Daryl's Journey of Discovery

Testing Blogpress for iPhone

2010-09-26T00:15:00.001+08:00

I know it has been ages since I last posted here as I've migrated to Wordpress hosted blog.

Still this new iPhone app gave me a reason to use this blog as a testing ground for Blogpress.

Let me now add a picture I took on my iPhone recently and see how it turns out as well.

If this all views well on the browser, who knows I might revive this blog just to pen down my thoughts on the move.

Have a great Sunday folks!

-- Posted from my iPhone

Testing Blogging App On iPhone

2009-09-17T01:03:00.000+08:00

I am testing out a new blogging application on my iPhone. If this works, then keeping my blog updated would be so much easier. So far the setup was a breeze but as I am typing this, I notice the lack of editting features.

Nevertheless, this app supports multiple blogging platform including Wordpress and allows video upload to our Youtube account as well.

I do hope the above picture displays properly cause I am unable to adjust any settings such as alignment.

Moment of truth... PUBLISH!

-- Posted from my iPhone 3GS

Top 12 American Idol Season 7 Performance

2008-03-14T02:25:00.002+08:00

New look, new talents and a brand new stage sets the tone for an exciting night of performances. I must admit the jitters did get to a few of them but overall it was highly entertaining and one of the best Top 12 ever to grace American Idol.

The surprise for me of the night had to be David Archuleta forgetting the lyrics thus having a memorable night for all the wrong reasons. That being said, I'm sure his gigantic fan base will see him through to the next round for sure.

The weaker or safe efforts of the night besides D.Archuleta in my opinion would be David Hernandez, Kristy Lee Cook and surprisingly Ramiele Malubay who is one of my personal favorite.

Now comes the performances that blew the new roof off, first was Chikezie who sang 'She's a Woman' with a whole new vibe and funk to it. A huge risk that obviously paid off from the applaud of the crowd and judge's feedback. He looked remarkably comfortable on stage and really let loose.

Next was the back to back performances of Carly Smithson and David Cook. They really showed they mean business and sang their hearts out. Vocally Carly is fantastic as usual and David picked the perfect song to add his flavor to it. I also have to add that David Cook's interview was the best of the lot as well. He really oozes with confident and charisma which probably comes with his age. Out of both of them, I decided to showcase David's performance here cause I feel he did heck of a job on it.

Top 16 Female Performance

2008-03-08T03:41:00.003+08:00

With the guys on fire the night before, the girls knew what they had to do to put on a better show and that my dear friends they did. Even the so called weak ones did much better than anticipated such as Kady and especially Kristy with a country touch to her performance as she promised.

The judge's favorite of the night was Amanda's performance which although I enjoyed it immensely, I felt it was more of a victory for showmanship rather than anything else. I am sure though that the rockers of America will vote for her in droves after that.

My personal favorite of the night was a tough fight between Carly and Syesha whom I thought both of them really put on an amazing vocal performance. Since I featured Carly last week, so today would be Syesha's turn.

At the end of the day, I am very much like Paula whereby I can't pin point which one of the 8 girls I would prefer to be sent packing so to speak. Amazing talent this year indeed.

Top 16 Male Performance

2008-03-06T11:08:00.003+08:00

Oh what a NIGHT! Song choice was the highlight of previous weeks and this week the guys really got it spot on. Besides Luke who took the stage first, the other 7 really showed their ability and it is hard to even fathom which two will have to leave.

With amazing performances from several of them, its extremely hard to pick my favorite so to speak but after much thought, the best one of the night belonged to David Cook with his rock rendition of 'Hello'.

I have to give credit to Michael Johns, Jason Castro and Chikezie for very impressive performance on their part. Talking about Chikezie, I really do not agree with Simon on his comment at all. For me the vocal and control was fantastic, so nevermind if it was a Whitney song.

Top 20 Female Performance

2008-03-02T00:21:00.002+08:00

First and foremost, the girls this week seem to have taken the safe route with an overall average performance by all of them. A point mentioned yesterday about Song Choice from the 70's is even more highlighted by the girls. The bad ones in terms of song choice I feel are Kady Malloy and Amanda Overmyer.

The real highlight of the day I must say is from the very first contestant that took the stage, Carly Smithson with her powerful rendition of Crazy For You. It was indeed an improvement over previous week for Carly and she showed why she is one of the favorite this year.

As I mentioned it was a offnight in my opinion for the girls but I hope to see all of them who makes it through to put on the performance of their career.

Top 20 Male Performance

2008-03-01T03:58:00.003+08:00

Every year during this stage of the competition, one of the contestants will simply take all of our breath away with an unforgettable and memorable performance. Last year was Melinda and this year it's the highly gifted David Archuleta. I was totally shocked when he started singing as I thought singing 'Imagine' a song so well known is as Simon puts it, highly risky but David did amazingly especially with his own arrangement to it.

For the night as a whole, the guys really showed what they got. The ones that deserves special mention to me would be Danny Noriega, David Cook and especially David Hernandez who gave the 2nd best performance of the day for me.

The thing that bug me a little is with the song choice. With a great decade to choose from which is the 70's, it is just astonishing why some of them did not pick better and more impactful songs for the week.

Oh well, lets just see what the girls cook up tomorrow then.

Top 24 Show Review

2008-02-27T02:20:00.002+08:00

This season promises to be one of the very best in terms of talents. The top 24 reaffirms that with large number of worthy performances as Simon would put it. I strongly believe the competition would really be right on the line when it comes down to the last 16 as those who remain if America vote wisely brings something to the table may it be vocal, showmanship, personality or character.

The boys kick of the week with quite a number of originality shown in their rendition of songs and that sets the tone for what to expect from this season no doubt. Among the most memorable for me would be David Achuleta and David Cook performance.

As for the girls who took the stage a day later, they really gave the boys a run for their money and more. One thing that stood out for me with the girls this year is the hunger among them seem to be there more so than previous seasons. The highlight of the show is Ramiele Malubay who totally blew me away with her vocal control and I feel that she would surely make it very far into this season's competition.

Other great performance which comes to mind are from the energetic Alexandrea Lushington and very determined Syesha Mercado.

My Brother Singing Home

2008-02-23T16:30:00.003+08:00

During my Auntie Mei's recent birthday celebration, my younger brother Derrick sang Michael Buble's Home. Music have always been a big part of our lives as we were growing up thanks to our beloved Father. It was unfortunate I could not be there in person but this video surely made up for what I missed.

Happy Birthday Auntie Mei!

Audition Week 1 - Dallas

2008-02-06T09:05:00.000+08:00

Week one continues at the oil rich city of Dallas, Texas. Although 29 was sent through to Hollywood, many of them did not shine in my opinion except for one Kady Malloy. It may be fitting too since she was the last to audition for the day cause she sure left a big impression on the judges and the viewing public too.

Kady who hails from Houston not only has the looks but also a remarkable voice as well which will surely see her through the later stages of this year's competition. Just check out her impersonation of Britney Spears during her audition and you will know what I mean.

Audition Week 1 - Philadelphia

2008-02-04T08:38:00.000+08:00

To start the ball rolling this season is the highly populated city of Philadelphia. The spirits was high and things looks bright for this franchise pushing through year seven with another bang. Sure enough the crowds came in droves but sadly only 24 received their golden ticket to Hollywood.

First up is Kristy Lee Cook who hails from Oregon and her beautiful rendition of 'Amazing Grace' with a tinge of her soulful country voice. She oozes with charisma and confidence which surely will take her far if she can get through the madness of the Hollywood rounds.

Next is Chris Watson whose dreams is to be a music legend someday. From the outlook, this young gentleman looks promising especially with his diverse musical influence which will come in handy throughout the competition.

American Idol Season 7 Begins

2008-02-03T15:57:00.000+08:00

Well here we go again... an all new season of American Idol has kicked off with crowded auditions and drama after drama unfolding. I shall be featuring each week as usual with the latest gossips and news surrounding this phenomenal reality show.

The next few weeks, we shall be witnessing the audition process which besides will show a broad spectrum of talents will also showcase the madness that ensues.

So who will take home the crown this season? Will it be a female or male? Talent over showmanship? Only one sure way to find out of course... let the good times roll!

Britney Losing Her Children

2007-10-20T12:19:00.000+08:00

In the world today where life can be quite demanding with all thats going around us, it can be easy to understand how we can let things slip by but definitely that doesn't apply to our children or does it? Well in the world of celebrities where money is no object, the situation is rather shocking especially in the case of Britney Spears.

She just lost her visiting rights to her children at least until she comply with the court orders. The reason for this judgement is Spears is believed to be engaged in "habitual, frequent and continuous use of controlled substances and alcohol", according to Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon.

One can only hope new aspiring parents to be would put more emphasis on providing a loving and nurturing environment for their children and give them the best platform to grow.

Here's to the upcoming Mothers and Fathers to be in the great celebrity world:

Our Prime Minister's New Life Companion

2007-06-10T09:44:00.000+08:00

I would like to extend my personal heartiest congratulations to our very own Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his newly wed wife, Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah on their recent matrimony.

May this union brings both of them eternal happiness and joy in their lives. More importantly on our prime minister part, I pray he will have a clearer mind and stronger determination to elevate our nation to the next level with this new marriage.

For a more indepth report on the wedding held yesterday, please visit this article on The Star website: PM weds Jeanne in private do

Earn Money With Live News Feed

2007-06-05T06:59:00.000+08:00

A remarkable new way to earn extra money from our blog by adding updated news feed provided by the good people over at The News Room. It is truly a win win situation for everyone involved. All news feed are fully licensed from established and renowned content providers such as Associated Press and Reuters.

It works out even better as us bloggers can pick and choose the news which are relevant to our blog topic and this in turn will enhance our blog quality as well. Here are the payout rates for your perusal:

	*CPM When Viewed on Your* Site**	*CPM When Viewed On Referred* Site**
Video Feed	$4.00	$1.00
Video Story	$3.00	$0.50
Text Story	$1.00	$0.50
Image	$1.00	$0.50

I'm sure you will agree that the payout rate is very lucrative as compared to other earning platforms available today. A blog with high traffic and audience surely can rake in a nice monthly income from this program. Presently I believe that payments are made only via checks on a monthly basis with a minimum amount USD 50.00 accumulated balance. Personally I wish they provide the Paypal payment option or allow us to set the amount we would prefer to be paid. For other earning platforms I am involved in, I've always set the minimum payout rate of USD 100.00 cause the bank charges and fees is high which just doesn't make sense for amount lesser than that.

Getting started is easy by just browsing through your preferred category and choose either to embed or in their own term; mash a video, article or image on your blog. As an example, I decided to feature Jordin Spark video which is perfect for my blog.

Blake Is Glad He Didn't Win

2007-06-02T08:54:00.000+08:00

I think this is a common dilemma when a particular American Idol contestant realizes he or she will make it in the music industry as they progress through the show.

In a recent interview with AccessHollywood.com, Blake admitted that he was glad he didn't win because of some of the things he'd be required to do for contractual reasons which he did not elaborate on. He did mentioned about the need for him to come back for three years and "do stuff" which I guess implies on appearances during future seasons of show.

On a separate note, Jordin is set to release her first single "This Is My Now". She shared that when she first heard the song, she couldn't believe how perfect it was for her. She says it relates to what she's been dreaming about and she feels it spoke to her.

Past Idols Finale Showcase

2007-05-25T15:30:00.000+08:00

Thought I'd share the recently available videos of past idol winners who performed during yesterday's Finale which of course Jordin won. Most of the songs they sang were quite unknown except for Carrie. The thing I find interesting if you observe closely is how Taylor is getting a lukewarm reception from the audience. His performance although energetic but to me lacked that sparkling magic and some parts to me were a little out of tune.

I do also wonder why Fantasia did not show up to lend her support... perhaps due to a previous engagement maybe. Anyways, here they are for your enjoyment:

Kelly Clarkson - Never Again

Carrie Underwood - I'll Stand By You

Taylor Hicks - Heaven Knows

Jordin & Ruben Studdard - You're All I Need

PayPerPost Launches PPP Direct

2007-05-25T03:08:00.000+08:00

There was some major feature additions over at PayPerPost yesterday which I feel will further strengthen their market dominance for paid reviews or paid to blog industry. The main new feature called PPP Direct is basically a very simple concept of doing it better than your competitors.

With their strength in the number of registered bloggers, the PPP Direct model is very much like ReviewMe except for the low commission rate which goes to PayPerPost. I believe this is very fair as all the marketing work in sourcing for the advertiser is done by the publisher themselves. So why shouldn't they get the bulk of the fee?

All you have to do is to integrate the new PPP Direct badge unto your blog and if an advertiser is keen to advertise on your blog, all they have to do is click on this badge. Then it goes to a negotiation between the advertiser and yourself. This additional feature of interaction is heaven sent in my opinion. It allows us to lower or increase our asking fee depending on the requirements of the advertisers. For example if the advertisers requested for 300 words or additional links, you can suggest an additional fee for doing that.

At the end of the day, PayPerPost is giving more control to both the advertisers and bloggers with this new awesome feature.

Idol Season Finale Highlights and Winner

2007-05-24T23:38:00.000+08:00

American Idol Season 6 Finale is perhaps not as entertaining as last year but nonetheless filled with emotions and great performances. I would like to thank everyone whom have followed this roller coaster ride with me this season on my blog and to my dearest idollogy for all your much appreciated efforts!

Past Idols - Beatles Medley

Blake & Jordin - I Saw Her Standing There

Winner Announcement

Congratulations Jordin Sparks!

Majestic North Cyprus Properties

2007-05-24T22:40:00.000+08:00

Cyprus has a vibrant history, a perfect climate and the warmest welcome in the Mediterranean. It has been a British playground for many years with its share of rich archeological sites and medieval castles. Add to this the friendliness and hospitality of the people, wonderfully varied cuisine and you have the perfect recipe a property booming market in particularly North Cyprus Property.

Many of the available properties here are a great bargain and makes for a good investment. For example, apartments cost from £30,000 and detached villas with pools can be bought for less than £100,000. Incredible value indeed!

Final 2 Performing New Idol Song

2007-05-23T17:47:00.001+08:00

I think this would be a good measurement in terms of who will win it all. Both Blake and Jordin sang the winning submitted song, 'This Is My Now' which is well written and very touching as Jordin proves it.

Overall the evening belongs to Jordin purely on her vocals. As Paula said it best, both of them are already winners, its just a matter of who takes home the title of American Idol Winner of Season 6. Have a look at their individual performance and judge for yourself.

I have no doubt both of them will have a splendid career after this and record sales through the roof. Here's to the final show and may it be as good as last season which I enjoyed immensely.

Credit Card In Our Lives

2007-05-23T16:39:00.000+08:00

We are spoilt for choice when it comes to credit cards with so many being offered out there today. The one you choose however, should reflect your lifestyle and your ideal spending amounts. If you are looking for the best possible deal and the best company for your credit card, you’ll obviously need to look around at what you have to choose from and what works best for you.

The first thing to consider when choosing your credit card, is why you need one in the first place and its primary purpose. Most people choose to get it for cash flow purposes and convenience. With a credit card, you can make purchases and buy things, leaving your paycheck or other source of income in your bank account to draw interest. This way, your money will continue to grow while you continue to buy the things you need. Then at the end of the month, simply pay your bill. Check out this very interesting article pertaining to payment, Pay your credit card – or else!

By owning a credit card, you’ll also need to think about the payments. You’ll need to decide if you want to pay the balance in full each month, or only the required amount. When you select your credit card, you should look at the introductory rates, if it provides 0% Balance Transfers, and other offers that may apply to new credit cards and new holders. Some will offer you truly amazing deals, especially if you have good credit.

In regards to credit card fraud which is so common nowadays, you can enlighten yourself by understanding more about it and how you can protect yourself. You can start by reading this article on how can you keep yourself safe from credit card fraud.

American Idol Final Prelude

2007-05-23T16:30:00.001+08:00

Another season is drawing to a close and we are at the finals of season 6 with Jordin and Blake. Here is an introduction video of the both of them and a special performance by Chris Daughty whom was one of my favorites last year.

Chris Daughtry sings 'Home'

The Happiest Plastic Around

2007-05-23T00:04:00.000+08:00

All of us wants and pursue the very best life has to offer and it is the same when it comes to credit facility. Do you ever wonder why some people display their credit card so proudly and others do not? Well the fact of the matter is that all credit cards are not created equal and we're not just referring to the credit limit here.

One such card which have won accolades of award year after year is none other than the one that makes us all Smile. The reason for that is simply due to how this company is driven by the heart. This short quote of theirs which would provide you a clearer picture:

"We have a strict ethical policy, which means your money stays squeaky clean. We do work to help the environment such as sourcing 98% of our electricity from renewable sources. And, we work in our local communities. We don't do this at the expense of our rates though, so you can enjoy a warm feeling inside as we take care of your heart and your wallet."

It is easy to see why Smile credit card is highly recommended by their own users. If you want more reasons to Smile, then find out how and why you should SMILE with them.

Jordin Sparks Demo - I Will Be There For You

2007-05-19T15:43:00.000+08:00

Here is a taste of what we can all expect from the potential winner of this year's American Idol. I must say her voice have a wide appeal in terms of whats hot today in the music industry. Whether she wins or not, I'm sure she will go on to great success in her recording career.

So what do you think of it? Did you enjoy it or think it will be a hit when its released?