What is out there?

Aliens and UFO’s are such a cartoonish image for me to think of. Between the debunked hoaxes and the rumors regarding area 51, most of these stories are just urban legends.

But I still can’t help but acknowledge the infinite size of the universe. This makes me believe that Earth cannot possibly be the only source of life out there. I also think that if the universe is infinitely big, then the scale of us is infinitesimally small, and so it would be foolish to think we are the “biggest” things out there. Not that I am referring to a greater being, but at some point we are as small to a certain perspective as molecules are to us. And this cycle can be repeated infinitely.

Diving in soccer

Soccer has a bit of an image issue here in the Unites States. The sport is sometimes perceived to reward cowardly actions, particularly when players “flop” to the ground at seemingly no contact.

While this view of the sport is not entirely groundless, it does little in terms of understanding the truth of the matter.

I played soccer for a long time, and like any other contact sport things can get physical. Your actions will be taken personally by the opposition and they will take their frustrations out of you. The sport is incredibly physical; there is no doubt about that. But many times, a particular foul is not enough to bring a player to the ground which is a visible indicator that a foul may have occurred. Many times a player has the ability to remain standing, but has decided that the foul against him has ruined the moment and so he will take a dive; a decision on the players part to bring the ref’s attention to the play.

Diving can bring attention to an actual foul, but there are moments where there is zero contact and a player will dive to trick the ref. This is an actual disgrace, but until video replays or bans and fines are enforced, I do not see the problem ever going away.

Missing Airliner

It has been 2 months since MH370 disappeared.

This case has captivated the attention of the entire world and it is incredible how little information that the searchers have at their disposal. Once the plane is found, that may not be the end of the mystery. The plane was deliberately affected for completely unknown reasons. When there is little evidence it makes it easy to speculate, but there could be an infinite number of events that happened that night ranging from electrical fires to terrorist hijackings.

As the search are widens, it has been acknowledged that this plane search may end up taking years.

Tesla

America loves gasoline. We have the biggest cars and the longest roads, so it may come as a surprise that an electric car manufacturer by the name of Tesla is seeing the explosion in popularity that it has been receiving lately.

I first heard of Tesla a few years ago, and back then they were making an expensive, all-electric car that was extremely fast. This gained some revenue but more importantly, showed that electric cars were no joke. Tesla began production on a model with more consumer appeal, and have plans to penetrate even deeper into the market with its most affordable model yet.

It’s hard to believe, but electric is now a viable option for your transportation needs.

World Cup

This summer, we are all going to Brazil; all of us that live in one of the 32 countries that has qualified for the World Cup.

It is a really special occasion for the fans, as the tournament is held only every four years. But it just as big for the player, some of whom may not even have a career spanning even two world cups.

Each country brings 25 players to the tournament; being selected to play for your country is something that a player can only dream of. Some country’s have higher expectations than others, but all hope to win.

Spain is the current trophy holder, and they play a very possession oriented game. By prioritizing possession of the ball, they can break a team down with their relentless passing until the opportunity arises to take advantage of a forced mistake. Germany has very intelligent players who are adept at using small spaces efficiently. I like to think that USA has the fittest players, capable of running the opposition down in order to create chances.

Its gonna be a great tournament.

Looking back

As I approach my fall graduation, I will be ending a lengthy period of my life. It is hard not to look back on these years and feel sad at the prospect of leaving all these memories behind and never again having the chance to meet new people in such an open and unrestricted environment.

But I also remember these feelings as I left high school for college, and when we moved as a child.

And so I know that I am not just leaving something, but that I will also be entering something new. Something that I have never experienced. All I can say for certain is that it will hold many exciting experiences for me and I will meet many amazing people while doing so. I have faith in the future.

With this in mind, I can look forward to graduation and ponder what the future hold in store for all of us.

World War III

When the two largest Wars in the history of the world have been named incrementally, it is impossible not to wonder if there will ever be a third to the list.

Of course, no two wars are fought the same. The first world war was the last of its kind because the advent of viable aircraft changed everything. Today, I believe that nuclear weapons would have a significant impact. If not used outright, the threat of their use would still hang over the battlefield and change the way decisions were made.

I also think whether or not a massive conflict of World War scale is inevitable. History has shown that civilizations have risen, ruled, and inevitably fallen. America is also a civilization, although still very young. It is remarkable how quickly this country has become what it is, but I think that the fresh slate that these lands offered only a few hundred years ago has proved to be a tool for unbridled development rather than a handicap.

San Marcos

Recently, the head of economic development in San Marcos attended my business communications class. I had a brief chance to speak with her about the city and its relationship with university.

I believe that the town should be a positive reflection of the school. I have lived in San Marcos for 5 years, and I have noticed that while the University is in a constant state of growth, the city itself has not been as involved. So it is very satisfying that old roads are now being torn up and ugly buildings demolished.

It is in San Marcos’ and the University’s best interests to maintain and build attractive and functional growth. As the San Marcos region continues to become more populated, it is vital that this location is seen as an attractive and hospitable place. More students will come here, businesses will be willing to establish themselves, and San Marcos will quickly become a bigger dot on the map.

Taking Marks

As Yohan Blake aligns his spikes into the blocks, a lone bead of sweat rolls down his cheek, and hangs on his chin before falling toward the steaming surface. For a fleeting moment, time stands still as his eyes follow the trajectory of his perspiration, glistening with the blinding reflections of a thousand cameras going off all at once. This is the Olympics, and the roar of the crowd is absolutely deafening.

His heart begins to pump, sucking quarts of blood at a time into the ventricles before forcefully expelling the oxygenated substance into the arteries that will distribute it throughout his body. His breathing begins to deepen, pulling huge swathes of oxygen into his anxiously awaiting lungs. And his heart is still pumping, and beating, and driving the O2 rich blood pounding through every vessel in his body just as fast as Yohan is able to breathe it in.

To his right, Usain’s eyes are closed in a meditative state. They were both raised in the same small village, and grew up enjoying the simple things in life such as fresh linens to sooth their weary bodies, or a cool glass of water on a sweltering day. And the two had trained, bled, ate, and struggled together as they battled under the hot sun of their Jamaican homeland in preparation of this moment. But here and now, they were both prepared to kill each other for the glory of gold; unspoken, yet understood.

And as Yohan squinted his eyes, he could peer exactly 100 meters ahead to his destination. 100 hundred meters bathed in the illumination of the massive floodlights, and spectated by millions around the globe. 100 meters to give meaning to all he had worked for. It was time, as the speakers behind him bellowed out, “TAKE YOUR MARKS…”

But for a moment so significant in his life, it was just like the hundreds of other races he had accumulated in his history. And as he had done so many times before, the starter’s gun sent Yohan’s massive legs exploding off the block like two hydraulic pistons as he pumped them with such force that they were driven deep into the earth with such magnitude that the planet’s rotation was seemingly altered, if only but an inch. And with each stride, he swung his arms forward with great power and purpose like a great pendulum on an old grandfather clock counting down the precious few seconds he had remaining to overtake his compatriot. For Usain had begun to pull away from the pack, and for him there would be no looking back as he took the gold in the men’s 100 meter. It was his destiny from the beginning, and everyone knew it.