Things To Know

Yahoo Domains: Your A-Z Guide to Picking & Registering a Domain

2011-02-08T22:58:00.000-08:00

Choosing the right domain name and domain name provider is the first step to creating your new website. Yahoo! Domains is one of the leading domain registrars in the world and has the backing of Yahoo!, a leading internet company. In fact, Yahoo! hosts its domains and websites on the very same servers as Yahoo.com, making it the most reliable domain and hosting provider in the industry.

In addition, Yahoo! provides domain names for as little as $3.95 per year for new customers, and $9.95 for existing customers, with no set up fees. Other, domain providers charge as much as $35 per year and do not provide as many features or functionality as Yahoo! For example, Yahoo! Domains is one of the few companies that provides 24/7 toll free phone and email support.

Quick Domain How To's, Tips, & Advice

Buy Yahoo Web Hosting, get your Yahoo Domain Name for Free

Many people do not realize that you need to purchase web hosting services even after you buy a domain name. We recommend that you purchase Yahoo! Web Hosting and get the domain for free, so you can start building your site immediately. We have provided below the lowest possible price on the internet for Yahoo! Web Hosting.

What is a Domain Name?

A domain name can be thought of as the “address” for your website. Most domains consist of the primary name, plus a top level domain name extension such as .com, .org, or .net . For example, for Yahoo.com the name is “Yahoo” plus the top level domain name extension of .com.

Picking and Registering a Domain

The most difficult aspect in choosing a domain name is finding a name that you like that is not already in use. The basic rules are simple (maximum length of 63 letters, no special characters such as %, &, *) but most of the obvious and attractive names have already been taken. We recommend that you go to Yahoo Domains Home Page and use their domain availability tool.

Domains, Web Hosting, and E-commerce

Many people do not realize that buying a domain name is only the first step in getting your website up and running. All providers also require that you also purchase a web hosting package with your domain name or provide the hosting services yourself.

90% of all web sites are hosted by shared hosting providers such as Yahoo! Web Hosting, Godaddy, or Ipowerweb. We suggest Yahoo! Web Hosting if you are considering purchasing a web hosting service. Not only do you get a free domain name (from Yahoo! Domains) when you buy a Yahoo! Web Hosting plan, but you also get 24/7 toll free phone support from one of the most trusted companies on the internet.

Furthermore, if you want to sell your goods or services online, you will either need to buy online shopping cart software like Miva or Paypal our purchase an e-commerce hosting service like Yahoo’s Merchant Solutions. We recommend Yahoo Merchant Solution because it is a turn key e-commerce solution that includes a free domain, set up consulting, and 24/7 service from an established company like Yahoo.

Yahoo! Small Business

Yahoo! Domains, Yahoo! Web Hosting, and Yahoo! Merchant Solutions are all a part of Yahoo! Small Business. Yahoo! Small Business provides a suite of online services that helps you get online, advertise online, and sell online.

Watch the sun’s great explosions

2010-12-16T13:31:00.001-08:00

A solar filament that had been lurking atop the sun for a week finally exploded this month, the latest in a string of large solar explosions that NASA scientists say will peak in 2013. This explosion, seen below, released high-energy plasma into the solar system, but did not create auroras on Earth because it dispersed before reaching our atmosphere.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the image sequence, which shows the filament exploding. In August, NASA scientists observed a 28-hour period of shock waves, solar flare explosions and solar "tsunamis" that rocked the sun. They've named the event "The Great Eruption."

Scientists say the activity is a sign that the sun is "waking up" and heading for another "solar maximum" cycle in 2013, according to Space.com.

"The August 1st event really opened our eyes," NASA scientist Karel Schrijver said. "We see that solar storms can be global events, playing out on scales we scarcely imagined before."

Scientists are still trying to figure out what kind of connection there is among the massive explosions that occurred so far apart on the sun's surface.

"We're still sorting out cause and effect," Schrijver told the Daily Mail. "Was the event one big chain reaction, in which one eruption triggered another, bang, bang, bang, in sequence? Or did everything go off together as a consequence of some greater change in the sun's global magnetic field?"

[Photos: New view from space station window]

Watch video of the filament explosion:

Chart Watch Extra: Down To The Wire

2010-12-16T13:25:00.000-08:00

Train's "Hey, Soul Sister" and "California Gurls" by Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg are locked in an extremely tight race to wind up as the song with the most paid downloads in 2010. With just three weeks to go in Nielsen/SoundScan's chart year, the two songs are just 2,000 units apart. "Hey, Soul Sister" has sold 4,154,000 digital copies so far this year. "California Gurls" has sold 4,152,000. Train's best hope of retaining its slim lead is that a quintessential summer song like "California Gurls" may have limited appeal in the closing weeks of December.

"Hey, Soul Sister" headed the year-to-date chart from the beginning of April through the end of October. "California Gurls" pushed ahead in the week ending Nov. 7. "Hey, Soul Sister" regains the lead this week. The song received two big boosts in recent weeks. It was featured in an episode of Glee on Nov. 30. The following night, Train performed it on the Grammy nominations special.

No matter which song winds up on top three weeks from now, "Hey, Soul Sister" is a bigger hit overall. It sold an additional 687K copies in 2009, which made it that year's #131 song.

"California Gurls" exemplified one of the year's hottest trends: the collaboration. Five of the top 10 songs so far this year (and 10 of the top 20) pair two artists who don't normally record together.

[Photos: Katy Perry's Crazy Costumes]

"Hey, Soul Sister" also exemplified one of the year's notable trends: the name-drop. The song mentions Madonna and Mr. Mister. "TiK ToK" gave a name-check to Mick Jagger and P. Diddy. "Billionaire" mentions Oprah, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt and President Obama. "I Like It" also refers to Barack and Michelle Obama, as well as Tiger Woods and Jesse James.

Bruno Mars is the only artist with three of the year's top 20 hits. His own smash "Just The Way You Are" is #13. Travie McCoy's "Billionaire" and B.o.B's "Nothin' On You," on which Mars is featured, rank #15 and #16, respectively. Mars will wind up as the first artist with three of the year's top 20 songs since 2008, when Rihanna had four of the top 20.

Eminem and Taio Cruz are the only artists with two songs each in the year-to-date top 10. Both are represented with one solo hit and one collaboration.

It's remarkable that a generation of pop fans will think first of Katy Perry and Bruno Mars when they hear the titles "California Gurls" and "Just The Way You Are." Older fans have vivid memories of hit songs with the same titles by the Beach Boys and Billy Joel, respectively. (But the new songs were substantially bigger hits. Both had long runs at #1. The oldies both peaked at #3.)

Here are the 20 songs that have sold the most digital copies so far this year. The tally after the title is the total number of copies the song has sold through the week ending Dec. 12. Some of these hits sold additional copies prior to this chart year (which began with the week ending Jan. 10). If a song ranked among the top 200 songs of 2009, I show its 2009 ranking and sales tally. At the end of each entry, I show the song's peak position on the Hot 100 and the number of weeks it held that spot.

1. Train, "Hey, Soul Sister," 4,154,000. This likeable tune is the group's biggest hit to date, surpassing its 2001 hit "Drops Of Jupiter (Tell Me)." "Hey, Soul Sister" sold an additional 687K copies in 2009, which made it that year's #131 song. Peak: #3.

2. Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg, "California Gurls," 4,152,000. This irresistible popsicle, which topped the charts in both the U.S. and the U.K., is the year's top collaboration. This will be the second time in the past three years that Perry has had a hit in the year-end top five. "I Kissed A Girl" was #4 for 2008. Peak: #1 for six weeks.

[Photos: Snoop Dogg volunteers at a community center in Manchester, England]

3. Eminem featuring Rihanna, "Love The Way You Lie," 4,003,000. This smash is vying for Grammys for both Record and Song of the Year. It's Eminem's longest-running #1 hit since "Lose Yourself." It ties "Umbrella" as Rihanna's longest-running #1 to date. Peak: #1 for seven weeks.

4. B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams, "Airplanes," 3,855,000. This was the biggest of B.o.B's three hits and the biggest hit ever for the lead singer of Paramore. This hit #1 in the U.K. Peak: #2.

5. Taio Cruz, "Dynamite," 3,663,000. This is the year's biggest hit by a male solo artist. This hit #1 in the U.K. Peak: #2.

6. Usher featuring will.i.am, "OMG," 3,633,000. Peak: #1. This ebullient smash, which hit #1 in both the U.S. and the U.K., is the year's biggest collaboration by two male artists. Peak: #1 for four weeks.

7. Eminem, "Not Afraid," 3,158,000. This anthemic smash was Eminem's first solo #1 hit on the Hot 100 since "Lose Yourself." Peak: #1 for one week.

8. Taio Cruz featuring Ludacris, "Break Your Heart," 3,146,000. Ludacris was added to the U.S. remix of the song. A solo version by Cruz topped the U.K. chart for three weeks in September and October. Peak: #1 for one week.

9. Lady Antebellum, "Need You Now," 3,084,000. This heartfelt ballad, a Grammy finalist for both Record and Song of the Year, is the year's biggest country hit. It sold an additional 1,325,000 copies in 2009, which made it that year's #57 song. Peak: #2.

10. Ke$ha, "TiK ToK," 2,913,000. This is the year's biggest hit by a female solo artist. It sold an additional 2,443,000 copies in 2009, which made it that year's #17 song. It has sold 5,346,000 total copies, more than any other song on this list. (Only six songs in digital history have sold more.) Peak: #1 for nine weeks.

11. The Black Eyed Peas, "Imma Be," 2,814,000. The Peas had the top two songs on the year-end Digital Songs chart for 2009: "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling." Peak: #1 for two weeks.

12. Enrique Iglesias featuring Pitbull, "I Like It," 2,790,000. This genre-bending smash was Iglesias' first top 10 hit since "Hero" in 2001. It was the Latin/pop star's fourth top 10 hit and the third for the reggaeton rapper. The song borrowed a riff from Lionel Richie's "All Night Long (All Night)." Peak: #4.

13. Bruno Mars, "Just The Way You Are," 2,747,000. Mars proved he could fly solo with this sweet song, which hit #1 in both the U.S. and the U.K. (In the U.K., it carries the subtitle "Amazing" to differentiate it from Billy Joel's 1978 smash.) Peak: #1 for four weeks.

14. Katy Perry, "Teenage Dream," 2,676,000. Perry followed "California Gurls" with this terrific single. This will be the second time in the past three years that Perry will have two songs in the year-end top 15. Darren Criss' distinctive version on Glee also made waves. Peak: #1 for two weeks.

15. Travie McCoy featuring Bruno Mars, "Billionaire," 2,632,000. This charmer is the biggest hit ever for the lead singer of Gym Class Heroes, surpassing 2007's "Cupid's Chokehold," which also reached #4 on the Hot 100. Peak: #4.

16. B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars, "Nothin' On You," 2,604,000. This smash, a Grammy finalist for Record of the Year, reached #1 in both the U.S. and the U.K. It combines the old-school romanticism of Smokey Robinson with a modern, hip-hop sensibility. Peak: #1 for two weeks.

17. Ke$ha, "Your Love Is My Drug," 2,570,000. This is the year's third biggest hit by a female solo artist. Impressively, Ke$ha sings two of these three songs. Peak: #4.

18. Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris, "Baby," 2,568,000. This catchy tune was Bieber's first top five hit. It gives Ludacris featured billing on two of the year's top 20 songs. Peak: #5.

19. Far*East Movement featuring Cataracs & Dev, "Like A G6," 2,480,000. This is the year's biggest techno smash. Peak: #1 for three weeks.

20. Jason Derulo, "In My Head," 2,390,000. This hit reached #1 in the U.K. Derulo's previous hit, "Whatcha Say," was #10 on the year-end Digital Songs chart for 2009. Peak: #5.

iPhone glitch leaves scores late to work

2010-11-01T20:59:00.001-07:00

Scores of iPhone users were late to work on Friday, after a bug in the software meant the device's alarm clock feature failed to adjust to Daylight Saving Time.

Hundreds of angry comments were posted on the social networking website Twitter about the glitch on the Apple device, which occured even though the rest of the phone's features updated the time automatically.

"Well done Apple - you've made me decide I need to use a proper alarm clock rather than relying on my iPhone," one user tweeted.

"Stupid iPhone alarm clock went off an hour late. What a great start to the week," said another.

Australian iPhone users experienced similar problems three weeks ago, although alarms went off an hour early there rather than an hour late.

Apple said at the time that a software patch was being developed to resolve the issue. The technology giant has not yet issued an official response to the British version of the glitch.

The iPhone has suffered a turbulent year, blighted by problems with its antennae, proximity sensor and security system.

The latest fault can apparently be avoided by using one-off alarms instead of pre-set daily wake-up calls.

Nine things you need to know about 4G networks

2010-10-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

Imagine having a mobile phone that matches what you can do on your home PC or laptop. That’s the power of 4G - the term for fourth generation mobile service - which was rolled out by Sprint (S) earlier this year and will soon be available for Verizon (VZ) subscribers. Here are the most important things you need to know about 4G.

1. It’s fast. Sprint, the first mover in the 4G market, says its 4G is up to 10 times faster than 3G, which was introduced eight years ago. Sprint promises peak downloads of more than 10 Mbps (megabits per second), with average downloads of three to six Mbps. Verizon announced on October 6 that it plans in the fourth quarter to launch its 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) network with downloads to range between 5 to 12 Mbps.

A closer look at the numbers, however, reveals that 4G speeds may vary. Sprint says that 4G can be 10 times faster than 3G. But read the fine print in Sprint’s promotional material: Sprint bases this claim on speed comparison between 3G’s low-end 600 kilobits per second (Kbps) vs. 4G’s max 6Mbps. Sprint notes that 3G can reach 1.7 Mbps, while 4G may drop down to 3 Mbps. So that’s less than twice as fast. We will know more specifics about Verizon’s network in the weeks ahead as it rolls out its service.

2. Regardless of how much faster 4G might be, the increased connection speed lets you do more things with your phone. Early users are already enjoying features like uninterrupted video conferencing, high-definition television streaming and of course lightning fast web surfing that smartphones on 3G networks are unable to provide. Power business users and other early adopters of the new technology who experience 4G will never want to go back.

3. Casual users mostly interested in talking, texting and occasional web surfing on their cell phones don’t need to rush into buying a 4G-enabled phone (and it is not possible to upgrade existing 3G models to the new network.) Even if you are ready to buy a phone and wanted to upgrade to 4G, the network is not available in all parts of the country (see below). It will take years for 4G to roll out into every rural area, and residents of big cities could get shut out due to big restrictions on new cell phone towers.

4. You can easily find out if 4G is available in your area. Sprint says its 4G network reaches more than 268 million people in 50 markets in the United States “and counting.” To see whether 4G is available in your hometown, go here.

Verizon says its 4G LTE network initially will cover 100 million people in 38 markets by the end of 2010. The first markets with access to Verizon’s 4G network include Boston, New York, Washington D.C., Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Below is a full coverage map for Verizon's 4G Network:

Current and would-be iPhone owners dissatisfied with AT&T's (T) network would of course love the rumors of an upcoming Verizon iPhone to be true.

5. 4G is more expensive. Sprint currently charges its customers with 4G-enabled devices an extra $10 per month, regardless of whether they can access a 4G network or not. With increased data usage and Verizon entering the fray, both networks are rumored to convert to “pay-as-you-go” pricing schemes rather than unlimited use packages. 4G devices will also invariably cost more - at least at first - than similar phones on the same networks.

Back in May, Sprint launched its first 4G phone, HTC EVO 4G, selling for $200 with a two-year contract. That phone runs on Google’s Android mobile operating system, and has access to nearly 100,000 Android apps. Verizon has not announced pricing and plan information for upcoming 4G-enabled smartphones.

6. Batteries take a hit on 4G. Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G can run out of battery power after only a few hours of use. While power can be conserved by switching off the 4G setting, the last thing you want to do with your new state-of-the-art smartphone is to slow it down. Extra battery packets which add to the weight of an already heavy phone can be purchased for about $100.

7. A 4G mobile hotspot can give a boost to your 3G phone. Sprint’s website displays a video showing how an iPhone user can find its 4G network and increase the iPhone’s speed. Take that AT&T. Sprint says the hotspot can work with up to five Wi-Fi-enabled devices at time: a phone, a laptop, camera, a couple music players and so on. Sprint says the Overdrive 3G/4G Mobile Hotspot by Sierra Wireless is the first dual-mode mobile hotspot on the market.

8. Sprint and Verizon are leading the way with 4G, but where’s the competition? They’re not snoozing. Kent German reported in CNET that AT&T will be busting a move into 4G next year. AT&T Operations CEO John Stankey says the company will light up its network with LTE service by the middle of 2011. He didn’t list cities, but he says AT&T is aiming to cover between 70 million and 75 million people by the end of 2011.

Meanwhile T-Mobile has been touting its HPSA+ upgrade. T-Mobile says the upgrade increases its network’s speed three to five times over 3G. T-Mobile describes its HSPA+ enhancement as a “super-fast mobile broadband network that delivers 4G speeds in the Northeastern U.S. and other major cities across the country.”

9. So if you are one of those people with a need for speed or rely on your phone for multimedia business communication, it makes sense to upgrade to a 4G phone right away. Just understand the geographic restrictions in accessing the network, and be prepared to pay more in your monthly bill while also making sure to charge your phone more regularly.

For everyone else, there is no need to rush into 4G. Whenever it is naturally time to upgrade your phone due to performance or an expiring contract, you should consider jumping on to the faster network. By that time, 4G will be available in more areas and on more carriers. Although I wouldn’t expect prices to go down, battery and other technical issues associated with new gadgets should be resolved.

The only other thing you’ll have to worry about at that point is when it makes sense to upgrade to the fifth generation of cell phone technology.

Could 'Goldilocks' planet be just right for life?

2010-09-30T01:06:00.000-07:00

WASHINGTON – Astronomers say they have for the first time spotted a planet beyond our own in what is sometimes called the Goldilocks zone for life: Not too hot, not too cold. Juuuust right.

Not too far from its star, not too close. So it could contain liquid water. The planet itself is neither too big nor too small for the proper surface, gravity and atmosphere.

It's just right. Just like Earth.

"This really is the first Goldilocks planet," said co-discoverer R. Paul Butler of the Carnegie Institution of Washington.

The new planet sits smack in the middle of what astronomers refer to as the habitable zone, unlike any of the nearly 500 other planets astronomers have found outside our solar system. And it is in our galactic neighborhood, suggesting that plenty of Earth-like planets circle other stars.

Finding a planet that could potentially support life is a major step toward answering the timeless question: Are we alone?

Scientists have jumped the gun before on proclaiming that planets outside our solar system were habitable only to have them turn out to be not quite so conducive to life. But this one is so clearly in the right zone that five outside astronomers told The Associated Press it seems to be the real thing.

"This is the first one I'm truly excited about," said Penn State University's Jim Kasting. He said this planet is a "pretty prime candidate" for harboring life.

Life on other planets doesn't mean E.T. Even a simple single-cell bacteria or the equivalent of shower mold would shake perceptions about the uniqueness of life on Earth.

But there are still many unanswered questions about this strange planet. It is about three times the mass of Earth, slightly larger in width and much closer to its star — 14 million miles away versus 93 million. It's so close to its version of the sun that it orbits every 37 days. And it doesn't rotate much, so one side is almost always bright, the other dark.

Temperatures can be as hot as 160 degrees or as frigid as 25 degrees below zero, but in between — in the land of constant sunrise — it would be "shirt-sleeve weather," said co-discoverer Steven Vogt of the University of California at Santa Cruz.

It's unknown whether water actually exists on the planet, and what kind of atmosphere it has. But because conditions are ideal for liquid water, and because there always seems to be life on Earth where there is water, Vogt believes "that chances for life on this planet are 100 percent."

The astronomers' findings are being published in Astrophysical Journal and were announced by the National Science Foundation on Wednesday.

The planet circles a star called Gliese 581. It's about 120 trillion miles away, so it would take several generations for a spaceship to get there. It may seem like a long distance, but in the scheme of the vast universe, this planet is "like right in our face, right next door to us," Vogt said in an interview.

That close proximity and the way it was found so early in astronomers' search for habitable planets hints to scientists that planets like Earth are probably not that rare.

Vogt and Butler ran some calculations, with giant fudge factors built in, and figured that as much as one out of five to 10 stars in the universe have planets that are Earth-sized and in the habitable zone.

With an estimated 200 billion stars in the universe, that means maybe 40 billion planets that have the potential for life, Vogt said. However, Ohio State University's Scott Gaudi cautioned that is too speculative about how common these planets are.

Vogt and Butler used ground-based telescopes to track the star's precise movements over 11 years and watch for wobbles that indicate planets are circling it. The newly discovered planet is actually the sixth found circling Gliese 581. Two looked promising for habitability for a while, another turned out to be too hot and the fifth is likely too cold. This sixth one bracketed right in the sweet spot in between, Vogt said.

With the star designated "a," its sixth planet is called Gliese 581g.

"It's not a very interesting name and it's a beautiful planet," Vogt said. Unofficially, he's named it after his wife: "I call it Zarmina's World."

The star Gliese 581 is a dwarf, about one-third the strength of our sun. Because of that, it can't be seen without a telescope from Earth, although it is in the Libra constellation, Vogt said.

But if you were standing on this new planet, you could easily see our sun, Butler said.

The low-energy dwarf star will live on for billions of years, much longer than our sun, he said. And that just increases the likelihood of life developing on the planet, the discoverers said.

"It's pretty hard to stop life once you give it the right conditions," Vogt said.

US: Inverted Philippine flag was `honest mistake'

2010-09-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

MANILA, Philippines – The U.S. government said Sunday it made an "honest mistake" when it displayed an inverted Philippine flag — which wrongfully signified that the Southeast Asian nation was in a state of war — in a meeting hosted by President Barack Obama.

The Philippine flag was displayed upside down behind President Benigno Aquino III when leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met Obama in New York on Friday.

"This was an honest mistake," U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Rebecca Thompson said in a statement, adding, "the U.S. treasures its close relationship and close partnership with the Philippines."

The American embassy will find out how the "unfortunate" incident happened, she said.

Philippine foreign affairs department spokesman Ed Malaya said the government understood that it was "an honest error" that "should not detract from the true significance of the summit, which showed the unprecedented cooperation between the ASEAN and the U.S."

It was not immediately clear who pointed out the mistake. A photograph of Aquino sitting beside Obama with the inverted flag behind them was displayed on a government website Sunday but its caption did not point out the error.

During the summit, Obama discussed ways of bolstering economic ties between the U.S. and Southeast Asia as well as Asian regional concerns such as territorial disputes in the South China Sea and Nov. 7 elections in military-ruled Myanmar.

Make Money Trading Forex

2010-04-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

There are new regulations regarding advertising in the US (I'm in Canada) where the website owner is required to state if they receive revenue to promote products on their websites. My approach has always been to only endorse products that I feel will help you to profit from trading Forex.

Some of these products pay me and some do not. The bottom line is if you see something promoted here, it is because I believe it will help you and your trading, not my bottom line.

My current focus is on automated trading systems and trading robots. Many "would be" new traders are overwhelmed by all the information available and don't know how to get started. These automated systems can successfully trade your account, even if you have a very limited knowledge of the Forex market.

I buy almost every trading robot that comes along and put them through a lot of testing. Most of them don't do very well and I often end up sending them back for a refund. However, sometimes they do what they are supposed to and I put them on an account trading with LOW leverage.

For some reason they all seem to have the same trashy sales pages, but if you can get past that and are looking for EA's that can turn a profit, check out these links...

Forex Transporter

Forex Pitbull

CloveriX EA

All systems, robotic or not, will have losses and leverage should always be kept small.

Robots are a great way to make money trading Forex for those that struggle with technical analysis, or traders that can't sit in front of their computers all day and night. You still need to be aware of the market particulars, but automated systems make it much easier for new traders to get started profitably.

One of the new robots Forex Brilliance looks very interesting. I'm going to do some serious testing on this one... stay tuned!

If you have an idea for a robot strategy and you need some help to code it, send me a note from the About the Author page and I can probably help you. I have coded many EA's and will do what I can to get you going.

Trading Forex is exciting and it can also be very rewarding. You are able to trade any time of the day Monday through Friday and it can be done effectively without being glued to your computer screen.

Over $3 Trillion Daily!

The reality is you need to do a little homework to be successful at this. You can learn how to claim some cash from the $3.2 trillion (according to the latest BIS report) that trade through the Forex market every trading day, but to make money trading Forex, you need to treat it like a business and invest some of your time to achieve profitable results.

In the end, the results you get will be the product of the time and effort you put in. Do this the right way and it can change your life. If you are looking to get rich quick, Forex can do it, but it can break you just as quickly, so beware.

Typically, 95% of traders who open accounts to trade the currency market will lose all of their "investment". However, with a proper strategy, you can become a member of the successful 5%. Once you learn to make money trading Forex, the world will be a much different place for you.

Got a question you can't find the answer to? Send me a quick email from the "About the Author" page and I'll try to point you in the right direction.

What is Forex?

2010-02-22T15:41:00.001-08:00

Foreign Exchange or Forex is a globally trusted market used for the trading or exchange of currencies of different countries. It is the world’s largest financial market. Millions of people from different walks of life are an active part of Forex or foreign exchange market. With the passage of every year, the Forex market is growing in size and becoming more accessible to common people. It is the market of 21st century and million of people from all over the world are relaying on it to achieve their financial goals. With the advancement in the technology and communication science, Forex has become a huge market but still it has more potential of growth and rise. In the years to come, it may become the trade of choice for many traders. The new generation of traders and investors is seeking exciting opportunities in Forex trade.

Forex or Foreign Exchange Education
Forex or foreign exchange trading is a very tricky and risky task. Without having proper training and education, one has very limited chances of success. The most important cause for the failure of Forex traders is their lack of Forex training. A quality Forex Education or Training helps the Forex traders to improve their trading abilities and skills. Only a well educated or trained Forex trader understands the complexities and subtleties of Forex trade. Proper Forex training teaches the trader a sound trading strategy and an effective approach to currency trading. A qualified Forex trader can explore the opportunities much easily and extensively.

What should be done before London open?
A quality Forex training focuses on the market timing effect on trading and liquidity. The time when London market starts its proceedings is the busiest time of the market. The London market’s startup time has a great effect on Forex market. No education or training system can neglect the importance of analyzing the effect of London’s Forex market’s opening and closing. There are some key points which are very handy to analyze the effect of London market on Forex market. These should be checked, half an hour before the startup of the London market. They are given as below:

Key Points before London open
• if the MACD (Moving Average Convergence / Divergence) indicators are not on the 4 hour and 1 hour then a careful or cautious approach is the better strategy.
• Divergence of the security price from the MACD is a clue that current market trend is going to over.
• A Fibonacci calculation on the last up and down trend help to know if price is going backwards to its initial position or it is heading towards an extended level.
• It is necessary to have knowledge about expected economic reports as they greatly influence the market.
• if the candle nears on the fifteen minute chart at London startup, try to observe the tweezers or doji’s patterns or hammers which indicates the fall of price
• Risk analysis and defining a proper stop is also essential to check

Conclusion:

Before a few minute of London startup, the above factors can help to make decision of trading or holding back. Performing a daily analysis on London open is a handy way to improve the Forex trading skills. There is no hard and fast rule for Forex education. Success with Forex trading comes with experience, practice and learning new skills. With getting experienced, a trader get more disciplined and controlled in his emotions which is a must trait for Forex trader.

What is Forex (Foreign Exchange)?

2010-02-22T07:23:00.001-08:00

Foreign Exchange (FOREX) is the arena where a nation's currency is exchanged for that of another. The foreign exchange market is the largest financial market in the world, with the equivalent of over $1.9 trillion changing hands daily; more than three times the aggregate amount of the US Equity and Treasury markets combined. Unlike other financial markets, the Forex market has no physical location and no central exchange (off-exchange). It operates through a global network of banks, corporations and individuals trading one currency for another. The lack of a physical exchange enables the Forex market to operate on a 24-hour basis, spanning from one zone to another in all the major financial centers.

Traditionally, retail investors' only means of gaining access to the foreign exchange market was through banks that transacted large amounts of currencies for commercial and investment purposes. Trading volume has increased rapidly over time, especially after exchange rates were allowed to float freely in 1971. Today, importers and exporters, international portfolio managers, multinational corporations, speculators, day traders, long-term holders and hedge funds all use the FOREX market to pay for goods and services, transact in financial assets or to reduce the risk of currency movements by hedging their exposure in other markets.

MG Financial, now operating in over 100 countries, serves all manner of clients, comprising speculators and strategic traders. Whether it’s day-traders looking for short-term gains, or fund managers wanting to hedge their non-US assets, MG's DealStation™ allows them to participate in FOREX trading by providing a combination of live quotes, Real-Time charts, and news and analysis that attracts traders with an orientation towards fundamental and/or technical analysis.

Forex Business Learn All About it

2010-02-20T15:40:00.000-08:00

Important:

I have seen some people in different forums who advertise their EBook or some other thing where they offer to tell the secret of making lot of money via doing forex business.

I would like to tell you that: forex business is one of riskiest businesses that you can find on the internet these days.

If someone tells you that: forex business is a one way road to becoming a rich man and there are only profits and no losses: then I am afraid to tell you that this person is not telling the truth.

People lose lot of money in this business. You can either earn money or you can lose it.

Also, this business is not free to start: that is, you will be required to invest some amount of money, in order to start this business. In case you are only interested in free online money making opportunities, then you can go here to find more information:

Money Making Opportunities

What Is Forex Business?

Forex business involves selling/buying of different currencies. People invest money in banks, stock market etc, forex business is just like that.

You should not trade until you have done lot of research about the currency you want to buy.

One political statement can have a big impact on a particular currency.

You have to be aware of political events: look at the economy and other things that can influence currency rates.

You can either buy or sell a currency. If you buy a currency, then you will get profit if this currency rate increases and if you sell [go short] a currency, then you will gain profit if the rate goes down.

We all know that political scenarios and economic situations can change very quickly. One bankruptcy announcement from a major company can have a big influence.

You can never be sure that the trade you are doing will give you profits in the end.

Have I done any forex business myself?

Yes, I have done this business a little bit myself. But I did not traded currencies online: instead, I have done the trades at a foreign exchange companies.

What I traded?

I had few thousand Pounds which I traded with Pakistani Rupees when the rate was:

1 British Pound = 118 Pakistani Rupees

After few days, I saw the Pound rate down at about Rs.113. At this level, I thought maybe I should invest my money back in Pounds. There was no guarantee that the rate of pound will go up again.

The rate could go further down or could go up again.

So I decided to do this investment and was willing to take this risk.

After few weeks, the rate of pound reached approximately Rs.118 again. That is when I again traded pound with Pak rupee.

I am currently monitoring the market and I think I will invest my money in the currency which will be weaker against US dollar. And when/if that currency gets stronger against US Dollar, I will trade that currency to get some profit.

But it is very much possible that the currency I buy will get further weaker against US Dollar instead of getting stronger. And if I will need my money for some reason, then I will have to trade it and will lose money instead of gaining any profit.

If you want to make money with forex business, then it is possible if you are willing to properly understand all the factors involved in this business and also understand that this work is extremely risky.

Do not invest money until you have done proper and thorough market analysis.

I have seen some online companies that offer a free forex practice account. You can join such program in order to see if you really can do this business or not.

You will be able to trade in forex, 24 hours a day and 5 days a week.

Important Terms For Online Forex Trading

2010-02-07T18:15:00.001-08:00

When it comes to online forex trading it is very important that you are sure of the many of the terms associated with forex, for without knowing the different terminologies in forex you will not be able to carry out your trade in a better way. Here are the important forex terms that you might have to know when dealing in foreign exchange trading

* Appreciation- The currency’s value gets increased in the forex trading .

* Ask- The price demanded by the trader. This more often than not, points out the smallest price that a seller will take over.

* Base currency- The currency that the depositor trades (i.e. EUR in EURUSD)

* Bear - Someone who thinks prices are decreasing. A bear market is one in which there has been a continual fall in prices and which does not look like it will make progress quickly.

* Bid - The charge offered by the trader. These generally indicate the peak price a client will pay.

* Bid/Ask - The Bid rate is the rate at which you can sell. The Ask (or offer) rate is the rate at which you can buy.

* Bull - Someone who is positive about the market activity. A bull market is characterized by enthusiastic and nonstop buying.

* Cross - When trading with currencies, the depositor buys one currency with the help of another. These two currencies form the cross: for example, EURUSD.

* Cross rate - An exchange rate that is estimated from two other exchange rates.

* Depreciation/decline - A drop in the cost of a currency.

* Exchange rate - What one currency is worth in terms of another, for example the Australian dollar might be valued 58 US cents or 70 yen.

Advantages Of Online Forex Trading

2010-02-07T18:14:00.000-08:00

No fees or dealing costs

A foreign currency exchange naturally acquires no fee or transaction charge in addition to the quoted spread. This is in great difference to the equity market, where fees for stock trades choice from 8 to 70 USD or yet higher, as well as the quoted spread.

Profit possible in spite of forex market direction:

An investor with an open position is by meaning long one currency and shorts one more. If a trader trusts a foreign currency is about to decrease in value, he or she sells that currency short and goes long a new currency. In the foreign exchange market, selling or shorting is an essential part of carrying out a foreign trade. Profit possible survivals in the Forex market in spite of whether a trader is buying or selling and in spite of whether the market is going up or down. In the US equity markets, short-selling is fewer general and harder to carry out because of dissimilar regulations and market rules. This creates it harder to create a profit.

No limits in foreign currency exchange:

No limits are relevant to the foreign exchange and there are extremely small account balances. This denotes that traders can take pleasure in profit chances in all market situations.

A foreign exchange rate is the comparative value among two currencies. More especially it is the needed amount of one currency to buy or sell one unit of one more currency. This is as well named a pairing; Euro to dollar at 1.3250 denotes that one Euro can be exchanged for 1.3250 US dollars.

Scenes of survival and of death in desperate Haiti

2010-01-30T07:35:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-30T05:32:00.000-08:00

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.

Star Trek is available on iTunes.

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.

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

2010-01-27T07:01:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-27T06:55:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-27T06:40:00.000-08:00

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

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

2010-01-23T17:46:00.000-08:00

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:

How to Increase Farmville Experience Level Cheat:

DOWNLOAD HERE

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

2010-01-23T08:11:00.000-08:00

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…

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

2010-01-20T07:12:00.001-08:00

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.....

2010-01-20T07:09:00.000-08:00

Keep track of the countdown to summer

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

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - 4:27 PM

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

Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - 8:42 AM

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.

Latest news

2010-01-13T18:05:00.002-08:00

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!

2010-01-13T18:05:00.001-08:00

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

2010-01-13T18:05:00.000-08:00

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 >>>

LATEST NEWS.

2010-01-08T17:12:00.000-08:00

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 >>>

Pacquiao can’t afford to pass on megafight

2010-01-07T05:55:00.000-08:00

The request by Floyd Mayweather for both he and Manny Pacquiao to potentially be blood tested as close as 48 hours from their possible March superfight is both unprecedented and unnecessary.
Pacquiao’s de facto manager told Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole that Pacman will be blood tested one month out and just after the possible March 13 fight in (likely) Las Vegas. That schedule should answer any possible doping questions about Pacquiao (or Mayweather). The 48-hour deadline is a classic Mayweather psychological ploy, a little edge designed to get into his opponent’s head.

That said, at this point, with the debate this far along, Pacquiao should just suck it up and agree to it.

Mayweather is a master at putting opponents in bad positions, both inside and outside the ring. Pacquiao is in one now, outfoxed by Mayweather in the fight negotiations. There’s no way Pacquiao can explain walking away from one of the biggest bouts in boxing history because, as his promoter suggests, he’s afraid of needles.

Do that and it isn’t just the game of boxing that takes a beating – it’s also Pacquiao’s reputation. The semantics about boxing standards or steroid cycles or unfair negotiations won’t break through what would, no doubt, be a vocal hammering from critics, none louder than from the Mayweathers.

“For that kind of money, how could you not take a test?” Floyd’s father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., has already crowed to the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press.

Indeed, how do you not take a test?

The Mayweather camp has been outspoken in its suspicions about Pacquiao and performance-enhancing drugs. So it demanded that both fighters possibly submit blood samples to the United States Anti-Doping Agency in the days before and after the fight. When to test would be up to USADA. Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, said they’d stick to State of Nevada regulations, although Pacquiao’s adviser, Michael Koncz, said they’d do blood samples, just not that close to the fight.

That isn’t good enough, so far, for the Mayweather camp. If no one budges, boxing may be in the process of shooting itself in the foot, walking away from an event that already has fans worldwide buzzing in anticipation. More likely: Something gets worked out in time for a fight announcement in early January.

“In a fight of this magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level,” Mayweather Jr. said in a statement.

“We’re going in a different direction,” Arum told the Grand Rapids Press. “What I believe is that Floyd never really wanted the fight and this is just harassment of Pacquiao.”

There’s little doubt this is harassment of Pacquiao. What else would you expect from Floyd Mayweather? He’s the master at screwing with opponents. Making Pacquiao discuss PEDs in the run up to the fight is a potential distraction – even if he’s clean. That was, no doubt, a goal when his camp requested aggressive doping standards.

This isn’t Mayweather’s normal bluster, though. He’s on the moral high ground here. The Pacquiao camp can hate the situation it finds itself in and may be correct that the requests are mostly ridiculous. It doesn’t change the reality of the debate.

If Pacman pulls out of the fight because of the timetable for doping tests, he’ll have a near-impossible challenge proving he isn’t trying to hide something.

Arum isn’t doing Pacquiao any favors with some of his silly excuses. He said Pacquiao is squeamish about needles, which is a heck of a thing to blow up a contest to determine the toughest pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.

He added that Pacquiao thinks a blood test within 48 hours of the fight might drain him, although most such tests take very little actual blood. Then there’s Arum’s claim that every doctor in the world would say doing such a thing is “stupid” and blood tests don’t “prove anything.” That’s hyperbole.

“Manny Pacquiao doesn’t know anything about drugs,” Arum told the Grand Rapids paper. “This is just typical nastiness by wise guys like [Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard] Ellerbe and Mayweather.”

Nastiness? Sure. Wise guys? Absolutely. The Mayweather camp doesn’t play around. However, to say we have to just take Arum’s word that Pacquiao doesn’t know anything about drugs is absurd. There hasn’t been a reason to believe anything or anyone in sports on this topic in years. PED scandals in baseball, football, cycling, track, swimming and so on aren’t Pacquiao’s fault, but that’s the sporting reality he lives in.

He can’t just pretend fan suspicion isn’t reasonable.

Pacquiao has been a breath of fresh air for boxing and he’s never failed a drug test in his 50-3-2 career. The chance to see a man of similar speed and skill finally challenge the unbeaten Mayweather (40-0) has reenergized the sport.

Which doesn’t mean either fighter is above reproach. The Mayweathers have had no problem voicing their concerns about Pacman’s ability to maintain punching power and punch-taking ability as he has climbed through weight classes (even as Mayweather has made a similar journey).

Regardless, in one of their typically deft maneuvers, they demanded extreme testing standards that left the Pacquiao camp backpedaling and debating an issue they can’t win.

What Mayweather is calling for may be unfair, but is Pacquiao going to give up tens of millions of dollars and a chance to cement his legacy as one of the all-time greatest fighters out of principle?

Is he going to bail knowing that he opens himself up to questions about PEDs because, despite being tough enough to let Miguel Cotto unload on him, he’s scared of a needle?

Floyd Mayweather has cornered him on this one, doing what he does best, making the fight get fought on his terms. The way to stop Mayweather, though, has always been to punch back – hard.

Instead, Manny Pacquiao is going to walk away?

Will Pacquiao's legacy be hurt because the fight with Mayweather wouldn't push through? Why?

2010-01-07T05:42:00.000-08:00

t's official that the much-anticipated welterweight bout between Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao and American Floyd Mayweather Jr. won't push through after promoters failed to reach an agreement ( http://ph.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20100107/tsp-ouksp-uk-boxing-pacquiao-e0767c7_1.html ).

The bout would have been the richest in boxing history and would have guaranteed each fighter at least USD25 million, not including sales from pay-per-view that can bring their earnings to USD40 million each.

A sports blog mentioned that Floyd Mayweather's blood-test request is ridiculous, but Manny Pacquiao's legacy will be hurt if he walks away from the fight ( http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=Atn1P3Jeunqd7Ri9qZBC7_6UxLYF?slug=dw-mayweatherpacquiao122309&prov=yhoo&type=lgns ). Do you think Pacquiao's legacy as the best pound-for-pound boxer will be hurt because the fight with Mayweather will not push through? Share your thoughts now.

Make or break for megafight today

2010-01-06T07:17:00.000-08:00

MANILA, Philippines - The signs that the Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather Jr. will take place on March 13 are back.

“Neither side is insisting on pre-conditions, and both sides will present their positions in an effort to resolve the dispute,” retired judge Daniel Weinstein, tapped to mediate and stand in between both parties, said in a statement printed by The Los Angeles Times yesterday.

And Weinstein, Lance Pugmire wrote, is “satisfied all parties are negotiating in good faith.”

Weinstein is a master mediator, and finding a solution to the impasse that has threatened to derail what is being billed as the biggest fight of the new century will be his only objective.

He is set to meet Top Rank’s Bob Arum and Todd duBeof, for Pacquiao, and Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe and Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer, for the American fighter, at his Santa Monica office today.

“I have been asked by representatives of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather to mediate certain disputes that have arisen in connection with the negotiation of a bout between the two fighters,” Weinstein said in a statement.

Weinstein, once voted as the most popular mediator in the Bay Area, said both sides are working on a gag order which they also imposed among themselves when they started negotiating the fight.

Once the meeting is over, Arum and Schaefer could either announce that the fight is officially on or off or that they would need a little more time to get things done.

The whole world is waiting for the match that could generate more than $100 million in revenues and break all existing records in pay-per-view sales, ticket sales, closed-circuit sales, merchandise, among others.

As it is, the weight issue, the venue and the purse have all been resolved, and it’s just the procedure on how the drug testing would go that’s taking all the time.

If the fight is made, it’s highly expected that the case filed by Pacquiao against the Mayweathers, Schaefer and Oscar dela Hoya would be dropped in exchange for a public apology.

Meanwhile, the father of Miguel Cotto passed away Sunday in Puerto Rico, apparently due to heart attack. He was 57.

The Puerto Rican press said Miguel Sr., who was around when his son trained and fought Manny Pacquiao last November in Las Vegas, had suffered from asthma in the past and had needed an oxygen task to help him breath.

Miguel Sr. was reportedly driving his car when he fell ill and stopped to ask for help before collapsing. - By Abac Cordero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Yoko Ono donates P2.5M to ‘Ondoy’ victims

2010-01-06T07:15:00.002-08:00

Yoko Ono, widow of the late Beatles member John Lennon, has donated ¥5 million or P2.5 million for the thousands of victims of Tropical Storm Ondoy (international code: Ketsana), which hit the Philippines September last year, killing hundreds. Yoko Ono sympathizes with victims of storm Ondoy (Ketsana) which devastated the Philippines in September 2009. Photo courtesy of Philippine Embassy in JapanA statement from the Philippine Embassy in Japan said Ono visited the Philippine Embassy in Fujimi, Tokyo before Christmas to personally pledge the donation. "[Ono] learned about the very severe and continuing conditions of the "Ondoy" victims and decided to take action. As a mother herself, she feels deep sympathy and love for suffering children," the statement read.

A total of 464 people were killed when Ondoy brought a record rainfall in Metro Manila and several nearby provinces on Sept. 26, 2009. Thousands were left homeless by the floods it caused. Ono, an artist herself who belongs to an aristocratic family, grew up in the Fujimi manor that now houses the Philippine Embassy in Tokyo. The mansion was built by Ono’s uncle, who later sold it to the late President Jose P. Laurel. After World War II, the Philippines bought the property from the Laurel family and is now called the "Jewel of the Philippines." "The Fujimi residence is very close to my heart and I consider it my home sweet home in Japan. I am therefore very grateful to the Philippine government for maintaining the house in a good condition all these years," the statement quoted Ono as saying. Ono and Lennon married in 1969 and collaborated on several projects. They have a son named Sean. John was shot dead Dec. 8, 1980 in New York by Mark David Chapman. - Nikka Corsino/KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV

Internet hacker 'puts' penis in DOH head's mouth

2010-01-06T07:15:00.001-08:00

Hackers tampered with a picture of Health Sec. Francisco Duque III (left). The original picture (right) shows him blowing on a horn.

MANILA, Philippines - Hackers vandalized several official government websites prior to the holidays, prompting internet security experts to question the government's ability to protect sensitive information.

On December 17, users visiting the Department of Health (DOH) website found a picture of Health Sec. Francisco Duque III apparently holding genitals towards his mouth.

On the upper left corner of the picture, which accompanied a press release about the DOH's firecracker ban campaign, was a drawing of a penis with the words "Use Penis" next to it.

The original picture showed Duque blowing on a "torotot" or horn.

The DOH had encouraged the public to make noise with horns or pans instead of using firecrackers during the holidays in order to minimize firecracker-related injuries.

Before the DOH website could be fixed, the tampered picture was quickly spread in social networking sites.

The next day, alleged Indonesian hackers broke into the official website of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The DSWD home page displayed a large picture of a green and glowing Grim Reaper bearing the words "Hacker-newbie.org", a Bahasa forum reportedly for hacker communities.

More recently, the National Disaster Coordinating Council's official website was also hacked by "Heart Hacker."

Viewers visiting the agency's home page instead saw a black-and-gray message box proclaiming that the site had been hacked.

Can elections be 'hacked'?

Information Technology (IT) expert Jerry Lao said hackers can break into web servers, the "space" where websites are housed or located, by breaking a password or entering through the "back door."

"Once you get in, you can practically do anything with the site," he said.

Lao said the series of hacking incidents on Philippine government websites serves as a "wake-up" call for authorities, especially military agencies like the NDCC, to heighten their website security.

"Huwag sila basta basta mag-host lang na hindi nila man lang tinitignan kung ano ang mga security features ng web company. (They shouldn't just host on a server without looking at the web company's security features)," he told ABS-CBN News in an interview.

Experts like Lao broached the possibility of hackers breaking into government websites and tampering with vitally important data, such as those of the Commission on Elections, which is overseeing poll automation in 2010.

"The security features of the Comelec, I'm pretty sure, are stringent and it's harder to get in. But hackers can still try to get in. The question is, can the Comelec handle it?" Lao said.

Comelec spokersperson James Jimenez, however, said he is confident that the Comelec's software and database for the automated elections cannot easily be compromised.

He said the poll body had meticulously studied the database's security features and protocol.

"The protocol for protecting the website, it's something that we've had experience with. And we are confident that we can do that for the 2010 elections," he said. Report by TJ Manotoc, ABS-CBN News.

FarmVille Cheat Codes

2010-01-05T06:40:00.000-08:00

FarmVille Cheat Code DOWLOAD HERE

Farmville cheat codes are available for coins, cash and experience. Find cheats for Farmville throughout the page below. Links to other Farmville cheats are included in this page. Listed within this page are the speed cheats, along with the fastest growing crops.

FarmVille is a social game developed by Zynga, and available on social networks and iPhones. Launched in June 2009, it became one of the most popular applications on Facebook, garnering 10 million users in less than a month. This is one of the most popular games on the largest social networking system in the world.

In this MMORPG game, you can buy the farm in a good way. You learn how to plough, plant, reap your harvest, and help your friendly neighbors on this game. This game is for people of all ages, and is easy to learn. Yes, players will find some cheat codes, along with strategy tips and hints for everyone to use.
Facebook Farmville Cheat Codes for Speed

Clear a section in your field of plots, you need to create a nice section of land, which only grass on it. Clear nine spots in a formation. Now ‘walk’ your person in the middle of this section.

Go to the market, purchase the cheapest fences, and set the fences around the person. After you have set four fences down you will need to turn two of them. You can click on the fence when it is placed and turn it sideways. This effectively blocks in the person and now you can plow and plant much quicker.

This fence trick is super handy if you have a large amount of area to plow or plant. If you use other items to block in your person, he or she will walk around the perimeter and proceed to plant or plow.
Facebook Farmville Cheat Codes for Crop Growing

Crops grow and ripen at various times. There is no way to stop the crops from growing while you are away from your computer. Plant the crops that take longer to grow when you go away form your computer for a while.

If you are planning on being away from your computer for 8 hours try planting tomatoes, pumpkins, or sugar cane. All of these items are available at different levels and they can really make the difference in rotting fruit. This saves money and time from clearing rotted crops.
Farmville Cheat Codes For Growing the Best Crops

Planting a field full of strawberries will make a player a lot of money, and although this is not considered one of the cheats, it does help a play to accumulate money and experience quickly. Strawberries in this game take four hours to grow, so this is perfect for people who can log into facebook often.

The strawberries will give a player the experience needed and the cash to move up the levels quickly. It is time consuming, but well worth the effort if one wishes to make the levels fast.

Planting a field full of peas which take a day to grow will net the player 7.652 coins an hour and will earn the player 3 experience points per hour. Onions, sunflowers, sugar cane, lilies, grapes, tomatoes, and asparagus are also good buys, but these crops are only available on the higher levels.

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2010-01-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

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Malaysia - Poverty and wealth

2010-01-05T06:35:00.001-08:00

Malaysia experienced extraordinary economic growth during the last 3 decades, which brought prosperity and higher standards of living to the majority of the people. One of the most important achievements in Malaysia has been the elimination of extreme poverty and hunger. The urban areas—especially the capital Kuala Lumpur, and major tourist destinations and industrial cities such as George Town, Malacca, and Petaling Jaya— enjoy a quality of living very similar to that in developed countries. The major cities have first-class shopping centers, condominiums with air-conditioning and swimming pools, expensive private schools, and elite clubs. The rural population, meanwhile, often lives in traditional wooden houses in kampungs (villages) with limited facilities.

The monthly gross household income nearly doubled from MR1,167 in 1990 to MR2,007 in 1995. There has emerged a fairly strong middle class. However, incomes are still distributed unevenly. For instance, the wealthiest 20 percent of Malaysians control 53.8 percent of the wealth, while the poorest 60 percent of the population controls just 21.3 percent of wealth. At the very bottom of the income range, the poorest 20 percent of the population controls only 4.5 percent of wealth. Disparities exist along both geographic and ethnic lines. In general, the Chinese population, which has traditionally lived in urban areas and been involved in small and medium-sized businesses or employed in various industries, has had higher incomes than the Malays, who often live in small towns and villages and were traditionally engaged in agriculture. Secondly, there are considerable differences in standards of living, incomes, and access to medical and other social benefits in different parts of the country. Peninsular Malaysia, where the majority of the population lives, has much higher standards of living compared to East Malaysia.

GDP per Capita (US$)
Country 1975 1980 1985 1990 1998
Malaysia 1,750 2,348 2,644 3,164 4,251
United States 19,364 21,529 23,200 25,363 29,683
China 138 168 261 349 727
Indonesia 385 504 603 778 972
SOURCE: United Nations. Human Development Report 2000; Trends in human development and per capita income.

Distribution of Income or Consumption by Percentage Share: Malaysia
Lowest 10% 1.8
Lowest 20% 4.5
Second 20% 8.3
Third 20% 13.0
Fourth 20% 20.4
Highest 20% 53.8
Highest 10% 37.9
Survey year: 1995
Note: This information refers to income shares by percentiles of the population and is ranked by per capita income.
SOURCE: 2000 World Development Indicators [CD-ROM].

Since 1970, the Malaysian government has actively implemented social policies aimed at the elimination of poverty and social inequality, and the development of a social welfare system . The communal unrest of 1969 prompted the Malaysian government to introduce the New Economic Policy (NEP). This 20-year program established state support of poor communities and access to education and social benefits for Malays and indigenous people (the Bumiputera ). This latter aspect included the establishment of privileged access to public services, the granting of land rights, preference in education and training, and job quotas in the public sector. In the 1980s, Malaysia's leadership envisioned the formation of the Malay Baru (New Malays), a better-educated, politically and socially active people able to live in harmony with other communities. In the early 1990s the government relaxed some privileges and reduced some quotas for Bumiputera, making the social welfare system more inclusive and accessible to a wider range of people than it had been before.

The recent economic turbulence of 1997 and 1998 brought higher unemployment, higher prices, and lower incomes. This particularly affected the most vulnerable social groups of society, not only in rural areas, but also in major urban centers. Nevertheless, there were no large groups of people migrating from the country, and Malaysia's quality of life remained much better than in neighboring Indonesia, the Philippines, or Thailand. Around 6.8 percent of the population lived below the poverty line in 1997, most of them in East Malaysia (for comparison, in the neighboring Philippines 32 percent of the population lived below the poverty line in 1997). The economic recovery of 1999 and 2000 reversed the decline in incomes and standards of living.

Read more: Malaysia Poverty and wealth, Information about Poverty and wealth in Malaysia http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Asia-and-the-Pacific/Malaysia-POVERTY-AND-WEALTH.html#ixzz0bkThaBYH

Dubai prepares to open world's tallest skyscraper

2010-01-04T07:31:00.000-08:00

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Dubai prepared to inaugurate the world’s tallest skyscraper on Monday, hoping to shift international attention away from the Gulf emirate’s deep financial crisis and rekindle the optimism that once fuelled its turbocharged growth.

Crews rushed to complete preparations for the official opening of the Burj Dubai tower, which stands at least 160 storeys high. The exact height will only be revealed at the evening inauguration.

The developer’s chairman said it cost about US$1.5 billion to build the tapering metal-and-glass spire billed as a “vertical city” of luxury apartments and offices. It boasts four swimming pools, a private library and a hotel designed by Giorgio Armani.

Dubai’s ruler will open the skyscraper with a fireworks display and light show in a celebration marking four years since his ascension to power. Security is expected to be tight with more than 1,000 security personnel, including plainclothes police and sharpshooters, local media reported.

Cleaning crews were busy scrubbing windows and sweeping the plaza at the tower’s base just hours before festivities began.

Burj Dubai opens in the midst of a severe financial crisis in the city-state — one of seven small sheikdoms that make up the United Arab Emirates.

Dubai was little more than a sleepy fishing village a generation ago but it boomed into the Middle East’s commercial hub over the past two decades on the back of business-friendly trading policies, relative security, and vast amounts of overseas investment.

Then property prices in parts of sheikdom collapsed by nearly half over the past year. Now Dubai is mired in debt and many buildings sit largely empty — the result of overbuilding during a property bubble that has since burst.

Despite the past year of hardships, the tower’s developer and other officials were in a festive mood, trying to bring the world’s focus on Dubai’s future potential rather than past mistakes.

“Crises come and go. And cities move on,” Mohammed Alabbar, chairman of the tower’s developer Emaar Properties, told reporters before the inauguration. “You have to move on. Because if you stop taking decisions, you stop growing.”

Dubai, which has little oil of its own, relied on cheap loans to pump up its international clout during the frenzied boom years.

But like many overextended homeowners, the emirate and its state-backed companies borrowed too heavily and then struggled to keep up with payments as the financial crisis intensified and credit markets froze up.

Meanwhile, speculators who had fuelled Dubai’s property bubble disappeared along with the easy money, revealing a glut of brand-new but empty homes and crippling many of the emirate’s property developers

The sheikdom shocked global markets late last year when it unexpectedly announced plans to reorganize its main state-run conglomerate Dubai World and sought new terms in repaying some $26 billion in debt.

It got some succor from a US$10 billion bailout provided by its richer neighbor and UAE capital Abu Dhabi last month. That was on top of US$15 billion in emergency funds provided by Abu Dhabi-based financiers earlier in the year.

Burj developer Emaar is itself partly owned by the Dubai government, but is not part of struggling Dubai World, which has investments ranging from Dubai’s manmade islands and seaports to luxury retailer Barneys New York and the oceanliner Queen Elizabeth 2.

Emaar’s Alabbar said the landmark Burj is 90% sold in a mix of residential units, offices and other space, offering a counterpoint to Dubai’s financial woes.

The developer has only said the spire stands more than 2625 feet (800 meters) tall. Alabbar said Dubai’s ruler will announce the height at the inauguration ceremony.

At a reported height of 2,684 feet (818 meters), the Burj Dubai long ago vanquished its nearest rival, the Taipei 101 in Taiwan.

But the tower’s record-seeking developers didn’t stop there.

The building boasts the most storeys and highest occupied floor of any building in the world, and ranks as the world’s tallest structure, beating out a television mast in North Dakota.

“We weren’t sure how high we could go,” said Bill Baker, the building’s structural engineer, who is in Dubai for the inauguration. “It was kind of an exploration ... A learning experience“

Baker, of Chicago-based architecture and engineering firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, said early designs for the Burj had it edging out the world’s previous record-holder, the Taipei 101, by about 33 feet (10 meters). The Taiwan tower rises 1,667 feet (508 meters).

Work on Burj Dubai began in 2004 and moved ahead rapidly. At times, new floors were being added almost every three days, reflecting Dubai’s raging push to reshape itself into a cosmopolitan urban giant packed with skyscrapers.

The Burj’s developers say they are confident in the safety of the tower, which is more than twice the height of New York’s Empire State Building’s roof.

Greg Sang, Emaar’s director of projects, said the Burj has “refuge floors” at 25 to 30 storey intervals that are more fire resistant and have separate air supplies in case of emergency. And its reinforced concrete structure, he said, makes it stronger than steel-frame skyscrapers.

“It’s a lot more robust,” he said. “A plane won’t be able to slice through the Burj like it did through the steel columns of the World Trade Center.”

During the busiest construction periods, some 12,000 workers laboured at the tower each day, according to Emaar. Low-wage migrant workers from the Indian subcontinent provided much of the muscle for the Burj and many of Dubai’s other building projects.

The tower is more than 50 storeys higher than Chicago’s Willis Tower, the tallest building in the U.S. formerly known as the Sears Tower.

At their peak, some apartments in the Burj were selling for more than US$1,900 per square foot, though they now can go for less than half that, said Heather Wipperman Amiji, chief executive of Dubai real estate consultancy Investment Boutique.

She said some buyers may struggle to find tenants at going rates once the tower’s expected high service charges are factored in.

“The investment community is quite divided,” she said. “They’re not sure how it’s going to play out.”

The Burj is the centrepiece of a 500-acre development that officials hope will become a new central residential and commercial district in this sprawling and often disconnected city. It is flanked by dozens of smaller but brand-new skyscrapers and the Middle East’s largest shopping mall.

That layout — as the core of a lower-rise skyline — lets the Burj stand out prominently against the horizon. It is visible across dozens of miles of rolling sand dunes outside Dubai. From the air, the spire appears as an almost solitary, slender needle reaching high into the sky.

An observation deck on the 124th floor opens to the public Tuesday, with adult tickets starting at 100 dirhams, or just over US$27 apiece. The ride to the top took just over a minute during a visit for journalists early Monday morning.

Dubai landmarks like the sail-shaped Burj al-Arab hotel and the manmade Palm Jumeirah island were visible through the haze.

The Burj itself cast a sundial-like shadow over low-rise houses and empty sand-covered lots stretching toward the azure Persian Gulf waters. And yes, Dubai is still open for business: there are gift shops at the base and the top.

———

On the Net:

Burj Dubai: www.burjdubai.com

Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat: www.ctbuh.org

Mayon volcano calming; thousands head home

2010-01-04T07:26:00.000-08:00

MANILA, Philippines -- Thousands of villagers evacuated from near the Philippines' most active volcano headed home Saturday after scientists said the rumbling mountain was showing signs it was calming down.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology early Saturday lowered a five-stage alert over Mayon volcano from level 4 to 3, saying there was "less probability of a hazardous explosive eruption."

Most of the 47,000 evacuees whose homes are within a 5-mile (8-kilometer) danger zone have been told it is safe to return home, said Cedric Daep, head of the disaster management office of Albay province, about 212 miles (340 kilometers) southeast of Manila.

Only about 5,000 whose homes are on the southeastern slope of the volcano and in the path of lava flows remained in shelters, he said.

Chief state volcanologist Renato Solidum said scientists were closely monitoring the volcano and will raise the alert in case of a resurgence of activity.

"At the moment, the activity of the volcano is declining, but the volcanic unrest is still high," he said.

The institute said in a statement that it noted "a declining trend in Mayon volcano's activity."

It cited the absence of ash ejections over the past four days, weak steam emissions, declining amounts of sulfur dioxide gas - an indicator of rising magma. It also said majority of earthquakes recorded in the past days have been associated with rockfalls, not rising magma.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has ordered that all schools be prepared to reopen for classes next week, Jukes Nunez of the provincial disaster office said. Many schools had been retasked as shelters since the evacuations began Dec. 15.

The evacuees heading home also will be given enough food for three days and will continue to receive supplies already set aside for them by the World Food Program, Nunez said.

Daep said the military and police will help transport the villagers back to their homes.

"We are very very happy we are going home to our village," said 59-year-old seamstress Myrna Avellano. "We had a sad Christmas and New Year's Eve at the evacuation center."

Mayon, known for its perfect cone, has erupted nearly 40 times over 400 years, sending people packing for months at a time. But never has it happened during the all-important Christmas celebration, when Filipinos gather with family and friends for traditional meals and merry-making.

Obama ends Hawaiian holiday, returns to Washington

2010-01-04T07:25:00.001-08:00

HONOLULU – President Barack Obama ended a Hawaiian vacation to return Monday to the Washington he never really escaped.

Obama and his family boarded Air Force One on Sunday evening for an overnight flight, capping off an 11-day trip that would be remembered more for an al-Qaida affiliate's botched attempt to bring down a Christmas Day flight about to land in Detroit from Amsterdam rather than the hours spent on golf courses or at luaus. The failed terror attack refocused the president's trip from R&R on the island of Oahu to a river of memos from homeland security aides.

Even though it was called a vacation, the trip to Obama's childhood home was hardly the holiday most Americans seek. Between golf outings, he phoned his homeland security secretary and counterterrorism adviser for regular updates. Rather than restaurant recommendations, the president was handed thrice-daily updates from the White House Situation Room. And an attack that killed seven U.S. intelligence officers put him on the phone with the CIA director before heading to the island's North Shore for a party with high school friends.

Such a hyped-up tone was exactly what officials sought to dodge.

"I asked the president if he had any special message for you guys," deputy press secretary Bill Burton deadpanned to reporters on the way to Oahu on Christmas Eve. "He would like for you to relax and to not anticipate any public announcements or news-making events."

It echoed almost exactly what Burton told reporters as they headed toward Obama's summer vacation off the coast of Massachusetts. That trip saw clambakes interrupted with the renomination of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, recreation replaced with mourning the death of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

This week shouldn't have come as a surprise, really. Presidents don't truly get to leave behind 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

One aide traveled back and forth between a makeshift White House complex — at a hotel on Waikiki — to Obama's rented residence with secure memos. A third-floor room overlooking a sea of whitecaps had its curtains drawn while officials used it as a secure briefing room for the National Security Council. And officials — sometimes in sandals or gym clothes — visited reporters in a the hotel ballroom they used for workspace.

"We reserve the right to screw up your day at a moment's notice," a smiling Burton casually told reporters seeking the president's schedule one afternoon.

There was plenty to keep the first-year president busy even without the attack on the Northwest Airlines flight. As Obama heads back to Washington, lawmakers from the House and Senate must resolve their differing versions of a health care overhaul that is squeaking toward passage. His departure was delayed until Christmas Eve, when the Senate voted on the White House's top domestic priority.

Financial regulations are on the verge of winning their own version of an overhaul. A State of the Union address to Congress is due during the first weeks of 2010. The escalating war in Afghanistan is not going to run itself and the intelligence community is not going to reorganize without a direct hand from the Oval Office.

So even though Obama wore casual slacks on New Year's Day when he took his daughters to see a 3-D version of the film "Avatar," that BlackBerry on his belt wasn't for fashion. For a wartime president who dodged dealing with a terrorist attack on Christmas, it's just one reminder he's never completely distanced from his job as commander in chief.

Even when ordering popcorn.

Arum tries last pitch to Pacquiao

2009-12-30T06:41:00.001-08:00

Boxing promoter Bob Arum said Monday he would announce Manny Pacquiao's next fight Tuesday - be it against Floyd Mayweather Jr. or someone else.

But Arum said Tuesday from Mexico he was going to have one last conversation with Pacquiao late Tuesday night to see if Pacquiao, who is in the Philippines, would agree to the latest pitch by Team Mayweather regarding the drug-testing that has threatened to kill this fight tentatively scheduled for March 13 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Team Mayweather wants both fighters to undergo Olympic-style drug-testing, which would be anywhere from 8 to 12 urine tests and 3 to 5 blood tests taken at random, meaning blood could be drawn the day before the fight.

Pacquiao has balked, saying, among other things that having blood drawn so close to a fight might weaken him.

"Binkow is going to talk to Todd with their proposal, we're going to give it to Manny and he is going to make his choice," Arum said via telephone from Cabo San Lucas.

Bruce Binkow is an executive with Golden Boy Promotions, which is representing Mayweather. Todd duBoef is president of Arum's Top Rank Inc. Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, confirmed Binkow and duBoef were talking Tuesday in an effort to reach an accord.

"Bruce Binkow and Todd are having what I think are constructive conversations," Schaefer said. "Let's see where it goes."

Neither Arum nor Schaefer on Tuesday discussed what they believe a suitable compromise would be for a final blood test on the fighters.

Schaefer on Monday said Mayweather still wanted only a two-day cutoff before the fight, but he indicated there might be some flexibility.

Some of Monday's discussion centered on Pacquiao being depicted on HBO's 24/7 series having blood drawn during a pre-fight examination ahead of his May 2 fight with Ricky Hatton.

Golden Boy issued a statement saying that test was taken approximately 14 days before that fight. Pacquiao's team has said it does not want any blood drawn inside of 30 days prior to fighting Mayweather.

Arum on Tuesday said he did some research.

"That blood test was taken on April 8, 24 days before the fight," Arum said.

Floyd Mayweather Sr. has gone on the record saying he believes Pacquiao is highly successful because he has been taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao on Tuesday lashed out at Golden Boy in a statement. Even though Top Rank is Pacquiao's chief promoter, Golden Boy has a financial interest in Pacquiao.

Pacquiao is peeved that Golden Boy doesn't appear to be supporting him; instead, it is helping Mayweather. Not only has Floyd Sr. made accusations about Pacquiao, Floyd Jr. said during a radio interview in October the Philippines produces the best performance-enhancing drugs.

"... It's a pity that Oscar `Golden Boy' De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions should have been supporting me, too, because his company has a promotional stake in my career," Pacquiao said.

"They all say they got my back, but yes, they stab me, too, when I turn my back."

Schaefer responded by saying nobody from Golden Boy has accused Pacquiao of taking steroids, and that Golden Boy is simply representing Mayweather in these negotiations. He said he finds it "amazing" that all of this is being taken so personal.

"It's just that Mayweather," Schaefer said, "wants Olympic-style testing."

Manny Pacquiao testing update

2009-12-30T06:40:00.001-08:00

By Nick Giongco

A urine sample of Manny Pacquiao is on its way to Manila, World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) accredited doctor Alex Pineda told Fightnews and Manila Bulletin on Wednesday afternoon. Pineda, who also works for the Philippine Olympic Committee, personally witnessed the initial phase of testing at Pacquiao’s residence in General Santos City. Pineda arrived in General Santos City at around lunchtime, headed to Pacquiao’s palatial home where he got the sample, then was driven back to the airport so he could catch the plane bound for Manila.

The samples (a total of 100 ml)–labeled “A” and “B”–will be sent to Thailand, Malaysia or China because “we don’t have a Wada-accredited testing in the country,” said Pineda.

Results of the tests will be sent to his office or to the desk of Games and Amusements Board chairman Eric Buhain, who had requested Pineda to go to General Santos City.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC), had ordered that tests be done on Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather in an effort to save their proposed super bout set March 13, 2010, from being shelved owing to a disagreement with drug testing procedures.

Pacquiao said he has been insulted by Mayweather’s demand that he undergo Olympic-style testing for banned substances.

Floyd camp rejects Arum final offer

2009-12-30T06:28:00.000-08:00

MANILA, Philippines - Hopes of salvaging the megafight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. are slim after American promoter Bob Arum’s”final counter offer” was quickly turned down by Mayweather’s chief adviser, Leonard Ellerbe, and negotiator, Richard Schaefer.

Arum, main man of Top Rank, had given the Mayweather camp until Monday (today in Manila) to decide on his final proposal that both parties let the Nevada State Athletic Commission to make the final decision on the blood tests issue.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Arum suggested that both sides explain to the NSAC why their “preferred (blood) testing system” should be used or followed, and let the Nevada body make the final decision.

Mayweather wanted an Olympic-style blood testing to be supervised by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. Under the set-up, both fighters should agree to as many as five blood and 12 urine tests - randomly.

Freddie Roach said it’s so random that that USADA can knock on your doors in the middle of the night to get blood or urine samples, in the weeks, days or just hours before the fight, and shortly afterwards.

Pacquiao’s camp said there’s no need for such, and has agreed to three blood tests (one on the first week of January, then 30 days before the match and another after the match, but was again unacceptable to Mayweather.

Arum made the offer of letting the NSAC to decide. And if the Mayweathers disagree, the Top Rank president said he could seal a Pacquiao fight with Paulie Malignaggi on March 13 “within an hour.”

Arum may find himself making the phone call when he wakes up Monday morning while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico after Ellerbe and Schaefer literally thumbed down the final counter offer from Top Rank.

“Random is random. We are all intelligent people and we know what random testing is. That is what we want and it has not changed,” said Ellerbe.

“It does not make sense for this to become a commission matter. This is a contractual matter. The commission did not decide the weights or the purse split or how the foreign television rights would be sold.

“If this is Bob’s final ultimatum, then that’s what it is. That is his decision if he wants to take that position. I very much hope this fight can be made, but the reason it is at a standstill is because of the way they have handled things,” Schaefer said.

Pacquiao is vacationing with his family in Gen. Santos City and his adviser, Mike Koncz, said the 31-year-old superstar doesn’t want to make any further comment on the matter.

The other day, Schaefer said Mayweather can do away with the USADA, and it’s just a matter of both camps agreeing on the dates of the blood tests just to make sure that they’re still effective.

But that was the other day.

“We are prepared to have this handled in a way that is not us deciding or them deciding,” said Arum. “The commission meets on Jan. 19. Mayweather’s people can say why they believe additional testing above what we agreed to as necessary and we can give our viewpoint.

“Let the commission decide. If they come away and decide Manny needs to be blood tested every single [expletive] day, then we will go with that. This is the way to go to give this thing legitimacy. I hope they [Team Mayweather] see reason.” - By Abac Cordero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Miss USA rocked by sexy new scandal

2009-11-19T18:14:00.000-08:00

A Miss USA contestant has been stripped of her title after racy photos of were made public.

A Miss USA contestant has been stripped of her title after racy photos of her were made public.

Some of the images of Katie Rees were posted on canada.com Wednesday evening, sparking headlines all over North America and prompting pagent officials to investigate.
Late Thursday, Rees was dethroned. “Katie Rees has been relieved of her duties as Miss Nevada USA 2007,” said Paula M. Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, which owns the Miss USA pageant, according to the Associated Press.

First runner-up Helen Salas will assume the title and compete at the 2007 Miss USA pageant on March 23 in Los Angeles.

The shocking photos came hot on the fashionable heels of a scandal that rocked reigning Miss USA Tara Conner. The pics show Rees exposing her breasts, passionately kissing other young women, and simulating oral sex with females and a male.

Click here to see some of the photos. Discretion is advised.

"The pictures were disgusting," Miss USA co-owner Donald Trump told Larry King on CNN Thursday night. "These pictures were pretty far out there and that is not representative of Miss USA. We had no choice but to terminate her."

Rees insists the raunchy behaviour in the photos was "an isolated incident."

In a statement, she said: "While I take full responsibility for the photographs, I want everyone to know the truth. This was by no means representative of who I was, who I am, or who I will become. I have no intentions to disgrace the state of Nevada, the Miss Universe Organization, or Mr. Donald Trump."

Rees believes it was unfair of pageant officials to strip her of her crown.

"I am very embarrassed by the situation. Regardless, such a brief and distant lapse in judgment does not warrant my loss of the title I worked so hard to achieve," she said in her statement.

Rees, 22, was crowned Miss Nevada in Las Vegas in October and was due to represent the state in the Miss USA pageant next spring.

Earlier this month, she was the guest of honour at a Special Olympics bowling tournament and last month attended an event for underprivileged children. But Rees showed off a much wilder side in the pictures, taken during a party in Tampa, Florida when she was 19.

Last Tuesday, Trump announced that hard-partying Miss USA Tara Conner – accused of underage drinking, drug use and promiscuous behaviour – was going to enter rehab but will keep her title.

Manila's elite on spending spree despite economic crisis

2009-11-18T06:19:00.001-08:00

MANILA - While everyone else was cutting expenses and beefing up savings amid the economic downturn, affluent consumers in Manila were on a spending binge, according to a survey by global market intelligence company Synovate.

Synovate's 2009 PAX Survey revealed that Manila's elite continued to purchase luxury goods—from designer clothes to laptops and financial products—in the second quarter of the year.

Among Asia-Pacific markets, Manila also saw the highest jump in the percentage of affluent consumers preferring to buy well known brands (from 39.6% last year to 48.4% this year).

Synovate PAX is the region’s most comprehensive study of elite adults, tracking media and digital consumption, prosperity, and influence across 11 markets: Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan and Australia.

Now on its 13th year, the survey polled 1,670 affluent residents in Manila between the third quarter of 2008 and second quarter of 2009.

It found that ownership of laptop among the elite rose 7.8% in the second quarter over the year ago while purchase of MP4 players and digital cameras grew 8% and 8.7%, respectively.

Smartphones have also been on the rise. About 15.6% of elite consumers in Manila have hybrid moble phones in their pockets compared to only 7.5% last year. Findings also showed that 69.1% own a mobile phone with Internet access and camera functions, which is 37.1% more than the general population.

Similarly, more affluent consumers in the Philippine capital have been purchasing private cars (62.1% of elite consumers versus 12% of population) and properties (from 51.5% of elite consumers to 58.2%).

The Synovate survey further revealed that 75% of these consumers have invested in one or more financial products this year compared to 68.5% last year, while almost a quarter or 23.9% of them have gone on one or more leisure trips in the past 12 months against only 2% of the general population.

Over the coming months, Synovate said spending levels of the Filipino elite are likely to continue to grow.

"We are seeing that affluent consumers in Manila do not want to give up the finer things in life," said Carole Ann Sarthou, managing director of Synovate in the Philippines.

Sarthou said that among markets, Manila's elite expressed the highest increase in intention to purchase all things luxurious such as designer clothes and leather goods (from 6.2% last year to 8.7% this year), quality accessories and footwear (from 5.1% to 7.1%), jewelry (from 6.5% to 10.5%), and luxury watches (from 7.1% to 8.6%).

Transport group to ask for P0.50 fare hike

2009-11-18T06:03:00.000-08:00

MANILA, Philippines – Transport group Pasang Masda will ask for a P0.50 provisional fare increase if the price of diesel goes up to P35 per liter, an official said today (Nov. 18).

Pasang Masda national coordinator Rogel Fernandez said they are now monitoring fuel prices since the government has lifted the Executive Order 839, which pegged prices of basic commodities in calamity-hit areas.

"We will ask that the P0.50 provisional fare hike be given if diesel price goes up P35 per liter," Fernandez said.

Oil companies have imposed a hike on their petroleum products, with diesel retailing at an average of P30 after the Palace lifted EO 839. Prior the lifting of the order, diesel was sold at P28 per liter.

Pasang Masda also filed a P0.50 provisional fare hike before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board February last year. - By Dennis Carcamo (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Pacquiao batters Cotto for TKO win

2009-11-18T05:55:00.000-08:00

LAS VEGAS – Manny Pacquiao staked his claim atop boxing’s mythical throne as the pound-for-pound best, using his lightning hand speed to beat and batter Miguel Cotto into submission Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Pacquiao knocked Cotto down once in the third round and again in the fourth, pummeled him repeatedly and easily lifted the World Boxing Organization welterweight belt from the Puerto Rican with a 12th-round stoppage. The time was 55 seconds into the final round, as referee Kenny Bayless leaped between the fighters to save Cotto a more savage beating and ignominious end.

Cotto came out strong and landed some hard punches, but Cotto couldn’t deal with the speed. Pacquiao was landing three shots for every two Cotto did early. After the knockdown in the fourth, Cotto’s offense was nonexistent as he spent most of the last two thirds of the fight fending off Pacquiao’s onslaught.

Cotto landed in single digits in power shots in every round from the fifth forward.

Pacquiao nearly had the stoppage after the 11th when Cotto trainer Joe Santiago walked onto the ring apron and waved his hand at Bayless.

It appeared he was going to stop the fight, but then Bayless and ringside physician James Game spoke and allowed it to continue. It was only extending the misery as Pacquiao poured it on in the 12th.

When the fight ended, the crowd began to chant, “We want Floyd!” It was a reference to Floyd Mayweather Jr., the other man with a claim to the top of the boxing pound-for-pound list.

Pacquiao, who has won championship belts in five divisions and beat the linear champion in two others, can no longer be knocked as a small man who was beating washed up fighters.

In Cotto, he took on an elite and powerful welterweight whose only loss came under suspicious circumstances to Antonio Margarito last year. There is suspicion that Margarito’s gloves were loaded for that fight, though it has never been proven.

But Pacquiao proved he was able to not only take a welterweight punch, but rock him repeatedly. It was a magnificent performance and will create public demand for a fight with Mayweather.

“I want to see him fight Mayweather,” Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach said.

Santiago said Pacquiao hit harder and was stronger than expected. Cotto injured his left shoulder in the eighth.

Miracle Aussie baby beats rare condition in world first

2009-11-07T03:19:00.001-08:00

MELBOURNE (AFP) - – A "miracle" Australian baby has become the first person cured of a rare and deadly brain-melting condition after doctors gambled on an experimental drug tested only on mice, they said on Thursday.

The child, known only as "Baby Z", was facing a painful death of seizures and brain damage from molybdenum cofactor deficiency, a genetic defect which causes a build-up of toxic sulphite and usually kills in months.

But she made an amazing recovery just three days after first being given the untested treatment which was flown in from Germany and rushed through the courts.

"We are looking at her now and she is just an absolute miracle -- she has defied everybody," her mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told reporters.

Baby Z started having seizures within 60 hours of her birth in May 2008, prompting her family to appeal to biochemist Rob Gianello to help beat the previously incurable condition which affects just one in a million Australians.

"There was courage and there was death -- we opted for courage," the mother said. "If she wasn't treated she would die a very painful death."

Baby Z's doctor Alex Veldman said Gianello discovered an experimental drug which had been successfully used on mice by Germany's Gunther Schwarz, but had never been tested on humans.

As Schwarz couriered his entire stock of the compound from Cologne to Melbourne, doctors were in a race against time to get ethics approval from the hospital and a court order clearing its use, with Baby Z worsening by the hour.

"The team ... managed to get this therapy from bench to bedside in about two weeks, a process which normally takes several years," Veldman said.

Within hours of receiving her first dose of the drug, cyclic pyranopterin monophosphate (cPMP), Baby Z's sulphite levels plunged by more than two-thirds and were at normal levels within about three days.

Veldman said Baby Z's alertness improved and her twitching slowed rapidly, with her seizures dropping by 90 percent in three weeks.

"The response was just amazing," he told AFP.

"We can treat this in humans for the first time in (the history of) mankind. It has the potential to save lives all around the world."

Baby Z's development has been slowed by the brain damage she suffered before the treatment, and Veldman said she would need a cPMP injection every day for the rest of her life.

But her mother said the baby, now 18 months old, had started speaking and was physically active.

"Every day just gets better and better. We look at her every day and just think, 'Wow'," she said. "(The procedure) was a tiny bit of hope but, when you have nothing, that is a lot of hope."

Veldman said a second child, "Baby P", had since started cPMP treatment in Germany and was "improving rapidly".

The cases were now being analysed ahead of a planned international human trial of the medication at Melbourne's Monash Medical Centre, he said.

Orlando Hotel Information

2009-11-01T19:50:00.000-08:00

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What is Online Dating?

2009-10-29T04:25:00.000-07:00

Online Dating in Three Easy Pieces

Online dating can be a little scary at first. You are jumping onto a website and sharing yourself with thousands and sometimes millions of other people. You are putting yourself out there with the risk of rejection in hopes of finding anything from a date to a spouse. It can be a lot of pressure to put yourself under.

That’s why you need to break online dating down to it’s three basic parts: The profile, the photo, and your strategy. Most people fail because they don’t take the little bit of extra effort that they need to make sure they have these three things. If you have a great strategy, but your profile or photos are not so good, you are probably just wasting your time because you are not going to make a good first impression. But, even if you have a great profile and photo, but have no real strategy, it’s kind of like having bullets without a gun. Throwing bullets will only get you so far. Here are some simple tips to help you out in all three areas:

The Profile:

Focus on the positives!
Always try to talk about the things you want in the person you are looking for. Don’t focus on the things that you don’t want, talking about them just makes it sound like you have more baggage than any normal person is going to want to deal with.

The Photo:

Keep the focus on you!
A lot of people like to put photos that show them with friends or at fancy functions like weddings. Don’t do it! You want to be the only person in your photo. If you have friends or family in the photo with you, you run the risk of people spending their time trying to figure out if they are just a friend or your ex. Even worse, they might be more attracted to your friend than they are to you. Instead, keep the focus on you and let visual props like a pet or a setting the shows off some of your character. That way people can see you in a setting that makes you look your best.

The Strategy:

Make the first move!

Don’t wait for Mr. or Ms. Right to find you. Only you really know what you want anyways, so get out there and start looking for it. Take advantage of the search options on your for your dating site so you can eliminate a lot of the people you aren’t interested in. When you find someone you like, SEND THEM AN EMAIL! Do not wink at them. Winking is for wusses!

Rain or shine PBB House opens its doors Sunday night

2009-10-03T23:10:00.001-07:00

Typhoon Ondoy delayed constructions of the Pinoy Big Brother house and almost stalled the pictorial of the new housemates. As of press time, the damages, if any, wrought by the new super typhoon Pepeng, has not yet been determined. But rain or shine, the PBB house will open its doors on Sunday night to welcome its 12 new housemates as "Pinoy Big Brother: Double Up" begins airing on ABS-CBN.

"Hopefully, the PBB house won't get flooded by any forthcoming typhoon. But during typhoon Ondoy it didn't because it was located on a higher level than those areas around it that got flooded. We only had leaking roofs which we fixed already. I could say that the housemates would be safe just in case another strong typhoon hits Metro Manila. I think the PBB house is one of the safest place to be during natural and unnatural calamities," explained director Laurenti Dyogi who is also the Business Unit Head of the Pinoy Big Brother franchise.

"Pinoy Big Brother: Double Up" is the third serving of the popular reality-TV show "Pinoy Big Brother." And according to Lauren, it is to date, the most exciting compared to the past two regular editions.

"This is the longest, most tedious 'PBB' audition we ever had. We also had the most number of people who auditioned. We had more than 50,000 including the last two auditions we recently had in Japan and San Francisco," he said.

From 50,000, they had to trim the number down to 500, then 100 and their shortlist reached around 50 PBB housemate hopefuls until the final 12 who would be entering the PBB house on Sunday night. But that's just the first batch. For those who have followed PBB, it can be anticipated that more housemates would soon follow. And the new PBB tag-line "Double Up" is an obvious hint that this would be twice the fun (two houses too?), and twice the gimmickry and excitement!

"There's a lot of interesting characters among the housemates. Their ages range from 20 to 33 and they're a mix of single people, married people, single parent, a mother, a father, a conservative person and more. Actually when we presented this to management, they were very happy and excited as well," Lauren added.

The concept of "Double Up" too wasn't hard to be approved by Endemol, the owner of the Big Brother franchise, according to Lauren.

"As long as it's new they will like it. They trust us because we've done a lot of PBB editions and we've been doing it for years also. They liked the idea so we got approved," he said.

The prizes remain the same - a house and lot which can be converted into cash, P1 million, and a franchise of a water distilling business. There will still be "Pinoy Big Brother Uber" and "PBB Games Update" aside from the regular nightly airing of "PBB." Adding support to the show are weekly highlights inside the PBB house on "PBB Weekend Primetime" airing on Studio 23 every Saturday and Sunday at 6 p.m. starting on Oct. 10 and raw footages from the PBB house on "Pinoy Big Brother Streaming" at 1 p.m. starting on Oct. 12.

There's also a website PBB fanatics can visit, http://www.pinoybigbrother.multiply.com.

"Pinoy Big Brother: Double Up" will still be hosted by Mariel Rodriguez, Bianca Gonzales and Toni Gonzaga.

"What makes the regular edition of PBB more exciting is because the housemates here are more dynamic because they are ordinary people. And this new batch of housemates really went to a grueling process before being accepted. So definitely this will be an exciting PBB edition to watch," Lauren exclaimed.

* * *
'Spoiled Brat, the Movie' now on its second week

Now on its second week is "Yaya & Angelina: The Spoiled Brat Movie," and it's still drawing in the crowds in movie houses, despite the chaos and havoc brought about by Typhoon Ondoy. For this, the stars of the movie, Michael V. and Ogie Alcasid, wish to express their gratitude to friends and fans and the movie press for the support that they're giving their movie.

Michael and Ogie, and the other members of the cast of the movie, and the producers of course (GMA Films and APT Entertainment) were so happy to know not one of them was adversely affected by the typhoon.

To give back, Michael V., Ogie and Regine, did their share of charity work by donating to the relief funds and soliciting help from their sponsors. Regine herself did the grocery shopping (that's why she was absent from "SOP" last Sunday and even while she was suffering from migraine) and later brought the goodies for distribution to typhoon victims in Old Balara, QC, according to Ogie.

To be able to help more the victims, Ogie is now organizing a big concert at the Araneta Coliseum. "We intend to hold it on Nov. 14, and right now I'm trying to enlist the participation of our performers and actors and actresses from both ABS-CBN and GMA-7," Ogie told entertainment writers during a recent thanksgiving presscon held at Gerry's Grill.

Entitled "Kaya Natin Ito!" the concert will be directed by Rowell Santiago. Ogie said he hopes to get the support and commitment of OPM artists for this fundraising show. The proceeds will be donated to the Philippine National Red Cross for the benefit of the typhoon victims.

"Sana makakuha rin kami ng maraming sponsors. Araneta Coliseum is helping us, by the way," Ogie concluded.

* * *
Reunion of Sampaguita stars

It was another reunion of Sampaguita stars when Liberty Ilagan (now Mrs. Carlos Lardizabal) celebrated her natal day recently. The dinner party was held at the residence of Asia's Queen of Song Pilita Corrales in New Manila, Quezon City.

Liberty's family (except her lawyer husband who couldn't attend because he was sick) was present to help her celebrate her special day. Her two daughters Happy and Soeng (she was with husband) were there, and so were Liberty's cousins and other relatives. Liberty's sister Vicky I. Rousotte who is based abroad was there, and so was another sister, Maria Fe I. Gibbs, mother of singer-actor Janno Gibbs. Of course, Fe's husband Ronaldo Valdez was also present.

Liberty's colleagues and friends from showbiz came to wish her well, among them Marichu Maceda, Pempe Rodrigo (the ever efficient Girl Friday of the Balik Samahan group who tirelessly inform everyone of any event concerning them), Amalia Fuentes, Susan Roces, Delia Razon, Gloria Sevilla, Caridad Sanchez, Boots Anson-Roa, Imelda Ilanan, Marissa Delgado, Daria Ramirez, Elizabeth Ramsey, Amparo Lucas, Encarnita Abieera, Minda Morena, Boy Roxas, Lollie Mara, Anna Ledesma, Annabelle Santiago, Letty Hahns, Tess Nicolas, Linda Tan, Doris Lopez, Julie Ang, Precy Garcia, Malou Zamora, Vicky Anson-White, Vicky Gaspar, Merlin Ikida, Menchu Bantos, Nancy Coo, Elizabeth Poe, Pepito Rodriguez, Ramil Rodriguez, Charlie Davao, Lito Legaspi, and many more.

Other friends and Balik Samahan members like Barbara Perez, Robert Arevalo, Liza Lorena, Perla Bautista, and Zara Calvin couldn't come because of prior engagements. Photog Virgie Balatico who is a friend of most of the veteran stars was there to do the shoots. She was impressed by the friendship forged by these stars which has remained steadfast through the years. "Ibang-iba talaga ang samahan at pagkakaibigan ng mga artista noon," Virgie said. "Hindi nagbago ang kanilang kabaitan, tapat silang magmahal sa mga kaibigan. Hanggang ngayon magkakaibigan pa rin sila."

Though belatedly, we wish Libay happy birthday and many more birthdays to come!

* * *
Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings on Oct. 4 go to former Sen. Francisco "Kit" Tatad, "Master Showman" German "Kuya Germs" Moreno, Pagsanjan Mayor E.R. Ejercito, Matet de Leon, Pet Aquitania, Bon Arambulo, Philip S. Tan, Joseph L. Benitez, Editha Lim Manansala, Librada Gutierrez of DSWD, Atty. Jose D. Monasterial Jr., Mrs. Lani Pelayo, Sabria Chantal M. Prado, Winnie Javillo of West Covina, CA, Malou Pamaran Zamora, and MB's Angela L. Morales.

Samba! Rio wins right to host the 2016 Olympics

2009-10-02T17:51:00.000-07:00

COPENHAGEN – Like sweet, sultry samba music, Rio hit all the right notes. Chicago had Barack Obama. Tokyo had $4 billion in the bank. Madrid had powerful friends. But none of that mattered. Rio de Janeiro had the enchanting story — of about 400 million sports-mad people on a giant untapped and vibrant continent yearning, hoping, that the Olympics finally might come to them. And the International Olympic Committee was hooked.

Olympians, we'll see you on Copacabana beach in 2016. Let Carnival begin.

On a chilly Danish evening of high drama, the IOC on Friday sent the games of the 31st Olympiad to Brazil's bustling, fun-loving but crime-ridden city of beaches and mountains, romance and slums.

The IOC closed its eyes to the risks — the huge projected costs of the Rio Games, the concerns about how athletes will get around and where people will sleep — to focus on the reward of lighting the Olympic cauldron in one of the last corners of the globe yet to be bathed by its light.

"It is Brazil's time," said the country's charismatic president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Chicago was knocked out in the first round — in one of the most shocking defeats ever handed down by the committee of former Olympians, sports administrators, royals and other VIPs.

While blues legend Buddy Guy twanged "Sweet Home Chicago" in a promotional video the city played to the IOC, bad blood between the committee and its U.S. branch — they've had flare-ups over revenue sharing and lucrative broadcasting rights — proved to be a note of discord. IOC members said the slap to Chicago was more directed at the U.S. Olympic Committee than to the Windy City itself.

The win was decisive: Rio beat Madrid by 66 votes to 32.

Chicago got just 18 votes in the first round, with Tokyo squeezing into the second round with 22. Madrid was leading after the first round with 28 votes, while Rio had 26.

In the second round, Tokyo was eliminated with just 20 votes. Madrid got 29, qualifying it for the final round face-off with Rio, which by then already had a strong lead with 46 votes.

The indignity suffered by Chicago — long considered a front-runner — was such that some IOC members squirmed. Obama flew overnight from Washington to sell his adoptive hometown and its plans for Olympic competition on Lake Michigan's windy shores to the IOC. First lady Michelle Obama, with talk show host Oprah Winfrey and sports stars in tow, jetted in first and spent two days buttering up IOC members, an essential part of the secretive and unpredictable selection process.

IOC members seemed wowed, posing for photos with her and taking souvenir shots of the president with their cell phones. But, in the vote, Chicago was shunned.

Obama called Silva to congratulate him, but the nature of the loss still rang as a stinging anti-American rebuke. Close to half of the IOC's 106 members are Europeans.

"To have the president of the United States and his wife personally appear, then this should happen in the first round is awful and totally undeserving," senior Australian IOC member Kevan Gosper said.

French IOC member Guy Drut said "an excess of security" for the Obamas unsettled some of his colleagues. He complained that he'd been barred from crossing the lobby of his hotel for security reasons, and he grumbled that "nothing has been done" to resolve the financial disputes between the IOC and the USOC.

Of Obama's performance, Drut said: "He didn't do too much. Michelle Obama was exceptional."

"This morning the city was closed because of Barack Obama," he added.

In Chicago, there was bewildered silence when IOC president Jacques Rogge announced: "The city of Chicago, having obtained the least number of votes, will not participate in the next round."

On Rio's Copacabana beach, where nearly 50,000 people roared when the winning city was announced, the party headed into the night.

Rio spoke to IOC members' consciences: the city argued that it was simply unfair that South America has never hosted the games, while Europe, Asia and North America have done so repeatedly.

"It is a time to address this imbalance," Silva told the IOC before it delivered its verdict. "It is time to light the Olympic cauldron in a tropical country."

Madrid's surprising success in reaching the final round came after former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch made a morbid appeal for the Spanish capital, reminding IOC members as he asked for their vote that, at age 89, "I am very near the end of my time."

Samaranch ran the IOC for 21 years before Rogge took over in 2001.

Beating three rich, more developed nations that had all previously held the games represented a giant, morale-boosting coup for Brazil. The emerging nation is bounding up the ranks of the world's biggest economies but still has millions of people living in poverty.

Like a football team before a big final, Rio's bid leaders and Silva held hands in silent prayer before walking out to deliver a flawless and impassioned presentation. A bid official said Silva's last words of encouragement were "let's stay calm, and stick with our plan."

Brazil's central bank governor reeled off impressive statistics about an economy predicted to be the world's fifth-largest by 2016. The state governor pledged that taxes would not be raised for the games and played down safety concerns. Computer-generated bird's-eye images of how venues will spread across the city, with sailing in the shadow of Sugar Loaf mountain and volleyball on Copacabana, provided the wow factor.

Then Silva delivered the knockout.

"Among the top 10 economies of the world, Brazil is the only country that has not hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games," he said. "For the Olympic movement, it will be an opportunity to feel the warmth of our people, the exuberance of our culture, the sun of our joy and it will also be a chance to send a powerful message to the whole world: The Olympic Games belong to all peoples, to all continents and to all humanity."

Silva, a bearded former union leader, disappeared into a huge group hug with the joyous Rio team after Rogge announced that the city had won. Football great Pele had tears in his eyes. Brazil will now hold the world's two biggest sporting events in the space of just two years: in 2014, it is hosting the World Cup.

"There was absolutely no flaw in the bid," Rogge said.

Now, Africa and Antarctica are the only continents never to have been awarded an Olympics.

"We have sent out a message that we want to go global," IOC member Gerhard Heiberg said.

Obama held out the enticing prospect of a Chicago games helping to reconnect the United States with the world after the presidency of George W. Bush. He told the IOC that the "full force of the White House" would be applied so "visitors from all around the world feel welcome and will come away with a sense of the incredible diversity of the American people."

An uncomfortable moment came during Chicago's presentation when an IOC member from Pakistan, Syed Shahid Ali, noted that going through U.S. customs can be harrowing for foreigners. Obama responded that he wanted a Chicago games to offer "a reminder that America at its best is open to the world."

But the IOC's last two experiences in the United States were bad: the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics were sullied by a bribery scandal and logistical problems and a bombing hit the 1996 Games in Atlanta.

Former IOC member Kai Holm said the brevity of Obama's appearance — he was in and out in five hours — may have hurt Chicago.

"Too businesslike," Holm said. "It can be that some IOC members see it as a lack of respect."

IOC members said Asian voters may have banded together, at Chicago's expense, in the first round in favor of Tokyo, which offered reassurances of financial security, with $4 billion already banked for the games.

"The whole thing doesn't make sense other than there has been a stupid bloc vote," Gosper said.

The last U.S. city to bid for the Summer Games, New York, did scarcely better. It was ousted in the second round in the 2005 vote that gave the 2012 Games to London.

Now, Chicago can only rue what might have been.

And Rio ... well, what an excuse for a party.

The 'Internet' turned 40 on sept 2

2009-10-02T08:42:00.001-07:00

The 'Internet' turned 40 on sept 2. It may sound strange, but today it is quite impossible to think of world without the 'World Wide Web'.

On Sept 2, 1969, around about 20 people gathered in a lab at the University of California, Los Angeles and two bulky computers were used to pass test data through a 15-foot gray cable. That was the beginning of the Internet. Now, 40 years later, we take a look at the Internet timeline.

Key milestones in the development and growth of the Internet

1969: On September 2, two computers at University of California, Los Angeles, exchange meaningless data in first test of Arpanet, an experimental military network. The first connection between two sites UCLA and the Stanford Research Institute in Menlo Park, California takes place on October 29, though the network crashes after the first two letters of the word "logon." UC Santa Barbara and University of Utah later join.

1970: Arpanet gets first East Coast node, at Bolt, Beranek and Newman in Cambridge, Mass.

1972: Ray Tomlinson brings e-mail to the network, choosing "at" symbol as way to specify e-mail addresses belonging to other systems.

1973: Arpanet gets first international nodes, in England and Norway.

1974: Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn develop communications technique called TCP, allowing multiple networks to understand one another, creating a true Internet. Concept later splits into TCP/IP before formal adoption on January 1, 1983.

1983: Domain name system is proposed. Creation of suffixes such as ".com," ''.gov" and ".edu" comes a year later.

1988: One of the first Internet worms, Morris, cripples thousands of computers.

1989: Quantum Computer Services, now AOL, introduces America Online service for Macintosh and Apple II computers, beginning an expansion that would connect nearly 27 million Americans online by 2002.

1990: Tim Berners-Lee creates the World Wide Web while developing ways to control computers remotely at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.

1993: Marc Andreessen and colleagues at University of Illinois create Mosaic, the first Web browser to combine graphics and text on a single page, opening the Web to the world with software that is easy to use.

1994: Andreessen and others on the Mosaic team form a company to develop the first commercial Web browser, Netscape, piquing the interest of Microsoft Corp. and other developers who would tap the Web's commerce potential. Two immigration lawyers introduce the world to spam, advertising their green card lottery services.

1995: Amazon.com Inc. opens its virtual doors.

1996: Passage of US law curbing pornography online. Although key provisions are later struck down as unconstitutional, one that remains protects online services from liability for their users' conduct, allowing information and misinformation to thrive.

1998: Google Inc. forms out of a project that began in Stanford dorm rooms. US government delegates oversight of domain name policies to Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN. Justice Department and 20 states sue Microsoft, accusing the maker of the ubiquitous Windows operating system of abusing its market power to thwart competition from Netscape and others.

1999: Napster popularizes music file-sharing and spawns successors that have permanently changed the recording industry. World Internet population surpasses 250 million.

2000: The dot-com boom of the 1990s becomes a bust as technology companies slide. Amazon.com, eBay and other sites are crippled in one of the first widespread uses of the denial-of-service attack, which floods a site with so much bogus traffic that legitimate users cannot visit.

2002: World Internet population surpasses 500 million.

2006: World Internet population surpasses 1 billion.

2008: World Internet population surpasses 1.5 billion. China's Internet population reaches 250 million, surpassing the United States as the world's largest. Netscape's developers pull the plug on the pioneer browser, though an offshoot, Firefox, remains strong. Major airlines intensify deployment of Internet service on flights.

Quake triggers tsunami in the Samoas, killing 82

2009-09-30T00:49:00.000-07:00

AP – An abandoned vehicle is shown shortly after a tsunami warning was issued in American Samoa on Tuesday, …

APIA, Samoa – A powerful earthquake in the South Pacific hurled massive tsunami waves at the shores of Samoa and American Samoa, flattening villages and sweeping cars and people out to sea, leaving at least 82 dead and dozens missing.

Survivors fled the fast-churning water for higher ground and remained huddled there hours after the quake struck early Tuesday. Signs of devastation were everywhere, with a giant boat washed ashore lying on the edge of a highway and floodwaters swallowing up cars and homes.

The quake, with a magnitude between 8.0 and 8.3, struck around dawn about 125 miles (200 kilometers) from Samoa, an island nation of 180,000 people located about halfway between New Zealand and Hawaii. It struck about 120 miles (190 kilometers) from neighboring American Samoa, a U.S. territory that is home to 65,000 people.

Four tsunami waves 15 to 20 feet (4 to 6 meters) high roared ashore on American Samoa, reaching up to a mile (1.6 kilometers) inland, Mike Reynolds, superintendent of the National Park of American Samoa, was quoted as saying by a parks service spokeswoman. He reported dozens of park workers missing.

Hampered by power and communications outages, officials struggled to determine damage and casualties.

Samoan police commissioner Lilo Maiava told The Associated Press that police there had confirmed 63 deaths but that officials were still searching the devastated areas, so the number of deaths might rise soon.

Hundreds of injured were being treated by health workers and that people are still struggling into centers seeking treatment, Maiava said.

At least 19 people were killed on American Samoa, officials there said.

"I don't think anybody is going to be spared in this disaster," said American Samoa Gov. Togiola Tulafono, who was in Hawaii for a conference.

In Washington, President Barack Obama declared a disaster for American Samoa. The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it was deploying teams to provide support and assess damage.

Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi looked shaken Wednesday on board a flight from Auckland, New Zealand, to the Samoan capital of Apia.

"So much has gone. So many people are gone," he told reporters on board. "I'm so shocked, so saddened by all the loss."

Malielegaoi said his own village of Lepa was destroyed.

"Thankfully, the alarm sounded on the radio and gave people time to climb to higher ground," he said. "But not everyone escaped."

Gov. Tulafono told reporters in Honolulu that more victims could be found when rescuers reach areas that are inaccessible by roads. Tulafono said a member of his extended family was among the dead.

There were unconfirmed reports of at least five additional people dead in the island nation of Tonga, west of the Samoas, New Zealand's acting Prime Minister Bill English said.

"There are a considerable number of people who've been swept out to sea and are unaccounted for," English said. "We don't have information about the full impact and we do have some real concern that over the next 12 hours the picture could look worse rather than better."

He said a New Zealand P3 Orion maritime surveillance plane would reach the region later Wednesday to search for survivors. U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Lt. John Titchen said a C-130 was being dispatched Wednesday to deliver aid to American Somoa, assess damage and take the governor back home.

On Samoa, New Zealander Graeme Ansell said the beach village of Sau Sau Beach Fale was leveled.

"It was very quick. The whole village has been wiped out," Ansell told New Zealand's National Radio from a hill near Samoa's capital, Apia. "There's not a building standing. We've all clambered up hills, and one of our party has a broken leg. There will be people in a great lot of need 'round here."

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said an Australian woman has been confirmed killed in Samoa, three other Australians have been hospitalized and six other Australians remain unaccounted for after the tsunami.

Mase Akapo, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in American Samoa, reported at least 19 people killed in four different villages on the main island of Tutuila. Officials reported at least 50 injured.

American Samoa is home to a U.S. national park that appeared to be especially hard-hit.

Reynolds, the park superintendent, said he had been able to locate only 20 percent of the park's 40 to 50 employees and volunteers. He spoke to park service officials from Pago Pago Harbor and reported that the visitor center and offices were destroyed, according to Holly Bundock, a spokeswoman for the National Park Service.

Residents in both Samoa and American Samoa reported being shaken awake by the quake early Tuesday, which lasted two to three minutes and was centered about 20 miles (32 kilometers) below the ocean floor. It was followed by at least three large aftershocks of at least 5.6 magnitude.

The quake came Tuesday morning for the Samoas, which lie just east of the international dateline. For Asia-Pacific countries on the other side of the line, it was already Wednesday.

The Samoan capital was virtually deserted with schools and businesses closed. Hours after the waves struck, fresh sirens rang out with another tsunami alert and panicked residents headed for higher ground again, although there was no indication of a new quake.

Eni Faleomavaega, who represents American Samoa as a non-voting delegate in the U.S. House, said he had talked to people by telephone who said that Pago Pago — just a few feet above sea level — was flattened and several hundred people's homes were destroyed.

The dominant industry in American Samoa — tuna canneries — was also affected. Chicken of the Sea's tuna packing plant in American Samoa was forced to close although the facility wasn't damaged, the San Diego-based company said.

The effects of the tsunami could be felt thousands of miles away.

Japan's Meteorological Agency said "very weak" tsunami waves were registered off the island of Hachijojima about 10 hours after the quake. There were no reports of injuries or damage in Japan, which is about 4,700 miles (7,600 kilometers) northwest of Samoa.

U.S. officials said strong currents and dangerous waves were forecast from California to Washington state. No major flooding was expected, however.

In Los Angeles, lifeguards said they will clear beaches at about 8 p.m. in response to an advisory for possible dangerous currents.

While the earthquake and tsunami were big, they were not on the same scale of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, said Brian Atwater of the U.S. Geological Survey in Seattle. That tsunami killed more than 230,000 in a dozen countries across Asia.

The 2004 quake was at least 10 times stronger than the measurements being reported for Tuesday's quake, Atwater said.

___

Sagapolutele reported from Pago Pago, American Samoa. Associated Press writers Ray Lilley in Wellington, New Zealand; Jaymes Song and Herbert A. Sample in Honolulu and Seth Borenstein and Michele Salcedo in Washington contributed to this report.

Survivors return to Provident Village

2009-09-28T19:03:00.000-07:00

MANILA, PHilippines - Residents started returning to their homes in Provident Village, Marikina City yesterday as government workers cleared the area of debris brought by the onslaught of typhoon “Ondoy,” which left 72 dead in Marikina alone.

However, they saw that only the foundations remained, and receding floodwaters left about two feet of mud. Able-bodied residents took turns cleaning their homes of mud as they lamented that they received no government help since Ondoy struck last Saturday.

Among those affected were the relatives of ABS-CBN executive Arlene Lim-Farol, whose house was submerged in about three feet of water.

“Everything, except the structures was destroyed,” Farol said, noting that their residence is higher than the average house in Provident Village.

The residents claimed it would take them several days to dig up the mud and bring their lives back to normal.

Marikina police chief Senior Superintendent Romeo Magsalos said some areas in the village already have electricity, but residents have run out of potable water.

“The residents’ priorities are… clean water to drink, clothing, blankets and sleeping mats. Of course, they also need food and any other basic commodities,” Magsalos told The STAR in an interview.

Despite the massive relief operations conducted by Mayor Maria Lourdes Fernando, Magsalos said they still experienced shortage in supplies of food and other necessities. He said they are still closely monitoring the situation in schools converted into evacuation centers.

Magsalos said at least 59 of the recorded fatalities were residents of Provident Village, with the bodies of seven members of a family recovered in Barangay Concepcion Uno. Six other bodies were recovered from other parts of the city.

At the height of typhoon Ondoy, Farol said her parents, siblings and neighbors took refuge on the roof of their house. She said it was her sister, who arrived on board a six-by-six truck, who rescued them. “All the 16 persons who took shelter on the high roof were accounted for,” said Farol , adding that her relatives and household helpers are safe in her house in Manila.

Farol said the ceiling of their house collapsed, “All the window screens were covered by mud. Our appliances, including the big piano, cabinets and others were in total wreck… But my parents, and family survived the raging floodwaters.”

Magsalos also bewailed the fact that the Justice Hall, which houses the local police headquarters, was submerged in chest-deep waters last Saturday. He said the floodwaters have subsided but the police headquarters has neither water nor electricity.

“All our telephone lines are busted and we cannot perform our mandate very well. But we are coping by joining other government agencies in the ongoing clearing operations,” he said.

The Marikina City government has centralized relief operations in affected areas and established headquarters under the flyover in front of the Monasterio de Sta. Clara on Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City.

“All those who want to ask questions, like their missing relatives and others pertinent to the calamity and those who want to donate food and other basic commodities can proceed to the place,” he said adding that donors can contact Tek de Leon at cell phone number 0920-9052914. - By Non Alquitran (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Text msg on Marikina 'dam' release belied

2009-09-28T19:00:00.001-07:00

MANILA - Authorities on Monday belied circulating text messages that water from the "Marikina dam" would be released, causing more flooding.

Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando said there is no such thing as a Marikina dam.

One such text message says: "If you have friends and families along Marcos highway, tell them to stay on a high area because authorities are about to open Marikina Dam. It will affect Marikina, Pasig area and lower Antipolo. So please pass for faster dissemination." Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense's Anthony Golez said there are no plans to release water from any other dam at the moment.

In an interview over ANC's on the Scene Monday afternoon, Golez said proper warnings will be given before authorities release water from filled up dams.

"Talking about misinformation, I would like to inform everybody that there is an ongoing text message that dams are going to be opened, that dams are going to spilling water into the different neighborhoods. Let me tell everybody that this information is not correct," he said.

"Even before we have to release water from our dams, we follow certain protocols. As a matter of fact, PAGASA, which is the overseer of the dams, follow certain protocols that even before they release water, they need to warn the communities that are situated within the area of these dams. And after they warn them for a certain period of time, then they are educated, the people are educated which are safe, which areas are not safe," he said.

Philippines asks for help as flood toll hits 140

2009-09-28T18:58:00.000-07:00

MANILA (AFP) - – Overwhelmed Philippine authorities appealed for international aid Monday as the death toll from once-in-a-lifetime floods soared to 140 and weary survivors sheltered in squalid conditions.

Two days after the horror storm sent torrents of water through the nation's capital Manila and surrounding provinces, the government conceded it was unable to deal with the disaster on its own and needed urgent help.

"We are appealing for international humanitarian assistance," Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said in a nationally televised briefing.

"The potential for a more serious situation is there and we cannot wait for that to happen."

Teodoro launched the appeal as he announced the death toll had climbed sharply to 140 people, with another 32 missing and 453,000 forced out of their flooded or destroyed homes. Related article: Looters target homes

The death toll is expected to jump even further, as local authorities reported dozens of other deaths that appear not to have been included in the government's figures.

President Gloria Arroyo described the deluge, which was the worst to hit Manila in more than four decades and left 80 percent of the city under water, as a "once-in-a-lifetime" storm.

"(It) was an extreme event that has strained our response capabilities to the limit. But it is not breaking us," she said. Related article: Disease threat

But with the threat of disease lurking over the disaster zones and relief workers in dire shortage of supplies to help survivors, other officials said authorities were not coping.

"The system is overwhelmed, local government units are overwhelmed," the head of the National Disaster Coordinating Council, Anthony Golez, told reporters.

Authorities said some people remained stranded in their flooded homes more than 48 hours after the floods, while power and telephone services were still cut in the worst-hit areas of Manila. Related article: New storm threat

Poor drainage systems meant some places remained waist-deep in water, while vast swathes of the sprawling city of 12 million people were covered in sludge.

In schools, open-air gymnasiums and other makeshift evacuation camps, tens of thousands of people were desperately short of food, water and clothes.

At one gymnasium in eastern Manila, 3,000 people were sheltering in hot and humid conditions alongside the bodies of 11 neighbours lying in coffins.

There was no running water, and human faeces lay only a metre (yards) from where people were sleeping on the concrete floor.

"We are waiting for more aid to arrive. We are trying to mobilise our own relief operations here. But we need more help," the head of the local neighbourhood, Armando Endaya, told AFP. Related article: Flood hero who perished

Edgar Halog, a 44-year-old driver of one of Manila's iconic "jeepney" buses, was sheltering with his wife and seven children.

"We do not have any money, we do not know what to do. We don't have any other relatives. We are waiting for food rations," Halog told AFP.

In a wealthier part of Manila that was also swamped by the floods, residents raced against looters to retrieve televisions and other valuables, with hardly any sign of a police presence.

"We hope to recover something from our home, if there is anything left to recover," said resident Jun de Guzman, 48, as he and three relatives carrying brooms waded in the knee-deep muck covering what was left of Provident Village.

Health authorities also warned of disease outbreaks and appealed to the public for donations of medicine, clean water and food, as well as for medics to volunteer their services.

Infections including swine flu, diarrhoea and the bacterial disease leptospirosis were at the top of the government's list of concerns, Melissa Guerrero, chief aide to the health secretary, told AFP.

Defence Minister Teodoro said that apart from relief goods, funding and medicine, the Philippines may also ask for international rescue teams.

A small number of US forces, stationed in the Philippines to train local forces in combating terrorists, have helped in rescue efforts over the past two days.

After ripping across the Philippines, tropical storm Ketsana was upgraded to a full typhoon and was bearing down on central Vietnam, where officials expected it to make landfall late Tuesday.

Cristine Reyes recounts ordeal

2009-09-28T18:55:00.000-07:00

MANILA – As she dreadfully watched the floodwaters devouring her Marikina home, actress Cristine Reyes had feared the worst - she and her family, who were trapped on their rooftop at the height of tropical storm Ondoy (international codename Ketsana), would not make it alive.

Floods had already reached the second floor of her home in Princeton Street in Provident Village, forcing them to move to the roof amid heavy downpour.

She, her family and some neighbors swam in floodwaters and then climbed the water tank at the back of the house to reach the rooftop where they would stay for 12 hours before help came. A very drenched Reyes tearfully appealed for help on television.

She recounted: “Talagang nagpra-pray ako, kami ng pamangkin ko na 3 years old. Tinuturuan ko. Sabi ko sa kanya, ‘Sabihin mo Lord God, help us, save us.’ Sinasabi niya. Iyong bata nakikinig sa akin."

“Grabe iyong pinagdaanan namin. Akala ko ending na namin lahat. Pero hindi ako nawalan ng pag-asa. Buti na lang ligtas kami.”

An Army rubber boat finally came early Sunday and, to her surprise, actor Richard Gutierrez was part of the rescue team.

“Sobrang hindi ko ma-imagine iyong ginawa niya. Ni-risk niya iyong buhay niya. Hindi biro iyong nangyari sa akin,” she said.

The 700-square-meter house is still submerged in ankle-deep mud when Reyes returned to her home Monday. She inspected the damage and salvaged some of her belongings.

Reyes is currently staying at sister Ara Mina’s residence in Quezon City. The young actress said she has decided to leave her Marikina house and relocate.

She said although she could no longer save most of her furniture, the most important thing is she and her family are now safe.

“Maraming salamat sa lahat ng tumulong. Sa mga hindi pa nare-rescue hanggang ngayon, sana matulungan natin sila sa abot ng makakaya natin,” she said. -Report from Mario Dumaual, ABS-CBN News

Water detected on the Moon

2009-09-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

Water particles have been detected on the surface of the Moon by three missions, including an Indian probe.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - – Water particles have been detected on the surface of the Moon by three missions, including an Indian probe.

The evidence, disclosed in new scientific papers, overturns the long accepted view that lunar soil is dry and comes just two weeks before a NASA probe is to crash into the surface near the Moon's southern pole to see if water can be detected in the dust and debris released by the impact.

The new data was gathered by probes equipped with NASA instruments designed to map the Moon's mineral composition.

The so-called "Moon Mineralogy Mapper," or M3, uses the reflection of sunlight off the Moon's surface to determine soil composition.

In one of the three papers published in the latest edition of the journal Science, researchers said they analyzed light waves detected by an M3 instrument on board an Indian satellite, Chandrayyan-1.

The reflected light waves indicated a chemical bond between oxygen and hydrogen -- proof, the researchers said, of the existence of water on the Moon's surface.

Larry Taylor of the University of Tennessee, one of the study's co-authors, said the instrument is capable of detecting the composition of the thin upper layer of the Moon's surface only to a depth of two or three inches.

Until now, scientists had advanced the theory that there might be ice at the permamently dark bottom of craters at the Moon's poles but that the rest of the Moon was totally dry.

Lunar rocks and soil contain about 45 percent oxygen, but the source of the the hydrogen observed by the instruments on the three probes remains to be determined.

Taylor and his colleagues believe it may have come from an astronomical phenomenon called the solar wind, which consist mainly of streams of positively charged hydrogen atoms emitted as the sun undergoes nuclear fusion.

They estimate that each ton of lunar soil consists of 25 percent water.

Two other probes equipped with M3-type instruments also detected the chemical signature for the presence of water.

These include data gathered by the American spacecraft Cassini as it passed near the moon a decade agon on its way to Saturn.

The third probe, also American, was Deep Impact, which was launched toward the comet Tempel-1 in 2005 to pierce it with a projectile in order to analyze the dust cloud created by the impact.

Deep Impact passed near the Moon to gather data with an instrument similar to M3.

Samples of lunar rock and soil brought back to Earth by Apollo astronauts in the 1960s also contained traces of water.

But the containers in which they were transported were not hermetically sealed so researchers dismissed the presence of water as coming from the Earth.

"To some extent, we were fooled," said Taylor, who has studied the original Apollo missions. "Since the boxes leaked, we just assumed the water we found was from contamination with terrestrial air."

Indian scientists lost radio contact with the Chandrayaan-1 lunar satellite last month, but it had already collected enough data to provide the firmest evidence so far of water concentrated near the lunar poles.

"To find water on the moon was one of the main objectives," mission director Mylswamy Annadurai told AFP in Bangalore.

"The baby has done its job," a clearly delighted Annadurai said. "It's a major milestone, although we still have to quantify the findings."

"It was a combined team effort and of great significance for international space cooperation," he added.

AIDS breakthrough as vaccine cuts infections for first time

2009-09-25T15:35:00.000-07:00

BANGKOK (AFP) - – An experimental AIDS vaccine has for the first time cut the risk of infection in humans in what scientists Thursday called a "breakthrough" in the quarter-century fight against the epidemic.

The vaccine reduced the chance of being infected by a third, researchers announced after the world's largest trial of 16,000 volunteers, carried out by the US Army and Thailand's Ministry of Public Health.

The surprising result comes after years of fruitless attempts by the medical world to find an HIV vaccine, including one trial jab that apparently boosted infection rates.

"It is the first demonstration that a vaccine against HIV can protect against infection," Colonel Jerome Kim of the US military HIV research programme told a news conference in Bangkok via videolink.

"This is a very important scientific advance and gives us hope that a globally effective vaccine may be possible in the future," he said.

Thai Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said the "outcome of this study is a scientific breakthrough."

The vaccine was a combination of two older drugs that had not reduced infection on their own and the researchers said they were now studying why the two apparently worked together.

The study combined the canarypox vaccine ALVAC, manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis of France, and AIDSVAX, originally made by VaxGen Inc and now licensed to the non-profit Global Solutions for Infectious Diseases.

Researchers said the latest vaccine showed a 31.2 percent efficacy in reducing the risk of HIV infection.

"The outcome represents a breakthrough in HIV vaccine development because for the first time ever there is evidence that HIV vaccine has preventative efficacy," said the research team in a statement.

The vaccine was tested on volunteers -- all HIV negative men and women aged from 18 to 30 -- at average risk of infection in two Thai provinces near Bangkok starting in October 2003.

Half received the vaccine and the rest were given a placebo. Out of the placebo recipients 74 of 8,198 became infected compared with 51 of 8,197 who got the vaccine.

The World Health Organization and the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS congratulated the researchers for the "encouraging" results.

"The study results, representing a significant scientific advance, are the first demonstration that a vaccine can prevent HIV infection in a general adult population and are of great importance," they said in a statement. Experts' reactions

The UN said it may not be possible to get licensing permission for the drug at the moment based on the results, and that further studies were needed to determine if the vaccine has the same effect in other parts of the world.

AIDS first came to public notice in 1981 and has since killed at least 25 million people worldwide, and 33 million others are living with AIDS or the HIV virus.

Swift progress in identifying the virus that caused AIDS unleashed early optimism that a vaccine would quickly emerge. HIV destroys immune cells and exposes the body to opportunistic disease.

But out of the 50 candidates that have been evaluated among humans, only two vaccines have made it through all three phases of trials, and both were flops. About 30 vaccines remain in the pipeline.

Scientists were in 2007 forced to abandon two advanced clinical trials of a vaccine by pharmaceutical company Merck after it appeared to actually heighten the risk of AIDS infection.

Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi-Aventis, said the results of the latest test, although "modest", were the first concrete demonstration that a vaccine "could one day become a reality."

The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, an alliance of researchers, policymakers, donors and advocates that includes the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, said it was a "historic day in the 26-year quest to develop an AIDS vaccine."

The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI), an organisation that promotes the search for a vaccine, said the trial results were "very exciting and a significant scientific achievement."

The head of the US agency tasked with controlling the spread of infectious disease said it was an important breakthrough.

"These new findings represent an important step forward in HIV vaccine research," said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the US National Institutes of Health, which provided major funding and logistical support for the study.

But a top AIDS scientist, France's Jean-Francois Delfraissy, warned that the results were "good news but the effect remains modest".

New PSP model coming

2009-09-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

Sony confirms slimmer, lighter PSP model in the works; includes extended battery life and hi-definition video output to TVs.

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SANTA MONICA, Calif.--Rumours have been flying around for a while that the PlayStation Portable would be getting a redesign.

One of the first rumours came from a UK event to launch the PSP in Education initiative, where Sony Computer Entertainment Europe managing director Ray Maguire called the current version of the PSP the "first iteration" of the hardware and that a "smaller, lighter" version would be coming in the future.

However, the company furiously backtracked after the event, with Sony America corporate communications director Dave Karraker saying, "Ray's comments regarding decreasing the size of the PSP were made in the general context that almost all consumer electronics shrink over time as advances are made in the technology to shrink the components used in manufacture. We have not, however, made any announcement regarding any new PSP hardware changes."

In June, Sony updated a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which showed a diagram of a possible new PSP model that featured a swivel screen and a way to switch between using it as a games machine and a mobile phone. More speculation followed that the new PSP was imminent and that it would also be a cell phone.

Today, Sony confirmed that a new PSP would be coming and that the redesign would indeed be a newer, smaller PSP. It also revealed the new model would come in a variety of different colours. Announced so far for North America are both the classic "piano black," along with "ice silver," which will arrive in September. There will also be a special Star Wars design: a white PSP with a picture of Darth Vader's face on the back, to be available in October.

Sony Computer Entertainment president Kaz Hirai said that the new PSP will be 33 percent lighter, 19 percent slimmer, the battery will be more efficient, and there will also be faster loading of games. It will also come with the ability to output high-quality video by pressing the display button. This means that movies, games, photos, and all other PSP applications can be output to a TV screen.

Two bundles were announced for the new portable for North America. The first, titled "The PSP entertainment pack for North America," includes the silver PSP, a copy of the Daxter game, a 1GB memory stick Duo, and a Family Guy collection UMD. The second is the new Star Wars Battlefront PSP pack, which will include the Star Wars: Battlefront Renegade Squadron game and the special Star Wars PSP. Both will cost $199.99.

For a closer look, check out GameSpot Hardware's in-depth examination of the device.

New PS2, PSP models revealed

2009-09-24T08:01:00.000-07:00

Lighter version of classic console, red PSPs head to Japan and Europe; SCEA reps mum on North American plans.

Today in Japan, Sony Computer Entertainment confirmed rumors by officially unveiling a new version the PlayStation 2. The latest iteration of the hardware--which has sold over 120 million units internationally in its seven-plus years on the market--will be available in three colors (black, white, and silver) and have a built-in AC adaptor. Officially announced for Japan, the PS2, model #SCPH-90000, has also been confirmed for release in the EU by Sony Europe. In Japan, it will retail for ¥16,000 (approx. $139), the same price as the old model, which is also the same size. No European pricing is yet available for the SCPH-90000 PS2.

Sony also announced today a new "Deep Red" edition of its PlayStation Portable will go on sale in Japan. As the name implies, the new PSP will be red in color, a hue Sony said was chosen for its appeal to holiday shoppers. In Japan, it will arrive on December 13 in two versions. The ¥22,800 (about $199) "PSP Deep Red Value Pack" includes a pouch, handstrap, cleaning cloth, and 32MB Memory Stick Duo for game data. The ¥29,800 (around $260) "PSP Deep Red 1 Seg Pack" includes the handheld's 1 Seg TV tuner, a 1GB Memory Stick Duo, and a viewing stand, as well as the aforementioned pouch, handstrap, and cloth.

Though the Deep Red PSP isn't yet officially headed for Europe, unconfirmed reports have the continent getting its own cherry-hued version of the console. The PlayStation.com forums briefly displayed packaging for a bundle containing a new bright red PSP and UMD movie discs of the Spider-Man 2, which was packed in with the PSP at launch, and Spider-Man 3, which is currently bundled with the $399 40GB PlayStation 3 in Blu-ray disc form. (The post displaying the packaging has since been deleted by PlayStation.com administrators.)

Sony Computer Entertainment America would not confirm nor deny the Spider-Man PSP bundle's existence, let alone whether or not it would be available outside Europe. SCEA reps also would not confirm whether or not the Deep Red PSP or the new PS2 would ever land on North American shores.

"We haven't announced anything, the only new PS2 we've announced is the new limited edition SingStar bundle that started shipping this week," a rep said, referencing the white PS2 package deal, which went on sale today in the US and Canada.

Kanye West gets 9 BET Hip-Hop Awards nominations

2009-09-18T18:24:00.000-07:00

West might still be under fire for his controversial act on MTV, but the ranting rapper could be looking at plenty of praise from BET next month.

West has received nine nominations for the fourth annual BET Hip-Hop Awards, which will be televised Oct. 27. The rapper caused a stir Sunday after he interrupted 19-year-old country singer Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards.

The 32-year-old West's latest album, "808 & Heartbreak," has sold over a million copies.

Jay-Z and Lil Wayne drew the second-most nominations with seven apiece, while T.I. received six nods.

The network will also recognize veteran rapper Ice Cube with the "I Am Hip-Hop" icon award. The show will be hosted by comedian Mike Epps.

iPod touch. New features. New price.

2009-09-13T03:50:00.000-07:00

Next Level Fun
iPod touch. Starting at $199.
A great iPod. A great pocket computer. A portable game player.
Shop online and get free shipping or pick one up today at the Apple Retail Store

The new 32GB and 64GB iPod touch.
Improved performance makes gaming and web browsing faster and better than ever. iPod touch comes with all the innovative features included in the new 3.1 software. And you can access the web and your email through built-in Wi-Fi, making iPod touch a handy pocket-size computer. Learn more

The 8GB iPod touch. Just $199.
Enjoy games, the web, email, and more, along with the new 3.1 software. Now at a lower price. Buy now

A great iPod.
Listen to mixes created just for you with Genius Mixes. Flick through your music in Cover Flow. Watch movies on a brilliant 3.5-inch screen. Give your iPod touch a shake to shuffle to a new song. And download music, movies, and more when you access the iTunes Store over Wi-Fi.
Learn about music Learn about movies

A great pocket computer.
Built-in Wi-Fi means you can quickly and easily surf the web, send email, update your Facebook status, and so much more—all on a device that fits in your pocket.
Learn more

A great portable game player.
iPod touch is designed to make playing games a great experience. New games are added to the App Store every day, and with Genius recommendations for apps, the App Store even suggests new ones based on what you've already downloaded. And games are only a part of the thousands of apps you can enjoy on iPod touch. Check out some of our current favorites.
See the Games and Apps Showcase

Introducing the new iPod nano. Now with video recording

2009-09-12T23:32:00.000-07:00

Video recording with effects
The new video camera in iPod nano lets you shoot video—even with video effects—wherever you are. Yet the new iPod nano is still the same ultraportable size. Learn more

Genius Mixes
Genius acts as your personal DJ, searching your iTunes library to find songs that go great together, then organizing them into mixes you'll love. All automatically. Learn more

FM radio with Live Pause
The new built-in FM tuner has two amazing features—Live Pause and iTunes Tagging*—that make listening to the radio nothing like listening to the radio. Learn more

Pedometer and Nike + iPod
Count every step you take with the new built-in Pedometer feature. Or add a Nike + iPod Sport Kit so your iPod can track your fitness progress. Learn more

See the latest iPod models.
iPod nano isn't the only iPod that just got better. Check out the new iPod touch and the new colors of iPod shuffle. Buy now

Download the new iTunes.
The newly redesigned iTunes introduces great features like iTunes LP, Home Sharing, and Genius Mixes. Download now

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Choose a (PRODUCT) RED Special Edition iPod nano and a portion of your purchase price goes to help fight AIDS in Africa. Available only from Apple. Buy now

Personalize iPod nano free.			Pick up iPod nano on Thursday.
	Order an iPod nano—including Apple Store exclusive colors—and get free laser engraving and free shipping from the Apple Online Store. Shop now		Choose from all the brilliant colors—including some only available from Apple—and take home iPod nano on Thursday from your favorite Apple Retail Store. Find a store

(2009) Top 10 Richest Filipinos

2009-09-04T08:54:00.000-07:00

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the richest of them all?

If you’re interested to know who the wealthiest people are in the Philippines, you need not ask the magic mirror but instead refer to Forbes Magazine’s list of The Philippines’ 40 Richest released this August 2009.

Who are the richest Filipinos? Read below.

SM mall mogul Henry Sy is still the richest man in the Philippines for two consecutive years now. In the 2008 Richest Filipinos list, he topped the list followed by Lucio Tan, Jaime Zobel de Ayala, and Andrew Tan. There is no change in the Top 4 this year.

There are three new Filipinos added to the list. Robert Coyiuto Jr. (#18) is the president of Oriental Petroleum & Minerals. Imelda Marcos’ younger brother, Benjamin Romualdez (#30) has stakes in Banco de Oro and Benguet Mining Corporation. The third, Marian Rosario Fong (#40), is a former partner of Sy’s supermarkets and has a 1% stake in SM Investments.

Last year’s #39, Manuel Pangilinan of PLDT and Metro Pacific, is out of the list this year.

The complete 40 Richest Filipinos list below.

Top 10 Richest People in the Philippines – 2009

1. Henry Sy

Networth: $3.8 billion
Age: 84
Marital Status: Married, 6 children

Stock price of his SM Investments has almost doubled since December low. Group, with interests in malls, retail, property, posted 14% increase in net income in first half of 2009. Daughter Teresita Sy-Coson runs its Banco de Oro Unibank, country’s largest bank by assets, which signed deal in May to acquire GE Capital’s Philippines banking arm in exchange for strategic investment from the U.S. company; deal expected to close this month. Sy, who got start selling shoes, shares fortune with wife and children.

2. Lucio Tan

Networth: $1.7 billion
Age: 75
Marital Status: Married, 6 children

His Philippine National Bank received regulatory approval to buy 38% of China’s Allied Commercial Bank in August. Former electrical engineer’s other holdings include Fortune Tobacco, Asia Brewery, Philippine Airlines and Hong Kong properties. Government case against Tan for allegedly holding assets for the late Ferdinand Marcos has dragged on for 22 years. Some of his fortune still sequestered as part of the long-running investigation.

3. Jaime Zobel de Ayala

Networth: $1.2 billion
Age: 75
Marital Status: Married, 7 children

Chairman emeritus of family’s Ayala Corp., one of the country’s largest conglomerates, which celebrated its 175th birthday this year. Eldest son, Jaime II, replaced his dad as chairman more than a decade ago; son Ferdinando is vice-chairman. Family’s shares now in his children’s hands.

4. Andrew Tan

Networth: $850 million
Age: 57
Marital Status: Married, 4 children

His holding company, Alliance Global Group, reported jump in first-quarter earnings thanks in part to strong food, beverage businesses (he owns the Philippines’ McDonald’s franchise) and improving real estate sales. Resort World Manila, his $1.35 billion casino joint venture with Malaysia’s Star Cruises, opened last month. Son of a factory worker made his first fortune in brandy, and later in property development through Megaworld.

5. John Gokongwei

Networth: $720 million
Age: 82
Marital Status: Married, 6 children

Shares of his conglomerate JG Summit — which has interests in airlines, telecoms, power, banking and real estate — are up more than 300% since last December’s low. Also owns Robinsons retail department store operations, with stores in 7 countries. Brother James Go chairs the group and son Lance is president.

6. Tony Tan Caktiong

Networth: $710 million
Age: 59
Marital Status: Married, 3 children

His fast-food company Jollibee Foods is expanding: it already has 1,800 locations, 9 brands in 11 countries, including popular burger joint Jollibee; plans to open another 200 this year in such countries as China, Vietnam and the U.S. Completed purchase of a congee restaurant chain in China last October. Got his start 34 years ago when he opened 2 ice cream parlors.

7. Eduardo Cojuangco Jr.

Networth: $660 million
Age: 74
Marital Status: Married, 4 children

Chief executive of Southeast Asia’s largest food and beverage conglomerate, San Miguel. Company has been buying up stakes in a power company, oil refiner and bank; has shown interest in buying Dole Food’s Asian assets. In July announced it is negotiating with potential investors to sell part of branded food, alcohol operations. Son Mark is a member of the Philippines’ House of Representatives.

8. Enrique Razon

Networth: $620 million
Age: 49
Marital Status: Married, 2 children

Was part of consortium, which also included China’s State Grid and Robert Coyiuto (No. 18), that paid $3.95 billion for National Grid Corp. of the Philippines. Runs port operator International Container Terminal Services, with operations in 10 countries; it posted one-third drop in net income for first half of year due to decline in global trade.

9. Manuel Villar

Networth: $530 million
Age: 59
Marital Status: Married, 3 children

Philippines Senate president, known as Manny, is a candidate in the 2010 presidential race. He is also the largest shareholder in property firms Vista Land & Lifescapes and Polar Property Holdings. Both sons are on board of Vista Land, whose stock hit 52-week high in August. Shrimp vendor’s son grew up in slum.

10. George Ty

Networth: $515 million
Age: 76
Marital Status: Married, 5 children

His Metrobank, the country’s second-largest lender, saw profits rise in first quarter for first time in a year. Founded bank decades ago. His son Arthur replaced him as chairman 2006. Family, which includes Ty and his children, hold 40% of the bank.

Source: Forbes