Weekend watchdog

The end is near for NFL football. Time to savor the best weekend of action.
The final eight set their sights on Super Bowl XLVII - four teams coming off wins and four teams that earned first-round byes.
The action begins Saturday with a Harbaugh doubleheader. John Harbaugh and the Ravens travel to Denver as part of Ray Lewis' farewell tour Saturday at 4:30 p.m. on CBS. Peyton Manning and the Broncos rolled to a 34-17 victory over the Ravens - the third of Baltimore's three-game late season losing streak.
Fox has the Saturday prime time game, matching the Packers and Jim Harbaugh's 49ers. They met on the season's opening weekend, with the 49ers posting the victory. The Packers have won four of the five postseason meetings between the squads.
Sunday's play begins at 1 p.m. on Fox, with the Falcons hosting Seattle. The Seahawks won at Washington last Sunday, the first road playoff win by the franchise since 1983. The Falcons have made the playoffs four times in the past five seasons, but are still awaiting their first postseason win since the Michael Vick era.
New England hosts Houston Sunday at 4:30 p.m. on CBS. The Texans were riding high at 11-1 when they made their first visit to Gillette Stadium, and the Patriots cruised to a 42-14 victory.
By Sunday night, we're down to the final four teams and last four NFL games of the season.

Virginia takes on Clemson Saturday at noon on the ACC network, followed by Virginia Tech against Georgia Tech.
CBS offers Ohio State against Michigan Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Saturday, ESPN has a pair of ACC games with Duke-N.C. State at noon before the Tar Heels battle Florida State.
There's three games on ESPN2 Saturday, starting in the Big East with Georgetown-St. John's at 11 a.m. Tennessee battles Alabama at 1 p.m. before Oklahoma meets Oklahoma State.
MASN has four Big East games on the schedule Saturday, starting at noon with Villanova-Syracuse. It's Connecticut against Notre Dame at 2 p.m., followed by South Florida traveling to Louisville. Cincinnati plays Rutgers at 8 p.m. The Big South takes the stage at 6 p.m. with Coastal Carolina meeting Liberty.
MASN2 shows Kansas State at West Virginia Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Sunday on MASN, Seton Hall hosts Providence at noon.
Four games fill the slate on NBC Sports network Saturday, with Butler meeting Dayton at 2 p.m. It's James Madison-Drexel at 4 p.m. then Pennsylvania faces Princeton before the Colorado State meets San Diego State at 8 p.m.
Delaware and Georgia State meet on Comcast at noon, and the Boston College-Wake Forest game is joined in progress at 4:30 p.m.
ESPN shows the Bulls at Knicks Friday at 8 p.m., with the Thunder meeting the Lakers at 10:30 p.m. The Wizards host the Hawks Saturday at 7 p.m. on Comcast.
ESPN2 offers a pair of women's basketball games Sunday. Nebraska faces Penn State at 2 p.m. and California meets Stanford at 4 p.m. On Comcast, it's Boston College-Clemson at 1 p.m. followed by Miami-Florida State.
There's high school basketball Saturday at 4 p.m. on ESPN, with Huntington Prep taking on Cape Henry.
The Australian Open starts its two week run Sunday at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
While awaiting the start of the lockout-shortened NHL season, NBC Sports network has a college ice hockey doubleheader Friday. Union plays Princeton at 7:30 p.m., followed by Nebraska-Omaha at Denver.

A petition to read this take on petitions

Ed Morrissey takes a look at the current fascination with petitions - especially those at the White House website.
Now we have constant stories about petitions at the White House suddenly becoming significant at 25,000, and big stories at 100,000. Why? In November, somewhere north of 125 million people cast ballots in the election. Even 250,000 signatures on a petition would amount to 0.2% of the electorate, which is less than a rounding error in elections and way below the margin of error in polling.

Haggle over Hagel

Legal Insurrection checks in on Chuck Hagel, and a website he probably didn't endorse.

Want to go to Mars?

Instapundit links a story about recruiting for a Mars' mission.
One-way, with hopes to launch in September 2022.
Who wants to go?
Who would you want to send on a one-way trip to Mars?
Best of luck to whoever decides to volunteer, and their backers.

"Guns are icky"

Michael Graham boils down the gun control debate.
According to the Washington Post, Obama’s task force has already blown past the return of the so-called “assault weapons” ban and a ban on high-capacity magazines. They’ve moved on to “regulations that would require universal background checks for firearm buyers, track the movement and sale of weapons through a national database, strengthen mental health checks, and stiffen penalties for carrying guns near schools or giving them to minors.”
I thought the point of this White House task force was to “prevent more tragedies” like Newtown, as the president said when he announced it. If so, please re-read the last paragraph. Am I missing something?

Is texting far behind?

Major League Baseball will allow teams to use T-Mobile to call the bullpen this season.
With security to make sure you can't make your own call to the bullpen.
Wonder if Moe Drabowsky could have figured a way around the system?

Back to work

The NHL lockout has ended.
Carrie Underwood will have a few chances to watch her husband Mike Fisher in action before touring season starts.
UPDATE: Leadoff link on Rule 5 Sunday.

It will be a blast

The Blaze highlights Jan. 19 as Gun Appreciation Day.
Don't conceal your support for the second amendment.

For Elvis' birthday

Since it's the 78th anniversary of Elvis Presley's birth, time to bring back a song parody about our fiscal situation.
We're caught in a trap. Brings to mind "Suspicious Minds."

We’re caught in a trap
We can’t get out
Because you spend way too much money

Why can’t you see
How worthless bonds will be?
When you don’t control your spending?

We can’t go on together
With deficit spending (deficit spending)
And we can’t build a future
On this pile of debt

So, old friend, I know
When I drop by to buy gold
Will there be suspicions on your eyes?

Here we go again
Asking for more credit
You can’t see these bills are real
I’m holding (bills I'm holding)

We can’t go on together
With deficit spending
And we can’t build a future
On this pile of debt

Oh can the world survive
Or pay the debts that you’ve got
Let’s not make our children cry
When Obama, you know
I can’t bail you out
Mmm, yeah, yeah

We’re caught in a trap
We can’t get out
Because you spend way too much money

Why can’t you see
How worthless bonds will be?
When you don’t control your spending?


And here's the inspiration.

Today's Tied with me

Technorati has this blog tied with Prairie Weather, which looks at the Chuck Hagel nomination for Secretary of Defense.

How to run a government

Ace shares the good news from Texas - reduce taxes and revenue can boom.
(Republican comptroller Susan) Combs reported Monday that the state collected $8.8 billion more revenue during the current 2012-2013 revenue cycle than she initially forecast, giving lawmakers breathing room in settling a $5.2 billion deficit in the current budget.
Look south, Washington.

On to the cuts

It's going to be fun watching Democrats trying to deal with trillion dollar deficits.
Especially since they don't want to.
They seem to have two talking points

• We must pay what we've promised to pay
• Focus on job growth, not cutting.

What if we've overpromised?
Or just used continuing resolutions to ignore having to cut anything?
And how best to create jobs?
Suggest that over-regulation limits job growth, and they doubt that.
How about paying Democrats their salaries in IOUs?
Might catch their attention about the seriousness of the problem.

It will be different next time

The Ravens won their playoff game Sunday and celebrated the career of Ray Lewis.
Lewis won't be there when the 2013 home season starts. But I expect plenty of attention on the schedule, with five playoff teams - Cincinnati, New England, Houston, Green Bay and Minnesota - coming to town.
We'll be watching how well the Ravens reload without Lewis.

Thrilla from the Zilla

It's time for the Zilla awards.
Troglopundit is happy, and so are many others.
UPDATE: Wyblog is happy too.

NFL, my NFL

Two NFL playoff games today.
Both in Maryland.
Let's enjoy Ray Lewis' dance one more time.

You're rich; pay up

It's going to be a fun 2013 in Virginia - with Ken Cuccinelli running for governor and Democrats going crazy about him.
The latest irritant?
A battle with the EPA about water.
Bearing Drift cheers Cuccinelli for saving Virginia taxpayers $300 million.
Blue Virginia gripes.
The only argument of the plaintiffs for which I might have any sympathy is the question of "unfunded mandates" -- it is true that Congress creates, and Federal agencies enforce, requirements without any money provided to help local governments achieve them. That said, Fairfax County is the third-wealthiest county in America, not likely to go bankrupt any time soon. And if you want more Federal support for local environmental progress, don't empower Tea Party government-hating types like Ken Cuccinelli.
Come on, Fairfax County. You've got enough money to put up with whatever folly the EPA gives. On one stream in a large urban area.
There's not enough money to meet this standard in all waterways in that county.
What's to stop the EPA from demanding other governments meet their standard - without regard to cost?
Another good job by Cuccinelli.

New Starbucks flavor

Going up to the Starbucks drive-through, I saw the employee trying to catch an insect in a plastic cup.
She put the cup against the window, trapped the insect and put a lid on the cup.
Coming soon to Starbucks, the stinkbug latte.

Facebook quote of the week

Just finished packing up Christmas and taking down he tree. The house looks so stark now. :(

Saturday song

Our debt will keep going higher and higher, if the pattern of the fiscal cliff continues.
Rita Coolidge did Higher and Higher better.
Calvin Coolidge did spending better.

Da Grandfather

DaTech Guy tells a great story about his grandfather in Depression-era Massachusetts - who didn't believe in handouts.
In the court they stood before the judge and the man made a complaint saying he had threatened him with his razor. The judge being a sensible man listened to the story and asked Tony if he threatened him. Antonio answered the man had no business coming into his store and telling him how to support his children. As for the razor, he was shaving a customer at the time and had his razor in his hands. If he had not been in the middle of a shave he would have would have punched him and thrown him out.
The judge replied that if he had struck him there would have been a $10 fine.
My grandfather reached into his pocket, took one of those $10 bills that he worked so hard to earn, put in on the bench before the judge, turned to the man standing next to him and decked him.
No handouts. Punchouts were another matter.

Missing something?

My first paycheck of 2013 comes next Thursday night.
Thus, I missed the excitement of the small change in FICA deductions with the start of the year.

Weekend watchdog

By late Monday night, we will have
A college national champion
A champion of the playoff division
Our final eight NFL teams.
The NCAA National Championship Game between Alabama and Notre Dame caps the big football weekend. ESPN has the action Monday at 8:30 p.m. as the Crimson Tide attempt to defend their national title.
Notre Dame last topped the nation in 1988. The Fighting Irish have won eight national titles since 1936, just one behind Alabama.
Before the big game, a few more bowls fill the schedule. Fox has the Cotton Bowl between Texas A&M and Oklahoma Friday at 8:30 p.m. Pittsburgh meets Mississippi in the Compass Bowl Saturday at 1 p.m. on ESPN, and then the GoDaddy.com Bowl matches Kent State and Arkansas State Sunday at 9 p.m.
Sam Houston State and top-seeded North Dakota State clash for the FCS title Saturday at 1 p.m. on ESPN2.
The NFL playoffs begin Saturday with a doubleheader on NBC. The Bengals travel to Houston in a rematch of last year's contest at 4:30 p.m., while the Vikings and Packers battle again at 8 p.m. Sunday, the Colts take on the Ravens at 1 p.m. on CBS before RG III and the Redskins meet Seattle on Fox.
ESPN adds high school football to the schedule Friday at 5 p.m., with the Under Armour All America Game. NBC offers the U.S. Army All America Game Saturday at 1 p.m.
ACC basketball coverage begins Saturday at noon on the ACC network, with the Hokies facing Maryland. Miami visits Georgia Tech at 2:30 p.m. Comcast shows Clemson-Florida State at 4 p.m.
CBS has Temple-Kansas Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
ESPN2 offers Memphis against Tennessee Friday at 8 p.m. There's Big East play at 11 a.m. Saturday with Rutgers going against Pittsburgh.
There's five games on MASN Saturday, starting with a pair from the Big East. Seton Hall faces Notre Dame at noon, followed by Georgetown-Marquette. West Virginia hosts Big 12 foe Oklahoma at 4 p.m., then it's off to the Big South for UNC-Asheville at Liberty at 6 p.m. Big East action closes the day at 8 p.m. as DePaul faces Providence.
Syracuse travels to South Florida Sunday at noon.
Comcast offers CAA basketball Saturday, with Delaware at Old Dominion at noon followed by George Mason against William & Mary.
NBC Sports network features Lehigh and VCU Saturday at 5 p.m. and Florida travels to Yale Sunday at 5:30 p.m.
ESPN features the battle of L.A. Friday at 10:30 p.m., with the Clippers meeting the Lakers. The Bulls take on the Heat at 8 p.m.
The Wizards host Brooklyn Friday at 7 p.m. on Comcast, then travel to Miami Sunday at 6 p.m.
CBS offers women's college basketball Saturday afternoon as the NFL playoffs kick off. Purdue battles Nebraska at 2 p.m., followed by Connecticut against Notre Dame. The Virginia women head to Miami Sunday at 1 p.m. on Comcast.
ESPN2 has high school basketball between Montverde from Florida and Simeon of Illinois Saturday at 6 p.m.
The PGA tour year starts in Hawaii, and NBC shows the Tournament of Champions Sunday at 3 p.m.
Colorado College plays Nebraska-Omaha in college ice hockey Friday at 7:30 p.m. on NBC Sports network.

Pow

Best of the Web highlights the latest zero tolerance folly - suspending a six-year-old for pointing his finger and saying "Pow."
The boy's lawyer?
Robin Ficker, former famous heckler at Washington Bullets games.
We ought to be heckling some school administrators for trying to take the boy out of this boy.

What's next?

Megan McArdle tries to figure out the next move on the deficit - it's a trillion dollars, remember that?
Both of our parties seem increasingly detached from fiscal reality, perhaps because most American voters have themselves moved to la-la land, where we can have a balanced budget, no tax increases except on the rich, and no spending cuts except in foreign aid. Luckily for us, so far the bond market seems to be vacationing there as well.

Your show of shows

American Glob joins the group pitching ideas for new shows on Al Jazeera America.

Ready for the big game

Alabama and Notre Dame arrived in Miami Wednesday for the national championship game.
A good time to feature Alabama cheerleaders.
UPDATE: Part of Rule 5 Sunday.

Win or lose

Is the latest deal a win for President Obama, or a loss since he didn't get tax rates raised down to $250,000?
I'm waiting for the next big crisis vote.
Bet it will be during the Super Bowl on February 3.

TMQ explains it all

Gregg Easterbrook gives you football knowledge and a dash of politics in his weekly column.
He briefly and correctly discusses the fiscal problems we're facing.
As Washington grapples with the fiscal cliff, every interest group will demand cuts in other groups' spending while calling its own money untouchable.

It's going to be a long four years

If the second term for President Obama continues like the fiscal cliff debacle of the next few weeks, it's going to be a long slog.
New Year's Day should be for parades and football, not Congress continuing to irritate the country.,

Today's Tied with me

This blog starts 2013 tied with the recipes at Taste of Home.
Resolve to try some new recipes this year.