Jets vs Patriots

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It's rather hard to describe the action from yesterday's games. The Baltimore Ravens had a chance to put away the Pittsburgh Steelers and instead managed to yack it up big time. I'm not quite sure yet whether the Steelers should get the credit or the Ravens should get the blame for that final score. The Ravens held a 21-7 lead at one point but Joe Flacco completed combusted and cost the Ravens a spot in the NFC title game. The Steelers defense stepped up with a solid performance, particularly against Ray Rice and the Ravens rushing attack, but the Ravens blew this one.

n the NFC the Green Bay Packers justified my decision to move them from number two to number one. I had the Falcons higher last week, but Aaron Rodgers convinced me to move them higher in the divisional round. There was no doubt who was in charge this week as the Packers really swung the momentum late in the first half. The Falcons held an early 14-7 lead but the Packers swung things wildly in their direction courtesy of a final minute of insanity.

After scoring a go-ahead touchdown with 42 seconds left in the second quarter, the Packers swung the momentum about as wildly as possible to close the half. Tramon Williams picked off Matt Ryan and ran it back 70 yards to give the Packers a 28-14 lead heading into the half. That's the kind of play that decides a Madden game. The Packers added a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter and really never looked.

Today's schedule features a mix of potentially awful and potentially awesome matchups. The morning matchup features the Seattle Seahawks traveling to the Chicago Bears with a 10:00am pacific kickoff. I remain convinced this will be a fairly ugly game but what do I really know at this point? Matt Hasselbeck had the game of his life last week so we have to wonder whether he can repeat the performance.

On the other side of this particular equation one has to wonder how Jay Cutler will perform for the Bears. Cutler is a very inconsistent QB who can put together amazing performances one minute, and some hideous performances a few minutes later. Normally I'd say the Seahawks have no chance, but can anybody really make any predictions about the Bears.

The afternoon matchup features the budding rivalry of the New England Patriots and New York Jets. This has become an intense trash-talking affair and the NFL has actually issued a warning about the escalating trash talk. As I've said before, I'm not a Rex Ryan fan, but his heel antics have me starting to enjoy it just a little bit like I would a traditional WWF villain.

Irish PM Brian Cowen

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Irish PM Brian Cowen. Deputy PM Mary Coughlan said Brian Cowen would shortly conclude two days of consultation with colleagues in the ruling Fianna Fail party.

Mr Cowen has faced recent scrutiny about a meeting with the head of Anglo Irish Bank shortly before he announced a multi-billion euro bank guarantee. Several Fianna Fail backbenchers have called for Mr Cowen to resign.

On Saturday, one Fianna Fail member of parliament called for the party to unite behind the foreign minister, Micheal Martin. Noel O'Flynn said he had been contacted by the prime minister on Saturday afternoon and had told him that his leadership had not worked.

Former Anglo Irish chairman Sean Fitpatrick, who Mr Cowen met at a golf course in 2008, is still subject to official scrutiny over his role in the collapse of the bank and has previously been questioned by police.

The Taoiseach (prime minister) has denied that he discussed bank matters with Mr Fitzpatrick at the golf course and insisted that he had not done political favours for any financial institution.

On Thursday, Mr Cowen made clear that he did not intend to resign and said the process of talking to his parliamentary party should take about 48 hours.

He is also facing a motion of no confidence, tabled by the opposition Labour Party, in parliament next week.

Mr Cowen, who took power in 2008, has been under pressure since Ireland was forced to seek an international financial bail-out late last year.

Following the intervention by the EU and the IMF, there were rumours of an internal push against him but his critics pulled back at the last moment.

His coalition government has only a slim minority in parliament and a general election is expected in the spring.

Stuxnet to Nyet

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Stuxnet to Nyet. Thousands of activists from left-wing movements and human rights organizations marched in Tel Aviv on Saturday in protest of the Knesset’s decision to set up a committee of inquiry to probe the funding sources of leftist groups.

The protest march, under the headline “Demonstration (since it’s still possible) for democracy”, left from Tel Aviv’s Meir Park toward the plaza in front of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, where a rally took place in which Knesset members from Kadima, Meretz, and Hadash as well as officials from Peace Now and human rights groups delivered speeches.

Protesters chanted in support of democracy and free speech, and carried signs with slogans such as “Awaiting Democracy”, “Danger! End of Democracy Ahead”, “Fighting the Government of Darkness” and “Democracy is Screaming.

Miss America Pageant 2011

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Miss America Pageant 2011. A petite corn-fed Midwestern girl was crowned the 2011 Miss America when Miss Nebraska Teresa Scanlan took home the tiara during the 90th anniversary of the pageant.

At 17 years old, Teresa is the youngest pageant winner since the first winner in 1921, Margaret Gorman, who was only 15.

For her talent, Teresa performed "White Water Chopsticks" on the piano. She was the only contestant who didn't dance or sing, so that was refreshing (though the yodeling ventriloquist Miss Arkansas was the best.

or her question, she got asked about WikiLeaks and balancing the public's right to know versus national security. She said that national security comes before the public's right to know, which is a good Miss America answer, especially in the literally 10 seconds they were given to answer their questions.Congratulations to Teresa on becoming the new Miss America! If you need a recap of the pageant