Think with no Boundaries!!

EPL vs. La liga

noreply@blogger.com (Armando) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:16:00 +0000

The European leagues are already starting, some already have, and as always there is great debate among fans as to what country has the best league in the world? This is a very tough question because each league is unique and possess a certain style of play that makes it hard for an honest comparison. However, the Champions League is often used as a measure since it includes the winners of every league. For the last couple years the British teams have dominated and so the EPL has been regarded as the best league in Europe: Last year for instance there were 3 EPL teams vs 1 La Liga team in the semi-finals. Judging by the recent transfer window, it looks like the EPL will once again battle La Liga for the title. Barcelona is the last winner and is looking to improve its squad with players like Ibrahimovic and possibly the return of prodigal son Fabregas. Real Madrid on the other hand has embarked on a spending spree that has seen them splash nearly 300 million euros in fantastic players like Kaka and Ronaldo. The big four from England have lost some players, mainly to La Liga, but have added others and all look like will be in good shape; only Arsenal could see its spot lost, with Manchester City claiming it. In Italy Inter looks strong with the recent purchase of Etoo'o and maybe some Real players. Juventus has also improved their team roster with players like Diego and Felipe Melo, and AC Milan are in a restructuring phase. The Italians look strong but not like in previous years when they dominated. If they are to win they will have to avoid the big teams until the semi-finals unlike last year when they were all eliminated the British Armada. The other leagues have good teams but none that can compare to the ones already mentioned. Unless a big surprise occurs in this incoming season, the title will be once again battled between the Spanish and British super powers. Personally I would love to see Barcelona hold on to their title at the Bernabeu against its hated arch-rivals Real Madrid. Regardless of the winner, this competition will be a great appetizer before the World Cup.

Can Spain win South Africa 2010?

noreply@blogger.com (Armando) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:55:00 +0000

In all its football history, Spain has always been a big disappointment in big tournaments such as the World Cup. They always arrive as one of the favorites, with great players, but when it is time to deliver, they always fail. Will this time be any different? I think the anwer is yes. Spain already demonstrated in the last Euro cup that this new generation of players has the mentality, the attitude, and the ambition to be protagonists and winners. Not only that, but they have a good coach, and a great system of play suited to their abilities. Lately Del Bosque has shied away from the tiqui-taca a little bit and that seems not to be helping them out much. In the last game against Macedonia they were down 2-0 in the first half but when the coach decided to play the style that has won them world acclaim and a Euro Cup, the team came back to win 3-2. I think that if they continue to play in that form and Andres Iniesta has an injury-free season Spain will be one of the favorites. Their defeat against the USA came at the right moment: It may have ended an undefeated 15 game streak but it helped them realize that they still can improve and that if they are serious about winning the World Cup they will need to elevate their game even more. Their aspirations also rest on Iniesta who I think is one of the best midfielders in the world. He has vision, an excellent passing ability, and can dribble like few. He has always been my favorite Barcelona player along with Messi and believe that Spain's chances of winning the Cup depend largely on him and his partner Xavi.

Barcelona must win Super Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Armando) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:41:00 +0000

The Super Cup is fast approaching and Barcelona must win it if they want to start the season with the right foot. Barcelona already defeated Athletic Bilbao in the King's Cup final but they will surely want revenge. Barcelona has everything they need in order to secure the first trophy of the season but it would be a mistake to underestimate Athletic. They don't possess the firepower that Barcelona does but have a very good and talented team. Florentino and his "Galacticos" have usurped the headlines from Barcelona this summer with all the mega stars the Real president has brought to the Bernabeu so this will be a perfect opportunity to get them back without having to spend millions on top-rated footballers. If Barcelona loses the cup Madrid will seize the opportunity to put presure on them and that could cost them once the league begins. If they win however, it will confirm that they are still hungry for success and send a clear message to Kaka and Ronaldo that the La liga title and the spotlight will be Barca's once again.

Mexico back on track for South Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Armando) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 01:23:00 +0000

A few weeks ago it seemed as though Mexico's chances to go to South Africa were slim at best. The general consensus was that only a miracle would rescue their aspirations to qualify for the next World Cup. And indeed the miracle happened and Mexico defeated its archrivals USA on Wednesday and now look in good shape to qualify for South Africa. The game itself was not great but was very intense and full of emotions. When Davies scored the first goal for the Americans it seemed as though Mexico was doomed but a great goal a minutes later saw them get back in the game. This was in my opinion the defining moment. The USA failed to capitalize on an early lead, just like in the game against Brazil in the Confederations cup, and Mexico kept calm, unlike in many numerous occassions, and continued playing its game knowing that the equaliser would come soon. In the second half it was obvious that the altitude and the atmoshphere were taking its toll. The USA players looked tired and in many occassions failed to get back the ball quickly and when they did they lost it: The Aztec stadium proved once again to be Mexico's best ally. The winning goal was scored by Miguel Sabbah when the game was close to finish alowing Coach Javier Aguirre to breathe a little bit easier and to lift the hopes of an entire country. Mexico now has to prepare its next game and keep the motivation and determination that they showed against the USA if they want a spot in South Africa. If they do they will have no problems to qualify.

Barcelona vs. Real Madrid

noreply@blogger.com (Armando) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:50:00 +0000

My summer is almost over, soon the new school year will start and with it a new season of soccer. The transfer summer has been very active and emotional but nothing beats the actual game, the goals, the fans chanting and yelling to support their favorite team, etc. Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of enjoying a fabulous game, Barcelona vs. Galaxy: A true appetizer before the start of La liga.
La liga is my favorite European league but like many people I'm quite disappointed that the economic crisis and poor management will see many teams struggle to keep up with Barcelona and Real Madrid. Over the entire summer Real have bought many of the best players from each league; Ronaldo, Benzema, Alonso, Albiol, Kaka etc. Meanwhile the other teams have added some players but none that could compare to the names previously mentioned.
Barcelona is still the team to beat and in my opinion will retain the domestic title with Real coming in second. As a Barça fan this thought is quite satifying but nothing would be more glorious and historic that winning the Champions against Real at the Bernabeu: That would truly be mesmerizing and euphoric. For the sake of La liga I hope the other teams can reinforce their squads and maintain good form throughout the season and advance to at least the semi-finals in the Champions, where they will most likely encounter British teams. I personally enjoy the EPL but prefer Spanish teams to win simply because I'm a big fan of the tiki-taka and Andres Iniesta. I can hardly wait for the new season but I suppose I should also be getting ready for school. Well that can wait a little. Visca Barça!!!!

Valentine's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Armando) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 15:58:00 +0000

So with a battered economy, a world about to crumble financially, thousands without jobs, endless congressional battles over how to fix the economy, and a list of problems longer that the amazon river, should we even celebrate Valentines' day? Should the world leaders stop for a minute and celebrate love and friendship rather than continue their creation of ingenious ideas to save our world? The answer to the first question is a resounding an absolute "YES". Love is an intrinsic human emotion that drives us to be the best of us, or god forbid to go psycho sometimes. It is a quality that often heals our wounds and sparkles our imagination. It is simply the best thing we have and the only way we could ever save our country and our world. Forget about "hope", all you need is "love" said John Lennon once. Jesus himself said we should love each other and that would solve all our problems. So with this in mind, I would like to propose my own stimulus plan. What does it consist of? Simple, take all the love savings you have in your inner account and spend it like crazy. Invest it in a future possible gorgeous girlfriend, allocate a big chunk to your family and friends (without being too gay of course). Diversify your portfolio: Invest love in people you don't know. Donate a percentage so you could get a tax deduction. Reinvest that big IRS love check. Don't just love"American": Love your fellow foreign countries, even the French. Increase the minimum love salary exponentially until you don't want more of it. Let the unions get as much love as they want to. Ban love tariffs across the globe. Abolish the love tax starting with the next tax season. Get rid of all currencies and make love the new one with 0% inflation or deflation. Eliminate the federal reserve: There is no such thing as reserving love, we are going to spend it and invest it all. This is basically the gist of my plan. You may be wondering about the cost so here is a breakdown. Total cost to the taxpayer, $0. Total increase to the national debt, $0. Amount given to special interest groups, $0. I know this is a working draft plan that will require input from all parties but it's a good start.
With respect to the second question, the answer is a definite "Hell no". Our leaders must work day and night on a plan to revitalize this nation. We cannot afford to waste all that brainpower and Ivy-league degrees, and the occasional community college one. Having only one plan is usually not a good idea so while "liberals and conservatives" of all denomination work on their own plan I recommend us "Americans" to work on my own plan. Having said that I hope everyone that reads this blog (Mike and my brother, and the occasional lost soul) a happy Valentine's day.

Change is here!!!!: Let's hope we are also ready to change

noreply@blogger.com (Armando) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 17:49:00 +0000

It has finally happened; the first African American has been sworn into office and with that we begin a new chapter in American History. Throughout his campaigning, Barack ran under the mantle of change and hope. Few can argue that he is a charismatic and skillful orator as well as a respectable human being. However, we will now see if he can really deliver on his promises of fixing the nation and unite us all as well as repairing the image of our country abroad. Whether one is a liberal or a conservative, a rather narrow view of Americans in my opinion, there is no question that there are many challenges facing us today that require swift and bold action as the president himself has said in many occasions. Yet, that requires smart policies and thoughtful leaders as well as proactive citizens more than sweet words. So will the new president come out as the savior of the nation?, or as the villain who precipitated our demise even more? Personally I think neither will come true. Obama is clearly a smart individual who has surrounded himself with many other talented and experienced people (whether they are the right picks is a different story), but that won't be enough. It will also require a dramatic attitude from us, the citizens of this country, to kick our country back in the right track. We must spend less time watching reality TV shows or other TV programs and read more and learn even more. Many times we blame politicians for the woes of the country but we always forget that we elect them. We also forget that they commit frauds and perpetually disappoint us because we never ask questions. We never fully read propositions or new laws and we are easily swayed by TV ads rather than by logic and healthy debate with fellow Americans. Obama has a plan for America, whether it is good or not time will tell, but one thing is for sure, no matter how many ideas, no matter who they come from, they will not work unless we make them work: We will never accomplish anything meaningful as long as we relegate our responsibilities to our politicians and leaders. Our leaders, and especially our new president, are here to carry out the will of the people, but we must also make sure that our will is reasonable and educated. We cannot let our emotions, biases, or other feelings, speak for ourselves. Neither can we demand something without first giving it some genuine thought and debate. I sincerely hope Obama does a good job, I'm not expecting miracles or anything remotely close to that. What I expect is someone who will put the nation first, the rule of law, and the ideals on which this nation was founded. I expect a president who will listen to new ideas and if they are sound and good will have the character to carry them out. I expect a president that will not go fixing the country by himself but that will engage the rest of us to fix it. I also expect the rest of the government to act on behalf of the people and support Obama when it makes sense to do so, and when his policies are beneficial for us. I also expect them to oppose him when they are pernicious to our country.I expect a president that will accept when he is wrong and quickly correct course. I expect a president that will lay out a good foundation for the economy and other issues that matter to us and not one that will save us in the short term and doom us for the future. Nothing will get done right away but there are certainly ways to start making real change happen. So how do we know that Obama is doing something good for the country? The answer lies in what policies he enacts. Since nothing will improve right away the decisions and laws he puts into effect will give us a good indication. Nevertheless, and this is the gist of it, "We must carefully study those policies and ideas". We must research them thoroughly and not just listen to what the news experts say. More often than not they only give a one-sided version of the truth and usually care more about their own personal gains as well as the success of their network than us. We need to read, read, read, and read even more. Not all of us will understand all of the details but we can certainly grasp more by doing so than when we are being spoon-fed tiny bits of information when they deem appropriate. We all have busy lives, we need to cope with many problems, not just the economy, but if we care about our country, our children, and ourselves, we must do a serious effort. Real change does not come from the outside but from within. Obama may have run under the slogan of change, but now it is up to us, Americans, to carry that slogan to the finish line, and maybe, just maybe, Mr. Obama will meet us there. Real change is up to "US".

A toast to the New Year!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Armando) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 21:48:00 +0000

Well its' finally 2009. 2008 is now a mere recollection of memories, both good and bad. It is the beginning of a new year and with that we all have our hopes and dreams about what it may bring us. There are many serious things that we are keeping a close eye on such as the economy, a new president, the weather, etc. We also have some less global and more personal ones such as keeping our jobs, or finding a new one, being with the family, enjoy good health, etc. Whatever it is I hope that you and your close ones have a great year and fulfill all your dreams and resolutions. Here are some things that I hope come to pass and some of my new year's resolutions and expectations.

1. I hope this year people will be responsible, positive thinkers, and will try to make their house a little better, and that in turn will make a better neighborhood, and so on until this world is a little better.

2. I hope that people realize that a president cannot solve everything and that we all have to make this a better country. With that said I hope the new president will be a decent one and will do whatever it's truly best for the country.

3. I hope this year will see at least 5 to 10% less violence than the previous one. Asking for absoute peace would be fantasizing.

4. I hope this year I can do more exercise and eat less junk food.

5. I hope I keep getting good grades in school or at least not get bad ones.

6. I hope i can see all my family members and friends and enjoy their company.

7. I hope this year all my friends and relatives and anyone who needs a job gets one (including me).

8. I hope i don't get sick and if I do hopefully it won't be serious.

9. I hope no major disasters will occur in the world and if they do mininal casualties should occur.

10. I hope this year will be awesome!!!!

And you, what do you hope or expect from this year?

Time to Reflect

noreply@blogger.com (Armando) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 22:09:00 +0000

As the year nears the end I feel it’s time to reflect upon what this year taught me and the good or not so good things that it brought me. Personally this was a year full of lessons for me, partly because I had to move in more than one occasion for reasons beyond my control, and also because I had a lot of free time and in my boredom I devoted long hours to reading and self-reflection. With respect to moving, I was not saddened by these events as I have learned that stability and security do not come from sitting still. Remaining stationary does not teach us anything about ourselves or our surroundings as our point of reference and hence view never changes. To truly understand the world and ourselves for that matter we need to constantly expand our horizons, to walk in the shoes of others, and to see the world through different eyes.
Throughout my short lifespan I have understood this very well. Some say that we are the senses of the universe and that the universe understands itself through us and other living creatures. If this is true then it makes sense that we can learn more about us by putting ourselves in the shoes of others and looking at things from different perspectives. After all, the universe is a system with constant feedback from us and we in turn receive feedback from it, the more that we change our reference point, the more feedback we get.
The year was also very fruitful and rewarding in other aspects of my life. I had the opportunity to spend time with my nieces and that in itself was the best thing I could have asked for this year. They are a great inspiration and a source of strength; they can turn any suffering into a big smile faster than light can reach my eyes and they also possess a great ability to empty my wallet too hehe. Besides my nieces, I can say it was a great year because my mother and my grandma were with me all the time, not to mention all my good friends and the not so good friends hahaha. I didn’t see my bro this year so that is something that was missing but hopefully next year he’ll be here for a long time.
This year also taught me that I love going to school. Why? You may ask, and the answer is that I love learning but I’m too lazy to do it on my own so school is a good way to force me to do so hehe.
This year was also very hard on many people; some lost their homes and many others their jobs due to a fragile economy and the greed of many others. However, I am confident that we all learned that greed delivers short term richness but prudence, common sense, and sharing with others deliver long term happiness.
I wish all of you a great Christmas and a happy New year and may we start the next year with a big smile.

Barcelona wins the classic and Toluca wins the Mexican First Division League

noreply@blogger.com (Armando) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:39:00 +0000

This was a great weekend to watch football (soccer). On this side of the world we had the Mexican league’s final between Toluca and Cruz Azul. Toluca had previously won the away game 2-0 and had a comfortable lead. Cruz Azul needed to win by 2 goals to force the game into overtime and 3 to win the trophy. Across the Atlantic, Spain’s 2 biggest club and archrivals Real Madrid and Barcelona were playing the classic at the Nou Camp. Real Madrid was coming from a couple defeats and Barcelona from a minor loss in the Champions League due to the coach fielding mostly youngsters and substitutes. The first time however, was massacring pretty much every team they encountered. I watched both games while studying for my upcoming finals, for a soccer fan it would have been a sacrilege to miss these two games. So armed with my books and my laptop I set about on Saturday to enjoy the games and learn as much as I could before I forgot it all.

Cruz Azul forces the overtime but once again it walks away empty-handed
Sunday morning was the decisive day for these two teams. The first segment of the final had been played on Thursday with Toluca beating Cruz Azul 2-0. Cruz Azul played inconsistently throughout the regular season but in the liguilla they got their game together and dispatched all their opponents leaving the impression that this was their year after failing to lift the trophy last season when they lost to Santos. The first half of the game ended 0-0. Toluca maintained its lead and dominance while Cruz Azul was struggling to generate clear scoring opportunities and keep possession of the ball.
For the second half it was all or nothing, the entire season rested on 45 minutes. Despite the odds, they managed to score twice and with that they kept their aspirations alive. It was an intense game but no more goals would come.
It was time for the penalties. Some say it’s all about luck but I agree with those that say it’s about technique. Both teams scored the 5 penalties, something that doesn’t happen that often, and it was time for sudden death. Whoever misses goes home; there are no more second chances. By this time I had my money with Toluca. After seeing how in one penalty the ball hit the horizontal post and then bounced back in after hitting the goalie’s back, I knew that Toluca would take the glory. This is exactly what happened, Cristante stopped the penalty by Vela and with that the game was over. Toluca won the championship and Cruz Azul for the second time in a row walked away with nothing but the satisfaction of making it this far but with the regret of not being first.

Barcelona sinks Real even more and proves it’s the best team in Europe right now
Can anyone beat the Catalans? Apparently not. Real Madrid desperately needed to win in order to keep its title aspirations alive and keep a spot in next year’s Champions League. Barcelona on the other hand wanted some revenge for last year’s defeat to the merengues and to assert themselves as the number one team in Europe and possibly the world. The game started with Barcelona keeping possession of the ball and some good opportunities to score. It was clear that Madrid were more interested in avoiding a massacre than in attacking. Barcelona looked a bit anxious but always stronger than its rival. In the second half, Casillas stopped a penalty to Etoo. Up to that point no one had scored and it seemed as though Madrid were going to walk away undefeated but then Etoo scored along with Messi in the last 10 minutes of the game to seal a clear victory of 2-0. Barcelona is the absolute leader with 12 points of difference with respect to Real. Real moved down to the 6th position right below their other main rivals, Atlético Madrid. For Barcelona the league seems closer than ever, only a tragedy would derail them and deny them the trophy. Now they need to keep the excellent form and level of play they have been displaying and prove they are the best in the Champions League.

Cruz Azul first goal

Cruz Azul Second Goal

Penalties

Barcelona vs. Real Madrid Highlights

The Real Christmas is Back!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Armando) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:13:00 +0000

A few years ago it would have seemed implausible that the entire financial system of the world could be turned completely upside down. For years, Americans have wholeheartedly embraced the concept of credit. It seems as though for a while people actually believed money grew on trees. That’s the only logical explanation to the idea of borrow today and hopefully repay some day. But now that we have been given a reality check and a big slap in the face, we must cope with the situation and learn to save more, invest wisely, and use credit in a responsible manner.
As the holiday season approaches, it is becoming more evident that sales will suffer significantly. The purchasing power of many has been drastically scaled back, not by choice but rather but the current financial realities. This will undoubtedly be clear during the opening-presents time this Christmas as people will spend less time opening gifts than in previous years.

There is no reason to be happy for these terrible times, but it is unavoidable not to mention a positive byproduct of this crisis. Almost anyone would agree that the traditional meaning of the holidays has been severely diminished. Christmas used to be a time in which people would celebrate Jesus birthday, even if all they did was a mere reference to that, a time in which the family would get together to share fond memories, love, and be united. It used to be a joyful experience in which the least important thing was to buy expensive presents for everyone; Presents that sometimes would be inappropriate for the occasion, or simply disliked by the receiver.

This time around, presents will be relegated to a lower priority status, a place that is more fitting. The number one priority should be family and everything the word entails. However, this can also be an opportunity in which gifts can be bought or made with careful consideration and lots of love. The deciding factor when giving something should not be cost or status but rather how the present will help someone else or how it will make their day a little bit happier than the previous one. Here of course happiness is to be taken in a meaningful context and not the greedy type that comes from the pleasure of owning objects that are stylish and pricey; Gifts should make the soul happy.

Gifts as mentioned above pertain to a level of priority and importance below family but I am in no way against the idea of buying presents for people. In fact, buying is good as it creates jobs and helps the economy. However, I do stand against buying expensive gifts when people can’t afford them. There is no reason to go overboard when buying a present. We should give to the extent that our wallets can take it and not a cent more, even if it is a plastic cent. Those credit card purchases should be done if there will be funds to pay it in the near future and not 5 years later and at twice or more the original cost.

Gifts serve as a mere courtesy during the holidays; something that lets others know we thought of them and also something that can be fun. It is like the appetizer before the main meal and it should not be over emphasized. If you can afford it, then by all means buy it. This Christmas buy gifts you can afford and give the one thing that can’t be bought and that is underrated and almost completely ignored by everyone: “LOVE”.

I'm thankful for not having....

noreply@blogger.com (Armando) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 03:09:00 +0000

Hello everybody I'm new to this so I thought I would share something related to the upcoming Thanksgiving's Day.!!!

Everyone likes to give thanks to the things that we have on this day. Unfortunately, we don't do that that every day; it would be great if we thanked life for all the great things that we have everyday and not just once a year, what a great world that would make. Anyways, I decided to twist things a little bit and write about things I'm thankful for not having. So here are ten things I'm glad I don't have,who are arranged in no particular order of importance.

I'm thankful for not having...

1. a brother who is a jack-ass; My brother is awesome, handsome, and of course smart.

2. a cat. I love my dog very much, and I don't like cats since the day one of them kicked my puppy's ass. Sad I know, but hey, he was still only a couple months old.

3. a very expensive car. My 1995 Toyota corolla is still going at about 250,000 miles and I've never had any major troubles with it.

4. a business degree. I love teasing my dad and friends for their business degree. Those in the sciences and engineering know that we like to think of ourselves as better than business majors even do we make less money (maybe we are not so smart after all ha). Talk about irony.

5. a crazy and close-minded mom. My mom is superb, an inspiration for me, too bad we can only have one. I'd sure love to have more than one.

6. fake friends. I have few friends but I know I can count on all of them when I need them.

7. too many nephews. I prefer my nieces, they are so sweet and loving. It almost makes me want to have daughters one day (I'm still hoping for only sons though).

8. too many classes. Man more than 18 quarter units sure it's not fun.

9. a wife. Being single is great, I don't understand how people can live fighting 24 hours a day. Well maybe it's not so bad, plenty of people who are married are extremely happy right?

10. a devastating disease. This I'm especially thankful for not having. I may have a small disability but it's nothing compared to what some people go through. So I especially send a hug and a word of support and encouragement to those who currently have any kind of disease or disability regardless of its seriousness.

So what are you thankful for not having?