L.M. Service Center

IM 1 of TESDA Qualified Trainors/Assessors

2010-10-17T23:17:00.000+08:00

last week I emailed TESDA asking them to included me on their list of Qualified Trainors/Assessors.

On October 8th they reply on my emailed asking me to provide some details:

This is how they replied :

Dear Mr. Baya,

Thank you for contacting TESDA.

Kindly provide us the ff. details in order for us to validate your records and process your upload request:

1. Full name
2. Address
4. NC II Qualification and Certificate Number
5. TQ1/AQ1 Certificate Number
Sincerely,
TESDA

On that same date i replied to their email :

1. Full name: Warlito Tagadan Baya

2. Address: Brgy. 71 Naga-Naga Tacloban City

4. NC II Qualification and Certificate Number
1. Computer Hardware Servicing - 08080502524
2. Building Wiring Installation - 090803024139

5. TQ1/AQ1 Certificate Number - 0908030214259

Thank you very much

On October 11, 2010 they emailed me this:

Dear Mr. Baya,

Please be informed that your profile is now available in the Roster of TESDA Qualified Trainors/Assessors.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
TESDA

Today I searched my name on the TESDA website, and i was glad with the result.
I am now included on Qualified Trainors/Assessors.

here is the link : TESDA

World's oldest man marks 114th birthday

2010-09-26T10:22:00.004+08:00

GREAT FALLS, Montana – A Montana resident believed to be the world's oldest man celebrated his 114th birthday Tuesday at a retirement home in Great Falls.

Walter Breuning was born on Sept. 21, 1896, in Melrose, Minnesota, and moved to Montana in 1918, where he worked as a clerk for the Great Northern Railway for 50 years.

His wife, Agnes, a railroad telegraph operator from Butte, died in 1957. The couple had no children.

Breuning inherited the distinction of being the world's oldest man in July 2009 when Briton Henry Allingham died at age 113. Allingham had joked that the secret to long life was "Cigarettes, whisky and wild, wild women — and a good sense of humor," according to Guinness World Records.

The Guinness organization and the Gerontology Research Group each have verified Breuning as the world's oldest man and the fourth-oldest person. Three women were born earlier in the same year as Breuning.

Robert Young, senior consultant for gerontology for Guinness World Records, presented Breuning with a copy of the book's 2011 edition that lists him as the record holder.

"Walter wasn't in last year's edition," Young joked. "He was too young."

The Great Falls Tribune reported that Breuning gave a speech before about 100 people at an invitation-only birthday party at the Rainbow Retirement Community, with a guest list that included Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer and representatives from Guinness World Records.

Breuning was helped up to a lectern from his motorized cart, appearing somewhat frail but speaking with a strong voice.

He recalled "the dark ages," when his family moved to South Dakota in 1901 and lived for 11 years without electricity, water or plumbing.

"Carry the water in. Heat it on the stove. That's what you took your bath with. Wake up in the dark. Go to bed in the dark. That's not very pleasant," he said.

He said men and women may be able to enjoy life, but they can't be content without a belief or faith. His parting message to the crowd was one of tolerance.

"With all the hatred in this world, in this good world, let us be kind to one another," Breuning said.

Breuning has celebrity status at the retirement home, with visitors waiting in line to see him, Ray Milversted, 92, told the Tribune.

Tina Bundtrock, executive director of the Rainbow, said the home has adopted a policy of scheduling visits with Breuning by appointment, so he's not taxed by people dropping in to see him.

Before his birthday party, Breuning declined to name a favorite among the 114 years he has seen.

"Every year is the same," Breuning told the Great Falls newspaper.

But he criticized one modern invention — the computer.

"When the computer came out, that was one of the worst things," Breuning said. "They laid off all the clerks on the railroad."

But, he added, "Every change is good." — AP

Jimmy the painting chimp draws hordes to Rio zoo

2010-09-26T10:21:00.001+08:00

RIO DE JANEIRO – A retired circus chimpanzee is the Cezanne of simians, drawing crowds to a Brazilian zoo to watch him paint. The 26-year-old chimp called Jimmy has been producing surprisingly lovely paintings each day for three weeks at the Niteroi Zoo.

Trainer Roched Seba said Monday Jimmy doesn't like the toys and other diversions that other chimps enjoy. So three weeks ago, Seba introduced him to painting after reading about animals in zoos elsewhere that enjoyed a little canvas time.

Temperamental as great artists can be, Jimmy at times declines to paint if his cage is surrounded by too many gawkers.

But for at least 30 minutes a day, he carefully dips his brush into plastic paint containers and uses broad, bold strokes to create his art. - AP

Knife removed from Brazil man's head after 3 years

2010-09-26T10:18:00.001+08:00

SAO PAULO – A man in northeastern Brazil is recovering after surgeons removed a 4-inch (10-centimeter) blade that had been stuck in his head for three years following a bar fight.

Edeilson Nascimento, a 29-year-old tire repairman, tells reporters Friday he is feeling great after the three-hour surgery earlier this week.

He is expected to be released from a hospital in the city of Recife next week.

Nascimento says he got into a bar fight in 2007 and was attacked by assailants when he returned home. At the time, doctors only removed the knife handle, fearing that pulling the blade from his head would cause brain damage. But three years of intense headaches led Nascimento to take a chance on the surgery. - AP

Develop INEO 163

2010-09-26T09:13:00.009+08:00

Kyocera Mita Honoured with Prestigious Five Star, Exceptional Ratings for TASKalfa MFDs and Pick of the Year for mono MFP

2010-09-12T22:54:00.000+08:00

Submitted by Sara Johnson on Wed, 09/08/2010 - 21:03 Sydney, Australia – Wednesday 8 September, 2010 - Kyocera Mita, one of the world's leading document imaging companies, today announced that they have been recognized by BERTL, Inc. with Five Star, Exceptional ratings for their TASKalfa 300i, TASKalfa 420i and TASKalfa 520i black and white multifunctional devices (MFD) and selected as BLI’s 2010 Pick of the Year Winner – Outstanding Personal Monochrome Multifunction Printer for their FS-1128MFP. In addition Kyocera received BLI’s Recommended award for their FS-4020DN and FS-C5400DN printer models and awards from Beter Buys for Business.

BERTL’s Five Star, Exceptional rating is reserved exclusively for devices that deliver an outstanding range of business-critical features and functions, are innovative, easy to use, well-designed and represent exceptional value for the money for their target base.

The Business Equipment Research and Test Laboratories Inc. (BERTL) is an independent testing laboratory whose purpose is to provide objective, independent product evaluation reports and comparative analyses on imaging devices and software solutions. BERTL analysts evaluated several hundred copiers, printers, fax, multifunctional, colour and production devices to identify the select group of devices that stand apart from the others. Kyocera’s TASKalfa monochrome MFDs earned recognition from BERTL for their ability to offer high productivity speeds, class-leading preventive maintenance (PM) schedules (300,000 for the 300i, 500,000 for the 420i/520i), and industry-leading memory capacity of 2GB of RAM and 160GB hard disk drive. Kyocera’s TASKalfa series received high marks for print and copy productivity, high image resolution of 600dpi for optimum image quality, extensive paper supply for the 300i (2,200 sheets) and 420i/520i (4,200 sheets), as well as document finishing and security features.

“Kyocera has clearly proven its ability to offer MFPs that deliver an outstanding range of business-critical features and functions with the performance and durability that allow businesses to optimize their document imaging needs while controlling costs,” said Megan Cadematori, vice president at BERTL, Inc. “Kyocera’s TASKalfa monochrome MFPs have demonstrated what it means to achieve BERTL’s Five Star, Exceptional rating.”

BLI 2010 Pick of the Year Winner - FS-1128MFP - Outstanding Personal Monochrome Multifunction Printer
BLI is the recognized expert in the industry, with over four decades of leading the product testing field. With proven, controlled techniques and accurate reporting, their product evaluations are conducted by highly experienced employees who evaluate and report on hundreds of new copier, printer, fax and multifunction products each year.

Awarded BLI’s “Pick” in the personal monochrome MFP category, Kyocera Mita’s FS- 1128MFP has a robust design, includes standard print, copy, scan and fax functionality and a RADF (reverse automatic document feeder) for duplex scanning and copying. Users will appreciate the ability to print files directly from USB memory sticks—as well as per-page consumable costs that are among the lowest of competitive printers in this market sector.

Mark Vella, Marketing Manager, Kyocera Mita Australia and New Zealand said, “We are delighted with the acknowledgement from BLI in their recent “Pick” award. When designing the FS-1128MFP, Kyocera leveraged their proven success in both A3 multifunction and A4 single function technology to deliver a well packaged, out of the box solution in the A4 MFP category. With its outstanding total cost of ownership, reliability and productivity and now the acknowledgment of this award, we look forward to its ongoing success in the market place. We’ve always conveyed the outstanding reliability of this product and it’s great to now have this independently verified by BLI.”

Also under the BLI Lab Test report, the FS-1128MFP received an Excellent score for overall Reliability. David Sweetnam, BLI’s European Laboratory and Research Manager praised the FS-1128MFP’s ease of use, noting, “The unit is easy to manage using KMnet Viewer, which can assign specific alerts to different recipients, while the Kyocera Mita Command Center provides users with a very good level of detail about device status, paper size, approximate percentage of paper remaining and toner supplies.”

FS-4020DN – BLI Recommended Award – 125,000 impressions with zero misfeeds (paper jams) Awarded BLI‘s “Pick” in the mid-size workgroup monochrome printer category, Kyocera‘s FS-4020DN demonstrated outstanding reliability in BLI‘s thorough lab test, with not even a single jam throughout its 125,500-impression test.

FS-C5400DN – BLI recommended Award – 75,000 impressions with zero misfeeds (paper jams) This product received an Excellent score for overall Reliability.

Better Buys for Business (BBB)

Better Buys for Business is a leading independent authority on document imaging equipment (copiers, printers, faxes, and scanners).

The Kyocera TASKalfa 552ci won Editor’s Choice in the BBB iGuide, Colour Copier section. The entire Kyocera A4 single function colour laser printer range was also awarded the BBB Editor’s choice 2010. This range consists of the FS-C5400DN, FS-C5350DN, FS-C5300DN, FSC5200DN and the FS-C5100DN.

Selections were based on rigorous analysis of all current models. Each of Better Buys’ 10 product guides contains: Editor’s Choice recommendations in a product area; features and technology overviews; vendor profiles; a detailed verdict on most models from most vendors; full specifications; and pricing information.

For more information on Kyocera’s comprehensive range of awards, please visit our website http://www.kyoceramita.com.au/aboutus/awards

Kyocera Mita Launches HyPAS™ Developer Partner Program

2010-09-12T22:15:00.001+08:00

Submitted by Sara Johnson on Wed, 09/01/2010 - 21:13 01 September 2010- Kyocera Mita today launched the HyPAS Developer Partner Program for its HyPAS™ software platform. The program will support Kyocera Mita partners in developing bespoke software applications that optimize Kyocera’s TASKalfa devices to offer customers advanced functionality and enhanced document workflows.

HyPAS™ is Kyocera Mita’s powerful and scalable software platform that incorporates both Java and Web Services Software Development Kits (SDK). It enables the development of embedded and server applications that optimize the performance of Kyocera TASKalfa MFPs, making them fully customizable and easily integrated into business applications and processes. The availability of both Java and Web Services allows developers to select the most appropriate technology for the development of their application, or combine technologies if required.

The HyPAS™ Developer Partner Program provides comprehensive support and tools to assist developers in creating applications. On joining the program developers will gain full access to HyPAS™ Java and Web Services SDKs, the Scan SDK and operation panel Application Program Interfaces (API), as well as advanced development tools and detailed device information. These are delivered via the HyPAS™ Developer Portal which also includes a forum to facilitate the sharing of information and collaboration within the developer community. Development support is provided to programme members by Kyocera Mita’s in-house team of HyPAS™ technicians. Developer partners will also take part in an initial two-day familiarisation workshop which will introduce HyPAS™ programming in a hands-on environment.

Flexible partnership

Members of the HyPAS™ Developer Partner Program can choose the way in which they would prefer to work with Kyocera Mita. By becoming a HyPAS™ Alliance Partner, organizations can market and distribute their application jointly with Kyocera Mita via its local, European, or global distribution channels. Organisations wishing to distribute, market and support their HyPAS™ applications independently of Kyocera Mita can register to become an Independent HyPAS™ Developer, enjoying the same level of access to tools and support as Alliance Partners.

Reiko Owada, Product Manager at Kyocera Mita Europe commented: “The HyPAS™ Developer Partner Program will promote the development of wide-ranging and innovative applications for Kyocera TASKalfa MFPs, enabling advanced customization and integration into customer workflows and business processes. The program is flexibly designed to benefit developers, giving them the freedom to choose how they bring their HyPAS™ applications to market. The HyPAS™ Developer Partner Program will enable our partners to respond to client requests for highly specific and dynamic solutions, creating document systems that drive productivity and efficiency for our customers.”

Further details of the HyPAS™ Developer Partner Program are available at http://www.kyoceramita-europe.com.

This article was originally posted on Bertl.

Colombian is world's shortest man at 27 inches

2010-09-07T00:54:00.002+08:00

BOGOTA, Colombia — Edward Nino Hernandez is in many ways a typical 24-year-old Colombian male. He loves to dance reggaeton, dreams of owning a car — preferably a Mercedes— and wants to see the world.

Top on his list of people he would like to meet are Jackie Chan, Sylvester Stallone and former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

What sets Nino (pronounced NEE-nyoh) apart is his size.

He is slightly taller than a piece of carry-on luggage and weighs just 22 pounds (10 kilograms).

Nino has just been officially certified as the world's shortest living man by Guinness World Records, measuring 27 inches (70 centimeters).

"He hasn't grown since he was 2 years old," his mother, Noemi Hernandez, said of the oldest of her five living children.

The previous titleholder was He Pingping of China, who was 1.5 inches (4 centimeters) taller and died March 13. The Guinness people discovered Nino afterward.

They say Nino's reign is not likely to last long, however. Khagendra Thapa Magar of Nepal is expected to take over after he turns 18 on Oct. 14. He measures about 22 inches (56 centimeters) and is currently recognized by Guinness as the shortest living teen.

Doctors never could explain why Nino is so small, his parents say.

"They never gave us a diagnosis," his mother, Noemi Hernandez, said during an interview in the family's sparely furnished apartment in Bosa, a mostly poor district of southern Bogota.

Hernandez, 43, said Nino weighed just 3.3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) at birth and was 15 inches (38 centimeters) long.

She said doctors at the National University studied him until he was 3, then lost interest. She and her husband, a security guard, lost a daughter who was similarly small in 1992 when she was about to complete a year of life.

The couple's youngest child, 11-year-old Miguel Angel, stands 37 inches (93 centimeters) tall and has facial features similar to Nino. The other three boys are of normal height and appearance.

"I feel happy because I'm unique," Nino said in an interview Friday with The Associated Press.

He does, however, have his problems: cataracts in both of his eyes that blur his vision and, says his mother, require urgent surgery that the family can't afford.

"He doesn't see well. He isn't able to read," she said.

During an interview, Nino's eyes water and he fidgets with the laces on his toddler-sized black dress shoes.

Other than his eyes, he has no medical complaints.

He's mentally sharp and laughs easily though it's sometimes hard to understand his high-pitched speech and his stubby fingers make writing difficult.

Nino had to repeat several years of school before dropping out in the eighth grade. But he's very sociable, loves to travel — though he hasn't been outside Colombia — and likes to play dominoes and checkers.

"He only gets depressed when he's shut in at home," his mother said.

Leafing through an advance copy of the Guinness World Records 2011 edition, which launches Sept. 15 in the United States and the next day internationally, Hernandez shows Nino a picture of the world's smallest woman, who is from India.

He's not interested in the least.

Nino says he already has a girlfriend. She's 18, is named Fanny and measures just under 5 feet (1.5 meters), he says.

Nino has earned some cash dancing at department stores and is now acting in a film in which he plays — What else? This is Colombia — a pint-sized drug thug.

In his big scene, Nino gets into a shootout.

He acts out the scene, mimicking a pistol with the index fingers of his entwined hands, then slumps over onto the chair's arm. His character doesn't survive the gunbattle.

Nino smiles broadly at the idea of more acting jobs and more life in the spotlight.

And he says he's gotten used to all the picture-taking.

But being the world's smallest man does have its drawbacks.

"It bothers me that people are (always) touching me and picking me up," he said. — AP

Meeting for samar-leyte chapter

2010-09-06T23:26:00.006+08:00

here are the list of SOM grads who attend the meeting last sunday John Jerald Miranda, Avery Salazar, Gwendareign Elizan, Warlito Baya, Jhobet Taganna, Herbert Regis, Ramskie Caubalejo tas an usa pa na 13th batch, hehehe.., Ma. Lessa Mansueto and her friend, Mary Jane Cabodoc, an nawara ha sto. nino Nilo Tejones, Richard Gayrama, ...Ivhez, Jeny Leal, Ailyn Lazarte, Kareen Ann Basas Closa, Zabala Danilo hino pa an waray ka mention??
Thank you Alzarians!!

keep in touch

Error Code

2010-09-06T23:02:00.001+08:00

Montana teen accidentally texts sheriff to buy pot

2010-09-05T12:45:00.000+08:00

HELENA, Mont. – General rule of thumb: when looking to buy marijuana, don't text the sheriff.

Authorities said a Helena teen hit a wrong number and inadvertently sent a message to Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton, saying "Hey Dawg, do you have a $20 I can buy right now?"

A detective pretending to be the dealer organized a meeting at a time when the boy knew he and another teen would be at a particular store.

The detective spotted two teenage boys and one of the boy's fathers — who was unaware of what was going on — at the store. He called the phone number three times to make sure he had the right person. Dutton said when the detective showed the teens his badge, one of the boys fainted.

No citations were issued after the parents of the boys, who were 15 and 16, got involved. - AP

Englishman sends 'wild GF' to Manila cops for taking his P300,000

2010-09-04T22:46:00.000+08:00

A three-year romance between an Englishman and his Filipina girlfriend turned sour when he sent her to the police after losing more than P300,000 in cash and other valuables on Saturday morning.

The foreigner, Paul Fitzgerald admitted that his lover Maricel Fuentes was not in the best state of mind. According to him, she had been an alcoholic and a frequent user of illegal drugs.

The Englishman claimed that Fuentes, 29, had been dependent on him, who was giving her a monthly allowance of P40,000 pesos for her own expenses. Fuentes was earlier detained at the Manila Police District – Station 5 in Ermita for reportedly having gone wild under the influence of liquor. She posted bail and was brought home by Fitzgerald.

He said that he then left her alone in the house while he stepped out for a while.

Upon returning, according to Fitzgerald, both the money and his girlfriend were gone. A search for Fuentes ended in Quiapo, Manila, where she was found intoxicated and exhibiting uncontrollable behavior. Fuentes was again taken into custody, this time at the MPD’s General Assignment Section.

The suspect has denied the allegations, saying that it was a certain “Kim" who took her boyfriend’s bag containing cash, a laptop, his passport and other valuables.

Fuentes will be charged with qualified theft.—JV, GMANews.TV

Politician raffles breast implants for campaign

2010-09-03T22:27:00.000+08:00

CARACAS, Venezuela – A Venezuelan politician is holding an unusual raffle to raise campaign cash. The grand prize: breast implants. For a little under $6 a ticket, donors get the chance to win the pricey operation free of charge.

Breast enlargement is widely popular in image-conscious Venezuela. In recent years as many as 30,000 women have had the operation annually, according to the nation's Plastic Surgery Society.

Gustavo Rojas, who is running as an alternate for the National Assembly in Sept. 26 elections, said there is a great demand for the surgery.

The prize for his fund-raising effort may be a little unusual, Rojas conceded Friday, but he said it's like raffling off a TV set or a telephone. - AP

Man plunges 40 stories, lands on car, survives

2010-09-03T21:06:00.000+08:00

NEW YORK – A New York City man who plunged 40 stories from the rooftop of an apartment building has survived after crashing onto a parked car.

Witnesses and police say 22-year-old Thomas Magill jumped from the high-rise at West 63rd Street on Tuesday. He landed in the backseat area of a Dodge Charger after crashing through the windshield. He suffered broken legs. Police say he's in critical condition.

The car's owner, Guy McCormack, of Old Bridge, N.J., told the Daily News he's convinced that rosary beads he kept inside the Dodge saved Magill's life.

Police are investigating why Magill jumped from the building.

Magill isn't the only New Yorker to survive a high-rise fall. Window washer Alcides Moreno fell 47 stories from the roof of a skyscraper in December 2007, and doctors expected him to walk again. - AP

Man shot in head felt bullet only 4 years later

2010-08-31T22:34:00.001+08:00

BERLIN – A 35-year-old man who walked around for five years with a bullet lodged in the back of his head says he suspected for a while something was there but only went to doctors after he started getting headaches.

Robert Chojecki was partying on New Years Eve five years ago in the German town of Herne when he was hit with the .22-caliber bullet. Doctors removed it this week from between his skin and skull. The Polish-born Chojecki told RTL television Wednesday he thought he'd been hit by fireworks, but later forgot about it.

He said at first he had "no pain, but approximately one year ago I started to get a headache."

Police say the bullet may have been fired in celebration. Doctors say he should have no problems now that it has been removed. - AP

'Spiderman' arrested for scaling Sydney building

2010-08-31T22:30:00.000+08:00

SYDNEY – A French skyscraper climber nicknamed "Spiderman" was arrested Monday after scaling a 57-story building in Sydney with his bare hands.

Alain Robert, known for climbing some of the world's tallest and best-known buildings without ropes or other equipment, was arrested at the top of the Lumiere building downtown.

He climbed the building in about 20 minutes, as dozens of people watched from below.

"I'm sad he's been arrested, but hopefully he'll get out soon and we can have some champagne," said his agent, Max Markson. He has not yet been charged. Last year, Robert was fined 750 Australian dollars ($676) for climbing the 41-story Royal Bank of Scotland building in Sydney.

Many of his past climbs have resulted in arrests and fines.

The 48-year-old has climbed more than 70 skyscrapers around the world, including the Empire State Building, the Sears Tower and the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, according to his website. — AP

Israel: First Jesus-era house found in Nazareth

2010-08-15T21:03:00.000+08:00

posted on www.gmanews.tv on dec. 21, 2009

NAZARETH, Israel – Days before Christmas, Israeli archaeologists on Monday unveiled what they said were the remains of the first dwelling in Nazareth that can be dated back to the time of Jesus — a find that could shed new light on what the hamlet was like during the period the New Testament says Jesus lived there as a boy.

The dwelling and older discoveries of nearby tombs in burial caves suggest that Nazareth was an out-of-the-way hamlet of around 50 houses on a patch of about four acres (1.6 hectares). It was evidently populated by Jews of modest means who kept camouflaged grottos to hide from Roman invaders, said archaeologist Yardena Alexandre, excavations director at the Israel Antiquities Authority,

Based on clay and chalk shards found at the site, the dwelling appeared to house a "simple Jewish family," Alexandre added, as workers at the site carefully chipped away at mud with small pickaxes to reveal stone walls.

Nazareth holds a cherished place in Christianity. It is the town where Christian tradition says Jesus grew up and where an angel told Mary she would bear the child of God.

"This may well have been a place that Jesus and his contemporaries were familiar with," Alexandre said. A young Jesus may have played around the house with his cousins and friends, she said. "It's a logical suggestion."

The discovery so close to Christmas has pleased local Christians.

"They say if the people do not speak, the stones will speak," said a smiling Rev. Jack Karam of the nearby Basilica of the Annunciation, the site where Christian tradition says Mary received the angel's word.

Alexandre's team found remains of a wall, a hideout, a courtyard and a water system that appeared to collect water from the roof and supply it to the home. The discovery was made when builders dug up the courtyard of a former convent to make room for a new Christian center, just yards (meters) away from the Basilica.

It is not clear how big the dwelling is — Alexandre's team have uncovered about 900 square feet (85 square meters) of the house, but it may have been for an extended family and could be much larger, she said.

Alexandre said her team also found a camouflaged entry way into a grotto, which she believes was used by Jews at the time to hide from Roman soldiers who were battling Jewish rebels at the time for control of the area.

The grotto would have hid around six people for a few hours, she said.

However, Roman soldiers did not end up battling Nazareth's Jews because the hamlet had little strategic value at the time. The Roman army was more interested in larger towns and strategic hilltop communities, she said.

Alexandre said similar camouflaged grottos were found in other ancient Jewish communities of the lower Galilee such as the nearby Biblical village of Cana, which did witness battle between Jews and Romans.

At the site, Alexandre told reporters that archaeologists also found clay and chalk vessels which were likely used by Galilean Jews of the time. The scientists concluded a Jewish family lived there because of the chalk, which was used by Jews at the time to ensure the purity of the food and water kept inside the vessels.

The shards also date back to the time of Jesus, which includes the late Hellenic, early Roman period that ranges from around 100 B.C. to 100 A.D., Alexandre said.

The absence of any remains of glass vessels or imported products suggested the family who lived in the dwelling were "simple," but Alexandre said the remains did not indicate whether they were traders or farmers.

The only other artifacts that archeologists have found in the Nazareth area from the time of Jesus are ancient burial caves outside the hamlet, providing a rough idea of the village's population at the time, Alexandre said.

Work is now taking place to clear newer ruins built above the dwelling, which will be preserved. The dwelling will become a part of a new international Christian center being constructed close to the site and funded by a French Roman Catholic group, said Marc Hodara of the Chemin Neuf Community overseeing construction.

Alexandre said limited space and population density in Nazareth means it is unlikely that archeologists can carry out any further excavations in the area, leaving this dwelling to tell the story of what Jesus' boyhood home may have looked like.

The discovery at "this time, this period, is very interesting, especially as a Christian," Karam said. "For me it is a great gift." - AP

Brazil official urges more sex for better health

2010-08-11T06:56:00.000+08:00

RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazil's health minister has a remedy for the nation's high-blood- pressure problem: More sex.

Minister Jose Temporao says adults should be exercising more to help keep their blood pressure down — and he says a good cardiovascular workout includes sex, "always with protection, obviously." Temporao also recommends dancing, a healthy diet and regular blood-pressure checks.

The minister made the comments Monday while launching a national campaign against high blood pressure in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia.

The Health Ministry says that 21.5 percent of Brazilians had high blood pressure in 2006. That jumped to 24.4 percent in 2009. — AP

German police say pigs find WWII anti-tank weapon

2010-08-11T06:54:00.001+08:00

BERLIN – German police said a couple of hungry pigs digging for food came nose-to-nose with a long-buried World War II anti-tank weapon.

Police said Friday the two pigs found the single-shot "panzerfaust" on private land southwest of Dresden. The pigs' owner secured the animals in their stall then called police who were able to remove the weapon and destroy it. The inexpensive and easy-to-operate panzerfaust was used extensively during the defense of Germany and through the rest of the war. Such finds are still relatively common, even 65 years after the end of the war. - AP

Astig na bat cave sa Pinas

2010-08-11T06:50:00.000+08:00

Alam n’yo ba na dito sa Pilipinas matatagpuan ang kuweba na kinikilala sa buong mundo na pinamamahayan ng pinakaraming paniki?

Nitong Abril, idineklara ng Guinness World Records na ang Monfort Bat Cave sa Samal Island sa lalawigan ng Davao ang kuweba na may pinakamaraming paniki. Ang uri ng paniki na naninirahan sa kuweba ay Rousettus Amplexicaudatus o iyong mga kumakain ng prutas.

Sa pagtaya ng mga dalubhasa, pinapaniwalaan mahigit 1.8 milyong paniki ang naninirahan sa naturang kuweba.

Ang pagkilala sa Monfort Bat Cave bilang kanlungan ng pinakamaraming paniki sa buong mundo ay idineklara nitong Abril kasabay ng Earth Day Celebration at United Nations Declaration of 2010 bilang International Year of Biodiversity.

Binigyan-diin ang kahalagahan ng mga paniki sa pagpaparami ng mga halaman dahil sa proseso ng pollination kung saan naikakalat ng hayop ang binhi ng prutas na kanilang kinakain. - FRJ, GMANews.TV

Cops find naked drunken teen in stranger's tub

2010-08-11T06:48:00.000+08:00

SOUTH HAVEN, Ind. — Police in northwestern Indiana found an intoxicated teenager inside a stranger's home, passed out naked in a bathtub with the shower running.

Porter County police said two friends of the drunken 18-year-old woke up Richard Gual by knocking on the door of his South Haven home about 5 a.m. Sunday, telling him the teen had entered the home by mistake and was still inside. Police reported finding the teen inside a locked bathroom and arrested him on felony residential entry and misdemeanor underage drinking charges.

Police said the teen's friends were sober and had picked him up in Chesterton. They told officers that he was supposed to go into their home to shower but that he had wandered into the wrong house. — AP

Report: Water pump in Iloilo town spews flames

2010-08-11T06:44:00.001+08:00

Instead of producing much-needed water during the dry months, a water pump “spewed flames," startling residents in a town in Iloilo province.

A report on Iloilo-based news site The News Today said the pump has triggered speculation among residents in Carvasana village in Calinog town.

“I will coordinate with the proper agency to look into the matter within this week (but) it could be a blessing. We could not be certain if the area is a source of gas, crude oil, or something. It could help us in our livelihood," town Mayor Alex Centena said. Francisco Perez, the owner of the pump, said they discovered the oddity by accident Friday last week, when someone near it lighted a cigarette, causing the pump to spit flames.

On the other hand, local residents are wary of possible ill effects of the pump to their health.

They added the area was not a dumping ground for trash, ruling out the possibility of methane gas deposit underground.

The municipal government had distributed some 300 water pumps before the May 10 elections to mitigate the effect of the prolonged dry spell in Iloilo.

But only the one given to the Perez household spewed flames. — LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV

3-year-old boy drives away with mom's car

2010-08-10T21:34:00.001+08:00

OSHKOSH, Wis. – A toddler in Oshkosh is OK after taking his mother's car out for short spin down the block.

Police said the mother of the 3-year-old boy told officers her son was asleep in the 1985 Buick sedan when she left it running and ran into the house for a moment Wednesday morning.
When she returned, the car was gone. Police say the boy knelt on the seat, pulled down on the gear shift lever and started to roll down the block.

The car had traveled nearly two blocks before an officer was able to stop the vehicle. - AP

Bayani ng Ilocandia na ‘di na natagpuan

2010-08-10T21:31:00.001+08:00

Isa siya sa mga naging pinakabatang gobernador sa rehiyon ng Ilocos. Kilala n’yo ba kung sino ang bayani ng Ilocandia na walang takot na nakipaglaban sa puwersa ng mga Hapon na hindi na muling nakita?

Mula sa mahirap na pamilya sa Paoay, Ilocos Norte ang dakilang si Roque Ablan Sr. Sa murang edad, nagtrabaho na si Ablan sa tistisan ng kahoy upang may maidagdag sa gastusin para sa kanyang pag-aaral sa elementarya.

Sa pagsisikap, nakarating siya sa Maynila at nakapag-aral sa University of the Philippines kung saan nagtapos siya ng kursong philosophy at abogasya. Nasa 9th place si Ablan nang kumuha ng pagsusulit sa Bar. Pagbalik sa kanyang lalawigang pinagmulan, naging gobernador si Ablan sa edad na 31. Ilan sa mga malaking kontribusyon niya sa Ilocos ay ang pagtatayo ng ospital at sangay ng Philippine Normal School sa Laoag.

Nang sakupin ng puwersa ng mga Hapon ang Ilocandia, iniwan ni Ablan ang kapitolyo at ipinagpatuloy ang kanyang pamamahala sa isang tagong lugar sa pagitan ng Ilocos Norte at Apayao.

Kasunod nito ang pakikipag-ugnayan niya kay Lt. Feliciano Madamba ng Philippine Army upang buuin ang puwersa ng guerrilla na naging malaking tinik sa mga Hapones. Maraming matagumpay na pagsalakay at ambush sa mga dayuhang mananakop ang naisagawa ng grupo nina Ablan at Madamba.

Disyembre 1942 nang maglakbay si Ablan patungong Cagayan upang makipagkita sa iba pang Pinoy na lider na nakikipaglaban sa mga Hapon. Ngunit mula noon ay hindi na muling nakita pa si Ablan na hinihinalang napaslang sa pagkikipaglaban para sa bayan. - FRJ, GMANews.TV

Mass. teacher finds 1792 document in classroom

2010-08-10T21:14:00.001+08:00

PEABODY, Mass. – A Massachusetts teacher cleaning up her classroom in preparation for a move has discovered a Colonial-era document buried in a pile of outdated textbooks and dusty scraps of papers.

Michelle Eugenio, a fourth-grade teacher in Peabody, Mass., found the yellowed sheet of paper two weeks ago. Dated April 1792 and protected by plastic, it appears to document the payment of a debt by a Vermont man named Jonathan Bates.

Peabody Historical Society President Bill Power verified the paper's authenticity. He tells The Salem News he was thrilled with the discovery.

No one knows how the paper ended up at Peabody's Center School or how long it has been there.

Bates served in the Continental Army in 1780 and died in 1808 at age 63. He's buried in Williamstown, Vt. - AP