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Sources close to Angela Jolie and Brad Pitt say the couple has beefed up their corps of security guards following reports a Los Angeles gang had plans to kidnap Pax Thien, Jolie’s newly adopted Vietnamese son, and demand a 100 million U.S. dollar ransom. It’s alleged Jolie’s security team had learned of the plot to kidnap the 3-year-old once he and Jolie returned to the United States, Life & Style Weekly claims. “They’re highly skilled operatives with little regard for human life,” the insider says to Life & Style. “Information came out that leaders of the gang ordered their LA members to devise a plan to kidnap Pax before demanding a ransom of 100 million dollars for his safe return,” the insider says. “Brad and Angie would have a number of days to hand over the money or risk the boy’s life.” The whole affair may be a hoax, because a repesentative of the couple denied the allegations, or it may be true. “She sobbed that she’d die if anything happened to Pax,” a friend said. “They have gone into total lockdown mode. He’s (Brad) added manpower around their LA home and has told security he doesn’t want Angie or the kids leaving the house without at least five security people.” “She isn’t sleeping and barely eats,” the friend said. “She doesn’t let the kids out of her sight. She seems on the verge of a breakdown.” Meanwhile, it was found the British tabloid News of the World misled the media about Pax’s addicted mother. The child’s grandfather told VietnamNet the NOTW story was inaccurate. “Firstly, we haven’t seen Sang (Pax’ birth name), let alone bring him to Tam Binh Orphanage as mentioned in the article. Secondly, our family hasn’t signed any paper concerning our grandchild,” said Pham Chien. “This is the job of Tam Binh Orphanage. We were merely informed of the adoption by the orphanage and the HCM City Department of Justice. Our family has nothing to do with any lawsuit or money demand.” “I thought the child was dead. We didn’t bring up the subject for fear it would hurt Dung (Pax’ biological mother),” said his wife, the boy’s grandmother. (VietNamNet/Xinhuanet) |
Archive for March, 2007
A plot to kidnap Jolie’s latest adopted son?
Posted by Truong on March 31, 2007
Posted in Movies | Leave a Comment »
Night-working people tends to be creative
Posted by Truong on March 31, 2007
Do you work most efficiently at night? If so, don’t worry. A recent research showed that people who work at night are actually creative people.
Though scientists are still unable to explain this, but the reason seems resulted from those people’s good adaption to unusual lifestyles.
“In special situations with normal habits, night-living people will be likely to broaden their liberal souls and develop their abilities to find excellent alternative solutions,” Prof. Marina Giampietro, the research leader, stated.
Italian researchers at the Psychology faculty of Sacred Heart University, Milan led a research including 120 volunteers (includes both men and women) of various ages. They were divided into 2 groups: One group for people working at day, while the other group consisted of people working at night. They were asked to take 3 creativity measuring tests. The result was surprising: people in the second group (night-working ones) got much higher scores, especially in flexibility, mobility and uniqueness, whereas even the best participants from the remaining people scores only about 50 points strenuously.
Scientists also discovered that creativity is not affected by age factor. Indeed, some trung nien and old people are still be able to maintain their creativities.
Hans Van Dongen, a scientist at Sleep Research Center of the University of Washinton said that a person’s brain decides whether he or she belongs to day-working type or night-working type. He and his colleagues found a human cell group called suprachiasmatic nuclei that sends signals to human bodies synchronously with daily time. A biological clock like this runs about 2 hours faster in day-working people’s bodies but runs approximately 2 hours in night-working people’s bodies
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Useful Websites
Posted by Truong on March 21, 2007
Because so many students are interested in learning English, studying abroad and finding scholarships in the US, Institute of International Education Vietnam (IIEVN) has made a list of useful websites for all of students for reference purpose.
1. LEARNING ENGLISH
www.talkenglish.com
www.paltalk.com
www.duhocvn.org
www.dethi.com
www.bbc.co.uk
www.vietanhedu.com
www.manythings.org
www.english-test.net
www.essaybank.co.uk (subscription needed)
www.essayedge.com (subscription needed)
www.englishforvietnamese.com
www.effective-public-speaking.com
www.world-english.org
www.englishtips.org
www.englishtime.us
2. PREPARING FOR STANDARDIZED TESTS (TOEFL, SAT, ACT, GRE, etc.)
www.number2.com
www.englishtips.org
www.duhocvn.org
www.urch.com/forums/
3. INFORMATION ABOUT STANDARDIZED TESTS
www.ets.org/toefl (TOEFL)
www.mba.com (GMAT)
www.ets.org/gre (GRE)
www.lsac.org (LSAT)
www.collegeboard.com (SAT)
www.ets.org/toeic (TOEIC)
4. GENERAL STUDYING ABROAD INFORMATION
www.educationusa.state.gov/
www.us-guide.org
www.collegeview.com
www.AmericanGraduateEducation.com/
www.petersons.com/educationusa/
www.internationalstudentguidetotheusa.com
www.duhocvn.org
www.collegeconfidential.com
www.ttvnol.com (Du học session)
www.internationalstudent.com
www.vco-edusa.net (Education USA Virtual Consulting Office-Answer YOUR question about studying abroad in America)
5. DISCUSSING
www.teenink.com
www.bignerds.com
www.123student.com
www.able2know.com/forums
www.wayabroad.com/twe
6. FORUMS OF OVERSEAS VIETNAMESE STUDENTS
www.mba.us-guide.org
www.vietabroader.org
www.chuvanan.org
www.lehongphong.net
www.hn-ams.org
www.ttvnol.org
www.duhocvn.org
www.mangduhoc.com
6. SCHOLARSHIP – FINANCIAL AID
www.FundingUSStudy.com
www.fastweb.com
www.internationalstudent.com
www.scholarshipexperts.com (Provides a customized list of local, state, national, and school-specific scholarships)
www.collegescholarships.com ((Scholarships for international students who are currently living in the United States)
www.finaid.org (Search for scholarships that match your profile
www.InternationalScholarships.com (News, information, resources and more about being and international student.)
www.free-scholarships–and-financial-aid.com (Resources to help you learn about the college admissions process, identify and contact colleges, and discover the scholarships and financial aid programs)
7. VISA
www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/
www.vietnam.usembassy.gov/
8. STUDYING ABROAD FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
www.foreignborn.com/self-help/school/index.htm (public and private high schools)
www.greatschools.net (public school)
www.schools.com/ (boarding schools only)
www.boardingschoolreview.com (private schools)
www.boardingschoolusa.com/toc.asp
http://nces.ed.gov/
www.nais.org (financial aid for high school study; go to “Admission and financial aid”, then “Financial aid facts for parents”, then “scholarship providers”)
9. COMMUNITY COLLEGES – ADVANCED ENGLISH COURSES – CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAMS
www.AmericanCommunityColleges.com/
http://www.aspectfoundation.org/ex_s…gh_school.html
www.cci-exchange.com (for high school home-stay programs from 5-10 months also has short-term high school programs)
www.ayusa.org
www.csun.edu/~hcedu013/karin.html (links to many programs, also short-term English language programs)
www.aaiep.org/search.cfm (run by American Association of Intensive English programs)
www.uciep.org/index.php (run by University and College Intensive English programs)
www.esl.com
www.intensiveenglishusa.org
10. INFORMATION ABOUT ACREDITTED INSTITUTIONS – RANKING
www.usnews.com (US News & World Report)
www.chea.org (Council of Higher Education Accreditation)
(IIEVN is NOT responsible for these websites’ content)
(Tran Phuong Hoa, IIEVN)
Posted in College Admissions, English, Study | Leave a Comment »
Who is Hu?
Posted by Truong on March 20, 2007
Found this funny joke on somewhere i dont remember :d
decided to post it as my first post in my blog.
Welcome, Truong ^_^
———-
Who is Hu? (aka Hu’s on first)
Characters:
Hu: Hu Jing-tao (China President)
George: George W. Bush (President of the United States)
Condi: Condoleezza Rice (Secretary of State)
Yassir: Yassir Arafat (late Palestine President)
Kofi: Kofi Annan (ex-Secretary General of the United Nation)
George: Condi! Nice to see you. What’s happening?
Condi: Sir, I have the report here about the new leader of China.
George: Great. Lay it on me.
Condi: Hu is the new leader of China.
George: That’s what I want to know.
Condi: That’s what I’m telling you.
George: That’s what I’m asking you. Who is the new Leader of China?
Condi: Yes.
George: I mean the fellow’s name.
Condi: Hu.
George: The guy in China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The new leader of China.
Condi: Hu.
George: The Chinaman!
Condi: Hu is leading China.
George: Now whaddya’ asking me for?
Condi: I’m telling you Hu is leading China.
George: Well, I’m asking you. Who is leading China?
Condi: That’s the man’s name.
George: That’s who’s name?
Condi: Yes.
George: Will you or will you not tell me the name of the new leader of China?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir? Yassir Arafat is in China? I thought he was in the Middle East.
Condi: That’s correct.
George: Then who is in China?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir is in China?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Then who is?
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Yassir?
Condi: No, sir.
George: Look, Condi. I need to know the name of the new leader of China. Get me the Secretary General of the U.N. on the phone.
Condi: Kofi?
George: No, thanks.
Condi: You want Kofi?
George: No.
Condi: You don’t want Kofi.
George: No. But now that you mention it, I could use a glass of milk. And then get me the U.N.
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: Not Yassir! The guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi?
George: Milk! Will you please make the call?
Condi: And call who?
George: Who is the guy at the U.N
Condi: Hu is the guy in China.
George: Will you stay out of China?!
Condi: Yes, sir.
George: And stay out of the Middle East! Just get me the guy at the U.N.
Condi: Kofi.
George: All right! With cream and two sugars. Now get on the phone.
Condi picks up the phone.
Condi: Rice, here.
George: Rice? Good idea. And a couple of egg rolls, too. Maybe we should send some to the guy in China. And the Middle East. Can you get Chinese food in the Middle East?
(James Sherman, Ensemble of Victory Gardens Theater, Chicago)
Posted in Funny Stuffs | Leave a Comment »
