Houston tries to stay undefeated!
The Houston Texans will try and stay undefeated this Sunday Night at 8:20 PM against the Green Bay Packers. The Texans have yet to be stopped and have been hailed as Super Bowl favorites from many. They have blended a perfect mix of rushing and passing while accompanying it with a very strong defensive output. They get after the quarterback and can cover as well as most teams in the league. They did just get a scare this past week as they narrowly slid by the Jets with a 23-17 win. They must make sure not to slip up against a team like the Packers or they could certainly see their first loss.
The Texans currently outgain the Packers by more than 30 yards a game while getting nearly 400 yards of total offense a game. 228 of that have come through the air while 143 yards have been rushed for on average on the ground. The Texans also score nearly 30 points a game. Defensively, they have been shoulders above the Packers as well with nearly 70 less yards given up a game. The Texans also only give up 14.6 points a game defensively.
Green Bay comes into the game with a 2-3 record and is coming off a tough loss on the road to the Colts who defeated them 30-27. The Packers biggest weakness has been the run game, and it seems that the Packers have finally been exposed because of this flaw. They may have finally realized that you can not survive in the NFL by just sitting back and passing play after play. Time will tell.
Plastic surgery
I admit it; I can get rather vain at times. I always do my best to try to look good, and I have been known to take quite a long time getting ready. I also tend to nitpick. I notice my flaws when I look in the mirror, and I am bothered by those same flaws whenever I see them in photos and videos taken of me. Therefore, in the past, I have often toyed with the idea of getting plastic surgery to fix those flaws once and for all.
For the most part, I am content with my facial features. However, if I was to fix something, it would most definitely be my eyes. I would fix them to be bigger in order to have the sweet and innocent look.
My body is what I would most like to change. I wish there was less fat on my body—especially on my arms. Also, I would love to have a larger chest. So I guess you can say that the plastic surgery procedures that would be most tempting for me to get are liposuction on the arms and breast implants.
In the past, I have given serious thoughts to having those plastic surgery procedures done on myself. However, more recently, I have changed my mind about it. I have decided that plastic surgery is definitely not for me.
After reading about plastic surgery mishaps and seeing the horrendous after pictures, I have decided that I am not willing to risk looking far worse than what my momma have already given me. I don’t want to be the one to spend thousands of dollars only to become a cautionary tale to others. Therefore, I will just learn to love the way I look now.
The Broncos are on prime time again this week!
Peyton Manning and his Denver Broncos will be on prime time once again this week. This time the Broncos will take on the Chargers at 8:30PM on Monday Night Football. So far, the Broncos have been on two other late games Including a week two Monday night game and week one Sunday night game. Week one, they were able to win against Pittsburgh, but fell on Monday night football against the Falcons one week later.
The game will take place in San Diego Monday at Qualcomm Stadium at 8:30 PM. The Broncos will come into the game with a 2-3 record and are coming off a loss to the Patriots last Sunday 31-21. The Broncos have struggled, but have faced a very hard schedule to this point. This game should be a little easier for them and should hopefully produce winning results. Manning will face a familiar foe in the Chargers QB Phillip Rivers.
Rivers brings his Chargers into the game with a 3-2 record. His team, however, did just lose last Sunday to the New Orleans Saints. This was the Saints first victory of the season to date. Rivers has played very well this year, but has had up and down help from his running backs. The Chargers defense has also been strong, but has failed to stay consistent with their play. Last weeks play was an unfortunate lapse against a Saints team they should have been able to win against. This week, their opponent gets tougher and can send the Chargers into one of their yearly droughts.
The Avett Brothers are an excellent live band
I'm a lucky girl. In the past week, I've seen two amazing live concerts -- both right in my own backyard, or close to it. Our little Tuscaloosa Amphitheater is doing really well, bringing tons of outstanding rock acts to town. Last night's show featured indie/folk rockers The Avett Brothers, with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals opening.
I can't say enough about how incredible the Avetts are live. The energy at an Avett Brothers show is simply off the charts, and the band gives everything they've got to keep the momentum going throughout. If you like a great folk/indie rock band show, see The Avett Brothers if they come to your area.
Unlike last week's Gotye show, The Avett Brothers packed the venue. Tuscaloosa absolutely loves this band. They've been coming around for years now, even before they became popular elsewhere. People are loyal to bands that put on great live shows (see: Cowboy Mouth) and it showed last night.
I mentioned last week that I've got a fancy new phone and I'm still learning how to shoot great photos and videos with it. Here is my latest attempt, a video of The Avett Brothers singing "I and Love and You" from the show last night:
As you can clearly see, the crowd was crazy energetic and totally into the music. So energetic, in fact, that I decided to stand a bit farther in the back. The show was fantastic, though. We got a lot of big Avett Brothers hits (including "Head Full of Doubt, Road Full of Promise" and "Kick Drum Heart") and some new songs from the band's latest album, The Carpenter ("Live and Die," in particular, was amazing, as was a stripped down "Winter in My Heart").
I can't say enough about how great The Avett Brothers are live. Anyone else think they're one of the best indie and folk rocking bands around right now? And by the way, my next show: Neil Young and Crazy Horse with the Alabama Shakes. See? I'm really, really lucky!
Ann seems to have it together.
Dear Diary,
It's been awhile. I guess I've been extremely busy as of late and haven't managed to get in some me time. Being the wife of Senator John McCain and a mother along with my chairperson duties at Hensley and Company among other things makes it pretty difficult. But I promise to post more.
I realize the importance of relaxation after I suffered a stroke in 2004. I’ve been enjoying the baseball lately and it is disappointing that the Diamondbacks are unable to do anything spectacular just yet.
Getting to what I really want to discuss. Ann Romney has been doing a great job and it shows in Mitt’s performance and the reason why he could win the presidency next month. I was able to offer Ann a lot of advice, but she has been almost flawless in the way she carries herself. I did manage to find the time to watch her bake Welsh cakes on ‘Good Morning America.’ It is no wonder Americans seem to like her so much.
However, she did lose that Cookie contest, which I had the pleasure of winning back in 2008. They even accused me of cheating! I guess that is politics. It has its benefits and drawbacks. But I’ve enjoyed the ride and have always been proud of being in a military family as hard as it can get when sending my sons away.
I may not get the chance to be the First Lady of the United States, but I sure have loved my time as a mother and wife along with my charitable work which I am most proud of.
xoxo,
Cindy
Kobe dishes on worst players he has played with
This week is the worst talent he's been around. Kobe is specifically referring to those years when most basketball fans had written him off. The 2005-06 season was especially hard for Bryant and he had probably the worst starting lineup in franchise history.
There was Smush Parker at point guard, Bryant at shooting guard with Lamar Adam as Small Forward. Brian Cook and Kwame Brown played in the low post. Compare that to the current starting lineup of Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace, Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard. This is exactly what Bryant did and Lakers fans have a mixed reaction about this.
I suppose Bryant should be taking the high road. Still, he was only reminiscing aloud about the past and how far he has come from those days when a playoff victory was such a treasure. As for stating that Smush Parker should not have played in the NBA, I thought that was unfair. I guess the Black Mamba wants to get back at Parker who has been a critic of his for years.
Nonetheless, I thought Kobe would be happier with a season in which he had a career best 35.4 points per game that included his amazing 81 point game. At the same time, this is the man who had once said that a season in which he doesn't win a championship is a wasted year of his life. Even his wife remarked on how grumpy Bryant can get when he doesn't win the NBA title.
It will make it easier for him to add that elusive sixth ring this year with Steve Nash running the point and Howard grabbing those all important boards.
Harvard Loop: Admissions scandal, a con man and more
Harvard admissions roulette
Mark Zimny was a former visiting assistant professor at Harvard who swindled a Chinese couple out of $2 million by promising them that he would get their sons into Harvard. I guess the Chinese couple, Mr. and Mrs. Chow, are partly to blame for the turn of events as there is a belief that you can buy your way into some of the elite universities in this country.
While this might be true, a lot of these universities are proud of their meritocracy and getting admitted is pretty complicated and there can be no guarantees here.
The curious case Adam B. Wheeler
This is such an astonishing story of a 24-year-old who managed to fool the Harvard admissions committee into believing that he was a transfer student from MIT who had graduated from the prestigious Philips Exeter Academy. What was even more amazing was his faking of the College Board report of his SAT score to make it a perfect 1600.
Even after attending the Cambridge, MA campus, Wheeler had even more desires and it was his fraudulent application to be a Rhodes Scholar that finally did him in. Wheeler really needs some medical attention.
IncestFest
More bad news about the culture at Harvard this week with "IncestFest." The residents at the dorm Kirkland House are having a bit of a controversial party where party-goers will be those that have been randomly assigned to live next to each other at the hall. These elitists will choose who to sleep with at this party and they can have several partners.
On to some good news
There are some good things that are happening with HBS receiving $40 million from the family of an ex-U.S. labor secretary Elaine L. Chao.
That is not all. The Harvard Crimson are set to dominate. Harvard will renovate its football stadium which is actually the oldest in the country. A new basketball arena will also be built in a decade. The football team have been riding high this season and they defeated Bucknell 35-7 to stay undefeated and on top of the Ivy League.
Halloween party game ideas
Do you want your family to enjoy a safe and fun Halloween this year? Do you want to know that your kids are safe and still make sure that they have a Halloween that is memorable? Have you thought about hosting your own Halloween party?
The party can be a neighborhood event. You can invite all the neighbors you trust, including the kids. Everyone can dress up in the best costumes. The costumes can include the spookiest, the prettiest and the funniest ideas they can imagine. The night can be filled with good fun, games, candy and more.
How do you start? You start by gathering the family and have them all brain storm on some ideas for entertaining the guests. This can include some fun filled Halloween games. For the littlest ones, why not have Howling game. All you need is a big box. The box needs to be big enough for a child to sit inside.
Before the party, have your little one decorate the box to look like a haunted house. An adult should cut out the small windows. During the party, each child will take a turn sitting inside the box, with their eyes closed, while another child takes a turn outside, making a howling sound. The child inside must identify which child made the sound. If he or she gets the identity correct, the child wins a treat.
Younger children can also take part in a pin the tail on the donkey style game, with the donkey being replaced with a pumpkin.
Older children may take part in a mystery game, where the host hides a black stuffed cat (or other stuffed Halloween animal) somewhere in the party area. Give the children clues on where the cat is. The winner should be awarded a prize.
Of course, the best part of the night, should be an old fashioned costume judging contest. This can be done by category: prettiest, scariest, and most original. All guests should be judged and the guests themselves should be the ones choosing the winners by random and anonymous drawings, which are tallied by the host and hostess. Winners can be rewarded handy or random awards.
Is your cat getting enough play?
Yes, cats are known to sleep a lot. In fact, experts say that cats will sleep 13 to 16 hours a day. That is a lot of sleep. This sleep is good for them. However, in between these bouts of sleep, a cat needs activity. Some of this activity also must include some play time. Play time will help the cat’s physical and mental well being. This includes both inside and outside cats. In fact, play time will help detour indoor cats from developing behavioral problems.
What types of play time do cats enjoy? Most cats will love running after balls, and little pieces of crumbled up paper. They will also run after strings and bat at strings. However, one should never leave a cat alone with a string. A cat can strangle on these. A cat should also not be left alone with a ball small enough to swallow.
Some cats will also play with small stuffed animals. They will kick at them, fight with them and catch them when they are thrown in the air.
There are many toys and activities that a cat will find fun. However, a cat owner should make sure that play time is safe time. For instance, laser lights are effective play toys to use with one’s cat. However, this is a play toy that should never be pointed at the cat’s eye.
If one can, one should play with their cat every day. They should also keep play items out where the cat can play with by themselves, especially if the cat is an indoor cat. Remember a cat that plays daily will be a healthy and happy cat.
Experience Halloween Horror Night
Back during my freshman year at college, a group of friends invited me to go with them to Universal Studios to have some spooky fun during the night of Halloween. At first, I was hesitant about going due to the fact that I had an exam at 9 a.m. the next day. But then after a few more phone calls from buddies of mine, I gave in, and decided to go to the amusement park with them.
For as long as I could remember, I had always been a "scaredy" cat. Anytime someone sneaked up behind me, I would jump and yell. Whenever I did manage to gather the courage to go to the theater to watch a scary movie, I had always ended up being the one to scream out loud. So even before heading into Universal Studios, I was prepared to get spooked plenty of times throughout the night.
As soon as I walked through the gates of Universal Studios, I experienced my first scare for the evening. One of the park’s staff had sneaked up behind me with a chainsaw, and he got me really good. From that moment on, I made sure I was always holding at least one of my friend’s hands.
Through the course of the night, my friends and I made sure to walk through every single haunted house. We also waited in line to get on most of the rides there. It was an awesome experience. So even though I ended up doing not so well on my exam the next morning, I never once regretted my decision to go to Halloween Horror Night that year.