The Wild West

The stars of the NBA (National Basketball Association) can be found in each team in the league. However, this season will feature multiple superstars aligning themselves with other elite players for the chance to compete for an elusive championship. Below are some of the players who are making headlines for their move to a competitive team. Only time will tell which one will make the most significant impact.



Shaquille O'neal, a member of four championship teams, has left the struggling Miami Heat to join forces with Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns. The Arizona-based team has never won a championship, but believes Shaq's presence on the court will change all that. The seven-foot O'neal is not the same explosive and dominant player he used to be, but with a team full of complimentary players, he will not have to carry the team on his own.

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Jason Kidd, one of the greatest point guards in the game, packed his bags and left the New Jersey Nets and headed to the Dallas Mavericks. The aging star will share the court with reigning Most Valuable Player Dirk Nowitzki and provide much needed help in the leadership department. Most people will remember the Mavericks as the number one team last season who was elminated in the first round by the Golden State Warriors. Hoping to reach the finals, the Mavericks chose to risk loosing its rising stars for Kidd.


Paul Gasol, the seven-foot center from the Memphis Grizzlies was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers to provide a much needed help for Kobe Bryant. Los Angeles has not seen another star that is close to Bryant's level since Shaquille O'neal was still part of the dynasty team who won three championships. The move puts the Lakers as one of the teams that have the potential to bring back a championship title to Los Angeles.

Grammy's 2008: The Aftermath

Watching the Grammys this year, I can seriously say that those who deserve to win does not get the recognition they deserve. However, I completely agree that both Amy Winehouse and Kanye West are completely deserving of their nominations. Both artists combined for 14 nominations: Kanye West (8) and Amy Winehouse (6).




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Amy Winehouse nearly won all of the awards she was nominated for during the night. Her winnings included Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Winehouse performed her hit songs "Rehab" and "I'm no Good" in London via satellite. The artist was unable to make it to the Grammys because her U.S. visa was denied and was only approved a little late for her to come to the U.S.

Kanye West also had a night to remember. Like Amy Winehouse, West also won multiple awards during the night. His winnings included Best Rap Solo Performance, Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group, Best Rap Album, and Best Rap Song. With all is said and done, Kanye West's best moment came during his performance of "Stronger" and then "Hey Momma," which was a tribute to his Mom, Donda West, who passed away from Plastic Surgery complications.







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The most disappointing moment of the night is the winner of Album of the Year, which later went to Herbie Hancock for his album River: The Joni Letters. Everyone, including Herbie Hancock himself, were surprised of the announcement. The announcement was another blow for Kanye West who is denied of the award for the third straight year.

February 5, 2008 Primaries

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One of the most anticipated events this year has got to be the Democratic and Republican primaries going on across the country. Nominations to represent each party is very critical because this person will eventually run for the White House and possibly running the country for the next four years. Below are the remaining candidates that I believe will have the strongest chance of representing their respective parties for presidential candidacy:

Democratic Party

1. Hillary Clinton- I admired her work during her husband's term in office especially during the Monica Lewinsky scandal that rocked the core of their marriage. Hillary believed that low points like this can be resolved without ruining a marriage. Her philosophy stays the same for her own bid to the White House as she promises to mend the nation's problems without changing the aspects that makes this nation great.

2. Barack Obama- The Illinois has gathered momentum since his speech during a Democratic Convention for John Kerry. His voice and his message stuck to the minds of the people and that's why he is still in the running for the White House. If elected, Obama will be the first African American president to lead the country.

Republican Party

1. John McCain- The Arizona senator has been well-known for his swift actions and sometimes controversial ones also. As a conservative candidate, his beliefs are totally parallel with the beliefs of the democratic candidates. It's been a long time in the making, but it seems that the Republican party's candidate during the convention this summer will be John McCain.

If you want more information about the candidates, I have posted the links below to their official web sites.

Hillary Clinton

Barack Obama

John McCain