You've all been waiting with bated breath for my pick in tonight's BCS championship game (wait, what?) featuring Alabama and LSU. I like Alabama (7 units). The line is pick.

I got some props as well - Trent Richardson to score the first TD (3/1 1 unit), Alabama QB McCarron under 15 1/2 completions (1 unit) and he throws a pick before he throws a TD (1 unit.)

Open Thread.

Busy.

Open Thread.

I've got a lot of errands to run before a big TV nite: the premiere of John Grisham's The Firm, the series finale of Desperate Housewives, the season premiere of Shameless and new episodes of Pan Am and The Good Wife.

For those of you watching football or with other things on your mind, here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Last night's open thread is about to hit 200 comments, which triggers our automatic thread closure. Here's another one so you can keep the conversation going. All topics welcome.

Looks like we need another open thread. Here it is, all topics welcome.

Afghan President Karzai has ordered that the prison at Bagram AFB be turned over to Afghan control within a month.

A presidential statement said that keeping Afghan citizens imprisoned without trial violates the country's constitution, as well as international human rights conventions.

President Obama outlined the new Pentagon budget today.

I am so done with the massive advertising on mainstream media sites. Over New Years, I installed a security program called Kaspersky Pure on my computers and I haven't seen an ad or pop-up or under-pop since. It even blocks affiliate ads on blogs (unless you tell it not to.) [More...]

For those who enjoyed my sweating over my sports investment last night, you won't get another chance tonight, as I am traveling. But, you can laugh at me without the pointing as I invested in the Wolverines (-3) over Va Tech (10 units.) I know, I know, the BIG in a bowl game? But I like this Michigan team and don't think much of Va Tech.

Open Thread.

It's the final night the long holiday weekend. Aside from the Iowa caucuses which I have no interest in, there's not much to write about.

There's also little on TV, other than the premiere of The Bachelor, starring Ben from last year's totally boring season with Ashley. I think this season will be another dud, but I'll watch anyway. After 16 seasons, the formula has become dated and predictable. I wish they'd try something new.

Colorado is getting $400 million from the NDAA, with a big chunk for electronic surveillance. $70 million will go for construction of a new NSA building at Buckley Air Force Base:

The NSA building at Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora will cost a total of $141 million to complete. It will provide space for 850 people whose offices are now in temporary buildings.

Buckley is home to a large contingent of secretive agencies, including the NSA and the National Reconnaissance Office​; the Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado; Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine intelligence and information units; and Marine and Coast Guard cryptologic units.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

The picks:

Houston -7½ over Penn State (3 units), Georgia -3 over Michigan St. (3 units), South Carolina -3 over Nebraska (5 units), Oregon -6 over Wisconsin (3 units).

My best bet of many years was discussed weeks ago - Oklahoma State (-3) over Stanford (50 units.) Today the line is -5.

Go Gators!

Open Thread.

Most New Year's Days, we'd be preparing to watch a day of college football. But Sundays are ruled by the NFL. The bowl games have been moved to tomorrow.

Tim Tebow faces a make or break game for the Broncos, and I suspect, for his career. While it seems likely Tebow will get the starting nod for the Broncos next year, if he wins today, advancing the Broncos into the playoffs, he probably gets the whole season.

That's a lot of pressure and the Broncos also have to deal with the fact that they unnecessarily handed the Chiefs their QB for today, Kyle Orton. That was a pretty inexcusable move by Elway and I am a bit surprised that more is not being made of it in Denver. While Orton is a terrible QB in pressure situations, when nothing is on the line, he can be good. The Chiefs and Orton have nothing to lose so I expect they will play well. And win.

Which means that whether the Raiders give up ANOTHER 1st round pick for Carson Palmer depends on the Chargers and Phillip Rivers saving the Raiders from themselves. Cuz if the Raiders make the payoffs, they get bounced in the 1st round and lose another 1st round pick. Since it is the Raiders, that is what is going to happen. Raiders beat the Chargers.

The big game to night is Giants-Cowboys. I think the Cowboys win.

Open Thread.

It's already 2012 in Auckland, Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Dubai and celebrations are underway. From Sydney:

Sydney's harbour erupted in a blaze of colour and light on the stroke of midnight on Saturday with a 12-minute pyrotechnic display drawing more than 1.5 million people to crowded foreshores and city landmarks.

Times Square is expecting a million people -- many of whom have already arrived.

What's on your agenda for this evening? I'm cooking lasagne. Whether you are out celebrating or avoiding the noise and crowds, we wish you all a happy, healthy, prosperous, freedom-filled New Year.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Happy New Year's Eve morning!

We are now in college bowl season in earnest. I was saved from complete disaster yesterday by a garbage time back door cover by Oklahoma.

Today will be better. The picks: UCLA +3 over Illinois (2 units), Texas A&M -10 over Northwestern (12 units), Vanderbilt -1½ over Cincinnati (2 units), Utah +3 over Ga Tech (2 units), Auburn -3 over Virginia (2 units.)

Have a great day.

Open Thread.