Reviews and More

I saw Casino Royale back in December and was blown away by how good the movie was. I definitely want to add it to my DVD collection, but haven’t gotten around to purchasing it yet. And thanks to this contest over at MySingleMomLife.com, I might not have to! That’s because Kat is giving away a brand-new copy of the Casino Royale DVD to one lucky winner this Saturday. She’s also giving away a copy of Brad Meltzer’s Book of Fate, so there are actually two chances to win a great prize.

Check out the contest requirements, write up your posts, and send in your emails soon!

I first started hearing some buzz about BackgammonMasters a couple months ago after I saw a YouTube video clip featuring Jean-Claude, their animated tiger mascot. Then after that, I heard about their upcoming auction of boxer Roman Greenberg’s trunks, with the proceeds going to support youth charities. As if that wasn’t enough, the popular online backgammon site still isn’t finished making waves. This time, the big news centers on BackgammonMasters.com’s move into the Latin American market.

According to a press release I read, BackgammonMasters.com decided that opening an office in Central America was warranted due to the overwhelming popularity of the site’s online gaming options, which include backgammon, poker, and the Spanish dice game Perudo. And from what I’ve heard, they’ll soon be offering blackjack as well.

One of the biggest reasons for BackgammonMasters.com’s success in global markets is the fact that the company listens — and responds — to player needs. For example, BackgammonMasters makes online gaming easy by offering an all-in-one download that allows users to play any number of games. Plus, BackgammonMasters is dedicated to enhancing the community aspect of online gameplay, and has therefore developed multiplayer variations of all the games they offer.

I just have to say that I think it’s pretty cool how BackgammonMasters.com is really taking off right now. This has to be one of the top gaming sites on the Internet, and it’s only getting better. Be sure to check out BackgammonMasters.com today to see what all the buzz is about!

Well, just a few minutes after I posted my most recent recap of 24 (and continued with my bashing of the current season), I read an article that said FOX has ordered two more seasons of the show. I was never worried about 24 being picked up again (after all, Kiefer’s still got two years left on his contract), so this wasn’t really “news” to me.

What did grab my attention in the article, however, was the little blurb that said producers are promising “sweeping changes” for next year in response to fan criticism about the boring storylines in Season Six. All I have to say is praise the Lord!!!!

Back when I was pregnant, I didn’t buy a single item of maternity clothing to wear during the nine-month ordeal. Instead, I opted to get by wearing nothing but sweatpants and oversized t-shirts the entire time. Don’t get me wrong; I did try shopping for maternity clothes in the early going.

However, I didn’t like anything I saw, so I just decided not to waste my money on those products. Of course I was completely comfortable in my sweats and tees, but I looked like a total slob and, as a result, never wanted to go anywhere. If I ever got pregnant again, I’d definitely do things differently and try to find cool maternity outfits to wear.

For example, I just discovered a website called BellyDanceMaternity.com that carries a huge selection of designer maternity clothes. The dresses, pants, jeans, skirts, and tops featured on the site reflect current fashion trends and styles, so I’d be able to look hip — even in the third trimester!

Anyway, I doubt that I’ll ever have the need for maternity clothes again, but if any of you other ladies out there want some truly cool duds, be sure to shop at Belly Dance Maternity!

The May 14 episode of 24 featured events that took place between 3:00am and 4:00am. It was another boring hour where not much happened, and pretty much confirms that this has been the worst 24 season ever. This show is headed the way of Lost, which went completely downhill after winning all those Emmys during Season One. 24, as you may recall, won the Emmy for Best Drama Series last year, but has done nothing to show that it actually deserves the honor. Anyway — here’s what happened on 6×22.

CTU:Jack, Nadia, and Morris overcome some of the kidnappers, just as Doyle and his men arrive back at CTU. Between the two groups of agents, the kidnappers get taken care of, so CTU is once again in the hands of the good guys. Jack immediately asks Nadia if he can go out to look for Josh, and she says yes — but Doyle is in charge. [Eyeroll time. Jack Doesn't take orders!]

Then, some new guy comes in from Division, blames Nadia for “allowing” CTU to be breached [um, yeah, that's never happened before], and takes over from her.

Jack/Doyle: They race out of CTU and manage to catch up to Cheng and his men. There’s a shootout, a bit of a chase on foot, then Jack finally rescues Josh. Unfortunately, Cheng escapes before Jack can exact revenge for all those months of torture.

Josh tells Jack that Cheng made him talk to Philip Bauer on the phone. Philip told Josh he wants to take him away to China, a country that’s moving forward and will dominate the world in 10 years. Philip wants Josh to be a part of it because Josh is Philip’s “legacy”.

Jack tells Marilyn about the phone call to Philip, and she reacts very strangely, wanting to know “what else” Philip said. [The writers totally made it look like she's working with Philip or something.] Then suddenly, Doyle pulls Josh away and takes him off in a helicopter while Jack gets dragged back to CTU by other agents.

The White House: More stuff with Russia. The setup meant to fool Lisa’s boyfriend into sending fake emails to his source in the Russian government doesn’t work. Instead, Lisa flips out and starts hitting the guy. He fights back and nearly chokes her to death. That’s when Tom and the CIA storm in and take over. They force the guy to send the fake emails in exchange for “leniency”.

Turns out the boyfriend was actually a Russian operative who was being watched by another group of Russian agents. So Subarov knew right away that the emails were fake. He spouts off with more threats about advancing into the “Asian theater” for a military strike if they don’t get that circuit board back RIGHT NOW.

Daniels then gets a call from Philip Bauer. We don’t hear what’s said, but I think we can safely assume that Doyle is dragging Josh to a meeting/exchange with the elder Bauer.

My Reaction: God, I don’t even know what to say about this show any more. I just want this awful season to end so I can immediately forget about it. I mean, I don’t even care about what’s going on right now. I’m more interested in finding out what happened to Logan, Martha, and Aaron than anything else!!

I also have to say that the show’s “cliffhangers” have TOTALLY SUCKED this season. There hasn’t been a single week where I was really anxious to see what happens next. Like I care where Josh is going?! Um, I think not. The writers really dropped the ball this season. 24 is not about character development — it’s all about action. When there isn’t any action, all the plot holes and other weaknesses get exposed. Sigh. Just one week left, thankfully.

It has always been a challenge for online gambling enthusiasts to find reputable poker rooms and casino sites to play at. Most of the time, you never know what you’re going to get from a particular site unless you’ve read numerous reviews that vouch for that site’s integrity. Plus, if you use a Mac, the task of finding an acceptable gambling venue becomes next to impossible — unless, of course, you have a resource such as Mac Poker on your side.

Mac Poker is a site dedicated to bringing poker players all the latest news, reviews, and online casino bonuses out there, with the added twist that all the info is geared towards Mac users. In other words, Mac Poker will point you to Mac-friendly sites where you can start playing on your Macintosh immediately. There are also lists of poker rooms that have Mac downloads or Windows emulators available, so you’ll have plenty of great rooms to choose from. Best of all, the external sites like Fulltilt poker, PokerStars, and Pacific Poker have all been reviewed in-depth by the Mac Poker staff, which means you’ll know exactly what to expect before you even play your first hand.

You’ll also find plenty of other information on the Mac Poker site, including easy-to-understand analysis of the recent changes to U.S. online gambling laws. Moreover, there’s an active forum where Mac poker players come together to share strategies, advice, and war stories in order to help each other succeed at Texas Holdem and all the other popular poker variations. In short, if you play online poker on a Mac, you can’t afford to miss out on what Mac Poker Online has to offer!

Hey, great news for fans of the CBS Monday night comedy lineup! I just read over on Zap2It.com that both The New Adventures of Old Christine and How I Met Your Mother have been renewed for at least one more season! Both of those shows had been on the bubble, with their fates still unknown at the end of their respective seasons. But CBS decided to cut Jericho and Head of the Class instead, so we will definitely get to see Season Three of TNAOOC and HIMYM.

“It’s gonna be legen….wait for it…. dary!!!!”