For G.M. and Ford, May Was Best Month for Sales This Year
DETROIT — New-vehicle sales in the United States climbed to their highest levels of the year in May, despite rising gasoline prices and the bankruptcies of General Motors and Chrysler.
May was the best sales month of 2009 for General Motors, whose sales rose 11 percent from April but fell 30 percent from a year ago. Chrysler’s sales rose 3 percent from April but were down 47 percent from May 2008, largely because it sold almost no vehicles to car-rental companies and other businesses.
G.M. filed for Chapter 11 protection Monday, a month after Chrysler.
The Ford Motor Company, the only Detroit automaker that has not entered bankruptcy, said its sales increased 20 percent from April and its market share rose to the highest level in three years. Ford’s sales fell 24 percent from last May, the smallest year-over-year decline reported by any of the six largest automakers since October.
“We were able to record our best monthly sales result of the year in May as we are seeing more positive signs in housing and consumer confidence in the market,” Mark LaNeve, vice president for sales, service and marketing for G.M. North America, said in a statement. “Those signs, along with more clarity on the New G.M., are providing some additional consumer confidence.”
Toyota and Honda each said sales fell 41 percent from last May, which was an excellent month for Toyota and the best ever for Honda. Nissan said its sales fell 33 percent.
Over all, sales fell 34 percent from a year ago and rose 13 percent from April, according to the industry tracking firm MotorIntelligence.com.
May was the eighth consecutive month in which sales fell more than 30 percent, on a year-over-year basis. It was the fifth consecutive month in which total industry sales were below an annualized rate of 10 million vehicles; until 2008, automakers had been selling about 17 million vehicles a year for much of the last decade.
Auto sales in the United States are down 37 percent so far this year, as the recession deters many consumers from buying a new car or truck.
Ford officials described May as encouraging but not necessarily an indication that the market would continue to grow steadily in the months ahead.
“We know there is a significant amount of uncertainty remaining for the economy and consumers,” said Emily Kolinski Morris, Ford’s senior United States economist. “Consumers are uncertain which manufacturer to entrust with their purchase and whether to hold out for a better deal.”
Ford said it would increase production in the second and third quarters by 52,000 vehicles, or 6 percent. That is in contrast to significant cutbacks at Chrysler, which has idled all of its United States plants for the last month, and G.M., which is shutting 13 plants for part of the summer to clear out inventories.

Is Magic going to be the big winner this year??

CAVALIERS FORCE GAME 6

With Cleveland's wondrous season on the line, LeBron James had 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, and Mo Williams, who boldly predicted his team would come back and win this tight-as-can-be series, added 24 points in the Cavaliers' 112-102 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 on Thursday night.

CLEVELAND -- No one ever said winning an Eastern Conference Finals series was going to be easy. 
Especially against reigning MVP LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, owners of the league's best record and highest winning percentage at home. 
So while Thursday's 112-102 Game 5 road defeat is somewhat disappointing, remember to keep your feet grounded. 
Don't forget the Magic are coming back to Amway Arena for Game 6 and are just one victory away from their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1995. 
Remember that Orlando still owns home-court advantage. They only needed to win one contest in Cleveland this series and they quickly accomplished that feat in Game 1. 
Don't let it slip your mind that winning in Amway Arena is an arduous task for any opposing squad. The Magic were 32-9 in their own arena this season, eighth best in the NBA. 
"We’re in control of this series at 3-2," veteran point guard Anthony Johnson explained. "We have Game 6 in our building. We're going to come with all of our energy, our fans are going to be behind us and we will come ready to play and take a W."
Remain lucid. The Magic have proven they can close out a series even under the most adverse circumstances. They finished off the Sixers in Game 6 at Philadelphia and they became the first team in NBA history to rally back from a 3-2 series deficit against the Celtics, when they claimed a Game 7 victory in Boston. 
Be confident. While the Cavaliers feature one of the league's most dominant players in James, the Magic have one of the deepest squads in the entire NBA. 
In their starting line-up alone, they have one of the most clutch fourth-quarter performers in Hedo Turkolgu, a versatile All-Star forward in Rashard Lewis, a playground legend in Rafer "Skip to My Lou" Alston, one of the league's premier rookies in shooting guard Courtney Lee and Superman himself, Dwight Howard, the 2008-09 NBA's Defensive Player of the Year, patrolling the paint. 
Don't doubt the Magic's ability to bounce back. The Magic lost back-to-back games only four times during the entire regular season and have dropped consecutive contests only once in their entire 2009 playoff run. 
And most importantly, whether you're attending Game 6 in person, watching at a local pub or viewing from you own couch, be loud. The Magic are counting on you. 
"This game on Saturday is going to be an important one," Johnson said. "We're going to need the crowd to be loud and boisterous like they have been and carry us to a win." 
With all those factors in Orlando's favor, there's no reason to expect the Magic to be anything less than great in Game 6. After all, they settle for nothing less. 

http://www.nba.com/magic/news/magic_control_series_052809.html

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www.nba.com

For years, the Celtics were one of the best--and for the last decade or so, one of the worst. The magic of Boston Garden faded quickly as botched drafts, lopsided trades, and poor coaching lead to the demise of one of the most storied franchises in the NBA.

But--that is all going to change now.

Notice I left out the "may" change. Why? Well, if you don't know, you have NO CLUE about the NBA. By adding Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett in addition to perennial all-star Paul Pierce and a solid draft, the Celtics are talking big--not just playoffs-but championship. Garnett brings the leadership and overall game the Celtics have missed for what seems like forever, Allen the outside shot, and with adding depth in drafting Glen "Big Baby" Davis, Boston has been clamoring--and have even drawn away attention from the Red Sox (ok, maybe that's a little too much).

Now, can they share the ball? While that is a big question mark, no matter who has the ball is a threat for the Celts. That spells very bad news for the Eastern Conference and should cast shivers in the big bad Western Conference.

This isn't so much a preview than a warning to everyone out there--if ya don't know, ya better recognize game before it recognizes you. The Celtics are back.

GO CELTICS!!!!!!!

Professora Bia!
Obrigada, por nos ensinar a mexer nessa máquina esquisita!