NFL Picks, Week 17, 2011

This is the final weekend for the regular season. This could be a little tricky because several of the teams have "nothing to play for." Some have earned playoff berths and others have no chance to see post-season action.

Here goes:

detroit at GREEN BAY
TENNESSEE at houston
INDIANAPOLIS at jacksonville
JETS at miami
CHICAGO at minnesota
buffalo at NEW ENGLAND
carolina at NEW ORLEANS
washington at PHILADELPHIA
SAN FRANCISCO at st. louis

seattle at ARIZONA
tampa bay at ATLANTA
baltimore at CINCINNATI
PITTSBURGH at cleveland
kansas city at DENVER
SAN DIEGO at oakland

DALLAS at giants

 Won  Wrong Pick

For Your Own Safety, Please Note!

I received this image in an e-mail, this morning from my nephew. My nephew is serving in one of the branches of our armed forces in Afghanistan. For security reasons, I won't use his real name. I'll call him "Joe." (As in G.I. Joe.) Well, it seems that Joe has inherited a similar sense of humor to that of his "Uncle General Tom." Here's his contribution.....

I am told that these little reminders are posted liberally in the necessary locations.

Any questions?

 

New Year Arrives On Time!

I saw this on the news and, may I say, I was greatly relieved! The New Year, 2012 to be specific, came exactly ON TIME to the good people of Australia!! This means that it is also "on schedule" to hit the USA, and, also with the correct sequential figure, 2012!

What does this mean? It means that with all the uncertainty in the world, we can count on a brand NEW YEAR, tonight, at midnight.

And, damn, The General Tom's Blog 2012 Calendars are not ready yet!

 

Welker Not Fine With Fine

I wouldn't pay the fine!

The NFL has fined Wes Welker of the New England Patriots $10,000 for wearing an "unauthorized hat" to a post-game interview. Advertised on the hat is "Bonk Breakers." - an energy bar - in which he has a financial interest. Normally I don't eat this type of crap, but, I may have to give it a try. I am told that they come in a variety of flavors. Here is a link to Bonk Breakers site.
(Wes didn't have to pay me for the link. I'm just happy to do my small part in righting this wrong!)

I can translate this for you. The NFL is afraid that someone other than the NFL is going to make any money. This is nothing new.

To Mr. Welker: Don't pay the fine! Talk to your attorney.

Santa Reaches A Milestone!

Friday Foto - KTFL Sunshine

This is a rather interesting choice for the Friday Foto. First, she calls herself KTFL Sunshine. (Sounds like a TV station's weather forecast) I just like the picture. If you click it, you'll get a larger image.

Have a nice weekend and a Happy New Year!

 

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Automating Samples

In an effort to save a few almighty dollars, Kraft Foods has teamed up with Intel to create a machine that will dispense food samples to prospective customers.

Gone is the old lady with the white apron who might be able to offer a smile and answer some questions. Human interaction with the introduction of a new product is important....to me. So you pay an older lady (or an attractive babe) to hand out your wares. What does it cost? $10 an hour?

Instead of asking about the cheapest way to do a job, shouldn't "the suits" be asking, "What is THE BEST (most effective) WAY to do the job?"

Putting the money aside, shouldn't corporate America be focused on results?

 

Movie Attendance at a 16 Year Low

Is that an air of worry and confusion that I sense from the Hollywood Hills? The numbers are (almost) in and this year's box office business was a flop! Movie attendance is the lowest since 1995. 1995? Yes - 16 years ago, when the Internet was in it's infancy and there were fewer people on Earth.

Experts say that the box office is down 4.4%. So while the cocaine snorting Hollywood execs are scratching their heads, I'll tell you what's going on...

Fewer people are going to the movies for two reasons.

1. The movies are terrible.

2. Tickets* cost too much.

*The price of tickets, popcorn, soda, candy, etc. is stupid high.

The same thing is happening to the losing teams in the NFL. "Greed doesn't work when your product sucks." You may quote me.

 

Pictures

Here are some pictures which were sent to me. I thought that I would share them with you. Click for larger versions.

Wednesday Foto - Billie Faiers

It is the middle of the week and for the final Wednesday of 2011, I have some serious eye candy for you!

This is Billie Faiers, an actress, of sorts, on a popular reality show in England.

Click the image to get the full effect and have a fantastic remainder of the week!

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Man Interrupts Beer To Rob Bank, Returns

You know, certain things should never be interrupted. I don't care how hectic your schedule may be!

 Three things come to mind, one of them is drinking a cold one. Fifty-two year old John Robin Whittle was arrested, Thursday afternoon, at the Hayloft Bar in Port Richey, Florida. Sheriff's deputies allege that he's the man who, a few minutes earlier, robbed a Wells-Fargo bank. According to a bartender at the Hayloft Bar, Whittle ordered a beer, disappeared for about 30 minutes and then returned to his drink.

Internet reports fail to mention the amount of money taken, nor whether there were any injuries, or if a deadly weapon was used in the robbery.

Wonderful reporting!
Merry Christmas.

 

Where In The World Is Santa?

Where in the world is Santa Claus? I am glad you asked!

 Santa Claus, or Father Christmas is on the way to all the homes of good little boys and girls.

Norad is an organization that tracks "flying things" and they have been nice enough to share with us the "real time" location of our good buddy, Santa!Click here and you will see where the jolly fat man is!! 

If this isn't enough, Mommy or Daddy can track Santa's Christmas Eve trip on their smartphones!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

 

A Visit From St. Nicholas

We all know the poem...'Twas the night before Christmas...But here are a few things that you may not know...

(from Wikipedia)It was published anonymously in 1823 and generally attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, although the claim has also been made that it was written by Henry Livingston, Jr.

The poem, which has been called "arguably the best-known verses ever written by an American", is largely responsible for the conception of Santa Claus from the mid-nineteenth century to today, including his physical appearance, the night of his visit, his mode of transportation, the number and names of his reindeer, as well as the tradition that he brings toys to children.

Prior to the poem, American ideas about St. Nicholas and other Christmastide visitors varied considerably. The poem has influenced ideas about St. Nicholas and Santa Claus beyond the United States to the rest of the English-speaking world and beyond.
1 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro' the house, 
2 Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; 
3 The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, 
4 In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; 
5 The children were nestled all snug in their beds, 
6 While visions of sugar plums danc'd in their heads, 
7 And Mama in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap, 
8 Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap- 
9 When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, 
10 I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. 
11 Away to the window I flew like a flash, 
12 Tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash. 
13 The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow, 
14 Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below; 
15 When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, 
16 But a minature sleigh, and eight tiny rein-deer, 
17 With a little old driver, so lively and quick, 
18 I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. 
19 More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, 
20 And he whistled, and shouted, and call'd them by name: 
21 "Now! Dasher, now! Dancer, now! Prancer, and Vixen, 
22 "On! Comet, on! Cupid, on! Dunder and Blixem; 
23 "To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! 
24 "Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!" 
25 As dry leaves before the wild hurricane fly, 
26 When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; 
27 So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, 
28 With the sleigh full of Toys - and St. Nicholas too: 
29 And then in a twinkling, I heard on the roof 
30 The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. 
31 As I drew in my head, and was turning around, 
32 Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound: 
33 He was dress'd all in fur, from his head to his foot, 
34 And his clothes were all tarnish'd with ashes and soot; 
35 A bundle of toys was flung on his back, 
36 And he look'd like a peddler just opening his pack: 
37 His eyes - how they twinkled! his dimples how merry, 
38 His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry; 
39 His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, 
40 And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; 
41 The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, 
42 And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath. 
43 He had a broad face, and a little round belly 
44 That shook when he laugh'd, like a bowl full of jelly: 
45 He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, 
46 And I laugh'd when I saw him in spite of myself; 
47 A wink of his eye and a twist of his head 
48 Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread. 
49 He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, 
50 And fill'd all the stockings; then turn'd with a jerk, 
51 And laying his finger aside of his nose 
52 And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose. 
53 He sprung to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, 
54 And away they all flew, like the down of a thistle: 
55 But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight- 
56 Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

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NFL Picks, Week 16, 2011

Last week, I picked 10 winners correctly out of 16. My season total is 145 and 78.

 This brings us to the Christmas weekend. The question is whether or not the teams with playoff berths will "try" as hard as they did to have gotten where they are.

Here are the picks for week 16...

HOUSTON at indianapolis

cleveland at BALTIMORE
DENVER at buffalo
tampa bay at CAROLINA
arizona at CINCINNATI 
oakland at KANSAS CITY
miami at NEW ENGLAND
GIANTS at jets
st. louis at PITTSBURGH 
jacksonville at TENNESSEE
minnesota at WASHINGTON

SAN DIEGO at detroit
philadelphia at DALLAS
SAN FRANCISCO at seattle

chicago at GREEN BAY

atlanta at NEW ORLEANS


Teams that won

Wednesday Foto - Amit Freidman

I's Wednesday and time for up to mark the middle of the week with the Wednesday Foto.

 She's Amit Freidman. Amit has a birthday coming up on New Year's Day. She'll be 26.

 Aside from the fact that she has freckles, I know nothing more about this Israeli native.

Click the image to get the full effect and have a wonderful remainder of the week!


 

Careful, Santa!

Il Ill: Dies

This report comes to us direct from Newser - the web page with the widget in the right column of this page. Apparently Newser doesn't think that this is an important enough story to preempt the celebrity fluff on the widget.

 (NEWSER) – Kim Jong Il, North Korea's mercurial and enigmatic leader, has died. He was 69. Kim's death was announced today by, in Reuters' description, a "tearful" announcer, wearing black, on state television.

Kim reportedly died on a train trip; according to the announcer, he was en route to a location outside the capital where he was to give "field guidance." The BBC reports that the announcer explained the "Dear Leader" died of physical and mental over-work. Neighboring South Korea has apparently put its military on alert.


 

56 Years Ago, Today....

On this day, 56 years ago, Carl Perkins wrote "Blue Suede Shoes." He recorded it within 48 hours in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

 

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