OMD – History of Modern Concert Tour, Live in Manila

OMD – History of Modern Concert Tour, Live in Manila is on March 12, 2012, 8:00 pm at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark a.k.a. OMD songs: “If You Leave”, “Secret”, “Enola Gay”, “So In Love”, “Dreaming”

80’s New Wave Icon , Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD)  To Perform “If You Leave” and Other Big Hits Live in Manila! 

Summary:  80s New Wave Hitmaker all set for their one night concert in Manila

“If You Leave” was one of the anthemic monster hits of the 80’s decade.  Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark  a.k.a. OMD, lorded over radio charts worldwide, and their hits pervaded over the playlists of disco-mobile parties.  “Secret”, “So In Love”, “Dreaming”, “Enola Gay”, and a whole lot more, solidified their iconic status in the age of synth-pop and new wave music.

The original frontmen of OMD –Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, and their original band members Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes, are set to hit Manila for a one-night only concert on March 12, 2012, 8:00pm at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.  Billed as the “History of Modern” concert tour,  OMD is raring to hit the live concert stage and dish out their classic and influential hit songs to delight their Filipino fans and create a big dance party to celebrate a decade marked by hairspray, hair gels, shoulder pads, neon colors, strobe lights, and above all, great music!

OMD’s ‘History of the Modern’ tour marks the release of their 11^th studio album, raved by critics and selling briskly in Europe, reaching #28 in the UK album charts.   OMD regrouped way back in 2007 and started touring the world and played successful sold-out concerts.  Since then, they’ve been recording and touring non-stop.  Their first US tour in March 2011, which took place 23 years after their last US gig in 1988, was a rousing success thus, they pursued on embarking on this Asian leg.

OMD’s music and career now spans 33 years, yet their music simply refuses to fade.  Their influence can be strongly felt in the style and sound of modern bands like The Killers, The XX, The LCD Sound System, and Glasvegas.  The brooding vocals, the heavy synths, are obvious stark references to OMD’s synthpop-new wave signature sound.

“If You Leave”, “Secret”, “Enola Gay”, “So In Love”, “Dreaming”  — classic songs that are all worth hearing and experiencing live!  They not only bring back great 80’s memories, it’s a generation celebrating the joys of youth  and a passion for life.

OMD- History of Modern concert tour, live in Manila is on March 12, 2012, 8:00pm at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.  Tickets now on sale at Ticketnet outlets.  Call 911-5555 or log-on to www.ticketnet.com.ph for online reservations.. Call 911-5555 or log-on to www.ticketnet.com.ph for online reservations.

This event is presented by Sticky Rice Media Agency in association with Shadow.Inc Entertainment, Happy Box, & iCreate Entertainment Solutions.

Boracay - my dream vacation!

A dream vacation coming to life right before my eyes!  This is my first time to be there and excitedly experience the sea, wind and powder fine white sand.

Boracay is considered as one of the best beaches in the world. 

Boracay Island comprises of three  barangays, namely Manoc-manoc, Balabag, Yapak. It is situated north of Panay Island and accessible from Caticlan Port by motorized boat ferries regularly traveling  Boracay-Caticlan route. It is likewise accessible from Manila through two principal gateways - Caticlan and Kalibo Airports.

Boracay white beach is so fine, it feels like treading on miles of baby powder. There is an undeniable easy atmosphere in Boracay where walking barefoot. I really enjoyed strolling barefoot on the soft sand, even the dip in the warm tropical crystal-blue waters that lap at my toes.

Boracay is a perfect place to relax from your stressful job and work at home.

Every moment will be best enjoyed if you share it with your family, friends and someone you love

There is a great beach side shaded lounge chair and mat...

to relax, sun bathing, sleeping, reading books, adventure , sports activities, having the massage and spa, and the capturing every moments, snapshots, or just viewing the beach, the trees, the sun, feeling the wind, cool and hot. . . . 

D'Mall, the restaurant and shopping center of the island….. It is the main Shopping Centre in Boracay located right in the middle of the tropical island. "D´Mall" extends from White Beach up to the main street between Station 1 and Station 2. Numerous small shops offer beachwear, casual wear, shoes, bags, sarongs, handicrafts, arts, jewelry, accessories, souvenirs, seafood, fruits, vegetables and much more. In addition there are travel agencies, money changers, pharmacies, dive shops, a delicatessen shop, a supermarket and many restaurants. Philippine fast food is available at "Andoks" and “Mang Inasal.” Enjoying food in Boracay with most resorts having their own restaurants that serve both Filipino and international cuisines. Small snack bars and fastfood outlets line the island.

after an eventful day when it becomes dark, from dusk to dawn, Boracay turns into one big party place… enjoy Boracays great culinary delights from around the world and its amazing nightlife in Bars and Clubs full of atmosphere ....with bands, fire dancers. . . 

I am amazingly viewing the beautiful white beach of Boracay. . . relax and peaceful atmosphere and the spectacular view of both sunrise and sunset. . . .

My dream ... my dream vacation - Boracay !

2012 AFC Challenge Cup Azkals Games Schedule

The 2012 AFC Challenge Cup, the 4th edition of the tournament, will take place in two venues in Kathmandu, Nepal—Halchowk and Dasarath Rangasala stadiums from March 8 to 19, 2012.

The champion team will qualify for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.


Group A is composed of Turkmenistan, Maldives, Palestine, and host country Nepal while Group B is composed of North Korea, India, Tajikistan, and Philippines.


The schedule of Philippine Azkals games in the qualification phase is as follows:

March 9, 5PM- Halchowk Stadium: North Korea vs Philippines
March 11- 7PM, Dasarath Rangasala Stadium: Philippines vs India
March 13, 5PM- Halchowk Stadium: Tajikistan vs Philippines

The Philippine football team is comprised of the following:

• Neil Etheridge
• Eduard Sacapaño
• Rob Gier
• Jason Sabio
• Juan Luis Guirado
• Roel Gener
• Carlos Alberto Martínez de Murga
• Ray Jónsson
• Dennis Cagara
• Roxy Dorlas
• James Younghusband
• Misagh Bahadoran
• Angel Guirado
• Emelio “Chieffy” Caligdong
• Nestorio Margarse
• Lexton Moy
• Marwin Angeles
• Paul Mulders
• Stephan Schröck
• Phil Younghusband
• Joshua Beloya
• Nate Burkey
• Ian Araneta

Billion-dollar Oreo cookie celebrates 100th birthday

On its 100th birthday, Oreo, the world famous comfort food showed how a brand could withstand the test of time and forge an emotional connection with consumers.

People in at least 5 countries celebrated the centenary of the cookie with 2 black biscuits with a white (or cream) filling via flash mobs featuring "Happy Birthday!" songs. The first Oreo cookies were baked at the Nabisco factory Chelsea, New York on March 6, 1912.

Kraft Foods, which owns Nabisco, sells around 500 billion Oreo cookie every year generating $2 billion revenues and making it part of the elite roster of billion-dollar brands worldwide. (Philip Morris Companies, Inc. acquired Nabisco and merged it with Kraft Foods, Inc. in 2000. Kraft announced it was splitting making the snack food business a separate company in 2011)

In business schools, Oreo is a classic case study of a successful brand and is considered a "true innovation."

It allows consumers to "take ownership of the cookie" by encouraging consumers to be creative when eating them.

Through advertisements, Oreo was peddled as a cookie that could be dunked in milk, twisted apart, its cream slowly nibbled, or quickly gobbled as a whole. The idea that the cookie is ideal for sharing during precious moments with loved ones was also nurtured. 

It has the texture and flavors that appeal to all ages. An Oreo cookie is 29% creme and 71% cookie, according to one report.

"The simple act of enjoying an Oreo cookie and glass of milk continues to speak to a universal, human truth: inside of us, there's a kid that deserves to be set free every once in a while, John Ghingo, senior director for Oreo Global at Kraft, told BBC.

But it's not just food. In some schools, preschoolers learn to count as 10 little Oreos are dunked, nibbled and stacked one by one. To teach math, trivia questions are used. For example: If an Oreo cookie is 8 mm in height, how tall is a stack of 10 Oreos? 20 Oreos? All 51 Oreos (there are 51 in the standard 20-oz pack)?

Oreo's ads revolved around the “twist, lick, and dunk” ritual to support the integrated marketing strategy behind the brand. Below are some of the Oreo ads through the years.

Photo from http://www.nabiscoworld.com/oreo

Lingayen to host 2012 Palarong Pambansa

Lingayen, Pangasinan will play host in this year's Palarong Pambansa, the Department of Education (DepEd) announced March 1, Thursday.

The national sports event, where elementary and secondary students from public and private schools compete in various events, will be held from May 6 to 12.

The Narciso Ramos Sports Center will play host to most of the events, while some will be held in San Carlos and Dagupan Cities and in the towns of Bugallon and Binmaley. 

The DepEd has allotted an estimated P136.5 million for the games. An estimated 10,000 athletes, coaches, and sports officials from all the regions are expected to attend.

"Student–athletes who stand out from the Palaro serve as feeder to the National Sports Associations for further training for international competitions," the DepEd added.


Photo from Pangasinan official website

Prince Harry races world's fastest man

Prince Harry of Britain gets the better of champion runner Usain Bolt when on the track at the University of the West Indies. The Prince of Britain was in Jamaica to meet Prime Minister Portia Miller as the guest of honor at the King's House. 

Before meeting with the Jamaican Prime Minister, the prince made a trip to the University of the West Indies for a tour to mark Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years on the throne. 

The man appropriately nicknamed 'Lightning Bolt' taught the prince the basics of starting but was surprised when he saw Prince Harry dashing 50 meters down the track. 

Prince Harry tricked the Olympic 100 and 200 record holder by telling him to look to his left, and then right. The prince then took off when Bolt did exactly what he told him to do. Clarence House ,  the official residence for Harry and his father the Prince of Wales, said in a tweet, 

"Prince Harry gets a headstart, although we are not sure @UsainBolt is really trying."

After the race, the Prince and Bolt did the sprinter's trademark 'to the world' pose. Prince Harry then lauded the rich track-and-field culture in Jamaica, saying, 

"So don't go running off to America, you have enough talent here. 

You have athletes for a generation to come." 

International Women's Day

International Women's Day (IWD), originally called International Working Women’s Day is marked on the 8th of March every year.

You can do almost anything your mind to.

You can swim the deepest ocean and climb the highest peak

Be a doctor or fly a plane…

You can face adversity and still walk tall. 

You are strong, beautiful, compassionate and much more than words could ever say.

Today is yours and so is every other day. . . 

Every Home

Every Heart

Every Feeling

Every Moment Of happiness is incomplete without you

Only you can complete this world Happy Women’s Day

Happy Women's Day! 

‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’ tourism campaign launched in Berlin

“It’s more fun in the Philippines,” the country’s tourism slogan, was officially rolled out globally. The Department of Tourism introduced the campaign at the 2012 International Tourismus Bourse, the world’s largest travel and trade expo, in Germany March 7 - 11.

In a statement, Jimenez explained that “Our participation in ITB this year is quite significant because it’s the first time for us to roll out the ‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’ campaign in a global event.”

“About half of the travel business is traded through the international travel bourse,” the tourism chief explained, adding that the ITB is institutional among travel wholesalers where direct selling and networking is done.

Jimenez leads the 41-man Philippine delegation. He said the Philippine's 180-square-meter booth exhibit will represent destinations including Manila, Palawan, Boracay, Cebu, Bohol and Negros Oriental.

The colorful weave-style design of the “It’s more fun in the Philippines” campaign will be prominently featured in the booth that the DOT will share with its private sector partners representing a record 19 hotels, resorts, travel agents and tour operators. 

The ITB has also provided the Philippine delegates a venue to establish and renew linkages with their industry counterparts in Europe and other source markets.

Every year, the ITB draws about 180,000 visitors and 10,000 exhibitors from over 180 countries. The Philippines has been participating in the fair since 1985. He added that the department’s goal is to attract 10 million tourists by 2016.

“We are very confident that the new campaign will create a higher awareness level of the Philippines as an exciting and must-experience destination in Asia,” Jimenez said.

A big percentage of travel packages are bought from the travel bourse as compared with travel packages bought from the Internet or elsewhere, he stressed.