T.D.

Marc Rich Igor Ter-Ovanesyan Bob Beamon

Do these cars meet USA safety standards? If so, they might sell in some quantity to city dwellers. Tough to imagine them catching on in a big way, though.

Parker Posey Joseph Losey Roosevelt Grier

I hear ya'. Especially Musberger and Sterling, who are absolutely intolerable. Morgan isn't far behind, and I'm sure I'd put Walton in the same company if I ever watched basketball. As I've aged, it's more difficult to tolerate any kind of TV announcing, and I now generally watch with the sound off. Radio's no savior, as ESPN Radio often has Morgan/Miller, and the abominable Sterling gets heavy NYY radio time. On the positive side, various college football and "regional" NFL tandems seem much more reasonable, but no specific names come to mind apart from Verne Lundquist and Don Criqui. Jim Kaat (recently retired) used to be great in baseball; he and Ken Singleton (little substance, but inoffensive and a classic voice) were a good team on Yankee broadcasts. In general, announcing appears to improve a lot the further you get from big-money hype. For instance, I really dug what I've seen of ESPN's coverage of NCAA hockey tourney. Dunno much abt. Ward's play-by-play, but I useta like her in the ESPN studio (I haven't had cable for a long time). No, hold it, I think I heard her on some college event (forget which sport), and she was solid. There are some pro hockey announcers I like, notably Mike Emrick, but the fact is that even the best announcers can get to sound stale if you become overexposed to them.

Well, for a famous short piece that's abrasive and intense, look around for a recording of Alexander Mosolov's Zavod' (Iron Foundry), composed in 1927... More obscure, but really twisted and even terrifying is Miloslav Kabelac's bizarre Symphony #8 Antiphons for soprano, two mixed choirs, percussion ensemble and organ. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if it's available apart from an oop Praga CD (which I got as a cutout years ago...).

Sorry about that...I did warn you it was weird. Given that reaction, you might also find some of the "late Nono" music kinda slow.

which one do you recommend? schreiben, concertini and chamber music i can all get for a nice price My favorite is the Arditti disc with the quartets Reigen seliger Geister and Tanzsuite mit Deutschlandlied (the latter has devastating black humor) on Montaigne, although I fear it's OOP. Also the col legno disc with Gran Torso (quartet) and Salut für Caudwell (2 guitars), which may have been reissued on a budget label. I've only heard Mouvement...live, but that'd also be worth getting. I haven't heard the Match Girl opera, so can't comment. From what you've mentioned, I'd try the chamber music disc if it has, say, Allegro Sostenuto and/or some solo piano music.

I like what I've heard of the late material with live electronics, but my favorite piece is probably como una ola de fuerza y luz, which is really fiery and intense. I haven't heard the "late" operas like Prometeo, so can't comment there. Oddly, I never really got into two of Nono's most famous pieces, Fragmente-stille: an Diotima for string quartet and ...Sofferte onde serene... for piano and tape, even though I'm a big quartet and solo piano enthusiast. For composers influenced by Nono, I'd recommend Sciarrino (with some qualifications) and Lachenmann (more strongly), although both are somewhat weird...

Bebe Rebozo Cece Winans Dee Dee Bridgewater

I read some of his earlier novels (notably The Naked and the Dead) when I was much younger, and thought they were pretty good. I didn't care much for Mailer's brash, egotistical public posturing, so avoided most of his later material (latter '60s and on). I'll have to read some more and reassess. He was definitely a talent, and will be missed.

I'm cycling between three books right now: Alexandra Fuller, Don't let's go to the dogs tonight (memoir about growing up in Africa) Gino Segre, Faust in Copenhagen (history of physics, particularly quantum) Kahnemann and Tversky (eds), Choices, Frames and Values (collection of papers on "behavioral" economics/finance) The first is definitely recommendable. The third is excellent, but a difficult read. Too early to tell on the second; exciting but maybe not technical enough for some readers. In a more escapist vein, I recently read Barry Eisler's Requiem for an Assassin, which is worth checking out if you like the previous Rain books, though the earlier ones are stronger IMO.

Officer Krupke Greg Norman Joan Jett

Mike Norris Matt Keough Brian Kingman [A's pitchers whose arms blew out under the "Billyball" regimen]

Yeah, I can accept the fact that guaranteed money is unusual, mostly confined to star players, and a matter of individual negotiations (recent QB contracts, eg Tony Romo's, have a goodly amount of guaranteed bucks). However, I've seen plenty of cases where players under nominal (non-guaranteed) multi-year contracts (a) take salary cuts "for the good of the team" or (b) play through debilitating and career-shortening injuries, only to be waived at the end of the season. So why shouldn't loyalty be a two-way street?

Debra Winger Mike Heimerdinger Pudge Heffelfinger

Dwayne Dolphin Country Joe McDonald Mardy Fish

Happy birthday! May you author many more chess brilliancies... If there's any justice in the world, Conn must share a b'day with various NE Patriot notables.

Alfred Dreyfus Emile Zola Gianfranco Zola

Pettitte declined NYY's $16 MM option tender. He had previously (before Torre's axing) said he'd either return to NY or retire. Perhaps he's now re-evaluating.

Interesting. Is PayPal's dispute procedure trustworthy? I know (from experience) that my credit card company's chargeback process is. Once read the details of PayPal's "buyer protection" language, and thought it was bullshit. I've never had a problem with a PayPal transaction, but always assumed I'd go the chargeback route if one arose (that's why I use PayPal w. credit card on eBay). Better go back and read more fine print...

Conn, lighten up, dude...you won the freakin' game! Even if there were dubious calls, I'm not sure you can specifically chalk it up to anti-Patriotism. Over the years, I've read a number of articles claming home-team bias in referees, in various sports including the NFL. Presumably the pressure causing bias would be worse in loud and raucous domes (even if the raucous noise is piped in ). [Disclaimer: I can't recall specific articles, skimmed the ones I saw, and can't claim that their research was convincing.]

Laid the points, missed on the spread, but hit the under.

Andrés Cantor Mike Lum Olivia Gollan

Don't necessarily agree. I've been following some of the cycling doping cases. Those who fought spent millions, and wasted years, fighting bureaucracies that are very unlikely to change their stance, in a juridicial forum quite unlike what we in the US are used to (less responsive to the plaintiff). In the meantime, they're suspended from the sport anyway (usually a two-year suspension).

I got the Blue Note Memorial Album last month (yourmusic queue), and really like it. Thanks to those who recommended it. Would have bought it sooner had I known about the session with Elmo Hope.