World’s Largest Arena

Construction has commenced on the world’s largest indoor arena, designed by Populous, in Manila, Philippines. In a ground breaking ceremony held last week, the arena design was described as a ‘phenomenal structure’.

Valued at US$214m, the 50,000-seat venue at Ciudad de Victoria was commissioned by the Philippine's Iglesia Ni Cristo and will be completed in time for its centennial celebration in 2014.

Project director, Populous senior principal Andrew James, said: “The building’s capacity pushes the boundary of arena design and will eventually establish itself as the world’s largest indoor arena. The form uses simple geometry to create an elegant appearance, while also giving the venue a powerful presence within its setting.”

Populous designed the arena with engineers Buro Happold, and construction will be carried out by Hanwha Engineering and Construction Corp.

The arena has been designed to enable a further 50,000 people to gather outside the venue for major events. As well as holding major gatherings, it can also stage boxing and basketball games and music concerts.

'Wolverine' picks Manny over Floyd

MANILA, Philippines - Count Hugh Jackman as among the Hollywood heavyweights rooting for Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.

That’s if the superfight between Pacquiao and undefeated American Floyd Mayweather Jr. ever takes place.

“Ohh!!! I have a funny feeling in my gut that Pacquiao would win that fight,” Jackman told www.ringtv.com yesterday.

The 43-year-old actor known for his role as Wolverine in the X-Men series said it could be a decision for Pacquiao over Mayweather.

“I don’t think that it would be a knockout. I think that it would be a decision. There’s no doubt that it would be close,” said Jackman, who turns 43 on Oct. 12.

Jackman spoke to Lem Satterfield as the Australian stage actor, singer, dancer and producer promoted his upcoming flick, “Real Steel.”

In this new movie he plays the role of a “down-on-his-luck” boxer whose fights, all 43 of them, have ended in a knockout, win or lose.

Aside from Jackman, other heavyweight actors rooting for Pacquiao are Mark Wahlberg, Sylvester Stallone, Denzel Washington and Mickey Rourke.

Wahlberg often dropped by at the Wild Card Gym when Pacquiao was training as he geared up for his boxing movie, “The Fighter.”

“I’m hoping, one day, to go to the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight,” said Jackman.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, will wrap up his three-week training in Baguio City today as he prepares to shift his training in Los Angeles.

Pacquiao travels to Manila after his workout at the Shape Up Gym in Baguio, and should be sparring in Manila tomorrow.

They travel to Los Angeles on Sunday evening, and resume training at the Wild Card Gym the following day. – With report from Artemio Dumlao

KNOCKING OUT PACQUIAO

AMB campeón de peso ligero Juan Manuel Márquez está obsesionado con la anulación de libra-por-libra Manny Pacquiao en la tercera pelea de la trilogía fascinante programada antes de un lleno completo en el MGM Grand Garden Arena en Las Vegas el 12 de noviembre.

The Tortoise and the Hare

One day a hare was bragging about how fast he could run. He bragged and bragged and even laughed at the tortoise, who was so slow. The tortoise stretched out his long neck and challenged the hare to a race, which, of course, made the hare laugh.

"My, my, what a joke!" thought the hare.
"A race, indeed, a race. Oh! what fun! My, my! a race, of course, Mr. Tortoise, we shall race!" said the hare.

The forest animals met and mapped out the course. The race begun, and the hare, being such a swift runner, soon left the tortoise far behind. About halfway through the course, it occurred to the hare that he had plenty of time to beat the slow trodden tortoise.

"Oh, my!" thought the hare, "I have plenty of time to play in the meadow here."
And so he did.

After the hare finished playing, he decided that he had time to take a little nap.
"I have plenty of time to beat that tortoise," he thought. And he cuddle up against a tree and dozed.

The tortoise, in the meantime, continued to plod on, albeit, it ever so slowly. He never stopped, but took one good step after another.

The hare finally woke from his nap. "Time to get going," he thought. And off he went faster than he had ever run before! He dashed as quickly as anyone ever could up to the finish line, where he met the tortoise, who was patiently awaiting his arrival.