Simpsons Sidebar Jeopardy

Check out the new Simpsons Sidebar Jeopardy located to the right just under my profile. Test your Simpsons knowledge against other fans. It should make for a fun break from work or studying. If you're the first to answer correctly, you can even choose the next category.

Check back often to continue competing as I will keep a running list of the contestants and their winnings.

NCAA Tournament Champion

No, I'm not referring to the University of North Carolina, although they share that same title. I'm referring to myself as I have officially won my CBS Sportsline NCAA Tournament Pool. I beat out 8 tough competitors (ok, some obviously have never watched college basketball before) by picking 45/63 games correctly including the entire first round of the Albuquerque bracket, both teams for the final game, and North Carolina as the winner. It's just too bad I didn't put any money down on my picks.

Top Ten Driving Tips

I really can't stand the way some people drive and I find myself wanting to destroy countless drivers each and every time I'm out on the roads. Obviously, the problem is not me, so I'm making this post to inform and educate everybody about a few little known facts abouts driving.

1) If you're parking on the side of a street, pull all the way up to the car in front of you (if there is one), don't force the next person who comes to parallel park between you and the car ahead of you just because you want an easy exit.

2) If you can turn on red, DO IT! I can't tell you how many people I see who refuse to turn on red despite it being legal. They just sit and hang out because they aren't thinking about anyone but themselves.

3) Learn how to judge the distance and speed of oncoming traffic and know the capabilities of your car. Too many people will just sit for what seems like hours when trying to join moving traffic from a different street. They won't pull out because they feel it's too risky (even though they have a full 15 seconds before the next car comes by).

4) When you are stopped in the middle of the street waiting to turn left, pull your car as far over to the center line as possible to allow traffic behind you to go around.

5) Similar to #4, when you are waiting to turn left in an intersection, pull into the center of the intersection, do not wait behind the line. You are entitled to turn after the light turns red and oncoming traffic stops. If you don't pull into the intersection, you may never get a chance to turn if traffic is heavy and nobody behind you will get a chance to turn either. Also, it allows traffic behind you to go around you instead of waiting for you to turn (assuming it's a one lane road).

6) When you are entering the highway, don't get on at 45mph and then wonder why it is so dangerous and difficult to merge with traffic that is going 70-80mph. Use the entrance ramp to get your car up to the speed limit. You will find it much safer and much easier to merge.

7) Similar to #6, when you are already on the highway and see an entrance ramp up ahead, move your car into the left lane to allow the entering vehicles to merge.

8) While on the highway, if you're not going faster than the cars in the right lane, stay the hell out of the left lane. Although historically the left lane was reserved only for cars that were in the process of passing another car, it is now used for cars that simply are traveling faster than those in the right lane. Don't just hang out in the left lane if there are people close behind you.

9) Your brakes are there for a reason, to slow your car down. The brake pedal is NOT a foot rest. I can't tell you how many people I have driven behind (mostly old people and Virginia drivers) that will drive a significant distance with their foot on the brake the entire time. They are fully disregarding the fact that the brake pedal activates the rear brake lights before it slows the car down. So, people driving behind them see brake lights but the car isn't actually slowing down. This causes frustration and, more importantly, desensitization to those brake lights ahead because they don't result in the car slowing down. It takes far more time to realize and react to a car slowing down in front of you when you are not using the brake lights as a visual indicator of decreasing speed. So, please, make sure that when you press that pedal in, it is because you are slowing down, not because you may be slowing down sometime soon.

10) For the love of God, make sure the next car you buy is a stick shift. First off, it's just good to know how to drive a manual transmission. Everybody knows how important it is to know how to swim, it simply seems ridiculous and dangerous to not learn how. It's no different for driving a stick shift. You never know when you may need to be able to drive a car with a manual transmission in an emergency situation. In fact, when comparing swimming to driving, it seems much more likely that an emergency situation would arise requiring you to be able to drive a stick shift than finding yourself in a situation where you need to know how to swim. Honestly, compare how often you find yourself near water and how often you find yourself near cars.

Aside from the safety issue, it will make you a much safer and more attentive driver. You will quickly learn how a car works. You will learn what your car sounds like when it's running normally and be able to quickly recognize when something is wrong. You will also find yourself paying more attention to the road than with an automatic (that is a good thing). All it takes is a few hours of your time by yourself or with a friend (preferably) to just practice and get used to driving one. Also, if you know how to drive a stick but have never actually done it, don't think that you don't need to practice. Trust me, just because you know how to drive a stick, it doesn't mean you can drive a stick. It's really like riding a bike - once you learn how to do it, you will never forget it. Finally, it will save you money. Most car manufacturers charge around $1100-1600 if you choose an automatic transmission. You really can't go wrong with a manual transmission.

Apple's Shuffle Gets More Air than Dee Brown

Has anyone else noticed that Apple has blown their entire marketing budget on making sure everyone watching the NCAA tournament buys an iPod Shuffle? There was a brief fifteen minute period when I actually wanted to download, I mean buy, that song. The only problem is that period was during the first half of the Michigan State/Old Dominion game back in the first round. After watching that damn commercial during every break in that game and every game since, I almost turned off the TV during this last weekend of overtime games where every timeout was used, thus forcing me to jam to what Apple considers to be the hippest new product on the market. If you haven't seen the commercial, get a TV or go here.

Also, what's with the idea of wearing MP3 players around your neck? I think it's a ridiculous idea. Now, if that happens to be the most convenient way for you to wear it, then by all means do it. But, as indicated on their website, Apple seems to think it is "the ultimate fashion statement." The little necklace thing is called a "lanyard." In case it hasn't been mentioned anywhere else, let me be the first to say that if you wear your MP3 player around your neck for any reason other than pure convenience, you are a dork. If anyone ever danced the way those black silouettes do in the commercial, there would be lawsuits everywhere for the dozens of eyes that would be knocked out by that little Shuffle flying around (the commercial conspicuously restricts the Shuffle's flight capabilities to make you think you wont choke yourself when dancing). Believe it or not, they even offer a lanyard for the iPod Mini. Since I now have a mini, trust me, that thing would bang into everything if worn around your neck. If you're dying for people to know that you have a Shuffle, or iPod, or iPod Mini, the white earphones are enough for most anyone who would care.

Tivo and Comcast Reach a Deal

After months of declining stock value, leadership "resignations", increased (and arguably better) competition, Tivo has finally signed a deal with Comcast to provide Tivo software in Comcast set-top boxes. For those of you who don't know, up until today's announcement, Tivo was widely viewed as being in a "sink or swim" situation. With cable and satellite companies rolling out their own digital video recorders (DVRs), Tivo faced stiff competition from companies who were charging around $10.00 per month for similar and in some cases better service than Tivo was offering for $13.00 per month + the cost of the actual Tivo (anywhere from $80-200). In fact, Tivo resorted to giving away Tivo units for free in one market to compete with the new cable DVRs being introduced.

Tivo absolutely had to strike a deal with someone to survive. And when previous talks with Comcast broke down months ago, industry watchers and Tivo enthusiasts feared the end of the company that started and set the standard for the DVR industry. Today's announcement will bring the Tivo name and technology to the nation's largest cable television provider (which is really where it belongs). Indeed, the market has already reacted to the news.

My parents have had Tivo for over a year and love it, and if you've ever used Tivo yourself, you no doubt have fallen in love with it also. It's ease of use (its remote control won a design award), attractive menus, and nearly flawless operation make watching what you want at the time you want to watch it as simple as possible. Another attractive feature is that, unlike a VCR, Tivo can be programmed to record a show in around 15 seconds. It is a fun and easy device to use. In fact, I bought a Tivo almost a year ago and loved it for around a month until returning it because Comcast had announced it would introduce its own DVR service. I simply couldn't justify paying the extra $3.00 per month + the cost of the actual Tivo when I could get similar service from Comcast for significantly less. Granted, you will never own your cable or satellite DVR because you're essentially just renting it, but with how fast technology improves these days, do you really want to own it? Despite the savings in cost, I was disappointed because I knew Comcast's DVRs would lack the design and overall attractiveness that Tivo has become known for. Today's news makes me happy for waiting.

The only real disadvantages of this agreement are 1) the possible increase in rates for the Tivo-powered Comcast DVR; and 2) that it will likely be much harder for the thousands of Tivo owners who enjoy "hacking" their Tivos to make any changes to their rented DVRs. On a side note, I was able to upgrade my parents' Tivo to give them 3 times the storage space than their Tivo offered. Although it took a couple weeks of research, studying, and asking questions to people online, upgrading the Tivo is surprisingly quick and easy and I could do it in around 10 minutes now. If you're interested in knowing more or want help with upgrading your own Tivo, make a post or drop me an email and I'll see if I can help you through it.