Wmcmanus

Kind of cool video for Dead Heads, on the light and fluffy side of things:

Another thanks for the Susan 313 link. It certainly had potential, and I think I would have liked it.

I quite like the T1. Call me crazy if you will. Don't think it's worth the price tag, but then again, most good headphones aren't.

That's outstanding. They'll last for a long, long time. As others have said, Michelin tires tend to be on the high side of the price/performance scale, but still great tires and if it gives hubby some peace of mind then you did the right thing in not trying to over analyze it, etc.

Yeah for Boston, and especially for the Red Sox faithful here. Well done.

Shelly, there really is no risk associated with using tires with a heavier load rating. It might mean that they'll be more expensive (since it's a good feature), but really it just gives you more headroom in terms of towing capacity. The most important rating to me is the tread wear rating, and for standard tires on standard cars (as opposed to race tires for race cars), the higher the number the better. There is some variance from company to company, because each manufacturer is allowed to establish their own baseline performance, but the rating ranges are typically 100 to 600 (although there technically is no upper limit). Effectively, a tire with a 200 tread wear rating will last twice as long as a tire by the same manufacturer with a 100 rating. Ratings of 400 and higher are definitely "good" tires in terms of their expected lifetime performance/mileage. The only downside to high tread wear ratings is the slightly higher stopping distance. The higher the tread wear rating, the harder the tire, thus the less sticky and thus the lower the friction coefficient. You might enjoy the math... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treadwear_rating Anyway, the higher load rating on the tire you're considering is definitely a good thing. But at least check the tread wear rating to see how it compares to the originals that you're replacing. Michelin to Michelin means that those ratings will be directly comparable. There are other measures besides the load rating and tread wear rating that tires are rated on, like the temperature range and speed rating (which is alphabetical), but I've never found these to be particularly important unless you're planning to drive a lot in the desert or over 113 miles per hour. You can run a 102 mph rated tire at 140 mph, but you wouldn't want to do it for long!

I don't know if this has been posted yet, but the Bass Pro Shops bacon jerky is seriously good shit! http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Uncle-Bucks-Sweet-Maple-Glazed-Bacon-Jerky/product/13021405412740/ http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Uncle-Bucks-Bacon-Jerky-Hickory-Smoked/product/1111050500498/ I've only tried the maple glazed, but I'm betting the hickory smoked is just as good. This stuff is addictive. Plus, for the first time in 17 years living in Cayman, I've actually found something - anything - that is cheaper here than in the US. Must be a mis-pricing situation, but a 3 oz. pack here is only $2.39 KYD = $2.99 USD, whereas the US price seems to be $5.99. The typical item that cost $5.99 USD would be priced at $7.50 KYD (or $8.99 USD) or more... the difference attributable to freight, insurance, import duty, and greed (from the lack of competition), the greatest of which is greed. Think I'm going to buy out their inventory!

Nice, Ric. If he wasn't such a strange cat, he couldn't have produced the kind of work that he did. A true artist, right there in the midst of it all, never being able to fully separate himself from all the he observed or imagined or participated in.

Thanks, Dan, that was a nice read, and touching.

Condolences, Todd. He sounds like great guy, and even 86 is too young.

Something went terribly Wong for the Cardinals there in the 9th inning! Wow. Two nights in a row these games have ended on very odd plays. Congrats to the loyal Sox fans. It's in your court now.

Oh no!!! Really sad to hear this. Will be working through his catalog again in the next week or so. RIP, Lou. You were an innovator.

Yup, I'm convinced now that these are the best two teams in baseball this year. Both have great talent up and down their rosters, play as teams not as individuals, and have that "find a way to win" mentality. Nice to see Peavy really hang in there this time. It was a shame that Salty couldn't come through in the 8th as much as his throw in the 9th. But I agree that he didn't really have a chance to get the runner at 3rd and let his adrenaline get the best of him. Win tonight and you have a best 2 of 3 series with two games at Fenway.

Tough way to lose a game, but I think they got the call right. It's not based on intention, and unfortunately when competing for the same space, the runner always has the right of way. Tomorrow is anther day, Red Sox fans. May the ball bounce your way again.

Would be nice, Dinny.

NYC was a scary place in the late 70s, and not just on the Subway. Times Square was a real mess. It felt so dirty and unsafe. Giuliani's vision and determination to clean it all up was a remarkable gift to the City and all those to ever live there or visit there forever and ever (let's hope).

Dang! That's just wrong, man. I feel bad. But I would have been here otherwise! What time are you leaving on the 18th? Maybe we could at least meet for breakfast at your hotel, and I could take you to the airport.

Oh shit! I forgot about that. We were supposed to have beers and listen to headphones and such. I'll be gone from Sunday Nov 10th won't be getting back until late on Sunday night, Nov 17th. What days are you here?

Hey, it worked! Same class of service was available so the only charge was the date change of $150. I'm there! In fact, I'll be arriving in Miami on Wednesday evening and driving over to Tampa to pick up a bunch of shit that has been accumulating in the motorhome that I need to bring back to Cayman in time for the Santa season. While I'm there I'll grab the last of the Matt the Younger brew that I still have (one bottle of each of 5 or 6 blends that he did with his friend Rob) and bring it back with me on Saturday. Should be fun. I'll be looking forward to it.

Looks like it will cost $150 to change the date of the return flight, plus the difference in fare and taxes, if any. Working with this travel agent is like pulling teeth. I've got to spell everything out for him. Asked him about 3 specific return flight alternatives with Cayman Airways on Sunday and Monday, and he came back with a generic answer.

Shoot, I wish I would have known about this yesterday. Just booked a ticket for a business trip that has me returning from London to Miami on Wed Nov 13th, and I don't really need to be back in Cayman until the following Monday. Don't know why I didn't schedule several extra days in Miami to begin with. I'm teaching on Mon and Wed this quarter, and the meetings I have overseas are on a Tues, so I'll have to cancel both classes that week no matter what, thus giving me lots of cushion on the return flights. I've just emailed the travel agent to see how much flexibility there is on that last leg from Miami to Cayman. If I can push that back until Sunday or Monday, then I'll be there for the drunk fest.