SWITCHED: The World's Ugliest Gadgets
by Tom Conlon, posted May 24th 2007 at 1:49PM

..."We've found the ugliest gadgets ever made, so you don't have to," the article proclaimed. Only, we here at Switched think there are plenty of criminal acts against good taste that weren't mentioned. So, inspired by CrunchGear, we present our nominees for the tech design hall of shame. Read the full story>

 

According to cnn.com air-powered car technology is now available and the US will put into the street by 2009. These air-car will still require gasoline but will greatly improve its mileage (106 mpg), a very revolutionary way of conserving gas. Among its main features are: (1) The car would be powered by a combination of compressed air and fuel; (2) A New York company is pledging to build the first models in the U.S. in 2010; (3) The mileage claim is "at the edge of possibility," an engineering expert says; (4) India shows interest in the technology; car to compete for the Automotive X Prize (a non-profit prize institute that designs and manages public competitions for the benefit of humanity). Read full story>

The District Governor, MIGUELITO "LITO" JOSE, of Rotary International District 3770 (Philippines) was in town on October 5, 2008. The Club meeting with DG Lito was held at Hotel Roma, Tuguegarao City wherein the Club Leadership Plan was extensively discussed. The Club's service projects were also presented to the District Governor. The meeting resulted in the equitable distribution of work for the Club members after the expanded roles of the Rotary Club members were finalized in accordance with Rotary International's new thrust. Top of the lists of priorities is the total eradication of polio from the face of the earth and the reduction of the causes of mortality among children aged 5 years old and below. Please click to view PHOTOS>

The ROTARY CLUB OF TUGUEGARAO-CITADEL joined the Metropolitan Tuguegarao Water District in a Blood Drive on October 5, 2008 in morning of the rotary International District Governor's Visit - DG Lito Jose. The event was also participated in by the ROTARACT Club of the University of Saint Louis-Tuguegarao (USLT) and other volunteers.
Pls click to VIEW PHOTOS>

From: www.inq7.net
Pan de sal made of seaweed is rich in Iodine
goodnewspilipinas.com
First Posted 16:25:00 08/02/2008

TUGUEGARAO CITY -- Apart from flour being used in making bread, fisherfolk in a northern Cagayan town have come up with an alternative in producing the Filipinos’ favorite breakfast fare: seaweed pan de sal.

This is one of the possible byproducts that experts from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) are now discovering in partnership with the Rural Improvement Club (RIC), whose members are mostly fisherfolk of Buguey town, some 130 kilometers north of the regional capital, Tuguegarao City.

x x x

“Soon to be out are seaweed pan de sal, seaweed lychee, and seaweed maja blanca,” she said. Read the story>

Invisible Carpet Idea Close to Actual Invisibility

July 17, 2008 -- Invisibility cloaks are cool, but an invisibility carpet is more practical.

That's according to scientists from Imperial College London, who recently published a paper detailing the creation of a material that would be the first to hide objects in visible light, something no cloaking device has ever achieved.

x x x

The only way to channel light in that fashion is by using structures smaller than the wavelength of light being used to detect an object. In 2006, Duke University scientists cloaked an object from light centimeters long by creating a metamaterial with structures millimeters in size.

x x x

"It's a lot like a mirage," said Pendry. "The sun heats the air above the desert and creates a temperature gradient, so when light from the sky comes down the graded refraction bends the light and it enters your eye and you see a mirage the looks like water." READ MORE>

CNN:Zimbabwe introduces $100 billion banknotes

HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Zimbabwe's troubled central bank introduced $100 billion banknotes Saturday in a desperate bid to ease the recurrent cash shortages plaguing the inflation-ravaged economy.

x x x

As high as they are, though, the bills still aren't enough to buy a loaf of bread. They can buy only four oranges.

The new note is equal to just one U.S. dollar.

x x x

Once-prosperous Zimbabwe has seen an unprecedented economic meltdown since it gained independence in 1980, with the official inflation rate now at 2.2 million percent.
Read FULL STORY>

Let's WATCH and PRAY, this things DO HAPPEN!

I came accross this article at cnn.com and found this amusing. A good read actually...

Futuristic windshield aims to help older drivers

WARREN, Michigan (AP) -- When Coke-bottle glasses just won't cut it for safe driving, a futuristic windshield might do the trick.

General Motors Corp. researchers are working on a windshield that combines lasers, infrared sensors and a camera to take what's happening on the road and enhance it, so aging drivers with vision problems are able to see a little more clearly.

x x x

GM's new windshield won't improve their vision, but it will make objects stand out that could otherwise go unnoticed by an aged eye.

x x x

For example, during a foggy drive, a laser projects a blue line onto the windshield that follows the edge of the road. Or if infrared sensors detect a person or animal in the driver's path during a night drive, its outline is projected on the windshield to highlight its location.
Read the FULL STORY>

You can now convert your conventional cars into a water-gasoline hybrid car for just under US$150.00. More info: http://www.runyourcarwithwater.com/?hop=holtebook1

Honda's zero emission car from Japan will be seen in California, USA this 2008. Some of the early customers are celebrity actors and actresses. It is fueled by hydrogen and electricity, emits water as by-product and none of the greenhouse gases.

Hydrogen can be obtained from, of course, refilling stations, but is also  obtained  from methane or natrural gas, bio-mass, etc. Honda says soon, people can have their own home hydrogen energy generators that uses natural gas. 

READ MORE>
FCX Clarity: Principal Specifications (U.S. Model)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/16/autos/honda_zev.ap/index.htm?cnn=yes
http://jalopnik.com/cars/news/honda-hydrogen-fcx-coming-in-2008-259716.php

For my new network friends, from Pastor Ariel's blog:
EVEN IF HE DOES NOT...

Prayer. A topic that can be very elusive or misunderstood many times. Many people think that prayer is just a method of letting God know your thoughts or more importantly your requests. I'm not claiming that I know everything there is about prayer. But i know that it is a means of communicating with God. You talk to Him and He speaks to you in return. Is it really that simple? Maybe or maybe not. There are so many verses in the bible that talk about prayer. And many of them are promises of God's answer, miracles and breakthroughs.

x x x

If one does not receive a positive answer to his prayer, is it because of a lack of faith? Is the method of prayer wrong? Is it a judgment from God? Did it just fall on deaf ears? READ THE ARTICLE>

The best car for our future: Powered by air?

06/26/08
from: Inquirer.net blogs
Posted under Digoy Fernandez

TREE huggers and those who lament the use or abuse of non-renewable resources, especially in the generation of energy and power, should take a long hard look at the proposed technology that is being touted by Motor Development Inc. founder Guy Negre and his manufacturer of choice, Tata Motors.

Yes, the same Tata Motors that has dared to bring forth the $2,500 car — while purchasing high-end Jaguar and Land Rover from a sputtering Ford Motor Company. The car invented by Mr. Negre is powered by compressed air. A full load of compressed air that can presumably be available in many or most gas stations takes only a few minutes to load and will take the prototype car a full 125 miles (200 km).

Now one has to take a long hard look at the Indian market and realize just how practical they are about their cars. The Maruti car company manufactures a local version of the Suzuki Alto which has a minuscule 800cc engine. This car may seat four or a maximum of five people anywhere else, but the intrepid Indians manage to shoehorn seven people in there! Imagine what they will do to a car designed for seven, as the first proposed model of the air car will do since it is supposed to perform yeoman’s chores as an everyday taxi.

The first model is to be named the CityCat and will cost about $12,500 — roughly the cost of a Corolla in most countries. It will run at a maximum speed of 68 mph (almost 110 kph) — just enough to stay within most speed limits, but putting a damper on the speed demons out there — which should get one from point A to point B in good time.

Now, this is probably the best idea for a practical car there is today. It will not spew any dangerous fumes or probably create a large carbon footprint. And air is available anywhere at a pittance compared to either the stratosphere-riding cost of gasoline and other alternative fuels. Until a viable solar powered car comes along, this will be the technology to beat.

Read about this amazing technology in the following threads.

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/03/21/a-new-agreement-between-tata-motors-and-mdi-bring-the-air-car-cl/

http://www.theaircar.com/acf/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_car

Athletes may be using Viagra for competitive edge

LONDON (AP) -- Athletes looking for a performance boost appear to be turning to a little blue pill more usually taken for its off-the-field benefits: Viagra.

But experts are divided over whether it actually offers athletes an edge.

Some sports authorities say the drug is now finding a following among athletes. It isn't clear how many might be taking it in hopes of improving athletic performance.

It also has attracted the attention of the World Anti-Doping Agency. The agency is studying Viagra's effects in athletes, but hasn't yet banned it. Viagra is not on the International Olympic Committee's list of prohibited drugs, so athletes can take it at the Beijing Olympics.

Viagra, also known as sildenafil, is manufactured by Pfizer Inc. It originally was developed as a heart drug; its use as a treatment for erectile dysfunction was accidentally discovered.

The drug works by increasing the effects of nitric oxide, which makes blood vessels expand. That should theoretically allow blood cells to get more oxygen from the lungs. It also might improve heart function.

Viagra also is approved to treat pulmonary hypertension, a condition in which the lungs' blood vessels tighten. Doctors have used the drug experimentally to treat pregnant women with high blood pressure and to ward off jet lag.

But whether Viagra makes athletes faster, higher or stronger is uncertain.

x x x

Still, some preliminary studies have shown that cyclists taking Viagra improved their performances by up to 40 percent.

x x x

"If you have some sort of illness from pollution, then Viagra might help," he said.

READ MORE>

Arroyo’s ‘failed leadership’ may kill CARP--professor
By TJ Burgonio
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 19:51:00 06/16/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Speaker Prospero Nograles should be blamed for Congress' failure to pass a bill extending a key component of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), University of the Philippines professor Walden Bello said on Monday.

Bello said the House of Representatives could have passed the bill had Arroyo and Nograles vigorously lobbied lawmakers to vote for its approval.

"If the President had moved to aggressively line up people for CARP, and if the Speaker had done the same thing -- more energetic leadership, it would have passed,'' he said in an interview.

"My sense is there's a failure of leadership here,'' he said in an interview.

Both the House and the Senate adjourned last week without passing their versions of the proposed law extending the land acquisition and distribution (LAD) component of CARP by five years from June 10.

The House decided to defer vote on the bill and to merely adopt a joint resolution with the Senate maintaining the LAD until December 31. The Senate failed to even report out its hearings on the bill.

"We could have won CARP had the President and the Speaker shown a little bit more of energy, and less of an attitude of compromising with the landlord bloc,'' Bello said.

The Department of Agrarian Reform has to distribute at least 1.1 million hectares of agricultural land under the LAD, but lawmakers argued that it could go ahead with the program without the bill.

Bello, a senior analyst of the Focus on The Global South, said he expected lawmakers to eventually deal "a procedural killing'' to the CARP after resuming sessions in late July.

He said that by deferring the vote, lawmakers were hoping to get a "critical mass'' from colleagues "who are indifferent to CARP'' to further delay the vote and approval of the measure between July and December.

"All I know is that the purpose is to give CARP a procedural death. The idea is to be able to prolong this process and get a critical mass to kill CARP,'' he said.

But he added: "CARP will die a procedural death unless they see that the alternative to this is tremendous dissent in the countryside.''

Lengthy interpellation and questions on quorum delayed deliberations on the House version, leaving little time for its approval on second and third reading prior to last week's adjournment, according to Bello.

During the recess, Bello advised pro-agrarian reform advocates to meet with their congressional representatives to coax them to put the CARP bill on the agenda when they resume sessions, he said.

"The important thing is for pro-CARP people's organizations is to make sure that Congress people learn of their frustration during this recess, so that by the time they come back, they will act on it immediately,'' he said.

Bello also said he was "upset'' with some lawmakers for misquoting him to justify their opposition to the extension bill.

He said that Cebu Representative Pablo Garcia quoted him as having written that CARP failed.

"Yes, CARP failed. But we don't need to kill it. We only have to plug its loopholes. That's what I wrote,'' he said.

DO NOT VOTE FOR THESE ANTI-POOR POLITICIANS!

Pregnancy Boom at Gloucester High
By KATHLEEN KINGSBURY

As summer vacation begins, 17 girls at Gloucester High School are expecting babies—more than four times the number of pregnancies the 1,200-student school had last year. Some adults dismissed the statistic as a blip. Others blamed hit movies like Juno and Knocked Up for glamorizing young unwed mothers. But principal Joseph Sullivan knows at least part of the reason there's been such a spike in teen pregnancies in this Massachusetts fishing town. School officials started looking into the matter as early as October after an unusual number of girls began filing into the school clinic to find out if they were pregnant. By May, several students had returned multiple times to get pregnancy tests, and on hearing the results, "some girls seemed more upset when they weren't pregnant than when they were," Sullivan says. All it took was a few simple questions before nearly half the expecting students, none older than 16, confessed to making a pact to get pregnant and raise their babies together.

x x x

But Amanda Ireland, who graduated from Gloucester High on June 8, thinks she knows why these girls wanted to get pregnant. Ireland, 18, gave birth her freshman year and says some of her now pregnant schoolmates regularly approached her in the hall, remarking how lucky she was to have a baby. "They're so excited to finally have someone to love them unconditionally,"

x x x

But by May, after nurse practitioner Kim Daly had administered some 150 pregnancy tests at Gloucester High's student clinic, she and the clinic's medical director, Dr. Brian Orr, a local pediatrician, began to advocate prescribing contraceptives regardless of parental consent, a practice at about 15 public high schools in Massachusetts. Currently Gloucester teens must travel about 20 miles (30 km) to reach the nearest women's health clinic; younger girls have to get a ride or take the train and walk. But the notion of a school handing out birth control pills has met with hostility. Says Mayor Carolyn Kirk: "Dr. Orr and Ms. Daly have no right to decide this for our children." The pair resigned in protest on May 30. READ FULL STORY>

Some Reasons Why>

Wickedness trives when good peole do nothing!

BRAIN DAMAGING HABITS

From Nelfa, for my online buddies-

1.  NO BREAKFAST. People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blodd sugar level.  This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2.  OVEREATING. It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3.  SMOKING. It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer's disease.

4.  HIGH SUGAR CONSUMPTION. Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5..AIR POLLUTION. The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body.  Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6.  SLEEP DEPRIVATION. Sleep allows our brain to rest.  Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.

7.  HEAD COVERED WHILE SLEEPING. Sleeping with head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging the brain.

9.  LACKING IN STIMULATING THOUGHTS. Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10.  TALKING RARELY. Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain.

The main causes of liver damage are: READ MORE>

From Ramoncito:
What does it take to become a millionaire?

INQUIRER.net
First Posted 10:12:00 05/20/2008

(This is part of Take Charge of Your Money , a partnership between INQUIRER.net and Citibank to help readers handle their personal finances well.)

Question: What does it take to be a millionaire? With my modest income, it seems a near impossible dream for me. I can't imagine being able to save up enough money to be one. – Lisa S.

Answer: These days, the day time and prime time game shows on TV are raking in the audience and the advertising support — 1 vs. 100, All-Star K!, Gobingo, Pilipinas Game K N B?, Singing Bee, Wheel of Fortune, etc. Filipinos are tickled pink at the thought of taking a chance at becoming a millionaire in one day.

Lotto outlets also get long queues when there’s an upcoming super lotto draw. People, from the low-income to the middle-income classes, are lining up in hopes of winning the elusive jackpot.

But the chances of winning in game shows and lotto draws are very slim. Instead of dreaming about becoming a millionaire through these schemes, choose to work on becoming a millionaire yourself. No, Lisa, it’s not too far out to dream of becoming one.

Look around you. There may be millionaires you already know living in your neighborhood or going to the same office as you do. These are the people who live in their own homes with their own cars, whose assets total more than P1 million. Whether or not they feel like millionaires is up to them. But the crucial factor is that they have built up an asset base valued at over P1 million. It is an attainable goal.

There are the really rich and visible millionaires who are business taipans. When you read their life stories, you’ll be struck with the fact that some of them were born poor. If they made it from rags to riches, there’s no reason why you can’t try.

To reach that goal, you have to learn the secrets of millionaires. Here they are:

1. Treat money as something to save and invest. The minute you receive your paycheck or a windfall (example, an inheritance or a bonus), think of how much you can put away as savings. Then look for venues where you can invest your money. If you think this way, you won’t be tempted to splurge money.

Some people splurge their retirement pay on BMWs or Mercedes Benzes. But when they get really sick, they find themselves with not enough cash to pay the hospital. So save more, rather than spend more.

2. Assume some risk when investing. When you play safe in investing, you’ll get safe (but low) returns as well. Millionaires have gone out on a limb putting up businesses which they hoped would earn — nothing is guaranteed. But it is in taking calculated risks that they are rewarded.

When investing, look at higher-yielding investments. Sure, they may be more risky than regular ones (such as savings and time deposits), but you may earn more in the long run. Just be wary of get-rich-quick investment schemes. Remember the adage: If it is too good to be true, it is.

3. Live simply. If you keep your cost of living low, you will have more cash to save and invest. Some millionaires have lived in the same homes they have had for the past 30-40 years. Or they live in the homes they inherited.

You can also take a cue from the way millionaires live: not all party every night, nor do they buy every new car model that’s released. Instead, you’ll find these millionaires working at their desks at 8 a.m. and having just two cars in the garage.

4. Have a goal. Don’t just dream; set financial goals for yourself. By being specific, you will be more motivated to reach your goal. For instance, make it your goal to have your own home by the time you are 35 or 40. It may be a studio condo unit or a three-bedroom home in a subdivision—it will depend on your income and how you save over the years. Having a goal will help you focus your efforts well.

5. Choose good debt over bad debt. Take out a loan only when the loan proceeds will be used to earn you more money. For instance, apply for a bank loan to expand a business that’s feasible. But to take out a loan to buy assets that depreciate quickly (examples: sports cars, yachts, etc.) may not be wise as these assets will not earn you enough to pay off the loan. If you really want to buy such assets, pay in cash so you don’t have to pay the cost of borrowing.

6. Share your blessings. There seems to be a unique mathematical formula at work: The more you give, the more you are blessed back in return. Help those who are in financial need, and you may find yourself blessed all the more. If you’re an employer, share profits with your employees; they’ll be more motivated to work for you, leading the way to increased productivity.

7. Train children to handle money well. It would be sad if money you earned will just be spent unwisely by the next generation. Teach children the basics of money management, and caution them against vices such as gambling, drugs, and the like. Being responsible about wealth will be rewarded in the long run.

(INQUIRER.net and Citibank invite readers to ask questions regarding financial matters. Send your questions to personal_finance@inquirer.net or comment through our personal finance blog called MoneySmarts)

PS:
...don't forget: The ability to produce wealth comes from God (Deut. 8:18)

I just saw these videos on youtube.com about cooking popcorn by ringing 3-4 cellphones and I was shocked when the corns popped, so I looked it up.Guess what...it's not true! Check out these links:

http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2008/06/cellphones-cant.html

http://www.snopes.com/science/cookegg.asp

Enjoy your phones!

‘CARP a constitutional mandate’--lawyers’ group
By Abigail Kwok
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 19:14:00 06/13/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- A lawyers’ group on Friday called the House of Representatives’ resolution extending the land acquisition and distribution (LAD) component of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) an “unnecessary” move because the program cannot be terminated until farmers own the land they till. READ MORE>

Proverbs 3:27
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act