YUBBIE SKYLINES.

2010-11-09T02:29:00.002+01:00

DARK SIDE OF THE LENS from Astray Films on Vimeo.

Absolutely Stunning,the visuals wicked.Overall very poetic, sensitive & breathtaking.[DARK SIDE OF THE LENS
by Astray Films].

Nia Long & Larenz Tate

2010-09-16T23:24:00.000+01:00

BET Videos

Nia Long and Larenze Tate brings back memories of the black romance comedy LOVE JONES.Nia Long is one of my favorite actresses. She still looks HOT!!!!

10 Questions for James Cameron

2010-03-09T08:41:00.002+01:00

With the release of his latest film, Avatar, the director even beat his own record: on Jan. 26 it surpassed Titanic to become the highest grossing film worldwide. James Cameron answers reader questions here.

Protect Your Brain, Preserve Your Senses.

2009-08-20T06:00:00.005+01:00

The blueberry happens to be my favorite.

Tribute to the King of Pop - Michael Jackson

2009-06-27T06:23:00.001+01:00

You will always be missed.

Nice...yet very funny.

2009-05-05T04:52:00.001+01:00

This Day in History

2009-05-04T20:44:00.001+01:00

Dare 2 Soar.

2008-10-26T02:58:00.001+01:00

Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but by how we react to what happens; not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst...a spark that creates extraordinary results.

We will maintain a tenacious Can-Do attitude and will foster the philosophy that failure is not an option.

Quote of the Day.

2008-10-20T21:31:00.002+01:00

Be thankful for what you have- you'll end up having more. - OPRAH WINFREY

Courage

2008-10-19T17:57:00.002+01:00

Listen to the Exhortation of the Dawn!
Look to this Day!
For it is Life, the very Life of Life.
In its brief course lie all the
Verities and Realities of your Existence.
The Bliss of Growth,
The Glory of Action,
The Splendor of Beauty;
For Yesterday is but a Dream,
And To-morrow is only a Vision;
But To-day well lived makes
Every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness,
And every Tomorrow a Vision of Hope.
Look well therefore to this Day!
Such is the Salutation of the Dawn!

Quantum Of Solace

2008-10-16T00:53:00.001+01:00

Life On Mars.

2008-10-16T00:25:00.001+01:00

Weekly EpisodeS on ABC.COM

The Mystery of the bermuda triangle.

2008-10-11T23:02:00.004+01:00

I have been very curious to know more about the Bermuda triangle. When i lived back in Nigeria, i heard a lot about mystical stories that has no facts.Its even more mysterious when a country like the united states with all its advancement in science and technology can't seem to find out what happened to 75 ships and 40 planes that disappeared in the Bermuda triangle.

The Bermuda triangle is in a region of the Atlantic Ocean between Bermuda, Miami, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.I can understand reasons for the accidents such as hurricanes, tropical storms, human error etc etc. But in a situation where you can't find the ship or planes, except for 2 ships. That is something to look into.
Its also believed that this region is linked to the lost world of Atlantis. I'll not be surprised if the Bermuda triangle is the sighting of the UFO.

Getting it straight

2008-10-09T01:34:00.003+01:00

The press can't help being a player in the presidential campaign.We're the moderator- for better or for worse. The candidates talk to the public through the media, and the public talks to the candidates through the polls. The 24/7 news cycle- cable television, the internet, the blogosphere -has the effect of trivializing big stories and making big stories out of trivial ones.Its disingenuous to say we're often the message too.

Say You're one of them- Uwem Akpan's novel brings tales from Africa.

2008-09-03T03:04:00.002+01:00

Say You're one of them by Uwem Akpan offers a richer, more view of Africa than one we often see on the news- from the perspective of five forgetable children.In masterfully crafted tales, the Nigerian born author takes the reader on a jor=urney through the Motherland that goes from the depiction of a street family's poverty in kenya to illegal trading of children in Gabon to religious conflict in Nigerian and Ethopia. Akpan grew up in Ikot Ekpene(AKS)Nigeria.

Beijing Olympics 2008: Breathtaking Opening Ceremony..

2008-08-09T17:23:00.000+01:00

Over four billions people turned in to watch the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summer Olympic games all over the world. I watched the event in a restaurant here in Dallas with many other fans that were waiting to watch the event.I started watching the olympic games since i was a kid. The first opening ceremony i watched was the 1984 summer olympic in Los Angeles, California.It was very captivating.I remember Lionel Riche singing during that ceremony. I think that was my best part(lol). I have been fortunate to watch all olympic games opening ceremonies ever since.

This year's opening ceremony, i got to tell you was overwhelming.If you missed it, you might want to buy the DVD or get it anyway possible, because you really missed a spectacle. I got to tell you that there is nothing compared to this event since the beginning of creation.It surpasses event in history. It tops all opening ceremonies and events in the history of mankind. Chine has indeed set the pace for countries in the future to follow. I don't even see London living up to that expatiation in 2012.

I enjoyed watching all the countries marching with their flags. My favorite as always is watching United States of America and Nigeria( sorry fans just being patriotic ). I don't know where to start, either can i tell you what i love the most. I had chill and goose-bums throughout the whole ceremony. Some of events i enjoyed was watching the nine year kid that went back to save his classmates during the earthquake that happened early this year. Walking along side with yao ming. Besides that were the drummers and dancers, Sky-walking, torch-bearing gymnast lighting the olympic flames. The giant dazzling fireworks from the investors of fireworks.

Other performances were meticulous sequence of all the visual effects which happen to be human beings, the extravaganza included the display of the chinese culture and many more. All i can tell you is that it was jaw-dropping. I am looking forward to the closing ceremony. Enjoy the olympics.

Garfield

2008-08-06T16:30:00.000+01:00

Hi Friends

2008-08-06T15:34:00.000+01:00

Its been a while.Sorry life got in the way.Hope you guys had fun,cos i have been enjoying my life the best way i can.Hopefully,I,ll be adding more stuff on my blog.Enjoy!!!

Space Explorers Captured Voltron: Defender of the Universe Season 1 : Ep. 1

2008-08-02T18:51:00.000+01:00

LOST

2008-05-14T01:29:00.001+01:00

Climate Change???

2008-04-20T20:58:00.003+01:00

Throughout history, people have been a powerful force for positive change. That's because when people unite and call for action, change isn't just possible, it's inevitable. But no single person stormed the beaches of Normandy or ended slavery, and no single person will stop global warming. When we solve the climate crisis, it will be because of regular people like you and me. It will be because we, along with our neighbors, co-workers, and friends around the world, took a stand and demanded that our leaders make stopping global warming a top priority.On more on the Climate Change visit us at www.wecansolveit.org or click on the right-hand side of my blog under my interest.Thanks for your support.

Garfield

2008-04-20T20:47:00.001+01:00

YouTube - Nina sings bubbly for yubbie

2008-04-18T21:21:00.000+01:00

YouTube - Nina sings bubbly for yubbie

a jabbawockeez crew fan

2008-03-08T07:36:00.003+01:00

Have any of you guys been watching Randy Jackson Presents America's Best Dance Crew .
If you have not? You have been missing out. Except you are not a DANCE fan.That's understood.Stay there.On more on the Jabbawockeez visit them herehttp://www.jabbawockeez.com.

My funniest youtube video for 2007

2007-12-29T08:22:00.000+01:00

Check out my Guestbook! Thanks

2007-12-27T09:14:00.001+01:00

A Question of Blame When Societies Fall

2007-12-26T04:31:00.000+01:00

The ancient Moai on Easter Island.(click to read more....)

DILBERT

2007-12-25T16:53:00.000+01:00

Olympus FE-300 gets reviewed - Engadget

2007-11-28T23:40:00.000+01:00

Olympus FE-300 gets reviewed - Engadget

My best firm set on/in watercraft

2007-11-10T02:27:00.000+01:00

1.)Apocalypse Now (2.)Das boot (3.)Titanic (4.)The hunt for red october (5.) crimson tide (6.)Master and commander: the far side of the world. (7.)The poisedon Adventure
(8.) The perfert storm (9.)u-571 (10.) Pirates of the carribean

Replating - donate your leftover dinner!

2007-10-28T22:36:00.000+01:00

v. (re . plate): To place unwanted leftovers, typically in a doggie bag, on top of the nearest trash can so they don't go to waste.

I came across this great idea/website that promotes giving your leftovers to the homeless and hungry. It is true that most of the time our leftovers go from the fridge to the trash more often than our tummies. Putting our leftovers over garbage cans where the homeless can easily access them is a great idea. Let's spread the word about this cool idea - let your friends and community know about www.replate.org today.

Facebook Comes to the BlackBerry

2007-10-26T15:14:00.000+01:00

Switched: Gadgets, Tech, Digital Stuff for the Rest of Us

Running your Life!!!

2007-07-10T00:37:00.001+01:00

"There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge" -Napoleon Hill

RUNNING your Life without mental limitation is something I have been striving for pretty much all of my life. It is amazing how much RUNNING has influenced the way I see the world. It has opened my eyes so much that even seeing the whole world is insignificant to me. My vision is like looking into the galaxy and seeing no end to possibility. The mind is a very powerful thing it can even out smart the best of us. It makes us believe that we have limits. RUNNING is the thing I have found that can kill the bad habit's of the mind. You RUN until your mind tells you to stop then you keep going. This exercise is great to play chess with your mind and make it understand that as smart as it may think it is; your spirit will always be the ruler.

I have attached a clip of a video that has intrigued me. Here you have one of the greatest endurance RUNNER'S intrigued by another endurance RUNNER. What I want you guys/girls to get out of this is the mind is the controlling factor of anything they are talking about. So if it's RUNNING or LIFE that you are trying to control all you have to do is out wit and out smart that thing that sit's inbetween your ears. Enjoy and never set any limits on anything you do as long as it's legal : - )

Keep Moving,
Yubbie

AMERICAN IDOL- FUNNY

2007-06-27T08:48:00.000+01:00

Hi there!!!

2007-05-22T00:23:00.000+01:00

I,ve been havin' lots of fun lately.I have been so busy, i,ve not had the time to update my blog.Hope you are enjoying the ones i got already.Don,t worry i,ll keep it coming.I,m just getting started, and i ain,t stopping.Have fun

yubbie

Welcome to Geico caveman's crib

2007-04-22T07:56:00.000+01:00

Geico Cavemen

2007-04-22T07:01:00.000+01:00

Geico Cavemen Apology.

2007-04-21T07:47:00.000+01:00

Geico Caveman complaint

2007-04-20T07:48:00.000+01:00

geico caveman's crib golf

2007-04-19T07:38:00.000+01:00

Caveman's Crib - Kitchen

2007-04-18T07:36:00.000+01:00

Caveman's Crib

2007-04-17T07:36:00.000+01:00

Geico Caveman commercial trevecca style.

2007-04-16T07:34:00.000+01:00

Geico Caveman trailer - feat. Eliot Lipp's "Flashlight"

2007-04-15T07:33:00.000+01:00

The Geico Caveman in Aztlan

2007-04-14T07:28:00.000+01:00

Geico's Caveman at the Night of 100 Stars

2007-04-13T07:27:00.000+01:00

Geico Caveman V.1 Friday Night Live TNU

2007-04-11T07:25:00.000+01:00

GEICO Caveman Playing Golf

2007-04-10T07:23:00.000+01:00

Rush hour in Dallas, Texas.

2007-04-09T14:04:00.000+01:00

WWE WrestleMania 23 .Theme:"all grown up"

2007-04-02T08:05:00.000+01:00

WWE WrestleMania 23 Opener:

Wrestlemania 23 opened with a video montage of past Wrestlemania logos and clips from those events. They showed Vince McMahon welcoming fans to Wrestlemania III at the Silverdome, then switched to a live shot of Ford Field. They continued to play the Wrestlemania III audio of Vince's introduction, which led to Aretha Franklin singing "America The Beautiful". Aretha, accompanied by a choir, sang while a montage of clips of WWE stars with troops overseas was shown. Fireworks went off at the end. A video package focusing on the "All Grown Up" theme for Wrestlemania was shown. Pyro went off, and WWE Hall Of Famers Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler welcomed us to the show. They immediately put over that there were more fans at Ford Field tonight than there were when the Superbowl was held there. The Smackdown and ECW announce teams were then given their chance to welcome us to the show.

Money in the Bank Ladder Match

Edge vs. CM Punk vs. King Booker vs. Jeff Hardy vs.
Mr. Kennedy vs. Matt Hardy vs. Finlay vs. Randy Orton

Each wrestler had a separate entrance and each wrestler's entrance was accompanied by their respective brand's announcers talking about the participant. Jeff Hardy, then King Booker with Sharmell, then Fit Finlay, then CM Punk, then Ken Kennedy (who had his mic on the stage to introduce himself), then Matt Hardy, then Randy Orton, and finally Edge. All the announcers are going to call this match together. There were several ladders set up in the aisle, and all around ringside on the floor.

The start:

At the start, everyone stared at the briefcase, then some wrestlers ran to the floor to get ladders, while others began brawling. A group of them fought on the floor and Finlay, yes, Finlay, jumped off the top rope onto the pile. In the ring, Edge went for the case, but Matt Hardy pulled him down. They went to the floor. Orton and Finlay climbed the ladder together, and then tipped over. Jeff went to climb up, but Kennedy pulled him down. Booker reached under the ring and pulled out a stepladder. CM Punk ambushed him and then began using the stepladder as a weapon until Edge got a hold of it and threw it in Punk's face. Punk was busted open. Edge bridged a ladder between the rail and the ring apron and went to suplex Punk in it, but Punk reversed it and suplexed Edge on the floor.

Mid-match notes:

In the ring, Booker gave Orton a spinebuster, Kennedy a superkick, then Punk and Finlay spinebusters. Booker did a spinarooni, then was squashed between ladders by the Hardys. Matt gave Edge a Side Effect. The Hardys set up some ladders for the "Mercury face crusher spot" on Edge. Finlay shoved Jeff off the ropes to the floor to break it up, and Edge suplexed Matt onto a ladder. Kennedy got in and knocked Edge out, then pounded on Matt. Kennedy put Matt on a ladder and went for the Kenton Bomb, but Matt moved out of the way and Kennedy crashed. Jeff gave Kennedy a Swanton Bomb. Matt and Jeff then hit Finlay with a ladder, then knocked Orton off the apron with it. They hit Booker with the ladder as well, then set it up. The Hardys climbed a ladder, then punched it out at the top of the ladder over who would win, until Finlay knocked down the ladder, sending them into the ropes. Finlay knocked down Booker and Punk, then picked up a ladder, but Edge speared him. Edge gave spears to everyone else in the match (including Orton), until CM Punk leapfrogged him and Edge hit the corner hard. Punk then took a ladder and did the Terry Funk whirly bird spot. He hit a bunch of participants, but then Edge speared him and Punk went down, with the ladder catching some people on the way down. Edge set up a huge ladder, and went to climb up, but Orton toppled it and Edge fell to the floor. Jeff Hardy gave Orton a gourdbuster, then set up the huge ladder again. On the floor, Matt put Edge on the ladder that was bridged between the apron and railing. Jeff looked to be deciding between the briefcase and killing Edge.

Jeff decided on the latter, jumping off the ladder and legdropping Edge through the bridged ladder and to the floor. Yes, I said through, as the ladder broke in half. Jeff and Edge were laid out on the floor and stretchers were brought out. In the ring, Orton gave Matt an RKO, then gave one to Finlay, and one to Kennedy. Orton set up a ladder began to climb up. Punk used another ladder to knock Orton down. Punk set up another ladder, so there were two ladders side by side. Edge was stretchered out. Orton and Punk fought it out on the two ladders. Orton gave Punk an RKO off the ladder, hurting himself as well. Booker came in and started to climb, but Orton got up and stopped him. Orton went for the Ladder RKO on Booker as well, but Booker blocked it and gave Orton a Bookend off the ladder. Booker started to climb, but Matt Hardy came up the other side of the same ladder and slugged it out with him. Sharmell ran in and pulled Matt down. Matt threatened to give her the Twist Of Fate, so Booker gave up grabbing the briefcase to save her. Booker came down, and Matt grabbed him and hit the Twist Of Fate. Finlay, who was bleeding, was crawling back into the ring. Matt was climbing a ladder, so Finlay toppled it down. Finlay then gave Hardy the Celtic Cross onto a ladder that was laying in the ring. Finlay, holding his back from the move, was having trouble climbing the ladder. Hornswoggle, to a pop, came in and began to climb the ladder. Kennedy came in, kicked Finlay, then got up on the other ladder. Hornswoggle punched him, which made Kennedy mad.

The Finish:

Kennedy gave Hornswoggle a somersault Samoan Drop off the ladder. Finlay picked up a ladder and threw it at Kennedy, hitting him in the face. Finlay started to climb another ladder, but CM Punk gave it a springboard dropkick to knock him off. Punk set up a ladder and started to climb. He got a hand on the case, but Kennedy came up the other side of the ladder. They slugged it out, and Punk shoved Kennedy off the ladder. Kennedy picked up another ladder and used it to knock Punk off. Kennedy climbed up and grabbed the briefcase at the nineteen minute mark.

Winner - Mr. Kennedy

The Aftermath:

Finlay was shown helping Hornswoggle up on the floor.

The Condemned Premiere Recap:

They showed a video package on The Condemned premiere.

Backstage:

Todd Grisham interviewed Ken Kennedy, who said that any champion in WWE should "grow eyes in the back of their freakin' head". Kennedy said that nice guys finish last, and that he isn't a nice guy. Kennedy said he is Mr. Kennedy, and he is Mr. Money In The Bank.

Referee: Marty Elias
The Great Khali vs. Kane

The start:

Kane didn't have his hook with him. Kane was shoved down on the initial lockup, then went down on a shoulderblock attempt. Kane went for a whip, and Khali tossed him to the floor. Kane yanked Khali throat first across the top rope as he got back into the ring, but Khali took him down with a clothesline, then slammed Kane.

Mid-match notes:

Khali applied a nervehold, then hit some forearms to the back and some elbows in the corner. Khali choked Kane. Kane battled back with some punches, but Khali just shoved him away. Kane charged and hit a clothesline, then went to the top rope and hit a clothesline, but Khali still didn't go down. Kane hit a big boot to the face, and Khali fell back and got tied up in the ropes. Kane hit a series of right hands. Kane went under the ring and pulled out his hook. Khali was freed by the referee. Kane got in the ring, but Khali hit some punches and Kane's hook ended up being hooked on the top rope.

The Finish:

They exchanged punches, and Khali got the better of it. Khali ripped the pad off of a turnbuckle. While the referee cleared the stuffing out of the ring, Kane used the chain on his hook to crotch Khali. Kane then bodyslammed Khali for a two count. Kane called for a chokeslam. Khali grabbed Kane by the throat as well. Kane punched free, but then walked into Khali's double handed chokeslam. Khali stood on Kane's chest for the three count at the five minute mark.

Winner - The Great Khali

Backstage:

Backstage, Cryme Tyme were trying to cheer up Eugene over having his head shaved. They had Extreme Expose start dancing, and Cryme Tyme joined in. This wasn't cheering up Eugene at all. The Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young showed up, dressed like Extreme Expose, and started dancing with Eugene, which did cheer him up. They were stopped by the Doctor Of Style, Slick, who told them they shouldn't be illin', when it was time to be chillin'. Slick then danced, but was interrupted by Dusty Rhodes, who said you can't have a dance party without him. He started dancing, and we had Sgt. Slaughter, Jimmy Hart, IRS, Pat Patterson, Gerald Briscoe, Mean Gene Okerlund and Howard Finkel joining in. The music stopped and Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, to a big pop, appeared on the screen. Steamboat looked at the camera, winked, and the dance party continued.

WWE United States Championship Match
Referee: Mickey Henson
Montell Vontavious Porter vs. Chris Benoit (c)

The start:

They locked up and MVP took Benoit down with a headlock, but Benoit switched to a headscissors, and MVP reversed into a single leg crab, then went into a headlock. MVP hit a shoulderblock, blocked a German suplex attempt by Benoit, and armdragged him to the floor wen Benoit went for an arm. Benoit got in and went for a sharpshooter, but MVP tripped out of it and Benoit went for the Crossface, but MVP rolled out.

Mid-match notes:

MVP went for a waistlock, but Benoit reversed it, only for MVP to take Benoit down with a fireman's carry. Benoit went for an arm, but MVP grabbed the ropes. MVP kicked Benoit in the gut, and whipped him hard across the ring. Benoit elbowed him as he charged in and set up MVP for a superplex. Benoit hit some chops, then went for the superplex. MVP blocked it, and pulled Benoit's arm across the top rope as he jumped down to the floor. MVP got back in and went to work on the arm with kicks and punches, then kicked Benoit hard in the back for a two count. MVP hit the arm again, but Benoit responded with a chop. MVP hit some kicks to take Benoit down, but missed a roundhouse and Benoit grabbed MVP in a waistlock.

Benoit hit three consecutive German suplexes, then went to the top rope. MVP crotched Benoit on the top and set up for the superplex. MVP hit the top rope superplex, but Benoit cradled his legs up and got a two count on MVP when they hit the mat. MVP kicked Benoit and threw him shoulder first into the ringpost. MVP rolled up Benoit for a two count. MVP hit a back suplex for a pair of two counts, then applied an armbar. Benoit punches out of it, and avoided an MVP kick, but MVP caught him with a boot to the face on the rebound. MVP went for a slam, but Benoit floated over it and went for the Crossface, but MVP pounded out of it.

The Finish:

MVP slammed Benoit, then hit his elbowdrop for a two count. MVP missed a running kick in the corner, and Benoit hit two consecutive German suplexes. MVP blocked a third and went for one of his own, but Benoit blocked it. MVP shoved Benoit into the ropes, but Benoit ducked a kick and hit three consecutive German suplexes. Benoit called for the diving headbutt, and hit it for the three count at the nine minute mark.

Winner and still United States Champion, Chris Benoit

Backstage:

Donald Trump was shown backstage in his dressing room with the outgoing Miss USA Tara Conner complaining on his cell phone about how poorly he has been treated thus far during the day by Vince McMahon. Trump said he was hungry and wasn't even offered anything to eat or drink all day long. The lights in the room went red and the Boogeyman popped his head up from behind the couch that Trump was sitting on and told both that he was "The Boogeyman and he was coming to get them". Tara Conner shrieked when she saw Boogeyman and ran from the room. Donald Trump said he wanted a sandwich. Boogey said he would he would go get him one. Trump said if he did, he'd get Boogey some worms. Boogey asked if Trump wanted a worm sandwich before leaving.

Hall of Fame:

The showed a video package on last night's Hall Of Fame ceremony.

In the arena:

Lilian Garcia announced that tonight's attendance, a new Ford Field record, is 80,103. Howard Finkel was then introduced, and he brought out the Hall OF Fame class of 2007. Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler were on the stage for this segment. Curt Hennig was represented by his wife and father. Don Muraco accompanied Mr. Fuji, who was in a wheelchair. Afa & Sika mugged for the camera. Joyce Farhat represented her late husband, the original Sheik. Dusty Rhodes was the last one introduced.

World Heavyweight Championship Match
Referee: Charles Robinson
The Undertaker vs. Batista (c)

SmackDown! General Manager Teddy Long is in the ring and will be handling the ring announcing for the following match for the World Heavyweight Championship!

The start:

Batista speared Undertaker immediately and hit some punches in the corner. Taker reversed positions and pounded Batista with punches. Batista responded with shoulderblocks to the gut. Batista whipped Taker across the ring and hit a clothesline, then clotheslined him to the floor. Taker landed on his feet and pulled Batista out. They slugged it out on the floor. Fans are solidly behind Undertaker. Batista whipped Undertaker into the ringsteps and rolled back into the ring. Batista came back out and tossed Undertaker in.

Mid-match notes:

Batista went to the top rope and hit a flying shoulderblock for a two count. Batista hit some punches, but ran into an Undertaker boot to the face. Batista absorbed the shot and came right back with a clothesline. They exchanged punches, and Batista slammed Undertaker. Batista went for a kick, but Taker caught it and then hit a series of rights and lefts to the gut. The back and forth punching resumed, with Taker getting the better of it. Undertaker whipped Batista across the ring and hit a running splash. Taker hit a second, then gave him Snake-Eyes and a boot to the face. Undertaker dropped the leg for a two count. Undertaker went for the Old School rope walk and hit the top rope forearm. Undertaker called for a chokeslam, but Batista blocked it and pulled Taker's hand off his throat. Batista hit a knee to the gut, but Taker came back with a shoulderblock. Undertaker got a two count, then punched Batista to the floor. Undertaker rammed Batista into the ringsteps, then stretched him over the ring apron and hit an elbow, then kicked him in the head. Undertaker went for the ring apron legdrop and nailed it, bringing Batista to the floor with it. Batista slowly got up on the floor, and Undertaker dove over the top rope and hit a tope to a huge pop.

Taker pounded Batista on the floor, rolling in briefly to break up the count. Baitsta reversed a whip and sent Undertaker into the timekeeper's table. Batista pounded Undertaker on the floor, clearing off the Raw and ECW announce tables and putting Taker on the Raw one. Batista stood on the Raw announce table, lifted Undertaker, and powerslammed him through the ECW announce table. Batista shoved Undertaker back into the ring for a two count, hit a series of punches, then covered him for another two count. Batista set up for a powerbomb, but Taker backed him into a corner and hit a pair of back elbows. Taker went for a whip, but Batista blocked it and hit a belly to belly suplex for a two count. Batista kicked Taker in a corner, then got on the second rope and started punching him, arguing with the referee in between shots. Undertaker pulled Batista off the ropes and gave him the Last Ride powerbomb for a two count. Both men got to their feet and Undertaker hit a series of rights. Batista reversed a whip and hit a spinebuster. Batista called for his powerbomb, but Undertaker sat up and rose to his feet. Batista went for a clothesline, but Undertaker ducked it and hit a chokeslam for a two count. Undertaker called for the tombstone. Undertaker lifted Batista, but Batista floated over and speared the Undertaker.

The Finish:

Batista hit the Batista Bomb, but Undertaker got a shoulder up at the two and a half count to a big pop. Batista was stunned. Batista went for a second one, but Undertaker backdropped him. Undertaker went for a punch, but Batista ducked it and scooped him up for a slam. Undertaker floated over and shoved Batista into the turnbuckles. Batista staggered out, Undertaker lifted him and delivered the tombstone piledriver. Undertaker goes 15-0 at Wrestlemania at the fifteen minute mark.

Winner and new World Heavyweight Champion, The Undertaker

Backstage:

Backstage, Vince McMahon was checking out his hair in the mirror. Stephanie McMahon entered, with a baby carriage. Vince chastised her for bringing his grandaughter to Wrestlemania. Vince then said maybe she would bring Vince luck. Vince then talked to his granddaughter about how he was going to give Donald Trump a skull fracture. We saw this from the point of view of the baby. Seriously. Vince suddenly acted like he smelled something. He said the baby just "took a Trump."

Eight Man Tag Team Match
Referee: Scott Armstrong
Rob Van Dam, Tommy Dreamer, Sabu and The Sandman vs.
Elijah Burke, Marcus Cor Von, Matt Striker and Kevin Thorn

Joey Styles and Tazz, sans table, talked briefly about the ECW Originals vs. ECW New Breed war. The ECW Originals entered through the crowd. The New Breed entered as a group, accompanied by Ariel. Elijah Burke has new ring gear.

The start:

Sabu started off with Matt Striker. Striker missed a clothesline and Sabu hit a springboard clothesline and a springboard leg lariat, then another springboard clothesline. Sabu dropkicked Striker in the face, then hung him over the top rope. Sandman was tagged in and hit hit a top rope legdrop to the back of Striker's head. Cor Von broke up the cover. Burke tagged in, but Dreamer did as well and Dreamer & Sandman hit a double clothesline and a double elbowdrop. Cor Von hit Dreamer from the apron and Burke nailed him with a clothesline.

Mid-match notes:

Cor Von tagged in and worked over Dreamer with punches. Cor Von hit a double underhook suplex, then tagged in Burke for a double backdrop. Burke hit a jumping double knee to Dreamer's back and got a two count, as Sabu broke it up. Thorn tagged in and hit a splash on Dreamer in the corner, then a clothesline. Thorn put Dreamer in a chinlock and hit some forearms to the chest. Dreamer elbowed out, but Thorn rammed him in a corner. Dreamer booted him in the face as he charged in, but Thorn caught him with a spinebuster for a two count. Cor Von tagged in and hit a vertical suplex for a two count, then put Dreamer in a chinlock. Cor Von lifted Dreamer for a slam, but he floated over and gave Cor Von a reverse DDT and Burke, who had run in, a neckbreaker at the same time. Dreamer crawled for a tag, kicking away Burke. RVD got the hot tag and cleaned house on Striker and Thorn. RVD nailed Striker with a kick to the head, then hit Thorn with a top rope kick.

The Finish:

RVD gave Striker a monkeyflip, then hit Rolling Thunder, but Cor Von pulled RVD to the floor and laid him out. Sabu dove over the top rope onto Cor Von. Dreamer DDT'd Striker. Burke knocked Dreamer out of the ring. Sandman knocked Burke over the top rope, and went over with him. RVD hit the Five Star Frog Splash on Striker for the win at the seven minute mark.

Winners - Rob Van Dam, Tommy Dreamer, Saby and The Sandman

WrestleMania 24:

They showed a video package for next year's Wrestlemania, which will be in Orlando, Florida at the Citrus Bowl.

In the arena:

The Hitman was shown in the crowd. Thomas Hearns, that is. Yeah, cheap joke.

Battle Of The Billionaires
Hair vs. Hair Match
Special Referee: Stone Cold Steve Austin
Umaga vs. Bobby Lashley (c)

Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler are the announcers for this match. A barber's chair was pulled to ringside, complete with it's own entrance music. Vince McMahon then entered, alone. Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA were shown at ringside. Umaga, accompanied by Armando, then made his entrance. Donald Trump then made his entrance, accompanied by Tara. They dropped money (yes, real money) from the ceiling as Trump walked to the ring. Bobby Lashley then made his entrance. Steve Austin then made his entrance, wearing a sleeveless referee shirt.

The start:

They charged into each other at the start, and neither man budged. Lashley hit a series or right hands, and Umaga shoved him, but Lashley hit a clothesline in the corner. Lashley hit some punches in the corner, and Austin told him to break. When he didn't, Austin pulled Lashley out of the corner. Umaga kicked Lashley and whipped him into a corner. Lashley dodged a charge and hit a second rope clothesline. Lashley covered Umaga, but Armando put Umaga's foot on the bottom rope. Lashley pulled Armando into the ring and gave him a running powerslam.

Mid-match notes:

Lashley tossed him out of the ring. Umaga charged Lashley, but Lashley dodged it and pulled the ropes down. Umaga went over the top rope and landed on the floor. Armando is totally out. Vince convinced Umaga to get back in the ring and fight. Umaga got back in and dodged a Lashley charge and Lashley went through the ropes and landed on the floor. Umaga got Lashley back into the ring and hit a splash for a two count. Umaga choked Lashley against the bottom rope. Austin told him to break, and when he didn't, Austin slapped Umaga in the back. Umaga and Austin had a staredown. Umaga choked Lashley again, and Austin pulled him off by the hair. They had a staredown again. Lashley hit Umaga with some shots, but Umaga took him down with a clothesline. Umaga used the second rope to hit a Bonsai Splash on Lashley, then hit a second. Lashley came back with some punches, but Umaga caught him with a Samoan Drop. Lashley went to lift Umaga for a slam, but fell under the weight and Umaga went down on top. Vince got on the ring apron. Umaga went to slam Lashley, but Lashley floated over and bounced into the ropes, knocking Vince to the floor. Umaga gave Lashley a faceplant. Umaga went to the top rope, but Lashley went over and slammed him off the top. Lashley hit Umaga with a running clothesline, and both men were down.

Austin counted both men down, but stopped at nine, refusing to end the match in a draw. Austin said there would be no countouts in the match. Shane McMahon came down to help up Vince, who had been lying on the floor since being knocked off the apron. Umaga got up and hit Lashley with some punches, then choked him in the corner. Austin pulled Umaga off by fish hooking his eye. Shane McMahon got on the apron, but Austin chased him away. Umaga gave Austin the Samoan Spike, knocking him to the floor. Shane McMahon got in the ring and gave Lashley some right hands. Lashley grabbed Shane for a suplex, but Umaga hit him. Shane stomped Lashley down in the corner, and Umaga gave him the running posterior shot in the corner. Vince got a trash can out from under the ring, and Umaga held it over Lashley in the corner. Shane went to the top rope and hit the Coast To Coast dropkick, crushing the trash can into Lashley's face. Shane McMahon took off his shirt and jacket, and had a referee's shirt on. Shane pulled Lashley into the center of the ring, and Umaga hit a top rope splash. Shane counted two, but Steve Austin pulled Shane out of the ring, hit a series of right hands and tossed him into the ring steps.

The Finish:

Austin got into the ring and Umaga hit him with another Samoan Spike. Austin was down, and McMahon trash talked him from the floor. Trump gave McMahon a clothesline on the floor and hit a few punches. There's your highlight moment for the new programs. In the ring, Umaga lifted up Austin for a third spike, but Austin ducked it and hit a stunner on Umaga. Lashley hit a spear and covered Umaga and got the pin at the fourteen minute mark.

Winner, the ECW Champion, Bobby Lashley

The Aftermath:

Austin grabbed Vince on the floor and tossed him into the ring. Shane attacked Austin, but Austin gave Shane a Thesz press. Austin gave Shane a series of right hands, an elbowdrop, and a stunner. Meanwhile, Vince was trying to sneak off. Austin was raising Trump and Lashley's hands in the ring, when they saw Vince escaping. Lashley ran down the aisle, scooped up McMahon and brought him back to the ring. McMahon yelled at Lashley from the ring, and backed into Austin. Austin gave Vince a stunner, and Lashley put him in the chair. Austin held down Vince while Lashley and Trump used razors to shave Vince bald. Vince screamed for them to stop, but they shaved it all off. Ross joked that we now knew the truth, and that it was Vince's real hair all along. They played the "Bald Headed Blues" as Lashley and Trump put Shaving cream on Vince's head, and then used razors on it. Austin was drinking a beer. They unstrapped Vince from the chair, and Lashley had a mirror to show Vince how he looked.
Vince saw his bald head, and tried to fall back over the chair, but the chair wouldn't topple, so Steve Austin knocked it over. Bald Vince staggered down the aisle. Steve Austin had a beer celebration with Trump and Lashley in the ring. Austin then gave Trump a stunner and walked off. Trump takes a stunner like Linda McMahon takes one. Austin walked off, while Lashley checked on Trump in the ring. Austin gave a double bird from the stage as Lashley helped Trump from the ring.

Before the show:

They showed the finish from the dark match earlier tonight, which saw Carlito & Ric Flair defeat Chavo Guerrero & Gregory Helms in a Lumberjack tag match when Carlito gave Guerrero the backcracker.

Women's Championship Match
Lumberjill Match
Referee: Chad Patton
Ashley vs. Melina (c)

The start:

JBL and Michael Cole got to call this one. Melina had a fur covered hooded jacket as part of her ring gear. Ashley hit some punches at the start and Melina rolled to the floor, and was tossed back in. Ashley rolled her up for a two count. Melina tripped Ashley into the ropes and choked her with her boot. Ashley hit some forearms and punches and choked Melina. Melina screamed "You think you are better than me?" and choked her against the ropes.

The Finish:

Melina gave Ashley a Giant Swing and got a two count. Melina choked Ashley. Melina put Ashley in a surfboard, and drove her face first into the mat. Ashley grabbed a flying headscissors. Ashley whipped Melina across the ring and did a monkeyflip. Ashley missed a second rope elbow and Melina got a two count. Melina picked up Ashley, but she got behind her and rolled her up. Melina rolled through it into her own rollup, and got a Backlund Bridge for the pin at the four minute mark.

Winner and still Women's Champion, Melina

The Aftermath:

Ashley sort of kicked Melina to the floor, and the babyface Divas threw her back in the ring. There was a very brief all Diva catfight in the ring. The heel Divas then left with Melina and the belt, and the babyface Divas were left standing in the ring.

WWE Championship Match
Referee: Michael Chioda

Shawn Michaels vs. John Cena (c)

Shawn Michaels entered to the DX music, and was not wearing his World Tag Team Title belt. They did a big video entrance for John Cena with him supposedly driving into the building in a Ford Mustang and going through a glass wall with the Wrestlemania logo on it. As they were about to lock up, a fan ran in the ring and was removed. Shawn sat on the top turnbuckle and watched him being removed (they didn't show the fan on camera).

The start:

Shawn Michaels called Cena into center ring for a handshake. Cena refused, so Michaels slapped him and then decked him with some right hands. Michaels gave him a crotch chop. Michaels applied a side headlock, then went into a hammerlock. They traded reversals, then Michaels ducked Cena's punches and delivered his own punches and chops. Cena slumped down in a corner, frustrated. They locked up again, and Michaels hit some short arm shoulderblocks.

Mid-match notes:

Michaels took Cena down with a side mare. Cena rose up, and Michaels took him down with a side mare again. Michaels worked Cena over with the side headlock, but Cena got to his feet and shoved it off. Cena missed a clothesline and an elbow, but hit a second clothesline attempt to a chorus of boos. Michaels sat in a corner and stared at Cena. He got to his feet and Cena hit a shoulderblock, but Michaels came back with a Thesz press and a series of right hands. Cena tossed Michaels to the apron, but Michaels hiptossed Cena from the apron to the floor. Michaels chopped Cena on the floor and hit an enzugiri. Michaels got on the apron and hit a second rope springboard moonsault onto a standing Cena on the floor. They crashed into the announce table, which didn't break. Michaels tossed Cena into the ring and hit a chop, then forearmed him in the corner. Michaels hit some chops, then whopped Cena hard across the ring. Cena tried to catch Michaels with a boot as he charged in, but Michaels caught the kick and pounded Cena's leg. Michaels stomped the leg, then dragged it outside and whipped the leg into the ringpost. In the ring, Michaels hit a kneedrop to the leg and chopblocked it.

Michaels chopped Cena, then went back after the leg, wrapping it around the middle rope and yanking on it. Michaels kicked at Cena's leg, then hit a chopblock. Michaels got in Cena's face and said something, but it wasn't audible. Michaels worked on the leg some more, then Cena fired off a few punches. Michaels returned fire with chops, but Cena was getting more out of his punches, finally decking Michaels. Michaels got up and rammed Cena back into the corner with a shoulderblock. Michaels kicked at Cena's leg, and they went returned to the punch-kick thing. Michaels went for a shoulderblock and Cena moved, and Michaels went head first into the ring post. Michaels was busted open. Cena hit a running clothesline and a series or right hands on the mat. Cena hit a flying shoulderblock, then a second. Cena gave him a back suplex into a powerbomb, then did the "You Can't See Me" to a mixed reaction of mostly boos. Cena hit the Five Knuckle Shuffle fistdrop. Cena went for the FU, but Michaels floated out and hit a chop. Cena reversed a whip and Michaels went upside down in a corner. Michaels ducked a Cena punch, and Cena almost hit the referee. Michaels went for a superkick, but Cena ducked and the referee got knocked out of the ring. Cena went for the FU, but Michaels reversed it into a DDT. Both men were down on the mat.

Michaels rolled to the floor and took apart the ring steps. Michaels went took Cena outside the ring and gave him a piledriver on the bottom half of the ring steps. Cena was bleeding from the back of the head. Michaels rolled Cena into the ring, and a second referee eventually came out. Michaels covered Cena, but he got his shoulder up at two. Michaels lifted up Cena, but Cena reversed his attempted whip. Michaels rebounded off the ropes and hit a flying forearm. Michaels kipped up, then hit a top rope elbowdrop. Michaels started stomping in the corner, but Cena lunged at him and hit a clothesline. Cena and Michaels got to their feet and exchanged punches. Cena scooped up Michaels for an FU, but Michaels floated over into a sunset flip for a two count. Michaels went for a Thesz Press again, but Cena caught it and hit the FU. Cena covered, but only got a two count. Cena put Michaels on the top rope and set up for a second rope FU. Michaels elbowed out of it, and punched Cena to the mat. Michaels hit a flying bodypress, but Cena rolled through it, got to his feet holding Michaels and went for the FU. Michaels flipped out of it and went for a superkick, but Cena ducked it and tripped Michaels. Cena went for the STFU, but Michaels rolled over and Cena went for it again, but Michaels turned it into a cradle for a two count. Michaels went for an enzugiri, but Cena ducked it and hooked in the STFU. Michaels made the ropes, and Cena finally broke the hold.

The Finish:

The referee warned Cena that he has to break on the ropes, and the momentary distraction allowed Michaels to nail Cena with the superkick as he turned around. Michaels crawled onto Cena for a two count. Both men were down, and slowly got up, leaning on each other. Cena went to lift Michaels for the FU, but Michaels floated out and Cena went right into the STFU in the center ring. Michaels struggled a bit, then tapped out at the twenty-eight minute mark.

Winner and still WWE Champion, John Cena

The Aftermath:

Cena celebrated in the ring, then went in the aisle where Michaels was walking out. He tried to turn Michaels around, but Michaels walked off. Michaels turned around halfway down the aisle, and Cena saluted him. Cena then went back in the ring to continue his post-match celebration. Confetti dropped down as the show ended.

Deemi - Soundtrack of My Life

2007-03-25T18:04:00.000+01:00

Deemi - Soundtrack of My Life

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3LW

2007-03-16T03:50:00.000+01:00

3LW

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300

2007-03-03T00:04:00.000+01:00

.
A group of Persian messengers arrive at Sparta, demanding Sparta's submission to King Xerxes. Outraged and offended at their behavior, King Leonidas and his guards throw the messengers into a pit, resolving to face the Persians. Leonidas then visits the Oracle, explaining his plan of war with the Persians and offers a customary payment in gold. The priests of the Oracle, having been bribed by Xerxes, interpret her message to mean that Sparta should not go to war, so as to not interrupt the sacred Carneian festival
A group of Persian messengers arrive

King Leonidas fighting soldiers of the Persian EmpireDespite this, Leonidas gathers 300 of his best soldiers to fight the Persians, selecting only those who have already sired male children. As they march North, they are joined by a group of Arcadians and other Greeks. Arriving at the narrow cliffs of Thermopylae (referred to as the "Hot Gates"), in sight of the Persian army, they build a wall to halt the Persians' advance. Ephialtes, a hunchbacked Spartan whose parents had fled to save him from customary infanticide, approaches Leonidas, requesting to redeem his father's name in battle, and warning him about a secret goat path that the Persians could use to surround them. Leonidas turns him away as his inability to properly hold the shield would create a weak spot in the phalanx. Before the battle starts, the Persians ask that the 300 drop their arms. Leonidas responds; "Persians! Come and take them!" The Spartans use the phalanx formation, and hand to hand combat, to fight off numerous waves of attackers, including Xerxes's elite guard, the Immortals. The 300 defend their position while suffering relatively few losses. Xerxes, impressed, personally approaches Leonidas and promises him wealth and power in exchange for his surrender. The Spartan king declines, saying that he will instead make the "God King" bleed. Shortly thereafter, an embittered Ephialtes reveals the location of the goat path to Xerxes, having been promised a lucrative and powerful position in the Persian Empire.

Xerxes encourages Leonidas to surrenderBack in Sparta, Queen Gorgo, upon the advice of a councilman, attempts to enlist the influential Theron to help her persuade the Spartan council to send reinforcements to Leonidas. Theron agrees to help, but demands that Gorgo sleep with him; Gorgo reluctantly assents. Meanwhile, the Greeks realize that Ephialtes has betrayed them, and the Arcadians decide to retreat in the face of certain death. The Spartans refuse to follow, respecting their laws. Leonidas orders only one man, Dilios, to retreat and use his rhetorical skills to tell the story of the 300 to the Spartan people, ensuring that they be remembered. Dilios reluctantly leaves with the Arcadians. At Sparta, Queen Gorgo appears in front of the council, but is not supported by Theron, who furthermore accuses her of adultery. The Queen, enraged at this betrayal, snatches a sword from a nearby soldier and kills Theron. Persian coins fall from his purse, and the Council denounces him as a traitor and unites against Persia.

At Thermopylae, the Persians have surrounded the 300 on all sides. Xerxes's spokesman demands their surrender, saying that Leonidas may keep his title as King of Sparta and become warlord of all Greece, answerable only to Xerxes. In defiance, Leonidas throws his spear at Xerxes, cutting his cheek, delivering on his promise to "make the 'God King' bleed." Shaken at the reminder of his own mortality, the God King orders his archers to fire. The remaining Spartans are killed in the hail of arrows, with Leonidas dying last. Dilios eventually returns to Sparta and inspires the council with the bravery of the 300.

Dilios finishes his tale of the 300 on a new battlefield surrounded by raptly listening soldiers. He concludes that the Persian army, who defeated a mere 300 Spartans a year earlier with great difficulty, must now be terrified to face 10,000 Spartans and 30,000 Greeks from the other city-states. The roused Greek host heads off to fight the Persian army, beginning the Battle of Plataea.

Touching speech by Forrest Whitaker - Best Actor - Academy Awards 2007.

2007-02-28T06:34:00.000+01:00

Another day in the city.

2007-02-27T00:28:00.000+01:00

It's a city of big hair, big homes and big deals. For visitors, Dallas can also be big fun. You just need to know where to look.
While Dallas' charms may not be evident at first glance – no one comes here for the scenic vistas – a little digging reveals a city with a surprising array of activities for everyone from culture vultures to shopaholics.
Of course everything in Dallas has to be the biggest. Or the best. So, Dallas has one of the largest concentrations of Art Deco buildings in the nation at Fair Park; one of the top collections of Spanish Art outside Spain (at the Meadows Museum); and one of the acoustically best concert halls in the world (the Meyerson).
The city features a private house that's a copy of Mount Vernon – only bigger, of course. (It's the H. L. Hunt home on White Rock Lake). And not one but at least six nightlife districts. Dallas also has pretensions to being one of the top restaurant cities in the country – thanks to a per capita restaurant count that rivals New York's.
Historic buildings are not Dallas' strong point, but if you search, you'll find. You can learn more than you ever wanted to know about the Kennedy assassination at the Sixth Floor Museum. You can see how the turn-of-the century rich lived with a drive past Swiss Avenue's mansions. Or get a sense of the grandeur of the 1936 State Fair of Texas by visiting Fair Park.
But this is a city that lives in the present. It celebrates what's sleek, stylish and contemporary. No wonder that Dallas' second favorite sporting event – after Dallas Cowboys games – is shopping, and its most famous export is Neiman Marcus.

Heading back home

2007-02-26T04:59:00.000+01:00

Dallas' new slogan "Live Large. Think Big." describes the essence and vitality of a city built on big dreams, freshly blazed trails and an attitude that all things are possible. This richly diverse city offers a thriving culinary scene, leading arts district, countless luxury accommodations, professional sports, trendy entertainment districts and endless shopping opportunities.
There's a reason they call Dallas "Big D." Actually, there are hundreds of reasons: world-class art exhibits, distinct restaurants, stylish shopping, unbelievable live music and much more. Exploring Dallas provides a new adventure every day. And you may be surprised at just how much the city has to offer.

GEICO COMMERCIAL...very funny.

2007-02-17T18:21:00.000+01:00

GEICO COMMERCIAL.....this cracks me up.

2007-02-16T18:24:00.000+01:00

Geico.....u will enjoy this

2007-02-15T18:25:00.000+01:00

Geico Caveman Commercial

2007-02-15T07:44:00.000+01:00

Geico News Show Continued

2007-02-14T07:41:00.000+01:00

geico...this guy is killin' me

2007-02-13T18:27:00.000+01:00

Ghana: Former U.N. Secretary-General Urged to Run for President

2007-02-13T03:20:00.000+01:00

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan answered questions during his last scheduled press conference on Dec. 19, 2006 at the United Nations in New York. (Photo: Don Emmert / AFP-Getty Images)

Kofi Annan, the Ghanaian-born diplomat who recently concluded his tenure as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations (U.N.) — from Jan. 1, 1997 to Dec. 31, 2006 — returned to a hero's welcome in his native country. He served two five-year terms and was first the secretary-general from a black African nation. Annan was succeeded on Jan. 1 by South Korean Ban Ki-moon, whose current term runs through Dec. 31, 2011.

The Malaysia Sun (Jan. 24) covered the diplomat's auspicious arrival in Ghana, accompanied by his wife, Nane Maria Annan:

Ghana's illustrious son, former U.N. secretary-general Kofi Annan, arrived back home to a rousing welcome upon his retirement and is already being mentioned as a presidential candidate for the West African country.

A welcoming party of hundreds led by President John Agyekum Kufuor waved flags. They were there to meet Annan, 68, and his wife at the Kotoka International Airport, where traditional drummers and dancers extolled his virtues Tuesday.

"This has been a wonderful homecoming. We are happy to be home," [Annan] said. "When (my wife) and I looked out of the window and saw that you are here in your numbers to welcome us home, we were really, really moved."
The question on many minds regarding Annan is what his next step will be. According to South Africa's BuaNews Online (Jan. 25):

The accomplished diplomat, who plans to spend his retirement in Ghana, said he was serious about going into agriculture. He noted that Africa was the only continent that had not gone through the green revolution and could not feed itself.

"There used to be starvation in India and China," said Annan. "I would like, in the next phase of my life, to work with international actors and African leaders to take agriculture to a new level."
Reuters South Africa (Jan. 24) reported on the hope that Annan might vie for leadership of Ghana:

Some local media had suggested he might contest the 2008 election, at which Kufuor is due to step down, but Annan ruled this out in November.
Also reporting on a potential presidential run, Australia's Sydney Morning Herald (Jan. 26) asked:

What does retirement hold for the world's top diplomat, a man who has taken swipes at the United States, negotiated for peace in Iraq and Lebanon and tried to halt unfolding genocide in Rwanda, Yugoslavia and Darfur?

If Kofi Annan's Ghanaian compatriots have their way, it will have less to do with golf and grandchildren than with politics and presidential suites. … Mr. Annan is the kind of candidate who would send even seasoned campaign managers into a swoon. He has unprecedented name recognition as a Nobel Peace Prize winner and two-term U.N. secretary-general. And as Ghana's most beloved son, he has enormous approval ratings.
Noting the diplomat's somewhat mixed U.N. legacy, New Zealand's TVNZ.co.nz (Jan. 24) said:

His final years as secretary-general were dogged by lingering questions over U.N. scandals, deteriorating ties with the U.S. government, and the repercussions of the war in Iraq, which he opposed.
None of these considerations, however, weighed heavily on the assembled Ghanaians:

But the waiting crowd gave him an ecstatic welcome. "He is our leader. It is good that he is coming home and we are here to welcome him," said Zinatu Mohammed, 25.
Indeed, most Ghanaians were unstinting in their praise for Annan. Some saw his return as a portend of greater things for their country. Ghana's Joy Online (Jan. 28) declared:

The permanent return of Mr. Kofi Annan, former U.N. secretary-general to the country which coincided with the country's 50th independence anniversary celebration is a blessing for unity and reconciliation of Ghanaians.

Nana Osei Bonsu, National President of the Ghana First Movement, a non-partisan nationalist movement in Kumasi, who made the observation, said the two major historical events should be used to promote the stability, unity, reconciliation and accelerated development of the country.
An even more effusive salute was given by the country's The Statesman Online (Jan. 25) in an editorial titled, "Kofi Annan — a gem, born for greatness":

Further, we hope that he will stay, and that he can bring the same passion, dignity, commitment, and skill to Ghana's development that he brought to the office of U.N. secretary-general.

Mr. Annan was perhaps born for greatness; a Fante-Asante twin and the descendent of chiefs on both sides. He is M.I.T.-educated in business management and, what with his U.N. dossier and a Nobel Peace Prize under his belt, he seems to have much to offer to his motherland.
Commendations for Annan came not only from his compatriots, as Pakistan's Daily Times (Jan. 16) reported:

Nobel Prize-winning author Nadine Gordimer has expressed high praise for former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his service to the cause of world peace.

In a letter published in The New York Times on Tuesday, the South African novelist says she and thousands of others are grateful to Annan for his contribution. She writes, "In terms of dedication to democratic justice, objective analysis, wise forethought and necessary action without fear of the inevitable criticism, his occupation of the secretary-general's hot seat restored the belief that great intelligence and calm insight into the political, economic and social human condition can still exist in an office of virtually universal responsibility."

In the midst of the euphoria at Annan's return, a more cautionary stance at the long-term effects he might have on his native country was struck by columnist Kobby Asmah in the Daily Graphic (Jan. 29):

For once, it looked as if the success story of Kofi Annan had brought the whole country together and forged a strong bond of nationalism among Ghanaians.

However, in all of this celebration was this feeling of anxiety, as I observed our various political leaders try to fraternize with one another in a show of public gesture, all specifically aimed at giving Annan a deserving welcome back home.

Indeed, I kept asking myself whether this huge phenomenal national experience was not going to be a distant mirage and whether Ghana was genuinely and truly ready to listen to their illustrious son for long.

Although speculation over a possible Annan presidential run is rife in the Ghanaian media and general population, an article in Taiwan's Taipei Times (Jan. 26) indicated that some feel Annan has a higher calling:

James Gbeho, a retired Ghanaian diplomat who was the country's longest-serving U.N. envoy, said he didn't expect Annan to take much of a role in local affairs.

"There cannot be any specific local role for Kofi that I can see now," Gbeho said. "He is a global statesman, who will be needed worldwide."
In addition to the commendations already received, the U.K.'s Kenya London News (Jan. 30) brought news of yet another award:

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has been awarded the 2006 Olof Palme Prize, following his retirement from the post after 10 years at the top. The Olof Palme Prize is awarded for "outstanding achievement in the spirit of former Swedish prime minister Olof Palme."

They will share the $75,000 cash prize. The Olof Palme Prize was founded by the murdered Swedish Prime Minister's family and the Social Democratic party after Palme's 1986 assassination.
Although the future of the former U.N. secretary-general seems to be far from set, the lure of having such a prestigious figure as president of Ghana appears irresistible. According to the United Arab Emirates' Khaleej Times:

The [New Life Ghana] movement set up the Web site draftkofiannan2008.com to campaign for his candidacy. ... the website, which is not endorsed by Annan, said he "is the best qualified person to lead the country at this crucial time."

Form Voltron

2007-02-10T22:43:00.000+01:00

Virtual worlds set for shake-up

2007-01-09T00:16:00.000+01:00

Big media firms are rushing to copy the success of online games like World of Warcraft, a conference has been told.

Millions of dollars are being spent trying to emulate the massively multiplayer online game, experts at the Game Developer's Conference said.

"We are going to have so many failures it is going to be unbelievable," said Mark Jacobs of Electronic Arts.

The panel also predicted that non-gaming MMOs such as Second Life would be prevalent in the short term.

Speaking at the San Francisco event, Mr Jacob, who is currently working on Warhammer Online, said: "There is going to be a lot of corpses, rubble all over the place.

"There is so much dumb money. Mass media is coming in and saying we want to be just like WoW."

Silly money

Warcraft has eight millions subscribers around the world and is seen as a model to be copied by the mass media, the panel explained.

"Because of WoW and dumb money and big publisher pressure there will be a lot of corpses," agreed Rob Pardo, head of game design at Blizzard, the makers of Warcraft.

The panel said non-gaming worlds will dominate in the short term

"Viacom has launched three MMOs and nobody noticed," said Raph Koster, president of Areae and the former head of Star Wars Galaxies.

He added: "Anybody who is not watching how big media is moving into this space is missing a major major story."

He added: "We are about to see a truly massive explosion in the quantity of online worlds of various types."

Daniel James, chief executive of Three Rings, said: "You are about to see, and this is happening already in Asia, many different kinds of games that are massively multiplayer and less based on role-playing games."

He added: "This medium is going to destroy TV - and it's going to happen in short term."

Beginning of the end

MMOs are one of the most popular forms of gaming - and are seen as attractive to big media companies because often they have a subscription revenue model and continue to make money after the game is first released through virtual economies.

Many more MMOs could soon join games such as Star Wars Galaxies

The panellists agreed that the types of MMOs would continue to expand beyond the traditional notion of fantasy-style games and science-fiction adventures.

"The definition of MMO will change - the line will blur," said Mark Kern, president of Red 5 Studios.

"It will be really hard to tell what is and what isn't an MMO. There will be a lot of experiments in convergence between social networking and MMOs.

"Five years from now a social networking site without a 3D universe will look like a dinosaur."

He said there was a lot of similarity between how a social networking site cultivated and grew a community and the work done in MMOs.

Some on the panel predicted that World of Warcraft would not always be the world's most popular MMO.

"WoW will have its day and it's nothing to do with how smart they are," said Mr Jacobs.

"It won't be for a while but it will happen."

Confidence Man

2006-12-23T04:01:00.000+01:00

In your new film “The Hoax” (due out April 6), you play Clifford Irving, the notorious writer who forged an autobiography of Howard Hughes in 1971. Irving was remarkably convincing. Until Hughes came out of seclusion to reveal that the book was a fake, the publishing world completely embraced him.

Skip to next paragraph

© Herb Ritts Foundation
A 1979 portrait of Gere by Herb Ritts.

© CinemaPhoto/Corbis
A scene from his breakthrough film, "American Gigolo" (1980).

Paramount/The Kobal Collection
From "An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982).

© CinemaPhoto/Corbis
Another "American Gigolo" moment.

© Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis
Walking in New York in 1983.
The story of Clifford Irving and his Hughes biography shows that people will believe what they want to believe. When I first read the script, I wasn’t sure I was right for the part, but then I started doing research on Clifford. He had a bit of that frat-boy thing. Clifford liked the idea of putting something over on these big authority figures who ran publishing and the media. I think he believed that he would tell the public about the hoax later. But it got out of hand. When you look at the material that he faked, it is shocking that anyone believed him. The forgeries of Howard’s signature are so bad — a 12-year-old would have done it better. But that underscores one of the main themes of the film, which is the gullibility of people that want to believe. It’s human nature: we want to believe our children, our families, our President.

In spite of his perpetrating this enormous fraud, you seem to like Irving. Do you have to like the characters you play?

I did like him — there is genuine creativity in his book on Hughes. Ultimately, you have to like the characters you play. A performance is not credible unless you have affection for their personality.

In the film, Irving is always working an angle. He’s different from the smooth characters, like Julian in “American Gigolo,” that made you a sex symbol.

Well, it was not my goal to become a sex symbol. [He shrugs.] If you walk out in the rain, you’ll get wet. As a young actor, I was lucky. I was not even the first choice for “American Gigolo.”

It was to star John Travolta.

That’s right. And they had made all the suits and shirts for Travolta. I am a very different type, and Ferdinando Scarfiotti, who designed the movie, took one look at me in Travolta’s suits and said, “You look like a clown.” He started from scratch and remade the wardrobe. I had only two weeks to prepare for that film. I didn’t know anything about clothes, and that was a key element of the character. The clothes could not seem like costumes; they had to be believable. I also had to develop a way of walking: that guy had to have a walk.

Nina Van Pallandt, who played your madam in “American Gigolo,” had been one of Clifford Irving’s girlfriends. Did you ever discuss him while you were making that movie?

I tried, but she did not want to talk about him. I liked her. Very sexy. It’s strange: I’ve come across a lot of people who knew Clifford. He was quite a ladies’ man. I was getting a massage from my longtime masseuse, and she asked me what I was working on. She never talks, but when I told her I was playing Clifford Irving, she abruptly stopped kneading my back. It turns out that he had tried to pick her up on the Hamptons jitney and, even though he was married, they stayed friends. Clifford just kept the table going.

“The Hoax” is set in the 1970s. That was when you moved to Manhattan. What was the city like then?

I first came here when I was a teenager. I grew up in a small town in New York, and I was anxious for my life to get started. The theater held enormous interest for me, so for three days or so I left home and ran away to New York City. That was the late ’60s. It was a great time: on Bleecker Street, I saw “A Moon for the Misbegotten” with Jason Robards, and across the street, at the Bleecker Street Cinema, I watched a double bill of Warhol films. I stayed with people I met in the park. I don’t think that could happen now.

What was the first movie you remember?

I remember watching Italian muscleman movies on Saturday-afternoon TV with characters like Hercules, Samson and Ulysses. As a kid, I liked those archetypal, heroic, muscular guys. Big, silent men. I still like those epic dramas: I’m thinking of doing a western.

In your 20s, you seemed to gravitate toward the stage rather than film.

That’s where the work was. But, after a while, I didn’t really like being on the stage. Repetition does not appeal to me. It felt like a civil service job. Theater just didn’t scare me enough.

Film — the demands of having a camera in your face — was more terrifying. My 20s were difficult. I think that those are hard years for most men. Older men want to kill you, and girls don’t really want you. They’re most interested in the rich, older guy. For me, money was scarce, and I was extremely lonely. But New York was such an exciting place then that it compensated for all my insecurities.

Unlike most actors, you have taken on challenges as you’ve gotten older. For instance, in “Chicago,” you sang and danced.

The tap dancing in that film nearly killed me. I had no idea it would be so hard. I was nervous about that movie. For me, every film has to have an emotional center, a kind of dreamlike reality. Dreams are very real when you are in them, whether you’re tap-dancing in “Chicago” or playing Clifford Irving, who clearly began to believe that he had a real connection with Howard Hughes. It was probably devastating for Clifford when Hughes disowned him. A dream, no matter how absurd, can be vivid and completely alive. That’s what I look for in movies: an idea fueled by complicated emotions.

when i,m gone

2006-11-23T20:18:00.000+01:00

There's another world inside of me that you may never see

There're secrets in this life that I can't hide

Somewhere in this darkness there's a light that I can't find

Maybe it's too far away or maybe I'm just blind

Maybe I'm just blind

So hold me when I'm here

Right me when I'm wrong

Hold me when I'm scared

And love me when I'm gone

Everything I am

And everything in me

Wants to be the one you wanted me to be

I'll never let you down even if I could

I'd give up everything if only for your good so hold me when I'm here

Right me when I'm wrong

You can hold me when I'm scared

You won't always be there

So love me when I'm gone

Roaming through this darkness

I'm alive but I'm alone

Part of me is fighting this

But part of me is gone

Fight Global Warming

2006-11-13T04:58:00.000+01:00

www.fightglobalwarming.comis a very cool and informative site about defending our environment and tips on how you can help.

Trailer for 'An Inconvenient Truth'

2006-11-03T04:25:00.000+01:00

www.climatecrisis.net/trailer/
Is Al Gore is doing a Chicken Little act in "An Inconvenient Truth"? I wish he were. This stunning documentary about global warming is a well-reasoned, clearly-proved, intelligent, cogent, irresistible torrent of scientific data, in a curiously warm, engaging, often funny presentation. What an entertaining horror movie this is! Unexpectedly, improbably, Gore is doing a Hitchcock act here, all affable and chummy... before scaring the hell out of the audience. And that he does, with charts, statistics, projections coming from hundreds of peer-reviewed studies, none challenged, while allowing how some 50% of mass-media treatment of global warming *is* subject to questions. There is even a cute animation segment about exaggerated global-warming claims.

There is no need to exaggerate. Unchallenged studies are showing an extraordinary rise in ocean temperatures, the disappearance of glaciers, the melting of the poles - and then Gore twists the knife with a series of graphics showing areas to be inundated by rising waters. In a flooded Manhattan of the future, Gore says, the site of the World Trade Center will be under water. "Terrorism," he says, without drama or overemphasis, "is not the only danger we must face." The threatened catastrophe is not in the distant future. The US Geological Survey predicts that by 2030, Glacier National Park will have no glaciers left. In the last 30 years, 400,00 square miles of Arctic sea ice have melted; polar bears today drown when they cannot find an ice floe to rest on. What has Congress done about global warming? Absolutely nothing.

Davis Guggenheim's documentary is based mostly on Gore's multimedia presentation on climate change, a lecture he has delivered hundreds of times in recent months. While Gore is managing the show with powerful efficiency, there is nothing dry or tired about it. The film is virtually flawless, even some of the cornier visuals fit in. Gore's personal remarks are affecting: the death of his sister from lung cancer, after lifelong smoking, forced the family - after generations of tobacco-growing in Tennessee - to quit the business. No overt statement is heard, but there is an inevitable comparison with the world's addiction to many activities directly contributing to climate change.

Political references are at a minimum. The only strong criticism of the Bush presidency is in the context of the Republican rejection of the Kyoto Treaty, making the US one of two countries in the world to do so (Australia is the other one). Following a huge list of countries paying at least lip service to the cause of climate control under the treaty, Gore shows a similarly large list of US cities where local government is taking measures not supported by Washington.

Gore is clear about the danger of being overwhelmed by the danger of what's happening, and he concludes the film by saying that going from denial to despair without pausing to see what can be done is the wrong course of action, or rather inaction. "Political will," Gore says, "is a renewable resource." Gently, but firmly, he calls for attention to a clear and present danger that cannot be ignored... even if faith-based denial of the evidence before us remains largely the order of the day, with all the comfort of darkness behind closed eyes. An alternative is at http://www.climatecrisis.net/.

Australian Jokes

2006-09-15T03:03:00.000+01:00

2006-07-20T23:30:00.001+01:00

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2006-07-20T23:30:00.000+01:00

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To Italia, with apologies

2006-07-15T02:22:00.000+01:00

I was wrong, Italia. Wrong to doubt you, wrong to criticize you, wrong to think that you were overrated, overscandalized and overmatched.

Scusami, Fabrizio. Scusami Michele. Scusami Franco. And, most important, scusami Paola, "la mia bella Italiana," who is now thoroughly enjoying making me eat all my pre-Cup Italy-bashing words. She is particularly fond of the following passage I wrote: "To be honest ... I think Italy will have trouble advancing from its group."

Nice going, Nostradamus. Now I owe Paola dinner at Nobu. (I might have to sell my laptop to pay for it, but what the hell -- cute Italians don't visit me very often.)

But I'd like to say to the Azzurri one more thing: Grazie. Thank you for showing us that soccer is not about how much individual talent you possess (see: Brazil), but about how the players interact. And thank you for giving us something to remember, something even more unexpected and astounding that Zizou's headbutt.

Up until the semifinals, this had been, for me, a most bland and unremarkable World Cup. No real Cinderella team, not very much good soccer, too many cards, too many dives, and ultimately only one transcendent goal -- Argentine Maxi Rodríguez's volley against Mexico.

FIFA tried to counter the negativity with the glorification of Ghana. It fit well with the soccer suits' commendable efforts to promote diversity (even while the referees consistently screwed the African teams). But I was amazed how many people were "impressed" by the Black Stars in the Brazil match. They lost 3-nil! What's impressive about a 3-0 loss in the Round of 16? It isn't even a moral victory, when compared with past Cinderella runs by the likes of Cameroon and South Korea.

As it turned out, the truly exciting story was the Azzurri. They arrived in Germany tattooed with more question marks than Puma symbols: Did they really deserve their seeding during the World Cup draw? Was Francesco Totti healthy? Were they too inexperienced? Who was going to score the goals? How would the scandal back home affect their performance?

There was something about this Italian team that rubbed people the wrong way in the beginning. Angered by the match-fixing scandal, irritated by the fact that the Italians' ego, external pundits hoped the Italians would collapse like vultures waiting for the sick gazelle to expire.

And the U.S. match seemed to bring their hopes to fruition. The Azzurri drew 1-1 after enjoying a 10-9 player advantage for most of the second half. Surely, this was the death knell.

But no, it was more like cardiac resuscitation. The next game, they beat the Czechs, comfortably, then slipped past Australia in the Round of 16 (I don't care what anyone says: That was definitely a penalty). And in the quarters, they strutted to a 3-nil win over Ukraine.

All the ugliness, the kicks when they were down, spurred them on. Their fans started to believe and they all took strength from everyone else's negativity, like Dark Side siths or Nietzschean übermen -- growing stronger from that which did not kill them. Even the apparent suicide attempt of Gianluca Pessotto, a former teammate to several of the Italian players, didn't get to them.

They arrived at the semifinals having conceded only one goal. Suddenly, everyone re-examined them, and what they saw was a thing of beauty: the quintessential team, a highly tuned machine, a Ferrari, whose parts fit together perfectly.

The entire team played in Serie A -- the very league was under fire from magistrates, journalists and FIFA bigwigs -- and they struck a blow for the value of having national-teamers playing in the same league. They were familiar with each other -- Gennaro Gattuso and Andrea Pirlo, from the Milan midfield; Fabio Grosso and Marco Materazzi, new teammates at Inter; Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluca Zambrotta and Gianluigi Buffon, from Juventus (at least until Juve is sent down a few divisions later this week).

On defense, their familiarity impressed most. During the final, I literally gasped in awe of the Italian defense. It wasn't the catenaccio of old, but something more fluid, refined, selfless. At one point, I started laughing, like the first time I saw Michelangelo's staircase at San Lorenzo in Florence, because sometimes laughter is the only possible reaction to impossible beauty.

The indisputable leader was Cannavaro, the captain. He played as if Jupiter had possessed his body, particularly after his former Juventus teammate Pessotto's suicide attempt. He won everything on the ground, everything in the air. He was a gladiator, the perfect spiritual machine -- cold fusion, perpetual motion and a heart the size of Mount Etna.

Twenty years from now, when I think back to the '06 World Cup, I will remember the following image first: Cannavaro, standing at midfield during the penalties, his arms folded, his face as tight and hard as a statue of Aeneas. His stoicism held during the first four penalties.

Then, when Grosso's kick won the trophy, Cannavaro exploded, with joy, with relief, with pride. And with a certain amount of "up yours" to all of us doubters.

And so, all I can say in the end is: Scusami Italia, e grazie mille.

germany-didn,t win the world cup,but were awesome.

2006-07-02T00:01:00.000+01:00

The Germans won 3rd place(bronze)so impressive.You got to love them.Unfortunately the italians stopped them in the semis.The germans were machines in action.

DILBERT

2006-02-05T03:21:00.000+01:00

life

2005-11-17T01:05:00.000+01:00

"Dreams are like stars...you may never touch them, but if you follow them they will lead you to your destiny."

Here with Me - MercyMe

2005-05-06T07:47:00.000+01:00

new york

2005-04-24T00:30:00.000+01:00

2005-04-23T00:31:00.000+01:00

2005-04-22T00:32:00.000+01:00

2005-04-14T00:32:00.000+01:00

2005-03-24T00:33:00.000+01:00

Stepping Stone

2003-11-15T10:11:00.001+01:00

The Lord came to me like a dream one day and asked,
"why do you sorrow?"
I answered, "Lord my life is so full of pain,
I can't face one more tomorrow."

The Lord sat down beside me,
and gently took my hand.
He said,
"Let me explain to you and then you'll understand.

Each sorrow is a stepping stone
you must surmount each day,
And every stepping stone you climb
is a sorrow that's passed away.

The road of life is a mountainside,
with crevices in which to be caught,
But as you struggle on your way,
I, the Rock, will lend support.

Every stepping stone you climb,
makes spirit and heart grow strong.
Exercising character and faith
this road seems painful and long.

The way is paved with stepping stones,
to uplift your heart and soul,
Though difficult they aid your way,
to a City paved with gold.

I know that you are tired,
for I too have walked this way,
My sorrows did they multiply,
but I cleared the stones away.

I left my rock to lift you up,
I left behind my story.
To give you strength to make your climb,
to that special place in glory.

And never fear, the Rock is here,
You'll never climb alone
Surmount life's sorrows, continue on,
For they are but stepping stones.

"Leave your troubles with the Lord, and He will defend you;
he never lets honest people be defeated." Psalms 55:22 GNB

As The Deer Panted

2003-10-25T06:01:00.000+01:00

As The Deer Panted For The water
So My Soul Longeth After Thee
You Alone Are My Hearts Desire

लॉन्ग live happy

2003-09-03T02:17:00.000+01:00

love live the things that make our lives more full of life.and a place where you can find them.unfortunately,we face cactus thorns in the process.Ain't life a bitch.

Free Yourself

2003-08-03T05:43:00.001+01:00

"THE MOMENT WE TELL GOD OUR FAILINGS,WE ADMIT WE'VE BEEN IN A DRY PLACE, THIRSTING".

boney m-ma baker

2003-05-02T04:20:00.000+01:00

How To Make A Soccer Partner

2003-04-08T12:36:00.000+01:00

GARFIELD

2003-02-19T03:19:00.000+01:00

Healthy Living

2003-02-13T02:46:00.000+01:00

Like most of you, i work hard(maybe not hard enough).In fact, i love what i do so much(i lied serious)i often ignore my body when its telling me to slow down.But i had to take stock when a colleague shared news of a friend who had recently suffered from a stroke.one third of americans are living with extreme stress.Any doctor will tell you working long hours takes a toll on our bodies.That is why we need to 1. see a doctor annually. 2.) eat right.3.)exercise.

In Pieces

2002-11-24T20:09:00.000+01:00

Telling me to go

But who's begged me to stay

Your lips say that you love

Your eyes say that you hate

You promise me the sky

Then toss me like a stone

You wrap me in your arms

And chill me to the bone

There's truth in your lies

Doub in your faith

What you build you lay to waste

There's truth in your lies

Doubt in your faith

All I've got's what you didn't take

So I, I won't be the one

Be the one to leave this in pieces

And you, you will be alone

Alone with all your secrets and regrets

Don't lie

2002-11-23T19:45:00.000+01:00

"Life is all about the ability to control every of its aspect. Without control, theres no power. Sometimes, it is not easy as it may seem, by the facts that were constantly exposed to an enormous amount of psychological stress and were easily influenced by our emotions and feelings. In fact, were only human being.

This is somehow my way thinking and living..."

"People smile when theyre happy, but they dont realize that the act of smiling also makes us happy. In fact, smiling is simple, effortless and contagious. So why don't we shut the fuck up and smile too?"
�
�

"Be fearless but act with fear. When you act out of fear your decisions are not logical, but emotional. If you need to win then you will lose. If youre praying to win then you are fearful of losing. The best mentally is that of pure detachment."
�
�

"The ideal state of mind is to have no ego, to shed no emotion, to be completely objective and this is only achieved by focusing solely on oneself and our objective. This will allow you to be unconcerned and to avoid second guessing of yourself."
�
�

"Cooperation is the key to success. Winning the trust and support of the others is through the complete identification with them. To accomplish identification you must not set yourself apart from the crowd, but remain one of the people in the crowd. It is not enough to be for the people; you must be of the people."
�
�

"Always be clear and organized. If your ideas are muddled with countless exceptions and are multi-focused you will undoubtedly lose yours and others interest, motivation and confidence. Be clear, be simple, and be direct but maintain a degree of flexibility"
(by the way,yes indeed the picture above is my room)
�
�

"Be open mind and avoid appearing rigid and dogmatic. A person that holds to the same position regardless of the situation is not as effective and successful as one that demonstrates a degree of flexibility."
�
�

"Enthusiasm is contagious. The more excited and passionate you are, the more exited people will become."
�
�

Silence itself is a powerful form of communication. Its easy to think of silence as being neutral. But the absence of a positive message can sometimes be as damaging as the presence of a negative one
�
�

"Theres an undeniable fact about human nature that says: what you focus on is what you will move toward and for. Clear your mind, focus only on the outcome."
�
�

Life is all about challenge. Whether its a battle of the mind or of the flesh, remember that all battles are first waged within the mind; it is there where you win or lose and then the outcome is manifested into the material world. Competition is competition, attack the mind of your opponent and you will divide him against himself and then he will fall before you, without a single touch.
�
�

"Whenever possible do the unexpected and give no warning. Deception and surprise are key principles to confuse people. By acting without a pattern you throw them off balance."
�
�

"Confidence is extremely important in almost every aspect of our lives. It doesnt matter who the hell you are, how you look like or what you are wearing as long as you are self-confident the world is yours..."

So, farewell then, World Cup 2002

2002-07-06T23:26:00.000+01:00

So that's it. It's a strange feeling to be without the World Cup after weeks of action and the usual staggering amounts of hype - but now it's all over, the tournament can be looked back on with a great deal of enjoyment.

Early surprise: Senegal defeat France in the opener (Reuters)
It would be hard to construct a convincing argument for this having been one of the highest-quality World Cups ever - well, it definitely wasn't that - but what it did have was surprise and plenty of interest.

One of the greatest plus points to emerge from all those early mornings was the performance of both co-host nations, who proved themselves to have made an enormous amount of progress in a staggeringly short space of time.

Philippe Troussier's Japan played some good stuff in the group stages, turning Arsenal cast-off Junichi Inamoto into a megastar along the way, before eventually bowing out with an uncharacteristically hesitant performance against Turkey.

They had, however, done more than enough to satisfy their expectant supporters by moving forward thanks to wins over disappointing Russia and Tunisia and a draw against Belgium.

To describe South Korea's fans as satisfied by their team's World Cup would be the understatement of the summer: the Red Devils, backed in noisy, carnival fashion throughout the tournament, provided plenty of its highlights.

Impressive in achieving their first-ever World Cup finals win against an impossibly drab and jaded-looking Poland, they went from strength to strength under the astute leadership of understated Dutchman Guus Hiddink.

A crunch game against Portugal? No problem: Park Ji-Sung's swift turn and fierce low shot saw to that, sending his side through to the next stage and eliminating the Portuguese. They were denied the chance to go through with them by the inside of a post in one of the dramatic finales that littered the tournament.

Late drama was there in abundance against Italy - a last-gasp equaliser followed by Ahn Jung-Hwan's golden goal - and Spain, who succumbed on penalties after a tense goalless draw.

Those two losing nations reacted with fury to some very questionable officiating in both games, but to spotlight those moments at the expense of the Koreans' high-tempo, slick passing performances would be unjust.

Put simply, Hiddink's side announced themselves as a new and vibrant force and deserved the successes they achieved.

In many ways, unexpected success was the hallmark of World Cup 2002. Bruce Arena and his United States side confounded the pundits and were deeply unlucky to lose to Germany in the quarter-finals, while Senegal produced some wonderful attacking football before their run was ended by Turkey in the last eight.

There's another one, you see: the Turks, in reaching the last four, left nobody in any doubt of their emergence as a strong, difficult-to-beat side. With main man Hakan Sukur having a nightmare for the bulk of the time, coach Senol Gunes' team showed how much more there is to their game these days.

The other side of the coin was demonstrated by France: it's still amazing to think of just how dire their defence of the World Cup was.

Yes, the loss of Zinedine Zidane was obviously a severe blow, and yes, they were tactically inflexible in the extreme.

But even allowing for those factors, the fact that a team containing so much world class skill managed to show so little of it was stunning.

Italy took conspiracy theories to excitingly paranoid heights following their exit against South Korea: again, though, a pre-tournament favourite had offered little to excite and inspire.

Who knows, they might not even have had to complain had they not elected to try and defend a 1-0 lead with around 70 minutes of that game remaining, and only Giovanni Trapattoni can adequately explain why a side blessed with abundant attacking options didn't often bother to utilise them.

Spain could consider themselves fortunate to have got as far as their meeting with South Korea: Mick McCarthy's Republic of Ireland had much the better of the teams' last 16 clash despite having to wait until the last minute to level through Robbie Keane's ice-cool penalty.

The Irish played some excellent football after being the focus of so much pre-tournament attention thanks to Roy Keane's stropping.

For my money, they were more convincing than an England side still struggling to live up to the expectations that have mushroomed since winning 5-1 against you know who, you know where.

Sven Goran Eriksson's team had their moments - notably against Denmark in the last 16 - but the quarter-final exit against Brazil was a major disappointment, tentative and seemingly short on self-belief against opponents who had controversially been reduced to ten men.

However, of course, there had been the excitement of winning 1-0 against Argentina prior to that thanks to David Beckham's ghost-busting penalty. The Argentines, never convincing, crashed out early to join Italy and France in the under-performance stakes.

High expectation in England provided the polar opposite to the mood in Germany, where few backed Rudi Voeller's side to do anything of note after their often tortuous qualifying campaign.

But Voeller and his team simply got on with the task admirably - they may not have had the toughest draw in World Cup history, but proved the truth of the cliche about only being able to beat the teams that are put in front of you.

Final glory: Cafu lifts the trophy
(BenRadford/Reuters)

Germany played well in the final against Brazil but, lacking the suspended Michael Ballack's guile, couldn't find a way past a side who - like them - had struggled in qualifying but then gone on to improve game by game.

Ronaldo's wonderful tournament and two-goal salvo in the final provided a fittingly good story to end a World Cup that was full of them.

His metamorphosis from broken, injury-ravaged and despairing to confident and, at times, unstoppable, has been an absolute joy to behold.

Honourable mentions for a few others: Uruguay produced an insane 3-3 draw against Senegal and a tension-laden 0-0 against France, Belgium gave Brazil a run for their money in the last 16 and Costa Rica made and missed a ludicrous number of chances in losing 5-2 to the champions.

A dishnourable mention, sadly, must go to Rivaldo for his shameless play-acting against Turkey: precisely the sort of 'simulation' FIFA had been so adamant about cracking down on. They never really managed to do so.

Overall, though, it's been fun.

Boney M-Rivers of Babylon

2002-05-02T04:24:00.000+01:00

Triple H Returns To Raw January 7th 2002

2002-01-19T22:22:00.000+01:00

in the end

2001-12-23T20:17:00.000+01:00

One thing I don't know how

It doesn't even matter when you look at it now

'Cause when I designed this rhyme, I was scared of it all

Scared to fall, and I hadn't even tried to crawl

But I was forced to run with you mocking me

Stopping me, backstabbing me constantly

Remembering all the times you fought with me

Watch the clock now chock-full of hypocrisy

But now your mouth wishes it oculd inhale

Every single little thing you said to make things fail

Every single word you sputtered just to get your piece

But it really doesn't matter to me

'Cause from the start to the end, no matter what I pretend

The journey's more important than the end or the start

And what it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I tried so hard

Crawling

2001-11-23T20:14:00.000+01:00

There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface

Consuming, confusing

This lack of self-control I fear is never ending

Controlling, I can't seem

To find myself again

My walls are closing in

Without a sense of confidence,

I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take

I felt this way before

So insecure

Crawling in my skin

These wounds they will not heal

Fear is how I fall

Confusing what is real

Discomfort endlessly has pulled itself upon me

Distracting, reacting

Against my will I stand beside my own reflection

It's haunting how I can't seem

To find myself again

My walls are closing in

Without a sense of confidence,

I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take

I felt this way before So insecure

Crawling in my skin

These wounds they will not heal

Fear is how I fall

Confusing what is real

Papercut

2001-11-23T20:12:00.000+01:00

Why does it feel like night today? Something in here's not right today

Why am I so uptight today? Paranoia's all I got left

I don't know what stressed me first or how the pressure was fed

But I know just what it feels like to have a voice in the back of my head

It's like a face that I hold inside

A face that awakes when I close my eyes

A face that watches every time I lie

A face that laughs every time I fall

And watches everything

So I know that when it's time to sink or swim

That the face inside is hearing me right underneath my skin

It's like I'm paranoid looking over my back

It's like a whirlwind inside of my head

It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within

It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin

Here we go again with the pain I feel that isn't real, in my mind

But I find myself in places with names but not faces

My memory races at speeds, hundred degrees

My soul bleeds, devil must've planted the seed

Now it feels like my back's against the wall and I'm taking the fall

Whenever I call nobody's responding at all

But I don't know who I can trust

They're screaming my name I need somebody to help me out of the frame

All I'm trying to do is just master me

All I want to do is smoke a blast-to-beat but something keeps talking to me consciously,

Responsibly, keeps haunting me

From dusk 'til dawn, every day has something for you

That voice inside of your head got you projecting paranoia

Cold sweat shining on your face, exposing your purpose

And if I ripped off your skin I'd probably find another person

There's nothing worse than trying to bring yourself on back from the dead

So I advise you: listen to that voice in the back of your head

The face inside is right beneath your skin

LEAVE OUT ALL THE REST.

2001-11-23T20:11:00.000+01:00

I dreamed I was missing

You were so scared

But no one would listen

'Cause no one else cared

After my dreaming, I woke with this fear

What am I leaving when I'm done here

So if you're asking me I want you to know

When my time comes, forget the wrong that I've done

Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed

And don't resent me

And when you're feeling empty, keep me in your memory

Leave out all the rest

Leave out all the rest

Don't be afraid

I've taken my beating

I've shared what I made

I'm strong on the surface, not all the way through

I've never been perfect but neither have you

So if you're asking me I want you to know

When my time comes, forget the wrong that I've done

Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed

Don't resent me

And when you're feeling empty, keep me in your memory

Leave out all the rest

Leave out all the rest

Forgetting - all the hurt inside you learned to hide so well

Pretending - someone else can come and save me from myself

I can't be who you are

IN BETWEEN

2001-11-23T20:10:00.000+01:00

Let me apologize to begin with

Let me apologize for what I'm about to say

But trying to be genuine was harder than it seemed

And somehow I got caught up in between

Let me apologize to begin with

Let me apologize for what I'm about to say

The things I want to say to you get lost before they come

The only thing that's worse than one is none

Let me apologize to begin with

Let me apologize for what I'm about to say

But trying to regain your trust was harder than it seemed

And somehow I got caught up in between

And I cannot explain to you

In anything I say or do or plan

Fear is not afraid of you

But guilt's a language you can understand

I cannot explain to you

In anything I say or do

But hope the actions speak the words they can

For my pride and my promise

For my lies and how the truth gets in the way

The things I want to say to you get lost before they come

The only thing that's worse than one is none