Thursday, April 30, 2009

Michelle Obama is a twelve World's Most Beautiful People 2009

Michelle Obama is a twelve World's Most Beautiful People 2009. Michelle Obama, who has achieved celebrity status and has wowed the world as a fashion icon, made the list for the first time. The First Lady says growing up in a supportive household helped make her the confident woman she is today.

First lady Michelle Obama arrives in the Rose Garden of the White House

"I had a father and a brother who thought I was beautiful, and they made me feel that way every single day," Obama told the magazine.

"I grew up with very strong male role models who thought I was smart and fast and funny, so I heard that a lot. I know that there are many young girls who don't hear it. But I was fortunate," she added.

Halle Berry, second World's Most Beautiful People 2009 in List



Halle Berry, second World's Most Beautiful People 2009 in List
. When asked what makes her famous face happy, Berry, 42, (who appeared on the Most Beautiful cover in 2003) replies, "My daughter's smile and her eight new teeth, the smell of fresh flowers, hiking as the sun comes up, feeling good about the woman I’ve become and finally getting a complete night of sleep."



Christina Applegate, the World's Most Beautiful People in 2009

Christina Applegate, the World's Most Beautiful People in 2009. Christina Applegate is a first Most beautiful People in the World. She is really a good looking personality.


This year's Most Beautiful star admits that after being diagnosed with breast cancer last March, she had "a rollercoaster of emotions, but there was a calm about what I had to do." The Samantha Who? actress, 37, underwent a double mastectomy, followed by reconstructive surgery. "It's a decision that you made to save your life," she says, noting one positive effect: "I don't have to wear a bra! They don't hang down to my knees like they did before. And the gals look good in tank tops."

Watch Pacquiao versus Hatton Fight on May 2, 2009

Watch Pacquiao versus Hatton Fight on May 2, 2009. Watch out for the most awaited fight of the Manny Pacquiao "the Pambansang Kamao" of the Philippines vs Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton of England's pride on May 2, 2009 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and be televised in HBO PPV .

Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao "Pac-Man" a former WBC lightweight world champion, WBC super featherweight world champion, IBF super bantamweight world champion, and WBC flyweight world champion. He has also held the Ring Magazine titles for featherweight and super featherweight divisions. For his achievements, he became the first Filipino and Asian boxer to win four world titles in four different weight divisions. He is currently rated by the Ring Magazine as the #1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

Richard John Hatton "the Hitman" Hatton- a two-time IBF and IBO light welterweight champion, having relinquished the IBF belt, only to step back down to the weight class and beat Juan Urango. He was the WBA Welterweight Champion, but relinquished this title on 31 August 2006. Hatton is also the former WBU, WBA Light Welterweight Champion and WBC, WBA, WBO Inter-Continental Light Welterweight Champion, and current Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight Champion.

Don't miss the fight of Pacquiao vs Hatton . . . This is the exciting event fight of the year!!! DON'T MISS IT!!!!

Natalie Cole, Jamie Foxx and Taylor Hicks perform in American Idol (with Video)

Natalie Cole, Jamie Foxx and Taylor Hicks perform in American Idol (with Video). One more Idol will bid us farewell tonight, but only after we see performances from Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks, Natalie Cole and Rat-Pack mentor Jamie Foxx.

Natalie Cole Performs
Natalie sings "Something's Gotta Give" and looks fantastic! Yes, she's very thin, but I gather her weight's due to her struggle with Hepatitis C. Clearly, it's not stopping her from performing (or touring this summer), so bravo! Her performance is jazzy, although the end is a little sharp. But the audience and the judges all give her a standing ovation... because she's Natalie Cole.

Watch this VIDEO of Natalie Cole performs ‘Something’s Gotta Give




Taylor Hicks Performs
Taylor Hicks (he's skinny, too!) is back in all his Soul Patrol glory to perform his single "Seven Mile Breakdown." It sounds exactly like every other Taylor Hicks song, which is not a bad thing. It's just his funky, bluesy, down-home kind of style. Has anyone been following Taylor's career? Seen his shows? I'm so curious. If you have, dish it up in the comments section below.

Watch this VIDEO of Taylor Hicks sings ‘Seven Mile Breakdown’





Jamie Foxx Performs
While I'll give him props for his being a decent mentor, I cannot stand his hit, "Blame It." I might have accidentally fast-forwarded through it. Hee hee. After the song, Jamie tells Ryan that these are some of the most talented artists he's seen in the last ten years and hopes the audience continues to support them after they're off the show. Aw. Then he ruins it by plugging his movie.

Watch this VIDEO of Jamie Foxx sings ‘Blame it’



Matt Giraud, eliminated on American Idol 2009 Top 5 Results (with Video)

Matt Giraud, eliminated on American Idol 2009 Top 5 Results (with Video)

Matt Giraud, 23 year old, piano player is eliminated. He's the ninth finalist eliminated on American Idol 2009. Kris Allen and Adam Lambert joined in the bottom three. But Kris Allen remained safe that night.


Watch this VIDEO of Matt Giraud's eliminated.


Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Kris Allen sings "The Way You Look Tonight" in American Idol (with Video)/American Idol: Kris Allen sings "The Way You Look Tonight"




Kris Allen sings "The Way You Look Tonight" in American Idol (with Video)/American Idol: Kris Allen sings "The Way You Look Tonight". Kris Allen sings The Way You Look Tonight. Great pick. Surprise mentor Jamie Foxx says he’d do a record with him right now.


American Idol’s five finalists are singing songs made famous by the original kings of cool– Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop—collectively known as the Rat Pack.

Randy: “This is your best performance to date.”

Kara: “You have set the technical standard so incredibly high for this evening…you are truly a dark horse.”

Paula: “You’re now a sophisticated gentleman…the performance was near impeccable.”

Simon: “I thought it was a little bit wet.”

Watch the video of Kris Allen sings “The Way You Look Tonight” on American Idol.


Adam Lambert sings "Feeling Good" in Americal Idol (with Video)/Americal Idol: Adam Lambert sings "Feeling Good"


Adam Lambert sings "Feeling Good" in Americal Idol (with Video)/Americal Idol: Adam Lambert sings "Feeling Good". American Idol finalists delivered a strong set of performances for Tuesday’s Rat Pack theme night, and Adam Lambert, the most popular contender this season, picked “Feeling Good” as his song choice.

Randy said it was “a little theatrical and drama filled,” but Simon pointed out that was similar to critiquing a cow for mooing. Kara says, “You are shocking and over the top in a good way…craziness!” Paula praised yet another Adam performance, telling the 27-year-old theater actor that each week “it’s like watching the Olympics and you’re our Michael Phelps.”

The video of Adam Lambert sings “Feeling Good” on American Idol night.


Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo's wedding photos

Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo's wedding photos



























Photo Source: ABS-CBN

Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo finally exchanged their “I dos" in Batangas

Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo finally exchanged their “I dos" in Batangas. In Manila, Philippines, after a year of being engaged, celebrity couple Judy Ann Santos and Ryan Agoncillo finally exchanged their “I dos" early Tuesday morning in a private wedding ceremony in a town in Batangas.



Kapuso host Suzi Entrata-Abrera said in a radio dzBB interview that Judy Ann and the actress' boyfriend of four years tied the knot in a ceremony that started 6:30 a.m. in a local church in San Juan town in Batangas, some 115 kilometers south of Manila.

“Sobrang ganda [ni Judy Ann]. Nagpalakpakan kami lahat. Naghiyawan kaming lahat. Para siyang diwata [She was so beautiful. We all broke into applause. She was like a fairy]," said Suzi, who had to skip today’s hosting job at GMA’s early morning show Unang Hirit to stand as a godmother for the couple.

Megastar Sharon Cuneta graced the aisle as the celebrity couple’s matron of honor. Also walking down the aisle was Judy Ann and Ryan’s adopted daughter, Johanna Lois or Yohan.

“Ang luha ng lola, talagang… Iyak siya ng iyak. Sobra siyang happy. Tapos si Ryan ang laki-laki ng ngiti niya [Judy Ann was in tears. She kept on crying. She was so happy. Ryan, meanwhile, wore a wide, wide smile]," Suzi said.

Only members of the couple’s families and their closest friends were invited to the event, which carried a white motif. The couple’s parents, including Judy Ann's mom Carol, attended the event, where Ryan’s brother stood as best man.

“Ginawa akong ninang kasi hinahangaan daw nila ang magandang pagsasama naming mag-asawa [I was chosen to become a godmother because the couple apparently admired my relationship with my husband]," Suzi said, referring to her best half, Paulo Abrera.

The newly wedded couple and their guests then proceeded to a local resort for a breakfast reception. A second reception was to be held, still in Batangas, for invited guests who would be coming from Manila.

Lending their voices to the event were another celebrity couple songbird Regine Velasquez and Ogie Alcasid, as well as singer actress Agot Isidro, who performed a song for the wedding march.

A separate report said security was tight in the area, with local authorities placing a cordon from the plaza extending to the church. Local residents flocked near the site after the couple were spotted arriving in the town last night in preparation for the big event.

South home

Earlier reports quoted renowned designer Paul Cabral as saying that 30-year-old Judy Ann had approached him to weave his touch on creating the actress’ wedding gown.

The couple had been keeping details of their wedding secret for the last few months, but reports started circulating and initially reported that it would be held some time in early May.

After the ceremonies, the couple promised to release photos of the wedding.

The couple had not only thought of southern Luzon as the venue for the wedding. Ryan, a native of Batangas, proudly shared in earlier interviews that they were considering purchasing a four-bedroom house south of Manila.

Rift

It was not immediately clear if Judy Ann’s longtime manager Alfie Lorenzo attended the event, but the latter had indicated he might be flying to the United States.

Judy Ann and Alfie, her talent manager for 20 years, had just gone out of a rift triggered by accusations that a certain “Atty. Agoncillo" had been “meddling" in the way how the actress' career had been handled.

Alfie also took seriously Judy Ann’s decision to exclude him in the planning stage of her wedding.

Marian Rivera, The next DARNA in GMA-7

Marian Rivera, The next DARNA in GMA-7. GMA finally announced that the network will bring the pinay super heroine back on television. And the chosen one to play the role? None other than their biggest star, Marian Rivera.

Created by Mars Ravelo, the character of Darna catapulted the career of Angel Locsin in 2005 to superstardom when GMA first adapted the graphic novel on television. The tv ratings it received brought the network on top of the primetime race not just in Mega Manila but also the whole Philippines.

GMA-7 SVP for Entertainment Wilma Galvante announced this afternoon, April 23, that the top-rating series will make a grand comeback with their hottest star playing the role.

Marian Rivera was surprised and delighted by the news, “Hindi ko ito alam. Akala ko may pag-uusapan lang na new project. Yun pala, may surprise sila sa akin. Maraming salamat sa GMA-7 at patuloy ang tiwala nila sa akin.”

Contrary to the teaser that they released 2 years ago, it will no longer be a tandem of Darna and Captain Barbell and the series will just focus on Darna alone. However, the role of Captain Barbell will have a cameo in the upcoming series.

About Vannessa Hudgens Stuff

About Vannessa Hudgens Stuff. Although Vanessa Hudgens became a star thanks to "High School Musical," the 20-year-old says that she is ready to move on in the May issue of SELF. "I have the opportunity to almost start all over," she notes. For example, this summer Vanessa will appear in "Bandslam" playing a character much darker than HSM's Gabriella Montez. The actress makes a few more revelations in SELF -- 25 to be exact -- such as:

1. "I have really strong legs. I inherited them from my dad, who has tree stumps for legs, basically. I've got big calves that look good. When I wear heels, it looks like I've worked out my legs a lot, which is why I love them. I also have a big, big big toe. I call it my goat toe. I can climb anything."

2. "My biggest splurge was a purse from Louis Vuitton. Ashley Tisdale [from HSM] and I each got one in different colors when we were on tour in Mexico. We call it our friendship purse. I don't want to say how much it cost. I don't like revisiting that place."






3. "My secret to flat abs is Pilates."

4. "I don't sing in the shower, but I sing outside the shower all day long. It depends on what's stuck in my head. My last kick was 'Halo' by Beyonce. I could not stop singing it. I only know the chorus, so I was just on repeat!"

5. "I love snakes. I think they're sexy. Not in the wild, of course, but pet snakes."

6. "I keep a Taser in my purse for self-defense. I'm moving into a house by myself, and it's scary."



7. "My pet peeve: whenever anybody chews with their mouth open. I can't stand that! I'll be like, 'Hey, chomper!'"

8. "I want to get into photography. It would be so cool to be able to capture a moment and have it forever. I also want to learn how to play the, drums. It's such a release. I want to be that girl who's rocking out on the drums."

Beyonce Knowles looked like a funky New Yorker

Beyonce Knowles looked like a funky New Yorker. Beyonce Knowles looked like a funky New Yorker while strolling around Soho the other day in a green plaid dress, red knit beret, Louis Vuitton sandals, and a hot new necklace by DANNIJO.




The "Ruth Celia," which is a mixture of vintage brass and gold-plated chains, gave the "Single Ladies" singer a bit of a rock 'n' roll edge, which I love. Of course, being chic is not always cheap. Beyonce reportedly bought the entangled piece of jewelry a few weeks ago at Bergdorf Goodman, but you can purchase it at Dannijo.com for $690.

The World's Most Influential Person in the third annual TIME 100 Poll

The World's Most Influential Person in the third annual TIME 100 Poll. The winner of the third annual TIME 100 poll and new owner of the title World's Most Influential Person is moot. The 21-year-old college student and founder of the online community 4chan.org, whose real name is Christopher Poole, received 16,794,368 votes and an average influence rating of 90 (out of a possible 100) to handily beat the likes of Barack Obama, Vladimir Putin and Oprah Winfrey. To put the magnitude of the upset in perspective, it's worth noting that everyone moot beat out actually has a job.

Since moot launched 4chan.org in 2003, the site has given birth to Internet memes as diverse as Lolcats and Rickrolling. 4chan averages 13 million page views a day and 5.6 million visitors a month; by some estimates it is the second largest bulletin board in the world.

For proof of moot's influence on the Web, one need look no further than the TIME 100 poll results. While Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao got a larger vote total (20,391,818), the runner-up for the title of World's Most Influential Person, Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim, received a mere 47 on the influence scale. Moot denies knowing about any concerted plan by his followers to influence the poll, though TIME.com's technical team did detect and extinguish several attempts to hack the vote.

Undoubtedly, many people will question moot's worthiness of the title World's Most Influential Person. TIME.com managing editor Josh Tyrangiel says moot is no less deserving than previous title holders like Nintendo video-game designer Shigeru Miyamoto (2007) and Korean pop star Rain (2006). "I would remind anyone who doubts the results that this is an Internet poll," he says. "Doubting the results is kind of the point."

Monday, April 27, 2009

5 Things You Need to Know About the Outbreak of Swine Flu



5 Things You Need to Know About the Outbreak of Swine Flu


Right now health officials around the world are trying to take precautions without inciting panic. Here are just a few of the questions facing them - and ultimately, us as well:



1. Is this a flu pandemic?

The influenza virus is constantly mutating. That's why we can't get full immunity to the flu, the way we can to diseases like chicken pox, because there are multiple strains of the flu virus and they change from year to year. However, even though the virus makes us sick, our immune systems can usually muster enough of a response so that the flu is rarely fatal for healthy people.

But every once in awhile, the virus shifts its genetic structure so much that our immune systems offer no protection whatsoever. (This usually happens when a flu virus found in animals - like the avian flu still circulating in Asia - swaps genes with other viruses in a process called reassortment, and jumps to human beings.) A flu pandemic occurs when a new flu virus emerges for which humans have little or no immunity and then spreads easily from person to person around the world. In the 20th century we had two mild flu pandemics, in 1968 and 1957, and the severe "Spanish flu" pandemic of 1918, which killed an estimated 40 to 50 million people worldwide.

The WHO has the responsibility of declaring when a new flu pandemic is underway, and to simplify the process, the U.N. body has established six pandemic phases. Thanks to H5N1 avian flu, which has killed 257 people since 2003 but doesn't spread very well from one human to another, we're currently at phase 3. If the WHO upgraded that status to phase 4, which is marked by a new virus that begins to pass easily enough from person to person that we can detect community-sized outbreaks, such a move would effectively mean that we've got a pandemic on our hands.

The H1N1 swine flu virus has already been identified as a new virus, with genes from human and avian flus as well as the swine variety. And since it is apparently causing large-scale outbreaks in Mexico, along with separate confirmed cases in the U.S. and Canada and suspected cases in other countries, it would seem that we've already met the criteria for phase 4. But though an emergency committee met on April 25 to evaluate the situation, the WHO hasn't made the pandemic declaration yet. Keiji Fukuda, the WHO's interim assistant director-general for health, security and environment, said on Sunday that its experts "would like a little bit more information and a little bit more time to consider this." The committee is set to meet again by April 28 at the latest.

As health officials have repeatedly emphasized, with good reason, the swine flu situation is evolving rapidly, and more lab tests are needed to ascertain exactly what is going on in Mexico and elsewhere. "We want to make sure we're on solid ground," said Fukuda, a highly respected former CDC official and flu expert.

2. What will happen if this outbreak gets classified as a pandemic?

Moving the world to pandemic phase 4 would be the signal for serious containment actions to be taken on the national and international level. Given that these actions would have major implications for the global economy, not to mention the effects of the public fear that would ensue, there is concern that the WHO may be considering politics along with science. "What the WHO did makes no sense," says Osterholm. "In a potential pandemic, you need to have the WHO be beyond question, and (April 25) was not a good day for them."

Of course, declaring a pandemic isn't a decision that should be taken lightly. For the WHO, phase 4 might trigger an attempt to keep the virus from spreading by instituting strict quarantines and blanketing infected areas with antivirals. But we appear to have missed the opportunity to contain the disease at its source since the virus is already crossing borders with ease. "We cannot stop this at the border," said Anne Schuchat, the CDC's interim director for science and public health. "We don't think that we can quench this in Mexico if it's in many communities now."


That would leave the WHO and individual countries to fall back on damage control, using antivirals and old-fashioned infection control - like closing schools, limiting public gatherings and even restricting travel - to slow the spread of the virus. But such efforts would likely inflict serious damage on an already faltering global economy - and the truth is, we don't know how well those methods will work.


3. Why have the U.S. cases been so much milder than the ones in Mexico?

This is the question that has health officials from Geneva to Washington puzzled. In Mexico, swine flu has caused severe respiratory disease in a number of patients - and even more worryingly, has killed the sort of young and healthy people who can normally shrug off the flu. (Fueling such concerns is the fact that similar age groups died in unusually high numbers during the 1918 pandemic.) Yet the cases in the U.S. have all been mild and likely wouldn't have even garnered much attention if doctors hadn't begun actively looking for swine flu in recent days. "What we're seeing in this country so far is not anywhere near the severity of what we're hearing about in Mexico," said the CDC's Besser. "We need to understand that."

Some of the difference may be due to the fact that Mexico has apparently been grappling with swine flu for weeks longer than the U.S. As doctors across the U.S. begin checking patients with respiratory symptoms for swine flu, CDC officials expect to see more severe cases in the U.S. as well - and as better epidemiological work is done in Mexico, we'll probably hear about more mild cases there too. Right now, however, the true severity of the H1N1 swine flu virus is still an open question, whose answer could change over time. The 1918 Spanish flu pandemic began with a fairly mild wave of infections in the spring, but the virus returned a few months later in a far more virulent form. That could happen with the current swine flu as well. "It's quite possible for this virus to evolve," said Fukuda. "When viruses evolve, clearly they can become more dangerous to people."

4. How ready is the U.S. - and the world - to respond to a flu pandemic?

In some ways, the world is better prepared for a flu pandemic today than it has ever been. Thanks to concerns over H5N1 avian flu, the WHO, the U.S. and countries around the world have stockpiled millions of doses of antivirals that can help fight swine flu as well as other strains of influenza. The U.S. has a detailed pandemic preparation plan that was drafted under former President George W. Bush. Many other countries have similar plans. SARS and bird flu have given international health officials useful practice runs for dealing with a real pandemic. We can identify new viruses faster than ever before, and we have life-saving technologies - like artificial respirators and antivirals - that weren't available back in 1918. "I believe that the world is much, much better prepared than we have ever been for dealing with this kind of situation," said Fukuda.

At the same time, the very nature of globalization puts us at greater risk. International air travel means that infections can spread very quickly. And while the WHO can prepare a new swine flu vaccine strain in fairly short order, we still use a laborious, decades-old process to manufacture vaccines, meaning it would take months before the pharmaceutical industry could produce its full capacity of doses - and even then, there wouldn't be enough for everyone on the planet. The U.S. could be particularly vulnerable; only one plant, in Stillwater, Penn., makes flu vaccine in America. In a pandemic, that could produce some ugly political debates. "Do you really think the E.U. is going to release pandemic vaccine to the U.S. when its own people need it?" asks Osterholm.


Indeed, the greatest risk from a pandemic might not turn out to be from the swine flu virus itself - especially if it ends up being relatively mild - but what Osterholm calls "collateral damage" if governments respond to the emergency by instituting border controls and disrupting world trade. Not only would the global recession worsen - a 2008 World Bank report estimated that a severe pandemic could reduce the world's GDP by 4.8% - but we depend on international trade now for countless necessities, from generic medicines to surgical gloves. The just-in-time production systems embraced by companies like Wal-Mart - where inventories are kept as low as possible to cut waste and boost profit - mean that we don't have stockpiles of most things. Supply chains for food, medicines and even the coal that generates half our electricity are easily disruptable, with potentially catastrophic results. Though we'll likely hear calls to close the border with Mexico, Osterholm points out that a key component used in artificial respirators comes from Mexico. "We are more vulnerable to a pandemic now than at any other time over the past 100 years," he says. "We can't depend on ourselves."


5. So how scared should we be?

That depends on whom you ask. Officials at the CDC and the WHO have emphasized that while the swine flu situation is serious, they're responding with an abundance of precautions. Even Osterholm, who has been highly critical of the U.S. government's long-term failures to better prepare for a pandemic, gives the CDC a 9 out of 10 for its response so far. Outside of Mexico, the swine flu hasn't looked too serious yet - unlike during the SARS outbreaks of 2003, when an entirely new virus with no obvious treatment took the world by surprise. In the U.S., the normal flu season is winding down, which should make it easier for public-health officials to pick out swine flu cases from run-of-the-mill respiratory disease. And there are simple things that people can do to protect themselves, like practicing better hygiene (wash hands frequently and cover mouth and nose when sneezing) and staying away from public places or traveling if they feel sick. "There's a role for everyone to play when an outbreak is ongoing," said Besser.

But the truth is that every outbreak is unpredictable, and there's a lot we don't know yet about the new swine flu. There hasn't been a flu pandemic for more than a generation, and there hasn't been a truly virulent pandemic since long before the arrival of mass air transit. We're in terra incognito here. Panic would be counterproductive - especially if it results in knee-jerk reactions like closing international borders, which would only complicate the public-health response. But neither should we downplay our very real vulnerabilities. As Napolitano put it: "This will be a marathon, not a sprint." Be prepared.

Cheyenne Woods, the niece of Tiger Woods, is poised to follow her uncle's footsteps (with Video)



Cheyenne Woods
, the niece of Tiger Woods (with Video). Cheyenne Woods, the niece of Tiger Woods, is poised to follow in her uncle’s footsteps. The 18-year-old, a freshman on the highly ranked Wake Forest women’s golf team, played her first tournament by age 8.


“I think I first started and continued to play golf because right around the time I started, Tiger had just turned pro and won the Masters and all of that,” she says. “Seeing him on TV really made me want to keep going out and playing and trying to be like him.”

Cheyenne is not oblivious to the pressure that comes with the name. “I try to set myself aside from the Tiger Woods name and just make a name for myself,” she says. “So I guess that’s my goal now.”

Cheyenne played at Xavier College Preperatory High School in Arizona, winning back-to-back Arizona 5A State Championships in 2006 and 2007, and was a two-time regional champion. She was named the most valuable player three times by her high school golf teammates, and was named the 2007 Arizona High School Golfer of the Year by the Arizona Republic.

Once she graduates from Wake Forest, Woods wants to play professionally.

Watch this Cheyenne Woods Video:




In Labor Day fair, DOLE offering 80,000 jobs

In Labor Day fair, DOLE offering 80,000 jobs. In MANILA, Philippines at least 80,000 jobs are up for grabs in the biggest job fair to be mounted on Labor Day on Friday, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) reported.

Labor Undersecretary Reydeluz Conferido said over the weekend that more than 80,000 jobs would be offered to new graduates and other job seekers who will participate in the Labor Day job fair.

“About 300 employers have committed to provide employment opportunities for new graduates, displaced workers and other job seekers,” Conferido said in an interview.

But with the prevailing economic crisis that has adversely affected over 100,000 workers nationwide, the number of employment opportunities is still expected to be fewer than the job seekers.

Conferido said as much as 120,000 job seekers are expected to vie for the 80,000 available jobs.

“So far, more than 10,000 job seekers, mostly new graduates, have already pre-registered for the available positions,” he said.

He expressed confidence that many of the job applicants will find regular employment through the job fair.

DOLE, supported by various trade unions and private companies, launched a month- long job fair last March, which will culminate on May 1 at the SMX Convention Hall in Pasay City.

In the past jobs fair, only few workers were hired on the spot because of difficulty in completing the assessment of the qualifications of applicants and securing all the necessary requirements.

“It usually takes a day to assess the qualification, so this time we are giving the applicants more time to submit their resume so that employers can assess them,” Conferido said.

He added that DOLE would also undertake skills training during the month-long event to address the problem of mismatch of the needed and the available skills.

He noted that employment opportunities would be the government’s main gift for workers on Labor Day.

“The coming Labor Day is all about jobs and wage adjustment will not be the focus because of the economic crisis,” Conferido said.

Vilma Santos, feeling at home in Big Apple


Vilma Santos, feeling at home in Big Apple. It’s as if Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos has never left home. While in the New York tri-state area (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut) shooting the Star Cinema movie In My Life, Vilma is with husband, former Senator and now NEDA head Ralph Recto, and children Ryan Christian and Luis Manzano who is also in the cast of the movie directed by Olive Lamasan. Luis plays Vilma’s son having a discreet affair with another man (played by John Lloyd Cruz). Vilma’s character will face a lot of problems after a tragedy happens. Also in the entourage is Vilma’s Girl Friday/accountant Aida Fandialan.


Vilma feels right at home in New York where she has many friends and loyal Vilmanians led by Alan Trambulo who works as assistant manager of the Radisson Hotel located in Manhattan.

“She won’t feel homesick here,” Alan texted Funfare.

Slated for a September release, In My Life is Vilma’s first movie after Regal Films’ Mano Po 3: My Love in 2004 and also her first with Luis and John Lloyd. Asked in an earlier interview if Luis and John Lloyd would have a kissing scene, Vilma said in jest that she would “save” Luis and do the scene herself with John Lloyd. The movie also stars Rafael Rosell, Vice Ganda, Nikki Valdez (based in Canada with her husband) and Tirso Cruz III (who replaced Edu Manzano as Vilma’s husband, a “guest” role).

Shooting in the tri-state will take only three weeks, that’s why the entourage is doing things almost non-stop. Last week in Connecticut, it rained but the shoot at a clothing shop went on. So far, they have shot scenes at the Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey; and at the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island, New York.

“Ryan Christian is also a hit with the Pinoy fans here,” reported Funfare’s Big Apple correspondent Edmund Silvestre (of The Filipino Reporter). “Mukha daw ‘chickboy’ ang bata, like his dad. And he is matinee-idol material daw.”

The fight of Gerry PeƱalosa, TKO by Juan Manuel Lopez



The fight of Gerry PeƱalosa, TKO by Juan Manuel Lopez. In MANILA, Philippines, Gerry PeƱalosa's bid to win his third world championship was stopped as he lost to Juan Manuel Lopez in a TKO.

PeƱalosa attempted to dethrone Lopez in a WBO superbantamweight title bout at the Coliseo Ruben Rodriguez in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, this morning (Manila time).

PeƱalosa, 36, relinquished his WBO bantamweight crown to challenge Lopez, 25, who was making the third defense of the throne he took from Daniel Ponce de Leon on a first round knockout last year. PeƱalosa was previously the WBC superflyweight titleholder.

Lopez had scored first round knockouts in his last three outings, demolishing Ponce de Leon, Cesar Figueroa and Sergio Medina in that order, to raise his record to 24-0, with 22 KOs. He was only five years old when PeƱalosa turned pro in 1989.

But PeƱalosa wasn’t fazed by Lopez’ reputation and youth. With trainer Freddie Roach in his corner, PeƱalosa was convinced he could bring down Lopez. However, PeƱalosa's camp stopped the fight between the ninth and tenth rounds.

2009 NBA Playoffs at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois

2009 NBA Playoffs at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Cleveland Cavaliers swept into the second round of the National Basketball Association playoffs on Sunday while reigning champions Boston remained locked in a dogfight with the Chicago Bulls.

Derrick Rose (C) of the Chicago Bulls shoots a jumpshot against Paul Pierce (R) of the Boston Celtics in Game Four of the Eastern Conference quarter-finals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Rose scored 23 points while Ben Gordon and John Salmons sank clutch late baskets to spark Chicago past Boston 121-118 in double over-time to level their NBA playoff series.

At a Detroit arena packed with Cleveland fans, the Cavaliers beat the Pistons 99-78 to close out their best-of-seven Eastern Conference first-round series in four straight games.

LeBron James had 36 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists to lead the Cavaliers, who will now enjoy at least a week off as they await the winner of the series between Miami and Atlanta.

"This is a step for us in our process, a step for us in our journey," said Cavs coach Mike Brown. "We have to continue to respect it like we have so far."

In Chicago, Derrick Rose scored 23 points while Ben Gordon and John Salmons sank clutch late baskets to spark Chicago past Boston 121-118 in a double over-time thriller that evened their series at two games apiece.

Later Sunday, the surprising Philadelphia 76ers looked to extend their 2-1 lead over Orlando when they hosted the Magic in game four of their series.

In Detroit, James set the tone early, making his first four attempts including a flashy dunk. The Cavaliers put the game out of reach with a 16-6 scoring run midway through the third quarter.

Mo Williams scored a career playoff-high 24 for the Cavaliers and Brown said it was that kind of support for James that allowed Cleveland to sweep.

"We had everyone step up and contribute in one way or another," said Brown, the NBA Coach of the Year. "LeBron is LeBron. That's two games that he almost had a triple-double for us. He does more than score for us. He is so effective in so many areas."

While Cleveland's progress into the second round seemed all but pre-ordained, the Celtics and Bulls have provided plenty of drama.

"Everybody I'm talking to is saying this is the most exciting series that they're watching right now," said Gordon, who had 22 points for Chicago.

Salmons added 20 - his 9-for-9 effort from the free throw line including four in the final half-minute to go with his block of Paul Pierce's potential game-tying 3-pointer.

Pierce led the Celtics with 29 points while Ray Allen, who sank a dramatic 3-pointer late in regulation to force the first over-time, added 28 while Rajon Rondo contributed 25 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his second triple-double of the series.

For the third time in four contests, the game went down to the final possession.

Gordon sank a dramatic 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds remaining in the first over-time to pull the Bulls level at 110-110. When Rondo missed a pull-up jumper at the buzzer, the game went into a second extra five-minute period.

Rose scored one basket and assisted Salmons on another to give Chicago a 114-110 lead. Glen Davis answered for Boston but Joakim Noah followed with a slam dunk and a free throw to boost the Bulls back on top 117-112.

Pierce responded with a 3-point play to trim Chicago's edge to 117-115 with 27.3 seconds remaining, but Salmons added two free throws to restore the Bulls' four-point bulge.

Pierce followed by sinking a tension-packed 3-pointer to lift the Celtics within 119-118 with 19.2 seconds to play.

But Salmons added his last two free throws to give Chicago the final margin then deflected an attempted game-tying 3-pointer from Pierce in the dying seconds.

"We've been here before," Allen said. "That's why it bothered me so much about this one, because we had opportunities. We were right there."

The Celtics host game five on Tuesday.

"It's 2-2 and we're in a fight," Rondo said. "Give them a lot of credit. They stuck with it. They fought back. They executed down the stretch very well and we didn't."

Rose again had trouble hanging onto the ball. He committed seven turnovers for the second straight game, but atoned with some big shots down the stretch.

So did Gordon, despite straining a hamstring in the second quarter, and injury that has him scheduled for an MRI exam on Monday.

Which is "the big one"? Swine flu or flu that fizzles

Which is "the big one"? Swine flu or flu that fizzles. A unique form of swine flu erupt around the world, the inevitable question arises: Is this the big one?

The short answer is it's too soon to tell.

"What makes this so difficult is we may be somewhere between an important but yet still uneventful public health occurrence here — with something that could literally die out over the next couple of weeks and never show up again — or this could be the opening act of a full-fledged influenza pandemic," said Michael Osterholm, a prominent expert on global flu outbreaks with the University of Minnesota.

"We have no clue right now where we are between those two extremes. That's the problem," he said.

Health officials want to take every step to prevent an outbreak from spiraling into mass casualties. Predicting influenza is a dicey endeavor, with the U.S. government famously guessing wrong in 1976 about a swine flu pandemic that never materialized.

"The first lesson is anyone who tries to predict influenza often goes down in flames," said Dr. Richard Wenzel, the immediate past president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases.

But health officials are being asked to make such predictions, as panic began to set in over the weekend.

The epicenter was Mexico, where the virus is blamed for 86 deaths and an estimated 1,400 cases in the country since April 13. Schools were closed, church services canceled and Mexican President Felipe Calderon assumed new powers to isolate people infected with the swine flu virus.

International concern magnified as health officials across the world on Sunday said they were investigating suspected cases in people who traveled to Mexico and come back with flu-like illnesses. Among the nations reporting confirmed cases or investigations were Canada, France, Israel and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, in the United States, there were no deaths and all patients had either recovered or were recovering. But the confirmed cases around the nation rose from eight on Saturday morning to 20 by Sunday afternoon, including eight high school kids in New York City — a national media center. The New York Post's front page headline on Sunday was "Pig Flu Panic."

The concern level rose even more when federal officials on Sunday declared a public health emergency — a procedural step, they said, to mobilize antiviral medicine and other resources and be ready if the U.S. situation gets worse.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials say that so far swine flu cases in this country have been mild. But they also say more cases are likely to be reported, at least partly because doctors and health officials across the country are looking intensively for suspicious cases.

And, troublingly, more severe cases are also likely, said Dr. Richard Besser, the CDC's acting director, in a Sunday news conference.

"As we continue to look for cases, we are going to see a broader spectrum of disease," he predicted. "We're going to see more severe disease in this country."

Besser also repeated what health officials have said since the beginning — they don't understand why the illnesses in Mexico have been more numerous and severe than in the United States. In fact, it's not even certain that new infections are occurring. The numbers could be rising simply because everyone's on the lookout.

He also said comparison to past pandemics are difficult.

"Every outbreak is unique," Besser said.

The new virus is called a swine flu, though it contains genetic segments from humans and birds viruses as well as from pigs from North America, Europe and Asia. Health officials had seen combinations of bird, pig and human virus before — but never such an intercontinental mix, including more than one pig virus.

More disturbing, this virus seems to spread among people more easily than past swine flus that have sometimes jumped from pigs to people.

There's a historical cause for people to worry.

Flu pandemics have been occurring with some regularity since at least the 1500s, but the frame of reference for health officials is the catastrophe of 1918-19. That one killed an estimated 20 to 50 million people worldwide.

Disease testing and tracking were far less sophisticated then, but the virus appeared in humans and pigs at about the same time and it was known as both Spanish flu and swine flu. Experts since then have said the deadly germ actually originated in birds.

But pigs may have made it worse. That pandemic began with a wave of mild illness that hit in the spring of 1918, followed by a far deadlier wave in the fall which was most lethal to young, healthy adults. Scientists have speculated that something happened to the virus after the first wave — one theory held that it infected pigs or other animals and mutated there — before revisiting humans in a deadlier form.

Pigs are considered particularly susceptible to both bird and human viruses and a likely place where the kind of genetic reassortment can take place that might lead to a new form of deadly, easily spread flu, scientists believe.

Such concern triggered public health alarm in 1976, when soldiers at Fort Dix, N.J., became sick with an unusual form of swine flu.

Federal officials vaccinated 40 million Americans. The pandemic never materialized, but thousands who got the shots filed injury claims, saying they suffered a paralyzing condition and other side effects from the vaccinations.

To this day, health officials don't know why the 1976 virus petered out.

Flu shots have been offered in the United States since the 1940s, but new types of flu viruses have remained a threat. Global outbreaks occurred again in 1957 and 1968, though the main victims were the elderly and chronically ill.

In the last several years, experts have been focused on a form of bird flu that was first reported in Asia. It's a highly deadly strain that has killed more than 250 people worldwide since 2003. Health officials around the world have taken steps to prepare for the possibility of that becoming a global outbreak, but to date that virus has not gained the ability to spread easily from person to person.

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Watch the Hannah Montana The Movie 2009 (Official Trailer HD)



Watch the Hannah Montana The Movie 2009
(Official Trailer HD). As Hannah Montana's popularity begins to take over her life, Miley Stewart, on the urging form her father, takes a trip to her hometown of Crowley Corners, Tennessee to get some perspective on what matters in life the most. Starring: Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Emily Osment, Jason Earles, Mitchel Tate Musso. Directed by: Peter Chelsom. Produced by: Michael Poryes, Steven Peterman and David Blocker.


Watch the HANNA MONTANA THE MOVIE trailer:

Watch the enchanting performance of Hollie Steel in "Britain's Got Talent"

Watch the enchanting performance of Hollie Steel in "Britain's Got Talent".

Hollie Steel is only 10, wears a naff lilac tutu and dances badly. But Hollie Steel is being hailed as one of the most gifted performers ever to be seen on Britain’s Got Talent. The judges were poised to buzz the youngster off the stage when she opened her audition with a less-than-perfect ballet routine.

But just before her chances were ruined forever, the little girl opened her mouth to sing – and blew the entire panel away. She began to perform a ballet routine to “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady.

Hollie, who performed I Could Have Danced All Night from My Fair Lady, left Simon Cowell open-mouthed in admiration.

Viewers will see the crowd jump to their feet while guest judge Kelly Brook blinks back tears and Amanda Holden, who was a wannabe child star herself, gushes: “It was like looking in the mirror.”

Piers Morgan sums up her performance by telling delighted Hollie: “We have seen a lot of children on our show over the last three series and I have never heard any of them sing as well as you do.”

But Simon brings her down with a bump by declaring: “I didn’t like what you were wearing – you looked like any other little girl wanting to be a ballerina – and I wasn’t crazy about the song.”

Watch this VIDEO: The enchanting performance of Hollie Steel sings “I Could Have Danced All Night”


Watch Smallville Season 8 Episode 19 Video

Watch Smallville Season 8 Episode 19 Video. Episode of Smallville "Stiletto" you can watch on April 23, at CW TV 6/7 Central.

Smallville Season 8 Episode 19 "Stiletto". Lois believes that she needs a big story to secure her reputation as a star reporter but the red/blue blur continues to elude her. However, after Chloe is mugged, Lois steps in to fend off one of the attackers and uses the opportunity to pretend a new superhero, Stiletto, has come to town and is giving exclusives to Lois. Clark is concerned Lois will hurt herself pretending to be a superhero but after he is captured by thugs with kryptonite, Lois steps in to save the day.

Watch:

Watch the Television Series of Gossip Girl Season 2 Episode 22 Video


Watch the Television Series of Gossip Girl Season 2 Episode 22 Video
. The episode of Gossip Girl, "A Southern Gentleman Prefers Blondes." you can watch on Monday at 8:00 p.m. on CW TV channel.

Gossip Girl Season 2 Episode 22 - A Southern Gentleman Prefers Blondes. Georgina (guest star Michelle Trachtenberg) returns to the Upper East Side after undergoing a major transformation. Chuck and Nate find themselves at a major crossroads in their relationship as it pertains to their mutual interest in Blair. Serena finds her relationship with Gabriel growing more complicated.

Watch:




Friday, April 24, 2009

Zac Efron Photos/Images/Photo Galleries

Zac Efron Photos/Images/Photo Galleries







































Susan Boyle, scottish singing sensation in revealing new look, makeover



Susan Boyle, scottish singing sensation in revealing new look, makeover. Singing sensation Susan Boyle — whose dowdy image contrasted so greatly with her angelic voice that she became an instant Internet celebrity — has gone in for a makeover.

Boyle, 47, had her graying, frizzy hair dyed chestnut brown and styled in what The Sun tabloid says was a 35-pound ($50) makeover. And instead of the old-fashioned dress she wore on the TV show "Britain's Got Talent," the Scottish singer was photographed wearing a stylish black leather jacket with what looked to be a Burberry scarf.

Asked if she would change her looks on CNN's Larry King Live, Boyle replied "Why should I change?"

Judges of "Britain's Got Talent" will decide whether Boyle gets through to the next round on May 23.

Susan Boyle, who's performance on television show Britain's Got Talent sparked global interest, outside her home in Blackburn, Scotland, revealing a new look after undergoing a makeover Friday April 24, 2009.

Video of a young Susan Boyle singing " I don't Know How to Love Him"




Video of a young Susan Boyle singing " I don't Know How to Love Him"
. Its from the musical of Jesus Christ Superstar. The footage was shot during her parents’ golden wedding party 23 years ago.

“It was a very emotional night,” Boyle’s older brother, Gerry, told the Daily Mirror. “She always has that effect. It goes quiet when Susan sings, it always does. She always has that effect.”

The 47-year-old singer has gone from obscurity to worldwide fame in less than a week after her incredible “Britain’s Got Talent” debut.

WATCH THIS VIDEO OF A YOUNG SUSAN BOYLE:


Microsoft Windows 7 Release Candidate available to major hardware partners.



Microsoft Windows 7 Release Candidate available to major hardware partners. Release Candidate will be made available to the public on May 5.


Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT) Partner Program Web site, the official Release Candidate for Windows 7 is available for download through the company's TechNet and Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) services.


The only people who can get it are Technical Adoption Program (TAP) Gold members, which limits the release to major OEM partners.

Microsoft said that in the posting that a public RC build would be available on May 5, 2009. The company has promised a publicly available RC build before the software goes final.

A "Release Candidate" is Microsoft parlance for a product in its final stage of testing. The product is considered feature-complete and the testing now is for "showstopper" bugs -- severe bugs that can affect a large number of people and easily reproducible.

Microsoft operating systems have in the past shipped with a list of known bugs, but they were always small in scope and potential influence; an example would be when a certain app used with an unusual hardware configuration might in some circumstances cause a problem. Because the problem is so esoteric and limited in effect, Microsoft simply leaves it to be fixed after final product shipment.

In a Jan. 30 posting on the Engineering Windows 7 blog, Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president for Windows and Windows Live Engineering and head of the Windows 7 development team, said there would only be one Release Candidate.

Microsoft has been talking about Release Candidates for months but thus far has been non-committal on a date. Last month, MSDN accidentally published a page disclosing plans for the public RC in May. Microsoft quickly retracted the page, but sites like Ars Technica had already taken screen shots and posted them in their articles.

Posting a Release Candidate already shows what a remarkable job Sinofsky has done keeping his team on track. Previous Windows releases were notoriously late by months and even years. This time, the team is keeping to its schedule.

In September, InternetNews.com first reported that Windows 7 would ship in June 2009, not the first quarter of 2010 like Microsoft has been saying for the record.

At the time, Microsoft had set April 14, 2009 as its target date for a Release Candidate. The posting on the Partner Program site means it was off by just three or four days -- remarkable for a projection made seven months ago.

Taylor Swift Photos/Images/Photo Galleries

Taylor Swift Photos/Images/Photo Galleries