Proline Week 8 NFL Football Picks and Odds

Week 7 was a good week for me going 4-2 to bring my overall record to 15-21. This week could be a trap week because a lot of the winning teams are playing weaker teams so it looks like a sure thing. Regardless I’ve got to go with the favorites.

Here are my picks for week 8 of the NFL.

Indianapolis Colts to win by 4pts. The Colts are on the road to face the Carolina Panthers who are coming off a bye week. The Colts showed that they are the real deal by dominating Jacksonville last week. Not even “old man” Vinny can stop the Colts. Odds 1.30

New York Giants to win by 4pts. The Giants and Miami Dolphins are playing in London England this week so neither team really has home field advantage. With the time change some players may not be playing with the energy they normally have. Either way Miami is without their starting QB and RB. They are no match for the Giants. Odds 1.25

Tennessee Titans to win by 4pts. The Titans just squeaked out a win last week, but that was with their backup QB. This week they are at home to face the Oakland Raiders and everyone is healthy. Oakland really hasn’t been able to put it together this season. The Titans will win this one. Odds 1.40

Pittsburgh Steelers to win by 4pts. The Steelers are in Cincinnati to face the Bengals this week. The Steelers had a tough loss against Denver last week, but still kept it close. The Bengals have one of the worst defences in the league and the Pittsburgh will take full advantage of that. Look for the Steelers to control the game by running the ball a lot. Odds 1.70

Tampa Bay Buccaneers in by 4pts. Tampa is at home to face the Jacksonville Jaguars. Jacksonville’s starting QB has gone down with a serious ankle sprain. That will make a huge difference against a Tampa Bay team that doesn’t make many mistakes when they have the ball and have a terrific defence when they don’t have the ball. Tampa will take this one. Odds 1.80

Green Bay Packers to win by 4pts. Green Bay is in Denver this week and are the underdogs. But at 5-1 on the season and having two weeks to heal injuries and prepare for this one game I can’t see how the Denver Broncos can win this game. Go against the spread on this one and pick the Packers. Odds 2.70

This week’s payout based on a $2 bet is: $2 x (1.3×1.25×1.4×1.7×1.8×2.7) = $37.60

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The Pickle Story

mmm pickles

Here’s a story that a friend of mine told me a while ago. I sent an email about it to a bunch of friends and a week later it was forwarded back to me after it had traveled around the world. I might have used some more descriptive words then was originally told to me, but as far as I know this story is entirely true.

A friend of mine was working in a pickle warehouse as a summer job. He would do a number of tasks including loading barrels with cucumbers. These wooden barrels were enormous. He would have to climb a ladder to get to the top of the barrel where a number of boards were removable. The barrels were filled with vinegar amongst other things. My friend would remove the boards, a guy in a loader would dump a load of cucumbers in the barrel and then the loose boards would be replaced. The cucumbers would be left for at least 6 months when the boards would be removed and the cucumbers would now be pickles.

This particular pickle plant had a bad infestation of Groundhogs and my friend would often be given a bat to see if he could wander the grounds and maybe smash a Groundhog or two. It was not uncommon for the boards to be removed, the cucumbers loaded into the barrel and before the worker got back to replace the boards a Groundhog would climb in the barrel to go for a swim unknown to the worker. The boards would be replaced and the barrel left untouched for the next 6 months.

6 months later the cucumbers aren’t the only things that are pickled in the barrel. The worker would remove the boards to find a pickled, bloated Groundhog floating belly up. But instead of getting a net and fishing the Groundhog out of the barrel they would use a meat hook! The hook would pierce the bloated body of the Groundhog and as you can imagine blood and guts would explode into the barrel with the rest of the pickles. Now the most disturbing thing about this is that they would go ahead and continue to bottle those pickles!

As I said as far as I know my friend was telling me the truth which makes eating pickles a bit disturbing. Luckily I’m the only one who knows which company this story refers to!

Happy Crunching!

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Ontario Great Lakes Brewery Pumpkin Ale

This past weekend I was wandering through my local LCBO looking at all the wonderful wines, liquors, and beers that were available when I found a large bottle of Pumpkin Ale! I was as giddy as a school girl because I had never tried a pumpkin ale and had always wanted to. I grabbed it immediately and headed to the cashier. The 600ml bottle is priced at $5.00. Somewhat steep compared to other beers, but well worth it given the rarity of pumpkin ale. I found out it is from Great Lakes Brewery in Ontario who also make Red Leaf Smooth Lager, which I am a big fan of.

Opening up the bottle I expected the room to fill up with the smell of pumpkin pie, but that was not the case. I expected the beer to be heavy and smooth, but that was not the case either. Instead it had only a hint of pumpkin and spices. The ale was well carbonated and had very little head. It was light going down, very easy to drink. The taste was slightly spicy and surprisingly refreshing. On one hand the beer didn’t meet my expectations, however unfounded they were, but on the other I enjoyed it for what it was.

I read in some beer forums that this is a seasonal beer with limited stock. When the LCBO runs out that is it. So rush to the store to pick one up and give this unique and rare beer a try

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Finance, Loans, Bad Credit/Personal Loans… The Unexpected

Properly estimating the cost of building a cottage is extremely important and something I have not done very well. I found out that the land I purchased is even with the local water table so land fill must be brought in which will cost $10,000 I hadn’t anticipated.

For the most part I have been able to manage my expenses via my mortgage by extending the amortization period. Longer amortization periods mean lower monthly payments which makes it easier to meet the monthly financial burden. The benefit of lower monthly payments is that I am able to pay all my monthly bills on time, which directly affects my credit rating.

Maintaining a healthy credit rating ensures that I have negotiating power when going to a bank for Personal Loans. I have acquired a person line of credit which I use in times when I find I’m a little short, like paying property taxes. Unlike a mortgage a line of credit gives me the flexibility to access the money at any time as well as make payments far above the monthly required amount without any penalties or restrictions. In my case I will be using my personal loan to bring in the landfill and install the septic system.

If you are looking to build a cottage or just want to have access to money incase of an emergency speak with your banker about a personal loan.

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Red Wine and the Clay Bowl

Red Wine and the Clay Bowl picture

When I first started drinking wine I liked the sweet white wines as most people do. I tried to like red wine and wanted to like red wine, but it was far too dry, had a much more powerful taste, and often gave me headaches. It wasn’t until I was traveling along the Niagara Wine route and stopped in to De Sousa Wine Cellars. They were giving out samples of Marechal Foch and I said “no thanks” to the lady in the store. She asked me why and I told her that I don’t like red wine for the reasons above. She said I’ve got just the thing for you…clay bowls!

She told me that unfinished clay bowls absorb the tannins in red wine which commonly cause people to have headaches. It drastically alters the taste, in a good way, as well. Whether it was just a sales pitch or not I bought the bowls and started my journey into the wonderful world of red wine. I don’t use the bowls anymore because I appreciate red wine now, but for those that are just starting to drink wine and have reservations about red wine try the clay bowls. You will be pleasantly surprised.

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Proline Week 6 NFL Football Picks and Odds

Week 6 had an incredible back and forth game between the Vikings and Bears. If it wasn’t for Ryan Longwell’s 55yrd kick my pick would have been correct. As it was I went 3 and 3 last week which a season total of 11-19.

Here are my picks for week 7 of the NFL.

Houston Texans to win by 4pts. Houston is at home to face the Tennessee Titans. Titans QB Vince Young is likely not going to play meaning Kerry Collins will be thrown in the fire. I think Houston will squeak this one out based on turnovers. Odds 2.50

Detroit Lions to win by 4pts. The Lions face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week. Detroit is coming off a bye, are at home, and have one of the best offences in the league. If they can avoid the big mistake they should pull this one out. Odds 2.30

Dallas Cowboys to win by 4pts. Minnesota won a big game last week and should be on a high. But Dallas is a far better team then Chicago and the Vikings will come crashing back to reality this week. Dallas wins easily. Odds 1.30

Seattle Seahawks to win by 4pts. The Seahawks have had two bad losses in a row, but the St. Louis Rams are in town and just what the doctor ordered. Seattle’s defence and offence is just too good to keep losing, especially to the worst team in the league. Pick the Seahawks here. Odds 1.30

Philadelphia Eagles to win by 4pts. Phili is at home to face the Chicago Bears this week. The Bears offence is starting to come around with Brian Greise at the helm, but the Eagles are too consistent and solid of a team to lose to the bears. Odds 1.80

New York Giants to win by 4pts. The Giants are at home to face the San Francisco 49ers. The Giants are on a huge roll and there is no way San Francisco is going to stop them even coming off a bye week. This is an easy win for the Giants. Odds 1.30

This week’s payout based on a $2 bet is: $2 x (2.5×2.3×1.3×1.3×1.8×1.3) = $45.48

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Baby Shrimp with Avocado Butter

No weekend cocktail party would be complete without appetizers. They are light, usually very tasty, and keep everyone pleasantly full without making anyone lethargic.

Here is a recipe from LCBO that will have your guests raving:

Baby Shrimp with Avocado Butter
By: Lucy Waverman

The easiest way to prepare this sandwich is to buy frozen cooked baby shrimp. Defrost them in the refrigerator overnight and drain before marinating. The cucumber slices are salted before using to draw out their juices, which would otherwise make the sandwich soggy.

1/4 cup (50 mL) soft butter1 avocado, peeled
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
1 tsp (5 mL) chili powder
Salt to tasteTopping
8 oz (250 g) cooked baby shrimp
2 tbsp (25 mL) lemon juice
2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
1/2 tsp (2 mL) hot pepper sauce
Salt to taste
1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
6 slices egg bread or white bread, crusts removed
Watercress leaves		 Baby Shrimp with Avocado Butter
  1. Beat together butter, avocado, lemon juice, chili powder and salt in a bowl. In a second bowl, marinate the baby shrimp with lemon juice, olive oil, hot pepper sauce and salt to taste. Lightly sprinkle salt on cucumber slices and let sit for 20 minutes. Pat cucumber dry with paper towels.
  2. Cut bread in half. Spread slices with avocado butter. Top with overlapping cucumber slices and pile shrimp on top. Garnish with a watercress sprig. Repeat for remaining sandwiches.

Makes 12 sandwiches

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Delorme Earthmate GPS

Delorme Earthmate GPS (LT-20)You’ve planned a weekend getaway at a cottage, or resort, or you are just going on a road trip. How are you going to figure out how to get there? Follow a map? Too old school and the map may be out dated. Today’s traveler uses GPS to find out where they are and where they are going. You could buy a car that has this built in, but if you are like me and don’t have that kind of money to throw around your next best option is to buy a separate unit. Portable GPS units typically range from $179 to $1200 and sit on the dash of your car. There is one more option however and at $129 CAD it is the best valued option if you have a laptop.Delorme Earthmate GPS (LT-20) comes with a GPS unit that connects to the USB port of your laptop and the Street Atlas USA 2007 DVD-ROM software, which now includes Canadian streets and cities.

The GPS features have GPS Radar Search allowing you to find gas stations, hotels, and shopping in the area you are traveling. Automatic Back-on-Track GPS and GPS Spoken Directions that offer voice directions for upcoming turns and streets names. It can also be set up to respond to voice commands and questions.

If you have a laptop and you are planning a trip or have been thinking of getting GPS take a look at this product as a comparison to dashboard portable units.

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Children Missing – Tree Blamed

Shoe Tree
Photo by R. Taylor

Strange occurrences in the Muskoka region of Ontario have been happening with a greater frequency as the only remaining signs of missing children are their shoes. A number of families interviewed all speak of the same story. Their children were going out to play by the tree covered in shoes and they never returned. There are no signs of any struggle, no witnesses of strangers in the area, no ransom notes, just the shoes of the children nailed or hung in the tree.

Further investigation shows that these shoe trees are popping up all over cottage areas in Ontario such as the Kawartha and Halliburton regions. According to police reports, missing children of towns near these “shoe trees” are 50% higher then towns without them. When asked about these mysterious trees Arborist Alex Gould replied “I’ve never seen anything like it in my life. From a molecular standpoint these trees don’t belong to any other plant species here on earth.”

Randy Moller, a leading specialist in the Occult and Professor at McMaster University, says that these trees have been recorded throughout history and are known to those who practice the dark arts as Man Eaters. Randy referenced drawings of these trees with sandals and clogs nailed to them as early as 200 BC. Professor Moller said the trees are starting to multiply at a greater rate and fears that if people do not heed his warnings there will be no children left in the world!

Remember if you are going to the cottage or are driving by one of these man eating trees on the weekend do not stop to take a picture or even approach the tree otherwise it might be your shoes we see nailed to the trunk.

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Proline Week 6 NFL Football Picks and Odds

In week 5 I picked the winning teams correctly they just didn’t cover the spread. I had my worst week yet at 1-5 and that brings my season total to 8-16. It’s time to step up my game!

Here are my can’t miss picks for week 6 of the NFL.

Cleveland Browns to win by 4pts. Cleveland is a much improved team this year and Derek Anderson looks like he is getting comfortable at QB. Take the Browns over the Miami Dolphins Odds 1.50

Chicago Bears to win by 4pts. Brian Greise really got things going for the Bears last week. Look for him to continue that this week as they face the lowly Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings are coming off a bye week and have a terrific running game, but that is it. If nothing else the Bears have home field advantage and should win this one. Odds 1.50

Arizona Cardinals to win by 4pts. Arizona is on a bit of a winning streak and is at home this week to face the Carolina Panthers. Carolina’s top two quarterbacks are injured so old man Testaverde is going to step in and try to steal a game. Vinny just signed this week so I can’t imagine he will be able to make too many sparkling plays. Take the Cardinals here. Odds 1.80

Seattle Seahawks to win by 4pts. The Seahawks had a tough loss last week, but luckily get to face the confused New Orleans Saints this week at home. Seattle’s defence is getting better and with all the interceptions Drew Brees is throwing this year they should get some points from their defence. Odds 1.40

San Diego Chargers to win by 4pts. San Diego scored 43 points last week and that was mainly without LT. They are home against the Oakland Raiders this week and the Raiders starting running back looks like he will miss the game with injuries. San Diego should take this one and go on a winning streak. Odds 1.25

New York Giants to win by 4pts. The Giants are on the road this week to face the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons showed a little bit of life a couple of weeks ago, but things really aren’t clicking. Looks like Byron Leftwich will start this week at QB for Atlanta and he really hasn’t taken enough snaps to know how to run the offence. Eli Manning and the Giants will get a road win here and keep their winning streak alive. Odds 1.80

This week’s payout based on a $2 bet is: $2 x (1.5×1.5×1.8×1.4×1.25×1.8) = $25.50

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