Update Yourself Everyday - with me Alan Chin the Photographer

NBA Playoffs 2010 Season : Lakers vs Celtics

2010-06-09T22:06:00.000+08:00

What a game ! After the hard moment on the latest NBA Playoffs : Lakers vs Celtics , it comes to the end of the result of 91 vs 84 against the Celtics. Special thanks to Kobe doing some great works out there.

From the overall games, major advantage is it comes from the home-court rather than the " visitors " ? Practically YES. In this revenge games, Lakers successfully stealing back the victory against the Celtics and gain the advantage of their game after they lost during Sunday's terrible game.

The Lakers lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Games 4 and 5 will be Thursday and Sunday in the TD (Boston) Garden.

It was clear from the start that Kobe Bryant was here to play. He had that certain kind of intensity that usually results in an elevated performance not only from himself but his teammates as well.

But he cooled in the fourth quarter shooting one for six, but the one basket gave the Lakers a four-point lead with 1:41 left to play. Instead the Lakers looked to veteran Derek Fisher, who scored 11 points in the final quarter, including a three-point play with 48 seconds left to give the Lakers a seven-point lead and eventually the win.

Bryant finished with 29 points on 10-for-29 shooting. He had seven rebounds and four assists. Fisher finished with 16 points.

It appeared the game was decided in the first quarter when the Lakers went on a 21-5 run and then started the second quarter with an 11-3 run. This all coming after the Celtics had a seven-point lead early in the game.

But the Celtics were able to chip away at it with a 21-15 third quarter and closed it to one point early in the fourth quarter. The largest Laker lead was 17 points in the first half.

Each team was able to find something missing from the first two games of the series.

The Celtics saw the return of Kevin Garnett, once a Bryant-like talent in the league who has been slowed by age (34). Garnett, who scored only six points in Game 2, came out fast and scored the first six points of the game and was a dominant factor throughout. He finished with 25 points.

The Lakers finally saw the re-emergence of Lamar Odom who put up only three and five points before Game 3. His presence was essential for the Lakers to give hurting center Andrew Bynum some rest. On Tuesday, he played 27 minutes and scored 12 points with five rebounds.

The crowd seemed to enjoy taunting Odom with chants of "Ugly sister" expressing their preference for reality star Kim Kardashian over Odom's wife Khloe, Kim's sister.

1Malaysia Rally - Protest against Zionist Violent Act

2010-06-08T23:30:00.002+08:00

As the Zionist regime attacked the humanitarian ship near the Gaza area, caused many peoples and volunteers die on the gun fires that fired by the Israeli Special Forces , 12 Malaysian were held hostages and luckily survived and return to homeland.

As the protest from the whole world rage among each other, Malaysia NGO and Barisan Nasional party will launch 1Malaysia rally to protest against the Zionist regime on the violent act against the humanitarian ship. I hope the Malaysian will stand up for the justice in the perspectives of humanitarian and saving innocent people's life.

According to the source , here is the detail of 1Malaysia Rally will be :

Location : Stadium Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur

Time : 12 pm to 5pm

Date : 12 June 2010 ( Saturday )

I hope one thing when I do my news coverage on the 1Malaysia Rally, Malaysian people should protest in calm and peaceful way by sound out their unsatisfied voice against the Israel government to give them pressure in diplomatic way but not protest in useless rage of fighting and burning flag. Now is not about RELIGION, not about RACE, not about CULTURE , IS ABOUT THE HUMANITY AND LIFE .

Please refer the source from BERNAMA News :

Barisan Nasional (BN) Youth will be organising the 1Malaysia Rally to enable the younger generation to understand deeper the 1Malaysia concept.

Its chairman Khairy Jamaluddin who is also Umno Youth head, said the programme would be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on April 17 at Stadium Negara.

The launching is expected to be attended by about 10,000 people including party members, representatives of non-governmental organisations, professionals and youths.

"Through this programme, BN Youth hopes to use a political approach which can be said to be a middle path that will be acceptable to the younger generation regardless of their race, religion and background," he said after chairing a BN Youth meeting at Wisma MCA, here, Saturday.

He said at the 1Malaysia Rally launch, the 1Malaysia nationwide roadshow would also be launched to further promote the 1Malaysia concept.

On the government's proposal to implement the goods and services tax (GST), Khairy said BN Youth was prepared to help explain it.

"We suggest that the Information Communication and Culture Ministry carry out a public awareness campaign for the GST to be easily understood."

He was commenting on the statement by Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah today that the tabling of the GST Bill for second reading in the Dewan Rakyat next week would be postponed as the government needed more time to gather public feedback on the matter.

Blogger Blogger, I have quite a long time didn't update it.

2010-03-31T23:31:00.000+08:00

Hello to blogger fans. Is quite a while, I'm doing a lot of photoshooting, run through a lot of official and unofficial event. And meet some great peoples too, and as well I gained myself with a lot of different knowledge though. Perhaps, it is a destiny to me as a photographer, being adventurous, dare, shoot fast and deadly, with one shot one kill. Like a sniper , isn't it ?

各位亲爱的读者们，好久没上来更新我的部落格。最近，本人也比较忙，常常去拍照，去了不少类型的活动，见证了很多新事物，认识很多新的脸孔。也许这就我做摄影师的本质，要充满挑战，要大胆，还要快，狠，准，甚至拍照拍到那种 “　一枪毙命　”　的程度。

Well, for the internet marketing instead, for those who want to play Google Adsense for maximum income which I think around 100USD per month to 2000 USD per month, I guess is possible way to exchange link, post thread, post new articles, sell your product or anything else to attract the traffic. Besides, recently I quite busy as well, so for the fellow Adsense freaks like me, I may be will not available for this time because I'll gonna catch up the Formula 1 season for the Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang, I'll deal with you guys next time, sincerely sorry to all of you.

至于网赚呢，对于那些玩谷歌Adsense的朋友们，要想赚到一百美金至二千美金以上，我看最好不过就是以网址交换网流量，写新文章，卖产品或者其他。另外，因为大马雪邦世界第一方程式赛车的关系，所以本人会比较忙，没时间上网赚钱，对不起各位。

Alright, that's all for the update. Hope you guys get in touch with me soon. And please, NO SPAM OF COMMENT ON MY BLOG. Supportive and general kind of comment are welcome to post. Thanks !

好了，到此为止。注意！不要在此部落格里灌水意见。建设性意见和其他类型的意见都欢迎。

It's a Sad News. A trainer killed by a killer whale at Sea World

2010-03-03T21:41:00.000+08:00

News from CBS

This is a shocking news that I heard from the famous Sea World from Florida. As there is thousands of exciting audiences watched on the whale performance, a Sea World trainer has killed by a wild 12,000 pound killer whale, the trainer is certified dead.

I can't believe that an entertainment whale triggered itself to be a killer whale, unfortunately, there is horrible scene continues to show when this entertainment showed up in front of 2000 audiences.

As the Sea World authorities said, currently they don't allow trainer to enter the water with whales. Besides, all long hair instructors are advised to tie up their hair too.

I might think on the rage of wild animal have triggered the incident happens , and sometimes we need to think on the side of animals. Let them free to the sea. But in facts, the truth is not as what we said. The facts is most of the entertainment park developers used animals as their tool of making money and attract thousand of visitors to their theme park. I guessed which is about USD 70 per person who entered Sea World.

Sea World, I can say is they will keep continue on the their show to attract thousands of customers without terminate the animals show. If the shows stop, sure, they will lose a bunch of money all because of the non-stop incidents of killing and close down for the further investigation.

Likewise, it seems that Sea World is so money addicted that the awful death of one of its trainer or worker doesn't even make the owners think twice about continuing the whale show so quickly.

Actually, a lot of organization and society, even the unofficial groups can prevent the innocent animal trainers from getting killed by wild animals that are not meant to be in captivity, but first, they must stop attending the show to prevent this further incidents happen again.

Funny ! Adolf Hitler gets Error 8001050F on his Playstation 3 during March 1 2010!

2010-03-03T21:14:00.001+08:00

Do you believe that ? When a busy man like Adolf Hitler planning for the next assault plan, unfortunately an officers told Adolf there is a massive error on March 1 2010 when he is playing Heavy Rain with Adolf's PS3 !

Wow ~!! Adolf sure is pissed off by that and said " What the fuck is this shit!!!"
First , he screwed up the SEGA, XBOX 360, Atari 2600, now is the PS3 problem, all the games he played.....screwed up. Because ? BUGS! And he scolded on those bunch of useless engineer ~!

Alright, but overall, is totally damn funny video ever ! I didn't know that Adolf started to play Final Fantasy 13 more earlier than me ! ALRIGHT, LET'S LOOK ON THE VIDEO HERE and see what he's talking about ~

How Chile Earthquake shortened the Earth's day

2010-03-03T02:20:00.000+08:00

If you want to make sure you get enough sleep tonight, you might have to get to bed earlier. You don't have to adjust your schedule by much: about 1.26 millionths of a second ought to do it. According to a NASA scientist's computer modeling, that's how much an Earth day should have been shortened by the subterranean upheaval that triggered the Feb. 27 Chilean earthquake. Some basic physics explains why.(See pictures of Chile's massive earthquake.)

Every point on the planet takes the same 24 hours or so to complete a single rotation around Earth's north-south axis, but some points have to move faster than others to spin the full 360° by the one-day deadline. That's because some parts of the planet are much bigger than others, at least in circumference. The Earth's equator is 24,901 miles around. The perimeter of the Arctic Circle, by contrast, is just 9,945 miles, and if you stand five feet from the North Pole, the circumference you inscribe as the Earth rotates is a scant 31.4 feet. Yet in all of those places, it still takes 24 hours to complete a single rotation. (The fact that points along the equator move faster than others is the reason NASA and the European Space Agency put their launch pads in Florida and French Guiana, respectively; fire off your rockets in the direction the Earth spins and you get a free 1,000 miles per hour.)(See the top 10 scientific discoveries of 2009.)

Earthquakes alter planetary speed in two ways. Shifting plates rearrange the distribution of the Earth's mass, causing it to bulge imperceptibly in spots it didn't bulge before and contract in others. That rearrangement should further shift the Earth's inclination, or figure axis (the axis around which the Earth's mass is balanced, which is slightly different from the north-south axis around which the Earth rotates) — in the case of the Chile earthquake, by about 3 inches. The law of conservation of angular momentum, however, requires that even under these exigent circumstances, the Earth's angular momentum stays constant, which means the planet must step on the gas (or the brake) to accommodate shifting mass. The same thing happened in 2004 with the 9.1 Sumatran earthquake that triggered the tsunami. That earthquake should have shifted the Earth's figure axis by 2.76 inches and shortened its day by 6.8 millionths of a second, according to computer models.

If the physics seems a bit arcane, consider that you probably spent much of the last two weeks seeing the angular momentum principle in action — at least if you watched the Olympics. Earthquakes change the Earth's rotation the same way a twirling figure skater changes hers — by extending or tucking her arms in, for instance, to slow down or speed up accordingly. The only difference is that the skater does so decidedly more elegantly.

Watch TIME's video "Harsh Lessons for Chile and Haiti from Peru."

( From TIMES )

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2010-03-03T02:00:00.001+08:00

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Canon EOS Digital 550D - Light, Cheap, Durable, Amazing

2010-03-03T00:43:00.003+08:00

For more information about Canon EOS 550D , check out Canon UK Press Release.
Canon have proudly released the revolution long line consumer digital SLR -- EOS Digital Rebel T2i or known as EOS 550D.

Canon EOS 550D currently made itself as a cheap, light in weight, durable and moreover it is a compact version of EOS 7D. Canon EOS 550D makes the Canon's most powerful imaging technology and more accessible for the consumers, armed itself with 18.0 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, the latest technology of processor, DiG!C 4 processor, a burst rate of 3.7 frames per seconds, its processor also supports the ISO speed from 100 -6400 and expansion of ISO 12800, 9 point Auto Focus system for swift and accurate focusing, this gives and advantage for the Canon lens arsenal with one extra sensitive cross-type point at the centre of focus point for the Canon lens with f/2.8 or even higher aperture lens. One more thing about the processor is thanks to DiG!C 4 processor, its 14 bit image processor definitely process a great tonal gradation and natural looking of colours for high-quality prints and even on-screen display as well as the slide show presentation and others.

Besides, Canon EOS 550D also capable in recording HD video too. EOS 550D have selection on frame rate : 24 fps, 25 fps or 30 fps. Canon EOS 550D can capture and record with a resolution of 1920x1080p full resolution movie as well as offering 720p resolution with 50 and 60fps rate. To make more fun and creativity on the video shot, photographers can even play with the exposure setting, depth of fields and also degree of motion blur to take the best of the best video for yourself. Also, Canon EOS 550D has a built-in microphone specialized for movie recording with sound. If the subjects is further away from you, Canon EOS 550D has one more advantages : Canon Movie Crop Function with resolution of 640 x 480 in the sensor , Canon offers the first EOS range to feature Movie Crop ability and gives consumers more flexibility to capture important moments which would otherwise be too far away from you.

As for the LCD screen of EOS 550D for viewing, the size of the screen is 3 inches or 7.7 centimetres in ratio of 3:2 , with 1040k dot of resolution makes the user possible to see more clearer image in 100%. Besides, The anti-reflective, water-resist coating also make it more easier to see the LCD screen in bright condition and from a variety of angles too.

For the accessories, Canon EOS 550D launched the new battery grip which is coming soon for more longer battery life when shooting, as well as the remote switch of RC-6 for off camera shutter release, besides, the EOS 550D supports all Canon flashlites such as 580EXII and 430EXII , as well as the compact flashlite 270EX, and also all EF lens and EF-S lens ( all Canon 60 interchangeable lens ).

Here is the full summary for the specification for the Canon EOS 550D:

18 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
DIGIC 4 processor with ISO 100-6400 (Expansion to 12800)
Continuous shooting at 3.7fps
Full HD movie recording with manual control and selectable frame rates
7.7cm (3.0”) 3:2 Clear View LCD with 1,040k dots
iFCL metering System with 63-zone Dual-layer Metering Sensor
Quick Control screen to change shooting settings
Exposure compensation +/-5 stops.
Select maximum value for Auto ISO
External Microphone socket
Movie crop function
Eye-Fi connected functions compatibility

Canon Middle East empowers regional photography enthusiasts at Gulf Photo Plus 2010

2010-03-02T23:45:00.000+08:00

(Press Release from United Arab Emirates)

Canon Middle East, world leader in imaging technology has partnered with Gulf Photo Plus (GPP), the region's only hands on dedicated Photography Event for the sixth consecutive year to offer a range of one-off special deals. For one time only in 2010, the region's amateur photographers can get their hands on Canon's extensive DSLR line up and try out its latest professional DSLRs in the market.As well as fully utilising a range of one-off special deals including significant discounts, photography enthusiasts will have the opportunity to borrow state-of-the-art Canon equipment such as the recently launched EOS 1D Mark IV, EOS 5D Mark II, EOS 550D and EOS 7D; and also experience a range of lenses ideal for a variety of disciplines such as photo journalism, portrait shots and sports photography.

"Canon Middle East participates in leading industry events such as GPP, in order to share imaging knowledge and expertise among photography enthusiasts. Canon has supported GPP since its inception and is committed to developing regional photography talent through showcasing the latest DSLR technologies and helping to connect the region's amateur photographers with world class DSLR equipment," said Vineet Wadhwa, DSLR Product Manager, Canon Middle East.

The highlight of this year's GPP will be the regional debut of Canon's much awaited EOS 550D, a DSLR designed to redefine the entry level DSLR segment. Through GPP, Canon will enable amateur photographers to try out the EOS 550D which puts into the hands of the photographer new technologies and features previously the preserve of the professional segment. As well as Canon's strong DSLR line-up, also exhibited will be Canon's Powershot digital cameras, Legria camcorders and Pixma inkjet printers so that GPP participants can experience Canon's comprehensive product range.

For professional photographers, Canon will be showcasing and demonstrating the recently launched EOS 1D Mark IV, which has taken image quality and versatility to unprecedented levels. The camera which has set a new benchmark for action photography will further strengthen Canon's position as the camera of choice for professional photographers at GPP 2010.

"Professional photographers, filmmakers and creative industries rely on Canon as the industry standard for image excellence. GPP 2010 is the perfect platform for Canon to showcase its wide range of innovative imaging products to a spectrum of photography enthusiasts," concluded Wadhwa.

Jake and Vienna Speaks Out on Relationship and Rumors -- The Grand Finale of "Bachelor"

2010-03-02T22:13:00.000+08:00

( Source ABC News )

"The Bachelor" star Jake Pavelka shocked viewers during the show's finale when he proposed to Vienna Girardi.

In a surprising finish to a season filled with emotional twists and unexpected drama, the 32-year-old pilot from Denton, Texas, chose Girardi, who stirred controversy among her fellow contestants and the show's fans, over finalist Tenley Molzahn.

The couple, still reeling from all the attention and getting ready for their future, told "Good Morning America" the experience was "amazing" and "incredible."

It's "awesome," Pavelka said.

Girardi, a 23-year-old marketing representative from Sanford, Fla., acknowledged that her appearance on the show was a "rollercoaster." When asked if it was a relief to be together with Pavelka at the end, she said, "yeah, it is."

Both said it's possible to find love on a reality show. The proof is "right here," Girardi said.

"You cannot control who your heart's going to fall for," Pavelka said. "I wanted it to fall for Tenley, but it fell for Vienna. You can't make your heart fall and you can't keep your heart from falling."

The couple say that haven't set a wedding date yet, and plan to live together before moving on to marriage.

During the finale, Pavelka said he could see both Girardi and Molzahn as his future wife and selected engagement rings for each woman.

"You're not supposed to be in love with two women at the same time," he said, citing his emotional connection with Molzahn -- "the girl with the heart of gold" -- and calling the physical chemistry with Girardi "lightning hot."

Both women professed their love for Pavelka during their final dates and presented him with gifts to signify their feelings.

"I'm head over heels in love," Girardi said. "I know we're going to be together, and we're going to last forever."

"I feel like I've fallen more in love with him," Molzhan said. "Jake is the guy I want to marry."

Pavelka said his experience as a contestant on "The Bachelorette" didn't fully prepare him for the difficulty of being "The Bachelor."

"I got to watch ['Bachelorette' Jillian Harris] do this," he said. "She made it look really easy, but it didn't prepare me. You just go into it wholeheartedly and hope and pray for the best. I didn't know that I would meet someone like [Girardi] … I had no idea that she was coming."

It was a long road to get to the final rose, and early on Girardi always seemed to draw a little drama. She said she viewed the other women in the house as competition, not as friends.

"The girls had their minds made up -- they didn't like me; they didn't want me there," she said.

Girardi called rumors in the tabloids that she had stolen money from her ex-husband and had a secret boyfriend entirely untrue.

"The first couple [of stories] that came out, I was really upset," she said. "So upset that they would fabricate these stories, and it was extremely hurtful for America to get this image of me that wasn't me at all."

Girardi wasn't the only one who drew attention on "The Bachelor." Contestant Rozlyn Papa was asked to leave the show when rumors surfaced that she was having an affair with one of the show's producers.

She denies the affair with the staffer, who was let go, but Girardi said she witnessed the two together.

"I was one of the girls that witnessed [them]," she said. "I had seen them cuddling on the couch together; it was extremely awkward."

"She said didn't say anything to Pavelka because she "never wanted to go to him and say something bad about the other women."

For more information and the video , you can check out here at The Bachelor Full Episodes

Russian Olympics 2014 - Coming Soon on Sochi, Russia

2010-03-02T02:56:00.005+08:00

Russia have take the ticket as the next host country for the Winter Olympics 2014 at Sochi, Russia. There is something famous about Sochi that I want to share with you is, the environment there and the hotel services is absolutely great.

For the ski lover , you may go for the Psechako , Sochi, it is an awesome place for the ski lover and newbies to train their skiing skill at this track.

For your information, this Russia Winter Olympics 2014 was generally elected since July 4, 2007 during the 119th International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) Session in Guatemala City. This will be the first time ever that the Russian Federation will host the Winter Olympics since the Soviet Union hosted the 1980 Summer Games in Moscow.

Russian Winter Olympics 2014 will be organized within two clusters, a coastal cluster in Sochi, and a mountain cluster in Krasnaya Polyana.

Sochi mayor, Anatoly Pakhomov said they will use three years of time to do as much as they would normally in a century.

Here will be the timetable for the next Russian Winter Olympics 2014 :

	Opening ceremony		Event competitions	1	Event finals and medal count		Exhibition gala		Closing ceremony

February	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23
Ceremonies
Alpine skiing			1		1	1		1	1	1	1		1		1	1
Biathlon			2		1		1		1		1	1		1		2
Bobsleigh										1		1				1
Cross-country skiing		2		2		2		1		1			2		1		1
Curling														1	1
Figure skating				1			1				1			1
Freestyle skiing		1				1							1	1
Ice hockey											1						1
Luge			1		1	1
Nordic combined		1			1							1
Short track			1			1			2				1			3
Skeleton							1	1
Ski jumping			1						1		1
Snowboarding			1	1				2					1	1
Speed skating		1	1	1	1	1	1		1	1		1	1			2
Total medals		5	8	5	5	7	4	5	6	4	5	4	7	5	3	9	2
February	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23

As you can see, the opening ceremony will be at February 7, 2014, expected spectators over 40,000 spectators will flood the main stadium. This will be one of the greatest event in Winter Olympics history too. Closing ceremony will be at 23 Februrary 2014, so the last two competition of medal will be compete is Ice Hockey and Country Skiing.

Follow more news on http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/russianow/society/7298701/Winter-Olympics-2014-in-Sochi-Black-Sea-resort-in-Russia-is-next-to-host-Winter-Games.html

（转载）中国外汇网：人民币兑换美元，一日中间价再度设高人民币升值传闻不断

2010-03-01T12:29:00.000+08:00

( 警告！此内容转载一下的内容，不表明证实其描述，仅提供投资者参考而已，并不构成投资建议，投资者根据此文操作，风险自担）

1日人民币兑美元中间价连续第三日设高，创下自09年7月以来的新高；即期市场早盘，人民币兑美元并未一味跟随中间价而动，反而小幅低开。国际市场上，近期美元放缓上升步伐，兑多数主要货币有所回落，人民币汇率亦趁机走强。而有关中国商务部正调研人民币升值可能对密集型行业影响进行压力测试的消息似乎暗示，人民币升值或在酝酿之中。不过从现货市场表现来看，多数投资者仍在观望之中。

中国人民银行授权中国外汇交易中心公布，2009年3月1日银行间外汇市场美元等交易货币兑人民币汇率的中间价为：1美元兑人民币6.8267元，1欧元兑人民币9.3140元，100日圆兑人民币7.6713元，1港元兑人民币0.87949元，1英镑兑人民币10.3739元。

中国物流与采购联合会3月1日消息，2010年2月，中国物流与采购联合会(CFLP)中国制造业采购经理指数(PMI)为52.0%，比1月回落3.8个百分点。尽管受春节因素影响，该指数明显低于上个月，但2月份中国制造业仍连续第十二个月实现扩张。

美国财政部2月26日公布的修正数据报告显示，尽管2009年12月减持了多达342亿美元规模的美国国债，但截至当月，中国持有美国国债总规模仍高达8,948亿美元，高于此前公布的7,554亿美元，继续占据美国国债的最大单一持有国地位。

与此同时，中国持有美国国债规模的持续下滑趋势依旧明显：根据修正后的数据，中国持有美国国债的规模在2009年6月达到峰值，为9,150亿美元。此外，去年12月，中国持有短期美国国债724.12亿美元，净减持规模高达388亿美元，该类资产在中国所持美国国债中所占比例降至约9.6%。

商务部新闻发言人姚坚日前表示，无论是国际的知名的经济学家还是国内的经济学家都有一个基本的判断，就是人民币汇率问题不是中国有顺差、美国有逆差的根本原因，更不是导致国际经济失衡的根本原因。如果是以美国经济出现问题为借口，如果是在国际经济中出现了一些问题就找借口把经济失衡的问题归咎于人民币汇率，明显是找错了药方，失去了基本的判断。

国际方面，美国商务部26日公布，09年第四季度美国GDP折合成年率增长5.9%，为2003年第三季度以来的最快增速；增幅与预期一致。主要是因为企业放缓了库存清理步伐并加大了支出。1月公布的09年第四季度GDP初步数据为增长5.7%。09年第三季度GDP增长2.2%。虽然数据证实，在第二季度结束长达一年的衰退后，经济反弹步伐有所加快，但在消费者支出增幅能弥补刺激资金减少所带来的影响前，经济复苏恐难以为继。

Update : Santiago Chile Earthquake casualties

2010-03-01T10:59:00.002+08:00

For more information : Please visit CNN.com for the latest news.

After the massive earthquake measuring in magnitude of 8.8 Ritcher scale happened at Chile, the death toll have reached more than 700 dead , and over 2 million of civilians were displaced.

Chile President Michelle Bachelet said the governments has doubling the rescue crews and heading to the remote area and badly damaged town. Nonetheless, President Bachelet said in an address to the nation Saturday night that a million of the buildings had been damaged and destroyed. And with television stations showing topsy-turvy structures, severed bridges and highways whose pavement looked as if it had been tilled by some giant farm machine, the death toll was expected to rise.

Santiago International Airport will be closed at least through Monday, officials said. Although the runways are in good condition, the control tower and customs facilities suffered extensive damage, officials said.

Besides that, Santiago also faces a mass transit chaos, subway system will be closed down indefinitely while the track are inspected. President Bachelet also urged the citizens not to use major thoroughfares because the traffic light is out of service and a lot of pedestrian bridges has totally collapsed.

Meanwhile the tsunami early warning message has just gone down where the waves of ocean is smaller than peoples expected. Hawaii, Japan, Australia and China currently have no reports on tsunami hit and casualty report.

2010 Winter Olympic Closing Ceremony

2010-03-01T10:31:00.001+08:00

February 28, 2010, marks the end of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. And the last game that I watched is the Canadian Ice Hockey Team have successfully beat the former gold medalist USA Team , thanks to the Sidney Crosby scored an overtime goal with the result of 3 - 2 and secured the gold medal for the first time in host country for 30 years. " Our team worked really hard in regulation time and they got that one by us in the end. But we came out in overtime and this is just an unbelievable thing", said Crosby.

Besides, this 17 days of Winter Olympics 2010 is really full of red maple and white background flag with massive of cheerful Canadian supporters gave their best of the best support to the host country's athletes. Starting with the opening ceremony, which included a strong depiction of the nation's aboriginal ancestry, VanWynsberghe, University of British Columbia research says Canadians were reintroduced to their country in a way many have never experienced.

Back to the street, over hundred of thousand of the crowds found a collective voices that never heard before, even their very loud cheering sound for the host nation team. It's something interesting which boost the spirit of the Canadian team to the level that we never expected.

All the sportsmen and sportswomen gathered together for the last moment of the Winter Olympics 2010

Flag representative from different country positioned at the torch at the middle of the stadium.

Canadian flag is raised during closing ceremony for the Vancouver Winter Olympics 2010

WARNING ! Tsunami is closing to Hawaii

2010-02-28T02:30:00.002+08:00

Latest data reported from the tsunami warning center that anytime the tsunami will hit the coast area of Hawaii and be advised to evacuate immediately and take extreme precaution on what's happen next after the hit.

“The state Department of Transportation urged all shipping agents and shipping companies to get their ships out of port this morning following the anticipated 6 a.m. tsunami siren warning. One cruise ship was scheduled to arrive in Honolulu Harbor for refueling this morning but was scheduled to leave before 6 a.m., DOT spokeswoman Tammy Mori said. Harbor police are also physically notifying harbor tenants about the warning.”

NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center have received a warning data that the tsunami may hit the Hawaii anytime. The governments advised the Hawaiian citizens to take extreme precaution and evacuation steps to prevent any possible destruction. Since the Chile hit by measuring in Ritcher scale of 8.8 earthquake, and the earthquake have set off a tsunami that may hit any coast in Pacific Ocean anytime.

For more information , check out the warning message and latest data on NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. GOD BLESS YOU ALL , BE SAFE.

Canadian Ice Hockey Team crush Slovakia Team , Next Stop : The American Champion

2010-02-27T19:32:00.000+08:00

It is a great major success for the Canadian Ice Hockey Team beaten the Slovakia Ice Hockey Team with a result of 3 - 2 , Saturday they have to face off with the strong former Winter Olympic gold medalist, the Yankee, American Ice Hockey Team.

Saturday afternoon ( U.S. time), on the final day of these Games, Canadian will play against the United States team, an Olympic gold medal going to the victory. The Canadians -- a team in major disarray just six days ago, got there with a shockingly taut 3 -2 victory against the Slovakia team in the semifinals, earning them another shot at the Americans, with the stakes considerably higher than they were last Sunday.

That was when the U.S beat Canada, 5 - 3 in the preliminary round, chasing a future Hall of Fame goaltender, Martin Brodeur, to the bench, and initiating days of collective, coast - to - coast hand-wringing north of the border.

The American team have a great feeling might find a way back to win the championship games for the ice hockey by heavily pounded on the Canadian team -- with a roster teaming with all the NHL mega players -- have done just that, after clean sweep the Germany team 8 -2 , and Russians 7 -3 , and now Slovakian.

What will be the final judgement on the American versus Canadian for the final round of the Winter Olympics 2010 at Vancouver ? Find out more on the official website for the Winter Olympics 2010 at here : http://www.vancouver2010.com/ ENJOY !

Inverted Nipple -- The Knowledge of Breast

2010-02-27T19:11:00.000+08:00

Have you spotted your breast or nipples protract all because when breastfeeding, as well as using the breast pump and during pregnancy caused you have an inverted nipples ?

Well, here is your answer : An inverted nipples or formerly known as invaginated nipples, is the nipples instead pointing outside, it is retracted inside the breast. Why is it happened ? ALL BECAUSE of during pregnancy , or even resulted by the breastfeeding. Some of the mothers naturally have inverted nipples, so when they feed the children, it won't be have any pain and complication in feeding, however, for the inexperienced mothers may experience an average pain and soreness when attempting to nurse.

Besides, the use of breast pump or even suction device may caused the inverted nipples as well. Also, frequent stimulation such as sexual intercourse such as nipple sucking also caused the inverted nipples too.

To curb this kind of situation, the most direct way is going for the plastic surgery. But, if a woman choose to have plastic surgery, the result MAY BE it will lose the breastfeed capacity permanently.

Another curing method is to have nipples being pierced, this method only allows if the nipples temporarily protracted. Because the pierced jewellery prevents the nipples from protract, and it might be have adverse effects. The success of this method, everyone's opinion is mixed.

Besides this strategies, is that you can use special device which is specifically designed to draw out inverted niplpes or a homemade nipple protractor can be constructed out of a 10cc dispoable syringe. Noted that this kind of method is use when the preparation for the breastfeeding is going on.

Two methods which are now discouraged are breast shells and also the Hoffman technique. The first one may be used to apply gentle constant pressure to the areola in order to try and break any adhesions under the skin that are preventing the nipple from being drawn out. The shells are worn inside the bra.

However, the Hoffman technique is a nipple stretching exercise that may help loosen the adhesions at the base of the nipples when performed several times a day. Although both techniques are heavily promoted, but there is a report and research in 1992, report shows that not only do shells and the Hoffman technique not promote more successful breastfeeding, they may actually disrupt it.

Chile Earthquake

2010-02-27T18:36:00.003+08:00

BREAKING NEWS ! BREAKING NEWS! EARTHQUAKE AT CHILE SET OFF THE TSUNAMI.

( Source from AFP )

A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake has struck central Chile, shaking the capital for a minute-and-a-half and setting off a tsunami, which triggered international alerts.

Buildings collapsed and phone lines and electricity were down, making the extent of the damage difficult to determine.

At least 16 people were killed when the earthquake struck, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet announced.

"We have had a huge earthquake," Bachelet said, speaking from an emergency response centre in an appeal for Chileans to remain calm.

"We're doing everything we can with all the forces we have. Any information we will share immediately."

Bachelet said early reports were that six people had been killed, and "without a doubt, with an earthquake of this magnitude, there will be more deaths".

She urged people to avoid travelling in the dark, since traffic lights are down, to avoid causing more fatalities.

The quake hit at 3:34am (1734 AEDT) and was centred 325 kilometres southwest of the capital, Santiago, at a depth of 35 kilometres the US Geological Survey reported.

The epicentre was just 115 kilometres from Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city, where more than 200,000 people live along the Bio Bio river, and 60 miles from the ski town of Chillan, a gateway to Andean ski resorts that was destroyed in a 1939 earthquake.

An Associated Press Television News cameraman said some buildings have collapsed in Santiago, where power was out in parts of the city.

An important church was among the buildings that came down in the central city of Providencia, where window glass shattered into the streets and people ran from multistorey buildings, according to TV Chile.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued a warning for Chile and Peru, and a less-urgent tsunami watch for Ecuador, Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica.

It said a tsunami could also hit Hawaii later in the day.

"Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated. It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicentre and could also be a threat to more distant coasts," the centre said.

The US west coast tsunami warning centre said it did not expect a tsunami along the west of the US or Canada but was continuing to monitor the situation.

Australia is also on tsunami watch, with the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) warning of a potential threat to NSW, Queensland, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island.

"Tsunami waves have been observed on the coast of Chile that may threaten Australia," it said in a statement.

Japan's meteorological agency also warned of a tsunami risk across large areas of the Pacific as US geologists said the risk extended as far as the Antarctic.

"There is a possibility that tsunami will widely occur in the Pacific Ocean," an official for the Japanese agency said.

"We are now checking if tsunami may hit Japanese coastal areas."

The largest earthquake ever recorded struck the same area of Chile on May 22, 1960.

The magnitude-9.5 quake killed 1,655 people and left two million homeless. The tsunami that it caused killed people in Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines and caused damage to the West Coast of the United States.

WARNING ! Earthquake strikes Chile !

2010-02-27T18:34:00.002+08:00

A measuring about 8.8 scale Ritcher earthquake have just hit on central Chile about 1.5 minutes and then set off a massive tsunami. The report said there is 6 peoples having been killed because of the damage of the earthquake.

Speaking from an emergency response center, the President said, "We have had a huge earthquake. We're doing everything we can with all the forces we have. Any information we will share immediately."

The President also asked people to not travel in dark as traffic lights are down.

The massive earthquake hit at 3:34 a.m. (0634 GMT; 1:34 a.m. EST). It was centered 200 miles southwest of the capital, Santiago, at a depth of 22 miles.

TV Chile reported that among the buildings that collapsed , was a Church in central city of Providencia. There was chaos as people were running from high rise buildings and glass shattering from the buildings.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, "Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated. It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicenter and could also be a threat to more distant coasts." So a warning was issued for Chile and Peru and not so urgent watch for Ecuador, Columbia, Costa Rica, Panama and Antarctica. There was a warning for Hawaii as a tsunami could hit there later in the day.

Chile have had a huge quake hit it on May 22, 1960 of magnitude-9.5. 1,655 people were killed and 2 million lost their homes. The resultant tsunami had killed many people in Japan, Hawaii and Philippines. There was some damage to US West Coast also.

However this time the U.S. west coast tsunami warning center has said that they do not think a tsunami will reach west of US or Canada but still they are keeping a close watch as the situation develops in Chile earthquake 2010.But mostly by the earthquake Chile has been affected. Naturally memories of recent Haiti earthquake have been reawakened by the new Chile quake. We will keep you posted on the relief and rescue efforts in quake affected Chile.

Whitehat Copycat - Example Of Macro Niches

2010-02-25T05:40:00.000+08:00

By: Alexandrie Earlsmith

Niche market research is the first step that you should take before creating the website. In case you didn't know, there are two type of niches. Those are macro niche and micro niche.

Tim Bekker has created a unique system called Whitehat Copycat. Basically, Whitehat Copycat is about targeting macro niches. Such niche is searched million times per week. Hence, if you could get small portion of this niche, there's a high chance you will be making the money. Here's are example of macro niches:

Antivirus market. Don't browse the internet without antivirus program installed. That gives you the idea on how big antivirus market is. New virus is released by cyber criminals everyday. Therefore, thousands of computer users are searching for antivirus download. Antivirus download has become the source of revenue for lots of companies, including Kaspersky, Norton and CNET.
Registry cleaner download. Registry is the core of Windows operating system. When one computer is still new, there is less registry problem. However, once it is used to browse the web, installing programs or downloads, the registry could be corrupted, resulting in slow computer. Registry cleaner could solve these problems. People who use the computer and internet faces slows down and blue screen error problem everyday and this could mean huge market for you.
Video player program. Media player and mp3 player program are popular downloads at Download.com. In fact, most computers have programs like Winamp, Quick Time Player and Real Player installed.

Antivirus, registry cleaner and media player download are example of macro niches. These programs is a must in every computer and without doubt will be searched million times per day. Target one keyword in these niches and you can expect to get thousands of traffic in a matter of days.

However, keep in mind that not all traffic that comes from these keywords are buyers. In fact, majority of them are just looking for freeware, and therefore will less likely convert into sales. That's why Whitehat Copycat is not just about making sale from affiliate programs alone. Tim Bekker recommend that you generate revenue from these models:

Publish Google Adsense ads in your website. Unlike affiliate programs, you will earn revenue when someone click on your Adsense ads. Therefore, no selling is required.
Pay-per-lead affiliate marketing. This model is also known as CPA marketing. You don't need to sell anything. However, you most convince visitors to download the program or sign up for free trial offer. Once they sign up, you will be paid.
Affiliate programs. You can find thousands of affiliate networks in computer software niche. For example, One Network Direct and Regnow. By registering as their affiliates, you can sell thousands of computer programs, antivirus, registry cleaner and antispyware program.

Author Resource
Do you want to become a successful in Google Adsense or CPA Marketing? Whitehat Copycat will give you straightforward instructions. Read this Whitehat Copycat review for more details.

Sports Photography : Guide to master the techniques and tips

2010-02-24T11:03:00.008+08:00

For sports photographers, journalists, newbies, enthusiasts, there’s nothing more exciting than sports people playing their favourite game. The sight of the field, rink or golf course initiates the thrill and anticipation. This, combined with digital photography, can provide some amazing photographic opportunities. However it’s not a matter of point the camera at the person diving for the ball or puck and snapping away. It’s a lot more complicated than that.

In digital photography, the category of sports photography is a toughest challenge among the other categories. The sports people do not present an easy task of being photographed because of the amount of high movement. However, you can indeed achieve great sports digital photography. Most excellent sports digital photography requires good planning and execution.

Here are some exclusive tips for gaining fantastic sports shots in your digital photography.

First things first; know your digital camera. I recommend taking note and practicing first all the settings that sports photography needed. You may find yourself going for the faster shutter speed, increased ISO and burst mode. Let’s take a look at all these things on your digital camera and see how they can be applied to give you sensational sports photos.

Personally, I quite recommend sports photographer use EOS 1D series, especially EOS 1D Mk III and EOS 1D Mk IV. With high speed burst rate of 10 frames per seconds and 10 to 16 MP, over 60++ focusing area, making it one of the flagship in sports photography arsenal. But these camera are expensive camera that cost you about 10k.

If there is a budget problem, you can choose a cheaper camera such as EOS 7D, it just cost you around USD 1700 or less.

High shutter speeds:
As with all moving objects, in order to capture the “frozen in time” look in digital photography a fast shutter speed is required. The faster the movement the fast the shutter speed will need to be. In digital photography the general consensus is that the shutter speed needs to be faster than that of the subject. For example if you have a sliding puck across ice and there is a someone about to take a dive for it then its necessary to quickly mentally assess how fast that person might be traveling at. If they are traveling at approximately 50 kilometers (approx 32 miles) per hour then you may find a very fast shutter speed is needed for this digital photo.

Source : AFP ( Winter Olympics 2010 , Vancouver)

A very fast shutter speed in digital photography may be anything from 500th of a second or higher. For high speed movement you may want to consider an even faster shutter speed of 1000th of a second or something in that range.

Keep in mind that in digital photography a fast shutter speed works to reduce some of the light which is why a higher ISO is often necessary. (I’ll talk about that in a minute.) Usually a if a ball, such as a baseball going at around 145 kilometers an hour (90.09 miles per hour) a shutter speed of around 1/4000 will get you that “suspended ball in mid air” type of photo. For physical movement, such as someone leaping to catch a football, a shutter speed of 1/500 or over is a good place to start.

Now this is all very well if your scene if well lit. But what if you are taking your digital photography shots indoors at night and the light is not quite enough to provide enough light? In most instances, an indoor stadium at night time will be well lit, but that doesn’t always ensure good digital photos. In sports photography we need to understand that we can only control the artistic value and input of our digital photo and the control of the camera. We can’t control the lighting on the scene being such a public event. In digital photography sports photos we must realize that it’s going to be a challenge to begin with. So here are something’s you can in your digital sports photography to increase the amount of light.

If you have a light tool on your digital camera such as a histogram you can get a good idea of what the light levels are like on your sensor. With this handy tool you can adjust the ISO at the time of your pictures taking.

Increase your ISO: A high ISO in digital photography simply means the sensitivity to light that your digital camera has. In a nutshell the more ISO you have increased the image to, the less light the sensor needs. In sports photography an ISO of 400 or higher can work really well. The downside to this is that it does increase noise. To combat this you can use noise reduction software in the post editing process such as Noise Ninja or increase the LAB mode in the post editing process. Don’t be afraid to try a few shots at 400, 800 and even as high as 1600.

Burst mode:
In most sports digital photography this will be one of the settings you will turn to. Burst mode is also known as ‘continuous shooting’. This ‘continuous’ shooting mode allows you to get a sequence of shoots in succession. You can increase your chances of getting that ideal “split second perfect shot” that you might not be able to get by pre-emption or in normal shooting. This also works so beautifully if your digital camera has a painfully long lag time. I’ve used this so many times to get around the high lag my Sony Cyber shot has got. Some cameras have 3 frames per second and some go up to 12 frames per second. You simply select this mode and hold your finger on the shutter button and it will fire off as many shots in 1 second as it can.

Okay so I’ve been talking about your digital camera and the setting’s used for ideal sports digital photography, so what about any external equipment? If you have been thinking about this you’re spot on. You can take as much time with your settings but there’s not much point if you can’t get close to the action. There’s no point having a picture with perfect lighting and perfect action if the players are like dots on a sheet of paper. You need a good telephoto lens if you can’t get close up. A telephoto lens brings you closer because of its long distance capability. It will get you closer to the action but will need a faster shutter speed.

Many fantastic sports digital photos are taken with an emphasis on a very fast shutter speed, an f stop of around the 2.8 mark to blur the background and focus in on the subject. You may find that if your sportsperson is visually separated from the background and you take the digital photograph with a telephoto lens you’ll have a more shallow depth of field which can give you a more powerful feeling in your digital photo. You can get away with a good optical zoom lens, but you’ll get far better digital sports shots with a proper telephoto.

So what about the artistic side of sports photography with your digital camera? Plenty!

Pre-emption and Emotion is the key to good art.
When taking sports photography you probably won’t find a more public display of human emotion. The emotions of a sports person range from intense anticipation to extreme disappointment or extreme exhilaration. Pre-empting when these emotions take place is they key to getting artistic and impressive sports photos. This comes with practicing your digital photography.

SO much pressure is placed on our athletes, expecting them to perform so we can enjoy the show and the investors can enjoy their returns. This is another reason why I say to get a telephoto lens so you can capture the emotions on their faces and their body language. It makes for superb photography. For ideas on ice hockey, have a look at some ice hockey images that are great study tools.

Don't hesitate anything, don't think a lot on how to take, and don't just look on the photo, your job is to study them and make a practice for yourself. Take on the attitude that studying sports photography will improve your digital sports photos ten fold. You will have a style to emulate and copy to start with then eventually, when you become confident, you’ll start to adopt your own style.

I remembered my master, Mr. Ruddiee Khaw, sports journalist have gave me a lesson, " Trust with your camera and your gears, no matter what model of camera you are, just click it confidently , it's 99% accuracy. " Just believe yourself you can do better in sports photography.

This is one of my artwork at Sepang F1 International Circuit http://alanthedriftking.blogspot.com/2009/12/malaysia-super-series-greatest-time.html

You also can refer on ESPN Sports because they also have a lot of impressive photo inside.

HAPPY SHOOTING

节省您结婚的开支 - DIY 婚纱摄影

2010-02-22T18:15:00.003+08:00

你的婚礼即将来临，你想让您的回忆持续一生。不过，您是在预算和没有很多钱花费专业婚礼摄影师。你仍然可以得到专业的前瞻性，创造性，有DIY婚纱摄影令人难忘的照片。

第一件事要做的是找到一位拍得很美的照片的摄影师。这并不需要做的是一个专业摄影师。许多人都有一种“大眼睛”，并本能地知道如何拍摄出的照片。想想朋友或家人谁你对他们的度假摄影称赞成员，例如。另一种方法找到一个廉价的婚礼摄影师是看本地大学布告栏，或者他们自己张贴在摄影艺术的部门或部门。许多学生有惊人的天赋，但由于他们仍然有些经验，将是您的专业婚礼摄影师婚礼摄影师价格的一小部分。有些人甚至可能您的婚礼照片是免费的，不超过1免费午餐和他们的投资组合，你的婚礼照片的使用。您也可以考虑让一个业余爱好者谁不是专业婚礼摄影师对Craigslist的广告，但有艺术眼睛，喜欢拍照。获取样本的工作和谈判的价格都与你感到高兴。

无论您使用人才陌生人或艺术倾向的朋友或家人作为您的婚礼摄影师成员，确保他们有一个良好的专业相机。你甚至可以考虑购买优良的品质，数码相机，你可以给他们的“支付他们”。如果您需要购买你的自助婚礼摄影摄像头，请务必把它送给了他们的婚礼摄影师很多时间学习插件和相机的输出，这样他们就可以调整设置。数码相机还可以实现简单的编辑，让您或您的自助婚礼摄影师可以编辑您的婚礼照片。此外，数码相机有一个大容量存储很多照片，并有记忆卡可放几百张照片，以便您可以将大量的结婚照片进行挑选，以留下您的特别的一天。

另一个想法是与您的自助婚礼摄影师举行会议，制定一个你想要的拍摄计划。请记住，因为您将节省不聘请专业婚礼摄影师很多钱，你必须对自己做出一些贡献。这包括提供一个你想要的DIY拍摄名单婚礼摄影师。这可能包括结婚戒指照片，喜帖，党的新娘，在伴郎，新娘的家，新郎，新娘和新郎的初吻，家庭，婚礼服务等，这将帮助你和您的自助婚礼摄影师在前期了解彼此的所想要的东西，所以您就能了解在您的大日子中您想得到什么样的东西。

同时，鼓励其他人拍摄您的婚礼照片。最好的婚纱摄影有些是那些由一些客人坦率地陷入美妙的时刻。一些新人选择把对桌采取一次性相机的照片，然后要求他们离开时，相机离开婚宴。有人曾作为婚礼摄像机的主张和要求，任何伟大的婚礼照片被发送到夫妇。

最后，考虑两全其美。您可以租用一个短的时间内专业婚礼摄影师拍摄一些非常具体的图片，然后在您运用自助摄影师和婚礼宾客为您拍摄接下来环节的照片。这将消除专业婚礼摄影师不少的费用。您也可以选择穿上几天在事件发生后你的婚礼服装，到电影公司有几个采取专业的照片。

记住，不一定要聘请专业婚纱摄影师来拍摄超棒的，专业的婚纱照，其他人也可以做到。祝您开心愉快！

Bloom Box Fuel Cell Power Plant For Home

2010-02-22T15:59:00.005+08:00

This is secretive fuel cell company Bloom Energy’s big week. Tonight 60 Minutes aired an exclusive look inside the Bloom Box, and on Wednesday the company is officially launching, after operating for 8 years and having reportedly raised around $400 million from investors like Kleiner Perkins.

It is kind of like an industrial-sized refrigerator, that sucks up oxygen on one side and fuel (natural gas, biomass, etc) on the other. 60 Minute’s reporter Lesley Stahl takes a look at the “secret sauce” behind the Bloom Box, and reports that Bloom bakes sand and cuts it into little squares that are turned into a ceramic, which are then coated with green and black “inks.” Using a special process Bloom creates these ceramic discs and stacks them together interspersed with metal plates of “a cheap metal alloy.” The bigger the stack the more power the Bloom Box will create.

If you keep track of green technology companies, you may have heard rumblings about Bloom Energy, a secretive company that has raised nearly $400 million from investors like Kleiner Perkins for its supposedly game-changing fuel cell device. Now the 8 year-old company is finally emerging from the shadows with the Bloom Box, a $700,000 to $800,000 machine that 60 Minutes calls "a little power plant-in-a-box". So what exactly is the Bloom BoxThe box consists of a stack of ceramic disks coated with green and black "inks" . The disks are separated by cheap metal plates. Methane (or other hydrocarbons) and oxygen is fed in, the whole thing is heated up to 1,000 Celsius, and electricity comes out. Bloom estimates that a box filled with 64 ceramic disks can produce enough juice to power a Starbucks.

As of right now, Bloom isn't angling for the residential market--the box is far too expensive. But major companies like eBay, Google, Staples, and FedEx have already started using the boxes. So far, the Bloom Box has been a success--eBay has already saved $100,000 in electricity costs since its 5 boxes were installed nine months ago. EBay even claims that the boxes generate more power than the 3,000 solar panels at its headquarters.

Of course, fuel cells aren't new. They have just been too expensive to be viable until now, and Bloom still has to prove that its box can produce energy at a cheaper rate than other power sources. The box also produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct--a potential downside depending on how much it generates.

Bloom Energy founder K.R. Sridhar estimates that a Bloom Box for the residential market could be out in 5 to 10 years for under $3,000. That's a big improvement from the $800,000 box of today, but only time will tell if Sridhar is being overly optimistic. And in the coming years, big name competitors will probably catch up to Bloom with cost-efficient boxes of their own. Will the Bloom Box and fuel cell devices like it eventually replace the power grid? Probably not, but they have the chance to one day at least partially free homeowners from the grid--along with solar panels, wind turbines, and other alternative energy sources.

HOME EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT

2010-02-21T15:28:00.004+08:00

A home equity line of credit is a form of revolving credit in which your home serves as collateral. Because a home often is a consumer's most valuable asset, many homeowners use home equity credit lines only for major items, such as education, home improvements, or medical bills, and choose not to use them for day-to-day expenses.

With a home equity line, you will be approved for a specific amount of credit. Many lenders set the credit limit on a home equity line by taking a percentage (say, 75%) of the home's appraised value and subtracting from that the balance owed on the existing mortgage. For example:

Appraised value from home = $ 100,000
Percentage x75%
Percentage of appraised value =$ 75,000
Less balance owed on mortage - $ 40,000
------------------------------------------------------
Potential line of Credit = $ 35,000

In determining your actual credit limit, the lender will also consider your ability to repay the loan (principal and interest) by looking at your income, debts, and other financial obligations as well as your credit history.

Many home equity plans set a fixed period during which you can borrow money, such as 10 years. At the end of this "draw period," you may be allowed to renew the credit line. If your plan does not allow renewals, you will not be able to borrow additional money once the period has ended. Some plans may call for payment in full of any outstanding balance at the end of the period. Others may allow repayment over a fixed period (the "repayment period"), for example, 10 years.

Once approved for a home equity line of credit, you will most likely be able to borrow up to your credit limit whenever you want. Typically, you will use special checks to draw on your line. Under some plans, borrowers can use a credit card or other means to draw on the line.

There may be other limitations on how you use the line. Some plans may require you to borrow a minimum amount each time you draw on the line (for example, $300) or keep a minimum amount outstanding. Some plans may also require that you take an initial advance when the line is set up.

What should you look for when shopping for a plan?

If you decide to apply for a home equity line of credit, look for the plan that best meets your particular needs. Read the credit agreement carefully, and examine the terms and conditions of various plans, including the annual percentage rate (APR) and the costs of establishing the plan. Remember, though, that the APR for a home equity line is based on the interest rate alone and will not reflect closing costs and other fees and charges, so you’ll need to compare these costs, as well as the APRs, among lenders.

Variable interest rates

Home equity lines of credit typically involve variable rather than fixed interest rates. The variable rate must be based on a publicly available index (such as the prime rate published in some major daily newspapers or a U.S. Treasury bill rate). In such cases, the interest rate you pay for the line of credit will change, mirroring changes in the value of the index. Most lenders cite the interest rate you will pay as the value of the index at a particular time, plus a "margin," such as 2 percentage points. Because the cost of borrowing is tied directly to the value of the index, it is important to find out which index is used, how often the value of the index changes, and how high it has risen in the past. It is also important to note the amount of the margin.

Lenders sometimes offer a temporarily discounted interest rate for home equity lines--an "introductory" rate that is unusually low for a short period, such as 6 months.

Variable-rate plans secured by a dwelling must, by law, have a ceiling (or cap) on how much your interest rate may increase over the life of the plan. Some variable-rate plans limit how much your payment may increase and how low your interest rate may fall if the index drops.

Some lenders allow you to convert from a variable interest rate to a fixed rate during the life of the plan, or let you convert all or a portion of your line to a fixed-term installment loan.

Costs of establishing and maintaining a home equity line

Many of the costs of setting up a home equity line of credit are similar to those you pay when you buy a home. For example:

	A fee for a property appraisal to estimate the value of your home;
	An application fee, which may not be refunded if you are turned down for credit;
	Up-front charges, such as one or more "points" (one point equals 1 percent of the credit limit); and
	Closing costs, including fees for attorneys, title search, mortgage preparation and filing, property and title insurance, and taxes.

In addition, you may be subject to certain fees during the plan period, such as annual membership or maintenance fees and a transaction fee every time you draw on the credit line.

You could find yourself paying hundreds of dollars to establish the plan. And if you were to draw only a small amount against your credit line, those initial charges would substantially increase the cost of the funds borrowed. On the other hand, because the lender's risk is lower than for other forms of credit, as your home serves as collateral, annual percentage rates for home equity lines are generally lower than rates for other types of credit. The interest you save could offset the costs of establishing and maintaining the line. Moreover, some lenders waive some or all of the closing costs.

How will you repay your home equity plan?

Before entering into a plan, consider how you will pay back the money you borrow. Some plans set a minimum monthly payment that includes a portion of the principal (the amount you borrow) plus accrued interest. But, unlike with typical installment loan agreements, the portion of your payment that goes toward principal may not be enough to repay the principal by the end of the term. Other plans may allow payment of interest only during the life of the plan, which means that you pay nothing toward the principal. If you borrow $10,000, you will owe that amount when the payment plan ends.

Regardless of the minimum required payment on your home equity line, you may choose to pay more, and many lenders offer a choice of payment options. Many consumers choose to pay down the principal regularly as they do with other loans. For example, if you use your line to buy a boat, you may want to pay it off as you would a typical boat loan.

Whatever your payment arrangements during the life of the plan--whether you pay some, a little, or none of the principal amount of the loan--when the plan ends, you may have to pay the entire balance owed, all at once. You must be prepared to make this "balloon payment" by refinancing it with the lender, by obtaining a loan from another lender, or by some other means. If you are unable to make the balloon payment, you could lose your home.

If your plan has a variable interest rate, your monthly payments may change. Assume, for example, that you borrow $10,000 under a plan that calls for interest-only payments. At a 10% interest rate, your monthly payments would be $83. If the rate rises over time to 15%, your monthly payments will increase to $125. Similarly, if you are making payments that cover interest plus some portion of the principal, your monthly payments may increase, unless your agreement calls for keeping payments the same throughout the plan period.

If you sell your home, you will probably be required to pay off your home equity line in full immediately. If you are likely to sell your home in the near future, consider whether it makes sense to pay the up-front costs of setting up a line of credit. Also keep in mind that renting your home may be prohibited under the terms of your agreement.

Lines of credit vs. traditional second mortgage loans

If you are thinking about a home equity line of credit, you might also want to consider a traditional second mortgage loan. This type of loan provides you with a fixed amount of money, repayable over a fixed period. In most cases, the payment schedule calls for equal payments that pay off the entire loan within the loan period. You might consider a second mortgage instead of a home equity line if, for example, you need a set amount for a specific purpose, such as an addition to your home.

In deciding which type of loan best suits your needs, consider the costs under the two alternatives. Look at both the APR and other charges. Do not, however, simply compare the APRs, because the APRs on the two types of loans are figured differently:

	The APR for a traditional second mortgage loan takes into account the interest rate charged plus points and other finance charges.
	The APR for a home equity line of credit is based on the periodic interest rate alone. It does not include points or other charges.

Disclosures from lenders

The federal Truth in Lending Act requires lenders to disclose the important terms and costs of their home equity plans, including the APR, miscellaneous charges, the payment terms, and information about any variable-rate feature. And in general, neither the lender nor anyone else may charge a fee until after you have received this information. You usually get these disclosures when you receive an application form, and you will get additional disclosures before the plan is opened. If any term (other than a variable-rate feature) changes before the plan is opened, the lender must return all fees if you decide not to enter into the plan because of the change.

When you open a home equity line, the transaction puts your home at risk. If the home involved is your principal dwelling, the Truth in Lending Act gives you 3 days from the day the account was opened to cancel the credit line. This right allows you to change your mind for any reason. You simply inform the lender in writing within the 3-day period. The lender must then cancel its security interest in your home and return all fees--including any application and appraisal fees--paid to open the account.

What if the lender freezes or reduces your line of credit?

Plans generally permit lenders to freeze or reduce a credit line if the value of the home "declines significantly" or, when the lender "reasonably believes" that you will be unable to make your payments due to a "material change" in your financial circumstances. If this happens, you may want to:

Talk with your lender. Find out what caused the lender to freeze or reduce your credit line and what, if anything, you can do to restore it. You may be able to provide additional information to restore your line of credit, such as documentation showing that your house has retained its value or that there has not been a "material change" in your financial circumstances. You may want to get copies of your credit reports (go to the Federal Trade Commission's website for information about free copies) to make sure all the information in them is correct. If your lender suggests getting a new appraisal, be sure you discuss appraisal firms in advance so that you know they will accept the new appraisal as valid.

Shop around for another line of credit. If your lender does not want to restore your line of credit, shop around to see what other lenders have to offer. You may be able to pay off your original line of credit and take out another one. Keep in mind, however, that you may need to pay some of the same application fees you paid for your original line of credit.

UFC 110 : Battle of Nogueira and Velasquez

2010-02-21T14:54:00.003+08:00

Damn I love fighting competition , besides WWE , TNA Wrestling , and also ECW, nevertheless , it's UFC 110 Ultimate Fighting Championship , I can't wait the next ultimate fighting action coming up soon. HERE is the list of the appearance that will arrange for the show :

IGOR POKRAJAC VS. JAMES TE HUNA

C.B. DOLLAWAY VS. GORAN RELJIC

BRIAN FOSTER VS. CHRIS LYTLE
STEPHAN BONNAR VS. KRZYSZTOF SOSZYNSKI
MIRKO “CRO COP” FILIPOVIC VS. ANTHONY PEROSH
RYAN BADER VS. KEITH JARDINE
GEORGE SOTIROPOULOS VS. JOE STEVENSON
MICHAEL BISPING VS. WANDERLEI SILVA
ANTONIO RODRIGO NOGUEIRA VS. CAIN VELASQUEZ

Want to noted you guys is the two major MMA industry of the show will be Cain Velasquez versus Antonio R. Nogueira. You can't miss it because it will be the peak point of the show. Catch up on your local television and online TV stream.