Spring Training 2009 Telecast Schedule

Here is the full list of all Spring Training games being telecast in 2009. The schedule is incomplete as both ESPN and the MLB Network have yet to announce their schedule of games. Thus the list is made up of telecasts on regional sports networks and some local broadcasters. DirecTV and Dish will have most if not all of these telecasts as part of their sports package, and one can catch games at their local watering hole that has the package.

All times are MT.



Wed 25 Feb

SF v Cle 1:05pm Sportstime Ohio

Bsn v Minn 5:05pm NESN

Thr 26 Feb

Fla v NYM 10:30am SNY

TB v NYY 11:05am YES

Ariz v Cle 1:05pm Sportstime Ohio

Fri 27 Feb

StL v NYM 11:10am SNY

SD v Cle 1:05pm Sportstime Ohio

Sat 28 Feb

TB v Phil 11:05am CSN-Phil

Minn v NYY 11:05am YES

Sun 1 Mar

Bsn v Minn 11:05am NESN

Htn v NYM 11:10am WPIX-11/CW45

Chi WS v LA 1:05pm CSN-Chi / KCAL-9-LA

Tue 3 Mar

StL v NYM 11:10am SNY

Wed 4 Mar

Chi C v Chi WS @ LV 8:05pm WGN

Fri 6 Mar

Wash v Balt 11:05am MASN

Sat 7 Mar

Atl v NYY 11:05am YES

Wash v NYM 11:10am WPIX-11/CW45

Chi C v Mlw 1:05pm WGN

Chi WS v Tex 1:05pm FSN-SW

Oak v SD 1:05pm Cox4-SD

Sun 8 Mar

TB v Bsn 11:05am NESN

Mon 9 Mar

Balt v NYM 11:10am SNY

Tue 10 Mar

Cinc v NYY 5:05pm YES

Thr 12 Mar

Fla v NYM 5:10pm SNY

Sat 14 Mar

Fla v Minn 11:05am FSN-North / FSN-Fla

Atl v StL 11:05am KSDK-5-StL

Htn v NYY 11:05am YES

SF v Oak 2:05pm CSN-California

Anah v Chi C 2:05pm WGN

Cle v SD 2:05pm Cox4-SD

Tex v Chi WS 2:05pm CSN-Chi

Sun 15 Mar

StL v Phil 11:05am My17-Phil

Minn v NYY 11:15am FSN-North

KC v SF 2:05pm CSN-Bay Area

Colo v LA 2:05pm KCAL-9-LA

Mon 16 Mar

StL v Det 11:05am FSN-Midwest / FSN-Det

Tue 17 Mar

Minn v Bsn 11:05am NESN

NYM v Atl 11:05am FSN-South

Pgh v NYY 5:05pm YES

Wed 18 Mar

Balt v StL 11:05am FSN-Midwest

Atl v NYM 11:10am SNY

Fla v Wash 5:05pm MASN

Sea v KC 7:05pm FSN-KC

Thr 19 Mar

StL v TB 11:05am FSN-Fla

Htn v NYM 11:10am SNY

Bsn v Cinc 5:05pm FSN-Ohio

Det v Atl 5:05pm SportsSouth

Pgh v NYY 5:05pm YES

SD v Sea 8:05pm FSN-NW

Fri 20 Mar

Cinc v Htn 11:05am FSN-Htn

SD v Chi C 2:05pm WGN

Cinc v Htn 5:05pm FSN-Ohio

LA v KC 8:05pm FSN-KC

Sat 21 Mar

Pgh v Cinc 11:05am FSN-Ohio / FSN-Pgh

Minn v Phil 11:05am CSN-Phil

Chi C v Chi WS 2:05pm CSN-Chi

Sun 22 Mar

Balt v StL 11:05am KSDK-5-StL

Fla v Det 11:05am FSN-Det

Bsn v Fla 11:05am NESN

NYY v TB 11:05am FSN-Fla

Atl v NYM 11:10am SNY

Sea v Chi C 2:05pm CSN-Chi

LA v Tex 2:05pm FSN-SW / KCAL-9-LA

Cle v Colo 2:10pm FSN-RM

Mon 23 Mar

Fla v Htn 11:05am FSN-Htn / FSN-Fla

Mlw v Colo 2:10pm FSN-RM

Tue 24 Mar

NYM v Htn 11:05am FSN-Htn

Chi WS v Cle 2:10pm CSN-Chi / Sportstime Ohio

Pgh v Atl 5:05pm FSN-South

Bsn v NYY 5:15pm NESN / YES

LA v Sea 8:05pm FSN-NW / FSN-Prime

Wed 25 Mar

Htn v StL 11:05am FSN-Htn / FSN-Midwest

Det v NYM 11:10am SNY

Atl v Wash 5:05pm MASN

Ariz v Tex 7:05pm FSN-SW

Thr 26 Mar

Phil v NYY 11:05am YES

Ariz v Chi WS 2:05pm CSN-Chi

Anah v Cle 2:05pm Sportstime Ohio

Minn v Cinc 5:05pm FSN-North

Chi C v SF 8:35pm CSN-Bay Area

Fri 27 Mar

Minn v TB 11:05am FSN-Fla

Det v Atl 11:05am SportsSouth

Chi WS v Chi C 2:05pm WGN

Wash v NYM 5:10pm SNY

Mlw v Tex 7:05pm FSN-SW

Sat 28 Mar

Phil v Pgh 11:05am My17-Phil

Minn v Bsn 11:05am NESN

NYY v Atl 11:05am SportsSouth

Fla v NYM 11:10am WPIX-11/CW45

LA v Chi WS 2:05pm WGN

Sea v Anah 2:05pm FSN-West

Chi C v Colo 2:10pm FSN-RM

Sun 29 Mar

Bsn v Phil 11:05am CSN-Phil / NESN

StL v Minn 11:05am FSN-North / FSN-Midwest

Atl v Det 11:05am FSN-Detroit

KC v Sea 2:05pm FSN-NW

Mon 30 Mar

TB v Minn 11:05am FSN-North

Bsn v Atl 11:05am FSN-South

Balt v NYM 5:10pm SNY

Chi C v KC 2:05pm CSN-Chi

Chi WS v Anah 2:05pm FSN-West

Ariz v Colo 2:10pm FSN-RM / FSN-Ariz

SD v Cle 5:05pm Sportstime Ohio

Tue 31 Mar

Atl v Htn 11:05am FSN-Htn

Sea v Cle 2:05pm Sportstime Ohio

Anah v Chi C 2:05pm FSN-West

Mlw v SD 8:05pm Cox4-SD / FSN-Mlw

Wed 1 Apr

Fla v Balt 11:05am MASN

Tex v Anah 1:05pm FSN-West

Ariz v Mlw 1:05pm WLMW-41-Mlw / FSN-Ariz

Thr 2 Apr

Chi WS v Mlw 2:05pm CSN-Chi

Oak @ SF 7:05pm CSN-California

Anah @ LA 8:10pm KCAL-9-LA / FSN-Prime

Fri 3 Apr

Bsn @ NYM 4:10pm SNY / NESN

Chi C @ NYY 5:05pm YES

StL @ Memphis AAA 6:05pm FSN-Midwest

Sea v Colo @ LV 8:05pm FSN-RM / FSN-NW

Anah @ SD 8:05pm FSN-Prime / Cox4-SD

Oak @ SF 8:15pm KNTV-11-SF

Sat 4 Apr

Tor v Fla 10:05am TSN

Chi C @ NYY 11:05am CSN-Chi / YES

TB @ Phil 11:05am My17-Phil

Bsn @ NYM 11:10am WPIX-11/CW45

Det @ Atl 12:10pm SportsSouth

KC @ Tex 12:05pm FSN-SW

Cle @ Htn 12:05pm FSN-Htn

Chi WS @ Ariz 12:10pm FSN-Ariz

Sea v Colo @ LV 1:05pm FSN-RM / FSN-NW

Balt @ Wash 4:05pm MASN

SD @ Anah 7:05pm KCOP-13-LA

Mlw @ LA 8:10pm KCAL-9-LA

Sun 5 Apr

LA @ SF 2:05pm CSN-Bay Area

*****

81st Academy Awards Projected Winners

Here are my final predictions for the 2009 Academy Awards.

Best Picture:
Should win: The Wrestler (wasn't even nominated)
Will win: Slumdog Millionaire

Best Director:
Should win: Christopher Nolan for The Dark Knight
Will win: Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire

Best Actress:
Should win: Melissa Leo for Frozen River
Will win: Kate Winslet for The Reader

Best Actor:
Should win: Frank Langella for Frost/Nixon
Will win: Mickey Rourke for The Wrestler

Best Supporting Actress
Should win: Marisa Tomei for The Wrestler
Will win: Penelope Cruz for Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Supporting Actor:
Should win: Michael Shannon for Revolutionary Road
Will win: Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight

*****

Inching towards Winter's End

As February nears its end and March looms ever closer, the pall of winter ever so slowly starts to wane and the possibility of warmer and longer days becomes more a possibility. Already the average daily temperature has crept up four degrees from 25 to 30 and the length of days is nearing the eleven hour mark. Daylight savings time begins again in two weeks ! So far in February there has been only one day where the high temperature did not surpass freezing which is a nice plus. And though it has snowed three times in the last week to ten days, it has not been too overwhelming as it has largely melted in the few days following each event. Getting into the final trimester of winter is a wonderful accomplishment as the long eternal gloom seems to be drawing to near an end. March is a month when anything can happen so there will be nasty raw days but also some nicer warmer days where a 60 degree or more reading can occur. March can be challenging but it also means hope is starting to draw near and with greater promise of life returning to the world. Hopefully I will start seeing some birds around in the next few weeks as the critters start to return from their winter vacations. Sunrises are now before 6:45am and sunsets are now closing in on 5:45pm.

My daily life is the epitome of boring and stale. I stay in and rest quite a bit. When I do get out its only to the drug store down the street or to the Dairy Queen. I watch a lot of movies and some TV series; plenty of sports including the NHL, college hockey, and MWC hoops; and try to stay hydrated and not hungry. Beyond that there is little to discuss. I spend plenty of time on the 'net and add content to my blogs regularly. Plainly its just not very exciting and there is not much of any excitement looming or pending. I am marking time until I return to work, whenever that will be.

Sunday I arose around 6am, had some breakfast of oatmeal, and relaxed. I watched the hockey game between the Capitals and Penguins before going out around 1:15pm. I put the recharged battery into the truck and got the vehicle moving. It came to a stop for several minutes by the park but I patiently waited and finally got it moving towards the convenience store to get the Sunday papers. I then got it lumbering west down Lincolnway and then north on Evans towards the post office. It was more than sluggish and I was concerned it was not going to make it. But it did and after I got my mail I went to Arbys for a sandwich, potato cakes, cherry turnover, and a pop while I read the Sunday papers and listened to the Avalanche / Hurricanes game on my headset radio. It was a glorious day although mostly cloudy with NO WIND (Hallelullah !) and temperatures that had risen into the mid 50s. It may have been the niceset day since before Thanksgiving. I returned home around 4pm and watched 60 Minutes and the 81st annual Academy Awards through the evening before dying around 10:30.

*****

Laughable Folly

A 100' snake living in the jungle of Borneo ? If one believes this, then I got some oceanfront property in Arizona I would like to sell to you real cheap...

http://news.aol.com/article/borneo-monster/351853

http://www.livescience.com/strangenews/090219-borneo-monster.html

*****

Scantily Watched Best Pictures Nominees to Drive Interest in Academy Awards Lower

The quartet of Best Pictures nominees does not stir much interest from many people, including yours truly. Of the five pictures, the only one that intrigues me is "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button". "Frost/Nixon seems to be a rather dry film. "Milk" is of no interest, nor is "Slumdog Millionaire". I am not interested in "The Reader", but I will probably see it in the next few years once it makes it to basic satellite.

Apparently the choice of these five non-blockbusters will result in lower interest in the Academy Awards show Sunday night 22 February. But the honors and awards are supposed to be based on complete overall excellence in the art of filmmaking, while blockbusters are made to make money and not be an artistic masterpiece or make a statement.

Films that could been nominees for Best Picture include The Wrestler, The Changeling, Appaloosa, Revolutionary Road, or Happy-G0-Lucky.

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Will-anyone-say-hurray-Hollywood/story.aspx?guid={D5C266F4-81B1-4AAD-A51F-96322CF83BBA}

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/31/best.2008/index.html

http://www.movieretriever.com/blog/209/The-Best-Movies-of-2008

http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/10/15/55-must-see-movies-of-2008/

*****

Bottom Line Thoughts about Baseball

As Spring Training is now fully underway and games are mere days away, one starts to think more deeply about which clubs will go all the way and make the postseason. This article has some vital information on how to decide what will be those clubs.

I will make my projections in about a month for this upcoming '09 season, the fortieth anniversary of my following of the sport.

A schedule of all spring training games being telecast will be put in a post on this blog in the coming days.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/tom_verducci/02/18/spring.parity/index.html?bcnn=yes

*****

Human Rats in Courthouse Get Company

We have always known courthouses across the nation are full of rats posing as judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and bailiffs. Now this Florida courthouse has some company for them !

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090220/D96FBQH81.html

*****

Road Trips Around the West

What I would not give to be able to take one that lasts several days with lots of scenic sights and great times. There is nothing better than hitting the highway and road to see the world with no worries, good music on the stereo, and no clear agenda or itinerary. That's freedom....

http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trw-roadtrip,0,5653256.special

*****

Thats a Lot of Beef !

I understand my younger V successfully completed the challenge at The Big Texan in Amarillo in the early 1980s. I believe I could have successfully met the challenge when I was younger, but I do not think I could do it now. Its not the meat that gets you, its all the side items like the bread and salad. And its troubling to think how much time one must spend excreting all that waste. But it could be worse; it could be from Taco Bell instead.

http://www.digitalcity.com/2009/02/19/diner-vs-dinner-biggest-steak-challenges-across-the-country/

*****

Playboy Soon to be No More ?

The news from Los Angeles and Chicago is quite grim concerning the future of Playboy Enterprises and the 55 year old publication of Playboy magazine. The publication has fallen out of step with changes in technology and the utter gritty transformation in mindsets and attitudes of young males ages 30 and under. This obviously targeted demographic is now one that favors violence, deviance, crudeness, and humiliating acts and behavior as compared to ones in past generations. Playboy has kept more to a style and approach that is more in tune with values and attitudes in the 1980s and earlier. Declining numbers in circulation as well as in advertiser pages in the publication appear to forebode the end of this great American institution, one of which I have been aware of and enjoyed for about 35 years.

http://www.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUSTRE51H5U420090218?rpc=77

Request for Donations for a Vehicle Replacement

My personal own vehicle, a Ford F-150 truck, The White Knight, is all but dead after over 22 years of ownership. Being unemployed, it has become essential for me to ask for charity in order to fund the purchase of a new replacement truck.

Please mail checks and money orderw with whatever you feel you can to PO Box 2745 , Cheyenne WY 82003. Put on the outer envelope: "ATTN: Vehicle Fund". Leave the payee line blank which I will fill in.

Thank you for your concern and generosity.

Overlooked Perfomers Not Nominated for 2009 Academy Awards

Every year a number of fine performances are overlooked and bypassed for nomination for the Academy Awards. 2009 is no exception to that. Here are some of those that have been shunned or snubbed. I will have my final predictions for the six major awards before the Awards Show starts at 6pm MST on Sunday 22 February.

Director/Best Picture

Darren Aronofsky, The Wrestler

Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight

Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road

Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky

Best Actress

Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky

Kristin Scott Thomas, I've Loved You So Long

Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road

Penelope Cruz, Elegy

Juliette Binoche, Flight of the Red Balloon

Michelle Williams, Wendy & Lucy

Best Actor

Benico del Toro, Che

Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino

Colin Farrell, In Bruges

Michael Sheen, Frost/Nixon

Robert Downey, Jr, Iron Man

Best Supporting Actress

Rosemarie DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married

Rebecca Hall, Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Debra Winger, Rachel Getting Married

Best Supporting Actor

Kevin Bacon, Frost/Nixon

Ralph Fiennes: In Bruges and The Duchess

Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire

Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky

James Franco. Milk

*****

Time Magazine's 30 Best Blogs in 2009

Here are the 30 best blogs in 2009 according to Time Magazine. In my opinion, many are worthwhile, and even outstanding, but there are several that are nothing but slop.

-1) Talking Points Memo

-2) The Huffington Post

-3) Lifehacker

-4) Metafilter

-5) The Daily Dish by Andrew Sullivan on The Atlantic

-6) Freakanomics

-7) Boing Boing

-8) Got 2 Be Green

-9) Zen Habits

10) The Conscience of a Liberal: Paul Krugman

11) Crooks and Liars

12) Generacion Y

13) Mashable

14) Slashfood

15) Official Google Blog

16) Synthesis

17) Bleat

18) /Film (Slashfilm)

19) Seth Godin

20) Deadspin

21) Dooce

22) Pioneer Woman

23) Said the Gramophone

24) Detention Slip

25) Bad Astronomy

26) Tech Crunch

27) Gawker

28) Jim Kramer (subsciption pay site)

29) Perez Hilton

30) Daily Kos

*****

Schedule of Clubs Previews on MLB Network

Here is the schedule of telecasts of preseason reviews of each of the 30 Major League Baseball clubs on the new MLB Network.


“30 Clubs in 30 Days” on MLB Network – Full Schedule
(all times MT and subject to change, check mlbnetwork.com for updates)

Date/Time Team On-Site Reporter
Friday, February 20, 6:00 p.m., Boston Red Sox - Hazel Mae
Saturday, February 21, 6:00 p.m., Minnesota Twins - Trenni Kusnierek
Sunday, February 22, 6:00 p.m., New York Yankees - Hazel Mae

Monday, February 23, 6:00 p.m., Detroit Tigers - Trenni Kusnierek
Tuesday, February 24, 9:00 p.m., New York Mets - Hazel Mae
Wednesday, February 25, 9:00 p.m., Florida Marlins - Trenni Kusnierek
Thursday, February 26, 6:00 p.m., St. Louis Cardinals - Hazel Mae
Friday, February 27, 6:00 p.m., Baltimore Orioles - Trenni Kusnierek
Saturday, February 28, 6:00 p.m., Washington Nationals - Hazel Mae
Sunday, March 1, 6:00 p.m., Houston Astros - Trenni Kusnierek

Monday, March 2, 6:00 p.m., Atlanta Braves - Hazel Mae
Tuesday, March 3, 6:00 p.m., Toronto Blue Jays - Trenni Kusnierek
Wednesday, March 4, 6:00 p.m., Tampa Bay Rays - Hazel Mae
Thursday, March 5, 6:00 p.m., Philadelphia Phillies - Trenni Kusnierek
Friday, March 6, 6:00 p.m., Cincinnati Reds - Hazel Mae
Saturday, March 7, 4:00 p.m., Pittsburgh Pirates - Trenni Kusnierek
Sunday, March 8, 6:00 p.m., Arizona Diamondbacks - Hazel Mae

Monday, March 9, 3:00 p.m., Colorado Rockies - Trenni Kusnierek
Tuesday, March 10, 3:30 p.m., Chicago Cubs - Hazel Mae
Wednesday, March 11, 3:30 p.m., Los Angeles Angels - Trenni Kusnierek
Thursday, March 12, 6:00 p.m., San Francisco Giants - Hazel Mae
Friday, March 13, 6:00 p.m., Seattle Mariners - Trenni Kusnierek
Saturday, March 14, 9:30 p.m., San Diego Padres - Hazel Mae
Sunday, March 15, 6:00 p.m., Milwaukee Brewers - Trenni Kusnierek

Monday, March 16, 3:30 p.m., Cleveland Indians - Hazel Mae
Tuesday, March 17, 3:30 p.m., Oakland Athletics - Trenni Kusnierek
Wednesday, March 18, 3:30 p.m., Texas Rangers - Hazel Mae
Thursday, March 19, 3:30 p.m., Kansas City Royals - Trenni Kusnierek
Friday, March 20, 7:00 p.m., Los Angeles Dodgers - Hazel Mae
Saturday, March 21, 7:00 p.m., Chicago White Sox - Trenni Kusnierek

*****

First MLB Power Rankings

...From Aram Tolegian on Fox Sports.com...

The 2008 win-loss records follow the club name, and that next set of numbers is the clubs current ranking in this poll first followed by the ranking in the previous poll this season, of which there is not one since this is the first look at 2009.

1	Yankees	89-73	-	1/1	What recession? The Yanks had an offseason for the ages, signing CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira. But the luster was taken off by A-Rod's dirty little secret. It's doubtful this big distraction will be costly ... and it should take some of the heat off the new signees.
2	Rays	97-65	-	2/2	With all that young talent, the Rays figure to not only get a year older, but a year better. A bigger role for David Price makes them that much better.
3	Phillies	92-70	-	3/3	Like the move to replace Pat Burrell with the more steady Raul Ibanez. The champs have questions, though. Will Chase Utley really be 100 percent after hip surgery. And who's the fifth starter? The bullpen remains scary.
4	Red Sox	95-67	-	4/4	The Red Sox were reduced to taking stabs on pitchers like John Smoltz, Takashi Saito and Brad Penny, who are all coming off major injuries. Despite a truly disappointing offseason, the returning base remains among the league's best.
5	Mets	89-73	-	5/5	Adding K-Rod and J.J. Putz gave the Mets one of the better offseasons in the game. Now that the bullpen is stabilized, the big question becomes the backend of the rotation and overall depth.
6	Cubs	97-64	-	6/6	The Cubs had one main goal this offseason -- to land Jake Peavy. Had they done that, they'd easily be the NL favorites. Instead, they got Milton Bradley and Kevin Gregg. Not bad, but not necessarily good.
7	Angels	100-62	-	7/7	You don't get better losing K-Rod, Mark Teixeira and Jon Garland. The Halos did well to partially fill the gaps by adding Brian Fuentes and Bobby Abreu. Still, the club clearly took a step back.
8	Braves	72-90	-	8/8	The pitching staff has been heavily upgraded with Javier Vazquez and Derek Lowe at the top. The offense needs Chipper to stay healthy and several youngsters to step up.
9	Diamondbacks	82-80	-	9/9	The Adam Dunn rental is over and Orlando Hudson's sure glove at second is gone. Picking up Jon Garland and Felipe Lopez to fill some holes look like solid moves. This appears to be the NL West favorite for whatever it's worth.
10	Twins	88-75	-	10/10	The Twins rode their youth to an up-and-down ride last season. A year older, there's no reason to think the Twins aren't ready to be labeled favorites in the AL Central. They certainly look like the most complete team.
11	Cardinals	86-76	-	11/11	Other than adding SS Khalil Greene, the Cards did squat this offseason. Had they gotten Brian Fuentes, whom they fancied, we'd like their chances even more. But if Chris Carpenter is back and Chris Perez can close, they can push for 90 wins.
12	Marlins	84-77	-	12/12	You can't like the Marlins over the Phils or Mets in the NL East, but this club is surely in the upper half of the NL. The young staff could be scary.
13	White Sox	89-74	-	13/13	The ChiSox said goodbye to Javy Vazquez and Joe Crede this offseason. Signing Bartolo Colon is hardly an adequate replacement for Vazquez. Instead of being complimentary players, Danks and Floyd now have to help Mark Buerhle carry the rotation.
14	Athletics	75-86	-	14/14	Adding Matt Holliday, combined with the Angels' unproductive offseason, has many thinking the A's are a legit threat in the AL West. Holliday won't mash like he's 5,000 feet up anymore, but he's way better than the power threats who have occupied the middle of the order recently.
15	Indians	81-81	-	15/15	Adding Pavano, Wood and DeRosa look like solid wiseguy moves. The Central is wide open, so there's no reason to think the Tribe won't be in the thick of it and could be one of the AL's biggest surprises should Pronk rebound.
16	Astros	86-75	-	16/16	Houston needed to improve its rotation. If you call taking shots on Russ Ortiz and Mike Hampton an improvement, then you have to love the Astros� offseason. The offense remains stout, though.
17	Dodgers	84-78	-	17/17	The Dodgers lost way more than they replaced. If Manny isn't around, this offense goes right back to being among the NL's weakest in terms of pop. The rotation and bullpen, once strengths, are now questions.
18	Blue Jays	86-76	-	18/18	Perhaps Travis Snider will offer some clues this spring as to how his first full season will go. Losing A.J. Burnett hurts, especially since he stayed in the same division.
19	Brewers	90-72	-	19/19	Subtracting CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets from the staff makes it hard to build a case for the Brewers to repeat last year�s success. Adding present-day Trevor Hoffman doesn't do much change that notion.
20	Royals	75-87	-	20/20	The Royals quietly had a nice offseason, landing Mike Jacobs to play first and Coco Crisp to man center. If the staff can improve, the Royals have a chance to be a decent little surprise team.
21	Rockies	74-88	-	21/21	The loss of Matt Holliday is a big blow to an offense that did nothing to replace him. Brian Fuentes is gone, too, but the Rox added Huston Street to close. Hard to see how this team got better this offseason.
22	Giants	72-90	-	22/22	Somebody tell the Giants they can't win every game 2-1. The offseason seemed simple -- add a power stick. Instead they bolstered the rotation and bullpen. The offense? It got Edgar Renteria on the downside of his career.
23	Reds	74-88	-	23/23	Another season older, the combo of Edinson Volquez and Johnny Cueto could be enough to make the Reds a sleeper. Unfortunately, in addition to those two Cincy will be relying heavily on youth elsewhere, i.e. Joey Votto and Jay Bruce. Should make for some exciting moments, though.
24	Orioles	68-93	-	24/24	You have to love the long-term prospects of a Pie-Jones-Markakis outfield. That may not mean much this season, but the O's have quietly had a nice rebuild. Hey look, Brian Roberts is still around.
25	Tigers	74-88	-	25/25	Last offseason the Tigers made some big splashes. This year, their biggest addition was Brandon Lyon to take over closing duties. The pitching staff was left to its own devices, which is hardly a good thing.
26	Nationals	59-102	-	26/26	The late addition of Adam Dunn added a nice finishing touch on a good offseason. The Nats play in the NL�s toughest division, so they're not about to stun the world. But vast improvement can be expected.
27	Rangers	79-83	-	27/27	Following Elvis Andrus and Chris Davis this spring should be interesting. The Rangers hung in the Ben Sheets sweepstakes the longest, but fortunately never got him. That still doesn't solve the weak starting rotation issues.
28	Padres	63-99	-	28/28	Trevor Hoffman is gone, which may not be such a bad thing. And so long as Jake Peavy is still around, the Pads have a fighting chance. Peavy, coupled with Chris Young, gives San Diego a nice 1-2. Don't ask about the offense.
29	Pirates	67-95	-	29/29	Ian Snell and Tom Gorzelanny were disappointments last year as a young staff with big upside greatly underachieved. The Pirates still won�t hit much, so everything hinges on the staff.
30	Mariners	61-101	-	30/30	There seems to be no upside with the M's. There may be more wins with a good version of Erik Bedard, but this team is far from making a serious bid in the West. And there's nothing truly exciting to point to on the farm.

*

At first glance, some difference of opinions are apparent. The Yankees, Cubs, Braves, and Diamondbacks are overrated. The Twins, Cardinals, Athletics, Indians, Astros and Giants are underrated. The only sure things look like the Padres, Pirates, and Mariners are going to stink again this season.

*****

The "Carbon Footprint" of What You are Eating

Here is a website that helps you figure out what the environmental impact is of some of what you are eating. Fortunately the impact of one's consumption is akin to a drop of water in a lake to the impact of businesses and corporations across the nation and planet.


=

http://www.eatlowcarbon.org/#
=
Here is what I found out about a few items of my regular choice of meals that were available for analysis.
=
Breakfast Cereal and Milk: 1224 points

Toast and Waffles: 933 points

Yogurt with Fruit: 918 points

Oatmeal: 144 points

Pepperoni Pizza: 4832 points

Caesar Salad: 558 points

Garden Salad: 401 points

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: 2544 points

Three Cheeseburgers: 5565 points

Spaghetti: 704 points

Lasagna: 1968 points

Steamed Mixed Vegetables: 83 points

Mashed Potatoes: 101 points

It is suggested to keep one's number under 7500, but that would seem difficult on some days. The main findings from this is that meat and dairy are all bad, and vegetables and grains are all good. I usually only eat meat about three days per week, but I have dairy probably six days a week in some form, usually as milk, which I believe is important for an aging individual like me to get the necessary calcium daily and help keep my bones and skeletal structure strong and solid. I try to substitute fish for meat a couple of days a week, in the form of tuna, cod, or salmon. But nothing beats a tasty juicy cheeseburger, meatloaf, pork chops, chicken, turkey, or steak: some more often than others due to price.

Thats the bottom line. As someone who tries to keep their monthly food budget to under $100 or so per month, I have to try to eat foods that are inexpensive and filling to keep my hunger at bay as well as have a nutritious content to some extent and more.

*****

Commemorating the 52nd Anniversary of my Parents' Wedding

Today is the midpoint of the two days which my parents were married back in 1957. I am not sure which is which, but on the 14th of February they were married in the the Swiss city of Bern or Basil for official government purposes, then on the 16th they got married in the Catholic Church, but I am unsure about the exact location where that occurred. I do know their rings were simple gold bands -- I wonder what ever happened to them. I am sure Mom sold her's sometime in the mid 1980s, maybe a little earlier. My father's wedding ring probably is in the possession of one of his siblings or their offspring, or more likely, was sold sometime around 20 - 25 years ago. Very disappointing.

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And then I showed up 15 1/2 months later.

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*****

Wasting Away in Anti-Margaritaville

Too bad its not 65 degrees and balmy, but one cannot expect this quite yet at this latitude for another decade or so in February. The weather has been less than acceptable over the recent past few weeks, but as we have crossed the midpoint of this month, at least there is more of a light at the end of the tunnel. Today brings sunshine but also modest winds and about 3" of snow covering the ground with temps right around 20 degrees. Hopefully the forecast of improvement will bear out over the coming days. As Sunday morning moved along I could see the temps surpassing 30 degrees with light winds and ample sunshine making significant progress on melting the recently fallen snow.

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Its now been over two months since the layoff commenced and no word yet when and if a return is on the horizon. For the most part I do not get to do much but stay home and rest. With the truck in critical condition I do not get out much now. I will only drive it very rarely in the coming weeks when its really nice and warm out relative to what is has been in recent weeks. Having no real forward inertia in the truck is risky on streets when snow and ice are present and the temperature is quite cold. Of course if works restarts, then I will have to deal with it as its 8-9 miles to the job site which would be a two hour walk, more in incliment weather - and impossible at this point at my age and health.

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This last week I stayed in entirely. I need little if anything and if the weather is incliment there is no reason to try to get out. I have all the groceries I need, and the internet and cable connect me to the world so I stay informed and entertained during this long down stretch.

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I watch movies, some TV series I am following, sports like hockey and MWC hoops, and set my own schedule for doing anything. I spend time on the 'net and do random surfing with topics that cross my mind or are triggered by other thoughts or info from the station I am listening to or watching. When the cable gets stale I put on some music or listen to the radio.

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Meals consist of oatmeal or cold cereal for the day's opener, and various simple entrees for the second meal. Among what I have had in the last week is grilled cheese sandwiches, soup, mac & cheese, canned pasta, fish or chicken sandwiches, and assorted vegetables. I have some cornbread mix in the cupboard I want to prepare in the coming days, as well as some instant mashed potatoes and some hamburger helper.

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One thing about staying in is that one tends to get stale and lethargic in keeping up with household tasks and upkeep. When I am working, I tend to be very disciplined about keeping the kitchen clean and the dishes done. But I have seen a marked deterioration in my attentiveness to this as well as other domestic tasks. Not that anything is pressing as I am only accountable and responsible to myself. I have lived in this apartment for over 19 months and had only two visitors. One, my former coworker Hadley, helped my once carrying the TV and recliner up the stairs. And then Todd has been here about 8 times over this span of time. Other than those two, its been solitude. Maybe thats a good thing, but maybe its not.

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I do not envision much different in the coming week. Maybe I can finally shake this persistent cold that I have been struggling with for more than a few weeks. It tends to ebb and flow in its intensity but I have been trying to rest and keep extra hydrated to fight the invader. I have boiled a few pots of water down and ran the humidifier to raise the humidity to help my dry throat out.

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At least I somewhat solved my troubles with the computer. This time, browsers (both IE7 and Mozilla Firefox) refused to open up earlier last week for a few hours in the evening. The Mozilla Firefox browser has been nonoperational for over ten days now. I talked to a tech support dude and he suggested removing the old and largely unused Norton program that came with the computer. Since removing the browser is working fine overall although there is still a few kinks such as suddenly closing all windows for some unknown reason, and the computer losing its connection to the 'net while in hard wired link to the modem while I play card games offline. I hope to buy a newer more advanced laptop in late 2010 or 2011. I should be able to get something that is much better and sophisticated at a lower price probably than I paid for this one. I was told by the tech the latest upgrade for Mozilla is flawed and to hold off for a few weeks until all the bugs get worked out.

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Later Sunday morning I walked over to the drugstore and got the Sunday papers and a gallon of milk. Then I enjoyed some of the warm rejuvenating sunshine coming through the windows at the DQ as I had some chicken strips and a root beer float while reading the newspaper for about an hour and a half through the noon hour. Then I made it back home with the bags of stuff and relaxed through the afternoon enjoying a splendid Avalanche / Red Wings game after a not so good Flyers / Rangers game that I had recorded. I drifted off to sleep midway through 60 Minutes but awoke to a phone call from Todd around 8:30 and we had a good conversation for about 15 minutes. Then I retired to bed for the night before 9pm.

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*****

The Winter of My Increasing Discontent

It is exactly this kind of report that frightens the life out of me. I am already overwhelmingly painfully aware of what the job market is like for individuals approaching age 50 and those over. With so many more in this age group rapidly joining the unemployed, it makes prospects decidedly grim. In most everyplace there are simply no jobs anymore for the foreseeable future for those wanting to be in the workforce that are over the age of 45 to 50 and up.

I hope I get called back to work in the coming weeks, but a concern exists in the back of my mind that it may not happen and possibly never; due to my age, as well as the extent the economy has collapsed. I certainly hope the worst case scenario does not happen, but once May arrives, I am done and out.

With the economy in a startling downward spiral, relocating even to an area I have a familiarity with seems to be a bad idea at this time and in the coming months. Thus I am increasingly resigning myself to having to spend at least another four to five months here in the wind tunnel of the continent, and the likelihood of being here well into 2010 is becoming more apparent.

I now need to purchase another vehicle which requires a $2000 outlay at a minimum and likely more in the coming weeks to months, as The White Knight is on its dying knees. Tonight when I went for groceries, the beast could not even climb a slight hill along the road and it stood there in the dark and fog, just revving as the drive train spun with no forward movement for about a minute until the gear finally engaged. Then I slugglishly crept along, well under the speed limit the entire way to the store and back. Hills are getting to be a no win option as the vehicle just has no life for them. And starting from a stop at a traffic signal is onerous at best and embarrassing at worst as other drivers are held up behind me as the truck struggles to establish any forward inertia over a span of 15 to 45 seconds. Reverse gear works as well as ever, but the three drive gears are impotent to an extent and sluggish at best except when going downhill or once I get going on a long largely flat straightaway. I have to think about the routes I am going to be on and I choose side streets whenever possible and shudder at the thought of having to be on streets where there is any traffic. Fortunately I only need to leave the apartment about 2-3 times per week: to get groceries, check the mailbox, or just go somewhere to get out and escape the cabin fever by sitting in the sun and reading.

For a relocation to occur I want to have at least $6000 in the bank to pay for temporary housing while seeking employment, weekly expenses of food and fuel, and money to pay for a deposit and rent for a new residence as well as for the storage of my belongings while in transition. I have to think it is going to take at least six weeks to find employment, whether I end up in Colorado Springs (the preferred alternative) or back in the Denver area, based on the west side of the metro area somewhere from Littleton to Wheat Ridge. I have an obsession for being able to use the old Boy Scout motto of "Be Prepared" when if at all possible. And having done this kind of relocation a number of times in the past, I know what makes it easier and less stressful, something which is absolutely essential for someone that is at my age and with the health concerns awareness.

To paraphrase a well known quote -Now is the winter of my discontent, and may the summer make me glorious.... please, please...

*****

Madoff Traps Former Great Deal Makers

Ozzie and Dan Silna were the final owners of the Spirits of St Louis, a short lived club in the American Basketball Association in 1976. That league was in its dying days and had successfully negotiated for four of its remaining clubs to attain entry in the National Basketball Association. The Silna brothers agreed to the demise of their ABA club in exchange for a $2.2 million cash payout and one-seventh of all future television and broadcast income and revenue in perpetuity from the four clubs going into the NBA. This fortuitous and omniscient agreement resulted in the brothers netting over $200 million over the next 33 years for doing nothing.

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Now information has emerged that the brothers were among the numerous victims of the Ponzi scheme constructed over a number of years by New York financier Bernie Madoff that was in excess of $50 billion. Sometime what comes around goes around....

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http://www.cnbc.com/id/19481083/

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http://www.cnbc.com/id/29030647

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*****

Ten Snowiest January on Record for Cheyenne

Here is a local climatological record I did not realize had occurred...

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
358 PM MST TUE 4 FEB 2009


... Public information statement...

With 12.8 inches of snowfall in January 2009...
Cheyenne had the tenth snowiest January since weather records began in 1883.

Here is a list of the top ten snowiest January months in Cheyenne...
 
Snowfall in inches... year

35.5... 1980
20.3... 1891
18.5... 1940
18.4... 1921
18.2... 1992
15.1... 1949
14.0... 1905
13.0... 1962
13.0... 1930
12.8... 2009

*
And 10.7" of those 12.8" fell in a four day span from Friday 23 January through Monday 26 January. Otherwise the perception was that it was seemingly a dry and relatively mild month overall.

*****

50th Anniversary of The Day the Music Died

...From the Tuesday 2 February '09 edition of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel by writer Dave Tianen...

What If the Music Hadn’t Died with Buddy Holly?

By DAVE TIANEN Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Feb. 2, 2009, 4:24PM

Part of the lasting appeal of Buddy Holly and the Winter Dance Party — the infamous tour of the Midwest that ended tragically with a Feb. 3, 1959, plane crash — is the allure of youthful promise cut short. We, of course, will never know what might have happened had Buddy, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper elected to stay on the bus on that frigid February night 50 winters ago.

But as a music writer who grew up with the music and has covered rock ‘n’ roll for 30 years, I offer some thoughts on how things might have played out.

•Buddy Holly: Today, we remember Holly as a great innovator, one of the first to add strings to a rock ‘n’ roll recording, a superb songwriter and the man who made it permissible for gawky white guys with thick glasses to rock.

What we tend to forget is that in early 1959 his career was in crisis. He had split with his producer and his band, and he was short on cash. His last four singles had tanked; the last two peaked at No. 68 and No. 82 respectively. Even in 1959, you didn’t tour in Mankato, Minn., if your career was thriving.

Would talent alone have been enough for Holly to turn it around? Perhaps, but I’m skeptical. In the late ‘50s, pop music was moving toward the era of teen idols like Fabian, Frankie Avalon and Bobby Rydell. That wouldn’t have been a good trend for geeky, spectacled Texans.

On the other hand, Holly’s final singles, It Doesn’t Matter Anymore and Raining In My Heart, signaled a move to a softer, more polished ballad style that would have fit in well with the musical temper of the early ’60s.

Of course, like every American rocker except Elvis, Holly would have been blown off the map by the Beatles and the British Invasion in 1964. But he would also have been positioned to regroup. Holly’s early roots were in country music, and I suspect he, like Conway Twitty and Jerry Lee Lewis, would have returned there — if not as a performer, then as a songwriter and producer.

•Richie Valens: Valens was really just a high school kid, 17 years old when he died. There’s barely a legacy there, just a handful of recordings, but on some of them he rocked like a guitar-crazed banshee. Just listen to Come On, Let’s Go or his version of Boney Maronie.

Valens had enormous potential, although his beefy looks probably wouldn’t have helped in the Cute Boys from Philly era. La Bamba was really just a rocked up Mexican folk tune, but it carries at least the suggestion that Valens might have prospered in the folk rock era of the mid-’60s.

•J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson: Let’s be honest. If it had not been for that plane crash, Richardson the singer would have been a forgotten one-hit wonder by now. Chantilly Lace was a one-dance-and-you’re-out novelty hit. On the other hand, Richardson wrote White Lightning for George Jones and Running Bear for Johnny Preston. Both of them were No. 1 one hits. It’s possible that he would eventually have found his place in Nashville as a successful songwriter.

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These comments and remarks aside, this is a tragic anniversary for some wonderful musicians that made some significant contributions to the era they were in and made a great impression on a vast number of lives -- people today that are in their mid to late 60s of age or older...For the fans of Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and JP Richardson, the music did die on that snowy evening in Iowa. We will never know what could have been if their loss had not occurred.

http://www.fiftiesweb.com/crash.htm

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http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/02/01/mclean.buddy.holly/index.html
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*****

The Demise of Ford Trucks Underway

I would like to purchase a new truck, which would be the final motor vehicle purchase of my life as I would keep the critter running for the next 20 years or so until I kick the bucket at the latest. But making a choice among the various brands out there is one of difficulty. I believe the American made products are of a poorer quality overall as compared to Toyota, and then there is the strong likelihood that the three American manufacturers will be out of business within the next few to several years. I would probably opt for a Toyota Tundra or Toyota Tacoma if I was making a choice. The very fact that a loyal devotee such as I am towards American, particularly Ford trucks, would prefer to purchase a Toyota or Honda triuck indicates my grave concern about the American manufacturer's future and my increasing disappointment over the lack of quality in their products they are selling. Today's news of how poor sales of vehicles were in January for all of Detroit's Big Three certainly bode anything and everything but well for these dying dinosaurs.

But since I am in no position to take on such an overwhelming obligation, the points made above are personally moot. I see there are some trucks from around the 1980 to 1985 era for sale on Craigs List for about $1500 to around $2K so that would appear to be the likely route I will take once it becomes completely necessary to buy another vehicle with the looming seemingly inevitable death of my own truck.

http://www.slate.com/id/2210311/

*****

Colorado's Most Despised Radio Personality Takes It in the Shorts

This could not have happened to a nicer guy ! Its just too bad and unfortunate that others of his ilk like Limbaugh, Coulter, and Hannity did not suffer equally. Its great to see a voice for injustice and inequality and one who hates the poor and misfortunate in society suffer greatly.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/feb/02/investments-go-bad-talk-show-host-rosen/

*****

Overhyped Oversized Hamster Sees Six More Weeks of Winter

The Oracle of the East, Punxsutawney Phil, "emerged" earlier today to see his shadow which means that according to legend we are in for six more weeks of winter. Hopefully the varmint is utterly incorrect. And hopefully some local Pennsylvania hayseeds and hillbillies will seize this beast from its den, decapitate it, skin it, slow-cook it in their oven, and make it part of a big winter stew for all of their kit and kaboodle.

No report yet from the two rodents of ill-repute and reknown in our region, Agua Fria Freddie and Lander Lil...

Perhaps Las Vegas and Clark County are on to something by using a Desert Tortoise and its exit from its winter slumber as a more honest sign of Spring arriving.

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/feb/02/punxsutawney-phil-sees-shadow-heralds-6-more-weeks/

http://www.lvrj.com/news/38849197.html

*****

Recently in My Life

Not much has happened that is noteworthy, at least in a strongly positive sense. At least I am mostly healthy, only fighting a cold, and not hurting much at all. I am pleased February has finally arrived. While the month can be truly defined as one of winter, at least improvements continue and the possibility is greater for nicer days. After a milder than normal January (4.4 degrees warmer than normal) - although with nearly 13" of snow through the month and ten of the 31 days below normal (seven straight from 23 to 29 January) - one can only hope for a repeat or even better February. Normal February highs range from 38 to 43 degrees and normal February lows range from 15 to 20 degrees, just a few degrees of improvement as compared to January. But it is slowly but surely improving, and one can see it in the final week to ten days of the month clearly. The monthly daily average temperature during February in Cheyenne starts out at 27 degrees and ends at 31 degrees.

Sunrises improve from 7:1o am to 6:35 am, a gain of 35 minutes in the morning; and sunsets go from 5:15 pm to 5:48 pm, a gain of 33 minutes, which means the length of days increase by an hour and eight minutes by the time February is through. Cold spells and snow are certainly probable, but record highs can reach the 60s every day and a 70 degree day has happened twice in history; so some nice days are minimally possible. Unfortunately the wind continues to blow ferociously most every day, and if one can get three or four calm days, that is about as good as one can hope for. I hope the outlook for a slightly warmer and drier month comes to fruition and then some.

On a more recent perspective, the last several days have been uneventful. Most of last week was filled with bad weather as snow fell four straight days from the 23rd to 27th, and little melting started until Friday the 30th. This week much of the snow should be gone as it is forecast to reach the mid 50s on Tuesday the 3rd through Thursday the 5th. It seems like all I do is drink lots of water and other beverages as I am constantly thirsty and beset with a dry throat and other breathing canals in my head. I think somedays I am putting away about 3 gallons or more.

I tried to get out a few times during the last week to try to alleviate cabin fever and my chronic winter depression and malaise. I partook of the 2-for1 chicken fried steak dinner at Village Inn; went to McDs twice to read papers while enjoying the winter sun coming through the windows; and spent some time at the local bookstores. Mostly I stayed home, rested, and watched some hockey, hoops, movies, and some of my preferred programs.

This is always a tough time of the year for me as the winter and cold seems endless and takes away much of my spirit and positive outlook. Not working is not helping either, and the inevitable demise of the White Knight(the photo above is not one of my vehicle or one similar to it as mine is two-wheel drive) is weighing heavy on me. The truck has transmission issues and is increasingly becoming difficult to move. Getting it going from a stop is problematic. There just is no power and I have to gun it to get the truck to move. Once the truck gets going its generally okay but sluggish. Hills and slopes are nightmares and hassles. It seems to perform better in warmer temps during daytime and once its warmed up, but I see a trend of decline in its performance and strength, and I am having doubts about whether its going to make it through the month. It would be devastating to have the truck bite the dust, but I am facing the real probability of it occurring sooner than later.

The looming demise of my POV is all but for sure going to keep me in Cheyenne through the summer and into the fall much to my dissatisfaction and dismay. But not working is drawing down my financial reserves I worked hard to build in the second half of 2008, and the need to buy another vehicle which is at least a $2000 commitment will keep me here six additional months, if not longer. I am very unhappy about this prospect but a somewhat perfect storm of challenges is requiring this sacrifice of time. Its to a point where I really cannot justify paying $3000 to $3500 for repairs for the transmission, exhaust system, and clutch for a 31 year old vehicle that gets a woeful 10 to 13 MPG and most certainly has other looming issues as would be expected for a vehicle of this age. It is a troubling circumstance but the reality is that I need to move on and get something newer. To have gotten over 21 years out of the vehicle is already an accomplishment and one that I can never hope to achieve again given the quality and complexity of vehicles of today and in recent years. It just comes at a inopportune time, but I guess there is no good time for one's vehicle to reach a point where replacement becomes a requirement.

Enough mournful and sad musings. I did receive a package of shirts and other apparel from my sister M. Combined with what I received earlier from my sister L and I am set on casual clothes for many years ahead. Thank you very much for your thoughtfulness and generosity. The only apparel and clothes I may need to purchase in the next couple of years would be possibly some nice business attire depending on what kind of future employment I have.

I have not been eating anything of any particular excitement recently. I did make two casseroles for multi-meals in the last week or so. I made a beef tomato macaroni casserole last weekend, and then in the middle of last week I made my chicken vegetable cheese rice casserole that is a Campbell's Soup recipe that I have made three or four times before. One of my goals is to try to eat up as much of the food that I already have in the coming months so that I have virtually none remaining when the time does come for me to leave here. I still have rice, mac & cheese, and some other items that date back to 2003 or 2004 that went into storage upon my time of homelessness that I have yet to consume. Some of the food from that period has been eaten such as tuna, relish, rice, instant mashed potatoes, and gravy mixes by me since I reclaimed it back into my home in the last 19 months.

Today (Sunday 2/1) was a cool day as temps reached only 35 degrees under bright sunny skies with a persistent but lighter winds than would be expected. I had made plans earlier in January to watch the Super Bowl at Todd's, so I headed over towards his home. I made a stop at Albertsons for some milk, Coke, the newspapers, and a cherry pie before having a burger at McDs while reading the papers. I arrived at Todd's around 4pm and we, like millions of others, were treated to a great game that was truly entertaining and one for the ages. This may have been the best Super Bowl game ever. After the game, we caught a special one hour episode of The Office which has its funny moments before I struggled home in the cold for a few hours of solitude before retiring.

The upcoming week offers little to be excited about. I need to pay the rent, check the post office box, and putter around the place to work on some long standing projects. If its nice enough outside, the long procrastinated task of doing the full load of recycling is something I should endeavor to complete.

Perhaps, just perhaps, I may get called to go back to work this week or next. That would be nice, although I am thoroughly unexcited to be back to the mundane and brain deadening repetitive workload. But as I keep telling myself, it is a means to an end. But it now appears that end will have to be delayed by about five or six months, if not longer, due to the already seven weeks long layoff, the collapsing economy, and the seemingly imminent demise of The White Knight.

*****

The Beatles' Best: My Two Cents

I stumbled across a great website about The Beatles where one individual offers their 185 best Beatles songs which includes commentary and YouTube video links. This is a challenging proposition for anyone, given this band's long illustrious and excellent history of music. As I went over their list, I came up with my own list of my favorite 30 songs.

-1) Fool on the Hill

-2) A Day in the Life

-3) In My Life

-4) Eleanor Rigby

-5) Nowhere Man

-6) Hey Jude

-7) Norwegian Wood

-8) Michelle

-9) Ticket to Ride (although I like The Carpenters' version much much more)

10) Please Please Me

11) Yesterday

12) Things We Said Today

13) Do You Want to Know a Secret

14) You're Going to Lose That Girl

15) Got to Get You in My Life

16) P.S., I Love You

17) All My Loving

18) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

19) I Feel Fine

20) The Long and Winding Road

21) I'll Follow the Sun

22) Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (I like the Elton John version much more)

23) Twist and Shout

24) I Should Have Known Better

25) Magical Mystery Tour

26) This Boy

27) Eight Days a Week

28) Back in the U.S.S.R.

29) Paperback Writer

30) Lady Madonna

http://magazine.jamsbio.com/2009/01/05/playing-the-beatles-backwards-the-ultimate-countdown/20/

*****