This measure of extreme dryness is highly unusual for Phoenix.
... exceptionally dry air moved into southwest and south-central Arizona. The observed dew Point of -8 degrees fahrenheit at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport at 11 am this morning was the lowest dew point ever recorded in the month of October /previous low was -3 degrees observed on 26 October 2003/.
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Sunday, October 21, 2007
World Series 2007 Outlook
This is a World Series matchup that I did not ever want to see. My favorite team, the Colorado Rockies are playing my second favorite team, the Boston Redsox. This pairing of these two clubs in the Fall Classic was viewed as impossible until the last few weeks. I have previously had to endure this kind of matchup in the Super Bowl in 1988, when my favorite Denver Broncos played my other favorite, the Washington Redskins, with the Redskins pounding Denver 42-10.
Boston is clearly the favorite coming out of the superior American League. Some have the Redsox as a 2-1 odds-on choice to win the Series. I will go against this though, and pick the Rockies to win in six, maybe seven. The long layoff between the NLCS and the World Series may get them off to a slow start, but once the Series moves to Coors Field, Colorado should hit their stride. On paper the two teams matchup well, but Boston has the edge in the pitching with more veteran and experienced hurlers as Colorado has a lot of young arms. Offensively, the two teams are about even, with the Redsox having more veteran experience. Defensively, the Rockies are much better. Managers Clint Hurdle and Terry Francona are on a par with one another.
As long as the young Rockies keep their deer-in-the-headlights reaction to being in the World Series to just one game, they should be okay. And Boston will definitely lose something offensively in not having a DH for the three games in Denver. The young pitching staff should rise up to the challenge and become the difference as Colorado stuns the planet and wins this World Series which will become one of the greatest stories in baseball history.
Boston is clearly the favorite coming out of the superior American League. Some have the Redsox as a 2-1 odds-on choice to win the Series. I will go against this though, and pick the Rockies to win in six, maybe seven. The long layoff between the NLCS and the World Series may get them off to a slow start, but once the Series moves to Coors Field, Colorado should hit their stride. On paper the two teams matchup well, but Boston has the edge in the pitching with more veteran and experienced hurlers as Colorado has a lot of young arms. Offensively, the two teams are about even, with the Redsox having more veteran experience. Defensively, the Rockies are much better. Managers Clint Hurdle and Terry Francona are on a par with one another.
As long as the young Rockies keep their deer-in-the-headlights reaction to being in the World Series to just one game, they should be okay. And Boston will definitely lose something offensively in not having a DH for the three games in Denver. The young pitching staff should rise up to the challenge and become the difference as Colorado stuns the planet and wins this World Series which will become one of the greatest stories in baseball history.
My Week in Review: 14-20 October
Here is the look into my extremely exciting (LOL !) life this past week.
Sunday 14 October: The pattern of rainy gloomy Sundays continued as today was just that. It was cold also as the temperature hovered in the mid to upper 30s all day and the sun was a complete no show. I awoke around 10 am and went over to King Soopers for the weekly grocery run. I got home and read my papers and half-watched the NFL games through the afternoon while also surfing. I watched parts of 60 Minutes and then got wholeheartedly into the Rockies game which started around 6:30 MDT. I had some peas and macaroni/cheese for dinner and some instant french vanilla pudding for desert. Bedtime came around 12:30am.
Monday 15 October: A cold morning as we had our first subfreezing morning with heavy fog that never completely burned off until after lunch. I worked the full eight hour day, and as usual, Monday is always a day where when I get home, I usually die on the vine and pass out into a nap within about 20 minutes. I awoke around 8pm just in time to catch the start of the Rockies game; unfortunately I missed staying awake for the Cle-Bsn ALCS Game #3 which ended up a Cle win. I had some Spanish Rice for dinner, and stayed up until after 12:30 am to watch and enjoy the Rockies postgame victory celebrations and interviews.
Tuesday 16 October: Awoke at 7:30am and took a long very hot 20 minute steamy shower which was very soothing and relaxing. This helped warm the place up a little as I still have two weeks until I will allow myself to turn on the heat. The temperature inside is in the upper 50's and low 60's which means wearing sweats and socks all the time and burying myself under a number of blankets to sleep warmly. Hopefully we will have several more days above 60 degrees with lots of sunshine to help warm the apartment so I can keep that heat turned off and delay for as long as possible having to give money to the all-evil, gouging, and greedy utility company. Anyway, it was another eight hour day at work and then straight back home. Today was a classic sunny crisp Rocky Mountains Autumn day with temps reaching the mid 60s. I watched the evening news and then locked in on the Indians-Redsox game until Cleveland opened up big lead enroute to a 3-1 lead in their series. Then I caught another good Boston Legal. I had Polish Sausage and carrots for dinner and watched Leno and Letterman before retiring around 11pm.
Wednesday 17 October: A day off from work. Awoke around 9:45 am. Hung out around the apartment most of the day. Did some straightening, re-arranging, and fixing up of the place. Went out around 4:30 to Walmart and purchased some bananas, cereal, milk, and a few other odd grocery items. I got back home around 6pm and spent the evening doing much as I did during the day, just hanging out and do some odd chores like cleaning the bathroom, doing the dishes and straightening up. No baseball tonight and I found nothing on that caught my interest all evening so I listened to some internet radio on my computer while I did my chores and tasks. Watched Jay Leno with Barack Obama as the candidate presented himself as an ordinary guy and talked about low key things. Today was a partly cloudy day with temps reaching the upper 50s with increasing winds as the day went along. By midnight one can hear the wind howling outside as the forecast is for gusts to exceed 50mph all night long before abating Thursday midday. We are supposed to have a nice stretch before it goes downhill again on Sunday (that sure is not new lately). Went to bed around 12:15am.
Thursday 18 October: Back to work after a day off for an eight-hour shift. Today was the windiest day in several months and it was very cold with that wind. Got home and just relaxed after the long day. Watched Cle-Bsn for the most part but also checked in on Utah-TCU and Rutgers-South Florida. Did try to stay with Earl but it was about the poorest episode I ever saw; thankfully 30 Rock was better. Fixed myself homemade Sloppy Joes which were mighty tasty as I had eaten this in over 3 1/2 years. Went to bed around 10:15pm.
Friday 19 October: Had a tough night sleeping-- I get those about 2-3 times per month; I tossed and turned and couldn't fall back asleep from around 3:30 am until around 5am. Maybe I ate too much for dinner and too late. Anyway, it was another full day at work. It was a warmer day--near 65 degrees and the wind was a little less intense and warmer with sunny skies. Came home and just surfed and had a TV dinner (chicken patties, mashed potatoes, corn, and a brownie). Watched another excellent episode of Ghost Whisperer. Nothing really exciting going on so it was another quiet evening at home. Hit the hay around 11pm
Saturday 20 October: Day off so I can watch lots of college football. Awoke at 8:30am and had frozen waffles for breakfast. Todd came over around 12:30 as the WY-AF game was still in the first quarter. We watched football all afternoon until around 7pm when he left. He ordered a pizza and it was delicious. I continued to watch until the end of the games around 1opm. Surfed and zapped until around midnight. The weather changed tremendously during the day from sunny skies and 75 degrees around 1pm to snow by 10pm. Not much was expected to accumulate.
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Sunday 14 October: The pattern of rainy gloomy Sundays continued as today was just that. It was cold also as the temperature hovered in the mid to upper 30s all day and the sun was a complete no show. I awoke around 10 am and went over to King Soopers for the weekly grocery run. I got home and read my papers and half-watched the NFL games through the afternoon while also surfing. I watched parts of 60 Minutes and then got wholeheartedly into the Rockies game which started around 6:30 MDT. I had some peas and macaroni/cheese for dinner and some instant french vanilla pudding for desert. Bedtime came around 12:30am.
Monday 15 October: A cold morning as we had our first subfreezing morning with heavy fog that never completely burned off until after lunch. I worked the full eight hour day, and as usual, Monday is always a day where when I get home, I usually die on the vine and pass out into a nap within about 20 minutes. I awoke around 8pm just in time to catch the start of the Rockies game; unfortunately I missed staying awake for the Cle-Bsn ALCS Game #3 which ended up a Cle win. I had some Spanish Rice for dinner, and stayed up until after 12:30 am to watch and enjoy the Rockies postgame victory celebrations and interviews.
Tuesday 16 October: Awoke at 7:30am and took a long very hot 20 minute steamy shower which was very soothing and relaxing. This helped warm the place up a little as I still have two weeks until I will allow myself to turn on the heat. The temperature inside is in the upper 50's and low 60's which means wearing sweats and socks all the time and burying myself under a number of blankets to sleep warmly. Hopefully we will have several more days above 60 degrees with lots of sunshine to help warm the apartment so I can keep that heat turned off and delay for as long as possible having to give money to the all-evil, gouging, and greedy utility company. Anyway, it was another eight hour day at work and then straight back home. Today was a classic sunny crisp Rocky Mountains Autumn day with temps reaching the mid 60s. I watched the evening news and then locked in on the Indians-Redsox game until Cleveland opened up big lead enroute to a 3-1 lead in their series. Then I caught another good Boston Legal. I had Polish Sausage and carrots for dinner and watched Leno and Letterman before retiring around 11pm.
Wednesday 17 October: A day off from work. Awoke around 9:45 am. Hung out around the apartment most of the day. Did some straightening, re-arranging, and fixing up of the place. Went out around 4:30 to Walmart and purchased some bananas, cereal, milk, and a few other odd grocery items. I got back home around 6pm and spent the evening doing much as I did during the day, just hanging out and do some odd chores like cleaning the bathroom, doing the dishes and straightening up. No baseball tonight and I found nothing on that caught my interest all evening so I listened to some internet radio on my computer while I did my chores and tasks. Watched Jay Leno with Barack Obama as the candidate presented himself as an ordinary guy and talked about low key things. Today was a partly cloudy day with temps reaching the upper 50s with increasing winds as the day went along. By midnight one can hear the wind howling outside as the forecast is for gusts to exceed 50mph all night long before abating Thursday midday. We are supposed to have a nice stretch before it goes downhill again on Sunday (that sure is not new lately). Went to bed around 12:15am.
Thursday 18 October: Back to work after a day off for an eight-hour shift. Today was the windiest day in several months and it was very cold with that wind. Got home and just relaxed after the long day. Watched Cle-Bsn for the most part but also checked in on Utah-TCU and Rutgers-South Florida. Did try to stay with Earl but it was about the poorest episode I ever saw; thankfully 30 Rock was better. Fixed myself homemade Sloppy Joes which were mighty tasty as I had eaten this in over 3 1/2 years. Went to bed around 10:15pm.
Friday 19 October: Had a tough night sleeping-- I get those about 2-3 times per month; I tossed and turned and couldn't fall back asleep from around 3:30 am until around 5am. Maybe I ate too much for dinner and too late. Anyway, it was another full day at work. It was a warmer day--near 65 degrees and the wind was a little less intense and warmer with sunny skies. Came home and just surfed and had a TV dinner (chicken patties, mashed potatoes, corn, and a brownie). Watched another excellent episode of Ghost Whisperer. Nothing really exciting going on so it was another quiet evening at home. Hit the hay around 11pm
Saturday 20 October: Day off so I can watch lots of college football. Awoke at 8:30am and had frozen waffles for breakfast. Todd came over around 12:30 as the WY-AF game was still in the first quarter. We watched football all afternoon until around 7pm when he left. He ordered a pizza and it was delicious. I continued to watch until the end of the games around 1opm. Surfed and zapped until around midnight. The weather changed tremendously during the day from sunny skies and 75 degrees around 1pm to snow by 10pm. Not much was expected to accumulate.
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Saturday, October 20, 2007
Boston Forces a Decisive Game Seven in ALCS
Boston tied the best of seven ALCS at three games each with Cleveland as the Redsox 
routed the I
ndians 12-2 at an unseasonably warm and balmy Fenway Park on Saturday night. Veteran postseason master Curt Schilling dominated from the mound and JD Drew hit a grand slam to dead center field off Cleveland starter and loser Fausto Carmona in the 1st to put the Redsox in command almost from the get go. Ten more runs in the third inning effectively decided the game early.
routed the I
ndians 12-2 at an unseasonably warm and balmy Fenway Park on Saturday night. Veteran postseason master Curt Schilling dominated from the mound and JD Drew hit a grand slam to dead center field off Cleveland starter and loser Fausto Carmona in the 1st to put the Redsox in command almost from the get go. Ten more runs in the third inning effectively decided the game early. Game Seven will be on Sunday night at approximately 6:15 MDT at Fenway as this will be the third game seven in the ALCS in five years for Boston. Jake Westbrook will be on the mound for the Indians facing Daisuke Matsuzaka for the Redsox.
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Another Great Meteor to Get Up Early For to Observe and Behold (But Not For Me ! )
Meteor shower observing is a wonderful humbling activity that allows one to put oneself in perspective of the vastness of the universe and our galaxy. Plus its lots of fun to be in the dark and see the sky come to life in unpredictable ways. Very early Sunday morning, 21 October, is the next opportunity to take one in as the Orionid Meteor Shower puts on a show.
Unfortunately here where the High Plains meet the Central Rocky Mountains, we are expecting our first snowstorm of the season tonight so no meteor showering will be possible anywhere around this part of the world tonight. This afternoon we have temperatures into the mid 70s here in SE Wyoming while Eastern Colorado is seeing temps at or above 80 degrees with 90 plus degrees in the far southeast part of the Centennial State and mid 80's across Western Nebraska.
But it all comes tumbling down hard tonight with about 1-3" of snow expected to accumulate in the next 24 hours with temps diving with Sundays high less than 40 degrees here in Cheyenne and our first hard freeze expected Monday morning with temperatures getting into the mid 20s across the region.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21362492/?GT1=10450
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Unfortunately here where the High Plains meet the Central Rocky Mountains, we are expecting our first snowstorm of the season tonight so no meteor showering will be possible anywhere around this part of the world tonight. This afternoon we have temperatures into the mid 70s here in SE Wyoming while Eastern Colorado is seeing temps at or above 80 degrees with 90 plus degrees in the far southeast part of the Centennial State and mid 80's across Western Nebraska.
But it all comes tumbling down hard tonight with about 1-3" of snow expected to accumulate in the next 24 hours with temps diving with Sundays high less than 40 degrees here in Cheyenne and our first hard freeze expected Monday morning with temperatures getting into the mid 20s across the region.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21362492/?GT1=10450
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Friday, October 19, 2007
NFL Picks for Week Seven, 21-22 October
The picks are hereby made for the upcoming NFL games being played on Sunday 21 October and Monday 22 October.
Sunday 21 October
ARIZ (3-3) @ WASH (3-2): Redskins (-9) 24, Cardinals 20
ATL (1-5) @ NORL (1-4): Saints (-8) 34, Falcons 16
BALT (4-2) @ BUF (1-4): Bills 20 (+3 1/2) , Ravens 16 UPSET
NENG (6-0) @ MIA (0-6): Patriots (-18) 45, Dolphins 10
SF (2-3) @ NYG (4-2): FortyNiners (+9) 23, Giants 22 UPSET
TB (4-2) @ DET (3-2): Buccaneers (+2 1/2) 16, Lions 13 UPSET
TENN (3-2) @ HTN (3-3): Texans (+1 1/2) 20, Titans 17 UPSET
KC (3-3) @ OAK (2-3): Chiefs (+2 1/2) 27, Raiders 24 UPSET
NYJ (1-5) @ CINC (1-4): Bengals (-6 1/2) 30, Jets 24
MINN (2-3) @ DAL (5-1): Cocaineboys (-10) 27, Vikings 16 (hoping for the upset)
CHI (2-4) @ PHIL (2-3): Eagles (-5 1/2) 26, Bears 17
STL (0-6) @ SEA (3-3): Seahawks (-8 1/2) 27, Rams 17
PGH (4-1) @ DEN (2-3): Steelers (-4 1/2) 34, Broncos 24
Monday 22 October
IND (6-0) @ JAX (4-1): Jaguars (+4) 22, Colts 20 UPSET
idle: CAR CLE GB SD
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Sunday 21 October
ARIZ (3-3) @ WASH (3-2): Redskins (-9) 24, Cardinals 20
ATL (1-5) @ NORL (1-4): Saints (-8) 34, Falcons 16
BALT (4-2) @ BUF (1-4): Bills 20 (+3 1/2) , Ravens 16 UPSET
NENG (6-0) @ MIA (0-6): Patriots (-18) 45, Dolphins 10
SF (2-3) @ NYG (4-2): FortyNiners (+9) 23, Giants 22 UPSET
TB (4-2) @ DET (3-2): Buccaneers (+2 1/2) 16, Lions 13 UPSET
TENN (3-2) @ HTN (3-3): Texans (+1 1/2) 20, Titans 17 UPSET
KC (3-3) @ OAK (2-3): Chiefs (+2 1/2) 27, Raiders 24 UPSET
NYJ (1-5) @ CINC (1-4): Bengals (-6 1/2) 30, Jets 24
MINN (2-3) @ DAL (5-1): Cocaineboys (-10) 27, Vikings 16 (hoping for the upset)
CHI (2-4) @ PHIL (2-3): Eagles (-5 1/2) 26, Bears 17
STL (0-6) @ SEA (3-3): Seahawks (-8 1/2) 27, Rams 17
PGH (4-1) @ DEN (2-3): Steelers (-4 1/2) 34, Broncos 24
Monday 22 October
IND (6-0) @ JAX (4-1): Jaguars (+4) 22, Colts 20 UPSET
idle: CAR CLE GB SD
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College Football Picks for Week Eight, 20-21 October
Here are the weekly college football picks for Week Eight and games being played over the weekend of 20-21 October. (home teams in bold print)
Friday 19 October
Northwestern (-10) 35, Eastern Michigan 22 + +
Connecticut (+3) 23, Louisville 20 UPSET + +
Saturday 20 October
Michigan St (+19) 24, # 1 Ohio St 23 UPSET X +
# 2 Boston College: IDLE
# 3 South Florida: LOST to Rutgers, 30-27 on THR 19 October
# 4 Oklahoma (-31) 68, Iowa St 13 + X
# 5 Louisiana St (-10) 32, #19 Auburn 20 + X
# 6 Oregon (-14) 38, Washington 16 + +
# 7 West Virginia (-24 1/2 ) 42, Mississippi St 10 + +
# 8 South Carolina (-14) 30, Vanderbilt 9 X X
# 9 California (-1 1/2) 26, UCLA 23 X X
# 9 Southern Cal (-17) 41, Notre Dame 17 + +
# 11 Virginia Tech: IDLE
# 12 Arizona St: IDLE
# 14 Florida (-6 1/2) 28, #13 Kentucky 24 + X
# 15 Kansas (-4) 23, Colorado 17 + +
# 16 Hawaii: IDLE
# 17 Missouri (-4) 37, #21 Texas Tech 36 + X
# 18 Texas (-27) 41, Baylor 17 + +
# 20 Georgia: IDLE
Alabama (+ 1 1/2) 20, # 22 Tennessee 17 UPSET + +
# 23 Cincinnati (-10 1/2) 22, Pittsburgh 16 X +
Maryland (-4) 23, # 24 Virginia 20 X +
Indiana (+7 1/2) 23, # 25 Penn St 20 UPSET X +
Wyoming (+3 1/2) 27, Air Force 20 UPSET X X
New Mexico (-9 1/2) 37, San Diego St 24 + X
Nevada-Las Vegas (-3 1/2) 20, Colorado St 17 X +
Brigham Young (-36) 54, Eastern Washington 21 + +
Clemson (-17) 34, Central Michigan 13 + +
Wisconsin (-23 1/2) 46, Northern Illinois 14 + +
Georgia Tech (-23 1/2) 37, Army 3 + +
Purdue (-7 1/2) 38, Iowa 17 + +
Wake Forest (-4) 31, Navy 10 + +
Mississippi (+5 1/2) 16, Arkansas 14 UPSET X X
Texas A&M (+2) 34, Nebraska 30 UPSET + +
Rice (-2) 29, Memphis 24 X X
Nevada (-7 1/2) 35, Utah St 31 + +
Florida St (-5 1/2) 13, Miami FL 10 X +
Troy St (-23 1/2) 39, North Texas 10 + +
Arkansas St (+2) 22, Middle Tennessee St 17 UPSET X X
Syracuse (-4 1/2) 24, Buffalo 19 + +
Tulsa (+2 1/2) 32, Central Florida 29 UPSET X X
East Carolina (-6 1/2) 27, North Carolina St 23 X +
Fresno St (-13 1/2) 36, San Jose St 20 + +
Troy (-21 1/2) 41, North Texas 13 + +
Houston (-13) 34, Alabama-Birmingham 17 + +
Boise St (-15 1/2) 48, Louisiana Tech 29 + X
Arizona (-12 1/2) 24, Stanford 20 X +
Oklahoma St (-3) 27, Kansas St 24 + +
Southern Meth (-6) 26, Tulane 17 X X
Illinois (+2) 27, Michigan 22 UPSET X X
New Mexico St (-9) 33, Idaho 24 + +
Sunday 21 October
Southern Mississippi (-4) 34, Marshall 27 + +
29-17/31-15/3-7
-----
Friday 19 October
Northwestern (-10) 35, Eastern Michigan 22 + +
Connecticut (+3) 23, Louisville 20 UPSET + +
Saturday 20 October
Michigan St (+19) 24, # 1 Ohio St 23 UPSET X +
# 2 Boston College: IDLE
# 3 South Florida: LOST to Rutgers, 30-27 on THR 19 October
# 4 Oklahoma (-31) 68, Iowa St 13 + X
# 5 Louisiana St (-10) 32, #19 Auburn 20 + X
# 6 Oregon (-14) 38, Washington 16 + +
# 7 West Virginia (-24 1/2 ) 42, Mississippi St 10 + +
# 8 South Carolina (-14) 30, Vanderbilt 9 X X
# 9 California (-1 1/2) 26, UCLA 23 X X
# 9 Southern Cal (-17) 41, Notre Dame 17 + +
# 11 Virginia Tech: IDLE
# 12 Arizona St: IDLE
# 14 Florida (-6 1/2) 28, #13 Kentucky 24 + X
# 15 Kansas (-4) 23, Colorado 17 + +
# 16 Hawaii: IDLE
# 17 Missouri (-4) 37, #21 Texas Tech 36 + X
# 18 Texas (-27) 41, Baylor 17 + +
# 20 Georgia: IDLE
Alabama (+ 1 1/2) 20, # 22 Tennessee 17 UPSET + +
# 23 Cincinnati (-10 1/2) 22, Pittsburgh 16 X +
Maryland (-4) 23, # 24 Virginia 20 X +
Indiana (+7 1/2) 23, # 25 Penn St 20 UPSET X +
Wyoming (+3 1/2) 27, Air Force 20 UPSET X X
New Mexico (-9 1/2) 37, San Diego St 24 + X
Nevada-Las Vegas (-3 1/2) 20, Colorado St 17 X +
Brigham Young (-36) 54, Eastern Washington 21 + +
Clemson (-17) 34, Central Michigan 13 + +
Wisconsin (-23 1/2) 46, Northern Illinois 14 + +
Georgia Tech (-23 1/2) 37, Army 3 + +
Purdue (-7 1/2) 38, Iowa 17 + +
Wake Forest (-4) 31, Navy 10 + +
Mississippi (+5 1/2) 16, Arkansas 14 UPSET X X
Texas A&M (+2) 34, Nebraska 30 UPSET + +
Rice (-2) 29, Memphis 24 X X
Nevada (-7 1/2) 35, Utah St 31 + +
Florida St (-5 1/2) 13, Miami FL 10 X +
Troy St (-23 1/2) 39, North Texas 10 + +
Arkansas St (+2) 22, Middle Tennessee St 17 UPSET X X
Syracuse (-4 1/2) 24, Buffalo 19 + +
Tulsa (+2 1/2) 32, Central Florida 29 UPSET X X
East Carolina (-6 1/2) 27, North Carolina St 23 X +
Fresno St (-13 1/2) 36, San Jose St 20 + +
Troy (-21 1/2) 41, North Texas 13 + +
Houston (-13) 34, Alabama-Birmingham 17 + +
Boise St (-15 1/2) 48, Louisiana Tech 29 + X
Arizona (-12 1/2) 24, Stanford 20 X +
Oklahoma St (-3) 27, Kansas St 24 + +
Southern Meth (-6) 26, Tulane 17 X X
Illinois (+2) 27, Michigan 22 UPSET X X
New Mexico St (-9) 33, Idaho 24 + +
Sunday 21 October
Southern Mississippi (-4) 34, Marshall 27 + +
29-17/31-15/3-7
-----
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Redsox Take Indians to Narrow ALCS to 3-2
The Boston Redsox fought off elimination in the ALCS with a convincing 7-1 rout of the I
ndians in Clev
eland. Josh Beckett dominated on the mound, holding the Indian offense in check and the Redsox offense erupted after two prior games of largely silent bats in Cleveland. Kevin Youklis homered in the first to get the Beantown Boys headed to the win.
The series now moves back to Fenway for Game 6 on Saturday 20 October and, if necessary, a decisive Game 7 on Sunday 21 October. Both games are scheduled for a first pitch around 6:20pm MDT with the games being broadcast on FOX and ESPN radio.
The first time ever National League Champion Colorado Rockies (how great and cool does that sound !) awaits the winner in the World Series which is scheduled to start in the winner of the American League city on Wednesday, 24 October.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=271018105
http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=271018105
-----
ndians in Clev
eland. Josh Beckett dominated on the mound, holding the Indian offense in check and the Redsox offense erupted after two prior games of largely silent bats in Cleveland. Kevin Youklis homered in the first to get the Beantown Boys headed to the win.The series now moves back to Fenway for Game 6 on Saturday 20 October and, if necessary, a decisive Game 7 on Sunday 21 October. Both games are scheduled for a first pitch around 6:20pm MDT with the games being broadcast on FOX and ESPN radio.
The first time ever National League Champion Colorado Rockies (how great and cool does that sound !) awaits the winner in the World Series which is scheduled to start in the winner of the American League city on Wednesday, 24 October.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=271018105
http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=271018105
-----
Warm Winter Ahead for Most of US
The NWS forecast for the coming winter months is out and the forecast is for warmer, in some cases much warmer, temperatures across the nation with the exception of Florida and the Pacific Northwest.
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/lead01/off_index.html
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/90day/
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=cys&storyid=10640&source=0
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http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/lead01/off_index.html
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/90day/
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=cys&storyid=10640&source=0
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New York Yankees Oust Joe Torre
Foolishly, the New York Yankees parted ways with longtime successful manager Joe Torre after 12 seasons, all that ended in the postseason with six pennants and four world championships. The Steinbrenner Junta will long rue this day as it marks the end of the great New York run of success. Several high profile players will now move on and reports indicate the elderly George is in declining health but still has the final word on imporant decisions and personnel matters with the organization. This would seem to indicate a long period of quasi paralysis will beset the Yankees for the next several years until George passes. Maybe the malaise the marked New York teams from 1966 t0 1974 will be up next. Imagine, the Tampa Bay Rays with a better record than the Yankees ! That would be something !
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3069115
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=olney_buster&id=3056285
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/19/sports/baseball/19yankees.html?hp
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/19/sports/baseball/19roberts.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2007/10/18/2007-10-18_steinbrenner_family_ties_put_everyone_in.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2007/10/18/2007-10-18_indecision_on_joe_torre_makes_clear_that.html
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7349692
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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3069115
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=olney_buster&id=3056285
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/19/sports/baseball/19yankees.html?hp
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/19/sports/baseball/19roberts.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2007/10/18/2007-10-18_steinbrenner_family_ties_put_everyone_in.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/2007/10/18/2007-10-18_indecision_on_joe_torre_makes_clear_that.html
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7349692
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Powerful Winter Wyoming Wind Makes a Ruthless Debut
A sure sign of the change of seasons was quite evident today as the wind made a powerfully blustery reappearance today throughout the Front Range. Here in SE Wyoming, we had sustained winds near 30mph all last night and today with gusts over 55 mph. And it was a bone-chilling icy wind that cut right through your clothes and coat. The skies were crystal blue clear for the most part with only a few passing clouds, so if one looked out the window and no trees were in one's line of sight, one might think it was a gorgeous autumn day. WRONG !
This was the first day since 2 May with daylong sustained winds in excess of 18 mph. And we last had a day similar to this in late March. For the next seven months, winds like this are almost a daily occurence more often that not in this part of the world, and the winds of January and February will prove to be far worse and more persistent.
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
322 PM MDT THU OCT 18 2007
........THE CHEYENNE CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 18 2007...
VALID AS OF 0300 PM LOCAL TIME.
WIND (MPH)
HIGHEST WIND SPEED 39 HIGHEST WIND DIRECTION NW (310)
HIGHEST GUST SPEED 59 HIGHEST GUST DIRECTION NW (310)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 27.9
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This was the first day since 2 May with daylong sustained winds in excess of 18 mph. And we last had a day similar to this in late March. For the next seven months, winds like this are almost a daily occurence more often that not in this part of the world, and the winds of January and February will prove to be far worse and more persistent.
CLIMATE REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHEYENNE WY
322 PM MDT THU OCT 18 2007
........THE CHEYENNE CLIMATE SUMMARY FOR OCTOBER 18 2007...
VALID AS OF 0300 PM LOCAL TIME.
WIND (MPH)
HIGHEST WIND SPEED 39 HIGHEST WIND DIRECTION NW (310)
HIGHEST GUST SPEED 59 HIGHEST GUST DIRECTION NW (310)
AVERAGE WIND SPEED 27.9
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Four Passings
Four noteworthy individuals passed today, and each made significant contributions to American culture and society over the years.
Deborah Kerr, 1921-2007
Kerr was an honored and accomplished actress from the 1940s through the 1960s. She is best remembered for a powerfully romantic beach scene and kiss amidst the crashing Hawaiian waves in From Here to Eternity with Burt Lancaster in 1953. Her role in Anna and the King was also one for the ages.
http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2007/oct/18/actress-deborah-kerr-dead-86/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deborah_Kerr
Teresa Brewer, 1931-2007
Brewer was one of the most successful music singers in the US during the 1950s. She had a long series of top hits, including the song " I Love Mickey", about the famed New York Yankees slugger and playboy, who also has a speaking part in the song.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa_Brewer
http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2007/oct/18/1950s-singer-teresa-brewer-dead-76/
http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/mediaplayer.asp?ean=826663144024&z=y
http://www.themadmusicarchive.com/song_details.aspx?SongID=5056
Joey Bishop, 1918-2007
Bishop was the last living member of the famed "Rat Pack", the group of entertainers associated with Frank Sinatra in the 1950s and 1960s who set the ideal for cool and style for American men for well over a decade. Bishop later had his own TV variety show (which I can remember seeing while I was a youth).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_Bishop
http://www.iamallabout.com/joey_bishop/
http://www.iamallabout.com/joey_bishop/
http://classicshowbiz.blogspot.com/2007/06/joey-bishop-show-with-guest-sammy-davis.html
Admiral William Crowe, 1925-2007
Admiral Crowe served his nation with exemplary distinction in the United States Navy for over 40 years, from his graduation from Annapolis in 1947 to his retirement in 1989. The pinnacle of his career was serving as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff the final four years of his service. He was awarded over 40 medals during his career. Following his retirement, he served as Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1994 to 1997. Crowe authored a book in 1993 that reflected on his life, career, challenges, philosophies, and outlooks. He also had the fun of appearing as himself in an episode of the long-running television comedy Cheers. In my opinion, Admiral Crowe was among our greatest military officers of the post-WWII Era.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Crowe
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/18/AR2007101801320.html?hpid=topnews
http://www.ok.gov/~arts/capitolart/permart/paintings/wimmer/admcrowe.html
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/j/joint_chiefs_of_staff/index.html?query=CROWE,%20WILLIAM%20J&field=per&match=exact
http://www.amazon.com/Line-Fire-Washington-Politics-Military/dp/0671727036/ref=sr_1_1/102-4680409-3596119?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192763207&sr=1-1
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Deborah Kerr, 1921-2007
Kerr was an honored and accomplished actress from the 1940s through the 1960s. She is best remembered for a powerfully romantic beach scene and kiss amidst the crashing Hawaiian waves in From Here to Eternity with Burt Lancaster in 1953. Her role in Anna and the King was also one for the ages.
http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2007/oct/18/actress-deborah-kerr-dead-86/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deborah_Kerr
Teresa Brewer, 1931-2007
Brewer was one of the most successful music singers in the US during the 1950s. She had a long series of top hits, including the song " I Love Mickey", about the famed New York Yankees slugger and playboy, who also has a speaking part in the song.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teresa_Brewer
http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2007/oct/18/1950s-singer-teresa-brewer-dead-76/
http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/mediaplayer.asp?ean=826663144024&z=y
http://www.themadmusicarchive.com/song_details.aspx?SongID=5056
Joey Bishop, 1918-2007
Bishop was the last living member of the famed "Rat Pack", the group of entertainers associated with Frank Sinatra in the 1950s and 1960s who set the ideal for cool and style for American men for well over a decade. Bishop later had his own TV variety show (which I can remember seeing while I was a youth).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joey_Bishop
http://www.iamallabout.com/joey_bishop/
http://www.iamallabout.com/joey_bishop/
http://classicshowbiz.blogspot.com/2007/06/joey-bishop-show-with-guest-sammy-davis.html
Admiral William Crowe, 1925-2007
Admiral Crowe served his nation with exemplary distinction in the United States Navy for over 40 years, from his graduation from Annapolis in 1947 to his retirement in 1989. The pinnacle of his career was serving as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff the final four years of his service. He was awarded over 40 medals during his career. Following his retirement, he served as Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 1994 to 1997. Crowe authored a book in 1993 that reflected on his life, career, challenges, philosophies, and outlooks. He also had the fun of appearing as himself in an episode of the long-running television comedy Cheers. In my opinion, Admiral Crowe was among our greatest military officers of the post-WWII Era.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Crowe
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/18/AR2007101801320.html?hpid=topnews
http://www.ok.gov/~arts/capitolart/permart/paintings/wimmer/admcrowe.html
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/j/joint_chiefs_of_staff/index.html?query=CROWE,%20WILLIAM%20J&field=per&match=exact
http://www.amazon.com/Line-Fire-Washington-Politics-Military/dp/0671727036/ref=sr_1_1/102-4680409-3596119?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1192763207&sr=1-1
-----
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Former Stanley Cup Winning Avalanche Coach Bob Hartley Fired by Atlanta Thrashers
I had the good fortune of meeting Bob Hartley in May 2000 at a Dairy Queen in far SE Denver.
He was very warm and friendly towards me and thanked me for wishing him and the team good luck in their Western Conference Finals Series against the Dallas Stars which they would end up losing to in seven games. He came from very humble beginnings to coach the Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup in June 2001.
He later became coach of the Atlanta Thrashers and guided them to the 2006-07 Southeast Division title and a spot in the playoffs. But the Thrashers were swept by the Rangers and this season were winless in their first six games. In the quick-changing NHL, that was enough for management to make a change, unfortunately. But GM Don Waddell should have been one told to not let the door hit his ass on the way out.
Bob Hartley will land on his feet and he will be coaching again in the NHL very soon.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3067372
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/thrashers/stories/2007/10/17/hartley_1017.html
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/sportscolumns/entries/2007/10/17/waddell_should.html
-----
He was very warm and friendly towards me and thanked me for wishing him and the team good luck in their Western Conference Finals Series against the Dallas Stars which they would end up losing to in seven games. He came from very humble beginnings to coach the Colorado Avalanche to the Stanley Cup in June 2001.
He later became coach of the Atlanta Thrashers and guided them to the 2006-07 Southeast Division title and a spot in the playoffs. But the Thrashers were swept by the Rangers and this season were winless in their first six games. In the quick-changing NHL, that was enough for management to make a change, unfortunately. But GM Don Waddell should have been one told to not let the door hit his ass on the way out.
Bob Hartley will land on his feet and he will be coaching again in the NHL very soon.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=3067372
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/thrashers/stories/2007/10/17/hartley_1017.html
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/sportscolumns/entries/2007/10/17/waddell_should.html
-----
September Climate Report
From NOAA/NWS:
September 2007 is Eighth Warmest on Record for Contiguous USA
Drought Worsens Across Southeast and Tennessee Valley
Temperatures in September 2007 were the eighth warmest on record, hot enough to break 1,000 daily high records across the , according to scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.
The heat also helped spread the worsening drought to almost half of the contiguous , with conditions across the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Tennessee Valley hardest hit. The global surface temperature was the fifth warmest on record for September, and the extent of Arctic Sea ice reached its lowest amount in September since satellite measurements began in 1979, shattering the previous record low set in 2005.
Temperature Highlights
The average temperature for September in the contiguous was 67.5 degrees F (19.7 degrees C), which was 2.1 degrees F (1.2 degrees C) above the 20th century mean, and made the month the eighth-warmest September since records began to be kept in 1895, based on preliminary data.
38 of the 48 contiguous states were warmer than average, and no state was cooler than average for the month. The remaining 10 states were near average.
Raleigh-Durham International Airport reached a high of 101 degrees F (38 degrees C) on September 10, the latest date in any calendar year with a maximum daily temperature greater than 100 degrees since records began in 1944.
It was the 12th warmest September in Alaska, 2.6 degrees F (1.4degrees C) above the 1971-2000 mean for the state. Nome was completely frost free for the months of June, July, August and September.
Precipitation Highlights
In September, the drought expanded in the Southeast and parts of the mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley. Drought affected 78 percent of the Southeast, with almost one-quarter of the region affected by exceptional drought conditions, the highest stage of drought, according to the federal U.S. Drought Monitor.
Overall, drought affected 46 percent of the nation, including the Upper Midwest, where persistently dry and warmer than average conditions have helped bring Lake Superior’s water level to its lowest point on record for this time of year, according to NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
Levels of all the Great Lakes, which together make up about 20 percent of the world’s fresh surface water, have been in decline since the late 1990s. Lakes Huron and Michigan were about two feet below their long-term average levels, while Lake Superior was about 20 inches off, Lake Ontario seven inches below, and Lake Erie three inches below normal in September.
In large parts of the Southwest, the most recent water year (October 2006 - September 2007) was especially dry. Pasadena, Calif., experienced its driest water year since records began in 1878.
September began with numerous large fires burning across the northern Rockies, but fire activity dissipated by the end of the month, as rain and high elevation snow dampened the region. By the end of September, more than eight million acres had burned across the nation, most of it in the West.
September 2007 was the twelfth wettest on record in Anchorage, Alaska, with 4.30 inches of precipitation, 1.43 inches above normal. However, dry conditions in northern Alaska contributed to a very large, late-season wildfire. The Anaktuvuk River wildfire, caused by lightning, burned over 250,000 acres, setting a record for the largest fire on the North Slope.
Tornadoes were reported in conjunction with each of three storms that affected the southeastern (Tropical Storms Gabrielle and Humberto, and Tropical Depression 10). Between September 10 and 22, each of the states in the Southeast region reported tornadic activity.
Global Highlights
The combined global land and ocean surface temperature for September was the fifth warmest on record, 0.92 degrees F (0. 51 degrees C) above the 20th century mean. The global ocean surface temperature for September was the second warmest since records began in 1880.
The average Arctic sea ice extent for the month of September was 4.28 million square kilometers (1.65 million square miles), the lowest September extent since records began in 1979, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, shattering the previous record for the month, set in 2005, by 23 percent.
Heavy monsoon-related rainfall affected parts of South Asia during September. In total, nearly three million people were affected by the worst flooding in years from September 6 through12.
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2007/sep/currentmonth.html
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2007/sep/sepext2007.html
-----
September 2007 is Eighth Warmest on Record for Contiguous USA
Drought Worsens Across Southeast and Tennessee Valley
Temperatures in September 2007 were the eighth warmest on record, hot enough to break 1,000 daily high records across the , according to scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.
The heat also helped spread the worsening drought to almost half of the contiguous , with conditions across the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Tennessee Valley hardest hit. The global surface temperature was the fifth warmest on record for September, and the extent of Arctic Sea ice reached its lowest amount in September since satellite measurements began in 1979, shattering the previous record low set in 2005.
Temperature Highlights
The average temperature for September in the contiguous was 67.5 degrees F (19.7 degrees C), which was 2.1 degrees F (1.2 degrees C) above the 20th century mean, and made the month the eighth-warmest September since records began to be kept in 1895, based on preliminary data.
38 of the 48 contiguous states were warmer than average, and no state was cooler than average for the month. The remaining 10 states were near average.
Raleigh-Durham International Airport reached a high of 101 degrees F (38 degrees C) on September 10, the latest date in any calendar year with a maximum daily temperature greater than 100 degrees since records began in 1944.
It was the 12th warmest September in Alaska, 2.6 degrees F (1.4degrees C) above the 1971-2000 mean for the state. Nome was completely frost free for the months of June, July, August and September.
Precipitation Highlights
In September, the drought expanded in the Southeast and parts of the mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley. Drought affected 78 percent of the Southeast, with almost one-quarter of the region affected by exceptional drought conditions, the highest stage of drought, according to the federal U.S. Drought Monitor.
Overall, drought affected 46 percent of the nation, including the Upper Midwest, where persistently dry and warmer than average conditions have helped bring Lake Superior’s water level to its lowest point on record for this time of year, according to NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
Levels of all the Great Lakes, which together make up about 20 percent of the world’s fresh surface water, have been in decline since the late 1990s. Lakes Huron and Michigan were about two feet below their long-term average levels, while Lake Superior was about 20 inches off, Lake Ontario seven inches below, and Lake Erie three inches below normal in September.
In large parts of the Southwest, the most recent water year (October 2006 - September 2007) was especially dry. Pasadena, Calif., experienced its driest water year since records began in 1878.
September began with numerous large fires burning across the northern Rockies, but fire activity dissipated by the end of the month, as rain and high elevation snow dampened the region. By the end of September, more than eight million acres had burned across the nation, most of it in the West.
September 2007 was the twelfth wettest on record in Anchorage, Alaska, with 4.30 inches of precipitation, 1.43 inches above normal. However, dry conditions in northern Alaska contributed to a very large, late-season wildfire. The Anaktuvuk River wildfire, caused by lightning, burned over 250,000 acres, setting a record for the largest fire on the North Slope.
Tornadoes were reported in conjunction with each of three storms that affected the southeastern (Tropical Storms Gabrielle and Humberto, and Tropical Depression 10). Between September 10 and 22, each of the states in the Southeast region reported tornadic activity.
Global Highlights
The combined global land and ocean surface temperature for September was the fifth warmest on record, 0.92 degrees F (0. 51 degrees C) above the 20th century mean. The global ocean surface temperature for September was the second warmest since records began in 1880.
The average Arctic sea ice extent for the month of September was 4.28 million square kilometers (1.65 million square miles), the lowest September extent since records began in 1979, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, shattering the previous record for the month, set in 2005, by 23 percent.
Heavy monsoon-related rainfall affected parts of South Asia during September. In total, nearly three million people were affected by the worst flooding in years from September 6 through12.
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2007/sep/currentmonth.html
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/2007/sep/sepext2007.html
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Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Celebrating the Realization of The Dream !
Daughters of Todd Helton and Garrett Adkins, Tierney and Avery, celebrate the victory.
Manager Clint Hurdle and 2B Kaz Matsui whoop it up.-----
Monday, October 15, 2007
WE'RE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WE'RE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=220723&hubname=
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=271015127
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=271015127
Drought Tightens Grip Across Southeast
The news out of Georgia is quite grim, as the primary source for drinking water for Atlanta will dry up within 45 days unless there is significant rainfall. And forecasters are not optimistic.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071015/ap_on_re_us/southern_drought_1
http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071015/ap_on_re_us/southern_drought_1
http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html
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Sunday, October 14, 2007
One Win Away From the World Series !
The improbable and seemingly miraculous run of the Colorado Rockies continued Sunday evening with a 
4-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game Three of the NLCS to take a virtually insurmountable 3-0 series lead. The game was played with rain falling generously throughout the entire game. Colorado got home runs from Matt Holliday and Yarvit Torrealba and the solid pitching of starter Josh "The Dragonslayer" Fogg was backed up by three early key double plays by the Rockies infield to snuff out any potential Arizona threat and the bullpen totally stifled the Diamondbacks to close out the victory.The win was the Rockies' 20th in 21 games and eighth straight which is just outright incredible and extraordinary for this time of the year and for a team with so many younger players.
Colorado goes for the NLCS clincher and sweep Monday night at 8pm at Coors Field.
YEE HAW !!!!!!!!
YEAH !!!
THE ROCKIES ARE ABOUT TO WIN THE PENNANT !!!
THE WORLD SERIES IS BUT ONE WIN AWAY !!!
UNBELIEVABLE ! WONDERFUL ! FANTASTIC ! SO SPECIAL !
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I am Fall: An Illustrative Essay
This great expressive essay was published recently and really touches the soul.
http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2007/10/14/outdoors/1_out_10-10-07.txt
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http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2007/10/14/outdoors/1_out_10-10-07.txt
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