Showing posts with label Twitter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Twitter. Show all posts

Monday, January 4, 2010

Shut It Down...

As you can see, it is has been a little while since the last Morning Brew. But no need to fear.... today is no different. No Brew for a while. I will still be posting relevant links on the 8 Hours To Kill Twitter feed (visible on the right hand side of the screen as well).

Of course, there will still be Jersey Shore reviews, and other ramblings here, just not on a day-to-day basis for the immediate future. Follow the Twitter feed, or put us in your Google Reader feed to know when new posts are made!

Happy 2010 everyone!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Morning Brew for 12/18

Slow day today for decent links. Is everyone hungover from watching Jersey Shore last night?

-As I first mentioned yesterday on our Twitter account, Pepsi has decided not to advertise during this year's Super Bowl. This will be the first year since 1986 that the beverage giant will not have an ad during the NFL's Championship Game. Ads for this year's game are in the $2.5-$3 million range for a 30-second spot.

-Just a few days after the Golden Globe Awards were announced, we now have the 2010 Screen Actors Guild Nominees. The awards are voted on by the members of the Guild, and will be handed out on January 23rd, and will air on both TNT, and TBS.

-I posted a link a few days ago about General Motors threatening to shut down Saab if no potential buyers emerged. Well, that didn't take long. 3,400 employees of the Swedish automaker will be affected by the closing of the company.

-GQ has put together a slide show of their top 12 Cover Girl's of the decade. For all the men out there who read this, you're welcome.

Like I said, slow day today for links. If anything pops up throughout the day I'll be sure to post it on our Twitter account. Hope everyone has a good weekend, it might be time to start thinking about your holiday shopping. At least that is what I am being told.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Morning Brew for 12/3

I'm too cold to think of anything entertaining to start today's post, let's just get on with it.

-Media giant, Comcast, is set to purchase NBC Universal from General Electric for a whopping $37.25 billion. Some questions still need to be answered by an anti-trust regulators, and Congress still have some questions with the deal, but don't expect this one to get held up for long.

-The 2010 Grammy Nominations were announced last night during a live concert event. Beyonce and Taylor Swift led the way with 10, and 8 nominations respectively. Lady Gaga was given 5 nominations. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame snubs (thus far), Bon Jovi, were nominated for Pop Duo or Group With Vocals. Bank on it.

-The Tiger Woods story continues. According to this MSNBC report it seems Tiger and his wife Elin are receiving “intense marriage counseling”. While speculation continues to fly, there are still no solid reports saying whether or not the couple has a prenuptial agreement. Reportedly Mrs. Woods is being payed a 7-figure salary to remain as Mrs. Woods. Not a bad gig if you can get it.

-This is nice. A 72-year old Wal-Mart greeter just outside of Pittsburgh, was punched in the face by a 55-year old. According to the story the attack appeared to be unprovoked. You stay classy Pennslyvanaia.

-Big props to the New Jersey Nets as they set the record for the worst start in NBA history last night, losing to the Mavs 117-101. I'm sure the Russian Billionaire who is set to purchase the club is thrilled with his potential investment.

Pretty slow day for links today. As the day goes on I will try and get some good ones to post on the Twitter Account. As always you can follow us on Twitter, and also see what gets posted on the right side of this page.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Morning Brew for 11/18

I'm not quite sure how I made it through the last 3 days without any Jazz games to entertain myself. Looking forward to a nice stretch of 11 out of 14 in the 'Tah!

-In San Clemente, California at the San Onofre State Beach, there is a 1,000 foot stretch which has allowed nude sunbathing for more than 30 years. Unfortunately it seems it's time to put some clothes back on. Park Rangers are going to be on the lookout for nude sunbathers, and will begin arresting those in the buff. Fines will go up to $500 for each offense. I think more than anything you need to click on this link just to see the photo of the lawyer who is defending the nudists. Don't worry, it is safe to view at work.

-Is Twitter the next big thing in customer service? This USA Today article lists 3 dozen different national companies that are using the social media site to help frustrated consumers, including 20 who are offering after hours help. Speaking of Twitter, you can always follow us @8HoursToKill.

-I about fell out of my chair this morning reading an article about the Afghanistan game Buzkashi. Apparently in this game men on horses gallop around trying to capture a dead goat who has had it's head removed. Yes, you read that correctly. Even more exciting is that the leader of the Buzkashi Federation is pushing for this to become an Olympic sport. Seriously, just read the article. I'm sure advertisers all around the world will be falling all over themselves to make sure they get some ad time during this event.

-America's favorite woman's soccer player, Elizabeth Lambert, has apologized for her actions in a game against BYU on November 5th. Lambert believes that some of her actions were misinterpreted, or taken out of context. No, I'm pretty sure that I interpreted her yanking an opponent to the ground by her pony tail the correct way. Good thing it took you nearly 2 weeks to issue an apology though Miss Lambert. Class act.

-People Magazine has named it's Sexiest Man Alive for 2009. In a mild upset, I was not awarded the crown. Interesting. Anyone know where I can demand a re-count?

-Is there anything more entertaining in sports than a coach making fun of a reporter in a post game press conference? Me thinks not.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Morning Brew for 11/17

Why are you following Perez Hilton on Twitter, but not 8 Hours To Kill? Go on and do it, I'll wait...

-After spending over 7 weeks in Amazon's Top 100 BEFORE it was released, Sarah Palin's book, Going Rouge: An American Life hits bookstores today. Political nerds enthusiasts from around the country are turning off C-SPAN today to check out the former Alaska Governor, and Vice-Presidential's autobiography. I on the other hand am watching my clock and hoping it magically says 5:00.

-As someone who makes part of his living on tips, I have often wondered what the standard protocol for tipping at a hotel is. USA Today had a very informative article today about how much you should tip to different hotel employees. The story also includes a graph at the bottom that shows different services that I forgot even existed at hotels. Next time I'm traveling, I definitely need to request an extra phone book.

-Wholesale warehouse store, Costco, is no longer carrying Coca-Cola products. The store is in a pricing dispute with the beverage company, and is refusing to sell their product in it's 560 stores nationwide. No word on how long this dispute will last, but this could have a huge effect on vending machine companies, and Jack Mormon's everywhere.

-Co-founder of Microsoft, Paul Allen, has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The 56 year old who previously has beaten Hodgskin's disease 25 years ago, was diagnosed at the beginning of the month and has already begun to undergo treatment. Scary stuff, even for a man who is worth over $11 billion. Our thoughts are with the Allen family.

-Not sure if you had a chance to check out this video of 86-year old Tennessee Titans owner, Bud Adams, flipping off the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The NFL has fined the crazy old dude long-time owner, $250,000. Although I am pretty sure that the entertainment value for this video is close to that total.

-While shoppers all around the country will be looking for deals on electronics, and toys on the day after Thanksgiving, it turns out that Black Friday is also the best day of the year to buy a car. The average discount for a vehicle on November 27th of this year is projected to be nearly 7.5%. The average discount during a regular day of the year is around 4.7%.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Morning Brew for 11/13

You may have noticed that our Twitter feed is now available on the right side of the blog. For those who are not registered at Twitter you can catch everything that we post right there. For those on Twitter, do us a favor and follow 8 Hours To Kill.

-Nothing like the fear of being kicked out of our country to make you plead guilty. The parents of the 6-year old "Balloon Boy" plead guilty this morning to charges of being dumbasses. The boy's mother is a Japanese citizen living in America legally, but felt that they needed to plead guilty to avoid more severe punishment that could involve her deportation. No word on whether or not Japan would even take her back.

-Whatever happened to the separation of church and state? By the way, this was posted in the Religion section of the USA Today.

-The News from Each State section is one of my favorites each morning in the USA Today. While they don't post it online, which is preventing me from linking to this story, Florida's post for today was outstanding. Apparently 6 members of the Florida Anti-Drug Task Force are going to be re-trained after video shows them in the middle of raid at someone's house stopping to play video games. Hmmmm.... Still waiting to hear if the training is anything like a day at the Stanford office of Dunder Mifflin.

-I posted this video yesterday on our Twitter account, but it is worth re-posting today. Former Miss California, Carrie Prejean, decided that even after CNN's Larry King changed the subject that he was being inappropriate. So she preformed the weakest storm off attempt in human history. Quality entertainment in this video.

-A group that represents nearly 80% of Burger King's franchises is suing the fast food company over it's $1 Double Cheeseburger promotion. The franchises are upset because the cost to produce the Double Cheeseburger is about $1.10 depending on the location. The promotion was twice rejected by BK franchises after a test run in certain markets earlier this year. Good thing you went ahead with the promo though.

-You know, there comes a time in every blogger's life when he just has to link stories that will keep his wife happy. You're welcome.

-Someone's alma matter is headed to the state championship game. Good luck Red Devils!

Monday, November 2, 2009

We're Back!!

Guess who's back? Back again..... After taking a short break to take care of some business I'm very happy to announce that the blog dedicated to getting you through your work day, school day, or your Monday, is back. I probably will be changing things up ever so slightly from the previous format. Instead of posting things under a Sports headline, or Entertainment, I am just going to find the best links that I can and get them all in one location for you.

As an added wrinkle for 8 Hours to Kill 2.0, I invite all of you to follow us on Twitter. Just click here to go to the Twitter page and make sure you follow us for all of our latest updates. I'm thinking that I will still do a morning post (tentitively scheduled to go online around 10 MST each morning), and will throw different links out on Twitter that are sent in throughout the day, or that I stumble across online. If you see a link you want posted please e-mail it in or send us a message on our Twitter page.

Enough of the business, let's get to today's Morning Brew:

-Worried about getting the H1N1 Virus? Well according to Kellogg's your morning bowl of Cocoa Krispies might just save your life. The FDA is still investigating whether or not Kellogg's is violating any laws with "false advertising".

-Anyone who knows me, knows how passionate I am about remembering 9/11. So it was a no-brainer for me to link to this article that is talking about the U.S.S. New York returning "home". The ship was made with 7.5 tons of steel that was taken from Ground Zero, will be officially commissioned on Saturday. Very cool.

-Need goosebumps? The crew of the U.S.S. New York recalls where they were when they found out about the 9/11 attacks.

-This article nearly had me spitting coffee on my table while reading the USA Today this morning. A 78-year old man describes how new technologies are killing communication. A must read!

-In case you were ignoring your television this weekend, Brett Favre returned to Green Bay this weekend. The Green Bay Press Gazette has an entire section on their website dedicated to just this weekends Packers/Vikings game. Think they care much about local football? As of posting this the game story on there website has a mere 1,328 comments on it.

-The Yankees have taken a commanding 3 games to 1 lead over the Phillies in the World Series. During Saturday's Game 3, Alex Rodriguez hit a ball off of a camera lens in right field. Originally called a double by umpires, A-Rod was awarded a home run after the umpires used instant replay to review the play. This was the firs time in World Series history that instant replay has been used to over turn a call on the field.

-The bigger story about the overturned home run, is why haven't I seen a replay of from the camera that was hit by the ball? I mean Fox can show us 438 different angles of Charlie Manuel, and Joe Girardi, but I can't see a replay of a home run coming into my living room? C'mon Joe Buck make this happen!

Friday, April 3, 2009

TGIF

Sports

-That was quick. The Denver Broncos found a taker for disgruntled quarterback Jay Cutler in the Windy City. Cutler was shipped to the Bears for a plethora of draft picks, and QB Kyle Orton. The Broncos will receive Chicago's first round pick this year, and next, as well as a 3rd rounder this year. Did Chicago give up too much? Did Denver steal some draft picks? Leave some comments below, and let's discuss.

-Penn State is your 2009 NIT Champions. The Nittany Lions defeated Baylor 69-63 at MSG to capture the crown. If you had Baylor winning in the tournament in your office pool then congrats! Unfortuantely I had Davidson and Creighton in the finals... Guess my NCAA tournament and my NIT brackets both were terrible. Yikes.

-Tim Floyd has apparently gone crazy. He has turned down Arizona to stay the head coach at USC. Floyd stated that he wanted to stay at an elite program, but apparently he forgot that even when the Wildcats are terrible (i.e. this year) they still get preferential treatment and make the big dance. Moron of the Week potential? Not quite, but stay tuned for that announcement later this afternoon.

Entertainment

-Nothing like a 5th season of listening to a bitchy mother yell at her husband all day long. TLC's Jon and Kate Plus 8 will be returning for it's 5th season. Despite rumors that Jon has left Kate and their 8 kids, TLC has decided to pick up the show for another year. I couldn't be happier.

-122 Emmy nominations later, ER has aired it's final episode. The medical drama of all medical dramas came to a close after 15 years on NBC. I wish I could tell you anything about the finale, and the show in general, but I've never watched it. I bet somebody died, and somebody got saved though. Mmmm... I wonder what will happen next week on Grey's Anatomy?

-The Sex and the City sequel will hit the big screen in May of 2010. It appears that all of the stars of the hit HBO TV show are signed on for the project, and the only remaining holdout from the first movie is Jennifer Hudson. She says she would love to do the sequel, but an offer has not yet been made.

Business

-Since the beginning of 2009 over 2 million jobs have been lost. Ouch! In the month of March alone there were over 663,000 people who lost their jobs. The unemployment rate in America is now at 8.5%, which is the highest since November of 1983. Scary stuff.

-It appears that Google may be in talks to buy Twitter. Like I mentioned the other day, I have never used Twitter, and despite some pressure to try it, I don't plan on it anytime soon. But when a company like Google is interested in purchasing the software you have to figure that it is going to be an online staple for years to come.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Tuesday's Tidbits

Sports

-It appears that John Calipari is close to finalizing a deal with the University of Kentucky to become their new head basketball coach. The Wildcats fired Billy Giliispie last week after missing the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1991. The deal for the current Memphis head coach could be finalized as early as today.

-Tyler Hansbrough, and Blake Griffin were named to the AP's All American Team. Griffin received 71 first team votes to lead the country. Hansbrough was the first UNC player to be named to the All-American team in back to back years since some guy named Jordan did it in 83 and 84. Man I hate Hansbrough. Have fun sitting on the bench in the Association.

-We named Robert Powell as our Moron of the Week last Friday. Today Texans' running back, Ryan Moats, accepted Powell's apology for delaying Moats and his family while his mother-in-law was dying of breast cancer. The Moats family has shown nothing but class in this situation, they released a statement today accepting the apology as well as saying thanks for all of the sympathy that has been pouring in from around the nation.

Entertainment

-Did you know that Jack Bauer has a twin sister? How about goddess Scarlett Johansson having a twin brother? Ashton Kutcher? Yep, he does too. I had no idea that so many celebs were twins until I read this story. Too bad Scarlett doesn't have a twin sister. Mmmmmm, two Scarlett's!

-Apparently Twitter is taking over Hollywood. With all the recent stories of athletes "tweeting" from the locker room at halftime, it seems only fitting that actors, producers, and directors would start doing the same from their sets. I don't know why, but I've never even look at Twitter. Maybe I will just type shorter posts every morning. I know I could fit all of the links that get sent in to the site in a 140 character message.

Business

-The company that owns the Chicago Sun-Times has filed for bankruptcy. Over 120 newspapers in the country have shut down since January of 2008. Not a good sign for aspiring writers out there.

-Get ready for some extra money in your next pay check. President Obama's stimulus package will start to benefit you by the time your next paycheck rolls in. You can expect an additional $15-$30 on each pay check thanks to the tax credits that you will be receiving for being employed. It may not sound like a lot, but that's a free tank of gas each month!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

What a Twit...


Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva has been scolded for posting a "tweet" during halftime of the Bucks game against the Celtics on Sunday. Villanueva made the post on his Twitter page saying that "coach wants more toughness, I need to step up". Step up he did as Charlie had a great second half.