Anong Balita? 011410

Top news for the day
Source: ABS-CBN News.com

Comelec gets 'Miriam'-related bomb threat
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) received on Wednesday morning a bomb threat alledgedly in relation to a certain Miriam, who officials assume is re-electionist senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

SC ruling on Ang Ladlad 'a dangerous precedent' --Comelec
More TROs have implications on ballot printing and poll preparations
The order of the Supreme Court (SC) for the elections body to put the disqualified gay group on the ballot pending a review of its accreditation is setting a "dangerous precedent" for other disqualified organizations.

Defensor wants permanent SC head in case of failure of elections
The Supreme Court cannot have a temporary Chief Justice in a crucial period such as presidential elections, argued Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) member Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor.

Filipino peacekeepers trapped in collapsed UN building
MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) - At least 23 members of the Philippine peacekeeping contingent in Haiti were trapped inside the collapsed United Nations Stabilization Mission building after a magnitude 7.0 quake rocked the Caribbean nation Tuesday (Wedensday in Manila), a Philippine official reported Wednesday.

'LTO not ordered to reimburse RFID collection'
MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) did not directly order the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to return the payments already made by at least a million vehicle owners for the controversial Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) stickers, a court spokesman clarified
Wednesday.


Showbiz Chika for the day
Source: Manila Bulletin Online

Is Roxanne Guinoo battling depression?
Actress Roxanne Guinoo is reportedly going through bouts of depression these days.

Jomari shuts out reconciliation with Pops, Aiko
No reconciliation is in sight for ex-couple Jomari Yllana and Pops Fernandez.

What? A ‘Spidey’ reboot?!
There will be no more Tobey Maguire and director Sam Raimi in the next "Spider-Man" movie.

Aga-Regine reunion movie still on
Despite the long delay, the reunion movie of Aga Muhlach and Regine Velasquez is still on but is now slated for either a March or April 2010 release.

Warner Music denies charge of Gibo’s TVC arranger
Warner Music Philippines refuted the accusation of songwriter Dennis Garcia that they used his lyrics for the song “O Lumapit Ka” without remuneration and permission.

Official statement on the suspension of ‘Showtime’
Here is the official word from ABS-CBN regarding the suspension of “Showtime.”

Backstreet Boys back in Manila
Multi-Grammy nominated Backstreet Boys will be performing again LIVE in Manila in a concert dubbed “Backstreet Boys This is Us Tour 2010.”

Ellen: ‘If Simon goes, I go’
It looks like “American Idol” has more holes to fill than the already huge one.

‘CATS, Now and Forever’ premieres in Manila
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s stunning masterpiece “CATS, Now and Forever” is set to premiere in Manila on July 24.

Max FM’s reformat attracts foreign DJs
Top DJs abroad found the dance format of Max 103.5 FM pretty exciting that they expressed interest in offering their shows to the station.

Vatican says 'Avatar' is no masterpiece
"Avatar" is wooing audiences worldwide with visually dazzling landscapes and nature-loving blue creatures. But the Vatican is no easy crowd to please.


Isports laang
Source: GMA News.tv

Pistons beat Wizards to end 13-game slide
WASHINGTON — Charlie Villanueva had 23 points and nine rebounds to help the Detroit Pistons end a 13-game losing streak by beating the downtrodden and distracted Washington Wizards, 99-90,...

More Wizards speak to authorities about gun case
WASHINGTON — With various players missing for various reasons, including some who had to talk to authorities about the Gilbert Arenas gun investigation, only eight members of the Washington...

Big year ahead for 400 world champ Sanya Richard
NEW YORK — Sanya Richards has quite the busy day planned for Feb. 26. At 4 p.m., the track star expects 500-700 people at her wedding to New York Giants defensive back Aaron Ross at an Austin,...

Ex pro cager Distrito freed, back in Manila
Rudy Distrito is back in the Philippines and plans to rebuild his life back that the former professional cager is mulling to return as a coach or a staff in any of the 10 teams playing in the...

Taylor withdraws from Super Six boxing event
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas — Jermain Taylor withdrew from the Super Six World Boxing Classic on Tuesday, although the former middleweight champion stopped short of announcing his retirement.


Da who for today
Source: Wikipedia

David Blaine (born David Blaine White; April 4, 1973) is an American illusionist and endurance artist. He is best known for his high-profile feats of endurance, and has made his name as a performer of street and close-up magic. He has set and broken several world records. Theatre owner James Nederlander as well as The New York Times have referred to Blaine as a modern day Houdini. He has also been called a "Houdini wanna-be" by the New York Daily News.

Street Magic and Magic Man
On May 19, 1997, Blaine's first television special, David Blaine: Street Magic aired on the ABC network. According to The New York Daily News, “Blaine can lay claim to his own brand of wizardry. The magic he offers in tonight’s show operates on an uncommonly personal level.” When asked about his performance style, David explained, “I'd like to bring magic back to the place it used to be 100 years ago.”' Time Magazine commented, "his deceptively low-key, ultracool manner leaves spectators more amazed than if he'd razzle-dazzled." The New York Times wrote, “He's taken a craft that's been around for hundreds of years and done something unique and fresh with it."

In Magic Man, Blaine is shown traveling across the country, entertaining unsuspecting pedestrians in New York City, Atlantic City, Dallas, San Francisco, Compton, and the Mojave Desert recorded by a small crew with handheld cameras. Jon Racherbaumer commented, "Make no mistake about it, the focus of this show, boys and girls, is not Blaine. It is really about theatrical proxemics; about the show-within-a-show and the spontaneous, visceral reactions of people being astonished." USA Today calls David “The hottest name in magic right now”.

Guinness World Records
After failing to surpass the then-current record of unassisted static apnea in his previous attempt Drowned Alive, Blaine appeared on the April 30, 2008 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show, announcing that he would attempt to break the Guinness World Record for oxygen assisted static apnea set by Peter Colat of Switzerland on February 10, 2008.
Before entering his eighteen-hundred gallon water tank, Blaine spent 23 minutes inhaling pure oxygen; up to 30 minutes of "oxygen hyperventilation" is allowed under guidelines. His heart rate remained above one hundred beats per minute during much of the attempt, rising to one hundred and twenty-four bpm. in the fifteenth minute. A faster heart rate increases oxygen consumption leading to painful carbon dioxide buildup. In the final minute, his heart rate became erratic and he started rising from the bottom of the water-filled sphere; however, he kept his head submerged for a half minute longer than the previous record. Ultimately, Blaine held his breath for seventeen minutes four and a half seconds, surpassing Colat's previous mark of sixteen minutes thirty-two seconds. This was Blaine's first Guinness record and it stood for almost four and a half months, until surpassed by Tom Sietas on September 19, 2008.

During the following interview, Blaine stated: "I really thought I was not going to make it," claiming that he did so by staying in a meditative state which was helped by the studio lights reflecting off of the sphere. According to Blaine, besides the pressure of performing on television, the heart-rate monitor happened to be close enough to his ear so that he heard its beeping, and he had to keep his feet locked in holds at the bottom of the sphere — instead of just floating freely, as he did in the pool on Grand Cayman months earlier. Back then he said he was so relaxed he "wasn’t even there" during most of the breath-hold. But when he emerged from the sphere today, he told Oprah, "I was pretty much here the whole time."


Gospel for the day
Source: The Daily Gospel Online

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 1:40-45.

A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, «If you wish, you can make me clean. Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them." The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.


Word for the day
Source: Merriam Webster Online

triskaidekaphobia • \triss-kye-dek-uh-FOH-bee-uh\ • noun
: fear of the number 13

Example Sentence:
"Billy Hart suffers absolutely no triskaidekaphobia. The Salem Avalanche infielder has worn No. 13 for six years…." (Katrina Waugh, The Roanoke Times [Virginia], July 14, 2007)

Did you know?
It's impossible to say just how or when the number thirteen got its bad reputation. There are a number of theories, of course. Some say it comes from the Last Supper because Jesus was betrayed afterwards by one among the thirteen present. Others trace the source of the superstition back to ancient Hindu beliefs or Norse mythology. But if written references are any indication, the phenomenon isn't all that old (at least, not among English speakers). Known mention of fear of thirteen in print dates back only to the late 1800s. By circa 1911, however, it was prevalent enough to merit a name, which was formed by attaching the Greek word for "thirteen" -- "treiskaideka" (dropping that first "e") -- to "phobia" ("fear of").


Lesson for the day
Source: Art’s Library of life

Nine People

Note: Click image to enlarge



Joke for the day
Source: Art’s Funbox

What’s your name?

A lady manager of a big reputed office noticed a new man one day and told him to come into her office. ” What is your name?” was the first thing she asked the new guy.
“John ,” the new guy replied.

She scowled, “Look… I don’t know what kind of a namby-pamby place you worked before, but I don’t call anyone by their first name. It breeds familiarity and that leads to a breakdown in authority.

I refer to my employees by their last name only … Smith, Jones, Baker …that’s all.
I am to be referred to only as Mrs. Robertson. Now that we got that straight, what is your last name?”

The new guy sighed, “Darling…. . ……. My name is John Darling.”

” Okay John, the next thing I want to tell you is . . . ”