LINKMOKO

All-Star Cast for Noynoy TV ads

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:19:00 +0000

You might probably saw Noynoy's first TV ad was previewed on ABS-CBN lasting less than 60 seconds, long enough to deliver the right message. The endorsers were the leading stars in the TV and movie studios. They were all seen running holding bamboo torches through a thicket of shrubs, underbrush, and small trees, as if looking for something or someone. The stars include: Boy Abunda, Sharon Cuneta, Ai-Ai Delas Alas, Ogie Alcasid, Bea Alonzo, Anne Curtis, Dingdong Dantes, Marian Rivera, James and Kris Aquino-Yap, the singer who sung the “hindi ka nag-iisa” theme was Regine Velasquez, and I saw some athletes, and many more. Noynoy is in the front row, smiling broadly in black shirt. It was an eloquent portrayal of our period’s towering demand: A new leader assisted by young men and women who are prepared to serve and suffer solely for the country. All these propaganda materials can move people to tears, longing to create a new day, a new era, and give the poor masses a new dream. TV ads about “tiyaga at galing” don’t make people cry or feel sad about their condition that has remained unchanged in the 15 or 20 years after martial law ended. Magsaysay and Lacson initiated the first modern, if not novel, political campaign with ditties like: 1) “Lacson Mambo,” composer unknown, and 2) “Mambo Magsaysay,” probably composed by Raul Maglapus. We see more hints of things to come: A sad theme song with lines like “hindi ka nag-iisa,” and a movie about Ninoy and Cory in the most telling presentation of the dirt and filth of RP politics. We expect more corn in TV ads from leading presidential contenders, now down to three or four of them. But sentimental corn is not trite or banal. Memories of things past, not the happy ones turn people on and the sadder the better. According to one ad, the contender’s line was something like this that things would not be what they are now if he were given the chance to lead. Noynoy has a silent cabal of boys and girls without frozen minds or impoverished character. Attacking or hinting at the opponents’ weakness now can be counter-productive and can place them in their right corner. In their corner the glare can become more and more damaging even before the start of the national campaign on February 9. Ads with help from top TV and movie stars are what people clearly understand, not hints at the opponents’ lack of experience or genius in one branch of knowledge.

Manny Pacquiao: Cover Of Time Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:26:00 +0000

Manny Pacquiao is the cover of Time Magazine. He is the first Asian athlete who given this award. He joins the other boxing greats such as Joe Louis, Max Schmeling, Sugar Ray Robinson, Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali for this achievement. Pacquiao is also the second Filipino to grace Time Magazine’s cover. The first one was former President Corazon Aquino, who was given the "Woman of the Year" title in 1986. In this Time Magazine Asia edition, the magazine pays homage to Pacquiao in an article entitled, "The Meaning of Manny". The article tells Pacquiao’s stature as the Philippines' favorite son, his humble beginnings, recent ring accomplishments, among others. Manny Pacquiao is set to fight Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico and an attempt at a world record of seven world titles in as many weight classes. This event, "Firepower" is set on November 14 at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Miss Earth 2009 Pageant

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:18:00 +0000

Miss Earth 2009, the 9th edition of Miss Earth beauty pageant, will be held at the Boracay Ecovillage Resort and Convention Center, in the Island of Boracay, Philippines on November 22, 2009. The Miss Earth winner serves as the spokesperson for the Miss Earth Foundation, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other environmental organizations. 80 contestants from different countries and territories will compete for the crown, tied with 2005. At the conclusion of the competition, outgoing titleholder Miss Earth 2008 Karla Henry of the Philippines will crown her successor.

Beauties for a Cause
The delegates of Miss Earth 2009 explored the different islands of the Philippines with the theme "Green Lifestyle" and promoted the use of recyclable materials as part of our collective lifestyle. In addition, they engaged on different environmental activities including the planting of trees in the province of Ilocos.

Press presentation
Last November 4, 2009, the delegates from various countries were presented to the local and international media at Mader’s Garden, Pasig City, Philippines. The ladies shared their environmental camapaigns and expressed their cause on Mother Nature, a continuous campaign they have been waging as "Beauties for a Cause."

Coronation venue
The pageant will take place for the first time outside the Island of Luzon. The venue for Miss Earth 2009 final night was going to be held at Boracay Ecovillage Resort and Convention Center. The convention center is a private ecotourism venue intended for trade events, industry conventions, corporate functions, concerts, and international exhibitions. It is one of the landmarks of the Island of Boracay, which was declared by the British publication TV Quick as the world's number one tropical beach and topped the 2007 Yahoo! Travel list of World’s Most Popular Beach.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:36:00 +0000

Just before "Twilight Saga: New Moon" will going to be watch by millions of fans, they're getting another treat: On June 30, 2010, "Twilight Saga: Eclipse" is coming. Yes, it's true, it was announced at Summit Entertainment confirmed to MTV News. The Twilight Saga's Eclipse is dated for Wednesday, June 30, 2010. As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger, the plotline explains of the film based on Stephenie Meyer's "Eclipse" novel. "In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. Bella and Edward have been reunited, but their forbidden relationship is threatened to be torn apart again with an evil vampire still seeking her revenge. And Bella is forced to choose between her true love for Edward or her friendship with Jacob Black as the struggles between vampires and werewolves continues. But there is still another choice for Bella to make, mortality or immortality? After the vote about her becoming immortal, Bella realizes graduation isn't too far away and starts to panic. But she has bigger problems arising, her feelings for Jacob, his feelings for her and Victoria. The vampire who is trying to take revenge on her for Edward killing her James. As "Twilight" fans know, Meyer's final book, "Breaking Dawn," will most likely be made into a movie if the studio is going so far as to film the first three novels. Meyer has gone on record saying that she'd like "Breaking Dawn" to be filmed as two separate movies, but little else is known about Summit's plans to continue the saga beyond "Eclipse. The good thing about “Eclipse,” obviously, is that the text is already written – and amongst the Twilighters, it’s perfect just as it is. Stay tuned to this blog as we’ll keep following all the details on “The Twilight Saga” films in the months to come.

Note: The image you saw is the new official Twilight Saga “Eclipse” teaser poster.

World's first solar-powered mobile phone

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:49:00 +0000

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. announced the world’s first solar-powered mobile phone — the Crest Solar (E1107). The new handset enables its users to charge the battery anywhere the sun is shining when electricity is unavailable. “The Crest Solar represents our effort and commitment to strengthen our leadership in the solar panel mobile market,” said Charles Choi, VP for HHP Samsung Electronics Philippines Corporation. “With Samsung’s cutting-edge technology and consumer-oriented strategy, I believe the Crest Solar will be the perfect fit for anyone in any market — not only because it is solar powered, but because it has features that were designed to appeal to various cultures.”

With an extended solar-powered battery, the Samsung Crest Solar solves the problem of unavailable or unstable electrical outlets, particularly in rural areas. The phone has the capacity to provide around five to 10 minutes of talk time with one hour of solar charging. Moreover, the solar panel charging allows its users to save money and energy consumption on traditional electrical charging. Measured when the phone is turned-off under the sun light of 80,000 Lux. Results can be different depending on circumstances. The Crest Solar comes in a compact design with essential mobile phone features such as FM radio, MP3 ring tones, embedded games and a powerful torch light. For consumer safety, the phone offers Mobile Tracker, which automatically alerts when the SIM card is changed or sends out an SOS message in an emergency. The Crest Solar also has a fake call feature, so users can pretend they have an incoming call when necessary. To satisfy Crest Solar users in various markets, Samsung offers localized features for different countries. For instance, it offers profile screening for bikers in the Southeast Asian market that provides incoming call alerts only from selected contacts for safe riding. The Crest Solar also provides specialized features for different religions such as alerts for prayer time.

Rihanna speaks for victims of domestic violence

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:45:00 +0000

Rihanna (photo) says dealing with the media attention after being assaulted in February by ex-boyfriend Chris Brown was humiliating. But she now hopes to speak for young women who are afraid to talk openly about domestic violence. The 21-year-old pop star told Glamour magazine in an interview posted on-line that the police photo of her bruised face that was leaked to reporters added insult to injury. After the assault, she awoke to find helicopters circling her house and reporters swarming her street. “I felt like I went to sleep as Rihanna and woke up as Britney Spears,” she said. Rihanna said she felt disappointed and taken advantage of, especially when she heard that the two officers under investigation for leaking her photo were women. “I felt like people were making it into a fun topic on the Internet, and it’s my life,” she said. Rihanna said she didn’t realize how much her decisions affected people she didn’t know, like her many fans. She feels stronger, wiser and more aware now, she added. “Domestic violence is a big secret,” Rihanna said. “The positive thing that has come out of my situation is that people can learn from that. I want to give as much insight as I can to young women, because I feel like I represent a voice that really isn’t heard. Now I can help speak for those women.” Brown, 20, pleaded guilty to felony assault in June. He was sentenced to five years’ probation, six months of community labor and a year of domestic violence counseling for the attack.

A Way of Life

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:36:00 +0000

As the Office of the Ombudsman acknowledged rampant corruption in the country, it received flak for its performance. Church leaders, meanwhile, criticized the government for its dismal record on human rights and transparency. Some lawmakers tossed back the blame to the Church, saying the shepherds have failed in their spiritual guidance of their flock. Everyone shares part of the blame for the persistence of a problem that has been around since the colonial period. But this should not mean that the problem cannot be stopped. Procurement laws and government regulations can be overhauled to cut red tape, promote transparency and plug opportunities for corruption. Oversight functions at all levels of governance can be strengthened. The private sector can do its part by avoiding bribery to win lucrative contracts or facilitate transactions with the government. A sure way of perpetuating what has come to be described as the culture of corruption is the failure to punish violators of the anti-graft law — both those who offer bribes and the ones who accept or demand them. This is true particularly when the biggest looters of public coffers manage to evade punishment. This failure has been evident in the government’s pursuit of wealth illegally amassed by the Marcoses and their cronies. Under this administration, various sectors have pointed out that corruption is approaching levels not seen since the Marcos period. The failure to make the biggest suspects account for corruption during the Marcos era has emboldened others to continue overpricing government projects, pocketing public funds and collecting fat commissions. The administration likes to trot out statistics showing the rate of prosecution and conviction of the corrupt. But most of the cases in those statistics involve small fry. In this country, crooks who pocket P5 million rot in prison, while crooks who pocket anywhere from $2 million to a large chunk of $329 million get to take their money and run. This encourages impunity and guarantees that corruption will remain a way of life in this country.

Containing the flu virus

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:32:00 +0000

Image source: PhilStar.com

After two students diagnosed with Influenza A(H1N1) prompted a 10-day suspension of classes at De la Salle University in Manila, several universities have postponed for a week their school opening as a precautionary measure. The postponement gives school authorities more time to prepare the proper response in case anyone in the school is diagnosed with the potentially deadly flu. With a vaccine still months away, the best that can be done at this point is for everyone to follow guidelines laid down by health experts in detecting the flu. Anyone who has just arrived from an overseas trip, even if the flight merely transited through a country where A(H1N1) cases have been reported, but who did not register any fever upon arrival at the airport must still be on alert for several days for symptoms such as a persistent cough, cold or sore throat. If any symptom emerges, a doctor must be consulted immediately for possible referral to A(H1N1) experts. Similar precautionary measures must be adopted by anyone who has come in close contact with any of the confirmed cases of A(H1N1) in the Philippines. The new flu strain, which has infected nearly 20,000 people and killed over 100 in 66 countries, can manifest itself even after nearly two weeks following infection. Though the flu does not seem to be spreading in the Philippines as rapidly as in other countries, certain quarters fear a spike when all schools open within the month. Schools and offices cannot be shut down while pharmaceutical giants rush the production of a vaccine. Mexico City, which has suffered the highest number of infections and deaths, contained the spread through a massive shutdown, but this lasted only for a few days. In the absence of a vaccine, some people are opting for ordinary anti-flu shots to boost their immune system. Some precautionary measures could help, such as sanitizing schools and workplaces. Confronting this health hazard requires civic responsibility. If you suspect you have the flu, do everything to prevent its spread.

We Need to Conserve our Wetlands

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:54:00 +0000

Water! It’s the elixir of life. All living creatures need water to survive, and the quality of that water influences quality of life. That’s where wetlands come in. I might redefine a wetland as a place where water doesn’t just run off, but collects at times so that much of it can percolate down through the soil. When that happens the soil acts like a filter, removing pollutants and impurities. Think about the various filters in your car or home. A dirty filter, or one that’s the wrong size, can be expensive in terms of energy efficiency and stress on your vehicle or air conditioner. Wetlands are a lot like those filters. Our purest drinking water comes from underground sources called aquifers. Wetlands act as catch basins and filters that cleanse the water that flows into those aquifers. Destroying a wetland reduces the size of the filter. What’s left of the filter is less efficient because it clogs and gets dirty quicker. Losing wetlands means more rainwater flows off the land instead of into aquifers, rendering more of that water impure. Keeping wetlands in place and functioning properly is therefore critical to the efficient and proper functioning of natural ecosystems. Wetland areas are teeming with life. We find the greatest abundance and diversity of life where there are the largest, most accessible, and most reliable water sources within each kind of habitat. This vital link between wild creatures and the habitats they require is recognized by the Clean Water Act’s definition of wetlands. An area is officially designated a wetland on the basis of the plants that grow there. Wetlands differ greatly from place to place, and wetland plant communities and the animals that live in them also vary among locations. Some types of wetlands, such as pitcher plant bogs, are rare. Animals that depend on them often are rare as well. Others such as cattail marshes are common. The sum of all wetlands creates a grand mosaic of opportunities for wild things. Yes, indeed, it is important that we protect wetlands. We depend on them for so much!

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Greatest Fight of the Century

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:45:00 +0000

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao and the boxing fans deserve this fight. Fight fan it’s time for the REAL super-fight. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao anywhere on the planet and I’m buying it! Forget the under-card matches. Let’s go to the Main Event. Of course we all wanted to see the fight between Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao vs. Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. to stop all the speculations who’s really the best fighter in the world and the real pound-for-pound king. Both of them are elite boxers. They fight in similar weight classes and in the peak of their primes. Pacman is the current pound for pound king, while Mayweather Jr. is the former pound-for-pound king, he lost his throne after he semi-retired last year. Pacquiao and Mayweather are not only among the elite fighters between 135-147 pounds they are the best in the world. The Mayweather vs. Pacquiao match would determine who the best is; a prime time boxer against a prime time puncher. Both fighters fully understand their bodies, their training, their skill levels, their range, the positives and negatives of their fight styles. They sit atop everything that makes their particular fight styles possible. Pacquiao with his power, speed, and passion. Mayweather with his agility, defense, boxing mind and enthusiasm. What more could they attain to make the fight any better? What special about Manny is that although he doesn’t have great boxing skills, his southpaw stance complements his style. He has a fast and powerful left straight that would often catch an orthodox stance fighter due to his combinations or pure instinct or both. Honestly speaking. I am not a Mayweather fan. I appreciate Mayweather's talents as a ring master, I have never been that impressed with his wins. Certainly, his record alone gets him a Hall of Fame vote that’s for sure, but I come from the old school of boxing fight fans, and I like it when a fighter, especially a well paid one, actually "fights" in the ring. But I think this fight will never going to happen because Pacquiao next fight is WBO Welterweight champ Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao vs. Cotto match is scheduled on November 14, 2009. Both Pacquiao and Cotto are now preparing on their anticipated match in Las Vegas. And next year Manny Pacquiao is running for public office on May 2010 election as a Congressman in Saranggani Province in the Philippines. And Mayweather defeated Juan Manuel Marquez last September 19 and makes him back to the number two pound-for-pound rankings. The Mayweather vs. Pacquaio match is a dream come true to all boxing fans I only hoped that these match will come true soon. It would be worth the wait and worth every penny. For Mayweather and Pacquiao there isn’t a higher level of training, another grade of boxing knowledge and frankly a bigger payday for the both of them.

Google Pagerank Update

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:14:00 +0000

What is PageRank? PageRank is just what it sounds like. Google places a rank on all web pages with a value between 0 and 10, 10 being the highest. Theoretically, the higher the pagerank, the more of an authority your blog/website is, or the more popular it is. It’s basically a metric of reader interaction with your site, in the form of traffic, links and how many people find your site to be useful. The more links, and the more that popular sites link to you, or the more people that link to you, the higher you will get. But, really, this is just my opinion, and no one really knows how they calculate it. We just guess and try to play accordingly. From my experience, the game gets exponentially tougher as you try to increase your PageRank from 5 to 6 or higher. Just recently another PageRank (PR) update was made. That’s right! My blog increase its PR from PR3 to PR4 after several updates a couple of months. I hope that this will continue and i was hoping to recieve another PR update, a higher PR update like PR5.

New Wi-Fi technology to let gadgets talk directly

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:10:00 +0000

The Wi-Fi Alliance, an industry group, said Wednesday it is nearly finished putting together a Wi-Fi Direct specification, a set of technical "rules" that guide consumer electronics companies that plan to add the new capability.

Kelly Davis-Felner, the Wi-Fi Alliance's marketing director, said Wi-Fi Direct will make it easier to liberate the mounting gigabytes of digital family photos that are trapped in cameras, smart phones or PCs. Now those gadgets will be able to connect directly to digital photo frames, TVs or printers.

In creating the specification, the Alliance is moving into the territory of Bluetooth, a competing wireless technology that already handles direct gadget-to-gadget connections. Bluetooth uses less power but has much shorter range and a lower transfer speed. To tackle the latter problem, the industry group behind Bluetooth announced last year that it would co-opt Wi-Fi technology to make it possible to send videos and other bandwidth-hogging files around the house, much as Wi-Fi Direct promises to do.

Only one of the gadgets need have the new Wi-Fi Direct technology to make a two-way connection work. In one scenario, you could connect a smart phone with Wi-Fi Direct to a laptop and piggyback on its wired Internet connection for a quick e-mail check without tapping your phone's data plan.

Congratulations Mar and Korina Sanchez-Roxas

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:23:00 +0000

MANILA, Senator Manuel Roxas II and ABS-CBN anchor Korina Sanchez finally walked down the aisle and exchange “I do’s” Tuesday at the Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City. Sanchez, 45, beaming in a white Filipiniana terno, walked toward the altar with her brothers Milano and Mickey Sanchez as the world-renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers sang “Ave Maria.” Clad in barong tagalog, Roxas was accompanied by his mother, Judy. "I take you as God's special gift. I love you as you are," said Roxas, 52, as he exchanged vows with Sanchez. For her part, Sanchez said Roxas was the "fulfillment" of her heart's desire, describing him as an ally and a friend. "Ikaw ang katuparan ng lahat ng aking hinhintay at minimithi ng aking puso na makakasama, karamay, kaibigan at kakampi,” Sanchez said. “Dumaan man ang unos, ang mga pagsubok, ang sakit at kabiguan, ako ay mananatiling dikit sa iyong piling." Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, who together with more than 10 Catholic bishops and priests officiated the two-hour concelebrated mass, officially pronounced them husband and wife shortly before 6 p.m. Hundreds of guests—relatives, friends, politicians, dignitaries, celebrities—came to witness the much-awaited union of the high profile couple. As early as 11 a.m., hundreds of people—including children—gathered outside the historic church to have a glimpse of the Roxas and Sanchez. Like a movie star, Roxas, was mobbed by the crowd when he arrived at around 3:00 p.m. Before proceeding inside the church, Roxas took time to shake hands with the people, who were chanting his name. "Excited,” was how the senator, who is running for vice president in the 2010 polls, described his feelings about the wedding. Roxas said he last talked with Sanchez Monday morning. And just before the wedding, Roxas said he received a mobile text message from Sanchez saying, "Pray for me so I will not trip." Just a few minutes after Roxas arrived, the well-wishers went wild again on seeing former president Joseph Estrada walking down the red carpet outside the church. Some of the spectators, however, went to see popular TV host Kris Aquino, who arrived with his youngest son, baby James Jr. James served as ring bearer in the wedding. Teresita Pancho, 62, said she came all the way from Pampanga just to see Roxas in person. "Nagugutom na nga ako eh pero ‘di ko pa nakikita si Pareng Mar (I’m already hungry and I still haven’t seen Mar," said Pancho. Aside from Estrada, other prominent politicians and personalities who came to witness the union were US ambassador Kristie Kenny, Vice President Noli de Castro, Chief Justice Reynato Puno, former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban, former vice president Teofisto Guingona, Representatives Lorenzo Tanada III, Satur Ocampo, Teodoro Locsin, Neptali Gonzales, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, former senator Franklin Drilon, former congressman Florencio "Butch" Abad, and Pepeng Cojuangco. Also in attendance were actress Gretchen Barreto and live-in partner Tony Boy Cojuangco, actor and television host Richard Gomez, and celebrity beauty doctor Vicky Belo. Paolo Zaldarriaga, Roxas’ son from past relationship, served as his best man, while the maid of honor is the bride's close friend, Dang Cecilio-Palanca. The principal sponsors are Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno, former Senate president Jovito Salonga, ABS-CBN chairman and CEO Eugenio Lopez III, Roxas’ uncle Jorge Araneta, multi-awarded actress and philanthropist Rosa Rosal, Helen Costales, groom’s aunt Ruby Roxas, TV host Cecilia "Che-Che" Lazaro, and the groom's aunt Maria Flores. The secondary sponsors are: (cord) Ria Roxas-Ojeda and Augusto Ojeda, (veil) Victoria Fores and Manuel Roxas, (candle) Juliana Valencia and Jorge Fores. The bible and coin bearers are Mathew Garcia and Miguel Sanchez, respectively. Anika Custodio, Ana Conchita Khouri, Saila Sanchez and Louise Tan served as flower girls. Twelve are listed as bridesmaid, including news anchor Pinky Webb and ABS-CBN senior reporter Ging Reyes.

Source: inquirer.net

Happy Halloween!

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:44:00 +0000

Halloween, holiday observed on the evening of November 1 in most areas of the Philippines. The holiday is symbolically associated with death and the supernatural. Halloween falls on the eve of All Saints’ Day (which is November 1, here in the Philippines), also known as Allhallows or Hallowmas, a holy day in the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches. Originally a pagan festival of the dead, All Saints’ Day was established by the Catholic Church in the 9th century to honor Christian saints. All Souls’ Day, a holy day established by the Catholic Church in the 10th century, is also closely linked to Halloween. All Souls’ Day, on November 2, is observed to help purify the spirits of the dead and we light candles in front of our houses to commemorate of past love ones. Halloween is historically related to similar folk holidays celebrated in other countries. Most Halloween festivities are based on folk beliefs concerning supernatural forces and spirits of the dead. Halloween decorations typically feature imagery associated with supernatural beings such as witches, werewolves, vampires, and ghosts. Images thought to symbolize bad omens—such as black cats, bats, and spiders—are also commonly featured in Halloween decorations. Dressing in costume is one of the most popular Halloween customs, especially among children. Traditional costumes usually represent witches, ghosts, and other supernatural beings. Trick-or-treating is another Halloween tradition, in which costumed children go from house to house soliciting candy or other treats from their neighbors. According to this custom, children greet each homeowner with the cry “Trick or Treat,” suggesting that some sort of prank will be played unless treats are provided. Happy Halloween to all!

Pets are not furry people

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:43:00 +0000

So how should you treat your cat or dog? With respect, but not the same respect you would give a child. Unlike a child, your pet will never learn democratic values. There is no room for democracy in our relationship with our pets. We make decisions for them. Threats are also pointless. A pet won’t understand a declaration such as, “If you do that once more, you are gated for the night,” even if it is satisfying for you to say it. Both cats and dogs respond best to standard and inflexible rules: No climbing the curtains, no raiding the garbage, no barking, or whatever. And pets learn rules most effectively when no threat is involved. Reward training—techniques in which a pet learns to do something good because there is a reward—is the route to training your pet. Living with other species is a privilege. And it is wholly natural. It is only in the last few “seconds” of evolutionary time that we as humans disassociated ourselves from the natural world in which we evolved. Pets remind us where we have come from; they are “ambassadors from the Paleolithic,” in the words of Professor Lionel Tiger. What marvelous ambassadors. We owe them the respect of acknowledging their unique emotional and physical needs. Are pets members of the human family? Of course. Furry people? Only in your fantasy and only if that fantasy causes no harm.

Earthlings

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:42:00 +0000

Landslides, earthquakes, eruptions, floods, storms, and other cataclysms have wrought many changes in the complexion of the planet's face during the past millennium. Still, despite some significant local alterations, the overall physiognomy of the Earth is not so very different from what it was in AD 1000. In contrast, change in the composition and distribution of the world’s living communities has been almost universal. The catalyst of this transformation of life on Earth is our own species. That people should have such a profound influence on the rest of the world’s creatures and their habitats isn’t surprising. We are, after all, very large. We dwarf well more than 99 percent of other animal species, most of which are insects. Furthermore, the number of people is astonishing. In October of 1999, the global human population passed 6 billion. Such staggering numbers of such large animals can hardly fail to affect other species and the environment we share. The human population explosion is very recent. There were about 200 million people in the world 1,000 years ago. By the end of the 2nd millennium, a single country, China, had six times that many people. India had five times that number. Every year the world grows by 80 million people—40 percent of the entire population of the globe in AD 1000! As recently as 1800 there were still fewer than 1 billion people, but soon after that a combination of improvements in agriculture, hygiene, and medicine enabled more people to survive infancy and live comparatively long lives. Owing to depressed death rates and increased numbers of reproducing adults, the world population began to swell rapidly. Demographers believe that the number of people in AD 2050 will stand at 8.9 billion, almost half again as many as are alive today. The problems that beset the Earth and its inhabitants are still daunting, of course. We can only hope that these examples and others like them are harbingers of a saner, sounder, and more enlightened millennium to come.

Klitschko vs. Johnson

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:33:00 +0000

The Vitali Klitschko vs. Kevin Johnson fight will hold at the PostFinance Arena, in Berne, Switzerland on December 12, 2009. This will be the third fight of the year for Klitschko (38-2, 37 KO’s). Vitali will again face a very strong contender. Johnson (22-0-1, 9 KO’s) is undefeated, self-conscious and knows what a great chance this will be for him. Although Johnson is undefeated, he lacks any kind of power to trouble Vitali and this fight will probably end up as one-sided as Klitschko’s recent fight with Arreola.

“I am in an excellent shape and had a perfect preparation and fight in Los Angeles. I can hardly wait to step into the ring again. Kevin Johnson is very dangerous. He already had 23 fights as a pro and is undefeated. He is technically much better than my last opponent Arreola. I know I can’t underestimate Johnson but I have no doubt to keep the WBC belt.” Klitschko said.

Kevin Johnson is confident of taking Klitschko’s WBC World Heavyweight title

“I’ve been working hard for this chance and I will definitely take it. On December 12th, there will finally be an American heavyweight champion again. I am sorry for ruining Klitschko’s Christmas holidays.” Johnson said.

HBO is mostly interested in putting on fights that they see as competitive and ones that will interest the casual boxing fan. A fight between Vitali and Johnson would seem to be anything but competitive. Ticket sale started last October 24 for the Vitali Klitschko vs. Kevin Johnson at the PostFinance Arena, in Berne, Switzerland on December 12, 2009.

UFC 106: Lesnar vs. Carwin

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 03:43:00 +0000

UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar (4-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) meets top challenger Shane Carwin (11-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC). "UFC 106: Lesnar vs. Carwin" takes place at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas on November 21, 2009. The main card airs live on pay per view. The main event is Lesnar's first title defense after unifying the UFC's heavyweight belts with a UFC 100 win over then-interim champ Frank Mir. Meanwhile, Carwin will seek his 12th-straight win in addition to the UFC's heavyweight title. The 34-year-old has yet to fight longer than 2:11 in any bout. While both fighters have apparently agreed to the contest, bout agreements have yet to be issued. If the bout is finalized, the match would be Lesnar's first title defense after unifying the UFC's heavyweight title with a UFC 100 win over then-interim champ Frank Mir. The 34-year-old Carwin has registered three-straight impressive wins in the UFC, scoring first-round wins over Gabriel Gonzaga, Neil Wain and Christian Wellisch. Carwin has registered first-round stoppage win in all 11 of his career bouts. Other Main cards fight includes: Tito Ortiz vs. Forest Griffin, Dustin Hazelett vs. Karo Parisyan, and Luiz Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (Not officially announced) Tickets for UFC 106 are currently on sale. UFC 106: Lesnar vs. Carwin fight is scheduled to take place Nov. 21 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas so buy your tickets now. With the official addition to the card, UFC 106: Lesnar vs. Carwin now includes:

PRELIMINARY CARD
• Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah
• Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders
• Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt
• Brian Foster vs. Brock Larson*
• Fabricio Camoes vs. Caol Uno*
• Jason Dent vs. George Sotiropoulos

Lady Tamaraws repel Lady Eagles fightback

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:09:00 +0000

Far Eastern U made key adjustments in the last two sets to repulse Ateneo-OraCare, 25-20, 23-25, 25-21, 25-19, and notch its third win in four games in the Shakey’s V-League Season 6 second conference at The Arena in San Juan City yesterday. Guest player Rachel Daquis unloaded a season-high 22 hits, including 18 attacks, while Shaira Gonzalez came away with 21 points but the Lady Tams needed a solid defensive job in the third and fourth frames to finish off the Lady Eagles in 1:41. “We made adjustments in defense and reception in the last two sets that’s why we were able to bounce back from our loss in the second set,” said FEU coach Nes Pamilar in Filipino. The victory thus shoved FEU to second place behind first quarterfinalist UST while the loss was Ateneo’s second straight after routing University of the Philippines. The Lady Eagles tried to send the match into a deciding set as they stormed to a 16-15 lead in the fourth on a drop shot from Bea Pascual. But the Lady Tams regrouped and toughened up on net defense then countered with six straight points spiked by Gonzalez’ two service aces to post the victory.

San Sebastian reasserted its mastery over St. Benilde, fashioning out a 25-21, 25-19, 25-14 victory in the second game for its second straight victory in the league sponsored by Shakey’s Pizza. Elaine Cruz, Margarita Pepito and Joy Benito combined for 39 points for the Lady Stags, who also beat the Lady Blazers in sudden death to bag their fifth straight NCAA women’s volley crown recently. St. Benilde, led by Katty Kwan and Charmaine Velez’s combined 22-point output, fell to 0-2 in a tie with Lyceum. Cherry Vivas added 17 points, including three blocks, for FEU, which primed up for a tough game against newly crowned five-time NCAA champion San Sebastian tomorrow in the league organized by Sports Visions and backed by Accel, Mikasa, Mighty Bond and OraCare. Fille Cainglet scored a career-high 20 points, including four blocks, while alumna guest player Charo Soriano and Angeline Gervacio finished with 16 and 15 points, respectively, for Ateneo-OraCare. Meanwhile, the FEU-Ateneo match will be shown on NBN-4 today starting at 2 p.m. while the SSC-St. Benilde match will be aired tomorrow. Monique Tiangco and skipper Rose Cabanag combined for 11 points while providing superb floor defense for the Lady Tams throughout the match.

Source: PhilStar.com

Michael Jordan son's, Nike collides with Adidas

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:03:00 +0000

ORLANDO, Florida - A fight over the shoes Michael Jordan’s son will wear at the University of Central Florida could cost the school financially. First-year guard Marcus Jordan is refusing to wear shoes made by adidas, the brand the university has a contract with for all its sports. He says he will wear only his father’s Nike Air Jordan shoes because they hold special meaning to his family. The problem is UCF is in the final year of its contract with adidas that requires coaches and athletes to use the company’s apparel and equipment. UCF says its five-year deal with adidas ends on June 30, 2010. There have been media reports that UCF is negotiating a new deal that could be worth up to $3 million and last up to six years. UCF said in a statement on Thursday that adidas was aware of the situation during contract renewal discussions.

Sourcs: PhilStar.com

Gaming Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:28:00 +0000

“Fire in the hole, Enemy Spotted, You take the point, Enemy down” this shout comes from one of the best-selling games for the year 2001, counterstrike. A first-person shooter where you get to play either a Terrorist or Anti-Terrorists, trying to either obliterate all your opponents or meet specific objectives. Counterstrike is just one of the few games being patronized by gamers, other games include; Red Alert, Starcraft, DOTA All-Stars, Need for Speed, Splinter Cell, just to name a few. With the popularity of games in the market of teenagers and not so teen anymore, hundreds of Computer Game Centers have opened nationwide catering to the addiction of numerous people who want to feel the rush of competing against the computer and even against other people. Question is why are so many people so addicted to playing computer games? Simple. Computer games take you to a different world of entertainment. You get to choose who you want to be, where you want to be, what objectives you want to meet, whenever you want and most of all you’re in command! Add to that, it doesn’t hurt when you loose. You can start again. Gaming is a fast-paced industry with so many new developments happening at the same time. Game developers play significant role on how this industry is today and how it will be in the future. If you’re a gamer, why not get into the business of game development. If you enjoy the industry so much, why not get paid as well. With the growing demand of manpower needs in this industry, people interested to become game developers are secured of opportunities to get into. Game development is just part of Computer Technology. Good imagination and programming background is all it takes to start-off a career in game development. If you have good imagination, then you’re in for a good start. The second part is, Learn Programming! Over the last decade, the game world has tremendously grown into a large industry that major companies are starting to jump-in and invest. Companies like Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft are just a few of major players in this field. Today, head-on competition with the players is taking place in the game console development. The strength of the industry can be attributed to the broad penetration of Sony Playstation and Xbox, the primary consoles in the market today and the game world is unquestionably worth the business venture.

Kelly Pavlik vs. Paul Williams

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:51:00 +0000

According to the Top Rank head Bob Arum, a deal has been reached A press conference is set for Tuesday in East Rutherford, N.J., to officially announce the Dec. 5 middleweight title fight between Youngstown’s WBC/WBO welterweight champ Kelly Pavlik vs. Paul Williams. The title bout will take place in Atlantic City, N.J., and will be televised by HBO. The match was originally scheduled for Oct. 18, but it was postponed because of a nagging staph infection to Pavlik’s left hand. Pavlik won his 160-pound titles exactly two years ago, Sept. 29, 2007, when he stopped champion Jermain Taylor in the seventh round. The current WBC/WBO champ Kelly Pavlik who has an impressive records of (35-1, 31 KOs), while the former welterweight champ Paul Williams (37-1, 27 KOs). If the deal gets done, Williams who is listed as 6’1 but most say 6’2, slender, high volume puncher, with a physique not unlike that of Pavlik, would move up in weight by 13 pounds to meet Pavlik in 160. I don’t know if they already finished the issue of money matters because Williams was initially, according to Arum, demanding as much as $ 2.5 million for the fight. Either he came down quite a bit or HBO offered more money to make it happen. Pavlik’s Manager Cameron Dunkin that HBO had a lot of interest in a Pavlik vs. Williams fight. He won a non-title rematch against Taylor, but suffered his lone professional loss when he was decision by Bernard Hopkins in an over-the-weight bout in Oct. 2008. He stopped Marco Antonio Rubio in Youngstown to defend his titles in February. I think it’s a hard style and a tough fight, but it’s a good fight. Paul Williams is a tough fighter. He’s not a guy moving up. I like the fight, fans like the fight. HBO likes the fight.

Protect your Network

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:30:00 +0000

When you create a home network connected to the Internet, you increase the vulnerability of your computers to unauthorized access, including viruses. To protect your network, you need to create a type of barrier called a firewall. Windows XP comes with a firewall that you create when setting up a home.

How does a firewall work?
Like an actual firewall built to prevent fire from spreading between adjoining buildings, computer firewalls prevent the spread of unauthorized communication between an individual computer or group of networked computers and the Internet. One of the most effective ways to protect a home network—and the least expensive—is to create a firewall on the ICS host computer, and to make sure that computer is the only one on the network with a direct connection to the Internet.

Other network possibilities
Another way to protect a home network is to use a hardware device called a residential gateway, or router. A residential gateway contains a firewall and replaces an ICS host computer as the central Internet connection. Because it contains no files, folders or other data, and cannot be used to manipulate computers to which it is linked, a residential gateway offers a greater degree of protection than an ICS host computer. Should a hacker manage to bypass the firewall, the only access gained is to the device, which is in effect empty. A disadvantage of a residential gateway is the extra cost it adds to putting together a network. You can create a home network having neither an ICS host computer nor a residential gateway, but at a high cost to security—and convenience. With such a setup, Internet access can be obtained by linking each computer directly to the Internet service provider via the computer's own modem, or else all computers on the network can be linked to an Ethernet hub, which functions as a central Internet connection. Neither of these methods provides firewall protection; and while Internet Connection Firewall can be enabled on networked computers running Windows XP, doing so prevents those computers from sharing files and devices such as printers.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto: Will the Southpaw Jinx Strike Miguel?

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:57:00 +0000

Freddie Roach’s latest studies of Miguel Cotto has led him to state, “He [Cotto] doesn’t fight southpaws really well.” Roach goes on to discuss how Cotto struggled against Zab Judah for much of the early part of their encounter before running out of steam. Roach contends that Pacquiao can do what Zab did in the early rounds for the entire twelve. Although Cotto did eventually overcome Zab, and he dominated Carlos Quintana, there may be some merit to Roach’s comment. Judah hurt Cotto early with an uppercut, but failed to capitalize because Cotto countered with an uppercut to the testicles. Additionally, in his bout with DeMarcus Corley, Cotto was rocked by a tricky right hook. And we all saw what ‘Manila Ice’ (Pacquiao’s right hook) did to Ricky Hatton. In addition, Roach claims Cotto does not take shots to the body well, and Joshua Clottey echoed this sentiment before his bout with Miguel as well. Expect Manny to send many straight left hands to Cotto’s body. But Cotto’s stock has risen since Mayweather’s one-sided domination over Juan Manuel Marquez, and many feel the weight advantage will carry Miguel to victory. But the difference between Marquez and Pacquiao is simple: Manny carried up his power and speed. And the Pac Man is nothing like any of Cotto’s defeated opponents at welterweight. All of them, Mosley, Judah, Quintana and more, all had something in common: they all fought flatfooted. Manny will box on his toes hit, move his head and move out of the way of returning shots. The trickiest punch a southpaw can land on an orthodox fighter is a right hook. Look for Cotto’s legs to turn to Jell-o if he is hit clean with ‘Manila Ice’: shades of Corley. Southpaws do everything backwards, and Cotto will have to deal with that in addition to speed, head movement and footwork that he has never dealt with before in his career. But in defense of Cotto, he has knocked out every southpaw he has faced. And Cotto has won all of his fights only being stopped by a huge welterweight with cinder blocks for fists.

Source: boxingnews24.com

Pacquiao Looking Stronger Than When He Fought Ricky Hatton

noreply@blogger.com (Linkmoko) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:49:00 +0000

Filipino boxing hero and world pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao is stronger than he was when he scored a devastating second round knockout over IBO light welterweight champion Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas last May 2. That’s the word from conditioning expert Alex Ariza who spoke to BoxingScene.com, insidesports, Standard Today and Viva Sports from Pacquiao’s training camp in the summer capital of Baguio City. Ariza said Pacquiao sparred four rounds with undefeated light middleweight Shawn Porter who has a record of 10-0 with 8 knockouts and two rounds with lightweight Urbano Antillon (26-1, 19 KO’s) and “looked good and strong” with six weeks left before the “Fire Power” showdown with WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto on November 14 in Las Vegas. Ariza quoted trainer Freddie Roach as saying Pacquiao “looks better and better every time he sees him.” The conditioning expert conceded that the 21 year old Porter gave Pacquiao some problems in their first sparring session but that Pacquiao recovered quickly and “has been on track ever since” and even looks stronger than he was for the Hatton fight in which he separated the Briton from his senses with a crippling left in round two. Ariza said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who visited the training camp as well as Roach had “made some comments on how big Pacquiao is getting so fast.” However, the conditioning expert who helped Pacquiao improve in terms of his power and explosiveness since joining the Roach team prior to the David Diaz 9th round demolition explained that “the body and the muscles have memory so he’s just reverting back to what it used to be but a little faster than we had in the past. That’s all it is. It remembers where it was in the Hatton fight and is getting right back.” Ariza said he had told Roach “not to worry because its not going to affect his speed.” He emphasized that Pacquiao “is stronger, is faster than he was in the past.” He said he “took Pacquiao to the track last week for the first time and said his speed is almost what it was in the last camp.” Pacquiao went 15 rounds on the punch-mitts on Monday and two circuits of plyometrics and strengthening and conditioning routines and looked very good. Ariza stressed that “if we could hold it here until we get to America and we can hold that weight we will be right on track.” Former world champion Jose Luis Castillo was also reportedly joining the roster of Pacquiao spar-mates. He was supposed to fight last month and so he is expected to be in condition because Roach has made it clear that if Castillo is not in shape he will be sent back home on the first available flight.

Source: boxingscene.com