The picks (2 units unless otherwise indicated): Kentucky +21, Competitor: South Carolina, Baylor -28, Competitor: West Virginia, Florida Atlantic +4, Competitor: Ala Birmingham, Notre Dame +6, Competitor: Arizona State, Fresno State -27½, Competitor: Idaho, Washington +8, Competitor: Stanford, Tulsa -3, Competitor: Rice, Ohio State -7, Competitor: Northwestern, Virginia Tech -7 (4 units), Competitor: North Carolina, Texas Tech -16, Competitor: Kansas, Georgia Tech +6, Competitor: Miami (Florida), Michigan State +1, Competitor: Iowa, Minnesota +19, Competitor: Michigan, Clemson -14, Competitor: Syracuse, Oklahoma State -14, Competitor: Kansas State, TCU +10, Competitor: Oklahoma, Maryland +17 (4 units) , Competitor: Florida State, Mississippi State +10, Competitor: LSU, Washington State -1½, Competitor: California, Georgia -11 (5 units), Competitor: Tennessee, Navy -12, Competitor: Air Force, Army +12 (3 units), Competitor: Boston College, Middle Tenn State +7½, Competitor: East Carolina, Illinois +9, Competitor: Nebraska.

For the season - 36-32-2 ATS, + 18 units.

UPDATE for the day - 15-9 ATS, +8 units. For the season - 51-40-2 ATS, +26 units.

Go Gators!

Open Thread.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Another busy day here, including court. And then the snow is expected to fall by Friday. I'm trying all sorts of moving Apps from Apple's App Store to make the moving process go easier, but none so far have been a great help. Room planners, which a bunch of furniture stores provide for free, are just as good, but eat up too many hours of my time.

I did finally pick a storage unit. This company seems head and shoulders above the rest. The building is new, the units are as clean as a house, plentiful staff, and indoor, climate controlled units. When you sign up, they give you two hours of movers with a van, to move your stuff into storage. That's a huge help. Hardly cheap though.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

I think I'll be very happy with the view of my new home -- the patio is 445 sq ft and has views of south, west and east. Now I just have to do the hard part: Moving.

I should be moving the 17 to 19 (no way can this be done in a day.)

Since I havn't see the news, here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Tonight is the final night of an unprecedentedly great final season of Breaking Bad, the best final season ever imo.

I started watching Breaking Bad on Jeralyn's recommendation, and I liked it immediately. But the final season has been sublime.

I hope the finale sustains that level. In any event, Vince Gilligan, Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn and all the rest have left a body of work to be proud of.

Open Thread.

Update (TL): Best finale ever.

John Amato of Crooks and Liars and me talking NFL Week 5 and Mariano Rivera, Yankee greats, plus some other things:

Our picks (disagreements in BOLD): STEELERS (-3) over Vikings, RAVENS(-3) over Bills, BENGALS (-4) over Browns (BTD BEST BET 4 units), COLTS (-9) over Jags, TEXANS (+3) (BTD), SEAHAWKS (-3) (Amato), CARDINALS (+3) over Bucs, LIONS (-3) over Bears, GIANTS (+4 1/2) (BTD), CHIEFS (-4 1/2) (Amato), JETS (+3 1/2) (BTD), TITANS (-3 1/2) (Amato), CHARGERS (+2) over Cowboys, RAIDERS (+3 1/2) (Armando), REDSKINS (=3 1/2) (Amato), BRONCOS (-11) over Eagles, FALCONS (+2) over Pats, DOLPHINS (+7) (BTD), SAINTS (-7) (Amato).

Open Thread.

The picks: (All picks 2 units unless otherwise indicated): Washington State +9 Competitor: Stanford Northern Illinois -3 Competitor: Purdue, Western Kentucky +3 Competitor: Navy, Minnesota +2, Competitor: Iowa, South Florida +20, Competitor: Miami (Florida), Oklahoma -3½ (4 units) Competitor: Notre Dame, South Carolina -7, Competitor: Central Florida, USC +4 (3 units), Competitor: Arizona State, Texas A&M -15, Competitor: Arkansas, Alabama -14 (3 units), Competitor: Mississippi, Florida State -23½, Competitor: Boston College, Ohio State -7 (3 units), Competitor: Wisconsin, Florida Atlantic +14, Competitor: Rice, Tennessee -18½, Competitor: South Alabama, Georgia -3, Competitor: LSU, TCU -19, Competitor: SMU.

After a slow start, I've been hot the last 2 weeks, 20-5-2. For the season: 30-24-2 (55.5%), +20 units.

Go Gators!

Open Thread.

The Senate passed a funding bill to avoid a government shutdown. The Senate bill did not strike "Obamacare." It now goes back to the House.

I just got an email from the federal court in Nebraska with their shut-down plan if a funding bill does not pass. You can read it here. I haven't received one yet for Colorado. Here's the memo the federal courts administrative office issued on Sept. 25.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Like Jeralyn, I'm really busy.

More thread.

I'll be busy at work most of this week. I'll put up open threads, and check in a few times a day or night, but I will have little, if any, time for blogging or even reading the news.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

The second to last Breaking Bad is tonight. If you are setting your DVR, add 15 minutes, it will run over.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Amato and Armando NFL Show:

Our picks (marked J for John and A for Armando, disagreements in BOLD) - Dallas (-4) over Rams (J, A), Giants (-2) over Carolina (J, A), Vikings (-7) (J), Browns (+7)(A), Detroit over Washington (Pick) (J, A), New England )-7) (J), Tampa Bay (+7) (A), Houston (-3) over Ravens(J, A), Titans (-3) over Chargers (J, A), Saints (-7) over Cardinals (J, A), Packers (-3) (J), Bengals (+3) (A), Dolphins over Falcons (No Line) (J, A), Niners (-10) over Colts, Bills (+3) (J), Jets (-3) (A), Bears(-3) over Steelers (J, A).

I went 10-2-1, plus 17 units yesterday in my college picks. That's 20-5-2 and plus 31 units the last 2 weeks.

Open Thread.