Carnival Cruise Catastrophe

How would you like to be lost at sea? For some it sounds like a wild adventure, others may think that sounds like a harrowing ordeal. For 3143 passengers on the Carnival cruise ship Triumph, being lost at sea is exactly what they are experiencing right now. When an engine fire broke out aboard the 102,000-ton ship, it was quickly extinguished, but it seriously damaged the engines, and this left the ship without propulsion. It is now operating on backup power. The passengers have been asked to stay out in the open air or public areas, and not go to their cabins. They are being well taken care of and get their regular meals each day plus refreshments. All passengers will receive a full refund for their voyage. The maintenance crew is working on the engine, and a tugboat has been dispatched. In an update, it has been released that the boat will be towed to Progresso, Mexico, and it is expected to arrive on Wednesday.

The frightening part of this incident is that a very similar thing happened two years ago on another Carnival cruise ship, the Splendor lost all power and was drifting for days. During that time, the passengers lost AC, and working toilets. That would have been even worse than the current incident because there was absolutely no power on board, where here there is at least the emergency power. That boat was towed to San Diego.

Personally, I think that this situation would be terrifying, but also exciting in a way. I have actually been on a Carnival cruise before and while we experienced no problems, I still had a blast playing pirate (I was only five). The passengers sound reasonably comfortable, they don't even have to pay for a cruise that they probably spent some serious dough on, and nobody has been reported to be hurt. Plus, it will be something to tell the grandchildren someday. Unfortunately for the people on the next cruise, they may not get to go because the boat has to be worked upon. The refund is nice, but the cruise would probably be nicer. So what do you think? Would you like to be lost at sea?

http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2013/02/10/carnival-triumph-cruise-fire/1907187/

Ray Lewis Goes Out with a Bang and a Sniffle

Now that the NFL season is over, we now know that Ray Lewis has managed to cap off his crazy run through the playoffs with a Super Bowl win. Regardless of what may or may have not happened in 2000, which ended with a murder trial, this man has been a leader and an inspiration. He has really turned his life around is a powerful man both on and off the field. He is not however, too proud to wear his heart on his sleeve. In fact, he is definitely not afraid to cry before the game, after the game, or anytime really. His mannerisms during the National Anthem of the AFC championship game drew lots of attention for his expression of pure love for his country. After every game he has thanked God for the win...while tears stream down his face. It's a wonderful thing to watch, but it becomes a bit much after a while. It needs to made fun of a little bit. Enter Saturday Night Live.

The skit in question features Kenan Thompson dressed up like Ray Lewis in the black skullcap and the #52 jersey. When asked if he is excited about the Super Bowl, "Ray" immediately breaks down into tears. He also gets very excited when asked what he will do if the Ravens win the Super Bowl. It's a very funny parody that can be viewed here.

When Ray Lewis viewed this skit, can anyone guess what he did? That's right he cried. It wasn't out of sadness or pure emotion though. It was mirth. According to Lewis, "I laughed so hard...I was in tears last night laughing about it." So just to set the record straight, Ray Lewis cried about  Thompson crying who was impersonating Lewis crying. That sounds like some sort of paradox straight from Inception. It's good to know that as serious as the world these days is, humor can still be found.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/01/28/ray-lewis-cry-saturday-night-live/1872843/?morestories=obinsite