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Following the success of Twilight, the movie, fans now eagerly await the second in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight saga. Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson reprise their roles as Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, the star-crossed lovers in Twilight. For those who are unaware of the Twilight saga, Edward Cullen is a vampire who inadvertently falls in love with a human, Bella Swan. The story revolves around the unusual relationship between these 2 teenagers. Meyer’s novels have become a hit worldwide which consequently did the same thing for the movie, Twilight, shown last year. New Moon is scheduled for release on November 20, 2009.

Probably the most anticipated character in New Moon is Jane, a high-ranking guard in the Volturi clan, the ruling clan in the vampire world. The character will be played by no less than Dakota Fanning. I can’t wait to see how she portrays Jane, the vampire guard who has the power to inflict excruciating pain to anyone without even touching them.

While many anxiously await the official trailer, some fans can’t seem to have the patience and took it upon themselves to make one. Here is one of the better trailers I have seen in the web. This is not an official trailer, but it is just as good.

American Idol 2009 judges finally use their one-time save and gave Matt Giraud another chance to make it through to the end of the competition.

Joining Matt in the bottom 3 tonight were Anoop Desai and Lil Rounds. Though Anoop claims he didn’t expect to be there, Kara says it was the right bottom 3. When Matt’s elimination was announced, he sang for his life. Simon says he doesn’t stand a chance in winning the competition but they save him anyway. With the save, 2 Idol contenders will be eliminated next week. Can Matt make the jump? We’ll see.

I think the judges have already made up their minds that those who will make it to the American Idol finals this year would not need to be saved.

The much-awaited movie song genre in tonight’s American Idol 2009 show was completed, but it wasn’t as exciting as I thought it would be. There wasn’t any standout performance that I found memorable enough. It was another broad genre that probably made it difficult for some contenders to choose the right one.

For their performance tonight, Quentin Tarantino was the guest mentor. And since they barely had time last week to give their opinions to Adam Lambert’s Mad World, it was decided that only 2 judges will alternately give their critique for each contender. I’m sure many are crossing their fingers they don’t get Simon.

Allison Iraheta sang “Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing,” (this is a mainstay in every Idol season) which she did quite well. Then again, it wasn’t a performance worthy of much accolades. She did it better than “Don’t Speak” though. Simon says she is the women’s only hope in the competition. Anoop Desai did “Everything I Do” from Robin Hood. It was a good performance which may keep him longer in the show.

Adam Lambert did “Born to Be Wild” from Easy Rider. Many anticipated him singing a rock song tonight as he seems to be alternating his soft and wild sides. It was a typical Adam rock performance. Not bad, but as Simon puts it, it’s not going to be as popular as “Mad World” last week. Matt Giraud didn’t do too well with “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?” from Don Juan. It was a bit off on some parts. Danny Gokey sang “Endless Love” which may be his worst performance to date. He has to start picking up or he might get overtaken.

Lil Rounds sang “The Rose” by Bette Midler. She isn’t going to make it. I’m not sure what is wrong with her when she sounded really good before the real race began. Finally, the best performance this evening belongs to Kris Allen. Kris sang “Falling Slowly” from Once. I think I heard this during an Oscar awards ceremony. It was really good. Weird thing is that Randy didn’t like it . . . huh? Here’s a video of Kris Allen.

My eldest son was only 10 when he discovered wall climbing. His body was perfect for it and his coach said he was a natural. He went on to become part of the school’s wall climbing team and even qualified as part of the Philippine team. I didn’t know much about climbing and found it necessary to acquaint myself with the sport.

The first thing I had to do was find him the best climbing accessories to support his training and competition. I surfed the net to learn more about the Climbing Gear he would need. There were several online stores offering various gears and brands that I was unfamiliar with. I was able to get him good climbing shoes and a nice chalk bag. I got stuck on getting him harness and decided to choose Petzl after I received good feedback from his coach.

Wall climbing did help my son a lot in terms of fitness. Though he was a bit lanky for his age, I noticed how much stronger his limbs had become. He could open jars without even flinching and his resistance has absolutely improved. According to his coach, it is a good exercise for those trying to lose weight. Climbing up one wall is equivalent to running the treadmill for 30 minutes. Most of his trainees have lost considerable weight while gaining strength and flexibility. I am actually consider climbing with my son soon.

When he qualified for the national team, my son asked if I could get him a Suunto Vector as his reward. Apparently it’s a great watch used by most climbers. It was a cool watch and I was really proud of his accomplishment. I did give in despite the price. It was definitely worth every cent.

I’ve been looking around for something to entertain my readers today and luckily opened an email sent by my cousin. It was a video of a 47-year old woman singing in Britain’s Got Talent. After watching it, Susan Boyle did make my day. Watch it first before I give my opinion.

What were you thinking before she opened her mouth to sing? Shame on you. Actually, shame on all of us. That was another one of life’s lessons I will never forget. There should be nothing to keep us from dreaming. Way to go Susan!

After a grueling 5-day hostage situation in Nairobi, the US Navy was finally able to free Capt. Richard Philips who had been held captive by pirates since Wednesday. Pirates tried to hijack the US-flagged Maersk Alabama on Wednesday which was on its way to Rwanda, Somalia to deliver food aid. However, before the pirates boarded, Capt. Philips told his crew of 19 to lock themselves in the cabin and surrendered himself to the pirates to safeguard his men.

Phillips was then taken hostage in an enclosed lifeboat by the pirates. The lifeboat was soon shadowed by three U.S. warships and a helicopter in a standoff. Negotiations to free Philips started Thursday but no accord was reached. The pirates tried to get assistance from other pirate-controlled ships the following days; however, the US Navy was able to block any attempts by other pirates to save their comrades.

On Easter Sunday, the US navy were able to rescue the 53-yearold captain during a surprise nighttime assault, killing 3 of the pirates. Negotiations were becoming heated when one of them pointed an AK-47 at the back of Philips. With the captain in imminent danger, the commander of the USS Bainbridge ordered his men to shoot.

Following the death of the 3 pirates and the surrender of another who would likely face life imprisonment in the US, other pirates in the area issued threats that they would no longer hesitate to take lives of hostages in future hijacking. Piracy in the area has been growing since the previous year.

Every week, I look forward to watching season 8 of American Idol because of the talented group they have this year.  But I still can’t stand the elimination episode.  It drags too slow for me even when they do have guest singers performing. I want to shout at Ryan Seacrest and just beg him to tell me who’s out.

Tonight, it is Scott MacIntyre who bows out of the competition with the least number of votes.  Along with him at the bottom were Anoop Desai and Lil Rounds.  I feel a hint of pity for the guy, but I am trying to ignore it.  I’m sure many would have hoped he stayed longer.  But Scott really has gone as far as he can go in the competition — not because of his disability though.  He is a good singer, but not nearly as good as the rest.

Interesting enough, Simon hinted earlier on that there was only 1 among the bottom 3 they would consider saving.  We all know who that is, of course.  Anyway, the judges actually decided to consider saving Scott and the guy sings his heart out again.  I wish the judges didn’t have to make him hope like that.  He was really bad yesterday, and it’s not any better today.  After the song, the women judges really want him to stay, but Simon put his foot down and says no.  That’s one thing you can rely on with Simon, he will not let emotion get the better of him.  I actually find it more contemptible to keep Scott hoping.

As the top 8 in American Idol 2009 performed a few hours ago, there was only one performance that stood out for me. Adam Lambert’s rendition of Mad World by Tears for Fears overwhelmed me. It was the best of the night as affirmed by Simon who could only stand up and applaud him with time running out.

Since I seem to have gone backward as I described the last singer, I might as well just go through some of the rest.  Next to Lambert, I would say Matt Giraud singing Part Time Lover and Allison Iraheta with I Can’t Make You Love Me (love this song . . . the softer version though) were the decent performers.  Danny Gokey sang Stand By Me, but it was nothing out of the ordinary, though he did change it up a bit.  The bottom for me were Lil Rounds (what’s up with her?) and Scott MacIntyre.  The rest were forgettable, as Simon would say.

Meantime, here is the video of Adam’s stunning performance.  Nothing like the original with just a touch of his style in the end.

It was the wee hours of Monday morning (6 April 2009) when residents of L’Aquila, Italy were struck by one of nature’s deadliest disasters — an earthquake measuring 6.3 in the Richter scale. At present, fatality is estimated at over 150 while the wounded numbered around 1,500. The quake also left tens of thousands homeless.

The 6.3-magnitude earthquake likewise buckled both ancient and modern buildings in and around L’Aquila which was nested in a valley surrounded by the snowcapped Apennines’ tallest peaks. Centuries-old castles and churches dating back from the Middle Ages were not spared by the catastrophe.

The quake was followed by a series of aftershocks that continued until Tuesday morning. Rescue workers and firefighters were often forced to retreat when aftershocks rocked the collapsed buildings they were working on. Most of the time, the crew demanded complete silence to be able to listen to sounds of life from within the debris. Read the rest of this entry »

Are your daily moisturizers eating up your budget? Instead of going to your local beauty store, why not look around your kitchen? Remember that most of the ingredients active in branded moisturizers can be found in your kitchen like the almond oil.

A light touch of almond oil on the body does wonders that can match the effects of expensive moisturizers in the market. It is easily absorbed and you don’t feel like jumping on a frying pan or oven.  Almond oil has a substantial amount vitamin E which is considered one of nature’s age-fighting anitoxidant. It also restores skin moisture and does not leave any scent that will mix with your perfumes or colognes.

If you check the ingredients of some lotions and other beauty products, almond oil is among the main ingredients.  Among those in the market are L’Occitane’s Almond Supple Skin Oil ($30 for 3.4 oz.) and Almond Body Butter from The Body Shop ($8 for 1.7 oz.). However, there is nothing like the real thing which will cost you half the price at twice the volume.

Who said beautiful skin had to be expensive?

The unemployed has now reached over 5 million and there seems to be no signs of let up. Even those who did not feel endangered because of their skills are part of the list. While welfare provides temporary relief, the need to find a replacement is necessary. But with so few jobs out there, people are scrambling to get any type of job to survive.

With the difficulty in finding jobs, many have resorted to unorthodox ways of landing one. Active pursuit includes attending networking events, blogging, and making television ads. Yes, many are now selling themselves through advertisements like commercial products. Many believe it is the only way to stand out among the millions currently in search of new employment.

Now, there are television shows that allow job seekers to record 30-second commercials to market themselves to prospective employers. The show likewise includes tips on landing that elusive job. The advantage of these ads is that employers need not actively seek out their prospects, they see it directly while watching the show.

Nevertheless, it does not guarantee that the right employer will luckily be watching the ad. As such, it is only another measure that many have included along with the traditional job search.

While the economic crisis seems to have brought out the ingenuity in so many people, the big question still remains. How much longer can we weather the storm?

After another unusual performance this week in American Idol 2009, Megan Joy Corkrey gets the least number of votes and bids the competition goodbye.  It’s really too bad because her voice is one of the more unique among the group and she is absolutely gorgeous.  Unfortunately, her song choices were just as eccentric.  And it seems she will not compromise her taste to get the judges’ nods.

Anyway, my favorite performance of the week is from the sexy Kris Allen.  This time, he shows his versatility by abandoning his guitar and taking on the piano instead.  Tres cool!  Here’s a video of Kris Allen with Ain’t No Sunshine.

I have lived in the Philippines since the day my mother and father got the urge to conceive me. And I have never been to any other country except while watching the National Geographic and CSI or reading The Da Vinci Code. Most of my college friends have left the country years ago to seek the American Dream. Not for lack of trying, but they failed miserably in convincing me to follow their pursuit. They couldn’t understand, but I couldn’t explain well either. Even when I was young, it had never been an aspiration to live elsewhere.

Of course, there can be a number of reasons for my hesitation. I may be the type of person who fear abrupt changes in her environment or a psychologist may diagnose it as low self-esteem and a feeling of inferiority to reside in progressive countries. Really? I speak perfect English and I have always been able to talk to foreigners at work without any problems. It was something I pondered on for sometime. While it may be true that I sometimes fear leaving my comfort zone, I had been able to introduce changes in my life whenever necessary. But what was it that keeps me rooted in this country that very few foreigners understand?
Read the rest of this entry »

We live in the age of technology where electronic gadgets now rule our world. How many times have you felt crippled after leaving your mobile phone at home? Did you ever feel the urge to just cry when you realized your laptop is broken? We are indeed slaves of the electronic world and would be totally helpless without these gadgets. Among all these inventions, the mobile phone is probably the most useful. This led to the emergence of numerous cellular phone brands with almost limitless capabilities. The features of mobile phones at the moment is so advanced, we wouldn’t be surprised one day if it starts delivering food straight into our hands.

One of the brands that has made leaps and bounds in the mobile phone industry is Samsung. Samsung has come out with models just as technologically-advanced as the older brands. The Samsung Behold is one of the newer models with touch screen features acclaimed as one of the most responsive in the industry. There are also Samsung Behold Accessories to provide support to this unique gadget.

Another model with a touch-screen interface is the Samsung Eternity. It’s almost similar to the Behold and Samsung Eternity Accessories are likewise available to enhance the unit. But if you want something with more connectivity, go with the Samsung Epix. It has the same touch-screen interface but now includes Wi-Fi and a separate QWERTY keyboard for those who feel uncomfortable using the screen keyboard. Just like the rest, there are a number of Samsung Epix Accessories that can help protect and improve your mobile phone experience.

If touchscreen is now the interface of the future, Samsung is definitely capitalizing on this to emerge as one of the best in the industry.