Certified Blogaholic

After receiving the posthumous award for Heath Ledger as Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars, Kate Ledger informed reporters backstage that her brother’s last film was going to be amazing and the family is very much involved in the final movie.

Terry Gilliam’s “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus,” almost didn’t pull through with the untimely death of the actor. However, 3 of the most talented actors in Hollywood agreed to take Ledger’s place — Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Collin Farrell. Apparently, Dr. Parnassus will be traveling around in time and Gilliam has found a way of changing the look of the character as he shifts from one time to the other.
Read the rest of this entry »

Pictures taken by police following the much-publicized Chris Brown-Rihanna brawl just leaked all over the web through TMZ. The unauthorized release of the photo is now under investigation.

Last week, Chris Brown released his first statement since the incident through a rep indicating his remorse for what happened. He admitted that he is now undergoing rehabilitation and therapy. I believe it would have been more credible if the artist had the courage to face the press and make the public apology in person.

Tigers Woods, though still not competing as he recuperates from his injuries, has every reason to smile. The family just welcomed Charlie Axel Woods, born on February 8. Now, the golf champion has a son he can pass on his golf clubs to, and hopefully his prowess. While he was still unable to compete, he did get the chance to exercise those arms holding baby Charlie.

Woods has been out since the US Open in June 2008 to repair a knee injury. Following the operation and rehab, fans will be glad to hear that the new daddy is expected to compete in the next few weeks. His beautiful wife, Elin Nordegren, may not be too happy about it as the champ’s return seems to coincide with possible diaper-changing and early morning baby-watching duties.

David Letterman has had weird interviews in his show. But his interview of Joaquin Phoenix last night was one for the books. Phoenix came in to promote his movie with Gwyneth Paltrow, Two Lovers. However, since his announced retirement from acting to venture into music, he seems to have lost himself somewhere.

Phoenix stayed on for over 10 minutes but mumbles through the interview saying “I don’t know” to most of Dave’s questions. The audience laughs most of the time, probably thinking that the interview was rehearsed to be funny. Offhand, I believe he may have been thrown off by Dave’s question about his fluffy beard at the start of the interview. His sunglasses make it difficult to ascertain his reactions, but it seems he was offended and continued to be offended with the audience laughing so much. On the other hand, since the audience seemed unaware of how he is taking everything, they continued to guffaw through most of the interview.
Read the rest of this entry »

The news on Chris Brown beating an unidentified woman still remains clouded in mystery a few days after Grammy night. Nevertheless, rumors seem to be trickling now and again. By now, the rumor that the woman Chris Brown allegedly mauled was girlfriend Rihanna seems almost 80% certain. Rihanna’s reps and relatives refuse to confirm, merely stating that the pop star is well and that she appreciates all the concern.

Since most of the details have yet been confirmed, these tidbits are still considered rumor and gossip. Sources say that Rihanna’s injuries were grave — forehead contusions, cut lips, and bite marks on the arms and fingers. Though initial reports say that the case against Brown is assault with a deadly weapon, it seems no specific weapon was used other than Brown’s skill in martial arts (though I’ve read jokes pertaining to an “Umbrella” being used).
Read the rest of this entry »

While most of us complain about our financial problems or emotional problems, people like Nick wake up in the morning with a smile on their face believing in the wonders that the world has to offer. Watching this video has put me in shame as I remember whining about how difficult the life that God has given me. May this inspire us to find light during our darkest moments and see beauty in the ugliest of circumstances.

Nick Vujicic was born on December 4, 1982 with the rare Tetra-amelia disorder, a congenital disorder characterized by the absence of all 4 limbs. His Serbian Christian parents were initially devastated. Their boy was healthy, but they knew the difficulties that would lie ahead.
Read the rest of this entry »

While the current global recession has placed consumers either in panic or in saving mode, economists continue to encourage purchase as the steep decline in retail sales the past few months aggravates the situation. In January 2009, 600,000 more jobs were lost with more businesses either try to stay afloat or declare bankruptcy altogether.

However, more consumers trying to save for a rainy day is inevitable. We do have to watch out for ourselves and our family and mitigate whatever the worst may bring to us. In our family, we have lessened our expenses but we still do our share in keeping the economy moving by purchasing prudently and wisely.

What we discovered though, is that get more savings from our purchases with online shopping deals. Apparently, not only are some items cheaper to buy online, but we also get better value for our money from coupons or cash back rebates. We recently discovered Extrabux.com where we get back a portion of our purchases by coursing what we buy through them. They have top online merchants such as Ebay, Zappos, and Target from among the 800 stores on their site.

With every purchase that you make, they will provide you with as much as 30% cash rebate and send it to you via check or Paypal. What’s more, you can also do your comparison shopping on the site and get the better deal or better product. Who says we can’t save by shopping all the time? When we are in a crunch, we need to be creative and resourceful. They even have an affiliate program that will give you $5 for every friend you refer. Register now and find out how much more you can earn.

Jennifer Hudson wins Best R&B Album in the 51st Annual Grammy Awards which is still ongoing as we speak. She tearfully accepted her award from Whitney Houston, thanking God and all the people that helped her through the most difficult time in her life. Hudson had just come out of seclusion last month after the death of her mother, brother and nephew last year. She later performed “You Pulled Me Through,” a song about overcoming despair, breaking down as she sings the last notes.

Other early winners include Adele for Best New Artist, winning over the Jonas Brothers, and Coldplay for Viva La Vida as Song of the Year. Robert Plant and Allison Krauss also won Best Country Collaboration and Best Pop Collaboration of the year.

However, it seemed that the highlight of the awards was behind the scenes when Chris Brown dropped out of the performance after police reported that the artist was wanted for assaulting a woman. The identity of the woman has not been revealed yet. Fortunately, his performance was switched immediately by Justin Timberlake, Al Green, Boyz II Men, and Keith Urban singing “Let’s Stay Together.” Later on, Brown’s girlfriend, Rihanna, likewise dropped out of the performance list.

I hope Chris Brown’s case isn’t so bad . . . my kid’s love him and Rihanna.

Last Friday, reports released show that 600,000 jobs were shed in January, a month with more layoffs than any other since 1974. While the Congress and the Senate continue to tackle President Obama’s stimulus plan, everything seems to be getting dimmer.

Businesses are closing, unemployment is rising, and those companies that have managed to survive aren’t hiring. Considering that jobs are few and so many are desperately needing them, many have found creative ways to increase their chances of landing a new job.
Read the rest of this entry »