Be the Ultimate XML Developers Challenge Superstar!

The ordeal of the 21st century, the greatest, supreme era of the digital age is far from over. I was browsing this evening to find great opportunities for the geek in me. I chanced upon http://www.XMLChallenge.com and found out that they are conducting competitions for XML developers. Now this is the chance I've been waiting for!

For those of you who do not know, XML is Extensible Markup Language which in lay man's term is still not lay man because this is a little complicated to explain I know. The World Wide Web Consortium is a huge body (with 434 members) that makes certain standards for the Internet. XML is a general-purpose term that they created for specifications in creating custom markup languages. If you try and search your computer's system files, maybe you have come across a ".xml" file. This is an example of it. It may be XHTML, RSS (bloggers know this from feeds), MathML, GraphML, Scalable Vector Graphics, MusicXML, and others. I know this is a little difficult to swallow for non technical people, but for geeks like me it rings a bell if your breakfast, lunch and dinner is customizing websites and changing open source codes. This is like the "ambrosia" of software and web developers.

With that out in the open, the site is holding a competition for students, faculty members as well as professional developers. The IDUG contest is held world wide so even my tech savvy friends can join. This is also to increase awareness and familiarity with XQuery, XML and DB2. All you need to do is one or all of these things:

• Upload a video
• Create a small widget or gadget
• Answer a series of questions by developing queries in XQuery.
• Port an existing application to use XML, XQuery or DB2.
• Develop a brand new application using the same

It's just that easy! The community would also take part in judging and the prizes will awarded on a monthly basis. So start pressing those keys and rushing your brains now for this contest! I already did! So why be left behind!

Dita Von Teese Sues for Illegal Image

I like her I reaaaally like her so much! ^_^

The first time I heard about Dita Von Teese was when the first Belo Ball was held in Manila. I was really wondering who she is and what she may have done to draw a crowd with all Manila's limelight included in it. Hmm... then I saw her pictures on the net and just went crazy over her. Okay, I admit I do have a little crush on her. I never saw "beauty" fashioned this way.

Got me googling for a couple of hours and found a video that probably skyrocketed her career because of a UK/Europe based burlesque performance. I was at an awe! I never knew that she is everything I hoped for a lady... watch this clip so you know what I mean...

I just read articles off the Internet and saw that she is suing a company for illegally showing her photos without her permission and probably put it also on a book. I know how hard she probably have worked to get this fame but for this company to even not pay for it? I think they should... they owe her BIGTIME right? I mean what if that happened to you, wouldn't you feel offended? I just hope someone acts on this. (-_-)"

A New Movie

The popular online and real life celebrities Nat & Alex Wolff of the Naked Brothers Band are back again in this season's biggest mission to get Nat's charm back!

The kid's in their never ending adventures of the real world never fails to entertain me. This is a great swash buckling adventure for children and adults alike. It is good for brood of all ages. It’s indeed a story that makes people like us stop and think a while. It is a bit sad at times but you can tell that it is still a good family oriented story. When Nat and Alex lead you to the pace, Nat is left to fend for himself and find ways to regain his allure. He was not forced to go live on the train tracks like most rural stories. He also never finished the story to leave you all hanging. He obviously had enough money to buy himself some food. Nobody starved in this adventure. Nat decides he has to live life to the tops so he goes in search of someone who will appreciate him and be his savior. That could be you.

Alex never jumped on a train and plays his harmonica to lark about "Operation Mojo" just to save his friend Nat. Nor does he have to tap his paws to the beat of the train to resolve this conflict in the quest. Everyone likes him with his tricks and all but none is willing to take him in their care, except you and everyone who would want to get his charisma back. Every night after this they maybe forced to dance and sing with Nat but there would be a few things that you can better do to help him. Make sure you share this story and the video with 5 of your friends. Do not forget to subscribe to Nat's You Tube Channel. Make http://www.natnalex.com also your home page.

This is not only a delightful story, but an enormous relief as well. In all that we read about the perils of our daily world this is a great escape. We hardly need more of this to be reminded that in the midst of confusion and doubt there are rays of hope like these two young boys. So on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008 just tune in to live chat with Nat & Alex Wolff of the Naked Brothers Band to take part in the premiere of their new movie.

Nicolaus Copernicus' Remains and Grave Found!

Swedish DNA expert Marie Allen talks at a news conference in Warsaw, Poland to announce the identification of remains. O_O

"The Sun, not the Earth... is the center of the universe! " those were the words he uttered when the questions about astronomy were raised centuries ago. This is what we all learned in Science Class when we were in Elementary, High School and in College... His theories are still taught until today because it led us to what information we have now. I got news however, that Nicolaus Copernicus remains and his grave was found!

Just this Thursday, they have identified the remains of Nicolaus Copernicus by comparing DNA from this skeleton and hair that was retrieved from one of his 16th-century astronomer's books. This could put an end to the centuries old speculation about the exact resting spot of Copernicus, a priest and astronomer. He is believed to have come up with the main idea that the Sun is at the center of the universe between 1508 and 1514, and during those years wrote a manuscript commonly called as Commentariolus (Little Commentary).

The reconstruction of the remains shows a broken nose and other features that exactly resembles a self-portrait of Copernicus, and the skull bears a cut mark above the left eye that corresponds with a scar shown in the painting (see image above). "We collected four hairs and two of them are from the same individual as the bones," Allen Gassowski said. Sheis the head of the Archaeology and Anthropology Institute in Pultusk, in central Poland, and Allen works at the Rudbeck Laboratory of the Genetics and Pathology Department of Uppsala University. Copernicus was known to have been buried in the 14th-century Frombork Cathedral where he served as a canon, but his grave was not marked. Gassowski's team started his search in 2004, on request from regional Catholic bishop, Jacek Jezierski. The bones found by Gassowski were located under floor tiles near one of the side altars. I just hope his ghost doesn't mind. "In the two years of work, under extremely difficult conditions amid thousands of visitors and usiseros hehe, with earth shifting under the heavy pounding of the organ music we managed to locate the grave, which was badly damaged," Allen Gassowski said. They also found that the skull belonged to a man aged around 70 which was Copernicus's age when he died in 1543.

What a find huh?! ^_^