My web-surfing column ran on Vegas Deluxe (later reborn as Vegas.com) from March 1998 to February 200, made some friends, gained a small but devoted following, and died an anonymous death when management decided to "try a different direction" -- meaning, a direction that didn't have my soggy, drunken corpse blocking the runway.

Writing The Passenger was a fine experience. Bryan came up with the idea, I gave it a name and conceptual slant, Guy Schackman designed it, Scott Dickensheets illustrated it, I researched and wrote it and Michelle Felice put the sucker together Wednesday after Wednesday. In short, it took five people to do what most Blogger scribes do with one. But we did it earlier than you did, even if we didn't do it first.

And if I may say, we had some weeks that ruled all known ass.

Hope you enjoy The Passenger. Return your tray tables to their upright and locked position, obey all safety regulations, beverage service will begin once we're airborne ... whoops, it's time for my meds.