Matthew

Just got mine yesterday with the bonus cd. I'm listening to Franklin's Tower, Wharf Rat>I Need a Miracle>Bertha>Good Lovin' that ends disk one. Not too bad, though at times Mydland keyboard sounds like a $2.00 Casio -- really bad. I hope Road Trips do get around to whole shows, maybe some of the '72 European shows not out yet.

Since I think I'm going spend a lot my musical time in the months to come on the Dead, I want to ask the collectors here two questions: 1. How do you store your cds of shows? I bought a pack of 50 slim cd cases and I can already tell that's going to take up a lot of space. Thinking of just using cd envelopes, and then putting each show in a plain brown envelope for storage. What works best? 2. Do people get an extra hard-drive for their downloads? Or some portable hard-drives so your computer memory isn't taken over by Dead files? What do other do about these two issues? Any help is greatly appreciated.

I'm gonna have to disagree with you here. Haven't heard Three from the Vault yet, but by 1973-74, it feels like Billy's trying to fill in all of the places that Mickey might have played. I went back and listened the soundtrack from the Grateful Dead movie the other day, and Billy was almost unlistenable in spots. Glad to be seeing good reviews of Three from the Vault though. It's on my wish list, and the tidbits I've heard here and there, I like quite a bit. I would disagree with most of what you said of Kreutzmann being unlistenable in parts, but there are times on disk two, during the monumental He's Gone>Jam>Weirdness>The Other One>The Spanish Jam>Mind Left Body Jam>The Other One section that it's obvious that Garcia & Kreutzmann are not on the same page, in fact, not even in the same library. Even give those moments, I still like Kreutzmann solo, seems to give the Dead a little more breathing space. I'll have to listen to The Movie Sound Track again a pay more attention to what the drumming is like.

Well after cursing at my computer for 90 minutes, I finally figured out again the ins-and-outs of downloading a bit torrent, decoding a FLAC file, and burning the stupid thing, so I'm now listening to the Paramount Theater, Portland, OR., show from 07-26-1972. Nice quality to it, so I'm on my way. I'll be looking to download your recommendations in the days to come -- thanks guys for the tips. Just need to figure out now how to stop the couple of seconds gap the Window Media Player seems to insist on having before each song.

Been listening to Three From The Vault this afternoon and it's very enjoyable, even McKernan seems to be under control for this concert (he's not one of my favorites, Sorry Lon & Orchid Doctor). First concert after Micky Hart left, and the debut of a couple of songs soon to be concert staples. I'm finding that I really like the "stripped down" model of the Dead, seems to me Kreutzmann could handle anything thrown his way very nicely. Garcia's guitar sounds like it had a much harder edge on this recording than I've heard before, and it sounds powerful. Thinking I'm going have start finding the other stripped down Dead concerts out there and begin to do some serious downloading.

2007 - 35 1972 Is that right? From the Deadlist site. Band: Grateful Dead Venue: Hofheinz Pavilion - University of Houston Location: Houston, TX Date: 11/19/72 - Sunday Set One: Bertha ; Me And My Uncle ; Sugaree [6:47] ; Beat It On Down The Line [3:02] ; Bird Song [10:44] ; Black Throated Wind [6:28] ; Don't Ease Me In [3:10] ; Mexicali Blues [3:20] ; Box Of Rain [4:40] ; Tomorrow Is Forever [5:21] ; Big River [4:07] ; China Cat Sunflower [7:04] > I Know You Rider [4:46] ; Playing In The Band [20:12] ; Casey Jones [5:48] Set Two [1:36:00] ; The Promised Land [2:52] ; Ramble On Rose [6:08] ; El Paso [4:05] ; Stella Blue [7:13] ; Jack Straw [4:39] ; Dark Star [30:53] > Weather Report Suite Prelude > Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo [8:05] ; Around And Around [4:39] ; Big Railroad Blues [3:48] ; Sugar Magnolia [8:24] > Goin' Down The Road Feeling Bad [7:32] Comments: the show concluding Sugar Magnolia> Goin Down the Road Feelin Bad circulates only in somewhat corroded SBD. Recordings 220 SBD Master recording source(s): 1inch Master Reels@7.5ips 1/2trk

Well, just my personal opinion, but Bonds being so famous has kept him out of serious trouble so far. If you want to see what happens to non-famous people jerking a GJ around, look no further than Greg Anderson -- not famous=jail time. I'm willing to wait and see the evidence, which I think looks bad for Bonds. The DA office isn't saying anything about what they have, and Bonds attorney is doing what he's supposed to be doing: defending his client. I would be very surprised if the government's case came down to a single vial of blood/urine, there's way too many other people involved, and if Greg Anderson has made a deal, or cooperates in the trail, that would be big trouble for Bonds. I still wonder about Anderson; if it's true that Bonds never took steroids, why won't he confirm it? Why does he continue to hold out? I also would not be surprised to see a tax-evasion charge coming down the pike either. But we'll see how this all shakes out in a couple of months.

At least those rumors of that certain somebody-who-shall-go-nameless as the DH probably won't be happening. Whew! Now, that would have been some clubhouse! The ARod saga just gets stranger and stranger, this from AP: NEW YORK -- Warren Buffett advised Alex Rodriguez to approach the New York Yankees and go around agent Scott Boras, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday. The newspaper cited a person familiar with the matter, whom it did not identify. "A-Rod really loves being a Yankee," Buffett was quoted as saying. He wouldn't comment on the substance of any discussions with the player. The two became friends several years ago. Rodriguez, on Boras' advise, opted out of the final three seasons of his record $252 million, 10-year contract on Oct. 28. The Yankees had said many times that if he opted out, they wouldn't negotiate because they would lose $21.3 million from Texas for the final three seasons that was agreed to at the time of the 2004 trade, money to offset the $72 million New York owed from 2008-10. Upset with developments after he opted out, Rodriguez contacted Buffett, and the investor told him to approach the Yankees without his agent, the Journal said. After speaking with the investor, Rodriguez contacted a managing director at Goldman Sachs that he knew, John Mallory, who then got in touch with Gerald Cardinale, a Goldman Sachs managing director who has worked with the Yankees and their YES Network. With the assistance of the two Goldman executives, Rodriguez and the Yankees negotiated a $275 million, 10-year contract that is in the process of being finalized. Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press So, former employees of the Yankees helped ARod to meet the Yankees without his agent? Huh, no tampering there.....

Hehe. ... sure. But do they have any business sense, or just that pile of cash? Obviously, there is some sense of urgency with the new stadium and all, but what about 3-4-5 years down the line? This team is going to need a major facelift sooner rather than later, no? It must be close to the oldest roster in baseball. Plus their starting rotation is going to be another mess next year, and I think Rivera is definitely going down hill in effectiveness. Old players, on the downside of their careers, sounds like they're looking at the Mariners as a model.

Goodspeak: You're entitled to your opinion, it's all cool, but I want to run this quote from the ESPN legal expert again: Now this seems to me the crux of the whole matter: The government has proof of a positive test and can link it by DNA to Bonds, and this was the very thing Bonds denied. Remember, BALCO was an illegal, for profit, drug operation, that sold illegal and dangerous drugs. As you say, the trail might tell a different story, but for right now, it doesn't look good for Bonds. One last comment about the length of time: It would not be the first time the the DA's office was hesitant to indict a famous, popular local figure -- not good for the reelection prospects.

*Sigh* I really miss my weekly visit to Amoeba.

That is what I think too, but I just read an incredibly stupid AP piece that basically said it does nothing to stop him from playing next year, on the basis that baseball can't act to suspend based on an indictment, and that other players have been "caught" and given second chances. The idiot even claims that the Union could charge "collusion" if he doesn't get signed by someone. It is unbelievable to me that an AP editor would not hand it back and say, "yes, but what about the fact that its been widely reported that few teams were going to be interested in Bonds and the circus atmosphere he brings even before the indictment, plus the fact that if he goes to trial, he could very well have to leave his team for three weeks in the middle of the season? Your column completely ignores these issues!" See for yourself: http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/arti...onds_off_field/ I simply cannot believe these complete, utter, stupid comments I'm reading in this article: So, according to these guys, Bonds has done nothing but be a great player, and because of this, the government is after him to put him in jail. Un-freeking-believable.

He has already admitted to using the "Clear" when it wasn't illeagal to do so. I'll bet you dollars to donut holes that is the positive tests the feds are presenting. You still have no grasp of the facts. That isn't surprising, nor is it that you have no grasp of spelling. Bonds has never acknowledged using the "Clear" or any steroid whatsoever. The illegality of it has nothing to do with a charge of perjury. Interesting section from the ESPN legal expert: Are there any surprises in the indictment? Most of the material in the indictment is familiar to anyone who has followed the BALCO investigation, but there is one surprise. The surprise is that, according to the indictment, during the criminal investigation evidence was obtained, including positive tests for steroids and other performance-enhancing substances for Bonds and other professional athletes. When asked about it in front of the grand jury, Bonds denied a positive test. It will be one of the most difficult charges for Bonds to deny. He will be scientifically connected to a positive test with DNA and other techniques. It doesn't look good for Bonds at the moment... Its also interesting about the perjury charge based on a denial of using anything that involved an injection. Do they have evidence of steroid use for injectables specifically? Or do they actually have syringes with DNA material? I love how his lawyers are bitching about leaks and "unethical misconduct" (as opposed to the ethical kind!). None of that has any legal significance at trial (beyond the fact that it was Conti's own defense lawyer who fessed up to being the source for the grand jury testimony, not the prosecutor's office). They can talk all they want but at trial they are going to have to deal with mountains of evidence siezed at BALCO and elsewhere. The crap about "misconduct" amounts to an attempt to poison the jury pool and their only hope (and I have to admit, its always a possibility) is Jury Nullification or a hung jury because they make sure they get some moronic Giants fans who don't care what the evidence is, he's "our Barry". I am still waiting to hear something definitive about the tax evasion charges. Did the Grand Jury refuse to indict? Did the prosecutors only ask for a vote on the perjury charges? I'd say if it turns out that the Grand Jury has been dismissed, then they didn't come up with the goods on the tax charges, which is a big positive for Bonds. If they are still impaneled, then the possibility of a superseding indictment has to be considered. I'm also wondering about the tax evasion issue. For Bonds, that would be a more serious charge than the perjury because that would definitely involve jail time if convicted. I also wonder at the timing of the indictment, the DAs office had all the information for a longtime, and with the new DA finally pushing the process, I think the office made a concession to Bonds by not bringing charges during the season. Also, I don't see any team wanting Bonds now with this over his head -- can you imagine the circus that having Bonds on your team would involve? I think we've seen the last of Bonds in a baseball uniform. Late edit for grammar and spelling: must not have made the coffee strong enough this morning.

Been listening to the San Bernardino: Live at Swing Auditorium February 26, 1977 and it's become one of my favorites -- highly recommended

Grateful Dead: Road Trips -- Fall '79.

He has already admitted to using the "Clear" when it wasn't illeagal to do so. I'll bet you dollars to donut holes that is the positive tests the feds are presenting. You still have no grasp of the facts. That isn't surprising, nor is it that you have no grasp of spelling. Bonds has never acknowledged using the "Clear" or any steroid whatsoever. The illegality of it has nothing to do with a charge of perjury. Interesting section from the ESPN legal expert: Are there any surprises in the indictment? Most of the material in the indictment is familiar to anyone who has followed the BALCO investigation, but there is one surprise. The surprise is that, according to the indictment, during the criminal investigation evidence was obtained, including positive tests for steroids and other performance-enhancing substances for Bonds and other professional athletes. When asked about it in front of the grand jury, Bonds denied a positive test. It will be one of the most difficult charges for Bonds to deny. He will be scientifically connected to a positive test with DNA and other techniques. It doesn't look good for Bonds at the moment...

Just a heads-up. Dusty Groove has some Hatolgy cd on sale at a great price.

I've spent a lot of time the past two days reading the Grateful Dead thread, and I noticed that I haven't seen a post by gdogus in a long time, anywhere. Gdogus, if you're out there, I hope you're O.K.

I would like to someday read the real story behind what happened to ARod in the past month. Thinking about it, the Yankees took a huge financial hit because before, Texas was paying a lot of ARod's salary, now the Yankees are on the hook for the whole amount. The whole saga strikes me as strange -- I have a strange feeling that at the winter meeting, when the GM's "shared" their visions of what their teams needed, that somehow it was communicated that no one was going after ARod, so the Yankees had a smooth path to resign ARod. Still, I see trouble for ARod in New York, and I do not expect to see ARod in a Yankee uniform in five years, much less ten.

Yeah, and it cost him some ca$$h too.... PS: Here's his apology: When you take it out of context, it wasn't funny," Jackson said. "It was a poor attempt at humor and I deserved to be reprimanded by the NBA. If I offended any horses, Texans, cowboys or gays, I apologize." Asked if he had left anyone out in his mea culpa, Jackson said, "Well, children." Phil is Phil....

Then you are the only one who doesn't see it. Reports out of New York are that they are now discussing contract language and incentive clauses, which means they've reached agreement on the dollars and cents. If the reports are accurate - ten years, 275 million, then the upside is very obvious: by going and groveling, A-Rod still gets the richest contract he could have received, and as we all know, that is what matters to him (and his agent). The upside for the Yankees is that the enormous hole in their lineup is filled - but signing him through age 42 is the height of insanity. His numbers will start to decline within three years (and probably won't match this season ever again anyway) and that will leave seven years of a 27 million dollar salary as he tries to pass Barry Lamar. ---------------------------------------------------------- I understand what you're saying, but still, it just doesn't feel right, if you know what I mean. Then again, the way ARod / Boras have handled the situation has been very strange from the start: Announcement during game four, not really going after other teams for the money -- though, as you say, maybe no one is willing to shell out 300,000,000 for someone that will decline in years to come. Maybe ARod just isn't on board with what Boras is doing, but it seems to me if ARod waits a little longer, the atmosphere might change and other teams will go after him. Then again, there's always the incredible possibility that ARod really wants to stay with the Yankees, but if so, why all the drama that came at the end?

I don't see any upside for ARod going back to the Yankees. That team is aging fast, isn't going anywhere in the next couple of years, and ARod will get hammered by the fans when things go wrong. I still think he'll wind up with the Angels, home team fans will be easy on him, he'll be in the Hollywood spotlight (along with the wife ), and the Angels will have an easy time winning the West. Don't see ARod and the Yankees happening, but who knows, stranger things have happened.

Grateful Dead: Dick's Picks, vols. 32,33,34,35 & 36. That makes a complete set of DPs for me.

I'm one of those who regret that I bought so many. I sold over forty of my sets at one go, and now I'm down to just eight Mosaics. Most of the time I think that even that is too many. In terms of their mistakes, I think right now, the sets are overpriced.