Major league baseball has become a pitcher’s game, and most experts will agree that you can’t win divisions without excellent starting pitching. Several teams boast a great lineup that will put them in possible contention in the 2012 season. Here is a quick look at some of the best.

While it is important to have four or five good pitchers in your starting lineup, it is preferred to have at least one superstar on staff. No team has taken home the ultimate prize without an ace pitcher since 2005.

St Louis Cardinals

The loss of Albert Pujols, and the addition of a new rookie manager, makes some people wonder if the Cardinals stand any chance in the 2012 season. Nonetheless, the World Champions have a solid pitching lineup, and it is projected that they will start Carpenter, Wainwright, Garcia, Lohse, and Miller. If everyone can stay healthy, they may have a shot. 

Wainwright missed all of last season, so all eyes will be on him. Carpenter became their ace, leading them to the World Series and pitching outstanding games in the post season. Garcia is expected to have a breakout year after his improvement through the 2011 season.

It was a decade of variety in music, as American Idol became popular and younger generations became famous, while older artists still turned out albums for their fans. Here is a list of ten most popular albums from that decade.

The College Dropout

This was the debut album of Kanye West, the beginning of an incredible career. He took rap to a whole new level and introduced a new group of fans. He combined hip hop and R&B with rap to create a new sound that was unique and popular.

Stankonia

This album by Outkast was released in 2000. The album was their edgiest, and it gave a fresh look to hip hop. The music was fun while the lyrics could often be serious.

Modern Times

With this album, Bob Dylan showed that he was still a force to be reckoned with. The songs kept with his unique style and could have been hits from any part of his career. It proved that if something is great, it doesn’t matter what else is popular.

In the recent Grammy broadcast, pop star Adele stole the show, winning numerous awards for her album 21. Hers' was an unusually meteoric rise to critical acclaim, but generally the Grammys recognize artists with distinguished careers, who have been accumulating accolades for several years. Here are five stars set to release albums in 2012 that could steal the show in 2013. 

Green Day

It’s been awhile since we’ve heard something new from Green Day, but they have started recording their new album. There isn’t a release date set, but they have plenty of material to choose from. They have played 15 new songs in their recent live shows, so it is anticipated that we may get to see something new before the year is gone.

Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys has been working on her fifth album, which is expected to be completed sometime in the early part of the year. She’s already won a Grammy for her album Songs in A Minor, so it wouldn’t be out of the question for her to take home another one.

The Killers

The Killers exploded onto the scene in 2004 with their first album Hot Fuss, which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Album. It’s been four years since we’ve seen anything new from them, but they have promised a new album by the end of 2012. Maybe they can take home that Grammy with the new album. Their two-year hiatus has made their fans anxious for new music.

We enjoy the competition and get a thrill from impressive plays, but what sticks in our minds long after the lights go dark, are the athletes. The names we’ll remember years later may not be the greatest of all time, but they are the most entertaining. Here is a list of six such athletes who entertain us the most.

Hulk Hogan

Whether you love him or hate him, you will remember him. WWF has gotten a reputation for being a joke, but it cannot hide the personality of Hulk Hogan. It’s obvious that his fans can’t get enough of him from his television and movie appearances, not to mention his reality show.

Muhammad Ali

Ali took boxing to a new level and brought in new fans to the sport. His personality was even greater than the sport he played. His rhymes and trash talk became as anticipated as the event itself. Ali was named the “Sportsman of the Century” by Sports Illustrated, and “The Sports Personality of the Century” by the BBC.

Even with the shortened season, fans will still have a chance to enjoy their favorite players in the NBA All-Star game.  It is set for February 26, 2012 in Orlando, Florida at the Amway Center.  The center is the home of the Orlando Magic and this is the second time the city gets to host the All-Star game.  The first was 20 years ago when Magic Johnson came back to play after being diagnosed with AIDS and won the MVP trophy for the game.

This year, starting players were picked by fan votes with them having the choice of two guards, two forwards, and one center.  Reserve players were then picked by head coaches in their own conferences.  However, a coach could not pick his own player.  The reserves have two guards, two forwards, and one center, with two extra players in any positions.

Notable Players of the Eastern Conference

Several names are in the running for the season’s MVP award as expected.  Derrick Rose, Dwight Howard, and LeBron James are three of the top starters for the eastern conference.  They are joined by Dwyane Wade and Carmelo Anthony.  There are 3 first time selections on the reserves.

The best TV theme songs tell a story and introduce what the show is all about. Here are the top ten theme songs that are instantly recognizable, set the tone for the whole TV show, and will be in your head for the rest of the day.

Cheers

The sweet and poignant theme song opened with the title, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name.” Indeed, over the course of the show, people came to know all the characters and followed their lives inside the bar. Gary Portnoy, who created the iconic song, also created the song “Every Time You Turn Around” for the TV show Punky Brewster.

MASH

The theme song for this show perfectly reflects the black comedy of the show. Even the title of the song by Johnny Mandel is haunting: “Suicide is Painless.” The song was originally used in the Robert Altman movie that inspired the TV series. The show used an instrumental version without the lyrics, which just added to the melancholy feel of the song. 

The biggest sporting event of the year is just days away. Here's what you can expect when the Giants take on the Patriots on Super Bowl Sunday. 

Peaking at the right time

The Giants finished the regular season with a lackluster 9-7 record, barely qualifying for the playoffs.  Throughout the first half of the season, the Giants were inconsistent, despite the often brilliant play of quarterback Eli Manning. In the second half of the season, the offense began to click as breakout receiver Victor Cruz came out of nowhere to set a franchise record for receiving yards in a season (1,536). The defense, led by Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul came alive late in the season, providing one of the most feared pass rushes in the league. In the last few weeks, the Giants have been getting better and better on both sides of the ball, and seem poised to play their best football when it matters most this Sunday. 

Moving target

The Patriots have looked exceptional on offense all year long. Tom Brady opened the season with a 500+ yard passing performance and didn't slow down all year long, finishing the season with 5,235 yards, 39 touchdowns, and a 105.6 quarterback rating. Early in the year, wide receiver Wes Welker looked unstoppable, breaking small 5-yard out patterns for touchdowns. But, as the season progressed, the spotlight shifted to tight end Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski set NFL single season records for a tight end in receiving touchdowns (17), total touchdowns (18), and receiving yards (1,327).

Tensions run high when the stakes are great, but sometimes, they boil over. That’s when fans witness the craziest sports brawls. Here are the top five craziest scuffles of all time.

5. WNBA Fight Between Detroit and Los Angeles

Men aren’t the only ones who can play basketball, and they aren’t the only ones who can fight, either. Getting in the middle of two fighting people almost never ends well, and sure enough, the person who tried to, got hurt. Pearson and Parker got tangled up, but Ford was the one taken away in a wheelchair.

4. Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche 1997 Fight

There are many epic hockey brawls, but this one makes the list since it involved years of frustration being unleashed all at once. The Colorado Avalanche and Detroit Red Wings have long been bitter rivals. However, on March 26, 1997, tensions boiled over and the players did what they sometimes do best. Forsberg started the fight, but then other players just jumped in and started fighting. The referees tried to do what they could, but at a certain point the players just flew across the ice at one another. Patrick Roy got into the action and was immediately bloodied by Mike Vernon. 

Creating a Super Bowl party that is easy and enjoyable will allow you to join in the fun and watch the game. You can plan the ultimate Super Bowl party with these tips.

Invite a Fun Group

Great parties have a nice group of excited football enthusiasts rooting for their favorite teams and players. You will want to decide how many people can comfortably fit in your house, and what kind of group you want to have. Including people from all areas of your life (friends, family, and co-workers) is a little like your own football team—a great group coming together with the purpose of cheering for your favorite team. Include all the vital information on an invitation or evite, and encourage guests to dress comfortably and wear team colors.

Use Multiple TVs

The best decorations at a Super Bowl party are TVs. If you have a couple of smaller TVs, station them strategically around the house, such as in the living room, family room, kitchen, the kid’s playroom, or even the bathroom. This will prevent those “What did I miss?” moments.

After seventeen weeks of regular-season football and two epic weeks of playoff football, only four teams remain: The Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots, the New York Giants, and the San Francisco 49ers. This Sunday, the Ravens will square off agains the Patriots in New England, and the Giants will take on the 49ers in San Francisco to decide the two teams that will play in this year’s Super Bowl. Here’s a look ahead at these two exciting matchups. 

The Baltimore Ravens and the New England Patriots

Sunday January 22 at 1:00PM MT on CBS

The Patriots and Ravens were seeded first and second respectively heading into the playoffs. After successfully defending their home fields agains the Broncos and Texans respectively, the Ravens and Patriots both seem to be peaking at just the right time. The Patriots posted 45 points against the Broncos top-tier defense last week and the Ravens looked solid on both sides of the ball--frustrating the Texans rookie quarterback, while Ravens running back Ray Rice ran up and down the field at will. 

In a 2010 playoff game, the Ravens held off Tom Brady and the Patriots to win 33-14, so both teams will be ready to play again in the playoff spotlight. The Ravens have a solid advantage at defense, with future hall-of-famers Ray Lewis and Ed Reed leading the way. The Patriots are on fire 

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! Today, we celebrate the courage and vision of one of our nation's greatest leaders. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminds us as Americans that our democracy is a constant work in progress, and that we all have the opportunity and obligation to deliver the American Dream to future generations. 

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day website encourages citizens to make their day off a day of service. You probably know that Martin Luther King, Jr. gave the famous “I Have a Dream” speech, but you may not know these ten little-known facts about the famous civil rights leader.

1. His name was originally recorded as Michael King on his birth certificate. The mistake was discovered by his family in 1934. His name was officially changed to Martin Luther King, Jr.

2. King sang with his church choir in Atlanta at the gala premiere of Gone With the Wind in 1939.

3. He entered Morehouse College at the age of 15. He skipped the 9^th and 12^th grade, which allowed him to enter college early. He went on to earn Bachelor’s degrees in sociology and theology. He also earned a Ph.D. in systematic theology from Boston University in 1955.

If you just received a new portable device, or your New Year’s resolution is to read more, you may be wondering how to find audio books and eBooks that won’t break your budget. Depending on the format and site you choose, you can read or listen to books on your PC or Mac, download books to a portable device, or burn a CD. Here are the best free and legal sites to find free audio books and eBooks.

You may want to start by familiarizing yourself with the audio book or eBook format that your portable device uses. You can consult the NOOK Book FAQs, Kindle Assistance, or OverDrive’s Device Resource Center. Once you know which format to download (Epub, Mobipocket, MP3) for your specific portable device, you will be ready to start downloading books from these sites.

Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is the best place to find more than 36,000 free eBooks from the public domain. The books have been previously published, but their copyright has expired, so they are free in the United States. You will find classics like The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, and The Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci. You can also access more than 100,000 free eBooks from the partners, affiliates, and resources of Project Gutenberg.

While watching some of the great movies in theaters, you may have seen a preview for one of these hotly anticipated new films. You will want to be sure to mark your calendars and catch these movies when they come out. 

The Hunger Games

March 23, 2012

The challenge for any fantastical movie based on a well-received book is to live up to the expectations of the fans. This movie takes on a difficult challenge to show the dystopia that was so skilfully thought out by author Suzanne Collins. Katniss Everdeen takes her sister’s place as a tribute in The Hunger Games, a game that is played to the death by young adults from different districts. So far, critics and fans alike have been complimentary of the trailer and the casting. The balance between the poor districts and the opulent and futuristic Capitol appears to be true to the book. Jennifer Lawrence will take on the role of Katniss, while Woody Harrelson and Stanley Tucci make excellent choices to play Haymitch Abernathy and Caesar Flickerman.

If you aren’t quite in the holiday spirit yet, here are the top ten Christmas movies of all time that will put you in a great mood.  

1. It’s a Wonderful Life

This one is at the very top of the list for being the most loved and most watched movie according to the national media. If you’ve watched it, you know why it’s such a winner; if you haven’t, prepare to be enchanted from the beginning to the heart-warming end. Fans of Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed count on this Christmas classic as a treasured and integral part of their holiday experience.

2. Miracle on 34^th Street

This movie is a time honored treasure on Thanksgiving Day; it opens with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and follows the journey to Christmas. It stars Maureen O’Hara as a divorced mom with a young daughter, Natalie Wood, the mysteriously wonderful Kris Kringle, and a supporting cast of helpful co-workers and friends.

The NBA lockout is over! Almost. The players and owners reached a tentative deal on November 26 that would allow a 66-game season to begin on December 25 following ratification by the National Basketball Players Association with the NBA owners. This lockout is the fourth lockout in the history of the NBA. It began on July 1, 2011 following the expiration of the prior Collective Bargaining Agreement which ended on June 30, 2011. The main issue was the league wanting to reduce the players’ salaries by $800 million and instituting a hard salary cap since they claimed to be losing $300 million each year.  The tentative deal that was reached would allow players to receive of basketball-related income, teams are allowed a one-time waiver for a player to be removed from the team’s salary cap, and the “Derrick Rose Rule” was instated which would allow a team to re-sign a great player for 30% of the team’s salary cap after their rookie season.

While the season was on hold, the players found other ways to keep their skills fresh. The biggest story was who went overseas to play. Deron Williams, a 2011 All-Star, signed a $5 million one year contract playing for Besiktas in the Turkish Basketball League. Kenyon Martin became the highest paid player in the history of the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association with a contract that will pay him $500,000 a month. Meanwhile, Tony Parker settled for the meager sum of $2,000 a month playing for the French team he partly owns, the ASVEL Basket. More players did not follow because they were not able to receive the same salary they can receive in the United States, they may not have wanted to adjust to new changes, and they may have been locked into playing overseas if the lockout suddenly ended. 

Having trouble keeping up with the NBA lockout? Here’s what you need to know. 

The last lockout was in 1998, when the players were locked out and several games were cancelled.  More than thirty games passed that season before the players were back on the court.  Some sports experts believe the 2011-2012 NBA season faces a similar fate.

Surprisingly, this lockout has been expected for the past two or three years.  Despite numerous proposals, counter-proposals, and in-person meetings, the dispute between the team owners and players regarding the pursuit of a new collective bargaining agreement continues.  The problem causing so much drama?  Disagreement between the team owners and the athletes about how to share more than $4 billion annually (what a problem to have!).  The basketball league would like to place a cap on the amount of money athletes can earn.  The players turned down a guaranteed $2 billion per year for the next ten years.  It makes one wonder:  how much more do they need?

Who loses?   

If the NBA lockout continues into the regularly scheduled season, it’s not just the professional athletes and team owners who will suffer.  Consider the hundreds of regular workers who will be negatively impacted.  Maintenance crews, arena attendants, concessions workers, and others will be out of work while the quiet war over money rages. 

Billions of people have lived on this planet we humbly call Earth.   Some of these people have lived fantastic lives, accomplished nearly impossible tasks, overcome insurmountable obstacles, and changed the world for the better.  These people merit a mention – discover five such people (actually four people and one dog) in these insightful biographies that have recently spent time on the list of Top 100 Best Selling Biographies by Amazon.com.  

1.  Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero

by Michael Hingson

It’s fitting that a biography related to the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 spend time on the list of bestselling biographies this year, the tenth anniversary of that tragic day the towers fell.  Patriots and dog-lovers alike will greatly enjoy this inspiring biography.

2.  Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

by Lauren Hillenbrand

There are many ways to choose your fantasy football team.  You may choose the players that are on your favorite team, or a dynasty league that stays the same from year to year.  Most serious fantasy football team managers know that the best way to pick a team is to have a variety of players from a variety of teams.  The players who are known to have great years will go first in the first few rounds, but there are some other players you should pick up.  

Sleepers are those players that are like sleeping giants; they go unnoticed in the background until they roar to life and start demanding attention.  Sleepers also fit in well with salary cap leagues, because they may not be making quite the same salary as some of the more well-known players.  These sleepers should not be picked in the first (or second, or third) round unless you want strange looks and a team that isn’t quite balanced yet.  Save the following names for after you have duked it out over Drew Brees and Michael Vick.

Here are a few names to keep tucked away when you are drafting, trading, adding or dropping players and changing rosters throughout the season:

The American League MVP race is heating up. As usual, Yankees and Red Sox top the list, but a few unusual candidates promise to make for some exciting theatrics down the home stretch. Here is a look at the top contenders for this year's American League MVP. 

Adrian Gonzalez

In his first full season with the Red Sox, Gonzalez has carried his Boston teammates through several rough patches. He leads the league in batting at .343, has 94 RBI’s and has anchored the defense with his solid play at first base. 

Jose Bautista

In a season noted for its modest power numbers, Bautista stands apart. He has led the league in home runs nearly all season. He currently has 36, and is batting .318. Playing for the lowly Blue Jays figures to hurt his chances, but as an individual performer, Bautista has been extraordinary. 

Jacoby Ellsbury

Ellsbury is an all-around star. He is batting .313, has 22 home runs and 79 RBI’s to go with 33 stolen bases. Ellsbury has been on a tear since the All-Star break—with a league best 11 home runs. 

YouTube is more than a website. It's an entertainment universe. There are literally millions of hours of videos uploaded every week. With so much volume, it could take a long time of hunting through boring kitten videos before finding that one hilarious video you want to share with friends and family. Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to stay up to date on YouTube without spending hours there each week. 

Tosh.O

Tosh.O is basically the professional version of Ray William Johnson's weekly videos. Daniel Tosh is a professional comedian who hosts a regular television show on Comedy Central laughing at the web's funniest and strangest videos. Tosh's version is longer (fills an entire 30-minute slot as opposed to RWJ's 5-minute videos), though it tends to focus on shorter clips (usually less than 30 seconds). Tosh excels at commentary; the videos are often just starting points for his standup stylings. But, be warned: Tosh.O is not for young children or the easily offended. 

Ray William Johnson

Ray William Johnson is an internet celebrity who has made a career out of highlighting and discussing funny and unique web videos. In fact, Ray William Johnson is so synonymous with YouTube, that a Google search for YouTube returns Ray William Johnson's site as at the #4 result. 

The U.S. Women's Soccer Team's amazing victory over Brazil in the World Cup earlier this month was one of the most exciting and memorable moments in women's sports history. But, it doesn't quite crack the top three…

1996 Olympics

In the 1996 Summer Olympics, the United States Women's Gymnastics Team secured its first ever U.S. Gold Medal for the Women's Team Competition against extraordinary odds. Dubbed the Magnificent Seven, the team comprised some of the greatest gymnasts in U.S. history. However, the most memorable moment came when one of the team's lesser talents, Kerri Strug, injured herself on her first vault. Barely able to walk, Strug heroically vaulted once more in an effort to give her team one last chance at victory. She stuck the landing, collapsing to the floor moments later--having to be carried off by her coach. 

If you're looking for a good laugh, you don't need to find a comedy club or go to a funny movie. Your computer is full of hilarious content that is available 24/7. Here are five websites that will have you in stitches. 

The Onion

The Onion is a fake news empire. The content found at theonion.com is consistently hilarious and deviously clever. The Onion publishes a newspaper, two television shows, and a plethora of web content including video podcasts. The Onion's scathing satire spans nearly every topic from national politics to local sports. 

Funny or Die

Funnyordie.com is like the YouTube for funny videos. It was started by Will Ferrell's production company in 2007, and has produced some of the

funniest viral videos in the last few years. Some of the videos are user-generated, while others are created by the Funny or Die comedy team; often consisting of celebrity guests such as Judd Apatow and James Franco. All videos are voted-on by users and ranked accordingly. Videos deemed "funny" are allowed to stay. Videos receiving the "die" status are relegated to the site's rarely viewed archive.

Any music lover, young or old, has fantasized about attending Woodstock--the musical festival that defined a generation and set a new standard for what was possible at musical festivals. And, while there may never be another Woodstock, the festivals of today are every bit as fascinating and exciting for different reasons. Here are three epic festivals that proudly carry on the Woodstock tradition, and have the notable advantage of being festivals you can actually attend. 

Bonaroo

Bonaroo is a yearly musical festival that takes place in Manchester, Tennessee, in June. It's a four-day festival that features a huge variety of musical acts. Past acts include Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Jay Z, Kanye West, Tom Petty, The White Stripes, and Bruce Springsteen--to name a few. Bonaroo is more than a festival; it's a strange, quirky community that is known as much for its "activity tents" as for the great music. Activity tents feature unique parties, events, and environments. For instance, "The Slient Disco" tent is a tent where everyone is handed a set of headphones that is sync’d to the main DJ's sound system. Even though everyone dances like in a normal dance club, to an outside observer it would appear as though there were no music at all. Rolling Stone Magazine described Bonaroo as one of the "50 moments that changed rock & roll."

Most experts believe the NFL lockout will end prior to the start of the regular season. However, it could have a huge impact on the fantasy football season. With the right moves, you can use the lockout to dominate your league this year. Here are several fantasy football strategies that make sense in a lockout year. 

Draft disciplined players

Some NFL players work out harder in the off-season than they do during the season. Others view the off-season as a vacation, and let themselves get fatter, slower, and weaker until the mandatory training camp rolls around. This year, normal training regimens are being disrupted, and the less-disciplined players may not get into game shape until several weeks into the season, while off-season overachievers will have a huge advantage.