World News

Manny Pacquiao Winner

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Sun, 8 May 2011 12:46:00 +0800

Manny Pacquiao Winner - Manny Pacquiao Winner winner versus Shane Mosley.

Watch Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley Live Stream

Watch Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley Live Stream

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Sun, 8 May 2011 12:11:00 +0800

Watch Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley Live Stream - Watch Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley Live Stream Online on May 7, 2011, Saturday. Watch the Pacquiao vs. Mosley Live Stream Online at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Watch Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley Live Stream

TIME: 9pm ET
DATE: May 7
VENUE: Las Vegas, Nevada
TITLE: WBO Welterweight

According to promoter Bob Arum, Pacquiao may earn 20 million and if Shane Mosley loses he will earn 6 million.

Main Card:
Welterweight Championship: Manny Pacquiao vs. Shane Mosley
Super Bantamweight Championship bout: Jorge Arce vs. Wilfredo Vázquez, Jr.
Super Middleweight bout: Alfonso López III vs. Kelly Pavlik
Light Welterweight bout: Mike Alvarado vs. Raymond Narh

Cameron Newton is interviewed during the 2011 NFL

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:39:00 +0800

Cameron Newton is interviewed during the 2011 NFL - The Carolina Panthers have selected Auburn quarterback Cam Newton with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, gambling that the Heisman Trophy winner will overcome questions about his character and work ethic to become the first franchise quarterback in team history.

A year after going 2-14 with the NFL's worst offense, the Panthers on Thursday night bypassed safer selections such as Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson for Newton, who dazzled in his only season playing major college football.

The 6-foot-5, 248-pound Newton accounted for 50 touchdowns and led the Tigers to the national championship last season despite an NCAA investigation that his father concocted a pay-for-play scheme during his recruitment.

Royal Wedding Guest List 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 09:33:00 +0800

The Royal Wedding Guest List 2011 - Wedding guest lists are dangerous territory. How many people should the parents invite? What if one half of the happy couple brings more guests than the other? Are old flames welcome? All these problems are multiplied a thousandfold if you're the heir to the throne of the United Kingdom and your wedding is going to be watched by a billion people worldwide and your family has a few shady connections. There have already been complaints about the strict invite policy; no plus ones! but who did make the cut? The royal invitation list includes toffs, exes, celebrities, dubious billionaires, and a pair of shady uncles. Here's a crowd-spotting guide for those watching at home.

In what has been deemed "a snub of historic proportions," the last two British prime ministers, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair, have been left off the guest list for the royal wedding.

As neither Brown nor Blair found much favor with Buckingham Palace during their respective tenures, authorities have been forced to dismiss numerous reports that the exclusions were intended as an act of royal vengeance, although they could be a mere oversight. The official explanation, according to the New York Times, is that neither Blair nor Brown are a member of the Order of the Garter, a royal honor dating to the 14th century that is traditionally bestowed on distinguished individuals for their service to the nation or the crown. And given that the wedding is not a state occasion, "there is no protocol reason to invite former prime ministers," a spokesman for Prince William tells MSNBC.

Apparently this criteria did not apply in 1981, as two of the five prime ministers who attended Prince Charles' wedding to Princess Diana were reportedly not members of the order at the time. Nor does it explain the other noteworthy exclusions, including U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, as well as two of Diana's close confidantes.

Officials say the snubs become even more questionable given some of the more surprising names who did make the cut, among them soccer star David Beckham, Madonna's film director ex-husband Guy Ritchie, and a postman and cocktail lounge barman from Kate Middleton's hometown.

View notable exclusions from the royal wedding guest list here:

U.S. President Barack Obama & First Lady Michelle Obama
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair & Wife Cherie Blair
Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown & Wife Sarah BrownFrench
President Nicolas Sarkozy & First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy
Sarah Ferguson, Duchess Of York
Lady Annabel Goldsmith
Rosa Monckton
Lily Allen, British Pop Star

At the Royal Wedding No Tweets Allowed

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:20:00 +0800

At the Royal Wedding No Tweets Allowed - Any 140-character loving guests attending the April 29 wedding of Prince William and Catherine (Kate) Middleton will be sorely disappointed, as signal-blocking technology will be installed at Westminster Abbey to nix cellphone use.

According to Yahoo, the idea was suggested by members of the royal family and confirmed by police and security. They hope nixing phones and tweeting will cut down on news photos and videos featuring cellphone-toting guests, distracting ringtones and info about the wedding getting out ahead of the ceremony.

The absence of Twitter at the actual event doesn’t mean the web will go silent, obviously — in fact, talk of the Royal Wedding is accelerating rapidly on Facebook and Twitter.

And, hey, at least no one will be fired during the event — a Buckingham Palace guard was already dismissed from his royal wedding day duties after calling the bride-to-be a “stuck up cow” and “posh bitch” on Facebook.

Gallery of Royal Wedding Memorabilia of Prince William and Kate Middleton

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:16:00 +0800

Gallery of Royal Wedding Memorabilia of Prince William and Kate Middleton - Presidential Inaugurations, the release of teenage vampire movies and the unfortunate existence of Justin Beiber; each of these events produce a plethora of ridiculous memorabilia. However none has seen such a wide variety of weird trinkets, knickknacks and custom products than the Royal Wedding of Kate and William. My favorite is the Royal Wedding beer! For those of you already sick of all the coverage they even have a “Throne Up” Royal Wedding Sick bag when the big day pushes your stomach over the edge.

Royal Wedding's Unspoken and Secret - Hero

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 18:08:00 +0800

Royal Wedding's Unspoken and Secret - Hero - While the rest of the world is obsessed with the pre-wedding jitters of poor Kate and the intrigue surrounding her dress designer, the only person I can think about is the wedding planner. I know there is one, it's not remotely possible to pull this off without one, but, she's in hiding, I'm sure her contract dictates anonymity.

Lets call the poor thing "Doris".

Having not slept since Tuesday in the midst of organizing place cards and fielding calls from guests, who somehow have obtained her cell phone number and want to know if it's going to rain Friday; and what precisely are the transportation arrangements from the church to Buckingham Palace; and can she do something about upgrading their nasty hotel room; and what in the world are they supposed to do in the five hours between receptions?

She is having one hell of a week.

Picture her final family meeting Friday evening. Michael Middleton answers the door to the suite at the Goring: "Why hi there Doris, come have a spot of Champers with us before dinner -- let's go over it all once more, shall we?"

"Do you mind, if I spend a moment with Pippa and talk about all the kids in the ceremony again?" Doris attempts.

"Oh Jeez, Doris," Pippa sneers, "Do you think I'm a moron? I've been babysitting since I was 10 -- what is the bloody problem?"

"Well there's so many of them and I just want to make sure they don't run amok under your supervision; now, can we also talk about Harry for a moment? I just have a funny feeling he's planning something, don't you James?"

Kate's brother looks up startled, "Well isn't that what we've got you here for? To keep anything from happening; to keep everyone on their toes, so to speak?"

Mrs Middleton enters: "There will be a separate seamstress there for me, correct, we did order one, right? I'm truly worried about the back slit in my gown, and trust me, they are all just waiting for me to look stupid."

"Yes, of course I've got her. My job is to make sure that everyone has a lovely, memorable and perfect day, and I intend to make that happen," Doris sighs.

Kate enters the room. "Why, hi Doris! They torturing you a bit?"

"No, no it's fine, I'm just a bit concerned that all the seating isn't finished yet, and if I don't let Camilla in on the Queen's final changes, she will have my head."

"Damn Camilla. She bloody well thinks this is Her wedding! She's not even Will's mum, barely a step-mum actually; you really should put her in her place, you know Doris? It's all really a bit much don't you think?"

Avoiding the question, Doris turns to James,

"James, do you have a moment for me? I realize this isn't really my job but I feel so close to you after the last couple of months with the family and all the planning, I just want to mention again, that you and Harry should really give it a go on not drinking very much on Friday, you know, all the press around... "

James looks at Doris with disgust, "Good God, did my mother put you up to this? I got it -- no drinking, OKAY?!"

Her cell rings with a call from Camilla who requests an audience. Racing over to see her with an assistant, she's accosted by Charles as soon as she arrives: "...really could use some help on this toast here Doris -- I mean really, it's not as if there's so much to say about her; I mean, she's pretty but... and you know if I don't include a line about how blissfully happy Camilla and I are there'll be no peace around here."

"And do I have to mention that Middleton pitched in some cash? It's not as if we asked for it you know, and it seems so, so -- well you know, so damn middle-class."

Camilla sweeps in. "Oh there you are Doris, thought we'd lost you. Can we go over this photo line-up once again? I really don't want a load of the 'evil step mum posing with the gorgeous couple' shots; and I definitely don't want to be standing next to 'seatbelts fastened' in any of the photos at all, got it? Oh, and please dear, can we keep Harry's friend that -- Chelsey girl -- from being in the formal shots? I mean, really, it's not as if they are going to stay together and it's such a nuisance to cut people out afterwards. And you won't forget about my portraits with my granddaughter in her maids dress? She will be just too adorable... "

The next morning will be even worse, lugging a U-Haul-sized emergency kit filled with additional crystals for Kate's dress, extra feathers for all the absurd fastenings the girls will be wearing, double stick tape for décolletage mishaps. She will be at the church giving arrival updates to the Prince; she will be the only one who can get under the dress and hold it up so Kate can use the loo beforehand; and to figure out how to stuff the massive train into the carriage to the Palace afterwards so it doesn't asphyxiate Will on the way.

She'll be signaling Charles on when to cut in on the first dance and gently grabbing Harry to dance with his brother's new mother-in-law; and ascertaining how to cut reasonably symmetrical pieces out of a chocolate biscuit cake. And, you can be sure, that when all the guests are tucked in for the night and the newlyweds are sleeping peacefully she will be the one on her hands and knees at the floor of Buckingham Palace looking for a guest's lost heirloom earring.

Prince William and Kate Middleton Rehearse the Wedding

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:28:00 +0800

Prince William and Kate Middleton Rehearse the Wedding - A smiling Prince William and Kate Middleton arrived at Westminster Abbey on Wednesday night to run through their wedding ceremony. Next time, it'll be for real. Although there had been an earlier rehearsal for the military, using a Middleton lookalike, this was a rehearsal for the bride and groom.

William, 28, wore a charcoal grey suit and Middleton, 29, wore a black dress as they arrived in a chauffer-driven Range Rover at sunset. Best man Prince Harry, 26, and the maid of honor, Kate's sister Pippa Middleton, 27, arrived in a silver van. They were flanked by two motorcycle police officers.

It was their last rehearsal before Friday's wedding, according to multiple news reports.

The crowd of onlookers first knew something was brewing when 12 officers marched out of a side entrance of Westminster Abbey. They blocked off the street near the cathedral as the vehicles pulled up.

"Everything came to a halt," says Cindy Rockwell from Lake Oswego, Ore. "Then the crowd just surged forward. There were so many people that you could hardly even move; everyone was trying to see them."

William and Middletwon were quickly ushered into a side entrance. "It was really surreal," says Carolyn Houghton from Medford, Ore. "In America, the crowd would have been screaming. But here, everyone was very quiet and orderly. But I do wish they would have stopped and waved for a minute."

The couple remained in the cathedral for about 90 minutes, where they practiced the ceremony. Then they left - William returning home, and Middleton heading to her $8,000-a-night royal suite on the top floor of the Goring Hotel.

Royal Wedding of Prince William Kate Middleton 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:25:00 +0800

Royal Wedding of Prince William Kate Middleton 2011 - Prince William hovers on the brink of matrimony — a year or so before his 30th birthday. His grandmother, the Queen, is 85 and in good health. His father will be king before him, so what does the future hold?

After a suitable honeymoon, we will need to see the happy couple - they must not disappear into Anglesey altogether. If I were masterminding their plans (which I am not), I would have them back, refreshed and tanned in time for President Obama’s state visit (May 24 to 26).

Then we should see the couple at Prince Philip’s 90th birthday, the Birthday Parade on June 11 (William riding as Colonel of Irish Guards), the Garter Procession (William beplumed) on June 13, in a carriage at Royal Ascot and at a Garden Party.

We know they are going to Canada. I would send them off to as many Commonwealth countries as possible in the next couple of years.

Between August and October, we are offered fewer sightings of the Royal family. What we most expect from William and Kate is another generation of the House of Windsor, so time away from the spotlight is good.

Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 16:18:00 +0800

Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton - EVEN though this blushing Kidderminster bride shares the same first name as Kate Middleton - tomorrow’s Royal wedding will pass her by as she will be tying the knot with her own prince charming on the day.

While the country will be focused on William and Kate, Katheryn Thompson will be making sure she has something old, new, borrowed and blue for her special wedding to Dominic Turner at Brockencote Hall.

Just like the Royal couple the pair got engaged while on holiday. Mr Turner surprised his bride-to-be when he got down on one knee outside a church in India and they will also be jetting back to the country for their honeymoon.

“At first Dominic wasn’t being romantic but little did I know he was building up to pop the question - how romantic,” said Miss Thompson, “I said yes straight away.”

She added: “I can’t wait for the wedding. I’m really looking forward to it.

“At first I was quiet taken aback when I discovered that the Royal wedding was on the same day. But then the more I thought about it, I thought that we won’t forget our wedding anniversary and it makes it more special that we’re sharing it with the Royals.

“If we have kids we can tell them we shared our wedding with the Royals so it makes it more poignant.”

The couple got together almost nine years ago after a chance meeting in a Birmingham club.

“We both worked in Birmingham and I used to see him around the town and then I went out for a girly night and he walked through the door and it just went from there,” explained Miss Thompson.

Despite sharing the same day as William and Kate, there will be no Royal Wedding theme on their day and no tvs so their guests will be focused on them.

Miss Thompson will be walking down the isle at 2pm - three hours after Kate Middleton.

“If there’s a TV while I’m getting ready in my room then I might watch the wedding to get some tips,” she joked.

Watch Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows part 2 trailer

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:21:00 +0800

Watch Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows part 2 trailer - "The boy who lived, come to die." Warner Bros has debuted the official theatrical trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in high def on Apple after its world premiere during the ABC Family presentation of Happy Gilmore on TV tonight. We all know where this is headed, we've all seen the first half of the end, now get an incredible glimpse at the true finale coming up this summer. Daniel Radcliffe stars as Harry Potter, Ralph Fiennes as his nemesis Voldemort, and a fantastic cast full of so many other great actors. Get ready to hold your breath for the full two minutes it takes to watch this phenomenal new trailer.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is again directed by British filmmaker David Yates, of Order of the Phoenix and Half-Blood Prince previously. The script was also written again by Steve Kloves, of Sorcerer's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, and also Half-Blood Prince, but not Order of the Phoenix. This is based on J.K. Rowling's very popular series of books which have already concluded. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 arrives in theaters in 3D starting on July 15th this summer!

I’ve been staring at my computer screen for the last five minutes trying to come up with the words to describe my reaction to the new trailer for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2. On the one hand, I feel it is my journalistic obligation to note dispassionately that it features foreboding shots of horcruxes, ominous shots of Severus Snape (Alan Rickman), and disquieting voice-over from Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). And on the other hand, OMIGOD, did you SEE that giant pale dragon breaking out of Gringotts, and the fiendfyre attacking Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson), and Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) literally pulling Voldemort into battle with him?!? Harry Potter fans worldwide are now confronted more than ever with the delicious irony of wishing July 15 could be tomorrow and yet never actually wanting this movie to end. Check out the trailer below and see for yourself:

Birmingham Weather News

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 09:01:00 +0800

Birmingham Weather News - Some very nice pictures from The Seventh Birmingham Colloquium on the Textual Criticism of the New Testament held in Birmingham in March 2011 has been placed on-line at the ITSEE website. You can judge from the third picture how much I enjoyed the atmosphere. One of the highlights was the skype session with Amy Donaldson who presented from the other side of the Atlantic Ocean (pictures in rows 13-14). Pictures from the excursion to Lichfield Cathedral and its treasures are found in rows 8-10 (including the Chad Gospels). Special thanks to photographer Edgar Ebojo.

All lectures at 5pm in the University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford:

Tuesday 3 May 2011, The general procedures

Thursday 5 May 2011, What is a New Testament Manuscript?

Tuesday 10 May 2011, Understanding how manuscripts are related

Thursday 12 May 2011, Editing the Greek New Testament

Tuesday 17 May 2011, The New Testament of the future

Team Pilipinas wins SE Asia cheerleading

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:01:00 +0800

Team Pilipinas wins SE Asia cheerleading - Team Pilipinas cheerleaders reigned over squads from neighboring countries at the 1st Southeast Asian Cheerleading Open held at the Singapore Sports Schools complex in Singapore last Sunday. Filipino cheerleaders pose after wining the gold medal in the All Girls Elite category of the 1st Southeast Asian Cheer leading Open.

The team, composed of members of Poveda College, Holy Spirit, Assumption, Saint Paul Pasig, and Taguig Science High School, defeated squads from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Chinese-Taipei, and host Singapore to top the tournament's All Girls Premier division.

The country's cheerleaders also took home a silver medal in the All Girls Group Stunt division of the tournament.

The tournament invited judges from the reputable International Cheerleading Union (ICU) of US, along with others from around the Asian region, to evaluate the squads.

The Philippines has made a bid to host this year's Asian Cheerleading Open.

Earlier, the country launched efforts to assemble a national squad by conducting an open try-out. The try-out was overseen by officials from the National Cheerleading Championship (NCC), one of Asia's biggest cheerleading organizations.

The NCC is a member of the Philippine Cheerleading Alliance (PCA), the country's governing body for the sport.

The PCA is sanctioned by the ICU, the world governing body for cheerleading.

Watch Soccer Football Luxembourg vs France

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 06:33:00 +0800

Watch Soccer Football Luxembourg vs France - Watch Soccer Football Luxembourg vs France Starts @4:00 p.m. US EDT 03/25/2011 via Live Stream Online (Free Online Video). Bottom of the group Luxembourg face the daunting task of taking on group leaders France this evening. When these two met last year France came away with the victory defeating Luxembourg 2-0.

Luxembourg vs France highlights video here.

In the past Luxembourg and France have faced each other fifteen times with France winning them all bar one. That sole victory for Luxembourg came way back on 8th February 1914 when they defeated France by five goals to four.

George Lopez Apologizes For Kirstie Alley Pig

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 04:14:00 +0800

George Lopez Apologizes For Kirstie Alley Pig - Late night host George Lopez made a joke this week implying that instant Dancing with the Stars favorite Kirstie Alley is a pig. It didn't go over too well.

On Tuesday's Lopez Tonight, he said, “She did a nice job,” after showing a clip of Kirstie and Maksim Chmerkovskiy. “Her little hooves tapping away.”

He then did a play on the classic nursery rhyme, This Little Piggy Goes to Market, before playing a clip of a pig squealing “wheeeee” riding in a car.

Having thought better of it, Lopez apologized last night on Twitter:

Not sure how one misjudges a joke in which one calls a woman a pig - not something they typically take kindly too - but it appears no harm was done.

Alley struck back at Lopez, writing: "lol...a drunk pig...hehe" and later, this:

"Don't worry about George's comments... just remember what happens to the big bad, drunk wolf... falls in a boiling pot of vodka. Piggy laughs."

Good one. This isn't the first such incident for Lopez, who made weight-related cracks about Bristol Palin ballooning on DWTS last season, too.

Here's Kirstie's strong debut performance from Monday night ...

Triangle Shirtwaist fire HBO

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 04:04:00 +0800

Triangle Shirtwaist fire HBO - Triangle Shirtwaist fire HBO documentary gets CNN encore for 100th anniversary. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the famous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in New York City, which killed 146 workers and prompted labor reform in the United States, HBO is letting the basic-cable-subscribing public watch its recent documentary about the events.

"Triangle: Remembering the Fire" will re-air on CNN on Saturday, Mar. 26 at 11:00 p.m. ET -- just one day after the anniversary.

Shortly after debuting the film on HBO on Mar. 21, HBO and CNN released a joint statement announcing the decision to give it a wider audience in honor of the anniversary.

Azkals hope to needed 3 points vs Palestine

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:32:00 +0800

Azkals hope to needed 3 points vs Palestine - Denied at the last minute the last time out, the Philippine Azkals resume their bid to earn a much-needed win worth three points when they face Palestine on Wednesday in the AFC Challenge Cup Group Round at the Thuwana Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar.

The Azkals were held to a 1-1 draw by Myanmar (No. 161 in the FIFA world rankings) on Monday, with the visitors allowing the hosts' Khin Maung Lwin to tie the match with a late injury-time goal.

Khin scored on a free kick off a foul by Simon Greatwich in the 92nd minute.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said President Noyony Aquino is monitoring the games, and congratulated the Azkals despite the draw against Myanmar.

"It goes to show that every minute in football counts. Hindi naman nadismaya (si Presidente sa draw)," said Valte in an interview.

"(The President) still supports the Azkals kahit po ano ang mangyari, we support our own. Siyempre proud of our Filipino players," she added.

The Azkals will be facing a Palestine side which is 20 places lower in the FIFA World rankings at 171, but which is fresh from a 2-0 trouncing of Bangladesh in the other match on Monday to lead Group A with three points.

Azkals manager Dan Palami said, in an earlier team meeting, that playing in the group stage of the AFC Challenge Cup will determine whether the Azkals will have another tournament to play in next year.

Palami, who was chosen by the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) as the 2010 Executive of the Year, added that the matches will also serve as a gauge of whether the team is ready for the World Cup qualifiers in July this year.

The Azkals close out their group stage matches against 174th-place Bangladesh on Friday, March 25.

Azkals vs Palestine, Bangladesh

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 19:06:00 +0800

Azkals vs Palestine, Bangladesh - Thousands of fans cheered for the host country Myanmar in its game against the Philippines. Using their quickness on point passing and efficient offense, the Myanmar White Angels dominated the first half—recording seven goal attempts 25 minutes into the game.

The football game between the Philippine Azkals and the Bangladesh Bengal Tigers is set at 3:30PM (5 pm Manila time) Friday at the Aung San Stadium in Yangon (Rangoon).

The Azkals desperately need to win to get 3 points. Add that to the 2 points that they got from their last two games, which both ended in a draw then they will get a total of 5 points to qualify for the next round of AFC Challenge Cup. Live streaming of the said game is still not possible so stay tuned for updates and replay schedules.

Despite this, Myanmar went scoreless in the first half thanks to the heroics of Philippine Azkals goalkeeper Neil Etheridge.

The Philippines appeared more aggressive on offense in the second half, sparked by the entry of Yanti Barsales.

In the 75th minute, Barsales was fouled hard in the penalty area by Myanmar’s goalkeeper, prompting officials to show a red card.

The foul also gave the Philippines a golden opportunity to score. James Younghusband took the penalty kick for the roughed up Barsales, who had to leave the game in a stretcher.

Younghusband scored on the penalty kick, giving the Philippines a 1-0 lead.

The Philippines seemed to have control of the game since taking the lead, but the slim lead was squandered when the Azkals’ Simon Greatwich was called for a foul in the final minute of extra time, thus opening the door for Myanmar to score via free kick.

“Very unfortunate. Personally, I don’t think it’s a foul but the team played well,” said Neil Etheridge.

The Philippines would have received three points for a 1-0 win. Instead, Philippines and Myanmar were both given a point each.

The Akzals promise to do better in their remaining games against Palestine on Wednesday, and B

angladesh on Friday.

The team needs six points to guarantee a spot in the AFC Challenge Cup in 2012, but the team has a chance to qualify even with 4 or 5 points.

Kristen Schaal Xperia PLAY commercials

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:01:00 +0800

Kristen Schaal Xperia PLAY commercials - You may know Kristen Schaal as crazy-obsessed superfan Mel from Flight of the Conchords, but you can now know her as the ultimate spokesperson for Sony Ericsson‘s new Android-based smartphone, the Xperia PLAY.

What you’ll find below are five of the damned best commercials I’ve had the pleasure of laying eyes on in a long time. And quotable, to boot!

I’d watch these all day if there were more. Guess I’ll have to settle for these five.

Lawsuits Allege Netflix Violates Privacy

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 09:38:00 +0800

Lawsuits Allege Netflix Violates Privacy - Netflix, the Internet darling, has come under fire from various privacy advocates. The company has been the subject of five (!) separate lawsuits in the past two months, all of which center on some of its privacy policies. The lawsuit alleges that Netflix holds onto customer data like rental habits and credit card numbers long after people had canceled their membership.

One lawsuit, filed last Friday, alleges Netflix is in the business of “collecting, storing and maintaining for an indefinite period of time, the video rental histories of every customer that has ever rented a DVD from Netflix.”

Another lawsuit called Netflix “Big Brother,” saying that the company regularly “tramples” over the privacy rights of its customers.

In a fun little coincidence, all the lawsuits have been filed in the same district court in northern California that Sony has been fighting George “GeoHot” Hotz tooth-and-nail. (Did you hear the one about the guy who turned down a job at Sony because of its treatment of GeoHot?)

Netflix hasn’t commented on the lawsuits yet.

Remember: there’s nothing stopping you (yet) from buying your DVDs the old fashioned way, with cash and at a physical store.

Azkals vs Myanmar March 21 Match Result

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:51:00 +0800

Azkals vs Myanmar March 21 Match Result - Philippine Azkals vs Myanmar game result is a draw. After 76 minutes of action James Younghusband scored over penalty against Myanmar. But later in the game, Myanmar scored which equalized the match to 1-1.

After prevailing over the Mongolian Blue Wolves via a 3-2 aggregate win, the Philippine Azkals will face the Myanmar White Angels Monday, March 21, in Myanmar at around 3PM (4PM Manila time) in the group stage of the AFC Challenge Cup.

Neil Etheridge is set to return as goalkeeper. Helping the Azkals in the absence of injured Phil Younghusband are Rob Gier, Patrick Hinrichsen, Jerry Lucena, Angel Aldeguer Guirado, Yannick Tuason, William Espinosa, David Basa and Ricardo Becite. For live streaming of the said game, the Philippine Football Federation (PFF) and media partner ABS-CBN are reportedly trying everything to get a live feed so standby for updates.

Childhood Kawasaki Disease Unlikely Cause of Seizures

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:03:00 +0800

Childhood Kawasaki Disease Unlikely Cause of Seizures - Childhood Kawasaki Disease Unlikely Cause of Seizures in Travolta's Teenage Son Jett Travolta - Jett Travolta's childhood brush with Kawasaki disease is highly unlikely to have caused the seizures that may have led to his death, a Kawasaki expert tells WebMD.

Jett Travolta, the 16-year-old son of actors John Travolta and Kelly Preston, died on Jan. 2. The teen, known to have suffered frequent seizures, struck his head against the bathtub in the hotel where his family was staying, according to media reports.

Kawasaki disease is a mysterious and frightening illness. Might Kawasaki disease have caused Jett Travolta's seizures?

WebMD asked Kawasaki disease expert Nathan Litman, MD, chief of infectious disease and director of pediatrics at New York's Montefiore Medical Center.

"I am unaware of any association of Kawasaki disease with seizures," Litman tells WebMD.

Kawasaki disease can leave a person with an abnormally narrow coronary artery, and this can lead to a future heart attack. Early reports suggest Jett Travolta did not suffer a heart attack; an autopsy is under way.

Libya declare a ceasefire

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 22:10:00 +0800

Libya declare a ceasefire - Libya has declared "an immediate ceasefire", but has criticized the UN resolution, saying the use of military power would "violate" the UN charter. Libya declared a ceasefire in the country to protect civilians and comply with a United Nations resolution passed overnight, Libyan Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa said Friday.

"We decided on an immediate ceasefire and on an immediate stop to all military operations," he told reporters.

"(Libya) takes great interest in protecting civilians," he said, adding that the country would also protect all foreigners and foreign assets in Libya.

Here's a summary of the statement from the Libyan government:

• Mousa Koussa, the Libyan foreign minister, announced that the country had decided on the ceasefire, and the "stoppage of all military operations" at a press conference in Tripoli.

• Koussa said the country has studied the UN resolution, and as a UN security council member will accept the resolution. He said Libya encourages the "opening of all dialogue channels" with the international community.

• Despite this, Koussa criticised the ruling, saying it was "unreasonable" that it allowed the use of military power. He said the use of military power would violate the UN charter and violate the sovereignty of Libya.

• He added that it would "increase the suffering of the Libyan people", while the freezing of Libya's assets would have a "very negative impact on normal Libyans". He expressed "sadness" towards the terms of the resolution.

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noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:40:00 +0800

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After G-7 pledges Yen rise curbed to support Japan

noreply@blogger.com (Alfredo Ramos Jr III) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:25:00 +0800

After G-7 pledges Yen rise curbed to support Japan - The Yen backed away from historic highs and Japanese shares rose Friday after the Group of Seven major industrialized nations promised coordinated intervention in currency markets to support Japan's recovery from a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami.

The G-7 pledge came a day after the yen soared to an all-time high against the dollar, possibly threatening Japan's exports and hampering its economic recovery from the Mar. 11 quake that triggered an unfolding nuclear crisis.

The dollar jumped to 81.26 yen from 79.45 immediately after the announcement and was trading at 81.66 mid-afternoon. It was unclear whether that was due to government intervention or to traders reacting to the news. The dollar briefly slumped to 76.53 yen on Thursday — an all-time low for the U.S currency and a record high for the yen.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average closed up 2.7 percent Friday following a turbulent week of trading amid the escalating nuclear crisis. The index is down nearly 12 percent since March 10, the day before the quake.

The G-7 statement sent a "strong message" to reassure jittery markets, said Masafumi Yamamoto, chief foreign exchange strategist at Barclays Capital Japan. It would be the first time since late 2000 that the governments have jointly intervened in currency markets.

Japan's Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda said the planned intervention was meant to calm "volatility" and G-7 governments had no target exchange rate.

"We are not aiming for a specific level," the minister told reporters.

The G-7 statement adds to a flurry of moves by Japan to calm roiled financial markets following the 9.0-magnitude quake and tsunami in northeastern Japan, which killed has thousands of people, left hundreds of thousands homeless and damaged reactors at a nuclear power plant.

apan's central bank welcomed the G-7 initiative. The bank has tried to calm money markets by injected 38 trillion yen ($470 billion) in emergency cash this week on top its regular funding activities.

At the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, military fire trucks sprayed the troubled reactors for a second day Friday, with tons of water arcing over the facility in desperate attempts to prevent fuel from overheating and spewing dangerous levels of radiation. The U.N. atomic energy chief called the disaster a race against the clock that demands global cooperation.

Quake damage and power cuts have forced Toyota Motor Corp., the world's biggest automaker, and other major manufacturers to suspend production, sending ripples through the global economy.

Analysts expect automakers to recover in coming weeks though most were still working on lining up alternative parts suppliers Friday to replace those damaged in Japan's northeast. Nissan Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. restarted some facilities this week using parts already in stock but that will continue only as long as inventory lasts.

"It's all guesswork," Koji Endo, analyst with Advanced Research Japan, said of the potential damage.

Japan's Mizuho Bank said technical trouble that has hit its automatic teller machines is expected to have affected more than 1 million transactions worth 700 billion yen ($8.9 billion) by the end of Friday. The bank, Japan's third biggest, is investigating but has yet to find a cause, said spokeswoman Masako Shiono.

In a joint statement issued following emergency discussions, the G-7 officials said that the United States, Britain, Canada and the European Central Bank will join with Japan in a "concerted intervention" in currency markets Friday.

"We express our solidarity with the Japanese people in these difficult times," the statement said.

Noda, the finance minister, expressed Japan's gratitude.

The yen's rise was driven by expectations that Japanese companies would sell dollar-denominated assets and buy yen to pay for quake recovery. Traders said there was no sign that happened, which meant government intervention might be able to discourage further speculation.

Barclays Capital's Yamamoto said the G-7 pledge of cooperation was a striking contrast to last year's talk of possible "currency wars" and governments trying to weaken their currencies to shore up exports amid the global crisis.

"It's completely different from last year," he said. "People were talking about currency wars and competitive devaluation. So it's a total change. In that sense, it was very significant that speculative yen appreciation can be attacked by coordinated action."

Goldman Sachs estimated Japan's disaster losses could reach $200 billion, the equivalent of more than 3 percent of Japan's annual gross domestic product.

It is unclear how much a change in exchange rates might help Japanese exporters, which also are struggling with power shortages that have forced major auto manufacturers and others to suspend production.

"Many would currently be unable to benefit from a weaker yen anyway," Capital Economics said in a report. "A stronger currency will at least make imports cheaper and therefore minimize the additional costs of meeting any shortfall in necessities following the disruption to domestic supplies."