It was I who gave that cute stuffed turtle to Gene at Greg's chipboard welcome at the Palms as a light-hearted gift.

Brenda and I were in a Las Vegas Goodwill thrift store during the afternoon of the Palms get-together looking to purchase casino ashtrays and playing card decks where we saw the turtle on the shelf for $3 and thought that it would make a nice light-hearted entry for Gene at the chipboard get together party. No mention was made of NM-1. I arranged to have the Palms Food & Beverage Manager deliver the turtle to Gene ... which was wrapped in a basket with a message that it was a special delivery from Atlantic City. No one that I am aware of who was in attendance having a good time at thechipboard party expressed any thought that the gesture was in bad taste ... nor did anyone approach me during the 3-day convention expressing their displeasure ... but I'm sure a few more boo-birds will respond to this post (that I was not planning to make) in an effort to stay above the fray. So send the heat my way if you must ... and not directed towards guys like Bedo, Cigarman, Gene and others.

If you want to rail over something more serious ... then rail over the perverted, obscene link to the atrocious video that Stu had posted on the board of two sick teen-agers pouring gasoline on a large turtle and setting it afire ... laughing as the poor creature tried vainly to escape. I could not sleep all night reviewing that video in my mind over and over again. Now, THAT horrible post was in bad taste and I don't know why you don't speak out about that!

BYW: If anyone would like the URL to Stu's posted warped example of humor ... I would be happy to email it to you. Be forewarned though, it is very graphic and violent and will probably remain in your sub-conscious for the rest of your life.

Have a nice weekend ... I'm off to A.C. in a couple of hours.