Bay Area Snow: Sarcasm is Good

All week long, we've been hearing and hearing and hearing that snow will come to the Bay Area. For those who live here, it's probably been the top story on your nightly news since Tuesday. You've also probably been very curious to know if and where it may be snowing. Well, your search stops here and here and here.

People are awesome.

Image via SFist.

Music Tuesdays - The Roller by Beady Eye

Beady Eye is the new band formed by the members of Oasis after Noel Gallagher left Oasis in 2009. Quick refresher: Noel Gallagher was the brother who did most of the songwriting for Oasis, while Liam Gallagher was the lead singer.

Tech Thursday: Smartphones in Cars

A recent Business Week article on smartphone apps in cars covers ground we at FIWK have already been over, but it's still interesting to consider.

Below is a CNet Car Tech video which covers another really interesting way for smartphones to communicate with cars - especially electric cars. Ford is displaying the ability for an app on your phone to set the charging parameters and features on your electric vehicle remotely (starting about halfway through the video):



This is a great integration of phone and car technology, right?

In a related story, the grill on the Ford Focus electric is one of the best examples of robot mouth in automobile history.

Beer Wednesday: My Bloody Valentine by AleSmith

Since we like to be topical here at FIWK, Wet Wednesday this week is dedicated to a Valentine's day themed beer: My Bloody Valentine, a red ale by San Diego-based brewery AleSmith. I had this beer on tap at a bar in San Diego, and it was delicious.

Music Tuesdays - I Follow Rivers by Lykke Li

As hyped by our friend C-Mac, here is a new single by Swedish musician Lykke Li. Much like Bon Iver and Land of Talk, I am catching onto this artist at the time of their second album being released, but the songs off the first album are all pretty darn good too.

Monday Movie Review - Easy A

I normally stick to reviewing things I can imbibe, but I saw Easy A last week and I have to recommend it. In a lot of ways it reminds me of a more light-hearted Juno, which is about the highest compliment I can think of for a high school comedy.

Tech Thursday: The Economist's Babbage Blog

For reasons unknown, The Economist website is not loading for me. But that won't stop me from recommending their weekly technology column and accompanying podcast called Babbage. For fans of Tech Thursday, I would strongly recommend downloading Babbage as part of the Economist podcasts available for free on iTunes.



This week Babbage discussed 3D Printing, which I didn't know much about beforehand. Now, I think it's awesome. Check out this article and video for an example of why it's awesome. Seriously, watch that video and try to tell me that's not awesome. IT IS AWESOME.

Beer Wednesday: Rigor Mortis by Dieu de Ciel

I recently had the Rigor Mortis by Brasserie Dieu de Ciel, a French Canadian brewery, and immediately loved it. Any reader who recalls my affinity for smooth and delicious darker beers will not be surprised - Rigor Mortis is one of the smoothest and most delicious strong amber ales I've ever had. It's instantly one of my favorite beers.

Music Tuesdays - Blue Orchid by White Stripes

Since apparently the White Stripes broke up last week, I dusted off one of my random favorite White Stripes songs. Also in contention for a randomly good single is Icky Thump, but honestly the video creeped me out a little too much.

Were you a fan or not a fan of the White Stripes?

FIWK the NFL: The Big Game

There are two things I love about the Super Bowl. One single, highly competitive game to determine the NFL Champion. And the commercials. Seriously, I love Super Bowl commercials. They're fun, funny and entertaining. Well, not all of them. This poses a big problem for me if I want to drink a few beers (or any liquid for that matter). It's hard to find time to go to the bathroom. I don't want to leave the room during the game, because the game of football is awesome. I don't want to leave during the commercials because I like to laugh. I'm guessing there are other people out there that love the game play and the commercials, so I'm here to help. Step 1: skip the half time show. It always sucks. Step 2: Watch this commercial. Yes, it's cute and funny and good. But more importantly, you will already have seen it. So when the commercial comes on this Sunday, use that opportunity to go to the bathroom while everyone else enjoys the little Darth Vader.

Commercials are such a huge part of the game now. You can even bet on who will have the best commercial. See? Bud Light is the current favorite and Budweiser in a close second and how the hell are those not the same company? And where are all the other beer companies? I mean, they're not even listed. And if Bud Light/Budweiser have such a dominant lead, why spend so much money on multiple Super Bowl commercials? Maybe because they have a little extra cash lying around by adding water to beer then charging the same price...but I'm not bitter about it or anything. Man, that was a horrible, unintentional pun. Taking a look at a few other prop bets available that have nothing to do with football...apparently just betting the over/under length of the national anthem just isn't enough these days. Now you can bet on how long Christina Aguilera will hold the last note, "brave" and whether or not she will wear a cowboy hat. However, there is one prop bet that has been around for a long time that continues to be the stupidest bet ever. The coin flip. Because they took a 50/50 bet and turned it into a pure profit maker for the house. They're going to get half the bettors on one side and half on the other and collect 5% no matter what the result.

As for some legitimate prop bets that I like...the first one I mention is not based on my own analysis, but on reading and listening to people I trust. Heath Miller over receiving yards. I don't know what the number is, but take the over. (Ed. note: 38.5 yards and 3.5 receptions are the two Heath Miller prop bets) Apparently those that analyze things have determined that Heath Miller just matches up well with the Packers defense. You know what, I don't really like any prop bets, so I'm going to point out a few prop bets that I find interesting.
1) Team to receive opening kickoff: Pittsburgh (EVEN) or Green Bay (-130). So Vegas is saying that the Steelers are 30% more likely to win the toss and defer.
2) Result of the first offensive play: touchdown is at 40/1. I remember a few years ago Peyton Manning threw a touchdown to Marvin Harrison on the first offensive play. So I guess this happens more than once every 40 games?
3) First team to get to ten points: Pittsburgh (EVEN), Green Bay (-125), neither team scores ten points (+3000). 30-1 that neither team scores ten points? Hmmmm..... These are two really good defenses...
4) Will the first half end in a tie: Yes (+550) or No (-900). I could definitely see someone kicking a field goal late in the first half to tie the game at ten.
5) Longest touchdown in the game: over/under 43.5 (each -115). Remember when the Tennessee Chris Johnson's played the Kansas City Jamaal Charles's and I thought one of them could get a 30 yard play? Despite Charles' 5.9 ypc day neither got more than 17 yards. And they set the over/under at 43.5? That seems really long. And neither defense likes to give up long plays. So I kind of like the under.
6) Will there be a special teams or defensive touchdown: Yes (+140) or No (-170). The odds on Yes used to be a lot better. But with James Harrison's big run two years ago and Tracy Porter's HUGE interception last year, the odds have come way down. This year? I say take No at -170.
7) Will a punt hit the scoreboard: Yes (+650). While I don't think this will happen, I'm surprised there is no option to bet No.

As for the real bets, The Packers are favored over the Steelers by 2.5 and the over/under for the game is 45. Both teams have great defenses with the Steelers taking the slight edge. The Packers have a great offense led by Aaron Rodgers, he of the wrestling championship belt celebration, but Football Outsiders says the Steelers offense is slightly more efficient. The Steelers even have a better special teams. So it was easy for Aaron Schatz to pick the Steelers, right? Well, after seriously stressing how close these two teams are and that it really is 50/50 and taking a deeper look beyond DVOA, he eventually settles on the Packers, mostly due to injuries and uncertainty by the Steelers. But I'm going to disagree. I acknowledge the injuries to a few key Steelers starters can be harmful and that the Packers have a little more team speed in a stadium designed for team speed. I understand why the Packers are favored because I honestly think they are more talented. In fact, that's how I want to describe this game. Talent vs. Grit. The Steelers do the right things to win games, no matter how ugly it may turn out. The Steelers have a much better balance between run and pass while the Packers running game is still questionable or unknown. Both teams can rush the passer and stop the run. And the Steelers are getting a couple points.

I'm predicting that this will be a very close game and there is going to be a moment late in the game with the result very much in the air that the Green Bay or Mike McCarthy is going to make a tiny mistake that you don't even notice at the time. You're going to see it and just pause, thinking "Hmm...that seems strange...but whatever, I guess it's fine." Something like snapping the ball on first down with ten seconds left on the play clock and three minutes left in the game so they are unable to run the clock down to the two minute warning. Or letting Ben Roethlisberger convert a third down very early in a late drive that leads to a score. Maybe an illegal procedure that puts them at second and 9 instead of second and four. You won't notice it at the time because it won't lead to a score or a turnover, but it will happen. And now that you are prepared, you're going to see that play and be ready. The Steelers won't make this kind of mistake and the Packers will. The Steelers cover.

Music Tuesdays - Oh No by Andrew Bird

Something a little different, but interesting.