With the NBA season creeping up, who are the contenders?

The NBA season is quickly approaching, and numerous teams have acquired key players to help their chances in the playoffs. The most improved, I would have to say is the Houston Rockets. Being born in Houston, this is the year we are going to win the championship. 

With the acquisition of Ron Artest and sharp shooter Brent Barry, the Rockets have finally found the right pieces of the puzzle to support Yao and T-mac. Artest has the ability to score and take the pressure off T-mac. He brings that swagger we need to become a championship contender. Barry can drill threes and open the post for Yao. Also, with Barry's lethal shooting, pressure with be taken off Rafer and T-mac to score. With other key players such as Shane Battier, a lock down defender, Luis Scola, Rafer Alston, the starting point, and Carl Landry, the Rockets have a talented roster with Championship potential. Compared from last year we have only gotten better and our young talents such as Aaron Brooks, Luis Scola, and Carl Laundry have had the chance to ripe into good NBA players. 

Teams out of the western conference that might have a chance are the LA Lakers. With Kobe leading the way, the lakers are always a threat. The Portland Trailblazers are a young team with a lot of young talent. If their stars start playing well, this is a team you do not want to face in the playoffs. Another team that has potential this season is the New Orleans Hornets. Led by Chris Paul, this team is also a young team but they proved themselves unlike the Trailblazers. If New Orleans gets hot, they are another team that could ruin your playoff hopes.

The Eastern Conference has also done a lot of improving during the off season. The Celtics, last years champs, have the hopes of repeating but the rockets will ruin their dreams. The Cavaliers should step it up under the leadership of Lebron James. The Detroit Pistons are another solid team that revolves around their defense. If they stop you defensively, the opposing team has no chance of winning. 

With so many teams making strides to improve, I guarantee that this year is going to be an exciting one. Go Rockets!

Improved Technology is ruining face to face communication!

Recently I was on a trip with some friends, and I was addicted to my computer. All I did in the hotel room was stay online and look at facebook. My friends kept saying that technology was ruining communication, but I always believed that it was improving it. The irony of improvements to communication devices ruining communication, didn't make sense to me. After I thought about it, they were right, with improvements in phones, computers, and internet, we don't need to go out and meet everyone. We can talk to whoever we want as long as their online! Examples of how technology is ruining communication, is when your walking down the street and you see someone you know but your not really friends with and you pull out your cell phone and act like something is happening to avoid talking to them. I've seen this happen, I've even done it! Another is when some people chat a lot online but, when you see them in person they don't say a word. I've witnessed both situations and they are detrimental to our social lives. Facebook is one of the main reasons our social lives are going down! People stay up all night just to see people photos or chat with their friends. But they cut off all other when their on facebook. some people can stay on facebook for hours when they could go and meet that person face to face. Because of modern technology, communication in the form of dates are not as popular. Now you can either call or facebook that person to see whats been going on.