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Census surveys vast body of global marine life AFP - Monday, October 4 LONDON (AFP) - – Results of the first-ever global marine life census were unveiled Monday, revealing an unprecedented view of life beneath the waves after a decade-long trawl through the murky depths. The Census of Marine Life estimated there are one million-plus species in the oceans, with at least three-quarters of them yet to be discovered. The 650-million-dollar (470-million-euro) international study found more than 6,000 potentially new species, and found some species considered rare were actually common. The research involved more than 2,700 scientists, 670 institutions, more than 540 expeditions and around 9,000 days at sea. Nearly 30 million observations of 120,000 species were made. The census establishes a baseline against which 21st-century changes can be monitored. New species were discovered, marine highways and rest stops mapped and changes in species abundance were documented. "Presented is an unprecedented picture of the diversity, distribution and abundance of all kinds of marine life in Planet Ocean -- from microbes to whales, from the icy poles to the warm tropics, from the tidal near shores to the deepest dark depths," the study said. The survey set out to find out what used to live in the oceans, what lives there now and what might live there in the future. The census said 16,764 species of fish had so far been described, but an estimated 5,000 more were yet to be discovered. The estimated percentage of marine species not yet described by scientists were: Europe 10 percent; South Africa 38 percent; Antarctica: 39 to 58 percent; Japan 70 percent; Mediterranean deep-sea 75 percent and Australia 80 percent. Australian Ian Poiner, chair of the census steering committee, said the researchers "systematically defined for the first time both the known and the vast unknown, unexplored ocean". "All surface life depends on life inside and beneath the oceans. Sea life provides half of our oxygen and a lot of our food and regulates climate. We are all citizens of the sea," he said. "While much remains unknown, including at least 750,000 undiscovered species and their roles, we are better acquainted now with our fellow travellers and their vast habitat on this globe." The census documented a changing marine world, richer in diversity, more connected through distribution and movements, more impacted by humans and less explored than was expected. The researchers used sound, satellites and electronics to track migratory routes. They got down to 10 kilometres metres (6.2 miles) below the sea in the western Pacific Ocean's Mariana Trench. They affirmed that by weight up to 90 percent of marine life is microbial, equalling about 35 elephants for every living person. Scientific steering committee vice-chair Myriam Sibuet of France, said: "The census enlarged the known world. Life astonished us everywhere we looked. "In the deep sea we found luxuriant communities despite extreme conditions. The discoveries of new species and habitats both advanced science and inspired artists with their extraordinary beauty." The census was to be formally launched in London on Monday, when more than 300 census figures were to meet in the British capital to share the results and consider their implications. Much of the marine world remains to be explored, so vast are the seas. The census shows where explorers have not yet looked. For more than 20 percent of the oceans' volume, the database has no records at all, and for large areas very few.

Pole dancing with Ris Low: Does she have talent? Xin.sg - Friday, October 1 Bad press courted her, fame captivated her, and pole dancing impressed her. So, can Ris Low pole dance? Yes, but apparently not good enough to impress the producers of Channel 5's talent reality show One Moment of Glory (OMG!). The controversial media darling was initially part of the talent show's plan - to have her perform alongside two pole-dancing contestants in one of the upcoming episodes titled Collaborations!, where contenders will be paired with a personality to showcase their talents. And from the performances, judges would then have to decide if the contestants make it through to the next level [of challenge] or get the boot. Now, surely such a provocative dance sequence by the ex-beauty queen, gripping onto a 6-7 feet steel pole, would help boost TV ratings? When contacted, the show's producers commented that "like every audition in a talent show, Ris has to meet a certain standard" and given that the episode is about teamwork, "the contestants have to be comfortable with their collaborator". So now that we won't get to see her pole dancing on TV, exactly how talented and qualified is she in this sport that is often associated with sleaze? Xinmsn met with the ex-beauty queen recently where we found her sweating buckets away at Groove Dance School studio, going about her eleventh-hour preparation [to perform a pole dance sequence for our readers], smiling albeit showing signs of strain while trying to complete a Pole Climb with a Pole Sit move under the coaching of Renee, pole dancer and co-owner of Groove. "It'd be really thick-skin for me to say this but I think I do have talent in pole dancing!" Ris announced in between giggles, seemingly embarrassed of her bold statement. Defending her stance, Ris said, "I started dancing in 2005 when Groove was just established; I was one of the pioneer batches of students." "This is the place where I started my exotic dancing - lap dancing and all sorts of sleazy dancing." (Laughs) Would she consider joining OMG! to show off her talent? Just when this reporter was expecting the controversial beauty queen to give a resounding yes, she does an about turn. "I have no talent at all lah," Ris declared matter-of-factly. "It's like watching a clumsy person on the pole. And I'm very bad with remembering dance routines...so cannot lah!" "Although I'm already at level 4 of pole dancing - equivalent of intermediate - actually I think I'm still a beginner because I just can't seem to engage my ab muscles to do a Pole Invert," Ris reiterated. "I'm still very bad just that I refuse to admit it." So why pole-dancing and what attracted her to the sport? "I think pole dancing is really sexy as it brings out the sexuality of the person," Ris explained. "People may think that it's sleazy but it gives you the self-confidence to dance in a sexy way where I used to think only strip dancers can do." According to the former beauty queen, to get herself into a sexy mood before she takes to the pole, she would "think of myself as the most beautiful woman". "I'd imagine myself with the biggest assets, like from an A cup to double C-cup." When asked how her boyfriend felt about her dancing passion, Ris said: "My boyfriend would say, "I don't like you to pole-dance lah you look so sleazy", yeah right, but you just have to bring them to a club with pole dancers, and they'll be sitting there for hours, watching till their eyes pop out!" One might think that Ris would almost certainly perform a pole dance sequence for her boyfriend in a bid to change his views on the sleaze factor but no. According to Ris, she "feels weird dancing for him". "It'd feel like he's just another "dirty old man" who ogles at girls. I don't know how others feel but I'm don't like the idea of performing sexy dances for a man," Ris replied, without missing a beat. But isn't that the same as being paid as a pole dancer to perform at a club? "That's different because that'd mean I'm good so that's a compliment for me," she explained. "It's like going topless. Topless is ok so long as it's done artistically and not portray the wrong message to ah peks...and young men too!" "But so far nobody has asked and I don't think anyone would ask lor." Movie directors, are you reading this? Catch One Moment of Glory (OMG!) every Wednesday, 8.30pm on Channel 5.

No worries Bro...plenty of Wild-Wild-Wet RED ACROs coming ya way soonzzz !

U can also buy from the ever-friendly jolly neighborhood LFS Guru Henry of Marine Life.

WOW !...how much is the gorgeous Resplendent ? SMS moi to confirm Bid/Offer & then Deal-or-No Deal. Heh Heh

I go for this...Fauna Marin Ultra Min F 100ml

WOW !...can buy the 'underage' pair boh ?

Wahahaha...got chance to help moi buy boh ???

Wahahaha...'POLICEMAN' coming.

Add a small pugnacious AT in there lah.

Premier League - Papers: Barca in for Rooney Eurosport Sun, 26 Sep 08:21:00 2010 Barcelona are ready to offer Wayne Rooney an escape route from Manchester United, according to the morning tabloids. A highly-placed Barca source was quoted in the Sunday Mirror as saying: "Rooney’s position is worth monitoring if things become increasingly difficult for him in England." Sir Alex Ferguson has admitted Rooney is struggling to cope with the media spotlight on him after allegations over his private life. The News of the World report that Ferguson will ban his stars from holding a Christmas party in the wake of the Rooney scandal. The Manchester United boss is upset after previous United parties saw a hotel damaged in 2006 and a rape charge - later dropped - against Jonny Evans a year later. The Sunday Express report that Fergie is set to bid £12million for Atletico Madrid’s teenage keeper David de Gea. Sir Alex and goalkeeping coach Eric Steele watched de Gea in La Liga action against Valencia rather than attend United's Carling Cup match in midweek. And the Star on Sunday claim an exclusive from Wesley Sneijder who has apparently revealed that he would only play for Manchester United in the Premier League. Sneijder is quoted as saying: "If somebody asks me if I will ever play for Manchester United, it’s impossible for me to say no. How can you say that if the chance came you would not play for one of the biggest clubs in the world." On the blue side of Manchester, the NOTW report that City boss Roberto Mancini has had a blazing row with physio Jamie Murphy. Manchester City's football administrator Brian Marwood is reported to have been forced to intervene after boss Mancini threatened to fire Murphy. Mancini is furious with City's medical department over the club's crippling injury list. Cardiff boss David Jones has added his voice to the criticism of Mancini’s training in the Mirror, blaming Craig Bellamy’s latest injury problems on the Italian. Dutch fitness expert Raymond Verheijen has been helping with Bellamy’s recovery and has been using Twitter to warn City that Mancini is risking the health of his squad with his gruelling training methods. Jones has added: “At Manchester City, Craig was training twice a day and that’s part of the problem. He’s probably overtrained. He overdid it and we’re paying the penalty for that." Down the East Lancs Road and the Express report that Liverpool fans have mounted a campaign to sabotage co-owner Tom Hicks’ attempts to stay in control. Reds fans have flooded US media outlets and financial centres with e-mails outlining their disgust at Hicks’ attempts to cling on to power. The Sunday Telegraph report that Royal Bank of Scotland says it has not ruled out the possibility of Kop Holdings, the company which owns Liverpool, going into administration. While the News of the World highlight that Inner Circle Sports, the firm which helped Hicks and George Gillett buy Liverpool, are now in talks with club chairman Martin Broughton to assist in an Anfield takeover. The New York-based investment bankers are one of the six parties currently negotiating with Barclays Capital as the Merseysiders seek an end to the boardroom turmoil. Broughton has emerged as the key target for the FA as they look to appoint a new chairman according to the Mirror. The 63-year-old British Airways chairman looks odds on to be offered the job once he leaves the Premier League club. While the same paper note that Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is set to claim the England captaincy from Rio Ferdinand on a permanent basis. One final piece of Anfield news from the red tops is in the Star with Bayern Munich said to be contemplating a £17 million offer goalkeeper Pepe Reina during the January transfer window as they attempt to take advantage of the Anfield club’s current crisis. The NOTW claim Arsenal are also poised to make a fresh bid for Reina after a £15m bid was rejected during the summer. After Manuel Almunia gifted West Brom a 3-2 win at the Emirates, Arsene Wenger is considering a new bid in the January transfer window to solve their long-standing goalkeeper problem.

Sigh !...the Great Fall ! Premier League - Papers: Keegan savages Rooney Eurosport, Mon, 27 Sep 08:35:00 2010 Wayne Rooney's mug is plastered across the back pages of the tabloids and, once again, it's not good news for the under-fire Manchester United striker. 'ROOBISH' screams the Sun, carrying a tirade from former Newcastle and England manager Kevin Keegan against the underperforming Liverpudlian forward. "Manchester United are minus Wayne Rooney at the moment," Keegan is quoted as saying. "His performance (in United's 2-2 draw at Bolton on Sunday) tells me his confidence is shot." Keegan also said that Rooney was been hypocritical in blaming media intrusion for his lack of focus. "You can't have all the contracts, you can't sell your wedding to magazines and things like this and suddenly say, 'That's the tap I want to turn on but we want to turn the other one off," said Keegan. "You can't then turn around and say there's too much paparazzi around or there is too much publicity. "One minute you are courting it, the next minute you're saying, 'I don't want this'." The Sun meanwhile goes on to suggest that Michael Owen could be the go-to-guy for the Red Devils - having scored his 200th club career goal in England at the weekend - before pinpointing United's recent habit of conceding goals as the fault of: the goalkeeper, the full-backs, the centre-halves, and the midfield. Helpful. West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green could be in trouble with the FA after making an obscene gesture at the end of the Hammers' 1-0 win over Tottenham on Saturday, the Daily Mirror reports. Green - who has taken more than his fair share of flack after a series of error-strewn displays for club and country - followed up a fine performance against Spurs with a rather unsavoury signal to the press box at the final whistle, and could be fined if found guilty of misconduct by English football's governing body. After handing in a transfer request and eyeing a move to Arsenal this summer, Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is in talks to extend his current contract, signalling his intent to finish his career at the West London club, according to the Mirror. The same paper also claims that Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross could be in for a spectacular January move, with Italian giants Juventus keen on the centre-back. Juve coach Luigi Del Neri is keen to strengthen his defence after a woeful start to the Serie A season, and the 6'3" 23-year-old is high on the Turin club's list of targets. Speaking of Stoke, Tony Pulis has launched an impassioned defence of his side's style in the Daily Mail, and calls for players to be booked retrospectively for diving. "Crowds like to come and see competitive players and competitive teams," said Pulis of his team. "What we should do is isolate people who are trying to con the referees because they are also trying to con fellow members of their own union... If people fall over and they are not touched that is cheating and that is not fair on referees and officials." 'Drogba's Blues future in doubt' screams the Sun but the story itself is not one that will get Chelsea fans pressing the panic button with the Ivorian only admitting that he might not finish his career at the club. In the Championship, Leicester boss Paulo Sousa is said to be on the brink of the sack after having only been in the job eight matches. However, they won't be able to turn to Paul Gascogine (not that they would want to) because Geordieland's favourite son is all set to take charge of Garforth Town, of the Evo-Stik First Division North according to various sources with some even claiming the deal has been finalised (Mirror).

Spotted ONE Sunburst at CF last weekend. No BLOTCHii stocks at the moment.

Healthy looking corals...NICEeeezzz !

Kock-Up again ! RWS casino to gambler: Return your winnings By Ion Danker – September 27th, 2010 A 67-year-old man was told to forfeit his winnings at Resorts World Sentosa’s (RWS) casino after finding out his exclusion order from the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) had taken effect. Retired cabby Mr Teo Thiam Kee told The New Paper (TNP) that he knew his son had applied for an exclusion order but was not told when the order would take effect so he continued going to the casino to gamble. He said, “I’d won about S$200 but they made me cough up the money before I was allowed to leave. This is unfair. They allowed me to enter but took away my winnings.” According to the same paper, Mr Teo and his family appeared before the committee of assessors at the Family Link@Lengkok Bahru on Sept 8. The committee hears cases before deciding whether to grant the exclusion order. He then went to RWS after the session ended and continued to do so over the next few days as he was told that it would take some time for the order to be granted. However, he was stopped on Sept 11 after he scanned his identity card to exit the casino. Mr Teo returned his S$200 winnings and told TNP, “I didn’t know I had to forfeit my winnings. If I knew, I wouldn’t have gone there.” RWS spokesman, Ms Lee Sin Yee, said the exclusion order for Mr Teo showed up in the system at the time of his exit and not when he entered. Mr Teo claimed that the letter from NCPG informing him that the exclusion order had been granted was dated Sept 9 and delivered by hand after he returned home that same day. It was also reported that the notification of the exclusion order is sent by courier to the respondent and once it is issued, the exclusion order will be deemed effective, regardless of whether the respondent has received it. According to the Casino Control Act, an excluded person or those below the age of 21 must forfeit their winnings if they are caught in the casinos here. The forfeited money goes into the Government Consolidated Fund.

Regulars must shape up or get the boot: SAF By Angela Lim – September 24th, 2010 The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) wants its 20,000 regular servicemen to be fighting fit and warns that those who are obese and are doing nothing about their shape will get booted out. Regulars with a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 29 – for instance, someone who is 1.8m tall and weighs 94kg – should pay closer attention to their weight and fitness levels. According to The Straits Times, since early this year, overweight soldiers, sailors or airmen have received warning letters and are given a year to lose at least ten per cent of their weight. Those who fail to drop the kilos will be given a second warning and have up to another three years to shape up – or risk being shipped out. The Ministry of Defence confirmed the new BMI guidelines but did not say when the stricter measures kicked in. The BMI – which is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of his or her height in metres – provides an estimate of a person’s body fat. SAF regulars claim they were aware of the measures only at the start of this year. A circular obtained dated April this year informed them that those who do not shape up after three years would be subjected to “admin action as this is considered a BMI failure”. It is unclear how many are classified as “BMI failures” even as all 20,000 regulars in the SAF undergo compulsory BMI screening. Defence Ministry spokesman Desmond Tan revealed that regulars with a BMI of 30 and above will be referred for “weight management by medical specialists at a hospital-based weight management clinic”. Those with a slightly lower BMI of 27 to below 30 will be enrolled in a different weight management programme that “comprises health screening, dietary counselling and an exercise regime”. The ministry first introduced this weight management programme in 2002. The BMI is used as a health indicator “to reduce weight-related health risks among regular servicemen”, Colonel Tan said. He added that the SAF also takes into account other factors like the measurement of percentage body fat and the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) as health and fitness indicators for SAF regulars. “The SAF is committed to helping its uniformed regulars maintain a healthy lifestyle to ensure that they are able to perform their required tasks and contribute effectively to the SAF,” Colonel Tan said. According to the Health Promotion Board (HPB), Asians with BMI scores above 27.5 are at a “high risk” of developing cardiovascular diseases like hearth attacks, hypertension and diabetes. A BMI score between 18.5 and 23 is considered healthy. Although other military units, like those in the United States and Britain also watch their troops’ waistlines and gauge combat performance, studies have shown that BMI does not accurately reflect whether a person is unfit or carrying excess fat. Ms Kalpana Bhaskaran, a nutritionist and spokesman for the Singapore Nutrition and Diabetics Association, said that although the BMI is a convenient tool, “it does not take into account different body types or gender differences and also the amount of body fat, and lean body mass”. She explains, “Because muscle weighs more than fat, it’s possible for a muscular person to have a high BMI, but that doesn’t mean he or she is overweight. Likewise, it’s possible for someone to have a low or ideal BMI but still have too much body fat.” Chris Chew, a fitness instructor, thinks the BMI benchmark of 30 and above is quite lax. “To have a BMI of over 30, you are either a really serious bodybuilder or just obese… Anyway, you need fit and healthy people to have a strong military,” he said. A serviceman who tips the scales at 89kg and is 1.72cm tall revealed he has been told by his superiors to lose weight to avoid being served a warning letter. The technician, who declined to be named, told the paper that he has been doing more workouts and cutting down on fatty foods and carbohydrates in hope of shedding a few kilos within the next six months. “If my weight is going to affect my career progression and may even make me lose my job, then it’s worth the effort and the pain,” he added. Latest figures from HPB show that in 2004, 6.9 per cent of adults aged between 18 and 69 were obese, an increase of 0.9 percentage point over the figure in 1998 and up from 5.1 per cent in 1992.

Men posed as NEA officers in daring S$100,000 robbery By Ion Danker – September 27th, 2010 Six men who posed as National Environment Agency (NEA) workers, made off with more than S$100,000 in cash from a semi-detached house off Bukit Batok Road last Wednesday. According to news reports, the home owner was told by the ‘NEA workers’ that they needed to fog her semi-detached house after receiving complaints of mosquitoes in the area. Once the men, who were wearing protective masks were led in, they took out their knives and tied up the home owner, her nine-year-old daughter and their maid. Recalling the incident, the girl, a Primary 3 student, told The New Paper that a man approached her mother after they arrived home and said he needed to inspect the house because of complaints of the presence of mosquitoes. She said her mother let him in, before five other men dressed in different coloured T-shits and carrying fumigation equipment followed him into the house. The men then tied the trio’s hands and legs with cable ties, taped their mouths with masking tapes and ordered them to keep quiet and close their eyes. She added that one of the men then told them in Mandarin: “We lost a lot of money on gambling. We have no choice but to get (money) from you.” While one of the men kept watch on the trio, the rest searched for valuables around the house before uncovering two safes which they opened using electric drills. It was reported that the whole ordeal lasted more than two hours before her mother managed to free herself and called the police. NEA, when contacted by the paper, said it did not send any officers or contractors to the area to conduct fogging that day and residents in affected areas are given advance notice of any fogging operation. NEA added that its officers are required to wear either a white shirt or polo shirt bearing the NEA logo, blue trousers and a name tag when conducting house-to-house inspections and they must identify themselves using official NEA authority cards or letters bearing their photos before informing occupants of the purpose of their visit. The case has been classified as armed robbery and investigations are ongoing. No arrests have been made.

PHEW !...Saving Grace. Owen rescues Man Utd in draw with Bolton AFP - Monday, September 27 LONDON (AFP) - – Michael Owen scored his 200th goal in English club football as Manchester United twice came from behind to snatch a 2-2 draw against Bolton in the Premier League on Sunday. Former Liverpool and England star Owen glanced in a 74th-minute header to give United a share of the points at the Reebok Stadium after Bolton had twice taken the lead through Zat Knight and Martin Petrov. The draw saw United leapfrog Arsenal into second place in the table, three points behind league leaders Chelsea. In a later kick-off, new Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier's first league match in charge of the Birmingham club saw them move up into fifth place as they won 2-1 away to Midlands rivals Wolves. Houllier was indebted to Emile Heskey for the second time in a week as the former England striker's late goal sealed victory after he inspired a midweek comeback League Cup win over Blackburn Rovers. In Bolton, Owen expressed disappointment that Sir Alex Ferguson's men had missed an opportunity to reduce Chelsea's lead to only a point after the champions were beaten 1-0 by Manchester City on Saturday. "It's always a tough place to come. We created enough chances and dominated so we're disappointed to only get a point," Owen said, playing down the significance of his 200th goal in England. "It's nice to score goals but it's obviously tinged with a bit of disappointment because we didn't get the three points. Asked about failing to capitalise on Saturday's results, which saw both leaders Chelsea and Arsenal beaten, Ferguson added: "Teams drop points when we don't expect them. "Away from home we've scored seven goals and only got three points, it's a very difficult league." Bolton manager Owen Coyle added: "There is a tinge of disappointment but I'm very pleased with how the lads went about it." Bolton had taken a shock lead after six minutes when Knight punished some slack marking from United centre-half Jonny Evans to flick home a Petrov corner with the outside of his right boot. United finally got back on level terms though midway through the half with a scintillating individual effort from Nani. After gathering the ball on halfway, the Portuguese international set off on a weaving run that took him to the edge of the Bolton area, and as the home defence backed off, the winger unleashed a hard low shot past Jaaskelainen. Yet though United controlled possession thereafter they struggled to seriously threaten, with an out-of-sorts Wayne Rooney eventually being substituted after an hour with what looked like an ankle knock. United were then rocked by Bolton's second goal on 67 minutes, Petrov rounding off a superb counter-attack which he had started by scoring with a rasping effort that took a big deflection off Fletcher. Bolton should have made it 3-1 shortly afterwards, when Johan Elmander cleverly eluded Nemanja Vidic to go clear on goal only to blaze his shot over the bar. Wanderers were left to rue their profligacy moments later when Owen, who had replaced Fletcher, glanced in his landmark goal in club football. It seemed Villa would have to settle for a point until Heskey -- signed by then Liverpool manager Houllier for 11 million pounds a decade ago -- headed in Stephen Warnock's cross two minutes from time for what was his third goal in four games. Stewart Downing put Villa ahead at Molineux before Matt Jarvis equalised just after the hour mark.

Alamak !...AWAS !!! Report: Snake in room adds to C'weath Games woes By RAJSHEKHAR RAO, Associated Press Writer - Sunday, September 26 NEW DELHI – Two more Australian athletes withdrew Sunday and a South African competitor reportedly found a snake in his room as complaints over cleanliness, security and construction continued to dog the troubled Commonwealth Games a week before the sporting event opens in New Delhi. While international sports officials have said the situation had improved dramatically in the athletes' village over the past couple days _ after inspections last week turned up rooms spattered with chewing tobacco and human excrement _ some teams said the situation remained grim. Tuelo Serufho, head of the Botswana contingent, told Press Trust of India that his team's rooms in the village were "unlivable for our athletes," with filthy bedsheets, bathroom fixtures that did not work and construction debris yet to be cleared away. "Our athletes will be here by Tuesday," he said, warning they would have to check into hotels if the rooms were not ready by then. The multi-sport games, held every four years, bring together nearly 7,000 athletes and officials from 71 countries and territories from across the former British empire. The games were meant to be a coming-out party for India to cement its reputation as a growing regional power. Instead, its image has been battered by negative publicity about its frantic last-minute efforts to get ready for an event it knew it was hosting seven years ago. The games open Oct. 3. Last week, a pedestrian bridge leading to the main stadium collapsed, and adding to the organizers' woes earlier, two tourists were shot and wounded outside one of New Delhi's top attractions. That led to talk of postponing or canceling the games. But those discussions dissipated after the government poured enormous resources into addressing the problems, particularly with the long-overdue athletes' village. The village opened as scheduled on Thursday although some teams delayed their arrival because of concerns that the accommodation was not yet ready. Among the problems to surface this weekend: a snake found in the room of a South African athlete in the village. "We have very grave concerns," South African High Commissioner Harris Mbulelo told the Press Trust of India news agency. "If snakes are found we can't ask our teams to stay there." It was not immediately clear if the snake was poisonous. The athletes' village is built on the banks of the Yamuna River, which is swollen from monsoon rains. Heavy rains often force snakes into residential areas. Complaints also came from Indian competitors. Boxer Akhil Kumar, who won gold for India in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia, said he was disappointed with his accommodation. "When I sat down on my bed to take a rest, it collapsed," Kumar was quoted as saying by the Times of India newspaper. On Sunday, Australian cyclist Travis Meyer and table tennis player Stephanie Sang announced they would pull out of the competition _ following a string of other athletes who have decided to stay away, either because of health and security concerns or injuries. Australian Commonwealth Games chief Perry Crosswhite said he was disappointed with the withdrawals, but respected the athletes' decisions. The English team, meanwhile, which had checked into hotels last week because of the filthy conditions, said they would begin moving into the athletes' village Sunday. A team statement said support staff would be the first occupants "to ensure that conditions continue to be on track" for the athletes, who move in Monday. "It's exciting but also a relief to be able to occupy our accommodation," team leader Craig Hunter said. "It has been a challenging experience but one which will make us stronger as we strive to be successful now on the field of play." On Saturday, Commonwealth Games Federation President Mike Fennell said that significant work had been done in recent days to push forward preparations, but that plenty more remained. Water was remaining in the basement of the athletes' village, there were transportation and technology difficulties and issues with security and fire safety, he said. Associated Press Writer Tim Sullivan contributed to this report.

Got 'EEL' luver. Heh Heh

Yeah I certainly agree...beri 'UGLY' fella. Hee Hee

Mmmmm...I wonder who is this 'Richie Rich'...the Poor Little Rich Boy. Heh Heh

Mas Selamat’s return not part of POA with M’sia: PM Lee By Ion Danker – September 26th, 2010 Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says Mas Selamat Kastari’s return to Singapore was not part of the recent Points of Agreement (POA) discussions with Malaysia. Speaking on the sidelines of the US-ASEAN Leaders meeting in New York, PM Lee told Channel NewsAsia, “We are grateful for their co-operation and help throughout this operation. And we hope that through this co-operation, we will be able to work together and make both Singapore and Malaysia in the region, a safer place from extremist terrorists like Mas Selamat and his crew.” “We have good bilateral ties with Malaysia, we have many areas of co-operation including the POA we just settled earlier this week…. We’ve always had a good relationship (with regards to security co-operation),” he added. Netizens had linked Mas Selamat’s release to Singapore to the historic land deal with Malaysia, where six prime parcels of land in Marina Bay and Ophir-Rochor will be jointly developed by the two countries’ investment arms and as part of the agreement, Singapore will gain six plots of Malayan Railway land – three in Bukit Timah, and one each in Tanjong Pagar, Kranji and Woodlands. However, PM Lee also warned that the terror threat has not gone away even though the republic’s most wanted terrorist Mas Selamat is back in Singapore’s custody and urged Singaporeans to continue to be vigilant. “Now that we have got him back, I think we continue to need the support of Singaporeans to tackle the question of extremist terrorism and keep Singapore a safe society. The problem hasn’t gone away. Mas Selamat is one but there are others out there in the region around us,” he said. Mas Selamat, 49, is the Singapore cell leader of the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terror network. He was held at the Whitley Road Detention Centre under the Internal Security Act (ISA) before he escaped on February 27, 2008 by climbing out a bathroom window. After a year on the run, he was captured in Malaysia in April 2009 and was detained there. According to news reports, Malaysian authorities lifted his detention order, which was to expire next April, on Friday morning before deporting him back to Singapore. He was then arrested under the Singapore ISA and is currently under investigation.

Philippine dad convicted of rape gets 14,400 years AP - Friday, September 24 MANILA, Philippines A Philippine court has sentenced a father to 14,400 years in prison after he was convicted of the near daily rape of his teenage daughter over the course of a year. A trial court originally condemned the man, a rickshaw driver, to die in March 2006 after he was convicted of 360 counts of rape _ allegedly carried out during the year his wife worked in Hong Kong. But the Court of Appeals in Manila commuted the sentence to 40 years for each count, according to a court decision obtained Friday. The defendant can still appeal to the Supreme Court. It was not clear if he would. The then-13-year-old victim, now 22, said her ordeal began in January 2001, when her mother left for work in Hong Kong as a domestic helper and left her three children with their father in Los Banos, a township just south of Manila. She said he forced her to have intercourse with him almost every day, except when she had her period or on holidays, when he would make her perform orall sex. The ordeal only ended after she and her siblings spent a vacation with their mother's relatives. Reluctant to return to her father at the end of the vacation, she broke down and told her family about the abuse. Her mother returned home from Hong Kong and helped her file the case. The appeals court affirmed the lower court's dismissal of the defense's contention that the man's wife made up the allegations to get custody of the children and marry a foreigner.