The Completion of 18,263 Days

Two-thousand six-hundred nine (2609) weeks. One-million ninety-five thousand seven-hundred eighty (1,095,780) hours. Sixty-five million seven- hundred forty-six thousand eight-hundred (65,746,800) minutes. Eighteen-thousand two-hundred sixty-three (18,263) days. One-half century. At approximately 3pm MDT on Saturday 31 May, these numbers indicate how much time has has elapsed since my presence on this planet began as an independent living being. Crossing this milestone is an opportune time for reflection, but the idea of reflection beyond the surface is difficult to comprehend and overwhelming. I have accomplished a lot, met many, done much, and seen a lot and much; and yet I have underachieved, done little, and not seen anywhere and anyone as much as I could, should, and wanted to have. Time is vast: the world is enormous and huge, and the planet is filled with countless people on an individual level of consciousness. I have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles, encountered millions of people, talked to tens of thousands, became acquainted with thousands, befriended hundreds, and developed both short and long rich special relationships with dozens. Life has changed markedly with change the constant element. We have lost much and gained much. I, too, have lost much and gained much over my life. Is it all it was meant to be or could have been ? No, but it could have been worse and then some. I am fortunate to have been born in a society and of parents that nurtured , cared for me, and prepared me as best as they could for the world out there that awaited me; and I had opportunites over time to further myself and develop a consciousness and knowledge. I may not have much compared to some, but I have more than most.
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I am grateful for everything and everyone that has come my way and crossed my path, and often wish some of that and those no longer part of my life could be still to this day. But change is eternal for most of what makes up our lives. I have my siblings and their families although not on an immediate and close basis; friends largely on the periphery overall; material possessions and assets, some of which date back decades but still are cherished; and years of knowledge and understanding which enable me to grasp my environment and the question, "what's it all about ?" on at least a minimal level. Life for me may not be complete and it surely has had its disappointments, setbacks, tragedies, and misfortune; but I am better off than many, if not most. Entering a second half century of life will not change me inexorably, but with time greater maturity, insight, and wisdom will inevitably occur if one is alive and has a consciousness. Time, however, does grow short; there is absolutely no question when one passes age 50 they are in the second half of their life, and probably somewhere in the fourth quarter of this game we live and play in every day. I still have much I want to do, accomplish, experience, witness, see, understand, and enjoy. Some will be of a repetitive nature; others will be all new. Where I am at now is completely different than five years ago, ten years, ago, fifteen years ago, twenty years ago, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Like life itself in general and specifically, my own personal life has been and will continue to be one of change and movement with little stability and no real "rock of ground" that holds me and I hold on to. Beyond my family; some friends; my interests, pastimes, and hobbies; and material possesssions I have always lacked stability and a restraining limiting structure that I am compelled to be within literally and figuratively. In many ways, I have truly known and experienced freedom.

While certain periods of time and circumstances have been more challenging and trying than others, I have always managed to keep my head above water and not drowned from the torrents of life. Now that I have made it this far, in some ways it will be easier to continue to just that; but in other ways it will be of a far greater challenge. Opportunities and obstacles await me as they do for all, and I am somewhat confident of my abilities and strengths to ride out the storms as they come. My mind is as almost keen and alert as it ever has been for the most part, but my body has peaked and is in decline. One of the most paramount challenges is to slow and minimize that decline and extend it for as long as possible over time. Of all the challenges and obstacles I have encountered; succeeded at; and failed at; this is probably the greatest one I have ever matched up against. Only time will tell, like with everything, how successful and fully I overcome and master this preeminent looming potential ordeal. But I will continue to have fun, enjoy, learn, experience, experiment, and reflect on everything else as time for me and everyone else continues to go by. The older one gets, the more life takes away from you and the less it gives you. Hopefully there will be some balance of satisfaction, success, and joy in the future along with the inevitable tragedies, challenges, setbacks, reversals, and defeats. My future is here whether I am ready for it or not.
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"Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." -- Groucho Marx
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*****

Alexander Courage, 1919 - 2008

Alexander Courage was a longtime successful composer and orchestrator who began his career in Hollywood in the late 194os on a number of film musicals and later on additonal musicals and other films in the 1950s. He is best remembered for creating the music that accompanied the original Star Trek television series in the late 1960s. His instrumental music, The Theme from Star Trek, is universally recognized across the globe. Courage also created the music for a number of other television series such as Lost in Space and The Land of the Giants, and was an orchestrator for many films through the last five decades. Alexander Courage joins DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Mark Lenard, and Gene Roddenberry as important individuals from the Star Trek family who have passed in recent years. Courage and Roddenberry had a longtime split and alienation due to Roddenberry's largely unprincipled capture of one-half of the royalties from Courage's composures for Star Trek. Courage leaves four stepchildren and six grandchildren as his third wife died in 2005.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Courage
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http://www.filmmusicsociety.org/news_events/features/2008/052808.html#
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http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Alexander_Courage
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*****

Harvey Korman, 1927 - 2008

Harvey Korman was a longtime successful comedic actor who is best remembered by many, including me, in the Mel Brooks's great comedic film Blazing Saddles for his role as Hedley Lamarr, the sleazy politician who drives the movie plot as well as gets off numerous jokes and gags. Korman was also a regular cast member on the longtime very successful 1970s comedy revue The Carol Burnett Show on CBS. Korman also had a memorable role in another Mel Brooks' comedy, History of the World Part I, as the imbecilic Count de Monet. Korman leaves a surviving wife and four offspring.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Korman
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*****

Budweiser and Anheuser-Busch: Soon to be Owned by Belgians

Anheuser-Busch is the largest brewery in the US with locations across the nation brewing the tasty cold stuff. There is an A-B brewery less than 40 miles from me on the north side of Fort Collins along the west side of I-25. While Budweiser is not a beer that I like (too dry and wood-like tasting), I do enjoy Michelob and some of the other A-B brews. But A-B will not be an American corporation much longer. The Belgian brewing corporate giant InBev is apparently closing in on buying the St Louis based beer brewing giant. The ramifications of this transaction will likely mean belt tightening, downscaling, and cutbacks. The closing of the Fort Collins facility is something that is not out of the question, although unlikely. The ongoing giant selloff of America to foreigners continues unabated, but when it gets to the point of now including breweries, we know the best of days are behind us...
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http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/CouldUSLosetheKingOfBeers.aspx
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*****

Pandora Radio: Success and the Future

It can be firmly declared internet radio is indeed the wave of the future which has now arrived. Facilitated in the next few years by the widespread and universal availability virtually anywhere of the internet via WIMAX, internet radio can be operated at a substantially smaller cost and commercial free unlike traditional terran based radio which has been the pre-eminent source since the 1920s on the AM signal and the 1960s with the FM signal. Most terran based radio will be gone within a decade to fifteen years as internet radio promises to deliver what satellite and cable television has delivered on the video side in the last two decades, and what the internet has fine tuned -- narrowcasting; a format that almost individualized and a sharp contrast to the ubiquitious broadcasting which has defined media exclusively until recently. On my own laptop, I access several internet radio sources which are clearly more satisfying - Rush Radio, Live365, and Ghost Rider Internet Radio. Pandora is clearly among the best internet radio sources available and I listen to my station at least a couple times of week. Once WIMAX is online in late '09 or '10, automobile radios will offer the internet option for drivers allowing for listening of an internet only radio or a broadcast online from a signal originating from a broadcast from a distant city or state. Once this happens, the long standing commercial terran stations will be on life support, particularly ones in markets and with formats that lack any real reason to be listened other than a lack of good and better alternatives.
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http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/pandora-rare-startup-cool-product/story.aspx?guid=%7BD7C5CD70%2D2086%2D4F44%2DBF68%2DBE3F2995FDA3%7D
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*****

Another Cold Rainy Memorial Day In Wyoming

It is said Memorial Day is the start of summer across the US, but in Wyoming that is rarely the case. Usually the holiday weekend here is very springlike with incliment weather, often bordering on winterlike. Monday the 26th was about par for the course, as I can never remember a summerlike Memorial Day in the 20 years since I first came to the Equality State. The day and evening was filled with a hard cold rain for the most part with temperatures hovering in the low to mid 40s. Snow reportedly fell overnight on higher ground to the immediate west of Cheyenne, including the area where I stayed in the first half of '07. Thankfully, the next two summer holidays live up to warmer expectations much more often than not.
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Today, Tuesday the 27th is largely a repeat of yesterday but warmer sunny skies are forecast starting Wednesday. I have a day off after a couple of days working so I am just hibernating at home although I will go out later to get some milk. No word yet on my new prospective employment. I got the impression the place was disorganized in some ways and with the long holiday weekend they may take a day or two to get everything and everybody on the same page.
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Due to my disciplined strict behavior I am able to make my June nondiscretionary expenses without delay. I never bought fully bought groceries this month and I think I only went out for a taco or burger twice during May. Hopefully I will be able to make a full grocery run the second week of June as my supplies will hold up until then although they will have been thinned to their lowest level since last summer. I will have to purchase gasoline for the White Knight this week. Prices are in the upper $3.6os and may seep over the $3.70 mark this week. It could be worse as I saw on the news the price is over $4 in at least a dozen states and I imagine there are even a few stations in the Denver area that are nearing or have crossed that threshold (the DIA Conoco, the Speer and Washington Conoco).
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Last night's Rockies' game was truly a debacle, with the Phillies scoring 20 runs ! I thought the days of pitching ineptitude of that magnitude by the Rockies, particularly on the road, were over. Its looking like this will be a lost season and I am thinking the club will not even win 80 games. That will make for a long summer of baseball watching and make the approach of college football more anticipated. The Stanley Cup Playoffs continue to be a dud as we have not had a really good series since the first round, and the Finals are seemingly headed in the same direction as the Redwings have dominated Pittsburgh so far in the first two games. Lets hope the Penguins strongly reverse this on Wednesday and in the games following.
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I think I will go see the Indiana Jones movie on Wednesday as there is a $3 matinee in the early afternoon. I should have gone today so I could have smuggled in some beverages more easily. I am reading the movie is being strongly praised and over one-third of a billion dollars have been spent globally to see the highly lauded film. Maybe tomorrow I will also spend some time working in the garage and doing some repacking and organizing. I might also get an ice cream cone for a change of pace.
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It would have been nice to be traveling to HTN for my niece's graduation and seeing family but it was not meant to be. If I get this better paying job, options like that will be able to be realized as I am thinking that perhaps I will go to ABQ for Thanksgiving and there would be much less difficulty in considering going to CR for Xmas with my brother and his family. The success achievement of these ideas would quite nice.

This upcoming Saturday marks Half Century Day for me. I will not celebrate breaching this benchmark, but I may consider making some reflections on what, if anything, it means as I enter into the probable final ten percent of my life. I think if I could get any gift for my birthday that first on the list would be the Jack LaLanne Power Juicer Pro. All in all, I would probably rather be in Houston at the family gathering; if not there, then commemorating the day at SGW drinking some beer and in the company of the lovelies than sitting at home; although game four of the Stanley Cup playoffs may yet prove to be entertaing and a nice diversion.
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*****

NHL Historical Stanley Cup Raise

2008 Stanley Cup Finals

The National Hockey League got the ideal finals series in getting the optimum matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Redwings. These two clubs were the two best clubs throughout the regular season and have played splendidly in the postseason. Both clubs are solid offensively and defensively. I give a slight edge on offense to the Penguins and on defense to the Redwings. Goaltending and special teams are even for the most part. This series promises to be exciting with end-to-end action. I think there is a great chance this series may go the full seven, something that is always special and memorable. We have had full seven games series in the Stanley Cup finals four times this decade already (01: Colorado over New Jersey; 03: New Jersey over Anaheim; 04: Tampa Bay over Calgary; and o5: Carolina over Edmonton) which is the most times this has ever occurred in any decade in the history of the sport. While the sport has its issues and challenges, it is possible to think that we are witnessing the golden era of professional hockey in North America right now, particularly with the ease and greater availability to watch and follow the sport at a rate and level that is unprecedented for fans across the continent. I will take youth and speed in this Stanley Cup Finals, so call it...PENGUINS, 4-3.

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http://www.nhl.com/cup/cup.html

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http://stanleycupplayoffs2008.com/

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http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=83293
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Stanley_Cup_champions

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*****

Destructive Deadly Weather Slams Northern Front Range

The intense Spring of 2008 continues as tornados and powerful thunderstorms roared through the Northern Front Range urban corridor from north of Denver through Weld County all the way into SE Wyoming on Thursday. The small suburb of Windsor about ten miles SE of Fort Collins was particularly hit hard. Widespread property damage occurred and the town took a serious hit from at least one tornado. I was just in this town four days ago getting gasoline and at one time considered residing there. The destruction continued north into Laramie as a tornado touched down there causing property damage. For a time, another storm with tornado potential was bearing down strong towards Cheyenne, prompting the tornado sirens to cry for about one-half hour, but the storm weakened to just strong winds, rain, and hail. It was quite fortunate that the number of deaths was kept to a minimum as were the reports of injuries. But the destruction to homes, businesses, and infrastructure are extensive throughout the region. It will be months and years before the cleanup and restoration is complete. One thing that was quite extraordinary about these storms was the fact they took a northwest direction as a track which is almost unheard, particularly in this region. Most storms flow south or southeast usually.
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http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/may/22/weather-may-get-dicey-today/
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http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_9349705
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And if this was not enough, another serious storm roared north out of CO giving us in Cheyenne another full fledged tornado warning around 7:45 pm. I took a look outside and it was rather disconcerting. Cloud movement was definitively in a largely circular motion and the clouds were quite dark. Lightening could be seen off to the east and north. Rain was lightly falling with a cold wind blowing. It looks as if the worst has past, but the conditions are ripe for further activity, and a cyclone could drop out of these clouds at any time. Thank goodness its still light out as the thought of dealing with this during dark is quite unsettling. The radar on TWC is showing a blizzard over the mountains to the south and west, something not all that unusual in mid-May, but nevertheless interesting...
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*****

New Employment Looming ?

Wednesday I had an interview with Jeld-Wen, a windows manufacturing enterprise that has locations throughout the US and internationally. The session went good and I am optimistic that I will soon be on board, perhaps starting next week. The hourly pay would be at least 50 % more than what I have been making, but the most positive developments would be fulltime hours and even some overtime, perhaps even regularly. I understand benefits are part of the deal which would allow me to see a dentist and an eye doctor in the coming months, as well as look into what needs to be done with the herniated abdominal muscle located above my navel which is increasingly becoming more hardened and worrisome to me. The employment also offers paid holidays and vacation which are always nice. Given the large increase to personal revenues, I could soon address the essential number of projects and obligations that I have been unable to attend to due to the limits of my current employment. Among these projects and responsibilities include repaying my two sisters; maintenance on the White Knight (regular items as well as the kingpins, the exhaust system, and the flywheel/clutch; getting my 36" TV repaired; getting the two desktop computers repaired; purchasing a 24" computer monitor; and getting a new mattress ( an 84" California Queen). Perhaps I can even consider purchasing another motor vehicle which is newer and considerably more fuel efficient. And of course, the longterm project of saving $ to finance a relocation, even if to just the Denver or the Colorado Springs region. The timetable is embark on this relatively small move is either by September 2009 or 2010, but I could still opt to move to OR, WA, MT, or NV which will require a larger bankroll to finance. It is a long ways off, but it is never too early to start working towards those goals. Hopefully this new employment will emerge to enable this and other dreams and plans (travel to visit relatives, attend games, etc.). Perhaps a new day is dawning which will enable me to have greater optimism and hope...
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*****

A Few Days Away From Reality

After many long cold windy mostly winter months of being in Cheyenne exclusively, I was able to get away for a few days and spend some nice time with my brother and his family last week and over the last weekend. Its 135 miles each way from my residence to his; so with the price of gas it is not inexpensive for the trip itself. Gasoline was $3.50 per gallon in Cheyenne on Thursday and $3.74 per gallon in Windsor on Sunday. My fuel expense was around $70 for the round trip plus 20 miles each way back and forth to Centennial to meet up with my friend Matt. The weather in Castle Rock was rather unpleasant until Sunday as it was quite windy and chilly, particularly on both Thursday and Friday. HBL's house is at around 6500' in elevation which makes the climate there very similar to Cheyenne, as it is also on a largely treeless windswept prairie ridge. I estimate temperatures in Castle Rock are usually 7 to 15 degrees less than in Denver which is 1200' to 1400' lower and at DIA which is about 1000' lower. Fortunately Summer is on the not so distant horizon which will make the weather in CR a little more favorable for about three to four months; but as my brother likes to say, the place where he lives has two seasons: eight months of largely winter and then a short summer with little transition if at all. The last few days into this week affirm that strongly. Its no wonder it took over a century to have the general area where he resides to get developed relative to Denver and elsewhere in the time zone.
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I arrived after the trip around 11:30am having surprisingly not seen virtually any rain. We went to JSL's preschool "graduation" ceremony early in the afternoon. 11 children participated in the rite which included a lot of singing and sentimental moments. JSL has matured into a thoughtful and intelligent child who has grace and dignity with respect to her age. She is a fun loving little girl who has the ability and talent to surprise you with her statements and observations more often than one might expect. There was a snackfest afterwards with the children and their siblings and friends playing games and with toys inside for about two hours while the adults and parents visited and reminisced. Younger sister CL is slated to go to the same preschool in August 2010. We later went to the grocery store and enjoyed a nice evening at his home. The kids have been blessed recently with a large playcenter with swings, a slide, a ladder, a fort above 6' above the ground and a climbing ramp that has plastic pieces mounted to boards which encourage the children to master and grow confident with. Young JSL is adept at it all, but youngest sister CL is still mastering things and has a ways to go. Look for her to get on top of the roof of the fort by the end of next summer or so as CL has the energy and daring of a monkey. HBL's trees took their time blooming this spring with all the harsh weather, but these trees will be in full bloom this week. The dog Dave welcomed me warmly and enthusiastically, but clearly the old boy is now a senior with noteworthy arthritis in his rear hips which limit his movement. He has less energy and no longer runs. The old boy lays around a lot more and needs to rest most of the time. I brought him some tennis balls but the activity has to be strongly limited with his condition and age. Later in the early evening the girls opened their gifts I got them: a simple necklace for each and three stuffed animals for each: a horse, small bull, and big bull. J's are named Chestnut, Dusty, and Sheridan; C's are named Buckshot, Tumbleweed , and Cody. The gifts were quite the big hit. Unfortunately Deb had to work all three nights I was there so her presence was largely minimal with her work and sleep schedules. I can see it is truly rough on her as well as for him and the kids in various ways.
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Friday we took the girls with us to downtown Denver (more accurately Capital Hill) for an errand. The city looked good especially with all the newly bloomed trees and shrubs. Late that afternoon I drove up to Centennial and connected up with Matt. He drove us downtown taking the scenic route to avoid the locked up traffic on I-25 to the Rockies/Twins game. He got tickets for $10 each down the left field line under the pavallion (no rain fell on us thank goodness) about three sections from the tunnel separating the left field sections. It was not a great game as Colorado lost 4-2 but there were over 35,000 fans in attendance. Afterwards we got a chili dog at Sonic before calling it a day.
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Saturday, HBL had to take his daughters to see a dentist for a checkup. We started out going to the Walmart for his supplies list errand and then went on to the dentist up the road in Castle Pines North. The amount of driving they have to do daily is truly a powerful negative part of their lives and a continually growing expense. I estimate their family fuel budget is around $500 per month which projects to over $800 to $900 per month by 2012. The oil corporations are truly shafting and criminally robbing people like my brother and his family in a most ruthless harsh way forcing them to miss out on some wonderful experiences with their daughters. Next up was time at Home Depot where he got some concrete and wood for a gate project he has that is ongoing. The girls really enjoyed looking at the flowers and trees. Then it was off to the DQ for a banana split for the girls that he had been promising them. They wolfed it down with the usual mess being created and conflicts over whom would get to eat what in the split. The place was mobbed and the atmosphere at the DQ in CR leaves alot to be desired. After a dinner of hot dogs, the girls continued to have me swing them on the swings which was the favored activity of theirs all three days I was there along with reading them short story books. I must have read between 30 and 40 of those little books over those three days. CL cries an awful lot with about 20-30 incidents daily which include some epic temper tantrums and emotional explosions. Some originate out of anger at not getting her way, but many simply come from her inability yet to be able do everything her two years older sister can do. Also the kid is quite energetic and flys around which inevitably results in her falling or hitting her head. Some of the circumstances where she is screaming her head off are funny in a way. All in all, she is a typical three year old with a smile that melts your heart.
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Fortunately HBL has wireless internet in his home so I can keep aware of whats going on in the world and stay on top of my hobbies. He is fervantly anti TV and has a Joseph McCarthy like approach to the medium proclaiming it all wrong and evil. While the medium has shortcomings and many strongly negative content areas certainly, to universally condemn it completely is not very enlightened. He will have to deal with the ramifications of his philosophy in the nearterm as the medium will become a part of his daughters' lives rather regularly as they grow, acquire a diverse number of friends and acquaintances, and are in school where it is part of the curriculum and viewing of certain programming is a requisite part of their education. But for now, his edict stands for his family and guests in his home.
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Sunday he and the girls went to church and they met up with me afterwards at a McDs in Lone Tree where there was a play area that totally enrapt and enthused the girls. Both the girls are happy well developed kids who live excellent lives. If there are kids that are better off in all the ways fully these kids are, I would like to see them. The only negative is the fact they do not get a lot of quality time every day with their Mom with her having to work 12 plus hours graveyard shifts 4-5 times per week in a hospital 65 miles away across a rugged mountain stretch of road. That will have to change sometime in the coming years for the benefit of all but particularly the girls. They make it work, but I can see it is very difficult and often stressful. Both the parents need a weekend of escape where they can get a couple of nights with 10-12 hours sleep as both are wiped out and seriously lacking in rest which I fear threatens their health. Hopefully in the next year or so one or more of their neices can help them out and let them get away for 3-4 days to unwind and truly relax.
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After an hour or so at the Lone Tree McDs, we parted ways and I headed home on the warm sunny afternoon, looking forward to sleeping in my bed after three all too short and somewhat restless nights trying to sleep on my air mattress with only limited pillows and just the sleeping bag for cover. Thankful the White Knight made the trip without incident, I got home around 4:45pm, seeing the big Russian Olive tree outside of my east window had at last exploded into a fullness of pink blossoms, and spent the next seven to eight hours surfing and watching television and did not even eat any dinner winding up with a nice solid ten hours of uninterupted sleep. And it was glorious...
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*****

Spring in Full Bloom

I enjoyed a quiet weekend at home but did get out briefly to see the nice weather and the blooming vegetation. Smaller, younger trees have come back to life with the larger, older trees due to awaken in the next week or so. Sunday was a winner with limited winds and temps into the low to mid 70s. The first half to three weeks of May in the High Plains adjacent to the Rocky Mountains is a time of ups and downs in the weather with the last vestiges of winter trying desparately to hang in like melting snowmen. We will see cold and wind and even snow for a little while longer as we have already this month, but each time it is less severe and shorter lived. An example of this will be in about 24 hours when a quick clipper comes through the Front Range and gives locations above 7500' several inches of snow that will melt quickly; and other areas south of Denver will get about 2-3". Here in Cheyenne we might see one-half inch or less of snow on windshields and the grass. The first 80 degree and 90 degree days are on the near horizon. After taking a stroll in the park, I went out and got some milk and bread. This week marks something different for me. I have not been out of town since last 1 October, nearly 7 1/2 months ago. My youngest brother HBL invited me down to his home in CR and take in the "graduation" from preschool of his oldest daughter J. It will be a nice time and a chance to spend some enjoyable relaxing time with him and his family. Maybe the weather will hold up and we can BBQ outdoors. I am not looking forward to the gasoline expense, but I am going to take the back route through Greeley and Denver and avoid the highway for the most part. This will be a little safer with the old White Knight and should be about the same as far as fuel consumption. Maybe this week something also really nice will happen and I will get a followup on one of the dozens of employment applications I have submitted in recent weeks. It is difficult to bear the thought of doing the same inane and mundane work for yet another season and continuing to struggle painfully on such a limited income. Change must happen and as soon as possible. But for now its back to the boredom for three days starting Monday am.
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*****

Happy Mothers Day 2008

Here is a big wish of a Happy Mothers Day to all three of my sisters; my two sister-in-laws; all the women I have been acquainted with, known, and been friends to over so many years; all the women who have, are, and will be Moms someday; and most especially to my own Mom, whom did a great job inspite of enormous adversities, obstacles, and challenges to mold six children of her own into fine adults and sacrificed much on her part to do so much for so many. It truly is the hardest yet most rewarding and important job for anybody.
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You are all owed a large number of "Thank Yous" for all you have done. You all did good.
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*****

Quenneville Ousted as Avalanche Coach

In a move that was really not too surprising, the Colorado Avalanche parted ways Friday with three year head coach Joel Quenneville. The Avalanche enjoyed relatively little success with Quenneville at the helm as compared to their first ten years in Denver. The club missed the playoffs one season ('06-'07) and was eliminated in the conference semis two other years after first round successes that most considered upsets. The Avalanche lacked an offensive dynamic during Quenneville's tenure and often had trouble scoring and even getting ample scoring opportunities. Goaltending was often an issue, and the power play was abysmal and worse during his coaching years. Quenneville will land on his feet quite nicely, probably with the Toronto Maple Leafs in an Eastern Conference that is more suitable for his coaching strategy style. The Avalanche will hopefully land a coach that is more creative offensively and develops strategies at both ends of the ice that better utilize the club's personnel strengths and talents. Colorado has the players to be competitive and even successful in '08-'09 and the right coach in the Mile High City will only serve to make this even more possible. Among those being speculated as a possible replacement include longtime Avalanche Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy. Hopefully it will not be a has-been retread like Pat Burns, Andy Murray, or John Muckler.
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http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_9206746
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http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=frei_terry&id=3389209
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http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/may/09/speculation-on-avs-successor-already-under-way/
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Quenneville
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Avalanche
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http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_9209635
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*****

Eddy Arnold, 1918 - 2008

Eddy Arnold was a giant and legend in country music with 28 number one hits and the greatest charts performance in music genre's history. Arnold rose from humble beginnings in Tennesee and was a standard for listeners throughout the 1960s. His voice and music were quite relaxing and soothing. I remember listening to records of his as a youth as he was a favorite, among others, of my parents. Occasionally when I and my siblings were put to bed in our early youths, our mom would play his music on a record player to help us fall asleep. Arnold was married for 66 years to his wife whose own death preceded his by less than two months. He leaves two adult children as well as other heirs.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddy_Arnold
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http://www.eddyarnold.com/
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*****

2008 NHL Stanley Cup Conference Finals

The third round of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway tonight as we have reached the final four this year. I was completely wrong in making my picks for the conference semifinals, going 0 for 4. Detroit annihilated my favorite team, the Colorado Avalanche; Pittsburgh blitzed the New York Rangers; Dallas upset favored San Jose; and Philadelphia stunned regular season Eastern Conference winner Montreal rather easily. With this turn of events, I am reduced to rooting for Pittsburgh to win the Cup this year. Pittsburgh last won the Stanley Cup in 1992. Here are my picks for the conference finals:
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EAST: Pittsburgh Penguins v Philadelphia Flyers
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The Penguins have the edge in team speed, offense, and goal tending, Philly has an edge in defense, special teams, and physicality. This will be Pittsburgh's stiffest series this postseason, and the Flyers have all the pieces to win this conference final. The Battle of Pennsylvania will be a bruising, close, tough struggle, but in the end, I see the Pens returning to the Stanley Cup Finals.....PENGUINS, 4 games to 3
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WEST: Detroit Redwings v Dallas Stars
=
It is difficult to find an area of the game where Dallas would have an edge over the machine that is Detroit. The Redwings are deep, fast, skilled, and strong. Dallas was able to overcome a sloppy and underachieving San Jose club that was more talented in the semis through hard work and taking advantage of their opportunities. This will not be the case in this series with Detroit. The workman-like Redwings are going full throttle in every way and will make easy work of the overmatched Stars.....REDWINGS, 4 games to 1
=
*****

Housing Prices Holding Up in Albq

There are some places in the US where housing prices are not swooning and spiraling downward. Unlike places like Miami, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, and most elsewhere, smaller communities are holding their own as the grand price runup in the last five years was substantially less. Very few cities can make that claim, but among those that can are Albuquerque and Salt Lake City. Having been a past resident of the Duke City and usually aware of significant events there, it is not too surprising to see what has happened there. As for the reference in article that is linked below that likens Albuquerque to having a "resort town ambience", it is clearly and totally a mistake of a gross magnitude. Albuquerque is as much a resort town as Fargo is as a summer paradise in January. The quality of life in Albuquerque trails substantially to most places as crime, ethnic tensions, low wages, lack of economic diversification and sophistication, and traffic makes living there very unpleasant and the future holds no promise of improvement as New Mexico is a truly a third world country masquerading as an American state.
=
http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/closetohome/2008-04-28-albuquerque_N.htm
=
*****

134th Kentucky Derby Field Announced

The field for this Saturday's Kentucky Derby was announced today. 20 horses will be running in the 1 1/4 mile race. The consensus favorite, Big Brown, will start from the #20 gate, generally considered a less than advantageous position. The three year old is a 3-1 favorite despite having raced just three prior times. The only other two horses currently under 15-1 are Colonel John, running from the the the #10 post, and Pyro, at 6-1 from the #9 post.

The field, from the rail out:

Cool Coal Man (20-1), Tale of Ekati (15-1), Anak Nakal (30-1), Court Vision (20-1), Eight Belles (20-1), Z Fortune (15-1), Big Truck (50-1), Visionaire (20-1), Pyro (6-1), Colonel John (4-1), Z Humor (30-1), Smooth Air (20-1), Bob Black Jack (20-1), Monba (15-1), Adriano (30-1), Denis of Cork (20-1), Cowboy Cal (20-1), Recapturetheglory (20-1), Gayego (15-1) and Big Brown (3-1). Eight Belles is the lone filly in the field.

The Run For The Roses will be broadcast on NBC starting at 2pm MDT with posttime very shortly after 4pm MDT. Weather conditions are forecast to be dry and cool with temps in the 60s. My trifecta that I am going with is Pyro, Court Vision, and Colonel John.

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http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingsports/ci_9109863

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http://www.kentuckyderby.com/

-

http://www.horse-races.net/library/derby08-contenders.htm

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

-

*****

Tom Petty Returns to His Roots

I have always like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, but early on when I was younger I was not as enthusiastic. Like fine wine, the music only gets better with time. It has more than held up well over time since the band's beginnings and the start of when I had first had them in my consciousness. I was fortunate to see them at Red Rocks earlier in the decade and the show was superb and quite enjoyable. Its nice to see that the guys that were there when all began for Petty many years ago are having a chance to enjoy some success and recognition.
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http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/music/la-ca-mudcrutch27apr27,0,3569202.story?page=2
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Petty
--------------
*****

The Ultimate Thing I Would Like to Have

One's wants and wishes change and mature over time as one ages, and I am no different. Having a fancy bathtub would be something I would have given no thought to for most of my life. But as I get older and feel pain through many parts of the body fairly regularly, a soothing massaging refreshing state of the art bathtub is now something that I would like to have someday, and the products listed in this link look like they would fill the bill perfectly.
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http://www.indulgeabath.com/walk-in-tubs.html
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*****

National Hockey League Conference Semi-Finals Outlook

We have reached the second of four rounds of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and once again there looks to be some outstanding matchups awaiting fans. The first round saw the top two seeds in both conferences advance, but only one accomplished that easily (Pittsburgh). The other three - Montreal, San Jose, and Detroit - had to work hard to advance. The lower seeds won all four matchups in the bottom of the bracket as Philadelphia, New York, Colorado and Dallas all pulled upsets over favorites Washington, New Jersey, Minnesota, and defending champion Anaheim respectively.

Here is this dedicated observing fan's outlook for this round:

EAST

#1 Montreal Canadiens v #6 Philadelphia Flyers - The Habs were sorely tested by a scrappy Boston but put the Bruins away convincingly in game seven. Their firepower, power play, and overall speed on the ice will be enough to overcome the Flyers who upset Washington in the opening round. Philadelphia does not match up as well with the Canadiens, particularly when Montreal is on offense, and the Habs have a definitive advantage in goal. Look for the .....CANADIENS 4-2

#2 Pittsburgh Penguins v #3 New York Rangers - This series promises probably the best second round matchup this postseason. Both teams are loaded with talent and can score often seemingly at will. New York has the edge in goal, but Pittsburgh probably has the better defense. Both teams won rather easily in the opening round, but this series will probably go the distance and be quite entertaining. I will take the upset......RANGERS 4-3

WEST

#1 Detroit Redwings v #6 Colorado Avalanche - The finest and most intense rivalry of the 1990s and very early this decade is renewed with largely a new cast of players on both clubs but a few older players who remember and experienced the heated series that led to five Stanley Cups in seven years between these two organizations. Detroit roared for much of the regular season, but struggled to outlast Nashville in the first round despite evident superiority in all aspects of the game over the Predators. Colorado bested Minnesota in the opening round in a tightly played low scoring physical series. Once again, Detroit seems to have the edge in virtually all the matchups between these two clubs, but the intangibles favor Colorado. The Avalanche will reach back and upend the Wings.....AVALANCHE 4-3

#2 San Jose Sharks v #5 Dallas Stars - The Sharks seriously struggled to outlast a plainly comparatively inferior Calgary Flames squad that not much was expected from, while Dallas clearly exceeded expectations and firmly outplayed the favored Anaheim Dicks in round one. The Sharks are among the most talented and deepest clubs in the league and have yet to meet their promise and potential. Dallas was struggling for the last part of the regular season but stepped it up against the Ducks. The speed and depth of the Sharks will be too much for Dallas to repeat their first round upset, and San Jose also has the edge in goal and defense, but the Sharks won't have it easy.....SHARKS 4-2

.

All games but game 1 of the Montreal/Philadelphia series and game 3 of the San Jose/Dallas series will be televised, primarily on Versus with Saturday and Sunday afternoon games on NBC. Wednesday 7 May is latest this round can go to.

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http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=361532

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http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app

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*****

My Vitamins and Supplements Regimen

I have been taking regular dosages of various vitamins and supplements for most of my adult life, and I add new products on occasion when learning of them and what benefits they have to offer. Currently I am at 17 plus 1-2 baby aspirin. I take the aspirin daily and the supplements daily to every other day for the most part.

1. Bayer Baby Aspirin: 81 mg each chewable orange flavored pill; 1-2 daily; benefits for the circulatory system including the heart without the impact of other pain relievers on the digestive system.

2. Centrum Multi-vitamins and minerals: various levels of RDA for 33 substances

3. Vitamin C: 1000 mg (1667 % RDA)

4. Vitamin E: 400 IU (1333 % RDA)

5. Fish/Salmon Oil: 1000 mg; no RDA; Omega-3 for cardiovascular system

6. Chromium Picolinate: 200 mcg (167 % RDA); for metabolism and blood sugar level

7. Garlic: 375 mg; for for circulatory and cardiovascular systems; also for digestive system

8. Echinicea: 450 mg; for immune system and health resiliency

9. Grape Seed: 15 mcg of Selenium (21 % RDA); excellent anti-oxidant, anti-aging substance

10. Green Tea: 1000 mcg; another excellent anti-oxidant; also for immune system and health resiliency

11. Ginseng: Korean, Siberian, or Chinese; 100 mg; for immune system and as an anti-oxidant

12. Gingko: 460 mg; for circulatory system efficiency and maintaining brain function

13. CoQ10: 60 mg; for circulatory system efficiency and cellular energy production

14. Cinnamon: 1000 mg; for metabolism of sugars

15. Ginger: 550 mg; for digestive system, particularly keeping one's stomach soothed

16. Cranberry: 1680 mg; for digestive and excretary systems; an anti-oxidant

17: Glucosamine-Chondroitan: 900 mg; for joint strength, pain prevention, flexibility, and addressing early arthritis concerns

18: Pomegranate: 250 mg; another excellent anti-oxidant and anti-aging substance

I will probably add other substances over time: in particular, bilberry, saw palmetto, milk thistle, eyebright, and yucca. Other substances with benefits for health and life are always being identified and made available for easy use every year.

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

.

*****

The Perfect Solution for Troublesome Teens and Young Adults

Are you having a problem with teens and young adults creating an unpleasant environment near your home and business ? Is grafitti rampant in your area ? Vandalism ? Various property crimes ? Or are they just loitering and creating a nuisance ? This new technological marvel called the Mosquito emits a highly unpleasant high pitched noise only detectable by those in that age group who have reached audio maturity and have not suffered any hearing loss due to age or exposure to loud noise. You can look for a widescale implimentation of this technology in many places throughout the nation to effectively deal with the social, cultural, and legal problems and hardships these young individuals are creating. At last a solution to the blight of grafitti looks to be here. And young punks and hoods can be effectively managed and controlled. This device could also be quite effective in dealing with young terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/04/23/teen.be.gone.ap/index.html

http://www.kidsbegone.com/

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

*****

Happy Birthday Wishes

Warm birthday wishes go out on Tuesday 22 April to my sister in-law DL, wife of my youngest brother HBL. Her birthday corresponds with Earth Day which is quite appropriate as she is a down to earth real individual with no falseness or airs about her. I heartily wish you the best on your special day and I am sure your hubby and two daughters will make the day memorable and fun. You will get your tasty flavored cake and get to eat it too !

*****

One Sweet Receiver

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9924691-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5

*****

Spring For Two Days

We had two nice spring days here on the Northern Front Range, as the temperature reached 76 degrees, the warmest its been since last 25 October, 173 days ago and only one degree off the record from back in 1898. Places in nearby western Nebraska and NE Colorado neared 90 degrees. There has been bright sunshine and light winds the last two days, and I took the opportunity to enjoy the nice day today and sat out on the deck and read. Unfortunately, it is still April so once again the winds of change are blowing a mid Spring storm as temperatures will be 35 degrees colder on Wednesday with a good chance of snow and perhaps an accumulation of an inch or so of snow. I can hear the winds blowing furiously through the vents announcing the pending change. We will be getting off easy here as the forecast for where my brother and his family lives 130 miles south is much more dynamic as upwards of a foot of snow will fall in the next 48 hours. But, being that it is April, we will all see a quick recovery as it will be back around 70 degrees by Saturday. Its nice to be out of hibernation after over five months of persistent largely cold windy weather.

*****

The Twenty Most Hated and Despised Sports Teams

Like everyone, I have teams that I am devoted to and root for no matter what. There are also a fair number of teams and clubs I am largely ambivalent about. I may root for them in certain cirucumstances, but more often I do not care how they do. Then there are the teams I absolutely abhor and detest. The overwhelming dislike of these teams often goes back to my youth and they are clubs that I have never rooted for ever except when they are playing other clubs on the list of hated teams. Anytime these teams lose or suffer a losing season makes for a positive moment in this and many other fans' lives. May multitudes of misfortunes occur to ownership, players, and fans of these clubs !

NHL

5) New Jersey Devils

4) Vancouver Canucks

3) Philadelphia Flyers

2) Montreal Canadiens

1) Detroit Red SchWings

College Football/Basketball

5) Oklahoma Spooners

4) Brigham Young (BYPew) Cougars

3) Ohio State Suckeyes

2) Notre Dame Cheating Drunken Irish

1) Texas SchLonghorns

NFL

5) Cincinnati Bengals

4) New York Giants

3) Baltimore Ravens

2) Oakland Raiders

1) Dallass Cocaineboys

MLB

5) Philadelphia Phillies

4) St Louis Cardinals

3) Chicago White Sox

2) Los Angeles Dodgers

1) New York Skankees

*****

2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Underway

The best seven to eight weeks of professional sports starts tonight with the opening games of the NHL Conference Quarterfinals of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs. This year figures to be full of exciting close games and good hard hitting action with lots of dazzling play. The defending Eastern Conference champion Ottawa Senators squeaked back into the playoffs despite a poor finish; and the defending Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks overcame a mediocre start with a strong finish to return to defend their championship. Detroit is back in the playoffs for a 17th straight season and playoff stalwarts Colorado and Philadelphia return after a years absence.

Here are the picks for the opening round.

EAST

#1 Montreal v #8 Boston - The Habs swept all eight games during the regular season against the Bruins and Boston looks overmatched in virtually every aspect of the game against the Canadiens. The Bruins are back in the Stanley Cup Playoffs after a two year absence. A sweep is possible here, but I will go with the.... CANADIENS, 4-1

#2 Pittsburgh v #7 Ottawa - The teams are in reverse positions this season in a rematch of an opening round series in 2007. Last year a superior Senators team routed the Pens in five. Look for a totally different result this year as young Pittsburgh with all its offense appears to be poised to win the East and will start toward that goal rather easily against fading and injury riddled Ottawa..... PENGUINS, 4-1

#3 Washington v #6 Philadelphia - Both clubs return to the playoffs after missing out in '07. Washington roared back from an awful start and a coaching change to win the Southeast Division on the final weekend with a powerful offense. The Flyers got off to a good start and held steady down the stretch. This will be a close tight hard hitting series and not much defense; I am going with the.....CAPITALS, 4-2

#4 New Jersey v #4 New York Rangers - This promises to be among the best of the opening series matchups. These two clubs are evenly matched across the board although the Rangers took seven of eight from the Devils during the regular season. New Jersey may seem a little better on paper, but I am going with the..... RANGERS, 4-3

WEST

#1 Detroit v #8 Nashville - The powerful Red Wings rolled to the NHL's best record this season and, if it was for not a rash of injuries in February and March, might have set a new record for points in a season. Nashville rallied from far back to make the playoffs after offseason ownership issues resulted in a weakening of the roster and the threat of a relocation was thwarted. Detroit won five of eight against the Predators, but Detroit struggles in the Stanley Cup playoffs and it says here there will be an upset....PREDATORS, 4-3

#2 San Jose v #7 Calgary - San Jose played lights out the last ten weeks of the season and is clicking on all cylinders. San Jose has the best offense in the league and a suffociating physical defense. Calgary was inconsistent all season and never got into any kind of groove. This series could be a sweep, but I will say.....SHARKS, 4-1

#3 Minnesota v #6 Colorado - This will be the best series in the opening round as these are two evenly matched clubs. The Wild has the edge in team speed, but Colorado has the edge in experience and depth and they have the amazing Joe Sakik still doing the impossible. Do not look for any routs in this one, but perhaps more than a few overtime games; and I say in a very close one.....AVALANCHE, 4-3

#4 Anaheim v #5 Dallas - These two clubs were headed in opposite directions as the season wound down. The defending champs seem to be improving and gelling while the Stars faded badly in the last six weeks and very easily could have missed the playoffs. Anaheim is the league's most talented, deepest, and most physical club which means.....DUCKS, 4-2

The conference semifinals will commence on Thursday 24 April; the conference finals on Thursday, 7 May, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Saturday 23 May.

*****

Blogging Too Often Deadly For Some

This troubling report is somewhat surprising. Blogging should be an activity that one does for pleasure, or out of a passion for a subject or issue. One realizes that some individuals are obligated to participate in blogging as a requirement for their profession, but for the activity to harmful health effects is definitively taking it too far. Most of the individual blogs I look at regularly or occasionally do not seem to be done in an obsessive manner. With respect to my own blogs, I post when I feel like it or find something that I want to share my opinion on. There are just some days when I find nothing that I want to comment on which is just fine. And that makes it just like any hobby that I or anyone else have or participate in.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/technology/06sweat.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_8824837

*****

Charlton Heston, 1924 - 2008

Charlton Heston was a great and a giant among those in the acting profession and arts. He played a number of memorable roles in over 50 years of performing. Among his most powerful and greatest roles were in the films Ben-Hur; The Greatest Show on Earth; Planet of the Apes; The Omega Man; Soylent Green; Will Penny; Midway; 55 Days at Peking; and at the top of the list: as Moses in The Ten Commandments. Heston did not hesitate to exercise his freedom of speech rights as he was a tireless supporter of the 2nd Amendment and gun rights as a spokesman for the National Rifle Association. Heston early on supported progressive causes such as civil rights, women's rights, and environmentalism, but in his later life he was an outspoken supporter of such conservative issues as anti-gay rights, affirmative action, and abortion. These stands put him in conflict with most of his peers in Hollywood and throughout popular culture. Heston was nominated and honored professionally throughout his career and won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1959 for his performance in Ben-Hur. Before starting his acting, Heston served two years in World War II in the Army Air Corps in the 11th Air Force. Heston is survived by his wife of 64 years, Lydia, and a son and adopted daughter. His loss makes today truly one of sadness.

http://www.latimes.com/la-me-heston6apr06,0,3675317.story

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

http://www.nndb.com/people/961/000022895/

*****

A Weekend of Baseball

With my financial circumstances very much in a squeeze, this weekend is one for hibernation and isolation staying in. Work has been very limited in the last month with most weeks ending with less than 20 hours and one week at less than 12. Hopes for more complete and fulfilling employment remain limited for a number of obvious reasons. With things so tough, I opted with little thought to stay home for these three days off. Fortunately, there was some baseball on the television to enjoy for most of the time. I caught the opening day game at Coors Field between the Rockies and Diamondbacks, and Arizona exacted some revenge for their loss to Colorado last October in the NLCS by winning going away. Saturday night's game was a virtual repeat with Arizona winning easily again. FOX commenced their weekly Saturday afternoon game of the week as San Diego dominated Los Angeles with Jake Peavy pitching lights out. Sunday brings three games: the debut of Sunday afternoon baseball on TBS with Boston at Toronto; the series finale between the Rockies and Diamondbacks; and Sunday night baseball on ESPN between the Tigers and White Sox. There is also two NHL games on Sunday: Blackhawks at Redwings on NBC and Wild at Avalanche on Altitude as the final day of the regular season concludes. I had the NCAA tourney semis tuned on my little tv but both games were routs and unworthy as expected of any close viewing. The weather looked okay but still windy like the dickens so I did not venture out even though the temperatures did reach the mid 50s. Meals were somewhat unexciting as I had oatmeal; biscuits; and chicken mushroom broccoll cheddar noodles for the three Friday meals. Saturday's three meals were: toasted frozen waffles; a can of tomato soup with crackers; and two hamburgers with a can of spinach. The phone has not rang in several days so I am truly in solitude. Thank goodness for the internet and cable tv. As Saturday evening wrapped up, I watched a climate special on the History Channel while SNL was on the little TV with Christopher Walken, one of my favorites and among the most talented actors, as the host.

*****

My Grumbling Gets Published

Earlier in March I wrote of my disappointment over the demise of my favorite radio station on the AM band which would all but end my ability to listen to KKFN The Fan after many years of regular and loyal listening. I sent an email to the Media and Journalism Critic for Westword sharing my feelings. Michael Roberts has also been a devoted AM 950 The Fan listener and is also disappointed with the move from the AM band to the FM side recently. He put my remarks into his blog on Westword earlier this week. As it turns out, Lincoln Financial (the corporate parent of KKFN) has decided at least temporarily to keep the simulcast ongoing so I am able to continue to listen over the AM band for now when I am using my headphone and transistor radios. I expect this not to continue for long as ESPN radio in Denver is likely to be moved to the 95o AM signal from its current extremely poor 1600 AM signal. In addition, the local station here in WY at 104.5 has bit the dust recently so interference with the 104.3 FM signal is less than anticipated now and I can pick up the station on the FM side as well while in my truck. Thank goodness for small wishes coming true.

http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2008/03/unintended_consequences_of_the.php

http://blogs.westword.com/latestword/2008/03/will_the_fans_move_cause_a_rad.php

*****

Moises Alou is a Scumbucket

Moises Alou, veteran major league baseball outfielder of many years, unworthy scion of the Alou family baseball heritage, and self-admitted regular urinator on his own hands, has further disgraced himself with his extremely belated admission that the foul ball that he failed to catch in game six of the 2003 NLCS in the eighth inning against the eventual world champion Florida Marlins was one he never really could have caught. Since that instance, the wrath of Chicagoans and fans of the Cubs across the planet has been squarely placed on Steve Bartman, a fan in the stands who caught the foul ball and has been subjected to an unimaginable rain of terror on all levels by all those looking for a scapegoat for the failure of the Cubs to get to the World Series for a century now. Any objective observer could see the ball was uncatchable by Alou, a mediocre fielder at best. Years of blame by Alou towards Bartman is nothing short of being petty, immature, selfish, and stupid. If Bartman can find a way to sue Alou for all the damage and humiliation he and his family has suffered, I hope he is successful. Egotistical, foolish, mindless, immature, greedy professional athletes are not immune from liability for their actions and statements any more than any other individual is. Alou is an embarassment, disgusting and a player worthy of being intensively loathed for all eternity. He is the epitome of a dirtbag and a zero. Let the wrath now be on him for imperpetuity.

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/mariotti/872867,mariotti040208.article

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-080403-steve-bartman-chicago-cubs-morrissey,1,7843597.column

*****

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.

*****