You probably know by now that broadcast TV is going digital in February 2009—but you may not know why. The main goal of the transition is to free up some of the frequency spectrum currently used by TV signals for other purposes—like cell phone signals.

Frequencies for sale
The frequencies being opened up in the 700MHz range were put up for auction on January 24th. (The auction is still ongoing at the time of this writing.) It’s unlikely that this kind of frequency space will be made available again for another 50 years, and as expected, all of the major wireless carriers and other telephone/cable companies are eager to get their hands on new frequency space. What happens after the auction ends will depend on the winner.

But before you start worrying about your least favorite wireless carrier winning everything, take heart—the frequency space has been divided up into five “blocks,” and the different blocks come with different stipulations regarding their use. (For example, part of the D block must be made available for public safety usage should the need arise.) So it’s highly unlikely that one carrier will control all the blocks.

New freedoms for the cellular customer
Now for the good news—Google managed to persuade the FCC to add the stipulation that whoever wins the C block (the largest one) must make it open to any device designed to work in that frequency range. If that doesn’t make you giddy, here’s why it should. If your carrier wins the C block, you’ll be able to use any mobile device you want, assuming the manufacturer has programmed it to work with your carrier. It also means that the carriers will have to allow all third-party applications and services, like video-on-demand.

Better reception—not just for TVs
Another advantage of opening up the 700MHz spectrum involves reception. Voice signals travel farther in this range, so you can expect a phone operating on these frequencies to have a stronger signal than you might currently have. It also means that fewer cell towers can serve more people, which could be a boon for rural areas or cramped cities with lots of tall buildings.

Can you hear me now?

Via CityLife

Wasn't 'Dragon Quest Swords' bumped up to the US release date of February 19, 2008? A few weeks ago Square Enix reported it was. I went on a quest of my own to purchase the title from a retailer and here is what happened:

Target's electronics employees looked through their 'Nintendo Wii Promo Binder' and acted like they knew nothing, which they didn't. They had no way to look up when they would receive the title.

Sears electronics department stated that they are a small retailer and likely would not receive DQ Swords at all. They also had no way too look up if and when they would receive the game.

GameCrazy reserved out their only copy. They had no way too find out if and when they would get more copies.

Wal-Mart checked their back room and told me "out of stock."

EBGames checked their computer and said they would have 2 copies available for purchase tomorrow.

Best Buy had copies of the game in the back room, but stated that it was not set for release until February 21,2008.

So, alas, I was struck down like a slime. No Dragon Quest Swords early availability after all.

Written by Joshua Shear

Nintendo's popular Wii game console will displace Microsoft's Xbox 360 as the new-generation game machine, iSuppli said Thursday.

The market researcher forecasted that the global installed base of Wii game consoles will rise to 30.2 million units in 2008, up from 18 million in 2007, putting it ahead of the Xbox 360's projected 25.7 million units.

The Wii is already riding a wave of popularity that saw it win the greatest growth among new game consoles last year, according to iSuppli figures. There were only 3.2 million units in people's homes at the end of 2006, jumping to 18 million at the end of last year. The Xbox 360 retained its lead as the console in most homes last year by edging out the Wii with 18.2 million units, while the PlayStation 3 lagged rivals with 10.3 million, up from 1.8 million per year earlier.

iSuppli did not include older game consoles or handhelds in their report.

The market researcher chalks up Nintendo's success to a strategy of offering a lower-cost game console targeted at everyday people, rather than an expensive console with the latest graphics aimed at video game lovers. The main difference between the Wii and its rivals is the wireless controller and sensors that detect hand motion and speed. The innovation puts motion into gaming, because users swing the Wii controller to hit virtual baseballs and golf balls on their TV screens, go bowling and fight in boxing.

The Wii currently sells for $249.99 in the U.S., according to electronic retailer Best Buy's Web site, while the Xbox 360 costs $349.99 and the PlayStation 3 $399.99.

Via Washington Post

New beta website from syko.org allows you to post blogs, videos, and photos. Check it out.

We are looking for bloggers that can post quality videos, news, and just random wacky stuff, which is the point of this site. Email us at sykonews@gmail.com if you'd like to join the fold.

Collectively claiming that they "Put in more work than a crack ho before Christmas", they aren't kidding- having toured with the likes of Erick Sermon, Scarface and the Warped Tour as well as doing collabs with Travis Barker, Method Man, Kardinall Offishall and members of Helmet. MCs Werdplay and Varous met at a house party and later added Fafu as the DJ. Coming in 2008 is the group's debut record, Welcome To MBugout City, chalked full of rap/rock joints. For a taste, peep "Here that Their"- a joint which very cleverly uses a Dire Straits sample to further express what Blestenation is all about.

Go to Urb and rate them.

Star Trek XI will be released on May 8, 2009, depriving Star Trek fans of a Christmas Day movie present.

As reported at Variety, the new Star Trek movie has been delayed by Paramount, who believes that a greater gross potential would be realized in the summer.

The move was part of a major reshuffling to the studio's release calendar as they try to balance out their 2008 and 2009 calendars now that the writer's strike has ended.

Thus far, Star Trek XI has no competition in its new release slot, although it is now due to open one week after 20th Century Fox's X-Men Origins: Wolverine and one week before Sony's Angels and Demons.

Other Paramount movies have been moved, including: Nowhereland with Eddie Murphy which is moving from September 26 2008, to June 12, 2009; The Renee Zellweger horror-thriller Case 39, which is moving from August 22, 2008 to April 10, 2009; and David Fincher's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, which stars Brad Pitt and is moving from November 26, 2008 to December 19, 2008.

To read more, head to the article located here.

Via TrekToday

Many shows have been affected by the writers strike. How have different networks been affected by the strike? Check out this post-strike list.

The writers strike is over, but will your favorite television show be going back into production? Here is the long updated production list of television shows. Everything below is subject to change.


FOX

• House - Done until next fall
• Prison Break - 1 more episode then done until the fall
• 24 - Done until January 2009
• Bones - Returns April 28th with 4 new unaired episodes then done until the fall
• Til Death - Should return this season with a handful of new episodes.
• Back to You - Should return this season with a handful of new episodes.
• KVille Done.
• Sarah Connor Chronicles - 4 unaired episodes. Highly unlikely to be picked up.

ABC

• Lost - 8 episodes complete, 2 aired. 5 more to be produced for a total of 13 this season.
• Grey’s Anatomy - Attempting to return with 4 to 7 episodes. Some for this season and some for the fall.
• Desperate Housewives - Attempting to return with 6 new episodes.
• Boston Legal - Could go back into production but unknown at this time.
• Ugly Betty - 4-6 more episodes this season.
• Samantha Who? - 3 unaired, 3-4 more this season.
• Brothers and Sisters - 4 more episodes this season.
• Private Practice - Done until the fall.
• Pushing Daises - Done until the fall.
• Dirty Sexy Money - Done until the fall.
• Women’s Murder Club - Status unknown.
• Cashmere Mafia - Several unaired episodes. Status unknown.
• Big Shots - Status unknown.
• Notes From the Underbelly - Status unknown.
• Carpoolers - Dead.
• Cavemen - Dead.

NBC

• Office 6 to 10 new episodes this season.
• 30 Rock 5 to 9 new episodes this season.
• Law & Order New episodes expected. Number unknown.
• Law & Order: SVU New episodes expected. Number unknown.
• Heroes Done until the fall.
• My Name is Earl Attempting to return with 9 new episodes this season.
• Medium New episodes expected. Number unknown.
• ER New episodes expected. Number unknown.
• Chuck Done until the fall.
• Friday Night Lights Unfortunately, this show is probably dead.
• Bionic Woman VERY DEAD!
• Life Unknown.
• Las Vegas Unknown.
• Scrubs Remaining 6 episodes will be filmed. No word on where they will air. Could go straight to DVD.
• Lipstick Jungle Several unaired episodes. No word on being picked up.
• Journeyman Dead.

CBS

• CSI 6 more episodes this season?
• CSI: Miami 6 more episodes this season?
• CSI: NY 6 more episodes this season?
• Two and a Half Men Unknown.
• Big Bang Theory 8 or 9 more episodes this season.
• How I Met Your Mother 8 more episodes this season.
• NCIS 6 more episodes this season.
• Without A Trace New episodes expected. Number unknown.
• Criminal Minds New episodes expected. Number unknown.
• Cold Case New episodes expected. Number unknown.
• Ghost Whisperer New episodes expected. Number unknown.
• Numb3rs New episodes expected. Number unknown.
• Moonlight Unknown.
• Cane Dead.
• New Adventures of Old Christine New episodes expected. Number unknown.
• Welcome to the Captain Unknown.
• The Unit Unknown.
• Shark Unknown.
• Rules of Engagement Unknown.
• Jericho 6 unaired episodes. Would likely take an act of God to bring it back again.

CW

• Gossip Girl 4 more episodes this season.
• Smallville 5 more episodes this season.
• Supernatural 4 more episodes this season.
• The Game New episodes expected. Number unknown.
• Reaper 5 new episodes this season.
• One Tree Hill 5 or 6 unaired, 5 or six new episodes this season.
• Aliens in America Several unaired episodes. No news on more for this season.
• Everybody Hates Chris Several unaired episodes. No news on more for this season.
• Girlfriends Done until next fall.

HBO

• Entourage Back late 2008/Early 2009
• Big Love Back late 2008/Early 2009
• Flight of the Conchords Back late 2008/Early 2009
• Tell Me You Love Me Back late 2008/Early 2009

Showtime

• Weeds In production now. Scheduled for July premiere.
• Californication No return date as of yet.
• Dexter No return date as of yet.
• Brotherhood No return date as of yet.

FX

• Dirt 7 Episode season begins in March.
• The Riches Season beings in March.
• The Shield All 13 episodes complete. Will air sometime after the summer.
• Damages Back in late 2008/early 2009.
• Rescue Me Back in late 2008/early 2009.
• Nip/Tuck Handful of unaired episodes. Then back in late 2008/early 2009.

Via /film

Energizer is definitely on the right track with it's new Light-on-Demand modular LED lighting system, which features battery-backed LED light units that plug into a variety of fixtures and keep going even when the power goes out, but we'll wait until the designers can shake a little more ugly off this kit before we bring it home. The line is launching with several standard fixtures like the wired desk lamp and wireless wall sconce shown here, as well as a wireless motion detector and several emergency lighting solutions. Energizer says the gear was developed in response to research that showed people were "frustrated" by power outages and wanted lamps that stayed lit even during blackouts -- which seems fairly obvious to us, but we're not lighting researchers. Light-on-Demand units should be popping up in Targets later this month, but if Energizer really wanted to make a go of this, they'd hit us with a battery-backed LED light bulb, no?

Via Engadget

As Linkin Park prepares for its upcoming North American tour, frontman Chester Bennington is predicting a much shorter turnaround for the group's follow-up to 2007's "Minutes to Midnight."

"We sparked a new kind of life into what we do during the writing of ('Midnight')," Bennington told Billboard.com. "We want to keep that going. I think we're in the mode, and I have a good feeling we're going to put another record out really quickly."

Bennington said Linkin Park will bring recording gear on the road to capture ideas that come up while they're on tour. In addition to the North American jaunt with Coheed & Cambria and Chiodos that kicks off February 12 in Omaha, Neb., the group plans to host another edition of its Projekt Revolution tour this summer; bands and dates are expected to be announced within the next couple of months.

"There was a long period of time between the release of 2003's 'Meteora' and 'Minutes to Midnight'," Bennington said. "Even though we did tour (for 'Meteora') for two years, we didn't start working on writing ('Midnight') until seven months after we stopped touring. So it seemed like a really, really long time to our fans and it seemed like a really, really long time to us. I don't see that happening again."

Bennington didn't want to hazard a guess as to what Linkin Park's fourth studio album will sound like, however. "I never anticipate what we're gonna do," he explained. "I find that overplanning a creative project usually means you're gonna screw it up, so I really don't focus on what we're gonna do. When a song comes, I'll write it. When a song comes to (vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist) Mike (Shinoda), he'll put an idea down. We just kind of roll with it spontaneously."

Via Reuters

Shaquille O'Neal smiled broadly, then stood from his seat in a suite high above the court at US Airways Center. He pointed to his ring finger and gave a thumbs up.

The crowd went crazy. The message he was sending on the big screen at the Phoenix-New Orleans game Wednesday night was clear: He intends to bring to Phoenix the championship that has eluded the Suns franchise through its 40-year history.

The trade that brought O'Neal to Phoenix on Wednesday is one of the most unexpected in NBA history, a blockbuster deal that sent Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to Miami and came together in just a few days under first-year Phoenix general manager Steve Kerr.

The criticism has been widespread from fans to talk radio hosts to newspaper columnists. All claimed that Phoenix had acquired a once-great big man far past his prime, a 7-foot-1, 325-pound Goliath who would stifle the Suns' trademark ultra-up tempo game.

And the Suns were taking on a contract that pays O'Neal $20 million each of the next two seasons.

Yet coach Mike D'Antoni and the Suns players said they were elated, that they believe O'Neal will be reinvigorated by the move and become a crucial component of their title run.

"We feel like our players are giddy with the possibilities," D'Antoni said, "and he's ready and focused. It's up to the coaching staff to do the tweaks without changing everything, and I don't think we have to."

Steve Nash admitted he was "shocked" by the trade,

"If you look at what happened the last 24 hours it was incredible," he said. "You go through a whole bunch of emotions. It was very unexpected, but at the same time to get a chance to play with Shaquille O'Neal is pretty exciting."

O'Neal has been out for two weeks with a hip injury and underwent an MRI exam in Miami on Tuesday. He flew to Phoenix on Wednesday for the physical, and the Suns believe whatever ails the big guy can be cured by their doctors and training staff.

"It's a matter of flexibility in the joints and different things," Kerr said. "They're very progressive with their rehabilitation and they felt very strongly that he's going to be more mobile and explosive than what he has been."

Kerr said he, D'Antoni and owner Robert Sarver spoke with O'Neal.

"He wants to be here. He's dying to be here," Kerr said. "Shaquille is a winner, he's a champion and he was not happy playing in Miami for a team that's rebuilding. It was not a good situation."

The Suns' Amare Stoudemire is a friend of O'Neal and talked to him about his new team.

"He says he's ready to roll," Stoudemire said. "Whatever he needs to do he's going to be down for it, and he wants to win a championship, so we're on the same page."

Phoenix Suns guard Marcus Banks, left, drives to the basket past Philadelphia 76ers defenders Kevin Ollie, center, and Shavlik Randolph, right, during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game in this Nov. 17, 2006 file photo, in Phoenix. The Phoenix Suns have acquired Shaquille O'Neal in a stunning, blockbuster deal that sends four-time All-Star Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Miami Heat on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2008. O'Neal will turn 36 next month.

"There's doubts and a risk to everything," Nash said. "I know that's going to be a favorite talking point for all the media, but for us the talking point is we've got an incredible, huge, talented, charismatic player in our locker room now. ... This sounds like it's going to be a lot of fun."

O'Neal's ability to lift spirits is another plus for a Suns team that seemed joyless despite its success.

"I think the Big Aristotle is going to be fun for us," Nash said. "He has a great personality and he is one of the most exciting, charismatic players we have had in this league in a long time. Hopefully he is as excited to be here as he sounds and as we are and gives everybody a big lift."

O'Neal has averaged 25.6 points and 11.5 rebounds in 16 seasons in the NBA.

This season, plagued by injuries and going through a divorce, he's averaging 14.2 points. His 14-year streak as an All-Star choice came to an end this year.

He missed much of the 2006-07 season with a knee injury and finished that season with career lows in games (40), scoring (17.3 points), rebounds (7.4), minutes (28.4) and free-throw percentage (.422).

"It was a very, very hard decision for me. When Shaq came to the team four years ago, I always felt it was forever. We won a championship with him. We wish him nothing but the best," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "We have to move on with our team. We're rebuilding. This is not the most desirable place to be right now."

He denied that there was any lingering rift with O'Neal.

"I loved Shaq when I got him and I love him today," Riley said. "I've been coaching 25 years and there wasn't anything that went on between Shaq and I that caused this. We simply looked at the big picture, where we are today, and we need to build around Dwyane (Wade)."

The addition of O'Neal doesn't necessarily put the brakes on the running game, D'Antoni said.

"Didn't they have `Showtime' (in Los Angeles) and they had a 40-year-old center (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) running down behind everybody?" D'Antoni said. "If he rebounds and passes, we're gone. He doesn't have to catch up."

Phoenix Suns' Shawn Marion puts up a shot as Los Angeles Clippers' Quinton Ross defends during the first half of their preseason NBA Basketball game, in this Oct. 20, 2007 file photo, in Los Angeles. The Phoenix Suns have acquired Shaquille O'Neal in a stunning, blockbuster deal that sends four-time All-Star Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Miami Heat on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2008.

Marion, weary of being third fiddle to Nash and Stoudemire, asked to be traded before the season began. He didn't get his wish and, although he refused to talk publicly about it, remained unhappy with his role.

Still, his talents fit well with the fast-paced style that coach Mike D'Antoni wanted, especially with his ability to finish on a fast break. He also was the team's best defender, guarding everyone from Tony Parker to Yao Ming. Marion, who has spent all of his 8 1/2 NBA season with Phoenix, made the All-Star team the last three seasons.

This season, though, he failed to make it, while Nash and Stoudemire did. Marion has NBA career averages of 18.4 points and 10 rebounds. This season, he's averaging 15.8 points and 9.9 rebounds.

O'Neal's move west adds fuel to the already intense rivalry between the Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers and old teammate Kobe Bryant.

"Maybe now I won't be the No. 1 enemy when we go there," the Suns' Raja Bell said. "That's OK with me."

Via Yahoo!Sports

MGM and SCI FI Channel announced Tuesday the cast changes for the fifth season of Stargate Atlantis! Veteran genre actor Robert Picardo ("Star Trek: Voyager") joins the cast as the new commander of the Atlantis base. Paul McGillion ("Carson Beckett") also to return. Guest appearances for Michael Shanks, Amanda Tapping!

Via GateWorld

In three to five years, a baby will be born with two genetic mothers and one father. This could prove to be a boon for polyamorous families of the future who want to have children with more than two parents. A team of British researchers working with embryos have now perfected the three-parent babymaking technique.


The technique is actually designed to prevent certain genetic diseases associated with the mother's mitochondrial DNA (a small amount of DNA that lives outside the cell nucleus). One woman contributes her nuclear DNA, one contributes mitochondrial DNA, and the father contributes the typical chunk of his own nuclear DNA. Presto: a baby with three genetic parents.

No three-parent babies have been born yet, but the researchers say they've done enough testing that they plan to make the procedure available in the next three to five years. Here's how it works:

The process involves in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the subsequent removal of the egg's nucleus. The nucleus is then placed into a donor egg whose DNA has been removed. The resulting fetus inherits nuclear DNA, or genes, from both parents but mitochondrial DNA from a third party.

Via io9

ESPN reported early Wednesday that the Heat has agreed to trade Shaquille O'Neal, the superstar center who arrived at the Miami Heat's doorstep in a diesel truck and then helped drive the team to an NBA championship, to the Phoenix Suns pending O'Neal passing a physical exam in Phoenix on Wednesday.

The Heat is expected to receive forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks in exchange for O'Neal. ESPN's report followed a Miami Herald report that the Heat had informed O'Neal that a trade to Phoenix was a strong possibility.

O'Neal, nicknamed The Diesel, was introduced amid much fanfare when he was traded to the Heat before the 2004 season. He rolled up to AmericanAirlines Arena in a diesel truck and never looked back as he and Dwyane Wade pulled the franchise into the Eastern Conference Finals and then the 2005-06 championship series, in which they beat the Dallas Mavericks.

Since then, however, the franchise has declined, losing in the first round of the playoffs last season and standing about halfway through the current season at a league-worst 9-37.

NO COMMENT

Heat President Pat Riley, who has denied speculation of an O'Neal trade in the past, declined to comment Tuesday night. O'Neal has reportedly contacted Phoenix players.

Though Riley has said otherwise, an official close to the situation said Miami has spoken openly in recent days of trying to unload O'Neal's contract and clear salary cap room for either next season or the year after, depending on whether Marion opts of his contract this summer. O'Neal is in the third year of a five-year, $100 million contract and is due $20 million each of the next two seasons.

Riley said earlier Tuesday that O'Neal was scheduled to have an MRI procedure on his ailing left hip, which has kept him out of the past six games. ''We just want to see what it shows,'' Riley said.

Riley gave no indication of when O'Neal might return, but said he must strengthen his leg before doing so.

O'Neal, who will turn 36 on March 6, is averaging a career-low 14.2 points and was not named to this month's All-Star roster after 14 previous appearances. O'Neal is averaging 7.8 rebounds and has battled frequent foul trouble, which has limited him to 28.3 minutes per game. His field-goal percentage (58 percent) is sixth-best in the league.

PLAYED LIKE A CHAMP

Acquired by the Heat from the Los Angeles Lakers in July 2004, O'Neal averaged 22.9 points and 10.4 rebounds in 73 games during the Heat's championship season.

But injuries limited him to 40 games last season, and his averages slipped to 17.3 points and 7.4 rebounds. This season, he has played in 32 of the Heat's 46 games.

After this season, Marion can opt out of the final year of his contract worth $17.2 million. Marion, 29, a four-time All-Star and considered one of the league's most athletic small forwards, is averaging 15.8 points and 9.9 rebounds this season.

Banks, 26, was the 13th pick of the 2003 draft but has struggled to find minutes in his two seasons in Phoenix because he's playing behind All-Star point guard Steve Nash. He's averaging 5.2 points and 1.0 assists. After this season, Banks has three years left on his contract, worth a total of $13.4 million.

If the Heat acquires Marion and he opts out of his deal this summer, Miami would have substantial salary cap space to shop in an appealing free-agent class that could include Gilbert Arenas, Baron Davis, Elton Brand, Antawn Jamison, Ron Artest and Corey Maggette.

Via MiamiHerald

Here is a full list of Superbowl Commercials.

Bud Light: "Breathe Fire"

Audi R8: "The Godfather"

Diet Pepsi Max: "Roxbury/What Is Love?"

SalesGenie.com: "ACME Widgets"

Bud Light: "Wine and Cheese Party."

Under Armour Shoes: "The Future is Ours"

Bridgestone: "Squirrel in the Road"

Doritos: "Crash the Super Bowl Winner"

Universal Pictures presents: Wanted

Gatorade G-2: "Derek Jeter"

Go Daddy.com: "Wardrobe Malfunction"

Dell: "Red"

FedEx: "Carrier Pigeons"

Cars.com: "Death Match"

Tide: "Stain"

Toyota: "Corolla"

Universal Pictures presents: Leatherheads

Cars.com: "Witch Doctor"

Salesgenie.com: "Ching Ching and Ling Ling"

Garmin GPS: "Napoleon"

CareerBuilder.com: "Follow Your Heart"

Vitamin Water: "Horse Race"

SoBe Life Water: "Thriller"

White House Office of National Drug Control Policy: "Neighborhood Dealer"

Bud Light: "Caveman Invents the Wheel"

Ice Breakers: "Carmen Electra"

Yukon: "Hybrid"

Bud Light: "Carlos Mencia"

Walt Disney Presents: The Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian

Bridgestone: "Headlights"

Sunsilk: "Hair Icons"

Planters: "Unibrow"

Coca-Cola: "Dueling Parade Balloons"

T-Mobile: "Chuck and Dwayne"

CareerBuilder: "Spider"

Pepsi: "Justin Timberlake"

Taco Bell: "Fiesta Platters"

Doritos: "Mouse Trap"

Hyundai: "The Genesis"

Gatorade: "Thirsty Dog"

E-trade: "Baby Trader"

Victoria's Secret: "Model"

Bud Light: "Ability to Fly"

Amp: "Jumpstart"

NFL.com: "Super Ad"

E-trade: "Baby Trader II"

Coca-Cola: "Carville & Frist"

Bud Light: "Semi-Pro"

Toyota: "Big Wheels"

Sony Pictures: "You Don't Mess With The Zohan"

via tvsquad

Check 'em out. Here are some of my favorite Superbowl 2008 Commercials.

My Talking Stain

Incredibly funny ad with a talking stain during a job interview.

Bud Light: "Breathe Fire"

As we all know, when it comes to the Super Bowl it's all about ... the ads! Big audiences and big money is on the line so advertisers always go crazy to grab the attention of the largest worldwide television audience each year. This year's cavalcade of commercials began with Bud Light, with "everything you want in a beer." Now with the ability to breathe fire! Sure it's romantic when you can light the candles at the dinner table by blowing on them, not so much when your date has a cat and you're allergic. As in sneezing allergic. A short and funny commercial, Best bit is the disclaimer at the end done in typical fast-talk, "Ability to breathe fire no longer available in Bud Light."

Audi R8: "The Godfather"

We open on a beautiful mansion, panning into an elderly man sleeping. He sees something on his hands, rips the sheets back! The horror! It's the "head" of his luxury car! This homage to one of the most gruesome and classic scenes ever (horse head in bed scene in The Godfather...you've seen this right?) is pretty clever. The cut to the Audi R8 sitting in his driveway looking sinister, works well. Who knew a luxury car could have such a dark side?

Diet Pepsi Max: "Roxbury/What Is Love?

The best of the night so far. It starts off innocently enough with Troy Aikmen commenting on the action in the first quarter when Joe nods off and bangs his head on his mic. Queue music ("What is Love?") and we then get a montage of people across all industries nodding off at their jobs, at dinner, at awards shows, on game shows. I'm pretty sure that's Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, LL Cool J and Macy Gray nodding off while they were up for "Song of the Year." This keeps up until Diet Pepsi Max comes along on a mail cart and everyone starts doing "The Roxbury," or the head bopping made famous by Chris Kattan and Will Ferrell in the recurring SNL skits. The bit ends with Troy staring at Joe as Joe bops along. But the best part is after the blurbs about Diet Pepsi Max and the slogans, we get a quick shot of Chris Kattan shopping, yelling "Stop it!" to two girls doing the head bop.

FedEx: "Carrier Pigeons"

Am I the only one watching this commercial who wasn't worried about the huge carrier pigeon dropping pianos, or whatever that huge box was, but rather dropping... something else? I don't know that I like this commercial for FedEx as much as some of the quieter, in-office commercials. This one was too busy, too super-heroey, too chaotic. But it was vaguely amusing. No comment, no editorializing, no yelling about the pigeons and the chaos and the huge mess they have made, and the expense, possible lawsuits, etc. Just a quiet, "Let's switch to FedEx." I still haven't really seen any commercials to write home about yet.

Via TVSquad & SpikeTV

Cubed3 gives Hori's Fighting Stick Wii a Final Score of 9 out of 10. Since I have not tried the Fighting Stick yet myself, this article gives much needed insight into this controller's usability. At about $59 US, How many of these will you pick up?

An excellent Hori product that is understandably licensed by Nintendo. £29.99 is a great price to pay for such high quality, this joystick was built to last and is practically flawless. Be sure to give it a try

Via Cubed3

Hrm... wonder what he or she's lookin' at.

This is the beta post. How does it look?

There will be no more Rocky or Rambo movies. Say it ain't so, big guy?

Sylvester Stallone has bid sweet adieu to his two most memorable cinematic creations, Rambo and Rocky, despite the successful launch of Rambo in the US last weekend

The ageing action hero defied a mauling from the critics when his fourth, eponymously titled Rambo instalment debuted in second place in the US charts with a decent haul of a little over $18m (£9.1m).

"This is the last Rambo just as Rocky Balboa is the last Rocky," Stallone told reporters. "I can't go any further. It was a miracle that it even got done."

Stallone's comments may come as a surprise to Harvey Weinstein, however, who said on Sunday that he expected the series to continue after the film's auspicious release.

The Rambo and Rocky films have grossed hundreds of millions of dollars around the world and are an immensely appealing prospect to the pack of executives like Weinstein that like to surround money-making ventures.

Stallone produced, directed and starred in Rambo, in which the famously monosyllabic former Green Beret dons the face paint one more time for a hostage rescue mission in Burma."
Via Guardian Unlimited

I saw Rambo last Wednesday and I have to say it wasn't half bad. There was a valid storyline and by the time it really got going I was mesmerized and content. The story wasn't too intricate or involved, it seemed just right for Rambo. All in all, Great job Sly, you should do more Rambo movies.

Check out this Rambo Kill Chart below found at Geekstir.

How about a spy satellite of about 20,000 pounds landing in your backyard or providing you with a new skylight? If NASA has anything to do with it, that won't happen, according to reports.

A disabled U.S. spy satellite is likely to break into small pieces when it falls to Earth within weeks, posing little danger to humans, U.S. government officials said Monday.

Most, if any, debris that survives the intense heat of re-entry would likely fall into the oceans, which cover more than 70 percent of the planet, White House National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said. But he said the U.S. government was monitoring the satellite’s descent from orbit and examining different options to “mitigate any damage.”

The U.S. military could potentially use a missile to destroy the minivan-sized satellite in space, but one senior U.S. defense official told Reuters that was unlikely for several reasons, including concern about creating space debris, as China did when it shot down one of its satellites last year.

via MSNBC

The prospect of other peoples germs on my food is not always a nice one. From the sound of this article, I'm gonna be watching the dip like a hawk to make sure no one double dips this Sunday. How about you?

Keep an eye on the salsa this Super Bowl Sunday: A researcher inspired by a famous "Seinfeld" episode has concluded that double dipping is just plain gross.

"That's like putting your whole mouth right in the dip!" George Costanza was admonished on the show after he dipped a chip twice at a wake. That's not too far off, said Clemson University professor Paul L. Dawson.

Last year the food microbiologist's undergraduate students examined the effects of double dipping using volunteers, wheat crackers and several sample dips. They found that three to six double dips transferred about 10,000 bacteria from an eater's mouth to the remaining dip sample.

"I was very surprised by the results," Dawson said in a telephone interview Thursday. "I thought there would be very minimal transfer. I didn't think we would be able to detect it."

The professor said the students' research didn't get into the risk behind such a bacteria transfer, but they got the idea.

"I like to say it's like kissing everybody at the party — if you're double dipping, you're putting some of your bacteria in that dip," Dawson said.

The results of the research are scheduled to be published in the journal Food Safety within the next six months, he said.

-via yahoo news

All Arrested Development fans might finally get some more comic genius from the arrested gang after reports are coming in that a movie is in the works:

"Jason Bateman has just confirmed to me that the creative minds behind Arrested Development (Mitch Hurwitz and Ron Howard) have put the wheels in motion toward a major motion picture of the Fox TV comedy so many of us adore. I'm told by insiders that Jason and other Bluth family members have received calls from producers (Hurwitz and Howard) asking if they would be willing to shoot a movie.

"I can confirm that a round of sniffing has started," Bateman says. "Any talk is targeting a poststrike situation, of course. I think, as always, that it's a question of whether the people with the money are willing to give our leader, Mitch Hurwitz, what he deserves for his participation. And I can speak for the cast when I say our fingers are crossed."

Jeffrey Tambor also revealed on XM Radio's the Ron and Fez Show that he has been approached by Ron Howard to see if he's willing to do an Arrested film. (You can hear that interview below.)

For the record, both Jason and Jeffrey's answers were: Hells yeah. And I hear from other sources that other castmembers were called and that everyone seems to be very much on board and excited by the prospect.

Insiders also tell me that while creator Mitch Hurwitz does not yet have a script, he has a good, solid understanding of what he'd like to do for the movie, and Universal is very much interested."

via E-online

What Ever happened to these? I wish they still did them.