The New Economics Foundation (NEF) has released on Thursday its Happy Planet Index (HPI), which ranks the "happiest" countries in the world based upon the health and happiness produced per unit of environmental output.
NEF ranked 151 countries using a global data of life expectancy (LE), experienced well-being (WE) and ecological footprint (EF). Each country's HPI was computed by dividing the product of LE and WE with EF.
The data for experienced well-being is taken from the Gallup World Poll, ‘life expectancy' is based upon the 2011 UNDP Human Development Report and ‘ecological footprint' is calculated from data provided by the WWF.
Costa Rica topped the list with its 64 HPI while Vietnam, which has an HPI of 60.4, ranked 2nd.
Columbia, Belize, El Salvador, Jamaica, Panama, Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Guatemala completed the top 10.
Meanwhile, the Philippines scored an HPI of 52.4 and was ranked 24th in the list. The Philippines' low per-capita ecological footprint helped the country score a better HPI than more than 80% of the countries ranked.
The complete ranking can be viewed on the Happy Planet Index website.
A new viral video is encouraging viewers to "look at the world differently."
Titled "Coca Cola Security Cameras," the video features coca-cola security camera footage from different countries which captured random acts of kindness, heroism and some happy moments which often go unreported.
The feel-good clip is actually an ad from Coke Latin America.
"People tend to associate security cameras with negative events, but we wanted to disprove that assumption by demonstrating the abundance of happy events and actions they capture," said creative director Martin Mercado.
Check out below the said video, which has amassed more than 2 million hits on Youtube as of posting time:
The actress made the fans of the show excited when she appeared on the pilot episode of the new "Dallas" series on Wednesday, June 13, 2012.
Charlene Tilton, now 53, played the role of Lucy Ewing, the sly, vixenish, frequently frustrated granddaughter of Jock Ewing, in the original "Dallas" series from 1978 to 1985 and from 1988 to 1990. The portrayal made Tilton incredibly popular. She even landed on the cover of People magazine several times.
However, it is not yet certain if Tilton's appearance on the revamped "Dallas" on Wednesday was just a one-time cameo or not.
Meanwhile, the "Dallas" reboot has proved a hit in the US. Its debut episode on TNT attracted an average of 6.8 million viewers, securing the highest ratings for the premiere of a scripted series on a cable channel this year.
X-37B, a clandestine mini-space shuttle of the US Air Force, is likely to land this week. Some reports say the much anticipated return of X-37B is happening today, June 14, 2012 (June 15 Manila Time).
Air Force officials, however, said the landing day for the unmanned space plane depends on weather conditions at its intended landing site at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, as well as other factors.
The X-37B spacecraft has been in orbit since March 5, 2011 but the Air Force has not issued any information of what the craft is doing or where it is orbiting as they are considered as classified.
X-37B is about 29 feet long (8.8 meters) 15 feet wide (4.5 m), and has a payload bay about the size of a pickup truck bed. It is powered by a solar panel that allows it to stay in orbit for months at a time.
A 5.5-magnitude quake struck Mindanao, Philippines on Friday, June 15, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.
According to a USGS bulletin, the temblor hit at 09:14 a.m. local time and centered at 152 km east southeast from General Santos (185 km south southeast from Davao).
There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties from the quake.
The Philippines lies along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin, causing frequent volcanic activity.
Update: The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology measured the eartquake at magnitude 5.9. It said that it was of tectonic origin and was 64 km deep.
"Game Of Thrones" scene featuring fake head of Bush
"Game of Thrones" creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss said they were not making any political statement when they featured a decapitated head resembling former US President George W. Bush in a scene.
"It's not a choice, it's not a political statement. We just had to use whatever heads we had lying around," they explained. "We use a lot of prosthetic body parts on the show: heads, arms, etcetera. We can't afford to have these all made from scratch, especially in scenes where we need a lot of them, so we rent them in bulk. After the scene was already shot, someone pointed out that one of the heads looked like George W. Bush."
They added: "We meant no disrespect to the former president and apologize if anything we said or did suggested otherwise."
Home Box Office (HBO), meanwhile, has released a statement addressing the graphic prop choice.
"We were deeply dismayed to see this and find it unacceptable, disrespectful and in very bad taste," the network said. "We made this clear to the executive producers of the series who apologized immediately for this inadvertent careless mistake."
HBO added that the scene would be removed from future DVD production.
A vacuum climber device, invented by a team of engineering students from Utah State University allows one to climb walls a little like Spider-Man.
The PVAC, short for personal vacuum assisted climber, consists of two hand-held paddles attached to a vacuum pack that creates a powerful suction force — enough to scale a wall with. A stirrup hang beneath the pads, where users can place their foot.
The device also has a gauge which indicates safe vacuum levels and a volt meter that let climbers know if they were about to run out of juice.
The students, who call themselves the Ascending Aggies, presented the technology to the U.S. military during the 2012 Service Academy and University Engineering Challenge, where it took the first prize and won $100,000 grant. The competition required teams to design gadgets that would allow soldiers to safely and quickly ascend vertical surfaces. The devices also had to be reusable, permit multiple pitches within one climb, allow the operator to keep one hand free for using other equipment, and be capable of getting three people each carrying 300-pound (136 kg) loads up a 90-foot (27.5-meter) vertical silo within 20 minutes.
But using the PVAC in a military setting could prove somewhat problematic, depending on the context: Those powerful vacuums give off an equally powerful, ear-piercing engine noise.
An earthquake with a Richter Scale reading of magnitude 4.0 struck Southern California on Wednesday evening, June 13, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.
According to a USGS bulletin, the quake, which has a depth of 9.8 km (6.1 miles), hit at 8:17 p.m. local time. Its epicenter was 3 km (2 miles) north of Yorba Linda, California, about 28 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
There are no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
The temblor was followed by a 2.4 magnitude aftershock a few minutes later.
Burger King has added bacon sundae on its menu, in time for summer.
The Burger King bacon sundae "features the rich and creamy vanilla Burger King soft serve, drizzled with chocolate fudge, caramel and topped with bacon crumbles, complete with a thick-cut, hardwood smoked bacon garnish." Its suggested retail price starts at $2.49.
Bacon sundae is part of the food chain's BBQ-inspired summer menu which also include the following Memphis Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich, Carolina BBQ Whopper or Chicken Sandwich, BBQ Whopper or Chicken Sandwich, Sweet Potato Fries and Frozen Lemonade
"BBQs are synonymous with summer; we gather together with family and friends to eat great food, and now Burger King offers guests a chance to sit back and let us take over the grilling," said Alex Macedo, senior vice president, North America marketing, Burger King Corp. "The new BBQ-inspired menu offers something for everyone, from our loyal Whopper Sandwich fans to our more adventurous guests looking to try surprising new favorites."
The new Summer BBQ menu, including the Burger King bacon sundae, is available for a limited-time-only at participating Burger King restaurants across the US.
Two giant tortoises at an Austrian zoo are divorcing after 115 years of being together.
"We get the feeling they can't stand the sight of each other anymore," zoo's director Helga Happ told the Austrian Times.
Tortoises Bibi and Poldi, have been together since they were young, eventually growing up to become a bonded pair. But recently, Bibi has been attacking Poldi, biting off a chunk of his shell, which prompted zoo staff to transfer him in another enclosure.
"But for no reason that anyone can discover they seem to have fallen out, they just can't stand each other," said Happ.
The zoo management has asked the help of animal experts to give the pair counselling - feeding them romantic good mood food and trying to get them to join in joint games - but to no avail.
"We were told that it's very rare that after so many years animals who are a pair will fall apart, but that's where we are. We hope though we can bring round a reconciliation." Happ added.
A blue lobster was recently hauled by a fisherman off the coast of Canada.
The extremely rare blue lobster turned up last month in one of the traps set up by Bobby Stoddard of Nova Scotia.
"This is the only one that I've ever seen," Stoddard told CNN. "And my dad has been a lobsterman of about 55 years, and he caught one about 45 years ago, but hadn't seen one since."
The blue lobster has been placed inside a holding tank at Stoddard's business while he is trying to figure out what to do with it.
"I don't know what the best thing is to do," Stoddard told CNN. "It probably belongs back in the ocean, but I'd like for as many people as possible to see it."
Catching a blue lobster is said to happen once in a blue moon since according to scientists, only one out of every two million lobsters are blue.
The Lobster Institute says that "the coloration comes from a genetic defect that causes the lobster to produce an excessive amount of a particular protein that gives the lobster that unique coloration."
If you're wondering if a blue lobster retains its color after being cooked. No, it turns red, too, like its red brethren.
Zhang Ziyi has filed charges against the news paper which reported that she prostituted herself to senior Chinese officials.
Zhang Ziyi on "Geisha" cover
The actress said the reports were "seriously defamatory” and "false."
The "Memoirs of a Geisha" star filed the lawsuit on Monday to the Hong Kong High Court with the Apple Daily, Hong Kong's biggest newspaper, and its sister publication Next Magazine as defendants.
A May 29 report of the Apple Daily alleged that the 33-year-old actress slept with disgraced Chinese leader Bo Xilai at least 10 times between 2007 and 2011. The report said she earned around $110 million from prostituting herself.
Zhang Ziyi vehemently denied the allegations, saying she will do whatever it takes to clear her name.
"I wish to state that I will get to the bottom of this matter to clear my name at whatever cost," the actress told the China Press. "I want justice to be served through legal proceedings. I want those irresponsible quarters to be dealt with."
Zhang Ziyi, 33, is one of China’s biggest film stars and a three-times Bafta nominee. Apart from Academy-award winning "Geisha," she also starred in the hit films "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (2000), "Rush Hour 2" (2001), and "House of Flying Daggers" (2004).
A video of a "Holding Hands" prank has gone viral online.
The video shows Utah Valley University student Andrew Hales holding the hands of random students in his school.
"Hi, I’m Andrew Hales and today we are going to walk close to people and hold their hand. Or try to hold their hand," Hales said before doing his prank.
While many gave him strange looks and moved away, two students, a guy and girl, actually just went along with it.
The 22-year-old regularly posts prank videos on Youtube. He has 12 videos so far which have accumulated 2.7 million views as of posting time. This new prank of his has amassed more than 600, 000 views since it was posted 2 days ago.
Check out the video of Hale's "Holding Hands" prank below:
As punishment, the gun-toting Aussie swimmers have been banned from using social media by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).
Australian swimmers Nick D'Arcy and Kenrick Monk posted on Facebook photos of themselves at a gun shop in the United States where members of the Australian Olympic swimming team had been training and competing in the qualifiers for the London Olympics. They were slammed by anti-gun groups in Australia and later deleted the pictures under pressure from governing body Swimming Australia.
The AOC said that the gun-toting swimmers are not only banned from using their social media accounts but will be also sent back to Australia after their events at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
"Australian Olympians are required to meet very high standards of conduct and we cannot risk the reputation of the team," the AOC said in a statement.
The AOC added that the punishment was separate to a disciplinary process being carried out by Swimming Australia (SA).
SA supported the AOC's decision and added that that they had yet to finish their own internal process.
"We will be speaking with the athletes involved further about this matter, and reminding them about their responsibilities as representatives of the Australian swim team," SA said in a statement on Saturday.
Spanish golfer Alvaro Quiros scored a rare albatross while practicing for the US Open on Wednesday.
Quiros had the rare hole-in-one at a par-4 at the 288-yard seventh hole, a short par-four that tempts players to reach it off the tee following the tough opening six holes at The Olympic Club course.
"You need to have luck to play good golf, I think. Unfortunately, it was in a practice round. But it is a good sign, isn't it?" 29-year-old Quiros told the AFP. "Obviously I finished the pratice round with a good feeling, and hopefully I can keep doing these things properly for the rest."
Also called a "double eagle" in the US, "albatross" is a golf term for scoring three under par (−3). This is an extremely rare score and there have been only 84 such shots recorded in the PGA Tour from 1970-2003. Holes in one on par-four holes (generally short ones) are also albatrosses.
American Gene Sarazen said to have achieved the world's first famous albatross in 1935 on the 15th hole at Augusta National Golf Club during the final round of the Masters Tournament. It vaulted him into a tie for first place and forced a playoff, which he won the next day. Sportswriters dubbed it as "the shot heard round the world."
Albatrosses are much rarer than holes in one; the odds are estimated at one in 1,000,000 while the odds of a hole-in-one are around one in 3,700 to one in 12,500, depending on the hole and on skill.
Bob Arum said that the controversial Pacquiao vs Bradley bout should undergo an investigation to "restore fans' confidence in boxing."
Bob Arum during the post-fight press conference (Youtube)
Arum formally filed a request with the Nevada State Attorney General (AG) for an investigation of the boxing fight between Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao and undefeated American Timothy Bradley held last Saturday.
The Top Rank Promotions chief executive is asking for a "full and complete inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the scoring" of the boxers World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title match which ended in a shocking split decision favoring Bradley.
"The public has a right to know what happened. The fighters have a right to know," Arum said in a statement. "The only way to restore fans' confidence in boxing is by letting an independent body investigate every detail of the fight, no matter how big or small."
Judge Jerry Roth (115-113) awarded the fight to Pacquiao while C.J. Ross (115-113) and Duane Ford (115-113) gave it to Bradley.
The boxing promoter had earlier lambasted the judges, calling them the three blind mice and saying the decision was a “death knell” for boxing.
"I don't know. I mean, I know these people, these judges. I cannot believe they were in on some bad conspiracy, but I can't otherwise explain this result," Arum said.
Meanwhile, Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) Executive Director Keith Kizer said he will be reviewing the tape of the bout. He said he will be asking an explanation from the three judges on how they came up with their scoring.
"What I'm interested in seeing is where the rounds were close, and why one judge went this way and the other two went the other way. What was the difference in A) how close it was in their minds, and B) what was the difference in that round that they gave that round to Pacquiao or they gave that round to Bradley. So again, what your looking for is A) a good explanation and B) very similar if not the exact same criteria that the judges are applying to what they see and what they hear," said Kizer.
Bagyong Butchoy is officially the second cyclone to visit the Philippines this year.
Bagyong Butchoy's satellite image as of 2 p.m., June 14, 2012
Earlier today, the Philippine weather bureau said that Butchoy, a tropical storm with international codename Gutchol, has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
The storm, which was last spotted 880 km off East of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, has maximum winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 100 kph. It is moving West Northwest at the rate of 24 kph.
Bagyong Butchoy is expected to be at 560 km East of Virac, Catanduanes on Friday; 320 km Northeast of Virac, Catanduanes on Saturday; and 310 km Northeast of Aparri, Cagayan on Sunday.
The bureau said that the TS Butchoy's is yielding an estimated rainfall amount of 15 - 25 mm per hour (heavy) within its 300 km diameter. Fishing boats and other small seacrafts, are thereby,
It added that Tropical Storm Butchoy and the presence of the Southwest Monsoon could generate big waves and thus, it advises fishing boats and other small seacrafts not to venture out into the seaboards of Luzon, Visayas and Northeastern Mindanao.
Ernest Hemingway's home in Oak Park, Illinois has been sold for $525,000.
The Ernest Hemingway Foundation of Oak Park (EHFOP) put the said boyhood home of the writer on the market in February. On Tuesday, it closed a deal with couple Kurt and Mary Jane Neuman who shelled out $525,000 to purchase the house.
The suburban Chicago home is believed to be where Hemingway wrote some of his earliest works.
"It’s a gorgeous home with a rich history, and we are excited about the opportunity to return it to its former glory," said Mary Jane.
The couple said they plan to restore the building that has been divided into three apartments to a single-family home.
The foundation, which owned the home since 2001, had earlier planned to turned it into a cultural center and scholarly retreat. However, because of economic pressures they sold it instead.
The new owners said fans of the novelist are still welcome to visit their home.
"We don't want anyone to feel like we're going to shutter it up or minimize the historical significance" Kurt said. "We appreciate curiosity in the home. We just need to balance the reality that it's going to be our family home."
The EHFOP is planning to use the proceeds from the sale to pay for the $420,000 loan taken to buy the house in 2001. The rest of the cash will go to its educational and cultural programs.
The results will include the names of passers of the the Architect Licensure Exam held last June 8 & 10, 2012 in the city of Manila.
Last year, the exam yielded 1,082 new architects out of 2,054 architecture graduates from across the country who took the exam. The results were released then four working days after the last day of the examination.
The results or the list of passers of the June 2012 Architecture Board Exam will be posted on the NoypiStuff Facebook page once available. You can like the page for now.
Jessica Sanchez has once again been chosen to sing the US national anthem in a major sports event.
Jessica Sanchez led the singing of the American national anthem in NBA Finals
After singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" during the Pacquiao-Bradley bout at the weekend, the "American Idol" runner-up performed the anthem again before the Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat started on Tuesday.
This also marks the third appearance of the 16-year-old singing the American national anthem after "American Idol." The first time was during the PBS Memorial Day concert in Washington D.C. last May 28.
Check out below a Youtube video of Jessica Sanchez slaying the anthem in the NBA Finals:
