Thursday, February 28, 2013

Cooking Shows


Is it weird that I like cooking shows? I think it falls into the category of 'Wanting What I Can't Have'. All these fancy things that the chefs make are far and beyond anything that I could accomplish in the kitchen. I am a big fan of "Top Chef" and I found myself yelling at the TV during last night's finale. Is that what I've come to? There were even sports on like 6 different channels that I could have watched. I did flip around a bit to NBA, college basketball and hockey, but found myself still coming back to watch the cooking. I'm not terrible at cooking and can make dishes that don't make me nauseous. I don't know what it is about cooking shows that I love so much. Man vs. Food, Diners, Drive-Ins and Drives, The Taste...really anything. Maybe I'm not weird? I hope not.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Wisconsin's Finest


Brent StevensWe've all been there. After a long day of sitting in a hot tub fully clothed, we find ourselves driving across the state before the soggy attire before finally succumbing to the discomfort and stopping into a laundromat. The only thing is, we didn't bring any extra clothes, so there we are, laundering our clothes in the buff. Oh wait, we don't do that? Well at least one person in Wisconsin does. A 56-year-old Eau Claire man with a history of exposing himself was jailed Sunday on charges of lewd and lascivious behavior after he stripped naked to do his wash at a laundromat on Wausau’s west side, police said.  Stay classy, Brent Stevens,

Monday, February 25, 2013

Jennifer Lawrence


I saw Silver Linings Playbook about a month or so ago and loved it. But I really didn't develop a huge crush on Jennifer Lawrence until watching the Oscars last night. She's honest, self depricating, down to earth, and it just seems she gets it. She understands what can happen to people in Hollywood, and she's the antithesis of all of that. She's a regular bad-ass, as you can tell from this picture. She flipped off a reporter that made fun of her for tripping on her gown as she walked up the stairs. Plus, she's freaking gorgeous, which certainly doesn't hurt. I bet she can take shots of whiskey with the best of them too. She seems incredible, and at just 22 years old, she's got a long, bright future ahead of her. Best of all, she seems to have a level head on her shoulders. Jennifer Lawrence: my new crush. I might have to watch the Hunger Games. 

Friday, February 22, 2013

Don't Sleep on Bucky

It's Indiana, Michigan and Michigan State getting most of the love in the Big Ten but I've got to remind you - don't sleep on the Badgers.

http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2013/02/dont-sleep-on-bo-ryans-badgers-now-less-boring/

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Mom of the Year?

I'm not totally sure why this mom is being charged with "five counts of endangering the welfare of a child" according to CNN. All she was trying to do was liven up a birthday party! The kids are 16 - they're going to know at some point.

I kid, of course, but seriously. That's a pretty cool mom. And a terrible mom at the same time. The thing is, if it was an 18-year old party, I doubt this makes the news.

Also, what is the stripper thinking, dancing for teenagers? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Burger King gets McHacked

It's the world we live in. Nothing is safe online. The twitter feed for @BurgerKing was hacked to appear that competitor McDonalds took it over, posting comical and mildly offensive tweets while changing the design of the profile too. It was likely a hacker group rather than a rival (with Anonymous seemingly taking credit), but it is kind of funny. Unless you're Burger King. But even then, free publicity!

Friday, February 15, 2013

ASTEROID!!

We made it! The 150-foot asteroid that was hurtling in our orbit? MISSED US. We're all alive!

But, said asteroid will hit us eventually. Might not be until we're all long gone, but this is concerning. And this guy, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.


Thursday, February 14, 2013

New Vikings logo...kind of




Here are the new changes to the Vikings logo, according to the Star Tribune:

1) Horn Shape
The shape of the horns has been adjusted and the shading in the horns has changed.
2) Horn Base
The base of the horn now resembles the horn on the players’ helmets.
3) Face Detail
Thicker lines have been added to the mustache and face.
4) Vikings Gold
The Vikings Gold is now brighter and less brassy.
5) The Braid
The braid has been shortened, resulting in a reduced logo height.

And here's the organization's explanation for why these changes are being implemented now:

As the Vikings transition into the drafting of plans for the new stadium and the prevalent Norseman usage throughout that facility, the team realized this is the appropriate time to make these logo enhancements. The evolution will not happen overnight; Vikings fans can expect to see both versions of the logo during the transition period, but the enhanced mark will be noticeable immediately throughout vikings.com. Merchandise with the enhanced Norseman could be available as early as March. ... We are looking forward to many exciting changes for our team and fans in the next few years, leading up to the opening of our new stadium. These logo enhancements are just the beginning...

Good thing they made the change. Don't want to be associated with that past filled with Super Bowl defeats. Oh wait. They hardly made any changes at all. Go Pack go.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Teen Jeopardy

One of my favorite things is trivia. I love random knowledge, especially pertaining to sports. I like playing trivia at various establishments around the area on nights I'm free and when I do well there, I feel like I have what it takes to go on Jeopardy. I'm very aware that I'd get crushed, BUT DON'T RAIN ON MY PARADE. I like the illusion that I'm smart, even if it's more of a delusion. Either way, I don't think I'll ever be as smart (or cool) as this kid.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Risky Whiskey move


I saw a report today that Maker's Mark is cutting the amount of alcohol in their whiskey from 45% to 42%. Not a huge cut, you say, but an interesting one at that. The reasoning behind this move, the distributors say, is to keep up with the ever growing demand for their product. But presenting what some people would call an inferior product to do so? Interesting move. The distributors say that the demand for Maker's Mark whiskey has doubled in the past seven years, meaning that people certainly love your product. Why change what your product is just to meet demand? It's an interesting compromise for sure.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Big Ten Battles

If you missed Ben Brust's buzzer beater at the end of regulation this past Saturday, you missed out on something special. I was unfortunately in the car most of the day Saturday, but heard about it from friends via text and I knew I had to pull up the video as soon as possible. Incredible. Michigan was foolish not to foul Brust on the catch, so they deserve the luck to go that way. Damn, the Kohl Center is a tough place to play. And the Badgers are only a game out of first place. Incredibly impressive for how tough the Big Ten is. Every team is over .500 (and most well over) out of conference!




|------CONFERENCE-------||--------OVERALL--------|
STANDINGSW-LPctW-LPct
1. Indiana9-2.81821-3.875
    Michigan State9-2.81820-4.833
3. Michigan8-3.72721-3.875
    Wisconsin8-3.72717-7.708
5. Ohio State7-4.63617-6.739
6. Minnesota5-6.45517-7.708
   Purdue5-6.45512-12.500
8. Illinois4-7.36417-8.680
    Iowa4-7.36415-9.625
    Northwestern4-7.36413-11.542
11. Nebraska3-8.27312-12.500
12. Penn State0-11.0008-15.348

Friday, February 8, 2013

Super Bowl Gambling


Super Bowl XLVII - Baltimore Ravens v San Francisco 49ersOne of the most fascinating aspects of any major sporting event is how it's being seen in Vegas. Obviously the Super Bowl is a huge draw this year, but one thing I didn't realize is that there are a lot of 49ers fans that live close to Las Vegas. That gives them more of an opportunity to bet on their team, and boy did the casinos cash in. San Francisco opened the game as a 5 point favorite, and obviously they didn't cover (or win), meaning that Vegas cashed in. On a typical football bet, the casinos only keep about 4.45% of the total amount bet. When things go their way for the casinos, like they did this Super Bowl Sunday, that number can jump over 7%. Doesn't seem like too much, but this year, fans bet a record $98.9 million on the Super Bowl, and the Vegas casinos kept 7.3%, or just over $7 million dollars. Sounds nerdy, but I find this stuff fascinating. 

Thursday, February 7, 2013

One more reason I hate the Bears

I've said before that Cubs fans are quite possibly my least favorite group of individuals on the planet. That's probably an overstatement (but not by much (and I know there are a few with some redeeming qualities(not many but some))), but that same sentiment applies to Cubs players, and by proxy, Bears players. Jay Cutler is a hell of a football player, when he wants to be. I generally don't care for his disposition on the sidelines or between games, mostly because he seems like a real dickhead. I think Chicago fans would even agree with me. But the story that came out earlier about how he proposed to Kristin Cavallari via text message, and then sent her the ring in the mail seemed bogus, even for Cutler. Good thing @KristinCav took to twitter to clear things up, complete with spelling mistakes and a shameless plug for crappy television. Bear Down, Future Mrs. Cutler. Bear Down.

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Box Office Movies

I'm into movies, and upon looking at an article about the upcoming Academy Awards, I stumbled across the list of highest-grossing movies of all time. Looking at the list, I was stunned to see that the majority of the movies are since 2000. I know that shouldn't be surprising, given the ever-rising price of movie tickets. What also stands out is just how good the movies on this list are that came out pre-2000. Say what you will about Titanic, but that was HUGE in 1997. Star Wars, Lion King, Jurassic Park, Independence Day? All fantastic. Take a list at the rest of the list here, courtesy of Box Office Mojo.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Looking into the crystal ball


F

The confetti has barely stopped falling in the Superdome, yet the Las Vegas sportsbooks are already trying to capitalize on the betting tendencies of football fanatics. The casinos have released the odds of each NFL team winning Super Bowl XLVIII (I think that Roman numeral is right?) I think the Packers are about right at 10-to-1, whereas the Vikings got no love from their good season and are listed at 40-to-1. Here's a look at next season's odds, courtesy of the Las Vegas Sun.
Patriots — 6-to-1
49ers — 7-to-1
Broncos — 8-to-1
Packers — 10-to-1
Texans — 10-to-1
Seahawks — 12-to-1
Steelers — 14-to-1
Ravens — 14-to-1
Falcons -- 16-to-1
Saints — 16-to-1
Giants — 20-to-1
Redskins — 30-to-1
Bears — 30-to-1
Bengals — 30-to-1
Cowboys — 30-to-1
Chargers — 40-to-1
Lions — 40-to-1
Vikings — 40-to-1
Colts — 40-to-1
Panthers — 50-to-1
Jets — 50-to-1
Eagles — 50-to-1
Dolphins — 50-to-1
Rams — 50-to-1
Browns — 50-to-1
Chiefs — 50-to-1
Buccaneers — 60-to-1
Titans — 100-to-1
Bills — 100-to-1
Cardinals — 100-to-1
Raiders — 150-to-1
Jaguars —150-to-1

Monday, February 4, 2013

Blackout



The blackout during last night's Super Bowl was very interesting to me. Not only was there an apparent lack of backup generators (inexcusable), but to say that the CBS team struggled to fill the void on-air was an understatement. I was baffled by the fact that Boomer Esaison thought it would be a good idea for the 49ers to insert Alex Smith into the lineup, but listening to Shannon Sharpe try to fill time (painful) and Dan Marino try to sound articulate (spoiler: he's not) was not quality television. Cutting to an overwhelmed Steve Tasker certainly wasn't the solution, and even the normally calm and smooth James Brown had some trouble keeping the audience informed (We're 15 minutes away from playing? You said that 5 minutes ago. And 5 minutes before that.)
And with Phil Simms and Jim Nantz suggesting that the blackout having something to do with the play on the field, I call B.S. The way that the teams run practice and training camp, they're accustomed to the stop-and-go. Practice for a while, go in watch some film, stretch, lift, back to the field. I don't think it had any affect on how the 49ers played better afterwards. They're obviously a very good team and in my opinion, were bound to start playing better. Maybe the blackout gave the coaching staff a chance to talk over a few more things, but it comes down to execution.