On Saturday night, Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher, Roy Halladay, made history by being the 20th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to throw a perfect game. Halladay achieved this coveted milestone against the Florida Marlins by going 27 up and 27 down, 11 of those by the way of the K. This is the second perfect game this season, Dallas Braden of the Oakland Athletics throwing the first one on May 9th against the Tampa Bay Rays. We already have a no-hitter and two perfect games this season and its not even June yet. I think the perfect game is starting to lose its value.
As much as I like the fact that it was Halladay that tossed a perfect game, I am very displeased of how often a perfect game has occurred in recent years. The first perfect game ever recorded was Lee Richmond in June 12, 1880 which the Worchester Ruby Legs defeated the Cleveland Blues 1-0. Five days later was John Montgomery Ward of the Providence Grays defeating the Buffalo Bisons 5-0. There have been 18 perfect games in the modern century, four of them in the last six seasons (Randy Johnson in 2004, Mark Buehrle in 2009, Braden and Halladay this season).
The longest separation between perfect games was Charlie Robertson in 1922 to Don Larson in 1956. Basically since then a perfect game happens every four-seven years. What is happening here? Are the pitchers getting better? Are the hitters getting worse? It could be possible that the pitchers are much stronger now between their strict diets and lifting weights. Before the 1970's, baseball players never lifted weights, but they were still excellent baseball players. Jim Rice, last year's Hall of Fame inductee, said that he never lifted weights and he hit over 400 homeruns. Maybe baseball just needs to allow pitchers to smoke cigarettes and chew tobacco during games, then hitters can have a better chance. It could also be possible that it is a coincidence, but how much of a coincidence?
It could also be because of the implementation of video and scouting reports. Starting pitchers have four and five days between each start to work on their mechanics, study their opponents and how their can exploit their opponent's weaknesses. Why does a perfect game not happen more often? Because hitters also study their mechanics and the opposing starting pitcher and how their can expose their weaknesses. I honestly don't believe or even don't want to believe that current baseball players are better than players from half a century ago. I just think today's players care so much about improving their game so they can get a big pay-day. It just makes me sad that it is happening more often than it should. As a fan, there is nothing I can do about it but watch the game and probably complain about it right after wards. Who is going to be the next person to join the perfect game club and when is it going to happen?
Monday, May 31, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
College life is over
Since the first day of school this year I was so excited about graduating college. It is time for college life to end and it is also time to turn to a new chapter in my life. When I woke up today, I almost freaked out because it is my last day of college. All year I have been talking about how great it will be to get out of here. I am actually a little sad because I am going to leave a lot of memories behind, but at the same time, this school has taught me so much that I am ready to get into the job world and pursue my dream job. This morning I went to the commencement rehearsal and I saw some people that I haven't seen in two or even three years. When I sat in the chairs at the rehearsal, I realized that after tomorrow I am all done. It feels like yesterday when I started college in 2006. On my first day, I meet new people and I felt like four years was going to last forever. Four years goes by a lot quicker than you think because trust me, I know for sure that college goes by way too fast. I have learned so much from meeting a lot of people and from all of my classes that the world needs our help to make it a better place. I have had experiences that I will never forget. I know that I will keep my college friends for several years to come. I would have never survived if it wasn't from my friends at school. There is always room for friends, but these friends of mine are so special that a lot of other people don't even come close to how special these people are. I feel privileged to be a college student and learn from teachers who had the opportunity to make the world a better place. I am proud to say that I am one of the one percent of the world that had the opportunity to go to college/university. That is a number that will always blow my mind. I can write a book of why the University of New Hampshire is the best school in New England but I don't have enough time to write about it at this point. This school has made me a much better person than before I came here. I don't think that I would have developed into the great person I am today if I went into a different school. Although, everyone has a different experience at a different school. But my experience will always be unforgettable. Since today is my last day as a college student, it is time for me to go crazy and spend time with the people I most care about. God bless to all UNH students and I wish you the best of luck for your future. God bless me for graduating in four years. I would not be here today if it wasn't for my friends and family from Massachusetts. I will always love you more than you will know.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Bangkok goes chaotic; Editorial makes right opinion about Blumenthal
All of these stories are reported by The New York Times.
A crackdown on anti government protesters launched by the Thai military on Wednesday degenerated into riots, firebombing attacks, looting and street battles after militants allied with the protest movement resisted the army’s onslaught with grenades and assault weapons. Most of the leaders of the so-called red shirt movement surrendered, but other protesters rampaged across Bangkok, setting fire to almost 30 buildings, the government said, including country’s stock exchange, a massive shopping mall, two banks, a movie theater and a television station. The government warned of further acts of violence into the night and threatened to shoot looters and arsonists. But the crackdown did not appear to have become the large-scale bloodbath that many had feared. By dusk the government said six people — including an Italian news photographer — had been killed and 58 injured, some critically. There were also reports from emergency medical personnel that at least six more bodies of people killed in clashes lay in a Buddhist temple in the combat zone. Still, central Bangkok, the heart of one of Asia’s most cosmopolitan cities, became a militarized zone, with well-armed troops lining many streets and armored personnel carriers barreling down deserted avenues. The government ordered a curfew for Wednesday night, the subway system remained shut, and embassies told their citizens living across this sprawling metropolis of about 15 million people to stay indoors. The leaders of the red shirts, who had roared into Bangkok on March 12 demanding fresh elections and calling for what they said was true democracy for the country, surrendered to the police on Wednesday afternoon to face charges of terrorism. The surrender of the protest leaders and the dispersal of the crowd are victories for the embattled government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. But the crackdown did little to heal the country’s deep divisions and may have exacerbated the resentment felt by the rural and urban poor, who formed the core of the protest movement. Rioting in the country’s populous hinterland Wednesday when the crackdown began underlined those divisions and forced the government to declare a curfew in 24 of the country’s 76 provinces on Wednesday. The crackdown began Wednesday morning when armored military vehicles that had massed in the predawn hours outside the protester’s encampment rammed through barricades constructed with tires, bamboo poles and razor wire. After weeks of back-channel negotiations with the protesters, many of whom are followers of Thaksin Shinawatra, the prime minister ousted in a 2006 military coup, the government had lost its patience. Infantry accompanied the armored vehicles into the protest zone, taking control of major roads as well as entering the city’s Lumpini Park, normally a rare oasis of green and tranquility in Bangkok. On Wednesday a grenade landed in one of the park’s lakes, soldiers said. As troops approached anxiety spread through the protest zone, which was located in one the wealthiest neighborhoods in Bangkok and home to many corporate headquarters, high-end shopping malls, luxury hotels and high-rise apartment buildings. Thai news outlets reported that one of the more militant protest leaders, Arisman Pongruengrong, who is also a popular singer, fled the protest zone in disguise. Mr. Arisman made headlines last month when he evaded arrest by climbing from a window as the police raided the hotel where he was staying. He was captured Wednesday evening by the police and taken to a military base outside of Bangkok. Around noon, seven protest leaders announced they would hand themselves in.
The fact that there is fighting and violence in such a peaceful country makes me very sad. As much as I am happy about people that care about their political rights and thoughts about their government, it should not have come to this. This has been going on for about two months now and I think the government has had enough of it. The government and military officials have made several attempts to make peace with the protesters but most of them still haven't budged. Too many people have been killed, even a general who was shot and killed last week. This has become such a crazy world and no one should feel safe. Stories like this is the reason why all Americans like myself should feel fortunate of what we have. We should cherish all of the opportunities we get and then run with it.
There are few sins less forgivable in American politics than claiming unearned military valor. Richard Blumenthal, the attorney general of Connecticut, may consider his false claim to have served in Vietnam to be “a few misplaced words,” as he put it on Tuesday, but, in fact, this deception seems to have been part of a larger pattern of misleading voters. As Raymond Hernandez reported in The Times on Tuesday, Mr. Blumenthal, a Democratic candidate for the United States Senate, said on at least one occasion in 2008 that he had served in Vietnam, and he failed to correct journalistic profiles over the years that included the claim. He was actually a member of the Marine Corps Reserve who never served overseas. In an unsatisfying news conference on Tuesday, Mr. Blumenthal said he had meant to say that he served “during” the Vietnam War, not “in” Vietnam. He was surrounded by veterans who said he had repeatedly used that construction over the years. But even that phrase seems intended to suggest to inattentive voters that he had a greater link to the war than he actually did. There is nothing wrong with having received multiple military deferments during the Vietnam period, as Mr. Blumenthal did, and neither those deferments nor the details of his service in the reserve have any bearing on his fitness to become a senator. But his embellishments do. Mr. Blumenthal, who has an exemplary record as attorney general, has only a few months to demonstrate that they are an aberration and not a disqualifying character trait.
People like Richard Blumenthal are why politicians disgust me. How do you "misplace words" about serving in the Vietnam War? Serving during and serving in Vietnam is a big difference. Those were very sad and brutal times in American history in the 20th century. While millions of American soldiers lost their lives fighting for their country, this guy kept being deferred from serving. It's probably because he's lazy and incompetent and the generals knew that it wouldn't be a good idea to have him serve with other soldiers who actually care about their country. I'm glad that Blumenthal supports Vietnam War veterans and also acknowledges of what they have been through since the conclusion of the war, but don't act like you are a hero because you served during those times. This is no world citizen trusts their government because all of the people involved are two-faced.
A crackdown on anti government protesters launched by the Thai military on Wednesday degenerated into riots, firebombing attacks, looting and street battles after militants allied with the protest movement resisted the army’s onslaught with grenades and assault weapons. Most of the leaders of the so-called red shirt movement surrendered, but other protesters rampaged across Bangkok, setting fire to almost 30 buildings, the government said, including country’s stock exchange, a massive shopping mall, two banks, a movie theater and a television station. The government warned of further acts of violence into the night and threatened to shoot looters and arsonists. But the crackdown did not appear to have become the large-scale bloodbath that many had feared. By dusk the government said six people — including an Italian news photographer — had been killed and 58 injured, some critically. There were also reports from emergency medical personnel that at least six more bodies of people killed in clashes lay in a Buddhist temple in the combat zone. Still, central Bangkok, the heart of one of Asia’s most cosmopolitan cities, became a militarized zone, with well-armed troops lining many streets and armored personnel carriers barreling down deserted avenues. The government ordered a curfew for Wednesday night, the subway system remained shut, and embassies told their citizens living across this sprawling metropolis of about 15 million people to stay indoors. The leaders of the red shirts, who had roared into Bangkok on March 12 demanding fresh elections and calling for what they said was true democracy for the country, surrendered to the police on Wednesday afternoon to face charges of terrorism. The surrender of the protest leaders and the dispersal of the crowd are victories for the embattled government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. But the crackdown did little to heal the country’s deep divisions and may have exacerbated the resentment felt by the rural and urban poor, who formed the core of the protest movement. Rioting in the country’s populous hinterland Wednesday when the crackdown began underlined those divisions and forced the government to declare a curfew in 24 of the country’s 76 provinces on Wednesday. The crackdown began Wednesday morning when armored military vehicles that had massed in the predawn hours outside the protester’s encampment rammed through barricades constructed with tires, bamboo poles and razor wire. After weeks of back-channel negotiations with the protesters, many of whom are followers of Thaksin Shinawatra, the prime minister ousted in a 2006 military coup, the government had lost its patience. Infantry accompanied the armored vehicles into the protest zone, taking control of major roads as well as entering the city’s Lumpini Park, normally a rare oasis of green and tranquility in Bangkok. On Wednesday a grenade landed in one of the park’s lakes, soldiers said. As troops approached anxiety spread through the protest zone, which was located in one the wealthiest neighborhoods in Bangkok and home to many corporate headquarters, high-end shopping malls, luxury hotels and high-rise apartment buildings. Thai news outlets reported that one of the more militant protest leaders, Arisman Pongruengrong, who is also a popular singer, fled the protest zone in disguise. Mr. Arisman made headlines last month when he evaded arrest by climbing from a window as the police raided the hotel where he was staying. He was captured Wednesday evening by the police and taken to a military base outside of Bangkok. Around noon, seven protest leaders announced they would hand themselves in.
The fact that there is fighting and violence in such a peaceful country makes me very sad. As much as I am happy about people that care about their political rights and thoughts about their government, it should not have come to this. This has been going on for about two months now and I think the government has had enough of it. The government and military officials have made several attempts to make peace with the protesters but most of them still haven't budged. Too many people have been killed, even a general who was shot and killed last week. This has become such a crazy world and no one should feel safe. Stories like this is the reason why all Americans like myself should feel fortunate of what we have. We should cherish all of the opportunities we get and then run with it.
There are few sins less forgivable in American politics than claiming unearned military valor. Richard Blumenthal, the attorney general of Connecticut, may consider his false claim to have served in Vietnam to be “a few misplaced words,” as he put it on Tuesday, but, in fact, this deception seems to have been part of a larger pattern of misleading voters. As Raymond Hernandez reported in The Times on Tuesday, Mr. Blumenthal, a Democratic candidate for the United States Senate, said on at least one occasion in 2008 that he had served in Vietnam, and he failed to correct journalistic profiles over the years that included the claim. He was actually a member of the Marine Corps Reserve who never served overseas. In an unsatisfying news conference on Tuesday, Mr. Blumenthal said he had meant to say that he served “during” the Vietnam War, not “in” Vietnam. He was surrounded by veterans who said he had repeatedly used that construction over the years. But even that phrase seems intended to suggest to inattentive voters that he had a greater link to the war than he actually did. There is nothing wrong with having received multiple military deferments during the Vietnam period, as Mr. Blumenthal did, and neither those deferments nor the details of his service in the reserve have any bearing on his fitness to become a senator. But his embellishments do. Mr. Blumenthal, who has an exemplary record as attorney general, has only a few months to demonstrate that they are an aberration and not a disqualifying character trait.
People like Richard Blumenthal are why politicians disgust me. How do you "misplace words" about serving in the Vietnam War? Serving during and serving in Vietnam is a big difference. Those were very sad and brutal times in American history in the 20th century. While millions of American soldiers lost their lives fighting for their country, this guy kept being deferred from serving. It's probably because he's lazy and incompetent and the generals knew that it wouldn't be a good idea to have him serve with other soldiers who actually care about their country. I'm glad that Blumenthal supports Vietnam War veterans and also acknowledges of what they have been through since the conclusion of the war, but don't act like you are a hero because you served during those times. This is no world citizen trusts their government because all of the people involved are two-faced.
Monday, May 17, 2010
How fans deal with the Bruins choking
On Friday, Boston Bruins fans saw one of the worst collapses in NHL history, if not Boston sports history. The Bruins lost to the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 and became the third team in NHL history to lose a series when leading a best of seven games three games to zero, the Detroit Red Wings lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942 and the Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the New York Islanders in 1975. This was a sad week to watch hockey if you are a Bruins fan, a real fan or bandwagon fan. All the Bruins had to do was win one game and they would advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1992 and it would have been against their biggest foe, the Montreal Canadiens, but they didn't do it. Not only did they lose a three game lead, they actually lost a 3-0 lead in the first period to lose the series, how about that for karma.
I got over it surprisingly quickly because I am always behind my team no matter how good or bad they are. What I haven't gotten over is the annoying bandwagon fans that have been constantly bitching that they lost. They definitely jumped on the wagon when the Bruins went to the playoffs. There is no way damn way that they were fans during the regular season when the Bruins stunk up the joint until the last two weeks of the season. As pissed off as I am that the Bruins blew it, I have to admit that they got a hell of a lot farther in the playoffs than I expected. They beat the Buffalo Sabres and they had the best goaltender in the NHL this season in Ryan Miller. Does that bring you a Stanley Cup? No it doesn't. You would figure that the Flyers would be toast without Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne during the series, but the Flyers didn't quit. Gagne came back in Game Four earlier than expected and scored four goals in four games to lead the Flyers past the Bruins. The bandwagon fans have been bitching as soon as the Flyers took a 4-3 lead late in the third period when Simon Gagne scored a power play goal.
When I was on Facebook on Friday after the loss, I read eight statuses in a row that basically said Bruins suck. Who cares? Just be happy for your team for the fact that they had a chance to battle for the Stanley Cup. Being a fan for the Bruins is really tough thing to do. They are currently the hardest team to root for in New England sports right now because they choke a lot. In 1979, they blew a one goal lead in the seventh game because of a too many men on the ice penalty. Sure enough, they lost the lead on the penalty kill and lost in overtime. In 2004, the Bruins lost a three games to one lead to the Canadiens won the last three games to win the first round. They choked last year when they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7 at home in the second round. As often as the Bruins choke, I will stick to my team.
Even though the Bruins had a sad ending to their wild season, things do look bright for next year. A lot of bandwagon Bruins fans will forget that they have the number two pick in this year's NHL Draft (thank you Maple Leafs for trading a first rounder for Phil Kessel). For the off-season, The fake Bruins fans would probably want the coaching staff to be fired or a major change in personnel. Bruins head coach, Claude Julien, should not be fired. He has done a great job with this team and a change in coaching would not do anything to improve the team. A trade or two wouldn't hurt, but the Bruins should stick to free agency and see what they get first.
Things don't look too bright right now because the Bruins broke our hearts but if you are a real fan, you stick with your team to the end, no exceptions. I am very sure of myself that I will be talking about this to fake Bruins fans all summer. It will be even more frustrating when they won't give me good, factual reasons why the Bruins suck. In sports, there is always a loser and the Bruins are unfortunately on that losing side. Bandwagon fans, I will see you next April when the Bruins make the playoffs.
I got over it surprisingly quickly because I am always behind my team no matter how good or bad they are. What I haven't gotten over is the annoying bandwagon fans that have been constantly bitching that they lost. They definitely jumped on the wagon when the Bruins went to the playoffs. There is no way damn way that they were fans during the regular season when the Bruins stunk up the joint until the last two weeks of the season. As pissed off as I am that the Bruins blew it, I have to admit that they got a hell of a lot farther in the playoffs than I expected. They beat the Buffalo Sabres and they had the best goaltender in the NHL this season in Ryan Miller. Does that bring you a Stanley Cup? No it doesn't. You would figure that the Flyers would be toast without Jeff Carter and Simon Gagne during the series, but the Flyers didn't quit. Gagne came back in Game Four earlier than expected and scored four goals in four games to lead the Flyers past the Bruins. The bandwagon fans have been bitching as soon as the Flyers took a 4-3 lead late in the third period when Simon Gagne scored a power play goal.
When I was on Facebook on Friday after the loss, I read eight statuses in a row that basically said Bruins suck. Who cares? Just be happy for your team for the fact that they had a chance to battle for the Stanley Cup. Being a fan for the Bruins is really tough thing to do. They are currently the hardest team to root for in New England sports right now because they choke a lot. In 1979, they blew a one goal lead in the seventh game because of a too many men on the ice penalty. Sure enough, they lost the lead on the penalty kill and lost in overtime. In 2004, the Bruins lost a three games to one lead to the Canadiens won the last three games to win the first round. They choked last year when they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7 at home in the second round. As often as the Bruins choke, I will stick to my team.
Even though the Bruins had a sad ending to their wild season, things do look bright for next year. A lot of bandwagon Bruins fans will forget that they have the number two pick in this year's NHL Draft (thank you Maple Leafs for trading a first rounder for Phil Kessel). For the off-season, The fake Bruins fans would probably want the coaching staff to be fired or a major change in personnel. Bruins head coach, Claude Julien, should not be fired. He has done a great job with this team and a change in coaching would not do anything to improve the team. A trade or two wouldn't hurt, but the Bruins should stick to free agency and see what they get first.
Things don't look too bright right now because the Bruins broke our hearts but if you are a real fan, you stick with your team to the end, no exceptions. I am very sure of myself that I will be talking about this to fake Bruins fans all summer. It will be even more frustrating when they won't give me good, factual reasons why the Bruins suck. In sports, there is always a loser and the Bruins are unfortunately on that losing side. Bandwagon fans, I will see you next April when the Bruins make the playoffs.
Friday, May 14, 2010
A week full of relaxing
I am back to writing after a week vacation. Even though I haven't needed to studied since Monday, I needed a break from my daily routine in college throughout this semester. There hasn't been a lot of interesting news updates since last week and, there wasn't anything special about my life to actually talk about. This week has been more interesting than ever.
On Monday I had my last final ever as an undergraduate student at the University of New Hampshire. It was my sports writing final and what we did was we watched a Colorado Rockies/Chicago Cubs game in 2008. The Rockies had a 9-1 through five innings and the Cubs scored three runs in the sixth inning and six runs in the seventh inning and the Cubs won 10-9. After the game, we had to write a first draft which is a running story. After we emailed our running story, we had to go to another room and my instructor, David Cataneo pretended to be the players and managers and we interviewed them about the game. David was funny because of the things the players and managers pretended to say. Then we had to write the wrap, which is the game story with the quotes from the players and managers. I got it done four minutes before the deadline. It was a lot of fun because it was my first time ever working under pressure like that. Even though it may not have gone as planned, I was happy about gaining experience of what it is like to work on a short deadline.
Since Monday, I have basically been on vacation. While everyone else is writing long papers or studying for their final exams, I have just been relaxing and doing what I want to do. I have more time to read the newspaper, go to the gym, reading and spending more time with my friends. I was actually going to go home this weekend because I wanted to break up my time from Monday until next Saturday, but my mother, my mother, the woman who is selfish about giving me up persuaded me to stay at UNH this weekend. She said that it will be my last weekend ever in college and there is a possibility that I may never see some of my college friends ever again. I then thought about it and then I realized that she is right. I can see my family and friends anytime I want. I do think that I will see some of my friends again someday, but we shall see.
Yesterday I got to meet Jackie MacMullan, a columnist from the Boston Globe and contributor of ESPN. She attended and graduated from UNH in 1982. She came back to be a guest speaker at a luncheon that the university president Mark Huddleston held for guests and alumni. The Journalism department offered all of the journalism students to meet Jackie 45 minutes before the event and seven students, including myself, accepted the invitation. Before I got to meet Jackie, I felt like I was hyperventilating. I felt like this because I have been reading her stories since I was a freshman in high school and I had great respect for her. While I was unable to get my breath, I needed to get a banana to calm my nerves. Sure enough, after I ate my banana, I felt a lot better. Finally Jackie comes in. All of the sudden I felt extremely confidant. I knew what I was going to talk to her about, but I also wanted to listen to what she had to say. She talked about her most recent released book "The Game is Ours" which is about the rivalry between NBA legends Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson. She said that writing books "sucks the life out of you." I figured it would be, especially if you are writing about a guy who had no personality and a guy with too much personality. She also talked about her career and all of her favorite stories. When it was my turn, my question was: "Since you played basketball during college, did it benefit you when it came to covering basketball games?" She said it didn't help with her writing but it did help her when it came to talking to players. That was exactly what I wanted to hear and I was very happy that I asked her that question. We also talked a little about the current Celtics teams and it was really interesting of what she had to say about the team. She said that Rajon Rondo would not be the player he is today if it wasn't for "The Big Three" which is Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. I immediately felt comfortable while I listening to her. She was so easy to talk to. I can see why all of the players wanted to talk to her. Jackie is very nice and so outgoing. She kept telling us to get our names out there, bother as many editors as possible and show your passion. That made me feel really good that I was able to sit down with someone who went to the same school as I do and get to the top. I can tell that she went through a lot to get to where she is today. I felt like I was walking on water after I talked to her and it was a great feeling.
I am eight days away from graduating. It is a surreal feeling that I am so close to finishing. The best part is that I can relax as much as I want until then. I have plenty of time to search for jobs. I have the rest of my life to find direction in my line of work. What my job is for right now is to relax, have fun and do everything I want to do until next Saturday.
On Monday I had my last final ever as an undergraduate student at the University of New Hampshire. It was my sports writing final and what we did was we watched a Colorado Rockies/Chicago Cubs game in 2008. The Rockies had a 9-1 through five innings and the Cubs scored three runs in the sixth inning and six runs in the seventh inning and the Cubs won 10-9. After the game, we had to write a first draft which is a running story. After we emailed our running story, we had to go to another room and my instructor, David Cataneo pretended to be the players and managers and we interviewed them about the game. David was funny because of the things the players and managers pretended to say. Then we had to write the wrap, which is the game story with the quotes from the players and managers. I got it done four minutes before the deadline. It was a lot of fun because it was my first time ever working under pressure like that. Even though it may not have gone as planned, I was happy about gaining experience of what it is like to work on a short deadline.
Since Monday, I have basically been on vacation. While everyone else is writing long papers or studying for their final exams, I have just been relaxing and doing what I want to do. I have more time to read the newspaper, go to the gym, reading and spending more time with my friends. I was actually going to go home this weekend because I wanted to break up my time from Monday until next Saturday, but my mother, my mother, the woman who is selfish about giving me up persuaded me to stay at UNH this weekend. She said that it will be my last weekend ever in college and there is a possibility that I may never see some of my college friends ever again. I then thought about it and then I realized that she is right. I can see my family and friends anytime I want. I do think that I will see some of my friends again someday, but we shall see.
Yesterday I got to meet Jackie MacMullan, a columnist from the Boston Globe and contributor of ESPN. She attended and graduated from UNH in 1982. She came back to be a guest speaker at a luncheon that the university president Mark Huddleston held for guests and alumni. The Journalism department offered all of the journalism students to meet Jackie 45 minutes before the event and seven students, including myself, accepted the invitation. Before I got to meet Jackie, I felt like I was hyperventilating. I felt like this because I have been reading her stories since I was a freshman in high school and I had great respect for her. While I was unable to get my breath, I needed to get a banana to calm my nerves. Sure enough, after I ate my banana, I felt a lot better. Finally Jackie comes in. All of the sudden I felt extremely confidant. I knew what I was going to talk to her about, but I also wanted to listen to what she had to say. She talked about her most recent released book "The Game is Ours" which is about the rivalry between NBA legends Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson. She said that writing books "sucks the life out of you." I figured it would be, especially if you are writing about a guy who had no personality and a guy with too much personality. She also talked about her career and all of her favorite stories. When it was my turn, my question was: "Since you played basketball during college, did it benefit you when it came to covering basketball games?" She said it didn't help with her writing but it did help her when it came to talking to players. That was exactly what I wanted to hear and I was very happy that I asked her that question. We also talked a little about the current Celtics teams and it was really interesting of what she had to say about the team. She said that Rajon Rondo would not be the player he is today if it wasn't for "The Big Three" which is Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. I immediately felt comfortable while I listening to her. She was so easy to talk to. I can see why all of the players wanted to talk to her. Jackie is very nice and so outgoing. She kept telling us to get our names out there, bother as many editors as possible and show your passion. That made me feel really good that I was able to sit down with someone who went to the same school as I do and get to the top. I can tell that she went through a lot to get to where she is today. I felt like I was walking on water after I talked to her and it was a great feeling.
I am eight days away from graduating. It is a surreal feeling that I am so close to finishing. The best part is that I can relax as much as I want until then. I have plenty of time to search for jobs. I have the rest of my life to find direction in my line of work. What my job is for right now is to relax, have fun and do everything I want to do until next Saturday.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Amount of oil in ocean could escalate; Washington approves medical marijuana;
All of these stories are reported by The New York Times
In a closed door briefing for members of Congress, a senior BP executive conceded Tuesday that the crippled Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico could conceivably spill as much as 60,000 barrels a day of oil, more than 10 times the estimate of the current flow. The scope of the problem has grown drastically since the rig exploded and capsized into the gulf. Now, the discussion with BP on Capitol Hill is certain to intensify pressure on the company, which is facing crisis of confidence similar to what the Toyoda Motor Company has with uncontrolled acceleration-despite its efforts to control the damage to its reputation as a corporate citizen, the problem may be worsening. Amid growing uncertainty about the extent of the leak, and when it might be stanched, pressure on BP intensified on multiple fronts on Tuesday, from increasingly frustrated residents of the Gulf Coast to federal, state and local officials demanding more from the company. Instead, the company has dispatched executives to hold down meetings in the affected region, and it has turned to lower-profile social media outlets to trumpet its cleanup efforts and moves to organize volunteers. At Tuesday's briefing, David Rainey, the BP vice president for the Gulf of Mexico production, said the company was employing a variety of untried techniques to staunch the oil gushing from the well 5,000 feet below the surface. At the briefing, Mr. Rainey and officials from Transocean and from Halliburton, which was providing cementing services on the platform, also acknowledged that they did not know how likely it was that the oil from the spill would be caught up in the so-called loop currents in the gulf and be carried through the Florida Keys into the Atlantic Ocean. Also on Tuesday, the company's chief executive, Tony Hayward, told Senator Bill Nelson, Democrat of Florida, that the spill would clearly cause more than $75 million in economic damage, the current cap on liability for drilling accidents. While BP continues to acknowledge its responsibility to shut off and clean up the oil, it is being barraged by government officials and civil lawyers who are redoubling efforts to ensure that the company's legal obligations are clearly defined and strictly enforced. BP has significantly stepped up its lobbying on Capital Hill, spending nearly $16 million in 2009, more than triple what it spent just two years before, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics, a watchdog group. BP is playing to a particularly skeptical and vigilant audience in the gulf, where people have become accustomed to frustrating clashes with insurance companies and government agencies in the five years since Hurricane Katrina.
It's amazing how a story in this caliber can be so heavily downplayed until they realize its worse than it is. Oil spilled into the ocean is bad, not matter how much it is and no matter what body of water it is. It just so happens that instead of some oil being in the water, there is a shitload of oil in the water. It's a good thing that BP is paying for this because the government nor anyone else should have to. It could hurt the economy, the animals, the environment and the means of oil production. Even though the amount of oil in the ocean is escalating, I don't buy it taking years for it to clean up. Once they block the shores with concrete walls, people will be safe. Everything that becomes a potential disaster takes a long time to fix. It will just take longer than expected to clean it up.
The District of Columbia Council approved a measure on Tuesday that would allow people with certain chronic illnesses to obtain medical marijuana from a handful of dispensaries regulated by the city. The 13-member council voted unanimously to allow doctors to recommend marijuana for people who are infected with H.I.V., as well as people with glaucoma, cancer or "chronic and lasting disease." Some doctors say marijuana helps relieve nausea, vomiting, certain AIDS syndrome and some side effects of chemotherapy. For glaucoma patients, the drug is believed to help lower eye pressure. The measure, which Mayor Adrian Fenty is expected to sign into law, thrusts the debate over medical marijuana into the hands of Congress and the White House, which must decide within 30 days whether to allow the city to proceed with the plan. To block, the law from taking effect, the House and the Senate must pass a joint resolution and President Obama must approve. If federal lawmakers do not intervene, Washington will join California and 13 other states that allows residents to use marijuana for medical purposes. The measure requires patients, their caregivers, dispensaries and cultivators to register with the city, restricts dispensaries to a maximum of 95 plants, and prohibits district agencies from arresting medical marijuana users or denying them from other services. Public support for medical marijuana has remained constantly high in recent years. In an Associated Press-CNBC poll conducted in April, nearly two-thirds of the respondents supported legalizing medical marijuana.
Wow, Washington is actually close to approving medical marijuana. There have been talks about passing the law for several months, so this doesn't come much as a surprise. I don't understand why people are so against medical marijuana, never mind marijuana. It's not like the drug can actually kill you unless you smoke two pounds in one sitting which is absolutely impossible by the way. Plus, patients need to find more ways to cure if not contain the illness anyway and I think medical marijuana will do the job. I think this is a big step for attempting to legalize marijuana. I don't think that the gateway drug will be illegal for much longer with 14 states approving medical marijuana.
In a closed door briefing for members of Congress, a senior BP executive conceded Tuesday that the crippled Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico could conceivably spill as much as 60,000 barrels a day of oil, more than 10 times the estimate of the current flow. The scope of the problem has grown drastically since the rig exploded and capsized into the gulf. Now, the discussion with BP on Capitol Hill is certain to intensify pressure on the company, which is facing crisis of confidence similar to what the Toyoda Motor Company has with uncontrolled acceleration-despite its efforts to control the damage to its reputation as a corporate citizen, the problem may be worsening. Amid growing uncertainty about the extent of the leak, and when it might be stanched, pressure on BP intensified on multiple fronts on Tuesday, from increasingly frustrated residents of the Gulf Coast to federal, state and local officials demanding more from the company. Instead, the company has dispatched executives to hold down meetings in the affected region, and it has turned to lower-profile social media outlets to trumpet its cleanup efforts and moves to organize volunteers. At Tuesday's briefing, David Rainey, the BP vice president for the Gulf of Mexico production, said the company was employing a variety of untried techniques to staunch the oil gushing from the well 5,000 feet below the surface. At the briefing, Mr. Rainey and officials from Transocean and from Halliburton, which was providing cementing services on the platform, also acknowledged that they did not know how likely it was that the oil from the spill would be caught up in the so-called loop currents in the gulf and be carried through the Florida Keys into the Atlantic Ocean. Also on Tuesday, the company's chief executive, Tony Hayward, told Senator Bill Nelson, Democrat of Florida, that the spill would clearly cause more than $75 million in economic damage, the current cap on liability for drilling accidents. While BP continues to acknowledge its responsibility to shut off and clean up the oil, it is being barraged by government officials and civil lawyers who are redoubling efforts to ensure that the company's legal obligations are clearly defined and strictly enforced. BP has significantly stepped up its lobbying on Capital Hill, spending nearly $16 million in 2009, more than triple what it spent just two years before, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics, a watchdog group. BP is playing to a particularly skeptical and vigilant audience in the gulf, where people have become accustomed to frustrating clashes with insurance companies and government agencies in the five years since Hurricane Katrina.
It's amazing how a story in this caliber can be so heavily downplayed until they realize its worse than it is. Oil spilled into the ocean is bad, not matter how much it is and no matter what body of water it is. It just so happens that instead of some oil being in the water, there is a shitload of oil in the water. It's a good thing that BP is paying for this because the government nor anyone else should have to. It could hurt the economy, the animals, the environment and the means of oil production. Even though the amount of oil in the ocean is escalating, I don't buy it taking years for it to clean up. Once they block the shores with concrete walls, people will be safe. Everything that becomes a potential disaster takes a long time to fix. It will just take longer than expected to clean it up.
The District of Columbia Council approved a measure on Tuesday that would allow people with certain chronic illnesses to obtain medical marijuana from a handful of dispensaries regulated by the city. The 13-member council voted unanimously to allow doctors to recommend marijuana for people who are infected with H.I.V., as well as people with glaucoma, cancer or "chronic and lasting disease." Some doctors say marijuana helps relieve nausea, vomiting, certain AIDS syndrome and some side effects of chemotherapy. For glaucoma patients, the drug is believed to help lower eye pressure. The measure, which Mayor Adrian Fenty is expected to sign into law, thrusts the debate over medical marijuana into the hands of Congress and the White House, which must decide within 30 days whether to allow the city to proceed with the plan. To block, the law from taking effect, the House and the Senate must pass a joint resolution and President Obama must approve. If federal lawmakers do not intervene, Washington will join California and 13 other states that allows residents to use marijuana for medical purposes. The measure requires patients, their caregivers, dispensaries and cultivators to register with the city, restricts dispensaries to a maximum of 95 plants, and prohibits district agencies from arresting medical marijuana users or denying them from other services. Public support for medical marijuana has remained constantly high in recent years. In an Associated Press-CNBC poll conducted in April, nearly two-thirds of the respondents supported legalizing medical marijuana.
Wow, Washington is actually close to approving medical marijuana. There have been talks about passing the law for several months, so this doesn't come much as a surprise. I don't understand why people are so against medical marijuana, never mind marijuana. It's not like the drug can actually kill you unless you smoke two pounds in one sitting which is absolutely impossible by the way. Plus, patients need to find more ways to cure if not contain the illness anyway and I think medical marijuana will do the job. I think this is a big step for attempting to legalize marijuana. I don't think that the gateway drug will be illegal for much longer with 14 states approving medical marijuana.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Durant, not James, should have won MVP
Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James won his second consecutive MVP award yesterday topping Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant and Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant. James received 116 out of the 123 possible votes to win MVP. I thought this was the wrong choice and the voting should have been closer.
I thought that Durant should have won. Don't get me wrong, James is a tremendous player to watch. He is a crazy physical specimen that is almost unstoppable, but when you have Shaquille O'Neal and Mo Williams on the floor with you, it would be inexcusable for poor play. Durant does not have that luxury of a great supporting cast. In fact, Durant had to provide his talents on a much younger team whose average age is 25.1, while the Cavalier's average age is 27.8. Just two years ago, the Seattle Supersonics were sold and moved to Oklahoma City. Last year the Thunder's record was 23-59, fourth worst record in the NBA. This year, Durant, he led the Thunder to a 27-win improvement from a year ago, making them from crappy to championship contenders overnight. He helped make Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green and James Harden from high draft choices to stars in just three short years. James never did that when he got drafted in 2003. His team got better from trades and free agency. James is a great player, but he doesn't make players around him better.
I am going to break down stats for both players: James played 76 games, played 39 minutes a game, scored 29 points per game, 7.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists, shot 50 percent, 33 percent from three pointers and a 76 percent from the free throw line. Durant played all 82 games, scored 30 points per game, 7.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, shot 47 percent, 36 from three point land and 90 percent from the free throw line. The only stats that James was better at were assists, steals and field goal percentage while Durant was better at everything else. Plus, Durant had to put up those numbers in a much tougher Western Conference than James who plays in the puny Eastern Conference.
It just shows that since James is the more popular player he would always win awards. I think Durant is more likely to win a championship than James because he has a hell of a lot of talent around him and he is more of a winner. To me, James is just a guy who puts up ridiculous stats. James' teams will always be really good, but not championship caliber because he is just show. He throws powder in the air, makes spectacular dunks and shots three pointers from as far as possible. Just play the damn game, don't act like your better than everybody, be better than everybody and someday Durant will show that kind of example. Durant is more of a team player. He doesn't talk smack and he does his job. The definition of a Most Valuable Player to me means if a team did not have this player they would be screwed and Durant is that player, not James.
I thought that Durant should have won. Don't get me wrong, James is a tremendous player to watch. He is a crazy physical specimen that is almost unstoppable, but when you have Shaquille O'Neal and Mo Williams on the floor with you, it would be inexcusable for poor play. Durant does not have that luxury of a great supporting cast. In fact, Durant had to provide his talents on a much younger team whose average age is 25.1, while the Cavalier's average age is 27.8. Just two years ago, the Seattle Supersonics were sold and moved to Oklahoma City. Last year the Thunder's record was 23-59, fourth worst record in the NBA. This year, Durant, he led the Thunder to a 27-win improvement from a year ago, making them from crappy to championship contenders overnight. He helped make Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green and James Harden from high draft choices to stars in just three short years. James never did that when he got drafted in 2003. His team got better from trades and free agency. James is a great player, but he doesn't make players around him better.
I am going to break down stats for both players: James played 76 games, played 39 minutes a game, scored 29 points per game, 7.3 rebounds, 8.6 assists, shot 50 percent, 33 percent from three pointers and a 76 percent from the free throw line. Durant played all 82 games, scored 30 points per game, 7.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, shot 47 percent, 36 from three point land and 90 percent from the free throw line. The only stats that James was better at were assists, steals and field goal percentage while Durant was better at everything else. Plus, Durant had to put up those numbers in a much tougher Western Conference than James who plays in the puny Eastern Conference.
It just shows that since James is the more popular player he would always win awards. I think Durant is more likely to win a championship than James because he has a hell of a lot of talent around him and he is more of a winner. To me, James is just a guy who puts up ridiculous stats. James' teams will always be really good, but not championship caliber because he is just show. He throws powder in the air, makes spectacular dunks and shots three pointers from as far as possible. Just play the damn game, don't act like your better than everybody, be better than everybody and someday Durant will show that kind of example. Durant is more of a team player. He doesn't talk smack and he does his job. The definition of a Most Valuable Player to me means if a team did not have this player they would be screwed and Durant is that player, not James.
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