C alifornia Outdoors

CALIFORNIA OUTDOORS


YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

Yosemite National Park has grandiose rock formations together with the majestic waterfalls and its breathtaking scenic valleys. The park has about 1,200 sq m with beautiful scenic plains that would borders the eastern Sierra Nevada of the state.

You can also explore the park’s natural resources and treasures while driving or hiking along the plain roads and trails as you enjoy the breathtaking scenes of the place.


LAKE TAHOE

Together with the lake’s deep waters, its stunning beaches, the golf courses, bright and lively casinos and with the dazzling Sierra Nevada’s top mountain ski areas.

It is considered as the state’s ultimate year round holiday resort as the sports extremists would enjoy the following:

Skiing
Snowboarding
Fishing
Boating
Water skiing
Hiking


LAKE HAVASU

The Lake Havasu is located along the Chemehuevi Mountains of California. It surely is the perfect oasis with its rich natural beauty. With more than 400 m of spectacular coastline beauty, you will definitely enjoy the water adventures / sports such as:

Fishing
Skiing
Kayaking
Canoeing
Sailing
House boating

Lake Havasu is the home sweet home of the famous bridge – London Bridge. The lake also boasts its gorgeous beaches, its awesome scenery hiking trails and the vistas. Discover and explore the lake’s quiet canyons and its historic spots.

It is an adventure of a lifetime as you enjoy Lake Havasu’s desert tours, the hiking adventures as well as climbing the famous Havasu’s Outback.

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

The Joshua Tree National Park is a true sanctuary park for your restless spirit. The park has about 794,000 acres with impressive tranquility and scenery. It is bordered by the magnificent Mojave and the Colorado deserts.

The park – Joshua Tree National Park has an enormous yet very fragile land that has an extensive stands with a rich undisciplined Joshua Trees and those fan palm oases that are scattered all over the plains. Its rugged mountains that are twisted with rock & granite monoliths that are against with those huge trees and plants as it create a beautiful mosaic of complexity and beauty.


MONTEREY BAY WHALE WATCHING TOURS

Monterey Bay is the ultimate whale watching destinations throughout the globe. It provides a great memorable adventure of whale watching through exciting boat tours in order to fully observe the following whales in their natural habitat – the Monterey Bay and also the Monterey Harbor.

Gray whales
Killer whales
Humpback whales
Blue whales
Orca whales


NAPA VALLEY AND SONOMA VALLEY WINE COUNTRY

It is considered as the leader in world’s wine regions. Napa Valley can surely mesmerize your sense with its 250 award winning wineries, its old fashioned vineyards, and the tasting rooms with diverse and superior wines.

Its sun kissed vineyards which ahs more than 160 scenic wineries are lined across the area. The Sonoma Valley proudly produces the most flavorful wines in the entire globe.


PETRIFIED FOREST

Petrified Forest is the state’s matchless destinations. Experience the adventure of the Redwood Trails at the stunning wine country – California.


SANTA CRUZ BEACH

Santa Cruz Beach is more commonly known as the “Surf City” is regarded as the prototypical California beach. It is located south of San Francisco together with a pier, vintage boardwalk, Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, the state’s oldest amusement park and the majestic beach that is suitable for surfing, swimming and making sand castles.

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, which is located at the beach, proudly features the following:

Amusement parks
Rides
Eateries
Beach Vistas


POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE

Explore the north side of San Francisco and discover the rich Point Reyes National Seashore. It is a beautiful landscape with vivid ocean breakers, grasslands, forested ridges, windswept beaches and hillsides.

The enjoyable activities that can be indulged in Point Reyes National Seashore are the following:

Hiking
Mountain Biking
Swimming
Kayaking
Horseback Riding
Biking
Beachcombing
Whale Watching




Reference:


http://gowest.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/gowest/california/CA/Outdoors?sid=979$M.njvNNggfN.46

know before you go

AFRICA
Know Before You Go/Traveling Tips
-Climate/Weather
African Climate ranges from tropical to sub arctic. The northern half of it is mainly a desert, while the central and southern part of it contains both savanna plains and very opaque jungle.


-Language
Africa got the most number of languages in the entire continent of the world. Studies said Africa contains over a thousand languages (while some estimated it to over two thousand languages). However, there are four major language families native to African continent.

* Afro-Asiatic language - consists of 240 languages and has 285 million users throughout the Horn of Africa, North Africa, the Sahel, and Southwest Asia.
* Nilo-Saharan language – consist of more than a hundred languages and used by 30 million people of Nilotic tribes in Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda, and northern Tanzania.
* Niger-Congo language – this is actually the largest language family in the world in terms of different languages and this is widely used in Sub-Sahara Africa.
* Khoisan language – consist of about fifty languages and used in Southern part of Africa with around 120,000 people. Studies show that the Khoi and the San people are known to be the original inhabitants of Southern Africa. Nevertheless, many of the Khoisan languages are now consider as endangered.

Countries of Africa, its Capital, Currency, Official Language, and Area.

Name (official name)
Capital
Currency
Official languages
Area (km²)

Algeria[3] (People's Democratic Republic of Algeria) Algiers
Algerian dinar
Arabic
2,381,740
Angola[4] (Republic of Angola) Luanda
Kwanza
Portuguese
1,246,700
Benin[5] (Republic of Benin) Porto Novo
West African CFA franc
French
112,622
Botswana[6] (Republic of Botswana) Gaborone
Pula
English, Setswana
581,726
Burkina Faso[7]
Ouagadougou
West African CFA franc
French
274,000
Burundi[8] (Republic of Burundi) Bujumbura
Burundi franc
Kirundi, French, Swahili
27,830
Cameroon[9] (Republic of Cameroon) Yaoundé
Central African CFA franc
French, English
475,442
Canary Islands (Spain)[10][n 1]
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Euro
Spanish
7,447
Cape Verde[11] (Republic of Cape Verde) Praia
Cape Verdean escudo
Portuguese
4,033
Central African Republic[12] (Central African Republic) Bangui
Central African CFA franc
Sango, French
622,984
Ceuta (Spain)[10][n 1]
Ceuta Euro
Spanish
28
Chad[13] (Republic of Chad) N'Djamena
Central African CFA franc
French, Arabic
1,284,000
Comoros[14] (Union of the Comoros) Moroni
Comorian franc
Arabic, French
2,235
Côte d'Ivoire[15] (Republic of Côte d'Ivoire) Yamoussoukro
Abidjan
West African CFA franc
French
322,460
Democratic Republic of the Congo[16][n 2] (Democratic Republic of the Congo) Kinshasa
Congolese franc
French
2,344,858
Djibouti[17] (Republic of Djibouti) Djibouti
Djiboutian Franc
Arabic, French
23,200
Egypt[18][n 3] (Arab Republic of Egypt) Cairo
Egyptian Pound
Arabic
1,001,449
Equatorial Guinea[19] (Republic of Equatorial Guinea) Malabo
Central African CFA franc
Spanish, French, Portuguese
28,051
Eritrea[20] (State of Eritrea) Asmara
Nakfa
None at national level 117,600
Ethiopia[21] (Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia) Addis Ababa
Birr
Amharic
1,104,300
Gabon[22] (Gabonese Republic) Libreville
Central African CFA franc
French
267,668
Gambia[23] (Republic of The Gambia) Banjul
Dalasi
English
10,380
Ghana[24] (Republic of Ghana) Accra
Ghanaian cedi
English
238,534
Guinea[25] (Republic of Guinea) Conakry
Guinean franc
French
245,857
Guinea-Bissau[26] (Republic of Guinea-Bissau) Bissau
West African CFA franc
Portuguese
36,125
Kenya[27] (Republic of Kenya) Nairobi
Kenyan shilling
Swahili, English
580,367
Lesotho[28] (Kingdom of Lesotho) Maseru
Loti
Southern Sotho, English
30,355
Liberia[29] (Republic of Liberia) Monrovia
Liberian dollar
English
111,369
Libya[30] (Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) Tripoli
Libyan dinar
Arabic
1,759,540
Madagascar[31] (Republic of Madagascar) Antananarivo
Malagasy ariary
Malagasy, French, English
587,041
Madeira (Portugal)[n 4]
Funchal
Euro
Portuguese
828
Malawi[32] (Republic of Malawi) Lilongwe
Malawian kwacha
English, Chichewa
118,484
Mali[33] (Republic of Mali) Bamako
West African CFA franc
French
1,240,192
Mauritania[34] (Islamic Republic of Mauritania) Nouakchott
Mauritanian ouguiya
Arabic
1,030,700
Mauritius[35] (Republic of Mauritius) Port Louis
Mauritian rupee
English
2,040
Mayotte[36] (France)[n 5]
Mamoudzou
Euro
French
374
Melilla (Spain)[n 1](Autonomous City of Melilla) N/A Euro
Spanish
20
Morocco[37] (Kingdom of Morocco) Rabat
Moroccan dirham
Arabic
446,550
Mozambique[38] (Republic of Mozambique) Maputo
Mozambican metical
Portuguese
801,590
Namibia[39] (Republic of Namibia) Windhoek
Namibian dollar
English
825,418
Niger[40] ( Republic of Niger) Niamey
West African CFA franc
French, Hausa
1,267,000
Nigeria[41] (Federal Republic of Nigeria) Abuja
Nigerian naira
English
923,768
Republic of the Congo[42][n 6] (Republic of the Congo) Brazzaville
Central African CFA franc
French
342,000
Réunion (France)[n 5]
Saint-Denis
Euro
French
2,512
Rwanda[43] (Republic of Rwanda) Kigali
Rwandan franc
Kinyarwanda, French, English
26,798
Saint Helena[44]
Jamestown
Saint Helenian pound
English
3,926
São Tomé and Príncipe[45] (Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe) São Tomé
São Tomé and Príncipe Dobra
Portuguese
964
Senegal[46] (Republic of Senegal) Dakar
West African CFA franc
French
196,723
Seychelles[47] (Republic of Seychelles) Victoria
Seychellois rupee
English, French, Seychellois Creole
451
Sierra Leone[48] (Republic of Sierra Leone) Freetown
Leone
English
71,740
Somalia[49] (Somali Republic) Mogadishu
Somali shilling
Somali
637,661
South Africa[50] (Republic of South Africa) Pretoria (executive)
Bloemfontein (judicial)
Cape Town (legislative) South African rand
Afrikaans, English, Southern Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
1,221,037
Sudan[51] (Republic of Sudan) Khartoum
Sudanese pound
Arabic, English
2,505,813
Swaziland[52] (Kingdom of Swaziland) Lobamba (royal and legislative)
Mbabane (administrative) Lilangeni
English, Swati
17,364
Tanzania[53] (United Republic of Tanzania) Dar es Salaam (traditional capital)
Dodoma (legislative) Tanzanian shilling
Swahili, English
945,087
Togo[54] (Togolese Republic) Lomé
West African CFA franc
French
56,785
Tunisia[55] (Tunisian Republic) Tunis
Tunisian dinar
Arabic
163,610
Uganda[56] ( Republic of Uganda) Kampala
Ugandan shilling
English, Swahili
236,040
Western Sahara (Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic)[n 7]
El Aaiún (Moroccan), Bir Lehlou (temporary)[n 8]
Moroccan dirham
N/A.[n 9]
267,405
Zambia[57] (Republic of Zambia) Lusaka
Zambian kwacha
English
752,614
Zimbabwe[58] (Republic of Zimbabwe) Harare
Zimbabwean dollar
Shona, Ndebele, English
390,757








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-Do’s and Don’ts
-Tipping
-Time Zone

Pops Side on the Break Up Issue!

On the August issue of the PEP magazine, Jomari Yllana denies all the speculations that he and his three years girlfriend Pops Fernandez already broke up. But certain rumors continue to spread out as the Concert Queen Pops Fernandez chooses to be quiet regarding the status of their relationship.

But the real score between them is finally cleared up after Pops speak out in an interview with Philippine Entertainment Portal last October 6, 2008.

As many people surmise the real status of their relationship, the actress and Diva has learned to deal with all the intrigues that she considered as so stressful. It’s either way they were getting married or already broke up, the actress still chose to enjoy her life for now.

And to put end over those rumors with his relationship with Jomari, “We are still together, wala kaming problema and walang ibang chicks (we don’t have any problem and he has no other woman)” cleared the actress.

The gossip started to come out when they first have a misunderstanding that was spread all over the press. It was the very first time that they argued over certain thing that the actress admitted has nearly resulted to a break up. It was maybe because they were new to that situation and they don’t communicate well.

It was a four day lover’s quarrel that has nearly ended their long relationship. But Pops admitted that she learned a lot of things about what had happened and it feels right to make up with him which she promise to do it more often.

She realizes that she wasn’t able to give him the fair chance to speak for himself. When she chooses to give in, they are able to be very candid to each other when they talked since both of them were no longer affected.

But just like the sun that comes out after the storm, the two not only made it up but was able to add rainbow in their relationship by doing a lot of date after.

The breaks up issue are all speculation after all! Settled?


Source: Showbiz news - pep

New Technology… a Threat?

The development of science and technology creates big changes in everybody’s lifestyle, from what we wear, and we what we intake in our body to every single thing around us.
We all enjoy this big changes and how this high technologies benefits us. Does we forget some primitive things are still best to use and practice despite the millennium dilemma.
Foods cook from fire and twigs are surely more tasteful than the one cook over the stove. And pizza and breads that is baked in the “Pugon” or the traditional oven using charcoal is a lot better too.
Above all what this traditional thing matters most is its safety and quality assurance that will not put our health in danger.
Currently the whole world is facing the distress of the alarming news of milk contamination in China and Hong Kong. Milk products from China is contaminated with chemical melamine that has killed 4 children and hospitalized 53,000 children for kidney stones caused by the tainted milk.
It’s quite frightening especially for the working moms who rely on formula milks for their babies. Though our government has banned all the dairy products from China, we still could not assure the safety of our children’s health.
Because of the fast track of development of our technology, mother forgets the basic yet the best thing they could provide to their babies, the benefits and advances of breastfeeding than using formula milks.
Before the China contamination outbreak, most parents failed to check the contents of the milk they buy in the market.
Ingredients of formula milk that can be found in the label at the back of the container are not safe and ideal. The main ingredient in all formula milks is Whey which is a waste by-product of producing dairy products particularly cheeses.
Other ingredients of milk as you try to check are Coconut, Palm and safflower oils. These oils are use in many snack foods like popcorn in theaters that is least expensive oil.
Formula milk is only one of the thousand products technology provides that is harmful to our health. Awareness is the most important thing you should do before using anything. Not all available in the market is good for you.
Advertisement on TV’s grabs the people from buying their product, beauty products that may be harmful to your skin and shampoos and conditioners that may make your hair dry or may cause baldness.
Accordingly, Conditioners contains silicon that could cause head cancer. An alarming message that is passed on me through Friendster (December 2007) about that certain shampoo on the market that contains Formaldehyde. Formaldehyde or commonly known as Formalin is being use to preserve things like dead bodies in funeral homes.
These products may contain less amount of this chemical but as we use it every day it will be stored on our scalp. You may later notice excessive hair fall and unfortunately develop a cancer.
I automatically check all the shampoos in every grocery and stores I’ve gone to and only3 shampoo brands do not contain Formaldehyde. I then inform all my friends I have on my phonebook list.
It makes me think how our grandparents have their hair look great while using only gogos and coconut oil.
So before you grab on what technology has to offer, check it first before you apply or use it. Prevention is still better than cure…you might put your health and of your family at risk!

The Hottie And The Nottie

The Hottie and The Nottie is a romantic-comedy movie of the year featuring Paris Hilton, Christine Lakin, Joel Moore and The Greg Wilson.

It strikes the screen in US as a blockbuster hit earning $9,000 on its first day. It is directed by Tom Putnam as his first full-feature film and written by Dawson’s Creek writer Heidi Ferrer.

The story was about Nate Cooper (Joel Moore) who could not get together with a woman. He can’t forget his childhood crush he meets in first grade and their times together in elementary, Cristabel Abbott (Paris Hilton).

Cristabel has grown up into a really hot chick and Cooper sends out to the beaches of California to meet her geeky best friend June Phigg (Christine Lakin).

Everyday Cristabel jogs on the beach with many suitors who try to catch her eyes that include an albino stalker. But because of Cristabel being best friends with the same ugly little girl Nate met in First Grade, she still remains single.

Cristabel won’t go out for a date if her best friend doesn’t have one. And when Nate and Cristabel hits off after he was able to re-introduced his self to her, she refuses his offer for the date because he wants him first to find a boyfriend for June.

But the guys he sets for her turn coil with her looks. As they spend time together and became friends, June finally turn out from his cocoon after her make over with the help of a dentist friend who works part-time as a model.

Nate then realizes that she might be the girl for him!

Smother

Smother is a drama-comedy film directed by Vince Di Meglio and Tim Rasmussen. The film is about the life of a man whose life was thrown into chaos when at a time he gets into a difficult situation.

Noah (Dax Shepard)has just lost his job as a Physical Therapist. He was planning to start up his own practice but gets abstracted when his slightly crazy, overbearing mother Marilyn Cooper (Diane Keaton) shows up in his door with her bags and 5 foster dogs in tow on Haloween.

Marilyn is a kind of mother who will wake you up at 6:30 a.m. and drop in into your place on unannounced visit. She left Noah’s father after a big clash where she accused him for having an affair with another woman.

Making the situation worst, his wife Clair (Liv Tyler) wants them to try to start a family when he was still not ready to have the responsibility.

Noah’s life was in distress thinking of the pressures he have plus the presence of someone he’s been trying to escape but he always find her in every corner of his house and won't quit smothering.

Trying to get his life together, Noah has to cope up to make ends meet, keeping his mother out of mess and avoiding his wife advances.

R-Point

R-Point is a horror film directed and written by Su-chang Kong. The story was set on 1972 in Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
Timeline before the film are from 11 BCE to 939 CE when the Chinese soldiers killed many Vietnamese villagers. Their bodies where dump into the lake which was covered and erected with a temple in honor of the dead Vietnamese.
In Mid 20th Century, French Jacques and Paul with other French colonist stay on the island and settle in a plantation that were then killed at some point during the Indochina War.
In 1970, Some Americans were shot down in their helicopters over that island and killed. Battalion 53 goes missing somewhere on that island in 1972.
The movie then set in 1972 when a group of South Korean soldiers from battalion 53 wasn’t able to report back from that strategically important island during the Vietnam War. That island is 150 kilometers south of Saigon that is referred to as R-Point.
After being missing for six months, they were presumed dead until they receive a shortwave radio transmission from R- Point. It keeps repeating a message saying “Donkey 30, Long-Horned Beetle do you copy? Donkey 30, Long-horned Beetle, do you copy? We are dying…” that continues to transmit at irregular interval over the next three months.
The sole survivor of the team, LT Choi Tae-in insisted that he saw all of the men dying and that he was the one who collected their dog-tags but the HQ prompts to dispatch a search-and-rescue party to find the missing men. Just recovering for the hospital, LT Choi was sent to R-Point that is so called as the Bermuda triangle like area.
With the platoon of psychos, hicks and nuts, they went to discover the source of the signal.
The men then set to sail to the R-Point and took 2 photos of the expedition team after they dock upon their arrival. But after proceeding to the jungle not long after that, they were ambushed by the Vietcong. For 5 days, the motley crew digs up a mansion where they were shot by invincible Viet Cong. They later realize it was a haunted mansion by people who were massacred 100 years earlier by the Chinese.
One of the members goes down one by one… who will survive? Discover the mystery of R-Point!

Death Race

Death Race is an action film directed and written by Paul W. S. Anderson. It is the 1975 film Death Race 2000 remake that is base on the short story “The Racer” of Ib Malchoir that is starred by Jason Statham on the lead role.
The economy of the United States has fallen into disaster within four years from 2008, and for profit, many private corporation run most prisons across the nation.
The Terminal Island Prison is the focus of the movie where a race of cars armed with various weapons and armor called the Death Race is broadcast to the world via internet. One would try to win and survive in doing the race.
The movie started by a nearly ended race between a famous masked driver known as Frankenstein accompanied by a female navigator and Machine Gun Joe (Tyrese Gibson).
Joe destroys Frank’s car that ejects his navigator after his defensive system fail and leave Frankenstein dead or critically wounded.
Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) is sent to prison after he was framed for his wife’s murder the same day that the steel mill he works at closes. The murderer who is masked intruder points a finger-gun at Ames before it leaves.
In the prison he is coerced by Hennessey (Joan Allen), a prison warden, to become the new driver of Ford Mustang own by Frankenstein.
Hennessey knows that Ames baby is left in the care of the foster home and his chance of going out is to join the race. According to her, the prisoners are freed upon winning the five Dearth Races.
He will just take on the mask of the legendary Frankenstein who had already 4 wins at the time of his death. That will mean that he will only be taking one race to win.
Death Race is broken down into three stages. The first two stages, Stage 1 and 2 is the stage that the drivers must survive. The last stage which is the Stage 3 is where they should win that will add to the count of their freedom.
As Ames joins the race he finds out the real purpose of his imprisonment and will find revenge for the murderer of his wife. Will he able to win the race and be free to take care of his baby?

Babylon A.D.

Babylon A.D. is a science fiction film that is base from the novel of Maurice Georges Dantec, Babylon Babies.
Vin Diesel stars the rule of Toorop, a mercenary who live in a survivor’s code kill or be killed. In the near future, the world is monitored with thousands of satellites and observes our every move.
Many planets will be a war zone: while the rest of the planets become a collection of teeming megalopolises, wretched way stations and vast wastelands punctuated by areas left radioactive from nuclear meltdowns.
A hardened warrior like Toorop could live the world that was made to him. He then receives his new assignment that is to smuggle a young woman name Aurora from a convent of Kazakhstan to New York City.
He is to take charge of Aurora and his guardian sister Rebeka on their embark journey 6,000 miles from Eastern Europe through refugee camp in ‘New Russia’, in a pilfered submarine across the Being Straight and then through the frozen tundra of Canada and Alaska and finally to New York.
While thinking that it was just an ordinary mission, he later found out that Aurora bears a twin who has the potential of becoming the next messiah. Many wanted to have hands over them…he later understand that he could be the protector of the only hope of the future mankind.
For the first time in his life, as he faces many obstacles, he has to make a choice: walk away and save his self or make a difference.

My Sassy Girl

Base from a true story told in a series of Love Letters written by Kim Ho-sik and was been posted to the internet before it was finally adapted into a novel. My Sassy Girl has been a big hit on 2001 when it was made to the screen by Director Kwak Jae-yong.
Originally lead by Cha Tae-Hyun and Jun Ji-hyun, a romantic- comedy film that tells a story about a man who fell in love with a very strange and unpredictable woman. Too far from man’s ideal woman is a nutty and mildly sadistic type of girl.
With it’s the same title, came the American remake of the film directed by Yann Samuel of “Love Me if You Dare” and starred by Elisha Cuthbert and Jess Bradford.
The movie version was set in the New York featuring the Upper East Side and the Central Park.
The film rotates around the concept of fate and chaos as the agents of true love. Cuthbert will portray the rule of a girl who is unwaveringly addicted to drinking and haphazardly cause a scene where she goes.
Bradford on the other hand is playing the role of the guy name Charlie who is willing to see through the girl’s destructive way.
On the Korean version of the movie, the male character is brought up as n effeminate and non- studious entity with an aggressively mean mother smacking him with anything nearby when he go home at late hours.
Charlie in the remake was not effeminate but an aspiring business student who comes from French lick Indiana. He has the sweetest and nicest parents who encourage him to become a corporate Tiller King Representative.
Charlie’s world change forever after meeting the drunk girl whom he save from her death after pulling her just right on time before the train pass by.
The girl called him “honey” before she fainted and mistaken to be her boyfriend, Charlie got the responsibility of taking her into the hotel.
See a total different side of love and how to people pull each other to a more healthy place of their relationship by virtue. It’s a fable of destiny!

The Dark Night

Base on the DC Comic character batman, Dark Night is a sequel of the 2005’s Batman Begins and part of Nola’s Batman film series. Christian Bale reprises the lead rule as Batman/Bruce Wayne.
The film was focused on Batman’s fight against a new villain, the Joker lead by Heath Ledger and his relationship with Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) a district attorney and his old friend and love interest assistant D. A Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal).
The film began with the Joker robbing a Mob (Mafia)- owned bank with his accomplices and tricked them into killing each other before he kill the last one for himself.
Three of Batman impersonators interrupt a meeting between mobsters and the Scarecrow that night. The real Batman suffers injury after he appears and apprehends the criminals and impostors, thus leads him to re-design his batsuit.
With Lieutenant James Gordon, they contemplate in their plan to eradicate the Mob including the new district attorney Harvey Dent as he could be the public hero Batman cannot be. Wayne discovers that the new D.A is dating Rachel Dawes while he was hosting a fundraiser for Dent.
During the meeting of the Mob bosses where they discuss about Batman, Gordon and Dent, Lau, a Chinese mobster accountant, informs them that he has hidden their money to pre-empt a plan Gordon has hatched to seized the mobster’s fund. The Joker arrives unexpectedly and offers them to kill Batman for half of their money but they refused.
The mobsters agree to hire the Joker after Batman successfully abducts Lau in Hong Kong and delivers him to the Gotham City police. Joker then told the Gotham that if Batman does not turn himself to the police and publicly revealed his identity, many people will die each day.
The judge who preside the Mob trials, some public officials’ including Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb are among murdered. Dent announcement that he is Batman stops Wayne plan of revealing his self who got arrested as part of the plan to draw the Joker out of hiding.
Batman and GHordon intervene on the Joker’s plan to ambush the police convoy carrying Dent and arrest him. Gordon was then appointed as Commissioner.
Batman interrogates the Joker at the police station who reveals that Dawes and Dent have been captured by corrupt police and was placed in a warehouse rigged with explosive on opposite side of the city.
Batman cannot save them both because they are far enough apart. While Gordon and the police head after dent, batman leaves to save Dawes. The Joker manages to escape with Lau through the help of the bomb planted in the station.
Batman was able to save Dent on his location on time but his left face is disfigured in the explosion. Dawes was killed as Gordon wasn’t able to come on time. Dent then was driven to madness over the loss of Dawes. He was freed by the Joker in the hospital who convinces him to exact revenge to Gordon and Batman and the corrupt cops and mobsters who is responsible for Dawes death.
Dent goes on a personal vendetta, comfronting the cops and mobster one by one, deciding their fates with the flip of a coin and call himself “Two Face”.
Lau was born by the Joker with his other half of the money. The Joker then announces to the public that anyone who is left in Gotham at nightfall will be subject to his rule.
All the bridge and tunnels out of the city where all close due to the bomb threat of the Joker. All the people are evacuated by the authorities using a ferry- one for the convicts and the other for the civilians. But the Joker place an explosive on the two ferries and tell all the passengers that the only way they could save themselves is to trigger the explosives to the other ferry or otherwise, he will destroy both at midnight.
As the passengers of both ferry decides not to destroy each other, Batman locates the Joker and prevents him from destroying the ferry. The Joker then acknowledge Batman as incorruptible but not Dent who’s madness has been unleashed upon the city.
He then proclaims that he and batman is destined to fight forever because batman could not kill him because his moral code will not allow him while he could not kill Batman because he is “too much fun” fighting with.
Joker was then captured by the Swat who arrives after batman leave to search for Dent. He found him in the remains of the building where Dawes died, holding Gordon and Gordon’s family at gunpoint.
Dent proceeds to judge all their innocence through coin tosses. He shoots batman in the abdomen and before he could determine the boy’s fate, Batman tackles him, both falls over the side of the building.
Batman and Gordon realize the loss of morale in the city would suffer if Dent’s acts of murder to become known as dent were lying motionless in the ground. After Batman decide to preserve Dent’s image by convincing Gordon to put the blame on Batman, Gordon then destroys the Bat- Signal and the manhunt for Batman ensues.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

An American adventure film that follows The Mummy and the Mummy Returns, the Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor was released in US on August 1, 2008 and now showing on your favorite Cinemas.
It was directed by Rob Cohen and written by Miles Millar and Alfred Gough and produce by James Jacks and Stephen Sommer.
The movie begins with the narration of the rise to power of the Dragon Emperor, Emperor Han (Jet Li). He has conquered all his enemies whom many of them were buried under the Great wall of China, and mastered the five elements, but could not conquer death.
To that end, he sought the help of Zi Yuan (Michelle Yeoh) who knew where to find the secret of immortality and order’s his second in command, General Ming (Russel Wong), to help her with her research.
Han wants to keep Zi Huan for himself does ordered Ming that no man is to touch her. But the two fell in love during their search however during a moment of passion; they are spied by someone who is loyal to the emperor.
Han invites Zi to the balcony where she is given a choice of becoming his wife or watching her lover dies after she supposedly cast the immortality spell to Zohan.
Zin watched in horror as General Ming is pulled apart by horses after she angrily denies the emperors offer of becoming his wife. She was then stab by Han.
Zin reveals that she managed to escape by cursing the emperor and his army and turned them into terra cotta statues.
Then the film jumps ahead to 1947 where explorer Rick O’ Connell (Brendan Fraser) his wife Evelyn (Maria Bello) and brother-in-law Jonathan (John Hannah) are now retired.
Their son Alex (Luke Ford) becomes an adventurer like their parents who had dropped out of school. He was able to locate the Dragon Emperor’s tomb with the financial backing of Roger Wilson (David Calder).
He avoids harm and successfully brought the Emperor back to Shanghai despite the attacked of the mysterious woman. In the meantime, the Elder O’Connels is entrusted by the British government to take the eye of Shangri- La back to china as a good faith gesture to the Chinese from the British.
The O’Connels arrives at the Imhotep, a night club owned by Jonathan. Alex gives his parents a tour on an exhibit that revealed Roger Wilson is in league with paramilitary group led by General Yang and his Second-in-Command Choi (jessey Ming).
They are able to resurrect the emperor into his terracotta statue form using the Eye of Shangri- La which contains water from Shangri- La (a mystical, harmonious valley guided from a monastery).
The mysterious woman who attacked Alex and from the excavation site tries to kill the Emperor with a dagger cursed by Zi Huan but the emperor manage to escaped. The mysterious woman is the protector of the dragon Emperor’s tomb and reveals herself as Lin (Isabella Yeong).
She explains that by using the Eye the path to Shangri- La can be revealed. With the help of Rick’s pilot friend Mad Dog Maguire (Liam Cunningham), the O’Connell, Jonathan and Lin trek through the Himalayas and reach the tower that will reveal the path to Shangri- La when the eye is place on the top of it. The Emperor with General Yang (Anthony Wong Chau-Sang) and his soldiers arrive shortly after.
A trio of yeti (abominable snowman) was summoned by Lin to assist in the battle, but the emperor ultimately succeeded in placing the Eye atop the golden tower. The Dragon Emperor’s sword impaled Rick while protecting Alex as he triggers an avalanche that buys them to reach Shangri-La first.
They reach the Shangri- La first and Zi Yuan healed Rick. Zi Yuan was rescued by the yeti after cursing the Emperor. She revealed to be Lin’s mother. Shortly before his death, General Ming had fathered Lin.They have become immortal using the water and guarded the secret of the Emperor for over 2,000 years.
The Emperor arrived and was able to bathe in the pool that restore his human form and gave him a shape- shifting abilities. He kidnapped Lin and takes the form of a dragon and flies to his Terracotta Army at the excavation site.
He then summons his army which will become invincible when they cross the Great Wall. Zi Yuan sacrifices her immortality and that of her daughter to buy time to revive those buried beneath the Great Wall.
The Terracotta army and undead army fights leaded by General Ming. Zi Yuan and the Emperor fight one-on-one as massive battle ensued. To steal back the cursed dagger, Zi Yuan sacrificed herself. Lin was saved by Alex and they discovered Zi Yuan dying who instructed Lin to stab the Emperor by the heart after giving her the dagger.
General Yang and Choi go to the tomb to aid the emperor during the battle and have their truck hit by a missile. The two was fought by Evelyn and Lin after they survive the missile and started to seek revenge. Alex and Rick head off to fight the Emperor.
Yang gets caught in one of the rotating wooden cranks in the ensuing battle. He and Choi got killed when the last attempt to pulled him and refused to let go. Alex and Rick found themselves outmatched against the shape- shifting Emperor and the dragger was broken during the confrontation.
Rick managed to plunge the dagger hilt into his heart as he goads the Emperor to fight fair. In turn Alex stabs the Emperor in the back fussing the dagger within the heart and destroyed him into a brilliant explosion.
Back at the Imhotep, Alex and Lin who is now mortal dance and finally kiss. Rick and Evelyn are dancing as well in the place where Mad Dog is the new owner. Jonathan with the Eye of Shangri- La decides to move to Peru where he claims has no mummies. As he rides off, it is revealed that the mummies were discovered in Peru soon after once he arrived.

You Don't Mess with the Zohan

You Don’t Mess with the Zohan is a comedy film which story is written by Adam Sandler himself with Robert Smigel and Judd Apatow and directed by Dennis Dugan.
A story of an Israeli, Zohan Dvir, whom considered as a greatest hero and counter-terrorism army commando but has grown tired of his service in Israel Defense Force and wanted to pursue his dream of becoming a hairdresser in New York.
The movie begins with Zohan (Adam Sandler), a Mossad agent, was on a vacation at Tel Aviv beach. He attracts several women and captures every beach-goers attention with his Hacky Sack.
He cooks fish in the nude using a dip or spread Hummus which is a popular local food in the Middle East for his friend and several women. But as he finishes cooking, an Israeli Defense Forces Helicopter arrived and took him away from his presumed well-earned vacation.
Zohan expressed his displeasure about having his vacation cut short during his subsequent briefing. But he eventually agrees to do yet another mission after he was being heckled by his officer.
His mission is to recapture a key Palestinian terrorist, the “Phantom” (John Turturro), who had been freed by Israeli government as prisoner exchange for a captured Mossad agent, and additional ‘to-be-named later’ spy.
Zohan expresses his desire to leave Israel and go to New York and become a hairdresser but was met with laughter by his parents who both had fought in Israel’s Six-Day War.
During his pursuit of the Phantom, disgruntled Zohan fake his own death, tricked Phantom of believing he had killed Zohan.
Zohan then smuggled himself into a flight to New York City in a pet crate of two dogs named Scrappy and Coco. He change his hairstyle into a 1980’s Paul Mitchell’s Avalon style and take “Scrappy Coco” as his new alias, then sets out to pursue his dreams in the Big Apple.
He was initially unsuccessful to be hired at an upscale Paul Mitchell salon as well as an African American salon and a children salon. But using his military expertise he earn new friend who give him a place to stay, Michael (Nick Swardson).
However, Zohan’s sexual relationship with Michaels’s mother, Gail (Lainie Kazan) that makes Michael feels uncomfortable. His passion for 1970’s disco runs him into a fellow Israeli name Uri (Ido Mosseri who is a Zohan fan but agrees to keep scrappy Coco’s true identity a secret.
It was Uri introduces him to a block in lower Manhattan filled with Middle Eastern Americans, who are split between a Palestinian side and an Israeli side of the street.
In a struggling salon of a Palestinian woman named Dhalia (Emmanuelle Chriqui), Zohan attempts to land a job. At first she only allows the ostentatious Zohan to sweep floors for free.
But after he pleases a senior lady with a satisfactory haircut and back room sexual service, she eventually allows Zohan to be a stylist.
Zohan’s reputation of giving a good haircut besides the sex instantly spread among the elder women of lower Manhattan. It enables Dahlia’s business to boom that upset Walbridge (Michael Buffer0 who was a corporate magnet and has been trying to force out all the local tenants on the block so that he can build a huge mall.
Zohan brags that he has a big one, which is understood as big penis, but he meant of the pubic hair to his colleague claude (Alec Mapa).
A cab driver named Salim (Rob scheider), whose goat Zohan had stolen after he throw his shoes at Zohan and spit in his face, eventually had identified Zohan. Salim wanted to exact a revenge on Zohan and convince his friends to help him.
He wants the glory of Killing Zohan for himself and rebuffs his friend’s advice to “let the professionals” take care of it. They then decide to create a bomb even they are not sure how to do it. Salim and his friends then walk into a pharmacy after thinking that they need a chemical and tried to ask for a liquid nitroglycerin. The pharmacists instead give them Neosporin after hearings Salim’s mispronunciations.
But Neosporin did not destroy Zohan’s workplace so Salim reluctantly informs Phantom through a Hezbollah hotline. Phantom then pays a visit to New York to hunt Zohan down. Phantom is now a successful fastfood chain owner.
Meanwhile, Zohan discovers that he has unexplainable erectile disfunction except in Dhalia’s presents making him realized that he has fallen in love with her. He revealed to Dhalia his former job as an Israeli counter terrorist operative who however rejected his feelings.
Upon deciding to leave Dhalia, he confronted Phantom for a Hacky Sack Game. But the fight was cut short with sudden news that racist arsonists dressed in Arabic clothing attacked the Middle Eastern block.
Walbridge hired the arsonist to instigate an inter-ethnic riot between Palestinians and Israelis and will hopefully allow him to take over their stores more easily.
Dhalia appears revealing that she is Phantom’s sister whom he called “Fattoush” as Phantom and Zohan work together to save the block.
Zohan’s personal dossier allows him to discover the true identities of the arsonist as rednecks hired by Walbridge.
Leading the united Israelis and Palestinians of the block to save their shops, Zohan and Phantom defeated the rednecks, thwarting Walbridge's plans, and the damaging of the all the shops on the block by using "The Sound" which is a combination of stereotypical Arabic rhythmic calling and stereotypical Hebrew "chhhh" sounds. Walbridge was arrested for his crimes by the police who came in the place.
The Palestinians and Israelis become united and transformed the block into a collectively-own mall. It enables to realize Zohan’s and Dhalia’s dream opening a joint beauty parlor they called “Dalohan”. Phantom also fulfills his lifelong passion of opening up a shoe store.
The movie ends happily as Zohan’s parents approve of his Palestinian wife and their salon becoming their customers themselves in a surprise visit.

Jomari Yllana Denies Issue about Split up with Pops

Jomari Yllana answered certain issue that he and Pops Fernandez were no longer together. According to some rumors that Jomari has a new “rich” girlfriend.
But on an interview, he said that all this speculations are not true and they are still together.
The two has been together for three years and though Jomari admits that they sometimes have some pity quarrels, they did not come to a point of splitting up. They just don’t understand where this issue came from.
He just laughs about the rumors about having a rich girlfriend and jokingly said “I wish I have” but when asked if he is going to replace Pops, he answered he won’t.
He also exclaims that he really doesn’t have any other relationship. They are just both busy and they have different working schedules. But they still go out for a date over dinner.
Jomari also talked about the issue that they were living together. He said that they are still with each other and go out together but they are not live-in and no plans about it.
Wedding is not part of their plans for now and his relationship with Pops sons is ok. They have lunch or dinner together and he is also training Pop’s eldest Robin with his workout program.
This will be his (Robin) preparation for his launching as a performer and as singer. Robin is the eldest son of Pops from his ex-husband Martine Nievera who is the country King of Pop.
Jomari is leading the new program of TV5 (formerly ABC-5) the Philippines’ Scariest Challenge with Chezka Litton.
The grand launching was held last night, August 7, 2008 at C3 Events Place in Greenhills, San Juan.
It will be Jomari’s first time to work for a horror-reality game show. They will be inviting some celebrity guest and different challenges will be given. Every challenge is worth a prize and charity works for some selected institutions.
The set of the show will be taken in different remote areas instead of setting up a studio. They will be visiting haunted houses where every contestant must have to get inside the house alone. They will be wearing a helmet with camera and use only candle and flashlight. They will be doing some task alone since there is no cameraman in the place. Only numbers of cameras are being set-up.
The challenges are simple but are so scary. It will be very difficult because of the scary settings. There will be different number of participants in every show depending on the settings like doing it by pair or alone.
The last shoot they have was in the abandoned hospital in Clark Base. The contestant undergone different horrible experiences during the shooting like someone pass by behind their back or some strange sounds they thought are made only to scare them.
But Jomari was certain that it was only the contestant who is inside the place. He was not scared about what happened since he is not coming with them during the actual shoot. His job is to sigue the show, explains the details and delivers the gap inside the studio.

Hottest Stars on Bench‘s Blackout: The Denim and Underwear Show

Last July 25, 2008, some of the biggest and hottest names in Philippine Show business gathered in the much-awaited denim and underwear fashion event of the year at Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City for the Bench Blackout: Denim and Underwear Show.
Blackout is the fourth edition of Bench biennial denim and underwear fashion event after Fever last 2006, Understatement on 2004 and One Night Only last 2002.
This event enables the talents from rival giant networks GMA network and ABS-CBN came together and size up the competition according to the response of the audience.
ABS-CBN Kapamilya had outnumbered the Kapuso’s with the number of the Kapamilya star who become a part of the said fashion show.
The Big Dome was filled with gays and women who reserved their applauses for the male stars who got the biggest cheers. The women stars come out with their skimpiest underwear.
Kapamilya Raphael Rossel comes out covering his private parts with his hands that made the audience shrieked with delight.
Dingdong Dantes and Richard Gutierrez got the night’s loudest cheers from the audience. Both are GMA’s prized actor. But Dingdong comes out to make the big impact than Richard if base according to the reaction of the crowd during the event.
It is Dingdong’s first time to join the Bench Fashion show and it perhaps create excitement among the audience including the part where he drops his parts for a few seconds.
ABS-CBN stars Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson, Zanjoe Marudo, Enchong Dee, Jon Prats, Jon Avila, Rayver Cruz and PBB Teen Housemates Ejay Falcon and Robi Domingo delighted the fans who give a big roar upon seeing them.
Kapamilya leading men Jake Cuenca, Sam Milby and Diether Ocampo became the crowd’s favorite where Diether and Jake gamely played to the crowd by showing a bit of their behinds.
More of Kapamilya Stars Angelica Panganiban, Shaina Magdayao, Sarah Geronimo, Rica Peralejo, Rachel Ann GO, David Chua, Iya Villanea, Christian Bautista and Ryan Eigenman and PBB ex-housemates Kian Kazime and Bruce Quibral, Teen ex-housemate Valerie Weignmann adds delight to the event and got big applause and cheers from the audience.
Other Kapuso stars who join this year’s Bench Fashion show were Francine Prieto, Bubbles Paraiso, Jay-R, Margaret Wilson, Katrina Halili, Marco Alcaraz, Alessandra de Rossi, JC de Vera and sisters Ehra and Michelle Madrigal.
Jon Hall, Carline Aguilar, Nancy Castiglione now known as Nancy Jane, Jennifer Lee and Precious Adona also ramped in the catwalk.
Adding glitter to the events are the Bench favorites Wendell Ramos, Jomari Yllana, John Estrada with girlfriend Precilla Meirelles (former Miss Earth) and Antonio Aquitania.
Among the familiar faces in showbiz and fashion like StarStruck graduates Chud Burden and Bugs Diago, Janvier Daily, Carlos Concepcion of Showboys, Bench discoveries John James Uy and Carlos Guevara, Brent Javier and Luke Jickain are among those who participated.
Richard Gomez and Lucy Torres who were Bench royalty couple walk along with Bench big boss Ben Chan and later join the other celebrities.
The event became more star-studied as many other celebrities were present and was among the audience.
Kris Aquino came with husband James Yap. John “Sweet” Lapus Bea Alonzo, Assunta de Rossi, Wendy Valdez, Niňa Jose, Dr. Vicky Belo and boyfriend Dr. Hayden Kho, Mother Lilly Monte Verde with daughter Roselle, Tessa Prieto Valdez with her husband are among the audience.
Richard’s parents, Annabelle Rama and Eddie Gutierrez are also present to support him , Richard’s ex-girlfriends Ann Cutis and Georgina Wilson who came together with friends Liz Uy (John Lloyd Cruz girlfriend) and Isabelle Diaz Dasa (Gloria Diaz’s daughter).
Karylle also came to support boyfriend Dingdong Dantes. Also among those who came to watch the event were columnist Dolly Anne Carvajal with son IC Mendoza, directors Ruel Bayani, Luie Ignacio, Joel Lamangan, Manny Valera, talent managers Arnold Vegaria and Douglas Quijano.
Raymund Gutierrez, Richard’s twin brother, covered the events and interviewed some celebrities.

Kris Aquino and James Yap having a trip to US

As beak away for many controversies they undergone for the past months, the couple leave the country last August 2, 2008 with its exclusive footage in The Buzz.
Kris shared that this trip is their gift for each other for their third year wedding anniversary, the couple decided to go to New York and Las Vegas. This will be the first trip they will do together without the kids.
With their last interview in the Buzz, they both admit that counseling help them a lot in working out their relationship. According to Kris, at first it was hard to admit that they go through counseling because it will mean that you accept that there was a problem. But everybody has different problem according to her and having the counseling helps them a lot.
James added that having the counseling, it makes them realize some mistakes over their relationship from which they thought was right but then turn out wrong.
Last June James got involved in a basketball brawl involving Salvador, Enrico Villanueva and Rob Sanz from the PUREFOODS against TNT's import Terrence Leather. The incident happened in the early goings of the fourth quarter after Purefoods’s Jordan Salvador and TnT import Terrence Leather got involved in a physical post-up play. Leather apparently was not pleased by the contact, throwing the ball to Salvador after exchanging a few words. Yap gets involved after kicking Leather after the altercation. The replay showed a raging Leather chasing Yap while being pacified by teammates and game officials.
This trip to U.S. according to Kris was planned for two months. It was James break from basketball so she really works hard to finish her tapings so they can pursue with their plans. Kris host of ABS-CBN shows Boy & Kris and Kapamilya Deal or No Deal.
The couple will be staying in New York for nine days and five days in Las Vegas. Kris also shared that James will cover the Hotel expenses while she takes the air fare. She even laughs over James because it comes out over her calculation that James will spend much than her.
Before leaving the country the two visit first former President Cory Aquino to bid Goodbye. The kids, Joshua and Baby James, will not come with them because Josh still have his classes and they will be visiting the former president three times a week.
The couple will be back on April 18, 2008 three days before his father’s 25th Death Anniversary (Ninoy Aquino).
Though his sons will not go with them during their trip, Josh and Baby James come with them in the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
According to The Buzz, James mom will come to Manila from Escalante to personally take good care of the kids while the couple is away.
The couples had been to an on and off relationships due to many controversies and everybody hopes that this trip will give more strength to the foundation of their marriage.

Francine Prieto: Getting Obese?

Many have observed Francine Prieto; a sexy comedian has gain weight during the Blackout: Bench Denim & Underwear show last July 25, 2008. She is wearing a Bench undergarment as she ramps.
Many had given their bad comments and criticize her courage to wear the undergarment despite the obvious weight she gain. People began calling her ‘obese’.
The Sexy comedian just laughs over these rumors with confident. If people consider her as obese then how much more those people that are really obese.
She admits that she really gained weight because of too much stress she undergone last year. The latter was still thankful that Bench still allows her to endorse their products even though she is gaining weight.
She even exclaimed that being part of the fashion show she doesn’t need to be anorexic and skinny just to wear Bench underwear. She also said that even though one is full-bodied and gain weight a little, you can still wear same thing.
When asked if certain issues add pressure on her to especially that many people said that she really needs to lose weight, Francine answered that she is not. She knows herself more and if she will allow herself to be affected that will only drive her again to eat more.
Far from the gossip about her, Francine is more than determine to lose weight. For a month, she’s been doing work-out, jogging and playing tennis.
She also challenges them to see her in the next Bench fashion show before the year will end.
Francine Prieto is Anna Marie Falcon in real life. She is not only a sexy star but a great actress. Francine is a current cast of Bubble Gang where she done her comic roles. She is also working with Bahay Mo Ba To as Jingle, with Magpakailanman,with Kamandag as Queen Koran, with ESP as Ivy and recently started primetime series Codename:Asero as Aureana.
She also played in different roles in her previous TV series: Bongga Ka Star, Engkantadia: Pag-ibig Hanggang Wakas, Love to Love and Cresilda,
She began her entertainment career as part of That’s Entertainment. She also had done sexy roles along with Diana Zubiri with Seiko Films.
Francine got her biggest break when she played the role of Queen Avria in Etheria, the second book of Encantadia a block hit in GMA Networks primetime shows last 2005 that ends on February 18, 2008.
She have done many films using her real life name in the movies like Life Story of Sister Fatima Kowalska, Hindi Laruan ang Puso, Darna, Divine Mercy sa Buhay ni Sister Faustina, Sobra Talaga… Overr!!, Tukso Layuan mo ako 2, Thalia, Imbistigasyon Kay Lolita Macarena, and Abuso: Case# 6433.
Bearing the name Francine Prieto, she was part of the movie: Enteng Kabisote 4: The beginning of the Legend, Silip, Bridal Shower, Bikini Open, Liberated and Liberated 2.
And wether Francine is getting obese or not, she still stands in the heart of her fans. Being criticized only adds more challenge to her blooming career.

KC Concepcion & Richard Gutierrez Sweet Moments in Greece

Two of the promising star of the new generation, ABS-CBN Princess KC Concepcion and hunk actor Richard Gutierrez of GMA Networks comes out on a very romantic movie of the year “For the First Time”. This will be KC’s launching movie that will be a part of Star’s Cinema’s 15th Anniversary celebration. This will be Richard’s first time to be working with Star Cinema.
The movie that will captivate everybody’s heart from its romantic scenes that was taken in Santorini, Greece. On their first on-screen love affair team up, they are considered to be the next Sharon & Gaby.
Though the two is still hiding the real score between them, their actions would simply speak of how they really feel for each other. The occasional resting of his hands on her knees, the sticky glances and wrapping around of his hand in her waist are some of the basis that something is really between them.
There ten days stay in Greece together for the shoot of their upcoming movie creates a good bond between them. KC admits that they go through a stage of sharing some secrets that nobody knows aside from them as part of their getting-to-know you. They become comfortable with each other and really have a great time working together.
The kissing scene they were filming caught the attention of the people around the place that give them applause. Richard admits that it’s KC’s that is the softest lip’s he ever kissed.
They rated themselves 9.8 as rating for their closeness as they made wonderful memories in Greece ,the adventurous and the romantic moment together as they enjoyed the scenic view in the land of picturesque island and azure waters.
KC even prepares him a food which her assistant Jenny will bring in Richard’s hotel room in Greece. She exclaim that it’s her way of waking him up since their call up time is 6 o’clock and they should be ready for make up by 5 a.m.
The two also give each other different souvenirs. KC first gives him a lava necklace just like the one she receives from her friends which according to her is very special. Richard also gives her one as return. KC bought him another necklace with special markings. Richard then bought another identical bracelet with the same sign embedded on it.
According to Richard the drawing on the bracelet and the necklace has a very special meaning for the two of them.
KC is Richard’s High School according to Ruffa, Richard’s sister who speak out his brother’s secret. Working with her will be a dream come true.
Despite her success with numbers of commercials and promotions, KC remains to be low profile in considering herself as the newest among them and thus giving great respect to Richard and their Director BB. Joyce Bernal.
Richard is the first man he works with abroad and she learns a lot by just watching on him. More of their closeness is greeting goodnights before going to sleep. Richard even said during their interview that KC even includes “mwah-mwah” that KC considered only as a joke.
This movie will realize the visions that the two networks get to work together.
The movie will be in theater on August 27, 2008.

Ryan Agoncillo in Pinoy Fear Factor: South America

Ryan Agoncillo finally has his new project as the host of Pinoy Fear factor: South America after six months of being jobless. As notice, Ryan never has his usual busy schedules of shows, commercials and hosting.
Judy Ann Ann Santos, his fiancée, becomes his strength over those months of storm over his career. But like any storm it will end and shines a day that gives Ryan a big TV comeback over this project. The sex month of waiting seems prepared him of another challenge on his career making him more mature.
Ryan underwent hosting audition before he was able to sign the contract. Part of the audition is his own challenge where he is doing his spiel with rodents and mountain roach around his body.
Though bless with this certain project, Ryan was still sad to be apart from her fiancée for almost 37 days.
Together with 12 daring contestants, the show will be shot in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The challenger will go through different physical and mental challenges.
Its meeting their greatest fear and outdo their selves far away from home, facing new environment in a foreign land. They will also undergo big-stunts like seen in Hollywood Movies.
After doing three stunts, one contestant will be then eliminated each week. They will be staying in boot camps and endure the place cold climate.
The last one to stand the challenge will receive P2-Mil cash plus a house and lot from Avida (Ayala Land Company) worth P2.5- Mil.
Ryan is ready for the challenges who likes adventures, to camp and explore. He also loves the rush of his adrenaline like his bungee jumping experience with Judai in Chang Mai, Thailand where they jump the height of 150 feet. He also can handle scenes like eating cow’s eyes and heading cockroach right into ones face.
For Ryan the bigger challenge is on mental than physical considering the time he will be away from his fiancée for the first time. The longest time they were away from each other is only for a week. It will also Ryan’s first time to step in Argentina.
Pinoy Fear Factor is a franchise by Endemol the company behind Big Brother and Pinoy Dream Academy. It will not follow the weekly episodic format but the serialized format of Fear factor Extreme.
Contestants include six men and six women: A Basketball, the Lover Boy who is Hunk, who is afraid of heights, the Lover Boy who is afraid of gross foods, Struggling Tondo Dad and a porter who is afraid of heights, funny Australian who experience discrimination in Australia and is afraid of roach, Papalicious chef that has fear of heights, Promdi Veterinarian who twice failed the board exam and who easily get frightened.
Sex women includes: Glam Goddess, a popular host and model who is afraid of roaches and rodents, Hot Momma, a young mom who is afraid of water, New Miss Body Beautiful who has fear of snakes, party bombshell with fear in water, Daredevil Chick, who turn back from showbiz to finish her studies and is afraid of the unknown and lastly the Falwless of Dagat-Dagatan who is afraid of snakes.
These set of challengers and Ryan Agoncillo will leave for Argentina by the end of August and will be staying there for a month.
Show will be viewed soon in ABS-CBN Network.

Proud to be PINOY!

11 years old British- Filipino jazz prodigy amazed the toughie Simon Cowell and vowed by the audience on UK’s reality contest “Britain’s Got Talent”. Simon Cowell who was well known of his tough and devil words has speak word of praises “I think you are a little star” and was trilled of the kid’s wonderful performance after he sang “Summer Wind”
Born of a British father Roger Philip Green and a Filipino mother Cecile Sumargo- Green,who is a native of Dumanjog, Cebu, Charlie Green is a genuine Filipino at heart. He loves Filipino dishes like mongo, pansit canton, fried lumpia and bulalo and he also eat rice.
Despite the fact that he grows up in Britain and was exposed to Western cultures, Charlie still acted like a true Filipino. He is an avid of Filipino Athletes especially of Manny Paquiao. He was also fond of saying “Po” and “Opo” and mentions those words occasionally since he is not yet fluent of the Filipino language.
This is Charlie’s fourth time visit in the Philippines. He was brought by her mom the other year in her native land in Dumanjog, Cebu, in Bohol and Leyte where he also experience the beauty of the country’s wonderful beaches.
They also accept ABS-CBN’s offer for his TV appearances since its still school vacation in Britain. He appeared in the networks TV Programs like Boy & Kris, The Buzz, Pinoy Dream Academy, Uberture, Sharon and Wowowee.
He also performed at the Royal Opera House three years ago and was able to met Princess Ann which is another highlight of his young career.
But despite the fact that Charlie will have several offer and can cut a record here, his parents will still prioritize his studies. But not putting an end to her words, Mrs. Green exclaim that they can’t really never tell what will happen but they still wanted their son to finish his education for at least he could still stand if his career will not be successful.
Britain government is strict in requiring kids to finish school unlike in the Philippines where young celebrities can just drop out in their class to concentrate in their career.
Charlie is still adjusting with the attention he got from his fans especially those who punching in his chicks. He doesn’t mind at all the hugging of her fans and still manage to play soccer with his friends. But his parents make it sure that he is grounded.
Charlie quips that he should learn to speak Filipino first when he was ask about the possible movie he will have in Star Cinema and CD recording with the Star Records.
Charlie love standard music and a big fan of Michael Buble. He considers Elvis Presley, Andrea Bocille and Leona Lewis as his musical heroes. He also expressed his great appreciation and admiration with Charice Pempengco. Both were given a plaque of recognition during the 20th year Anniversary of the Music Museum last August 5, 2008 for reaffirming Filipino Artists as world-class Talents.
Charlie Green will be performing this August 9, 2008 in Conway’s at Shangri-La Makati.

Getting to know the Angel

Who can never get an eye over the country’s sexiest
woman and actress who at the same time a producer, a commercial model
and a fashion designer? Well, every woman will really envy Angel Locsin’s looks and appearance.
Angel was first discovered by a scout talent while she cut classes with her friend and went shopping at SM City North EDSA.
She audition in several commercials and supposed to be a part of Star
Circle Batch 9 now known as Star Magic but was not able to sign up a
contract because of his father’s disagreement. She then became a
contract star of GMA Artist Center the year after.
She first appeared in a teen-oriented program Click in GMA Networks on 1999 then become a part of the movie Ang Iibigin Ay Ikaw Pa Rin last 2004 that is lead by Alex Dixon with Christopher de Leon and Richard Gomez and again starred in All Together Now on the same year.
But Angel Locsin prominence in her career started when she lead the GMA Networks fantasy show “Mulawin” viewed on primetime block in 1994. Angel portrays the role of Alwina with his leading man Richard Gutierrez who portrayed as Aguiloz.
This becomes a great hit that make the network edge against its rival ABS-CBN Network. By the 2005 Mulawin: The Movie with its features was included on the 2005 Metro Manila Film Festival.
The fans more love Angel with her super heroine TV show Darna as TV adaptation of Mars Ravelos comics. Dinnes Trillo is Efren who is Narda’s love interest.
Angel
got a huge popularity in the country and began receiving different TV
commercials and endorsement and lead role projects on films. Her
success on the different fantasy shows earns her the title as Queen of GMA Network.
After the success of Darna which ended in November 2005, followed Majica in 2006 which she take the role of Sabina. Dinnes Trillo played as her leading man and Zoren Legazpi and Carmina Villaroel played as her parents.
It
was later followed with Asian Treasure in 2007 with Philippine’s Action
Star Robin Padilla after it ended on September. It was an action scene
that has been shot in three different countries like China, Mongolia
and Thailand and considered as the country’s most expensive TV series
ever produced with its total cost of 140 million pesos or 3.1 million
dollar.
This is the last show Angel made with GMA Networks after she ended her 5 years contract with the network. Declining the lead role offer as Marimar,the remake of Thalia's Mexican Telenovela, she then went to London, United Kingdom to study short course for fashion design.
Rumors then spread about Angel’s plan of transferring to other network, in ABS-CBN and such speculation was answered when her manager Becky Aguila and her father send a letter to GMA Networks informing Angels transfer to ABS-CBN and that she will no longer renew her contract with the Network.
In Angel’s 5 years stay in her mother network GMA, she was able to establish her film career. By 2004 starred on the films Ping Lacson Super Cop, Mano Po 2, Kuya and Singles. She also starred on the 2005 MMFF entries Mano Po 3 and Sigaw.
In 2005, she starred in her first movie GMA Film’s, Let the Love Begin and Mulawin: The Movie. I will Always Love You and Txt on 2006. The 2007 MMFF
entry Mano Po 5 is followed by another movie where she is playing mature
roles in her reunited movie with Richard Gutierrez in The Promise. She
also produced her own movie entitled Angels last April 12, 2007.
Last August 11, 2007, Angel sign up a 2 years exclusive contract with ABS-CBN and told Boy Abunda during an interview at The Buzz that she is no longer happy with GMA and is looking forward to have a good career in ABS-CBN. She was warmly welcome by ABS-CBN Executives, Gabby Lopez, Charo Santos and Malou Santos. Angel also proclaims that she was excited to be working with Judy Ann Santos and Ann Curtis.
She then appeared in different ABS-CBN shows and become a regular cast of ASAP 2008. She also featured in Malaala Mo Kaya Series: Pilat.
Last January 28, 2008 launches Angel’s first teleserye (TV- series) with ABS-CBN “ Lobo” and her first dream team up with Piolo Pascual. Lobo is the most expensive TV series made by ABS-CBN. Angel plays the role Lyka and Piolo portrays Noah.
Aside from Angel’s success in films and television she is also hailed as 2005 FHM
Philippine’s Sexiest Woman. She also endorses different products from
different large companies like San Miguel, Timex and a lot more.
Behind all this success is a man in Angels’s Life, his father Angelo Colmenares. Angelica Colmenares in real life was born on April 23, 1985. She grows up in Bulacan and lives with his father after her parents broke up when she is still 14 years old.
Angel spent her Elementary education in Bulacan and finished her High School in University of Santo Tomas in Manila.
Angel had relationships with late Miko Soto and then with Oyo Boy Soto which lasted last January 2007.
She is an “Angel” like her name to the people she is helping like Gabriela Partylist and different Children Foundations. She also gives foods and clothing to the poor children of Payatas, Quezon City.
Her movie with Piolo Pascual entitled Bukidnon
will be expected to be viewed on October 2008 and a team up with John
Lloyd Cruz in the movie I Know I love You that will be shown on
February 2009. She will also be doing another movie under Star Cinema
on the same year with Aga Mulach. Philippine TV Remake of Maria Mercedez lead by Angel will soon be viewed in television.
Angel receives different awards in all the aspect of her career that continue to aspire the youth to follow her tracks!

Behind the Fins

Mars Ravelo’s “Dyesebel” is a primetime hit in GMA Networks being starred by Marian Rivera where she portrays the role of “Dyesebel” a mermaid.
Marian got her first breakout role in the remake of the Mexican’s telenovela “Marimar”. The show that is lead by Thalia was a top rated show in the 90’s.
But who is Marimar and Dyesebel in real life? Marian Rivera as popularly known by her fans is Marian Garcia Rivera, born in Madrid, Spain on April 12, 1986 from a Spaniard father Francisco Javier Garcia and a Filipino mother Amalia Rivera.
Her father leave them when she was still 2 years old that makes her mother decided to bring her in the Philippines. She then was brought to her maternal grandparent in Bacoor, Cavite for her mother had to go back abroad for her working commitment.
Francisca Rivera, Marians grandmother, attends to her while her mother is away. She studied in a private school in Cavite at Saint Francis of Assisi College System during her Elementary and High School and at the De La Salle University-Dasmariňas during college where she graduated with a degree of B.S Psychology.
To work for her dreams, she went to manila to pursue a career in commercial and ramp modeling. She was then first appeared in screen with her TV commercials Skin white lotion and Sky Flakes crackers.
These appearances catch the attention of Tony Tuviera who is Executive producer of TAPE Inc. and offered her to work with TAPE Inc. and GMA Networks. She then appeared on different afternoon series of the networks soap operas like Aagawin Mo Man Ang Lahat that earned her an award of becoming the Newest TV Personality last 2006 PMPC Star Awards.
She also starred in Pinakamamahal where she worked with Oyo Boy Soto as her leading man and Kung Mamahalin Mo Lang Ako. It was then followed by another casting in the networks afternoon show “Muli”, a Philippine- Malaysian drama with Alfred Vargas and primetimes Super Twins.
But winning the role of “Marimar” bring Marian to stardom after the audition from which other actresses like Bianca King, Jennelyn Mercado, Karylle, Katrina Halili, Jewel Mische and Nadine Samonte, Valerie Conception, Chiska Garcia and many more auditioned. The offer of the role was rejected by Angel Locsin a reason for the network to give an audition.
Her new team-up with Dingdong Dantes then started who played the role of Segio Santibaňes and soon followed by another movie remake of the Dyesebel that was originally done by Charlene Gonzales.
The door over the big screen was open for Marian when she comes out in the movie on 2006 at Pamahiin, a horror movie with Iya Villanea and Dennis Trillo. It was then followed by MMFF entries the following year the Desperadas and Bahay Kubo. She also had a romantic-comedy movie with Richard Gutierrez in My Best Friend’s wedding.
She also appeared in an album cover Of Marians Rivera Dance Hit where she performs dance choreography for the dance compilation of Universal Records Inc.
Marians being in the lime light also bring her to some controversies that include the Dyesebel Taping incident that was viewed in YouTube that tagged as “Marian Scandal”. An allegedly news spread out about Marian’s slapping and shouting incident with a fan during the taping. The latter got angry after the said fan did not listen when she ask him to stop recording a video that was prohibited in the set. The fan raises his voice after being scolded that provokes Marian to defend herself.
Another controversy she got involved when she was crowned as 2008 FHM Philippine’s Sexiest women where she bested Angel Locsin (2005 FHM winner) and previous winner Katrina Halili and other 97 contestants.
It creates a hot discussion and protest among online blogs and forums because of what they called the “irregularities of the show. Angel Locsin who only ranked 4th leads in the poll by more than 7,000 votes from Marian Rivera that was reported on primetime news. Marian only place 3rd after Katrina Halili who is in the 2nd place.
But proving herself against those allegations, Marian Rivera just keep giving her best and is coming up with a romantic movie this year “Amnesia” with Dingdong and Iza Calzado.

A Very Special Love

The public taste again another blockbuster hit from Star Cinema with its newest movie “A very Special Love” that features John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo’s first team-up in the big screen.
Directed by Director Cathy-Garcia Molina, it was released in theaters last July 30, 2008. The movie has gain Rated A by the Cinema Evaluation board.
It’s a romantic-comedy film that evolves on the life of two people who were seemingly different from each other. Lead by Sarah Geronimo who takes the role of Laida Magtalas and John Lloyd Cruz as Miggy Montenegro with the participations of Joross Gamboa, Matet de Leon, Al Tantay, Geo Alvares, and Irma adlawan, Marianna del Rio, Miles Ocampo and Cj Jaravatta.
Laida is portrayed a role of a woman who wanted to work for her family and dream that someday she will meet the man of her dreams,Miggy Montenegro. Miggy Montenegro is the youngest of the Montenegro clan- a well established family in the business world. Laida always dream of meeting Miggy in person.
She finally realized her dream when she applied as Editorial assistant in Miggy’s newly establish men’s magazine. She thinks that working with him will get her closer to him. Fortunately she was hired and so overwhelmed of being near with her “Prince Charming”.
She considers it as destiny to be with him and blinded herself to realities that Miggy is too far from the person she used to imagine. They too have great differences with their behaviors. Laida is bubbly and warm hearted while Miggy appears to be a slave-driver, hotheaded, impatient and who always believes that he is always right in everything.
Everyone are intimidated with Miggy except Laida who continuously blinded by her feelings with her boss. She keeps on defending her dream man and her loyalty to Miggy created a gossip in their office regarding her feelings towards him.
To protect herself she reveals to everyone the personal life of Miggy. She earns her ire and was shouted by him for the first time. It opens Laida’s man to reality about the man of his dream. With Laida’s wakening, Miggy also realized why people don’t like him.
The simpleton Laida is the first person who let him face that he is wrong. No one has ever corrected him and has dared to suggest anything and give their opinions. No one has ever talked back from him except Laida and he began to wonder that he himself is the noble cause of his failures.
For the first time he learns to apologize. Laida open up Miggy’s world to something he considered as his “first”. He taught Miggy how to become a team player and the value of loyalty.
But her presence can’t even clear the shadows that Miggy’s family casted unto him. He is still pulled back from his own ways by the conflicts he have with his siblings. But Laida never gives up helping Miggy with everything she knows.
Will two people with very mismatching personalities but with a common goals and interest can figure out a perfect pair? How two different worlds can meet and proves that a very special love is really unconditional!

“A Star is born”

Charmaine Clarice Pempengco popularly known as Charice has stunned the world with her great voice. At early age of four Charice already has shown a talent in singing which was more develops with the help of her mother who serve as her primary voice coach.
Her mom also makes her dresses by borrowing sewing machine from their neighbors which she uses on every contest she join.
The highlight of Charice career started when she join the Little Big Star in ABS-CBN
where unfortunately she dropped and was given a second chance to be pick again through a wild card. She was 12 years old that time and impressed the judges with her wonderful voice.
Though she was the jurors’ favorite she only reaches the 3rd place for having the lowest text vote from the audience. Sam Conception got the 1st place while Makisig Morales ranked as the 2nd.
She then catch the cyberworld attention when FalseVoice channel of YouTube post her performance in Little Big Star singing the hit classical song of Whitney Houston “I will Always Love You”. But the audience doubted her performance believing it was not her voice and only doing lip-sync.
Another popular video was her face-off with the America’s Got Talent winner Bianca Ryan. It brings to the attention of a popular production company based in Sweden, the Ten Songs Production. She then traveled to Sweden last June 2007 and recorded seven songs.
FalseVoice post again another video of Charice a month later of her performance singing the theme of Dreamgirls “And I Am Telling You I Am Going”. In October 2007, the biggest TV Network in South Korea, Seoul broadcasting System, who has viewed her videos invite her to perform in a talent show called The King. All Koreans bow in her wonderful performance of the “And I am Telling You I Am Going”.
Her performances in the King were kept on reposted in YouTube by many viewers that open a way for Charice in American Television. A TV network E’s The Daily Ten featured her performance in The Kings on November 14, 2007 with a headline of “A Star is Born” and on November 16 she was crowned as “the Queen of the Week” in Hollywood Royalty segment.
Charice was invited to perform in The Ellen DeGeneres Show last December 19, 2007. Helen DeGeneres featured already her performance in The King on its episode in November where she gave Charise a standing ovation. Her performance was post in Ellen DeGeneres poll website and was considered as the Most Memorable Moment of 2007. She got an all American Standing Ovation from the audience after performing 2 songs “I Will Always Love You” and “And I am Telling You I Am Going”.
She was awarded as the Most Requested Foreign Act of 2007 at South Korea after a nationwide voting where she perform again with the host Lena Park and receive again a Standing Ovation last December 2007 . She becomes the most-sought after young singer when she goes back to the Philippines.
She also invaded the whole United Kingdom and another standing ovation when she guessed in Paul O'Grady Show in England on April 8, 2008.
On May 12, 2008, she guessed in The Oprah Winfrey Show for its episode “World’s Smartest Kids” where she is the only guest who sung. She perform the Whitney Houston’s hit “I Have Nothing” that earned her again another standing ovation from the audience. Oprah hugged her so tight who was disbelief of such wonderful performance where Charice herself shed a tear for realizing her dream.
On May 23, 2008, she was invited again to perform at Mandalay Bay Beach Resort in a night concert as tribute to the legendary producer David Foster. Charice now had the honor to sing the Whitney Houston song “I Have Nothing” and “I Will Always Love You” and “I Am Telling You I Am Going” that make the crowd roars “O” in a standing Ovation.
Another performance that brought a great pride to our country was Charice performance in the birthday concert of Andrea Bocelli last July 20 in Italy. Andrea Bocelli is the well-known operatic pop tenor. Charice perform with other International top performer at the Theater of Silence Lajatico. She also got the chance to perform a duet with Bocelli in his hit song “The Prayer”.
Charice hard works are all paid off and just proved the whole world that she was really born to be a star!