music credits: “Taya” by Up Dharma Down

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Japan isn’t a big country really, at least if you compare it with other destinations as China, India, USA or even my home country, Argentina. Despite that I think Japan has the most extensive transportation system I have ever seen, including trains, subways, metro, tram, busses, monorail, cable cars… and they are all linked to each other, even sometimes they merge so the railway becomes a subway. It’s hard to make a generalization about how to use the system in all the country so I will focus on the place that I know and traveled more: Kansai

Kansai is the name of the region I live in and basically compresses the cities of Osaka, Nara, Kyoto and Kobe, and everything in between. What are there boundaries is hard sometimes to describe. Normally the limits for the cities are in the hills or mountains. For Example, The Nara Prefecture and the Osaka prefecture are divided by the Ikoma mountain range, but you could hardly notice that.

The JR (Japan Railways corp.) operates the Government transportation system, including the High speed Shinkansen (bullet trains), Highway busses (meaning Inter-city) and some subway lines, but normally subway lines are operated by the city or prefectural governments. The thing is that in Japan there are also several Private Railway Lines, often huge corporations that own Trains, Subways, busses, Hotels, Shopping malls, and even clubs. This Companies normally link their services to the Government JR and between them as well, which bring for the visitor a complete chaos when trying to ride outside the JR lines.

Back in Kansai there are 5 private railway  lines: Hankyu, Hanshin, Kintetsu, Keihan, Nankai and the public JR. This lines combine between them, the JR and the subway in an integrated transportation system, conforming a huge commuter network. This lines sometimes serve the same destinations. You can get from Osaka To Kyoto by Kintetsu, JR (Shinkansen and normal train), Hankyu, Nankai… and they all have different terminals. Sometimes the terminals are connected like in the case of the JR terminal in Kyoto that is connected to the Kintetsu one in a massive building that’s both a Train Terminal, a shopping mall, a Hotel and a transportation hub, linking with local and intercity busses, subway lines and between train companies.

Lets see some important points on Japan transport:

Fares
Fares are measured by distance, and each company has its own fare chart, resulting in cheaper and expensive lines. Basic fare for up to 3 stations is 150 Yens, and fares between 2 cities between 900 and 1700 Yens. Conveniently for foreigners there is a  machine called “fare adjustment machine” located right before the exit in which you insert your ticket and the machine calculates the fare from the station you boarded until the station you are adjusting for exit. So what I do is just get the cheapest ticket and worry only how to get to my destination, and I will pay the full fare before exit.

Transfer
Transfer between lines and subways is available at connection points. Some times transfer stations have gates with ticket machines inside the platform, so you have to purchase another ticket or adjust the fare like mentioned previously. You can also purchase a transfer ticket at your boarding point, so It’s possible to be in a JR terminal a connecting ticket for Kintetsu. All machines have English explanation but not always is understandable.

Types of train
Trains in Japan have many different names depending on the stations in which they stop. A local train stops on every station along the way, then there are express, semi express, sub-semi express, and rapid trains. This appliesfor the Shinkansen also . The system is created for bringing far away commuters back and forth from the main city, so all the express trains will skip the stations in the middle of the trains trajectory, making stops inside the city (in the main terminals) and at the end of the way. Many private companies also offers Rapid Express or super express Direct rains that costs more money, they are direct because there is no need to transfer trains to get to the final destination. Sometimes they are convenient sometimes they are not, since the transfer is very well calculated and you need only to get down from one train and wait one minute until the next one arrives, other times one trains waits for the other so passengers can transfer.

Schedule:
Trains run from 5 AM to around midnight (last departure) and are extremely well organized and punctual, so if you check you clock and the itinerary and you think the train is late, adjust your clock. The trains and transfers are linked, so the last train in one side doesn’t leave until the last train arrives to that station. This last train system in quite inconvenient and if you miss the train you will be left on the street, but you cna check other posts on this blog or in www.worldnomad.com.ar for info on what to do if you miss the last train.

Passes
All companies provide different passes for discounted travel. As a tourist the most famous is the JR pass, covering all public transportation, including long distance Shinkansen train and inner city trains as well. This JR pass excludes subways and privately operated lines.
But the private companies also offer passes, normally:
Day Passes: For a day for 3 days and also for week. For commuters there are monthly passes calculated on amount of trips not by day (you don’t get a 30 day pass, you get 40 trips to go to your job on weekdays)
Destination passes: To go to a certain location and back in the day, this kind of ticket may include busses, cable cars, subway and all necessary things to spend a day in certain place. Popular for mountains, important temples and Onsen
Seasons: Season passes are available throughout the year, sometimes for vacations, or Sakura sightseeing, etc
Student Discount: Reduced price tickets for students

Orientation
Its really hard not to get lost in train stations, specially those big hubs where 2 or 3 train lines and subway connect, such as Namba and Umeda in Osaka or the JR terminal in Kyoto, but to avoid that you have to look at the details: the signs are different in the JR and the Kintetsu terminals and the floor is a different color. Also the gates are slightly different. To add trouble JR is the only one that have announces and trains signs entirely in English for the whole length of its journey.I used to live in the Nara Kintetsu line and there where no announces in English at all, and at some times stations names and maps are not in English as well.

Basically and to finish this post I I would recommend to travelers to get a JP pass to avoid this mess and move only in JR lines. But for the person staying a longer time in Japan this is impossible. As a foreigner with basic Japanese abilities is really hard to get on the information you need,   I received a lot of help from my Japanese friends, and to be honest there is no other way around it. Information in English is scarce and the websites of the private lines sometimes they include only basic information such as schedule and company data. You friends, acquaintances, co workers or classmates might  help you out if you need to travel. 

TouringPlans.com has been a solid planning source for Walt Disney World vacationers for a number of years.  This is the home on the web for the popular Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World – a yearly publication covering about every aspect of the resort.  Their touring guide offers strategies on how to see the parks and what attractions to see when.

Well, TouringPlans.com has brought us one more way to make the most of our vacation: Lines.  This mobile site gives you instant access to wait times across all four parks.  I mentioned Lines as an alternative to Mobile Magic in a post earlier this week, but I want to take some time and really take a look at the site.  So, if you’re ready, hit the link below to read my in-depth review of Lines!

Let’s start with some basics.  As of right now, Lines is available on the iPhone, Android phones, and Palm’s WebOS.  This already encompasses some of the most elite phones available on all major carriers.  The iPhone is the big one, and this counts for a good chunk of AT&T customers.  Android is an operating system developed by Google, and it’s available on a number of phones.  The most notable is Verizon’s new Motorola Droid and HTC Droid Eris, but Android phones are available on T-Mobile and Sprint.  Palm’s WebOS is found on the Palm Pre and Palm Pixi, both available on Sprint.  If you have any of these phones, you can navigate to m.touringplans.com and start using Lines!

What You’ll Need

You’ll need a subscription to TouringPlans.com to use Lines.  Right now, a free basic access membership will do.  Lines will move to their premium plans eventually, so enjoy this free trial period.  Premium memberships are very reasonable, especially if you purchase the Unofficial Guide book.  Premium access for book owners is $4.48 for one year, while access without the book is $8.95 for one year.  These plans also get you a number of other benefits, so click here to check them out.  Compare this to Mobile Magic from Disney that runs $9.99 for 180 days of access.  If you go down twice a year, you could be paying almost $20 for Mobile Magic whereas you’ll have Touring Plans for a whole year at one price.

Browsing Within Lines

When you start Lines, you’ll get the main page.  This page shows you the hours for all four parks, what park has Extra Magic Hours, and whether the park is open, closed, or in EMH.  Also, you’ll find a dashboard under the parks that gives you a crowd estimate (on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the least crowded and 10 being a nightmare), the best park to visit today, and the parks you should avoid for that day.  To view a park’s attractions, touch the park.

When you go into a park, you’ll get a list of all the attractions in that park.  The top navigation bar has a button to take you bake to the main page and a button to change how the attractions are sorted (alphabetical is the default).  On the right, you’ll notice the numbers that represent exact wait times for each attraction.  You’ll also see FASTPASS status (in this case, FASTPASSES for “Honey, I Shrunk the Audience” are gone).

The bottom of the attractions list gives you some more options and information.  You can view park hours, EMH hours, crowd level estimates, and whether or not this is a good park to visit today.  You can change how attractions are sorted (alphabetical, shortest time, and by land), submit your own wait time, refresh the page, and view recent times.

When you touch an attraction, you’ll get a more detailed view of that attraction.  Let’s take a look at the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster for November 20, 2009.  Here you’ll see the actual wait time, what Disney’s estimate for wait time is, FASTPASS return time (if they’re available), and wait times for single riders.  You can also see times and FASTPASS information submitted by users (shown below).  Finally, Lines will offer you a forecast for wait times later in the day (these are best estimates, obviously), the highest wait time for that attraction today, and when FASTPASS was gone for the day (far below).

For shows, Lines gives you the option to browse to another web site for show times.

My Thoughts

Lines is an excellent tool for viewing wait times.  It is by far more detailed than Mobile Magic in this respect.  I love the navigation and the content you get with Lines.  You also can’t beat the price (free for now, $9 a year at the most after that). 

Keep in mind that Lines doesn’t do everything that Mobile Magic does.  You don’t get restaurant information and resort information, for example.  But Lines wasn’t designed for this – it was designed to give you wait times, which it does spectacularly.  Also, we’re only at the beginning for Lines.  They plan to add support for more devices in the future (BlackBerry and Windows Mobile support would really solidify this site in the mobile market).  Already, though, Lines is available on most of the major players in the Smart Phone market.  I also don’t see why Lines wouldn’t work on many regular cell phones as well.

Overall, though, Lines is the way to go if you want wait times in the palm of your hand.  You really can’t get more detailed than this, so head over to m.touringplans.com to get started!

205422     เครือข่ายสื่อสารและสายส่ง     Communication Networks and Transmission Lines

ทฤษฎีบทเครือข่าย การวิเคราะห์และการออกแบบสมมูลหนึ่งและสองช่องทางเข้าออกเรโซแนนซ์แบบอนุกรมและแบบขนาน เรโซแนนซ์แบบพหุคูณ ตัวกรองคลื่น การแปลงความต้านทานเชิงซ้อนและเครือข่ายเพื่อการเข้ากันได้ การเข้าสู่ทฤษฎีของสายส่งโดยเครือข่ายสายโทรศัพท์ การทํ าให้เข้ากันได้ของความต้านทานเชิงซ้อนโดยใช้สายส่ง

(Network theorems: analysis and design of equivalent one-port and two-port, series and parallel resonance, multiple resonance, wave filters; impedance transformation and matching networks; network approach to theory of transformation line; telephone line; utilization of transmission lines for impedance matching.)

(205422 มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์)

We all know that a big part of having healthy skin is getting plenty of vitamins, especially vitamins A, C, and E. But at Adriana Skin Care we have several clients who are surprised that a healthy diet and plenty of water alone are often not enough to have flawless skin.

A big part of having great skin is exfoliation. This is because things we do every day—like expose our skin to UV rays—can cause skin damage. Exfoliation speeds up our natural skin-shedding process to reveal the newer healthier skin in the dermis (the layer beneath the epidermis).

One type of exfoliation our clients have been quite pleased with is the glycolic peel. The term “peel” may intimidate some people, but the process is quite gentle. Most clients only feel a slight tingle or itch during the process. At our spa, the treatment takes about one hour and is very relaxing.

At $90, this treatment is a good use of your beauty budget. One of our recent glycolic peel clients said, “I can’t believe how smooth my skin is! Areas I thought would always look porous or pimply have really evened out.”

Ready to schedule your appointment for a glycolic peel treatment? Give us a call at (619) 962-4306 to set up a time that is convenient for you. We look forward to revealing your most beautiful skin.

Usage of a flexible ruler

Graph by: Jake94 via Graph Jam Builder

Aging is something that can’t be avoided. It is an irreversible process that happens to all of us. People spend a lot of money on anti aging creams in an attempt to prevent the skin from aging. While this is not possible, you can slow the natural process down with good quality products. There are so many products on the market that it can be difficult to choose. You may wonder how these creams work.

Most anti aging creams work by exfoliating the skin. This removes the dead skin cells that accumulate on the outer layer of skin. When these dead cells are removed, new skin is able to grow. This will help minimize wrinkles and gives your skin a healthy and natural glow. When using an exfoliation product, be sure to use light pressure. Using too much pressure can cause damage to your skin.

Anti aging face creams are effective for reducing lines and improving the tone of your skin. This helps with the sagging that is a natural part of the aging process. These products are applied in the early morning or before going to bed at night, depending on the type of cream you are using. A variety of ingredients are used to help minimize fine lines and wrinkles.

Most anti aging creams use antioxidants among the main ingredients. Common antioxidants used include vitamins A C and E. These are effective at reducing free radical damage that leads to wrinkles. Free radicals are unstable molecules that contribute to the aging process. They are also thought to have a role in certain diseases, such as heart attacks and certain cancers. Antioxidants scavenge free radicals which can help keep your skin looking young longer.

Vitamin K is also used in many wrinkle creams. This vitamin is very effective at reducing the appearance of wrinkles in the skin. It works by building up the skin around the wrinkles. This helps reduce the depth and makes lines and wrinkles less noticeable.

Retinol is a form of vitamin A. It is effective at increasing collagen in the skin. With regular use, retinol exfoliates the skin and increases cell turn over, which is very important to younger looking skin. Exfoliation makes the skin appear healthier. It will look softer and smoother. Soft, smooth skin looks healthier and shows fewer lines and wrinkles. The process of cell turn over decreases with age, causing layers of dead skin to build up. This causes the complexion to look dull.

Choosing the right anti aging creams is very important. You need to find a product that is appropriate for your skin type. In addition, you should consider the wrinkles you already have. How many do you have? How deep are the wrinkles? Where are they located? Different products work best on different areas of the face, such as the eyes, forehead and laugh lines. You want a product that works well for the areas of your face where you want to prevent and treat wrinkles.

There are so many products on the market that it can be very difficult to choose the right ones. Reading reviews of anti aging creams can help you sort through the wide variety of products available. This will help you make the best choice for your skin.

On the Value of Records: “

The American writer, Bell Hooks, in her latest book, Belonging: A Culture of Place (New York: Routledge, 2009), gives us this interesting perspective on the value of the record: ‘In the past I have often scoffed at those folks who cannot go anywhere without a camera, a recording device, video, without some instrument to document for the future. Now that I have witnessed the deep pain and grief that can be caused by loss of memory, through illness, dementia and Alzheimer’s . . ., I can acknowledge the value of documentation for a future time. I know firsthand what a blessing it is to have a record – a way to remember that goes beyond the mind.’ ” (pp. 185-186). [from the blog, Reading Archives, by Richard J. Cox]

My Take:

You asked why 24 blogs regarding my family’s Hong Kong Tour? It cost me a lot of savings-and I need to extend its benefits by recording the memories and observation I had for future posterity and use.

But before that i have to mention that I almost got delayed and fleece by fixers outside the DFA. They will try to divert your attention before the gate of DFA. They might try to help put your picture into your passport a[pplication and then lead you to another building (not DFA) and then told you that you need extra time and money to have your passport completed. I did not show my anger but I returned to the real gate of DFA and from there line up at the verification. Can the DFA officials have an cleansweep operation of this swindlers and hoodlums just outside their gates? Are they inutile or in cahoots with these people? This is our country and yet we are being fleeced by our "enterprising" kababayans. Hoy Mahiya naman kayo-may mas mabuti pang trabaho kaysa magloko ng kapwa. (Please be ashamed of what you are doing -there is a better way to earn a living instead of taking advantage of your fellowmen)

Inside-you would have to queu for the verification of records and documents -which took up 1-2 hours. Then you can enter the DFA building for your passport to be assesed-then you need to queu again in order to pay the assesed value and to be interviewed by the DFA personnel and have your name entered into their  computer. I entered DFA by 9AM and left by 2PM. I ate my morning merienda, lunch and afternoon merienda by 2PM+. I paid 150.00 for the passport delivery-and got my passport at my house after 7 working days.

Here are some pictures of the location:

Verification inside the basketball court

DFA Basketball court

Some pictures of the requirements and steps for obtaining your passport (new and renewal):

Instructions

Passport Requirements

Procedure-Step-by-step

By the way-did I mentioned that I shouted to the guards inside the payment and encoding area because they do not how to process the lines-who to get first and who will be last. After I shouted-they corrected the sitiation. They do this everyday and yet  they have not done -more than basic improvements-for the sake of our kababayan-Sino ba DFA Secretary? Dapat siguro magresign na at better administrator who will treat our kababayan better and with more dignity.

Tonight’s game only is below.  The rest of the Week 10 picks will be have been delivered hot and fresh tomorrow just a scroll away.

Miami Dolphins @ Carolina Panthers (-3)
Jake Delhomme has gone three games without throwing a pick!  Did you know that in all but one game this season, if Jake threw for less than 200 yards, the Panthers won?  The only exception is the season opener, where he threw for only 73 yards, but completed four passes to the Eagles secondary.  Seriously.  Go see for yourself.  The point?  The point is that it seems as though John Fox has realized he has two talented backs and perhaps the best game plan when your QB keeps sucking is to let those fools run wild.  Not to mention that the focus on the running game has elevated Original Steve Smith back to relevance.  Oh, and Ronnie Brown hit the IR this week.  I think that might matter too.
THE PICK: Carolina (-3)

–Friday Update–

She's not turning her head, Ricky Williams just ran by

You know what sucks about Thursday night football?  Putting together the Friday picks update and watching your initial pick, right up top there for all the world to see, come completely apart right in front of your eyes.  I do say, it is mightily distracting to know you totally blew it already once when trying to pick 15 other games.  For what it’s worth, Jake Delhomme passed for more than 200 yards in this Carolina loss (and threw a pretty gross pick – Jake, if you’re going to have to sail the ball because you’re under pressure, over the middle of the field is probably not the best place to do it).  So, at the very least, some piece of my analysis was prescient.

The problem for Carolina last night was defense.  Who knew there was no answer for Ricky Williams?  And how about the speed displayed by those 32 year old legs?  Ricky scored TDs off the edge two different times in this game, and ran for tough yards up the middle as well.  I’m interested to see how this progresses over the last 6 weeks of the season – sure, Carolina’s run D is pretty terrible, but Miami only sees one more Top 10 rushing defense the rest of the way (the #1 Steelers, in Week 17).  Suddenly, Miami looks primed for a first round playoff exit.

At least the game was fun to watch last night.  It’s Friday, I’m in a good mood, let’s make some money.

Indianapolis Colts @ Baltimore Ravens (PK)*
I’m not going to bother rehashing the Pats’ choke Colts’ win last week.  Nothing that happened changed my feelings about how this game is going to play out.  The Ravens have a better ground game, but in order for that to really come into play, they’d have to build an early lead.  Both these teams have issues in the secondary.  One team has Joe Flacco and Derrick Mason.  The other team has Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne.
THE PICK: Indianapolis

Washington Redskins @ Dallas Cowboys (-12)
I personally am not offended by the term “Redskins”.  I understand that it’s offensive, but I’ve never heard it used in offensive fashion, so perhaps my naiveté renders me unable of being objective about how offensive it really is.  I discussed this recently with a Native American acquaintance, and he summed it up thusly: “No, it doesn’t bother me, but that’s mostly because I don’t care.  Rich white people have been doing whatever they like for centuries in this country, what’s to change it now?  Imagine if Oakland was the ‘Oakland Darkies’.  That’s about the equivalent of what it’s like.”  Ok then, time to change THAT nickname!  Still, the small child in me who grew up before political correctness enjoys the fact that these two teams are playing “Cowboys and Indians” this weekend.
THE PICK: Washington (+12)

Cleveland Browns @ Detroit Lions (-3.5)
When I first wrote this, I accidentally typed Cavaliers instead of Browns.  All this “Could LeBron play in the NFL?” talk clearly has me distracted.  Or, perhaps the Browns are just so terrible that I’ve started to block out their existence.  Speaking of LeBron, I saw a poll online somewhere on ESPN.com that I’m too lazy to go find asking whether LBJ could play in the NFL or not.  The vote split was 60/40 in favor of “yes”.  Are you other 40% just idiots or what?  You don’t think the most dominant physical force we’ve ever seen in the NBA couldn’t play in the NFL?  Are you Jeremy Shockey fans?  The answer to that question is yes, yes, a thousand times yes, and if we were lucky enough to see it happen it would be one of the coolest sports stories of all time.  You’d watch every single effing Browns’ game, that’s for damn sure.
THE PICK: Detroit (-3.5)

San Francisco @ Green Bay (-5.5)
I’m so confused by both of these teams.  They both have numerous warts, but also both feel like teams that could beat any team on any given week.  I want to believe that last week’s win over Dallas was a turning point for the Packers, but there’s nothing about a win over the Cowboys that makes me feel good about betting on Green Bay.  Dallas just stinks of fraud.  Let’s look at it from this angle:  The Niners beat a terrible Bears team by 4 last week, barely hanging on to the victory after Jay Cutler threw his fifth interception.  5 turnovers should equal a sizeable win against what has been a terrible defense.  If Green Bay’s defense even plays at 80% of the level we saw against Dallas, the Packers should win easily (I typed that with such conviction, but I don’t believe a word of it.  Stay away from this.)
THE PICK: Green Bay (-5.5)

Jacksonville Jaguars (-8) @ Buffalo Bills
Could the Jags hose me one more time please?  I have not picked one Jags game correctly all season.  Take that as fair warning.  I’m going to analyze this from a completely objective standpoint, with no actual football factors involved.  What’s Jax done against the spread this year?

Week 1 – 7 point dogs to Indy – covered and lost 14-12
Week 2 – 3 point favorites over Arizona – lost 31-17
Week 3 – 3.5 point dogs to Houston – won 31-24
Week 4 – 3 point dogs to TEN – won 37-17
Week 5 – PK with Seattle – lost 41-0
Week 6 – 10 point dogs to STL – failed to cover but won 23-20
Week 7 – BYE
Week 8 – 3 point dogs to TEN (déjà vu) – lost 30-13
Week 9 – 6.5 point favorites over KC – failed to cover but won 24-21
Week 10 – 7 point dogs to the Jets – won 24-22

So they haven’t covered as a favorite once this year.  That’s enough for me.
THE PICK: Buffalo (+8) Gross!

Pittsburgh Steelers (-10) @ Kansas City Chiefs*
Pittsburgh’s got talent, they have just struggled in some big spots this year.  It seems that Big Ben’s late game luck may have finally started to balance out.  That said, the Steelers may have struggled against quality teams, but they have little trouble beating up on the league’s weak sisters.
THE PICK: Pittsburgh (-10)

Seattle Seahawks @ Minnesota Vikings (-11)
The Vikings did struggle to cover the 15.5 against Detroit, and I don’t like laying this many points, but at home, against a team that does not play well on the road and who simply doesn’t have the horses to cover all the Vikings’ weapons and has folded over and over again this season?  I like the Vikings, and I like them big.
THE PICK: Minnesota (-11)

Atlanta Falcons @ New York Giants (-7)
I don’t know what to make of the Falcons.  What I do know is that if you look at their record this year, they haven’t beaten anyone who I believe to be as good as or better than the Giants, and they have lost to teams that I believe to be worse than the Giants.  As long as the Giants QB is Eli Manning I’m looking at the weather report for East Rutherford, and it looks pretty mild this weekend in New Jersey.  Sounds like a Giants win to me.
THE PICK: NY Giants (-7)

New Orleans Saints (-11.5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers*
The Saints have failed to cover two weeks in a row against relatively crappy teams (St. Louis, Carolina) when faced with a double digit spread.  But taking the points means betting on Josh Freeman, Derrick Ward, and Head Coach Raheem Morris.  No thank you.
THE PICK: New Orleans (-11.5)

Arizona Cardinals (-9) @ St. Louis Rams
On the other side of the duvet, the Rams have covered two games in a row, and Steven Jackson is now officially having one of the greatest “Great Player on a Bad Team” seasons in recent NFL history.  Arizona is still suspect on D, but I feel like too many things have to go right for the Rams to cover here.
THE PICK: Arizona (-9)

San Diego Chargers (-3) @ Denver Broncos
This game is now OFF on every betting site I can find (call it the Kyle Orton Factor).  But I did see this 3 point line earlier in the week so that’s what we’re going with.  Sorry Broncos fans, I don’t see the losing streak ending this week, San Diego is taking care of business lately.  Also, if Chris Simms really is the starter, you’re fucked from the get-go.
THE PICK: San Diego (-3)

New York Jets @ New England Patriots (-10.5)
I’m just going with Angry Belichick here.
THE PICK: New England (-10.5)

Cincinnati Bengals (-9.5) @ Oakland Raiders
It sucks when your solution at QB is Bruce Gradkowski.  I suppose there’s a chance this thing could be close, when you consider that the Bengals top two offensive weapons are going to be MIA (Benson to injury, Ochocinco to the Nnamdi Asomugha fantasy points black hole), but then again, Bruce Gradkowski.
THE PICK: Cincinnati (-9.5)

Philadelphia Eagles (-2) @ Chicago Bears
Really?  Two points?  Against the Bears?  I realize Brian Westbrook is important, but didn’t the Eagles just beat the holy hell out of the Giants without him?  I’d tease this but the Eagles coach is still Andy Reid, and god forbid they let the Bears hang around.
THE PICK: Philadelphia (-2)

Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans (-3.5)
I’m always curious about the fan dynamic in games like these.  Certainly there must be old Houston Oilers fans that followed the team to Tennessee and never made the switch, right?  I’d like to watch this game at a bar in Houston surrounded by both kinds of fans.  If an enterprising University of Houston anthropology major wants to study this and write it up, you can run it here.  At any rate, while Tennessee certainly is fun to watch and Chris Johnson seems to be a mix of young LaDainian Tomlinson and Barry Sanders, it’s hard to bet on a team that’s yet to beat anyone with a winning record.  I fully believe Tennessee can win this game, but I don’t think they’re going to.
THE PICK: Houston (-3.5)

Week 10: 8-7
Season: 76-65-2
3 Team Tease: 1-3
Before I sign off for the weekend, I feel compelled to explain the 3 team tease payoff here.  Sure, I’m 1-3 since I started tracking but a three team tease generally pays out at minimum 12-1, so the one victory covers 12 weeks of additional betting.  Also, I wouldn’t make this bet every week, but I’m just offering my opinion on what three teamer I’d bet.  Do with it what you will.  The point is, even if you only hit 2 three teamers all season, you’d end up in the black.

„It is for this reason that most of us would rather love than be loved. Almost everyone wants to be the lover. And the curt truth is that, in a deep secret way, the state of being beloved is intolerable to many. The beloved fears and hates the lover, and with the best of reasons. For the lover is for ever trying to strip bare his beloved. The lover craves any possible relation with the beloved, even if this experience can cause him only pain.“

from:

If you’re not on Verizon Wireless or don’t have one of the phones on which Mobile Magic is available, you may be feeling a little left out.  Perhaps you were excited about trying out the app during your next visit.  Even if you can’t get Mobile Magic, there are some very good alternatives out there.  Click below to read more!

UPDATE: Well, that wasn’t long at all!  TouringPlans.com announced support for Android and Palm’s WebOS.  This means that Lines is now available on any Android phone and the Palm Pre/Pixi.  Now, if you’re on Verizon, Sprint, or T-Mobile and have a phone that features any of these operating systems you’ll have access to this mobile site!

If the reason you’re not with Verizon is that you fell in love with the iPhone, perhaps your best alternative is Lines.  This mobile site, developed by the same great people that brought you the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World and TouringPlans.com, is available for free for a limited time (you’ll need a subscription to TouringPlans.com).

Lines is different from other wait times apps for the iPhone.  While you can submit your own information, the mobile site doesn’t rely on user input.  I think this is good for a couple reasons: (a) this makes Lines usable right away, and (b) you don’t have to worry about someone trying to mess around and submit absurd waiting times.  I’m not saying this is a problem with other apps (and I doubt it happens all that often, anyway), but I think this makes Lines even more reliable.

The only drawback to Lines is that it’s only available on the iPhone right now.  They’re working on other platforms, so this problem will be short-lived.  If you have an iPhone, you may be aware that other wait time apps are available from the App Store.  I would say, though, that given the reliable information you get from TouringPlans.com Lines is probably among your best choices.  If you want to check out Lines, visit m.touringplans.com.

But if you need something now and Mobile Magic or Lines won’t help you, you have another good option from Disney.  When Mobile Magic launched, Disney also launched a mobile web site for users that can’t get Mobile Magic.

The nice thing about the mobile sites is that you have access to information from the Disneyland Resort and the Walt Disney World Resort (whereas Lines focuses primarily on Walt Disney World).  You also have a decent amount of information about the attractions, such as location, wait time, height requirements, and FASTPASS availability.

The down side is that the wait times and FASTPASS availability are vague at best.  These are divided into three categories.  For example, the wait times will tell you to see the attraction now, wait times are moderate, or the attraction is busy.  FASTPASS will tell you that FASTPASSES are available, going fast, or unavailable.  Don’t expect specific wait times or return times for FASTPASSES.

The mobile site is still a nice alternative.  It does offer information on dining, shopping, weather, and lodging.  While the information may not be specific it is official, which counts for something in my mind.  To get to the mobile sites, visit m.disneyland.com or m.disneyworld.com.

I’ll still be reviewing Mobile Magic when it’s available on my phone.  For now, though, I think these are both great options.  If you’re visiting WDW, definitely try Lines first.  If that’s not an option, I think you’ll be satisfied with Disney’s mobile sites.  If you’ve used any of these apps (including Mobile Magic), please let me know by leaving a comment below!  You can also find links to other ways to contact me in the sidebar on the right-hand side of this page.

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