RuntheDamnBall

While we're at it, let's ban "The Godfather" and "The Sopranos."

I could probably talk about music for days and not get tired of it (but the rest of you would). But I think the point of a list like this is not just album sales (a dubious category at best) or even what the mainstream thinks. Personally, I think the mainstream's taste exposes the public as sh-- for brains when it comes to music. How else to explain the popularity of a lyrically atrocious, average piano player like Billy Joel? This is all to say that I think the main point of this list (and it succeeds in this) is that it shows what from the last 20 years has impacted not just listeners, but music itself. The Velvet Underground are way more important than the records they sold, because so many musicians listened to them and in turn made amazing music of their own (while the general public was too busy listening to the Monkees or some other tripe). Same thing with many of the artists/records on this list.

Is "HAL" really a wisely chosen name for this project? The computer that sabotages the mission?

That was an excellent segment. The man is at his best when he pulls no punches.

The fact that this sort of response never gets old for you is rather telling. It appears that the only thing better that you're doing than those "viewers" you ridicule is, well, ridiculing them.

You forgot the base jumping competition on that very bridge broadcast live on ESPN12.

IMO Jack White is pretty talented but also can't get away from gimmicks (bad drummer, red/white/black clothes, writing and recording an album in two weeks, marimba). The new album suffers for that. De Stijl and WBC are the best of theirs, I think. I saw them at a very, very late show at Mohawk right after WBC was released but not yet on MTV. People were so drunk by the time they went on (2am) that the crowd was pretty hostile. But they played well.

Yeah, they should just quit poppin' 'em out. Men have no responsibility at all for producing children.

sarcasm doesn't translate to well to message boards, apparently.

Gold star for Clarence. How many opinions has he written, now?

Kathleen Turner used to be hot. She's since put on some pounds and now she sounds like cigarettes.

I hope it wins her a sandwich. Is that an eight-inch waist?

Dude, this news is so 1991. That guy has been an idiot for the entirety of his fortunate existence.

Isn't he already said repulsive ghoul? Man, I wish he had just disappeared after "Off the Wall" and "Thriller." These are the kinds of things that happen with out-of-control child stars, people.

I don't care what these guys are wearing, as long as they win a Super Bowl in it. They can wear jean jackets for all I care.

We've been over this. The guy is free to have done something pretty stupid that makes his organization look bad. In turn, the organization is free to fire him for his stupidity.

John Fahey at #35, below: Jack White (three albums curbing blues riffs and he's #17 all-time)? Johnny Ramone? Jimmy Page (who admitted he owed a lot to Fahey's playing)? The Edge (I get it, he knows how to use a stereo delay)? Kurt Cobain (love him, but seriously)? That's some disrespect. Anyone who's heard him knows what I'm talking about. This list is a joke.

Personally I think having McGahee guarantees us at least 6 wins. No way we don't beat some of our lesser opponents on the strength of this kid alone. 4-12; bull sh--. We'll see come January.

Terrorists might indeed sense it as a sign of weakness, but if we're doing our job, it will be a false weakness. What I am worried about, and what I think Friedman is considering here, is the potential terrorists, people who otherwise may not have joined this cause. I agree though, it is merely one item, and to what point can we negotiate (in terms of considering or stopping what we do to "create" more terrorists), versus the obvious job #1 of protecting our own? Our support of Israel remains to be the strongest recruiting point, and yet as Darin points out the Palestinians are getting an unbalanced picture as well. It's not a game of easy answers, not even of making people "disappear."

None of whom can get through the primaries in the ultra-conservative states.

From Friday's Times... Link to whole column For me this column speaks to the complexity of our predicament. On one hand, we may have some detainees who have valuable information and/or should be convicted. On the other, the longer this goes on, the more likely it has a hand in creating the terrorist generation, Mach II. The idea of having "a few come back to haunt us" is unacceptable to most of us, I think. Please, no "f--- world opinion" or "bomb the whole Middle East" responses here -- the rest of the whole PPP forum is a kind home for those. Because the point is that world opinion is obviously informing terrorist or potential terrorist opinion. I wonder if there is a better way to do what we're doing -- which is to round up terrorists and destroy their network -- without also replenishing it with fresh, angry recruits. Friedman hints at the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, resolutions of which would certainly go a long way (and obviously easier said than done). I am really interested to hear what others who are more involved than I am would propose.

Did he mention he's a Mensa scholar? Hot damn, color me impressed. Watching the mental disintegration going on in this thread is quite amusing.

Try watching the Giants games. Now THERE is a team that can put you to sleep.

The smartest people I know are those who don't have to brag about how smart they are.

No "Rear Window" or "North by Northwest"? Bollocks.