Protecting the QB VS The BCS

I am in such a miserable, foul, pissed off mood after watching the Packers lose to the Seahawks on Monday Night Football. You can no longer question Giants rookie Mathias Kiwanuka for letting up on Vince Young in Sunday's loss to the Titans. Just ask Cullen Jenkins.

With the Packers trailing by 3 and Seattle facing a third and long, Cullen Jenkins put a clean hit on Matt Hasselbeck as Hasselbeck tried to complete a pass. The pass fell harmlessly incomplete. Ah, but wait. What do I see? The great NFL officials standing there throwing their yellow garbage on the field.

Jenkins was called for roughing the passer even though replay clearly shows he did nothing wrong. Will the NFL fine the officials 10, 15, maybe 25 thousand dollars for this mistake? I think not. Although if Jenkins really had committed a foul, he probably would be facing that type of fine.

It is simply inexcusable. The officials need to start being held accountable for their incompetence. I have had it with the inconsistency one gets when it comes to holding, pass interference, illegal contact, and roughing the passer. Each game, each official, the calls are different and it is unacceptable.

The only thing worse is the BCS, which I like to refer to as the Bull Crap Series because that's exactly what it is. It certainly can't stand for Bowl Championship Series because it's the furthest thing from that. We all know it's broken and needs to be fixed. It always has been and always will be. But that's not going to change anytime soon and it's pointless to go on about it. As long as the big conferences control the money and have the power you will continue to see teams like Ohio State having to wait 50 DAYS before playing in their bowl game. What a joke. Read more!

Starbucks Sued for $114M

What a joke this is. Suddenly when you are not allowed to use a coupon you can sue for $114 MILLION! Can they be serious? Problem is, it just might get to court. Let's hope not. Is this what our society is coming to? Everyone thinking they are "entitled" to certain things? Starbucks has every right to not honor that coupon. THIS IS AMERICA! I'm going to start suing McDonalds every time they short me on my fries. I'm tired of getting a half full carton. I want it full and I actually paid for it. FULL PRICE!
read the fox news article Read more!

AFI - Miss Murder (Director's Cut)

Hardcore punk or just Wicked Awesome? You be the judge. Read more!

Lillix - Sweet Temptation

I'm not much of a music person. I come from the 80's era of hairbands and air-guitars. I like most music and recently, while researching whether or not to subscribe to Yahoo's music I came across this video

Now I can't get enough of Lillix and their upbeat, hip, cool, blow me over music. Suddenly I find myself listening to a lot more Avril Lavigne and Pink. Who'd a thunk-it. Read more!

Well It's About Time - 98 and ME Finally Lose Support

Today, July 11, 2006, marks the end of support for Windows 98 and Windows Me.

Some (ZDNet) think this is finally what Linux needs to get a leg up in the operating system game.

I don't buy it. Linux has had a long time now to step up to the plate and compete against Microsoft. As a software engineer for more than 12 years now, I appreciate the concept of Linux and open source and believe they have done a lot of good in the programming world. But in the user world, where people want applications that include internet access, games, video/image editing tools, etc., Linux, i.m.h.o. doesn't stack up. If it did/does, why hasn't it made a bigger footprint in the last 5 to 10 years?

The majority of my colleagues, it seems, take the Linux road because, simply put, they are anti-Microsoft. They complain about the size and security. They will argue that Microsoft has played to corporate giant and single-handedly held Linux back. Words like anti-trust and monopoly get tossed around and I get that.

Microsoft is large and probably did enough to hold Linux back. But let's be honest. If Linux was going to make a run, it should have been able to do it over the past 5 years as more companies were willing to sell PC's with Linux installed. Also, Microsoft kept delaying the release of their new OS - Windows Vista. Still, Linux lags behind.

As for the security, I place the majority of this on the user. Case in point:
I finally replaced my Pentium II, 350mhz, 320mb memory, Windows XP Professional machine with a new PIV, 3.2 ghz, 2gb memory, Windows XP Professional system. My old Pentium II served me well for 8 years. Bought in 1998, it went from Windows 98, to ME, to 2000, to XP. Never having to re-format just simple upgrades. I kept my anti-virus programs up to date and made sure I had tools to handle spyware and adware. I avoided the programs that teenagers love (limewire, Ka-Zaa, etc). Not one problem, except that it simply became to slow over time to keep up with my daily tasks. Is that due to the failure of the OS or because technology has advanced so much over the past 8 years making things like disk space and memory much more affordable, that software companies now create programs that require more resources? I'll go with the latter.

For me, the bottom line is, give me something that works, is user friendly, has a wide variety of applications and doesn't require me to "tweak" it via the command line. The average user doesn't know anything about bash, vi, config files, or compilers.

Linux is loved in the "Tech" world. When will it be loved as much in the "real" world?
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Soccer tries to clean up its mess

At least it's a start. As someone who really doesn't care for or "get" soccer, at least they are doing something about what has been obviously wrong at this year's world cup.

Read the story. Read more!

Noah's Ark - Has it been found?

In all places, Iran.

Read the full story here. Read more!

Frasier's Eddie Passes On

Is today turning into a type of animal dedication day? Read more!

Yogi Not Welcomed in Germany

Yogi (and other misbehaving bears) beware. 171 years after the last bear was killed in Bavaria, Germany, Bruno, a "misbehaving" stray met his fate as well. You can read the Washington Post Article here.

In a nutshell:
Bruno forced Bavaria's hand because he failed to show enough respect for humans.

The last straw was when Bruno stood up on his hind legs and snarled at 3 overly curious hikers.

German officials said they weren't opposed to bears in principle, only misbehaving ones.

Picture a round table of German officials demanding that any bears must respect humans and behave or they will be put to death. I guess they want them dressed in a hat and tie, walking on their hind legs and carrying a brief case. Maybe if Bruno had just kept to Yogi's routine of Picnic Baskets and ranger antics instead of bee hives and guinea pigs.

Does Germany treat their visitors the same way? Read more!

Want to feel (and maybe look) as good as Ashanti?

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Read more!

FOUR! a.k.a "why we love golf"

Well it's that time of year again. Time to chase around a little white ball, pull some more hair out, and do a bit of excavating. So what is it about golf that is so appealing to so many people? Economically it's not a cheap sport/hobby. So what is it that makes people want to get out there and be frustrated?

1. You are outside
Golf is an outdoor activity that allows one to get a little bit of exercise without physically draining themselves. For me, the best time to play is early in the morning. It's typically cooler and you can get finished before the really bad golfers show up.

2. You have total control
Unlike a lot of sports, golf is for the individual. You only have yourself to blame for missing that green or hitting it into the trees. There is no weak link that you are trying to hide in right field or that friend who likes to take more than his share of shots in basketball even though they are 1 for 10.

3. You don't have to do everything well.
There are so many parts to golf. From driving to putting, long irons to chipping, golf provides the flexibility for one to be able to do a few things well.

4. All it takes is one good shot.
Famous last words, or in this case last shot. Nothing makes me want to get out and golf again then hitting the ball well on those last few holes. You struggle all round but then show flashes of greatness and you think tor yourself, "I just need to get out again.". Then you do and it's the same story all over again.
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What are YOU looking for?

Have you ever purchased anything on-line? Have you ever bid or bought something on E-Bay? Have you ever used a credit card? Have you ever purchased anything from Circuit City, Dell, Kohls, Target, Zappos. Have you ever washed your hair, drank coffee, or sent flowers to someone special? Do you drive a car?

Most likely you answered yes to at least one and probably more than one of these questions. The next question is, have you ever been paid for any of it?

What if there was a way that you could? Not only that, but what if there was a way you and everyone else you know that does those things could get paid from doing it as well. And what if everyone could get paid from what everyone else is doing?

Sound too good to be true? Maybe it is. But what if it isn't? Imagine getting paid for doing nothing more than what you are already doing and being able to share that with other people.

This is serious stuff and only interested parties need to inquire. Find out how by contacting Rich Leick with Epic Business Solutions.

Open Minded
Looking to supplement your income
Looking for a backup plan
Want to get paid for the rest of your life whether you work or not?
Read more!

Website Sales Reps Needed

Epic Business Solutions of Green Bay is looking for independent sales reps for their Website division. This is a commission based position. Hours can vary.

Each sales rep will have to generate their own leads. Some training will be provided.

A computer with internet access is required.

The sales rep will simply book appointments with Epic Business Solutions product specialists. The product specialist will walk the business owner through the our web building software and close the sale. Based on the sale's price of the website (typically 999 - 2499), the sales rep will receive a commission of 65% of the retail profit. Retail profit is the sale price of the website minus $250. So a website that sells for 999 has a retail profit of 749 and 65% of 749 is ~ 486.

Good phone skills are a must. No programming knowledge is required.

For more information contact Epic Business Solutions. Read more!

What to do about high gas prices?

Gas prices getting you down? With many places near or at $3, consumers are feeling the pinch in their pocket books. That means less money to spend on other things including dining out, new clothes, or that new car you so desperately want.

So what can we do? I'm sure by now most of us have received an email or two trying to get us to boycot the big oil companies. And while I like that idea to some extent, it probably isn't going to happen. The reality is people need their gas and will continue to find ways to pay for it.

So instead of coming up with some crazy scheme, I am putting together, and looking for, other alternatives. Here are some to consider.

First, make sure your vehicle is running at or near peak performance. Get a tune-up if you have to, check the tires and make sure they are properly inflated. You can start looking for gas stations that have an ethonal mix and that can save some money.

I would also recommend an oil additive that can increase your gas mileage from 2-5 mpgs. That can be a savings of an entire tank of gas or more between oil changes. Depending on your vehicle, that could be anywhere from $30 to $50 or more.

I use a product called FrictionFree3000. It's the top oil additive in Europe. You can get it here. Friction Free 3000 provides superior engine lubrication that can lead to improved engine power, better fuel economy, reduced emissions and reduced engine surface wear.

Know of any other ways we can save at the pump? Let's hear about them.
Read more!

Eclipse Insurance Named SIA of WI Agent of the Year

Eclipse Insurance agency was recently named SIA's Wisconsin agent of the year. Jim Mrotek is the proud owner of the agency that was started a little over three years ago. To learn more visit Eclipse Insurance Agency Read more!

Jon Stewart - Love Him or Hate Him?

So what did you think about Jon Stewart hosting the Oscars?

I thought he did a decent job. Maybe you didn't get some of his jokes, but that's who he is. What's the deal with the previous hosts (e.g. Billy Crystal and Chris Rock). What's their excuse? Read more!

Crash Was Deserving of the Oscar

If you haven't seen Crash yet, I suggest you do. Finally an Oscar winning movie worthy of the awards and accolades. Highlighted by a cast that included Sandra Bullock and Brendan Fraser who play smaller roles to Don Cheadle and Matt Dillon.

Crash will have you on the edge of your seat wondering what is going to happen next. Read more!

CW ? More Like CWD

The end is finally here. Or is it? WB and UPN are shutting down this fall only to be launched as a new network, CW. Seriously? Haven't we had enough bad television for the past five years?

The networks have been taken over by reality TV and some form or another of CSI. With absolutely nothing to choose from, why even bother. The cable networks have the better shows anyway with FX's Nip-Tuck and USA's Monk. These are original series that don't spin off someone else's ideas.

Instead of trying to invent a new network, why not invent a decent show instead? Read more!