ACEH REVOLUTION PARTY

LHOONG ISLAMIC TOURISM

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Thu, 3 Mar 2011 09:18:00 +0700

Lhoong one district in the west end district of Aceh, where the district is full of tourist environment that should be in renofasi and developed to become too big tour in aceh

VISITE SABANG

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Thu, 3 Mar 2011 08:40:00 +0700

Sabang is one of the most beautiful tourist in Aceh is located on your vacation to the islands enjoy a very beautiful on the island of Sabang
Let us enjoy the beauty of the town of Sabang on your weekend with the natural beauty and a very beautiful panora eye view

0.KM

Rubiah

Greg McElroy almost aced the Wonderlic. Is he too smart for the NFL

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Tue, 1 Mar 2011 05:06:00 +0700

By Matt Hinton

Alongside the many absurd feats of size, strength and speed on display at the NFL's combine for incoming draft picks, there are also the annual efforts to bore as deeply as possible into the players' skulls: Is this guy smart? Is he a flake? Is he a potential "cancer" in the locker room? Is he really committed to sacrificing his body to the sport? The informal method of sniffing out a potential head case involves face-to-face interviews and the sort of ephemeral buzz that dogged this year's resident "character risk," Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett, throughout the weekend in Indianapolis. The formal method is the Wonderlic test.

Usually, leaked Wonderlic scores are embarrassingly low. Not so, however, for Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy, who nearly aced the test, scoring a 48 out of a possible 50 according to his hometown Forth Worth Star Telegram. That score puts him on the high, high end of potential employees in any field, and especially among NFL quarterbacks: A 48 is twice the league average for incoming QBs, and matches the highest score for a quarterback on record, belonging to current Buffalo Bills starter Ryan Fitzpatrick, a Harvard grad. (Here is the most complete database of Wonderlic scores by quarterbacks through 2006. Only one other starter last year, the 49ers' Alex Smith, managed a 40 on the test; only one NFL player former Bengals punter Pat McInally – another Harvard grad – is believed to have scored a perfect fifty.)
By that standard, McElroy is one of the smartest quarterbacks in league history – no surprise, considering he was a finalist for a Rhodes scholarship last fall and has always been praised more for his poise and decision-making than his arm or athleticism. (He didn't throw or work out in Indy because of a hand injury he suffered in the Senior Bowl.)

Of course, coming as it does as part of the process of poking, prodding, dissecting and otherwise maximizing every conceivable flaw of incoming prospects, McElroy's brainpower still has the potential be taken as a negative around the league, as explained by Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio:

That said, scoring too high can be as much of a problem as scoring too low. Football coaches want to command the locker room. Being smarter than the individual players makes that easier. Having a guy in the locker room who may be smarter than every member of the coaching staff can be viewed as a problem — or at a minimum as a threat to the egos of the men who hope to be able when necessary to outsmart the players, especially when trying in some way to manipulate them.
So while McElroy, who was unable to work out due to injury, may be really smart, he perhaps would have been wise to tank a few of the answers.

Argh: Too smart! If only there was some widely accepted sweet spot of "kind of dumb, but not alarmingly dumb" that prospects knew to shoot for.

That response shouldn't come as a surprise from the same league that took the academic success of Florida State safety Myron Rolle – who actually earned a Rhodes scholarship, and took a year off from football to pursue it –as an opportunity to question his commitment to a gridiron career. The NFL Draft: Where you'll never be good enough, even if you're too good.

New Interface Wednesdays: Chart and change metric feature

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Tue, 1 Mar 2011 04:35:00 +0700

Have you ever changed ad formats and wanted to see which actually performed better? Now you can, with the new chart and change metric features. If you've created and saved an ad unit in your account, you'll now be able to do this easily in your ad sizes report.

Start by visiting the Performance Reports tab and choosing the ad sizes report
Check the boxes next to each format you want to see and then click the Chart button

This overlays the earnings of both ad formats you've selected so you can compare them on the same graph. You can still toggle the metrics shown on the graph using the radio buttons to the right of it so you can compare CTR, RPM and other metrics that are relevant to you.

Try it now! Navigate to the new interface and click on the Performance Reports tab, and then Ad sizes.

Posted by Guillaume Ryder - AdSense Engineer

Olympics

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 03:31:00 +0700

Getty Images

2011-02-27

A young ski fan watch Norway's gold medalist Petter Northug on the podium during a ceremony after the 30km cross country skiing men's pursuit in the Nordic Skiing World Championships in Oslo, on February 27, 2011. (Photo by Odd Andersen /AFP/Getty Images)

Utah State superfan 'Wild Bill' has become college hoops celebrity

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 03:25:00 +0700

By Jim Weber

LostLettermen.com, the college sports online magazine and former player database, regularly contributes to The Dagger. Here's the story behind Utah State super fan “Wild Bill.”
Only a few super fans are wild and crazy enough to become as famous as the athletes they cheer for, such as the New York Jets' "Fireman Ed" and Duke's "Speedo Guy."
"Wild Bill" can now be added to that list, and perhaps no fan has ever captured our imagination quite like him.

Lost Lettermen | College FB & BB

Got beef? John Calipari's 10 biggest coaching feuds


Top 10 worst dressed college basketball coaches ever

Blake Superior: Blake Griffin's 10 greatest college dunks

You probably don't know which team he roots for and you certainly don't know his real name, but if you're a sports fan, you've undoubtedly seen a clip of Utah State fanatic Bill Sproat on TV or YouTube in the last year.
He's the large, often shirtless student that stands behind the basket at Aggie home games and distracts opposing free-throw shooters with his ridiculous costumes that look like he's come straight from trick-or-treating.
"I love to be as close to naked as possible without going to jail," Sproat said.
Sproat draws most of his inspiration from Disney movies, Jack Black and Chris Farley, dressing as everything from the Little Mermaid, to Nacho Libre, to Peter Pan to Tigger. He was even going to dress like a showgirl for a Nevada game before Utah State put its foot down (he's also not allowed to wear a Speedo or do pelvic thrusts).
The publicity he's received has grown beyond his expectations. He's already been mentioned on ESPN's "Pardon The Interruption," interviewed on "First Take," profiled by Sports Illustrated's Seth Davis, turned into a YouTube sensation and even visited ESPNU's offices in Charlotte -- which he described as being a "kid in a candy store."
Most recently Sproat made headlines by dressing up as the teapot from the "Beauty and the Beast" during a Feb. 2 game against Nevada. It's one of the many Disney characters he's portrayed in the last two seasons. The Utah State student section followed Sproat's lead by serenading Nevada guard Malik Story with "I'm a little teapot" as he attempted his foul shots.

8 Reasons to Watch the 83rd Academy Awards

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 03:17:00 +0700

by: Matt Whitfield

Natalie Portman and Helena Bonham Carter
Steve Granitz& Jeff Vespa/Wireimage.com

Yes, it’s typically snooze-inducing. Yes, it tends to run
over its three allotted hours. Yes, seeing stars constantly celebrating
themselves becomes a bit annoying after awhile. But, there’s no doubt about it:
The annual Academy Awards telecast is must-see TV. Here are eight reasons why
you shouldn’t miss this year’s show:

1. Fashion, Fashion, Fashion!

Will Natalie Portman accentuate her growing baby bump in a
skintight Herve Leger bandage dress or keep it hidden under a bedazzled
Marchesa muumuu? Will Oprah -- who’s handing out the Best Documentary prize --
look regal or ridiculous? She’s either hit or miss. And more importantly, what
in God’s name will Best Supporting Actress nominee Helena Bonham Carter be
wearing?! (Hopefully something that puts Bjork’s infamous swan dress to shame!)

Related: Award Show's Best-Dressed

2. The Return of Sandra Bullock

Last year, she was the belle of the ball and won Best
Actress for her career-changing role in “The Blind Side.” A few weeks later,
her entire world fell apart when it was revealed that her hubby -- “Monster
Garage” host Jesse James -- had been cheating on her. We’ve seen Sandra on the
red carpet since (she was smoking hot at Spike TV’s Guys Choice Awards), but
all eyes will be on America’s sweetheart come Sunday evening even though she’s not
nominated.

Photos: Most Surprising Celeb Splits

3. Co-Hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco

The producers of the show are taking a huge risk by having
Hathaway and Franco at the helm of TV’s second-biggest show of the year. At
first, I was perplexed. The star of “The Princess Diaries” and that dude who
moonlights on “General
Hospital”? But the more I
think about it, the more I’m excited to see what the dynamic duo can pull off.
Comedy bits (that could very well fall flat), costume changes, choreographed
dance routines… it’s either going to be a triumph or a train wreck.
Translation: great TV.

4. In Memoriam

Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion will serenade us with “Smile”
as the faces of some of our favorite film stars who’ve recently passed away
flash across the big screen. But what I’m dying (pun intended) to find out: Who
won’t make the final cut? Dennis Hopper and Leslie Nielsen are gimmes, but will
Corey Haim be snubbed, again?

5. Best Supporting Actress

Colin Firth, Natalie Portman, and Christian Bale are locks
to win their respective categories, but Supporting Actress is up for grabs.
Well, “Animal Kingdom’s” Jacki Weaver doesn’t stand a chance, but Amy Adams,
Melissa Leo, Helena Bonham Carter, and Hailee Steinfeld all do. My money’s on
Hailee (because “True Grit” won’t win anything else and the Academy will want
to give the film a little love), but my guess is as good as yours.

6. Banksy

Everyone, including myself, is wondering if the British
graffiti artist/political activist/star of Best Documentary nominee “Exit
Through the Gift Shop” will show up. Why? His real identity has never been
confirmed and he’s also known for donning a monkey mask for public appearances.
Can you imagine a man in a monkey suit accepting an Oscar? I can, despite the
fact that “Inside Job” will likely take home the trophy.

Photos: Top 10 Bizarre Oscar Moments

7. A-List Presenters

Halle Berry, Robert Downey Jr., Cate Blanchett,
Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis, Jude Law, Helen
Mirren, Russell Brand, Marisa Tomei, Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon,
Josh Brolin, Oprah Winfrey, and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman)!

8. The Uninvited

Perhaps it’s just me, but I’m looking forward to an awards
show that doesn’t feature any of the following: Meryl Streep (love her, but I
need a break), the “Twilight” kids (good luck at the Razzies), Ricky Gervais
(Anne and James can’t possibly be worse than the obnoxious host of the Globes),
Lady Gaga/the cast of “Glee”/Justin Bieber (I’m way more excited to hear
Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine perform “If I Rise” from “127 Hours”
than any of those overexposed musical acts).

Blog Template 4You

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 16:03:00 +0700

Blog Template 4You

ZipZap
Save a Day for Hungary
So Much Fun
Legal Aid
Garage Band
Zipline Tour in Honduras
Keyboard
Slow Lorris
Branches
Love Eco

ZipZap

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 04:44 PM PST

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Save a Day for Hungary

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 04:31 PM PST

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So Much Fun

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 03:55 PM PST

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Posted: 25 Feb 2011 03:43 PM PST

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Garage Band

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 03:32 PM PST

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Zipline Tour in Honduras

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 03:20 PM PST

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Keyboard

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 03:06 PM PST

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Slow Lorris

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 02:56 PM PST

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Branches

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 02:44 PM PST

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Love Eco

Posted: 25 Feb 2011 02:29 PM PST

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Blog Template 4You

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:03:00 +0700

Blog Template 4You

Be Close to France

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 11:47 PM PST

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1000 Lakes of Finland

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 11:31 PM PST

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Bedshaped

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 11:17 PM PST

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Indie Designer

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 11:04 PM PST

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Taste Tunas in Fiji

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 10:53 PM PST

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Endless Joy of England

Posted: 24 Feb 2011 10:42 PM PST

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Staple

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 11:54 PM PST

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By Red Sea in Egypt

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 11:32 PM PST

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Chat on the Way to Ecuador

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 10:03 PM PST

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President’s Day

Posted: 23 Feb 2011 09:47 PM PST

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Blog Template 4You

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:09:00 +0700

Blog Template 4You

Adobe Photoshop
Merry Christmas Eve
All In Sea
Oasis in Europe
Indoor and Outdoor Activities
Rival
Eat Health Food in Costa Rica
Treasure Each Day
Pets off Leash
Energetic Oklahoma Life

Adobe Photoshop

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 11:31 PM PST

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Merry Christmas Eve

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 11:14 PM PST

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All In Sea

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 11:02 PM PST

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Oasis in Europe

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 10:45 PM PST

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Indoor and Outdoor Activities

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 10:26 PM PST

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Posted: 22 Feb 2011 10:14 PM PST

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Eat Health Food in Costa Rica

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 09:59 PM PST

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Treasure Each Day

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 09:43 PM PST

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Pets off Leash

Posted: 22 Feb 2011 09:32 PM PST

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Posted: 22 Feb 2011 08:56 PM PST

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As Japanese economic growth slows, focus turns to currency

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 08:35:00 +0700

The growth rate of Japan’s economy slowed unexpectedly in the second quarter – and with China’s gross domestic product expanding by more than 10 percent, the latter is believed to have supplanted the former as the world’s No. 2 economy.
China has enjoyed surging economic growth, even when the developed world was suffering through the recession. The country’s blistering expansion should continue: Goldman Sachs chief economist Jim O’Neill believes China’s economy will be larger than the U.S.’ in 2027.
Japan is not faring as well. The nation’s GDP expanded by just 0.4 percent, on an annualized basis, in the second quarter – much slower than the 4.4 percent annualized growth it posted in the first quarter.
Ironically, though, currency investors have looked favorably on the yen of late. It surged to 15-year highs against the dollar last week – investors lost interest in the greenback because of the U.S.’ economic slowdown – and it has risen so fast that Japanese exporters are asking finance officials to intervene in the currency markets.
There is a precedent for currency intervention: The Swiss National Bank bought euros during the second quarter when the Swiss franc was rising quickly. Stronger currencies hurt companies by reducing their overseas revenue; by intervening, the SNB helped Swiss export firms like Swatch.
Japan has a much larger export sector than Switzerland, though, and currency intervention may be more acutely needed in Japan than it was in Switzerland. Already, Japanese companies are feeling the pain: Their share prices slumped last week on concerns about the stronger yen’s impact on revenue.
But Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda indicated that intervention wouldn’t occur in the near-term. "We will monitor economic conditions carefully and respond appropriately," he said August 12.
Related posts:

Japanese policymakers combat strong yen Japan's yen has risen sharply against the dollar in the...
Japanese policymakers combat strong yen Japan's yen has risen sharply against the dollar in the...
Euro-zone debt will erode European growth, IMF says The euro-zone's debt problems have been well-publicized in recent months,...
Bank tax measure stymied by foreign governments A proposal to levy a "bailout tax" on banks around...
Economic slack will continue, CBO director warns In a Thursday blog post, the director of the Congressional...

Whether it is regarding environmental emission limits,

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 08:28:00 +0700

operating targets or an accurate view of production, readily available information is the key in any decision making process, no matter how remote the actual work site is. Pactel International’s key differentiator is its 24 x 7 online support system and customer network management that allows end users to remotely access this information and monitor their sites on a continuous basis. Pactel International provides both point to point and point to multipoint turnkey satellite communication systems for the Mining, Oil & Gas resource sectors within the Asia-Pacific Region1. Due to the nature of their operations, companies in the Mining, Oil and Gas sectors exchange large volumes of data between head offices and remote operation sites. Bandwidth can be very expensive when delivered in short supply to multiple remote regions of the world. Pactel International provides enhanced bandwidth optimisation and efficiency to enable our customers to get the most out of their bandwidth and reduce risk, improve performance and maximise their exploration in a cost-effective way. If you require constant contact with the rest of the world during your exploration, production, transportation, refining & marketing operations, Pactel will keep you connected, allowing you to remain at top of your game. As a leading solution provider of turnkey and flexible communication solutions to offshore rigs, land rigs and other remote locations, we offer the full spectrum of voice, video and data applications

Libya shutdowns send oil soaring

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 08:26:00 +0700

(FT) -- Oil prices surged by more than $6 a barrel as violence in Libya knocked out at least half the country's production, according to industry executives.
Brent oil futures, the global pricing benchmark, jumped 5 per cent to more than $111 a barrel -- a 2½-year peak, while Nymex West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark, hit $100 a barrel for the first time since October 2008, before falling back to $98. "It is increasingly looking as if this is the real deal in terms of a supply shock," said JBC Energy, a Vienna-based consultancy.
Executives estimated that at least half of Libya's 1.6m barrels a day oil output had been shut down, although they cautioned that they did not have direct knowledge of production at their competitors' oilfields.
Amrita Sen, energy analyst at Barclays Capital, said: "The overall significance of the situation is more than just about lost barrels. Destabilisation in the Arab world, home to the world's largest oil and gas reserves and production, is of extreme significance."
Producers' cartel Opec has said it stands ready to supply the market in case of a shortage.
However, analysts warned that Opec's spare capacity was of lower quality than Libyan crude, suggesting that members of the International Energy Agency, the consumer countries' watchdog, might instead agree to release strategic stocks.
Lawrence Eagles, head of oil research at JPMorgan and a former head of oil markets at the IEA, said: "Without information on the scale and duration of any disruption, Opec cannot accurately gauge how much additional crude to produce. A release [of] stocks by the IEA may meet market needs more closely."
The subject is likely to arise at a regular two-day board meeting to be held by the IEA on Thursday and Friday.
But the agency said: "At present, we are not in a situation where [releasing oil from stocks] is necessary."
Industry executives warned that the effect of the disruptions in Libya could be felt for several months -- even if a semblance of peace were to return to the country.
"If the disruption lasts more than three weeks, the recovery will take time because pressure will be lost," one said.
According to traders, Libya's national oil company has declared force majeure -- a legal clause allowing it to walk away from contracted deliveries -- on refined products. They add that western oil majors could do the same on their contracted deliveries of crude oil within days.
Spain's Repsol and Germany's Wintershall have publicly announced that they have shut down production in Libya, estimated to be 350,000 b/d and 100,000 b/d respectively.
In addition, traders and industry executives said production had ceased at certain fields operated by Total of France and Italy's Eni, equal to a further 300,000-350,000 b/d.
The companies confirmed that there had been some impact on their oil output, without giving details.
The extent of production losses at oilfields operated by Libya's national oil company was unclear.
Ms Sen estimated that as much as 1m b/d may have been shut down -- more than 60 per cent of Libya's total production.

The rest of the country's output was "increasingly under threat", she added.

Conspiracy and corruption towards Late Legendary Grand Master Angel L. Blancia from Panay Island, Iloilo City area Arevalo in the Philippines.

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 03:10:00 +0700

I'll never heard anything in the Philippines concerning all Filipino's half blooded Martial Arts around the globe, Chinese Filipino Martial Arts, Yoga, Hilot Massage etc.... what happen outside the country but its so amazing!!! Well, im glad to knew about it, only when i was here in Canada 2005.

This blog is created to expose the greatest, biggest hypocrites, traitor of all times and dont recognized the name of Creator Late Legendary Grand Master Angel L. Blancia, wife Monserrat Gabo Blancia, Master Jann Philipides Blancia, Master Gladys Blancia, Master Diomedes Blancia, instructor Victoria Blancia, Coordonnator Mercedese Blancia and Grand Master Gloria Blancia Thirnish. These are the people hiding under the guise of nobility yet behind their luster are many rotten realities that if only the people would know, they would surely abhor them.

We the Blancia family are victims of circumtances.
Exactly as what they said.
Politician in the Philippines, Filipino Martial Arts, Chinese Martial Arts
are take advantage by using their power and authority.
Yeah, there is a democracy only for those people
who are employed in the government especially
in high level position.
Each politician established the clan for their own good
and priorities preserving by their power and privileges.
Filipino Martial Arts & Chinese Filipino Martial Arts their family and friends majority are politician 90% to 100%. Since President: Diosdado Macapagal up to President Ferdinand Marcos, President Corazon Aquino, President Fidel V. Ramos, more closer are getting worse until today; the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, senator, governor, mayor, congressman, etc... ambassador from Filipino Consulate General in the Worldwide, Military Task Force Organization etc... There are so many Students and friends of Late Legendary Grand Master Angel L. Blancia are public servant of the Government in the Philippines.
Think of it, our government of the Philippines are top listed in corruption level arround the world.
Especially Filipino Martial Arts & Chinese Martial Art's Around the world... who owned by the following Politicians in the Philippines. Like; Arroyo Administration, Chavit Singson, Mayor Atienza, Gibo, Noynoy Aquino Manny Villar ect.

That's why, former President Marcos Declared Martial Law In order to covered the true story of the filipino People. Only his will are allowed to published on the media, newspaper, radio, tv and so forth. With fully supported of every individual's are those people behind with them, which is until today.

Conspiracy, corruption still going on & Filipino Martial Arts & Chinese Filipino Martial Arts. Silence Type of Martial Law are still Going on with matching Type.

Promoting a Self-Defence Method ( Filipino Martial Arts worldwide) by now, in the whole Philippines with participation of the department of Education & sport officially.

Movies School Gym,T.V. showtime... by using the actresses, actors, friends, politicians included their young generation, outside and inside organization with full of moral support of the government of the Philippines.

Informative & reasonable to restored the important fact, behind the uncovered story of Late Legendary Grand Master Angel L. Blancia behind the dirty walls of the Filipino & Chinese Martial arts Worldwide. If GM Gloria Blancia telling us tha......t she learned her skill from her late father thru the way of Lapu Lapu way back in ancient time ( 1500 - 1600 - 1700 ). Absolutely, my personal reaction on that matters i cannot believe it. It is not comprehensible the fact. Actually, anyone of us can carry the Sword, Stick, Bladed or any thing that possible that can help us, how to depend ourselves at any time situation especially when you're facing in danger situation. Now, the question is; Why the Filipino & Chinese martial art's organization worldwide are knowing each other, helping and supporting each other? The most controversy is that, why this martial art's organization worldwide denied about the Blancia System and no one knews? What does it mean? Why they got an old school in martial art way back 1900 until today. Now, thru the courtesy of his daughter GM Gloria Blancia, we found out that we miss the true artifact in modern time the Legend of true creator and no one else. Anyone, does not concerned to recognized just beacuse everyone got personal interest to be knowned. Well, we cannot denied the truth about the past. And we knew it that all of us, we cannot escape from the past.

*THE TRUTH BEHIND THE PAST & THE PAST BEHIND THE TRUTH *

What if you discovered Filipino Martial Arts, Arnis Eskrima, Doce Pares, Kali, Espada Ydaga, Blade is from the Phillippines with the following art's or any kind of art's in martial art's but actually they're just in one roots of the said Martial Art.

Club Stick is the art of Filipino Martial Art's, Arnis, Eskrima, Doce Pares, Kali, Combat Fighting, Sword, Blade, ect. all this kind of martial art are came in one roots of the said art's known as Kung-Fu Filipino Martial Art's Yoga is the key source of every individual forms of martial art

It's hard to believed that the goodness of Late Legendary Grand Master Angel
L. Blancia with his entire families was abusing by his former students
. I'll share this to those former students are traitor to the Blancia
System....To those traitor you deserve it but not the faithful student's.

Im so much thankful for sharing with us, especially your wonderful question to us. Well, according to the following authors based on ancient time Kung-Fu is came from China. Perhap's this art of Kung-Fu was promulgated by the following Fil...ipino Chinese, Chinese, Filipino Americans a former students of Legendary Grand Master Angel L Blancia. I am appealling the right to form that Kung-Fu is from the Philippines notable in a recent time of 18Th century but not in ancient time.

Cacoy Canete, Dionesio Canete, Dan Inosanto and many more are former students of my late Grand Master Angel L. Blancia. So far ive got so much information about with them. Everytime, Dan Inosanto, Canete's visited secretly ours following students while they're in abroad. And kept reminding with them not to tell about the Blancia System. Therefore, do you have idea why they're not allowed to speak about the Blancia System?

Thus, Filipino Martial Arts Students denied intentionally by betraying, antagonizing secretly, eventually by forgetting their " Grand Master Angel L. Blancia ".Master Gladys Blancia Master Diomedes Blancia, Master John Philippides Blancia, Instructor Victoria Blancia, Grand Master Gloria Blancia.....

Obama drops defense of law against gay marriage

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 02:37:00 +0700

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama has ordered the Justice Department to stop defending the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage for federal purposes as only between a man and woman, according to a statement Wednesday from Attorney General Eric Holder.
"The president has concluded that given a number of factors, including a documented history of discrimination, classifications based on sexual orientation should be subject to a more heightened standard of scrutiny," Holder said.
The key provision in the law "fails to meet that standard and is therefore unconstitutional."
"Given that conclusion, the president has instructed the (Justice Department) not to defend the statute" in two pending cases in New York, Holder said. "I fully concur with the president's determination."
Obama has previously expressed his personal opposition to the Defense of Marriage Act but had never stated an opinion relating to its constitutionality.
The administration had a March 11 deadline to respond to two lawsuits against the measure in New York. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals -- which includes New York -- is the only federal circuit to have never decided the basic legal question of whether a law discriminates against gays and lesbians.
Republicans immediately ripped the decision, calling it a distraction at a time when the focus needs to be on the economy.
"While Americans want Washington to focus on creating jobs and cutting spendingm the president will have to explain why he thinks now is the appropriate time to stir up a controversial issue that sharply divides the nation," said Michael Steel, spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said the administration had to make a decision before the court-imposed deadline.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, praised the decision, calling it a key step forward in the push for equal rights for gays and lesbians.
The administration's decision "is a victory for civil rights, fairness, and equality," Pelosi said. "I commend (Obama) for taking this bold step forward to ensure the federal government is no longer in the business of defending an indefensible statute."
The Defense of Marriage Act was passed in 1996 by the GOP-controlled Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. It bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages and says states cannot be forced to recognize such marriages from other states.
In July, a federal judge in Massachusetts became the first to rule the law unconstituational. U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro said that "irrational prejudice plainly never constitutes a legitimate government interest."

Carney said Wednesday the administration will continue to enforce the law.

Check out CNN affiliate KING-TV in Seattle for a report

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 02:30:00 +0700

(CNN) -- A round-the-world boating adventure ended tragically Tuesday for four Americans, whom pirates fatally shot after capturing their yacht in the Indian Ocean last week, U.S. officials said.
The 58-foot vessel, named the Quest, was being shadowed by the military after pirates took the ship off the coast of Oman on Friday. Officials had said earlier Tuesday it was less than two days from the Somali coast.
Ship owners Jean and Scott Adam and Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle were found shot after U.S. forces boarded the vessel about 1 a.m. ET, officials said.
The forces responded after a rocket-propelled grenade was fired at a U.S. Navy ship about 600 yards away -- and missed -- and the sound of gunfire could be heard on board the Quest, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Mark Fox told reporters.

Four Americans on hijacked yacht dead

Friend reflects on slain couple

Security expert on pirates, hijacking

American hostages killed

RELATED TOPICS

"Despite immediate steps to provide life-saving care, all four hostages ultimately died of their wounds," U.S. Central Command said.
The incident took place as negotiations involving the FBI were under way for the hostages' release, Fox said. Two pirates had boarded a U.S. Navy ship Monday for the negotiations, he said. He told reporters he had no information on details of the negotiations or whether a ransom had been offered.
Two pirates were found dead on board the Quest, he said. In the process of clearing the vessel, U.S. forces killed two others, one with a knife, Fox said. Thirteen others were captured and detained along with the other two already on board the U.S. Navy ship. Nineteen pirates were involved altogether, he said.
The Adams were from Marina del Rey, California, Fox said, and Macay and Riggle were from Seattle.
The 15 detained pirates were being held together on a U.S. warship, Fox said, and "we will go through the appropriate process to bring them to a judicial process and hold them accountable for their activities."
Somali government officials condemned the killing.
"The Transitional Federal Government of Somalia deeply regrets the deaths," a government statement said. "We condemn the actions of these and all pirates operating from our shores and we will ensure that the captured pirates are brought to justice."
In Washington, the Justice Department issued a brief comment, with department spokesman Dean Boyd saying the United States "is committed to working with our international partners to ensure that the perpectrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice."
A second Justice Department official said there are a number of options for trial of the pirates. Two leading options would be to try the men either in the Southern District of New York or in the Eastern District of Virginia because prosecutors in those districts have experience handling such cases, the official said.
In New York, Abduwali Abukhadir Muse pleaded guilty to the 2009 hijacking of the container ship Maersk Alabama and for taking the ship's captain hostage. Last week Muse was sentenced to almost 34 years in prison for his crimes. He was the only surviving pirate involved in the take-over of the Maersk.
In Norfolk, Virginia, five Somali pirates were convicted after a nine day trial in November of attacking a Navy vessel, the USS Nicholas, which they had mistaken for a merchant ship. A second case in Norfolk involves alleged pirates accused of firing at another Navy ship, the USS Ashland.
The federal judge in the Ashland case threw out the lead count of piracy, but prosecutors are appealing that decision. The attacks on the Nicholas and the Ashland occurred last April.
Another option would be to bring the case in California or Washington, the home states of the victims. The Justice official said it would be possible to try the suspected pirates in almost any judicial district the Justice Department might choose by simply flying the suspects to that location and making it the suspects' first point of entry in the United States.
Fox said authorities believe the pirates were trying to get the vessel and hostages to Somalia, or at least into Somali territory waters.
Fox said it was the deadliest pirate hijacking involving U.S. citizens that he could recall. There have been fewer than 10 fatalities associated with pirate activity in the region in the past few years, he said.
The Adams, Macay and Riggle had been traveling with yachts participating in the Blue Water Rally since their departure from Phuket, Thailand, rally organizers said Sunday on the event's website. The group, which organizes long-distance group cruises, said the Quest broke off on February 15 after leaving Mumbai, India, to take a different route.
A statement from Blue Water Rallies on Tuesday called the four "brave adventurers." "We at Blue Water Rallies are stunned and devastated by the news of the loss of four friends who have had their innocent lives taken away from them by the pirate menace which is plaguing the Indian Ocean," it said.
The Somalis also issued condolences. "I do express a deep condolence to the families," said Omar Jamal, first secretary of the Somali mission to the United Nations, in a statement.
U.S. President Barack Obama was notified early Tuesday of the deaths, White House spokesman Jay Carney said. Obama had a briefing on the situation over the weekend and authorized the use of force against the pirates in the event of an imminent threat to the Americans' safety, he said.
The United States "strongly condemns the murder of four U.S. citizens," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement, adding, "This deplorable act firmly underscores the need for continued international progress toward confronting the shared security challenge posed by piracy in the waters off the Horn of Africa."
Forces had been monitoring the Quest for three days, officials said. Four U.S. Navy warships were involved in the response force -- an aircraft carrier, a guided-missile cruiser and two guided-missile destroyers, according to the statement.
Fox said Tuesday authorities believe the 19 pirates came aboard the Quest after traveling on a "mother ship."
The "mother ship" trend -- pirates using another hijacked merchant vessel -- has appeared in the past few months, said Cyrus Mody, manager at the International Maritime Bureau in London. The mother ships provide pirates with "a lot more reach, a lot more capability to move out (farther) into the Indian Ocean," he said.
In addition, pirates can stay on board longer, have appropriate equipment and can demand the expertise of the ship's crew, he said. Previously, pirates typically hijacked a vessel and held it until a ransom was paid, he said.
The Adams were a passionate couple who spent most of their time since 2004 boating around the world, said Scott Stolnitz, who knew Scott Adam, a retired film executive, for nearly 40 years. The couple had a small boat at the Del Rey Yacht Club, where they would occasionally return to visit friends, family and handle business, he said.
But traveling the world on their yacht was where they really wanted to be, he said.
"They loved the experiences they were having with the people they were meeting and the places they were going," Stolnitz said. "We asked them once if they ever looked forward to living on land again, and they both, believe it or not, said no."
He earlier had said the Adams were conscious of pirate threats and were concerned about boating in the area.
One aspect of their travels, according to the couple's website, was "friendship evangelism -- that is, finding homes for thousands of Bibles, which have been donated through grants and gifts, as we travel from place to place." They also said their mission was to "allow the power of the Word to transform lives."
But, Stolnitz said, vigorous evangelism wasn't a major emphasis for the couple. "They use the Bible as an ice-breaker," he said.
Nina Crossland, Macay's niece, said she did not know if the Adams had any weapons aboard their yacht, nor did she know why they decided to break off from a sailing group that was traversing the dangerous waters of the Indian Ocean together.
"We don't know and now unfortunately we may never know," she asid.
Crossland said she was told that Macay was still alive when U.S. Navy SEALS arrived on board the Quest, but the sailors were not able to save her.
Asked earlier whether the U.S. forces were SEALS, Fox earlier said they were "U.S. special operations forces."
Piracy has flourished off Somalia, which has not had an effective government for two decades. While piracy in the Indian Ocean has taken place for years close to the Somali coast, "in 2008 we saw a very marked and rapid shift into the Gulf of Aden, where Somali pirates were attacking and hijacking vessels very, very regularly," said Mody of the International Maritime Bureau.
International navies combating piracy have been fairly successful in setting up a patrolled transit corridor through the Gulf of Aden, Mody and Fox said. But the pirates' activities then shifted into the southern Red Sea, Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea area, Mody said.
In addition, there was "a very large increase" in pirate attacks between 2008 and 2009, although the increase did not continue into 2010, Mody said. He noted that in the first few months of 2010, virtually no pirate hijackings were reported. So far in 2011, "we have already seen more than 50 attacks carried out," he said. "From 2008, what we've seen is they have evolved ... and increased their capabilities."
International counterpiracy teams do what they can to control pirate activities in the region, he said, but "the area in which the Somali pirates are threatening is far too large for a concentrated naval effort like what is happening in the Gulf of Aden, so the navies are mostly relying on a lot of intelligence gathering and targeting vessels based on the intelligence."
The entire United States east of the Mississippi River could fit into the Somali basin, Fox said. "It's a vast, vast area." Currently, 34 warships patrol the region under 15 flags and work well together, he said, but "there's a lot of places where we are not."
In April 2009, pirates seized the U.S.-flagged Maersk Alabama, leading to a standoff in the Indian Ocean. U.S. forces moved to rescue American Captain Richard Phillips after seeing a pirate aiming a weapon at his back, officials said at the time.
Three pirates were killed and one was arrested. The Somali man arrested was convicted of acts related to high-seas piracy, and a federal court in New York sentenced him last week to more than 30 years in prison.

As of February 15, pirates were holding 33 vessels and 712 hostages, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

Palin calls potential rival 'Neanderthal'

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 02:26:00 +0700

Update: Santorum says he and Palin have spoken privately about the issue and are 'fine.'

(CNN) – Sarah Palin is mixing it up with potential rival Rick Santorum, suggesting the former Pennsylvania senator and presidential hopeful is a "knuckle-dragging Neanderthal."

The eyebrow-raising slap came in response to Santorum's recent comments that Palin was likely skipping an annual gathering of conservatives in Washington this weekend because of other "business opportunities" and her mothering responsibilities.

"I don't live in Alaska and I'm not the mother to all these kids and I don't have other responsibilities that she has," Santorum told conservative online radio host S.E. Cupp in comments that some commentators called sexist.
"Just because I'm a mom that does not mean that I didn't want to be there," Palin responded on Fox News Wednesday night. "I'm the proud mother of five…my kids don't hold me back from attending a conference."
"I will not call him the knuckle-dragging Neanderthal," Palin continued. "I'll let his wife call him that instead."
Santorum meanwhile maintains he never meant to insult Palin but was instead merely stating that she is a busy person.
"We've watched every episode of 'Sarah Palin's Alaska,'" Santorum said on Fox Wednesday. "We enjoy it. I know she has obligations to do other things outside of the work she does at Fox. I said I assume she has other things to do."
Both Santorum and Palin are contributors to Fox News.

Huckabee ready to test his message

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 02:25:00 +0700

Washington (CNN) - Former Republican Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said he's using his upcoming book tour to gauge if his message resonates with voters before making a decision on whether or not to make a run for the White House in 2012.

"A Simple Government" hits book shelves Tuesday and describes his philosophy for the national debt, national security, international relations and family values. On a conference call with reporters Monday, he said his 41-city tour will also help him decide if "there is both financial and organizational support that warrants walking away from what I'm doing and getting back into the fray again."

Huckabee, who lost the GOP nomination in 2008 currently hosts a show on Fox News and anchors a radio program. Although he said he enjoyed campaigning in the last election, he did not enjoy the mechanics of running a national operation.
"I love to campaign, it's one of the things that I have enjoyed the most. That is the part that's most appealing to me about getting back in is that I truly enjoy the day-to-day rhythm of a campaign, as insane as that may sound to most people who aren't inflicted with this disease," Huckabee said. "But you know the thought of sitting on a telephone in some office… and just cold calling people I don't know and begging them for money, that's not my forte."
The tour also lets him avoid the news cycle that he said allows "punditry to kind of set the schedule."
"It kind of gives me an opportunity to take that message to the people rather than to wait to be one of 12 people on a debate stage getting four minutes worth of questions," Huckabee said.
But he declined to throw his support behind someone else in the current 2012 field, saying a run for president isn't one where "you just look around and see who else is on the field."
He doled out positive words for Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour who are both weighing presidential bids, but ultimately said "I'm not going to make a decision based on who else is in or who's not in."

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Farrell: In Middle East, Mottos and Armies Are Key

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:10:00 +0700

"Allah is our objective; the Prophet is our leader; the Quran is our law; Jihad is our way; dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope." That's the motto of the Muslim Brotherhood. It, or they, insist that Islam is the only source of legislation and that non-Muslims and women cannot become heads of state.

To believe a democratic outcome is a fait accompli in North Africa is failing to understand the Muslim Brotherhood's purpose. They may not have the influence they wish right now, but they are there, and patient.

A recent poll by the Washington Institute for Near East policy found that Muslim Brotherhood leaders received barely 1% of Egyptians support for the Presidency. Only 7% of those that responded believed that "the Mubarak regime is not Islamic enough."

This, says an article in the Wall Street Journal last Friday, February 16 by Maajid Nawaz (executor director of Quilliam, a counterextremism think tank in England) suggests the Muslim Brotherhood is likely to win seats in the Egyptian Parliament if an election were to be held, but unlikely to gain control.

But in the same edition of the Journal, Ms. Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and a former member of the Dutch Parliament, warned that it should be remembered that al Qaeda, Islamic Jihad, and Hamas (and others) are offshoots of the Brotherhood.

She feels the Brotherhood has a hidden agenda and that the West should push for more time in drafting a new Egyptian constitution. Such a constitution, she says, "should introduce checks and balances, eliminate the one-party system and guarantee the protection of human rights." It should also safeguard against the imposition of Shariah law.

The above mentioned Mr. Nawaz, who was once held as a prisoner of conscience in Egypt, takes heart in the bold secular youth movements that had so much to do with Mubarak's downfall. The Egyptian Movement for Change, and the April 6th Youth were more influential that the allegedly most organized movement in Egypt, the Brotherhood. The Economist Magazine editorialized in a recent issue that '"fear of the Muslim Brotherhood is...overdone."

If a new government included the Brotherhood it would be harder on Israel and easier on Hamas, but the Brothers are a varied bunch and "wouldn't risk another war" with Israel. Some would argue for rescinding the peace treaty with Israel. But estimates of their popularity peak at about 20% depending on who is counting and they would probably bide their time. But remember their motto and what that implies.

The U.S. would be wise to remember the bitter truth written by playwright Bertolt Brecht, 1898-1956, an avowed Marxist, who said "First grub, then ethics." He was right. Food comes first and for the half of Egypt's population that lives on less than $2 a day, the next meal is more important than the next election. This represents an opportunity for the US that would be nice to take advantage off if we weren't broke as a nation.

And aid/assistance can't be distributed from the state down. Free enterprise and job creation has to come from the bottom up. Dan Henninger had a fascinating op-ed piece in the Journal recently.

Waiting in the wings is Saudi Arabia. Fabulously wealthy as a nation, the divide between haves and have nots is staggering. 40% of Saudis live in poverty and 70% can't afford homes says Karen Elliott House, a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter for her coverage of the Middle East.

In Egypt, pre-revolution, the percentage of the working population employed by the state was 35%. Large public sectors are almost universally smothering and inefficient. In Jordan, nearly 50% of the workforce is employed by the state and Yemen, Tunisia, and Algeria are in between those two.

A raft of Asian countries have less than 15% of the population working in the public sector, and they have vibrant economies. Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand have less than 15% of the workforce employed by the state. In China it is 8.3%; Singapore is 3%; and also below 15% are Columbia, Peru, and Chile, "three of South America's strongest economies." Mr. Henninger figures a low number doesn't guarantee strong growth, "but a high number probably kills it."

Those newly emergent (hopefully) democratic governments might not want to look too closely at the US. Public sector costs have helped push New York, California, New Jersey, and Illinois to the financial brink. And Wisconsin is a wonderful example of how messy democracy can be. The newly elected governor of Wisconsin has done exactly what he said he would do during the campaign, and the legislature is ready to pass the package.

Wednesday Look Ahead: Oil Pressure Rises on Financial Markets

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:07:00 +0700

Markets are grappling with new concerns that rising oil prices could stifle the economic recovery and steal away stock market gains.

The escalating situation in Libya, where Muammar Gaddafi vowed to crush the revolution, drove April crude more than 8.5 percent higher Tuesday to $93.57 per barrel. Stocks tumbled on the second heaviest volume day of the year. The Dow fell 178 points, or 1.4 percent to 12,212, and the S&P 500 sank 27 points, or 2 percent to 1315, the edge of a key technical zone. The Nasdaq was severely battered, falling 2.7 percent to 2756.

Investors ran to the safety of Treasurys, driving yields lower. The 10-year was yielding 3.465 percent, its lowest level in three weeks. The dollar gained 0.2 percent against the euro, but lost 0.4 percent against the yen, which benefited from a flight-to-safety trade of its own. The VIX, the stock market's fear gauge, also jumped sharply, rising more than 26 percent to 20.80.

"One day does not make a trend. We saw that two weeks ago. We have to see how it plays out," said Dan Deming, who trades the VIX, with Stutland Volatility Group. Deming said the VIX also soared when the market sold off on unrest in Egypt last month, but it reversed course as the market steadied. The situation this time is much more uncertain, as Libya, an oil producer, is in chaos with about 30 percent of the country controlled by rebels and the rest in the hands of Gaddafi.

Libya declared a force majeure on oil production Tuesday, according to Reuters. Senior U.S. officials later told NBC News that there is no evidence of damage or a change in control at Libya oil facilities.

Traders were also watching as two Iranian war ships passed from the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea in the first such crossing in 30 years. Some Israel officials called the act a provocation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday accused Iran of trying to exploit the uprisings in the region and to use its influence to thwart democratic reform.

What to Watch

Besides Middle East developments and the price of oil, Wednesday's markets will also be watching for January existing home sales data at 10 a.m., and the Treasury's auction of $35 billion in 5-year notes. Philadelphia Fed President Charles Plosser speaks at 1:30 p.m. on the economic outlook, and Kansas City Fed President Thomas Hoenig speaks at 12:30 p.m. at an event on housing and finance.

Hewlett-Packard [HPQ 48.23 -0.44 (-0.9%)] will also be a factor Wednesday, and it could have a big impact on the Dow. Hewlett stock tumbled more than 11 percent late Wednesday after the company reported disappointing revenues and cut guidance for the year.

Oil Drill

The rise in oil prices comes as the market in increasingly focused on inflation pressures. One of the biggest debates now is how high oil and gasoline prices might go on the situation in Libya and other parts of the Middle East. Libya produces about 1.6 million barrels of oil a day, or about 2 percent of global production, but it is a very high quality crude. Traders speculated Tuesday that as oil moves higher, gasoline prices could shoot up to a national average of $4 per gallon or even higher, in the not too distant future.

"I think things are going to calm down in terms of the oil market response," said Thomas Kloza, chief analyst at OPIS. "...We're looking at something that's probably going to take us to $3.50 to $3.75 (a gallon average for gasoline), which is a point that results in a lot of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth but probably doesn't have a big impact on demand."

HP shares slide as powerhouse faces growth fears

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:04:00 +0700

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Hewlett-Packard Co.'s new CEO Leo Apotheker delivered some disappointing news to Wall Street on Tuesday after his first full quarter with the technology company.
Revenue growth, a persistent worry for companies of HP's size, will be slower this year than many analysts had envisioned. It was an unusual letdown that raised questions about the momentum of the company's acquisition-fueled transformation into a computing clearinghouse.
Investors punished HP's stock, one of the the Dow Jones industrial average. The stock shed 12 percent in extended trading following the release of the fiscal first-quarter results.
Few companies are as good a proxy for the technology market as HP. It's the world's biggest technology company by revenue and is a player in many far-flung markets, from personal computers and smart phones and tablets to technical services and computer servers and data storage.
Yet the latest report appears to point more toward the danger of companies setting ambitious financial targets in a shaky economy than any broad weakness in technology spending that will spill over to other companies.
Another heavyweight, Cisco Systems Inc., has also stumbled, but its problem is mainly that it relies heavily on sales to cash-strapped government buyers. That's an area that HP is far less exposed to.
HP said after the market closed that its net income jumped 16 percent to $2.61 billion, or $1.17 per share, in the three months ended Jan. 31. A year ago, it earned $2.25 billion, or 93 cents per share.
HP said that excluding one-time items, it earned $1.36 per share in the latest quarter. That was ahead of the $1.29 per share that analysts polled by FactSet expected on that basis.
Revenue rose 4 percent to $32.30 billion, from $31.18 billion a year ago. But analysts expected more: $32.96 billion, according to FactSet.
HP appeared to attempt to quell concerns by raising its full-year profit forecast. It expects net income in a range of $5.20 to $5.28 per share, excluding items, which is in line with analysts' target for $5.23 per share on that basis.
But revenue prediction fell short. HP said it expects revenue of $130 billion to $131.5 billion in its current fiscal year, which ends in October. Analysts expected $132.91 billion.
The guidance raised concerns because HP has spent heavily in recent years on acquisitions that were expected to propel substantial growth in areas that rival IBM Corp. has found highly lucrative, especially selling technical services to corporations.
Those changes were set in motion by Apotheker's predecessor, Mark Hurd, who was forced out in August in a sexual harassment scandal that led to Apotheker's hiring and the replacement of a third of HP's board of directors.
The latest numbers show that HP is benefiting from the changes in its business model -- just not as much as some investors would like.
HP's keener courtship of corporations has helped the company grow in the face of anemic consumer demand.
Hurd was trying to make HP look more like IBM, which rescued itself from near collapse in the 1990s by focusing on outsourcing and other technology services that investors can count on being in strong demand in good times as well as bad because they can help save companies money.
Yet revenue in HP's services division fell 2 percent from the year-ago period. Weakness in short-term services contract signings drove the decline, Apotheker said.
It doesn't necessarily reflect an industry-wide problem. IBM's services revenue rose 2 percent in the latest quarter. IBM's services business is almost twice as big as HP's.
HP's personal computer division had a 1 percent decline in revenue. HP underestimated the extent of the weakness in the consumer PC market, Apotheker said. Consumers have scaled back their spending on PCs amid economic worries. They also now have more choices with the emergence of tablet computers.
HP's experience doesn't track exactly with the overall PC market, which remains hobbled by the Great Recession but has continued to grow, albeit slowly.
Shares in HP, which is based in Palo Alto, tumbled $5.83 to $42.40 in after-hours trading. They had closed the regular session down 44 cents, or 1 percent, at $48.23.

Lara Logan: Was She Actually Raped? It Makes a Difference.

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:03:00 +0700

Was Lara Logan raped by the insane mob in Cairo last Friday? Most media are shirking their jobs by a careful tiptoe around that key question. Ask women (or men), and they'll tell you that actual rape is worse than a mauling, even if the beating includes vicious groping. Exactly how much of a sexual assault was it? That matters. If it was actual rape, then the outrage needs to be ratcheted up. Among those not afraid of addressing the question is the New York Post, whose Clemente Lisi reports today:

The separation and assault lasted for roughly 20 to 30 minutes, said a person familiar with the matter, who added that it was "not a rape."

Was it or not? If it was, that would take this horrific act way beyond the pale. Despite what CBS and her family and the pusillanimous media say, the need to know trumps privacy.

Judging by the plucky and blunt Logan's frank talk on Jon Stewart's Daily Show and other venues, she will eventually tell us the details.
And it wouldn't be to satisfy some twisted prurience. It would be because she's blunt and a real reporter unafraid to deliver unpleasant truths. Here she is on Stewart in 2008:

Hosni Mubarak Reportedly in Coma; Maybe in Germany

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 11:01:00 +0700

According to unconfirmed reports, including from the Egyptian daily Al-Masry Al-Youm, ousted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who resigned last week after almost three weeks of violent protests in his country, is in a coma. Other (pro-government) sources say that the 82-year-old former president is in a "severe psychological condition" but not in a coma, while yet another report places him "on death's door in a hospital in Baden, Germany.

The Obama administration and Egypt's prime minister believe Mubarak is in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where he has a private residence.

There are also reports that Mubarak fainted twice during his final speech on Thursday night, possibly precipitating the coma? At any rate, wow. Bad month.

Mubarak Mystery: In Egypt, In Germany, In Coma? [CBS]

How Hosni Mubarak Got So Rich

noreply@blogger.com (udin) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:59:00 +0700

The mounting pressure from 18 days of historic protests finally drove Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from office, after three decades as his nation's iron-fisted ruler. But over that time, Mubarak amassed a fortune that should finance a pretty comfortable retirement. The British Guardian newspaper cites Middle Eastern sources placing the wealth of Mubarak and his family at somewhere between $40 billion and $70 billion. That's a pretty good pension for government work. The world's richest man--Mexican business magnate Carlos Slim--is worth about $54 billion, by comparison. Bill Gates is close behind, with a net worth of about $53 billion.
[See how to survive tax hikes and spending cuts.]
Mubarak, of course, was a military man, not a businessman. But running a country with a suspended constitution for 30 years generates certain perks, and Mubarak was in a position to take a slice of virtually every significant business deal in the country, from development projects throughout the Nile basin to transit projects on the Suez Canal, which is a conduit for about 4 percent of the world's oil shipments. "There was no accountability, no need for transparency," says Prof. Amaney Jamal of Princeton University. "He was able to reach into the economic sphere and benefit from monopolies, bribery fees, red-tape fees, and nepotism. It was guaranteed profit."

Had the typical Egyptian enjoyed a morsel of that, Mubarak might still be in power. But Egypt, despite a cadre of well-educated young people, has struggled as an economic backwater. The nation's GDP per capita is just $6,200, according to the CIA--one-seventh what it is in the United States. That output ranks 136th in the world, even though Egypt ranks 16th in population. Mubarak had been working on a set of economic reforms, but they stalled during the global recession. The chronic lack of jobs and upward mobility was perhaps the biggest factor driving millions of enraged Egyptian youths into the streets, demanding change.

[See 5 reasons to stop fearing China.]

Estimates of Mubarak's wealth will probably be hard to verify, if not impossible (one reason dictators tend not to make it onto Forbes's annual list). His money is certainly not sitting in an Egyptian vault, waiting to be counted. And his delayed exit may have allowed Mubarak time to move money around and hide significant parts of his fortune. The Swiss government has said it is temporarily freezing any assets in Swiss banks that could be linked to Mubarak, an uncharacteristically aggressive move for the secretive banking nation. But that doesn't mean the money will ever be returned to the Egyptian people, and it may even find its way to Mubarak eventually. Other Mubarak funds are reportedly sitting in British banks, and Mubarak was no doubt wily enough to squire away some cash in unlikely places. Plus, an eventual exile deal could allow Mubarak to retain some of his wealth, no questions asked, as long as he and his family leave Egypt and make no further bids for power.

Epic skimming is a common privilege of Middle Eastern despots, and Mubarak and his two sons, Gamal and Alaa, were a bit less conspicuous than some of the Saudi princes and other Middle Eastern royals seen partying from time to time on the French Riviera or other hotspots. The family does reportedly own posh estates in London, New York, and Beverly Hills, plus a number of properties around the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El Sheikh, where Mubarak reportedly went after resigning the presidency.

Mubarak also spread the wealth far and wide in Egyptian power circles--another Middle Eastern tradition--one reason he incurred the kind of loyalty that allowed him to rule for a remarkable three decades. Top Army officials were almost certainly on his payroll, which might help explain why the Army eased him out in the end--allowing a kind of in-country exile--instead of hounding him out of Egypt or imprisoning him once it was clear the tide had turned against him for good.

[See how government spending skyrocketed.]

That money trail, in fact, will help determine whether Egypt becomes a more prosperous, democratic country, or continues to muddle along as an economic basket case. Even though he's out of power, Mubarak may still be able to influence the Army officials running the country, through the financial connections that made them all wealthy. And if not Mubarak, the next leader may be poised to start lining his pockets the same way Mubarak did. For Egypt to have a more effective, transparent economy, all of that will have to be cleaned up. There are probably a lot of people in Cairo who have been checking their bank balances lately.

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Lara Logan: Was She Actually Raped? It Makes a Difference.

Hosni Mubarak Reportedly in Coma; Maybe in Germany

How Hosni Mubarak Got So Rich