Under the Sun

Resolutions for 2012

2012-01-13T21:00:00.000-08:00

photo credit: jdurham at morguefile.com and

Diver Daisy

It's time to make resolutions for 2012. This may sound like an old song played over and over, a mantra if you would like to say. My four goals last year turned out to be a total smashout. Yes, I do have awful excuses to make and I know noone wants to listen to it (I'd reserve it for my good friend Valery, who never fails to listen to my craps) and yet I insist to mention the sensibility of my uncommitment to my vows last 2011.

It's not that I haven't tried fulfilling them but I just had the kick to follow them at the end part of the year (blame it to procrastination again).

1. ~~Sleep early everyday~~ Manage time wisely and learn how to prioritize.

I wonder where I got this idea, oh, sounds lunatic (is that me or the idea) to me. Let's say I am a busy mother and only from 9pm (that's when my children go to sleep) do I really have time for myself and do stuff at home. Or maybe you can blame it to Facebook, Farmville, reading, blogging, code tweaking, cleaning the house, Vampire Diaries, The Secret Circle and still I say it's impossible to happen, not when I'm feverish, of course.

Manage time wisely might be more appropriate as a goal for 2012. Yes, I could manage dividing my time on a lot of things, but not just some quirk but IMPORTANT matters. Priority is the key.

2. ~~Eat healthy foods~~ Lose weight

That's not what was purposedly in my mind. What I'm aiming for was to really lose weight and I kind of failed in this aspect. After a brief perk of following a vegetarian diet (actually lost 5 kilos), I lost the drive to continue this eating regimen. It wasn't easy after all and I had been inconsistent. At least, I have to get some incentive for trying. Didn't I mention I lost 5 kilos?

My goal is to lose 15 kilos permanently. Whatever it takes, there should be a new slimmer, stronger and healthier Elaine Bloch for 2013.

3. ~~Avoid procrastination~~ Set time bound goals and reward self when task is accomplished.

I'll write something about it later. Seriously, is there a way to beat and cure procrastination? I've read the book of researcher, Dr. Piers Steel, The Procrastination Equation, which emphasized ways on how to overcome procrastination, it's destructive patterns that limits us create happy and positive lives.

The research lead me to uncovered debates and theories connoting procrastination being related to physical disorders and brain lesions. It does sound complicated but the good news is that they found a way to evercome it. The cure doesn't come in bottles but on one's willingness to become a better person.

Oh, this one reminds me of Algebra, but the solution is imminent visually. Motivation is the key to overcome procrastination. We need to increase our motivation on every task we are tempted to procrastinate. And to do that, we have to elevate the optimism of success of our task, incorporate fun and pleasure in doing the task and taking steps to stop impulsiveness.

Yes, that doesn't sound cool and easy and makes it like a goal of a lifetime. It's time to rephrase my goal for 2012 to increase motivation. My plan would be to create time bound goals and reward myself when task is accomplished. Those rewards are something to look forward to...so let's get moving and keep the spirit high!

4. Blog more

I've ended the year productively by reviving the life of this blog. The design had been changed and more creative contents were posted. SEO optimimization was achieved with the help of Mailchimps, I couldn't ask for more. But there is still another blog (In My Kitchen) and integration of Ecwid (an ecommerce platform) that I have to deal with. It will be a busy year.

5. Read more

It's not that I am saying goodbye to audiobooks (I'm in love with them) permanently but I've missed the feeling of holding a real book, the feeling of having the time to pause and speculate over things, and feel the words. I've made a long list of books I want to read for this year and some of them would have to be reviewed here in my blog. The first review would be Cathy Glass' book entitled "Damaged" so don't miss out.

Happy New Year again to everyone!

Top Books of 2011

2011-12-30T21:00:00.000-08:00

This is a follow-up post of my recently published article last week, Bestseller Books of All Time. Datas posted were taken from the Nielson Bookscan, for which in my opinion is the world's most reliable research database about the top sold books in over 31, 500 bookshops all around the globe. The results were astounding and the enumeration of specific imprints, authors, price points, book categories, actual sales price, and consumer discount levels were detailed.

A recopy of the top books of 2011 is featured here. This will be good reference for book lovers, whose goal is to find quality reading materials of 2012. It seems that I got the edge after visiting the library of Kiryat Ono, almost all books posted were available already on the entrance bookshelf (what a luck!).
Nielsen Data
Another recommended site worth visiting is GoodReads. They've just recently posted the site's choice awards for the following categories:

Favorite Book of 2011
Best Fiction
Best Mystery and Thriller
Best Historical Fiction
Best Fantasy
Best Paranormal Fantasy
Best Science Fiction
Best Horror
Best Romance
Best Humor
Best Non-fiction
Best History and Biography
Best Food and Cooking
Best Travel and Outdoors
Best Young Adult Fiction
Best Young Adult Fantasy and Science Fiction
Best Middle Grade and Children's
Best Picture Books
Best Graphic Novels and Comics
Best Poetry
Best Goodreads Author

Don't miss out the fun of reading....HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Bestseller Books of All Time

2011-12-23T15:15:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about Nielson Bookscan? This is the world's largest book tracking service that collects retail sales information in more than 31, 500 bookshops around the world. And the data I have posted showed the top 100 books sales since 1998. The data did amaze me surprisingly. What have I been doing the last 20 years that I have missed reading all the books posted?

After briefly scanning the documents, it's a relief to know that I have read all the books of Dan Brown, J.F. Rowling (Harry Potter Collection) and Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series books, all of which appeared in the top 20 list of the top-selling books since 1998. Outdated is a term no one can accuse me of, but really, it's a shame to miss these amazing books.

For the year 2012, I am revising my list of Books to Read and I am adding many books mentioned in the data. What I've posted is HISTORY and I want you to take part in it also. Now start making your own list and join me in reading the bestseller books of all time. When your old as your grandparents, I am sure you'd be proud to tell them: "My child, I have read that book."

Bestseller Books of All Time - ToP 100 - ALL TIME

First and Last with Kika

2011-12-17T13:41:00.000-08:00

Two options were given to me last week: a morning breakfast to a nice restaurant and a visit to Kika, an Austrian furniture chain in Israel. Regrettably, I chose the latter. It was supposedly a day of fun (shopping is fun and therapeutic...i believe) for me and my husband but to my dismay, we were left disappointed with the trip.

After Ikea, the competitor store of Kika, got burned some two years ago, this was the first time we visited again Natanya. I differ the notion that it's close to home (home now for me is Kiryat Ono) so it really has been a planned trip. The night before we set forth to this foray, I did make some random lists to buy, mostly were stuff for the new house. We've just moved in to Kiryat Ono last July (2011) and the excitement to furnish the house with new gadgets is emminent. I have a goal and I succumbed to that buying crave.

The store, was undeniably huge, but not as spacious as Ikea. The building had four floors with departments for kitchen and living room furniture, bedrooms and bathrooms, baby rooms and toys, as well as household appliances, mattresses, home textile, cooking appliances and wallpaper. It has a children's playground and a coffee shop. The best part was the children's department. Compared to Ikea this is haven for children, and parents, as well as grandparents. The variety to choose for newborns (with baby carriages) and tots were considerably big. I got frantic attack to grab many items but got shaken up after seeing the prices of the items. I may say they're overpriced and that was a huge turn off.

The store does have really nice stuff but not really extraordinary special. These are gadgets/stuff you could buy anywhere (except for the rectangular molders for baking and room cabinets) and for affordable prices. I remember the first time we visited Ikea, we got into panic buying mode. The prices were incredibly cheap, considering their imported from Europe, and the quality was commendable. I am proud to say that after eight years, all goods I bought in Ikea were still functional and routinely used at home.

Prices in Kika were a huge disappointment. We could have at least been compensated afterwards if they did have a good restaurant at the entrance. The people could at least treat themselves for a nice meal after a letdown but their breakfast was unsatisfactorily unappetizing. It's not only you have to wait 20 min for the meal but it was costly also. For the price of the food, me and my husband have eaten, I could have fed my whole tribe (5 children) lavishly in Ikea with a hot meal and unlimited drinks.

At the exit door of Kika, I did only find empty trolleys and disheartened faces. Definitely, this is our first and last with Kika.

A Circus Ride With KC and Mo Twister

2011-12-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

News about separation of KC Concepcion and Piolo Pascual (with speculation that Piolo is gay) had gone viral in print and the internet. This had been followed by the video of Mo Twister claiming abortion of ex-girlfriend Rhian Ramos in Singapore. Whether these news were my cup of tea or not, I am joining the circus ride. You may call it curiosity but filling up that need made me realize few things in life.

First, never get attached to what you are reading in the news, and internet (that applies especially to gossips about entertainment celebrities). It doesn’t matter whether you are fond of an actor/actress, the point is that probing their stories will get you nowhere (waste of time). True or not, whatever had been magnified in the news is an effect of the need of the industry (let’s call it showbiz) to make a name and an after effect to earn money. They use him and he uses them to gain something and they use us to get the more benefit. OUCH!!

Second, actors and actress are not superHUMANS. We do share with them the pains of living….failure in relationships, betrayal, death, sickness, humiliation, discrimination and a whole bunch of things that life could offer. They do also need privacy in life, like anyone else. And if I do deserve respect, so are these people.

Third, homosexuality in the Philippines is still unacceptable in the Philippines (in reference to true sexuality of Piolo Pascual). There are many transgenders (men dressing up like women and vice versa) in the local streets of Manila but the norm is still traditional. We want men to act like studs, not lame ducklings. We want the women to be feminine and vulnerable. Shame on these mentality, shame on the culture that motivates hypocrisy (try to read forums about Piolo and see for yourself what hypocrisy I am referring to).

Homosexuality is not a disease. It is a CHOICE and a way of living. It’s the same for a woman when she chooses to get married and raise children. They are not different from who we are, these are people who feel love, anger, pain, depression and joy. They could be anyone else… your children, husband, wife, mother, father, the senator, the president… and they do deserve RESPECT.

Lastly, love is simply giving without even asking favors in return. For all the KC’s in the world…when a man is NOT INTO YOU….simply move on. There is always someone waiting for you somewhere. Love is a journey, so enjoy the ride!

I am posting the videos of KC Concepcion and MO Twister…enjoy watching!

Complete Script of Mo Twisters’ Video

"ITS 28TH OF JULY 2010, FIRST TIME IM DOING THIS. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHY. UM, MAYBE ONE DAY YOU'LL WATCH THIS. JUST TO REMEMBER HOW HORRIBLE OF A DAY IT IS. YOURE IN SINGAPORE, YOU'VE BEEN CRYING ALL EVENING BECAUSE TOMORROW MORNING, YOU AND RHIAN WILL GO TO THE HOSPITAL HERE AND GET RID OUR BABY. IT DOESN'T MATTER NAMAN WHAT I THINK ABOUT IT BECAUSE THIS WAS HER CHOICE. I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG YOU'LL KEEP THIS AS A SOUVENIR, BUT THIS IS THE TEST. (WHISPER) THIS IS WRONG. THIS IS THE HARDEST THING (CRYING) THIS IS THE HARDEST THING YOU'VE GONE THROUGH BEFORE AND YOU'VE GONE THROUGH SO MUCH. AND WE HAVE TO BLAME OUR JOBS FOR THIS?
THIS INDUSTRY THAT JUDGES YOU FOR THESE THINGS. THIS BUSINESS HAS MADE HER BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE THE LIFE OF OUR OWN CHILD BECAUSE NO ONE WILL FORGIVE HER FOR THIS. THAT THIS JOB WILL RUIN HER, SO WE AGREED THAT WE'D COME HERE AND GET IT DONE. BECAUSE YOU LOVE HER AND YOU JUST WANT HER TO BE OKAY. ITS NOT LIKE RHIAN IS HAVING AN EASY TIME WITH THIS TOO. ITS HARD ON ALL OF US. SHE SAID ONE DAY WE WILL SEE THIS AGAIN. AND MAYBE OUR JOBS WILL BE A LITTLE BIT EASIER AND MORE ACCEPTING ABOUT IT. ONE DAY YOU'LL LOOK AT THIS VIDEO, 20 YEARS FROM NOW, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU WILL STILL BE TOGETHER AND IT WILL STILL HURT. IT WILL STILL HURT LIKE HELL. (CRYING). YOU'LL BE SORRY FOR THIS YOUR WHOLE LIFE. I'LL BE SORRY FOR THIS MY WHOLE LIFE. IM SORRY FOR THE BAD CHOICE WE ARE ABOUT TO MAKE. ITS HARD FOR BOTH OF US. NOBODY WANTS TO DO THIS. I KNOW OTHER CELEBRITIES HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SUCCEED AFTER THIS PROBLEM, IF IT IS EVEN A PROBLEM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A PROBLEM. BUT YOU KNOW, HER PARENTS ARE TOUGH ON HER. HER STATION, HER CHANNEL, HER MANAGER IS SO TOUGH ON HER THAT IT HAS MADE HER FEEL THAT HAVING THIS BABY, IS JUST NO OTHER OPTION.
I KNOW RHIAN IS YOUNG. MAYBE ONE DAY WHEN WE'RE OLDER, WHEN SHE IS OLDER, THAT WE WONT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS. I DON'T BLAME HER. THE PRESSURE ON HER IS SO GREAT. THAT I KNOW SHE FEELS LIKE SHE HAS NO CHOICE. SO THIS IS NOT YOUR FAULT RHIAN. ITS NOT. I KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO BE YOU IN HERE, IN THIS SITUATION. ITS JULY 28, 2010 AND IM SITTING INSIDE THE HOTEL. THE RITZ-CALRTON IS SINGAPORE AND WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING ALL NIGHT ABOUT THIS. IM DOING MY BEST TO TRY TO KEEP YOU SAFE. AND ALL THIS FIGHTING IS TAKING A TOLL ON US. I WISH WE COULD HAVE THIS CHILD. I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS. THIS JOB IS SO DIFFICULT. ITS SO DIFFICULT. IM SO SORRY. I'LL BE SORRY FOREVER. AGAIN, ONE DAY YOU'LL WATCH THIS. MAYBE WHEN YOURE AN OLD MAN. YOU'LL REMEMBER HOW DIFFICULT TODAY WAS. AND I HOPE YOU WATCH THIS AND I HOPE BY THAT TIME I'LL BE MARRIED AND I'LL HAVE A FAMILY THAT I CAN TRY TO MAKE IT UP TO. YOURE GOING TO DO SOMETHING REALLY WRONG TODAY. IM SORRY FOR THAT. THIS IS BUSINESS IS SO SO HARD. THIS BUSINESS IS SO HARD ON ITS EMPLOYEES. I GUESS ALL BUSINESSES ARE. I DON'T KNOW. ITS OUR FAULT I KNOW. WE CANT REALLY BLAME OUR JOBS BECAUSE OTHER PEOPLE DID IT. BUT UM, I UNDERSTAND

http://www.pinoyboldstar.net/is-piolo-pascual-really-gay/
http://www.simplymanila.com/2007/11/yet-another-piolo-pascual-gay-gossip.html
http://getrealphilippines.com/blog/2011/11/kc-concepcion-is-not-piolo-pascuals-sunshine/

A New Look for 2012

2011-11-26T20:56:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the new look of Under the Sun. I've changed the format of my blog in advance for the coming of year 2012, besides it's been due for a long time. After decluttering all the unimportant aspects (widgets), a cleaner and organized feature surfaced. It's must be true what they say...THAT LESS IS MORE.

Despite taking an over a year break from posting, it's been fantastic to see the surge of a number of visitors continue to trend upwards (not thousands though, but thanks to my wonderful friends...you know who you are). With a new format, I hope that it's now easier for you to find whatever you're interested in. You can now follow-up the blog on Facebook, and the same with Twitter.

Thanks to everyone who asked when the blog would return – now, I'm really back with more VIGOR and DIRECTION. And I'm into many exciting things, please watch out for my future posts.

And thanks as always for reading,

P.S. Your feedbacks, by the way, are welcome.

Dynamic Views on Blogger

2011-11-24T14:00:00.000-08:00

As far as I'm counting, it's been more than a year since I had my last Blogger post...and whooh, that on my opinion is truly disappointing. Considering the new developments in Blogger's unique browsing experience (Blogger Dynamic Views), I felt totally left behind. It's time to say goodbye now to manual CSS coding and embrace these wonderful ways of sharing the blog to the public.

But STILL despite these changes in Blogger I am STILL looking forward for an addition of an e-commerce platform. Bloggers and merchants are quite a combination, if Blogger would eventually create such powerful integration, its goodbye time for Prestashop, Magento, Zen Cart and other open source e-commerce modules. And MAYBE I'll settle for good...it's good to be back!

a cat makes life fun

Haiti in Rumbles Part II

2010-01-19T12:10:00.000-08:00

After a week of turmoil, Haiti's nightmare was staggering. On recent reports, authorities had estimated 200,000 dead and 1.5 million homeless people. Six days after the earthquake struck, the unmet needs of thousands is escalating, locals pledged for more money, food, medicine and police asssitance.

Despite news that massive help arrived in Haiti, people continue to receive little or no aid. The Red Cross says up to three million people have been affected. Describing the cost of loss is overpowering, damage could run into billions. Every nation must geared up to send aid. This is not a local disaster, it's a world concern. Haiti couldn't do it alone..and they need our help! It's our time to share and GET INVOLVED!

I am posting here ways on how and where you could send help and relief. It's our responsibility to make sure we give our donations to safe institutions. Unscrupulous scammers could use this disaster as an opportunity to take advantage of well-meaning would-be humanitarians.

1. American Red Cross
    You also can text "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10 to the International Response Fund. The money will go directly to relief efforts in Haiti.
2. Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières)
    They do respond in building clinics in replacement of destroyed hospitals and other medical facilities.
3. World Food Programme
4. Unicef
5. CIDI - Center for International Disaster Information handling hundreds of thousands of public inquiries related to international emergencies
6. Catholic Relief Services (CRS)
7. Direct Relief International
8. Mercy Corps
9. American Jewish World Service
10. Care
11. Habitat for Humanity
12. International Medical Corps
13. International Relief Teams
14. Medical Teams International
15. The Salvation Army
16. World Concern
17. Yele Haiti
      This organization, founded by Wyclef Jean, creates projects to improve the quality of education, health, environment and community development in Haiti. To donate to to its Haiti relief efforts, go to yele.org or text YELE to 501501 to donate $5.

*Check up on charities before sending your money, visit Charity Navigator , Give.org , or GuideStar.org.

Haiti in Rumbles - Part I

2010-01-15T12:33:00.001-08:00

clipped from www.sacbee.com

Haiti from above

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) -- Desperately needed aid from around the world slowly made its way Thursday into Haiti, where a leadership vacuum left rescuers scrambling on their own to save the trapped and injured and get relief supplies into the capital. (20 images)

clipped from www.copytaste.com

via

New Year Resolutions for 2010

2010-01-14T14:11:00.000-08:00

Have you been making resolutions every year? And have you been keeping them devotedly until you've reached your goals? Or maybe you're just like me who have been collecting the same yearly crap of unforgotten promises and washed away affirmations?

Well, let's say this year is different and I am making a vow to keep my resolutions for 2010. This year I am determined to try harder and my goal is to succeed.

My plan is to keep my resolutions simple and short. And instead of making the usual magic 10 commitments, I would be settling for 4 realistic and reachable goals. I am posting it here so I have something to review after the year is over.

1. Sleep early every day (that doesn't mean 12mn, 1am nor 2am)

2. Eat healthy foods (even if I have to force myself to eat more GREENS, and whole wheat nutrition)

3. Avoid procrastination.

4. Blog more.....

Happy New Year to everyone!

*This is the Top 10 New Year Resolutions for 2010

1. Stop smoking
2. Get Fit
3. Lose Weight
4. Enjoy Life More
5. Quit Drinking
6. Get Organised
7. Learn Something New
8. Get Out of Debt
9. Spend more time with the Family
10. Help Others

Please don't hesitate to share your resolutions for the year 2010...sharing is learning!

Breakdancing Pregnant Woman

2010-01-03T23:52:00.001-08:00

Whatever happens to the baby inside the woman's womb is beyond imaginable! She seems to be enjoying the thrill of breakdancing though it hurts me so much to look at her in this condition. OUCH!!! Sorry baby!

clipped from http://www.gifbin.com/982265

GoogleWaving is the Future

2010-01-01T21:28:00.001-08:00

From Friendster to Facebook...I find myself moving to a more collaborative and interactive social medium, the Google Wave. After watching their launching video, it seems hard anymore to ignore the overpowering acceleration of the world's digital technology. I may say, we've come a long way and it's time to welcome the FUTURE.

See for yourself what Google Wave could offer.....enjoy viewing the video!

A week after getting hands on with Google Wave, makes you feel so overwhelmed. There's seems to be so much to do and learn about it. The potential for it to develop into a gigantic communication network is huge, if only it could have been more open to the public. Getting an invitation for preview seems impossible and getting your friends and family inside the platform seems like years of waiting.

And although it works well with Firefox and Google Chrome, IE users won't even have the chance to explore in the meantime it's ultimate potentials (count me in). After downloading the Google Chrome Frame (for IE users), I was unable to open my subscriptions for Google Reader. Only after I read in the Google forum that the only solution to enable it again was to remove the Google Chrome Frame, I came to the conclusion that I would have to give up using Google Wave temporarily. If and when will Google Wave developers will create a more stable and feasible program is a just a question of time. My hopes are still on it and I am waiting patiently.

Google Wave Screenshots:

clipped from sites.google.com

Complete List of Google Wave Extentions

Google Wave Extension List -

MTV Love Bites: Probing the Relationship of Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart

2009-11-27T12:05:00.000-08:00

The movie, New Moon, proved to be a real box office hit last November 20, breaking the record of earning an estimated $140.7 million on opening weekend box office chart. This means putting it in 3rd place behind The Dark Knight ($158.4 million) and Spider-Man 3 ($151.1 million) on the opening weekend box. This could be just the beginning and there's more to count on for the showing of Eclipse (June, 2010) and Breaking Dawn(????).

One and half year had passed after the Twilight movie was shown, but speculations on the Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart relationship continues. Whether it's a "fact" or "fiction", followers insist there's more to the onscreen romance of Edward and Bella. Personally speaking, there's more than just what meets the eye...what we see is what we actually get. I believe, Robsten (as we call them together) is into an intimate relationship!!!!!

MTV did quite a great job of probing the Robsten relationship. Watch the videos (4 parts) they have made, a collection of interviews from Robert and Kristen themselves, director Catherine Hardwicke, Twilight staff, fans and photographers attesting a romance between the two stars.

Happy viewing!

*Loading of video may take time, so be patient. Part 2 (so with parts 3 and 4) comes diectly after video 1 (and so on).

Video Ski School Obertauern in Austria

2009-11-20T22:52:00.001-08:00

video link: http://www.luerzer.at/en-skischool-video.htm

This is where my son is going on Chanuka.

Lupang Hinirang Interpretation: The Best Ever

2009-11-16T13:39:00.001-08:00

I must give credit to Lovely Garcia David for posting this wonderful interpretation of the Philippines National Anthem in Facebook. It's been a long time since I've heard such uplifting song rendition and it's not just a song. It goes beyond commemorating the heroes of the Filipino heritage because it relives the essence of being a unified community. And that no matter where you live (may it be outside the Philippines, like I do), we get to share the same love, patriotism to the land that had nurtured us since birth. It is the pride that we carry like torches, burning and radiating a unique and solid beauty. We are Filipinos and we should be proud of that!

Lyrics:

Bayang magiliw,
Perlas ng Silanganan
Alab ng puso,
Sa Dibdib mo’y buhay.

Lupang Hinirang,
Duyan ka ng magiting,
Sa manlulupig,
Di ka pasisiil.

Sa dagat at bundok,
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula,
At awit sa paglayang minamahal.

Ang kislap ng watawat mo’y
Tagumpay na nagniningning,
Ang bituin at araw niya,
Kailan pa ma’y di magdidilim,

Lupa ng araw ng luwalhati’t pagsinta,
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo,
Aming ligaya na pag may mang-aapi,
Ang mamatay ng dahil sa iyo.

Shemesh Taliban Mother and Her Indictment

2009-11-12T05:04:00.001-08:00

Since the news of the mother who abused her 12 children came out last year (April, 2008), I've developed some feelings of indifference to the Jewish "strict and super" Orthodox community. Well, it's not because of the abuse but the way they have defended and tolerated such normity in their soceity. Such reaction was unexpected for me, when all I wanted to do then was strangle that woman, including her husband and throw them to jail (if such punishment is enough and justifiable to their action).

Do I have the right to judge and condemn these parents? Read for yourself the articles I have gathered and tell me how you felt afterwards.

News:

Beit Shemesh 'Taliban Mother' indicted for allegedly abusing her six children

By: Etgar Lefkovits

Jerusalem Post

A 54-year-old woman suspected of severely abusing six of her 12 children for years was indicted Tuesday in the Jerusalem District Court, in one of the most shocking child abuse cases uncovered in the country in years.

The woman, who was arrested last month in her Ramat Beit Shemesh home after neighbors summoned police, allegedly abused her young children "at least" 25 separate times, the charge sheet said.

The suspect, who has been dubbed "the Taliban Mother" since she appeared in court dressed from head to toe in black, was remanded in custody on Tuesday for the duration of her trial.
According to the two-page indictment detailing the abuse, the woman repeatedly beat and otherwise physically abused her children, giving them electric shocks and hitting them with belts and sticks.

In one instance, the charge sheet said, the woman beat one of her daughters in the face with a rolling pin and slammed her face into the marble kitchen countertop.
She was also accused of forcing her children to sleep outside in a locked shed when she felt they had come home late, tying up her mentally impaired son for hours at a time and ignoring his cries for help, cutting her daughters' hair as punishment, and throwing water on her children to wake them up.

In addition, the physically and psychologically abused children committed incest when they were locked up in the shed, the indictment stated.

The woman was not charged with failing to report the incest.

During her arraignment, the suspect refused the judge's request that she remove her facial covering, and the court was forced to make do with a declaration by her attorney, Vered Berger, that she "recognizes the eyes of the accused."

The woman's husband, who is under house arrest in northern Israel, is suspected of knowing of and taking part in the abuse, though on a lesser scale than his wife.
The close-knit extremist family managed to evade law enforcement officials - despite years of reports of neglect and violence - by repeatedly moving all over the country and by refusing to cooperate with social workers, the police said.

Until police were summoned to the house last month, the couple's children never told authorities of the abuse, even after some of them moved out of the home. Only after their mother was arrested did all the children tell police what they had suffered.
The woman, who has confessed to some of the allegations against her, said that she was simply "educating" her children, police said.

'Taliban mother' sentenced to 4 years in jail

By: Dan Izenberg

Jerusalem Post

The Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday sentenced to four years in prison the woman who the media have nicknamed the "Taliban mother" - because she covers herself from head to toe in clothing - over three months after this mother of 12 was convicted on at least 25 counts of assault in aggravated circumstances.

Her husband was sentenced to six months in jail after he was convicted on at least 10 counts of the same crime. Although he was charged with assaulting his children, the main allegation against him was that he did nothing to stop his wife's abuse.

The mother arrived at the hearing, which was held behind closed doors, draped in her customary layers of black clothing which prevented her from seeing where she was going. She had to be guided by prison service officers down the hall from the elevator to the courtroom.

In her sentencing, Judge Nava Ben-Or wrote that the crimes committed by the mother were grave and that she had no choice but to sentence her to jail, even though it was clear the woman suffered from a severe personality disorder, "in order to express revulsion at and rejection of her deeds."

But Ben-Or added that she also had to consider factors calling for leniency, particularly the fact that several of her children had testified as character witnesses on behalf of their parents and pleaded with the court not to send them to jail.

"All of the children who took the stand unanimously asked that I not send their parents to prison," said Ben-Or. "I will repeat what A. (the eldest son) said, when he testified that he had no desire for revenge and that he absolutely did not want his mother to suffer or to see his father go to jail.

"I will recall Y.'s testimony, when he said he would feel like an orphan if his father was sentenced to prison and that this would be a harsher punishment for him than for his father."
In the same breath, Ben-Or said she could not forget the plight of D., now 17. D. is mentally retarded and was helpless to defend himself against his mother's abuse.

In fact, it was the mother's abuse of D. that exposed the affair and launched the legal proceedings against the parents. On February 2, 2008, neighbors complained to the police after seeing and hearing D. banging on the door and begging his mother to let him into the house. Although it was a winter night, he was wearing short pants and a shirt and cried that he was cold and hungry.

The police arrived and summoned welfare authorities who took him under their care. Inside, the policemen found that the house was in shambles, there were clothes strewn all over the floor, the rooms were messy and the sink was full of dirty dishes.

The investigation revealed that the mother had beaten her children with her hands, a belt, sticks and electric wire. She had punished her daughters by cutting their hair and had slashed the sports shoes of one son because it was "irreligious" to wear them. Sometimes, she did not let her children into the house and other times she did not let them out. She woke them up by pouring water on them.

The abuse went on for several decades. Many of the incidents could not be included in the indictment because of the statute of limitations.

Today, none of the children live at home. Nine of them are adults and three are minors. D., who is now 17, lives today in an institution. His twin brother studies in a boarding school.
The youngest of the children, a daughter, now lives under the care of one of her older sisters.

Jerusalem court convicts 'Taliban mother' of child abuse

By: Ofra Edelman, Haaretz Correspondent

The Jerusalem District Court on Sunday convicted an ultra-Orthodox woman of severe child abuse and aggravated assault.

The mother of 12, from the town of Beit Shemesh, near Jerusalem, was charged in April 2008 on suspicion of beating her children with belts, sticks and electric wire.

According to the indictment, she also tied up one of her children, stomped on another's feet, cut one of her daughter's hair as punishment and stubbed a burning march on another's chest.

She was also suspected of forcibly waking her children by splashing cold water on them and of habitually locking them out of the house.

The woman's husband was convicted of assisting the abuse and of neglecting to report it to police. Her 27-year-old son is still under investigation for allegedly sexually abusing his sisters.

The police investigation began in early February 2008, after neighbors reported hearing a child crying for help and seeing objects being thrown at him. The responding officers were forced to wait outside the apartment for two hours because the mother refused to let them in. Only rabbinical intervention enabled the entry of the police.

The woman, who belongs to a sect in Beit Shemesh which wears black full-body covering as a sign of their religious modesty, has been connoted in the media as "the Taliban mother."

Her defense attorney said during the indictment proceedings last year that she had suffered "psychological disability and the welfare services provided no help."

Meanwhile, the Knesset is planning to hold a special session on the Jerusalem riots sparked by the arrest of another ultra-Orthodox woman accused of starving her three-year-old son.

Between Devotion and Dementia

By: Tamar Rotem

Haaretz News

A well-known Bnei Brak rabbi last week met with four daughters of the Beit Shemesh woman nicknamed the "Taliban Mother," after she was charged with abusing her children, in an effort to try to secure her release from detention. The woman is currently on trial.

The four young women, who represent seven of the 12 siblings in the proceedings, arrived at the home of Rabbi Yehuda Silman, accompanied by their husbands and children. The small room in the rabbi's apartment barely afforded enough space for all the baby carriages and small children. The women, who are in their 20s and 30s, were all wearing traditional ultra-Orthodox garb, with head coverings of the type worn by members of the Satmar Hasidic movement.

Although they are not accustomed to meeting with strangers, in recent days the women have nevertheless been knocking at the door of the state prosecution, with the rabbi's backing, to try to secure the early release of their mother, detained on suspicion of having abused a minor under aggravated circumstances. A number of other rabbis also support their cause.

The lawyer representing them, Zeri Hazan, says his clients are motivated by the fear that their mother could be sentenced to many years in prison. In addition, the women want to avoid sustaining any more trauma, after all the hardship they experienced as children. Over the past few months, the mother's lawyer, Gil Dahuah - the third lawyer to represent her - has been campaigning for her to be freed, saying she does not deserve to be in jail. He is backed in this effort by Dr. Yosef Laria, who heads the emergency ward at the Shalvata psychiatric hospital, and found the accused to be mentally ill and unable to stand trial.

"She was a good mother but she did crazy things because she lost touch with reality," Silman says. He says he decided to intervene because he knew the accused and her husband when they lived in Bnei Brak as a young couple. "They were considered a quality family here. The woman always wanted to help others, also because she had some kind of [homeopathic] medical background. Basically she is also a devoted mother and there was a time when she would make sure her children ate and drank and went to bed on time. But something illogical happened to her."

Even though her daughters still have difficulty accepting the psychiatric diagnosis, they are supporting the move, as are some of their siblings. However, two of the older children disagree - it was their testimonies that led to the mother's indictment.

Radical personality change

The alleged abuse came to light in March 2008, after the woman left her 13-year-old mentally disabled son outside the house for an entire night. Upon hearing the boy's cries, neighbors called the police. Under police interrogation, several other children testified that the mother had routinely abused some of them. She would beat them regularly with a belt, a rolling pin or electric wires. One of the young women attending the meeting at the rabbi's house had told police that her mother had punched her in the face several times and would wake her up in the mornings by throwing water on her. The mother was also charged with tying up the children, neglecting a minor, and extinguishing a burning match on the chest of one of the children. Most of the abuse took place more than a decade ago.

The prosecution charges that one of the young women present at the Bnei Brak meeting had also been a victim of incest. Today the same woman says it was a mistake to cooperate with the police, claiming that they told her it would help her mother, who would be released from detention sooner. The other girls also say they thought their cooperation would lead to their mother's release. "We didn't think it would lead to the opposite result," says one. "To testify against your mother is something abnormal."

More than a year after her arrest, the accused has not changed even one of her deviant religious habits and says she is determined to uphold them. Yet, her lawyer, the prison wardens and the few people who have visited her all believe her condition has deteriorated. When she has to meet her lawyer or go to court, the wardens have to drag her and she continually trips over her various layers of clothing. After her house arrest ended eight months ago, she was taken to Neveh Tirza prison until the conclusion of the proceedings. During her entire incarceration, she has refused to remove the dark blanket with which she covers her eyes.

Rabbi Silman's wife, an extremely influential personality in the Haredi world and the only person who visited the accused in jail, was amazed at what she saw. "It is shocking to see her being dragged around like a sack," she told her husband. She says she could not persuade the woman to uncover her eyes for even a moment to identify her. Because the accused refused to speak with her, they communicated in writing. "In Judaism there is no such thing as to cover one's eyes. She has gone overboard," the rabbanit said. She says the woman has "gone to the peaks of mysticism. She did not consult rabbis and so she got lost."

At home, the woman would speak only at certain times but since her arrest 13 months ago, she has stopped talking altogether. If she requests anything at all, she will only do so in writing. She continues to wear her clothes, which have become moldy, under the shower, fearing she will otherwise not be modest enough. She also puts a basket on her head when she showers. Due to her vegan diet, she hardly eats. She spends all her time in the cell praying and rocking incessantly. A psychiatrist might construe such behavior as evidence of a mental problem - not supreme piety.

In the past few months, as the trial is nearing a close, the accused's perceived personality has changed radically. Her new lawyer is trying to argue that she is no charismatic and zealous guru who managed to attract a sect of women who wish to bring about redemption, but simply a sick woman. Dr. Laria says she suffers from obsessive compulsive disorder, expressed in her outlandish prayer ceremonies and clothes, as well as delusional disorder. In other words, she has a psychotic condition that finds expression in false religious thoughts. Laria believes the illness dates back to the birth of her mentally handicapped son, basing his diagnosis on the tests she underwent, her family history and the testimonies of family acquaintances.

Able to tell truth from lies?

In a series of meetings I held with the woman in the summer of 2008, both during the lessons she gave and in an interview, I got the impression that she understood my questions, although the content of her responses was illusionary. According to Laria, this is why the illness is so deceptive. "When someone is psychotic, this can manifest itself in a narrow field related to the illness. Other aspects of the personality may be completely normal," he says. "I also examined her religious behavior vis-a-vis other people in her social living environment," he adds. "Her religious ideology deviates from her environment's cultural and philosophical background - which indicates that she has deviated from society because of her false thoughts."

Rabbis in Bnei Brak also claim the accused has lost any connection with reality, but it remains unclear why they did not warn about this development before. "If you act in a certain way and go overboard it is a sign that you have made a mistake. Not only do we want our children to be ultra-Orthodox, we want them to live in a good atmosphere and to be healthy, and it should be good and fun for them to live that way. If you reach a point where the children are broken and every minute is a nightmare, you have to realize that you have reached the opposite educational outcome," says Rabbi Silman's wife.

A few days before the indictment was submitted to the court, during the extention of the woman's remand, magistrate Hagit Kalmanowitz said she believed the accused should not be detained because her problem was not criminal in nature but rather psychological and medical. Only after she violated the terms of her house arrest was she taken to prison. Now Judge Navah Ben-Or will have to rule on the intriguing matter of whether crazy religious behavior constitutes mental insanity.

The discussion of this issue arose because of the dissension between the state's position - based on the opinion of the Eitanim mental hospital, according to which the woman is a borderline psychotic but can differentiate between truth and lies, and can thus stand trial - and the position of the defense's psychiatrist, Dr. Laria - who says she is unfit to stand trial. The argument is not based on facts, but rather on the diagnosis of her thoughts.

Laria says he differs with the prosecution concerning the duration and strength of the thoughts and because he believes there are psychotic symptoms in the woman's case. By contrast, the state believes that while there is a disorder, she is not ill. If the court accepts the defense's position that she is not responsible for her deeds, then the brunt of responsibility will fall on her husband, who is also facing trial on charges of failing to prevent the abuse. That is also the reason why, even though he supports his wife, he did not join his daughters in Bnei Brak.

Looklet: Your Fashion Stylist

2009-11-07T03:38:00.001-08:00

Looklet may be what you are searching for if your interest is on fashion styling. It a kind of studio where you get the chance to create your dress style by combining every piece of clothes in the websites fashion collection. That's more easier than designing your own clothes because most wardrobes offered were latest trends from top designers. Wow!

The site is created for the love of creativity, style and old-fashion new-technoloy fun. They don't sell clothes, they create looks. That's really cool!

After registering, I got a hands-on with their sleeky interface, which I think is very user-friendly. Let's say, they got me hooked right away and was able to come up with a retrolook style. This is what I have created:

That's not bad for a start, right! I could still improve the style by adding shoes, a bag and jewelry.

You might consider Looklet as a social networking tool as well. You are allowed to post your designs in twitter and facebook (take note on that). And be warned as well, this site could be addictive!!!!

Heaviest Newborn (Indonesia)

2009-11-05T13:25:00.000-08:00

from www.dailymail.co.uk

from youtube

Link news:
Indonesia: 19.2(lb) pound baby boy born to Indonesian woman | Mail ...

Is that obesity or gigantism? It seems like the child has to undergo some intensive testing to confirm and disregard false medical assumptions. I used to dread this kind of complication from diabetes on my last pregnancy. It took me quite an arduous labor to control my food cravings. I survived and I could prove that it could be worked out.

But, just for the record, I don't intend to have such a huge baby on my 5th pregnancy. Spare me on labor day,a baby like that could DEMOLISH me.

15 Websites That Offer Free Icons

2009-11-03T12:57:00.001-08:00

I'm such a big fan of icons! Well, if you are not familiar with it, these are the small graphic images used to represent files (including web pages) and programs as well as to execute commands. One popular example I could give is the Twitter icon with the image of a bird. These graphical images Icons sit conveniently on our desktops or within the programs we use waiting to be clicked or double-clicked. And generally, the chosen image relates to the purpose of the program or file to which the icon is attached. For instance an icon for an email program might contain an envelope whereas one used to launch a media player could depict a music note or the universally understood right-pointing triangle for "play."

I found 15 websites that offer free icons in Posterous as posted by Cyberella. I am reposting it for those who haven't seen it yet. There are so many icons to choose from, I just hope you won't get crazy and saturated afterwards. Enjoy!

clipped from cyberella.posterous.com

Icon Factory

Free Icons Web

Free Icons Download

Dry Icons

Icon Pot

Vista Icons

Fast Icon

Icon Bulk

We Love Icons

Pixel Girl

Archigraphs

Hybrid Works

Icon Drawer

Icons Buffet

World’s largest luxury cruise liner!

2009-11-03T08:58:00.001-08:00

It's been our dream (me and my husband) to go on a cruise trip with such large, elegant, luxury cruise liner. It doesn't matter where it will take us, forget about my motion sickness... when we are able (which means without the disturbance of the children) we are going to have the best cruise vacation of our life.

I am posting the photos of the newest, largest and most advanced cruise ship in the world. Enjoy viewing (because we did)!

clipped from www.bornrich.org

In Photos: World’s largest luxury cruise liner!

When the “Oasis of the Seas” hits the waters in late 2009, she will be the largest and most revolutionary cruise ship in the world. Made for Royal Caribbean International, the Oasis of the Seas cruise ship is the epitome of luxury, featuring 16 decks, 2700 staterooms, and the capacity to accommodate 5,400 guests at double occupancy. Everything on this cruise liner will speak luxury and comfort. The ship has over 15 restaurants and bars, a casino, a theater, two night clubs and the very first beach pool at sea. Roll over to see the exteriors and interiors of the Oasis of the Seas after the jump…

World's largest cruise ship sets sail from Finland

Eco Tech: Celebrity Solstice cuts emissions with solar power and green roof

MSC Splendida luxury cruise ship houses a high-tech sports bar

VHS Converts to DVD

2009-11-01T13:11:00.000-08:00

I might say that I finally came to my senses of deciding to convert our VHS tapes to DVD. My patience gave way already after a daily laborous and routinary work of cleaning the VHS recorder everytime my one year and 10 months old son would watch his favorite tapes (which is unbearably watcheable). Enough is enough!

My thorough research was fruitful and I found this wonderful VHS to DVD 3.0 Deluxe.VHS to DVD 3.0 Deluxe is a Video Capture device that plugs into your PC via a USB port. It includes an adapter cable for connecting S-Video or RCA Composite Video and Stereo Audio to the device. As to what they have noted, you can then connect any analog video source (VCR, 8mm Camcorder, DVD Player, etc.) that outputs S-Video or Composite video/audio to the VHS to DVD 3.0, and it is recorded to your computer's hard drive using the included video capture software.

Well, just the thought of reliving and saving those memories from our VHS tapes, that could be worth a million, and totally irreplaceable. I just can't wait to buy it. I'll post a review on this product afterwards. Wish me luck then!

This is the video guide I saw in You Tube. The installation seems like easy to follow...cool! I am sure I could keep up.

from youtube

from jilata-eliass.blogspot.com

from the-gadgeteer.com

from www.amazon.com

User's Review:

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: VHS To DVD 3.0 Deluxe

Mom Central: Hot Parenting Products: Honestech VHS to DVD 3.0 Deluxe by Stacy DeBroff

Vampire Diaries: The Awakening

2009-10-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

I've been avidly following recently the series of The Vampire Diaries on TV and I could say that next to the Twilight Series of Meyer...this is second best! For those who haven't read yet the paperback edition, here's your chance to read it online.

Happy reading!

Browse Inside this book

Get this for your site

Twilight: Framed Moments

2009-01-22T13:07:00.000-08:00

It's makes me melt posting these photos from the Twilight Movie. They're absolutely stunning! But don't look at me like it's a grave sin to post more pictures of Robert Pattison than the other characters, the motives, I guess, are quite obvious! The fact is, I should have included him in my old post, Sexiest Actors in Hollywood, and I didn't. I am making this as a sequel, so seat back and ENJOY!!!

Twilight Frenzy

2009-01-15T12:19:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I was evading the chance to write about Twilight but I know time will come that I will have the need to vent out and this is the TIME. Twilight, together with all the precious books of Stefanie Meyer, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn moved me so hard and brought me into different life perspectives. Of course, I am not anymore the young, and dreamy teenager swept by first love but I am now a woman who appreciates and honors the essentiality of love in its truest sense and form.

The four saga books of Master (I love calling her that) Meyer portrays a woman's journey from innocence to motherhood. It is a story of every woman, of finding your true calling, finding ones SOUL and finding that other half to achieve a union of totality and oneness.

The book in its core is about love in many aspects of life. Splendid as it is, LOVE in actuality is what we breathe in and live for. Without it, there is no life and maybe no FUTURE. Have you ever heard the line, "No one loves me anymore, it's better to die than live a life like this." This sounds generic but true to its nub.

Well, for those who haven't read the books I've mentioned, I am posting their summaries here. A job well done for Wikipedia on this aspect….believe me you always go to the expert, that's who they are!

Twilight

"Seventeen-year-old Bella Swan moves to the small town of Forks, Washington to live with her father, Charlie, after her mother remarries a minor league baseball player. She is quickly befriended by many students at her new high school, where she is intrigued by a mysterious group of siblings known as the Cullens. Bella sits next to Edward Cullen in Biology class on her first day of school, and he appears to be disgusted by her, much to Bella's confusion. A few days later, Bella is nearly struck by a van, when Edward suddenly appears and stops the vehicle with his hand. Although he refuses to explain this act to Bella, Edward warns her against becoming friends with him.

Bella eventually discovers that Edward is a vampire, though he only consumes animal blood, and the pair fall in love. After Edward introduces Bella to his vampire family, Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie, three nomadic vampires—James, Victoria, and Laurent—arrive and put Bella's life in danger. James, a tracker vampire, is intrigued by Edward's protectiveness over a human, and decides to hunt her for sport. Edward and his family put their lives at risk to protect Bella, but James lures her into a trap by making her believe he is holding her mother hostage. James attacks Bella and bites her wrist, but Edward, along with the rest of the Cullen family, arrives before he can kill her. James is destroyed, and Edward sucks the venom from James's bite out of Bella's wrist, preventing her from becoming a vampire herself. A severely injured Bella is then taken to the hospital to spend some time recovering. Upon returning to Forks, Bella and Edward attend their prom and Bella expresses her desire to become a vampire, which Edward refuses to let happen. The film ends showing Victoria at the prom watching the pair dance together, ready to seek revenge for the murder of her lover, James." (Wikipedia)

New Moon

"Protagonist Isabella "Bella" Swan is thrown an eighteenth birthday party by Alice and Edward Cullen, the vampire she loves, and the rest of their vampire family. While unwrapping a gift, she receives a paper cut. Edward's brother Jasper, although attempting a non-human diet, is overwhelmed by the scent of blood and tries to attack Bella. In an attempt to keep her safe from the world of vampires, Edward tells Bella that he and the rest of his family are leaving the town of Forks, Washington because he doesn't want her anymore. Bella becomes severely depressed and seeks comfort with Jacob Black, an old family friend who eases her pain over losing Edward.

Bella and Jacob begin spending a lot of time together, and Bella soon discovers that the rush of adrenaline present when she places herself in dangerous situations stimulates hallucinations of Edward's voice. Bella begins seeking out dangerous behavior, such as riding a motorcycle, to trigger the illusions. Meanwhile, Bella finds out that Jacob is a werewolf. The werewolves begin to protect Bella from the pursuit of the vampire Victoria, who seeks revenge for the death of her mate, James, who was killed by the Cullens in Twilight. After Bella attempts cliff-diving near La Push, she gets caught in a riptide and is rescued by Jacob.

At the same time, Alice Cullen, Edward's vampire sister who has visions of the future, has a vision of Bella jumping off the cliff. Presuming Bella is dead, Alice rushes to Forks to check on Charlie Swan, Bella's father, while Edward calls Bella's home. Jacob answers and informs Edward that Charlie is at a funeral, referring to that of a man in town who had died of a heart attack, but Edward draws the conclusion that Jacob means Bella's funeral. Desperate after Bella's supposed death, Edward flies to Italy to see the Volturi, peace-keeping vampires who would be able to kill Edward, granting him leave of a world without Bella.

Bella and Alice rush to Italy to stop Edward, and save him before it is too late. Before they leave Italy, the Volturi tell them that Bella, a human who knows of the existence of vampires, must either be killed or changed into a vampire herself. After they return to Forks, Edward explains to Bella that he only left in order to protect her, and she forgives him. The book ends with the Cullens voting in favor of Bella being changed into a vampire after her graduation, much to Edward's dismay."(Wikipedia)

Eclipse

"The story begins with the revelation that Seattle is being plagued by a string of unsolved murders, which Edward suspects are being caused by a newborn vampire that is unable to control its thirst. Edward and Bella fill out college applications, while Bella explains to Edward her desire to see Jacob, her werewolf friend, again. Meanwhile, Alice Cullen has a vision that Victoria, a vampire who is hunting Bella, is back in town. Although Edward fears for her safety, Bella insists that Jacob and the rest of the werewolf pack would never harm her, and he eventually allows her to visit Jacob once in a while.

A few days later, Bella expresses her desire to make love to Edward before being turned into a vampire. Edward initially refuses, explaining to Bella that he could very easily kill her. Eventually, upon realizing how much it means to Bella, he agrees to try in the future as long as they are married first. Despite having an aversion to marriage, Bella realizes that spending eternity with Edward is more important to her than anything else and accepts his proposal.

Bella and the Cullens realize that the murders in Seattle are being committed by an "army" of newborn vampires, controlled by either Victoria or the coven of vampires known as the Volturi. The Cullen family joins forces with the werewolf pack in order to combat this threat. As everyone else prepares for battle, Edward and Bella camp up in the mountains, hidden during the battle, where they are later joined by Jacob and Seth Clearwater, a young member of the werewolf pack, to wait out the fight.

In the morning, Jacob overhears Edward and Bella discussing their engagement and becomes very upset. He threatens to join the fight and get himself killed because Bella doesn't love him. To stop him, Bella kisses Jacob and realizes that she loves him, too. Victoria tracks Edward's scent to Bella and Edward is forced to fight, despite Bella's wishes to keep him safely with her. After Victoria and her army are successfully destroyed, Bella explains to Jacob that while she loves him, her love for Edward is greater and she cannot live without him. After receiving a wedding invitation from a humble Edward, Jacob runs away in his wolf form to escape the pain he feels, angry at Bella's decision to become a vampire." (Wikipedia)

Breaking Dawn

"Breaking Dawn is split into three separate "books", or parts. The first part details Bella's marriage and honeymoon with Edward, which they spend on a private island off the coast of Brazil. Edward grants Bella's wish and makes love to her. Soon after, Bella sees a box of unused tampons and realizes that she is pregnant. After contacting Carlisle, who confirms her belief, she and Edward plan to return home. Edward, concerned for her well being as the fetus develops with unnatural rapidity, urges her to get an abortion. However, Bella wants to keep the child and decides to contact Rosalie for support, knowing that Rosalie has always wanted children.

The second part of the novel is written from Jacob Black's point of view, and lasts throughout Bella's pregnancy and childbirth. The pack of werewolves, not knowing what danger the unborn child may pose, make plans to destroy it, even though they must kill Bella to do so. Jacob vehemently disagrees with this decision and revolts, leaving the pack to form his own with Seth and Leah Clearwater. Bella soon gives birth, approximately a month after becoming pregnant. The baby breaks many of her bones, and Bella loses massive amounts of blood. In order to save her life, Edward changes her into a vampire. Jacob, who was present for the birth, immediately "imprints" — an involuntary response in which a werewolf finds his soul mate — on Edward and Bella's newborn daughter, Renesmee.

The third section of Breaking Dawn shifts back to Bella's perspective, finding her changed into a vampire and enjoying her new life and abilities. However, the vampire Irina misidentifies Renesmee as an "immortal child", a child who has been turned into a vampire. The creation and protection of "immortal children" was previously outlawed by the Volturi. After Irina presents her allegation to the Volturi, they plan to destroy Renesmee and the Cullens. In an attempt to save her, the Cullens gather vampires from around the world to stand as witnesses and prove to the Volturi that Renesmee is not an immortal child. Upon confronting the gathered Cullen allies and witnesses, the Volturi discover that they have been misinformed and immediately execute Irina for her mistake. However, they remain undecided on whether Renesmee should be viewed as a threat to the secret existence of vampires. At that time, Alice and Jasper, who had left prior to the confrontation, return with Nahuel, a 150-year-old vampire-human crossbreed like Renesmee. He demonstrates that the crossbreeds pose no threat and the Volturi leave, knowing that they no longer have just reason to destroy Renesmee. Bella, Edward and Renesmee return to their home, free to live their lives in peace." (Wikipedia)

Charice Pempengco...Life Story

2008-11-16T05:11:00.000-08:00

Life Story

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6