Miss World 2009 Mudang Elaizzah screenshots

Mudang Elaizzah is the first woman of color from Uganda to win such a coveted title, the Miss World 2009 held last December 12, 2009 in South Africa. The owner and founder of the pageant Julia Morley who also announces the winner prefers nanny looking ladies to win the title because she has lots of children to take care of and house to clean in her year long reign.
She exhibits herself in the mall prior to her stint in Miss World 2009 where she competes with 114 other nannies in a gruelling month long of intense and stressful activities.
One of her natural pictures perfect to be Miss World 2009!
One of the much preferred photo of Julia Morley because it features a profile silhouette of Mudang in the picture.
Picture of Miss World 2009 back home all broadly smiling and adorable for Julia Morley.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

In January 2009, Doctors removed a kidney stone that was the size of a coconut from Sandor Sarkadi in Debrecen, Hungary.

On September 13, 1916 “Murderous Mary,”an elephant from the Sparks Brothers Circus, was hanged for murder in Erwin, Tennessee, USA.

The American Museum of Natural History lists more than 19,200 different species of bees, more than all bird and mammal species combined.

Police Dogs in Dusseldorf, Germany wear rubber shoes to protect their feet from broken glass.
King Sobhuza II (1899 -1982) was Swaziland’s monarch for more than 82 years, longer than any other ruler of any country in modern times.

In December 2006, Professor Masayuki Nakao and students from the University of Tokyo created a bowl of carbon nanotube noodles 1/25,000 of an inch across.

“Poetic Justice” In December 2007, a large group of teenagers vandalized the home of U.S. poet Robert Frost (1874 – 1963). Their sentencing included attending classes to learn about Frost’s poetry.

Feed Your Mind

Riddles

How do mountains hear?

With mountaineers



Idiom

take one’s breath away
startle or surprise one

ex. Her beauty took my breath away.


Tongue twister

Double bubble gum bubbles double

2009 Grandslam Beauties

Miss Universe - Stefania Fernandez, Venezuela
Miss Earth - Larissa Ramos, Brazil
Miss International - Anagabriela Espinoza, Mexico
Miss World - Mudang Elaizzah, Uganda

Feed Your Mind

Riddles

How do mountains hear?

With mountaineers



Idiom

take one’s breath away
startle or surprise one

ex. Her beauty took my breath away.



Tongue twister

Double bubble gum bubbles double

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

The Gollum Galaxias Fish of New Zealand is named for Gollum of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings books – because it lives in a swamp and has large eyes.

A New York City Day Spa features a “Geisha Facial” with sterilized nightingale droppings as its main ingredient.

Dutch winemaker Ilja Gort has his nose insured for 5 million euros.

Ew! On September 5, 2008, a man from Manchester, England, died from a nose bleed caused by his aggressive nose picking.

4 year-old Zhang Weiyuan of Liaoning, China, was born with his heart outside of his ribcage.

In December 2008, police in Osaka, Japan, arrested a man for releasing thousands of beetle larvae onto an express train to scare female passengers.

In November 2004, Lucy Clough hand-delivered a pizza from London, England to Melbourne, Australia – a distance of 10,532 miles.

The entirety of Africa accounts for just 2% of world trade.


Linda Wolfe of Anderson, Indiana, USA, has been married 23 times.

Feed Your Mind

Idioms

a change for the better/worse
- improving/worsening something

Ex. By settling down near the sea, it was a change for the better for them.

Riddles

How can you spell out rot with two letters?

DK (decay)

Quotable Quotes Of The Day

“Those who wish to appear wise among fools, among the wise seem foolish.”
- Quintillian


“How we spend our days is of course how we spend our lives.”
- Anne Dillard

“If you would know the reality of nature, you must destroy the appearance, and the further you go beyond the appearance, and the further you go beyond the appearance the nearer you will be to the essence.”

- Meister Eckhart


“You know you are in love when no words are needed and the simple conversation of an hour long gaze into each other’s eyes satisfies your souls longings.”
- Byron


“If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time or the tools to write.”
- Stephen King


“Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers.”
-T.S. Eliot


“The road to a knowledge of the stars leads through the atom; and important knowledge of the atom has been reached through the stars.”
- Sir Arthur Eddington



“A boy can learn a lot from a dog: obedience, loyalty, and the importance of turning around three times before lying down.”
- Robert Benchley

My Favorite American Idol Season

Since I watched season 7 of American Idol premiered last February 2008 I never blink an eye and turn myself away from TV. On the first few nights I watch these gorgeous potentials perform like a pro and justify entertainment on stage, doing their thing and watch their self become an instant hit in front of giggling crowds and ear drum breaking shouts of fans. Before they hit the stage and an opportunity of a lifetime to take a shot at fame, I watched their hardships and they triumph in their dramatic auditions and compete with hundreds of thousands of other hopefuls for a limited slot. If I missed to watch the episodes, I get updates to what is happening on the show through YouTube.
Who can forget this batch who heightened us with their drama, dumbfounded us with their surprises, raises our eyebrows with their controversies, sobs us in tears for leaving the show and made us jump , shout and act like crazy in their triumphs. This is all about the show is – reality drama at its finest – hardships, difficulty, struggle, fun, humor, drama, suspense, surprises, controversies, annoyance, disgust and victory. I want to recall how these individuals came to be, share their stories, and fulfilling their dreams. Here it is:

1.Garrett Haley (born August 1, 1990 and native of Elida,Ohio)– I can vividly picture his image as a curly blonde hair young lass with deep blue eyes mesmerizing judges with his charm and youthful looks. Moreover he astounded the judges with his toddler voice and when he sang “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” in the top 24, he was the first to say goodbye to the audience. His youthful look justify his cute voice but his irresistible charm could not move the judges. He auditioned in San Diego.
2.Amy Davis (born June 19, 1982 and native of Lowell, Indiana) – though her soulful rendition of “Where The Boys Are” by Connie Francis were felt by the audience, her voice does not resonate the judges and it isn’t registering in their score cards. Unfortunately, it is also her last time to show her prowess and she said goodbye to the audience. One unforgettable scene about her is that she jumped on the pool together with Kristy Lee Cook on one of their bondings. She auditioned in Dallas.
3.Joanne Borgella(born May 29, 1982 and native of Hoboken, New Jersey) – When Joanne graces the limelight, I know she can hit the notes and capture hearts. Her moving performance of “I Say A Little Prayer” convinced me that she can be a solemn singer exalting inspirational songs that most religious and the kind hearted can follow to. Her calm, reserve voice and complacency ended her stint in a competition dominated by a much powerful diva. She auditioned in Philadelphia.
4.Colton Berry(born October 11, 1989 and native of Staunton, Virginia) – once I saw this albino-skinned young crooner, it reminds me of Rupert Grint (remember Harry Potter’s best friend Ron Wesley). His unassuming aura and lighter profile won him an audience and quite a number of fans much more when he swooned them over with his version of Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds”. He is lucky enough to survive and reach this far with unforgiving and discriminating judges to tap with and votes have a big role in this competition. He made Ramiele Malubay cry because she is his roommate and closely bonded with other Idols. He auditioned in Charleston.
5.Jason Yeager(born August 26, 1979 and native of Grand Prairie, Texas) – the single dad, a hunky figure that rocks the season with his heavy and deep voice enough to form a rock band along with Robbie Carrico, Luke Menard, Chikezie, Michael Johns and David Cook. He auditioned in Dallas.
6.Alexandria Lushington(born February 13, 1991 and native of Douglasville, Georgia) – Aside from her twin bun on both side of her head as a signature hairstyle, one distinctive feature I can remember about this young aspirant is her mild manners and refreshing aura and her sullen face combined with her suave moves and rousing performance helped infuse the Idol with lively entertainment. I can’t forget the episode when she was eliminated because as she sang “If You Leave Me Now” by Chicago, she made David Archuleta cry due to her friendly nature and after she’s through, she went immediately to Archie and embraced him. She auditioned in Atlanta.
7.Alaina Whitaker(born February 21, 1991 and native of Tulsa, Oklahoma) – She is one of the bottom performer of the season due to her lukewarm stage presence and voice quality and her projection a little bit awkward but still manage to be heartwarming and sincere in her performance. When she was booted out of the competition in the fourth week, she is stunned and frozen on stage as she can’t believe about her fate, shaking and leaning, nearly collapsing over Kady Malloy, who also belongs to the bottom group. Due to her sadness and helplessness, host Ryan Seacrest ask her if she can still sing and surprised the audience when she bravely continue to perform her last piece. Her singing of her last song “Hopelessly Devoted To You,” though shaky and stammering, is one of the admirable acts of the season. She auditioned in Dallas.
8.Robbie Carrico(born November 13, 1981 in Beckley, West Virginia and native of Melbourne, Florida) – He sports a hanky covering his head as his rock signature on the show. I find him very lucky enough to reach this point despite his below average voice quality or maybe due on two factors: most probably, largely on votes texted and phoned in by his loyal supporters or his handsome previous work experience as a pop boy band member named “Boyz N Girlz United” or just maybe because he briefly dated Britney Spears before he auditioned for the Idols. He auditioned in Miami.
9.Kady Malloy(born May 9, 1989 and native of Houston, Texas) – No one can forget Kady Malloy’s funny but cute impersonation of Britney Spears hit songs and if she can substitute Britney on the radio performance who will notice that she isn’t Britney but Kady Malloy? Simon's comment after her audition was: "Out of all of the people we have seen during this season you are the best."Her previous stint in a record label company helped her shoo-in the popular reality-based talent search. Her sincere, heart piercing version of The Mindbenders’ “Groovy Kind of Love” make my hair raised and my heart beat faster. She auditioned in Dallas.
10.Luke Menard(born December 1, 1978 in Crawfordsville, Indiana) – His Orlando Bloom resemblance and country ballad reception earned him a slot at the Idol season 7 batch. Though his mediocre performance of “Everybody’s Talkin” by Fred Neil and “Killer Queen” by Queen made him stay this long, he is able to charm the crowd with his serenading chants and melody enough to get decent votes. He is eliminated from the show March 6, 2008 with his last song of Wham’s “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go”. After his elimination from AI, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a disease on lymph system causing the enlargement of lymph nodes, tissue and spleen. He successfully went through chemotherapy and will be undergoing a radiation therapy. He auditioned in Omaha.
11.Asia’h Epperson(born August 20, 1988 and native of Joplin, Missouri and now living in Atlanta, Georgia) – Online polls showing that most AI loyal fans favored Asia’h Epperson in winning the season due to her consistency and soulful performance so it was quite a surprise when she bowed out early in the 5th week. Two days before the auditions, her father died in a car accident. Her memorable performance includes “Piece Of My Heart” by Janis Joplin and “All By Myself” by Eric Carmen. She was eliminated March 6, 2008 with her version of Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”. She auditioned in Atlanta singing “How Do I Live”.
12.Daniel “Danny” Noriega(born September 29, 1989 in Azusa, California) – a two timer Idol hopeful, he sports emo punk look during his first audition in season 6 and made it in the Hollywood week before he was sent home. On season 7, he is prepared enough to walk his way on the American Idol stage looking decent and clean this time. He perform hits such as “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley and “Superstar” by The Carpenters in laidback but flamboyant manner which made the Idol fanatics mobs for him. He even courageously shrugged off in cold shoulder and dared the acerbic Simon Cowell with his knocked off comments. Danny Noriega is a jolly fellow and made strong relationship with his Idol alums most especially with Ramiele Malubay. He auditioned in San Diego and was eliminated March 6, 2008 with his song “Tainted Love” by the Soft Cell.
13.David Hernandez(born May 31, 1983 in Glendale, Arizona)– He is also a country ballad singer who gave astounding impressive performance on the show with his warm version of the songs “In The Midnight Hour” by Wilson Pickett, “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” by The Temptations, “It’s All Coming Back To Me Now” by Pandora’s Box. He belongs to the top 12 finalists and was eliminated on the show March 12, 2008 with the song “I Saw Her Standing There” by The Beatles.
14.Amanda Overmyer(born October 26, 1984 and native of Mulberry, Indiana) – Who would think a clean and pure white uniformed nurse would dress herself in Goth, riding a Harley imposing a punk rock signature? It’s true in the case of Amanda Overmyer who release her inhibition and unmask her identity in the show by paving the way for punk rock genre for women in a competition delighted by soulful divas and ballad crooners and soured the idea of rock music. She showed the heavy prowess of women who pluck guitars and with coarse voice. Her screechy, raucous performance of Van Morrison’s “Baby, Please Don’t Go,” “Carry On Wayward Son" by Kansas, “I Hate Myself For Loving You” by Joan Jett, and “You Can’t Do That” by The Beatles won her accolades, gather enough followers and was failed to dampen by the judges. She was eliminated March 19, 2008 for her last song “Back In The U.S.S.R.”
15.Chikezie(born Chikezie Eze on September 11, 1985 in Inglewood, California) – What a cute sounding name for such a stout and bulky figure. Though he is the only black male contestant of the season, he was so well-loved not just by his fellow Idols contestants but by the Idol followers because of his super cool as ice manner and never fail to make a good laugh and a hearty punch line on the show. He is well remembered for this thought provoking performance of the songs “More Today Than Yesterday” by The Spiral Starecase, ”I Believe To My Soul” by Donny Hathaway, “All The Woman That I Need” by Luther Vandross, “She’s A Woman” by The Beatles, “I’ve Just Seen A Face” by The Beatles. He was eliminated for his song “If Only For One Night” by Luther Vandross last March 26, 2008.
16.Ramiele Malubay(born September 6, 1987 in Saudi Arabia and is native of Miramar, Florida) – She is cute in size but big in heart, a midget but with a strong powerful voice, that is why, Ramiele Malubay was never undermined but instead respected and adored by her fellow Idols and her legion of fans most especially her Filipino fans. Her most memorable rendition of Dusty Springfield’s “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” is her most powerful performance on the show that gave her astounding praises and comments from all the three judges. Her other songs performed on the show such as Thelma Houston’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way", Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds”, The Beatles’ “I Should Have Known Better” and “Alone” by Heart were highly criticized by the judges as weak and poor song choice based on her vocal range and style that she must have capitalized and profit from. Her song choice of “In My Life” by The Beatles was a tribute to her dear best friend, Danny Noriega who left the show earlier than her in week six. Among her musical influence includes Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, and Regine Velasquez. She taught Ryan Seacrest a few Filipino words while being interviewed. She was eliminated during the Dolly Parton Week last April 2, 2008 with the song “Do I Ever Cross Your Mind”.
17.Michael Johns(born as Michael Lee on October 20, 1978 in Perth, Western Australia and lives in Buckhead, Georgia) – Handsome Australian blood from Buckhead, Georgia. His boyish looks and versatility gave him a decent place in the season 7. His remarkable performance includes “Light My Fire” by The Doors, “Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way”, Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)", Queen’s “We Will Rock You”/”We Are The Champions”, “ and “It’s All Wrong But It’s All Right” by Dolly Parton. He was eliminated on the week whose theme is inspirational songs with his piece “Dream On” by Aerosmith last April 10, 2008.
18.Kristy Lee Cook(born January 18, 1984 and is native of Selma, Oregon) – On the first week of the AI competition, she was ranked on top of the female contenders by one of the online pols. No wonder, she justified that ranking with her impressive performance of “Rescue Me” by Fontella Bass, Linda Ronstadt’s “You’re No Good,””Faithfully” by Journey, The Beatles’ “Eight Days A Week,” Dolly Parton’s “Coat Of Many Colors” and “Anyway” by Martina McBride. The most astounding performance of Kristy Lee Cook, for me, however, is when she belted out the patriotic song “God Bless The USA”. She is a horse trainer who sold her prized horse in order to afford the trip to audition in Philadelphia. She was eliminated last April 16, 2008 during the Mariah Carey week with the song “Forever”.
19.Carly Smithson(born September 12, 1983 in Dublin, Ireland but now living in San Diego, California) – A beautiful blue-eyed Irish in the person of Carly Smithson is a compatriot of Amanda Overmyer who sports the gloomy goth and punk. Known for her tattoo inspired by her boyfriend, she impressed the judges and the audience with her arousing heavy performance and a high quality of vocal chords. Her notable performance includes “The Shadow Of Your Smile” by Tony Bennett, “Crazy On You” by Heart, “Come Together” by The Beatles, “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” by Bonnie Tyler, and “Without You” by Mariah Carey. She was eliminated last April 23, 2008 during the Andrew Lloyd Webber performing her last song, “Superstar” soundtrack of the popular musical made into a movie, Jesus Christ Superstar.
20.Brooke White(born June 2, 1983 in Mesa, Arizona) – A nanny from Van Nuys, California, she prefers country over her hit performances of “Happy Together" by The Turtles, “You’re So Vain" by Carly Simon, “Love Is A Battlefield” by Pat Benatar, The Beatles’ “Let It Be” and “Here Comes The Sun" by The Police, “Jolene” by Dolly Parton, “Hero” by Mariah Carey and “You Must Love Me” taken from the soundtrack of the movie Evita. I admired her rendition of “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon and “Jolene” by Dolly Parton. She was eliminated during the Neil Diamond week last April 30, 2008 with the song “I Am…I Said”. One interesting trivia about her is that she once made a commercial ad for a dishwashing liquid – aptly because of her shiny character.
21.Jason Castro(born March 25, 1987 and is native of Rockwall, Texas) – He is popular in AI season 7 for having a dreadlock and a charming blue eyes that speak for itself. He is an A-lister performer always wearing a smile , has positive outlook on life and projects an excitable personality that makes AI all the more entertaining. He is the male counterpart of Brooke White in country obviously heard in his performance. His bewitching eyes attract admirers and followers who gave him bulk amount of votes for him to stay longer in the competition. Among his memorable performance includes The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Daydream”, Andy Gibbs’ “I Just Want To Be Your Everything”, Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah”, “Fragile” by Sting, “Travelin’ Thru” by Dolly Parton, and “September Morn” by Neil Diamond. He was eliminated last May 7, 2008 during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame week with his songs “I Shot The Sheriffs” by Bob Marley and The Wailers and “Mr. Tambourine Man” by The Byrds.
22.Syesha Mercado(born January 2, 1987 in Bridgeport, Connecticut but lives in Sarasota, Florida) – She is prominent all throughout the show as showcased by video clips prominently focused and features positive notes on her. She proven her prowess and strong showing when she hit the high notes for her noteworthy performance of “Tobacco Road” by The Nashville Teens, Whitney Houston’s “Saving All My Love For You,” The Beatles’ “Yesterday,””If I Were Your Woman” by Stephanie Mills, “I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton, “I Believe” by Fantasia, “Vanishing” by Mariah Carey, and “Hello Again” by Neil Diamond among others. Her singing of Billy Paul’s “Me and Mr. Jones” popped an imagination in my head of her singing in a lounge bar and me sitting on a corner drinking beer while listening to her and jazz musicians. She made some commercial ads prior to her audition in Miami. She was top three and was eliminated last May 14, 2008 with the songs “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys, “Fever” by Peggy Lee, and “Hit Me Up” by Gia Farrell.
23.David Archuleta(born December 28, 1990 in Miami, Florida but lives in Murray, Utah) – Like Jason Castro, he is an amiable teenager with youthful looks, cheerful personality and has a positive character that brings out the best in him. Armed with his boyish looks and irresistible charm, he is able to attract a swarm of screaming teens and young adults. He is the favorite Idol to win the season not only because of his handsome looks but also a voice that serenades every young girl’s hearts. He takes risk to give a unique signature music to some of the classic timeless hits where no one dared to revise and retouch. He even astounded all the judges and never failed their expectations that is why he is also their bet to win it all, week after week of impressive performance. Although he ended up as the runner up to the surprised winner David Cook, he never loses head but instead take inspiration and opportunity to build his image and catapult his stardom when he debuted with his first single “Crush” that launch his career, hit the airwaves and top the charts. Among his memorable performance on AI includes “Shop Around” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “Imagine” by John Lennon, Phil Collins’ “Another Day In Paradise," ”The Long and Winding Road” by The Beatles, John Farnham’s “You’re The Voice”, “Think Of Me”, “And So It Goes” by Billy Joel, “With You” by Chris Brown, “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me” by Elton John and “In This Moment” an original composition of Ryan Gillmor for the AI Songwriting Competition.
24.David Cook(born December 20, 1982 in Houston, Texas but lives in Blue Springs, Missouri) – He was considered as the dark horse and underdog to David A. whose vocal range is much preferred by the mean judges over a hoarse heavy vocal chords of the goateed David C. Although he was never been in the bottom group, he was never seen as a threat and in serious contention. His versatility and original scoring and arrangements of songs was noticed by the judges who scored him high and given remarkable comments for such an innovation. He made such twist and drama highlighting his performances that he offered his songs to his then sick lawyer brother (recently succumbed to brain cancer). His winning of American Idol season 7 is one of the most dramatic victory in the history of AI, winning the title despite the fact that he just accompanied his brother who originally auditioned for the competition. His notable performance includes “Happy Together” by The Turtles, Lionel Richie’s “Hello,” Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” Mariah Carey’s “Always Be My Baby,” “All I Really Need Is You,” by Neil Diamond, “Hungry Like the Wolf” by Duran Duran, and “Dream Big” original composition of Emily Shackelton, an AI songwriting competition contestant. The song he performed on the finals night “Time Of My Life” is the winning song of AI songwriting competition and is his first carrier single that top the chart for several weeks and launched his career as a rock icon.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

In January 2009, Doctors removed a kidney stone that was the size of a coconut from Sandor Sarkadi in Debrecen, Hungary.

On September 13, 1916 “Murderous Mary,” an elephant from the Sparks Brothers Circus, was hanged for murder in Erwin, Tennessee, USA.

The American Museum of Natural History lists more than 19,200 different species of bees, more than all bird and mammal species combined.

Police Dogs in Dusseldorf, Germany wear rubber shoes to protect their feet from broken glass.

King Sobhuza II (1899 -1982) was Swaziland’s monarch for more than 82 years, longer than any other ruler of any country in modern times.

In December 2006, Professor Masayuki Nakao and students from the University of Tokyo created a bowl of carbon nanotube noodles 1/25,000 of an inch across.

“Poetic Justice” In December 2007, a large group of teenagers vandalized the home of U.S. poet Robert Frost (1874 – 1963). Their sentencing included attending classes to learn about Frost’s poetry.

Quotable Quotes of the Day

“The mind of a bigot is like the pupil of the eye. The more light you shine on it, the more it will contract.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

“As long as you live, keep learning how to live.”
Seneca

“True religion is the poetry of the heart; it has enchantments useful to our manners; it gives us both happiness and virtue.”
Joubert


“The road to a knowledge of the stars leads through the atom; And important knowledge of the atom has been reached through the stars.”
Sir Arthur Eddington

“The world is full of women blindsided by the unceasing demands of motherhood, still flabbergasted by how a job can be terrific and torturous.”
Anna Quindlen

“You have to recognize when the right place and the right time fuse and take advantage of that opportunity. There are plenty of opportunities out there.”
Ellen Metcalf

A Wholly Holy Spirit Quiz

How much do you know about the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity – the Holy Spirit? Begin with No. 1 and follow the directions.

1.The Holy Spirit is called the principal author of Scripture. Where in the Bible is the Holy Spirit first mentioned?
a.At the very beginning, in the Book of Genesis. (Go to 8)
b.In the New Testament, when John baptizes Jesus in the Jordan River. (Move to 36)

2.How about an easier question? If you took a short side trip to one of the incorrect answers, you already know the Holy Spirit appeared as a dove at Jesus’ baptism. What is another common symbol for the Holy Spirit?
a.A rock. (Head for 16)
b.Fire. (Move to 31)

3.No, the Incarnation is Jesus, who is divine, assuming a human nature: “The Word became flesh” (Jn. 1:14). Return to 14.

4.Orthodox Churches were Churches of the Eastern rite that were in communion with Rome until the great schism (split) of 1054. Central to the disagreement was a teaching about the Holy Spirit. What was it?
a.They say the correct way to make the Sign of the Cross is “Father, Spirit, Son,” and that’s why they bless themselves differently from Roman Catholics. (Move to 34)
b.They disagreed that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. (Go to 37)

5.That’s right. Consubstantial was the word used by the Council of Nicea in 325. The Church said the Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity are distinct and separate but are of one and the same substance. Now head for 2.

6.Charismatic refers to what?
a.The reverential personalities of the followers in the movement. (Move to 10)
b.The gifts they not infrequently receive after being “baptized in the Holy Spirit.” (Head for 22)

7.Tough choice, wasn’t it? You picked the wrong one. Return to 26.

8.Yes, and early in the book. Chapter 1, verse 2, reads: “The earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.” The Hebrew word ruah, which we translate as spirit, means breath, air, or wind. Now move to 14.

9.Sorry. Return to 12.

10.No. Return to 6.

11.The word literally means “called to the side of,” and so advocate is a good translation. So is helper. Now move to 26.

12.This is your last question. If you wanted to read the Gospel noted for talking about the Holy Spirit, which should you choose?
a.John. (Go to 9)
b.Luke. (Move to 20)

13.No. Return to 21.

14.Let’s try a theological question. The doctrine of the Holy Spirit is slowly revealed in the Old Testament, while in the New Testament many specific references to the Holy Spirit can be found. When teaching about this Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Church uses the term consubstantial. What does that mean?

15.In recent times, some Catholics have had a particular devotion to the Holy Spirit. Among them, it’s not uncommon to pray in “tongues.” In general, they are referred to as what?
a.Catholic Pentecostals. (Go to 25)
b.Charismatics. (Head for 35)

16.Sorry. Return to 2.

17.Matthew 12:31 talks about unforgivable “sins against the Holy Spirit.” What are those sins?
a.Final unrepentance, not being sorry for our sins. (Move to 24)
b.Abortion. (Head for 42)

18.Here’s an easy one: Which sacrament has been closely identified with the Holy Spirit?
a.Confirmation. (Go to 23)
b.Matrimony. (Move to 41)

19.Yes. The traditional gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord (respect and reverence for God). The fruits are charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity. Now go to 40.

20.The Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are a two-volume set that highlights the roles and the power of the Holy Spirit. Now head for 43.

21.The age at which children are confirmed has varied over the centuries. What has been the youngest?
a.As with First Holy Communion now, the age of reason, around 7 years old. (Head for 13)
b.As an infant, with Baptism. (Go to 30)

22.Yes. The charisms or gifts would include, in addition to speaking in tongues, healing (both spiritually and physically), prophecy (not typically a predicting of the future, but a giving of divinely inspired messages about the present), and the discernment of spirits (making a human judgment inspired by the Holy Spirit). Now move to 33.

23.Correct. “By the sacrament of Confirmation,” says the Vatican II document, Lumen Gentium, “[the baptized]” are more perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit.” Now head for 21.

24.Yes, that’s what the great theologians Augustine (354 – 430) and Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274) thought the passage meant. It’s refusing to say to God we’re sorry for a serious sin even at the time of death. Now head for 12.

25.They’re called both, and their movement is known as the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Now go to 6.

26.In the Acts of the Apostles, we read how the Holy Spirit gave Christ’s followers great courage. That and six other virtues are known as what?
a.The fruits of the Holy Spirit. (Go to 7)
b.The gifts of the Holy Spirit. (Move to 19)

27.No. The date and place may sound familiar because that’s when and where St. Therese, the Little Flower, died. Return to 33.

28.Paraclete…bird…dove…parakeet.No. Return to 39.

29.No. Return to 40.

30. Yes, and in Eastern rites, Confirmation is still administered at the same time an infant is baptized. Now move to 4.

31.Are you thinking about the Pentecost? That was when the Holy Spirit blew through the Apostles’ hiding place – and into their hearts – appearing as a tongue of fire over each (Acts 2:3). Now head for 39.

32.Yes. This powerful and often misunderstood gift refers to speaking – praying out loud – in a language that cannot be understood by the speaker or any listeners. As St. Paul writes, “One who speaks in a tongue does not speak to human beings but to God… uttering mysteries in spirit.” Now head for 15.

33.When and where, in modern times, did the Catholic Charismatic movement begin?
a.In October 1897 in Lisieux, France. (Move to 27)
b.At Duquesne University in Pittsburgh in 1967. (Go to 38)

34.No, but that was a tempting answer. Return to 4.

35.They’re called both, and their movement is known as the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Now go to 6.

36.No, that isn’t the first reference, although at Jesus’ Baptism “the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove” (Lk 3:22). Return to 1.

37.It’s what we say in the Nicene Creed: the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son – filioque, in Latin. It was added to the creed in 589 and some Eastern – rite theologians objected, saying the Spirit proceeds only from the Father. The disagreement simmered and boiled until the schism. It still hasn’t been settled, though progress is being made. Now head for 17.

38.Yes, this “20th – century Pentecost” took place at a college retreat. Duquesne and the University of Notre Dame were early hubs of the movement. Now head for 18.

39.The Holy Spirit is sometimes referred to as the Paraclete. What does that word mean?
a.It’s from the Greek for advocate. (Head for 11)
b.No, it’s from the Greek for bird. (Move to 28)

40.In 1 Corinthians (14:1), Paul writes about another gift the Spirit can give. The technical term is glossolalia. It’s more commonly known as what?
a.Prophecy. (Move to 29)
b.Speaking in tongues. (Head for 32)

41.No, although a couple that continues to ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom certainly stands a better chance of having a happy marriage. Return to 18.

42.No. Return to 17.

43.Let’s end with a quote from St. Basil (c.329-379) used in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (#736): “Through the Holy Spirit, we are restored to paradise, led back to the kingdom of heaven… called children of light, and given a share in eternal glory.”

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

A 2009 Road Safety Campaign in New Zealand featured billboards that would bleed on rainy days.

For The Love Of Tank! After his dog was bitten on the nose by a rattlesnake, Bobby Jenkins of Goshen County, Wyoming, USA, sucked the dangerous venom from the wound, and was hospitalized himself.

A hibernating mammal can lose as much as 40 % of its body weight over winter.

The Stannard Rock Lighthouse is the only structure on a large, 23 miles off the coast of Lake Superior. It was staffed only by men for 8 decades until it was automated in 1962.

Rhesus Monkeys at Japan’s Osaka Zoo were fed so much by visitors that the primates became obese, weighing up to 3 times their normal weight. They are now on a strict weight-loss regimen.

ENIAC, in 1946, was the world’s first general purpose computer. It weighed 30 tons and occupied an entire room. Its computing ability can be recreated today on a silicon chip smaller than your thumbnail.

London’s 1 million security cameras only help solve crimes at a rate of about 1 per thousand.

Belarus lost so many people during World War II (1941 – 1945) that its population didn’t recover to pre-war levels for more than a generation.

During one of the voyages to the Americas, Christopher Columbus’ crew angered the native population of Jamaica, but managed to pacify them by “magically” predicting an eclipse (with the help of an astronomer’s almanac)

Feed Your Mind

Riddles


If you want to learn to fight, what book should you read?

A scrapbook.



Idioms

a chip on one’s shoulder
- a grievance in one’s mind which colors one’s attitude to life

Ex. Michael has had a chip on his shoulder ever since he was rusticated.

Quotable Quotes of the Day

“The secret of happiness is to admire without desiring.”
- Francis H. Bradley

“Abuse a man unjustly, and you will make friends for him.”
- Edgar Watson Howe

“Knowledge and human power are synonymous.”
- Francis Bacon

“Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
- Will Rogers

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

THE EATER! Salim “El Akoul” Haini of Algeria eats light bulbs, candles, sawdust and nails, and he once consumed an entire roasted lamb in one sitting.

MATERNAL INSTINCT! King penguins often adopt other penguin’s chicks as their own, and have even been seen trying to raise a young skua bird – a species that feeds on young penguins.

Munish Bansal of Gillingham, Kent, England, has taken pictures of his children everyday for 13 years.

During World War II, Scientists from the UK, US and Canada experimented with a bomb that shot out lethal poison darts.


MUTT UGLY! Pabst, a boxer-mix who won the 2009 World’s Ugliest Dog Competition at the Sonoma- Marin Fair in California, was the first dog in nearly a decade to win that wasn’t a Chinese crested pedigree.

Until July 1, 2009, it was illegal to collect rainwater in the State of Colorado, USA.

Liz Strutton converted a World War II defensive bunker in Cornwall, England into an underground home.

Qin Shi Huang (259 – 210 B.C.), the first emperor of China, was buried in an underground tomb next to rivers filled with shimmering mercury.

Africa’s Driver Ants have bites strong enough to stitch a wound shut. Once in place, the ant can be decapitated, and its jaws will stay clasped together.

Feed Your Mind

Riddles



If a flea and a fly pass each other what time is it?

Fly past flea

How are 2 plus 2 equal 5 and your left hand alike?

Neither is right.

If a man born an Australian, worked in America and died in Europe, what is he?

Dead.

Quotable Quotes of the Day

“What is nothing exists and were all in somebody’s dream? or what’s worse, what is only that fat guy in the third row exists?”
- Woody Allen

“My vocation is more in composition really than anything else – Building up harmonies using the guitar, orchestrating the guitar like an army.”
- Jimmy Page

“When walking through the valley of shadows remember, a shadow is past by a light.”
- H.K. Barclay

“No pressure, no diamonds.”
- Mary Case


“And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down, without the rain, there would be no rainbow.”
- Jerry Chin

“Take the diplomacy out of war and the thing would fall flat in a week.”
- Will Rogers

“War is a series of catastrophes that results in a victory.”
- Georges Clemenceau

Feed Your Mind

Idioms
blank check
- permission to do whatever one considers desirable or necessary.

Ex. The management has given me a blank check to modernize the company’s equipment.

Tongue Twister

Try repeating this sentence in quick succession without faltering or stuttering, and don’t be surprised to see your tongue twisted in the process!

Eugene endeavored to play the euphonium and usually hushed the audience who ushered him from the room.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

It takes 8.3 minutes for light to travel from the sun to the earth.

Sharon Smith, a teacher from Molino, Florida, USA, died from a heart attack just minutes after dismissing her last class on the day of her retirement, May 30, 2008.

Two recent recipients of double hand transplants, both of whom were right-handed before they lost their hands, became left-handed after the surgery.

When droughts conditions dried out a pond in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India in May 2009, 98 human skulls were found at the bottom.

In 1900, men outnumbered women in Hawaii more than 2 to 1.

In January 2009, Baba “Jagir” Singh wore an 820 foot long turban for a Sikh Religious Festival in Amritsar, Punjab, India.

The human brain operates on the equivalent of about 20 watts of energy.

More than 200 billion liters of bottled water are sold worldwide every year.

80% of the face of Connie Culp of Unionport, Ohio, USA, was replaced by the bone, muscles, skin and blood vessels of another person during the world’s most extensive face transplant surgery ever.

Quotable Quotes of the Day

“There comes a time in the affairs of man when he must take the bull by the tail and face the situation.”
- W.C. Fields

“Drinking makes such fools of people, and people are such fools to begin with, that it’s compounding a felony.”
- Robert Benchley

“You can always draw as well as you know how to. I flatter myself that I feel more than I express on canvas; But I know that is not so.”
- William Morris Hunt


“It is well that war is so terrible or we should grow too fond of it.”
- Robert E. Lee

“You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war.”
- Albert Einstein

“Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.”
- H.L. Mencken

The Sims 3 Pictures

These are the images I captured in my favorite game the Sims 3, the best selling pc game of all time. I would tell you the story behind these images.

My Sims 3 Game Images and The Story Behind

It's harvesting time, time to reap all the produce brought by so many years of hard work, toiling, weeding, tending, watering and fertilizing these healthy and hearty vegetation. Shovel and extend your arms to reach for these nutricious produce you can cook on your kitchen or eat it fresh direct from your vegetable garden!
This lady is pushing herself to the limits, crash and burn, wet herself in sweat just to obtain a good physique, become fit and a healthy lifestyle. Way to go for this girl!
This character based on real life is a self confessed drug addict driver and also a notorious witch. He is cruel to his family and unforgiving to people. Because of his nasty lifestyle, he began to live a difficult situation, he become skinny and find so many enemies besides he is so ugly that others thought he might be a hideous monster. Will he survive a lifetime now that he is trapped in his house or die in misery?
This guy is about to celebrate his adulthood and coming to terms with his character and personality. Will he pursue a strict and rigid discipline in a job or a comfortable and luxurious, lavish lifestyle?
These two lovely couples are about to sleep in my previous game that was erased and put back again in the storage until I move them in another lot. They look gorgeous and handsome and they love each other. Wonder who they are?

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

Cyprus and Kosovo are the only countries in the world that have maps on their national flags.

Karl McLennan of Aberdeen, Scotland returned to his job after 12 years of sick leave.

Hadaka Matsuri or "Naked Festival", is a Japanese tradition during which thousands of naked or scantily clad men struggle to retrieve sacred sticks thrown into the crowd by a priest.

The first man-made object to leave earth's atmosphere was a weapon of war - NAZI Germany's V-2 Rocket.

Combing your hair while it's dry can launch head lice several feet into the air.

Sharks can sometimes be lulled into a temporary dormant state - by holding them upside down and massaging them.

40% of Americans have never moved from the community in which they were born.

The Giant Pacific Octopus has an arm span of more than 14 feet across.

Quotable Quotes of the Day

"Probably I hold the distinction of being one movie star who, by all laws of logic, should never have made it. At each stage of my career, I lacked the experience."
- Audrey Hepburn

"If nothing changed, time would stop. For time is nothing but change. It is change we see occurring all around us, not time. Time doesn't exist."
- Julian Barbour

"The most beautiful thing he can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science."
- Albert Einstein

"If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin."
- Charles Darwin

Quotable Quotes of the Day

"All suffering is caused by being in the wrong place. If you're unhappy where you are, move."
- Timothy Leary

"Just as a picture is drawn by an artist, surroundings are created by the activities of the mind."
- Buddha

"All of nature is basically conservative -- it doesn't exert energy or take any risks if it doesn't have to. Ninety-nine percent of the time in life this approach works."
- Robert Mckee

"The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances; if there is any reaction. Both are transformed."
- Carl Jung

"A college degree is not a sign that one is a finished product but an indication a person is prepared for life."
- Rev. Edward A. Malloy

"Prove that you can control yourself, and you are an educated man; and without this all other education is good for nothing."
- R.D. Hitchcock

"For a successful technology, reality just take precedence over public relations, for nature cannot be fooled."
- Richard P. Feynman

"I am glad that I paid so little attention to good advice; had I abided by it I might have been saved from some of my most valuable mistakes."
- Gene Fowler

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

The sidewalks of Mexico City have an average of 70 pieces of discarded chewing gum per square yard.

US President John F. Kennedy, his assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, and his assassin's assassin, Jack Ruby, all died in the same place - Parkland Hospital in Dallas, Texas, USA.

David Olson of Riverton, Wyoming, USA found a pair of 9 mm bullets which had collided in midair.

Swallow syncope is a medical condition that causes a person to faint when consuming certain foods or beverages.

During the 2008 Season, The Detroit Lions became the first team in the history of the U.S. National Football League to lose every regular season game, for a 0-16 record.

The people of Swaziland live an average of 32 years - less than half the world average.

Male bowerbirds of Australia build huts and maintain decorative gardens to attract mates.

Each year on September 15, RESPECT FOR THE AGED DAY is celebrated in Japan, and all citizens who reach age 100 are given a silver cup and a letter from the Prime Minister.

The U.S. television show "M.A.S.H." aired for 11 season from 1972-1983, but the Korean War, which was the shows setting, only lasted 3 years.

The $400 million, 557 ft. long yacht owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich is equipped with a swimming pool, two helipads, a mini-submarine and a missile defense system.

Mike Hobbs and Mel Lang of Dorset, England, were the winners of this year's annual STINGING NETTLE EATING COMPETITION - each ate 48 feet of the weed.

British artist Tim Knowles affixed pens to tree branches to see what kind of art the wind would create.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

Born without limbs, Nick Vujicic of Los Angeles, California, USA has learned to golf, swim and surf.

Saturn’s Rings are only a few dozen feet thick in most places!

Lady Beetles taken into orbit are still able to hunt down their prey in microgravity.


Brian Johnsrud of Mansfield, Wisconsin, USA won the Wisconsin State Fair’s Cricket-Spitting Contest by launching one of the bugs 22 feet, 8 inches.

Thin strands of glass drawn out of volcanic lava are called Pele’s Hair – named for Pele, the Hawaiian Volcano Goddess!

Don Briggs, a High School baseball umpire ejected the entire crowd in attendance at a game at West Burlington, Iowa, USA on June 11, 2009.

Quotable Quotes of the Day

“Acting is the expression of a neurotic impulse. It’s a bum’s life. The principal benefit acting has afforded me is the money to pay for my psychoanalysis.”
- Marlon Brando

“It is vain to say human beings ought to be satisfied with tranquility: they must have action; and they will make it if they cannot find it.”
- Charlotte Bronte


“And you will know the truth, and the trust will make you free.”
- John 8:32

“The testimony of the Lord is sure making wife the simple.”
- Psalms 19:7


“I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning to sail my ship.”
- Louisa May Alcott

“Action is the product of the qualities inherent in nature.”
- Bhagavadgita

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

When Spiders are taken into space, they spin tangled, messy webs – but as they adapt to microgravity, they begin spinning normal symmetrical webs!

The 746,047 sq. mile Canadian Territory of Nunavut is 1 million times larger than the principality of Monaco but has a smaller population.

Enigmatology is the study of puzzles.

Quotable Quotes of the Day

“Measure not the work until the days out and the labor done.”
-Elizabeth Barrett Browning


“Life grants nothing to us mortals without hard work.”
-Horace
“All of nature is basically conservative – It doesn’t exert any energy or take any risks if it doesn’t have to. “
- Robert McKee

Quotable Quotes of the Day

“When a man tells you that he got rich through hard work, ask him: whose?”
- Don Marquis

“My work is a game, a very serious game.”
- M.C. Escher

“Man can preserve a vestige of spiritual freedom, of independence of mind, even in such terrible conditions of psychic and physical stress.”
- Viktor Frankl

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

* Margaret Bernstorff of Evanston, Illinois, USA, lived with the two skeletons and a decomposed body of her dead siblings.

*Dr. David Nott performed a life-saving amputation on a boy in Rutshuru,Democratic Republic of Congo, following directions texted to his cellphone from a colleague in England.

Quotable Quotes of the Day

"Whoever does not love his work, cannot hope that it will please others, Unknown work saves us from three great evils: boredom, vice and need."
- Voltaire


"In order that a man may be happy, it is necessary that he should not only be capable of his work, but a good judge of his work."
- John Ruskin

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

A Prisoner escaped jail in Willich, Germany in November, 2008, by hiding in a box as part of a courier’s shipment.


14 year old D’zhana Simmons of Clinton South Carolina, USA, was kept alive by machines, and spent 118 days without a heart.


The poisonous skin of the Australian Cane Toad can kill snakes, dogs and crocodiles.

Filipina Actress

One of the more versatile actresses of Premiere Productions in the 50s was Virginia Montes. She was cast in drama, comedy and action pictures opposite the studio's top eading men notably Efren Reyes, her love on and offcam.
The great Gerry de Leon directed Virgie in the classic suspense-action-drama 48 Oras, with Rogelios de la Rosa, Enrico Pimentel and Nena Cardenas as co-stars.
Her film with Reyes included Paltik, Ang Kampana ng San Diego, Hiwaga ng Buhay, Bandido. Her other movies: Padre Burgos, Hiwaga sa Tulay na Bato, Luha ng Langit,Hokus-Pokus,Kenkoy.
In the early 70s she produced several youth-oriented movies under the Barangay Productions' banner. Virgie also appeared in character roles, notably Rebecca Marasigan and Paradise Inn.

Binibining Pilipinas Trivia

1964 Bb. Pilipinas Universe Myrna Panlilio and the country’s other top ramp models appeared in a travelogue fashion show, Sights & Sounds of Pacifica ’68, a Honolulu TV format aired every Sunday, filmed in Hawaii, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Mexico City. Myrna was a finalist in the 1964 Filipina Maid of Cotton

1964 semifinalist Edna Keyes was introduced in Lalaine, Mahal Kita (1964, topbilled by Lalaine Bennett 1963 Miss Philippines and Miss Universe 3rd runner up). Edna was also Miss Luzon, 1st runner up to 1964 Miss Philippines International Gemma Cruz.

1965 Bb. Pilipinas Universe Louise Vail Aurelio, an American mestiza, was a track and field athlete from Iloilo. She appeared with 1964 Miss International Gemma Cruz in Sunduan which was featured in Sampaguita movie Romansa sa World’s Fair (1965, topbilled by Susan Roces and Romeo Vasquez).

1965 2nd runner up Sehba Mulok (real name: Georgie Reisland), a Muslim princess by birth from Kiamba, Cotabato, appeared in People’s Pictures movies using Soraya as her screen name. Her film credits include Captain Barbell Kontra Captain Baka and Hong Kong 999 (both in 1965)

Other Muslim princess who have joined the pageant include Emraida Kiram (1966 candidate and later Miss RP-World 1966), Yasmin Kiram (1968 semifinalist and later 1970 Miss Caltex finalist) and Ava Quibranza (1979 Bb. Pilipinas- Maja)

1967 Bb. Pilipinas Universe Pilar Pilapil was crowned by Claudine Auger, 1958 Miss World 1st runner up who became a Bond Girl. Neil Sedaka was the special guest during the pageant.

1968 3rd runner up Tina Artillaga entered showbiz eight years after the contest, first in Hoy Mister, Ako Ang Misis Mo (1976) starring Joseph Estrada and Elizabeth Oropesa, and then in Mga Sekretaryang Walang Silya (1976).

1968 Miss Philippines International 2nd runner up Fortune Aleta is presently the honorary Consul of Monaco to the Philippines. She’s a cum laude Optometry graduate from CEU. Fortune was also 1968 Mutya ng Pilipinas 1st runner up (Jane de Joya).

Nineteen days before she was crowned 1969 Bb. Pilipinas Universe Gloria Diaz was one of the seven finalists in the 1969 Quest for a Model search won by Maricar Azaola who became Gloria’s 3rd runner up in the Bb. Pilipinas pageant. It was 1963 Miss Caltex Elsa Payumo who tapped Gloria to join the Bb. Pilipinas contest.

1970 Bb. Pilipinas International and 1970 Miss International Aurora Pijuan was one of the members of the 12 Young VIP Council of Rustan’s in 1968 (along with Camay Girl actress Maritess Revila and 1969 Queen of the Pacific runner up Emma Ruth Yulo).

1970 1st runner up Imelda Pagaspas was in the cast of the longest running afternoon soap, Flordeluna (1979 – 1983), starring Janice de Belen.

1972 2nd runner up and Miss Photogenic Polly Penson was paired with Dolphy in Bornebol, Special Agent (1974). She was crowned Mutya ng Pilipinas in 1974 and placed 2nd runner up in the Miss Asia pageant that year.

1975 Bb. Young Pilipinas Jean Saburit made her acting debut in an episode of Habang May Buhay on Channel 13 after her reign. Leroy Salvador was impressed and included Jean in the cast of Tang Tarang Tang for three seasons. Her first movie was Kapten Batuten (1977), first starring role was in Kaladkarin (1980) and first title role was in Babae sa Ulog (1981). Jean won the Miss Yukata (Best in Summer Kimono) Award in the 1976 Miss Young International

1976 1st runner up and Best in Swimsuit Celita de Castro portrayed the young Vilma Valera in Rosa Negra (1962, topbilled by Lolita Rodriguez). Celita was crowned Miss Hawaii USA in 1977 and was one of the semifinalists in the Miss USA 1977 (for Miss Universe) pageant. She also appeared in Eddie Romero’s Banta ng Kahapon (1977) and had a supporting guest role in Charlie’s Angels (starring Jaclyn Smith, Farah Fawcett and Cheryl Ladd) Season 2/3 Pretty Angels in a Row which was aired on Sept. 28, 1977. Celita was also 1974 Miss Oahu Filipina and 1975 Miss Hawaii Filipina.

1976 semifinalist Azenith Briones did a few movies between 1977 and 1979 including Omeng Satanasia (with Dolphy, her first movie), Patayin si Mediavillo (with FPJ), Mission: Terrorize Panay (with Ramon Revilla), Magapatuka Na Lang Ako Sa Ahas (with Chiquito) and Sabotage II (with Tony Ferrer), among others. She was also 1975 Mutya Miss Tourism 2nd runner up.

1977 Bb. Pilipinas Universe Anna Lorraine Kier starred in top rating sitcom Duplex as the love interest of Al Tantay, played the nurse of Dindo Fernando in Flordeluna and did hosting chose in Business Talk. Anna was also 1976 Miss Teenage Philippines.

1977 Miss Maja Pilipinas and Artist Choice Award winner Bambi Arambulo got her break in showbiz three years after her reign when she was introduced in Temptation Island (1980) in which she shared top billing with fellow beauty queens Azenith Briones, Jennifer Cortez, Dina Bonnevie. She also appeared in Ang Agila at ang Falcon (1981, with Ramon Revilla Sr.) Bambi was also 1976 Filipina Maid of Cotton.

1978 Bb. Pilipinas Universe Jennifer Cortez was persuaded by award winning cinematographer Romy Vitug to join the Bb. Pageant while she was shooting her first movie, Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak (1978, directed by Celso Ad Castillo). Her other movies include Tatak Angustia, Daniel Bartolo, Tatlong Hari and Temptation Island, all in the early ‘80s.

Ripley's Believe It Or Not

At a Melon Festival in Chinchilla, Queensland, Australia, John Allwood used his head to smash 47 watermelons in 60 seconds.

Evaporation rates in the desert are often faster than the speed at which rain falls, causing raindrops to disappear before they hit the ground.

The Sun’s surface has a temperature of about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit but the atmosphere above it has temperatures of millions of degrees.

Quotable Quote of the Day

“I wrote entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what is looking at, what I see and what it means, what I want and what I fear” - Joan Didion

Miriam Quiambao's Fate at Miss Universe

Almost but not quite – but good enough just the same.

Miriam Quiambao’s winning as 1st runner up in the 1999 Miss Universe Pageant (with Miss Botswana as the winner and Miss Spain as 2nd runner up) is the closest a Filipina ever got to again bagging the title since 1973 (26 years ago) when Margie Moran brought home the bacon, so to speak, for the second time (from Greece where the Miss Universe was held that year), only four years after Gloria Diaz (the first Filipina Miss Universe) got it in Miami Beach, Florida, in 1969. Everybody thought Miriam was “it” until the final Q&A (the decisive portion when the judges are supposed to rank the top three finalists) when the seemingly simple but actually very tricky question was popped at each of the contenders (the two others have their ears covered while one of them is answering the question): If Miss Universe were to become pregnant during her reign, should she be allowed to continue as Miss Universe?
Although poised and smiling, Miriam hesitated a bit when she answered and, everybody is convinced that did her in.

Let’s compare and contrast the three finalists’ answers:

Miss Spain (Diana Nogueira, through an interpreter): “I don’t see why not because her head will still be the same. The only difference is that she will be bringing someone into the world. The only thing is if it were to in some way keep her from her travel, well..”

Miss Philippines: “It’s a very difficult situation to be in and, ah, I believe that if Miss Universe, if ever she becomes pregnant, I believe that she should continue with her reign if she has been a good example to be a Miss Universe, if she has pursued all the… all the goals that she has, that she had in the first place, and I believe that she should continue.” (A bit circuitous, isn’t it?)

Miss Botswana (Mpule Kwelagobe): “Personally, I think that Miss Universe is a symbol of a woman celebrating her femininity and I believe that if she becomes pregnant a woman can anyway interrupt her duty. I believe that as a woman she can celebrate her femininity.”
(Was that question coined as a subtle reference to a contestant who quit because of suspected pregnancy?) Miriam reluctant answer prompted one of the two anchorwomen, former Miss USA contestant Julia Moran to biatch, “She co amped up; it’s a pity. It’s a shame. She definitely choked!”

But the other anchorwoman, Miss USA 1996, Ali Landry, earlier praised Miriam for her answer in the preliminary Q&A portion. Question from host Jack Wagner (of Melrose Place); One of your proudest achievements was standing up to one of your professors back in college. Now, what did you stand up for recently?

Miriam’s answer “Oh, when I fell on the stage last Friday (during the pre-pageant night;)(laughing), I believe that I have stood up for the rest of the women who have fallen whether on or off stage. I believe that through this example of mine I have shown courage and strength of being a woman, of being who I am, and I hope to be a good example to the rest of the women in the world. Thank you.”
She got a thunderous applause from the audience and nice words from Ali Landry, “She has a lot of class, a lot of poise actually, I loved her from the beginning, “ adding with as some Filipinos perceived it, a hint of sarcasm, “I should say that she’s working on her having fallen from the stage… I’m afraid that next year, everybody may be falling watch.”

That fall turned into an advantage instead of disadvantage for Miriam because she showed poise and grace and presence of mind when she stood up and spread her arms with a huge smile on her face, drawing heartfelt applause from the audience who gave her a standing ovation. In that sense, Miriam literally “tripped” her way into the Magic 3, just a breath away from the coveted title.

Since the magnate Trumpo entered the picture and takeover the beauty pageant, no Filipina ever landed as a semifinalist in the pageant no matter how fierce and competitive the ladies were because his reason is purely business and he can’t allow a country to be recognized if he has no business interest with that country. Miriam Quiambao also turned down the offer of representing the country for Miss World 1999 because she believes that the pageant is only for nannies and grannies. Funny but true.