Happy Halloween

Tonight is All Hallows Eve or Halloween to you and me. This is the night when ghouls and goblins come around requesting a treat, and if they don't get a treat, you will get a trick.

I was talking to Jean earlier in the week and we were trying to remember how many trick or treaters we had last year. I was thinking a couple hundred, but looking at last years recap
of Halloween on my Blog, we estimated there were 400 Trick or Treaters that stopped by.

I'll be there with camera in tow.

New feature added to sidebar

I just added an RSS feed from the WV Metro News on the right side of the blog.

300 LB African Lion Loose in WV

There is supposedly a 300 pound male African Lion roaming around West Virginia in Lewisburg.

I wonder if I put a couple dead chickens out he'll come and eat the deer so they don't run into my car.


African lion alleged to be in W.Va.
The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 10/29/2007 10:11:18 AM MDT

LEWISBURG, W.Va.—Using a video camera and raw chicken, state officials hope to learn whether the king of the jungle is prowling the woods of West Virginia.

Bow hunter Jim Shortridge believes he saw a full-grown, male African lion weighing between 250 and 300 pounds at the foot of Cold Knob Mountain earlier this month. The state Division of Natural Resources confirmed that at least one other person has reported seeing the lion.

Using a camera normally employed to catch people dumping trash illegally, the state Department of Environmental Protection has joined with Greenbrier County Animal Control Officer Robert McClung and exotic animal expert Jim Forga to see if they can substantiate the sightings.

Twenty pounds of raw chicken left on the site last week were devoured, but McClung said that doesn't prove the lion's existence.

"Anything could have eaten that," he said.

If officials do spot the lion on videotape, they may set a bear trap for the animal. If caught, it would be turned over to Forga, who runs Tiger Mountain Refuge in Rainelle, a shelter for exotic animals.

Trunk or Treat

Just passing this along:

WVU student groups invite children to 'Trunk or Treat' Oct. 29

Student organizations at West Virginia University are planning a special “Trunk or Treat” event to give area children a chance to trick or treat in a fun and safe environment.

The event will take place from 5:30-7 p.m. Monday (Oct. 29) at the Coliseum parking area.

WVU students dressed in costumes will hand out candy and other treats to kids from the trunks of cars. There will also be games and a costume contest for children.

The Mountaineer mascot – along with Choosy from the Choosy Kids Club, a WVU program that encourages active lifestyles based on healthy decisions, and the Chick-fil-A cow – will be making special appearances.

The WVU chapter of the Institute of Industrial Engineers is organizing the “Trunk or Treat” event.

Other student groups that will be passing out treats to children include the Alpha Pi Mu Industrial Engineering Honor Society; Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology Association; American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics; Habitat for Humanity; Alpha Lambda Delta national honor society; Alpha Xi Delta sorority; WVU Collegiate 4-H; Academy of Student Pharmacists; American Society of Civil Engineers; Delta Sigma Pi business fraternity; Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society; Lutheran Disaster Response Collegiate Corps; Lutheran Student Movement; Society of Women Engineers; Omega Psi Phi fraternity; WVU Softball; Mountaineer Campus Ministries; Association for Computing Machinery; MTNA; Engineers Without Borders; Kappa Phi Pi; Destination Imagination; and Be Choosy Kids.

All ages are welcome. For more information, e-mail WVIIE1@gmail.com or ahoffma4@mix.wvu.edu.

BRRRRRRR

I woke up early this morning, as I do any other morning, and walked outside to go and get my morning paper. I usually walk outside in shorts and a T Shirt and never thing twice about it unless it is raining out.

I walked out this morning and noticed that it was FREAKING COLD OUT. What happened? Windshields actually had a thin layer of frost/ice on them and I could almost see my breath. BRRRR

I also think me feeding my squirrels all summer has created a new species. They are now the sized of deer. I walk outside this morning and there were three squirrels the size of deer and they had horns and much smaller tails. Come to think of it, they may have been deer and not some super genetic transformation of my squirrels because of my super feed corn.

How about this for an up and coming guitar wizard

WVU looked good yesterday

WVU played Big East Conference foe Rutgers University and played arguably one of our best games of the season. The Mountaineers played steady and consistent in a 31-3 winning effort. The defense played hard and held Heisman Trophy candidate out of the end zone and kept him pretty much contained all day. Rice still managed to get quite a few rushing yards, but nothing accounting for any points. Steve Slaton had three touchdowns and Pat White had the other.

The Mountaineers will be off next Saturday and will play Louisville at home on the following Thursday. Louisville beat us last year, but have been struggling this season. We should be able to run the table the rest of the way.

Big Ole RAINY Friday

It's that time of the week again, but dammit it's raining out. I was wanting to go to the MoHawk Bowl tonight at Mountaineer Field, but I'm not going and sitting and watching it in the rain. It will be broadcast locally this evening on local Channel 3 for those of us who don't feel like sitting out in the rain.

I'm listening to Hoppy's talkline and it's my favorite part of the week, it's steam release. However Hoppy is in New Jersey getting ready for tomorrows game against Rutgers.

It's a rainy kind of day

Well it is Wed but it is also a rainy type of day here. It really hasn't been a heavy rain, but kind of a steady streaming mist of rain for the last few hours. The summer weather that we have enjoyed the last few days now fades into our recent memory as the smell of fall, when fresh leaves have fallen from, the trees and that Autumn mist is very prevalent.

For anyone who likes taking pictures, I'm sure we are just at about the right time when this part of West Virginia with it's deciduous hard wood trees have their leaves demonstrate a beautiful time of the year as they leaves change colors. It's the time of the year when it looks like Mother Nature wolfed down a big box of Crayola Crayons and then spewed it all over the area.

It's a beautiful time to be in West Virginia.

Let's Turn back the clock kinda day

Sometimes you are looking for content to add to a blog. Something that will keep a readers interest and keep them coming back. I will have to credit the West Virginia Historical Photographs collection
as the main source of my historical Morgantown Photos.

TODAYS PHOTO(Link to site rather than posting photo)

Today is one of those days that I was reaching for an idea something to do and it dawned on me, I had previously considered finding a historical photo and discussing it on the blog. I love photography, and that doesn't mean it has to be mine, but it could be.


The Photo that you see to the right was taken in 1949 when the original Star City Bridge was being built. Of course it looks nothing like it does today, even though this image was taken on the opposite side of the bridge. The old bridge was destroyed a few years ago in the early AM. I remember waking up early and going to the Texas Roadhouse with Ginger Bernholt so we could see the demolition of the bridge before we headed off to work.

I just thought it would be mice to stop and reflect a little.

Wildabeast v Tiger v Alligator

Watch it all the way through, pretty amazing video.

It's a back 2 work kinda Monday

Yuck, I hate Mondays. It's back to work.

The weekend was alright, the Mountaineers won on Saturday for homecoming. WV jumped out to a 31-0 lead early in the 2nd Quarter, but had it not been for a stupid block in the back penalty that was insignificant as to what was happening on the field, it would have been 35-0 in the 1st Quarter.

Yesterday the Steelers played the late game and lost on a last second Field Goal to Denver 31-28. The Steelers didn't look to sharp at times and dropped this game to the Broncos.

My Fantasy Football team suffered their first loss of the year after the big matchup last weekend of the only two undefeated teams. This week my top two players were in Bye weeks and I lost a close game. I should be pretty much full strength the remainder of the season.

Have a good day.

What an accomplishment

WVU Men's Soccer team achieved a nice little goal tonight, pardon the pun, they just beat the #1 Ranked UCONN Huskies at the Soccer Stadium.

Great job guys!!!

Gallagher Tickets

Anyone else wanting to go to the Gallagher show next month, Pam George and Myself have already bought our tickets for the Saturday November 10 show and we will be sitting in the orchestra section.

Anyone else interested in attending this show (concert style seating (that's first come first serve for each section)) you will need to use TicketWeb and order the orchestra seating. That's the lower section.

Something I did learn today, Gallagher used to live in Fairmont, West Virginia for six months during the 70's. He told Eric and Kevin in a taped interview that was accidentally erased before broadcast that he wrote the Sledge-O-Matic bit while he was an unknown comic living in Fairmont.

His first Sledge-O-Matic bit (Sorry, embedding disabled)

Another Big Old Hairy Friday

Once again we reach that point of the workweek that we look forward to, the day when work ceases for the week and the weekend if upon up. It's once again another Big Old Hairy Friday.

Unlike last weekend, Morgantown High School will be playing at home tonight, WVU will not only be playing tomorrow, but be playing at home and the Steelers will play on Sunday. I have to appreciate this weekend after a no football weekend last week. Yuck.

There is some very good local news, missing teen Jacob Allen, an autistic kid from Morgantown who was lost for four days at Dolley Sods was found yesterday. I guess they found him about a mile from where they had found his hat previously.

If you are looking for something to do tonight, tonight at 6:30 is the West Virginia University Homecoming parade downtown. Pardon the pun - weather report, but I hope it doesn't rain on WVU's parade tonight.

Enjoy your weekend.

This week has been dragging

Maybe it's because I really have nothing to do and sitting and waiting on data, but man has this week been exceptionally slow for me. Yikes, someone send me some data.

Well even though this week is going slow, we are at Thursday at least. Comedian Gallagher is supposed to be on Eric and Kevin's show this morning, so I am paying attention and trying to win a few tickets to one of the shows. They gave away a pair during the 6:00 hour with a 20 questions game, but I didn't have a clue to the answer until it was revealed. I have won this game before though.

Keep your fingers crossed and maybe I can still win some tickets to one of the shows today. Come on Kevin, hook a catcher up.

Josie's Birthday

Even though it has been several months since Amy and I split up, her daughter Josie is still on my mind. Today is Josie's birthday.

Happy Birthday Brittany Dae Cummings

I would like to take this chance to wish my niece Brittany, a very Happy Birthday today. I think she is starting to catch up to me in age, as I am now only four years older than her. Give it another five years and she;ll be older than me.

Anyways, have a very Happy Birthday Brittany.

It's a back to work Monday

I'm telling you the weekends just seem to fly by anymore. It seems like it was just Friday night and the workweek was over with.

Over the weekend I managed to go to Mountaineer Madness, the first WVU Basketball Practice of the season Friday night with Mark, Chewy and Courtney. Mark had the opportunity to see a slam dunk by WVU during a WVU basketball game. You would think a man who has been the teams official statistician for roughly 20 years sitting on press row would have seen a dunk or two through the years, but he doesn't actually get to see too much of the action and told me he has never had his eyes up for a WVU Dunk.

Saturday I went and did a little shopping. Went to a few stores like JC Penney's and Steve and Barry's and of course Wal-Mart to pick up a few things. In was all over the place trying to find dress shirts for someone my size. having a 20" neck makes it VERY hard to find a shirt that fits. Gerald recommended going to Daniel's here in Morgantown, he said other than JC Penny's it's really the only other place you can find big men's clothes. Belk's had a small selection and Elder Beerman's selection was very limited.

Sunday was Fantasy Football day and I was taking my 6-0 record against the only other undefeated team. One of us had to win, and let's just say about everyone on my team had a MONSTER game. The way our league is set up, teams will average between 90-100 points a game if you are half decent. I blew that scale out of the water this weekend setting a league record for points in a single week and still have one big points player going tonight. I won 207-97 and all my opponents players have played. Needless to say there is only one undefeated team left and it is yours truly. Considering the knowledge levels of sports of the guys in this league, that is one HECK of an accomplishment. I owe it all to draft research, I drew the first position for the draft, but that position traditionally doesn't even make the playoffs. I found a sleeper or two.

It's Monday morning and the weekend is now once again a fond fading memory. Back to work.

it's Big, Old and Hairy, must be Friday

Yes once again that one day of the week that we look forward to in anticipation has finally arrived and we are at the dawn of yet another weekend.

This is going to be a non-football weekend for me. Morgantown High is playing away at Parkersburg South, the Mountaineers and the Steelers are both idle this weekend.

However tonight is Mountaineer madness for the start of basketball season. Admission is free and both the WVU Men's and Women's teams will be available for an autograph session at 8:15 and will start practices at 9:00. Practice will include a new video board, a slam dunk competition, a 2 ball game and many other things. Could be a nice night to head to the Coliseum to greet the team and enter in the Bobby Huggins era of Mountaineer Basketball.

In case everyone forgot, when Gale Catlett retired Bob Huggins was the coach that everyone thought was coming home. Huggy bear chose to stay at the #2 Cincinnati Bearcats which lead WVU to hire John Beilein. After Beilein bolted for Michigan, Bob Huggins did not balk at the chance to return home this time.

Other than that Mylan Park will be hosting Oktoberfest tomorrow.

Have a good weekend no matter what you get into.

Congratulations Danielle

I got a cal from Danielle last night, she is wanting to buy a new laptop before she heads off to college. I guess yesterday she received her first approval letter from Wheeling Jesuit. I then proceeded to ask her what was her number one choice of a college to get into and I quickly found out why she was happy to hear from Wheeling Jesuit.

Congratulations on being accepted to the college that you feel is the best fit for you. It adds something to your academic career when you are accepted into your first choice.

Painball

Got eh following e-mail this morning from Sean Arthurs of MVP Paintball:


Little reminder that October 13th is Halloween Havoc 2 at MVP Park. It will be a scenario game dated way back. It was written by my co-owner Danny Williams and looks like a ton of fun. Gates open at 8am and the game starts around 10am. We hope to see you Saturday.

Thanks,
Sean Arthurs
Co-owner
MVP Park

Back 2 Class

After missing last weeks class from being in Sterling Virginia, I will return to class tonight at the Vo Tech center. I have no idea what I may have missed, but I don't think it was too much. I felt bad about missing last week, but after working 10 hours I would have had to have driven 3 1/2 hours back to make the final 30 minutes of class last week.

I had a teleconference yesterday, it was our monthly meeting and things are looking very good financially for the company. It's nice to work for a company where there is a secure future if you would choose that route.

Tuesday's Tidbits

* It's been a while since I have done a tidbits, so maybe it's time for me to do one.

* Congratulations to Nick, he switched jobs and is now working for Dick's Sporting goods.

* Jean is getting ready to go out of town for a few days, her and Mickey and Sheila are going to Huntington for a few days. I guess Shelia rents a cabin down there and their family has a reunion once a year.

* Friday Night is going to be Mountaineer Madness for the Mountaineer basketball team. It will be the official start of the 2007-8 basketball season and the start of the Bob Huggins era.

* Amy bought another car a few weeks ago, but I haven't seen it yet. Her and Ralphie were in Ohio and the transmission went out of their other car, so she bought another one.

* Val has been working at the smokeshop in Sabraton now for a few weeks. I think she likes it so far.

* There is a new shop at the mall that I like, Rocky Top Leather just opened up three days ago and looks like it might be a store that I buy from.

* It's October and that time of the year when Rich's Farms does Fright Farm. I haven't been there in years, but you never know what this season holds.

Back to Work

After a nice deserving and relaxing weekend, it was back to the ole gridiron today as a new week of work and tasks has been set upon us. Actually I'm waiting on the client to give us their final feedback, so I haven't really been that busy today. Made a few corrections that I know they are going to ask for.

At least this is one day that is down and only four more to go before another Big Ole Hairy Friday is upon us. However this coming weekend is going to be a little boring, both the Mountaineers and the Steelers are having Bye weeks and will be off this weekend.

A little catching up to do.

I have been a little busy the past couple weeks and have not had the opportunity to touch on everything that I wanted to touch on, so this will be the catching up blog.

Last week we had a big thunderstorm up here on Scott Avenue. So big that many of the leaves were knocked off of the trees and there were green leaves everywhere. This is a picture that I took of my apartment complex, and no our roof is NOT green.


Last week I had to travel to Sterling Virginia to the home office and work with an old friend. Srinu, the guy sitting down, and myself managed to get the pilot area for New York City completed. It came with a lot of headaches and frustration, but the pilot is mostly done with the exception of some minor tweaking the client is wanting us to do this coming week. They made a few changes on how they want it submitted, it's minor things. I can do it from Morgantown.

Friday I went to the balloon festivals fairgrounds and walked around for a few hours. I did manage to find a 12" Hot Sausage Hoagie that was calling my name. It's the ones like you used to be able to get from the roach coach that used to park in front of Lowes. A think meaty hot sausage link on a 12 inch soft roll with fried green pepper, onions and mushrooms on top of it. maybe I should go back up today and double check if that was the ingredients it had.

Yesterday I didn't get into too much. I watched the Mountaineers beat Syracuse on TV and a few other teams ranked ahead of us fall. Maybe we can move up in the polls this week.

This morning I started my day out early so that I could be at the Airport for the mass balloon ascension from hart Field. I think I counted twenty-one balloons that took off this morning in the last launch from the airport for the festival. There will be one last launch scheduled for today at 4:30.

Lest we not forget that the Pittsburgh Steelers will be playing the Seattle Seahawks today in a Super Bowl rematch of a couple years ago.

Have a good day.

Finally a BIG, Ole Hairy Friday

This is the last day of a twelve day stretch for me, tonight I start a long awaited weekend and finally having a day off. I'm not really that busy today, but I'm here if they need me and not out running around enjoying the Mountaineer Balloon Festival.

Mom and a couple of my siblings are planning on taking a relaxing shopping trip to the Springs Festival today in Springs PA. I'm sure they will enjoy their trip and spend a little quality time together.

In case you haven't noticed, there are a lot of hot air balloons around Morgantown this weekend. Their schedule for today.


All Day Carnival Rides Field
All Day NASCAR Display Field
All Day NASCAR Simulator Field
All Day Paintball Field
All Day Chad Pitts - Glass Blowing Field
All Day Howard Davis - Chainsaw Carving Field
All Day Pre-1840s Living History Demonstration Field
All Day Gifts and Souvenirs Montgolfier Tent
All Day Cheat River Outfitters Climbing Wall Field
7:30am Garfields Race Morgantown Airport
Noon Gates Open ---
12-5 Morgantown Police Department Crime Van Field
12-6 Kid's Day ---
12-6 Pony Rides Field
12-6 Marble Shooting and Competitions Field
12-6 Raptor Center Field
12-6 Children's Museum of Pittsburgh Tent 1
12-6 Morgantown Public Library Crafts & BOPARC Sandbox Tent 2
12-6 NASA with WVU Ballooning Club Tent 3
12-6 Beekeeper Tent 3
12-6 FBI Fingerprinting Field
12-6 WVU Entomology Field
12-8 Face Painting Field and Montgolfier Tent
12:30-4:30 Tethered Balloon Rides Launch Area
12:30 Carnegie Science Center Stage 2
1-4 Jenny Wilson's Kid Concert Main Stage
1:00 Oglebay's Good Zoo Stage 3
1:30 Chip Bryant Stage 2
2:00 Carnegie Science Center Stage 2
2:00 Chip Bryant Stage 3
2:30 Chip Bryant Stage 3
3:00 Oglebay's Good Zoo Stage 3
3:00 Chip Bryant Stage 2
3:30 Carnegie Science Center Stage 2
4:00 Oglebay's Good Zoo Stage 3
4:30 Chip Bryant Roaming, Field
4:30 High School Band Launch Area
4:30 The Sign Factory Race Launch Area
5:30-8:30 Band - "Brad Crow and the Cut-Ups" Main Stage
6-9 Karaoke and More Stage 2
7:00 Second Night Glow! Launch Area

Back Home

I finished up the pilot area yesterday around 5:00 and decided to get a nights rest before I started to drive back to Morgantown. If you know me, at 3:00 AM I was up and wide awake, I had just woke up rather than didn't go to bed, so I figured that was about a good as time as any to start organizing my trip home.

I got lost once on the trip down due to a wrong turn, minor error mileage wise, and it was broad daylight then. I figured I would try my luck backwards in the middle of the night and didn't have any troubles.

Sterling was nice, I liked it there as this was my first trip to our US Geospatial headquarters. It was a very busy week, needless to say other than work on this project, drive, sleep and eat I really didn't have much free time. The two slots of free time I did have was Friday night to watch the WVU game and Sunday afternoon to watch the steelers go down in defeat. That and last night where I wanted to get to bed early so I could get a good start on the trip.

I guess that is the closest thing I've had to a vacation since I went to DC on a class trip in 2003. However this one was all expenses paid =)

Right now I am installing the latest greatest version of the ArcGIS software that I brought back with me on my home PC. I'm back to working on the VPN.