Media Convergence Initiative

Legendary Coach Phil Jackson is Hired by Knicks as President of Operations

Posted on March 14, 2014 by grichards

There has been a barrage of articles by NBA reporters, who know more about the league than I could hope to forget. They all write about how the hiring the Zen Master is an impending disaster and how this is an ugly divorce waiting to happen. Mainly because of the contrasting personalities of team owner James Dolan, who is known for making impulsive and expensive mistakes as far as the managing of his assets go and Phil Jackson, the legendary coach who won a record 11 NBA titles during his tenures at Chicago with Michael Jordan and Los Angeles with Kobe Bryant.

The popular opinion seems to be that this is simply another stunt by James Nolan in order to save face. I believe that the New York Knicks ultimately have a unique opportunity to rebuild successfully within the next three seasons depending on what Jackson chooses to do with the mess that the Knicks are currently in.

Jackson can help convince the current star Carmelo Anthony to stay and build around him in order to compete in the playoffs as early as next season. Or he could let Anthony walk and trade veterans for draft picks, which will come in handy, as the Knicks will probably earn a top pick with their terrible winning percentage (predicted by analyst if Anthony walks). And rebuild the team as he sees fit. He would have a clean slate with an owner willing to spend whatever it takes to win, the prestige of Madison Square Garden and New York to draw in free agents, and his past success would build confidence in players that the Knicks are finally ready to be serious winners. There is no other team that offers that same combination of resources.

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10 Entertaining and Affordable Ways to Have Fun in College

Posted on March 14, 2014 by ljthom

Spring Break just passed and you’re still looking for something fun to do that is not involving the schoolwork your professors gave you weeks in advance? Take a breather college students. I have a few cheap and fun ideas to give you a brain-break, but not break your wallet:

1. Go to a public park. Reminisce to when you were younger and you enjoyed swinging and going down the slides. Grab a friend and play a pickup game of basketball or tennis. Parks are free of charge and pet friendly as well!

2. Potluck dinners and a movie. If every one of your friends brought their favorite dish, imagine how much delicious food you would be able to enjoy once a week without going out to a restaurant and paying for it. Not to mention possible leftovers for the next day!

3. Join a club. Find who on campus has your same interests and bond together!

4. Play card games. Everyone knows how to play a card game that your friends don’t. Take the time and teach them how to play! I’m not promoting gambling, but you can barter for candy or fruit snacks… Right?

5. Grab dessert. Twistee Treat, Jeremiah’s Italian Ice, Steak’n’Shake? Doesn’t cost more than $5 usually for a quick sweet treat! Or if you want, go to the grocery store and buy some chocolate chip cookie dough to keep in the fridge for nights when you’re craving it.

6. Intramural Sports team. Grab your friends and join or create a softball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, floor hockey, etc., team. They are so much fun and you set it up according to your schedule per semester.

7. Find out discounted college nights for bowling, laser tag, indoor trampoline. Exactly that! Cheap times during weeknights these places have discounted prices.

8. Take a workout class with friends at the Recreation and Wellness Center. Zumba, yoga, spinning, kick boxing, stadium run, they have it all! You can meet fellow students and get a workout while having fun.

9. Get nosebleed seats for an upcoming concert. Sometimes we can’t afford first row tickets to see our favorite bands. Buy nosebleed tickets and still enjoy the concert so you won’t be pouting at home that you didn’t go enjoy the concert.

10. Go to an on campus sporting or performing arts event. Most of them are free for students or offer a discounted rate with a valid student ID. See what talents your fellow classmates have.

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Rare Hypergiant Star is 1,300 times Larger than the Sun

Posted on March 13, 2014 by alandelav

The Sun, an object in our solar system, is truly an amazing object. With the power to birth to and also destroy life, society has always been fascinated with the aura of the sun. Now, what if there was evidence that there was a star just like our sun, but 1,300 times bigger. I do not think I am going on a limb in saying that we, as a human race, cannot even fathom that size. The newly discovered yellow hypergiant, HR 5171 A and smaller but also hotter HR 5171 B are said to be some of the largest hypergiant stars ever found. Experts say that if you were to put these two stars, which connect to each other in orbit, in our solar system, the stars would stretch out past the orbit of Saturn.

Now think about that size. The sun by itself, as I stated before, is our lifeline. However, we do not have to look far to see the disastrous consequences if the sun was a bit closer or too far away. For example, take Venus and Mars. Venus is uninhabitable because the planet is too hot and has toxic ozone. Mars, on the other hand, is too cold for anyone to live on. If HR 5171 A/B would be in our solar system, we would not even be having this discussion.

These hypergiant stars are very rare because their stage life is so short. Many experts are saying that these giants will cool in the next 1000 or so years, turning into blue hypergiants. The interesting fact about HR 5171 is that being 12,000 light years away would usually mean that this star would be undetectable to the naked eye. However, HR 5171 is so bright, that it can be seen on a clear night looking at the constellation of Centaurus. It is truly amazing on the spectacular things that are in our sky.

Posted in Odd News, Science and Technology | Comments Off

“I’m Divergent!!!” Next Big Young Adult Blockbuster Hopeful Prepares for Weekend Debut!!!

Posted on March 13, 2014 by jmandel

Over the past few years, Hollywood has turned its money making eyes to the engaging works of literature that have captured the imagination of young readers around the world. Authors like Rick Riordan, JK Rowling, Susanne Collins, and Louis Sachar have had their beloved books turned into box office monsters over the past few years. With the recent monumental success of The Hunger Games franchise based of Susanne Collins’ trilogy, Hollywood has finally found the worthy gem that is worthy to succeed the Harry Potter franchise. However, with The Hunger Games franchise nearing completion, Lionsgate is desperately hoping to find the next big young adult franchise to carry them beyond. Their answer: Veronica Roth’s Divergent. What has boldly been considered the “Next Hunger Games”, The New York Times bestselling novel will come to life on March 21^st and aim to become the next big young adult blockbuster. Telling the story of a young girl living in a society divided by five factions, she embarks on a life changing journey upon discovering she is Divergent, a person who does not fit into a specific faction and is therefore a danger to the society where she lives.

Headlined by Golden Globe nominee Shailene Woodley, Divergent is poised to become a box office behemoth in just its first weekend. With a tremendous roster of veteran actors as well as established young talent, Divergent has the tools necessary to become the box office success story it hopes to be. All eyes will be on this film on March 21^st and only time will tell whether it truly will be the next hunger games or the next box office bomb.

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Grant Towards Preserving the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow Gives Hope to its Removal from the Endangered Species List.

Posted on March 12, 2014 by jsjones

The Florida grasshopper sparrow has seen new hope after an incredible grant was made in the hopes that it would help remove it from the endangered species list.

Last week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gave nearly half a million dollars towards the preservation of the Central Florida native species. The bird, which is found only in Florida, was thought to be one of the most endangered bird species in all of North America. Unfortunately, due to limited amounts of funding, nothing could be done previously to save the bird from extinction.

Today, only several hundred of the sparrow exist and conservationists hope that the use of the grant will be successful in bringing up the number of birds. The grant is going to be allotted towards maintaining ranch lands in order to provide a safer living environment for the sparrows and will also be used to remove plants that are disruptive to the natural lands which are so vital to the birds’ survival.

Astonishingly, the Florida grasshopper sparrow has been listed on the endangered species list for over twenty years, making this new step towards saving it an incredible victory in the eyes of conservations and animal activists alike.

Unfortunately, one sparrow species, known as the dusky seaside sparrow and also native to Florida, was not as lucky as the grasshopper sparrow as it was the last bird species to die out when it went extinct nearly thirty years ago.

Thankfully, there is hope for the Florida grasshopper sparrow as plans to preserve it are now in effect.

Posted in Environment, General | Comments Off

University of Central Florida Students Talk About Safety After Former Student Brooke Dawkins Dies From A Tragic Accident

Posted on March 11, 2014 by rboniniv

Students at the University of Central Florida weighed in on the need for safety at intersections around UCF that could help prevent another accident like the one that sent a UCF student to the hospital in critical condition. The safety of Alafaya Trail is now in question after a University of Central Florida student Brooke Dawkins was sent to the hospital in critical condition after being hit by a truck. Dawkins was involved in an accident on Feb. 23 when she walked out into the path of a Toyota Pickup truck at the intersection of Alafaya Trail and Gemini Blvd. Students suggest that walking with a group of friends is the safest way to avoid accidents like these. Many also said that having a pedestrian bridge will be extremely beneficial because a lot of students cross Alafaya on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, Brooke Dawkins passed away Wednesday March 5 after succumbing to injuries she sustained after being hit by a car. An update posted by Brody Dawkins, Brooke’s brother, on her support page stated that she was declared “medically brain dead and has ascended from this life into the next.” Florida Highway Patrol Public Affairs Officer Kim Montes confirmed that the Brooke had passed away.

“Per her wishes, Brooke will donate her organs to give the gift of life to multiple recipients across the country. She will give others a chance at life and it’s all we could ask for,” Brody Dawkins said. Students and friends, along with the UCF community, offered mountains of support to Brooke and her family over the past week, even helping to raise money to help pay for medical bills.

From now on, instead of praying for Brooke, you can pray to her. We should use this tragic story as an example to make better decisions about safety.

Posted in Business, Crime, Education, Environment, General, Odd News | Comments Off

The Mystery Of The Lost Plane With Destination To Pekin

Posted on March 11, 2014 by samsheres

Since this past Friday, the international news were centered on an mysterious event that has happened on the Asian part of the world. A plane from Malaysia Airlines have disappeared while flying originally from Kuala Lumpur with final destination in Pekin. The plane that was occupied by 227 passengers including the crew, lost contact with the air bases near Vietnamese land.

The tragedy is reaching its higher peak of fear when hardly any information have been found out about the lost plane after a couple days.

The investigators have pointed out on the media that the origin of the problem could have been a mechanical issue, considering that the Boing B777 was already 11 years old, however this hypothesis is diminished by the fact that any alert was sent from the plane, as well that the weather conditions were not terrible.

Another hypothesis that has been issued was the possibility of a terrorist attack, since it has been found out that two of the passengers were travelling with fake passports. However nothing has been confirmed officially.

China was the first country to start a research on the plane, however this mission was cooperated by other countries such as Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and the U.S.

The last news available on the topic is the fact that a Vietnamese plane has located some pieces that could have belonged to the plane, which would confirm that the plane actually had a crash. The Vietnamese government confirmed that one piece is possibly a part of the tail, and the other one, an inside door of the plane.

Posted in General, World News | Comments Off

Top Freshmen in College Basketball May Save NBA Team

Posted on March 10, 2014 by grichards

The National Basketball Association is a multi-million dollar industry. The league gathered organizations who formed teams and pay for the best talent in the world. They also have found ways to monetize the love fans have for the game. The people in each of the cities, who have basketball teams, have developed different cultures when they show their support in home games. Naturally, some organizations (teams) are more successful than others at maintaining a happy fan base through winning games and championships. The main way organization’s look to get better is by drafting skilled young players from college, which is also a multi-million dollar industry. The main difference being players in colleges do not get paid for playing in school teams.

It remains to be seen, but analyst project the talent on this year’s draft to be good enough to turn around some of the less successful teams in the league. Parker, Embiid and Wiggins have shown great production so far this season. They all average double figures in points per game and shoot for over 45% from the field. Scoring is something that would be expected of them at the next level.

This year’s draft class remains an unpredictable rollercoaster because a number of the top players are only college freshmen. The rule itself is simple. The NBA has a draft eligibility rule that states that American prospects are eligible to be drafted once they are 19 years, which is the only reason why players like Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker, and Andrew Wiggins may even consider going to school instead of sitting out a year. The college basketball season hasn’t even ended and these players are already getting bombarded with questions about their thoughts on if they will be going pro next year.

Posted in Entertainment, General, Sports | Tagged Draft, freshmen, NBA | Comments Off

NBA: Houston Rockets Dominate the Top Teams

Posted on March 10, 2014 by arlen spitalnik

There is a new elite team emerging on the basketball court, one that is loaded with young talent aspiring to win a championship—the Houston Rockets. Since the beginning of 2014, the Rockets have posted a league-best record of 22-6. This result is thanks to the extreme efforts of key players James Harden, Dwight Howard, Chandler Parsons, Patrick Beverley and Terrence Jones.

Within the past week, Houston has proven themselves elite by taking down two of the NBA’s top teams, the Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers, in hard-fought battles. In both contests, Shooting Guard James Harden put on quite a show with 21 points scored against the Heat, and 28 versus the Pacers. In addition, Center Dwight Howard added 22 points and 16 rebounds in their game against Miami, as well as 15 points when they faced Indiana.

A potential reason for the Rockets’ recent success lies in their acquisition of Jordan Hamilton in a trade deal with the Denver Nuggets. On February 20, Houston sent Point Guard Aaron Brooks to the mile-high city in exchange for the second-year Shooting Guard out of Texas. As soon as he arrived in his new home, Hamilton quickly entered the Rockets’ rotation as a solid backcourt shooter. During his short time on the Houston Rockets, Hamilton has averaged 8.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

In this newfound era for the Rockets, things are just getting started for this young squad. Currently sitting at a 42-19 overall record, it is difficult to believe that this group has only been together for less than one season. With 20 games remaining in the season, Houston has a chance to finish with the best record in the Western Conference and clinch home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.

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Daft Punk and Jay Z unreleased track leaks out.

Posted on March 10, 2014 by andrewray

Daft Punk and Jay Z fans rushed to click on the promising link to hear the never-before-heard track ‘Computerized’. According to Rolling Stone Magazine the song had been produced during the recording of the Score for the 2010 Disney movie Tron: Legacy which had been composed by the French duo and decided it was not good enough to be in the film.

Soon after the leaking of ‘Computerized’ on YouTube earlier today, the track gained significant controversy because of the unconfirmed legitimacy of the song, giving that neither the legendary electronic duo or the Brooklyn rapper had made any comments after the leaking, until a couple hours later Pitchfork.com confirmed that the track was indeed legitimate and was recorded by D-P and J-Z way before the release of ‘Magna Carta’, Jay’s latest album.

Because of previous collaborations that Daft Punk previously had with Kanye West, it was also rumored that the Chicago rapper had also worked on ‘Computerized’ as a co-producer. This rumor was denied by Pitchfork.

Although it seems like a pretty remarkable collab for music history, ‘Computerized’ has received mostly bad feedback from the critics AND fans. You can listen the song by yourselves (LINK BELOW), and decide for yourselves wether the track is a hit or a miss.

Posted in Audio/Video, Entertainment | Tagged daft punk, jay z. | Comments Off