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World Youth Day Logo

2011-09-02T19:34:00.001-07:00

This Photo is taken during the World Youth Day Madrid 2011

http://www.520pixel.at/_photo/YOUCAT/bild-55033

Prince William and Kate Middleton now officially married

2011-04-29T07:22:00.000-07:00

By Zachary Roth
It's official!
A smiling Prince William and Kate Middleton were declared man and wife at London's Westminster Abbey, in front of a congregation of around 1,900 and a worldwide television audience estimated at as many as 2 billion.
Wearing an ivory and white satin dress designed by Sarah Burton--a closely guarded secret until minutes before the service began--Kate accepted a wedding ring of Welsh gold, given to William by the Queen soon after the couple were engaged. The bride also wore a diamond-studded halo tiara loaned by the Queen, with her gently curled hair down at the back.
In a marriage ceremony led by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Kate promised William that she would "love him, comfort him, honor him, and keep him," and he offered the same pledge. Like William's mother Princess Diana at her own 1981 wedding to Prince Charles, Kate struck a modern note by omitting the traditional vow to "obey" her husband.
[ Photos: Check out a gallery of Kate's wedding dress ]
William, who chose not to wear a ring, donned a bright red tunic, with a crimson and gold sash and gold sword slings, from the Irish National Guards, a British Army regiment of which he is an honorary colonel. The choice was made in part to honor three members of the Guards who were killed in action in Afghanistan.
The bride's ring was created by Wartski, a Palace spokesperson said, a family jeweler that also created the wedding bands for Prince Charles's 2005 marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles, now the Duchess of Cornwall.
Kate, 29, the daughter of creators of a successful party-planning business, becomes the first commoner in line to be queen in modern times. She'll now be known officially as Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, Buckingham Palace said in a statement this morning--though the public will know her as Princess Catherine. William becomes the Duke of Cambridge.
The bride's three-and-half minute procession through the abbey was accompanied by a choir singing the soaring English choral "I Was Glad," composed in 1902 by Sir Charles Hubert Hastings Parry. In a tribute to Princess Diana, the congregation began the service by singing "Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer," a Welsh hymn sung at her 1997 funeral. It also sang "Jerusalem," the popular English hymn based on a poem by William Blake.
[ Related: The best hats from the royal wedding ]
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, along with Kate's parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, served as witnesses and signed the marriage registers. The bride's mother wore a gray-blue dress designed by Catherine Walker, a fashion designer whose work was championed by Princess Diana. The Duchess of Cornwall opted for a champagne silk dress designed by Anna Valentine, and a Philip Treacey hat.
The hour-long service was conducted by the Very Reverend Dr. John Hall, the dean of Westminster. It also included an address from the Right Reverend Richard Chartres, the bishop of London and a friend of the royal family.
William, 28, spent a low-key last bachelor evening with his father at St. James's Palace, then traveled this morning to the abbey in a uniquely designed Bentley, with his best man, Prince Harry--both brothers smiling and waving through the window to the crowds. Before the service, they greeted members of the congregation, including Earl Spencer, Princess Diana's brother.

Kate, meanwhile, stayed the night with her family--including her maid of honor, younger sister Philippa--at London's Goring Hotel, and came to the abbey alongside her father in a Rolls-Royce Phantom VI owned by the queen.
After the service, the newlyweds are set to ride to Buckingham Palace in a horse-drawn open-top carriage--originally built in 1902 for William's great-great-great grandfather, King Edward VII. They'll pass Parliament Square, Whitehall, and the Mall along a processional route, lined since yesterday--despite the chilly and overcast weather--with crowds cheering and waving the Union Jack, having heard the service over loudspeakers.
At the palace, the Queen will host a lunchtime reception for a select 650 members of the congregation, during which William and Kate will appear on the balcony--weather permitting--for what's expected to be their first public kiss as newlyweds. Later, they'll head to a roughly 300-person dinner and dance party given by Prince Charles, also at Buckingham Palace. The Queen, who wore an Angela Kelly primrose dress and matching coat, will skip that event, the Palace has said, to allow the younger crowd to properly let their hair down.
Elsewhere, millions of Britons took advantage of the national holiday--declared months ago by Prime Minister David Cameron--by gathering in pubs, private homes, and public viewing areas to celebrate the event, which for months has dominated the country's news coverage. Estimates for the hit to Britain's economy, thanks to the day off work, have ranged from $10 billion to $50 billion.
[ Photos: See images of the royal wedding party ]
Cameron, who famously camped out on the Mall for Charles and Diana's wedding, called the day "a chance to celebrate."
"We're quite a reserved lot, the British," the prime minister told the BBC this morning. "But then when we go for it, we really go for it."
The wedding congregation mixed personal friends of the bride and groom, royalty from around the world, dignitaries from numerous former British colonies, foreign officials and diplomats, and celebrities including Elton John and David and Victoria Beckham.
Representatives of all governments with whom Britain has normal diplomatic relations had originally received invitations. But the Syrian ambassador was informed yesterday that he was no longer welcome, amid a violent ongoing crackdown against pro-democracy protesters carried out by the regime of President Bashar Assad. The presence of the Bahraini ambassador, who previously ran a government agency accused of using electric shocks and beatings, has also provoked controversy.
[ Related: All of the details on Kate's dress ]
Adding to the rancor over the guest list, two former Labour Party prime ministers, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, were not invited, even as two former Conservative PMs, Baroness Thatcher and Sir John Major, were included--an arrangement that was criticized by several Labour members of parliament (Thatcher was too unwell to attend). St. James's Palace said that Thatcher and Major received invitations because they're both Knights of the Garter, unlike Blair and Brown. Major also was appointed a guardian to William and Harry after Diana's death.
The wedding caps a nearly decade-long relationship for William and Kate, who met in 2001 as students at the University of St Andrew's in Scotland, and began dating a year or so later. Aside from a brief reported split in 2007, they appear to have been an item ever since. William proposed during a vacation in Africa last October.
The pair's lengthy buildup contrasts with that of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, who were estimated to have spent just 21 hours together before marrying. That famously troubled union ended in divorce in 1996, after a long estrangement. Diana died in a car accident in Paris the following year.
The wedding comes at a pivotal time for the House of Windsor. Though she appears to remain in good health, the 85-year-old Queen reportedly has begun planning for her funeral. Charles, the heir to the throne, is seen by much of the public as stiff and out of touch, prompting concern that his accession could undermine the monarchy's standing with the public. Polls indicate that upon the Queen's death, most Britons would like to see the throne skip straight to William, though that currently appears unlikely.
In addition to being given the titles of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the couple will also become the Earl and Countess of Strathearn, as well as Baron and Baroness Carrickfergus.

Source: Yahoo News

NY case underscores Wi-Fi privacy dangers

2011-04-24T16:02:00.000-07:00

By CAROLYN THOMPSON, Associated Press – Sun Apr 24, 3:35 pm ET
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Lying on his family room floor with assault weapons trained on him, shouts of "pedophile!" and "pornographer!" stinging like his fresh cuts and bruises, the Buffalo homeowner didn't need long to figure out the reason for the early morning wake-up call from a swarm of federal agents.
That new wireless router. He'd gotten fed up trying to set a password. Someone must have used his Internet connection, he thought.
"We know who you are! You downloaded thousands of images at 11:30 last night," the man's lawyer, Barry Covert, recounted the agents saying. They referred to a screen name, "Doldrum."
"No, I didn't," he insisted. "Somebody else could have but I didn't do anything like that."
"You're a creep ... just admit it," they said.
Law enforcement officials say the case is a cautionary tale. Their advice: Password-protect your wireless router.
Plenty of others would agree. The Sarasota, Fla. man, for example, who got a similar visit from the FBI last year after someone on a boat docked in a marina outside his building used a potato chip can as an antenna to boost his wireless signal and download an astounding 10 million images of child porn, or the North Syracuse, N.Y., man who in December 2009 opened his door to police who'd been following an electronic trail of illegal videos and images. The man's neighbor pleaded guilty April 12.
For two hours that March morning in Buffalo, agents tapped away at the homeowner's desktop computer, eventually taking it with them, along with his and his wife's iPads and iPhones.
Within three days, investigators determined the homeowner had been telling the truth: If someone was downloading child pornography through his wireless signal, it wasn't him. About a week later, agents arrested a 25-year-old neighbor and charged him with distribution of child pornography. The case is pending in federal court.
It's unknown how often unsecured routers have brought legal trouble for subscribers. Besides the criminal investigations, the Internet is full of anecdotal accounts of people who've had to fight accusations of illegally downloading music or movies.
Whether you're guilty or not, "you look like the suspect," said Orin Kerr, a professor at George Washington University Law School, who said that's just one of many reasons to secure home routers.
Experts say the more savvy hackers can go beyond just connecting to the Internet on the host's dime and monitor Internet activity and steal passwords or other sensitive information.
A study released in February provides a sense of how often computer users rely on the generosity — or technological shortcomings — of their neighbors to gain Internet access.
The poll conducted for the Wi-Fi Alliance, the industry group that promotes wireless technology standards, found that among 1,054 Americans age 18 and older, 32 percent acknowledged trying to access a Wi-Fi network that wasn't theirs. An estimated 201 million households worldwide use Wi-Fi networks, according to the alliance.
The same study, conducted by Wakefield Research, found that 40 percent said they would be more likely to trust someone with their house key than with their Wi-Fi network password.
For some, though, leaving their wireless router open to outside use is a philosophical decision, a way of returning the favor for the times they've hopped on to someone else's network to check e-mail or download directions while away from home .
"I think it's convenient and polite to have an open Wi-Fi network," said Rebecca Jeschke, whose home signal is accessible to anyone within range.
"Public Wi-Fi is for the common good and I'm happy to participate in that — and lots of people are," said Jeschke, a spokeswoman for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that takes on cyberspace civil liberties issues.
Experts say wireless routers come with encryption software, but setting it up means a trip to the manual.
The government's Computer Emergency Readiness Team recommends home users make their networks invisible to others by disabling the identifier broadcasting function that allows wireless access points to announce their presence. It also advises users to replace any default network names or passwords, since those are widely known, and to keep an eye on the manufacturer's website for security patches or updates.
People who keep an open wireless router won't necessarily know when someone else is piggybacking on the signal, which usually reaches 300-400 feet, though a slower connection may be a clue.
For the Buffalo homeowner, who didn't want to be identified, the tip-off wasn't nearly as subtle.
It was 6:20 a.m. March 7 when he and his wife were awakened by the sound of someone breaking down their rear door. He threw a robe on and walked to the top of the stairs, looking down to see seven armed people with jackets bearing the initials I-C-E, which he didn't immediately know stood for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"They are screaming at him, 'Get down! Get down on the ground!' He's saying, 'Who are you? Who are you?'" Covert said.
"One of the agents runs up and basically throws him down the stairs, and he's got the cuts and bruises to show for it," said Covert, who said the homeowner plans no lawsuit. When he was allowed to get up, agents escorted him and watched as he used the bathroom and dressed.
The homeowner later got an apology from U.S. Attorney William Hochul and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent in Charge Lev Kubiak.
But this wasn't a case of officers rushing into the wrong house. Court filings show exactly what led them there and why.
On Feb. 11, an investigator with the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees cybersecurity enforcement, signed in to a peer-to-peer file sharing program from his office. After connecting with someone by the name of "Doldrum," the agent browsed through his shared files for videos and images and found images and videos depicting children engaged in sexual acts.
The agent identified the IP address, or unique identification number, of the router, then got the service provider to identify the subscriber.
Investigators could have taken an extra step before going inside the house and used a laptop or other device outside the home to see whether there was an unsecured signal. That alone wouldn't have exonerated the homeowner, but it would have raised the possibility that someone else was responsible for the downloads.
After a search of his devices proved the homeowner's innocence, investigators went back to the peer-to-peer software and looked at logs that showed what other IP addresses Doldrum had connected from. Two were associated with the State University of New York at Buffalo and accessed using a secure token that UB said was assigned to a student living in an apartment adjacent to the homeowner. Agents arrested John Luchetti March 17. He has pleaded not guilty to distribution of child pornography.
Luchetti is not charged with using his neighbor's Wi-Fi without permission. Whether it was illegal is up for debate.
"The question," said Kerr, "is whether it's unauthorized access and so you have to say, 'Is an open wireless point implicitly authorizing users or not?'
"We don't know," Kerr said. "The law prohibits unauthorized access and it's just not clear what's authorized with an open unsecured wireless."
In Germany, the country's top criminal court ruled last year that Internet users must secure their wireless connections to prevent others from illegally downloading data. The court said Internet users could be fined up to $126 if a third party takes advantage of their unprotected line, though it stopped short of holding the users responsible for illegal content downloaded by the third party.
The ruling came after a musician sued an Internet user whose wireless connection was used to download a song, which was then offered on an online file sharing network. The user was on vacation when the song was downloaded.

Source: news.yahoo.com

Willie Revillame voices out tirade against his critics on the Jan-Jan incident

2011-03-30T17:52:00.000-07:00

Willie Revillame voices out tirade against his critics on the Jan-Jan incident: "Kasi masyadong mabigat yung hinuhusgahan n'yo kaagad ako. Pinatay n'yo na ako."

Nagpahayag ng sampung minutong tirada si Willie Revillame laban sa kanyang mga kritiko sa live episode ng Willing Willie kagabi, March 29.
Bagamat mahinahon ang boses ng kontrobersiyal na TV host, bakas sa kanyang mga salita ang matinding emosyon matapos malagay sa kontrobersiya ang March 12 episode ng kanyang variety and game show sa TV5.
Sa kanyang tirada ay pinatutsadahan ni Willie ang mga ahensiya ng pamahalaan at mga artista na bumabatikos sa kanya. Nagbigay rin siya ng isang mensahe na tila magsisilbing panakot sa mga advertiser na balak i-boycott ang kanyang programa.
Natunghayan sa March 12 episode ang six-year-old na si Jan-Jan, na sumasayaw na tila "macho dancer" sa talent portion ng isang palaro. Natuwa si Willie sa talent ng bata, at limang beses pang pinaulit sa bata ang pagsayaw na ito.
In-upload sa YouTube ang segment na ito, at dito na nagsimula ang pagbuhos ng galit dahil umano sa "pag-abuso" ni Willie sa bata.
Ayon sa mga kritiko, hindi dapat pinaulit-ulit ni Willie ang "macho dancing" ni Jan-Jan, dahil hindi raw natuwa ang bata sa kanyang ginagawa. Umiiyak pa nga raw ito sa ipinakitang video. (CLICK HERE to read related story.)
Ilang ahensiya na ng pamahalaan ang nagbigay ng reaksiyon sa naganap na insidente. Dalawa rito—ang Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at ang Commission on Human Rights (CHR)—ang agad na nagkondena sa tinawag nilang "child abuse." (CLICK HERE to read related story.)
Pinili naman ng Movie and Television Classification Board (MTRCB), sa pamumuna ng Chairperson nitong si Mary Grace Poe, na mag-imbestiga muna bago magbigay ng sariling konklusyon.
May ilan namang mga artista at celebrity na nagbigay ng kanilang reaksiyon, kasama na sina Lea Salonga, Jim Paredes, Kat de Castro, Bianca Gonzalez, at Monique Wilson.
Pumanig sila sa DSWD at CHR sa pagkokondena ng Willing Willie dahil sa "child abuse." Ayon pa sa ilan, hindi dapat palampasin ang paggamit umano ni Willie sa mga mahihirap para sa kanyang sariling kapakanan.
Ilan sa mga hakbang na minungkahi ng mga nagprotesta ay ang pag-boycott sa Willing Willie, at ang pagsulat sa mga advertisers na huwag nang suportahan ang palabas.
Dahil sa pagiging host ng Wowowee at ng Willing Willie—na tinatangkilik ng mahihirap at masang manonood—isa si Willie sa pinakamayamang tao sa Pilipinas. Bilang simbulo ng kanyang kayamanan, nagmamay-ari si Willie ng ilang malalaking mga bahay, isang yate, at isang koleksyon ng luxury cars.
Isa rin si Willie sa mga top taxpayers ng bansa sa 2008, ayon sa report ng Bureau of Internal Revenue noong April 2010. (CLICK HERE to read related story.)
WILLIE'S TIRADES. Dahil sa sunod-sunod na batikos ay pinili na ni Willie na maghayag ng kanyang depensa sa live episode ng Willing Willie kagabi, March 29.
Hindi na bago kay Willie ang paghayag ng saloobin sa kanyang mga live programs. Ginawa na rin niya ito noong siya pa ang host ng Wowowee sa ABS-CBN, bilang reaksiyon sa batikos sa kanya sa pagpapatigil niya ng live feed ng libing ng dating Pangulong Cory Aquino noong August 3, 2009. (CLICK HERE to read related story.)
Ang outburst naman niya sa Wowowee noong May 4, 2010 ang nagsimula ng alitan niya sa mga executives ng ABS-CBN. Sa naturang episode ay hayagan niyang hinamon ang executives na magre-resign siya sa noontime show kung hindi patalsikin sa network ang showbiz commentator na si Jobert Sucaldito. (CLICK HERE to read related story.)
Matatandaang live ding nagpahayag si Willie ng kanyang pagkadismaya sa pag-host ng mga kaibigang sina John Estrada at Randy Santiago sa noontime show ng ABS-CBN na Happy Yipee Yehey. Binatikos ni Willie ang desisyon ito sa January 26, 2011 episode ng Willing Willie. (CLICK HERE to read related story.)
Ang pagsasaere ni Willie ng kanyang mga saloobin sa kanyang mga programa ang dahilan ng pagdami ng mga taong galit at nayayabangan sa kanya. Nagbunsod din ang mga ito ng ilang kampanya para mawala si Willie sa telebisyon.
WILLIE'S DEFENSE. Tumagal ng sampung minuto ang tirada ni Willie kagabi laban sa mga bumabatikos sa kanya. Ang pahayag ni Willie ang nagbukas ng kanyang programa.
Halata namang suportado ng staff at mga manonood ng show ang mga pahayag ni Willie dahil tuloy-tuloy ang pagpalakpak nila sa bawat salita ng TV host.
Sa kanyang pahayag, sinabi ni Willie na nasaktan siya sa mga dumating na batikos dahil sa pagsayaw ni Jan-Jan sa kanyang programa. Aniya, tila pinatay na siya ng kanyang mga kritiko, kahit wala umano siyang kasalanan sa nangyari.
"Kasi masyadong mabigat yung hinuhusgahan n'yo kaagad ako. Pinatay n'yo na ako. Cancer pa lang sakit ko, patay na ako. Grabe ho yung mga nakasulat kanina, binabasa ko ho. Pero hindi ako, wala akong feeling na guilty. Wala ako. Hindi ako guilty kasi. Wala ho," saad niya.
Tila raw nabura kasi ng isang insidente ang magaganda umanong gawain sa Willing Willie.
"Yung sampung nagawa naming kabutihan, [dahil sa] isang mali na hindi naman pagkakamali, binabalewala n'yo yun. E, bakit ba init na init kayo sa akin? Guwapong-guwapo ba kayo sa akin? Ganun ba? E, parang ganun lang, e. Ito lahat, e, biro lang, pero, hindi ba? Nagtataka lang."
Paliwanag ni Willie, ang mga magulang ni Jan-Jan ang may kinalaman sa insidente. Dagdag niya, nagbigay-malasakit pa nga raw ang staff ng kanyang show.
Saad niya, "Una sa lahat, yung nangyari sa batang si Jan-Jan, bago pa ho mag-audition yun, yun na ang gusto ng magulang niya na isayaw. Actually nga ho, mabait pa ang staff namin.
"Kasi ang dala nilang CD dun para sa bata, ang gustong patugtugin, 'Careless Whisper.' E, alam n'yo naman ho kung saan nanggaling ang 'Careless Whisper' na 'yan. Sobrang ano ho 'yan, naging eskandalo ho 'yan, sa video."
Ang tinutukoy ni Willie na eskandalo sa kantang "Careless Whisper" ni George Michael ay ang pagkasama nito sa mga lumabas na sex videos nina Hayden Kho at Katrina Halili noong 2009.
Patuloy ng TV host, "So, nagprotekta pa rin ho kami dun sa bata, which is, hindi ko alam 'yan, a. Nalaman ko lang 'yan kahapon [March 28] nung nakausap ko yung magulang. Yung staff namin, gumawa pa rin ng paraan. Sensitive pa rin doon, sa part na yun na, bakit natin pasasayawin ng ganun, at yun ang tugtog. So, medyo malisyoso ho yun, kasi alam natin."
Imbes na "Careless Whisper" ay ang kantang "The Next Episode" na lang nina Dr. Dre at Snoop Dogg ang pinatugtog.
Pagpapatuloy ni Willie, "Ang problema ho dito, yung magulang po ni Jan-Jan ang may gustong yun ang sayawin nung bata! Hindi ko...ni hindi ko nga nakikita ang mga 'yan, e. Hindi ba? Dito ko lang ho nakita 'yan. 'O, kumusta ka na? O, ano ang talent mo?' Biglang sumayaw yung bata."
Hindi rin daw totoo na umiiyak si Jan-Jan dahil sa pinapasayaw siya, at hindi raw ngumingiti ang bata dahil wala raw itong ngipin.
"Bakit umiiyak yung si Jan-Jan? Natakot kay Balingit! Isa po yun! Tinanong ko nang personal, e. Hindi po ako magsisinulangaling...
"Kaya siya umiiyak, na ano, dahil kay Balingit, at wala daw siyang ngipin. Ayaw daw niyang ngumiti. Dapat maintindihan."
Ang tinutukoy naman dito ni Willie ay ang dating PBA player na si Bonel Balingit, na lumabas din sa March 12 episode ng Willing Willie.
Dagdag niya, may ebidensiya raw silang kahit four years old pa lang si Jan-Jan ay "macho dancing" na ang alam nitong sayaw.
"Alam n'yo, meron siyang video...sa school niya, four years old pa lang siya, yun na ang sayaw niya, saka ganun na ang reaction niya. Yun na, papakita yata sa MTRCB 'yan, papakita yata sa ano. So, para lang maliwanagan n'yo," sabi ni Willie.
Ang dahilan naman ni Willie sa paulit-ulit niyang pagpasayaw sa bata ay dahil sa nagkakatuwaan umano sila.
"Sabi ho nila inabuso ko dahil ilang beses kong pinasaya, pinasayaw. Dahil ho masaya, nagkakasayahan po dito," sabi ni Willie.
WILLIE REACTS. Pagbubulgar ni Willie, may mga tao umanong nais siraan ang kanyang pagkatao at ang kanyang programa, kaya tuloy-tuloy ang nangyayaring pagbatikos.
May pumupunta raw kasi sa bahay ni Jan-Jan at nagbubuyo umano sa pamilya nito para siraan ang TV host.
Kuwento ni Willie "Ngayon eto, nakausap ko ang tatay ni Jan-Jan, para maliwanagan yun. Kanina tumawag siya sa akin. Sabi niya, 'Kuya.' Sabi ko, 'Sino to?' 'Ako po yung tatay ni Jan-Jan. Kinuha ko yung number n'yo ho. Gusto ko lang malaman n'yo na may nagpunta ditong direktor, at may isang babae, at sabi ho sa akin, siraan daw kayo.'
"Siya na ang magsasabi. 'At gusto siyang kunin, at gustong scholarship ng bata. Hindi ko po ginawa yun. Sabi namin, walang kasalanan dito si Kuya Willie, kami ang nagsabi doon sa anak namin na yun ang sayawin.'
"May nagpupunta, tumatawag, siraan ako, wasakin yung show, at ang sabi... Ito, nakikita n'yo nang nangyayari, o. Isipin n'yo. And then, pumunta ang DSWD doon, kinausap sila, tinanong kung inutusan ko ang batang yun ang sayawin. Ako ho ang pinupuntirya."
Pinuri naman ni Willie ang MTRCB dahil hindi umano ito naglabas ng "mapanghusgang" pahayag, hindi katulad ng iba.
"In fairness sa MTRCB, kay Chairman Poe, kay Ms. Mary Grace. Ako, I salute you ma'am. Kasi ang sabi niya, iimbestigahan muna namin bago kami magdesisyon. I think that's the way to do it. Wag muna kayong maghuhusga.
"Hindi ba? Kanina po nasa Inquirer ako, nasa Philippine Star. Winasak na ang pagkatao ko. Wala naman akong ginawa. Inabuso ko daw, talagang ganito ang ginagawa ko sa ano...
"At eto pa ho ang masakit... Ginagamit ko raw ho ang mahihirap, ha, para sa programa. Ano ba ang nagawa n'yo sa mahihirap? Ano ba ang binibigay niyo sa mahihirap araw-araw? Kami ang nagbibigay sa mahihirap, nakakatulong pa kami sa gobyerno. "
WILLIE'S THREATS. Nagbigay naman si Willie ng paghamon sa mga artista na bumabatikos sa kanya. Aniya, dapat tumulong na lang ang mga nasabing artista sa mga mahihirap imbes na magbigay-puna.
Ilan sa mga artistang nagbigay ng kanilang reaksiyon sa pamamagitan ng Twitter ay sina Lea Salonga, Jim Paredes, Kat de Castro, Bianca Gonzalez, at Monique Wilson.
Banta ni Willie, maraming magagalit sa mga artistang ito kapag inisa-isa niya ang kanilang mga pangalan.
"At dun sa mga artistang nagti-tweet sa akin, tumulong na lang kayo sa inyong mga kababayan. Wag na kayong magsasalita sa tweet n'yo. Hindi ko na ipapakita yang mga pangalan niyo.
"Kasi pag binaggit ko sa inyo, maraming magagalit sa inyo. Maniwala kayo sa akin. Maraming magagalit sa inyo kapag binanggit ko ang pangalan niyo. Wag na kayong mag-tweet; pare-pareho tayong nasa industriya."
Binantaan niya rin ang isang singer na hindi niya pinangalanan.
"Mag-concert ka, kung sino ka man, nang libre, at yung perang kikitain mo, ibigay mo. Okay? Yun ang dapat mong gawin. Wag kang magtutu-tweet.
"Sa ibang artista, magkakasama tayo rito. Ha? Saka alamin n'yo muna yung ginagawa ng programa. Hindi namin kailangang ipakita on-air o off-air lang. Marami kaming ginagawan kabutihan sa ating mga kababayan."
Bukod pa rito, nagbigay rin si Willie ng banta sa mga advertisers na balak i-boycott ang kanyang programa.
"Tapos yung iba, sumulat na sa mga sponsors namin, sa advertisers. Ang gusto nila, mag-boycott ang advertisers. Napakasakit na po ng ano, e, umaabot na ho sa ganun, na bino-boycott yung problema...
"Alam n'yo ho, pag binoycott kami ng advertisers, yung mga nagmamahal naman sa amin, hindi nila bibilhin ang produktong 'yan. Pag sina... Di ba? Hindi ho, e. Hindi naman ganun ang labanan dito."
Agad na pinalakpakan ng studio audience ang pahayag na ito.
Sa bandang huli, nagbigay si Willie ng konkretong hamon sa kanyang mga tagapagbatikos.
"Ngayon, kung tatanggalin n'yo ang programa, pinipilit n'yo kaming mawala sa mundo, sana kayo ang sumagot sa mga pangangailangan ng mga taong mahihirap na mga ito. Di ba?" saad niya.

Source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com

Fright likely killed thousands of birds in Arkansas

2011-01-04T05:44:00.001-08:00

CHICAGO (AFP) - – Fright likely killed thousands of birds which dropped onto a small town in Arkansas, officials said Monday.

As many as 5,000 birds began falling over the small town of Beebe shortly before midnight on New Year's Eve.

"We right now are pretty confident that the trauma is what caused the die-off," said state veterinarian George Badley.

A local resident reported hearing about 20 loud booms Saturday night -- which could have been fireworks or a cannon to get rid of nuisance birds -- and saw a huge flock of frantic birds when he went outside.

"He could hear the blackbirds fluttering around -- he could hear their wings and he could hear them hitting into things," Badley told AFP.

Blackbirds have poor night vision and they were likely killed because they banged into houses, trees and each other in their fright.

However, the state is conducting further tests to make sure the birds were not poisoned or diseased, Badley said.

It was not a good weekend for wildlife in Arkansas.

About 80,000 to 100,000 dead fish were found floating in the Arkansas River about 100 miles away from Beebe a day before the birds were killed.

Officials believe they were killed by disease because only one species -- drum fish -- was affected.

"We did something wrong, didn't we," joked Keith Stephens, a spokesman for the Arkansas Fish and Game Commission.

Stephens said it's possible that a tornado which whipped through Arkansas and killed three people Friday morning may have had something to do with the bird deaths.

Scientists discover monster star

2010-07-21T16:23:00.000-07:00

By Moni Basu, CNN

(CNN) -- Imagine a star so luminous that it would burn the Earth up if it were anywhere near, a star that outshines the sun as much as the sun outshines the moon. A monster even in the abyss of space.

The star is not some scientist's celestial dream. Astronomers used a Very Large Telescope -- the instrument's official name -- to detect the most massive star discovered to date. In scientific lingo, it's a "hypergiant."

Led by Paul Crowther, professor of astrophysics at England's University of Sheffield, the team of astronomers studied two young clusters of stars, NGC 3603 and RMC 136a.

R136a1, found in the RMC 136a cluster, is 10 million times brighter than the sun and is the heaviest star ever found, Crowther said Wednesday, with a mass that is roughly 265 times more than the sun. It was born even heavier, with a solar mass of 320. Astronomers previously thought 150 to be the upper limit.

Several of the stars studied had surface temperatures of 40,000 degrees, more than seven times hotter than the sun.

R136a1 is rare and resides in another galaxy called the Large Magellanic Cloud. Its home is more than 165,000 light years away from Earth's Milky Way galaxy. As such, said Crowther, it is not visible to the naked eye, nor with a rooftop telescope.

"Owing to the rarity of these monsters, I think it is unlikely that this new record will be broken any time soon," Crowther said.

Crowther's team used the sophisticated infrared equipment on the Very Large Telescope in a European Southern Observatory facility in Chile as well as data collected from the Hubble Space Telescope to detect the colossal star. The telescope is considered the world's "biggest eye on the sky" and is 8 meters (26 feet) in diameter.

The research was published in the current issue of the British scientific journal The Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

"Unlike people, these kind of stars are massive when they are babies," Crowther told CNN. "They lose weight as they get older."

At over a million years old, the star is already middle-aged, Crowther said, and could easily be a poster child for WeightWatchers, having shed a fifth of its initial mass over time because of powerful winds.

In another million years -- a brief life span compared to the sun's 5 billion years of existence -- the giant star will probably explode as a supernova. It won't be noticeable on Earth because it's so far away.

Crowther, excited about the new find, had to find simple terminology to describe it to his 6-year-old son Billy. Billy, in turn, wanted dad to name the monster star after him.

That might have sounded a whole lot better than R136a1, but nonetheless, a star is born.

Source: CNN.com

Without rain, Angat may have only 40-days supply of water

2010-07-21T16:15:00.000-07:00

If the rains do not come yet, the Angat Dam reservoir, which provides 97 percent of the water needs of the national capital region, may not have enough water to supply Metro Manila and other provinces after 40 days, the National Power Corporation said Wednesday.

Angat Dam is a multi-purpose facility that supplies potable drinking water to Metro Manila and nearby provinces. It also irrigates farmlands in nearby provinces and augments power supply for the Luzon Grid.

Napocor president Froilan Tampinco said the water at the dam will not last for 40 days if the rains will not yet come and the water level remains at 158.2 meters above sea level (MASL), way below the critical level of 180 MASL.

“Kung walang ulan, remember we are releasing through the low level outlet, kung bumaba yun doon, kahit gusto natin maglabas ng tubig, walang lalabas (If there is no rain, remember that we are releasing through the low level outlet, even if we want to release water, nothing will come out)," Tampinco said.

“We need more rainfall but not the kind that would cause destruction. We just need heavy rainfall," he said. The rainfall should be at least 50 milliliters per day for one month to reach the 180 MASL level.

Tampinco said the Angat dam water level is expected to reach 180 MASL by September, noting that the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) and the water concessionaires rely on the data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

He said the decrease of water from the dam is not due to evaporation but more on the lack of inflow.

“Hindi nadadagdagan, nagbababawas lang tayo ng tubig (There's no new supply; we are just decreasing the current supply of water)," Tampinco said.

Tampinco also clarified that the water shortage is largely due to lack of rainfall and not because of the alleged overspilling from the dam from December 1 to 15 last year.

“What we are realizing now as a situation is to our analysis, largely due the weather, which was caused by the lack of proper inflow of water into the dam. It is not because of the releases that we have made," he said.

“It is best for the agencies concerned to sit down and talk things over and look for solutions. I don’t think it will be productive for us to pinpoint and blame anybody," Tampinco said.

Tampinco said cloud seeding can help increase the water level but it also carries risks.

“What we can cite is what experienced recently, and we had an increase of about 0.6 meters. The water level in Angat actually increased, because of the rains that we have been experiencing. Of course, it’s not enough but still significant, and if this trend goes on, we may be able to reach a level when things are comfortable and normal," he said.

Napocor said in a separate statement that the agency tried to implement measures to ensure that Angat dam will have enough water, in anticipation of an El Nino period as forecast by the PAGASA, the state weather forecasting agency.

Expecting an extended summer as predicted by PAGASA, Napocor maintained the water in the dam above the normal operational level by more than two meters to 212 MASL from 210 MASL as of December 2009.

"Our total outflows were only almost 93 million cubic meters (MCM) from December 1 to 15, 2009; which is even lower than the more than 108 MCM – the requirement of both the National Irrigation Administration and MWSS for the same period," Napocor said.

It added that all the water releases during that period were within dam operation protocols and regulatory requirements.

“There are no releases made for that period that are outside the allocations given by the National Water Resources Board (NWRB). There were no extra releases, contrary to the allegations," Napocor said.

"However, dam water release is not an exact science. There will always be discrepancies, because of the nature of water itself. Its not like you can measure the volume as it flows down exactly to the last drop. What is important is that we were able to maintain the level of water released, on the average, as required by the NWRB," Napocor said. –VVP/JV, GMANews.TV

2nd blue moon due Tuesday; 3 planets to be visible - Nation - GMANews.TV - Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs - Latest Philippine News

2010-03-30T04:25:00.000-07:00

2nd blue moon due Tuesday; 3 planets to be visible - Nation - GMANews.TV - Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs - Latest Philippine News

oes tsetnoc

2009-09-17T19:24:00.000-07:00

Oes Tsetnoc what's this? Well for the information oes tsetnoc is the reverse for seo contest. I've been interested in any contest, joining is a challenge for me to prove my self and know my improvements for being online. Promo Junkie is a Webmaster Forum organize the contest, I know this contest will be more challenging for me but I will try to be on the run like I said its a challenge for my self.

In every contest their are always prizes as expected and here it is:

1st place – $1,000 (the site that ranks on first position)
2nd place – $300 (2nd in position)
3rd place – $200 (3rd in ranking for oes tsetnoc search)

Good luck for this contest and have a nice optimization! :)

Today: October 02, 2009

It’s been weeks now since the contest started. And my entry is not on top 10. I’m wondering if I can still reach those on top. I don’t know if I have to worry now, but instead of worrying I will do what I can to reach those guys on top.

My entry is at number 62. Let me see what I can do to increase the ranking. :)

link: Webmaster Forum

How Can You Use the Results of Birth Records Search?

2009-08-19T22:12:00.001-07:00

One of the types of public records that are commonly searched is the birth records. This piece of information is valuable for many people, thus the demand for it continues to increase. There are also many instances when the results of this search would be very important. There are genealogy searches and the family history study that makes the results of these documents very important.

With the start of the information age, there are more people that use the Internet in gathering information about birth records. There are already many government offices that keep the records but with the use of computers and the Internet, it is easier to store, retrieve and share these files. There are some rules that are applied in the retrieval and use of these documents.

The major document that can be yielded from the birth records would be the birth certificate. This is a piece of document that contains the basic information about the individual such as the full name, date of birth, gender, parent’s or guardian’s name and other vital details. If you need this document, you can get it by requesting in the vital information offices in your locality. You should personally ask for the certified copies of this document. This is due to the privacy of the person protected and only the authorized representative of your family may get it for you. These are acquired for free and you can get it in government offices.

There are also commercialized databases that store these documents. You can get their services but you must be ready to pay for their services. These services still give importance to the confidentiality of the results and the preservation of the privacy of the person or persons involved. Also, you can get this online thus making the search easier and faster for you. The cost can also be a small amount but you would still get the information that you need.

If you are in need of the birth records search results seriously, you should take the services of the professionals. There are still resources that can provide you with quality and comprehensive results and they can be accessed through the Internet. You should invest a good amount of time to do your search so that the results can be useful. You should only get the birth records from sources that have large databases. This will help you have more options and to make the search easier.

Article source: Public Records

reBlog from Admin: Breakfast At Tiffany's lyrics - Deep Blue Something | Music Beat Cafe

2009-08-18T18:24:00.001-07:00

I found this fascinating quote today:

You say that we’ve got nothing in common No common ground to start from and we’re falling apart You’ll say the world has come between us Our lives have come between us still I know you just don’t careAdmin, Breakfast At Tiffany's lyrics - Deep Blue Something | Music Beat Cafe, Aug 2009

You should read the whole article.

This one goes out to the one I love

2009-08-04T04:47:00.000-07:00

The sentence "this one goes out to the one i love" is a part of the lyrics The One I Love.
The song was beautiful...

"The One I Love" is a song by American rock band R.E.M. It was released on the band's fifth full-length studio album, Document, and also as a 7" vinyl single in 1987. The song was their first hit single, reaching #9 in the US Billboard Hot 100, #14 in Canada, and later reached #16 in the UK singles chart on its UK release (1991). The song was included in Activision's Guitar Hero World Tour and is in Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades.

The accompanying video's director was artist Robert Longo. The director of photography was Alton Brown, who later became a Food Network celebrity chef.

In March 2005, Q magazine placed "The One I Love" at number 57 in its list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Tracks. Source: Wikipedia

Nearly 170 killed in Iran plane crash

2009-07-15T05:48:00.000-07:00

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI, Associated Press Writer Ali Akbar Dareini, Associated Press Writer

TEHRAN, Iran – A Russian-made Iranian passenger plane nearly 170 people crashed shortly after takeoff Wednesday, smashing into a field northwest of the capital and shattering to pieces. State television said all on board were killed.

The plane's tail burst into flames in the air and it circled in the air as if looking for a place to land before it crashed, an unidentified witness told the semi-official ISNA news agency.

The impact gouged a deep trench in the dirt field, which was shown littered with smoking wreckage in footage shown on state TV. It showed a large chunk of a wing, but much of the wreckage appeared to be in small pieces, and emergency workers and witnesses picked around the shredded metal for bodies and flight data recorders to determine the cause of the crash.

The Caspian Airlines Tupolev jet had taken off from Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport Wednesday and was headed to the Armenian capital Yerevan. It crashed about 16 minutes after takeoff near the village of Jannat Abad outside the city of Qazvin, around 75 miles northwest of Tehran, civil aviation spokesman Reza Jaafarzadeh told state media.

At Yerevan's airport, Tina Karapetian, 45, said she had been waiting for her sister and the sister's 6- and 11-year-old sons, who were due on the flight. "What will I do without them?" she said, weeping, before she collapsed to the floor.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known, but Iran has frequent crashes that are blamed on poor maintenance of its aging fleet. Hossein Ayaznia, an aviation police official, said emergency workers were searching for the plane's black box.

The deputy chairman of Armenia's civil aviation authority Arsen Pogosian told reporters in Yerevan there were 154 passengers and 15 crewmembers on board the TU-154M. Earlier, Jaafarzadeh had put the number at 153 passengers and 15 crew, and the reason for the discrepancy was not immediately known.

Six Armenian citizens and two Georgian citizens were on the flight, and the rest were likely Iranians, Pogosian said.

Serob Karapetian, the chief of Yerevan airport's aviation security service, said the plane may have attempted an emergency landing, but reports that it caught fire in the air were "only one version." He did not elaborate.

Qazvin emergency services director Hossein Bahzadpour told the IRNA news agency that the plane was completely destroyed and shattered the pieces. "It is highly likely that all the passengers on the flight were killed," he said.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad issued a statement expressing condolences for the deaths and urging a swift investigation of the cause.

Also among the passengers were eight members of Iran's national youth judo team, along with two trainers and a delegation chief, who were scheduled to train with the Armenian judo team before attending competitions in Hungary on Aug. 6, state TV said.

Tehran blames the maintenance woes of its airlines in part on U.S. sanctions that prevent Iran from getting spare parts for some planes. However, Caspian Airlines — an Iranian-Russian joint venture founded in 1993 — uses Russian-made Tupolevs whose maintenance would be less impaired by American sanctions.

In February 2006, a Russian-made TU-154 operated by Iran Airtour, which is affiliated with Iran's national carrier, crashed during landing in Tehran, killing 29 of the 148 people on board. Another Airtour Tupolev crashed in 2002 in the mountains of western Iran, killing all 199 on board.

The crashes have also affected Iran's military. In December 2005, 115 people were killed when a U.S.-made C-130 plane, crashed into a 10-story building near Tehran's Mehrabad airport. In Nov. 2007, a Russian-made Iranian military plane crashed shortly after takeoff killing 36 members of the elite Revolutionary Guards.

___

AP writer Avet Demourian in Yerevan, Armenia, contributed to this report.

Source: Yahoo News

In love? It's not enough to keep a marriage, study finds

2009-07-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

SYDNEY, July 14 (Reuters Life!) - Living happily ever after needn't only be for fairy tales. Australian researchers have identified what it takes to keep a couple together, and it's a lot more than just being in love.

A couple's age, previous relationships and even whether they smoke or not are factors that influence whether their marriage is going to last, according to a study by researchers from the Australian National University.

The study, entitled "What's Love Got to Do With It", tracked nearly 2,500 couples -- married or living together -- from 2001 to 2007 to identify factors associated with those who remained together compared with those who divorced or separated.

It found that a husband who is nine or more years older than his wife is twice as likely to get divorced, as are husbands who get married before they turn 25.

Children also influence the longevity of a marriage or relationship, with one-fifth of couples who have kids before marriage -- either from a previous relationship or in the same relationship -- having separated compared to just nine percent of couples without children born before marriage.

Women who want children much more than their partners are also more likely to get a divorce.

A couple's parents also have a role to play in their own relationship, with the study showing some 16 percent of men and women whose parents ever separated or divorced experienced marital separation themselves compared to 10 percent for those whose parents did not separate.

Also, partners who are on their second or third marriage are 90 percent more likely to separate than spouses who are both in their first marriage.

Not surprisingly, money also plays a role, with up to 16 percent of respondents who indicated they were poor or where the husband -- not the wife -- was unemployed saying they had separated, compared with only nine percent of couples with healthy finances.

And couples where one partner, and not the other, smokes are also more likely to have a relationship that ends in failure.

Factors found to not significantly affect separation risk included the number and age of children born to a married couple, the wife's employment status and the number of years the couple had been employed.

The study was jointly written by Dr Rebecca Kippen and Professor Bruce Chapman from The Australian National University, and Dr Peng Yu from the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

(Writing by Miral Fahmy; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Source: Reuters
Useful Resources: Marriage Records

Total solar eclipse

2009-07-13T01:30:00.000-07:00

Total solar eclipse will happen on July 22, 2009. Here is an animated image that you can view.

Google takes aim at Microsoft with new PC platform

2009-07-08T07:36:00.000-07:00

By Alexei Oreskovic and Edwin Chan

SUN VALLEY, Idaho (Reuters) - Google Inc is planning a direct attack on Microsoft Corp's core business by taking on the software giant's globally dominant Windows operating system for personal computers.

Google, which already offers a suite of e-mail, Web and other software products that compete with Microsoft, said on Tuesday it would launch a new operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks.

Called the Google Chrome Operating System, the new software will be in netbooks for consumers in the second half of 2010, Google said in a blog post, adding that it was working with multiple manufacturers.

Netbooks are low-cost notebook PCs optimized for Internet surfing and other Web-based applications.

"It's been part of their culture to go after and remove Microsoft as a major holder of technology, and this is part of their strategy to do it," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at Enderle Group. "This could be very disruptive. If they can execute, Microsoft is vulnerable to an attack like this, and they know it," he said.

Google and Microsoft have often locked horns over the years in a variety of markets, from Internet search to mobile software. It remains to be seen if Google can take market share away from Microsoft on its home turf, with Windows currently installed in more than 90 percent of the world's PCs.

The news comes as executives from the world's biggest technology and media companies, including Google and Microsoft, gather in Sun Valley, Idaho for an annual conference organized by boutique investment bank Allen & Co.

A spokesman for Microsoft had no immediate comment.

Key to success will be whether Google can lock in partnerships with PC makers, such as Hewlett-Packard Co and Dell Inc, which currently offer Windows on most of their product lines.

HP, the world's largest PC brand, declined to confirm if it would sell PCs running on the new operating system.

"We are looking into it," said HP spokeswoman Marlene Somsak, referring to the operating system. "We want to understand all the different operating systems available to customers, and will assess the impact of Chrome on the computer and communications industry."

Google's Chrome Internet browser, launched in late 2008, remains a distant fourth in the Web browser market, with a 1.2 percent share in February, according to market research firm Net Applications. Microsoft's Internet Explorer continues to dominate with nearly 70 percent.

FAST AND LIGHTWEIGHT

The new Chrome OS is expected to work well with many of the company's popular software applications, such as Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Maps.

It will be fast and lightweight, enabling users to access the Web in a few seconds, Google said. The new OS is based on open-source Linux code, which allows third-party developers to design compatible applications.

"The operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web," Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management at Google, said in the blog post. The Chrome OS is "our attempt to re-think what operating systems should be."

Google said Chrome OS was a new project, separate from its Android mobile operating software found in some smartphones. Acer Inc, the world's No.3 PC brand, has already agreed to sell netbooks that run on Android to be released this quarter.

The new OS is designed to work with ARM and x86 chips, the main chip architectures in use in the market. Microsoft has previously said it would not support PCs running on ARM chips, allowing Google an opportunity to infiltrate that segment.

Charlene Li, partner at consulting company Altimeter Group, said Google's new OS could initially appeal to consumers looking for a netbook-like device for Web surfing, rather than people who use desktop PCs for gaming or high-powered applications.

But eventually, the Google OS has the potential to scale up to larger, more powerful PCs, especially if it proves to run faster than Windows, she said.

Google did not say how much it would charge for the operating system (OS), but Enderle expects Google to charge at most a nominal fee or make it free, saying the company's business model has been to earn revenue from connecting applications or advertising.

Microsoft declines to say how much it charges PC brands for Windows, but most analysts estimate about $20 for the older XP system and at least $150 for the current Vista system.

Li added: "A benefit to the consumer is that the cost saving is passed on, not having to pay for an OS."

"It's clearly positioned as a shot across the bow of Microsoft," she said.

(Additional reporting by Kelvin Soh in Taipei; Writing by Tiffany Wu, editing by Will Waterman)

Source:Reuters

Mystery surrounds Michael Jackson's sudden death

2009-06-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

By Dan Whitcomb and Bob Tourtellotte

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - One day after Michael Jackson's sudden death, speculation was already turning on Friday to what killed the 50-year-old "King of Pop" just weeks before his long-awaited series of comeback concerts.

Jackson, a former child star who became one of the best-selling pop artists of all time before a descending into a strange and reclusive lifestyle, died on Thursday afternoon at a Los Angeles hospital, where he had been rushed in full cardiac arrest after collapsing at his nearby rental home.

His passing was front page news around the world, airwaves were filled with his greatest hits from "Thriller" to "Billie Jean," social networking sites were bombarded with messages and tributes from fans and musicians continued to pour in.

"It's so sad and shocking," said former Beatle Paul McCartney. "I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever."

Few details were known about the circumstances surrounding Jackson's death, but the entertainer was reportedly unconscious and not breathing by the time he arrived at UCLA Medical Center, and doctors were unable to revive him.

His body was flown by helicopter from the hospital to the coroner's office late on Thursday.

Brian Oxman, a spokesman for the Jackson family, told CNN on Thursday the family had been concerned about his health and had tried in vain to take care of him for months.

"Michael appeared at rehearsals a couple of times, he was very seriously trying to be able to do those rehearsals," Oxman said of Jackson's preparations for a series of 50 concerts that were scheduled to begin in London in July.

"His use of medications had gotten in the way, his injuries which he had sustained performing, where he had broken a vertebrae and he had broken his leg from a fall on the stage, were getting in the way," Oxman told CNN.

Authorities have scheduled an autopsy for Friday. But they cautioned it could take weeks to determine a cause of death, which will likely have to wait for the return of toxicology tests. Those tests will determine if Jackson had any drugs, alcohol or prescription medications in his system.

Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery Homicide division searched Jackson's home in the upscale Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles at the behest of Chief William Bratton. But they called the investigation an "every day" event.

TAINTED TALENT?

Jackson dominated the charts in the 1980s and is considered one of the most successful entertainers of the past century, with a lifetime sales tally estimated at 750 million records, 13 Grammy Awards and several seminal music videos to his name.

"Michael was and will remain one of the greatest entertainers that ever lived," said Motown Records founder Berry Gordy, Jackson's first label boss.

"He was exceptional, artistic and original. He gave the world his heart and soul through his music."

But Jackson's reputation as a singer and dancer was overshadowed in recent years by his increasingly abnormal appearance, and bizarre lifestyle, which included his friendship with a chimp and a preference for the company of children.

He named his estate in the central California foothills Neverland Valley Ranch, in tribute to the J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan stories, and filled it with amusement park rides and a petting zoo.

Jackson was twice accused of molesting young boys and was charged in 2003 with child sexual abuse. He became even more reclusive following his 2005 acquittal and vowed he would never again live at Neverland.

Facing a battered reputation and mountain of debts the Wall Street Journal reported ran to $500 million, Jackson had spent the last two months rehearsing for the London concerts, including Wednesday night at the huge Staples Center arena, home to the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team.

Despite reports of Jackson's ill-health, the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March Jackson passed a 4-1/2 hour physical examination with independent doctors.

"I can't stop crying over the sad news," Madonna said in a statement. "I have always admired Michael Jackson. The world has lost one of the greats but his music will live on forever."

Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children and first performed with his brothers as a member of the Jackson 5.

His 1982 album "Thriller" yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million internationally.

The following year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move, gliding across the stage and setting off an instant trend, while performing "Billie Jean" during an NBC special.

In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996.

"I'm so very sad and confused with every emotion possible. ... This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me," Presley said in statement.

Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999, and he later had another child with an unidentified surrogate mother.

He is survived by three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when his father held him over the railing of a hotel balcony, causing widespread criticism.

(Editing by Dean Goodman, Anthony Boadle and Matthew Jones)

Source: Reuters

King of Pop Michael Jackson is dead: report

2009-06-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pop giant Michael Jackson, who took to the stage as a child star and set the world dancing to exuberant rhythms for decades, died on Thursday after being taken ill at his home, the Los Angeles Times said. He was 50.

"Pop star Michael Jackson was pronounced dead by doctors this afternoon after arriving at a hospital in a deep coma, city and law enforcement sources told The Times," the newspaper reported on its website.

The paper's report followed news of Jackson's death first reported by the TMZ entertainment website.

There was no immediate comment from spokespersons for Jackson, who was known as the "King of Pop," for hit albums that included "Thriller" and "Billie Jean."

He had been scheduled to launch a comeback tour from London next month.

TMZ said on its website that "Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back."

Earlier, the Los Angeles Times said the singer had been rushed to a Los Angeles-area hospital by fire department paramedics who found him not breathing when they arrived at the singer's home.

The newspaper said paramedics performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the scene before taking him to the UCLA Medical Center hospital.

COMEBACK CONCERTS

Jackson had been due to start a series of concerts in London on July 13 running until March 2010. The singer had been rehearsing in the Los Angeles area for the past two months.

The shows for the 50 London concerts sold out within minutes of going on sale in March.

His lifetime record sales tally is believed to be around 750 million, which, added to the 13 Grammy Awards he received, makes him one of the most successful entertainers of all time.

He lived as a virtual recluse since his acquittal in 2005 on charges of child molestation.

There were concerns about Jackson's health in recent years but the promoters of the London shows, AEG Live, said in March that Jackson had passed a 4-1/2 hour physical examination with independent doctors.

CHILD STAR TO MEGASTAR

Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children. Five Jackson boys -- Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael -- first performed together at a talent show when Michael was 6. They walked off with first prize and went on to become a best-selling band, The Jackson Five, and then The Jackson 5.

Jackson made his first solo album in 1972, and released "Thriller" in 1982, which became a smash hit that yielded seven top-10 singles. The album sold 21 million copies in the United States and at least 27 million worldwide.

The next year, he unveiled his signature "moonwalk" dance move while performing "Billie Jean" during an NBC special.

In 1994, Jackson married Elvis Presley's only child, Lisa Marie, but the marriage ended in divorce in 1996. Jackson married Debbie Rowe the same year and had two children, before splitting in 1999. The couple never lived together.

Jackson has three children named Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, known for his brief public appearance when his father held him over the railing of a hotel balcony, causing widespread criticism.

Source: Reuters

Iraq Taking Over Security as Deadline Approaches for U.S. Withdrawal From Cities - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

2009-06-18T19:57:00.001-07:00

Iraq Taking Over Security as Deadline Approaches for U.S. Withdrawal From Cities - International News | News of the World | Middle East News | Europe News - FOXNews.com

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2010 Toyota Prius takes hybrid cars to the next level

2009-06-18T19:48:00.001-07:00

Here is the:
2010 Toyota Prius takes hybrid cars to the next level

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Pagasa: ALPA off Luzon may become cyclone

2009-06-17T18:48:00.000-07:00

MANILA, Philippines - State weather forecasters are closely monitoring an active low-pressure area (ALPA) off Northeast Luzon that they said may intensify into a cyclone.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Thursday the ALPA may trigger flash floods and landslides over western Luzon.

"Maari itong maging bagyong tropikal [It may intensify into a tropical cyclone]," Pagasa forecaster Elvie Enriquez said on dzBB radio.

Earlier, Pagasa said the weather disturbance would be named "Feria" if it becomes a cyclone.

But dzXL radio reported that Pagasa chief Prisco Nilo said that should the ALPA become a cyclone, it would likely head for Taiwan.

Pagasa said that as of 2 a.m., the ALPA was estimated at 170 km east northeast of Aparri, Cagayan or 200 km south southeast of Basco, Batanes.

"Luzon and the Visayas will experience monsoon rains that may trigger flash floods and landslides over the western section of Luzon. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to at times cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening,"
Pagasa said in its 5 a.m. bulletin.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate blowing from the south and southwest with slight to moderate seas except during thunderstorms. - GMANews.TV

New Pulse Asia’s preference survey results VP Noli on top

2009-06-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

In the newest Pulse Asia survey Vice President Noli de Castro on top results of the survey. The survey bets for the 2010 presidential elections. De Castro got 18 percent in the survey followed by Escudero with 17 percent.

The survey is according to public opinion, Pulse Asia’s Ulat ng Bayan. Here is the table image from GMANews.TV:

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For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

COMELEC Precinct Finder

2009-05-25T03:10:00.000-07:00

For an easy way to find voter's precinct this 2010, Commission on Election (COMELEC) presents to the public the precinct finder.

In the natural way voters will look for their names room to room until they find their precinct. COMELEC made an easy way to find the voters precinct with the help of precinct finder for them to go with their respective precinct directly without spending more time. Here are easy steps:

Go to http://www.comelec.gov.ph/precinctfinder/precinctfinder.aspx

You have to fill the form with your;

First Name
Middle Name
Last Name
Birth date including the month, day and the year.
Then click on Find Now

Your voter's information and registration details will appear.

Voter's Info:
`Lastname:`	xxxxx
`Firstname:`	xxxxx
`Maternalname:`	xxxxx
`Birthdate:`	xxxxx
Registration Details:
`Province:`	xxxxx
`City/Municipality:`	xxxxx
`Barangay:`	xxxxx
`Precinct:`	xxxxx
`Registration Status:`	xxxxx
`Biometrics Info:`	xxxxx

For a new search click on New Search.

WHO chief says world should prepare for severe flu

2009-05-22T19:02:00.000-07:00

GENEVA – Countries should be ready for more serious H1N1 flu infections and more deaths from the newly discovered virus, World Health Organization chief Margaret Chan said on Friday.

The highly contagious strain must be closely monitored in parts of Asia, Africa and South America where the winter season is beginning in case it mixes with seasonal flu and mutates in "unpredictable ways," Chan told the closing session of her United Nations agency's annual congress.

"In cases where the H1N1 virus is widespread and circulating within the general community, countries must expect to see more cases of severe and fatal infections," she said. "We do not at present expect this to be a sudden and dramatic jump in severe illness and deaths."

In the WHO's latest tally, the strain has infected more than 11,000 people in 42 countries and killed 86.

Chan told the end of the week-long World Health Assembly that poorer countries need to quickly improve their monitoring for the new flu, which has caused mainly mild symptoms in most patients but could become more serious as it spreads.

"This is a subtle, sneaky virus," she said. "We have clues, many clues, but very few firm conclusions."

Another senior WHO official, Keiji Fukuda, later told a news conference the United Nations agency was rethinking its criteria for declaring a full H1N1 pandemic is underway to factor in its severity as well as its geographical spread.

"What we are looking for and what we will be looking for is something, events, which signify a really significant increase in risk of harm to people," said Fukuda, acting WHO assistant director-general.

The WHO's global flu alert is currently at level 5 out of 6, meaning that a pandemic is "imminent."

Officials from the WHO's 193 member states have been pushing this week for an altered definition of a Phase 6 pandemic to reduce the risk of unnecessary public panic.

"The bottom line here is we are trying to walk a very fine line between not raising panic but also not becoming complacent," Fukuda said, adding that criteria would be reviewed now that the assembly had ended.

The WHO's current rulebook requires a full pandemic to be declared once the air-borne virus is spreading in a sustained way in two regions of the world. The H1N1 strain has been most prevalent in North America and has also caused growing pockets of infection in Japan, Spain and Britain.

Chan said there was little real difference between the WHO's current pandemic alert level of 5 and the highest of 6 in terms of preparedness measures taken, and she would consult experts before opting to raise it again.

"The decision to declare an influenza pandemic is a responsibility and a duty that I take very, very seriously," she said. "I will consider all the scientific information available. I will be advised by the emergency committee."

The WHO expects that by the end of May, laboratories will be able to send candidate viruses to drug companies to be tested as vaccine viruses, according to Fukuda.

"We are hopeful that by the end of June, by the beginning of July, this will be the time when commercial companies will be in the position of beginning to, or being able to make H1N1 vaccine," he said.

While the new flu virus dominated their meeting, officials also passed resolutions on the need to improve treatment of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis and prepare for a surge in diseases including mosquito-borne malaria due to global warming.

Source: abs-cbnNEWS.com

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month

2009-05-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

Today we celebrate the Cervical Cancer Awareness Month. We will be talking about cervical cancer, what are the symptoms, how does it happen to be able to avoid. Women should be aware of this cancer for prevention.

Cervical Cancer is known to be a malignant cancer. It occurs when cells became abnormal on the cervix and unusual changes happen. The cervix is known to be the neck of the uterus; it is the narrow portion of the uterus that joins through the top end of the vagina. It is rarely called “cervix uteri”. Cervical Cancer is curable when it is known before time. It can be known through a Pap test.

The virus called Human papillomavirus (HPV) mostly causes cervical cancer. The HPV is catch through sexual contact with someone who has it. Having a regular Pap tests is very important for the HPV stays in the body for years. Pap test is made to look for cells of the cervix for examination if there are some changes. These changes may lead to cervical cancer. If these changes of cell are to be treated cervical cancer will be prevented.

The symptoms of cervical cancer include the following situations:

• The abnormal bleeding of vagina, or unexplained changes of menstrual cycle.
• Bleeding in contact with the cervix, such as during the intercourse.
• Feeling pain during the intercourse.
• Having tinged blood during vaginal discharge.

In the advance stage of cervical cancer may include: loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, pelvic pain, back pain, leg pain, single swollen leg, heavy bleeding from the vagina, leaking of urine or faeces from the vagina, and bone fractures.

Be aware that cervical cancer can be prevented if it is caught at the very early. Protect your children for having cancer. Do a regular Pap test to prevent cancer of the cervix. There is also HPV vaccine that is effective against two strains of HPV that is mostly leading to cervical cancer.

Making your Windows Desktop Faster

2009-05-18T18:57:00.000-07:00

Here are some steps to make your Windows desktop fast.

Click start menu
Click on run
Then type on search box regedit
Double click the HKEY_CURRENT_USER folder
Double click Control Panel folder
Then click on desktop folder
At you right side bar look for MenuShowDelay
Double click the MenuShowDelay
Change the Value data into 0 (zero)
Click OK button

Then that’s it your done you may close the window and try to restart you computer or refresh to get it effective.

First Writing Instrument

2009-05-18T06:03:00.000-07:00

Back to school is near. Probably by next month school year starts again and students are preparing for their things that usually use in school.

Here is a little trivia for handwriting instruments. In the early time human don’t have any paper to write on. Early human uses hard kinds of notes like stone tablets or in walls of cave and it’s not possible to write if we use pen like we are using today.

The early writing instrument was sharpened-stone; they made it for them to write easily. Then eventually as time getting advance, human discover things around and feather pen became a writing instrument by using squid ink. As of now it is not that hard to write using ball pen or pencil, human made a comfortable hand writing instrument.

Philippine Legal Holidays!

2009-05-17T18:46:00.000-07:00

Holidays are to free from work to spend time with the family for a certain event. This is also to recall events that are memorable things happen. Mostly holidays are days or thanks giving for blessing that we received. There are regional holidays that are celebrated in a certain regions. And holidays that are celebrated a certain country.

Here is the list of Legal Holidays in the Philippines:

New Years Day	January	1
Araw ng Kagitingan	April	9
Holy Thursday
Good Friday
Labor Day	May	1
Independence Day	June	12
National Heroes Day	August	30
Bonifacio Day	November	30
Christmas Day	December	25
Rizal Day	December	30

Philippine Presidential Candidates for 2010

2009-05-12T22:58:00.000-07:00

The Philippines are scheduled for election on May 10, 2010. The elected president will become the 15th President of the Philippines.

May 10, 2010 is very important event for it is a service of six years for the Filipinos. The Filipinos are hoping for a responsible president but these will depend on their votes.

These are the posible list for Presidency:
(to be updated)

Jejomar Binay
Francis Escudero
Panfilo Lacson
Mar Roxas
Manny Villar
Ed Panlilio
Loren Legarda

CA looks to Illegal Drugs for Tax Revenue

2009-05-08T16:46:00.000-07:00

CA Governor Schwarzenegger Looks to Illegal Drugs for Tax Revenue
May 07, 2009 by Sylvia Cochran

Call it Grass, Weed, Pot, Mary Jane, Dope, or Bud; It's a Leaf and Looks Good to the Governator for Revenue Generation.

The California budget crisis continues on without abatement and illegal drugs are now in the crosshairs of cash strapped legislators. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced that he would look at marijuana legislation as a potential means for tax revenue. Is this a shortsighted move?

When Michael Phelps took a bong hit, the picture led to unsuccessful press negotiations, an apology, sanctions, and a loss of endorsements. In contrast, when San Francisco Democrat Tom Ammiano drafted a California marijuana bill, he was hailed as a visionary who might be able to use illegal drugs and put up to $50 per ounce of marijuana into the state's coffers.

Even President Obama weighed in on legalization of illegal drugs - specifically the legalization of marijuana - and the Obama marijuana position is a resounding "no" to making this illegal drug legal. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is not yet on the illegal drugs legalization bandwagon, but, according to the Christian Science Monitor, he is making overtures that he is ready to listen and discuss the legalization and taxation of marijuana.

Illegal Drugs Status of Marijuana

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration classifies marijuana as a schedule one illegal drug, asserting that it possessed a heightened possibility of abuse.

Will Legalization of Illegal Drugs Show California the Money?

It may not be the solution to California's budget woes, but it would be more than a drop in the bucket. Estimates suggest that the legalization of marijuana and its taxation could add up to $1.3 billion to the state's strapped budget.

The law of unintended consequences also applies when it comes to illegal drugs and their legalization. For example, if marijuana were made legal in California, sellers and users would no longer be subject to prosecution (at taxpayer cost) and incarceration (also at taxpayer expense); moreover, the tax revenue generated by marijuana sellers and users as they pursue their regular FICA generating jobs remains preserved.

On the flipside, a new government agency or at least office dedicated to overseeing the sale and taxation of marijuana would have to be created. Children would have to be protected from (for them) illegal drugs that would then be so much easier to obtain. Could it be that the California governmental structure might just eat up whatever profits the legalization and taxation of marijuana would yield?

Moreover, the fact that smoking pot and smoking tobacco lead to health problems is undisputed. Will California simply shoot itself in the foot by legalizing marijuana and reaping tax benefits on the front end, while paying out health related costs on the back end?

Source: associatedcontent.com

Track Typhoon EMONG

2009-05-06T18:35:00.000-07:00

TML clipboard

Be alert that "EMONG" has intensified into a typhoon as it continues to move closer to Northern Luzon.

PAGASA Track as of 8 a.m., 07 May 2009 Philippine time

Location of Center: (as of 4:00 a.m.)	350 kms West of Iba, Zambales
Coordinates:	15.1°N, 116.4°E
Strength:	Maximum sustained winds of 120 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph
Movement:	Northeast at 17 kph.

These are the areas having Public Storm Warning Signal:

HTML clipboardSignal No.3 (100-185 kph winds)
Western Pangasinan
La Union
Ilocos Sur

Signal No. 2(60-100 kph winds)
Zambales
Tarlac
Rest of Pangasinan
Benguet
Ifugao
Mt. Province
Kalinga
Apayao
Abra
Ilocos Norte

Signal No. 1(30-60 kph winds)
Metro Manila
Batangas
Laguna
Rizal
Oriental Mindoro
Occidental Mindoro
Lubang Island
Calamian Group of Islands
Cavite
Pampanga
Bataan
Bulacan
Northern Quezon
Aurora
Nueva Ecija
Nueva Viscaya
Quirino
Isabela
Cagayan
Babuyan Island
Batanes Group of Islands

Source: PAGASA

Face Transplant in the U.S. Appears for the First Time

2009-05-06T03:47:00.000-07:00

The First U.S. transplant appears publicly on May 05, 2009. Connie Culp thanked the doctors who made the surgery publicly.

Reasons for Having Birth Records Search Online

2009-05-05T06:38:00.000-07:00

The Internet has already made its mark on the lives of many people. There are already many situations in which an individual would rely on the Internet. Primarily, there are situations in which an individual can make use of the information that is available online.

With the broad range of information that are available in different websites, a person would not find it hard to get most of what he needs since one can simply search for it in the Internet. There are also birth records that are available and there are sites that can offer this for free. The records are government acquired so they also make it available for the public for free. The process is not difficult and you can do this without too much effort. If you are in need of your own records, or you want to know your birth parents, checking out the birth records online can be a big help.

The information that you should start with when you are starting the birth records search is to know the complete name of the person. If you are looking for your own records, then this means your name. You should put in the search the full name and not the nicknames as this can change the results of the search. If you don’t know the real name of the person, as in the cases of adoption, then you should contact the adoption agency to know the real, given name of the individual.

Another piece of information that is helpful to start with your birth records search would be the date of birth of the individual. If you are searching for another person, then try to get this information so that your search can be faster and more reliable. However, if it is not possible, you can still continue with your search but this will take more time.

When you are already gathered the two important things before you can conduct the birth records, you will be able to get the details that you need from the search. The online process is so easy that you would no longer need to do so much just to get all of the important details about another person or yourself. Within a few days of waiting and searching, you can get all of the relevant facts. The Internet has opened this new possibility making each day better and easier in many situations.

Winner of Pacquiao vs. Hatton

2009-05-02T20:49:00.000-07:00

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao won by knock out at second round.

The defense of Ricky"The Hitman" Hatton was open and hit by the left hook of Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao and Hatton was knock out in 2nd round of their 12 round super lightweight title match.
On their first round fight Hatton was knock down twice before the fight was over.

Pacquiao vs. Hatton

2009-05-02T18:03:00.000-07:00

The awaited moment has come the fight of Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao vs Ricky"The Hitman" Hatton. Who will be undefeated....

Electronic Cigarette

2009-03-03T18:05:00.000-08:00

Cigarette smoking is the worst thing habit to be adapted to the body. It is the leading cause of death in the world but it is avoidable. There are thousand of people that are diagnosed to have a lung cancer brought in particular from smoking habit. There are studies that a stick of cigarette shortens life by six minutes.

Cigarette smokers feel the effects of the cigarette in their body and they wanted to quit smoking habit. But quitting is really a challenge once smoking habit has been started it is hard for them to quit.

I wanted to share this video that I found in youtube. This video may help cigarette smokers about their health. And maybe a good start from quitting in cigarette smoking.

Tnomeralc Web Design Toys

2009-03-02T00:11:00.000-08:00

E-Commerce has been broad in the internet nowadays. The Tnomeralc Web Design Toys is an e-commerce website design that has its own unique characteristic that escort the visitors to a trouble free in purchasing. As a web designer it is needed to think of an assortment of online selling principle in designing website for e-commerce.

An e-commerce website design is unusual for other websites and maybe some of us are asking why. Well to make an e-commerce website it should be eye-catching, the colors should have a good combination, choose the color that fits the content of an e-commerce website.

It is helpful for the customers to shop in an e-commerce website. E-commerce has an easy way of transaction in buying in selling of goods. Many were already using e-commerce rather than going to the malls. We know that in the malls we experience a lot of cases in shopping, in the market we spend more time to look for the thing that we need. We do also wait or fall in line to pay for our goods and getting tired of shopping.

In an easy way, renting space in the market is more difficult than putting the products in the web. However, it is much difficult to sell the product in the web. These difficulties will be big challenge for the e-commerce web designer. The designers will use techniques to attract online shoppers.

In an e-commerce web design it is concerning on the layout. Accessing in a web page is one of the important aspects in user’s eyes. Mostly the research shows that it is attractive and give more attention for the user is in the middle left side are and the next is at center page.

It is important to understand the principles of web design for selling online. It is also important to consult an experience web designer and if possible someone that has well experience e-commerce website.

The tnomeralc web design toys are empowering e-commerce and web design Claremont Design + LA Toy Store.