Francis M diagnosed with leukemia!

While dropping cards, I read in The Couch Potato that Francis Magalona has been diagnosed with leukemia! This is really sad. I actually like the guy. I like his songs and well, I have read what a good father he is. He has eight children, three of whom he treated as his own even though the kids are from his wife’s previous relationship.

Cancer is really like a thief in the night. It will come when you least expect it.

News on Q

My lunch is not complete without Balitanghali. It is the lunchtime news on QTV 11, the sister tv station of GMA-7. I easily get irritated with news anchors who modulate their voices to the point where you cannot understand what they are saying already. But with the two news anchor of Balitanghali, they deliver the news in a no-nonsense way.

Kudos to Pia Arcangel and Raffy Tima for a news program that is worth watching. QTV, just keep the format the way they are. No tabloid-type news, please.

Kidnap

I watched ABS-CBN’s special news show entitled Kidnap. It was all about the kidnapping and eventual release of the tv network’s prime reporter Ces Drilon and her two cameramen Jimmy Encarnacion and Angelo Valderama. The tv special captured what was running in the minds of these three people while being held by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).

While watching the show, you can see and feel the trauma that the group experienced. Ces is probably still experiencing it all. You can just see it on her face. It was also a very moving narration of what transpired, what happened that the cameras were not able to capture. What touched me the most was the phone conversations between Ces and her brother. At one point, Ces tearfully said to her brother… “Sorry ha” (I’m sorry). I really cried that time. It must be really hard for her thinking that her family were not just worrying about her but also gathering their savings to complete the 5Million pesos ransom money that ASG will get to release Ces and the others.

Another touching part was the narration of how both Angelo and Jimmy’s respect for her somehow saved Ces from the malicious intentions of the ASG. Ces kept on saying that the two guys really took care of her. And to punctuate their respect for Ces, the two cameramen said that they will go anywhere, even back to the ASG’s den, as long as they’re with Ces.

I don’t know why the government still cannot bring down this ASG. What they did to Ces’ group and to those they previously captured (some beheaded, some released that included Gracia Burnham) is simply horrible. I cannot begin to imagine the horrors that these three people went through, especially Ces. Someone should do something to this group fast. Otherwise, a kidnapping will happen again soon. And this time, who knows what will happen to the victims.

*You can read more about the kidnapping here, here and here.
*Photo courtesy of ABS-CBN News Online.

Manny Pacquiao KOs David Diaz in 9th round!!!

Wow! Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao made history today when he knocked out David Diaz in the 9th round of their Lethal Combination boxing bout today.

My family and I were able to watch the fight via the internet and we screamed our hearts out when Diaz slumped on his knee after receiving a combination from Manny. He now made history by having a couple of belts under his name.

Manny Pacquiao is indeed a pride for us Filipinos!

You can still watch the fight on the local channel GMA 7. Or if you have cable tv, you can catch it at Solar Sports.

DAVID COOK WINS!!!

American Idol Season 7 winner is DAVID COOK!!!

I love him so much!!! He really deserves to win!

I got this from Boston.com:

It was proof that text-messaging tweens don’t rule the “American Idol” universe. Confirmation that America appreciates a boy who can rock. In last night’s season-seven “Idol” finale, David Cook, the versatile guitarist with the slightly gritty voice, beat David Archuleta, the baby-faced balladeer. The rocker shed tears through his eyeliner. The balladeer smiled. And for a few moments, the world seemed topsy-turvy, in a good way.

Let me correct a line of that quote… The whole world appreciates a boy who can rock!

Cable TV

We were perfectly happy without cable television. We were contented watching the local shows and some foreign ones shown on the local channels. But we were missing the travel shows and the cooking shows and the ambush makeovers So I had cable tv installed last week. Finally. Some would probably think me archaic because almost all households now have cable tv. But as I’ve said, we’re happy with the local channels.

Well, until the recent downpour of typhoon Cosme. Something happened to our outdoor antenna and the reception went blah. My dad was getting edgy because of the NBA games and the news so instead of getting a new antenna, I went ahead and called up Global Destiny. They went the next day and after 15 minutes of installing the wires and all, cable was on! Their people were very efficient and polite. Unlike those Sky Cable people who had ‘Peso’ on their forehead when they went here. We weren’t able to get their names but the minute they saw that they could ask for some money, they dropped hints that it would be difficult to put up the wires, we would need to pay for the extra cabling and all, blah blah blah. If I were here that time, they would have a gotten a piece of my mind.

Course Destiny has no AXN and Lifestyle Network. But they have ETC, Living Asia and Travel & Living so that’s just fine with me. And as long as Jamie Oliver’s shows are there

Still David Cook all the way!

No matter what happens, no matter what the results are tomorrow, David Cook is the winner for me! He’s the one who took more risks. He really gave his all in each of his performances. Never had he forgotten lyrics of his songs. And who made old songs sound new?

David Cook.

Just remember Billie Jean, Hello and Always Be My Baby.

Enough said.

David Cook wins the night!

I sooo love David Cook and I really do wish he’ll win this season’s American Idol! Here’s the LINK of his performance tonight, Roberta Flack’s The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face…

When he said a few lines of his second song to Ryan Seacrest, my sister and I screamed. Dare You To Move by Switchfoot is one of our all time favorite songs. The guy can make you swoon! Just love him.

*Dare You To Move is on repeat mode…

Penchant for sob stories

I don’t know if this only applies to Filipinos as I have seen some in the foreign shows I’ve watched as well… I notice that people tend to create sob stories when they join competitions. I was able to watch this Philippine Dream Academy (PDA) primer at ABS CBN 2 a week ago and I was amazed at how each one of the contestants have a sob story to tell. Of course, it could be they are telling the truth. But I don’t know, you can just feel them exaggerating their stories a bit. They make it seem like they are to be pitied by everyone.

Why can’t we just hold a contest where the winner will win base on his/her merits as a contestant and not because people pitied him/her enough to vote for him/her?

There is nothing wrong with a person, without a sob story, joining a contest and eventually winning. Yes, the stories add drama to the contest, but don’t you think this has become a trend already?

*A sob story is something about a person, usually a contestant, that will elicit pity from viewers or audiences.

David Cook all the way!

I am really rooting for David Cook. I just love the guy! If he does not win this season’s American Idol, then I don’t know what taste people have in music over there. Of course, the other David (Archuleta) is giving him a run for his money. The little guy has a multitude of fans! But I’d like to think that we David Cook fans are more in number

Who are you voting for? They are now down to five. I just wish either Syesha Mercado or Brooke White will go home next.

Let’s see.

David Cook rocks!

Did you watch American Idol last night? OMG! I just love David Cook! Now that Michael Johns is out of the competition, I am channeling all my positive energy to David. I just loved his rendition of Mariah Carey’s Always Be My Baby. He totally nailed it! Loved his version!

I also liked Jason Castro’s I Don’t Wanna Cry version. It’s like being at a cafe and just chillin’ out.

The guys rocked last night. The girls… well, I am not really crazy with their Mariah Carey versions.

It's the Pacquiao vs. Marquez Boxing Fight!

What’s the result of the much awaited Pacquiao vs. Marquez rematch fight???

PACQUIAO WINS!!!!!!!

The most awaited Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez boxing bout is ongoing right now. Pacquiao is apparently doing good. My dad’s watching at SM North Edsa right now. While we here at home are listening to 97.1 WLS-FM, the FM radio of the GMA network.

Round 11 is ongoing at this very moment. 12:13PM

It’s over! Decision time! 12:20PM Manny Pacquiao won via a split decision!!!

PACQUIAO WINS!!!!!!! PACQUIAO WINS!!!!!!! PACQUIAO WINS!!!!!!!