Our Simple Noche Buena..Merry Christmas guys!!

Christmas means having fun with your family, spending time with your family, seeing all the beautiful lights, decorating the tree, eating all the food you can eat, celebrating Jesus's birthday and buying presents for other people. How could I forget? We get out of school for two weeks! And oh yea, buying the best present for Grandma. That is what Christmas means to me!!!!

Typhoon Sendong Aftermath..

At the height of Sendong’s onslaught on Friday, the Cagayan de Oro river reportedly overflowed, sending the residents to their roofs or troop to the nearest evacuation centers for safety.

The flashfloods caught the residents by surprise since they were asleep, according to Benito Ramos, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) executive director.

"The flooding occurred around 2:30 a.m. while the people were sleeping. It (massive rains) caused the silted river system to overflow," Ramos added.

Some 20,000 people are currently taking shelter in evacuation centers in the city, according to Cagayan de Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez.

Power and water connections have also been cut off as of this posting.

In Iligan City, authorities said at least 144 people were killed due to the storm.

Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz said more than 12 hours of continuous rain over Iligan, as well as water from nearby mountains, had raised floodwaters waist-high in some neighborhoods that do not usually experience flooding.

Scores of residents escaped the flood by climbing onto the roofs of their homes, he said.

Cruz said the Coast Guard and other rescuers were scouring the waters off in the city for survivors or bodies that may have been swept to the sea by a swollen river.

Those missing included prominent radio broadcaster Enie Alsonado, who was swept away while trying to save his neighbors, Cruz said.

Five people were also killed and one is missing in Mt. Diwalwal in Monkayo town, Compostela Valley.

The five fatalities were killed when a landslide struck the gold-rush area of Mt. Diwata.

The victims were identified as Rosita dela Peña, 57 years old; Nasser Tuan, 6; Rakima Tuan, 4; Asliya Tuan, 14; and Jolito Lumactod, 28.

The landslide struck around 4 p.m. Friday at Purok 21 in Barangay Mt. Diwata and destroyed the houses of the victims.

Around 134 families were affected by the flashflood and landslide in several areas at Monkayo.

In the progress report from the Army's 10th Infantry Division, affected barangays include Poblacion, Barangay Baylo, Barangay Pasian, Barangay Union, Barangay Salvacion, and Barangay Mt. Diwata.

Major Rosa Maria Cristina Manuel, of the Army's 10th Infantry Division, said due to constant heavy rain, rivers and tributaries on the place overflowed where some five houses have been washed out by the flashflood.

Manuel added that there were seven puroks in Barangay Mt. Diwata affected in landslide, though there are no casualties on the incident, but there were reportedly missing.

She said the Peace and Development Teams of the Army's 25th Infantry Battalion were deployed in the barangays so as to take part in the evacuation of the flashflood-affected families.

In Baungon town in Bukidnon, at least 12 persons have been confirmed dead and hundreds went missing while the road from Cagayan de Oro City to Talakag in Bukidnon is impassable due to landslide.

The Kabula Bridge in Baungon was also damaged.

Relief goods have been distributed to the flood victims along with other private agencies, while Xavier University had also set up a relief center and an information desk, especially for its employees and students who were affected by the calamity.

In Manila, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Corazon "Dinky" Soliman assured enough relief supplies to be distributed to affected communities.

Relief goods will be turned over to the local government units (LGUs) as social welfare and development teams are on alert to monitor hazard-prone areas, especially those living along the coasts, she said.

A standby fund worth P300 million will also be released to ensure delivery of assistance to storm victims.

Meanwhile, Ramos said that the death toll may still go up, especially that around hundreds remain unaccounted for.

"We expect the death toll to go up because the mechanized infantry battalions have reported that more bodies were found," he told state-run Radyo ng Bayan on Saturday.

Review of disaster response manual

Meanwhile, President Benigno Aquino III wants a review of the government’s disaster response manual to prevent unnecessary loss of lives in the aftermath of the devastation of Sendong in Mindanao.

Several government agencies in Camp Aguinaldo on Saturday briefed the President regarding their response to the devastation brought about by the storm.

The Chief Executive also wants a more accurate and effective typhoon tracking system so that communities along typhoon path could have enough time to prepare before such disturbance hits.

Areas vulnerable to flashfloods must be identified for the government to issue immediate warnings during heavy downpours and typhoons, Aquino said.

With regard to the current search and rescue efforts, police and military officials told the President about the need for more rubber boats for their missions. They said rescue efforts as well as salvaging dead bodies will continue once the weather improves.

Storm update

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Stronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Sendong made another landfall in the vicinity of Puerto Princesa City before dawn Sunday and is now heading towards the West Philippine Sea.

As of 4 a.m. Sunday, Sendong was spotted at 60 kilometers west northwest of Puerto Princesa City, packing maximum winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness up to 80 kph.

Sendong is forecast to move west at 24 kph and is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Sunday evening.

Floods in Phillipines..

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The second typhoon in a week battered the rain-soaked northern Philippines on Saturday, adding misery to the lives of thousands of people, some of whom were still perched on rooftops from previous flooding.
Thousands of people were ordered to evacuate their homes after Typhoon Nalgae slammed ashore south of northeastern Palanan Bay in Isabela province with winds of 100 miles (160 kilometers) per hour and dangerous gusts of 121 mph (195 kph). At least one person was killed in a landslide.
The fast-moving typhoon blew westward, barreling across the mountainous regions of Luzon Island. It weakened slightly as it reached the shore of La Union province around 4 p.m. (0800 GMT), about seven hours after it made landfall.
Forecasters said it will be over South China Sea by Saturday night and is expected to regain strength over the water as it heads farther west toward Hainan and Vietnam.
A landslide in northern Bontoc province smashed into a passenger van on a mountain highway, killing one passenger and injuring another, Civil Defense chief Benito Ramos said.
The typhoon took a similar path across areas on Luzon saturated by Typhoon Nesat, which trapped thousands on rooftops and sent huge waves that breached a seawall in Manila Bay. The Office of Civil Defense said the death toll from Nesat has risen to 52 after two more victims drowned in its floodwaters. It said 31 others were missing.
Nesat also pummeled southern China and was downgraded to a tropical storm just before churning into northern Vietnam on Friday afternoon, where flood warnings were issued and 20,000 people evacuated. There were no immediate reports of casualties in Vietnam and the country did not appear to have suffered any major problems.
In the Philippines, nearly 400,000 hunkered down in evacuation centers and in homes of relatives and friends along the new typhoon's path. There was heavy rainfall of about an inch (25 millimeters) an hour within the storm's 340-mile (630-kilometer) diameter that put the northern provinces including the capital on alert.
Isabela authorities earlier shut down electricity in the province to prevent accidents from falling power pylons and snapped cables.
The howling winds toppled trees and blew away tin roofs of some houses in Isabela's provincial capital of Ilagan. In nearby Luna township, a bus with about 30 passengers fell on its side on a rice field because of the strong winds, but no one was seriously injured, police said.
"The ground is still supersaturated and it cannot absorb more water," said Graciano Yumul, the Philippines' weather bureau chief. "This will just flow down to rivers and towns, and there is a big possibility that landslides, flash flooding and flooding could occur."
He urged residents still refusing to leave their homes despite the floods from Typhoon Nesat to evacuate because the water was going to rise as Typhoon Nalgae, aggravated by the seasonal monsoon, dumped more rain over the northern region, including the capital, Manila, later Saturday.
Yumul said the evacuation is "non-negotiable" because lives are at stake.
At least five towns in the rice-growing province of Bulacan and Pampanga, north of Manila, remained submerged three days after Typhoon Nesat had moved on.
"We have nowhere to go," Celenia Espino of Calumpit township said from her home, which was filled with knee-deep murky water. "We have no means of transportation out of here."
She was one of the thousands who sought shelter on rooftops with no food, water and electricity, while a procession of other residents waded in chest-deep water down main roads to reach dry land.
Ramos said rescue boats would be sent for the residents before nightfall.
Elsewhere, Ramos said there had been no contact with several coastal towns facing the Pacific Ocean that were in the path of the typhoon hours after it made landfall. There was no electricity and mobile telephone cell sites had been damaged and communication to the area would be re-established after the typhoon passed, he said.
Civil defense officer Evaliza Agamata of Nueva Vizcaya — one of the four provinces facing the Pacific that are affected — said 5,000 people had been ordered evacuated from there, adding to 6,000 still in evacuation centers from the earlier typhoon.
In the last four months, prolonged monsoon flooding, typhoon and storms across Southeast Asia, China, Japan and South Asia has left more than 600 people dead or missing.
In India alone, the damage is estimated to be worth $1 billion, with the worst-hit state of Orissa accounting for $726 million.
Several studies suggest an intensification of the Asian summer monsoon rainfall with increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, the state-run Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology said. Still, it is not clear that this is entirely because of climate change, especially in India, it said.
The damage from the earlier typhoon in the Philippines was estimated at $91 million.
Nalgae, a Korean word for wing, was forecast to reach Luzon's western shore Saturday evening and exit into the South China Sea as a weakened category-1 typhoon as it moves toward China's Hainan Island on Monday.

Miss Universe 2011..Miss Angola

SAO PAULO (AP) — Leila Lopes from Angola was crowned Miss Universe Monday night, smoothly handling an interview question about what physical trait she would change if she could by stating it was her inner beauty and principles that counted most.
The 25-year-old Lopes is Angola's first winner. She beat out 88 other competitors to win the title during the 60th anniversary of the world's biggest beauty pageant. She replaces last year's winner, Ximena Navarrete of Mexico.
"Thank God I'm very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn't change a thing," Lopes said when asked her interview question. "I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life."
The first runner-up was 23-year-old Olesia Stefanko of Ukraine and the second runner-up was Priscila Machado of Brazil. The third was Miss Philippines and the fourth Miss China.
Contestants from 89 nations on six continents spent the past three weeks in Sao Paulo, trying to learn samba dance steps, visiting impoverished children and kicking a football around for cameras as the globe's biggest beauty contest is held in Brazil for the first time.
"It was well deserved, we were cheering for her all along," said 36-year-old Sao Paulo resident Carolina Rocha, a fan who attended the event. "Her smile and her friendliness was what set her apart from the others. She also answered her question very well, that likely helped her a lot."
Before the contest began, judges offered little insight into who they thought might win.
"I know my job and I'll be tough, but fair," said pageant judge and journalist Connie Chung. "You have to keep in mind that these women are not objects just to be looked at. They're to be taken seriously. I want to choose somebody I take seriously and the world takes seriously, too."
Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe organization, was hyped for the night.
"It's our 60th anniversary, it's a very big show," she said. "We're anticipating close to a billion viewers from around the world."
Shugart said it was fitting the globe's biggest beauty pageant be held in Brazil at this time, as the nation prepares to host some major events in the coming years.
"I don't think there is any doubt in the rest of the world's mind that Brazil is the place, between hosting the Olympics and hosting the World Cup," she said. "I love the fact we're going to kick it off. I always say we're the 'World Cup' of beauty."
The contestants, who must never have been married or had children and who must be at least 18 years of age and under 27 years of age by Feb. 1 of the competition year.
The pageant, hosted by NBC "Today" anchor Natalie Morales and the Bravo network's Andy Cohen, will air live on NBC and be distributed to about 170 countries. The contest is co-owned by Donald Trump and NBC, and will be judged by celebrities including Connie Chung, supermodel Isabeli Fontana and Indy race car driver Helio Castroneves.
Morales, who is half Brazilian, said that "what's most important is for the women to be beautiful inside and out."
For Cohen, the task of hosting is an easy one.
"It's a fun job. All I have to do is stand there, smile and scream the names of countries," he said.
Sharply dressed women and men were jostling for chances to have their photos taken with stars on the red carpet. Some traveled from across the globe to support contestants.
Jehona Dreshaj, 17, arrived from Kosovo to cheer on her sister, Aferdita Dreshaj, who is representing the European country.
"It doesn't really matter the outcome, she is already a winner in our eye and we are so proud of her," she said. "This has been an incredible experience for her and for all of us. It's great for her to be representing our country in an event like this"
There have been no headline-grabbing gaffes going into this year's competition, as opposed to past years that have seen controversies of various stripes. The show itself went off without a hitch.
Some of the contestants have complained to the local news media about the size of bikinis used in some photo shoots, with Miss Mexico Karin Ontiveros saying they were "very small."
That was enough to draw chuckles in Brazil, where women from all walks of life, not just beauty queens, sport barely there swimwear on beaches throughout the country.
Miss USA Alyssa Campanella, from California, will be trying to end a long losing spell for the U.S. in the competition. An American has not been named Miss Universe since Brook Lee won the title in 1997.
The pageant started as a local bathing suit revue in Long Beach, California, organized by a swimwear company.

Worlds No.1 tennis Player today..Novak Djokovic wins 1st US Open Title

Novak Djokovic provided irrefutable proof that he is the world's best player right now and perhaps on his way to becoming one of the greatest ever with a 6-2 6-4 6-7 6-1 victory over Rafa Nadal in the US Open final on Monday.
In claiming his third grand slam title of an amazing season, Djokovic produced an incredible display of shotmaking and courage when his body started to wilt during a classic slugfest at Flushing Meadows that lasted four hours and 10 minutes.
The Serbian's lower back and his ribs were aching and his legs were starting to cramp up, but he ignored the pain and focused all his energy on the muscular Nadal, who was threatening to mount a comeback.
The Spaniard won the third set in a tiebreaker to keep the match alive and the raucous crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium were screaming their lungs out in the hope that it might go to five sets.
Both players appeared on the brink of total exhaustion but Djokovic remained calm and composed.
"In the big events and matches, the winner is decided by small margins, a couple of points," he explained after claiming his first US Open title and fourth major overall.
"I guess the winner is the one that believes in victory more than the other."
The victories have been flowing thick and fast for Djokovic this year. He has won 10 titles this season, including the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, and no-one seems to know how to beat him, least of all Nadal.
Twelve months ago, the Spaniard was on top of the world after defeating Djokovic in New York to complete his own collection of grand slam titles, but now he can only look on as his rival has replaced him as the top dog in men's tennis.
Djokovic has usurped Nadal as the world number one and beaten him in six finals this year, including at Wimbledon and the US Open.
"Six straight loses, for sure that's painful but I'm going to work every day until that changes," Nadal said.
"So I have a goal. It's going to be tough to change the situation, but the goal is easy to see."
The pair produced a final of the highest quality, with some incredible rallies and shotmaking that whipped the centre court crowd into a frenzy. Nadal had his chances but it was Djokovic who won the key moments.
EPIC GAME
No matter how hard he tried, Nadal could not find a way to get on top of the Serbian, who had saved two match points in his epic semi-final win over Roger Federer to show that he has all the instincts of a prize fighter to go with his sublime skill.
In the opening set, the defending champion jumped out to a 2-0 lead, only to be reined in by Djokovic, who kept the Spanish left-hander under constant pressure with some monster returns that landed right at his feet.
"It was a tough match, physically, mentally, everything," Nadal said.
"I fought until the last point. I tried my best at every moment. I am happy with a lot of things, much happier than the previous matches against him."
Ad Feedback
if ( 2 ');
}

Djokovic, mixing power with some delicate chip shots that often left Nadal in two minds, reeled off six straight games to take the opening set after 53 minutes but suddenly found himself down 2-0 again at the start of the second.
He broke back after a titanic third game that lasted more than 17 minutes and included eight deuces to lead 4-2. Nadal got back to 4-4 but another sloppy service game cost him the set.
The third set was the longest, lasting 84 minutes. Both players were broken three times but Djokovic led 6-5 and had the chance to serve out the match.
To his credit, Nadal fought back and forced the match into a fourth set but he was drained by the effort.
Djokovic was tired as well and called for a medical timeout at the start of the fourth set but he recovered quickly and ran away with the set to seal his first U.S. Open title and the fourth of his career.
Only the French Open remains missing from his trophy cabinet.
"I still want to win many more events, many more major events," Djokovic said.
"It would be unbelievable to be able to complete the grand slam, to win the French Open. It's something that is definitely an ambition, but it's going to take time."
Factbox on Novak Djokovic, who won the US Open for the first time, beating Spain's Rafa Nadal 6-2 6-4 6-7 6-1 at Flushing Meadows.
* Born: Belgrade, Serbia, May 22, 1987
* Coached by Slovak former ATP professional Marian Vajda since 2006.
* Began playing tennis aged four.
* His father was a professional skier and wanted his son to be a skier or professional soccer player but changed his mind when Djokovic excelled at tennis from an early age.
* First full year on tour in 2005, made grand slam debut as a qualifier at the Australian Open, losing to Marat Safin in the first round. Finished as the youngest player (18 years, five months) inside the top 100.
* In 2006, he won his first ATP tour title at Amersfoort, followed that with second title indoors at Metz.
* In 2007, he won five titles (Adelaide, Miami, Estoril, Montreal and Vienna), made the semi-finals at the French Open and Wimbledon and advanced to his first grand slam final at the US Open, losing to Roger Federer 7-6 7-6 6-4.
* Broke the Federer-Nadal grand slam duopoly by beating Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets to win his maiden major title at the 2008 Australian Open.
* Upset Federer in the semi-finals of the 2010 US Open before losing in four sets to Nadal in his second final in New York.
* Led Serbia to their first Davis Cup title with victory over France in Belgrade in December, 2010.
* Began 2011 by winning the Australian Open, beating Andy Murray in the final, to end his three-year wait for a second grand slam.
* Won his next six tournaments in Dubai, Indian Wells, Miami, Belgrade, Madrid and Rome. He did not lose again until June 3 when Federer ended his 41-match winning streak in 2011 in the French Open semi-finals.
* Beat Nadal to win his first Wimbledon title and replaced the Spaniard as the new world number one.
* Won a record fifth Masters title in a season when he won in Toronto, one of the lead-up events for the US Open.
* Saved two match points to beat Federer in the semi-finals of the US Open then defeated Nadal in the final to become just the seventh man to win three grand slams in a year since tennis turned professional in 1968.

Large Crocs catch in the Phils.

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Villagers and veteran hunters have captured a one-ton saltwater crocodile which they plan to make the star of a planned ecotourism park in a southern Philippine town, an official said Monday.
Mayor Edwin Cox Elorde said dozens of villagers and experts ensnared the 21-foot (6.4-meter) male crocodile along a creek in Bunawan township in Agusan del Sur province after a three-week hunt. It could be one of the largest crocodiles to be captured alive in recent years, he said, quoting local crocodile experts.
Elorde said the crocodile killed a water buffalo in an attack witnessed by villagers last month and was also suspected of having attacked a fisherman who went missing in July.
He said he sought the help of experts at a crocodile farm in western Palawan province.
"We were nervous but it's our duty to deal with a threat to the villagers," Elorde told The Associated Press by telephone. "When I finally stood before it, I couldn't believe my eyes."
After initial sightings at a creek, the hunters set four traps, which the crocodile destroyed. They then used sturdier traps using steel cables, one of which finally caught the enormous reptile late Saturday, he said.
About 100 people had to pull the crocodile, which weighs about 2,370 pounds (1,075 kilograms), from the creek to a clearing where a crane lifted it into a truck, he said.
The crocodile was placed in a fenced cage in an area where the town plans to build an ecotourism park for species found in a vast marshland in Agusan, an impoverished region about 515 miles (830 kilometers) southeast of Manila, Elorde said.
"It will be the biggest star of the park," Elorde said, adding that villagers were happy that they would be able to turn the dangerous crocodile "from a threat into an asset."
Despite the catch, villagers remain wary because several crocodiles still roam the outskirts of the farming town of about 37,000 people.
They have been told to avoid venturing into marshy areas alone at night, Elorde said.

Eid ul- Fitr..end of Ramadan..

Eid ul-Fitr, often abbreviated to Eid, is a three-day Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (sawm). Eid ul-Fitr falls on the first day of Shawwal, the month which follows Ramadan in the Islamic calendar. Traditionally, the festival begins when the first sight of the new moon is seen in the sky. The first Eid was celebrated in 624 CE by the Prophet Muhammad with his friends and relatives after the victory of the battle of Jang-e-Badar.
During the festival of Eid ul-Fitr, Muslims celebrate the end of fasting, and thank Allah for the help and strength given to them throughout the previous month. Muslims celebrate by gathering with friends and family, preparing sweet delicacies, wearing new clothes, giving each other gifts and putting up lights and other decorations in their homes.
To mark the beginning of Eid, Muslims go to their local mosque to perform special congregational prayers known as Salaat and many will also give special charitable contributions, known as Zakat al-Fitr. Common greeting during this holiday is the Arabic greeting "Eid Mubarak" (“Have a blessed Eid”).
In 2011, Eid ul-Fitr will be observed on Tuesday, the 30th of August in the United States and observant Muslims will start their celebrations after sunset on the 29th. Although Eid ul-Fitr falls on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar moves approximately 11 days a year.

London Riots..

A property is on fire near Reeves Corner in Croydon, south London Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011. A wave of violence and looting raged across London and spread to three other major British cities on Tuesday, as authorities struggled to contain the country's worst unrest since race riots set the capital ablaze in the 1980s.

Yello Diamond.."Golden Eye"

CINCINNATI (AP) — A large yellow diamond — known as the "Golden Eye" — seized in a federal drug and money-laundering investigation in northeast Ohio is going on the auction block with the minimum starting bid set at $900,000.The 43.51-carat diamond belonged to a northeast Ohio businessman who was convicted of money laundering and conspiracy. Prosecutors said he tried to sell to an undercover FBI agent the diamond and an estate once owned by boxer Mike Tyson, all for $19.5 million and a boat.The gem — about an inch long, almost ¾-inch wide and nearly ½-inch deep — was seized in the sting operation and forfeited to the federal government.It is believed to be one of the largest internally flawless yellow diamonds, said Jenny Lynch, a spokeswoman for the online auction company Bid4Assets. The company, based in Silver Spring, Md., will auction the diamond next month for the U.S. Marshals Service."This is the largest and most valuable diamond that we have auctioned in our company's 12-year history," Lynch said. The stone, which has a rectangular brilliant cut crown with 25 facets, is an intense yellow color."This precious gem is sure to generate interest worldwide," Peter Elliot, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio, said in a statement.The diamond auction already has attracted interest in the United States and abroad, said Lisa Black coordinator for the forfeiture unit in the Marshals Service's northern Ohio district. After the starting bid of $900,000, bids must increase in increments of $110,000, according to the www.Bid4Assets.com/Diamond43 website, which had more than 9,000 page views for the gem through Friday afternoonThere is a hefty cost to even submit a bid for the diamond.A refundable deposit of $180,000 is required for viewing the gem in Cleveland the week of Aug. 29-Sept. 2 and for bidding on it during the auction that begins Sept. 6 and ends Sept. 8, Deputy U.S. Marshal Ryan Helfrich said.Officials would not release the appraised value of the Golden Eye, but federal prosecutors previously have said it could be worth millions.The origin of the diamond remains shrouded in mystery, and authorities say they do not know where the former owner — Alliance businessman Paul Monea — acquired it. The Marshals Service has not been able to determine the mine of origin, but says it has no connection to any famous historic diamond.Tom Moses, a senior vice president with the Gemological Institute of America that graded the diamond, said it likely came from southern Africa, especially because of its stronger yellow color."Historically, these kinds of larger yellow diamonds have come from that area," he said. "What makes this one rare is its color and clarity combined with its large size. The more yellow it has, the higher the value."The institute grades diamonds for quality, but does not make pricing valuations.Monea, who made millions in the '90s on infomercials that sold Tae Bo exercise videos, was convicted in May 2007 of money laundering and conspiracy in federal court in Akron. Authorities said Monea was trying to sell the Golden Eye diamond and the estate once owned by boxer Mike Tyson to an FBI agent posing as a broker for a drug cartel when he was caught in the sting operation.Monea bought the 25,000-square-foot mansion in northeast Ohio's Trumbull County from Tyson in 1999 for $1.3 million, according to county records. Now 64, Monea was sentenced in 2007 to 12 ½ years in prison. He is scheduled to be released from a federal prison in Ohio in 2018.After the diamond was confiscated in the sting operation, it was claimed by numerous people — including two of Monea's children, a New York minister and a California business owner. But a federal judge in 2009 ruled that the government could keep the diamond, and a federal appeals court in Cincinnati affirmed that ruling last year. The final forfeiture order was issued in March, allowing the Marshals Service to proceed with selling the diamond.Some of the proceeds from the sale will go to victims in the Monea case, and some will go to the federal government and state and local agencies that helped in the investigation, the Marshals Service said.

Underwater Rooms..

Visitors to the Amphibious 1000 resort, which is not built yet, can stay in underwater rooms and check out a sea life centre in the lobby.It’s the latest barmy tourist project to get the go-ahead in (where else?) Qatar, and it will cost a cool £310million to develop.Italian architecture firm Giancarlo Zema Design Group dreamt up the crazy plans, designed to look like a giant octopus.The vast complex is actually four linked hotels that resemble yachts, and will be built in the middle of a marine reserve.The resort will also feature an ‘aquarium lounge’ and ‘jellyfish suites’ - pods with rooms, lounges and an underwater observatory.Giancarlo Zema is famed for his underwater designs. He said: “We believe that the future of architecture is on the water and that shortly man will be more and more inclined towards living a floating experience.”

The Kingdom Tower

At over 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) and a total construction area of 530,000 square meters (5.7 million square feet), Kingdom Tower will be the centrepiece and first construction phase of the $20 billion Kingdom City development in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, near the Red Sea.

Maggie..Manicure..

Maggie, a poodle, gets a pedicure at a dog spa in Cainta, Metro Manila. While dog grooming is becoming popular in major cities in the Philippines, local reports say about 500,000 dogs are killed as dog meat is considered a delicacy in some parts of the country. The Philippine Animal Welfare Act prohibits torturing and killing of dogs for commercial sale.

Ramadan 2011

Ramadan in 2011 will start on Monday, the 1st of August and will continue for 30 days until Tuesday, the 30th of August.
Note that in the Muslim calander, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day, so observing Muslims will celebrate Ramadan on the sunset of Sunday, the 31st of July.
Although Ramadan is always on the same day of the Islamic calendar, the date on the Gregorian calendar varies from year to year, since the Gregorian calendar is a solar calendar and the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar. This difference means Ramadan moves in the Gregorian calendar approximately 11 days every year. The date of Ramadan may also vary from country to country depending on whether the moon has been sighted or not.
The dates provided here are based on the dates adopted by the Fiqh Council of North America for the celebration of Ramadan. Note that these dates are based on astronomical calculations to affirm each date, and not on the actual sighting of the moon with the naked eyes. This approach is accepted by many, but is still being hotly debated.

London Olympics 2012

July 27 marks the start of the final countdown for London's staging of the 2012 Olympic Games.
One year from now, 14,700 competitors from 205 nations across the globe will take part in the opening ceremony. An estimated one billion people tuned in to watch Beijing's glittering extravaganza in 2008, and this time the eyes of the world will be on the British capital.
Despite fears that the venues would not be ready on time, that the city's creaking infrastructure would not be capable of dealing with such an influx of visitors, it appears that London is on track to deliver.
The International Olympic Committee has already given an interim thumbs up, with most venues at an advanced stage of completion.
But it has been a bumpy path since 2005, when it became the first city to be awarded the world's biggest sporting extravaganza three times in the modern era, previously having the honor in 1908 and 1948.

An Act of Terrorism or a Criminal Act??

Debris is seen on the street after a powerful explosion rocked central Oslo on Friday. A huge explosion damaged government buildings in central Oslo on Friday including Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg's office, injuring several people. The blast blew out most windows on the 17-storey building housing Stoltenberg's office, as well as nearby ministries including the oil ministry, which was on fire. A government spokewoman has confirmed that Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg is safe.

My Big Tan's Family..Father side..

Long time.. that I don't see anymore my Aunties and Uncles on my Father's side.Here comes the pictures that they were once together as family.Every family/clan dreams of having this kind of family,and in this picture,I am very proud that they are part of myself of what I am being now.I am truly very proud of you Angkong,(my grandfather),Amah,(my grandmother)..My father of course,Felixmino(Lolong),Uncle Leonie,Uncle Ikem and Uncle Toto..and my Aunties..Mama Inday,Auntie Bebe,Auntie Fely,Aunie Ira and Auntie Nenia,Tita Jean and Tita Grace..Without all of you..I am not here in this world.Thank You and God Bless all of Us.

Vegetarian Festival In Phuket Thailand..

A devotee of the Chinese shrine of Sapam, pierces his face with needles during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival on October 10, 2010 in Phuket, Thailand. Ritual Vegetarianism in Phuket Island traces it roots back to the early 1800's.

Weekends Activities..

Lately..I don't go anywhere for my weekends duty in some other clinics.Less work,Less stress,more fun and enjoyment with my friends.For the past 2 weeks,I am so bless to have this kind of people in my life.This past 2 weeks was spent walking,malling,eating,roaming around the city of Al-Khobar.I am so happy that this past 2 weeks was so enjoying,full of fun with friends,without thinking that it is humid,so hot that it can goes around 45 degrees at night.My special thanks to Angel,Duncan,sir Ramon,Lloyd..sir Teo,Toto and Efren and Alex..From Fridays,Applebees,Jollibee,Thai Restaurant,Ramaneyah,Jarir,Kudu,Corniche..etc..etc..I love it guys!!It was 2 weeks full of astounding moment (rampa)..God Bless Us Guys!!

My Khobar Life..

I was just wandering why I made this post.I think I was just a little bit bored of my life..I don't know what will be my title of this post,or perhaps..it is the way i can express my disappointments in my life,career or whatever.Today I was in tha flat..i was alone and doing this blogs,without anyone with me..it was just another lonely day for me.But you know guys,I don't want to spend my life without enjoying it..what I did..watch tv,go around and buy something,spend time with friends,chatting with family..to make this day..complete..This is my life here in the city in Al-Khobar,so freaking busy in work ..for my work,but with less salary..O common..sounds crazy but that's the real score..in the afternoon..malling,going to market,walk with friends..but to sum all of this things..I really really enjoy my life here in Al-Khobar..I was just like living in Manila..free to go,free to enjoy my life and free also to enjoy what we I want for myself...so if they ask me to go back to other clinic..my answer will be..I will invoke my rights to answer that question sir..ha ha ha ha..anyway..I really really enjoy my life here in Al-Khobar..see you guys in my next blogs..so busy in Facebook..