September 12th, 2008 — Uncategorized
Humphead Wrasse – the fish
It is called the humphead wrasse because of the hump on its head but it is also called the Napoleon wrasse or the Maori wrasse because of where they are found: in the coral reefs of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines and as far south as Australia. In Malaysia and the Philippines, it is called mameng. Fortunately, there is only one scientific name for this fish; that is, Cheilinus undalatus, the name given by a Mr. Rupell in 1835 (www.fishbase.org)
The humphead wrasse is one the largest coral reef fishes. It can grow up to 230 cm long, weigh up to 190kg (whoa… it can actually grow more than twice as heavy as me!), and live for 32 years. It matures at about 50 cm and changes sex from female to male at about 60cm. It lives on shallow coral reefs, from 1m to 60m deep. It is important to fisheries, particularly for the Live Reef Food Fish Trade. Juvenile humphead wrasse, plastered-sized, fetch a very high price in restaurants. In Hong Kong, it costs more than USD 100 for just 1 kg of this fish to be cooked and served! It is thus no surprise that fishermen and middlemen go after this fish to see to Hong Kong.
September 12th, 2008 — James Bond 007, movie
007
This is another James Bond movie, with a very fantastic cast.
I’m sure this movie will hit the Universe like the other James Bond movies.
This movie could gather many awards!
Let’s all watch this movie.
September 12th, 2008 — movie
Flash of Genius is a conventional crowdpleaser but not, I’m pleased to report, a shameless one. Chronicling the true story of a college professor’s fight to reclaim his invention – the intermittent windshield wiper – from the car company that stole it, the film does many of the things you’d expect, but it may also surprise you. Don’t let its Telluride placement fool you: this is a staunchly mainstream, unchallenging film, the sort of underdog-vs.-corporate-behemoth story you’ve seen time and again. But it’s a decent rendition, hitting the right notes without insulting our intelligence.
Now, the intermittent windshield wiper is not exactly the light bulb. If you’re not familiar with the term, the wiper is “intermittent” in the sense that it can pause between wipes – a problem that apparently puzzled engineers at all the major car companies until Kearns cracked it the late 60s. But part of what’s nifty about the film is its ability to create suspense and curiosity around something so seemingly mundane. Kearns’ first demo of his device to Ford is exciting in a very goofy way, but exciting nonetheless.
Being vaguely familiar with the plight and ultimate triumph of Dr. Robert Kearns (Greg Kinnear), I expected most of Flash of Genius to be a legal procedural, the story of how a lone college professor outmaneuvered the Ford Motor Company and won back the rights to his invention. But here’s the biggest surprise: until the final half hour, this isn’t a courtroom drama but a psychological one. It’s not about the thrill of David taking on Goliath, but the helplessness of being pitted against an impersonal, uncaring foe with limitless time and resources. Kearns is consumed by the injustice and the need to fight back, no matter the odds or the toll the battle will take on his wife (Lauren Graham) and their six kids. For a while, the film is less concerned with the logistics of the fight than with its effect on Kearns, and that proves interesting. There’s a moment early on when he ruminates on what makes a man a success, and his wife subtly suggests that he should consider his family as well as his invention as part of the success calculus. He ignores her completely, which turns out to be prescient and sad.
To its credit, the movie maintains this theme as it details Kearns’ multi-decade battle: there’s some redemption for him and his family, but everything doesn’t turn out hunky-dory. A nearly 20-year legal war takes its toll. Flash of Genius is at its best when it recognizes that fact, and would have been better had it done more to acknowledge that whatever victory Kearns achieves has to be considered pyrrhic. The legal system doesn’t let him down, exactly, but the price of vindicating his rights would have been too high for virtually everyone else.
The last act concerns itself with the inevitable courtroom wrangling. Kearns’ lawyer, played with terrific smugness by Alan Alda, ditches him years before the case gets to trial, and the by-now-impoverished inventor is forced to represent himself. The movie has fun with this, particularly when Kearns has to put himself on the stand. We’re meant to root for him and marvel at his ingenuity in court as in his makeshift basement laboratory.
This is entertaining enough in the usual ways, with the added bonus that Kearns isn’t actually a lawyer. It’s also perfectly predictable, and not nearly as interesting as what came before. Does anyone remember David Mamet’s The Winslow Boy, another film about a protracted and arguably foolhardy legal crusade for honor and right, and the toll it took on a family? There, the trial and the delivery of the verdict happened off-screen. I wish first-time director Marc Abraham and screenwriter Philip Railsback had had the guts to do the same here.
But what ultimately keeps Flash of Genius in the realm of mere adequacy, I think, is that there isn’t much to Kearns beyond his dogged determination. Kinnear’s portrayal is endearing, but neither he nor the screenplay ever really gets a sense of the man. He’s a generically likable protagonist. Had he been more, the film’s attempts to explore his psychological deterioration may have become moving instead of merely intriguing.
September 8th, 2008 — Bleach Anime Manga
Ichigo Kurosaki (黒崎 一護, Kurosaki Ichigo?) is a fictional character in the anime and manga franchiseBleach by mangaka Tite Kubo. He is the story’s main protagonist. The series begins with Ichigo receiving Soul Reaper powers as a result of a run-in with Rukia Kuchiki, the Soul Reaper assigned to patrol his city, Karakura Town. These powers come at the cost of Rukia’s own, and as a result, Ichigo concedes to work as Rukia’s stand-in, fighting to protect people from evil spirits called hollows and sending good spirits, wholes, to Soul Society.
In addition to the main series, Ichigo appears in many other pieces of Bleach media, including the two featured films in the series, the two original video animations, and several video games. Merchandise based on Ichigo’s likeness has also been released, including toys, clothing, and action figures.
Ichigo’s character has been well received among both fans and reviewers. In Shonen Jump character popularity polls, Ichigo consistently ranks as one of the most popular characters in Bleach, and the 2007 Japanese Newtype magazine polls ranked him as one of the top 100 most-loved anime characters. Reviewers of the series have also remarked favorably on his personality, though some considered him to be a stereotypical anti-hero during the first few episodes of the series.
Character outline
[edit] Personality
Ichigo is a 15-year-old who attempts to cultivate a detached image, for which he keeps his eyebrows constantly furrowed. Ichigo has natural orange hair, a fact that annoys many bullies in his school, who constantly pick fights with him.[10] Ichigo claims that he does not care what others think and seems to enjoy fighting the bullies. While in junior high school, Ichigo met and befriended Yasutora “Chad” Sado, a boy from another school who helped him out of a fight. Chad, although extremely strong, was often the target of beatings because he refused to fight for his own sake due to a promise he had made as a child to his grandfather. Upon discovering this, Ichigo made a pact with Chad in which they both agreed to fight and risk their lives for something the other was willing to risk their life for. Ichigo comments that thanks to Rukia his life changed, and thanks to her he is able to protect the people he cares for.[11]
When Ichigo was nine, his mother, Masaki Kurosaki, was killed by the hollow Grand Fisher, although Ichigo did not find out the true cause of her death until early in the main Bleach storyline.[12] Prior to learning about this, Ichigo felt guilty for his mother’s death, blaming himself for wandering too close to the water and causing her to put herself in harm’s way to save him. Even after that, Masaki’s death continues to influence Ichigo by causing him to feel guilt for his inability to protect those close to him. Since then, Ichigo lives with his father Isshin Kurosaki and his two younger sisters, Yuzu and Karin. His father runs a small medical clinic.
Ichigo’s name, written with homophone kanji, means 1 and 5 when separated as ichi (一) and go (五), the reason behind the two numbers’ frequent appearances in the series, notably on the sampler hanging on his bedroom door. The word ichigo (苺/イチゴ), written in yet another way, means “strawberry” —one of his nicknames— in Japanese, and is normally only used as a girl’s name; when teased about this fact, Ichigo proudly counters that his name is spelled with ichi (一) as in “first” and go (護) from “guardian”. Ichigo’s father once told him that his name means “he who protects.”[citation needed] The name also means ‘one’s lifetime.’[citation needed]
[edit] Abilities
Ichigo is one of the rare living humans in the Bleach universe to possess innate spiritual powers, which give him the ability to see ghosts. When the full extent of these powers is unlocked as a consequence of his meeting with Rukia Kuchiki, they turn out to be both massive and contagious, and many of his friends begin to develop spiritual powers due to their proximity to him. Because Ichigo produces more spiritual energy than his body can contain, it leaks out constantly, preventing him from hiding it and effectively making stealth impossible when dealing with other spiritually-aware beings.
Ichigo with the spirit of Zangetsu while wielding his zanpakutō in its shikai form.
Though he does not possess any formal Soul Reaper rank, Ichigo’s overall abilities are great enough that he can fight on the level of a Soul Reaper captain. When he is in his Soul Reaper form, Ichigo’s already impressive athletic abilities are greatly enhanced.[13]
Ichigo’s zanpakutō is named Zangetsu (斬月, Zangetsu? literally “cutting moon”).[8] Unlike most Soul Reapers, who can seal their zanpakutō after releasing it, Ichigo’s zanpakutō is always in its shikai form. Its sealed form is that of an ordinary zanpakutō, but oversized as a result of Ichigo’s uncontrolled spiritual pressure. Zangetsu’s spirit takes the form of a middle-aged man, voiced by Takayuki Sugo in the Japanese anime and by Richard Epcar in the English dub.[14][15] Zangetsu is portrayed as wise and calm in most matters, and fond of testing Ichigo in unusual ways, many of which have a purpose completely contrary to the stated goal. In its shikai, Zangetsu takes the form of an oversized cleaver blade without a hilt or guard.
Ichigo’s appearance after performing bankai.
Zangetsu’s bankai, named Tensa Zangetsu (天鎖斬月, Tensa Zangetsu? literally “heavenly chained cutting moon”), is considered completely out of the ordinary for any zanpakutō. Ichigo’s bankai shrinks the sword down while his uniform also changes to resemble the robe worn by Zangetsu’s human form. By compressing his power, Ichigo can move at high speeds, exceeding those of flash steps, and is given matching agility and reflexes, allowing him to use his natural strength to its limits.[16] Zangetsu’s special ability, in either form, is the Getsuga Tenshō (月牙天衝, Getsuga Tenshō? literally “moon-fang piercer of the heavens”, translated in the English anime as “piercer of heaven”), an energy blast fired from the tip of the blade.[17]
In addition to his Soul Reaper powers, Ichigo partially becomes a hollow while reobtaining his Soul Reaper powers with the help of Kisuke Urahara.[18] This leaves him with an inner hollow spirit that grows in strength as the series progresses. The spirit has an arrogant personality and mocks his counterpart’s inability in a sneering, didactic fashion whenever the chance arises.[19] The hollow occasionally takes over Ichigo’s body, at which times it fights like a berserker, is able to ignore any injuries Ichigo has previously sustained, and shows considerably increased speed and strength.[20] Ichigo is taught to control his hollow by the vizard, allowing him to call upon his hollow powers at will and without sacrificing control to his hollow self.[21] He is also taught to call on his hollow’s powers by donning his hollow mask, supplementing his Soul Reaper powers with his hollow powers. Ichigo can initially only maintain this form for eleven seconds, but the limit increases substantially during his third battle with Grimmjow Jeagerjaques.[22][23]
September 8th, 2008 — sexy
© Glenn Harris/PR Photos
Is often compared to famous movie actress in case of her sex appeal and most of all the tattoos she has, distances herself from the mother of four with her just-attached label, FHM No. 1 Sexiest Woman in the World. Debuted on the FHM’s annual list in 2006 at No. 68 and ranked at No. 65 in 2007, the 21-year-old actress-model tops this year list, stealing the crown from last year reigning hottie who has to settle for the third spot.
Jolie herself also is included in the list, being chosen the 12th Sexiest Woman in the World. Reigning the top spot on FHM’s annual 100 Sexiest Women in the World poll of FHM readers, Fox beats out the likes of , , and among others who are on the 2nd, 4th and 5th spots respectively. Joining them on the Top 10 are , , Tricia Helfer, , and at no. 6 to 10 in a row. Pop star surprisingly also makes the cut, reigning the 100th spot.
Per FHM, nearly 9 million votes were cast for the 14th edition of the annual poll. Check out the entire FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women in the World on its .
September 7th, 2008 — Uncategorized
Rafael Nadal - Rafa
Rafael Nadal born the 3 of June of 1986. Rafael Nadal Parera is from Manacor, Majorca, Spain and he is a tennis player breaker that none can beat.
He is a totally born winner, a killer of the courts and an amazing sportsman and person with a lot of energy and vitality. He can play with two hands, but it is well known that his left one is the best.
Rafa won his first tennis championship when he was 8 years old. He belongs to a family of sportsmen. Rafael Nadal uncle Miguel was player of the Majorca and the FC Barcelona. And his trainer is his own uncle Toni who was a professional player of tennis. Toni began to prepare to Rafael Nadal being this a boy. For the player, the training of their uncle have been decisive. “It demands much to me, I guess that for being of my family. He has taught to me everything, and mainly to being better person”. Says Rafael Nadal about his uncle and trainer.
This young guy called Rafael Nadal has all the skills to become the number one of the world.
If you want to know more about him, visit Rafael Nadal Biography to know more about him and his family, you also can visit Rafael Nadal Pictures to see some photos and videos.
Rafael Nadal Career
Rafael Nadal Individual Titles
2008
Rafael Nadal won Wimbledon beating Roger Federer in a long 5 set battle. The information for 2007 & 2008 will be updated soon.
2007
2006
Roland Garros 2006 (Rafael Nadal over Federer again)
Masters Series of Rome (2006)
Trophy Count of Godó (2006)
Masters Series of Montecar it (2006)
Match of Dubai (2006)
2005
Masters Series of Madrid (2005)
China Open (2005)
Masters Series of Montreal, Canada (2005)
Match of Stuttgart, Germany (2005)
Match of Bastad, Sweden (2005)
Roland Garros, Paris (2005)
Masters Series of Rome (2005)
Open Seat Godo, Barcelona (2005)
Tennis Masters Montecarlo, Monaco (2005)
Mexican Open of tennis, Acapulco (2005)
Brazil Open, Costa do Sauipe (2005)
Idea Prokom Open, Sopot (2004)
Rafael Nadal Records
In Rafael Nadal records currently is a 60-match clay court winning streak—an Open Era record for a male player.
Rafael Nadal is one of only two people to win the French Open on his first attempt, the first being Mats Wilander in 1982. By defending his title in 2006, he is a perfect 14-0 in the tournament.
At 19 years 1 month and 22 days, Rafael Nadal became the third teenager in history (since 1973) to reach world no. 2 in the INDESIT ATP Entry Ranking, joining Boris Becker (18 years, 9 months and 17 days) and Björn Borg (18 years, 10 months and 2 days) as the only teenagers to be ranked no. 2.
He has held two winning streaks of 20 consecutive matches or more. The first one was a 24-match winning streak in mid 2005; the second is a streak of 26 matches dating from his loss to Carlos Moya in March 2006 to his retirement due to injury in the quarterfinals of the Queen’s Club tournament against Lleyton Hewitt on 16 June 2006.
September 5th, 2008 — Uncategorized
Meet Barack
Early Years
Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4th, 1961. His father, Barack Obama Sr., was born and raised in a small village in Kenya, where he grew up herding goats with his own father, who was a domestic servant to the British.
Barack’s mother, Ann Dunham, grew up in small-town Kansas. Her father worked on oil rigs during the Depression, and then signed up for World War II after Pearl Harbor, where he marched across Europe in Patton’s army. Her mother went to work on a bomber assembly line, and after the war, they studied on the G.I. Bill, bought a house through the Federal Housing Program, and moved west to Hawaii.
It was there, at the University of Hawaii, where Barack’s parents met. His mother was a student there, and his father had won a scholarship that allowed him to leave Kenya and pursue his dreams in America.
Barack’s father eventually returned to Kenya, and Barack grew up with his mother in Hawaii, and for a few years in Indonesia. Later, he moved to New York, where he graduated from Columbia University in 1983.
The College Years
Remembering the values of empathy and service that his mother taught him, Barack put law school and corporate life on hold after college and moved to Chicago in 1985, where he became a community organizer with a church-based group seeking to improve living conditions in poor neighborhoods plagued with crime and high unemployment.
The group had some success, but Barack had come to realize that in order to truly improve the lives of people in that community and other communities, it would take not just a change at the local level, but a change in our laws and in our politics.
He went on to earn his law degree from Harvard in 1991, where he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. Soon after, he returned to Chicago to practice as a civil rights lawyer and teach constitutional law. Finally, his advocacy work led him to run for the Illinois State Senate, where he served for eight years. In 2004, he became the third African American since Reconstruction to be elected to the U.S. Senate.
Political Career
It has been the rich and varied experiences of Barack Obama’s life - growing up in different places with people who had differing ideas - that have animated his political journey. Amid the partisanship and bickering of today’s public debate, he still believes in the ability to unite people around a politics of purpose - a politics that puts solving the challenges of everyday Americans ahead of partisan calculation and political gain.
In the Illinois State Senate, this meant working with both Democrats and Republicans to help working families get ahead by creating programs like the state Earned Income Tax Credit, which in three years provided over $100 million in tax cuts to families across the state. He also pushed through an expansion of early childhood education, and after a number of inmates on death row were found innocent, Senator Obama worked with law enforcement officials to require the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases.
In the U.S. Senate, he has focused on tackling the challenges of a globalized, 21st century world with fresh thinking and a politics that no longer settles for the lowest common denominator. His first law was passed with Republican Tom Coburn, a measure to rebuild trust in government by allowing every American to go online and see how and where every dime of their tax dollars is spent. He has also been the lead voice in championing ethics reform that would root out Jack Abramoff-style corruption in Congress.
As a member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Senator Obama has fought to help Illinois veterans get the disability pay they were promised, while working to prepare the VA for the return of the thousands of veterans who will need care after Iraq and Afghanistan. Recognizing the terrorist threat posed by weapons of mass destruction, he traveled to Russia with Republican Dick Lugar to begin a new generation of non-proliferation efforts designed to find and secure deadly weapons around the world. And knowing the threat we face to our economy and our security from America’s addiction to oil, he’s working to bring auto companies, unions, farmers, businesses and politicians of both parties together to promote the greater use of alternative fuels and higher fuel standards in our cars.
Whether it’s the poverty exposed by Katrina, the genocide in Darfur, or the role of faith in our politics, Barack Obama continues to speak out on the issues that will define America in the 21st century. But above all his accomplishments and experiences, he is most proud and grateful for his family. His wife, Michelle, and his two daughters, Malia, 9, and Sasha, 6, live on Chicago’s South Side.
September 3rd, 2008 — new game
Evolution
StarCraft II continues the epic saga of the Protoss, Terran, and Zerg. These three distinct and powerful races will clash once again in the fast-paced real-time strategy sequel to the legendary original, StarCraft. Legions of veteran, upgraded, and brand-new unit types will do battle across the galaxy, as each faction struggles for survival.
Featuring a unique single-player campaign that picks up where StarCraft: Brood War left off, StarCraft II will present a cast of new heroes and familiar faces in an edgy sci-fi story filled with adventure and intrigue. In addition, Blizzard will again offer unparalleled online play through Battle.net, the company’s world-renowned gaming service, with several enhancements and new features to make StarCraft II the ultimate competitive real-time strategy game.
Features:
- Fast-paced, hard-hitting, tightly balanced competitive real-time strategy gameplay that recaptures and improves on the magic of the original game
- Three completely distinct races: Protoss, Terran, and Zerg
- New units and gameplay mechanics further distinguish each race
- Groundbreaking single-player campaign
- Vibrant new 3D-graphics engine with support for dazzling visual effects and massive unit and army sizes
- Full multiplayer support, with new competitive features and matchmaking utilities available through Battle.net
- Full map-making and scripting tools to give players incredible freedom in customizing and personalizing their gameplay experience
September 3rd, 2008 — rOAR
The NEW Age of Gaming
Two decades have passed since the demonic lords, Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal, set out across the world of Sanctuary on a vicious rampage, twisting humanity to their unholy will. Yet for those who battled the Prime Evils, the memory fades slowly.
When Deckard Cain returns to the ruins of Tristram Cathedral seeking clues to defeat new stirrings of evil, a fiery harbinger of doom falls from the heavens, striking the very ground where Diablo once entered the world. This fire from the sky reawakens ancient evils and calls the heroes of Sanctuary to defend the mortal world against the rising powers of the Burning Hells once again.
September 3rd, 2008 — classic anime
Spike
Three years ago, Spike decided to abandon his past and strike out on a life of his own, so he left the Red Dragons (a Chinese Mafia group) and teamed up with Jet Black to roam the solar system in search of bounty and adventure. A lean, laid-back individual, Spike is nonetheless competent in his abilities. His idol is 20th-century martial artist and philospher Bruce Lee, and he is constantly practicing his own Jeet Kune Do skills. He has yet to lose a fair fight hand-to-hand (well, except to Ed’s father). Combine this with proficiency with a handgun, and he is definitely not a man to mess with.
Though he doesn’t really own it, Spike calls the Bebop home. Home life for Spike, though, is relatively tame. If he isn’t practicing his martial arts, he’s watching the TV. TV is the Space Cowboy’s best friend because of Big Shot, a “Solar System’s Most Wanted” for bounty hunters.
Spike also has a personal craft: his transit from home ship to planet. His “baby” is named Sword Fish II. Spike’s personal ship was originally a Sword Fish asteroid racer (a notorius racing circuit in its day) but has since been customized to make it one of the fastest personal ships in existence. It is very maneuverable yet capable of incredible speeds, and it is able to fly both in air and in space.
