March 3, 2012

Second Volunteering Expo (VSO Bahaginan)


VSO-Bahaginan invites you to the Second Volunteering Expo on March 13, 2012 at Hotel Intercontinental Manila, Makati City. Entitled "Active Communities, Sustainable Future," the Volunteering Expo will serve as a platform for celebrating and inspiring volunteerism in government, non-government, corporate, and academic sectors.

To read the pre-event press release, please click here.

March 2, 2012

KATE MIDDLETON: Fashion Fit for a Princess

I’ve read the news about the Queens and Duchess.  Queen Elizabeth, Catherine Middleton Duchess of Cambridge and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall visit Fortnum & Mason, a luxury department store on March 1, 2012 in London, UK., The trip was unique in that it was the first time that the three generations of royal women, The Queen, the Duchess of Cambridge and Duchess of Cornwall carried out official duties together.

I really am a fan of a beautiful, fashionable and elegant lady perfectly fit for a Princess. Kate Middleton has always had impeccable style, whether she's wearing traditional British hats,  going-out dresses or jeans and a tee. I enjoy checking out her stellar fashion.

Middleton clearly is drawn to blue garments, and this dress suits her nicely. Sometimes the addition of the hat makes her a cool. I really love blue, white, off-white and black garments. Most of classic black-and-white, blue and white, blue and black ensembles are perfect for a princess and appears comfortable for anyone to wear.

She is a very pretty elegant, modern and lovely girl. She’s like the most beautiful Princess many people loved, Princess Diana. 





















Catherine Middleton and Prince William

Princess Diana and  Kate Middleton 

American Idol season 11 top 13 !

The Top 13 for season 11 of American Idol have been revealed! After two nights of live performaces, American Idol's top 25 contestants , 12 women and 13 men got a big reality check on Thursday as they faced their first elimination, which would cut their numbers down to just 13. 

From 25 semi-finalists, 5 girls and 5 boys were chosen as finalists based on the 33 million votes from the televiewers. To complete the Top 13, the judges picked 3 from 6 wild cards who performed during the results show.
Photo credit: AmericanIdol.com

Here's the Top 13 American Idol 

1.  Phillip Phillips
2.  Hollie Cavanagh
3.  Jessica Sanchez
4.  Joshua Ledet
5.  Heejun Han
6.  Shannon Magrane
7.  Skylar Laine
8.  Elise Testone
9.  Colton Dixon
10. Jermaine Jones
11. Erika Van Pelt (wildcard pick by Randy Jackson)
12. Jeremy Rosado (wildcard pick by Jennifer Lopez)
13. Deandre Brackensick (wildcard pick by Steven Tyler)

March 1, 2012

2nd Volunteering Expo (VSO Bahaginan)

VSO-Bahaginan invites you to the Second Volunteering Expo of on March 13, 2012 at the Intercontinental Manila, Makati City. Entitled "Active Communities, Sustainable Future," the Volunteering Expo will serve as a platform for celebrating and inspiring volunteerism in government, non-government, corporate, and academic sectors.


For more information, please click here to view the e-poster.

The Cold Light of Day


The Cold Light of Day starring Henry CavillBruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver.
Also included in the cast are Joseph Mawle, Caroline Goodall, Jim Piddock, Rafi Gavron, Óscar Jaenada. Director Mabrouk El Mechri (JCVD) led the helming duties based on a script by Scott Wiper, and John Petro.

The Cold Light of Day opens April 6th, 2012.

Synopsis : 
Will Shaw (Cavill) arrives in Spain for a weeklong sailing vacation with his family, the stressed young business man is not in a holiday mood. His start upcompany just went under and his tense relationship with his disciplinarian father Martin (Bruce Willis) only makes matters worse. But when the family is kidnapped by what turns out to be intelligence agents hell-bent on recovering a mysterious suitcase, Will suddenly finds himself on the run. His whole world turns upside down when Martin reappears, revealing he is an undercover agent tangled in an intergovernmental web of lies and secrets. During a clandestine rendezvous, Martin is killed by a sniper, and Will must find a way to get the rest of his family back alive.
With the kidnappers counting down the hours, the Spanish police breathing down his neck for a murder he didn’t commit and a cadre of U.S. assassins on his trail, Will flees through Madrid, racing to piece together a conspiracy as labyrinthine as the city’s ancient streets. Who can he trust? Who killed his father? And where is the mysterious suitcase that seems to the key to getting his family come safely? In his quest foranswers, Will finds Lucia (Veronica Echegui) – a half-sister he never knew he had, who is determined to help him. Bound by their shared kiss, the siblings are a force to be reckoned with, but can they overcome the massive odds against them before it’s too late?.

Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins in “Dark Shadows”!

Johnny Depp as the vampire Barnabas Collins in the up-coming movie Dark Shadows!
Also included in the cast are Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller, Bella Heathcote, Chloe Moretz and Gulliver McGrath.
The movie is set to be shown in theaters on May 11, 2012.
Synopsis:
A rich powerful playboy Barnabas who breaks the heart of a witch Angelique Bouchard. She dooms him to a fate worse than death: turning him into a vampire, and then burying him alive. Two centuries later, Barnabas is inadvertently freed from his tomb and emerges into the very changed world of 1972. He returns to Collinwood Manor to find that his once-grand estate has fallen into ruin.

New7Wonders Cities !

A new campaign for New7Wonders Cities New7Wonders Cities is the third campaign organized by New7Wonders, following the man-made New7Wonders of the World and the New7Wonders of Nature.
We will choose the 7 cities we want to be included in the next phase starting on March 7, 2012. 
But let's do it, casting of votes is already available today! Let's do it to be the new wonders in the world.
Here are my chosen New7Wonders Cities
  1. Davao City
  2. Zamboanga City
  3. Bacolod City
  4. Cebu City
  5. Baguio City
  6. Tagaytay City
  7. Iloilo City

Phase One of New7Wonders Cities

This is where you get to choose the cities that will qualify for the Voting Phases

Voting Phases

- The global vote for New7Wonders Cities starts with more than 1200+ nominees from 220+ different countries.
- More than 300 cities qualify for this phase (one per country plus the top 77 voted).
- From the top 77 voted during the qualification phase, theNew7Wonders Cities Panel of Experts advises on the selection of   the 28 Official Finalist Candidates.
- Voting for the Finalists continues across three phases until 2013.
- The Official New7Wonders Cities, voted by hundreds of millions of people from around the world, will be revealed on 7 December 2013.


New7Wonders Cities is the new campaign after the New7Wonders of the World and New7Wonders of Nature. 


Health Benefits of Drinking Water

There are an infinite number of reasons to drink water. Every life giving and healing process that happens inside our body... happens with water.

There are plenty of benefits of drinking water, from weight loss to proper kidney functioning, water plays a big part in our life. About 70% of our body is made up of water and from this we can understand how much important water is for us.

Prevent cancer
Drinking good amount of water everyday helps in keeping bladder and colon cancer away.
Restoring energy and feeling fresh – water keeps the body well hydrated which makes us feel a lot fresh and thus restores a lot of energy by which we can easily carry about a lot of work.

Headache solution
While there can be many reasons for having a headache, for most common reasons, dehydration is responsible. Drinking enough water throughout the day can keep the headache away and also if you got headache, drinking some water can help cure it.

Pain relief 
Water is said to help people with joints pain, when the body is properly hydrated then muscles are more elastic and gets less strain and prevents joints pain.

Kidney health
Kidney requires enough water to keep filtering the liquid waste from our body, lack of water can result in a lot of problems as the liquid in the kidney needs to be diluted before removing.

Weight loss
Water is truly the best negative calorie food there is, a glass of water contains no calories and taking it before a meal will mean you stomach will be a bit full and you can get away without having to eat the extra food.

Ph balance
The human body needs a 7+ Ph range so that it can function properly. Drinking enough water throughout the day helps to maintain this balance.

Healthy Heart 
Hydration is essential to help prevent clogging of arteries an the heart and brain. When we don't drink enough water, the heart becomes sufficiently incapacitated to begin showing failure. In a moderate to severe dehydration, the process begins with the spasm and then permanent obstruction, of small artery.

Healthy Skin
Those of you who have wasted plenty of time and money in expensive cosmetics will be quite surprised to hear that drinking enough water throughout the day is just sufficient for having a natural glowing skin. For long term skin benefits, just keep drinking water regularly.

Remove toxins
Water removes toxins from the body and keep it nice and clean. So, water is a good cleansing tool as well.

Metabolism 
Water improves your metabolism which is another reason why it helps you with weight loss. There are other foods that helps boost your metabolism like probiotics for example, but water is easily available and costs nothing.

Constipation
Water, along with foods which are high in roughage content, like salads helps in curing and keeping constipation away. Several diseases like gastric or heartburn etc. can be kept at bay, if water is taken regularly.

Body temperature
Water helps in controlling body temperature, this is especially important for the athletes or those who are working out. Water is preferred over other liquids because our body absorbs water much better than any other liquid.

Helps sickness
Drinking water helps in getting well sooner as being sick leaves us with low water in our body. This can make us even dehydrated and to prevent this, we just need to drink more water.

Nutrient transport
Water helps in sending the nutrients from one place of our body to another, thus making a constant flow which helps our body to function properly.

Pregnant woman
At the time of pregnancy, the body’s need of adequate water is very important to keep the nutrients flowing and keeping the infections etc. away.

Helps keep dehydration away. For keeping your body properly hydrated, one must drink enough water throughout the day.

Here are a few tips for adding more water to your life.
Keep a supply of water containers full in the fridge. That way, water is always on hand as an alternative to other less healthful drinks and conveniently available when you’re on the go. Upon arriving at the office, fill up a big jug of water at the tap. You’ll get plenty of water to drink throughout your workday. Caffeinated beverages act as diuretics and increase fluid loss, so they don’t count toward your daily hydration needs. Try substituting water for your second cup of coffee or that mid- afternoon soda. Don't wait for your body to signal it's thirsty. By that time, you're already starting to be dehydrated.

There are plenty of health benefits of drinking water. Drinking water makes us feel good. Start your day with a glass of fresh drinking water.  It is the best way to start a day.



February 29, 2012

Leap Day Feb 29- 2012 is a Leap Year

A leap year poem to remember it by

Thirty days hath September,
April, June and November;
All the rest have thirty-one
Save February, she alone
Hath eight days and a score
Til leap year gives her one day more.

2012 is a leap year, with 366 days instead of the usual 365 days. That's because it actually takes the Earth a little longer than a year to travel around the Sun — 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds, to be exact.

According to astrologers, those born under the sign of Pisces on February 29 have unusual talents and personalities reflecting their special status.
Most have to wait every four years to "officially" observe their birthdays, but leap year babies typically choose either February 28 or March 1 to celebrate in years that aren't leap years.


’Leap Day’ is February 29, which is an extra (intercalary) day added during a Leap Year, making the year 366 days long – and not 365 days, like a common (normal) year. Nearly every 4 years is a Leap Year in our modern Gregorian Calendar.

Julius Caesar introduced Leap Years in the Roman empire over 2000 years ago, but the Julian calendar had only one rule: any year evenly divisible by 4 would be a leap year. This lead to way too many leap years, but didn't get corrected until the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar more than 1500 years later.


Ever since Leap Years were first introduced over 2000 years ago with the transition from the Roman Calendar to the Julian Calendar in 45 BCE (Before Common Era), Leap Day has been associated with age-old Leap Day traditions and folklore.

How do we calculate Leap Years?
In the Gregorian calendar 3 criteria must be met to be a leap year:
  • The year is evenly divisible by 4;
  • If the year can be evenly divided by 100, it is NOT a leap year, unless;
  • The year is also evenly divisible by 400. Then it is a leap year.
This means that 2000 and 2400 are leap years, while 1800, 1900210022002300 and 2500 are NOT leap years. The year 2000 was somewhat special as it was the first instance when the third criterion was used in most parts of the world since the transition from the Julian to the Gregorian Calendar.

Leap Years are needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the Earth's revolutions around the sun. It takes the Earth approximately 365.242199 days – or 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds (a tropical year) – to circle once around the Sun.

However, the Gregorian calendar has only 365 days in a year, so if we didn't add a day on February 29 nearly every 4 years, we would lose almost six hours off our calendar every year. After only 100 years, our calendar would be off by approximately 24 days.

Leap Years 2008 – 2032
Year
February 29 – day of the week
2008
                                Friday
2012
                                Wednesday
2016
                                Monday
2020
                                Saturday
2024
                                Thursday
2028        
                                Tuesday
2032
                                 Sunday

Leap Year in other calendars
























    February 28, 2012

    Panagbenga Festival Great Float Parade 2012

    Panagbenga Festival Grand Float parade in Baguio was really fun and enjoyable event ! Last Sunday’s floral floats parade, the highlight of the Panagbenga, drew thousands of local and foreign visitors who gathered along the parade route on Session and Harrison Roads as early as 6 a.m. Thousands have enjoyed seeing the beautiful floats  artistically-crafted variously-themed flower floats carrying blooms from La Trinidad, Benguet, or Davao, while some had been flown in from other places exclusively for the festival.

    Excitingly and happy people, dressed in colorful costumes,  bands, like the Saint Louis University band, Baguio City National High School (BCNHS) band,  and the band of the University of the Cordilleras have  interspersed among the 15 competing floats.

    This year’s theme is “Community Convergence for a Sustainable Tourism Growth.” Panagbenga is a Kankanaey term to mean blossoming of flowers.

    Panagbenga Flower Festival is really more fun in the Philippines! I really enjoyed the experience being there in the colorful, amazing and grand event. I really feel happy to capture the event in pictures to enjoy forever. 

    David Archuleta's OPM English album titled “Forevermore”

    The David Archuleta's OPM English album will be released this March.  “DAVID ARCHULETA… FOREVERMORE” is a collection of all original Filipino classic love songs written and composed by some of the Philippine’s renowned songwriters like Ogie Alcasid, Louie Ocampo, Jay Durias, Jimmy Antiporda, Cecil Azarcon, among others. The album isn’t just a special treat for his fans, but it is international idol David Archuleta’s way of paying homage to Filipino artists.
    “I wouldn’t say that I sound better than the original singers because the singers here are so amazing. But I would hope that I could pay tribute to them with this album,“ said he at the press conference for the album.

    “You just try to do your best so that people won’t bother comparing you to the original singer, so that people just connect to your performance and the song and what it’s about. As a singer your job is never to be compared to someone else. You just hope that you can give justice to the song and allow people to connect to.“

    “We recorded three songs in a day, not to mention Jimmy will also arrange the songs and right there and then we move on to the next song. It was really fast so I give big props to Jimmy and Jay for what they’re able to accomplish in such a short time,“ David said.
    The album will be released by IVORY Music & Video this March 2012.

    Album track list:
    • “Forevermore”       (Side A)
    • “Hold On”              (Side A)
    • “You Are My Song” (Martin Nievera),
    • “I’ll Never Go”       (Nexxus),
    •  ”Tell Me”              (Joey Albert),
    • “Reaching Out”      (Gary Valenciano)
    • “Rainbow”              (South Border)
    “These songs have universal appeal, as they “tend to be really heartfelt, emotional, and you can really sing them. I think my other fans would really enjoy listening to them as well.” - - - David Archuleta


    February 27, 2012

    Meryl Streep wins best actress Oscar for The Iron Lady

    Meryl Streep gets her third Oscar at the 84th Academy Awards. The actress was presented the gong for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. Thirty three years after she grasped her first gold statuette, Meryl is the record-holder with 17 acting nominations.
    The Golden Lady of Hollywood earned her third honour for her performance of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. She won a supporting actress gong in 1979 and the top award in 1982 for Kramer Vs Kramer and Sophie's Choice respectively. She had lost 12 times in a row since then.
    Looking more golden lady than iron in a draped metallic gown, Meryl thanked her husband after opening with the self-deprecating statement statement. 

    'When they called my name, I had this feeling I could hear half of America go, "Oh, no, why her again?" But whatever,' Streep said, laughing. 



    'I really understand I'll never be up here again. I really want to think all my colleagues, my friends. I look out here and I see my life before my eyes, my old friends, my new friends." 

    'Really, this is such a great honor but the think that counts the most with me is the friendship and the love and the sheer job we've shared making moves together,' said Streep.
    "The Artist" was named Best Picture, Jean Dujardin Best Actor and the Best Directing gong went to Michel Hazanavicius. With awards for best score and best costume design, it was  the Franco-American film's night. The veteran actor Christopher Plummer became the Academy's oldest winner taking the Best Supporting Actor laurels for, ironically enough, film Beginners.


    List of Oscars 2012 Winners: 
      Best Picture: "The Artist"
    Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"
    Best Actress: Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
    Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, The Help
    Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, Beginners
    Directing: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
    Cinematography: Hugo
    Art Direction: Hugo
    Costume Design: "The Artist"
    Makeup: The Iron Lady
    Foreign Language Film: A Separation, Iran.
    Film Editing: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
    Sound Editing: Hugo
    Sound Mixing: Hugo
    Documentary Feature: Undefeated
    Animated Feature Film: Rango
    Visual Effects: Hugo
    Original Score: "The Artist"
    Original Song: Man or Muppet from The Muppets
    Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, "The Descendants"
    Original Screenplay: Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
    Live Action Short Film: The Shore
    Documentary (short subject): Saving Face
    Animated Short Film: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore


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