Good Morning and welcome to Groundhog Day!

Like it really matters if Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow. We are still going to have a cold February and March.
While watching part of the Grammy Awards Sunday night (could only make it through the Pink performance), I got to thinking about music (OK, I had a little help).
Whatever time we are living in, we think we have either the best or worst music ever.
Those in the 1960s rebelled against the Beatles and Rolling Stones because they become 'too corporate.' Whatever that means.
During the 1970s, Disco became huge, then crashed and burned.
The 1980s brought, well, depending on you, some good stuff, some iconic stuff and, well, some forgettable stuff.
The 1990s, well, when Britany, the Backstreet Boys and Celine Dion dominate the charts, it's better left alone.
The last decade is just too early to judge. Although, that Grammy show didn't exactly capture the moment.
So, all these years later, at least the 1980s brought some interesting things to our ears.
Now, let me know, what is your favorite music from the 1980s.

Good (Chilly) Morning out there in the dark!

Yeah, it's kind of cold out there this morning. I was actually able to see my breath heading out today. Bring back the summer. It's supposed to get chilly in October, but I, for one, am not quite ready yet. Is it too much to ask for one more 80 degree day?
Anyway, forget the weather, we have meaningful baseball being played in mid October for the first in what, 15 years.
Thankfully the Dodgers won the other NLDS and get to come to town to play the Phillies. The Phillies have been around since 1883 and this will be only the seventh time the franchise has been to this level of playoffs. (OK, the League Championship Series didn't begin until 1969, but why split hairs.)
Of those seven times, this will be the fourth time the Phillies are playing the Dodgers.
Now, it's not like there's been a lot of fun times playing the Dodgers in the playoffs. Remember 1977 when Danny Ozark should have taken Greg Luzinski out of the game in the ninth. He didn't, Luzinski booted a ball and the Phillies lost.
How about 1978? Garry Maddux made maybe three errors his whole baseball life, but dropped a fly ball then watched another go through his legs as the Dodgers clinched the series.
Sure, there was a victory over L.A. in 1983, but that team was less 'Phillies' and more hangers on. They were led by Joe Morgan, Tony Perez and Pete Rose, three key members of the 1970s 'Big Red Machine' in Cincinnati. Even getting beaten by the Orioles in the World Series didn't seem that bad.
So, now we have the Dodgers again. At least this time if history repeats itself we won't have to see Tommy Lasorda dancing around.
Or will we...


If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com

Good Morning Wall Street watchers and the rest of us who have to work every day!

So the bail out plan failed in the House yesterday. There will undoubtedly be another plan some time this week. It will probably end up passing in some form. Be sure, though, none of that money will help us who are in the hole every day trying to dig out.
By the way, maybe John McCain should have stayed in Washington instead of going to that debate Friday night. It couldn't hurt his poll numbers.
Enough about bail outs, though, there are more important things on the horizon.
Like the Phillies playoffs.
Sitting watching the end of Saturday's game when the Phillies beat the Nationals to clinch the N.L. East sent the memory part of the brain in motion.
It's been 30 years since the Phillies have repeated as division champs. The years between 1978 and 2008 have been mostly lean. Sure, there was the World Series championship in 1980, by then we were tainted. We expected the Phillies to win. When they reached the playoffs in 1980 after finishing out of the money in 1979, there wasn't the same sense of dread as in 1977 or 1978. We had Pete Rose, Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton. Sure, it was a heart-wrenching series against the Astros. Once over that hill, though, the World Series was a forgone conclusion.
There was the 1983 and 1993 run to the World Series, but those teams really were winning with smoke and mirrors. Sure, we would take a title, but, looking back, it would have been a miracle.
I was 9-years old when the Phillies first made the playoffs in 1976. I remember getting caught up in baseball for the first time. I remember jumping around when the Phillies clinched the division and were going into the playoffs.
Flash to this year and I saw the same look on another 9-year old boy. Much like the children of the 70s, the young ones of today are seeing a Phillies team that can win. They are expected to win.
Sure, history shows the tide will turn, but now is the time to join the ride. I'm glad I can come along.


If you have any cool links or photos, send them along to onlinedelco@gmail.com