Saturday, January 30, 2010

Scenes of survival and of death in desperate Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – They are the latest scenes of survival and of death in Haiti's deadliest disaster — a looter shot dead for breaking into an appliance store and crowds erecting new houses on shaky ground.

More than two weeks have passed since an earthquake destroyed much of Haiti's capital and left a vacuum of power over who should rebuild the country.

In a snapshot of the growing desperation, a private security guard fatally shot a looter who joined with others in breaking into a damaged appliance store in the commercial district Friday. As young scavengers carted away ovens, refrigerators and an air conditioner, an Associated Press journalist watched as the guard arrived firing an automatic pistol.

About a dozen soldiers from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division rushed to calm the situation but it was too late. The looter lay dead, face-down at the bottom of the stairs, splattered in blood.

Other Haitians are trying to focus on getting on with life, but the mood is grim everywhere.

"The situation is only getting worse," said Josielle Noel, 46, who was among dozens of people pooling their labor to start rebuilding in the concrete slum of Canape Vert, an area devastated by the quake.

Noel's house partially collapsed in the Jan. 12 earthquake. Two more small aftershocks shook parts of the capital Friday, although new damage is hard to spot in a landscape of buildings cracked, partially collapsed or flattened.

Tired of waiting for government help, the families lugged heavy bundles of wood and tin up steep hillsides to start rebuilding new homes on top of old ones.

Few tents have been supplied to the quake's survivors, rubble remains and signs begging for help in English — not Haitian Creole — dot nearly every street corner in Port-au-Prince.

It could take weeks to get the 200,000 tents needed for Haiti's homeless, said Marie-Laurence Jocelyn Lassegue, the culture and communications minister. Haiti now has fewer than 5,000 donated tents and coordinating the aid operation remains a problem.

"I have 44 years' worth of memories in this house," said Noel Marie Jose, 44, whose family was reinforcing crumbling walls with tin and wood in Canape Vert.

Houses on their side of a mountain were nearly all destroyed while dwellings on the other side remained intact.

"I got married here. I met my husband here. My mother braided my hair there, where these walls used to stand," Jose said. "Even if it's unsafe, I can't imagine leaving. Even if the government helps, it will come too late. This is how it is in Haiti."

Surrounding her, concrete homes were either crushed or had toppled down a hill. Jose and other families said they were worried both about the coming rainy season and fear they may lose their plots after demolitions because they either lack clear title or the government does not want them to rebuild on land it considers unsafe.

Reconstruction, resettlement and land titles are all priorities of the government of President Rene Preval — but so far in name only.

The government has been nearly paralyzed by the quake — its own infrastructure, including the National Palace, was destroyed — and so far it has been limited to appeals for foreign aid and meetings with foreign donors that have yet to produce detailed plans for the emergencies it confronts.

Its first priority is moving people from areas prone to more quakes and landslides into tent cities that have sanitation and security but have yet to be built. Preval held dozens of meetings with potential outside contractors to discuss debris removal, sanitation and other long-term needs.

Albert Ramdin, assistant secretary of the Organization of American States, has offered help in creating a new Haitian land registry — a process that could take months if not years because countless government records were destroyed in the quake.

Haitians ardently defend their property rights. If a family has occupied land for more than 10 years, they gain ownership rights even without a deed. For some families, small homes have been passed down through generations. Few Haitians have insurance, and the loss of what few assets they have has crippled countless families.

Many have tired of living in tents improvised from tarps, sheets and bedspreads, opting to rebuild their homes rather than find new plots.

Lassegue, the communications minister, said such rebuilding won't be tolerated — and the government wants to develop and implement a comprehensive reconstruction plan that might feature building codes, an anomaly in this impoverished nation.

"We've been sleeping outside but the rains will come soon," said Merilus Lovis, 27, taking wooden planks and erecting them for walls inside the foundation of his former home, where his wife and daughter died. "I'm scared of the floods on this hillside but I don't think that God would let such bad things happen twice."

Paul Louis, a 45-year-old porter, has started a business buying wood from scavengers and selling it on the street. He purchased a cracked and worn 1-by-8-foot board for about $2 and was selling it Friday for $3.

"People are afraid to build with concrete now," Louis said.

In another neighborhood, people dug through destroyed homes to salvage materials. Women did the wash amid the ruins.

"I have stayed, but I lost my home," said Thomas Brutus, who lives perched precariously on a debris-strewn hillside in a shack made from the remains of destroyed homes. "So I made this little house, even though I know it's dangerous. We have been here for 14 days and have received no help."

Many residents say they're staying because they grow vegetables on their small plots. Thousands of others have swarmed to improvised tent camps, where Elisabeth Byrs, an official of the U.N.'s humanitarian coordination office, said there is a "major concern" about sanitation.

About 200,000 people are in need of post-surgery follow-up treatment and an unknown number have untreated injuries, she said.

___

Associated Press writers Evens Sanon and Michelle Faul contributed to this report.

Introducing iPad

The best way to experience the web, email, photos, and video. Hands Down!

All of the built-in apps on iPad were designed from the ground up to take advantage of the large Multi-Touch screen. And they work in any orientation. So you can do things with these apps that you can’t do on any other device.


Safari

The large Multi-Touch screen on iPad lets you see web pages as they were meant to be seen — one page at a time. With vibrant color and sharp text. So whether you’re looking at a page in portrait or landscape, you can see everything at a size that’s actually readable. And with iPad, navigating the web has never been easier or more intuitive. Because you use the most natural pointing device there is: your finger. Scroll through a page just by flicking your finger up or down on the screen. Or pinch to zoom in or out on a photo. There’s also a thumbnail view that shows all your open pages in a grid, to let you quickly move from one page to the next.

Mail

See and touch your email in ways you never could before. In landscape, you get a split-screen view showing both an opened email and the messages in your inbox. To see the opened email by itself, turn iPad to portrait, and the email automatically rotates and fills the screen. No matter which orientation you use, you can scroll through your mail, compose a new email using the large, onscreen keyboard, or delete messages with nothing more than a tap and a flick. If someone emails you a photo, you can see it right in the message. You can also save the photos in an email directly to the built-in Photos app. And iPad works with all the most popular email providers, including MobileMe, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Hotmail, and AOL.

Photos

With its crisp, vibrant display and unique software features, iPad is an extraordinary way to enjoy and share your photos. For example, the Photos app displays the photos in an album as though they were in a stack. Just tap the stack, and the whole album opens up. From there, you can flip through your pictures, zoom in or out, or watch a slideshow. You can even use your iPad as a beautiful digital photo frame while it’s is docked or charging. And there are lots of ways to import photos: You can sync them from your computer, download them from an email, or import them directly from your camera using the optional Camera Connection Kit.

Video

The large, high-resolution screen makes iPad perfect for watching any kind of video: from HD movies and TV shows to podcasts and music videos. Switch between widescreen and full screen with a double-tap. Because iPad is essentially one big screen, with no distracting keypad or buttons, you feel completely immersed in whatever you’re watching.

YouTube

The YouTube app organizes videos so they’re easy to see and navigate. To watch one, just tap it. When you’re watching in landscape, the video automatically plays in full screen. And with its high-resolution display, iPad makes the latest HD YouTube videos look positively amazing.

iPod

With the iPod app, all your music is literally at your fingertips. Browse by album, song, artist, or genre with a simple flick. To play a song, just tap it. iPad even displays album art at full size. Listen to your music with the powerful built-in speaker or with wired or Bluetooth wireless headphones.

iTunes

A tap of the iTunes store icon lets you browse and buy music, TV shows, and podcasts — or buy and rent movies — wirelessly, right from your iPad. Choose from thousands of movies and TV shows (in both standard and high definition), along with thousands of podcasts and millions of songs. Preview songs before you buy them. Or just sync iPad with the content you already have in your iTunes library on your Mac or PC.

App Store

iPad runs almost 140,000 apps from the App Store. Everything from games to business apps and more. And new apps designed specially for iPad are highlighted, so you can easily find the ones that take full advantage of its features. Just tap the App Store icon on the screen to browse, buy, and download apps wirelessly, right to the iPad.

iBooks

The iBooks app is a great new way to read and buy books.* Download the free app from the App Store and buy everything from classics to best sellers from the built-in iBookstore. Once you’ve bought a book, it’s displayed on your Bookshelf. Just tap it to start reading. The high-resolution, LED-backlit screen displays everything in sharp, rich color, so it’s easy to read, even in low light.

Maps

See more of the world with high-resolution satellite and street view images. Even see topography with the new terrain view. You can also search for a nearby business type (“Restaurant,” for example), then tap the business to see the route and directions from your current location.

Notes

With its expansive display and large, onscreen keyboard, iPad makes jotting down notes easy. In landscape view, you see not only a note-taking page but a list of all your notes. iPad even circles the current note in red, so you can see where you are at a glance.

Calendar

iPad makes it easy to stay on schedule by displaying day, week, month, or list views of your calendar. You can see an overview of a whole month or the details of a single day. iPad even shows multiple calendars at once, so you can manage work and family schedules at the same time.

Contacts

The Contacts app on iPad makes finding names, numbers, and other important information quicker and easier than ever before. A new view lets you see both your complete contacts list and a single contact simultaneously. Need directions? Tap an address inside a contact and iPad automatically opens Maps.

Home Screen

The Home Screen gives you one-tap access to everything on iPad. You can customize your Home Screen by adding your favorite apps and websites or using your own photos as the background. And you can move apps around to arrange them in any order you want.

Spotlight Search

Spotlight Search allows you to search across iPad and all of its built-in apps, including Mail, Contacts, Calendar, iPod, and Notes. It even searches apps you’ve downloaded from the App Store. So no matter what you’re looking for, it’s never more than a few taps away.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Starting from scratch in Haiti's Port-au-Prince ruins


Speaking to an American audience on C-SPAN, the Haitian ambassador to the United States recently sketched an optimistic future for the island nation's capital city Port-au-Prince — a smaller, well-built city to replace the teeming, chaotic and shoddily built sprawl of almost 3 million people that was virtually wiped away by the Jan. 12 earthquake.

"There is a silver lining," Raymond Joseph said. "What was not politically possible, was done by the earthquake. We will rebuild differently. ... The future of Haiti will be very different from the past."

Will it? Only if the Haitian government and the international community manage to overcome long-standing obstacles of poverty and poor governance that have dogged the country for decades.

Experts in foreign development and disaster say there are few modern parallels with the Haiti earthquake — a profound catastrophe striking at the urban heart of a national capital, crippling the institutions of the whole country that was already beleaguered and without a fully functioning government.

"I think Bosnia, Sarajevo," said J. Brian Atwood, who led the U.S. Agency for International Development under President Clinton. "Never have I seen anything this bad in one urban area."

Not only did the earthquake take untold lives, it destroyed the core of authority: the National Palace, the parliament, the police headquarters and 13 of the government's 15 ministries. And the two surviving ministries have been declared unsafe. Entire neighborhoods may have to be razed and rebuilt.

The government was weak before the quake, struggling to provide even basic services to an impoverished population while trying to shed its reputation as one of the most corrupt nations in the world.

Where to start?

With so many obstacles, and no ready blueprint, the reconstruction of Port-au-Prince will be a minefield of hard questions with no clear answer, experts say.

"The first question is, whose Port-au-Prince is being rebuilt?" said Lawrence Vale, an urban-planning professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology specializing in disaster recovery. "Who is really empowered here? And where will the resources that come from outside be targeted?"

The scale and strategy of the reconstruction are so far unknown. The United Nations will convene a meeting of foreign ministers this week in Montreal to begin discussing long-term plans.

But the Haitian government already has taken steps to establish settlements for evacuees outside Port-au-Prince that could become permanent, while shrinking the old capital's footprint. Experts warn, however, that such mass-relocation schemes in other catastrophes have usually failed, because they isolate people from the jobs and economic opportunity that drew them to the city in the first place.

"These solutions will always be temporary unless there is the support of job creation," said Haitian businesswoman Youri Mevs, whose family runs some of the country's largest private enterprises.

The head of the International Monetary Fund has called for a Haiti "Marshall Plan," invoking the reconstruction efforts in Germany and Japan after World War II. But development experts caution that any long-term plans must not be imposed on Haiti by outsiders.

"The real fear is a large agency is going to come in and dictate how Port-au-Prince gets rebuilt, and you end up in this situation where there is a lot of fear and resentment," said Cameron Sinclair of the nonprofit Architects for Humanity, which has worked in disasters worldwide.

The ultimate cost is anyone's guess, although at a weekend discussion of architects, academics and government officials under a tree in Petionville, the number $3 billion was offered by Patrick Delatour, an architect and Haiti's minister of tourism charged with evaluating the destruction.

That figure, covering publicly owned buildings and new homes for some quake victims, broke down like this: $2 billion for schools and health facilities, $500 million for parks, hotels and other infrastructure rehabilitation and $500 million for courthouses, jails and government ministries. It also includes a proposal to build 20 villages of 1,000 new homes each with schools and health facilities. Delatour warned the number was only an early estimate and could easily spiral much higher.

Decades

Virtually everyone agrees that any recovery will take decades.

Through the ages, cities have received death blows. Almost 2,000 years ago, Pompeii was buried by volcanic ash from Mount Vesuvius. Less than 15 years ago, much of the Caribbean island of Montserrat was engulfed by pyroclastic flows. Its capital, Plymouth, is now a graveyard of buildings, half buried in volcanic debris. A new capital is being built on another part of the island.

Sometimes cities recover. Nagasaki and Hiroshima made comebacks after being blown apart and poisoned with radiation during World War II. And San Francisco, wrecked in a 1906 earthquake and fire, launched an ambitious reconstruction effort within days.

On Dec. 23, 1972, an earthquake destroyed 600 blocks of Nicaragua's capital, killing more than 10,000 people. The world responded, but the regime of President Anastasio Somoza siphoned off the aid. Managua's downtown was never rebuilt and today remains in ruins. The quake fueled Nicaraguans' dissatisfaction with Somoza, who was eventually was overthrown.

Haiti's magnitude-7 earthquake was even worse than Nicaragua's because — in addition to killing an estimated 200,000 people and leaving 2 million homeless — it left the country virtually without a functioning government. It wrecked the presidential palace, parliament, government ministries, the U.N. headquarters and the Roman Catholic cathedral, among thousands of other structures.

Ben Ramalingam, who studies disasters around the world and the effectiveness of the responses, argues that Haiti is worse off than the dozen countries swamped by the tsunami, because they at least still had working governments that could help citizens and channel aid.

Where there has been a functioning state, there have been other impressive results. In 1985, Mexico City experienced an earthquake even bigger than Haiti's, a magnitude 8.1, but few signs of it remain. Skyscrapers, with earthquake-proof design, have gone up.

Even in more advanced countries with strong governments, rebuilding from earthquakes can be long, complicated and expensive.

The Chinese government completely redesigned the city of Tangshan after a 1976 earthquake — rendering a new and larger city within six years.

"The central government was ordering what province would deliver what, where and when. It's the opposite extreme of Haiti," Vale said.

After an earthquake shattered the city of Kobe, Japan, in 1995, the Japanese government invested some $58 billion in the four-year reconstruction effort.

Haiti, on the other hand, will have to rely almost exclusively on foreign assistance: The country has a federal budget of just under $1 billion a year, and at least half of its revenue comes from foreign aid.

So the new Port-au-Prince may end up resembling Managua, where sections of the Nicaraguan capital remain in ruins today from an earthquake 37 years ago.

"Building back better is very expensive. In a place where the resources are very limited, that can be an empty call," Vale said.

Given the circumstances, experts say the best scenario for Haiti would have massive amounts of foreign aid channeled through nongovernmental organizations, both large and small, financing grass-roots programs to rebuild neighborhoods, with technical assistance supplied by the United States — while the government focuses on infrastructure and rebuilding important civic structures.

If Haiti is ever to lessen its reliance on foreign aid, however, it also must seize the chance to build up its relatively small private sector, said Mevs, whose family controls a large chunk of it. The key will be forging joint ventures with U.S. companies that can provide financing and expertise.

"There are Haitian companies that have the capacity to rebuild homes and ports, but there are not enough of them. If you're looking for skills, you will find them locally. If you're looking for capacity that will meet the magnitude of the need, no," Mevs said in Miami.

Rebuilding

Reconstruction — informal and unregulated — will probably begin long before any long-range plan takes hold. Residents accustomed to scavenging and desperate for shelter may simply rebuild shantytowns rather than wait months or years for government action. Families with remittances from relatives abroad may also get a head start on rebuilding.

NGOs also will likely begin tackling small-scale projects, like homes and schools, just as many did before the earthquake — though perhaps with help from outside architects and engineers, with stronger quake resistance.

Architecture for Humanity's Sinclair said he already is talking to groups in Haiti about providing designs for simple schools and homes like those it developed in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami.

"USAID can go and hire some big contractor, but that's not what we're going to do," Sinclair said.

To be successful, any Port-au-Prince reconstruction plan must incorporate strong building standards and better planning, to minimize the effects of future earthquakes or storms, said Richard Stuart Olson, a Florida International University political-science professor who studies the political effects of disasters.

"Who is going to enforce plan review, engineering, design and construction? This will fall to the international community, or the U.N. or U.S.," Olson said.

Joseph, the Haitian ambassador, told C-SPAN that building rules could be enforced if the future Port-au-Prince is smaller. Before the earthquake, he said, any Haitian could take "two bricks and mortar and build and say, 'This is my house.' "

In an effort to move homeless victims out of Port-au-Prince, a Brazilian team already has started bulldozing Croix-des-Bouquets, eight miles outside the city, to make way for temporary housing for 10,000 people. A second location in Tabarre near the U.S. embassy also has been identified for 4,000 people and many other areas inside the city may end up also getting cleared to bare ground.

150,000 Haiti Quake Victims Buried, Gov't Says

More than 150,000 Haiti quake victims buried; food reaches survivors, but 'we need more'

The truckers filling Haiti's mass graves with bodies reported ever higher numbers: More than 150,000 quake victims have been buried by the government, an official said Sunday.
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That doesn't count those still under the debris, carried off by relatives or killed in the outlying quake zone.

"Nobody knows how many bodies are buried in the rubble — 200,000? 300,000? Who knows the overall death toll?" said the official, Communications Minister Marie-Laurence Jocelyn Lassegue.

Dealing with the living, meanwhile, a global army of aid workers was getting more food into people's hands, but acknowledged falling short. "We wish we could do more, quicker," said U.N. World Food Program chief Josette Sheeran, visiting Port-au-Prince.

In the Cite Soleil slum, U.S. soldiers and Brazilian U.N. peacekeeping troops distributed food. Lunie Marcelin, 57, said the handouts will help her and six grown children "but it is not enough. We need more."

Yet another aftershock, one of more than 50 since the great quake Jan. 12, shook Port-au-Prince on Sunday, registering 4.7 magnitude, the U.S. Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of further damage.

The Haitian government was urging many of the estimated 600,000 homeless huddled in open areas of Port-au-Prince, a city of 2 million, to look for better shelter with relatives or others in the countryside. Some 200,000 were believed already to have done so, most taking advantage of free government transportation, and others formed a steady stream out of the city on Sunday.

International experts searched for sites to erect tent cities for quake refugees on the capital's outskirts, but such short-term solutions were still weeks away, said the International Organization for Migration, an intergovernmental agency.

"We also need tents. There is a shortage of tents," said Vincent Houver, the Geneva-based agency's chief of mission in Haiti. Their Port-au-Prince warehouse has 10,000 family-size tents, but some 100,000 are needed, he said. The organization has appealed for $30 million for that and other needs, and has received two-thirds of that so far.

Recessionomics 101: How to Make Extra Money

Jennifer Winslow wanted to earn some extra cash without giving up the flexibility of working part time.

An avid cook, she and a friend initially planned to cater meals for busy families. When that turned out to be too time consuming, she tried baking. More than five years later, she has a thriving bakery business in Winslow, Maine (her husband's family has been in town a long time).

Now on her own, she supplies four restaurants with cakes and other sweets and makes desserts for individuals and weddings.

A growing number of Americans would like to follow Mrs. Winslow's example. Job loss, tighter credit and a renewed appreciation for savings is persuading more people to cut expenses.

But you can cut only so far. Two full years of recession have not left many unexamined family expenses. Meanwhile, prices -- from gasoline to utilities to food -- haven't fallen. And incomes, if you still have one, aren't exactly shooting through the roof. It's time to make some money.

Fortunately, there also are many ways to earn extra cash even when full-time jobs and extra shifts aren't an option. They include taking in boarders, starting a small business and getting paid for your opinion. Some of this work provides only a free meal and $10 fee but others, such as tutoring or selling Grandma's diamond broach, could be quite lucrative.

The key, according to Gail Cunningham, a spokeswoman for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, is to "find your skill or what you think would be fun to do." She says, for example, someone with computer skills may want to teach a class, install computers or create Web sites.

"Think about what are people willing to pay for," says Ms. Cunningham. "Who do you know and how can you leverage existing relationships." For example, does your dentist need someone to clean the office or does your accountant need someone to cater the Christmas party?

1. Sell It: One of the fastest and easiest ways to get extra cash is to sell unwanted and unused stuff. And it's never been easier to make hundreds or even thousands of dollars. You could post a few signs in the neighborhood and sell everything at a Saturday garage sale or you could try the online route with services such as eBay or Craigslist.

Linda Lightman first tried eBay more than 10 years ago because she wanted to help her sons get more for their old videogames. It was so easy that the former lawyer started selling her old suits. Then, friends asked her to sell theirs.

Today, shoplindasstuff.com has 50 employees and expects to reach $7 million in sales this year on eBay. "The economy has been the perfect storm for my business," Ms. Lightman says. "More people need cash, and more people are looking for bargains."

Auction houses also are a popular place to sell potentially valuable items. Alexander Eblen, head of the jewelry and fine timepieces department at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers in Chicago, says people often don't realize the value of an old watch or grandmother's Art Deco jewelry. For example, a Tiffany broach recently sold for about $68,000.

Don't overlook some of the more mundane items, such as books and sports equipment. Many bookstores provide cash or store credits for "gently" used books. Similarly, stores like Play It Again Sports provide cash and store credits for gently used sports equipment. Check with local stores but they often need golf clubs, ice skates, lacrosse equipment and other gear.

2. Rent It: Your home, probably your biggest asset, is a potential source of extra cash. A growing number of people are renting out a room or grabbing a roommate for extra income. It's less difficult for residents in "destination" locations near colleges, resorts or cities to rent a room or even the house for a few weeks, months or long term.

Some homeowners prefer using a real-estate agent, others like finding renters themselves, online or through friends. Either way, it's crucial to vet the potential tenant and spell out expectations. Rents vary from a few hundred dollars to thousands in large cities.

Another option that's a longtime favorite of students and young adults is earning extra cash for house and pet sitting.

3. Say It: Many businesses are willing to reward individuals for taking opinion polls, testing products or being a secret shopper. The compensation varies, and it's crucial to avoid scams. Work only with reputable companies and avoid anything that requires a membership fee. One place to start is OpinionPlace.com, which lets poll participants choose Amazon.com gift cards, PayPal credits or American Airlines AAdvantage miles. There also are stores such as CVS, whose Advisor program provides consumers who complete surveys with ExtraBucks coupons.

People won't make much but they might have fun working in a focus group or evaluating products or services as a mystery shopper. Once again, watch out for scams. Don't pay any fees or respond to unsolicited emails. A good place to start is Volition.com or Mysteryshop.org, the Web site for the Mystery Shopping Providers Association.

4. Do It: One of the best ways to earn extra cash is by creating a business using existing skills and interests. An artist may teach a class, a photographer may do weddings and a sports enthusiast may referee or caddy.

"What are you volunteering for that you could get paid for?" asks Ms. Cunningham. She says it could be as simple as getting paid for office work or watching your child's classmate after school.

One of the most popular and lucrative part-time jobs is to tutor, either for a college-prep class or a specific subject. Typical pay ranges from $30 to more than $100 an hour, depending on where you live.

Mrs. Winslow always loved to cook. "People would always ask me if I could bring the dessert if I was going somewhere for dinner," she says.

A master at multitasking, she works about 20 hours a week for Jennifer's Edibles. Her advice: "Start small and do things that are manageable. Don't get so overwhelmed that you want to quit."

Write to Jilian Mincer at jilian.mincer@dowjones.com

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Farmville Cheats - Facebook Farmville Cheat, Tricks, Glitches and Hacks

Facebook games are becoming increasingly popular. To get ahead, people are trying to look for cheats, tricks, glitches and hacks that could get them to advance faster in the game. One of the most popular games is Zynga's "Farmville." Farmville cheats and tricks are becoming demand. Good thing Bryan's Blog is here to provide you the cheats and tricks in Farmville that you are looking for. Some other Facebook game cheats you may find in Bryan's Blog are Farm Town, Pet Society, Restaurant City, Mafia Wars, Happy Aquarium and Yoville.

Bryan's Blog tries to provide you the Facebook game tips and tricks that you are looking for. Everyday, the site is updated to show new cheats on Farmville games so I urge you to check the ite regularly. Here are Famville cheats that you may find useful:



For this cheat, you will need 10 plots that are empty or need to be plowed. After that, calculate how much money you will be needing to plant what you really want to harvest (examplefor exam watermelons that take 4 days to harvest but sell for 348 FarmVille coins). Reserve 1300 FarmVille coins for seeds planting and 150 coins for plowing those future watermelon plots, you will be not planting watermelons right away in these plots so be patient. To start this FarmVille cheat that really works, plow your 10 plots and buy soybeans. It will cost 150 coins to plow and 150 coins to plant soybeans, but delete those plot using the shovel tool immediately after seeds have been planted.

You might wonder why you need to delete those lpots in order to gain experience level points. The reason behind it is because, plowing and planting soybeans will gain you 30 points on those 10 plots. You can repeat this cheat process, each time it will cost 300 FarmVille coins in order plow and plant, then delete using the shovel. You will see your FarmVille experiences quickly increase and come closer to the next level. I know that it is your goal!

After you have accumulated all the wanted experiences and gained a new level, you can plant the exact seeds that you wanted to buy. Experience level FarmVille cheat can be done as quickly as you can plow, plant and delete. You can even expedite the process by using your harvester, tractor and seeder if you already have them.

See? Increasing your experience level in Farmville isn't that hard. I hope the Tips on increasing your Farmville experience points helped you. Please check the site back regularly for more Farmville Cheats, Tips and Tricks.

New Working Farmville Cheats

Hi everybody,

As usual my post will be about farmville cheats. To those who are new to my blog, Let me inform you that this blog only served as diary for my personal experience about different kinds of tricks in the game. I don’t post the actual cheat codes / guides. If you want to know more about the guides and tricks that I mentioned I put a link at the end of this post. Anyways, after my last post regarding the latest and working farmville cheats, I’ll be honest that even though I found the guides to be working it did not stop me to look for recent farmville cheat.

I believe that this month of December up to January, february, March or maybe the whole 2010, the demand for farmville cheats will still increase.

On my last post I recommended a guide that works for me and my friends. I actually used it and it works like a charm. But as i have said earlier I have searched for more sites that offers farmville cheat. After days of searching I found this site which appeals to me. The main reason it intrigues me is that it offers the same guide that I mentioned on my previous post but it offers two more guides on one package. Meaning, you will get 3 guides in one package. You can click here to know more about it

So my curiosity got me, I acquired the package and I was very pleased with what it offers. The guide that I recommended on my last post is actually included on the package Plus it includes 2 more farmville guides that is very popular and I can say in demand on the internet. Although the guides are similar in terms of the tricks and tips being discussed I think this one is a must have if you are serious to level up quickly and you want to earn farmville cash (fv cash) and farmville coins fast and easy with minimal work.

The Farmville cheat Package contains proven updated and latest cheats that actually works. I shared the ebook to my neice and after a couple of weeks she catch up with me in terms of level and farmville cash. She says the the guides helped her to level up quickly on farmville and very satisfied with the result.

Anyways, I think that’s all for now. I’ll just post again in case I found a new farmville cheats that works and hopefully I’ll find tricks and tips for this game on facebook that will make our farming real easy and enjoyable.

By the way I also found cheats on cafe world and I’m thinking I’ll post it here on my next blog. YES… I’m also a cafe world addict so I have this cafe world cheats that is hanging around my pc. :)

Thats All Folks. Have a nice day and happy farming.

You can click here to check out the guides I’m talking about

One last thing… I thought I’ll add this important note that a couple of my friends got tempted to use this farmville bot or software that will automatically harvest, plow and help your neighbor. There are several software out there but most of it are infected with virus. the computer of my friend got hacked after installing one of there software. and my other friend got banned from farmville since using bots or software to do the farming for you is indeed against Terms of service of Zynga and Facebook. So If you are thinking of using these kind of automatic farmer, You should be careful…

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Vote 4 the Drum Corps! Four DCI groups in the hunt for $1 million

After successfully mobilizing thousands of fans to cast votes of support using the popular “Facebook” social networking phenomenon, four of the world’s top drum corps have each received $25,000 grants in an innovative philanthropic program sponsored by the JP Morgan Chase Foundation. The four groups, including Carolina Crown, The Cavaliers, Colts (incorporated as the Legion Aires) and Phantom Regiment, now qualify for a chance at $1 million.

Standing out among hundreds of thousands of non-profit groups in the first round, these groups are now up against 100 organizations which qualify for a top prize of $1 million in the next phase of the program. Five runners-up will each receive $100,000.

According to Chase, "More than 1 million fans signed up for Chase Community Giving in Round One of the program. Eligible charities included 501(c)3 charities with an operating budget of $10 million or less, serving the general public in designated areas."

Calling a passionate fan base into action

"Those of us familiar with the drum corps activity are well aware of the loyal alumni, fans and friends who follow the activities of their favorite DCI units," said DCI Executive Director and CEO Dan Acheson. "We hope that these fans will come together in unprecedented numbers to support all four of these outstanding groups in their pursuit of grants which will have far-reaching effects for their communities and those they are privileged to serve."

On Monday, Jan. 11, the groups revealed their "Big Ideas" for how they would spend the $1 million grant. These proposals are available on the Chase Community Giving Facebook page.

Then, from Jan. 15 through Jan. 22, voters registered with Facebook will have the opportunity to cast up to five votes for any of the 100 finalist charities. Only one vote per charity will count, so DCI and its participating units are encouraging fans to Vote 4 the Drum Corps! in an effort to push each of the four eligible DCI groups into the top spots.

"We are excited that one of our own could be the recipient of a $1 million grant and even more thrilled that all four groups could potentially walk away with $100,000 each,” said Santa Clara Vanguard Executive Director Jeff Fiedler. "This recognition is far-reaching in helping to introduce the world to the incredible efforts of all of Drum Corps International’s units. This is exactly why every one of our more than 40 corps organizations is standing behind these four groups and calling our alumni, fans and friends to Vote 4 the Drum Corps!"

Latest Headline on DCI.....

Keep track of the countdown to summer

2010 collectible DCI poster calendar is big, bold and begging to be hung on your wall



Everyone knows that walls often have ears, but what if they also had eyes? Imagine what they’d think when you hung up one of the brand-new 2010 DCI Calendar Posters to bring your room alive with the exciting action of Marching Music’s Major League!

An impressive 23" x 39" in size, this vivid double-sided piece features all ’09 World Championship competing corps; World Class on one side and Open Class on the other. You’ll also find a list of dates for some of the biggest Drum Corps International events scheduled for the 2010 DCI Tour and important holidays.

Order today online or call 317.275.1212.

Nominate a Legend: DCI Hall of Fame Class of ‘10




The DCI Hall of Fame Class of 2009.
Each year nominations from across the drum corps community are collected for candidates of the most prestigious Drum Corps International honor to be awarded. The DCI Hall of Fame is where the legends of drum corps are remembered for the indelible impressions they have left on the activity and lives of thousands of young musicians and performers.

The election by corps directors and current Hall of Fame members occurs each spring as the next class of DCI Hall of Fame members is selected to be honored during the DCI World Championships.

Anyone may nominate an individual for consideration through the annual submission process.

A Monday, Feb. 15 deadline has been set for all nomination letters. Once determined, members of the 2010 DCI Hall of Fame class will be honored at Lucas Oil Stadium during the 2010 World Championships in Indianapolis, Ind.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Latest news

Clottey a hard-headed foe
By Joaquin Henson, The Philippine Star, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
MANILA, Philippines - WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao isn’t taking Ghanaian challenger Joshua (The Hitter) Clottey lightly and will be careful not to knock heads when they clash at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on March 13. Clottey, 32, has an unsavory history of butting Read Full Story >>>

THE BALL IS IN FLOYD'S COURT
By Al Bernstein, BoxingTalk.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
It seems that the Manny Pacquiao negotiations lasted for a decade. In reality is was weeks, not years. So many times during those negotiations I was tempted to weigh in with my thoughts. But each time I started to type something on the computer, it felt like I would just be another voice in the nois Read Full Story >>>

ROACH: "IF THERE WAS A STEROID FOR MANNY PACQUIAO, IT IS GOD"
By Andre Zurbrug, FightHype.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
"If there was a steroid for Manny Pacquiao, it is God. He believes in God and God will decide who wins the fight and that's his outlook on sports. He's not that type of guy who would ever use an enhancing drug," commented 2009 Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach, who is now putting the controversy reg Read Full Story >>>

Struggle For Super Featherweight Supremacy Continues
By Jake Donovan, BoxingScene.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
The curse of the Fab Four lives on. Years after the departure of (in order) Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Manny Pacquiao and eventually Juan Manuel Marquez, the featherweight division continues to struggle in securing leadership at the top. Chris John is considered the best by default Read Full Story >>>

Hatton Announces Comeback
Sky News, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
The former world light-welterweight champion has been on a break from boxing since his second-round knockout defeat to Manny Pacquiao last May. Hatton said on website: "I've decided to make a comeback and have another fight this year - probably round about the summertime." Although an opponent Read Full Story >>>

1-2 punch for RP boxing
By Recah Trinidad, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
DR. BEN CALDERON, calling from Las Vegas, said they’ve successfully operated and restored “the cap” on the head of the injured Z Gorres, who should be up and about soon. Dr. Ben has also started raising funds for Gorres and has, in fact, been trying to find links in Manila to su Read Full Story >>>

WEIGHT A SECOND: MAYWEATHER-PACQUIAO BY THE NUMBERS
By Jerome Mendoza, BoxingTalk.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
Manny Pacquiao Age 16 - 106 lbs (1995) - first professional fight no recorded amateur fight Age 19 - 112 lbs (1998) - first championship, 6 lbs in 3 years Age 20 - 122 lbs (1999) - first fight at super bantam, clear indication of undernourishment after being KO'd by 3K Battery Age 24 - 126 lbs ( Read Full Story >>>

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao are foolish to throw away millions
By Bernard Fernandez, Boston Herald, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
PHILADELPHIA — Toward the end of every calendar year, the Darwin Awards document incidents of human behavior so preposterous that the only conclusion is that the winners never made it very far up the evolutionary ladder. It’s only a week and a half into 2010, but my early nomination f Read Full Story >>>

Decade Of Change: Boxing Isn't Dead, Here's How To Keep It That Way
SB NATION, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
Welcome to SB Nation's 'Decade Of Change' series. We'll present a series of articles throughout the week, representing every sport. Each one is authored by a blogger from within our vast network and will outline various aspects of their favorite league they'd like to see changed by the end of the ne Read Full Story >>>

Set your PVRs.....
By Morgan Campbell, thestar.com (CA), Thu, 14 Jan 2010
...For Pacquiao-Clottey. And if we're lucky, we might get Mayweather-Malignaggi in the same month. What a wondrous time to be a fight fan. Now, as of Friday Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach conceded that the door hadn't completely closed on a Mayweather matchup but he didn't sound like he Read Full Story >>>

Latest News!

Pacquiao popularity faces acid test
By Jun Medina, The Manila Times, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
WASHINGTON D.C.: Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao’s growing popularity in the United States will put to a crucial test in his coming fight: Can he fill the huge Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas for his March 13 title defense against Joshua Clottey? Pacquiao commands a solid following among F Read Full Story >>>

Pacquiao's camp to bat for 145-lb catchweight
By Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao wants Josh Clottey to trim down to 145 lb for their WBO welterweight title fight on March 13 in Texas. “We will push for 145 pounds just like in the Miguel Cotto fight,” said Pacquiao’s lawyer, Franklin Gacal, in an exclusive ABS-CBN intervie Read Full Story >>>

Swag: Does Manny Pacquiao have any reason to fight if it's not against Floyd Mayweather?
By Eric Woodyard, The Grand Rapids Press, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
When Manny Pacquiao picked up the pen to sign his name on the dotted line to face Joshua Clottey on March 13, I'm sure he felt better about himself. No worries. No blood testing. No REAL challenge! It seems as though that's the way that Pacquiao and his promoter Bob Arum like it. On the othe Read Full Story >>>

Pacquiao and Mayweather owe fight fans the bout of the century
By Michael Williams, Sportingo, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
It's the fight everybody wants to see - but the Filipino has settled for Joshua Clottey in the meantime over a blood-testing squabble. Las Vegas, September 19thand Floyd Mayweather Jr beats Juan Manuel Marquez by a unanimous decision as he celebrates a winning return to the ring. November 14th Read Full Story >>>

Friend of Pacquiao testifies in trial against trainer
The Los Angeles Independent, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
A former member of Manny Pacquiao’s entourage told a jury Tuesday he was hit so hard by the famous boxer’s trainer that he could not stay on his feet. Gregorio Asuncion sued trainer Freddie Roach and his Wild Card Gym Boxing Club in Los Angeles Superior Court in November 2008. Asuncio Read Full Story >>>

147 OR BUST FOR PACQUIAO-CLOTTEY
By Suge Green, FightHype.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
As stated in my previous article regarding "Tropical Storm Catchweight," if Manny Pacquiao and his team should force Joshua Clottey into the ring at even one pound below the welterweight limit, they will test the forces of nature, resulting in the forming of "Hurricane Catchweight," which will keep Read Full Story >>>

Mosley vs Berto: Shane Favored by Oddsmakers To Win
By TK Stewart, BoxingScene.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
BoxingScene.com spoke with one of Las Vegas’ most influential oddsmakers Tuesday afternoon and he said he envisions few ways in which ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley can lose when he faces Andre Berto on Jan. 30 at Mandalay Bay. "One thing you need to know about boxing," said the parlor ma Read Full Story >>>

Malignaggi wants Khan clash
By James Robson, Manchester Evening News, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
PAULIE Malignaggi wants to be the man to bring Amir Khan crashing down to earth. Malignaggi, who was the last man defeated by Ricky Hatton in 2008, is hoping to be WBA light-welterweight champion Khan's first opponent Stateside. The Bolton star is hoping to break into America in 2010 after win Read Full Story >>>

I said that? My 2009 Preview Review - Part II
By Marty Mulcahey, SecondsOut.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
In part one of my annual preview-review I lamented that readers who visit multiple boxing websites are sure to notice how easy it is for journalists to make predictions. They are certain in the knowledge that few will remember what they wrote in a year’s time. But I feel that writing for Maxbo Read Full Story >>>

Poonsawat could become all-time great
By Julian Turner, Bangkok Post, Thu, 14 Jan 2010

Although Manny Pacquiao v Floyd Mayweather appears to be off for the time being, it looks as though the biggest fight in Asia may happen sometime this year. Thailand's best boxer Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym could meet Jap
Read Full Story >>>

Promoter Eyes WBA Champ Yuri Foreman vs. Miguel Cotto
By Lem Satterfield, Fanhouse, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
If Top Rank Promoter, Bob Arum, has his way, newly-crowned WBA junior middleweight (154 pounds) champion, Yuri Foreman, of New York, will defend his belt against former two-time, world welterweight (147 pounds) king, Miguel Cotto, of Puerto Rico, perhaps in June at Madison Square Garden. In an ef Read Full Story >>>

Latest News

Pacquiao, Mayweather deliver fans a final insult
By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
It's bad enough that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. aren't fighting each other on March 13, after both sides detonated boxing's version of a nuclear bomb and destroyed the biggest fight in the sport over a disagreement on the drug-testing procedures for the bout. Now they -- and we -- ar Read Full Story >>>

Pacquiao insider: Mayweather's best hope is for Manny to lose
By Michael Marley, Examiner.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010

Hammerin’ Hermie Rivera is a Pinoy character with character. He’s raised six children, he’s dabbled in politics at the highest level in his homeland and he’s managed world
Read Full Story >>>

Paul Williams Ready To Fight Floyd Mayweather in March
By Mark Vester, BoxingScene.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
Promoter Dan Goossen told the Los Angeles Times that Paul Williams is ready and able to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. on March 13 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Mayweather has yet to pick an opponent for the fight. Kermit Cintron, Paulie Malignaggi, Carlos Quintana and Nate Campbell have all been menti Read Full Story >>>

IF MAYWEATHER WANTS TO STICK IT TO PACQUIAO, FLOYD SHOULD FIGHT ON REGULAR HBO
By Matt Goldstein, BoxingTalk.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
Mayweather Ratings Would Rob Pacquiao & Top Rank of Millions! As pure insanity engulfs the minds of whoever thought it would be a good idea for the two biggest and brightest superstars in boxing to compete on the same night against different opponents on different broadcasts, in separate PPVR Read Full Story >>>

Ricky KO's dad plea
By Pat Sheenan, The Sun, Thu, 14 Jan 2010

RICKY HATTON has confirmed his comeback - despite pleas from his family to call it a day. The Hitman, 31, has taken eight months to decide to fight on following his sensatio
Read Full Story >>>

Marley responds to Atlas: Exclusive Interview with dSource
By Dennis Guillermo, Examiner.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
"A Manny Pacquiao confidante, somebody close to Manny once told me that Teddy tried to get Coach Freddie's job," -- Michael Marley The failed Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. mega-fight for March 13 has spilled into the media. With sides being played out, and all the he-said-she-said nonsense Read Full Story >>>

V8: Pacquiao/Clottey, Mayweather, Hatton, Teddy Atlas, and More!
By Vivek Wallace, 8countnews, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
Pacquiao/Clottey: Big Venue, Bigger Implications, Better Fight? Joshua Clottey is a very intriguing opponent for Filipino Manny Pacquiao for the hardcore fight aficionado. Trouble is, there aren't too many of those now days. With promoter Bob Arum pushing for a date in Dallas, (Cowboys Stadium), Read Full Story >>>

Don King's cackling: Lonesome Bob Arum said that?
By Michael Marley, Examiner.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
Bob Arum, in denigrating Golden Boy/Mayweather adversary Richie Rich Schaefer, keeps mentioning to me and other boss scribes (if not their bosses) that Mayweather needs “a professional boxing promoter” in his corner. Arum then cites as his one and only example, his career long nemesis Read Full Story >>>

RSR Boxing Headlines: Manny Pacquiao, Jermain Taylor & Mike Tyson
By Geno McGahee, RingsideReport.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
Jermain Taylor out of the Super Six Former Middleweight Champion, Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor, had no intentions of continuing with the Showtime Super Six tournament after the brutal final round stoppage at the hands of Arthur Abraham. I thought that the bait, a shot at the WBA Su Read Full Story >>>

Squashed: Catchtweight rumor on Clottey-Pacquiao
By Michael Marley, Examiner.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
I guess it is one of those "low life" Internet rumors. You know, the kind that make you feel like a greasy porcine individual and make you rush for a cleansing shower. But it is a persistent one, this rumor that Manny Pacquiao demanded a catchweight contract for his March 13 WBO welterweight titl Read Full Story >>>

Holy Toldeo! 144, 145, 147: Pick the weight already!
By Matt Stolow, Examiner.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
Freddie Roach said 147 lbs. Michael Koncz said 144 lbs. Guess who won that argument? But just a few days later the weight seems up for debate again. The case for 144 or even 145 lbs. is quite strong. Just six months ago, "catchweight," was a very seldom used phrase in boxing. Today it seems to Read Full Story >>>

Dana White: “I Think [Floyd] Mayweather Blew This Fight”
By Tim Ngo, 5thround.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
UFC president Dana White went on another verbal assault yesterday as he blamed Floyd Mayweather for ruining a blockbuster match with Manny Pacquiao. “I think something happened to Floyd in his last fight, something wasn’t there that used to be there, something weird. I truly believe h Read Full Story >>>

Berto concerned after earthquake
By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
While welterweight titlist Andre Berto trains for the biggest fight of his career, a Jan. 30 unification bout against Shane Mosley, his thoughts the past two days have understandably wandered from his preparation. Berto is Haitian-American, and he is very concerned about what is happening on Read Full Story >>>

Hey, Mayweather, why not Paul Williams?
By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times, Thu, 14 Jan 2010

Let's be honest. If Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. stick to their guns and keep their next bouts both scheduled for March 13 after blowing the opportunity to make a mega-fight together that night, P
Read Full Story >>>

Pettiness, hatred ruin superfight
By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
Floyd Mayweather Jr. needs some advice – good advice – because he’s obviously not getting much of it these days. He’s one of the primary reasons, along with Manny Pacquiao, Bob Arum, Leonard Ellerbe, Al Haymon and Richard Schaefer, that the most anticipated boxing match in Read Full Story >>>

Melindo out to unseat WBC intercontinental champ
By Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
CEBU CITY, Philippines – Anthony Villareal, the reigning WBC Youth Intercontinental flyweight champion from the United States, might just pay the price for taking Filipino challenger Milan Melindo lightly. In yesterday’s official weigh-in at the SM Events Centre here, the 22-year-old Read Full Story >>>

Response by Team Villarreal
PhilBoxing.com, Thu, 14 Jan 2010

This email is in response to Mr. Ronnie Nathanielsz misleading statements posted on PHILBOXING.COM. Our complaint was not with the Philippine judges but with the fact the Dr. Tellez the commissioner for the WBC Youth program
Read Full Story >>>

Confident Brian ready to thwart tough Mexican
By Nelson Beltran, The Philippine Star, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
MANILA, Philippines - Brian Viloria feels he’s never been in better shape for a fight, making him confident he can handle Carlos Tamara in his second defense of his IBF junior flyweight championship at the Cuneta Astrodome on Jan. 23. “I’m a lot better from the last time I was h Read Full Story >>>

Manny Pacquiao fight helps casinos post first win increase in 22 months
By Geoff Dornan, Nevada Appeal, Thu, 14 Jan 2010
After 22 months of decline, Nevada casinos posted a 4.35 percent increase in gaming win in November — a total of $873.2 million. Almost all the credit for the increase goes to baccarat, which increased 138 percent compared with November 2008 and accounted for $94.2 million of the total, sai Read Full Story >>>

Friday, January 8, 2010

LATEST NEWS.

Arum wants to bring fight to Arlington
By Calvin Watkins, ESPN.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
Boxing promoter Bob Arum said he and Top Rank president Todd duBoef will visit Cowboys Stadium for the Cowboys-Eagles game on Saturday night with the hopes of bringing a Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey fight to Arlington on March 13. Cowboys spokesperson Brett Daniels said the organization would ha Read Full Story >>>

Roach Thinks Mayweather Is Scared, Still Hopeful Manny-Money Happens
By Michael Woods, The Sweet Science, Sat, 09 Jan 2010

Trainer Freddie Roach chatted with ESPN's Brian Kenny today and said he's still hopeful that Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather will get it on, but he thinks Mayweather is scared he'll lose, and that's
Read Full Story >>>

The Alternatives to Pacquiao - Mayweather
By Peter Czymbor, Examiner.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
In wake of the Manny Pacquiao – Floyd Mayweather negotiations apparently coming to a halt, a plethora of pugilists have been mentioned as possible replacement opponents. Paulie Malignaggi has been mentioned for both Pacquiao and Mayweather. Mathew Hatton, Ricky’s brother, has been mentio Read Full Story >>>

Pacquiao moving on from the Mayweather Drama
By Ed Anderson, Examiner.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
Manny Pacquiao has decided to make good to his fans and put his title on the line against Joshua Clottey after the dramatic negotiations with Floyd Mayweather Jr. fell to the ground. Mayweather Jr. had issued a statement today saying he still wanted to fight Pacquiao, but on his terms while Top Read Full Story >>>

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: A Cruel Joke Played On Boxing Fans
By Lou Block, NowBoxing.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
The cancellation of Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao has sent grown men into a deep depression for many men this boxing match was a late Christmas present, a gift they wanted more than anything. This fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao was so big that even people who don’t watch boxi Read Full Story >>>

Pacquiao camp says fight with Clottey set for March
By Reuters, Yahoo! News, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
TORONTO (Reuters) – WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao will put his title on the line against Ghanaian Joshua Clottey in March after talks for a bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr. fizzled out this week, the Filipino's promoter said on Friday. The planned fight between Pacquiao and Mayweat Read Full Story >>>

Pacquiao moving on, Mayweather still wants fight
By Greg Beacham, Yahoo! Sports, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
LOS ANGELES (AP)—While Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s camp believes his prospective bout with Manny Pacquiao can be saved, Pacquiao’s promoter says he’s moving on. After six weeks of contentious negotiations failed to produce a compromise on Mayweather’s insistence on string Read Full Story >>>

GABRIEL CAMPILLO & BEIBUT SHUMENOV REMATCH ON JANUARY 29
PhilBoxing.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
GABRIEL CAMPILLO & BEIBUT SHUMENOV CLASH IN REMATCH FOR LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE ON JANUARY 29 AT HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO IN LAS VEGAS AND TELEVISED LIVE ON FOX SPORTS NET TICKETS ON SALE TOMORROW, SATURDAY, JANUARY 9 AT 12 PM PT! LOS ANGELES, January 8 - On Friday, January 29, KZ Event Produc Read Full Story >>>

CLOTTEY SIGNS FOR PACQUIAO FIGHT
By Scott Shaffer, BoxingTalk.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
Boxingtalk has learned from reliable sources that welterweight contender Joshua Clottey has agreed to terms for a fight against Manny Pacquiao. Pacquiao has approved Clottey as an opponent and the fight will take place on March 13th as a pay-per-view fight. If the source is correct, Floyd Mayweath Read Full Story >>>

Floyd Mayweather the one using banned substances?
By Scott Heritage, Examiner.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
It has come to light today that Floyd Mayweather has used injectable pain killers such as Xylocaine in the past before fights. The irony being that this drug is illegal in nearly all states, with one notable exception, Nevada. Perhaps the reason for Golden Boy and Mayweather not wanting to fight Read Full Story >>>

Mayweather promoter argues for compromise, but Pacquiao promoter says fight dead
By Associated Press, Google News, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
While Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s camp insists his prospective bout with Manny Pacquiao can be saved, Pacquiao's promoter says he's moving on. After six weeks of contentious negotiations failed to produce a compromise on Mayweather's insistence on stringent drug testing for the bout, Pacquiao has made Read Full Story >>>

Manny Pacquiao will fight Joshua Clottey if Floyd Mayweather bout is cancelled
By Gareth A Davies, Telegraph.co.uk, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
It is unclear whether it is another smokescreen in the ongoing Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather saga, but Top Rank, Pacquiao’s promoters, released details on Friday that the Filipino will now face Ghanaian hardman Joshua Clottey if his showdown with Mayweather cannot be resurrected. Negotiat Read Full Story >>>

Start random tests for HGH
By Frank Warren, The Sun, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
I'VE written before about the use of Human Growth Hormone by boxers - a highly relevant topic given the current row between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. Their fight has fallen apart because Mayweather wants Pacquiao to undergo the same kind of drug tests that Olympic athletes are subject Read Full Story >>>

Amir Khan: "Sparring with Manny Pacquiao built my confidence up.”
By Geoffrey Ciani, The Mushroom Mag, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
This past week’s edition of On the Ropes featured two exclusive interviews. Highlighting this episode was the very nice chat with WBA junior welterweight champion Amir Khan. Here are some excerpts from that interview: On his recent victory against Dmitriy Salita: “The performance w Read Full Story >>>

Joshua Clottey emerging as Pacquiao's opponent on March 20
By Matt Stolow, Examiner.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
Veteran welterweight Joshua Clottey of Ghana has emerged as the probable opponent for Manny Pacquiao on March 20 at either the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas or Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas according to media reports. The Ghana News http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/boxing/artikel. Read Full Story >>>

Manny Pacquiao-Joshua Clottey in Dallas Could Replace Mayweather
By Lem Satterfield, Fanhouse, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
Seven-division titlist, Manny Pacquaio, could defend his WBO welterweight (147 pounds) belt against perennial contender, Joshua Clottey, on March 13 likely at The Dallas Cowboys' Stadium, Top Rank CEO, Bob Arum, told FanHouse moments ago. "That's what we're working on right now, and that's what i Read Full Story >>>

The two Floyd Mayweathers
By Bryan Armen Graham, Sports Illustrated, Sat, 09 Jan 2010

The many supporters of Floyd Mayweather Jr. choose to see one of boxing's all-time great small men and the most dominant pound-for-pound fighter in a ge
Read Full Story >>>

Viloria, Nietes stake crowns in Bay card
The Philippine Star, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
MANILA, Philippines - A double championship featuring Filipino world titlists Brian Viloria and Donnie “Ahas” Nietes serves as the initial presentation of the Boxing at the Bay for the year 2010. Viloria stakes his International Boxing Federation (IBF) light-flyweight crown against Ca Read Full Story >>>

More arguing over Pacquiao-Mayweather
By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
The promoter for Floyd Mayweather Jr. told The Times today he wants to make sure Manny Pacquiao understands the difference between the mega-fight happening or not is the matter of Pacquiao submitting to a blood test 10 days later than his camp has already accepted. "We're still trying to get Mayw Read Full Story >>>

Mayweather-Pacquiao: He said, He said
By Morgan Campbell, thestar.com (CA), Sat, 09 Jan 2010
So the fight of the century is off, and it's all Floyd Mayweather's fault. Like the coward Bob Arum says he is, Mayweather rejected a reasonable drug testing compromise because he's afraid risk his undefeated record against a buzzsaw like Manny Pacquiao. Wait, no. The fight of the century i Read Full Story >>>

SUNDAY LAST DAY TO SAVE PACQUIAO-MAYWEATHER?
By Scott Shaffer, BoxingTalk.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
Although promoter Bob Arum has declared the proposed superfight between Manny Pacquaio and Floyd Mayweather dead, there are still three more days for both sides to put aside their seemingly surmountable differences and still make the fight happen on March 13th. If published statements are to be beli Read Full Story >>>

Floyd Failed To Show Any Evidence Against Pacquiao
By Scoop Malinowski, Boxing Insider, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
The burden of proof is on the accuser not the accused, and Floyd Mayweather and his “best team in boxing” have completely failed to show the world even a shred of evidence that Manny Pacquiao has ever used any kind of performance enhancing drugs during his boxing career. Not a single Read Full Story >>>

Mudlsinging 101: Disgruntled Moorer ratted Pacquaio out to Mayweather
By Michael Marley, Examiner.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
The negotiations, if you can call them that, exploded. The two sides, the Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao camps, are now reduced to their second favorite sport, slinging mud at each other. Laughing Lenny Ellerbe, Mayweather’s coatholder, told Mayweather hometown reporter David “Ho Read Full Story >>>

Smart Fan Starts Facebook
By John Chavez, The Boxing Truth, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
Yesterday was a day that was full off unmentionable reactions when it came to the fact that Pacquiao-Mayweather would not happen this March due to a couple pricks... of blood. Boxing fans far and wide would comment on the fact that the sport was once again denying them of a true super-fight that Read Full Story >>>

Pacquiao can defeat Mayweather without fighting him
By Scott Heritage, Examiner.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
With the content of the once secret mediation sessions slowly leaking out to the press, Top Rank and Golden Boy are further apart then ever. The drug testing demands from Floyd Mayweather and his camp would not be changed, and Manny Pacquiao and his team would not accept. There is talk from a lot Read Full Story >>>

Foreman out; Manny camp eyes Clottey
By Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
MANILA, Philippines - Josh Clottey, who gave Miguel Cotto a tough fight last June, has surfaced as Manny Pacquiao’s possible opponent in March. Mike Koncz, Pacquiao’s adviser, yesterday said he and the Filipino boxing superstar talked about the possibility of facing the 33-year-old hi Read Full Story >>>

Enough Posturing, Manny and Floyd
By Jeff Wagenheim, The Faster Times, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
Just make the stupid fight already. The promoters for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather are playing games, and it’s getting tiresome. Correction: It’s not getting tiresome, it’s beyond tiresome to the point where it would be reasonable for the sporting public to just turn away Read Full Story >>>

Pacquiao vs Clottey Not Done, Talks are Ongoing
By Ryan Burton, BoxingScene.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
Moments ago Joshua Clottey reached out to BoxingScene.com to inform us that he doesn't have a signed contract to fight WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao in March, yet. Clottey has been vacationing in his native Ghana and received a phone call from his manager, Vinny Scolpino, telling him to Read Full Story >>>

Will cooler heads prevail?
By Brad Cooney, Examiner.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
So far both sides have dug their heels into the sand and neither are moving. My sources are telling me that although the scheduled fight for March 13th is certainly off, the fight in general may very well still happen. As of right now, both sides refuse to budge, but 30 million dollars dangling ov Read Full Story >>>

Boxing: the sport that sabotages itself like no other, still far from dying
By Scott Heritage, Examiner.com, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
A lot of people like to throw around the term 'dying sport' and apply it to boxing. In actual fact there is usually no such thing as a dead sport, they merely get less and less popular until they fall out of the public eye. Even the mighty NFL for example is only popular in the United States, in Read Full Story >>>

Joshua Clottey Enters The Pacquiao Picture
GhanaWeb, Sat, 09 Jan 2010
The saga of who pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao will now face in his next bout instead of super-fight opponent Floyd Mayweather Junior is ongoing, and, according to the latest news that is circulating the web, former IBF welterweight Joshua Clottey is the latest fighter to be suggested as a poss Read Full Story >>>