Manga is a Japanese word that means comics and cartoons in print. Manga is so popular worldwide that even I am familiar with the different Japanese manga. Why? Because my son is a big manga or anime fan. I sometimes watch the Bleach manga series with him. The Bleach manga series is written and illustrated by Tite Kubo. Its leading protagonist is Ichigo Kurosaki whose name means “First Guardian” or “He who protects.”
If I were Bleach a manga character I would chose "The Wise One". I like the implication of the name: a sage; a sensible person; intelligent. For manga fans, Bleach the Movie is coming to select theaters nationwide for two nights only - June 11 and 12. Click the link above for info on where to get the tickets and view the movie.
Test for Dementia
Here are four ( 4) questions and a bonus question.
You have to answer them instantly.
You can't take your time, answer all of them immediately .
OK? Let's find out just how clever you really are....
Ready? GO!!!
Here are four ( 4) questions and a bonus question.
You have to answer them instantly.
You can't take your time, answer all of them immediately .
OK? Let's find out just how clever you really are....
Ready? GO!!!
First Question:
You are participating in a race. You overtake the second person. What position are you in?
Answer: If you answered that you are first, then you are
absolutely wrong! If you overtake the second person and you take his place, you are second!
Try not to screw up next time.
Now answer the second question,
but don't take as much time as you took for the first question, OK?
Second Question:
If you overtake the last person, then you are...?
(scroll down)
Answer: If you answered that you are second to last, then you are wrong again. Tell me, how can you overtake the LAST Person?
You're not very good at this, are you?
Third Question:
V ery tricky arithmetic! Note: This must be done in your head only.
Do NOT use paper and pencil or a calculator. Try it.
Take 1000 and add 40 to it. Now add another 1000 . Now add 30 .
Add another 1000 . Now add 20 . Now add another 1000
Now add 10 . What is the total?
Scroll down for answer.....
Did you get 5000?
The correct answer is actually 4100.
If you don't believe it, check it with a calculator!
Today is definitely not your day, is it?
Maybe you'll get the last question right....
....Maybe.
Fourth Question:
Mary's father has five daughters: 1. Nana, 2. Nene, 3. Nini,
4. Nono. What is the name of the fifth daughter?
Did you Answer Nunu?
NO! Of course it isn't.
Her name is Mary. Read the question again!
Okay, now the bonus round:
A mute person goes into a shop and wants to buy a toothbrush. By
imitating the action of brushing his teeth he successfully
expresses himself to the shopkeeper and! the purchase is
done.
Next, a blind man comes into the shop who wants to buy a pair of
sunglasses; how does HE indicate what he wants?
He just has to open his mouth and ask...
It's really very simple.... Like you!
continue reading......
Who has not heard of Dockers? My husband plays golf and the brand is his favorite. He said it is comfy enough to play in yet stylish enough to pass the strict dress code of golfers. It is one of the leading brands in today's comfy-yet-classy line of pants. One time, my husband’s tee-off time 6:00 am. Wearing his favorite Dockers he was set to finish at 12 noon. Delays came up and he was able to finish his play around 2:30 pm. He had another appointment at 4:00 pm that day. Since he was running late, all he did was freshen up and change his shirt before he went to his other appointment. He was looking all businesslike and suave. Dockers saved the day. Got a interesting tale to tell about your favorite pants?
There is a Dockers contest in the offing. Dockers is sponsoring a TV commercial contest to be aired in Jay Leno's Tonight Show. Joining is a breeze. If you are at least 18 years old and a legal resident of the United States you are eligible to join the contest. The topic or theme of your 30-minute video is an original-modern-uplifting Dockers advertisement. Use innovative ideas in your entries for the chance to win the Make Your Own Dockers Commercial contest. There will only be one grand prize winner and the winning entry will be shown on the June 13, 2008 Tonight Show. Make your video original, creative and spanking riveting. The Dockers contest started April 29 and will end on June 06. However the deadline for submission of entries will be on May 29. Join the Dockers contest!
Hurry now. Start visualizing your clip then do it!
I admit that the fastfoods from Beijing are a little bit too much for me. I am not very adventurous when it comes to food. One should also consider the country of origin on gauging certain food tolerance or affinity. What maybe yucky for me (a Filipina) might not be yucky to citizens of other nations. Eating exotic food takes a courageous spirit and a high tolerance to the yuck! factor. I don't even eat balot. I used to but when I was old enough to know exactly what balot is, I stopped eating it. What is balot? Well, balot is a Filipino delicacy of nine-day-old fertilized duck egg that is cooked like hard-boiled egg.
A large percentage of Filipinos eat balut. In my household, my hubby is the only one who eats the whole thing: embryo et al! Okay, some non-Pinoys might find that eating balot is a task right-off Fear Factor! To take your mind off the lowly Pinoy balot, take a look at another fastfood from Beijing. Don't blame me. I too was just browsing.
balut picture
Getting old is a fact of life. There is just no way to get around it. Whatever you do; Whatever you say; No matter how much surgical procedures you go through; No matter how many vitamins, hormones and estrogen you take; No matter how many skin peeling you suffer... you, yes you.. will still get old and wrinkly and wobbly.
The fountain of youth is non existent but here's what you should know and do to beat looking old....
Dang! Now I forgot what I was gonna tell ya.
Being Filipino means familiarity with street foods. What are street foods ?, you might ask. Street foods are, as the name implies, foods that are vended on the street, by the street, off the street. In the list are fishball, kwek-kwek (quail eggs dipped in flour then fried), barbeque ( all parts of pig or fowl), etc. I can go on and on but that is for another blog article. Anyway, Filipino street foods are boring compared to what is being sold and eaten in the streets of Beijing. Go on, have a look at the picture.
silk worms, cicadas and black scorpions and dung beetles smorgasbord
continue reading......
Back in my elementary days, we were taught to get under desks, tables, beds or whatever sturdy furniture is available, in case of earthquakes. Boy!, were we taught wrong! Hiding under a heavy furniture is the worst thing that we can do in case of earthquakes. A study done by Doug Copp, Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the American Rescue Team International (ARTI) points out the following correct safety measures:
1) Most everyone who simply "ducks and covers" WHEN BUILDINGS COLLAPSE are crushed to death. People who get under objects, like desks or cars, are crushed.
2) Cats, dogs and babies often naturally curl up in the fetal position. You should too in an earthquake. It is a natural safety/survival instinct. You can survive in a smaller void. Get next to an object, next to a sofa, next to a large bulky object that will compress slightly but leave a void next to it.
3) Wooden buildings are the safest type of construction to be in during an earthquake. Wood is flexible and moves with the force of the earthquake. If the wooden building does collapse, large survival voids are created. Also, the wooden building has less concentrated, crushing weight. Brick buildings will break into individual bricks. Bricks will cause many injuries but less squashed bodies than concrete slabs.
4) If you are in bed during the night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll off the bed. A safe void will exist around the bed. Hotels can achieve a much greater survival rate in earthquakes, simply by posting a sign on the back of the door of every room telling occupants to lie down on the floor, next to the bottom of the bed during an earthquake.
5) If an earthquake happens and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair.
6) Most everyone who gets under a doorway when buildings collapse is killed. How? If you stand under a doorway and the doorjamb falls forward or backward you will be crushed by the ceiling above. If the door jam falls sideways you will be cut in half by the doorway. In either case, you will be killed!
7) Never go to the stairs. The stairs have a different "moment of frequency" (they swing separately from the main part of the building). The stairs and remainder of the building continuously bump into each other until structural failure of the stairs takes place. The people who get on stairs before they fail are chopped up by the stair treads - horribly mutilated. Even if the building doesn't collapse, stay away from the stairs. The stairs are a likely part of the building to be damaged. Even if the stairs are not collapsed by the earthquake, they may collapse later when overloaded by fleeing people. They should always be checked for safety, even when the rest of the building is not damaged.
8) Get Near the Outer Walls Of Buildings Or Outside Of Them If Possible - It is much better to be near the outside of the building rather than the interior. The farther inside you are from the outside perimeter of the building the greater the probability that your escape route will be blocked.
9) People inside of their vehicles are crushed when the road above falls in an earthquake and crushes their vehicles; which is exactly what happened with the slabs between the decks of the Nimitz Freeway. The victims of the San Francisco earthquake all stayed inside of their vehicles. They were all killed. They could have easily survived by getting out and sitting or lying next to their vehicles. Everyone killed would have survived if they had been able to get out of their cars and sit or lie next to them. All the crushed cars had voids 3 feet high next to them, except for the cars that had columns fall directly across them.
10) I discovered, while crawling inside of collapsed newspaper offices and other offices with a lot of paper, that paper does not compact. Large voids are found surrounding stacks of paper.
Spread the word!
Students of my generation depended on typewriters to present and finish term papers, research works and theses. Oh, we were mean machines in typing as we cannot afford to make much mistakes for there was no way to erase such with precision and some semblance of tidiness. Computers meant cabinet-sized-machines with 2-inch-diameter cables plugged into wall sockets the size of small platters. How lucky are we now? The nano technology pioneered by my generation paved the way to technologies way beyond our imagination.To type a report, all one has to do is turn on the highly compact-top-of-the-line laptop and fire away. Mistakes in typing is unheard of as backspace literally means, go back and erase the mistake. There are no more excuses for a poorly presented paper. The softwares available for word documents are just awesome. The technology of printing out your work in black and white, gray scale or colored has long been perfected. With five kids doing school works, typing researches and term papers and printing out their works and graphics, my family consumes a lot of printer ink cartridges . Sometimes, the ink runs out and that spells trouble. I find it tedious to shop for ink cartridges. More often than not, the ink cartridge that I desperately need is out of stock.
What good is technology if you can't make the most of it? There's an online site where you can order canon ink cartridges in a jiffy. Pacific Ink offers over 200 brands of ink cartridges and here I am thinking epson ink cartridges and dell printer cartridges are the only other two brands. Pacific Ink sells 70% less than regular than the regular rates of printer manufacturers. The site boosts of easy online order, door-to-door delivery and hassle-free return policy. Click any of the above links before you ran out of ink. You can order now.
I am a Michael Jordan fan. So be it!
But when I saw this video,
I can't help but admire Kobe Bryant and
laugh at those crazy Jackass crew.
Indeed. Kobe flies!
But when I saw this video,
I can't help but admire Kobe Bryant and
laugh at those crazy Jackass crew.
Indeed. Kobe flies!
Stress is a part of our lives. Show me a person with nary a stress and I'll show an unfeeling, unemotional one. Stress is highly manageable though. I resort to prayers, meditation and talks with relevant people and blog, to destress. I also (as most of the female-population-worldwide-do) turn to comfort foods. We've coined the food we love best - translated to FAT-tening - as comfort food. My comfort foods are: blueberry cheesecake, SPAM lathered in tomato ketchup, chocolate cake and banana split. I know!- all grossly high cholesterol-calorie-laden food! These foods might soothe frayed nerves temporarily but will ultimately make us feel worse.
Sugar's initial rush will fade making blood's sugar level go down triggering the stress hormones. Worry not at real comfort foods do exist.
Avocado: Loaded with vitamin B that is depleted due to stress. This creamy fruit's fat is good fat.
Mixed Nuts: An ounce will do. Nuts are full of vitamins B, E and zinc that are stress-depleted. Buy the ones in shells. Cracking the shell will release tension too.
Oranges: Vitamin C lowers cortisol and blood pressure. Go peel an orange. The break will soothe you too.
Chai Tea: Tea ceremonies have been done in ancient times as a prelude to important decision making time or where sensitive matters are to be discussed. There's nothing to beat a hot-soothing-tea to calm your nerves.
Asparagus: This veggie is full of folic acid, a natural mood lightener.
Dark Chocolate: If you feel the need for chocolate, get the dark one. There's nothing remotely stress-relieving ingredient in it, but what the heck, it tastes good. If the antioxidants in the chocolate might help fight cancer, surely there might something in it to fight stress too - even if it's only-in-your-mind.
continue reading......
Sugar's initial rush will fade making blood's sugar level go down triggering the stress hormones. Worry not at real comfort foods do exist.
Avocado: Loaded with vitamin B that is depleted due to stress. This creamy fruit's fat is good fat.
Mixed Nuts: An ounce will do. Nuts are full of vitamins B, E and zinc that are stress-depleted. Buy the ones in shells. Cracking the shell will release tension too.
Oranges: Vitamin C lowers cortisol and blood pressure. Go peel an orange. The break will soothe you too.
Chai Tea: Tea ceremonies have been done in ancient times as a prelude to important decision making time or where sensitive matters are to be discussed. There's nothing to beat a hot-soothing-tea to calm your nerves.
Asparagus: This veggie is full of folic acid, a natural mood lightener.
Dark Chocolate: If you feel the need for chocolate, get the dark one. There's nothing remotely stress-relieving ingredient in it, but what the heck, it tastes good. If the antioxidants in the chocolate might help fight cancer, surely there might something in it to fight stress too - even if it's only-in-your-mind.
My head is going to burst anytime now. I have so many thoughts, problems (real, surreal, unreal)zig-zagging through the ever-narrowing corridors of my mind.. I feel like exploding. What am I to do? One thing. Do the tag. Thanks Liza for the tag.
Participants: Tere-Blessing in Life 2.Yen- Me and Mine 3.Aggie - Pink and Brown Diaries. 4. Mich - Random Thoughts 5. Vannie - FunFierceFab 6. Jane - My Charmed Life. 7. Abie – Women Xplore 8. Jody - In This Game of Life 9. Eds – Just Me. 10. something purple 11.vanity kit 12. em's detour 13. mind bubbles 14. In Demand Opinions 15. Sweet Lullaby 16. MJ's Hurrah17. Buzzing Around 18. Tasteful Voyage 19. A Mom's Note 20. moms..... check nyo 21. Manna from Heaven 22. And Life Goes On for a Filipino Mom
1. What do you want for your birthday?
Nothing, as I want a laptop now!
2. Who will be your next kiss?
Ethan, most probably.
3. When was the last time you went to the mall?
Yesterday
4. Are you wearing socks right now?
What?! It's freaking hot!
5. How did you spend your summer?
Staring blankly (sometimes typing) at the cpu monitor.
6. Have you been to the cinema in the last 5 days?
Nope!
7. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Super duper black coffee
8. What are you wearing right now?
shorts and shirt
9. What was your last purchase?
Diet coke
10. What was the last food you ate?
Hopia
11. Who would be the person you would call if you were up in the middle of the night and couldn’t sleep?
Nobody. I'd be intruding and ruining other people's sleep.
12. Have you bought any clothing items in the last week?
Yup, but not mine
13. Do you have a pet?
Yup, rocky the lab and logan the rott
14. What made you laugh in the last 5 days?
Ethan while asking for something said " please....pretty please with ice cream on top..."
15. If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?
At a sidewalk cafe in Paris, drinking coffee.
16. What is the last thing you purchased online?
None.
17. One thing you hate about yourself?
My very short fuse for stupidity and incompetence.
18. Do you miss anyone?
No. But I do miss some things I used to do.
19. What are your plans for the day?
Done already.
20. Last person you msg’d?
My son.
21. Ever went to a camp?
No.
22. Are you a good student in school?
I was a good student academics wise but I was also a fun-loving-let's get-drunk-at shakey's-
skip-class-watch-a-movie type.
23. What do you know about the (your) future?
I will eat dinner and sleep tonight.
24. Are you wearing any perfume or cologne?
Nope.
25. Where is/are your best friend/s right now?
One is in the Philippines, the other in the US.
I am tagging: Daily Happy Thoughts*Loving Tweety*My Daily Ramblings*Pink Posh*Sweet Bites*
Arte Y Pico Award
The rules of this tag are as follows:1) You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and also for contributing to the blogging community, no matter what language.
2) Each award has to have the name of the author and also a link to his or her blog to be visited by everyone
3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given her or him the award itself.
4) Award-winner and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of "Arte y Pico" blog, so everyone will know the origin of this award. Make sure you visit the link above.
Now I give this award to:Can of Thoughts*Dandelions & Daydreams*Loving Tweety*MJ's Hurrah*Steve and Emz Journey*
continue reading......
With five children actively downloading music on their MP3s or just simply burning songs for CDs or DVDs, I am either paying a lot on monthly membership for music download sites or I am guilty of illegal music downloading. Never mind which one I am. All I can say is there is great news for all MP3 users.Get Free Music From MPFree.com. Yes. Free. No strings attached as in giving your credit card information. Now you can choose from over 750,000 original songs sang by its original artists, current or oldies. The service is totally free and the downloading, legal. Join MPFree.com. Register and be a member. As a member you can complete offers by MPFree.com and its partner site. There are hundreds of offers to choose from like: completing surveys, joining sweepstakes and trying new products . For every offer that you complete there is one free music download for you. There are a lot of prizes at stake too like: Apple IPod and XM or Sirius satellite radio. Cool! Click the link above to check it out now.
somebody is thinking of you.
somebody is caring about you.
somebody misses you.
somebody wants to talk to you.
somebody wants to be with you.
somebody hopes you aren't in trouble.
somebody is thankful for the support you have provided.
somebody wants to hold your hand.
somebody hopes everything turns out all right.
somebody wants you to be happy.
somebody wants you to find him/her.
somebody is celebrating your successes.
somebody wants to give you a gift.
somebody thinks that you ARE a gift.
somebody loves you.
somebody admires your strength.
somebody is thinking of you and smiling.
somebody wants to be your shoulder to cry on.
check this out: two angels
continue reading......
somebody is caring about you.
somebody misses you.
somebody wants to talk to you.
somebody wants to be with you.
somebody hopes you aren't in trouble.
somebody is thankful for the support you have provided.
somebody wants to hold your hand.
somebody hopes everything turns out all right.
somebody wants you to be happy.
somebody wants you to find him/her.
somebody is celebrating your successes.
somebody wants to give you a gift.
somebody thinks that you ARE a gift.
somebody loves you.
somebody admires your strength.
somebody is thinking of you and smiling.
somebody wants to be your shoulder to cry on.
check this out: two angels
It has been my practice to pray and meditate daily. I find it uplifting and comforting to have a one-way conversation with God. I rant and rage; seek for forgiveness; give praise and thanksgiving; asks for help in my prayers. At times, I feel the need to hear words of comfort from other disciples of God.
There is a site where I can literally and figuratively hear the words of God. The site calls on pastors and ministers to upload sermons to share to the cyber community. PreacherTV is a new site where the good news can be shared and spread on the internet. With a few clicks you can watch sermons online if you feel the need for comfort and assurance. Spread the good news. Check out PreacherTV.com.
There is a site where I can literally and figuratively hear the words of God. The site calls on pastors and ministers to upload sermons to share to the cyber community. PreacherTV is a new site where the good news can be shared and spread on the internet. With a few clicks you can watch sermons online if you feel the need for comfort and assurance. Spread the good news. Check out PreacherTV.com.
You see him in the soccer field - arguing loudly with the coach
that his son should play forward.
You see her in the classroom, during parent-teacher-orientation,
arguing with the teacher regarding her daughter's grade.
You see him at basketball games or practice-
forcibly making his son do that crucial shot.
that his son should play forward.
You see her in the classroom, during parent-teacher-orientation,
arguing with the teacher regarding her daughter's grade.
You see him at basketball games or practice-
forcibly making his son do that crucial shot.
You see her huddled in front of the computer
editing her son's essay. (ouch!)
You see them everywhere: Stage Parents
Why?- Because parents today are going to extremes - determined to do anything to make a better life for their children - a perfect childhood for their children. Afraid that their children will make mistakes, most parents today simply refuse to let their children develop at their own paces. They push too hard in terms of academics, sports and the arts.
Oh, my two-and-half-year old son can read phonetically.
Ah!, my three-year old daughter can do double digits addition.
I enrolled my 5 year old daughter in ballet and jazz. I just hope it does not conflict with her piano lessons.
Too much too soon . Your kids might be burned out even before even reaching middle school. I have a few tested-suggestions.
Take a real interest in your kids' lives- do not let them be extensions of yourselves. Let them develop at their own pace. Guide them but do not strangle them. Listen to what they have to say. Be firm, not hard, in handling your kids.Teach them good values and morals for their moral compass. Let them climb the ladder of life - but make sure you're right behind them ready to catch them less they fall. continue reading......
I was staggered to learn that in the USA alone a reported 5,935,000 vehicular accidents were recorded in 2006. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that 42,642 Americans died in traffic in 2006. The leading causes of these accidents and casualties were drunk driving, car trouble and unsafe driving practices. Of course everyone knows that driving under the influence of alcohol is dangerous and wrong. We also know that regular car maintenance is a must. Bad driving habits can also cause car accidents.
Do you use your cellphone while driving? Do you fidget with the CD player or car radio incessantly? Do you actively engage in conversation whiled driving? Do you follow traffic signs and observe speed limits? Distractions can cause road accidents but if you realize your mistakes and correct them - you might not be a bad driver after all.
One of the benefits of being a good driver - no string of traffic tickets, no reported car accidents - aside from safety and long life, is that the premium on car insurance is basically low. Car insurance is never cheap and most pay more for not knowing the rules of the game. Do you have the right policy for your car? Car Insurance Rates provides free auto insurance quote online. The site is a minefield of information regarding insurance rates, provides a varied listing of insurance companies, offers a general guide on insurance policies and more. Click the above link for more information. This may be your best insurance policy yet.
continue reading......
Do you use your cellphone while driving? Do you fidget with the CD player or car radio incessantly? Do you actively engage in conversation whiled driving? Do you follow traffic signs and observe speed limits? Distractions can cause road accidents but if you realize your mistakes and correct them - you might not be a bad driver after all.
One of the benefits of being a good driver - no string of traffic tickets, no reported car accidents - aside from safety and long life, is that the premium on car insurance is basically low. Car insurance is never cheap and most pay more for not knowing the rules of the game. Do you have the right policy for your car? Car Insurance Rates provides free auto insurance quote online. The site is a minefield of information regarding insurance rates, provides a varied listing of insurance companies, offers a general guide on insurance policies and more. Click the above link for more information. This may be your best insurance policy yet.
My son's mizuno pair of rubber shoes will kill you... I mean its odor is simply murderous! It has always been his habit that after training or a game, he always, as in always take off his stinky shoes in the car. I always tell him, as in emphatically- Do not take off your shoes! Your smelly feet will be the death of me. Not wanting to be orphaned at a very young age, my son promised to spare me from the stench. We made a pact, no blood involved.
He is to take a shower after every training or game before he gets in my car. If a shower is not possible or if there's no time for one, he could: first- take off his shoes while still in the gym, alcohol his feet then wear his slippers; or his feet remain in his shoes until safely reaching our house.
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He is to take a shower after every training or game before he gets in my car. If a shower is not possible or if there's no time for one, he could: first- take off his shoes while still in the gym, alcohol his feet then wear his slippers; or his feet remain in his shoes until safely reaching our house.
A visualization of my son's smelly shoes
( it's okay. he does not read my blog)
( it's okay. he does not read my blog)
Foreign Exchange is the true term for what we commonly know as Forex Market or Forex Trading. Forex market is a non-stop cash market where currencies of different countries are traded. It is the largest financial market in the world and the trading is usually done by experienced brokers or middleman. Foreign notes are continually bought and sold all over the local and global markets. Since the forex trading conditions changes at any time, the traders' investments increase or decrease in value based upon currency movements.The trading includes those of central banks,large international banks, financial institutions, multinationals, governments and private investors or speculators. The investor's goal in forex trading is to profit, of course. The market is a 24/7 5 times a week job that entails a lot form an investor, big or small scale alike. An online company eToro had designed a software platform for easy online forex trading. With eToro an investor can basically monitor, share and discuss your trading online.
The platform has two new arenas: Trade Box is for the seasoned trader and the Forex Trend arena will enable traders to see the ongoing trend of currencies. You can also socialize with fellow traders as the platform has a profile area - social and trading network rolled into one.The platform is free to download. Just click the link so may learn more about eToro.
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The platform has two new arenas: Trade Box is for the seasoned trader and the Forex Trend arena will enable traders to see the ongoing trend of currencies. You can also socialize with fellow traders as the platform has a profile area - social and trading network rolled into one.The platform is free to download. Just click the link so may learn more about eToro.
DAVID COOK is the new American Idol. I just knew he will bag the title. Simon practically declared David Archuleta as the winner on last night's three-song showdown of the two Davids. Was that a reverse psychology ploy of Simon? I was just wondering because earlier yesterday, Cowell told the American public who were watching the Ellen DeGeneres show, that Cook will win.
I feel real bad for Archuleta. I think he was sort of expecting to win the title after Simon Cowell's spill last night. Anyway, David A. has all the time to reach peak for he's only 17! David Cook deserved the win. It has been a while since we last saw a real relevant-talented-innovative male singer rise from American Idol. David Cook is the answer.
I was surprised to find out that one of my friends transferred house. I found out about it by accident. We were talking over the mobile phone one day and I said since I was in the vicinity it's better that I drop by. She said no and that she'll just meet me at a certain fast food joint near by. So off I went and waited for her. We met and as our meal progressed she told me that she and her family have relocated. I was really surprised, for her old house was a real find.
Sadly she said that their mortgage had gone awry and their house repossessed. She said the mortgage rates were just too high and that they just can't keep up with the payments. She realized too late that her mortgage loan was not a good deal.
Mortgages should not be a burden for homeowners. Lenders such as credit unions, banks and mortgage companies should take care that their clients get the best value in terms of their loans. It is hard to find the lender with the best deal. Mortgage Finders Network is one such company that helps homeowners find the top lenders and the best mortgage rates for you. Check it out for a chance to compare loan rates and financing options from different lending companies in your area.
I was out all day today. I had to do some errands and fetch two of my kids. I was sitting at a local outdoor cafe having lunch by myself when two men came and sat down at my table..... I gave them the death look, but they just casually stayed at my table and wouldn't leave me alone. I shined up my ring on my married finger, then placed my hand on the table and I hinted to them that I was married and that I was not interested in them.
Luckily for me they got the hint and left, but thankfully the whole thing was captured on the Cafe's camera. I'm sending you this picture as a warning.............. just in case they try and pick you up too.
Honestly, some men think they are God's gift to mankind.
I love flowers. I like them so much that I have an outdoor garden full of flowering shrubs and orchids. I have always felt that in interior decorating, vases and pots of flowers and plants add an extra it to the finished room. The flowers and plants all bring more life and warmth and a homey feel to any interior. Alas, fresh flowers and plants are hard to maintain as they need tender loving care in terms of sunlight, water and fertilizers.
I have recently designed a house that has niches at the ceiling and high walls for indoor plants. Since i know that fresh plants and flowers will not thrive indoors, I have suggested to the owner that we use artificial silk plants. The owner was hesitant at first but when I showed her that I also use silk plants for my house too, she readily agreed. Her artificial interior flower decors look so natural.
There are a lot of plus points in choosing silk plants. The variety of arrangements and types of flowers and plants to chose from is diverse. If you are the flowery-type person, then there are geraniums, roses, gardenias and daisies in different arrangement styles to choose from. If you're into topiaries and bonsai, the site offers them too. Trees and plants up to 9 feet tall are also available. Cool!
Thinking of having a very green house sans the pollens and running nose? Silk plants are the answer. Plan ahead. You can order your silk Christmas tree now.
continue reading......
I have recently designed a house that has niches at the ceiling and high walls for indoor plants. Since i know that fresh plants and flowers will not thrive indoors, I have suggested to the owner that we use artificial silk plants. The owner was hesitant at first but when I showed her that I also use silk plants for my house too, she readily agreed. Her artificial interior flower decors look so natural.
There are a lot of plus points in choosing silk plants. The variety of arrangements and types of flowers and plants to chose from is diverse. If you are the flowery-type person, then there are geraniums, roses, gardenias and daisies in different arrangement styles to choose from. If you're into topiaries and bonsai, the site offers them too. Trees and plants up to 9 feet tall are also available. Cool!
Thinking of having a very green house sans the pollens and running nose? Silk plants are the answer. Plan ahead. You can order your silk Christmas tree now.
As a mother of five, you can just imagine how many times I must have encountered emergencies. No. I am not in the mood to count those situations for I do not want to recall how many times I silently died. Yes. I died each emergency time then miraculously bounced back to life after 2 seconds. My mom, relatives and friends say that I am such a cool cucumber in times of stress and emergencies. That's what they think. I AM NOT A COOL CUCUMBER! I am petrified. I hyperventilate. I die!
The thing is even in times of undue stress, I do manage to present a cool exterior. My secret? Um... because I am a vociferous reader. I have read up on emergency procedures as early as I was 3 months pregnant with my first child. I have more or less learned to deal with panic attacks. Here are some pointers you can use to check your panic mode.
1.Learn CPR and first aid: Having first-aid skills makes you do useful actions instead of panic.
2. Grow you brain: Meaning, please use you brain - read, study, write, solve puzzles or any other activity to stimulate tour brain. The hippocampus, the part of the brain which calls up life experiences to moderate fear, shrinks.
3. Imagine the worst: Plan A. Plan B. Even Plan C or D. Yesterday my daughters and some friends we were talking about how to repel a rapist. One idea was to tell the rapist that she i having her monthly period. Another one said, pretend to vomit and say you have to use the bathroom. Tell the rapist you have AIDS. Silly as the ideas may be, at least there's a plan.
4. Practice makes perfect: I have played over and over in my mind what to do in case my kid shallows an object and start to gag. I have visualized perfectly countless times. When daughter # 3 shallowed a key chain at the age of 1.5 years, I knew where to grab her to completely turn her upside down- whack her back - and dislodge the keychain from her throat. When daughter #4's turn came, it was a breeze.
5. SAP 100: Stop. Assess. Plan at 100 meters. Keep away from wild animals, maniacs, fire, car wrecks and the likes until you have decided the most useful and plausible strategy.
6. Determine risks versus benefits. Do you get in the burning house now or do you wait for help? Do you try to save the drowning person and risk drowning yourself too? The key is never endanger more people than can be saved.
7. Prioritise: Professional use this standard: red for critically injured people; yellow for moderately injured people; green for good to go. If there is tie\me for rescue, rescuers will definitely take the reds first. If time is crucial and there's not a second to spare, the rescuers take the green.
The best remedy I have in times of great panic and emergencies is prayer. My best rescue buddy is of course, God.
Father's Day is just around the corner. It is a day that honors not only your father but all men who has acted as your father - uncles, stepfathers, even big brothers. It is easy enough to be a father but to be a daddy in the real sense of the word is hard. Charter HD recognizes this and has put up an essay writing contest named Father's Day in HD to give you the chance to win big prizes for your dad.
We all think we have the world's greatest dad. Now is your chance to show your dad your gratitude. Write a brief story as to why your dad deserves to win a giant HDTV wiht the best Charter HD service. The first prize also includes a free one year Charter Bundle package. Joining is a breeze. If you are 18 years old and above and is a legal US resident, then you are qualified. However, your dad's location should be serviceable by Charter Communications.The contest opened on May 19,2008 and deadline for submission of entries is on June 6, 2008 at 11:59 pm.
There is only one grand prize winner but four other finalists will be chosen. Hurry and check the site out. Click on the above link for more details.
continue reading......
We all think we have the world's greatest dad. Now is your chance to show your dad your gratitude. Write a brief story as to why your dad deserves to win a giant HDTV wiht the best Charter HD service. The first prize also includes a free one year Charter Bundle package. Joining is a breeze. If you are 18 years old and above and is a legal US resident, then you are qualified. However, your dad's location should be serviceable by Charter Communications.The contest opened on May 19,2008 and deadline for submission of entries is on June 6, 2008 at 11:59 pm.
There is only one grand prize winner but four other finalists will be chosen. Hurry and check the site out. Click on the above link for more details.
Touching on the subject of baby boomers again, I got this rather humorous e-mail from a high school classmate. As I read it, I become more aware that yeah!, the things written here are true. Have a read.
First, some of us survived being born to mothers who smoked
and/or drank while they carried us. (sioktong ang inumin)
They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, fish from a can
(brand : ligo ), and didn't get tested for diabetes.
Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright
colored lead-based paints, pati na yung laruang kabayu-kabayuhan.
(toy horses included)
We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinetsand when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, no kneepads , sometimes wala ngang preno yung bisikleta. (sometimes no brakes too)
As children, we would ride in car with no seat belts or air bags
- hanggang ngayon naman, di ba ? (still being done)
Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a
special treat. ( maykaya kayo pare ! )
We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle
(minsan straight from the faucet)
We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and
NO ONE actually died from this. Or contacted hepatitis.
We ate rice with tinunaw na purico ( dahil ubos na ang star
margarine) , nutribuns na galing kay macoy and drank popdrinks
with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight kasi nga ......( overall, eating fat-laded food, but we were not overweight because...)
WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!
We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as
we were back when the streetlights came on. Sarap mag patintero,
tumbang preso , habulan taguan....(street games)
No one was able to reach us all day ( di uso ang celfon , walang
beepers ). And we were O.K. (no cellphones or pagers)
We would spend hours building our trolleys or slides out of
scraps and then ride down the street , only to find out we
forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to
solve the problem .
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video
games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no
surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or
Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found
them!
We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there
were no lawsuits from these accidents. The only rubbing we get is from
our friends with the words.....masakit ba ? pero pag galit yung
kalaro mo.....ang sasabihin sa iyo.....beh buti nga !
We play in the dirt , wash our hands a little and ate with our
barehands...we were not afraid of getting worms in our stomachs.
We have to live with homemade guns - gawa sa kahoy, tinali ng
rubberband , sumpit , tirador at kung ano ano pa na puedeng
makasakit.....pero walang nagrereklamo.
......made up games with sticks ( syatong ) and cans ( tumbang preso)
and although we were told it would happen, wala naman tayong
binulag o napatay....paminsan minsan may nabubukulan.
We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the
door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them!
Mini basketball teams had tryouts and not everyone made the
team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment.
Walang sumasama ang loob. NO stage mothers!
Ang magulang ay nandoon lang para tignan kung ayos lang ang
bata....hindi para makialam. ( parents were there to watch not to meddle)
This generation of ours has produced some of the best
risk-takers, problem solvers and managers ever!
The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new
ideas
We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we
learned
HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL! Congrats baby boomer!
DepositNow offers a new kind of banking system. The company's product is remote check deposit scheme that allows you to deposit your checks from your home or from your office. You are saved the trouble of going to the back for deposits making the system more secure for the you.
How does this technology works? It's quite simple actually. The system calls for a check scanner that is easily available from the company at a very low price. The check scanner also works as a regular scanner. All you have to do is feed the check in the scanner and the system will do the job. DepositNow offers three kinds of software system that you can choose from - whatever will best suit your needs. The company offers the following:
Web-Based: You scan your check while connected to the internet then sign in their website so the system software can process your check deposit.
Offline Mode: You scan your checks while offline. Then you sign in and upload your scans so the system can do the rest.
Quickbooks or Peachtree: The same as the offline mode but has the added feature of upgrading your financial record.
Each type of account has its own advantages. The remote deposit system of DepositNow is the best in the US today. Anyone in the US can use it. If you are a small scale businessman or a medium scale retailer with numerous store branches US wide, then the system is for you.
For more information it would do you well to click on the above links. Consider the savings on gas you could have with the wonders of remote deposit banking.
Baby Boomers. I sincerely hope that you have heard the term. In case you have not, Baby Boomers were the generation born between 1946-1964. After WW2, there came an unusual spike in birth rate worldwide-a phenomenon commonly known as the baby boom.I am a baby boomer, a tweener, to be more precise. A tweener is the generation who were kids in the 60's and teeners in the 70's.
I gave birth to two generation xs or gen-exers (1964-1981) or the MTV generation. I have three Y Generation (1981-2001) kids and a Z Generation grandson. What generation do you belong to? I am assuming most of you reading this post belong to the X and Y generations. These are the two generations who grew up with video games, MTV and the phenomenal rise of communication: internet, cellular phone, MP3, Ipod and what have you! These are tools, however, are not so alien to an even older generation than mine - the silent generation (1925-1945) - the Xs and Ys grandparents and the boomers' parents. I know a lot persons who are silent gen'rs and they are still into internet, Ipod and texting. Matter of fact, the silent generation are retired and basking in their hard-earned money and pensions!
So, do I have a reader who belongs to the silent generation? continue reading......
DeathNote a Fathom Events presentation will be shown in select theaters for two nights only - May 20 and 21. Based on a supernatural action packed mystery manga series DeathNote is a story about a student named Light Yagami. He found a notebook dropped by a death god named Ryuk. Anyone whose name is written in the book is doomed to die. Light vows to use the notebook to rid the world of all evil. Criminals and other bad elements started to fall, left and right.Enter detective "L". Now who could be the true bearer of good? Who is the evil one? The movie will take you into its twists and turns. Click the link above, input your zip code for information. Tickets and viewing are for a limited time only.
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That is, less pain. According to a research done in Howard Florey Institute in Australia, thirsty people are more sensitive to pain. Study participants had their thumbs squeezed to urge slight pain. Then a saline solution was injected to induce thirst. The subjects all had a PET scan to see if there were any changes in brain activity and blood flow.The thumb pressure subjected to the participant was constant. However, they continue to become thirstier. As the level of their electrolyte went down, the more pain they felt.Why? The study indicated that a part of the brain is activated when pain and thirst are experienced simultaneously. A "priority" switch of some sort is triggered and pain is more emphasized because it is a greater threat than thirst.
Water: no calories, natural pain reliever!
What is web hosting? To get your web page on the internet you need a web host. A web host is a company that has computers or servers hooked to the internet on a 24/7 basis. These servers, with assigned IP addresses, are where you, the site owner, store all your web files of all forms: html, css, graphic, and javascript.
There are cheap web hosting services and there are expensive ones. Cheap does not translate to poor web hosting services as expensive does not necessarily means a great web host. Having just bought a new domain name, I am naturally considering the next logical step of transferring my web page to an independent web hosting company.
In my search for a good web hosting company I stumbled on a site with articles regarding multiple domain hosting. As I have two blog sites, this article naturally caught my attention. The site is a minefield of information regarding web hosting. It touches on subjects from how to gauge the best web hosting companies to tutorials to scripting to security.
If you are seriously considering getting a web hosting service check out the Web Hosting Rating first.
continue reading......
There are cheap web hosting services and there are expensive ones. Cheap does not translate to poor web hosting services as expensive does not necessarily means a great web host. Having just bought a new domain name, I am naturally considering the next logical step of transferring my web page to an independent web hosting company.
In my search for a good web hosting company I stumbled on a site with articles regarding multiple domain hosting. As I have two blog sites, this article naturally caught my attention. The site is a minefield of information regarding web hosting. It touches on subjects from how to gauge the best web hosting companies to tutorials to scripting to security.
If you are seriously considering getting a web hosting service check out the Web Hosting Rating first.
To all Pinoys out there. I know that you have, at some point in your third-world life here in 'Pinas, you have seen some funny-grammatically incorrect-impossible signboards. Here are some of of my favorites. Please feel free to contribute at the comments section so I could publish them.
Seen along Cavite Coastal Road: furniture shop
Furnitures made by palochina
Along Naga Road: eatery
Homed Pansit
Near Imus Public Market:laundry shop
Labadabadooo
On a bus:
Before pay, tell where get on before the get off
Along Aguinaldo Hiway, Cavite: seller of crispy pata
Harry Pata
Seen at a public market flower stall:
We sell artificial but fresh flowers.
Name of a bank somewhere in Alabang:
Alabank
Furnitures made by palochina
Along Naga Road: eatery
Homed Pansit
Near Imus Public Market:laundry shop
Labadabadooo
On a bus:
Before pay, tell where get on before the get off
Along Aguinaldo Hiway, Cavite: seller of crispy pata
Harry Pata
Seen at a public market flower stall:
We sell artificial but fresh flowers.
Name of a bank somewhere in Alabang:
Alabank
continue reading......
When you stop chasing your dreams.
Let me clarify my meaning of dreams.
I do not mean the castle in the sky dream.
I also do not mean hallucinations nor delusions.
What I mean by dreams in this case are your
aspirations, goals, ambitions or hope.
So don't ever think of stopping!
Go and chase your dreams.
It is never ever too late.
Let me clarify my meaning of dreams.
I do not mean the castle in the sky dream.
I also do not mean hallucinations nor delusions.
What I mean by dreams in this case are your
aspirations, goals, ambitions or hope.
So don't ever think of stopping!
Go and chase your dreams.
It is never ever too late.
This story happened a few months ago along the
Tagaytay Road. There was a guy who got left behind by
a pack of mountain bikers. The group was large and he
didn't bring a cellphone. He crashed his bike somewhere
between Picnic Grove and DBP. To make things worse,
a storm came in. So he walked.
This guy was on the side of the road hitch-hiking on a
very dark night in the middle of a storm. The night
passed slowly and no cars went by. The storm was so
strong he could hardly see a few meters ahead of him.
Suddenly, just before the junction going to Manila , he
saw a car slowly looming, ghostlike, out of the gloom.
It slowly crept toward him and stopped. It was raining
hard, wind blowing all around you, what would you do?
Like you would, he got into the car and closed the door,
then realized that there was nobody inside the car...
even in the driver's seat.
The car slowly started moving again. The guy was
terrified, too scared to think of jumping out and running.
The guy saw that the car was slowly approaching a
sharp curve. The guy started to pray, begging for his life;
he was sure the ghost car would go off the road and he
would plunge to his death, when just before the curve, a
hand appeared through the window and turned the
steering wheel, guiding the car safely around the bend.
Terrified, the guy watched the hand reappear every time
they reached a curve. Finally, the guy gathered his wits
and leaped from the car and ran to the nearest place
where there were houses.
Wet and in shock, he went into a store and voice
quavering, ordered two bottles of beer, and told the
people about his horrible, supernatural experience. A
silence enveloped everybody when they realized the guy
was apparently sane and not drunk.
About half an hour later two guys walked into the same
store
One said to the other..........
"Yan! Yan yung tarantadong sumakay habang
nagtutulak tayo..." (That's him! That's the fool who
got in the car while we were pushing it!)
continue reading......
Tagaytay Road. There was a guy who got left behind by
a pack of mountain bikers. The group was large and he
didn't bring a cellphone. He crashed his bike somewhere
between Picnic Grove and DBP. To make things worse,
a storm came in. So he walked.
This guy was on the side of the road hitch-hiking on a
very dark night in the middle of a storm. The night
passed slowly and no cars went by. The storm was so
strong he could hardly see a few meters ahead of him.
Suddenly, just before the junction going to Manila , he
saw a car slowly looming, ghostlike, out of the gloom.
It slowly crept toward him and stopped. It was raining
hard, wind blowing all around you, what would you do?
Like you would, he got into the car and closed the door,
then realized that there was nobody inside the car...
even in the driver's seat.
The car slowly started moving again. The guy was
terrified, too scared to think of jumping out and running.
The guy saw that the car was slowly approaching a
sharp curve. The guy started to pray, begging for his life;
he was sure the ghost car would go off the road and he
would plunge to his death, when just before the curve, a
hand appeared through the window and turned the
steering wheel, guiding the car safely around the bend.
Terrified, the guy watched the hand reappear every time
they reached a curve. Finally, the guy gathered his wits
and leaped from the car and ran to the nearest place
where there were houses.
Wet and in shock, he went into a store and voice
quavering, ordered two bottles of beer, and told the
people about his horrible, supernatural experience. A
silence enveloped everybody when they realized the guy
was apparently sane and not drunk.
About half an hour later two guys walked into the same
store
One said to the other..........
"Yan! Yan yung tarantadong sumakay habang
nagtutulak tayo..." (That's him! That's the fool who
got in the car while we were pushing it!)