Thursday, May 27, 2010

Can lighting strike twice

The Celtics are leading 3-2 in the Eastern Conference finals against the Orlando Magic. However, with the way the last two games have gone, all indicators are pointing towards a major collapse after holding a 3-0 series lead. Game 4 saw the Celtics have several opportunities to win down the stretch and game 5 showed Orlando could have its swagger back and the Celtics really seemed to unravel. Game 6 will pretty much be a decider since the odds of the Celtics getting a win in a deciding Game 7 will be highly unlikely. One can wonder if two collapses like this will erase the good karma of the memorable Boston championships of the 2000s.

Super Bowl in New York

The NFL announced this week that Super Bowl XLVIII will be played in the new Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. It will be the first Super Bowl played in cold weather. Personally, I am a sucker for going to warm climates in the middle of the winter and that is a part of the allure and incentive of getting to the big game. However, it is okay just to shake it up for just this once. I don't think that other cold weather cities should get their hopes up as there can be a lot of logistical problems with having the game in cold weather climate which could get exposed in this game. Keep in mind the last Super Bowl was the weekend of the "Snowpocalypse".

Oil continues to gush

The oil continues to spill in the Gulf of Mexico. They are trying to put mud into the well so that it slows the spill and allow it to be filled with cement. The well is also a mile deep so that makes the entire procedure risky and not exactly a slam dunk procedure. My question is did they ever do any sort of a dry run exercise in the event that this happens.

Yes, I do not think the Obama administration is acting properly in doing this. They should be utilizing more of their engineering experts to assist in this effort. The government does employ rocket scientists, they should have someone that knows about undersea infrastructure. I do not think the corporation (BP) that dropped the ball on this should have this much authority over the the attempt to repair the oil pipe.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Catching up

Sorry for hiatus in posts. There is a lot going on with me. First of all it looks like I am moving out of Crystal City. I would like to get my own place and it is difficult to live close to the Metro and be by yourself. Once I have a new neighborhood you will be sure to let everyone know where the new adobe is.

The Boston Bruins blew it against Philadelphia last week. It wasn't the most heartbreaking loss in Boston sports history but blowing a 3-0 lead is a stigma any team or city will always have to deal with.

The Boston Celtics are one win away from the NBA Finals after going up 3-0 vs. the Orlando Magic. They are playing great right now and there is no reason to think they cannot win the championship, although the Lakers are going to be hungry this time around.

Primaries in Pennsylvania and Arkansas-The special congressional election in Pennsylvania at least did not open the doors for a potential Republican bloodbath, especially with a Democrat winning in a district won by McCain in 2008. However, with Arlen Specter losing in Pennsylvania and Tea Party candidate Rand Paul winning, it shows that voters are mad and both parties will have to do a lot to keep their incumbent candidates in office.

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Boston playoffs

Boston winter teams are right in the think of the NBA and NHL Playoffs although they are entirely different positions. The Celtics are coming into form and are on the brink of knocking off the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James who were favored to win the championship.

The Bruins, on the other hand, had a 3-0 lead against the Philadelphia Flyers but they have come all the way back to force a Game 7. Given the stain that was put on the Yankees for blowing a 3-0 lead against Boston in 2004, this could go down as the biggest choke in Boston sports history. For Philadelphia, it could be the city's second biggest sports victory behind the Phillies winning the 2008 World Series.

Week Recap

Unfortunately late posts have become a habit but here is a recap of this week's events.

Elana Kagan nomination to the Supreme Court-I prefer someone that has bench experience but she has a good legal background and a confirmation process should not be drawn out too long.

Airplane crash in Tripoli-There was a sole survivor who was a ten year old boy. It is quite the miracle. It will be interesting to follow this kid's life and see what he turns out to be over the years.

BP Gulf Oil Spill-It is such a big disaster that no one wants to take the blame.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

British Elections

There is a lot of intrigue over the British elections that took place today. It is one of the most contested that they have had in years. It is slightly different from the American system of government where you are electing a majority party all at once where the prime minister is always the head of the majority party. In Britain, the prime minister serves as both an executive and a legislative leader. Could you really see President Obama debating on the floor of the House or Senate? I am pretty sure he is only allowed in a chamber for the State of the Union. Now I can see where foreigners take such an interest in our elections given the ramifications they have on international relations.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

warmest weekend of the year

The DC/Arlington area is having its warmest weekend of the year. No one is really complaining after the winter we have had. Plans for me include running, golf and now we transition from wine to beer and other summer drinks. I think this calls for hamburgers on the grill tomorrow!

Oil Spill

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is looking to be the largest in United States history. It could have an everlasting effect on the environment in that part of the nation. The gulf is known for a large seafood industry so that will be damaged and halted altogether. Although the human causalities were minimal, the economic and environmental impact of an oil spill like this could have just as far reaching an impact as a human tragedy. This also puts the development of offshore oil drilling on the hot seat. President Obama is calling for a 30 day delay before making any decisions on further expansion as a result. I am sure that the administration will scrutinize more carefully whether this is the answer to energy independence.

hockey playoffs

The Washington Capitals were stunned by the Montreal Canadiens this weekend losing in the first round after having a 3-1 series lead. You cannot really expect too much when it comes to Washington, DC sports in terms of winning and championships but this team was the best in the NHL all year so for loyal fans it was somewhat surprising. Fortunately the Bruins made it to the 2nd round so there is something for me to get excited about. They are playing Philadelphia so there is a good healthy rivalry in this series.