Shearer's testimonial match

Shearer's testimonial match at St James Park, 11 May 2006



Without shearer playing due to his injury. But he kicked start the game and did score the penalty on the very last minute of the game. :)



T_T~ How sad it is. Seeing my beloved footballer leaving for good.



Shearer ends career on high note



Shearer testimonial photos

What can we get from porn?

What can we get from porn?

1. Pleasure, mostly do
2. Exercise, either first stage or full stream
3. Motionsickness, if doing in the moving object
4. 4-colour printed glossy paper with centre-folded
5. A box with well screened disc(s) inside
6. Recognition, from book shop's seller
7. Change, if you pay big cash
8. Paper bag, to makes it less obvious carrying back to own place
9. Idea, of making things more fun - or - more pervert
10. Stress eyes, staring at the subject
11. Wet keyboard, if it happens here
12. Wet floor, if it happens a little away
13. More friends, from trading the media
14. ...

What else do you think as a benefit of porno?

Chelsea's day

Finally it's Chelsea's day!
Champion again!
3-0 over Man U.
I like the score.
Well done lads.

Boro did it again!

Unbelievable come back from Boro again. Last round was the same thing. 2-0 down from first match and then being led 1-0 in the second match, which means Boro need 4 goals to win (according to away goal rule). Amazingly Boro did it, TWICE! Chasing from 3-0 down on aggregate to win 3-4 in the last minute. Bloody astonishing! Amazingly superb!

Late blitz sends Boro into final
McClaren hails 'incredible' Boro
Sevilla to face Boro in final

Ron Clark

Just finished the movie of Ron Clark an American teacher who brought light into education of the States. I watched this movie because when I saw the start of chaos in Harlem classroom I wonder how could he end it. It's amazing see such an effort from an individual driving his student and people around a greater forward.

Read more about him at Ronclark.info , also one at about.com, or more from google

In the mood for love

Finally have time for "in the mood for love" of Wong Kar Wai. This movie is beautiful, interesting and bit funny too. It also reflects simply love life, where many times come unexpected. Just like what said in the movie, it's just creep up like that.



Today I also notice that deleted scene is always worth deleted, especially in this movie. This movie has been made for non-sexual relationship, though man in the movie tries to convey such a message. Or post-singapore-departure encounters, they aren't leave the ending beautiful.

It's Over

Injury forces Shearer retirement

I want to cry. I think this is it. After years with the club that brought him no silverwear, he - still a great man - says no regret over that. He said "It doesn't matter that I didn't win a trophy because I did it my way and I lived the dream"

Yes, he lived his dream. Hope that my dream won't flown away with his retirement.



Shearer's career in photos

Shearer's finale?

News on Shearer's injury > Scan to determine Shearer future
I wish this is not his end. He's a great guy and should deserve whatever we wish. Especially the last game he wants in next three games, not now. He even deserve the trophy but unfortunately NUFC couldn't bring him that. T_T~

Hansen on Shearer < This article by Alan Hansen is also nice talking about Shearer.

Last Present

선물 Last Present (2001)
(Seon-mool)



This movie makes me cry without shame. The love they have for each other blow my strength away like blowing a candle. At the very begining I don't like it at all. Everything looks so idiot and stupid, especially the man. But just when it twisted. The man changes. He down on his knee, do everything he swear he'll never do just for her sake. And she, she does the same thing, try every way she can to help him get what he deserves.

I cry bad at the end not because I'm glad it's over but because I'm sad it's over.





Read more from
http://www.koreanfilm.org/kfilm01.html
http://www.hancinema.net/korean_movie_Last_Present.php

Pourquoi

Finished 'Pourquoi' by Jimmy Liao within one night. This is a very good book. Filled with many good thoughts and different point of views. After I read this I would like to pass it to everyone I love. ^^

I bought four of his book from Book fair last week from Nanmee publishing. I think I will have to go collect the rest of his collection. Besides his brilliant illustration, his idea is one of a kind too.

80 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Queen Elizabeth

• Queen Elizabeth II is the fortieth monarch since William the Conqueror obtained the crown of England.
• In 2002, aged 76, she was the oldest monarch to celebrate a Golden Jubilee. The youngest was James I (James VI of Scotland) at 51 years.
• Since 1952, she has conferred over 387,700 honours and awards.
• Elizabeth has personally held over 540 Investitures.
• She speaks fluent French and often uses the language for audiences and state visits. She does not require an interpreter.
• The Queen has received over 3 million items of correspondence during her reign.
• Over the course of the reign, around 1.1 million people have attended garden parties at Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse (Elizabeth ended Presentation Parties in 1958).
• Over the reign, she has given regular Tuesday evening audiences to 10 British Prime Ministers Winston Churchill 1951-55, Sir Anthony Eden 1955-57, Harold Macmillan 1957-63, Sir Alec Douglas-Home 1963-64, Harold Wilson 1964-70 and 1974-76, Edward Heath 1970-74, James Callaghan 1976-79, Margaret Thatcher 1979-90, John Major 1990-97, Tony Blair 1997-present. There have also been 10 US Presidents during her reign.
• Tony Blair is the first Prime Minister to have been born during her reign. He was born in early May 1953 — a month before the Coronation.
• The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh introduced small, informal luncheon parties at Buckingham Palace to meet distinguished people from all professions, trades and vocations. The first was held on 11th May 1956 and the tradition continues to this day. There are usually 6-8 guests and two members of the Household attending.
• Elizabeth is patron of more than 620 charities and organisations.
• During her reign, she has made more than 256 official overseas visits to 129 different countries.
• Many of Elizabeth's official tours were undertaken on the Royal Yacht Britannia. It was launched by the Queen on April 16,1953 and was commissioned for service on January 7,1954. It was de-commissioned in December 1997. During this time, Britannia travelled more than a million miles on Royal and official duties.
• Britannia was first used by Elizabeth when she embarked with the Duke of Edinburgh on May 1,1954 at Tobruk for the final stage of their Commonwealth Tour returning to the Pool of London. The last time Elizabeth was on board for an official visit was on August 9, 1997 for a visit to Arran.
• Elizabeth has visited Australia 15 times, Canada 23 times, Jamaica six times and New Zealand 10 times . Her Majesty most recently visited Australia in March 2006 to open the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
• Since her accession to the throne in 1952, she has visited Edinburgh nearly every year, taking up residence in the Palace of Holyroodhouse during Holyrood Week.
• During her reign, the Queen has received many unusual gifts including a variety of live animals. The more unusual of which have been placed in the care of the London Zoo — among them jaguars and sloths from Brazil, and two black beavers from Canada. There have also been gifts of pineapples, eggs, a box of snail shells, a grove of maple trees and 7kg of prawns.
• Elizabeth has sent around 100,000 telegrams to centenarians in the UK and the Commonwealth.
• She has sent more than 280,000 telegrams to couples in the UK and the Commonwealth celebrating their diamond wedding (60 years) anniversary.
• Her real birthday is on April 21, but it is celebrated officially in June.
• She has attended 34 Royal Variety performances.
• She has opened 15 bridges in the United Kingdom.
• She has given over 91 State banquets during her reign.
• Since 1952, The Queen has undertaken 78 State Visits accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh; the most recent being to Singapore in March 2006.
• She has launched 23 ships in her lifetime. The first was HMS Vanguard which she launched — as Princess Elizabeth — on November 30, 1944 in Clydebank. Her first launch as Queen was Britannia, also from Clydebank .
• The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh have sent about 37,500 Christmas cards during her reign.
• She has given out about 78,000 Christmas puddings to staff continuing the custom of King George V and King George VI. In addition, the Queen gives all her staff a gift at Christmas time.
• Every year she sends Christmas trees to Westminster Abbey, Wellington Barracks, St Paul's Cathedral, St Giles, Edinburgh, The Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh, Crathie Church and local schools and churches in the Sandringham area.
• Elizabeth learnt to drive in 1945 when she joined the Army.
• She was a Girl Guide (1937) and Sea Ranger (1943).
• As Princess Elizabeth she travelled on the London Underground for the first time in May 1939 with her governess Marion Crawford and her sister Princess Margaret.
• The Queen is a keen photographer and enjoys taking pictures of her family. The Duke of York is also a keen photographer and has taken a number of photographs of Elizabeth , including an official photograph for Her Majesty's Golden Jubilee in 2002.
• The Queen was born at 17 Bruton St, London W1 on April 21, 1926, was baptised on May 29, 1926 in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace, and was confirmed on March 28, 1942 in the private chapel at Windsor Castle.
• With the birth of Prince Andrew in 1960, Elizabeth became the first reigning Sovereign to have a child since Queen Victoria, who had her youngest child, Princess Beatrice, in 1857.
• Elizabeth has 30 godchildren.
• The first football match the Queen attended was the 1953 FA Cup Final.
• She has taken the salute in every Trooping the Colour ceremony since the start of her reign, with the exception of 1955, when a national rail strike forced the cancellation of the parade.
• The Queen has sat for 139 official portraits during her lifetime, two of which were with The Duke of Edinburgh. The most recent sitting was for Rolf Harris (2005) . She was just seven years old when she sat for her first portrait in 1933, which was commissioned by her mother and painted by the Hungarian artist Philip Alexius de László.
• In 2003 she sat for the first and only hologram portrait.
• There have been 11 sculptures of Elizabeth. The most recent was in 2005 by Angela Conner for St George's Chapel, Windsor.
• The first 'Royal walkabout' took place during the visit by The Queen and Prince Philip to Australia and New Zealand in 1970. The practice was introduced to allow them to meet a greater number of people, not simply officials and dignitaries.
• In 1969 the first television film about the family life of the Royal Family was made, and shown on the eve of the Investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales.
• An important innovation during herreign was the opening in 1962 of a new gallery at Buckingham Palace to display items from the Royal Collection. The brainchild of The Duke of Edinburgh, the new Queen's Gallery occupied the space of the Palace's bomb-damaged private chapel. It was the first time that parts of the Palace had been opened to the general public.
• The only time the Queen has had to interrupt an overseas tour was in 1974 during a tour of Australia and Indonesia. She was called back from Australia when a general election was called suddenly. The Duke of Edinburgh continued the programme in Australia, and Elizabeth re-joined the tour in Indonesia.
• She has opened Parliament every year except 1959 and 1963, when she was expecting Prince Andrew and Prince Edward respectively.
• She went on her first State Visit as Princess Elizabeth , to South Africa with her mother and father, then King and Queen, from February to May 1947. The tour included Rhodesia and Bechuanaland, Swaziland and Basutoland (now Lesotho ). The Princess celebrated her 21st birthday in Cape Town. Her first State Visit as Queen was technically to Kenya, as King George VI died and she acceded the throne during the tour. The tour had to be abandoned.
• Her first Commonwealth tour began on November 24,1953, and included visits to Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, the Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Libya, Malta and Gibraltar. The total distance covered was 70,196km.
• In 1986 t he Queen became the first British Monarch to visit China.
• She has made a Christmas Broadcast to the Commonwealth every year of her reign except 1969, when a repeat of the film 'Royal Family' was shown and a written message from the Queen issued.
• In 1953, she made the first Christmas Broadcast from overseas, (rather than from the UK), broadcasting live from New Zealand. The first televised broadcast was in 1957, made live. The first pre-recorded broadcast took place in 1960 to allow transmission around the world.
• She sent a message of congratulations to Apollo 11 astronauts for the first moon landing on July 21, 1969 . The message was micro-filmed and deposited on the moon in a metal container.
• The Queen has met (at Buckingham Palace) ...
The first man space (Russian) Major Yuri Gagarin.
The first woman in space (Russian) Valentina Tereschkova
The first men on the moon (American) Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin as well as their Apollo 11 colleague Michael Collins.
• She sent her first email in 1976 from a British Army base.
• There have been six Archbishops of Canterbury during her reign (Archbishops Geoffrey Fisher, Michael Ramsey, Donald Coggan, Robert Runcie, George Carey and Rowan Williams).
• History was made in 1982 when Pope John Paul II visited Britain, the first Pope to do so for 450 years. Elizabeth, Titular Head of the Church of England, received him at Buckingham Palace.
• She first visited a mosque in the UK for the first time in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire in July 2002.
• The Queen has attended 50 Royal Maundy services during her reign at more than 39 different cathedrals. Elizabeth has only missed four services— two for official tours and two for the births of Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
• Elizabeth has owned more than 30 corgis during her reign, starting with Susan who was a present for her 18th birthday in 1944. A good proportion of these have been direct descendants from Susan. Elizabeth currently has five corgis, Emma, Linnet, Monty, Holly and Willow.
• Elizabeth also introduced a new breed of dog known as the "dorgi" when one of Her Majesty's corgis was mated with a dachshund named Pipkin which belonged to Princess Margaret. Elizabeth currently has four dorgis, Cider, Berry, Candy and Vulcan.
• As well as corgis and dorgis, the Queen also breeds and trains Labradors and Cocker Spaniels at Sandringham. There is a special Sandringham strain of black Labrador founded in 1911.
• She takes a keen interest in horses and racing. Her first pony was given to her by her grandfather, King George V, when she was four years old. This was a Shetland pony called Peggy. Elizabeth continues to ride at Sandringham, Balmoral and Windsor.
• The Queen also takes a keen interest in horse breeding. Horses bred at the Royal studs over the last 200 years have won virtually every major race in Britain. Elizabeth has about 25 horses in training each season.
• Her racing colours are: purple body with gold braid, scarlet sleeves and black velvet cap with gold fringe.
• She continues the Royal Family's long association with racing pigeons which began in 1886 when King Leopold II of Belgium made a gift of racing pigeons to the British Royal Family. In 1990, one of Elizabeth's birds took part in the Pau race, coming first in the Section 5th Open and was subsequently named “Sandringham Lightning”. In recognition of her interest in the sport, the Queen is Patron of a number of racing societies, including the Royal Pigeon Racing Association.
• The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh were married on November 20, 1947 in Westminster Abbey. Her wedding dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell and was woven at Winterthur Silks Limited, Dunfermline, in the Canmore factory, using silk that had come from Chinese silkworms at Lullingstone Castle.
• Her dressmakers over the years have included Sir Hardy Amies, Sir Norman Hartnell, Karl-Ludwig Couture and Maureen Rose. Elizabeth's milliners have been Frederick Fox, Philip Somerville and Marie O'Regan.
• Her wedding ring was made from a nugget of Welsh gold which came from the Clogau St David's mine near Dolgellau. The official wedding cake was made by McVitie and Price Ltd, using ingredients given as a wedding gift by Australian Girl Guides.
• The Queen has an extensive collection of jewellery, most of which are Crown Jewels, some inherited and some gifts, including the largest pink diamond in the world. Some well known pieces include; a brooch of diamonds forming a spray of wattle presented by the Australian Government in 1954; and a necklace of large square cut aquamarines and diamonds with earrings as a gift in Coronation year by the Ambassador of Brazil, which Elizabeth wore on the French State visit in 2004.
• Elizabeth has laid her wreath at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday every year of her reign, except in 1959, 1961, 1963, 1968, 1983 and 1999 when she was either pregnant or overseas on an official visit.
• She has visited the sets of a number of popular British soap operas including Coronation Street, East Enders and Emmerdale.
• In 1997, she launched Buckingham Palace's first official website.
• In 1998, Elizabeth introduced “theme days” to promote and celebrate aspects of British culture. The first theme day was “City Day” focusing on financial institutions. Other themes have included Publishing, Broadcasting, Tourism, Emergency Services, Maritime Day, Music, Young Achievers, British Design, and Pioneers.
• In June, 2002, the Queen hosted the first public concerts in the garden of Buckingham Palace to celebrate her Golden Jubilee. She attended both the classical and pop concerts. The "Party at the Palace" pop concert was one of the most watched pop concerts in history, attracting around 200 million viewers all over the world.
• She is the first member of the Royal Family to be awarded a gold disc from the recording industry. 100,000 copies of the CD of the "Party at the Palace", produced by EMI, were sold within the first week of release.
• She hosted the first women's only event “Women of Achievement” at Buckingham Palace in March 2004.
• In November 2004, Elizabeth invited the cast of Les Miserables in the West End to perform for French President Jacques Chirac at Windsor Castle. It was the first time the cast of a West End musical had performed at a Royal residence.
• As a young girl, Elizabeth acted in a number of pantomimes during the Second World War including playing Prince Florizel in Cinderella in 1941. The productions took place every year in the Waterloo Chamber at Windsor Castle.
• In 2005, she claimed ownership of 88 cygnets on the river Thames. They are looked after by the Swan Marker. The first Royal Swan Keeper was appointed around the 12th Century.
• Technically the Queen still owns the sturgeons, whales and dolphins in the waters around the UK. A statute from 1324, at the time of the reign of King Edward II, states that: “Also the King shall have … whales and sturgeons taken in the sea or elsewhere within the realm.” This statute is still valid today, and sturgeons, porpoises, whales and dolphins are recognised as "Fishes Royal". When captured within three miles of UK shores, or washed ashore either dead or alive, they may be claimed on behalf of the Crown. Generally, when brought into port, a sturgeon is sold in the usual way, and the purchaser, as a gesture of loyalty, requests the honour of its being accepted by Elizabeth .
• In summer 2005, she opened the first “children's trail” in the Buckingham Palace garden for the Summer Opening.

[from time.com]

One Woman's Tale of Woe

One Woman's Tale of Woe
Anonymous

All hair removal methods have tricked women with their promises of easy, painless removal - The epilady, scissors, razors, Nair and now...the wax.
My night began as any other normal weeknight. Come home, fix dinner, and play with the kids. I then had the thought that would ring painfully in my mind for the next few hours: "Maybe I should pull the waxing kit out of the medicine cabinet." So I headed to the site of my demise: the bathroom.

It was one of those "cold wax" kits. No melting a clump of hot wax, you just rub the strips together in your hand, they get warm and you peel them apart and press them to your leg (or wherever else) and you pull the hair right off. No muss, no fuss. How hard can it be? I mean, I'm not a genius,but I am mechanically inclined enough to figure this out. (YA THINK!?!)

So I pull one of the thin strips out. Its two strips facing each other stuck together. Instead of rubbing them together, my genius kicks in so I get out the hair dryer and heat it to 1000 degrees. ("Cold wax,"yeah...right!) I lay the strip across my thigh. Hold the skin around it tight and pull. It works! OK, so it wasn't the best feeling, but it wasn't too bad. I can do this! Hair removal no longer eludes me! I am She-rah, fighter of all wayward body hair and maker of smooth skin extrordinare.With my next wax strip I move north.

After checking on the kids, I sneak back into the bathroom, for the ultimate hair fighting championship. I drop my panties and place one foot on the toilet. Using the
same procedure, I apply the was strip across the right side of my bikini line,covering the right half of my vagina and stretching down to the inside of my butt cheek (Yes, it was a long strip) I inhale deeply and brace myself ...
RRRRIIIPPP!!!!

I'm blind!!! Blinded from pain!!!!....OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!! Vision returning, I notice that I've only managed to pull off half the strip. CRAP!!! Another deep breath and RRIIPP!! Everything is swirly and spotted. I think I may pass out...must stay conscious...Do I hear crashing drums???

Breathe, breathe...OK, back to normal.

I want to see my trophy - a wax covered strip, the one that has caused me so much pain, with my hairy pelt sticking to it. I want to revel in the glory that is my triumph over body hair. I hold up the strip! There's no hair on it. Where is the hair??? WHERE IS THE WAX???

Slowly I ease my head down, foot still perched on the toilet. I see the hair. The hair that should be on the strip. I touch. I am touching wax. CRAP! I run my fingers over the most sensitive part of my body, which is now covered in cold wax and matted hair.Then I make the next BIG mistake...remember my foot is still propped up on the toilet? I know I need to do something. So I put my foot down.
######!!!!!!!! I hear the slamming of a cell door. Vagina? Sealed shut! Butt?? Sealed shut!

I penguin walk around the bathroom trying to figure out what to do and think to myself "Please don't let me get the urge to poop. My head may pop off!" What can I do to melt the wax? Hot water!! Hot water melts wax!! I'll run the hottest water I can stand into the bathtub, get in, immerse the wax-covered bits and the wax should melt and I can gently wipe it off, right???

*WRONG!!!!!!!*

I get in the tub - the water is slightly hotter than that used to torture prisoners of war or sterilize surgical equipment - I sit. Now, the only thing worse than having your nether regions glued together, is having them glued together and then glued to the bottom of the tub...in scalding hot water.Which, by the way, doesn't melt cold wax. So, now I'm stuck to the bottom of the tub as though I had cement-epoxied myself to the porcelain!!

God bless the man who had convinced me a few months ago to have a phone put in the bathroom!!!!! I call my friend, thinking surely she has waxed before and has some secret of how to get me undone. It's a very good conversation starter "So, my butt and who-ha are glued together to the bottom of the tub!"

There is a slight pause. She doesn't know any secret tricks for removal but she does try to hide her laughter from me. She wants to know exactly where the wax is located, "Are we talking cheeks or hole or who-ha?"

She's laughing out loud by now...I can hear her. I give her the rundown and she suggests I call the number on the side of the box. YEAH!!!!! Right!! I should be the joke of someone else's night.While we go through various solutions. I resort to scraping the wax off with a razor.

Nothing feels better then to have your girlie goodies covered in hot wax, glued shut, stuck to the tub in super hot water and then dry-shaving the sticky wax off!! By now the brain is not working, dignity has taken a major hike and I'm pretty sure I'm going to need Post-Traumatic Stress counseling for this event.

My friend is still talking with me when I finally see my saving grace....the lotion they give you to remove the excess wax. What do I really have to lose at this point? I rub some on and OH MY GOD!!!!!!! The scream probably woke the kids and scared the dickens out of my friend. It's sooo painful, but I really don't care. "IT WORKS!! It works!!"

I get a hearty congratulation from my friend and she hangs up. I successfully remove the remainder of the wax and then notice to my grief and despair....THE HAIR IS STILL THERE.......ALL OF IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.So, I recklessly shave it off. Heck, I'm numb by now. Nothing hurts. I could have amputated my own leg at this point!!!

The Doll and a White Rose

The Doll and a White Rose

I hurried into the local department store to grab some last minute Christmas gifts. I looked at all
the people and grumbled to myself. I would be in here forever and I just had so much to do. Christmas was beginning to become such a drag. I kind of wished that I could just sleep through Christmas. But I hurried the best I could through
all the people to the toy department. Once again I kind of mumbled to myself at the prices of all
these toys and wondered if the grand kids would even play with them.

I found myself in the Doll aisle. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a little boy about 5 holding a lovely doll. He kept touching her hair and he held her so gently. I could not seem to help myself. I just kept looking over at the little boy and wondered who
the doll was for. I watched him turn to a woman and he called his aunt by name and said, "Are you sure I don't have enough money" She replied a bit impatiently, "You know that you don't have
enough money for it. The aunt told the little boy
not to go anywhere that she had to go get some other things and would be back in a few minutes. And then she left the aisle.

The boy continued to hold the doll. After a bit I asked the boy who the doll was for.

He said, "It is the doll my sister wanted so badly
for Christmas. She just knew that Santa would bring it."

I told him that maybe Santa was going to bring it.

He said "No, Santa can't go where my sister is... I have to give the doll to my Mama to take to her".

I asked him where his sister was.

He looked at me with the saddest eyes and said "She has gone to be with Jesus". My Daddy says that Mama is going to have to go be with her.

My heart nearly stopped beating.

Then the boy looked at me again and said, "I told my Daddy to tell Mama not to go yet. I told him to tell her to wait till I got back from the store". Then he asked me if I wanted to see his picture.

I told him I would love to.

He pulled out some pictures he'd had taken at the front of the store. He said "I want my Mamma to take this with her so she don't ever forget me. I love my Mama so very much and I wish she did
not have to leave me. But Daddy says she will
need to be with my sister."

I saw that the little boy had lowered his head and had grown so very quiet. While he was not looking
I reached into my purse and pulled out a handful
of bills.

I asked the little boy, "Shall we count that money one more time?"

He grew excited and said "Yes, I just know it has
to be enough".

So I slipped my money in with his and we began to count it. Of course it was plenty for the doll. He softly said, "Thank you Jesus for giving me enough money."

Then the boy said "I just asked Jesus to give me enough money to buy this doll so Mama can take it with her to give to my sister. And he heard my prayer. I wanted to ask him for enough to buy my Mama a white rose, but I didn't ask him, but he gave me enough to buy the doll and a rose for my Mama. She loves white roses so very, very much".

In a few minutes the aunt came back and I
wheeled my cart away. I could not keep from thinking about the little boy as I finished my shopping in a totally different spirit than when I
had started. And I kept remembering a story I had seen in the newspaper several days earlier about
a drunk driver hitting a car and killing a little girl and the Mother was in serious condition. The
family was deciding on whether to remove the life support. Now surely this little boy did not belong with that story.

Two days later I read in the paper where the
family had disconnected the life support and the young woman had died. I could not forget the little boy and just kept wondering if the two were somehow connected. Later that day, I could not help myself and I went out and bought some white roses and took them to the funeral home where
the young woman was. And there she was holding
a lovely white rose, the beautiful doll, and the picture of the little boy in the store. I left there in tears, my life changed forever. The love that little boy had for his little sister and his mother was overwhelming. And in a split second a drunk driver had ripped the life of that little boy to pieces.

~ Author Unknown ~

Final bids set for Singapore casino race

From http://today.reuters.com/business/newsArticle.aspx?type=realEstateRestaurantsHotels&storyID=nSIN29972

Final bids set for Singapore casino race
Tuesday 28 March 2006, 10:34pm EST

By Sebastian Tong

SINGAPORE, March 28 (Reuters) - MGM Mirage (MGM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and its partner CapitaLand (CATL.SI: Quote, Profile, Research) are emerging as favourites to build Singapore's first casino in the final leg of a race that has offered the city-state a whiff of Las Vegas know-how and Hollywood glamour.

Final bids for the $3 billion project -- one of the most expensive casinos in the world -- must be in by Wednesday. A panel of five government ministers will then weigh up the gaming, architectural and cultural merits, plus the overall "wow" factor of each bid, and announce a winner by mid-year.

Singapore wants a stunning emblem for the city-state on a par with the Sydney Opera House. The downtown, waterfront casino will be the first of two such ventures intended to lure Asian gamblers and boost Singapore's tourism revenues.

"Our best educated guess is that the MGM and CapitaLand consortium has a slight lead over the Harrah's and Keppel Land (KLAN.SI: Quote, Profile, Research) team," DBS Vickers analyst James Tan said.

MGM, Harrah's Entertainment Inc. (HET.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS.PH: Quote, Profile, Research) are seen as the frontrunners for the complex that will combine gambling facilities with convention halls, glitzy theatres, luxury hotels and a shopping mall within 20.6 hectares

(50.9 acres).

MGM and Harrah's have allied with Singapore government-linked property firms, which some analysts reckon puts them at an advantage in the contest, while Sands is submitting a solo bid.

A fourth group consists of Genting International (GNTG.SI: Quote, Profile, Research) and cruise ship operator Star Cruises Ltd. (SARC.SI: Quote, Profile, Research) (0678.HK: Quote, Profile, Research), both affiliates of Malaysia's Genting Bhd (GENT.KL: Quote, Profile, Research).

The Genting consortium is considered a more likely winner for the second casino project on the resort island of Sentosa, where it has joined forces with theme park giant Universal Studios.


STRING OF WITHDRAWALS

International casino operators are eager to invest billions of dollars in Asia, where casino revenues are expected to reach US$13 billion this year, driven by the tiny Chinese city of Macau, according to consultancy Globalysis.

Analysts say Singapore, with its squeaky clean image, may have nudged the region towards further liberalisation of the gaming industry with its decision last year to legalise casino gambling. Thai and Japanese officials have sounded out the possibility of legalising casinos in their countries too.

"The (Singapore) government is conscious that the region will be very different by the time the casinos begin operating in 2009," Merrill Lynch analyst Sean Monaghan said.

Since Singapore lifted a ban on casinos and invited bids for its projects, several prospective candidates have fallen by the wayside, citing high costs and bureaucracy.

Las Vegas casino impresario Steve Wynn, who slammed Singapore bureaucrats for micro-managing areas such as design, withdrew his Wynn Resorts Ltd. (WYNN.O: Quote, Profile, Research) from the race in December.

An alliance between Macau's casino king Stanley Ho and Publishing & Broadcasting (PBL.AX: Quote, Profile, Research), controlled by Australia's Packer family, pulled out in January, citing high capital costs, including an upfront land cost of S$1.2 billion ($742.1 million).


HOLLYWOOD, BOLLYWOOD

Those still in the bidding have unveiled partnerships to boost their chances of securing the 30-year casino concession.

MGM Mirage, which runs luxurious Las Vegas resorts such as the Bellagio, has announced a tie-up with Quebec-based Cirque du Soleil to set up a permanent show in Singapore, and has tapped the Media Asia group, which includes Media Asia Entertainment Group (MEAS.SI: Quote, Profile, Research), to stage acts from China and Hong Kong.

Harrah's and Keppel Land have enlisted James Cameron, the Hollywood director behind blockbusters such as "Titanic" and the Terminator movies, to produce a 16-storey interactive theme park.

Harrah's-KepLand is also bringing in Paris' Centre Pompidou to run an art museum, and has tied up with shopping mall builder Taubman Centers Inc. (TCO.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and U.S. concert promoter AEG.

Meanwhile Sands, the world's largest casino operator by market value, said it would include a luxury hotel and a 1.2 million square feet convention centre in its plan.

Sands has also roped in Broadway producer Clear Channel Entertainment, part of Clear Channel Communications (CCU.N: Quote, Profile, Research), and said it wants to bring Bollywood acts to the city-state.

The four groups, down from the 12 invited to bid last year, will submit detailed plans and scale models by 4 pm local time

(0800 GMT) on Wednesday before presenting their proposals to government officials next month.

Royals for the Premier

Reading sealed promotion to the top flight for the first time in their history with a draw at Leicester. [more on bbc] [and on Reading official site]

South Korea gets first woman prime minister

South Korea gets first woman prime minister

A feminist lawmaker is to become South Korea's first ever woman prime minister, the president's office announced on Friday.

President Roh Moo-Hyun decided to nominate Han Myung-Sook, a lawmaker from the ruling Uri Party, for the vacant post, a presidential official told the agency.

"Han Myung-Sook was appointed prime minister today," said presidential secretariat chief Lee Byung-Wan. The appointment is subject to parliamentary approval.

Two-term lawmaker Han, 61, served as minister of gender equality in 2001 and environment minister in 2003.

She was nominated to the top cabinet post ahead of Kim Byong-Joon, a former politics professor, who is currently serving as policy planner on Roh's presidential staff.

The post of prime minister was vacated last week by Lee Hae-Chan, who stepped down in disgrace after apologising for playing golf on March 1, the first day of a crippling national railway strike.

Lee was criticized for failing to help resolve the strike and also for his choice of golf partners.

One of the businessmen had a criminal record.

Golf, which has gained popularity in South Korea, is still regarded as a sport for the privileged with golf club membership seen as a ticket to acceptance among the social elite.

============

In some countries, one little disgrace and disrespect could effectively force one to take responsible to the thing he did by paying its price. Like story above. But in many countries, one shown no graceful nor respect and keep the country paying the price for him. Like one I am here. Contrary enough to be one of the reasons why developing country is always developing. Never been developed. T_T~

My name is Sarah

My name is Sarah
I am but three,
My eyes are swollen
I cannot see,

I must be stupid,
I must be bad,
What else could have made
My daddy so mad?

I wish I were better,
I wish I weren't ugly,
Then maybe my Mommy
Would still want to hug me.

I can't speak at all,
I can't do a wrong
Or else I'm locked up
All the day long.

When I awake
I'm all alone
The house is dark
My folks aren't home.

When my Mommy does come
I'll try and be nice,
So maybe I'll get just
One whipping tonight.

Don't make a sound!
I just heard a car
My daddy is back
From Charlie's Bar.

I hear him curse
My name he calls
I press myself
Against the wall.

I try and hide
From his evil eyes
I'm so afraid now
I'm starting to cry.

He finds me weeping
He shouts ugly words,
He says its my fault
That he suffers at work.

He slaps me and hits me
And yells at me more,
I finally get free
And I run for the door.

He's already locked it
And I start to bawl,
He takes me and throws me
Against the hard wall.

I fall to the floor
With my bones nearly broken,
And my daddy continues
With more bad words spoken.

"I'm sorry!", I scream
But its now much too late
His face has been twisted
Into unimaginable hate.

The hurt and the pain
Again and again
Oh please God, have mercy!
Oh please let it end!

And he finally stops
And heads for the door,
While I lay there motionless
Sprawled on the floor.

My name is Sarah
And I am but three,
Tonight my daddy
Murdered me.

There are thousands of kids out there just like Sarah. And you can help.

It sickens me to my soul, and if you just read this and don't pass it on I pray for your forgiveness, because you would have to be one heartless person to not be affected by this poem. And because you are affected, do something about it!! So all I am asking you to do is take some time to send this on and acknowledge that this stuff does happen, and that people like her dad do live in our society, and pray for child abuse to wither out and die, but also pray for the safety of our youth.

Please pass this poem on as a Blue Ribbon Against Child Abuse because as crazy as it might sound, it might just indirectly change a life.

Somsak wins WBA title

Somsak wins WBA super bantamweight title

March 18, 2006 - PARIS (AP) -- Thailand's Somsak Sithchatchawal twice knocked down France's Mahyar Monshipour and stopped him in the 10th round Saturday to capture his WBA super bantamweight title.


^ Somsak Sithchatchawal won WBA super bantamweight title(AFP/Mehdi Fedouach)

The Iranian-born Monshipour, who will turn 31 Tuesday, retired after the bout. He finished his career with a record of 28 wins, three losses and two draws.

Somsak dropped a weary Monshipour in the 10th with a series of left uppercuts, and the referee stopped the bout. The Thai improved to 46-1-1 with 37 knockouts.

Somsak floored Monshipour in the opening minute of the bout and the Thai left-hander maintained his advantage in the second with left hooks.

But Monshipour, who was attempting to defend his belt for a sixth time, rallied in the third and forced Somsak against the ropes with a combination of jabs and hooks. Somsak continued to use his left uppercut to the stomach while Monshipour countered with his straight right. The pace slowed as the rounds mounted, with blood staining the faces of both fighters.

Somsak dominated the start of the ninth round, landing left uppercuts and right hooks. Monshipour retaliated at the end of the round with a flurry of left and right hands.

[from http://www.wbaonline.com/]

farangs.org

While political is bored us up to dead, look at this site http://www.farangs.org/ and you'll see another big problem that we're all know but never been in any action. [related site; to know about what a farang thinks about Thai http://www.mangosauce.com/]

:)

Walk The Line

Walk the line
[official site]

Johnny Cash and June Carter's love is awesome. I wonder what if I were her what would I do. I may run away from this guy forever from the very first year. I really can't take those kind of behaviours and won't stand taking any risk with drug. But on the other hand if I love someone that much I would have done the same thing. Definitely. :) And I like when he and his band play in the prison. So cheer me up the top, especially when I found that that record is on the top beyond one of the beatles. Obviously music has no boundary. I like the movie, by the way.

Discrimination exist

One of the conversation today I had with p'Nong (RE of Ratchada project) is about working aboard. He says some of his friends were sent to work in London, company's treat. They experienced that Brit looks them down, like second class people. Yes it is discrimination. Yes it happens. Yes it's everywhere, even in US where law enforcement is so powerful. No surprise to me though. Key point of the discussion is when he says it's like the way we, Thai, look at people of Cambodia or even if person held a doctorate degree we may think 'is he really good?'. Damn, I hate this fact. When this world would become real flat and people are all treated equally?!
.
I have no intention of offend. Just would like to raise the topic up. Sorry if it hurts anyone.

'Kiwi hirsuta'

^ This photo released Tuesday March 7, 2006 by the IFREMER (French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea) shows a new crustacean, called 'Kiwi hirsuta'. The eyeless shellfish, about 15cm long was discovered in March 2005 during a diving mission led by American researcher Robert Vrijenhoek, of the MBARI Institut, Cal., in hydrothermal vents of the Pacific Antartic Ridge, south of Easter Island. (AP Photo/A Fifis; IFREMER)
New Animal Resembling Furry Lobster Found
.
Isn't that amazing? So it's true that there're plently of living creatures out there we have not yet discovered, especially under the ocean, especially around hydrothermal vent.

What can you do while driving?

What can you do while driving?

A woman has been fined after being caught on camera applying make-up while driving. So what can you do while at the wheel?

With a compact mirror in one hand and an eye liner in the other, Donna Maddock applied her make-up. But this wasn't in her bedroom, the 22-year-old was driving at 32mph at the time.

She was caught by police who filmed her on a speed camera and has been fined £200 and had six points put on her licence after pleading guilty to careless driving. So what can you do while driving?

read [more]

Funny that woman can do such thing while driving. Maybe it's woman nature that can do multiple tasks simultaneously, and man can't. :D

Woman loses frozen embryos fight

Woman loses frozen embryos fight
Q&A: Frozen embryos case
Expert's reaction to ruling

Reading this case and I see both sides' interest. One may just want to have a child of her own desparately since this is her last chance. One see consequences that could happened if a child was born, in term of responsibility, legal, financial, relationship.

If the relationship ends, one may wish for no string attached for further move to a new partner or family.

I kinda agree with UK and European court. Human fertilisation do need both man and woman consent. So when the child is born, she will have a complete happy family rather than a single parent. This is a very complicated matter indeed.

This is not like being pregnant at all. Pregnancy is mainly dominated by the woman. If the relationship ends while she's pregnant, I see no ex-husband's right, or even a husband, to rule whether to keep the embryo or not.

There maybe some other private points they haven't exposed, and will not do. But speaking on the fact and paper, I give it all to the court.

It's hard enough to make a decision within family talk. It's even harder to make any move in public. This single call could rule the EU and UK for the rest of its Act. No mistake can be made.

The Secret Garden

The Secret Garden
[more on wikipedia]

Watched this movie today. Such a beautiful movie. Nice score too, specially at the end credit. I'm not sure what to tell when asked what's the story all about? It's about friendship of three little kids? About love they have to the other? But whatever it is, it is indeed beautiful and lovely for audience at all age.
.
The movie based on a best selling children's book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, who also the author of A Little Princess. I've seen 'a little princess', it's a very good movie too.

These two movie have a girl as key role, and one mean elder woman as a bad one. Both girls in the stories live without their family. Both share a little time & fancy of exotic place, like india in The Secret Garden. :)
.
I like them both. Burnett really have talent. I encourage you to see these movies.
.

I am a princess, All girls are.
Didn't your father ever tell you that?
Even they aren't pretty or smart, they're still princesses.

Photographer of the year

In pictures Photographer of the year: Winner's gallery JP Trenque

Close To Heaven

Artist - Color Me Badd
Album - Time and Chance
Lyrics - Close To Heaven

You know your the only one for me
The thought of you
picks me up when I am lonely
I get all crazy when you call out my name
I'm close to heaven when your touching me

You say that you love me
Girl, I know it
I feel the same but still so afraid to show it
I get all crazy when you call out my name
I'm close to heaven when your touching me

Chorus

It's gotta be love, sweet love (love sweet love)
Whenever your near me
Ooh you make me happy, baby
Love, sweet love (love... sweet love)
Whenever your near me
Ooh you make me happy, baby

Me vuelvo loco pensando en
Tu amor
Cuandote veo, temblo por
Tu calor
Cerca del cielco, alma de
Mi corazon, mis ladios
Brillan llenos de emocion

Chorus

All I wanted
All I ever wanted was you
And for you to love me
You keep me warm
And you give me love
I know you're the one for me

You know your the only one for me
The thought of you
picks me up when I am lonely
I get all crazy
When you call out my name
I'm close to heaven
When your touching me

Chorus

Mi vida sonyado asi
Esta cancion que estoy
Cantando es solo para ti
Mirate, tocarte, besarte asi
Ya no lo aguanto mas
Querida mi vida sonydo asi
Esta cancion que estoy
Cantando es solo para ti
Mirate, tocarte, besarte asi
Yo no o aguanto mas
( Heaven's only one kiss away)

Welcome to Dongmakgol

Welcome to Dongmakgol
[official site]

A movie's time based on confliction of North and South Korea. Set in a remote village up the moutain far between north and south Korea. Very good plot, story line and score. I really like it. The movie shown dark and bright sides of war that happened to the people either involved with it or not.
.
Protect the one you love.

Brokeback Mountain

Brokeback Mountain
[official site]

Watched this movie last night at Siam Paragon. Well ... I quite have some expectation about the movie - from media and friend. And it turned out doesn't really satify me that much, not actually reach my expectation I can say. Still, It's one of the good movies. The movie doesn't pull much of the background & feeling of love they have between each other from the start. So it was kinda not involved or shared what the characters feel and think. Anyway the movie does share some other perspectives of their lifes via family and people around. To many points to play in a very short time, I think.
.
Love is a force of nature

Duelist

Duelist
[official site]

I've been watching many movies these few days, back to same old stay-at-home routine. Today's movie, besides Moulin Rouge I watched tens of time, is Duelist. [about the movie at wikipedia] Quite a strange movie, for me. Many slow motions at the beginning. Strange cut of scene. Awful background music, too modern for me. Handsome lead actor and quite impressive lead actress. And in some point, the movie can tells us what are they up to. This movie is also listed in Bangkok Film Festival currently running.

Just like heaven (2)

I think I know what is 'Just like heaven' likes ... The Snow White, without seven dwarfs and this time they learnt each other during ghost period. Actually it's just only the kissing part that like, isn't it? :P hehehe

Together

Together
[official site]

Just finished the movie. Brilliant. Though it might be better if I can understand all Chinese they say. The plot doesn't really help me get involved and feel what the charactors feel. Lucky that I still can understand from their facial expression. Good movie.

Just like heaven

Just like heaven
[official site]

Watch the movie this morning. Nice & lovely. The plot is like some of the movie I known, but couldn't figure out what's it. Maybe I will later.

Iran to hang teenage girl attacked by rapists

Iran to hang teenage girl attacked by rapists [Iran Focus, Sat. 07 Jan 2006]
Tehran, Iran, Jan. 07 – An Iranian court has sentenced a teenage rape victim to death by hanging after she weepingly confessed that she had unintentionally killed a man who had tried to rape both her and her niece. [more]
.
.
.
To take part:
Iran: Amnesty International calls for end to death penalty for child offenders [here]
IRAN. PETITION TO SAVE NAZANIN [here]

Chelsea to face Newcastle in Cup

Chelsea to face Newcastle in Cup [on BBC]

Managerless Newcastle knocked out Chelsea in the FA Cup last season, with a 1-0 victory in the fifth round at St James' Park.

But they face a daunting task at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea have not lost in 90 minutes for two years.

The Cup is Newcastle skipper Alan Shearer's last chance of winning silverware with his hometown club.

The quarter-final games will take place on 20-23 March.

All four ties will be played in midweek because of the shortened season ahead of the World Cup finals.

Full draw:

Charlton v Middlesbrough
Aston Villa or Manchester City v Bolton or West Ham
Chelsea v Newcastle United
Birmingham v Liverpool

Mistaken Identity

Accidently found this topic while searching for something else yesterday. I've never known there's such a thing happen here in Thailand. Of course not the 'working girl' I surprise, but the chat up line they use. Terrible.
.
Mistaken Identity, Ever been mistaken for a working girl?
[from thaivisa.com/forum]
First thread starts with ....
Well, it happened again for about the 4th or 5th time since I've been in Thailand. I was getting my ticket at the BTS station when an Indian guy followed me and asked me if I came from Russia. It was about 4 in the afternoon and I was dressed just to go shopping so I don't know what made him approach me. It's happened before in places such as CM2 and bedsupper club that I was approached and asked if I worked there. The first time it happened I didn't understand what the guy meant and I said 'yes, I work in Bangkok as a teacher'. The guy asked me how much did I go for! I can understand if it happens in a place like CM2 where so many of the girls are 'working girls' but I think I should be able to do my shopping without being harrassed by perverts.
... Then the other 12 pages follow

New Wembley

Audio slideshow: Wembley architect Lord Foster
Lord Foster, who has designed some of the world's most famous buildings, talks through his original sketches for the new Wembley Stadium and explains why he hopes its 133-metre arch will become an iconic sporting symbol.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4694868.stm

Wembley Arch lights the way

The Wembley Stadium Arch has been officially lit for the first time in a milestone ceremony attended by Tony Blair and David Beckham. A dramatic firework display marked the momentous occasion in explosive style.

When lit, the arch – which at 133 metres high is taller than the London Eye – can be seen from Canary Wharf, 13 miles away. It is set to become a famous London landmark but it’s more than just a decoration. The arch will support all of the weight of the north roof and 60% of the weight of the south roof. This means there are no pillars to obstruct views and that the south roof can be retracted to let light and air onto the pitch.

The stadium was scheduled to be finished in 2006 in time to host that year’s FA Cup Final. Construction is ahead of schedule, however, and the first event is now likely to be an England football international.

The story so far

Demolition of the old stadium began on 30 September 2002 but the story really began seven years earlier.

In 1995 when the National Lottery Panel of the English Sports Council (ESC), now Sport England, was asked to allocate fund to develop a new England national stadium for football, rugby league and athletics. Cities bid to become the preferred venue and Wembley and Manchester were short-listed for further review. Wembley was named by the ESC as the chosen site in December 1996 and the council also contributed £120m of lottery funds.

Wembley National Stadium Ltd (WNSL) was formed in 1997 to design, finance, build and operate the new stadium. WNSL bought the old stadium from Wembley PLC in March 199 for £103m and paid £3m in stamp duty to the Government.

The new stadium, which is designed by the World Stadium Team consortium, is primarily intended to host football, rugby and music events. However a new feature, similar to that being proposed by the New York Olympic bid team, means the stadium can be adapted to host a world-class athletics meet.

Football and rugby fans complain that multi-use stadiums leave them too far away from the action as they have to sit behind an athletics track. In Wembley, a prefabricated platform can be built over the lower part of the stadium, covering some of the seats but creating the increased surface needed to fit the track. The platform will take just a few weeks to install and remove, making Wembley a versatile, multi-sport venue.

It will hold 90,000 people – 10,000 more than the Stade de France – and each seat will have more legroom than seats in the old stadium’s royal box.

Total costs of this innovative project are £757m. This includes WNSL’s contribution to redeveloping the local transport infrastructure, buying and demolishing the old stadium and designing, building and fitting out the new.

For more information about Wembley Stadium click here

Wembley facts:
The entire Wembley Stadium project will cost £757m.

This includes:
Purchase of the land and early design fees £120m
The basic cost of building the stadium £352m
Demolishing the old stadium and fitting out the new £99m
Contribution to local infrastructure improvement of £21m
Financing the project, management and other costs amounts to £165m

The projects stakeholders are:
Sport England
Football Association
London Development Agency
Departure for Culture, Media and Sport
Brent council

The stadium is being designed and built by the World Stadium Team consortium. This is formed by:
Foster & Partners
HOK Sport

The main construction contractor is Multiplex Constructions

http://www.sportengland.org/wembley_update.htm

Charming ending

Charming ending
Young Lady: " Your novel has a charming ending."
Author: " What do you think of the opening chapters?"
Young Lady: " I have not got to them yet!"

More of joke here

News photo gallery

New source of photo gallery found here. Following are some of interesting articles.

WPP Winners Gallery 2006

US, Mexican police find largest ever border drug tunnel

Most Earth-like planet found


Greenpeace: Help end whaling

Japan issues avalanche warnings after heavy snowfall

Dressed up for peace

Japan hit by heavy snow storm

New Year's celebrations around the world

Cold weather grips Germany, France

Do 'Black' Names Matter?

Accitdently found this interesting article on monster.com website; Do 'Black' Names Matter? extracting from scientific backing Are Emily and Greg More Employable than Lakisha and Jamal? A Field Experiment on Labor Market Discrimination ... This is nothing just the truth of the world of discrimination out there. Even we have law and right protecting us but they don't really effective in every course. How can we remove this wall and bring the world closer?

Ocean's twelve

Finally got a chance to watch Ocean's twelve til the end last night. Funy movie, it is. Well planned. Though not too amazing like its first but twist enough to fool me at least once. Zeta-Jones is so hot! Pitt is more cute with his blonde hair (and I'm not gay).

Top Gear

Aston Villa 1-2 Newcastle Under caretaker manager, NUFC is doing more than just fine in the league, two out of two win
Chelsea humbled as Boro run riot Chelsea first lost since last November, the biggest too. Well done Boro!
Fulham 6-1 West Brom Another big score for Fulham
Saturday's Premiership photos
.
.

Watching video clip on Top Gear site. Amazing. Seeing DB9 races with train across English channel to Monte Carlo or witnessing Lotus versus Apache. Brilliant cars, great programme. Video clip from here
.
.

funny pics

I haven't shown you these funny pics I found on someone's profile in hi5. Here they are...

















:D hahahahaha

Munich

Just came back from the movie "Munich", directed by Spielberg, with p'O at Central World.



If I know some of the history on that date I could be very into it. But unfortunately I'm empty head. So it's like learning it all from the movie. The secret agent/assassinator's world is so complicated and so unreliable.

One of the scenes I like most in the movie is when his daughter call him 'hi da' over the phone. That's very touchy and could bring all tears from me if I were him.

More about the movie at
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0408306/
http://www.ihath.com/2006/01/women-of-munich-movie.html
http://www.cinemastrikesback.com/?cat=92

Wimbledon, the movie

Watched Wimbledon last night on cable. Quite an entertaining movie. Fun to watch.
.
It reminds me on how to handle with distraction and multiple-thought during important moment (or even normal one). It's really hard to focus if your heart and thought goes somewhere else out of the game. I guess, good tennis player have to be very self-controlled. Won't be easy to get distracted. And be able to get back on track fast and right. Sound not easy and even harder when practice. :P

Lost world

Papua 'lost world' yields new species
A team of scientists says it has found a "lost world" in an Indonesian jungle, home to dozens of new species.
In pictures: Papua's 'lost world'
Map: Biodiversity hotspots

[all from BBC]

This is like what I read from book of 'A Short Historyof Nearly Everything' by Bill Bryson.

We know only a very little part of the world. There're a lot to discover, especially under the water surface. The world has lived long before us exist and definitely long enough to see all the human gone too.

Close to Heaven

Close To Heaven - Color Me Badd

You know your the only one for me
The thought of you
picks me up when I am lonely
I get all crazy when you call out my name
I'm close to heaven when your touching me

You say that you love me
Girl, I know it
I feel the same but still so afraid to show it
I get all crazy when you call out my name
I'm close to heaven when your touching me

Chorus

It's gotta be love, sweet love (love sweet love)
Whenever your near me
Ooh you make me happy, baby
Love, sweet love (love... sweet love)
Whenever your near me
Ooh you make me happy, baby

Me vuelvo loco pensando en
Tu amor
Cuandote veo, temblo por
Tu calor
Cerca del cielco, alma de
Mi corazon, mis ladios
Brillan llenos de emocion

Chorus

All I wanted
All I ever wanted was you
And for you to love me
You keep me warm
And you give me love
I know you're the one for me

You know your the only one for me
The thought of you
picks me up when I am lonely
I get all crazy
When you call out my name
I'm close to heaven
When your touching me

Chorus

Mi vida sonyado asi
Esta cancion que estoy
Cantando es solo para ti
Mirate, tocarte, besarte asi
Ya no lo aguanto mas
Querida mi vida sonydo asi
Esta cancion que estoy
Cantando es solo para ti
Mirate, tocarte, besarte asi
Yo no o aguanto mas
( Heaven's only one kiss away)



Finally i found electronic file of this song. ^^
One of my all time favourites.

Basecamp

Finally there's some programme out there that support team running on project based. e.g. a design project happened in Boston, with specialists locate in LA and Hong Kong, and client is an investor in China. This web-based tool is one form of message board (and communication) with ability to upload file and create multi-level user account and of course post message. There're more abilities to discover, just take a looke at http://basecamphq.com/
.
Will I get commission fee on this?

201st !!

Shearer sets new Newcastle record
Finally my hero makes his 201st, unbeatable goal scorer
Just soon after Souness sacked, we're now on the way up
Glorious, magpies!
Interview: Newcastle captain Alan Shearer
Interview: Newcastle caretaker boss Glenn Roeder

Also good to see ...
Shearer's Newcastle career in photos
Magpies marvels
Shearer ecstatic with record feat
Saturday's Premiership photos

Cartoon protest

Cartoon protest - I've never imagined that cartoons published in Danish paper could stir the middle east and its cost is more than anyone can bare. Wonder how this might end?


from BBC; image from In pictures: Protests

Shearer not interested

More update on NUFC blank manager seat:
Shearer not interested in Newcastle manager's job
.
.
.
In pictures: Mexico City's dying trades

Souness's out!

Finally Souness's out!
I'm glad to hear this :D


.
news on BBC
Shearer rules out Magpies top job
Newcastle dismiss manager Souness
Allardyce backed for Magpies job
Reaction to decision by Magpies

Holding hand

Got this from my friend, very interesting. Adding one more thing that scientific can prove. :)

from nytimes.com
Holding Loved One's Hand Can Calm Jittery Neurons
By BENEDICT CAREY
Published: January 31, 2006

Married women under extreme stress who reach out and
hold their husbands' hands feel immediate relief,
neuroscientists have found in what they say is the
first study of how human touch affects the neural
response to threatening situations.

The soothing effect of the touch could be seen in
scans of areas deep in the brain that are involved in
registering emotional and physical alarm.

The women received significantly more relief from
their husbands' touch than from a stranger's, and
those in particularly close marriages were most deeply
comforted by their husbands' hands, the study found.

The findings help explain one of the longest-standing
puzzles in social science: why married men and women
are healthier on average than their peers. Husbands
and wives who are close tend to limit each other's
excesses like drinking and smoking but not enough to
account for their better health compared with singles,
researchers say.

"This is very imaginative, cutting-edge science,
linking this complex response to stress to different
areas of the brain," said Dr. Ronald Glaser, director
of the Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research at
Ohio State University, who was not involved in the
study.

In the study, to appear in the journal Psychological
Science this year, neuroscientists at the University
of Wisconsin and the University of Virginia used
newspaper advertisements to recruit 16 couples from
the Madison, Wis., region. The couples were all rated
as very happily married on an in-depth questionnaire
asking about coping styles, intimacy and mutual
interests.

Lying in the jaws of an M.R.I. scanning machine and
knowing that they would periodically receive a mild
electric shock to an ankle, the women were noticeably
apprehensive. Brain images showed peaks of activation
in regions involved in anticipating pain, heightening
physical arousal and regulating negative emotions,
among other systems.

But the moment that they felt their husbands' hands —
the men reached into the imaging machine — each
woman's activity level plunged in all the regions
gearing up for the threat. A stranger's hand also
provided some comfort, though less so.

"The effect of this simple gesture of social support
is that the brain and body don't have to work as hard,
they're less stressed in response to a threat," said
Dr. James A. Coan, a psychologist at the University of
Virginia and the study's lead author. His co-authors
were Dr. Hillary Schaefer and Dr. Richard J. Davidson
of the University of Wisconsin.

Relaxing in the face of a perceived threat is not
always a good idea. The brain's alarm system, which
prompts the release of stress hormones that increase
heart rate and move blood to the muscles, prepares
people to fight or run for their lives, researchers
say.

But this system often becomes overactive in situations
that are nagging but not life threatening like worries
over relationships, deadlines, money or homework. Easy
access to an affectionate touch in these moments — or
to a hug, a back rub or more — "is a very good thing,
is deeply soothing," Dr. Coan said.

The most profoundly comforting hand-holding was
between "supercouples," whose scores on the marriage
questionnaire reflected a extremely close
relationship, the study found. The brain region
involved in anticipating pain was particularly
sensitive to this marital quality, suggesting that a
touch between close partners can blunt the sensation
of physical pain, which is related to the level of
anticipation.

All of which also explains why the withdrawal or
absence of affectionate touch can be so upsetting. In
research published late last year, Dr. Glaser and his
wife, Dr. Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, reported that
blisters lingered longer during marital strife.

And rejection, the ultimate withdrawal of touch,
registers in the brain much like an ankle shock, said
Dr. Lucy Brown, a neuroscientist at the Albert
Einstein College of Medicine. Fear of the shocks
activated a region in the brain "that we saw activated
in people looking at a beloved who had recently
rejected them," Dr. Brown wrote in an e-mail message.

"Love has its risks," she added. "It can make us very
unhappy," too.

Public Announcement

Subject: Public Announcement from U.S. Embassy Bangkok

Attention American Citizens:

The Royal Thai Police (RTP) authorities have confirmed that a large demonstration is expected to occur in the area of the King Rama 5 statue,Rajdamneon Avenue, near Sanam Luang and Government House in Bangkok on Saturday, February 4. Police estimate up to 100,000 people will gather in an anti-Thai Prime Minister Thaksin demonstration headed by Sonthi Limthongkul, a prominent Thai government critic. The crowd will include several diverse groups of demonstrators and is expected to start assembling in the morning with no announced starting or ending times. Organizers have not indicated a marching route, should they leave the area.

Bangkok demonstrations are usually peaceful in nature, but all demonstrations are unpredictable and conditions can change unexpectedly. The RTP has indicated that 2,000 – 3,000 police officers will be on hand to maintain public order. There are concerns that anti-Sonthi groups may attempt to confront the demonstrators, which could lead to violence. For this reason, please do not approach the demonstrators.

The Embassy encourages all Americans to avoid this area. Should you find yourself in or near the demonstrators, move indoors for shelter until the demonstration has passed, or ask for police assistance to leave the area. While the demonstration is not expected to pass near U.S. Embassy facilities, Embassy entrances and functions may be restricted depending on circumstances.

For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current Worldwide Caution, Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings can be found. Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-317-472-2328. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).