American Idol Season 11 - Top 9 Performances

Here are the Top 9 Performances of American Idol Season 11. The number before each performer's name is the order of my ranking them based on their total performance. My personal rating you can find below each video.

Jessica Sanchez singing "Sweet Dreams" is undeniably the best performance in this lot! She made the song into a ballad which is deliciously good! I love DeAndre Brackensick's style with his powerful falceto singing "Sometimes I Cry" making it in my Top 2. On my 3rd spot is Colton Dixon's rendition of a worship song entitled "Everything." I felt his love and passion for God. It's deep within him. I was moved by his performance. Joshua Ledet's "Without You," is my 4th favorite. He gave the song a different approach - with a little of his "screaming" technique. 

1.  Jessica Sanchez - Sweet Dreams  (Top 9)

Rating: 5/5

"arTalk: Beyond Entertainment" premieres on March 29 via Net25 channel

arTalk: Beyond Entertainment

Premieres March 29, 2012 (Thursday) on Net25

Hosted by Ms. Gemma Cruz-Araneta

Conceptualized and Directed for TV by former Exec. Dir. Malou Jacob

Every Thursdays 11:00 - 11:30 pm 

with replays on Sundays, 2:30 - 3:00 pm

Guests: Boy Abunda, Randy David, Emily Abrera, Isagani Cruz, Chairman Felipe de Leon Jr., Pepe Diokno, Jeremy Barns, Inno Manalo, and many more.

Teaser of "arTalk: Beyond Entertainment" (Net25)

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Concert: Israel Houghton and New Breed / Planetshakers on April 21, 2012 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum

The Planetshakers will be on a back to back concert with Israel Houghton & New Breed on April 21, 2012 (Saturday) at the Smart Araneta Coliseum at 7:30PM. Gates will open at 5:30PM.

The Planetshakers band is an Australian rock and worship band, a part of Planetshakers City Church (formerly Melbourne City Church). Their music is a contemporary style of praise and worship tempered with mainstream rock and pop.

New McFloat summer flavors of McDonald's with Xian Lim

Summer is indeed scorching hot! There’s no better way to quench our thirst and cool our body with refreshing drinks from McDonald's. McDonald’s is offering a soothing symphony of flavors with the new McFloat Summer Medley—featuring four (4) new McFloat variants and McDonald’s newest brand ambassador Xian Lim, who was last seen in My Bindondo Girl, a teleserye of ABS-CBN Channel 2.

9th Enpress Golden Screen Awards - Winners (2012)

Image courtesy of: GMA News Online

Entertainment Press Inc. has revealed the winners to the 9th Enpress Golden Screen Awards held at Teatrino in Greenhills on March 24, 2012 (Saturday). Independent films won victoriously sweeping most of the major awards.

Here is the complete list of winners:

Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy: Ang Babae sa Septic Tank

Best Motion Picture- Drama: Niño

Best Director: Marlon Rivera for Ang Babae sa Septic Tank

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role-Musical or Comedy: Eugene Domingo for Ang Babae sa Septic Tank

Project Runway Philippines (Season 3) premieres on March 25 on ETC

Who has what it takes to be the next big Filipino fashion designer? Ready to fire rocket the careers of up-and-coming designers, host Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez with mentor Jojie Lloren and judges Rajo Laurel and Apples Aberin will use their unbelievable flair in the field of fashion to guide 15 new contestants in challenging them week after week with different tasks to test their skills, artistry and resourcefulness. 

Lasallian Youth Orchestra presents "Eliezer: The Maestro" on March 24, 2012

The Lasallian Youth Orchestra presents a centennial concert entitled, "Eliezer: The Maestro" on March 24, 2012, 7pm at Teresa Yuchengco Auditorium in De La Salle University, Manila. Maestro Eliezer San Felipe has been the conductor of the orchestra for 28 years now, from its humble beginnings as the DLSU Concert Band, that eventually became the DLSU Pops Orchestra, and now known as the Lasallian Youth Orchestra. 

This will be San Felipe's final concert conducting for the group's orchestra, as they will play rock-pop-funk-classical-retro music.

Doors open at 6:30PM.

With Special Guests:

DLSU Pops Orchestra Alumni

DLSU Chorale

LSDC Contemporary

Princess Velasco

AJKA

Lions and Acrobats.

Lasallian Youth Orchestra - "Sweet Child O' Mine"



Tickets: P250 only. Discounts apply for bulk purchases.



For ticket reservations, please contact Genji Saclolo at +63.927.5794847.



DLS-College of St. Benilde (CSB) students can contact Moku Garcia at +63.917.8550524 for ticket inquiries.


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President Ferdinand Marcos on the 500 Peso Bill

The Original 500 peso bill

How do you find this 500 peso bill? I don't like the person (former President Ferdinand E. Marcos) but I like the design and the colors of this paper bill. I wish I could have just one copy of this to add to my collection. Too bad for Marcos, it was changed into the yellow 500 peso bill of the late Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, the husband of the late President Corazon "Cory" Aquino.

From Bogart the Explorer from Davao City (Facebook Page):

Mr. Romeo MananQuil, the banknote’s designer himself, noted in his site that in the late 1985, his 500-peso Marcos bill was slated for production. However, when a snap election was scheduled, the circulation of the newly printed bills was put on hold in deference to the law against electioneering as Marcos.

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28th PMPC Star Awards for Movies 2012 (Winners & Nominees)

 Image courtesy of: Showbiz Nest

Winners were declared in the 28th PMPC (Philippine Movie Press Club) Star Awards for Movies which was held at the Meralco Theater in Pasig City, Philippines on March 14, 2012 (Wednesday).

Here is the complete list of winners & nominees per category. 
The winners are in BLUE text.

Movie of the Year

• Ang Panday 2 (Imus Productions, Inc. / GMA Films)
• Aswang (Regal Entertainment,Inc.)
• In The Name of Love (Star Cinema ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc.)
• Manila Kingpin: The Asiong Salonga Story (Viva Communication Inc. / Scenema Concept Int'l.)
• No Other Woman (Viva Films / Star Cinema ABS-CBN Film Productions)
• The Road (GMA Films)
• My Neighbor's Wife (Regal Entertainment, Inc.)

Digital Movie of the Year

• Thelma (Time Horizon Pictures/ Abracadabra Productions / Underground Logic)
• Ang Babae Sa Septic Tank (Cinemalaya Foundation / Martinez-Rivera Films / Quantum Films Production)
• Ang Sayaw ng Dalawang Kaliwang Paa (Cinemalaya Foundation / Vim Yapan / Alex Chua Productions / Bigtime Media Productions / SQ Films Laboratories, Inc. / Optima Digital)
• Ikaw Ang Pag-ibig (Star Cinema / Archdiocese of Caceres / Marilou Diaz-Abaya Film Institute and Arts Center)
• Patikul (Cinemalaya Foundation/ Xiti Productions / Sine Totoo Production)
• Sa Ilalim Ng Tulay (Cinema One Originals)
• Niño (Cinemalaya Foundation / Handurawan Films)

2nd Gawad Panitikang Pangkalusugan: a Children’s Storybook Writing Competition on Health

 * click the image for larger view *

The Mu Sigma Phi Sorority is now accepting entries for the 2nd Gawad Panitikang Pangkalusugan - a Nationwide Children’s Storybook Writing Competition on HEALTH. In its second year, the competition carries the theme: “Luksong Tinik: Kwentong Kaligtasan para sa Kabataan”.
 

1. The contest is open to all Philippine residents aged 18 and above with the exception of members of the Mu Sigma Phi Sorority and their first-degree relatives.
 

2. All entries must be original works written in English.

3. Entries should be easily read and understood by readers aged 5-10 years old.

4. Writers are free to use various literary forms (prose, poetry, etc.) and genres (i.e. comedy, horror, science fiction, fantasy).

OtterBox challenges gravity in Drop Test Tour

OtterBox wants to prove that it can protect smart phones and tablets at the Drop Test Tour scheduled on March 16-18, 2012 at the North Court of the Power Plant Mall in Makati City.

 

Running blogger, also known as The Bull Runner, Jaymie Pizarro, and television show host Rovilson Fernandez will show you how OtterBox fits into their lives on March 16. It will be followed by drop tests, where smart phones, tablets and other devices in OtterBox cases will be dropped three times from different heights.

Philippine surfing champion and model Lorraine Lapus will lead the tests with her iPhone 4S in its OtterBox Defender case on March 17. The drop test will be open to all who want to test and shop on March 18.

UST calls for submission to the 4th J. Elizalde Navarro National Criticism Workshop

THE UNIVERSITY of Santo Tomas is now accepting applications to the 2012 UST J. Elizalde Navarro National Workshop in Criticism on the Arts and Humanities to be held in Baguio City on May 27-June 2, 2012.

The workshop is organized by the Varsitarian, the 84-year-old official student publication of UST. It is held in honor of the late National Artist for the Visual Arts and art critic J. Elizalde Navarro, who was art editor and critic-poet of the Varsitarian during his student days, and in connection with the Neo-centennial celebration of UST, which was established in 1611 and which entered its new and fifth century last Jan. 28, 2012.

This year’s workshop is co-sponsored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

Fellowship will be given to 12 promising young critics who would like to enhance their analytical, research, and writing skills.

14th Spring of Poets at Alliance Francaise on March 15

* click the image for larger view *

In celebration of the Francophonie Month, the Alliance Française de Manille presents the 14th Spring of Poets on March 15, 2012, 7pm at Alliance Française de Manille.

An evening of Poetry at the Alliance Française de Manille on the theme of enfances, childhood and beginnings.

With participation of the Embassy of France, the Embassy of Belgium and the Embassy of Switzerland. For further info: printempsdespoetes@alliance.ph.

2nd Open Web Day at DLSU on March 17, 2012

Wikimedia Philippines and Mozilla Philippines will hold their 2nd Open Web Day on March 17, 2012 at 9am-4pm at Room A1103, Br. Andrew Gonzalez Hall, De La Salle University in Manila. 

Open Web Day is a free monthly mini-workshop that aims to teach how to edit Wikipedia entries online.

Slots are very limited. Register only when you are sure that you're attending. To register, go to: http://owdmanila.eventbrite.com/.

Those who officially registered and who will receive confirmation from the organizer will be admitted to the workshop. Please be guided accordingly.

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Likhaan Journal 6: Call for Submissions

The LIKHAAN: UP Institute of Creative Writing is now accepting submissions for possible inclusion in the 6th issue of Likhaan: The Journal of Contemporary Literature. Deadline is March 30, 2012.

Likhaan, the country's leading literary peer-reviewed journal funded by the Office of the UP Diliman Chancellor and published annually, showcases the best of new and unpublished Philippine writing in English and Filipino. Submissions to the journal undergo a strict pre-screening and blind refereeing process by both the editors and a panel of referees composed of eminent writers and critics from within and outside UP. The ICW fellows and associates take turns serving as its editor.

Previous editors of the journal are ICW director Jose Y. Dalisay Jr., National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario, former ICW director and former UP Vice-President for Public Affairs Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo, award-winning writer Pedro ‘Jun’ Cruz Reyes, and Dr. Roland Tolentino, dean of the College of Mass Communication. Likhaan 6 will be edited by Dr. Gémino H. Abad. Associate editors will be National Artist Virgilio S. Almario (for Filipino) and Dr. Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo (for English).

Summer is hotter with Banana Boat Sunscreen Lotion, Schick, & Nuffnang

Courtesy of: Smart Tag

My ideal Nuffnang Summer is spending time in the beach swimming, sun bathing, playing beach volleyball or frisbee and having a picnic with friends. 

I also love watching the sunrise or sunset and just marvel at the beauty that God has created. I also enjoy watching dogs playing, running and catching a frisbee while it's being tossed and turned by players.

Schick. Free your skin.
Banana Boat Sunscreen Lotion. We've got you covered.

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The Craft of Making an E-Book: Free Webinar on March 13

In this second webinar in Flipside’s ebook education series, ebook production experts, RJ Villarroel, Edmon Samson and Warren Dano, are going to talk about what it takes to make quality ebooks.

They’ll share the basic process of making an ebook, readily available tools for making epub and mobi files, and varied checks you can perform to find out whether your ebook passes muster. They’ll also talk about the importance of metadata in ebook production.

Publishing professionals involved in an ebook program, programmers, and authors who are interested in self-publishing their own books should attend this webinar. 

DATE: March 13, 2012
TIME: 900PM - 1030PM Philippine Time

Join the Thermos Photo Caption Contest and win cool iPad2 units

Thermos, a premium brand in drinking containers presents "Summer Fun with Thermos Photo Caption Contest." This contest runs from March 16-May 17, 2012.

CONTEST MECHANICS:

1. Participants must like the Official Thermos Philippines Facebook page and follow Thermos Philippines on Twitter.

2. Photo entries must have their corresponding captions (maximum of 140 characters) that adhere to the theme for the period. The picture can be in JPEG or PNG formats, with a maximum size of 4MB.

3. Only color, brightness and contrast of the photo entry are allowed to be adjusted. 

4. Photo entries and caption should be uploaded by the participant in the ThermosPhilippines Landing Page which is supported by Manila Exchange website with the following details: 

National Geographic Channel presents "Inside Malacañang" (a Philippine documentary)

In every country, there is a home for the country's head. For the Philippines, Malacañang Palace is the home of the First Family. The current President and his/her family live there until his/her term ends. Malacañang Palace was once dubbed as a “foremost home” by Spanish governor generals. The Americans made it a social hub for the country’s elite while the Japanese transformed it into a garrison.

The Palace has undergone many changes since it was built in 1750. That is 262 years ago! But the structure still stands strong with dignity and power by the Pasig River today. One would wonder what is now inside the cordoned-off areas of the palace.

11 Fellows to the Kritika 2012: National Workshop on Art & Cultural Criticism (April 22-28, 2012)

The Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center (BNSCWC) of De La Salle University and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) award eleven (11) fellowships for KRITIKA 2012: National Workshop on Art and Cultural Criticism, which will be held at the University of St. La Salle (USLS) in Bacolod on April 22-28, 2012.

The workshop will focus on critical writing in the following arts: literature, visual arts, architecture, film, and multi-art. It is envisioned to give young scholars and critics a forum where they can discuss their work and concerns with established art critics.

The fellows are: 

Marie Rose Arong (literature)

John Barrios (literature)

Patrick Campos (multi-art)

Feorillo Petronillo Demeterio III (visual arts)

Rene Luis Mata (architecture)

Chuckberry Pascual (multi-art)

Jay Jomar Quintos (literature)

Jaime Oscar Salazar (visual arts)

Oscar Serquiña, Jr. (literature)

Christian Tablazon (film)

Michael Carlo Villas (literature)

Rolando Tolentino, BNSCWC Associate for Film, is workshop director. The distinguished panel of art critics includes Paulo Alcazaren (architecture), Isagani R. Cruz (literature), Cid Reyes (visual arts), and Jose Victor Torres (cultural history).

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Rogin-E's Last Man Running 2 (March 24, 2012)

Runners are pumped up for the The Rogin-E Last Man Running 2 event slated on March 24, 2012 (Saturday) at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The event will be divided into 3 categories:  5 + 2k Race, 10 + 4k Race, and the centerpiece event - The Rogin-E’s Last Man Running (LMR), a 7-hour marathon. Each race has a limited number of slots.

REGISTRATION:

To register for any of these races, entrants may register online at www.roginelmr.com, or visit Last Man Running 2 registration booths at the following venues:

Olympic Village Trinoma
Olympic Village ATC
Olympic Village Robinsons Pioneer
Olympic Village Robinsons Ermita
R.O.X. Bonifacio High Street

Participants must fill out the registration form which covers a waiver of liability and pay the corresponding race fee :

LMR – P1,200
5+2k Race – P600
10+4k Race – P800

A book on Philippine Art calls for submission

 courtesy of: Favim

Art Pilipinas, Inc, seeks artworks for publication and exhibition for 2012. Artists will be challenged to create new or submit existing works of art, in various mediums, depicting the lively and diverse culture of the Philippines. This “Culture and Hue” series of events will encompass a book project and group exhibitions with an initial call for artworks (illustrations, paintings, and sculptures) centered on the theme "The Philippines in Art." 

This event is open to all Filipino artists in an effort to not only showcase but also to reinforce the diverse culture of the Philippines through visual arts and to exalt the beauty and genius of Filipino art/painting. The book will be a medium to generate social awareness on the need to preserve Filipino cultural heritage through the artistic documentation of local celebrations, festivities, places, past-times, way of life and practices. The published book shall be distributed internationally, as well as, locally, to different learning institutions, foreign embassies, cultural centers, among others. 

Working title of the book is Culture and Hue: The Philippines in Art.

CCP Thirteen Artists Awards: Call for Nominations

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is now accepting nominations to the 13 Artists Awards (TAA). Nominees must be a Filipino citizen and less than 40 years old; has produced a body of works characterized by artistic integrity, innovativeness and forcefulness of ideas; and has sustained a track record of individual and group exhibitions for the past three years.



This awards program began in 1970 as a curatorial project of the CCP Museum under Roberto Chabet, its first Director. His intent was to recognize artists whose works “show a recentness, a turning away from past, familiar modes of art making.” The CCP has since conferred the title to 159 artists (until 2009) and these qualities continue to guide the selection of the 13 Artists winners through the years.