Rare of the Rarest

Some rare things we may never see in our lifetime....

Rarest Gems

The world's rarest gem is believed to be painite, a gem that most have never heard of. The painite is orangish or reddish brown and was first discovered in Burma in the '50s. Within the last couple of years, the source of the two original painite crystals was discovered and now a few hundred faceted stones exist. A more well-known (but still very rare) gem is the red diamond

Rarest Signature

He may have done a lot of writing, but with only 6 of them in existence William Shakespeare' s signature is one of the rarest of all and is valued somewhere around $3 million dollars.

Rarest Cats Dogs

Of the rarest cat breeds, the Ashera (pic. left) is the most expensive ($20K+), the Sokoke the most exotic (from the wilds of Africa), and the Egyptian Mau has the coolest history (lived with the Egyptians). As for dog breeds, the one that keeps popping up on all the "rare" lists is the Lundehund, originally bred by the Vikings to hunt Puffins. Other rare breeds include Otterhounds and Stabyhounds.

Rarest Stamps

According to Wikipedia, the most expensive item by weight and volume is the Treskilling Yellow stamp from Sweden. It has a current estimated worth of $2.3 million. Here's what makes it so valuable: In 1858, when the currency was known as the skilling, the 3-skilling stamp ("treskilling" ) was printed in blue. And an 8-skilling stamp was printed in yellow. But due to a printing error, a few 3-skilling stamps were printed in yellow.

Rarest Sea Salt

The earliest known sea salt produced by the Japanese may be the rarest of all. Called Amabito No Moshio ("Ancient Sea Salt"), unpolluted sea water is collected from the Seto-uchi inland sea, infused with seaweed to develop the "unami", and then processed by cooking in an iron kettle, put into a centrifuge, and finally, cooked over an open fire while stirring constantly. The salt is worth over $40 per pound.

Rarest Jeans

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the most valuable jeans are an original pair of Levi Strauss Co 501 jeans aged over 115 years old which were sold to a collector in Japan for $60,000 through eBay in 2005. Quite rare indeed considering a new pair sells for $46.

Rarest Baseball Cards

In February 2007, a "near mint-mint" Honus Wagner sold for $2.3 million, at that point probably the highest sale for a baseball card in history. Then, in September 2007, the same card was reportedly sold again. This time for $2.8 million to a private collector. The card in question, aT206 Honus Wagner, was made by the American Tobacco Company in 1909. It has been called the "Mona Lisa of baseball cards."

Rarest Comic Books

One of the rarest comic books still in existence in near-perfect condition is an issue of "Amazing Spider-Man #1," rare not only because of its singularity but also because of its quality. The comic book sold for only 12 cents per copy when it was published in March 1963, and is now worth over $40K -- not an exceedingly high price for comic books -- but extremely rare in such pristine condition.

Rarest Real Estate

At the intersection of location, exclusivity and history you find some of the rarest pieces of real estate. With that criterion, Luxist.com blogger's pick for the rarest piece of real estate currently on the market is Bran's castle, the castle in Transylvania that inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula, which is expected to fetch upwards of $135 million.

Rarest Horses

The Sorraia Horse is said to be the direct descendant of the wild Iberian horse but only 200 currently remain living in South Iberia. The Tiger Horse is a rare breed which is said to have existed in Ancient Spain and the beginning of the New World. Rare in terms of its abilities and characteristics, is the Lipizzaner (pic. left). Bred for its military prowess, one of these animals can sell for up to $100,000.

Rarest Books

There are countless rare books in the world, but by most experts' standards the rarest of them all is the Gutenberg Bible. It was the first book ever printed back in 1456, and although several hundred copies were originally printed finding a complete first edition would net you $25-$35 million. In today's market single pages alone go for $25K each, and several years ago just 1 volume (it's a 2 volume set) sold for $5.5M.

Rarest Necklaces

In the world of rare necklaces, a couple million dollars doesn't get you much. Even ten million dollars is cheap for these babies. The most expensive necklace may likely be one built around the Blue Empress, a rare natural blue diamond. The pear-shaped diamond weighs about 14 carats. It is set in 18k white gold and surrounded with white diamonds. It's estimated to be worth $16 million.

Rarest Wine

One of the rarest bottles of wine ever sold was purchased by Christopher Forbes for a mere £105,000 ($160,000). It was an unmarked green glass bottle with the inscription of "1787 Lafitte Th. J." (now known as Lafite and thought to be owned by Thomas Jefferson), found behind a wall in Paris.

Rarest Vases

In 2006, a 20-inch high blue and white Yuan Dynasty vase fetched over $2 million. That sounds rare but at the end of that year, casino owner Steve Wynn paid even more for a rare vase. The small copper red and white porcelain vase, is a 14th century Ming vase (pic. left) decorated in scrolling flowers. It is from the exceptionally rare Hongwu period and went for around $10.9 million, making it the world's most expensive.

Rarest Coins

As a general rule the more rare a coin is the more it's worth, so what's the rarest coin ever? It's a debatable subject as not all experts always agree, but if the Double Eagle isn't at the top of that list it's sure near it. Back in 2002 the only Double Eagle coin left to be in private hands (or so everybody thought) sold for $7.9 million dollars.

Rarest Food

Served in China for over 400 years, the primary ingredient in bird's nest soup or "Caviar of the East" is saliva nests built by cave swifts. Among one of the most expensive animal products consumed by humans it is believed to aid digestion, raise libido, and even alleviate asthma as it is dissolved in water to create a gelatinous soup. In Hong Kong, a bowl costs up to $30. Red version can cost $10K per gram.

Rarest Travel Trips

No Country for Old Heavyweights

Vitali Klitschko, the nearly 37 year-old brother of Wladimir Klitschko, says he will return to the ring later this year in an attempt to win back his WBC title.

Joel and Ethan Coen's movie, "No Country for Old Men" won four Academy Awards the other night and the brothers shared the award for best picture, best director and best adapted screenplay.

The Academy Awards show ceremony got me to thinking about brothers and shared success.

I only watched a few rounds of the insomnia curing Wladimir Klitschko versus Sultan Ibragimov unification skirmish this past Saturday because that was all that I could stand before I felt a sudden need to poke pins in my eyes. And then I drifted off to sleep.

However, when I awoke, I learned the 31 year-old Wladimir Klitschko showed the skills that allowed him to win that fight hands down. Lots of pundits out there don't like the Klitschko's and they didn't like the manner in which "Dr. Steelhammer" went about beating the game plan out of Ibragimov, but he has to be considered the best heavyweight on the planet until he's thrown in with somebody that can prove otherwise. Looking out over the horizon I'm not sure who that somebody is or if that somebody even exists.

What I do know, however, is that Wladimir should be given the chance to prove that he's the best heavyweight in the world and he should be allowed to fight all the other titlists to unify the championship without an old heavyweight - namely his creaking big brother Vitali - stepping back into the heavyweight sandbox.


The Klitschko brothers, Vitali is on the left, have always been close and supportive of one another.

Vitali, known as "Dr. Ironfist" will be 37 years old in July and he has not been seen in a boxing ring since he pounded poor Danny Williams to a pulp in December 2004.

When Jose Sulaiman, the head of the Mexican World Boxing Council cartel, named Vitali a "Champion Emeritus" it was a terrible injustice. The designation allows the elder Klitschko to return to the ring at any point that he so desires and receive an immediate and undeserved title shot against whoever is using the WBC belt to hold up their trunks.

On March 8th in Cancun, Mexico, Oleg Maskaev, the WBC belt holder is going to face off against WBC interim titlist Samuel Peter for full bragging rights. It is fully expected that Vitali is going to exercise his "right" to a title shot not long after the dust settles in the bull ring where Maskaev and Peter will play their matador games.

And that, my friends, is a damn shame.

For boxing fans that salivate for a unified heavyweight champion, they're now slobbering like Pavlov's dog as young Wladimir holds the IBF and WBO belts. Wlad, who is likely in his prime, has already beaten Samuel Peter and would probably do so again. Wladimir has improved since he first met Peter while the oafish Nigerian has become a sloth-like lummox in boxing trunks. Peter's performance against fringe contender Jameel McCline, in which he was decked and seconds from being knocked out, have not inspired the confidence that "Big Sam" is anything more than a one dimensional, plodding, clubber with stamina problems.


Current WBC titlist Oleg Maskaev (left) will meet WBC interim titlist Samuel Peter next month in Cancun, Mexico and then Vitali wants to face the winner.

Wladimir would likely mash Oleg Maskaev into oblivion if they ever fought. Maskaev will be 39 a week before he steps into the ring with Peter and he has endured a series of injuries as well as a 15-month period of inactivity.

On the WBA side of the coin there's Ruslan Chagaev who fights out of Germany. He has put together a decent string of wins, but Chagaev is another smallish heavyweight in the mold of Ibragimov who would be dwarfed by the towering Klitschko. And Wlad would likely handle him with the jab, too.

The whole problem here is that the Klitschko brothers have a stated dream of being simultaneous heavyweight champions of the world. Vitali figures that he can return from a long retirement, forced by many supposed training injuries, and annex the WBC title, thus allowing he and little brother their chance to realize their "dream" of holding the titles at the same time.

Oh, and there would be no chance of those two ever facing one other like women tennis star sisters Venus and Serena Williams. The Klitschko brothers promised their mother they would never fight each other.


Wladimir currently holds two of the four available heavyweight belts (IBF/WBO). Vitali, on the right, wants to get his old green belt back from the WBC.

While this little fairy tale is great for Vitali, one now gets a whiff in the air that the simultaneous championship dream may have become a nightmare for young Wladimir.

"I'm ready to fight again as soon as possible," said Wladimir on Saturday night just after he won the decision over Ibragimov. A slight tinge of disappointment could be seen in his eyes when he realized that he may never become the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world by holding all four belts due to his brother re-entering the blurry heavyweight picture.

"I fought twelve rounds, but I didn't get hurt and I wish I could get another champion," said the eager Wladimir. "Next month we have Samuel Peter and Oleg Maskaev fighting so we'll see what's happening there, but my brother Vitali will be stepping in so we'll let him handle it. The WBA situation is Chagaev fighting somebody so we'll see if we get a chance to unify all the titles."

By any one's measure, Wladimir has been on a helluva run since he resurrected himself from the ashes after inexplicably burning out like a cheap light bulb against Lamon Brewster in 2004.

Since that loss, Wlad has gone 8-0 (5) KO's and he's won two heavyweight title belts. He got his feet back under himself against DaVarryl Williamson and Eliseo Castillo, squeaked by Peter, bludgeoned Chris Byrd, knocked out Calvin Brock with one punch, avenged the loss against Brewster and humiliated a hapless Ray Austin.

Then he basically beat Ibragimov with one hand the other night. Combined, the opponents he has faced since losing to Brewster in 2004 have had a won/loss record of 209-10 and four of those fighters were undefeated.

Wladimir should be allowed to continue his ascent without big brother stepping in his way. Wladimir's halfway there, he has a chance to make history by becoming the unified champ and it would be an opportunity for boxing, after all of these frustrating years, to finally point at one young guy and say, "There's the heavyweight champion if the world."

The other issue is that even if Vitali does manage to win the WBC title, he would likely only keep the belt just long enough to satisfy his own personal self-interests before he once again retired. He'd then give up the belt and throw it back to the jackals and put it back into the control of an unscrupulous sanctioning cartel that will ultimately sell the title to the highest bidder - and not the most deserving contender.


Wladimir could probably push his way past all of the other belt holders and become the unified champ if big brother Vitali wasn't getting in the way.

The heavyweight championship was once the greatest prize in all of sports. Now, with old Vitali coming back, it's like he's using the once hallowed title as a trophy case keepsake that he will one day point to and tell his grandchildren about.

The heavyweight championship should be about one man and one man only.

Vitali should do the right thing. He should step aside, stifle his ego and allow his younger brother the opportunity to unify all of the titles.

The heavyweight championship is no place for an old man.


February 2008

Lozada Joey De Venecia Alleged Wiretapped Conversation

I believed in Jun Lozada "sa kanyang krusada para sa katotohanan" but after hearing this, it somehow lessen the gravity of what is saying..i hope this political events will soon be over and continue what seems a good start for all of us. Totoo kaya ang conversation na to? Everyone has the right to know..i found this one in youtube...

Transcript below..

Joey (allegedly, Joey de Venecia): Hey Jun.
Jun (allegedly, Jun Lozada): Hey Joey.
Joey: Jun, can you hear me?
Jun: Yeah. Go ahead.
Joey: Yeah, where are you to put Chair (Abalos)?
Jun: Ang formula ko doon is kuha ako ng points dun sa 130.
Joey: Uh-huh…
Jun: Di ba? Kasi saan ko pa kukunin di ba? (laughs) Itong mga gago…
Joey: Kaya lang pare, we need to get some… at least from… something from them, di ba?
Jun: Yeah.. from both sides. P*tangina…
Joey: Pare.. start from the thing.. Because he’s the gatekeeper of the votes. P*ta. I can understand, but not that amount.
Jun: Oh yeah. that’s too big, right. That’s too big.
Joey: Pare, let’s develop a plan to talk to him.
Jun: Yeah, yeah, yeah. So…
Joey: And you know what he told me, between you and I. When we were in Hong Kong… in Shenzen. Don’t quote me ha. Sabi niya kasi, marami akong… Tinanong ko bakit ba ang laki-laki? Singkwenta.. Sabi niya marami ako kelangan bigyan. Pati yung NEDA. He said the word NEDA ha. P*tangina. For your information pare.
Jun: Information? I would understand that… He’d like to look at…
Joey: Maybe, wait, you can quote me and say, sabi ni Joey meron daw… sabi mo sa kanya may NEDA dun. (laughs) Di ba? He told me pare. (laughs)
Jun: Sige, sige…
Joey: P*tangina, baka magwala na naman yung… (laughs)
Jun: For some reason, I have this chemistry with him. Sabi ko Chair… In fact, sabi niya, Jun, ikaw na mag-referee bukas ha. Sabi niya, I want you to be there. Ikaw na mag-referee, ikaw na magsabi kung papaano. Sige po Sir, ako na ang mag-aano sa ano… (laughs)
Joey: Well anyway, so that’s where I’m looking at right now. .. ought to get you.. And then, uh, think of a strategy for Ben (Abalos?), and if you need me to back you up, I’ll be there.
Jun: Hey Joey, regarding this Chinese embassy thing. I think I struck a motherload no? I’ll put them in Roxas Boulevard. P*tangina, di ba?
Joey: In the Reformation?
Jun: No, p*tangina, that’s not prime. We’ll put them in the CCP complex.
Joey: Yup, got it.
Jun: P*tangina. Yeah, that’s, wala.. I can ??? that ??? agreement.
Joey: You mean, owned by the Central Bank?
Jun: Yeah! Can you imagine? P*tangina, same stature as the American embassy, better pa, di ba? The Japanese Embassy is in Roxas Boulevard. The American embassy is there. So p*ta, I just arrived that we put the Chinese embassy right in the midst of it all, di ba? Joey: Yes, yes, of course. That’s ??? to hear. That’s foresight.
Jun: … don’t mention my name. I think he knows me well.
Joey: Gaano kalaki, pare?
Jun: P*tangina, as much as 15 hectares. (laughs)
Joey: P*tangina. Tapos siguro kumuha rin tayo dun. Pero we need 10 finances.
Jun: No, no, no, no. P*tangina. I cannot just tell you all the things that I’ve been asked to do. But that one I think, I can ??? for ourselves.
Joey: I’ll talk to the…
Jun: Talk to him rightaway

DISCLAIMER

This post does not intend to broadcast wiretapped conversation & legality of alledged wiretapped conversation is yet to be established. Posted for info purposes only and downloaded from other sources other than this site. Everyone has the right to know the truth and educate themselves for whatever Internet info they can acces to.The exclusive purpose of this site is to educate internet users about the latest updates in our country and help them make decisions from choosing what the best information available.

Why your computer can be slow?

Unless you are using top of the line rig and processors you will not be having problem slowing down your computer but for those still using non core dou rig you will might be asking this question also..Why my computer can be slow? so..
There are several reasons why your computer can be slow. Especially when it happens suddenly, then it can be slow because of malware (spyware, adware, trojans, viruses..) present. However, it's not always malware causing this.
Installing new software which may not be compatible with other software present already, a fragmented drive, uncontrolled applications, lack of maintenance, a full disk etc etc.. cause a serious system slowdown. A lot of programs running in the background may cause a system slowdown as well, as they will steal away trace amounts of memory and processing time as your computer runs.

It is also a fact that older computers run slower than new computers. Unfortunately there isn't much you can change about this.

So, when your computer is slow, use this troubleshooting checklist to improve Computer Performance:

1. What are the Specifications of your computer, especially RAM (128MB, 256MB, 512MB, more...?)

To find out, rightclick My Computer and choose Properties > General tab.
If less than 512MB, pay attention to what software you install (memory requirement and processing time) and make sure you don't let them all starting up with windows. The more programs that start up with windows, the more resources they need > result > slow computer.

Every computer needs Security software installed (Antivirus+Firewall) and should start up with Windows/run in the background.
This is called the Real Time protection. In case you are having 512MB or less, choose an Antivirus and Firewall that doesn't require that much memory and processing time. So don't install "heavy" programs like Norton, Panda, McAfee, TrendMicro... in such cases. Because even though 512MB is enough to run them smoothly, keep in mind that there may be other programs installed/running in the background which require a lot from your processor as well.
So be selective here and check the system requirements first before you download and install them.

Even though you have more than 512MB ram and you have one of above Security Suites installed, test if it causes the slowdown by temporary uninstalling it (disconnect from the internet in a meanwhile) and see if that improves system speed. If so, then reconsider another Antivirus/Security Suite. Look here for the ones I recommend.
I am especially talking about Norton (Norton Internet Security), McAfee Security Suite and Zonealarm because they are known to cause a serious slowdown on some systems. Zonealarm mainly causes a startup delay.

This is the same for other software. Desktop enhancement tools, for example Window Blinds, XP Visual Styles, DesktopX.. may also slow down your system.


Don't let several programs start up with Windows if you don't need them right away. Many programs add a key in the registry automatically during install to let it start up with Windows. So once Windows has loaded, these programs stay running in the background without you really needing them. You can always start these programs manually via Start > All Programs when you need them. However, it is still important that your Antivirus and Firewall stays enabled and starts up with Windows.
All the rest is optional and it's up to you to decide which programs you think are useful to start up with Windows or not.

To disable some programs from starting up with windows, go to start > run and type: "msconfig" (without the quotes). Select the tab "Startup" and uncheck what you don't want to start up with Windows. You can always enable them afterwards again by selecting them.

If you don't know some programs listed there or unsure if they are needed or not, leave them enabled, or use RubberDucky's StartUpLite.
This will display all unnecessary startupentries - so actually, everything it displays there is not necessary to start up with Windows.
The choice is up to you whether you need some to start up with Windows (in that case, select "No action" for them) - but you can always start them manually via start > all programs.
(Do not choose the "Remove" checkboxes, because this will delete it from the Registry - only select the "Remove" checkboxes if you are sure you don't want to enable them again in the future)

2. Don't install more than one Antivirus and Firewall with Realtime Protection enabled.

This is a common mistake many users make. They think that having more than one Antivirus and Firewall installed will protect them in a better way. It won't.. On the contrary..
Rather than giving you extra protection, it will seriously decrease reliability and effectiveness ! The reason for this is that if both products have their automatic (Real-Time) protection switched on, your system may lock up due to both software products attempting to access the same file at the same time. Also, if more than one Antivirus and Firewall installed are not compatible with eachother, it can cause system performance problems and a serious system slowdown. It happens quite a lot that a system won't even boot properly because of more than one Antivirus and Firewall installed.
When having general computer problems and you have more than one AV/Firewall installed, this can be the main cause of your problems.

Concerning Antispywarescanners, it's ok for you to install more than one.However, it's not advised that you let them all start up with Windows, running as a Real Time scanner. Only keep one running in the background and disable the rest, because AntispywareScanners are also resource hogs. They are actually all doing the same, so it's really not needed to have more of them running in the background. After all, you do not use more than one different vacuum cleaner either to clean your carpet with.
Just let the Antispyware scanner(s) scan once in a while on demand.

3. Clean forgotten programs

Many users install Software and leave it installed without ever using it. They only use it a few times and never use it again because it's not exactly what they were looking for or not necessary anymore. In this case, uninstall them if you won't use them again.
In case you have software trials installed, keep in mind that most trials only work for a certain period of time. Once the trial expires, if you're not planning to purchase it, there is really no need to keep it installed, even running in the background/using extra disc space. So uninstall them.

To uninstall programs, go to start > controlpanel > software > add/remove programs and select what programs you want to uninstall. Make sure you reboot afterwards!

4. Clean unused files from your system

Deleting unused files allows Windows to run faster by freeing up valuable hard disk space.. These unused files are especially Temporary Files, URL history, cookies, Autocomplete form history, files present in Recycle bin...

Easy steps to do this manually:

1. Clean Cache and Cookies in IE:
   1. Close all instances of Outlook Express and Internet Explorer.
      
   2. Go to Control Panel > Internet Options > General tab
      
   3. Under Browsing History, click "Delete". This should open a new Window.
      
   4. Click "Delete Files", "Delete cookies" and "Delete history"
2. Clean Cache and Cookies in Firefox (In case Firefox installed):
   1. Go to Tools > Options.
      
   2. Click Privacy in the menu..
      
   3. Click the Clear now button below.. A new window will popup what to clear.
      
   4. Select all and click the Clear button again.
      
   5. Click OK to close the Options window.
3. Clean other Temporary files + Recycle bin
   1. Go to start > run and type: cleanmgr and click ok.
      
   2. Let it scan your system for files to remove.
      
   3. Make sure Temporary Files, Temporary Internet Files, and Recycle Bin are the only things checked.
      
   4. Click ok to remove them

There are some free programs doing this automatically for you. Some of them I recommend are:

• ATF Cleaner
  
• Ccleaner
  
• CleanUp!

Check your Cache size in Internet Explorer to see if it has the recommended size. If the Cache size is set too low or too high, it can cause slower performance. You can check the Cache Size under Tools > Internet Options > General Tab > Temporary Internet Files > Settings (button) > "Amount of disk space to use". Ideal would be between 50MB - 100MB.

If you have XP, and you have System Restore enabled (recommended), it won't hurt to delete all previous System Restore Points except for the latest one.
This because System restore points may use a lot of disk space as well.
To delete all restore points except the latest one, rightclick your drive (C:\ for example) and select "properties".
Click the "Disk Cleanup". Click the "more options" tab and select "Clean up" in the System Restore dialog box.

As a sidenote.. I do not recommend Registry Cleaners. This because some may rather damage than cleaning/fixing your registry.
Only use it if you have basic knowledge about the registry and know if a certain key/value is safe to be removed or not. Cleaning the registry won't really improve system performance anyway even though there are a lot of orphaned keys. If registry cleaning was really required, then Microsoft would have added this option already imho.
So use at your own risk. After all, a corrupted registry is a corrupted Windows.

Also, many people use tools to "tweak" Windows in order to improve system performance without really understanding what they are doing. Other people may instead manually tweak Windows settings such as disabling services, modifying the registry etc.
When doing this, it is important to be careful and fully understand the settings you are changing. Otherwise, this tweaking may not improve system performance, but actually cause future problems.
Just don't fix when it ain't broken.

5. Defragment Your Computer.

A fragmented drive causes a slow system.
Easy steps to defragment your drive:

1. open My Computer.
2. Rightclick on the drive you want to defragment and select "Properties".
3. Click on the Tools tab.
4. Select Defragment Now....

If all above steps were performed and you're still having the same problems - then check the IDE channels to see if they are running in PIO or DMA mode.
To do this, go to start > run and type: devmgmt.msc in order to open the Device Manager.
Doubleclick IDE ATA/ATAPI-Controllers > rightclick the Primary IDE Channel > Properties > Advanced Settings tab
In the Transfer Mode dropdown list - it should be set to "DMA if available"

So..In case above steps didn't work to improve speed/system performance, then you are most probably dealing with a Hardware or Malware issue.

ramilcvaliente...

Will Klitschko Be the Last One Standing?

Wladimir Klitschko and Sultan Ibragimov will be face-to-face on Saturday night at New York's Madison Square Garden.

To listen to hall of fame trainer Emanuel Steward tell it, Saturday night will be one of the most dangerous nights in the career of his charge, IBF heavyweight titlist Wladimir Klitschko. Wladimir will be facing off against WBO heavyweight belt-holder Sultan Ibragimov in a partial title unification fight at "The World's Most Famous Arena" - Madison Square Garden.

"Looking at him closely, I think he will be the best fighter Wladimir fought in his pro career," says a cautious Steward about the cagey Ibragimov. "He's not a big guy, but he knows how to win big fights over big guys. He has handspeed, he explodes and moves away quickly, he makes most big guys' size a handicap. I told Wlad this will be the best you have fought. We are not taking him lightly." Steward forgot to mention that Ibragimov is also a pesky southpaw.

While Klitschko is generally regarded as the number one heavyweight on the planet, there are Doubting Thomases who always point to the three times he has come apart like a cheap bale of hay. While the Ukrainian can be stunningly dominant in victory; in his losses he has shown a propensity to melt down like the Chernobyl nuclear reactor.

Saturday's fight, as long is it doesn't end in a draw, will take boxing a step closer to having one heavyweight champion - instead of five if you count Samuel Peter.


Klitschko is always trained to the minute and in supreme physical condition. At age 31 he may be in his prime.

While Klitschko and Ibragimov are both wearers of heavyweights title belts - they couldn't be any more different.

Klitschko is a weird dichotomy of a prizefighter. Movie star handsome and confident at 6'6" tall, he's well-muscled and lean at 250 pounds. He is the prototype of the 21st Century heavyweight. Think Ivan Drago from Rocky IV. Klitschko obtained a PhD. in Sports Science, hence the nickname "Dr. Steelhammer" he speaks several languages and he is as comfortable wearing Hugo Boss as he is Cleto Reyes. He has a long and established pedigree in boxing having won the gold medal in the 1996 Atlanta, Olympics. On top of all that he's a tireless philanthropist who is also a UN Ambassador of Goodwill. He has an air about him that is distinctly high class and refined.

On the other hand, Sultan Ibragimov, the undefeated WBO titlist, has the look of the neighborly Barney Rubble from The Flinstones cartoon. His hair appears as though he brushes it with a spatula and he usually has a rumpled and scruffy appearance. He's flabby, like a high school football player that graduated 20 years ago and he has a double chin with small, shifty eyes and he speaks a hushed, broken English. If nobody told you he was a boxer you might mistake him for the Maytag repairman.


Ibragimov is not of the same ilk that Klitschko is, but he's a titlist just the same and he has as good a chance of any in the wide-open heavyweight division.

While Klitschko has had a great deal of success as a fighter in only losing three times in 52 fights he's a two-time heavyweight world titlist, but he has flaws. He often seems nervous in the ring and in the first few rounds will throw bunches of punches without pacing himself. He won every round against trial horse Ross Purritty before having to quit due to exhaustion after ten rounds. He was cold-cocked in a complete disaster and stopped in two rounds by Corrie Sanders and then hyperventilated to a loss in a fight he was winning against Lamon Brewster in their first go-round.

Steward took over the training reins of Klitschko in 2004, and much like he rehabilitated Lennox Lewis, he has been trying to do the same with Klitschko. Steward has been attempting to relax Wlad, make him use his long left jab and keep his opponents at a safe distance so he can set them up for his power punches.

On more than one occasion since he teamed up with Klitschko, Steward has raised eyebrows when he claimed that Klitschko is one of the best he has ever trained, but that Wladimir has simply been hurt by his spotty performances and the lack of a marquee opponent.


Steward and Klitschko have forged a strong bond over the past few years and both hope to enjoy the fruits of their labor with a win against Ibragimov.

"He would transcend boxing, it does frustrate me," says Steward when asked to assess his star pupil. "I consider Wladimir one of the best heavyweights in history; moves on his feet and accurate punching. There are no 'names' out there, so he has to try to be the unified champion."

It used to be said, "As goes the heavyweight division, so goes boxing." But in 2007 that axiom was proven to be a falsehood. The sport had a renaissance year with plenty of all-star match-ups and scintillating individual performances. But the heavyweights continued to languish in mediocrity and obscurity. While the sport moved on and thrived the big men were practically forgotten about as most accepted the fact that the heavyweight division was a virtual wasteland.

Klitschko only fought twice last year and both of his fights took place in Germany far under the radar of the American media. Ibragimov won the WBO title in a sleeper of a fight from Shannon Briggs in front of a sparse crowd in Atlantic City and then immediately took the title to his homeland of Russia and defended it in another forgettable performance against the shopworn Evander Holyfield. For Klitschko, Saturday's fight will only be the third time he has fought in the United States since 2005.

When asked what direction his career is heading and what he wants to accomplish, Klitschko was honest with his answer.

"Through all the years we have been working together...we all knew that the best shot was the title shot, the unification. We had to fight another champion. We realized to be the best, let's just prove it. I felt I could accomplish a lot, get the best fighters out there. I feel thankful to Ibragimov, too. It's not an easy fight, but I am thankful. The deal with them wasn't difficult, we pretty much agreed in a short amount of time to all the points of the deal, it wasn't complicated."


Always smartly attired, Klitschko is pictured here on the front steps of what is otherwise known as "The World's Most Famous Arena".

Most knowledgeable boxing observers would admit that if Klitschko loses again that it will likely be the end for him as a serious force in the division. He has been able to resurrect himself after all three of his losses and move to a higher plane each time. But a loss to Ibragimov on Saturday night, particularly if he is stopped again, would spell the end for him. It would be nearly impossible for him to rise from the ashes of defeat a fourth time.

Klitschko has admitted that he doesn't really feel like the heavyweight champion of the world because the titles are not unified and no one man can lay claim to all of the belts. Gone are the days of Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson. Back then, anybody walking down any street in the world could tell you who the heavyweight champ was.

When asked what Saturday night means to him, Klitschko answered deliberately and logically, much like he fights.

"It's a unification fight...it's important, especially for the boxing fan and even for sports. The sport of boxing needs the heavyweight champion. I am looking forward to being the guy who holds one title... I am looking forward to winning the title and beating everyone in the ring."

Let's hope it's not too late to matter.


February 2008

Jermain Taylor Has 96 Ounces of Hope

Jermain "Bad Intentions" Taylor, former middleweight champion of the world, is telling anybody with ears that the main reason he lost the title to Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik back in September was because he just couldn’t make the division limit of 160-pounds anymore.

Taylor was handed his first loss and was knocked senseless by Pavlik in less than seven rounds when he was pinned in a corner and slowly slumped to floor under a vicious hailstorm of punches. Referee Steve Smoger didn't even bother to count when he jumped in to save Taylor and pull the rabid dog that was Pavlik off of him.

Taylor's undoing was one of the most complete and convincing defeats suffered by a young, undefeated champion in recent memory.

But Jermain Taylor claims that everything will be OK now, at least as far as he's concerned. Taylor figures the additional six pounds, or 96 ounces that he will be allowed to carry into the Las Vegas ring with him on Saturday night at the MGM Grand is going to make all the difference in the world. This time, Taylor believes he'll be standing over Pavlik – instead of the other way around.

The crystal ball that Jermain Taylor is gazing into reveals to him that if he weighs 166 pounds - instead of 160 - then all of his problems with Kelly Pavlik will simply vanish and he can move on with his life.

Most fighters who get knocked out in the manner that Taylor did will usually schedule a tune-up fight (or two) before jumping right back into the lion's den with the same cat that scratched them up. But Taylor claims the reason he decided to claw his way into an immediate rematch is, "to get back what I lost" and to show the world that the first fight was simply an aberration.


Jermain Taylor is saved by the referee as Pavlik celebrates his win at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey back in September 2007.

But even if he wins, Taylor will not win back his middleweight belts as this fight is a non-title affair being contested at 166 pounds. It's the magical weight number that Taylor and his brain trust had inserted into the rematch clause and written into the contract for their first fight which was negotiated in the event that Taylor lost.

Jermain claims that "for a long time" it's been nearly impossible for him to fit his growing body into a 160-pound suit and he thinks that a size larger, at 166, will be a better fit for him and give him some much needed elbow room.

Taylor says that after he had Pavlik on the deck and very nearly out in the second round of their first fight that he suddenly "got tired" and "didn't have the confidence" in his physical conditioning that he needed to finish Pavlik off. Sweating down to 160, he thinks, drained him.

As a result of the loss, Taylor jettisoned hall of fame trainer Emanuel Steward because "we didn't click" and instead has long-time friend, father figure and amateur trainer Ozell Nelson holding up the pads with a towel draped over his shoulder at their "secluded" training camp in Las Vegas.


Taylor hasn't had much fun over the past few years when it has been his turn to step on the scales.

Meanwhile, in Youngstown, Ohio it's business as usual for the middleweight champion of the world, Kelly Pavlik and the only trainer he has had since he first laced up a pair of gloves as a skinny nine-year old, Jack Loew.

Loew, a great observer of styles and challengers, as well as the capabilities of his man, has thoughts on the changes that Taylor has made.

"The rap on Taylor was he brought all his bad habits from his amateur days - he gets amateurish in the fights," says the burr headed Loew who is the owner-operator of an asphalt sealing business. "Ozell Nelson is the one that taught him all that. So I just want to thank Jermain for bringing the guy back that taught him all the bad habits."

But what about the extra six pounds, the firing of Steward and the moving of his training to Las Vegas where he can focus and get away from the distractions of his hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas? Those are the questions that many fire at Loew.

"Jermain can do whatever he wants," answers the confident and glowing trainer who is relishing his role as the strategist behind the world's best middleweight. "He can run Mount Charleston every day out there. We’re coming to fight, we’re prepared and there’s nothing he could change that’s going to do anything to us. It just goes back to the amateur part of Jermain Taylor coming out. He was swinging like an amateur, looked like a novice fighter swinging at Kelly and he blew it. So that said, that’s what it was."


Pavlik and Loew have trained, as they always do, at the Southside Boxing Club in Youngstown, Ohio. Pavlik says he's well prepared to meet Taylor again.

Taylor and his supporters are making a big deal of the fact that he won't have to struggle to make 160 pounds this time around and that he'll be stronger because of it. While that may be true, Pavlik, who is taller with a longer wingspan than Taylor, also has a rough time looking down at the scales to see 160 and he's very happy to have six pounds to play with as well. Pavlik says, "This time I can eat," and he figures he'll be stronger and faster with the extra weight, too.

So how does Kelly see this fight playing out?

"It all depends on his style and how I stick to my game plan," says the reserved Pavlik who has never been one to boast or make outlandish predictions.

"I don’t know how he’s going to react from that knockout. It was a stoppage. It was a pretty wicked knockout and neurologically I don’t know how’s he going to respond. I don’t know mentally if he’s going to be hesitant, if he’s going to come out firing. But, as you know, we prepare for anything. We prepare for everything that Jermain’s coming with. We’ll be prepared for him to come out banging. We prepare for him to come out boxing. So it’s just all on the 16th we’ll find out. One thing we do know, that obviously he took this fight that quick, so he really wants to redeem himself. So, we can’t take nothing lightly."

No, Kelly Pavlik can't take anything lightly at all, because Jermain Taylor is going to weigh 96 more ounces this time.


February 2008

ZTE-Controversy : Lozada`s Senate Testimony Transcript

Kaya po ako narito kasi marami nang nagsisinungaling tungkol sa kung may kinalaman. Gusto ko na rin pong matigil iyon kaya ako pumunta dito. Ayoko pong maging dahilan na magkasala ang iba sa Diyos at sa bayan dahil sa akin.

Kaya ako nandito para maliwanagan ang mga bagay na maraming tao ang nagtatanong.

Mabigyan ng liwanag 'yung mga bagay na maraming nagtatanong na nakakaapekto sa Pilipinas sa kinabukasan ng mga anak natin. Ang sasabihin ko po rito ay walang malisya kahit kanino. Wala naman ako kalaban.

Sasabihin ko na kung bakit ako umalis. Nun ho kasing lumabas ang subpoena ko... Matagal na ho akong inimbita ng Senado, nung September pa ho. Hindi ako pumupunta dahil natatakot ako at nagpaalam ako kila Sec. Neri na inimbita na ako. Binanggit daw po ako ni Sen. Pimentel.
Tinanong kung kilala ako.

So, magmula ng araw na iyon takot na ako na baka mapunta ako dito.

Sinabi ko po kay Sec. Neri iyon. Sumulat ako sa DENR kay Sec. Atienza at sabi ko kila Sec. Neri sana 'wag ako makarating sa Senado. Matagal na iyon. Kala ko patay na 'yung NBN-ZTE deal na iyon para tuluy-tuloy na ko sa tuba-tuba.

Masaya ako sa ginagawa kong trabaho. Nung lumabas na naman 'yung subpoena, tinanong ko si Sec. Neri kung ano ang gagawin ko. Sabi niya bahala na raw ang Palasyo sa akin.

Pumunta ko kay Sec. Atienza. Si Sec. Atienza, hindi naman alam kung ano ang kinalaman ko rito eh. Nung pumunta po ako sa office ni Sec. Atienza two days before iyong hearing dito.

Tinanong niya ako, pinasok niya ako sa kwarto sa DENR. Sabi niya Jun ano ba kinalaman mo rito. Sabi ko, Sec ano ba gusto mong kwento, iyong salient points lang o from the top. Sabi niya from the top, ikwento mo sa akin lahat.

Ikinuwento ko sa kanya lahat. At nang nalaman niya, sabi niya, pag kinuwento mo sa publiko ito, magagalit sila. Ibibigay mo 'tong gobyernong ito sa oposisyon.

Sabi ko, Sir, ayoko ding mapunta doon. Hindi ko naman ho gulo 'yan. Simpleng tao lang po ako. At tsaka marami na po akong death threats. Sabi niya oh sige, tingnan natin ang magagawa natin para hindi ka makarating doon. Ano ba ang gusto ko?

Sabi ko ito lang ang gusto kong mangyari. Huwag niyo na akong paratingin sa Senado. Tigilan na iyong death threats sa akin. At pangatlo, kung ako makakarating sa Senado, hindi ko ho... kilala ang sarili ko, baka hindi ako makapag-sinungaling.

So, two weeks po ata iyon so nung Martes pumunta ako kay Deputy Executive Secretary Manny Gaite. Nobody knew my role. Very few people knew my role so pinagpaliwanag uli ako ng mga tao ni Manny Gaite at nung nandoon na siya.

Sabi niya ganun uli, 'Anong gusto mo?' I've been very consistent sa buhay ko. Inulit ko sa kanila, 'wag n'yo na lang hong paratingin sa Senado. Patigilin 'yung death threats. Kung sakaling hindi n'yo mapipigilan ang Senado, baka hindi ako maka-ano.. I have to tell them the truth under oath.

Sabi nung mga tao ni Deputy Secretary Gaite na pinag-aaralan iyong mga legal remedies para 'wag ako makarating sa Senado, sabi nung mga tao ni Dep. Sec. Gaite, mukhang wala silang makitang legal remedy to stop the Senate from getting me.

So, (they) decided right there and then siguro after lunch, sabi nila kailangan lumabas si Jun. So, inayos po nila 'yung travel documents ko.

Pinagawa ako ng mga travel request, pina-ante-date at pinaalis po ako papuntang Hong Kong.

At pagpunta ng Hong Kong, akala nila pagkatapos ng hearing na iyon, closure report na ang NBN-ZTE.

Makakabalik na po ako ng Pilipinas kasi tapos na. So iyon po, kaya ako umalis. Wala po akong balak mambastos ng senador pero naniniwala ako na habang ako ay nasa gobyerno, l will toe the government line.

Nung nasa Hong Kong po ako, napakalamig dun. There was one, hindi ko na po maalala kung anong araw, tinawagan ako ni Sec. Neri. Gumawa raw ako ng sulat para kay Sen. Enrile para ma-withdraw na 'yung motion na arestuhin ako, dahil pinapaaresto na raw ako.

So pinagawa ako ng sulat. Sabi ko hindi ko naman kilala si Sen. Enrile. Baka magtataka iyon dahil hindi niya din ako kilala. Magtataka iyon bakit ako sumusulat sa kanya, parang best friend na susulatan mo na lang ng basta-basta.

Sabi niya, hindi, sumulat ka na lang kami na bahala. Hindi ko nga alam kung ano ang isusulat. They texted me what to write. Hindi ko na lang natago 'yung text.

Mayroon doon na kasama na rin si FG na parang walang kinalaman si FG dun sa mga nalalaman ko. Hindi po sinali iyon kaya pasensya na kayo Sen. Enrile, mali-mali lang iyong grammar.

Sabi ko ho sa kanila, gusto ko nang umuwi kasi 'yung asawa ko alalang-ala na. Tsaka hindi ako makatulog sa Hong Kong. Dalawang oras lang po ang tulog ko nun.

So last week, tinawagan ako ni Sec. Atienza. Sabi niya, 'kelan ka ba dapat umuwi,' February 7? So umuwi ka na ng February 5. Don't take (a flight) 'yung maraming tao. 'Yung alanganing oras ka umuwi.

Ako naman po masaya dahil gusto ko naman pong umuwi na. Ang instruction, sabi ko, Sec paano po iyong arrest warrant sa akin?

Sabi niya, nakausap na namin si (Immigration commissioner) Libanan. Okay ka na sa Immigration basta dumere-deretso ka lang. Hindi ka iho-hold ng Immigration. Tapos pasalubong ka na lang. Okay ka na. Iyon na po ang huling usapan namin. Kampante po ako roon na tapos na ito.

Pagbaba po sa eroplano, may mga kumuha sa aking mga lalaki, hindi ko naman mga kilala. Tapos pag-apak na pag-apak ko, they grabbed me by my arms and said, 'Ito na, ito na ang subject.'

Kinuha ako, nilabas ako sa tube, sabi ko, 'Teka, teka may mga sasalubong sa akin dito at sabi sa akin ni Secretary I have to go to Immigration.'

'Hindi, hindi ipinapakuha ka sa amin.'

Dinala po ako, ilalabas sana ako sa tarmac deretso doon sa... basta napakabilis ng mga pangyayari, narinig ko lang sa radyo nila, 'Wag kayong dadaan diyan. Andiyan 'yung mga taga-Senado.

So nilihis po nila ako. Inakyat ako sa departure tapos sinakay na uli ako sa elevator. Binaba na uli ako pababa sa tarmac. Sinakay ako sa sasakyan. Nagatatanong ako saan ako dadalhin, saan ako dadalhin.

'Basta sir, relax lang, relax lang. Wala kaming gagawin sa iyo.'

Pero sabi ko saan tayo pupunta. Iikot daw nila ako. Lumabas po kami, kilala sila ng mga security airport. Very obvious nandoon 'yung sasakyan namin. Tapos inilabas na ako, inikut-ikot kami sa airport. Tapos dinaan sa Villamor, sa Fort Bonifacio... Tapos all the while, may mga
nagte-text ho ang radyo. Naririnig nila lahat ng radyo doon sa Senado, lahat. They're pretty well equipped.

Naaawa nga ako sa mga taga-Senado. Kwentuhan sila nang kuwentuhan, naririnig naman sila ng mga kumuha sa akin.

'Di ko alam kung ilang sasakyan 'yung magkakasama kaming lahat basta marami sila. Dadalhin daw ata ako sa Dasmariñas, Cavite. So sinilent mode ko na po 'yung telepono ko. And I texted my brother na may dumukot na sa akin. Bumulnot. Bicolano po kasi so, ang loose translation, may kumuha na sa akin.

So naturally my family was really, really alarmed. So ako naman po ng narinig ko na nasa Southwoods na kami... Nung narinig ko na sa Dasmariñas, Cavite ako dadalhin, naisip ko po si Dacer.

So nag-text ako kaagad sa kapatid ko na i-triangulate kaagad kung nasaan itong telepono ko. Telecom engineer naman po ako so alam ko ang mga kakayahan sa telecom. Sabi ko, 'Do your best to triangulate and find this signal.

Tapos sinabihan nila ako, 'Sir, tumigil na po kayo sa kate-text. Nakukuha lang naman namin eh.'

So inikut-ikot pa rin nila ako. Ang layo na po namin. Nasa Calamba na ako. Nagte-text na ako. Sabi ko, 'Madilim na, gabi na.' Sabi ko, 'Do your best to find me.' Hanggang pinapatay na iyong telepono sa akin.

Tapos nung nasa may Los Baños na kami, may natanggap silang tawag. Sabi nung mga nasa harapan ko, "Ibalik na raw, ibalik na raw. Napakainit na raw ng media.' Nagpapasalamat po ako sa mga taga-mediang naghanap sa akin.

Nung pabalik na kami, tumigil kami sa isang gasoline station, gumawa ka sir ng sulat na nagre-request ka ng security detail sa amin. Sabi ko, may nakita akong Starbucks, 'Doon sa Starbucks para may lamesa. Makatanggal-tanggal din ng konting kaba.'

Sabi niya, 'Hindi, kami ho ang lalabas.' So lumabas 'yung isang kasama, kumuha ng papel. Naiwan ako doon sa isang mas bata. Sabi ko, 'Alam mo ikaw bata ka pa. Huwag ka kakong pagagamit sa masama.'

So bumalik po sila. Sulat-kamay na naman. Sabi nila, 'Sir gumawa ka na ng sulat na nagre-request ka na ng security sa amin.' So ginawa ko rin po iyon. And then ibinalik na ako sa Maynila. 'Sir, itu-turn over na raw ako sa pulis.'

So dinala po nila ako sa Outback (restaurant) sa Libis. Pagdating po namin doon, tinurnover na po ako. Nakilala ko na ngayon si... Ang pakilala niya sa akin si George... pero siya pala si Paul Mascariñas at nanduon si Atty. Bautista. They were supposed to have dinner.

So nung pabalik na 'ko, kahit pala nung papunta pa 'ko. Tinawagan ako ni Sec. Atienza. Sabi niya, 'Jun huwag kang mag-alala. Relax ka lang. Mga tao natin 'yan. Relax ka lang.'

Tapos tumawag din po si Sec. Neri. Sabi niya, 'Jun, patahimikin mo. Calm, calm your wife down. Calm your wife down. They're panicking in the media.' Sabi niya, 'Tawagan mo.' Sabi ko, 'Sir, she cannot calm down. I have to go. She has to see me. Hindi titigil iyon.'

So pasensya na po kayo. Ganun na ka-praning (ang) pamilya ko dahil sa dami ng death threat na tinatanggap namin. Napatayan na ko ng kapatid ko nung 2001. Napatay 'yung kapatid ko, wala ring nangyari.

So sabi ko kay Sec. Neri, 'Rom, gusto ko nang umuwi.' So dinala po ako roon sa Outback sa Libis. Nandun na si Atty. Bautista, saka 'yun nga 'yung lawyer, and they were about to eat.

Pagkadating ko, nakikain ako. Iyong unang platong nakita ko kinain ko na. Hindi naman pala sa akin iyon. Sa sobrang gutom na dinaanan ko. Si Atty. Bautista was asking me kung ano... obviously he knows me already.. certain questions because he will prepare my affidavit.

So mukhang they decided to bring me na to the Senate dahil daw sa sobrang init na. But they want me to sign my affidavit first before I go to the Senate. Then sabi niya, 'Saan po kayo puwedeng..' Pagkakain, ininterview na po ako ni Atty. Bautista. Sabi ko, 'Puwede na po ba akong umuwi?'

Sabi nila, 'Hindi, sir hindi ka puwedeng umuwi sa bahay baka maraming media doon.' So sabi ko pwede bang... 'Sir, sa Rembrandt na lang namin kayo dadalhin.' Takot pa rin ako nun. So pwede bang sa La Salle Greenhills na lang. Kasi 'yung mga anak ko, tinago, kung baga nasa sanctuary na ng La Salle Greenhills. Tinutulungan na ho ng mga Brothers dun. Isa rin ho sila sa malaking pasasalamatan ko.

So buti naman po iyong anak nitong si Col. Mascariñas, gumraduate sa La Salle at scholar pa pala ng La Salle Brothers. So I struck a very sympathetic chord with him. 'Ah, ganun ba? Sige, doon na kita dadalhin.' You cannot imagine ganoon kadaming dasal na pasasalamat ang inabot ko po nang dinala ako sa La Salle Greenhills.

So iyon po 'yun. Nandun 'yung asawa ko. Nakita na. At 'yung mga kapatid ko, after a while, nung nalaman na andoon ako, takbuhan doon makita lang na buhay ako. Pero po 'yung mga bantay ko nandun pa rin.

So kinabukasan ho, kinuha uli ako. Dinala ako sa office ni Atty Bautista where he has already prepared the affidavit for me. And I had to fill out certain blanks there. Address ng opisina namin. Anong klaseng engineer ba ako. After that, nai-type na nila. Pinakain na po ako ni Atty Bautista and his wife, who is a very gracious host.

After nun, sabi niya pirmahan ko na ang affidavit ko. Sabi ko, 'Atty Bautista, I have some reservations about this affidavit.' Sabi niya, 'Okay lang 'yan. Just sign it. Para na rin sa comfort ng Malacañang 'yan.' So I signed it. And they brought me back to La Salle Greenhills para makapagpahinga na rin ako, to prepare for the Senate hearing which was supposed to be yesterday.

At nung gabi na iyon, bumalik naman si Col. Mascariñas with a typewritten letter na kailangan ko ring pirmahan. Sulat na naka-address 'ata sa PNP that I was requesting for security for protection. So lahat po ng isubo nila sa akin, I had to sign. Siguro naintindihan niyo naman. Nandun sila sa akin. So I had to sign it.

Tapos nung pinirmahan ko 'yun, hindi pa 'ata nagtahi-tahi 'yung kuwento nila sa media, so he came back again. Sabi niya nung gabi, 'Papirmahan mo rin ito sa kapatid mo.'

So ayaw ng ate ko po. Sabi ng ate ko, 'Hindi ako umabot ng sisenta (60) anyos para lang siraan ang pangalan ko.' Sabi ko sa ate ko, pirmahan mo na para makaalis na sila. So umalis na po sila after my sister signed.

So nung gabi pong iyon, binisita rin ako ni Mike, Mike Defensor. Magkaibigan po kami nun. Binisita po ako ni Mike. At meron po 'ata (akong) nakalimutan. Nung nandun ho pala si Col. Mascariñas, tinawagan din po pala niya ako. Gusto kang makausap ni Gen. Razon.

Nakikita kong hirap na hirap si Gen. Razon. Sabi ko sa kanya, 'Sir, pasensya na po kayo. Pati kayo nadadamay sa akin.' Kasi nakikita ko ho na nag-aano siya sa media... he was forced to say a lie. So naawa ako sa kanya actually. I know he's a good man but napipilitan pa siyang magsinungaling.

So nung pumunta po si Mike nung gabi na 'yun. Sabi sa akin ni Mike, 'Pare, this thing has grown out of, way, way out of proportion na to.' Sabi ko, 'Oo nga Mike, hirap na hirap na 'ko dito. Sinabi ko naman sa inyo simula't-sapul pa ayokong ma involve-involve diyan.'

Sabi niya, 'Di bale, 'di bale. Gagawan natin ng paraan 'yan.' Sabi niya, 'Pwede bang tumawag ka na ngayon sa media.' Either si Mike Enriquez, si.. sino pa ba 'yung babaeng broadcaster? Hindi ko matandaan. 'Tumawag ka na. Just make a statement na hindi ka naman talaga kinidnap. Na wala ka naman talagang alam dito.'

Sabi ko, 'Mike ayoko nang gumawa ng... dadagdag pa ako sa gulo eh. Pwede bang hindi na ako magsasalita. And he was so gracious. Sabi ni Mike, 'Oh eto panggastos-gastos.'

Kaibigan ko po iyang si Mike. Sabi niya, 'Puwede bang bukas mag-press conference ka na. Kaya 'yang press conference na iyan, press conference ni Mike 'yan eh (laughs). Kasi sabi ko kay Mike, "Mike lahat naman ng inuutos niyo sa akin, sinusunod ko kaya lang sabog nang sabog. Sabi niya sa akin umalis ako, pumunta ako ng Hong Kong dahil tapos na ito, closure report na. Hindi, pinaaresto ako. Kaysa umayos, lalong lumala.

Pinaaresto ko. Sabi ka ko ni Sec. Atienza, umuwi na ko. 'Yung pang-hapon, sinunod ko umuwi naman ako, nagkagulo pa rin... Sabi niya, mag-press conference ka na lang bukas. Sabihin mo na hindi ka kinidnap, wala kang kinuhang ano... So pagpasok ko sabi ko, 'Mike, ang hirap hirap na nito.'

So pagbalik ko po sa kwarto ko kinuwento ko sa asawa ko iyong ano, sinabi kong tumawag pa rin si Sec. Neri. Sabi ko 'Rom, hirap na hirap na ako sa kalagayan ko.' Sabi ko, 'Meron na akong maraming problema sa labas. On the domestic front nagkakaproblema na ako. My wife is wreck already.

Kung wala lang ako, natatakot na kasi hindi alam kung saan ako dadalhin.

Sabi ko nga sa kanya, hirap na hirap na 'ko sa domestic front. Mas mahirap kasi I am the only to work on her. Sa external front marami tayo. Nung gabi pong iyon, kinuwento ko sa asawa ko 'yung plano na magpapa-press conference na ako. Sabi ko nga kay Mike, 'Mike kayo na ang mag-ayos ng statement.'

My wife, sabi niya, 'Puwede bang tawagin na natin si Sister. Hindi ko na kaya 'tong pinaggagagawa mo.' Tinawag na namin sila Sister. 'Yung mga kaibigan naming madre. Sinabi nga ng asawa ko 'yung predicament namin.

Kinuwento ko rin sa mga Brother tsaka doon kay Bishop 'yung kinalalagyan na namin. Tuluy-tuloy na ito. Sabi ko, 'If I do this, I'll get suck into this already. Tuluy-tuloy na. Kasali na ako rito.'

Sabi po ng mga madreng kausap namin at 'yung mga pare, 'Jun wala nang katapusan 'yan. Let's pray over it. And after praying, magdesisyon ka kung sasama ka na diyan. Irerespeto natin 'yan. O you will stick with the light.' Medyo tumagos sa puso ko 'yung sinabi nung pare. I prayed over it. Mga aalas-dose na po iyon. Nagdesisyon po ako, which really made my wife freak out, na I will just go to the Senate na lang. I will submit myself to the Senate panel. Enough of this, sabi ko. Hindi na ko makikisali sa mga pinapapirmahan sa akin.

So nung gabing 'yun, after ng prayer, natatakot 'yung asawa ko kung ano ang mangyayari. Nagdesisyon na po 'yung mga madre at pare na para sa ikabubuti ng proteksyon ng buhay mo, mag-press conference na tayo.

Sabi namin, 'Sus maryosep.' Alas dos y media (2:30 a.m.) na po ata 'yun o ala una na (1 a.m.). Sabi ko, 'May tao bang pupunta sa atin?' Sabi niya, 'Hayaan mo na. Basta on record lang na sinabi mo na 'yung gusto mo.' Kasi baka doon sa baba... 'yung mga pulis, nandoon pa eh. So iyon po kaya ako nag-press conference kahapon. Na nadesisyunan na that I will stick to the truth and I will come, submit myself to the Senate. Kaya po ako nandito.

Tutungo na po ako doon sa kinalaman ko sa ZTE deal. Teka lang po at marami po akong scribble scribble kasi. Medyo matagal na po iyon (Goes over his notes and prepares documents)

(Sen. Loren Legarda asks if the Senate committee has already been furnished with the affidavits Lozada was talking about. Sen. Cayetano replies in the negative)

(Sen. Jinggoy Estrada: Masyado lang po akong nababahala sa sinabi ninyo Engr. Lozada. Magkano ba talaga ibinigay sa inyo ni Mike Defensor? [crowd laughs])

Mr Senator hindi ko po binuksan, baka matukso pa 'ko (laughs). Hindi po, maliit na sobre lang.

Pupunta na po ako doon sa....As I said kanina, ang sasabihin ko po ay 'yung aking personal na partisipasyon lang at 'yung ibang bagay na alam na naman ng publiko. At uulitin ko po, ikukuwento ko lang to without malice to no one.

Nag-umpisa po itong partisipasyon ko sa ZTE-NBN sometime late September 2006, nung ipinakilala po sa akin ni Sec. Neri si chairman Abalos sa Wack-Wack because chairman Abalos wanted to pursue a telecom project in government. And usually sa mga ganyang pag-uusap, the secretary would always invite me.

Nang nandun po sa meeting namin usually with chairman Abalos si Ruben Reyes, si Leo San Miguel and 'yung mga taga-ZTE si Yong at tsaka si Fan Yang.

'Yun, very light lang, kwentu-kwentuhan. And then sabi ni Sec. Neri, O Jun ano ang tingin mo? Sabi ko, it's, it's a project. So sabi niya let chairman Abalos course it through the proper channels.

And a few weeks after that, and the first proposal came from CICT to NEDA. The Sec gave me a draft of it, sabi niya Jun tingnan mo, pag-aralan mo kung ano 'yung mga nandito.

I remembered reviewing the docus especially the financials, at sabi ko, the most salient point I can remember po after that, sanay naman po akong tumingin ng mga project body, is the financial basis for the entire financial projection, so many spreadsheets of the financial justification.

But what struck me the most was that, 'yung basis nila of gov't telecom expenses dahil 'yun po ang ginamit nila na para maging basehan ng kanilang napakaraming projection, they took it from a tabloid.

They took it from Abante Tonight na September 20 , 2006 issue. From that factor alone I said, how the heck can a multi-billion project of government be based upon figures coming from a tabloid? 'Yun 'yung sinabi ko kay and then ang sinabi ko, I don't know why, it might ...the form might be really really good kako but there's no substance there.

While Sec Neri was in DBM I drafted a memo for him to all government agencies to submit all telecom expenses classified into fixed, mobile, and data. We never got it. So whoever 'ka ko has these figures, I will really, really like to find out where they got this.

So 'yun ang recollection ko when I look at that paper.

And I told Leo San Miguel, Leo ayusin n'yo to, kasi sasabog ito. Itong feasibility study n'yong 'to. And then sabi ko sa kanya, ang dami-dami dun tungkol sa education tanggalin n'yo na ang education portion na 'yan, dahil sabi sa akin ni Sec Neri 'yang cyber educ na 'yan, OK na 'yan. Meron nang hahawak diyan kaya dapat mahiwalay kayo d'yan.

So 'yun po 'yung natatandaan ko dun.

After a few weeks, Sec Neri again invited me to a core presentation sa NEDA kasi daw 'yung anak ni Joe De Venecia will make a presentation, about broadband network din.

So nandun ako, nagpunta rin ako, may broadband network project din si Joey mukhang maganda naman, maganda pong magsalita si Joey, tapos B-O-T [Build-Operate-Transfer].

So tinanong sa akin ni Sec Neri, ano appropriate ba 'yan? And that's the time na he told Joey, o sige i-pursue mo pa 'yang development ng project mo.

And then nung tinanong ako ni Sec Neri - Jun, kamusta na ba 'yung mga project na 'to? How are they different? Sabi ko, they are only different in their financial transaction to government - one is BOT, one is on a loan basis.

Sabi n'ya, can you reconcile? Sabi ko, I think so, 'ka ko. Sabi niya, alagaan mo 'yang dalawang 'yan kasi, they have both good political sponsors. So that's how he termed it.

So I called up for a meeting and met with them and I proposed for a structure. Eto 'ka ko ang instruction sa akin ni Secretary Neri, to reconcile your proposal. Sabi ko why don't we work by objectives?

Kung ang objective ni Joey is to do BOT, si Chairman Abalos is to do a supply agreement with gov't, sabi ko why don't we do it this way: eto si Joey 'ka ko let him have his BOT, anyway walan namang financial sa gobyerno. Tapos ikaw chair, dahil ano mo naman talaga, objective mo is to do a supply agreement, why don't you supply Joey? Ganon na lang 'yung agreement. They both liked it.

So I made it a win-win situation, and after that I left them to their own discussions na. Kaya marami na ho silang pag-uusap nun.

And then, the trouble started when chairman Abalos called me. He said, Jun, mukhang maganda na ‘tong structure na ‘to. Proteksyunan mo lang 'yung 130 natin d'yan.

Sabi ko, chair, mukhang malaki 'yun. Sa vernacular nga po, alam ko ho sa Tagalog 'yun kasi Tagalog naman kami pag nag-uusap, hindi kami nag-i-inglisan, sabi ko, sir, bubukol po ‘yan. Napakalaki n’yan.

Baka po 65 pwede pa, kasi 65 out of 200, ano baka mga 33 percent, bale sasabihin ko po kay Joey.

Nung sinabi ko kay Joey na Abalos wanted 130, oh, Joey has a very colorful language, 'no? Hindi ko na uulitin. So ano, sabi niya papaano ko ‘to ire-reflect sa libro 'yan? Malabo 'yan? So sabi ko kay chair Abalos, sir, malabo talaga.

So sabi ngayon ni chairman Abalos, sabi niya, in between po 'yan ng mga golf games namin, ‘di ko na po maikukwento 'yan, ‘di ko na natatandaan lahat. Sabi niya didirestso na uli ako.

Sabi ko, chair, hindi kayo pwedeng dumiretso kasi loan basis 'yung proyekto ninyo. Kabilin-bilinan po sa akin ni Sec Neri at according po kay Presidente ang NBN BOT lang ho dapat 'yan.

So ang ano n'ya is medyo nagagalit siya. Sabi niya, ‘o sige tawagan natin si pare. Tawagan natin si FG.’

Kinuha niya telepono niya, sabi niya, “pare, nandito sa katabi ko 'yung taga-NEDA." He calls me taga-NEDA kasi kay Sec Neri. Ang sabi niya ang sabi n'yo raw hindi pwedeng i-utang 'yung project ko.

'Di ko na lang po naririnig 'yung sa kabila. Ang sabi niya, “kung ganyan kayo kahirap kausap, ayoko na rin kayong kausap. Kalimutan n'yo na lahat 'yung pinag-usapan natin." Tapos binaba na niya. Tatawag ‘yun, sabi niya.

Si chairman Abalos po pag kaibigan niya napakabuting kaibigan, well tumawag nga. Sabi n'ya, OK na.

Kaya ko po nalaman na totoo 'yun, kasi po kinabukasan po may dumating na sulat galing… ba’t ba sinabi kong kinabukasan, basta right after. Basta napakabilis po. May dumating na sulat mula sa Chinese ambassador na binigyan ng kopya 'yung NEDA na meron nang available na loan facility sa NBN, independent of the cyber education.

So napabilib ho ako nun. Nag-report ako kay Sec. Neri sabi ko, Rom, siga talaga ‘tong si chairman, no? Sabi niya, Jun, kaya mag-iingat ka. Mag-iingat ka kasi hindi pwedeng mag ano 'yan, so do your best na maano 'yan.

And sabi niya, “you moderate their greed."

So ako naman during nung mga ganoong kalagitnaan, 'yung mga ZTE panay naman 'yung pa-dinner sa akin. Cheap lang po ako, sa dinner lang ako nakukuha e, so panay ang pa-dinner sa akin, alalang-alala na raw po sila, dahil 'yung mga advances nila kay Abalos wala pa ring nangyayari.

Sabi ko sa kanila, 'wag kayong mag-aalala, umaandar na 'yung project n'yo.

So sometime toward December na po, siguro kakukulit nitong mga taga-ZTE, nandito po kami ni chair Abalos sabi niya, “tawagan mo si Joey mag-dinner tayo sa Makati Shangri-La nandun si FG."

So nag-dinner po kami, nandito po ako (points direction) nandito si Ben Abalos, nandito si Joey after a while po kasi may dinner din po sila. Umupo na rin sa harap namin si FG.

Parang gusto ipakita ni chair Abalos, pare, “OK na kami. OK na kami. OK na rin kami sa NEDA." So nagkwentuhan na rin po kami sa ibang project.

Ayoko na po munang banggitin kasi baka lumaki pa ho 'yung mga problema ko. So nagpunta na sila ng China. Dapat po kasama ako dun, buti na lang sinabihan ako ni Sec Neri na huwag ka nang sumama d'yan at magulo 'yang grupo na 'yan.

So hindi ako sumama. Pagbalik po nila ng Enero, eto na anaman po…may lunch na naman po kami. Pasensya na po, puro kami lunch, dinner. Nagpunta po kami sa Shangri-La Makati. Si Sec Neri ako, si chairman Abalos, 'yung bagong commercial counselor ng China, ZTE, at 'yung usual na kasama ni chair Abalos pinalalabas po ni chair Abalos sa kwentuhan sa ZTE na eto OK na 'yung project natin.

Sec Neri took exception to the project. Sabi niya, “no hindi pwede 'yan, hindi talaga 'to pwedeng loan, ang project n'yo dapat BOT."

Insist po nang insist 'yung mga taga-ZTE na gusto nila ng financial package sa NBN dapat may loan agreement parang sa Northrail. Ulit sila nang ulit sa Northrail. Maybe they know something about Northrail that I do not.

'Yun 'yung lagi nilang ini-insist. Ang sabi nila ang gusto nilang agreement ay similar to Northrail. I don’t know why the insistence.

Magaling po sir, si Neri, magaling po 'yung samahan namin n'yan eh. Nung nakita n'yang nagkakainitan na 'yung ulo ng mga tao doon, sabi niya aalis na po, guys I have to leave in 5 minutes.

'Yung mga nakakakilala kay Sec Neri alam n'yan. “Guys, I have to leave in 5 minutes." So tayo na siya, tatayo na rin ako, tapos sabi niya, “but Jun, Jun will stay behind."

Sabi ko, patay.

Pag-alis, I walked with him [Neri] sabi ko anong instructions mo dito?

Sabi n'ya, find out what’s happening.

Pagpasok ko sa kwarto, nagsisigawan na 'yung si chairman Abalos at 'yung mga taga-ZTE. And I told the commercial (counselor), that’s why you do not do projects like this.

January 18 po. Bakit po sa lahat ng sinasalaysay kong istorya sa inyo, January 18 lang ang natatandaan ko? Kasi po, nung January 18 nasa Dumaguete ako nun, dahil sa trabaho ko sa [Philippine] Forest Corporation, papunta akong Bacolod, nagda-drive lang po kami papuntang Bacolod kasama ko pa nga po si Henry Teves eh, 'yung nasaktan sa Congress.

Tumawag po si chairman Abalos sa akin, sabi niya: Jun, alam ba ni Neri ang ginagawa n'yo? Opo, chair. Alam ba ni Neri ang ginagawa mo? Opo, chair. 'Di ba alam mo namang malapit ako sa militar? Opo, chair. 'Di ba malapit naman ako sa intelligence? Opo, chair. Alam ko po malapit siya sa (MIG-) 17, 'yung mga nanduon sa wiretapping.

Tapos pinagmumura niya po ako. Lahat ng klase ng mura. Kumota (quota) po ako nung gabing yun. Sabi niya 'yung CD ninyo nina Joey, nandirito sa akin lahat. Mga hayop kayo! Ipagsasampal ko sa inyo lahat 'to! Ako pa tinalo ninyo. Ganun, marami pa po 'yun. Ayoko na pong ikwento.

At ang tinapos niya sa akin, 'yung tawag niya. Sabi n'ya, PI ka, huwag kang magpapakita sa akin sa Wack-Wack o sa Mandaluyong at ipapapatay kita.

And those who know chairman Abalos, eh matatakot ka. So, January 18 po 'yun, dun po natapos 'yung personal kong partisipasyon doon.

I told Rom (Neri), Rom my goodness, you have put me in so much trouble for this. This is something not worth putting my life at risk for.

Umalis na po ako kay Romy. Sabi n'ya, 'wag ka nang humarap d'yan, background ka na lang.

Nung Pebrero po, nakita ko na lang na tinransfer 'yung project from CICT to DOTC.

There was an EO signed transferring CICT to DOTC. After that, 'di na po ako masyadong nakiki-ano pa, I guess after nung April, si NEDA ICC at Cabcom (?) approved it on 329 milyon dollars na.

And then from there I guess alam n'yo na po ang nangyari. So Mr Senator, madam Senators 'yun lang po ang alam ko. Maraming salamat po sa pagkakataon.