This Show is Hilarious

Royle Family

Here are some clips from a recent Christmas episode. The whole first season and part of the second are on youtube as well:

I love this song now

My favorite video

FA Cup Recap

Arsenal won. It wasn't easy but Arsenal won.

First off, I want to say West Ham played amazingly. They played with conviction and though their priorities may be should lie elsewhere (not getting relegated), they were industrious and were not giving Arsenal any room to breathe. Considering the way West Ham played, I thought they deserved a replay at the Emirates once Ramsey scored. It was cruel when Eduardo got his goal. Behrami, who I've been impressed with in other WHU games, was absolutely all over the pitch. He was the man of the match for me even with Arsenal winning.

Alright, onto Arsenal.

I thought Fabianski played well. A keeper can only do so much when he's one on one with the attacking player. He almost deflected the shot wide. I've seen Arsenal use the offsides trap a few times, and I can't say I'm a huge fan of it. It can very easily leave you vulnerable if your defense is not on the same page. You saw that with Silvestre who hasn't played much with the other three. It pretty much gave a free pass to Diamanti and there was no way to recover from it.

I thought Wilshere and Merida looked hopelessly lost on the pitch. Both of them need to mature more. At the start of the season, if you asked me about Arsenal's top young players, I would have said Wilshere and Merida without a second to think. If you asked me now, my answer undoubtedly would be Aaron Ramsey. It's not that I didn't expect anything from Ramsey, it's that I saw more from the other two and that I didn't expect the marked improvement from Ramsey. I'm disappointed in Wilshere and Merida because I have high expectations for them. I'd like to see Merida get more playing time, though I think his window of opportunity may be closing. I think Wilshere can't contribute to the team on the level that they need him to at this moment and that he would do well on a loan where he can gain experience and deal with the physical challenges of the premiership.

Vermaelen and Gallas were solid, especially the Belgian. The defense was constantly under pressure, and I think Vermaelen's fearlessness was important in guiding Arsenal through. The difference in the match was probably the substitutions. Diaby and Nasri definitely added a new element to the team that was missing with Wilshere and Merida. Diaby sometimes doesn't look pretty, but my is he effective.

Up front, I was once again very glad to see Eduardo score. That's two games in a row. I think the number one thing for him has been his confidence and getting his timing back. I think he's starting to get both back, but there's definitely some improvements to be made. I thought Vela was absolutely fantastic on the left wing. He didn't get to penetrate the box as much as I would've liked, but he drew West Ham out to the wing, opening up enough space for Arsenal to capitalize.

I can't say enough about Ramsey. He's easily becoming one of my favorite players on this team. It's hard to believe his only 19. He's very calm on the pitch and I think he will have a huge impact for Arsenal in the present and in the future. He too scored his second goal in as many games, though he definitely could have had more. I think there are big things to come from the Welshman and we should see him feature against Bolton on Wednesday for the game in hand.

Here are the match highlights if you missed them:

West Ham United v Arsenal
by ninofaye

Aaron Ramsey really has impressed this season and he continues to produce. The way he's developed over the course of a year and a half is just impressive. I thought he had talent, but I didn't expect him to grow up that fast. The media in Britain are rightfully in love with him:

That he is doing all of this while still a teenager is remarkable. Fabregas did it. Lionel Messi did it. Ryan Giggs did it. Wayne Rooney did it. Cristiano Ronaldo did it. The best of the best do it.

Garside goes onto say:

Wilshere lags a little behind Ramsey in temperament, not touch. As Wenger acknowledged, he needs games to quiet his urgency. Just now he is trying too hard to please. Ramsey is blessed with iron belief. Wales have another hero.

His performances have made him worthy of that praise, but he's not doing it alone. Carlos Vela, Abou Diaby, Eduardo, and Alex Song put forth a strong effort in attack as well.

To the big story of the FA Cup Third Round Proper, League One's Leeds United knocked out Manchester United. Jermaine Beckford scored the only goal of the game. Here are the full highlights of what was a great game:

Manchester United v Leeds United
by ninofaye

Sir Alex Ferguson was not happy with the added time:

But Ferguson, who this season has already called for the responsibility to award added time to be taken out of the hands of refeeres, was also angered by Foy's decision to signal five extra minutes. He said: "The referee gave five minutes. That is an insult to the game and the players out there."

He runs on a clock of his own. I would say the match was overall pretty even. I don't think United ever really had a clear chance on net and Leeds converted their one big opportunity. United have never lost this early in the competition under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Smart Phone Showdown: iPhone vs Google's Nexus

A showdown between two of the largest players in the high-tech industry appears to be on the horizon. Google appears to be ready to take on Apple with the introduction of their Nexus smart phone. The ongoing theme in the industry recently has been to compare the two in order to forecast a prediction about the Nexus' success. While the iPhone has been a huge hit and is probably the most popular phone in the industry, it is very likely for the search engine supernova's Nexus to receive a huge reception as well.

I have a Mac, but I use Google a lot and I'm intrigued by both phones. I have a friend who was a PC guy, but worked on Macs all summer programming iPhone applications. He bought a Mac computer as a result and has been itching to get an iPhone. However, since news of the Nexus came out, he has changed his wishlist to include the Nexus. Brand loyalty will certainly be a factor. Unfortunately, the iPhone is not offered on my network (Verizon), and the Nexus looks like it will be offered to T-Mobile and AT&T customers:

Virtually all the information on the Google Nexus One that come out so far indicates that it will fully support only T-Mobile's network, including its 3G network. The version that was approved by the FCC has support for only T-Mobile's version of HSPA, so AT&T customers using this device will limited to voice and the 2.5G standard EDGE.

However, an unconfirmed report says that Google is not going to put all its eggs in one basket, and will offer a second version of this Android OS smartphone with support for AT&T's 3G service.

Color me as one of the people that is kind of disappointed by this revelation. However, I'm glad that I will be able to see the kind of reception that the phones will get. I currently have a Blackberry, and I can't say that I'm at all disappointed with it. When I first saw the iPhone, I noticed that people were always on their phone to check everything. It's cool to have that tool at hand, but you just look so self-involved when you have it. I thought the same of Blackberry users.

Then I got the Blackberry, and I started doing the same thing. Then my Blackberry broke, so I was without a phone for a little while. It taught me to get back to who I was. Once I got my replacement phone, I started using it less than I had with my previous phone. Yeah, it's still a great tool to have. However, while I may still check my phone more than I should, I definitely check it less than before. The benefit of the Nexus not being on my network is that I won't buy it any time soon and that I won't be checking it all the time because of how proud I am to own one.

Early reports of the Google Nexus have come out from some Google employees who received them to try out. Reviews and reports have made it to media outlets, and Attack of the Show has this interview with engadget.com's Joshua Topolsky:

This was about a month ago, and as more information about the Nexus has come out, more comparisons, predictions, and analysis have been made about its impact on the cell phone industry and in particular its competition with the iPhone. A Gerson Lehrman Group analysis had this to say:

Existing iPhone users may find it hard to come up with any serious complaints on the new Google phone. However, the minimal differences are not likely to be enough for users to switch and go through the trouble of learning the new system. Still, if a new buyer that has not used either system compared them side-by-side, there may be a higher probability this time in choosing Google’s new version.

In fact, we anticipate that users will find it to be very iPhone-like. They are both about the same size, with perhaps the Nexus One, being a little thinner. They both will have a full soft keyboard touchscreen.

Of course, the Nexus One will not have nearly as many applications, but almost all of them are free. It has also been developed to be exactly opposite the iPhone, which is very locked down and in which so many people control the particular apps that can be put on the device.

While the Nexus appears to offer a high speed processor along with a better screen, camera, and two speakers, I think what will determine its success will be how it performs. What's more important than sales success for me as a consumer of a phone is my ability to get the most out of my phone. The iPhone offers so much, but with its exclusive contract with AT&T, AT&T's network has struggled to provide the support necessary for the phone. The iPhone signified a huge boost in the amount of data that AT&T's network had to handle. It has not been up to the challenge and its competitors have benefited as a result.

Why is it that people continue to buy Blackberry's when the iPhone is a better phone? The Network and ability to use a phone is paramount. Verizon is annihilating AT&T about its 3G network, and the reason why Verizon's 3G network is better is because of the iPhone. Whether Google's Nexus is tied down to a single carrier or whether it is unlocked for the world will have a significant effect on how it is viewed. Google could set a new trend by foregoing exclusivity. The idea of having a contract is that the carrier will subsidize the cost of the phone. It's a deal that works out well for both the carrier and the phone producer. However, the consumers suffer because they can't get the most out of their phone. If the Nexus is unlocked, users can be free to join whatever network they want without a strict long-term contract.

As far as news about the iPhone, it appears that Apple will try to get not renew its exclusive contract with AT&T and look to be available on other providers as well. It looks like Verizon could be in the future of the iPhone, according to CNET:

Gene Munster, senior research analyst for investment bank Piper Jaffray, said in a research note to clients 0Wednesday that he believes there is a 70 percent chance that Apple will launch a new iPhone with Verizon in 2010. Munster puts the timing of such a move around the middle of the year.

That makes sense, since Apple has used June and July to launch all three of its iPhone models. The company also used the summer months to debut the App Store in 2008. It seems reasonable to speculate that Apple would continue with its schedule of introducing a new iPhone in mid-2010.

Munster said a move to Verizon would more than double Apple's current potential market by 89 million subscribers, adding to the already 82 million available on AT&T.

Of course, at this point the big problem is Apple's arrangement with AT&T as its exclusive carrier in the U.S. That deal is widely thought to end in 2010, although talks between the two companies are said to be ongoing, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Here's the Wall Street Journal article, for reference. While the iPhone may still be locked into contracts with carriers, a move away from exclusivity would make a great deal of sense as it would open the phone up to many more potential customers. I don't know if I personally would buy a iPhone immediately, but it would be a welcome addition to the Verizon line up. Regardless, with the increased competition in the market for phones, the consumer is the one that should benefit. 2010 should introduce a Cold War type arms race to put the best phone with the best services on the market.

Get your popcorn out, it's a smart phone showdown.

Taylor The Destroyer

Phil Taylor won his 15th World Championship in darts. He won his 13th PDC World Darts Championship. Let me put this in perspective, there have been 17 PDC competitions. He has won 13 of them. That's just beyond ridiculous. He has won the last two years and is utterly the figure head of the sport. There are a lot of other good darters, but there are no other cold blooded killers like Taylor. Taylor on the win:

"It's everything I've ever dreamed of, ever achieved, ever practiced for, this is everything," Taylor told Sky Sports after the match.

"That's one of the greatest finals I've played in, no disrespect to the other finals, but he just kept on coming back at me - that was hard work.

"He kept saying to me during the breaks that he was coming after me and he did just that. He just never gave in, it was absolutely brilliant."

"I love everything about the game I love getting up every morning and practising and finding new ways of getting better - I love the competition," added Taylor. "I'm always motivated as it's my job and it's what I love doing."

I'd like to personally congratulate Mr. Taylor on a magnificent accomplishment.

Snow...

...it ain't what it used to be.

I remember as a kid, snow was cold, soft, and wet. Snow nowadays is so dry. It's sticky, but it's not slippery. You can't slide around in it. I can't imagine how it is to sled or ski. It's inferior to the snow of yesteryear. It's really sad and depressing, and I would have to guess that the change in the composition of snow is due to environmental changes from anthropogenic pollution. With rain, you don't really notice differences. It can be annoying and it'll make you have to go slower on the highway, but you don't see or feel the differences. With snow, you can hold it, you can play with it, you can play in it. Well, I don't think you can get the same enjoyment from snow as you could back in my childhood days. I can only imagine how good snow was in the childhood of those that lived here before me.

Little things that you notice have changed in your lifetime like this can be very disheartening.

How Sick...

...would it be if the best players from La Primera took on the best players from the Premiership?

What would the rosters look like?

La Liga:
-----------Casillas------------
Alves---Puyol-----Piqué---Arbeloa
-----------Senna--------------
-----Xavi---------Kaká---------
Messi--------Villa--------Ronaldo

Subs: David Silva, Iniesta, Agüero, Ibrahimovic, Marchena, Albiol, Valdes

How many subs do you get?

EPL:
--------------Freidel-------------
Bosingwa---Terry----Vidic-------Evra
----Lampard---Fabregas---Giggs----
----Rooney-----Torres----Arshavin--

Subs: Lennon, Tevez, Essien, Drogba, Vermaelen, Dunne, Howard

There's a plethora of talent that was untapped. The Primera is obviously dominated by Barca and Real. I snuck in some Valencia and Atlético players as well as Marco Senna from Villareal. There were some huge names i Left off. The Premiership has a Big Four bias, but both goalies I took are from non-Big Four sides. Probably the biggest missing player in this is Steven Gerrard, who I replaced with Aaron Lennon. I think Lennon gives something different to the club than Gerrard.

Soundgarden is Back!

Soundgarden has gotten back together according to Chris Cornell's Twitter.

The 12 year break is over & school is back in session. Sign up now. Knights of the Soundtable ride again!

The band looks on path to have a reunion tour. However, Matt Cameron, their drummer, has full-time obligations with Pearl Jam who are touring in the Spring and Summer as well. I wonder if it's feasible for Cameron to play for both Pearl Jam and Soundgarden in a night. A joint tour with the two bands would easily be the biggest tour of the summer.

Shocker

Russia has set a minimum priced aimed to reducing the country's alcoholism:

From January 1, any 0.5l vodka bottle selling at below 89 rubles (almost $3) will be outlawed.
The price ban is one of the first government steps toward regulating the domestic alcohol market.

This is not the first time that Russia has attempted to reduce alcoholism with measures against alcohol sales:

Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev introduced prohibition in the Soviet Union in May 1985 in an attempt to put a halt to the rampant alcoholism that was already taking its toll on the nation's economy and health system. His efforts to steer the Soviets to abstinence were ultimately unsuccessful, however, and the illicit production of moonshine - 'samogon' - rocketed, not to mention a sudden rise in sales of medicinal and industrial spirit. The never-popular policy of prohibition was later quietly dropped.

I'm actually very interested in seeing how effective this measurement is. Prohibition already failed in Russia as it did in the US and I wonder whether the minimum price will lead to more unregulated distilleries/production of moonshine. I think it's highly unlikely that this measure works, though I hope it does.

Everlong Acoustic

This is a song that I've been listening to a lot recently. So good.

Best Sports Story Ever

Quote from the article:

NEW YORK -- Washington Wizards teammates Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton drew guns on each other during a Christmas Eve locker room argument over a gambling debt, according to the New York Post.

This might be the most awesome thing I've ever heard.

Darts

You assholes know that I've been following the PDC World Darts Championship. Today, we were treated to a magical performance by 14-time World Champion, Phil "The Power" Taylor. It was simply an amazing spectacle. A testament to Taylor's performance is that his opponent, Adrian Lewis, averaged a whopping 102.95. Even with that performance, The Power swept the leg and took all five sets. Taylor's intensity and concentration is incredible. Tiger Woods and Roger Federer aspire to be as dominant as Phil Taylor.

New Year's Resolutions

I think New Year's Resolutions are stupid. So instead of writing resolutions this year for myself, I'm going to write resolutions for other people.

Winter Classic

Today is the Winter Classic. It should be an exciting event.

My Favorite Picture

I've seen this around a few times and chuckled every single time. It's my favorite picture at the moment.

Happy New Years!