FYI: The Days of April

Here is a list of all the special daily commemorations that occur each day in April. Days to look forward to enjoying some special treats include 2, 14, 17, 22, 24, 25, 26, and 29 April. Some days one should make to be more fun than usual are 3, 4, 5, 9,12, 13, 20, and 27 April. Strange days would be 8, 11, 15, 16, 19, and 23 April.

April 1 is One Cent Day


April 2 is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day

April 3 is Tweed Day and Don't Go To Work Unless It's Fun Day

April 4 is Tell-A-Lie Day

April 5 is Go For Broke Day

April 6 is Sorry Charlie Day

April 7 is No Housework Day

April 8 is All Is Ours Day

April 9 is Winston Churchill Day and Name Yourself Day

April 10 is Golfers Day

April 11 is Eight-Track Tape Day

April 12 is Look Up At The Sky Day

April 13 is Blame Somebody Else Day

April 14 is National Pecan Day

April 15 is Rubber Eraser Day

April 16 is National Stress Awareness Day and National Eggs Benedict Day

April 17 is National Cheeseball Day

April 18 is International Jugglers Day

April 19 is Garlic Day

April 20 is Look Alike Day

April 21 is Kindergarten Day

April 22 is National Jelly Bean Day

April 23 is Read Me Day and World Laboratory Animal Day

April 24 is National Pigs In A Blanket Day

April 25 is National Zucchini Bread Day

April 26 is Richter Scale Day and National Pretzel Day

April 27 is Tell A Story Day

April 28 is Great Poetry Reading Day and Kiss-Your-Mate Day

April 29 is National Shrimp Scampi Day

April 30 is National Honesty Day

*****

Opening Day 2008

The real first day of Spring and New Years Day arrived for yours truly and many others with good session of snow outside that dropped about an inch or so before giving to sunny skies with winds across the northern Front Range. I awoke and ventured out to get my newspapers before settling for a quiet relaxing day and night at home. It is the first day of the 2008 baseball season and weather played havoc with the schedule in many places across the East and Midwest. The Rockies' opener in St Louis was washed out after they managed to get in a couple of innings, but it was all for naught. Rain also affected games in the Bronx, Chicago, and Cincinnati. The Brewers/Cubs game was delayed for an hour but it turned out to be quite enjoyable and was won by Milwaukee in ten innings. Detroit also lost in 10 to Kansas City; and Arizona beat Cincinnati on the riverfront. Bright sunshine was the order of the day in Southern California as the Dodgers opened with an easy win over the Giants. As day turned into evening, games televised were on the slate for the Angels and Twins in Minneapolis, where a blizzard was also going on; and in San Diego between the Padres and Astros. Sunday night's game in Washington debuting the new Nationals Stadium was quite entertaining, and going back to last week in Tokyo, the two games between the Red Sox and Athletics were good contests as well. So far the season is off to a great start. America's Pastime is back with six to seven months of enjoyment ahead.

*****

Baseball Again at the LA Memorial Coliseum

The Los Angeles Dodgers returned to their original home in the Southland Saturday night, 29 March, with an exhibition game against the World Champions Boston Red Sox. The game will draw a record over 115,ooo fans and bring back a lot of memories of when the Dodgers played their first four seasons (1958-61) in the football stadium and home of two Olympics that is now 85 years old. All the proceeds from the game are going to charity, and numerous players from the past are invited in tribute as a half-century of Dodger baseball in Los Angeles is celebrated. While the Dodgers have languished and underachieved in the last 19 years for the most part, their first 31 seasons were quite successful with five worlds championships (1959, 1963, 1965, 1981, and 1988), nine National League pennants (1966, 1974, 1977, and 1978), and seven NL West crowns (74, 77, 78, 81, 83, 85, and 88). But the glory days started in LA at the Coliseum, and its great to see the organization honor its roots with an exhibition game there. The current configuration of the Coliseum means left field will be relatively tiny, only 200' from home plate; the distance from the wall to the infield skin will be less than the distance from base to base. The Red Sox ended up winning the ballgame 7-4.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-springer29mar29,0,1645343.story

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-coliseum25mar25,0,3161856.story

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=neyer_rob&id=3319232

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=neyer_rob&id=3319270

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_Memorial_Coliseum

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280329119

*****

The Last Season at Shea

2008 marks the 45th and final season for the New York Mets to be playing at Shea Stadium, in the borough of Queens near La Guardia International Airport in New York City. The venerable old building, largely seen as an eyesore and substandard, will be razed after this season and a new parking lot will cover the surface adjacent to the new Citi Field, now under construction beyond the right field fence, where the Mets will begin play in 2009. I was fortunate enough to see a game at Shea in April 1969 where I was with a group of Boy Scouts and Little Leaguers sitting in the upper deck far down the left field line near the fair pole. I got a signed piece of paper shaped and printed like a baseball with Mr Met 1B Ed Kranepool's signature on it that I still have. The game, played on a sunny Saturday afternoon, ended in a 9-3 defeat to the Chicago Cubs as the Chicagoans took batting practice off Don Caldwell and Al Jackson in a game that was decided early with no drama and no home runs. For a game with that many runs, it only lasted 2:29, showing the lack of a television broadcast which today would extend a game like this at least another 6o minutes or more. I had hoped to make it to the Big Apple for the final season at Shea and at Yankee Stadium, but this seems unlikely. As what happened with Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds, soon people will be thinking of the great 1973 Frank Sinatra song, There Used to be a Ballpark, among their eternal memories of the newly long gone Shea and Yankee stadiums that will join the many others now only in history.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/sports/baseball/30shea.html?ref=baseball

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shea_Stadium

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN196904260.shtml

*****

The Top Thirty Relocation Possibilities

My goal is to be moving on to one of these locales, hopefully in late summer or early autumn 2009 or 2010. Every place has it plusses and minuses, and each will have to be weighed carefully to determine their worthiness relative to the others on the list as well as others not on the list. Other places may join this list, and some of those listed below will be eliminated rather quickly .

Washington:

1) Bellingham: + cooler climate, near Seattle; - cloudy gloomy weather

2) Vancouver: + taxes, climate, near Seattle; - cloudy gloomy weather

3) Spokane: + small city; - winters

Oregon:

1) Brookings: + small town, on ocean; - isolated, perhaps too small

2) Roseburg: growing, peaceful; - isolated, perhaps too small

3) Medford: larger, more sunshine; - hot summers, remote location

Nevada:

1) Pahrump: + growing, near Vegas; too small

2) Henderson: + growing; - too near Vegas, NV economy

3) Mesquite: + growing, climate - too small

Arizona:

1) Willcox: + smallness, climate; - too small

2) Benson/Sierra Vista: same as Willcox

3) Tucson: + economy, sophistication; - size, crime, demographics, commute

4) Phoenix suburbs (SE or NE): same as Tucson

5) Kingman: + isolation, climate; - costs, opportunities

Idaho:

1) Boise: + economy, climate; - size, demographics

2) Couer d'Alene: + scenery; - remoteness, costs

Montana:

1) Lewistown: + smallness, peacefulness; - remoteness, size

2) Great Falls: + size, costs; - climate

3) Miles City: + size, costs; - climate, size

4) Billings: + size, opportunites; - climate, demographics

5) Helena: + scenery, size; - costs, climate

Wyoming:

1) Sundance: + scenery: - size, remoteness, climate

2) Sheridan: + scenery: - size, remoteness, climate

South Dakota:

1) Rapid City: + size, economy; - climate, economy

2) Spearfish: + scenery: - size, remoteness, climate

Colorado:

1) Colorado Springs: + economy, scenery; - size, demograhics, costs

2) NW Denver metro suburbs: + economy, scenery; - size, demograhics, costs

3) Grand Junction: + size, economy; - costs, remoteness

New Mexico:

1) Carlsbad/Roswell/Artesia/Hobbs/Jal: + climate; - location, economy

Texas:

1) Midland-Odessa: + climate, economy; - Texas

*****

Richard Widmark, 1914 - 2008

Richard Widmark was an American great in acting whose career spanned over a half a century. He played a wide variety of roles from film noir to westerns to dramas, often as as a tough hardened aloof character. Widmark's best known role was as a psychopath in the 1947 film Kiss of Death for which he received an Academy Awards Nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Other memorable and noteworthy roles were in the films Panic in the Streets (1950); No Way Out (1950); Judgement at Nuremberg (1961); Cheyenne Autumn (1964); Murder on the Orient Express (1974); and Coma (1978). Widmark stayed out of the spotlight and maintained his privacy throughout his life. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City in 2002.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Widmark

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0327Obit-Widmark0327.html

*****

Protest Music About Iraq

On the surface, there is no protest music out there about the war in Iraq. Most young people are still listening to the mindless violence and drugs ridden lyrics and sound of rap, or alternative or modern rock that is mindless and boring. But if you look hard enough, there are some musicians out there vocalizing protests over the war and US government policy. But don't look for it to become anywhere close to mainstream ever. The youth market in the US and much of the planet is braindead and without a consciousness in many ways, but perhaps their outpouring of support for Obama is the signal for a change.

http://www.yikesmcgee.com/home.html

*****

2008 Major League Baseball Projections

Its here... the start of the 2008 Major League Baseball season and the start of the defense of the National League Pennant by the National League Champion Colorado Rockies, as well as an attempt by the World Champion Boston Redsox to repeat and defend their championship for the first time since 1916-17. The season officially start early Tuesday morning 25 March at 4am MDT on the other side of the planet as the Redsox are playing the Athletics in a two game series in Tokyo. The opener domestically is Sunday night at 6pm MDT as the Braves are the guests of the Nationals as the new ballpark in Washington DC is opened. Opening Day is next Monday already, with fourteen games scheduled including the Rockies against the Cardinals from the Gateway City at 2pm MDT. The season carries on through Sunday 28 September.

Here are my picks for the upcoming season:

NL WEST

1) Arizona Diamondbacks 92-70 - Lots of great pitching and a young team with a year of solid positive experience means the D-Backs will have a great year. The only risks are injuries and if the young lions take a step backwards in their performances. The offense should be noticeably improved in 2008. The bullpen is by no means a certainty for success.

2) Colorado Rockies 89-73 - The Rockies have the best offense in the NL, the best defense in baseball, but pitching is a step behind Arizona and possibly San Diego The success in 2007 will carry over to a season of full competitiveness, but not everything they touch will turn to gold in 2008. A lot of young players on the Rockies still have to prove they can perform and achieve over a full season with greater expectations for many that they have never had to experience.

3) San Diego Padres 87-75 - A lack of offense and, in particular, a woefully pathetic defense will keep Padres from just making it to postseason. San Diego has one of the worst outfield rosters in the game and a distinct lack of power throughout the roster. Still, their pitching may have enough to overcome all the negatives if everyone meets expectations.

4) Los Angeles Dodgers 85-77 - This club really has many questions, significant shortcomings on defense, and an offense that is erratic will prevent LA from winning the division or getting into postseason. Can Joe Torre create a positive chemistry in the clubhouse and on the field ? Not enough with the personalities and egos on this team. But another very good Torre team is not out of the question.

5) San Francisco Giants 65-97 - All the Giant have is very good starting pitching, but absolutely nothing else. Baseball's most feeble offense, an below average defense at best, no power, and lots of instablity in the everyday lineup will result in the worst season by the Bay in more than two decades. Barry Bonds will be missed in some ways but overall, not much. This will be among the worst teams in the National League.

NL CENTRAL

1) Milwaukee Brewers 86-76 - A great young powerful offense with just enough pitching will carry the Brewers into postseason for the first time since 1982. Milwaukee is a club that could go either way though as there could be some questions that become on the field challenges. This will be an entertaining club to watch that will score a lot of runs and hustle, creating excitement across the game.

2) Chicago Cubs 84-78 - Cubs have not made to postseason in consecutive seasons in a century. This year will be no different as they will struggle with the back half of their pitching and an offense that is overrated. A lot of players will underperform. Clubhouse issues and discension are issues looming in the background.

3) Cincinnati Reds 82-80 - A sleeper team that could surprise if young pitching gels, injuries are avoided ( in particular, Griffey), and the offense lives up to its promise. It says it will here. Ken Griffey will have his best chance at the postseason since coming to Cincinnati.

4) Pittsburgh Pirates 73-89 - '08 will be the 16th consecutive losing season for the seemingly eternally hapless Bucs, and there is little hope for that not happening. Still, they have a promising young talented pitching staff and a young roster that will be more entertaining than in recent years. The offense will lack power and consistency for the most part.

5) Houston Astros 69-93 - It will be a long year for the Astros with little to bank on besides Roy Oswalt. The offense and virtually the entire pitching staff leads much to be desired. Houston, we have a problem.

6) St Louis Cardinals 67-95 - Two years removed from a World Series title finds the Cardinals in tatters and with a pitching staff among the worst in the majors. The offense has also taken some key steps backwards. This will be worst Cardinals team in recent memory.

NL EAST

1) New York Mets 97-65 - On paper, this is about the best team in baseball. They should easily win their division this time out, but overconfidence, boredom, and arrogance on the part of the players could be issues that will be their undoing at some point. They do not have the chemistry and on the field leadership yet to do much more than win the division. The final season at Shea Stadium will have its moments but, ultimately, disappointment.

2) Atlanta Braves 86-76 - The Braves are improved and will contend for the wildcard and could threaten the Mets if NY underperforms again. Solid veteran pitching with a good both veteran and young lineup shows a lot of promise for Atlanta. Losing Andruw Jones is a major positive; and Bobby Cox always gets better results than what would seem to be the case on paper.

3) Philadelphia Phillies 85-77 - Starting pitching will be the Phillies' undoing, as well as having a lineup that will not overperform as they did in '07, will result in keeping Philly out of the playoffs. The bullpen will also end being a significant problem area.

4) Washington Nationals 73-89 - Playing in a new ballpark before big crowds will help the Nationals win 5-10 more games than they should on paper. Their starting pitching is atrocious, and the offense has a lot of holes and inexperience.

5) Florida Marlins 67-95 - Nothing has changed for the Marlins, who still have no new ballpark yet and the majors' smallest payroll. The young team will struggle in all aspects of the game for extended periods through most of the season, but the future may yet show promise for the Marlins in the coming seasons by taking their lumps this year.

AL WEST

1) Anaheim Angels 93-69 - This will be a tight win for the Angels, as their lack of power and pitching consistency will keep them from running away with the division. A spunky hard playing team that reflects their manager Mike Scioscia, the Angels are a darkhorse to win it all.

2) Seattle Mariners 88-74 - Perhaps the team in all of baseball that has the widest range of how well or poor they will do. They have all the pieces but will they come together enough to win the division ? Probably not, and the wildcard will not happen either.

3) Texas Rangers 74-88 - The weakness that has plagued the Rangers for years has yet to be addressed successfully, as their starting pitching is so-so at best, and their offense is not as good in '08 as it has been in prior seasons.

4) Oakland Athletics 69-93 - After a long run of competitiveness, the A's are starting over and rebuilding. Their starting pitching isn't bad, but the overall youthful age and inexperience of the club as well as little power and an anemic offense will result in another Bay area team having a long year.

AL Central

1) Detroit Tigers 96-66 - The Tigers have a powerful complete offense, outstanding starting pitching, about the best manager in the game, and experience. If their bullpen holds up and delivers, the sky is the limit.

2) Cleveland 93-69 - The Indians are on a par with the Tigers and have all the pieces together for another postseason presence. Barely missing last season's World Series will help to drive this team to continue to achieve and succeed.

3) Chicago 74-88 - A long season with discension and controversy awaits the White Sox, as they have a roster with a lot of individuals who are overrated and will significantly underachieve. Last place in the division is a possibility.

4) Kansas City 73-89 - A team on the rise, but still undergoing growing pains. The Royals' starting pitching is starting to come together, but a lack of power will keep them from any greater successes.

5) Minnesota 72-90 - 2008 will be a long tough season for the Twins, as their offense and starting pitching are inserting new player into new roles which will take time to be successful.

Good offense and bullpen, but the departed veterans will be missed on the field and in the clubhouse.

AL EAST

1) Boston Redsox 91-71 - The defending champs will once again have to fight hard to win the division, and the health and staying power of the veterans on the team will be a constant issue. They have all the pieces and the experience as that will be the difference in outlasting their divisional rivals once again for another postseason appearance.

2) New York Yankees 89-73 - A new era in the Bronx with Girardi replacing Torre, and the end of another with the final season at Yankee Stadium. A lot more young players are being counted on to make significant contributions and many veterans are due to have less success. Factor all this together along with the usual controversies that will arise and the Yankees will miss the postseason for the first time since 1994.

3) Toronto Blue Jays 88-74 - Another team that has a wide range of possibilities on how well they will do. They have more than enough starting pitching to win the division, but their offense has some question marks. That will end up being the difference between success and just missing the postseason.

4) Tampa Bay Rays 77-85 - Sunshine will be the order of the day most of the season for one of the game's most tormented clubs in recent years: in essence, their entire existence. A young greatly talented roster with depth will be the best in the club's history and they will stay competitive perhaps until September. Starting pitching and a lack of experience will be their ultimate undoing, but a promising bright competitive future is a sure bet if management continues to be intelligent and sensible.

5) Baltimore Orioles 59-103 - This will probably be baseball's worst club, with woeful starting pitching and a lineup that has a lot of holes. The Orioles may not have yet hit bottom as this club has little promise awaiting in the near future. 1oo losses are a certainty in a rough AL East.

POSTSEASON PROJECTIONS

Arizona over Milwaukee

Colorado over New York

Detroit over Boston

Cleveland over Anaheim

Arizona over Colorado to win the NL Pennant

Detroit over Cleveland to win the AL Pennant

Detroit over Arizona to win the 105th World Series

For a good place to see all the games listed for telecasts, one can go to this link:

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=news/satellite.htm

*****

Jericho Comes to End

One of my favorite television series, Jericho, has gotten a death sentence from CBS, which announced the series finale for this Tuesday evening at 9pm MDT. The post-apocolyptic drama was interesting and full of action as it took part in a small western Kansas town following the onset of a nuclear war. It was an okay program but sometimes the storylines got a little stretched out and hard to follow. Watching the program was also disrupted by having it moved to different days and time slots which happened several times; the three months long writers strike also was a significant disruption to maintaining continuity and interest. The upcoming finale is likely to have another nuclear attack as part of the story's end result. I do think it was a relatively good portrayal of what life would be like in rural America when a nuclear attack occurs, but there would be much greater radiational poisoning suffering going on by most everybody.

http://www.denverpost.com/entertainment/ci_8653687

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/jericho/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho_%28TV_series%29

*****

Recycling All Plastics Impossible

As many have probably discovered, it is very difficult if not impossible to get all plastics recycled. Most communities only recycle two or three of the seven types of plastics. For me, that means I can recycle milk jugs but not soda pop two liter and smaller bottles; caps from milk and pop containers; containers for dairy products like cottage cheese, sour cream, and margerine; and plastic bottles for such products as peanut butter, jam, catsup, liquid margerine, honey, and juice as well as their lids or covers. At this point in my life, it is difficult to recycle these items within my home except on a limited and rare basis. The one other kind of plastic that is impossibe to get recycled are the containers prepared food comes in from the grocery store or restaurants, as well as the platforms that meats and pastries come on from grocery stores. These kinds of products will take centuries to dissolve in landfills, and quadrillions of tons of these plastics are in or are going to landfills. I can fortunately have plastic bags from the grocery store recycled.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resin_identification_code

*****

I WANT BARRACK ! Remake of a great 80s Hair Metal Song and Video

Twisted Sister strikes again ! Just in time to put mortal fear in the hearts and souls of Republicans everywhere ! Horrifying and terrifying Republicans is so much fun ! This is the best of the songs out there showing support for Obama, plus it brings back a fun and good memory of a great song and video from a generation ago. Think of all the songs that have the word "rock" in them and these rewrites to include Barrack instead rock are countless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVUHahgBm6s

*****

Arthur C Clarke, 1917 - 2008

Arthur C Clarke was one of the giants of science fiction writing, and his loss is great one for the worldwide community of literature, its writers, and its readers. Clarke rose from humble beginnings in England, serving in WWII with the RAF as an officer in a radar facility (somehow that seems just right), before launching his writing career. He authored over 70 books, and is best known for the shortstory, The Sentinel, which was later made into the epic film, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Clarke envisioned and foresaw greater technological developments decades before their realization, includins satellite communication and the lunar landing. His imagination was always evident in his books as they were colorful, creative, and thought provoking. He spoke and worked with government officials, scientists, media, and other writers. Clarke was entered into knighthood by the British monarchy in 2000. Only Ray Bradbury survives from the classic era of great science fiction with Clarke passing to join recent passings of other science fiction writing legends Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article3579120.ece

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article3579812.ece

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article468542.ece

http://www.space.com/news/080319-arthur-clarke-tribute.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarke's_three_laws

http://www.clarkefoundation.org/

http://www.arthurcclarke.net/

*****

MLB Over/Under Numbers

Here are the pregnosticators numbers for what is the likely number of wins each club in MLB will have. My outlook with the over/under win totals follows in parentheses.

National League West

Los Angeles.................87.5 (probably slightly high)

Arizona........................86.5 (probably a little low)

San Diego....................84.5 (definitely low)

Colorado......................82.5 (definitely low)

San Francisco.............71.5 (probably slightly high)

National League Central

Chicago........................87.5 (about right)

Milwaukee..................84.5 (probably slightly low)

Cincinnati....................79.5 (about right)

St Louis.......................78.5 (probably too high)

Houston.......................72.5 (about right)

Pittsburgh...................68.5 (probably slightly low)

National League East

New York....................93.5 (probably too low)

Philadelphia................87.5 (probably slightly high)

Atlanta........................84.5 (probably too low)

Washington.................70.5 (definitely too low)

Florida.........................68.5 (probably slightly high)

American League West

Anaheim......................91.5 (probably slightly low)

Seattle.........................86.5 (probably too low)

Texas...........................74.5 (probably slightly low)

Oakland.......................73.5 (probably too high)

American League Central

Detroit.........................93.5 (about right)

Cleveland....................88.5 (probably too low)

Chicago........................79.5 (definitely too high)

Minnesota...................72.5 (probably too low)

Kansas City.................71.5 (probably slightly low)

American League East

Boston..........................93.5 (about right)

New York....................93.5 (probably slightly high)

Toronto........................85.5 (probably too low)

Tampa Bay..................73.5 (probably too low)

Baltimore.....................65.5 (probably too high)

*****

An Addition to My Bucket List

A couple of months back I wrote of my "Bucket List", things I would like to do before my end comes and I pass. After watching Nightline on Monday evening 17 March, going to the coast of Chile and witnessing these fascinating creatures, Blue Whales, will join that list. This region is truly a wonderland for observing some extraordinary sea creatures. You can watch the video from Nightline at the link below.

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=4464998&page=1

*****

March Madness is Just That

The frenzy over the NCAA Basketball Tournament is simply ridiculous and largely hype. The sport is seriously overrated in the media and the minds of many. The quality of play and lack of fundamentals demonstrated in the sport is simply pathetic. The vast majority of the players are not worthy of being college students and largely being used for their schools and conferences to make money without a care about what happens to these young men. Check the graduation rates at most of the higher profile schools as well as the ones that are largely unheard of as well and you will discover that more than half of the basketball players will never graduate, and often it is substantially less. Scholarships for these athletes should be required to be continued until the student does graduate. That would strongly encourage schools to give scholarships to players who really are student-athletes instead of saps and wannabes only dreaming of professional money with no intention of taking advantage of their educational opportunities. Guys who want to be pro basketball players should be in the NBA minor league, the NBDL, instead of college. A similar minor league needs to be in place for the NFL rather than the taxpayer subsidized entity that trains,conditions, and orients their future players. And the federal government should mandate a federal professional player privilege license for all professional athletes in the four major sports as well as auto racing, tennis, golf, and other major sports nationally that would also include the mandatory earning of a four year college bachelors degree from an accredited university that is a member of the NCAA or one of its smaller brethern. This is but one way to end the scam and corruption of major college sports such as football and mens college basketball.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2007/11/student_athletes.cfm

http://www.blackathlete.com/Blackbox/specialreport4.html

http://books.google.com/books?id=hA0zwgX0VCAC&pg=RA1-PA345&lpg=RA1-PA345&dq=sham+of+%22student+athletes%22+&source=web&ots=EnsOahSW9x&sig=9FmCLAixBcvKXmubYBmA6Ytu9a4&hl=en#PPA15,M1

http://www.allamericanfootballleague.com/FixingCollegeFootballArticle.php

*****

St Patricks Day and Easter 2008

The timing of Easter this year is worthy of note. For the first time since 1940, Easter falls on a date almost immediately after the Vernal Equinox. As a result, St Patricks Day occurs within the traditional Holy Week, long a traditional period of solemn reverence and sacrifice instead of revelry and irresponsibility so rampant on the day honoring the patron saint of Ireland. Easter can occur anytime between 22 March and 25 April, following the first full moon of Spring. This year marks the earliest Easter since 1913, 95 years ago. Easter falling again so early on 23 March will not occur again until the year 2160 and then again in 2228. The next occurrence of Easter falling on the earliest day possible, 22 March, will not be until the year 2285.

The Vernal Equinox astronomically occurs shortly before midnight MDT on Wednesday 19 March 2008, making Thursday 20 March the first day of Spring this year. Hopefully Mother Nature will be cooperative and all those celebrating Easter so early will have good weather that includes some warmth so everyone can dress in their wonderful Easter clothing, particularly for the yound children who want to also go hunting for Easter Eggs outside.

And you adults, enjoy that corned beef, cabbage, and carrots; but keep a lid on all that green beer and Irish whiskey that you usually put away on St Patricks Day

http://www.trib.com/articles/2008/03/15/features/weekender/0edef4b5a1a58b778725740b00691318.txt

*****

A Nice Enjoyable Day in SE Wyoming

So far March has been not to bad here in SE Wyoming, and Tuesday, 11 March, turned out to be a real nice day. Winds were down, skies were completely sunny and cloud free, and the temperature climbed into the lows 60s. Temps at lower elevations nearby in Colorado neared and reached 70 degrees. After I got off work, I went over to the park and enjoyed the nice afternoon for about 45 minutes. I saw many birds chirping in delight, and some squirrels made an appearance near me in hopes of a handout, but I did not have anything for the varmits and critters. Later when I returned home, I was able to leave the front door open for some time for the first time since last October to let the sunshine in during the very early evening hour as the door opens to the south which allows rays of sun inside which is very comforting after months of having the place sealed up to fend off the eternal cold and wind. But alas, once again, this nice day will not be repeated again soon, as cooler and incliment weather is forecast for the coming week and beyond, with the possibility of a March blizzard for the Colorado and Wyoming Front Range in the offing for next Monday and Tuesday. Lets hope it does not eventuate.

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
1027 PM MDT TUE MAR 11 2008
...................................
...THE CHEYENNE CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH 11 2008...
VALID TODAY AS OF 0900 PM LOCAL TIME.

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1971 TO 2000
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1871 TO 2008

............OBSERVED...TIME...RECORD...YEAR..NORMAL... DEPARTURE...LAST
........... VALUE..........(LST)....VALUE...................VALUE........FROM...............YEAR
........................................................................................................NORMAL...................
TEMPERATURE (F)
TODAY
MAXIMUM......61......400 PM... 72..........1989.........45.................16....................59
MINIMUM.......22......300 AM.. -19........1948..........21...................1....................30
AVERAGE.........42........................................................33...................9....................45

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2008 Mountain West Conference Basketball Tournament

Its that time again for the MoWeCo Hoops Tournament. 2008 finds the tournament back in Las Vegas again with the mens games starting on Wednesday 12 March consummating with the conference tournament championship game on Saturday 15 March. I have gotten to attend several MWC and its predecessor WAC basketball tournaments, seeing a number of games in such places as Albuquerque, El Paso, Denver, Laramie, and Fort Collins. I look forward to attending the tournament in Las Vegas at some point.

Here is the schedule for the tournament. Of all the teams, New Mexico needs to win the tournament the most; Brigham Young the least; and San Diego St would like to win it to get the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. For Utah and Air Force, wins would improve their chances of getting tapped for the NIT. With all that said, look for the hometown Nevada-Las Vegas Running Rebels to take it over the Cougars. No matter what happens, three MWC teams (Brigham Young, New Mexico, and Nevada-Las Vegas) should get into the NCAA tournament.

WED 12 March -
Noon MDT - untelevised
# 8 Wyoming (5-11,12-16) v #9 Colorado St (0-16, 6-24)
PIGTAIL GAME

THURSDAY 13 March -
1pm MDT - MountainWest Network (MTN)
GAME ONE: Quarterfinal
#1 Brigham Young (14-2, 25-6) v PIGTAIL GAME winner

3:30 MDT - MountainWest Network (MTN)
GAME TWO: Quarterfinal
#4 San Diego St (9-7, 19-11) v #5 Air Force (8-8, 16-13)

7pm MDT - MountainWest Network (MTN) / CSTV
GAME THREE: Quarterfinal
#2 Nevada-Las Vegas (12-4, 23-7) v #7 Texas Christian (6-10, 14-15)

9:30pm MDT - MountainWest Network (MTN) / CSTV
GAME FOUR: Quarterfinal
#3 New Mexico (11-5, 24-7) v #6 Utah (7-9, 16-13)

FRIDAY 14 MARCH -
7pm MDT - MountainWest Network (MTN) / CSTV
GAME FIVE: Semifinal
Game Two Winner v Game Three Winner

9:30pm MDT - MountainWest Network (MTN) / CSTV
GAME SIX: Semifinal
Game Four Winner v Game Four Winner

SATURDAY 15 March
5pm MDT - VERSUS (VS.)
GAME SEVEN:
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP
Game Five Winner v Game Six Winner

*****

Vatican Lists New Deadly Sins

The Vatican and Catholic Church came out today with a list of new deadly sins, ones that are rampant in today's consumer driven society. The original list still stands, as does the new ten commandments for drivers of motor vehicles that was issued last year. With this new list, there is virtually no hope for anyone getting to Heaven, perhaps even for religious personnel themselves. The list of the newest seven deadly sins are:

1) Genetic Modification

2) Human Experimentation

3) Polluting the Environment

4) Social Injustice

5) Causing Poverty

6) Financial Gluttony

7) Taking Drugs

This definitively means that all executives, administrators, and managers of virtually every corporation are doomed to an eternity in Hell for widespread and incalculable numerous sins of these kinds, as if they were not already destined for that. Rich jackals like Donald Trump, Carl Icahn, Jerry Jones, Kirk Kirkorian, and most anyone with a net worth in excess of more than a million dollars are also destined for a permanent afterlife in Hell. And all those dirtbags who took heroin, cocaine, crack, meth, and angel dust are going there too. The number of people in positions of power, authority, and influence that have caused poverty and created social injustice would include virtually all people in government and business above the labor level. Hell will have around a half-billion to three-quarters of a billion of all people living today as permanent residents joining those already there and those already scheduled to be there after they pass.

The one that will get many more is the sin of polluting the environment. Every person in the US and other developed countries is guilty of this transgression to some extent. There are also billions of other people around the globe guilty as well. Will having made an attempt not to pollute be of any consolation ? For some, maybe - but for the ones who largely gave it lip service, that probably will not be enough.

All in all, not too many human beings alive at this moment are going to be going to Heaven. And this list of new mortal sins makes it all but impossible for most people alive at the moment.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23557650/wid/18298287/?GT1=45002

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7010282589

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Grocery Prices Notably Increase

I just made my monthly grocery run to Walmart today and saw that prices continue to increase markedly. A 24 ounce loaf of wheat bread is now at $1.38, up about 40 cents from last year. Not surprising, as wheat prices are at a record high. Other products that include grains are also up. Frozen waffles are at $1.08 a box, up from 89 cents. You cannot get cans of soup for less than 60 cents any longer. Walmart does have a good price on milk at $2.75 per gallon, which is considerably less than elsewhere. Bags and boxes of cereal look like they have gone up at least a quarter in the last few months as well. I now buy the store brand of most every product if one is available as there is usually a savings of at least 20 %, usually more. I did not purchase any product that was not a store brand today, but I will not in the case of mayonnaise, catsup, or jam as the store brand is of a markedly lower quality than the national brand in regard to these specific products. Even the store brand of biscuits is good enough to not ante up the extra money for the Pillsbury line, although there is not the full selection. Often if a store brand is not available, I will choose to forgo purchasing a product and just go without. My goal is to make it on about $60 to $75 per month on groceries, but these rising prices are making it more difficult to stick to that objective, so it will result in more consumption of cheaper foods and less good and healthy foods in order to avoid spending money that I cannot afford to spend.

http://www.boston.com/business/personalfinance/articles/2008/03/09/surging_costs_of_groceries_hit_home/

*****

Most Viewed Baseball Blogs

Here is a list of the most commonly read blogs about baseball. Many of these sites are ones I visit on occasion, and there are a few that I am a regular visitor such as Baseball Musings. Over the coming months I will endeavor to take a look at all of these blogs. Once in a while you can find a pearl of information, but I would think most of the sites are far too subjective and biased to find much that is of any value on any kind of regular basis.

http://www.wikio.com/blogs/top/sports

*****

Latest Ballball Odds

Here are the latest odds on each club winning the World Series in 2008.

Rank....Team.......Odds
1. Boston Red Sox 7/2
2. New York Mets 4/1
3. New York Yankees 5/1
3. Detroit Tigers 5/1
5. Cleveland Indians 10/1
5. Los Angeles Angels 10/1
7. Chicago Cubs 12/1
8. Philadelphia Phillies 20/1
9. Arizona Diamondbacks 22/1
10. Chicago White Sox 25/1
10. Colorado Rockies 25/1
10. Los Angeles Dodgers 25/1
10. San Diego Padres 25/1
10. Seattle Mariners 25/1
15. Milwaukee Brewers 30/1
15. Atlanta Braves 30/1
15. Toronto Blue Jays 30/1
18. Minnesota Twins 40/1
18. St. Louis Cardinals 40/1
20. Cincinnati Reds 50/1
21. Houston Astros 60/1
22. Oakland Athletics 65/1
23. Texas Rangers 100/1
23. San Francisco Giants 100/1
25. Baltimore Orioles 150/1
25. Florida Marlins 150/1
25. Tampa Bay Rays 150/1
28. Kansas City Royals 200/1
28. Pittsburgh Pirates 200/1
28. Washington Nationals 200/1

If I had money to spare and was in Las Vegas, I would put money on the Tigers, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays, Mariners, and Braves. Looking for a 2009 version of the 2008 Colorado Rockies ? Try Tampa Bay, Kansas City, or Texas.

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=376159

*****

Recommended PBS Program

Twice now I have been able to watch on PBS the the latest presentation of the long running program, "American Masters", and the documentary on one of the greatest Americans ever, Pete Seeger. I strongly urge any and all to catch this program as it is truly insightful, educational, and quite enjoyable. When I was a boy at Union Grove Elementary back in Newburgh, NY, Pete Seeger performed a concert for us students which I now recall after seeing this program. I am guessing I was in the third or fourth grade which would make it in 1967 or 1968. Seeger has lived most of his adult life just across the Hudson River outside of Beacon, NY. Most of the famous and remembered folk songs were performed by Seeger in a show that lasted probably about 30 to 45 minutes in which all the kids sang along with Pete. The wisdom and consciousness of this man is truly remarkable and stirring, and he has always been a man ahead of his time. His contributions to the great social changes we have seen in this nation are immense and virtually incomparable. His incredible talent of using his music to be able to bring people of differing views and experiences together is something to behold. Another great element of this documentary was to be able to see the forests and woodlands of the Central Hudson Valley again that I played and explored in as a youth and so belove even to this day. His music will always be timeless and its truly wonderful to see children still to this day enjoying it
.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/seeger_p.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_seeger

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_seeger

http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/pete-seeger

*****

Demise of My Favorite Radio Station

I got some disappointing news today as my favorite radio station for the most part is moving its programming from the AM dial over to the FM dial. KKFN, 950 AM, is moving their sports radio programming over to 104.3 FM and will cease their broadcasts on 950 at months end. While this is good for most, it is not so for me and other listeners at the northern reaches of the Front Range. The AM signal is not optimal at times and could be poor depending on where one is, but the FM signal will all but unavailable north of Fort Collins due to the distance as well as neighboring competing signals originating from broadcasts in Wyoming, Nebraska, and northern Colorado at 103.9, 104.1, and 104.5. One can still listen to broadcasts via the internet, but it is not always practical to have your computer with you or be at a place where a wifi hotspot exists. Plus I liked to listen while I was at work. Also Avalanche radio broadcasts are not available over the internet via the Fan, and the local Cheyenne station does not always opt to carry the games. There is no local radio programming of a similar quality and nature on any local radio (media in Cheyenne and Wyoming is woeful, (and thats being generous !), as we are left with ESPN radio which is focused on national sports and obsessed with sports that are awful like the NBA, offseason NFL news, college basketball from outside the time zone, and other sports like auto racing and golf (ugh !). Hockey coverage does not exist on ESPN radio and the baseball coverage fixates on teams from the Eastern time zone and the Cubs.

I have been listening to AM 950 since its inception in 1993 so this leaves a big hole in my radio listening life when it comes to local sports. Irv and Joe (the portly oldtimers in the photo above) have been guys I have listened to regularly for going on 20 years ever since I moved to the Front Range region and they are knowledgeable, informative, entertaining, and insightful. I may yet be forced to have to move back to Colorado to keep my sanity for these, among other, reasons.

The smooth jazz format formerly broadcast on 104.3 will be streamed online only, joining the Willie classic country and big hair metal rock formats there from other local Denver stations.

http://preview.fan950.com/home.cfm

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/mar/06/kkfn-the-fan-moves-to-fm/

*****

Happy Birthday Wishes

Happy Birthday wishes go out to my oldest niece, Lindsey, for her upcoming 21st birthday. It is truly amazing and wonderful to know you have reached full adulthood (at least legally). You have had a successful and accomplished life thus far with far greater promise and milestones awaiting you in the coming years. Enjoy your special day and know you are in thoughts of others near and far from you. Be sure to get some cake and ice cream to celebrate this big day !

*****

March Comes in Like a Lamb

This week wrapped with a record high temperature in Cheyenne. Overall, it was about the nicest stretch of days since mid-November as the winds were down quite a bit; the skies were largely sunny; temperatures were milder; and the ever lengthening days were a boost for ones spirits. There were a number of record high temperatures set in the Mountain Time Zone as well as points east and west adjacent to the zone. But at this time of the year, this kind of break is usually short-lived, as cold and snow moves back into the region overnight.

CDUS45 KCYS 012227
CLICYS

CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
326 PM MST SAT MAR 1 2008

......................................
THE CHEYENNE CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR MARCH 1 2008...
VALID AS OF 0300 PM LOCAL TIME.

CLIMATE NORMAL PERIOD 1971 TO 2000
CLIMATE RECORD PERIOD 1871 TO 2008

OBSERVED....TIME....RECORD..YEAR...NORMAL..DEPARTURE..LAST....
VALUE...........(LST).....VALUE..................VALUE......FROM...............YEAR...
............................................................................................NORMAL......................
TEMPERATURE (F)
TODAY
MAXIMUM.......67R....300 PM.....66.....1941....43....24......30
MINIMUM........40......1200 AM...-15.....1922....19....21......16
AVERAGE..........54..................................................31....23......23

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/view/validProds.php?prod=RER

*****

FYI: The Days of March

Here is an entertaining list of all the celebrations being celebrated on what days during the month of March. There are some days to be alarmed about: 5, 8, 9, 15, and 18 March. There look to be some days that will be delightful: 3, 19, 16, 22, 27, and 30 March. Be sure to eat at Subway on Monday 17 March and enjoy an apple or something with apples on Tuesday 11 March. I am particularly looking forward to Tuesday 25 March and an extra special breakfast.

March 1 is National Pig Day and Peanut Butter Lover's Day

March 2 is Old Stuff Day

March 3 is I Want You To Be Happy Day, Peach Blossom Day and National Anthem Day

March 4 is Holy Experiment Day

March 5 is Multiple Personalities Day

March 6 is National Frozen Food Day

March 7 is National Crown Roast Of Pork Day

March 8 is Be Nasty Day March 9 is Panic Day

March 10 is Festival Of Life In The Cracks Day

March 11 is Johnny Appleseed Day and Worship of Tools Day

March 12 is Alfred Hitchcock Day

March 13 is Jewel Day

March 14 is National Potato Chip Day

March 15 is Buzzard's Day and Everything You Think Is Wrong Day

March 16 is Everything You Do Is Right Day

March 17 is Submarine Day

March 18 is Supreme Sacrifice Day

March 19 is Poultry Day

March 20 is Proposal Day and Festival Of Extraterrestrial Abductions Day

March 21 is Fragrance Day

March 22 is National Goof-off Day

March 23 is National Organize Your Home Office Day and National Chip and Dip Day

March 24 is National Chocolate Covered Raisins Day

March 25 is Pecan Day and Waffle Day

March 26 is Make Up Your Own Holiday Day and Spinach Festival Day

March 27 is National "Joe" Day

March 28 is Something On A Stick Day

March 29 is Festival Of Smoke and Mirrors Day

March 30 is I Am In Control Day

March 31 is Bunsen Burner Day and National Clams On The Half Shell Day

*****