Surprising Things Happen

Sandara Park

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:15:00 +0000

Sandara Park (Korean: 박산다라, Hanja: 朴-, born November 12, 1984 in Busan, South Korea) is a television personality who is also called "Dara" as one of the vocal members of Korean Girl Group 2NE1. A former Korean expatriate who once starred in movies and television shows in the Philippines. Her unusual three-syllable Korean name, which she has talked about numerous times during interviews, comes from that of a Korean general, Kim Yushin - whose childhood name was "Sandara (산다라)". Sandara Park made her debut in 2004 with ABS-CBN's Star Circle Quest.

Early life

Sandara was born to affluent Korean parents. However, by the time Sandara was 8-years-old, her father's relatives placed him in a financially tight spot which then crippled his business. In hope of recovering from this strain, Sandara's father tried his luck in the Philippines. He settled in a small apartment in Pasay City, and started a business. Sandara and her family remained at her grandmother's house in South Korea for some time until her father finally had enough money to relocate them to the Philippines.

Initially, no one in their family was fluent in English or Filipino (Tagalog). However, she learned English and studied Chinese when she began school in the Philippines, and later became quite fluent in Filipino (Tagalog). Her interviews have also shown that she developed Englog and Taglish capabilities.

Stardom in the Philippines

Rise to Philippine showbiz

During one of her school functions, Sandara met Pauleen Luna, who was then a talent of ABS-CBN Channel 2 Talent Center ^[2]. Luna encouraged the shy Sandara to audition for Star Circle Quest, a then-up-and-coming reality talent search for ABS-CBN.

The show's judges called her in, and she was able to elude elimination several times, paving the way for her inclusion into the contestant-pool's top ten. Being a native Korean, she displayed some trouble with the daily exercises set by the panel of Filipino judges. During the last elimination round in which the final five contestants were chosen, Sandara made Philippine history by garnering approximately 500,000 text votes, making her the first female to garner that much SMS support. And so she remained until the final night when she was announced First Runner-up to Hero Angeles. It is estimated that she got at least 2,000,000 accumulated SMS votes from supporters during the entire run of the contest.

Star Status Established

Sandara Park became a member of ABS-CBN's elite circle of homegrown talents, properly named Star Magic ^[3]. ABS-CBN ^[4] showered Park with projects after her Star Circle Quest ^[5] days. She had six local commercial endorsements for personal care and food products. She also received several television show offers. She starred in a youth-oriented program SCQ Reload, OK Ako, and hosted "Sandara's Romance", a show featuring Korean dramas and commentary. She also had a hosting stint on ASAP Fanatic, a Sunday noontime teen variety show. She also appeared in a local daily primetime superhero soap opera, Krystala, as Kim, who shared similarities with her real-life self, but her tight schedule limited her appearances.

In addition, Sandara also embarked on a musical career that eventually led to the release of her self-titled 6-track album which spawned the novelty dance hits "In Or Out," a song that parodied her experiences on Star Circle Quest, and "Walang Sabit," the jingle for Rejoice Shampoo. As proof of Sandara's rapid rising-star status, the album was Certified Double Platinum (2x Platinum) selling more than 60,000 copies after 6 months.

Sandara also appeared in four movies - Bcuz of U, a three-storyline movie which co-starred other prominent local actors, Can This Be Love, which grossed P 99,000,000 in the box office, D' Lucky Ones and Super Noypi, a Filipino fantasy film and an official entry to 32nd Metro Manila Film Festival.

Return to South Korea

Sandara left the Philippines and returned to South Korea on August 1, 2007 ^[6] with her mother and siblings to begin a new life. The next day, August 2, 2007, YG Entertainment reported that they had signed a contract with Sandara^[7]. As a new member of the YG family, she joined popular Korean artists and bands such as Big Bang, Se7en, Jinusean, Lexy, and 1TYM. Sandara has made an appearance in Gummy's Music Video for the song "I'm Sorry (ft. T.O.P of Big Bang)" as the partner of T.O.P.

2NE1

2NE1 ^[8] was much anticipated by the fans of YG Entertainment. Before their debut, YG Entertainment had put up numerous videos of the members, Sandara Park, Park Bom, CL, and Gong Minji during practice, and they became well-known as the Female Big Bang. Sandara was a very popular member of 2NE1. News of the "Female Big Bang" even became highly anticipated overseas, and their fans began to grow. Then, on March 27, 2009, 2NE1 was featured in a commercial for the LG phone Lollipop with Big Bang. Sandara and 2NE1 gained popularity both through the commercial and the music video of the song "Lollipop" and their debut became a hot topic. On May 6, 2009, two versions of their debut song "Fire"'s Music Video were released, igniting the fire that would spread throughout the Kpop world. 2NE1 performed their debut stage on May 17th on SBS Inkigayo. Their song "Fire" topped charts for weeks, and 2NE1 hit the top spot again with their song "I Don't Care" from their first mini-album. The song was released on July 1, 2009 and hit number one on the charts the same day.

She is now known for her new stage name Dara.

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role	Network
2009	2NE1 TV	Herself / 2NE1 Member	YG Entertainment
2009	돌아온 일지매 (The Return of Iljimae) ^[9]	Rie	MBC
2007	Dalawang Tisoy	Kim	C/S 9
2007	Nuts Entertainment (Balakubak)	Herself / Guest	GMA Network
2006	Voltes V (Tagalog Dubbed)	Voice Actress for Jamie Robinson	Hero
2006	Star Magic Presents: Abt Ur Luv	Bettina	ABS-CBN
2006	Star Magic Presents: Bongga	Barbie	ABS-CBN
2006	Gudtaym	Herself	ABS-CBN
2006	O-Ha!		TV5
2006	Crazy for You	Ara	ABS-CBN
2006	Komiks: Machete	Mara	ABS-CBN
2005	Maalaala Mo Kaya	herself	ABS-CBN
2005	SCQ Reload: Kilig Ako!	Sandara Soh	ABS-CBN
2004	내 이름은 산다라 박 (My Name is Sandara Park)	Herself	KBS
2004	Krystala	Kim	ABS-CBN
2004	ASAP Fanatic	Herself / Performer	ABS-CBN
2004	SCQ Reload: OK Ako!	Sandara Soh	ABS-CBN
2004	Sandara's Romance ^[10]	Herself / Host / Narrator	ABS-CBN
2004	Star Circle Quest	Herself / Contestant / Runner-up	ABS-CBN

[edit] Film

Year	Title	Role	Producer
2007	Super Noypi	Michi	Regal Films
2006	D' Lucky Ones	Lucky Girl	Star Cinema
2005	Can This Be Love	Daisy/Yoon Hea	Star Cinema
2004	Bcuz Of U	April	Star Cinema
2004	Volta	Herself/Cameo	Star Cinema

[edit] Others

Year	Title	Role	Organizer
2009	I Don't Care by 2NE1	Member	YG Entertainment
2009	Fire by 2NE1	Member	YG Entertainment
2009	Lollipop by Big Bang feat. 2NE1	Member of a new girl group called 2NE1	YG Entertainment
2008	Music video of "I'm Sorry" by Gummy	Guest appearance together with T.O.P. (member of Big Bang) as a couple
2007	The ARAW Values Advertising Awards	Herself / Presenter
2006	Ang Ganda Ko (D' Lucky Ones Movie Theme Song)	Herself / Singer / Cast Member	Star Records and Star Cinema
2005	Farewell Lovers: A Lover in Paris Special	Herself / Host	ABS-CBN
2005	2004 MBC Awards	Herself / Presenter	MBC
2005	21st PMPC Star Awards For Movies	Herself / Presenter, Performer, and Winner - Best New Movie Actress of the Year	Philippine Movie Press Club
2005	Sandara: Ang Pambansang Krung-Krung ng Pilipinas (TV Special)	Herself	ABS-CBN
2005	Walang Sabit ( Music Video / Commercial )	Herself / Singer and Model / Endorser	Star Records and Rejoice
2004	In or Out	Herself / Singer	Star Records

Discography

Year of release	Title	Singles
2004 Star Records	Sandara ^[11]	In or Out Mapasagot Mo Kaya Smile In Your Heart Sabi Ko Na Nga Ba Dear Heart
2004 Star Records	SCQ Fab 5 Ragnarok OST (Tagalog) ^[12]	WE ARE THE STARS -Ragnarok The Animation Theme Song WE ARE THE STARS -Ragnarok The Animation Theme Song (MTV)
2005 Star Records	Sandara / Rejoice "Walang Sabit" (Repackaged) ^[13] ^[14]	In or Out Mapasagot Mo Kaya Smile In Your Heart Sabi Ko Na Nga Ba Dear Heart Walang Sabit Walang Sabit (Minus One)
2006 Star Records	Sandara (Ang Ganda Ko) ^[15]	In or Out Mapasagot Mo Kaya Smile In Your Heart Sabi Ko Na Nga Ba Dear Heart Ang Ganda Ko (Bonus Track, Theme Song Of "D' Lucky Ones")
2009 YG Entertainment	2NE1 Mini-Album ^[16]	Fire I Don't Care Pretty Boy In The Club Let's Go Party Stay Together Lollipop (Bonus Track)

Kim Hyun Joong

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:59:00 +0000

Kim Hyun Joong (born June 6, 1986) is a South Korean male singer, actor and leader of boyband SS501.

Career

Kim debuted as the leader of SS501 in 2005. In addition to their musical activities, SS501 participated in two reality shows — Thank You For Waking Us Up (2005) and Thank You For Raising Us (2006) — that profiled the group's life together. They also appeared in MNet's Idol World in 2007, which showed SS501 doing various missions in Japan.

He joined the cast of MBC variety reality show We Got Married on May 11, 2008, with Hwang Bo, who is 6 years his senior. They achieved high popularity acting as a newlywed couple. Due to his appearance on We Got Married, he was cast in the Korean version of Hana Yori Dango as one of the members of the famous F4. Known as the "Lettuce Couple", Kim and Hwang Bo went on to win MBC's Best Couple Award. The couple made their official exit from We Got Married on December 14, 2008 due to scheduling conflicts presented by Boys Over Flowers.

In the hit drama series, Boys Over Flowers, he plays Yoon Ji Hoo (Hanazawa Rui, in Hana Yori Dango). The series was a huge media and ratings sensation in Korea during its run from January to March 2009, garnering a huge amount of popularity for the entertainer.

Along with his bandmates, Kim is preparing SS501's new Korean album, for which each member will be doing a solo. The group will kick off their Asia concert in mid-August 2009.

Filmography

Boys Over Flowers (KBS2, 2009) Yoon Ji Hoo
Nonstop 5 (Episode 208, MBC, 2005)
Can Love Be Refilled? Sitcom (KBS2, 2005

Awards

Popularity Award for Television on KBS2's Boys Over Flowers (The 45th PaekSang Arts Awards, February 2009)^[1]

Best Couple Award on MBC's We Got Married with Hwang Bo (MBC Awards, December 28, 2008)

James Yap PBA Career

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:22:00 +0000

James Yap entered the 2004 PBA Draft, and was selected as the second overall pick by the Purefoods TJ Hotdogs. His teammate Artadi was also selected in a later round which foreshadowed a UE-tandem in the professional league.

Bothered by an ailing shoulder, Yap had a slow start in the 2004-2005 season. Later on, he started to blossom as he had numerous games of which he scored 20 or more points. However, he failed to lead Purefoods past the quarterfinal round against Shell Turbo Chargers. Eventually, he lost to counterpart Rich Alvarez in the Rookie of the Year race.

2004-2005 Rookie Season Averages: (63 games) 27.0 mpg, 12.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.5 spg, 0.3bpg, 2.3 fpg

In the 2005-06 PBA season, he picked up his pieces and went on for a better display. Along with Kerby Raymundo and import Marquin Chandler in the 2005-06 Fiesta Conference, Yap was a close to prominent force in the Giants’ bid to the championship showdown as he came 4th in the statistical race, behind Raymundo, Red Bull Barako’s Enrico Villanueva, and Air21’s Ren-Ren Ritualo at the end of the semifinals series. Villanueva was the eventual Best Player of the Conference. To make matters more wayward, with about a minute left in game 6 of the Finals series, Yap failed to promise the Giants a possible turnaround for a game 7 or a championship title as he missed a supposedly easy layup to cut Redbull’s 4-point lead. Consequently, the Giants submitted to a 4-2 series conclusion. As a comeback, in the classification round of the most prestigious conference, Philippine Cup, he recorded 34 points to devour the Sta. Lucia Realtors and even broke it with a career-high 37 points to beat crowd-favorite Barangay Ginebra. At the near end of the round, he was a one-man offensive force, complementing the Pingris-led defensive end, and winning against the powerhouse team TNT. [8] . The victory put the Purefoods team to an automatic best-of-seven semifinals slot. The semis series turned out to be another historic comeback for the Purefoods franchise with James Yap’s offensive, Kerby Raymundo’s leadership, and Marc Pingris’ defensive heroics.

After the accumulation of player statistics at the end of the semis, Yap edged out teammate Kerby Raymundo and RedBulls’ Enrico Villanueva for the Philippine Basketball Association Most Valuable Player award. This acknowledgement made him, at 24 years of age, 5th in the youngest players, and 2nd (since 2002 MVP Willie Miller) as a sophomore to have won the individual award. He was the statistical leader and garnered more than 7000 combined votes from players, 4-man committee and media, almost 5000 votes away from the rest of the candidates. All annual awards were distributed minutes before the Game 4 in the finals series [9] — a game which portrayed the MVP sinking in 5 of his 7 attempts from beyond the arc and 6 of his 8 attempts from the charity line. He was also named to the Mythical First Team alongside teammates Raymundo and Roger Yap, and on-court rivals Enrico Villanueva and Lordy Tugade.

2005-2006 Sophomore season: (57 games) 36.4 mpg, 17.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 1.2 apg, 1.2 spg, 0.4 bpg, 2.1 TOpg, 2.7 fpg

Yap’s sudden popularity in the professional league could not be denied in only his second season — a year which put him local sportswriters [10] spotlight for the second time around. To attest was the jampacked coliseum chanting “M-V-P!” in the background of the 2006 Philippine Cup Finals Game 6 — the hype that was when Yap was flawlessly dishing in charity stripes with less than two minutes away from the balloons and confetti falling.

James Yap Amateur Career

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:17:00 +0000

James Carlos Yap is a Filipino professional basketball superstar for the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He was a 2005-2006 season’s Most Valuable Player, and is now fast becoming one of the basketball icons in the professional ranks. Now in his fifth year, he is already a five-time PBA South All-Star team starter through 2004 to 2008.

As a kid, Yap already showed athleticism. He first fell in love with football and baseball and track and field, and played these until high school. His uncle Emmanual Yap was one of the few who first noticed his potential in basketball. Growing up, he looked up to one of the most prolific players in the history of Philippine Basketball, Samboy Lim.

James Yap emerged to be one of the most promising basketball stars in the Iloilo/Negros region back in the late-90’s. Early on that decade, he played for the Bacolod Tay Tung High School and made his mark at the school. He was transferred to Iloilo Commercial Central High School, displaying his skills. Manila Standard. Along the way, he sparked his team to three consecutive Iloilo PRISAA titles. At that time, it was rumored that the Negros Slashers of the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association was going to sign Yap.

However, as fate had it, Yap preferably primed himself for the collegiate level. He played for the UE Red Warriors under former national team coach, Boysie Zamar, even though DLSU also had an eye on him. In 2002, known for his quick-release shooting and all-around presence, he, alongside playmaker Paul Artadi and hustling Ronald Tubid, brought the Red Warriors to the Final Four after years of absence. However, 2nd seed University of the East lost to a dramatic semifinal series as they faced Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles, the eventual champion. In the same year, he led UE to the 1st Bantay Bata Crossover Cup, exacting a sweet revenge against Ateneo in the Finals. A month after, he once again led UE to the inaugural Collegiate Champions League crown, beating FEU.

In the heat of UAAP (67th season), Yap led the Red Warriors to the Final Four for the second straight time as he topped his teammates in points and rebounding, and closed second to Artadi in overall efficiency rating. Eventually in the semifinals series, the Warriors lost to a much more defensive orchestrated team, Far Eastern UniversityTamaraws led by tactician coach, Koy Banal. Nevertheless, Yap was named as the Most Valuable Player, stunned everyone else as there were Mark Cardona and Arwind SantosPhilippines in the 2003 Southeast Asian Games for a gold medal finish. Thus, the Philippines Sportswriter Association honored him the best player in his field, basketball, in the amateurs alongside Asi Taulava in the professional level. who were neck and neck for the plum. The majority of the UAAP basketball community’s nods paved the way for James’ win as he topped the vote from coaches, players, and media which accounted for 50%. In the same year, he, along with teammate Paul Artadi, was teamed up with other UAAP and PBL counterparts to lead the

James Yap also played in the Philippine Basketball League from 2001-2004. In 2001, he played for the ICTSI-La Salle Archers forming a backcourt tandem with Mike Cortez that almost had their team beating the veteran-ladden, Shark Energy Drink, in the finals. In 2002, he teamed up with guards Mark Cardona and Joseph Yeo, played decoy most of the times while still explosive in a number of games–one which saw him sparking the offense, putting the Archers in the playoffs against Blu Detergent Kings. In 2003, he had to sit out the whole conference long after ICTSI refused to sign his release papers to make him eligible to play for Sunkist-Pampanga. In 2004, Yap signed up for one conference with the Welcoat Paintmasters, teaming up with the comebacking Jojo Tangkay, leading them to a runner-up finish. He and Tangkay lost to Peter June Simon of FASH team for the MVP plum. Yap ended up completing the Mythical First Team.

Purefoods Players

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:29:00 +0000

#	Name	Position	Height	Weight	College
1	Lanete, Chico	Guard	0-0	0	Lyceum of the Philippines University
2	Belga, Beau	Center	0-0	0	Philippine Christian University
3	Fernandez, Jonathan	Guard	0-0	0	University of the Philippines
5	Salvador, Jondan	Forward	0-0	0	De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde
8	Simon, Peter June	Guard	0-0	0	University of Mindanao
10	Adducul, Rommel	Center	6-6	224.4	San Sebastian College - Recoletos
12	Bugia, Paolo	Center	0-0	0	Ateneo de Manila University
13	Yap, Roger	Forward	0-0	0	University of San Jose - Recoletos
14	Villanueva, Enrico	Center	6-5	209	Ateneo de Manila University
17	Aban, Aaron	Forward	0-0	0	Colegio de San Juan de Letran
18	Yap, James	Guard	6-3	189.2	University of the East
21	Raymundo, Kerby	Center	0-0	0	Colegio de San Juan de Letran
22	Alonzo, Chad	Forward	0-0	0	Adamson University
28	Yee, Richard	Forward	6-11	194.7	University of Santo Tomas
32	Alvarez, Rich	Small Forward	6-5	209	Ateneo de Manila University
32	Robinson, Topex	Guard	0-0	0	San Sebastian College - Recoletos

Purefoods Players

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 07:16:00 +0000


Chico Lanete 01 - Guard	Jondan Salvador 05 - Forward	Peter June Simon 08 - Guard

Michael "Topex" Robinson 11 - Guard	Jonathan Fernandez 12 - Guard	Roger Yap(+) 13 - Guard

Enrico Villanueva 14 - Center/Forward	Paolo Bugia 15 - Center	Aaron Aban 17 - Guard/Forward

James Yap(+) 18 - Guard	Richard Alonzo 20 - Forward	Kerby Raymundo 21 - Center/Forward

Richard Yee(+) 28 - Forward	Beau Belga 30 - Center	Richard Alvarez 32 - Forward

2008 MMFF Awards Winner

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:17:00 +0000

Well, there you go, Baler is one worthwhile film to see among the entries to the 34th Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF). In the 2008 MMFF Awards Night held Saturday evening at the Sofitel Hotel, it managed to garner ten awards. It won for Anne Curtis her first acting award, and a Best Actress award at that!

Baler was also declared Best Festival Picture, and also won Best Director for Mark Meily, Best Supporting Actor for Philip Salvador, and the Gatpuno Antonio Villegas Cultural Award. Manilyn Reynes won Best Supporting Actress for “One Night Only” while Christopher de Leon won Best Actor for “Magkaibigan.”

In the technical film-making categories, Baler almost sweep the MMFF awards night winning Best Screenplay for Roy Iglesias, Best Cinematography for Lee Meily, Best Production Design for Aped Santos, and Best Editing for Danny Anonuevo.

Animated film “Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia” won four awards with Best Visual Effects for Robert Quilao, Best Busical Score for Jessie Lasaten, Best Theme Song for “Lipad” (by Jessie Lasaten and Artemio Abad Jr., performed by Lea Salonga), and Best Sound for Albert Idioma and Wally Dellosa. Jose Javier Reyes won Best Original Story for “One Night Only”; Robert Villar won Best Child Performer (”Shake, Rattle, and Roll X”); and Noli Villalobos for Best Make-Up (”Desperadas 2″).

MMFF Top grossers “Ang Tanging Ina Ninyong Lahat,” which so far earned 41 million pesos in its first two days of showing, was declared the 2nd Best Festival Picture, while “Iskul Bukol: 20 Years After,” which raked in P35.6 million in 2 days, was declared the 3rd Best Festival Picture.

Incidentally, Baler has a 2 day box-office receipt total of P15.2 million to place third among the top-grossers.

Air 21 Express Slays Purefoods TJ Giants

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 03:59:00 +0000

Boosted by the latest trade that brought one of the rising stars in the pro league, Air21 kept its playoff bid alive as it hammered a masterful 94-82 win over Purefoods in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup wildcard last night at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Express welcomed high-flying guard Cyrus Baguio to their fold with this important win that forced another do-or-die game against San Miguel Beer.

Guard Gary David led Air21 with 20 points, while wingman Arwind Santos finished with double-double 13 points and 11 rebounds. Playmaker Wynne Arboleda also had a solid game with 17 points and six assists.

Air21 and SMB will face-off on Sunday (Jan. 4, 2009).

"When I was watching the two contenders, nakita ko 'yung firepower ng San Miguel," Air21 mentor Bo Perasol said. "Magkakaroon kami ng mismatch sa bigs nila, but sa wings makaka-matchup kami very well."

"Pero it's the same, if we can have the same intensity on defense, magkakaroon kami ng kumpiyansa sa opensa naming," he added.

The winner will advance to the best-of-three quarterfinals against Fiesta Cup champion Barangay Ginebra. Clashing in the other quarterfinals pairing are defending champion Sta. Lucia Realty and surprising Rain or Shine.

Alaska and Talk 'N Txt are already in the semifinals earning outright berths for finishing with the best two records at the end f the elimination phase.

Protecting a five-point lead, 19-14, the Express slowly but surely pulled away with David scoring nine points in the second period to take a 48-37 halftime advantage. The lead reached the 20-point mark in the third period.

An altercation between Purefoods' James Yap and assistant coach Koy Banal occurred with seven minutes left in the fourth with Air21 up, 80-62, allegedly on defensive lapses by the Giants.

The Express led by as many as 24 points, 94-70, on a lay-up by Baguio late in the fourth period.
Yap led Purefoods with 26 points, but was scoreless in the fourth quarter. PBA.ph

The scores:

AIR21 94 -- David 20, Arboleda 17, Santos 13, Cruz 11, Allado 8, Baguio 6, Intal 5, Quinahan 4, Kramer 4, Canaleta 4, Billones 2, Sta. Maria 0.

PUREFOODS 82 -- J. Yap 26, Villanueva 17, Raymundo 14, Lanete 9, Alvarez 6, Simon 5, Aban 3, Belga 2, Robinson 0, R. Yap 0.

Quarterscores: 19-14, 48-37, 72-58, 94-82.

Kerby Raymundo Stars as Purefoods TJ Giants Smash San Miguel Beermen

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 04:24:00 +0000

Photo Credit: hoops.blink.ph

Slowly but surely, the San Miguel Beermen are fading away from its old winning form that brought them this far this conference as they lost a heart-breaking ballgame against the wounded Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants, 84-83.

With no clear go-to-guy to take charge during crunch time, the San Miguel Beermen lost an opportunity to score in an offensive play that could give them the win or at least force the game into overtime if Purefoods sinks a triple. The worst thing that they have done is a defensive lapse in the final play where bigman Mick Pennisi forgot about his man, Enrico Villanueva, in trying to help out in defending Kerby Raymundo.

This type of loss reminds us of the loss of Danny Seigle and Marc Pingris due to injuries. Danny Seigle could have took charge during that offensive play and Marc Pingris could have defended well against Kerby Raymundo. By the way, Kerby Raymundo feasted in the three-point region sinking one triple after the other after Jay Washington and Dorian Pena failed to contain him.

With the way things are going, it’s clear that the San Miguel Beermen should learn how to win close games. Gone are the days that they can lead big points heading into the fourth quarter. Can the San Miguel Beermen still maintain the second spot in the team standings? That remains to be seen on its next games where the only option is to win as the opposition are already catching up.

Alaska outlasts Purefoods, takes top seed in PBA All-Filipino

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 04:21:00 +0000

MANILA, Philippines - Joe Calvin Devance scored 18 points and pulled down 10 rebounds and the Alaska Aces weathered a mid-game run to beat the Purefoods TJ Giants 76-74 in the KFC Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup on Sunday at the Astrodome in Pasay City.

Alaska closed the elimination round with a 12-6 record - the best in the 10-team tournament - and reserved an automatic slot in the semifinals.

Kerby Raymundo finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds to lead Purefoods (8-10).

The Giants, who went all the way to the finals last year, were relegated to the wild-card stage, along with the idle Coca-Cola Tigers (7-11).

The teams with the two-best records will gain automatic semifinal berths, while those ranked no.3 to no.5 will make it to the quarterfinals outright.

Two more teams will join Purefoods and Coke in the wild cards which will determine the fourth and final quarterfinal team. Based on the current standings, San Miguel (no.6 overall, 9-9 record) and Air21 (no.7, 8-9) appear to be the two other wild-card squads.

Red Bull, which finished a league-worst 5-13 record, was the first team to ousted after the Bulls lost 102-84 to the Sta. Lucia Realtors in the first game Sunday.

The final standings will be determined on the final day of the elimination round on Thursday, Christmas Day, with Talk N Text (10-7) and Rain or Shine (10-7) looking to be the second club to gain an automatic semifinal berth.

Talk N Text faces Air21, while Rain or Shine battles unpredictable Barangay Ginebra (9-8).

Slumping San Miguel Beer Battles Wounded Purefoods TJ Giants

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 04:19:00 +0000

San Miguel Beer seems to be listless and literally not in its elements as it lost two of its last two games. They will try to break that spell tonight as they battle the wounded Purefoods TJ Giants at the resumption of the 2008-2009 KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome.

San Miguel Beer still owns the solo second spot in the team standings at 7-4, thanks to sister team Barangay Ginebra who beat the Sta. Lucia Realtors yesterday.

On their first meeting this conference, San Miguel Beer humiliated the Purefoods TJ Giants by burying them with a huge 39-point lead in the third quarter before the Giants closed the game with a 13-point loss, 111-98. If you want to recall their previous encounter news, you can follow the link below:

San Miguel Beermen Clobbers Purefoods TJ Giants in Big Win

Despite its depleted lineup due to injuries and sickness, the Purefoods TJ Giants are up to the challenge to avenge their first meeting defeat. They are a team not to be taken lightly and can explode at any given time.

Obviously missing in the last two games are San Miguel Beer’s outside snipping where main gunmen Dondon Hontiveros and Lordy Tugade were limited to several outside shots. The competition have done a good job scouting the team.

It’s enevitable to have bad games but the only way to survive during these types of situations is to play good defense, keep the game close, and try to win it at endgame.

This is an important win for San Miguel Beer to provide more distance between third running Air21 Express, Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, and Sta. Lucia Realtors, all standing at 6-5. With 7 games left in the second round of the eliminations, it’s critical to start racking up wins to prevent any conflicts for a spot in the semifinals.

Yap, Taulava top PBA 07-08 stats

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 03:55:00 +0000

Journal Online
September 12, 2008

Purefoods James Yap emerged as the scoring champ, Coca-Cola' Asi Taulava the rebounding king and Ginebra's Jayjay Helterbrand the sultan of assists in the 2007-08 PBA season.

Sta. Lucia's Ryan Reyes, Air21's Arwind Santos, Alaska's Sonny Thoss, Red Bull's Mike Hrabak and Coca-Cola's Mark Macapagal also topped different statistical departments in the exciting and dramatic season highlighted by the title conquests of the Sta. Lucia Realtors and the Barangay Ginebra Kings

The stats races turned out to be as close as the battles for both the Philippine Cup and the Fiesta Conference.

Yap ended Mark Caguioa's two-year reign as scoring champion as the 2006 MVP winner averaged 21.32 points a game to edge out two-time MVP awardee Willie Miller who normed 20.67 an outing.

Rounding out the top 10 scorers were Caguioa (19.82), Kelly Williams (18.23), Jayjay Helterbrand (18.11), Cyrus Baguio (18.02), Macmac Cardona (16.89), Santos (16.33), Danny Seigle (15.39) and Gary David (15.33).

Yap became only the second Purefoods player to top the scoring ladder after Alvin Patrimonio who was No. 1 in 1992, 1993 and 1998. The former UE Warrior continued to improve his strides after averaging only 12.5 points in his rookie year, 17.6 the following season and 19.7 in his junior season as a pro.

Taulava and Helterbrand retained their crowns as rebounding and assists kings with the Coca-Cola behemoth averaging 12.51 boards a game and the Ginebra playmaker dishing off 6.5 feeds per contest.

Williams (10.73), Nic Belasco (10.35), Santos (9.56) and Kerby Raymundo (9.2) were the runners-up to Taulava in rebounding honors while Jimmy Alapag (5.9), Wynne Arboleda (4.8), Alex Cabagnot (4.5) and LA Tenorio (4.5) ranked next to Helterbrand in assists.

Reyes was No. 1 in steals, Santos in blocks, Thoss in overall field-goal shooting percentage, Hrabak in three-point accuracy and Macapagal in charities.

Reyes, the Rookie of the Year awardee, came through with 2.1 steals a game, besting Arboleda, two-time champion in this department relegated to second this time with 1.6 an outing.

Topex Robinson and Dondon Hontiveros came in tied at third with 1.3 per game then Baguio at fifth with 1.2 per contest.

Santos reigned supreme in blocks with an average of 1.45 as against the 1.43 of Ali Peek, 1.29 of Hrabak, 1.13 of Marlou Aquino and 1.03 of Marc Pingris.

Hrabak was the best in three-point shooting, hitting at a 42.92-percent clip per game but Thoss was No. 1 in overall field-goal shooting accuracy, converting 53.87 percent of his shots per contest.

Tops in free throw shooting were Macapagal (82.42 percent), Ronjay Buenafe (81.58), Lordy Tugade (81.33), David (81.25) and Yap (81.16).

Committing the most number of errors was Macmac Cardona with 3.75 a game, followed by JayR Reyes (3.38), Raymundo (3.38), Miller (3.26) and Arboleda (3.24).

Spaghetti Oriental

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:30:00 +0000

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 box Dreamfields Spaghetti
1 tablespoon peanut oil
3 tablespoons chopped unsalted peanuts
1 to 2 small Thai chiles, minced
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup chopped hearts of palm
1/2 cup diced cucumber
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
Chopped unsalted peanuts (optional)

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook peanuts and Thai chile 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in water, soy sauce and lemon juice. Cover and simmer 3 minutes.
Drain pasta. Add to skillet. Add hearts of palm, cucumber, cilantro, mint and lemon zest; toss to combine. Cook 3 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and peanuts, if desired.

Makes 6 side dish servings.

Italian Omelet (Frittata Di Spaghetti)

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:22:00 +0000

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

This is a delicious breakfast or brunch pasta dish. Egg substitute may be used in place of real eggs. You can be creative and add in your favorite vegetables and ingredients to make this Italian omelet. Another way to turn the omelet over is to use 2 sauté pans. Hold them tightly together for a clean flip.

Ingredients:
1/2 of a box Dreamfields Spaghetti
8 eggs or 2 cups egg substitute
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1 jar (6 ounces) marinated, quartered artichoke hearts, drained
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1-1/2 ounces diced prosciutto or ham
Cherry tomatoes (optional)

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain well.
Meanwhile, in large bowl beat eggs, cheese, 2 tablespoons basil, salt and pepper. Combine cooked pasta with egg mixture; set aside.
Heat oil in ovenproof large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion; cook 1 minute. Add artichokes, tomatoes and prosciutto. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally. Gently stir into pasta mixture and return to skillet.
Cover; cook over medium heat 10 to 12 minutes or until egg mixture is set in center. DO NOT STIR. Remove from heat.
Place skillet in oven 4 inches from broiler. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until top is browned. Transfer to serving dish. Cool 5 minutes. Garnish with additional tablespoon of basil and cherry tomato halves, if desired. Cut into wedges; serve.

Makes 6 main dish servings.

Linguine Carbonara

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:16:00 +0000

By Chef Marilyn Harris

Ingredients:
16 ounces Dreamfields Linguine (or Spaghetti)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 strips good quality bacon, diced
4 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

Cook the linguine according to directions.
In a small skillet heat the olive oil and cook the bacon until crisp.
In a large metal bowl beat the eggs. Beat in the thyme and cheese.
When the pasta is done, drain and add immediately to the egg mixture.
Add the bacon-olive oil and toss well until the sauce thickens.
Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
Serve immediately in warm bowls.

Nutrition information per serving (1/4 of recipe): 699 calories; 39 g protein; 18 g digestible carbohydrates; 32 g fat; 11 g saturated fat; 272 mg cholesterol; 691 mg sodium; 8 g total dietary fiber.

Penne Primavera with Shrimp

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:15:00 +0000

Serves 6

Ingredients:
8 ounces Dreamfields Penne Rigate (3 cups uncooked)
1 1/2 cups baby carrots
1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, about 12 ounces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
12 ounces fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup white cooking wine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup half & half
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cups baby arugula (or spinach)

Directions:

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add carrots and snap peas and cook for 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions.
Over medium-high heat in a large skillet, heat oil. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add carrots, snap peas, salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add shrimp and wine and cook until wine has evaporated. Add cream and lemon juice, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss together hot pasta with shrimp and vegetable mixture, arugula and Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving (1/6 of recipe): 419 calories; 30 g protein; 20 g digestible carbohydrates; 11 g fat; 4 g saturated fat; 150 mg cholesterol; 412 mg sodium; 7 g total dietary fiber.

Elbows with Prosciutto, Olives and Marinara (Gobetti alla Boscaiola)

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:12:00 +0000

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 box Dreamfields Elbows
1 tablespoon olive oil1/2 cup chopped red onion
3 ounces prosciutto or cooked ham, cut into thin strips
1 jar (26 ounces) marinara sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons pitted Kalamata olives, halved
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and prosciutto; cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently. Stir in marinara sauce, parsley and olives. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pan. Add sauce; toss. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Note: Make chopping easy by using a kitchen scissors—chop everything from snipping herbs, slicing ham and cutting olives in half.

Makes 6 main dish servings.

Nutrition information per serving (1/6 of recipe): 388 calories; 17 g protein;
24 g digestible carbohydrates*; 10 g total fat; 3 g saturated fat; 19 mg cholesterol;
884 mg sodium; 9 g total dietary fiber.

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:11:00 +0000

Salmon Pasta Salad with Mint and Lemon Vinaigrette

From the Better Homes and Gardens Test Kitchen

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: up to 24 hours

Ingredients:
8 ounces (about 3 cups) uncooked Dreamfields Rotini
12 ounces coarsely chopped cooked salmon (see note)
1 cup chopped seeded cucumber
1/4 cup chopped red onion
3 to 4 tablespoons snipped fresh mint
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon coarse grind black pepper
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Leaf lettuce (optional)
Lemon wedges (optional)

Makes 4 (2 cup) servings

Ingredients:
4 ounces (about 1.5 cups) uncooked Dreamfields Rotini
6 ounces coarsely chopped cooked salmon (see note)
3 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 tablespoons snipped fresh mint
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Leaf lettuce (optional)
Lemon wedges (optional)

Makes 2 (2 cup) servings

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again. In a medium bowl combine drained pasta, salmon, cucumber, red onion and mint.
For vinaigrette, in a small bowl combine lemon juice, olive oil, honey, zest, if desired, salt, and pepper. Whisk together. Pour over pasta mixture. Toss gently to coat. Add tomatoes. Toss gently. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 24 hours. Serve on top lettuce with fresh lemon, if desired.

Note: Cooked smoked salmon or smoked turkey breast may be substituted for cooked salmon.

Nutrition information per serving (1/4 of recipe): 397 calories; 29 g protein; 50 g total carbohydrates; 18 g digestible carbohydrates*; 11 g fat; 2 g saturated fat; 54 mg cholesterol; 210 mg sodium; 6 g total dietary fiber.

Fresh Herb Dip

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 06:04:00 +0000

Ingredients:

½ cup sour cream or light, plain yogurt
½ cup light mayonnaise
½ cup spinach leaves
½ cup fresh parsley
¼ cup basil leaves
2 small green onions, chopped (or use scallions)
Pinch of salt

Blend ingredients in food processor until greens are chopped.

Artichoke Dip

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:57:00 +0000

Ingredients:

1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained, finally chopped
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
3/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 350.
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
Spoon mixture into a 9" quiche dish or pie plate.
Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

Serve with crackers, pita bread, tortilla chips or toast.

How To Lose Weight While You Sleep

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:44:00 +0000

Most of us simply take sleep for granted. We assume we need our "rest" without ever thinking much about it. But the most important function of sleep is to allow our bodies to regenerate themselves. If we engage in physical exercise or muscle-taxing work during the day, our muscles, ligaments, skin, cartilege and other working parts of our body are worn down in the process. The body needs a time of rest to rebuild these damaged parts. That is what happens during sleep.

In other words, the body engages in a restorative process during sleep. And this restorative process uses energy to rebuild both lean muscle mass and other kinds of body tissue. That is worth repeating -- the rebuilding processes that take place during sleep use energy. And if the restorative processes are running smoothly and efficiently, the required energy comes from the places in our body where energy is stored -- from our fat cells.

So while we sleep the body repairs and rebuilds organ tissue, ligaments, tendons and lean muscle by burning the calories we take in as food during the day. And if that is not enough, it will burn excess fat.

Several things about this process are worth noting. They have an important bearing on how efficiently it works.

Collagen is very important to the body repair process

Collagen is the most common protein found in our bodies. It is the main component of our skin, nails, bones, cartilage, and connective tissue and is found in all of the body organs. Cartilage is the cushion and shock absorber between joints, and the reason we stay flexible and mobile. But cartilage and other soft body tissues are the very things that break down during our normal daily activities. So healthy cartilage and other soft tissue is constantly being regenerated by the body naturally and this process which depends on a steady source of collagen contributes to keeping us youthful and flexible.

Unfortunately, as we age our bodies lose the ability to produce collagen at sufficient levels needed to support the restorative processes that our bodies are designed to perform. This can be a major contributor leading to a premature aged appearance and can seriously affect our flexibility and mobility.

Therefore it stands to reason that a collagen supplement combined with other natural ingredients can have a dramatic impact on the deep restorative processes that take place during sleep. This in turn can allow the body to experience more energy, build more lean muscle, and burn more fat.

Amino acids enhance the regeneration process

The rebuilding process is also dependent on the production of a unique amino acid combination found in collagen. As part of the restoration process, these collagen based special amino acids help maintain lean muscle mass and allow the body to more readily consume fat for energy during the deep restorative sleep cycles. This natural metabolic function directly contributes to weight loss and our ability to maintain our "proper weight".

But again, as we age, our body's production of collagen and its unique amino acids is reduced. The natural ingredient L-Carnitine, when properly combined with collagen in a natural supplement, can significantly enhance the body's natural function of converting excess fat into readily available energy. During deep sleep, this special amino acid conbination works like a natural "turbo charger" to help your body repair, preserve and build lean muscle while burning stored excess fat to supply the needed energy.

Not eating before sleeping is important

Since the body uses deep sleep for the restoration process, it is important when using a collagen supplement not to eat approximately three hours before going asleep. This is because we don't want nutrient competitiion between undigested food and the collagen supplement's special nutrient formula.

If the body has to concern itself with digestion it will not absorb the collagen formula properly. Therefore your body will not be performing its natural restorative process while you sleep, but rather will be concerned with undigested foods and will actually be storing fat from the continuing digestive process rather than burning fat as the energy for the deep sleep restorative process.

This tends to put us into a "diet circle of frustration". The less time your body spends in deep restful sleep (without competing digestion), the less time it has to restore its natural health, and the less fat that is burned in support of this natural rebuilding process.

Now we understand how deep restful sleep and weight loss often go hand in hand with our overall health.

Reducing or eliminating the intake of food three hours before bedtime allows the body to use its natural fat reserves for metabolic fuel during the deep restorative sleep cycle.

Collagen weight loss products build on this process

Natural collagen supplements enable the natural process to help people lose weight and be more naturally healthy. For instance, the product called Lose and Snooze consists of a blend of Collagen, L-Carnitine and Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera). The Collagen contributes to a more youthful appearance, greater flexibility, and all round mobility and strength.

The collagen supplement also enhances the deep sleep necessary to enable your body's natural metabolic functions to occur, like when we were children. The second ingredient, L-Carnitine promotes the burning of fat in support of the natural rebuilding, restorative process that occurs during deep sleep. And Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) contains numerous nutrients and amino acids that help create a healthy environment in support of your body's ability to create its own collagen.

Many users of collagen supplements like Lose and Snooze have reported good results. But researchers stress that going to bed on an empty stomach is an integral part of the therapy. Many users report that using a collagen formula in combination with an empty stomach before bedtime, has been beneficial to their general health and has helped them naturally lose weight.

And because collagen supplements only help lose excess fat (while rebuilding muscle), they can be used by anybody -- not just people wanting to lose weight. They have also been beneficial to folks who want to enjoy better sleep, build lean muscle, improve their appearance and reshape their body while maintaining their proper healthy weight.

Teenage Insomnia-Difficult to Treat

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:34:00 +0000

Teenagers seem to be a species all on their own! They're not kids anymore but they're not adults either. Teens have their own unique set of problems as well, including teenage insomnia...

Insomnia in Teenagers

What's the difference between teenage insomnia (adolescent insomnia) and adult insomnia? Well insomnia in teens can be caused by a unique set of circumstances caused by changing physiology, life changes and stress.

The circadian rhythm undergoes a change when kids hit puberty. This may be due to the demands of a growing body and, in some cases, hormonal imbalances. Unfortunately this usually coincides with heavier school activity, maybe a part time job, dating, sports and of course trying to fit a social life into all this.

So teenagers aren't getting the sleep they need, that's fairly normal these days. Where the problem starts is when teens find they can't switch off in the limited time they do have to sleep. This can easily escalate into teenage insomnia.

How much sleep do teenagers need?

Typically teens need 8 1/2 or more hours per night. With today's hectic lifestyles that's hardly possible unless they go to bed quite early. Unfortunately the sleep hormone melatonin is produced later at night in teens than it is for kids and adults, making going to sleep early nearly impossible. Getting up in the morning is very hard and some teens struggle to make it through the day. This is called delayed sleep phase syndrome.

Helping teenage insomnia

Talk to your teenager, make sure there is nothing worrying him. Stress and anxiety are prime causes of insomnia at any age.

Make sure he's getting enough exercise even if it means turning off the TV or computer for 30 minutes. Exercise helps reduce stress making it easier to fall asleep.

Check out what he's drinking! If he's having cola drinks or energy drinks in the evening these could be keeping him awake. These types of drinks are high in caffeine and not at all healthy.

Check his bedroom (if you dare!) Make sure there's no light coming through the windows at night. Place his electronic clock away from the bed or turn it towards the wall. Ensure his bed is comfortable.

If despite your best efforts there's no improvement, take him to the doctor. Please make sure he is not prescribed sleeping pills however! This could set him up with lifetime sleep problems. A better choice could be a naturopath who will only suggest natural and nutritional remedies.

SerenitePlus is an herbal formula specially formulated by a clinical psychologist for teenagers and adults. The natural ingredients are chosen for their soothing properties to assist with restlessness at night and to wind down naturally after a hectic day. Being in tincture form, SerenitePlus is quickly absorbed and gets to work almost immediately as a natural sleep tonic.

If your teen is under 15, the page on child sleep may help him further

Sleep deprived teenagers may become depressed over time. This further disrupts their school work and their sleep. Teenage insomnia can also turn into adult insomnia if it's not dealt with early.

Help and support your teen through this often stressful time and seek help early if the problems persist.

How to Cure Insomnia

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:22:00 +0000

You can cure insomnia! Does this sound like an outrageous claim? If you've tried everything 'out there' but still have trouble sleeping, you may well be sceptical.

So how can I stand here and confidently make such a claim? Because I've done it. And I'm here to tell you that you too can cure insomnia without resorting to sleeping pills.

Will it be easy? No. Will it be fast? Probably not. What works for one may not work for another. Chronic insomnia could mean forming new habits. You may have to try many different approaches. You may have to combine several approaches. You may even have to change aspects of your lifestyle to cure insomnia. But perseverance will bring relief.

So what is insomnia? It's defined as poor quality or unsatisfying sleep. In addition to being unable to fall asleep, insomnia is also waking too early in the morning and not being able to go to sleep again, waking up often during the night (usually every hour) and restless sleep where you can sleep for reasonable amount of time but still wake up unrefreshed. There are a lot of "cures" for insomnia and you may have tried some or all of them. Some of them are great, some will work sometimes and others won't work at all. Its because we're all different.

Do you toss and turn all night wishing there was some way you could just relax enough to go to sleep? Is your mind going endlessly through the events of the day trying to find answers. Do you have a baby or small child who, for no apparent reason has trouble dropping off to sleep or who wakes up frequently during the night? Or a snoring partner?

Do you dread going to bed at all knowing you probably won't be able to sleep? If so take comfort, you’re not alone.

Almost half the population suffers with poor sleep at least some of the time. There are millions of folk out there desperately wishing they could just "switch off" their mind even just for a little while, so they could surrender themselves to that blissful state of unconsciousness? They’ve tried the usual things but there they are at 3 am with mind still racing! Some of us have the occasional "bad night" (transient insomnia), others battle nearly every night (chronic insomnia). We need sleep to survive and we can get sick without it both physically and emotionally.

Elderly people suffer from insomnia more than young people and more women suffer than men. The sleep cycle is controlled by the circadian clock which runs on a 24 hr cycle. This biological clock is affected by light so it tends to make us sleepy at night. This is why jet lag can upset us, our circadian rhythm has been interrupted. Shift workers can also be affected and even daylight saving can disrupt us for a while.

Tips to Cure Insomnia

We are creatures of habit and sometimes we get into the bad habit of poor sleep. Once this happens, we begin to believe that we will always have trouble sleeping. After that it starts to become a fact. Break this habit and you can cure insomnia.

If you can find no valid reason for your sleep problems, for instance chronic pain, room too hot or too cold, excessive noise or partner disturbance, then chances are your problems are stress related. Either temporary or chronic stress is a major cause of insomnia and a lot of other health complaints. Relieve your stress and you can cure insomnia.

Stress is something we can overcome with persistence. There are many ways of coping with stress and again, different things work for different people. We'll look at lots of them in these pages.

If daytime sleepiness is not a problem for you but you still think you have a problem with insomnia, well maybe you don't. Maybe you are one of those individuals who don't need much sleep as the rest of us.

There are people who can get by just fine on four or five hours a night and show no ill effects at all. Many "health experts" keep insisting everyone needs the compulsory eight hours sleep a night but this is not always the case. Probably many sleep disorders evolve because people are worried they are not getting enough sleep. So if you're one of these, just relax and make the most of your extra time!

So join me and together we'll examine the causes of insomnia and see if we can help you achieve better sleep. Let's see if together we can help you cure insomnia

Please bookmark this site and return to it often as it a live site and will be updated as soon as any new information becomes available.

The Mansion

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 05:43:00 +0000

The Mansion is located on the eastern part of the city along the Leonard Wood Road and right across from Wright Park. It was built in 1908 for U.S. governor-generals and was destroyed in 1945 during the battle for the liberation of the Philippines.

The Philippine government later rebuilt and improved the structure in 1947 and since then it has been used by various Philippine presidents whenever they come up to Baguio for their official visits and engagements. The Mansion served as the seat of the Second Session of Economic Commission of Asia and the Far East in 1947. It has also been the site of first meeting of the South East Asia Union which was popularly known as the Baguio Conference of 1950 which was conceived and convened by President Elpidio Quirino.

The elaborate main gate of the Mansion is said to be a replica of that at Buckingham Palace in London. Vehicles entering the compound pass through a great circular driveway and it is usually open only when the Mansion is used for an official function or activity. With its beautiful gardens and a well-manicured lawn, it is a favorite site for sightseeing and picture taking.

Inside the Mansion is a mini museum housing memorabilia and works of art collected over its years of occupancy by the former presidents. Within the compound and adjacent to the Mansion is a two-story building which serves as the official residence of the Philippine President in Baguio City. A contingent of Philippine marines maintains the security of this large compound and you will see a some of them manning the guardhouse at the vicinity of the entry gate.

source (http://www.cityofpines.com)

Mines View Park

noreply@blogger.com (rain) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 05:39:00 +0000

There is no doubt that the Mines View Park is one of the most popular and most visited park in the city. From the observation deck of the park a breathtaking panoramic view of Benguet's gold and copper mines and the surrounding mountains unfolds before you. It is a spectacular sight to behold and should not be missed when visiting Baguio.

The park is usually the next stop taken by most visitors after seeing the Mansion or Wright Park. To reach the observation deck, you need to go down a winding stone-covered stairway which is just close to the parking area. One should be careful when ascending or descending the stairway just after a rain as the steps can be very slippery. There are a few benches at the promontory where you can sit down to rest and enjoy the view. For a few pesos you can rent a binocular and there are also some commercial photographers around just in case you want to have your picture taken. A visit to the park should also be planned earlier during the day as the view may not be visible when the fog starts to move in during the afternoon. However, this occurs only on certain months of the year.

At the entrance to the park are stalls selling native handicraft such as wood carvings, locally made silver products and jewelry, baskets, brooms, sweaters, blankets, and a variety of other items. There are also canteens, snack stores, and street vendors selling food and beverages. Items one will find here are similar to those found in the public market but only at a much smaller scale. There are however some good bargains at the stores and it is best to check and compare prices before deciding to purchase a particular item. There is an open parking area at the vicinity of the park where the stores are located.