1click-balita

Actor and Director Johnny Delgado Died of Colon Cancer

2009-11-18T23:41:00.000-08:00

Philippine Actor and Director Mr. Johnny Delgado died today, November 19, 2009 at 1:20PM. Delgado has been suffering from colon cancer and today his body finally surrendered to the illness. He is 61 years old.

It is remembered that months ago, Mr. Delgado was interviewed and said that his days were numbered back in February. However, after the third chemo session, 80% of his cancer cells were gone and that he responded well to the therapy.

Watch Pacquiao vs Coto live streaming

2009-11-14T19:52:00.000-08:00

Guys here are the list of the links i know where you can watch the fight of pacquiao

http://atdhe.net/7207/watch-manny-pacquiao-vs-miguel-angel-coto

http://felipecordobatv.ucoz.net/

Http://www.ustream.tv/channel/snapples7eve5

Sony debuts Vaio X; 'world's lightest laptop': 11.1", 14-hour battery

2009-10-15T20:56:00.000-07:00

Sony and Microsoft threw a big bash last night in New York City, and one of the company’s three Windows 7-powered announcements was its Vaio X, an 11.1-inch ultraportable laptop that’s “thinner than a No. 2 pencil” and lasts up to 14 hours.

Regular readers will know that we first mentioned the X series in September, when Sony gave the world a peek at IFA Berlin 2009.
It’s got a scratch-resistant LCD display, 64GB solid-state hard drive, 2GB of DDR2 RAM and built-in 3G connectivity (Verizon only) and GPS that doesn’t require an Internet connection to work. The standard battery offers just 3.5 hours of juice, but the extended version — which was designed in a way that it serves as a wedge-like stand for the device — increases that to 14 hours.
The case is made of carbon fiber and the keyboard, aluminum.
Ports are few on a device like this: it’s got an SD card slot and a Memory Stick Pro media slot in the front; on the right side, Ethernet and VGA out; on the left, the power port, 2 USB 2.0 ports and a headphone jack.
Sony would only say that the 1.5-lb. Vaio X has a 2.0 GHz Intel processor, not specifying which model. It comes preinstalled with Windows 7 Home Premium and comes in either a champagne-esque gold or black.
The Sony Vaio X will be available next month for a hefty $1,300, including both batteries.

Source: "http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadgetreviews/?p=8149&tag=content;leftCol"

100 Most Popular Softwares Downloaded

2009-10-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

Browse the items that have been downloaded most often over the past 30 days.

PC Tools AntiVirus Free Edition 6.1.0.25 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
TuneUp Utilities 2009 8.0.3300 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $49.95
Limitations: 30-day trial
RZ Free Burner 1.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Intuit QuickBooks Simple Start 2009 R1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Switch Sound File Converter 2.03 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Bug Doctor 3.0.3.8 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Express Burn 4.27 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
#1-TuffTEST-Lite 1.53 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
TimeTo 2009.01.19 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Norton AntiVirus 2010 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $39.99
Limitations: 30-day trial
3D Moon View 2.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
FurtherTime 1.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Free Icon Gallery 1.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
SoundCapture 1.1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $59.95
Limitations: 30-day trial
MP3 Rocket 5.3.1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
1 Click PC Fix 3.5 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $29.95
Limitations: Fixes first 5 errors
Showoff Home Design 1.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Spyware Sledgehammer 2.2.1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Hitachi DVD-ROM and CD-ROM Drivers NA (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Update
Agood AVI DIVX MPEG WMV ASF MOV DVD Converter 4.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Yatzay 2.1034 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
3DVIA Shape 3.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Video DVD Maker Free 3.20.0.50 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Aranea Spywizard 2.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
CapturePad 0.1 beta (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Personal Ancestral File 5.1.12 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Update
Sexy Woman 1.2 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Movavi VideoSuite 7.2 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $59.99
Limitations: 30-day trial, watermark on output
Web CEO Free Edition 8.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Duplicate File Finder 3.5 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Ad/Spyware Terminator 0.1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
SysAid Help Desk and Asset Management 6.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Gears 1.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
ThreatFire AntiVirus Free Edition 4.6 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Imtec Battery Mark 1.1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
MyVirtualHome 2.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
PDFill PDF and Image Writer Free 7.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
VisualPHP Professional 1.0.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Webroot Spy Sweeper 6.1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $29.95
Limitations: See description
DVD Burning Creator 1.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Pumpkin King Halloween 1.6r1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
First Aid 2000 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $16.00
RealPlayer SP 1.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
BatteryCare 0.9.7.3 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Necrofile 0.84.0427 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
NetInfo 6.9 build 907 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $39.99
Limitations: 30-day trial
Microsoft Windows 98 SE OS (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Purchase
Spyware Doctor 6.1.0.448 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $29.95
Clickcat-P2H 2.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Silly Little Checklist 1.08 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Purchase
Junior Invoice Manager 3.97 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Easy Resume Creator Pro 4.21 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $34.95
Limitations: 15-day trial
TuneXP 1.5 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
ZapitSMS 1.2 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try
Limitations: 25 SMS credits trial
UDF Volume Reader 7.1.0.95 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
PHP Point Of Sale 7.1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
DVD Cutter Plus 1.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Removable Drive Icons 1.1d (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Purchase
Magic Speed Demo 3.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
The Settlers III 1.25 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Update
TrueDownloader 0.82 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Animated Craps 4.5 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Purchase
Advanced Spyware Remover 1.2 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
PC Power Optimizer Lite 1.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Avellar Audio Editor 1.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Phone Patch 1.3b5 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
ScripTrap 1.03 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
VirtualLab Data Recovery 5.5.17 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $39.95
Limitations: Previews recovered data
Prize Golf 1.03 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Comet Cursor 1.0.1.51 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Free Software Trial Finds VMware Problems and Optimizes the Data Center
License: demo
Limitations: 14-day free trial
TrueTech WebCam Personal Edition 2.25 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
CyberLink PowerDirector 8.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $69.95
Limitations: 30-day trial
TaskMerlin 2.1.0.1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $49.00
Limitations: 30-day trial
Free DVD Maker 1.1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
MsDVR 2000 1.1.214h (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Registry Diagnostic Tool 1.0.2 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Lockbox 2.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Swot 1.08 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
ATP DVD Artist 1.7 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $24.95
Limitations: 15-day trial
SMS Server Tools 1.7 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Adware Spyware Scanner Deleter 0.2 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Focusviewer 2.1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
George Bush's Weed Party 1.21 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Animation Stand Personal 1.0 (Mac)
Platform: Mac
License: Free
SuperAntiSpyware Free Edition 4.29.1002 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
SwiftDisc Burning Wizard Premium 2.27 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $39.95
Limitations: 30-day trial
Gphone 3.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Customized Windows Logon 1.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
1 Clock Domain 1.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Abrosoft FantaMorph Pro 4.1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $49.95
Limitations: 30-day trial
EZReg 3.12 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
HD Workbench 1.1.31 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free to try Price: $19.95
Magic Reversi 1.51 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Yahoo Widget Gallery 1 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
eMNGma PRO 2.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
PM Painter 2.0 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Purchase Price: $19.95
Easy Uninstaller 1.5 build 61 (Windows)
Platform: Windows
License: Free
Source:http://software.techrepublic.com.com/toppopular.aspx?ucid=

Setting up a Cisco VPN connection with Network Manager

2009-10-15T15:20:00.000-07:00

Love it or hate it, many enterprise users and companies use Cisco VPN devices to manage remote logins for their users. Some Cisco VPN clients are good, and some are plagued with issues. Thankfully, with Linux, vpnc is available to manage the client connection to a Cisco VPN, and it works fairly well. Using Network Manager to manage the configuration and connection to a Cisco VPN takes almost all of the sting out of having to use it over other solutions.
While this tip mentions Fedora specifically, it should work similarly in other distributions that also use Network Manager. To begin, you must have the Network Manager vpnc plugin. On Fedora, this means installing theNetworkManager-vpnc package (it should be similarly named in Ubuntu and others, perhaps with all lower-case letters). Installing this package with yum (or apt, etc.) should pull in all required dependencies, including vpnc itself.
Once the plugin is installed, go to the top GNOME panel and look for the Network Manager applet. Click it and highlight VPN Connections in the pulldown menu. Move over and click on Configure VPN.
To add a new VPN connection, click the Add button, which will take you through a configuration wizard. Select the Cisco Compatible VPN (vpnc) option and then click Create. You can now fill in the entries for your particular VPN connection.
You will need to provide the VPN gateway address, group name, and group password. Select NAT-T for the traversal method and ensure that the encryption method is set to Secure. These few bits of information are all that is required to set up the connection. Click Apply and exit the configuration screen.
Now you can click on the Network Manager applet again and go down to VPN Connections and select the VPN that you just created. Click the name of the connection and you should be prompted for a password shortly. Once you provide it, the VPN connection will be established, and the Network Manager icon will change to have a little golden lock on it, indicating the VPN session is active.
If you happen to be using OpenVPN instead, Network Manager can handle that as well. Install the Network Manager plugin for OpenVPN (NetworkManager-openvpn on Fedora), and go about configuring it in the same fashion.

Source: http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/opensource/?p=980&tag=nl.e101

Cory gets 2nd posthumous award from Catholic Church

2009-10-15T15:10:00.000-07:00

GMANews.TV - Thursday, October 15

The late former President Corazon Aquino was given her second posthumous award from the Roman Catholic Church Wednesday, this time for being a model of Christian living.
Mrs. Aquino’s first posthumous award was given by the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) for her exemplary service to “Deo et Patria" (God and country).
Catholic Church officials handed the Catholic Mass Media Awards (CMMA) "Serviam" award to Mrs. Aquino's nephew Bam Aquino at the San Carlos Seminary in Makati City on Wednesday.
“Tita Cory gave the Filipino people in her time a reason to hope, a reason to rise from the tragedies and calamities brought about by governance at that time," Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines president Angel Lagdameo said in his speech at the awarding ceremonies.
He also lauded Mrs. Aquino for promoting the culture of respect, dialogue and friendship in her time.
Excerpts of Lagdameo's speech were posted Thursday on the CBCP news Website.
Also on hand to present the award for Mrs. Aquino were Papal Nuncio Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams, and Manila Archbishop Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales.
The CMMA award cited Mrs. Aquino for her “service to the people as a genuine democratic leader was firmly grounded on Christian values and ideals."
Mrs. Aquino died last August 1 after more than a year's battle with colon cancer.
Her death and the 26th anniversary of the assassination of her husband former Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. triggered a surge in popularity of their son, Sen. Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III, who was later persuaded to run for the presidency in the 2010 elections.
Lagdameo, in lauding Mrs. Aquino, said her advocacy for truth was not limited to simply articulating it.
He said that for the former President, “truth learned… through prayer was something to be practiced."
“Yes, she was a servant of truth, servant of caritas, servant of the people who elected her," he added.
The "Deo Et Patria Award" was given by the CEAP last Sept. 16 during its national convention at the Manila Hotel.
Cory legacy
Mrs. Aquino led the Filipinos in restoring democratic institutions in the country after the fall of the Marcos dictatorial regime during the 1986 Edsa People Power uprising.
Citing milestones in the administration of Mrs. Aquino, a GMANews.TV article written by Ping Galang said that the Philippines in the late ‘70s and until mid-‘80s was “to the rest of the world a nation of 60 million recreants and one dictator… a fragmented people incapable of facing up to a despot in Malacañang who led a corrupt government in turning a once-prosperous economy into an impoverished state in the middle of a “booming" Southeast Asia. - GMANews.TV

Source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com

Giant singkamas sparks frenzy in CDO

2009-10-15T15:06:00.000-07:00

Rich nations should fund RP rehabilitation - GMA

2009-10-15T15:03:00.000-07:00

Philstar.com - Thursday, October 15

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo called on rich countries yesterday to provide the bulk of funds for rehabilitating areas ravaged by tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng,” saying the country had been a victim of climate change.
Mrs. Arroyo said the Philippines would need much more money to fund relief and reconstruction efforts following the recent record rains brought by the two weather disturbances that left more than 710 people dead and caused billions of pesos in damage.
Speaking at the Mid-Year Economic Briefing at the Shangri-La Hotel in Makati City, Mrs. Arroyo said that in seeking foreign help, the country will stress that it is “not a culprit of climate change.”
“We are a victim. We are not a climate maker but we certainly are a climate taker,” she said.
Developed countries account for the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions that scientists all over the world have blamed for global warming, she said. But developing nations are the most vulnerable to severe weather disturbances brought about by climate change.
United Nations climate chief Yvo de Boer had said climate change increased the severity of Ondoy.
“Victims are compensated, not penalized with high interest rates and conditionalities,” the President said, adding that the Philippines had made a tiny contribution to climate change.
“And that is why we are very grateful to the United Nations for the flash appeal that they have launched to mobilize grants (for the victims of Ondoy),” Mrs. Arroyo told a group of diplomats, economists, business leaders and fund managers.
Mrs. Arroyo said the government’s first priority would be to secure grants and concessional loans.
“Commercial borrowings either through bonds or other instruments should be the last financing option,” she said.
She said the newly created Special National Public-Private Reconstruction Commission would soon oversee a “pledging session” of potential donors for funds.
Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, who proposed the creation of the commission, said at least $1 billion is needed to finance massive and long-term reconstruction projects, including those on risk reduction.
Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. chairman Manuel Pangilinan chairs the commission with Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and Finance Secretary Margarito Teves acting as co-chairmen.
“Depending on the recommendation of the special commission, we may issue reconstruction bonds” to be supervised by the National Development Corp. “which seems to be the favorite recommendee of economic managers and business leaders as far as being an isssuer of bonds is concerned, whether peso or dollar, to which multilaterals such as the World Bank and the ADB (Asian Development Bank) may subscribe,” she said.
“But even then, we’d rather that the primary response of our administration to the enormous calamities which climate change is bringing to our vulnerable country cannot just be another borrowing program. We don’t want to let grant opportunities go to waste. Although lesser in size than loans, they remain substantial,” Mrs. Arroyo said.
She gave no figures on how much money the country needs.
But, speaking at the same forum, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the agriculture sector suffered P18.4 billion in damage with half a million hectares of rice lands flooded.
Damage to infrastructure exceeded P5 billion, other officials said.
She said she has ordered Teves to make sure the new commission is a public-private sector partnership rather than led by the Department of Finance and to coordinate a special pledging exercise “with a higher international profile.”
“This special pledging session would tap into the huge underlying global constituency for climate change adaptation,” she said.
“It would capitalize on the ongoing discussions and negotiations leading to Copenhagen,” Mrs. Arroyo said, referring to the global summit on cutting greenhouse gases in December.
She pointed out the Philippine case is being cited as justification for the need for climate change adaptation financing. “And that is why we should use the umbrella not only of the World Bank but also of the UN framework (in raising funds),” Mrs. Arroyo said.
Meanwhile, the President will push for closer and better regional cooperation on climate change and disaster risk and response at the 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Thailand next week.
“This (cooperation on disaster risk and response and climate change) will definitely be among the issues that will be pushed forth by the President in the ASEAN summit,” Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said.
The country’s horrific stretch of weather began on Sept. 26, when tropical storm Ondoy (international codename Ketsana) dumped the heaviest rains in more than four decades on Metro Manila and surrounding areas.
At least 337 people were killed, according to official estimates, and parts of the city are expected to remain flooded for months.
Exactly one week after Ondoy, typhoon Pepeng (Parma) hit Northern Luzon and hovered over the area as a tropical storm for a week, causing massive flooding and landslides that killed at least 375 people.
Positive growth
But despite the recent calamities and the lingering global economic crisis, President Arroyo said the country is still likely to post growth.
In her speech at the same business forum, Mrs. Arroyo cited a report from The Economist Intelligence Unit that said the Philippine economy has not contracted despite the global economic crisis.
She said the country posted uninterrupted growth every quarter in the last eight years “and that is one of the important things we have achieved and which has enabled us to be resilient during the food, global and now climate change crises.”
“First there was a global food crisis, then a global financial and economic crisis, and now we have a climate change crisis,” she said.
“But the result of our reforms is a Philippine economy that is stronger and more able to withstand shocks such as those that the three global crises have been throwing at us,” Mrs. Arroyo said.
“We have achieved much in the areas of infrastructure investment, job creation and macroeconomic stability that have helped us in the worst of these crises,” she said.
She said Moody’s Investor Service upgraded the Philippine credit rating last July, and even the damage from the two recent typhoons was “deemed manageable” or enough to convince rating and multilateral agencies to maintain their positive outlook on the economy for this year. - By Paolo Romero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Source: www.yahoo.com

Arum ruling out Pacquiao's tiff vs Mayweather

2009-10-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

Philstar.com - Thursday, October 15

MANILA, Philippines - Top Rank’s chief Bob Arum, American promoter of Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao, expressed doubt on the possibility of his prized ward facing Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a bout pitting two of the world’s top pound-for-pound fighters.
The top boxing executive said he’s having doubts that Pacquiao will take on Mayweather next if he gets past Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 (Nov. 15 in Manila), citing problems that may possibly arise during negotiations.
“I don’t think (Pacquiao-Mayweather) will happen within the next year because of all of Mayweather’s posturing, the trash talk. That impedes any realistic negotiations. It would just be too difficult,” Arum told Michael Rosenthal of The Ring.
Even Pacquiao’s chief trainer Freddie Roach is on the same page as Arum.
“It seems like there’s a lot of things working against this fight ever happening,” Roach earlier told The Los Angeles Times. “It makes sense. It’d be a great fight, but it seems there’s a lot of distractions around it. I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
It was earlier reported that the issue of the purse split may derail a Pacquiao-Mayweather duel, as neither fighter is willing to settle for an equal sharing of the pot.
Mayweather came out of retirement to beat Juan Manuel Marquez – Pacquiao’s arch-nemesis – cruising to a lopsided victory last Sept. 19.
Asked if Pacquiao is doomed to suffer the same beating as Marquez if the Filipino goes up against Mayweather, Arum said the Filipino fighter has an entirely different style compared to Marquez’s.
“Styles make fights,” Arum said, citing an age-old boxing adage.
“Mayweather is a defensive specialist and Marquez is a counter puncher. Mayweather forced Marquez to be aggressive, which isn’t his game. Marquez needs his opponent to be aggressive. When Manny fought Marquez – and it’s not the same Manny now – Manny was the aggressor. Marquez was able to win a lot of rounds because he’s a good counter puncher,” he added.
Arum even provided additional examples to stress his point.
“Just because A beats B and B beats C, it doesn’t mean A will necessarily beat C. Look at the heavyweights from years ago. George Foreman could fight Joe Frazier and Ken Norton a hundred times each and the result would be the same, a Foreman knockout. Muhammad Ali could fight Frazier 100 times and every one would be a war. The same with Norton; he just couldn’t figure out his style. Then you put Ali in with Foreman and he’s able to knock him out. Manny is a different type of fighter than Marquez,” he said. – Contributor Dino Maragay - (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Source:www.yahoo.com

Play Chopsticks on the Subway Stairs

2009-10-09T17:27:00.000-07:00

Swedish advertising company, Rolighetsteorin, recently created musical stairs reminiscent of Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia's beloved FAO Schwartz piano scene in Big. The campaign is for Volkswagen, though I'm fuzzy on the connection between the two.

From the campaign site (Google translation from Swedish to English is a bit iffy):

"This page is dedicated to the idea that something as simple as happiness is the absolute easiest way to get people to change. That it does not need to be more difficult than to make things a bit more fun to have to change for the better. Which does not matter as long as there is improvement. For yourself, the environment or whatever you want."

So...taking the stairs instead of the escalator is more fun, as well as a productive change. Meaning happiness inspires change, and VW = change? Whatever the message may be, as a child of the 80's, the Big scene is a favorite of mine, and these subway piano stairs look like pure fun.

Sweden's subway piano below, as well as the classic Big scene. Process/construction images further down.

Source:http://www.wonderhowto.com/wonderment/play-chopsticks-on-the-subway-stairs-0113436

Mozilla Firefox 3.6 Beta Due Next Week, 4.0 Next Year

2009-10-09T17:20:00.000-07:00

Mozilla is prepared to release the latest beta version of its Firefox browser next Friday, October 16, with a few added enhancements to whet the palate of those eager to get their hands on the upcoming Firefox 4.0. The updates will be "minor," according to sources, so don't expect mind-blowing changes that'll transform your browser experience. You will have to wait for Firefox 4.0, expected to launch in 2010, for the big update.

Some of the key updates in Firefox 3.6:
* Lightweight themes
* Faster JavaScript handling
* Improved form completion tools
* Bookmark synchronization
* Page load enhancements
* Optimized session restore
* A few additions to the CSS tech
* Outdated plug-ins check

News mavens at The Register claim that version 3.7, which does not have a release date, will cop a feel from Windows Vista and feature the "Aero Glass design ... taking on the same translucent appearance as the OS itself." Sexy!
Firefox 4.0 has a few mockup pictures on the wiki Web site. So far so good ... but there's something suspicious about its veneer. Can anyone say Google Chrome lookalike?

Eager users are already complaining about the new look. "I think Firefox SHOULD be distinctive, and have its own look and feel, not something borrowed from Chrome, or IE," gripes one user on a wish list site. I'm hoping the similarities between Firefox 4.0 and Chrome don't stop at the pretty window dressing. I was an avid Firefox user on Windows and Mac until I stumbled across Chrome, which is leagues superior to the slow and buggy Firefox browser (now if only Chrome would release a stable version to Macs...).

A few other hopeful dreams of 4.0:
* Pre-installed extensions, rather than leaving the impetus up to the user
* Better memory management
* Synching of everything
* Backward compatibility for extensions

Personally, I just want it faster. Security has never been (too much of) an issue for Firefox, so improvements there could only be, well, improvements, not crucial updates to patch gaping holes as is the norm for browsers like Internet Explorer.

What are you looking forward to most with Firefox 4.0?

Source:http://tech.yahoo.com/news/pcworld/20091007/tc_pcworld/mozillafirefox36betaduenextweek40nextyear

Buddies Damon, Affleck are also distant relatives

2009-10-09T17:14:00.000-07:00

BOSTON – It seems Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are more than childhood pals and Hollywood collaborators.

According to the New England Genealogical Society, they're also cousins. Tenth cousins, once removed, that is.
Society researchers dug up evidence that both Damon and Affleck are descended from William Knowlton Jr. He was a bricklayer who came to the U.S. from England in the 1630s and settled in Ipswich.

The society said Friday that Affleck has lots of other famous relatives, including 16 U.S. presidents — Barack Obama among them — and the late Princess Diana.

Affleck and Damon were friends growing up in the Boston area and teamed up as writers and co-stars for the 1997 film "Good Will Hunting."

On the Net:

New England Historic Genealogical Society: http://www.newenglandancestors.org/

Source:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091009/ap_en_ot/us_people_damon_affleck;_ylt=ApyZhFl0rYEvr1Ja9eYAl85xFb8C;_ylu=X3oDMTJvZGJydXV2BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkxMDA5L3VzX3Blb3BsZV9kYW1vbl9hZmZsZWNrBGNwb3MDMgRwb3MDNgRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3J5BHNsawNidWRkaWVzZGFtb24-

Landslide deaths lift Philippine storm toll past 540

2009-10-09T17:10:00.000-07:00

by Ted Aljibe Ted Aljibe – Fri Oct 9, 3:35 pm ET

PANGASINAN, Philippines (AFP) – The death toll from two weeks of unprecedented storms across the northern Philippines soared past 540 on Friday after landslides consumed homes and neck-deep floods inundated towns.

At least 181 people were killed in a series of rain-triggered landslides overnight Thursday and on Friday in mountainous regions of the Philippines' main island of Luzon, local officials reported.

Meanwhile, the downstream farming plains of central Luzon were inundated with waters that reached two storeys high after dams in the mountains could not hold the phenomenal amount of water that has fallen on the region.

"The rains in this area are unprecedented," the executive officer of the National Disaster Coordinating Council, Glenn Rabonza, told AFP.

"We are stretched, no doubt, but we are responding in the best way we can."

The crisis showed no signs of easing as tropical storm Parma, responsible for the past week of rains, continued to hover just off Luzon.

Further south on Luzon, in the nation's capital Manila, nearly 300,000 homeless survivors from Tropical Storm Ketsana were packed into evacuation camps following record rains on September 26 that killed at least 337 people.

US troops helping out in the capital extended their relief work to the north on Friday, dispatching helicopters and other rescue equipment, the Filipino military said.

The US embassy announced an extra two million dollars in aid for the Parma victims on top of money and materials donated for the Ketsana operations, while UN humanitarian chief John Holmes is to begin a two-day visit to the country Monday to review relief efforts, the world body said.

The worst of the overnight landslides appeared to be in remote Benguet province, where 120 people were confirmed killed in five towns, said provincial governor Nestor Fongwan.

Another 38 people were confirmed killed in the neighbouring mountain resort of Baguio, officials there said.

Across all of the north, the confirmed death toll from the landslides was 181, on top of the 25 people killed earlier by Parma.

In the farming region of Pangasinan province to the southwest of the provinces where the landslides occurred, thousands of people were stranded on rooftops in dangerously similar scenes to those in Manila a fortnight ago.

Days of rain from Parma forced authorities to open the gates on five dams, sending water cascading through dozens of towns in Pangasinan, which has a population of 2.5 million people.

"A lot of places cannot be reached by our rubber boats because the current is too strong due to the waters released by San Roque dam," Pangasinan governor Amado Espino said.

"The dam is supposed to be for flood control but now it is so filled it is like it is not there. The water just rushes right through from the mountains to Pangasinan."

The disaster council's Rabonza said about 60 percent of Pangasinan, including about 30 towns, were flooded with waters reaching as high as the second floor of buildings.

In the town of Rosales, neck-high waters swallowed up houses, vehicles, rice fields and even a large shopping mall.

Desperate local officials made urgent pleas for rubber boats and helicopters to rescue those stranded by the floods.

Parma has been hanging over the northern Philippines since initially hitting as a typhoon on October 3.

Parma hit the Philippines exactly one week after tropical storm Ketsana dumped the heaviest rains in more than four decades on Manila.

The government has been overwhelmed by the crisis, which has forced hundreds of thousands of people in Manila and other parts of Luzon into makeshift evacuation centres after losing their homes to the floods.

Source: http://www.yahoo.com/

In a surprise, Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

2009-10-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

By KARL RITTER and MATT MOORE, Associated Press Writers Karl Ritter And Matt Moore, Associated Press Writers – 7 mins ago

OSLO – President Barack Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in a stunning decision designed to encourage his initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and stress diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism.
Nobel observers were shocked by the unexpected choice so early in the Obama presidency, which began less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama woke up to the news a little before 6 a.m. EDT. The White House had no immediate comment on the announcement, which took the administration by surprise.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee lauded the change in global mood wrought by Obama's calls for peace and cooperation but recognized initiatives that have yet to bear fruit: reducing the world stock of nuclear arms, easing American conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthening the U.S. role in combating climate change.
"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," said Thorbjoern Jagland, chairman of the Nobel Committee.
Still, the U.S. remains at war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. Congress has yet to pass a law reducing carbon emissions and there has been little significant reduction in global nuclear stockpiles since Obama took office.
"So soon? Too early. He has no contribution so far. He is still at an early stage. He is only beginning to act," said former Polish President Lech Walesa, a 1983 Nobel Peace laureate.
"This is probably an encouragement for him to act. Let's see if he perseveres. Let's give him time to act," Walesa said.
The award appeared to be a slap at President George W. Bush from a committee that harshly criticized Obama's predecessor for his largely unilateral military action in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. The Nobel committee praised Obama's creation of "a new climate in international politics" and said he had returned multilateral diplomacy and institutions like the U.N. to the center of the world stage.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, who won the prize in 1984, said Obama's award shows great things are expected from him in coming years.
"It's an award coming near the beginning of the first term of office of a relatively young president that anticipates an even greater contribution towards making our world a safer place for all," Tutu said. "It is an award that speaks to the promise of President Obama's message of hope."
Until seconds before the award, speculation had focused on a wide variety of candidates besides Obama: Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, a Colombian senator, a Chinese dissident and an Afghan woman's rights activist, among others. The Nobel committee received a record 205 nominations for this year's prize, though it was not immediately apparent who nominated Obama.
"The exciting and important thing about this prize is that it's given to someone ... who has the power to contribute to peace," Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said.
Obama is the third sitting U.S. president to win the award: President Theodore Roosevelt won in 1906 and President Woodrow Wilson was awarded the prize in 1919.
The Nobel committee chairman said after awarding the 2002 prize to former Democratic President Jimmy Carter, for his mediation in international conflicts, that it should be seen as a "kick in the leg" to the Bush administration's hard line in the buildup to the Iraq war.
Five years later, the committee honored Bush's adversary in the 2000 presidential election, Al Gore, for his campaign to raise awareness about global warming.
Obama was to meet with his top advisers on the Afghan war on Friday to consider a request by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, to send as many as 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan as the U.S war there enters its ninth year.
Obama ordered 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan earlier this year and has continued the use of unmanned drones for attacks on militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan, a strategy devised by the Bush administration. The attacks often kill or injure civilians living in the area.
In July talks in Moscow, Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed that their negotiators would work out a new limit on delivery vehicles for nuclear warheads of between 500 and 1,100. They also agreed that warhead limits would be reduced from the current range of 1,700-2,200 to as low as 1,500. The United States now as about 2,200 such warheads, compared to about 2,800 for the Russians.
But there has been no word on whether either side has started to act on the reductions.
Former Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, said Obama has already provided outstanding leadership in the effort to prevent nuclear proliferation.
"In less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself," ElBaradei said. "He has shown an unshakeable commitment to diplomacy, mutual respect and dialogue as the best means of resolving conflicts."
Obama also has attempted to restart stalled talks between the Israelis and Palestinians, but just a day after Obama hosted the Israeli and Palestinian leaders in New York, Israeli officials boasted that they had fended off U.S. pressure to halt settlement construction. Moderate Palestinians said they felt undermined by Obama's failure to back up his demand for a freeze.
Nominators for the prize include former laureates; current and former members of the committee and their staff; members of national governments and legislatures; university professors of law, theology, social sciences, history and philosophy; leaders of peace research and foreign affairs institutes; and members of international courts of law.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation welcomed the award on behalf of its founder Nelson Mandela, who shared the 1993 Peace Prize with then-South African President F.W. DeKlerk for their efforts at ending years of apartheid and laying the groundwork for a democratic country.
"We trust that this award will strengthen his commitment, as the leader of the most powerful nation in the world, to continue promoting peace and the eradication of poverty," the foundation said.
In his 1895 will, Alfred Nobel stipulated that the peace prize should go "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses."
Unlike the other Nobel Prizes, which are awarded by Swedish institutions, he said the peace prize should be given out by a five-member committee elected by the Norwegian Parliament. Sweden and Norway were united under the same crown at the time of Nobel's death.
The committee has taken a wide interpretation of Nobel's guidelines, expanding the prize beyond peace mediation to include efforts to combat poverty, disease and climate change.
___
Associated Press writers Ian MacDougall in Oslo, Celean Jacobson in Johannesburg, George Jahn in Vienna and Monika Scislowska in Warsaw, Poland contributed to this report.

Source:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091009/ap_on_re_eu/eu_nobel_peace

70% off in Marikina shops after 'Ondoy'

2009-10-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

MANILA - Shops in the country's shoe capital have gone on sale with items that were damaged in the floods brought on by Tropical Storm “Ondoy” which hit last week.
Rhodora Santos, who owns a shoe business, said she lost about P3 million worth of shoe stocks when floods entered the stockroom located at her home in Provident Village, Marikina City.
Though the shoe surfaces were warped by the water, she simply cleaned up the shoes and sold them at more than half their original price.
A customer named Ryan Sales bit the bullet and bought flood-damaged shoes that originally cost P1,000 but were being sold for P250.
"Kahit basa pa, okay lang dahil pwede naman patuyuin ito at wala rin naman [akong] budget. (Even if the shoes are wet, it's okay because I can dry them. I also don't have [much] budget [for shoes]," Sales said.
Prior to the typhoon, Marikina's shoe industry was considered a significant cottage industry, contributing about 10% to the city's economy.
The floods may have incapacitated the industry, that had also been affected by the entry of cheap, possibly smuggled shoes from China.
Marikina 1st District Rep. Marcelino Teodoro said the typhoon also destroyed inventories that were being prepared for the Christmas season.
He said the industries need microfinancing assistance and incentives from the city government.
Shoes aren't the only goods being sold at dirt-cheap prices, as flood-damaged school supplies and food stuffs also went on sale.
Madonna Abella, a school supplies trader, said she lost P500,000 worth of inventory in the storm.
To recover her losses, she is selling pencils, sharpeners, and other school supplies she saved from the floods at 70% off.
Even stocks of rice that were submerged in the floods are being sold as animal feed.
Marikina City was one of the hardest-hit areas by the storm in Metro Manila, where at least 78 people were killed in the floods. Report by Apples Jalandoni, ABS-CBN News. With reports from Carmela Fonbuena, abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak.

Source:http://ph.news.yahoo.com/abs/20091006/tph-70-off-in-marikina-shops-after-ondoy-85c5a6c.html

Sony Style exclusive: Try out the new PSP®go.

2009-10-07T09:58:00.000-07:00

Costs: around $249.99

Features:

Everywhere just got better™. Introducing the smallest and mightiest PSP® system yet, the PSP®go delivers an immersive, portable gaming experience. Boasting 16GB of built-in memory, you can download the best digital games, movies and TV shows via PlayStation®Network directly to the system. And with removable memory card support, you can transfer media stored on a Memory Stick Micro™ (M2) media card. The PSP®go is also equipped with integrated Bluetooth® support so you can easily connect a wireless headset and use Skype™ to talk with friends. Additional features include an ultra-crisp 3.8" LCD screen with a 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio and 480 x 272 pixel resolution for graphics that come alive on the screen.

Product Specifications

Power

AC Adaptor

Main Memory

16GB

Sound

Built-in stereo speakers

Display

3.8 inch, 16:9 Wide screen TFT LCD
480 x 272 pixel, 16.7 million colors

In the Box

USB Cable

PSP®go System

AC Adaptor

Source:"http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665973801"

Certified Ethical Hacker: Not Your Everyday Job

2009-10-07T09:40:00.000-07:00

The term "hacker" doesn't just apply to crooks, thieves and anyone else looking to subvert computer security systems for malevolent purposes. Some hackers are in the business of improving security. Certified Ethical Hackers are paid by companies and government agencies to test their computer systems against the sort of attacks the bad guys often attempt to pull off. more click here...

Source:"http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Certified-Ethical-Hacker-Not-Your-Everyday-Job-68311.html"

Really Cool, New Sixth-Sense Technology

2009-10-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

A genius team at MIT takes us one step closer to living in Minority Report by creating a finger-controlled phone/3-D projector. Sixth Sense Technology <<<

VoIP iPhone apps on 3G network

2009-10-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

AT&T to allow VoIP iPhone apps on 3G network

by Jim Dalrymple

AT&T on Tuesday said it has made the necessary changes to enable voice over IP iPhone apps to run on its wireless network.

Before Tuesday, VoIP apps would only work over a Wi-Fi network. In other words, if you wanted to use Skype to call a friend, you had to be connected to a regular Internet wireless network. Once you were out of range of that network, the call would end.
AT&T said it informed Apple and the Federal Communications Commission of its decision Tuesday afternoon. For its part, Apple was quick to react and make its own changes.
"We are very happy that AT&T is now supporting VoIP applications," Apple spokesperson Natalie Kerris said. "We will be amending our developer agreements to get VoIP apps on the App Store and in customers' hands as soon as possible."
There are already quite a few VoIP apps available in the App Store, like Skype, Vonage, and Truphone, but they only work over Wi-Fi. Developers will need to enable the apps to work over AT&T's wireless network and then re-submit them to the App Store.
Of course, the application that everyone will be wondering about is Google Voice. Tuesday's decision may not have much of an effect on that situation because Google Voice isn't really a VoIP application. Google's app still uses your wireless network minutes, but the service does offer other benefits like receiving calls to a single number in multiple places.

source:" http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-10368955-37.html?tag=newsEditorsPicksArea.0"

Linksys DMA2200 Media Center Extender with DVD Player

2009-10-06T01:14:00.000-07:00

The concept of a media center extender is understandable: take advantage of a wirelessly connected home to move multimedia from the PC to other appliances and display devices. Your Microsoft Windows Media Center PC becomes the multimedia server for your home. It sounds cool; all you need is what Microsoft has dubbed a media center extender appliance.
The Linksys DMA2200 Media Center Extender with DVD Player is one of these appliances. Once it is setup and configured, the DMA2200 will pull multimedia from your Media Center PC to a high-definition television. The promise is HD media from your PC, but the promise comes with a substantial amount of “ifs” that you should not ignore.

Specifications

Wi-Fi Standards: Draft dual band 802.11N, 802.11G, 802.11B (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz)
Security features: WEP, WPA, WPA2
Security key bits: 64, 128, 256
Number of Antennas: three antennas for 802.11N-DualBand 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz
Ports: HDMI 1, 2, Component Video, Composite Video, S-Video, SPDIF RCA+Toslink, Stereo, Ethernet 10/100 connector, Power connector, USB port for Service purpose only, 3 Antennas
Dimensions: 9.09″ x 4.92″ x 12.95″ (231 x 125 x 329 mm)
Requirements: Certified for Windows Vista or equivalent computer with Microsoft Vista Home Premium or Ultimate edition, Intel P4 2.4 GHz or higher or AMD equivalent, 1.0 GB of RAM, 100 Mbps Ethernet connection) with CD-ROM drive and Internet Connection
Cost: $350 on sale on Amazon
TechRepublic Photo Gallery

What I like

Style: The Linksys DMA2200 looks good and will not interfere with the décor of most modern homes. The glossy black styling works well with the common flat-panel televisions.
Display: The image quality produced by the device is high definition and looks great on compatible television screen. The device itself is not the limiting factor when it comes to picture quality.
DVD Player: The built-in DVD Player is a fantastic addition for a media extender because sometimes you don’t want to have to boot a PC just so you can watch a DVD. The player acts just like any DVD player, exhibiting the same qualities. The built-in player is neither better nor worse than a standard standalone DVD player.
Setup wizard: The setup wizard used by the DMA2200 made the configuration simple. The Media PC was seen right away and the initial connection was made and configured. The only problem was maintaining the connection.
Ports: The DMA2200 includes all of the standard video and audio ports as well as HDMI. Will all of these ports, it should be no trouble to find a connection cable that works with your television.

What I don’t like

Clunky interface: I do not like the interface of Windows Media Center and that is the general interface used by the Linksys DMA2200. Clicking the navigation controls on a remote is just so inefficient and frustrating. This frustration is exacerbated by the slow response time of the DMA2200; clicks take a few seconds to respond, which means you often have to click the opposite navigation because you overshot your target.
Bandwidth requirements: While the DMA2200 promises HD video and audio, the reality is that unless you have a dual-band 802.11n router you will be receiving standard video and audio over a wireless connection. For a wired connection, you will need to be using 100Mbit speeds. If you don’t have that much bandwidth you can expect dropped frames and pauses on just about everything you watch.
Dropped connections: In the three weeks I tested the DMA2200, I could count on the device to lose the connection to my media PC at least once a day. There was no explanation. Reconnecting was simple enough by just running the connection wizard, but it was darned frustrating.
Cost: The suggested retail price for the Linksys DMA2200 Media Center Extender with DVD Player is $450. Amazon has it on sale for $350. I think that is highway robbery. For the same $350 I could get a real computer to do the extending and get more control over the process and more consistency. The price should be more like $125 and even then I would not buy it, because the XBOX is now $199 and is a very capable extender.

Geek bottom line

The Linksys DMA2200 Media Center Extender with DVD Player does its job adequately as long as you have the highest wireless bandwidth available and don’t mind having to reconnect to the Media PC at least once a day (always during a movie or show). But if you don’t have the bandwidth coursing around your home, the DMA2200, especially at $350, is going to greatly disappoint you.
My best suggestion is that you hold off on buying any media extender until a more reliable and reasonably priced second generation of devices comes to market. A flat-panel television with Internet connectivity is likely a better choice. The Linksys DMA2200 Media Center Extender with DVD Player is just not ready for primetime yet.

Source:"http://content.techrepublic.com.com/2346-22_11-348393-1.html"

Lenovo introduces Lost & Found service for ThinkPad owners

2009-10-05T10:24:00.000-07:00

Lenovo on Thursday announced its Lost & Found service, which takes Absolute Software’s Computrace offering and augments it with features specifically tailored for ThinkPad owners.
The service is free for ThinkPad users who have Computrace pre-installed.
Lenovo says:

Considering that a lost laptop can cost a company almost $50,000 on average in data breaches, lost data, lost productivity and legal and regulatory expenses, not to mention replacing the laptop itself, the ability to securely retrieve a lost laptop could help businesses save millions in the long run.

The Lost & Found service is a five-step process, according to Lenovo:

If the PC is lost, the owner can flag it with Absolute to have the PC automatically lock if turned on. If it’s turned on, the screen can display a message indicating the laptop is lost and will provide a toll-free number to return the laptop. Alternatively, anyone who finds a ThinkPad laptop can call the toll-free number for Lenovo found on a sticker on the outside of the laptop.
Lenovo receives the call, confirms the registration of the laptop for Lost & Found and sends a pre-paid shipping box to the finder.
The finder sends the ThinkPad laptop to Lenovo.
Lenovo ships the laptop to the owner.
The owner unlocks the ThinkPad through Absolute once the PC is returned to him.

The service will be available in the U.S. starting in October. Existing ThinkPad laptop customers who have Computrace installed will automatically receive Lost & Found capabilities, including device locking capabilities and on-screen messaging, later in October. Posted by Andrew Nusca @ 9:23 am

Source:"http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadgetreviews/?p=8036&tag=nl.e019"

Magnitude 6.5Quake jolts south Philippines; no injury reports

2009-10-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

AP - Monday, October 5

MANILA, Philippines – An official says a magnitude 6.5 earthquake has jolted at least five cities in the southern Philippines but says it was too deep to cause any damage or tsunami.
Philippine officials said Sunday that there were no immediate report of injuries.
Renato Solidum, who heads the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, says the quake's epicenter was 18 miles (30 kilometers) southwest of Cotabato city, where residents felt their houses shake for a few seconds.
He said the quake occurred about 248 miles (400 kilometers) under the seabed.
The Philippine archipelago lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire where quakes are common. Earthquakes in Indonesia and off Samoa in the past week have killed hundreds in the region.

Source:"http://ph.news.yahoo.com/ap/20091004/tap-as-philippines-earthquake-fe2a5de.html"

(OS) Microsoft Puts Final Polish on XP Mode

2009-10-03T01:33:00.000-07:00

By Richard Adhikari
TechNewsWorld
10/02/09 11:27 AM PT

Microsoft has finished its XP Mode, a virtual environment designed to work with Windows 7 and targeted toward businesses. When Windows 7 is made available to the public in October, users who've configured XP Mode can use it to run older programs that may not be compatible with the new operating system.

Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) on Thursday released Windows 7 XP Mode to manufacturing and said the final release will be generally available Oct. 22, as scheduled.

Windows 7 XP Mode is aimed at letting small and medium-sized businesses running Windows 7 Professional or higher leverage their existing investments in Windows XP applications.
It will also help SMBs migrate safely to Windows 7.
About Windows 7 XP Mode Release
The final release of Windows XP Mode will be available from the Microsoft Download Center Oct. 22, Brandon LeBlanc wrote in the Windows 7 blog. OEMs will be able to offer Windows XP Mode based on their manufacturing schedules, he said.
While Microsoft expects many XP apps to be compatible with Windows 7, Windows XP Mode is meant to serve as an added safety net so SMBs can migrate and run Windows 7 without any roadblocks, LeBlanc said.
Microsoft is working with OEM partners to include Windows XP Mode preinstalled in new PCs, LeBlanc said. It is also working with antivirus and security software vendors so their products will be supported in Windows 7 XP Mode in addition to running on the Windows 7 operating system. At least two vendors -- Kaspersky and Symantec (Nasdaq: SYMC) -- have confirmed their applications will run both on the OS and in Windows 7 XP mode.
Microsoft declined comment. Brianna Pinder, from the company's public relations agency Waggener-Edstrom, pointed TechNewsWorld to LeBlanc's blog posts.

Messing With Win 7 XP Mode

In order to run Windows 7 XP Mode, users will need to have a copy of the Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate or Enterprise edition. They will also need an additional 1 GB of RAM and an additional 15 GB of available disk space.
Also, users will need computers that have processors capable of hardware virtualization with AMD-V or Intel (Nasdaq: INTC) VT turned on. These processors are used in new Intel Core 2 processors with Intel vPro technology and all AMD (NYSE: AMD) CPUs except the Sempron, LeBlanc wrote in an earlier Windows 7 blog post.
Alternatively, users will need to install Windows Virtual PC virtualization technology. For this, they will need a 400 MHz Pentium-compatible processor running at 1 GHz or faster and 35 MB of disk space.
Virtual PC runs on any version of Windows 7 as well as Windows Vista Business, Enterprise and Ultimate. It also runs on Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1), and Windows XP SP3.

Prepping for Win 7 XP Mode

Before installing Windows 7 XP Mode, users must confirm their PCs can run it. Hardware virtualization is not available in all PCs, Microsoft said. In PCs where it is available, it is turned off by default.
To check whether their PCs' CPUs support hardware virtualization, users can download, install and run either the Intel Processor Identification Utility or the AMD Virtualization Compatibility Check Utility.
Next, they have to check whether their PCs' BIOS supports hardware virtualization and, if it does, whether that feature is turned on. Microsoft has instructions for checking PCs from Dell (Nasdaq: DELL) , HP (NYSE: HPQ) and Lenovo ThinkPads.
Once users have confirmed their PCs can run Windows XP Mode, they can download and install Windows Virtual PC and Windows XP Mode. These are free downloads. Users can then install Windows XP apps.
Microsoft has a Windows 7 compatibility mode Web site under construction.

Source:"http://www.technewsworld.com/story/Microsoft-Puts-Final-Polish-on-XP-Mode-68274.html"

"PEPENG" Cagayan in 'chaos' as Pepeng makes landfall @ 10/03/2009 3:56 PM

2009-10-03T01:09:00.000-07:00

MANILA - Cagayan province was in "chaos" due to violent winds and tremendous rains that hit the province after Typhoon Pepeng (international codename Parma) made landfall around 3 p.m. Saturday, officials said.
Aileen Torres, administrator of the Philippine National Red Cross in Cagayan, said their 140 volunteers have sought shelter after reporting that several areas were "very hard to penetrate."
"[Everything] was in chaos. Branches all over area scattered in several places. Power supply was cut off," Torres told ANC as she described the situation in the province.
Chito Castro, head of the Office of Civil Defense in Cagayan Valley, said the typhoon was blowing "very, very strong winds" over the province.
Castro said several trees were being uprooted while ABS-CBN correspondent Jorge Cariño reported that several roofs have been torn off houses. Communication lines have also been cut off, reports added.
Torres said water have overwhelmed two bridges in Tuao town and Tuguegarao City and have been rendered impassable.
She said they were able to evacuate at least 50 families from four villages in Tuao and Sta. Ana towns before Pepeng made landfall in the province.
Based on the satellite image released by weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) at 3 p.m., Pepeng's circulation was already covering Cagayan Valley.
The weather bureau had earlier expected Pepeng to make landfall early Saturday evening over Cagayan, but its speed suddenly accelerated around 1:00 p.m.
Nathaniel Cruz, PAGASA' spokesman, said they expect Pepeng to make landfall at 3 p.m., four hours ahead of the weather bureau's earlier prediction.
The weather bureau said in its 1:30 p.m. report that the typhoon significantly accelerated from 17 kilometers per hour to 24 kph. It moved west northwest with maximum sustained winds of 175 kph and gusts of up to 210 kph.
The typhoon was expected to cross northern Luzon overnight and move 260 kilometers west of Basco Batanes or 270 kilometers northwest of Laoag City by Sunday morning.
PAGASA hoisted Signal No. 3 over Cagayan, Batanes Group of Island, Babuyan and Calayan islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Abra, Apayao, Kalinga and northern part of Isalea.
Signal No. 2 was raised over the rest of Isabela, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet and La Union while the provinces of Quirino, Aurora, Nueva Ecija and Pangasinan were under Signal No. 1.
Rains over Metro Manila
Cruz said the concentration of rainfall from Pepeng will pour over the western side of northern and central Luzon, including Metro Manila.
He said more rains were expected to fall starting 8 p.m. Saturday and the downpour will continue until Monday night.
Cruz reiterated that the amount of rainfall of Pepeng will be lesser compared to that of dumped by tropical storm Ondoy (international codename Ketsana), which flooded a large part of Metro Manila on Saturday.
Susan Espinueva, head of PAGASA's hydrometeorological services, said only areas in Rizal, Laguna and Marikina are in danger of experiencing higher levels of floodwaters because of the spilling Laguna de Bay.
Espinueva, meanwhile, reported that they are not expecting floods in Isabela and Aurora provinces because the water level in Pantabangan Dam, which throws water to Cagayan River, has already normalized.
She said the release of waters from Angat, Ambuclao and Magat dams continued as of 10 a.m., but calmed fears of flashfloods in surrounding areas.
Preemptive evacuation
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Friday placed the country under a state of calamity as she ordered preemptive evacuations in areas expected to be hit by the typhoon.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) reported Saturday morning that thousdands of people living in critical areas in La Union, Cagayan, Isabela, Batanes, Quirino provinces have been evacuated.
More than 20,000 families or more than 100,000 people have also been evacuated in Bicol and a few hundred more were brought to evacuation centers in the Calabarzon area.
The government has also announced the allotment of a P100 million calamity fund for the continuing relief efforts for the victims of tropical storm Ondoy, which entered the country last week and left nearly 300 people dead and 42 more missing.
At the NDCC briefing on Saturday morning, PAGASA head Frisco Nilo said coastal areas on the eastern seaboard of northern Luzon, including Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon and Catanduanes should still watch out for storm surge, which may be triggered by Pepeng’s strong winds.
as of 10/03/2009 3:56 PM

Source:"http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/10/03/09/pagasa-lifts-storm-signal-metro-manila"

RP placed under state of calamity

2009-10-02T17:50:00.000-07:00

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo yesterday placed the entire nation in a state of calamity to allow the authorities as well as the public to prepare for super typhoon “Pepeng” and keep prices of basic commodities under control and maintain peace and order in the wake of the devastating floods earlier brought by tropical storm “Ondoy.”
Mrs. Arroyo made the declaration during the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) meeting at the Cainta municipal hall where she prodded officials to speed up the rehabilitation and repair efforts in areas destroyed by Ondoy.
The declaration of state of calamity will be in place as long as necessary, officials said. The President earlier ordered the forced evacuation of residents in areas that would be in the direct path of typhoon Pepeng.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde pointed out that Pepeng would hit the nation still in shock over the floods caused by the rains brought by Ondoy that affected two million people and damaged nearly P5 billion worth of agricultural products and infrastructure.
“For the reasons that we can’t estimate the effects of typhoon Pepeng, which is expected to bring rains to many areas, and for the reasons that nobody would take advantage of prices, I’ve been authorized by the President to announce that the declaration of the state of calamity is being extended to the whole country,” Remonde told reporters after the meeting.
Remonde said the declaration would allow local government units (LGUs) to immediately access their respective calamity funds, which constitute five percent of their respective annual budgets, and allow authorities to strictly implement price controls over basic commodities and services.
Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila pushed for the declaration of the state of calamity following reports of overpricing of not only basic commodities but also of construction materials and automotive supplies and services.
“Whether we like it or not, there are those who take advantage of the situation and those in need. So this order (state of calamity) to give more impetus to our price control efforts,” Remonde said.
He said the LGUs could now tap their calamity funds to buy supplies and equipment that they can “pre-position” close to high-risk areas and allow them to respond more quickly to emergency situations.
Remonde reminded local officials to act swiftly in their preparations. “It’s better to be over-prepared than under-prepared,” he said.
He pointed out that under the NDCC setup, it is the regional, provincial, and municipal or city disaster coordinating councils that are supposed to be the first to respond to calamities.
“Let’s continue to pray that we won’t be affected (by Pepeng),” Remonde said.
He said this was the first time that a declaration of a nationwide state of calamity was made as a preemptive move. Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raul Gonzalez said such a preemptive move was legal.
Warrantless arrest for erring traders
Favila said authorities are prepared to enforce warrantless arrests on unscrupulous businessmen caught breaching the government-imposed price ceilings on basic goods.
Favila said aside from the basic commodities, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is set to release a new list of products covered by the price control to include construction materials, and if legal, lubricants and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
He said the National Bureau of Investigation has placed under DTI control some 100 field agents to monitor traders who are taking advantage of the calamity, including funeral parlors.
“You should not be ghoulish in your actions,” Remonde said.
Favila said the Philippine National Police has also alerted its personnel nationwide for unscrupulous traders.
Gonzalez said under a state of emergency, the Constitution allows the government to take over vital installations.
“But these are in cases of large-scale calamities,” Gonzalez said, adding that such moves are really on police powers “like forced evacuations.”
“That falls under the general welfare clause,” he said.
Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr. said P500 million has been placed on stand-by and another P6 billion will be allocated for the rehabilitation work for Ondoy and possibly for Pepeng.
During the NDCC meeting, Mrs. Arroyo scolded officials for the slow pace of rehabilitation efforts. At one point, she chided Bureau of Fire Protection officials for failing to account for the number of fire trucks deployed in calamity-hit areas to supply water and clean up debris.
After the meeting, she proceeded to the Tahanang Walang Hagdanan also in Cainta town to distribute relief goods.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. who is also NDCC chairman, said the police and military would forcibly evacuate residents living in disaster areas.
Teodoro ordered LGUs to ensure that all roads in their respective areas are not blocked for rescue teams to be able to move freely in an event the need arises.
These directives were part of an overall disaster preemptive plan mapped out by the NDCC if only to cushion the impact of typhoon Pepeng, which is scheduled to make a landfall today.
Teodoro said residents who would defy the evacuation order would be made responsible and accountable for their actions.
“If they refused to evacuate they should not expect from us to provide immediate help and assistance if disaster strikes them,” Teodoro said.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered all governors, city and municipal mayors and barangay heads nationwide to mobilize their respective Local Disaster Coordinating Councils (LDCCs) to ensure that all necessary preparations have been made to cushion the impact of typhoon Pepeng.
Acting DILG Secretary Melchor Rosales urged all local officials to warn residents on the coming typhoon.
Rosales issued the directive in pursuant to the NDCC’s directive for a “zero casualty during calamities.”
“Local executives should take the lead in the formulation of preemptive evacuation measures and actions and designate evacuation centers in their respective localities complete with water supply, power, and health and sanitary facilities,” Rosales said.
The PNP said police units would conduct preemptive evacuations in areas in the path of typhoon Pepeng.
Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome, chief of the PNP Police Community Relations Group, said police units in Luzon have also been placed under full alert.
“We are now coordinating with the various local government units for the conduct of preemptive evacuations, should it become necessary,” he said.
Bartolome said that should residents in identified danger areas refuse to leave their homes, responding policemen will bodily carry them off to the designated evacuation centers.
“We will encourage them to evacuate. But if they will refuse, we will bodily carry them. We have a mandate to protect them,” he said.
Bartolome said the PNP has more than sufficient manpower to carry out preemptive evacuations.
“We have sufficient people from the local police units and the regional mobile groups,” he said. “We will also be helping the local government units prepare the evacuation centers.”
Bartolome said PNP chief Director General Jesus Verzosa ordered all police regional directors in Luzon to identify the possible areas to be hit by Pepeng as well as the possible sites for evacuation.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical, Services Administration (Pagasa) yesterday warned provinces in northern Luzon to brace for Pepeng.
Pagasa said that based on their latest track projection, Pepeng would directly affect the provinces of Abra, Benguet, Quirino, Aurora, and La Union.
Other provinces in northern, central and southern Luzon including Metro Manila, will likely experience rains and gusts, Pagasa said.
Pagasa said that as of 10 a.m. yesterday, Pepeng was seen over 180 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes packing maximum sustained winds of up to 195 kph near the center and gusts of up to 230 kms.
It is forecast to move west-northwest at 19 kph headed for northern Luzon.
Pagasa said that if Pepeng maintained its current speed and strength, signal number 4 would be raised in affected areas once the typhoon would make landfall today at noon.
Signal no. 1 has been raised over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Cagayan, Babuyan Island, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Southern Quezon, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, and Burias Island.
Signal no. 2 has been raised over Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Quezon, Aurora, Polillo Island and Isabela.
By Saturday morning, Pepeng is expected to be 60 kms east of Casiguran, Aurora and would later cross northern Luzon.
Pagasa said the typhoon is expected to be 400 kms west-northwest of Basco, Batanes by Sunday and would exit the country on Monday.
Cleanup
Chief Superintendent Perfecto Palad, director of the Calabarzon police, deployed 520 policemen and PNP trainees to help in the cleanup drive of areas badly hit by typhoon Ondoy in Rizal.
The police also distributed drinking water in evacuation centers in the towns of Cainta, Taytay, San Mateo and Rodriguez.
Vicente Tomazar, Office of Civil Defense IV-A regional director, said an emergency meeting was called to discuss planned actions and preparation for the coming super typhoon Pepeng.
He said all residents near the riverside and low area are advised to evacuate. All civil defense volunteers, local officials, volunteer doctors, hospitals, health and social workers are conducting dissemination information for preemptive measures.
Tomazar said 500 policemen, fire trucks, three dump trucks, and one rubber boat were dispatched for cleanup drive in San Mateo, Rodriguez, and Taytay, Rizal.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said people living in coastal barangays in northern Luzon that are in the path of Pepeng should evacuate.
(PCG) spokesman Lieutenant Commander Armand Balilo said people living in the affected coastal barangays should consider evacuating. - With Mike Frialde, Non Alquitran, Ed Amoroso, Evelyn Macairan, Jaime Laude - By Paolo Romero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)

Source: "http://ph.news.yahoo.com/star/20091002/tph-rp-placed-under-state-calamity-541dfb4.html"

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