I am voting NO on Proposition 8

...and I hope you will too.

Why? For many reasons.

Proposition 8 discriminates against same-sex couples. The California voter's guide (http://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/title-sum/prop8-title-sum.htm) states that Prop 8 "Eliminates the right of same-sex couples to marry." Gay marriage is currently legal in California, this proposition seeks to amend the state constitution to take away that right.

Proposition 8 has nothing to do with education. This proposition only has to do with amending a part of the State Constitution. California already has a law giving parents the right to opt out of health and family issues being taught in class. This happens every year when sex education is taught in schools and parents are given the option to remove their kids from this section of classes. The same is already true with regards to marriage teachings in school.

Proposition 8 does not affect the tax-exemption status of churches, and it does not have an effect on people being sued over personal beliefs. Again, same-sex marriage is already legal in California, and people are not being sued over it, and churches are not losing their tax-exempt status.

Same-sex marriage in California has to do with civil marriages, recognized by the State. Religious officiants are not required to perform a marriage which goes against their religious beliefs. Proposition 8 has nothing to do with religious marriages.

Proposition 8 is opposed by various ACLU chapters of California, the major newspapers of California, the California NAACP, the Japanese Americans Citizens League, the Anti-Defemation League of Southern California, the California Nurses Association, the California Teachers Association, Service Employees International Union California State Council, Catholic Democrats of California, and various Espiscopal, Presbyterian, Jewish and Lutheran churches and groups, to name a few.

This Tuesday, I hope you will exercise your right to vote, and I also hope that you will join me in voting to protect equal rights for everyone by voting NO on Proposition 8.

I know for many of you I am preaching to the choir, and if so, I would hope you will send information to your friends and family asking them to vote to protect equality in California.

More information regarding some of the claims floating around about Proposition 8 are available at http://www.noonprop8.com/about/fact-vs-fiction

Loving the Olympics

Something about this years Olympics has had me mesmorized. Maybe because I'm getting older, maybe because I just enjoy sports more than I did when I was young, I don't know. But I've watched most of the Women's Volleyball matches (well, the US anyway), all of Michael Phelps races, and spent plenty of other time watching other events (including a good chunk of the women's marathon).
I'm not sure if it's the story lines, or just that the US has become fairly dominant in a few events, but it's something. Perhaps because people like Phelps, or May-Treanor and Walsh are so good, that you just have to watch. And stepping away from the US, Usain Bolt is inhuman. That guy is ridiculously fast. I'd love to see what he could do if he truly finished out a race instead of letting up.
Anyway, the Beach Volleyball finals should be on soon, so I'm off to go catch that!

We got engaged

Yep. This weekend I proposed and Erin said yes. So with the house
purchased, we are now one step closer to really being a family. And
that feels good.

Sent from my iPod

Paying To See The Dark Knight in IMAX

So we just got back from seeing "The Dark Knight" in IMAX. Movie's still awesome, IMAX was even awesomer.
But today told me a lot about what I think about this movie. I don't pay to go to the theater to see a movie. Unless it's something I'm waiting for (Yes, I will go to the theater for the next Harry Potter movie), I generally wait until it's out on DVD to see a movie. Well, that's the plan anyway. I usually end up waiting until it shows up on Fox or USA or something. Or I never see it.
So the point is, I don't like to pay and go to the theater for every movie that comes out (we do make it probably 6-8 time per year still), so it says a lot that we've now paid both matinee price and IMAX price to see the Dark Knight.
And I will most definitely get it when it's out on DVD.

The View From Our Seats

And I found out that the Chargers will be wearing the Powder Blue Unis when we're there!

"The Dark Knight" Was Lame

Do you hate me yet? Ok, so it was a really good movie. Had lots of
moments where it seemed like the movie was going to end, and I was
diappointed because I wanted it to keep going. The movie definitely
did not disappoint and was definitely worth paying theater price to go
see. So go check it out.
The type of movie I will most likely go spend the money to get the DVD
later.

Chargers Vs Patriots

October 12, just got tickets to go! Woohoo!

Fresno State Wonderdogs!

Fresno State baseball is 1 win away from a national championship! Wednesday at 4 PM Pacific Time versus the Georgia Bulldogs!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/baseball/recap?gameId=2817602781

Making Money Online

Here are a few methods which I have personally used to make a little bit of money online. None of these are going to turn you into a millionaire (unless I'm doing it wrong!), but you can make a bit of cash back.

The first and easiest is just to save your own money! Many banks now offer online-only savings accounts. These accounts are FDIC insured, and pay a much higher interest rate than your bank probably does. The only catch is that you have to access it online, you can't go into a bank, but if you're trying to save, that's OK! ING Direct offers an account currenly paying 3% interest. If you open an account with an initial deposit of at least $250, they'll give you $25, and if I refer you, I will also get $10. Email me if you want a link!
jhobolt85 at yahoo dot com

Survey are a fairly effective method to earn some money. I use 3 different programs:
SurveySavvy pays you for surveys, and that money builds in your account until you request a check. So far I've cashed out $93.50 from them. To join follow this link:
https://www.surveysavvy.com?id=2437857&action=join

The second I use is the Global Opinions Panel. Each of their surveys gives you points, and those points can be redeemed for gift cards to major retailers. I recently joined, although Erin has gotten about $40 in cards. If you want a referral to the program, email me
jhobolt85 at yahoo dot com

The third is American Consumer Opinion. They just send you a check for each survey you qualify for. I've made about $10 from them so far.
Visit http://www.acop.com/

Another I recently joined is called Ebates. This site basically is full of links to online retailers, and when you sign up, you shop through their links, and you get cash back on your purchase, up to 25%. They have lots of places like Amazon, Expedia, Orbitz, Barnes and Noble, tons of places! I just recently signed up, and haven't made any purchases yet, but it has lots of potential as I do use several of these online retailers. Sign up, and we each get $5 when you make your first purchase.
http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=GEKh2U2JANeCUw%2F5rQ2mVg%3D%3D

The last site is called MyPoints. Similar to Ebates, you can shop through them, and earn points that you can redeem for giftcards. Personally, I'd rather shop through Ebates and get the cash straight back, but you can also get points just for reading a daily email, answering short surveys, and things like that. If you'd like a referral, just email me at jhobolt85 at yahoo dot com

And that's all for now. I'm thinking of doing a post soon on the pros/cons of credit cards, specifically points/rewards cards.

Healthy Air Living Week

Here in the central valley, the local air district is starting a new program aimed at helping people change their lifestyle as a way to help reduce air pollution. As a part of the launch of this new Healthy Air Living program, they will be giving away a new Priua. To pledge to make changes in your lifestyle and enter the drawing, please visit www.healthyairliving.com
You can enter multiple ways: make a personal plede or get your employer to make a pledge for your business.

Mario Comic on Cyanide & Happiness

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

Movie Review: Sweeny Todd

I'm too tired to put together a good review right now, which probably means I should do it later. But Erin and I watched this movie based on a recommendation from a couple of good friends who had seen a performance of the play in San Francisco, and I have to say: See this movie! It's awesome! I am a bit partial to good musicals, but this one was very well made, the music is excelent, the parts were well cast. We even ended up going out to buy the soundtrack. And that does not happen very often. So basically, go see this movie, it's very dark, but very well played in all areas!

The kittens!

The black one is London, and the gray one is yet unnamed!

Our new kittens!

Well, we don't have them yet, but we are getting them soon! Another week or so and they'll be big enough to leave their mama!

"Greening" the House

My ultimate goal for our home is to have it be environmentally friendly. For a lot of things, I'm not going to go spend money just for the sake of it. For example I'm not going to rip the carpet out and put in bamboo floors just because it's "green." I think that is a bit wasteful since the carpet is already in there. However, I am going to go that type of route when it comes time to replace the carpet (which may not be all that far off). So what have we done so far?

*When we moved in, the walls needed new paint, so we used low VOC paint throughout.
*I have replaced most of the lightbulbs with CFLs, although I'm holding back on a few spots because we might be replacing the lighting fixtures. One of the fixtures uses a dimmer, and the other has small lights, so I don't want to spend a lot of money buying these replacements, only to possibly end up with different needs later on.
*We recycle just about everything. I don't even bother to take the trash out to the curb every week because we generally only have 1 bag of actual garbage.
*I just took our lawn mower into a metal recycler and ordered a new electric mower.

When we moved in, there were a few things already in place:
*All of the windows are double-paned, and the insulation is awesome (the house is only 8 years old), so the house stays nice and cool. So far we've turned on the ceiling fans a handful of times, and have not used the air conditioning at all, and hopefully it stays that way!
*Almost all of our appliances are gas-powered.

I'm sure there are other things, but I can't think of anything off the top of my head right now. What are the goals for the future?

*When it comes time to replace the carpet, I know Erin wants hardwood in a lot of places, so we'll look into an environmentally friendly approach to this.
*When the hot water heater is ready to go, I want to put in a tankless heater.
*Solar panels on the house.

Obviously that last one is considerably more expensive, and we can survive without it, so it will probably have to be a ways off.

But that's where we are right now, and kind of an idea where we'd like to head in the future.

Busy Times

So what's up with me? Got moved into the house. Lots of landscaping work. OK, we took out weeds and put in some new flowers and plants. Not all that big of a deal. Busy at work (put in 49 hours last week). Poor Molly Mouse had to be put to sleep. But there are big plans in the works at least, right? Well, no. Weekends have been pretty busy with getting things put together here at the house, and when we aren't doing that, we've had prior commitments.
Until today.
It is so nice to just sleep in, get up and watch some TV, then eat lunch and get ready to head out (OK, I did mow the lawn in the middle there, but that didn't take too long). Went to Target, did some shopping, went to Petsmart, and they had some super cute cats. One was older, about 6 years, but he just looked soft and squishy. Then there were two super cute little kittens, one black, one cream colored, both sleeping and dreaming away. But we held back (my boss has a couple kittens about 5 weeks old that we're going to take as soon as they're old enough to be away from the mother). Then off to Erin's folks place to check in on their animals. Then back home, went for a walk, ate some dinner and just relaxed. Very nice.
Why am I writing this? I dunno, it just sort of happened, and now you can't have those 5 minutes back. Sorry

If Only I Had The Creativity

No More Dancing With the Stars

So I haven't really posted anything about it, but I've been watching Dancing With the Stars this season. Why? Because I'm a big Adam Carolla fan. But now he's been voted off, so I was asking myself whether or not I'll continue to watch. I'm not sure. I generally did enjoy the show, but kind of tuned out until Adam came on, and then I'd pretty much zone out till the end of the show when I could vote. And even more so this last episode now that we have a DVR and I could quickly scan through the episode to get to the part I wanted to see. I guess it's a "wait and see" approach I'll be taking from here on out.

I'm back!

It took a while, but I've got the internet again! We're mostly moved out of the old apartment, and partly moved in to the new house! Well, we're not too bad really, we've still got things to move around, and a lot to get out of the garage, but all the big stuff is done, and we're happily living in our house! It's very different, instead of a quiet Sunday, I was out trimming back a bush that was growing into the driveway, washing the cars, re-seeding some dead spots in the grass, overall, I feel like a real homeowner. I guess that's all for now, but I am happy to be back online!

New Posts?

Coming soon. Been busy moving into the new house, and getting internet service has been a hassle out there.

Movie Review - The Hammer

What kind of movie do you want? Sports movie? Underdog movie? Comedy? This movie is all of these and more! Bring your lady along, the love story is in there too, and that part is cute. It's been a while since I've really laughed out loud during a movie. I am the kind of person who laughs to myself, doesn't really give the "ha ha!" sort of laugh, but I definitely was during this movie.
Are you a fan of Adam Carolla? If so, you should definitely go see this. You already know what to expect in terms of the type of humor. Typical Adam humor fills this movie. But beyond that, there are plenty of scenese of good visual comedy. One scene that sticks in my mind shows Adam doing jumprope in the gym when his lady friend walks in and watches him. He's jumping along to the tune of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones playing "Rascal King," and he starts to show off a little bit for his girl (Heather Juergensen). The scene cuts to watching Adam from her perspective, and since she's just standing in the gym, there's no music. It's hard to describe, but you really have to see it to appreciate how funny it is.
If you are in one of the markets where this movie is playing, then go see it!!! To find out if it's playing near you, go to www.thehammermovie.com

Recognize This Rabbit?

I got this cartoon in an email this week, and I know that this rabbit looks familiar, something I saw or watched as a kid, but I can't place it, and I'm having trouble finding it online. Anyone recognize who this rabbit is?

Book Review - Mister B. Gone By Clive Barker

"Burn this book. Go on. Quickly, while there's still time."
The first three sentences of Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker make it obvious that this is not a normal novel. It's hard to define who's perspective this book is seen from. The idea that this book you are holding is not just a plain book. It contains the soul of a demon, Jakabok Botch, who is trying to convince you to destroy the book containing him.
The book goes back and forth from Botch telling the reader his tale to trying to convince the reader to destroy the book.
The early parts of the book are extremely interesting. Partly because of the different concept that this book is talking to you, and partly because the story early on is very interesting as he tells you about how he ended up escaping from hell and ended up on earth. Although he is a minor demon and does not have a huge range of power, he is still a slight force to be reckoned with in the world of humans.
In time, you learn that Botch meets another demon, Quitoon Pathea, and they travel the world together.
I did enjoy this book, and I would recommend it to someone who enjoys dark books, or anyone who just wants to read something written a little different. It is a little strange reading the story as if you are being spoken to.

Kid Rock

So I recently I stumbled across an old CD with some Kid Rock stuff on it and have been listening all week. I remember when he first came out, I couldn't stand him. Strange, because I was way into the rap-metal style that was huge at the time. I had all the KoRn albums, I listened to Limp Bizkit, that kind of stuff. But something about Kid Rock just annoyed me. Honestly, I don't think I ever really listened to it and I decided I didn't like it. I remember when American Badass came out, I was upset that he had used music from Metallica and sang/rapped/whatever over it.
When I found the old music, I also found a video clip from Woodstock '99, and man, he really did the whole "white trash" look great. Long, greasy hair, no shirt, super skinny. But somehow he pulled it off. He was super arrogant, but now I'm listening to some of these old songs, and I can't help but nod my head as I'm listening to it. It's just a great beat, and I'm not really sure why I never gave it a chance before.

Earth Hour 2008

I recently found out about this event. On Saturday, March 29, you are encouraged to turn off your lights for 1-hour. Between 8 PM and 9 PM local time, just shut off all your lights. This event is to help people to conserve a little bit, and at the same time, you can cut back on the emissions you are responsible for.
At the very least, it might save you a little bit, having all your lights off, and who knows, maybe you can get together with friends and have a nice little evening outside! Please sign up and participate in this program! To get more details and to sign up, follow the link below:

http://www.earthhour.org/user/xxk2

And leave a comment here if you sign up so everyone will know that you've pledged to join this event!

Review - Shakespeare Is An Idiot

We made it out last night to go see the last performance of "Shakespeare Is An Idiot," a play performed as part of the Rogue Festival in Fresno's Tower District. Was it worth it? Most definitely!
I have to admit, going in, I was a little worried. A part was the small size of the venue combined with the temperature. It wasn't super hot or anything, just considerably warmer than the outside, pretty much should be expected for a small place packed full. This is not a knock on the location or anything. I'm not really claustrophobic, but I occasionally get a little freaked if I'm feeling too confined and the air's a little too warm/stuffy. Anyway, once everyone got settled in, I was fine, there was a fan cooling the place off well. Another bit of worry was that I wasn't really in a pleasant state of mind going into the show, but that just speaks more for the quality of the show, because I was quickly able to shift focus and enjoy the show (this isn't always easy for me).
Anyway, on to the actual show! So it starts out with Mr. Marlowe speaking to his English class (the audience) about how the state requires him to teach Shakespeare, so he's brought in a group who will perform some scenes from various plays. After a little introduction, the group begins to perform a scene from Romeo & Juliet, only to be interrupted by Mr. Marlowe ("Hehe...Butt Love!") a few times. The group performs a couple of scenes, including bringing an audience member on stage to play a huge part (Only line: "Madam"), until they are finally interrupted by Mr. Marlowe complaining that Juliet should just follow Romeo in his banishment!
The show continues in similar fashion with scenes from Macbeth, Othello and Hamlet. All sections end with Mr. Marlowe complaining that Shakespeare's methods are idiotic ("Why doesn't Hamlet just kill his uncle right now?"). Lots of small jokes throughout the play, including pop culture references like "Worst...Hamlet...Ever," female characters being portrayed in the stereotypical "dumb blonde" vein, a character done in William Shatner "spoken word" performance mode and the Wayne's World method of going back in time.
Overall, the show was definitely funny. The jokes were great, the acting was awesome, and the overall atmosphere was a lot of fun. Congrats to the cast, they did a great job, and definitely entertained!

My New Environmentally Friendly Car!

I'd buy one of these!


Enter the ICHC online Poker Cats Contest!

What is rude?

I don't often honk my horn in my car. A large part of it is that my first car did not have a working horn. The other part is that I'm always afraid I'll be "that guy" who uses his horn way to much and is a total jerk.
But twice in the last week, I've been in a situation where I was at a red light, the second car in line. The light turned green, and the car in front of me sat there. The first time it happened, I counted 4 cars in the lane next to us go before the guy in front of me realized the light had changed and he finally went. I could see the guy, he was turned toward whoever was in the passenger seat and was not watching the light.
Today, same situation, except I was in a left hand turn lane. Again, I could see the silhouette of the guy, he was looking for something on the ground apparently, then turned toward his passenger. After a good 4 or 5 seconds, I gave a quick hit of the horn, and he quickly realized the light had changed and went.
My concern is always that I'll be that guy who nails the horn way too early and is just impatient. I feel like I waited long enough, and the driver was clearly not paying attention to the light. My question is, am I rude for hitting the horn, or am I justified because he wasn't paying attention and I did give him a few seconds to react to the changed light?

Stuff White People Like

This blog is very long. And very funny. I won't even bother explaining what it is, just look at the title: Stuff White People Like

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.wordpress.com/

And yes, I pretty much consider myself a white guy.

Jimmy Kimmel's Response to Sarah Silverman

In case you haven't seen the Sarah Silverman video on Jimmy Kimmel's show, you can find it here.

That video was hilarious, and after the Academy Awards, Jimmy Kimmel showed his "response" on his show, and the awesomeness is here!

Aptera Promotional Video

Just found this promo video on the Aptera. Can't wait to see it hit production.

American Idol "Brother's Forever"

This guy is easily my favorite audition from this year's crop of American Idol tryouts. Is he kidding himself? No, he accepts that he's not going to make it through. He's entertaining, and genuinely happy for an opportunity. The song starts about 2:40 into the video if you want to skip straight to it.

Protecting Your Identity

I'm nowhere near an expert on any sort of identity theft stuff, but I'm going to give you my tips. These tips are pretty simple and don't really take any extra time, and I think they're pretty effective.

First, go buy a paper shredder. You can get one at any Target type store, and they aren't ridiculously expensive. You can get a small one; you just have to empty it out a little more often.

Sort out your junk mail as it comes in. Ok, this part isn't as necessary for protecting yourself, but it is environmentally friendly. Open up that junk mail, toss the envelope and any filler stuff into your regular recycle bin. Usually only the first page or 2 has any of your information on it. That pre-approved credit card offer, bank statement, bill, etc. is what you want to shred.

Now here's what I do. When I shred all that stuff with my information on it, I dump the container into a trash bag and save it. I take a little bit of the mixed up shredded paper out and put it into my regular trash. This way, if someone is serious about getting your information, and they are willing to take the time to put shredded bits back together, they have a lower chance of getting enough bits to actually form anything of use.

As a bonus, when I'm putting that shredded paper in the trash, I like to make sure I put stuff in the can that can rot. Like if you are making chicken and you cut off the fat, put it right on top of that shredded paper. Or if you're cleaning out the fridge, make sure to put some paper on the trash too. Why? I figure that if someone does get into my trash and try to take that paper, they should be punished! It's extremely useful in the summer months when the heat makes stuff smell extra rank!

Finally, to avoid having potential identity theft, and to help save paper, just stop having stuff delivered to you. Switch to online-only statements for your bills. For credit card offers, if you're tired of receiving them, there is a number on the back you can call to tell the credit bureaus to stop giving out your information. When you do want a credit card, just go to a site like Bankrate.com to look for the card you want.

These are a few of the things I do. They're simple, and I feel fairly effective.

Super Mario Bros in Lego

So I think I've pretty much established that I love Mario and the Mario games (I still have my Nintendo with the original Super Mario Bros and my Super Nintendo with Super Mario World plus now I have a Wii), and I've even taken it to the point that the Super Mario Bros theme is my ringtone.

I always enjoyed playing with legos. I never really built stuff (except maybe a house, I could handle squares), but I liked playing with them. The one thing I did build was the Red Baron's World War I plane, which I bought at the end of a summer working at LegoLand in Carlsbad, CA.

How are these two things related? I found a video that someone made of Super Mario Bros in Lego format. Enjoy!

Shakespeare is an Idiot

My friend Josh is doing a play called "Shakespeare is an Idiot." Check out their page if you are interested.

http://shakesidiot.blogspot.com/

Sarah Silverman on Jimmy Kimmel

I'm always slow to find out entertainment news. When I visit CNN or MSN I usually head to the main news, business/money news or sports news. I only stumbled upon this clip because they were playing it on Adam Carolla. It's a funny song that Sarah Silverman did on Jimmy Kimmel's show, with a special appearance by Matt Damon! Although it was on network TV, and therefore bleeped out, this is probably not the best clip to watch at work or with the kids sitting on your lap.

Why scratching feels good

Scientists have done a study and found why scratching feels good.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080131/sc_nm/itch_scratch_dc

Apparently when you scratch, the part of the brain that controls pain temporarily shuts down. So you end up feeling relief. I am one of those people who gets great relief out of strange things (one of them is sneezing), and scratching is up at the top. When I come home from work, I pull out the back scratcher, and usually have a good 5-minute session. But really, do I care why it feels good? Not really, it's just one of those things that work out.

Losing Someone

This past Sunday, January 27, 2008 Glenn Carlson passed away. He was my bowling coach at Fresno State. He taught me most of what I know about how to actually bowl. He gave me advice about where to go get my car fixed in this new town where I only knew one other person. He made me laugh as we'd sit down in the Student Union and eat lunch. He was always there when I had a question or needed some help.

Glenn, you will be missed.

http://www.legacy.com/fresnobee/Obituaries.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=102192094

*Update 1/31/08*
Article in the Fresno Bee
http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/story/362202.html

More efficient solar energy

I guess this technology is old, and this article is a few years old, but I recently found out about these things called Stirling Engines.

http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/news/2005/11/69528

The design dates back to the 1800s, and these engines are approximately 2-3 times more efficient than typical photovoltaic cells (normal solar panels we are used to). Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric are working with Stirling Energy Systems to build 2 plants that should produce approximately 800 megawatts. To give you an idea, in 2005 the US only had about 400 megawatts of solar capacity. A typical coal or gas power plant delivers 500-1000 megawatts of electricity. Is this the end all solution to renewable energy? Nope, but it is a big step in the right direction.

Team in Training

My friend Sara is running a half-marathon in San Diego in June of this year with the "Team in Training" for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. If you are interested in donating to her team, or just want to get more information, please visit her website.

http://www.active.com/donate/tntsvmb/tntsvmbSHousma

Aptera Update

I'm starting to get really excited about this thing. Actually checked out their website today, and there's a video from Popular Mechanics posted on there.

http://www.aptera.com/

The thing I was concerned about most was size, and it seems to be OK. Able to comfortably sit someone over 6' so I'm fine there. Seems like it's built very safe too. I'll have to keep up with the updates on this thing as they come out!

300 MPG for $30K?

There is a company that has designed a vehicle (the Aptera) that they claim can get 300 miles per gallon, and it will cost less than $30,000.

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=444375

It is supposed to go to production next October, and you can reserve one for a refundable deposit of $500. This vehicle really intrigues me. It would be classified as a motorcycle, have 3 wheels, and is going to be highway-ready. Some of the features sound great, like the solar panels that would run the air conditioning on hot days while the car is parked (and can also help to recharge the battery while you drive). I want to see what this car is like once it hits regular production, but I could imagine myself driving it.
I'll be keeping track of this company for the next few months, and who knows, maybe I'll end up with one!

NFL Conference Championship Games

I've set up a new spot for all my football-related stuff. Go to http://fresnochargerfan.blogspot.com to check it out.

NFL Playoffs - Divisional Weekend

This week is hard to pick. Too much emotion involved in these games. Plus injuries with key players, don't know if they'll play. But here we go.

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys - I don't like Eli Manning, so I always root against him. But even thinking rationally, I think the Cowboys will have Owens back and he will be effective. Gotta go with the Cowboys. Dallas wins.

Seattle Seahawks @ Green Bay Packers - The Seahawks actually looked pretty decent for most of the game last week. But they're on the road, and the Packers will be ready for them. Green Bay wins.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ New England Patriots - Oh, I hate Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. I want Jacksonville to win so bad, but as good as they are, and as good as they are playing right now, I really am not convinced they'll be able to win. I think they will play hard, I think they'll put points on the board, but unfortunately I don't think they'll keep up. New England wins.

San Diego Chargers @ Indianapolis Colts - I am not picking this game. Or at least I should not be. As a fan, I have too much emotion involved, and as much as I try to stay impartial in this sort of stuff, trying to be impartial, it's hard. I'm not a professional, I don't get paid to think about this stuff, I don't get paid to study games. I just enjoy the games and root for my team. And since I'm a fan, and I can see how the Chargers match up well against the Colts, I have to follow what my (possibly slightly biased) brain says. San Diego wins.

Not too bad

Ok, so my reasoning was pretty much way off, but I was still 3/4 for wildcard weekend. I want to wait to see on some of the injuries, then I'll try to pick for the divisional round.

2007 NFL Playoffs Wildcard Weekend

I wanted to get my picks for this weekend's games down so I can't go back on them after the games are over. I'm not going to predict the score, or pick against the spread, just straight up, who's going to win?

Washington @ Seattle - The Redskins are the popular pick. They're riding on emotion and have played very well the last few weeks. The Seahawks have only lost 3 home games in the last 2 years. This is easily the hardest game to pick for me. If Washington continues to play off of all the emotion, they'll win. But I think I have to go with Hasslebeck over Collins. Seattle wins.

New York Giants @ Tampa Bay - I was considering going with the thinking that the Giants played hard through the end of the season and Tampa was mailing it in the last 2 weeks. But following the logic of the last pick, I have to take Jeff Garcia at home over Eli on the road. My biggest worry with this is that I haven't seen a single Bucs game, but I have seen Eli. Tampa Bay wins.

Jacksonville @ Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh got embarrassed at home by the Jaguars at home earlier in the season, and I'd like to think that the Steelers are going to want to avenge that loss. But this word has come up in everything I've seen about the game: Injuries. Pittsburgh is full of them, and I unless they get some kind of special teams or defensive score early and take a lead, they're not going to be able to keep up. Jacksonville wins.

Tennessee @ San Diego - Normally I'd be torn with this pick, just because I'd be worried that my judgment would be clouded by my fandom of San Diego. For this round though, I'm not worried about my pick. Tennessee lost Bo Scaife and Roydell Williams this week. Lendale White and Vince Young are game time decisions (and if Young does play, he may be lacking his biggest weapon: his legs). San Diego had the advantage of some blow-out wins late in the season that allowed them to rest some starters, so I think LT, Philip Rivers, Jamal Williams, they're all going to be that much fresher for this game. San Diego wins.

The Wii pwns the PS3

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

Fresno State Players Part 2B

First of all, congrats to Fresno State for winning the Humanitarian Bowl! Woohoo!

Now for the guys who entered the NFL in 2007. How many are still around?

Check out part 1 here
Check out part 2A here

Marcus McCauley, DB, 3rd Round Pick, #72 overall (Minnesota Vikings)
61 tackles
*Edit 1/5/08* Just found out, McCauley had the coverage on Greg Jennings and got beat when Brett Favre threw career touchdown number 421

Paul Williams, WR, 3rd Round Pick, #80 overall (Tennessee Titans)
No career stats

Dwayne Wright, RB, 4th Round Pick, #111 overall (Buffalo Bills)
29 carries, 94 yards
3 receptions, 17 yards

Chris Denman, OT, 7th Round Pick, #214 overall (Tampa Bay Bucaneers)
Currently on Injured Reserve

Louis Leanord, DT, Undrafted Free Agent (San Diego Chargers)
Signed off the Chargers practice squad by the Cleveland Browns