Update: College Football

So UF beat FSU, thank God!

Notre Dame beat USC, that could have gone either way.

And Alabama is going to the SEC Championship again but against Georgia, finally some good football.

As with most sports, the last week of college football is the most important; the crunch time as some say. Each team is now vouching for their spot in their conference championship or the BCS title game, which are here in South Florida. The favorites are obviously the undefeated team of Notre Dame, however, Alabama/Georgia are also ready for the bowl.

Both southern teams have a strong tradition in college football, and both have gone against formidable opponents but the playoffs are always extra stress and pressure on players. Alabama has experienced players from last years championship winning team so these players will clearly lead. The only unknown is which players will rise more, the Bulldogs young team or the Alabama veterans.

Madrid Moves on To Round of 16!

I just got out of my Chem Lab class and immediately searched through the Yahoo! sports section to find out on the game today between two European football powerhouse: Real Madrid and Manchester City.
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"...We tied!" I shouted in the middle of the halls of the 3rd floor in the Building 2.
Some must have looked at me questioning why I was so happy over a tie, and this would make sense. In any other sport, a tie is useless in rankings or does not exits. However, in soccer, a tie gives both teams one point in the point system. That one point has eliminated Manchester City and pushed Real Madrid into the Round of 16.

From now on the games will be in the ultimate stage with a rise or fall ultimatum. Madrid has what it takes to win let alone reach the final, but other teams like Barcelona and Manchester United also have the cup within their reach.

Notre Dame's Rise to Fame

In the history of the school, Notre Dame's football team has never been ranked No. 1 in the national football rankings. Well that was until this season. Notre Dame has gone undefeated this season and topped the list comprised of strong football universities like Alabama and Oregon. As a school more known for its academics than a strong sports program, Notre Dame fans are flying high.

The Fighting Irish, as they are commonly called, were steadily rising this year in the rankings as they extended their undefeated record. The team has not ben regarded as a football powerhouse since it's last title-winning team in the late 80s. However, this season they have been headlining the collegiate football games as the team that can be the underdog strong enough to beat the Alabama team which is expected to one the title again. Although Alabama has been regarded as an "NFL-worthy team,"I am hoping Notre Dame can achieve this tremendous feat.

I am not Cousteau, but who cares?

As a student at MAST, I was expected to be the Jacques Cousteau of my class, grade, even generation.

I may be exaggerating but even today when I am asked what high-school I went to and answer MAST I still get asked why am I not a Marine Biology major. This hasn't bothered me but today it maid me wonder, why am I an engineering major and not marine bio?

So I made a comparative list of what I like about engineering and what I life about marine bio:

Pro of Engineering- involves use of creative thinking and model making

Con of Engineering- usually involves boring meetings over semantics

Pro of Marine Bio- I would work with submarines and beautiful coral reefs

Con of Marine Bio- I wouldn't be able to do another career besides marine biologist with the degree.

I know I love the sciences, and both involve the use of my deductive and inductive skills so the choice isn't really clear. But, I think I decided this afternoon what I will do: integrate marine studies in my engineering pursuits. What does this mean? Good question. I completed an underwater unmanned vehicle sophomore year that could sample spores from reefs and such. This is a perfect example of something I can do to integrate both studies. This also can lead to some submarine building and hopefully other cool discoveries.

Stay Strong Mr. Prez

The red states are still sulking after the landslide electoral vote victory of President Obama over Governor and Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney.

Many of these states are so distraught about the decisions that most Americans made about our President that they have signed petitions to secede form the Union in a deja vu American history moment of the 1800s. These petitions are hosted on the White House's website where you can petition pretty much anything to fall in the appropriate committee or group's hand for approval or even legitimacy.

Hopefully, this passes through as the joke that it is. Many of the red states that are still sour about the loss still do not understand that although more states voted for Romney these states have a far lower population (and clearly access to political/government books). Regardless whether who won or who lost, the American public decided and we must stay unified and believe in our chief leader. As other nations look to us as not only a financial but military world leader, we must understand that displaying distrust in our own leader causes other nations to not trust him either.

Many say that Lincoln was hated so much in his victory that many more states threatened to secede and multiple attempts at his life were planned, but he stuck through it and produced some of the greatest legislature ever written. I hope and believe President Obama can do the same.

Two Reasons Why I Love November

The month of November is a moth filled with sports: the NBA season, NFL, UEFA soccer, and NCAA football and basketball are all on during November. On any day of the month you might find yourself stuck between which game to watch or even which sport with such an ample amount of match-ups.

Sports have taken over my life since middle-school. As an aspiring MLB player, I spent years collecting baseball cards and even practicing my ability to give post-game interviews. Some might say I was obsessed but I was determined. My love of baseball became a love of sports in general and I got hooked on every sport. From soccer to hockey, my Saturday mornings were spent watching English soccer teams and my Friday nights watching the great match-ups between two international hockey teams. The greatest of these watch parties were usually on my birthday where I would join my dad and the rest of the dads in watching the local game.

My birthday is a couple days from Thanksgiving so I am always caught in the awkward mix of giving thanks and getting thanks for being born. My second reason to love November: I have two Christmases. My birthday and Christmas are exactly one month apart so I receive a lot of gifts in that span of one month.

Unexpected

It's crazy how the ones you would not expect to be smart, funny, or even evil are the ones who have considered or are these qualities the most. Many think that football players are dumb jocks but the average athlete in NCAA Division I sports has around a 2.9 GPA. Not too shabby, especially if these players have dedicated their life to excelling in sports not in school.

This reality has led me to wonder what if I have stumbled across a person that might run the next Fortune 500 or even be a Senator/governor/presidential hopeful. I also wonder if people think I am one of these people you would not expect to be smart or good at sports or even talkative. Clearly, I wonder a lot.

These kind of things about relativity and our perception, and sociology in general, fascinate me. They keep me passionate about science and the ability of our mind to find out so much and relate so much information into something so simple as this theory on quiet individuals.

Music Update

I usually am not a fan or new age rap music, but new artits 2Chainz and Big Sean are growing on me.

These two emerging artists have spawned from Kanye West's ability to find rising young artists and take them under his wing. Under his label they have produced chart topping hits known for playing in cars and clubs alike. This rejuvenation of rap to be music that excites and is to be enjoyed in a party setting is one of Kanye's most influential influences in reaching a new frontier for the genre.

Big Sean and 2Chianz are both classified as "pump up or party rap." They have released tracks that have now become the songs that one qwould listen to on the way to a party, club or night-out. This change in listening environemnt of rap is infringing on the established environemtn for House and Lectronic music. Where EDM (electronic music) is commonly listened to in clubs, artitsts like Kanye and Big Sean have begun to tap into the market.
I hope this continues to happen because the songs are enjoyable and a variety in music played is always the best type of music environment.

Underwater

Underwater-

Everything looks different when you're underwater. The normal images of life: the sun, clouds, even the sky mix with the imaginary shapes and colors your brain develops. I guess this can happen anytime really. When you feel so overwhelmed with emotion, whether it be joy or sorrow, and you cannot clearly delineate the reality from the fallacy.

It actually reminds me of when I got my dog almost five years ago. Although the whole day I had known that I was going to get a dog, but actually holding and taking care of this little rascal was the one of these moments. Ownership was daunting but the happiness quickly overcame this emotion.

But, most commonly people feel underwater when they have "too much to handle." A family member passed, a speeding ticket issued, a test you thought you aced is returned with a C+ on the front; all of these day-to-day occurrences can bring your mood down and bring you down overall. I know it may sound cliche to never to forget to gasp for air, but those seconds above water can become the ones where you learn the most about you. You are not the same when under all the demands of this modern world, so take a breath and learn who you really are.

Stop and Think

Contemplate the thoughts that venture in others' minds. This painting of what I believe is the Sistine Chapel makes me feel like I, too, am going through the Age of Enlightenment and knowledge. An age that sometimes I wish I lived in or experienced. The scholars of this time posed such great questions that have yet to been answered.

Russell Brand was in an interview about music and the industry when he posed a similar question. He was talking about something that I think about all the time: the complexity of life. An example he used was that when we speak the words are just assorted vibrations that our ears pick up and synthesize in a remarkably short amount of time. Some of these givens of life are overlooked when they should be marveled at. The fact that our eyes process waves of light and can differentiate the color still makes me feel like a young child learning about the wonders of our world from the microscopic light waves to the enormous existence of our suspended planet with a working ecosystem for life.

Some believe the answer is simple. That God created everything to work and coincide perfectly but as an aspiring member of the science community I still want more more than that answer. 

VTech Hokies

I recently went to visit my friend at Virginia Tech for Fall break. I was able to watch a football game at the stadium and feel the first college town atmosphere for a football game. Honestly, it still gives me goosebumps.

The stadium was filled to the brim, a full crowd of 65,000 jumping fans and students. Soon over the speaker system I hear the Hokienation anthem: "Enter Sandman." Suddenly the crowd rises as a I see what seems to be the largest player on the Virginia Tech team run across the field with the American flag. This is the real 'Murica.

The experience was pretty enjoyable just because I love how excited people get from their team scoring a TD or stealing a pass. The ambience of the city revolving over this game for two or three hours at a time, reminds me of Super Bowl game days or FIFA match days when everyone's pride is as high as their hopes for victory. I hope I can go to a school with the same school and team enthusiasm.

Mini-Beethoven

I hardly fall for the child prodigy type videos that pop up on the Today SHow and such but this kid has honestly inspired me to go back to music.

I do not know whether this child is a prodigy or even if his skill at the piano is remarkable for his age. What I do know is that his music is moving and that is what ever artists searchers for; whether, it be a poet or a rock-and-roll cover band. This video made me smile from beginning to end because I saw the face of the others as they enjoyed the music and the child's ambience. Obviously, as a guitar player I will never ever admit that the piano is a better or more elaborate instrument but I can admit that the talent he has far surpasses mine. Eventually, I hope this little man produces or composes his own music and contributes to the musical world as I hope too.

Only time can tell.

Titrations on Titrations

Chemistry has taken a turn on the wild side and become very entertaining. This week alone  have done multiple titrations which are basically added acids to bases and turning them different shades of pink.

This lab is the most common lab in any chemistry class at any university across the United States. Next semester, the other student will learn why the color change happens and find out what is happening at a microscopic level.

Thankfully, my major only requires one chemistry class and I will never have to record how many drops of base are needed to turn acid pink.