Wrestlemania 24 Predictions

It's the biggest event for fans of the WWE. The Superbowl for WWE fans. Nothing can describe the awe and spectacle that plays when Wrestlemania goes live to the millions of wrestling fans worldwide. From Hulk Hogan body slamming Andre the Giant to John Cena winning an upset over Shawn Michaels, Wrestlemania is the biggest, best, and most unpredictable event that the WWE has to offer. These are my Wrestlemania 24 predictions:

ECW Championship: Chavo Guerrero (c) vs. TBD

The winner of the pre-show interpromotional battle royal will go on to face Chavo Guerrero.

Winner: TBD. I think the winner of the battle royal, regardless of who it is, will win the championship. Chavo has had it for a while and I think that the championship will switch hands.

Belfast Brawl: Finlay vs. John "Bradshaw" Layfield

Winner: Finlay. Why? Because his name is Finlay and he loves to fight.

Playboy BunnyMania Lumberjack match: Maria and Ashley vs. Beth Phoenix and Melina
Winner: Maria and Ashley. I think Maria has lost enough and it's time for her to win.

Ric Flair vs. Shawn Michaels

Winner: Shawn Michaels. It has been said this would be Ric Flair's last match forever. Not to mention, the man is nearing an age where it would be impossible to wrestle like he used to. Granted, he's a legend, but all good things must come to an end. It will definitely be an emotional match for all WWE fans.

Umaga vs. Batista

Winner: Umaga. Umaga is in need of a push. Rumor has it, that he is going to be moved to Smackdown to feud with Undertaker. It would be important for Umaga to win so that his push would be more believable. Umaga is also an underrated talent. He's a super heavyweight yet can move faster than some middleweight guys. This should definitely be a powerhouse match.

No Disqualification match: Floyd "Money" Mayweather vs. The Big Show

Winner: Floyd "Money" Mayweather. First off, I don't want Mayweather to win. I don't know how this guy is as a boxer, but in the world of sports entertainment, he is awful. Mayweather has delivered some of the worst promos I have ever seen. I don't think his in-ring skills will be the most fine tuned. Unfortunately, though he will win regardless, even though I am hoping Big Show wins, I know it won't happen.

Money in the Bank ladder match: Mr. Kennedy vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Jericho vs. Carlito vs. Montel Vontavious Porter vs. CM Punk vs. John Morrison

Winner: Chris Jericho. This is a tough one. No doubt if Jeff Hardy hadn't been suspended he would be the winner. But looking at the participants, with the exception of Y2J and Kennedy, none of them has gave me an inkling they have a chance to win. Kennedy has already won the Money in the Bank already, as well, he will be shooting a movie. I think with those odds added up, it will go to Y2J.

World Heavyweight Championship: Edge (c) vs. The Undertaker

Winner: The Undertaker. 15-0 will now be 16-0. Wrestlemania is the Undertaker's show and it's time for him to finally get a championship that he will hopefully not lose in the course of a few months.

Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs. Triple H vs. John Cena

Winner: Triple H. I really hope Randy Orton somehow retains the championship. But I don't think it will happen. At first, I thought John Cena would win, but then a friend of mine reminded me he was filming an upcoming movie. It it hadn't been for that, Cena would be the winner. I do wish I am wrong and hope Randy Orton retains the championship. Hunter and Cena have had their taste of gold numerous times and I wish Orton would be given a chance to keep the championship at least for a few more months.

Border Security Debated at BU

Border Security Debated at BU

By Andrew Benjamin




BOSTON - A somewhat sparse crowd gathered in the Tsai Center to hear six distinguished guests speak on the importance of border security.

Based on the Cambridge-Oxford debate rules, both sides had the chance to explain why they were right, and then there were audience comments and feelings on the issue, then rebuttals from the lead speakers.

In choosing this semester’s topic, moderator Bob Zelnick, a journalism professor, stated that it was chosen after having a discussion with a politically astute friend of his.

“It’s the defining issue about us and who we are, what we are,” Zelnick said, quoting his friend to the 250-plus audience members. “And it will decide the presidential race in more states than any other issue.”

The lead speaker on the side that called for stricter security, Mark Krikorian, executive director of the think-tank Center for Immigration Studies, explained the way to solve this problem was through attrition of businesses and the border through enforcement.

“In our studies, this would create a realistic, gradual reduction in the size of the problem,” he said.

Second-year law student Stephanie Hoffman agreed that securing the borders would quell the vigilante groups at the borders.

Louis J. Barletta, mayor of Hazelton, Pa., spoke of his city’s problems with illegal immigrants. He was also the only speaker on either side to use the term “illegal aliens” to describe illegal immigrants. He mentioned his city was the first to crackdown on businesses and landlords that hired and rented to illegals. He also complained about lack of help from the federal government in dealing with the issue.

“Hazelton was the first city to go after businesses that knowingly hired illegal aliens and fined the landlords who rented to them,” he said. “The government was doing nothing. The drain on our resources was destroying the quality of life in small town America.”
The other side started off with B. Lindsay Lowell, the director of policy studies at the Institute for the Study of International Migration at Georgetown University. He supported border enforcement, but said it has to go beyond that to guest worker problems. “Yes, there are criminals, yes there are bad components, there are a lot of
problems. But they aren’t the majority,” he said. “The majority of these people want to work, and that’s the human dimension we have in mind.”

The student speaker of the negative side, SMG senior Anuj Shelat, reasoned that America had to help the country of Mexico economically to stop the influx of illegal immigrants, citing NAFTA and farm subsidies as problems. “To us, subsidies mean slightly lower prices for food,” Shelat said. “To 15 million Mexican farmers, that means that their livelihoods are being wiped away.”

The last speaker was Shuya Ohno, the director of communications of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition (MIRA). He argued that America has been protecting the borders sufficiently. “Stricter border patrols and workplace enforcement are no longer needed,” he said.

The audience then got to chime in. The most striking speaker was Jim Rizoli of Framingham, Ma on the affirmative side. “The town where I live has been taken over, and no one does anything, including cops,” he said. “It’s a problem no matter what they [the negative side] say, and something must be done and it is not amnesty.”

In the end, Zelnick declared the winner the negative side. Not everyone agreed. “I thought the negative side made good points, but the affirmative side made even better points,” said COM junior Lyle Moran. “The negative side ran too much on emotion and not enough hard facts to back up their claims.”

Jerichoholics turn out to see wrestler - News

Jerichoholics turn out to see wrestler - News: "Jericho "

BOSTONIANS CELEBRATE CHAMPIONSHIP WITH CITYWIDE PARADE

BOSTONIANS CELEBRATE CHAMPIONSHIP WITH CITYWIDE PARADE
By Andrew Benjamin




BOSTON – A lively crowd of the thousands gathered near Fenway Park on a mild, sunny day to celebrate the Red Sox championship win against the Colorado Rockies with a parade.

The audience included people of all ages from babies to senior citizens. As well, blacks, whites, Asians, Indians, and other races mingled with one another with one common connection: to celebrate the win of the Red Sox.

The gatherers eagerly awaited the starting of the amphibious duck boats, which would not only be carrying the baseball players, but the Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys.

Many people came out dressed for the occasion. Most dominant were Red Sox shirts and caps, however there was the occasional atypical style of clothing. One lady paraded around dressed up as a lobster, complete with antennae on her head and claws on her hands.

When the first duck boat started, the crowd went wild with excitement. People started cheering and taking pictures of the baseball players who were riding on the duck boat. As the other boats started to go, chants of “Red Sox” flooded the area.

“I’ve never been happier to be a Red Sox fan,” said Michael Kirzinger of Boston.

“It’s one thing to win once, but another to in a row with a sweep.”

When the boats had gotten through, a small amount of the crowd dispersed, but there were still hundreds who stayed and hundreds more who joined and continued to follow the duck boats up to City Hall Plaza.

At one point, left-fielder Manny Ramirez grabbed a microphone to thank the many Red Sox fans who came out to support the Red Sox.

"You guys are the best fans in the whole world," Ramirez said, which was followed by chants of “Manny.”

When the crowd reached City Hall Plaza, where it frew largest, Jonathan Papelbon, the closer for the Red Sox, slipped on a kilt and did his infamous jig, to the delight of Red Sox fans.

Compared to Sunday’s post-game celebration in Kenmore Square, which led to numerous arrests, today’s’ audience was much calmer and more respectful of the Boston Police Department’s presence. Notwithstanding that, a few arrests were made.

“There’s always going to be at least one out-of-control person who does something stupid and can possibly ruin it for everyone else,” one officer of the Boston Police Department said who asked not to be named.

One citizen of Boston, who came out with her 3-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter (the husband was at work), felt that the crowd was not as rowdy.

“I feel this one was much safer than Sunday’s celebration,” said Michelle, a resident of Boston.

“I made sure that my children were home then and didn’t go outside even though they begged me to.”

When the festivities were over, the crowd dispersed in an orderly fashion. There was no need for police to herd them back the other way. Not all Red Sox fans were done, though. There was another item on the agenda which many fans partook: Free tacos.

BOSTONIANS CELEBRATE RED SOX CHAMPIONSHIP

By Andrew Benjamin

BOSTON - Kenmore Square is reminiscent of those rock concerts with rowdy crowds, crowd surfing, and mass consumption of alcohol beverages. Except those are inside the confines of a building usually.

Hundreds and hundreds of jubilant Red Sox fans crowded Kenmore Square to celebrate the 2007 Red Sox Championship. People of all ages, races, and gender celebrated with one another.
Ear piercing chants of "Let's Go Red Sox!," "Yankees Suck!," and even "Joe Buck Suck!" Joe Buck is a sports broadcaster.

One stout girl goes around double palm slapping everyone yelling "YEAH RED SOX!," and even does so to this reporter among other strangers she encounters.

The crowds are fired up. Crowd surfing is rampant. The girls who crowd surf are even enocouraged to reveal their breasts. "Show your tits!," yells a bearded, burly man of about 2o years of age. "That's what baseball is all about!"

Even the cops, who are armed to prevent anything from getting really rowdy interact with the crowd. Numerous people with their digial cameras and cell phones take pictures of the armed guards, even with some regular citizens posing in the shot. One cop gives the peace symbol to one guard.

To commerate the excitment, unknown persons shoot off fireworks, which brighten the sky with their red and green colors.

Winston Posvar, a BU student who is a senior, is excited just like everyone else. "It isn't like 2004," he said. "But it's still exciting."

Three minutes after he spoke, a friend of his embraced him tightly and roared "We are the champions!"

BOSTON UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR DISCUSSES FAMILY’S IMMIGRATION

BOSTON UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR DISCUSSES FAMILY’S IMMIGRATION
By Andrew Benjamin




BOSTON- Professor Nina Silber of Boston University (no relation to former Boston University president John Silber) rarely ever gets to talk about immigration. As a Civil War professor, she spends her time talking every semester about why Abraham Lincoln was shot. Now it is different, as she is being given the opportunity to speak of how her family came to America and how she feels about the current immigration debate.
Dressed in a neatly ironed informal black jacket, along with a matching skirt, she spoke very clearly and openly about both topics.
“My grandmother on my mother’s side, who I never knew, was born in the country of Moldavia,” she said
“My grandfather on that side parents were born in Lithuania, which I believe borders Moldavia, and I believe emigrated to America when they were teenagers.”
Her grandmother’s family came to Ellis Island, then settled in New York in the late 1800s. Her grandfather was born in the United States.
She believes it was for purely economic reasons that her grandmother’s family came to the U.S. “They were a simple, poor family that just wanted to achieve the American dream just like so many other immigrants,” she said.

Her grandmother’s family eventually opened a bar that has since closed down.
Her family on her father’s side has a different story. “My father’s mother and father were both born in Germany,” she said. “I was told they came here to escape the anti-Semitism that was in Germany, even though it was before the rise of Hitler.”
As for her father’s family, they came to the U.S. and resided in New York, where the family opened a laundromat. That closed down after some time.
Silber, whose name comes from her father’s side, could not remember off the top of her head how her grandmother and grandfather met. “They met sometime in New York during the 1910’s, as far as I can remember.”
Concerning the current immigration situation, Silber considers herself “pretty liberal” on the issue.
“I understand why they come here illegally,” she said. “We have the jobs and opportunity that they don’t have and also don’t pay very well. That’s one of the reasons why my family wound up coming here.”
She also does not have a positive opinion on the new fence that is to be constructed on the Texas border. “I don’t see how a wall does anything. If you look at the history of walls, they just do not work,” she said.
Overall, she said she feels that while there should be border security, there should be no restriction on those who want to immigrate here. “Of course, we should have some type of security that dictates where the border between the countries starts,” she said. “But, we should not go the route of immigration quotas. If someone wants to come here, we should welcome them and give them a path to citizenship.”

BUSH DECLARES PROGRESS IN IRAQ SUCCESSFUL

BUSH DECLARES PROGRESS IN IRAQ SUCCESSFUL
By Andrew Benjamin




BOSTON— Speaking from the Oval Office Tuesday night President Bush gave a televised speech announcing dates to decrease troops in Iraq. The president also commented on the troop surge, proclaiming the “troop surge is working.”

The president cited Anbar province as the best example of progress in Iraq, echoing much of the same findings as General David Petraeus’ September report on the current situation in Iraq.

“I sent an additional 4,000 Marines to Anbar as part of the surge. Together, local sheiks, Iraqi forces, and Coalition troops drove the terrorists from the capital of Ramadi and other population centers,” the president said.

“Today, a city where al Qaeda once planted its flag is beginning to return to normal. Anbar citizens who once feared beheading for talking to an American or Iraqi soldier now come forward to tell us where the terrorists are hiding.”

Bush also revealed dates to start decreasing American troop levels in Iraq. These dates, which the president supported, were recommended by Petraeus

“It will soon be possible to bring home an Army combat brigade, for a total force reduction of 5,700 troops by Christmas,” the president stated.

“And he [Petraeus] expects that by July, we will be able to reduce our troop levels in Iraq from 20 combat brigades to 15.”

Bush, however, made clear that troop withdrawal depends on the success in Iraq.

“The more successful we are, the more American troops can return home,” the president declared.

The president also announced there would be a future report from Petraeus and United States Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker delivered to Congress next March.