Mr Info

The Bills lost the last two pre-season games in 2013 by 30-7 (79 passing yds) and 35-13 and this board was apocalyptic...and then they lost a tough opener to the Pats. Hopefully, Marrone & Co. can turn it around like last year.

Both of the passengers escorted from the plane were in Economy Plus.

She gets a lot of that. That is part of that etc. that I noted for working at a Fest. Typically, a vendor fee may include 2 tix & an option for 2 discount tix & full price for anything after that. Camping fees may/may not be included. For FloydFest, vendors had to be open 16 hrs though you could be open 24. She took 6 employees with her (her employees are primarily high school & college girls) and had to pay a bit for their tix & camping. Her schedule had 2-3 workers for 4 hrs & then switch with others. Those not working are watching music or participating in Fest events. Most fests are very rural and food access is limited to what you brought & the vendors on-site. People will be there regardless of weather since tix are pricey. And there are a lot of munchies going on at fests. Those are all positive for vendors. But balance that with employee costs (tix, camping, travel, working), fest registration, taxes, food inventory & supplies, travel, and the number of other food vendors. Fests can generate tremendous revenue in a short amount of time but proper evaluation & planning determines whether it generates adequate profit.

Yes, she does the crepes, http://www.moniquescrepes.com/ Her family is French and I went with her to Brittany a few years ago to work at a creperie and learn the business. She is one of the few (in this area, anyway) who uses separate batter for savory and sweet crepes: buckwheat (which is naturally gluten free) is the traditional grain for the savory and regular sweet batter. Interestingly, she obtains her buckwheat from Birkett Mills in Penn Yan, NY. Buckwheat has to be milled very finely to be used for crepes. Last month she did FloydFest http://www.floydfest.com/ Fests can be a good event due to the amount of people (one vendor showed me they did $80k in revenue in four days at Bonaroo) but several other factors need to be evaluated. Some fests charge a flat fee and others charge a % of sales. For those that do the latter, you have to purchase your plates/serving items from them so they can track your sales. Then you have to factor fest site location, your location for setup at the site, state and local taxes, etc. I work another job but help my wife out at certain events and scouting locations is one of the perks.

Anybody attending Lockn' Fest Sep 4-7? http://www.locknfestival.com Allman Bros, Widespread Panic with Steve Winwood, Petty, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzman's Allstars (Taj Mahal & others), Willie Nelson, Wilco, String Cheese, Gary Clark Jr, Umphrey's McGee, Hot Tuna,Tedeschi/Trucks, & more. I will get there sometime on Friday as I am scouting the location and setup (and listening to music) as my wife may be a food vendor next year.

I called tonight following some of the suggestions here. The call took all of 10 minutes. Last year, I received an upgrade of my DVRs to Genies, $40 monthly credit (which paid for Max) for a 2 yr commitment. This year I got Max half-price, $10 monthly credit, and 4 months of Showtime. Two weeks ago I received the full price letter from Directv's VP of Marketing and I am much happier now.

You got to hear some good music. I was at FloydFest and the music was damned good, too.. My wife had her crepe mobile going and I helped out but spent the other time catching bands and talking to people. My faves were Thievery Corporation, Ray LaMontagne, Buddy Guy, Ben Harper/Charlie Musselwhite, Tauk, Ziggy Marley, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Robert Randolph, The Lee Boys, Swampcandy. and The Southern Belles. Good vibes and a great time.

On a biz trip in Europe and Asia in a couple of months and will have a layover in Istanbul during the morning and early afternoon. I will pick up a visa at the airport and go to the world-famous bazaar but looking for any suggestions on where to eat near the bazaar from any travelers we have on the board. Thanks

Ditto. I will certainly pick it up and listen to it and I look forward to hearing it. I am optimistic but my expectations are not high. Some bands can lose a member and still make good music together. The Stones lost Brian Jones like Floyd lost Syd Barrett and both evolved into better bands. CSN made some good music without Neil Young. The Dead lost Pigpen but Donna and Keith brought something different to the band. In the case of Pink Floyd, eventually Roger Waters wanted to create everything. I like the concept of 'The Wall' and the production is amazing live. I saw Floyd do it and have also seen Waters perform it twice and they were all outstanding. But I do not believe it's musically as good as their previous work. The Final Cut was, for the most part, songs that were cut from The Wall. IMO, the best music that Floyd made was when all members were contributing. Waters wrote great lyrics and Gilmour and Wright (along with Waters and Mason) crafted outstanding music. A bunch of their split was Waters' ego but Wright's lack of contribution after WYWH may have been due to a well-documented drug problem and depression from his divorce. It was an acrimonious end but better than trotting them out and playing greatest hits tours (though, to be honest, I did enjoy their last appearance together at the Live 8 concert). I have all their solo stuff and I like it and listen to it but (again, IMO) their individual talent does not match their collaborative talent.

In the link I posted earlier, both Waters and Gilmour are known to be working on separate albums. Perhaps Gilmour can call his a Floyd album based on the lawsuit that Waters lost against his former bandmates. I certainly hope it is good but, IMO, based on their solo projects thus far, their collaborative work in Floyd has been better than their individual accomplishments. My favorite solo may be Wright's 'Wet Dream' which can be difficult to find. Btw - I am quite the PF fanatic as a few on TBD can attest based on unreleased and live PF recordings I have sent them and I am a contributor on Yeeshkul. I mention that because I had been a firm believer that other bands did not do Floyd very well. I stand corrected as there is a band from NYC, The Machine, that tours and does an admirable and creative job with Floyd music. They are all good musicians, fairly young, and will sometimes spin their own take on the songs...and they also play early Floyd. http://www.themachinelive.com/tour/

I eat a few handfuls of raw almonds nearly every day. Clinical studies have shown up to 11% reduction in cholesterol and up to 15% reduction in LDL. This is a good epidemiological review on the benefits of nut consumption: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3257681/ A simpler article, but still with references, on the heath benefits of almond consumption: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=20

Sorry, the mediamass site is a joke. If you want accurate Floyd info go here: http://www.brain-damage.co.uk/miscellaneous-articles/upcoming-releases-and-events.html or yeeshkul.com (will have to register but it's the best Floyd site by far).

Hmmm..,

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I just have one recommendation, Mystery Men Cast: Geoffrey Rush, William H. Macy, Greg Kinnear, Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, Paul Reubens, Kel Mitchell, Janeane Garofalo, Tom Waits, Claire Forlani, Lena Olin...before most of them became well known...and brief cameos by Dane Cook, Cee Lo Green, Michael Bay, Louise Lasser, and Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo) I still laugh out-loud every time I watch it. About a bunch of wanna-be superheros and Geoffrey Rush is the villain, Casanova Frankenstein. A fun screenplay...just a very short sampling. The Shoveler: Oh yeah, well, maybe if we had a billionaire benefactor like Lance Hunt, then we could afford some advertising. Mr. Furious: I think that's because Lance Hunt is Captain Amazing. Blue Raja: Oh, here we go. Shoveler: Oh, don't start that again! Lance Hunt wears glasses. Captain Amazing doesn't wear glasses. Mr. Furious: [Long-suffering] He takes them off when he transforms. Shoveler: That doesn't make any sense. He wouldn't be able to see! *********************************** Bowler: So you're a British man who converted to Islam, sort of like Cat Stevens? Blue Raja: No. Until the early part of this century, India was in fact part of the British Empire, whose government there was called the British Raj after the Hindi word for "sovereignty". Furthermore — Bowler: Wait — so sorry. [to her bowling ball] What? DAD! No, he's not a commie, nor a fruit. [to the Blue Raja] Sorry. His ignorance embarrasses me. Blue Raja: Sorry, but am I to understand that you've inserted your father's skull inside of that... ball for bowling? Bowler: No. The guy at the pro shop did it. ********************************************************** [The other heroes try to help Mr. Furious regain his anger-feuled super powers.] Shoveler: Come on, somebody do something! We need him! Bowler: Okay, let's do this. You're a very furious man. Do you understand that? Mr. Furious: No. Bowler: No? Well, you've got a lot to be furious about, and I'll tell you why. You're - not well-liked. You're, uh, abrasive and off-putting. You try to say pithy things, but your wit is a hindrance... so therefore nothing is provacative, it's just mixed metaphors. Now doesn't that make you angry? Does it infuriate you? Mr. Furious: No. Bowler: Well, it should! Are you angry? Come ON, man! Shoveler: Your penmanship is atrocious! Sphinx: You dress in the manner of a male prostitute. ******************************************** [the Spleen is shot in the rear] The Spleen: I CAN'T FEEL MY ASS. I CAN'T FEEL MY ASS. Invisible Boy: Does your power still work? The Spleen: Uh-oh, weapons check. Pull my fingers. [invisible Boy pulls. Spleen lets loose a wind of gas, wiping out an entire gang] The Spleen: It'll do.

A cop with a sense of humor,,,outstanding!

+1 I am a long-time remote season ticket holder and can only make a few games a year but there is nothing like being at a Bills game. I have Sunday Ticket which is outstanding but it's not the same as a home Bills game. I have been at some other NFL stadiums when the Bills are visiting but it pales in comparison to the whole sun-up/sun-down game-day Bills experience. I have taken my kids (now 17 & 19) and my wife every year to a game and they always want to return. I guess I am fortunate where my tix are located because there have not been any incidents close by where we were uncomfortable. Either tailgating or inside the stadium we always encounter some unique game-day experience every time we go. Maybe it's the dead fish heads on a wire Xmas tree outside the stadium before a Fins game in December, or a player showing up at Hammer's lot after a game, or being offered some incredible grilled food outside the stadium by a couple celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving Day a day early (btw - second Monday in Oct) but I can't wait to return to a few games at the Ralph this year.

Thanks, CGF My boys got me a Watkins jersey. It is a great father's day!

I just saw Mystery Men for about the 100th time and I don't want to derail your much appreciated monthly movie preview but here is an interesting clip of Michael Bay as a frat boy in MM. With his classic one-liner: "Dude, can we bring the brewskis?"

We just got back. Cameron's brother, Andrew, is in the same graduating class as my son this year and the graduating class always holds this formal event (May 20 this year). This year the boys and their dates organized themselves to spell out Cameron's initials and then someone presented Andrew with flowers and there was a moment of silence. Then the parents came down to take the flowers from their son and spoke briefly. I don't believe there was a dry eye in the place...it's heartbreaking.

I did not go but it looks like I would enjoy it. Unfortunately, this year I will not make it either as it falls on the same weekend as, imo, the best wine and oyster festival in VA at Stratford Hall http://www.stratfordhall.org/event/stratford-hall-wine-and-oyster-festival/ and my wife will be working there.

I was there last year and had a great time. imo, this festival is more organized (they have been doing it a while) and more family friendly than some of the others that I have attended. If you go, feel free to stop by at my wife's food trailer http://www.moniquescrepes.com/ and mention you are a Bills fan and ask for Tony. I should be around somewhere and will get you a complimentary crepe. She should be in the food area when you approach the main stage.

...with cheese

Just returned but spent the last 2 weeks setting up a new facility in Copenhagen. I rented a bicycle at the hotel and rode it every day to the new site...just like the locals do. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_in_Copenhagen Traffic lights are there for bikes which signal a couple of seconds prior to the auto lights. That way they clear the turn lanes. Bicyclists there queue at lights, wait for the signal, ride on the correct side of the road in bike lanes, and stiff fines are issued by the police if you do not comply. Perhaps that would appease some anti-biking people in the Hate Bicyclists thread. But it was difficult keep my eyes on the road with gorgeous girls/women riding bikes in skirts, high heels. etc. I will return in the fall to complete the site and will go from there to Suzhou to open another facility. Will seek out some places to catch Bills games while I am away and try to schedule the travel so we can go to the hometwo games we would like to attend. I am more optimistic about the team this year than in previous years.

Have either of you had to contact Verizon to address an issue? Perhaps it has been so reliable you have not - congrats. I have both ATT & Verizon to address redundancy for a business and ATT is extremely easy to contact and correct a problem whereas Verizon is nearly the antithesis of that.