Six days, six games, one division title

In Boston and New York, the media is in a frenzy, which is to say that things are pretty much normal in these two baseball-crazed municipalities, but with 6 days to go in the regular season and only two games separating the two at the top of the AL East, it's a little more crazy.

Boston, hampered by injuries and perhaps a little concerned about the effectiveness of the bullpen, opens a 2-game set tonight versus the A's, while New York is in "The Pit" to face the last place, but always tough-against-the-top-teams Devil Rays.

With Schilling hurling for Boston tonight and Clemens throwing for the Yanks, both teams hope to get a leg up on each other as we enter into the final stretch. I think you know by now, where my allegiances lie!.

GO SOX!

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Renewable energy deserves a chance to go before the voters

Do you ever read a story from a newspaper or see a piece on the evening news about special meetings of town councils, select boards, or governing bodies such, let's sat, the Land Use Regulatory Commission (LURC) and find yourself wondering more people aren't solicited for ideas and suggestions? I'm betting you do and I'm better that some of you have read about the proposed wind farm in the Western Maine mountains.

Less than ten miles from where the wind farm would be built Franklin County near Sugarloaf ski resort, another large scale proposal was at the forefront of the news back in the late 1970's. The project was a proposed development of the Bigelow Mountain Range across Carrabassett Valley from Sugarloaf. developers wanted to create "The Aspen of The East" on the flanks of the towering peaks and came quite close.

As you can imagine, there were lots of people up in arms about this possibility. Why? Because the Appalachian Trail runs right over the summit of those mountains and would be interrupted. This was long before the LURC held meetings in the town, which back then had about 150 residents. (It's up to about 500 year-round now) After a lot of hooting and hollering, the proposed development went to a state-wide vote and failed.

My point is that if such a development was voted on by the whole state back then, why not allow the wind farm proposal to go before the voters of Maine?

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Sox have me grinding me teeth

Do you ever switch the TV channel when the Red Sox have a couple outs and bases loaded in the hope that perhaps if you don't watch, something good will happen? I do. I've done that since I was a kid watching football, baseball, and even tennis. I figured that Andre Agassi would have a better shot at winning a tiebreak if I wasn't watching. Apparently I didn't get the memo about not being all that important...
...Still haven't gotten the memo 'cause I did it again today in the top of the 6th when J.D. Drew walked to force home a run and bring up Varitek with bases loaded and one out. Noticeing that the Yankees were still tied at 3 with Toronto, I thought it might help, but at the end of the day, the Sox had lost 5-4 and New York pulled out their 90th win.
I'm pretty sure that baseball shouldn't give me panic attacks!

GO SOX!!!

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Boyne takes over operations of Loon Mountain

Having recently made a splash with the purchases of Sunday River and Sugarloaf resorts in Maine, Boyne USA recently announced that they have entered into a lease agreement with CNL Corp to operate Loon Mountain in New Hampshire. While still under the ownership of CNL, Boyne will take over operating from Booth Creek, who will still run Waterville Valley and Mount Cranmore.

The lease transfer means that pass holders at all three resorts will now have upgrading options to make their seasons passes good at all three resorts. Meanwhile, Boyne has agreed to notonly honor Threedom Passes bought for the 2007-2008 season, but will continue to sell the passes with Loon included.

This December, Loon is set to finally open it's South Peak expansion, which has been on the drawing board for more than a decade. The mountain features a new high speed detachable quad and several intermediate and expert runs.

A kind welcoming from the PayPerPost community

It was perhaps four or five months ago and I was watching the Today Show on NBC like I do most mornings. Scoffing down some cereal before heading out for a sail, a particular segment caught my attention. This was the first I had heard of payperpost.com, but the woman who was being interviewed said some things that interested me and even better, she had credibility.

To be frank, I first thought it was a segment on ways to make extra money on the Internet that were by-in-large scams, but to my surprise, this wasn’t the case. The woman was talking about legitimate websites where people could earn make money doing things they do in their everyday lives.

Me, I like to write. Although most of what I produce is fiction, I started blogging about a year and a half ago. So when she said there was a site called payperpost.com where I could actually get paid for writing about my opinions and things that interest me, I was hooked. I wanted in, but that’s when I found out what I truly like best about PayPerPost; people can’t just decide they are going to blog because they see this great opportunity. PayPerPost makes us earn our place here and I love that.

From the time my current blog went live to a few days ago when it was accepted for Marketplace, I’ve met some great folks who share the same passions as I do, but best of all, everyone is extremely helpful. You see, not everyone on here is a genius with computers. Having been an English major in college, I can barely do much more than use spell check, but no worries, there has always been someone to show me the ropes and guide me through each step. Now I even get asked to do blog reviews.

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Red Sox clich playoff berth, seek divisional crown

In the bottom of the seventh inning, it looked like Boston was on it's way to a second straight won over would be spoilers, Tampa Bay when Javier Lopez relieved Dice-K with two outs and two on to finish off one last batter. Six pitches later, the Devil Rays had their first lead of the game after a 3-run homer. Like many Sox fans, my heart was in my throat. I watched this same scenerio play out against the Yankees and Blue Jays in the past week. Fact is; Boston hasn't come back very many times in the late innings to win games. This was a must win with the Yankees winning in walk-off fashion earlier in the day against Toronto in 10 innings.

Then after the scoreboard flashed the score of the Tigers losing, the Boston bats came alive in the 9th with a home run by J.D. Drew to tie the game and then two batters later, Julio Lugo put the exclaimation point on his old team with a two-run shot.

Jonathon Paplebon came in to pitch the bottom of the 9th after Eric Gagne recorded his second 1-2-3 inning in as many nights. With Pap getting the save and Gagne getting the win, Boston clinched at least a wild card spot with seven games left in the regular season. Boston's lead over New York remains at 2.5 games.

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First Snow At Heavenly!

The early morning hours of Thursday brought a much welcomed site to the mid-mountain elevations at Heavenly Mountain Resort. Over two inches of new snow, the first of the year, coated the decks of the mid-mountain lodges and covered the upper-mountain trails.
While a web cam shot from today showed that most of the snow has now melted away, it's only September and that little bit of fluff is an exciting site for every winter enthusiast.

Why go out on Black Friday?

As summer quickly fades to fall and we all get ready for the holiday season, it's almost impossible to not think about shopping. We have friends and family to buy gifts for, parties to shop for, and sometimes we even like to grab some of the seasonal bargains to treat outselves.

Being two months away, it's also hard to not think about that dreaded day when malls open at 3 am and lines seem to go for miles and miles. People who say they'd never shop on black friday, are at the mall because they just can't resist that one-day deal and they know the items will sell out by the time the rush has passed.

Does this happen to you? Are you one of the many millions who flocks to the mall or favorite department store on the day after Thanksgiving? As it has come to be known, Black Friday is the busiest and most congested shopping day of the year and it's true, there are great deals to be had.

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A game and a half and time running out!

There are times of year when your favorite team can lose 5 or so games and you might not think too hard about it. Sure, as a true fan, you hate seeing you team lose, but over a 162 game schedule like in baseball, these streaks happen all the time.

The problem is when your biggest for and most hated enemy doesn't seem to lose any games down the stretch. Perhaps you know where I'm going with this. Nope, I'm mot talking about the Mets, sorry.

If reading this truly gives you pain in the pit of your stomach, then you are a Red Sox fax and you've watched the once 12 games lead, shrink to just 1.5 games over the Bronx Bombers.

With 9 games left and little room for error, there are some serious injury problems and even a more serious situation in the once flawless bullpen; however, as a good fan, and a die hard to the end, I'll continue to root our boys on and hope for a swing before it's too late. GO SOX!

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Boyne Set To Make An Impression On Eastern Skiing

Just a couple months after the announcement came that Boyne USA had outbid Les Otten to become the new owner/operators of Sunday River and Sugarloaf/USA ski resorts in Maine, the rumors started to fly about the future of said ski resorts. The resorts, the last remaining eastern holdings of the now de-listed American Skiing Company, are two of the largest and most popular resorts in the east and draw skiers from as far away as Britain. Both resorts are sorely in need of upgrades in almost all areas, but with the closing of the sale not coming until July, things such as new lifts, lodges, and trails are just not feasible. It's a good thing Boyne and it's President have a handy drawing board.

At an August town council meeting in Bethel, just to the west of Sunday River, Boyne announced their desire to light three trails for night skiing. Locals, second home owners, and long time patrons were taken aback. Such an idea had been thought of before, but the capital wasn't there. Instead, Sunday River hosts two lists for lit snowtubing, which let's just say, hasn't been a big draw, but there in lies the problem with these two resorts. After the lifts close, the options are limited, especially for people staying there with kids. While there has been some dispute over how much light would be seen from various parts of the region, the vibe at this resort is good. Not just because Boyne has taken a step in the right direction, but mostly because they have solicited the thoughts of the people who live in the area.

While night skiing may not come to fruition for the 2007-08 season at Sunday River, Boyne has already begun work at Sugarloaf, increasing snow making capacity and beginning to address long term needs. The big news came this week when it was learned that Boyne has gathered a group of 21+ people from various industries to form a committee to set forth the direction for the two resorts. The marketing and development company said to be chosen to lead this endeavor, created the long term plans for resorts such as Whisler/Blackcomb, Statton, and Mont Tremblant. Said to be done in a matter of months instead of years, this is an exciting time for eastern skiers and the future with Boyne (and financial backers CNL) looks very bright!

Not The Best Bandwagon

I remember walking into Filene's with my mom when I was 11-years-old and seeing shirts for the New England Patriots first Super Bowl game against the Bears. Even at such a young age, my pride as a New England fan ran deep. I recall basically throwing a fit during the game as things quickly turned south under the direction of Tony Eason and his ever-present feet-first slides to avoid tackles. An despite being destroyed on the pitch, I never gave up on the Pats. I remember being excited about Drew Bledsoe and Bill Parcells and I even can stomach a little 1996 nostalgia when we got clobbered by the Packers for Super Bowl loss number two, but then things changed. Bledsoe got injured, Brady emerged out of nowhere, and three Super Bowl rings later, a dynasty had been built under a great owner, a great general manager and who many of us fans believed to be one of the games greats coaches.
Now don't get me wrong, Bill Belichick is still, at least in my opinion, one of the gamers best coaches, ever, but why would he cheat? I don't buy into the whole, "everyone does it, but he got caught thing." Nope. You can't justify what the Patriots coaching staff did in breaking the league rules for videotaping the game from the sidelines during the first quarter of Sunday's victory over the Jets. Yes, the camera was taken away early and the actual effect of having the camera was most certainly minimal to the outcome to the game, but just the thought of our guys now being the bad guys makes me sick.
I doubt Bob Kraft knew about it. It's doubtful the player knew about it, but a few days certainly did and they have tainted this proud franchise and quite frankly have harmed they're own players in the process. No, "Cameragate" is not really that big a deal in terms of how badly someone can cheat. There just isn't very much benefit to what they did, but therein lies the big question: Why do it? Why cheat against the Jets. Why Bill? It's time for answers.
As for the penalties imposed by the league; they are mild in my opinion. I would have made the team forfeit the game and have suspended Belichick in addition to the fines and loss of draft picks, but what do I know? I'm just a fan of the game and yes, I'm still very much a fan of the Patriots.

Never Forget!

The images are still fresh in my mind and the date haunts me, but I'm merely one of millions of Americans who watched the events of this day unfold from afar. And whereas I knew individuals who lost their lives in the attacks of September 11, 2001, I know I can't truly understand the sheer magnitude of what it must be like to have had a loved one perish in those cowardly attacks. That said, like others, I too mourn for our loses and pray that such an event never again takes place on American soil.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the fallen heroes, fathers, mothers, and other family members of this sad day in history. And my prayers go out to the servicemen and women who are currently fighting under the flag of our nation.

May none of us, ever forget.

Can You Afford To Take Online Surveys?

Now there's an interesting question, and one I've tried to research the past few months. Perhaps we are so inundated with get "rich quick schemes" and "infomercials" about working from home that we as a society turn a blind eye to the fact that millions of Americans are being robbed blind by online survey companies.

Don't get me wrong, there are companies that will actually pay you "rewards" for filling out surveys online, but there are plenty of catches. Let's start with the pay. You see, it's easy to get around taxation and labor laws when these companies provide "rewards" instead of W2 earnings. Most paid surveys pay up to about $5 an hour. Yes, that's is below minimum wage and here's the real kicker: you have to take a short survey to see if you qualify for the actual survey.

Then there is the idea of actually acquiring a list of paying survey companies and let's just say that there are those out there that would have you believe that you need to pay $35 just to get a list. The fact is that you can get a list easily by going a Google search and reading reviews posted by the many angry folks. But don't be fooled. There will certainly be some seeds in there that say one site is good and they made all this money etc. WRONG. They didn't. I probably totaled "rewards" of about $200 all summer and these sites advertise much much more. Granted, I went in with the knowledge of the scam, but I still spent way to much time clicking on boxes about chewing gum and hair care products.

The bottom line is that if you really like to take survey in your free time; there are a ton of sites out there and many are reputable. On the other hand, many are not, but you have to realize that if you are trying to earn money, you are much better off getting another job for a few hours a week and then spend the time you would have spent on the computer filling these things out, doing something constructive.

All of that said, I am not going to list any of the companies, (as this is an opinion piece and not a news article) good or bad, but I will tell you that the Better Business Bureau does certify online companies such as these, therefore, I suggest looking for that logo and be prepared for a lot of boring clicking.

And to be frank, I am so glad that doing the research for this article is over because filling out those things is just no fun whatsoever.

Seasons Change

As I sit here next to a window on the Maine coastal town of Camden, I hear a sound not too many locals business folks like - the sound of silence. Only the waves crashing of the rocky shoreline break the silence before retreating back out to sea with the tide.
It's a week after Labor Day and the tourists have thinned considerably. Jules and I were able to drive up Route One from Portland this evening after work with relative ease and when we arrived in Camden, the long lines of cars sorting their way through the quaint town had subsided.
It's the quiet time of year that makes this place so special. The fact I can sit here and listen to the sound of tree leaves rustle before the first frost drives them from their summer perch and the slight hint of autumn chill in the breeze is refreshing.
Of course it also means that another special season is fast approaching, but I've decided to enjoy the fall for what it's worth. The picture on the upper-right corner was taken this time last year on my boat on Casco Bay and there have already been a couple beautiful evenings like that one. The evenings where the sharp firey orange sky melds with the azure horizon of the ocean. It's a special time in Maine.
A month from now, the tourists will be back for a few short weeks to snap pictures of leaves in their range of autumn colors before the winter comes calling.
Maine is a place of more then four seasons and perhaps only few ever really take the chance to look up every once and a while to notice. I am.

No No for Buchholz

Saturday night turned out to be a memorable evening at Fenway Park in Boston. With Tim Wakefield sidelined due to injury, Clay Buchholz got the call for his second spot start of the season, after winning his only other major league start against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on August 17th.

The fact Buchholz took the mound again isn't too big a surprise. With today marking the expansion of team rosters to 40 players, there were bound to be a few of the young guns called up, but Buchholz has had a lot of buzz surrounding him since the season started. Mind you, when the season started, Clay was pitching for the Portland Sea Dogs, Boston's AA affiliate. And what a season he was having for the Sea Dogs. Touted as the #2 prospect in the Red Sox organization, he travelled to San Francisco to take part in the Future's Game during the All Star break. A month later, after being bumped up to Pawtucket, he found himself a major league winner for the first time.

On Saturday, September 1st, Buchholz made history in Boston. Perhaps it wasn't enough for him to be called up to spot start for a team that is trying to finish the season strong after 4 straight loses and being swept by New York. Mixing up his pitches with 92 mile per hour fastballs, curves, and change-ups, the innings started to go by the way side, but yet there was silence as the totals were stacking up on the Boston side, Baltimore's column read all zeros. And thus when the 9th inning came around and the Fenway faithful all on their feet, the excitement was in the air. This young kid couldn't help but just have close to a perfect game. For his boyish face and wry frame, Clat Buchholz made a mockery out of the Baltimore line-up. (Let's not forget the help he received from great plays by Dustin Pedroia and Coco Crisp) And with a called third strike, on a curve ball, to end the game, Clay Buchholz not only accomplished one of the most difficult achievements in baseball; he did it in only his second start. Oh, it would be silly to forget, Clay Buchholz's no hitter against the Baltimore Orioles on September 1, 2007 was the first by a Boston Red Sox rookie, ever. Congrats!