10 worst pick-up lines!

i just read this article on msn. i can't believe people actually use these pick-up lines.. haha!

Pick-up lines you must avoid!

By Rosalind Cummings-Yeates

Knowing that the attraction between you and that cute person is mutual… trying trendy new restaurants… getting that rush from smooching someone for the first time—these are just a few of the perks to the single life. But, alas, there is a downside to being relationship-free: The torture of being subjected to stale, decades-old, pick-up lines is penance for all that fun. In a survey taken across a range of age groups, geographical borders and lifestyles, we have compiled the top 10 worst pick-up lines that have sullied the ears of singles everywhere. Read on, and see how many of these have been lobbed in your direction.

1. “What’s your sign?”
The epitome of cheese, this line, which has been around since the Beatles came to America, ranks as the very worst line in dating history. The fact that it’s still in use says a lot about the decay of our society’s standards and the glaring desperation of some singles.

2. “Pardon me, I seem to have lost my phone number, can I borrow yours?”
Maybe this was funny around 1910 or 1915—back when the telephone was a novel appliance. It does not inspire smiles now, only scared and doomed looks.

3. “You must be a broom because you’re sweeping me off my feet.”
Maybe your dad used this one on your mom and for nostalgia’s sake, you’re bringing it out again. Nostalgia does not get you dates, only pity. “I actually had a guy say this to me during happy hour,” says Kim, a vivacious flight attendant who gets her share of pick-up lines. “I didn’t hold it against him because I don’t know how much he’d had to drink and he was cute. But if he hadn’t been cute, I would have dodged him.”

4. “Do you have a license? Because you’re driving me crazy.”
Caution! Watching too many stupid teen movies impairs your judgment. This probably sounded clever to the person who swiped it from an Annette and Frankie beach party flick.

5. “I gotta thirst and baby, you look like my Gatorade.”
Generally, comparing potential dates to food or drinks is not a winning move. “I had a guy use this one on me and I rolled my eyes and walked way,” says Susan, a marketing representative who doesn’t usually go for lines. “But a couple of weeks later, I saw this hot guy at the gym and I used that same line and it worked! I guess there are gender preferences when it comes to lines. He was really flattered, where I was insulted when it was used on me.”

6. “Are you lost? Because heaven’s a long way from here.”
Maybe angels like this one, but real women don’t.

7. “Are you religious? Because you’re the answer to all my prayers.”
Prayer is something that anyone who uses this tacky line desperately needs.

8. “Can I take your picture? I want Santa to know exactly what I want for Christmas.”
This line is popular with both men and women who think references to Santa are cute and charming, which are qualities that they never possess personally.

9. “Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by again?”
“A stunning woman I had been staring at used this on me,” says Mark, a tawny-haired, gregarious copywriter. “I know it’s an old one but it took guts to say it. I’m afraid I happily fell for it.”

10. “Well, here I am. What are your other two wishes?”
A personal favorite, this one takes a certain amount of arrogance, as well as delusion, to pull off.

here is the original post and find out the worst pick-up lines that actually worked!

oh gravity...

this has been bothering me for a while now.. okay, here's mr plane flying merrily. the question is, will he go around the world faster going westwards than he will going eastwards because of the rotation of the earth?

i've been looking for the answers everywhere on the internet but i've found only one so far... and it contradicted ali's answer. he said that the time taken will still be the same due to the earth's gravity, making the rotation of the earth, negligible. i'm not quite sure how to explain it but i think he meant that mr plane's weight is acting with the rotation of the earth OR it's weight is just slowing it down.
the contradicting answer i found was on answer.yahoo.com:

The one going east will go faster for most of the ride (has the wind behind it), and with the rotation of the earth it will arrive faster, as the earth rotates east to west. One last thing, it also depends on the altitude reached and weather conditions.

note: i don't think the guy is a physicist or anything.

any physicist out there that can quench my curiosity will be much appreciated.

my youtube favourites!

as i have mentioned over and over again, i am massive fan of youtube. i spend literally hours browsing through infinite amount of videos on the fantastic video website. here are some of my favourites that i subscribe to.

happyslip

christine is one of the most popular youtuber at the moment, ranking at no. 6 on the most subscribed. her videos are mostly about her Filipino parents and the people in her life. she basically just pokes fun of them in her videos. she produces, directs and even acts in all her videos with no help from anyone. her videos are watched at an average of half a million times! with the highest view at over 3 million times! funny acting, singing and the talent to play guitar and the piano are the traits that makes her popular among people online. but what over 76,000 subscribers keep coming back for more is her very lovable personality. click here for her website.

whatthebuck?

About Buck:
Michael Buckley is the host and writer of WHAT THE BUCK, the popular celebrity news program. Whether accusing David Beckham of playing with Tom Cruise's balls or warning Jennifer Hudson that Beyonce wants to kill her, Mr. Buckley is not afraid to tell stars to go Buck themselves! Buck covers all the hot topics of the week and will simply make stuff up if the real news sucked that week! You can also watch Buck on The Fizz which airs on DirectTV. Buck can also be heard on Leeza Gibbons radio show Hollywood Confidential. He is most proud of the fact that more people watch him every week than "Hey Paula".

just two words that sum it all up - very entertaining. click here for his channel.

marie digby

her name seems easy enough but to pronounce it correctly it should sound like 'mar-ee-ay'. 24th in the most subscribed musician on youtube, she's slowly getting herself known in the music industry. she's been on the radio and on tv shows singing the song that made her break, the umbrella-ella-ella song! her music talent on the acoustic guitar, her sweet voice and being drop-dead gorgeous resulted in over 1.2 million views on her video! watch out for her in the near future. for more of the japanese-american beauty, click here!

daxflame

well.. where do i start with this guy.. i hate him and his videos but i just can't seem to look away.. i am a peaceful guy and i do not condone violence but whenever i see this guy's video, i just want to meet him in person and pound his head in! arrrghhhh!! a lot of people out in youtube feels the same way and yet he has over 45,000 subscribers (including me) and has a channel hit of almost 4 million times! Bernice Juach III (yes, that's his name.. don't you just want to beat him up already?) he HAD over 100 videos but i can't seem to find them now. he may have removed all of them. very fortunate for you guys. but it's not the end of daxflame. rumours have been circulating that he's just another actor like lonelygirl15. well, if he is, he's really good. if not, he needs mental help. someone please beat him up..

my weekend

just got back from a wonderful time in london. it's good to see ali and my brunei hall buddies again. now, i can actually look forward to weekends and knowing that london is just a 3-hour coach ride is a sigh of relief. anyway take a gander at these..

ever wondered if giants are vain? apparently, they are. haha! it is actually an advertisement for a new discovery channel show. you might have heard of two very popular reality documentaries; miami ink and la ink. well, a new one is coming soon called, london ink. i'm a big fan of both ink's but i'm not sure if i'll be liking this new one. there's something about english reality shows that makes me go uggghhh.. but it's too soon for me to judge just yet.

a book that literally stopped me in my tracks on the way to london. the title just popped out and completely caught my attention. i had to have it. i had to read it.

back cover:

Clear instructions on how to do just about anything... even if it had never occurred to you to them in the first place.

• keep a dozen roses fresh
• clean grout without scrubbing
• make a basic vinaigrette
  
• make dreadlocks
• read your date's body language (<- i know i'm intrigued too.. more on this soon.)
• treat your dog's separation anxiety (not so much on this one though..)

The eHow team knows how to do just everything, and in this comprehensive reference book it shares its expertise with you. From pets to home improvement, sport to survival guide, here are 1001 solutions explaining clearly how to get the job done - and done well.

For every task there are clear step-by-step instructions, helpful tips and warnings and useful lists of things you will need to complete each task. There are also practical checklists, charts and calenders.

**warning this book is seriously addictive**

the book was down-priced from £16.99 to £4.99. addictive? really. i'll let you all know soon. hope you had a good weekend.

"don't tase me, bro!"

according to google, this phrase is the 11th most searched for item. it is now also one of the most discussed topic on facebook (over 80 groups especially made) and youtube. here's why.

NOTE: VIDEO DEPICTS VIOLENCE AND HAS A SLIGHT SQUIMISH-FACTOR



CNN september 19th

GAINESVILLE, Florida (CNN) -- It has been 48 hours since college student Andrew Meyer was stunned with a Taser during a forum with Sen. John Kerry, and some students are still in shock over what happened.
But other students at the University of Florida are already tired of hearing about it.

While about 350 students protested the incident Tuesday, the opinions on campus seem to be evenly divided over whether the officers acted properly.

On the popular online networking Web site Facebook.com, students from around the nation have already created more than 80 groups discussing what happened Monday. Even among those groups, the count is almost split between the number who oppose the police's action and those who support their decision.

"I was pretty horrified by what happened. I was shocked that the people we are supposed to trust would turn against us," said Vanessa Wood, a freshman who is majoring in psychology.

This is what I saw at the Kerry forum on Monday: Meyer, a 21-year-old telecommunications major, jumped up to the microphone already flanked by University

He interrupted another student's question, and although Kerry had earlier said he was taking no more questions, he told Meyer he'd take his comments next. Kerry asked the police to allow Meyer to speak.

When it was his turn, Meyer first asked about the 2004 presidential election and followed with statements about whether President Bush should be impeached.

At that moment the microphone was turned off and police began to take Meyer out of the auditorium. Meyer then started to struggle with the officers.

As they pulled him toward the exit, Meyer broke free and tried to get away. At that point, six officers tackled Meyer to the ground and told him to roll over.

He continued to yell for help and a female officer warned Meyer if he did not stop he would be Tased. He kept yelling and one of the other officers gave the order to Tase him.

The audience remained seated and watching the confrontation until they heard the loud zap of the Taser. Then several people at the event started yelling at the officers.

"I was startled by the noise, considering what was happening in front of me. And after they Tasered him there was a stench that was not overpowering but it was unsettling," said Ben Omar, a University of Florida graduate student.

The videotape of Meyer screaming as he was shocked quickly got the attention of news services and became a YouTube hit.

Campus rumors now circulate that Meyer, known as being a prankster, was simply trying to be obnoxious and get attention at the Kerry speech.

Meyer spent a night in jail on charges of disturbing the peace and resisting an officer. Later, the school's president, Bernard Machen, said two police officers involved were placed on administrative leave.

Since the incident, Meyer has kept a low profile. But other students haven't been so quiet, with Tuesday's rally protesting what the students' claimed was a case of police brutality and another rally being planned.

my thoughts on this? at first, i saw a shorter version of that video with just the police tasing the poor guy and thought that it was one of the most horrific thing i've ever seen. but i found this longer video and now i'm not sure. still, tasing him was not necessary at all. he was on the ground with 4 officers over him. he couldn't possibly do anything then.

anyway, "Don't Tase Me, Bro!" has become the newest cultural touchstone of our pop-cultural lexicon. t-shirts of the phrase are made and in hot demand.

how to thrive the uni life

first of all, i would like to congratulate to all those received their scholarships. you all will be in an experience of a life time. today, i'll share with you the general secrets of success in the new study environment.

it's not really any different from the previous academic experience you've been through before. many things are the same only at a higher academic level. the main differences you will find are that:

• you have more control and independence over what, when and how you study

• understanding and critical thinking are more important than remembering.

1. get organised!
it's not like O-level or A-level, where things are just relaxing and most things are done for you. it's up to you to organise yourself and your study. you may find that all of your assignments are due at the same time, so a bit of forward planning for staggered deadlines will save a lot of panic at the last minute.

2. get yourself informed!
about things like timetables, room locations, deadlines and guidelines for assignments. it’s your responsibility to do this – no-one will remind you! your Course Handbook is your best source for what you need to know about your course of study. make sure you know where you’ve put it, or how to access it online – you’ll probably need it later in the term.

3. make notes! - lots of 'em...
getting handouts is a rarity in university classes and if you try to write down everything the lecturer says you won’t be able to focus on listening. make notes of selected points and underline the important ones to make them obvious. add any thoughts of your own that arise, but make it clear that they’re your own ideas, perhaps by circling them.

4. understanding is key
at university, it's not about how much you know, but how you understand it. that usually means knowing the major issues and debates and putting what you’ve found out about the topic into that context. it also means being able to communicate your understanding, so knowing how to structure your work and write clearly is really important.

5. leave your procrastination back home!
again, get yourself organised. lecturers give assignments with a very long deadline. you have to have a really damn good reason to not finish or extending it. of course, most of us like to do things at the very last minute and managed to do so time and time again. but in university, it's just not worth the stress and most of the time, getting a low grade in the end. do it early and do it well.

6. ask for help when you need it.
there’s a lot to get used to when you come to university, and no-one finds it all easy. one of your most important responsibilities is to yourself - to recognise when you need help and to know where to get it. there are plenty of people whose job is to help you get yourself sorted. you can talk to your personal tutor, or a Study Adviser, or a Counsellor.

7. be financially aware!
it’s a valuable habit to get into and being a student, with all the difficulties of juggling expenditure, is a good time to start practicing it. keep a log of how much money you have coming in and how you are spending it. that way you can tell exactly where your money is going and make important conclusions from it. found out you are spending the bulk of your money on study books? look at buying them second hand (ebay or amazon) or using the library.

to put it simply, just be aware of what you're spending. i've seen people buy useless things and most of the time at the spur of the moment. this is especially for newbies. not even been in uk for a day, already buying expensive stuff like brand new £25 dvd (5 of them) and £100 shoes - very foolish and unnecessary. please be a bit cautious of your spendings and don't be so iski.(very stupidly eager)

8. explore your campus!
get to know your campus quickly. it’s where you will spend a lot of your time and by acclimatising yourself to it early, you will settle in much more quickly, making those first few weeks more pleasant. you will also learn the little quirks like the most quiet place to study, or the busiest time in the canteen. by knowing about your campus you will be able to make the most of the facilities. any half-decent college/university will host plenty of free/cheap entertainment and special events. they are much better for your finances than expensive nights out round town.

9. make friends! not just from the same nation.
not really meaning to sound stuck-up or anything but you'll be in a different countries with people from around the world in uni. and you're just wasting that culture-sharing by hanging with other people who are from the same country as you. of course, i'm also not saying to completely ignore them. i'm just saying use this time to spread your wings and your social network.

consider getting to know and befriend as many people as possible, whether it be other students or lecturers. It makes acclimatising to university much more easy if you have people you can talk to and trust. it can also open up lots of opportunities. a lecturer you can comfortably talk to may be able to provide advice on your work, and it can be so much easier to do group work if you have friends on your course. freshers week is great for achieving all this as there will be so many other people in the same position as you. Look to join groups that have the same interests as yours!

more importantly, be friends with seniors. they have experience and it would be a waste to not leech out every bit of tips and tricks, whether it be in studies or any other general tips on cheap transport and food.

10. have fun!
this is an experience of a lifetime for all of you. don't waste a second of it being cooped up in a room (except when assignments are due). go out have the best safe fun of your life!

britney spears, kid rock and the girl from highschool musical

i've never talked about celebrity gossips and mindless entertainment news (like perez hilton is famously known for) but i've been watching a lot of tv and youtube lately and here are the some that i feel like sharing.

i watched the video music awards last night. personally, i didn't like the atmosphere of the place. different parties going on in different rooms? so weird. and the usual, 'just seats' in the audience area was changed to tabled hall, made the event really quiet. but anyway, that is beside the point. the main story, which i'm sure you know by now, the legendary britney spears. describing her performance as sloth-like is a understatement of the year. it looked like she wasn't giving any effort at all. and her post-baby body was very obvious. sources say, she sobbed after her abysmal performance. not a comeback that people were hoping for. on the up side, her song was very catchy.. ok, i found it catchy. so sue me..

another big story was the whole kid rock and tommy lee fight. here's what mtv news said,

According to eyewitnesses, Lee — sitting at the same table as Diddy — jawed at Rock as he made his way toward the Bad Boy CEO, with whom he was supposed to present the show's final performance. It wasn't clear exactly what Lee said to Rock, but apparently after his words, Rock slapped the drummer, according to eyewitnesses. Lee, one eyewitness said, attempted to fight back but, before he was able to land a blow, was punched in the face by Rock.

Many inside the venue — including Jermaine Durpi — were oblivious to the fight taking place behind them. Others either tried to get out of the way as security tossed chairs to reach the outbreak or were stunned and didn't quite know what was going on.

Security quickly detained both men, with Lee being immediately removed from the venue. Rock, with his cigar still in his mouth, was held back momentarily until Lee left and calmly walked out alongside security.

"I never hit nobody for nothing before," Rock was overhead saying in the lobby of the casino. "I told him to shut the f--- up."

According to a spokesperson for the Las Vegas Police Department, Rock was cited for misdemeanor battery for his assault on Lee. Rock was not detained or taken into police custody but was issued a summons. He'll need to return to Vegas for a future court date, and if convicted, he faces a $500 fine and up to six months behind bars.

i even read somewhere that kid rock went looking for tommy in his hotel room but kicked down a door with a frightened family inside. he apologized and signed autographs for them.

okay.. i wanted to talk about your beloved highschool musical chick (dunno the name, don't care either) but my motivation for this post is gone now.. watch the video.. hehe. i love what-the-buck.

urine

what a title eh? i would think that'll catch your attention. this topic came about, of course, in the toilet. i was attending to nature's call when i noticed, not one.. not two.. but three guys who just left without washing their hands! they didn't even acknowledge the existence of the taps! if you're one of those people, please read on.. for the sake of your health. and while on the topic, some really fun but gross facts about the yellow liquid. i hope you're not having a drink while reading this.

why is it important?

if the fact that it's just really disgusting isn't enough, a number of infectious diseases can be spread from one person to another by contaminated hands, particularly gastrointestinal infections and hepatitis A. washing your hands properly can help prevent the spread of the organisms that cause these diseases.
some forms of gastroenteritis can cause serious complications, especially for young children, the elderly or those with a weakened immune system. drying your hands properly is as important as washing them.


when to wash?

after going to the loo isn't the only time to wash your hands. you should wash your hands thoroughly:

• before preparing food
• before eating
• between handling raw and cooked or ready-to-eat food
• after going to the toilet or changing nappies
• after smoking
• after using a tissue or handkerchief
• after handling rubbish or working in the garden
• after handling animals
• after attending to sick children or other family members.

what is the proper way to wash our hands?

1. use large amounts of warm, running water and liquid soap to lather hands and wrists. Scrub all surfaces of your hands and fingers for at least 15 to 20 seconds (note: this is about the same time for you to completely sing the birthday song, if that'll help you remember.) bar soaps can harbor germs which cause infection. Therefore, use liquid soap if available.
2. rinse hands well clean, running water.
3. rinse with hands pointing down to prevent rinse water from running up your arms.
4. dry your hands with either a disposable paper towel or hot air. make sure your hands are really dry.
   
5. shut off the faucet using the paper towel as a barrier between your clean hands and the faucet handle.

fun facts!

• 80 percent of all infectious diseases are passed by human contact, either direct or indirect? That includes viruses like pneumonia, salmonella and the common cold.
• urine is sterile and is safe to drink! oh yes it's true.. this is what i found..

Most people forget that urine is mostly water. Water is the filter of the human body. Waste that our cells produce, collectivley known as urea, ends up in our bloodstream. Our kidneys remove the urea, along with excess water, and the result is urine. When you drink your own urine, you are putting more water back into your system, but you are also putting in the stuff your body is trying to get rid of.

This is not bad for you at first, but if you drink no water, only your own urine for an extended period of time, the urea content of your urine will increase. It becomes difficult to urinate, painfull sometimes. But note, this is after drinking your own urine for days. Its like using a dirty air filter. It works, but soon the filter will become more and more clogged with dust. Just like an air filter, the urine, which now must dispose of more and more waste in the same amount of water, becomes saturated. This is observable, as if you do drink your own urine over a few days it becomes darker in color. Similarly, the more water you drink, the lighter your urine is.

Astronauts on the Apollo 13 mission were stuck in space without power. For the last four days or so of their journey, they had run out of liquid water. They drank their own urine, which kept them from dehydration while they came home.

bottom line, wash your hands! it's a simple task that'll make you healthier. want to know more. click here.

how to speed up your computer

there's nothing i hate more than a slow pc/laptop. it just gets my goat when i have to wait more than 5 seconds for a program to start up or website to completely upload on the screen. *cough! my sister's laptop* technology is supposed to be fast! and especially today with all the new high-tech chips and super-powered thinga-ma-jigs.

you might say.. "but, oh wise sham, i have owned my laptop for years now.. so, it can't be as fast as it was once before. surely, there's no way around this other than emptying my wallet/purse buying a new one, is there?"

that's where you're wrong! if your pc wasn't that slow to begin with, then there's hope. i know what you might be thinking.. sending it off to a computer store and have it fixed.. not necessarily.. you can do your own maintenance. i've had my laptop for almost 4 years now and it's not high-tech or anything either.. i'm not even going to post a picture of it because that's how un-high-tech it is.. but it still runs fine with little glitches. it's all because of good maintenance. and today, i shall share my top pc maintenance tips.

NOTE: for pc people only. for mac users (that means you maurina), look elsewhere. i can't help you here.

pc/laptop maintenace 101

1. get rid of your junks!
a full pc means a slow pc. keeping your hard disk space to more than 15% is the minimum. this is important, which i'll tell you why later. and i'm not only talking about files you saved, music, pictures, etc. the programs that you've installed and afterwards uninstalled could still be in your pc somewhere.
say for example, you've installed a game from EA games. you played it for months.. bored of it.. uninstalled it. and yet if you go to :-

• my computer
• then, C:
• then, program files

you'll be surprised to find a folder named EA games with stuff still in it. sometimes, huge ones. this takes up unnecessary space. delete the whole folder. it won't matter that much. if it did, you wouldn't have uninstalled it to begin with. this is especially important to those of you who love to d/l those mini games (feeding frenzy, diner dash, burger island, etc) and uninstalled it after it expired. it's still in your pc! get rid of them!


2. a faster startup!
you turn on your laptop. went away to let it load. make a cup of coffee. finished drinking it. come back. it's still not on the finished loading your desktop. if this is you, i weep for you, you sad sad person. here's the problem...

it's the startup programs that's slowing you down. look at the bottom right at the system tray (next to the clock). if it's almost filling up your whole taskbar, that's the problem. those are programs that are running in the background. these are tiny programs that are robbing you of memory and processing power. some of them you need, while most you don’t. some of the programs you DON’T need are printer icons, CD burning icons, shortcuts to programs (such as video settings), any Instant Messaging Programs, etc. Just because these programs aren’t always running, doesn’t mean that you still can’t print, burn CDs or Instant Message. They can be run when you need them, from a shortcut. get rid of them! go to:-

• start
• run
• type in MSCONFIG
• you'll see the 'start up' tab. click on that.
• here, untick those that you don't need right away. example: ituneshelper, adobe reader speed launch, quick time task. you might have not used it in months! so, untick those and other that you're sure you don't need.
• click apply and on the next start up, it'll make a HUGE difference.

also, check your system tray regularly when using your pc. if you see the msn messenger icon on it even though it says you're offline, just exit it. it just sits there being useless and slows the pc down.

3. clean up your disk!
one of the simplest way to clear up the clutter and make your pc faster. go to:

• start
• all programs, accessories
• system tools
• click on 'disk clean up'

click here for a detail description of what it is but basically, it's just what it says. it cleans up your drive of any useless data you have on your pc. if you're worried that it might clean up something you still need, don't. it'll know what you need and what you won't need. there is also an option there for it to clean up 'temporary internet files'. those are data of past websites that you've visited. it kept a log so that the next time you visit that website, it'll load faster. by default, it'll already be ticked. but if you're the sort of person who can't remember website addresses and depends on the first few parts of the address and let the browser fill up the rest or you want it to load faster, untick this box. but personally, i think it takes up a huge space (in just 3 days, i accumulated about 60mb of temporary internet files ':s ) . and i just bookmark my favourite sites.

4. make your windows basic!
do you have a very impressive looking desktop? colourful backgrounds, a mouse cursor with blinking lights and colourful trails behind it, impressive visual effects and a theme that makes people go "wow.." that's good and all but is it making your pc slow?

just go back to basics people. it's pretty to look at but not very practical. below, an article i found that describes this perfectly..

By default, EVERYTHING is turned on in Windows XP. It isn’t very streamlined for performance, but rather for appearance. You can turn off a few of the unnecessary features, and Windows will still work just fine, and maybe a little faster.

To do this, right-click on My Computer and click on Properties. Click on the Advanced tab. Under the Performance section, click on the Settings button. On the Visual Effects tab, you will see a list of check boxes. By default, these are all on. You really don’t need any of them. If you choose one of the radio buttons at the top, say, Adjust for Best Performance, then all of the check boxes will turn off. This will noticeably speed up your computer. You can go through the check boxes one by one, and determine which ones you can and can’t live without. The one that will make the biggest effect is the very last one in the list. This is the Themes. If you turn it off, it will free up a lot of system resources and give you quite a bit more memory to work with, but Windows XP will look more like Windows 2000. For most people, this isn’t a problem. It is all eye-candy, anyway. Your pretty green pasture picture will disappear; your pretty green and blue buttons and task bar will go to a gray. If you can live with these things, then you will have much more performance. You will find that menus open up much more quickly and everything responds more immediately.

looks isn't everything.. especially when it comes to computers. it's the speed and functionality we want. don't you agree?

5. defragment, defragment, defragment!
i cannot stress this enough. when i see someone's laptop acting like a tortoise, i'll ask if they've defragmented it recently. i usually get a, "i de-what now?" or "no dude.. i don't have that kinda money" or "haha! that's a funny word! did you just make that up?"

here's how i like to explain what it actually is..
(NOTE: no comment necessary on the drawing. i know it's super cool.)

so okay.. here's mr pc working on your file.
then you ask it save those files. mr pc then works frantically and saves it in your hard disk as fast as he can because, that's what he does.. he tries to work as fast as his tiny processor can dish out.
BUT there's a downside to this.. the files aren't always in the same place as one huge chunk. most of the time, it's in pieces. especially big files like, programs or games you installed. mr pc does know where each parts are and when you load them up, sometimes it takes mr pc a few moments to gather everything together.
uh-oh.. here comes mr defrag-man and he is far from happy..
mr defrag-man now has to sort out the mess, so that stuff on mr pc works faster. so, the longer you haven't defragment your hard disk, the messier it is. remember when i told you you need at least 15% of free space? well, here is why.. mr defrag-man needs space to work with.. to place the separated files all together in one place temporarily while it finds a suitable place to place in, in one chunk. the best hard disk space it'll need is 25%. it'll defragment your files much faster.. here's how you do it.

a. To defragment your hard drives (in any Windows operating system), double-click on My Computer. Right-click on the c-drive and click on Properties. Click on the Tools tab and choose the bottom button, to Defragment Now… Click on the appropriate drive, and then on Defragment. This can take some time. Depending on your processing power, the amount of RAM you have available, the size and speed of your drive, and a few other things, this process can take 20 minutes, or hours. It is best to let this one run over night, as well, but it is well worth it.

it'll look something like this...
those red lines on the top bar are the mess.. and the blue lines are the neat sorted chunk of files. the bottom bar is the after picture. see how tidy it is? your pc will work much faster looking like that.

that's it from me but there are a lot of tips on how to speed up your pc. these were some of my easy ones that i very often do. questions are welcomed and i'll try my best to answer them.
click here for 10 top tips!

prison dancers and the chasers

i stumbled on this in youtube last night. hahaha! i had to share with you guys.



i found out that it was actually featured on cnn. so, i did some searching for more information on these awesome dancers and i was very fortunate to find these guys.

the seven wonders of the world

this topic was brought on by my sister who asked me what are the wonders of the world.. being a major fan of civilization games, i thought i had the answer in the bag.

"well, there's the pyramids.. ummm.. the hanging gardens of babylons is another one.." then i stopped. those were the only two i knew. she told me that the wonders of the world keeps changing and now there more than seven. this caught my curiosity and had to find out. hence today's post.

i thought this was going to be an easy subject. "just google in seven wonders", i thought. well, on my quest to find the answer i found out that there are actually many types of wonders of the world. some of them are:

• the seven wonders of the natural world
• the seven wonders of the modern world
• the seven underwater wonders of the world
• the seven wonders of the medieval mind

there are even forgotten wonders of the world.

but the one i was actually interested and will share with you today are the seven wonders of the ancient world.

the great pyramids of giza

of course, when thinking of the world wonders, everyone would definitely know that the pyramids are one of them. being the only wonder that is still left standing here today, it is located in the city of giza, a necropolis of ancient memphis, and today part of greater cairo, egypt.

the great pyramid is believed to have been built over a 20 year period. the site was first prepared, and blocks of stone were transported and placed. an outer casing (which disappeared over the years) was then used to smooth the surface. although it is not known how the blocks were put in place, several theories have been proposed. one theory involves the construction of a straight or spiral ramp that was raised as the construction proceeded. this ramp, coated with mud and water, eased the displacement of the blocks which were pushed (or pulled) into place. a second theory suggests that the blocks were placed using long levers with a short angled foot.

interesting facts:

• when it was built, the great pyramid was 145.75 m (481 ft) high. over the years, it lost 10m (30 ft) off its top.
• it was the tallest structure in the world for more than 43 centuries!
• it consists of more than 2 million blocks of stone each weighing more than 2 tons.

the hanging gardens of babylon

this wonder is actually a huge controversy. many think it didn't even exist because of a lack of documentation in the babylonian history book.

The Babylonian kingdom flourished under the rule of the famous King, Hammurabi (1792-1750 BC). It was not until the reign of Naboplashar (625-605 BC) of the Neo-Babylonian dynasty that the Mesopotamian civilization reached its ultimate glory. His son, Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BC) is credited for building the legendary Hanging Gardens. It is said that the Gardens were built by Nebuchadnezzar to please his wife or concubine who had been "brought up in Media and had a passion for mountain surroundings".

While the most descriptive accounts of the Gardens come from Greek historians such as Berossus and Diodorus Siculus, Babylonian records stay silent on the matter. Tablets from the time of Nebuchadnezzar do not have a single reference to the Hanging Gardens, although descriptions of his palace, the city of Babylon, and the walls are found. Even the historians who give detailed descriptions of the Hanging Gardens never saw them. Modern historians argue that when Alexander's soldiers reached the fertile land of Mesopotamia and saw Babylon, they were impressed. When they later returned to their rugged homeland, they had stories to tell about the amazing gardens and palm trees at Mesopotamia.. About the palace of Nebuchadnezzar.. About the Tower of Babel and the ziggurats. And it was the imagination of poets and ancient historians that blended all these elements together to produce one of the World Wonders.

here's a picture of what it might looked like.

the temple of artemis at ephesus

there were so many temples back then. why did this one made it into the world wonders? well, just look at what it looked like. beautiful..

Although the foundation of the temple dates back to the seventh century BC, the structure that earned a spot in the list of Wonders was built around 550 BC. Referred to as the great marble temple, or temple D, it was sponsored by the Lydian king Croesus and was designed by the Greek architect Chersiphron. It was decorated with bronze statues sculpted by the most skilled artists of their time: Pheidias, Polycleitus, Kresilas, and Phradmon.

The temple served as both a marketplace and a religious institution. For years, the sanctuary was visited by merchants, tourists, artisans, and kings who paid homage to the goddess by sharing their profits with her. Recent archeological excavations at the site revealed gifts from pilgrims including statuettes of Artemis made of gold and ivory... earrings, bracelets, and necklaces... artifacts from as far as Persia and India.

On the night of 21 July 356 BC, a man named Herostratus burned the temple to ground in an attempt to immortalize his name. He did indeed. Strangely enough, Alexander the Great was born the same night. The Roman historian Plutarch later wrote that the goddess was "too busy taking care of the birth of Alexander to send help to her threatened temple". Over the next two decades, the temple was restored and is labeled "temple E" by archeologists. And when Alexander the Great conquered Asia Minor, he helped rebuild the destroyed temple.

When St Paul visited Ephesus to preach Christianity in the first century AD, he was confronted by the Artemis' cult who had no plans to abandon their goddess. And when the temple was again destroyed by the Goths in AD 262, the Ephesians vowed to rebuild. By the fourth century AD, most Ephesians had converted to Christianity and the temple lost its religious glamor. The final chapter came when in AD 401 the Temple of Artemis was torn down by St John Chrysostom. Ephesus was later deserted, and only in the late nineteenth century has the site been excavated. The digging revealed the temple's foundation and the road to the now swampy site. Attempts were recently made to rebuilt the temple, but only a few columns have been re-erected.

what it is now...

the statue of zeus at olympia

The ancient Greek calendar starts in 776 BC, for the Olympic games are believed to have started that year. The magnificent temple of Zeus was designed by the architect Libon and was built around 450 BC. Under the growing power of ancient Greece, the simple Doric-style temple seemed too mundane, and modifications were needed. The solution: A majestic statue. The Athenian sculptor Pheidias was assigned for the "sacred" task, reminiscent of Michelangelo's paintings at the Sistine Chapel.

For the years that followed, the temple attracted visitors and worshippers from all over the world. In the second century BC repairs were skillfully made to the aging statue. In the first century AD, the Roman emperor Caligula attempted to transport the statue to Rome. However, his attempt failed when the scaffolding built by Caligula's workmen collapsed. After the Olympic games were banned in AD 391 by the emperor Theodosius I as Pagan practices, the temple of Zeus was ordered closed.

Olympia was further struck by earthquakes, landslides and floods, and the temple was damaged by fire in the fifth century AD. Earlier, the statue had been transported by wealthy Greeks to a palace in Constantinople. There, it survived until it was destroyed by a severe fire in AD 462. Today nothing remains at the site of the old temple except rocks and debris, the foundation of the buildings, and fallen columns.

the mausoleum at halicarnassus

When the Persians expanded their ancient kingdom to include Mesopotamia, Northern India, Syria, Egypt, and Asia Minor, the king could not control his vast empire without the help of local governors or rulers -- the Satraps. Like many other provinces, the kingdom of Caria in the western part of Asia Minor (Turkey) was so far from the Persian capital that it was practically autonomous. From 377 to 353 BC, king Mausollos of Caria reigned and moved his capital to Halicarnassus. Nothing is exciting about Maussollos life except the construction of his tomb. The project was conceived by his wife and sister Artemisia, and the construction might have started during the king's lifetime. The Mausoleum was completed around 350 BC, three years after Maussollos death, and one year after Artemisia's.

For 16 centuries, the Mausoleum remained in good condition until an earthquake caused some damage to the roof and colonnade. In the early fifteenth century, the Knights of St John of Malta invaded the region and built a massive crusader castle. When they decided to fortify it in 1494, they used the stones of the Mausoleum. By 1522, almost every block of the Mausoleum had been disassembled and used for construction.

Today, the massive castle still stands in Bodrum, and the polished stone and marble blocks of the Mausoleum can be spotted within the walls of the structure. Some of the sculptures survived and are today on display at the British Museum in London. These include fragment of statues and many slabs of the frieze showing the battle between the Greeks and the Amazons. At the site of the Mausoleum itself, only the foundation remains of the once magnificent Wonder.

present day...

the colossus of rhodes

Throughout most of its history, ancient Greece was comprised of city-states which had limited power beyond their boundary. On the small island of Rhodes were three of these: Ialysos, Kamiros, and Lindos. In 408 BC, the cities united to form one territory, with a unified capital, Rhodes. The city thrived commercially and had strong economic ties with their main ally, Ptolemy I Soter of Egypt. In 305 BC, the Antigonids of Macedonia who were also rivals of the Ptolemies, besieged Rhodes in an attempt to break the Rhodo-Egyptian alliance. They could never penetrate the city. When a peace agreement was reached in 304 BC, the Antagonids lifted the siege, leaving a wealth of military equipment behind. To celebrate their unity, the Rhodians sold the equipment and used the money to erect an enormous statue of their sun god, Helios.

The construction of the Colossus took 12 years and was finished in 282 BC. For years, the statue stood at the harbor entrance, until a strong earthquake hit Rhodes about 226 BC. The city was badly damaged, and the Colossus was broken at its weakest point -- the knee. The Rhodians received an immediate offer from Ptolemy III Eurgetes of Egypt to cover all restoration costs for the toppled monument. However, an oracle was consulted and forbade the re-erection. Ptolemy's offer was declined.

For almost a millennium, the statue laid broken in ruins. In AD 654, the Arabs invaded Rhodes. They disassembled the remains of the broken Colossus and sold them to a Jew from Syria. It is said that the fragments had to be transported to Syria on the backs of 900 camels.

this is a picture of where the colossus might have been built on. see those two deers, that's where the feet were.

last but definitely not least is the...

the lighthouse of alexandria

Shortly after the death of Alexander the Great, his commander Ptolemy Soter assumed power in Egypt. He had witnessed the founding of Alexandria, and established his capital there. Off of the city's coast lies a small island: Pharos. Its name, legend says, is a variation of Pharaoh's Island. The island was connected to the mainland by means of a dike - the Heptastadion - which gave the city a double harbor. And because of dangerous sailing conditions and flat coastline in the region, the construction of a lighthouse was necessary.

The monument was dedicated to the Savior Gods: Ptolemy Soter (lit. savior) and his wife Berenice. For centuries, the Lighthouse of Alexandria (occasionally referred to as the Pharos Lighthouse) was used to mark the harbor, using fire at night and reflecting sun rays during the day. It was even shown on Roman coins, just as famous monuments are depicted on currency today.

When the Arabs conquered Egypt, they admired Alexandria and its wealth. The Lighthouse continues to be mentioned in their writings and travelers accounts. But the new rulers moved their capital to Cairo since they had no ties to the Mediterranean. When the mirror was brought down mistakenly, they did not restore it back into place. In AD 956, an earthquake shook Alexandria, and caused little damage to the Lighthouse. It was later in 1303 and in 1323 that two stronger earthquakes left a significant impression on the structure. When the famous Arab traveler Ibn Battuta visited Alexandria in 1349, he could not enter the ruinous monument or even climb to its doorway.

The final chapter in the history of the Lighthouse came in AD 1480 when the Egyptian Mamelouk Sultan, Qaitbay, decided to fortify Alexandria's defense. He built a medieval fort on the same spot where the Lighthouse once stood, using the fallen stone and marble.

hope you enjoyed learning something new today.. or old rather.. and hopefully that answers your question my dear sister.

it's morphin' time!

as promised, i've come back with a good-read post. it still is as random as my other posts but this one has a sentimental value for me and to those of you who were just a young child in the early 90's. i'm not quite sure how this post came about. it suddenly just popped in my head and i HAD to find out the answers. it's the original power rangers. i remember telling my brother to tape the show cause it aired in the afternoon during my ugama school (religious school) and i'd watch it afterwards. i spent hours playing as the red ranger with my brother being the green ranger. sigh.. memories. but it's been 13 years now. what ever happened to those powerful characters? if you're curious, read on.

red ranger (jason) - austin st. john

after leaving the cast midway through the second season, he has been in a few movies, the last one was in 2003 called footsteps. he wrote a book and made a video, both on martial arts. currently, he's 31 and in Washington DC working as a paramedic. get a load of his picture now.

black ranger (zach) - walter emmanuel jones

like austin, he also left the show in season 2 due to disagreement in wages. he continues to dabble in acting, most notably having a recurring role in FX's The Shield during its first season. he did a few things after he left the show. he did voice-overs for a villain, ironically enough, in the show that he left and also as the main character in a video game, freedom fighters. his current passion is salsa dancing and was the 2004 Mayan International Salsa Championship. he still keeps in touch with austin, his best-friend. click here for his own website.

blue ranger (billy) - david yost

david yost was the only ranger to have been in every episode of the original power rangers. after the 4th season, his role in the show was reduced to a mere advisor to the new rangers. dissatisfied with the new role and the pay that went along with it, he left the show. since then, he moved behind the camera and has worked as a producer for Sci-Fi Lab (a division of Sci-Fi Channel) and manager of licensing for Pioneer Entertainment (selling completed television shows to networks). he is now 38.

pink ranger (kimberly) - amy jo johnson

the most active of them all after the power ranger hoopla, she has kept herself very busy by getting as much media exposure as she could. she guest-starred in another 90's favourite, saved by the bell, in a small role. then, she worked with disney and was a star in a 1996 movie, susie q. she landed a major role in a series, felicity, where she learned to play guitar. she then had a band called, the amy jo johnson band but later disbanded and since then preformed acoustically. now 36, she has her own website dedicated to her music. click here for her site and here for her myspace page.

green/white ranger (tommy) - jason david frank

frank is the longest appearing male power ranger, while amy jo was the female to appear for the longest time. he appeared in the most power rangers episodes, 257 character appearances and 242 actual appearances. he also appeared in the most seasons: seven (Mighty Morphin [3], Zeo, Turbo, Wild Force and Dino Thunder). since then, he made a lot of tv appearances and made a couple of movies but he starred in his last one, fall guy (2006). now 33, he's been married twice and have 5 kids.

yellow ranger (trini) - thuy trang

it is unfortunate to tell you that thuy trang died from a car crash on september 3rd 2001. she and former actress/model Angela Rockwood-Nguyen, to whom Trang was to be a bridesmaid to later that year, were passengers in a car traveling on Interstate 5 between San Francisco and Los Angeles (they were returning from visiting Angela's planned maid of honor) when the driver (another of Angela's bridesmaids) of the vehicle she was riding in lost control. The car swerved violently across the road before hitting the roadside rock face and flipping several times before hitting the safety rail and plunging over the bank. Rockwood-Nguyen, who has claimed she was wearing a seat belt^[1], survived despite being thrown out of the vehicle through a window before its final impact; as a result, however, she is now quadriplegic. Trang, who wasn't wearing a seat belt, died from the injuries she sustained.

milan, italy

buongiorno readers! (that's hello in italian). it's been a while since i last posted a good read. well, today will be no different i'm afraid. no random facts to read just yet but i do have pictures for you which i think will be an equal substitution for now. i'm not posting a lot of pictures though.. i don't want to be one of those distant relatives who show their holiday photos and killing those who watches it slowly.. here are just a tiny some of mine. enjoy!

the very beautiful Piazza del Duomo. a lot of expensive shopping can be done here.

and just outside.. the Duomo. the third largest church in the world. 3500 statues decorate the cathedral. it took 500 years to complete from 1386

ofcourse, what visit would be complete without going into museums.

old decorations of the past. fancy having that to show-off for raya eh?

believe it or not, this mummy was someone's collection. but being superstitious, the former owner donated this mummy in 1854.

church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. some of you may gasp at the name if you're an art buff. this is the place where one of the most famous painting is located. it's none other than Leonardo Da Vinci's The Last Supper. yup. unfortunately, we didn't get adore the painting.. apparently, you have to book WEEKS in advance for a viewing. so, keep that in mind.

the statue of the great man himself. Leonardo Da Vinci.

the 506 submarine. strangely enough, our room has the same number.

the museum of technology. this part, exhibits recreations of Leonardo Da Vinci's brilliant sketches.

i wonder if they blogged back then too.. hmmm

some monuments are just plain silly..

there you have it. just a quick look-through of my time in milan. i'll post videos once i edit it. a good-read post coming your way tomorrow!