2012 End of The World

Mr Delord says US websites are selling tickets for trips to Bugarach. A French mayor has expressed concern over an influx of New Age believers to his village who are convinced they will escape the end of the world in 2012.

"I'm worried because the population of our village is only 200 people and... we risk having a flood from all the corners of the earth," he told RTL radio.

"There are already some websites in the US with some people selling tickets for trips to Bugarach. They are doing some business, and people are already organising visits and prayer and meditation workshops, etc," he added.

Many of the visitors believe that a group of aliens is hiding in a cavern in Bugarach's 1,231m mountain who will leave when the world ends and take them with them, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

The myth of a 2012 doomsday originates in claims that Nibiru, a supposed planet discovered by the Sumerians, is headed toward Earth, according to the US space agency Nasa. That theory then became linked to dates in the Mayan calendar.

However, Nasa states on its website: "Nothing bad will happen to the Earth in 2012. Our planet has been getting along just fine for more than four billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012."

News by: British Broadcasting Corporation, www.bbc.co.uk. 22 December 2010 Last updated at 11.

Thailand Breast Slap

For women out there who want to increase their bust size, breast slapping maybe the way to go. According to the government in Thailand, breast slapping can offer a natural method of increasing the size of breasts without the need for silicone and implants.

Women in Thailand can now participate in breast slapping classes to help them learn the correct art of breast slapping to make their boobies grow. Think this is crazy? Maybe so but if the government is backing this odd craze, then you better believe that thousands of women will be enrolling in these breast slapping classes to increase their bust sizes.

desiderata-ylchong: My higher-valued contribution as a Blogger!:)

desiderata-ylchong: My higher-valued contribution as a Blogger!:)

Tuesday, 28 December 2010 16:36

As published by malaysia-chronicle.com:
Mercenaries wanted - Reward is a huge prize!

Written by YL Chong

When I sighted a news/advertorial item at a popular web portal, I thought it was April 1 cometh early for 2011. But when I saw the same item at a second portal, I know it's for real and serious. Ah, I told myself, there's finally a decent MARKET VALUE for writers, and a collateral benefit for YL as blogger-Desiderata is his rising market value, eh!

I hope readers don't mind my reproducing the whole item as it must be understood clearly with no room for any misunderstanding from a summary:

"Bloggers Wanted
Posted by Cyber Trooper on December 16, 2010 at 17:28:32:

As part of BN Machinery to counter oppostion and pro opposition bloggers. UMNO and PBB has set up a RM10 million Cyber War Fund.

We invited Sarawakians with journalistic instinct to contact or visit any PBB, PRS and SUPP branches to register yourself as an interested party.

Qualified Candidates will be notified within 7 days.

Training will be conducted by NST, Malay Mail (Datuk Rocky Bru) and Utusan Melayu at Pusat Latihan UMNO at Janda Baik.

Every blogger will be given a granted of RM30,000 to set up their blog, whether it is free or paid hosting, besides being paid monthly allowance of RM5,000.00 per month.

We therefore call on all responsible Sarawakians to register themselves at offices of Sarawak BN Component parties.

It is your duty to defend Sarawak from the onslaught by Sarawak Report and Radio Free Sarawak.

YB Abdul Karim Hamzah
YB Fadzillah Yusof

(ends report/advert)

Miley Cyrus Racy Pictures

The fascination with celebrity often goes too far, as is the case with Miley Cyrus, who once again finds that her "racy" pictures have leaked onto the Internet. The term "racy" must be put in quotes (feel free to use "steamy," "naughty," or any other synonym) because after two full years of Miley Cyrus controversies, these pictures rank low on the shock-o-meter.

The latest Miley photos feature her assistant pretending to lick her breast, with the former "Hannah Montana" star looking at the camera surprised. Another shows Cyrus posing amongst a few hard bodied men, where Miley lifts up her shirt to expose part of a tattoo that rests under her left breast.

While I let you catch your breath over such debauchery, is it time the media cool it with the Miley Cyrus shock and awe pieces? I admit to have bashed Cyrus relentlessly over her poor decisions, especially coming off her fresh cut Disney image.

But at this point, Miley Cyrus stories have become parodies of themselves. It's like reporting on Charlie Sheen's rampages or Lindsay Lohan's rehab setbacks. At some point, the story gets old, doesn't it?

At least Miley Cyrus is 18-years-old. She's old enough to legally do dumb things and young enough to, well, do dumb things. And let's be honest, these kind of "racy pictures" are nothing different than the images college kids snap at frat and sorority parties across the country.

After the pole-dancing stunt and the salvia bong hit seen 'round the world, were you really expecting anything different from Miley?

Article courtesy of:
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Blood Diamond

UNITED NATIONS — Ivory Coast is the world's biggest remaining source of conflict diamonds and the main international watchdog says it is stepping up efforts to stop the glittering trade financing new conflict in the tense country.

Tens, possibly hundreds, of millions of dollars worth of diamonds have in recent years been smuggled out of Ivory Coast, where Alassane Ouattara -- backed by the international community -- and incumbent Laurent Gbagbo are in a showdown for the presidency.

Private monitor groups say most get fake certificates of origin and consumers buy them as end of year holiday gifts without knowing where they really came from.

But the head of the Kimberley Process watchdog said "laborious" work is being done by geologists, customs officers and other investigators based on lessons learned from earlier "blood diamond" wars in Africa.

"The KP system is highly vigilant on making sure that these diamonds will not serve as a source of financing" for any group in Ivory Coast, Boaz Hirsch, the Israeli chairman of the Kimberley group, told AFP in an exclusive interview.

The 75-nation watchdog was set up as a result of a meeting in Kimberley, South Africa, 10 years ago as the diamond trade fuelled devastating wars in Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Diamonds from the Seguela and Tortiya regions of northern Ivory Coast helped pay for the civil war in 2002 and tore apart the west African country. A UN group of experts reported this year that despite a UN embargo since 2005 the diamond trade goes on.

Ironically, the ban originated out of claims that the diamond trade was used to support the rebels behind the 2002 rebellion against Gbagbo, the man that the UN now wants to stand down.

The UN experts' report said neighboring Burkina Faso, Guinea, Liberia and Mali were "unable or unwilling" to enforce the UN diamond embargo.

Kimberley Process leaders, who work with the World Diamond Council and international customs authorities, consider this a rare blot on its record.

"The only diamonds recognized today as blood diamonds are from Cote d'Ivoire," said Hirsch, using the country's widely used French name.

"To the best of my knowledge, it is less than in previous years. We saw there was a surge in exports of diamonds from neighboring countries. We approached these countries and we received cooperation."

The efforts include making a "geological footprint" -- a form of DNA mapping -- of diamonds from Sierra Leone, Liberia and other countries "so that we can distinguish between them and Ivorian blood diamonds."

"It is done through laborious, tedious work," said Hirsch, with geologists doing the footprints, experts helping governments set up anti-smuggling programs and Kimberley this year launching "strategic cooperation" with the World Customs Organization.

Hirsch, who will stand down at the end of the week as the Kimberley chairman, said the watchdog has had an undoubted impact on the rough diamonds trade.

"I am not familiar with any other mineral which is so heavily regulated and I think the numbers indicate that we have worked with a considerable degree of success."

The group estimates that its members account for about 99 percent of world production of rough diamonds. When it formally started work in 2003 about 15 percent were conflict diamonds, now the figure is below one percent, Hirsch said.

The Global Witness non-government group says efforts by the ruling party of President Robert Mugabe to seize control of Marange's wealth "signals the return of the blood diamond."

After widespread concerns over reported human rights abuses, Kimberley countries arranged a scheme to allow Zimbabwe to return to the international diamond trade this year and two shipments were made.

But this was halted after a new review in August. Hirsch said the review found that the Marange area "is less chaotic than it was in the past but it also identified that compliance has not been reached in all areas."

"Of course this has not made the Zimbabwe government very happy but this is what needs to be done in order to maintain the credibility of the process. Full stop," said Hirsch, who has faced strong criticism from African nations over the embargo.

Israel's UN ambassador Meron Reuben said the country was able to use its extensive expertise on diamonds, as one of world's biggest trading centers.

"Israel is deeply committed to ensuring that their sale does not lead to conflict and bloodshed in other parts of the globe," commented Reuben.