Spiga

Spoofs Unlimited: Simple Things, Big Mistakes

Filipinos are Filipinos.

We may not be good speakers of foreign languages but we have to be the experts in when it comes to our own language. But if you're going to look at the photos taken below, you will notice that....
"English or Filipino, sablay pa rin tayo!"



Top 4:

Can you understand the rules of the Beach Resort?! Or it would be better to ignore those?!


Top 3:

WTF!
Close-Open..Close-Open..Close-Open ng Close-Open


Top 2:

IHI LANG PO! Bawal Ang Poo!! Pooh!


Top 1:

Wowser! How much is that f****** Ded Shit?!


Aside from these ones posted above, I have seen several mistakes which can be found on simple things only. Yet simple, Filipinos seem to have a hard time putting this things on the right place.

Next time I see those things again, I'm going to take a picture right away (that is if my cellphone memory is not full) and post it here.

Special thanks to the photographers and uploaders!




Ely Buendia rushed to the hospital during the Eraserheads Reunion Concert


Eraserheads' very own Ely Buendia was rushed to the hospital at around 10:00 p.m. last Saturday night during the long-awaited Eraserheads Reunion Concert at the Bonifacio Global City Open Field.

After an hour of non-stop Eraserheads music, the concert has to end because of the incident.

Initial reports say that Ely Buendia suffered a heart attack which is really his illness since then. Remember that on January of 2007, Ely also experienced a serious heart attack.

Prior to the Eraserheads Reunion Concert, Ely's mom died of cardiac arrest on August 28 but Ely Buendia decided to push through with the concert.

The Eraserheads Reunion Concert became controversial because its first sponsor, Philip Morris, was accused of violating Philippine laws prohibiting tobacco companies from sponsoring concerts and other promotional events.

As of the moment, prayer is the most powerful remedy for Ely Buendia's condition. I'm sure that a lot of people coming from the Music Industry as well as the fans of the band will surely pray for the speedy recovery of Ely Buendia.

"Sangandaan", not "Isa Lang"


I would like to share a very short story or most probably an anecdote which took place this morning when I was on my way to school.

It was about 9:00 in the morning when this story happened. I rode in a jeepney going to Blumentritt from Novaliches. After a while, someone entered the vehicle and when I looked upon this person, I knew exactly that he was a gay. At first, I can notice him staring at me (he was just sitting right beside me) but I just ignored him. After an approximately 1 kilometer ride, he brought out the money from his pocket which was the fare.

The climax starts with this one. After getting the fare from his pocket, he gave it to the driver (but to the other passengers first because he was sitting far from the driver) saying, "Bayad nga po, Sangandaan, kasasakay lang."

When the fare reached the driver, the jeepney driver asked(for clarification), "Ilan ito?" Then the gay replied, "Sangandaan po, kasasakay lang."

The driver asked again, "Ilan ito?" The gay answered in reply, "Sangandaan nga po, kasasakay lang."

On the driver's third attempt to ask the passenger, he raised his voice saying, "Ilan nga ito?!?!"
Then the gay replied with a loud voice with these words: "Sanagandaan nga po, kasasakay lang, ISA LANG! Kanina ko pa po sinasabi, bakit kailangan niyo pang sumigaw!"

I thought of saying, "Ngayon niyo lang po sinabi na isa lang, puro Sangandaan at kasasakay lang yung sinasagot niyo kanina sa driver kaya nagtaas na po ng boses" but I chose to remain silent and laugh with my mind.

Definitely, this incident is an example of "M.U." which means "Malabong Usapan".

Sun Cellular now provides Broadband Services

Newest from SUN: Sun Broadband Wireless



Sun Broadband Wireless is the personal broadband service that offers the most advanced and affordable mobile broadband solution, empowering you with an internet experience that suits you, anytime, anywhere.

Sun Broadband Wireless provides fast speeds using GPRS/EDGE/3G/HSDPA Technology. Like any other wireless broadband solutions, Sun Broadband is easy to use - just plug and play and no need for any phone lines.


Below is the Affordable Plans of the new Sun Wireless Broadband Service:

Subscription Plan 799 Plan 999 Plan 1999
Burstable Speed 400 Kbps 400 Kbps 1.4 Mbps
Usage Allowance 60 hours Flat Rate Flat Rate
Monthly Service Fee PhP 799 Php 999 Php 1999


System Requirements
Your Sun Broadband Wireless Plan comes with a USB modem that works with the following minimum computer system requirements:

•Pentium 4, 1 GHz or higher
•USB 2.0 full speed
•Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista or Mac OS
•50 MB free hard disk space
•128MB RAM or higher

For more information about the Sun Wireless Broadband, visit your nearest "The Sun Shops" in Metro Manila or contact them at their hotline at 333 using your Sun Cellular Service or (02) 395-3333 using a landline. Or visit the Sun Broadband Site.

Note: Sun Broadband Wireless is initially available in Metro Manila only.



Keys to Understanding Spelling from Keith W. Wright

There are five main problem-spelling areas in the English language.

1. Spelling words that have been borrowed from foreign languages, e.g. café; chateaux; archaeologist, Caesar

2. Pluralized words such as radius > radii ; woman > women; tomato > tomatoes

3. Words that have silent symbols, for example, lamb, column; island; subtle.

4. Homophonic words that sound the same but are spelt differently and have different meanings, e.g. stationary – stationery; council – counsel; there – their – they’re

5. Words that are pronounced wrongly, e.g. factory as factry; history as histry or ministry as ministery and infantry as infantery.

Just as there are 4S keys or mnemonic (memory) rules for understanding why words are pronounced the way they are, there are also keys for remembering how to spell words correctly.

Some of the 4S keys have a dual purpose and can be used to teach both pronunciation as well as spelling. These "dual rules" will be considered in next week’s MB column along with some more 4S Keys to Understanding Spelling.

A proven way to remember the 4S Keys to Understanding Pronunciation and Spelling is to create lists of words to which a rule applies as well a list of any exceptions. One of the reasons there are exception to the rules in English is because of the 450,000 words in the English language, tens of thousands of words have been borrowed from other languages and the rules or Keys do not always apply.

A simple example is the French word, café. Normally in English, the final "e’’ in a word is silent. However, in café, the "e" makes the sound of "long a".

Again, usually in English, when there are two vowels together in a word, the first one is sounded and the second one is silent, e.g. seat. In a number of foreign words that have been added to the English language over the centuries such as archaeologist, the first vowel is silent and the second one is sounded.

Even though there sometimes can be exceptions to the keys, they are still well worth teaching and remembering. Combating illiteracy in any country is like being in a fierce battle. When you are in a war, it is best to have a weapon with which to fight with even though sometimes it might fire a few blanks.

SPELLING KEYS

‘Q’ always needs ‘u’.

In English, regardless of which of its four sounds "q" makes in a word, it is always spelt with the vowel "u", e.g. quit, quack, equal, mosquito, mosque, bouquet, queue. The exceptions are some words like Qatar and the acronym, QANTAS – the Australian airline. QANTAS stands for Queensland And Northern Territory Aerial Service.

Words and syllables always have at least one vowel

This 4S key teaches that you cannot spell a word correctly unless every syllable has a vowel, e.g. de/pend as d/pend or pre/vent as pr/vent or Pe/ter as P/ter.

The first syllable must have a vowel as must any other syllable. Unlike a consonant that cannot be a syllable on its own, a vowel can be, e.g. e/ven, i/dea, o/val. N.B. "y" plays the role of a vowel, e.g. sky, po/ny. Depending on whether it is pronounced as two syllables, rhythm is the only exception to this rule, e.g. rhy/thm.

Long vowels are usually followed by single consonants.

If a vowel is ‘long’, i.e. it says its own name, then the consonant that follows it stays single, e.g. elect, idle, obey, agent, utopia, baker, miner, Muhammad, Moses, Judith.

This rule is demonstrated by tiger and trigger and by diner and dinner. It has already been taught that "l can rebel", i.e. "l" can break the rules as seen in roller and stroller where the long vowel "o" is followed by "double l" not just a single one.

• ‘V..’-ending words end in ‘e’ but rarely in ‘v’.

Words that end in a "v.." sound are spelt with "ve" not just with "v", e.g. drive, stove, move, eve, etc. Abbreviations are exceptions to the "v" rule, e.g. Bev, Nev, Kev, rev, Chev.

• In most ‘eeee…’ sounding’ words, ‘i’ comes before ‘e’ except after ‘c’ e.g. brief, piece, priest, yield, etc.

This key is very useful for spelling when it is also known that the same rule can apply to "s" and "k" as seen in seize and Keith because "c" can make the same sound as "s" and "k".

It needs also to be remembered that except for the "ee.." and "long i.." sounding groups, e.g. thief and client, most word groups are spelt with "ei" not "ie", e.g. eight, height, their, weird, reign, foreign, vein, leisure, receipt. It will be noted that "ei" and "ie" words readily break the Two Vowel Rule that teaches: When two vowels go out walking, the first one usually does the talking.

• Only ‘s’ and ‘f’ are doubled on the end of multi-syllabic words.

This key is an excellent aid to spelling, e.g. possess, caress, distress, success and sheriff, bailiff, tariff, plaintiff.

4S teaches that words with more than one syllable rarely end in other double consonants such as "pp", "tt", "zz", etc. The only exception is "ll" when a single, syllable word has had a prefix added to it such as refill, recall, install, retell and the USA spelling of "fulfill". Remember: ‘l’ can rebel.

• When the first syllable of a multi-syllabic word is stressed, the final consonant is rarely doubled when a suffix beginning with a vowel is added, e.g. target = targeting; garden = gardener; filter = filtered; master = mastered.

In contrast, when the primary pronunciation stress is placed on the second syllable of a bi-syllabic word, the final consonant is doubled, e.g. begin = beginning; occur = occurred; forbid = forbidden; refer = referral.

The "l" ending words need to be considered separately as "l can rebel" even against this rule, e.g. cancel = cancelled; travel = traveller. It will be noted that American spelling can be different.

The XFX GeForce 9500 GT: The Multi-media Multi-tasker

While the movie industry continues to churn out sequels and other unoriginal hype, XFX offers up something new and exciting—the XFX GeForce 9500 GT, the ultimate multi-media multi-tasker that’s known for all it can take.

Take One: Like taking and sharing photos?! The 9500 GT delivers an improved 3D experience with Microsoft Windows Media Center that allows users to offload tasks from the CPU, which increases productivity and enables users to share, edit and manage photos and videos better than ever before.

Take Two: The 9500 GT takes video playback to a new level, with advanced PureVideo HD technology that delivers jaw-dropping Blu-ray movie picture quality with reduced CPU utilization and low power consumption.

Take Three: Live to take out opponents? Offering a 3X performance increase over comparable 8 Series GPU and PCI Express 2.0 compatible cards, the 9500 GT delivers the most gaming horsepower available at this price point, and, since these cards are compatible with PCI Express and the new PCI Express 2.0 bus architecture, the 9500 GT ensures that users will be able to play all of today’s—and tomorrow’s—games the way they were meant to be played.

Take Four: All of these breath-taking features can be doubled. The XFX GeForce 9500 GT is SLI ready, which means that users can purchase two cards to deliver twice the performance of a single-card set-up.

Which is why we recommend that you take five and head for your nearest e-tailer or shop.

To learn more about the XFX GeForce 9500 GT, please visit www.xfxforce.com.

Do we still know our Heroes?!

I have not given thought to heroes until these past two weeks, when the commemoration of National Heroes’ Day reminded me that if there’s anything they do for us at present, it’s that they give us long weekends.

I don’t mean to imply, though, that holidays are all they’re worth; they’ve done so much more for this land than many of us ever have — or so we are taught to believe. But these weekends feel like they’ve just been long weekends, nothing more. And it does feel kind of sad that we don’t seem to remember why we commemorate them in the first place.

Maybe it’s because the nature of our heroes has changed. Times are different now, and the heroes of old have ceased to be relevant. Perhaps it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that "hero" is now synonymous to "icon", since many of the people we call "our heroes" happen to be icons as well, like boxers and movie stars.

While I don’t necessarily agree with it, there is nothing wrong with that. Who a person considers to be his hero is his own business.

But if we have started to look for our heroes in places other than where they used to be, like at the forefront of causes or building the nation, so that our standards for heroism have changed, does that mean that we’ve lost them? Have heroes — people of courage and self-sacrifice, who fight for the greater good — disappeared?

Heroes are important because they remind us of man’s capacity for good in a twisted world. That’s why we need them, and that’s why we hold on to them: they give us something to believe in. They give us hope.

That’s also why, nowadays, we have turned to sectors like media or sports for our heroes. They are able to help us get through the drudgery of reality. When Michael Phelps won his eighth gold medal, we are able to set aside the problems of high prices and government corruption for a moment, and recall the greatness of the human spirit. When Manny Pacquiao won against Barrerra (or Morales, or Diaz), we remember that we, as a nation, still have something to be proud of. We look up to them because they can, to a certain extent, be looked up to.

After all, if we look to the realm of politics or society, will we find anyone we can look up to? Maybe there are, but the fact of the matter is we just don’t see them. Or if we do see them, they aren’t inspiring or ‘heroic’ enough to move us to action.

But who would want to be that kind of a hero, anyway? In a system where the lines have become so blurred that heroes are persecuted for doing the right thing, what incentive would you have to be one? Ironically enough, it seems that to play the role of a hero is to accept playing the role of the villain.

But even more ironic is the fact that we kill our heroes while crying out, at the same time, that we need them.

Then again, it’s possible that I’m looking in the wrong places. There are a lot of good people out there who are doing what they can to help change the way things are. They come in different faces: volunteers who help build houses, professionals who prioritize the less-fortunate, even icons who use their status to highlight their advocacies. In a sense, you can call them heroes because they serve as examples for doing the right thing.

It’s not like I mean to discredit their good works, but I don’t think you can boil down heroism to just being good. I think heroism also means doing the right thing even in the face of persecution, because that means you’re brave enough to stand alone. Taken in that sense, heroes are really hard to find. Ironically enough, perhaps that’s what makes them more valuable.

But even more ironic is the fact that it seems to be the heroes who face the greatest persecution who are be able to rally the most people.

I don’t know about you, but I haven’t found those people yet. I’m still holding out for a hero.

Kilusan Official Website, hacked!

The official website of the militant group Kilusan was defaced last Monday night, August 25.

The home page of the website kilusan.net, which contains articles and statements from the militant groups, contained a message indicating that it has been "hacked".

Below is the message posted by, probably the hackers:
"Hacked By ThE.BiLeN & VeZiR.04 ... SpeciaL ThankS:the.caylak & One_Dream & The.MuSaP."

For the meantime, the website is under construction and I don't know if how long will the web developers of Kilusan.net will be able to fix the problem.

WARNING! Always keep your web pages secured from hackers and any other forums of illegal or unexpected manipulations.


New SONY Laptops offer security and reliability

Sony Philippines, Inc., the local unit of Japanese electronics giant Sony, recently launched its newest batch of notebook computers, aimed at boosting the company’s foothold on the business segment of the market.

Sony introduced its Sony VAIO Z, FW and SR series aimed at providing uncompromising mobility for its users while providing stylish laptops that are packed with impressive features.

"These Sony series represent a significant evolution in our offering to the business market," Komei Nosaka, the company’s Senior Sales Manager told reporters.

"We are constantly responding to what the market is telling us. Professional end users know what they need for their businesses: security, reliability and mobility. We provide the best of these features and functionality, all wrapped in a beautiful design," he added.

When it was first launched, VAIO (Video Audio Integrated Operation) was identifiable for its unique design as well as its audio-visual and IT capabilities.

"Now we are re-introducing the VAIO as the Visual Audio Intelligent Organizer. We want it to be also known for how it easily becomes part of one’s lifestyle," Mr. Nosaka said. "Engineered to understand our customers, the VAIO is now closer to them," he added.

The Sony VAIO Z is a definitive notebook for busy executives who are always on the go. The laptop has a 13.1-inch display, and weighs under 1.5 kilograms, thanks to its scratch-proof, carbon fiber casing.

"Carbon fiber is 30% lighter than traditional computer construction materials. As one would expect from a material that is more commonly used in aviation and Formula One, it is also 200% stronger," Sony VAIO marketing officer Zhorida Lipayon said.

The Sony VAIO Z’s battery life can be extended to over five hours with the Stamina Mode switch, which allows the user to prolong battery life by selecting a user interface with lesser graphics.

Meanwhile, the Sony VAIO FW is the company’s first laptop model capable of playing Blu-Ray discs. Like a widescreen, high definition TV, the 1600 x 900 resolution of the 16.4-inch display of the Sony VAIO FW promises crystal-clear videos.

"Since many films are shot with a widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio, this extra-wide LCD is constructed with the same dimensions to ensure you don’t miss an inch of the original picture," Ms. Lipayon said.

"With this added horizontal real estate, you can view movies in their intended format while minimizing or eliminating those annoying black bars," she added.

Aside from the impressive video quality, the Sony VAIO FW boasts a superb audio system. Its Dolby Sound Room Audio recreates sound quality reminiscent of a small theater.

"Built with a 5.1-channel surround sound effect for your headphones, it makes watching a movie with a truly cinematic experience," Ms. Lipayon said.

Finally, Sony introduced its VAIO SR series. With its cylindrical hinge design and wafer-thin crystal-clear display, the VAIO SR Series notebook is astonishingly compact, weighing under two kilograms.

Powerful Intel Core 2 Duo processors are backed up with two gigabytes of high-speed system memory.

"The Sony VAIO SR also features a unique ’Switch’ function, which lets you change the whole personality of the notebook at the touch of a button. This means you can switch from a customized personal desktop to a serious, professional look and feel," Ms. Lipayon said.

The Sony VAIO Z has a suggested retail price of P109,990; the Sony VAIO SR costs P89,990; the Sony VAIO FW with a two-gigabyte memory costs P89,990; and the four-gigabyte version costs P159,990.

source: J.O. Valisno, BusinessWorld | GMANews.TV

London takes on Olympic mantle with quirky party

The 30th Olympiad on 2012 will be hosted by London as announced during the Closing Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics last August 24, 2008.


London — Pop stars, choirs, dancing policemen and a boisterous sing-along to “We Are The Champions.” After the orderly precision of the Beijing Olympics, it was time on Sunday for a first look at what organizers hope will be the fun of London 2012.

About 40,000 flag-waving people gathered in front of Buckingham Palace for a party to celebrate the handover from Beijing as the British capital got its first chance to show what it hopes will be a quirky, personal and fun approach to the Games.

As music played from a huge stage erected next to the ornate gates of Queen Elizabeth II’s official London residence, even the police indulged in a brief embarrassed dance when invited to by the master of ceremonies — a sight difficult to imagine in China.

Admittedly, even a flyby from the Royal Air Force’s famed Red Arrows aerial acrobatic team couldn’t make the show compete with the scale and coordination that wowed athletes, officials and fans alike in Beijing over the past two weeks. But in terms of conveying what London has to offer to visitors when the Olympics arrive in town, the show did its job. Even the summer weather played along in living up to its reputation, providing warm sunshine and cooling showers in equal measure.

“Every city has had its big twist on the games, what they have that’s different to every other county,” said swim star Michael Phelps, who was at the London show. “The Olympic movement is about bringing the world together. I’m not sure what that difference will be but I’m looking forward to seeing what it is and how this city develops.”

London organizers have long known they are unable to match Beijing in terms of scale, not least because London’s Olympic budget of 9 billion pounds is less than half that of its predecessor.

But Sunday’s show — with its occasional awkward pauses, high spirits and relentless audience participation in dance-offs, competitions and Mexican waves — suggested that London is set on providing a total contrast to what has been described as Beijing’s “no-fun games.”

Even if that means mustering self-deprecating laughter at one’s own shortcomings.

“We will draw on our wit, flair, imagination and ingenuity to build on what we’ve all witnessed in Beijing and deliver a fantabulous Olympics in what I consider to be not only my home, but the home of sport,” London mayor Boris Johnson said from Beijing. “Sport is coming home.”

In a city with a long history of music hall entertainment, it was probably appropriate that the gathered masses of families, fans, teenagers and tourists were entertained by some of British television’s most popular entertainers.

While big screens around the country showed Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page and football star David Beckham live at the official ceremony in Beijing’s Bird’s Nest Stadium, less internationally recognized names such as operatic quartet Il Divo, boyband McFly and Will Young — the first winner of Britain’s Pop Idol TV show — took to the stage in central London.

“I can’t believe they’re really here,” said 14-year-old McFly fan Lisa Evans, who said she had arrived at 7:30 a.m. to see her idols perform their two songs almost six hours later. “This is the best thing about the Olympics.”

Many of the performers seemed equally excited by the games coming to London. “I’m London born and bred and I think it will do really big things for the city,” singer Sophie Ellis Bextor said after singing James Bond theme “Nobody Does It Better” over a backdrop of images depicting Britain’s 19 gold-medal successes from Beijing. Organizers have promised to hold a more relaxed Olympics, which was already on display in Beijing when Johnson was unable to contain his excitement as he prepared to receive the Olympic flag from IOC president Jacques Rogge.

source: Inquirer.net SPORTS

Air Force confirms crash of C130 plane off Davao Gulf

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has confirmed Tuesday that a C130 Hercules transport plane with two pilots and seven crewmembers onboard, has crashed after takeoff from Davao International Airport Monday evening.

Air Force spokesman, Maj. Gerardo Zamudio, made the announcement after search and rescue operations for the missing military air transport on Tuesday recovered several debris believed to be parts of the transport plane, combat boots and body parts off Davao Gulf.

Quoting an earlier report from Col. Isagani Silva, the commander of Tactical Operations Group 11, PAF chief Lt. Gen. Pedrito Cadungog had said pieces of an aircraft, two combat boots, body parts and manuals were found in an area between Samal Island and Davao City.

Search and rescue operations were launched after the plane, with two pilots and seven crewmembers onboard, went missing shortly after takeoff from Davao International Airport Monday evening.

The two pilots were identified as Major Manny Sambrano and Captain Adrian de Dios.

Personnel from PAF, Philippines Army, Coast Guard, Navy and the Philippine National Police were deployed to scour sea and land areas, according to Cadungog.

Cadungog added that two Air Force Nomad planes, three UH-1H helicopters, one S-76 chopper and Beechcraft 200 chopper were also dispatched to search for the missing plane.

The local government units also helped in the search operations.

Earlier, Cadungog said the aircraft "most probably crashed that’s why we are concentrating our search within a 20-mile radius."

Cadungog said it took off around 8:50 p.m. and it was expected to arrive at the Iloilo City airport around 10 p.m. The plane was bound for Iloilo City to pick up personnel of the Presidential Security Group and fly them to Metro Manila.

"Unfortunately, their aircraft was not able to land… so we initiated search operations as early as that, around 10 last night. Their aircraft is still missing up to now and we’re conducting search and rescue operations concentrating on the 20-mile radius around Davao City International Airport," he said in an ANC interview.

The last communication from the pilots was one minute after takeoff wherein they were given instructions to turn left for Iloilo City, Cadungog added.

He said the plane was expected to communicate two minutes later but when there was none the airport personnel in Davao City immediately informed PAF that the C-130 was missing.

"We’re still verifying really as to what really transpired because this is something very unusual… the aircraft and the pilots were all OK before take off and everything was normal until that time," he said.


source: abs-cbnNEWS.com

2008 Beijing Olympics: Game Over

After 16 competitive days for the Olympians, the 2008 Beijing Olympics came to a close yesterday, August 24 with a ceremony and celebration at the National Stadium. Awardings of 302 gold medals & countless achievements made by the world's greatest athletes took place during the closing ceremony of XXIX Olympiad.


Here are the Top 10 Countries:

Click the image to enlarge.

If you want to see the full medal list of the participating countries, click this link.


Missed the 2008 Beijing Olympics Closing Ceremony?! Below are some websites in which you can download the videos of the Closing Ceremony. Enjoy!

2008 Beijing Olympics Closing Ceremony
Beijing Olympics 2008 Closing Ceremony Replay
Beijing Olympics 2008 Closing Ceremony Full Replay Video
Beijing Olympics 2008 Closing Ceremony Live Online Video
Closing Ceremony Video of the 2008 Beijing Olympics
Olympics Beijing 2008 Closing Ceremony Video Download



Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: Coming Soon

After the 5 successful movie adaptations of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, here comes the 6th installment of the series: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Harry Potter stars Daniel Radcliffe(Harry Potter), Rupert Grint(Ron Weasley), and Emma Watson(Hermione Granger) are now up for another adventure as students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.



Here's the Full Movie Synopsis from movieweb.com:

The war against Voldemort is not going well; even Muggle governments are noticing. Ron scans the obituary pages of the Daily Prophet, looking for familiar names. Dumbledore is absent from Hogwarts for long stretches of time, and the Order of the Phoenix has already suffered losses.

And yet...

As in all wars, life goes on. Sixth-year students learn to Apparate - and lose a few eyebrows in the process. The Weasley twins expand their business. Teenagers flirt and fight and fall in love. Classes are never straightforward, though Harry receives some extraordinary help from the mysterious Half-Blood Prince.

So it's the home front that takes center stage in the multilayered sixth installment of the story of Harry Potter. Here at Hogwarts, Harry will search for the full and complex story of the boy who became Lord Voldemort - and thereby find what may be his only vulnerability.


Watch the Official Movie Trailer of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:



Don't miss the Harry Potter and the Half Blood-Prince on cinemas - November 21, 2008.

Words of a Typical Pinoy Regarding the Apple iPhone 3G

We can't deny that the Apple iPhone 3G is really a very nice gadget which everyone sought to have it. I, myself admits that I wish to have one but the only thing that stops me from doing so is the price. Imagine buying an Apple iPhone 3G which costs more or less Php50,000 is likely the same as sending your child to a prominent school for a one whole academic year.

In a third world country like the Philippines, an electronic device like that of the Apple iPhone 3G is just a luxury to some and is too expensive to acquire. Although I’m very much interested in having one, I still have to think about it several times because of the price and besides, I'm currently satisfied with my Sony Ericsson mobile phone. Having an Apple iPhone 3G will probably just add to my burdens particularly in my expenses.

Another disadvantage of having this kind of gadget is the rate of criminality in the country. Imagine having an iPhone with you and you walk down the streets of Manila, there is a very high chance that you will get mugged by those burglars whenever they saw you having that kind of expensive gadget.

We all know the truth that the Philippines is in the poverty line and it is really hard to earn as much money as you need in purchasing the iPhone. Lucky are those who can afford to have it because definitely, they belong to the upper class of the society.

So in my own opinion, the iPhone is just suitable for those socialites or rich guys who don’t have to worry regarding their expenses. But if you are vain of these technological stuffs, well I guess nobody could stop you from having this iPhone 3G, not even Typhoon Karen.

Apple iPhone 3G Now Available in the Philippines


Good news to all Filipino iPhone enthusiasts, the much awaited Apple iPhone 3G is now in the country giving another edge in the technological status of the country. The availability of the Apple iPhone 3G was made possible through the partnership of Apple and Globe Telecoms - the official 3G iPhone distributor in the country. The official release of the much awaited gadget was last August 22.

In a recent article published by Apple it says that:

Globe Telecom and Apple® today announced that they will be bringing the highly anticipated iPhone™ 3G to the Philippines later this year. iPhone 3G combines all the revolutionary features of iPhone with 3G networking that is twice as fast* as the first generation iPhone, built-in GPS for expanded location based mobile services, and iPhone 2.0 software which includes support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and runs the hundreds of third party applications already built with the recently released iPhone SDK.

A lot of thanks to Globe Telecoms for making the availability of Apple iPhone 3G possible.

Below is the list of some details provided by Globe Telecoms for those subscribers who are interested of the iPhone 3G.

For prepaid iPhone 3G Prices:
• 8GB iPhone 3G – Php 41, 889
• 16GB iPhone 3G – Php 48, 889

Post Paid Prices:
• Php1, 599/month | 8GB = Php16, 800 or 16GB = Php22, 300
• Php2, 199/month | 8GB = Php14, 600 or 16GB = Php20, 000
• Php3, 299/month | 8GB = Php12, 300 or 16GB = Php17, 800
• Php3, 999/month | 8GB = Php5, 600 or 16GB = Php11, 000
• Php4, 999/month | 8GB = Free or 16GB = Php5, 000

- 2-year lock-up applies.
- Rates are inclusive of VAT and Currency Exchange Rate Adjustment (CERA).
- Free text allocation applies to local text messages (Globe to Globe and Globe to other networks).
- Free call minutes applies allocation applies to local calls (Globe to Globe, Globe to other networks, Globe to landline and NDD calls).
Globe will be also be offering special post paid plans that will allow consumers to experience the great features of the iPhone 3G. These special plans will come with free local mobile internet hours and free Wi-Fi browsing hours (in areas covered by Globe Wireless Internet Zones).

For those interested in purchasing the iPhone 3G with Globe postpaid and prepaid, you can start making reservations now by calling Globe’s 24-Hour Call-in Service via landline (632)7301000 or 211 via toll-free mobile.


Source: Gadgetgeek

Asia's First Blog Advertising Community, now in the Philippines!


Good news to all the bloggers out there! A new blog advertising community has emerged in the country which is called Nuffnang Philippines. This blog advertising community gives another source of income to the bloggers who are in their network. Aside from this, Nuffnang gives chance to the bloggers to be featured in the Nuffnang site, thus promoting the blogger as well as his/her blog in the network.

Nuffnang is easy! First is you have to register an account as a blogger then start configuring your blogs and paste the ad codes on your blog and finally, start making money. You get paid based on your blog's performance. Or simply, your earnings depend on the number of Average Unique Vistiors you received for the week.

For more information about Nuffnang Philippines, visit their FAQ's page to know everything you want to know about the community.

So what are you waiting for?! Start earning now with Nuffnang Philippines!
Start by creating your account here.

Top 50 Pinoy Blogs of August 2008

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Another Reason to Continue Fighting

Willie Revillame of Wowowee and Joey de Leon of Eat Bulaga are still not yet finished with their seemingly endless dispute in the show business. The rivalry of the two started several years ago for being the hosts of the noontime shows of their respective TV Stations.

For the information of anybody else about the recent Coca-Cola contest issue, what happened there was a mistake of the contestant. After winning the game, well of course, there was a thanksgiving period but surprisingly, the contestant said thanks to Eat Bulaga which caused the disappointment of the nootime show host. Then a dispute between the two started again.

Here is the video:


Yet unfinished with the recent issue about the Coca-Cola Contest in Wowowee, here comes a new issue regarding Pokwang - Willie Revillame’s noontime co-host.

During a show of Joey de Leon together with Vic Sotto at Los Angeles. whose video was uploaded to YouTube, they made a somewhat stand-up comedy program. In that program, Joey sang a song which was about Pokwang. He described Pokwang as an “Aswang”(supernatural creature in the Philippines, likely similar to a monster) in the song.

Joey De Leon’s version of the John Lennon hit “Imagine” during their show in Los Angeles.
“Imagine there’s no 7, wala ng network war.
wala na ang Kapuso, remake ng Marimar
Imagine wala ng Bubble Gang every friday.
Imagine Mike Enriquez, walang excuse me po
No Dyesebel to watch and no more Gobingo
Imagine no more Idol, no Saksi and Sis.
At wala ng Dramarama, Channel 2’s the only one
Makikita araw araw ay mukha lang ni Pokwang.
Makikita araw araw ay mukha lang ng Aswang.
Imagine that situation, I wonder if you can
We need some girls like Marianne,
not girls who look like men.”

Now, as the major host in the noontime show, Willie Revillame defended Pokwang about what Joey did. During the Wowowee Episode last Monday(August 18), Willie said his arguments regarding the matter. He was very much disappointed to the insult of Joey to his co-host. Pokwang was crying that time while Willie was talking about her and Pokwang’s daughter. Because of what had happened in the U.S. program, Pokwang’s daughter became the center of insult in their school. Her classmates was teasing her that her mother is an Aswang, and this is not a good situation for Pokwang who works hard just to sustain the needs of her daughter.

Throughout that segment in Wowowee which lasted for several minutes, Willie Revillame defended Pokwang and his other co-hosts. He said, “Hangga’t nandito ako, walang pwedeng gumalaw sa inyo….”

Well for me, honestly, I prefer watching Kapamilya Shows especially Wowowee but this would not give me a good reason to support the side of the Kapamilya hosts. I’m not saying that I’m with the side of Joey de Leon because he was the one who started this problem. Definitely he was wrong for what he did and I think that he admit it.

But the weak point here especially in the side of Pokwang is that they are in the show business, specifically, comedy business. They use to make fun and jokes of other people in order to bring laughter, and they do this of course, for a living. So each one of them in the comedy business should know what are the essentials of being a comedian. Being in the world of comedy show business should require confidence the acceptance of what is being said because basically, all words here are just jokes (I don’t know for some).

One more thing is about how Willie Revillame reacted with the situation. He should have think first that he is also doing such things like what Joey did. Maybe he thought of this one but he became very sympathetic especially to Pokwang’s daughter and as the major show host.

Now, I think they have to do their own ways in order to solve this problem (but I don’t think so for this has been a long-term issue eversince). There are only two things which I want Joey de Leon to do, that is to apologize and, next time, think first before doing such as an action.

Click on the link to watch the video Wowowee's August 18 Episode where Willie Revillame defended Pokwang:

Willie Revillame defends Pokwang


Diablo III: Coming Soon

Blizzard Entertainment has just announced the 3rd installation of one of the all-time favorite games — Diablo III. Coming soon to your desktop PC and get ready for a sure tons of sleepless nights.

Game Overview:

Two decades have passed since the demonic lords, Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal, set out across the world of Sanctuary on a vicious rampage, twisting humanity to their unholy will. Yet for those who battled the Prime Evils, the memory fades slowly.

When Deckard Cain returns to the ruins of Tristram Cathedral seeking clues to defeat new stirrings of evil, a fiery harbinger of doom falls from the heavens, striking the very ground where Diablo once entered the world. This fire from the sky reawakens ancient evils and calls the heroes of Sanctuary to defend the mortal world against the rising powers of the Burning Hells once again.

Explore fully realized realms of Sanctuary – the living, breathing gothic fantasy world of Diablo III – rendered in gorgeous 3D.

Battle the unholy forces of the Burning Hells with all-new character classes such as the otherworldly Witch Doctor, or with re-imagined warriors from Diablo’s past, like the powerful Barbarian.

Rain Hell on your enemies and use the interactive environment as a weapon: lay cunning traps, turn destructible objects against your foes, and use environmental obstacles to your advantage - all powered by the Havok physics system.

Experience the intensity of multiplayer Diablo III over an all-new, wickedly enhanced Battle.net platform with numerous enhancements to make connecting with your friends easier, and cooperative gameplay more fun.

There will be a new character class that will be introduced which is the Witch Doctor.


One of the previos character classes, the Barbarian, has been modified with new skills and features unique to Diablo III.

Diablo III is powered by a new graphics engine that can display characters and hordes of monsters in more realistic, full 3D environments.

Here is the Debut Gameplay Trailer of Diablo III:



Holidays moved on Mondays


Due to Republic Act (RA) 9492 which was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, certain holidays are moved to the nearest Mondays.

Under the new law, the following holidays are moved to the nearest Monday:

Araw ng Kagitingan (April 9)

Labor Day (May 1)

Independence Day (June 12)

National Heroes Day (August)

Bonifacio Day (November 30)

Rizal Day (December 30)

Ninoy Aquino Day (August 21)

This means that if the holiday will fall on Thursday like this year’s Ninoy Aquino Day (August 21), the holiday will be observed on the Monday of that week which was yesterday, August 18. If the holiday falls on Sunday, in would be observed on the following Monday.

The law also said that for movable holidays like Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Eid'l Fitr or the end of Ramadan,; the President shall issue a proclamation at least six months prior to the concerned holiday.

Now, the point here is about the advantages and disadvantages of moving some of the holidays to the nearest Monday.

Some of the people says that the new law is better for it provides somewhat a longer vacation period on weekends especially to the workers who were very busy with their works. Imagine, for a regular worker who works only on weekdays, meaning from Mondays to Fridays, they will experience a 3-day weekend rest including the holiday Monday. As well as the students lower than the College level, they will also experience this 3-day weekend rest.

Aside from this, for those who view the importance of momentum in school, this law is also an advantage to avoid loosing the momentum in school. For example, having the holiday at the middle of the school week might cause a loose in momentum for some students.

Well I guess, these would be the major advantages of the RA 9492.

There are also disadvantages of this one. But for me, there are only a few or even nothing which can be observed.

For me, the only disadvantage that I can see with this is thinking of the fact that I actually don’t have classes on Mondays. Engineering students of the University of Santo Tomas (Yeah! You got it, I’m a proud Tomasino Inhinyero Eng’Lupet) are up for school from Tuesdays to Saturdays only, meaning, holiday for us will just be considered as a normal rest day for Engineering Thomasians.

But actually, this argument is really a very minor disadvantage. I consider this scheduling situation as a major advantage for us compared to any other colleges. Why?! Simply because we are not prone for late or delayed discussions! Got it?! If not, then you may wish to have an extended time thinking about this matter.


Web Browser Games

Have you ever tried playing Web Browser Games?! Those games which do not require installations, all you're going to do is to log on using your account information and *poof! the game interface will just be on your web browser.

Some of the web browser games are Darkthrone, Tribalwars, Imperia Online, Travian, and there is still a lot more!

These games have different interfaces but I think you're going to enjoy little by little as you witness your community grow larger and stronger!

Here are a few Screenshots of the games:

Tribal Wars
Tribal Wars is a browser-based game set in the Middle Ages. Every player controls a small village, striving for power and glory.

Darkthrone

Choose between four unique races: Undead, Humans, Goblins, Elves. Train your citizens and create a powerful troop and start conquering other players in the world of Darkthrone!

Travian

Travian is a browser game featuring a world with thousands of other real players. One begins the game acting as a chief of a tiny village.

Imperia Online


So, why don't you try playing these games?! These are all for free! All you need is an internet connection set on your computer and of course, a web browser like IE or Mozilla! (but I strongly recommend Mozilla Firefox for all of these)

Links:
Tribal Wars
Darkthrone
Travian
Imperia Online

PDA Finds No Restricted Place

Have you ever heard of PDA?! Yeah, I know there are many things which stand for PDA. For some, PDA means Philippines Dental Association. For the techies, PDA is for Personal Digital Assistant. But what does this PDA really stands for?!

PDA, according to the Filipinos, stands for Public Display of Affection. This is also a common attitude to Filipinos, more specifically to lovers. Holding of hands, embracing, kissing, and the like which are done in public are considered forms of PDA. Though these are all common and natural gestures between lovers, doing these in public or public places results to PDA.

PDA cannot be only viewed negatively. We all know that this is very evident, especially holding each other’s hand which is considered to be nothing new. But Filipinos at present time do more than this. And this kind of situation seems to be very annoying. Worst of this, it seems that they are on their own like nobody’s around to watch them.

“I’ll kiss you on your neck, people stare but we won’t care!”

Let me have another story sharing showing an inappropriate and very annoying PDA.

One of the hot days in June, my friends and I decided to meet at a certain mall to have fun. I arrived at the mall late in the afternoon and I was waiting for my friends to come. I stayed outside a well-known bookstore inside the mall to wait. In front of the bookstore, escalators are located. After a few minutes, one of my friends came and by that time, I was not alone. While waiting for the other, we looked around the mall to see if someone who was expected was coming. Surprisingly, as we looked upon the escalator, we saw a couple standing with the guy facing the girl. To our surprise of what they were doing, we just laughed while staring at them. Know what?! The guy was kissing and licking the ears of the girl. How disgusting!

Aside from this, there are many other situations which I often see in different places showing a rampant negative PDA. It may be in malls, park, plazas, and even in schools. It is really very annoying to see those things in public. They may do these things at the proper time and place but not in places where there are numerous people who can see them doing such foolish acts.

For me, the best thing that you can do whenever you will encounter such situation, is to stare at them and when they notice you looking at them, all you’re going to do is to laugh! XD

Talking about "SIPSIP"

“SIPSIP” – This is common to Filipinos especially those who are in search for a higher authority. Or maybe, just to keep in close contact with a higher authority for a sellfish desire.
But what does this “SIPSIP” really mean?!


This is not the way of drinking using a straw! We’re talking about the attitude common to Filipinos.
To understand further what does “SIPSIP” mean, read this acronym that best describes this attitude:
Some Insecure Persons, Seeking Instant Promotion


After reading the acronym above, you can clearly understand what does this attitude mean and why do some Filipinos are like this. There are actually many forms of “SIPSIP”, depending on the situation and the need for this. This may be seen in school, at work, and the like.

Let me share to you a real life experience of being a victim of “SIPSIP”

When I was still a 3rd grader in a certain public school in Quezon City, “SIPSIP” is rampant especially when examination days are soon to come. I wonder why I can see parents of some students walking along the corridor as if they were looking for someone for something. Well I guess we’re not in Nursery to have our parents stay to watch us. Then I became curious about this, I really want to know what’s going on with this. Until one of my classmates told me about this ‘custom’ in public schools(it was my first time to study in a public school). He told me that the parents are there because they have something for the teachers. But why?! Is there any occasion?! Definitely, none! They just want to bribe the teachers(though that was not a direct bribery) for the sake of their children. Got it?! The parents are giving something to the teachers like foods, native items, and more. For what?! In exchange, the teachers are somewhat forced( because of the ‘bribe’) to give the students higher grades.

Why do I consider myself as a victim?!I am a consistent honor student. During that time, I ranked 2nd. Why?! Because I didn’t have anything for my teachers! XD It was really unfair for me who worked hard to have high grades being only the 2nd in our class due to “SIPSIP”. Ouch!

Well I guess you now have a clear understanding about this “SIPSIP”. So better beware, be an observant and have the guts to take them down.

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