The Mayor will remain in office

"@CycloneMBB: The Mayor will remain in office, agrees to 10-year deal. #cyclones http://t.co/lqQbac3KZ7" @Joey_Mitch boom! -- Drew Showalter (@thedrewskiSLP)

Bracketology Basics, March Mayhem, Parody Pope

As I See It...

By Pete Burmeister on

News from the Coffee Shop

March 28, 2013 4:32 PM

I'm fascinated with the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, always have been. Once you get your head around the fact that basketball is a fickle sport that is unable to define what is or is not a foul and refuses to use basic technology of video replay, it does make for great entertainment. It's one of the few sporting events that truly lives up to the hype given to it by the talking heads. Each year a unknown team rises above the perennial "blue bloods" of college basketball and pulls off a shocking upset. By now you've heard about the big wins this year from Harvard, LaSalle, and (the acronym school FGCU) Florida Golf Coast University. Though the Cinderella stories will likely end in the Sweet 16 games, it proves time and time again that the games get played for a reason.

While I'm on the subject of pulling off upsets and as proof that there is absolutely no skill involved in filling out bracket picks, I had my 3 year old daughter complete one on the iPad for the News from the Coffee Shop pool this year. By the way, she's in first place through the first weekend with all of her own picks. She also has Sparty winning it all. Like her old-man, she knows how to pick a winner! Click here to check out the complete standings.

One last thing... have you ever been in a pool with that guy that "is doing awesome in my other pool?" Yeah, me too. I hate that guy. Get a life, fill out one bracket and stick with it.

 

Speaking of March Madness, (or is it March Mayhem now... I'm confused CBS and All-State) I've been trying to buy a few cattle embryo's on these Internet sales throughout the month of March. I'm too cheap, so getting any purchased has been a challenge. For those of you who have been following along with these sales on Breeders' World, CW Cattle Sales, and Premier Online Sales, the auctions have been smokin' hot to say the least! I'm still looking, so if anyone out there has any high quality matings available, will guarantee all three embryos result in a 90 day pregnancies, and priced for less than there worth, I'm your guy.

...and for those of you have no idea what I'm rambling on about, try to keep up. Here's a manual.

Am I the only one who just doesn't get it? What's all the fuss about anyway? Is this a Disney movie? Does it really matter that Jorge Mario Bergoglio rode back from St. Peter's Square on the same bus with the same cardinals or that he stood on the same level as others during his coronation? Why were all those people standing in the square for hours upon hours in the rain waiting for white smoke to show up? And why did the white smoke need a new stove pipe? Why does the first Pope Francis have a roman numeral behind his screen name?  One thing is for sure, lots of questions, not a lot of answers! 

I figure the "powers to be" want the people to believe that these are examples of "Change" for the Catholic Church. Huh, wait a minute... seems like we've heard that campaign slogan before- Change. You surly aren't going to fall for that again are you? You want change? Get Dennis Rodman in that white cloak and ruby red slippers! After all, he is on a mission to save the world.

May Corn

May corn synthetic is at $6.78.  -$.57 for the day. Here's to hoping things cool off over the long weekend!

Pre-Report Opinions

US new-crop #corn continues to be priced cheaper than China's domestic supplies. Could see more purcahses than USDA is currently forecasting -- Hedge Specialist (@KevinVanTrump)

Pre-Report Opinions

Suffice it to say, pretty much all of China is bearish US corn price -- Kevin Roepke (@Maizstro)

Farmland Auction brings $1.23 Million

Buchanan County, IA

71 CSR farm

109 Acres

$11,250 per acre

$12,430 per tillable acre

$1,226,250 Gross

6-8 Different Bidders

4 Bidding at the end

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For up to the minute coverage and reactions!

First Break

$9,950/ ac on 71 CSR farm

Opening Bid

$8,000/ acre

Farm Sale Coverage Today!

We'll be covering a farmland auction today in

Buchanan County, Iowa.

106 tillable acres sells with average CSR of 71 near Rowley.

Check out coverage on the blog beginning at 10 AM CST for LIVE results and reactions.

From Scott Hingtgen

currently inside at 20 by 70 silo, opening it up. hope this corn silage last me the rest of the year.

Thank you for using Picture and Video Messaging by U.S. Cellular. See www.uscellular.com for info.

Tender Vittles

Montana Looks at Allowing Roadkill for Dinner http://t.co/JLNYrOE57X -- Market to Market (@MarketToMarket)

Humor

When shocked about anything today, feel free to use this photo -ESPN (@espn)

Sergio Garcia climbs a tree to hit one-handed second shot

Leaderboard: Sweet 16

Rank	Team Name	Score	Correct	Best Score	Best Correct	Champion
1	Makenna Burmeister	206	24	446	29	Michigan St. (123)
2	Kale Petersen	183	36	447	50	Miami (Fla.) (122)
3	Rusty Donnelly	167	33	275	43	Georgetown (98)
4	Stephen B	163	33	291	43	Louisville (132)
5	Jeff Bendull	162	34	270	43	Indiana (120)
6	Jon Blin	158	33	278	44	Louisville (148)
7	Adam White	157	33	313	47	Indiana (125)
8	Dustin Snakenberg	152	33	308	43	Kansas (149)
9	Mike Hosch	148	33	284	46	Louisville (152)
10	Molly Holst	145	31	325	44	Louisville (137)

Swine Profitability in China

Chinese hog farmer tells me he made RMB¥300,000 ($48K) in 2011, RMB¥100,000 ($16K) in 2012 & is forecasting a RMB¥50,000 ($8K) loss for 2013 -- Kevin Roepke (@Maizstro)

Machinery Pete coming to Walker, IA

I'm covering farm auction Thursday in Walker, IA with JD 4455 & JD 4255 2WD tractors both < 2400 hours. Sale... http://t.co/RLDcl5tvJo -- Greg Peterson (@MachineryPete)