Saturday, April 24, 2010

A divisive election.

It is exactly 15 days before the May 2010 elections. Filipinos are hoping that the first automated election in the country will be a success despite all the odds. I sincerely hope that election-related violence will be minimized or there will be no hostilities at all as the Election Day approaches. But we know for a fact that these are easier said than done. As long as there are dirty and greedy politicians who would do everything just to hold on to power, then violence is bound to happen.

Come to think of it, the election process is very divisive. Just look at the roster of candidates seeking elective posts in the national and local level and you will see former friends and even people related by affinity facing each other in the political arena. Two presidential contenders are cousins and one presidentiable is a nephew of another presidential bet. Members of families or clans are supporting different candidates. In my family alone, we cannot agree on supporting one candidate for the presidency.

I realized that there were times when you will earn the ire of many people, even your family members because of your passion to defend your candidate. In the hope that you can convert them to support your candidate, you may resort to character assassination or rehash false accusations against the other candidates not knowing that in the process, you are offending other people. Is it really worth it?

They say that in politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies. With this in mind, I hope that people will pull the brakes on dirty tricks and dirty word war. Our country is but a small nation. Who knows what will happen after the elections? These politicians may have to work with the person whom they have subjected to false accusations and character assassination. Their enemies today may be their allies tomorrow. It may be a lot wiser if they will not let things go out of control and avoid having to regret their uncivilized conduct and harsh words during this campaign.

I personally don’t see any need to be destructive and get personal in terms of politics. Why not talk about the positive and stick with their platforms of government?

Even supporters of different candidates have become so vicious and vile in their efforts to destroy their candidate’s opponents. Visit any political forum or even just the comments from online news organizations and you will see heated arguments between supporters of opposing candidates. Some are out to defend their candidates and destroy the other candidates. What good will this do to our country?

Let’s free ourselves from disappointments. We will definitely be disappointed if our chosen candidate will lose in the elections and again we will be disappointed if the candidate that we supported will fail to deliver what he promised. Let’s vote for what we think is good for our country but let’s respect other people who are supporting other candidates. They, too, may be thinking that they are voting for the one who will do good for the country.

At the end of the day, let’s view the election for what it really is, a political process. It is important as it will make or break our country’s future but not everything depends on it. There’s still life for all of us after the May 2010 elections. I just hope that it will be a better one.


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Friday, April 23, 2010

MYX Daily Top 10 - April 23, 2010 Featuring "Run Devil Run" by Girls Generation


After dominating the countdown for a few weeks, Justin Bieber’s “Baby had to settle for the second spot to give way to the new most popular music video in the MYX Daily Top 10 countdown: "Run Devil Run" by Girls Generation. Girls' Generation is a South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment in 2007. The group's nine members are Yoona, Tiffany, Yuri, Hyoyeon, Sooyoung, Seohyun, Taeyeon (leader), Jessica, and Sunny. They are commonly referred to as SNSD, the acronym of the group's Korean name So Nyeo Shi Dae or So Nyuh Shi Dae. "Run Devil Run" was the lead single from the re-release of their album Oh!/Run Devil Run.


MYX Daily Top 10 – April 23, 2010

10. "Please Be Careful With My Heart" - Sarah Geronimo & Christian Bautista
9. "When I Look at You" - Miley Cyrus
8. "Vanilla Twilight" - Owl City
7. "Telephone" - Lady Gaga Ft. Beyonce
6. "Fearless" - Taylor Swift
5. "Pyramid" - Charice Ft. Iyaz
4. "Try To Follow Me" - 2NE1
3. "Bingeul Bingeul" - U Kiss
2. "Baby" - Justin Bieber
1. "Run Devil Run" - Girls Generation





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Thursday, April 22, 2010

Let's give Earth a helping hand.

Today marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. It has been 40 years since the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 in the United States and much has been accomplished in terms of global awareness in the need to protect and save our environment from destruction.

Although there has been a significant increase in environmental awareness on climate change there are still serious problems that need to be addressed. Our government has yet to show initiatives in exploring other alternative source of fuel or energy and there has been no significant effort to cut carbon emissions. And there’s also the inadequate muscle in protecting our country’s forests and coral reefs.

Climate change poses a serious threat to our survival. The onslaught of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng last year in the Philippines which triggered devastating floods gave us a taste of what environmental degradation can do to us. We can only hope that we will be spared of these calamities this year.

Over a billion people in some 190 countries are expected to participate in activities in commemoration of the Earth Week. In the Philippines, there will also be activities lined up for the Earth Week. But beyond the symbolic activities, we must ensure that laws that were passed to conserve our environment are efficiently enforced. Each individual must also do his share in protecting the environment. Indeed, Earth Day should not only be celebrated for one day or one week, each of us should be committed in living an environment-friendly lifestyle everyday. Let’s give earth a helping hand.

Here's a video from Greenpeace:




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Monday, April 19, 2010

MM - MYX Daily Top 10 (April 19, 2010) Featuring "Pyramid" by Charice


"Baby" by Canadian Pop/ R&B singer Justin Bieber is still on top of the MYX Daily Top 10 followed by “Run Devil Run” by Girls Generation on number 2. “Baby” is the lead single from the second half of Bieber’s debut album, which features Ludacris. It was released in January 2010, and became the singer’s biggest hit, charting at number five in the U.S., and it was also an international hit, making the top ten in seven other countries.

A new entry in the countdown is “Pyramid” by Filipina international singer Charice.

MYX Daily Top 10 - April 19, 2010

10. "Pyramid" – Charice
9. "The Only Exception" - Paramore
8. "When I Look at You" - Miley Cyrus
7. "Please Be Careful With My Heart" - Sarah Geronimo & Christian Bautista
6. "Fearless" - Taylor Swift
5. "Telephone" - Lady Gaga Ft. Beyonce
4. "Try To Follow Me" - 2NE1
3. "Bingeul Bingeul" - U Kiss
2. "Run Devil Run" - Girls Generation
1. "Baby" - Justin Bieber






Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the actual post link here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.


PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

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Friday, April 16, 2010

Noynoy Aquino on the cover of Time Magazine


Liberal party presidential candidate Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino has been consistently topping presidential preference surveys but the campaign period is far from over but the Philippine senator has something to smile about as he was just featured on the cover of the highly respected Time magazine, the same publication that hailed his mother, former president and democracy icon Corazon Aquino, as 1986 Woman of the Year.

At its April 26 - May 3, 2010 issue, TIME Magazine talked about the prospect of Aquino winning the 2010 elections of which he, according to opinion polls, is the frontrunner for the Philippine Presidency.

The article entitled 'The New Aquino: Can Noynoy save the Philippines?' chronicled the candidate’s whirlwind journey to the highest post in the land, just months after the outpouring of support on the death of her mother.

The Time article said: “He talks with ease and intelligence about his plans to expand the country's middle class with microcredit programs, to boost industry, universalize health care, fix education and shake up the judiciary. But there are doubts about how savvy an operator he will be when thrown deep into the murky world of Philippine politics.”


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Thursday, April 15, 2010

Need help! My Yahoo mail is sending out spam!

When I logged on to my Yahoo mail this morning, I know that I needed to delete a couple of spam that I get on a daily basis. However, I was not expecting to see a few “Delivery Failure Notice” on my Inbox. I later discovered that my email was sending out spam on its own and it’s sent to everyone in my Address book!

It even sent the spam to our Blogging For Fun Yahoo group. To my fellow members, I apologize for the spam. The message has no subject but it was sending a link to a website that I wouldn’t dare visit. Here is the spam:

http://JeannieShadl e5591.co. cc

Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger .yahoo.com


It was embarrassing as the spam was sent even to my colleagues and old friends I never met in years. In panic, I deleted all my contacts. I even changed my password immediately as I thought my email was hacked. I am also in the process of scanning my PC for viruses or malware.

This incident made me realize how important to take certain security precaution to make sure that my email system is as safe as it can possibly be.

Have you experienced this problem before? I would really appreciate any advice on how to resolve this problem.

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Monday, April 12, 2010

MM - MYX Daily Top 10 (April 12, 2010) Featuring "Fearless" by Taylor Swift

"Baby" by Canadian Pop/ R&B singer Justin Bieber is back on top of the MYX Daily Top 10 after it dislodged the erstwhile number 1 “Telephone” by Lady Gaga Ft. Beyonce who had to settle for the number 2 spot. “Baby” is the lead single from the second half of Bieber’s debut album, which features Ludacris. It was released in January 2010, and became the singer’s biggest hit, charting at number five in the U.S., and it was also an international hit, making the top ten in seven other countries.

A new entry in the countdown is “Fearless” by Taylor Swift which made it debut at number 9. The song was a promotional single from her album "Fearless." It became her third top-ten hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it debuted at number nine. Her album “Fearless” won the Album of the Year and Best Country Album at the 52nd Grammy Awards making Swift the youngest ever to receive the recognition at the age of 20.


MYX Daily Top 10 - April 12, 2010

10. "Harinawa" - Hale
9. "Fearless" - Taylor Swift
8. "The Only Exception" - Paramore
7. "Whataya Want From Me" - Adam Lambert
6. "When I Look at You" - Miley Cyrus
5. "Bingeul Bingeul" - U Kiss
4. "Run Devil Run" - Girls Generation
3. "Try To Follow Me" - 2NE1
2. "Telephone" - Lady Gaga Ft. Beyonce
1. "Baby" - Justin Bieber





Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the actual post link here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.


PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

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Saturday, April 10, 2010

Erap for President. Take Two.


If experience is the sole consideration in choosing the next president of the Philippines, then Joseph "Erap" Estrada or Joseph Marcelo Ejercito would definitely fit the bill. No other candidate can claim that they have the experience to run the country than Erap. After all, he was the 13th elected president of the republic serving from 1998 until his ouster in the 2001 EDSA Revolution popularly known as “EDSA DOS.”

Even before he was elected by the majority in the 1998 National Elections, Erap also served as a mayor of San Juan for 17 years, one term as a senator and he served as a Vice President under the administration of Fidel V. Ramos.

Popularity and charisma are qualities that are going to the ex-president. There’s no doubt about it as he was a popular film actor before he dabbled into politics. He starred in over 100 films in a career spanning 33 years.

Erap’s presidency was inundated with allegations of corruption which spawned the impeachment trial in the Senate and reports of the existence of the ex-presidents’ “midnight cabinet” and his questionable lifestyle. “Midnight Cabinet” was the term used to describe his group of friends and other influence peddlers who get together in the late hours. He was sentenced for a plunder case filed against him but was pardoned by the sitting president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Despite the many criticisms heaped on the short-lived Erap Presidency, it is not without accomplishments. For one, Erap declared an “all-out-war” against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and successfully seized its headquarters and camps. There were also considerable efforts to improve the education system during his presidency one of which is the start of the Non-formal Education Accreditation and Equivalency program for dropouts and out-of-school youth and adults.

But now Erap is gunning for a second shot of the Presidency and he may just be the dark horse in this nine-cornered fight seeing as he is ranking third in most Presidential surveys coming out and the two leading candidates are out to destroy each other.

Did you ever stop to think why Erap is still enjoying strong support from some Filipinos even after he was ousted from the presidency and sentenced for plunder?
Aside from his charisma and his pro-poor stance, there may be other reasons why some people would still go all out for Erap. It may be true that Erap has been constantly helping poor people; giving dole out even without media frenzy and even during his incarceration.

My questions are “Do we have a shortage of leaders in the Philippines that we keep on prodding the same person or a member of a political clan to run for elective posts?” “What is so special about Erap that he deserves a second shot at the presidency?”

Why can’t he give others a chance to run the country? Let him go back to his home and sit on his laurels, if there’s any. He had his chance to lead the nation and I believe that he blew it. I don’t care if the cases filed against him were fabricated or if his plunder case was tried unfairly, the fact that there were serious allegations of corruption against him and that he was forced to vacate his mandate only means that he had failed the test. He sure received a lot of opposition but he was unsuccessful in containing these. He failed to unite the country and in fact in his watch I witnessed the most divisive administration in my lifetime. I can still remember myself spending hours in TV watching the impeachment trial, inundated by various propagandas from opposing camps. Now the questions are “Can we stand another six years of his presidency?” “How can we be so sure that he will do better this time?”

Honestly, I don’t want to think about it. I am still hoping and praying that the Filipinos will do better in this election. Please, I don’t want this country to be the laughing stock of the rest of the world. Wala ba talaga tayong kadala dala?

It is time for us to learn from our mistakes and stop allowing people to take advantage of us repeatedly. There is a fitting American Idiom that I would like you to ponder about: “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”

Think about it.


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Friday, April 9, 2010

MYX Daily Top 10 - April 9, 2010 Featuring "Sorry Sorry" by Super Junior


“Telephone” by Lady Gaga Ft. Beyonce is hanging on to the top spot in today’s MYX Daily Top Ten while Justin Bieber’s “Baby is still very strong on the second spot even after staying for over a month now in the countdown’s top 10.

"Sorry Sorry" by Super Junior is still on number 3. The Korean group is currently in Manila for their Concert Tour dubbed as “Super Show 2: Asia Concert Tour Live.” The concert will be held on April 10 at the Araneta Coliseum.

The 13-member boy band has gained popularity in the Philippines. Their third album “Sorry, Sorry,” was told to be the top selling K-pop album in 2009 in the country, according to Universal Records. It was also ranked number 10 in the Top 25 Bestselling Albums List for 2009 based on sales in Music One stores for the whole 2009. No wonder why the album reached gold status three months after its release in the Philippines.


MYX Daily Top 10 – April 9, 2010

10. "Beautiful Girl" - Christian Bautista
9. "The Only Exception" – Paramore
8. "Whataya Want From Me" - Adam Lambert
7. "Try To Follow Me" - 2NE1
6. "World Behind My Wall" - Tokio Hotel
5. "When I Look at You" - Miley Cyrus
4. "Bingeul Bingeul" - U Kiss
3. "Sorry Sorry" - Super Junior
2. "Baby" - Justin Bieber
1. "Telephone" - Lady Gaga Ft. Beyonce





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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Cebu dancing inmates' video is one of Time's Top 50 YouTube hits

I stumbled upon this article from the Manila Bulletin website.

The Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) dancing inmates’ rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” has made it to the top 50 greatest YouTube hits according to Time, which put out the list in recognition of the “breeding ground for the Web’s wackiest and wildest viral videos” as it turns five this year.

The CPDRC dancing inmates were spotted by Travis Payne, Michael Jackson’s long-time choreographer. The discovery led to the prisoners’ performance of “Thriller” in the DVD and Blu-Ray copies of the late King of Pop’s documentary, “This Is It.”

They were also 5th in Time’s Top 10 list of Most Popular Viral Videos in 2007. Time wrote: “Orange-jumpsuited accused murderers, rapists and drug dealers paid homage to Michael Jackson’s Thriller in a dance performance filmed at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center in the Philippines (CPDRC).”

For the complete list of YouTube's 50 Best Videos, click here.

Source.

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Monday, April 5, 2010

American comedian bashes Pacquiao, Filipinos.

I was really pissed off this morning when I saw a video and a news article about an American comedian who let out disparaging remarks against Manny Pacquiao and the Filipinos in general in a podcast. The comedian’s name, Adam Carolla, doesn’t ring a bell but his comments are downright offensive and ignorant.

For those of you who haven’t heard about this, the comedian who by the way is not at all funny, attacked Pacquiao for refusing to undergo the Olympic-style blood testing, which was demanded by Floyd Mayweather.

Check out some of his comments from his podcast below. If it is not offensive or discriminatory then I don’t know what is:

“Because he's from the Philippines and because he’s prayin’ to chicken bones and stuff like that, everyone’s kinda like, ‘Well you gotta respect him for his belief system.' No you don't. He’s a f****n’ idiot.”

“Here's how you know your country doesn’t have a lot going for it—when everything is about Manny Pacquiao,” he went on. “Get a f****n’ life as a country, all you’ve f****n’ got is this illiterate guy who won't give up blood who happens to smash other guys in the head better than other people, that's all you have as the Philippines?”

“Really, you want some guy with brain damage running your country? Why don't you get your sh*t together?”

“They got this and sex tours, that's all they have over there. Get your sh*t together Philippines. Jesus Christ. I mean, again, it's fine to be proud of your countrymen. But that's it? That's all you got?”


This guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He clearly doesn’t know anything about the Philippines and the Filipinos. Most Filipino's are smart hard working people. Thinking that all these remarks are funny is just like saying it's alright to insult others.

He may be a fan of Mayweather or he may have hated Pacquiao so much but to attack our rich culture and the Filipino as a nation is uncalled for. It isn’t funny.

Yes, we are in poverty. Yes, we celebrated every time Manny Pacquiao wins not because we don’t have a life but because we are proud of his accomplishments because no one in this lifetime can equal what he has achieved so far. But that is not all. At the end of the day, ordinary Filipinos are working hard as much as other people in the world just to live decent lives.

Pacquaio may have been an idiot for running as a congressman but not all Filipinos are dumb. Had he checked his facts, he may have learned that Pacquiao already ran for office before and lost. Filipino's are smarter than you give them credit for.

I just hate the idea that people who never heard or been to Philippines will believe this lunatic and the impression that our country is only about prostitution and poverty.

Clearly, this guy just wants his fifteen minutes of fame. But you know what will be really funny? Having this guy Carolla on a boxing match with Manny Pacquiao? I’m sure he will not last  fifteen seconds… Now, that will be funny.

If you want to watch the video, here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOSqFWwdtAE&feature=player_embedded

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MYX Daily Top 10 – April 5, 2010 Featuring Tokio Hotel's "World Behind My Wall"


On top of this week’s MYX Daily Top Ten is Lady Gaga with her song “Telephone” which also features Beyonce Knowles. Lady Gaga is currently topping the Time’s “100 Most Influential” poll as of writing.

"World Behind My Wall" by German pop rock band Tokio Hotel is on the 5th spot. It is the second single from their second English studio album Humanoid which was released in the United States last January 2010. The quartet which is composed of singer Bill Kaulitz, guitarist Tom Kaulitz, drummer Gustav Schäfer and bassist Georg Listing became the first German band ever to win an award at the MTV VMAs and also at the MTV Latin America Awards. They first recorded an unreleased demo-CD under the name “Devilish.” They later changed the band’s name to Tokio Hotel: "Tokio", the German spelling of the Japanese city Tokyo, due to a love of the city, and "Hotel" due to their constant touring and living in hotels.


MYX Daily Top 10 – April 5, 2010

10. Whataya Want From Me- Adam Lambert
9. Oh!- Girls Generation
8. Bingeul Bingeul – U-Kiss
7. The Only Exception- Paramore
6. When I Look at You - Miley Cyrus
5. World Behind My Wall- Tokio Hotel
4. Beautiful Girl - Christian Bautista
3. Sorry Sorry - Super Junior
2. Baby- Justin Bieber
1. Telephone - Lady Gaga Ft. Beyonce




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Sunday, April 4, 2010

Music Monday – Didi Benami of American Idol singing “Terrified”


Didi Benami may have been voted out of the American Idol season 9 but I still believe that she's one of the most talented singers in the competition and she should have stayed longer. She was actually one of my early favorites as she has a beautiful voice.

Didi who worked as a waitress auditioned for American Idol inspired by her college friend who lost her life in a car accident in 2005. They attended Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

I have to agree, though that she chose a poor song “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” which was not really great. It sounded over-dramatic and it earned her a seat at the bottom three with the least amount of votes along with Tim and Katie.

She gave a better performance in her exit song “Rhiannon (Will You Ever Win)” by Fleetwood Mac but not enough to convince the judges to use the "save" option.
Well, it was the end of the road for Didi Benami but I do hope that we will be seeing her perform once again.

Her rendition of Kara DioGuardi’s song “Terrified” is I think her best performance in the season. Watch the video below:





Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. Rules are simple. Leave ONLY the actual post link here and grab the code below and place it at your blog entry. You can grab this code at LadyJava's Lounge Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.


PS: Because of spamming purposes, the linky will be closed on Thursday of each week at midnight, Malaysian Time. Thank you!

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Staying fit and healthy.

People of every age group these days are becoming more and more health-conscious. As a result, the number of people taking exercise is continuously increasing adopting various workouts and purchasing various equipment. It is not uncommon for some people to spend thousands of dollars for exercise equipment that promises a quick fix to reach their goal of having a perfect body.

However, don’t get caught up in the hype that a product is creating, if it is too good to be true, it may be exactly that. There are really no shortcuts and quick fixes if you want to be fit and healthy. You have to have discipline, lots of it. You have to commit yourself to eat healthy foods and you really need to perform regular workouts and adhere to a certain exercise program. But that doesn’t mean that you need to go to the gym. I know that most of us don’t have the luxury of time. It will be hard to lure a working person to go to the gym after a stressful day at the office when it is more appealing to go home and rest. It will take a great deal of willpower for someone to regularly go to a gym and adhere to an exercise program.

But as they say, if there’s a will then there’s a way. If we can not go to the gym then why not bring the gym to our homes? Well, not really the gym as most of us can not afford to have a gym in our houses, but some can afford an exercise bike or a treadmill. These exercise equipment can help us achieve our workout goals. It helps burn calories, tone muscles and provide good cardiovascular health. The good thing about this is we can enjoy the benefits of exercise at the comforts of our homes. We can even watch our favorite movies or TV shows while doing our workouts. And there’s no need to make excuses when the weather is not good as there’s no need to go to the gym to keep fit.

However, purchasing exercise equipment is a major purchase decision. There are different types to choose from. What you can do is to harness the power of the internet, read exercise equipment articles online and get yourself acquainted with the pros and cons of different exercise equipment. Then you can check out different online stores before you buy.

One top Online Store in the industry is eFITology. Their mission is to offer leading brands in fitness and exercise equipment at a low price guarantee and great service by fitness experts. And as if that is not enough, they are offering free shipping! I checked their website and they have a wide selection of fitness equipment classified by category and brand. I particularly fancied the Tunturi elliptical cross trainer. They also have a collection of Tunturi bikes.

Just bear in mind that when buying an exercise equipment; make sure that you’re getting just what you want. Try to look for information on the advantages and disadvantages of each equipment so you can check which model suits your preferences and budget.

But first, make the decision and commitment to stay fit.



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Saturday, April 3, 2010

Pacman in TIME's '100 Most Influential' poll.


Filipino pride and boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao is again included in TIME Magazine’s poll for the 100 most influential people in the world for the year 2010.

The poll has Pacquiao joining global personalities like US President Barack Obama, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey in the list. The poll is currently being dominated by celebrities like Lady Gaga, Conan ‘O Brien, Rain and Robert Pattinson.

As of writing, Pacquiao is ranked No. 20 behind satire host John Stewart. He has garnered a total number of 5,437 votes with an average rating of 90. This is the boxer’s second appearance on the list. He finished No. 20 in TIME Magazine's list of most influential “Heroes & Icons” last year.

Pacquiao, the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight king and 7-division champion is currently running for the lone congressional seat of Sarangani province in Mindanao.



“For now, the Filipino, a champion in seven weight classes, is focusing on a prize he has tried but failed to win before: a seat in his country's legislature,” the article added.


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A blessed Easter to all!

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For many people, Easter Sunday marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ more than 2,000 years ago. It is believed to be the day when Christ brought forth our salvation by vanquishing death when He rose again from the grave three days after giving his life in the dark hours of Good Friday.

Easter Sunday is a time to commemorate renewal, restoration and our redemption. I hope that the wonderful story of our Christ’s victory over death inspire us to be more steadfast in our faith and continue to lead meaningful and fruitful lives.

A blessed Easter to each and every one of us!


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Thursday, April 1, 2010

Celebrating the Lenten Season.

It is April fool’s Day in the US and some parts of the world but in the Philippines and other countries embracing the Catholic faith, we are celebrating the Lenten Season.

Lent is a time of prayer, atonement and sacrificial acts with the purpose of preparing the faithful for the glorious celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday and set out a more abundant reception of the graces that Jesus Christ merited by His Passion and Death.

The celebration commences on Ash Wednesday where Catholics receive ashen crosses on their foreheads as a sign of repentance and a symbolic reminder that we came from dust and to dust we shall return. But the most common Lenten celebration happens during the “Paschal Triduum” which is the three days before Easter Sunday. It begins on Holy or Maundy Thursday, a commemoration of the day Jesus performed the Washing of the Feet followed by the Last Supper with his Disciples. This is also where Jesus gave the commandment or “mandatum” in Latin, to love one another just as He has loved us. This is where the name Maundy Thursday came from. It is also today that the tradition of Visita Iglesia is observed which entails visiting 7 churches in one night.

Good Friday remembers Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. This day is honored with solemn processions and the Way of the Cross. In some parts of the Philippines, processions include devotees that perform self-flagellation and some are even crucified as acts of penance. Some places practice the “Pasyon”, a recitation of the bible verses describing the Passion of Christ or a re-enactment of the Passion through a play called the Senakulo.


Black Saturday falls on the eve of Easter. Black symbolizes mourning and is used to express grief at the death of the Savior. The day honors Christ lying in the tomb where we are called to reflect on His Passion and Death in anticipation of His Resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Let us celebrate this Lenten Season with Love in our hearts. Jesus gave His life for us because He deeply loves us. Let’s have a meaningful and prayerful Lenten celebration!

Photo source.

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Top Ten Entrecard Droppers for March 2010

Another month has ended and I don’t want to miss this opportunity to pay tribute to all the amazing people who never failed to visit and drop their Entrecards on this blog for the last month. My heartfelt gratitude for the continued support.

I am also grateful to fellow Entrecard members who may not be on the list but who continue to visit this blog. Many thanks to all of you!

Here are the top Entrecard droppers for March. If you have a minute or two, please visit each of these great blogs.




Lakbay Philippines! A blog about the best places the Philippines has to boast, from the famous to the not-so-famous-yet-equally-great spots.
Also contains satire and humour about the current showbiz, er, politics of the Philippines.


Tons of Tips and Tricks to help you advertise online. From lists of free traffic resources to advice on keyword placement and linkbuilding.


All the latest and greatest t-shirt designers, brands and shirts reviewed by a team of t-shirt experts.


Urban art, fashion, music, movies and events.


Dreaming in digital


Art by Paul Baines


Once upon a time the music of the 70s, Disco Music, Funky, Soul, Pop Music, who made the history of those years. I was born in the mid 60s, so i lived right in the evolution of these sounds. This blog wants to revive after more than 20 years, the music of those years, memories, friends, first loves ..... For those not familiar with these genres, is a good opportunity to approach these fantastic sounds.


Parenting and personal insights of a working mother.


A collection of my thoughts, rantings and ravings, dreams, reveries, hobbies, interests and so much more.


BeyondFeron.com talks about anything under the sun, everything that is relevant and things that can promote better friendship and better life.

Thank you very much!


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