Did you know the Fergie from Blackeyed Peas had Lesbian Relationships?

Photo Credit: MaximOnline.com

Fergie has confessed to having a series of lesbian relationships.

The Black Eyed Peas singer has revealed she rebelled against her parents and her strict Catholic upbringing when she was 18 experimenting with drugs and sex.

She said: I have had lesbian experiences in the past. But I started having sex quite late on – after I was 18. I was raised a good Catholic girl.

I won’t say how many men I have slept with, although it ‘s not many, but I am a very sexual person.

Read more

Happy Easter to all of you – - my friends!

I still remember – - it was back in 1985, a year after arriving here in the land of milk and honey when I first heard of her. Back in the Philippines, I was a member of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal group from and when I arrived in the U.S. I still hungered for spiritual fulfillment. Since I knew no one and very new to the Catholic church here, I relied on music to sustain my spirit. Christian music was all that I listened to. Through my weekly visits to a Christian bookstore, I came to know Amy Grant. To me, she was this pure young spirit. She was simple, very much in love with God. I loved her music cause it filled the void in me. One of my favorites is the song, El Shaddai . I watched the video of her 1983 concert when she performed this song and I have loved it ever since.

Since it is Easter, and I feel that it is a good time for me to share what I enjoy to all of you. Here s a new clip of Amy Grant singing the song El Shaddai in an updated version- – I understand now why I learned to love the artist and the song. The song still has the same effect on me, and I hope that it touches you as well. Watch this.

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL OF YOU!

GOD BLESS YOU!

To see a nice Easter message read the rest of this entry.. Read more

Hot Betty – American Ferrera featured on W Magazine

Photos and Article courtesy of Style.com  

American BeautyAmerica Ferrera’s first real showbiz experience was something of a letdown. At 16, after a decade of acting in school plays and drifting off each night to Hollywood dreams, she was cast in a Disney Channel movie about a junior high school dance team with the somewhat hilarious name of Gotta Kick It Up. At first, she was thrilled. “I love to dance, so I couldn’t believe I was getting paid to just dance all day. And there were four other girls in the cast, so that was fun. And you know the way you think when you’re a teenager: Disney Channel today, Oscars tomorrow!” she says with a laugh. But a few weeks into filming, she had what she describes as “a mini nervous breakdown.” “I just felt really empty,” she says. “I had achieved my dream, and it wasn’t totally fulfilling. I still had school problems, and I still had boy problems. My life was still my life. I guess I had been waiting to be turned into a swan.” Read more

My Prayer – Black Saturday, Holy Week 2007

I know. I offered blogging up for Holy Week.  However, my experience going to church for the 14 Stations of the Cross today, has given me – even for a moment – that fire that I once had. I can never deny that I am a Christian, and I am really glad I am.  I reflected on my life compared to the life of the One Who Is.  I am nothing.

I knelt and prayed with my friends. I offered prayers for my family, my departed relatives, and for my friends. I pray that you find your purpose as you reflect about Christ’s passion between today and tomorrow. In relevance to my prayer, I couldn’t help but post this one video for all of us to share and hopefully we get to realize that He really died for us – - Yes – you, He died for you.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j49G8q8CUbg]

For Holy Week, let us reflect for a moment…

Hello Readers!!

Although my postings are random, sometimes crazy and sometimes not, I must admit to all of you that  in actuality – I am  a spiritual person.  I am a Christian – and this week will be the holiest week in our Christian calendar as observed during the Lenten Season.

It is the time of year that Christians from all over the globe will gather and observe the Passion of Christ.  The Lenten season began on Ash Wednesday and  will end  on Easter Sunday.  It is our time to reflect on our lives, see where we are and find ways to make ammends on past mistakes or prepare to become a better person.  In following Jesus Christ’s teachings, we are to strive to be perfect for God is perfect.

Please include me in your prayers as we sit back and reflect this week and I will include you in mine as well.

There will be no postings this week as I will be away from blogging  as my offering (I love to BLOG!) of sacrifice and join my brothers and sisters in in this observance.  I will see you after Easter.  God bless you all.

My First Google Adsense Check – - – Hardwork does pay!! Woohoo!!

I have had adsense for over a year now. In one year, I have posted my adsense on my store alone. Not really knowing what it was all about – - I just heard that you can make money from it. One year and I had nothing but .43 cents – - and I used to call it adcents. I never knew the potential.

Then I heard about blogging from a colleague who’s been blogging for over a year. I told him, I didn’t have time to sit night after night and post entries onto a blog. I told him, I will visit his blog instead and just participate in the conversation. He has a special niche and people flock to his blog as flies on honey. I started commenting and discussing issues with a few people on his blog and I really enjoyed it.

I met some wonderful people through his blog. I became very good friends with them. One day – I just decided to create my own blog. Many nights I lay awake trying to figure out the ins and outs of blogging – - How will I get my blog publicised? What are the options to make blogging easier? Will adding adsense to my blog make a difference? Well, lo and behold! It did.

Blogging isn’t all that easy. There were times that I will be adding content or a plugin and my site will go down. Not being a programmer myself, I spent hours trying to fix them by researching other sites that encountered similar issues. Heck, the only script I am familiar with are those used in movies or t.v. shows. This time, I had to learn about java scripting and php! But who’s complaining. Read more

And the winners are … Philippine Blog Awards 2007!! Congratulations to all the winners!

The results are out!

Best Personal Blog: Misteryosa
Best Home & Living Blog: Wifely Steps
Best Socio-Political Blog: Philippine Commentary
Best News & Media Blog: Inside PCIJ
Best Fashion & Lifestyle Blog: Bryanboy: Le Superstar Fabuleux
Podcast of the Year: HappySlip
Best Technology Blog: Leon Kilat: The Cybercafe Experiments
Best Business/Entrepreneur Blog: Reflections of a BizDrivenLife
Best Entertainment Blog: Retzwerx
Best Sports & Recreation Blog: Who rides a Vespa?
Best Travel Blog: Ivan About Town
PhotoBlog of the Year: Señor Enrique: Wish You Were Here

For the Special Awards winners, we have:

Best Blog Design: Far from Neutral Notions
Best Free Custom Theme: Blu3zin3
Best Plugin/Extension: iPap
Best OFW Blog: Kwentong Tambay
Bloggers’ Choice Awards: MarketManila

And last but not the least, the Globe Broadband Awards winners…

Blog Achievement Award: The Mommy Journals
Pinoy Ako Blog Award: ederic@cyberspace
Family Blog Award: About My Recovery
Blogirl Award: Well Whatever
Deliblog Award: Dessert Comes First

Congratulations to all the winners! Till next year!

Chris Richardson – My favorite American Idol contestant…

You gotta love Chris Richardson. Not only has he been compared to the looks of Justin Timberlake, he has a good voice, a beautiful face, and a character that would be good for the next American Idol’s image.

If you visit the American Idol website, and look up his profile – - you will be amazed about his answers. He didn’t give a hoot what other ‘guys’ would say when he said that his favorite Female Artists are Christina Aguilera and Mariah Carey. He is a family oriented guy. When asked the question, ‘If you win, who will you thank first?’, ‘GOD’ – he answered. I LOVE THAT! Chris Richardson – - YOU ROCK!!!

 

SOOO SWEEET!!!!

I KNOW, I KNOW… CLICK  ‘read the rest of this entry’ to see the original photo. Read more

This guy’s in-love with you pare!~!!

LMAO~!!! A video I found on Youtube! – - – crazy guys (one is soo cute – - and the other one is sooo funny!) but I love it. Watch this!

It’s time to get fit – - my favorite reality show ‘Workout’ is BACK!!!

I got hooked on Bravo’s reality show – Workout- with Jackie Warner last year! The only show that motivated me to get back to the gym. If you need some lift, or push – -I encourage you to watch the show. It has a lot of drama, and if love business like I do – - this is one great show.

Not only does she employ that cutest trainers (Jesse Brune and Peeler), she has a very high-profile gym (Sky Sports and Spa) in Beverly Hills. Last year, one of her trainers got Jodie Watley prepared to be fit for her ‘comeback’. After I watch Tuesday’s show, I promise – I will be going back to the gym. 90 day clock starts then!! Watch the preview from last season -Click Here – YOU WILL ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT!! 3% Body Fat, 97% DRAMA

Visit Jackie Warner’s MY SPACE pages.

Peeler – yumm!

Jesse and Doug

Jesse – nice in black!

Jesse Brune (while training)

Jackie and Ex-girfriend Mimi (I hate her!)

 

Saw this on a blog – and thought it was very interesting..

  

DID YOU KNOW?

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHWTLA8WecI]

Okay, time to get emotional.. I cried.

I am posting this video because I am a Lea Salonga fan. Not only because she is playing the part of Fantine from the musical ‘Les Miserables’ – my most favorite musical of all time – right now in NY, but because she is one true person that deserves the best. She is humble, she is pretty, and she is just one woman a man could ever ask for.

I know that I will never get married (at least in the traditional sense). I will never be a parent as well (also in the traditional sense). Yet, everytime I hear the song ‘Butterfly Kisses’, I cry like a baby.

I wanted to create an entry to offer a tribute to Lea Salonga just because I admire her so much – - and what did I end up finding? This video. It made me cry. So join me, in my emotional moment. Just look at the guy – - and you will know why I cried.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVJWVr61dC4]

Dennis Trillo – To play a transgender role for a Lenten Special

He is my new boyfriend. He is making a Lenten Special show, playing a trans-gendered role. Here’s his history (besides being a hunk, he is actually an accomplished actor).

Trillo came from a well-off family, the eldest and only son in a brood of three. He attended Ateneo de Manila University throughout pre-school and elementary and moved to Jose Abad Santos Memorial High School. He completed a degree in International Studies at Miriam College.

His career in entertainment started in 2001, when he was introduced as one of the young talents for the 10th batch of Star Circle, ABS-CBN Network’s artist machinery (now known as Star Magic). He was seen in the television soap opera Sa Dulo ng Walang Hanggan where he played the confidante of one of the lead stars. Despite his exposure, Trillo’s career did not really take off.

His biggest breaks came upon his transfer to GMA Network wherein he became one of its contract stars. He was cast in several television outings like Kahit Kailan, Twin Hearts and Love to Love.

Trillo’s stardom continued to rise in 2004, when he became one of the lead stars in the popular telefantasya (fantasy-themed TV series) Mulawin. He made his film debut in Aishite Imasu 1941: Mahal Kita, where he received raves for his portrayal of a cross-dressing spy for the HUKBALAHAP during the advent of the Japanese invasion in World War II. For Aishite Imasu, he received several awards and citations including Best Supporting Actor from the 30th Metro Manila Film Festival and Best Actor trophies from the Film Academy of the Philippines, the PMPC Star Awards For Movies, and the Young Critics Circle. He was also included in the third installment of Mano Po, which starred Vilma Santos, a veteran actress and grand-slam Best Actress awardee.

2005 proved to be a more fruitful year for Trillo. He was part of the hit TV adaptation of the Mars Ravelo comic, Darna, where he played the love interest of both the titular super-heroine as well as her archenemy Valentina. He was later part of the drama anthology Now and Forever: Agos, where he again showcased his acting prowess. That same year he reprised his role for Mulawin: The Movie, and was also in the film Blue Moon alongside award-winning actors Eddie Garcia and Christopher de Leon.

Trillo was again cast as a lead in Etheria, where he portrayed the Sapirian prince, Raquim, previously donned by Richard Gomez. Midway through the series, GMA Network management announced that Trillo would be pulled out of Etheria to once again star opposite Angel Locsin (who played Darna) in Majika, another fantasy-themed television series. Although subsequent to the announcement, many Etheria fans felt that it would be a big blow to the series since he plays a major character. Ultimately, it was cleared that Trillo would see the series to its finale.

Trillo also dealth with nasty gossips. One is that he had a son with a model and he other is questining his sexuality. Trillo reunites with former love team Angel Locsin as they top-bill in GMA Network’s newest offering, a television fantasy series aptly called Majika. Trillo plays Argo, a provocatively clad Salamanca (wizard) with finesse in archery who teaches his protégée Sabina (Angel Locsin) how to hone her craft and become a powerful sorceress. Aside from his television show, Trillo also starred in the horror-suspense film Pamahiin, which is his first major acting role for the particular film genre. Recognizing his passion for making music, GMA also included him as a co-host for the network’s noontime show “SOP” where he also displays his talent for drums as part of the show’s Starband.

Image Source: igmatv.com

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLZRLjym2ac]

Piolo Pascual and Sam Milby in Concert – Manhattan Center New York April 13th.

To fans of Piolo Pascual and Sam Milby – - they will be in Manhattan Center, New York on April 13th for a concert… and yours truly will be there!!  I will try to get an interview with them so I can post it here… ang yabang no?! 

As much as they’ve been bashed, they seem to have kept a great friendship and has not let anything destroy that.

Here’s the details of the concert – - and hope to see you all there!!  

 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDoRTf4ikdw]

To Copy or Not To Copy

I was totally shocked when I read this. Although I know that copiers these days can email a PDF of the documents you photocopy to any email address, I had neglected to realize that before you can send it out, it has to be saved. Therefore, whatever I have photocopied in the past, could be sitting at the copier’s hard drive. I thought I’d let you know – - in case you photo copy a lot of your personal stuff on your office copiers. Careful careful!!!

Put a hard drive into a standard photocopier, so you can have a digital version of anything you run through the machine. That way, if the original is ever lost, you can always run back to the backup. (I hadn’t realized this, but copiers have been including hard drives for five years now.)

Now people are finally waking up to the wrinkle in this plan, which should have been obvious: What do people use copiers for, anyway? Company flyers and employee manuals, but also for tax returns, insurance cards, photo IDs, and Social Security paperwork. Now what happens when that copier gets old and is sold?

The wake-up call is, surprisingly, being delivered by Sharp, a manufacturer of these devices. The company polled Americans and found that 54 percent of those surveyed had no idea that photocopiers stored digital versions of everything put on the glass.

Sharp is promoting its newer copiers, which encrypt digitally stored copies and “virtually shred” recent ones so they can’t be recovered. If you’ve got such features on your office machine, make sure you use them. But also remember that next time you make copies at Kinko’s or another copy shop, you could be leaving behind a copy of anything you reproduce.

Source: Yahootech

Annabelle Rama – Hilarious Interview by Ruffa Guttierez

This was a funny interview.  Imagine interviewing your mom on national television, and asking her the most personal questions – only to return the questions and point them to you?!!!!  

Ms. Ruffa Guttierez was sweating while interviewing her mom, Annabelle Rama, the wife of Eddie Guttierez.  It was very candid and entertaining – -from THE BUZZ.  Watch this: 

 [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBJ9rQ4R0iY]

 

Who among you loves Sanjaya from Americal Idol? Raise your hand!

Los Angeles (eCanadaNow) – American Idol fans from across North America were outraged when Stephanie Edwards was sent home on Wednesday, March 21. But the frontrunner for the most disappointed person is mystery MySpace-er J, who has gone on a hungerstrike until 17-year-old Sanjaya Malakar is eliminated from the competition.

“I will refuse to eat anything until American Idol voters wise up, and stop voting Sanjya (sic) through each week,” the 23 year old writes on her page. 

As of March 21, she was on day five with at least another full week ahead of her next possible meal.

However, since Sanjaya wasn’t even in the bottom two this week, there is a very strong chance he will make it through to another week on the hit reality show.

She has recruited one sympathy starver, Matt. They’re going to be hallucinating like they’re Paula Abdul by the time that kid’s gone.

Source: ECanada.com

MADONNA: I’d Vote for Gore Over Hillary?

Courtesy of Yahoo Asia: The Material Girl would back Gore for 2008 US race

BERLIN (AFP) – Pop superstar Madonna would throw her support behind Al Gore if he decided to run for US president in 2008. Madonna told German weekly newspaper Die Zeit she had “deep respect for Hillary Clinton as a woman,” but thought Gore was a “great guy.”

“I would publicly support him if he joins the race,” Madonna said, adding she had been impressed by his stance on environmental issues.

Gore won an Oscar this year for his climate change documentary “An Inconvenient Truth.”

Gore, who was vice president to Bill Clinton, lost to George W. Bush in the 2000 election. The lifelong Democrat has not ruled out taking another crack at running for the White House.

PNP warns gay officers not to sway hips – - What???

March 22, 2007 11:06 p.m.

The Philippine National Police issued a warning to gay officers not sway their hips or display other suggestive behavior while on duty — or they could risk losing their jobs.

“If they sway their hips while marching, or if they engage in lustful conduct, I think that will be a ground for separation,” Philippine National Police or PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao said Thursday.

Pagdilao said the police department does not discriminate against homosexuals, but will not hesitate to fire those who misbehave.

“As an institution, the PNP does not look at or interfere with one’s sexual preference,” Pagdilao told Manila Radio DZXL. “But it does look at its members’ conduct. If they behave within the norm, I don’t think we’ll have a problem.”

The Philippines has a reputation for tolerance toward homosexuality.

However, a party representing lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people was recently refused registration for May congressional elections on the grounds that it does not have nationwide chapters. Its members are appealing. - AP

More KC Concepcion Videos! She is absolutely amazing!

I know – I’ve been filling my posts with KC Concepcion recently.  I didn’t realize how much influence she has at such a young age.  She is a true model to the Filipino youths out there.  She is independent, head-strong, and most of all – a beautiful soul.

To all KC Concepcion fans out there – - here’s another clip with her beautiful song.  KC – MORE POWER TO YOU!  THE TRUTH TO THE MATTER IS, I AM AN AVID FAN AS WELL.  HI KAYCEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxjLKHO6UjU]

This duet was amazing – I wish I could understand the words better though.  =(

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKZOPbKe8yI]

This was a video when she was 15 years old. 

KC Concepcion’s ad – Human – - ang galing!

Since a lot of you can’t get enough of KC (the searches on my log are filled with KC Concepcion), I thought I’d post some more… 

This is just a short clip = = = but the ad was done very well. 

 Pero – look at the video below this too!  Kilig – Gabby & Sharon – -way back in the early 80′s.

 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQIC7XV8H6Q]

 Human Ad – KC Concepcion

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-xV9-UsbMs]

Sharon, Gabby and KC – - Payat ni Aate Shawie!!

Kris Aquino and James – - I know it’s late..but…

I don’t know what to think about Kris Aquino – -really. She absolutely has her charms and she obviously has the power to attract people. I am a big admirer of her mom, Cory and a supporter of her late dad Benigno.

I remember Kris when she was a little girl when they arrived from Boston after her father was assasinated the Manila International Airport. She looked very shy, and simple. I left for the US then and I heard that she became an actress, got involved with Phillip Salvador, and then Joey Marquez – - and the drama that continued afterwards which includes her public admittance of things between her and Joey that would have been better kept private.

Then I heard about a new love, a basketball player named James. She was supposedly in-love again. I was glad. She deserved it after what she’s been through. I heard they were happily married and I even heard that she was pregnant. Very successful in her career, hosting GKNB and the BUZZ.

Then I heard about a new rumor that this new husband cheated on her with a receptionist named Hope at the Belo Medical Group??! Supposedly, James is saying that the girl is a stalker and that nothing happened between them. Whatever! I thought – I didn’t care, didn’t wanna know the details.

I was browsing through Youtube.com and checking out other videos with KC Concepcion when I ran into these videos. I was entertained for a good half hour – - the drama of Kris and James. Now I know why Kris is popular. People love hearing the skeletons in her closet. To be honest, I was intrigued by it as well! In case you haven’t seen these, for fun here are the videos – - take a look!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzLoInkVXpA]

1 of 3

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPr2j3utHBw]

2 of 3

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD-JDb0kBS8]

3 of 3

Thanks to littlemorgann for posting these clips on Youtube. I love the drama! Who can you compare Kris with in the U.S. for her notoriety? Hmmm…

ENJOY

 

Lino Cayetano – Google Searches

Wow, it is amazing how many people search for the name Lino Cayetano on Google and Yahoo! I recently created a post for KC Concepcion (cause I love her!) and all of a sudden, traffic went up on my blog. In looking at the stats, they were searching for KC Concepcion and Lino Cayetano. Hmmm… you gossip mongers!!

So anyway, I was intrigued by who this Lino Cayetano guy is? So I searched the net – - here’s what I found.

• He’s a member of the elite family in the Philippines
• A film director
• Went to NYU for FILM
• Son of a Senator
• Bianca Gonzalez’s Ex
• Currently linked to KC Concepcion

That’s as far as I got. So I checked Google Images – - what does he look like?

Tita Shawie seems to approve of Lino’s interest on her daughter KC since Lino presents himself like a gentleman at the Pangilinan household. CHUVA CHIENES!!

Here are some – not-so-good pics of Lino (from the internet):

 

 

 

Whoever is spreading the ‘chizmax’ about an alleged ‘affair’ between KC and Lino –

 

according to Tita Shawie – -GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT.

 

It was nothing but a day’s meeting in Hong Kong before KC flew to Paris the next day.

 

A surprise visit yes, but definitely NOT an affair.

 

From: Tita Shawi on The BUZZ

 

QWERTY – A short suspense thriller film by a Filipino Film Maker – Awesome!!

Visit  http://films.thelot.com/films/19175

 A mentally-afflicted young man named Benny is accused of murdering Professor Chavez, his longtime benefactor. Chavez’ lawyer, Dan Ortega, is called in to figure out what really happened. The answer lies in Benny’s mad obsession with the professor’s old typewriter, on which he types relentlessly, day and night.

PRODUCTION NOTE: No special post effects were used in the final scenes.  The ending is really very interesting.  NICE JOB!

Gays now have a new battle cry from Happy Hearts – review

JOCELYN DIMACULANGAN, PEP for GMANEWS.TV 

Wendell Ramos: “A bakla is always a bakla!” Review

Members of the so-called third sex now have much to be happy about in Regal Entertainment’s latest flick, Happy Hearts. For one thing, it stars Rustom Padilla, the icon for gay pride, and the hunky Wendell Ramos as an equally convincing homosexual.

Wendell’s portrayal as Rustom’s gay lover was well appreciated and his funny antics drew rounds of applause during the March 11 premiere of Happy Hearts in SM Megamall. This Regal Entertainment film also marks the first time that Rayver Cruz and Shaina Magdayao have been paired up as a love team. Despite the title Happy Hearts, their love story is far from being a happy and perfect one.

Alvin (Rayver) is a balikbayan who comes back to the country with his mother, Sarah (Jean Garcia), who hopes to hook up with her longtime email buddy (Lauren Novero). Sarah is the ex-wife of Enrico (Rustom), a closet gay teacher living with his lover Louie (Wendell).

Enrico tries desperately to hide his true nature from his son Alvin but, instead, ends up lying to him and hurting his feelings. To complicate matters, Alvin falls in love with Kristine (Shaina), the daughter of Mr. Ricafrente (Tirso Cruz III), the owner of the school where Enrico works.

Wendell’s acting is noteworthy—just by raising his eyebrows, he can convey a whole range of emotions. Rustom’s mannerisms were just as endearing but there are times when Wendell seemed even more than gay than Rustom.

Judging from the wild cheers of the crowd, the Shai-Ver (Shaina-Rayver) love team is a sure winner. Shaina proved her mettle especially during the confrontation scene with veteran actor Tirso. Meanwhile, Rayver got a chance to show off his dancing skills and seeing him all dolled up and wearing a tutu is absolutely priceless!

My biggest complaint about Happy Hearts is the sound quality. There were times when you could barely understand what the actors were saying. Hopefully, Direk Joel Lamangan can do something about this problem before Happy Hearts premieres this Wednesday, March 14.

More ways to earn money while blogging… MONETIZE!

I have recently been searching the web to find out how I can monetize my site effectively.  There are lots and lots of information available on the net but what is the best route?  I questioned a lot of them but in all honesty, what could I lose if I try all of them?  I have a total of six blogs and it would be a waste of time and effort if I couldn’t at least break even on the monthly hosting fees that I pay Bluehost, don’t you think?  So I thought of the possible ways I could reoup my expenses and here’s what I came up with:

1. Host with Bluehost.com – This was the best way for me to go.  I had a store (Rainbowreels) where I sell niche DVD’s and other things.  This is what got me started hosting with bluehost.  The Store is free of charge and you can configure it to your heart’s content.  A little or no knowledge of PHP is of no concern since they give you very explicit instructions.
2. Open a store using Zen Cart (www.zencart.com).  The store is customizable although you may have to pay extra to purchase templates should you not like the default design.
3. Hosting will Bluehost.com provides up to six domains available for your use (included in the $6.95) fee you pay every month.  You may have to pay for the registration of the extra domains but you don’t really have to if your main goal is to just create blogs and don’t mind the long URL address your readers will have to type to get to your site.  I just prefer the former rather than the latter because it’s nicer and easier to remember for my readers.   I say, utilize all of them.   Use it up and wear it out!  It will work to your advantage.
   • WordPress is included in the installation menu and by far, WordPress is the best and easiest to use medium for blogging in my opinion.
     • If you’re a newbie, and wouldn’t want to pay for hosting right away, you may also opt for WordPress.com however, you will not be able put ads in it so I would suggest to go with Google’s Blogger.  It is free and will allow you to put Google’s adsense in a very easy to use template and widget-configured process.
4. Publish your blogs and website using the following media advertising vehicles:
   • Google Adsense - I must say that this is the most effective and most rewarding but you MUST FOLLOW THE RULES.  They are quick to let go of anyone who is suspected of cheating by invalidly clicking the ads or invalid impressions.
   • Adbrite.com - Works similarly like Adsense and is probably a great alternative.  However, you may not post adbrite and adsense ads together.  They will conflict with each other, and besides – Google frowns on that anyway.
   • Adster.com – Another way that works similarly as Google adsense.  You can choose from text link ads or image ads.  Here’s an excellent review of this company.
   • Intellitxt.com - This is a prime ad feature where the words in your posting will be underlined and connected to advertisers.  There is an approval process and you must have at least 500K in pageviews every month to be approved.  Although this ad medium is used by professional bloggers.  Once you get your readership to this level, you may want to apply.
   • Miva.com - This is very similar to adsense and Intellitxt.  You can choose which way you want to go – text ads, image ads, or word underline advertising.  Each one is perfect for use.  There is an approval system as well but the pageviews required is by far much less than what is required by IntelliTXT.
   • Linkshare.com - This is an affiliate marketing medium where you post their attractive ads using codes into your blog or website.  The only thing here is that earnings are made once people purchase something from the advertisers.   It is still a viable option and makes your site looks professional if placed properly on your site.
5. Join all the blog groups you can possibly join, such as MyBlogLog, Blogorama, etc.  This adds volume to your viewership and always be courteous to respond to your commentors.  They visit your site probably for the same purpose, so that you will visit theirs.

There are other ways to make money online.  The rule of thumb as always is not to put all your eggs (ADS) in one basket.  Make ads work for you.   You may also visit OFWCenter  for more tips and tricks, including glossary of terms about blogging.

I guess this is it for now.  I will continue to post about monetization as I learn about them.  Happy blogging and let us all make money online!!

The scoop about KC Concepcion and Lino Cayetano from Sharon Cuneta Herself

This entry is for my pinoy readers.  As you well know, I am a very big fan of the ‘megastar’ herself, Ms. Sharon Cuneta.  I was doubly amazed when she was interviewed regarding the relationship of her daughter, KC Concepcion with the tv director, Lino Cayetano - and how the megastar was obviously protecting her child from the harm of tabloids and gossip mongers.  Watch the clip – - courtesy of The BUZZ! 

 

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25c_5B04zdc]

Movie Blockbuster Surprise this weekend – 300

A movie made on a budget with no A-list actors have become the surprise hit this weekend.  This R-rated movie pulled in some 70 million dollars this weekend.   From the excellently-made trailer below, I am not surprised!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnIPkfXNHfc]

CNN Reports:

Story Highlights
• “300″ from Frank Miller’s graphic novel about Thermopylae
• Movie is extremely violent, but in antiseptic video game way
• Message of “300″: Pile on the blood and thunder

By Tom Charity
Special to CNN

(CNN) — The fanboys are raring for this one. As of Wednesday, two days before “300″ opened, the Internet Movie Database gave director Zack Snyder’s historical epic a user rating of 8.6 out of 10, based on more than 7,000 votes. The breakdown reveals that 6,000 of the voters are males under the age of 29, and that more than 80 percent rated the film a perfect 10. (The figures weren’t much changed as of Friday.)

All this excitement for a historical epic set in ancient Greece, starring such actors as Gerard Butler, Dominic West and David Wenham. What gives?

Seven years ago, “Gladiator” used CGI to paint in crowds and armies and even resurrect actor Oliver Reed after he died during the shoot. But “Gladiator” looks like an artifact from a bygone age beside “300,” based on a Frank Miller’s graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 B.C.

Ridley Scott dragged his crew to Italy, Malta, Morocco and Britain. Snyder recreated ancient Sparta and famed Thermoplyae — where 300 Spartans held off an invasion force of more than 100,000 — without leaving his virtual studio in Montreal. Photo-realism is dead, or at least on its way out.

“300″ morphs between live actors and a graphic animated world that is both cheaper and more malleable than the usual movie sets. Instead of the traditional cast of thousands, the credits list more than 200 visual effects artists. Along with “Sin City,” the previous adaptation of a Miller work, “300″ etches out the horizons of a new cinematic landscape.

So one can see why there would be such enthusiasm for the project. But, having actually seen the flick in question — unlike, perhaps, a number of its eager IMDb supporters — I’m afraid I cannot share their enthusiasm, though I suspect it delivers exactly what they think it does: blood and thunder.

Really stylized blood and thunder, too. Thermopylae doesn’t look remotely like Greece; it looks more like the inside of a computer game.

Reproducing Lynn Varley’s double-page panels as if the comic book were their storyboard, Snyder and cinematographer Larry Fong bleed detail and color from the grainy, sepia visuals, save for the Spartans’ swishing crimson cloaks, the bronze of their round shields and rippling torsos.

Perhaps it’s this remove from reality that allows the filmmakers to revel in an orgy of violence with impunity. The battle, which dominates the movie, is a nonstop slaughterhouse with the ferocious Spartans lopping and chopping their way through their innumerable foes (including rampaging rhinos and elephants, scuttled off the cliffs to their doom).

War receives the kind of gloss you’d find in, well, a video game. (Indeed, the actors have little to do besides assume picturesque positions and chew the virtual scenery.) When the audience cheers one particularly aesthetic decapitation it’s because it’s not quite the same thing as watching an Iraqi execution video. And to be fair to Snyder (who also made the “Dawn of the Dead” remake), he does have a flair for dismemberment.

Nevertheless, it’s not so much the body count or even the blood lust that’s disturbing. It’s that the film, with its macho militarism, seems out of step in a war-weary time.

Gerard Butler’s glaring, glowering, bombastic Spartan king Leonidas is the Jim Jones of military strategists: never retreat, never surrender, death on the battlefield is the greatest glory. The rhetoric echoes sentiments expressed by Japanese imperial loyalists in Clint Eastwood’s “Letters from Iwo Jima,” but there’s no criticism implied here. These are the good guys. They even couple their death wish with ahistorical sentiments about “defending freedom” from Persian slavery and mysticism, though this hardly jibes with the regime the movie itself reveals. It’s noticeable, too, how Miller and his collaborators strain to disavow any whiff of homosexuality (well known throughout ancient Greece), even as they strip their buff warriors down to highly impractical leather briefs. Athenians are dismissed as “boy-lovers,” but Spartans are real men.

Meanwhile, Xerxes, the Persian king, is bedecked in jewelry and facial piercings, and has an effeminate, clean-shaven look. He’s also distinctly dark-skinned and not at all Persian-looking.

All of which may be beside the point, I know: the kids just want to have fun. Many of them will. But what does that say about another Greek contribution — Western civilization?

“300″ is a Warner Bros. film; Warner Bros., like CNN, is a unit of Time Warner.

Madonna’s latest H&M Video – - FIERCE!

The latest H&M Video with Madonna.   Take a look!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk6UWeyTsgU]

More Gypsy than Princess – KC Concepcion

Okay okay okay!!! I have to admit it, I am a fan. Actually, a solid fan. Of whom, you ask? The one and only, Sharon Cuneta. I have always admired her way back in the early ’80s and to think that after all these years, I still think of her fondly. Now, I am more impressed with her in the way she has reared her daughter, KC. You can see the effect of the way she was raised by simply listening to what she is saying. I am surprised to have the same admiration for Sharon’s daughter as I have for her. I know this is a long entry but I actually liked it and it’s a nice read. To my surprise, I also found out that she has her own blog. Visit http://kooki.multiply.com/journal

OH, TO BE YOUNG, and to be KC Concepcion. To find yourself one night at Rue du Faubourg Saint Martin in Paris for a party celebrating Karl Lagerfeld’s new clothing line, or in Toulouse to attend your best friend Stephanie’s wedding after a bachelorette minibreak in Palma de Mallorca, basking in the Spanish sun on a leopard-print yacht. Or even in the palengke at Rue Cler on the 7th Arrondissement for the week’s supply of greens and fruits-because it’s impossible to actually do proper marketing back home, where you will most likely be mobbed by autograph-seeking and photo-op-hungry vendors. Plus, the Parisian marketplace reminds you of those Tagaytay and Baguio trips you used to go on with your cousins and grandparents when you were younger.

Such is the charmed life of KC. This early morning. a few days before she jets off to Paris to begin her last semester in school, she finds herself allhe poolside of the family mansion in Wack-Wack, lying on a sunbed, wearing a gown by Patrice Ramos-Diaz, and bronzed to perfection from head to toe. Her hair is straightened and perfectly done to look like it was drenched long enough in the pool’s water and dried by the sun, and she’s being asked by TJ-her term of endearment for Tito Jun de Leon-to flash her “most expensive smile.” She tries-even if the sun is directly in her eyes and it’s a challenge to look straight at the camera. She loves shoots like this. “Kelan ka ba naman lulublob sa pool at naka-makeup ka’t and ganda-ganda ng buhok mo?” she says with a laugh. “Kung puwede ka lang gumising sa umaga na ganito na hitsura mo.”

It’s highly likely she does wake up this beautiful, whether she’s rising from the bed of her new apartment in Paris (photos of her unmade-up self posted in her blog prove this), or waking up for a 7 am shoot after a party at home (it was her mom Sharon Cuneta’s birthday the night before).

There is something about the world 21-year old KC has built for herself in the past four years, so that she can wake up in any continent and be surrounded by things that inspire her to be beautiful, or be excited about what’s next, or nostalgic about vignettes from her childhood. Indeed, since leaving Manila at 18, Kristina Cassandra, daughter of Sharon and Gabby Concepcion, has been less and less the privileged princess people have pictured her to be.

What she’s become is a young gypsy, with her bandanna-ed hair and white cotton dresses, an old soul with a boundless enthusiasm for life.

“It’s the freedom, the independence, being able to walk around,” she says when asked what she misses most about Paris when she’s in Manila. “At yung lamig. Nakakabihis ka kasi pag malamig, eh, iba-iba yung layers mo. And yung place mismo-Paris is so beautiful. I really thank God all the time. I never thought na titira ako sa Europe, I never thought I would even survive it.”

Days later, back in Paris, in a message sent by text, she would expound, “Living here is like going to finishing school! You learn to be quieter, and people seem to be more private with things they talk about. And you get the feeling na you drop a fork and you’re in trouble!”

Her life in Paris is not just about school, but also traveling to surrounding cities, watching the opera, picking lip the latest Elle Decor or ArtTravel. having picnics by her favorite bridge. And when she’s in Manila, she’s surrounded by a community of young artists. theater actors,
writers, photographers and fashion people-and most of them have become her friends. “I’ve always liked working in this field,” she says, glancing at the cover shoot crew. “Si TJ, dami kong natutunan sa kanya about photography, even how to present yourself in front of the camera. It’s not just about being beautiful. Here, you meet the best of the best. Where else would you have that?

“These days, I’ve been really into-siguro influence na rin ito ng Paris-painting and photography, all that artsy-fartsy stuff,” KC adds. Her blog is full of whimsical drawings and photographs, heart images, and poetry both her own (in Tagalog) and Henry Miller’s (”The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.”). In one entry, she writes, “So what if we all just burst into color?”

Her European sojourn has made it possible for KC to create this world so different from the one she was exposed to, growing up with two very prominent parents in the showbiz industry. And she doesn’t hate showbiz. In fact, she seems to embrace it the way she opens her arms to most things. And for a girl who isn’t even officially a regular in the entertainment scene, she handles her celebrity with stunning maturity. She knows how to anticipate a media frenzy, choosing to share photographs of her reunion with her dad in San Francisco before an entertainment editor’s DPA could smell a scoop. She didn’t want any malicious suspicions coloring a genuine effort on her part to reach out to her father. She also knows how to use her celebrity for a good cause; last year she put together an art and music jam, gathering her artist and musician friends at the Rockwell Loft for an event that raised funds for Hands-On Manila and the Virlanie Foundation.

While it is a privileged life she leads, KC likes to downplay the glamor associated with her stay in Paris. To her, it’s just like any other young independent woman’s life-except that it’s happening in the most beautiful city in the world. “Doon, ikaw lang talaga mag-isa gumagawa ng lahat, eh. Parang si Lea Salonga sa Sana Maulit Muli, where she was on the phone while she was cooking and tending to other stuff.”

She has been living alone since she arrived there in 2002, and has recently moved into her third apartment, one that’s close to her school, a cheaper but bigger flat that used to be a boutique. She used to live farther away, so that she could have a longer commute while exploring her new environment. “Every day I try to clean my house. Dati, sobrang burara ako. I don’t pick up my clothes. Kung saan ko maiwan yung gamit, doon na lang siya. These days, pakaunti-kaunti, I try to pick them up. I wake up at 10 am. My courses have varied schedules. Actually, okay yung life ko doon, sobrang simple lang na practical siya talaga: mamamalengke ka, kailangan mapuntahan mo yung mga dapat puntahan bago magsara, kailangan maluto mo na yung dinner mo before you do errands, before you pay bills.”

Stuff she never had to think about when she was still living with her mom in Manila. Despite the independence, KC says Sharon is still a major influence in many of her decisions.

“Especially when it’s something about the industry. She’s been here for three decades, and I can’t say I know more than she does. Even the tiniest things, I ask her.”

What do they usually argue about? “lba-iba. lba-iba, naku.”

“Boys?” “Not so much anymore these days. I don’t know, iba-iba. eh. Sensitive topic ‘yan, parang ayoko naman i-mention pero…” She laughs, then pauses for a while. “Siyempre, it’s just harder when our lives are magnified, di ba? I’m sure every showbiz family experiences it. You have to be extra aware even of the small things, because. anyone can do anything with your words. Ana it’s so hard because even if you mean one thing, it’s so easy to manipulate things.”

Did she ever feel that having been born to famous parents made it more difficult for her to make decisions for herself “There are people who approach me and say, ‘Sharonian pa rin ako.’ I want to say, ‘Eh bakit, tinatanong ba kita? Eh dapat lang Sharonian ka, eh pati naman ako Sharonian. And forever ako magiging Sharonion.’ It’s hard, because I guess people have high expectations. But at the same time, I get pushed. ‘Ah, ganoon pala tingin mo so akin?’ Or ‘All, oo nga, actually puwede kong gawin yun, try ko nga.’”

Hence, being sent to Paris made really-major sense in the end: It was so she could forge her own persona, away from the prying eyes of the fans and the media who had watched her mom, and who had already pegged their own concepts of what KC is and what she should be.

“And how will you change for the better if you don’t, even know who you are? Yun ang natutunan ko talaga. And I’m glad that it happened while I was still young, kesa naman may asawa na ako, that’s when I realize kung anong…” she trails off. She’s thinking of marriage this early? “Nah, I’ve always been just hyper-aware because of what happened with my mom’s life. She got married at 18. I’ve always been aware of that:”

Three months before this interview, she had met a new man in Paris. His name is Lino Cayetano, the TV director, the handsome and talented son of the late Senator Rene. “Were not in a serious relationship,” she says. “but I met him, I like him, he’s a very good guy, very interesting. He intrigues me. That’s all I can say for now. We kid her that even her taste in men seems to lean towards the creative types. There was that deep friendship she shared with Rivermaya frontman and songwriter Rico Blanco. And now Lino, who. like her, looks like a young urban hippie, with his long hair, faded jeans. slippers and ethnic wristbands.

She pauses and seems to ponder the suggestion that there could be a trend when it comes to the men she gets attached to. She laughs, and then says quietly, as if still convincing herself, “Siguro there’s something about people involved in things like art that makes them more human, Maybe they’re more sensitive about the world around them, hyper-aware about every little thing that happens.”

KC might have met her match in Lino, but romance, for now, can wait. This is, after all, her graduation year from her International Corporate Communications course. While she may be looking forward to this last episode of her Parisian adventure, she is also dreading its heartbreaking end. “I’ve been there for so long I wouldn’t know how it would be like to leave for good,” she says, a hint of sadness in her voice.

But being the KC that she’s turned out to be, she wouldn’t dwell on this little gray cloud for long. A couple of weeks after she left Manila, her blog records happy thoughts. She’s rejoicing over the acknowledged biodiversity of Philippine seas greater than Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and Honolulu’s reefs combined. She’s happily trying on her new LV glasses in the very unsuitable 4-degree weather, and discovering her new all-time favorite sculpture at the Louvre, a marble piece of an angel and a woman about to kiss, done in the late 1700s “The world is so rich,” says another Henry Miller quote in her blog. “simply throbbing with rich treasures, beautiful souls, interesting people. Forget yourself.”

Metro Magazine
March 2007, and website: http://www.sharoncuneta.com

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