Thumbs Up / Thumbs Down

Thumbs Up

BC Hockey - The Eagles routed Providence on Friday and Saturday, winning their quarterfinal matches by a combined 10-2 score. The Eagles all but locked up a spot in the NCAA tournament and move on to face regular-season champ UNH. If you've got a minute, check out Nathan Gerbe's sweet penalty-shot, spin-move goal on YouTube.

Surge - On the one-year anniversary of the "surge" in Iraq, military leaders can point to dramatic progress with fewer bombings and killings all over the country. High costs and serious sectarian divides still plague the country, along with questions of whether the uneasy peace will hold after U.S. troops leave.

Google Android - Google made bold claims that its upcoming Linux-based mobile phone will outperform the wildly successful Apple iPhone. Tech experts speculate that Google's open software could spawn cool third-party applications and pressure Apple to do the same.

Peeps in the Dining Hall - Sugary, marshmellowy goodness brings Easter cheer to students. Try to eat a whole box at once. And no, they are not gross.

Thumbs Down

BC Basketball - After a surprising resurgence against Maryland, BC ended a forgettable season with a forgettable (and turnover-ridden) performance against Clemson.

Falling Cranes - A falling piece of steel brought down a massive crane in New York City, crushing a four-story apartment building, killing four, and making TU / TD a lot more nervous about walking by Gasson every day.

Tornados in Atlanta - Freak storms in the South spawned tornados in Atlanta, causing extensive damage in the city and halting play at the SEC tournament.

Bear Stearns - The well-respected bank almost imploded this week, requiring Depression-era bailouts from the Federal Reserve and JP Morgan. The fifth largest investment bank in the U.S., Bear Stearns has seen two hedge funds go under in the tightening credit market and subprime mortgage mess. The bank was sold to JP Morgan for $2 per share yesterday.

Iran - Hardline conservatives celebrated their recent parliamentary victory by shutting down nine magazines that publish pictures and stories of "corrupt" movie stars. Though the judiciary has shut more than 100 political newspapers and magazines, lifestyle magazines are usually left alone.

UCLA Medical Center - Sadly, the UCLA hospital did not follow Chris Crocker's well-publicized advice to "leave Britney alone," and is now coming under fire for snooping in the troubled pop star's medical records. Reports say the hospital is moving to fire 13 employees in the scandal.