| New Get a Mac ad interrupts football, doesn't need replay
Was it because I was in a football state of mind? Maybe I was just bitter about the commercial break that airs after the ensuing kick-off, which comes after the commercial break aired after an extra point. It could just be that the New York Giants didn't show up for their first quarter in Tampa Bay this weekend. But Apple's new Get a Mac ad that aired yesterday afternoon during the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs, Referee, was pretty terrible for me. The ad, which featured Mac, PC, and a supposed NFL referee, tied into the games taking place yesterday. The PC brought the referee to the commercial to make sure Mac "plays fair," citing his boasts that Leopard is "better and faster than Vista." (Mac points out that those were the Wall Street Journal's claims, not his.) The referee then inexplicably starts the clock and then heads back to the video camera to review the claims.
Filed under: AuburnFootball
It's about 30 minutes before kick off of the Chick Fil A Bowl where Auburn will be taking on the talented Clemson Tigers. I wanted to give my quick thoughts on why I believe Auburn will win this game. 1. While Clemson has a very strong running game, Auburn has faced the tandem of McFadden & Felix Jones when they played Arkansas earlier in the season & they virtually shut down the Hogs excellent rushing attack. I don't believe the Clemson RB's to be superior to those two so I think that will be a big factor in Auburn's favor. 2. The "mystery" spread option attack. While AU certainly has not had time to install the full package due to the limited amount of practice time allowed since they hired new OC Tony Franklin, I think this unknown element will cause some defensive problems for Clemson.
COMPUTER’S MORE THAN JOEL CAN BEAR
US teams won the women's and senior events and lost in the Bermuda Bowl final. Today's deal caused consternation in the semifinals of every event. Two North-South pairs got to seven hearts, and East had a chance to be a hero by leading the jack of spades. But when East led a trump, South could take the ace and 10 and return to his hand with the king of spades to draw trumps. Three North-Souths reached seven spades, and West led a club: 10, jack, ace. Two declarers then cashed the A-Q of trumps. When East discarded, declarer tried the A-K of hearts, and West ended matters by ruffing. Could you make seven spades? In the Senior Bowl, a Brazilian declarer led a trump to the dummy's king at the second trick (guarding against J-10-7-4 with East) and ran all his trumps.
Skipper Dravid encouraged by India away form
NOTTINGHAM: Rahul Dravid believes India are starting to shake off their tag as poor travellers after they went 1-0 up in a three-Test series against England here at Trent Bridge. Indias comprehensive seven-wicket win left them on the brink of only their third series victory in England since... .
Critics peek inside Oscar
If the past few years (or the past few decades) are any indication, trying to predict who will get a nod is like trying to predict Kevin Federline's musical career.So this year, Fresno Bee movie critics Donald Munro and Rick Bentley are taking a different approach. Their lists are the actors and films that they would honor if they were selecting those to get the Oscar nods. Here's how they would hand out the 2008 Academy Award nominations.Donald Munro's picksBest picture"Hairspray": The feel-good movie of the year, perfectly pitched and so giddy in its forward momentum and cheery social message that you'll be dancing out of the theater."No Country for Old Men": It captures the Wild West tinge of underlying violence that boosted the United States in its early days and to an extent still forms the framework of our society: a country of wide-open spaces, boundless opportunities and a chilling tendency toward taking what you can get."Once": A perfect little musical love story about a struggling Irish songwriter, this low-budget charmer has the best soundtrack of the year."Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street": This pared-down version of the Broadway musical is so bloody economical that the film achieves an amazing double whammy: It gives you the chills and makes you sing at the same time."Into the Wild": Sean Penn's adaptation of the Jon Krakauer book about a young man (Emile Hirsch) who naively challenges the Alaska wilderness is a taut, superbly told and ferociously filmed adventure.Best actorJohnny Depp, "Sweeney Todd": He's a cut above, no doubt about it.Chris Cooper, "Breach": A clenched and compelling performance as a traitorous FBI officer who shrouds much of himself -- motivations, back story, moral center -- and yet keeps offering intimate glimpses.Don Cheadle, "Talk to Me": An endearing and moving performance from an actor who captures the charisma of a born entertainer.Daniel Day-Lewis, "There Will Be Blood": Among the most chilling personifications of evil ever portrayed on the big screen.
Dec 28th
Well, it's almost time for me to head off to Australia. Tomorrow, actually, but this might be my last chance to get in a blog before then. I will try to blog while there but won't promise. Christmas is over and it was quite a pleasant one. My son visited from Las Vegas and he said he had a good time. It looks like he is set on going back to college full time to qualify as an accountant. He did one class last semester and got an A, so it looks like he should do OK in that field. He has quite a bit of money coming to him for education from the time he spent in the United States Air Force; at least enough for about two years of college. We spent Christmas Eve morning at my wife's parents then headed to Pensacola Beach, Florida to where my wife's sister and family live. Lots of gifts were handed around and we all ate and drank too much.
Corey's story: fair game or camera fodder?
Take off your sunglasses and apologise," she demanded. He said he would apologise but he wasn't taking off his sunglasses and this then became the substance of the interview. Is this really what current affairs news has turned into? It would be laughable if it wasn't so sad. McKinnon's dismissive sign-off at the end "I suggest you go home and take a long, hard look at yourself", prompted nothing more than a smart-arse kid retort which has made him legendary among youth worldwide: "I have... everyone has... they love it." Media savvy Love him or hate him, this kid seemed extremely media savvy. His interview with McKinnon was posted on YouTube, his MySpace site had thousands of hits and news organisations and bloggers around the globe were obsessed with the story.
NFC Championship Game won't be coldest
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Today's NFC Championship Game at Lambeau Field isn't likely to be the coldest ever in the NFL, but temperatures are expected to be near zero at kickoff. The coldest game in NFL history was the 1981 AFC Championship Game, played Jan. 10, 1982, at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium. The temperature was minus-9, and the wind chill plunged the readings to minus-59 as the Bengals beat San Diego 27-7. Next was the Ice Bowl on Dec. 31, 1967, for the NFL title at Lambeau Field. The Packers beat Dallas 21-17 on Bart Starr's quarterback sneak in the final seconds. It was minus-13 that day and the wind-chill factor was estimated at minus-48. Projections for today are temperatures reaching a high of 3 degrees, and the thermometer almost certainly will register below zero during what amounts to a night game.
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