A carry-over from BHC.

Never joined a forum until then, so to get into the spirit of things, and to be cool in a conformist kinda way   , I used Jedi.  Couldn't think of anything else so I just reversed Jedi into Idej. A palindrome, as Czar of the BHC pointed out a while back.

Turns out I wasn't very original, either. I tried to register Yahoo, Hotmail, and Excite email acounts but variations of Jedi Idej were already taken.

I used to keep the backing boards and flattened boxes because I also liked to see the evolution of the packaging. I was up to 2 boxes, each measuring about 33"x22"x10". A few years back, space constraints forced me to re-evaluate my "need" to have them. Having online references made it easier to let go. I still keep the bio/info cutouts, though.

Toy-wise, I got rid of most of the Action Fleet and micromachines playsets. The accompanying vehicles and figures I've kept, along with the 3-3/4" figures and ships and Playskool toys.

Calendars and the customizable card starter sets went bye-bye.

This has been the most interesting off-season in a long time. Big names being moved left and right.

It's nice to see (relative) sanity established in payroll. Sure, the Yanks and Red Sox are going off, but players aren't being signed for the money they were getting two years ago.

I've always liked Pudge, but I am so happy noone's biting on his $10M/yr demand. He blew it when he rejected Miami's purported offer of $32M over 4 years.

Even Vlad -- doesn't look like the Giants will get him -- will "only" get in the $12M-$15M/year range.

A-Rod. Unhappy in Texas. 'Nuff said.

As for the Twins, Mauer (sp?) is supposed to be a stud and will be cheap for the next few years. He definitely has big shoes to fill. The two pitchers they got for Prezynski individually don't stack up to P, but Joe Nathan will give the Twins lots of flexibility with their pitching. In 2 years, we'll find out if Lliriano (??) is cream or crap.

Hopefully Perzynski will have a long career in SF.

There's enough stripped and changed from the original series that this could have been, and should have been, made into a new franchise. By the second part, I stopped seeing it as BSG but just a sci-fi series that happens to have the same name as the 70s series; and along with it, went away all my despise for it for being a re-imagine.

But I still have plenty to bitch about.

What's with all the artsy-fartsy camera work? There are pan zooms, stutter zooms, quick pans, inner and outter merry-go-round pans, stationary jittery hands shots. In no way does the camera work complement what's going on in the scene to help establish the mood. The only thing it evokes was my own hack videography days in school helping tape cermemonies and plays. Had I known the visuals that came about from my incompetence would be in style, I would've gotten into the business.

The space battles lack excitement. It's like watching a train wreck while under the influence of valium. The massive casualties inflicted on the Colonials... the destruction... I just sat unengaged, unmoved. I'm still trying to figure out the importance of trotting out the suped-up vipers only to have them, and presumably the majority of the pilots, obliterated in one fell swoop.

What was the point of trying to make this an "adult" show? Even then, adult content doesn't automatically require t&a or digital arousal. That's become such a formulaic ploy that it's more annoying than titillating.

I don't even want to get into the pacing and scene jumps.

One thing I found interesting is the cylon chick snapping the baby's neck. Does she do it out of meaness, or in a convoluted way, compassion?

The dogs barking Jingle Bells is annoying.

A couple of my favorites are Crosby and Bowie's Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy duet and the Muppets' 12 Days of Christmas.

The so-called tripling was merely bringing the fee back to the original pre-'98(?) level of 2%. In fact, registration notices since then stated the amount due took into account a 67% discount. (I read Arizona is 4%. Any Arizonian know anything about this?) I'm not surprised it was an issue. But we all paid 2% of a car's depreciated value before '98, it wouldn't have killed us to do so again.

To cover the fiscal gap, Schwarzenegger might issue extra billions in bonds. Either way, someone is going to pay. If not us now to the state in the form of direct taxes, then future generations to financial institutions (via the state) to cover the bonds and the interest on those bonds.

Interesting tidbit I heard today about licenses going to undocumented immigrants: this had been commonplace up until 10 years ago.

Also, Schwarzenegger might go along with the driver's license if the person is willing to get a background check and has proof of auto insurance.

added: Darth Kenobi, construction in California has remained vigorous during these past few years. Your sentiments are in the right place; however, rebuilding those destoyed homes won't add significantly to the economy now. Because of the building crunch, some estimate that many families won't even see their houses rebuilt for another 2 years.

When owners allow their cats to roam outside.

First is the annoyance factor. They wake you up at night with their serenading; leave droppings on fence rails; poke around the garbage can on garbage night.

More importantly, the safety of the cat isn't considered. Last week a young cat -- maybe it was still considered a kitten -- meandered onto the street  in front of me. Had I been going the speed limit, just 10 miles faster, I would have had a furry tire.

One would think a grown cat can avoid moving cars, but a few get hit occasionally. About 10 years ago, I noticed 4 within a 6-month period.

Really sucks.

Thanks for the words everyone

Funny story. My grandfather (well, my half brother's grandfather, so not really my grandfather) recently got remarried to the most evil woman on the planet (we think she's trying to kill him by starvation.

I sure hope your grandfather doesn't become the subject of a future episode of one of those forensics shows on Discovery. Seriously.

In the meantime, happy birthday.