America chooses three more Idol finalists

Three more Idol contestants made it to the finals of the American Idol season 8. The second group of finalists who received the most viewer votes includes Allison Iraheta, a 16-year-old high school student from Los Angeles; Kris Allen, a 23-year-old University of Central Arkansas.; and Adam Lambert, a 26-year-old theater actor from Los Angeles.

Funny man Nick Mitchell who performed as his alter ego Norman Gentle, was one of the nine semifinalists who were sent packing

The four judges were more than satisfied with Lambert's version of the Rolling Stones' "Satisfaction.” They were also impressed with Iraheta’s rendition of Heart’s “Alone.”

"You just blew it out the box!" Randy Jackson commented after Iraheta’s performance last Wednesday.

However, Allen’s interpretation of Michael Jackson’s "Man in the Mirror" got mixed reaction from the judges.

The three will join 28-year-old church music director Danny Gokey from Milwaukee, 21-year-old musician Alexis Grace from Memphis, Tenn., and 27-year-old oil rig worker Michael Sarver from Jasper, Texas, who were voted as the first three finalists last week.

Twelve more semifinalists will vie for three spots in the competition's top 12, next week. Nevertheless, it is not yet over for Mitchell and other semifinalists as they may get another shot to make it to the finals. The judges will choose the last three finalists in a special wild card round after the first nine finalists are selected by viewer votes.

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Top Entrecard droppers.

I just acquired a new widget on my sidebar. Yes, I now have a widget for the top Entrecard droppers on this blog. This is just a small token of appreciation to my fellow bloggers who kept on visiting this blog to drop their Entrecards. There are times when I may not be able to return the visit because of time constraint but I can at least link back to them using this widget.

Leading the pack of Top Droppers is BMWF1Blog who dropped 31. Beyond Left Field dropped 26. My Life’s Adventure, Symphony of Love and Walking Newspaper all dropped 24.

Here are the Top 10 droppers:





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Today is Ash Wednesday.

Had I not sat across a lady in the jeepney with a black cross mark on the forehead, this day would have passed without me knowing its significance. Yes, if you’re a busy person like me and you’re a Catholic, today is Ash Wednesday. It is the day signifying the start of the Lenten season.

Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of imposing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a symbol of repentance. If you don’t know yet, the ashes used on Ash Wednesday are gathered from the burned Palm Crosses from the previous year’s Palm Sunday. In the Roman Catholic Church, this day is observed by repentance, fasting and abstinence from meat. But more importantly, it is a day of contemplating one’s transgressions.

For me, this day is the best reminder that we are more than our earthly possessions. Indeed, we are from dust and unto dust we shall return. It doesn’t matter how rich we are, how popular or powerful we have become in this world, in the end, we will leave all of these worldly possessions behind. What matters most is how we accept the truth that we are sinners and we fell short of what is expected of us as Christians. Yes, we are at the mercy of God’s love so let’s make everyday a testament of God’s eternal goodness.

May God richly bless us all this Lenten season!
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'Slumdog Millionaire' wins big with eight Oscars.

“Slumdog Millionaire” swept the Oscars with 8 awards including best picture and best director for Briton director Danny Boyle. A rag-to-riches story of a poor Indian boy who competes for love and money on a TV game show, also earned Oscars for best cinematography, sound mixing, film editing, original score and best song, "Jai Ho".


The movie which was filmed in the teeming slums of Mumbai almost failed to get released when it was dropped by Warner Independent Pictures, its first financier. Thanks to Fox Searchlight Pictures who rescued the movie and released it last November.

Other big winners are Sean Penn who won his second best-actor award, Kate Winslet who took the best actress trophy, Heath Ledger and Penelope Cruz for their supporting prizes.

Sean Penn took his second Oscar best-actor trophy by playing a slain gay-rights pioneer in "Milk," while Kate Winslet won the best actress for "The Reader," in which she plays a former concentration camp guard who involves herself in a love affair with a teenage boy. This is her first Oscar after five previous losses.
"I would be lying if I said I haven't made a version of this speech before. I think I was probably 8-years-old and staring into the bathroom mirror," she said.

"This would have been a shampoo bottle," she said gesturing to the golden Oscar statuette. "Well it's not a shampoo bottle now!"
Penelope Cruz won an Academy award for her supporting role in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona to become the first Spanish actress to win an Academy Award. As expected, Heath Ledger was posthumously named best supporting actor for his villainous role as The Joker in "The Dark Knight."

The award for Ledger, who died 13 months ago of an accidental prescription drug overdose, brought the crowd to its feet. He became the second actor after Peter Finch to win an Academy award posthumously. The award was accepted by his father, Kim Ledger, sister Kate and mother Sally Bell.

Here are the complete list of winners:

Motion Picture: "Slumdog Millionaire."
Actor: Sean Penn, "Milk."
Actress: Kate Winslet, "The Reader."
Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight."
Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."
Director: Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire."
Foreign Film: "Departures," Japan.
Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire."
Original Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black, "Milk."
Animated Feature Film: "WALL-E."
Art Direction: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."
Cinematography: "Slumdog Millionaire."
Sound Mixing: "Slumdog Millionaire."
Sound Editing: "The Dark Knight."
Original Score: "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman.
Original Song: "Jai Ho" from "Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman and Gulzar.
Costume: "The Duchess."
Documentary Feature: "Man on Wire."
Documentary (short subject): "Smile Pinki."

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Music Monday – I’m Yours by Jason Mraz

I found this linky tag from fellow bloggers and I thought it’s a great idea to post something about music on a Monday. So here is my first Music Monday post.

This song was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2009 51st Grammy Awards where Jason Mraz was also nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. “I’m Yours” is the first single from his latest album “We Sing, We Dance. We Steal Things” which was released last May, 13, 2008. The song reached #1 on AAA radio charts in the US.

I personally love the melody and the lyrics of the song.

Lyrics | Jason Mraz lyrics - I'm Yours lyrics

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

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MYX Daily Top 10 (February 23, 2009)

Two days before the showing of her movie with the same title, Sarah Geronimo’s “You Changed My Life” is still on the top of the MYX countdown while David Archuleta remains on the second spot with “A Little Too Not Over You.” Katy Perry’s “Thinking of You” debuts on number 9. Monstar88 returns at number 10 with “Senti”.

Top Ten

01.Sarah Geronimo - You Changed My Life
02.David Archuleta - A Little Too Not Over You
03.Kyla - Heart To Heart
04.Taylor Swift - Love Story
05.Jonas Brothers - Tonight
06.Callalily - Hintay
07.SpongeCola - Di Na Mababawi
08.Britney Spears - Circus
09.Katy Perry - Thinking Of You
10.Moonstar88 - Senti



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My 282nd post.

A few days ago, one of my officemates was asking me about starting a blog. I told her that it is easy to start a blog and it’s practically free (using Blogger). However, it will take a lot of patience and motivation to continue writing especially if she intends to monetize her blog in the future. (I jokingly reminded her not to write posts while she’s at work. Some offices do not allow this and employees have to resort to proxy servers for them to be able to browse non-work related sites.)

I was suddenly reminded that my blog is now on its 9th month. Indeed, time flies so fast. Looking back, it’s hard to believe that this is now my 282nd post and my 2 blogs have already made a couple of hundred dollars. Not bad, considering that I am doing this in my free time.

Blogging will not make you an instant millionaire. My blog was already 4 months old, with decent traffic and a Pagerank of 3, when I first made my first 10 dollar sponsored post. And just to set your expectations, if you intend to make money through sponsored posts, it’s not everyday that you will get a $10 opportunity, some will just give you $5. At times, there are no opportunities available.

I am investing time and effort on this endeavor, but what matters most is I am enjoying every moment of it. Working on this blog is not really work for me; this is my way of relaxing.

I promised my officemate to write more about my experiences when I was starting this blog so other people who want to start blogging can learn from it. So, expect more posts about blogging in the future.


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Jommy is "El Ultimo Participante" of the Pinoy Fear Factor.

Last night’s Pinoy Fear Factor finale came as a surprise when Jommy Teotico emerged as "El Ultimo Participante".

A few days before the finale week, there were speculations that Janna Dominguez will win in the reality show. There were also reports that they heard Cristine Reyes saying “Dapat si Janna nga manlibre kasi siya ang winner ng Pinoy Fear Factor” during the presscon of her soap "Eva Fonda". Janna is one of the casts of Eva Fonda. The flawless lady from Dagat-Dagatan reportedly smiled upon hearing the statement.

Well, after all is said and done, it was Jommy, the 24-year-old model who won the P2 million, a house and lot and the title "El Ultimo Participante". Janna Dominguez fell short in the show's last stunt "Car Roll Over" to emerge as the second best.

Both contestants were required to drive a car over a ramp that would explode, flipping the car over at least once. The participante that brought the car farthest from the ramp wins the contest.

Jommy’s driving expertise gave him the edge in the final challenge as his car flipped and settled more than 22 meters away from the ramp compared to Janna’s record of 17 meters and 10 centimeters.

Jommy who earned the moniker "Scorpion King" after eating 20 scorpions in one of the challenges also earned the respect and admiration of other contestants after setting a Fear Factor world record in the Car Re-Entry stunt.

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First 3 finalists of American Idol season 8 revealed.

America already voted and the first three finalists of American Idol season 8 were revealed. Alexis Grace, the soulful 21-year-old single mother from Memphis, Tenn.; Michael Sarver, the beefy 27-year-old oil rig worker from Jasper, Texas; and Danny Gokey, the spikey-haired 28-year-old church music director from Milwaukee have assured themselves of seats for the next round.

Meanwhile, the emotional 28-year-old crooner, Tatiana Del Toro from San Juan, Puerto Rico, was one of nine "American Idol" semifinalists that were sent packing Wednesday.

Widower Gokey wowed the judges with his rendition of Mariah Carey's "Hero" at the conclusion of Tuesday's performance episode. They were also impressed with Grace's take on Aretha Franklin's "Never Loved a Man," comparing her to first "Idol" Kelly Clarkson. Sarver, who sang Gavin Degraw's "I Don't Wanna Be," received mixed reactions from the panel.

Next week, a new set of 12 more semifinalists will vie for three spots in the competition's top 12, but other dismissed semifinalists may have another chance. After the first nine finalists are selected by viewer votes, the judges will pick the last three finalists following a wild card round on March 5.



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Signs of burnout.

Are you always tired after a day's work at the office?
Do you dread going into the office especially on Mondays?
Do you always feel drained and exhausted even after a supposedly good night's sleep?
Do you think the majority of your day is spent on tasks you find either mind-numbingly dull or overwhelming?
Do you doubt yourself so much that you just want to quit your job?

If your answers to the above questions are yes, watch out! These are signs of burn out. Burnout is defined as a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion that is caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed and unable to meet constant demands. If the stress continues, you may begin to lose the interest or motivation to perform your duties and responsibilities. 

Burnout lessens your efficiency and drains your energy, leaving you feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and possibly resentful. You may eventually feel like you have nothing more to give. Everyday can become a bad day.

These negative effects of burnout will not only affect your job but can also spill over into every area of life – including your home and social life. It can also cause long-term changes to your body that make you susceptible to illnesses like colds and flu. Because of its many consequences, it’s imperative to deal with burnout right away.

There are certain jobs that are prone to burn out such as high-pressured business positions and the helping professions. My job as a call center agent can also be prone to burnout. Everyday, we are bombarded by problems from customers from the other end of the line. These customers may also be irate and offensive, some can be racist. Although agents like me may eventually learn not to take these customers personally, it can affect anybody’s self-esteem and may cause somebody to doubt himself.

If you recognize the warning signs of an impending burnout in yourself, then slow down. This is your first step to recovery. You must take steps to put balance back into your life. Slowing down or taking a break can be an effective strategy. You must give yourself time to rest, reflect and heal. It is also the time to think about your hopes, goals and dreams. The support of your loved ones is also very important. Knowing that your family understands you can relieve some of your burdens.

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Danny Gokey wowed American Idol judges.

American Idol semifinalist Danny Gokey wowed the judges in his rendition of Mariah Carey’s tune “Hero” at the singing competition’s first performance show of season 8.

The 28-year-old church music director from Milwaukee heaped praises from three of show’s judges.

"You are the hero, man," said Kara DioGuardi. "You give us all hope. You were great."

Gokey was the last to perform in a group of 12 singers out of the top 36 semifinalists. However, it was not a lucky day for contestants Stephen Fowler, Casey Carlson and Stevie Wright as they reaped harsh criticisms from the judges. The top three contestants who will get the most votes will be revealed during Wednesday's live episode.



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MYX Daily Top 10 (February 16, 2009)

Sarah Geronimo takes over the top spot with her song “You Changed My Life” from erstwhile number 1 “A Little Too Not Over You” by David Archuleta. This is just in time for the upcoming showing of her movie with the same title. Meanwhile, another song from Jonas Brothers debut at number 9.

Top Ten

01.Sarah Geronimo - You Changed My Life
02.David Archuleta - A Little Too Not Over You
03.Kyla - Heart To Heart
04.Taylor Swift - Love Story
05.Britney Spears - Circus
06.SpongeCola - Di Na Mababawi
07.Moonstar88 - Senti
08.David Cook - Light On
09.Jonas Brothers - Tonight
10.Lady Gaga - Poker Face



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41st Wedding Anniversary.

Last Valentine’s Day also marks the 41st Wedding Anniversary of my parents. So instead of planning a lavish date for me and Donna, we travel to Bulacan to celebrate with my parents. We had a simple get-together with only us, their children and a couple of relatives.

Well, 41 years is not a joke. It’s definitely a milestone especially during these days when there’s an easier way out for couples who can no longer endure each other. Yes, divorce and annulment have become popular these days. And for couples who doesn’t need a man-made form of separation, the death of the other half can also be a factor. So, we are just grateful that our parents have reached this stage in their marriage.

It was Valentine’s Day 41 years ago when my parents made their marriage vows in a simple ceremony in a simple church in Navotas. It was a union of two different cultures. My mother was from Samar and my father was from Ilocos. The marriage did not go smoothly, they had to face different challenges, and they had to weather storms. Poverty for one has always been an avid companion. My father even had to work abroad for a couple of years and my mother was left amidst rumormongers. Their love for each other was able to conquer distance and all the challenges.

Their secret? They don’t have any, at least that’s what they said. But from my viewpoint, I believe that the key ingredient to their marriage is respect. They focus on their love for each other. No matter what people say, they remain steadfast with their marriage vows.

Yes, their marriage was not a walk in the park. Looking back in the years that I become a witness in their relationship, I can’t help but to be proud that they are my parents.

Happy Anniversary, tatay and money!


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Lyrics of "Your Universe" by Rico Blanco.

I am one of those who felt bad when Rico Blanco left his band Rivermaya, but found relief when he released his solo album after a couple of months or possibly a year of musical vacuum. Anyway, the long wait is worth it as Rico Blanco continues to impress us with his musical genius.

I personally love his song “Your Universe” which showcase Rico’s songwriting skills. The lyrics are superb. It also features former bandmate Nathan Azarcon (Rivermaya, Bamboo) on bass and Wendell Garcia (Barbie's Cradle, Pupil) on drums.

“Your Universe” lyrics

Tell me something
When the rain falls on your face
How do you quickly replace
It with
A golden summer smile?

Tell me something
When I'm feelin' tired and afraid
How do you know just what to say
To make
Everything alright?

Chorus:
I don't think that you even realize
The joy you make me feel when I'm inside
Your universe
You hold me like I'm the one who's precious
I hate to break it to you but it's just
The other way around
You can thank your stars all you want but
I'll always be the lucky one

Tell me something
When I'm 'bout to lose control
How do you patiently hold
My hand
And gently calm me down?

Tell me something
When you sing and when you laugh
Why do I always photograph
My heart
Flyin way above the clouds?

Click here to watch the music video.

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Valentine's Day ideas.

It’s the time of the year again where love is in the air and images of hearts, flowers, and candies are all over the place.

While many of us may relish this time of the year, if you’re a guy like me, you may eventually run out of ideas on what to do on this occasion. So, what are your plans on this year’s V-Day? Treat her to a candlelight dinner out? Give her a bouquet of flowers? Or a simple greeting card? These are nice and were tested by time to steal a girl’s heart but they can now be predictable.


How I wish I have a couple of ideas that I can share with you but I won’t claim to be the expert on the subject. But whatever you decide to do, even if it is just playing a game together or spend the evening talking, it’s best to focus on your love for each other. Do the things that you know your loved one likes to do and make it special for him or her. I guarantee you that it will be very special for you as well.

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MYX Daily Top 10 (February 13, 2009)

Today on the MYX Countdown, David Archuleta is still on the top spot with “A Little Too Not Over You”. With about 2 weeks before the showing of her movie with the same title, Sarah Geronimo’s “You Changed My Life” is on the second spot and the top OPM song on the countdown. Britney Spears and Kyla are on the third and fourth spot respectively.

Top Ten

01.David Archuleta - A Little Too Not Over You
02.Sarah Geronimo - You Changed My Life
03.Britney Spears - Circus
04.Kyla - Heart To Heart
05.Taylor Swift - Love Story
06.Pedicab - FX
07.David Cook - Light On
08.SpongeCola - Di Na Mababawi
09.Mariah Carey - I Stay In Love
10.Lady Gaga - Poker Face

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55% of Filipinos believe that 'first love never dies' according to SWS survey

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and the recent survey of the Social Weather Stations was released just in time. According to the survey, more than half of Filipino adults or 55 percent believe that “first love never dies” while seven out of 10 Filipinos agree with the statement that, “If you love someone then set him free, if he/she comes back again it was meant to be”.


The Social Weather Survey was conducted from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1, 2008 using face-to-face interviews of 1,500 adults divided into random samples of 300 each in Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao and 600 in balance Luzon.

This belief that first love never dies is similar among men (56 percent) and women (54 percent), based on the survey. Fifty-eight percent of those who are married share this belief, 54 percent among those with live-in partners, and 45 percent among those without a spouse or partner.

Well, I don't know just about first love, but if you really love someone then you should never stop loving that person. The connection may not be as strong as it used to be but I think that this person will always have a special place in your heart. Your memories together will never die and will be encrypted in your thoughts for the rest of your life.


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American Idol Top 36 revealed.

The American Idol top 36 has been revealed and the real game has just begun. For those of you who weren’t able to watch the show, I will be posting here the complete list. The last time that I followed a complete season was when Fantasia Barrino won in the show and when two Filipino-Americans namely Jasmine Trias and Camille Velasco made it through the top 10.

It looks like I will be able to follow Idol this season as well since Donna is completely hooked with the show. This is even though her early favorite Leneshe Young didn’t even made it through the top 36. I saw the girl on her audition and she is really brilliant, I just don’t know what “Idol” is looking for to do this injustice to the girl. Well, sure she can be upstage by other contestants who would bust into tears and who would scream and squeak at the sight of a camera but these dramas and hype can be boring. Ultimately, people will buy their albums not because of their sob stories but because of their talent.

At any rate, there are other talents who made it to the top 36 and we should watch out for them. Some of my early favorites are Anoop Desai, Adam Lambert, Scott MacIntyre, Lil Rounds and Michael Sarver.

Here is the complete list of the top 36:
Adam Lambert
Alexander Wagner-Trugman
Alexis Grace
Allison Iraheta
Ann Marie Boskovich
Anoop Desai
Arianna Afsar
Brent Keith
Casey Carlson
Danny Gokey
Jackie Tohn
Jasmine Murray
Jeanine Vailes
Jessica Langseth
Joanna Pacitti
Jorge Nunez
Ju'Not Joyner
Kai Kalama
Kendall Beard
Kristin McNamara
Kris Allen
Lil Rounds
Matt Breitzke
Matt Giraud
Megan Corkrey
Michael Sarver
Mishavonna Henson
Nathaniel Marshall
Norman Gentle
Ricky Braddy
Scott MacIntyre
Stephen Fowler
Stevie Wright
Taylor Vaifanua
Tatiana Del Toro
Von Smith



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Arnel Pineda and Lani Misalucha's US show a success

Filipino prides Arnel Pineda and Lani Misalucha wowed thousands of fans in the United States during their concert at Gateway Theatre in Chicago last Friday.

An estimated 2,000 people came to watch the two Filipino world-class performers and they are all praises for the two singers. In the midst of economic crisis, the concert producers are happy that people still bought tickets to watch the two Pinoy artists to make it a big success.


Pineda was last seen performed at the Superbowl pre-show event in Florida along with his American rock band “Journey”.

Misalucha, on the other hand would go back to Las Vegas for her other commitments while Pineda will resume with the preparation for Journey’s Asian tour.

The two singers, meanwhile, were thankful for the support of their fans.


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Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” is Grammy’s song of the year.

The Coldplay’s hit song "Viva la Vida" won the song of the year in the recently concluded 51st annual Grammy awards at the Staples Center in Downtown Los Angeles.
Other nominated songs were "American Boy," performed and co-written by Estelle and Kanye West; "Chasing Pavements," performed and co-written by Adele; "I'm Yours," performed and written by Jason Mraz; and "Love Song," performed and written by Sara Bareilles.


The song was written by all members of the band for their fourth album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008). The lyrics to the song contain historical and religious references, and the track is built around a repeating string section with a percussion background. It was released on 7 May 2008 as the album's second single, debuting to critical and commercial success. "Viva la Vida" has reached the top spot of the UK Singles Chart and Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's first number-one single, as well as their only Trans-Atlantic number-one.

Viva La Vida lyrics

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become

Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

Click here to watch the video.
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MYX Daily Top 10 (February 10, 2009)

David Archuleta is still on top of the MYX countdown with his song “A Little Too Not Over You” while Kyla’s “Heart to Heart” is slowly moving to the top of the chart at the second spot. Britney Spears’ “Circus” settled at number 3 while Mariah Carey’s “I Stay In Love” has moved out of the countdown.


01. David Archuleta - A Little Too Not Over You
02.Kyla - Heart To Heart
03.Britney Spears – Circus
04.Sarah Geronimo - You Changed My Life
05.SpongeCola - Di Na Mababawi
06.Moonstar88 - Senti
07.David Cook - Light On
08.Taylor Swift - Love Story
09.Beyonce - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
10.Lady Gaga - Poker Face

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'Jay' won Black Movie filmfest award in Geneva

“Jay”, the first directorial assignment of Francis Xavier Pasion won the Audience Award at the recently-concluded Black Movie film festival in Geneva, Switzerland.

The film won the festival’s plum award plus a cash prize of CHF5,000 (P20,000) from Geneva's Department of Culture after it bested other 76 entries from other continents. Other Filipino entries include Brillante Mendoza's "Serbis" and "Tirador", Auraeus Solito's "Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros", Sherad Anthony Sanchez's "Huling Balyan ng Buhi" and Jim Libiran's "Tribu".


Pasion's victory also marks the first time that a Filipino entry won in the film festival's six-year-old history.

The Black Movie film festival describes itself as an event that goes against the trend of conventional movies, featuring upcoming talents as well as established filmmakers from outside the Western world such as Asia, Africa and Latin America. It focuses on films that project social topics or current affairs, popular cinema, new urban cultures, genres or filmmakers.

I haven’t seen the movie which is currently being shown as an SM Cinema Exclusive but I plan to watch it this weekend.

Source: absCBN. com

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Another new look!

First was the new blog title, from “The Lion’s Den” to “Leomar’s Den”, then I bought a new domain from “leomarsden.blogspot.com” to “leomarsden.com”. With all these successive changes at the start of the year, I felt it is but proper to change the over-all look of this blog as well. This is the impetus behind this new template.


I just hope that these changes will pave the way to something better, in terms of traffic and opportunities. Expect to see more changes on this blog, not only on the layout but on the contents. I have decided to post more personal thoughts as I struggle to share more of myself and my ideas on this blog.

This template was designed by FinalSense. I find the color more vibrant and more pleasing to the eye. It took a good 4 hours to move all the elements to this new template but I am happy with the result. I just hope that I did not miss any of my blogger friends’ URL on my blog list. If this will be the case, I apologize. Rest assured that it is not intentional. Simply buzz me and I will surely add your link on my blogroll.

So here is the new and reinvented Leomar’s Den!
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MYX Daily Top 10 (February 6, 2009)

Here’s what happening on the MYX Top Ten countdown today: David Archuleta remains at the top spot with “A Little Too Not Over You” followed by Britney Spears with “Circus”. Pedicab is the top OPM artist with “FX” while Sarah Geronimo is slowly but surely climbing the chart. Taylor Swift debuts at number 7 with “Love Story” while David Cook’s “Light On” is the biggest dropper at number 8.


Top Ten

01.David Archuleta - A Little Too Not Over You
02.Britney Spears - Circus
03.Pedicab - FX
04.Sarah Geronimo - You Changed My Life
05.SpongeCola - Di Na Mababawi
06.Kyla - Heart To Heart
07.Taylor Swift - Love Story
08.David Cook - Light On
09.Mariah Carey - I Stay In Love
10.Ne-Yo - Mad

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"Push" (2009) The Movie

Synopsis:

A riveting action-thriller, "Push" burrows deep into the deadly world of psychic espionage where artificially enhanced paranormal operatives have the ability to move objects with their minds, see the future, create new realities and kill without ever touching their victims. Against this setting, a young man and a teenage girl take on a clandestine agency in a race against time that will determine the future of civilization.


The Division, a shadowy government agency, is genetically transforming citizens into an army of psychic warriors—and brutally disposing of those unwilling to participate. Nick Gant (Chris Evans), a second-generation telekinetic or “mover,” has been in hiding since the Division murdered his father more than a decade earlier. He has found sanctuary in densely populated Hong Kong—the last safe place on earth for fugitive psychics like him—but only if he can keep his gift a secret.

Nick is forced out of hiding when Cassie Holmes (Dakota Fanning), a 13-year-old clairvoyant or “watcher,” seeks his help in finding Kira, (Camilla Belle), an escaped “pusher” who may hold the key to ending the Division’s program. Pushers possess the most dangerous of all psychic powers: the ability to influence others’ actions by implanting thoughts in their minds. But Cassie’s presence soon attracts the attention of the Division’s human bloodhounds, forcing Nick and Cassie to flee for their lives.

With the help of a team of rogue psychics, the unlikely duo traverses the seedy underbelly of the city, trying to stay one step ahead of the authorities as they search for Kira. But they find themselves square in the crosshairs of Division Agent Henry Carver (Djimon Hounsou), a pusher who will stop at nothing to keep them from achieving their goal.

Click here to watch the trailer.

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Welcome to my custom domain: leomarsden.com!

It was done on impulse. I don’t know what hit me when I suddenly clicked on the Switch to Custom Domain link in my Blogger dashboard. Then I worked on the Buy a Domain for your Blog with Donna’s credit card. This was almost 3 weeks ago.


I thought it would be an easy process but I was wrong. It’s not all Blogger’s fault though. Donna’s credit card encountered problems so even if the order was completed, it didn’t push through. I was not informed about the problem so I just assumed that my blog is already in transition to the new domain. I was not able to access my blog for a couple of days, my blog was missing.

I seek Blogger’s help, I sent them emails and I frequented forums on how to resolve the problem. I encountered “error 404” and “can not find server” error messages. It was very frustrating. I started to get acquainted with DNS settings, CNAME and to Google Apps.

It was over a week when I received an email from Blogger informing me that the order was on hold because of an issue with the Credit Card that I used. Had they notified me earlier, I should have been spared of a lot of inconveniences and frustration. I had to use a new VISA card to complete the order. After a couple of hours, I then receive an email from Google Apps with the subject: Google Apps -- Domain registration confirmation. I thought my problems were over. But I was wrong.

I instantly created an account with Google Apps, I tried to update my blog so I could post using my new domain but I was surprised to get another error message: Another Blog has already hosted at this address. I tried to follow the steps from different forums but the link below has helped me tremendously:

http://groups.google.com/group/blogger-help/web/how-to-fix-another-blog-is-already-hosted-at-this-address

It was not an instant fix, though. I needed to wait for about 3 days to clear the error. In fact, it only worked about an hour ago when I checked this blog after I got home from another stressful day at the office. It made my day complete.

So here it is, welcome to my new home!
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