Saturday, September 17, 2011
Mayweather Jr. won over Victor Ortiz
Mayweather, still undeafeated, just won over Ortiz. But for me it is not a good win, he did not show good character of a fair fighter. Though Ortiz didn't too but he was apologetic about it and Mayweather took advantage of it while Ortiz was apologizing to him. Gave 2 hard blows to Ortiz while his guard was down because he was apologizing. This has ended the fight and gave win to Mayweather.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Republican debt plan faces close vote in Congress
Approval of a plan by House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner would break the inertia in Washington over a debt crisis that has spooked markets and raised the prospect that the government of the world's largest economy will run out of money to pay its bills in less than a week.
President Barack Obama has threatened to veto the bill and a majority of the Democratic-controlled Senate has vowed to vote against it.
But a successful vote in the House would give the bill legitimacy and make it a crucial element of the legislative chess game that is likely to play out up to August 2.
That's when the Obama administration says it will run out of funds to pay the country's bills unless a $14.3 trillion borrowing limit is increased.
A defeat of the bill could deepen the crisis, swinging the momentum toward a rival Democratic plan in the Senate but leaving no clear way to overcome entrenched opposition from fiscally conservative Tea Party Republicans in the House.
As the brinkmanship over the ideologically charged dispute looks like it will go on through the weekend, investors and ordinary Americans are increasingly nervous that a previously unthinkable U.S. default could spark a new financial crisis.
Asian stocks slid more than 1 percent in thin volume on Thursday as investors nervously watched the clock tick down toward the debt ceiling deadline. European shares followed suit, sliding half a percent.
The Treasury says it will run out of spending money next Tuesday unless Congress agrees to raise the debt ceiling. Even if an 11th-hour compromise emerges, the United States could lose its top-notch credit status if ratings agencies are not convinced it has done enough to address its bulging debt burden.
The White House has warned of "catastrophic" consequences if a deal is not reached by August 2, rejecting the idea that Obama could invoke an obscure constitutional clause to raise the debt limit.
Several House Democrats planned to hold a news conference on Thursday to urge Obama to take that option if necessary.
"The only option here is for Congress to do its job," said senior White House adviser David Plouffe on the PBS television show "NewsHour."
"We've run out of excuses and we're running out of time."
After weeks of bickering and setbacks, some common ground has emerged between rival Republican and Democrat plans to cut the deficit and raise the debt limit.
A bill being pushed by top Senate Democrat Harry Reid and backed by the White House would cut $2.2 trillion from the deficit over 10 years without raising taxes.
Reid has said Boehner's plan would be "dead on arrival" but that he could incorporate elements of it in a way that could win support from both parties.
TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Boehner's two-step plan contains a crucial sticking point -- it would only extend the Treasury's borrowing authority by a few months, something Obama has said is unacceptable.
Democrat Obama is facing a major test of his leadership over the debt crisis as he seeks to remove the debt-ceiling issue as a threat to the weak economy ahead of his bid for re-election in November 2012.
Boehner's bill needs 217 votes and its chances appear too close to call even after he bluntly told fellow Republicans to "get your ass in line" behind his plan.
While some conservatives appeared to be reluctantly backing the bill, Tea Party groups are urging Republicans to reject any compromise, including Boehner's plan.
Investors have raised their holdings of safe-haven assets such as gold but have reacted relatively calmly to the prospect of an unprecedented U.S. default and a damaging credit downgrade, holding out hope that a late deal will be struck.
The dollar rebounded from recent losses on Wednesday and the Treasury managed to sell $12 billion in short-term bills and $35 billion in five-year notes, showing that bond investors still have faith in the U.S. government.
Still, ordinary Americans scarred by the 2008 financial crisis are growing more worried. They bombarded leading Congress members with telephone calls at the urging of Obama on Tuesday and financial advisers report a rise in calls asking about what to do if the government defaults.
The dysfunctional gridlock in Washington has also raised concern over the long-term decline of U.S. economic power and the status of the dollar as the world's reserve currency.
"The U.S. is experiencing an 'end of empire' moment and the dollar share of global reserves is likely to fall gradually," said Jim Leaviss, head of retail fixed income at M&G Investments in London.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Twilight: Breaking Dawn' Trailer: a Surprise Cameo, Bella's Baby Bump Is Revealed & More Squeal-Worthy Moments
In the trailer for the fourth installment in the "Twilight Saga" franchise, we get a sneak peek of a handful of juicy and surprising moments from the film: from Edward and Bella's lavender-bordered wedding invitations and the reactions of each of its recipients (the Volturi coven and Bella's mom, Renee, are pleased, while Bella's dad, Charlie, and her best friend, werewolf Jacob Black, are not so thrilled) to a first look at Edward and Bella's fancy, white-flowers-everywhere wedding day followed by their intensely romantic tropical honeymoon on the Isle of Esme.
There's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo by "Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer along with the film's screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg and producer Wyck Godfrey. The three turn up about a minute into the preview as wedding guests. Meyer previously appeared in the first "Twilight" movie in one of the diner scenes sitting at the counter typing on her laptop as a waitress hands her food saying, "Here's your veggie plate, Stephenie."
By far one of the best moments in the two-minute trailer is the reveal of Bella's mysterious pregnancy. "That's impossible," Bella nervously whispers as she checks her slightly protruding belly in the mirror. Suddenly Bella's stomach convulses as she feels the baby's first kick. Edward looks on shocked, terrified, and helpless. Talk about baby bump alert!
Check out the "Breaking Dawn – Part 1" trailer here.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Skype sold at $8.5 Billion to Microsoft?
Image via CrunchBaseThe rumors that appeared overnight have turned out to be true. Microsoft has confirmed the purchase of Skype for $8.5 billion in cash.Microsoft has been very clear in that it sees Skype’s technology and services being applied across the board to both its consumer and business customers. That means enterprise customers will receive a new way to communicate over voice and video, but more excitingly, those who own an Xbox and Kinect will also benefit from its introduction, as will Windows Phone 7 owners.
With Skype now a wholly-owned branch of Microsoft there may be worries that the service could disappear from non-Microsoft platforms. But Microsoft has been quick to state that Skype will continue to be supported across all devices going forward.
With guaranteed billions coming their way, investor group Silver Lake, who previously owned Skype, were delighted. Both Skype and Microsoft boards of directors approved the purchase and only regulatory approval is now required to finalize the deal.
Matthew’s Opinion
With the news of an acquisition now official, the next question to ask is what Microsoft intends to do with Skype beyond integrating it into existing services and platforms?
$8.5 billion is a lot of money to spend, and you have to wonder how much of that is a premium to ensure Google or Facebook weren’t chosen partners instead. But now further investment is required to ensure Skype stays in the number one spot for VoIP communications.
Facebook may now come up with its own voice and video service, while Google can continue to develop its existing services. Skype has to keep innovating even if it does already have hundreds of millions of existing users, and it’s now Microsoft’s responsibility to see that happens.
Reposted from Geek!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Obama refused the release of Bin Laden's death photos
Image via WikipediaPresident Barack Obama decided not to release photos of Osama bin Laden's corpse, citing national security risks and saying the United States should not brandish "trophies" of its victory.Obama's war cabinet had been debating whether to publish gruesome post-mortem photos of the Al-Qaeda terror chief, who was gunned down by US special forces in a covert raid inside Pakistan on Sunday.
"It is important for us to make sure that very graphic photos of somebody who was shot in the head are not floating around as an incitement to additional violence, as a propaganda tool," Obama told the CBS show 60 Minutes.
"That's not who we are. You know, we don't trot out this stuff as trophies," Obama said, arguing that DNA and facial recognition testing had established beyond doubt that the mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks was dead.
Focus: Secrecy was bin Laden's protection
"There's no doubt among Al-Qaeda members that he is dead. The fact of the matter is, you will not see bin Laden walking on this earth again."
A Pakistani intelligence official said one of bin Laden's children, now in custody along with a Yemeni wife of the Saudi-born Al-Qaeda leader, saw her father shot dead.
His daughter, reported to be 12 years old, "was the one who confirmed to us that Osama was dead and shot and taken away," said the Pakistani official.
Obama's top security aides had debated whether to publish a photo of bin Laden to prove he had been killed, but feared a backlash in the Muslim world, possibly targeting US troops or interests.
Some senior lawmakers on Capitol Hill said they had seen the pictures, and described them as graphic, but later reports suggested the images circulating on Capitol Hill were not authentic.
Three US senators retracted their claims of having seen a graphic photograph of Osama bin Laden's corpse, apparently the victims of a fake picture of the slain Al-Qaeda chief.
Senator Saxby Chambliss, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, had told reporters he had seen photos from the raid inside Pakistan, which led to the death of the terrorist mastermind by US special forces commandos.
Focus: White House calls halt to bin Laden disclosures
"They're what you would expect from somebody's been shot in the head. It's not pretty," he said, hours before it became clear that inauthentic photos had circulated among US lawmakers.
Asked whether Chambliss, who is also a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, had in fact seen an official photo, spokeswoman Bronwyn Lance-Chester told AFP late in the day that "he has been very clear about this: He has not seen the official photo."
Two other members of the armed services committee, Republican Senators Kelly Ayotte and Scott Brown, also backed off claims that they had seen gruesome photos of bin Laden's corpse.
Three days after a team of elite US Navy SEALS avenged the 2001 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people, national security experts combed a haul of evidence from the Pakistani mansion that served as bin Laden's lair.
The trove, including about five computers, 10 hard drives and 100 storage devices, represents a dramatic intelligence breakthrough for the United States in its fight against Al-Qaeda, said the experts.
"I'll be very surprised if this isn't a gold mine for us," said John McLaughlin, a former CIA deputy director.
"I think we're probably going to find reports of potential plotting.
"We'll probably find something about funding. We may learn something about whatever relationship he did or didn't have with Pakistan. We'll learn about key aides," he told CNN.
The top US law enforcement official defended the legality of the special forces swoop, after it emerged on Tuesday that bin Laden had been unarmed at the time he was shot.
Focus: Bin Laden computers a 'gold mine' for US
The operation "was lawful and consistent with our values," Attorney General Eric Holder told Senate lawmakers.
Senator Lindsey Graham asked whether a Navy SEAL "had to believe" the world's most wanted man "was a walking IED" or bomb.
"Exactly," Holder agreed.
US authorities insist US commandos were not on a kill only mission but have come under pressure to explain the apparent contradiction that bin Laden "resisted" capture but was unarmed.
"If he had surrendered, I think -- attempted to surrender -- I think we should, obviously, have accepted that," Holder said. "But there was no indication that he wanted to do that. And, therefore, his killing was appropriate."
And Senator Dianne Feinstein said she was told bin Laden was about to grab a weapon when he was shot dead.
"I believe he was preparing to resist. And that's why the shots were taken," she told CNN in an interview.
"There were arms directly near the door and my understanding is he was right there and going to get those arms. So, you know, you really can't take a chance. This is the number one target.
Scene: Shrine to bin Laden victims
"This is the mastermind that killed 3,000 of our citizens. And there had to be justice. And the only way to achieve that justice is a life for a life in this case," the California senator added.
The White House released more details of the president's Thursday trip to the Ground Zero site of the World Trade Center towers, which nearly ten years ago were turned into an inferno and toppled by airliners hijacked by Al-Qaeda operatives.
Obama will lay a wreath in memory of the victims and meet relatives of those who perished, but will not make a speech, in an apparent sign he is wary of his visit being seen as an overtly political affair.
New opinion poll data Wednesday showed Obama is enjoying a boost in popularity after hunting down America's public enemy number one.
His approval rating surged 11 points to 57 percent in a CBS/New York Times poll while 72 percent approved of the way he is handling terrorism.
Pakistan, meanwhile, sought to deflect some of the embarrassment of bin Laden being found on its soil -- and of its failure to heed US calls to find him in a purpose-built garrison.
Officials said the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency had no idea bin Laden was holed up in the compound in Abbottabad, home to Pakistan's equivalent of the West Point and Sandhurst military academies.
But Salman Bashir, the top civil servant in Pakistan's foreign ministry, told the BBC Wednesday the ISI had alerted the United States to its suspicions about the imposing compound "as far back as 2009".
But it was not known at the time that bin Laden was there and there were "millions" of other suspect locations, Bashir said.
Pakistani intelligence officials said agents raided the bin Laden compound in 2003 when it was still being built, looking for then Al-Qaeda number three Abu Faraj al-Libbi, who escaped and was eventually captured two years later.
In Pakistan itself, conspiracy theories have proliferated after bin Laden's body was buried at sea off a US warship to forestall the prospect of a grave on land becoming an extremist shrine.
Police on Wednesday sealed off the Bilal suburb of Abbottabad, after crowds gathered outside the bin Laden compound, with hundreds of officers stationed around the area.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Justin Bieber Egg Attack During Sydney Concert
Justin Bieber has been pelted with eggs in Sydney.
The 17-year-old pop star was attacked with six eggs from two directions during his performance at the city’s Acer Arena on Friday 29, April.
Bieber fans were outraged after first two, then a further four eggs smashed within a metre of the Canadian superstar.
But according to onlookers Bieber barely missed a beat and a helper had soon cleaned up the mess.
The response from Justin’s True Beliebers was swift as they took to the Internet to condemn the unprovoked incident.
One fan wrote on Twitter: 'Dear person who threw eggs at @justinbieber in Sydney, you now have over #9millionbeliebers after you, be afraid! We go harder than hard!'
Bieber has since jetted to Melbourne where he will be performing on Monday and Tuesday night in the next leg of his My World Tour.
Meanwhile, Fighter actor Mark Wahlberg has revealed that he is set to star with Bieber in a new movie.
Wahlberg was reportedly so impressed with the singer’s basketball skills that he has asked him to appear alongside him in a film about the game.
The Hollywood star told MTV: "Justin Bieber and I are going to do a movie together. We're putting it together… We talked to him about doing it and he loved the idea. He sent me a video of himself and yeah, I think he's really talented."
Bieber has been keen to get back in front of the cameras since his turn in US crime drama CSI. He said recently: “I definitely want to do more acting, and further my career in that area, that's something I would love to do.”
© Cover Media
The 17-year-old pop star was attacked with six eggs from two directions during his performance at the city’s Acer Arena on Friday 29, April.
Bieber fans were outraged after first two, then a further four eggs smashed within a metre of the Canadian superstar.
But according to onlookers Bieber barely missed a beat and a helper had soon cleaned up the mess.
The response from Justin’s True Beliebers was swift as they took to the Internet to condemn the unprovoked incident.
One fan wrote on Twitter: 'Dear person who threw eggs at @justinbieber in Sydney, you now have over #9millionbeliebers after you, be afraid! We go harder than hard!'
Bieber has since jetted to Melbourne where he will be performing on Monday and Tuesday night in the next leg of his My World Tour.
Meanwhile, Fighter actor Mark Wahlberg has revealed that he is set to star with Bieber in a new movie.
Wahlberg was reportedly so impressed with the singer’s basketball skills that he has asked him to appear alongside him in a film about the game.
The Hollywood star told MTV: "Justin Bieber and I are going to do a movie together. We're putting it together… We talked to him about doing it and he loved the idea. He sent me a video of himself and yeah, I think he's really talented."
Bieber has been keen to get back in front of the cameras since his turn in US crime drama CSI. He said recently: “I definitely want to do more acting, and further my career in that area, that's something I would love to do.”
© Cover Media
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Taylor Swift and Garrett Hedlund dating?
The country musician and Hollywood actor met up for a relaxed meal last week, dining in Nashville. The pair have been in contact for some time and decided sharing some food would be the perfect way to get to know each other better.
“It was their first time going out,” a source told Us Weekly. “They've been emailing for a while, and she hinted they should get together.”
The pair met up at 8pm, with Garrett, 26, returning to his hotel at 12.30am. Although he has starred in some of the biggest movies of the last few months, such as TRON: Legacy and Country Strong, Garrett apparently amazed Taylor by being so down to earth.
She found him fun and easy to talk to, but is not said to be in any hurry to settle down. Taylor, 21, has been single since splitting from Jake Gyllenhaal last year and wants to make sure her next romance lasts the distance.
“She has actually spent time getting to know Garrett,” the source added. “He's cute - and he's into country music! [She] likes that he's a normal guy.”
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Angelina Jolie's mysterious new tattoo
Image via WikipediaAngelina Jolie's intriguing new tattoo is overshadowing her humanitarian mission to a refugee camp on the Libyan border of Tunisia.The tattoo on her upper left arm -- an ongoing work in progress -- is a list of the map coordinates for where her six children were born; in a mysterious new twist, the 35-year-old Earth Mother unveiled a seventh line of ink while visiting refugees this week, causing a stir among Jolie watchers: Is she planning a seventh addition to the patchwork Brangelina brood?
The coordinate list has been updated to reflect each new addition to the Jolie-Pitt family. In 2007, Jolie debuted her first batch of mapping numerals: the coordinates for the birthplaces of their first four children. Starting from the top down, the longitudinal and latitudinal numbers represent the birth locations for: Maddox, 9 (Cambodia); Zahara, 6 (Ethiopia); Shiloh, 4 (Namibia); Pax, 7 (Vietnam). Jolie revealed two more inky coordinates -- for now-two-year-old Knox and Vivienne, born in France -- in October 2008.
This latest line, the seventh, remains a mystery. Wonderwall points out that the first number on the bottom line is 35 (it's difficult from the photo to make out the full sequence), which could indicate such disparate locales as Algeria or Brad Pitt's birthplace in Oklahoma. (The coordinates for Shawnee, Oklahoma, where Brad was born, are3520'33"N 9656'2"W.)
What does it all mean? There are a handful of potential scenarios: Jolie wanted to pay tribute to Pitt (romantic). Or they secretly adopted a baby, a la Sandra Bullock (stealthy!). Or maybe the actress and tabloid fixture sought to grab more attention for her United Nations work by tacking on cryptic coordinates (strategic!).
Whatever the case, the numbers mean something. Jolie, a star in full control of her image, rarely does anything without considering the public ramifications.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Magnitude-6.7 earthquake hits Indonesia
Hundreds of residents fled an Indonesian port town for higher ground on Monday when an earthquake struck south of Java with a magnitude estimated by US seismologists at 6.7.
The epicentre in the Indian Ocean was 24 kilometres (15 miles) miles deep, the US Geological Survey said, after initially estimating it at 10 kilometres underground, and 277 kilometres south of the Javanese coast.
Indonesian seismologists put the magnitude at 7.1 and issued a tsunami warning, saying the tremor had the potential to cause a killer wave and asking recipients of its public alert SMS to warn others of the danger.
The warning was later cancelled.
When the quake struck hundreds of residents in the seaport town of Cilacap fled inland and to higher ground by motorbike, car and on foot, an AFP reporter said.
"They were all panicking and shouting 'quake, quake'," the reporter said.
Suharjono, the technical head of Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, said shaking from the tremor had been felt in Pangandaran and Cilacap districts in Java.
"This quake roused people from their sleep," he said. "We have not received any reports of damage or casualties so far."
The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had said that there was no risk of a widespread destructive wave, but there was a "very small possibility of a local tsunami".
The earthquake epicentre was 241 kilometres from the remote Australian territory of Christmas Island, and seismologists said the tremor was felt there, but no tsunami warning alert was issued for Australia.
"We had reports from there that they felt it," Geoscience Australia seismologist David Jepson told AFP, adding that it was described as a "moderate type quake".
Geoscience Australia put the quake at 6.7 magnitude.
The epicentre in the Indian Ocean was 24 kilometres (15 miles) miles deep, the US Geological Survey said, after initially estimating it at 10 kilometres underground, and 277 kilometres south of the Javanese coast.
Indonesian seismologists put the magnitude at 7.1 and issued a tsunami warning, saying the tremor had the potential to cause a killer wave and asking recipients of its public alert SMS to warn others of the danger.
The warning was later cancelled.
When the quake struck hundreds of residents in the seaport town of Cilacap fled inland and to higher ground by motorbike, car and on foot, an AFP reporter said.
"They were all panicking and shouting 'quake, quake'," the reporter said.
Suharjono, the technical head of Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency, who like many Indonesians uses only one name, said shaking from the tremor had been felt in Pangandaran and Cilacap districts in Java.
"This quake roused people from their sleep," he said. "We have not received any reports of damage or casualties so far."
The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had said that there was no risk of a widespread destructive wave, but there was a "very small possibility of a local tsunami".
The earthquake epicentre was 241 kilometres from the remote Australian territory of Christmas Island, and seismologists said the tremor was felt there, but no tsunami warning alert was issued for Australia.
"We had reports from there that they felt it," Geoscience Australia seismologist David Jepson told AFP, adding that it was described as a "moderate type quake".
Geoscience Australia put the quake at 6.7 magnitude.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Japan nuke plant leaks radiation into groundwater
By RYAN NAKASHIMA and SHINO YUASA, Associated Press – 1 hr 24 mins ago
TOKYO, Japan – Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under a tsunami-crippled Japanese nuclear plant, according to the operator, but experts said Friday that it was unlikely to contaminate drinking supplies.
The leak is, however, a concern and an indicator of how far the Tokyo Electric Power Co. is from stabilizing dangerously overheating reactors after cooling systems were knocked out in the March 11 tsunami.
TEPCO has increasingly asked for international help in its uphill battle, most recently ordering giant pumps from the U.S. that were to arrive later this month to spray water on the reactors.
The groundwater contamination was found in concentrations 10,000 times higher than the government standard for the plant. The iodine-131, a radioactive substance that decays quickly, was nearly 50 feet (15 meters) below one of the reactors, according to TEPCO spokesman Naoyuki Matsumo.
Seiki Kawagoe, an environmental science professor at Tohoku University, said the radioactive substances were unlikely to affect drinking water, noting that radiation tends to dissipate quickly in the ground, as it does in the ocean.
But there are two ways the iodine could eventually affect drinking water if concentrations were high enough. One is if it were to seep into wells in the area. For now, a 12-mile (20-kilometer) radius around the plant has been cleared, though residents of the area are growing increasingly frustrated with evacuation orders and have been sneaking back to check on their homes.
The other concern is that contaminated water from the plant could seep into underground waterways and eventually into rivers used for drinking water. Tomohiro Mogamiya, an official with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's water supply division, said that was "extremely unlikely" since groundwater would flow toward the ocean, and the plant is right on the coast.
There are two nearby filtration plants for drinking water, and both have been shut down because they are just inside the exclusion zone. One takes water from the Kido River, to the south, and another takes it from groundwater below Odaka, to the north. Both are several miles (kilometers) from the coast, and therefore on higher ground.
"When people return to the area we will test the water to make sure it is safe," said Masato Ishikawa, an official with the Fukushima prefecture's food and sanitation division.
Radiation concerns have rattled the Japanese public, already struggling to return to normal life after the earthquake-borne tsunami pulverized hundreds of miles (kilometers) of the northeastern coast. Three weeks after the disaster in one of the most connected countries in the world, 260,000 households still do no have running water and 170,000 do not have electricity.
In the latest report of food becoming tainted, the government said Friday that a cow slaughtered for beef had slightly elevated levels of cesium, another radioactive particle. Officials stressed that the meat was never put on the market.
Radioactive cesium can build up in the body and high levels are thought to be a risk for various cancers. It is still found in wild boar in Germany 25 years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, making the pigs off-limits for eating in many cases.
Contamination has also affected work at the plant itself, where radioactive water has been pooling, often thwarting the vital work of powering up the complex's cooling systems.
Despite the leaks, TEPCO hasn't had enough dosimeters to provide one for each employee since many were destroyed in the earthquake. Under normal circumstances, the gauges, which measure radiation, would be worn at all times.
Officials said Friday that more meters had arrived and there are now enough for everyone.
"We must ensure safety and health of the workers, but we also face a pressing need to get the work done as quickly as possible," said nuclear safety agency spokesman Hidehiko Nishiyama. Until now, sharing meters "has been an unavoidable choice."
TEPCO has repeatedly relaxed safety standards during the crisis in order to prevent frequent violations. That is not uncommon during emergencies.
Though the company has acknowledged that it was initially slow to ask for help in dealing with the nuclear crisis, experts from around the world are now flooding in. French nuclear giant Areva, which supplied fuel to the plant, is helping figure out how to dispose of contaminated water, and American nuclear experts are joining Japanese on a panel to address the disaster.
Japan has also ordered two giant pumps, typically used for spraying concrete, from the U.S. They are being retrofitted to spray water first, according to Kelly Blickle, a spokeswoman at Putzmeister America Inc. in Wisconsin. At least one similar pump is already in operation at the plant.
U.S. troops also are involved in the search for the dead. Japan's defense ministry said that, starting Friday, the two militaries will create joint teams to look for bodies from the air. So far 11,500 people have been confirmed dead. Another 16,400 are missing, and many may never be found.
Hundreds of thousands more people are living in evacuation centers, most because they lost their homes in the tsunami. But others have been forced to leave their houses near the plant because of radiation concerns.
Some residents are growing angry and frustrated with the government and are increasingly violating the bans to return to their homes to gather whatever they can find.
Fukushima officials have put up posters in all evacuation centers urging residents not to violate the cordon, but also are pressing Tokyo to arrange trips in for the residents as soon as possible.
"There is no doubt in my mind that it is dangerous in there," said Kazuko Hirohara, a 52-year-old nurse from Minami Soma. "I just wish they would have thought about safety before they ruined our lives."
___
Associated Press writers Eric Talmadge in Fukushima, Mari Yamaguchi and Mayumi Saito in Tokyo, and Jeff Martin in Atlanta, Georgia, contributed to this report.
TOKYO, Japan – Radiation exceeding government safety limits has seeped into groundwater under a tsunami-crippled Japanese nuclear plant, according to the operator, but experts said Friday that it was unlikely to contaminate drinking supplies.
The leak is, however, a concern and an indicator of how far the Tokyo Electric Power Co. is from stabilizing dangerously overheating reactors after cooling systems were knocked out in the March 11 tsunami.
TEPCO has increasingly asked for international help in its uphill battle, most recently ordering giant pumps from the U.S. that were to arrive later this month to spray water on the reactors.
The groundwater contamination was found in concentrations 10,000 times higher than the government standard for the plant. The iodine-131, a radioactive substance that decays quickly, was nearly 50 feet (15 meters) below one of the reactors, according to TEPCO spokesman Naoyuki Matsumo.
Seiki Kawagoe, an environmental science professor at Tohoku University, said the radioactive substances were unlikely to affect drinking water, noting that radiation tends to dissipate quickly in the ground, as it does in the ocean.
But there are two ways the iodine could eventually affect drinking water if concentrations were high enough. One is if it were to seep into wells in the area. For now, a 12-mile (20-kilometer) radius around the plant has been cleared, though residents of the area are growing increasingly frustrated with evacuation orders and have been sneaking back to check on their homes.
The other concern is that contaminated water from the plant could seep into underground waterways and eventually into rivers used for drinking water. Tomohiro Mogamiya, an official with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's water supply division, said that was "extremely unlikely" since groundwater would flow toward the ocean, and the plant is right on the coast.
There are two nearby filtration plants for drinking water, and both have been shut down because they are just inside the exclusion zone. One takes water from the Kido River, to the south, and another takes it from groundwater below Odaka, to the north. Both are several miles (kilometers) from the coast, and therefore on higher ground.
"When people return to the area we will test the water to make sure it is safe," said Masato Ishikawa, an official with the Fukushima prefecture's food and sanitation division.
Radiation concerns have rattled the Japanese public, already struggling to return to normal life after the earthquake-borne tsunami pulverized hundreds of miles (kilometers) of the northeastern coast. Three weeks after the disaster in one of the most connected countries in the world, 260,000 households still do no have running water and 170,000 do not have electricity.
In the latest report of food becoming tainted, the government said Friday that a cow slaughtered for beef had slightly elevated levels of cesium, another radioactive particle. Officials stressed that the meat was never put on the market.
Radioactive cesium can build up in the body and high levels are thought to be a risk for various cancers. It is still found in wild boar in Germany 25 years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, making the pigs off-limits for eating in many cases.
Contamination has also affected work at the plant itself, where radioactive water has been pooling, often thwarting the vital work of powering up the complex's cooling systems.
Despite the leaks, TEPCO hasn't had enough dosimeters to provide one for each employee since many were destroyed in the earthquake. Under normal circumstances, the gauges, which measure radiation, would be worn at all times.
Officials said Friday that more meters had arrived and there are now enough for everyone.
"We must ensure safety and health of the workers, but we also face a pressing need to get the work done as quickly as possible," said nuclear safety agency spokesman Hidehiko Nishiyama. Until now, sharing meters "has been an unavoidable choice."
TEPCO has repeatedly relaxed safety standards during the crisis in order to prevent frequent violations. That is not uncommon during emergencies.
Though the company has acknowledged that it was initially slow to ask for help in dealing with the nuclear crisis, experts from around the world are now flooding in. French nuclear giant Areva, which supplied fuel to the plant, is helping figure out how to dispose of contaminated water, and American nuclear experts are joining Japanese on a panel to address the disaster.
Japan has also ordered two giant pumps, typically used for spraying concrete, from the U.S. They are being retrofitted to spray water first, according to Kelly Blickle, a spokeswoman at Putzmeister America Inc. in Wisconsin. At least one similar pump is already in operation at the plant.
U.S. troops also are involved in the search for the dead. Japan's defense ministry said that, starting Friday, the two militaries will create joint teams to look for bodies from the air. So far 11,500 people have been confirmed dead. Another 16,400 are missing, and many may never be found.
Hundreds of thousands more people are living in evacuation centers, most because they lost their homes in the tsunami. But others have been forced to leave their houses near the plant because of radiation concerns.
Some residents are growing angry and frustrated with the government and are increasingly violating the bans to return to their homes to gather whatever they can find.
Fukushima officials have put up posters in all evacuation centers urging residents not to violate the cordon, but also are pressing Tokyo to arrange trips in for the residents as soon as possible.
"There is no doubt in my mind that it is dangerous in there," said Kazuko Hirohara, a 52-year-old nurse from Minami Soma. "I just wish they would have thought about safety before they ruined our lives."
___
Associated Press writers Eric Talmadge in Fukushima, Mari Yamaguchi and Mayumi Saito in Tokyo, and Jeff Martin in Atlanta, Georgia, contributed to this report.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
7 reasons why Jersey Shore gets boring
The housemates are too famous for their own good
In just over a year, the "Shore" cast has rocketed to immense fame and fortune; even our moms know who Snooki is. Yet the show insists on pretending they're still just your average Jersey goofballs, so editors wipe any mention of the gang's notoriety off the show. As a result, "Shore" now feels strangely neutered, like we're not getting the whole story. We can only hope that sending the cast to Italy will help them blend in again and recapture some of that original spark — unless MTV Italia gets "Shore" already.
They've been stuck inside all season
With the gang's overwhelming fame driving them behind closed doors, this season has played out like a claustrophobic Jersey version of "Big Brother." The housemates have been bored out of their minds, forced to kill time waging silly prank wars and unclogging toilets — not exactly compelling storylines. In fact, the season's only consistent source of drama has been so overplayed, we can't stand to watch it for another minute. Which leads us to our next point...
We have Ronnie-and-Sammi fatigue
During yet another Ronnie-Sammi fight this season, Vinny commented, "This must be what hell is like." Amen, Vinny. After witnessing an infinite number of breakups and makeups (and a few hundred dollars' worth of broken furniture), we are more than ready to get off the Ronnie-Sammi rollercoaster. We all know bickering couples like that in real life; we'd just rather not spend an hour each week with them.
The Situation has gone from "likable jerk" to just a jerk
When we first met him, Sitch's constant ab flashing and casual chauvinism seemed charming somehow. (Admit it, you liked him too.) But now that we've spent three seasons with the guy, we can say this without hesitation: The guy is a grade-A jerk. He treats the women he brings home like garbage, he brazenly lies about how many of those girls he's actually hooked up with, and he inserts himself into other people's drama to get more screen time. Now we know why everyone else in the house seems to hate him.
They've ran out of catchphrases
We cherish the linguistic nuggets "Shore" has bestowed upon us thus far. Season 1 gave us "GTL" and "grenades"; Season 2 followed up with "T-shirt time" and "Cabs are here!" But sadly, it seems the Seaside quote machine is on the fritz this season; all we get now are tired retreads of their greatest hits. Can't MTV hire some writers to get in there and punch up the dialogue? Because the Shore Store needs some new phrases to iron onto their muscle Ts.
Deena is no Angelina
Deena was insulted when Vinny called her "Angelina" in the finale, but the comment just made us realize how much we actually miss Angelina. Say what you want about the former housemate (it can't be worse than calling her "the Staten Island Dump"), but at least she brought some conflict to the otherwise lovey-dovey "Shore" house. Meanwhile, Deena started out promisingly enough but now has settled into a Snooki Lite role that doesn't add much to the show. Somebody please buy Angelina a first-class ticket to Italy; it'd be worth it just to see the look on the rest of the cast's faces.
The show still hasn't established an interesting character outside the house
The "Shore" casting directors admittedly struck gold with the core cast, but it might help freshen things up if they could add a memorable non-roommate to the mix. Don't these people have friends in Jersey? (Or is MTV saving them all for the umpteen "Shore" spinoffs to follow?) The closest the show has come to establishing a decent supporting character is Vinny's lecherous Uncle Nino, who took a dip in the Jacuzzi with J-Woww and Snooki in Season 2. So let's get Nino a room in the Season 4 villa. He speaks Italian; maybe he could translate!
Coutesy of Yahoo!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
3 Filipinos were executed in China
Image via WikipediaVice President Jejomar Binay confirmed that the three Filipinos found guilty of drug trafficking were executed in China on Wednesday."I just want to inform you that our three compatriots have been executed," Binay told ABS-CBN television, citing information from the Philippine foreign affairs ministry.
In a statement, the Philippine government said that it has done everything in its power to stop the executions.
"We have been informed that Ramon Credo, Sally Ordinario-Villanueva, and Elizabeth Batain were administered lethal injections to carry out the sentence imposed by the courts of the People’s Republic of China this morning," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said.
"Our government had taken every available opportunity to appeal to the authorities of China for clemency in their cases, to which the Chinese government responded with a postponement of the execution. In the end, however, the sentence was imposed.
"The nation sympathized with the families of the condemned, sharing their sense of looming loss. We sympathize with these families now. Their deaths are a vivid lesson in the tragic toll the drug trade takes on entire families," she added.
The government spokesperson said that government will "ensure that the chain of victimization, as pushers entrap and destroy lives in pursuit of their trade, will be broken."
"Those who traffic in illegal drugs respect no laws, no boundaries, and have no scruples about destroying lives. Our response must be relentless, with government and the citizenry working together to ensure vigilance and mutual support to prevent our countrymen from being used by drug pushers as sacrificial pawns, whether at home or abroad," the spokesperson added.
With additional reports from Agence France Presse
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Dead toll to Japan's tragedy continues to rise
The estimated death toll from Japan's disasters climbed past 10,000 Sunday as authorities raced to combat the threat of multiple nuclear reactor meltdowns and hundreds of thousands of people struggled to find food and water. The prime minister said it was the nation's worst crisis since World War II.
Nuclear plant operators worked frantically to try to keep temperatures down in several reactors crippled by the earthquake and tsunami, wrecking at least two by dumping sea water into them in last-ditch efforts to avoid meltdowns. Officials warned of a second explosion but said it would not pose a health threat.
Near-freezing temperatures compounded the misery of survivors along hundreds of miles (kilometers) of the northeastern coast battered by the tsunami that smashed inland with breathtaking fury. Rescuers pulled bodies from mud-covered jumbles of wrecked houses, shattered tree trunks, twisted cars and tangled power lines while survivors examined the ruined remains.
One rare bit of good news was the rescue of a 60-year-old man swept away by the tsunami who clung to the roof of his house for two days until a military vessel spotted him waving a red cloth about 10 miles (15 kilometers) offshore.
The death toll surged because of a report from Miyagi, one of the three hardest hit states. The police chief told disaster relief officials more than 10,000 people were killed, police spokesman Go Sugawara told The Associated Press. That was an estimate — only 400 people have been confirmed dead in Miyagi, which has a population of 2.3 million.
According to officials, more than 1,800 people were confirmed dead — including 200 people whose bodies were found Sunday along the coast — and more than 1,400 were missing in Friday's disasters. Another 1,900 were injured.
For Japan, one of the world's leading economies with ultramodern infrastructure, the disasters plunged ordinary life into nearly unimaginable deprivation.
Hundreds of thousands of hungry survivors huddled in darkened emergency centers that were cut off from rescuers, aid and electricity. At least 1.4 million households had gone without water since the quake struck and some 1.9 million households were without electricity.
While the government doubled the number of soldiers deployed in the aid effort to 100,000 and sent 120,000 blankets, 120,000 bottles of water and 29,000 gallons (110,000 liters) of gasoline plus food to the affected areas, Prime Minister Naoto Kan said electricity would take days to restore. In the meantime, he said, electricity would be rationed with rolling blackouts to several cities, including Tokyo.
"This is Japan's most severe crisis since the war ended 65 years ago," Kan told reporters, adding that Japan's future would be decided by its response.
In Rikuzentakata, a port city of over 20,000 virtually wiped out by the tsunami, Etsuko Koyama escaped the water rushing through the third floor of her home but lost her grip on her daughter's hand and has not found her.
"I haven't given up hope yet," Koyama told public broadcaster NHK, wiping tears from her eyes. "I saved myself, but I couldn't save my daughter."
A young man described what ran through his mind before he escaped in a separate rescue. "I thought to myself, ah, this is how I will die," Tatsuro Ishikawa, his face bruised and cut, told NHK as he sat in striped hospital pajamas.
Japanese officials raised their estimate Sunday of the quake's magnitude to 9.0, a notch above the U.S. Geological Survey's reading of 8.9. Either way, it was the strongest quake ever recorded in Japan, which lies on a seismically active arc. A volcano on the southern island of Kyushu — hundreds of miles (kilometers) from the quake' epicenter — also resumed spewing ash and rock Sunday after a couple of quiet weeks, Japan's weather agency said.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2011/03/10/international/i222815S00.DTL#ixzz1GWmBA3nt
Friday, March 11, 2011
Massive quake unleashes tsunami on Japan
by Miwa Suzuki
TOKYO (AFP) – A massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake hit Japan on Friday, unleashing a monster 10-metre
Image via Wikipediahigh tsunami that sent ships crashing into the shore and carried cars through the streets of coastal towns.
Many injuries were reported from Pacific coastal areas of the main Honshu island and the capital Tokyo, police said, while TV footage showed widespread flooding in the area. One person was confirmed dead.
A powerful 10-metre (33 feet) wall of water was reported in Sendai in northeastern Miyagi prefecture, media reported after a four-metre wave hit the coast earlier.
Helicopter footage showed massive inundation in northern coastal towns, where floods of black water sent shipping containers, cars and debris crashing through towns.
Mud waves were shown racing upstream along the Natori river in Sendai city, blanketing farm fields.
In the capital, where millions evacuated strongly swaying buildings, multiple injuries were reported when the roof of a hall collapsed during a graduation ceremony, police said.
Plumes of smoke rose from at least 10 locations in city, where four million homes suffered power outages. Port areas were flooded, including the carpark of Tokyo Disneyland.
The first quake struck just under 400 kilometres (250 miles) northeast of Tokyo, the US Geological Survey said. It was followed by several aftershocks, one as strong as 7.1.
"We were shaken so strongly for a while that we needed to hold on to something in order not to fall," said an official at the local government of the hardest-hit city of Kurihara in Miyagi prefecture.
"We couldn't escape the building immediately because the tremors continued... City officials are now outside, collecting information on damage," she told AFP by telephone.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan quickly assembled his cabinet after the quake hit, and the government quickly dispatched naval vessels from near Tokyo to the worst-hit northeastern area of Miyagi.
The quake, which hit at 14:46 pm (0546 GMT) and lasted about two minutes, strongly rattled buildings in greater Tokyo, the world's largest urban area and home to some 30 million people.
At least 10 fires were reported in Tokyo, where the subway system stopped, sirens wailed and people streamed out of buildings.
Japan sits on the "Pacific Ring of Fire", which is dotted with volcanoes, and Tokyo is situated in one of its most dangerous areas.
A tsunami warning was issued for Japan, Taiwan, Russia and the Mariana Islands, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.
"An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines near the epicentre within minutes and more distant coastlines within hours," the centre said in a statement.
It also put the territories of Guam, the Philippines, the Marshall Islands, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Micronesia and Hawaii under a lower tsunami watch. Indonesia issued its own tsunami warning.
The quake sent the Nikkei share index plunging at the close while the yen fell sharply against the US dollar.
The mega-city of Tokyo sits on the intersection of three continental plates -- the Eurasian, Pacific and Philippine Sea plates -- which are slowly grinding against each other, building up enormous seismic pressure.
The government's Earthquake Research Committee has warned of a 70 percent chance that a great, magnitude-eight quake will strike within the next 30 years in the Kanto plains, home to Tokyo's vast urban sprawl.
The last time a "Big One" hit Tokyo was in 1923, when the Great Kanto Earthquake claimed more than 140,000 lives, many of them in fires. In 1855, the Ansei Edo quake also devastated the city.
In 1995 Kobe earthquake killed more then 6,400 people.
More than 220,000 people were killed when a 9.1-magnitude quake hit off Indonesia in 2004, unleashing a massive tsunami that devastated coastlines in countries around the Indian Ocean as far away as Africa.
Small quakes are felt every day somewhere in Japan and people take part in regular drills at schools and workplaces to prepare for a calamity.
Nuclear power plants and bullet trains are designed to automatically shut down when the earth rumbles and many buildings have been quake-proofed with steel and ferro-concrete at great cost in recent decades.
TOKYO (AFP) – A massive 8.9-magnitude earthquake hit Japan on Friday, unleashing a monster 10-metre
Image via Wikipediahigh tsunami that sent ships crashing into the shore and carried cars through the streets of coastal towns.Many injuries were reported from Pacific coastal areas of the main Honshu island and the capital Tokyo, police said, while TV footage showed widespread flooding in the area. One person was confirmed dead.
A powerful 10-metre (33 feet) wall of water was reported in Sendai in northeastern Miyagi prefecture, media reported after a four-metre wave hit the coast earlier.
Helicopter footage showed massive inundation in northern coastal towns, where floods of black water sent shipping containers, cars and debris crashing through towns.
Mud waves were shown racing upstream along the Natori river in Sendai city, blanketing farm fields.
In the capital, where millions evacuated strongly swaying buildings, multiple injuries were reported when the roof of a hall collapsed during a graduation ceremony, police said.
Plumes of smoke rose from at least 10 locations in city, where four million homes suffered power outages. Port areas were flooded, including the carpark of Tokyo Disneyland.
The first quake struck just under 400 kilometres (250 miles) northeast of Tokyo, the US Geological Survey said. It was followed by several aftershocks, one as strong as 7.1.
"We were shaken so strongly for a while that we needed to hold on to something in order not to fall," said an official at the local government of the hardest-hit city of Kurihara in Miyagi prefecture.
"We couldn't escape the building immediately because the tremors continued... City officials are now outside, collecting information on damage," she told AFP by telephone.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan quickly assembled his cabinet after the quake hit, and the government quickly dispatched naval vessels from near Tokyo to the worst-hit northeastern area of Miyagi.
The quake, which hit at 14:46 pm (0546 GMT) and lasted about two minutes, strongly rattled buildings in greater Tokyo, the world's largest urban area and home to some 30 million people.
At least 10 fires were reported in Tokyo, where the subway system stopped, sirens wailed and people streamed out of buildings.
Japan sits on the "Pacific Ring of Fire", which is dotted with volcanoes, and Tokyo is situated in one of its most dangerous areas.
A tsunami warning was issued for Japan, Taiwan, Russia and the Mariana Islands, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.
"An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines near the epicentre within minutes and more distant coastlines within hours," the centre said in a statement.
It also put the territories of Guam, the Philippines, the Marshall Islands, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Micronesia and Hawaii under a lower tsunami watch. Indonesia issued its own tsunami warning.
The quake sent the Nikkei share index plunging at the close while the yen fell sharply against the US dollar.
The mega-city of Tokyo sits on the intersection of three continental plates -- the Eurasian, Pacific and Philippine Sea plates -- which are slowly grinding against each other, building up enormous seismic pressure.
The government's Earthquake Research Committee has warned of a 70 percent chance that a great, magnitude-eight quake will strike within the next 30 years in the Kanto plains, home to Tokyo's vast urban sprawl.
The last time a "Big One" hit Tokyo was in 1923, when the Great Kanto Earthquake claimed more than 140,000 lives, many of them in fires. In 1855, the Ansei Edo quake also devastated the city.
In 1995 Kobe earthquake killed more then 6,400 people.
More than 220,000 people were killed when a 9.1-magnitude quake hit off Indonesia in 2004, unleashing a massive tsunami that devastated coastlines in countries around the Indian Ocean as far away as Africa.
Small quakes are felt every day somewhere in Japan and people take part in regular drills at schools and workplaces to prepare for a calamity.
Nuclear power plants and bullet trains are designed to automatically shut down when the earth rumbles and many buildings have been quake-proofed with steel and ferro-concrete at great cost in recent decades.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Charlie Sheen fired from "Two and A Half Men"
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Charlie Sheen was fired on Monday from his top-rated U.S. TV comedy "Two and A Half Men" after more than a week of insults to producers and manic interviews."After careful consideration, Warner Bros. Television has terminated Charlie Sheen's services on "Two and a Half Men" effective immediately," Warner Bros Television said in a statement.
Sheen, 45, is the highest paid actor on U.S. television and "Two and A Half Men" is the most popular comedy for network CBS which broadcasts the series.
But the remainder of the current season was cancelled 10 days ago after Sheen called producer and co-creator Chuck Lorre a "stupid, stupid little man."
The actor followed up with a week of rambling, sometimes manic, TV and radio interviews boasting that he is "winning" and has "tiger blood", while insisting he is drug-free and sober after a period of rehabilitation in January.
Sheen shrugged off Monday's firing with a characteristic mixture of nonchalance and more insults.
"This is very good news," he said in a statement obtained by celebrity website TMZ.com.
"They continue to be in breach, like so many whales. It is a big day of gladness at the Sober Valley Lodge because now I can take all of the bazillions, never have to look at whatshiscock again and I never have to put on those silly shirts for as long as this warlock exists in the terrestrial dimension."
HUGE FOLLOWING
A spokesman for Warner Bros. Television said on Monday that no decision had been made about the future of "Two and A Half Men". The comedy, in which Sheen plays a womanizing bachelor, is a huge generator of advertising revenue for CBS and makes millions in syndication rights for Warner Bros. Television.
Sheen had a contract with the TV show that runs through to the end of the 2012 TV season. He said last week that the roughly $2 million (1.2 million pounds) per episode he was being paid was too low and demanded $3 million an episode. His lawyer also threatened a lawsuit unless he was paid for the eight cancelled episodes this season.
Sheen's long time publicist quit a week ago saying he could no longer work effectively, and Sheen's fellow cast and crew have been largely silent in the face of his bizarre tirades.
But the actor has found a huge popular following. He has attracted a record two million Twitter followers in less than a week, and hosted a live webcast on Saturday that attracted more than 100,000 viewers.
Sirius XM radio launched a 24-hour channel last weekend exploring the media frenzy around Sheen's behaviour and his popular new catchphrases.
The actor was involved in a series of drug and alcohol-related incidents in 2010, and pleaded guilty in August to an assault on his now ex-wife. Production on "Two and A Half Men" was shut down in late January when Sheen was persuaded to enter rehab -- at his Los Angeles home -- after a 36-hour cocaine-fuelled party.
Audiences for "Two and a Half Men" have remained strong despite Sheen's rabble rousing. Original episodes attract about 14 million U.S. viewers a week, and some 10 million tune in to watch repeats.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant, Editing by Sandra Maler)
Monday, February 28, 2011
Natalie Portman wins Oscars' best actress
Image via WikipediaAFP News --- Natalie Portman won the best actress Oscar for her role in the disturbing ballet-themed thriller "Black Swan," at the 83rd Academy Awards.Portman had been frontrunner for her sexually-charged portrayal of a ballet dancer whose drive for perfection pushes her to the edge of madness. Her performance had already earned her prizes at the Golden Globes and Britain's BAFTAs.
British filmmaker Tom Hooper won the best director Oscar for historical drama "The King's Speech," at the 83rd Academy Awards.
Hooper, for whom it had been his first Oscar nomination, was an award-winning TV program maker before a big-screen career including 2009's with the soccer movie "The Damned United", starring Michael Sheen.
In other prizes, "Toy Story 3," the third instalment of the family-friendly franchise starring Woody, Buzz Lightyear and co. won best animated feature Oscar as expected.
And the best foreign film prize went to "In a Better World" by Denmark's star director Susanne Bier, who vanquished movies from Algeria, Canada, Greece and Mexico.
The Oscars is the culmination of the multi-billion movie industry's awards season and has been preceded by months or frantic campaigning for the coveted gold statuettes waiting to be handed out Sunday night.
Co-hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway started the show with a filmed skit in which they were transplanted into the main films nominated for best picture, with amusing results.
Man jumps to his death from LRT
MANILA, Philippines - The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) confirmed reports that a 35-year-old man instantly died after jumping off a station of LRT line 2 in Quezon City last Saturday. Blotter reports from the Quezon City Police Department revealed that a certain Elino Sordilla, Jr. of Cembo, Makati City had committed suicide when he jumped off the overhead LRT 2 Betty Go Belmonte station and landed on a construction site along Aurora Boulevard. The incident happened at about 3:30 p.m and the victim was immediately brought to San Juan Medical Center. He was pronounced dead on arrival by 5:30 p.m. His remains were brought to St. Mark Memorial Chapel in Sampaloc, Manila. Police found a breakup letter in the victim's possession but said they are still conducting further investigations on his motive for committing suicide. As of press time, the victim's ''legal'' family had not yet surfaced to claim his remains. LRTA spokesperson Hernando Cabrera confirmed that before the incident, Sordilla bought a ticket for a trip to the Santolan Station. He said the teller who sold Sordilla his ticket remembered the victim as ''uneasy'' and ''disoriented.'' ''When he got inside the station platform, our guards said they saw him walking just like other passengers. But every thing went very fast. It took him seconds to climb the station fence and finally jump off. They had the chance to blow their whistles to get his attention but it was too late to keep the victim from falling,'' Cabrera said. Since the police ruled the incident as a suicide, the LRTA holds no liability for Sordilla's death. But on the facility administrators' part, Cabrera said they will devise mechanisms to help prevent passengers from committing suicide within the premises of the train stations. ''It's hard to read the minds of each of our passengers especially when they flock during rush hours. But we will have internal discussions to help curb incidents like this,'' he added.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Maria Aragon gets standing ovation on Ellen DeGeneres Show
By Glenda Villena, For Yahoo! Southeast Asia Thursday February 24, 2011
It’s one dream after another fulfilled for 10-year-old Filipino-Canadian Maria Aragon.After getting a personal invitation from Lady Gaga to sing “Born This Way” with her in an upcoming Toronto concert, Maria has again achieved another milestone.
The young singer has appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show on Tuesday, February 22. Ellen first interviewed a relaxed but bubbly Maria who admitted being nervous about performing with Lady Gaga in the Toronto concert in March.
"She's [Lady Gaga] really up there and I'm only beginning," she told Ellen.
Maria also shared that she still could not believe that Lady Gaga actually liked her version of “Born This Way.” A video of her singing the Lady Gaga song uploaded to YouTube moved the pop star to tears. Days after Lady Gaga viewed Maria’s performance, both were conversing in a radio show aired from Winnipeg with the famous artist praising Maria, saying she reminded her why she was writing songs.
"Well it's not every day that you get to talk to a superstar you get feedback saying that you did great on a cover that's her song," Maria recounted.
Why the song “Born this Way?”
"It’s because of the meaning of the song. It's about just being yourself. God made you who you are and you're no different than anybody else."
Maria then performed “Born This Way” on the widely followed talk show to a standing ovation.
Ellen did not hide her admiration for Maria, who both sang and played keyboards during the live telecast.
"You did it! You sounded great! You sounded so good! How great is she? Ten years old!," Ellen said.
Maria’s “Born this Way' video has now garnered more than 12.6 million views on YouTube.
Here's a video of Maria's interview on "Ellen":
Gwyneth Paltrow to join Coldplay husband in UK charts
LONDON - Actress Gwyneth Paltrow looks set to enter the British music charts when the weekly ranking is confirmed, entering a domain normally dominated by husband and Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin.
Boosted by her appearance on the "Glee" television series aired this week in Britain, the 38-year-old Oscar winner is at number 24 with her version of "Singing in the Rain/Umbrella" and at number 29 with a cover of Cee Lo Green's "Forget You."
Combined with a third song which she performs on the TV show, tracks featuring Paltrow have sold more than 10,000 copies, according to midweek data provided by the Official Charts Company. The final chart positions are confirmed on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Grammy-winning British singer Adele looks set to retain her position at number one in the singles chart with "Someone Like You," the song she performed at last week's Brit awards.
And she looks set to top the album chart too with "21," so far outselling the rest of the top five combined.
Official Charts Company managing director Martin Talbot said: "The impact of Gwyneth Paltrow and the continuing Brits effect demonstrates how powerful TV can be in influencing music tastes and interests in the digital world.
"The Brits downloads started selling immediately after they were performed on TV, and the instant impact of this week's 'Glee' performances underlines the same power."
Report Courtesy of Yahoo!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Manila hostage tragedy survivor hit from outside bus
At least one survivor of the Manila hostage crisis on August 23 last year was hit by an object that came from outside of the bus where a dismissed policeman kept them in, a Hong Kong court was told on Tuesday.
According to a report of Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), a survivor told a Hong Kong inquest on Tuesday that "after being shot by the gunman, she was again hit in the head by something which came in through a window."
The hostage-taker, dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza shot Yik Siu-ling but an unknown object from outside the bus also hit her head.
"Yik Siu-ling told a Hong Kong inquest that she suffered a shattered jaw before being struck a second time by an unknown object from outside the vehicle," the RTHK report said.
Mendoza and eight Hong Kong tourists were killed following a botched police rescue attempt in the August 23, 2010 incident.
During the inquest, Yik also recounted that another passenger talked to Chinese Embassy representatives by phone.
The passenger was told they would be freed at 3:00 p.m. that day, the RTHK report said.
Earlier, the Hong Kong court was told that Mendoza initially did not appear to intend to hurt the hostages.
However, his mood changed drastically when he saw on a television monitor that the police were arresting his brother.
Some witnesses also testified that they had planned to overpower Mendoza, while others said they planned to take away his firearm. Both plans failed. – VVP, GMA News
According to a report of Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), a survivor told a Hong Kong inquest on Tuesday that "after being shot by the gunman, she was again hit in the head by something which came in through a window."
The hostage-taker, dismissed Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza shot Yik Siu-ling but an unknown object from outside the bus also hit her head.
"Yik Siu-ling told a Hong Kong inquest that she suffered a shattered jaw before being struck a second time by an unknown object from outside the vehicle," the RTHK report said.
Mendoza and eight Hong Kong tourists were killed following a botched police rescue attempt in the August 23, 2010 incident.
During the inquest, Yik also recounted that another passenger talked to Chinese Embassy representatives by phone.
The passenger was told they would be freed at 3:00 p.m. that day, the RTHK report said.
Earlier, the Hong Kong court was told that Mendoza initially did not appear to intend to hurt the hostages.
However, his mood changed drastically when he saw on a television monitor that the police were arresting his brother.
Some witnesses also testified that they had planned to overpower Mendoza, while others said they planned to take away his firearm. Both plans failed. – VVP, GMA News
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Skeletons found on Philippine clan's properties
MANILA (AFP) - – Investigators have found two apparent murder victims at properties owned by a Muslim clan accused of the Philippines' worst political massacre, the country's justice secretary said Sunday.
Forensics experts found the skeletons in shallow graves on Friday at a grassy field and a corn plantation owned by the Ampatuan family in southern Maguindanao province, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said.
"We have information as to their identities but we are still validating them before we can announce (their names) officially," de Lima told AFP.
The two were believed to be murder victims, she said, but did not elaborate.
The Ampatuan clan is accused of carrying out the murders of 57 people in November 2009 in Maguindanao, an impoverished province the family had controlled for over a decade.
The killings -- the worst political massacre in Philippine history -- were meant to stop a rival from another powerful family, Esmael Mangudadatu, from running for the provincial governorship.
The victims were relatives and supporters of Mangudadatu, who were to have filed his election nomination papers, as well as at least 32 local journalists who had travelled in the convoy.
Their bodies were later found in shallow pits and Andal Ampatuan Jnr, the clan patriarch's son and namesake, has gone on trial for the killings in Manila, where witnesses have testified he gunned down most of the victims.
Although the death toll is officially 57, a 33rd journalist, Humberto Momay, is believed to have been killed as well.
Confirmation of Momay's death would bring the toll to 58 but the Ampatuans are being prosecuted for only 57 murders because his body remains missing.
Apart from Ampatuan Jnr, five other senior clan members, including his father, were among 196 people charged in connection with the crime.
De Lima did not say Sunday whether the discovery of the skeletons would have an effect on the case, or whether the diggings were carried out as part of the prosecution's continuing investigation into the massacre.
She had earlier said that authorities were looking for alleged mass graves around Maguindanao believed to contain the remains of at least 200 past victims of the Ampatuan clan.
Report courtesy of Yahoo!
Forensics experts found the skeletons in shallow graves on Friday at a grassy field and a corn plantation owned by the Ampatuan family in southern Maguindanao province, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said.
"We have information as to their identities but we are still validating them before we can announce (their names) officially," de Lima told AFP.
The two were believed to be murder victims, she said, but did not elaborate.
The Ampatuan clan is accused of carrying out the murders of 57 people in November 2009 in Maguindanao, an impoverished province the family had controlled for over a decade.
The killings -- the worst political massacre in Philippine history -- were meant to stop a rival from another powerful family, Esmael Mangudadatu, from running for the provincial governorship.
The victims were relatives and supporters of Mangudadatu, who were to have filed his election nomination papers, as well as at least 32 local journalists who had travelled in the convoy.
Their bodies were later found in shallow pits and Andal Ampatuan Jnr, the clan patriarch's son and namesake, has gone on trial for the killings in Manila, where witnesses have testified he gunned down most of the victims.
Although the death toll is officially 57, a 33rd journalist, Humberto Momay, is believed to have been killed as well.
Confirmation of Momay's death would bring the toll to 58 but the Ampatuans are being prosecuted for only 57 murders because his body remains missing.
Apart from Ampatuan Jnr, five other senior clan members, including his father, were among 196 people charged in connection with the crime.
De Lima did not say Sunday whether the discovery of the skeletons would have an effect on the case, or whether the diggings were carried out as part of the prosecution's continuing investigation into the massacre.
She had earlier said that authorities were looking for alleged mass graves around Maguindanao believed to contain the remains of at least 200 past victims of the Ampatuan clan.
Report courtesy of Yahoo!
Taylor Swift charms Pinoy crowd; thanks Sam Concepcion for "awesome" performance
[FIRST READ ON PEP: Taylor Swift charms Pinoy crowd; thanks Sam Concepcion for ] FIRST READ ON PEP: Taylor Swift charms Pinoy crowd; thanks Sam Concepcion for "awesome" performance.
America's teen sweetheart Taylor Swift's one-and-a-half-hour, one-night-only concert at the Big Dome last night, February 19, was a huge success!
She received a warm welcome from thousands and thousands of Pinoys—ranging from 5 to 15 years old—who marked the concert date on their calendars as early as December 2010, when the annoucement was made that the pretty and popular Taylor was arriving.
SAM SHINES. At exactly 8:00 p.m., Sam Concepcion—who was handpicked by Taylor for the front act—owned the stage with his rendition of Chris Brown's "Yeah 3X," Carl Douglas's "Kung Fu Fighting," Katy Perry's "Firework," and his song "Even If."
Judging from his performance, spiced up by well-choreographed dance moves, the 18-year-old singer came well-prepared.
Another unforgettable moment for Sam was meeting Taylor backstage.
His manager Carlo Orosa related, "Very tight ang security. Pagkatapos nung meet-and-greet ng mga organizers, yung charities, at mga taga-Araneta, muntik nang hindi makalapit si Sam. Buti na lang, mabait yung manager."
Next thing Sam knew, he was face to face with the the dad of the 21-year-old country pop singer, Mr. Scott K. Swift.
The two had a brief chat, where Sam related that his career started in theater, and that he is now the country's Peter Pan.
Mr. Swift's face lit up and said his daughter trained in theater as well.
After a few minutes, Sam finally met the star of the show, whose greeting was, "You're awesome! They love you out there. Thanks for tweeting." Apparently, Taylor had read Sam's posts about her concert.
The blonde singer asked, "Are you going to watch the show?"
Sam replied, "Of course, I will."
Orosa witnessed the backstage scene, and described Taylor as "very lovable."
He added, "Nakita ko yung closet [niya], puno ng gitara. Ang dami!"
TAYLOR RULES. Forty-five minutes after Sam's set, Taylor emerged on stage.
She ended her opening song "Sparks Fly" with the intro spiel, "Magandang gabi po. Kumusta kayo?", naturally sent the crowd thrilling to the Pinoy greeting.
Her warmth and friendliness turned the concert into a screamfest, especially when she sang her "You Belong With Me," and told the crowd, "Mahal ko kayo."
Aside from singing, Taylor also showed off her guitar skills. The teen sensation learned to play the guitar when she was 10 years old.
Her finale "Love Story" had almost everyone singing with Taylor.
It was around 10:45 p.m. when the throng was seen leaving the venue. They went home with satisfied smiles on their faces, most of them exclaiming, "Sulit!"
America's teen sweetheart Taylor Swift's one-and-a-half-hour, one-night-only concert at the Big Dome last night, February 19, was a huge success!
She received a warm welcome from thousands and thousands of Pinoys—ranging from 5 to 15 years old—who marked the concert date on their calendars as early as December 2010, when the annoucement was made that the pretty and popular Taylor was arriving.
SAM SHINES. At exactly 8:00 p.m., Sam Concepcion—who was handpicked by Taylor for the front act—owned the stage with his rendition of Chris Brown's "Yeah 3X," Carl Douglas's "Kung Fu Fighting," Katy Perry's "Firework," and his song "Even If."
Judging from his performance, spiced up by well-choreographed dance moves, the 18-year-old singer came well-prepared.
Another unforgettable moment for Sam was meeting Taylor backstage.
His manager Carlo Orosa related, "Very tight ang security. Pagkatapos nung meet-and-greet ng mga organizers, yung charities, at mga taga-Araneta, muntik nang hindi makalapit si Sam. Buti na lang, mabait yung manager."
Next thing Sam knew, he was face to face with the the dad of the 21-year-old country pop singer, Mr. Scott K. Swift.
The two had a brief chat, where Sam related that his career started in theater, and that he is now the country's Peter Pan.
Mr. Swift's face lit up and said his daughter trained in theater as well.
After a few minutes, Sam finally met the star of the show, whose greeting was, "You're awesome! They love you out there. Thanks for tweeting." Apparently, Taylor had read Sam's posts about her concert.
The blonde singer asked, "Are you going to watch the show?"
Sam replied, "Of course, I will."
Orosa witnessed the backstage scene, and described Taylor as "very lovable."
He added, "Nakita ko yung closet [niya], puno ng gitara. Ang dami!"
TAYLOR RULES. Forty-five minutes after Sam's set, Taylor emerged on stage.
She ended her opening song "Sparks Fly" with the intro spiel, "Magandang gabi po. Kumusta kayo?", naturally sent the crowd thrilling to the Pinoy greeting.
Her warmth and friendliness turned the concert into a screamfest, especially when she sang her "You Belong With Me," and told the crowd, "Mahal ko kayo."
Aside from singing, Taylor also showed off her guitar skills. The teen sensation learned to play the guitar when she was 10 years old.
Her finale "Love Story" had almost everyone singing with Taylor.
It was around 10:45 p.m. when the throng was seen leaving the venue. They went home with satisfied smiles on their faces, most of them exclaiming, "Sulit!"
Monday, February 7, 2011
Angelo Reyes commits suicide
By Cynthia Balana
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 08:53:00 02/08/2011
MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE 2) Former Armed Forces Chief and Defense Secretary Angelo Tomas Reyes on Tuesday morning committed suicide by shooting himself in front of the grave of his mother at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City.
He was 65.
A close friend of Reyes called the Philippine Daily Inquirer to break the news, while Colonel Boogie De Leon, a former administrative officer of Reyes when he was AFP chief, said Reyes was rushed to the Quirino Hospital at about 7:45 a.m. to revive him. Members of his family could not be reached for comment.
De Leon said that Reyes’s son Jett called him up to inform him of the incident.
Reyes, who earlier suffered a mild stroke before the congressional investigations on the alleged AFP financial irregularities, said he could not take anymore the smear campaign against his name and his family.
“Not my family,” he said.
Reyes, who loved his mother very much when she was still alive, earlier told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in an interview that he would never do anything that would besmirch the name of “my good mother.”
In a press conference aired on radio and television, Health Secretary Enrique Ona confirmed Reyes has died from gunshot wound to the heart. He said Reyes was proclaimed dead on arrival at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.
Ona said the doctors tried to resuscitate Reyes who was brought to the hospital at 7:30 a.m. from Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City where he visited the grave of his mother.
Ona refused to say what caused the gunshot wounds and could not determine the kind of gun used, saying all these were under investigation.
He “was brought here to the emergency room, wala nang pulso at di na humihinga. Nilagyan ng tubo at nag-resuscitation, swero, binigyan ng gamot. But after 45 minutes, which means that at 8:32 a.m., talagang wala na (without pulse and not breathing. He was tubated and resuscitated, put on IV. But after 45 minutes, which means that at 8:32 a.m., he’s really gone)."
He had a gunshot wound to the heart and an external wound to the back.
Reyes, a graduate of Philippine Military Academy Class ’66, was AFP chief under President Joseph Estrada, and secretary of defense, interior and local government, and energy during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from 2001 to 2003. He graduated as the class valedictorian in high school and was among the top ten graduates of the PMA.
He went on to obtain two masteral degrees, namely: Masters in Business Administration from Asian Institute of Management in 1973 and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1991. He also took up International Defense Management Course in Monterey, California in 1983.
In 1987, he graduated No. 1 in Trust Operations Management Course conducted by the Trust Institutes Foundation of the Philippines at the Ateneo Business School which eventually earned him a scholarship to the Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois.
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 08:53:00 02/08/2011
MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE 2) Former Armed Forces Chief and Defense Secretary Angelo Tomas Reyes on Tuesday morning committed suicide by shooting himself in front of the grave of his mother at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City.
He was 65.
A close friend of Reyes called the Philippine Daily Inquirer to break the news, while Colonel Boogie De Leon, a former administrative officer of Reyes when he was AFP chief, said Reyes was rushed to the Quirino Hospital at about 7:45 a.m. to revive him. Members of his family could not be reached for comment.
De Leon said that Reyes’s son Jett called him up to inform him of the incident.
Reyes, who earlier suffered a mild stroke before the congressional investigations on the alleged AFP financial irregularities, said he could not take anymore the smear campaign against his name and his family.
“Not my family,” he said.
Reyes, who loved his mother very much when she was still alive, earlier told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in an interview that he would never do anything that would besmirch the name of “my good mother.”
In a press conference aired on radio and television, Health Secretary Enrique Ona confirmed Reyes has died from gunshot wound to the heart. He said Reyes was proclaimed dead on arrival at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.
Ona said the doctors tried to resuscitate Reyes who was brought to the hospital at 7:30 a.m. from Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City where he visited the grave of his mother.
Ona refused to say what caused the gunshot wounds and could not determine the kind of gun used, saying all these were under investigation.
He “was brought here to the emergency room, wala nang pulso at di na humihinga. Nilagyan ng tubo at nag-resuscitation, swero, binigyan ng gamot. But after 45 minutes, which means that at 8:32 a.m., talagang wala na (without pulse and not breathing. He was tubated and resuscitated, put on IV. But after 45 minutes, which means that at 8:32 a.m., he’s really gone)."
He had a gunshot wound to the heart and an external wound to the back.
Reyes, a graduate of Philippine Military Academy Class ’66, was AFP chief under President Joseph Estrada, and secretary of defense, interior and local government, and energy during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from 2001 to 2003. He graduated as the class valedictorian in high school and was among the top ten graduates of the PMA.
He went on to obtain two masteral degrees, namely: Masters in Business Administration from Asian Institute of Management in 1973 and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 1991. He also took up International Defense Management Course in Monterey, California in 1983.
In 1987, he graduated No. 1 in Trust Operations Management Course conducted by the Trust Institutes Foundation of the Philippines at the Ateneo Business School which eventually earned him a scholarship to the Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Facebook Shutting Down on March 2011?
The Facebook shutting down March 15 rumor has gone viral and is still going strong. The cause of it still baffles the social network users, but there is no evidence of this actually being fact.
There are a couple of things that occurred that could have sparked such a rumor. Last month, Yahoo announced that on March 15 their “Yahoo Video” will be closing down. Videos will last be accessible on March 14th.
Also, a large investment of $500 million by Goldman Sachs and a reporter who wrote his opinion on the matter could have sparked the rumor. An investment of that size means that the over $7 billion company is still going strong and will not be shutting the doors for their over 500 million users.
When it was first reported that Goldman Sachs had invested such a large sum of money, a reporter wrote a piece, strictly opinion, on how the investment would possibly end Facebook. In conjunction with “Yahoo Video” ending on March 15, perhaps the messages were crossed, hence the birth of the rumor.
Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, has not made an official statement to the press about any of the rumors, but several social network users are beginning to question what they would do without Facebook.
Read more: http://www.thirdage.com/news/facebook-shutting-down-march-15-birth-rumor_1-9-2011#ixzz1AaOvvOms
Report Courtesy of Yahoo!
There are a couple of things that occurred that could have sparked such a rumor. Last month, Yahoo announced that on March 15 their “Yahoo Video” will be closing down. Videos will last be accessible on March 14th.
Also, a large investment of $500 million by Goldman Sachs and a reporter who wrote his opinion on the matter could have sparked the rumor. An investment of that size means that the over $7 billion company is still going strong and will not be shutting the doors for their over 500 million users.
When it was first reported that Goldman Sachs had invested such a large sum of money, a reporter wrote a piece, strictly opinion, on how the investment would possibly end Facebook. In conjunction with “Yahoo Video” ending on March 15, perhaps the messages were crossed, hence the birth of the rumor.
Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, has not made an official statement to the press about any of the rumors, but several social network users are beginning to question what they would do without Facebook.
Read more: http://www.thirdage.com/news/facebook-shutting-down-march-15-birth-rumor_1-9-2011#ixzz1AaOvvOms
Report Courtesy of Yahoo!
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