Thursday, February 21, 2008

Diecast Vehicles from Fantasticflyers.com

Take a look at a variety of Diecast Vehicles in fantasticflyers.com.

Their products ranges from Highway 61, Corgi James Bond, Corgi Skirmish Military, Corgi Military, Caterpillar and Hobby Master.

With subject matter ranging from the high-powered Dodge Challenger Concept, to the stylish 1957 Oldsmobile Super 88, Highway 61 CollectiblesTM offers something for the most demanding die-cast collector. Throw in muscle car classics such as Camaro, Cuda and Mustang and you have makings of the most exciting range of die-cast product ever available.

Corgi diecast vehicles feature:

  • Diecast metal construction with some plastic components.
  • Detailed rotating wheels with rubber tires.
  • Realistic panel lines and surface details.
  • Pad printed markings and placards that won't fade or peel like decals
The Skirmish range brings together collectable models and figures at 1:50th scale. These limited edition sets are the perfect addition to any collection.

The Corgi "Military Vehicles" range presents higly-detailed, ready-made diecast models of military vehicles. Corgi diecast vehicles are pre-assembled and painted. Each model is an instant display piece or diorama centerpiece straight from the box. Made from diecast metal, die cast tanks from Corgi are 100% true to scale. Color, camouflage and unit markings are carefully researched for maximum authenticity, marking the difference between and authentic scale model tank and a "toy" tank.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Stock markets recession

By TOBY ANDERSON

LONDON - Stocks fell sharply worldwide Monday following declines on Wall Street last week amid investor pessimism over the U.S. government's stimulus plan to prevent a recession.

U.S. markets were closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but the downbeat mood from last week's market declines there circled through Europe, Asia and the Americas. Britain's benchmark FTSE-100 slumped 5.5 percent to 5,578.20, France's CAC-40 Index tumbled 6.8 percent to 4,744.15, and Germany's blue-chip DAX 30 plunged 7.2 percent to 6,790.19.

In Asia, India's benchmark stock index tumbled 7.4 percent, while Hong Kong's blue-chip Hang Seng index plummeted 5.5 percent to 23,818.86, its biggest percentage drop since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

In Canada, the S&P/TSX composite index on the Toronto Stock Exchange fell 4.8 percent. Brazilian stocks plunged 6.6 percent on the main index of Sao Paulo's Bovespa exchange, and Argentina's benchmark Merval index fell 6.3 percent to close under 1,900 for the first time since August 2006.

Investors dumped shares because they were skeptical that an economic stimulus plan President Bush announced Friday would shore up the economy that has been battered by problems in its housing and credit markets. The plan, which requires approval by Congress, calls for about $145 billion worth of tax relief to encourage consumer spending.

"We've taken our lead from the Asian markets who have not been impressed by the U.S. There's debate if there's going to be a recession in the U.S. I don't think there's much chance of that though," said Richard Hunter, an analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown Stockbrokers Ltd. in London.

Concerns about the outlook for the U.S. economy, a major export market for Asian companies, has sent the region's markets sliding in 2008. Just last Wednesday, the Hang Seng index sank 5.4 percent.

"It's another horrible day," said Francis Lun, a general manager at Fulbright Securities in Hong Kong. "Today it's because of disappointment that the U.S. stimulus (package) is too little, too late and investors feel it won't help the economy recover."

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index slid 3.9 percent to close at 13,325.94 points, its lowest close in more than two years. China's Shanghai Composite index plunged 5.1 percent, partly on worries about mainland Chinese banks' exposure to risky U.S. mortgage investments.

"People are certainly nervous about a potential recession in the U.S. spilling over to the rest of the world," said David Cohen, Director of Asian Economic Forecasting at Action Economics in Singapore.

Cohen said there may be "still some wariness" about politicians being able to come up with a compromise and act sufficiently quickly on a stimulus package. "I think the impact would be marginal anyway," he said.

Investors took cues from the negative reaction to the president's plan on Wall Street on Friday, when the Dow Jones industrial average slid 0.5 percent to 12,099.30, bringing its loss for the year so far to nearly 9 percent.

Traders also have shrugged off assurances from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that the U.S. central bank is ready to act aggressively — which means a likely big interest rate cut later this month — to help the sagging economy.

Some analysts predict that Asia won't suffer dramatically from a U.S. recession because increased trade and investment within Asia has made the region less reliant on the United States than in the past. Excluding Japan, 43 percent of Asia's exports go to other nations in the region, Lehman Brothers calculates, up from 37 percent in 1995.

But on Monday, uncertainty and pessimism reigned.

In Tokyo trading, exporters got hit hard, partly because of the yen's recent strength against the dollar. Toyota Motor Corp. lost 3.3 percent and Honda Motor Co. sank 3.4 percent.

Shares of Bank of China dropped 6.4 percent in Hong Kong after the South China Morning Post newspaper reported that the bank is expected to announce a "significant write-down" in U.S. subprime mortgage securities, citing unidentified sources. In Shanghai, the bank's stock declined 4.1 percent.

India's benchmark Sensex index fell 1,353 points, or 7.4 percent — its second-biggest percentage drop ever — to 17,605.35 points. At one point, it was down nearly 11 percent.

The decline hit companies across the board, with power utility Reliance Energy Ltd. falling 16.4 percent. Major software company Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. slid 7.6 percent

"A gloomy U.S. climate has affected the global markets. Even if those markets recover, it will take sometime for the recovery to reach India because today's fall has been so drastic," said Jayant Pai, of the Mumbai investment company IL&FS Ltd.

Still, Pai and others suggested that the declines could lead to a buying opportunity.

"The sell-off today takes us close to the bottom," she said.

Since the start of the year, Japan's Nikkei index has declined 13 percent, while Hong Kong's blue-chip index is down more than 14 percent. Even China's Shanghai index — which nearly doubled last year — has fallen 6.6 percent over the same period and nearly 20 percent from its all-time closing high on Oct. 16.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Pavaroti:1935-2007

One of the three tenors, Luciano Pavarotti died last September 6, 2007 due to pancreatic cancer.
Born in Modena, Italy, Pavarotti was influenced by his father, who has a great tenor voice too. Together with his father, they sing in local church choirs. He began the serious study of music in 1954 at the age of 19 with Arrigo Pola, a teacher and professional tenor in Modena. Pavarotti married Adua Veroni who is an opera singer.

Pavarotti's first career as a tenor began in a smaller regional Italian opera houses, making his debut as Rodolfo in La bohème at the Teatro Municipale in Reggio Emilia in April 1961. For how many years he has been Rodolfo in opera houses in Italy.

Pavarotti holds two Guinness World Records for receiving the most curtain calls — at 165 — and for the best selling classical album.

On 13 December 2003 he married his former personal assistant, Nicoletta Mantovani.
Pavarotti's remains were honored in Modena Cathedral. The Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival Hall flew black flags in mourning.

Friday, July 20, 2007

Lohan surrendered


July 19, 2007 Lindsay Lohan, accompanied by her attorney, surrendered at the Beverly Hills Police Department at 4:30 pm.

Lohan was under arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and of misdemeanor hit and run. After fingerprinted and photographed, Lohan was released on her own recognizance. A court date was scheduled for August 24.

Lohan and two other adults were in her 2005 Mercedes SL-65 convertible when she lost control and crashed into a curb and shrubs on Sunset Boulevard on May 26, police said.

Last week, Lohan checked out of a rehabilitation center after a stay of more than six weeks. It was her second stint in rehab this year. She said in January she had checked into rehab for substance abuse treatment.

Monday, July 9, 2007

what's that smell?!!??


Does your feet smell?haha:D

We take a bath, clean ourselves, put on colognes or perfumes to look good and smell nice. But did you ever come across a a person who never cleans himself or washes his clothes?

Yesterday, German police were informed by neighbors of an apartment, that they smell something rotten from the house. Police broke in the apartment fearing they would see a dead body since the house has been for more than a week already.

But instead, they saw a man sleeping with his stinky feet beside a foul-smelling pile of unwashed clothes.

Ok, that was really awful. So you better clean-up yourself often or else you'll smell like dead meat!!

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Baby Born from Frozen Egg

Today marks the birth of the first baby born from frozen egg.
The baby created from an egg that had been matured in the laboratory, frozen, thawed and then fertilized, was born in Canada, scientists announced today. Scientists hoped that this will be a viable option for women who became infertile due to certain types of cancer.

McGill Reproductive Center in Montreal, Canada led this study. Three other women are pregnant by the same laboratory technique. All are part of a clinical trial at the McGill Reproductive Center of 20 patients with an average age of 30 who were infertile due to polycystic ovaries.

Oocytes (eggs before they mature) were collected from patients and matured in the the lab before freezing. The eggs remained frozen for no longer than a few months before they were thawed. After that eggs were fertilized with a type of sperm-injection technique. The the embryos were planted back to the patients.

But this process is still being studied by scientists for cancer patients.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Chris Benoit Tragedy

Are you fond of watching wrestling? If so, then you must know Chris Benoit. He was one of my little brother's favorite.

Last Monday, policemen found Benoit and his family dead and said they were investigating the deaths as a murder-suicide and evidences should still be gathered.

Serious text messages were received from Benoit last Sunday Morning, so their friends alerted the police to check on the family. The bodies were discovered about 2:30 p.m. and will be autopsied on Tuesday. The house is in a secluded neighborhood set back about 60 yards off a gravel road, surrounded by stacked stone wall and a double-iron gate. On Monday night, the house was dark except for a few outside lights. There was a police car in front, along with two uniformed officers.

Benoit is a Canadian professional wrestler who performed for WWE and WCW. He has gained awards and has been a big part of the wretling world.

"WWE extends its sincerest thoughts and prayers to the Benoit family's relatives and loved ones in this time of tragedy," the organization said in a statement on its Web site.