Blogged with Flock
Monday, September 10, 2007
Two friends win in the same weekend
Tiger Woods wins the BMW Championship by 2, while his friend Roger Federer wins the US Open for the 4th straight time (12 Grand Slams overall).
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Oh Justine!
Not even close!Justine wins 6-1, 6-3 over Svetlana in the finals of the US Open. She did not drop a set at all in this year's edition. She improves 15-2 against Kuznetsova.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Justine in the finals
Justine's going to be in the finals at the US Open after winning in straight sets over Venus Williams (7-6, 6-4), the only woman to have beaten the Williams sisters in the same tournament since Martina Hingis did the feat in the Australian Open in 2001. More importanly though is that Justine will try to win her 7th Grand Slam against 4th seed Svetzlana Kuznetsova.Blogged with Flock
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Rainwater
A US environmental agency says: World's dams are 'contributing to global warming'
Kid you not. Here's the lead on Jessica Marszalek's story of Sept. 4:
THE world's dams are contributing millions of tonnes of harmful greenhouse gases and spurring on global warming, according to a US environmental agency. International Rivers Network executive director Patrick McCully today told Brisbane's Riversymposium rotting vegetation and fish found in dams produced surprising amounts of methane - 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide.
The rest is here.
That won't be as bad if we abide by Sheryl Crow's (yes, The Sheryl Crow) advice early this year:
Use one square of your toilet paper every trip to the loo.
When did I ever kid you? See. Still not believe? Here.
I don't know how her adopted son will be like?
Of course, in the end she says it was a joke and that at least it allowed people to start talking about global warming. heh!
For what it's worth. At.your.own.risk.
Kid you not. Here's the lead on Jessica Marszalek's story of Sept. 4:
THE world's dams are contributing millions of tonnes of harmful greenhouse gases and spurring on global warming, according to a US environmental agency. International Rivers Network executive director Patrick McCully today told Brisbane's Riversymposium rotting vegetation and fish found in dams produced surprising amounts of methane - 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide.
The rest is here.
That won't be as bad if we abide by Sheryl Crow's (yes, The Sheryl Crow) advice early this year:
Use one square of your toilet paper every trip to the loo.
When did I ever kid you? See. Still not believe? Here.
I don't know how her adopted son will be like?
Of course, in the end she says it was a joke and that at least it allowed people to start talking about global warming. heh!
For what it's worth. At.your.own.risk.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
The myth of dangerous anthropogenic climate change
I quote the last paragraph of the abstract of RM Carter in his The Myth of Dangerous Human-Caused Climate Change. RM Carter is a Professor at the Marine Geophysical Laboratory (Node C) of James Cook University, Queensland.
You can read the pdf of the study here.
The Great Global Warming Swindle, huh?
"The issue now is no longer climate change as such, the reality of which will always be with us. Rather, the issues are, first, the failure of the free press to inform the public about the true facts of human-caused climate change and of the dangers posed by natural climate change. And, second, the vested interests held by many of the groups of warming alarmists. These interests include not only the obvious commercial ones, but also the many scientists and science managers who have discounted or remained silent about the huge uncertainties of the human-caused global warming hypothesis because it suited them to do so. Public opinion will soon demand an explanation as to why experienced editors and hardened investigative journalists, worldwide, have melted before the blowtorch of self-induced guilt, political correctness and special interest expediency that marks the sophisms of global warming alarmists."
You can read the pdf of the study here.
The Great Global Warming Swindle, huh?
11th Hour to cause Chapter 11 for Leo? Maybe not.
Leo's Eco Movie Bombs
By Roger Friedman in FoxNews
It's a good thing Leonardo DiCaprio made so much money from "Titanic" a decade ago.
His environmental documentary, "The 11th Hour," has been a total bust at the box office. After 18 days in release, the film has grossed only $417,913 from ticket sales. The 90-minute snore-fest is playing on 111 screens this week, but that number is likely to be reduced this Friday. The film will be sent to DVD heaven after that.
By comparison, Al Gore and Davis Guggenheim's similar but far more engaging "An Inconvenient Truth" had already made $3.5 million by its 18th day of release.
I hesitated to say before "11th Hour" actually opened how mind-numbingly dull it was for fear that I would ruin it for those interested in the subject of global warming. But at Cannes, when the film by Nadia Conners and Leila Conners Petersen was shown to journalists, nearly the entire room fell asleep.
A Russian filmmaker told us afterward that she was the only person in the room who was awake at one point.
I can believe it. "The 11th Hour" is grindingly boring. Basically, a series of scientists, one after another, warn the audience that the world is coming to an end. These talking heads are interspersed with stock footage of melting glaciers. The film has the effect of Ambien — with no hangover post-nap.
And this certainly is not meant to belittle the idea of global warming on my part. Last week, we met an Australian civil engineer whose specialty is the environment. He told us he had just flown over Mount Kilimanjaro and was quite surprised by what he had seen.
"There's very little snow," this scientist told us. "I was shocked. Something is very wrong and we're not doing anything about it."
Unfortunately, "The 11th Hour" is not going to win over any converts to the cause. It's also not going to earn what it cost to make. Luckily, DiCaprio is rich, rich, rich thanks to "Titanic" and a slew of other hits like "The Aviator," "The Departed" and "Catch Me If You Can." He won't feel a thing.
My guess is that this was his last foray into the documentary world.
By Roger Friedman in FoxNews
It's a good thing Leonardo DiCaprio made so much money from "Titanic" a decade ago.
His environmental documentary, "The 11th Hour," has been a total bust at the box office. After 18 days in release, the film has grossed only $417,913 from ticket sales. The 90-minute snore-fest is playing on 111 screens this week, but that number is likely to be reduced this Friday. The film will be sent to DVD heaven after that.
By comparison, Al Gore and Davis Guggenheim's similar but far more engaging "An Inconvenient Truth" had already made $3.5 million by its 18th day of release.
I hesitated to say before "11th Hour" actually opened how mind-numbingly dull it was for fear that I would ruin it for those interested in the subject of global warming. But at Cannes, when the film by Nadia Conners and Leila Conners Petersen was shown to journalists, nearly the entire room fell asleep.
A Russian filmmaker told us afterward that she was the only person in the room who was awake at one point.
I can believe it. "The 11th Hour" is grindingly boring. Basically, a series of scientists, one after another, warn the audience that the world is coming to an end. These talking heads are interspersed with stock footage of melting glaciers. The film has the effect of Ambien — with no hangover post-nap.
And this certainly is not meant to belittle the idea of global warming on my part. Last week, we met an Australian civil engineer whose specialty is the environment. He told us he had just flown over Mount Kilimanjaro and was quite surprised by what he had seen.
"There's very little snow," this scientist told us. "I was shocked. Something is very wrong and we're not doing anything about it."
Unfortunately, "The 11th Hour" is not going to win over any converts to the cause. It's also not going to earn what it cost to make. Luckily, DiCaprio is rich, rich, rich thanks to "Titanic" and a slew of other hits like "The Aviator," "The Departed" and "Catch Me If You Can." He won't feel a thing.
My guess is that this was his last foray into the documentary world.
Three's a treat
Justine wins for the third consecutive time in a Grand Slam quarterfinals against Serena Williams. She beat Serena 7-6, 6-1 at the US Open.
Justine could go up against Venus Williams in a semifinal match if Venus wins her quarters assignment.
Justine could go up against Venus Williams in a semifinal match if Venus wins her quarters assignment.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
How's that, GWA?
The Global Warming Alarmists will have a new car in their sights (the gas-guzzler Hummer has been a fave): the 2008 Honda Accord. Why? It's going DIESEL. Don't forget to click on the rest of the story. Oh well, here's the link.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Cousin Taipan writes
My cousin Taipan writes about the so-called Marshal Plan for Mindanao. There is?
All bark, no bite
By Taipan Millan
One Small Voice
THERE WAS plenty of talk about a so-called Marshall Plan for Mindanao. The idea was copied, albeit in much smaller terms that there is mention of the word Mini, from the huge US effort to rebuild Europe after the Second World War.
The concept is that a plan shall be drawn to implement in Mindanao a set of programs and projects focusing on infrastructure, education, and other major concerns.
The scheme is that this plan shall be funded by countries like the US and those in Europe, Southeast Asia, and other rich nations. It shall be massive in scale so as to immensely fast track rehabilitation and substantially jumpstart development.
Coming from no less than the Speaker of the House, with an accompanying commitment of allocating a counterpart fund, this is indeed music to the ears.
Thus, almost immediately after the grand pronouncement, the Mindanao block of the House threw its full support to the idea, echoing the possibility that this might just be what will finally make Mindanao the "Land OF Fulfillment" instead of the plain, old "Land of Promise."
But after issuing these very hopeful statements, nothing has been heard of any plan, Marshall or otherwise. This is of course not to say that nothing has come out of the idea. We may one day be surprised by a sudden barrage and bombardment of money for anything and everything. We wish.
But this early, there are observations that we must hope are false because they are threatening to make Mindanao the "Land of Unfulfilled Promises."
First, there is no such existing plan at all, and no individual or group has been seriously tasked or sincerely assigned to come up with such plan.
Second, there are currently no donors or sponsors who have signified support for such a plan that currently does not exist, and no official call or formal solicitation has been made to raise said funds.
Third, aside from the initial motherhood statements, the Speaker of the House has neither repeated nor reiterated the idea even at least to mention the source of the counterpart funds that he has committed.
And aside from the general avowal of support, the Mindanao block of the House has not followed up or followed through with the idea, even at least to mention that they will pour in their pork barrel or a part of it for this effort.
Fourth, given that this idea was hatched in the first place in relation to the never-ending armed conflict, it is not even clear if the use of the word Mindanao covers the whole island or just those areas where there is or was war, or if it refers to the fight against separatists, secessionists, insurgents or terrorists.
Fifth, considering that corollary to this idea is the grant of a general amnesty for all combatants and enemies of the state, it is not even sure if both parties are amenable to this arrangement of one party admitting to the commission of a crime and the other party forgiving without punishment.
There are countless of other observations that can be identified but the above are enough to cast a doubt as to the ultimate realization of this so-called Marshall Plan for Mindanao.
This is not being negative and pessimistic. This is being truthful and realistic.
Hopefully, something will come out of this idea other than just raising our hopes and just lifting our expectations. Hopefully, this will not end up like all the countless other plans that have been let loose? All bark, no bite.
All bark, no bite
By Taipan Millan
One Small Voice
THERE WAS plenty of talk about a so-called Marshall Plan for Mindanao. The idea was copied, albeit in much smaller terms that there is mention of the word Mini, from the huge US effort to rebuild Europe after the Second World War.
The concept is that a plan shall be drawn to implement in Mindanao a set of programs and projects focusing on infrastructure, education, and other major concerns.
The scheme is that this plan shall be funded by countries like the US and those in Europe, Southeast Asia, and other rich nations. It shall be massive in scale so as to immensely fast track rehabilitation and substantially jumpstart development.
Coming from no less than the Speaker of the House, with an accompanying commitment of allocating a counterpart fund, this is indeed music to the ears.
Thus, almost immediately after the grand pronouncement, the Mindanao block of the House threw its full support to the idea, echoing the possibility that this might just be what will finally make Mindanao the "Land OF Fulfillment" instead of the plain, old "Land of Promise."
But after issuing these very hopeful statements, nothing has been heard of any plan, Marshall or otherwise. This is of course not to say that nothing has come out of the idea. We may one day be surprised by a sudden barrage and bombardment of money for anything and everything. We wish.
But this early, there are observations that we must hope are false because they are threatening to make Mindanao the "Land of Unfulfilled Promises."
First, there is no such existing plan at all, and no individual or group has been seriously tasked or sincerely assigned to come up with such plan.
Second, there are currently no donors or sponsors who have signified support for such a plan that currently does not exist, and no official call or formal solicitation has been made to raise said funds.
Third, aside from the initial motherhood statements, the Speaker of the House has neither repeated nor reiterated the idea even at least to mention the source of the counterpart funds that he has committed.
And aside from the general avowal of support, the Mindanao block of the House has not followed up or followed through with the idea, even at least to mention that they will pour in their pork barrel or a part of it for this effort.
Fourth, given that this idea was hatched in the first place in relation to the never-ending armed conflict, it is not even clear if the use of the word Mindanao covers the whole island or just those areas where there is or was war, or if it refers to the fight against separatists, secessionists, insurgents or terrorists.
Fifth, considering that corollary to this idea is the grant of a general amnesty for all combatants and enemies of the state, it is not even sure if both parties are amenable to this arrangement of one party admitting to the commission of a crime and the other party forgiving without punishment.
There are countless of other observations that can be identified but the above are enough to cast a doubt as to the ultimate realization of this so-called Marshall Plan for Mindanao.
This is not being negative and pessimistic. This is being truthful and realistic.
Hopefully, something will come out of this idea other than just raising our hopes and just lifting our expectations. Hopefully, this will not end up like all the countless other plans that have been let loose? All bark, no bite.
Comments are most welcome. Please send them to attytaipanmillan@gmail.com.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
What's wrong with this picture?
What's wrong with AFP?
Tuesday August 14, 2007: An elderly Iraqi woman shows two bullets which she says hit her house following an early coalition forces raid in the predominantly Shiite Baghdad suburb of Sadr City. At least 175 people were slaughtered on Tuesday and more than 200 wounded when four suicide truck bombs targeted people from an ancient religious sect in northern Iraq, officials said.(AFP/Wissam al-Okaili)
Update: AFP now knows as it changed the accompanying caption to this image.
But this is a Yahoo! News cache image.
Tuesday August 14, 2007: An elderly Iraqi woman shows two bullets which she says hit her house following an early coalition forces raid in the predominantly Shiite Baghdad suburb of Sadr City. At least 175 people were slaughtered on Tuesday and more than 200 wounded when four suicide truck bombs targeted people from an ancient religious sect in northern Iraq, officials said.(AFP/Wissam al-Okaili)Everyone (except AFP?) knows that bullets fired don't look like this. Unless one throws these bullets. But why do that?
Update: AFP now knows as it changed the accompanying caption to this image.
But this is a Yahoo! News cache image.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Newsweek: uhm, sorry
Newsweek contributing editor Robert J. Samuelson sort of apologizes for their global warming deniers story. Good for them.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Lucky 13?
Tiger Woods in a few hours will start his final round of the 2007 PGA Championship, leading the field at -7, 3 shots ahead of Ames. Tiger's 12-0 whenever he led after 54 holes. Would it be a lucky 13 for him? It will probably end up the way statistics play up. Another stat at play here: he is 7-0 over his final round partner. Question to ask is: who is going to be runner-up?Update: It's Woody Austin. Tiger as always finished ahead at -8. His 13th major, 13-0 whenever he led after three days. 31 years old when he won his 13th (better than all-time fave Jack Nicklaus who won 13 at 35).
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Aba, galante siya!
Why am I not surprised?
MM quotes:
MM quotes:
Responding to a refusal by city leaders to declare the city a sanctuary for illegal immigrants, more than a dozen people gathered outside City Hall on Monday night to denounce recent immigration raids, accusing federal officials of “terrorizing” immigrant communities and breaking up families.
A coalition of local immigrant rights groups, including the Orange County Alliance for Immigrants Rights and the Front Against the Raids, announced a planned program to create a hot line that will notify people where and when immigration raids will take place. The program would also coordinate a support system for the families of deportee targets.
“We want to have a more organized effort to counter these attacks,” said Jaime Conteras, a 20-year-old Filipino immigrant who now lives in Santa Ana. “We cannot let people trample on our rights.”
A coalition of local immigrant rights groups, including the Orange County Alliance for Immigrants Rights and the Front Against the Raids, announced a planned program to create a hot line that will notify people where and when immigration raids will take place. The program would also coordinate a support system for the families of deportee targets.
“We want to have a more organized effort to counter these attacks,” said Jaime Conteras, a 20-year-old Filipino immigrant who now lives in Santa Ana. “We cannot let people trample on our rights.”
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Wednesday, August 08, 2007
When do you stop to help?
On the way to work this morning, just before 8am, I saw a man, may just be a kid really, dying from what appeared to be a gunshot wound in the left side of his head. Traffic slowed, but moving. Many people were looking, too shocked perhaps, or knowing that he was going to die of his wound. I usually sit behind the driver in the company car, and as we passed by that kid (must have been buying something from that sari-sari store when he was shot), I shifted towards the right side of the car to see a better view, thinking that the kid was already dead. He wasn't. But only near death. We did not stop any more. Should we have stopped? Get him to the hospital?
I've seen dead people, from accidents, etc. I was in the bedside of a boy many years ago in the regional hospital ER (our former company driver hit him earlier in the day), operating the ambo bag. He was dying too. When the chief resident arrived, he declared him dead. Today was quite different. I did not see that kid die, but I knew he wasn't going to make it. A murder victim isn't quite the same as a victim of a car accident.
I heard that police aren't ruling out "fraternity-related".
I've seen dead people, from accidents, etc. I was in the bedside of a boy many years ago in the regional hospital ER (our former company driver hit him earlier in the day), operating the ambo bag. He was dying too. When the chief resident arrived, he declared him dead. Today was quite different. I did not see that kid die, but I knew he wasn't going to make it. A murder victim isn't quite the same as a victim of a car accident.
I heard that police aren't ruling out "fraternity-related".
The science is settled
Kid you not. The science surrounding global warming is settled. Two German scientists prove it.
Global Warming at Odds With Science
Global Warming at Odds With Science
Phil Brennan, NewsMax.com
Monday, Aug. 6, 2007
Global warming fanatics insist that "the science is settled" regarding this contentious issue and they're right — two German scientist have settled it once and for all by proving conclusively that there is no such thing as a "greenhouse effect" in global climate.
They've also proven that there can be no way of accurately measuring average global temperature in the way it is now done. CO2 cannot play the role attributed to it by the supporters of the global warming theory, and the very idea violates the laws of thermodynamics.
Another author adds his name to the growing list of people who want a debate on global warming with Al Gore. Dennis Avery.
And more on the celebs' do as I say, not what I do.Tuesday, August 07, 2007
August 6, 1945
About 65 years ago to the day, the first Atomic Bomb was detonated over Hiroshima. I was fortunate to visit Hiroshima for a training program in 2001 with some others from ASEAN countries (countries mostly occupied by the Japanese in World War I). The city hosted dinner for us together with other ASEANers who were Hiroshima residents. I remember the Hiroshima pizza (Okonomiyaki, a pan-fried Japanese dish cooked with various ingredients similar to a pancake or pizza, which means “cook what you like, the way you like”); the Japanese girl who danced the Sakura; and the Japanese lady architect who was working for the city planning office who asked me a most intriguing question: Is it true that you in the Philippines hate the Japanese? Whoa. How do you answer that?
We did not get to eat much. Not because the food wasn't great, nor wasn't enough. We just had a lot of talking to do. The Pinoys later went out to get us a real meal: McDonalds. To go. Everyone else went out also because they too had not much to eat.Hiroshima also has the Peace Memorial (Genbaku or A-Bomb Dome), which was the only structure left standing -- it was the Prefectural Industrial Promotional Hall then, later renamed Genbaku. Topmost photo.
The Genbaku is now part of a memorial complex that commemorates the bombing. The complex has a long building some distance from the Genbaku that shows artifacts of the bombing. Not a very happy place. Some of our colleagues, the women especially, did not finish viewing everything.
The before and after presentation:
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