“There’s no credible evidence that what’s in Airborne can prevent colds or protect you from a germy environment,” David Schardt, a nutritionist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said in a written statement this week. “Airborne is basically an overpriced, run-of-the-mill vitamin pill that’s been cleverly, but deceptively, marketed.”

The company just settled a $23.3 million dollar class-action lawsuit.  For customers who’s bought this product, this means you can get a FULL refund for all Airborne products you’ve purchased between May 2001 and November 2007, provided you have receipts.  Of course, who’s going to be anal enough to save a Trader Joe’s receipt from three years ago, right?  Not I, that’s for sure.  Even if you DON’T have a receipt, you can still get a refund on up to six products!  The company will give you $10.50 per box of Seasonal Airborne, $2.75 per box of Gummi Airborne, and $6.99 for all other Airborne products.  Not bad.

For more information and to make a claim, go here.  It took me less than three minutes to submit my online claim.  From what I can tell, it’s only for people who have a U.S. address.

(The security guard is looking at buying wire cutters!)

There were even “super models” selling things for charity. Ummm, I don’t know… looks like false advertising to me. Sure, they could be models, but SUPER models? You’re telling me they’re on the same plain as Gisele!?! You be the judge.

I’m not saying it was a terrible event, but there were too many people for my liking. The newspaper reported 200,000 people showing up that day! I had no fighting chance.

The market in Seoul next to the World Cup Stadium was packed with a crowd of more than 200,000 thanks to cool weather and dry skies that prevailed from its opening at noon to around 3 p.m. The market was closed at 3 p.m., one hour earlier than planned, as rain started falling.

In Busan, Daejeon and Jeonju, the markets were held indoors due to rain and strong winds, but each attracted 30,000 to 40,000 shoppers.
Among the items donated by celebrities for auction at the market, a bike helmet signed by bicycling legend Lance Armstrong was sold for the highest bid, 1 million won ($1,077).

This was the third annual charity bazaar jointly organized by the JoongAng Ilbo and the city governments of Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, and Jeonju. Proceeds are donated to We Start, a charity foundation to provide educational opportunities to children in need. JoongAng Ilbo and corporations donated their entire proceeds.

Me and Pucca!

I did buy a 10,000 bottle of wine from New Zealand and a crock pot for 5,000. Ras got a 1000 won t-shirt from the 2002 World Cup that said: Shooting Korea! Make of that what you will. After 30 minutes of browsing, we drank my wine with Reardon (who had joined us by then) on the steps of the World Cup Amphitheater. We ended up watching some belly dance performances and a Korean music group while we waited for Kevin to show up.

The fashionable Spanish brand is known for its chic but affordable line of trendy clothes for women and men. It usually takes inspiration from the hottest runway looks and translates it to wearable items for a wider audience.

Zara is Europe’s largest fashion retailer, followed by Sweden’s Hennes & Mauritz also known as H&M. Zara has already made inroads around Asia, opening stores in Japan, China, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines in recent years. 

What I really like about Facebook, are the privacy options. Even if you find me on Facebook and add me as your friend, I also have to agree that we’re friends. Until then, you can’t even look at my profile. The 21 people that are currently my “friends” are actually my friends. Whoa, what a concept! Every “friend” is someone I know, have talked to, or interacted with. They know my real name and know something about me. If you search my first name, you’ll only find two people with that name on Facebook, and I’m one of them.  The security features make me feel safe enough to list my phone number and address in my profile.  Why?  Because the only people able to see it are my friends.

So far, there are two big things that annoy me regarding Facebook.

1. People who list themselves with fake names or nicknames. The point of Facebook is for people to FIND you and reconnect. This is especially bad when you only list your first name, and it’s a common name like “Sarah” or “David” or “Mike.” Even if you’re afraid your future boss will find out that you hooked up with a ladyboy during a Full Moon Party in Thailand… remember, you don’t have to add him as your friend. Plus, EVERYTHING you post on the internet will be seen by someone. If you’d be embarrassed that a boss might see it, you shouldn’t post it. Common sense.

2. I hate it when people use a profile picture that includes a group of people. Like I said, people are trying to find you. If I haven’t seen you since high school, how am I supposed to know if it’s really YOU if you’re one of 6 heads the size of my mouse cursor?

Overall, Facebook has been a good experience because I’ve reconnected with people I haven’t been in contact with for YEARS.

Even though some friends warned me Facebook would be as addictive as crack, that’s been hardly the case. I mean, it’s fun and all, but I probably only spend an hour a week on the site. I’d rather watch a tutorial on Microsoft Excel or research ways to fund my retirement account. Really.

Anyway, if you’re on Facebook, look me up! I’ll leave you with a quote from a friend. This was his reply when a 20-something year old friend told him he should get a Facebook account: “I’m a 40 year old gay man. What the hell do I need a Facebook for?”

Some related articles:

Facebook closes in on MySpace [Telegraph.co.kr]

PluggedIn: Facebook lets friends share private view of the Web [Reuters]

Facebook popularity Soars [Washington Post]

I’ve been to five of the nominees.  The Great Wall was the most memorable, because we got to hike the original, crumbling Great Wall, which the government doesn’t let you do anymore.

The Acropolis of Athens; Greece
Alhambra; Granada, Spain
Angkor Wat; Cambodia
Great Wall; China
Statue of Liberty; New York City

Each acrobat must navigate the 1.2-inch-thick wire that spans the river, with the top prize of $15,000 going to the person crossing it fastest.

The contestants — 14 men and four women — include such masters of the high wire as Jade Kindar-Martin of Shelburne, Vt., a former Cirque du Soleil performer who once crossed London’s River Thames at a height of 150 feet, and Colombia’s Alan Martinez, who ambled across the Amazon.

They will face Adili Wuxiuer of China — the world record-holder for distance who walked on a wire nearly a half-mile across the Chongqing Cliff at a height of 2,250 feet in 2003.

Organizers in Seoul said stringing the wire across the Han made it the longest-ever such high wire, meaning anyone making it across will break the record for distance.  [AP News]

I can’t believe the winner only gets $15,000.

Go to this Korean site for more pictures and a few videos.  I don’t know what belly dancers have to do with tightrope walking, but you can see a video of them performing at the bottom of that page.

To stop the flight of their best and brightest to the Ivy League, top Asian universities are moving to give many, even most, of their courses in English.

“No country has embraced the move more than Korea. In 2002, for instance, Korea University offered less than 10 percent of its classes in English, but the proportion rose to 35 percent last year and is expected to hit 60 percent by 2010. The effort is part of a desperate attempt to retain students; Korea is perhaps the world’s biggest supplier of overseas students, with nearly 200,000 from the elementary to the graduate level currently studying abroad. About a quarter of them study in the U.S., constituting the biggest foreign-student group there.”

"The winning region needed a turnout of at least one-third of eligible voters, as well as the highest majority of supporters.

Korea, scarce of resources, now has 20 nuclear power plants in operation. By 2015, 10 more nuclear power plants are expected to be completed – but they have no facilities to store radioactive wastes.

Government leaders say the project can help improve their respective economies. The winner will receive subsidies amounting to 300 billion won, as well as an annual income of 5 to 10 billion won in storage fees by the central government. A high-tech scientific facility, or a proton linear accelerator center, is also to be built in the host region.

The government assures that high-level nuclear waste such as spent fuel will not be stored in the new site. Storage will be restricted to low- and intermediate-level radioactive wastes from the power plants. They include gloves, clothing, radioactive filters and byproducts of X-rays."   [source: Korea Herald]

An unusual clash between a 6-foot (1.8m) alligator and a 13-foot (3.9m) python has left two of the deadliest predators dead in Florida’s swamps.

The Burmese python tried to swallow its fearsome rival whole but then exploded.

The remains of the two giant reptiles were found by astonished rangers in the Everglades National Park.

The rangers say the find suggests that non-native Burmese pythons might even challenge alligators’ leading position in the food chain in the swamps.

Clearly, if they can kill an alligator they can kill other species Prof Frank Mazzotti

The python’s remains with the victim’s tail protruding from its burst midsection were found last week. The head of the python was missing.

"Encounters like that are almost never seen in the wild… And here we are," Frank Mazzotti, a University of Florida wildlife professor, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.

"They were probably evenly matched in size. If the python got a good grip on the alligator before the alligator got a good grip on him, he could win," Professor Mazzotti said.

He said the alligator may have clawed at the python’s stomach, leading it to burst.

"Clearly, if they can kill an alligator they can kill other species," Prof Mazzotti said.

He said that there had been four known encounters between the two species in the past. In the other cases, the alligator won or the battle was an apparent draw.

Burmese pythons – many of whom have been dumped by their owners – have thrived in the wet and hot climate of Florida’s swamps over the past 20 years.