Matthew

Aren't the Yankees keeping the payroll down this year because if they get under the luxury tax level, they get some kind of huge refund?

Do people really buy supreme gas?

The Andy Griffith Show: The Complete First Season.

I always loved In God We Trust off the Harper Brothers cd Artistry. I was very sad when they stopped recording together, I thought they had a lot of promise.

Best wishes on a full recovery!

L. A. Noir: The Struggle For The Soul Of America's Most Seductive City by John Buntin. Story of Mickey Cohen, who was the king mobster in LA, and William Parker, the famous LA Chief of Police. Very good so far, but the whole "struggle for the soul of LA" is, of course, complete bs, but a writer does need a hook to sell a book. It would be nice if LA was not always examined through the glasses of Raymond Chandler.

Henry Mancini: Merry Mancini Christmas. I really enjoy the "Easy Listening" style of Christmas albums the most, they always sound romantic, and nostalgic, and wintery, and classy.

R. A. Dickey to the Blue Jays -- I guess with no hockey, they have to do something up there, but two-years, 25 million seems a lot for Dickey.

Don't worry, you're covered, I chose Baltimore.

Oh yeah, now the Lakers' salvation is to be found in a 49 year-old point guard. Good times at Showtime! Um...he's 38. The same yapping idiots that wanted Hamilton gone in the first place (i.e. the local sports media) have been going on and on about this powerful Angels lineup that now features Hamilton and Pujols. Seems I recall Pujols had a disastrous year last year, pretty much singlehandedly kept the Angels outta the playoffs, if memory serves. These same chuckleheads claimed that Hamilton will thrive because he's going to be "surrounded by stars." Uh huh. Because that's ALWAYS a good idea. Clearly, brains are not required to work in sports media.... I wish nothing but the best for Hamilton, because he was a HUGE part of the Rangers getting to their first and second World Series, playoff wins, etc etc etc. I realize sports is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately game, but if anyone around here has the gall to boo Hamilton when he returns, then I hope they choke on their Superdog. Not saying I wish he'd re-signed with the Rangers, but he sure as hell deserved a more graceful exit. Furthermore, coming home empty-handed is a helluva lot smarter than blowing money just because the sports hounds say you need to make a big splash at the winter meetings. So many times the "big splash" has come back to bite the Rangers in the ass, a lot more times than I wish to remember! Seriously, the way the Angels are spending money to lose, you'd think Tom Hicks & John Hart had taken over the franchise. I genuinely feel bad for Angels fans. I dunno. It could work yo the Angels' advantage, too. Theoretically, the team has two big bats in the line-up. If both Hamilton and Puljols have great years, the Angels will be a tough out for the always competitive AL West. I just don't think two prima donnas (Pujols & Hamilton) in the same clubhouse has ever worked outside of the Yankees, and I don't think Mike Scioscia is up to the challenge of managing this particular set of players. Scioscia is best when you have a bunch of overachieving players, who fight hard for each win, but when it comes to top-notch talent, he's not so good. I predict he will lose the clubhouse, and will be gone by the All-Star break. The Great Carnac Has Spoken! PS: 39, 49, 79, it doesn't matter, Nash is old and washed up, he'll be terrible with the Lakers! Mark it! Good Heavens, I'm on a roll tonight!

Oh yeah, now the Lakers' salvation is to be found in a 49 year-old point guard. Good times at Showtime!

Even with the Dodgers in shambles, the Angels have never had a chance of taking over LA baseball, there is zero interest in the Angels outside of Orange County. On this signing: Well, good luck with Pujols and Hamilton in the same clubhouse, that is a terrible mix, and besides, the LA area is the last place Hamilton needs to be with his history. This has disaster written all over it.

I like Rush getting in, but what in the heck did Heart ever do after Steamboat Annie? and even that album stunk to high heaven. What. A. Joke.

Thanks for the info.

I've been debating with myself about getting this one, how is it?

Wow! Denver huh? Talk about going on a limb!

Led Zeppelin: Celebration Day. This is actually a very good DVD, that I'm enjoying immensely. Jimmy Page is great (love the Les Paul he's playing), Plant is singing in an age appropriate manner, not trying to recapture his youth, John Paul Jones & Jason Bonham work well together, and the music has aged very well. Digging it very much.

Damn. Another loss for the Falcons already? I killed the Lions yesterday, why not another animal team?

I have the sound to the Patriots vs. Jets game turned off, as I listen to cds, and halftime is the weirdest looking thing I've ever seen... What. The. Heck????

I have found this an inventive, and serenely exciting album, that I've played countless times over the years: Perry Robinson / Andrea Centazzo / Nobu Stowe: The Soul In The Mist

Many thanks!

Loved D'antoni's comment: "Showtime? That was Muppettime!"

I will have no internet access for my week 13 picks, so if the powers that be will enter the following (and everyone else pick the opposite since I'm the kiss of death): Thursday Atlanta Sunday Buffalo Seattle San Francisco New England New York Jets Detroit Minnesota Houston Carolina Tampa Bay Cleveland San Diego Pittsburg Dallas Monday Washington

Ugly loss by the Lakers last night to the Sacramento Kings, yes, I said the Kings of all teams. Without a doubt, it was the worse game of the post Mike Brown era; it was a lifeless Lakers team that showed up. I'm sorry, but I'm not convinced that Dwight Howard is all that, and a bag of chips. This guy is a turnover machine, can't make his free-throws, and if he can't dunk, or physically overwhelm his opponent, isn't a point scoring machine. He only scored 7 points last night. His defense isn't all that great either, late in the game, DeMarcus Cousins, who had zero points the whole game, scored on two easy layup drives on Howard. Paul Gasol, despite all his skills, disappears for long stretches of the game. The offense was lifeless. Outside of Jodie Meeks, the bench was useless. Ugly, ugly, ugly, ugly game.

Lakers beat a tough Nets team last night 95-90. They were down six with five minutes to go, and pulled a win out of an iffy game. Free throws were awful for the Lakers, and Dwight Howard especially being terrible, going 7-19, if fact, the game should not have been all that close as the Lakers went 19-37 from the line. D'antoni was hobbling around on the sidelines, and World Meta Peace is actually playing good. Maybe the Clippers aren't the best team in LA after all.