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Monday 18 May 2009

THERE AIN'T NO SOARING WITH MR SWINE AROUND - THE SWINE FLU SCARE!!!

A New Influenza Virus

Novel influenza A (H1N1) is a new flu virus of swine origin that was first detected in April, 2009. The virus is infecting people and is spreading from person-to-person, sparking a growing outbreak of illness in the United States. An increasing number of cases are being reported internationally as well.

It’s thought that novel influenza A (H1N1) flu spreads in the same way that regular seasonal influenza viruses spread; mainly through the coughs and sneezes of people who are sick with the virus.

It’s uncertain at this time how severe this novel H1N1 outbreak will be in terms of illness and death compared with other influenza viruses. Because this is a new virus, most people will not have immunity to it, and illness may be more severe and widespread as a result. In addition, currently there is no vaccine to protect against this novel H1N1 virus. CDC anticipates that there will be more cases, more hospitalizations and more deaths associated with this new virus in the coming days and weeks.

Novel influenza A (H1N1) activity is now being detected through CDC’s routine influenza surveillance systems and reported weekly in FluView. CDC tracks U.S. influenza activity through multiple systems across five categories. The fact that novel H1N1 activity is now detected through seasonal surveillance systems is an indication that there are higher levels of influenza-like illness in the United States than is normal for this time of year. About half of all influenza viruses being detected are novel H1N1 viruses.

Saturday 2 May 2009

LAS VEGAS; the 359 seconds bout and the legend named: PACQUIAO!


LAS VEGAS – It took just 359 seconds to add the latest devastating chapter to a legacy that will last for decades.

Manny Pacquiao’s flurried fists made short work of Ricky Hatton on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and delivered the most emphatic proof yet that boxing has a superstar for the ages operating at his peak.

Pacquiao sent the Englishman crashing to the canvas twice in a frenetic first round, then sealed the contest with a brutal left hook that had Hatton out cold on his back with one tick remaining in the second round.

Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have announced his comeback from a brief and scarcely-believable retirement on Saturday morning.

But there can be no doubt that Pacquiao is boxing’s undisputed king as he continues to ride a remarkable wave of momentum.

The Filipino fighter is a quiet and reserved man out of the ring, but between the ropes he morphs into an electrifying machine – and Hatton felt his full force.

The Hatton camp had hoped their man’s power would be telling, yet he simply had no response to Pacquiao’s pace and precision.

A right hook put Hatton down with 54 seconds remaining in round one and proved to be the beginning of the end.

As he moved in for the finish Hatton tried to cling on, only to be sent down again with a fierce straight left.
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Doctors immediately rushed to the aid of Hatton, who eventually and thankfully was able to walk from the ring under his own steam.

“I am surprised this fight was so easy,” said Pacquiao. “I did work hard in my training camp and it paid off. This is as big a victory for me as when I beat Oscar De La Hoya.” That December triumph over De La Hoya did not convince the entire boxing fraternity of Pacquiao’s ability, primarily as the Golden Boy’s powers had so clearly dimmed from his prime.

Now there is no speculation. Pacquiao is the top dog, until someone proves otherwise in the ring.

Roach’s status as a trainer grows in line with each victory his top fighter posts and it became clear his game plan was perfect.

Hatton could not avoid Pacquiao, who landed with 73 of his 127 punches. The Brit could only land 18 of 78.

“This is no shock at all,“ said Roach. “Hatton pumps his hands before he throws a punch, and it makes him a sucker for the right hook.

“Manny is a monster, he is the best fighter ever. There is no surprise here.”

Defeat was a bitter blow to the thousands of Hatton fans among the 16,262 in attendance who had journeyed across the Atlantic, but saw their dreams dashed within a few brutal minutes.

The typical symphony of chanting carried on even after their man had been sparked out, but it may not strike up again.

Hatton, who was alert in his locker room before being taken to the hospital, is one of the most popular boxers ever, with an incredible fan base, but his fighting future is now in serious doubt.

For Pacquiao, the future is brighter than ever, and his legend continues to grow.

Floyd Mayweather Sr. was a no-show at the postfight news conference, leaving Hatton’s co-trainer, Lee Beard, to explain the mauling by Pacquiao.

“We knew about Manny’s speed and that it could play a factor in the fight,” Beard said. “What you saw was two rounds of action and Ricky got caught.”

Wednesday 22 April 2009

Scotland and the lady named ; SUSAN BOYLE


You'd be forgiven for judging the book by the cover when you meet 47-year-old Susan. Having never married, sharing a flat with her cat has given her a cheeky sense of humor, and even the judges were ready to write her off, until - that is - until she began performing her rendition of 'I Dreamed a Dream' from Les Miserable s.

Not only did Susan Boyle put Scotland on the map she put Britain's Got Talent on
internet. I have never heard such a beautiful voice in all my existence in this world. I still have got to learn about this lady. She's indeed one hell of a talent!

Hail you MS. SUSAN BOYLE !!!

Monday 13 April 2009

A hidden paradise called - CANIBAD (Island Garden City of Samal)






Davao City has always astonished visitors locals and foreigners alike every time they take a visit of the places here. Just like this hmmmmm, appropriately isolated haven somewhere in Samal. I got particularly interested in visiting an unexplored place in Island Garden of Samal (IGACOS), Canibad Cove. To some who have experienced several frustrating travels before, They need to learned and convince themselves that having the right budget is just as important than tediously planning everything.

Now going back to Canibad. What are the basics.What we have to bring?

While it is true that the place is great and inviting, you should know that there are no restaurants or ample of place to buy food there. If you don’t have any idea yet what should be on your day tour survival kit. Here’s some list for you out there.

* Banig / Hammock.
* Digital Camera (Full charged), Extra Batteries.
I advise you to turn it on save battery settings mode as there is no electricity in canibad. Turn on only when needed.
* Water, water, water.
While there’s water available for washing plates and rinsing body after swimming, there’s no water for drinking.
* Shades
* Toothbrush, toothpaste
* Soap, shampoo
* Snorkling gear
* Mobile phones, full charged
* Bath towels, extra shirts, swimming shorts
* Food containers

How to get there;

Take a taxi and drop off to any resto of choice to buy foods. Have your food canisters filled with rice and viands. Take an Island City Express bus in Sta. Ana Wharf near Magsaysay Park. Bus fare is 30.00 PHP.A bus rode into a barge will transfer you from Davao City to Samal Island. You get off into their terminal at Central Warehouse Club in Babak.

Several motorcycles aka habal-habal are available here and will ask you if you are going to Canibad. Travel from the terminal to Canibad will take you about 30-40 minutes and will cost you about 150.00 pesos inclusive of the nice spots you will see as you go there. Make sure sit confortably well before the travel as it will be a very long and very bumpy ride, but you'll hardly notice it anyway. I,m sure a lot of scenic spots will take your breath away.

When you’re there, ask the driver to fetch you the following day. There is because there are no available vehicles going back to the terminal.

From top, it will take 10 mins to walk down the beachfront. It would be safer to walk barefoot as it is very steep.


Other thins that you need to know

* Travel fare budget Davao City - Canibad
o 30.00 x 2 bus fare davao - bak-bak terminal
o 175.00 x 2 habal-habal/motorcycle fare terminal - canibad. Add 50.00 for fetching.
* Entrance fee is 20.00 each.
* Entrance fee for rockies part of the beach is 15.00
* Not enough rice, asked someone there to buy for you 20.00/kilo. Another 20.00 for cooking it.
* Very clean water, if you know how to swim don’t forget your snorkling gear as fishes is just few meters away you can actually see it near rockies.

Most Fascinating Tombs in the world (Part 1)

Throughout the history of human civilization, different cultures mourn and treat the dead differently. Some, like Tibetan Buddhists, have no use for burials as they dispose the dead by feeding corpses to vultures or by burning them in funeral pyres. Most cultures, however, show their respect by burying the dead, sometimes in complex and ornate tombs, crypts, and catacombs.

This article takes a look at ten of the most fascinating final resting places around the world, from the largest prehistoric burial mound in Europe to the the tombs of pharaohs to the most beautiful mausoleum in the world:




Giza Necropolis

There are more than 100 pyramids in Egypt, with the largest and most famous being the complex of pyramids in Giza Necropolis, Cairo, Egypt. This complex consists of the Great Pyramid of Giza (tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Khufu or Cheops), the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure, the Great Sphinx statue, as well as several other smaller satellite pyramids.

Let’s take, for instance, the Great Pyramid of Giza, the only surviving member of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. When it was completed in 2560 BC, the pyramid was 481 feet (147 m) tall with each base side being 758 feet (231 m) wide. The blocks weigh about 1.5 tons each, with the internal granite blocks used as the roof of the burial chamber being about 80 tons each. The ancient Egyptians knew what they were doing: the base sides have a mean margin of error of only 2 1/3 inch (58 mm)! Needless to say, it is an amazing work of engineering.



Westminster Abbey

The gothic church Westminster Abbey in London, United Kingdom was established by Benedictine monks in the tenth century (and rebuilt in the 13th century by King Henry III) - since then it has evolved into both the coronation church for English royalty and the final resting place of monarchs.

Though at first Westminster Abbey was the burial place of kings, aristocrats, and monks, it soon became the tomb-of-choice (if there is such a thing) for the who’s who in England. Poets and writers like Geoffrey Chaucer, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, Rudyard Kipling, and Alfred Tennyson; as well as scientists like Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Ernest Rutherford were all interred there.


Tana Toraja

The Toraja people in Sulawesi, Indonesia, have what is probably the most complex funeral ritual in the world. When someone dies, the funeral is attended by a lot of people and can last for days! But that’s not the strange part - this is: the funeral ceremony is often held weeks, months, or even years after the death (to give the family of the deceased time to raise enough money for expenses).

Torajans can wait that long because they believe that death is not a sudden event but instead a gradual process towards the afterlife (if you’re wondering about the smell - the dead body is embalmed within the first few days of death, then stored in a secret place until the funeral ceremony).

After much partying (including the slaughter of one or several water buffaloes), the dead is buried in a stone cave carved out of a rocky cliff. A wood-carved effigy called tau tau, carved with the likeness of the dead person is then placed in the balcony of the tomb to represent the dead and watch over their remains.




Newgrange

The burial mound of Newgrange in County Meath, Ireland is definitely one of the most impressive prehistoric monuments in the world. Build between 3300 BC - 2900 BC, it is the also the world’s oldest surviving building (it’s older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt).

Newgrange is impressive: the circular mound is 250 feet (76 m) across and 40 feet (12 m) high. It covers an entire acre (4046 m²). A long tunnel under the mound leads to a high-domed burial chamber, a corbelled vault with ceilings made of huge, interlocking stone slabs.

The entrance to Newgrange is marked with a huge curbstone that is elaborately carved with "megalithic art," which includes spiral and concentric arc motifs chipped into the stone with flint tools.

The trouble with soaring so high and seeing everything ... is seeing nothing.


Soaring where
the currents take her,
seeing everything,
observing everyone,
breathing the air
of adventure
and excitement?
Is she a mother?
Circling to protect
her nest,
her children,
scavenge for food,
and would give her
life
to protect her young?
Or is she
a traveler,
a loner?
Ruling the
expanse of blue,
the endless skies
as her kingdom,
doing what she pleases,
but fated to live
alone, with no mate?
With no one
to share her life,
her empty happiness?

That,
I feel,
is worse
than being grounded.

A poverty striken life at Sampaloc ,Manila - ARNEL PINEDA (Journey Band)






I happen to encounter a very inspiring article about Arnel Pineda and about the place where he grew up, I also took the liberty of researching pics of the place where he spent most of his childhood. Please read on;

A well-known Filipino lead vocalist of the band Journey confesses that he was once addicted to drugs. Arnel Pineda gave a warning to the youth against the use of prohibited drugs. Exclusive on patrol - Chief Correspondent, Korina Sanchez.

He was an unknown singer then who is now suddenly being mobbed in America as the lead vocalist of the popular Journey band. He is Arnel Pineda, born and raised in Sampaloc (in Manila) and grew up in poverty.

Arnel: Rusmon and I washed jeepneys, then slept in Luneta (a park in Manila).

Korina: How often did you sleep in Luneta?

Arnel: Maybe, I did that once a week…there were times then that I didn’t eat for 3 days.

He admitted that when he despaired for not reaching his dreams, he tried using prohibited drugs, liked it, and became addicted.

Arnel: …to the point that I would have...I wished that I was dead …

For Arnel’s family, especially to his wife Cherry, that was the most miserable thing that happened to their life, “When he gets drunk, he cries… so I asked him, “What is the problem?” And then I found out he was using drugs.”

Arnel lost his mother early in his life when she died of a lung problem. He said that it was his mother who saved him before he totally became wasted in drugs. “I think my mother was there all the time. Every time I thought I was almost dying and gave up hope in my life, I felt she whispered to me and asked, “Why are you doing this?””

Because of drugs, Arnel almost lost everything. “It was my wife who saved me…it was my birthday and we were having fun. I was high on drugs; I was high on alcohol. While Cherry was upstairs, she was packing her bag. When I went up, she told me she was leaving and will have to leave me behind. And that woke me up…”

At this time, news about use of prohibited drugs are all over and Arnel has a message to the drug users, “Drugs…it will never do you any good. It will destroy your life, it will destroy your dream, it will destroy your hopes, it will destroy your family. Bottom line, STAY AWAY, REALLY STAY AWAY FROM IT." - Korina Sanchez, Patrol ng Pilipino.