Yes, it's that time of year again. Time for us all to waste hours and hours of worktime, pouring over brackets and trying to win the big prize in your office pool (if gambling was legal that is). Well, since I know not all of you have the time or energy to watch hours of college basketball... I thought I'd give you all some hints and tips so you too can be successful as I am. (Note: In 20 years of filling out brackets, I have won exactly 1 time... so take this all with a big ol' grain of salt)

And don't forget to join in the Daybreak Pool, for your chance to win a Super Special Daybreak Prize Pack.

Here now... are the 10 Commandments of March Madness

1. Thou Shalt Not Have All #1 Seeds In The Final Four

It's never happened, and even though I'm tempted to do it this year... I know deep down inside that at least 1 top seed will go down. I don't know who, and I don't know when... I just know.

2. Thou Shalt Never Pick a #16 Seed To Beat A #1 Seed

Again, it has never happened, although we have come close. Princeton almost knocked off Georgetown 20 years ago and there's always one #16 that hangs around longer then they should, but in the end they will lose. They always lose.

3. Upsets Are Interesting But Unimportant

Everyone loves being That Guy. The guy that picks the upset no one else saw coming. They waltz into the office the day after all grins and smiles. They show their bracket to everyone from co-workers to the barista at Starbucks. Then two days later that same bracket is sitting at the bottom of a trash can because they overdid it. They sacrifice the entire bracket, just to pick one good upset. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

4. Everyone Loveth An Underdog... In Round 1

Don't misunderstand Commandment 3, upsets will happen. And if you honestly believe the underdog has a shot to win their 1st round game, you should absolutely pick them. But keep two things in mind: 1st round Cinderellas lose their next game more often then not... and there are never as many upsets per year as you think. If you pick a #12 or #13 seed to pull an upset... keep in mind they might not last the weekend.

5. There Shall Be No Place Like Home

It never hurts to play close to home, and several teams will be the benefit of some home cookin' this year. North Carolina for example won't have to leave the state for their first 4 games (assuming they keep winning). If Texas wins their first two games, their next two will be played in Austin, TX. Playing close to home means more fans in the stands.. and that's always big in March.

6. To Thine Own Self Be True

Shakespeare... that guy was pretty smart. Another pretty smart fella is a guy by the name of Malcolm Gladwell. He wrote a book a few years ago... Blink.. about how your gut reaction is usually right. It has something to do with the subconscious part of your brain. It's a good read for nerdy nerds like me, but the point of the book is that overthinking often leads to incorrect decisions. If you just can't figure out who to pick, take a step back, a deep breath and write down the first team that comes to mind.

7. Thou Eyes Are Bigger Than Thou Brain

This is a corollary to Commandment 6, but applies more to what we call "The Eyeball Test". For instance, when you look at both teams which one looks better. There's nothing worse than picking a first round upset, then watch as 5 guys who look better suited to a computer lab than a basketball court play for your team. Some teams look bigger, faster and stronger... they are also usually better.

8. When In Doubt, Rock The Chalk

People who watch way more basketball then we do have spent endless hours figuring out who should be in this tournament, and where they should be seeded. So although we know no system is perfect, I'm more willing to believe someone who has experience on their side. If you're stuck, go with the higher seeded team. They're seeded higher for a reason.

9. Cinderella Is A Fairy Tale For A Reason

There is no story in sports more thrilling than the underdog that wins it all. Beats the odds. Wears the glass slipper. Shocks the world. Etc. etc. But the reality is that it rarely (if ever) actually happens. When it  comes to picking your champion, stick with the big guns. 21 times in the last 29 years, the National Champ has been either a #1 or #2 seed. 4 times it was a #3, once it was a #4, twice it was a #6, and once it was an #8.

10. Big Conferences Produce Big Winners

To win this tournament, you have to be tough. And tough teams come from tough conferences. Since 1991 every Champion has come from either the Big East, ACC, SEC, Big 10 or Pac 10. They are the biggest, baddest conferences... so they produce the biggest, baddest teams. Oddly enough, even though the Big 12 is considered an elite conference, they haven't produced a winner since 1988 when it was known as the Big 8.

The time has come people. My wife and I have two kids... we've reached our goal... now it's time for me to go under the knife and render myself sterile (in the surgical sense).

I've been told it's painless, it's harmless, it's minimally invasive, and it's really for the best. Understood, but it also involves sharp pointy objects in the relative vicinity of what I'll refer to from here on out as Manland. I am a lover of Manland. I have spent many painstaking hours making sure Manland is happy and well taken care of. Honestly, you wouldn't believe the crap I've had to go through in my life to ensure Manland is satisfied. Now I have to allow a strange man to attack, slice, hack, and cauterize Manland. It just doesn't seem right.

Anyway, this week I had my consult with the doctor who specializes in this sort of thing. I'm sure his parents must be very proud. For those that haven't been through this kind of consult, it's where Doc spells out the procedure in painstaking detail, then explains in even greater detail everything that could go wrong. Now I'm skittish enough as it is about this whole deal... so the last thing I want to know is every minute detail of the Manland Massacre. He even used pictures and charts... it was like the powerpoint presentation from Hell. This is one of those rare instances where ignorance is truly bliss. I'd much rather hear that he was going to sprinkle fairy-dust on my Johnny Rockets, wave his magic wand, and that's that. Instead I get the Howard Cosell play-by-play. Fantastic.

As if this wasn't enough to make me uncomfortable, he needed to examine me, which included a delightful (that's sarcasm folks) tour of my man-bag, and of course the ol' "Bend over and try to relax" routine. To his credit, he apologized the entire time he was elbow deep in my nether region... but he could have at least bought me flowers first.

Now we get to the good part: Discussing what will happen after the procedure. Apparently once it's all over, I can't have "relations" for a week. Oh really? I'm going to be walking bow-legged and Manland will have swollen to the size of a Prada bag, and you have to tell me not to dingle the dangle? I'm not going to let anyone get within a square mile of that particular body part... possibly forever. No problem Doc, I've got that part covered.

Here's something else I didn't know: After the snip-snip, you're not sterile right away. Apparently there are quite a few little swimmers floating around various areas of Manland... and they need to be dealt with. I was told that after everything settles down I will need to "cross the finish line" 20 times before they can check me to make sure everything worked. Now I'm pretty sure he meant that to take place over several days, but he never said for sure. I may be talented, but 20 is a pretty high number. Once you get past 7 or 8 chaffing becomes a serious issue here. Don't ask me how I know that.

The one upside to all this? They do the surgery on a Friday because you need 2-3 days to recover. I'll be under strict orders from the doctor to do nothing but walk from the bed to the couch for an entire weekend. Praise Jesus! I've been trying to plan that very weekend for years, and now it will be mandated to me by a professional.

It almost makes the Manland Massacre worth it.

Over the weekend, the apparent end of my youth arrived with my 30th birthday. Yup, no longer a "guy in his 20's", I am now officially a "man in his 30's". More specifically a husband and father in his 30's. Even though I'm thrilled to be a husband, and absolutely overjoyed being a dad... those two terms generally signal the end of an era. No more drunken nights of debauchery, waking up in a strange bed next to strange people after doing strange things. No more excuses for doing silly things like standing in line 22 hours for a Star Wars movie, or tailgating before a football game, or filming a movie about the destruction of a magical chocolate Ring Ding (don't ask... long story).

Nope, now is the time for mortgages, money market accounts, home decor, retirement funds, politics and other grown up activities and talking points.

But you know what? I'm fighting it. I refuse to go gentle into that goodnight. You know what I bought for my birthday? An XBox 360! That's right baby... by day I'm your average father of two who works an average job making an average salary, but by night I'm a video game-playing, ESPN-watching, beer-drinking nerd and that's how it's going to be.

And one day, when my son is old enough... I will buy him his very own XBOX controller and together we will win the Super Bowl, save the earth from aliens, and fight hordes of ninjas. Right after I take my vitamins, rub some cream on my aching knees, do my 20 minutes of cardio, and balance my checkbook.

Yes.. it's yet another movie review from your friendly neighborhood Newsman! And this time I'm actually reviewing a movie that's current. In fact it's brand spanking new. This past weekend me and the bro caught Cloverfield, the new monster movie from JJ Abrams, better known as the creator of LOST (one of the best shows on TV, when they get around to actually airing episodes).

The buzz around this movie started in the summer when a trailer ran before Transformers. There was no voice-over, and the movie didn't even have a name. There's been a bunch of stuff online prepping you for the movie, including a fun little game you could follow along with. Since I pride myself on being a nerd, you bet your sweet bippy I followed.

The good news is, you don't need any of that to enjoy the movie. Here's all you need to know: A real big monster is tearing up New York City. That's it, game over, turn out the lights, thanks for coming. The movie is actually "recovered footage from the site", or so you're told. This guy's friends are throwing him a good-bye party, one of his friends videotapes it, all hell breaks loose and the guy keeps the camera running through this whole crazy thing. It's an interesting way to present a movie, it also means if you get queasy watching unsteady home movies, you're either going to want to take some serious motion sickness drugs, or bring a bucket with you. The shakiness of the camera makes the Blair Witch Project look like Citizen Kane.

I really can't get too much more into the movie without giving stuff away, except to say that there's really not a whole lot to give away. Monster, New York, terror, death, destruction, things go boom, things go splat, things go horribly wrong. But it's genius is its simplicity. There are no wasted plotlines, no characters thrown in just to spice things up, no unnecessary scenes. The entire movie is boiled down to the essentials, which is almost a bad thing, especially near the end. For those of you hoping to learn the history of this monster, his thoughts, his feelings, and just why is he so angry with us... you'll be sorely disappointed. Those of you who want to see a fresh, new, different kind of movie... run to the theater with all speed.

I get so tired of all the crap Hollywood forces down our throats these days. Needless sequels, prequels and trilogies. Then there's the painful trend of remaking an old movie with all black actors, because apparently black people aren't allowed to see movies starring whites. Cloverfield is something you've never seen before.. which probably means the ripoffs, sequels and parodies are coming soon. Even so, I loved this movie... and would definitely see it again (provided I had taken a massive dose of motion-sickness medication).

Final score... 9 ice cream sundaes out of 10

So I was watching the most base of all game shows out there... Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader... the other day and couldn't help but notice that the contestants are remarkably stupid. Not just your average run of the mill stupid.. but a level of stupid that you don't see too often. In the brief snippets of the show that I managed to sit through before my eyes started bleeding, I've seen contestants attempt (and fail) to answer questions like:

What is the only country that's also a continent? And... What country is Budapest the capital of?

Australia and Hungary for those of you in the crowd that don't get out much.

So here's my question: It's obvious the show doesn't draw from the best and brightest we have to offer. You won't see Ken Jennings or Stephen Hawking on the show anytime soon. So how dumb would people of above-average intelligence (like us) have to appear during the audition to sneak your way on to the show? Would you have to be drooling at all times? Perhaps show up wearing adult diapers and nothing else? Maybe if you slapped on some head gear "Cause Mama knows I dun run inta too many walls before."?

Or maybe all you need is a "Hillary 08" t-shirt?

Yes it's true.. I have reproduced for the 2nd time in two years. She was a New Year's Eve baby.. which means for the next 18 years (or thereabouts) we'll be having two celebrations on that day.. which is fine with me because I loves to party.

Both of my women are both home from the hospital now and doing well (or as well as can be expected). Kristin is drained, but the baby seems to be sleeping between feedings, so she should be able to get some shut eye. It's a hard position for me to be in, because I'm the type of guy that wants to help. I want to do my share, pitch in, and be involved. But there's really only one thing the baby wants right now.. and that's breastmilk. And despite my rather ample moobs, there's little hope of any life-sustaining liquid pouring from them. So instead I'll be on Christopher Duty, which consists of keeping him happy, and keeping him from beating up his little sister, until she's old enough to fight back.

The hospital experience by the way was fantastic. Healthpark could very well be the nicest hospital I've seen. Beautiful facilities, and the nicest nursing staff you'll ever see. Even the docs are a pleasure. It was like Grey's Anatomy without the sexual tension and bizarre medical cases. If I ever get pregnant, I'm definitely going to Healthpark.. right after my appearance on the Tonight Show.. because a pregnant guy... that would be pretty weird.

And for those of you wondering what kind of dad I'm going to be.. I will say I thought I would be a relatively relaxed and groovy kind of guy. Until I changed her first diaper. Can't explain exactly what snapped in me there.. maybe it was being around my baby's naughty bits... but I suddenly became convinced that if any man got that close to said bits before she's 30... I will reign down the fury of a thousand burning suns upon that man.

My son? He can do whatever he wants.. he's my son.. gotta make Dad proud. No it's not fair... yes I'm being sexist.. and no I don't care.

First of all, let's just pretend my bowl predictions never happened. I've stumbled out of the gate with a 2-4 start. Thats OK though, we've got 26 more games to play.

For those of you that listened to my hour of music on Christmas morning and were wondering what I played, or who sang it... here's a handy list for you:

Mambo Santa Mambo- The Enchanters

Tis the season my friends! For Christmas? New Years? Presents? Santa Claus? Watching reletives bicker about politics while you drink yourself into a stupor on the couch? Well maybe.. but tonight also kicks off the college football Bowl Season! One of the most wonderful times of the year for sports nerds everywhere (and gamblers.. if such a thing was legal).

So as my  Christmas gift to you.. I'm unveiling predictions for every bowl game out there.. to give you a leg up on all your office pools, bets with friends and family, and to help you pay off your bookie. Just follow along with Uncle Dave, and you too will have a Merry Little Christmas.

Poinsetta Bowl- Utah vs. Navy- Dec. 20th

Navy has already had a magical season (beating Notre Dame for the first time since John Adams was President), and they should be the clear favorites here. Add to that, their coach is leaving for Georgia Tech after the game and the team should be motivated to send him out on a winning note.

Pick: Navy

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl- Memphis vs. FAU- Dec. 21st

Congrats to FAU for getting to their first bowl game ever. Sadly for them, they draw a hot Tigers squad who has bowl experience. Neither defense is very good, so at least you can expect a fun game.

Pick: Memphis

Papajohns.com Bowl- Southern Miss vs. Cincinnati- Dec. 22nd

Cincinnati has more talent, a better track record this year.. and they're coach wasn't recently fired. Southern Miss has been inconsistent all year, and their coach has been canned, but will coach this game anyway. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Pick: Cincy

New Mexico Bowl- Nevada vs New Mexico- Dec. 22nd

Nevada has the better offense.. and even though New Mexico is essentially playing a home game here, it's not like Nevada is that far away. When in doubt.. bet the better team.

Pick: Nevada

Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl- UCLA vs BYU- Dec. 22nd

Oy what a disaster of a season for UCLA. They returned almost their entire starting lineup from a good team last year, and should have won at least 9 games. Instead? They stumble to a 6-6 record, lose to Notre Dame, and get their coach fired. They did beat BYU earlier this year, but that was back in early September. They are a mess.

Pick: BYU

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl- East Carolina vs Boise State- Dec. 23rd

Everybody loves Boise State and their quirky offense, blue home-field turf, and uspet of Oklahoma last year. East Carolina may be able to hang with them for a quarter or two, but they are completely overmatched. Plus, they beat my alma mater UCF earlier this year. Therefore they must get crushed like the bugs they are.

Pick: Boise St

Motor City Bowl- Purdue vs Central Michigan- Dec. 26th

Purdue was mediocore in the Big Ten. Central Michigan dominated the MAC. Is it better to be good in a bad conference, or OK in an OK conference? I've gotta believe the Chippewas have more to gain by beating a BCS school then Purdue does by beating a no-name. Inspiration means a lot at bowl time.

Pick: Central Michigan

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl- Arizona St. vs. Texas- Dec. 27th

Arizona St. surpassed everyone's expectations by finishing 10-2, meanwhile Texas spent most of the year underperforming and going 9-3. But ASU got thumped in the two games they played against decent teams, while Texas got through a slightly tougher Big 12 schedule. ASU is the better story, but Texas is the better team.

Pick: Texas

Champs Sports Bowl- Boston College vs. Michigan St.- Dec. 28th

Remember when BC was #2 in the country and Matt Ryan was a Heisman candidate? Yeah, me either. They lost 3 of their last 5 games including a rematch against Virginia Tech that would have sent them to a BCS Bowl. So they're bummin'. Meanwhile the Spartans haven't been to a bowl game in 4 years, so they're all sorts of pumped up. Always take the more motivated team.

Pick: Michigan St.

Texas Bowl- TCU vs. Houston- Dec. 28th

Houston is without a coach after another successful regular season. TCU struggled to finish 7-5. Houston has a high-powered running back. TCU has one of the best defenses in the nation. Defense wins championships.. or in this case.. the Texas Bowl.

Pick: TCU

Emerald Bowl- Maryland vs. Oregon State- Dec.28th

Oregon St. won 6 out of their last 7 games, and the one loss was to BCS-Bound USC. Maryland lost 4 of their last 6 games to teams like North Carolina and Florida St. OSU wants to put the finishing touches on a special season, Maryland is looking ahead to 2008.

Pick: OSU

Meineke Car Care Bowl- UConn vs. Wake Forest- Dec.29th

Two years ago this would've made a better basketball game. But both schools are turning things around, and UConn even comes into the game with a national ranking. The strength of both schools is their defense.. but I think UConn's is a little better.

Pick: UConn

Autozone Liberty Bowl- UCF vs. Mississippi St.- Dec. 29th

Now we're getting to the good stuff, and not just because I graduated from UCF. They feature the nation's leading rusher in Kevin Smith, and take a 7-game winning streak into the game. Meanwhile MSU is jacked up because they're in their first bowl game since 2000. Both teams have motivation coming out their ears.. which could make this the most competitive non-BCS Bowl of the year.

Pick: UCF (like I'm picking against my Knights)

Valero Alamo Bowl- Penn State vs. Texas A&M- Dec. 29th

Well both teams travel well, so it'll at least be loud. Both teams thought they'd be a little better then they actually were, so the game will come down to which team has more to prove. A&M has a great running game, and Penn St. is great at stopping the run. Again, I'm leaning with defense here.

Pick. Penn St.

PetroSun Independence Bowl- Alabama vs. Colorado- Dec. 30th

In the first year of the Nick Saban era, Alabama went from the Independence Bowl... all the way to the Independence Bowl. Maybe that big salary was a little excessive. By the way, they lost last year's bowl game, and I have a feeling they'll come into this game totally unmotivated, thinking as always, that they deserve much better.

Pick: Colorado

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl- California vs. Air Force- Dec. 31st

California was one of the many schools to climb to #2 in the ratings before falling flat on their face. They went from 5-0 to 6-6 and probably couldn't care less about this game. Air Force is 9-3 and running on all cylinders. Can you say blow out?  
Pick: Air Force

Roady's Humanatarian Bowl- Georgia Tech vs. Fresno State- Dec. 31st

The good news for Georgia Tech is that they're getting Navy's coach once this bowl game is over. The bad news is he won't be there for this game. Fresno State is perpetually looking for respect against big-name teams, so expect them to come ready for this game.

Pick: Frenso St.

Brut Sun Bowl- USF vs. Oregon- Dec. 31st

If Oregon QB Dennis Dixon was playing in this game, Oregon would be my lock of the year to win this game. But since his injury, the Ducks have done more croacking than quacking. USF didn't exactly bowl anyone over in the 2nd half of their season either. But they have the healthy QB, and as much as I hate to pick UCF's rival to win anything.. I'm left with no choice.

Pick: USF

Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl- Kentucky vs Florida State- Dec. 31st

Instead of making Oregon my bowl lock of the year.. I'm going with Kentucky thanks to yet another scandal rocking the Seminole football program. 23 players won't even suit up for this game because of it, and Teflon Bobby says he won't play any redshirt players in this game. What does it all mean? Kentucky's Andre Woodson is going to crush FSU singlehandedly.

Pick: Kentucky

Insight Bowl- Indiana vs. Oklahoma St- Dec. 31st

Before Indiana's coach died.. he said his goal was to get this team to a bowl game. Well, mission accomplished however posthumously. Beside playing this game in honor of their fallen coach, the team hasn't played in a bowl game in 13 years. Oklahoma St lost 3 of their last 4 games, but all three of those losses were to Top-15 teams. I'm going with inspiration.

Pick: Indiana

Chick-fil-A Bowl- Clemson vs. Auburn- Dec. 31st

Both teams are nationally ranked. Both play really tough defense. Clemson has won 5 of their last 6. Auburn has won 3 of their last 4. Both teams are 1-2 against ranked teams this year. So... um.... I'm going with the team that's ranked higher?

Pick: Clemson

Outback Bowl- Wisconsin vs. Tennessee- Jan. 1st

Wisconsin has been overrated all season long despite beating Michigan late in the season. Tennessee is coming off a near miss in the SEC title game against LSU that would have sent them into the BCS. Will the Vols come in pumped up, or deflated after that loss? They followed all 3 of their losses this season with big wins.. so that's a good omen.
Pick: Tennessee

AT&T Cotton Bowl- Arkansas vs. Missouri- Jan. 1st

This should be a fiesty game. Arkansas had high expectations this year with Darren McFadden returning, and expected to at least play in the SEC title game. Missouri was one game away from playing for a national championship, then they miss out on the BCS entirely. McFadden finished 2nd in the Heisman voting this year, but had several sub-par games. Chase Daniels is lights out for Mizzou.

Pick: Missouri

Konica Minolta Gator Bowl- Texas Tech vs. Virginia- Jan. 1st

Texas Tech has a stud freshman WR in Michael Crabtree, and a high flying offense that will score lots of points. Virginia has one of the best defenses in the country. It's the unstoppable force and the immovable object. Again, I'm going with defense here, even though the Tech offense will be fun to watch.

Pick: Virginia

Capital One Bowl- Michigan vs. Florida- Jan. 1st

Michigan fired their coach, thought they were getting another coach, then ended up getting Rich Rodriguez. This after an up and down season and another big loss to Ohio St. Florida has a Heisman trophy winner that Michigan defenders have no chance of stopping or slowing down. Sounds like a blowout.

Pick: Florida

Rose Bowl- Illinois vs. USC- Jan. 1st

It looks like a blowout for many reasons, but Illinois was a big underdog to Ohio St. And USC still thinks it should be playing for a national championship this year. And the Trojans have been beatable this year. AND Illinois has a fun to watch QB with a cool name (Juice WIlliams). And, and, and, and..... and USC still wins this game by three touchdowns.

Pick: USC

Allstate Sugar Bowl- Hawaii vs. Georgia- Jan. 1st

Hawaii is the only undefeated team left in the nation, but they're not playing for a national title. Georgia has just one loss, but they were snubbed for the title game in favor of 2-loss LSU. Both teams have a valid beef here, but Hawaii is just thrilled that people are finally paying attention to them. Georgia is 7 shades of livid and they'll take it out on a much weaker team.

Pick: Georgia

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl- West Virginia vs. Oklahoma- Jan 2nd

West Virginia lost their coach, and came one game away from playing for a national championship. They are bumming right now. Oklahoma won the Big 12 and had a strong case for playing in the national title game. Plus in last year's bowl game, they were made fools of by the upstart Boise State Broncos. They will remember that and make sure it won't happen again.
Pick: Oklahoma

FedEx Orange Bowl- Kansas vs. Virginia Tech- Jan 3rd

Kansas lost to Missouri, didn't even play in the Big 12 title game, yet still got into the BCS over Mizzou. Virginia Tech went on a rampage after getting killed by LSU early in the year. Plus they've been playing this entire season in honor of those who lost their lives on their campus during the shootings there. One team belongs, the other does not.

Pick: VT

International Bowl- Rutgers vs. Ball State- Jan 5th

What the hell is this bowl game doing in January? This matchup is barely good enough to be played at all.

Pick: Rutgers.. big

GMAC Bowl- Bowling Green vs. Tulsa- Jan 6th

Ditto for this game.. except that Tulsa QB Paul Smith is really good, and will torch Bowling Green's defense.

Pick: Tulsa

AllState BCS National Championship Game- LSU vs. Ohio St- Jan. 7th

LSU has way more speed then OSU, they played a much tougher schedule this year and we still have no idea how good OSU really is. I'm going with the team I've seen prove themselves already.

Pick: LSU

And there you go... feel free to wager every dollar you own on these games. I promise to be 100% right, or I'll refund every last cent you spent on reading this blog.

So each of us is putting together an hour of Christmas music to play on the 25th (ya know, instead of dragging our butts in to work)... and I now have a riddle, wrapped in a quandry, and deep-fried in an enigma. How do I fit all of these songs into one hour?

Normally this kind of thing wouldn't bother me too much, except that I am an aficionado of Christmas music, and I think there's a lot of good music out there that the general public doesn't get to hear often enough (or at all). So it's now become a mission of mine to spread the word and share some of these hidden musical delights with you. Of course I do need to remember that 97% of you will be soundly sleeping while these little treats play.. but that doesn't mean I should just mail it in and hose the other 3% of you.

To whet your appetite.. here's just a sample of some of the goodies you can expect in my hour:

*The full version of Snoopy's Christmas.. including a 3 minute mock WWI report from "behind the lines". You never hear this on the radio and it's really cool.

*Christmas Carol by Skip Ewing. He was a moderately popular country star (and I use the terms "popular" and "star" loosely here), but he did pop out this song that was wildly popular when I was working in Maine. Yes it's a tear-jerker, but what's Christmas without the occasional misty-eyed moment?

*Christmas In The Trenches by John McCutcheon. I first heard this song in high school, thanks to a very dedicated history teacher and it stuck with me ever since. It's the true story of the Christmas Truce, which is amazing to even think about these days.

See... doesn't that make you want to wake up at 6AM on Christmas Day and listen to me?

Hey there sexy ladies! I've got an extra ticket for the Elton John Concert... and I'm giving all of you a chance to win it.* Here's how it's going to work.. below you'll find my personal ad with various blank spaces. All you gotta do is fill in the blanks and send the completed version to me at :

david.rode@winknewsradio.com

I'll announce the winner live on air Friday November 9th.. so be listening!

Dave's Personal Ad

I'm just your typical guy looking for a whole lot of ______. I enjoy women who are smart, sassy, and have an ample ______. A little about myself? Ive got brown hair, brown eyes and a big _____.  When I'm not delivering the news I enjoy long _____ on the ______, fine ____ and medium rare _____. I'm always open to new experiences, and just recently got involved in the exciting world of_____. My ideal date would be someone who doesn't mind _____ing into the wee hours of the morning. Here's hoping my true ____ is out there. I mean REALLY out there.

*With your entry please provide you name, and basic contact info so I can get a hold of you. Any dudes entering this contest under false pretenses are subject to Mandy's Punch-In-The-Face Law.

One can not underestimate the importance of finding a good, cheap mechanic in their neck of the woods. I had one in Orlando, found one in Bangor, and now I'm happy to say I have one in Punta Gorda. What qualifies as a good mechanic?

*They've gotta be honest- I'm not a car guy, so pretty much any mechanic can tell me I need to reflux my intake coordinator or else the interior motor will spin out of control.... and I'd probably believe it.

*They've gotta be cheap- I work for Meridian Broadcasting... enough said

*They've gotta work with me- I know just enough about cars to sound like I know what I'm talking about, but you need to meet me halfway, and know what it is I meant to say

Well Mr. Front End... you have won my undying loyalty and devotion after revamping my car this weekend. They swapped out my flat tire (and another that was about to explode), I got a balance and rotation, a front end alignment (both sorely needed since the road outside the radio station still looks like a war zone), an oil change and a transmission check for less then what I would have paid anywhere else.

Oh yeah, and when they explained things to me, they did it in a way a doofus like me could understand, without making me feel like a doofus.

No, Mr. Front End is not paying me money to say this, and no they're not sponsoring anything on this station, and yes this blog post is probably making everyone in management poop their pants... but I don't care. When you find a good, honest mechanic you gotta spread the word... and that's what I'm doing.

OK... it's movie review time... today's movie Transformers. Yes I know it came out July 4th weekend and you've either seen it already, or you have no intention of ever seeing it... thus rendering this blog post completely useless. But I never said you'd find useful information here.

To say I was a little nervous about the making of this film would be an understatement. Transformers was one of my favorite shows growing up, and their line of toys were some of my most prized possessions (Ah Bumblebee... wherefore art thou?). Putting this movie in the hands of Hollywood execs was like putting a hunting knife in the hands of a 2-year old. You're not sure what'll happen, but you know it'll end in a spectacularly graphic fashion.

Undaunted I made my way to a movie theater in Orlando (when you have a child, sometimes you need to travel a long way to find a babysitter) and had the opportunity to sit in one of several digital theaters that exist on this planet. For the uneducated... a digital theater uses a big honkin' super computer to project the image onto the screen. The movie is uploaded onto the computer so there's no actual "film" in the classic sense. This eliminates all the blips and scratches and weird anomolies that occur at pedestrian theaters. So you get to see an absolutely perfect version of the movie, similar to what you'd see with a DVD... just on a really big freakin' screen.

The movie? Breathtaking. I don't want to get all Nerdy McNerderson on you, but I dig the plot, I dig all the sci-fi neato stuff, and the special effects were so seemless I began to forget that all those big robots were actually figments of some geeks imagination. And what about that Shia LeBouf kid? Shia? Shai? Shaiairefase? Whatever.. that kid can act.. and now he's going to play the son of Indiana Jones so that's cool.

I was completely engrossed in this movie because it was more then just stuff blowing up for 2 hours. There's an honest-to-God script... and even more honest-to-God acting. And it's funny. It's everything a good popcorn movie should be.

The one complaint I have is with the director... Michael Bay. This guy has been in Hollywood a long time. He's mastered all sorts of movie-making tricks... except of course for the wide shot. Look, it's bad enough when you show two people fighting, and the camera is so close I can count individual nose hairs, but when you've got 50-billion tons of imaginary robots duking it out, and the only way to tell who's good and who's bad is the color of their eyes... why not move the camera back a touch so we can see what in blue blazes is going on! The camera was so uncomfortably close at times, I felt like I was watching some weird robot porn that exists on whatever planet they came from.

Final Verdict... 8.5 out of 10 bananas.

Yes, Newsman Extrodinaire, International Pop Sensation and Sexiest Man Alive Dave Rode now has access to a blog. Be afraid... be v-e-r-y afraid! If you're expecting the fantastic news reporting, topical stories and current event talk I'm known for... you bettter go somewhere else. Here's what you can expect from me in this little corner of cyberspace:

*Reviews of Movies That Have Been Out For Months

*Sports Predictions Sure To Go Horribly Wrong

*Endless blather about Dave Jr.

*The rantings and ravings of an absolute lunatic

For some reason... The Powers That Be thought you'd be interested in that sort of thing. I hope they're right.. my wife's tired of hearing all this stuff!