BBC and Microsoft sign agreement... thanks to BBC.co.uk

BBC and Microsoft sign agreement

Mark Thompson has been on a fact-finding tour in the US

The BBC has signed an agreement with Microsoft to explore ways of developing its digital services.

The non-exclusive memorandum of understanding sets out a framework for joint projects between the two organisations.

This includes plans for next-generation web 2.0 and ways to share online content in the future.

BBC director general Mark Thompson said there had been unprecedented rates of change in technology.

He said: "To ensure that the BBC is able to embrace the creative challenges of the digital future, we need to forge strategic partnerships with technology companies and distributors for the benefit of licence payers."

Dialogue

Mr Thompson and Ashley Highfield, director of new media and technology at the BBC, met Microsoft chairman Bill Gates on Wednesday as part of a fact-finding tour in Seattle, US.

They are also speaking to other companies, including Real Networks, IBM and the makers of the virtual world Second Life.

A BBC spokeswoman said the memorandum of understanding was the beginning of a dialogue between Microsoft and the BBC.

Potential areas of collaboration include search and navigation, distribution and "content enablement".

However, any procurement of new technology with the company would be subject to regulatory approval.

Bill Gates said: "Microsoft's strength is in driving digital innovation, and our vision is to open up rich, new consumer experiences that allow people to enjoy digital content anytime, anywhere and on any device.

"This vision fits squarely with the BBC's charter to lead the industry in delivering content that is compelling and accessible."

Philippine TV Ratings 09/25/2006

TV RATINGS - 9/25/2006 Mega Metro

From PEX

Research by Jun Jun aska26ph2001@...
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/ABS-CBNKapamilyaPEXers2

Posted by james_chicago

AGBN Mega/Metro Manila Ratings (9/25/06 - MONDAY)

September 25,2006 - Monday
Mega/Metro

Wansapanataym - 9.0 / 9.9
One Piece - 14.4 / 12.8
Gokusen - 8.9 / 8.3

Homeboy - 11.8 / 14.2
Sis - 11.0 / 11.0

Princess Lulu - 13.2 / 14.1
Yellow - 18.1 / 15.0

PGKNB - 18.5 / 20.6
WWW - 20.1 / 23.5
EB - 22.5 / 18.5

Kapamilya Cinema - 17.8 / 17.2
Daisy Siete - 16.0 / 13.5
Pinakamamahal - 10.6 / 9.4
Now and Forever - 13.7 / 12.9

Pasion de Amor - 16.5 / 18.0
Ms Kim's Million - 14.6 / 13.8

PSY - 16.6 / 16.9
JITP - 21.5 / 19.1

TVPW - 27.8 / 29.8
24 oras - 31.7 / 29.4

KDOND - 33.7 / 36.1
CB - 34.7 / 32.6

Super Inggo - 31.0 / 35.0
Majika - 31.9 / 30.2

BWN - 29.1 / 32.8
CFY - 20.3 / 24.2
Bakekang - 30.9 / 31.0

PDA - 16.2 / 18.7
LSIH - 22.5 / 24.4

Bandila - 9.0 / 10.5
Lagot ka - 12.4 / 14.7

Noypi - 6.9 / 8.5
Saksi - 6.7 / 7.3

Mirada - 3.5 / 3.9
I Witness - 5.3 / 5.0

PDA Uplate - 2.4 / 3.1

YOUNGBLOOD "Labyrinth" ... thanks to INQ7.net

YOUNGBLOOD
Labyrinth
By Vida Soraya Verzosa
Inquirer
Last updated 01:06am (Mla time) 09/26/2006

Published on page A11 of the September 26, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

MY FRIEND, Rei Mon "Rambo" Guran, was killed last July 31006. Armed men aboard a bus shot him to death in Sorsogon province the day after his birthday. He was a student leader who spoke out against injustices not just in his home province but even as a freshman at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños.

Twenty years earlier, another man, Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., was shot on the tarmac of the Manila International Airport, and his death sparked a peaceful, so-called bloodless revolution that has become the stuff that legends and democratic exercises are made of.

While my mind is spinning with thoughts of how the blindfolded Themis, goddess of law and justice, should tilt her scale and wield her sword regarding the unjustified deaths of Rambo and Ninoy as well as other victims of extrajudicial killings and wondering about the state of the nation and the correlations of events, I am also wondering how to motivate myself to study amid these thoughts. As the clock ticks a 27-hour countdown to my Constitutional Law exam, my brain transforms into a labyrinth of procrastination, with my inability to focus on thick books and cases. Still, I can't help but get lost in the numerous, winding passageways littered with the remains of other thoughts.

These other thoughts include what to do with my hair, which has grown to an almost "goddessly" length (although in mornings when I'm too lazy to comb, it resembles Medusa's snakes, sans the scales). An aunt suggested that I sell it to research laboratories to help defray my exorbitant tuition fee. Another friend suggested we shoot a short film while cutting it, in true cinematic Filipino indie fashion. A cousin mentioned donating it to Locks for Love to be turned into wigs for kids stricken with cancer. Then, I read somewhere that human hair is effective in mopping up oil spills and, as if in fulfillment of a Delphic oracle's prophecy, a bunker fuel tanker sank off the coast of Guimaras a few weeks later. Now, it has become a question of exchanging $500 worth of virgin hair for a chance to help alleviate one of the worst environmental disasters in our country. Where, then, should I send my hair? Would it really make a difference in cleaning up the mess created by the biggest petroleum refinery in the Philippines?

Another chamber in my mental labyrinth is filled with my constantly growing anxiety over each day at my new school, which employs a modified Socratic method that brings out the best (or the worst) in every legal-combatant-in-training. Every day, I stand in front of the statue of Ignatius de Loyola genuflecting with a sword, trying to muster the courage to deal with a different culture after years of study in state-subsidized educational institutions. The first question I uttered under my breath on the first day of school was about my doubt if this iBook toting, Youtube-watching, speed-dating, consumerist generation was really going to be the embodiment of the Jesuit tradition of breeding Men (and women) for Others. Are the concepts of intellectual discourse, nationalist consciousness and social awareness among young people as meaningless as the dead gods of ancient mythology?

I asked a member of an organization in my school about their stand on the political killings. Off the cuff, he mentioned something about their partner organization doing something about it. What exactly? He couldn't elaborate.

I asked my seatmate if he knew why we had no classes. He mumbled something about an excuse to party.

I replied to an off-topic thread in an Internet forum and got woven into a tapestry of apolitical sentiments worthy of Arachne's loom. I posted a comment in my block's online group about that catastrophic oil spill and only one person replied.

I remember all too well the question posed to the applicants to one of the best law schools in the country, "Equality before the law: Myth or reality?" At that time, with all my idealism and youthful exuberance, I wrote down a reply justifying my belief that it was a reality -- delayed, yes, but a reality nevertheless. Now, even if we're repeatedly told that "those who have more in life should have less in law," I can't help but suspect that the Fates have forced us to observe how the opposite is true. This is the part of my mental labyrinth that makes me emerge out of class both challenged and bewildered.

At the end of the day, I believe we should all just fight our tendencies to be a complacent, apathetic and lethargic generation whose modern-day gods are all things consumable and self-indulgent. For every online multitude that refuses to address human rights violations, there will be someone like Rambo Guran who'll give up his life in pursuit of his principles. For every electoral scoundrel and corporate henchman who makes equality before the law a mere myth, there will rise someone like Ninoy Aquino who'll defy the dictatorship and rouse a whole nation to a collective expression of dissent. And for every anxious law student who's trapped in the labyrinth of her mind, built by thoughts of things mundane and magnificent, there will be a metaphorical Theseus who will slay the Minotaur and make freedom a reality.

Now, if only I could start studying for that exam...

Vida Soraya Verzosa, 24, is studying at the Ateneo School of Law.

Copyright 2006 Inquirer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Microsoft to launch YouTube rival... thanks to BBC.co.uk

Microsoft to launch YouTube rival

The service is due to launch officially in six months

Microsoft is aiming to capitalise on the user-generated video phenomenon by launching an online service to compete with YouTube, Google and Yahoo.

Soapbox starts testing on Tuesday and will launch within six months as part of current service, MSN Video.

"It's really early days in online video; this is still act one," said MSN's Rob Bennett.

YouTube had 34 million visitors last month, according to Nielsen/NetRatings, while MSN Video attracts about 12m.

"We're definitely not blind to the fact that YouTube has a big lead right now," said Mr Bennett, general manager of MSN's entertainment and video services.

The video-sharing market has proved increasingly popular with users in the last 12 months with services such as YouTube crossing over into mainstream success.

Popular video

MSN Video was once the most popular video site until fans of user-generated content propelled YouTube, MySpace and Google past Microsoft.

MySpace video receives 17.9 million visitors a month and Google Video attracts 13.5 million each month, according to Nielsen.

Microsoft is jumping on this bandwagon with some uncertainty Joe Wilcox, Jupiter Research

"Microsoft is jumping on this bandwagon with some uncertainty with where it's going, but the company believes it needs to be on board," Joe Wilcox, an analyst at Jupiter Research, told Reuters news agency.

The testing period is by invitation only although users are encouraged to apply for invitation on the website.

However, the site was hit by a technical problem on Tuesday which told users: "Oops. It's not anything you did - it's us. Our site's down. Please try again later."

Microsoft has said it will take down any copyrighted material uploaded by users without permission once it is alerted by the rights holder.

The firm said the service would work with users of computers running both Windows and Apple operating systems and would support browsers including Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari.

Soapbox will also support a number of video file formats and delivery methods, according to Microsoft.

An early review of the Soapbox beta by website Cnet said it was "disappointing".

"It's a slightly better sharing service than YouTube in some small technical ways," wrote Cnet's Rafe Needleman.

Me.JPG

Me.JPG
Originally uploaded by arleighmac.

m broke, i dnt knw wat hapend 2 me, im penniless, hehehe, d company jst had d launchng of its missi0n and vision, we hd a gud dner ryt aftr dat and went home. D sky is drizzling and it feels cold, jst called up my ex jst ds m0rning and im hapi dat were quite ok wd each other, i got n0 txtmates today, n0body is bothering my m0bile, i and my sis jst shared little penny to survive, i miss d gud tyms i had. My dad jst loaded up my odr f0n jst 4 me to txt dm, wat a day! My workplace is stl a mess, people around easily annoys me, im quite irritated to smaller thngs, oh man, i need a relief, i wana be solitary bt i cnt escape dos swarming me, anyways wdout dm, i cnt call it a day yet 4 me. D photo u see above was tken frm a m0bile f0n of my friend, im quite fascinatd wd it and i like it, i like how it capturd my gud looks, hehehe, i hav gud looks i cud say dat. By d way, drs a gud trafic wen i was riding a jeepney. Gud evening to evryone. Ei dr guys, leave a n0te dat u read my site.

Gud m0rning! Maay0ng buntag, maay0ng aga

Gud m0rning! Maay0ng buntag, maay0ng aga
Originally uploaded by arleighmac.

Gud am to evry1, wat a way 2 start my day blogging, jst had my earli am cofi, chek my email, and doin my m0rning stuf, sori 4 my english coz m using my m0bile f0n, i cnt type d whle word to save space, soon ik b posting m0r pics of d places n d philippines i traveld, to my clasm8s in highscho0l, pls let me knw ur visiting my site by signing my shoutbox and my guestbok, to all people hu blog, hapi blogging!

Image011.jpg

Image011.jpg
Originally uploaded by arleighmac.

Typical cebu city traffic, nearly same wd manila, ds usualy gve me headache evrytym i go h0m frm work, and i jst had a bad day 2day, our rm jst told me dat il b transfrd 2 tacloban nxt year which i strngly oppose, wat d hel wil il b doin in taclobn where il leave my heart hr n cebu, damn dat rm, hehehe

New visage for Red Planet 'face'... thanks to BBC.co.uk

New visage for Red Planet 'face'

Mars Express reveals the structure in a striking new pose Enlarge Image

The Mars Express probe has photographed the classic surface feature on the Red Planet's surface known as "The Face".

The mountain, which looks just like a human head with eyes, mouth and nostrils, was first pictured by the US Viking 1 Orbiter in 1976.

The formation instantly became the stuff of myth and conspiracy theories, with some claiming it was evidence of an ancient Martian civilisation.

The new European images of The Face were taken in July this year.

It has been something of a struggle for scientists to get a decent shot of the area in mid-northern latitudes referred to as Cydonia.

The probe was either at too high an altitude when making a pass or had its view degraded by dust and haze in the atmosphere. A 22 July fly-over finally provided perfect conditions.

The new images even reveal a feature that looks like a skull

The probe used its High Resolution Stereo Camera to picture The Face and other geological structures around it in 3D.

This requires imaging experts at the German space agency to post-process essentially flat, overhead shots to produce perspective images that give the viewer the impression they are flying over the surface in a light aircraft.

The results are some of the most spectacular views of the Red Planet ever seen.

"These images of Cydonia on Mars are truly spectacular," said Dr Agustin Chicarro, project scientist for the European Space Agency's Mars Express mission.

"They not only provide a completely fresh and detailed view of an area famous to fans of space myths worldwide, but also provide an impressive close-up over an area of great interest for planetary geologists, and show once more the high capability of the Mars Express camera."

Scientists are interested in Cydonia because it tells them about erosive processes on Mars.

Cydonia tells scientists about erosion on the surface of Mars Enlarge Image

Cydonia is located in the Arabia Terra region and belongs to the transition zone between the southern highlands and the northern plains. This transition is characterised by wide, debris-filled valleys and isolated remnant mounds of various shapes and sizes.

Mars Global Surveyor images taken at the turn of the century proved beyond any doubt that The Face pictured by Viking 1 was nothing more than a trick of the light; there was no evidence there of structures built by an ancient civilisation, as some Red Planet fans had hoped.

Mars Express imaged another popular surface feature earlier this year: the 230km-wide (143 miles) impact crater that looks like a smiley face.

Image011.jpg

Image011.jpg
Originally uploaded by arleighmac.

Typical cebu city traffic, nearly same wd manila, ds usualy gve me headache evrytym i go h0m frm work, and i jst had a bad day 2day, our rm jst told me dat il b transfrd 2 tacloban nxt year which i strngly oppose, wat d hel wil il b doin in taclobn where il leave my heart hr n cebu, damn dat rm, hehehe

D ofc i got n d m0rning!

D ofc i got n d m0rning!
Originally uploaded by arleighmac.

look hw busy i am n d ofc... I really nid an island getaway.

Villaba, Leyte, Philippines

this is the Holy Child Parish at Villaba, Leyte, Philippines, located northern of Leyte province

my office.. a mess

this is the mess i have in my table early in the morning... hope i cud fix all of these...

im so stressed...

im so stressed today, monday blues as usual, got no energy for work, i got deadlines from almost every every office i report to, got no sleep last night, so im still having blurry site, delicate eyes, dry skin, and body pains... i wish im on a spa with a sexy chick on the back giving me a soothing masage. i spend 50% of my time at site under the heat of the scorching sun, and a terrible humidity... oh man... di ko na kaya to... i deserve a well-spent vacation in the highlands or on the shore lying down under the shade with nothing but my mucis player beside me. i cant go hme right after work coz my boss wanted me to do overtime for our semi-monthly report... right now im here in front of my pc blogging, listening to bossa nova music of sitti navarro, what a nice collection, it soothes me, cool voice.

Which Baby Are You...

Jan 
      Pretty/handsome. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt. Sensitive. Down-to-Earth. Stubborn. Repost this in 5 mins and you will meet someone new in 8 days that will perfectly balance your personality.
Feb 
    Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexiest out of everyone. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest And loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt.  Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Horny. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizing dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous.  Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.  Repost this in 5 mins and you will talk to someone new and realize that you are a perfect match.
Mar 
  Attractive personality. Sexy. Affectionate Shy and reserved. Secretive.  Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Great kisser. Easily angered.  Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness.  Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Observant and assesses others.  If you repost this in the next 5 mins, you will meet your new love in 8 days.
Apr 
    Suave and compromising. Funny and humorous.  Stubborn. Very talkative. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic.  Concerned and detailed. Loyal. Does work well with others.  Very confidant. Sensitive. Positive Attitude. Thinking generous. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Able to cheer everyone up and/or make them laugh. Able to motivate oneself and others. Understanding. Fun to be around. Outgoing. Hyper. Bubbly personality. Secretive. Boy/girl crazy. Loves sports, music, leisure and traveling. Systematic. Hot but has brains. If you repost this in 5 mins, a cutie that's caught your eye will introduce themselves and you will realize that you are very much alike in the next 2 days.
May 
      Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Shy towards opposite sex. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children.  Hardworking. High-spirited. If you repost this in the next 5 minutes, you will become close to someone you do not speak too much in the next 4 days.
Jun 
  You've got the best personality and are an absolute pleasure to be around. You love to make new friends and be outgoing. You are a great flirt and more than likely have an a very attractive partner. a wicked hottie. It is also more than likely that you have a massive record collection. You have a great choice in films, and may one day become a famous actor/actress yourself - heck, you've got the looks for it!!! IN the next 6 days you will meet someone that may possibly become one of your closest friends, if you repost this in 5  minutes.
Jul 
  Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed.  Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people's feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable.  Emotional temperamental and unpredictable.  Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. spazzy at times.  Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets.  dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover. Repost this in the next 5 mins and your reputation will boost someway in the next 12 days
Aug 
    Outgoing personality. takes risks. feeds on attention. No self-control. Kind hearted. Self-confident. Loud and boisterous. VERY revengeful. Easy to get along with and talk to. Has an "every thing's peachy" attitude. Likes talking and singing. Loves music. Daydreamer.  Easily distracted. Hates not being trusted. BIG imagination. Loves to be loved. Hates studying. in need of "that someone".  Longs for freedom. Rebellious when withheld or restricted. Lives by "no pain no gain" caring.  Always a suspect. Playful. Mysterious.  "charming" or "beautiful" to everyone. stubborn. curious. Independent.  Strong willed. A fighter. Repost in 5 mins and you will meet the love of your life sometime next month.
Sept 
    Active and dynamic. Decisive and haste but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people's problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Usually you have many friends. Enjoys to make love. Emotional.  Stubborn.  Hasty.  Good memory. Moving, motivates oneself and others. Loves to travel and explore.  Sometimes sexy in a way that only their lover can understand.  If you do not repost this in the next 5 mins, someone very close to you will become mad at you in the next 8 days.
Oct 
  Loves to chat. Loves those who love them. Loves to takes things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn't pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly.  Brave and fearless. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care to control emotions. Unpredictable.  Extremely smart, but definitely the hottest AND sexiest of them all. repost this in 5 mins or you will not meet the love of your life for 10 years.
Nov 
    Trustworthy and loyal. Very passionate and dangerous. Wild at times.  Knows how to have fun. Sexy and mysterious. Everyone is drawn towards your inner and outer beauty and independent personality. Playful, but secretive. Very emotional and temperamental sometimes. Meets new people easily and very social in a group. Fearless and independent.  Can hold their own. Stands out in a crowd. Essentially very smart. Usually, the greatest men are born in this month. If you ever begin a relationship with someone from this month, hold on to them because their one of a kind. Repost in 5 mins & you will excel in a major event coming up sometime this month.
Dec 
      This straight-up means you are the most good-looking person possible... Better than all of these other months! Loyal and generous. Patriotic. Competitive in everything. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious.  Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Easy to talk to, though hard to understand. Thinks far with vision, yet complicated to know. Easily influenced by kindness. Polite and soft-spoken. Having lots of ideas. Sensitive. Active mind. Hesitating tends to delay. Choosy and always wants the best.  Temperamental. Funny and humorous. Loves to joke. Good debating skills. Has that someone always on his/her mind. Talkative. Daydreamer.  Friendly. Knows how to make friends. Abiding.  Able to show character. One guy/girl kind of person. Loveable. Easily hurt. Prone to getting colds. Loves music. Pretty/handsome. Loves to dress up. Easily bored. Fussy. Seldom shows emotions. Takes time to recover when hurt.  Sensitive. [A hot new guy/girl will catch your eye & you will catch theirs too in the next 6 days, if you repost in 5min.

 

 

SECRETS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW...

There are few things which perhaps we didn't knew..like......
1. Coca-Cola was originally green.
2. The most common name in the world is Mohammed.
3.The name of all the continents end with the same letter that they start with.
4. The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.
5. There are two credit cards for every person in the United States.
6. TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.
7. Women blink nearly twice as much as men!
8. You can't kill yourself by holding your breath.
9. It is impossible to lick your elbow.
10. People say "Bless you" when you sneeze because when you sneeze,your heart stops for a millisecond.
11. It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.
12. The "sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is said to be the toughest tongue twister in the English language.
13. If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture
a blood vessel in your head or neck and die.
14. Each king in a deck of playing cards represents great king from history.
Spades - King David; Clubs - Alexander the Great,; Hearts - Charlemagne; Diamonds - Julius Caesar.
15. 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
16. If a statue of a person in the park on a horse has both front legs in the air, the person died in battle.
If the horse has one front leg in the air,the person died as a result of wounds received in battle.
If the horse has a all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
17 What do bullet proof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser printers all have in common?
Ans. - All invented by women.
18. Question - This is the only food that doesn't spoil. What is his? Ans. - Honey
19. A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
20. A snail can sleep for three years.
21. All polar bears are left handed.
22. American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each salad served in first-class.
23. Butterflies taste with their feet.
24.Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.
25.In the last 4000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.
26. On average, people fear spiders more than they do death.
27. Shakespeare invented the word 'assassination' and 'bump'.
28. Stewardesses is the longest word typed with only the left hand.
29. The ant always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.
30. The electric chair was invented by a dentist.
31. The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.
32. Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over million descendants.
33. Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.
34. The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.
35. Most lipstick contains fish scales.
36. Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different
37. And finally 99% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow
...and you're one of them!

Good Morning...

this is me early in the morning of saturday in the office... readying my self for todys work as our RM willbe arriving from manila, for sure he'll be asking out far offshoot questions that goes nothing with my work, better be ready with myself for that.

as i entered the airport on my departure for manila, all i thought that security measures are on the highest level being observed but to my dismay it did not meet my own criteria or maybe i just got a higher level of safety measures in my head based on the news i heard everyday on radios, tv newscast and the likes.

two of us were sent to manila for our quarterly meeting. i woke up at around 5am to fix myself and prepare all my things to catch up with my 830am flight. i made it sure to come early to avoid long queues on the security check to every passenger

our bags passess through the strictest security check-up, x-ray scanner, manual inspection and it came unnoticed to security officers the toothpaste carried by my boss in his handcarried bag. as we checked -in our flight, the lady ask my boss if their is any liquid present in his bag and my boss just answered he got toothpaste and the lady replied he cant have with him the toothpaste coz it is classified as prohibited substances to be carried along with his handcarried luggage and not even pursuing to get the toothpaste out of the bag of my boss... it is clear now that security officers of the airport are not the one forgetting their job but the airline employee themselves. i dont know if the lady was just starstrucked with my boss, all i know shes was not doing her job to help ensure passengers will have a safe trip on their destination.

'Funeral held' for Steve Irwin'... thanks to BBCnews.co.uk

'Funeral held' for Steve Irwin

Irwin was best-known for his work with crocodiles

The funeral of TV naturalist Steve Irwin has taken place in Queensland, Australian media has reported.

Family and friends of the man known as the Crocodile Hunter reportedly joined the low-key ceremony in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast.

It is believed that afterwards Mr Irwin was to be buried at Australia Zoo, the Queensland zoo dedicated to Australian fauna owned by Mr Irwin's family.

Details of the funeral service are expected to be made public on Monday.

Public memorial

"(The) service was a service for family and good friends, people who were close to Steve in recent years," the Brisbane-based Sunday Mail newspaper quoted an unidentified family friend as saying.

"The council gave the family permission to bury Steve at the zoo and we think they're going to erect a monument there so visitors can continue to pay their respects," the person added.

Irwin's family was reportedly given permission to bury him at the zoo

Mr Irwin's friend and manager John Stainton told CNN that a memorial service open to members of the public would be held at a later date.

The Australian government had offered a state funeral for the much-loved TV presenter who died in a stingray attack on Monday, but the family chose a small, private ceremony instead.

"He's an ordinary guy, and he wants to be remembered as an ordinary bloke," Steve Irwin's father Bob said.

Mr Stainton said Mr Irwin's wife, Terri, and the couple's two children - Bindi, eight, and Bob, two - were coping "quite well".

"Terri is very, very strong," he said. "She's having a lot of sad moments obviously, but she's putting on a brave face for the kids' sake."

The 44-year-old naturalist died after being struck in the chest by the stingray's barb while filming a documentary on Queensland's Great Barrier Reef.

Donations have flooded into Mr Irwin's charity Wildlife Warriors, while flowers, cards and trademark khaki shirts have been left at the Australian Zoo he ran.

Congratulations to ROger Federer for winning the US Open

Though I would love Roddick to win... anyways... congrats...

hi everyone, gud morning, its a holiday in cebu now, Sergio Osmena Day, this is the day i first met my honey, its been 4 yrs now of ups and downs, iloveyous, fights and it all end up for us to part ways.

September 9, 2002, i arrived in Cebu to continue my review for the Licensure Board Exam for Civil Engineers for the November exams. We've been texting all the time for us to meet in an agreed place.....to be continued...

Building a skyscraper after 9/11

By Rebecca Morelle BBC News

Freedom Tower is to form the centrepiece of the World Trade Center site in New York, which was devastated by the al-Qaeda attacks five years ago.

Due for completion by 2011, the tower will soar 1,776ft (541m) into the sky and incorporate a number of features intended to ensure maximum safety and security.

THE FREEDOM TOWER 1 High-level air intakes to minimise pollution, and chemical and biological filtering system 2 Central vertical core housing key safety features, including water-resistant lifts, pressurised fire-escape stairs and separate staircase for emergency workers 3 Extra-strong 3ft (1m) concrete casing protecting central core, sprinklers, emergency risers 4 Multi-layered glass curtain wall to protect building from explosions A parapet at 1,368ft marks the height of the destroyed twin towers

Safety features include:

Emergency core Fire escapes Collapse prevention Curtain wall

Dedicated staircase Fire-proofing Air filtration Location

EMERGENCY CORE

A vertical core will run through the centre of the building, containing many of the structure's essential safety systems.

It will have 3ft-thick (1m) walls made from extra-strong concrete. In it will be emergency communication cables, exhaust and ventilation shafts, and water pipes, together with stairs and lifts to enter or exit the building.

Return to list of features

DEDICATED STAIRCASE

Inside the core, there will also be a dedicated staircase, specifically for the emergency services to use.

It will be pressurised to keep any smoke out, and will be extra wide to allow firefighters to carry equipment up and down with ease, to avoid a repeat of the congestion in stairwells that occurred on 11 September, 2001.

Return to list of features

FIRE ESCAPES

The building will measure 1776ft (Skidmore, Owings and Merrill) Enlarge Image

The core will also contain lifts, made water-resistant to prevent damage from sprinkler systems, and two escape staircases, interconnected so if one staircase becomes blocked with debris, as occurred on 11 September, people can switch to another set of escape stairs.

The stairs also branch off into four street-level exits to avoid any potential congestion in the lobby and allowing a quicker escape.

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FIRE-PROOFING

The force of the impacts as the aircrafts ploughed into the Twin Towers caused the fire-proofing to rip away from the steel frame, allowing fires to rage.

According to a report by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, this was a key contributory factor towards the building's collapse.

For the Freedom Tower, concrete which contains highly adhesive and strengthened fire-proofing will be used throughout the building. The architects say it would survive a very strong impact force.

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PREVENTING 'PROGRESSIVE COLLAPSE'

The multiple fires that raged throughout the Twin Towers caused the already impact-damaged structure to further weaken.

The floors began to sag, causing load-bearing columns to fail. Eventually they buckled and the buildings concertinaed to the ground - known as "progressive collapse".

Freedom Tower has been designed, so that for whatever reason, if two columns fail, the building will stay standing, according to the architects.

The steel-frame structure and the beams and columns within the building will be connected so that in the event of the loss of a key column, the loads will be redistributed throughout the building.

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AIR FILTRATION

Air for the offices in Freedom Tower will be drawn in from the top of the building, to avoid street-level pollution, and also because on 11 September the cloud of debris clogged ventilation shafts that were positioned closer to the ground.

The air will also be twice filtered, by high-efficiency particulate air filters and charcoal-based systems, for clean air in the event of a biological or chemical attack.

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CURTAIN WALL

At the base of the building will be a curtain wall.

It will consist of three layers of laminated glass, each separated by a vacuum, making it extra-tough, behind which is a reinforced steel structure.

Architects say glass curtain walls can withstand and protect against blasts, and that laminated glass will not shatter into shards.

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LOCATION

The building is located at the north-west corner of the 16-acre (0.06sq km) World Trade Center site, between Vesey Street, West Street and Fulton Street.

It is set back from West Street, a main traffic route, by an average of 90ft (28m) to satisfy demands from city officials who were concerned that explosives placed in a vehicle on the street could place the building and its occupants in peril.

Vesey Street and Fulton Street will both have limited access: only authorised vehicles can use these roads.

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From INQ7.net YoungBlood, thanks...

Adversity 101
By Prospero E. Pulma Jr.
Inquirer News Service

THEY say that adversity brings out the best and the worst in men. What they fail to mention is that it is also a great teacher. When caught in any adverse situation, we tend to focus only on overcoming it. We often overlook the importance of learning from the problem. And when we are battered by another storm, we act like sailors who have never sailed on a stormy sea and not mariners hardened by countless storms.

In my 25 years of existence, I've had my share of problems, although I have not yet turned into a certified survivor and a veteran of a thousand tribulations. But in spite of my lack of experience, I've picked up a number of lessons from the School of Adversity and Tribulation.

The first lesson that I have learned is that a man is fortunate if half of the people who knew him at the zenith of his career do not desert him when he hits rock bottom. It takes a visit by the gods of misfortune to unmask fair-weathered friends and relatives and test the loyalty of those who understand the real meaning of friendship and kinship. They were right when they said that in prosperity, your friends will know you and in adversity, you will know your friends.

I have also learned that famine can render a man's tongue insensitive to the foul taste of spoiled food. When our refrigerators are bursting with provisions, we spoil our taste buds by eating only the most delicious and preferably the most expensive food. When poverty empties our cupboards and refrigerators, we are forced to eat food that would never touch our lips in better times.

Being perennially broke, I have learned to appreciate the value of a peso and save for a rainy day. But don't pity me because I am parsimonious and I know how to live within my means. Pray instead for the paupers who are already living like kings. If they will not mend their ways, bankruptcy will force them to tighten their belts with painful and sometimes permanent results.

I have also learned that adversity can effectively deflate a proud man's ego. Success, wealth and power can make a person believe that he is a demigod until he is demoted to the ranks of ordinary mortals when he fails. Then he will realize that like all men, he is bound to commit a major blunder once or twice in his life. That history is littered with the names of mighty and proud men who were brought down to their knees by a single mistake is a lesson that the more gifted among us should never forget.

Adversity, like death, is a great equalizer. The only difference between the two is that we only die once while we are buffeted by many problems while we live. Even though nobody is assured of living a trouble-free life, some of us are given a heavier burden to carry than others. This unequal allocation of misfortune can be negated by how we deal with the challenges that are hurled at us. That is why some people triumph over impossible odds while others keel over after suffering a brief bout of bad luck.

Adversity is like a double-edged sword that can bring both harm and good. Some people emerge from a turbulent chapter of their lives stronger and wiser while others become weaker and more stupid. It is unfortunate that only a few of us care to etch the lessons learned from adversity in their minds.

Adversity is like a scar that reminds us of the pain that we felt when our skin was cut instead of warning us not to get wounded again.

Prospero E. Pulma Jr., 25, works as an editor of medical insurance claims at Cybersoft Data Networks Inc. He is also an undergraduate in Medicine.

Send submissions to youngblood@inquirer.com.ph.

Cebuana Lhuillier Sportsfest 2006

The Coveted Championship Cup

Make way for the R4A RM

Area 402 on their parade

Area 402 Team

Area 411 Basketball and Badminton


More pics coming soon...

Deep ice tells long climate story

By Jonathan Amos Science reporter, BBC News, Norwich

Epica drills have extracted ice from deep under the surface

Carbon dioxide levels are substantially higher now than at anytime in the last 800,000 years, the latest study of ice drilled out of Antarctica confirms.

The in-depth analysis of air bubbles trapped in a 3.2km-long core of frozen snow shows current greenhouse gas concentrations are unprecedented.

The East Antarctic core is the longest, deepest ice column yet extracted.

Project scientists say its contents indicate humans could be bringing about dangerous climate changes.

"My point would be that there's nothing in the ice core that gives us any cause for comfort," said Dr Eric Wolff from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS).

"There's nothing that suggests that the Earth will take care of the increase in carbon dioxide. The ice core suggests that the increase in carbon dioxide will definitely give us a climate change that will be dangerous," he told BBC News.

The Antarctic researcher was speaking here at the British Association's (BA) Science Festival.

Slice of history

The ice core comes from a region of the White Continent known as Dome Concordia (Dome C). It has been drilled out by the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (Epica), a 10-country consortium.

The column's value to science is the tiny pockets of ancient air that were locked into its millennia of accumulating snowflakes.

Each slice of this now compacted snow records a moment in Earth history, giving researchers a direct measure of past environmental conditions.

Not only can scientists see past concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane - the two principal human-produced gases now blamed for global warming - in the slices, they can also gauge past temperatures from the samples, too.

This is done by analysing the presence of different types, or isotopes, of hydrogen atom that are found preferentially in precipitating water (snow) when temperatures are relatively warm.

'Scary' rate

Initial results from the Epica core were published in 2004 and 2005, detailing the events back to 440,000 years and 650,000 years respectively. Scientists have now gone the full way through the column, back another 150,000 years.

The picture is the same: carbon dioxide and temperature rise and fall in step.

Like tiny time capsules, bubbles trap ancient samples of atmosphere

"Ice cores reveal the Earth's natural climate rhythm over the last 800,000 years. When carbon dioxide changed there was always an accompanying climate change. Over the last 200 years human activity has increased carbon dioxide to well outside the natural range," explained Dr Wolff.

The "scary thing", he added, was the rate of change now occurring in CO2 concentrations. In the core, the fastest increase seen was of the order of 30 parts per million (ppm) by volume over a period of roughly 1,000 years.

"The last 30 ppm of increase has occurred in just 17 years. We really are in the situation where we don't have an analogue in our records," he said.

Natural buffer

The plan now is to try to extend the ice-core record even further back in time. Scientists think another location, near to a place known as Dome A (Dome Argus), could allow them to sample atmospheric gases up to a million and a half years ago.

Some of the increases in carbon dioxide will be alleviated by natural "sinks" on the land and in the oceans, such as the countless planktonic organisms that effectively pull carbon out of the atmosphere as they build skeletons and shell coverings.

But Dr Corinne Le Quéré, of the University of East Anglia and BAS, warned the festival that these sinks may become less efficient over time.

We could not rely on them to keep on buffering our emissions, she said.

"For example, we don't know what the effect will be of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems. There is potential for deterioration," she explained.

More CO2 absorbed by the oceans will raise their pH, and a number of recent studies have concluded that this increase in acidity will eventually disrupt the ability of marine micro-organisms to use the calcium carbonate in the water to produce their hard parts.

Google makes novels free to print

Google makes novels free to print

The service will allow users to download PDF files of classic books

Search engine Google plans to offer consumers the chance to download and print classic novels free of charge.

The firm's book search tool will let people print classics such as Dante's Inferno or Aesop's Fables, as well as other books no longer under copyright.

Until now, the service has only let people read such books on-screen.

Google's book search service stems from a wider project to put books online in a searchable format, which it is undertaking with major universities.

Working with Google on the Books Library project are Oxford University, Harvard, Stanford, the University of Michigan and the University of California, as well as the New York Public Library.

"How many users will find, and then buy, books they never could have discovered any other way? Eric Schmidt, Google Q&A: Free books and music online

Volunteers working for a project known as Gutenberg have for some years copied out-of-copyright books as text files, which can then be used for printing, reading or piping into a programme for editing.

In contrast, Google is offering the books in a "print-ready" format, as have several other - albeit much smaller and less well-known - firms.

Online shopping site Amazon has offered limited online access to the contents of its huge bookstore.

More services

Google's book searching device does not access books still under copyright, for which only bibliographies are available along with limited extracts.

The news comes as the search engine is expanding its empire to offer a wider spectrum of services.

Earlier this week, Google announced plans to target the software market for companies.

The firm said it would offer companies the chance to run their email, calendar and other services on their own domains, to expand on the service it offers to individuals.

This service puts Google, whose focus has been searching and advertising, in direct competition with software giant Microsoft.

got nothing to do at work now, just updating my blog, its weekend once again, later tonight ill be joing the men's basketball team of Team Cebuana Lhuillier, hehehe it willbe fun, oh by the way, ilove you all hehehe...

Philippine TV Ratings... August 30, 2006

WEDNESDAY RATINGS c/o Whyte

9 Wansapanataym 8.7
10 Second Proposal 9.9

11 Homeboy 11.2
15 SIS 15.1

12 Princess Lulu 12.0
19 YH 19.3

23 EAT 23.3
19 PGKNB 18.7

18 WOWOWEE 18.2
18 DAISY 17.8

14 K CInema 13.6
12 Now 11.7
11 Pinakamamahal 11.4

10 Pasion 10.2
10 Pagbababu 9.6

18 Jewel 18.0
13 PANGAKO 12.8

31 24 Oras 31.3
23 TV Patrol 23.0

39 Captain 39.4
27 DOND 26.8

35 MAJIK 35.0
31 Super Inggo 30.6

31 BWN 31.2
29 ILNY 28.6

28 LOVE STORY 28.0
18 Dream 17.8

Prayers

FEMALE PRAYER

Before I lay me down to sleep,
I pray for a man, who's not a creep,
One who's handsome, smart and strong.
One who loves to listen long,
One who thinks before he speaks,
One who'll call, not wait for weeks.
I pray he's gainfully employed.
When I spend his cash, won't be annoyed.
Pulls out my chair and opens my door,
Massages my back and begs to do more.
Oh! Send me a man who'll make love to my mind,
Knows what to answer to "how big is my behind?"
I pray that this man will love me to no end,
And always be my very best friend.

Amen.

****************************************************************************

MALE PRAYER

I pray for a rich good looking deaf-mute

nymphomaniac with huge boobs, and a

good cook, who owns a liquor store and a fishing boat.

 

This doesn't rhyme and I don't give a shit.

 

Amen.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x