spectacles

“I Am...Sasha Fierce,” Beyoncé’s 3rd Studio Album

2008-11-23T17:57:00.000-08:00

Texas born R&B singer-songwriter, record producer and actress Beyoncé Giselle Knowles, popularly known as “Beyoncé” has her third collection of two CD studio album “I am … Sasha Fierce” released worldwide between November 12, 2008 and February 6, 2009. More about Sasha Fierce on "Beyoncé: The Sessions Interview." This Deluxe Edition from Columbia Records contains the following tracks:
Disc 1 Tracks:
01 If I Were A Boy
02 Halo
03 Disappear
04 Broken-Hearted Girl
05 Ave Maria
06 Smash Into You
07 Satellites
08 That's Why You're Beautiful

Disc 2 Tracks:
01 Single Ladies [Put A Ring On It]
02 Radio
03 Diva
04 Sweet Dreams
05 Video Phone
06 Hello
07 Ego
08 Scared Of Lonely

Below are some of Beyoncé’s live performances on AOL Sessions.

Single Ladies [Put A Ring On It]

If I Were A Boy

Irreplaceable

"Womanizer" of Britney Spears, Jumped to No. 1

2008-10-17T04:01:00.000-07:00

Britney Spears’ “Womanizer” is the first single from her upcoming sixth studio album, "Circus" which is due in stores on December 2, 2008. This was also announced as the lead single from the said album. 'Womanizer' was first released to radio stations worldwide on September 26, 2008 and was released commercially in the United States on October 7, 2008 through digital distribution jumping from No. 96 to the top spot and selling 286,000 downloads in its first week.

This latest album of hers which is titled “Circus” from Jive Records featured collaborations with Max Martin, Danja and Bloodshy & Avant. It contains these track lists: 1. Womanizer, 2. Circus, 3. Out From Under, 4. Kill The Lights, 5. Shattered Glass, 6. If U Seek Amy, 7. Unusual You, 8. Blur, 9. Mmm Papi, 10. Mannequin, 11. Lace and Leather, 12. My Baby and 13. Radar [Bonus Track].

This music video was filmed on September 24 & 25, 2008, at a Los Angeles nightclub and restaurant. It was directed by Joseph Khan, who had previously directed Spears' videos, 'Stronger' in 2000 and 'Toxic' in 2003. She dons assorted wigs and costumes in which the video begins with Britney lying in a sauna completely nude. It then switches to a not-so-innocent looking Britney wearing a grey satin robe with a black bra peeking out; she's cooking her beau [Brandon Stoughton] breakfast. He checks his schedule, and sees he has an important business meeting. He dresses and appears in his office. He sees another Britney dressed like a secretary with short black hair and glasses. She and many of the other workers dance around him while she calls him a 'womanizer'. They go into a copy room, and he takes pictures of her on his phone and flirts with her. She sits on the copy machine and copies her buttocks showing nothing but black underwear. She rips it in half and throws his face on the copy machine … etc., etc. This has stormed up the charts to hit the top spots in several different countries, France, Spain and Sweden including Canada and the U.S.

There are two versions of the video, the rated or the censored version (featured on ABC) and the Director's Cut [Uncensored]. The differences between the two is, the unrated version shows Spears completely nude, while the rated one shows steam covering her body. A comparison from her flirtatious "Toxic"[2003] music video and her first "Oops!...I Did It Again"[2000] could be well made as you watch them below.

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Britney Spears - Womanizer [Uncensored][2008]

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Britney Spears - Toxic [2003]

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Britney Spears - Ooops!...I Did It Again [2000]

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Britney Spears - Circus [2008]

The Final and 3rd McCain-Obama Presidential Debate

2008-10-16T02:48:00.000-07:00

Transcript of the Last Debate

2nd McCain-Obama Presidential Debate

2008-10-07T19:57:00.000-07:00

Full transcript of the round 2, McCain-Obama debate
See the facts on what Obama and McCain said

Biden-Palin Vice Presidential Debate

2008-10-02T19:39:00.000-07:00

Hillary's reaction to the debate
Transcript of the Vice Presidential Debate

McCain-Obama First Presidential Debate

2008-09-27T04:42:00.000-07:00

More Details of the upcoming 2nd and 3rd Presidential Debates

John McCain's Acceptance Speech at RNC

2008-09-07T18:21:00.000-07:00

Full Trancript of the Speech

Sarah Palin’s Speech at the RNC

2008-09-04T15:42:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech at DNC

2008-08-28T18:50:00.000-07:00

Joe Biden as Obama’s VP Choice, Is it a Working Partnership?

2008-08-23T21:27:00.001-07:00

Delaware’s long-serving senator, Joseph “Joe” Robinette Biden, Jr. was chosen by Barack Obama as his running mate. He made this most awaited official announcement at a campaign rally in the front steps of the Old State Capitol, Springfield, Illinois, just two days before the Democratic National Convention (DNC) opens on Monday at Denver.

This is seemingly a welcome choice as what recent poll has showed and it gets positive reviews by voters nationwide, especially among Democrats. Former Obama rival and New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has praised the choice and issued a public statement calling Biden "an exceptionally strong, experienced leader and devoted public servant … Senator Biden will be a purposeful and dynamic vice president who will help Senator Obama both win the presidency and govern this great country."

On Obama-Biden ticket, interest groups has expressed their thoughts and reacted positively. A top Republican senator praised the choice. Donors and funding have started pouring in prior to the DNC together with reception sponsors. One consultant said that Joe will be a good campaigner. Some says such decision will bolster Obama’s “limited background” if not “lack of experience” on foreign relations policy as well as national security.

Considered to be as one of the Congress' most knowledgeable and respected voices on national security, the 65 year old Biden has been a senator for 36 years who was first elected at the age of 29 in 1972 when Obama was just 11 years old.

Freshly arrived from Georgia visit last week – on which he supported its early admission to NATO, he holds the latest key position in the 110th Congress as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with globe-trotting credentials, and also served as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The recent Russo-Georgian conflict has highlighted his strengths and this might be the one of the reasons why Biden is chosen as Obama's VP running mate.

Bush’s Stern Warning to the Russians

2008-08-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

A strong message was made by the US President George W. Bush to the Russians which construe the Georgian-Russian conflict that erupted last week almost at the same time the Beijing Olympics 2008 performed its amazing grand opening ceremony.

The US President delivered his speech outside the oval office on Friday accuses Russia of “bullying and intimidation” which “are not acceptable ways to conduct foreign policy in the 21st century.” A cease-fire deal on August 13 was brokered by French President Nicolas Zarkozy who is also the concurrent president of the European Union.

Tuesday night, shortly before France's leader announced that Georgia had accepted a Russian-French plan to end the conflict, presidents of Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia showed their support as they appeared and stood with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili at a massive rally in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia, attended by thousands of cheering crowds.

However, at CNN's “Larry King Live” Thursday, former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev said Thursday "there is no doubt" that Georgia provoked the clash. It was only thereafter that Russia moved additional forces into South Ossetia in response to "devastation" in the South Ossetia city of Tskhinvali. In response to this, the Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who also appeared on that same program, said he was "profoundly shocked" that Mikhail Gorbachev would use a television appearance "for basically vindicating lies and deceptions."

Last week, Georgia said it launched an operation into its breakaway province of South Ossetia after a cease-fire was broken with artillery fire from Russian separatists that killed 10 people including civilians and peacekeepers – a Mission which is composed of Russians, Ossetians and Georgians set up by the OSCE in 1992. It accused Russia, which also has peacekeepers in the region, of backing the separatists. Hours later, the Russian news agency Interfax reported that Russian authorities said 10 Russian peacekeepers had been killed and 30 wounded in an attack by Georgians.

Furious over Russia's invasion of Georgia, the United States boycotted preparatory meetings Tuesday for a NATO meeting with Russia, and has canceled as well an annual NATO naval exercise with Russian forces in the northern Pacific, scheduled this month. Washington and its allies also are discussing and considering whether to drop Moscow from the Group of Eight industrialized economic powers. An American official said that Russia, in its current situation, has "much more to lose" than the Soviet Union did when it invaded Czechoslovakia in 1968.

More than a million US dollar worth of ‘humanitarian aid’ – 16 pallets of medicine, clothing, sleeping bags, cots and other essential items has arrived on August 13 and 14 in Tblisi from Ramstein Air Base, Germany expedited by the joint military effort of EUCOM, U.S. Army Europe and U.S. Air Forces in Europe via two-plane loads of Globemaster C-17. This is to help reduce the sufferings of the displaced Georgian people estimated to be 120,000 to date.

As of this writing, the beleaguered Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili signed a cease-fire agreement who made an emotional statement standing beside US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, saying he will "never, ever surrender" in the showdown with Russia, and he accused the West of inviting Russian aggression by denying Georgia a door to NATO membership.

In a news conference at the Russian resort of Sochi on the Black Sea, German Chancellor Angela Merkel who met with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, a few hours earlier said that Moscow needed to pull its troops out of Georgia, though she added that "both sides are probably to blame" for the conflict. She left open the possibility that Georgia could still join NATO, though analysts have suggested that the likelihood of the country's accession was now very slim.

Meanwhile at Warsaw on Thursday, the United States and Poland struck a deal to deepen military ties and place a missile interceptor base in Poland. As Western leaders engaged in intense diplomacy to persuade Russia to pull troops out of Georgia, a warning was made by top Russian general, Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, deputy chief of the Russian general staff that Poland could face attack over its missile defense deal with the United States.

Last April, the United States has also reached an agreement with the Czech government to place a radar component of the shield in that country, yet such deal still needs approval from Czech parliament.

On August 14, Moscow also clashed with Georgia's ally Ukraine over the movements of Russia's Black Sea fleet after Ukraine's president Viktor Yushchenko decreed Russian warships obtain permission before entering or leaving their base in the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol – in which under a 1997 lease agreement, Russia's Black Sea Fleet can remain in its historic base in this Crimean port until 2017. He even calls his Russian counterpart to launch talks on an accord about the fleet saying Russia's use of the fleet in fighting to neighboring Georgia "showed how Ukraine can be very easily dragged ... into an international conflict against its will."

Considering the chain of events in this tiny Caucasus nation wherein a sledgehammer was used to kill a fly, what do Russian bombings mean to the Democratic Republic of Georgia?

Beijing Olympics 2008, All Set To Start

2008-07-31T01:23:00.001-07:00

Despite a warning issued to the Chinese government by the IOC President Jacques Rogge that some endurance events might have to be postponed to a different time of day if pollution levels are very high, the Beijing (Summer) Olympics 2008 is all and everything set to start this August 8, 2008 in which the opening ceremony is scheduled to be graced by the United States President George W. Bush and the First Lady, Laura Bush. The White House has defended American president’s stance of attending the opening ceremony regardless of criticisms and oppositions from pro-human rights groups due to the China’s reported widespread human rights violation along with Tibetans, Uyghurs and even to its own people – controversial issues of capital punishment, one-child policy and restrictions of press freedom.

As the symbolic Olympic Village Key was received by Chen Zhili, the ‘Mayor of the Village’ in a ceremony held last July 27, the Chinese athletes led by NBA Star Yao Ming, were the first contingent to check into, out of more than 16,000 competitors who are expected to occupy the village complex. On the same occasion the Chinese National Flag was raised.

“We now welcome athletes from around the world to come to the Games … We will try to satisfy the needs of people from different cultural and religious backgrounds,” she emphasized on her speech as she holds the symbolic gold key given by Liu Qi, president of the organizing committee who is also the head of the Beijing Communist Party.

Yet, dealing with the city’s pollution problem is one of the biggest challenges the Beijing Summer Games is facing-up. According to the World Health Organization, the pollution figures for Beijing are still far from its recommended target level. Last July 20, the Chinese government launched a pollution reduction plan. These draconian measures failed to make a dent, and the air quality got worse, shrouding the capital like a heavy fog, choking people and choking off the sunlight – thus the city failed to produce a blue day.

On Wednesday, as thousands of world-class athletes are heading for the country for the start of the Olympic Games, Chinese officials announce a more intensive emergency pollution plan which is to be implemented. It calls for more closing of factories, complete stop to all construction projects and additional reduction of the quantity of vehicles on the streets and driving restrictions – last digit odd/even plate number schemes – odd numbers for one day and even numbers on the next day, alternately.

These extra measures are not solely for the city of Beijing but it also includes Tianjin City and Hebei province. With cooler wind and pouring rains last Tuesday, eased-up to help sweep away pollutants generating a dropped in pollution level, the lowest reading since July 20 plan took effect. It is expected that a cooler temperature and less hazy skies on August 8, the day of the opening ceremony.

The improvement in air quality reflects the effectiveness of the latest strategy, according to Du Shaozhong, the deputy director of Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau. He even told reporters, “We have seen comprehensive measures implemented already and we have seen that they have had comprehensive results … If we still don’t have ideal air quality for the Games, we will take more measures, and they will be measures that are similar to what has already been taken but to a higher degree …”

The symbolic key given to the 'Village Mayor'

A preview of a part of the 'Amazing' opening ceremony

A video report on Beijing pollution

A video update on the Grand Opening Ceremony

Pics of Baby Susan Juliette & Thomas Beatie, showed on People Magazine

2008-07-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

Four weeks after she was born, baby Susan Juliette and her trannie father were featured on a US publication – People Magazine exclusive issue this week. Of course this is not for free but for a rumored amount of US$300,000! Susan Juliette was conceived (via artificial insemination through a third party sperm donor) by Thomas Beatie, the famous “Pregnat Man” and was given birth at the St. Charles Medical Center in Bend, Oregon on June 29 weighing 9lbs, 5oz; three months after news of her pioneering conception made controversial headlines all across the globe.

Thomas also reveals to the magazine, even though all his little daughter can do at this stage is sleep and poop he thinks his baby is smart and strong and will grow up to be extraordinary – is it because Susan Juliette has an extraordinary father? What a poor baby! It is tempting to say ... this child is going to live a confusing life because his father as he claimed to be, "The World's Most Pregnant Man," loves the spotlight. Is this the way to be concerned about the well-being of this child?

Although Beatie gave birth to this blue-eyed baby, Nancy, his wife has taken on the role of breastfeeding through induced lactation – using hormones and a breast pump to stimulate breast milk production. For the baby, breastfeeding is vital while for Nancy, this is a very responsible act.

In regards to the payout for the exclusive photos, there’s no word yet for a charity. Anyway it is only six digit figures which are worth for keeping compared to Jolie-Pitt’s twins nearing now to US$20,000,000 and the seven digit figures of Nicole Ritchie and Jamie-Lynn Spears' off-spring. Beatie still looks a very happy Dad, yet one wonders if Beatie couldn't have gotten a better deal.

Sienna Miller Sues Two UK News Agencies for Breach of Privacy

2008-07-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

(Warning: Matured Content – Terms and languages might be offensive, including the video, as well as the clickable images.)

After British tabloids published nude photos of Brit actress Sienna Miller publicly smooching a married man and a father of four – Balthazar Getty, she is now suing those news agencies for breach of privacy. The actress claims both publications invaded her privacy by snapping the lewd shots and break the news of her clandestine relationship with Getty.

The lawsuit filed by the topless homewrecker doesn’t specify which photos of those scandalous images that ran across the globe which has caused a quick whirlwind of gossips and blog reactions both on print media and the web. Those topless photos were taken while she and the oil heir-actor (star of 'Brothers & Sisters') were having their lovefest vacation last week in the Amalfi Coast, Italy – one of the most beautiful and exclusive parts of the Mediterranean.

Balthazar Getty, 33 and Sienna Miller (Born in New York and moved to UK), 26 have been spending a lot of time with each other in recent months. They were first spotted together around Los Angeles, having dinner at an Italian restaurant in Beverly Hills and meeting at the Chateau Marmont Hotel, the place where they first met in LA. Sienna could be spending even more time with Getty as she is looking to buy a home in West Hollywood. Although there are rumors earlier this month that he is cheating on his wife, he vehemently denied it. Sienna on the other hand has some expertise of demonstrating the least inconspicuous way of having affair to married men even in the past.

Actually, this is already the second time she sued the Sun and the News of the World for publishing a nude photos of her. The first was when it published an “intrusive” photo of the actress filming a nude scene for a movie. Last December, she was awarded about US$80,000. This time around might be a much larger amount of payout as she expected since this stupid skank is seemingly very upset.

The least shocking news went out thereafter; Balthazar Getty and his wife Rosetta Millington (8 years of marriage with whom he has four children where his youngest kid is just nine months) are separating. Thanks to "embarrassing" photos of Getty touching and passionately kissing actress Sienna Miller who seems to have a pathological need to be topless with douchebags who cheat on their wives in public.

It is undeniable; Sienna Miller sets to tramp it around the world for publicity sake and after a while, she made a querulous nagging complaint about privacy? What do you think about how she defines privacy herself? Does steaming up in front of a hotel window define one of these?

5 Lebanese Prisoners Plus 199 Remains of Palestinian Fighters Swap for 2 Bodies of Israeli Soldiers

2008-07-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

Hezbollah handed over the bodies of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser, two captured Israeli soldiers, in return for five Lebanese prisoners and 199 militants' bodies, early Wednesday, July 16, 2008. The abduction of these two servicemen instigated the Israeli-Hezbollah fighting of 2006 in South Lebanon. This exchange marked the painful and closing chapter of the said Israel's 2006 war in Lebanon.

According to Lebanon's Al-Manar TV, as it quoted Wafik Safa, a senior Hezbollah official at the border as saying the bodies of these two soldiers were in a "mutilated" state sustained from injuries they suffered during the July 12, 2006 Israeli raid that lasted for 34 days which left more than 1,200 dead in Lebanon, majority of them were civilians, and about 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.

The Jewish state staged hundreds of airstrikes on various Lebanese targets yet, they failed to crush the guerrillas, sparking domestic criticism of Ehud Olmert’s government and the army. On the other hand, Hezbollah fired thousands of rockets on Israeli towns, in it drawing criticism at home as well for dragging the country to war.

For the Hezbollah and its supporters, it is a festive preparation for the return of Samir Kantar and the four other Lebanese prisoners. It is believe that this has promised to boost the radical Islamic militia. While for Israel, this is a sharp contrast to the sorrow that swept across the land with the images of the two simple black coffins taken out by Hezbollah guerillas from a black GMC van as it was seen on TV.

Samir Kantar, a Lebanese Druse was a convicted murderer of a policeman, Danny Haran and his four-year-old daughter, thereby, also led to the death their second daughter – while Haran’s wife tried to stifle her cry by accidental smothering. He was pardoned by the Iraeli President Shimon Peres with the concurrence of his cabinet in order to facilitate Kantar’s release from prison who remain incarcerated since that deadly mission in 1979, finally consummating the prisoners exchange deal mediated by a German political negotiator appointed by the United Nations.

President Peres said on Tuesday, "It was not a happy day having to free Samir Kantar but we have a responsibility to bring our soldiers home."

Several questions may arise regarding this carefully choreographed swapping. Is it a fair deal between five live captives + 199 bodies against 2 Israeli corpses? What achievement will it reach in terms of Israeli-Lebanese relations? What kind and what level of victory did the Hezbollah movement achieve, as they claim? There might be some more, depending on how someone may perceive it.

Two coffins handed over to the Red Cross

Samir Kantar et al. left Israeli jail

Satirical Cover of “The New Yorker” Magazine Stirs Controversy

2008-07-15T03:27:00.000-07:00

The cover of the July 21st issue (2008) of ‘The New Yorker’ magazine has generated controversy, and on the Internet as well, which brought up harsh criticisms from both Obama and McCain campaign camps. It was called, “tasteless and offensive.”

It illustrates a satirical caricature of Michelle and Barack Obama bumping fists in front of a fireplace with a conspicuous American flag burning. Above the fireplace hangs a portrait of Osama Bin Laden. The Democratic presidential candidate is depicted as a Muslim – wearing a robe (a typical Muslim garb), sandals, with a head turban; and his militant wife Michelle – dressed in camouflage, combat boots and an assault AK47 rifle strapped over her shoulder; both of them standing in the Oval Office, presumably after winning the presidential election. What a portrayal of the would-be First Couple!

The cartoonist and illustrator is Barry Blitt, who captured the essence of the Obama nightmare. Some say that it’s a brilliant piece of satire, apparently, it exposes how laughably transparent many Americans are in their Obamaphobia. Yet, not everyone agrees. Of course, everybody has the privilege of the pros and cons, depending on how they perceived such funny cover art. One might say it will help Obama more than it will hurt him. It may redirect the people’s irrational prejudice and fear mongering or it may be just a joke soliciting humor.

As Obama addressed and downplayed the impact of the magazine's illustration, he said that it is an unsuccessful attempt at satire that will likely fuel misconceptions he has long battled over the course of his presidential campaign,

"It's a cartoon ... and that's why we've got the First Amendment ... And I think the American people are probably spending a little more time worrying about what's happening with the banking system and the housing market, and what's happening in Iraq and Afghanistan, than a cartoon. So I haven't spent a lot of time thinking about it … I've seen and heard worse … I do think that in attempting to satirize something, they probably fueled some misconceptions about me instead. But that was their editorial judgment ..."

Kindly checked more cartoons of Barack Obama and more of the story on the video below:

Miss Venezuela, Crowned Miss Universe 2008

2008-07-14T00:26:00.001-07:00

Dayana Mendoza, 22, of Venezuela becomes the newly crowned Miss Universe 2008 held at Crown Convention Center, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, Vietnam on Sunday, July 13, 2008. Riyo Mori, 2007 Miss Universe conferred the US$120,000 worth tiara to her successor, the elated Miss Venezuela beating out 79 other contestants having a wide range of experiences and aspirations. She is the 5th Venezuelan beauty to capture Miss Universe crown.

The Miss Universe Pageant Show was live telecast on NBC hosted by the famous talk show host Jerry Springer and Melanie Brown of the “Spice Girls.” This prestigious show was broadcasted worldwide to hundreds of million viewers in about 170 countries. Springer wearing a tuxedo has made a grand entrance on a motorbike — the vehicle of choice in Vietnam where the streets are teeming with millions of the speeding two-wheelers.

The nine-member panel of judges was headed by Donald Trump Jr. whose father is the co-owner of the pageant with NBC better known as a real-estate magnate and TV personality. Among the judges are international fashion experts: Roberto Cavalli- renowned fashion designer, Joseph Cinque- The President of The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences, Jennifer Hawkins-Miss Universe 2004, Ishaa Koppikar-Bolywood actress, Louis Licari-Celebrity Hairstylist, Nguyen Cong Khe-Editor-in-Chief of Vietnamese Newspaper “Thanh Nien”, Taryn Rose-Footwear Designer, Nadine Velazquez-actress of NBC’s “My Name Is Earl”, and no lesser than Donald Trump Jr.,the eldest son and the executive Vice-President of the Trump Organization.

The five-foot-ten Dayana Mendoza, born on June 1, 1986 in Caracas, is a model having a vital statistics of 85-58-89. Being the 57th Miss Universe, she will be spending her year-long reign traveling the world to lecture on humanitarian issues and promote education especially on HIV/AIDS concerns. Her prize package included - cash, a year contract promoting Miss Universe, world travel, a rent-free, prestigious New York City flat, luxury apartment and a gift bag stuffed with free designer shoes, dresses and beauty products, a US$100,000 stipend for a 2-year course at the New York Film Academy and free access to famous fashion houses and beauty parlors.

On her interview in the past days, Ms. Mendoza related her personal story that she was once kidnapped in her homeland and says the experience taught her to remain poised under pressure. The beaming, Miss Universe, said in a news conference, “… When I go back to Venezuela I will jump on my family and they will jump on me … I want to raise my voice and tell the world that violence is not the answer …” More of the competition’s photos could be launch here and more highlights of the story could be checked here.

It is worth to recall, Irene Sáez who won the Miss Universe in 1991 which was held in New York, pursued a career in politics, started as a mayor of Chacao and later won as a governor. She shocked Venezuela and the whole Latin American countries when she runs for the presidency against Hugo Chavez in May, 1998. At the first stage, she was the frontrunner but unfortunately she lost due to Chávez anti-poverty campaign rhetoric. She now lives in Caracas and no official announcement of any more plans regarding her career as a politician, yet her action has been viewed in Venezuela by many feminists, Miss Universe fans and members of the general public as a woman who has tried to improve the self esteem of all Venezuelan women in general as well as their image.

What about Ms. Dayana Mendoza? Is politics waiting for her in the future?

Basshunter releases new album, “Now You’re Gone: The Album”

2008-07-14T00:04:00.000-07:00

Popularly known as the Swedish eurodance geeky musician, Jonas Altberg, aka Basshunter, is due to release, his latest album, “Now You’re Gone: The Album” this July 14, 2008. This is an English reworking and composed of a total of 15 tracks, including the three bonus tracks featuring the English remakes of his older hits.

Basshunter was born on December 22, 1984 in Halmstad, Sweden. He lived with his parents and younger brother, just five minutes from Sweden’s best beach "Tylosand".
Being described as a stubborn and yet a creative person, he started to produce music in 1999 with a little help from the computer program "Fruityloops". After a lot of demos spread over the internet wherein his interest in music became bigger and bigger, he started to get phone calls from clubs that wanted to hire him as deejay.

He got his first real contact with the music industry when he signed a record deal with Warner Music in April 2006. Eventually, 'Boten Anna’ his first single was released in Scandinavia which became an instant hit. It all happened so very fast then, much faster than Basshunter himself could ever have imagined and expected. The track spread-out, and it became number 1 in Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg – the first ever Swedish language hit in these countries. Germany is not an exception; the song went top 10, and something on which only Cascada & Eric Prydz have managed from the dance world, the track then hung about in the top end of the charts for 6 months.

In the summer of 2007 the English vocal version 'Now you're Gone' has become the most requested record in summer holiday resorts around Europe, due to it being the lead track on a mix compact disc. This was how the Basshunter phenomenon started out in UK.

This latest album, “Now You’re Gone: The Album” is having these tracks: Now You're Gone, All I Ever Wanted, Please Don't Go, I Miss You, Angel In The Night, In Her Eyes, Love You More, Camilla, Dream Girl, I Can Walk On Water, Bass Creator and Russia Privjet; with the Bonus Tracks, Bota Anna, Dota, Now You're Gone and All I Ever Wanted, wherein the last two are Fonzerelli Edit.

Basshunter – "All I ever wanted"

Basshunter - "Now You're Gone"

Angelina Jolie Gives Birth to Premature Boy & Girl Twins

2008-07-13T15:21:00.001-07:00

Angelina Jolie, with just less than 35 weeks of pregnancy, gives birth to a boy and girl twins, 8:00 pm, Saturday night, in Foundation Lenval Hospital, in Nice, France. It was delivered via a Cesarean section, on which the operation was headed by Dr. Michel Sussman. The first is a boy, Knox Leon, at 5.03 pounds and a girl, Vivienne Marcheline, at 5 pounds. What do these names mean to them?

Dr. Sussman, her obstetrician told the press,

“… the Cesarian was moved forward from its originally planned date ‘for medical reasons’ so that the babies could be born ‘in the best conditions’ … The babies are doing well. The operation went just perfectly. Angelina is in very good spirits. Brad Pitt was at her side. He was there and all was well …"

It could be well recalled last month; Angelina was checked into the hospital for bed-resting and monitoring by her doctors although she was due on August 19. Angelina Jolie, 33 and Brad Pitt, 44, welcomed their twins as an addition to their four children. They are adoptive parents of Maddox, 6, from Cambodia; Pax, 4, from Vietnam, and Zahara, 3, from Ethiopia. Their first birth daughter, Shiloh, was born May 2006 in Namibia.

It is worth noting, that the name of the baby girl, ”Marcheline” is also the name of Jolie's mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand, who died in January 2007 after a 7 1/2-year battle with cancer.

The Jolie-Pitts have been in France since before May's Cannes Film Festival; where the actress spent time promoting Kung Fu Panda and Wanted. They had moved into a large estate, Miraval, in the French hamlet of Correns, which is just a short helicopter ride from the hospital. Correns is about 60 miles from Nice, a resort on the Mediterranean.

It was reported in Nice local newspaper, Sunday that the couple have sold rights for the first photo of "the most famous babies in the world" and their newly enlarged family to a U.S. publication, which it did not name, and that the proceeds would go to charity. Last month, it has been announced by the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict that the Jolie-Pitt Foundation has donated US$1 million for the Iraqi kids. Likewise, last year, the same Foundation gave more than US$300,000 to support the International Rescue Committee's relief program for Darfur refugees.

Nice is a popular resort and verybody out there including tourists and residents, welcomed news of the birth. The city's mayor, Christian Estrosi, visited the hospital on Sunday and he personally delivered the twins' birth certificates – which spared Pitt the need to go to the City Hall himself to register the babies, and run the gauntlet of the photographers waiting outside saying, “It's a happy day for Mrs. Angelina Jolie and all the citizens of Nice." It was previously declared by the mayor that the twins will always be considered honorary citizens of the city, regardless of whether they opt to obtain French citizenship.

For more of the story and photo galleries, please click here.

New Iran Missile test, what does It Mean?

2008-07-09T16:19:00.001-07:00

The Islamic Republic of Iran test-fired nine long-range missiles, Wednesday issuing a warning to the United States and Israel that it was ready to retaliate if they attacked Iran over its controversial and disputed nuclear projects.

According to ISNA news agency, Hossein Salami, Revolutionary Guards air force commander said, “… We warn the enemies who intend to threaten us with military exercises and empty psychological operations that our hand will always be on the trigger and our missiles will always be ready to launch … Our missiles are ready for shooting at any place and any time, quickly and with accuracy… ”

This alarming action made by Iran has caused tensions and concerns in Washington, the European Union, particularly, Russia which is strongly opposing a strategic American shield defense plan over its bases in Eastern Europe. Likewise, it has also resisted U.S. calls for tougher U.N. sanctions on Iran, nevertheless says, it shares concerns about Tehran's nuclear program. It is worth to recall last February, it has responded to an Iranian rocket test by questioning Tehran's motives.

Western leaders have been attempting to convince Tehran to stop enriching uranium, which has continued doing it despite sanctions from the UN and the European Union, insisting its nuclear program is purely for civilian energy and aims only at generating electricity. Iran is the fourth largest oil producer in the world.

The United States has condemned Iran's missile tests, calling them "provocative" and describing Iran as a "great threat". Both Presidential candidates responded: John McCain called for stronger defenses and tighter sanctions, while Barack Obama repeated his controversial call for negotiations with the Iranian president, and which he lately urged "aggressive diplomacy" as well as economic sanctions to get Iran to change its actions after Tehran's missile test.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has reacted by saying, Iran's missile tests show that "it is time for the Iranians to stop violating their Security Council obligations and start fulfilling them." She also said in her visit in Bulgaria, “Those who say that there is no Iranian threat against which to be building missile defenses perhaps ought to talk to the Iranians about ... the range of the missiles that they test fired."

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said in Ramallah, in the West Bank. "These are very dangerous missiles – that’s why the international community and not just Israel has an interest in blocking this escalation in a definitive way."

Housing Minister Ze'ev Boim (Israeli MP) said: "I suggest Israel will not talk, and Israel should prepare itself to do what is needed to do."

Iran President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaking on a visit to Malaysia on Tuesday, dismissed the possibility of an attack by the US or Israel as a "joke", and insisted that his country had no intention of attacking Israel.

We may ask some questions, is this action of Iran, justifiable and acceptable? Are Iran and Israel edging towards conflict? What about its effect on petro-oil prices in the world market?

Iran missile test firing as reported by Jon Leyne from Tehran

Israel is wary, yet ready and prepared

Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban Get a Baby Girl

2008-07-07T11:24:00.001-07:00

Academy-Award winning actress, Nicole Kidman gives birth to a healthy baby girl with husband Keith Urban. The baby’s name is Sunday Rose weighing 6lb, 7.5oz delivered on Monday morning, July 7, 2008 in Nashville, Tennessee, the musical capital of the U.S.

Keith announced and posted their exciting good news on his Website,

“… Earlier this morning Nic gave birth to our beautiful baby girl, Sunday Rose Kidman Urban … We want to thank everybody that has kept us in their thoughts and prayers. We feel very blessed and grateful that we can share this joy with all of you today.”

This is Nicole’s first (biological) child she has given birth to, with her husband Keith. Last year, she said that she was yearning to have a baby with Keith and has also revealed, she had two miscarriages with her ex-husband Tom Cruise (ten years of marriage), which led them to adopt two children, Isabella (now, 15) and Connor (13). Tom Cruise has now a daughter, Suri, with Katie Holmes.

As they attended the 43rd annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 18, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada, when Nicole was ask about her pregnancy, she replied, “I feel good.” As for names, "We got a few in mind … We will see," Keith hinted.

It is worth quoting that last month, as published on US Magazine she said,

“… I started crying when I saw my ultrasound … I didn't think I'd get to experience that in my lifetime … I like the unpredictable nature of it. To feel life growing with you is something very, very special, and I'm going to embrace that completely …”

This famous Aussie couple was married on June 25, 2006 in Sydney. Nicole Kidman, 41, has won the best actress Oscar award for her role on the film, "The Hours (2002)". She has now a new movie directed by Baz Luhrmann, titled, “Australia,”, alongside X-Men star, Hugh Jackman, expected to be release November this year. Nicole is due to start work on "Nine", an updated version of Federico Fellini’s 1963 film 8½, in the autumn.

Keith Urban, 40, is a country music Grammy-award winner for best male vocal. He had some mess with alcohol and drug use who was rehabilitated successfully which could be well attributed to his utmost determination to be treated with the motivation of his ever-supportive wife. When Keith performed in a concert in Nashville last Saturday night he dedicated his hit "Better Half" to Nicole, telling the crowd it was for his “very, very, very, very, VERY pregnant wife”.

So, their little daughter’s name, “Sunday Rose” sounds very original! Is this the way Keith and Nicole want to show their classic taste?

An archive video music clip of Nicole Kidman

Ingrid Betancourt, Rescued and Freed by Colombian Military

2008-07-02T14:37:00.001-07:00

Local Colombian newspapers and international news agencies have published reports that Ingrid Betancourt, 46, a high-profile FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) hostage was freed and rescued by Colombian security forces after six years of captivity (2,321 days). this Wednesday, July 2, 2008 after a successful and brilliant military operation without firing even a single gunshot. This relieves the pressure on Colombia’s President Alvaro Uribe to negotiate with the FARC allowing him to continue with his US-backed military offensive against this insurgent group.

This is welcome news around the globe in the international political community, the European Union and particularly by the French government whose release becomes a foreign policy priority by President Nicolas Sarkozy. She was freed together with other 15 hostages including those three American Defense Department contract workers and 11 Colombian soldiers and policemen. She has been described to be in poor health and was believed then while in captivity that she is suffering from serious liver problem – hepatitis B.

Ms. Betancourt was born in Bogota, Columbia on the 25th of December, 1961 having a dual citizenship – both Colombian and French, whose father served as a Diplomat (died just a month after she’s kidnapped) and whose mother was a former Miss Colombia and congresswoman. She grew up and educated both in Paris and Bogota. She is as well an honorary citizen of Paris as announce by its mayor, Bertrand Delanoë in October 2007.

Motivated by presidential (May, 1989 election) front-runner Luis Carlos Galán’s assassination with whom her mother was supporting and was just behind him when he was shot, she returns to Colombia in 1989, worked for the Ministry of France, and was later elected as a congresswoman in 1994. In 1998 she was elected as Senator garnering the largest total number of votes in that senate election year. While in the term of her office she received a lot of death threats, thereby prompting her to send her two children, Melanie (born 1985) and Lorenzo (born 1989) to New Zealand to live with her first husband, Fabrice Delloye, a French Diplomat whom she married in 1983 and divorced in the 1990s.

She later married Colombian advertising executive, Juan Carlos Lecompte and launched her presidential bid on May 20, 2001. She has then begun her presidential campaign by bus trip around the country to attend local community meetings. It was in February 23, 2002 when she was kidnapped as she entered the demilitarized zone via a road trip in the town of San Vicente Del Caguán to meet with the left wing FARC – a rebel group fighting to overthrow the Colombian government for the past 44 years.

Along with her being kidnapped was her campaign manager, Clara Leticia Rojas González, a senator and later named as her vice-presidential candidate. Rojas was released last January 10, 2008 together with former congresswoman Consuelo González de Perdomo through a so-called intercession by President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

It could be well recalled that Rojas while in captivity, has given birth to a son Emmanuel, fathered by a FARC rebel. Her son was parted from her for the past two years due to illness as a baby whom Rojas consented on the condition that he will be returned to her after bringing him to a doctor. Instead, Emmanuel was taken care of a peasant who didn’t know whom the baby belong to. The baby was identified later through a mitochondrial DNA test, which later fitted by a child’s description who was in the custody of the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF) on December 31, 2007 and later confirmed by FARC as well.

This has led international criticism and condemnation to the cruelty and brutality of the once-mighty rebel group. It was estimated to have 18,000 strong combatant members who are present in 20% of Colombia’s territory. It was reported in March 2, 2008, Raul Reyes, FARC's second-in-command was killed in an air-raid and gun-battle with Colombian soldiers. Last March 26 of this year, its legendary leader, Manuel Marulanda has died of heart attack. These deaths as observers noted, are believed to be a devastating blow to its seven-man ruling body.

Ms. Betancourt was met and greeted by her husband and her mother, Yolanda Pulecio as she disembarked from the aircraft at a military airbase in Bogota. Her son, Lorenzo Delloye-Betancourt, told reporters in Paris that her mother’s release was "the most beautiful news of my life" and that it had filled him with "an indescribable joy". Since her kidnapping, her two children who are expected to be reunited with her, had been working hard unceasingly to bring their mother’s case in the spotlight.

A video footage of her, filmed by her captors in 2007

Ingrid Betancourt, before and during the kidnapping

Video Updates Below
The rescue and jubilation in mid-air

Betancourt & family greeted by French President Nicolas Sarkozy & First Lady Carla Bruni

Manny Pacquiao TKOd David Diaz in the 9th

2008-06-28T22:59:00.000-07:00

As a recently acclaimed, pound-for-pound fighter, Manny Pacquiao (Philippines) defeated David Diaz (United States) by Technical-Knock-Out (TKO) on the 9th round, this Friday night in Madalay Bay Center, Las Vegas, State of Nevada, U.S.A. By winning this fight, Pacquioa has captured the WBC lightweight title and a plus of gaining the distinction of becoming the First Asian Boxer to have possessed the four titles in his name in four different weight divisions.

Diaz was obviously and tremendously brutalized by Pacquiao, as if there are rounds where a hundred punches were thrown. It seems an absolute punishment where Diaz has shown an incredible will and enormous determination to continue absorbing violent punches – face, head and body and retaliating at times.

It has been said and published before this fight, Manny has made heavy exercises and physical gym regimen as a preparation for this match as David Diaz is expected to be a fighter of enduring stamina and containing strength.

During the rounds of 4 and 6, Diaz’s bloody eye was twice seen by the medical official as recommended by the officiating referee, Vic Draculich – though the face of David is a sight of mask of blood, the match continues on. Each round the injury worsened and on the 9th, as Pacquiao’s left hook landed on his right face, David Diaz fell down on the canvass with his frontal left face first. The referee doesn’t bother to count anymore, and the time was wave off at 2:24 of round 9.

This prompted Manny to go to his corner but after a few seconds when David stay on lying, Pacquiao get near to him and grab his right arm to check whether he is still okay – a gentleman’s gesture of the Champ.

On the outset, Manny Pacquiao has the advantage of three is to one ratio of punches. Pacquiao has accurately used more of his speed and power. This made the camp of Diaz to comment and said, “He needs more months of rest … and next time they have to look for a slower fighter …”

After the fight, inside the locker room, the champion was seen on camera celebrating with the Boston Celtics players, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Sam Cassel, Rajon Rondo, Tony Allen and maybe more together with the Filipino friends and fans cheering his name, “ … Manny, Manny, Manny, Manny, … ”

As the new champion of this division, Manny Pacquiao has now his overall record of 47 wins (8-in-a row), 3 losses, 2 draws, with four titles. He started his career at 106 pounds in 1995 and move bit by bit higher up to 135 pounds this time. He has greatly improved from a “street brawler” way of fighting to a “pound-for-pound” boxer of the world. No question and no doubt about that … He is now the First Filipino and the First Asian to hold four championship belts concurrently. This is how and why the Filipinos become so really proud of him! Mabuhay Philippines!

North Korea Demolished Nuclear Reactor Cooling Tower

2008-06-27T06:27:00.000-07:00

In front of TV cameras, international journalists and diplomats, the base of the cylindrical, 60-foot tall cooling tower structure was blown off by an explosion marking the stoppage and destruction of North Korea’s plutonium atomic bomb program. This cooling tower was a part the main reactor’s facility complex in Yongbyon, North Korea. Such explosion on Friday is the most visible symbol of the country’s commitment and decision to stop its nuclear weapons program.

U.S. State Department's top expert Sung Kim who witnessed the event said, "This is a significant and very important step in the disablement process and I think it puts us in a good position to move into the next phase … As I saw it, it was a complete demolition," as he addressed the Koreans who attended the demolition. Kim shook hands with a North Korean official following the tower's tumble to the ground.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the tower's destruction would mark a step toward disablement, something that has been ongoing for many months to prevent the North from making more plutonium for bombs. In Kyoto, Japan, she said on the sidelines of a meeting of the Group of Eight industrialized countries, "It is important to get North Korea out of the plutonium business, but that will not be the end of the story."

It could be well noted, almost a year ago, July, 2007, when N. Korea announced shutting down its nuclear reactor as a backward step from confrontation with the United States towards concrete step to disarmament and denuclearization. At that time, the conditions of the deal are: the UN inspectors are to confirm Yongbyon reactor shutdown; UN to stay on site while North Korea negotiates further steps towards disarmament with US, Russia, Japan, South Korea and China; North Korea must provide a list of all its nuclear programs to the other states; North Korea to receive 950,000 tones of heavy fuel oil as emergency energy assistance; and U.S. has to begin talks to remove North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

It is also interesting to recall, 20 months ago, N. Korea has shocked the world when it detonated a nuclear bomb in an underground test to confirm its status as an atomic power.

Many experts and analysts believe that while the destruction of the tower is not, in itself, a huge step forward, it is still being seen as an important gesture.

This move made by the North Korea generates some questions particularly among the neighbors in the region, is this enough to diminish if not to dispel regional fears and suspicions?

Kaitlyn Maher, the Youngest Contestant of America’s Got Talent

2008-06-19T17:56:00.001-07:00

NBC’s reality show of “America’s Got Talent” with more than 12 million viewers in the past season and expecting 25 million this year will make auditions to several states in U.S. such as New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Among the first 17 chosen in New York which was aired last June 17 is four-year-old Kaitlyn Maher from New York who says, “I am from America” whom she left the judges … speechless.

The judges are composed of Piers Morgan, Sharon Osbourne and David Hasselhoff. Piers is a former editor of The Daily Mirror, a British tabloid newspaper, serving in that post from 1995 until 2004. He has also pursued careers in writing and television. Sharon Osbourne is so much more than Ozzy's wife. She began in the music industry at just fifteen years old, as a receptionist at her father, Don Arden's management company. While getting her feet wet in the business, she met the lead singer of Black Sabbath, John Michael Osbourne ... when she was 17. David Hasselhoff is most famous for his roles on Knight Rider and Baywatch.

Simon Cowell (Executive Producer) and NBC are scouring the country in search of the most talented person in America. Regis Philbin was the host of the first season. Taking over for him now is talk show host, Jerry Springer. David Hasselhoff, Piers Morgan, & Brandy Norwood are judges of the first season. Brandy is replaced by Sharon Osbourne in the second season.

In this show, people show their talent and hope to impress the judges to reach to the top. The grand prize winner will win US$1,000,000! The show will feature talent from various people from balancing stuff off their teeth to even rock bands. If they don't have the talent to receive the grand prize, the judges kick them out off the competition. However, unless they impress to judges, they continue their quest. Who has the talent to receive the grand prize? Of course, it will be the one whom the viewers voted best.

Those who watched the show last Tuesday commented, “I was holding my 3 year old he loves the show ... when she started singing I started smiling and crying at the same time … This beautiful talented little girl is going to win, because if she can make people cry with just the first sentence, she is definitely a star.” Another said, “… What a wonderful little girl, I hope this beautiful girl goes far ... will always vote for you because you are America's next new star. ”

Among those who qualified in New York aside from four year-old singer, Maher, are Dancing Trombone Performer, Dancers, Hip Hop Violinists, Burlesque Dancers, Baton Twirler, Britney Spears Impersonator, Modern Cloggers, Opera Singer, Illusionist, Puppeteer, Performers, Singers, Hula-hooper, Cloggers, 15-year-old Singer and Hip Hop Dance Troop.

For more of Kaitlyn Maher, the video below says it all.

Some Facts about Cheaper Consumer Products

2008-06-19T00:46:00.000-07:00

In these times of economic turmoil as it has been described by many, where petrol and food prices have increased to unprecedented record high, there might be some advantage to consumers particularly, housewives, newlyweds or new homemakers. There are a number of items and consumer products that are available for shoppers and were reduced to a discount if not remained low in prices compared to how much they were last year.

Consumer electronics such as LCD flat-panel TVs, plasma TVs, DVRs, digital (point-and-shoot) cameras, cellular phones (mobiles), notebook, desktop computers, particularly those models one year ago have dropped prices. Another factor that affects is the speed of release of new models and the slow rate of sales which is not proportionate relatively accumulating inventories, commanding a sharp fall in prices.

Women’s clothing has been observed with lower prices as compared to men’s and children’s apparel — pajamas, nightgowns, sleep shirts and negligees — all posted falling prices. This is based on the notion that men buy clothes only as needed, whereas women buy clothes based on a whole variety of other reasons.

On dinnerware category, although prices didn’t decline for every household product, the price of formal, fine dinnerware, such as porcelain or bone china with a metal accent band, including plastic dinnerware has decreased some percent resulted to falling in prices.

Overseas cheap production cost of children’s toys, matched with severe industry production, and as there are fewer and fewer children nowadays, all these factors relatively affect the toy’s declining prices in the market.

For those couples who are planning for tying the knot and finding places of their choice for honeymoon, hotel room rates are cheap or can be negotiated for discounts relative to the number of days you are going to stay. This is to recompense the soaring high airplane fares with tricky add-ons and annoying charges, if not sneaky fees. This is also favorable for regular business travelers.

If lower hotel prices inspire customers to take their vacation, this has something to do also of the lower prices of theme parks. This is another way to appease our children if we take them with us in our holidays or vacations, besides from cheaper children’s toys.

Considering we have controlled our ways of buying impulses and for the past years we were able to save a handsome amount of money, now is the time to take advantage some of the items enumerated above. Those items might have been already included in our shopping wish lists for a long time, yet, we are only waiting for the right time. Of course when it comes to shopping, necessity and choice are still the options paired with our own personal judgments.

Boston Celtics Got Its 17th Championship Trophy this 17th of June 2008

2008-06-17T20:57:00.000-07:00

Boston Celtics just win the 2008 NBA Title! This is their Game 6 against LA Lakers with 4-2 Final Series. It was in 1986, where Larry Bird was still with the Boston Celtics, when the team had its last 16th Champ Trophy. Finally they regain the crown after 22 long years (Please click the image to enlarge).

Now, it’s time for Paul Pierce, the team captain, to become the 2008 NBA Finals MVP and his first ever championship ring together with Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and the rest. This is James Posey’s second and Sam Cassell’s third.

This 6th game was played with a home court advantage at TD Banknorth Garden, Boston, Massachusetts. With still remaining more than four minutes of the 4th quarter, it is visible on TV at the Boston bench, when the three (Pierce, Garnett & Allen) of starting five were substituted; at a time when the Celtics had a 30-point advantage against the Lakers, they are already congratulating and hugging each other and approach by many close friends, relatives, and fans.

Even Coach Doc Rivers (his first NBA championship trip as head coach) was poured upon with a bucketful of red Gatorade all over his body staining his suit. Several cameramen were already inside the court taking their cues while the referees pulled their shirts directing them to get outside the court lines while the jubilant Boston crowds are heavily roaring in the background saying the words, “Seven-teen”. At the start of the game, the shrilling chant, “Beat L.A.” could be heard from the crowd.

Among the famous faces standing on the bench side is Bill Russel the popular center and Hall of Famer, who was already with the Celtics in 1946 who possessed 11 NBA titles in his 13 year-career with the team. Another is John Havlicek, the Celtics all-time-leading scorer during his 16 year-career having 8 NBA titles. Former head coach and 1957 Rookie of the Year, Tom Heinsohn, with 10 NBA titles was also among the celebrant.

The starting line-up for the Boston Celtics were Rajon Rondo as point guard, Ray Allen as shooting guard, Kendrick Perkins in center position, Kevin Garnett as power forward and Paul Pierce in the small forward position. The final stunning and record championship score is 131-92 led by Garnett with 26-game-high points with 14 rebounds, and another 26 added by Allen, 21 by Rondo and 17 by Pierce. The victory parade with the green and white motif of the Boston Celtics is scheduled tomorrow morning, 11 am EST.

This 31-point margin was a record breaking score in the NBA Final’s history ever. The question is, has this Game 6 score brought a humiliating defeat on the part of the LA Lakers?

Sara Evans & Jay Barker, Got Married

2008-06-16T20:58:00.000-07:00

It has been said that passionate new romance comes at a time when he or she least expected it. This might happen when Sara Evans, 37, and Jay Barker, turning 36, got married last Saturday evening, June 14, 2008 in an outdoor ceremony in a farm in Franklin, Tennessee officiated by their minister, Rev. Joe Beam.

It was a simple private affair with around 145 guests, on which both of their combined brood of seven served as their only attendants. Jay has four on his previous marriage, and Sara has three, whom her eldest 8-year old Avery, walked with her down the aisle accompanied by the famed songwriter Marcus Hummon singing the hit he wrote for Rascal Flatts "God Bless the Broken Road" – a song that the couple says speaks to their relationship.

She wore an ivory silk taffeta Vera Wang gown with a halter neck, while Barker wore a Dolce and Gabbana suit and as requested, all the guests wore a black and white accented with hints of yellow roses. The sophisticated décor was given a down-home twist with a menu catered by Constant Craving featuring Southern fried chicken, country-style pole beans, biscuits and macaroni and cheese.

The bride and groom had their first dance to Chris Brown's "With You" and the 145 guests – including Sheryl Crow – boogied beneath a canopy of strung lights to a collection of R&B and pop hits spun by a deejay.

The couple’s friend and wedding planner, Traci Philiips describes, "It was really very elegant, but Sara wanted it to feel like you were at her house."

It could be well recalled; in October 12, 2006, country music singer-songwriter and multi-awardee, Sara Evans resigned as a contestant from the “Dancing with the Stars” for personal reason, and the next day, her split-up from her husband of 13-years was revealed. It was a messy and bitter public divorce case, whom she had to pay her first husband Craig Schelske (a political aspirant), US$500,000 alimony over a ten year period with visitation rights, likewise, which she was granted the full custody of her three children.

Jay Barker, a Birmingham, Alabama radio host and a former American and Canadian football quarterback, was also divorced almost at the same time with four children. The couple met each other last fall on their divorce counseling sessions, of the same minister who officiated their wedding. Evans say about Rev. Joe Beam, " … He was our own personal matchmaker … I think God told Joe to get us together.” They started dating last Thanksgiving Day and announced their engagement on March, 2008.

Sara Evans rendered her song number on a lovely passion last June 8 at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Tennessee while singing and holding Jay Bakers hands on stage.

Now, everyone could already imagine how joyful and delightful their home will be with a combined brood of seven children. How much more at the time when a new baby was added and came along with them?

Father’s Day, Some Facts & What It Meant to Be

2008-06-13T20:00:00.000-07:00

There are so many stories behind the celebration of Father’s Day. It might be a meaning of a devoted father – especially our own, his parental sacrifice and selflessness, the courage of a loving man, a widower, a single parent raising his six children, an ideal-dedicated father, a war-hero or veteran, a real public servant-politician, or maybe the next president, who is always seeking that his family is flourishing. Yet all those historical narratives, where Father’s Day began were all pointing and linking to the celebration of Mother’s Day. Undeniably, such special day for fathers, all started and the reveling of it become so popular, because of that special day for mothers.

In reality, this is not only in honor and praise for fathers. It might be as well for grandfathers or great-grandfathers, brothers, and uncles, our son, son-in-law, grandson, or great-grandson who in one way or another has been someone special for us in a certain period or stage of our life. He might be also our neighbor, a friend, a colleague, a job superior, and the like, you can name it as you want, whom we think and feel deserves special greetings and well meant special wishes, in this observance of Father’s Day.

In one definitive conclusion, this is a day in honor for everybody as an appreciation of being a child, regardless of gender. It is a celebration and reminiscence that we’re once a child! It is for everybody without distinction! It is for a simple reason that we would not be hailed out of this world without our fathers, even to the most rarely-extreme medical reproduction of test tube babies. Thus, it should not be taken aside; this has also a parallel connotation of honoring the Mother’s Day, which is celebrated first and foremost.

Father’s Day are commemorated, religious and secular, on various different dates all around the world. It so happened, most countries marked it on the 3rd Sunday of June. Modern cultures are doing it from simple greetings, gifts or presents to excessive and over-indulging festivities and drinking, particularly if it falls with another birthday, anniversary, family occasions or festivities, since this is alongside summertime in the northern hemisphere characterized with outdoor barbecues and grills beside pools, lakeside, riverside and seashores.

In the United States, Dad’s day was first been celebrated on the 19th of June 1908 in the State of Washington through the efforts of Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd as inspired by Mother’s Day, which was initiated by Anna Jarvis. It was in 1924 that President Calvin Coolidge supported this idea. It become officially proclaimed and declared by President Lyndon B. Johnson on the 3rd Sunday of June and finally signed into law by President Richard S. Nixon, permanently become a National Day for Fathers.

It comes to the author’s absurd idea, is it practical wherein both mother and father are being honored, in just one day, not separate days as what we're doing now? What about a single National Day of Fathers and Mothers? For lesser expenses and by the virtue of frugality, could we make it joined in one day particularly in these times of economic turmoil? Or perhaps, would it be appropriate, a National Parent’s Day?

Only a Dad
Edgar Albert Guest

Only a dad with a tired face,
Coming home from a daily race,
Bringing little of gold or fame
To show how well he has played the game;
But glad in his heart that his own rejoice
To see him come and to hear his voice.

Only a dad with brood of four,
One of ten million men or more
Plodding along in the daily strife,
Bearing the whips and the scorns of life,
With never a whimper of pain or hate,
For the sake of those who at home await.

Only a dad neither rich nor proud,
Merely one of the surging crowd,
Toiling, striving from day to day,
Facing whatever may come his way,
Silent whenever the harsh condemn,
And bearing it all for the love of them.

Only a dad but he gives his all,
To smooth the way for his children small,
Doing with courage stern and grim
The deeds that his father did for him.
This is the line that for him I pen;
Only a dad, but the best of men.

(From: The Book of Virtues, A Treasury of Great Moral Stories
Edited with Commentary by Willaim J. Bennett)

Ana Ivanovic, First Serbian to Become WTA No.1

2008-06-12T06:30:00.000-07:00

After winning the French Open Finals 2008 against Dinara Safina at Roland Garros last Saturday, Ana Ivanovic has become the first Serbian tennis player to become World‘s #1 on the WTA Tour, replacing Maria Sharapova. She was born on November 6, 1987 in Belgrade, Serbia (formerly, Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia).

As she came to her home country yesterday, thousands of cheering crowds and supporters greeted her in Belgrade. The city’s parliament square was crammed by the celebrating public who gives her a jubilant and warm welcome together with the country’s media, whom she met earlier. She said in an emotional and touching speech,

“…This moment will be not equalled; I will remember it all my life … The last days have been a dream. I will never forget Roland Garros. When I heard the national anthem I couldn't hold back the tears. It was a special moment for me ... It was a long day, very tiring, but so much fun. I will never forget it …”

It would be a proud moment for her when she afterwards had tea with Serbian president Boris Tadic.

She started playing tennis at the age of five, inspired by Monica Seles, a fellow Yugoslavian, after watching her match at French Open on TV. NATO bombings in 1999 didn’t serve as an obstacle to her training during those times. She also admires tennis player Roger Federer for his professionalism on and off the court. She turned pro on August 17, 2003 and caught the eye of the tennis world when she reached the Finals of Junior Wimbledon 2004 losing to Kateryna Bondarenko.

She came from an ethnic Serbian family. Her mother, Dragana, is a lawyer and her father, Miroslav, is an economist and businessman. She has a brother, Milos, four years her junior, and likes playing basketball as she likes it as well. She loves watching movies, either at the cinema or on DVD at home; also loves reading and listening to music (pop and R&B). All her family likes sports. Once, she's been described “as a natural beauty that is unique for her country of Serbia and she has this nice olive skin color,” highlighted by her beautiful dark hair.

She's 6’ 1” tall (1.86 m), weighing 150 lbs (69 kg). In regard to her playing style, she is right-handed with a double-handed backhand. As an offensive baseliner, she relies heavily on the power, depth, and placement of her forehand strokes, producing many winners through penetrating, flat shots with occasional topspin. She has improved significantly on the net. Although she has unreliable serve, it is undeniably forceful with occasional hits of aces and second serve winners, having below 40% first serve winning matches. To date she has a total career prize money of $5,630,015 on record, aside from endorsements from various apparels and shoes. As to court surfaces, she prefers hard courts; however, she likes all as it was evident at the clay courts of Roland Garros.

She also enjoys shopping and fashion. Her favorite food is sushi. The favorite places she likes to visit are Melbourne, where she has some family, and Switzerland, where she trains regularly between tournaments and spends her free time. Basel is her current place of residence. She admires most her family for all the support they give her. She cares for social causes as she became a UNICEF National Ambassador for Serbia on November 8, 2007. She speaks both English and Serbian.

Ana Ivanovic was the runner up in 2007 French Open as well as 2008 Australian Open, but now she captured her first Grand Slam Title, 2008 French Open Champion. She has still to face the big challenge of how long she could stay as World’s No. 1 particularly this coming Wimbledon.

For updates and related readings:
Ana withdraws from Eastbourne
Full Transcript of Interview after the Final Match at Roland Garros

Vitamin-D in Men and their Heart’s Health

2008-06-11T17:14:00.001-07:00

If Vitamin-D has an anti-cancer advantage among breast cancer patients in women, the same Vitamin-D has also an advantage among men to prevent heart attack, and those who have low levels of the said “sunshine vitamin” are more than twice prone to heart attack, if not more likely to die from it.

This is according to a Harvard School of Public Health Study which was participated by about 18,000 men who are over the age of 40 for a period of ten years. Dr Edward Giovannucci, the author of the study says,

“…It does seem that Vitamin D levels seem to be real predictor of heart disease … We really need to increase the Vitamin D intake levels for most people … We may need to go three to four times higher than what most people get currently …”

This research is suggesting that Vitamin-D is vital for the health of the blood vessel and blood pressure control as well. It has parallel outcome on the Canadian study showing women with breast cancer do far worse if they have low levels of Vitamin D upon the time they were diagnosed.

As more documents are being released on the subject of Vitamin-D and the corresponding health problems attributed to its low levels found in men and women, researchers have not yet proven that increasing Vitamin-D intake will treat these problems.

Since this prospective study links that “sunshine vitamin” plays an important role for a healthy heart, men had a huge reason in making sure they get sufficient levels of it.

Katie Couric of CBS Evening News who featured Dr. Jon LaPook, CBS Medical Correspondent, has more on this issue as shown on video below.

Hillary Clinton Officially Conceded the Democratic Party Nomination Race

2008-06-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

At last, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, 60, has officially announced her suspension of her campaign for Democratic nominee for presidency, when she took the podium at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. on Saturday evening, 7th of June, 2008. She declared her full support to Barack Obama, who had clinched the Democratic nomination last Tuesday.

As she was escorted by the former president, Bill Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea, greeted with the clapping and the cheering crowd, the former First Lady, in her speech as covered live on national televisions, completely and absolutely endorses her foe by asking her supporters repeatedly saying,

“… help and elect Barack Obama our president … The way to continue our fight now to accomplish the goals for which we stands is to take our energy, our passion, our energy and do all we can to help Barack Obama, the next president of the United States … Today as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary campaign he has won. I endorse him and throw my full support behind him and I ask you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me … Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been … We have to work together for what still can be. And that is why I will work my heart out to make sure that Senator Obama is our next president ...”

She also thanked her supporters saying, “Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it has 18 million cracks in it and the light is shining through like never before.” This has a parallel tone when she made her speech last Tuesday evening to New York supporters, “… I want the nearly 18 million people who voted for me to be respected and heard, that cannot be ignored and no longer invisible … ”

On her speech she acknowledged the unprecedented success of Obama’s candidacy. It could be well remembered last year, January 20, when a video posted in her website, the senator declared her bid for the Democratic Party nomination, with a solid determination when she says. “I’m in and I’m in to win.” Her primary campaign was the longest and grueling season in the Democratic primary history, besides from being the first woman who has done it. Even on Tuesday at the last primary polls, she declared herself the strongest candidate for the White House.

Meanwhile, Barack Obama, 46, said in a written statement, he was “thrilled and honored“ to have Clinton's support, thereby, praising Clinton for her inspiration and hard work on behalf of America. ``I know she will continue to be in the forefront of that battle this fall.''

In a press conference earlier, in front of some Democrat stalwarts and lawmakers, the New York senator said that she is open for a vice president position, if it needs to unify the Democrats against the Republican in taking the White House.. But it is up to Obama whom he chooses. Over the past few days, some of Clinton's most prominent supporters began a campaign to push her as the vice presidential nominee. Yet, Clinton's campaign on June 5 issued a statement trying to downplay the talk, saying she wasn't seeking the vice presidential nomination.

A big challenge facing the Democrats right now is how to consolidate all their votes in one unified party bloc to beat John McCain of the Republican Party this November election.

Barack Obama is now the Democratic Nominee for US President

2008-06-03T18:54:00.001-07:00

According to Associated Press, while the rest of the final votes are still to be counted on, Barack Obama already sealed the number of required votes to be the officially nominated Democratic candidate to run against the GOP candidate, John McCain. US presidential election will be held this coming November, 2008.

CNN take the live coverage the Barack Obama’s victory nomination address at the EXCEL Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota where the GOP will officially hold its National Convention in the offing. He had said a hundreds of repeated “Thank You's” before the crowd ceded to silence, as he started his speech. He wasted no time in expressing his enthusiasm and extraordinary admiration to Sen. Hillary Clinton and all her unceasing efforts and brilliance to be the first woman in history to run a presidential primary campaign in such a way she did.

Likewise, he started to scoff in a so gracious way at criticizing John McCain’s policy of Iraq. He meticulously address and redefine the real meaning of “change” as distinguished and differed from the “change” of what McCain has been espousing for. He ended his speech offering a face to face debate against John McCain.

However, there arise a lot of questions. One is whether the Democrats are strengthened or divided. Days before the South Dakota and Montana primaries, Hillary Clinton campaign had run an ad saying she has garnered 18 million popular votes, the largest in history of any primaries held in the past. But in the Electoral College votes as allocated, she is behind Obama who needs only 41.5 delegates' votes to seal the nomination of 2,118.

Obama had already approached Jim Johnson, former head of mortgage giant Fannie Mae, started a search for his VP nominee, and among the twelve listed, Hillary Clinton is included. They are (in alphabetical order): Joseph Biden, 65; Wesley Clark, 63; Hillary Clinton, 60; Chris Dodd, 64; Chuck Hagel, 61; Tim Kaine, 50; Sam Nunn, 69; Ed Rendell, 64; Bill Richardson, 60; Kathleen Sebelius, 60; Ted Strickland, 66; and Jim Webb, 62. There were rumors of a “Dream Team” as it has been suggested to unify the much needed vote of the Democrats against GOP presumptive nominee, John McCain, although everything still remains to be seen.

Another important question arise about the “Dream Ticket” is what will be the role of Bill Clinton implicitly or explicitly when he is put back with Hillary in the White House as Vice President of Barack Obama, just in case the Democrats won.

As of this writing, it has been reported that Hillary Clinton has not yet conceded officially. This made analysts to ask questions of how Obama will handle her because, she is not leaving the campaign stage and obviously, she is still pursuing to get attention. Subsequent questions are, when and how she will leave?

400th Anniversary of Quebec City

2008-06-02T19:33:00.000-07:00

Almost a month from now Québec City is celebrating its 400 years, the capital of French-speaking Quebec Province of Canada and known as the birthplace of French civilization in North America. There are scheduled several summer shows, various celebrations and remarkable cultural events on different areas of public and tourists attractions. According to some tourist brochures, this celebration has already started since January of this year and will continue on until October for its Winter Carnival.

Québec City was founded in July 3, 1608 by Samuel de Champlain (1567-1635) a French navigator, explorer and fur trader in which today, he is much better known as the father of “New France.” This city is one of the oldest cities in North America, located in the Saint Lawrence River valley lying at the convergence of St. Charles and St. Lawrence rivers. It was fortified by high stone walls and has been the capital of New France and French Canada some periods in the 17th century. Province-wide, this is the second largest city next to Montreal and declared by UNESCO as a “World Heritage Site” in 1985. It was described as,

“Sure of its charms and just a touch haughty, Québec City’s gracious yet simple style continues to delight its visitors, year after year. The city has everything it takes to please: an enchanting setting on the St Lawrence, a priceless architectural heritage, a rich and colourful past and, above all, a warm heart bubbling over with the special joie de vivre that has characterized it for four centuries.”

The city alone has now a population of more than half a million. Being the major hub of the province, the city is connected by ferry services and bridges to the other side of the river bank, Levis and Orleans Island. An aerial view from Google Earth Pro can be of helpful aid to have a better grasp and idea of the map of the area.

Among the few of the bountiful tourist attractions are the Montmorency Falls, the dominating skyline view of the Château Frontenac, the Basilica of Saint-Anne-de-Beaupré, and the City’s Summer Festival, among them are leisure crafts and sailboats – a picturesque on the river. The author has been in this place and selectively posted here a few recently dug-up personal snapshots (camera-raw) from forgotten files worthy of public viewing (maybe copying as well and I don’t mind because watermarks are no use for remover softwares) captured by the author's amateur lens two summers ago (Kindly click the images to enlarge).

Sameer Mishra, the New Champ of 2008 Scripps National Spelling Bee

2008-05-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

Among the 288 participants of this year’s 2008 SNSB, an eight-grader 13-year-old male student took the first place, which was hailed from West Lafayette, Indiana. Sameer Mishra who comes from West Lafayette Junior/Senior High School is in his fourth year in the competition. As the 81st winner, he receives a total cash of US$35,000 and an additional US$5,000 worth of other prizes, besides from a trophy. He will also receive a set of the Britannica Encyclopedia worth US$3,500.

Sameer loves to read of which he is a member the school’s book club. He also enjoys playing computer and video games, as well as board games. He has been playing the violin for four years in his school orchestra. Physically, he likes to ride his bike and hang out with his friends having his favorite subjects, science and math. As a competitive student, he participates in contests such as Spell Bowl, Academic Super Bowl and Indiana State School Music Association. He aspires to be a neurosurgeon. His sister Shruti, a three-year competitor in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, is his spelling coach.

His parents who are with him which was focused by the camera on several times, each round he made the correct spelling of the word smiles and hugged each other. Unmistakably, as it is so obvious, he is of an Indian descent.

This contest was held in Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington DC, which started May 29 (semi-finals, Live on ESPN) until the evening of May 30 Finals which is live telecast on ABC, 8-10 p.m. ET. The 288 spellers were reduced to 45 semi-finalists. Among this year's spellers are five of 2007 finalists or repeaters, and they are Natasha Elizabeth Thomas, 13, of Oakhurst, California; Matthew C. Evans, 13, of Albuquerque; Anqi Dong, 13, of Saskatoon, Canada; Kavya Shivashankar, 12, of Olathe, Kansas; Cody Aoan Wang, 14, of Calgary, Canada. They were as well among the favorites.

Unfortunately, among the 12 finalist, the strong contingent of Canadians was all eliminated.

It could be very well recalled, the 2007 champion Evan O’Dorney from Danville, California said from his interview last year right after winning, "Spelling is just a bunch of memorization" and that it couldn't compare with algebra, his passion. When he is ask now about his winnings, he added, “the money is all in my savings account. I didn't do anything special with it.” He is now in a linear algebra class at (the University of California at) Berkeley and a participant of various math competitions whom he is in the winning series.

First time speller for 2008 Spelling Bee, Sidharth Chand, 12, get the second place. He is a seventh-grader from Detroit Country Day Middle School, Michigan having the deepest appreciation for science and math.

3rd Placer, Tia-Natasha Elizabeth Thomas, 13, who was the lone female of the last five last year is still unfortunate this time. It could be well noticed that she is not wearing anymore her sets of multiple bracelets she used to wear on her left wrist as her charm. She even asks for a Californian pronunciation of the word “canicular” at one point that made everybody in laughter.

One moment earlier of comic relief is when 8th Place Tier, Jahnavi Iyer, 14, who pondered the medical term "solidungulate" as she finally asked for an Asian pronunciation of that word. The pronouncer, Professor Jacques Bailly laughed and said: "That's too good."

Another funny moment is when the speller-champ makes somewhat confuse reaction about a word given to him in one of his round that even the commentators together with the audience are made chuckling and wondering whether they heard the word right.

Kristi Yamaguchi, Captures the “Dancing” Trophy

2008-05-20T20:15:00.000-07:00

Olympic figure-skating champion, Kristi Yamaguchi conquers the crown of the 6th Season of the ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Tuesday evening on ABCs hit show. This mirror ball trophy is another addition to her collections, but this time, she got it ... off the ice!

Throughout the past weekly shows, Kristi who was paired to Mark Ballas who also acted as her professorial coach and trainer generally dominated the judges’ (Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tomioli) scoreboard.

Considering the shows history since the First Season, she is the second woman to get the crown. It could be well remembered the first woman champion was the actress Kelly Monaco, preceded by, 98 Degrees singer Drew Lachey, NFL star Emmitt Smith, Olympic speed-skater Apolo Anton Ohno, and the last season’s Indycar-racer Helio Castroneves.

Kristi, 34, a mother of two daughters (Keara and Emma) and a wife to hockey Bret Hedican, said, "This is just the icing on the cake ... I honestly thank all the fans out there ... everyone who's made this a dream experience ... You obviously have to get the technique, but (also) compete with the personalities that all the boys have ... I think their smiles and their personalities melt hearts across the country."

Among the finalists are, soap-actor Christian De La Fuente with Cheryl Burke, and 'NFL-Man of the Year' Jason Taylor with Edyta Sliwinska. More actions and fun can be seen on the videos below.

The Finals Intro & Group Rehearsal

The Three Finalists performed The CHA, CHA Face Off

Kristi Yamaguchi-Mark Balls performed The Freestyle

Kristi & Mark performed The Rumba/The Family on the Rehearsal

Windows XP Home Edition, Now at Bargain Price to Cheap Laptop Makers

2008-05-18T07:03:00.000-07:00

According to recent published reports, the XO Laptop which is the first prototype version of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Foundation will be running windows XP with dual boot of Sugar software from Red Hat Linux Inc. This was announced by Professor Nicholas Negroponte, current chair of the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Initiative.

Initially, this project was started by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) having the goal to develop an inexpensive laptop computer for elementary school children in developing countries at a US$100 price. Microsoft having the popular Windows Operating System and at present is running 90% of the world’s computers was never been a part of this project. Sugar was only designed to work with a free Linux operating system. However, in recent months, serious talks had been going on between the two sides and started testing the Sugar software package of the XO Laptop on Windows OS.

Eventually, the aim is to be to develop and achieve versions of the XO to run both Linux and Windows, giving the user to choose which operating system to run when booting up. The said Sugar package is an educational software suite with a user interface for the green-and-white machines with a power-saving display having the capability to switch from color to black-and-white for viewing in direct sunlight.

Meanwhile, Microsoft had announced last year that Windows XP will not be available anymore in the market on January of 2008 and extended the deadline up to this coming June 30, meaning, Microsoft will stop selling new Windows XP licenses thereafter. Lately, on the Microsoft Website, it has been announced that Windows XP Home Edition’s availability will be extended for use solely on Ultra-Low-Cost PCs (ULCPC), as an exception. The early models of these ULCPCs are the XO Laptop and the Asus Eee PC designs.

For the next six months, it is expected that several designs of ULCPCs will be out in the market, twenty or more models. Microsoft is expecting to sell 10 to 13 million of these devices only this year alone – to hit 9 million more until 2012.

Microsoft will only charge PC makers an OEM steep discounted price between US$26 (for developing countries like China and India) and US$32 (for develop countries) per unit of Windows XP Home Edition. However, PC manufacturers have to enter into a contract as Microsoft called it as Market Development Agreement (MDA). This agreement embodied limited capabilities on devices that in order to be eligible, these machines must be, limited 80GB of hard drives, limited screen sizes to 10.2 inches (should not be touch-screens), the systems can have no more than 1G byte of RAM and a single-core processor running at no more than 1GHz. This will provide program an allowance for some chips, including Via Technologies' C7-M processors, which run between 1.0GHz and 1.6GHz, and Intel's upcoming Atom N270.

Since the ULCPCs will be sold between US$200 and US$500 per unit with the pre-installed bargain price of Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft encourages PC makers to take this alternative offer instead of the Linux. Consumers who wanted an easy-to-use PCs always prefer Windows, and that is a fact.

Considering this bargain price of Windows XP Home Edition, does Microsoft secured again its dominance in the OS market? Is this a step of Microsoft to stop Linux penetrating into cheap Laptops of ULCPCs and in the same way maintaining the price of their Vistas in the market?

Does Vitamin-D Prevent Breast Cancer?

2008-05-16T06:21:00.000-07:00

In the US this year, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women on which about 184,450 cases and 40,930 deaths from this disease are expected.

According to a Canadian research, breast cancer patients with low levels of vitamin D were much more likely to die or have it spread the disease, than those patients who were getting enough of the nutrient — adding to evidence the "sunshine vitamin" has anti-cancer advantage. Blood samples were taken from about 500 women at three University of Toronto hospitals from the period, 1989 and 1995, when these women were first diagnosed with early-stage of breast cancer. The results are sure to renew arguments, whether a little more sunshine is a good thing. They wanted to see if ever it has made a significant difference in the patients’ survival.

After 10 years, 83% of those who had sufficient vitamin-D blood levels were alive without extensive spread of their cancer, compared to 79% of those whose vitamin-D levels were inadequate and 69% of those who were deficient, as defined by medical standards widely used for measuring intake.

It was just 24% of women in the study had sufficient blood levels of vitamin-D at the time they were first diagnosed with breast cancer. Those who were deficient were nearly twice as likely to have their cancer recur or spread over the next 10 years, and 73% more likely to die of the disease. This was released Thursday by the ASCO and will be presented at the group's annual meeting later this month.

The head of the study, Dr. Pamela Goodwin of Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, said, “These are pretty big differences … It’s the first time that vitamin D has been linked to breast cancer progression … But people shouldn't start downing supplements, she warned … there may be an optimal level of vitamin D in women with breast cancer and it may be possible to take too much …”

There are substantial disagreements among experts on how much vitamin D people need or the best way to get it, and too much can be harmful. They also don't know whether getting more vitamin D can help when someone already has cancer. Though the study was too small and those results were not conclusive. The federal government says up to 2,000 international units of vitamin D a day seems OK.

Goodwin explained, taking 800 units per day will, on average, raise blood levels to the middle of the range that seems best for bone and general health, "It's very hard to make a recommendation" because how much difference a supplement makes depends on someone's baseline level, which also can be affected by sunlight, skin type and time of year. Doctors do suggest breast cancer patients get their vitamin D levels checked to see whether they are deficient. The simple blood test is available in many hospitals and labs for modest amount.

But according to Dr. Julie Gralow, a cancer specialist at the University of Washington in Seattle, "We have no idea whether correcting a vitamin D deficiency will in any way alter these outcomes."

Dr. Nancy Davidson, a Johns Hopkins University cancer specialist who is president of the oncology society, said those tests are growing in popularity, even in ordinary medical care. She said,"Rightly or wrongly, I'm increasingly seeing physicians who are measuring this."

Dr. Larry Norton, chief of breast cancer programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York and a medical adviser to the foundation, said, “It's a very provocative paper. It's confirmatory of a tremendous amount of evidence that vitamin D is an important component of health."

Lots of earlier research suggests vitamin D may help prevent prostate, breast and especially colon cancer. In lab and animal tests, vitamin D represses abnormal cell growth, curbs formation of blood vessels that feed tumors and has many other anti-cancer effects.

Other evidence: People who live in northern regions of the world have higher cancer rates than those living closer to the equator, possibly because of less sunshine and vitamin D. One red flag: The few women with the very highest levels of vitamin D seemed to have worse survival.

Vitamin D can be found in egg yolk, beef liver, salmon and other oily fish, and milk. The skin makes vitamin D from ultraviolet light. Too much sunlight can raise the risk of skin cancer, but small amounts — 15 minutes or so a few times a week without sunscreen — may be beneficial, many doctors believe.

While the vitamin is found in certain foods and supplements, most do not contain the best form, D-3 nutrient, which have the modest effect on blood levels.

Despite a lot of questions and the need for further studies, lest we should not forget the age-old adage, “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” Is Vitamin-D the answer to this?

Juno (2007), a Celebration of Motherhood

2008-05-10T04:23:00.001-07:00

Juno is a mixture of drama, comedy, and romance that could be considered as a feminist film which won the recent Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. The main character portraying Juno Mc Daff (Ellen Page), as an atypically strong, intelligent and confident 16-year old high school student who discovered she is pregnant fathered by her longtime friend and admirer, Pauli Bleeker (Michael Cera).

Instead of opting for abortion, she decided with the help of her friend Leah (Olivia Thirlby), to give the baby for adoption after birth. After searches made from the PenySaver, they found the interested couple in the person of Mark and Vanessa Loring (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner). Together with her father Mac (J. K. Simmons), they meet the couple in their expensive suburban home to finalize and arrange the closed-adoption signing of agreements.

Interactions and encounters between Juno and Vanessa are depicted in several occasions which seemed so annoying, awkward and not in normal terms, yet Vanessa is so overwhelmed by her obsession of becoming a full time mother as well as Juno’s relentless intention of handing over the baby right away after birth.

It also portrayed Mac as a supportive father of a teen-age-pregnant daughter which is really exceptional to find in real life. One case is a scene on the revelation and admission of her pregnancy, another when he volunteered to go along with Juno in meeting the Loring couple. One more is during an intimate conversation between Mac and Juno on his workroom, defining to her his terms of love and relationship, considering it again on the day of Juno’s labor and delivery. Lastly, when Mac never say a word to Pauli on the hospital room and just patted her shoulders allowing both of them to talk in private.

She is lucky as well with her ever-caring and compassionate step-mother (Allison Janney), who assists her in her pre-natal requirements, repairing her pants, bringing her to the ultra-sound lab, up to the delivery stage, although in some instances, they encounter some misunderstandings.

This film is a real celebration of motherhood, one part on Juno’s bearing of the child, and one part on the readiness of Vanessa to become the loving, un-reserved and full-time adoptive mother, despite her unexpected divorced from her husband.

On the outset, all the distinctive characters involved are very rare to find in our contemporary society. The story-line may truly happen, inasmuch as the circumstances turn around and all the occurrence of situations that surround, in which case they are so inspiring and motivating, nonetheless, they could hardly be found.

Cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, Olivia Thirlby
Director: Jason Reitman
Screenwriter: Diablo Cody
Producer: John Malkovich, Russel Smith, Lianne Halfon, Mason Novak
Composer: Mateo Messina
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 1 hr 36 mins
Theatrical Release: December 5, 2007 Limited
Box Office: $143,380,890

For those who missed the film, here are some extracts worth viewing for. Happy Mother’s Day to everybody!

Juno (2007) Part 1

Juno (2007) Part 2

Juno (2007) Part 3

Juno (2007) Part 4-Last

Jenna Bush & Henry Hager, Getting Married

2008-05-07T18:21:00.000-07:00

Jenna, 26, the eldest of the twin daughters of US President George W. H. Bush and Laura Bush, is getting married to Henry Hager on Saturday, May 10, at their family Ranch, in Crawford, Texas according to several published reports.

It could be well recalled, their engagement was announced by the White House last August, 2007, after two years of dating. Their engagement ring features a diamond -- a Hager family heirloom -- that was reset and flanked by two sapphires. Hager got advice on the ring from Jenna's twin sister, Barbara, who she chose to be her maid of honor. The wedding was to be kept a low-key affair with 200 friends and family members invited.

Henry Hager, turning 30 on Friday, is the son of Honorable and Mrs. John H. Hager of Richmond, Virginia, head of the Republican Party. He graduated from Wake Forest University, worked as an aide to Bush's former top political adviser Karl Rove and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez. Hager is set to receive a master's degree in business administration later this month from the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business.

Jenna Bush earned an English degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 2004. She taught at a Washington elementary school for third and fourth grades for a year and half. She worked in Latin America as an intern for UNICEF and authored, “Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope," about a 17-year-old Latin American girl living with HIV-AIDS whom she met while working there. She co-authored her second book with Laura, her mother, titled, “All About It,” a children’s book.

After the wedding, the couple plans to live in a two-bedroom, two-bath town house on the south side of Baltimore where she plans to return to teaching and he will work for Constellation Energy, a power supplier based in Maryland.

Her wedding gown, however, was the creation of Oscar de la Renta, a top New York designer and favorite of the first lady. It's made of organza, a sheer fabric, with embroidery and matte beading. Jenna has described the dress as "simple and elegant."

For the ceremony, Barbara is to wear a long, shimmering moonstone blue gown made of silk with a fluttered open back. The bride's 14 attendants -- known members of the "house party" in Texas terminology -- will wear cocktail-length dresses made of silk crinkle chiffon. For the bridesmaids, New York designer Lela Rose, a native of Dallas, has made silk crinkle chiffon, cocktail-length dresses all adorned with handmade chiffon flowers. There are seven different styles of dresses in seven different colors that match the palate of Texas wildflowers -- blues, greens, lavenders and pinky reds -- that currently are in bloom.

Jenna's mother said Monday that she's not nervous -- and the president isn't, either. "I'm very, very excited," the first lady told reporters. "It's a very interesting passage of life when you get to that time in your life when your child -- first child is getting married. And we're getting, for us, our first son." Laura Bush admits that she half hoped Jenna and Hager, whom she calls "soul mates,"

President Bush, with Jenna in Texas in March, has cracked some jokes about being the father of the bride. "I had to face some very difficult spending decisions and I've had to conduct sensitive diplomacy," he said earlier this year. "That's called planning for a wedding."

Jenna, the 22nd child of a president to marry while their fathers were in office, has come a ways from her dad's first year in office when she had a run-in with the Texas law for underage drinking. It was her second offense. Then, during her father's re-election campaign in 2004, she was photographed sticking her tongue out at the media at a campaign stop in Missouri. The widely circulated photo reinforced the playful side of her personality.

Jenna on Ellen De Generes Show, December, 2007

Incest, Rape, Locked in Cellar, Stunned a Nation

2008-05-05T08:30:00.000-07:00

Josef Fritzl, 73, the Austrian man accused of abusing his imprisoned daughter for 24 years, should not go to jail as he is mentally ill, according to Rudolf Mayer, his lawyer. Mr. Mayer says his client should be in a psychiatric unit rather than facing a trial, which will not be fair due to press coverage of the case.

Mr. Mayer added that if a psychiatric evaluation of Mr. Fritzl ordered by the court does not give a proper assessment of his client, he will consider ordering a separate report himself. He said, "In my personal opinion, Josef Fritzl is mentally ill and therefore of diminished responsibility. I believe that my client does not belong in prison but in a secure psychiatric unit … not defending a monster but a human being, even if that is hard to take for some people. I am already receiving threatening letters saying that I belong in the cellar with Mr. Fritzl."

Austrian police said, Mr Fritzl, who is in custody, has confessed to the crime in a written statement, and he is refusing to answer any more questions, as police try to piece together conditions in the cellar - as well as the suspect's life. He incarcerated and raped his daughter Elisabeth in his cellar in Amstetten in Lower Austria. Elisabeth bore her father seven children -- three of whom remained with her, never seeing daylight until they were released earlier this week. Mr. Fritzl's alleged crimes came to light when Elisabeth's eldest daughter Kerstin, 19, became seriously ill.

Kerstin was allowed out of the cellar and admitted to hospital in Amstetten. When police issued an appeal to Elisabeth Fritzl to contact them about her daughter, and later police picked up Mr. Fritzl and Elisabeth near the hospital due to suspicions. Elisabeth and the children are now in care with the Austrian authorities, who are protecting their privacy at a psychiatric clinic.

A relative of Mr. Fritzl says he was convicted of another rape in 1967. Under Austrian law, convictions can be discarded from the record even after as short as five years. Police have declined to comment on the allegations, saying records that old, would have been erased under Austria's statutes of limitation.(Please click the images to enlarge)

Christine R, a sister-in-law, told newspapers, “… He is a tyrant and I believe he spent a year and half in prison for the conviction (his rape case in 1967)… Mr. Fritzl used to go into the cellar every morning at 0900 apparently to draw plans for machines, which he sold to firms … Often he even stayed down there for the night … Rosi [his wife] wasn't allowed to bring him a coffee … Mr Fritzl ‘was a despot, I hated him’… he ‘always belittled’ his wife Rosemarie."

Alfred Dubanovsky, a lodger at the Austrian house where a father allegedly imprisoned and abused his daughter says he saw another man go to the cellar where the abuse happened. He rented a room in the Fritzl house for 12 years. He and other lodgers were forbidden to go down to the cellar under threat of eviction. In his ground floor room he heard noises coming from the cellar, but Mr Fritzl passed it off as the gas heating system. He assumed the basement was being used as a storeroom because a neighbour said Mr Fritzl often took food down to the cellar.

According to police investigators, “they have found two heavily reinforced concrete doors that could only be opened by remote control … They are open now, but we are trying to get another way out of this room because the working conditions in this prison are so exceptional … officers could work there only one hour and during this hour they try, one team after the other, to gather everything available in this living space … the work was overwhelming and oppressive for investigators."

In Austria, there are three cases so far involving people being locked in cellars. Among those drawing parallels with, was the case of Natascha Kampusch, who was 10 years old when she was kidnapped in Vienna in March 2, 1998 who made a dramatic escape in August 23, 2006. Her captor, Wolfgang Priklopil, 44, killed himself after her escape. She told the BBC that Elisabeth Fritzl and her family would need "a lot of silence" to recover, adding: "Time heals all wounds."

In an earlier case, a Vienna couple kept their mentally retarded adopted daughter caged in a cold room like an animal, and "These cases shocked the nation," as quoted from Austrian newspaper.

What do you think, after all those horrible things he had done, does he just deserve to stay in a secured psychiatric ward?

Christine R, sister-in-law of Josef Fritzl

Rudolf Mayer, lawyer of J. Fritzl

Sources: BBC news

Mariah Carey & Nick Cannon got Married

2008-05-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

Several reports has been published that Mariah Carey 38, married Nick Cannon, 27, on Wednesday at Carey's home in the island of Eleuthera, in the Bahamas. Sources say the two became involved after he appeared in the video for her song "Bye, Bye (video below)." He is cast as Mariah Carey's lover in the said new video. After dating less than two months, the pair got hitched in an impromptu civil ceremony.

Nicholas Scott Canon, a San Diego native, an actor (Nickelodeon) and rapper is 11 years her junior. Their marriage was confirmed by his family, one relative is saying, "Yes, we know … I'm not going to give you any details … He called us and told us all about it. We are happy for him ... If that is what he wants, and then we are happy for him."

Bishop Clifford Petty of the National Church of God in the Caribbean also confirmed that he presided over the wedding of Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon. The bishop provided no details except to say that he did not give a sermon.

Carey recently has been seen sporting a 17-carat diamond ring from Jacob & Co. Jewelers. That was reportedly given by Cannon described as, "crafted from platinum and features a square emerald cut fancy light pink diamond as the center stone surrounded by 58 intense pink diamonds and two half moon diamonds on each side … The total carat weight of the ring — center stone is 10 carats — is a jaw-dropping 17 carats with a value of $2.5 million."

Last April 28, when asked by MTV News Offices about Mariah Carey’s engagement rumors with him, Nick Cannon squirms and says, “ … She's a 'Good Friend' … a great person ... I can't even know what to say. She's probably the most festive, remarkable person I've ever met. Good friend … Rumors happen. They do.”

This is Cannon's first but Carey's second marriage. It could be well recalled way back in 1993, her famous and extravagant wedding to Tommy Mottola, who is a music executive, in which they had a bitter divorce in 1998.

The actor, who has been reported with previous romances to singer Christina Milian and voluptuous reality star Kim Kardashian, and last year gave a 15-carat stone to Victoria's Secret model Selita Ebanks.

It has been speculated that the Carey-Cannon match is a publicity stunt. In the wake of her just released No. 1 album—"EMC2" which is now topping the charts, and Canon has at least four movies due for release this year, nonetheless, Carey is one of the most successful artists in the music industry, and barely needs a marriage to garner attention. She's unexpectedly scored a No. 1 hit off the album with "Touch My Body."

Taking into account that Nick Canon has been cast as Mariah Carey’s lover in her upcoming new video, it’s most likely to ask, had the superstar diva given the young actor a much significant role in real life?

Mariah Carey - Bye, Bye (2008)

Mariah Carey - Touch My Body [2008]

Naked Indian Babies, Thrown Off from Tower

2008-05-02T02:22:00.000-07:00

What a bizarre and a wild spectacular occasion seeing babies flying in the air from a 50-foot temple tower? Yet this is a ritual of the faithfuls from a particular village in Solapur, India. It was the belief of the devotees, “that if they throw the child from the roof, then it will do good to her or him,” this was according to Ravikiran Mehta, the deputy sarpanch of Musti village as he told IBN-CNN.

It was also claimed that these babies tossed off in the air and will land in a soft white sheet, did not suffer any ill effects or physical disabilities from the fall—making their babies healthy. They are doing this every year for the past 500 years and there have never been any accidents or injuries. It can be observed that a crowd below helps to catch the newborns.

There are so many criticisms that arise. One Indian said, “… this is shocking to me … it’s not our country’s culture or tradition … In India, there are almost 1000 different sects and dialects … this just belongs to a very, very small community … Media prefers to say it as ‘India’s culture’ but it sure from crazy sect …”

One said, “Perhaps you can guess now, from what and where did Michael Jackson get his whacko-Jacko ideas, when he dangled-out his kid from a 6th story hotel room window in Berlin, Germany years ago that stirred-up an international controversy.”

Another said, “These people are freaking idiots … What if the babies bounced off the sheet or suffered brain damage? This might cause a mild concussion, at the least … I would have slapped the silly parents if I was there …”

But one commented, “…don't be stunned by these cultures, just accept that they are different than your culture … Let them do their thing, we have plenty of stunning events taking place right here at home.”

However, there is a big question for our mom readers; will you allow such an incredible thing to be done to your baby? What can you say? Is it terrifying? Is it scary?

Weight Loss & Artificial Sweeteners

2008-04-30T16:07:00.000-07:00

Considering the popularity today of sugar substitutes, from our favorite soda, cookies and the like, up to our breakfast coffee, and you can name the rest; this persisting question keep on lingering around, “How safe are these sugar substitutes?” A subsequent question may also arise, “Do these sugar substitutes play a role in losing weight?”

Saccharin, (Sweet'N Low, SugarTwin) discovered in 1879 and approved for use in the US on the same year has a bitter and somewhat metallic aftertaste. This was labeled as a possible carcinogen which had to carry a warning until 2000 in the US market although the risk to an individual is very low. As it is 300-500 times sweeter than table sugar, this provides no energy, as it is not metabolized by human beings. The largest population study to date, involving 9,000 individuals, showed that saccharin does not increase the risk of cancer. On December 15, 2000, the U.S. Congress passed legislation to remove the warning label that had been previously required on foods and beverages containing saccharin.

Products containing Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal) have been labeled as dangerous for people with phenylketonuria (PKU), a relatively rare condition. This was discovered in 1969 and approved for use in the US in 1981. As it is 200 times sweeter than sugar, aspartame is not suitable in applications that require high temperatures, as it loses its sweetness when heated. The amount of energy derived from it is negligible.

Acesulfame-K (Sunette) was discovered in 1967 and approved for use in the US in 1988. As it is 200 times sweeter than sucrose, this is stable when heated, making it suitable for cooking. However, when used in large amounts it has a bitter aftertaste. It is not broken down by the body, and it doesn’t provide any calories. Over ninety scientific studies have been conducted by the FDA, and the World Health Organization's Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has also endorsed Acesulfame K's safety.

Sucralose (Splenda) bears no warning label at all; this was discovered in 1976 and approved for use in the US in 1988. This is 600 times sweeter than sugar, which is not absorbed from the digestive tract, so it adds no calories to consumed food.

There’s another one, Neotame, which was discovered in 1990 and was approved for use in the US in 2002. As it is 8,000 times sweeter than sugar, this analog of aspartame can be used in both cooking and baking applications. Although neotame is a derivative of aspartame, it is not metabolized to phenylalanine. The FDA reviewed more than 113 human and animal studies before ruling on neotame.

Some critics say that sugar substitute may in fact make people fatter by turbo-charging their sweet tooth, yet it has no hard evidence. For the purpose of losing weight, diet soda could be better than regular, but it is undeniable, water is still the best. Those favorite pastries we often ate having labels that they are made of artificial sweeteners may still high in calories if they are high in fats.

Although this food having fake sugar as we may call it, with no calories at all as it has been claimed, it is the volume quantity of the total food intake that determines in gaining weight. Some studies on rats revealed, the sweet taste of artificial sweeteners may trigger unhealthy weight gain. Being deprived of real calories, it increases food cravings creating a tendency to eat more food and become obese in just a short period of time.

How should consumers today interpret all of these? Dr. Michael F. Jacobson, a microbiologist and co-founder of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), believes there is no “slam dunk” proof that any of these artificial sweeteners are clearly dangerous or perfectly safe. He says however, “based on what we know so far … I think the sucralose is safe, that aspartame is probably safe and that serious questions about saccharin remain …”

According to surveys, each of us on average is consuming at least nine kilograms of fake sugars per annum. If we get a Big Mac or Jolibee burger with fries and Diet soda (Coke or Pepsi), surely, we still have to get fat although in a slightly slower rate. Fake sugar could not be a terrible food component; nevertheless, it is not so great for us either real-sugar or sugar-substitutes. Is any of the two can do any good? Are these artificial sweeteners a safe alternative to real sugar?

Some Facts about the Eyes

2008-04-26T19:04:00.000-07:00

Human eyes are the physical object of our sense of sight. It was considered as the most precious and complex of all the human senses. As it began to take its function from the time we wake up in the morning up to the time we go to bed to sleep in the night, whatever we look at, pleasing or unpleasant, dark or bright; our eyes keep on working, as well as it continuously sending and relaying information and data to the brain for processing, interpretation and storage.

Of course, everybody knows how the eyes play its role as one of the five human senses, how it is protected by the eyelids and the bony eyebrow of the human skull. We also know that the iris determines the eye colors as it differs from person to person (unless we use colored contact lens), how the pupils contract and enlarge its muscle as it receive varying levels of light. Everybody knows as well how the optic nerves communicate with the brain cells. Everyone knows visions are not always perfect that is why we need corrective eye-glasses in order to have clear sight.

However, here are some questions maybe you already know which needs some review:
• Do you know that each eye has 130 million light-sensitive-cells?

• Do you know that the images retained to the retina are upside-down?

• Do you know that a newborn baby sees the world upside down because it takes some time for the baby's brain to learn to turn the picture right-side up?

• Do you know that most people blink between two to ten seconds at a time?

• Do you know that human eyes are closed at least in an aggregate 30 minutes each day because each time you blink; you shut your eyes for 0.3 second?

• Do you know that with just one eye, every image will appear two-dimensional (this doesn’t work by just closing one eye)?

• Do you know that color blindness affects 1 of 30 people?

• Do you know that men are more affected by color blindness than women at a ratio of 1:12?

• Do you know that dogs are colorblind, yet, how do we know?

• Do you know that dogs’ night vision is much superior to humans?

• Do you know that the cat's or dog’s eyes glow in the dark because of special silvery "mirrors" that reflect light, making it much easier for them to be distinguished in the dark?

• Do you know that ostrich has eyes that are two inches across wherein each eye weighs more than the brain?

• Do you know that chameleon's eyes can look in opposite directions at the same time?

• Do you know the owl’s sight can see a mouse moving over 150 feet away with light no brighter than a candle?
Maybe you can add more something you know!
Look at this photo – If it appears right to you, then, maybe you’re drunk. Or you’ve just wake up, risen-up from your bed. And maybe you’ve already indulged yourself to much time in front of your PC. This will show that distorted image transmitted to the brain may be interpreted as a correct image when the brain itself is somehow impaired in whatever manner, or vice versa.

Did we take some time to ask ourselves – How do we use our eyes properly? What do we do to take good care of our eyes?

Is it True, Mom's Diet Could Determine Baby's Gender?

2008-04-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Whatever mom eats before pregnancy influences the gender of her baby, according to a recent surprising British research tagged as the first in humans to show a link between a woman's diet and whether she has a boy or girl.

Some correlated instances are, when moms are having a hearty appetite for potassium-rich foods like bananas and avocados, and when the mother is not skipping breakfast cereals, all of these are likely factors of popping out a boy -- more nutrients are needed to build boys than girls.

Of course, it is a fact the men’s sperm are the ones which determines a baby’s gender, however, it could be that certain nutrients intake and the eating patterns of the mother, make women’s bodies conducive to the sperm carrying the male chromosomes.

This study was published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, a British medical journal, involved of about 700 first-time-pregnant moms in the U.K. who didn’t have any knowledge of the sexes of their fetuses, who were asked of their eating habits a year before getting pregnant.

According to the report, women are divided into three groups according to their calorie consumption. The results are: women (top third) with the highest calorie intake (but still within a normal healthy range), 56% had boys, while those women (lowest third) with the lowest calorie intake, only 45% had boys.

Women who ate at least one bowl daily of breakfast cereal were 87% more likely to have boys than those who ate no more than one bowlful per week. Cereal is a typical breakfast in Britain and in the study, eating very little cereal was considered a possible sign of skipping breakfast.

University of Exeter researcher Fiona Mathews, lead author of the study, said, the findings also fit with fertility research showing that male embryos aren't likely to survive in lab cultures with low sugar levels, thus, skipping meals can result in low blood sugar levels. Those women who ate an additional 300 milligrams of potassium and 400 calories more on daily average, had delivered boys, compared with the women who had girls. Nevertheless, nobody is recommending out that moms be piggish just to have a boy or starved out just to have a girl. Some reactions floated out.

Dr.Tarun Jain, a fertility specialist (not involved in the study) at University of Illinois, who was skeptical when he first heard about the research, said, it is not proof, but it fits with evidence from test tube fertilization that male embryos thrive best with longer exposure to nutrient-rich lab cultures. It just might be that it takes more nutrients to build boys than girls. The study was well-done and merits follow-up study to see if the theory proves true. It's not necessarily as far-fetched as it sounds. While men's sperm determine a baby's gender, it could be that certain nutrients or eating patterns make women's bodies more hospitable to sperm carrying the male chromosome. It's an interesting question. I'm not aware of anyone else looking at it in this manner.

Dr. Michael Lu, an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and public health at the University of California at Los Angeles, said the results are certainly plausible from an evolutionary biology perspective. In other words, since boys tend to be bigger, it would make sense that it would take more calories to create them. A woman's diet before pregnancy may be a marker for other factors in their lives that could influence their baby's gender, including timing of intercourse. The bottom line is, we still don't know how to advise patients in how to make boys.

Is it a tale, we oftentimes heard from elder moms, "if you eat bananas you'll have a baby boy?"

First Female Winner in Indycar History--Danica Patrick

2008-04-21T02:55:00.000-07:00

Danica Patrick, 26, finished 5. 8594 seconds ahead of recent Dancing With The Stars champ Helio Castroneves on the 1.5-mile oval, which started from the third row and made her final pit stop on lap 148, stayed close to the leaders throughout the race becoming the first female in history to take Bridgestone IndyCar 300-mile winner at Motegi, Japan. Sunday's race, which was delayed a day because of a wet track, was won by a combination of cool composure and shrewd strategy. Danica took the lead from pole-sitter Helio on the 198th lap in the 200-lap race

In the 2005 Indy 500, she became the first female driver to lead the race en route to a fourth-place finish. It was the best finish by a woman at Indy, and helped her take rookie of the year honors. Win No. 1 was a long time coming. Patrick finished a career-best seventh in the standings last year when her best finish was second in the race at Detroit's Belle Isle. Her first IndyCar race was in 2005 at Homestead-Miami. Danica told Associated Press,

"It's a long time coming … Finally … It was a fuel strategy race, but my team called it perfectly for me. I knew I was on the same strategy as Helio and when I passed him for the lead, I couldn't believe it. This is fabulous … I knew there was a good reason for coming to Japan … I want to thank my team, the fans and everyone who supported me."

Helio said to AP,

"With five laps to go, I was saving fuel … When Danica passed me; I realized she was the leader. She did a great job, passed me fair and square and that shows you how competitive our series is."

According to Michael Andretti, co-owner of Andretti Green Racing Team which she belongs,

"I think Danica is such a fantastic person and I'm thrilled for her that the monkey is finally off of her back. We have all believed in her and she proved today that she is a winner."

As she was welcomed by her family near the podium, Danica said,

"There was a lot of ‘I love you' and 'congratulations' ... My dad said it was the best day of his life."

Born as Danica Sue Patrick, on March 25, 1982 in Beloit Wisconsin, she began driving go-karts at age 10, competing at Sugar River Raceway outside of Brodhead, Wisconsin and went on to win several national championships. In order to advance her racing career, she moved to England. Becoming a U.S. auto racer competing in the IndyCar Series, she published her autobiography, Danica: Crossing the Line, in May 2006.

Earning a General Equivalency Diploma (GED), she focuses primarily on road racing. Patrick raced in several developmental open-wheel series while in Europe, including Formula Ford and Formula Vauxhaull. Patrick earned a second-place finish in England's extremely competitive Formula Ford Festival, the highest-ever finish by either a woman or an American in the event. This has proven once more, the feat which has previously been attributed to men, has become an achievement for women.

At the victory lane - Part 1

At the victory lane - Part 2

James Blunt Performs on Dancing With the Stars

2008-04-20T19:41:00.000-07:00

Born as James Hillier Blount on February 22, 1974 at a military hospital in Tidworth, Wiltshire, England, spent his early childhood living in England, Cyprus, and Germany, where his father, a Colonel in the British Army Air Corps, and military helicopter pilot, has been posted at various times. As the eldest child with two younger siblings, he was born to Jane and Charles Blount. His father has instilled with his son a love of flying in which he earned his pilot's license at age 16. The Blount family has a long history of military service, dating back to the 10th century.

Since the British Army sponsored his university education, it was mandatory for him to provide a minimum of four years of service. He is an officer in a regiment of the British Army. He was commissioned as a subaltern (second lieutenant) in the Life Guards, a unit of the Household Cavalry of the British Army, where he rose to the rank of captain. One of his first assignments was to British Army Training Unit Suffield in Alberta, Canada, where his squadron was posted for six months in 1998 to act as the opposing army in combat training exercises.

It was in 1999, he served as an armoured officer in the NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo, initially assigned to reconnaissance of the Macedonia-Kosovo border. Blunt and his unit worked ahead of the front lines directing forces and targeting Serb positions for the NATO bombing campaign. He led the first squadron of troops to enter Priština, and was the first British officer to enter the Kosovar capital. His unit was given the assignment of securing the Priština airport in advance of the 30,000-strong peacekeeping force. It was there where he first met the team of the Médecins Sans Frontières which he now helps to raise funds, being impressed by their work with minimal support and limited security. His military background and questions about his assignments and activities have been raised in almost every interview since he entered public life as a musician.

After leaving the British Army in 2002, he pursued his musical career. It was at about that time that he started using the stage name "Blunt," in part to make it easier for others to spell; "Blount" is pronounced the same way, and remains his legal surname. Shortly, he was signed to EMI music publishers.

He is now popularly known as an English singer-songwriter whose debut album, Back to Bedlam, and single releases — especially the number one hit "You're Beautiful" — brought him to fame in 2005, inspired by Camila Boler, that in 2006, he dedicated this song to her in front of thousands adoring fans. His style is a mix of pop, rock and folk. He is fond of nightclubbing and ‘Superhunk’ isn’t a strong enough description for him. As a Child, he took piano and violin lessons, but his first significant exposure to popular music was at Harrow School. There, he was introduced to the guitar by a fellow student, and started playing guitar and writing songs at age 14.

At Bristol University, his graduate thesis was The Commodification of Image - Production of a Pop Idol; one of his main references for the thesis was Simon Frith, a sociologist and rock critic, and current chair of the Mercury Music Prize. Blunt has spent most of his life studying and living in England, his primary residence is now on the island of Ibiza, Spain, where he wrote many of the songs on his second album.

At the 49th Grammy Awards in February 2007, he performed "You're Beautiful", dedicating the song to the late Ahmet Ertegün of Atlantic Records, but he did not win in any of the five categories for which he had received nominations. So far his albums to date are: Back to Bedlam (2004), Chasing Time:The Bedlam Sessions (2006), and All the Lost Souls (2007).

More about James Blunt and his musical works, please click here.

James Blunt performs Carry You Home on Dancing With The Stars, Tuesday, April 15 at 9PM EST. On the background are Dancing World Champs, Eric Luna & Georgia Ambarian.

New Defense Minister of Spain, a Woman and Seven Months Pregnant

2008-04-18T06:09:00.000-07:00

Carme Chacón, 37, who was seven months pregnant, is the first female boss of Spain’s Armed Forces. Her government position she’s holding now is a counterpart of the United States Secretary of National Defense, Mr. Robert M. Gates. She is one of the nine-women-ministers, whom Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero just appointed. Her husband, Miguel Barroso has worked with Zapatero’s press office in the past.

Ms. Chacón was the housing minister for a brief stint in the previous government. She came from a working class, worked as a shop assistant, studied law (bachelor and doctorate) and taught in Barcelona University. She became the Member of Parliament (MP) at the age of 29. She has helped organizing Mr. Zapateros’s rise to party leadership in 2000.

According to Associated Press, photos of Chacón ran in front page of Spain’s seven national newspapers including the International Herald Tribune on Tuesday. Footage of her appearance dominated Spanish Television; the sight of Chacon’s first day in office, inspecting and reviewing the troops—snappy, trimmed and crisply uniformed soldiers, with her rounded belly (baby bump) covered in a stylish, white tunic maternity blouse, matched with a black pant suit and high heels, came as a jolt. After walking firmly and visibly pregnant, the new Lady Defense Minister gave a concise and adulatory speech—saying her appointment was a sign of progress, and led the troops in rousing cheer of “Viva Epaña, Viva El Rey!” This has shown a picturesque that the Spaniards will not soon forget.

Women’s advocacy groups are so delighted with her appointment— recognizing a feminist message that not only a woman hold a senior position of government or business, but she can do it while expecting a baby, thus, overseeing a military force of 130,000 of which 15% are women. The military has been open only to female service just 20 years ago. While a group of retired officers criticized her lack of military background, yet they insisted that her pregnancy—16 weeks of maternity leave, is not a problem. One high ranking officer anonymously told El Pais newspaper, “We will receive her with the same respect as her predecessors … and perhaps a little more delicacy.”

Spain is a country whose values for exaggerated masculine respect added the word “machismo” in the English dictionary. It would be worth to recall that under the rule of General Francisco Franco who served as the de facto regent of Spain until his death in 1975, only with the permission of her husband that a woman can open a bank account, apply for a passport or sign a contract.

The newly re-elected socialist Prime Minister Zapatero, sworn in the new Spanish Cabinet, by taking their oath of office before King Juan Carlos on Monday, composed of nine women and eight men. Among the women ministers are: Cristina Garmendia (Science & Innovation), Magdalene Alvarez (Transport & Development), Mercedes Cabrera Calvo (Education, Social Affairs & Sports), Carme Chacón (Defense), Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega (Deputy Prime Minister), Elena Salgado (Administration), Bibiana Aido (Equality), Beatriz Corredor (Housing), and Elena Espinosa (Agriculture & Environment). (Please click the images to enlarge)

One editorial has drawn a scenario; the combination of crisis situation among the deployed troops in Afghanistan and peacekeeping force in Lebanon, and a defense minister who is on maternity leave adding that she has no knowledge of military affairs, that would leave Spain in an “absurd” situation.

"... not only a woman hold a senior position of government ... but she can do it while expecting a baby."

Let me Count the Ways, How Do I Love You?

2008-04-16T23:52:00.000-07:00

For couples who have attained a certain stage of being together for a certain period of time, shall we say, less than a decade, having one or two kids, or maybe more, sometimes need a desirable dose of retrospection. Have we asked ourselves, “How do I love my darling?” Or whatever way you address your special loved ones.

When it comes to human behavior, we oftentimes perceive exactly the same things in different ways. As we noticed and observed, the basic modes of perception (although we all have six of them), when it comes to our special loved ones, we primarily use the sense of seeing (visual), sense of hearing (auditory) and sense of feeling—kinesthesia (touch).

For this topic’s sake, let us limit our subject to three categories of perception. Some people are auditory of which they are influenced most of what they hear. Some are visual and they are influence most by what they see. Yet others are kinesthetic where they are impressed most of what they feel.

Of course, all of us operate in all of these levels. Based on experience, for each of us, there is one dominant mode. So, how do we apply these to the dimension of love? Different people express their love in much different ways, as it is only logical to say, different persons desire to be loved in different ways as well.

Let us draw some real-life scenario. The auditory woman may be comfortable if her husband is a silent type and she wants him to keep talking. The auditory man may enjoy background music when he is making love. The visual man adores his wife in attractive attire, while the visual woman may be delighted in the presence of her husband—thus making their home absolutely clean, neat and free from blemishes, solely for making him happy. The kinesthetic man enjoys holding his wife’s hand while they are talking, or when they are walking. The kinesthetic woman needs her mate cuddling her continually. These are illustrations we can practically found how different people wants to be loved differently.

It is undeniable; love is displayed in intimate terms. To reveal an inner measure of a couples’ love, a husband may ask, “Let me see your face … for … your face is lovely,” as a visual expression of her love for him. Or he may appeal to her for an auditory revelation by singing to him their favorite love song. This only showed how we differ in our desires—in a way that people prefer different expressions of love.

“If my spouse is different from me, I should expect him/her to behave like me,” if one partner does say so, a perpetual problem may arise. Let us consider a visual wife and a kinesthetic husband.

After a demanding and taxing day’s work, a husband returned home meeting his wife at the door or at the gate. For a visual woman, she is happy to see him, yet for a kinesthetic husband, seeing is not adequate. For him … feeling is loving. So, he grabs her into his arms with the gesture of kissing her, but she didn’t respond. The husband becomes not only concerned, but irritated which is unlikely.

The husband being relieved to be inside the comfort of his home (immaculately made by his visual wife), throws down his coat, kicks off his shoes, and rest his both feet on the table, musing to himself, “It feels good to be home,” unaware and unmindful of her wife’s housekeeping, and her arrangement of their living room! When her wife made an assessment of the scene, she started to become frustrated and out of control, at least they have now their second unpleasant encounter of the day.

At bedtime, the kinesthetic husband reaches over to hug his spouse. With or without sex, he wants to cuddle her. However, the visual wife doesn’t want to be cuddled and only cares for his presence, not his romance, she moves to the other side of the bed, and the third battle of the evening ensued!

Here is a typical couple who love each other nevertheless; they are interminably in conflict with one another, because each of their dominant perception differs from one to another. What is the solution to such a problem?

Did we try to identify our partner’s dominant perception, whether she or he is a seeing, hearing, or a feeling person? How can we know? Have we done a wise examination of watching and observing our spouse’s behavior, actions and reactions?

Certainly, there is an obvious difference but it is our natural tendency as human being to refuse such difference. Some may try to whisk it away and just hope for a change in our partner’s behavior. Others may try to work it away by putting some pressure on the spouse to change. These attempts may be futile and usually may end up unsuccessful. Lest, have we forgotten the individuality of human being which deserves to be respected? Have we ever considered the dynamic aspect of our perception?

What about the Greek word for love, “agape?” It is the highest form of love—self sacrificing, selfless and unconditional. To apply this, the kinesthetic husband will work in pleasing her visual wife more and above than his “feeling” self. The visual wife will work at pleasing her kinesthetic husband more and above than her “seeing” self.

Wherefore, as each of the partners cross the line of their domestic battlefield, standing on the side of the other, it is only reasonable to meet one another halfway or maybe more, so that the wife will accept her husband’s cuddling—sometimes. On the other hand, the husband will keep his feet or even a foot off the table—sometimes.

How wonderful? In the experience of each partner, the meeting of the “second self” with the “first self” will surely cause the two selves to become one. In the beauty of embracing their love, even though the level of dominance in their perception is really huge, there is peace.

Cognizance, of these three major keys to the heart, the seeing key, the hearing key and the feeling key; you can choose which is the right key to your spouse’s affection. Sure, it depends on who your partner is. Once you’ve discovered and nurtured the fitted-match to each of these keys—first, identify, then accept, lastly, apply the Agape, putting your spouse’s desires over and above your own, then, you can utter to yourself watching your spouse in a distant, “How do I Love You?”

The Hard Truth We Have To Accept

2008-04-13T03:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, as we go forward with our life, despite problems and difficulties, we persisted steadily, with the help and compassion of friends and loved ones. Yet, there are times that we had to do it all alone ...

S O L I T U D E
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone;
For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
But he has trouble enough of its own.

Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air;
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go;
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.

Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all—
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life’s gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.

There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a large and lorldly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.

Coming across with this poem, each word and every line that rhymes herein, truly speaks a hard and bare truth, but we might as well accept nonetheless; pain is harder to share than joy. However, if we bring ourselves to endure cheerfully, we’ll find more company along the way.

PayPerPost, Get Paid For Blogging

2008-04-11T20:21:00.000-07:00

This blog site has recently been approved by PayPerPost. This means, I now belong to the “Posties” who can find advertisers in the PayPerPost that have created “Opps” for bloggers like you. What a surprise? This approval has come unexpectedly. I … loved it! This is the most I like with PayPerPost.

It was only January of this year when I just started blogging, with nothing in mind. Only a simple task of writing articles that may interest me of sharing to others in the net. I told to myself, from then on, besides to my personal experiences and views, any book I’ve read, any film or movie I’ve seen, any music hits or MTV clip, or any headlines, strange and extraordinary news, if I got the time, I will write about it. As you may notice, I have only a few entries on my blog compared to the other blogs having enormous ones. As I took all my available free time in visiting and reading other blogs so that I can get a more solid and broader idea of what blogging is really all about, I came across with this PayPerPost.

This certainly catches my interest—so I decided and signed up immediately, telling to myself that even though it will take a long time to be approved, at least I have already applied. Subsequent instructions were provided that for the meantime while waiting for approval, I need to put a couple of colorful and attractive widgets and some snippet codes to be placed on my template.

Aside from the fact that this site can be an effective marketing medium for advertisers, this can be as well an excellent opportunity for bloggers to enhance, generate and the most, it will drive traffic to your site, needless to say, about the income or revenues that will start to buildup impressively in favor of the blog owner with all the courtesy of PayperPost. What a golden chance—getting paid for blogging!

This is really exciting, in order to be fair at this stage, it’s difficult to anticipate something big. Yet, extra income derived from PayPerPost, surely, I will save it first for future use. Shall we say a brand new digital movie camera with advanced sophisticated lenses will be fine? Then I have to save more because I would like to spend it on gadgets and software that will enhance my internet and digital capabilities and to get ahead of my computing needs.

This really inspires me and now, I think I need to endeavor more and double-time my efforts to befriend additional contacts and join more blogging communities by making and providing them quality and interesting content to keep them coming and visiting back.

Come on bloggers, advertisers at PayPerPost are waiting! I am looking forward and excited to read about your PPP approval and your delighting article about being paid for blogging. It’s quite pretty nice and cool having extra income inside the comfort of your own home. Not bad … Maybe your next family holiday will be paid by your savings from PPP revenues. You will be doing a great and lasting surprise for your spouse and kids, a memory to treasure of. You’ll never know! PayPerPost might start your luck. So, what are you … waiting for? Sign up now!!!! Create your account ...

ABC’s Dancing With The Stars Features the First Ballroom Kids

2008-04-10T01:44:00.000-07:00

It’s totally amazing watching kids made their dancing steps at home, in school, and in certain community competition yet it is more fun and wonderful to see them live on TV. This has become a reality when ABC did it last Tuesday evening on “Dancing With The Stars.” It has just started and they will be airing this live competition for the next weeks to come.

The first two ballroom kid-pairs under the category of nine-year-olds and under are, Rashell & Aaron and Daniela & Aaron. For more of what they say and think of, here they are:

Daniela & Aaron - Samba

Rashell & Aaron - Pasa Doble

Many schools nowadays have integrated ballroom dancing as part of their fitness program. As parents, it’s time to think about enrolling our kids in a class dance particularly at an early age. There’s a lot of style to choose, from hip hop to classical ballet, with some variety of styles that will suit every taste such as waltz, foxtrot, tango, salsa, cha cha, pasa doble, samba, etc.

Aside from inculcating among kids the spirit of teamwork, since they have to work with their fellow human being in front of them (not virtual), these dancing lessons and skills will render these kids a good amount of workout, help them develop styles, bolster their self-confidence, creativity, imagination, and most of all, it cultivates a healthy dose of discipline.

Ballroom dancing with a partner as we can observed, requires a good balance, a strong body awareness and a sense of rhythm dealing with the improvement of the physical fitness and flexibility, and ultimately these can help to reduce if not relieve stress.

The popularity now of ballroom dancing is not only for the celebrities or for the kids but also for everybody of all ages.

Some Facts about Motorcycle Use and Accidents

2008-04-06T01:29:00.000-07:00

In most Asian countries, motorcycles are economical. Regardless of gender and age, it becomes popular among many who will even testify how so much thrill and fun—so enticing and seductive for them riding on it. For utility purposes, motorcycles served as a handy tool for errands, short distance transport and delivery services. In London, there are firms offering motorcycle taxi and in the Philippines, the trikes or tri-cycle [motorcycle with side car] are popular nationwide as a multipurpose commercial vehicle.

But the motorcycle itself is already a dangerous vehicle as it doesn’t possess rigid and sturdy protective layout and designs against cars and automobiles. Motorcycle riders are always put on the risk taking into account its small size and its fast acceleration rate. Physically, it has only two wheels, where reflexes, balancing and speed, precision and timing are a proportionate factor to be seriously considered by the riders themselves at any given moment while driving. However, motorcycle manufacturers have rendered conspicuous and striking colors; reflective and lighting accessories so it would be easily recognized among and between motorists.

This has become a major concern on the roads especially these days where accidents and deaths have dramatically increased. In United States alone, the number of its citizens killed in motorcycle accidents each year exceeds more than the combined aggregate number of deaths from railway accidents, plane crashes, ships disasters and pipeline explosions.

Motorcyclists are 37 times more likely to die in a crash than someone riding in a passenger car. If collision happened between motorists, the motorcycle riders are the most who are badly injured, if not the ones who is dead. In U.S., NBA players riding in motorcycles will complicate their contract in case they encountered accidents or sustained self-injury.

In the past ten years, motorcycle deaths have increased more than doubled. Registration has increased more than twice and sales have increased four times. So as population increased, everybody must expect that the number of crashes and fatalities will increase as well.

Helmets used by motorcycle riders save lives. An analogy can be drawn to, as seatbelts are for car passengers, so as helmets are for the motorcyclist. Public awareness of implementing helmet law is being rallied around by politicians and lawmakers because it statistically reduced deaths, yet the real scenario showed that it will not prevent road accidents. Motorcycle riders cannot rely on helmets alone as a precaution to their safety. The principal issue about motorcycling is to avoid the crash in the first place. The main question is how could we reduce the accidents and death toll without severely restricting the use of these motorcycles?

Aside from the helmet law, government officials and motorcyclists themselves must be aware that crash prevention can be done through awareness campaigns to the general motoring public. An affordable and appropriate riders’ education must be provided. Shall we say, learn how to be conspicuously recognized, and another is a safety course as an excellent way for both the beginner and the experienced rider to learn defensive riding skills. Not only motorcycle riders but all motorists have to undergo some kind of instructional training and seminar to be sensible enough of motorcycles on the road which have gained widespread and extensive use.

Do you think these will help to lessen accidents among motorcycle riders? Is there any much more relevant measure necessary? Do we need to impose extreme restrictions on motorcycles on the roads?

Astounding Marlee Matlin Dances sans Hearing the Music on “Dancing With The Stars”

2008-04-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

An Oscar award winner, Marlee Matlin who has described herself as “profoundly deaf” has overwhelmingly captured the admiration and amazement of the judges as well as the applause of the audience as she performed her dancing steps along with her partner, Fabian Sanchez a newbie on the ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars,” season six.

Fabian Sanchez, a World Mambo 2006 Champion exerted all his efforts to teach all the necessary elements required for Marlee to execute the dancing styles even she doesn't have the capacity hearing the music. She has to rely only on Fabian’s body language by looking to his eyes and to each and every movement he is doing in order for her to perform her dancing act to a virtual perfection.

Kevin Grandalski, her husband and her 12-year-old daughter were present on her shows. Their excitement and admiration can obviously be seen as they were smiling, standing and clapping their hands after each of her weekly performances. Out of twelve pair-contestants, three pairs were already eliminated, a fact that Marlee and Fabian garnered votes from the live show's 20 million viewers.

She was born as Marlee Beth Matlin in Morton Grove, Illinois, on August 24, 1965. After suffering of high fevers and measles at the age of 18 months, she lost all her hearing—100% on the right and 80% on the left. It was her parent’s commitment to let her live a normal life by resisting the advice of her doctors to send her away in to a special school for the deaf. She was enrolled in local programs with support services for deaf children. Her parents encouraged her early interest in the arts. She attended the innovative Center on Deafness [this is now the International Center for Deafness and the Arts] where both regular kids and as well as those who has defective hearing, joined together for recreation and activities. This has contributed a lot of factors in which at the age of seven, she got her starring role as Dorothy in the Center’s production of the “Wizard of Oz.”

More of her will be featured next, as we follow her at the “Dancing With The Stars.” For those who missed the three of her past performances, dancing the “Cha, cha, cha,” the quick step, the jive; here they are:

Week 1 - "The Cha, cha, cha"

Week 2- "The Quick Step"

Week 3 - "The Jive"

How does it feel to be a “Pregnant Man?”

2008-03-30T00:41:00.000-07:00

Have you heard this recent news that has caused a worldwide frenzy?

This is a story about a legally married Oregon couple, whom the transgender (legally male) pregnant husband who is due to give birth a baby girl on July. To become legally a man, he underwent a sex change, chest reconstruction (surgical removal of breast), and having a regular testosterone injection, yet deciding to keep his sexual and reproductive organs and not opting for sterilization which is not a requirement for sex reassignment.

Obviously, a true man can never get pregnant. It’s up to you, whatever you call this-- a transgender, a transvestite, or a transsexual. Born in Hawaii as Tracy Lagondino, this “trans man,” Thomas Beatie and his wife, Nancy Roberts move to US mainland after getting married. Being a couple for ten years, their idea of having a child is more of a dream than a plan.

Here is a case of unusual couple whom the wife has no capacity to conceive even with the use of modern-day insemination technology because Nancy has underwent a hysterectomy twenty years ago. According to him,

“… wanting to have a biological child is neither a male nor female desire, but a human desire … the timing finally seemed right. I stopped taking my bimonthly testosterone injections. It had been roughly eight years since I had my last menstrual cycle, so this wasn’t a decision that I took lightly. My body regulated itself after about four months, and I didn’t have to take any exogenous estrogen, progesterone, or fertility drugs to aid my pregnancy … This whole process, from trying to get pregnant to being pregnant, has been a challenge for us … it took over one year to get access to a cryogenic sperm bank to purchase anonymous donor vials, and why Nancy and I eventually resorted to home insemination ...”

This is the second time he got pregnant. On the first, it was a failure, an ectopic life-threatening pregnancy with triplets, requiring a surgery eventually losing all his embryos and his left fallopian tube. His brother commented after the loss,

“It’s a good thing that happened. Who knows what kind of monster it would have been.”

But on this second occasion, he said,

“… we are proud to announce that this pregnancy is free of complications and our baby girl has a clean bill of health. We are happily awaiting … How does it feel to be a pregnant man? Incredible! Despite the fact that my belly is growing with a new life inside me, I am stable and confident being the man that I am. In a technical sense I see myself as my own surrogate, though my gender identity as male is constant. To Nancy, I am her husband carrying our child -- I am so lucky to have such a loving, supportive wife. I will be my daughter’s father, and Nancy will be her mother. We will be a family ...”

A lot of concerns have surfaced out. The possible effect of testosterone on the unborn child, although Beatie claimed otherwise. To one expert, there will be a certain extra level of confusion or complication that the child might later experience, "where I am from." One gay activist said,

“... In my experience, they were extremely well-parented and well-adjusted. The only unusual challenges these kids face come from members of the public who see gender ambiguity as a great wrong … Generally speaking, a man whose desire for a child is strong enough to overcome the obstacles that transgender men must face in bearing one is likely to be an extremely caring father …”

To all women who treat themselves as truly women, having bestowed by her Creator with all the latest available tools and updated add-ons or plug-ins for conceiving and giving birth, how would you play the role as a vital element of the said scriptural order, “Go and multiply?”

Reminiscing Natalie Imbruglia in a Decade

2008-03-24T06:16:00.000-07:00

It has been a bit more than ten years ago when I bought the first CD-album of Natalie Imbruglia titled, 'Left of the Middle.' Every FM Radio during that time plays this first hit single. Much more, her ‘Torn’ video clip becomes a favorite of MTV VJs all across the world in the '90s. I, myself was a witness to its phenomenon because I am traveling at that time. Even today, her music ’Torn’ is still in demand from every music lovers worldwide--young and old, presumably an all time favorite.

As the second of four female siblings, she was born on February 4, 1975 as Natalie Jane Imbruglia in a tiny beach town in Sydney, Australia. After her appearance as teen actress from Aussie soap [Neighbors] and several TV commercials [Coke and Twisties], she pursued her singing career in the UK, in which she considered later on, that it was the best and lucky move she had ever made in her life. Her first released single 'Torn' from RCA Records has become the most air-played with wild success in UK, and released later in US, the early part of 1998. Aside from receiving the MTV Awards for Best New Artist in 1998, she was nominated on Grammy for three consecutive times selling 9 million albums worldwide.

She had her fairytale wedding in Queensland on the New Year's Eve of 2003 to Daniel Johns [frontman of Silverchair and Dissociatives], whom she met in 1999. While Imbruglia lived mainly in Windsor, Berkshire, UK, on an island called, 'White Lilies,' where her second album 'White Lilies Island' was named, released in 2001; her husband Johns lived in Newcastle, Australia. In April of 2005, that was followed by 'Counting Down the Days' having the track, 'Shiver' as her longest running single after 'Torn.' Thereafter, her fourth 'Glorious: TheSingles1997-2007' was released in August, 2007. She has released four albums so far, and there are some variations as to the content tracks of these releases, some have bonus DVDs, whether Australia, Japan, UK, etc.

She become the face of L'Oréal as spokeperson ["Because I'm Worth It"], modeling for several of its products on TV commercials starting 2001 with a contract of five years, She also debuted in the movie 'Johnny English'[2003] along Rowan Atkinson and started the Australian film, in 2004, Elise announced to be release this month, March, 2008.

Last December, 2007 she is rumored to have auditioned in Wolverine [still on production] along Hugh Jackman, as she had always wanted to go back on her acting roles which began at the age of 16, on the same year she left high school.

Natalie also visited Africa on several occasions supporting campaigns for childbirth disease awareness as an ambassador for Virgin Unite joining forces with the United Nations Population Fund.

This year, January 4, just days after their wedding anniversary, a news report has astoundingly emerged. It is her split from her husband Daniel Johns. The pair made a joint statement:

"While we are very sad that our marriage has ended, we want to make it clear that our parting is amicable and we remain friends ... This mutual decision has not been taken lightly or quickly ... However, our career demands and our lives in different parts of the world have brought us to the point where unfortunately this difficult decision was necessary for both of us ... We have simply grown apart through not being able to spend enough time together ... We have issued this statement to set the record straight and to eliminate any need for speculation ... We will not be making any further public statements whatsoever in regard to this very private matter and politely ask that people respect our sincere wishes in this regard."

In UK two weeks ago, she joins campaign to save Windsor Fire Station from nighttime closure together with Sir Elton John, Ralf Little and Sir Michael Parkinson saying, "To Windsor Fire Station, you're a vital part of the community and I fully support your campaign to remain open ... All my love."

So, after a decade, the world is waiting now for her next big explosion--singing or acting!

Natalie Imbruglia - Torn [1997]

Natalie Imbruglia - Shiver [LIVE 2005]

Natalie Imbruglia - Glorious [2007]

“Under the Same Moon” Raises Political Issues Debunked in Human Dimension

2008-03-19T06:11:00.000-07:00

This film is a crowd pleaser premiered in Sundance 2007, Toronto, under the title, “La Misma Luna.” It was greeted with standing ovation at Rome film festival as well. The story line characterizes an emotionally rich and poignant tale of a mother and son living in a world just on the opposite sides of the US-Mexico border bonded by an enduring love. Both characters have parallel stories which are interwoven into a textured tapestry of yearning and devotion that portrays a young child's persistence and courage ("find my mother before she forgets me") and a mother's sacrifices.

This nine-year-old wide-eyed Carlos aka Carlitos (Adrian Alonzo, Mask of Zorro) is one of the countless children left behind by parents who come to the U.S. seeking a way to provide for their families. His mother, (Kate Del Castillo, Bordertown) has worked illegally as a domestic in Los Angeles for four years, sending money home to her son and mother (Angelina Pelaez) to give them a chance to a better life.

When his grandmother died, leaving young Carlitos alone, the need for his mother reached to a point where he has to take his fate into his own hands. To find her, the kid heads north across the border, a journey from his rural Mexican village to L.A. Barrio. Carlitos faces seemingly insurmountable obstacles with a steely determination and unfettered optimism that earned him the grudging respect and affection of a reluctant de facto guardian and protector, a middle age migrant worker named Enrique (Eugenio Derbez, Padre Nuestro). Every time Carlitos faces life-and-death situations, director Riggen sends in a savior. These scenarios are shown when he is smuggled across the border, dealing with hopelessness after the loss of his money and more than one potential physical attack.

The unlikely pair finds its way from Tucson to East L.A., but the only clue Carlitos has to his mother's whereabouts is her description of the street corner from which she has called him each Sunday morning for the last four years. Unaware that Rosario is only hours away from returning to Mexico to be with her son, Carlitos and Enrique desperately comb the vast unfamiliar city for a place he has seen only in his imagination.

This film could have been a forum for a political debate about immigration laws, yet these issues are debunked by the story’s human dimension. A few have been mentioned, but never enough to distract from the movie's central message: what we will do for love. Finding mom is an impulse so basic that it makes talk of "illegals" sound like a dry policy debate.

In Rosario's case, it is the willingness to be away from her only son just to be able to give him a better standard of living. She shows a real strength when a simple solution to her problem presents itself.

But the script by Ligiah Villalobos, a Mexican native now living in the United States, takes that plot line in a refreshing direction. She says,

“As an adult, there have been a lot of issues in my life as a result of feeling this kind of abandonment twice from both parents," …"And so that is actually what I wanted to explore, that sometimes parents feel like they're making the best decision for their children, and it may not necessarily be the case. So whether it's in the arms of strangers that happened during World War II, or whether it's through Operation Peter Pan, which is also what happened with a lot of the children -- 14,000 children -- in Cuba, or whether it's through these mothers and fathers that because of circumstances, financial circumstances, have to come and live in this country, these kids are left behind."

For Carlitos it is the long, dangerous trek he is willing to make to be with his mother. The travels of Carlitos ring true because the character doesn't suddenly morph into a child with an adult's sensibilities. He's a kid, which Riggen underscores through the constant mistakes Carlitos makes along the way.

Movies like this that put children in jeopardy have to be handled in a delicate manner. There needs to be enough danger for the audience to be devolved through the story. But depicting too much danger the movie becomes manipulative or even exploitative; but the director was able to overcome these odds.

Patricia Riggen, 37, a Guadalajara-born and Columbia University-educated, and a first-time director shows the skill of a veteran in how she handles such a delicate situation in this new Spanish-language feature film "Under the Same Moon." She has the talent for putting emotion on film; she knows how to get those tears flowing, both on screen and in the theater.

In a recent interview, Ms. Riggens said,

"I want to remind people that it's about the human condition and the separation of loved ones … All of the conversations and controversy are always focused on the economic or political side of immigration and not on the human family side of it … That's what I wanted to look at. I didn't want to do a political film. I just wanted to show the human side of this story that we hear every day … I felt like there were two cities, I didn't quite know how to feel about it, being Mexican myself. Every single service is provided by immigrant hands. It was very different, and it made me conscious of the situation. I started talking to people about their situations, how they crossed, why they were there, where were their families. I got involved with their stories … I just want to shed a little light on the people that are around all the time – your gardener, your cleaning lady, the taxi driver, your waiter," she says. "They all have stories, they all have loved ones, and they all have their struggles."

It would be easy to dismiss "Under the Same Moon" as portraying only interest of those who understand or care about immigration issues. But the heart of the film is a story of how love can make people move mountains--that is a universal theme.

Director: Patricia Rigen; Writer, Ligiah Villalobos; Producers: Patricia Riggen and Gerardo Barrera; Executive producers: Norman Dreyfuss, Ram Bergman and Ligiah Villalobos; Music: Carlo Siliotto; Other Cast: Maya Zapata, Carmen Salinas, Maria Rojo and Marlo Almada with America Ferrera and features a cameo appearance by the legendary band Los Tigres Del Norte who also contribute to the film soundtrack.

MPAA rating: PG-13 for some mature thematic elements.
Running time: 1 hour, 49 minutes. In limited release.

These are what the actors say with some clips

Trailer - "Under The Same Moon"

Download HD Trailer-480p: Kindly use Mozilla and please be patient...

Paterson’s Sudden Ascent to Power

2008-03-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

Is he a role model to the blind?

In an unseen twist of fate, David A. Paterson [D], 53 was sworn in, Monday, 17th of March in a packed Assembly Chamber at the state Capitol Albany, NY., by Chief Judge Judith Kaye as the State of New York’s first African-American black governor [the nation's third since Reconstruction]. His oath was made with his wife Michelle holding the Bible, as his stepdaughter, Ashley and his son, Alexander watched.

From a lieutenant governor of 14 months[Spitzer’s running mate], he rose to be the New York's 55th chief executive after the resignation of Eliot Spitzer amid allegations of hiring a high-priced escort call girl. A graduate of Columbia University [history, 1977] and Hofstra Law School [law, 1982], he was elected to the senate at the age of 31 representing the Harlem's 29th District, and also served as assistant professor at Columbia University's School for International and Public Affairs. He also worked as prosecutor before entering politics. He has a younger brother Daniel, who works in the New York state court system. His father, Basil [81], is the former New York's secretary of state, senator and deputy mayor. His wife, Michelle Paige Paterson, who has a graduate degree in health services policy, worked as director of government affairs in North General Hospital from 2002 to 2005.

In his address of the joint session of the New York legislature [with Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno on the background], he said,

"This transition today is an historic message to the world: That we live by the same values that we profess, and we are a government of laws, not individuals ... We move forward ... Today is Monday. There is work to be done ... There was an oath to be taken. There's trust that needs to be restored. There are issues that need to be addressed ..."

which was interrupted several times with thunderous applause. Among the attendees are Sen. Hillary Clinton, Mayor Michael Bloomberg [New York City], and governors from three neighboring states.

President Bush sent his congratulatory call on Monday morning. According to White House press secretary Dana Perino,

"He said that his friends in New York had told him that while it's a big job … that you can handle it ... knows that Lt. Gov. Paterson will be able to do a great job, and that he looks forward to meeting him soon."

Regarding the New York’s estimated $124 billion budget this year facing a deadline this April 1, he was appraised by Joseph Bruno saying, "David is going to be right in the middle." Sheldon Silver said, "It's a daunting task, but I think with all the good will that's created, with the leadership of David Paterson, we're going to have a logical conclusion to a budget process."

Because he was legally blind since infancy [an infection had made his left sightless and his right with partial vision], there are some ridiculous, uncalled-for blind jokes and funny comments about him. One said that he might be blind also of his predecessor’s wrongdoings speculating that he will pardon him. Another said, “… a blind leading the blinds … he may never see that America is doomed.” Another one rebutted, “… excited to see somebody with disability to do so great.” Paterson once said, “I think people’s perception of me sometimes is that I see more than I actually do.” On an interview, days before being sworn, he responded with humor and frankness,

“I kind of feel like the student who’s getting ready for the final exam, but they didn’t attend any classes.”

Congratulations for the New Yorkers and hope that he will be accorded due support not only by the people of Harlem [as he is considered as their favorite son] but by all citizens of the State of New York.

Today, a staggering 70% of the nation’s legally blind are unemployed. Has he given hope to the visually impaired Americans?

UPDATES:
Paterson Signs Five Bills Into Law
New N.Y. Governor Addresses Affairs

This is my 'Mr. Right To Be'

2008-03-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

As we meet for the first time, I should feel, he wants me because he is interested. He may be able to express those qualities the way he gave his compliment, his detailed attention, his sincere look, and even his gentle touch. He may provide himself an ample amount of willingness to move the relationship onward. Those constant e-mails, phone calls, text-messages may not be enough for him to know me more, to touch me, to see me, and to admire me.

Right after we met, I may soon found out that he had achieved at least a certain point in his life having a good job because he went to college. Or maybe, he was able to learn the ABCs of his parent's business if ever he inherited one. He has the efforts of continuously seeking new horizons for opportunities, challenges, skills, and even possessions.

As time goes on, I may discover that he is a guy who really meant what he says, whatever words he speaks are coupled with corresponding concrete actions. Whenever he couldn't promise everything, at least, he always tries to keep the relationship moving onward. I should not be in a situation finding myself checking him up through the phone in the wee hours of the morning because he is with someone else.

As we move forward, getting emails, text-messages, and occasional plans aren't enough to what we need and shared with. He should be devoted, reciprocal, mutual, inasmuch as I am to him. I should feel what he gives is meaningful and valuable as what I have offered him.

He should have good friends whom I like that when he is with them, I am assured and certain, that he is a man I know and love whether with him or apart, He will not turn to somebody else if ever I am out of sight. Whenever he is with my friend, I know for sure that he will be as charming, enhancing and engaging as he is, and not detracting or undermining.

He will like me for who I am. If ever I'm having a bad day, or saying something he doesn’t like, I just expect, his view of me will remain the same with his firm adoration. I should be aware of a guy who suddenly changes his perception if ever I behave differently from his expectations. In order to keep his approval, I shouldn’t feel being suppressed.

Whenever we are in an argument, if ever I feel bad or terrible about myself, he should not antagonize me, instead he will consider both the good and bad out of me. And when it is over, it’s over, that’s it. He should relieve himself of suspicions and bad feelings. No matter what, he must love me as a good person as I am.

If he is the one really right for me, he should have a certain degree of tolerance in terms of the unexpected and unknown issues that will befall us. He will not keep on grappling and leasing me down in every moment of the day to make him feel secure. He should give me my dignity, independence and privacy I deserve, knowing my capabilities, limitations, boundaries, and not blocking me out or keeping a distance to exert dominance.

He has the willingness to talk and to listen as well. Whenever a relationship obstacle is molding up, shall we say, if he starts friendship with a flirtatious girl and I let him know that this will create a problem, he must be sensible about what I feel and he must be concerned enough to come up with a workable solution. Learning his mistakes and modifying his action are paramount.

Rather than reacting solely to his problem, if ever there is, he must take the initiative to seek his own solutions. He should reach out for help, talk about it with friends, and if necessary go to and attend therapy, find resources and anything that will bring him nearer to the changes he needs for himself. His super-ego, reluctance or stubbornness should not prevent him in taking positive steps to have a responsible relationship with me.

He should not assert power and control over me especially in making mutual decisions. He must not leave me wondering what he is doing or where he is. If ever he is earning more, his status in his job, and even his power should not be a factor to make me feel that I would be nothing without him.

Do these sound self-centered or egoistic? … Or maybe assertive. . . .

US Election of 2008 – The Presidential Candidates

2008-03-02T19:49:00.000-08:00

US Election of 2008 has brought presidential aspirants in, trying to convince voters that they are just regular folks. As these candidates tour the country trying to inform Americans of their political beliefs and their policy agendas, may we take a look at how these public figures lead their private lives and the factors that highlight them. There are so many of them, however, just the leading four are considered here.

John McCain, Republican

Senator John McCain comes from a military family where both his father and grandfather were U.S. Navy admirals. He has been married twice. His current wife Cindy is 17 years his junior. McCain has 7 children including a 15-year-old adopted daughter from Bangladesh.

The McCain’s have a combine two units in Phoenix's brand-new luxury-condo tower for $4।7 million.

According to HGTV's Web site, this is a Western-style home in Arizona and purchased the house next door to expand their living and entertainment space, making it a single 7,000-square-foot apartment providing amenities such as a zero-edge rooftop pool, an in-house spa, and 24-hour concierge service.

According to MONEY magazine, McCain's net worth is over $40 million. The bulk of his wealth comes from his wife Cindy who is chairman of Hensley & Co., the Anheuser-Busch beer distribution business she inherited from her father. She is an only child and is in charge of the family trusts that are worth millions.

John McCain drives the popular Cadillac CTS. While at home in Hidden Valley, Arizona, his idea of fun is barbecuing.

Mike Huckabee, Republican

An Arkansas governor (1996-2007) and a former Baptist preacher risked ridicules by moving into a trailer -- a nice one -- while the governor's mansion was being renovated. He did it to save taxpayers' money, endured jokes such as, "I'm sorry. I'm running late today. I was on the interstate and got behind the governor's mansion." His current home in North Little Rock, Arkansas is a bit roomier at 5,124 square feet. The house, built in 1991, has a market value of $563,640, according to the local tax assessor.

One of Huckabee's claims to fame was his success at dieting. While blaming his weight on his upbringing, he wrote his book, 'Stop Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork,' "in addition to being Southern, I'm also a Baptist, which means that while we 'officially' do not drink alcohol or use tobacco, we are free to eat every kind of food imaginable as long as we fry it and consume it in large portions."

Huckabee drives a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe and 1995 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. He plays bass in the band Capitol Offense, which opened for Grand Funk Railroad and Willie Nelson.

Hillary Clinton, Democrat

Senator Hillary Clinton of New York is the candidate having the most famous spouse -- former President, Bill Clinton whom together have one daughter, Chelsea (28) who is also rallying support and speaking publicly on her behalf.

After moving out of the White House in 1999, they paid $1.7 million to move into a Dutch colonial five-bedroom, four-bathroom, 5,200-square feet, circa 1889 house in Chappaqua, N.Y., sits on an area of 1.1 acres in a woodsy Westchester suburb. This is now valued by Zillow.com at $4.13million.

Although their post-Monica Lewinsky debts forced the Clintons to ask Democratic fund raiser Terry McAuliffe to guarantee their original loan, lucrative speaking engagements and Hillary's book deal afforded the couple to buy a second home in D.C. 16 months later for $2.85 million.

Hillary Clinton is worth between $10 million and $50 million. Much of her wealth comes from Bill's speaking fees. He has earned millions since leaving office. She is driven around in a Ford hybrid by Secret Service agents when she is at home. She once told Marie Claire magazine that she loves to walk in the outdoors, "just breathing and letting it all go."

Barack Obama, Democrat

Senator Obama seems a pauper compared to the other candidates, with an assets of between $456,012 and $1.1 million. He and his wife Michelle have daughters Malia (9) and Sasha (6). Barack Obama is officially a hunk. 'People' magazine included him on its A-list of beach babes such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jessica Alba and Hugh Jackman.

In 2005 he and his wife Michelle, an administrator at the University of Chicago Hospitals, spent almost as much as the Clintons, $1.65 million, on a Georgian-revival home surrounded by a wrought-iron fence in Kenwood, a landmark district on Chicago's South Side. This is a large, 3-story stately brick home with an estimated value of $1.9 million. A leading Chicago newspaper describes it as a "96-year-old Georgian revival home that has four fireplaces, glass-door bookcases fashioned from Honduran mahogany, and a 1,000-bottle wine cellar." Obama's biggest brand-name supporter Ophra Winfrey, lives on the pricier North Side. (For further reading, "Lifestyles of the Presidential Candidates.")

Heimlich Maneuver

2008-02-25T14:58:00.000-08:00

As what I have witnessed recently while eating in a restaurant, a man sitting from a nearby table is holding his neck that seems to be catching his breath was being rescued by another man that made this first-aid procedure to him, thereby saving his life. It was only later I learned this life-saving action as Heimlich Maneuver. By the way, what is it?

Heimlich Maneuver most often referred to by the technical term "abdominal thrusts" was known to be invented by an American physician, Henry Jay Heimlich. It is a first aid process for removing a foreign object lodged in the airway which is preventing a person from breathing.

This procedure was first to be described and published by his associate, Edward A Patrick, MD, PhD, in an article "Pop Goes the Cafe Coronary," printed in June 1974, “Emergency Medicine” journal.

This abdominal thrust is an emergency procedure that may be carried-out by a rescuer who will stand behind a victim and by using his or her hands will directly apply pressure on the lowest part of the thoracic diaphragm thereby, compressing the lungs and exerting pressure so that any object that get stuck, jammed or clogged in the trachea will be expelled-out through artificial coughing.

Even though this is done correctly, a precaution must be taken into consideration, because of the forceful manner of the technique. This could physically injure the patient on whom it was performed. There is a high probability that the rescuer may bruise the abdomen and can result severe injuries, such as the fracture of the ribs and the xiphoid process as well.

Assuming a victim has the knowledge of this technique, self-treatment can be made. He or she may perform this procedure with his or her own self. This can be done by using secured objects like the back of a chair or a railing on which the victim himself could exert self-body pressure on the bottom of his thoracic diaphragm instead of the normal rescuer’s hands.

This Heimlich Maneuver can be performed to any choking victim but there are necessary modification especially when the person is very obese, pregnant, a child or an infant. In order to determine that a person’s airway is blocked; certain indications are to be observed which includes:

Ø The person desperately grabs at his or her throat.

Ø The person either cannot speak or cry out.

Ø The person's face turns blue from lack of oxygen.

Ø The person has a weak cough, and labored breathing produces a high-pitched noise.

Ø The person does all of the above, then becomes unconscious.

Health Myths Even Doctors Believe

2008-02-19T03:41:00.000-08:00

It's one thing if your mother tells you that shaved hair will grow back faster, darker and coarser. It's quite another when your doctor agrees with her. Why? It's just wrong! This is one of seven medical myths myths identified by the British Medical Journal that will no doubt stun you. We'll bet you think at least one of these is true!

 You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day.
This advice, often found in the popular press, probably originated from advice given in 1945 stating that a suitable allowance of water per day for adults is 2.5 liters (which is 10.14 cups). The statement also added that most of this quantity is found in food -- but that part seems to have been forgotten. Thus, it's interpreted as eight glasses of water a day. Remember, drinking too much water can actually be harmful, resulting in water intoxication, hyponatremia and even death.

 We use only 10 percent of our brains.
Erroneously credited to Albert Einstein, this myth is cited by everyone from physicians to comedians. But they're wrong! MRI and PET scans show that there are no dormant, inactive areas of the brain. Detailed probing of the brain has never revealed the non-functioning 90 percent.

 Fingernails and hair grow after death.
Johnny Carson even perpetuated this myth when he joked, "For three days after death hair and fingernails continue to grow, but phone calls taper off." Forensic anthropologist William Maples told the British Medical Journal, "It is a powerful, disturbing image, but it is pure moonshine. No such thing occurs." However, there is a biological basis for the myth. After death, the skins around the hair or nailscan retract, giving the impression that the nails or hair have grown when in fact the contrasting soft tissues just shrink.

 Shaved hair grows back faster, coarser and darker.
Clinical trials conducted as long as 80 years ago show that shaving has no effect on hair growth. More recent research proves that shaving doesn't affect the thickness or rate of hair growth. Because shaved hair lacks the fine taper seen on the ends of unshaven hair, it can appear to be coarser. In addition, new hair hasn't been lightened by the sun, so it seems to be darker than existing hair.

 Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight.
Moms have long maintained that children who try to postpone bedtime by reading under the covers with a flashlight will need glasses. That's not true. Poor lighting can make it seem as if your eyes can't focus and it makes them feel dryer, but in fact such light won't permanently harm your eyesight or damage the function or structure of the eyes. Any discomfort or strain is only temporary.

 Eating turkey makes you drowsy.
Scientific studies do show that tryptophan, which is an amino acid present in turkey, is involved in sleep and mood control and can cause drowsiness. However, turkey doesn't contain enough tryptophan to knock you out. Bet you didn't know this: Turkey, chicken and ground beef contain nearly equivalent amounts of tryptophan, while pork and cheese have more than turkey! If you're sleepy after eating turkey, chances are you ate a lot more than just the meat. Any large meal can make you sleepy -- with or without turkey.

 Mobile phones are dangerous in hospitals.
Hospitals may be plastered with warning signs against using cell phones, but not a single death can be attributed to such use. However, less serious incidents causing false alarms on monitors, malfunctions in infusion pumps, and incorrect readings on cardiac monitors, have occasionally been reported, reports the British Medical Journal.

Plannning and gettting gifts on Valentine’s Day?

2008-02-09T19:42:00.000-08:00

How do you make this day so special?

Valentine's Day, Feb. 14 is a celebration involving "loved ones," has been around for hundreds of years. Chase's Calendar of Events traces St. Valentine's Day to AD 269, in honor of two murdered Christian martyrs in Rome named Valentine. It has become one of the most widely observed unofficial holidays worldwide, marked by exchanges of gifts of love to family and friends.

Couples are exchanging 36 million boxes of chocolates and 189 million roses on Valentine’s Day, as surveys have shown. But chocolates and roses may not always be the right gift to give when you are in a new relationship. “Valentine’s Day means different things to different people, doing too much or too little when the other person does not feel the same way about February 14th could spell trouble for a new relationship,” says Antoinette Coleman, a licensed clinical social worker in McLean, VA and founder of www.consum-mate.com, a relationship counseling website.

It is not realistic to expect a big, romantic celebration at this stage when you have just met. “If you’ve had a date or two, it’s OK for one of you to say, ‘Hey, Valentine’s Day is coming up, and even though we’ve only gone out a few times, I thought it would be fun to do something together, like catch a movie.’ If the other person wants to do that, that’s great,” says Coleman. However, if the other person hems and haws, you should back off and schedule a date for a different day. It could be something as simple as this person has already made plans, or maybe the other person isn’t ready to be with someone on Valentine’s Day, since the day comes with a lot of expectations.

What if you two do get together that day—should you bring a present? “It’s fine to give something small,” she says. For example, if you know your date collects things with pigs on them, giving her a pig refrigerator magnet says, “I pay attention to what you like.” Similarly, if a guy has mentioned that he loves reading Stephen King novels, picking up the latest one for him is thoughtful, not a huge profession of undying love. Just remember: Don’t give a gift with the expectation of receiving one in return. Be prepared for the fact that the other person may not have thought to get you something, and make sure you can handle that before offering up your gift.

When you have been dating for a few months with someone and you know, “I’ve met The One.” Other times, things are going well, but you couldn’t say for sure that you would expect to spend the rest of your life with this person. Nonetheless, if you’ve been going out for a few months, it is reasonable to expect that you’re going to make plans to do something for Valentine’s Day. Coleman suggests broaching the topic lightly. “You could say something like, ‘Valentine’s Day is in two weeks… do you want to pretend it doesn’t exist or do you want to do something?’” she says.

How the person reacts to the idea of spending Valentine’s Day together is a good litmus test for a budding relationship. It may be an important occasion for your sweetie… or perceived as a bogus, commercial holiday, just another day on the calendar. If your opinions differ, try to compromise out of respect for each other. “If your date says, ‘For me, Valentine’s Day has always been kind of hokey, but if it matters to you, let’s do something together,’ then that’s great,” advises Coleman. However, if he or she refuses to acknowledge a preference to spend the day together or refuses to budge from the typical wine-and-roses plan to celebrate the day, then this couple has more to worry about than what to do on February 14th. Adds Coleman, “It’s all about how you negotiate this stuff where you don’t see eye to eye.”

No matter how giddy your sweetie makes you feel, give something meaningful but not inappropriately extravagant. So giving the sports buff tickets for the two of you to attend a Big 10 basketball game would be wonderful; renting out a skybox at a stadium and catering it would be completely over the top. Also, giving a gift that the two of you can enjoy together — tickets to an event, a night away together — can guarantee more shared good times ahead.

A funny thing happens on the way to Valentine’s Day once you have been dating for a long time—people tend to take the emphasis off of it and treat it just like any other day. Coleman says that it’s important not to take a relationship for granted at this point and not making an effort to do something special is a mistake. Take the opportunity to celebrate together. It doesn’t have to be a classic candlelit dinner. Maybe it’s going shopping together at your local wine shop and cheese store and putting together a little picnic while watching a DVD of a good movie you two missed. Anything that can make the night about enjoying each other’s company will be a valuable gesture.

Probably the biggest minefield when you’ve been dating each other for awhile is whether or not to get engaged on Valentine’s Day, a popular time for popping the question. The expert advice is, doesn’t give into the pressure unless you’re really feeling it. “If there is any doubt in your mind about whether or not proposing is appropriate, pick another day to ask that question,” says Coleman.

If you’re not at that stage yet, a gift that shows how well you know each other’s lives can be wonderful. It may not be the most romantic thing, but some silk long underwear for a honey who’s always cold or a beer-of-the-month club for a someone who’s always interested in a new microbrew can be a terrific way to reflect how in touch you are with each other.