I swear I must be living under a rock, because I’ve never heard of this series that has just wrapped up it’s third season …

LEVERAGE follows the adventures of a highly skilled team out to settle scores against those who use power and wealth to victimize others. The gang is led by former insurance investigator Nate Ford (Hutton), who got involved in the con business after his former employer refused to pay for treatment that could have saved his son’s life. His highly skilled team includes Sophie Devereaux (Bellman), a grifter who uses her acting skills to corner her marks; Eliot Spencer (Kane), a “retrieval specialist” with bone-crunching fighting skills; Alec Hardison (Hodge), a gadget and technology wizard who keeps the team informed; and Parker (Riesgraf), a slightly off-center thief adept at rappelling off buildings or squeezing into tight places.

By the end of the second season, the LEVERAGE team had scammed a hedge-fund manager who happened to be in the custody of U.S. Marshals; used Eliot’s martial arts skills to corner a corrupt fight promoter; and took over a private school to recover millions of dollars lost in a Ponzi scheme. They also went head-to-head with an almost identical team of grifters to recover a painting, took down an oppressive sweatshop owner, cornered a fake psychic, freed Nate’s ex-wife from a Ukrainian jail and thwarted a gunrunning scheme by a corrupt mayor. But for Sophie, her conflicted relationship with Nate left her questioning if she wanted to continue working with the team. She took some much-needed time away, arranging for a friend and fellow grifter to take her place temporarily. But even though Sophie has now returned to the team, there are still some unresolved issues between her and Nate.

The third season of LEVERAGE opens with Nate in prison after having to make a tough choice on the most recent con. He could either allow his team to be arrested or simply give himself up to his nemesis Sterling, a former insurance investigator now working for Interpol. Nate soon discovers, however, that the prison is corrupt. The only way he can bring the crooked officials down is to get his team to help him stage his jailbreak. But that’s only the beginning of Nate’s challenges. He must also contend with a shadowy intelligence agent known only as “The Italian,” played by actress and model Elisabetta Canalis, who blackmails him into helping bring down a financier. Between “The Italian” trying to control Nate and Nate trying to hold both his crew and his personal life together, it’s looking to be a challenging and twisted summer for the LEVERAGE team.

Because we think this is a series that is worth watching, we have the complete first two seasons on DVD to giveaway to one lucky winner.  All you have to do is leave a comment below to be entered to win.   On Friday, October 1st, the winner will be randomly chosen from all of the comments received. 

If you have missed it all like I did, you can find out all the info, meet the cast and watch full episodes here.  

My Boys is back for Season 4!!!  This TBS hit comedy about a group of close friends who always make time to get together, drink beer, play their weekly poker and support each other through the ups and downs of dating, break-ups and career highs and lows.

Season 3 ended with the gang in Arizona for the Cubs spring training game. Brendan is threatened by a professional baseball player meanwhile sparks fly between Kenny and Stephanie, Mike tries his best to get a base hit off a professional pitcher and Bobby helps P.J. write her best article yet. As the group returns to Chicago, Bobby and P.J. stumble upon Kenny and Stephanie kissing…

As a new season blossoms, the friends continue to joke around, bond over beer and poker and have fun, but this time around, they also have to face the realities of life, financial issues, career decisions, and getting into serious relationships.

Season 4 premiered on July 25th at 10/9 central on TBS. Grab a beer and tune in or set your DVR to watch their latest trials and tribulations. Although the season already started, you can easily catch up by viewing full episodes at Hulu.com.

If you haven’t caught the previous episodes of My Boys, no fear, we are giving away a complete disk set of Season Two and Season Three to one lucky winner.  Just leave a comment below … and you’ll be entered to win.   Doesn’t get any easier than that!  On Friday, September 3rd the winner will be randomly chosen from all of the comments received. 

CBS Films’ upcoming film Extraordinary Measures, starring Brendan Fraser and Harrison Ford, is inspired by the true story of John Crowley – a man who defied conventional wisdom and great odds to pursue a cure for his children’s life threatening disease.

To celebrate Crowley’s story, a wonderful opportunity has been created.  Do you have a specific cause close to you? If so, you have a chance to get the word out about it, and also possibly win some money for that cause!

It’s so easy.  All you have to do is create and upload an inspirational video. Once your video is uploaded, you will be entered into the sweepstakes for a chance to designate the charity of your choice to receive $10,000.  HELLO!  Did you hear that? $10,000.  What an awesome gift to your favorite charity that would be, huh?

• To get started, upload your video by visiting: http://extraordinarymeasuresthemovie.com/#/quilt
• Once it’s published, tell all your friends to vote for you.
• What a wonderful feeling it would be to present your cause with $10,000.

I told you it was easy.

Good luck.   And be sure to let us know when your video is up so that we can come vote for you.

Oh … and don’t forget to check out some of the other inspirational stories on that website above … if you don’t have one of your own, you’re sure to find one that you would like to vote for.

I was lucky enough to be asked to preview the pilot of “Men Of A Certain Age”. With an awesome all star cast, this show is the new, soon to be hit, on TNT.

Ray Romano, Scott Bakula and Andre Braugher are the three middle aged men that the show is based around. Though the pilot didn’t give much on the characters, but just enough to crave more. Learning more and more about them will obviously have to take place as the series progresses.

It’s hard to say whether Men Of A Certain Age will be classified as a comedy or drama … because there is a little of both mixed in. While most new shows cater towards women or kids … this one definitely leans in the other direction and is something the guys will totally relate to and find very entertaining. Us women? We will giggle at the similarities we find in our men … as they reach all the joys of middle age.

The show premiers tonight at 9pm central time on TNT.

Unless you live under a rock, you’ve probably heard that Ellen DeGeneres is going to join the American Idol judging panel.

Good Idea?

Bad Idea?

Your thoughts on her becoming a part of the show?

Please share.

No, I’m not talking about a thick, beautiful piece of meat, golden from the grill and juicy when you cut in to it.

Mmmmm… pork…

Ahem….

Anyway, Iowa has a new NHL affiliation with the Mighty Ducks. Luckily we don’t have to use their name (as we did with the Stars) so let me introduce to you the Iowa Chops.

I’m really digging the colors but… the pig…   I grew up on a farm and the only pigs I saw that looked like that were ready to take off your fingers.  Then again, he does look pretty fierce and I do love some fierce, all-out hockey.

So now that it feels like Iowa has it’s own hockey team and not just a cheap by-blow of someone else’s let’s hope the fans will show up.

Unfortunately we can’t afford season tickets this year but I’ll be sure to set aside some cash to attend a few games. And speaking of attending games- ticket prices have been slashed 38% from last year’s prices.

Hockey is, in my opinion, the best sport to see live. The excitement never stops. Catch a game or two this year and see if you don’t become addicted!

Posted by Jody @ Iowa Geek

I’m not a follower of gymnastics or the Olympics in general but is there anyone in Iowa who isn’t excited about Shawn Johnson?  She just cinched first place at the Olympic trials this past weekend which guarantees her trip to Bejing.

In all her interviews she seems like a good girl with a strong and supportive family.  A great role model for little girls from Iowa- or anywhere else.

In the Q&A on her website I really like this bit:

Q. How have your parents been supportive of your gymnastics?
A. They have and made sure that what I’m doing is what I love and enjoy. They have just supported me in everything that I have done and are the best parents ever.

Be sure to check out her Charity Support page, too. Seriously, this is an amazing girl. I’m in awe.