2011

I always have many new year resolutions or should I rather use revolutions for myself? But how long does the motivation lasted? You know better than me. For my case not really that long and I do wish that I can do better in the coming year.

I figured that resolutions should be nothing more than a starting point.Life has a funny way of throwing unexpected things at us. Sometimes the goal that we set at the very beginning will change. Most of all, recognize partial successes at every step along the way. Just as a resolution isn't accomplished the day it's stated, neither is it accomplished the day you reach your goal. Rather, it's accomplished in many small increments along the way. Acknowledge these incremental successes as they come.

Happy New Year to all of you! Have a great start cause it's as important as a good ending!

Space Rocket Disaster at India

The Indian GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle), carrying the GSAT-5P satellite as payload, is seen moments after it exploded during launch above Sriharikota on Saturday.

A space rocket carrying communications equipment exploded soon after takeoff Saturday evening in India, the official national news agency reported.


The unmanned rocket strayed from its flight path and broke into pieces, according to the Press Trust of India.
Video of the incident showed huge plumes of white and copper-colored smoke streaming across the sky.

CNN's sister network, CNN-IBN, reported that the rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Sriharikota. Its launch was originally scheduled for December 20, but had been postponed because of an engine leak, CNN-IBN said.

It was not immediately clear what caused the failure, which the Press Trust called a setback to India's space program.

Merry Christmas - めりーくりすます

The joyful Christmas is just around the corner. Wonderful and extravagant display is everywhere. Parents have been busy with gift picking and buying. Children have been  waiting for their Santa and not the last Christmas song can be heard everywhere.

In Japan, Christmas in known as more of a time to spread happiness rather than a religious celebration. Christmas eve is often celebrated more than Christmas Day. Christmas eve is thought of as a romantic day, in which couples spend together and exchange presents. In many ways it resembles valentines day celebrations in the England and the USA. Young couples like to go for walks to look at the Christmas lights and have a romantic meal in a restaurant - booking a table on Christmas Eve can be very difficult as it's so popular!
Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan, so schools and businesses are normally open on December 25th.
In Japanese Happy/Merry Christmas is 'Meri Kurisumasu'. And it's written in the two Japanese scripts like this; Hiragana: めりーくりすます; Katakana: メリークリスマス.

Parties are often held for children, with games and dancing. Japanese Christmas Cake is a sponge cake decorated with trees, flowers and a figure of Santa Claus Fried chicken is often eaten on Christmas day. It is the busiest time of year for restaurants such as KFC and people can place orders at their local fast food restaurant in advance!!! The traditional Japanese christmas food is christmas cake, but it's not a rich fruit cake, but is usually a sponge cake decorated with strawberries and whipped cream..

 

Wish you have a magical and wonderful Christmas !

 

Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse 2010 -冬至の月は、2010年エクリプス

It is the first time since 1638 that a lunar eclipse has fallen on the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year. Skygazers with a clear view in North America and Europe were greeted with a celestial treat in the early morning hours Tuesday, as a unique total lunar eclipse transformed the Moon pink, coppery or even a blood red.

Coinciding eerily with the northern hemisphere's mid-winter solstice -- for the first time in almost four centuries -- the eclipse showed the Sun, the Earth and its satellite as they directly aligned, with the Moon swinging into the cone of shadow cast by its mother planet.

Despite being in shadow, the Moon did not become invisible, as there was still residual light deflected towards it by our atmosphere.Most of this refracted light is in the red part of the spectrum and as a result the Moon, seen from Earth, turned a reddish, coppery or orange hue, sometimes even brownish.
The eclipse was running for three and a half hours, starting with a chunk being slowly eaten out at 0633 GMT and the stage of total eclipse -- when the Moon heads into the "umbra" cast by the Earth -- lasting from 0741 to 0853 GMT. It was to last until 1001 GMT.

TIME'S 2010 Person of the Year

The annual accolade for "Person of the year" has been running since the 1920s, with winners such as Hitler, Barack Obama and Stalin picking up the award and appearing on the front page of the magazine. The winner is the figure who is determined to have the most influence on culture and news each year; not always in a positive way.

The Facebook co-founder, worth approximately £4.4 billion, is currently one of the richest people in the US at only 26 years of age. A recent film release in which Zuckerberg was the subject; The Social Network, has charted a rise in Facebook usage this year, leading to his position as one of the youngest recipients of Time’s prestigious award.

Almost seven years ago, in February 2004, when Zuckerberg was a 19-year-old sophomore at Harvard University, he started a Web service from his dorm. It was called Thefacebook.com.This year, Facebook added its 550 millionth member and it has 1,700 employees.. One out of every dozen people on the planet has a Facebook account. They speak 75 languages and collectively lavish more than 700 billion minutes on Facebook every month. Last month the site accounted for 1 out of 4 American page views. Its membership is currently growing at a rate of about 700,000 people a day.

According to the editors at Time, Zuckerberg and Facebook have fundamentally changed the way people interact with each other and it’s changed how we define the concept of community. When you look at all of the things that seem to have been subsumed by Facebook, it’s hard to find some part of human activity that is totally Facebook-free.

Zuckerberg is part of the last generation of human beings who will remember life before the Internet, though only just. He was born in 1984 and grew up in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., the son of a dentist. Mark has three sisters, the eldest of whom, Randi, is now Facebook's head of consumer marketing and social-good initiatives. It was a supportive household that produced confident children. The young Mark was "strong-willed and relentless," according to his father Ed.

Earlier this month Zuckerberg became one of the latest billionaires to make a promise to give a large proportion of his wealth to charity.A group founded by Bill Gates and his wife, along with Warren Buffet, encourages the wealthiest Americans to publicly pledge to donate to charity. Zuckerberg is one of 17 new people to express their support to the group.

Let It Snow by Kylie Minogue

This is one of my favorite Christmas song and I wish everyone out there have a wonderful Christmas !

2010 Top 10 Searches at Yahoo!

Since 2001, Yahoo! has been tallying up the top searches of the year, providing a snapshot of a culture in motion.

Top 10 Searches of this year - 2010 are :

1. BP Oil Spill

On April 20, 11 workers went missing after an explosion at the Deepwater Horizon, a BP-leased oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Their tragedy, though, was soon overshadowed by the ensuing BP oil spill, which threatened U.S. southern shores.

As BP struggled to control nature, technology, and the ire of humankind, forces converged to assist the multinational company in containing the mess. Still, the horror seemed to unfold in slow motion, as the spill approached the ecological disastrousness of the 1989 Exxon Valdez crash and became the most searched term on Yahoo! in 2010 -- a first for a news story since we started compiling Top 10 searches a decade ago.

2. World Cup

South Africa was hosting, and the African continent -- so often tied to colonization, poverty, and apartheid in headlines -- could show how far it had come, as well as what still needed to be done. The country built five stadiums for the event and fixed up another five for the 32 guest nations who converged on June 11.

3. Miley Cyrus

 Miley has been working hard for the distinction, as she celebrated her last year as a minor. Or, more accurately, she was mapping a shortcut to adulthood in 2010: She scored the cover of Harper's Bazaar, played the romantic lead in a Nicholas Sparks movie, and taped the end of her Disney show, "Hannah Montana."

4. Kim Kardashian

 Kim cemented herself in 2010 as America's reality royal, along with her family, in "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." Through good looks, breeding, and a can-do spirit that has launched perfumes, boutique stores, and a MasterCard, Kim has worked all her assets to get to the top. Devoted legions follow her on her blog, Twitter, and Facebook.

5. Lady Gaga

 With hit singles, sold-out concerts, and a meeting with the Queen last year, Lady Gaga might have been excused if she had had a meltdown or just burned out this year. But while her chart success didn't top 2009's, Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta cemented herself as the first lady of pop culture.

6. iPhone

 Apple already had something "magical and revolutionary" up its sleeve with the iPad, so its fourth swipe at the iPhone seemed almost, well, excessive in these lean consumer times.By now, the company knows that any shiny object from its dream factory will get followers queuing up.

7. Megan Fox

 In her quick rise to fame, Megan Fox has been notably savvy in the celebrity arts. At the end of 2009, the New York Times dubbed her a "devoted student of stardom, past and present" who "talked her way into the limelight."

8. Justin Bieber

 By the start of 2010, Bieber's first album, "My World," had gone platinum. In keeping with today's hyperspeed stardom, his second album followed within five months, and he embarked on a sold-out, six-month concert tour.

9. American Idol

Season 9 of "American Idol" embraced a grand social experiment. For the first time ever, the Fox singing factory allowed its contestants to break the online cone of silence, granting them their own Facebook pages and Twitter feeds.Three months in, the experiment collapsed: The contestants' pages were shut down, and the singers got herded into the official "Idol" Facebook page. In the meantime, ratings dropped steadily from the show's 29.7 million season debut.

10. Britney Spears

 For 10 years, Britney Spears ruled the Internet. In the annual Yahoo! top searches list, she played second fiddle to PlayStation 2 in 2001 and 2002, and fell to fourth place for the next two years. But then Spears rallied in 2005 and stayed put at the No. 1 slot through good times -- and one mighty bad year for the pop princess.The 2009 death of the King of Pop, and in some measure her own return to superstar normalcy, knocked her off the Yahoo! Search perch to fifth place. In 2010, leading a scandal-free life has dropped her all the way to No. 10 ... but it may prove to be a sweet spot for

Read more at  Year In Review . Reviewed by Vera H-C Chan of Yahoo.

Wikileaks and Butterfly

 
The latest unbelievable catchphrase of an advertising campaign for sanitary pads on selected billboards in Pakistan's financial capital Karachi is: "WikiLeaks... Butterfly doesn't".This Pakistani advertisers in the feminine hygiene business have harnessed the political notoriety of WikiLeaks to tell women that while the US State Department might leak, but they don't have to.

Billboard at Karachi , Pakistan

Generally Pakistani advertisers will usually avoid the divisive world of politics but this time advertisers said the commercial had attracted considerable attention.Will you dare to buy it ?

Obviously the impact of Wikileaks not only infuriated government official , provoked many Internet hackers and now this incredible secret cable which exposed by Wikileaks have inspiration even on an ad for feminine products in Pakistan.

Go Green Christmas Gift IdeaIs

It’s  time of the year again, when the glistening shades of red and green adorn the peaceful and serene whites. Let's make a green approach of giving your Christmas gift this year, this will mean offering gifts that are made from recycled materials. In other instances, we may create our own, handmade presents. We may also look to give presents that encourage others to think about the environment and their surroundings.


Share with you some of  ideas and there are many more to discover .

1.Oxygenics TriSpa Shower :It features an air enriched spray and it only uses 2.5 GPM which makes it eco friendly .This holiday present gets our "Cool Christmas Gift Idea" award as an "Eco-friendly Christmas Gift Idea". 

2.Nintendo Wii-Nintendo really gave new life with the introduction of this physically interactive game system, creating games that can be enjoyed by all ages. And then came the research that showed how helpful these games proved to be for the elderly or disabled in giving them a physical therapy unlike any other.

3.Organic cotton bathrobes-A very personal surprise and perfect for him/her.Choose 100-percent organic-cotton products with the reliable company will make the gift perfect.

4.Pet toy - For those who love pet will definately very happy to receive a gift for their loved pet.Pets can always use toys that get them up and moving. Some companies have created sturdy dog toys made from 100 percent recyclable materials. A common material used to make these toys is recycled soda pop bottles. It’s also important to research the manufacturer and find out if you can send the toy back for recycling after its served its chewing purpose.

4.Local Entertainment-A special tickets make a thoughtful gift that create virtually no waste. Treat your loved one to a night at a concert, comedy show or play, or present her with movie or museum passes. You'll give them an entertaining outing and reduce their carbon footprint at the same time.
 
5.Solar-powered toy , gadget or watch etc -These ideal gifts have value beyond supposedly helping the environment; it can save money, and it can also lead to greater convenience.

Search Amazon.com for green poduct

China found ancient pot of soup

Chinese archaeologists , believe they have discovered a 2,400-year-old bowl of soup which was discovered in a tomb near where the terracotta army was once discovered and near where the first emperor of China was buried.

Sealed in a three-legged bronze cooking pot, the soup contained several bones, was still liquid but had turned green due to the oxidization of the bronze.It is 8in high and 10in in diameter and would have been used for cooking and serving meat.

The culinary find was dug up from a tomb near the ancient capital of Xian,Shaanxi Province.Xian, a city that served as China’s ancient capital for over 1,100 years. In 1974, archaeologists found the now-famed terracotta army at the burial site of Qin Shihuang. It was Qin who presided over the unification of China in 221BC and declared himself the first emperor. The bronze pot and vessel were found in a tomb being excavated to make way for the extension of the airport in Xian.

 However, this is not the oldest pot found with food in it. Five years ago a 4,000-year-old pot containing noodles was found in 2005 at a site near the Yellow River.

Early Childhood Painted by Donald Zolan

Just Ducky

Donald James Zolan who is my favorite artist also is an award-winning collectibles artist whose tender and heartfelt paintings of early childhood graced collectible plates, prints, figurines, children's books, and licensed products for 30 years, died of cancer on July 20, 2009. He was 71.

Quiet Time

As a child prodigy, Zolan began drawing and painting at the age of three winning his first scholarship in oils to the Art Institute of Chicago at 12. Upon graduation, he won a full scholarship to the American Academy of Fine Art in Chicago. He apprenticed under Haddon Sundblom, the well-known illustrator of the Coca Cola Santa Claus, and later attended the Arts Students League in New York City.

Daddy is Home

Born in Brookfield  in 1937 to middle class parents, Zolan embodied the values of the Heartland of honesty, humility, and straightforwardness. What he captured in his art work was the honest,
open expression of his heart. A compassionate and kind man, an insightful and positive man, and a dedicated artist his entire life, there was no distance between what he portrayed and how he lived his
life.

Just we Two

 Zolan leaves behind an enormous legacy of artwork with over 200 oil paintings in the collection that will continue to be licensed nationally and internationally by his wife, Jennifer Zolan. The company will
continue to expand its licensing programs and its presence internationally. Zolan's sudden death did not allow him an opportunity to fulfill all of his dreams but Jennifer Zolan will continue his work and his legacy, with plans to establish a children's museum and programs to help young, needy and aspiring artists reach their artistic dreams.

Summer Child

The Royal Engagement Of Prince William To Kate Middleton

Prince William and Kate Middleton pose for photographs in the State Apartments of St James Palace on November 16, 2010 in London, England. After much speculation, Clarence House today announced the engagement of Prince William to Kate Middleton. The couple will get married in either the Spring or Summer of next year and continue to live in North Wales while Prince William works as an air sea rescue pilot for the RAF. The couple became engaged during a recent holiday in Kenya having been together for eight years. Prince William said using Diana's ring as engagement ring was his way of making sure his mother didn't miss out on today and the excitement.The couple, both 28, met at St Andrews University,
Fife.

Miss Middleton is the eldest child of businessman Michael Middleton and former air hostess Carol.She was raised in a modern five-bedroom detached house in the Berkshire village of Bucklebury and her family, who are self-made millionaires, run a mail order toy and party goods company.The couple will marry in the year which would have marked the 30th anniversary of Prince William's parents' wedding.




    

Pet Dog Labrador Retriever

Among the house pet , I love dog the most.And my favorite dog is Labrador.

The best feature of Labrador is their temperament. Labradors are loving, people oriented dogs. They are happiest when they are with you. Labradors are retrievers and will bring you things they find laying about your house or yard. They tend to be quite patient with children and wonderful family dogs. They are not guard dogs. They may bark protectively, but will generally not act more aggressively. Labs are wonderful people dogs, more likely to lick someone to death than hurt them.

 

 

Earth Hour 2011

Amazing Race Asia Season 4

Richard Hardin and Richard Herrera

Richard Hardin and Richard Herrera are the winning Philippine contestants on AXN ,The Amazing Race Asia Season 4.They finished ahead of Singapore's Claire Goh and Michelle S. Ng, and the Indonesian father and daughter team of Hussein Baron and Natasha Sutadisastra.Basketball player Richard Hardin and model Richard Herrera, more popularly known as "The Riches," bested 9 other teams in a race across 15 cities in 8 countries during the reality show.The two Richards, who were both raised in the United States,they won $100,000 for winning the race.

The competition took the 10 teams in a race began in Malaysia and ended in Singapore.The Amazing Race Asia, hosted by Allan Wu, is exclusively aired on AXN.

Underwater Sculptures

Coral reefs are under assault all over the globe. Sewage and agricultural run-off from coastal areas poison many reefs via toxic algae blooms that can cut off their much-need oxygen supply. Human visitors also cause extensive damage by literally knocking into the ecosystems, breaking off pieces of souvenir coral and dragging boats and anchors across its fragile surfaces.

Further, as ocean temperatures increase, reefs are succumbing to coral bleaching. This is the process in which coral expels some of its inhabitants due to heated waters, leaving them white and lifeless.

Artist Jason deCaires Taylor recently completed “The Silent Evolution,” an underwater museum and permanent sculpture exhibit set up in the waters near Cancun, Mexico. It is located in the National Marine Park of Isla Mujeres, Cancun, and Punta Nizuc. Made from environmentally friendly materials, deCaires Taylor’s sculpture promotes awareness of the plight of coral. The artist says his sculpture garden in Mexico is only in the first stages of development. As he told the Los Angeles Times, “I would also like to point out that this installation is by no means over and the second phase is dependent on nature's artists of the sea, to nurture, evolve, and apply the patina of life.”

Miss Earth 2010

 Miss Earth is an annual international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness. The reigning titleholders dedicate their year to promoting environmental projects and to addressing issues concerning the environment.This, the contest's tenth year, represents the first time the contest has been held outside of the Philippines.

To celebrate the tenth anniversary, the organizers decided to use the previous winners’ questions in the Q&A round to narrow down the top 7 finalists. Eighty-four (84) lovely candidates are competing for the Miss Earth 2010 title.The beautiful Nicole Faria, 20, of India, was crowned Miss Earth 2010 during the pageant's coronation night at the Vinpearl Land Resort in Vietnam on 4 december 2010.

Miss India ,Nicole Faria

Faria was also the winner of first special award Miss Talent for her graceful traditional belly dance performance.

Miss Ecuador, Jennifer Stephani Pazmino

Miss Ecuador, Jennifer Stephani Pazmino, was dubbed first runner-up, also known as Miss Earth Air. She also recieved the Miss Evening Gown award.

Miss Thailand , Watsaporn Watanakoon

Miss Thailand Watsaporn Watanakoon, came in as second runner-up (Miss Earth Water) she had previously received the Miss Photogenic award.

Miss Puerto Rico , Yeidy Bosques

Miss Puerto Rico, Yeidy Bosques came in as Miss Earth Fire. Also listed in the top 7 were Japan, Venezuela and South Africa.

Miss Vietnam , Luu Thi Diem Huong

Miss Vietnam, Luu Thi Diem Huong, took the Miss Bikini title and was included in the top 14 list. The highlighted part of the contest was noted singer Ronan Keating’s two hits’ performance, “The way you make me feel” and “When you say nothing at all.”