This article, which is quite lengthy and detailed, does a reasonable job of trying to explain how government works within Iran is regards to power and influence within the state and its various undergovernments. But after one reads it, one is still unsure if everything is completely clear or the evident power vacuums are the results of the individuals themselves and their own particular psychologies. I guess you can simply call it an oligarchy.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-circle31dec31,1,6012308.story?coll=la-headlines-world&ctrack=4&cset=true
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Monday, December 31, 2007
Lott Replacement Named in Mississippi
Its going to be seven term Mississippi US Congressman Roger Wicker, another conservative much like Trent Lott himself. Wicker has been representing Mississippi's First congressional district which makes up the northern part of the state and includes Tupelo, Oxford, and Columbus and succeeded the legendary Jamie Whitten who represented that district for 54 years starting in 1940. Wicker was born in 1951 in Pototoc, MS; is a Southern Baptist; married with three offspring; has a law degree from Mississippi; and served in the US Air Force as an officer from 1976 to 1980. While in the US House of Representatives, he served on the House Appropriations Committee and was the Republican Whip. Look for him to become a powerful and influential US Senator within the next several years. He could even be in consideration for the Presidency in 2016 or 2020.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071231/ap_on_re_us/lott_s_senate_seat;_ylt=AgfLXtGV6viSUjUk4UDn5iRvzwcF
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Wicker
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071231/ap_on_re_us/lott_s_senate_seat;_ylt=AgfLXtGV6viSUjUk4UDn5iRvzwcF
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Wicker
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Iran Nuclear Facility to be Online by Summer
When and how will the Bush Junta react as this this moment draws closer ? The facility is but about 250 miles east of Kuwait City across the Persian Gulf.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/30/AR2007123000425.html?hpid=moreheadlines
http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=HPIB,HPIB:2006-32,HPIB:en&q=Bushehr%2c+Iran
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/30/AR2007123000425.html?hpid=moreheadlines
http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=HPIB,HPIB:2006-32,HPIB:en&q=Bushehr%2c+Iran
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Worlds Largest Solar-Thermol Plant to be Constructed
This is exciting and exceptionally good news. Besides wind, solar is the energy source of the future to replace coal, natural gas, and oil for electricity, home heating, and water heating. The cost of solar will go below that of coal by 2012 which bodes well for consumers wanting to be their own managers and creators of their home energy needs.
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/ausra-to-build-worlds-largest-solar-thermal-factory-394.html
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http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/ausra-to-build-worlds-largest-solar-thermal-factory-394.html
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Getting Down to the Nitty Gritty
Paul Krugman nails it dead on on the economic differences in policy between the candidates of the two parties: supporting corporate and wealthy tax breaks and pork. This is the absolute bottom line for American middle class and working class citizens. Most, if not all, of the GOP candidates want to strongly continue following the Bush economic plan and program to the vast detriment of us all who are not wealthy and have the lobbying power and big dirty money of corporations.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/opinion/31krugman.html?_r=2&ref=opinion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/opinion/31krugman.html?_r=2&ref=opinion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
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Ten Good Things That Happened in 2007
I am far too often a cynic and curmudgeon when it comes to public policy, trends, and the news of the day, so its a little refreshing to get a positive story to read, reflect on, and appreciate.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/31/6083/
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http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/31/6083/
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Ten Frightening Future Predictions and Trends
...but, I cannot help tending to see the negative trends as being far more strongly, effective, influential, and destructive. The world and our nation are not getting to be better places.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/31/6084/
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http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/31/6084/
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Bloomberg Increasingly Considering Run
New York City Mayor and financial media magnate Michael Bloomberg is seriously considering a third party run for the presidency and may make the decision in the coming weeks. A Bloomberg candidacy would be detrimental probably more so to Republicans, depending on whom their nominee is. I cannot really see Bloomberg in the race as being a negative for Democrats, but its a long, long road to 4 November
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/us/politics/31bloomberg.html?ei=5065&en=2da39fd541678920&ex=1199682000&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print
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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/31/us/politics/31bloomberg.html?ei=5065&en=2da39fd541678920&ex=1199682000&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print
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McCain Experiencing Political Renaissance
Arizona US Senator John McCain and his campaign for the presidency had largely been dismissed as recently as November as having no chance. But as citizens learn more about the other candidates and consider their positions on various issues, McCain is experiencing a rebirth of support among potential voters in many polls. He probably will not win the Iowa caucuses, but a second or third place finish is not out of question. He could win the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday 8 January, putting significant dents in the campaigns of Romney, Giuliani, and Thompson. No candidate who has not finished at least third in the Iowa caucuses since 1972 has won the nomination.
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/12/29/politics/fromtheroad/entry3656453.shtml?source=search_story
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http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/12/29/politics/fromtheroad/entry3656453.shtml?source=search_story
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NFL Opponents Schedules for 2008
With the completion of the 2007 NFL regular season schedule, the schedule of opponents for all teams in the 2008 season can now be known. The dates and days for the 2008 schedule will be announced by the league in late March to early April 2008.
The Denver Broncos, in addition to their regular divisional rivalry games, will play home games against the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jacksonville Jaguars. Their road games will be against the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Cleveland Browns.
To see the full schedule of opponents for each team, one can go to this website...
http://www.johnnyroadtrip.com/schedules/nfl_future_afcw.htm
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The Denver Broncos, in addition to their regular divisional rivalry games, will play home games against the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jacksonville Jaguars. Their road games will be against the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Cleveland Browns.
To see the full schedule of opponents for each team, one can go to this website...
http://www.johnnyroadtrip.com/schedules/nfl_future_afcw.htm
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NFL Postseason Schedule Announced
The schedule of games dates and starting times for the upcoming wild card weekend and subsequent divisional playoffs has been set by the National Football League. (all times MST)
Saturday 5 January
Washington Redskins @ Seattle Seahawks -- 2:30pm NBC
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers -- 6pm NBC
Sunday 6 January
New York Giants @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- 11am FOX
Tennessee Titans @ San Diego Chargers -- 2:30pm CBS
Saturday 12 January
Lowest remaining NFC seed @ Dallas Cocaineboys -- 2:30pm FOX
Lowest remaining AFC seed @ New England Patriots -- 6pm CBS
Sunday 13 January
Higher remaining AFC seed @ Indianapolis Colts -- 11am CBS
Higher remaining NFC seed @ Green Bay Packers --2:30pm FOX
Sunday 20 January
AFC & NFC Championship Games -- 2:30 pm/6pm
Sunday 3 February
Super Bowl 42 from Phoenix/Glendale AZ -- 4pm FOX
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Saturday 5 January
Washington Redskins @ Seattle Seahawks -- 2:30pm NBC
Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers -- 6pm NBC
Sunday 6 January
New York Giants @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers -- 11am FOX
Tennessee Titans @ San Diego Chargers -- 2:30pm CBS
Saturday 12 January
Lowest remaining NFC seed @ Dallas Cocaineboys -- 2:30pm FOX
Lowest remaining AFC seed @ New England Patriots -- 6pm CBS
Sunday 13 January
Higher remaining AFC seed @ Indianapolis Colts -- 11am CBS
Higher remaining NFC seed @ Green Bay Packers --2:30pm FOX
Sunday 20 January
AFC & NFC Championship Games -- 2:30 pm/6pm
Sunday 3 February
Super Bowl 42 from Phoenix/Glendale AZ -- 4pm FOX
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Alternet's Top Ten Economic Stories of '07
Here is the list of the 2007 top ten economic stories from Alternet.
1) Widespread GOP sponsorship of increasing corporate welfare and wealthy tax breaks.
2) James Kunstler on readying oneself for the post-oil society.
3) The increasing peril of a repeat of the Crash of '29.
4) How libraries are becoming homeless shelters. ( I can really relate to this one personally)
5) Krugman on the destruction of the middle class.
6) American working mothers: Still dealing with a 1950's corporate and societal mindset.
7) Corporations' broad efforts to steal and hoard public water.
8) The paradox of having greater wealth and material goods resulting in unhappiness.
9) Widespread epidemic of corporation crimes
10) Corporation propaganda and lies about motherhood.
This is an excellent range of topics that we get little coverage of, if any, from the mainstream corporate media. Maybe by this time in 2009 we will have a least a few positive reports to read. Some of these reports were commented on and linked to in posts I made at some point earlier in 2007.
http://www.alternet.org/workplace/71856/
And one can read and learn more about other interesting issues at the website...
http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com/
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1) Widespread GOP sponsorship of increasing corporate welfare and wealthy tax breaks.
2) James Kunstler on readying oneself for the post-oil society.
3) The increasing peril of a repeat of the Crash of '29.
4) How libraries are becoming homeless shelters. ( I can really relate to this one personally)
5) Krugman on the destruction of the middle class.
6) American working mothers: Still dealing with a 1950's corporate and societal mindset.
7) Corporations' broad efforts to steal and hoard public water.
8) The paradox of having greater wealth and material goods resulting in unhappiness.
9) Widespread epidemic of corporation crimes
10) Corporation propaganda and lies about motherhood.
This is an excellent range of topics that we get little coverage of, if any, from the mainstream corporate media. Maybe by this time in 2009 we will have a least a few positive reports to read. Some of these reports were commented on and linked to in posts I made at some point earlier in 2007.
http://www.alternet.org/workplace/71856/
And one can read and learn more about other interesting issues at the website...
http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com/
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Sunday, December 30, 2007
My Dead Pool for 2008
Here is my list of the some of the noteworthy individuals globally that could pass away in 2008, be it by natural causes or as a victim of circumstances, intentional or accidental. (month and year of birth in parentheses)
Mahmoud Abbas: President of Palestine (3/35)
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: President of Iran (10/56)
Akihito: Emperor of Japan (12/33)
Buzz Aldrin: Astronaut, second man on moon as part of Apollo 11 (1/30)
Marty Allen: Comedian/actor (3/22)
Patty Andrews: one-third of singing group The Andrews Sisters (2/18)
Maya Angelou: Author, poet, civil rights activist (2/28)
Michael Ansara: Actor, played Klingon on Star Trek TV series (4/22)
Allen Arbus: Actor, known for Dr Freedman on M*A*S*H (2/18)
James Arness: Actor, known for Marshall Dillon on Gunsmoke (5/23)
Eddy Arnold: Country Singer from 1950s-60s (5/18)
Bea Arthur: Actress, known for All in the Family, Maude, Golden Girls roles (5/23)
William Avery: Second oldest living former governor (KS) (8/1911)
F Lee Bailey: Attorney, celebrity (6/33)
Conrad Bain: Actor, known for role in Different Strokes TV show (2/23)
Howard Baker: Former US Tennessee Senator, bureaucrat (11/25)
Chuck Barris: Game Show Producer/Host (6/29)
Sammy Baugh: Football Quarterback/Coach/Hall of Fame member (3/14)
Harry Belafonte: Singer/Actor/Activist (3/27)
Pope Bendedict XVI: Leader of Catholic Church (4/27)
Yogi Berra: Baseball Player/Manager/Hall of Fame member (5/25)
Chuck Berry: Oldies rock 'n' roll guitarist/singer (10/26)
Barbara Billingsley: Actress, known for role in Leave it to Beaver TV show
Osama bin Laden: Terrorist, Criminal Mastermind (3/57)
Ernest Borgnine: Actor (1/17)
Ray Bradbury: Science Fiction Author (8/20)
Wilford Brimley: Actor (9/34)
Edward Brooke: Former US Massachusetts Senator (10/19)
Bobby Brown: Rapper, Drug Addict, Criminal (2/69)
Dave Brubeck: Historic Jazz pianist and musician (12/20)
Harry Byrd: Former Virginia US Senator (12/1914)
Robert Byrd: Current US West Virginia Senator (11/20)
Sid Caesar: Comedian/Actor/Emcee (9/20)
Pierre Cardin: Fashion designer (7/22)
Fidel Castro: Communist dictator of Cuba (8/26)
Channing: Actress/Comedianne (1/21)
Cyd Charisse: Actress (3/21)
Dick Cheney: US Vice-President (1/41)
Arthur C Clarke: Science Fiction Author (12/17)
Mike Connors: Actor, known for role in TV show Mannix
Walter Cronkite: Journalist/Reporter (11/16)
Al Davis: Pro Football Oakland Raiders Owner, Rabblerouser (7/29)
Doris Day: Actress, Animal Rights activist (4/24)
Olivia de Havilland: Actress (7/16)
Dino De Laurentiis: Film Producer (8/19)
Dom DeLuise: Actor, Chef (8/33)
Bo Diddley: Musician/Guitarist/Actor (12/28)
Phyllis Diller: Actress/Comedienne (7/17)
Dom DiMaggio: Baseball player, brother of legendary Joe (2/17)
Ronnie James Dio: Rock musician (7/42)
Anatoly Dobrynin: Soviet diplomat/ambassador (11/19)
Fats Domino: Musician/singer (2/28)
Kirk Douglas: Actor (12/16)
Robert Downey Jr: Actor, drug addict (4/65)
Hugh Downs: Broadcaster (2/21)
Angelo Dundee: Boxing Trainer/manager (8/23)
Charles Durning: Actor (2/23) *[may be a guideline for yours truly]
Lou Duva: Boxing Trainer/manager (5/22)
Roger Ebert: Film Critic, writer (6/42)
Blake Edwards: Movie director (7/22)
Nanette Fabray: Actress (10/20)
Peter Falk: Actor (9/27)
Louis Farrakhan: Militant political activist (5/33)
Lawrence Ferlinghetti: Beat poet, City Lights Bookstore owner (SF) (3/19)
Mel Ferrer: Actor (8/17)
Eddie Fisher: Actor/Singer/Entertainer (8/28)
Larry Flynt: Pornographer, constitutional rights activist (11/42)
Joan Fontaine: Actress (10/17)
Betty Ford: widow of former US President Ford (4/18)
John Forsythe: Actor (1/18)
Pete Fountain: Jazz clarinetist (7/30)
Aretha Franklin: Singer (3/42)
Annette Funicello: Actress (10/42)
Zsa Zsa Gabor: Celebrity/actress (2/17)
James Garner: Actor (4/28)
George Gaynes: Actor (5/17)
Mikhail Gorbachev: USSR President, writer, activist (3/31)
Micheal Gough: Actor (11/17)
Billy Graham: Evangelist, activist (11/18)
Peter Graves: Actor (3/26)
Rosey Grier: Football Player, actor, minister (7/32)
Robert Griffin: Former US Michigan Senator (11/23)
Andy Griffith: Actor, personality (6/26)
Bob Guccione: Publisher of Penthouse (12/30)
Larry Hagman: Actor (9/31)
Alexander Haig: Military General, bureaucrat (12/24)
Rob Halford: Lead singer of Judas Priest (8/51)
Monty Hall: Game show host (8/23)
Ralph Hall: Current US Texas Representative (5/23)
Clifford Hansen: Former US Wyoming Senator, governor (10/1912)
King Harard V of Norway: (2/37)
Ray Harryhausen: Cinematic Special Effects Genius (6/20)
Paul Harvey: Radio voice of the political Right Wing (9/18)
Mark Hatfield: Former US Oregon Senator, governor (7/22)
Stephen Hawking: Author, genius (1/42)
Charlton Heston: Actor, activist (10/24)
Paris Hilton: Celebrity, pornography actress (2/81)
Albert Hofmann: Chemist, created LSD (1/1906)
Hal Holbrook: Actor (2/25)
Earl Holliman: Actor (9/28)
Ernest Hollings: Former US South Carolina Senator, governor (1/22)
Celeste Holm: Actress (4/19)
Dolores Hope: Widow of Comic Bob Hope (5/1909)
Lena Horne: Jazz singer (6/17)
Whitney Houston: Singer (8/63)
Lee Iacocca: Automobile manufacturing executive (10/24)
Michael Jackson: singer, freak, child molester (5/58)
Etta James: Singer (1/38)
Wojciech Jaruzelski: Last Communist dictator of Poland (7/23)
Ron Jeremy: Pornography actor (3/53)
Van Johnson: Actor (8/16)
Ernie Johnson Jr.: Sports broadcaster (?/56)
KC Jones: Pro basketball player/coach (5/32)
Kim Jong-Il: Communist dictator of North Korea (2/41)
Ramzan Kadyrov: President of Chechnia
Ethel Kennedy: Widow of RFK (4/28)
George Kennedy: Actor (2/25)
Edward Kennedy: Current US Massachusetts Senator (2/32)
Eunice Kennedy-Shriver: Fifth of nine Kennedy siblings (7/21)
Kirk Kerkorian: Billionaire business magnate
Ali Khamenei: Supreme Ayatollah and Leader of Iran (6/39)
Abdul Qadeer Khan: Pakistani nuclear scientist (4/36)
Richard Kiel: Actor (9/39)
BB King: Blues guitarist, songwriter, singer (9/25)
Larry King: Television/Radio/Media personality (11/33)
Henry Kissinger: US Foriegn Policy developer/analyst, author (5/23)
Eartha Kitt: Actress, singer (1/27)
Jack Klugman: Actor (4/22)
Marion Knight: Rapper, criminal (4/65)
Helmut Kohl: Former chancellor of Germany (4/30)
C Everett Koop: Surgeon General, honest physician (10/16)
Harvey Korman: Actor (2/27)
Jake LaMotta: Boxer (7/21)
Angela Lansbury: Actress (10/25)
Tom Lantos: US Congressman from CA (2/28)
Christopher Lee: Actor (5/22)
Harper Lee: Authoress (4/26)
Stan Lee: Marvel Comics cartoonist (12/22)
Tommy Lee: Rock musician (10/62)
Claude Levi-Strauss: Anthropologist (11/1908)
Jerry Lewis: Actor/Comedian, activist (3/26)\
Jerry Lee Lewis: Musician (9/35)
Art Linkletter: TV host/personality (7/12
Lindsay Lohan: Celebrity, drug abuser (7/86)
Gavin McLeod: Actor (2/30)
Patrick Macnee: Actor (2/22)
Karl Malden: Actor (3/12)
Nelson Mandela: South African political prisoner, President, activist (7/18)
Charles Manson: Murderer, criminal, inmate, nutcase (11/34)
Imelda Marcos: Widow of Phillipines dictator Marcos, shoe fetishist (7/29)
Rose Marie: Actress (8/23)
Dick Martin: Comedian, actor (1/22)
George Martin: Producer of the Beatles (1/26)
Al Martino: Singer, actor (10/27)
Johnny Mathis: Musician, singer (9/35)
Ed McMahon: Television personality, host, actor (3/23)
Robert McNamara: US Secretary of Defense, banker, author (6/16)
Jayne Meadows: Actress (9/20)
Zubin Mehta: Classical music conductor (4/36)
Vera Miles: Actress (8/29)
Mitch Miller: Musician, performer (7/1911)
Liza Minelli: Actress, singer, celebrity (3/46)
Al Molinaro: Actor (6/19)
Ricardo Montalban: Actor (11/20)
Sun Myung Moon: Religious cultist, publisher, criminal (1/20)
Harry Morgan: Actor (4/15)
Ennio Morricone: Composer (11/28)
Kate Moss: Model, drug abuser (1/74)
Hosni Mubarak: President of Egypt (5/28)
Robert Mugabe: Dictator of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe (2/24)
Rupert Murdoch: Australian uber-capitalistic media magnate (3/31)
Pervez Musharaff: Dictator of Pakistan, human rights abuser (8/43)
Hassan Nasrallah: Lebanese Shia leader, terrorist, murderer (8/60)
Bob Newhart: Comedian/actor (9/29)
Edwin Newman: Journalist/reporter (1/19)
Vo Nguyen Giap: North Vietnamese general, politician (8/1911)
Leslie Neilson: Actor (2/26)
Leonard Nimoy: Actor (3/31)
Nick Nolte: Actor (2/41)
Maila Nurmi: Actress (12/21)
Rosie O'Donnell: Actress, activist, lesbian (3/62)
Maureen O'Sullivan: Actress (8/20)
Mullah Omar: Taliban leader, terrorist, murderer (?)
Ryan O'Neal: Actor (4/41)
Alan Oppenheimer: Voice actor (4/30)
Ozzy Osbourne: Musician, singer, celebrity, drug addict (12/48)
Peter O'Toole: Actor (8/32)
Terrell Owens: Professional football player (12/73)
Bettie Page: Actress, model (4/23)
Greg Page: Boxing champion (10/58)
Arnold Palmer: Golfer, philanthropist (9/29)
Don Pardo: Television/radio announcer (2/18)
Fess Parker: Actor (8/24)
Les Paul: Musician, songwriter, singer, inventor (6/15)
Patriarch Pavle: Serbian religious leader (9/14
James Pearson: Former US Kansas Senator (5/20)
I M Pei: Architect (4/17)
Claiborne Pell: Former US Rhode Island Senator (11/18)
Charles Percy: Former US Illinois Senator (9/19)
Shimon Peres: Former Israeli Prime Minister, politician (8/23)
Javier Perez de Cuellar: Former UN Secretary-General (1/20)
Johnny Pesky: Baseball player/manager, Boston legend (9/19)
Fred Phelps: Religious pastor/leader, ardent hater of homosexuals (11/29)
Prince Philip: Husband of British Queen Elizabeth II (6/21)
Roddy Piper: Celebrity wrestler, entertainer (4/54)
Joe Piscopo: Comedian/actor (6/51)
Sidney Pottier: Actor, entertainer, activist (2/27)
Iggy Pop: Musician, actor, drug addict (4/47)
Ahmed Qurei: Former Palestinean Prime Minister (3/37)
Louise Rainer: Actress (1/1910)
Jack Ramsey: Basketball coach, television/radio analsyst (2/25)
Nancy Reagan; Actress, activist, widow of US President Reagan (7/21)
Keith Richards: Guitarist, celebrity, drug addict (12/43)
Don Rickles: Actor, comedian, celebrity (5/26)
Oral Roberts: Tele-evangelist, hustler (1/18)
David Rockefeller: Banking magnate, member of Bilderbergs (6/15)
Mickey Rooney: Actor, personality (9/20)
Albert Rosselini: Oldest living former governor (WA) (1/1910)
Donald Rumsfeld: Inept politician, bureaucrat (7/32)
Jane Russell: Actress (6/21)
William Safire: Author, journalist, speechwriter (12/19)
Eva Marie Saint: Actress (7/24)
Soupy Sales: Comedian, entertainer, personality (1/26)
J D Sallinger: Author, legend, recluse (1/19)
Juan Antonio Samaranch: Olympics executive (7/20)
Frederick Sanger: Novel Laureate chemist (8/18)
William Schallert: Actor (7/22)
Helmut Schmidt: Former Chancellor of Germany (12/18)
Pete Seeger: Singer, songwriter, activist (5/19)
Yitzhak Shamir: Former Israeli Prime Minister, guerilla, politician (10/15)
Ravi Shankar: Hindu guru for the Beatles (4/20)
Ariel Sharon: Former Israeli Prime Minister, politician (2/28)
Charlie Sheen: Actor, celebrity, drug abuser (9/65)
Eduard Shevardnadze: Soviet bureaucart, President of Georgia (1/28)
King Sihanouk: Ousted king of Cambodia, politically exiled (10/22)
Neil Simon: Playwright, screenwriter (7/27)
OJ Simpson: Football player, actor, celebrity, murderer, criminal (7/47)
Tom Sizemore: Actor, drug addict (11/61)
Percy Sledge: Singer (11/40)
Alexander Solzhenitsyn: Author, activist, politicallu exiled (12/18)
Boris Spassky: Chess champion (1/37)
Britney Spears: Celebrity, drug addict (12/81)
Yves St Laurent: Fashion designer (8/36)
Jackie Stallone: celebrity, psychic, nutcase (12/21)
Harry Dean Stanton: Actor (7/26)
Jean Stapleton: Actress, activist (1/23)
Scott Stapp: Singer, drug addict (8/73)
George Steinbrenner: Baseball New York Yankees owner, business magnate, nutcase (7/30)
John Paul Stevens: US Supreme Court Justice (4/20)
Sly Stone: musician, singer (3/43)
Darryl Strawberry: Baseball player, inmate, drug addict (3/62)
Gloria Stuart: Actress, known for role in Titanic (7/1910)
Bert Sugar: Boxing publisher (6/36)
Suharto: Dictator of Indonesia (6/21)
Charles Taylor: Dictator of Liberia (1/48)
Elizabeth Taylor: Actress (2/32)
Rod Taylor: Actor (1/30)
Shirley Temple-Black: Actress, ambassador, activist (4/28)
Studs Terkel: Author, journalist, broadcaster (5/1912)
Margeret Thatcher: British Prime Minister, politician (10/25)
Pete Townshend: Guitarist, songwriter, sex offender (5/45)
Verne Troyer: Actor, celebrity (1/69)
Margaret Truman: Author, biographer, daughter of US President Truman (2/24)
Donald Trump: Business magnate, meglomaniac, nutcase (6/46)
Desmond Tutu: Religious leader, activist, political leader (12/31)
Joseph Tydings: Former US Maryland Senator (5/28)
Mike Tyson: Boxer, rapist, criminal, nutcase (6/66)
Abigail Van Buren: Newspaper columnist, moralist (7/18)
Steve Van Buren: Professional football player (12/20)
Dick Van Dyke: Actor, comedian (12/25)
Theodore Van Kirk: Navigator of the Enola Gay (2/21)
Dick Van Patten: Actor, celebrity (12/28)
Gloria Vanderbilt: Heiress, socialite, celebrity, activist (2/24)
Donatella Versace: Fashion designer, celebrity (5/55)
Gore Vidal: Essayist, novelist, playwright, commentator (10/25)
Abe Vigoda: Actor, celebrity (2/21)
Jan-Michael Vincent: Actor (7/44)
Otto von Habsburg: Crown Prince of Austria, celebrity (12/1912)
Max von Sydow: Actor (4/29)
Mike Wallace: Journalist (5/18)
Eli Wallach: Actor, philanthropist (12/15)
Charlie Watts: Drummer (6/41)
Scott Weiland: Singer, drug addict (10/67)
The Duke of Wellington: Aristocrat (7/15
Kitty Wells: Singer (8/19)
Adam West: Actor, celebrity (9/28)
Ruth Westheimer: Sex therapist, author, wartime sniper (6/28)
Betty White: Actress, activist (1/22)
Kevin White: Former Mayor of Boston MA (9/25)
Slim Whitman: Singer (1/24)
James Whitmore: Actor (10/21)
Phyllis Whitney: Author (9/1903)
Richard Widmark: Actor (12/1914)
Elie Wiesel: Activist, novelist (9/28)
Gene Wilder: Actor, screenwriter, director (6/33)
Andy Williams: Singer (12/27)
John Williams: Composer (2/32)
Brian Wilson: Musician (6/42)
Amy Winehouse: Singer, songwriter, drug addict (9/83)
Jonathon Winters: Comedian, actor, writer (11/25)
John Wooden: Greatest college basketball coach (10/1910)
Herman Wouk: Author (5/15)
Andrew Wyeth: Painter (7/17)
Bill Wyman: Guitarist (10/36)
Chuck Yeager: Military officer, test pilot (2/23)
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: Guru (10/1911)
Victor Yushchenko: President of Ukraine (2/54)
Franco Zeffirelli: Film Director (2/23)
Jiang Zemin: Dictator of China (8/26)
Efrem Zimbalist Jr,: Actor (11/18)
************************************
We should also see some of these other oldest living former governors , oldest former US congresspeople, or another of these oldest living US Senators pass.
A good source for a list of those still alive over age 85 is...
http://www.deadoraliveinfo.com/dead.nsf/viewdocs-nf/oldpeople
And one is macabre enough to want to enter a contest to challenge others on whom that is noteworthy that will die in 2008, you can go to...
http://www.thedeadpool.com/
http://dir.yahoo.com/Entertainment/Contests__Surveys__and_Polls/Pools/Death_Pools/
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Mahmoud Abbas: President of Palestine (3/35)
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: President of Iran (10/56)
Akihito: Emperor of Japan (12/33)
Buzz Aldrin: Astronaut, second man on moon as part of Apollo 11 (1/30)
Marty Allen: Comedian/actor (3/22)
Patty Andrews: one-third of singing group The Andrews Sisters (2/18)
Maya Angelou: Author, poet, civil rights activist (2/28)
Michael Ansara: Actor, played Klingon on Star Trek TV series (4/22)
Allen Arbus: Actor, known for Dr Freedman on M*A*S*H (2/18)
James Arness: Actor, known for Marshall Dillon on Gunsmoke (5/23)
Eddy Arnold: Country Singer from 1950s-60s (5/18)
Bea Arthur: Actress, known for All in the Family, Maude, Golden Girls roles (5/23)
William Avery: Second oldest living former governor (KS) (8/1911)
F Lee Bailey: Attorney, celebrity (6/33)
Conrad Bain: Actor, known for role in Different Strokes TV show (2/23)
Howard Baker: Former US Tennessee Senator, bureaucrat (11/25)
Chuck Barris: Game Show Producer/Host (6/29)
Sammy Baugh: Football Quarterback/Coach/Hall of Fame member (3/14)
Harry Belafonte: Singer/Actor/Activist (3/27)
Pope Bendedict XVI: Leader of Catholic Church (4/27)
Yogi Berra: Baseball Player/Manager/Hall of Fame member (5/25)
Chuck Berry: Oldies rock 'n' roll guitarist/singer (10/26)
Barbara Billingsley: Actress, known for role in Leave it to Beaver TV show
Osama bin Laden: Terrorist, Criminal Mastermind (3/57)
Ernest Borgnine: Actor (1/17)
Ray Bradbury: Science Fiction Author (8/20)
Wilford Brimley: Actor (9/34)
Edward Brooke: Former US Massachusetts Senator (10/19)
Bobby Brown: Rapper, Drug Addict, Criminal (2/69)
Dave Brubeck: Historic Jazz pianist and musician (12/20)
Harry Byrd: Former Virginia US Senator (12/1914)
Robert Byrd: Current US West Virginia Senator (11/20)
Sid Caesar: Comedian/Actor/Emcee (9/20)
Pierre Cardin: Fashion designer (7/22)
Fidel Castro: Communist dictator of Cuba (8/26)
Channing: Actress/Comedianne (1/21)
Cyd Charisse: Actress (3/21)
Dick Cheney: US Vice-President (1/41)
Arthur C Clarke: Science Fiction Author (12/17)
Mike Connors: Actor, known for role in TV show Mannix
Walter Cronkite: Journalist/Reporter (11/16)
Al Davis: Pro Football Oakland Raiders Owner, Rabblerouser (7/29)
Doris Day: Actress, Animal Rights activist (4/24)
Olivia de Havilland: Actress (7/16)
Dino De Laurentiis: Film Producer (8/19)
Dom DeLuise: Actor, Chef (8/33)
Bo Diddley: Musician/Guitarist/Actor (12/28)
Phyllis Diller: Actress/Comedienne (7/17)
Dom DiMaggio: Baseball player, brother of legendary Joe (2/17)
Ronnie James Dio: Rock musician (7/42)
Anatoly Dobrynin: Soviet diplomat/ambassador (11/19)
Fats Domino: Musician/singer (2/28)
Kirk Douglas: Actor (12/16)
Robert Downey Jr: Actor, drug addict (4/65)
Hugh Downs: Broadcaster (2/21)
Angelo Dundee: Boxing Trainer/manager (8/23)
Charles Durning: Actor (2/23) *[may be a guideline for yours truly]
Lou Duva: Boxing Trainer/manager (5/22)
Roger Ebert: Film Critic, writer (6/42)
Blake Edwards: Movie director (7/22)
Nanette Fabray: Actress (10/20)
Peter Falk: Actor (9/27)
Louis Farrakhan: Militant political activist (5/33)
Lawrence Ferlinghetti: Beat poet, City Lights Bookstore owner (SF) (3/19)
Mel Ferrer: Actor (8/17)
Eddie Fisher: Actor/Singer/Entertainer (8/28)
Larry Flynt: Pornographer, constitutional rights activist (11/42)
Joan Fontaine: Actress (10/17)
Betty Ford: widow of former US President Ford (4/18)
John Forsythe: Actor (1/18)
Pete Fountain: Jazz clarinetist (7/30)
Aretha Franklin: Singer (3/42)
Annette Funicello: Actress (10/42)
Zsa Zsa Gabor: Celebrity/actress (2/17)
James Garner: Actor (4/28)
George Gaynes: Actor (5/17)
Mikhail Gorbachev: USSR President, writer, activist (3/31)
Micheal Gough: Actor (11/17)
Billy Graham: Evangelist, activist (11/18)
Peter Graves: Actor (3/26)
Rosey Grier: Football Player, actor, minister (7/32)
Robert Griffin: Former US Michigan Senator (11/23)
Andy Griffith: Actor, personality (6/26)
Bob Guccione: Publisher of Penthouse (12/30)
Larry Hagman: Actor (9/31)
Alexander Haig: Military General, bureaucrat (12/24)
Rob Halford: Lead singer of Judas Priest (8/51)
Monty Hall: Game show host (8/23)
Ralph Hall: Current US Texas Representative (5/23)
Clifford Hansen: Former US Wyoming Senator, governor (10/1912)
King Harard V of Norway: (2/37)
Ray Harryhausen: Cinematic Special Effects Genius (6/20)
Paul Harvey: Radio voice of the political Right Wing (9/18)
Mark Hatfield: Former US Oregon Senator, governor (7/22)
Stephen Hawking: Author, genius (1/42)
Charlton Heston: Actor, activist (10/24)
Paris Hilton: Celebrity, pornography actress (2/81)
Albert Hofmann: Chemist, created LSD (1/1906)
Hal Holbrook: Actor (2/25)
Earl Holliman: Actor (9/28)
Ernest Hollings: Former US South Carolina Senator, governor (1/22)
Celeste Holm: Actress (4/19)
Dolores Hope: Widow of Comic Bob Hope (5/1909)
Lena Horne: Jazz singer (6/17)
Whitney Houston: Singer (8/63)
Lee Iacocca: Automobile manufacturing executive (10/24)
Michael Jackson: singer, freak, child molester (5/58)
Etta James: Singer (1/38)
Wojciech Jaruzelski: Last Communist dictator of Poland (7/23)
Ron Jeremy: Pornography actor (3/53)
Van Johnson: Actor (8/16)
Ernie Johnson Jr.: Sports broadcaster (?/56)
KC Jones: Pro basketball player/coach (5/32)
Kim Jong-Il: Communist dictator of North Korea (2/41)
Ramzan Kadyrov: President of Chechnia
Ethel Kennedy: Widow of RFK (4/28)
George Kennedy: Actor (2/25)
Edward Kennedy: Current US Massachusetts Senator (2/32)
Eunice Kennedy-Shriver: Fifth of nine Kennedy siblings (7/21)
Kirk Kerkorian: Billionaire business magnate
Ali Khamenei: Supreme Ayatollah and Leader of Iran (6/39)
Abdul Qadeer Khan: Pakistani nuclear scientist (4/36)
Richard Kiel: Actor (9/39)
BB King: Blues guitarist, songwriter, singer (9/25)
Larry King: Television/Radio/Media personality (11/33)
Henry Kissinger: US Foriegn Policy developer/analyst, author (5/23)
Eartha Kitt: Actress, singer (1/27)
Jack Klugman: Actor (4/22)
Marion Knight: Rapper, criminal (4/65)
Helmut Kohl: Former chancellor of Germany (4/30)
C Everett Koop: Surgeon General, honest physician (10/16)
Harvey Korman: Actor (2/27)
Jake LaMotta: Boxer (7/21)
Angela Lansbury: Actress (10/25)
Tom Lantos: US Congressman from CA (2/28)
Christopher Lee: Actor (5/22)
Harper Lee: Authoress (4/26)
Stan Lee: Marvel Comics cartoonist (12/22)
Tommy Lee: Rock musician (10/62)
Claude Levi-Strauss: Anthropologist (11/1908)
Jerry Lewis: Actor/Comedian, activist (3/26)\
Jerry Lee Lewis: Musician (9/35)
Art Linkletter: TV host/personality (7/12
Lindsay Lohan: Celebrity, drug abuser (7/86)
Gavin McLeod: Actor (2/30)
Patrick Macnee: Actor (2/22)
Karl Malden: Actor (3/12)
Nelson Mandela: South African political prisoner, President, activist (7/18)
Charles Manson: Murderer, criminal, inmate, nutcase (11/34)
Imelda Marcos: Widow of Phillipines dictator Marcos, shoe fetishist (7/29)
Rose Marie: Actress (8/23)
Dick Martin: Comedian, actor (1/22)
George Martin: Producer of the Beatles (1/26)
Al Martino: Singer, actor (10/27)
Johnny Mathis: Musician, singer (9/35)
Ed McMahon: Television personality, host, actor (3/23)
Robert McNamara: US Secretary of Defense, banker, author (6/16)
Jayne Meadows: Actress (9/20)
Zubin Mehta: Classical music conductor (4/36)
Vera Miles: Actress (8/29)
Mitch Miller: Musician, performer (7/1911)
Liza Minelli: Actress, singer, celebrity (3/46)
Al Molinaro: Actor (6/19)
Ricardo Montalban: Actor (11/20)
Sun Myung Moon: Religious cultist, publisher, criminal (1/20)
Harry Morgan: Actor (4/15)
Ennio Morricone: Composer (11/28)
Kate Moss: Model, drug abuser (1/74)
Hosni Mubarak: President of Egypt (5/28)
Robert Mugabe: Dictator of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe (2/24)
Rupert Murdoch: Australian uber-capitalistic media magnate (3/31)
Pervez Musharaff: Dictator of Pakistan, human rights abuser (8/43)
Hassan Nasrallah: Lebanese Shia leader, terrorist, murderer (8/60)
Bob Newhart: Comedian/actor (9/29)
Edwin Newman: Journalist/reporter (1/19)
Vo Nguyen Giap: North Vietnamese general, politician (8/1911)
Leslie Neilson: Actor (2/26)
Leonard Nimoy: Actor (3/31)
Nick Nolte: Actor (2/41)
Maila Nurmi: Actress (12/21)
Rosie O'Donnell: Actress, activist, lesbian (3/62)
Maureen O'Sullivan: Actress (8/20)
Mullah Omar: Taliban leader, terrorist, murderer (?)
Ryan O'Neal: Actor (4/41)
Alan Oppenheimer: Voice actor (4/30)
Ozzy Osbourne: Musician, singer, celebrity, drug addict (12/48)
Peter O'Toole: Actor (8/32)
Terrell Owens: Professional football player (12/73)
Bettie Page: Actress, model (4/23)
Greg Page: Boxing champion (10/58)
Arnold Palmer: Golfer, philanthropist (9/29)
Don Pardo: Television/radio announcer (2/18)
Fess Parker: Actor (8/24)
Les Paul: Musician, songwriter, singer, inventor (6/15)
Patriarch Pavle: Serbian religious leader (9/14
James Pearson: Former US Kansas Senator (5/20)
I M Pei: Architect (4/17)
Claiborne Pell: Former US Rhode Island Senator (11/18)
Charles Percy: Former US Illinois Senator (9/19)
Shimon Peres: Former Israeli Prime Minister, politician (8/23)
Javier Perez de Cuellar: Former UN Secretary-General (1/20)
Johnny Pesky: Baseball player/manager, Boston legend (9/19)
Fred Phelps: Religious pastor/leader, ardent hater of homosexuals (11/29)
Prince Philip: Husband of British Queen Elizabeth II (6/21)
Roddy Piper: Celebrity wrestler, entertainer (4/54)
Joe Piscopo: Comedian/actor (6/51)
Sidney Pottier: Actor, entertainer, activist (2/27)
Iggy Pop: Musician, actor, drug addict (4/47)
Ahmed Qurei: Former Palestinean Prime Minister (3/37)
Louise Rainer: Actress (1/1910)
Jack Ramsey: Basketball coach, television/radio analsyst (2/25)
Nancy Reagan; Actress, activist, widow of US President Reagan (7/21)
Keith Richards: Guitarist, celebrity, drug addict (12/43)
Don Rickles: Actor, comedian, celebrity (5/26)
Oral Roberts: Tele-evangelist, hustler (1/18)
David Rockefeller: Banking magnate, member of Bilderbergs (6/15)
Mickey Rooney: Actor, personality (9/20)
Albert Rosselini: Oldest living former governor (WA) (1/1910)
Donald Rumsfeld: Inept politician, bureaucrat (7/32)
Jane Russell: Actress (6/21)
William Safire: Author, journalist, speechwriter (12/19)
Eva Marie Saint: Actress (7/24)
Soupy Sales: Comedian, entertainer, personality (1/26)
J D Sallinger: Author, legend, recluse (1/19)
Juan Antonio Samaranch: Olympics executive (7/20)
Frederick Sanger: Novel Laureate chemist (8/18)
William Schallert: Actor (7/22)
Helmut Schmidt: Former Chancellor of Germany (12/18)
Pete Seeger: Singer, songwriter, activist (5/19)
Yitzhak Shamir: Former Israeli Prime Minister, guerilla, politician (10/15)
Ravi Shankar: Hindu guru for the Beatles (4/20)
Ariel Sharon: Former Israeli Prime Minister, politician (2/28)
Charlie Sheen: Actor, celebrity, drug abuser (9/65)
Eduard Shevardnadze: Soviet bureaucart, President of Georgia (1/28)
King Sihanouk: Ousted king of Cambodia, politically exiled (10/22)
Neil Simon: Playwright, screenwriter (7/27)
OJ Simpson: Football player, actor, celebrity, murderer, criminal (7/47)
Tom Sizemore: Actor, drug addict (11/61)
Percy Sledge: Singer (11/40)
Alexander Solzhenitsyn: Author, activist, politicallu exiled (12/18)
Boris Spassky: Chess champion (1/37)
Britney Spears: Celebrity, drug addict (12/81)
Yves St Laurent: Fashion designer (8/36)
Jackie Stallone: celebrity, psychic, nutcase (12/21)
Harry Dean Stanton: Actor (7/26)
Jean Stapleton: Actress, activist (1/23)
Scott Stapp: Singer, drug addict (8/73)
George Steinbrenner: Baseball New York Yankees owner, business magnate, nutcase (7/30)
John Paul Stevens: US Supreme Court Justice (4/20)
Sly Stone: musician, singer (3/43)
Darryl Strawberry: Baseball player, inmate, drug addict (3/62)
Gloria Stuart: Actress, known for role in Titanic (7/1910)
Bert Sugar: Boxing publisher (6/36)
Suharto: Dictator of Indonesia (6/21)
Charles Taylor: Dictator of Liberia (1/48)
Elizabeth Taylor: Actress (2/32)
Rod Taylor: Actor (1/30)
Shirley Temple-Black: Actress, ambassador, activist (4/28)
Studs Terkel: Author, journalist, broadcaster (5/1912)
Margeret Thatcher: British Prime Minister, politician (10/25)
Pete Townshend: Guitarist, songwriter, sex offender (5/45)
Verne Troyer: Actor, celebrity (1/69)
Margaret Truman: Author, biographer, daughter of US President Truman (2/24)
Donald Trump: Business magnate, meglomaniac, nutcase (6/46)
Desmond Tutu: Religious leader, activist, political leader (12/31)
Joseph Tydings: Former US Maryland Senator (5/28)
Mike Tyson: Boxer, rapist, criminal, nutcase (6/66)
Abigail Van Buren: Newspaper columnist, moralist (7/18)
Steve Van Buren: Professional football player (12/20)
Dick Van Dyke: Actor, comedian (12/25)
Theodore Van Kirk: Navigator of the Enola Gay (2/21)
Dick Van Patten: Actor, celebrity (12/28)
Gloria Vanderbilt: Heiress, socialite, celebrity, activist (2/24)
Donatella Versace: Fashion designer, celebrity (5/55)
Gore Vidal: Essayist, novelist, playwright, commentator (10/25)
Abe Vigoda: Actor, celebrity (2/21)
Jan-Michael Vincent: Actor (7/44)
Otto von Habsburg: Crown Prince of Austria, celebrity (12/1912)
Max von Sydow: Actor (4/29)
Mike Wallace: Journalist (5/18)
Eli Wallach: Actor, philanthropist (12/15)
Charlie Watts: Drummer (6/41)
Scott Weiland: Singer, drug addict (10/67)
The Duke of Wellington: Aristocrat (7/15
Kitty Wells: Singer (8/19)
Adam West: Actor, celebrity (9/28)
Ruth Westheimer: Sex therapist, author, wartime sniper (6/28)
Betty White: Actress, activist (1/22)
Kevin White: Former Mayor of Boston MA (9/25)
Slim Whitman: Singer (1/24)
James Whitmore: Actor (10/21)
Phyllis Whitney: Author (9/1903)
Richard Widmark: Actor (12/1914)
Elie Wiesel: Activist, novelist (9/28)
Gene Wilder: Actor, screenwriter, director (6/33)
Andy Williams: Singer (12/27)
John Williams: Composer (2/32)
Brian Wilson: Musician (6/42)
Amy Winehouse: Singer, songwriter, drug addict (9/83)
Jonathon Winters: Comedian, actor, writer (11/25)
John Wooden: Greatest college basketball coach (10/1910)
Herman Wouk: Author (5/15)
Andrew Wyeth: Painter (7/17)
Bill Wyman: Guitarist (10/36)
Chuck Yeager: Military officer, test pilot (2/23)
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: Guru (10/1911)
Victor Yushchenko: President of Ukraine (2/54)
Franco Zeffirelli: Film Director (2/23)
Jiang Zemin: Dictator of China (8/26)
Efrem Zimbalist Jr,: Actor (11/18)
************************************
We should also see some of these other oldest living former governors , oldest former US congresspeople, or another of these oldest living US Senators pass.
A good source for a list of those still alive over age 85 is...
http://www.deadoraliveinfo.com/dead.nsf/viewdocs-nf/oldpeople
And one is macabre enough to want to enter a contest to challenge others on whom that is noteworthy that will die in 2008, you can go to...
http://www.thedeadpool.com/
http://dir.yahoo.com/Entertainment/Contests__Surveys__and_Polls/Pools/Death_Pools/
-----
Aggregate Losses of Trillions of Dollars
That is what is being projected for homeowners collectively in their housing values across the nation by a leading respected Yale University economist, Dr Rober Shiller. The research he is doing indicates strongly that home values are now falling everywhere in all regions around the nation and will continue to for the foreseeable future. The economist says, "This housing recession will go on for years." Distressing news and negative projections of this strong magnitude is very alarming, but on the good side, perhaps prices will get down to a point where someone like me will become eligible to buy a new home within a decade.
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article3111659.ece
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http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/economics/article3111659.ece
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California, Like Elsewhere, to Change Greatly in Coming Years
The effects and consequences of Global Warming on most places will quite rapid. Areas and regions closest to oceans and seas will probably see changes the fastest. The California we all know, appreciate, and enjoy will undergo strong climatic and environmental alterations with the next two decades. More of the state will be like Baja California and the western Mexican coastal area.
http://news.aol.com/story/_a/climate-set-to-alter-california/20071229195309990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001
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http://news.aol.com/story/_a/climate-set-to-alter-california/20071229195309990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001
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Saturday, December 29, 2007
My Week in Review: 23-29 December
The blog post of what happened to me in the past week is hereby presented.
Sunday 23 December: Another day off to enjoy on a Sunday. After awakening around 9:45am, I had oatmeal for breakfast. It was a cold day with partly to mostly cloudy skies and temperatures only reaching about 30 degrees with plenty of wind. The forecast is for the weather to continue to be like this all week long with periods of snow mixed in. I ventured out after halftime of the Bears/Packers game (the weather here was actually pretty good compared to what it was in Chicago) to get over to King Soopers for the weekly grocery run and the Sunday newspapers. I did not get much except some bread, bananas, cottage cheese, and a cherry pie. I will have to get over to Walmart for the larger monthly run on Wednesday as I did not get to that task last week. I returned home and had my cottage cheese and french bread with margerine for lunch and half-heartedly watched the Patriots whip Miami to go 15-0. Their upcoming game on Saturday night at the Giants will be widely watched to see if they can go unbeaten. I read my newspapers, did the three sudoku puzzles, and generally relaxed. With the onset of evening, I caught the Avalanche/Canucks, the Redskins/Vikings game, the Boise St/East Carolina bowl game in Hawaii, and the late news. I took a long hot shower and headed off to sleep around midnight as work is on the slate with an eight hour day to bore me on Christmas Eve day.
Monday 24 December: Christmas Eve 2007 arrives in the Great White North as snow cover has been present now for about three straight weeks and about 31 or 32 of the last 35 days. Today was a milder nicer day as mostly cloudy skies were the rule as temperatures got to 43 degrees and the wind all but died off after dawn after a night of good blowing. I, of course, worked a seven hour day, getting home around 5:45pm. I am having trouble with my left eyelid as a growth has developed on it which is quite irritating. It does not seem infected but dry and scaly and protruding about the normal skin surface. I will keep trying to wash it but I am unsure what to do about it. Fortunately it is not interfering with sleep. The evening brought us MNF with the Broncos against the Chargers in San Diego --- now that is where I would not mind being at this time of year. A snow event is expected to commence throughout the Front Range from north of Cheyenne into southern Colorado after midnight and through much of Tuesday as 3-5" are expected and roads will once again become quite hazardous. There was already a noteworthy serious accident with fatalities last Saturday night as a highly respected behind the scenes leader in formulating public policy in Colorado for over 30 years along with his wife and his oldest daughter were killed west of Rawlins on I-80. John Parr, his wife Sandy Widener, and Chase Parr were the victims. His younger daughter Katy was seriously injured but expected to survive. What a horrible tragedy and for the younger daughter to be so suddenly and violently to be made an orphan and siblingless in a split second is just undescribably awful. The thoughts of many go out to her and the remaining family at this time of year. I had kielbasa and mashed potatoes with gravy for dinner. I did what I regularly do after work and went to bed around . Upcoming on Christmas Day will be a 20 mile drive north and west to enjoy a nice dinner feast with Brant, Sara, and their family as they will have been kind and generous to me yet again.
Tuesday 25 December: A day off from work so I slept in until after 11am. It was a strongly forbidding day as about 4" of snow had fallen overnight and the wind was still howling after starting to kick up last night around 10pm. I had a couple of bowls of oatmeal for breakfast and turned on the radio to listen to some music. Once again the landlord brought over some Christmas treats for me around 1pm. I have lived in over 50 different residences as an adult and this is the first time in 30 years that this has happened. I am somewhat perplexed on how to respond, both literally and figuratively. While many people like the idea of a white christmas, I am not among them. If the first and about the only snow of the year was to be at Christmas, then it would be okay. But living in a region where lifestyle changing snows begin early in October and continue well into April, I can easily forgo the sentiment and settle for the safety and convenience of dry roads and warmer temps. Hopefully 2008 will bring us a Christmas week with temps in the 50s, largely sunny skies, and no snow in sight anywhere. I must drive out to the Xmas dinner along extremely dangerous roads that are largely isolated. Merry Christmas and Happy New Years, best wishes on continued success, happiness, prosperity, and bliss to all the readers of the blog across cyberspace. And especially to sisters MKW, KVS, & LAC & all their families; brothers VML & HBL and their families; and to friends Todd, Brant, Matt, & their families. And to all the men and women that used to be in my life including my mother and KMT. At Brant's home we had spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread for supper as Sara had to work at the pharmacy on the overnight shift in town so the celebration was subtle. They are planning a big festival on New Years Eve with shrimp, crab legs, steak, & prime rib to ring in '08 so I am looking forward to that during my vacation week. The roads were quite poor and treacherous as the left lane on I-25 was snowpacked, icy, and apparently unplowed both when I went out around 5:45 and coming back in around 10:45. And the massive glacier has strongly reappeared on their land as it is 6-7' deep in much of, solidly frozen to hold my weight with no give, and extend over 12,ooo sq ft in area. It will be there until late February or March and Brant says he will rent a road grader to clear the driveway so they have more of a place to park. Ah the joys of living out in the country. When I returned home, I caught up on my emails, the blog, watched an episode of M*A*S*H, the start of Doctor Detroit, and the second part of a ST: DS9 episode before getting into bed around 12:45 am as another full day of work beckons on Wednesday morning.
Wednesday 26 December: A very cold morning that did not warm much at all as it went along into afternoon. I started with a nice hot shower before breakfast and venturing out around 8:20am. There was thick hard ice on all the windows on the White Knight as I headed out to work for the long full mundane day. It was a sunny morning that changed to partly to mostly cloudy into the afternoon as the temperature only got to around 25 degrees. After work, I finally made the monthly run to Walmart for staples and kept the tab down to just $25. While there, I accidentally slammed my right middle finger perfectly onto a sharp point of the cart causing a deep laceration resulting in me dripping blood on the floor in the aisles that I was shopping in. After I got home around 6:45pm, I watched the Motor City Bowl between Purdue and Central Michigan which turned out to be an entertaining game. Since I ate lunch late while at work after 2:45pm, I did not have much of an appetite for supper so I just had a piece of cherry pie. The weather forecast continues to be grim as another 4" of snow is expected over the next 24-36 hours with even more to come on Saturday. I do see a 45 degree forecast for next Wednesday so maybe there is a little hope on the distant horizon. I see youngest brother HBL may be in for about a foot in the CR area so I will not be quite so bad off relative to him. As the evening continued, I just relaxed, working on my blog, surfing the 'net, watching the news, listening to the Fox Radio (Alice Cooper hosts the evening programming block and plays some good music and tries to be funny), and later catching Nightline, ST:TNG, & ST:DS9 before heading off to sleep after 1am.
Thursday 27 December: I awoke around 9:30am and saw the snow had again hammered us. by evening over 4" had fallen. The high temperature reached a balmy 16 degrees. I turned on the news to catch some weather details but was stunned to hear of the assassination of Benizir Bhutto. This is very tragic and profoundly disturbing news. WWIV has just taken on another new dimension that will be violent and destructive for many. I worked all day until 7:30pm. And I once again cut my right middle finger on a razor blade that was positioned just right in a drawer where I was reaching for a tool. Thats two deep lacerations on the same finger in about 24 hours ! After returning home, I relaxed and watched the Avalanche/Redwings game while keeping up on the Arizona State/Texas Holiday Bowl game. Supper consisted of butter bread and Lipton Noodles Stroganoff. I then caught the late evening news, Nightline, the episode of ST: TNG where the Enterprise goes inside an asteroid to retrieve a lost weapon, and then got into bed on this cold night around 12:30am.
Friday 28 December: I awoke around 1oam and took a nice long hot shower and wrapped my finger in a good thorough bandage braced to the right ring finger and then ate breakfast before venturing out to go to work on yet another bitterly cold day. With icy NW winds making it feel seem even colder, the high temperature only reached 21 degrees under clear skies. A little more snow is forecast for Sunday and this December will end up quite cold as we have not seen 45 degrees in over three and a half weeks. Hopefully January will be much milder. My finger bandage got filthy while at work so it was a good decision to protect it as much as I did. After getting done with work at 5pm, I went over to Taco Bell and got some cinnamon twists and a burrito to enjoy while I thoroughly read my newspapers and did the sudoku puzzles. I returned home around 6:45 and turned on the bowl games: the Texas Bowl between Texas Christian & Houston and the Emerald Bowl between Oregon St & Maryland. Both were good close competitive games. I then checked the 9pm news to get the latest on the weather, and then caught Nightline before switching over to ST: TNG. Saturday marks the beginning of a nine day break from work as I have wrapped up 39 consecutive weeks of work with only a couple of days off per week. I do not plan much considering the weather. I will watch plenty of bowl games, the NFL regular season finales and wild card games, and some NHL games; I may go rent some movies or go to the $1 theater; and I will work on cleaning, straightening, and further arranging the residence. And, most importantly, make an effort to learn of any other employment openings and apply for them. The hard cold facts about my current job is that the business is about to enter into its three slowest months of the year and I am looking at only getting around 22-25 hours per week which is nowhere what I require to make ends meet, especially with the looming huge electric heating bills and the possible threat of vehicle repairs ever present. Hopefully I will find something and be successful in getting on with the new change. This evening I also worked on my blog, surfed the 'net, and checked the email before going off to bed around 1am.
Saturday 29 December: The final weekend of 2007 dawned clear and cold throughout the region with snowcover everywhere in sight. I awoke around 10am and enjoyed a solitary quiet day at home. I had toaster waffles for breakfast. I worked on my blog, surfed the 'net, and kept on my email. Sports viewing was the order of the day as I watched all or parts of the Car Car Bowl between Connecticut and Wake Forest; the Avalanche/Kings game; the Wyoming/Wisconsin-Milwaukee college basketball game; the Liberty Bowl between Mississippi State and Central Florida; the Alamo Bowl between Penn State and Texas A&M; the college hockey game between Denver Univ and Dartmouth for the Denver Cup; and the big game between unbeaten New England and the New York Giants. I went outside for a little bit to take the trash out and check the mailbox around 4pm. I kept my whistle wet by drinking Apple-Cranberry Juice throughout the afternoon and evening. It only reached 24 degrees after a morning low of 14 as the winds roared strongly and ferociously all night and day from out of the west with gusts in excess of 50 mph. Thankfully there is no more snow in the forecast over the week and we will breaking freezing and even get into the 40s by Wednesday 2 January although little snowmelt will occur and that wind will cause widespread ground blizzards blowing all that snow around. I had chili for supper. The Patriots/Giants game turned out to be one for the ages and quite entertaining as New England successfully completed the regular season undefeated through sixteen games, a first. Now they wait to see whom they will matchup with in the playoffs: likely to be either Jacksonville or Pittsburgh followed by Indianapolis. The next three will be their most difficult yet in their quest to go 19-0 and win it all. As the evening waned, I halfheartedly watched some sorry movies on TV and sauntered off to retire for the night around 12:45am.
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Sunday 23 December: Another day off to enjoy on a Sunday. After awakening around 9:45am, I had oatmeal for breakfast. It was a cold day with partly to mostly cloudy skies and temperatures only reaching about 30 degrees with plenty of wind. The forecast is for the weather to continue to be like this all week long with periods of snow mixed in. I ventured out after halftime of the Bears/Packers game (the weather here was actually pretty good compared to what it was in Chicago) to get over to King Soopers for the weekly grocery run and the Sunday newspapers. I did not get much except some bread, bananas, cottage cheese, and a cherry pie. I will have to get over to Walmart for the larger monthly run on Wednesday as I did not get to that task last week. I returned home and had my cottage cheese and french bread with margerine for lunch and half-heartedly watched the Patriots whip Miami to go 15-0. Their upcoming game on Saturday night at the Giants will be widely watched to see if they can go unbeaten. I read my newspapers, did the three sudoku puzzles, and generally relaxed. With the onset of evening, I caught the Avalanche/Canucks, the Redskins/Vikings game, the Boise St/East Carolina bowl game in Hawaii, and the late news. I took a long hot shower and headed off to sleep around midnight as work is on the slate with an eight hour day to bore me on Christmas Eve day.
Monday 24 December: Christmas Eve 2007 arrives in the Great White North as snow cover has been present now for about three straight weeks and about 31 or 32 of the last 35 days. Today was a milder nicer day as mostly cloudy skies were the rule as temperatures got to 43 degrees and the wind all but died off after dawn after a night of good blowing. I, of course, worked a seven hour day, getting home around 5:45pm. I am having trouble with my left eyelid as a growth has developed on it which is quite irritating. It does not seem infected but dry and scaly and protruding about the normal skin surface. I will keep trying to wash it but I am unsure what to do about it. Fortunately it is not interfering with sleep. The evening brought us MNF with the Broncos against the Chargers in San Diego --- now that is where I would not mind being at this time of year. A snow event is expected to commence throughout the Front Range from north of Cheyenne into southern Colorado after midnight and through much of Tuesday as 3-5" are expected and roads will once again become quite hazardous. There was already a noteworthy serious accident with fatalities last Saturday night as a highly respected behind the scenes leader in formulating public policy in Colorado for over 30 years along with his wife and his oldest daughter were killed west of Rawlins on I-80. John Parr, his wife Sandy Widener, and Chase Parr were the victims. His younger daughter Katy was seriously injured but expected to survive. What a horrible tragedy and for the younger daughter to be so suddenly and violently to be made an orphan and siblingless in a split second is just undescribably awful. The thoughts of many go out to her and the remaining family at this time of year. I had kielbasa and mashed potatoes with gravy for dinner. I did what I regularly do after work and went to bed around . Upcoming on Christmas Day will be a 20 mile drive north and west to enjoy a nice dinner feast with Brant, Sara, and their family as they will have been kind and generous to me yet again.
Tuesday 25 December: A day off from work so I slept in until after 11am. It was a strongly forbidding day as about 4" of snow had fallen overnight and the wind was still howling after starting to kick up last night around 10pm. I had a couple of bowls of oatmeal for breakfast and turned on the radio to listen to some music. Once again the landlord brought over some Christmas treats for me around 1pm. I have lived in over 50 different residences as an adult and this is the first time in 30 years that this has happened. I am somewhat perplexed on how to respond, both literally and figuratively. While many people like the idea of a white christmas, I am not among them. If the first and about the only snow of the year was to be at Christmas, then it would be okay. But living in a region where lifestyle changing snows begin early in October and continue well into April, I can easily forgo the sentiment and settle for the safety and convenience of dry roads and warmer temps. Hopefully 2008 will bring us a Christmas week with temps in the 50s, largely sunny skies, and no snow in sight anywhere. I must drive out to the Xmas dinner along extremely dangerous roads that are largely isolated. Merry Christmas and Happy New Years, best wishes on continued success, happiness, prosperity, and bliss to all the readers of the blog across cyberspace. And especially to sisters MKW, KVS, & LAC & all their families; brothers VML & HBL and their families; and to friends Todd, Brant, Matt, & their families. And to all the men and women that used to be in my life including my mother and KMT. At Brant's home we had spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread for supper as Sara had to work at the pharmacy on the overnight shift in town so the celebration was subtle. They are planning a big festival on New Years Eve with shrimp, crab legs, steak, & prime rib to ring in '08 so I am looking forward to that during my vacation week. The roads were quite poor and treacherous as the left lane on I-25 was snowpacked, icy, and apparently unplowed both when I went out around 5:45 and coming back in around 10:45. And the massive glacier has strongly reappeared on their land as it is 6-7' deep in much of, solidly frozen to hold my weight with no give, and extend over 12,ooo sq ft in area. It will be there until late February or March and Brant says he will rent a road grader to clear the driveway so they have more of a place to park. Ah the joys of living out in the country. When I returned home, I caught up on my emails, the blog, watched an episode of M*A*S*H, the start of Doctor Detroit, and the second part of a ST: DS9 episode before getting into bed around 12:45 am as another full day of work beckons on Wednesday morning.
Wednesday 26 December: A very cold morning that did not warm much at all as it went along into afternoon. I started with a nice hot shower before breakfast and venturing out around 8:20am. There was thick hard ice on all the windows on the White Knight as I headed out to work for the long full mundane day. It was a sunny morning that changed to partly to mostly cloudy into the afternoon as the temperature only got to around 25 degrees. After work, I finally made the monthly run to Walmart for staples and kept the tab down to just $25. While there, I accidentally slammed my right middle finger perfectly onto a sharp point of the cart causing a deep laceration resulting in me dripping blood on the floor in the aisles that I was shopping in. After I got home around 6:45pm, I watched the Motor City Bowl between Purdue and Central Michigan which turned out to be an entertaining game. Since I ate lunch late while at work after 2:45pm, I did not have much of an appetite for supper so I just had a piece of cherry pie. The weather forecast continues to be grim as another 4" of snow is expected over the next 24-36 hours with even more to come on Saturday. I do see a 45 degree forecast for next Wednesday so maybe there is a little hope on the distant horizon. I see youngest brother HBL may be in for about a foot in the CR area so I will not be quite so bad off relative to him. As the evening continued, I just relaxed, working on my blog, surfing the 'net, watching the news, listening to the Fox Radio (Alice Cooper hosts the evening programming block and plays some good music and tries to be funny), and later catching Nightline, ST:TNG, & ST:DS9 before heading off to sleep after 1am.
Thursday 27 December: I awoke around 9:30am and saw the snow had again hammered us. by evening over 4" had fallen. The high temperature reached a balmy 16 degrees. I turned on the news to catch some weather details but was stunned to hear of the assassination of Benizir Bhutto. This is very tragic and profoundly disturbing news. WWIV has just taken on another new dimension that will be violent and destructive for many. I worked all day until 7:30pm. And I once again cut my right middle finger on a razor blade that was positioned just right in a drawer where I was reaching for a tool. Thats two deep lacerations on the same finger in about 24 hours ! After returning home, I relaxed and watched the Avalanche/Redwings game while keeping up on the Arizona State/Texas Holiday Bowl game. Supper consisted of butter bread and Lipton Noodles Stroganoff. I then caught the late evening news, Nightline, the episode of ST: TNG where the Enterprise goes inside an asteroid to retrieve a lost weapon, and then got into bed on this cold night around 12:30am.
Friday 28 December: I awoke around 1oam and took a nice long hot shower and wrapped my finger in a good thorough bandage braced to the right ring finger and then ate breakfast before venturing out to go to work on yet another bitterly cold day. With icy NW winds making it feel seem even colder, the high temperature only reached 21 degrees under clear skies. A little more snow is forecast for Sunday and this December will end up quite cold as we have not seen 45 degrees in over three and a half weeks. Hopefully January will be much milder. My finger bandage got filthy while at work so it was a good decision to protect it as much as I did. After getting done with work at 5pm, I went over to Taco Bell and got some cinnamon twists and a burrito to enjoy while I thoroughly read my newspapers and did the sudoku puzzles. I returned home around 6:45 and turned on the bowl games: the Texas Bowl between Texas Christian & Houston and the Emerald Bowl between Oregon St & Maryland. Both were good close competitive games. I then checked the 9pm news to get the latest on the weather, and then caught Nightline before switching over to ST: TNG. Saturday marks the beginning of a nine day break from work as I have wrapped up 39 consecutive weeks of work with only a couple of days off per week. I do not plan much considering the weather. I will watch plenty of bowl games, the NFL regular season finales and wild card games, and some NHL games; I may go rent some movies or go to the $1 theater; and I will work on cleaning, straightening, and further arranging the residence. And, most importantly, make an effort to learn of any other employment openings and apply for them. The hard cold facts about my current job is that the business is about to enter into its three slowest months of the year and I am looking at only getting around 22-25 hours per week which is nowhere what I require to make ends meet, especially with the looming huge electric heating bills and the possible threat of vehicle repairs ever present. Hopefully I will find something and be successful in getting on with the new change. This evening I also worked on my blog, surfed the 'net, and checked the email before going off to bed around 1am.
Saturday 29 December: The final weekend of 2007 dawned clear and cold throughout the region with snowcover everywhere in sight. I awoke around 10am and enjoyed a solitary quiet day at home. I had toaster waffles for breakfast. I worked on my blog, surfed the 'net, and kept on my email. Sports viewing was the order of the day as I watched all or parts of the Car Car Bowl between Connecticut and Wake Forest; the Avalanche/Kings game; the Wyoming/Wisconsin-Milwaukee college basketball game; the Liberty Bowl between Mississippi State and Central Florida; the Alamo Bowl between Penn State and Texas A&M; the college hockey game between Denver Univ and Dartmouth for the Denver Cup; and the big game between unbeaten New England and the New York Giants. I went outside for a little bit to take the trash out and check the mailbox around 4pm. I kept my whistle wet by drinking Apple-Cranberry Juice throughout the afternoon and evening. It only reached 24 degrees after a morning low of 14 as the winds roared strongly and ferociously all night and day from out of the west with gusts in excess of 50 mph. Thankfully there is no more snow in the forecast over the week and we will breaking freezing and even get into the 40s by Wednesday 2 January although little snowmelt will occur and that wind will cause widespread ground blizzards blowing all that snow around. I had chili for supper. The Patriots/Giants game turned out to be one for the ages and quite entertaining as New England successfully completed the regular season undefeated through sixteen games, a first. Now they wait to see whom they will matchup with in the playoffs: likely to be either Jacksonville or Pittsburgh followed by Indianapolis. The next three will be their most difficult yet in their quest to go 19-0 and win it all. As the evening waned, I halfheartedly watched some sorry movies on TV and sauntered off to retire for the night around 12:45am.
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Controversy Always When It Concerns Off-Roading
This activity has increased exponentially on both private and public land across the nation, particularly in the West. I am of a mixed mind about it. I wish it could be done without so much destruction occuring, but the nature of those who participate in this pastime does not include a very high level of consciousness. I seriously doubt anything will change about the negative effects and consequences of off-roading unless, of course, my wish to see the BLM eliminated and having those lands sold off to private owners or converted to wilderness, national park, forest, monument, and grassland is ever realized.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/30/us/30lands.html?ei=5089&en=0d2984def653fcf0&ex=1356670800&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss&pagewanted=all
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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/30/us/30lands.html?ei=5089&en=0d2984def653fcf0&ex=1356670800&partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss&pagewanted=all
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Opening Week Schedule of Major League Baseball Set
It is nice to think about baseball starting up again when its so cold and wintry outside. Here is the schedule for the opening week of the season. [all times MDT]
Pre-Traditional Opening Day
BSN v OAK @ Tokyo, Japan: TUE 3/25 @ 3am; WED 3/26 @ 3am
ATL @ WASH: SUN 3/30 @ 6pm
******************************
Traditional Opening Day
National League
ARIZ @ CINC: MON 3/31 @ 10am; WED 4/2 @ 5pm; THR 4/3 @ 10:30am
MLW @ CHI: MON 3/31 @ noon; WED/THR 4/2-3 @ noon
PGH @ ATL: MON 3/31 @ tbd; WED 4/2 @ tbd; THR 4/3 @ tbd
WASH @ PHIL: MON 3/31 @ 1pm; WED 4/2 @ 5pm; THR 4/3 @ 11am
SF @ LA: MON 3/31 @ 2pm; TUE/WED 4/1-2 @ 8pm
NY @ FLA: MON 3/31 @ 2pm; TUE/WED 4/1-2 @ 5pm
COLO @ STL: MON 3/31 @ 2:15pm; WED 4/2 @ 6:15pm; THR 4/3 @ 11:15am
HTN @ SD: MON 3/31 @ 8pm; TUE/WED 4/1-2 @ 8pm; THR 4/3 @ 1:30pm
American League
KC @ DET: MON 3/31 @ 10am; WED/THR 4/2-3 @ 10am
TOR @ NY: MON 3/31 @ 11am; WED/THR 4/2-3 @ 5pm
TB @ BALT: MON 3/31 @ 1pm; WED/THR 4/2-3 @ 5pm
CHI @ CLE: MON 3/31 @ 1pm; WED 4/2 @ 5pm; THR 4/3 @ 10am
TEX @ SEA: MON 3/31 @ 4:30pm; TUE/WED 4/1-2 @ 8pm
ANAH @ MINN: MON 3/31 @ 5pm; TUE/WED 4/1-2 @ 6pm; THR 4/3 @ 11am
BSN @ OAK: TUE 4/1 @ 8pm; WED 4/2 @ 8pm
********************************************
Every team plays on the traditional opening day with the exception of the Redsox and Athletics. This is the first time I can recall so full a schedule for opening day.
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Pre-Traditional Opening Day
BSN v OAK @ Tokyo, Japan: TUE 3/25 @ 3am; WED 3/26 @ 3am
ATL @ WASH: SUN 3/30 @ 6pm
******************************
Traditional Opening Day
National League
ARIZ @ CINC: MON 3/31 @ 10am; WED 4/2 @ 5pm; THR 4/3 @ 10:30am
MLW @ CHI: MON 3/31 @ noon; WED/THR 4/2-3 @ noon
PGH @ ATL: MON 3/31 @ tbd; WED 4/2 @ tbd; THR 4/3 @ tbd
WASH @ PHIL: MON 3/31 @ 1pm; WED 4/2 @ 5pm; THR 4/3 @ 11am
SF @ LA: MON 3/31 @ 2pm; TUE/WED 4/1-2 @ 8pm
NY @ FLA: MON 3/31 @ 2pm; TUE/WED 4/1-2 @ 5pm
COLO @ STL: MON 3/31 @ 2:15pm; WED 4/2 @ 6:15pm; THR 4/3 @ 11:15am
HTN @ SD: MON 3/31 @ 8pm; TUE/WED 4/1-2 @ 8pm; THR 4/3 @ 1:30pm
American League
KC @ DET: MON 3/31 @ 10am; WED/THR 4/2-3 @ 10am
TOR @ NY: MON 3/31 @ 11am; WED/THR 4/2-3 @ 5pm
TB @ BALT: MON 3/31 @ 1pm; WED/THR 4/2-3 @ 5pm
CHI @ CLE: MON 3/31 @ 1pm; WED 4/2 @ 5pm; THR 4/3 @ 10am
TEX @ SEA: MON 3/31 @ 4:30pm; TUE/WED 4/1-2 @ 8pm
ANAH @ MINN: MON 3/31 @ 5pm; TUE/WED 4/1-2 @ 6pm; THR 4/3 @ 11am
BSN @ OAK: TUE 4/1 @ 8pm; WED 4/2 @ 8pm
********************************************
Every team plays on the traditional opening day with the exception of the Redsox and Athletics. This is the first time I can recall so full a schedule for opening day.
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Cost of Iraq Nears a HALF TRILLION DOLLARS !
The war in Iraq is costing us over $1600, or more money than I earn in two months. The war has now gone on for 58 months, second longest in American history behind the Revolutionary War. Over 3900 soldiers have died, and over 38,ooo have been wounded or medically evacuated to hospitals. As this war closes in on this unimaginable amount, it still is less than one-quarter of the cost of World War II for Americans in current dollars.
http://nationalpriorities.org/cms/costofwar
http://www.threeworldwars.com/overview.htm
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http://nationalpriorities.org/cms/costofwar
http://www.threeworldwars.com/overview.htm
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The Ultimate New Television
It is being reported that Panasonic will debut a 150" Plasma HDTV at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. This would mark a nearly 50 % increase over the current largest TV available which costs a tidy $70,000. One would think the new monster will be priced near one hundred grand, but one also suspects an even larger Sharp, Sony, Mitsubishi, or Hitachi will be debuted in the very near future for less money. Nice thing to buy if you win a big Powerball Lottery. Sharp is regarded as the industry leader in this kind of consumer electronics so their next fantasy monster will be the state-of -the art leader.http://www.engadgethd.com/2007/12/24/panasonic-showing-a-150-inch-plasma-at-ces/
Editorial on Important Upcoming Movie
Using historical perspective to explain events and actions of today is an excellent way to try to get to understand how we are as as a society, culture, and a nation.
http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/editorials/161
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http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/editorials/161
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Imminent Death of Most Print Journalism
It increasingly looks as if newspapers in print form will be going the way of the dodo bird in even faster order than recently envisioned. In many ways, it is already happening. I never see anyone younger than me reading them. It is obviously the journalistic form of the 20th century and the past. I guess we will all be carrying our computers everywhere and all the time to access information even more so and I look for cellphone-like devices that will come into the market within a short time that will have the capability to make a three dimensional holographic projection that can be manipulated and controlled from within the device so that websites and information sources can be made larger and much easier to look at and read for the rapidly increasing poor visioned boomers and GenX users. The same change will also be happening to books. And the paper mill industry will be reduced to just largely manufacturing bathroom tissue, kleenix, and paper towels.
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31&aid=135059
http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31&aid=135059
Incredible Exciting Discovery
This news is pretty interesting and cool. It will be great to hear what additional findings are made as research is done on this previously unknown phenomena. One huge implication of these findings is the increased possibilities of life in very cold subsurface water reservoirs on other planets and moons.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/12/071227-antarctica-wetland.html
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http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/12/071227-antarctica-wetland.html
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Latest from Iowa
Here is a website with information and links about the rapidly approaching critical Iowa caucuses on Thursday 3 January. The polls cited here indicate a very close race on the Democratic side between Clinton, Edwards, and Obama; and an ever-widening lead for Huckabee.
http://www.iowapolitics.com/
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http://www.iowapolitics.com/
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Essential Acts That Must Be Taken
I agree wholeheartedly with Ralph Nadar's observations and recommendations.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/29/6056/
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http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/29/6056/
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Musharraf in on Murder of Bhutto
Sentiment and belief is strong around the world about this. Pakistani governmental claims that the murder was done by al-Qaida have no credibility with most. Everyone is smelling a rat, and this one is an arrogant despotic ugly moustached old enternal fat little general who has a history of doing anything and everything to maintain his power. Sounds like he is the Pakistani version of Saddam Hussein and Joseph Stalin. And that means implimenting covert state directed executions of political opponents.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article3291600.ece
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=4064729&page=1
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2543550
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22427154/
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http://news.independent.co.uk/world/asia/article3291600.ece
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=4064729&page=1
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2543550
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22427154/
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Oscar Wilde and Denver, CO
Tom Noel, the eminent historian, writes a nice piece here, that is educational and entertaining, as he usually does in any of his articles published weekly on Saturdays in the Rocky Mountain News.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/29/noel-turns-out-oscar-was-wild-about-rockies/
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http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/29/noel-turns-out-oscar-was-wild-about-rockies/
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Wyoming Ninth in Population Growth Rate
Adding 10,000 people to the population of Wyoming is quite unusual. Do not look for a repeat of this in 2008.
http://www.trib.com/articles/2007/12/29/news/wyoming/15e111ef92dd8739872573be00022dc6.txt
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http://www.trib.com/articles/2007/12/29/news/wyoming/15e111ef92dd8739872573be00022dc6.txt
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2007 Continues Broad Changes in Climate
And the beat goes on as 2007 continues the steep trend upward for new high temperature records and events of extraordinary weather. 2008 will even be more so.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8TR6ASG0&show_article=1
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/records/
http://www.wmo.ch/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_791_e.html
http://nsidc.org/news/press/2007_seaiceminimum/20071001_pressrelease.html
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2007/aug/aug-heat-event.php.records
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http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8TR6ASG0&show_article=1
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/records/
http://www.wmo.ch/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_791_e.html
http://nsidc.org/news/press/2007_seaiceminimum/20071001_pressrelease.html
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2007/aug/aug-heat-event.php.records
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Another Wolf Found in Colorado
News of a wolf or perhaps even wolves returning to Colorado decades after mankind exterminated them is not surprising. Rocky Mountain National Park and the surrounding mountain countryside offers the creatures areas full of prey and a setting that will limit interactions with humans. It will be interesting to hear if more sightings are reported in the coming months or if this particular report has made an erroneous conclusion.
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_7831030
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http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_7831030
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Friday, December 28, 2007
Population Growth Sets Pace in Mountain Time Zone States
The US Census Bureau released its most recent state population estimates statistics and they show noteworthy growth in the West. Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and Idaho are 1-2-3-4, and Colorado and Wyoming are 8 and 9 for rate of change. In terms of raw numbers, Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, and North Carolina have all added greater than a million people each so far in this decade. The states losing population are Louisiana and North Dakota.
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_7827187
http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_7816378
http://www.cqpolitics.com/cq-assets/cqmultimedia/pdfs/2007_12_27popestimates.pdf
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2007-12-27-state-populations_N.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-12-28-agingwest_N.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2007-08-09-hispanic-growth_N.htm
http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/othercities/losangeles/stories/2007/12/24/daily11.html
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002649795
http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/house_history/congApp.html
http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2007-03.csv
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/27/100000-new-to-colo-in-07/
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/27/louisianas-population-rebounds-western-states/
-----
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_7827187
http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_7816378
http://www.cqpolitics.com/cq-assets/cqmultimedia/pdfs/2007_12_27popestimates.pdf
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2007-12-27-state-populations_N.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-12-28-agingwest_N.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/census/2007-08-09-hispanic-growth_N.htm
http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/othercities/losangeles/stories/2007/12/24/daily11.html
http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=5&docID=news-000002649795
http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/house_history/congApp.html
http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2007-03.csv
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/27/100000-new-to-colo-in-07/
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/dec/27/louisianas-population-rebounds-western-states/
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NFL Picks for Week Seventeen, 29-30 December
Here are the picks for the games being played in the final and Seventeenth week of the National Football League regular season on Saturday 29 December and Sunday 30 December.
Saturday 29 December
NENG (15-0) @ NYG (10-5): Patriots (-13) 31, Giants 20
+ +
Sunday 30 December
BUF (7-8) @ PHIL (7-8): Eagles (-8 1/2) 24, Bills 17
+ +
CAR (6-9) @ TB (9-6): Buccaneers (+3) 16, Panthers 13 UPSET
X X
CINC (6-9) @ MIA (1-14): Bengals (-2 1/2) 30, Dolphins 20
+ +
DET (7-8) @ GB (12-3): Packers (-4 1/2) 23, Lions 16
+ +
JAX (11-4) @ HTN (7-8): Texans (-6) 24, Jaguars 17
+ +
NORL (7-8) @ CHI (6-9): Bears (+2) 30, Saints 26 UPSET
+ +
SEA (10-5) @ ATL (3-12): Seahawks (+1 1/2) 25, Falcons 20 UPSET
X X
SF (5-10) @ CLE (9-6): Browns (-12) 34, FortyNiners 21
+ +
DAL (13-2) @ WASH (8-7): Redskins (-9) 33, Cocaineboys 19
+ +
MINN (8-7) @ DEN (6-9): Vikings (-3) 37, Broncos 28
X X
SD (10-5)) @ OAK (4-11): Chargers (-10) 30, Raiders 16
+ +
PGH (10-5) @ BALT (4-11): Ravens (+3) 16, Steelers 14 UPSET
+ +
STL (3-12) @ ARIZ (7-8): Cardinals (-6) 29, Rams 20
+ +
KC (4-11) @ NYJ (3-12): Jets (-6) 20, Chiefs 17
+ +
TENN (9-6) @ IND (13-2): Colts (+5) 23, Titans 20 UPSET
12-3/12-3/2-2
-----
Saturday 29 December
NENG (15-0) @ NYG (10-5): Patriots (-13) 31, Giants 20
+ +
Sunday 30 December
BUF (7-8) @ PHIL (7-8): Eagles (-8 1/2) 24, Bills 17
+ +
CAR (6-9) @ TB (9-6): Buccaneers (+3) 16, Panthers 13 UPSET
X X
CINC (6-9) @ MIA (1-14): Bengals (-2 1/2) 30, Dolphins 20
+ +
DET (7-8) @ GB (12-3): Packers (-4 1/2) 23, Lions 16
+ +
JAX (11-4) @ HTN (7-8): Texans (-6) 24, Jaguars 17
+ +
NORL (7-8) @ CHI (6-9): Bears (+2) 30, Saints 26 UPSET
+ +
SEA (10-5) @ ATL (3-12): Seahawks (+1 1/2) 25, Falcons 20 UPSET
X X
SF (5-10) @ CLE (9-6): Browns (-12) 34, FortyNiners 21
+ +
DAL (13-2) @ WASH (8-7): Redskins (-9) 33, Cocaineboys 19
+ +
MINN (8-7) @ DEN (6-9): Vikings (-3) 37, Broncos 28
X X
SD (10-5)) @ OAK (4-11): Chargers (-10) 30, Raiders 16
+ +
PGH (10-5) @ BALT (4-11): Ravens (+3) 16, Steelers 14 UPSET
+ +
STL (3-12) @ ARIZ (7-8): Cardinals (-6) 29, Rams 20
+ +
KC (4-11) @ NYJ (3-12): Jets (-6) 20, Chiefs 17
+ +
TENN (9-6) @ IND (13-2): Colts (+5) 23, Titans 20 UPSET
12-3/12-3/2-2
-----
Graph of Historical Housing Values
This graph is based on an index created by Robert Shiller, a Yale University economist. It shows the radical dramatic increase seen in home values this decade after 110 years of having a range of between 68 % and 122 % relative to 1890. It is very easy to envision a strong downturn back to the historical range that existed before 2000. That would mean for most homeowners a decline in the value of their homes by between 40 and 50 %. The economic catastrophic implications of such a decline are almost impossible to consider and ponder. The huge number of foreclosures that would occur would devastate many individuals, families, neighborhoods, communities, and society. And you can look for a significant number of bank collapses and failures which would create additional ripple effects on the economy as a whole in a number of largely unforeseeable and unimaginable ways.
-----
A Belated Happy Birthday to Niece Chelsea
Belatedly, best wishes to my second oldest niece on her all important 18th birthday. You made it to adulthood ! You have a bright and wonderful future ahead for you and your Dad and Mom have a lot to be proud of you in so many ways. I apologize for being a poor uncle and being not part of your life. Maybe at some point we can get to have some conversations and discussions about a wide variety of topics and subjects if you should so decide. Enjoy your final semester as a high school student !
-----
-----
Central Appalachians to be Decimated by Coal Corporations
This news of the legitimizing of destruction of much of West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, southeastern Pennsylvania, southern Ohio and southwestern Virginia for coal mining is very disappointing and an environmental holocaust in the making.
http://www.jimhightower.com/node/6297
http://www.appalachian-center.org/
-----
http://www.jimhightower.com/node/6297
http://www.appalachian-center.org/
-----
Kucinich Endorsment
Its great to see a widely read and well respected journalistic periodical like The Nation give their endorsement for president to Dennis Kucinich. Unfortunately, he will not win, but this helps place him in a greater position for putting together the party platform and creating vital much needed changes in public policy.
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080107/editors
-----
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080107/editors
-----
The Destruction of American Liberties
Reading this makes me shake me head in complete anger and disgust. Actions like this are making America an unjust tyranny.
http://www.antiwar.com/roberts/?articleid=12113
-----
http://www.antiwar.com/roberts/?articleid=12113
-----
The Biggest, Filthiest, Greediest Corporate Pigs
These evil disgusting putrid corporate executives and their ilk are criminal and immoral disgraces and need to be removed from American life and exiled to Afghanistan or sub-Saharan Africa. And the corporations that allowed this kind of activity need to be destroyed and obliterated.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/27/165410/40/495/426663
http://www.footnoted.org/
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/12/26/big_stinker_q/
-----
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/12/27/165410/40/495/426663
http://www.footnoted.org/
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/12/26/big_stinker_q/
-----
Say Yes to Single Payer Universal Health Care
This is the best and only acceptable health care program proposal. Enactment of HR 676 is the answer and way to do just that.
http://www.democratictalkradio.com/wordpress/?p=632
-----
http://www.democratictalkradio.com/wordpress/?p=632
-----
John Edwards Nails It Head On
These are excellent accurate reasons on why a vote for John Edwards is the correct one instead of for Obama or Clinton.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/12/28/edwards-radicalizes-anti_n_78600.html
-----
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/12/28/edwards-radicalizes-anti_n_78600.html
-----
A Great Plan for Future American Presidential Elections
Sirota presents a great vision for changing the current inept biased system of electing a president from both parties. The nominating process needs to be strongly changed as well. I favor a national lottery authorized by Congress to have eight regional primaries to be held from 15 April to 25 June each election year with states to participate in their assigned geographical region if they choose to. Two states would be selected to hold a primary or caucus one week earlier than the start of the regional primaries. The two states would also be chosen by lottery and this lottery could be weighted in favor of certain states each new election year. This would ensure a different state could help set the pace for the process rather than the same old two we are stuck with now, Iowa and New Hampshire. Should not another state, be it a Mississippi or an Oregon or a North Dakota or a New York or a Kentucky or a Utah or any other state have its citizens take a leading role in starting this process ? I strongly believe so. The system we currently have is broken, stuck in a rut, and occurring at a time of year when weather and climate often deters participation.
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20071228_the_path_to_a_national_popular_vote/
-----
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20071228_the_path_to_a_national_popular_vote/
-----
Explanation of Why Trade with China is So Bad for Most Americans
This is a good explanation of why the quality of life and standard of living has declined for most middle class and poor Americans so noticeably over the last 15-20 years. Poorly envisioned and written trade agreements are economically strangling most American citizens.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/28/opinion/28krugman.html?_r=2&ref=opinion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
-----
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/28/opinion/28krugman.html?_r=2&ref=opinion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
-----
A Perfect Description of Yours Truly
The writer of this essay had captured my feelings and sentiments about much quite well. I am highly irate about how my and your nation has been ruined, pillaged, and largely destroyed by the corporations, the wealthy, and their government muscle and slackjaw hacks.
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/28/6030/
-----
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/28/6030/
-----
Interesting Topic from History
I have been reading about this and trying to find out more information about this rather obscure 19th century organization, the Knights of the Golden Circle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_of_the_Golden_Circle
http://knightsofthegoldencircle.net/
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/mexican-war/knights-golden-circle.htm
http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Knights_Of_The_Golden_Circle
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/KK/vbk1.html
-----
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_of_the_Golden_Circle
http://knightsofthegoldencircle.net/
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/mexican-war/knights-golden-circle.htm
http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Knights_Of_The_Golden_Circle
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/KK/vbk1.html
-----
My "Bucket" List
With the new movie "The Bucket List" coming out, here are some things and places I would include on a list of my own of things I would like to do before my time on this planet is up.
1) Travel extensively. I would like to see all the US national parks and historical sights; go to Europe, Australia, Europe, Canada, the Caribbean, South America, and Hawaii. I would like to watch a game in every major league baseball ballpark, and in many football and hockey venues, both professional and college. There are a number of historical and cultural museums globally that I would like to visit including the Baseball, Pro Football, College Football, and Hockey Halls of Fame. I would like to attend the Kentucky Derby; the Indianapolis 500; a recording of Jay Leno, David Letterman, and The Price is Right; and see the sunrise from the Atlantic Ocean to the sunset in the Pacific Ocean. I want to go fishing on a remote lake or river in Northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba. I want to see Alaska. I want to go the Rose Bowl game and others. I want to go to every World Series and Stanley Cup game some year. I want to spend Christmas Week in Manhattan. I want to spend New Years Eve in Las Vegas. I want to drive for two weeks through rural New England to see the autumn colors. I want to go scuba diving off a tropical reef to see the spectacular sea life in that ecosystem. I want to be somewhere tropical when its winter and somewhere cold when its summer. I want to see everyplace that I lived in and at again. I would like to go to Africa to see the snowcapped Mount Kilamanjaro and see the wildlife in their native habitat before it disappears. Spend a week or so in the Northern Rockies in Montana, Alberta, and British Columbia hiking, camping, horseback riding, and viewing wildlife and the wild beautiful country. See the Great Lakes and boat on some of them. Go to Lookout Mountain in Georgia and Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Attend Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Carnival in Rio de Janiero. Go back to the Grand Canyon and the Shenandoahs. Eat fresh fish off the wharf in Seattle and other seaports. Play a round of golf at Pebble Beach. Attend the Iowa State Fair. Enjoy Branson, Missouri. Visit Disneyland and DisneyWorld. Hear the roar of the surf at Big Sur. Spend an evening and a night at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles. Spend all of a March attending Spring Training games in Arizona and then again in Florida.
2) Own and Run my entrepreneurial business. It could be a sportsbar, a bookstore, a nightclub, an internet cafe, or perhaps something I have yet to envision. It would be neat to be a fishing guide for a boat in the Caribbean or a lake somewhere. Have a building with my name on it. Become a carpenter, electrician, or consultant/analyst. Own a store that sells boats or RVs. Included in this would also be fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a homeowner with a nice warm home that I would own and have for my own. There was a time when I thought being a driver that traveled to many places would be nice, but not any more since I have reached nearly age 50.
3) Repair & Upgrade my aging body. I would get Lasix to restore my vision. It sure would be something to be able see near perfectly without any assistance at all times. I would want to do something about my hair loss as well. I would get my teeth fixed and straightened. I would get the my herniated abdominal muscle taken care of. And I would like to find a remedy for the constant pain I feel in my extremities and joints from increasing arthritis.
4) Be able to spend money to seriously help a charity. My choices would be to help children, battered women, abandoned animals, and seniors. These are the kinds of groups that I would feel most gratified in helping.
5) Pay off all liabilities and debts. All those held by all my siblings and their offspring have as well those of my three to five best friends. And then purchase each of them a dream motor vehicle.
6) Spend some wonderful quality time. With family, their offspring, and friends more than I have been able to in the last few decades. A week on Lake Powell on a houseboat; on a ten day cruise to Alaska or in the Caribbean; on that fishing trip in Northern Canada; on a tour of Europe or Washington DC; or just hanging out and having some good conversations, discussions, and reminescing.
7) Attend some concerts and performances. These would be by rock musicians still active from my youth and younger adulthood and some contemporary country performers as well as some opera; jazz; and purely entertaining acts like what is available in Las Vegas.
8) See the Aurora Borealis. I saw them once many years ago on my way back to Wyoming from Colorado around 3 am on a clear starlit early summer night. It would be spectacular to witness them closer to the North Pole somewhere in Alaska.
9) Find and talk to some people from my past lost over time and space. This would be a very rewarding and fun activity to participate in. The internet has resources to help locate these individuals if one can recall certain names and faces from long ago.
10) Meet my soulmate and perfect partner. Embark on a journey with just that mission. Enjoy the company of a number of women in the quest to find that one that is just right for me and one I would want to share in for all the items listed above.
I will add more to this list as I think of them or are offered suggestions by others.
-----
1) Travel extensively. I would like to see all the US national parks and historical sights; go to Europe, Australia, Europe, Canada, the Caribbean, South America, and Hawaii. I would like to watch a game in every major league baseball ballpark, and in many football and hockey venues, both professional and college. There are a number of historical and cultural museums globally that I would like to visit including the Baseball, Pro Football, College Football, and Hockey Halls of Fame. I would like to attend the Kentucky Derby; the Indianapolis 500; a recording of Jay Leno, David Letterman, and The Price is Right; and see the sunrise from the Atlantic Ocean to the sunset in the Pacific Ocean. I want to go fishing on a remote lake or river in Northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba. I want to see Alaska. I want to go the Rose Bowl game and others. I want to go to every World Series and Stanley Cup game some year. I want to spend Christmas Week in Manhattan. I want to spend New Years Eve in Las Vegas. I want to drive for two weeks through rural New England to see the autumn colors. I want to go scuba diving off a tropical reef to see the spectacular sea life in that ecosystem. I want to be somewhere tropical when its winter and somewhere cold when its summer. I want to see everyplace that I lived in and at again. I would like to go to Africa to see the snowcapped Mount Kilamanjaro and see the wildlife in their native habitat before it disappears. Spend a week or so in the Northern Rockies in Montana, Alberta, and British Columbia hiking, camping, horseback riding, and viewing wildlife and the wild beautiful country. See the Great Lakes and boat on some of them. Go to Lookout Mountain in Georgia and Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Attend Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Carnival in Rio de Janiero. Go back to the Grand Canyon and the Shenandoahs. Eat fresh fish off the wharf in Seattle and other seaports. Play a round of golf at Pebble Beach. Attend the Iowa State Fair. Enjoy Branson, Missouri. Visit Disneyland and DisneyWorld. Hear the roar of the surf at Big Sur. Spend an evening and a night at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles. Spend all of a March attending Spring Training games in Arizona and then again in Florida.
2) Own and Run my entrepreneurial business. It could be a sportsbar, a bookstore, a nightclub, an internet cafe, or perhaps something I have yet to envision. It would be neat to be a fishing guide for a boat in the Caribbean or a lake somewhere. Have a building with my name on it. Become a carpenter, electrician, or consultant/analyst. Own a store that sells boats or RVs. Included in this would also be fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a homeowner with a nice warm home that I would own and have for my own. There was a time when I thought being a driver that traveled to many places would be nice, but not any more since I have reached nearly age 50.
3) Repair & Upgrade my aging body. I would get Lasix to restore my vision. It sure would be something to be able see near perfectly without any assistance at all times. I would want to do something about my hair loss as well. I would get my teeth fixed and straightened. I would get the my herniated abdominal muscle taken care of. And I would like to find a remedy for the constant pain I feel in my extremities and joints from increasing arthritis.
4) Be able to spend money to seriously help a charity. My choices would be to help children, battered women, abandoned animals, and seniors. These are the kinds of groups that I would feel most gratified in helping.
5) Pay off all liabilities and debts. All those held by all my siblings and their offspring have as well those of my three to five best friends. And then purchase each of them a dream motor vehicle.
6) Spend some wonderful quality time. With family, their offspring, and friends more than I have been able to in the last few decades. A week on Lake Powell on a houseboat; on a ten day cruise to Alaska or in the Caribbean; on that fishing trip in Northern Canada; on a tour of Europe or Washington DC; or just hanging out and having some good conversations, discussions, and reminescing.
7) Attend some concerts and performances. These would be by rock musicians still active from my youth and younger adulthood and some contemporary country performers as well as some opera; jazz; and purely entertaining acts like what is available in Las Vegas.
8) See the Aurora Borealis. I saw them once many years ago on my way back to Wyoming from Colorado around 3 am on a clear starlit early summer night. It would be spectacular to witness them closer to the North Pole somewhere in Alaska.
9) Find and talk to some people from my past lost over time and space. This would be a very rewarding and fun activity to participate in. The internet has resources to help locate these individuals if one can recall certain names and faces from long ago.
10) Meet my soulmate and perfect partner. Embark on a journey with just that mission. Enjoy the company of a number of women in the quest to find that one that is just right for me and one I would want to share in for all the items listed above.
I will add more to this list as I think of them or are offered suggestions by others.
-----
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Mountain West Non Conference Football Games for '08
The college football season is almost over and only two MoWeCo teams have yet to play their bowl games. The conference's teams are 3-0 so far in the bowl season. Here is a look ahead to the '08 non-conference slate for teams in the conference with the games scheduled at this point.
** UPDATED: now complete for non-conference as of THR 2-7-8 **
AIR FORCE: 8/30 SOUTHERN UTAH; 9/13 @ Houston; 10/4 NAVY; 11/1 @ Army
BRIGHAM YOUNG: 8/30 NORTHERN IOWA; 9/6 @ Washington; 9/13 U C L A ; 10/3 (FRI) @ Utah St
COLORADO ST: 8/30 v Colorado @ Denver; 9/6 SACRAMENTO ST; 9/20 HOUSTON; 9/27 @ California
NEVADA-LAS VEGAS: 8/30 UTAH ST; 9/13 @ Arizona St; 9/20 IOWA ST; 9/27 NEVADA
NEW MEXICO: 9/6 TEXAS A&M; 9/13 ARIZONA; 9/20 @ Tulsa; 9/27 @ New Mexico St
SAN DIEGO ST: 8/30 CAL POLY; 9/6 @ Notre Dame; 9/13 @ San Jose St; 9/27 IDAHO
TEXAS CHRISTIAN: 9/6 SF AUSTIN; 9/13 STANFORD; 9/27 @ Southern Methodist; 9/27 @ Oklahoma
UTAH: 8/30 @ Michigan; 9/13 @ Utah St; 9/27 WEBER ST; 10/2 (THR) OREGON ST
WYOMING: 8/30 OHIO; 9/13 @ New Mexico St; 9/20 BOWLING GREEN; 11/8 @ Tennessee
Its good to see thirteen games already scheduled with teams from BCS conferences and six of those game to be played at the home stadiums of the MoWeCo schools. New Mexico is to be commended with home games scheduled against Texas A&M and Arizona. Unfortunately, five games are scheduled against FCS Division schools which will earn no respect from around the nation and from college football fans.
----
** UPDATED: now complete for non-conference as of THR 2-7-8 **
AIR FORCE: 8/30 SOUTHERN UTAH; 9/13 @ Houston; 10/4 NAVY; 11/1 @ Army
BRIGHAM YOUNG: 8/30 NORTHERN IOWA; 9/6 @ Washington; 9/13 U C L A ; 10/3 (FRI) @ Utah St
COLORADO ST: 8/30 v Colorado @ Denver; 9/6 SACRAMENTO ST; 9/20 HOUSTON; 9/27 @ California
NEVADA-LAS VEGAS: 8/30 UTAH ST; 9/13 @ Arizona St; 9/20 IOWA ST; 9/27 NEVADA
NEW MEXICO: 9/6 TEXAS A&M; 9/13 ARIZONA; 9/20 @ Tulsa; 9/27 @ New Mexico St
SAN DIEGO ST: 8/30 CAL POLY; 9/6 @ Notre Dame; 9/13 @ San Jose St; 9/27 IDAHO
TEXAS CHRISTIAN: 9/6 SF AUSTIN; 9/13 STANFORD; 9/27 @ Southern Methodist; 9/27 @ Oklahoma
UTAH: 8/30 @ Michigan; 9/13 @ Utah St; 9/27 WEBER ST; 10/2 (THR) OREGON ST
WYOMING: 8/30 OHIO; 9/13 @ New Mexico St; 9/20 BOWLING GREEN; 11/8 @ Tennessee
Its good to see thirteen games already scheduled with teams from BCS conferences and six of those game to be played at the home stadiums of the MoWeCo schools. New Mexico is to be commended with home games scheduled against Texas A&M and Arizona. Unfortunately, five games are scheduled against FCS Division schools which will earn no respect from around the nation and from college football fans.
----
Assassination of Bhutto to Widen War in Middle East
The tragic and senseless assassination of Benezir Bhutto in Pakistan on Thursday 27 December is a huge blow for making progress and establishing democracy in the Middle East. I believe the assassination was done by operatives working with the approval of the Pakistani dictator Pervez Musharraf, and this may be substantiated in time. I look for an increased and visible US military presence in Pakistan very soon as chaos and anarchy will be the order in Pakistan as the current dictatorship falls. Al-Qaida has been waiting for the opportunity to seize greater power and influence in this part of the Moslem world and the door just opened today for those terrorists. It is truly a sad day for peoples everywhere with the death of a voice that would have meant peace and progress for a nation that has been errant in many ways since its creation 60 years ago.http://www.consortiumnews.com/2007/122707.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/27/AR2007122701521.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/27/AR2007122700986.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2007/12/27/LI2007122700810.html?hpid=topnews
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benazir_Bhutto
-----
My 2008 MLB HoF Ballot
These are the players whom I believe should be elected to and inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY (one of the five places I most want to see and visit still). Year refers to the number of years on the ballot.
Brady Anderson (first year on ballot) : NO
Harold Baines (5.3 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 2)
Rod Beck (first year on ballot) : NO *
Bert Blyleven (47.7 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 11)
Dave Concepcion (13.6 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 15: Last Year)
Andre Dawson (56.7 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 7)
Shawon Dunston (first year on ballot) : NO
Chuck Finley (first year on ballot) : NO
Travis Fryman (first year on ballot) : NO
Goose Gossage (71.2 percent in 2007): YES (Year 9)
Tommy John (22.9 percent in 2007): YES (Year 14)
David Justice (first year on ballot) : NO
Chuck Knoblauch (first year on ballot) : NO
Don Mattingly (9.9 percent in 2007) : NO (Year 8)
Mark McGwire (23.5percent in 2007): YES ** (Year 2)
Jack Morris (37.1 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 9)
Dale Murphy (9.2 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 10)
Robb Nen (first year on ballot) : NO
Dave Parker (11.4 percent in 2007) : NO (Year 12)
Tim Raines (first year on ballot) : YES ***
Jim Rice (63.5 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 14)
Jose Rijo (first year on ballot) : NO
Lee Smith (39.8 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 6)
Todd Stottlemyre (first year on ballot) : NO
Alan Trammell (13.4 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 7)
* I would consider Beck for election at some point in the future, perhaps by 2015.
** I think McGwire should be in the HoF, but I will wait for ten years before voting for his induction.
*** Like McGwire, Raines made some questionable at best personal choices while a player, deciding to use cocaine while in position of being a role model for millions of youth globally and then being convicted of this as a federal crime in a federal court. I will wait eight years before voting for him for induction.
I predict Gossage, Rice, and Dawson will be elected this year. Electees will be announced on Tuesday 8 January 2008 at 12Noon MST. The electees announced on that date will be inducted into the Hall on Sunday 27 July 2008 in Cooperstown, NY along with the five electees previously chosen by the Veterans Committee: Dick Williams; Billy Southworth; Walter O'Malley; Barney Dreyfuss; and, mistakenly, Bowie Kuhn instead of Marvin Miller. This is Dave Conception's fifteenth and final year on the ballot. It does not look like he will get elected so after a five year wait he will be eligible once again for consideration at that time by the Veterans Committee. Rice and John are on their penultimate ballot.
The '09 ballot includes Mark Grace and Rickey Henderson whom should get elected and the '10 ballot includes Barry Larkin, Edgar Martinez, and Fred McGriff whom should get elected. In 2011, the ballot will include Jeff Bagwell and John Franco.
And of course it is also time to start discussing Pete Rose. His accomplishments as a player make him worthy in spite of his deep transgressions as a manager. At some point he should be made eligible for election, perhaps in 2015 or after a new commissioner takes office. If Rose has his eligibility reinstated at some point in the future, the same step must be taken simultaneously or previously for "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, who also should be in the Hall for his accomplishments as a player as history and research has largely exhonerated him of any participation in the 1919 Black Sox Scandal posthumously.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hof08/index
http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/index.jsp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Hall_of_Fame
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Hall_of_Fame_balloting,_2008
http://www.hofmag.com/content/view/938/190/
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071125&content_id=2307150&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
-----
Brady Anderson (first year on ballot) : NO
Harold Baines (5.3 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 2)
Rod Beck (first year on ballot) : NO *
Bert Blyleven (47.7 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 11)
Dave Concepcion (13.6 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 15: Last Year)
Andre Dawson (56.7 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 7)
Shawon Dunston (first year on ballot) : NO
Chuck Finley (first year on ballot) : NO
Travis Fryman (first year on ballot) : NO
Goose Gossage (71.2 percent in 2007): YES (Year 9)
Tommy John (22.9 percent in 2007): YES (Year 14)
David Justice (first year on ballot) : NO
Chuck Knoblauch (first year on ballot) : NO
Don Mattingly (9.9 percent in 2007) : NO (Year 8)
Mark McGwire (23.5percent in 2007): YES ** (Year 2)
Jack Morris (37.1 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 9)
Dale Murphy (9.2 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 10)
Robb Nen (first year on ballot) : NO
Dave Parker (11.4 percent in 2007) : NO (Year 12)
Tim Raines (first year on ballot) : YES ***
Jim Rice (63.5 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 14)
Jose Rijo (first year on ballot) : NO
Lee Smith (39.8 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 6)
Todd Stottlemyre (first year on ballot) : NO
Alan Trammell (13.4 percent in 2007) : YES (Year 7)
* I would consider Beck for election at some point in the future, perhaps by 2015.
** I think McGwire should be in the HoF, but I will wait for ten years before voting for his induction.
*** Like McGwire, Raines made some questionable at best personal choices while a player, deciding to use cocaine while in position of being a role model for millions of youth globally and then being convicted of this as a federal crime in a federal court. I will wait eight years before voting for him for induction.
I predict Gossage, Rice, and Dawson will be elected this year. Electees will be announced on Tuesday 8 January 2008 at 12Noon MST. The electees announced on that date will be inducted into the Hall on Sunday 27 July 2008 in Cooperstown, NY along with the five electees previously chosen by the Veterans Committee: Dick Williams; Billy Southworth; Walter O'Malley; Barney Dreyfuss; and, mistakenly, Bowie Kuhn instead of Marvin Miller. This is Dave Conception's fifteenth and final year on the ballot. It does not look like he will get elected so after a five year wait he will be eligible once again for consideration at that time by the Veterans Committee. Rice and John are on their penultimate ballot.
The '09 ballot includes Mark Grace and Rickey Henderson whom should get elected and the '10 ballot includes Barry Larkin, Edgar Martinez, and Fred McGriff whom should get elected. In 2011, the ballot will include Jeff Bagwell and John Franco.
And of course it is also time to start discussing Pete Rose. His accomplishments as a player make him worthy in spite of his deep transgressions as a manager. At some point he should be made eligible for election, perhaps in 2015 or after a new commissioner takes office. If Rose has his eligibility reinstated at some point in the future, the same step must be taken simultaneously or previously for "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, who also should be in the Hall for his accomplishments as a player as history and research has largely exhonerated him of any participation in the 1919 Black Sox Scandal posthumously.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hof08/index
http://web.baseballhalloffame.org/index.jsp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Hall_of_Fame
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baseball_Hall_of_Fame_balloting,_2008
http://www.hofmag.com/content/view/938/190/
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071125&content_id=2307150&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
-----
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
My Year in Review: The Top Ten Personal Stories
2007 is just about over with and 2008 dawns very shortly. Now is a good time to look back at the significant personal stories of mine over the last twelve months. This will be a work in progress over the next couple of days as I reflect, ponder, and contemplate on what to include here.ONE] I get to have my own home again with a great deal of generous help from Brant and Sara that I will never be able to be grateful enough for as I am reunited with my personal possessions after 31 months in a nice apartment that is just fine, and I get to eat my own cooking again !
TWO] I move back to Wyoming after ten years in Colorado to live in Cheyenne, and it is nice to be away from the big city traffic, expenses, hassles, all the taco creatures that have invaded from Mexico and Central America illegally, and plenty of dirtbags. It is about the right size of place for me to be at as I approach age 50 and completely give up many of my youthful activities and pursuits.
THREE] I am able to get back my ID and resume my life. I am completely legit again after a long time of being not. I no longer have to live having to look over my shoulder and living in fear.
FOUR] I lose a friend, but renew and strengthen three others with Brant, Todd, and Matt. Family relationships remain static and/or chilly in most cases. Youngest sisters LAL and KVS continue to be strongly caring, interested, and helping.
FIVE] I get an okay tolerable job in March and keep it through the year, and its the best one I have had since the 1990s, but finances are very tight throughout the year and there no room for error, emergencies, or extravagence as I require financial assistance from friends and my sisters to get through early on in the year. I am highly grateful to be free of the 25 month Radio Shack servitude and environment of intimidation and fear.
SIX] I attend some Rockies games, including the NL Play-in Game on 1 October, one of the greatest games in Baseball history, and the Rockies amazingly win the Pennant as I am totally consumed in being able to witness a local pennant race and championship for over six weeks.
SEVEN] My health is largely holding up and getting old is not too burdensome. But it is a drag getting old and being always in pain. Noticeable declines occur in my vision and hearing, and I have strongly regular joint pain, stiffness, and numbness throughout my body.
EIGHT] The White Knight runs pretty good for the whole year, better than in '06. But I fear big expenses loom in '08. Gasoline fuel prices are a major stress and force me to minimize my driving.
NINE] This Blog is more regularly utilized and is now a regular successful part of my daily life. It gives me an outlet for creativity, expression, and opinion. I get to write a little, something I have not had much opportunity to do since I was in university.
TEN] I meet and get to talk to large numbers of different people from around the nation and the world through my employment and on the internet. But I still have yet to meet someone from Delaware !
I will consider other possibilities for inclusion and am open to suggestions.
-----
Patriots' Quest to Finish Unbeaten Can Now be Seen by All
The National Football League decided on Wednesday 26 December to share the broadcast of Saturday 29 December's game between the record seeking 15-0 New England Patriots and playoff-bound 10-5 New York Giants with NBC and CBS so virtually everyone interested can tune to watch the possibility of history occurring. The game is also to be broadcast as originally planned on the NFL Network non-exclusively now. This is the first time ever that three broadcast entities will cover a game, and the first time with at least two since way back in January 1967 when both CBS and NBC covered Super Bowl I from the LA Coliseum between Green Bay and Kansas City. It is now anticipated that nearly one-third of all Americans will watch this game which is not that far from how many watch the Super Bowl. Expect record ratings for the playoffs as the Patriots continue their undefeated march, and if they play Green Bay in the Super Bowl, the broadcast will undoubtedly be watched by a record audience and the largest in history, not just in the United States, but around the globe by peoples of all kinds of ethnicities and demographics.But the greedy monopolistic cable television corporations need to put the NFL Network in the "basic" package for viewers. The NFL Network is a much better choice than about a third if not more of the channel options we are all forced to take if we desire to have some of the programming that is available only on cable or satellite television. A la carte programming, like what is available in Hong Kong and other places, cannot arrive soon enough as there is really only about 15-20 channels that I would want to have for viewing if given a choice, which is what is supposed to be the American way of doing business. Many if not most people would feel the same way. Yes, the cable corporations make the list of the top fifteen evil entities and institutions on the planet.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?id=3169890&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab1pos1
-----
Wednesday 26 December News Articles and Observations
Here are some news articles from Wednesday 26 December and my observations on them.
A. Bad News Continues for Home Values, Prices, Foreclosures
The beat goes on as the almost all the news coming out continues to be strongly negative for most areas around nation in terms of home values, prices, and the foreclosure rate. All the negative forecasts and projections for '08 continue to steamroll along and more and more citizens feel the hammer coming down on them. And the effect on the overall economy will be quite pronounced.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/071226/usa_economy_homesindex.html?.v=7
http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071226/BUSINESS/572777982/1001
-----
B. Risky Oil Corporation & Japanese Activity
Given all the information presented here and elsewhere by other scientists, one has to have some concern for this kind of mining activity being embarked upon by the Japanese and others including American oil corporations (my choice for being the greatest evil on Earth).
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aiUsVKaqDA7g&refer=japan
-----
C. Dallas Cocaineboys Owner Busted in LA
This is a rather disturbing image of Santa Claus. But perhaps not for Texans.
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Quirks/2007/12/25/racy_santa_cited_for_dui/7895/
-----
D. Trying to Measure the Eternally Powerful Wyoming Wind
Its simple, the wind blows like all git out here, particularly in the winter months. Trying to measure it in a number of additional different places than what is being done now is a worthy endeavor, but expect numerous equipment failures over time as the power of movement of air in some places will be underestimated and somewhat unforseeable in scope.
http://www.trib.com/articles/2007/12/26/news/wyoming/174684edce8aa8a5872573bc002678c0.txt
-----
E. The Call for Action and Participation in the Historically Critical '08 Elections
In essence, the future of the nation and the citizenry is at stake. A continuation of the current policies of the Bush Junta by Giuliani or Romney would be disastrous and eventually suicidal.
But will the Democrats take advantage of their opportunities if they are chosen and make the correct public policy decisions that will benefit the poor and middle class and put a harnass and rope on the corporations and the wealthy ? One has to wonder and be concerned...
http://www.slate.com/id/2180178/pagenum/all/#page_start
-----
F. Did You Celebrate Festivus ?
If not, you missed out on airing your grievances and performing your "Feats of Strength" !
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=1313
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus
-----
G. Reigning in the Macabre Disturbing Epidemic of Tattoos
This is one of the most abhorrent practices and activities of many of the younger generation. It would be fantastic to see additional governmental regulation in this area. A ban on getting tattoos for those under age 21, strict record keeping of those getting them including documenting identification and reporting the identification of those getting tattoos to state health agencies, and the implimentation of a "tattoo tax", approximately 25 -35 %, which would go to fund public health, are just some measures that need to be implimented. Perhaps one should lose their income tax exemption if they choose to be tattooed in certain ways, places, and with certain images -- but it would never stand up to the 1st Amendment. Too bad, this behavior is beastly, crude, revolting, and so low class and unsophisticated. Tattoos mean DIRTBAG and SCUMBUCKET in many cases.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/12/26/mich_draws_the_line_will_regulate_body_art/
-----
H. Liberal Talk Radio Changes Fallout
It is apparent that when station ownership drops liberal talk as their format for another kind of format, they inevitably see a decline in revenue and ratings. Imagine, a corporation passing up good money as they eliminate a format that is educational and often tells it as it is about the corruption and greed of corporations everywhere. Just another example of the soulless immoral big business culture destroying America and its citizenry.
http://ltradio.blogspot.com/2007/12/top-10-wherabouts-of-former-progressive.html
-----
I. Guess What !
Increasingly it appears that certain medical entities and institutions will base their decision on whether to provide you and yours medical care and attention on the soundness of your credit worthiness. Utterly ridiculous and immoral ! Hopefully in one shape or another this practice will be strongly made illegal.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/12/25/how-healthy-is-your-medical-credit-score/
-----
J. Ethanol's Very Big Dirty Secret
Using corn for motor vehicle fuel is a very bad idea. The sooner this activity is in a decline and headed for a complete demise, the better we will all be.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-wed_farmersdec26,1,4802943.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
-----
K. Zogby Poll Outlook for Presidential Candidacies
Only a week until the Iowa caucuses and it would appear at this time there is no clear trend on whom will win. My guess today would be for Huckabee big and Clinton narrowly but one cannot rule out a victory by McCain, Obama, Edwards, and maybe even Paul.
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/polltracker/2007/12/zogbys-analysis-of-the-gop-rac.html
-----
L. Christmas Carols for the Candidates
This is quite humerous, somewhat predictable, and worth some looks.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/24/unofficial-candidate-carols/index.html?nl=pol&emc=pol
-----
M. Other Thoughts on Christmas
A well written alternative view for your consideration.
http://www.hoffmania.com/blog/2007/12/so-this-is-chri.html
-----
N. Dream Cars for We that are Eternally Young
Having a slick looking road beast that can rock is something that most of still would love to have even as we climb further into middle age. My top three choices among these here would be the Corvette ZR1; the Ford Shelby GT500KR; and the Corvette Convertible. Enjoy the brief time in fantasyland these images will inspire you to experience.
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/BusinessTravel/popup?id=3231538&contentIndex=1&page=1
-----
A. Bad News Continues for Home Values, Prices, Foreclosures
The beat goes on as the almost all the news coming out continues to be strongly negative for most areas around nation in terms of home values, prices, and the foreclosure rate. All the negative forecasts and projections for '08 continue to steamroll along and more and more citizens feel the hammer coming down on them. And the effect on the overall economy will be quite pronounced.
http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/071226/usa_economy_homesindex.html?.v=7
http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071226/BUSINESS/572777982/1001
-----
B. Risky Oil Corporation & Japanese Activity
Given all the information presented here and elsewhere by other scientists, one has to have some concern for this kind of mining activity being embarked upon by the Japanese and others including American oil corporations (my choice for being the greatest evil on Earth).
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=aiUsVKaqDA7g&refer=japan
-----
C. Dallas Cocaineboys Owner Busted in LA
This is a rather disturbing image of Santa Claus. But perhaps not for Texans.
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Quirks/2007/12/25/racy_santa_cited_for_dui/7895/
-----
D. Trying to Measure the Eternally Powerful Wyoming Wind
Its simple, the wind blows like all git out here, particularly in the winter months. Trying to measure it in a number of additional different places than what is being done now is a worthy endeavor, but expect numerous equipment failures over time as the power of movement of air in some places will be underestimated and somewhat unforseeable in scope.
http://www.trib.com/articles/2007/12/26/news/wyoming/174684edce8aa8a5872573bc002678c0.txt
-----
E. The Call for Action and Participation in the Historically Critical '08 Elections
In essence, the future of the nation and the citizenry is at stake. A continuation of the current policies of the Bush Junta by Giuliani or Romney would be disastrous and eventually suicidal.
But will the Democrats take advantage of their opportunities if they are chosen and make the correct public policy decisions that will benefit the poor and middle class and put a harnass and rope on the corporations and the wealthy ? One has to wonder and be concerned...
http://www.slate.com/id/2180178/pagenum/all/#page_start
-----
F. Did You Celebrate Festivus ?
If not, you missed out on airing your grievances and performing your "Feats of Strength" !
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=1313
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivus
-----
G. Reigning in the Macabre Disturbing Epidemic of Tattoos
This is one of the most abhorrent practices and activities of many of the younger generation. It would be fantastic to see additional governmental regulation in this area. A ban on getting tattoos for those under age 21, strict record keeping of those getting them including documenting identification and reporting the identification of those getting tattoos to state health agencies, and the implimentation of a "tattoo tax", approximately 25 -35 %, which would go to fund public health, are just some measures that need to be implimented. Perhaps one should lose their income tax exemption if they choose to be tattooed in certain ways, places, and with certain images -- but it would never stand up to the 1st Amendment. Too bad, this behavior is beastly, crude, revolting, and so low class and unsophisticated. Tattoos mean DIRTBAG and SCUMBUCKET in many cases.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/12/26/mich_draws_the_line_will_regulate_body_art/
-----
H. Liberal Talk Radio Changes Fallout
It is apparent that when station ownership drops liberal talk as their format for another kind of format, they inevitably see a decline in revenue and ratings. Imagine, a corporation passing up good money as they eliminate a format that is educational and often tells it as it is about the corruption and greed of corporations everywhere. Just another example of the soulless immoral big business culture destroying America and its citizenry.
http://ltradio.blogspot.com/2007/12/top-10-wherabouts-of-former-progressive.html
-----
I. Guess What !
Increasingly it appears that certain medical entities and institutions will base their decision on whether to provide you and yours medical care and attention on the soundness of your credit worthiness. Utterly ridiculous and immoral ! Hopefully in one shape or another this practice will be strongly made illegal.
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/12/25/how-healthy-is-your-medical-credit-score/
-----
J. Ethanol's Very Big Dirty Secret
Using corn for motor vehicle fuel is a very bad idea. The sooner this activity is in a decline and headed for a complete demise, the better we will all be.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-wed_farmersdec26,1,4802943.story?ctrack=1&cset=true
-----
K. Zogby Poll Outlook for Presidential Candidacies
Only a week until the Iowa caucuses and it would appear at this time there is no clear trend on whom will win. My guess today would be for Huckabee big and Clinton narrowly but one cannot rule out a victory by McCain, Obama, Edwards, and maybe even Paul.
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/polltracker/2007/12/zogbys-analysis-of-the-gop-rac.html
-----
L. Christmas Carols for the Candidates
This is quite humerous, somewhat predictable, and worth some looks.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/24/unofficial-candidate-carols/index.html?nl=pol&emc=pol
-----
M. Other Thoughts on Christmas
A well written alternative view for your consideration.
http://www.hoffmania.com/blog/2007/12/so-this-is-chri.html
-----
N. Dream Cars for We that are Eternally Young
Having a slick looking road beast that can rock is something that most of still would love to have even as we climb further into middle age. My top three choices among these here would be the Corvette ZR1; the Ford Shelby GT500KR; and the Corvette Convertible. Enjoy the brief time in fantasyland these images will inspire you to experience.
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/BusinessTravel/popup?id=3231538&contentIndex=1&page=1
-----
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