ss_blog_claim=27fd07bab5c6702f8f946b1df5ff6641

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

22 wounded in GenSan blast

MANILA, Philippines--(UPDATE) An improvised explosive device (IED) exploded in General Santos City on New Year's Eve, wounding at least 22 people, an army spokesperson has said.

The IED exploded at Oval Plaza, General Santos City, South Cotabato at around 9:10 p.m. Thursday, said Army spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Romeo Brawner Jr. The victims were taken to different hospitals in General Santos City for medical treatment.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said that the explosion happened at around 9:20 p.m. and was caused by a hand grenade and not an IED.

Police also said that the explosion had injured 23 persons.

Both the PNP and military said that they have not identified any suspects behind the bombing as investigations are still ongoing.

Security forces have been on heightened alert for possible attacks by Muslim separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels who have been locked in intense battles with troops since August.

A grenade attack Tuesday on a police outpost in General Santos wounded a policeman and two other people.

The same day, a suspected militant transporting an improvised explosive device was killed when it went off at a police checkpoint near the town of Esperanza, also on Mindanao island.

Thursday, December 25, 2008

SNAPBOMB

Blogging is something you can write what you want and feature different stories or interest that you may have. It is also a way or interacting with other people around the world and just by exchanging different ideas with them, you will learn a lot. Blogging is also a form of advertising to where you promote something. It could be a product, food, movies, songs and some other things that you are interested with. You can do blog advertising in a certain company's product on your blog and get paid or just simply make a buzz on it and very easy to do. Have you ever thought of that? Well, if not this is your time to start a new career online by way of blogging.

There are lots of website on the internet that offers online job but be aware of scam websites that will only use you for their own interest. Make sure that you are engage to a website that is trustworthy and has the capability to pay you from your hard work and Snapbomb is one of them. It is a new website that offers online job by way of advertising on your blog. You may find it so complicated to start but it's not. All you have to do is create your own blog and as soon as your done with your set up, go to http://www.snapbomb.com/bloggers.html?acp=7551 and register your blog. In fact you can enter as many blogs as you want. Once your blog is approved, you can now take opportunities to blog then get paid once your post is reviewed by the advertisers. It is very easy right and could generate income to your household.

Advertising on blog is a fun thing to do because you are not only earning but at the same time, it enhances your skills and could improve your writing. It is a great opportunity because you were given a chance to advertise a certain product. Blogging is also a way of blog marketing. It is something that you will learn in the long run of advertising because when it comes to blog marketing it means you are selling your blog to advertisers that you can work on.

Does it sound interesting to you? Join now and start your new career online by way of blogging and start earning some cash from your hard work and dedication. Happy blogging!

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Sunday, December 21, 2008

CHRISTMAS PARTY AT THE CHURCH

It was our Christmas party at the church today. First we had our regular service in the morning then around 5 this afternoon was our party. Everything went well. Lots of food and everyone was having fun. The kids had enjoyed their games and the Christmas presents that they have received. As our contribution, we brought some marshmallow salad and a bunch of cookies. Everyone was full and our dinner was great. Merry Christmas.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

NEW DISCOVERY

As I was browsing our blog, a friend of mine sent me a message about her new recreation which is joining a daily survey. She said it's fun and informative and I get interested and have tried it. A daily survey to be done and at the same time you can earn some money from it. At first I was hesitant to try because it involves money and I am afraid it is a scam but thankfully it's not and a friend of mine is now earning from it. I tried and it's working on my part. If you want to be part of it guys just visit this link CASH CRATE and get started. It is very easy. All you have to do is take the survey as many as you want and get paid every month. If you have questions, feel free to contact me. I am now earning so Join now!!!!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

PRETTY DAY

It was indeed a pretty day today. We didn't do much and just spend the rest of our time in front of the computer. We also cook dinner and we had so much fun. I am just glad that we are able to spend more time til he goes back to work. I'm sad but that's just it, we need to sacrifice for quite a while. How was you day guys? I hope things are well with you and your family..Well I guess, that's it for now and see you around.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Advertising

Blogging is something you can write what you want and feature different stories or interest that you may have. It is also a way or interacting with other people around the world and just by exchanging different ideas with them, you will learn a lot. Blogging is also a form of advertising to where you promote something. It could be a product, food, movies, songs and some other things that you are interested with. You can also make money blogging. It is a way of advertising a certain company's product on your blog and get paid. Have you ever thought of that? Well, if not this is your time to start a new career online by way of blogging.

There are lots of website on the internet that offers online job but be aware of scam websites that will only use you for their own interest. Make sure that you are engage to a website that is trustworthy and has the capability to pay you from your hard work and Payingpost is one of them. It is a new website that offers online job by way of advertising on your blog. You may find it so complicated to start but it's not. All you have to do is create your own blog and as soon as your done with your set up, go to payingpost.com and register your blog. In fact you can enter as many blogs as you want. Once your blog is approved, you can now take opportunities to blog then get paid once your post is reviewed by the advertisers. It is very easy right and could generate income to your household.

Advertising on blog is a fun thing to do because you are not only earning but at the same time, it enhances your skills and could improve your writing. It is a great opportunity because you were given a chance to advertise a certain product. Blogging is also a way of blog marketing. It is something that you will learn in the long run of advertising because when it comes to blog marketing it means you are selling your blog to advertisers that you can work on.

Does it sound interesting to you? Join now and start your new career online by way of blogging and start earning some cash from your hard work and dedication.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

AMAZING DAY

I was so amazed today because for the first in my life, I have seen the real snow..lol. You might think I am crazy but geee I am so happy of what I have seen for the first time. Well, it was announced yesterday that it will snow today and I'm like ohhh no, it will be so cold but when my husband woke me up this morning around 6, wow that's all I can say. I find it so pretty and was really amazed of the snow. Here in Mississippi, they seldom get snow. They said it will only snow 2-3 times a decade but I am glad that I have given an opportunity today to see a real snow...hehehehehe. I just wish I took a picture of it...lol.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Philippines rejoices at Pacquiao's victory over De La Hoya



Filipinos watching the fight all over the country erupted in celebration De La Hoya's corner threw in the towel before the start of the ninth round.De La Hoya's left eye was closed shut after the eighth round, prompting the ring doctor, referee and his cornermen to decide that he had enough."You're still my idol," Pacquiao told De La Hoya after the fight in Las Vegas.

"No, you're my idol," De La Hoya said.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo called Pacquiao to congratulate him immediately after the fight, according to deputy spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo.The president and the Filipino people would like to extend our profound congratulations to Manny Pacquiao," she said. "His boxing fit is testament to the spirit of the Filipino, our resiliency and strength to ace the challenges that come our way."

Press secretary Jesus Dureza added that while Pacquiao was the underdog in pre-match analysis, the local boxing icon showed "true Filipino grit and grace" in his triumph over De La Hoya.

"Manny indeed is making boxing history," he added. "We are all truly proud of him."

Cinemas and restaurants showing the fight live were packed with boxing fans despite the steep entrance fees, while thousands more jammed sports complexes and public gyms for free showings.

Even the military's main headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo showed the fight for free.

The streets of Manila were clear of traffic as most Filipinos were watching the fight, and police reported a decline in crime during the hours of the fight.

In Pacquiao's home city of General Santos in the southern Philippines, his mother led thousands in cheering for the boxing icon.

"I thank the Lord for he has been very kind to me and my son," Dionesia Pacquiao said. "I thank everyone who prayed for my son. Thank you all."

Saturday, December 6, 2008

An exciting new development - what will they think of next?


Announcing the new Built-in Orderly Organized Knowledge device (BOOK).
It's a revolutionary breakthrough in technology: no wires, no electric
circuits, no batteries, nothing to be connected or switched on. It's so
easy to use even a child can operate it. Just lift its cover. Compact and
portable, it can be used anywhere-even sitting in an armchair by the
fire-yet it is powerful enough to hold as much information as a CD-ROM
disk.

Here's how it works: Each BOOK is constructed of sequentially numbered
sheets of paper (recyclable) , each capable of holding thousands of bits of
information. These pages are locked together with a custom-fit device
called a binder which keeps the sheets in their correct sequence. By using
both sides of each sheet, manufacturers are able to cut costs in half.
Each sheet is scanned optically, registering information directly into
your brain. A flick of the finger takes you to the next sheet. The BOOK
may be taken up at any time and used by merely opening it. The "browse"
feature allows you to move instantly to any sheet, and move forward or
backward as you wish. Most come with an "index" feature, which pinpoints
the exact location of any elected information for instant retrieval.

An optional "BOOKmark" accessory allows you to open the BOOK to the exact
place you left it in a previous session-even if the BOOK has been closed.
BOOKmarks fit universal design standards; thus a single BOOKmark can be
used in BOOKs by various manufacturers.

Portable, durable and affordable, the BOOK is the entertainment wave of
the future, and many new titles are expected soon, due to the surge in
popularity of its programming tool, the Portable Erasable-Nib Cryptic
Intercommunication Language Stylus...(PENCILS)

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

My ever first award..Wow

Thanks so much Ateng for this award. I appreciate it.

Lemonade Award

The rules of this award for recipients:

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.

2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post

4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.

5. Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.


I will share this award to all my blogger friends. Feel free to grab it guys.

MY ADVANCE CHRISTMAS GIFT

We were out shopping today and my parent's in law gave me my advance Christmas present. It is an electric sewing machine since I love to stitch and my mom in law can't just stand watching me doing it my hand, so her and dad decided to get me one. It is so amazing how I can do my work a lot more easier and now that I have it, I can do more things in it. I am just so happy that they bought me one. Thanks so much mom and dad..

Here's what they've got for me:

Sunday, November 30, 2008

HAD A GREAT DAY TODAY

I had a great day today at church. The service was great and lots of foods were donated for the food mission. I am so proud that we manage to contribute some of our food in the house and just knowing that lots of families will be feed for that food, it felt so amazing. We also resumed on our Christmas decorations in our yard and wow those decorations are so wonderful. Christmas is really fast approaching. It's going to be my first Christmas here in the States and I am looking forward to it. I am currently talking to my mom back in the Philippines and I am glad to hear that they are all doing fine. And any moment from now, it's my bedtime, so I wish you a fruitful evening guys and sleep tight..Goodnight everyone

Saturday, November 29, 2008

GIFT FROM MY HUSBAND

Just a thought of posting this. It was a gift that I received from my husband during my bridal shower. Infact, I was with him when he bought this, i mean we were together as we were doing our shopping that time but without my knowledge, he sneaked to Hallmark to buy this while I was busy looking for something at Victoria Secret. It is a heart shape glass with two swans on it with an engraved wordings of " I will always love you" how sweet. He said, that the reason why he bought this, is because of the song I use to sing for him. A song entitled " I will always love you by Jim Brickman. I really love that song because it describes the feelings that I have for him. I am so grateful for my husband because he makes me so complete and I couldn't ask for more. He his all that I want and need for the rest of my life.. I love you so much baby.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

A GIFT FROM MY FATHER IN LAW

Few days ago, I went with my in laws and visit a particular shop here in our place. I forgot the name of the shop but it is a huge shop with full of stuff like furniture, clothes, Christmas decorations, Flowers, candles and many other things to choose from in a very affordable price. My mom in law bought some stuff and we really stayed there for a while. As we were touring around and were looking for some stuff that will struck us, I saw this cute jewelry box that catches my attention. I was amazed on how it was built and how beautiful it is to have. Well, I didn't really mentioned of buying it. As we stepped out of the shop, my dad stepped back to go to the bathroom but we were wondering on why he was taking so long but surprisingly as he stepped out at the shop, I saw him carrying the jewelry box that I like. Yes, he bought it for me and I love it. Thanks dad, I appreciate it and that was so sweet of you.

Here's what he got for me:It has a mirror and at the same a picture frame at the back of it.In the middle is a clock and has a music box as well.

OUT SHOPPING

Been out again today to buy something for myself. We went to target and purchased me a pair of shoes that I'm going to use for church every Sunday. I bought it for 32 bucks but since I've a gift card from them worth 25 dollars, I just paid 10 dollars for my new pair of shoes. Now I don't need to wear sandals anymore with this kind of weather in the states because it is freezing me to death..lol..That has been my day. Shopping for a bit and back at the house. Hope you guys is having a great day.

This is what I bought today at target:

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Unmatched Beauty


Getting Here

Sarangani can be reached by air and sea travels from Manila and Cebu via General Santos City. By land, Sarangani’s countryside is easily accessible. A paved national highway connects General Santos City to the eastern coastal towns of Alabel (15 min), Malapatan (25 min), and Glan (45 min); to the west, Maasim (30 min), Kiamba (1:10 hrs), Maitum (1:30 hrs), and Malungon (40 min).

Sarangani is a province whose unmatched beauty has yet to bediscovered. Few places are as splendidly endowed with natural resources that promise opportunities for development as this predominantly coastal province in the southernmost tip of the Philippines. Most of its treasures have remained untapped to this day including its 230-kilometer coastline strewn with awe-inspiring coves and rock formations.

Sarangani is full of wondrous surprises. Motoring across the province is as pleasurable as taking a breeze in one’s own paradise. A golf course in the valleys of Malungon offers some of the most challenging fairways in the region. It is also here where asparagus and tropical fruits are grown and dried flowers are made for the export market.

A sense of discovery overwhelms one when approaching the eastern municipalities of Alabel, Malapatan and Glan, which face the tranquil waters of Sarangani Bay. These towns have beaches wonderfully preserved by protective coves, and shipwreck diving sites dating back to Spanish times. The bay is more popularly known to be the home of the Sarangani Bay bangus (milkfish). Turn over another stone and one will find that the bay is also home to simple village folk who have lived their lives carving and painting their dreams in the boats they build.

While the province is intersected by General Santos City, the discoveries that await in the three western municipalities of Maasim, Kiamba and Maitum are as countless as the golden sunrises of the Celebes Sea. In 1991, anthropomorphic jars were found in Ayub cave at Maitum which have come to be known in world history as Maitum Jars. A sanctuary of the largest bats in the world can also be found in the same site. Endemic to the Philippines, over 180,000 giant golden-crown flying foxes can be seen dangling in the branches of forest trees during daytime.

With its back to the Daguma Range, the lush mountains of this province hold many of nature’s wonderful creatures including the tarsier, the smallest monkey in the world and its predator, the Philippine eagle. From its bosom also flows the purest freshwater sources and pristine waterfalls unsettled only by short dips of its native dwellers and a few daring adventurers.

It is amazing how one can still uncover treasures of the old world in a place like Sarangani. Let its limitless wonders unravel before you.


SARANGANI'S SEASCAPE

Plunge in deeper into Sarangani’s underwater world! A tank, mask, snorkel and fins are all what it takes to delve into that fantastic view of multihued coral ecosystem and marine fauna that abound.With the changing weather conditions, every snorkeling and scuba diving would certainly be unique from each previous engagement.

So experience that invigorating vibes while knitting through Sarangani’s haven of dolphins, whales, marine turtles, and the endangered sea cow (dugong) and make it a lasting glimpse to remember.The impressive covering of Acropora (branching corals) filling the seascape of Tuka Marine Park of Kiamba will certainly captivate you to no end.




Archaeologists at work in Maitum.

PREHISTORIC CAVES
Maitum Caves

Exploring through Ayub cave is like traveling back to the metal age of the Philippines, circa 500 BC to 500 AD. A unique and fascinating assemblage of archeological find (human faces and figures in earthenware medium) that depicts Sarangani’s cultural wealth was excavated here.

These potteries were used as secondary burial jars. Its coverings were molded as human heads emulating different facial expressions of happiness, contentment, and even a trace of desolation. Such were shaped artistically tracing the most conservative detail of the human face that can still be seen in the broken fragments of the jars outside the cave... retaining their natural color even up to now.

Some of the artifacts collected are now displayed in the National Museum while others are kept by some of the residents nearby the cave.

Ayub cave is made up of Miocene limestone formation. The opening is about two meters wide and two meters high, sloping downward to at least 20 degrees angle and extending a length of 11 meters from the entrance. But earthquakes, which cropped up sometime in 1970s to 1990s widened the cave’s opening.

Ayub cave is located at Barangay Pinol in Maitum, about 50 meters away from the national highway and approximately 30-minute ride from the Poblacion. Surrounding plants have, however, made this cave unnoticed.



CENTURY-OLD HOUSES

Set in seemingly-classical downtown Glan are several ancestral houses mostly built in the early part of 1900s. The imposing balconies, canopies, and walls of “kalados” and concrete stepboards leading to wide wooden staircases will certainly awe-inspire antique trippers.

Some of them even hold striking collections of prized oriental sets and other precious antiques displayed right in the drawing room. The municipal government of Glan preserves the ancestral houses taking pride of its ancestors’ birthright.


CAPITOL PARK

Visiting travelers cannot help but marvel at the grandeur of the Provincial Capitol Building, which also houses offices of national line agencies. They say it is unrivaled. Some of them even dubbed it the reenacted “White House” in Southern Mindanao.

To see the imposing Provincial Capitol Building becomes, in most cases, the object of some visitors in going to Alabel, the capital town of the province.

Equally drawing attention is the Kasfala Hall that accentuates even more the beauty and the value of the park. True to its Blaan name, which means “deliberation,” the well-designed edifice serves as a sheer witness to the many issues and concerns deliberated and resolved in seminars, trainings, conferences, consultations and the like.

Strategically enclosed in a 26-hectare lot, the capitol park is a huge landmark of untiring devotion and excellence by concerned leaders who were instruments of unification and development of its people.

Other facilities like the FVR rest house and pool, cultural center and gymnasium, training center, and sports complex complete its almost pronounced coziness.



SARANGANI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB

The 18-hole Golf Course and Country Club at Sitio Pulatana, Malandag, Malungon lies in a well-landscaped of verdant grasses and trees. It is only a 30-minute leisure-drive from the town proper of Sarangani’s capital town Alabel and 40-minute from neighboring city of General Santos.

For golf fanatics, the place is just right to unwind.

Its two-story native-inspired refreshment cottage can provide an outright vista of the golf course’s backdrop, Mt. Matutum.

General Santos City

General Santos City


Fishport

The City of General Santos (abbreviated G.S.C. or Gensan.; Filipino: Lungsod ng Heneral Santos, Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Heneral Santos) is a city in the Philippines. Situated in the southern part of the country, in the province of South Cotabato. The city has a population of 411,822 as of the 2000 census, making it one of the more populous cities in the Philippines. It is nicknamed as the "Tuna Capital of the Philippines".

General Santos City is bounded by three municipalities of Sarangani Province and two municipalities of South Cotabato, namely Alabel, Malungon, Maasim, Polomolok and T'boli. The city's economy is primarily agro-industrial. As a component of the SOCCSKSARGEN growth area, it has contributed much to the area's emergence as the country's leading producer of major commodities. Due to its rich soil, good rainfall and typhoon-free climate, the area is the largest producer of corn, coconuts, copra, pineapples, asparagus and rice. The area also produces other high value crops such as exotic fruits, potatoes, vegetables, cut flowers and okra. It accounts for the largest total daily fish landings in the country and is the leading producer of sashimi grade tuna. Residents boast that fish and seafood do not come fresher than in their city.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

WINDCHIMES

WINDCHIMES

Wind chimes or Aeolian chimes are often hollow or solid metal, glass, or wooden tubes which are usually hung outside of a building and are intended to be played by the wind, which causes the chimes to strike each other or metal, wood, or rubber balls which may be hung in the centre.

Wind chimes produce inharmonic (as opposed to harmonic) spectra, although if they are hung at about 1/5th of their length (22.4%), the higher partials are dampened and the fundamental is brought out. This is common practice in high-quality wind chimes, which are also usually hung so the center ball strikes the center of the wind chime's length. Frequency is determined by the length, width, thickness, and material. There are formulas that help predict the proper length to achieve a particular note, though a bit of fine tuning is often needed. Wind chimes are thought to be good luck in parts of Asia and are used in Feng Shui. In Japan they produce pleasant ringing sounds and are hung by the windows during hot humid summers in order to bring cooling relief.

Chimes are also made of materials other than metal or wood and in shapes other than tubes or rods. Many people accept bamboo, stones, horseshoes, mechanics tools, PVC pipe, glass, seashells, old silverware, etc., as chimes. Every material makes a different sound. The sounds these make are not tunable to specific notes and range from pleasant tinkling to dull thuds. The idea seems to be that if it is moved by the wind and makes a noise, it is a wind chime.

The tone will depend on the material (steel, aluminum, brass, the exact alloy, heat treatment and so on), whether you are using a solid cylinder or a tube, and if a tube, the wall thickness. It may also depend on the hanging method. The tone quality will depend on how you strike a tube (with a hard object or a soft one, for example).

Note that with a whistle, such as an organ pipe, the pitch is determined primarily by the length of the air column. It is the air that vibrates. The pipe material helps determine the "timbre" or "voice" of the pipe, but the air column determines the pitch. In a wind chime, the pipe itself is being struck and the air column has little to do with things.

Chimes may be used to observe changes in wind directions. For instance, if a chime is positioned on the north side of the house only a north wind will move it. It may alert the inhabitants to a weather change. Conversely, for a south wind a chime is mounted on the south side.

BUSY DAY

It's been a long day today. I was very busy wrapping some Christmas presents for everyone and it's so great to see our tree with full of gifts now. I've been also concentrating in doing different kinds of wind chimes as a gift for everyone. Wheewww it was hard work but it's worth it though. I'm almost done with my wrapping and few days from now,it will be sent respectively. Here are some wind chime samples that I made a while ago:This one is for my mom in law and she doesn't know about this..surprise, surprise, surprise!!!
For Jessica in Kansas
For Bethany in KansasFor Hannah in KansasFor Miss Ruby our neighbor


If you want to order guys, just buzz me.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

A Brief Mystery: What are Short Gamma-ray Bursts?

October 20, 2008: For decades it was baffling. Out of the still night sky, astronomers peering through their telescopes would occasionally glimpse quick bursts of high-energy light popping off like flashbulbs at the far side of the universe.

These bursts seemed impossibly powerful: to appear so bright from so very far away, they must vastly outshine entire galaxies containing hundreds of billions of stars. These explosions, called gamma ray bursts (GRBs), are by far the brightest and most energetic phenomena in the known universe, second only to the Big Bang itself. Scientists were at a loss to imagine what could possibly cause them.

Right: An artist's concept of a gamma-ray burst.

Astronomers now know what the longer-lasting GRBs are: the collapse and explosion of an ultra-massive star to form a black hole at its core, an explanation first proposed by Stan Woosley of the University of California in San Diego. But there’s a second category of GRBs that still remains a mystery.

"The short-lived ones are very poorly understood. It's where the frontier [of research] is now," says Neil Gehrels, principal investigator for the GRB-detecting Swift satellite at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

Gehrels and other researchers have gathered this week at the Sixth Huntsville Gamma Ray Burst Symposium in Huntsville, Ala., to discuss progress on this and other mysteries surrounding GRBs. Short gamma-ray bursts are a hot topic at today's sessions: agenda.

"We have had good evidence since the 1990s that the short bursts and long bursts were different classes," Gehrels explains. "It had to do with their gamma ray properties." Not only do the short bursts last less than about 2 seconds, the spectrum of light they emit is distinct. Gamma rays from short bursts lean toward the high-energy end of the spectrum, while long GRBs emit lower-energy gamma rays.

The differences were highlighted in 2005 when, for the first time, telescopes caught sight of short GRB afterglows. The fading debris contained no supernova, arguing against the collapse of a massive star. George Ricker of MIT, principal investigator of NASA's HETE (High Energy and Transient Explorer) satellite, famously likened a short burst on July 9, 2005, to "the dog that didn't bark."

Ultimately, the cause of short bursts is unknown. But scientists do have some good guesses.

Above: An artist's concept of a neutron star-neutron star collision.

The leading theory is that these bursts are extremely violent collisions between pairs of neutron stars. These stars aren't gassy, wispy giants like other stars — a neutron star is more like an atomic nucleus that's 12 kilometers across. Since the atoms that make up normal, "solid" matter are mostly empty space, a star made almost entirely of tightly packed neutrons is extraordinarily dense: a fingernail's worth of a neutron star would have a mass of more than a trillion kilograms. A neutron star's density and gravity is second only to a black hole. "When you have these two hard stars that run into each other, it's a very rapid fiery explosion. It's kind of like a crash."

So how could scientists know whether this explanation is true?

One way could be to detect gravitational waves. Before the two neutron stars collide, they would orbit each other as a binary system. Because their fields of gravity are so intense, the stars ought to send waves rippling outward in the fabric of space-time: gravitational waves. As the neutron stars spiral in toward each other, the frequency of those waves would ramp up in a characteristic pattern called a chirp signal.

"Scientists are trying to [detect] that now," Gehrels says. "It's the ultimate way of verifying the model."

Scientists at the Huntsville symposium are discussing the progress of gravitational wave detectors such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) located in Hanford, Washington, and Livingston, Louisiana. By using lasers to carefully measure the distances between pairs of mirrors at these observatories, LIGO scientists can notice tiny changes in these distances that would occur if subtle gravitational waves were passing through the Earth.

Other possible explanations for short GRBs exist as well, but only hard data from experiments such as LIGO can settle what is the real cause of these mysterious celestial bursts.

Magnetic Portals Connect Sun and Earth

Oct. 30, 2008: During the time it takes you to read this article, something will happen high overhead that until recently many scientists didn't believe in. A magnetic portal will open, linking Earth to the sun 93 million miles away. Tons of high-energy particles may flow through the opening before it closes again, around the time you reach the end of the page.

"It's called a flux transfer event or 'FTE,'" says space physicist David Sibeck of the Goddard Space Flight Center. "Ten years ago I was pretty sure they didn't exist, but now the evidence is incontrovertible."

Indeed, today Sibeck is telling an international assembly of space physicists at the 2008 Plasma Workshop in Huntsville, Alabama, that FTEs are not just common, but possibly twice as common as anyone had ever imagined.

Right: An artist's concept of Earth's magnetic field connecting to the sun's--a.k.a. a "flux transfer event"--with a spacecraft on hand to measure particles and fields. [Larger image]

Researchers have long known that the Earth and sun must be connected. Earth's magnetosphere (the magnetic bubble that surrounds our planet) is filled with particles from the sun that arrive via the solar wind and penetrate the planet's magnetic defenses. They enter by following magnetic field lines that can be traced from terra firma all the way back to the sun's atmosphere.

"We used to think the connection was permanent and that solar wind could trickle into the near-Earth environment anytime the wind was active," says Sibeck. "We were wrong. The connections are not steady at all. They are often brief, bursty and very dynamic."

Several speakers at the Workshop have outlined how FTEs form: On the dayside of Earth (the side closest to the sun), Earth's magnetic field presses against the sun's magnetic field. Approximately every eight minutes, the two fields briefly merge or "reconnect," forming a portal through which particles can flow. The portal takes the form of a magnetic cylinder about as wide as Earth. The European Space Agency's fleet of four Cluster spacecraft and NASA's five THEMIS probes have flown through and surrounded these cylinders, measuring their dimensions and sensing the particles that shoot through. "They're real," says Sibeck.

Now that Cluster and THEMIS have directly sampled FTEs, theorists can use those measurements to simulate FTEs in their computers and predict how they might behave. Space physicist Jimmy Raeder of the University of New Hampshire presented one such simulation at the Workshop. He told his colleagues that the cylindrical portals tend to form above Earth's equator and then roll over Earth's winter pole. In December, FTEs roll over the north pole; in July they roll over the south pole.

Right: A "magnetic portal" or FTE mapped in cross-section by NASA's fleet of THEMIS spacecraft. [Larger image]

Sibeck believes this is happening twice as often as previously thought. "I think there are two varieties of FTEs: active and passive." Active FTEs are magnetic cylinders that allow particles to flow through rather easily; they are important conduits of energy for Earth's magnetosphere. Passive FTEs are magnetic cylinders that offer more resistance; their internal structure does not admit such an easy flow of particles and fields. (For experts: Active FTEs form at equatorial latitudes when the IMF tips south; passive FTEs form at higher latitudes when the IMF tips north.) Sibeck has calculated the properties of passive FTEs and he is encouraging his colleagues to hunt for signs of them in data from THEMIS and Cluster. "Passive FTEs may not be very important, but until we know more about them we can't be sure."

The Sun Shows Signs of Life

Nov. 7, 2008: After two-plus years of few sunspots, even fewer solar flares, and a generally eerie calm, the sun is finally showing signs of life.

"I think solar minimum is behind us," says sunspot forecaster David Hathaway of the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center.

His statement is prompted by an October flurry of sunspots. "Last month we counted five sunspot groups," he says. That may not sound like much, but in a year with record-low numbers of sunspots and long stretches of utter spotlessness, five is significant. "This represents a real increase in solar activity."

Above: New-cycle sunspot group 1007 emerges on Halloween and marches across the face of the sun over a four-day period in early November 2008. Credit: the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).

Even more significant is the fact that four of the five sunspot groups belonged to Solar Cycle 24, the long-awaited next installment of the sun's 11-year solar cycle. "October was the first time we've seen sunspots from new Solar Cycle 24 outnumbering spots from old Solar Cycle 23. It's a good sign that the new cycle is taking off."

Old Solar Cycle 23 peaked in 2000 and has since decayed to low levels. Meanwhile, new Solar Cycle 24 has struggled to get started. 2008 is a year of overlap with both cycles weakly active at the same time. From January to September, the sun produced a total of 22 sunspot groups; 82% of them belonged to old Cycle 23. October added five more; but this time 80% belonged to Cycle 24. The tables have turned.

At first glance, old- and new-cycle sunspots look the same, but they are not. To tell the difference, solar physicists check two things: a sunspot's heliographic latitude and its magnetic polarity. (1) New-cycle sunspots always appear at high latitude, while old-cycle spots cluster around the sun's equator. (2) The magnetic polarity of new-cycle spots is reversed compared to old-cycle spots. Four of October's five sunspot groups satisfied these two criteria for membership in Solar Cycle 24.

The biggest of the new-cycle spots emerged at the end of the month on Halloween. Numbered 1007, or "double-oh seven" for short, the sunspot had two dark cores each wider than Earth connected by active magnetic filaments thousands of kilometers long. Amateur astronomer Alan Friedman took this picture from his backyard observatory in Buffalo, New York:

On Nov. 3rd and again on Nov. 4th, double-oh seven unleashed a series of B-class solar flares. Although B-flares are considered minor, the explosions made themselves felt on Earth. X-rays bathed the dayside of our planet and sent waves of ionization rippling through the atmosphere over Europe. Hams monitoring VLF radio beacons noticed strange "fades" and "surges" caused by the sudden ionospheric disturbances.

Hathaway tamps down the excitement: "We're still years away from solar maximum and, in the meantime, the sun is going to have some more quiet stretches." Even with its flurry of sunspots, the October sun was mostly blank, with zero sunspots on 20 of the month's 31 days.

Monday, November 17, 2008

FEELING A LITTLE BETTER

Been resting the whole day. I got a slight headache but now it's gone. I feel a little better now but still feel a little dizzy and feels like throwing out but I know what it was, It is something about my eyes that if it's too much expose on the computer,it starts hurting and giving me terrible feeling. For now, I only spend a maximum of 2 hours or less on the computer until I feel better again. It must have been the radiation of the computer that causes me dizziness. I've experience this before when I'm still in the Philippines and now it's back but I hope and pray that everything will be okay soon. Have a good evening everyone.

5 SMART PARTY STRATEGIES


The Significance of Dreams

Whether we are conscious of it or not, we all dream, although many of us do not remember our dreams or do not pay them any attention. Yet dreams often contain important information for us, casting light on what has happened in our lives, or what is happening and providing insights into the future. In ancient cultures dreams were considered to be messages from the gods.

In modern times Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, developed a theory of dreams which he published in his famous book, The Interpretation of Dreams. To Freud the dream was the “royal road to the unconscious” and represented a wish, often sexual in nature, that we repress because it is unacceptable.

This view of dreams has now largely been discounted, not least by a follower of Freud, the psychiatrist Carl Jung. He saw dreams as a way of the unconscious communicating with the conscious part of ourselves in order to bring something to our notice and restore our equilibrium.

However no single theory can really do justice to the variety and significance of dreams. The cartoon strip-like character of many dreams depicts a story that is best deciphered by the dreamer herself. It will help if you keep a jotter and pen by your bed to write your dream down as soon as you wake.

Then think about the characters and symbols in your dream – what do they mean to you, personally? You will find that sooner or later you will have a sudden flash of insight into the hidden meaning of your dream.


Sunday, November 16, 2008

NOT FEELING WELL

It's been few days now that I'm not feeling well. I feel dizzy all the time. I am so lazy to move around, I got cold, headache and just wanted to sleep. Sounds like a symptoms of a pregnant woman right but I am not, I already did the test and it's negative. I just feel so weak and not really feeling well this time. Maybe it's because of the weather or whatever but I want this over as soon as possible. I hope I'll feel a little better tomorrow and that everything will be back to normal. Take care guys

US BADMINTON HISTORY

Badminton was invented long ago; its origins date back at least two thousand years to the game of battledore and shuttlecock played in ancient Greece, India, and China. Badminton took its name from Badminton House in Gloucestershire, the home of the Duke of Beaufort, where the sport was played in the last century. By coincidence, Gloucestershire is now the base for the International Badminton Federation (IBF).

Badminton has a rich history in the United States. The first badminton club in this country, the Badminton Club of New York, was formed in 1878 and became a weekend meeting place for New York’s society leaders. Badminton’s popularity boomed in the 1930s as educational institutions, YMCAs, and hundreds of newly formed clubs offered badminton instruction. Also spurring the sport’s popularity in the 1930s was the avid play by several Hollywood personalities including James Cagney, Bette Davis, Boris Karloff, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers, Joan Crawford, and Douglas Fairbanks.

The American Badminton Association was organized in 1936 (changed to USBA in 1978), when Donald Wilbur, Robert McMillan, and twins Donald and Phillip Richardson, all of Brookline, Massachusetts, decided to unite the nation’s various badminton groups. Programs from New York, Massachusetts, Chicago, and the West Coast came together to form one voice and standardize rules and regulations of the game. The ABA held its first National Championships in 1937, and became a member of the International Badminton Federation (IBF) in 1938.

The year 1949 brought the United States its first world champions as David Freeman of Pasadena, California, won men’s singles at the prestigious All-England Championships (considered the unofficial world championships until 1977 when World Championships were instituted). Americans Clinton and Patsy Stevens won the All-England mixed doubles title the same year.

The United States’ international success continued. Between 1949 and 1967, the United States won 23 world individual championships (one men’s singles, 12 women’s singles, one men’s doubles, eight women’s doubles, and one mixed doubles) and three women’s world team championships. The U.S. men’s team was also world runner-up during this period. Sports Illustrated acknowledged the United States’ badminton success by featuring top male player Joe Alston on the cover of its March 7, 1955 issue.

The number of U.S. clubs declined slightly in the 1970s; however, high school and collegiate play expanded.

Nearly 2,700 members belong to the USBA (as of September 1995). The USBA estimates there are thousands more recreational badminton players in the United States. The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) reports in its 1993 study that 300,000 people play badminton weekly in the United States, and 760,000 people call badminton their favorite sport.

The USBA in 1991 moved its National Office from Papillion, Nebraska, to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Currently the USBA has six staff members, including two national coaches. The USBA's mission is to serve as the national governing body of the sport, to increase participation in the sport, to provide the highest possible quality of service to its members, and to achieve outstanding performance in international competition.

The USBA solidified its commitment to improve international performance by forming the Olympic Player Development Committee in 1993. The USBA High Performance Plan, drafted in April 1994, is a detailed, comprehensive plan to achieve Olympic medals by the 2004 Games. Integral parts of that plan include establishing a resident training program at the Olympic Training Center and acquiring a fulltime internationally recognized National Coach -- both of which the USBA accomplished in 1994.

In accordance with this mission, the USBA sends players to the World Championships, Sudirman Cup (world mixed team championship), Thomas Cup and Uber Cup (world men's and women's team championships, respectively), World Junior Championships, and Pan American Games. Major U.S. competitions conducted by the USBA include the annual U.S. National Championships, U.S. Junior National Championships, and U.S. Senior National Championships, and the U.S. Open.


Saturday, November 15, 2008

Southern California battles devastating wildfires




LOS ANGELES (AP) - Southern Californians endured a third day of devastation Saturday as wind-blasted wildfires torched hundreds of mobile homes and mansions, forced thousands of people to flee and shut down major freeways.

No deaths were reported, but the Los Angeles police chief said he feared authorities might find bodies among the 500 burned dwellings in a devastated mobile home park that housed many senior citizens.

"We have almost total devastation here in the mobile park," Fire Capt. Steve Ruda said. "I can't even read the street names because the street signs are melting."

The series of fires has injured at least 20 people and destroyed hundreds of homes from coastal Santa Barbara to inland Riverside County, on the other side of the Los Angeles area. Smoke blanketed the nation's second-largest city and its suburbs Saturday, reducing the afternoon sun to a pale orange disk.

As night fell, a fire hopscotched through the winding lanes of modern subdivisions in Orange and Riverside counties, destroying more than 50 homes, some of them apparently mansions.

A blaze in the Sylmar community in the hillsides above Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley destroyed the mobile homes, nine single-family homes and several other buildings before growing to more than 8,000 acres - more than 12 square miles. It was only 20 percent contained Saturday.

It sent residents fleeing in the dark Saturday morning as notorious Santa Ana winds topping 75 mph torched cars, bone-dry brush and much of Oakridge Mobile Home Park. The blaze, whose cause was under investigation, threatened at least 1,000 structures, city Fire Department spokeswoman Melissa Kelley said.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Los Angeles. Fire officials estimated 10,000 people were under orders to evacuate, including residents of the mobile home park.

At an evacuation center, Lucretia Romero, 65, wore a string of pearls and clutched the purse and jacket she snatched as firefighters shouted at them to flee hours earlier.

Her daughter, Lisa, 42, wore a bloodstained shirt and pants. A helicopter dropping water on their home caused the entryway ceiling to collapse. Debris scratched her forehead and gave her a black eye.

They were optimistic that their home of 30 years survived because firefighters were there when they left. But the family cat, Doris, was missing.

Lucretia Romero said she saw smoke above the hills beyond the front door and then, within an hour, saw that a canyon across from her home was red with flame.

"They would drop water, the water would squash the flames and then two minutes later the flames would come back," she said. Firefighters soon banged on the door and gave them 10 minutes to evacuate.

Flames swept across the park and scorched cypress trees, Ruda said. Firefighters had to flee, grabbing some residents and leaving hoses melted into the concrete.

Ruda produced a burned U.S. flag on a broken stick as a sign of hope and bravery for firefighters. "The home that this flag was flying from is gone," he said.

Police Chief William Bratton said cars were found in the debris at the park, raising concerns that bodies might be found. Crews were waiting for the ground to cool before bringing in search dogs, he said.

The Santa Anas - dry winds that typically blow through Southern California between October and February - tossed embers ahead of flames, jumping two interstate highways and sparking new flare-ups. Walls of flame raced up ridge lines covered in sun-baked brush and surrounded high-power transmission line towers.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said power lines were down in places, and he asked residents to conserve power to help avoid possible blackouts.

Shortly after midnight, the Sylmar fire burned to the edge of the Olive View-UCLA Medical Center campus, knocking out power and forcing officials to evacuate two dozen critical patients.

The shifting winds caused the fire to move uphill toward the San Gabriel Mountains, downhill toward homes and sometimes skip across canyons. It also jumped across Interstates 5 and 210, forcing the California Highway Patrol to shut down portions of both freeways and some connecting roads.

And as many as 54 homes were damaged or destroyed in a fire in Orange and Riverside counties, officials said. About 2,000 acres - more than 3 square miles - were charred, with more than 12,000 people in 4,500 dwellings ordered to evacuate in Anaheim alone.

An unknown number of apartments burned in the Cascades complex in Anaheim Hills, which has nearly 300 units. Firefighters said seven buildings of the large complex were gutted.

Devin Nathanson, 27, had put down a deposit on an apartment there and planned to move in Saturday. Instead, he watched from the road as it burned to the ground.

"At least none of my stuff was inside yet," he said.

Palm trees lining the entrance to the complex were ablaze, and two firefighters manned hoses at the swimming pool and sprayed water on the leasing center. The roof caved in with a loud bang.

A dozen buildings burned in the Riverside County town of Corona. Four city firefighters were slightly injured when the fast-moving flames swept over their fire engine, said Christy Romero, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Fire Authority.

Winds began to decrease in the afternoon and were expected to drop further overnight, but humidity was expected to remain low.

The night before in Santa Barbara County, northwest of Los Angeles, 111 homes burned to the ground Thursday in the wealthy, star-studded community of Montecito.

About 800 firefighters continued to battle the blaze in the enclave, said Santa Barbara city fire spokesman John Ahlman.

Several multimillion-dollar homes and a small Christian college were damaged in Montecito, a town of 14,000 that has attracted celebrities such as Rob Lowe, Jeff Bridges, Michael Douglas and Oprah Winfrey.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. At least 13 people were injured.

Friday, November 14, 2008

OUR WEDDING VIDEO CLIP




OCTOBER 25, 2008 AT CROSSROAD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH CORNER PITTMAN AND CHURCH ROAD, MOSELLE MISSISSIPPI USA

Thursday, November 13, 2008

CHRISTMAS PREPARATION



It's been few days that we are very busy setting up our Christmas tree at home and some other Christmas decorations for the upcoming season. It's so fun to do those things and I never really had a huge Christmas tree that we have now when I was still in the Philippines. Our tree is taller than I am and I really had fun placing the different kinds of ornaments on the tree. We also set our sleigh outside our house and I find it so cool. Here's some of the pictures:


 
ss_blog_claim=27fd07bab5c6702f8f946b1df5ff6641 ss_blog_claim=9263c80f9539ac9cb3a917c728cd3de7 ss_blog_claim=9263c80f9539ac9cb3a917c728cd3de7