Dallas Mavericks Win Their First Ever Championship

The first five minutes were fast-paced and just as we expected them to be. Both teams came out with bundles of energy, but most notably, LeBron James seemed to have that energy that everyone accused him of lacking. The Heat were penetrating easily, and getting second chance opportunities. The Mavericks didn't look too shabby themselves, with Jose Barea doing his work on the inside, both hitting shots and dishing dimes. Shawn Marion continued to make his circus shots, but Dirk Nowitzki started off cold, missing his first two attempts.

Dirk picked up his second foul midway through the first quarter, but have no fear. Because when Jason Terry entered off the bench, the offense lit up a little, and he hit back-to-back baskets, the second of which was a three. What was a seven point game when he came in was cut to just two. The JET came into game six with the right mentality, and it spread to the other players on the floor. Even Brian Cardinal forced a turnover and hit a three of his own. The Mavericks finished the quarter on a 21-4 run, leading 32-27.

Dirk returned to start the second quarter, and immediately missed a three-point basket. Ian Mahinmi was in to start the quarter as well, and managed to hit a turn-around jump shot. Who knew? The most pleasant of all surprises, however, was DeShawn Stevenson. Well, it wasn't really a surprise because we all know how deadly he can be from three, but he was making it rain and extended the lead to 40-28 within two minutes.



But as we all know all too well, this is a game of runs, and the Heat went on an 11-0 run to close the gap to one. Then a three from Eddie House (right?) set something off in the Mavericks, resulting in a skirmish on the court between Udonis Haslem and DeShawn Stevenson. Stevenson gave Chalmers a little shove to the gut, and Haslem got up in his face. Those three players were assessed technical fouls, and since two of the were offset, the Mavericks shot one free throw. Dirk went to the line and hit it for the Mavs.

The momentum looked entirely in the Heat's favor, until Jason Terry checked back in for the Mavericks. With just over two minutes remaining, he hit a huge three, and then drove to the hoop for a nice lay in. He led all scorers with 17 points. The scored stayed in the same place for almost the remainder of the quarter, that is until JET hit ANOTHER jump shot. He committed a foul on the other end, sending Chalmers to the line with 21 seconds left in the half. The quarter ended with a missed three from Dirk, and they went into the locker room up two.

On the first play of the second half, Dirk hit a jump shot, and Mavericks fans had a collective sigh of relief. He hit another jumpshot after forcing a turnover on the other end, and the lead extended to five. Then little Barea returned to form, hitting a ridiculous shot, getting all kinds of surprised sounds out of the crowd. On the other end, he ended up on James, a mismatch made in hell, but forced James into an offensive foul. With five minutes left in the third, Nowitzki FINALLY hit a three pointer, giving the Mavericks a six-point edge.

Making a strong statement in the third quarter was Cardinal, who was committing hard fouls, trying to send some kind of message. And continuing his absolutely ridiculous game was Jason Terry, who apparently isn't keen on having his tattoo removed. However, probably the biggest help for the Mavericks tonight was the Heat's inability to make their free throws. They went into the final period up by nine after Ian Mahinmi hit a jumper to beat the buzzer.

The fourth quarter started with the Heat making a few buckets, but they couldn't hit a free throw to save their lives, and the Mavericks continued to make shots. Terry and Barea were simply unconscious and totally immune to the raucous crowd. Every so often, you could hear the Dallas fans chanting "Let's Go Mavs!" over the din. The Heat were desperately trying to orchestrate a comeback, and they were hitting shots here and there, just enough to keep the fans in the game. With 5:32 left to play, the Mavericks were holding on to a 94-87 lead.

With the clock ticking down, Dallas defense took on a new level of insane, forcing turnovers and blocking shots. They even managed some second chance points thanks to a few offensive rebounds. The Mavericks began playing with the clock, running it down before they took their shots. They had a nine point lead with just under three minutes to play, and then Dirk, with hands in his face, hit a beautiful jump shot. It was at this point that Heat fans quietly began to file out of the arena.

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you, your 2011 NBA Champions, the Dallas Mavericks.

university of phoenix

From 2003 to 2006, I took classes at the University of Phoenix Online with the eventual grant of a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree. After receiving the degree, I wrote about my experiences with the school in a five part series. For some background, read the series in these parts: The Decision, Admissions, Course Logistics, Curriculum, and The Team Experience. At the time, I planned to extend the series to share my thoughts on dealing with the administration and financial aid, but the will to continue to series waned, and I ended the series with just five articles, more than enough to give readers an adequate picture of completing this degree.

The University of Phoenix Online is a “for-profit” school, and by this virtue, there isn’t much respect for the school in the academic community — a community that also looks for profit despite “not-for-profit” status with the government. Most of the derision is not deserved, but that is the state of the community today, and it is not changing. There are, of course, other differences between The University of Phoenix and a traditional research-focused university, and those can’t be ignored. The question is whether they matter.

I should also point out what the University of Phoenix Online is not: It is not a research-based institution, which means that they don’t provide grants to professors, faculty, or graduate students to embark on studies that advance the field of knowledge in any particular academic area. It is also not a diploma mill; I am not familiar with the experience at this University at the undergraduate level, but with the MBA I pursued, the courses generally increased in difficulty to the point where at the end of my studies, the only classmates who survived were very knowledgeable in their own fields, mostly upper-level executives in major companies or entrepreneurs who ran their own businesses, and at least twice my age. (I was thirty when I received my degree.) These MBA degrees were not handed out willy-nilly to anyone who paid the price of tuition.

In terms of tuition, the courses were not inexpensive. I wouldn’t have enrolled in the first place if my employer didn’t offer to pay for almost all of the costs. In fact, I was more interested in furthering my education in any way possible; my employer would only pay for a master’s degree in business.

As I mentioned in the article about my decision to earn an MBA at this school, I had my first exposure to online-based learning models for higher education through a graduate program at the University of Delaware in 1998. The concept of meeting with professors and classmates online and using the internet to facilitate learning was not new to me in 2003 when I enrolled at the University of Phoenix Online. I knew that most people didn’t understand the concept of earning a degree online and there were still strong misconceptions. I saw the trend of other, more reputable schools beginning to imitate the University of Phoenix Online model, so I assumed that within a few years, this type of learning would be more mainstream.

Time has shown that this assumption was wrong. People generally still do not respect “online degrees,” particularly not from schools whose organization is a for-profit public corporation.

At the same time, more people were earning MBA degrees than ever before, leading others to question the value of this degree regardless of the name of the school. For me, an MBA was the best way to continue my education and earn a new degree spending very little money. I could continue to spend my time working at my day job, building Consumerism Commentary and other online projects, and perhaps learn information that would help me with both of those aspects of my life.

If I had waited another year before embarking on this journey, I might have seen more traditional schools offering similar programs and chosen to attend online classes offered by a more reputable institution.

Today, the content I learned during these MBA courses has been somewhat helpful, but not essential, to where I am today. I gained some insight about operating a business and decision making, but I might have just as well come to the same conclusions through working experience. The team environment within the courses did provide unique opportunities for dealing with uncooperative teammates and resolving conflicts, skills which should be useful when working with others, but I have to say I have met few people as useless as the teammates in the first few courses at the University of Phoenix Online. The skills I learned in conflict resolution in the class helped more with dealing with the university’s financial aid department than dealing with anyone outside of the university.

In all seriousness, most of what I learned through these classes I could have learned on my own but didn’t; being in an organized class thrust the knowledge upon me. The classes didn’t get really interesting until the last few, in which the coursework pertained to meaningful executive-level decision making through simulations, case studies, and discussions with classmates who had vast experience to share.

If I were given the opportunity to earn an MBA today with the goal of getting a great job at a company that respects MBA degrees in general, all other things being equal, I’d choose a top school. If the flexibility of taking classes online is important and I had no concern for the additional work that is required to succeed in a virtual environment, only then would I choose an online program. If I were to consider price alone without the need for any perceived prestige, I would choose the school that offers the degree for the best cost. With any degree, the level of education you receive corresponds to the amount of effort you put into the academic portion of taking the class, so if the only consideration is the knowledge and you enjoy the type of guidance that comes through a structured degree program, then any degree program will do.

If you want to be loved by Human Resources departments, list a top school on your résumé and don’t include the word “online.” If you plan to succeed on your own terms, do whatever you like. Either way, always continue learning.

Published or updated May 23, 2011. If you enjoyed this article, stay up-to-date with more like this for free! Use your favorite RSS reader to subscribe to the RSS feed or receive daily emails. Follow @flexo on Twitter and visit our Facebook page for more updates.

The Torah in Haiku: B'haalot'cha

The Torah in Haiku: B'haalot'cha And complained to Moses
With Aaron, the brother of
I left us to wonder
Results for Aaron?
There seems to be

Ice-T Renews ‘Law & Order: SVU’ Contract For Two More Years

It has signed and regular special Victims Unit Ice-T for two years as Detective Tutuola: law and order that a long time. Does this mean that the University will continue to stand once Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay go?

Tracy "Ice-T" The core of Finland Tutuola on Special Victims Unit for eleven years and joins the cast in Season 2, which makes it a long series of "ongoing work of the team members. In the month last was announced, would be Christopher Meloni, who played Detective stable since the series began, not back for season 13. It will just play Detective Benson Mariska Hargitay, half of the new season, and probably will not year next.

Dianna Agron – “Likes Girls” Statement

Dianna Agron  Is esterday 11 June, and we were dealing with the latest of our country, Toronto! We finished the ceremony and the first of the day, and I was on the verge of minutes to relax before taking the second. On the way to the locker room, I have a pile of shirts listed on the Stock Exchange. Like the white shirts and after that wore in the performance set to Lady Gaga "was born in this way."
I was not raised in the family, which accept the prejudice or hate. Therefore, I would like to thank my mom and dad every day. Look, we are human, we make mistakes. I would like to shout from the rooftops that I'm not perfect. If I would be forever. But I can say fortunately far as I know, I never intentionally cause people pain. I love my family and my friends and my colleagues at work ... It consists of both girls and boys. I tell them I love them. Yesterday, while in the second display, instead of wearing the shirt during my usual "I was born" I have decided to say "keep the girls" to wear. It should be "like girls" because I do not. Women in my life that give me the things that the men in my life can not. And vice versa. No, I'm not a lesbian, but if I had, and I hope that people in my life that can embrace it wholeheartedly. Let me tell you, I could easily spend a (very comfortable) that I admire and respect and think is fun for all the women in my life. Piece of cake!

Jessica Biel dating Colin Farrell?

Jessica Biel dating Colin Farrell He said essica Biel and Colin Farrell has enjoyed several dates, after the close friendship group aan'n striking in Total Recall. Jessica Biel and ... More.

What do you think this gossip about Jessica Biel, Colin Farrell dating? Have your say below ..

The Montreal Fringe Festival, Day 1, Part 1: Austen for the Attention-Impaired

Austen for the Attention-Impaired Officially on the sidelines for a week, but the theater products really got rolling last night. The nice thing about this festival is that there are many places, usually in the same region (and especially if jy'n bike and stay sober enough to drive it), so I planned to start the evening with "interesting people to Austin, I would get myself a little weak and review clean write ...
It was 18:00 in the first end of the de Mel trunk. This means that I could get my ticket to 17:00 Instead, there is still time to drink before the stage at the end of tilt. Many of the yard, and just in time for happy hour. And men against an article a little late, but you are traveling to Barmacie Baldwin - only 5 minutes on foot - more than enough time to get the amounts of the cocktail. Of 5:15 was put on the list of bar hot rotating against the president.
You may have heard this place was expensive. Make known to their products confused and shaken to the $ 10 - $ 12 with group names as beautiful as RéalRegate (a mixture of rum and fresh lemon juice and not the pressure of fresh pressed cranberry juice - citrus only gets the royal treatment), I am not a drink I think is now working in the data Finance can not afford. Campari, soda and grapefruit juice easily in the $ 5.

dianna agron

Dianna Agron wore a “Likes Girls” t-shirt during the Glee cast performance of “Born This Way” on their Toronto tour stop tonight, resulting in an explosion on twitter of peeps speculating that Dianna had perhaps come out as a lesbian.

C’mon.  If the Glee star was a lesbian who had made the decision to come out, she’d do it in a front page exclusive with People magazine–not on some dumb t-shirt IN CANADA NO LESS.  Take a minute to THINK PEOPLE. Lulz.

For those of you who don’t follow Glee–on the “Born This Way” episode, the kids sang the GAGA anthem wearing t-shirts that declared something about themselves that set them apart from others.  “Lucy Caboosey” is Dianna’s usual slogan–a mean nickname kids called her in middle school when she used to be fat.

Ice-T Signs On, Could Det Benson Get Female Partner?

With Chris Meloni out and Mariska Hargitay back part-time, Law & Order: SVU has locked co-star Ice-T full-time for next season. And the following one, if the veteran crime drama is renewed for a 14th season. Ice-T made the announcement on Twitter this morning. “I’ve just locked in my new SVU deal,” he wrote. “So I’ll officially be back for the next 2 years at least. DONE.” Meanwhile, the search continues for Meloni's replacement. It is still in a wish-list stage, and I hear there is even a scenario where the new lead would be female, working alongside Hargitay's Det. Olivia Benson. As for Jennifer Love Hewitt, who had been talked about as a potential new addition when Hargiay scales back her duties in the second half of the season, I hear that is not happening.

24 hours of le mans

In little less than 12 hours from now, 56 cars in 4 classifications will make their ways around Circuit of the Sarthe for the more renowned race in motor sport, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. At an average speed of 130 miles per hour, along with the course’s twists and turns, its proven to be a difficult competition to track by spectators, even with the latest advancements in optical technology. To assist the process of recognizing and cheering on your favorite team, Andy Blackmore Design, in conjunction with Nissan, assembled the 24 Hours of Le Mans Spotter Guide for the 2011 race. Detailed facsimiles of 56 cars classified by car numbers, there is a further itemization for each from category (color code), team, car model. drivers, to even their tires.  Different versions are available – a low-res for quick references, a high-res edition for print out, to a PDF form for iPhone or iPad, all can be found on SpotterGuides.com.  A handy tool to have for any racing fans

nascar schedule

TNT and NASCAR.COM are set to wave the green flag on the network’s 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series coverage debuting on Sunday, June 12 at Pocono Raceway with enhanced features and more interactivity on television and online to provide fans with the most comprehensive multi-platform NASCAR experience possible.

This year, TNT RaceBuddy on NASCAR.COM will return with twice as many camera views as last year including two mosaics for fans to choose from. Also, the network will debut Inside Trax, offering fans exclusive audio and video from select crew chiefs and their teams each race.

Wide Open Coverage returns for TNT’s marquee primetime race in Daytona on Saturday, July 2 and will feature the first-ever NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway in primetime on Saturday, July 9.

TNT RaceBuddy on NASCAR.COM returns to provide live companion coverage online with an expanded application. This season, fans can choose from a total of ten camera views, twice as many as last year, including two Mosaics.

Eight individual camera angles include four In-Car Driver Cams, up from one cam last year, two Battle Cams highlighting head-to-head competition between drivers, a Backstretch Cam and a Pit Road Cam.

The two Mosaic Views allow fans to view four streams at once. Returning features to the site include the DVR Function, an Enhanced LIVE Leaderboard and RaceView’s position tracker:

Fans can also connect throughout the race on Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo! Messenger and MySpace ina seamlessly integrated social media experience.

Gabrielle Giffords Making Remarkable Progress

One of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords' closest friends in Congress is impressed by Giffords' "remarkable progress" from her shooting in January.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said during an appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that she had a "wonderful conversation" on the telephone with Giffords on Wednesday.

Wasserman Schultz, a Florida Democrat, said Giffords spoke in full sentences and initiated some of conversation instead of just responding, as she had done in the recent past.

Giffords was shot in the head during the attack at a constituent event in Tucson, Ariz., on Jan. 8. Six people were killed and 13 were injured.

The Arizona Democrat has been in a Houston rehabilitation facility since two weeks after shooting. The first photographs of the congresswoman since the tragic event were released on Sunday.

The photos showed how far she has come since she was wounded in the left side of her forehead, but her spokeswoman, Pia Carusone, has cautioned that Giffords still has a long way to go in her recovery.

Finding Nemo 1

Nemo, a boy clownfish, coral and swimming in his home. Looking for his father, who were looking for .....

Best view in the form of large size
All rights reserved. . And enjoy all my pictures by international law, may not be the author of the book is downloaded, reproduced, copied, transferred, or manipulated without written consent.

Rite Aid and Wal-Mart fliers June 11

Rite Aid  My sales and make for Monroe, Mich., and the region. Please check my grocery store database of local politics, sale flight schedules and other details:
The following ads are beginning to extend edition Monroe Evening News:
  Rewards of up to a week will strengthen the arm and hammer toothpaste and Pepsi. Rite aid does not double coupons, but there are different directories on what you can earn savings, so it's worth adding to your reading list.

Second Audi crashes at 24 Hours of Le Mans

The incident marred the last great run of Le Mans 79 Audi 24 hours. Hours after exposure to severe Audi Ext Allan McNish and Mike Rockenfeller R18 sister, who was the second year at the time, he was involved in a collision between a large Mulsanne and Indianapolis.

Race Control immediately a car safety in trucks, ambulances and recover quickly on the scene, which scattered debris over a wide area.

2011 24 Hours of Le Mans mid-race update

Well, it's not exactly in the middle of the road in the 201 124 hours of Le Mans (there is a little over 12 hours to go at this time) but we have a new set of photos of Drew Phillips ready to read. Taken as the sun began to decline, and the exhibition contains less than a good mix of cars from all classes.
As you've probably seen now, Audi has two of his three cars. Allan McNish in Audi R18 TDI # three collapsed in spectacular fashion during the first hour of the race. Although the car was completely destroyed, he safely Ext. Then, # 1, and then the Audi R18 driver Mike Rockenfeller of a clash on the night of a very terrible to him, and after contact with the # 71 Ferrari in the Mulsanne straight. Rockenfeller also emerged from his car after that. In contrast to the steady reduction in the arm, he is okay, but the hospital overnight for observation. This is good news for drivers on the Audi involved in accidents and a few scary.
As of 8:20 Eastern, in spite of bad luck so far, Audi leads Le Mans being R18 TDI # 2 to # 9 7 # 908s and Peugeot in LMP1. Rising gasoline-powered driving force behind this LMP1 Pescarolo # 16 Pescarolo grandfather of the group. GTE is a leader in the Pro # 74 Corvette Racing C6.R. In LMP2, # 41 April Graves Motorsports Zytek at the beginning. 

Japanese Martial Art, Kendo

Japanese Martial Art, Kendo, which means "by the sword" can not trace their roots all the way back to the Middle Ages and is often associated with the legendary Samurai warriors. Also approached the modern era, and denied Samurai Kendo principles class made its way to the application of the law and, ultimately, a sport very enjoyable.
Today, Kendo training makes use of protective equipment and shinai (bamboo sword), which allow workers to achieve by force. Certainly it adds a real element of safety still in mind.
Such as Karate and Kendo kata is also used, but unlike Karate, usually done by two people attack and defense, to show.

Neil Patrick Harris Twins in Costumes

Neil Patrick Harris appeared Thursday night on Late Show with David Letterman.  He spent a fair amount of time gushing about his adorable 8-month old twins Gideon and Harper.

The actor and his partner David Burtka have started dressing the kids up in holiday-themed costumes for photo sessions.  He explained: “We take one picture a month.  We’re doing a calendar, so that when they’re older, we can humiliate them.”

The How I Met Your Mother actor brought along the first three images to share with the audience:  a St. Patrick’s Day leprechaun inspired pose, an Easter bunny pic and a festive Cinco de Mayo scene, featuring one twin sporting a mustache and the other a unibrow.

Letterman got a big laugh when he pointed out the obvious: “You know that babies are more than party props?”

NPH feigned confusion: “Are they?  You, mean, you don’t dress up your son Harry in funny outfits?

judy moody and the not bummer summer

Megan McDonald’s third-grade spitfire Judy Moody makes her moody leap from the page to the big screen with much of the spit, if not her fire, intact.

“Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer” is a mild-mannered kids’ comedy that makes for a pleasant-enough time killer. All garish colors, small-scale sight gags and kid-friendly one-liners, it lacks the same comic spark that a recent “Wimpy Kid’s” second diary also failed to deliver.

One thing Judy (Jordana Beatty) is not is wimpy. A tornado on a Spider Bike, a riot of noise and impulsiveness topped by an impossible mop of ginger hair, she’s the one who organizes a contest so that she and her friends don’t face another summer of “snoresville.” She comes up with challenges — theme park rides to be conquered, scary movies to be endured, surfing skills to be mastered (they live in coastal Virginia), “ride an elephant” — stuff like that. Accomplish a goal, earn “thrill points.”

But before Judy can put her thrill points contest into motion, best pal Rocky (Garrett Ryan) is off to circus camp. That’s a thrill-point victory all by itself. Amy (Taylar Hender) traipses off to Borneo. And Judy’s own parents flee to California, leaving her free spirit Aunt Opal in charge. What can one do with  “Aunt Awful” around?

Heather Graham is that unknown aunt, a wandering artist with no driving or housekeeping skills. Opal gets Judy and her younger brother Stink (Parris Mosteller) into the arts. But she’s not much help at adding to Judy’s thrill points collection.

Stink and his ongoing Big Foot obsession are the movie’s comic highlights. Most of the adults in this are drab in the extreme, though Graham gamely tries to give Opal a loose-limbed hippy-trippy streak. Jaleel White scores as the beloved third-grade teacher, a guy given to breaking out the old banjo as he gives his class a challenge of his own — track him down and figure out what he’ll be doing this summer, based on his clues.

Director John Schultz (“Like Mike”), working from a script co-written by the novelist McDonald, can’t make many of the gags — vomiting on a roller coaster, a fanciful hunt for “Big Foot,” assorted pranks and a car chase — deliver big laughs.

But Beatty has a winning way with various Judy-isms — No, Stink, she doesn’t want your “ABC Peas, already been chewed.” When she moodily doesn’t like something, which is often, “It stinks on ice.” And the odd throwaway line lands. Amy’s new to their club and needs initiation. “Quick, find a toad.” (Don’t ask).

“Not Bummer Summer” doesn’t add up to a bummer itself. But with summer kids’ entertainment, you ought to be able to say a lot more for it than “it’s harmless.”

MPAA Rating: PG, for mild rude humor and language.

Cast: Jordana Beatty (Judy Moody), Heather Graham (Aunt Opal), Preston Bailey (Frank), Jaleel White (Mr. Todd)

Credits: Directed by John Schultz, written by Megan McDonald and Kathy Waugh, produced by Sara Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness. A Relativity Media release. Running time: 1:31.

A Blessed Pentecost Sunday

Holiday Happy Birthday! I learned in second grade - so I know it to be true - and this is a feast of Pentecost this is the day that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit on the disciples and his mother, and give them the courage and wisdom, "the anniversary of the church." Enthusiasm for the implementation of the last decade, he gave them nine days ago when he ascended to heaven, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations. Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28: 19). Work of the church.
You and I am grateful to the heirs. Our price is part of the church. Catholic belief is that "the pearl of great price," which we consider, and walking over our heads, and often at the expense of great sacrifices by our fathers and grandfathers. The spicy scene of New York with large congregations, churches and communities founded by our grandparents, great for this country in the eyes of the world's poor, but rich in the eyes of faith. They brought with them a treasure Catholic faith. Along with the family, their church is of great importance