I’ve been so busy for the past couple of weeks that I haven’t checked out the latest news about the Philippines (even here in the U.S.). Today I heard from my mother that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo made her SONA (State Of the Nation Address). And of course the usual reaction from the Filipinos – rallies and oppositions. Since I was younger I always thought that all these rallies and oppositions all add up to the chaos that is already present in the country. I think that by doing so, the people are only making the situations worse.

Here’s what I think:

1. Why put all the blame to Pres.GMA? I am not a big follower of the president not because I dislike her or what but because I am not a big Politics person. (You know what I mean.) I have faith in government and democracy but what made me lose faith in the system is the quality of people, in general, governing the nation.
2. Where are the other officials elected to run the country? The senators? Congressmen? Governors? Mayors? And other representatives? They should take responsibilities for all their actions. They are all partly to be blamed for whatever it is that’s happening in the Philippines right now. Chaos? Disunity? The reason why the citizens behave in such manner is because their own leaders don’t have one voice. One group doesn’t believe in President Arroyo so they don’t show up during the SONA? What kind of leaders are they when they can’t even show some amount of respect to the country’s president? How can these leaders lead their citizens and bring some amount of hope and progress to the nation when they can’t even teach themselves some morals? Citizens, don’t put all the blame on the President, what are your locally elected officials doing to help you?
3. Enough about the officials, now it’s your turn. What are you doing for your country? As former U.S. President John F. Kennedy said,“ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” So to those citizens who keep on complaining about their sufferings and the worsening economy of the Philippines, let me ask you – What have you done to help improve the state of your country? I guess nothing. Other than whining, complaining, and constantly putting the blame on other people – nothing. No wonder the country, as you said it, keeps on sinking further to the bottom. Stop complaining and do something!

The country, just like any other relationships, is a partnership between the people and their officials. Without cooperation the Philippines will definitely sink. There is still great hope for the country. If we all pause, look at the person beside us, and help each other stand up – we can all make it! We were once a nation who conquered the universe, we can still do it now. All we have to do is open our minds, listen to the other party, and unite. How difficult can that be? We made it before; therefore, we can do it again.


Photo from: http://www.zindamagazine.com/html/archives/2005/6.29.05/pix/unity.jpg

Please let me know what you think by commenting below. Thank you.

Although more and more women are now playing professional basketball, the stereotype that such sport is better of for men still exists. Well, think again because 12-year-0ld, Jamie Nard, is conquering and dominating the courts of both female and male basketball. As her teammate said,"Her greatness, it like sprinkles off and goes unto us and it kinda makes us better as a player too." Well with a height and skills like that, her dreams are closer to her reach than what she thinks.

So, today’s the day for most of you. (Yeah, that does not include me) And why is that? As we all know, tonight the biggest and most anticipated question will be answered – “Will it be DC or DA?” Oh come on, don’t act like you don’t know what that means.

Tonight is the Grand Finale of American Idol Season 7 and the most awaited verdict as to who will be the newest Idol sensation will be announced. The battle between David Cook and David Archuleta will finally be answered. Have you cast your votes? Well, if not what are you waiting for? Vote now for you favorite idol. You may be their last chance.

As for my opinion, whoever the ultimate Idol may be, we all know they have come a really really long way and have grown so much in this competition. And still, there is even more room for growth after tonight.

I’m sure everyone will be hooked in front of their TV screens tonight. Oh well, we all know from day 1 as to who will reign this season but the suspense is worth the watch.

So my sister showed me this little online celebrity soulmate test a few weeks ago but I wasn't able to find time to post it here until now. I did the test quite a few times and kept getting George Clooney as my "celebrity soulmate." I think it's cool since we all know he's a fabulous actor and a consistent contender for the world's sexiest man title. Plus, he's heck of a funny guy and he loves his parents. *lol* I wish to meet him someday though. Perhaps after I see him personally I'll fall in love with him even more. Hahaha.

Anyways, the test is really short and fun to do. It's a nice way to spend a break from once busy world. So, I hope you guys try it and let me know which celebrity is your soulmate. (There is a separate test for females and males)

Take the Quiz

So here’s the latest scoop everyone. In my prior entry, I talked about Daniel Radcliffe’s search for an Australian mystery girl who caught his eye in one AFI awards night he attended in the past. A few hours after The Daily Telegraph published their article about the boy wizard’s search, a number of girls stepped up saying they were the one who bewitched the young actor. But among those girls, 2 ladies stood out as the possible mystery girl. Both of the girls, blond 20-year-old Cassi McKay from Sydney, and brown-haired saxophonist Savannah Blount from Melbourne, played in David Campbell’s band at the after party and shared a picture with the actor during the event.

Sadly for our lover boy, both ladies already have boyfriends. Savannah Blount revealed that the actor was very polite, sweet, charming, and handsome. Although, she confessed he’s “very short [and she’s] more for the taller type of guy.” Ouch! On the other hand though, Cassi McKay has been set to travel to UK next week for a four-month vacation. And, she is open to meeting up with the millionaire actor again. She said, “I've told my boyfriend about him and I'd be keen to meet up." And if you’re wondering how Ms. McKay’s boyfriend is reacting to all of these? Well, he is not a big fan of the actor. In fact, he has not read any of the Harry Potter books nor watched any of the movies. Although, it doesn’t worry him if his girlfriend of more than two years wants to meet up with the actor since he “trusts her.” Now, that’s what I call a supportive boyfriend.

Now, you might think these girls broke the heart and the Daniel Radcliffe’s hope of finally finding true love. Well, guess again. Few hours ago, the actor’s London-based representative stepped into the scene and brought a new twist to this whole mystery girl search. Yes, a twist. She told New York’s Daily News that the Harry Potter star’s search was only a joke. She added, "(Radcliffe's comments) were meant in jest, but sadly been blown out of all proportion."

Edz React:
Some people laugh at this whole story. Indeed it is a big joke. Cassi McKay, first to assume the mystery girl title, revealed on an initial interview with The Daily Telegraph that she did not want her 15 minutes of fame and is very much committed to her boyfriend. Oh yes, she and her boyfriend had been in the tabloids and interviews all over the place. And Savannah Blount said she finds the young actor short and prefers tall man (like her boyfriend I suppose). So they were thinking they caught Daniel Radcliffe’s heart. Then all of a sudden the actor says it was a joke that was taken out of context. Oh, wow. Girls take that! Indeed this twist brought the two girls’ 15 minutes of fame to an end. Boy, what a laugh to end a day. I guess noble princes searching for average-simple girls may only happen in movies after all. Ever wondered why Prince Charles and Princess Diana’s marriage never worked out in the end?

P.S.
I’ve researched this whole story and referred to various articles on the internet. Because I used too many articles, I find it overwhelming to post them all here. So, pardon me if I am no longer going to cite my sources.

Every girl wishes to have a fairytale love story (except me). They would want a prince charming to save them from the dungeon and sweep them off their feet. That explains why movies such as Nothing Hill and Pretty Woman topped the box office charts when released. (Almost) Every average-simple girl probably dreams to have a rich-famous-handsome guy fall in love with her and search for her. Although most people say, these stories only happen in books and movies.

Uhhmmm. You might think that’s impossible to happen nowadays huh? But think again. There are still some people out there with pure hearts and with so much sincere love to give. Would you believe me if I tell you the famous Daniel Radcliffe is one of those very rare men? Yes, Daniel Radcliffe as in Daniel Radcliffe from one of the most successful book series ever turned to blockbuster movies.

The famous young actor revealed he was bewitched by an Australian woman sometime late last year during an AFI awards night. He shared in his interview with The Daily Telegraph:
"There was one girl there, oh my god, she had these eyes that just looked at me like she wanted to pounce on me. She stared at me the whole night and I was going to get her number and then I couldn't find her.”

"I must have walked around that party for an hour trying to look for this girl, like some sad pathetic dweeb but it would have been so worth it."

"I don't know, I don't know her name, I can't remember her name. It was one of those things but she was stunning," he said.

The actor shared he has troubles finding the right woman and is cautious of “gold diggers” who would only be after his fame and fortune.

Now the newspaper – The Daily Telegraph – is helping search for Radcliffe’s mysterious Aussie-girl. And the whole world awaits.

Edz React:
Uhhmmm.. What did I tell you? Probably in our modern times there are still men with hearts like the nobles princes from movies. But I guess it’s still too soon to tell. I know this search will not last long. It will end any time soon and everyone will be talking about it. So far, while I’m writing this blog entry, they still have not found the girl. But I will update you guys with the latest. I’ll research it for you. So keep watch. Lets see how far this story will go.

31 + 29 + 31 + 9 = ?

When New Year of 2008 was only a few minutes away, I could not believe how time flies by so fast. Then it was already the first day of 2008. Then after some time, I realized January was already over. Then February came. Then March. Then last week, the month of April started. We’re already in our 4th month of the year. Wow! Time is definitely in a hurry.

But do any of you count the days? I guess not. We, humans, tend to get very preoccupied with worldly matters that we “no longer have time” for such childish activity. “We’re too busy to count the days,” right?

Anyways, I hope some of you have noticed that today is the 100th day of 2008. So Happy 100th Day! Yes, it has already been 100 days since the year started. That was the purpose of the equation above.

So, what have you done so far?
What did you accomplish in those 100 days?
How is the progress of your New Year’s Resolutions?

Anyways, below are a couple of links about people who reached their 100 years of age. Yes, 100 years and not days. And check out what they did in those 100 years, how they are living their lives, and what they are planning to do in the near future.

100-Year-Old Celebrate Her Birthday By Smoking 170,000th Cigarette
Margaret Pearson is Still Cruisin' at 100
100-Year-Old Told "Take Day Off"
100-Year-Old Decides It's Time To Retire
100-Year-Old Becomes U.S. Citizen
100-Year-Old Receives College Degree
Discount For 100-Year-Old Driver
100-Year-Old Iowa Man Loves Hooters, Hates George W. Bush

I hope you read these articles. The stories of these centenarians (a person who has reached the age of 100 or more) make me wonder if I could live to be a century old. I wish I could though, since there is so much more I want to do in this lifetime.

Tomorrow another episode of everyone’s favorite show – The American Idol – will air. Unfortunately, the Filipino community, or probably most of the Asian community, might not be so enthusiastic about tomorrow’s performances. As we all know the only representative of the Asian community was voted out from the competition last week. Yes, I’m talking about Ramiele Malubay. For some fans, it was a shocker! On the other hand, though, some viewers might have already anticipated her exit. I missed that night’s show, but I must admit I was disappointed too when I learned she was eliminated from “Idol.”

Some people argue that she should have stayed and “Idol” should have been a competition based on talent and not on popularity. However, the latter’s a very debatable topic so I don’t want to touch and elaborate that issue. What happened already happened. Although Ramiele will no longer perform weekly in the competition, she has already proven herself to the world. She has already proven her talent and versatility. She’s not only a great performer but also a friend and a daughter. As the judges say, she has a great voice for a small girl. Yeah, Ramiele! That’s how we are!

Being in the top 9 is already a great achievement. No t everyone could get to have the opportunities you’ve experienced. Although we would no longer be regularly seeing you in “Idol,” we will always be your fans. Just as you are proud to be an Asian and to represent us, we are also very proud to have you represent us in Hollywood’s music industry. This won’t be the last we’ll see of you. Good luck and always keep your feet planted on the ground. Like what Ryan said, “You did a tremendous job!”

Below is a clip of Ramiele’s elimination from “Idol.”

Last week there were prayer vigils and rallies held in almost every state in America to mark the 5th year anniversary of the war in Iraq. Some people say that the war is over and Americans are now helping the Iraqis fix their country. While on the other hand, some would argue that the war is still going on and it will not end any time soon.

Whether you believe the war has ended or not doesn’t really matter. There are still thousands of soldiers out there risking their lives. Back in 2001, almost the entire world mourned over the loss during the “terrorist attack” in America. Almost every citizen in the United States wanted to attack Iraq, to have revenge, and to seek justice.

Now, five years later, thousands of American soldiers have already died and still the war isn’t officially over. The number of fatalities of both American soldiers and Iraqis continues to rise.

Last night, four US soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb. Over 5 years of war, the death toll of American soldiers had officially reached 4,000. That number only represents the fatalities of American soldiers, how about their “enemies?” How many people, both innocent and guilty, have died all in all? How many families have suffered from lost and longing? How many children were born and raised without their fathers? Or both parents? How many soldiers are suffering from depression and frustration? How many lives have been affected?

Whether the war should have been started or not no longer matters. What matters most are the lives of the people. We all live in one world and we are all affected by this war. No matter what officials are going to do about the war right now, one thing’s for sure – the killings will not end soon.

I hope we all pray for the soldiers doing their jobs and the innocent Iraqis trying to live in peace. We don’t know when the killings would end, but we all know that there is someone who continues to listen. I know not everyone believes in a divine being but I know we all yearn for someone to take us away from the sorrows we are experiencing. Prayer is our best weapon in times like this.

Hi everyone. This is my first video blog. As I explained in the vid, I've been really busy lately that i haven't uploaded my saved drafts. But hopefully my schedule will loosen up a bit in 2 weeks time then I'll be able to catch up with matters.

The idea of shooting this vid just came up to me all of a sudden so as you can sense in the vid I didn't know what to say and what to do. Everything was just so random. But we all have to start somewhere right?

By the way, I hope you all support American Idol contestant Ramiele Malubay. She is a Filipino and with your help she can be the first Asian-American Idol. This gal definitely have what it takes. And take note, during her first performance as the season's competition officially started this week, she was among the very few who got all three Yes from the judges. Yes! Simon gave her a Yes. That just proves she has what it takes. Please tune in to American Idol weekly and vote for her.

I hope you all join me in supporting Ramiele Malubay.

The other day, as soon as I learned about Heath Ledger's death, I immediately wrote an entry about him and his tragic death. Unfortunately, something happened and that entry got deleted. And since Blogger.com has an autosave feature, I permanently lost the entry. Thanks Blogger.com my entry is now lost in the realm of the internet.

As much as I would like to rewrite everything, I'm the type of person that can never do that. Once I write something, I can only write it once, if not improve it. So what I'm going to do is just write a little of what I remember from my prior entry. I did not want to write nothing about Heath Ledger's death.

Friends, family, and fans all over the world grieve over such a loss. Heath was not only a great talent but a great person as well. People who knew him say nothing but wonderful words about him. His father, Kim Ledger, said this on an interview upon hearing his son's death, "Heath has touched so many people on so many different levels during his short life, but few had the pleasure to truly know him. He was a down-to-earth, generous, kind-hearted, life-loving and unselfish individual who was an extreme inspiration to many."

At 28, he had such a bright future ahead of him. He could still have more wonderful years with his 2 year old daughter, Matilda. But I guess, like some say, God needed more angels in heaven. I'm not saying that God made this happen okay. God would never want such a tragic loss. Unfortunately, it happened. Indeed, it was a great life cut short.

To Heath: We will definitely miss seeing you on the silver screen. But your works will surely remain in our hearts and the way you lived your life will always be an example to us. We will forever be your fans.

Okay today my siblings did not wake up early for school. Why? Well, the title says it all. Today is Martin Luther King Day. For some people that is synonymous to holiday and 3 day weekend! To students and employees who need not wake up early today for school and work good for you then. That does not include me though. Unfortunately, I still had work today. But come to think of it the freeway was more, lets say, "free" today and there were less traffic on side streets and highways. I guess that includes less vehicular accidents as well. Oh that is good news!

Well, other than roadtrips, vacations, and additional hours of sleep, today marks an important day not only to Americans but to all people in the world. Today serves as an observation of Martin Luther King's birth. Now, who is he? What did he do? Why is he famous? Why do we observe this day for him? Well, other than the facts that he made this day a holiday possible and a lot of roads and places were named after him there's more to his name. Let me share with you some quick facts about Martin Luther King, Jr.

(source: Encarta.msn.com

http://encarta.msn.com/media_461577133_761557424_-1_1/Martin_Luther_King_Jr_Quick_Facts.html)

Birth January 15, 1929
Death April 4, 1968
Place of Birth Atlanta, Georgia
Known for Leading the civil rights movement in the United States
Advocating nonviolent protest against segregation and racial discrimination

Milestones
1954 Selected as pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama
1955 Received his Ph.D. in systematic theology from Boston University
1955-1956 Led a successful effort to desegregate Montgomery, Alabama, buses
1957 Helped found and served as the first president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
1958 Published Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story
1963 Wrote 'Letter from Birmingham Jail,' arguing that it was his moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws
1963 Delivered his 'I Have a Dream' speech to civil rights marchers at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
1964 Won the Nobel Peace Prize
1965 Organized a mass march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, that created national support for federal voting-rights legislation
1968 Was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee

Quote

'I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.' August, 1963, in a speech to civil rights supporters at the March on Washington.

Did You Know
King's nonviolent doctrine was strongly influenced by the teachings of Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi.

In 1964, King became the first black American to be honored as Time magazine's Man of the Year.

King's efforts were not limited to securing civil rights; he also spoke out against poverty and the Vietnam War.

Okay, that was it. These are just some quick facts about who Martin Luther King, Jr is. He is someone definitely worth looking up to. If it wasn't for him and other civil rights activist, then maybe Americans may not have the kind of freedom they are enjoying right now. Well, come to think of it, not only Americans but people of other races and ethnicities as well. So next time before we drive off for a 3 day holiday on Martin King Luther Day lets give a minute to thank him and other civil rights activist for fighting for our freedom. To Martin Luther King, Jr, Happy Birth Anniversary and thank you.