Go, Dara!!

Okay, this one is for all the moms in the world, including yours truly. Another notable Olympic story, besides Michael Phelps, is Dara Torres. At the age of 41, not only did she qualify to compete in this year’s Olympics, but she is going home with THREE silver medals! I think that pretty much says it all right there: Age ain’t nothin’ but a number. It’s all about how you feel, how hard you want to work, and how much you want it. Torres came, competed, and won. In between, she showed a great deal of sportsmanship by helping out a fellow competitor. She will have an awesome story to tell her baby one day. GO, DARA!!

Image by Getty

2008 Olympics

Okay, so I haven’t posted anything in a while. What better subject to pick up on than the on-going Olympic competitions. First off, the opening ceremony: WOW. The torch lighting was okay, Barcelona is still the BEST. Secondly, Michael Phelps: AMAZING. Third, the U.S. men’s gymnastics: IMPRESSIVE. Finally, China: CONTROVERSIAL.

Beijing is going to be remembered for the wowability factor of its opening ceremony. I can only imagine the amount of work and preparation that went into accomplishing all of that they presented. I have read stories saying that some of the fireworks were computer generated, but you know what? It still looked awesome. The only draw back for me was the torch lighting, maybe because I allowed myself to anticipate something just, just…I don’t know, out of this world? I mean, hey, there were claims that the Chinese promised PERFECT weather throughout the whole thing, so why not, right? It was different, but honestly, I am still more impressed by the flaming arrow of Barcelona.

Now, on to Mr. Phelps. Let’s see, so far: six races, six world records, and six gold medals. As far as I am concerned, if he doesn’t get the other two, the six world records will have more than make up for it. So, six golds and 2 silvers or bronzes will still be AMAZING.

The U.S. men’s gymnastics team surpassed expectations at these games. I thought the whole team showed a lot of heart and determination. Granted they also made silly mistakes that possibly cost them the silver medal, but, the fact that they medaled at all, is IMPRESSIVE. Most analyst wrote them off because of all the setbacks that they suffered prior to the games.So, naturally, the athletes showed them otherwise. Kudos to Jonathan Horton and Sasha Artemev. Artemev’s pommel horse routine to secure the bronze was WHOA! I was sure he was going to fall with all that he incorporated into that routine. He came through and really performed beyond what was expected of him.

Finally, China and all of the controversy; from the age thing to judges favoring the natives. All I have to say is, did we really expect these games to NOT have any controversy? I mean, before the games even began there were many,many controversial issues. From the torch troubles to the air quality issues, human rights issues, and what not. Off course, I undoubtedly expected many more controversial issues to arise from the games itself. All you have to do is look at the Chinese gymnast to KNOW that they are underaged. China is a controversial nation, so naturally I expected this Olympics to stir a lot buzz around the world.

Images by AP and Getty

Wimbledon 2008

So, a quick run down: I want to express my disappointment at the ladies field on this year’s tournament. All of the power houses/favorites are out. I am however surprised to see the Williams sisters still in pursuit. Due to the fact that they have been MIA most of the season and the surge of Serbian favorites, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic. At this point my pick for the ladies championship is one of the sisters.

The men’s field is a little bit more interesting. A few of my favorites are still playing, Rafael Nadal, Marat Safin, and Feliciano Lopez (very surprised at this one). I don’t know who to cheer for in this match. Also, I’m not surprised at Andy Roddick’s early exit, and wanted Janko Tipsarevic to have gone a little farther. Final thoughts after the tournament.

Here are my picks:

Ladies: Venus Williams

Gentlemen: Roger Federer

Philippine ferry disaster

My condolences go out to those who had families aboard the ferry that capsized off of Sibuyan island in Philippines. This is a difficult time for everyone involved, the families and the nation. I have one qualm about the disaster: Why was the ferry allowed to sail off in those conditions? Sulpicio Lines, who operates the ferry, stated that they had coast guard approval to sail. Several weather reports indicated that the typhoon which cause the ferry to capsize, brought with it, winds close to 195 miles per hour. I am trying to comprehend how it is safe to sail in winds of that magnitude. I can only imagine how dangerous the waters were. There should be a lot of second guessing and regulation tweakings amid this horrible incident that could have been prevented. However, it’s too late for the passengers, crews, and the families that are now mourning.

Possible Casualties of Global Warming

 

An article listing favorite travel destinations around the world that are endangered of being a global warming casualty. I thought this interesting because of the places that are mentioned:

http://www.citizensugar.com/1626527?ybf1=1

CitizenSugar writes:

Got your passport and itchy feet in search of a vacation destination? Consider this first. It’s not a scared-straight story on global warming I promise — it’s a traveler’s perspective on how the world’s climate and it’s info served up like a gorgeous guidebook — and, I’ll admit, food for thought. ProTraveller put together this list of 20 places that are ripe to change dramatically if the world heats up — and it’s a where’s where of dream vacations.

Here’s part of their list, and some info that caught my eye:

• Great Barrier Reef, Australia
• Virgin Islands, Caribbean
• Cook Islands, Pacific Ocean
• Galapagos Islands, Pacific Ocean (pictured here)
• Belize Barrier Reef, Belize
• Red Sea Reefs, Egypt
• Tokyo, Japan — This major international city is in some serious danger; its temperatures have been rising five times faster than the average global warming rate around the world.
• London, United Kingdom — Scientists say that the city could be underwater as early as within the next one hundred years.
• New York City, USA
• New Orleans, USA
• Jakarta, Indonesia — The capital city of Indonesia has already experienced serious flooding last year, which many believe was a direct result of the climate change affecting the world. With more than twenty million people living in its metropolitan area, Jakarta is a city that has a lot to lose if the global warming issue continues unabated.

With Britain already having its warmest May since 1772 and alarming weather becoming a mainstay, it’s nice to be reminded of the beauty we need to take care of — sans PowerPoint. (Sorry Al.)
Source. 

I’m sure most of us won’t be here to see these long term affects. But, these are some of the most beautiful places on Earth, and it saddens me to think that future generations might not be able to see them.