Sunday, August 31, 2008

Michael Phelps parades with Mickey Mouse

Michael Phelps is really quick! Quick in making appearances everywhere these days.

Mickey Phelps with Michael Mouse
(Photo credit: Getty)

Seen in the photo above, gold medalist Michael Phelps and Mickey Mouse waved to fans at a parade at Disney World on Friday, August 29, 2008, as they both rode down Main Street U.S.A.

Phelps had just met with Tiger Woods on Wednesday in Manhattan, NY at an EA Sports sponsored party for the golfing champ's new video game – the "Baltimore Bullet". Phelps helped launch 'EA Sports Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09' at the Strata Metronome in New York City.

michael-phelps-tiger-woods
(Photo credit: Mike Stobe/Getty)

And then Phelps zipped off to Lake Buena Vista, Florida, to rub his broad shoulders with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

On Friday, Phelps, received a hero's welcome at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom during a special "America's Homecoming Parade," which a theme-park spokesperson described as "a star-spangled salute amidst confetti and thousands of flag-waving fans."

Phelps will also join the likes of Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and many others, as presenters at the September 7 VMAs telecast from Los Angeles.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Virginia man wins $100,000 lottery jackpot for 3rd time

The Associated Press reports that a Virginia Beach man has won the $100,000 top prize in the Virginia Lottery's Cash 5 drawing not once, not twice, but three times.



The Lottery says Stephens' latest win came in the August 3 drawing. He first hit the Cash 5 jackpot in 1997, and then won for the second time in April 2007. Each time he matched all five numbers and walked away with the $100,000 top prize.

Stephens declined to be interviewed. But the Lottery says he told Lottery officials that he fell out of his chair when he learned he had won the jackpot again.

For his most recent win, Mr. Stephens selected his own numbers. He bought the winning ticket at Lynnhaven Valero, located at 801 South Lynnhaven Road in Virginia Beach. The winning numbers for that drawing were 4-8-24-28-33.

Cash 5 drawings are held daily at 1:59 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. The chances of winning the $100,000 top prize are 1 in 278,256!

Ralph Stephens is one lucky guy. Enjoy the prize you lucky fella!

Intel Core i7 inside, very soon

After Intel's Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad, Intel's upcoming range of consumer 64-bit quad-core processors are soon to be released. These CPU chips based on the Intel Nehalem microarchitecture will be officially brand named Intel Core i7.

Intel Core i7 inside logo

The stylish new glossy and shiny logos are similar to the previous logos, and will come in black and blue.

Read more about the Core i7 at Tech-it-On.

Thai garland lady smiles, while the red light keeps me waiting

An elderly Thai woman is seen selling jasmine garlands at the Rama 9 intersection during red light traffic. This Thai form of floral garland locally known as "Phuang malai" (Thai: พวงมาลัย) is often given as offerings, and worn and presented at many festivals and occasions, such as graduations and weddings, for good luck.



As I snapped this picture the lady noticed me, and then smiled at me and the taxi driver :)

Michael Jackson & Madonna celebrate 50th birthday

Pop superstar Michael Jackson, who turned 50 yesterday, said he has no plans of retiring from the music scene and insisted he has great things planned ahead in his career.

Michael-Jackson-turns-50
(Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images)

MJ admits he still looks back fondly at his trailblazing career, counting the recording of Thriller and the Off the Wall album as his happiest times.

Happy 50th Birthday, Michael Jackson!


Pop star Madonna also celebrated her 50th birthday on August 16, 2008. Madonna has been rocking and reinventing pop music, the music industry and fashion for several decades now. While her 1984 No. 1 album, Like a Virgin, brought her international acclaim, the 1989 critical and commercial hit, Like a Prayer, solidified her global domination.

Madonna-turns-50
(Photo credit: AP)

Madonna is still fabulous at 50!

Thai Police fire Tear Gas on demonstrators as crisis deepens

Bangkok's political crisis deepens after Thai riot police fired tear gas at protesters in front of Metropolitan Police headquarters yesterday. Members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) tried to block the entrance to the headquarters, forcing the police to use tear gas. Witnesses said police fired more than 10 rounds of tear gas into a crowd of protesters gathered in front of the police station. The police however denied firing tear gas.

Thai-Protest-Government-House
(Photo credit: Bangkok Post)

Last night I watched Thai PBS, which showed a video footage in slow motion that clearly showed an object being hurled from within the Police headquarters compound onto the protesters outside, and the object landed inches away from a protester who was crawling on the ground. Smoke quickly engulfed the area as protesters covered their faces and were crawling away from the gate.

Thailand Protest Rally
(Photo credit: AFP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)

Thai-Protest-Tear-Gas
(Photo credit: Bangkok Post)

Thai-Demonstrators-Police-Violence
(Photo credit: Bangkok Post)

Thai riot police scuffled with demonstrators barricaded inside the Government House compound early on Friday as they delivered an eviction order against the group seeking to oust the government.

Thaialnd protest
(Photo credit: AFP)

Many protesters including women and elderly were injured in the protests on Friday. One woman was reported to have broken her leg. Protesters had also rallied at the Royal Turf Club, where anti-riot police were stationed, to demand punishment for officers responsible for ordering the crackdown on the crowds at Makawan Rangsan Bridge.

The political crisis has spilled over to other parts of Thailand after this incident, as authorities closed Phuket, Krabi and Hat Yai airports.

THAI union leaders have encouraged Thai Airways International, the national airlines' workers to "take leave" in support of the PAD. The movement's sympathizers in Trat, Trang and Kanchanaburi were said to be planning to travel to Bangkok to join the protest. The chairwoman of the labor union of Thai Airways International told 15,000 members of the union to strike in retaliation of police's brutality. Chaemsri Sukchoterat said 15,000 members of the union would stop working immediately to respond to the police's use of force against peaceful protesters. She said if the government did not stop using force against protesters, all 25,000 Thai workers would be told to stop working.

Emails were circulated apologizing for the inconvenience caused by the PAD.

The pressure is mounting on prime minister Samak Sundaravej to resign as anti-government protesters occupied his headquarters for a fifth day on Saturday and disrupted rail and air service in some of the country's most popular tourist destinations.


(Photo credit: Manager Online)

Samak Sundaravej made an unannounced trip to the southern town of Hua Hin to meet with King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the Nation newspaper reported.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Think Green Campaign at The Emporium

A campaign aiming to reduce the effects of global warming, called the "Think Green Campaign" was held today at The Emporium shopping Mall in Bangkok.




(Photo credits: DailyXPRESS)

Seen in the pictures above the models display colorful environment-friendly bags with the words "Think Green" on them.

Lots of "Save Our Planet" activities are happening these days, which is good news for Bangkokians.

On Saturday night, seven popular Thai female singers, all over 40, got together for the "Green" concert series at the Royal Paragon Hall, for "Seven Divas", the 11th Green concert.

Let's Go Green!

Thailand Baby & Kids Best Buy 2008 today at QSNCC



The 5th Thailand Baby & Kids Best Buy 2008 event kicks off today until August 31, 2008 at QSNCC, or Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (Zone C, Plaza, Atrium). The 4 day event runs from 10 am to 8 pm.



Show Highlights
- Love Connection Contest to win the scholarship totaling over 100,000 baht
- Baby Lucky Draw
- Baby Olympic 2008 Photo Contest
- Baby & Kids Best Buy Design Award 2008

Products
- Toys
- Accessories & Furniture
- Kids Fashion
- Book & Learning Tools
- Food & Health Products
- Educational Center & Hospital
- Mother Care

Special Promotions will be offered by participating brands that include:
  • Kiddo Pacific
  • Philips
  • Avent
  • Brown Farm
  • Amenda
  • Papa
  • St.Andrews Baby
  • Absorba
  • MamyPoko
  • Pacific Point
  • NeNes
  • Motehr Care
  • TumbleTots
  • Wangdek
  • Cool Kids
  • Kitso
  • Naturally Bebe
  • GorillaToy
  • Domoko
  • Thai HealthBaby
  • Ae-In
  • Let's Share
  • Say Aina
  • 3 Angels
  • R.Pu.Pu
  • Berry Bear
  • Unisense
  • Halle Care
  • Celebs Mom
  • AlbinoBabies
  • MusicSPA
  • Swim Ways
  • Pur
  • Great American Body
  • Medklinn
  • Johnson's Baby
  • Siam Commerical Bank
  • Kasikorn Bank

iPhone Girl's cute angel smile makes headlines

Following the footsteps of YouTube's Lonelygirl15 and Chris Crocker, the next self-made viral super star is shaping up to be a mysterious Chinese factory worker, whose pictures were found on a new iPhone sold to a British customer.


(Photo credit: MacRumors.com/AP)

The "iPhone-girl" frenzy began last week when three of her photographs appeared on the popular Apple discussion forum MacRumors.com, show a young Asian woman working on what appears to be an assembly line for iPhones.

She might have done nothing more than flash a smile to her colleague testing an iPhone camera, but her cute angel-like smile has attracted the attention of iPhone users across the world. Internet users have generated keen interest about her identity - and her fate.

Dressed in a pink striped uniform, a hat and wearing white gloves with yellow fingertips, the round-faced asian girl now known on the Web as the "iPhone Girl" is shown smiling and making victory signs as she poses next to an iPhone.

The MacRumors.com user who posted the photos last week, identified as only "markm49uk" from Kingston-upon-Hull, England, said in a posting that one of the pictures showed up on a new 3G iPhone when the iTunes program was launched.

"It would appear that someone on the production line was having a bit of fun. Has anyone else found this?" the posting said.

The posting received more than 360 responses on MacRumors.com, with readers commenting and speculating about the woman's age, looks and working conditions - and whether the pictures had gotten her into trouble with her managers.

"She is so fired," a reader identified as "PredatoryWasp86" said.

"That's nice that at least they have some fun in the drab of assembling technology," another reader, "BrownManUPS," said.

"She looks about 12 or 13 to me! I don't think Stevo is going to be impressed at all. It looks a little bit too much like child labor," "sibruk" wrote, referring to Apple Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs.

News reports say the woman may work at a factory run by an Apple contractor, Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group, in the southern Chinese boomtown of Shenzhen.

Calls to Foxconn spokesman Edmund Ding went unanswered Wednesday. Ding also didn't immediately respond to an e-mail from The Associated Press seeking comment.

But the South China Morning Post on Wednesday quoted another Foxconn spokesman, Liu Kun, as confirming that the young woman in the pictures works for Foxconn.

Liu said workers testing the device took the pictures and may have forgotten to delete them, the Post reported.

Dubbing the mystery worker "China's prettiest factory girl," China's Southern Metropolitan Daily on Tuesday quoted an unidentified Foxconn official as saying the woman was not fired.

Source: China Daily

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Olympic Syndrome hits China, while PAD Syndrome grips Bangkok

The "Olympic Syndrome" has hit many Chinese sports fans after they had spent most of August glued to their television sets watching the Beijing Olympics, the official Xinhua News Agency reports today.

Symptoms include feelings of loss, worrying about work and generally feeling sluggish.


(Photo credit: AFP)

It cited psychological and educational experts as saying that, since the Games ended on Sunday, many viewers were "feeling lost and prone to whining."

I guess many people in Bangkok are feeling the same way too. After all the Beijing Olympics was spectacular, presenting one of the best opening ceremony ever.

Bangkokians are now suffering another kind of disease called the "PAD Syndrome". After staying glued to the radio, television and news portals, some Thais are now quite bugged with the PAD's aggressive activities in the past 2 days. I think it should be called the PAD Syndicated Syndrome. Many others are enjoying it.


(Photo credit: Manager Online)

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Canon EOS 50D Officially launched!

Canon has launched the much anticipated EOS 50D, an upgraded version of EOS 40D. The new one looks similar to the 40D.



Features of the Canon EOS 50D:
  • 15.1 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
  • 6.3fps continuous shooting, max. burst 90 JPEGs with UDMA card
  • DIGIC 4 processor
  • ISO 100-3200, expandable to 12800
  • 9-point wide area AF
  • 3.0” Clear View VGA LCD with Live View mode & Face Detection Live AF
  • Magnesium alloy body, with environmental protection
  • EOS Integrated Cleaning System
  • HDMI connection for high quality viewing and playback on a High Definition TV
  • Full compatibility with Canon EF and EF-S lenses and EX-series Speedlites

According to Canon, the new 50D is the first SLR to use the company's DIGIC 4 image processor, which the company says has improved speed and noise performance. The new DIGIC processor includes face detection of up to "35 faces" and in-camera vignetting controls with supported EF lenses.

There is also built-in sensor cleaning along with dust removal software which Canon has named "Dust Delete Data Detection".

The 3-inch VGA LCD viewscreen has bumped the resolution up to 920,000 dots-per-inch.

The 50D is due to be shipped in October 2008, and is priced at $1400.

Let's wait for October, while fiddling with the 40D.

Protest Rally in Bangkok, NBT TV station seized

Today is a big day for PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy). They have blocked major roads into Bangkok and surrounded the Government House. They are all over the place now. Thousands are rallying in the capital to push Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to resign.


(Photo credit: Manager Online)

Thai media say about 60 men, covered their faces with black pieces of cloths and dressed in black t-shirt and jeans, stormed into National Broadcasting Television (NBT), formerly Channel 11, a government-held television station in Bangkok at 05.30 am this morning, forcing it off the air. They managed to break police corridor to enter compound of NBT, cutting off its electricity, and suspended all broadcast programs.


(Photo credit: AFP)

The NBT briefly showed images of protesters breaking down a barrier at their Bangkok headquarters before blacking out. The station is now showing pre-recorded footage.

Sondhi Limthongkul, leader of a coalition of anti-government groups, told protesters gathered at a different Bangkok location that they had seized the channel.

"Now we have completely taken over NBT and I want more people to join them," Sondhi said.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Tomb Raider: Underworld Thailand

Tomb Raider: Underworld is the next-gen sequel to the Tomb Raider: Legend.

Developed by Crystal Dynamics, Tomb Raider Underworld is scheduled for release on November 21, 2008 across Europe and on November 18, 2008 across North America.

This first full gameplay trailer for Underworld showcases ruins in Thailand and offers quick glimpses of action in other parts of the world.



Tomb Raider Underworld sees Lara undertake her riskiest mission yet, descending to the depths of the underworlds. In Lara’s expedition to Thailand, she attempts to unravel the secrets behind centuries old myths, her perilous journey leads to a forgotten power, that if unleashed, could lay waste to all civilization.

The latest video of Lara Croft's latest adventure is all about her acrobatic skills. From climbing to swinging, everything looks smooth and speedy, among the lush greenery and the old temple ruins in Thailand.

Go ahead, watch the above video!

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Olympics Google Logo Designs - Google Doodles

These are the pictures of all Google Olympics Logos or "2008 Summer Games Doodle" shown on Google's Home page during the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics from August 8, 2008 to August 24, 2008. The logo designs make use of the twelve Chinese Zodiac Animal Signs or "Earthly Branches".

August 8 - Opening Ceremony (Fuwa - The Mascots)



August 9 - Cycling (Sheep)



August 10 - Weightlifting (Rat)



August 11 - Diving (Pig/Boar)



August 12 - Rhythmic Gymnastics (Ox)



August 13 - Artistic Gymnastics (Monkey)



August 14 - Basketball (Dragon and Rat)



August 15 - Badminton (Tiger)



August 16 - Soccer (Horse)



August 17 - Rowing (Dog)



August 18 - Table Tennis / Ping Pong (Dragon)




August 19 - Swimming (Snake)



August 20 - Athletics (Horse and Rabbit)



August 21 - High Jump (Rabbit)



August 22 - Taekwondo (Tiger and Monkey)



August 23 - Baseball (Rooster)



August 24 - Closing Ceremony (All 12 animals)


Cuban Taekwondo fighter kicks referee, banned for life

Angel Valodia Matos of Cuba, a Taekwondo athlete kicked a Swedish match referee in the face during the Olympics men's +80kg bronze-medal match on Saturday.


(Photo credit: AP Photo/Matt Dunham)


(Photo credit: AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

The video is also on YouTube, watch the YouTube video

The Cuban coach Leudis Gonzalez offered no apology for Matos' actions during the match. The Cuban fighter and his coach were banned for life after the kick, following his disqualification.

Matos was winning 3-2 in the second round, when he fell to the mat after being hit by his opponent, Kazakhstan's Arman Chilmanov. He was sitting there, awaiting medical attention, when he was disqualified for taking too much injury time. Fighters get one minute, and Matos was disqualified when his time ran out.

Matos angrily questioned the call, pushed a judge, then pushed and kicked referee Chakir Chelbat of Sweden. Matos then spat on the floor and was escorted out.

"To me it was obvious he was unable to continue," Chilmanov said. "His toe on his left foot was broken."

Matos won the gold medal in this division at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, dedicating the victory to his mother, who died on the day of the opening ceremony.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Somjit wins gold, second for Thailand

Thai boxer Somjit Jongjohor (Thai: สมจิตร จงจอหอ) won his first Olympic gold medal by defeating Andris Laffita Hernandez of Cuba by 8-2 during their Men's Flyweight (51 kg) final boxing match of the 2008 Beijing Olympics on August 23, 2008.


(Photo credit: Nick Laham/Getty Images)

The bronze medals went to Georgy Balakshin of Russia and Italian Vincenzo Picardi, seen in the photo above.

Somjit, 33, earned Thailand's second gold medal in the Olympics. He has been waiting for this day since 12 years and finally realized his dream. This is his last boxing contest, after which he would continue his boxing career as a coach.

Somjit fought really well, and by the end of the 2nd round he was leading 6-0. One of his punches connected so solidly with Laffita Hernandez's face, that Channel NBT ran the punch replay repeatedly for 3 or 4 times after the match was over. Earlier, when the match was about to begin, I was just watching the 6 pm Thai National Anthem being played by NBT, and during the medal ceremony I listened to the Thai Anthem a second time live from Beijing.


(Photo credit: AP)

This was his 5th match in the Olympics and he displayed his superiority in every match, winning by a clear margin. He was older than every opponent he faced and won a combined 39 points and conceded only 7 points.

Somjit's Road To Success in Olympics:
  1. Defeated Eddie Valenzuela of Guatemala 6-1
  2. Defeated Samir Mammadov of Azerbaijan 10-2
  3. Defeated Anvar Yunusov of Tajikistan 8-1
  4. Defeated Vincenzo Picardi of Italy 7-1
  5. Defeated Andris Laffita Hernandez of Cuba 8-2

Somjit held the portrait of Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej during the announcement of the winning boxer.


(Photo credit: AP)

During the Olympic medal ceremony, he jumped onto the podium in style.


(Photo credit: AP)

Featured Blog of the Day at FuelMyBlog!

My blog "HaPPi Like a HiPPo" has been featured as blog of the day at FuelMyBlog.com today!


The above picture I received from FuelMyBlog is my award award for the occasion :)

Blog of the day features a different blog every day, and today is my day.
If you liked my blog please vote for me by clicking on the image below:


Let this blog enjoy the limelight for today!



Below is a screenshot from FuelMyBlog with my blog displayed on the top left-hand corner under "Blog of the Day".