dayslpr

Byahe Tayo!

2006-04-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

Promoting Philippine Tourism.
Please also visit WOW Philippines for more info.

7 Smart Ways To Spend Your Tax Refund

2006-04-01T04:56:00.000-08:00

Just thought of sharing this post about tax refund. Got it from MSN Money under Liz Pulliam Weston's column.

Four out of five workers say they'll get a refund this year, and most of those say they'll do something responsible with the money, like pay down debt (44%) or save or invest (38%). That's according to the latest Principal Financial Well-Being Index, a survey of 1,374 workers.

We'll see. The latest IRS estimate is that the average refund will be nearly 5% higher this year, with an average $2,480 returned to taxpayer's hands. That's a big chunk of temptation.

If you're on the fence about what to do with your refund, here are some ideas to consider, including at least one I know you'll like.

Blow (some of) it

Seriously. I firmly believe in frittering away 10% of any windfall as an incentive to be responsible with the rest.

Your refund isn't exactly unexpected money, of course, but it does tend to be a big chunk of change. You'll probably be tempted to blow all of it (indeed, that's exactly what 7% of those in the Principal survey intend to do with theirs: buy some big-ticket item). By limiting your splurge, you'll feel rewarded while still having the bulk of the money to pay off debt or invest.

So that means you'll have about $250, on average, to spend. Take your kids to a theme park or your partner to a weekend getaway. Buy that outfit or that tool you've been lusting after. Just pay cash and have fun.

Pay your credit cards

You knew that was coming. You'll have a bit more than $2,200, on average, left over after your splurge. That just happens to be the median amount owed on credit cards among families who carried a balance, according to the Federal Reserve's latest Survey of Consumer Finances.

With average rates on credit cards hovering around 16%, that $2,200 balance is costing you more than $350 in interest each year.

Paying your cards off, or at least down, will save you a big chunk of change and free up space on your cards for emergencies. Since most U.S. families have woefully inadequate emergency funds, those cards could be your backup in case something goes wrong.

Fund your retirement

Here's where an investment of tax money can really pay off.

You'll get the biggest bang for your buck if you've got a 401(k) plan at work and you're not already contributing enough to get the maximum company match. With the typical matching system, you'll get an instant 50% return on your money, plus years of future tax-deferred growth. Over a 40-year working career, that extra $2,200 annually could turn into a nest egg worth $850,000, assuming average 8% annual returns (which is a reasonable assumption with a balanced portfolio of stocks and bonds).

The problem is that you can't just dump your refund directly into a 401(k). But you can ask your human-resources department to increase your contribution from your paychecks (it works out to about $85 more a check if you're paid every two weeks). Then you can stick your refund into your savings account and have $85 transferred every two weeks to your checking account for the next 12 months. The result: You boost your retirement kitty without feeling the pinch.

If you can live without that $85, or you don't have a 401(k) match to gain, you can contribute the $2,200 to an individual retirement account. Over your working career, those annual contributions could grow to $570,000.

Your contribution is deductible if you don't have a retirement plan at work or if you do but your income is under certain limits. (The ability to deduct an IRA contribution phases out at between $50,000 to $60,000 of adjusted gross income if you're single; the phase-out range is $70,000 to $80,000 for married couples for 2005 and $75,000 to $85,000 in 2006.)

If you can't deduct your contribution, consider putting the money into a Roth IRA instead. There's no tax break when you contribute, but your money comes out tax-free in retirement. The ability to contribute to a Roth phases out between $95,000 and $110,000 for singles and between $150,000 and $160,000 for married couples.

You have until April 15 to fund an IRA or Roth IRA for 2005. After that, you can fund one for 2006. The annual contribution limit for either year is $4,000. If you're 50 or over, you can make an extra $500 "catch-up" contribution for 2005 or an extra $1,000 for 2006.

Boost your emergency fund

If you're already maxing out your retirement-savings options, the next place you should look is your savings account.

Only about three in 10 U.S. households have enough liquid savings to get them through three months of unemployment. That's a little scary, given that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says the average length of unemployment in the past year has been between four and five months.

You may not be able to survive long on whatever's left of your refund, but it's a start. And having a little spare cash on hand might help you avoid using credit cards to pay for the inevitable crises like auto repairs. You can squeeze a little more interest out of your account by using an online bank such as ING Direct, UFBDirect, NetBank or HSBCDirect.com, which pay higher-than-average rates with no monthly account fees. Bankrate.com can help you compare banks.

Contribute to a college fund

Got kids? They'll probably go to college someday, and every dollar you save for them now could spare them from a buck or two of student loan debt later.

You can put up to $2,000 a year into a Coverdell Education Savings Account (read "College plans for the rich, poor and in-between") and withdraw the money tax-free for qualified elementary, secondary or college expenses. (Unless Congress renews the legislation, the ability to use Coverdell money for elementary and secondary school costs is scheduled to expire after 2010.) The ability of parents to contribute is phased out when modified adjusted gross income is between $95,000 and $110,000 for single people and between $190,000 and $220,000 for joint filers. But parents can always gift the contribution money to the child, then have the child make the contribution.

Another good option for many families: state-run 529 college savings plans. Some states offer tax breaks for contributions, and the money grows tax-deferred. (The ability to avoid taxes on withdrawals is scheduled to disappear after 2010, but again, Congress may act to extend the legislation.)

For more information on picking a plan or on college savings in general, visit MSN Money's Saving for College Decision Center.

Continue your education

When your other financial ducks are in a row, it's time to look at your earning power.

The economy can be a scary place, as it constantly destroys or outsources old jobs and comes up with new ones. If you want to keep yourself employed and maximize your earnings, you may need to learn new skills.

That may or may not mean getting another degree. If you've only got a high school diploma, you probably will get a payoff by attending night school to get your associate's degree. (Conveniently enough, the average cost of a year at a community college for 2005-2006 was $2,191, according to the College Board, which you could neatly cover with your refund). The payoff from other degrees may not be as assured, as I wrote in "Is your degree worth $1 million -- or worthless?"

You may be able to expand your skill set profitably with just a course or two. Maybe you need accounting chops for the next move up the ladder, or a class in marketing. If you're not sure, talk to your boss about what skills seem to be in short supply at your company and in your industry.

Attend a conference

Most jobs are represented by some kind of trade or professional group that holds regular conferences or conventions. These can be a great place to network, add new knowledge and skills, or even find your next job.

If you figure you'll spend $400 or so on airfare, $500 or so on conference fees and $200 a day on hotel and meals for three days, you should have plenty of cash left over for drinks or a little sightseeing.

Just make some time to actually attend the conference. You can't learn or schmooze if you're not there.

Finally, consider adjusting your withholding so your refund isn't quite so spectacular next year. The IRS has a withholding calculator that can help you fine-tune your taxes so you get more in your paychecks. Then set up an automatic transfer so this extra money is promptly whisked away into your retirement, college or savings accounts so it can start working for you year-round.

Liz Pulliam Weston's column appears every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. She also answers reader questions in the Your Money message board.

Finding The Right Person At The Right Time

2006-02-03T17:40:00.000-08:00

Dating at 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60
By Julie Taylor

Want love and relationship advice that speaks specifically to the life stage you're in? Read on for wisdom you need now to suit any and every age.

There are certain things about dating that, no matter your age, remain the same, from the butterflies you feel when you meet someone cute to that painfully sweet moment when you exchange your first I love you's. And yet let's be honest: There are also major differences between hooking up fresh out of college, looking for a mate during mid-life, or finding a companion when you're 60-something. Goals shift. Priorities change. To help you navigate each decade, we consulted leading dating and relationship experts to pinpoint the common desires and pitfalls of each age group—and got their advice on how you can maximize your dating experience along the way.

Your 20s

The post-college dating scene can often seem deceptively easy: After all, singles are rarely looking for a long-term commitment, as Katie, 25, from Oklahoma City can attest. "I'm not sure what I want out of life or a relationship," she says. "When I date someone new, I'm not thinking about whether or not he'd be good husband material—I just wonder if he'd be fun to hang out with!" Even so, there's a lot this age group can do now to make the most of their freewheeling days and pave the way for regret-free romance later in life. Such as...

Expand your dating horizons

Sure, twenty-somethings date plenty of people, but often get stuck dating the same type, says Andrea Lavinthal, co-author of The Hook-Up Handbook: A Single Girl's Guide to Living It Up. "You should definitely date as many different types as you can to get a good sense of what's out there and to weed out the kind of people you don't like," she says. "At this point, dating is more about you than it is about the other person. You're figuring out what makes you happy in a partner."

Leave room for a love life

Dating often takes a back seat to career development for singles in their twenties. "They avoid relationships because they don't want anything to derail their dreams," explains Hannah Parmelee, M.S., of the Center for the Family at Pepperdine University. But blanket statements like "I'm not dating anyone for the next six months until I get promoted" can be dangerous, warns Lavinthal. "This closes off your possibilities, which is a bad thing—especially if the right person comes along in that time period," she explains. So instead, make a conscious decision to give your love life a little TLC by posting your profile on an online dating site or accepting at least one date invitation per month.

Think twice before moving in together
Because finances are often tight at this age, it can be tempting to move in with someone you've gotten serious with. But Parmelee says that cohabitation often backfires. "People end up getting stuck," she says. "They slide into marriage not because they choose to, but because it's just too hard to move out." Tempted to move in together to save money? Move in with a friend instead, and keep those options open.

Your 30s

This is a time when many single people focus on finding the one, getting married, and having children, says Parmelee. But because this urge hits different people at different times (or doesn't strike at all), therein lies the problem. "You either fall into that 'Why I haven't I found someone yet?' mode, or you just don't want to feel pressured," says Lavinthal. "And when two people with opposing attitudes hook up, it can create issues."

Set some mental deadlines

If you're really set on getting married or moving in together and your partner just isn't into it, Lavinthal recommends creating a timeline. "This isn't something you need to share with your partner—but if you'd like to get engaged in two years, make a mental note of that," she suggests. As you approach that two-year mark, evaluate where you are and where the relationship's going. Talk about the issue. If your mate has no intention of getting married anytime soon but you're still really into it, why waste any more time? "At some stage, enough is enough," Lavinthal says. Likewise, if your partner wants to get hitched and you're not ready, don't give in to the peer pressure. "You have to do it when it's right for you, not when it's right for someone else," she says.

Don't get too set in your ways

Another challenge thirty-somethings frequently face is being too set in their ways, making it more difficult to embrace their partner's habits. Jamie, 34, of Kansas City found this to be the case when she hooked up with Paul, 38. "He loved staying home and watching TV, while I prefer to go out," she recalls. "At first, I went along with it, but before long, I was going crazy." For this reason, compromising skills are key, says Lavinthal. "Agree to watch Family Guy with him if he'll go to a happy hour with you. Just remember: You're never going to change someone completely. If he's a baseball junkie and you absolutely hate sports, remind yourself that he's been this way for thirty years, and the odds of him "growing out of it" are slim.

Your 40s

Since half of all first marriages fail, the forty-something singles scene is flooded with divorced folk who are back on the market—with somewhat rusty dating skills. Or people who can be feeling ready for the "real thing"—if only they could find The One.

Brush up on your dating skills

If you're dating after a split, ease into it, says Beatty Cohan, co-author of For Better, For Worse, Forever: Discover the Path to Lasting Love. Make small talk with the person next to you in the grocery store line, or go out on a "practice" date with a friend, asking them to be brutally honest about how you come across. You may also be way overdue for a makeover. "This doesn't mean you have to get a facelift," she says, but it just might be time to trade in that ten-year-old pair of stonewashed, baggy jeans for a pair that actually fits.

Don't date too soon after divorce

People frequently date too soon after a divorce, warns Parmelee. "They need to allow themselves time to heal and recognize how they contributed to the demise of their relationship." That way, history is less likely to repeat itself, and they won't fall into the same destructive patterns. To gauge if you're ready, ask yourself these questions, suggests Judsen Culbreth, author of The Boomers' Guide to Online Dating: Do you have an accepting attitude of the opposite sex—that is, do you not think all men are jerks or that all women are gold-diggers? Are you engaged in activities and interests besides your work and kids? Do you believe you have control and can shape what happens in your love life? If you answered yes to these questions, then you may indeed have the right attitude.

If you have kids, proceed with caution

Don't have time to date? Lean on friends, family, or qualified childcare givers for babysitting services, or schedule dates when your ex has the kids. But skip the introductions: "Never bring dates around your children until it's serious," Cohan advises. "Otherwise, you will simply confuse the child and bring up loyalty issues." Even if you're not introducing your dates to your children, however, you can tell kids, "You spend time with your friends, and I need to spend time with my friends, too," Cohan recommends. Just remember you don't need your kids' permission to date. They might not exactly like the fact that you're going out, but if you develop a full life without them, you'll be a better parent.

Your 50s

Many single fifty-somethings often feel like their dating days are over, having completely outgrown the bar and club scene that younger generations thrive in. Finding places where you’re comfortable meeting (and getting to know) people is crucial—and, according to our experts, well within reach if you take some small steps.

Don't use work to escape intimacy

Because the fifties are often prime earning years, many singles this age use their work as an excuse to avoid intimacy. "I always tell my clients that when they're on their death bed, they won't say they wish they had spent an extra hour a day at the office," Cohan says. "They're going to wish they spent more time with their loved ones." To jump-start your dating life, look at it as another "work project." Set goals—say, to spend a half-hour a day on a dating site, or go out one night a week with a single friend—and meet them. Wouldn't set foot in a bar? Try local volunteer organizations, a walking, running, or exercise club, or something else that feels more your speed.

Bridge the age gap

Many fifty-somethings may find themselves dating someone much younger. This doesn't mean the relationship is doomed, provided you've picked the right person. "I've seen some May/December romances work well, as long as the younger partner is mature and sensitive," says Culbreth. "You don't want to be the parental figure or the paycheck. If that's the dynamic that's forming, get out while you can." Culbreth adds that even though there is a "trophy wife" stereotype surrounding men and middle age, statistically men marry women within a three-year range of their own age. "Boomers want to be with someone who remembers the Beatles and when Kennedy was shot," she says.

Don't wait for The One to pursue your dreams

Holding off on buying a summer home, getting a pet, or taking that trip around the world until you find someone special to share it with? Stop waiting and start doing things for yourself, and love may magically arrive. That's what happened for Catherine, 53, of St. Louis. "I used to wait for this knight in shining armor to save me," she says. "But then I purchased a great house. I developed close bonds with my extended family. By the time I met my new boyfriend eighteen months ago, I didn't need anyone for the first time in my life—and that's why our bond is so strong."

Your 60s

The golden years are indeed sweet: You've worked hard, and now it's time to enjoy the fruit of your labors...only with whom? "People this age tend to spend a lot of time complaining about being alone," Cohan says. "But doing something about it is the only way you'll ever change your situation. The mailman is not going to bring the perfect partner to your door. You're going to have to take action to find that person!"

Get out there and meet people

Convinced you're too old to mingle and meet new people? On the contrary, there are plenty of opportunities milling with single sixty-somethings just like you. Try churches, charities, volunteer groups, online dating sites, or classes at your local college in everything from pottery to ballroom dancing. If you're on the shy side, convince a pal to sign up with you for mutual moral support.

Accept the changes that come with age

By this point, widowhood also becomes more common—and it hits hard. Most experts advise that recent widows and widowers abstain from dating for about a year—and to not be afraid to seek professional help with a therapist. "We all need a coach occasionally," says Cohan. "This is one of these times when it's important to have a professional on your side." Bereaved spouses should try to avoid the common habit of putting their late spouse up on a pedestal. "When you choose to regard your late husband or wife as a saint, you can easily convince yourself that no one else will ever live up," Cohan warns. "Try to remember the person as he or she truly was—warts and all," and don't be afraid to open yourself up to love again.

Julie Taylor dated in her 20s, married in her 30s, and is anxiously awaiting her 40s and beyond.

New Templates

2006-01-18T02:33:00.000-08:00

I am trying to change all the templates on my sites. Hopefully I will be done before next month. =)

December 7th

2005-12-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

Fact of the Day: Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor was called Wai Momi ("pearl waters") by the Hawaiians because of the pearl oysters that once grew there. In 1840 Lieutenant Charles Wilkes of the U.S. Navy made the first geodetic survey and urged the dredging of the coral-bar entrance to the harbor. About 30 years later, Colonel John McAllister Schofield further recommended that the United States secure harbor rights. A subsequent treaty (1887) granted the United States the exclusive use of the harbor as a coaling and repair station; however, work was not begun until after 1898, when the Spanish-American War indicated its strategic value as a Pacific base. A naval station was established after 1908, and a drydock was completed in 1919.

October 31st

2005-10-31T06:39:00.000-08:00

Fact of the Day: Halloween

Halloween, celebrated on October 31, can be traced back to Samhain, the ancient Celtic harvest festival honoring the Lord of the Dead. Observed on November 1 in the British Isles and parts of France, Samhain also marked the beginning of the Celtic New Year. Because it was a time of transition between the old and the new, the Celts believed that the souls of those who had died during the previous year gathered to travel together to the land of the dead. It was also a time when those who had died in years past returned to visit their homes. November 1 was considered the end of the summer period, the date on which the herds were returned from pasture and land tenures were renewed. People lit bonfires to scare away evil spirits and "sacrificed" fruits and vegetables, hoping to appease the spirits of the deceased. Sometimes people disguised themselves in masks and costumes so that the visiting spirits would not recognize them. Charms, spells, and predictions of the future were all part of the eve of Samhain. In the old Celtic calendar, that last evening of October was "old-year's night," the night of all witches.

Events

1517 - Martin Luther posted the "95 Theses" on the door of the Wittenberg Palace church in Germany, starting the Protestant Reformation.

1803 - Congress ratified the Louisiana Purchase, adding territory which will eventually become 13 states.

1902 - The first telegraph cable across the Pacific Ocean was completed.

1941 - USS Clemson Class destroyer Reuben James was torpedoed by a German submarine, the first U.S. warship sunk in World War II. Though some were saved, 96 crew members died.

1941 - Mount Rushmore National Memorial was completed after 14 years.

1950 - Earl Lloyd became the first black to play in the NBA when he took the floor for the Washington Capitols.

1952 - The U.S. exploded its first hydrogen bomb, at Eniwetok Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

1956 - U.S. Rear Admiral George J. Dufek became the first person to land an airplane at the South Pole.

1959 - Lee Harvey Oswald, a former U.S. Marine from Texas, announced in Moscow that he would never return to the United States.

1968 - President Lyndon Johnson ordered a halt to all U.S. bombing of North Vietnam.

1980 - Reza Pahlavi, oldest son of the late shah, proclaimed himself the successor to the Peacock Throne.

1992 - Vatican formally rehabilitated Galileo Galilei, who was forced by the Inquisition in 1633 to recant his assertion that the Earth orbits the Sun.

2001 - Microsoft and the U.S. Justice Department reached a tentative agreement to settle the historic antitrust case against the software giant.

Births

1795 - John Keats, English poet.

1860 - Juliette Low, American, founder of the Girl Scouts.

1887 - Chiang Kai-shek, first constitutional president of the Republic of China and army general.

1912 - Dale Evans (Frances Butts), American singer-songwriter, actress, wife of Roy Rogers.

1931 - Dan Rather, American TV journalist.

Deaths

1926 - Harry Houdini (Erik Weisz), Hungarian-born American magician and escape artist.

1984 - Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, assassinated by Sikh members of her own security guard.

1993 - River Phoenix, American film actor.

Rex in L.A.

2005-08-28T20:58:00.000-07:00

Yep, Rex is comin' to town on October 22nd. For more information, visit his website Don't miss it!

Check out some of his skits:

Maritess vs the Superfriends
SBC Packers

Labyu rexxxxxxxxxxxx! :D

July 27th

2005-07-27T06:46:00.000-07:00

Fact of the Day: Korean War

A conflict between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and the Republic of Korea (South Korea) began in 1945 and at least 2.5 million persons lost their lives before it was over. The war reached international proportions in June 1950 when North Korea, supplied and advised by the Soviet Union, invaded the South. The United Nations, with the United States as the principal participant, joined the war on the side of South Korea, and the People's Republic of China fought for North Korea. The fighting ended in July 1953 with Korea still divided into two hostile states. Negotiations in 1954 produced no further agreement, and the front line has been accepted ever since as the de facto boundary between North and South Korea.

Plodding in a V-formation, in wind-whipped ponchos, 19 men in full gear trek over a field of juniper. Graphite beams stretching horizontally between them act as obstacles. The ethnically diverse group represents those who fought the war on foot: 14 are Army troops, three are Marines, one a Navy corpsman and one an Air Force forward observer. The 19 are reflected in the wall to their right, doubling their number to 38 - a reference to the 38th parallel dividing North and South Korea.

Events

1789 - Congress established the Department of Foreign Affairs, the forerunner of the Department of State.

1794 - Maximilien Robespierre, the architect of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror, was overthrown and arrested by the National Convention.

1866 - Cyrus W. Field finally succeeded in laying the first underwater telegraph cable between North America and Europe.

1921 - Canadian scientists Frederick Banting and Charles Best successfully isolated insulin.

1940 - Bugs Bunny made his debut in the animated cartoon "A Wild Hare."

1953 - Representatives of the United Nations, Korea, and China signed the Korean War armistice at Panmunjon, Korea.

1976 - Air Force veteran Ray Brennan became the first person to die of so-called "Legionnaire's Disease" following an American Legion convention in Philadelphia.

1995 - The Korean War Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C., by President Bill Clinton and South Korean President Kim Young-sam.

1996 - In Atlanta, Georgia, the XXVI Summer Olympiad was disrupted by the explosion of a nail-laden pipe bomb in Centennial Olympic Park, which killed one and injured more than 100.

Births

1824 - Alexandre (Dumas Fils) Dumas, French novelist and playwright.

1906 - Leo Durocher, American baseball player, manager.

1916 - Keenan Wynn, American actor.

1922 - Norman Lear, American Emmy Award-winning producer.

Deaths

1946 - Gertude Stein, avant-garde American novelist and poet.

2003 - Bob Hope, British-born American comedian and actor.

July 17th

2005-07-17T20:01:00.000-07:00

Fact of the Day: Disneyland

In the early 1950s, Walt Disney started plans for a huge amusement park to be built near Los Angeles and it opened on July 17, 1955 in Anaheim. Disney's love of nostalgia and fantasy was evident in its design and construction and it soon became a mecca for tourists from around the world. A second Disney park, Walt Disney World, near Orlando, Florida,which was under construction at the time of Walt Disney's death, opened in 1971.

July 4th

2005-07-04T08:25:00.000-07:00

Fact of the Day: Fourth of July

The U.S. commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress in 1776 and celebrates this day as the nation's birthday. The marking of the first days of independence during the summer of 1776 actually took the form in many towns of a mock funeral for the king, whose "death" symbolized the end of monarchy and tyranny and the rebirth of liberty. Three of the first five presidents died on the Fourth of July: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson (who both died on July 4, 1846) and James Monroe who died on July 4, 1831.

Events

1776 - The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.

1802 - The United States Military Academy officially opened at West Point, NewYork.

1817 - Construction began on the Erie Canal, to connect Lake Erie and the Hudson River.

1832 - "America", written by Dr Samuel Francis Smith, was sung in public for the first time, at the Park Street Church in Boston.

1845 - Henry David Thoreau began his two-year simple living experiment at Walden Pond, near Concord, MA.

1848 - The Communist Manifesto was published by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.

1894 - After seizing power, Judge Stanford B. Dole declared Hawaii a republic.

1946 - The United States granted the Philippine Islands their independence.

1955 - "The Soupy Sales Show" premiered on TV.

1959 - America's 49-star flag, honoring Alaskan statehood, was officially unfurled.

1960 - The 50-star flag, to include Hawaii, makes its debut, in Philadelphia.

1966 - President Lyndon Johnson signed the Freedom of Information Act.

1970 - Casey Kasem hosted radio's "American Top 40" for the first time.

1997 - NASA's Mars Pathfinder became the first US spacecraft to land on Mars in more than two decades.

Births

1804 - Nathaniel Hawthorne, US author.

1826 - Stephen Foster, songwriter.

1872 - Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the US (1923-1929.

1883 - Rube (Reuben Lucius) Goldberg, cartoonist.

1900 - Louis Armstrong, US jazz trumpeter and singer.

1911 - Mitch Miller, musician, record company executive, producer, arranger.

1918 - Ann Landers (Esther Pauline Friedman) and Abigail Van Buren (Pauline Esther Friedman), advice columnists.

1927 - Neil (Marvin) Simon, award-winning playwright.

July 1st

2005-07-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

Fact of the Day: Canada Day

Canada considers July 1 its anniversary. It was first called Dominion Day and it commemorates the confederation of Upper and Lower Canada and Nova Scotia and New Brunswick into the Dominion of Canada in 1867. Ontario and Quebec were divided into provinces and this act served as Canada's constitution until 1982. In 1982, Canada became a fully independent country and the name of the holiday changed to Canada Day.It is celebrated with parades, displays of the flag, the singing of the national anthem, "O Canada," and fireworks.

Events

1751 - The first volume of Diderot's Encyclopedie was published in Paris.

1838 - Charles Darwin presented a paper on his theory of evolution to theLinnean Society in London.

1847 - The United States Post Office issued its first stamps, a five-centstamp honoring Benjamin Franklin and a ten-cent stamp for GeorgeWashington.

1859 - The first intercollegiate baseball game was played, between Amherst andWilliams College.

1862 - The Bureau of Internal Revenue was established by an act of Congress.

1863 - In the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg began.

1873 - The province of Prince Edward Island joined the confederation ofCanada.

1874 - The first zoo in the United States opened, in Philadelphia, PA.

1898 - In the Spanish-American War, Teddy Roosevelt and his "Rough Riders"waged a victorious assault on San Juan Hill and El Caney in Cuba.

1916 - In World War I, the British launched a massive offensive against Germanforces in the Somme River region of France.

1934 - The Federal Communications Commission, as mandated in the"Communications Act of 1934", replaced the Federal Radio Commission asthe regulator of broadcasting in the United States.

1941 - Mammoth Cave National Park was established in Kentucky.

1943 - "Pay as you go" income-tax withholding started.

1963 - The US Post Office began using the 5-digit ZIP Code system.1966 - Medicare went into effect.

1968 - The United States, Britain, Soviet Union, and 58 other nations signedthe Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

1969 - Britain's Prince Charles was dubbed the Prince of Wales.

1971 - The US Post Office became the US Postal Service.

1979 - The Sony Walkman was introduced.

1980 - 'O Canada' was proclaimed the national anthem of Canada.

1991 - Court TV debuted.1991 - The Warsaw Pact, the last vestige of the Cold War-era Soviet bloc, wasformally disbanded.

1994 - PLO chairman Yasser Arafat drove from Egypt into Gaza, returning toPalestinian land after 27 years in exile.

1997 - Hong Kong reverted to Chinese rule after 156 years as a British colony.

2000 - Vermont's civil unions law, which granted gay couples most of therights, benefits and responsibilities of marriage, went into effect.

Births

1649 - Gottfried Von Leibniz, German philosopher and mathematician.

1804 - George Sand (Amandine-Aurore Lucille Dupin), French novelist.

1872 - Louis Bleriot, aviation pioneer.

1902 - Myron Cohen, comedian, entertainer, actor.

1908 - Estee Lauder, cosmetics entrepreneur.

1934 - Sydney Pollack, director.

1961 - Lady Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales.

What Gender Is Your Brain?

2005-04-13T20:21:00.000-07:00

Your Brain is 73.33% Female, 26.67% Male

Your brain leans female
You think with your heart, not your head
Sweet and considerate, you are a giver
But you're tough enough not to let anyone take advantage of you!

What Gender Is Your Brain?

Special Thanks To atsee27

2005-04-05T07:32:00.000-07:00

This post is dedicated to my new friend Reich, to whom I am very grateful of the things she had given me. Without her, this home page won't be possible. Again, thank you for all your kindness and I hope that someday we can meet in person.

WELCOME

2005-03-23T23:35:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I finally have my own webpage. As you can see, it still needs a lot of time and effort to spend working on it. But I'll make sure that I update it as much as I can. There's lots of links to check on, so start grabbing your mouse and hit everyone of 'em. :)

Oh, and by the way, I have added background musics to every page. They are set on autoplay so just wait 'til they are finished uploading.