Libya: ICC prosecutor seeks warrant for Gaddafi

The International Criminal Court chief prosecutor is seeking the arrest of Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi and two others for crimes against humanity.

Luis Moreno-Ocampo said Col Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam, and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanussi bore the greatest responsibility for "widespread and systematic attacks" on civilians.

ICC judges must still decide whether or not to issue warrants for their arrest.

The Libyan government has already said it will ignore the announcement.

Deputy Foreign Minister Khalid Kaim said the court was a "baby of the European Union designed for African politicians and leaders" and its practices were "questionable".

Libya did not recognise its jurisdiction, like most African countries and the United States, and would ignore any announcement, he added.

read more at source; http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13408931

Facebook kicks off 20,000 underage users a day

Are kids slipping through the cracks in Facebook's just-ask age screening approach?

The social networking site kicks off around 20,000 underage users per day, its chief privacy adviser, Mozelle Thompson, told Australia's parliament this week.

He admitted that the site's way of weeding out those who don't meet the 13-and-up age requirement -- essentially a user-entry honor system -- is "not perfect," because there's no mechanism for detecting kids who simply enter a false age.

"There are people who lie. There are people who are under 13," Thompson said.

A recent Pew study found that nearly half of all U.S. 12-year-olds use social networking sites -- and privacy concerns in regard to Facebook's younger members have been growing of late. This month, Sen. Al Franken, a Minnesota Democrat, wrote to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg (pictured) to argue for reforms in the site's privacy measures. "Under Facebook's policy, 13 million users under the age of 18 may be allowed to share their personal information just like adult users," Franken wrote. "These younger users are the most vulnerable to predators on Facebook and the rest of the Internet and it should be impossible for them to inadvertently share their phone numbers and home addresses with anyone."

But Franken's figures don't factor in the unknown number of Facebook users under 13.

Other sites that are popular with kids handle the issue in differing ways. MySpace also requires users to be at least 13, but like Facebook, it has no practical way to verify that information. Disney.com allows children 12 and under to surf the site, and collects some personal information from them before they're eligible to participate in competitions, for example. Yahoo! doesn't allow kids 12 and under to register without the consent of a parent. Like Disney, it collects some limited idenifying information for participation in competitions and similar interactive features.

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110323/bs_yblog_thelookout/facebook-kicks-off-20000-underage-users-a-day

PNoy confident Sumera killing will be solved

source: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/216195/nation/pnoy-confident-sumera-killing-will-be-solved

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III expressed confidence on Friday that the killing of broadcaster Marlina ‘Len’ Flores-Sumera will be solved.

In an interview with Palace reporters, Aquino said that based on the report given to him by the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), the suspect has already been identified and is now subject of a manhunt.

"Given that, given also the cooperation of witnesses, I am confident that we will able to bring this perpetrator to justice," he said after attending the biennial convention of the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Pasay City.

In a text message to reporters, Philippine National Police chief Director General Raul Bacalzo said Special Task Group Sumera has been activated by the Northern Police District to investigate the case.

Bacalzo said land dispute is a possible motive in the killing as Sumera was the overall president of the Silonian, SitioRrosal, Interior Tongco and the Saloma Neighborhood Association with an estimated land area of 4.2 hectares.

The land is considered a public estate under the National Housing Authority and is about to be developed for road widening, reblocking, chopping and drainage improvement.

It is being contested by the KASAMA association led by Emma Nuqui and Julieta Lazaro whose motion for temporary restraining order is pending before the Malabon regional trial court branch 74.

The parties’ last court appearance was on Monday morning, March 21.

For his part, Herminio Coloma, head of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), said that based on PNP reports, the recent media killings are all considered "solved."

Coloma was referring to the cases of:

# Gerardo Ortega which is now in court, with five suspects in police custody and two masterminds have been identified;

# Jose Daguio which has also been filed in court, one suspect arrested while another suspect found dead; and

# Miguel Belen, also in court with one suspect now in police custody. — RSJ, GMA News
DISQUS...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_tainted_eggs

WASHINGTON – The Iowa egg farm at the center of a massive salmonella outbreak received hundreds of positive results for salmonella in the two years before its eggs sickened more than 1,500 people, congressional investigators said Tuesday.

In a letter to the company's owner, the House Energy and Commerce Committee said its investigators had obtained records showing Wright County Egg received 426 positive results for salmonella between 2008 and 2010. The company recalled 380 million eggs in August after its products were linked to hundreds of illnesses.

The committee said the positive results found over the last two years included 73 samples that were potentially positive for Salmonella Enteritidis, the strain responsible for the recent outbreak.

In the letter to Austin "Jack" DeCoster, the owner of Wright County Egg, committee chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and investigations subcommittee chairman Bart Stupak, D-Mich., said they were concerned that DeCoster did not inform them of the positive results when the panel asked him to provide documents in August. One of the questions the panel asked DeCoster was to show dates and results of all positive findings after microbiological testing.

"When you testify before the committee, we ask that you come prepared to explain why your facilities tested potentially positive for Salmonella Enteritidis contamination on so many occasions, what steps you took to address the contamination identified in these test results, and whether you shared these results with FDA or other federal or state food safety officials," Waxman and Stupak wrote.

DeCoster is scheduled to testify before the panel next week. In a statement attributed to unidentified officials of Wright County Egg, the company said it has already provided some positive results to the committee and the Food and Drug Administration and will continue to do so.

"While we were terribly disappointed to find positive results for Salmonella Enteritidis in eggs, the results affirmed the appropriateness of our voluntary recall," the statement said.

According to the committee, the company received as many as 67 positive results this year alone before the FDA investigation in response to the August recall. That includes one positive result for Salmonella Enteritidis on July 26, less than three weeks before the company recalled the eggs. The recall eventually grew to more than a half-billion eggs and included another company, Hillandale Farms, that also has ties to DeCoster.

The letter does not say how the committee obtained the results or from whom. The testing appears to have been done by a veterinary diagnostic laboratory at Iowa State University, which is listed on reports of the results released by the committee. A spokesman for the laboratory was not immediately available for comment.

The reports also say the results were forwarded to the Agriculture Department's National Veterinary Services Laboratories to confirm the presence of salmonella, indicating some at the department may have known about the instance of salmonella at DeCoster's farm.

A spokeswoman for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which oversees the labs, said the agency does thousands of confirmatory tests for universities or states and sends them back to the labs.

"Most of the time we don't even know where the samples came from," said Lyndsay Cole. "Just the presence of salmonella doesn't predict where an outbreak would be."

DeCoster is no stranger to tangling with the government. He has paid millions of dollars in state and federal fines over the years for health, safety, immigration and environmental violations at his farms.

The specific cause of the outbreak is still unknown, and though there is evidence of salmonella at the farms it is still unclear whether it was ever in the company's eggs.

Reports released last month by the FDA show many different possible sources of contamination at both farms, including rodent, bug and wild bird infestation, uncontained manure, holes in walls and other problems that could have led to the outbreak. The FDA also found positive samples of Salmonella Enteritidis.

No deaths have been reported due to the outbreak, but the number of illnesses — which can be life-threatening, especially to those with weakened immune systems — could still increase.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said this is the largest outbreak of this strain of salmonella since the start of the agency's surveillance of outbreaks in the late 1970s. For every case reported, there may be 30 that are unreported, the CDC said.

Thoroughly cooking eggs can kill the bacteria, but health officials recommended that people throw away or return the recalled eggs.

___

Online:

Government's Food safety website: http://www.foodsafety.gov

House Energy and Commerce Committee: http://energycommerce.house.gov

(This version CORRECTS half-million eggs to half-billion eggs.)


WASHINGTON – The Iowa egg farm at the center of a massive salmonella outbreak received hundreds of positive results for salmonella in the two years before its eggs sickened more than 1,500 people, congressional investigators said Tuesday.

In a letter to the company's owner, the House Energy and Commerce Committee said its investigators had obtained records showing Wright County Egg received 426 positive results for salmonella between 2008 and 2010. The company recalled 380 million eggs in August after its products were linked to hundreds of illnesses.

The committee said the positive results found over the last two years included 73 samples that were potentially positive for Salmonella Enteritidis, the strain responsible for the recent outbreak.

In the letter to Austin "Jack" DeCoster, the owner of Wright County Egg, committee chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., and investigations subcommittee chairman Bart Stupak, D-Mich., said they were concerned that DeCoster did not inform them of the positive results when the panel asked him to provide documents in August. One of the questions the panel asked DeCoster was to show dates and results of all positive findings after microbiological testing.

"When you testify before the committee, we ask that you come prepared to explain why your facilities tested potentially positive for Salmonella Enteritidis contamination on so many occasions, what steps you took to address the contamination identified in these test results, and whether you shared these results with FDA or other federal or state food safety officials," Waxman and Stupak wrote.

DeCoster is scheduled to testify before the panel next week. In a statement attributed to unidentified officials of Wright County Egg, the company said it has already provided some positive results to the committee and the Food and Drug Administration and will continue to do so.

"While we were terribly disappointed to find positive results for Salmonella Enteritidis in eggs, the results affirmed the appropriateness of our voluntary recall," the statement said.

According to the committee, the company received as many as 67 positive results this year alone before the FDA investigation in response to the August recall. That includes one positive result for Salmonella Enteritidis on July 26, less than three weeks before the company recalled the eggs. The recall eventually grew to more than a half-billion eggs and included another company, Hillandale Farms, that also has ties to DeCoster.

The letter does not say how the committee obtained the results or from whom. The testing appears to have been done by a veterinary diagnostic laboratory at Iowa State University, which is listed on reports of the results released by the committee. A spokesman for the laboratory was not immediately available for comment.

The reports also say the results were forwarded to the Agriculture Department's National Veterinary Services Laboratories to confirm the presence of salmonella, indicating some at the department may have known about the instance of salmonella at DeCoster's farm.

A spokeswoman for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which oversees the labs, said the agency does thousands of confirmatory tests for universities or states and sends them back to the labs.

"Most of the time we don't even know where the samples came from," said Lyndsay Cole. "Just the presence of salmonella doesn't predict where an outbreak would be."

DeCoster is no stranger to tangling with the government. He has paid millions of dollars in state and federal fines over the years for health, safety, immigration and environmental violations at his farms.

The specific cause of the outbreak is still unknown, and though there is evidence of salmonella at the farms it is still unclear whether it was ever in the company's eggs.

Reports released last month by the FDA show many different possible sources of contamination at both farms, including rodent, bug and wild bird infestation, uncontained manure, holes in walls and other problems that could have led to the outbreak. The FDA also found positive samples of Salmonella Enteritidis.

No deaths have been reported due to the outbreak, but the number of illnesses — which can be life-threatening, especially to those with weakened immune systems — could still increase.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said this is the largest outbreak of this strain of salmonella since the start of the agency's surveillance of outbreaks in the late 1970s. For every case reported, there may be 30 that are unreported, the CDC said.

Thoroughly cooking eggs can kill the bacteria, but health officials recommended that people throw away or return the recalled eggs.

___

Online:

Government's Food safety website: http://www.foodsafety.gov

House Energy and Commerce Committee: http://energycommerce.house.gov

(This version CORRECTS half-million eggs to half-billion eggs.)

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_tainted_eggs

Strange Worms Discovered Eating Dead Whales

Some truly strange creatures can be found on the ocean seafloor, and boneworms are among the most bizarre — they have no eyes or mouth and feast on the bones of dead whale carcasses.

Now scientists have identified even more species of this recently discovered worm, and their analysis reveals additional clues to when the creatures first evolved.

Boneworms, belonging to the genus Osedax, were first discovered back in 2002 off the coast of California in an underwater valley called the Monterey Canyon. Since then, the researchers that made the find have been uncovering details about the life cycle and eating habits of these worms.

Between 2004 and 2008, the team, from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, sank five whale carcasses into the bay, providing a cornucopia for their research subjects.

They found that the worms begin life as microscopic larvae floating through the deep ocean. When the larvae encounter a dead animal, such as a whale or elephant seal, they settle onto its bones. The worms then sprout up, looking a bit like tiny trees. At one end are root-like structures that grow into the bone. The scientists suspect that bacteria in these roots break down proteins within the bone, which supply nutrients for the worms. At the other end are feathery appendages called "palps," which take in oxygen.

When these worms sexually mature, they all turn into females. But larvae that land on the female boneworm's palps develop into male worms, although they remain microscopic in size. The male worms fertilize the females' eggs, which are then released to start the cycle over.

Initially, the researchers identified five species of boneworms. In the new study, they found an additional 12 species from analyses of the worm's DNA.

Not all boneworms look alike. Their feathery palps can be red, pink, green or even striped. And some don't have feathers at all.

The researchers also attempted to calculate how long these worms have been around by estimating how fast their DNA mutates. With one particular estimate for the mutation rate, they hypothesized that the worms evolved 45 million years ago, which is around the time that large whales first appear in the fossil record. A second, slower estimate suggests that the worms may have evolved 130 million years ago, in which case they could have eaten the bones of ancient sea reptiles.

Further study of whale and marine reptile fossils for the remains of worm roots could help pin down the time period in which the worms evolved, the researchers suggest.

The study was published Nov. 10 in the journal BMC Biology.

source: http://www.livescience.com/animals/091117-boneworms-species.html

Emerging Bol-Anon

Emerging Bol-Anon

Eat for Health and High Energy

February 14, 2010

Eat for Health and High Energy
By Brian Tracy

The first rule for great health is that you should eat the right foods, and you should eat fewer of them. Your body is very much like a complex production process, and every bite you eat has a chemical effect on your health and well being. By eating excellent foods, and in the right proportions, you can dramatically increase the quality and length of your life.

The Keys to Greater Longevity
Fortunately, we know almost everything we need to know about the proper diet. The eating habits of the Hunza Tribe in Southern Russia, people live to be 110 to 120 years old. People who have been put on the Hunza diet in downtown London, England, have begun to almost immediately experience the same levels of health, energy and longevity as the Hunzas in the mountains of Russia.

Variety is Essential
The very best diet for high levels of fitness and long life consist of lean source proteins, fruits, vegetables and whole grain products, and lots of water. The diets they studied were extremely varied, and the sources of these foods came from many different areas, but they all contained very much the same ingredients.

Two Foods to Avoid
The two foodstuffs that seem to be associated with the most health problems are fats and carbohydrates. In moderation, they are a regular part of a normal diet. But in excess, they cause poor health, weight gain and obesity. Eating too many fats and carbohydrates decreases energy and causes a variety of physical ailments, including diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.


The Real Reason for Obesity
People who eat too many carbohydrates develop two common conditions. In men, they develop carbohydrate belly, of the huge stomach you see on men who eat too much of the wrong foods. On women, they develop carbohydrate thighs, or what some people call cellulite, which is another word for fat. In America today, fully 50 million people are officially characterized as obese. This means that they are 20% or more above their ideal bodily weight, according to height and weight charts. And the primary reason for obesity is too many fats and carbohydrates, and too few lean source proteins, fruits, vegetables and whole grain products.

The Three White Poisons
To be really healthy, and live a long happy life, you need to eliminate what I call the three white poisons as well. These three white poisons are salt, sugar and white flour products. Each of them is bad for you and none of them is necessary for optimal health.

You are Sweet Enough
Recent research says that sugar is the main culprit in weight gain and poor health. Sugar products make you fat, tire you out, rot your teeth, ruin your appetite for nutritious foods and shorten life. And the fact is that you actually require no sugar at all in your diet.

Eat to Live
The rule for long life is that you should eat to live rather than live to eat. The best health rule for health, fitness, and high levels of energy can be summarized in five words: "Eat less and exercise most."

Action Exercise
Write down everything you eat for a week, look at what you are eating and how much. You will probably be shocked to see everything you put in your body, and how a lot of the food is carbohydrates, sugar, and processed food.

Vancouver 2010 Host Videos

Vancouver2010.com Olympic Host Videos give you a vivid taste of the 2010 Winter Games experience, providing medal results, arts and entertainment highlights and VANOC updates every day of the Games. Whether you’re watching from near or far, the Host Videos deliver the fun and excitement of Vancouver 2010.

source; http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-news/host-videos/

Cebu Dancing Inmates pay tribute to Michael Jackson

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV
Cebu Dancing Inmates

Cebu dancing inmates to perform 'Thriller' tribute for Jackson

MANILA, Philippines - On Saturday afternoon, more than 1,400 orange-clad Cebu inmates who gained worldwide attention for an impressive “Thriller" performance on YouTube will pay their last respects to the late King of Pop.

“Everyone’s sad," Byron Garcia, provincial security consultant of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC), told GMANews.TV in a phone interview.

“Malaki talaga si Michael Jackson sa programa namin. [Michael Jackson really played a big part in our program]," Garcia said.

Ever since the "dancing inmates" were reported by international news organizations, Garcia said inquisitive tourists have been drawn to the CPDRC. Visitors have even gained a more optimistic perspective of Philippine prisoners.he CPDRC inmates perform every last Saturday of the month to almost 600 visitors for free. On June 27, they will stage a repeat of the Thriller dance routine that made them famous as a tribute to Jackson, who died of a heart attack Thursday in Los Angeles.

The moonwalking pop star drove the growth of music videos, vaulting cable channel MTV into the mainstream after the network’s launch in 1981. His 1982 hit "Thriller" spawned a John Landis-directed music video that MTV played every hour.

Fast-forward 25 years later and Garcia, who noticed that the inmates were bored with the usual morning exercise, sought the help of choreographer Vince Rosales and adapted Jackson’s iconic moves into a four-minute routine.

GONE TOO SOON. Filipino inmate Dodong Niere (right) feels saddened by the news of Michael Jackson's death Friday (Manila time). Jackson was 50. with AP photo

Crisanto “Dodong" Niere, the Cebu inmate who impersonates Jackson in the routine, said he was saddened by his idol’s sudden death.

"He is sad his idol died," an official from the CPDRC who spoke with Dodong told GMANews.TV. [See: Cebu inmate impersonator sad over Jackson’s death]

The video has since generated more than 23 million views after it was posted in 2007 and has even been hailed by TIME Magazine as one of the best viral videos of that year.

Garcia said the inmates’ popularity might gain another momentum as shocked fans continue to look online for anything that would remind them of Jackson.
source

Michael Jackson was much more than the King of Pop

NEW YORK — When Michael Jackson anointed himself "King of Pop" over two decades ago, there was considerable rumbling about his hubris: Yes, he may have become a world sensation with record-setting sales of "Thriller," and yes, he may have had a string of No. 1 hits with smashes like "Billie Jean" and "Beat It," but the KING OF ALL POP MUSIC?

Surely, in a modern music history that has given us Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Stevie Wonder and so many musical greats, that title was a more than a bit inflated.

But in actuality, Jackson understated his significance.

While his elaborate, stop-on-a-dime dance moves and sensual soprano may have influenced generations of musicians, Michael Jackson stood for much more than pop greatness — or tabloid weirdness. One of entertainment's greatest icons, he was a ridiculously gifted, equally troubled genius who kept us captivated — at his most dazzling, and at his most appalling.

At the height of his fame, he was among the world's most beloved figures. Heads of state clamored to meet him, screen legends like Elizabeth Taylor were his close friends, and worldwide, simply the mention of his name could make people do the moonwalk, from Los Angeles to Laos (The New York Times once accurately described him as one of the six most famous people on the planet).

His whispery, high-pitched speaking voice was constantly imitated, his fedora hat on his lean frame instantly recognizable, his childlike image endearing.

He influenced artists ranging from Justin Timberlake to Madonna, from rock to pop to R&B to even rap, across genres and groups that no other artist was able to unite. He changed music videos with "Thriller" in 1983, still considered by most to be the greatest music video ever made. Stars like Beyonce still mimic his moves. His one glove, white socks and glittery jackets made him a fashion trendsetter, making androgyny seem sexy and even safe.

Almost everyone wanted that Michael Jackson connection (and those who didn't were afraid to say so out loud). His celebrity and adoration was staggering.

So when his image began to crumble, becoming twisted and disturbed, that aspect, too, was larger than life. His multiple plastic surgeries and his vitiligo illness, which saw him transform from a masculine looking black man to a wispy, pale-faced, almost noseless figure, was held up as the standard for bad plastic surgery, a freakish-looking character.

His eccentric behavior left people confused, and when allegations (and later criminal charges) that accused him of sexually molesting two separate boys surfaced on two separate occasions, people were repelled by his alleged behavior and the man that their former idol had become.

And yet, it was hard to look away.

In the early days, no one wanted to. Jackson came into our public consciousness as an impossibly cute preteen wonder in 1969, an unbelievably precocious singer of his family band, The Jackson 5. The soon-to-be Motown legend channeled songs like "I Want You Back," and "I'll Be There" with a passion and soulfulness that belied his young years. Even then, his dance moves, copped from the likes of James Brown and Jackie Wilson, were exquisite, and his onstage presence outshone seasoned veterans.

The spotlight began to dim when he entered his late teens, however, and while he still had R&B hits with the Jacksons, it seemed as if he would never recapture the pop success that he burst onto the scene with as a child.

But then he met Quincy Jones, and the musical landscape changed. With the legendary producer, Jackson crafted what for most artists would be a career-defining album, from the string-enhanced disco classic "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough," a party staple which he wrote, to the bitter ballad "She's Out of My Life." The best-selling CD showed the world a grown-up Michael Jackson with grown-up artistry, showcasing his breathy alto-soprano voice and providing a springboard to his early videos, which gave a glimpse of the dance wizardry to come.

At the time, it was Jackson's music that was front and center. A 21-year-old who spoke in a breathy, high voice, still lived at home, had his first, barely noticeable nose job and was a self-claimed virgin in an industry known for its hedonism, he was certainly an odd figure, but his personal life had yet to become intertwined with his public image.

That began to change during "Thriller" — the album that would become his greatest success and his career-defining achievement. Also produced by Quincy Jones, it featured even more of Jackson's songwriting talents; Selling more than 50 million albums worldwide to become the globe's best-selling disc, it spawned seven Billboard top 10 hits, including two No. 1s with "Billie Jean" and "Beat It," won an then-unprecedented eight Grammy awards, and numerous other awards.

It was an impact measured much more than in stats.

He broke MTV's color barrier, becoming the first black artist played on the young, rock-oriented channel when the success of "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" became so overwhelming it could not be ignored. He also established the benchmark for the way videos would be made, with stunning cinematography, precision choreography that recalled great movie musicals. Jackson's amazing talents as a dancer were also displayed to the world during his Emmy-nominated performance for Motown's 25th anniversary. It is still considered one of TV's most thrilling moments, from his moonwalk strut to his pulsating pelvic movements.

But as Jackson's fame grew, his eccentricities, from his strange affinity for children and all things childlike, to his at times asexual image to his fascination with plastic surgery, began to dull the shine off of his sparkling image. As the years went by, those "eccentricities" would become more bizarre, and completely tarnish it.

His skin, once a dark brown, became the color of paste, a transition he blamed on the skin disease vitiligo, though some believed he simply bleached his skin in order to appear more Caucasian. That belief was rooted in his frequent plastic surgeries, which whittled his nose from a broad frame to an almost impossibly narrowed bridge. His image was a tough one to look at, much less embrace.

If his plastic surgery made him disturbingly unwatchable, soon, allegations of child abuse would make him reviled among many. He was first accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy in 1993; no charges were ever filed, a civil lawsuit was settled out of court and he always maintained his innocence. Although he had a chart-topping album with "HIStory" in 1995 and was still a superstar, he was a damaged one — and would never fully recover from the allegation.

A criminal charge of molestation of another young boy in 2004, which resulted in his acquittal in 2005, further stripped his marketability and his legacy; after the trial ended, he went into seclusion, and while top hitmakers from Ne-Yo to Akon courted him to make new music, no new CD was ever released. He was overwhelmed with legal and financial troubles, with what seemed like weekly lawsuits against him seeking money owed.

A comeback seemed to be most unlikely. His reputation was considered irreparably damaged, his image mocked and his name an automatic punchline. But when he announced he'd be doing a series of comeback concerts at London's famed O2 Arena in London, not only did the initial dates sell out immediately, the demand was so insatiable he was signed on for an unprecedented 50 shows, and was expected to embark on a worldwide tour sometime after the concert series was complete in March.

Of course, there will be no comeback now, no Jackson 5 reunion, no new music to share with millions of fans. But the legacy he leaves behind is so rich, so deep, that no scandal can torpedo it. The "Thriller" may be gone, but the thrill will always remain. - AP

see more http://breaktime-news.blogspot.com/

Michael Jackson's death stuns fans across nation

LOS ANGELES – Across the country, people reacted in stunned disbelief Thursday as word spread that Michael Jackson had collapsed and died. Within minutes of Jackson's arrival by ambulance at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center people began arriving by the hundreds, the crowd quickly filling a grassy entrance outside the hospital. Overhead, news helicopters whirred noisily and TV trucks clogged streets.

As word spread a few minutes later that Jackson had died, several people burst into tears. Others stood silently, looking pensive, as they waited for official word from the hospital. Still others whipped out cell phones and began calling or texting friends to pump them for information.

A similar scene played out just a couple miles away, in front of Jackson's tony Holmby Hills home, where a Fire Department ambulance had arrived to take him to the hospital.

"I'm in shock," said Becky Williams, a 26-year-old Jackson fan from Salt Lake City who happened to be visiting her sister just down the street.

"He's gone. The legend of music," Williams said in disbelief as she stood outside Jackson's home.

In Holmby Hills, cars — many of them with stereo systems blaring songs from Jackson's classic "Thriller" album — began go clog the streets.

As people began to leave their cars to snap pictures, a police officer warned them their cars would be towed if they didn't move.

Among those who drove to the neighborhood was Sue Mossell, who was visiting from Georgia with her two sons, 7-year-old Ryan and 12-year-old Jimmy.

Ryan placed a pink flower in front of Jackson's gate.

"He wanted to put a flower down for him," said Mossell, 46, who said she grew up listening to Jackson's music.

___

Associated Press writers Derrik J. Lang, Anthony McCartney and Solvej Schou contributed to this story.

source said

Pacquiao seeks place in world boxing history

Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao is on the brink of achieving a “sixth” world title, this time in the 140-pound division, as he challenges International Boxing Organization (IBO) and the Ring Magazine junior welterweight champion Ricky Hatton.

The pride of General Santos City and of the whole Philippines as well has already won the World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight, the WBC super featherweight, the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight, and the WBC flyweight world titles.

He also won an “extra” world title when he copped the lineal featherweight championship by beating Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003, though he never held a sanctioning belt in that division.

According to Wikipedia, the lineal championship is an abstract world championship title held at some moment in time by a boxer universally acclaimed as “the best in the class”.

If Pacquiao beats Hatton, he gets another lineal title in a fourth division.

“In other words, he'll be considered the ‘real’ champion in a fourth division, not just a mere titleholder, the way he was when he claimed his junior featherweight belt and lightweight title,” explained analyst Dan Rafael in his article posted on ESPN.com.

Boxing historian Bert Sugar said Pacquiao will become one of the boxing greats if he wins a junior welterweight title.

“Even with all the belts, he's still the lineal champion in so many weight classes. I make him out to be the greatest Asian fighter of all time, and conceivably, one of the greatest fighters of all time if he can carry this off,” said Sugar.

Pacquiao said a win over Hatton is very important to him.

"It is very important for me to win [titles] in six different divisions for the people of my country," said Pacquiao. "Being a six-division champion, if that happens, people will want to put my name in boxing history, and that will be my legacy."

Even Oscar de la Hoya, who was considered the lineal champion in three weight divisions, is aware of what Pacquiao is trying to accomplish.

"He's in a position now where he can make history," said de la Hoya, whom Pacquiao beat last December. "It's not easy to jump six weight classes. It's not easy at all. It's probably the most difficult task that any fighter can have. I've always said it was more difficult than just being world champion for 10 years at one weight class."

Mayweather Jr. set to return?

As tension for the Pacquiao-Hatton fight continues to escalate, rumors of the "unretirement" of former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather began to swirl.

Dan Rafael cited sources as saying that Mayweather is close to sealing a fight deal with Pacquiao's nemesis, Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico. as his return match after springing back from retirement.

"The deal was finalized Friday afternoon following a flurry of conversations over a six-hour period, a source said," said Rafael.

Mayweather is reportedly set to announce his return to the ring the same day Pacquiao and Hatton will be fighting.

The former pound-for-pound king, who remains undefeated in 39 fights, has been away from boxing action for more than 17 months.

Mayweather might face Pacquiao should the Filipino win over Hatton.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/05/02/09/pacquiao-seeks-place-world-boxing-history

Agence France-Presse | 05/02/2009 8:31 AM

LAS VEGAS - Thousands of screaming British boxing supporters cheered on Ricky Hatton at Friday's weigh-in for Saturday's junior welterweight bout with Filipino Manny Pacquiao, who also had strong support.

Chanting "There's only one Ricky Hatton" over and over with some renditions of "God Save the Queen" and "Rule Britannia" thrown in as well, flag-waving backers of the English fighter drowned out their Asian rivals.

"It makes me feel really proud," Hatton told the crowd. "It's going to be an honor to fight for you Saturday night and you will not go home disappointed."

About 4,500 people, 90 percent of them cheering and chanting for Hatton, watched as the International Boxing Organization champion tipped the scales at the 140-pound limit, two pounds heavier than pound-for-pound king Pacquiao.

"I want to make you guys happy," Pacquiao told the crowd. "We're going to have a great fight."

The rowdy, English Premiership football-style atmosphere peaked when Hatton and Pacquiao traded glares, "Pacman" breaking the tension with a smile while "The Hitman" remained stonefaced as the crowd roared.

"When you have the Brits come over for Hatton, this is by far the biggest and best crowd I've ever seen," promoter Oscar de la Hoya said of the turnout. "I'm glad I retired so I can go have a pint."

Hatton said 25,000 British supporters have made the trip to Las Vegas for the fight at 15,000-seat MGM Grand Garden Arena, where the weigh-in was conducted with only about one-third of the capacity open to the public.

For many, it represented their only hope of seeing either fighter in person as the fight has been sold out for weeks. Hundreds of people stood on line for hours for the chance to see the weigh-in, practicing vocals during the wait.

Pacquiao, trying to become a champion in his record-tying sixth different weight division by lifting Hatton's crown, weighed-in at his second-heaviest size for a bout but was still fit enough to flex his ripped chest muscles.

The only time Pacquiao has weighed more for a fight was last December, when he was 145 pounds for an eighth-round stoppage of de la Hoya.

Hatton, undefeated at junior welterweight as he tries to take Pacquiao's pound-for-pound title, was at the 147-pound welterweight limit for his 2006 victory over Luis Collazo and his 2007 loss to Floyd Mayweather Jnr.

Other than those two fights, Hatton has been at 140 or less in every fight since January of 2000.

In the only other world title bout on the card, World Boxing Council super featherweight champion Humberto Soto of Mexico weighed 130 pounds, one pound heavier than Canadian challenger Benoit Gaudet.

source : http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/05/02/09/weigh-whips-fans-pacquiao-hatton-showdown

MANILA, Philippines -- The 1,310 passers of the 2008 Bar examinations will take their oath on Apr. 28 at the Philippine International Convention Center, the Supreme Court announced today.
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The oath will be administered by Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno.

Beginning today, the passers may secure their clearances from the Office of the Bar Confidant at 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., from Monday to Friday, until Apr. 27.

A total of 1,310 out of 6,364 takers or 20.58 percent passed the Bar examinations held Sept. 7, 14, 21 and 28 last year at the De La Salle University in Manila. Judy Lardizabal of San Sebastian College topped the exams with a score of 85.7 percent.

Justice Dante Tinga headed the 2008 Committee on Bar Examinations. - By Dennis Carcamo (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

ATELIER RESIDENCES CONDOMINIUM

Atelier Residences Condominium is just 20 meters after Windland Tower located at Juana Osmena Extention Road. Just 100 meters from the main highway Escario Street.

Escario Street is major road where a lot of PUJ route pass thru to North (like Lahug, Ayala, Mandaue, SM City) and South (like Labangon, Downtown, Jones Avenue). Or just ride a Taxi which is easily available at the Taxi Lane located just 10meters away from the Condo.

Construction Update (12-30-08)
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For announcement purposes only. All visuals and specifications indicated in this material may change without prior notice. This does not constitute an offer to sell and the developer cannot be held responsible to any party by reason of this material.

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more info contact Virgilio Vallecera
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