I don't hate others' use of emoticons--at all. I think it's very brave to reveal one's weaknesses.

I swore them off because I saw them as little crutches (for me anyway). And, since I wear "cute" as convincingly as a bacon thong, I realized they had to go. It's a bit more dangerous and exciting without them.

People grow to rely on things that absolve them from extra thought or questions. "Is he kidding? Ohhh! He must be. There's a grin face." Baloney!

I will reconsider them as soon as they begin to appear regularly in books, periodicals and the NY Times.

Though I do think they could be fun in other situations, like on pinkslips, court documents, accident reports, medical lab reports, coroners' reports, the NYSE, gravestones, and Ammendments to The Constitution. Oh, and tramp stamps and genital tattoos.

And FTR, Jack, you employ some pretty unique ones that jump around and do cool stuff. Yours are above the fray. However, if everyone started using them, well, then...

I am fascinated and delighted how Bob simultaneously elevates and degrades the level of discourse.

Love you, Bob.

Give fab.com a look today if you're in the market for stands or racks. They're having a sale on Salamander gear, I saw some up to ~43% off.

I need an equipment rack... However, "Membership by invitation only"...

Ha! Look at the nice attempts of OSB and Nick to "re-rail" the thread. Stalwarts!

You will now be returned to your regular programming.

I just bought 9 cd's I actually want for $38.

Go to:
http://www.thestoreBobgoestotobuyhiscd's.com

All you need to do is sign up w/ your email. That's the 'invitation'.

And then what? Bob shows up in his bacon thong?

Yeah, but I was #1741 in line or something... So I "invited" 3 friends. I picked my wife, my daughter, and one of my alternative emails. Still no luck, however, my wife was able to get 100% access instantanously. So basically, the initial requester, me, couldn't get access, but someone (my wife) who was invited by someone else that didn't have access (again, me) gets right in.

Either way, nothing there rack wise for what I was looking for, but thanks...

Woot has a Pioneer VSX-921-K 7.1 Receiver today for $249.99 plus $5 shipping.

http://www.woot.com/

Same is $280 at newegg. Number wise, it seems like a significant step down from the Pioneer that was making the rounds of discounts a few weeks back, but the specs seems reasonable.