Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Happy Diwali! =)

A row of lamps, part of the Diwali observance.

From Wikipedia:

Diwali (or Deepavali) is a major Indian holiday, and a significant festival in Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Many legends are associated with Diwali. Today it is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs across the globe as the "Festival of Lights," where the lights or lamps signify victory of good over the evil within every human being. Diwali is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the month Kartika.

2007 date: 9 November
2008 date: 28 October
2009 date: 17 October (Tentative)
Celebrations: Decorating homes with lights, Fireworks, distributing sweets and gifts.
Observances: Prayers, Religious rituals

Photo uploaded on July 11, 2006 by dhondusaxena
(http://flickr.com/photos/dhondusaxena/187469545/)
Uploaded to Wiki by User Nikkul

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe...

In connection with my previous post, I'd like to share the pictures of the other cars on display in the 2008 Paris Auto Show. I know these photos are readily available on the net. But I'd like to keep copies of them in my blog... I guess you could say this blog is not merely a scribbling page, but also a collection of some sort -- things that I find interesting. So, enjoy! And take your pick! Let me know what you like best! :)

Click on the image to enlarge. :)

Photos by John Lamm
Source:
http://autos.yahoo.com
Arranged by: Me. :)

Monday, October 27, 2008

I Love This Car!

*Sigh* Will I ever get to drive and own this car... The 2009 Ferrari California. This photo was taken at the 2008 Paris Auto Show.

A lot of new models from different reputable car manufacturers were made for the Show, but I liked this best, for a lot of reasons I don't even know where to begin. It was love at first sight. =) Watch me, I'm asking Santa for one on Christmas. haha JK! :)

Mike Monticello said, "the photos don't do this car justice, the Ferrari California looks absolutely stunning in person."



It has a fully retractable hardtop, with dual-clutch transmission. It's the first-ever production Ferrari with a front-mounted V-8. It is packed with the latest and greatest from the engineers in Maranello.

Ferrari says the California "is aimed at owners who desire a car which embodies everything the Prancing Horse represents in terms of sporty design and innovation, but also seek a car with greater versatility than ever."

Features:
  • can be ordered in a 2+2 configuration — children seating only — or for more storage space for weekend outings
  • top is slick in its operation, and only takes 14 seconds to go from open to fully closed
  • 4.3-liter direct-injected flat-crank V-8 produces 460 bhp
  • Ferrari's first dual-clutch gearbox with not six speeds, as on every other recent Ferrari, but seven forward gears
  • Ferrari claims the California will be able to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 4 seconds.
  • steering wheel-mounted F1-style paddles
  • new suspension system (double wishbones at the front and multilink at the rear)
  • new evolved F1-Trac traction control system and Brembo brakes with CCM (carbon ceramic material) discs as standard (this latter feature is shared by the other models in the current range)
  • new aluminium-trimmed centre console
  • Ferrari California's chassis and bodyshell are both made entirely from aluminium
  • has an ejectable roll-bar to ensure that its occupants are protected should the car overturn - Ejection time is under 190ms
  • front retractable airbags (driver and passenger sides), side retractable air bags in door panels, bi-xenon headlights and LED rear lights
  • panel with analogue instruments (tachometer and rev counter) and four-screen TFT Multidisplay
  • new infotainment system with 6.5'' touchscreen, Sat Nav, USB connection, Bluetooth, hard disc, voice commands and IPOD connector


FERRARI CALIFORNIA TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
  • DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHTS
    • Length: 4563 mm
    • Width: 1902 mm
    • Height: 1308 mm
    • Wheelbase: 2670 mm
    • Front track: 1630 mm
    • Rear track: 1605 mm
    • Dry weight: 1630 kg
    • Kerb weight: 1735 kg
    • Weight distribution: 47% Front - 53% Rear
    • Fuel tank capacity: 78 l
    • Boot capacity: 340 l, 240 l (with roof retracted)
  • TYRES
    • Front: 245/40 ZR19"
    • Rear: 285/40 ZR19"
    • Front (optional): 245/35 ZR20"
    • Rear (optional): 285/35 ZR20""
  • CARBON-CERAMIC BRAKES
    • Front: 390 x 34 mm
    • Rear: 360 x 32 mm
  • ELECTRONIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
    • CST with F1-TRAC Stability and Traction Control System
    • TPTMS Tyre Pressure and Temperature Monitoring System
  • ENGINE
    • 90° V8 Direct Injection
    • Bore and stroke: 94 x 77.37 cc
    • Overall displacement: 4297 cc
    • Compression ratio: 12.2:1
    • Maximum power output: 338 kW (460 CV) @ 7750 rpm
    • Maximum torque: 485 Nm (49 kgm) @ 5000 rpm
  • PERFORMANCE
    • Maximum speed: 310 km/h
    • 0-100 km/h: under 4.0 sec
    • 0-400 m: 12.2 sec
    • 0-1.000 m: 22.1 sec
  • GEARBOX
    • F1, dual-clutch, 7-speed plus reverse
    • Manual 6-speed + REV
  • SUSPENSION
    • Front: Double wishbone
    • Rear: Multilink
  • FUEL CONSUMPTION
    • ECE Combined: 13.1 l/100 km
  • CO2 EMISSIONS
    • ECE Combined: 305.6 g/km


The Ferrari California is available in a choice of 16 different pastel and metallic colours, and it's priced i
n the range of the F430. According to rsportscars.com, it's base price is rumored to be just under $200,000. It's veeerrry expensive for me. I wish I'll win the lottery or something. hehe

Top & Bottom Photo by John Lamm
References: http://autos.yahoo.com/ and http://www.netcarshow.com/
Photo Gallery by www.netcarshow.com
Official Website: www.ferraricalifornia.com

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Your Fingerprints Say Something About You

Yup. You read that right. I found this article days ago, and I thought you'd be interested (if you haven't heard about it yet). In the fortune-telling world, there's palm-reading, and card-reading, crystal balls, and things like that. But fingerprints-reading? That's a new thing for me. :)

We all know that every person in this world has a different set of fingerprints - they differ in "prints" in it's most strictest sense, but did you know that there only 2 kinds of shapes? The circle, and the wave. These shapes create a pattern, for example: 5 circles, 5 waves, or circle-wave-circle-wave-circle, etc. And I guess some people may have the same patterns. Why? We only have 5 fingers on each hand, and there are only two kinds of shapes. Mathematically, we can only produce so much combinations from two shapes and only 5 fingers. :) Because of this, some people may have the same fingerprint pattern, as some people may have the same personality, but they are never identical (-both the fingerprints and the personalities).

One interesting thing to know about this is that, apparently, in the old days, the Chinese, especially the prominent families, scrutinized the fingers of their prospective daughters-in-law to ensure they did not "unwittingly welcome women who had fingers that showed alternate circles and waves on their fingers, as it was commonly believed that such women would bring trouble into the family, being particularly difficult to control and usually very aggressive." Hehe Quite a preventive measure, huh? :) But I feel sorry for those who were rejected, just because of their fingerprints.

The Chinese were convinced that studying the waves and the circles that appear at the tips of everyone's fingers is a way to read the person's personality and destiny traits.

If you would like to know what your fingerprints say about you, look at your thumb first, then your index finger, your middle finger, your ring finger and then your little finger - in that order. Guys should examine their left hands while women should look at their right hands.

Refer to the diagram shown above, to distinguish between a circle (O) and a wave (W), and read the interpretation below. :) Good luck! Let me know what you have! ^_^ I have the OOOOW pattern, and what it says is surprisingly true...

Fingers: OOOOO (all whorls)
Means: This person is very confident, has a strong character and a hot temper. He/she is an independent person. The luck of this person changes dramatically in life from one period to the next. The undoing of this person will be his/her hot temper so it is vital that this person must learn to be patient and calm.

Pattern: WWWWW (all waves)
Means: This person is a straightforward honest person who goes with the flow. The fingers indicate someone very sensitive, who is especially suited to design and creative work. People with these fingerprint patterns tend to be shy and uncomfortable in social situations, so are not suited to work in PR, politics or any kind of work requiring them to meet people.

Pattern: OWWWO
Means: If you can choose a prestigious working career, you will be very successful. However, you should avoid the tendency to get big-headed and you must never take your career for granted. You should also watch your back, as you tend to attract jealousy into your life and could get betrayed. Always look for long-term benefits.
Pattern: OWWOW
Means: You will need to work harder during the early days of your career. When you reach middle and older age, you will get recognition and wealth luck. So your life gets better the older you get.

Pattern: OWOWW
Means: It is vital that you resist the tendency to be narrow-minded in your attitudes and in the way you think and work. Try to be humble and learn as much as possible. This is how you will get influential help that brings you to the peak of your business and career life.
Pattern: WOOOO
Means: You are a very clear-minded person. As long as you work hard, you are guaranteed to be successful. Even though you tend to be in a hurry, there will be those who help you along. You are also a person with a kind heart.

Pattern: OOOOW
Means: Because you are kind and have an in-built polite attitude, you will easily get help from older persons and friends. You will enjoy great success in your working life and your only weakness is you don't trust people too easily. This can make you too conservative.

Pattern: OOOWW
Means: You have a tendency to be bad tempered, and rather quick to judge. This is a shallow attitude and could easily get you onto the wrong path. If you can correct this tendency of yours, you will have great success. The potential is in you, so try to be calm in your approach.
Pattern: OWWWW
Means: You have good character but can only become really successful in older age. Be prepared to have to work really hard during your younger and middle age periods, but you will become a successful person in older years.

Pattern: WOWWW
Means: You are very good in the social skills. No matter what industry you are in, you like to take risk and you will always face uncertainty. Be careful as the later years of your life could bring yet more challenges. Take less risk as you get older.

Pattern: WWOWW
Means: You are a person who has high vision and heavy responsibility. Be careful. Your visions could get you into serious difficulty. Better to stay more grounded, then your life will have greater success.

Pattern: WWWOW
Means: You are very intelligent and will enjoy a lot of scholastic honors. You will have a smooth life and benefit from wealth luck. If you can work hard, you will become a great and successful person.

Pattern: WWWWO
Means: You will inherit a business or property from your parents or from an older person. Even though you are a capable person and can be successful in your own business, your tendency towards impatience could get you into a lot of difficulty.

Pattern: OOWWW
Means: You have a tendency to be proud and snobbish, although deep inside you are a kind-hearted person. Your social skills however need improving. Your relatives tend to take advantage of you.

Pattern: WOWWO
Means: You are a deep thinking person. At a young age, you are already thinking of your future. You will enjoy a smooth and peaceful life; you will be very happy in your old age.

Pattern: WOWOO
Means: You are a very sociable person and you enjoy the carefree kind of life going out, partying and clubbing. When you reach middle and older age, you will rely on people to support you. Be warned, if you do not prepare yourself, you might have a hard time during your older years.

Pattern: WOWOW
Means: You are not an easy person to control or to convince, as you are something of a rebel. If you can stay focused on what you want from life, you will be successful. The problem is that you can be fickle and vague in what you really want from life.

Pattern: WWOWO
Means: Your whole life is full of ups and downs, successes and failures. However, if you can move steadily step-by-step, you can enjoy a peaceful life as you grow into maturity.

Pattern: WWWOO
Means: You are very kindhearted person and there will be good people in your life, as you will attract these kinds of people towards you. Work hard and you will easily reap your just rewards. You will definitely become successful.

Pattern: OWWOO
Means: You will get recognition and become famous. Even though your life appears unstable during your earlier years of working life and you need to work hard in your thirties, when you reach maturity, your life gets better and better.

Pattern: WWOOW
Means: You are a very capable person, but you tend to lack good judgment. You also tend to start something and then lose interest. Stay focused if you want to succeed.

Pattern: OWOOW
Means: You are a noble person with a good character. You tend to be very helpful towards colleagues and friends so you are a popular person. Because you can think in-depth and have sensitivity towards others, you will enjoy success in the creative fields.

Pattern: OWOWO
Means: You are blessed with a fast and formidable intellect. You work very quickly and with great effectiveness. However, your character is very aggressive and people tend to be intimidated by you. If you can correct this trait, you can rise to great heights.

Pattern: WWOOO
Means: You are a very straightforward person. But your thinking tends to be rather naïve and shallow. Even though your suggestions are good, if you don't think through what you say, you should not be surprised if people tend to ignore your views. Your speech tends to lack power.

Pattern: OOWOW
Means: You are a high-minded person, able to see and grab opportunities. You are best suited to work in the financial and investment fields. Your luck gets better as you grow older.

Pattern: OOWWO
Means: You are a very honest and reputable person. You have little urge to get rich or pursue material wealth. But watch it, if you don't know how to take care of yourself, you can easily get conned and taken advantage of by people.
Pattern: OOOWO
Means: Your social skills are good, so you attract guidance and help from influential people. Many people help you in your rise to prominence, and your luck turns fabulous in later years.
Pattern: OOWOO
Means: You are a very brave and hardworking person. A lot of people trust you when you are young. However, unless you work at preserving your reputation, you could make enemies on your rise up and find that life becomes harder as you get older.

Pattern: OWOOO
Means: You are a kindhearted character and easily get along with others. You are not good at doing business, but you are good as a teacher or even as a spiritual master. You can enjoy success in the academic world.
Pattern: WOOWW
Means: You are reputable and have a peaceful character. So you are definitely someone who can become successful and recognized. However, because of your tendency towards pride, you could end up offending the wrong people.
Pattern: WOOWO
Means: You are a simple but logical person. If you can focus on the fundamentals of life and adopt a step-by-step approach in your climb up the success ladder and not be too impatient, you will benefit from wealth luck and be honored by people.

Pattern: WOOOW
Means: You are a straight talking person who is forthright in your approach. You are strong in character, playful but you also easily offend people. But you are also lucky because when you reach middle age, you will rise to a prominent position and your luck really changes for the better.

Source: http://www.knowledgebase-script.com/

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Unconscious Sex?

Thanks to the Sponsored Links, I learned something new today. This ad caught my attention, because I never really expected to see something like this in my blog. I've never mentioned the word "sex" in any of my previous entries. Although, I do have lots of entries on health, so I guess that's the reason why this ad from healthline.com showed up.

I haven't heard of "Sleep Sex" before. Do you have any idea what it is? I searched the net, and saw an article at webmd.com. This is what I found out...

Sleep Sex, a.k.a. SBS (sexual behaviors during sleep), is "the forceful initiation of relations while in the unconscious state of sleep". In other words, making love unconsciously. Gee.. I never thought that's even possible. Skeptic? Here's an email from a woman who has a husband who's experienced Sleep Sex:

My husband has a difficult time falling asleep at night. Within that first hour after he finally falls asleep, he will initiate sex with me. He is a very different person while doing this, much more aggressive, groping and playfully biting me. I used to think he was awake and doing this consciously until I would confront him the following day and he wouldn't have any recollection of what he did.

This could be scary. Innocent people could be charged for rape because of this, and rapists could probably use this as an alibi.

And guess what? Sleep Sex is not limited to men. This scares me even more. Read on:

In several cases in the Stanford study, women had started moaning ("with sexual undertones," the researchers noted) within a few minutes of falling asleep. In another case, a woman had started fondling herself violently and compulsively while sound asleep.

I honestly wouldn't wanna be caught doing that - especially not by my family, or friends... haha... But how would we know if no one would tell us, right? Who knows? You've probably done something like this! hehe And someone might have caught you fondling yourself, and they thought you were.. what.. masturbating? =P Sorry for the quite vulgar words... :) But yup, a thing like this can be interpreted in many ways. Even the experts have yet to decide if this could be formally categorized as a parasomnia, i.e. sleepwalking.

Luckily, Christian Guilleminault, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., have speculated that 1% of the population may have sleep sex - only 1%. :) This is good news for the majority.

What causes Sleep Sex?

The reasons are not clear, but most often, people who engage in sleep sex have a history of other sleep/neurochemical disorders.

Michael Mangan, PhD, an adjunct professor of psychology at the University of New Hampshire in Durham likens sleep sex to multiple personalities: "Asleep, this is essentially a different person." He further stated that fatigue and stress, as well as drug and alcohol use, can precipitate incidents.

Guilleminault says that patients are confused and don't see reality. Here's something from the webmd.com article:

All of these behaviors could come from abnormal brain activity, though in some cases people may not experience the muscle laxness that is supposed to come during REM sleep, which can lead to forceful behavior they would otherwise be too weak to initiate. "These people exhibit slower brain waves," Guilleminault says, suggesting confusional arousal. There can also be abnormal breathing, resulting in less oxygen and a more confused mental state.

I personally feel sorry for the victims of Sleep Sex, I'm sure there are. =( Researchers say there's treatment available: If a person has a seizure disorder that is contributing to the behavior, that can be treated. Otherwise, clonazepam, in the benzodiazepine family, has proved helpful. It is best to consult a physician. But first and foremost, how should one seek help if he/she isn't aware that he/she has it, right?

To Print or Not to Print - The Latter's Not An Option

I was giving my sister's boyfriend a big favor last night. The two of them are currently on vacation, and won't be back until the 28th. They're both taking MBA, and my sister's bf needs to submit a paper today. But since they're currently miles away from here, he sent me the file through email, and asked me to print everything - all 51 pages! =O Moreover, I had to give the document to his secretary the following day (that's this morning), so the secretary could hand it over to the university instructor.

51 pages... having to wake up real early in the morning... these two I could handle. But the thought of printing everything using my printer, with it's newly-bought ink - that's what drives me crazy. When my sister and I agreed to share my printer for her thesis, she volunteered to buy the ink.
I'm using the Epson C45 Printer - it's not the high-end type, but it works. hehe I've had it since... *I can't remember*... and ever since I bought it, I've always used original Epson ink cartridges. I don't do refill, and I don't use replacements. When my sister used it... Yup! You guessed it right. She bought a replacement. She said, the original ones weren't available, so they bought those cheap ones. And the ink smellsssssss!! Whenever we print things, we have to air out the room so we could breathe. =/ And I heard replacements or refilled cartridges can very well trigger technical problems. Bottom line is, take it from me, don't buy replacements. It's for your printer's health, and yours.

P.S. I managed to print everything, and I came out alive. :)

Friday, October 24, 2008

Our New York-style Pizza Experience

Pizza - one of the most wonderful things ever made. =D I'd eat pizza any day! :) If you wanna know what my favorite is, I couldn't give you a straight answer. I'd honestly have a hard time choosing! Each pizza restaurant has it's own amazing specialty - and I have my own personal favorite on each one. Today, I craved for Yellow Cab Pizza. My favorite from their menu? The New York's Finest.

I was with my brother this afternoon. We went to the mall to have my mobile phone fixed at the Nokia Care Center. (If you haven't read the story about my phone's near-death-experience yet, please click here.) The service man told us to come back after 3 hours, and my phone will be all set by then. So while waiting, we roamed around and did some window shopping... and headed to Yellow Cab! Guess what? We ordered the 18" New York's Finest Pizza. Yup! And there were just the two of us. haha For comparison, seated on another table, was a family of three (mom, dad, and a child). They ordered the 14" size... :) The 10" size is good for 2-3 persons. The 14" size is good for 3-4. The 18" is probably good for 5-6 people. haha We didn't finish everything off, obviously. I only ate 2 slices and a half (if I remember it correctly). My brother ate 5 slices and a half. haha We brought the rest home (there were 4 slices left), for our mom, dad and two for our sister. We were soo full! And very thirsty! At the end of the day, my phone's back to it's normal working condition, and we realized we just gained more calories than what we've lost in the gym these past few days! ^^ Good thing we can eat a lot without worrying too much on becoming fat. Maybe it's a genetic thing...

Do you like pizza? What's your favorite? :)

Photo of Yellow Cab Pizza Box on top, courtesy of Gita Asuncion

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Tucker by Gaby Basora Photo Shoot

I just received an email from Ford Models, Inc. I'd like to share it with you guys. It's for those individuals who are interested in fashion. It's a photo shoot done on the Tucker by Gaby Basora, just recently. In this video, you will witness behind the scenes footage with Ford Models, Lucie B and Ana Leticia.

Gaby Basora is a stylist and an editor for family-oriented lifestyle magazine called Violet, which was created by Charles Mingus’s daughter, Keki. To give you an idea of what Gaby's fashion style is, below is a question asked by Amy Larocca of nymag.com, followed by Gaby's answer:

How would you describe your style?

"I wear whatever the hell I want. I like to wear a vintage swimsuit over tights and boots— that’s actually my favorite outfit. I wore that to a Richard Phillips opening, and I was like, Paint me, Richard Phillips! I should be in a painting!"

Click on the "Read more >>" link to watch the video of the Tucker by Gaby Basora Photo Shoot... Enjoy!


Photo source: nymag.com
Info from: Ford Models, Inc.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

The Pains of Blogging

The title could be misleading, but I prefer to keep it. Hehe I haven't felt pain in my shoulder - not until I've spent long hours in front of the laptop - blogging. Yup, I'm talking about physical pain, not the agony of waiting for the google check to arrive, site visits to rise, site PR to increase, layout beautification, not-to-mention having to compose entries, review each line for errors, and polish them so they would come out with enough sense to be made available to the public. Now those are really important things and could be painfully time-consuming, but I'd like to talk about physical pain.

Normally, during the day, I merely create ideas in my mind while I'm in the office. When I get home, that's where the execution starts. I spend long hours in front of the laptop before and after dinner - to check mails, visit my social networking sites, and work on my blog. A large amount of time is attributed to blogging.

According to safecomputingtips.com, poor posture is the main cause of shoulder pain. Some of the principle causes are:

* Poor arm support
* Working by keeping your hands away from your body
* Pain in the neck muscles
* Forward leaning
* Sitting too low
* Improper chair height
* Desk or keyboard tray too high
* Poor typing techniques
* No elbow supports

I may have all of the above. haha The workplace that I have in my room needs a heavy dose of some ergonomics make-over... and I need to check my posture. Good thing I read the article, now I can do something about it.

If you're experiencing the same pain, here are the suggested tips to make your blogging (or office) life less painful:

  • If your armrests are too high you will be raising your shoulders up and creating pain. Thus, check to see if your armrests are at the proper level. Adjust your armrest so that your shoulders are completely relaxed and elbow rest comfortably on armrests. Don't set it too low, or you'll create pain in the elbows and lunar nerves.
  • Moving and clicking your mouse frequently when it is too far away can create shoulder pain. So keep your elbows close to the sides of your body. This will reduce the strain on the muscles and relieves you from pain.
  • Sitting too low can cause continuous contraction of the shoulder lifting muscles. This causes disturbance in the flow of blood which in turn leads to more contraction, and the muscles spam and cause pain. So adjust your chair height.
  • Position the keyboard lower than elbow and some distance away from the computer user, tilting the head downward at the monitor and supporting the weight of the arms can lower the risk of shoulder symptoms and disorders.

I am now aware of the real causes of my shoulder pain. I could blame blogging, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to have proper posture in the first place. It also helps if I change my position from time to time. Dr. Shelley L. Jones (PhD, RN, COHN-S [Certified Occupational Health Nurse Specialist]) said it best in these lines:

Many people experience some discomforts as they work. This is usually because they stay too long in one position. It is important to vary your work tasks so that your muscles have an opportunity to recover periodically. Holding a muscle in one position too long allows waste products to build in muscle tissue. This is called static load. Static load is what happens when you carry a sack of groceries out to your car. The farther you have to walk, the heavier the sack begins to get. So it is with any kind of work that you do. The longer you stay in one position, the longer more static load you have. This leads to the aches and pains that you may be experiencing in your office work.

I just hope my shoulder pain will go away now. I'm heading to the gym tonight for some workout. But that's another story. Happy blogging! =)

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Most Expensive Shoes in the World

I wondered how far designers would go when it comes to footwear. I wondered how much the most expensive shoes in the world is, to date; how much people are willing to pay - considering shoes are only meant to keep our feet warm and clean, in it's most basic sense... and we only step on them, literally - walk on dirty streets, even. I started my search, and I found these...

The most expensive shoes in the world is... Harry Winston's Ruby Slippers!! Nope, Harry is not the new Dorothy for the Wizard of Oz. hehe JK! :) Seriously, it's designed by Ronald Winston of the House of Harry Winston. It has 4,600 rubies totaling 1,350 carats (plus 50 carats of diamonds). O_O Javiar Barerra set the precious stones, and it took him two months to do that. The ruby shoes were made in 1989, but were still on sale in 2000. Wanna buy? They're only worth $3 million.

Stuart Weitzman's creations follow. His Cinderella Slippers, worth $2 million, were worn by Alison Krauss at the 2004 Academy Awards. They are studded with 565 Kwiat diamonds—55 carats of clear diamonds and a single 5-carat gem. But unlike Cinderella's slippers, these are not made of glass. If you wanna take a peak, they're currently on display in Beverly Hills, California.

Stuart Weitzman and Le Vian evening shoes are also worth $2 million. They are made of silver leather set with 185 carats of museum-quality tanzanite gemstones along the ankle bracelets, including the two 16-carat gems hanging from each... and 28 carats of diamonds along the front straps. I only have diamond earrings... =/

Stuart Weitzman’s Ruby Slippers are next in line. Oscar Heyman Bros helped in the creation. They were designed for the 2003 Oscars, but were never worn due to the solemn mood of the times. The Ruby Slippers cost $1.2 million, with 642 Burma rubies weighing in at 123.33 carats, and the settings are made of half a pound of platinum.


I wonder how it would feel like to wear any of these shoes - millions of dollars underneath your feet. hehe I certainly wouldn't walk around wearing these in the streets for shoe-preservation purposes and security reasons... =) I wouldn't allow dirt and germs on my million-dollar shoes, and I wouldn't wanna be seen being mobbed by robbers in the streets, pulling each of my legs, while fighting over my shoes. haha Nah, okay, maybe that's an overstatement. But really, it's amazing shoes as expensive as these exist. =)

Source: http://most-expensive.net

Monday, October 20, 2008

The Falling Sensation

Do you ever get the feeling of falling when you are going to sleep? And just then, your body jerks as if you want to stop yourself from falling?

I experienced this sensation twice last night (and many times in the past). I finally got curious, so I searched the amazing world wide web for answers and explanations. I then found out there's a technical term attached to it. It's called a hypnic jerk. Or if you prefer the more complicated name, it's called a hypnagogic myoclonic twitch.

Turns out, hypnic jerks are incredibly common - around 70% of the total population have these. However, they are more common in people with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) or people who are sleep-deprived. And yup, you can count me in. Although... the "restless legs syndrome" doesn't sound so good. I refuse to accept that. hehe I'm only sleep-deprived. ;)

Jake Young, a MD/PhD student said:
The cause of hypnic jerks is not entirely clear. During sleep onset, a part of the brain called the reticular formation sends a signal down the spine that causes your muscles to relax. (Actually, if I understand correctly, it causes a change in response of motor neurons from activation to inhibition. This is called the "reticular response reversal" and has been the subject of considerable research.) The theory is that occasionally this signal to relax is misinterpreted by the muscles as a signal to contract causing the spasm.

Scavenger of blurtit.com said:
The body jerks because it feels like you're falling, and your brain sends out a reflex twitch signal to try to pull you back form the brink. You feel the falling sensation because your brain literally disengages from the body while you're asleep. This prevents you from moving around too much in your sleep, especially if you have very vivid dreams.

Some people don't get a "falling" sensation. It's more like floating for them. In which case, their brains sometimes act to pull them back down to earth. Either way, the lack of contact with the body and where the body is in space is very disorienting for the brain.

Hypnic jerks aren't harmful, although they may wake you up again.

And yup, I wake up every time. =/ But this time, I can smile and say: "Sorry for rocking the bed. I just had a
hypnagogic myoclonic twitch..." =)

References: http://scienceblogs.com/ and http://www.blurtit.com/

Sunday, October 19, 2008

My Phone Is Dying

The Nokia N80. I've had this phone since January of 2006. By the time I bought it, it was the latest in the N-series, and it used to costs a lot (i paid around $565). But I guess it's nearing it's death now, and it's price have depreciated big time. =/

Days ago, the earpiece failed to work; I couldn't hear the callers, I had to plug in a headset. Nobody knows what triggered the 'disability'. Last night, the display started to fade away. Whenever I slide open/close my phone, the display or screen turns white, and fortunately comes back after a few seconds. But I know the display would eventually die out.

I guess it has something to do with the flex - the insulated wires in between the two parts. I'd have to have it repaired soon, or I'd probably need to buy a new phone. And this time, I think I might just go for the box-type designs, no more slide-up/slide-down/clam shell/rotary or whatsoever designs for me. *sigh* and it's not even on the budget.

On the brighter side, it has been 3 years (almost), and it did serve me well.

Update: (10/24/08) I had my phone repaired. Yup, the flex was the culprit for everything. I had it replaced, paid around $20 for the flex and service cost, and now it's A-okay!! :D

Photo courtesy of phonescoop.com

New Widgets!

I added two new widgets in my blog today. You can easily find them at the right side of the page. Click on the jack-o'-lantern icon to get your daily dose of Halloween thrill. And don't forget to cast your vote in the poll before leaving the site. Thanks very much!

I'd be happy if you would... because so far, I have nothing yet. =( Thanks xgenesis007 for following!!! ^_^ I'm very grateful! I'm following your blog, too!

UPDATE: The Halloween widget was (obviously) deleted when Halloween was over... :)

Saturday, October 18, 2008

The Vehicle of the Future?

















Meet the Aptera Typ-1 model - a vehicle designed for economy and efficiency. At first look, it could easily be mistaken for a miniature airplane or an alien spacecraft - but nope, it doesn't fly. And it isn't a car, either. Due to it's built (it's 3-wheeled) and it's weight, it is registered as a motorcycle - but this time, there's no need for a helmet. ;)

It might look tiny, but it can comfortably accomodate someone as tall as 6'5"! It has a "two-plus-one" capacity - driver, front passenger, and an infant seat (newborn to age 3) in the middle behind the front seating. The manufacturer claims there is enough storage space to fit 15 bags of groceries, two full-size golf club bags or even a couple of seven foot surf boards. Hmm.. but what if a family has 4 or more members... Do they need to buy two? The maker said future plans may include 4-seat models.

More features and specs:
  • The Aptera's composite safety cage is similar to Formula-1 cars - "Eyes Forward" vision system with 180 degree rear sight picture displayed in the driver's field of view to enhance situational awareness
  • Stability: It features traction control, a low center of gravity and a wide track width which makes for a very stable platform
  • Driver and passenger Airbags
  • Skin: Monocoque construction or structural skin provides 360 degree protection for the occupants. Monocoque construction was first widely used in the aircraft industry, starting in the 1930's. - so that's why it looks like an airplane...
  • Speed: Top speed for the production model exceeds 85 mph, going from 0-60 in under 10 seconds.
  • GPS navigation, CD/MP3/DVD player, Large View Rear Camera, and complete vehicle diagnostic system
  • Charging time: Typical time would be 2 to 4 hours.
  • LED interior and exterior lighting for maximum energy efficiency
  • Solar assisted Climate Control System so you always enter a comfortable Aptera that is never too hot or cold
  • Color: White - for keeping your Aptera cool in the summer and it makes the vehicle very identifiable at night which is an added safety feature, but, different colors might be produced in the future
  • Gasoline engine
  • Cup holders
  • The windows can be opened.

With just a small deposit of $500, you can already reserve for one. Their goal is to begin production of the all-electric late this year and the hybrid in late 2009.The approximate price for the all electric version is $27,000 and the plug-in hybrid is $30,000. But initially, this is only made available in California, as they have not set up maintenance centers in other states yet, nor in any other countries.

Oh, and in case your wondering what happens when an 18-wheeler truck passes the Aptera? The manufacturer stated the aerodynamic shape allows air to slip seamlessly over the vehicle body, such that there is no effect when a large vehicle passes by. The thought of it is scary, though... It could get squashed if the truck driver can't see it from high up in his seat.

Read more about the Aptera and it's first traffic-stopping drive in NYC at the Popular Mechanics blog - October 15, 2008 entry.

Getting Enough Zzzleep IZzzz Important

*YAWN* I seriously need to get more sleep...

I came across an article today - from the health.usnews.com site. The author enumerated the risks of getting too little Zzz-time. She stated 50 to 70 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder (insomnia or sleep apnea). I wonder how many Japanese, Chinese, Arabs, Koreans, Filipinos, British, etc are under the same problem. With the changing world, a lot of factors influence our sleep patterns. We are far more busier compared to the generations in the past. Reasons may include the internet, our jobs (graveyard shifts/night shifts are fast-growing, as some businesses opt for 24 hours and call centers need to cater clients from all over the world), and night life.

Research show, these are the health consequences for not getting enough sleep:

Obesity - The fewer sleep (less than 7 hours of sleep a night), the more obese people tend to be. Source: 2006 Institute of Medicine report. Reason: Lack of sleep boosts Ghrelin, the hormone responsible for stimulating appetite; and lowers Leptin, the hormone that suppresses appetite.

Unhealthy Diet - People with obstructive sleep apnea eat a diet higher in cholesterol, protein, total fat, and total saturated fat... and women are especially affected. Source: Journal of Clinical Health Medicine

Diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance - People getting five or fewer hours of sleep each night are 2.5 times more likely to have diabetes. Those with 6 hours or fewer are 1.7 times likely. Source: 2005 Archives of Internal Medicine

Heart Attacks - 45 percent more likely in women who get five or fewer hours of sleep per night, compared to those who got more. Source: A 2003 study

Increase in Blood Pressure - The more severe the disorder, the more significant the hypertension. Source: 2006 IOM report

Risk of Auto Accident - Nearly 20 percent of serious car crashes involve a sleepy driver. Source: 2007 New England Journal of Medicine

Off Balance - Older people who get less sleep at night, and are drowsy during the day are 2 to 4.5 more likely to sustain a fall. Source: 2007 Journal of Gerontology

Depression - Less sleep means more prone to depression. I've read about this in the past, too.

Behavior Problems - Kids may suffer more behavior problems. An example is ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Source: April issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine

Death may be nearer - Those who get five hours or less per night have approximately 15 percent greater risk of dying - regardless of the cause. Source: Sleep and the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Hmm.. With my sleep pattern, thank God, I'm not obese... Yes, I might have cravings for unhealthy food... Nope, I don't have serious problems such as diabetes, or heart attacks, and hypertension (not yet, maybe)... I haven't crashed my car yet... I get off balanced sometimes, but I'm not that old... I get depressed, or wait, just sad, if I don't hear from my bf for hours... I'm not sure if I have behavioral problems, but I get easily irritated if I lack sleep for many days... And as for the last one, that's scary... I hope I'll live long. hehe

I've always wondered why sleep should be relative to day or night. What if one gets sufficient sleep during the day and lives a nocturnal life. Half of the world's asleep or awake, at one time anyways. I'll have to look that up...

Friday, October 17, 2008

The Beer Barrel Belly Bruiser

One fine day, 100 miles northeast of Pittsburgh in Clearfield, in a local pub called Danny's Beer Barrel Pub, a hungry man came in, and was welcomed happily by a waiter...

Waiter: Hello, Sir! Welcome to Danny's Beer Barrel. May I take your order?
Man: I want a Beer Barrel Belly Bruiser, please.. and Coke.

Ha! I don't think I have the guts to utter those words if I'm sitting in a restaurant all alone. But Brad Scuillo, 21, from Pennsylvania did take the meat marathon challenge last Monday Oct 13, under a five-hour time limit. It took him exactly 4 hours and 39 minutes to finish the burger! I wonder if he stood up and roamed around a little bit, went to the comfort room, etc. Or did he stay seated and munched all throughout the 4-hour and 39-minute period. hehehe

If you're wondering what's in the burger... it included a bun, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, cheese, mild banana peppers and a cup each of mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard and relish - with a total weight of 20.2 lbs! Sounds good, but I prefer to keep my burger normal-sized.

Brad was surprised he finished the sandwich, but said: "I wanted to see if I could." And he absolutely did! For completing the challenge, he won $400, three pieces of t-shirts, and a certificate. If I were him, after having eaten that size, I would probably stay away from burgers for a few months. =) But Kudos to you, Brad!
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/

List of Countries by GDP (PPP) per capita (2007 est.)

GDP - Gross Domestic Product
PPP - Purchasing Power Parity per capita
GDP at PPP - the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average (or mid-year) population for the same year.

PPP figures are estimates rather than hard facts, and should be used with caution. The results produced by different organizations (i.e. International Monetary Fund (IMF), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and World Bank) for the same country tend to differ, sometimes substantially.

DATA FROM THE IMF
Top 10 Countries, based on GDP per capita (2007 est.)
1. Qatar - $85,638
2. Luxembourg - $79,660
3. Norway - $53,152
4. Brunei - $50,790
5. Singapore - $49,754
6. United States - $45,725
7. Ireland - $43,414
8. Switzerland - $41,265
9. Kuwait - $39,344
10. Iceland - $39,168

(a) Philippines ranks 122nd among 179 countries, with a GDP per capita of $3,383. Fifty-seven countries have lower GDP per capita compared to the Philippines.

(b) Several economies which are not considered to be countries (world, EU, and some dependent territories) are included in the complete list because they appear in the sources. These economies are not ranked in the charts, but are listed in sequence by GDP for comparison. An example is, Hong Kong, with $42,124 GDP per capita.

Here are the Bottom 10 Countries (Rank 171 and so on):
1. Eritrea - $747
2. Afghanistan - $733
3. Central African Republic - $726
4. Sierra Leone - $693
5. Niger - $667
6. Guinea-Bissau - $484
7. Burundi - $372
8. Liberia - $358
9. Congo, Democratic Republic of - $312
10. Zimbabwe - $188

DATA FROM THE WORLD BANK

Top 10 Countries (2007 est.):
1. Luxembourg - $78,985
2. Norway - $53,334
3. Singapore - $50,299
4. United States - $45,790
5. Ireland - $43,035
6. Switzerland - $39,963
7. Austria - $38,155
8. Netherlands - $37,960
9. Iceland - $37,174
10. Sweden - $36,365

(a) WB didn't post any data from Qatar, Brunei, and Kuwait, among others.
(b) The Philippines ranks 111th among 167 countries, with a GDP of $3,410. It has higher GDP per capita compared to 56 others.
(c) Hong Kong has $42,321.

Bottom 10 (Rank 158 and so on):
1. Timor-Leste - $776
2. Malawi - $756
3. Central African Republic - $714
4. Sierra Leone - $677
5. Niger - $628
6. Eritrea - $538
7. Guinea-Bissau - $477
8. Liberia - $358
9. Burundi - $341
10. Congo, Democratic Republic of - $298

WB didn't hold records for Afghanistan and Zimbabwe, among others.


DATA FROM THE CIA

Top 10 Countries (2007 est.):
1. Qatar - $87,600
2. Luxembourg - $79,400
3. Kuwait - $55,900
4. Norway - $53,300
5. Brunei - $51,000
6. Singapore - $49,900
7. Ireland - $46,600
8. United States - $45,800
9. Iceland - $40,400
10. Switzerland - $40,100

The Philippines ranks 131st out of 194 countries at $3,200 GDP per capita. Sixty-three countries hold lower GDP per capita compared to the Philippines.

Economies with high GDP per capita, but are not considered countries are as follows:
a. Bermuda - $69,900 (2004 est.)
b. Jersey - $57,000 (2005 est.)
c. Guernsey - $44,600 (2005 data)
d. Cayman Islands - $43,800 (2004 est.)
e. Hong Kong - $42,000 (2007 est.)
f. Virgin Islands, British - $38,500 (2004 est.)
g. Gibraltar - $38,200 (2005 est.)
h. Isle of Man - $35,000 (2005 est.)
i. European Union - $32,700 (2007 est.)
j. Faroe Islands - $31,000 (2001 est.)

Bottom 10 Countries (2007 est., Rank 185 and so on):
1. Ethiopia - $700
2. Central African Republic - $700
3. Niger - $700
4. Sierra Leone - $600
5. Somalia - $600
6. Guinea-Bissau - $600
7. Liberia - $500
8. Burundi - $300
9. Congo, Democratic Republic of - $300
10. Zimbabwe - $200

For the complete list of countries, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita


References:

World Economic Outlook Database-October 2008, International Monetary Fund. Accessed on October 8, 2008.

PPP GDP 2007 & Population 2007, World Development Indicators database, World Bank, September 10, 2008. Note: Per capita values were obtained by dividing the PPP GDP data by the Population data.

GDP - per capita (PPP), The World Factbook, Central Intelligence Agency. Data last updated on October 2, 2008.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Warning: Star Fruit (a.k.a.) Carambola

I got an email earlier about the dangers of eating a star fruit. With the vast number of email scams going around, I did not immediately believe in it. But since it's food, and it looks familiar (I must have eaten it once, or twice, or a couple of times in the past), I am concerned and wanted to see if it's real. So I did my search, and voila! Apparently, there's truth behind it.

The Starfruit or Star Fruit, a.k.a the Carambola, is a popular tropical fruit throughout Southeast Asia, Trinidad, Malaysia, and parts of East Asia. It is also commercially grown in the United States in South Florida and Hawaii for it's fruit. A website said it is gaining popularity in the United States. Is it true? Let me know, I'm curious.

Despite the fact that it is a seemingly harmless fruit, it is not entirely safe - especially for individuals with kidney trouble. The presence of the oxalic acid in the fruit can cause hiccups, vomiting, nausea, and mental confusion. The symptoms in patients with chronic renal failure or end-stage renal disease vary and include insomnia, intractable hiccups, agitation, muscle weakness, confusion, consciousness disturbances of various degrees, seizures, and cardiorespiratory arrest. Uraemic patients have had fatal outcomes after ingestion of star fruits. Drug interactions could also be fatal.
The various star fruit subspecies contain different toxins, including a powerful neurotoxin that is suspected to accumulate in blood, cross the blood-brain barrier in chronic renal failure patients, and eventually cause irreversible damage.

Star fruit intoxication is a neglected but serious fruit intoxication frequently observed in patients with chronic renal failure. Because no effective treatment is currently available, patients— especially those who are newly diagnosed with chronic renal failure or end-stage renal disease—must be warned not to ingest star fruit, even in small amounts.
- www.foodreference.com
There are, however, recipes all over the internet on star fruit. Some people believe it's safe for healthy individuals... but I believe prevention is always better than cure. If it's bad for those with kidney trouble, then maybe there's a slight, unnoticeable effect on the healthy ones - the kind that builds up, and would eventually come up after several years. Would you risk it? The next time I'll be offered a piece, I think I'll have to pass...

The Salivating Effect of Space Burgers

I've been craving for Space Burgers since Tuesday, and I'm very happy I'm getting my hands (and mouth) on one tonight! I might even eat two. haha

Space Burgers are flame grilled, err, burgers.. that smell sooo good, and tastes sooo good! One bite will keep you asking for more. There are different kinds.. but I like the one with tomatoes, lettuce, mushrooms, bacon.. uhh.. yah, just put everything in it.

It's definitely the best burger in town!

It could easily be mistaken for the SpaceBurgers company in Florida, though. I was browsing the net earlier, in search of their website, but I didn't find one. I saw a SpaceBurgers site that's Florida-based instead, and it said it isn't a franchise organization. So it's not the same company.

Anyway, I'm eating one tonight. Ha! I'm sooo looking forward to it. =)

Photo courtesy of bonkaris.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Happy Birthday, Poochie!

Two years in the human world.. =) YAY!!

Poochie is my sister's dog (a gift given by her ex. hehe). Poochie is actually one-of-a-kind. Her mom's a big Doberman (the black dog on the right), and her dad's a gutsy small Japanese Spitz (the white dog on the bottom right).

People can't imagine how that happened, but I guess dogs fall in love, too - no matter what race/breed, color, size, age, or status. hehehe

Note: The pictures of the doberman and the the spitz are not her real parents. They merely represent their own, respective breed. :)

Happy birthday, Poochie!!

Friday, October 10, 2008

Contact




Important Note: If you don't hear from me in 3 days, the contact form may have failed. Please send me an email instead, by clicking on the following link: mycyberpost@yahoo.com

About Scribble & Scribble

Welcome to my blog!

Scribble & Scribble, as it's name imply, is an online scribbling page where I could express myself, and write about anything that interests me. To scribble is to write carelessly, illegibly, or to make meaningless marks with a pencil, etc. But one thing's for sure, you won't see any meaningless marks here, but I will, however, be a little tolerant on doing away with proper paragraph construction and sentence structure. I'd like to feel free when I come to this site, and I hope you'll bear with the spontaneity of things.

Feel free to comment as much as you like, and I'll definitely visit your site, and comment back. =) You will find links above the page so you can navigate the site easily. On the right side are links which will take you to my previous entries. Sign up for email subscriptions if you want me to deliver the freshest posts as they come. Contact me if you're interested in link exchange or for any inquiries, suggestions, violent reactions -- anything! I would write back.

Thank you for taking the time to read... Have fun exploring!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Link Exchange

You know how it goes... You link me, I link you. It's a great way for us to visit each other regularly, aside from free blog promotion. Please feel free to contact me if you're interested.. Or click on the "Follow this blog" link on the bottom right side of this page, and I'll follow you, too! Thank you!

About the Author

10 Things About Wen...
  • a simple person
  • a licensed engineer
  • treasures her family and friends
  • a dancer
  • quite shy
  • faithful lover
  • gadget freak
  • loooooves traveling
  • believes in the existence of aliens (lol)
  • always curious