bwahahahahahahaha!!!! Stupid, but I think this one is great.

Last time was December of 2003. The village is still "Disneyworld." Everything matches and invokes that psuedo-mountain village look. I enjoy it because everything is in walking distance and the selection of restaurants and bars is excellent. I don't have kids, so I can't speak to their children's programs. I do know they have a kid specific area right at the mid-station of Whistler gondola. IMHO there's enough jerk-offs on the slopes they should devote whole sections of the slope to kids & families. I don't say beginners because sometimes they are the most dangerous people on the hill If they enjoy intermediates, there's enough terrain on the two mountains to keep them well occupied. Just be wary of the lower half of the mountains. Because of the high amount of vertical rise, it can be raining in the village and fine up top. Plus the lower half gets skiied out easily (moguls the size of vw's) with all the people heading down to the village. However, the good thing with Whistler is that lower does not necessarily mean easier as it does with some mountains. I have heard that Keystone in CO is an excellent family resort.

I'll play for beer and burritos. Although I refuse to wear that satanic goat jersey. I have an old Mike Hartman #20 home jersey I'll wear instead.

I travel a lot for my job so fortunately I get to feed my snowbaord addiction 20+ days a year. The most important thing about CO is when you go. I've always had the best luck for powder near closing time. Summit County gets boatloads of snow in late March/April, but everyone else has turned their heads towards summer, leaving the slopes empty. Also if it isn't snowing, it's perfect spring corn snow and bluebird skies. Avoid Holidays like the plague. If you can, ski during the week. The farther you go from Denver, the smaller the weekend crowds. Here's my preferences in order: 1.) Aspen - Gets a bad rap as being stupid expensive and full of wacked out rich people. The wacked out are there, but add to the amusement. Go late March or early april and you can get a 4nt/3day lodging/lift package for around $300 a person (depending on # in party). Aspen really is very underated in the terrain category and your ticket is good for all 4 mountains. Stay in town (it rocks). Also, Aspen is a pain in the @ss to get to, so lift lines are non existent and the general crowd there aren't out until 10am and in by 2pm. 2.) A-Basin - A no frills mountain, great terrain, not too crowded. Not a destination resort, so it makes a great for a day trip from any of the other Summit county resorts. Everyone who skis/rides there does it because they love it, so the vibe is awesome. Bring a cooler and tailgate in the parking lot at the end of the day. 3.) Copper - Village reminds me of a little Whistler (same Company). Good selection of terrain and difficulty is naturally divided so you don't have to worry too much about being caught on a difficult slope if you are a beginner or being slowed down by schools if you are letting loose. Not much in the way of nightlife or dining, but has a few decent restaraunts and a bunch of solid happy hour places. Their expansion is limited by I-70 and the mountain so there isn't much lodging comapred to other front range resorts, keeping down the # of out of town skiers. Back bowls are nice, and there's a pretty good amount of variety to keep skiers of all abilities happy. 4.) Vail - Vail is the epitome of corporate blah....but the back side of the mountain and Blue Sky Basin rocks. Only place I've ever seen sno-cats groom a whole bowl. It's big enough to get lost in when it gets crowded and it will get crowded, considering the number of hotel room available. Hit Katlenberg Kastle up for $5 liters of beer for happy hour. If your there over the weekend, head to Beaver Creek on Saturday. Super Hoity-Toity, but a very underated mountain. Your Vail pass should work there. It's ridiculously expensive to stay at The Beav, but I've been there twice on Saturdays in prime season (staying at Vail) and it wasn't crowded. 5.) Loveland - I've only been there once and the ridge wasn't open, so didn't get to experience the whole thing. No where really to stay, but makes a great day trip from another resort or Denver. Go their to avoid weekend crowds at other hills. 6.) Breckenridge - Boring terrain, absolute zoo. I've been to Breck four times on week/long weeknds and I dislike it more an more each time. The so-sos in our ski group seem to love going there, so I get outvoted. Was there for New Years this year. What a disaster. It's the most heavily visited resort in the country and the slopes and town show it. The on mountain food is the worst I've ever had...and well, you can tell I don't like Breck Utah - I've only been to Park City a couple times. Decent mountain, cool town. I've never experienced the infamous Utah Powder, so I won't really weigh in on this one. Good for quick weekend trips (1/2 hour from Salt Lake), but by the same measure is easy for SLC residents to get too (crowds). Montana - Big Sky is awesome. Terrain is fantastic...still a pretty raw resort area, so you don't have to deal with huge tour groups, tons of beginners etc. Can definitely tell they are building it up though. Snow cover can be sketchy if you don't hit it at the right time, so it can be rocky. You will never, ever, ever wait in a lift line Whistler - The mecca/disneyworld of ski resorts. It's all there. Awesome mountains, incredible verticle & 7000+ acres of terrain. Oh yeah, the Village is the standard by which all other ski resorts are judged. They're having a bad snow year (as is the entire NW), but I've been there every December sice '99 (excluding Dec '04...that stupid Breck trip) and have had ridiculous powder every time. If you go in mid December, the whole mountain(s) may not be open, but it will still be more terrain than any other resort...I've had a few times where I was watching the webcams daily....but Whistler-Blackcomb always has pulled through for me. Mid -December is also the cheapest time of year. Wyoming - Heading to Jackson Hole next Thursday, I'll keep you posted.

That is wrong on so many different levels.

The fact that they could have Alexander for a #1 speaks volumes of this guys football knowledge.

Chris Kemoeatu of Utah

I'll agree with you that larger cities offer more opportunity, but that wasn't my point. People can arrive in in this country and can immediately begin collecting welfare in NYS. Families even send there daughters back to their original countries to marry men in order to get them into this one and on the gravy train. And there is a solid base of recent immigrants in the Buffalo area. (cough Lackawanna cough) Look, I don't want to give the impression that I'm anti-immigration...I'm not. My original point is NYS, and WNY in particular has got to take care of its own, and if you want to trim some excess, stop handing it out to people who have never contributed anything.

Congrats...I'll be an uncle for the first time in June. Buy the toys that make the noise.

Don't forget NY has some of the most lenient laws regarding who qualifies for gov't assistance. Discounting the allure of opportunity in the Big Apple, why do think there are so many immigrants not only in NYC, but in all of NYS. I'm all for helping people get a leg up, but the system is severely abused and trust me when I say that most arrive knowing how to abuse it.

A blue-chip, bi-partisan, fact-finding mission?

I don't think anyone deserves to be killed for "picking" on someone.

Info Please!!!

South Buffalo/31/ATL, where the playas play. (Who am I kidding, Peachtree City in the burbs.)

How many Irish does it take to change a lightbulb? Ten. One to hold on to the bulb and nine to drink until the room spins.

I'm organizing a protest up at Notre Dame if anyonw wants to join in: "Fighting Irish" indeed. We are a peace loving people...until you get a few pints in us.