click the link below and direct registry today then money will flow into your account

Rabu, 28 Oktober 2009

Fishmen - Tribute to H. P. Lovecraft

A musical version of 'The Shadow Over Innsmouth' by H.P Lovecraft. Set to a song composed by the HPLHS (http://www.cthulhulives.org).

Wordless Wednesdays: Tyhpoon Santi (Mirinae)

Wordless Wednesdays THURSDAY EDITION PART II



Does the sign of the cross.

Top 10 Weirdest Phobias

Top 10 Weirdest Phobias

10. Fear of things to the left side of the body - Levophobia
Fear of things to the right side of the body - Dextrophobia
Levophobic and Dextrophobic patients are also often mistaken to have perpetual cervical injuries.


9. Fear of Friday the 13th - Paraskavedekatriaphobia
Don't worry, it only comes once every year.



8. An unusual and abnormal fear of chins - Geniophobia
Don't watch Jay Leno.



7. Fear of looking up - Anablephobia or Anablepophobia
Pedestrian #1: Look it's a bird!
Pedestrian #2: No, it's a plane!
Pedestrian #3: *seizure*


6. Irrational fear of the youth or teenagers - Ephebiphobia
Does being afraid of Miley Cyrus count?


5. Fear that somewhere, somehow, a duck is watching you - Anatidaephobia
Beware of ducks. They might quack.



4. Fear of the color yellow - Xanthophobia
Am betting one is not a Coldplay fan.



3. Fear of Peanut Butter sticking to the roof of the mouth — Arachibutyrophobia
A persistent, abnormal, and unwarranted fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth. And I thought Homer was just afraid of Salmonella.



2. Fear of Phobias (a morbid dread or fear of developing a phobia) - Phobophobia
If one fears of developing a phobia, then one already has a phobia. Does that mean one fears oneself?



and the #1 weirdest phobia is...


1. Fear of Long Words — Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia or Sesquipedalophobia
This is just cruel.
Psychiatrist: I'm afraid you have Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.
Patient: Gaaaaaaah!

Selasa, 27 Oktober 2009

Smuf-like Effect


Argyria is a condition caused by improper exposure to chemical forms of the element silver, silver dust, or silver compounds. The most dramatic symptom of argyria is that the skin becomes blue or bluish-grey colored. Argyria may be found as generalized argyria or local argyria. Argyrosis is the corresponding condition related to the eye. The condition is believed to be permanent, but laser therapy has been used to treat it with satisfactory cosmetic results.




Paul Karason, a California man whose entire skin gradually turned blue after consuming colloidal silver made by himself with distilled water, salt and silver, and using a silver salve on his face in an attempt to treat problems with his sinus, dermatitis, acid reflux, and other issues.



Charles Xavier can help people like you Paul:



Senin, 26 Oktober 2009

Top 10 Entries in the Pinoy English Dictionary

What if you have been committing English grammar and syntax errors all your life yet know nothing about it? Fear not and brace yourselves as I present this eye opening list of Filipinoisms at its best (or worst?).


Top 10 Entries in the Pinoy English Dictionary.



10. XEROX --> Proper name, much? Should be PHOTOCOPY.

9. Do you mind waiting? YES, I'll wait. -->  Say what??

8. CR (Comfort Room) --> Technically speaking, comfort room could by any room which provides comfort. So if your bedroom is one of those places, you may be sleeping in a comfort room for all you know. Universal term: TOILET.

7. No Parking on BOTH Sides --> Wow, I had no idea a car could park on BOTH sides at once. Unless somebody invents a mutating car ala Transformers, then the correct term should be: No Parking on EITHER Side.

6. For a WHILE --> For a MOMENT. (Ahem call center agents. :) )

5. TAKE your medicine --> DRINK your medicine. A patient will not get well by just taking the medicine from the nurse on duty.

and another one..

4. TAKE your seat --> Reminds me of my elementary and high school teachers. I would have bought home my chair if it wasn't so heavy because my teacher said I could TAKE it. Correct Term: HAVE a seat.

3. LONG CUT --> If there's a "short cut" then there's a long cut. Ha. Anyone bothered saying the LONG WAY?

and yet another one...

2. TUCK OUT --> UNTUCKED!!

and in honor of the upcoming 2010 Elections, I present thee the No.1 entry in the Pinoy English Dictionary...

1. Presidentiable / Senatoriable

I dare you to type the one or both words in MS Word and spell check it. Google them if you like and I bet you'll only find them in Pinoy websites. It's amazing how these words have become a normal part of our vocabulary with even reporters quoting such term in nightly news. I am also waiting for the words Governable, Congressmanable and Mayorable to enter the Pinoy English dictionary. Not to mention Barangay Captainable and Tanodable. Then they could all unite into one entity called The Corruptibles. (Ref.)

Minggu, 25 Oktober 2009

WEIGHT a Minute

Yesterday, I came to a not so shocking conclusion that... I am getting FAT. No, not morbidly obese fat, just plain fat. The kind of fatness visible in a person, like, when you see somebody walking down the street, you can easily deduce that that somebody is fat. Fat fat fat.

I have repeated that word in the last paragraph so many times that it temporarily lost its meaning in my brain.

The truth is, I was never really the thin one in the group. I was always the tall and sometimes chubby, sometimes skinny of the bunch. And being born with a ridiculously slow metabolism made matters worse. Constant yo-yo dieting brought about highs and lows and at this moment, I want to go back and get high.

So, last night, I dragged out the key to my salvation. A year old manual treadmill resting for months in a dark corner of my mom's bedroom. The funny thing about exercise machines is there's this certain belief that one will get thin instantly by just purchasing the machine. Only after minutes of trying it out will one realize that things are not as easy as they seem on TV.

In living up to the common expression of "Here we go again" I am presenting to the whole cyber community my very own Weight Loss Program Ver.10.2. What it is exactly is yet to be known but for now it includes lots activity, internet activity, that is. And probably 10 minutes of treadmill strolling. Ha.

Insects Again

Pictures by Igor Siwanowicz. It's like he cames from another planet with this images.










you can see more in the artist's profile: http://photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=1783374

Kamis, 22 Oktober 2009

Rabu, 21 Oktober 2009

Dog Fight - A Love History



nobody can stop their love

Blogger's Block

I am having a hard time writing these days. It seems that there is a huge traffic jam in my brain where words and ideas collided with each other straight to the ER. Even writing this post pains me. This really isn't a good thing since I'm training for an exam which requires me to write a total of 400 words in two essays within an hour with probably a topic I know nothing about. And those essays need to be breathtaking pieces of work, the kind of compositions I would look back on and think, "Damn, I'm good."

As far as I know, Writer's Block is not and has never been close to be considered as a medical problem. They should though, and I strongly advice medical researchers to find out the causes of such phenomena and create a revolutionary drug to treat/prevent it. Ha. For now, there are thousands of sites and blogs giving tips which you can choose from on how to overcome such dilemma. Not to say that they're helpful or anything, but at least they exist. For me, writer's block is something one have to deal with on one's own. No single tip could really get the ball rolling and make everything right with the world. If the words are stuck, then one should just try to fix the traffic lights or at least hire a non-corrupt traffic officer to sort things out.

Easier said than done, though.

Selasa, 20 Oktober 2009

Temple of the Cats

A 50-year-old Siberian woman is cat crazy - her home has become a refuge to more than 130 felines.

Nina Kostsovo's tiny two-room apartment in Novosibirsk has been transformed into something of a sanctuary for the cats, which is particularly welcome considering the that temperatures can get as low as -40C.

She picked up her first street cat 15 years ago and has since been unable to pass by a cat in need.

"It is not like collecting stamps - which you can put into an album and not look after for years. These cats are really hard work," she explained.

One of Nina's big problems is taking time to pet all the cats and also coming up with names for newcomers.

Besides feeding them twice a day, once with porridge and once with dry cat food, Kostsovo also makes sure all male cats are castrated.

source: http://itn.co.uk/b57a8f5ba60fb748813e8aaa57d41642.html

Senin, 19 Oktober 2009

8-year-old boy has sex change


Joey Romero (8), has become a girl called Josie in a remarkable gender-swap case in the US. Josie was diagnosed as transgender at the age of six.Her sex has been legally changed and she will undergo surgery and drug treatment to help her grow up as a woman. Her mother Venessia (42), said, "As a toddler she wrapped up her army figures and rocked them like a baby. As she started to talk, she'd say, 'I'm a girl'. We used to correct her and say, 'No you're a boy'. By the time she was four she was insisting, 'No, I really am a girl'."Her father Joseph, an engineer in the US Air Force, said, "I had mourned the loss of my son. When I came to terms with it, I knew I had gained a daughter." The girl has been educated at home in Arizona after the family suffered taunts."Josie will be given drugs to prevent male adolescence and, at 12, get female hormones.

p.s.: Josie Romero (right) and sister Jade

source: http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/oct/171009-Josie-sex-change-Joey-Romero-surgery.htm

Sniff Project - The Virtual Dog

As you walk down the street you are approached by a dog. He is on his guard trying to discern your intentions. He will follow you and interpret your gestures as friendly or aggressive. He will try to engage you in a relationship and get you to pay attention to him.
Sniff is an interactive projection in a storefront window. As the viewer walks by the projection, her movements and gestures are tracked by a computer vision system. A CG dog dynamically responds to these gestures and changes his behavior based on the state of engagement with the viewer.


Goodbye Dishes

At last. One of my dreams has come true. We now have a stay in maid to keep our home squeaky clean and just basically livable. Ha! Goodbye scotch brite, that bald broomstick and blasted mop. Sayonara! I will definitely not going to miss you.

It has been such a long time since we had somebody to look after the house. I can't even remember the last time somebody did the dishes besides me, or my mom in rare cases. Let us take a moment of silence to relish this momentous event that is unfolding right before my very eyes.

The timing has never been better. Now that I'm officially reviewing for my IELTS exam and the house still in a state of Ondoy PTSD, there is nobody left to do the nitty gritty task of keeping everything in tip top shape. Additionally, a clean house keeps the psyche relaxed an free from mental clutter derived from the visual mess you see everyday. Believe me, I should know.

So, now, I am beyond happy, especially since this came as a surprise. I didn't know my mom was even considering hiring another one since of our bad track record with hired and fired maids in the past left this household a bit reluctant to adopt another potential disaster. Hopefully, we'll get our share of luck in this arena. And so far, things are going great. Goodbye dishes, and hello freedom! :D

Minggu, 18 Oktober 2009

Rammstein Sex Toy Box

With the release of RAMMSTEIN's new studio album, "Liebe Ist Für Alle Da", rapidly approaching, the German sextet has announced plans for a very unique limited-edition version of the 11-track release. Available later this fall, following the October 20 release date for the album, will be a flight case packaged with a "Liebe Ist Für Alle Da" CD, six sex toys (numerically corresponding to the number of band members), handcuffs and lubricant. Availability, pricing and release date to be announced shortly.


The band's first new CD in four years, "Liebe Ist Für Alle Da" contains 11 songs which were once again mixed and mastered by Jacob Hellner in Stockholm, Sweden. Pre-production for the new release was done at Castle Beerenstedt in eastern Germany's Halle/Saale while the bulk of the recording was done in late 2008 at Northern California's Sonoma Mountain Studio.

source: http://community.livejournal.com/ohnotheydidnt/40116688.html


2009 IELTS Test Dates



IELTS TEST DATES

MAY TO DECEMBER 2009


2009 May-Dec Ielts Test Dates



I'm not yet sure but I'm planning to take one of the December test dates if by that time I'm comfortable and confident enough to take it. If I put my mind to it, I think a month and a half could be enough time in preparation for the exam since I somewhat consider myself as moderately capable of handling the English language. Let's see what happens. Upon starting review I think I can measure my abilities and the time needed to ace the exam. Practice, practice, practice is what counts after all.

Sabtu, 17 Oktober 2009

Bizarre Cloud Filmed Over Moscow



aliens are coming =)

Shopping for an IELTS Review Center

Yesterday was a refreshingly action-packed day for me. For the first time in two weeks, I traveled past the border of our town and revisited my beloved UBelt. Me and my friend/classmate/groupmate Vanessa were supposed to meet at 10am but due to highly time-wasting circumstances that were not my fault, I arrived at St. Thomas at around 12nn. She was already processing her preliminary application for NCLEX at a center there. They also process IELTS applications for a fee of 300+ pesos. I grabbed all the IELTS review center fliers I could get my hands on for additional resource. When she was done, we visited a neighbor center ISCEC-KAPLAN and asked for rates and such.

Their rate for the IELTS review is 7,500, which is a bit on the higher end of the market as review fees commonly range from 2,500 to 10,000 pesos. I also didn't like their program which is comprised of non-flexible lecture schedules and the limited time in which you can use their facilities (maximum of 2 months). Plus, their latest review season has already started last Oct. 12, 2009 with only 13 students enrolled. Now, some people would say that a one-on-very-few approach is better. I say, depressing.

Next stop was another center I found on the internet which I dutifully labeled as interesting. So we looked for Niner's IELTS Review Center along the PRC street and found it right away. The office was small and homey packed with students coming and going as they please. On the front desk was a handwritten sign which said "Lunch Break" and there was no one there to talk to. I looked at the time and it was quarter to 1pm so we decided to wait until the break was over so we could inquire about the review program. I grabbed a paper from a box marked "Schedule" and written there was the schedule of all the lectures of all the branches of Niners for the next two weeks.

Each lecture runs for 2-3 hours and there are 3-4 lectures per day. 9-12AM, 1-4, 4-6 and 6-9PM. When the information lady arrived, I inquired about the program and lazily pushed a laminated piece of bond paper sitting on her desk. A long list of subject was there as well as the fees. P2,500 for the Crash Course which consist of only 8 lectures and P5,000 for the Unlimited Course with Final Coaching at SM Megamall or P4,500 without the final coaching.

I asked about the schedule, whether there will be a fixed schedule that a reviewee should attend and she said no. So that means, if I take the unlimited course, I can attend any scheduled lecture when I want, wherever I want. Also, even if I enroll in the branch in Morayta, I can still go and attend classes in other branches. Sounds great to me. Complete freedom!

I asked how many students per class and she said that the lecture hall could accommodate 50-100 students per session, which I thought was fantastic even though some would be appalled by the number (considering that other centers boast having a maximum of 10 or 15 students per class).

Here's the weird thing about me. I am not comfortable with a class with only a few number of students. I hate it when the teacher/reviewer is right in your face. It makes me uncomfortable and pressured. I've never been tutored and the one-on-one review style for me is just ridiculous. Hence, I would be perfectly comfortable blending in with a large crowd than sharing a class with only 9 other people.

I looked up the other centers on the brochures I got (Speakwell, Allgen and Rachel Allen) and found them not that suitable for me. Speakwell is more affiliated with IDP Australia and I'm quite concerned about that as I need to file in British Council and that they also have very limited slots per class which I hate. Allgen and Rachel Allen, I have the impression, is more concerned with NCLEX rather than IELTS and I want a center with IELTS as their forte.

So in the end, I am not completely decided yet but I'm veering on the direction of Niner's. Any suggestions for a review center?

Enough about this ramble fest on reviews and tests. Going back to my (yester)day, after inquiring, Vanessa and I decided to go to SM Megamall because of the 3-day Sale. After the long fx ride, we arrived at the mall famished so we decided first to eat at Shakey's before taking a look around. There were so many people but also so much stuff on sale. We had so much fun window shopping but in the end I bought a lip gloss from The Face Shop and 2 beautiful Fibrella Umbrellas, 1 for me and 1 for my future mother-in-law (haha) because it's her birthday. I was about to go home really happy with my purchases, until I saw the long line at the FX terminal. Long story short, it took me more than 1 hour before I got a ride. The fatigue and the hassle of commuting home did not dampen greatness of my day. I was still a happy camper when I arrived at home, my bed greeting me with soft and cuddly pillows.

I missed the outside world. Yes, I really did.

Rabu, 14 Oktober 2009

why so serious?


miss u cat =/

Ms. Best in English Apprehensive About an English Exam

Oh, the irony! But, yes, it's true. The student who have always excelled in the English subject in high school, who aced the TOEIC exam in college, the one who has been reading and writing all her life, is a bit wary in taking the English Tests of all Tests.

IELTS or International English Language Testing System is the leading English proficiency exam required by various English speaking countries. It consists of 4 parts which are Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. As of my understanding, I need to get a score of 7 in all the categories (even though, technically, there is no pass or fail in the said exam) to be qualified to enter the United Kingdom, where I plan to study and work.

My searches in the internet made me realize that I do need to work for this as much as I've worked in passing my NLE because unlike the multiple choice TOEIC, which was pretty easy btw, IELTS is composed of identifications, essays and even an interview session for the Speaking part of the test. Now, listening and writing almost come naturally for me, but I'm pretty sure I suck at formal writing. I like articles, adjectives and adverbs way too much that when I write, a sentence can go on and on in sarcastic circles without much point in it. Which is, sadly, a major no-no in the said exam.

And I'm worse at interviews. The last time I had an interview was upon admission to FEU Institute of Nursing 2 years ago. It is an experience I wanted to forget. I bet I either sounded too cocky or completely boring. The ancient C.I. who interviewed me barely cracked a smile. Thank Obama my battery exam results were exemplary so I was not that concerned about being dropped out of an institute that I haven't entered yet.

Multiple choice is my forte. I know that for a fact. I have this knack in feeling out the right answer even though I have no idea what the question is about. I think that's the reason how I got a line of 8 in the NLE without even memorizing the developmental tasks in Pedia or any drug of choice for a given disease. If I were to take the NCLEX, with ample time and guidance for review, I'm pretty confident I could very well pass the said exam. This special power (both a gift and a curse), however, will not help me in any way in acing the IELTS.

I spent the whole day searching Google for a great review center for the IELTS. I found a couple, Niner and Kaplan. Are they any good? I know that some or most of the examinees just self review at home either by instructional CDs or via the internet. I've read that there are also many resources available at the British Council for sale. Those are all great alternatives but I'm so sick of being at home all the time right now that I'm yearning for a classroom setup.

I miss commuting and having somewhere to go to, something to do. I know it's my fault that I'm still stuck now at home with nothing but internet and TV for company because I refused to lower my pride and work in a call center or even volunteer somewhere because I have nobody to go with me. But those 2 1/2 months since passing the board exam are now over, there's no use crying over spilled OJ. So now, I really want to find a review center I'm comfortable with, study, and get my life back on track.

By the end of this month, I must be enrolled somewhere and studying my favorite subject. I'm optimistic about the review sessions because I love the language and any information about it will probably be accepted by my neurons with open arms. I've always wanted to enroll in a creative writing class but haven't got the chance since our units and subjects in nursing college is pretty much set (unlike other universities e.g. UP where you can pick your own minors).

I know this is a far cry from that. It's just I'm so ready for something to do. Watch as my BuddyPoke avatar jump up and down from excitement and her anime face light up in a comic smile.

Senin, 12 Oktober 2009

Blueprint

My life is so stagnant right now mosquitos are going to start breeding on me. We were supposed to line up really early last week for the IVT Training reservations in the Lung Center of the Philippines but since Pepeng was threatening to wind up the whole of Luzon that day and one of my friends who was supposed to go with us was still in an evacuation center, we all opted to just stay safe and warm at home for the time being in fear of being stranded somewhere in a middle of an endless lake.

Now, I have nothing to look forward to. No plans at all. Hospitals normally open their reservation slots at the start of the month for a training schedule for the next month. And if some hospital decided to kick the tradition, I don't think I have the energy nor the patience to do a telephone marathon, for the 4th time, calling the same institutions and asking the same questions and hearing the same answers.

Right now, I'm stuck at home, with terrible cramps and feeling overall useless. My semi-long goal for the meantime is to review for the IELTS examination that I need to pass in order to work abroad. Maybe early next year, I'll be able to take and pass the exam. Then we'll see what happens. If things work as planned, I won't be spending the whole next year here in the Philippines. I'll be working in the line of work I've studied for 4 years and earning my own money.

Here's to optimism. *raises glass of water* :)

Horror Cakes