Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD

The fight between Blu-ray and HD-DVD, reminiscent of the 1980s battle between Betamax and VHS tape formats, isn't just vexing consumers. It's shaping up as a business disaster for movie studios, electronics companies and retailers that had counted on a robust holiday selling season for the fancy new players - which cost $500 to $1,000 - and movies to play in them.

Technology companies have divided into two warring camps, each backing one of the formats. Attempts to come up with a single format collapsed last year, so the two sides decided to duke it out in the marketplace. As they do, consumers are mostly staying on the sidelines, causing sales to fall far short of initial projections.

A winner could still emerge, but some experts say it's just as likely that consumers, fearful of buying an expensive player that will turn out to be worthless, will just say no to high-definition discs altogether. In the best case, analysts predict, the format war will go on for another year or so before a clear winner emerges, delaying an industry switchover to the improved discs.

Sony's PlayStation 3, released last week, doubles as a Blu-ray player, and Microsoft's Xbox 360, released last year, can play HD-DVDs with an accessory component. Sony expects to have shipped 2 million PS3s by the end of the year, trailing Microsoft's total shipments of 10 million Xbox 360s.

Movie studios Disney, Fox, Miramax and MGM have sided with Sony's Blu-ray technology; Universal and Warner Bros. have chosen to produce movies in Toshiba's HD-DVD format. Paramount and Warner Home Video are releasing movie titles in both formats, an expensive undertaking when consumers are reluctant to buy either. New Line Cinema has put off releasing titles on the new DVDs until next year.

New $1 President Coins

Can George Washington and Thomas Jefferson succeed where Susan B. Anthony and Sacajawea failed? The U.S. Mint is hoping America's presidents will win acceptance, finally, for the maligned dollar coin. The public will get the chance to decide starting in February when the first of the new coins, bearing the image of the first president, is introduced.

Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison are scheduled to grace the coin in 2007, with a different president appearing every three months.

The series will honor four different presidents per year, in the order they served in office. Each president will appear on only one coin, except for Grover Cleveland, who will be on two because he was the only president to serve nonconsecutive terms. To be depicted on a coin, a president must have been dead for at least two years

For the first time since 1932, the phrases " E pluribus unum" and "In God We Trust," the year and the mint markings all move to the edge of the coin, to free up more space on the face of the coin for the design - presidential visage on the front, Lady Liberty on the back - big and bold, gold and splashy. ...Read more about the coins here...>

Monday Morning Quarterback

A little Monday morning Quarterbacking.

First, the Washington Redskins(3-7) look lost as a team. I just never thought a Joe Gibb's team would look so bad. But, Jason Campbell is the quarterback of the future and he is going to be a good one.

The Maryland Terps(8-3) football team lost ugly to BC, but they can still have agreat season with a win at home against Wake Forest this Saturday and a shot at a good post-season Bowl Game.

Congrats to the Maryland Field Hockey team which repeated as National Champions with a 1-0 win over Wake Forest. Maryland, which finished the season 23-2, entered the game ranked No. 2 in the country but was facing the nation's top-ranked team on its home field. The Demon Deacons' only two losses this season were to the Terrapins; the first was a 3-2 decision on Sept. 23 in Winston-Salem. Wake Forest beat Maryland, 1-0, to win the ACC tournament championship two weeks ago.

Both Maryland basketball teams(men and women) are off to great starts(both at 5-0) and look good for the year. The women's team is ranked #1 in the country and has all five starters back from last year's National Championship.

And lastly, Alphonso Soriano is to leave the Washington Nationals for the Chicago Cubs for a $136 million contract. It's the fifth-largest contract in Major Leagues Baseball history. In his only season with the Nationals, Soriano hit .277 with 46 home runs and 95 RBIs. He became the first member of the 40-40-40 (home runs, steals and doubles) club. Soriano balked at the idea. After he returned from the World Baseball Classic and missed a Spring Training game against the Dodgers on March 20, Soriano faced the possibility of being put on the disqualified list and losing his $10 million salary. But after an off-day, Soriano decided to play left field. The move worked out well for Soriano and the Nationals, as he led the Major Leagues in outfield assists with 22 and was the National League's starting left fielder in the All-Star Game.

Times Top 100 Albums

Time magazine has made a list of the Top 100 albums. The list is aranged by decades and not in numerical order. Makes for some interesting discussion and comments.

"So here's how we chose the albums for the All-TIME 100. We researched and listened and agonized until we had a list of the greatest and most influential records ever - and then everyone complained because there was no Pink Floyd on it. And that's exactly how it should be. We hope you'll treat the All-TIME 100 as a great musical parlor game. Read and listen to the arguments for the selections, then tell us what we missed or got wrong. Or even possibly what we got right". ...Read here for article and list

Terps Beat Miami, 14-13

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Sam Hollenbach connected with Darrius Heyward-Bey twice, including a school-record 96-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, as the No. 23 Maryland Terrapins outlasted the Miami Hurricanes tonight, 14-13.

The Terps (8-2, 5-1 ACC) earned at least a share of the ACC Atlantic Division lead, pending the outcome of the Wake Forest-Florida State game later this evening. Miami falls to 5-5, 2-4 in the conference.

With the win tonight, Maryland becomes the first team in 21 seasons to defeat both the Hurricanes and the Florida State Seminoles in the same year, a feat last accomplished by the Florida Gators in 1985.

Despite only recording six first downs, the Terps staked an early 14-0 lead and the defense prevailed, with a key interception by Trey Covington on the Hurricanes' final drive. Although Miami would force a punt, Isaih Gardner swooped in to cause Bruce Johnson's fumble, which was recovered to seal the victory, Maryland's fifth in a row.

Hollenbach, who threw for over 200 yards for the second straight game, finished with 202 yards on 11-of-16 passing. Heyward-Bey eclipsed the century mark in receiving yards for the second time in his career, with five catches for 175 yards.

The duo connected on the Terps' then-longest play of the season, a 65-yard strike for the opening touchdown with 11:45 remaining in the first quarter. It was the first time Maryland had scored a touchdown on its opening possession since Middle Tennessee on September 9. Overall, the Terps are 6-0 when scoring first this season.

However, they eclipsed both the season and all-time marks with the 96-yarder down the right sideline in the second quarter. The play broke the previous record of 92 yards (Stan Levine to Ed Bolton vs. South Carolina), a mark that stood for 57 seasons. In addition, it was the longest play ever given up by the Miami defense in that school's history. ...For more on the Terps go here...

Veterans Day and the Marine Museum

Open to the public on 13 November 2006, the National Museum of the Marine Corps is a lasting tribute to U.S. Marines -- past, present, and future.

Situated on a 135-acre site adjacent to the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia, the Museum's soaring design evokes the image of the flag-raisers of Iwo Jima and beckons visitors to its 118,000-square-foot structure.

World-class interactive exhibits using the most innovative technology will surround visitors with irreplaceable artifacts and immerse them in the sights and sounds of Marines in action.

From the Interstate 95 highway, the National Museum of the Marine Corps beckons to visitors, its 210-foot-tall steel spire cutting through the sky, evoking the historic flag-raising at Iwo Jima.

The $90 million facility features a fast-track timeline on the Marines, exhibits on World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and an area dedicated to what it is like to ship off to boot camp to become a Marine.

Terps and Redskins Win on Last Play

Maryland Beats Clemson 13-12

Dan Ennis kicked a 31-yard field goal as time ran out, lifting the Terps to a 13-12 victory Saturday over No. 19 Clemson and extending their winning streak to four games. Maryland (7-2, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) remained very much in the hunt in what's become a crazy conference championship chase.

This time, it looked like Friedgen and the Terps would leave disappointed. Clemson overcame a sluggish performance with a fourth-quarter rally -- thanks to a key reversed call from the replay booth -- that led to Jad Dean's fourth field goal and a 12-10 Tiger lead with 2:25 left.

But Sam Hollenbach drove Maryland 54 yards to Clemson's 12 -- converting a fourth-and-inches with his sneak -- to set up Ennis' game winner. "We've been in that situation before at practice," Hollenbach said. "We just tried to do what we did a hundred times before."

The Terps jumped and hugged Ennis in celebration. "I thought Dan was going to be sick, so I thought I'd talk to him later," Hollenbach said, smiling. Hollenbach led the Terps, completing 23 of 34 passes for 247 yards. ...Read more on Terp win here...

Redskins Beat Cowboys 22-19

Joe Gibbs watched his Washington Redskins go from blowing a chance for a last-minute victory over the Dallas Cowboys to preventing a last-minute loss to, somehow, pulling out a win with no time left on the clock.

"Gosh," the Hall of Fame coach said, "I don't know if I've experienced anything like that."

In a finish as crazy as they come, Washington's Nick Novak got two chances to try a winning field goal, missing the first from 49 yards with 31 seconds to go before barely making the second, a 47-yarder after time expired that lifted the Redskins past the Cowboys 22-19 on Sunday.

"It's a short walk from the outhouse to the penthouse," (Maryland Terp)Novak said. "This is what a kicker dreams about. There are ups and downs, and this was the up." ..Read more on Redskin win here...