Early Upsets Leave March Madness Brackets Hurting

Posted on March 21, 2014 by marissanclark

March Madness for NCAA basketball is well underway and already several large upsets have hurt many fans brackets. One reason for extra madness this year due to Warren Buffets billion dollar offer to anyone with a perfect bracket.

However that offer doesn’t matter anymore. According to ESPN after the first two days play there are no perfect brackets that have been filled out online. The reason for these incorrect brackets is due to several of these very big colleges losing to very bad seeded teams.

Duke is one of these teams. They were a third seed coming out of the Midwest division. Duke played Mercer, a team that most fans have never heard of. I know personally myself had Duke going all the way to the elite eight.

Another big loss tonight was other high seeded teams like VCU, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Most brackets on ESPN and CBS sports included wins from all three of these teams as they were playing virtually unknown athletic programs.

This years tournament has been full of upsets since the first game on Thursday night with Ohio State and Dayton. Ohio State was an obvious choice, or so many thought. Dayton stayed with the Buckeyes and after a few missed opportunities by Ohio State, Dayton pushed ahead and won. Many users also had Ohio State progressing past the first round.

The next week will be full of more surprises for any of the remaining teams. Cinderella teams will be in large abundance after the first round. This year’s march madness is shaping up to be a tournament for the record books.

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50 years later and it’s still “a small world” afterall…

Posted on March 21, 2014 by chelsiesloan

March 21, 2014 marked the 50th year anniversary opening of Disney’s “It’s A Small World”ride. This iconic ride made its debut at the 1964 New York’s Worlds Fair as a tribute and benefit to the United Nations Children’s Fund’s (UNICEF) work for the children around the world. The UNICEF provides health care, immunizations, fresh clean water, nutrition, education and emergency relief to children around the world.

The original ride was moved from New York to Disneyland where it opened up on May 28,1966. As of today there are many versions of the ride at the Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland locations.

According to a Disney website, Walt Disney originally envisioned the world’s children singing the national anthem from each country they represented, but he discovered that resulted in a musical cacophony. So he asked the Sherman brothers, who were working on Mary Poppins at the time, to create the song.

Those who have experienced the ride take a boat cruise where animationed dolls representing the world’s children dance and sing to the music. The song is sung by children in their native languages including French, Italian, Japanese, Spanish and English.

As of Friday, Disney Parks announced that it has created a new website, www.smallworld50.com for the celebration of the small world ride. On this website, visitors will be able to record and share an online video of themselves singing the “It’s a Small World”song. There will also be an option to create a virtual “It’s a Small World” doll to share online.

Not only has the Walt Disney Company created this website, but they will also donate $150,000 dollars to benefit UNICEF in honor of “It’s a Small World” 50th anniversary. Disney will donate an additional dollar for every sing-along video recorded on the website and another dollar for every virtual doll created, up to a total of $100,000 dollars.

All Disney parks will host an even on April 10 where visitors can come together at the park and sing the famous “It’s a Small World” theme song.

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Fourteen days after the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, finding it remains global search and rescue effort

Posted on March 21, 2014 by kelly casas

Fourteen days after the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, finding it remains global search and rescue effort. The bulk of the attention is on the southern Indian Ocean, where a commercial satellite photographed objects that Australian authorities say could be related to the search.

Authorities have called the find the best lead yet on where the missing plane might be, and it has prompted a massive search in the area more than 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) southwest of Australia. So far, they have turned up nothing.

The search in the southern Indian Ocean is over for the day, and nothing was found. The CEO of Malaysia Airlines confirmed that the plane was carrying lithium-ion batteries. And authorities said they’re aware of a news report that the plane’s pilot placed a cell phone call shortly before the flight departed.

There may not be any, but in a mystery as big as this one, investigators will check out any lead to see if it’s important.

Lithium-ion batteries are the type commonly used in laptops and cell phones, and have been known to explode, although it is a rare occurrence.

A fire attributed to lithium-ion batteries caused the fatal 2010 crash of a UPS cargo plane in Dubai. Lithium-ion batteries used to power components in Boeing 787 aircraft were also implicated in a series of fires affecting that plane.

So, in theory, a cargo of the batteries could have caused a fire that led Flight 370 to crash.

But Malaysia Airlines CEO Ahmad Jauhari Yahya told reporters the batteries were routine cargo.

“They are not declared dangerous goods” he said, adding that they were “some small batteries, not big batteries.”

The area being searched is enormous and remote. Aircraft can stay over the scene just two hours before having to return to base. And given that the objects spotted on satellite could have drifted hundreds of miles since they were photographed Sunday, or maybe have even sunk by now, finding them isn’t a simple proposition.

Japan is sending surveillance planes, more merchant ships are on the way, and Australia, Britain, China and Malaysia are all sending ships to the area — a remote region far from commercial shipping and air lanes.

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Gearing Up for Graduation-Reality Starts Now

Posted on March 18, 2014 by alyssakelly

I’m not actually about to graduate, but I will be next spring.  That’s only a year away.  It’s a scary thought but I’m also excited to experience what the “real world” will be like.

This summer I am getting my first internship and doing it out of state.  I am excited and think it’ll help me see what it is like being out of my comfort zone and doing something in a professional manner and being slightly on my own.  I expect this summer to be like what will happen once I graduate.

With only a year left of my undergrad I need to start looking at what I am going to do after.  Of course get a job and move somewhere new.  But what am I going to do?  Where am I going to work?  Or even what internships will I even have during my last school year?

These are things I have to start considering.  Start preparing for bills and emergencies.  Prepare myself for working everyday on a schedule.  I don’t think it will be too terrible at first.  I won’t really have much or need much.  Plus right now I work all weekend and go to school every day taking 5 classes.

It’s a scary thought to think that my adult life will be beginning so soon.  But I’m excited to see what opportunities I can take and really what all is out there.  It’s not about getting everything you want right away.  I think it’s most important that I enjoy whatever it is that I am going to do.

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Crimea Crisis: The second coming of the Cold War

Posted on March 18, 2014 by lauren gould

With the ‘secret’ Russian invasion of the Crimean peninsula and the vote for independence already taken place, it is only a matter of time before Russia annexes the peninsula and makes it a part of Russia. The only problem is that it is completely illegal. It is more akin to the German annexation of Austria. Some might argue that was a vote for independence, however, that vote had a highly suspicious outcome, with over 96% of voters wishing for independence. Not only have Russia had suspect elections before with high voter fraud, the vote had zero international over sight, with Switzerland refusing to send officials over to verify the legitimacy of the vote, regarding it as completely illegal.

Russia never has cared for how the international community has viewed it. Nor do they really have the need to, as they are a very powerful nation with a nuclear arsenal on par with ours. It also controls massive oil and natural gas reserves that many European nations rely on for their day-to-day operations. Those nations have asked for fewer sanctions against the nation, with hopes of reducing the inconvenience of Russia breaking international law and it’s effect it has on them.

While relations between the west and east at an all time low, the risk of nuclear confrontation remains low, with mutually assured destruction still playing the same role it has been for 60+ years. Though, as Russia continues to proceed down this path, without any sign of stopping, all progress that has been made in the international community over the past 20 years will regress to the point of a second Cold War, with belligerent nations such as Iran taking full advantage of the unrest.

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Lady Gaga gets puked on live at SXSW.

Posted on March 17, 2014 by andrewray

All eyes were on the 2014 South X Southwest Keynote last friday when Gaga took the stage for an hour-long set that included an ‘artistic vomiting’ number during the performance of her track “Swine”. Millie Brown is the experimental artist Gaga chose to collaborate with on her shocking statement. Brown is known for drinking coloured milk and then throwing it up onto the canvas, only difference is that Gaga was now the canvas.

Although receiving a great deal of criticism by the press and specially from organizations trying to put and end to eating disorders, according to The Independent, Millie Brown assures that this artistic, yet gross, technique represents no harm for her health.

The whole concert set was streamed live on Fuse.tv and the official SXSW’s site and was accompanied by an hour-long interview hosted by John Norris in which Gaga supported her message of rejection towards the “poisonous industry” that is music business nowadays and how malicious corporations try to control artists and have no regard for the making of true art but the making loads of money. Gaga’s point is pretty clear and understandable coming from an artist that has earned world-wide superstardom in less than six years.

“Don’t sell out, sell in.” were Lady Gaga’s words to her fans and advised the audience that the illusion of Hollywood is not real and will destroy the our dreams and our potential for art if we don’t fight against it. Maybe we need strong statements like this one in order to have an honest and rich Pop culture and mainstream art.

 

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University of Florida Goes Completely Undefeated in SEC

Posted on March 17, 2014 by bri yost

Number 1 ranked Florida Gators held on to a 61-60 victory beating Kentucky for the third time this season to go undefeated in the SEC and win the conference tournament.

Kentucky had the final possession and time on the clock to score. Kentucky player James Young slipped trying to drive into the paint, losing the ball and bringing an end to game. As the bell bounced off the buzzer sounded and Florida’s Scottie Wilbekin and Kentucky’s Andrew Harrison  were still chasing after it. It was a well fought game to the very last second.

It wasn’t perfect. The gators had a 16 point lead early in the game and almost let Kentucky pull off a comeback. However, Florida has proven why they are number 1 in the nation. With other top teams losing, it’s a noteworthy accomplishment going undefeated in conference play and the first time in history for the SEC.

One thing the Gators can take away from this is what they need to work on. The team was 7 of 17 at the line with many of those misses at the end. You can bet that coach Billy Donovan has plans of changing that.

It is unclear what will happen in this tournament and there are many questions. One thing is for sure, both these teams will be competitors in the tournament and both will be watched in anticipation.

 

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The Start of NFL Free Agency Leads To Major Moves And Shifts of Power in the League

Posted on March 17, 2014 by jordan hicks

Free Agency in the NFL began on March 11th and I want to say the money has not stopped being thrown around yet. Some very huge pickups were made that might’ve shifted the power balance of the league in some teams favor. The rich got richer in a lot of cases in the AFC when you think that the most prized acquisitions landed in either Denver or New England. The Broncos and Patriots seem to be competing in all facets of the game, trying to one-up each other which free agency acquisition. It’s like Belichick & Brady are in a chess match with John Fox, Peyton, & Elway for the AFC.

Once the Dallas Cowboys cut ties with Pro Bowl LB Demarcus Ware, he was almost immediately signed to the Denver Broncos for 3 years/$30 million. The Broncos followed up this move by signing former Patriot defensive back Aqib Talib to a whopping six year/$57 million contract. This move shook up the NFL world a little since it was so spontaneous, but before we could breath the Patriots landed shutdown corner Darelle Revis and signed him on a 1 year/$12 million contract after he was released by Tampa Bay. In Belichick-ian fashion he also picked up a more troubled player in Brandon Browner, the former Seattle Seahawks player who has been in and out of suspension the last couple of years. He was reinstated by the commissioner, but is to be suspended a total of 4 weeks and a total of 8 weeks without pay. But when you put the drama aside for a second, Browner is a big physical cornerback who patrolled the airways with Sherman making one of the best cornerback duos in the NFL. Now the Patriots are attempting to recreate that in Foxborough, also going back to their defensive roots reminding us of the defensive backfields of old with the like of Ty Law, Rodney Harrison, and a young Asante Samuel. The Patriots and Broncos seem to be set on another collision course, but this time they’re amping it up.

There were other notable moves being made in the AFC, such as Decker to the NY Jets, Hakeem Nicks to the Colts, Cortland Finnegan to the Dolphins, Steve Smith to the Ravens, etc. The NFC heavyweights stayed relatively quiet thus far in free agency, most likely going with the old “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” adage. The Giants improved  their secondary with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and added the Broncos play-making return man Trindon Holiday. The Eagles made some signings on defensive end in Malcolm Jenkins and made a trade for Darren Sproles.

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NJ Votes to Keep Tesla From Selling Directly To Customers

Posted on March 17, 2014 by elan iles

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission has recently voted to prohibit the car manufacturer Tesla from selling their cars directly to customers.  They have become one of many states who have also banned Tesla’s direct sales platform recently.  The reason that they are not allowing it is because of “consumer protection”, but critics think otherwise.

Tesla is a car company founded by billionaire, Elon Musk, and they have been making waves from the very start.  They came out with an all electric luxury sedan, called the Model S that has been raved about since it’s release.  It even won the Motor Trend Car of The Year award last year.  The Model S is not the only revolutionary thing that Tesla is doing though.  The way that they sell their cars is also revolutionary, and it has landed them in some hot water with state lawmakers.

Tesla wants to sell their cars directly to the customers.  This means that instead of going to a local dealership to look at, and negotiate on a car that is on the lot, Tesla customers deal directly with Tesla itself and order the car they want.  Lawmakers are saying that this is bad for local car dealers and that it would create a monopoly, but Tesla and it’s supporters don’t share that view.

Tesla believes that it would not be hurting local dealers at all.  There are currently no local Tesla dealerships so there is no one to have a monopoly over, and the other car makers like Ford and Chevy, do not have an all electric luxury car like the Tesla so there is no competition there.  I believe that Tesla are right to fight the lawmakers on this.  They shouldn’t be prohibited from selling their cars just because the big automakers do things a different way.

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NFL: Colts owner arrested on charges of possession of a controlled substance and DUI.

Posted on March 17, 2014 by College of Sciences

Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts Franchise was arrested late last night under the preliminary charges of driving under the influence and possession of a controlled substance.  The billionaire owner has not commented on the matter outside of a tweet stating “Deepest thx to family, friends, fans, colleagues for the messages of support, thoughts and prayers. Impossible to tell u how much this means”.

Irsay, who has a noted past in substance abuse, confirmed a 10 year sobriety in a 2012 interview with ESPN’s Hannah Storm.  When asked the turning point in his addiction he replied “At some point, when you’ve fought this thing and it’s kicked your ass so much and its beat you so much, you get to the point where you say, OK, that’s it. I’m done. White flag’s going up.”  You could infer from the preliminary charges, and ESPN’s list of alleged drugs Irsay as in possession of (Xanax, Darvocet and Ambien) without a prescription, that he has decided to step back in the ring.  In addition to the substance charges, Irsay was charged with a DUI which would mean that he hopped off that wagon according to his own tweet last year “I don’t drink…haven’t in over 15 years.”.

What does all of this mean for the Indianapolis Colts?  On the football field, this incident will probably not affect anything significantly.  But the resulting publicity is tremendous.  Sports media across the board are all calling for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to punish Irsay severely.  With Goodell having made his recent reputation of no tolerance of misbehavior by the players, how will this reputation hold up when the person in need of punishment is his boss?  Goodell answers to the 32 owners of the league, but will no doubt wait for the hearing next Wednesday that will carry Irsay’s formal charges.

Bill Polian, former Colt executive, now NFL analysts predicts that Irsay’s punishment will be similar to other executives who have been arrested, in that it will carry a suspension from his position and a fine.

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