A chance to make us all better drivers

Have you noticed that more and more car insurance companies are offering premium discounts for safe driving? It would be hard to miss the commercials on television, but that doesn’t mean that many drivers fit the bill. Sure, there are plenty of drivers with great driving records and no accidents, but that clearly doesn’t mean that they are truly driving safely. It isn’t something we necessarily think about until something happens to bring it to the forefront of our minds.
Interestingly, there is a new company from California that has developed an in-car diagnostic system – linked to an online server – that provides instant feedback while you drive. Brake too hard, a monitor will tell you. Accelerate too quickly and the system will let you know. The point behind the GreenRoad Safety center is to help drivers improve on the little things that can add up to big problems. While it may take a while to catch on, as people see their car insurance premium rates climb, they may take a closer look at just how safely they are driving.

What does your back yard look like?

Well, mine doesn't look like this, but with snow covering the top third of Sugarloaf/usa, just a couple hours away, it means that ski season is right around the corner and I can't wait. It's so nice to leave corporate America behind and glide over the snow. I've even thought about creating a second blog that would only be about skiing, but before I get ahead of myself, I'll just start by sharing this beautiful picture a friend snapped last weekend. Jules and I were at a ski resort about 40 miles southwest and snow wasn't even a possibility, but all good things come in time...

Does turkey make us shop early?

I think I may have a lead on why so many people are able to get up at dreadful hours of the morning to wait in line at the mall for the 5:00 am openings of stores on Black Friday. It makes perfect sense ‘cause we Americans stuff ourselves with so much turkey that we fall asleep much earlier on Thanksgiving that any other day of the year. And because of this, we naturally wake up earlier. Whereas that means an early trip to the mountains for me to ski, it means shopping to others. Now don’t get me wrong, I shop as much as the next holiday shopper, but all the tricks, ploys, and free early morning outdoor concerts aren’t getting me near a shopping mall at five in the morning. If you feel the same way, but still want to get the deals that the people waiting in line get; perhaps you should check the offers at www.black-friday.net. Not only do they have a wide selection of exactly the same stores you’d be stopping into at your local mall, but the sale prices are the same. What’s even better is that you can enter you email and get sale and deal updates write to your inbox. So whether you’re looking for BestBuy deals or perhaps the latest Old Navy specials, this site has what you’re looking for.

Go Sox!

Trying to get lost in autumn in Maine

Each year, thousands of people pack their cars and head north to the rolling foothills and mountains of New England to witness the change of seasons.
After the first frost, the leaves on our towering maple and birch trees, turn from a hearty forest green color to a kaleidoscope of red, yellow, and orange. As the leave life cycle comes to an end for the year, people are mesmerized by the array of colors and and the crisp bite in the air.
And yet here we are nearing the end of the third week of October and the leaves have just hit their peek. A late foliage season by Maine standards.
Jules and I were fortunate to be at Sunday River this weekend to view some of the astonishing views afforded by such a pristine site. After a wind-swept game of tennis on Saturday, we packed into the car and headed northwest. We drove past the resort's farthest reaches and into a part of the area neither of us had driven. Passing the last known landmark in that of the Outward Bound camp, the road leading out of Newry merged with the River for which the ski resort is named.
Jules asked where we were going and yet I had no answer. My eyes focused forward, the drooping trees formed a colorful canape over the narrowing road, which had turned from paved to graded gravel to pine needle-covered dirt.
I looked past her and over the side of the road at each chance I got. I could hear the rush of the water getting louder and louder until the trees back away from the road a little and somewhat of a shoulder appeared. Parking the car, each of us grabbed out cameras. The crashing waterfalls and eddies of the upper river were unknown to me in my years of hiking the area. I'd seen pictures and heard stories, but my journeys always took me to sites on topo maps and AT guides. For the two of us that day, we just drove without purpose - allowing ourselves to get lost. Or were we?

Go Sox!

Yesterday:
Despite being 2 hours away from the "city" and amongst the tall firs and birch trees of the western Maine mountains, Jules and I were still back to the condo to watch the Sox last night. J.D. Drew's grand slam in the first inning finally popped me up from my semi-slumber and I got to enjoy the home team rally back to tie the series behind an impressive and gutsy performance from Curt Schilling...

...Now:
It's top of the 6th inning and 3-2 Red Sox. J. D. Drew just hauled one in for the second out of the inning, but the nerves are still there. And why? What stake do I have in this? In the grand scheme of things - nothing I suppose, but it's October and the Sox are playing baseball. It doesn't get old!

...Thank you, Dustin! Two-run home run. We beleive!

...And J.D., and Youk, and Pap, and Okie, and WORLD SERIES here we come - One Nation under Fenway!

Welcome to the mortgage crunch

I’m sure many of you have noticed that the Dow Jones Industrial Average has been doing pretty well as of late, but yet it took a bit of a tumble last week. It seems that news out of the Fed that mortgages and the housing market may still drag down the economy. As homeowners with sub-prime and even prime mortgage rates are going through foreclosure, the process for getting new loans of re-financing is becoming more and more difficult and lenders are raising the bar when it comes to what is perceived as an acceptable credit score.
With all this in mind, we are hearing more and more advertising for bad credit mortgages on the radio and television. So yes, there are lenders who are willing to give the money out, but at what rate? Furthermore, will there be a negative impact on the economy? There are many people, such as myself, who think so, but at the same time, I think that it would be hard to overlook the back that the housing market is crumbling. We need buyers to help offset the sellers. Granted, I do feel that there is room for correction in the marketplace, but I think that 2008 will be the year to buy a new home for anyone thinking about it. For those who have had trouble getting loans, but are working their way back to financial stability, do your research before agreeing to any loan and get the one that’s right for you now, and in the future.

Beckett tosses one-run five-hitter to carry Boston home!

It was do or die in Cleveland last night for the Boston Red Sox. The team, which looked like it may dominate the series during game one, was trying to avoid elimination in game five of the ALCS. With the game one starters back on the mound, the dreams of Red Sox Nation and at least 24 or their 25 players, rested squarely on the shoulders of Josh Beckett.
Beckett, dominant in game one, showed that he would be out-dueled by C.C. Sabathia and went eight strong as the Sox scored seven runs to send the series back to Boston. The Sox will still face elimination, but the Fenway Faithful will be the ones cheering now and hopefully, the momentum has turned!

Do you have insurance coverage that best suits you?

After a darkness-shortened match of tennis the other night, Jules and I were sitting court side and discussing how her employer had just switched insurance carriers. I asked her what she had for coverage and she listed off a number of products her company provides in their benefit package.
This type of conversation is increasingly important today. On television we are constantly bombarded by car insurance commercials, but this isn’t a bad thing, it means that there is a good level of competition and therefore we can all have the opportunity to get the best rates by choosing our coverage and carrier. Unfortunately, some people don’t even think about two of the least expensive types of insurance coverage – disability insurance and life insurance. Like anything else in life, we cannot predict the future and the cost of these two products is normally very low, if not even covered at a base level by your employer.
Lastly, I was watching the news last week and there was a story about a house that had burned down due to a child playing with a lighter. Fortunately, no one was injured, but at the end of the piece, the reporter closed with explained how the owner of the single-family home didn’t have coverage for home insurance.
With the end of the year rolling around, your employer will most likely be sending notices around for open enrollment for your yearly benefits. Do yourself a favor and educate yourself on the product available to you and your family.

Congrats to Joe Torre

Hold on! Did I just say that? But alas, I'm a Red Sox fan. How could I make such a comment about the former Yankees skipper. The reason is because I am a fan of the game and I respect people who give there all to anything or any type fo work.
Does it mean I have to like the Yankees? Nope, but I sure as hell respect the history the organization has and some of the fantastic players who've worn the pinstripes. Whereas I can't stand The Boss and feel that his announcement buring the playoffs that Torre had to win or would be done, was class-less; I respect Joe Torre and even like the guy. I'm glad he stood up and said no when the Yankees spit in his face today with their $5 million offer for one year. The man should have done this a long time ago and I hope he goes somewhere where he can come back to defeat The Boss, but the fact is, he already did so today.

Taking this whole Chuck Norris thing a bit too far!

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard a few of people's favorite "Chuck Norris Facts." While Chuck has been mostly relegated to cable syndication and late night infomercials, he has amassed quite a cult following for his 80's movies and his long run with the television show, Walker, Texas Ranger.
I indeed have a few favorites when it comes to "Chuck Norris Facts." Hell, I even made up a couple and shared them with Jules and her friends, but I'm going to keep this post a PC as possible. Whether you take it all in jest or you're truly a fan of the man, I think we can agree that some people take some things a little too far. I admittedly almost wet myself when I saw this picture. This is the number one reason to NOT try to emulate the master himself... and no this isn't me, but thanks for asking!

Manage your job candidate searches more efficiently

I can imagine being a human resource coordinator can be, at time, very overwhelming. The task of filling job vacancies alone can be daunting with all the job sites, postings, and candidates on the market.
Imagine posting a job opening on several sites and then having to sift through the candidates? With Trovix Recruit, employers can manage everything from the initial job posting, selecting the most qualified candidates, scheduling interviews, and extending offers; all through the Trovix applicant tracking system. Now employers can spend more time managing employees and less time and energy looking for them.

My girlfriend was in Paris and got me a heck of a lot more than a shirt!

Ironically, I would probably wear one of those t-shirts that say "so and so was in Paris and all they got me was this shirt." Why? because sometimes it can be pretty cool to be a tourist. You spend money and help others' economies. I like to do that. Don't get me wrong, you won't find me snapping 25,000 pictures of a building, but I've been known to snap a photo or two.
So what's the point of this post? Just to say that for the past year I've been donning a watch given to me while I was at a business conference at Disney. While I like my Mickey watch, but it's been on the fritz for a few weeks now. So while Jules and her family were in Europe last week, she snagged me a new watch and I love it. I love it 'cause it's from her and quite frankly, the thought of going somewhere to shop for a watch was depressing. So while you might think that a t-shirt is the best gift to get someone while your on your next vacation; think practical. I can now say that my watch is from Paris!

...and just for the hell of it - GO SOX!!!

Get all the information you need before you incorporate

I heard an interesting piece on the news the other day that got me thinking quite a bit. It was about a man, who owns a small business and was being fined a fair chunk of change by the State of Maine for not properly conducting his business as a corporation. When asked by the reporter what he did wrong; the gentleman said that he had not submitted meeting minutes from his annual corporation meeting. A little chuckle as he continued to explain that his corporation is he and his wife and that he had no idea that he needed to go through such a process.
It’s easy to understand that this gentleman wasn’t trying to scam anyone, nor was he trying to break the law, but the fact of the matter is that he just didn’t understand or have all the information necessary to legally operate a corporation in our state; so he got fined.
IncParadise.com can help any small business with all its’ incorporating needs. Weather you have just filed your papers of incorporation and simply need the proper forms to register your business’s tax ID number or you just need some free LLC forms, IncParadise.com has business solutions to help you whether you’re in Nevada, Maine, or any other state. Don’t get fined by being uninformed. If you’re going to take the time to start your own business, take the time to get all your affairs in order before audit time comes around.

Sports Talk Radio

Admittedly, I am somewhat fascinated by sports talk radio. Why, you ask? Well, that's a good question and as a sports fan, I'd never thought about it prior to this afternoon as I was driving home from work. And then after about five calls in a row - all about the exact same topic, I got to wondering why some people can't just leave well enough alone. Seriously, it's like a for or against debate that goes on for hours at a time and I'm totally captivated by it. I guess it's sort of like a daytime television talk show without actually seeing the people who have garnered your attention. How into it am I? Alas, I'm just a listener when I'm in the car or shaving et cetera, but don't be fooled; many of the listeners are a religious about their favorite sports talk shows as anything else in their lives. Some call daily and are known by name by the host or hosts. Others even have on-air names like "Carolina Guy" or "Boston Lou." and yet while I sit here and contemplate how odd the whole concept seems to me - because I truly do listen for scores and news more than anything - there are thousands of people who listen to these shows who think exactly the same about people who express themselves or connect with others through blogs. Go figure...

Before you head outdoors, make sure you save at NCnatural.com

The response is in and it is increasingly clear that you, my online readers prefer to do your shopping online, rather than throwing elbows with mall crowds. And I couldn’t agree more, which is precisely why I’ve got some more online Coupon Savings from NCnatural.com.
Not only is NCnatural.com your online guide to North Carolina nature, entertainment & culture, but they’ve got some great Coupons for you, too. Check out these Cabelas coupons for your outdoor needs. Or perhaps you’re looking for some special Jewelry. Forget about the mall jewelry chain stores because you can’t go wrong with coupons from Blue Nile.
Folks from North Carolina have been saving money with NCnatural.com, but you don’t need to be a native to get in on these great deals.

What has blogging done for me?

Curiously, it seems as though almost everyone I know now has a blog of some sort. Some simply have little rants on their myspace pages, while others have their own domains and write daily about passions, current events, sports, and paying endeavours.

While I've only had my own site here on blogger for a few months, I found myself writing more and more. Consequently, I soon found myself getting back to what it is that even gave me the notion to write in the first place - fiction.

While I started my first serious attempt at writing a novel in 2003, I swayed from the path, so to speak, a little over a year ago. It wasn't that the desire and determination had gone, but I was tired. I was tired of writing draft after draft and getting rejection after rejection. Whereas my skills were improving, I, like many who aspire to publish traditionally, am in a tough spot where being an unknown first time novelist makes it hard to break through, if you will. That said; my paying career was taking up more and more time and I decided to take a break. I never quit; I'm far too stubborn for that, but I knew I need to re-energize. All the while, I found myself trying to come up with new ideas for plots and also trying to force myself to sit down and finish the last draft of my most polished novel. The 22nd draft, to be exact. And yet I realized that for too long, I was trying to force it. While constantly reading and writing are keys to success, my opinion is that forcing your craft will only lead to poor results, thus my time off.

Now some time has passed and with blogging, I began to want to work on my drafts. I started to want to write down those new ideas and even start character sketches. A breakthrough? Perhaps, but what I know for sure is that writing is addictive and this forum has brought back a fuel I could have easily let run dry in search of something else. I realize now that whereas I may have needed time off from that project, I didn't need time off from writing. Blogging made me realize this. For those out there who aspire to publication or even those who just want to finish a piece you started long ago; never stop writing because no matter what form it comes in, it will undoubtedly be helpful in the long run.

Out-pitched, out-hit, and out-managed...

Things looked so promising in the 5th inning when Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell hit back-to-back homers. Little did Red Sox Nation know, that Cleveland Indians manager, Eric Wedge knows a thing or two about managing a baseball game. My choice for Manager of The Year in the AL, Wedge used his tail end of the bullpen more effectively than Terry Francona, thus in the top of the 10th, Boston was forced to go to the always scary, Eric Gagne. The former Cy Young winner gave up a hit and walked a man and left to the dismay and shock of the Fenway faithful. Javiar Lopez, normally effective, but mostly used in partial innings, left his pitches up and Cleveland teed off. And the player of the game was none other than the Dirtdog himself, former longtime Red Sox right fielder, Trot Nixon. Nixon, who was pursued by the Red Sox in the off season when he was a free agent, signed with Cleveland and while probably not the vengeful type, he again left his mark on Boston. Final score: A lot to about half... Series tied at one game a piece.

Why wait in all the lines when the deals are online?

While I often find myself immersed in the fiery red and yellow colors of Maine’s autumn leaves, it can often cause as a pressing reminder that the holiday season – or shopping season, if you will – is fast approaching. Sure, I’ve selected a vast selection of colorful socks for all my cousins, especially those that misspell my name on the Christmas cards, but for those that perhaps warrant more thoughtful gifts, I had been sort of lost. While a friend of mine suggested I visit couponchief.com, I was hesitant and first tried more traditional means, so to speak.
Being a guy, I’m not exactly a fan of shopping. So imagine how I felt while making my way out to the mall the other day to pick out a few items only to find a line of cars stretching back onto the highway exit lane. Needless to say, I skipped that exit and jumped back on my laptop. Being pleased at the amount of money I saved using gap.com coupons for some clothes for the nieces and nephew, I made a few more clicks and thought about perhaps getting myself a present. It’s almost too hard to resist with the deals at couponchief.com, especially some of the Dell deals I came across. So skip the mall and click on the Chief!

Top of the 5th... and then GAME OVER! 10-3

And the Boston Red Sox are on top 5-1! Maybe I'll write more later...

and I rejoin you after a little shakiness from Eric Gagne, but nonetheless a fairly complete game by the Sox. Lots of timely hits and the Indians had to use a lot of pitching they probably would have liked to have saved. Tomorrow night's gonna be a tough night. I'll be curious to see which Schilling shows up. I hope it's the blood-sock Schilling!

GO SOX!

I guess I'll flip-flop a little

Just two days ago, I wrote right here that reviewing novels or books should be kept to those with the expertise to do so. While I still agree with that... two days later, I feel compelled to comment on a movie recently saw. Nope, I'm not an expert on movies, but I think I know a little about motion pictures. My opinions probably differ greatly to those of the Hollywood pundits and the Oscar watchers, but I'm okay with that. We all have our subjective tastes and favorite film genres. My favorite, probably either thrillers or sci-fi, but I still watch a wide range of movies.
As Halloween approaches, I've yet to see Rob Zombie's take on the holiday classic, but I did stop in to Blockbuster the other night after 28 Weeks Later came out. Part of me wanted to see if the filmmakers would again take the notion of zombies to another level like they did with the original release, 28 Days Later. Another part of me was intrigued by how this film actually got acclaim. And there was also the part of me that always enjoys taking a trip back to my teenage days as an ex-patriot living in London.
What I found was surprising in that the sequel actually seemed to have more of a plot than the original. It certainly had a bigger budget and I felt that the cinematography and special effects were excellent. In my very subjective opinion, I thought the movie was pretty good. What does that mean? Truly nothing more than that it entertained me. I don't see any awards in the works, but to say it kept me on the edge of my seat would be agreeable.
For folks that like graphic violence and gore, this is your type of movie. I don't really fit into that category, but I actually found myself caring enough about the characters to see past it. So while I don't want to give anything away regarding the plot, I will say that anyone wanting to escape to a world even more terrifying and disturbing than our own should rent this movie. I wouldn't; however, recommend it to families or the faint at heart.

A bike for all seasons!

With the holiday season fast approaching, it’s time to start thinking about gist for your employees and relatives. Perhaps you’re tired of honoring your top performers with company merchandise. A beach cruiser from XYZ Bikes would make the perfect gift and they have a wide selection of cruiser bikes under $100. XYZ Bikes offer a wide selection of beach cruising bikes with classic styling and details. For a few bucks more, you can pick up a sweet lowrider for yourself.

Gone Baby Gone is more than a movie

Let me preface by saying that while I write fiction, I am not a book reviewer. I believe that one has to be a seasoned veteran as a novelist or even a journalist to have the needed credibility to review a book or novel. And yes, knowing the difference helps! So I'm not going to review a novel or movie in this post, but instead just give some thoughts.

That being said, I was reading USA Today last week and happened upon an article about a movie coming out on October 19th called Gone Baby Gone - written and directed by Ben Affleck and starring his brother, Casey.

I've known about this project for some time, as I have closely followed the career of Dennis Lehane. You see you'd need to read the second page of the article to know that while the screenplay was adapted (written) by Affleck, it is based on a novel of the same name by Boston native and bestselling author, Lehane. Perhaps most of you are saying Dennis who? Fair enough, but you may recall a little movie from a few years back that grabbed a few Oscars - Mystic River. Mystic River was Lehane's breakthrough novel and was published a few years after this newest of adaptations. In speaking with Dennis at a writing conference the year the movie came out, he talked about his time on the set and his involvement with the production. The fact he was involved is actually not the norm for a movie being adapted. Usually the rights are sold and the producers and directors have the freedom to hatchet away, but this didn't happen to Dennis with Mystic River. While the movie isn't exactly like the novel, it's pretty true to form. Kudos to Clint Eastwood and the screenwriting for saving the integrity.

My point (If I really even have one) is that I urge people to read the novel Gone Baby Gone before you start hearing the hoopla. Yes, the story touches the lives of many Americans, especially those with young children, but I am ever-fearful of such adaptations. Not that I think either Affleck would do an injustice to the novel. Both are friends with Lehane and Boston natives as well, but sometimes Hollywood has an influence that even a hot young director can't control. The subject matter is in no way light-hearted, nor is Lehane's writing. While Gone Baby Gone is actually the 4th in a five-novel detective series, it's power in character development, setting, honesty, and pure story-telling talent makes it one of my favorite thrillers I've read.

Once you read Dennis Lehane, you may become addicted. Or like me, you may aspire to be a writer, but that's for another time and post. For more info on Dennie Lehane and all his work, checkout his website.

The Weatherman is making me giddy!

Okay, so that really isn't the case. If the weatherman made me giddy, well, never mind, but it's that time of year when I bring my skis into the shop and have each pair ground. While I normally do my own tuning, I recommend at least one stone grind a year for your bases, even if you do your own edges.

So anyway, if the prediction holds true at Sugarloaf/USA, well be skiing in a few weeks. That said, the high elevations are might get the first coat of the season this weekend. Snow in October is nothing new here in Maine, but the first flakes are always so sweet.

Out west, our friends have already had the fortune of a few days with white gold dustings at Heavenly. The picture was shot on Friday October 5th and is the 3rd snow of the year. The season way still be aways off for Mott and Killebrew, but expect to hear the SMI cannons and snowguns getting revved up real soon on some of the higher elevations around Comet and Dipper. Go to skiheavenly.com and check on the three webcams for updates!

Okay, so now I'm giddy!

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Peak to Peak Gondola

It doesn't matter if you're a die hard skier or snowboarder or if you never seen snow before in your life; what's being built at Whistler/Blackcomb, British Columbia is one of the most amazing architectural feats in North American history.
At well over $100 million the Peak to Peak Gondola may be more of a tourist attraction for the upcoming Olympics, but it's practical use is will cut the time it currently takes to get from 2/3 of the way up Blackcomb to the same height on Whistler from about an hour and a half to about 10 minutes.
Being somewhat of a ski lift buff, I watched the update videos on the Whistler site and have been blown away by the sheer magnitude of this Gondola.
For Doppelmayr, it will be the 5th installation of the 3S Gondola and the first in North America. It will also be the highest Gondola in the world (Over 1300 above the creek) and at 1.88 miles between towers, will have the longest unsupported span in the world. This lift will be like have a loop of 28 cable cars (trams)!
And just another side note, this is not a sponsored post, this is just one absolutely amazing lift being built in Canada. Check out the Whistler Peak to Peak site for facts, media, videos, tons of pictures, blueprints, and more.

Hey! Put me down before you jump through that!

Saturday brought the annual North American Wife Carrying Championships to Sunday River Ski Resort in western Maine as part of the Fall Festival. The event had a large turnout to witness 40 couples race around the obstacle course for the ultimate prize - 5 times the weight of the woman in cash and 3 times her weight in beer!

Sox sweep Angels and await winner of Yanks/Indians!

It was a close game... until the 8th. Curt Schilling pitched a decent 7 innings with a very good variety of pitches. I was impressed at how he has reinvented himself to keep his pitch count low. The back-to-back jack by Manny and Big Papi were all teh Sox needed, but it was nice to see the run production in the late innings. Little Dusty and Lugo were smart on the bases and Coco almost made the catch of the game. I can't wait till Friday!

Go Sox!!!!!

Great tips to be found on InvesterBloggor.com

Being fairly new to blogging in general, I was surprised to find out that a successful blog has far more components than just good articles you think people want to read. When pointed to InvestorBlogger.com, I found insight that will hopefully continue to make my blog better and obtain a more diverse readership.
For many, blogging is a business and it's very important that people actually visit your site. Not unlike promoting a book or novel, you need to promote your blog with good old fashioned leg work, but then how do you know you're actually reaching your readers? InvestorBlogger.com has a wonderful article on why Alexa is a good idea for those seeking to a way to track their traffic. Speaking of promotion, the folks at InvestorBlogger.com are running a promotion for the month of October called Buzz Your BLOGFEST, which is a unique opportunity for your site to be reviewed and perhaps bring a few extra visitors!

Manny and the Red Sox WALK-OFF!

The score tied 3-3 going to the bottom of the ninth in Boston. Jonathon Papelbon pitched a solid 1 1/3 innings and left it up to the top of the order with Boston leading the best-of-five game series 1-0.

With Big Papi intentionally walked and Julio Lugo on second, Manny Ramirez stepped to the plated against the funky-throwing, but always dangerous K-Rod.

Second pitch, middle-in, Manny hits it over everything in left field - over the Green Monster, over the screen, probably over Lansdowne Street and onto the Mass Pike.

What a shot!

Red Sox lead 2 games to 0!

And more from SKI Magazine

Okay, so I've already covered how I feel about SKI's "reader's poll" results from the west, but I'm not done. Who knows? This may be ongoing, but quite frankly, it's taken me longer to sift through the pages as other ski magazines that have come out with their own rankings and ratings have MUCH more viability.

Nonetheless, I think we should talk about the rankings for the east. I guess I don't have too much of a problem with Mont Tremblant at number 1. They've got great lifts, over 2K in vert, and Intrawest has poured a ton of money into making this a destination resort, but the rest of the rankings are seemingly meant to be pleasing to a wide audience instead of catching the vibe of the skiers and riders.

Don't get me wrong, Smuggler's Notch is a great resort with good trees, out-of-bounds, vert, and their famous family program, but #2 in the east? Apparently the voters skipped skiing anywhere that has been updated in the last 30 years. I'm not saying that new is better and quite frankly don't like over-crowded slopes, but with that much vert, you can't rely on old double-chairs - Too slow and too cold. Having these types of lifts serving expert terrain is great, but when they are your primary people movers... Yikes!

Second, I think it's pitiful that Holiday Valley, NJ was included. Is there a really good reason why they have to throw a mid-Atlantic area in there each year and put it above places like Sugarloaf and Killington? No. It's absurd. I don't care how good your nightlife is, 750 feet of vert doesn't compare and it doesn't matter how far you spread it out.

As for the other areas that were included, you can probably mix them around each year as favorites are subjective, but they have to make some sense. The Bretton Woods golf course doesn't cut unless you are a beginner or intermediate. It's great if you are, but variety is key and BW doesn't have it. They do get props for lifts and views though.

And now to get really subjective. Yes, I'm from Maine and grew up skiing Sugarloaf and Sunday River, but I ski everywhere and that being said, have a really hard time with Sunday River being left off when places like Holiday Valley and Bretton Woods are considered the best. To rank Holiday Valley higher than Sugarloaf is basically spitting in the face of people who actually go to a place to ski or ride. And Sunday River's variety, snow making, and grooming can't be ignored.

That's all for now, but check back after I've read a few more pages.

Think Snow!!!

Are you in debt up to your eyeballs?

If you watch an hour of television a night or perhaps listen to a baseball game on the radio, chances are, you’ll see and hear a variety of advertisements for financial consolidation and resources of all sorts.

The fact is that people who were able to afford what they could a few years ago, may not be able to do so today. You read about the credit crunch on Wall Street every day and know that millions of Americans need to refinance their current mortgages or risk losing their homes.

America is obsessed with spending and I think that this affect all of us in some way. I can’t sit hear and tell you I’ve never carried a credit card balance. It does seem like more and more people are getting into trouble with huge credit card debt and let’s face it; if you don’t take care of it now, your credit rating can be ruined for a long time.

And yet the most surprising advertisements that I’ve heard over the radio in recent months and even days, have to due with tax debt. I always thought that if you did pay your taxes, the IRS came after you and you went to jail, but apparently the IRS now works with companies to help people pay back taxes owed.

I’m glad that I have tabs on my financial situation, but all one has to do is read the business section of their local paper or the Wall Street Journal to realize that debt is at an all time high in the United States. If you’ve got a problem with financial debt or credit – get on top of it before it’s too late!

Go Sox!

So yeah, last night was a pretty good first game for the Sox. Beckett was no less than dominant and a complete game is perfect with our current bullpen. I still think they are a little beat up and a extra night off will hopefully be good. That being said, I hope Dice-K and Schilling pitch deep into games so we can preserve even more. The idea of Gagne coming in with a playoff game on the line is a little worrisome. Should be a fun game tomorrow night, no less.

As for tonight... Go CLEVELAND!

Look out for the baseball glove

So I was on my way out to my car this morning when I tripped over a baseball glove while wading through the abyss that is my garage floor. That could be why my car is outside and not in my garage – there’s too much stuff and it’s everywhere. I knew I needed to find a way to store everything in there.
While at work, I started to research some places online to see who might have some garage storage bins. Turns out I can get whatever I want without having to brave the mall or any big box store.
As for what to do with my skis…

SKI Magazine screws it up again...

Yep, SKI magazine has done it again, they've made a mockery out of ski resort ratings in the most recent issue. It's no surprise, they do it every year. The magazine says that the rankings are all based on readers votes and I can see it to some degree, but there need to be some disclosure when ranking the tops 25 resorts in the country. There's the obvious aspect - I'm not overlooking - which is that resort ranking are are completely subjective, but even still, I SOOOOO find it heard to believe that a majority of the readers polled chose Deer Valley as the number one resort in the land.

Better than Whistler/Blackcomb... REALLY?
Better than Vail... REALLY?
Better than Aspen, Telluride, Snowmass, Heavenly, Squaw Valley... REALLY????

I think that the problem is that out of all the categories, SKI gives a lot more points for bed turn-down service than it does for say, skiing. They put more weight into valet parking than say, variety of terrain.

I think you get my point. Yes, Deer Valley is a wonderful resort that offer the very best of everything, but unless you are Joe Millionaire, it's not the place for you. Head over to Park City Mountain Resort for much better terrain. Another 5 minutes to the Canyons for the most terrain. Hell, get out of PC and head to Cottonwood Canyon for the BEST snow, but please, leave Deer Valley off such lists. Your magazine losses a lot of credibility with such nonsense.

The days go by so fast

It seems like only yesterday, we were all gearing up for summer, and now it's gone. Don't get me wrong, I can do without the 90-degree humid weather, but best part of the season is that it stays light out so much later. Even tonight when Jules and I went to play tennis, it was almost dark at 6:30. I can't truly complain about that, given that ski season is like a month away, but I just like the long days.

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Boyne USA $4.8 million into Sunday River for the 2007-2008 ski season

While only in it's possession a little over two months, Boyne USA has already begun the process of revitalizing some of Sunday River's assets. Not counting the $2.5 million it has spent to repair damage caused by flash-flooding this spring, Boyne has sunk nearly $4.8 million into Sunday River, with a high concentration towards snowmaking and grooming. Already know for offering "The Most Dependable Snow In the East," Sunday River will benefit from new fans, low-energy guns, and 3 new Prinoth cats. As reported on Alpinezone.com, the mounted fans will be primarily used for high-traffic lower trails like Monday Mourning and Lower Sunday Punch, both of which need re-surfacing many times due to the convergence of other trail filtering into them. The fans on Monday Mourning may signal the mountain's intentions to once again have it be the top-to-bottom early season option.

Let's Go ROX!

No, I haven't jumped ship and love my Sox, but I've always been somewhat of a fan of Denver sports teams. (Not counting the U of D that beat Maine in the NCAA Hockey final a couple years ago, though) I was very impressed with the way the Rockies played against both Boston and New York during inter-league and think that they are a formidable team.
So there's my pick for tonight in Denver...

...and in Cinnci tonight - GO PATS!

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A unigue party in Boston

I have to admit it was rather strange to watch the Boston Red Sox celebrate after clinching their first AL East title since 1995.

I'm sort of used to seeing a final out or walk-off hit and then watching the players sprint from the dugout, but that wasn't to be this year. With the players watching Baltimore come back from 3 runs down in the bottom of the 9th to the Yankess and over 30,000 fans watching the game on the screen in center field, it was purely a case of wait and see.

When Baltimore won their game in the bottom of the 10th, the players began their celebration, as did the fans in the seats, but what was impressive was that the players didn't confine their fun to the clubhouse. Recognizing the passion of Red Sox Nation, they came down from the press-filled locker room to party with the fans.

It was clearly an odd scene, swim goggles and all, but a well-earned party for everyone!

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Bring on the snow guns!

The crisp, autumn air that hovered over New England will subside for a few days as less seasonable temps take over, but with the ski season so close, resort all across the country are getting ready to fire up their sun guns and fans and start laying down the white stuff, as soon as Mother Nature permits.
With the recent announcement from Sugarloaf/USA that they will go for an October 26th opening, they will try to stake claim to a prize that for many years had been held by Killington.
In the 1990's, both Sunday River and Sugarloaf tried competing with Killington each year for the first to open. Each were successful couple of times, but the reigns quickly were handed back to Killington as ASC got into financial trouble.
And yet the big surprise came a few year back when Killington again got beaten to the punch. This time is wasn't another eastern giant, but a hill in Connecticut called Ski Woodbury. Woodbury had flown under the radar and was able to surprise everyone in the industry. The same mistake would certainty not happen again, until the very next year.
Some don't count such openings are Woodbury's due to the fact they are not able to sustain warm November spells and almost always end up closing. This was the case last year when Ski Cataloochee in North Carolina was the first to turn it's rope tow for skiing. Like most others, this small, but high altitude ski area had to close before re-opening for the season, but for a couple of weeks, "The Cat" was the buzz of the eastern ski world.
In a few short weeks, the guns and fans around the east will start to roar. Powdr Corp, the new operator of Killington and Pico, have said that early skiing and riding is not an option for their them, but one wonders if this is just a ploy to get Killington back on top. Or maybe Boyne really will deliver the goods in western Maine and having us skiing Tote Road on Halloween.

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Congrats to the 2007 AL EAST CHAMPS!

Only one player remains from the last Red Sox team to win the AL East outright. (Boston and New York ties in 2005 with the tiebreaker going to the Yankees) While some of the current players were still teenagers and others playing for their former teams, Tim Wakefield was throwing knuckle balls in Boston.

Up by three runs going into the bottom of the 9th inning, Mariano Rivara gave up three runs and Baltimore ties the game as 33,000 Red Sox fans remained at Fenway Park after defeating the Twins an hour earlier.

In the bottom of the tenth inning with the bases loaded, Baltimore scored on a squeeze play - both the Fenway Faithful and the Sox players waiting patiently in the clubhouse began the celebration that goes on right over my should, as we speak, on NESN.

On to the ALDS!

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Having returned from a week in Lake Tahoe last spring, I couldn’t wait to share my multitude of pictures with everyone. I had never really used a digital camera before that week and most certainly had never tried to share pictures through email.

Although it took me what seemed like forever to download the photos my girlfriend sent via email, I count myself lucky. Because I have fee-based email, I have a lot of storage available to me, but for many Internet users, this isn’t the case. If I had been using Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail without one of the optional upgrades, I wouldn’t have been able to download the large file of photos.

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Now how do you hold the tennis racket?

The rain held off just long enough for Jules and me to hit the tennis courts at Deering Oaks for the third time in the past couple of weeks. Perhaps this doesn’t seem significant to anyone reading this, but tennis is a game of pride. It’s also a game that can really only be played well with lots of practice. I know some may disagree, but tennis is not like riding a bike. You can’t just get back on the court and start hitting inside-out forehands and the like. Hell, if it there that east, we’d have played everyday.
As I sit here in front of the computer screen, I have to chuckle a little as I picture one of my forehands sailing into the fence about 10 feet behind the baseline on the other side of the court. Meanwhile, Jules takes winds up for a forehand, steps into the ball, swings, and then looks around everywhere… moments later she notices that the ball is stuck in the V of her racket. Why, because that’s what happens when you haven’t play in years. Quite frankly, it’s ugly, especially when we each talk about how we were successful (minimally in my case) tennis players at earlier ages.
And yet the lack of consistency or grace on the court has been enough to detract either of us. Now and again Jules would crush a cross-court forehand winner that caught me in stride. Likewise, I too, had a few well-placed backhands, which eluded her reach. I think that now we’ve gotten over the fact we aren’t going to win anymore tournaments (at least not for a while…) or get lots of free gear and the like, we can play for the enjoyment and have found a common exercise that for so long was so much a part of our lives.
Of course there is that competitive spirit that burns inside each of us. And although we’ve yet to record a point, I find it hard to believe that will last too long.

Great deals from HotelReservations.com

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HotelReservations.com guarantees the lowest internet rates on hotel bookings. If you find a lower rate, HotelReservations.com will offer to either match the rate for you, or cancel your reservation through them, free of charge to you. The one catch is that the lower rate must be found within 24-hours from the time you booked your hotel rate through HotelReservations.com. This writer finds that due to ever changing prices based on demand and even slight economic shifts, the 24-hour clause in their guarantee is not only fair, but quite frankly, smart.
HotelReservations.com also offers some great deals on condos, complete vacation packages you build on your own, cruises tours, and group rates. Having searched the site; it’s not the prices that I found to be the best feature. I found a link which says that you can cancel or change your bookings through them without penalty. Having been hit in the wallet far too many times due to any number of reasons beyond my control, I think this is a great feature and recommend that when you book that next trip, give HotelReservations.com a shot.

Just a few moments to think can make all the difference!

Sometimes I just want to complain. I know what some of you are saying: Sometimes? Well truth be told, I was in a position earlier this evening and I was absolutely fuming. It would have been so easy to be stay angry and then come on here and write some negative post about it, but realistically, I had to put some things in perspective.

It was only two hours after the Lady from the car dealership explained that my 30,000 miles service on my car was going to cost me $420. As ironic as some may find that number, I promise I didn't even crack a smile when I wrote down the quote, but it is what it is and my car has treated me well the first two years I've owned it, so I smiled, nodded, and moved on...

And yet then I arrived at the Portland Yacht Club to take a boat out of the water for the season. When I got down to the dock, it was about 6:10 and I learned that launch service ended at 6:00. Given that my brother was due to meet me in less than a half hour, my options were limited. The club happens to have a couple of spare row boats... So there I found myself about halfway between the shore and my boat. Sweat was dripping down my forehead as I made my way out the thoroughfare to the the boat. A little ticked off, a cool breeze grazed over my head and the humidity lessened for a moment. Just then, I looked west and glanced at the fiery orange sky; not unlike the picture in the upper right hand corner. And I thought how fortunate I am. Fortunate to be on that water. Fortunate to have a boat. Fortunate to have a loving family. Don't get me wrong, I was pissed, but the humility kept me calm.

sometimes I find that I have to stop and think for a minute. I know that life isn't always fair. I know people get screwed over. I know that sometimes I'm one of them, but in the grand scheme of things, I'm blessed. So while I was really unenthusiastic about having to bail out 2 weeks of rain from the dingy, I paused, smiled, and looked towards the western sky.

A wealth of information at Contemporary's web site

When looking at a web site, there are several factors, which I think make it affective. Of course the first is making sure that the web site is directed to its’ target market. I have had the chance to review the web site for a UK-based Business technology company called Contemporary Business Intelligence Consultancy Services. Contemporary is keyed into their niche market by offering a web site that is all about the one thing its’ customers want – information. No glitz, no glamour, just a well-laid out site that’s easy to navigate and full of more information than perhaps the programs they consult on; however, there isn’t too much information thrown right at the site visitor and that is important.

Contemporary’s home page has some very good key points going for it. First, they start right off with their motto and then they go into a brief, but inviting synopsis of the services they offer. Right on the first page they tell you what they can do, how they can do it, and that they will save you money. What more can you ask for? Another aspect of the homepage that I didn’t really like at first, but now find quite affective, is their placement of the products they consult on. The reason I was skeptical at first is that when I opened the page I wondered what I would think it I went to it under different pretenses. Would I think it was merely an advertisement for these prominent Microsoft & Business Objects products? And then after pondering, I decide that anyone going to this website knows why they are going there and seeing those powerful tags above the motto and intro lends credibility. And speaking of credibility, Contemporary doesn’t forget another effective marker of a good page; they list important certifications.

Other pages on the site may not be considered as important to some because they are not the ones that draw you into the site, but they still need to be informative and powerful enough to keep you there. Contemporary effectively uses link to other pages, which host everything from their extended products, to company news, and “about” page, and even a page of short biographies of senior management. The videos are certainly a nice touch as well.

Sugarloaf's got fans, literally

Not to be outdone by virtually anyone in the east this year, newcomers Boyne USA made one of their biggest announcements to date when they held a press release stating that Sugarloaf/USA will get more than $4 million in capital investments for the upcoming season.

While Boyne work with strategic developers to determine the future of Sunday River, also in Maine, they knew that before such action could happen with Sugarloaf, there was work to be done to the crumbling infrastructure, which hadn't seen so much money infused into it since the Wiffletree SuperQuad was installed and the fixed-grip quad it replaced was moved to it's current location as the Timberline Quad.

Aside from some much needed brick and mortar upgrades around the base area and in the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel turned Grand Summit Hotel turned back to Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel, Sugarloaf is slated to increase it's snow making output by 20% this year alone. Boyne will add no less than 70 traditional snow guns to the arsenal, but the real fire power will come from the installation of mounted low-energy, high output fan guns.

To show the east they mean business at Sugarloaf and at all their resorts, Boyne has announced that if weather cooperates, they will shoot for an October 26th opening.

Digital cameras are the way to go

Do you remember the days of bringing you camera film in a place like CVS to have double copies of your 27 pictures made? It seems like so long ago that this was the normal practice, which is probably why I still have rolls of film and disposable cameras collecting dust.

The advent of digital camera changed everything, even for people like me, who are hesitant to change. The ability to snap hundreds of pictures and actually be able to see them right after the shot is one of my favorite aspects of digital photography.

I’m currently the owner of a Canon PowerShot SD620 and I couldn't be more pleased. Last winter on a trip to Lake Tahoe, my girlfriend and I were able to catalog all our adventures on film and easily download the pictures to her computer to share. The sheer beauty of the pristine landscape and massive amounts of snowfall made it almost impossible to put into words, but going through the photos on the computer told a story all its’ own. As a matter a fact, the picture to the right, titled, “the blue world” was taken on that trip with that very camera!

In the future I hope to be able to download my pictures to digital picture frames. Who knows? Christmas isn’t too far away.

The picture and clarity of digital cameras is absolutely amazing and getting better all the time. I used to think of taking pictures as more of a hassle than anything else, but now I enjoy taking shots of scenery, friends, and family.

Schilling solid after 9 days rest

After 9 days of rest, Curt Schilling again came to the mound to square off against the ailing Oakland Athletics in a crucial game for the Sox. As a longtime fan and someone who hasn’t been all that impressed with some of the off-field banter from the former staff ace, I admit that I was skeptical, but then I realized something I had forgotten. For Schilling, this isn’t merely the end of the regular season – no, there was actual pressure for him to get a win with the division so close and few games remaining.

Visions of 2004 popped into my head and I knew that regardless of age and regardless of the regular season as a whole, this start would be different for Schilling. After 6 fairly strong innings, Schilling left with a 3-run lead, having only given up only 1 earned run.

Say what you will about Curt Schilling, but last night he proved that even while he might not being blowing batters away with his fastball anymore, he knows how to get guys out. More importantly, he knows how to get them out when it counts and should be ready for the #2 spot in the postseason rotation.

…and the Evil Empire lost on a walk-off home run to Tampa Bay in the bottom of the 10th. Magic number for the Sox is 3.

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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.

I look forward to a long and fruitful working relationship with payperpost.com and can’t wait to meet more and more Posties, new and old!

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.

Perhaps you'd rather spend time with your family instead of spending hours in line? If so, did you know that many of the great deals at the malls and specialty stores are offered for the same low prices online. Don't believe me? Check out Black-Friday.net for special deals, advertisements, and annoucements; all geared towards the shopper that doesn't want to wait in line and would rather shop online. Black-Friday.net is the perfect place to look for great Best Buy Deals on items such as electronics, computer games, great DVDs. Check it out today!

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!