Tampa Bay Rays Announce Plans for New Ballpark

This was a rather shocking announcement coming out of the blue. Nowhere was there any indication the Rays were making any serious plans of pulling out of Tropicana Field. Their plan for a new ballpark on the waterfront in downtown St Petersburg looks to be a great move on the surface and certainly the plan for the new ballpark is marked improvement over the cave-like environs of Tropicana. There appear to be some hurdles to be overcome, but look for this effort to be successful and the new ballpark to be a reality with games being played there in 2012.

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/11/10/Southpinellas/Rays_on_the_bay.shtml

http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1677&Itemid=99999999

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My Week in Review: 4-10 November

The weekly of life of one J_ _ _ _. L_ _ _ _:

Sunday 4 November: I got an extra hour of sleep as daylight savings ended this morning. Arose around 10:45 am after laying under the covers for about an hour mostly asleep. I toasted frozen waffles for breakfast.I went over to King Soopers and got my Sunday papers, some bananas, milk, bread, and apple pie. It was a clear sunny warm day with some good winds blowing and temperatures near 70 degrees -- yet another kind of day I thought we were done with about three weeks ago ! I then got back home around noon, read my papers thoroughly, did the sudoku, and watched the Broncos get slaughtered in Detroit and a pretty entertaining Kansas City/Green Bay game. I continued to read my papers and then watched another good game between the unbeatens New England and Indianapolis. I had a lunchmeat sandwich for a lunch snack. I watched 60 Minutes which had a real good story about elephants in Chad. I then went to work on my desk/office and made some progress, filling up about three garbage bags with refuse and unnecessary or dated items. I had a TV dinner of chicken fried steaks, mashed potatoes with gravy, green beans, and a brownie. I took all that trash out and the wind was still blowing decently but it was still warm around 50 degrees. I worked on my blog and surfed while having Mighty Joe Young and A Night at McCools as movies on. I shaved and took a shower and hit the hay around 1am.

Monday 5 November: Back to work for the full day. It was a cold day compared to recently but sunny and calm. I do not think it got much out of the low 4os all day. Being Monday I went straight home very tired. I had spaghettios and butter bread for dinner. I watched the NHL game between the Rangers and Flyers, the MNF game between the Steelers and Ravens, and the Avalanche game against Calgary. I drifted off to sleep on the recliner before 8pm and woke up before 10pm and then continued back to sleep in my bed.

Tuesday 6 November: A cold morning as temps got near 20 degrees and the apartment was in the low 50s when I awoke. But it was a bright sunny cloudless day with little wind and temps climbed to the upper 50s. I worked the full day. Took some big empty boxes from work to use in my repack project of boxes in the garage this week or next. I do need to go do laundry as it has been since late July since I last did this task. I also have to go wash my big area rugs in some oversize washers as those carpets have not been laundered in many, many years as I have had them since 1989. This will probably be the project for Wednesday on my day off. I had macaroni & cheese and peas & carrots for dinner. I watched the Rangers/Islanders NHL game, watched "Carpoolers" on ABC, and the last 7 minutes of the Central Michigan/Western Michigan football game and then the 9pm news on CW2. I totally forgot Boston Legal was on. I had turn the heat on for the first time this season as it was getting chilly inside the apt even with a sweatshirt, sweatpants, and slippers on. I guess I will have no excuse for staying up much past 10:30pm with Letterman and Leno off the air indefinitely with no writers to create their jokes and gags due to their strike. If this carries past the end of college football and maybe even the NFL, I am going to have to do other inexpensive activities like hit the bookstore more than once per week to read and go to the $ movies and rent the cheap old videos at the nearby video stores. I was going to do much of this anyway as we got into winter but now it will become more imperative. Bedtime will come tonight after "Nightline" on ABC.

Wednesday 7 November: A day off from work so I slept in until after 10am. It was a real nice day with lots of sunshine and breezy. The temperature reached into the mid to upper 60s after a morning low below freezing. I went over to the park after breakfast and walked two laps around the perimeter which would be about a mile. I then gathered up the laundry and got that task done for another couple of months. After I finished up around 2:45pm, I went over to Subway and had a footlong while I read my papers. When I got home I removed a few things from the garage and brought them up and took a few empty boxes down. I folded and put away my clean clothes and linens, made the bed, and then relaxed surfing while watching the evening news. The CMA awards are on tonight so I will enjoy this concert but I will keep an eye on the Avalanche/Oilers NHL game as well. The concerts were great and memorable. I went to bed around 11pm after Nightline.

Thursday 8 November: Another full day back to work. The unseasonably warm and mild weather continued as we got into the upper 60s under clear blue skies with breezes. I got home around 5:30 and had a salad with 1000 island dressing and a microwave burger. I watched my comedies (Earl, 30 Rock, Office, & Scrubs) while keeping track of the football games (BYU/TCU & WVa/L'ville). I drifted off into a nap around 8:45 and did not waken until around 10:45. I watched Nightline, checked my email, and updated my blog before going to bed around 11:45.

Friday 9 November: Another full day at work. It was yet again another warm and mostly sunny day with a record breaking high of 67 degrees with virtually no wind. It is a real shame to have be stuck indoors on days like these, but I found a few excuses to go outside three times during the afternoon for a couple of minutes. After I got off work, I put fuel in my truck which was painful as the price per gallon is up to $2.93 which is up about 30 cents in the last three weeks. Damn oil corporations and Arabs -- death to them all ! I used a coupon I got in the paper and went to Qdoba and got two burritos for the price of one and read my papers. I got home around 7:45 and just relaxed through the evening. I watched a good close hockey game between the Avalanche and Canucks. I used my foot massager and soothed my sore feet. Bedtime came after Nightline.

Saturday 10 November: I woke up only about two hours or so after having gone to bed so I surfed some more for about an hour and fell back asleep around 2:30 am. I slept well and did not reawaken until around 10:45am. It was partly cloudy day with temps reaching the mid to upper 60s with no wind. I had cereal for breakfast and enjoyed my day off watching college football. I started with Wisconsin's upset of Michigan, Iowa State's big comeback over Colorado, and Northwestern edging Indiana. I also saw Nebraska come to life and pound Kansas State, Missouri pound Texas A&M, and Clemson swamp Wake Forest. As the afternoon continued, I watched Wyoming get drilled by Utah, Air Force hand it to Notre Dame, New Mexico edge Colorado State in a close one, Texas outlast Texas Tech, and Illinois upset #1 Ohio State. The evening games saw Virginia batter Miami, Kansas outbattled Oklahoma St, Boston College took it on the chin to Maryland, and South Carolina came up short against Florida. The night games featured Oregon St clubbing Washington St, San Diego St trouncing Nevada-Las Vegas, and Fresno St on the islands getting whipped by unbeaten Hawaii. I had a sandwhich for lunch and au gratin potatoes for dinner. Todd was supposed to come by but he never did. All in all, a quiet autumn Saturday spent at home...its been since November of '03 that I have been able to treasure days like this at this time of the year. I watched the Star Trek episode "The Deadly Years" before heading off to bed around midnight.

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Latest Winter Outlook Forecast is Much Warmer

The NWS has put forth their forecasts for the coming months in three month blocks. In my area, the outlook has the probability of normal to above normal temperatures to be around 70 % through March, and further we get into the winter, its even more likely we will be above normal. After 1 February the outlook goes to 82 %. Maybe a 70 degree day will occur in December or February...

Nationally the likelihood of the warmest above normal temperatures is in the southwest from Las Vegas and all of Arizona to across all of New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma and eastward into Arkansas and Missouri and northward across all of Kansas and most of Colorado. The only areas where it may even be close to normal are Florida, the Pacific Coast, and the Pacific Northwest across Montana into western North Dakota.

http://www.weather.gov/climate/calendar_outlook.php?wfo=cys

http://www.weather.gov/climate/l3mto.php

http://www.cdc.noaa.gov/people/klaus.wolter/SWcasts/index.html

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Where is There Any Good Economic News ?

The news lately about the US and global economy is all bad. Oil prices will cross the $100 threshold next week, an occurrence unimaginable just a few months ago. The US dollar is in a freefall, having lost over 12 % of its value in recent months against the Euro and more against other currencies. Gold prices are shooting up quickly. The elitist stock market is even in decline, with the Dow having lost about 9 % of its value in the last five weeks. Other indices have seen reversals as well. Retail sales are tanking, the home mortgage crisis grows worse day by day, banks are hemorraging billions of dollars, and the US Treasury has printed about an extra third of a trillion dollars extra to keep the money supply and credit flowing. And prices for all consumer necessities such as food and fuel continue to rise and put the squeeze on everybody.

This is the most grim economic period since the early years of Reagan, over a quarter-century ago. And the most frightening thing is that we are no where near bottom or at a point where the worst is in sight. This will be a long difficult winter for many, and the biggest question awaits --
will we start to see a discernable rixe in unemployment in the coming months with everything else going into the dumper ? Its already seemingly happening in the bellweather state, California.

And to think there is over 400 days left of the Bush Junta in power !

NFL Picks for Week Ten, 11-12 November

The picks for this weekend's NFL games which is the tenth week of the season and the final weekend where there are byes for some teams.

Sunday 11 November

JAX (5-3) @ TENN (6-2): Titans (-4) 20, Jaguars 13
X X
DEN (3-5) @ KC (4-4): Chiefs (-3) 23, Broncos 16
X X
BUF (4-4) @ MIA (0-8): Bills (-4) 33, Dolphins 17
+ X
CLE (5-3) @ PGH (6-2): Steelers (-10) 29, Browns 16
+ X
STL (0-8) @ NORL (4-4): Saints (-11) 27, Rams 10
X X
ATL (2-6) @ CAR (4-4): Panthers (-3 1/2) 24, Falcons 13
X X
PHIL (3-5) @ WASH (5-3): Redskins (-3) 17, Eagles 14
X +
MINN (3-5) @ GB (7-1): Packers (-6) 27, Vikings 17
+ +
CINC (2-6) @ BALT (4-4): Ravens (-3 1/2) 16, Bengals 14
X +
CHI (3-5) @ OAK (2-6): Bears (-4) 20, Raiders 13
+ +
DAL (7-1) @ NYG (6-2): Giants (+3) 30, Cocaineboys 27 UPSET
X X
DET (6-2) @ ARIZ (3-5): Cardinals (+1) 20, Lions 17 UPSET
+ +
IND (7-1) @ SD (4-4): Chargers (+4 1/2) 24, Colts 21 UPSET
+ +

Monday 12 November

SF (2-6) @ SEA (4-4): Seahawks (-9 1/2) 31, FortyNiners 14

IDLE: NENG NYJ TB HTN

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Fox News: Cradle of Perversion, Sensationalism, Risque Video

The lowest of the low in media used to be the supermarket tabloids you would see near the checkout stand. Clearly, Fox News is now the hands down clear leader in being the sleaze news source in mass media. These people have no consciousness and a frat boy party attitude towards creating the content that makes up their broadcasts. Shame on those who still watch this sewage.

http://foxattacks.com/decency?utm_source=rgemail

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Hall of Fame Veterans Committee Lists Nominees

The Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committee will have 2o names to choose from in making selections for election into the Hall this winter. Most if not all of the names are more than worthy certainly for the Hall. If one name from this list of retired and deceased managers, executives, and umpires needs to be chosen, it would have to be longtime Baseball Players Association Director Marvin Miller, whose impact on the game is almost unmatched in the history of the sport. Other names that should receive greater consideration perhaps would be Doug Harvey, Bob Howsam, and Gene Mauch.

Lets hope for some of these distinguished men to be successfully elected to the Hall.

http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1673&Itemid=42

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Tampa Bay Devil Rays No More

The now ten-year old perennial hapless AL East cellar dwellers changed their name today to the Tampa Bay Rays. Untold numbers of Christian zealots rejoiced as the Devil is out of Tampa Bay major league baseball. Hopefully they will attend a few more games in '08 and help move this team towards competitiveness and contention soon. Tampa Bay has lost at least 90 games in each of the first ten years of their existence and has give Florida Gulf Coast baseball fans little to cheer about all these years. Hopefully '08 is the start of better times. The new colors and logo are pretty cool looking as well.

http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1675&Itemid=42

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Barbara West Dainton, 1911-2007

This is an unknown name to most, but she was an accidental participant in one of the greatest tragedies of the early 20th Century, the sinking of the Titanic. Dainton was only about one year of age at the time of the sinking, and she was the next to last person to be still be a living survivor of the tragedy. Another British woman, Millvina Dean, born in 1912, is now believed to be the sole living survivor of the sinking of the renowned ocean liner brought down by an iceberg to the bottom of the North Atlantic in April 1912 and captured so dramatically and emotionally in two memorable films seen by many.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21692850/?GT1=10547

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College Football Picks for Week Eleven, 8-10 November

Here is my picks for 50 of the college football games being played from Thursday 8 November to Saturday 10 November. (home teams in bold)

Thursday 8 November

# 7 West Virginia (-17) 31, Louisville 16 + +
Brigham Young (-7) 30, Texas Christian 24 + +

Friday 9 November

Rutgers (-19) 30, Army 7 + +

Saturday 10 November

Illinois (+15 1/2) 27, # 1 Ohio St 24 UPSET + +
# 2 Louisiana St (-36 1/2) 68, Louisiana Tech 17 + +
# 3 Oregon: IDLE
Oklahoma St (+5 1/2) 23, # 4 Kansas 20 UPSET X X
# 5 Oklahoma (-40) 51, Baylor 14 + +
# 6 Missouri (-20 1/2) 38, Texas A&M 24 + +
# 8 Boston College (-7) 17, Maryland 13 X +
# 9 Arizona St (-7 1/2) 32, UCLA 26 + +
#18 Auburn (+2) 24, #10 Georgia 22 UPSET X X
#11 Virginia Tech (-6 1/2) 31, Florida St 24 + +
#12 Michigan (-3 1/2) 27, Wisconsin 24 X +
Cincinnati (- 6 1/2) 23, #13 Connecticut 13 + +
Texas Tech (+6 1/2) 48, #14 Texas 37 UPSET X X
South Carolina 20, #15 Florida 17 UPSET X X
#16 Hawaii (-17) 44, Fresno St 34 + +
California (+4 1/2) 27 #17 Southern Cal 23 UPSET X X
Miami FL (-3 1/2) 23, #19 Virginia 20 X +
#20 Boise St (-24 1/2) 55, Utah St 17 + +
#21 Clemson (-9) 26, Wake Forest 23 + X
#22 Alabama (-6) 24, Mississippi 16 X X
#23 Penn St (-24 1/2) 44, Temple 13 + +
Arkansas (-1) 31, #24 Tennessee 24 X X
#25 Kentucky (-4 1/2) 28, Vanderbilt 23 + +
Wyoming (+ 13 1/2) 30, Utah 27 UPSET X X
Air Force (-3) 27, Notre Dame 20 + +
New Mexico (-9 1/2) 37, Colorado St 23 + X
Indiana (-2) 21, Northwestern 20 X +
Purdue (-5 1/2) 33, Michigan St 26 X X
Georgia Tech (-14 1/2) 29, Duke 13 + +
South Florida (-16 1/2) 45, Syracuse 13 + +
Colorado (-5) 44, Iowa St 30 X X
Tulsa (-1 1/2) 35, Houston 33 + +
Southern Methodist (-6 1/2) 20, Rice 16 X +
Washington St (-11) 27, Stanford 13 + +
Kansas St (-7 1/2) 33, Nebraska 27 X +
Iowa (-15) 27, Minnesota 16 + +
Middle Tennessee St (-14) 35, Louisiana-Lafayette 24 X +
New Mexico St (+3 1/2) 27, San Jose St 24 UPSET X X
Navy (-16) 42, North Texas 27 + +
Troy (-24) 32, Western Kentucky 13 + +
East Carolina (-7) 24, Marshall 21 X +
Florida Atlantic (-9) 30, Arkansas St 22 + +
Southern Mississippi (-15) 45, Memphis 21 X X
North Carolina (+3 1/2) 32, North Carolina St 29 UPSET X X
Texas-El Paso (-4 1/2) 36, Tulane 28 X X
Central Florida (-21) 35, Alabama-Birmingham 16 + +
Oregon St (-4) 27, Washington 17 + +
Nevada-Las Vegas (-3) 34, San Diego St 27 X X

27-23/33-17/1-8
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Seattle Citizenry Votes Down Mass Transit/Roads Measure

In a stinging defeat for forward thinking leaders and the environmentally conscious, Seattle voters rejected Proposition 1, a measure that would addressed transportation problems in the King County and surrounding metro area over the next 20 years with a comprehensive proposal that was wide-ranging and multidirectional. This vastness of the scope of the measure may have been one reason for its defeat.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2003998763_elexroadsandtransit07m.html

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003999373_webprop1aftermath07m.html

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Seattle Votes Tuesday on Mass Transit & Roads/Highways Improvements

Considering that Seattle is highly environmentally conscious area, it is somewhat surprising that mass transit there is among the poorest in the major West Coast cities. The election coming up on Tuesday 6 November will determine if an ambitious broad plan will begin to be undertaken over the next two decades and more. The entire Seattle/King County metropolitan area and adjacent counties will be undergoing a significant infrastructural facelift and traffic will be of a greater annoyance for quite some time in many places.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/ABPub/2007/10/20/2003965191.pdf

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CMA Awards Show this Wednesday 7 November

The annual CMA Awards Show is on ABC from 7pm to 1opm MST on Wednesday 8 November.
One of the many highlights of the upcoming show will be a performance by the Eagles of songs from their new album, Out of Eden. Numerous other noteworthy and up-and-coming performers are also going to play. It will be a great way to spend the evening -- being able to watch a multi-performer concert that also includes comedy, humor, and emotion.

http://www.cmaawards.com/2007/news/press_detail.asp?re=704&year=2007

http://www.cmaawards.com/2007/news/appearances.asp

http://www.cmaawards.com/2007/nomwin/default.asp

http://www.cmaawards.com/special/my_picks/

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A Look into Lives I can Relate to

Having been homeless and living in my truck for over seven months and then to live in a motel for over a year before getting housing, I can understand the circumstances and hardship many of these people are experiencing. In urban areas where housing costs are not in balance with wages, it is difficult for many to get to the point financially where one can have set aside enough money to re-establish a home of their own. And there is the unjust and immoral practice of using credit reports to determine whether a person can be allowed to rent a place.

I am just extremely thankful to have been able to escape this trap due to the kindness and generosity of some wonderful people in my life. You much more appreciate having a home of your own after going through a prolonged period without and despairing that you will never be able to get a home of your own again.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mikecassidy/ci_7304760?nclick_check=1

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NFL at Season Midpoint

With the completion of this weeks games, all clubs in the NFL will have played at least half their schedule. An outlook for the remainder of the season follows.

NFC

It is not a sure thing to project postseason participants based on a club's performance in the season's first half, but there is a strong probability that allows one to project what clubs will make the postseason. In the NFC, there are four teams that are looking strong: Green Bay, Detroit, Dallas, and New York. Washington is a dark horse for the wild card. Two divisions have yet to have established a clear front runner. In the South, look for New Orleans to eventually win out although both Carolina and Tampa Bay should have a say until the closing weeks. In the West, mediocrity is the rule as it figures Seattle and Arizona will be the eventual winner. The winner of the game on 14 December in Week Fourteen in Seattle between these two teams should take the division. I think you can stick a fork in Philadelphia, Minnesota, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, and winless St Louis.

AFC

This is the better of the two conferences with the league's four best teams residing there. Clubs that are as sure as possible likelihoods to be in the postseason are undefeated New England, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh, and San Diego. The wildcards will come from among Jacksonville, Tennessee, Baltimore, and Cleveland. Buffalo, Kansas City, and Houston are dark horses. I say Tennessee and Jacksonville will win the wild card slots. You can stick a fork in New York, winless Miami, Cincinnati, Denver, and Oakland.

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The Eight Secrets to Happiness

There are sure to be others, but these eight are a good foundation for living a happier life.

1. Make Time for Friends.

2. Forget about Pay Raises; Don't Dwell on Them.

3. Don't Trade Up: You don't know what you have until you do not have it any more.

4. Keep your Commute Short in Time and Distance.

5. Count your Blessings.

6. Enjoy a Good Meal.

7. Challenge Yourself.

8. Give Anything and Everything Time to Happen; Be Patient.

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Nearly Year-Long Warmth Run Continues

October temperatures ended up at 3.5 degrees above normal, making this the ninth consecutive month of above normal temperatures for Cheyenne. This also makes 11 of the last 12 months above normal. The record of consecutive months above normal was set recently from September '04 to January '06, a span of 17 months. With the exception of last January, every month in 2007 so far has been warmer than normal, with last March being nearly eight degrees warmer than normal to set the pace. Depending on what happens the last seven weeks of the year, this very well could be the warmest year on record for Cheyenne. It will need to be but just 2.4 degrees above normal for November and December each for that to happen. Similar results will probably be seen in other communities throughout the region, time zone, and nation when everything is all said and done.

http://www.weather.gov/climate/index.php?wfo=cys

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Comparing Cities Economically

Here is an easy to use java script comparative economic graphic database constructed by the Arizona Republic to compare eight cities. For the most part, Seattle ranks as the best and Phoenix or Atlanta as the worst.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/specials/indicators/index.html

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My Week in Review: 28 October to 3 November

Here is a little look into my daily life over the last week:

Sunday 28 October: A day off so I awoke around 9:30. One of my atomic clocks erroneously had programmed display showing daylight savings had ended so I thought it was an hour earlier when I first awoke and groggily looked at it. I had some cereal for breakfast and started to watch a little NFL. I then went out to run some errands. I took my newspapers over to the recycling bins, emptied the truck cab of trash and miscellania, went to King Soopers for my newspapers and some bananas, and since I had my computer with me, went on over to Taco John's and set up the computer and surfed after I read my newspapers and ate a taco and set up my little TV to watch and listen to some more NFL action. This is one of several places that have wireless internet to take avail of. The others here are the local bookstore & newsstand, Perkins, Shadows, and the Flying J. McDonalds is supposed to have wifi available at all their stores in the near future, but no sign of it here yet. Other places like Starbucks and Barnes & Noble have wifi access but they make you pay for it. I will not go out to a place and pay for something I can get free elsewhere. Today the warm weather returned again as it is cloudless sunny blue skies and near 70 degrees with little wind. It is supposed to be the same the next two days (while I am at work) and then cool down back to near 40 degrees on Wednesday (my next day off). Last night I thought I had lost my checkbook so I called the bank to put a freeze on my account. I then found the checkbook in my laundry hamper ! The Alzheimers is already starting to hit. So until I physically go into the bank on Monday and get a live person to unfreeze my account I cannot do much. So no grocery shopping until maybe Tuesday night. I watched Game Four of the Series as Boston finished off Colorado to win it in four. Despite the disappointing finish, this Rockies' season was the best ever and full of many exciting moments. And if they had to lose, better it be to the Redsox. I puttered around the place and went to bed around 12:30am.

Monday 29 October: Back to work for the eight hour day. Went to the bank during lunch to unfreeze my account. It was a very warm sunny breezy day that got into the low to mid 70s. Spent a good bit of the afternoon replacing fluorescent bulbs throughout the business. After I got home, I relaxed, ate some tunafish sandwiches, and watched the Broncos on MNF. Took a long hot shower before I hit the hay about 10:15pm.

Tuesday 30 October: Woke up feeling poorly and under the weather. Worked the full day but my energy level was low. It was a warm sunny breezy day close to 70 degrees after a early cloudy start. I got home around 5:30 and was sluggish. I then just went straight to bed around 7pm and slept until around 1:30am. I woke up and had some chicken noodle soup and some biscuits to eat and caught up on my email. Went back to bed around 3am, seemingly falling asleep quickly.

Wednesday 31 October: I slept until after 11am as I had the day off. All the rest I got helped as I felt better. A much cooler day as it did not reach 50 degrees although it was clear and sunny and the wind was very light. I think there may have been a little rain and snow overnight but there was no evidence of it by the time I stirred. I went out about 2pm to go to the post office, bank, and Walmart to buy groceries. After getting all that done by about 4pm, I headed over to Burger King for a sandwich and to read the newspapers. I got back home around 6:15pm and turned on some music to listen to while I puttered around the place. Todd stopped by around 7pm for about 45 minutes and we talked as I was successful in avoiding having trick or treaters hit me up for candy. I went to bed around 11pm.

Thursday 1 November: November arrives here on the High Plains as we enjoy a sunny day with temps in the low 60s. I had to scrape windows on the truck for the first time this season. I worked the full day and get home by 5:30. I watched a little of the VT/GT college football game; the Avalanche/Penguins NHL game; and my Thursday TV shows: Earl, Office, and Scrubs. Mostly I relaxed and surfed. For dinner, I had canned lasagna. I went to bed around 10:45pm.

Friday 2 November: Another full day working. It was a cold sunny day as a front swept through and the temperature started out in the low 20s and made it only to about 45 degrees. I got home around 5:30 and had some Spanish Rice with tomatoes for supper. I watched the NMSU/Nevada college football game on and off; fully watched Ghost Whisperer; and just relaxed in my recliner and surfed. Today was the last day for about two and a half to three months of getting off work with the sun still shining after 5pm. With daylight savings ending Saturday night, the early darkness will be here and does not really get noticeably reversed until we get well into January. Because of where we are on the continent and in the time zone, it is always sad and depressing to deal with 4:30pm sunsets for the coming months. We do not get another post 5pm sunset here in Cheyenne until 20 January and it will be 3 March until we get back to the 5:53 pm sunset we will have on Saturday 3 November, the last day of daylight savings this year. So it is no understatement to say we will be in the dark for awhile. Getting off work when its already dark and having worked all day during the daylight for the most part (except when making the quick trip into work in the morning) leaves one feeling blue and glum. I have been doing this as for as long as I can remember, but it would be nice to live on the far western side of the time zone rather than close to the eastern edge so the winter days would last later into the afternoon. Maybe someday I can experience time from this different perspective for a year or so. It was nice to have daylight savings time extended one extra week in the autumn and three weeks in the late winter and early spring. I think sometime down the road I would like to see another three weeks added on to autumn end and another week to the winter end. But this probably will not be happening for a long time. Just like I want to see the Mountain Time Zone eliminated and the other three North American time zones that encompass the continental US be extended to cover the change. The results would be that the Central Time Zone would be stretched west to include NM, CO, WY, & MT and the Pacific Time Zone would be stretched East to include AZ, UT, & ID. Then I would not have to move to be in the western edge of a time zone... Uh, back to reality.. I watched "Crocodile Dundee and went to bed around 1:15am.

Saturday 3 November: I awoke around 9:30am and had oatmeal and hot chocolate for breakfast. It was a clear sunny day although somewhat windy as temperatures climbed from below freezing to the low 60s. I re-read the Friday papers while college football was airing. I stuck mostly to Penn St/Purdue and Kansas/Nebraska. Later I followed Oklahoma St/Texas; Navy/Notre Dame; Air Force/Army and BYU/CSU. The late afternoon games featured New Mexico/Texas Christian; Oregon/Arizona St; Colorado/Missouri; and Alabama/Louisiana St. For lunch I had some lunchmeat sandwiches and a couple of homemade banana smoothies. As the evening commenced I focused most of my viewing interest on Wyoming/San Diego St but kept tabs on a couple of other ongoing games such as Florida St/Boston College and California/Washington St. I worked on updating my blog, getting rid of some dated or passe content and deleting out some gadgets that were superfluous. For supper I had some cream of chicken broccoli soup and some biscuits. A relaxing quiet day spent at home. Bedtime was planned for around midnight.
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Great Potential News

If this report turns out to be true, this would be truly wonderful news. The REAL ID Act is blatantly unconstitutional. illegal, a deliberate power grab by federal law enforcement bureaucrats, and an utter invasion of privacy.

http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9809992-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5

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