Facebook

So last night while I was trying to forget about the items that awaited me at the office today, I went onto Facebook, signed up and then spent some stalking. Here are some of the highlights on my findings:

• 3 degrees of separation from my ex Amy- Funny thing. I went to my friend's Sooz page and for some reason clicked on her friend Tark. And one of Tark's friends happened to be one of my old high school friend's Nicole Topper. Then on her friends list was my ex girlfriend Amy. Very strange.
• The most amusing friends list was Currier. What the hell is going on there Curr?
• I'm going to dedicate a full evening on Kermit's pictures and friends list.
• After about an hour of stalking, Carol pointed out to me a feature available on facebook of "Who is checking you out." Great. Grand. Wonderful. So everyone I looked up last night will know that I was on their page.
• If I can get my iphone to work, expect me up on a twitter account shortly. We are working on getting Eric up and running on twitter as well.

Now off to deliver a bunch of layoff notices. Fun Fun Fun.

I just don't get it

I am just shocked at the outpouring of support for Roman Polanski from his artist friends. Really? You are supporting a person who drugged and had sex with a 13 year old girl?
And are you really saying that - because he is an artiste, he should be forgiven?

Such crap. Do they realize that this is why people are starting to hate Hollywood so much - and why anti-Hollywood rhetoric is so powerful in this land?

I only have my good friend Jewel as a beacon of hope in Hollywood.

NFL Week 3: Georgia Peach

Well, I don't know if I can relate this theme for the NFL Picks to the Browns anymore. Apparently, the 2009 Browns are playing Winged Foot from the back tees with greens rolling at 14 on the stimp and the rough is 6 inches high. So any hole is going to be impossible to par - and we will be lucky to break 90.

(Or - to be more accurate - the 2009 Browns are like us playing the Kampen course at Purdue, the week before the NCAA D-I golf championships were held there - and all of us got plastered the night before, so much so that we (I?) had to throw up in the Panera bathroom the morning of the round just so I can stabilize myself and see straight. Too much information?)

Maybe I should relate this theme to Freddie's flag football team, which I am coaching. We won yesterday to go 1-1 - so the pressure is off and I can rest, believing that we won't go winless. Hole 3 is a chance to catch your breath. You're not going to shoot 85, but now it's time to settle down. You know what is working (the fade off the tee, the chipping is good - very much like our passing defense and, suprisingly, our passing game) - but there are shots that are still shaky (maybe the mid irons are hooking way too much; we can't tackle on the outside for crap right now, espeically on 4th down!). So Week 3 is where we start playing to our strengths (if any exist) and start to buckle down.

At Augusta, the worst you can be at this point is 1 over. You have to buckle down and focus here on hole 3 - it's a relatively easy hole, but if you lose your concentration, you can easily wind up with a 5 or 6. Focus for the 4 shots, and you should walk away with par.

Unless you are the Browns. Ugh.

On to the picks:

Ten 27, NYJ 20. I'm stubborn. Fine. I refuse to believe the Jets are this good or the Titans are that bad. The Jets played a Houston team that didn't show up, and a Patriots team that fed into their emotions. This is a classic letdown game.

NYG 23, TB 16. Talk about let down games - how can the Giants not have a letdown after that super charged win over the Cowboys?

GB 28, StL 17. F You, packers. I'm out of the suicide pool because of you. I think the Browns - as of now - would be able to beat the Rams, but it would be a 7-6 game.

Phi 27, KC 24, OT. We haven't had an overtime game yet, and I think there will be a couple this week. Are we sure Kevin Kolb can lead them here? Kansas City can score on Baltimore - why not Philly?

NE 30, Atl 17. Atlanta hasn't been on the road yet. The Patriots are desperate. It may rain outside. People really see the Falcons winning this?

Min 20, SF 17. OK, I'll buy into the San Fran hype. If they can stop Peterson, there's nobody else there. Are you saying Percy Harvin will lead the Vikes? Berrian? The receivers are average, at best.

Hou 21, Jax 17. Talk about ANOTHER letdown game out there. Wow. I wouldn't be surprised if the Jags pull this out.

Was 24, Det 16. I think that Detroit's dismal defense will bail out the Skins here. The Skins can be 2-1 after this game - and they are putrid. Wow.

Bal 30, Cle 10. Do I have to preview this? I'm shell shocked right now.

Chi 20, Sea 13. Hasselbeck is out (really? Shocker). In three years, hasn't Seneca Wallace proven that he's not a competent backup for Hasselbeck?

NO 31, Buf 24. This game scares me. I still don't know what ot expect from the Bills.

SD 20, Mia 19. I'm not sure where I'm going with the Dolphins here - that loss Monday night could crush them, or make them more determined to win a desperate week 3 game vs. an overrated (?) Chargers team.

Den 17, Oak 16. Kyle Orton, 3-0 with Denver after today. All he does is just win. He was like 20-12 with the Bears or something like that.

Pit 26, Cin 23, OT. Should be a classic. I'm interested to see all four sides of this game (Pit O, Cin D, Cin O, Pit D).

Az 30, Ind 23. Something is just missing from the Colts right now.

Dal 24, Car 20. Let's just face it - Dallas may not be that good, and may finish last in the division.

Best bets: 14 of them (last week: 7-8; overall: 13-18).

Ten +2

Ten/NYJ over 37

NYG/TB under 45.5

GB -6.5

KC +8

KC/Phi over 38.5

NE -4.5

SF +7

Jax/Hou under 47.5

Chi -2.5

Mia +5.5

Pit/Cin over 37.5

Az -3

Car +8.5

Junk Drawer

Time for my semi-annual post, sorry for the grab-bag nature.

Terps: Fire Friedgen. Maryland is one of the four worst teams in the ACC with Virginia, Duke, and BC. I don't argue that Friedgen is a good coach, but his record makes me think that he's a terrible recruiter. In the NFL, the talent is about the same with every team so coaching matters more. In college football, you can out-talent people. There is no reason that MD can't become a consistently good regional football team that occasionally has a chance to make some noise nationally. With the facilities that MD has (I would argue that they are above-average regionally, roughly average nationally) and the talent that comes from this area, there is no reason that this isn't achievable.

So who's the replacement? I stole this idea from Bill Simmons, but I think that Herm Edwards or someone like him would be a good college coach. He's black, thin, (appealing in a kid's living room) and sounds good when you don't know any better. Perfect for 17 and 18 year-olds. And by the time you get tired of his antics, you graduate/run out of eligibility. He'll probably never win a national championship due to his inability to actually coach, but he'll win 9-10 games a year and have the team in good bowl games. Who wouldn't take that right now?

The issue that I see is this guaranteed replacement that MD signed in James Franklin. It probably takes too much to buy out whatever is left on Friedgen's deal, buy out whatever guarantee that Franklin has, and get someone like Edwards. Add that to the hole that the athletic department is in with the Tyser Tower expansion, and it looks like another couple of years of aspiring to mediocrity.

Redskins: Is there anyone who doesn't expect them to lose to Detroit? If they do, does Danny make Zorn walk back from Detroit? I've never seen a win that feels so much like a loss. The attitude of the town is just amazing--it's exactly like we lost. There is a TON of pressure on the Redskins right now. If they don't come out and score a TD in the first possession or two, that game could get ugly.

I've also heard some Redskins fans rooting for Detroit. The logic goes that when they lose to Detroit, then Zorn will be fired and we'll looking at Cowher or Shanahan, either of whom will demand authority over player personnel. And with that comes the removal of Vinny Cerrato, who many feel is more responsible for this mess than Zorn. As masochistic as it seems, I can't say that I entirely disagree with that theory...

Phone: I'm just biding my time until I can get an iPhone. I have a BlackBerry now and it's fine for the basics like email and calendar, but it just lacks any ability to really utilize the Internet for anything. If the iPhone was offered on Verizon, I would switch immediately. I just hate AT&T. Any iPhone users out there want to disagree? I think that I'm going to switch when my contract is up in March, but would really like to hear that it's not as bad as everyone says it is....

Newspapers: Here's a question that I asked RRD the other day: when does the Washington Post stop printing a hard copy paper? 3 years? 5 years? And which big national paper falls first? The Chicago Tribune? (Already bankrupt, right?) LA Times?

My parents have always subscribed to the paper and I have as well. But I think that I am one of the very few people my age who actually would pay for a newspaper (I think that Layup still gets the WSJ). But recently, I look at the Post and it has a decent front page and just a shell of a newspaper in every other section. The sports page is a joke. Business has always been a disaster, Metro and Style are in rapid decline, and the classifieds are pointless due to things like Craigslist, etc.

Twitter: I'm continuing my one-man crusade against Facebook, but I'm now on Twitter. I talked to Jay about it the other night and I'm clearly not using Twitter the way that I should, but it's still an interesting way to get news and information. It seems to be a way to subscribe to the writers or other sources of content that you want without having to sift through the whole paper or site. A push content aggregator.

Unlike everyone else on Twitter, I'll ask you not to follow me. You're just going to be disappointed (although not as disappointed as following Sweet). I really have nothing to say, I use it to follow what other people are saying and to see what the flavor of the day is at the local ice cream place--you know, the important stuff.

Vegas: Nice to get the first Vegas concall out of the way the other day. Looks like we're staying at the Mirage this year. Talked to Layup about it a little bit and agree with him--we need something new each year to keep it fresh and interesting. Two years ago, it was the cabana. Last year, it was Ultimate Texas Hold'Em. What is is this year? Eric dancing in the O at Revolutions?

Craps: Speaking of Vegas, I went to Foxwoods the other day for a quick gambling trip. Spent 90% of my time playing craps, which has led me to all kinds of strategy questions (most of which have Layup up in arms). However, the biggest thing that I've noticed is that there are a LOT of people playing the don't. Is that due to the economy? Wiz and Reaver weren't anywhere to be seen, so I don't think that that's the answer. Not sure what the deal is there, but it was noticeable enough that 2-3 people mentioned it to me independently.

Obama

I'm surprised I haven't seen anything about Obama on here for over two weeks. I just wanted to post something quick on Obama.

Why is everyone up in arms about him being on TV and trying to get his message out about Healthcare? I think he understands how divided the country is over Healthcare and he is doing his part as the leader of our country to get out there to sell his message. This is rule number one in change management. Its one thing to disagree with his message, but its another to complain about him over communicating his message.

I think we can all agree that Bush was the exact opposite. So many of the politicians these days make a decision and then hunker down and not communicate. That's just terrible leadership. While I don't agree with some of the Healthcare ideas from Obama, I do applaud him for getting out there and trying to at least communicate his message.

Chad Millman

So if I wasn't already excited about gambling with the start of the football season, the sportsguy had Chad Millman on his podcast talking about a bunch of Vegas stuff. I'm thinking about joining ESPN Insider just for Chad's blog. Here are some of the highlights from the podcast:

1. The M Hotel and Casino has per second in game wagering. That's right. Spreads and totals are updated real time during the game and the sportsbook allows you to wager in game. Apparently they give you a blackberry device that you preload with money that allows you to wager from your seat. Also, there are real time prop bets for certain games. Think the Panthers will get a first down in the current series? Go ahead and wager. I can't wait to try this out when we go out there in the spring.

2. WNBA has tremendous value- Sportsguy was trying to be funny about diving into the WNBA and become the single master bettor in the WNBA and Chad informed him that the wiseguys are already ahead of the game and are cleaning up. The only problem Chad says is that most bookies and offshore site caps the wagering at $5,000. And according to Chad the wiseguys can't make money with only wagering $5000 a game. WOW!!!

3. Zig Zag theory for NBA and WNBA- Take the losing team the following game. Usually in the playoffs, the winning team is over-valued and thus the spread is off for the next game. So far the theory is 2-1.

4. Double digit home favorites- Always go against it. This is becoming like the new Monday night home underdog. This theory will be put to the test next week as the Browns travel to the Ravens. And yes I have thought about it and will be putting money on the Browns.

NFL Week 2: Pink Dogwood

Ok, so you may not have had the best start on the first hole. Now we come to the par 5 second. This is a hole any serious contender must par, and probably birdie.

The left trees on this hole are nicknamed the "Delta Counter". Because - if you go left into the woods - there's no need to worry about playing the weekend and you might as well just get your tickets home now.

That's where a lot of teams are this week. They are 0-1 after a loss in week 1; some teams (like Tennessee, Washington, Miami) lost to good teams on the road - so a week 1 loss is no biggie. For other teams (Cincinnati, Carolina, Arizona) - a week 1 loss came as a surprise and they can not - no way - afford to go 0-2. If they are any good, they will rebound in week 2. The question is - are those teams really any good?

And we also have the question of the teams playing on different "holes" on week 1. Is a team that parred - oh, I don't know - Elks Run #1, Orchard Hills #1 or Pleasant Valley #1 (and therefore are 1-0) any better than a team that bogied the first hole, like a bogey on Blue Ash #1, Grandview #1, or Hunt Valley Blue #1?

In short, this is a big week for a lot of teams. They've got to par the easy par 5. I'm looking at you, Mr. Mangini.

To the picks:

Was 24, StL 13. I just do not trust the Skins enough to cover the large spread.

Ten 27, Hou 20. I think Tennessee's defense is vulnerable to a passing offense like Houston's ; however, the Texans will commit turnovers galore (again).

Phi 22, NO 22 I honestly have no clue here. How wil Kolb play? Can the Saints play on the road? Avoid this one like the plague.

NE 27, NYJ 16. Do we really like that Belichick will let a rookie QB hand with them? Really? I am not buying the Sanchez love just yet.

KC 24, Oak 13. West coast team playing at 1 pm! And maybe KC's offensive "explosion" vs. the Ravens was not a fluke. It's going to be hard for the Raiders to bounce back from a late Monday night game to play in the early spot on Sunday.

Jax 27, Az 20. Another West Coast team playing at 1 pm! Maybe these Cardinals just aren't that good. I need to watch Jax more closely this week to get a read on them.

GB 26, Cin 13. If the Bengals couldn't score at home vs. the Brnocos, how are they going to score vs. the Packers after what we saw on Sunday night?

Min 30, Det 17. A more confident picker would choose the over here. If the Lions win, I will be crying. Enough said.

Atl 27, Car 24. This one should go down to the wire. I'm not saying Carolina will win, but I think they have the urgency here to keep it close -and suffer a heartbreaking defeat.

SF 30, Sea 23. I just like what I see from the 49ers.

Buf 23, TB 13. A perfect opponent for the Bills, who must be crusheda fter Monday's loss. This will be a good indication on whether the Bucs are truly one of the worst 2-3 teams in the league.

Bal 23, SD 13. I don't see the Ravens' defense giving up as many points/yards as they did last week. Side wagers on this game:

Over/under on fights in the stands: 28.5
Over/under on fights in the stands involving Layup, who will be attending? 1.5

Chi 20, Pit 16. I think Chicago can move the ball in the air vs. a Polamalu-less defense. And Pit's strength on offense in the pass - which Chi can handle prtty well.

NYG 26, Dal 20. Mabe I just hate Dallas too much.

Mia 27, Ind 24. I think the Colts have lost a step, and the Dolphins are a dangerous team.

Cle 16, Den 13. OK - this is it. We were nervous on the first tee, hit a good drive- and then hit the approachin the water. Now we are on the 2nd tee at +1. Easy par 5. Let's turn in a good, solid game here and get back on track.

Best bets: 15 of them (last week: 6-10.)

Hou/Ten over 40.5

NE -3.5

KC -3

Jax -3

GB -9

Car +6

Car/Atl over 42.5

SF -1

Sea/SF over 39.5

TB/Buf under 42

Bal +2.5

Chi +2.5

NYG +3

Mia +3

Ind/Mia over 42

Ugh. too many favorites this afternoon.....

Random thoughts while sick

Can't sleep. Sick. So let's spend the night posting random thoughts:

- While watching the US Open for the past couple of weeks, I couldn't help but notice a lot of commericals for Latisse. What is Latisse? It is a drug to help your body....grow longer eyelashes.

Really? I'm sorry, I don't know much at all about what is in high fashion - but people are willing to take a drug that will help their eyelashes grow longer? What happened to fake eyelashes? And if this works, can't it be applied to baldness?

- What are your thoughts about people who brush their teeth at work? It creeps me out. I can't exactly say why it does, but it just seems.....wrong. Go buy some gum.

- This link about looking for Bromance on the internet also creeps me out. Geesh. Go to a tailgate or something. (and in the comments of this article, there is a link to a hilarious YouTube coemdy sketch about Bro rape.)

- What is the age of the CBS Sports hack who wrote this preview? Another question: are we sure this is not from the Onion?

CBS Sports is proud to assign Bill Macatee and Steve Beuerlein, one of our top broadcast teams, to this Sunday's bitter rivalry game between the undefeated Denver Broncos and the much improved Cleveland Browns. Watch on Sunday as these two playoff contenders battle for a key victory in the Mile High City!!!
--END--

Really, I like to be smoking something when I talk about the Browns - but I want to have what this guy is having.

- (inhales) Grade for Week 1: C-. Brady did not look good, and the defense got tired - but I liked a lot of things that I saw out there. A defense that actually attacked. The Wildcat formation (although it may not have been called for a couple of times). A lot of things to work on, but it's a step in the right direction.

(and we can evaluate this team in a few weeks, when Minnesota is either 5-0 and has the inside track to home-field advantage, or 3-2 and just merely an above average team about ready to fall apart on Favre's arm. We are not sure how good the Vikings are just yet).

- I'm reluctant to post anything political right now; let's just say I find this debate over health care reform to be healthy in many ways.

- Gee, I still miss Fire Joe Morgan. He came out of retirement to post a classic about the 2009 AL MVP race.

NFL Week 1: Tea Olive

We're back! Don't let the lack of posting fool you! I've been in hiding for the last few days obsessing over the Week 1 picks for you. We will try to duplicate last year's documented 57.5% winning percentage (135-100) in 2009.

This year's theme: each week, we will compare the games/season with the holes at Augusta National. We start with Hole #1, Tea Olive. It's a tough, tough par 4 right out of the gate - and that's about how I feel with these picks. For an opening par 4, you don't know where your swing is at; you just want to get off the tee without too much damage, and you play conservatively to make sure you don't blow the round with a triple on the first hole. You're asking for a nice par - or at worst, a tap in bogey - so you can get comfortable and get into your round.

That's how I feel this week. So many changes in the teams - I'm not sure if I have a good feel on any of them. Several new coaches are in place - and with a new coach comes an instant jolt of excietment and unpredictability with the teams. In short, for week 1, I'm looking just to survive with an 8-8 week, much like many golfers at Augusta are looking just for a par on #1 to ctach their breath.

On to the picks:

Pit 20, Ten 17. For the record, I did pick Ten +6.5, so I'm 1-0 to start the year. A good warmup session on the range.

Atl 28, Mia 20. Boy, starting with this game feels exactly like opening tee jitters. Can anyone tell me they know what to expect from either of these teams? Is one of them a fluke afte rthe surprise 2008? Are both? Are neither of them flukes? Who the hell knows? Let's just swing away and see what happens......

Cin 28, Den 17. Ugh. I really don't like this pick, but I don't like what I see from Denver.

Ind 24, Jax 13. This is like playing a course once a year and you get to the first green, and you have a 10 footer. You seem to have the same 10 footer every year - it has to break left. It HAS to! You play it outside the hole every freaking year, and it doesn't move.

I always seem to take the under in these Ind-Jax games. It has to be low scoring. Has to! And it never is.

NO 31, Det 16. Boy, the Saints look good. But I think the new coach in Detroit will keep the game somewhat close.

Dal 19, TB 17. What do we really think about the Cowboys? Is Tampa really as bad as we think? I think we're missing something here. I think this game willgo down to the wire.

Car 24, Phi 19. You have a nice round going in the fall, and you screw it up with a double on an easy hole near the end of the round - like a double on, oh, #17 at Blue Ash, #16 at Punderson or #16 at Rocky Point. And then you have to wait 6 months before your next round.

Wouldn't that just stick in your mind - and when you start again next spring, you'd be determined to erase that memory by playing well and focusing for all 18 holes?

The point is, Carolina's end to the season last year has got to be a motivator this year. They want to erase that memory as soon as possible.

Bal 27, KC 9. Really, how are the Chiefs going to score here?

Hou 22, NYJ 16. I'm not sold on the Jets. This is like every year at the Masters - the sleeper picks come out: "Justin Rose is playing well! Look out for him!" And then he makes 6 on the opening hole. Let's wait until the turn to anonit the Jets as a contender for the AFC East.

NYG 16, Was 13. No real ideas here. Was did not have a good preseason; can they move the ball? I'll be interested in watching this at 4.

Az 30, SF 20. Should be a shootout. I know a few people who have Warner on their fantasy team - all I can say is "good luck with THAT".

Sea 27, StL 21. It would not surprise me to see the Rams win this one. I can't pull the trigger and predict it - but they still have some weapons (although a bit older), and a new coach will help.

GB 27, Chi 20. I really want to like the Packers in this game. They looked damn good in the preseason.

NE 31, Buf 10. Sports Guy picked the Bills to be the worst team in the league at 2-14. I think he may be right. If this is true, there is no way they are going into Foxboro and coming within 20 points.

SD 24, Oak 20. Something is fishy here. This game is too easy - TOO easy. This is like Royla Links #5 - the hole is a 300 yard par 4 - straight away - you hit a perfect drive and wham! You are in a pot bunker that is in the middle of the fairway that you can't see from the tee box. Something about this game scares me - and should scare the Chargers.

Min 23, Cle 20. If you pick the Vikings in your suicide pool this week, you are a silly, silly fool. This game will be close and go down to the wire.

15 picks (1-0 so far):

Atl -4

Cin -5

Ind -7

Jax/Ind under 45

TB +5.5

Car +2.5

Bal -13

Hou -4.5

NYJ/Hou under 44

Was +6.5

NYG/Was under 37

Az -6

StL/Sea over 41

NE -10.5

Oak +9.5

Suicide pick: Baltimore.

Emergency request!

If any of you degenerates out there know of an NFL suicide pool with openings for new players, please post the details and any information about them in the comments as soon as possible!

News tidbits

With Layup on vacation, let me fill the void by offering my take on the latest news out there, McLaughlin-style:

Issue 1. Ted Kennedy dies.

A loss for American politics, and I feel bad for the family and all involved. But let's be honest - does "Camelot" and the Kennedys really mean anything to anybody under the age of, 50? The Kennedy mystique was long ago and frankly, I never understood it. What made them special? Their youth? Their idealism? (You really could argue that JFK belongs in today's Republican party - he was no idealist.)

Teddy was an excellent lawmaker, and his presence and knowledge in the Senate will be missed by Americans. But why the national coverage? Will we have this outporing when Bob Dole dies? Newt Gingrich? Hell, Barbara Mikulski? I just don't get why the Kennedys - in 2009 - are still revered as national figures.

Issue 2. Court strikes down most of Delaware's proposal for Sports Gambling

I haven't been paying the most attention, but I guess Delaware wants to creat a lottery based on gambling on NFL games - and a federal court says they can only do it for parlays (3 teams or more).

Can't we make this into a Keno type game? You pick 3 or more games....

Pick 3 out of 3 right - win $5

Pick 4 / 4 - win $10
Pick 5 /5 - win $25

and so on....

and if you pick 10 teams, you win if you get 9 or 10 right. The prize for 10/10 could be $500 on a $1 ticket (true odds: 1024:1).

I mean, there's got to be something in here for everyone, right? Parlays for the NFL are popular and proven losers for the gamblers. Teh stae makes money, people are happy, Delaware schools are flushed with cash.....what's not to like?

Issue 3: A Molecule is photographed

This has got to be the coolest science article ever. My mid is officially boggled.

How in the hell did they do this?

Issue 4: Macaulay Culkin is father to one of Michael Jackson's children

Now my head is really spinning. I am speechless over this news. Just think of me as Jack Germond, sitting in the corner, saying "this country is going to hell".

The jokes, however, just write themselves.

Issue 5: Don loses 8 blackjack hands in a row in Indiana.

Good thing it was at a $5 table and so the losses were held to a minimum. Oh wait, hands #6, #7 and #8 were played for green chips.....

Balls of Steel

OK, I admit it, I sometime read "Carolyn Hax" on the Washington Post website. (sometimes? -ed.) All right, almost every day.

How about this question from a woman on Friday's chat:

Reston, Va.: Last week my husband wrote me an e-mail at work to ask me if I would mind moving the appointment we currently have to induce our daughter (I am due next week) to a later time that evening... to ACCOMMODATE his fantasy football league draft that evening!!!

Now that, my friends, is a man with balls of steel.

I'm getting pumped for the NFL

All this Brett Favre crapola has me pumped for the NFL season. All the talk about Favre and the Vikings make me madder than hell. Many people are talking about the schedule the Vikes have.

Peter King, talking about the Vikings and critiquing the Favre signing:
It's also quite possible,... that the Vikings could start very strong, and either Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson could have solidified his grip on the job and the team will decided it's fine at quarterback. (First five Viking games: at Cleveland, at Detroit, San Francisco, Green Bay, at St. Louis.)
Wouldn't you agree Minnesota could be 4-1 or 5-0, even with mediocre quarterback play?

Go screw yourself.

We are going to sneak up on the Vikes and beat them week 1. In Cleveland. Mangini will push the right buttons and force Favre's hand. We'll pull out the bag of tricks. Maybe - just maybe - our coach can out-coach someone else for a chance (Lord know, it didn't happen the last 4 years).

But all this Favre talk is making me look more and more forward to September 13.

Cleveland 24, Minnesota 16.

Quit your whining

I'm sick and tired of hearing the PGA golfers whine about Hazeltine's length. Oooooh, it's 7600 yards! It's too hard! Too bad.

I just got done playing in the Ohio State Publinx two weeks ago at Cook's Creek. Steve (that's 40-year-old Steve, now), Kermit and I played from the back tees in the practice round. It played almost 7100 and it was soft. And that 7100 included a par 4 of 310 yards and a par 3 of 130 yards. It could have easily been 7200, 7300

That was too long for me.

But I hit the ball 240 yards off the tee.

These pro golfers hit it 300 in the air. And really - it's not just the pros. My playing partners in the tournament all outdrove me by 60-70 yards. They were hitting 7-, 8- irons into long par 4s of 460, 470 when I was hitting hybrids.

These are 18, 19, 20 year olds who play golf at Division II or III schools. (well, I lost to the guy from Morehead State, a D-I school, but I beat the others).

These aren't PROS.

And they are hitting short irons into 450, 460 yards par 4's. Doesn't that say anything? It's not much of a challenge for them. What kind of a challenge is it for the pros?

oooooh, a 514 yard par 4? Well, that just means you have about 210 in for your second. Hell, I birdied a par 4 in my tournament having 210 in. 5-wood to 12 feet, made the putt.

It's not too long for them. Join the real world and hit the same yardage we hit.

A 460 yard hole is now driver, 7 iron.

A 500 yard hole is driver, 5 iron.

That's a good par 4.

A three shot hole - which used to be known as par 5's - should be at least 600, if not 650. Driver, fairway wood - let's say a total of 550 yards - should leave you a full wedge (100) in. 650 yards is about right for a PGA par 5.

I don't get it. The technology has evolved. The yardage must, as well. I expect a major to force pros to hit clubs longer than a 9 iron into par 4's. Too bad if they are not used to it.

I fully expect to see an 8,000 yard PGA tour event sometime within the next 10 years. And guess what? It's still not too long.

4 par 3's with an average length of 210
10 par 4's with an average length of 460 (average approach: 8 iron)
4 par 4's of length 590, 620, 650, and 690

That's 7990 yards. And perfectly fair for the pros.

Gambling on Video Games

Thank you Dudeman for this story. I can only imagine Other Brad's reaction if he was losing a game he had money on against Keith, who was running out the clock in the 3rd quarter. Priceless.

Should video gamers be allowed to bet real money on their gaming skills (or lack thereof)?
BringIt.com thinks so and hopes to capitalize on the concept. As reported by the Associated Press, the site, which is apparently legal in 39 states, will end its beta phase any day now.
BringIt says that the service it provides is not a form of gambling because its outcomes are based on skill, not chance. From the AP report:
It's free to sign up, provided you are at least 18. The site makes money by taking a 10 percent cut from people's wagers and a $4 fee from winners when they withdraw their loot.Founder and CEO Woody Levin, 30, said most of the players on BringIt play for small amounts of money, $5 or $10...

BringIt supports the PlayStation 2, the PS3, the Xbox 360 and the Wii. Players challenge each other on the site, but play on their consoles. BringIt holds players' entry fees until the game is finished. After the game is done, it verifies the results and credits the winner, minus the service fee.
Arizona is one of 11 states in which BringIt is illegal, but the Phoenix New Times suggests - with tongue in cheek - that it could be a potential source of tax revenue:
Who knows? Maybe Levin and BringIt will someday steer as much money toward Arizona politicians as the racing industry does, and then Arizona video nuts can clean out each other's bank accounts -- with the state taking its cut, natch.
ESPN The Magazine has an in-depth interview with BringIt's Levin, who mentions that bets can be as high as $100,000.

Ah, memories

Got out the old Monopoly board to teach Freddie and Warren the grand old game of Monopoly. Their first few attempts at trading were hilarious.

Warren (to Freddie): "I'll trade you my "Get out of Jail Free" card for all of your $500 bills!

Freddie (later, to Warren): "I'll trade for your railroad (he already had 3, needed the 4th) for $50!"

I helped engineer a 3-way trade involving the 4th RR, Virginia, North Carolina and Oriental.

(This brings back memories of playing Monopoly with the guys at my first job at TASC....I think people still talk about the 4-way trade I held up because I inisisted on receiving Reading RR and not Short Line. No one freaking lands on Short Line!)

I was so busy explaining all the rules that, during the first time I went around the board, I landed on Free Parking - but I forgot to put $500 in the Kitty! Dammit.... Layup and I always put $500 in Free Parking to start the game. I did that at college and several people looked at me funny. Doesn't everyone put some sort of bonus in there?

Wall Street Gooch

I have a serious question for Wiz here.

We all hate the "gooch" - for example, you have 20 at the BJ table and someone leans over and says "Congrats on the win"! Of course, the dealer winds up getting a 21 to deflate you - and you are legally allowed to punch the person who congratulated you in the nuts.

Now - does this extend to Wall Street? From P&G's quarterly report analysis:

The results contrasted an upbeat report from German rival Henkel (XETRA:HNKG-P.DE - News), which said its business would not get any worse this quarter after a decline in raw material prices and cost-cutting helped it beat estimates.


I mean, really? Wiz - is this CEO of Henkel stupid or smart? Should you publicly come out and say it "can't get any worse"? What does Wall Street think of this?

Two quick questions

1. If your "friend" compares your pre-shot routine to something done by a Tourette's Syndrome sufferer - is that an insult or a compliment?

2. Four words:

Flo: Hot or Not?

Beer choices

I think I saw the beer selections for the "Beer Summit" tonight at the White House, with the attendees being President Obama, Prof. Gates and Sgt. Crowley. Here's my first impressions of the choices. If I have them wrong, please correct me!

Pres. Obama - Bud Light. Safe choice. This beer still is seen as a domestic beer, even though the company got sold last year. I think this beer has to be in the top 2-3 when one tries to name a beer that represents America in 2009. (Miller Lite may be another one).

I know he's trying to show he's linked into the working class with this pick - but I would have loved to see him go even more in that direction with "Old Milwaukee Light" or, heaven forbid, "National Light".

Beer Choice Grade: A-. Although I'd love to set a line - "Number of Swigs that Pres. Obama takes of Bud Light tonight after the cameras are off.". I'd say 1.5.

Prof. Gates: Red Stripe. A bit puzzling. Does anyone over 30 drink this? Does Prof. Gates have any Jamaican roots? I truly can't see him - even after 7 or 8 beers - running aorund his house yelling "Hooray, Beer!"
Am I missing something, or is he the exact opposite of the target audience that Red Stripe is going after?
Still, not too frilly or "academic", and I bet that factored in.

Beer Choice Grade: C+.

Sgt. Crowley: Blue Moon. Really? Wow. We've all watched cop shows in the past - and there is usually one scene an episode where the off-duty cops hang out at a bar. Let's just say you never see any fruit in the beer during the scene.

I mean, for God's sake, this is Layup's favorite beer! He is as far from blue collar as you can get! Is he really going to have an orange in his beer for the photo op tonight? Please - no.

Beer Choice Grade: C-.

A question was posed to me this morning by our good friend Jorge Blogsada. I could not answer it so I'm hoping for some input from the group. Thanks.

Where did the phrase "numb nuts" come from?

Odds and Ends

Some topics to set the stage for lively discussion this week before July turns to August - and that means NFL time!

1) I always learn something when I gamble. Don posted a message 3 weeks ago about Hollywood - I joined him on that trip and again on Saturday when our round of golf got rained out. Some notes:

- I'm beginning to doubt my "rule of 20" - come to the table with 20 x the minimum bet. So, on a $10 table, that's $200. However, $200 doesn't last long when you are playing the pass line with single odds, a $12 6 and 8, and a Ken Green look-alike is ice-cold in rolling the dice.

- The Horn High Ace-Deuce is sooo 2008. I am able to easily resist that temptation now. However, if someone next to me whispers "the field is on FIRE!!!!", well, I lose my willpower.

- What kind of shitty casino won't let you re-split aces???? Actual hand at Hollywood on a $15 table: I was dealt A-A against a 3. Yes, please, I will split!

Got an A on the first. I looked at the dealer. She said - "sorry", and then dealt me a 2 on the second ace. So I'm stuck with 12 and 13 , and when the dealer did not bust, I was furious.

2) Pop Quiz! I'm so out of practice that I had to consult Don's card on these hands. What do you do on:

a. A-8 vs 10
b. 9-9 vs 7
c. 2-2 vs 2
d. 5-3 vs 6
e. 6-4 vs 9
f. A-3 vs 3

3) Driving to work the other day, pull up behind a car in the other lane...I notice he has a Steeler sticker on his back window.

I mutter something about being an inbred illerate --- but there was another sticker on the other side. A Penguins sticker.

Well, at least he is consistent. Must like his women toothless too.

Then I check his license plate. It was a Pennsylvania plat.

"OK", I say. "Give him a break. He's a transplant and is true to his local roots. Can't fault him for that".

Then I check out his license plate frame.

"Major League Baseball" at the top.....

"New York Yankees" on the bottom.

What a complete douchebag fraud. Only thing worse woul dhave been a Boston Red Sox frame. No jury made up of any males would have me convicted if I rammed into the car.

4) Janice is starting to get addicted to "NYC Prep" on Bravo.

Really? Have we really run out of reality ideas that we have to go to a prep school now?

Is it march yet?

Recap of the last two days out in Vegas at the Monte. Sorry Don for posting right over yours, but who would of thought that we would have this many gambling blogs in July.

I had sent out this manager, Peter, who is in his late 20s for two months to help out the Vegas operation. He is one month into it and he is struggling. He is staying at the Signature at the MGM and basically told me that he is tempted every night to go gamble. He works late now, and then goes and works out to try to keep himself out of the casinos. He has dropped 30 pounds because he is in the gym so much, but in the end it hasn't done him any good since he is tempted to head down around 10:00pm to just check out what's going on. Poor guy, but I'm still jealous.

Now Peter is a really good guy and a pretty big gambler. I have played Poker, Pai Gow, and BJ with him and he would probably be a great fit for the March trips. Until I told him I was going to go play craps after a solid session of BJ. He joins me and just watches for about 5 minutes. I pressure him to saddle up to the table and he does so, but is just clueless on how to bet. Almost like he has never played. $5 on the 6 please...Um what? He gets a little embarrassed and says he has only played a couple of times and really doesn't like it. WHAT?????? How does this happen to an otherwise solid gambler. How did I not see this coming. Very disappointing. I don't think the group would of let me down if I brought him out in March and he did this in front of Don and Mike. Almost like how the group hasn't forgiven Wiz for bringing out Peter the Molester this last trip.

Now my last Peter story. So Peter and I find an empty $10 BJ table and sit in the middle seats with one chair between us. Nice dealer and a pretty solid shoe. So after about 30 minutes, this crazy fat lady comes up to the table and squeezes in right between Peter and I. I give her the stink eye and grunt outloud as I move my chair away from her. And instantly she brings a terrible vibe to the table by openly complaining after every card she gets. "ohhhhhh, I got a seven." And I must of got two BJs while she was there with her saying each time "I never get blackjacks." Ugh she was miserable. The final breaking point was when we all got 13s and 14s against a dealer 6 and then the dealer turns over a 10, with her saying "ohhhhh, he is going to turn over a 5." Of course the dealer turns over a 5 and I yell "For fuck sake lady, you are terrible." with me picking up my chips and leaving. So no Don you are not a bitter gambler, just people are idiots.

Finally lets talk about the idiots at the craps table. Last night after another solid run at BJ, I jumped in on a table just warming up. A decent looking female was just starting her role as I jumped in. On my side of the table there were 6 people; 3 girls, 1 young guy, an old guy, and myself. So the one girl starts to roll and gets hot. She rolls for about 20 minutes. So the next girl rolls, gets hot and stays hot. I'm pressing my come bets and start to make some pretty solid money. I look around and other than the old guy, nobody's stack is getting bigger. I look and see the girl next to me is only betting the pass line. The younger guy has a bet on the pass line and one other number. I then look up and really only the old guy and myself has money out on the numbers. What the hell are these people doing? After about an hour of great rolling, nobody was excited except for the old man and myself. How sad.

So left Vegas a winner. What a great feeling. I wanted to stay longer but too much shit hitting the fan back in LA. I already miss Vegas. Came home and asked Carol when we can go back out and she said this weekend. Hmmmm, maybe time for a quick impromptu trip.

Lumiere

Seriously now, you name your casino Lumiere and place it the St. Louis, solidly in the mid-west. Just exactly who is your marketing director?

1) Overall, a nice place. 2 blocks form the downtown hotel and a view of the arch.

2) Direct from the web site. “And now, you can enjoy gaming without limits. The $500 loss limit* has been eliminated, so you can have a big-action gaming experience with all the non-stop excitement Lumière Place was built to deliver!” Wow.

3) Note to fellow gamblers. I DO NOT CARE about the long shot straight flush you hit months ago. I DO NOT CARE about the bad beat you had last week. I DO NOT CARE. Can we talk about the weather? How about sports?

4) Had a brief stint at a BJ-3 card poker table. You play BJ but can place a sucker bet on 3 card poker involving your 2 cards and the dealers up card. Pays 9 to 1 for a straight, flush or trips. Why do I mention this? I noticed at the top right of the table a reference to the game being patented. How does this happen? Someone explain how this is patentable? What is unique and not obvious?

5) Lady sitting next to me was having a discussion across the table with a gentleman trying to explain proper BJ strategy. I think she had a 13 against a 5 and was concern that no one else had taken a hit and thus, maybe she should hit. FIND A GUN so I can shoot my brains out. You are wasting my time.

6) I fear I’m becoming a bitter gambler. I need help …or maybe just a table of folks that “get” it. Can we move March to say, November?

Obama ratings: plummeting among 5-8 year olds

The boys' favorite TV show is, by far, "Wipeout". (For whatever reason, iCarly is second). They can't get enough of it, and will watch each episode at least 3-4 times.

I had to give them the bad news tonight: tomorrow, they will have to wait until Thursday to watch Wipeout since it won't be on at 8.

"Why not? Why can't we watch Wipeout?"

Well, because President Obama is talking to the nation at that time.

"About what?"

Well, health care......

Long pause.....

"We don't have to watch that, do we?"

No, no you don't.

"Doesn't he know Wipeout is on at 8 that day?"

I guess not.

"Well", they said, disappointed. "I guess we can wait a day to watch it."

I saw an opportunity to recruit some activists. "Would you guys like to write a letter to the President telling him how disappointed you are that you can't watch Wipeout?"

I got 1 yes and 1 no.

Put it all on red.

A flurry of activity on the blog here which makes me happy. Gets me a little motivated to post.

Interesting fact to just me: Laura informed me that of our old college group, there have been 10 babies, with 9 of them being girls. If we could actually wager on the gender of my baby, I'm sure Wiz and I would of put the house down on Carol and I having a baby boy. And in typical fashion we would of lost as now we are at 10 out of 11 being girls.

Ethical Question

I have an ethical question for the group. Mer and I are in a Sunday golf league in Cleveland that has a club championship. There is a qualifying round and three subsequent rounds. I will be on vacation for the second post-qualifying round and will have to forfeit my match if I make it that far. Is it appropriate for me to enter the competition knowing that, if I advance, I would have to ultimately withdraw? Mer says f___ the rest of the league and that I should sign up. He hopes I knock out the defending champ in an early round so he does not have to face him.

Vegas

Heading out to Vegas tomorrow. Staying at the ole Monte. Ahh the memories. Over/Under on how many Brittany songs they still have playing.

Layla will have a female playing partner in Blackjack

Found out late last week that Carol and I are having a little girl. Don't want to gooch anything yet since it really isn't official. With three nephews I was sort of hoping for a little girl. Thinking that I could train her to kick my nephews asses in poker as well as show her how to properly roll craps.

But this weekend I went out and found what seems to be the Talbots for little kids clothing department. I bought a very nice and sensible pair of slacks and a blouse in a size 3-6 months. Compare this to Carol's 10 dresses that she already purchased. My daughter will not be wearing any dresses. Khakis or capris are the only thing that will be allowed in my house. Nothing above the knee.

Exercise/Fitness Question

Before we start, I don't think I have ever been as depressed on the outcome of a golf tournament than I was after today's action. It was - sad. Deflating. Disspiriting. The valiant effort of Watson came up just a bit short in regulation - you knew there was no chance of him winning - and, really, you can't call it a choke. Ok, the last putt was terrible - but he hit a perfect drive and a perfect 8 iron in. Is it really a "choke" to see the ball bounding over the green into a difficult spot? He made great contact - maybe too great? - and it was on the right line. Was it the wrong club? It was one foot - if that - from history that we will never see again in our sporting lives.

Anyway, a semi-serious question for you fitness gurus out there.

Starting in about December, I realized I HAD to lose some weight. I started jogging 2-3 nights a week, starting with about 2 miles and working eventually up to 3 1/2. (I also had to train for my 6 1/2 mile leg in the Marathon relay in early May).

So, in December, I weighted X. (I'm not brave enough to say exactly what X is).

During the winter, I would head to the gym after the boys were in bed, ran from about 10 - 10:30 and then weight myself. At the end, in early May, before the marathon, I weighted X-7. (We will call this Y). A 7 pound loss just from moderate exercise and no real change in diet.

Well, since that marathon, I've done nothing. Sure, I've mowed the lawn and walked the dog, but the jogging has stopped. Period.

Last week my neighbor and I played racquetball after work for an hour. I weighed myself on the same scale.

Y - 2.

How did I lose 2 pounds since May without doing anything?

Is it the summer? Doesn't any summer/winter difference get negated by all the ice cream I am eating?
Is it the fact that I weighed myself at a different time - 6 pm? Is there that much fluctuation during the day?

I'm pleasantly puzzled. Should I be happy? Or is this weight loss a mirage? (and yes, it was confirmed again today at a 5 pm weighing....)

How not to motivate people

There is a big reorganization going on in our business at P&G - and I attended a rollout meeting where the VP's try to energize the group to buy into these changes.

At the end, they played a video to motivate us. "Unstoppable!" And to go along with that theme, they showed images from sports to illustrate that theme.

There were plenty of images of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Now, I'm not a Bengals fan, but this is a company headquartered in Cincinnati. There are plenty of Bengals fans around. And none of them have forgiven the Steelers for their "dirty play" - their "cheap shot" of Carson Palmer in the Jan 2006 playoff game. Carson has not been the same since that injury.

I had no dog in that Bengals-Steelers playoff game - in fact, I wanted the most emotional pain as possible headed on the loser's side, and I think I got my wish. The Bengals fans are bitter and hate a lot of things about the 21st centruy Steelers. It's not a good idea to hold them up as role models to this city.

As for me? No, I have no respect for them either. Let's look at the two most recongizable faces of the Steelers:

Hines Ward. Punk. Should be taken out at any opportunity. *

* ok, ok. If you put truth serum in me and tie me up in the truth rope (don't get excited, Leland) - I will admit that Hines is a great player and I would love to have him on my team. He loves to win and - more importantly - will do anything to win. But I can't publicly admit this as a Browns fan.

Ben Roethlisberger. Dumb ass hick.

I mean, really, what he did on his motorcycle was just as dumb as Winslow. For those who don't remember, in June 2006, Ben was not wearing a helmet and smashed into a windshield.

So - to recap:

Winslow: acted irresponsible with a motorcycle, screwed up his knee, lost a year of playing, and is ridiculed by most fans for being a dumb ass.

Ben:acted irresponsible with a motorcycle, rammed his head into a windshield, missed 2-3 games, but somehow is revered as a warrior and a hero.

What's the difference? Race? Position?

No, some Steelers should not be held up as role models.

Obama and the ASG

What did you guys think of Obama throwing out the first pitch? I didn't mind the ChiSox jacket - he's a real fan, so that was OK. Now...before I go on I want to say - I go to work in flip flops, shorts and a golf shirt - as most of you know I am hardly buttoned up with regards to my appearance. The last time I wore a tie, my son asked why I was "wearing a long string on my neck?!?" BUT....despite that, for some reason I didn't like Obama in jeans. Just felt like he should have been in something a little nicer. Doesn't need to be a tux or anything, but jeans?? C'mon man.

Hollywood

So, the closest local casino, Argosy, decided to trash its Brand name and re-open as Hollywood. Mike, E and I spent a brief visit (yes, 60 minutes) there last Saturday. My thoughts and notes.

1) Wow. It certainly is not a riverboat casino anymore. Lots of space and tables.

2) The traffic patterns entering the place have changed and the signage stinks.

3) If you build it, they will come. When we left, about 6:30PM on at Saturday, the line-up of cars waiting to enter was ridiculous.

4) The dealers stunk up the place. We, ok I, picked a $10 craps table. 3 of the 4 guys to my right continually were asked by their buddies …what do ya got money one. To which the reply was …I’m not really sure. The problem here is, neither they OR THE DEALER knew. Take a gun and shoot my brains OUT. I think we averaged 1 role of the dice ever 2 minutes, and I’m being generous.

5) I looked around at the other tables thinking, we should move. Unfortunately, the situation looked similar at the other tables. It’s 6PM on a Saturday night and they have inexperienced dealers on the floor. What gives!!! I will not return for at least 6 months.

6) Finished the session with a short stint, 7-8 hands, at a BJ table. Won 7 straight hands with at least 3 of them double down. Had the table to myself. Lady sits down, lays out $15, the minimum bet and hands the dealer her player’s card (for cryin out loud, seriously). I almost turned to her and asked her to not place a bet until I lost as I was on hot streak. Figured that would be rude, and lost the next hand. I cashed out.

F&J Poll

At the Vineyard Classic a few weeks ago, I sank a 30 foot putt on #9. Luckily, that was the hole that had a "Longest Putt" contest. I ended up winning!

The course called today: I won tickets at Riverbend- the local concert venue! My choices:

- Blink 182, or
- Comedy with Kathy Griffin

Votes? My choice has already been made, but would love to see what you think....

Cup of Geek

I am going to try and post on some tech things with some regularity - your Daily (ok monthly?) Cup of Geek. It will probably focus on smartphone and web stuff. Those of you not interested...wait, how can you not be interested??? Smartphones right now are like web in 1996!!! :)

First installment - the iPhone.

Well, I finally broke down and got the iPhone when the new 3GS came out. Had to release my assault weapon...err..4yr old old Windows Mobile smartphone - it was time. I also switched to AT&T from Verizon and I did not port my old number, as I would like to leave my past behind. I had that old 703 number forever and it was tied to my old business, etc so I would get a lot of random calls on it. I just wanted to release that number.

Those of you that are running my mobile app (dub me now) would get my updated cell phone automatically in your BB, WinMo or iPhone address book. Those that aren't - well c'mon think of my children - do you want them to starve?? Please sign up today! - its FREE :) Plus, you can win an iPhone 3GS or BlackBerry of your choice click here.

Anyway self promotion aside, I wanted to post about my experience thus far with the iPhone and AT&T. First off, I have been a smartphone user for about 7 years. So I expect A LOT of my phone. The iPhone has not disappointed in that department. It does everything very elegantly and the attention to detail, both in hardware and in software is amazing. One small example, listening to music with the headphone jack plugged in (a standard jack which is another nice feature), if you unplug your headphones the music pauses automatically. Just shows the level of detail that the designers have when it comes to usable functionality. Can't tell you how many times on my old phone I would unplug my headphones and then music would be blaring out of my speakers.

Overall, the hardware design is top notch. You can't take anything apart on it, and the phone feels like it is well constructed. I like having one USB sync cable that also acts as your charger - no need to bring two cables when you travel. Plus the screen works well indoors and outdoors. Overall, the phone feels very solid and sturdy in your hand.

Apple made an interesting choice when designing the phone. First, they decided that NO apps will be allowed to run in the background. So the phone is incredibly stable because shoddy developers (like me) can't spawn jobs that sleep and run in the background. What inevitably happens (anyone with a BB or WinMO phone knows this well) is that some of those cool little apps start leaking memory like a bitch. Then - something will lockup, crash, etc. You know the drill - if it is bad enough you pull the battery and reboot. Now the iphone gets away from that because you can't run anything in the background. Once you push that magic button to exit the app - that app and all its resources are killed.

There are times when this ISN'T desirable however. Like when I'm listening to music on Pandora (awesome app BTW) and I want to check google traffic or my email. Well I can't, because once I close Pandora - boom its dead. Or if I am on yahoo IM, same thing. So you truly cannot multi-task on the iphone. However, it is a tradeoff that I believe is worth it in terms of overall stability. BTW, just to be clear - you can run certain APPLE apps in the background (like the iPod), just not 3rd party apps. Overall, most apps "retain their state" pretty well so you just switch back and forth and its not a big deal. The new Palm Pre has an interesting take on this model - I'll have to post more about it at some point.

Random functioanlity notes:
- iPhone 3gs handles video streaming very well, and you can output videos to your TV too!
- native YouTube app is pretty addictive
- Visual voicemail is freaking brilliant
- the virtual keyboard has not been bad for me. Could I type better if I had a QWERTY keyboard - sure but the new 3.0 OS does a nice job handling input. I've been surprised at how well it handles typing, as that was my biggest stumbling block.
- The way it switches between WIFI and 3G connectivity is very smooth. Download speeds are pretty good with 3G, and AT&T is going to double the speed by year end.
- GPS with google maps is great for the navigationally challenged like myself
- emailing pictures and video is incredibly simple (MMS TXTing is disabled by ATT for now)
- there is absolutely NO BETTER mobile web browsing experience than the iPhone (Google Android is close 2nd). The Safari web browser can do virtually everything that a desktop browser can do (JavaScript, AJAX, etc) . Plus ,the iphone is so popular that many sites are delivering custom iphone versions of their sites. The "pan and zoom" features of browsing a non mobile site are far better than anything else out there. It will not do Flash, however I see that as a good thing :)

OK, now the bad part. I came from Verizon, and I can tell you AT&T's network is nowhere near as good as verizon. Call quality is much more variable on ATT, and I get occasional dropped calls. If I was a sales guy who was on the road 24x7 and making a ton of calls... it would be a tough choice. But for me, the plusses of the functionality of the device blow away the shortcomings of the cell network.

Our company gets a ton of BB devices (we are RIM partners), Android, etc so I have played around with a bunch of phones, and I really found that the iPhone was the one I liked the best (I can't stand BB's thumb scroller thingy to navigate around - I always want to touch the screen). I saw what VRZ had in the pipeline for smartphones and I just wasn't impressed - so I made the switch. BTW - those of you with VRZ, they are going to be releasing some Google Android phones at the end of the year, and will have the Palm Pre in 2010.

Anyway, at some point I'll post about all the BB devices I've seen from RIM as I know that we have some dedicated BB users on this blog.

How not to get real estate customers to your agency

So our neighborhood gets postcards in the mail from Real Estate agents looking for business. These postcards highlight a house in the development that is up for sale, or gives you a list of houses that have been sold for comparison - and, presumably, to show you what a good sale it was.

Honest to God, this is what came in the mail today:

Four Bridges Property Sales March 1, 2009 - June 10, 2009

xxxx Winter Hazel Drive Sold for 51.7% of list price in 1,552 days

Below that is a picture of an agent.

Really, does anyone proof read? Even if this is true, why would you put in on there?

Jacko

Wish me luck today as I'm up in LA for some meetings. This place has turned into a full blown circus. I'm shocked at how many people are here for his stupid viewing. And the news coverage is just shocking. Have we forgotten about all the little boys he fingerbanged? Ugh.

16 reasons: Why?

You didn't think I would get very far in posting before Palin comes up, did you?

So - for those of you out of the country or under a rock this holiday, Sarah Palin will resign as Governor of Alaska effective later this month. Boy, did this set off a round of speculation as to why? Why now? Why resign?

Mickey Kaus (and - if you aren't reading his blog, you better start) has documented 14 reasons that he has heard in the press to explain the resignation. The list in italics, and my thoughts:

I can see 14 Palin theories ... and counting:
1) She's running for president;

EZ: In 2012? No way, not now. Too much damage was done with this announcement.

2) She's undergoing fame withdrawal and plans to get more attention in the lower 48;

EZ: Is she this much of an egomaniac? I guess you have to be to be in politics.

3) She wants to cash in ($);

EZ: This certainly seems plausible. Cash in now while you are still a celebrity.

4) There's another shoe about to drop;

EZ: Remind me...what was the first shoe? Wasn't she cleared of all wrongdoing?

5) She'll now run against Murkowski for Senate.

EZ: Wow. Lisa Murkowski is the Republican senator from Alaska who was elected in 2006; charges of nepotism ran wild after her father resigned in 02 and named his daughter- Lisa- to the Senate. Lisa won the full six year term in 2004, and is up for reelection in 2010.
Running against Murkowski -for Palin- would be a high stakes gamble. It's one thing to lose as a VP. However, if you lose a Senate primary - a PRIMARY - in Alaska - well, that takes you down about 537 notches. If she wins, Palin could become one of the party leaders in Washington. If she loses, it's curtains. Too risky.

6) She needs to tend to her family.

EZ: Are we that cyncial not to believe that? (Don't answer that)

7) She's bonkers.

EZ: No comment.

8) She's preggers.

EZ: Wow. No comment either.

9) She wants to "effect positive change outside government at this point in time on another scale and actually make a difference for our priorities."

EZ: English, please?

10) Actually being a governor in a recession is no fun. Gives you ulcers.

EZ: Ask Mr. Corzine, Schwartzenegger, Paterson, Patrick, Strickland, etc. etc. etc.

11) She worried she wasn't giving "Alaska's issues" the attention they deserve, and was being criticized for that;

EZ: Um, sure, but.....like she wasn't going to be reelected in 2010....

12) She's "fed up with politics ... the personal garbage" etc..

EZ: Sure...but if she is fed up with this, then she has no busness in a natinal office. Juneau? Cmon. You can handle it from Juneau...

13) She wants to fight back without one hand tied behind her back.

EZ: Not sure what this means....

14) The Alaska legislature now hates her;

Some bonus theories:

P.S.: Howard Kurtz is sure! "No way Palin can run for president now." ... Update: Now he asks, "How can these talking heads pop off about the meaning of Palin's resignation when not one of them saw it coming?" ... It's the return of Kurtz vs. Kurtz! ...

and finally:

P.P.S.: I'm waiting for someone to claim it was all the Scientologists' idea. So far, noone. But the night is young.

My mother - of all people - had the best, most plausible theory. She will be named head of the RNC in the near future (fall, 2009), replacing Michael Steele. Makes perfect sense. It reenergizes the party; it is an instant money maker for the Republican candidates in 2010 (and they are going to need money), gets her in Washington to learn while staying visible, and keeps her in the public spotlight. From here, she can run for Senate against the Democrat in 2014 (this is the seat the Ted Stevens lost due to his "non" scandal), and then gt national experience for a Presidential run in 2020 or 2024. For the 2024 election, she will only be 60 years old, so it's possible.

Back after the hiatus

OK, sorry for the lack of posting. Vacation, holidays, golf, work, etc - all getting in the way of what's most important, blogging.

Random topics (non-political) in nature:

1. I am still in shock that I can actually buy a Shaq Cavaliers jersey. Will this put them over the top in 2010? Who knows. But we would have beaten Orlando with him if we had him in June. This is 2 months too late.

2. I am holidng our family hostage; Game Show Network is now replaying old "$25,000 Pyramid" and "$100,000 Pyramid" episodes. I am quickly filling up the TiVo watching Marcia Wallace and Soupy Sales try to win the jackpot for their partners.

3. Freddie's baseabll season ended last week - we got a mail with all of the stats. He was in the middle of the pack with a .532 on-base percenatage. His ERA, however, was 57.....Layup immediately suggested he would be a good fit for the Tribe bullpen. Unfortunately, he's right.

4. I know I sound like "the Boy who cried Wolf" around here sometimes, but I am legitimately excited for the Browns this year. New coach + settled QB + revamped front 7 on defense + some talent (athough young) in the receiving core - a murderous schedule = 7-9 or 8-8 this year. I'm not predicting any more than that - but we aren't the worst team in the league (as Peter King has ranked us). Please

4a. Of course, we do play Detroit in November. If the Lions have not won by then....look out.

4b. Week 1 is Cleveland at home vs....Minnesota. If Favre signs with the Vikings, he will open up against us - and his old coach from the Jets. Expect this game to be nationally televised on FOX.

5. Ethical question: Janice and I were upgraded (twice) on our flight to CA in June; once from Salt Lake to San Diego; the other time from San Diego back to Cincinnati. Is it bad that we sat in First Class - with Martin - and let Freddie and Warren sit in coach with a poor soul who occupied the 3rd seat in the row?

6. I love WNBA wagering. That is all.

Here we go again....

Back from vacation to Southern California....will blog later about all the activities, including the age-old question: "Is Chirs Berman sexy?"....

but no time for that now. We start the Cincinnati city championship this morning. Don and I are registered; I haven't picked up a club in 10 days - and I tee off in 2 hours. Follow all the action at www.gcga.org. I'll try not to embarass myself.

ESPN Golf Coverage

Hey fuckheads at ESPN, you are ruining the US Open for me. Some random thoughts while following the Open today.

1. Get a better producer. If you can't provide live coverage of each hole, don't ruin it by having the announcer tell us before the shot happens that "he knocked it close". Jesus, I know NBC and CBS do it occasionally, but its starting to happen a little too much.
2. Rick Reilly- I used to really like him. I have all of his books, but can he do anything other than sad stories now?
3. Berman- Horrendous. Terrible. A total disgrace. On the flip side though, I don't mind Tirico and Van Pelt.

Can't get it out of my head

I have a huge craving to play craps. Maybe its because Eric is in town, but I can't shake it. Eric wants to make a run to one of the local casinos, but I don't want to play California craps, which they replace the dice with playing cards.

I would almost recommend you guys to check the San Diego police blotters this weekend to see if there is a story about two guys in pleated khaki shorts arrested at the Hotel Del for rolling dice on the sidewalk on the backside of the hotel, yelling and screaming like two little girls. Its getting to that point.

Points against Obama

Hey Republican party! You want to make inroads against Obama and the Democrats?

Forget about raising the issue about Obama taking his wife to Broadway for a night out. yes, yes, yes, it's $24,000 to taxpayers. But for God's sake, he is the President. Let him do whatever he wants for a date night. I'd get a luxury box for every Browns game - and happily charge it to the taxpayer. Most people are sympathetic to Obama here. Lay off.

But you better hammer hard on two things that occured this week.

1. GM's head marketing boss, Mark LaNeve, was asked on a call-in show about diesel cars and who GM hasn't pushed that technology here. One of the reasons he stated was that diesel is $1.25 a gallon more expensive than regular gasoline.

Hold the phone there.

That is absolutely incorrect. Right now, diesel is $0.17 less than gasoline.

Diesel costs less than gas. But - the chief marketer at GM does not know, or is not aware of this, fact. How clueless is he?

What does this have to do Obama? This is the company that we are sending another $50 BILLION TO! This is the beahvior we are rewarding!

For God's sake, let them fail.

2) Chrysler. I'm still trying to sort the merger deal between Chrysler and Fiat, but apparently there was a hold up in the Supreme Court because unsecured bond holders (like the Indiana pnesion fund) were not being paid off first; instead, money was going to unsecured bond holders (such as the UAW).

What could this cause? By putting the United Auto Workers' rights above those of secured lenders -- and in the process seemingly upsetting years of established bankruptcy law -- the government risked creating uncertainty about the rule of law, and perhaps discouraging those willing to put capital at risk in America.

OK, one may say - but why aren't all the secured holders wanting a stop to this deal? Why is it just the Indiana pension fund that is pushing for a stop here?

Because most (the majority) of the other secured bond holders of Chrysler are held by institutions like JPMorgan (JPM, Fortune 500), Citibank (C, Fortune 500), Goldman Sachs (GS, Fortune 500), and Morgan Stanley (MS, Fortune 500), all of which were themselves TARP recipients and, therefore, arguably subject to considerable government arm-twisting.

Hmmm......circumventing the rule of law, and arugably playing favorites with TARP. It may take a genius to make a 30 second commercial out of this issue, but I bet it can be done.

So - what we have is Obama:
- lining the pockets of incompetent corporate boobs at GM, and
- playing favorites by picking the UAW and TARP banks over state pension funds with the Chrysler takeover.

I think the actions of Obama are starting to worry many moderates out there....

Odd....

Is it just me, but does it seem like every time you hear about an 18-inning game, that:

1) it's always in the National League, and
2) the San Diego Padres are usually involved?

I would wager that in all of the 18 inning games plaed over the past 20 years, the Padres have been involved in 25% of them.

Pathetic?

I checked the on-line wagering site this weekend - and noticed lines for the WNBA for Saturday. Opening Day had arrived - and a full schedule of 6 games were on tap!

And yes, after doing 5 minutes worth of research, I was a perfect 3-0 on Saturday on the WNBA, and followed that up with a 1-1-1 performance on Sunday.

Mind you, I don't actaulyl WATCH the WNBA, but this may be a nice summertime diversion before the NFL comes rolling around again.

So- WNBA wagering - is this a pathetic new low for me? Or does it make me crazy.....crazy like a fox?

Thoughts from a Airport Chili's bar

Is there anything better than finding out that you have a 90 minute layover and finding a Chili's at the airport where you can watch TV, have a beer, and eat about 21 boneless chicken wings? Ahhh...below are some thoughts that prompted me whipping out the laptop to blog at the bar:

1. There is a fat chick sitting across from me wearing a pink Duke shirt. She of course is being very vocal about wanting the Lakers to win and all I can think about in my head is chucking my cell phone at her hoping that it would knock her out cold so I could then walk over there and kick her in the head. God I hate Duke and everything about them.

2. Poor hockey fan can't get the asshole bartender to turn one of the three TVs onto the hockey game. I've never seen such a dick before. Telling him that he isn't allowed to change it, when he has the remote in his hand. I will ask this again, where is the customer service gone in this country.

3. Sat next to an older guy who had a man purse on the plane. I was playing spider solitaire for the most part of the trip and had my headphones on, but he still decided to talk to me about how he is a master of spider solitaire. Really? What part of my body language gave you the indication that I give a flying fuck. I even did the annoyed "I'm sorry are you talking to me?" line. He went on to say that he only plays the 4 suit game since the 2 suit game is too easy. And guess what I was playing. The 2 suit. Ugh.

4. I know dudeman brought this up in the past, but I do find it very strange that Southwest only accepts credit cards on their flights to purchase drinks. Is that even legal?

5. Spent the week in Seattle, where it was sunny and 85 degrees the entire time. Wow, when its not rainy or cloudy, this place is amazing. Couple of comments:

• Its stays light outside until 9:30pm and gets light at 5:15am. I kept on thinking that I slept through my wake up call each morning since it was so bright at 6:00am. Pretty nice in the evenings and you totally lose track of what time it is when it stays that light out.
• So I guess they have this law in Washington that they must post the calorie count for every item at a fastfood joint right underneath the picture of the food. So confusing since I kept on getting the price and calorie count mixed up. And honestly there isn't anything worse than ordering a large Blizzard at Dairy Queen, knowing that it is 1600 calories. But of course I still did it...every freaking night.
• Everyone there kept on complaining about how bad the traffic was in Seattle. And my group from Southern CA was just laughing it off. Um, we are still going 20 mph. That's not traffic, that's moving in LA.
• They love their college sports in Seattle. Half page picture of the Lady Huskie's softball team that won the national championship.