King Kanye & Queen Kim, the Royal American Wedding in France

Finally, it’s officially Mr. & Mrs Kanye West! Today, Saturday May 24, 2014 Kanye West and Kim Kardashian was officially Mr. & Mrs Kanye West.  Dressed in a lacy curvaceous bodice dress with plunging V neckline, Kim was all very sexy and endowed with all her body assets. While Kanye was ever dashing in his dark blue and black suit. The couple was married at the historic 17^th century castle Chateau de Wideville in West Paris, France.

The couple fell in love with the vintage venues and thinks they were really, really classy. The royal princess, little baby Princess Kimye was on her drape covered deep blue colored cradle rolled by her mommy Kim as daddy Kanye signals shhh to hush the crowd so as not to disturb her nappin.’ During the pre-wedding luncheon at Valentino’s chateau, baby North West was well-mannered and did not seem to even grimaced nor bothered to get into tantrums with all the preparations going around her. She was contented nibbling on her dark chocolate and vegetable tempura. On June 15, baby Kimye will celebrate her very first birthday.

While Jay Z thought the wedding has gone out of proportion and have turned over into more of a circus, the wedding vows was finally done and the royalties now has completed their dream royal wedding. Congratulations Hrhs. King Kanye and Queen Kim and now back to reality Mr. & Mrs. Kanye West.

Asia’s Nightingale Lani Misalucha Sings as Bangketa Singer

[image grab from ABS CBN media]

Clad in simple street clothes with less and no make up to complete the experiment look.  Asia’s famous Nightingale Lani Misalucha belted out three songs in the noisy, dusty pedestrian side street at the back of Manila City Hall.  The production crew commissioned two blind bangketa singers, Flor and Mel who worked by singing and asking donations from the passing crowds of busy Manila side streets. The two did not know Lani Misalucha will be their guest protégé singer who will join them as they perform and ask for donations from passers-by.

When the experiment started, passers-by just casually passed the two blind workers and proceeded to where they will be going never stopping to even listen nor drop something on the donation box for the two blind workers.  But as Lani started to sing her first song, people started to listen to an unknown face yet familiar high pitched singing voice of Lani.  People started to be mesmerized and one by one stop to listen to the melodious voice.  The two blind workers are even happier not only listening to a strange bangketa singer who offered to sing for them and drew crowd that gets bigger and bigger as she belts out every song to their listening pleasure. People started dropping donations in appreciation to the singing talent and the nice melodies they were hearing. With three familiar songs certainly Lani’s, the crowd got to finally recognize  the face behind the simple street clothes in dark sunglass shades through that distinct voice that only belongs to the one and only Asia’s Nightingale Lani Misalucha.  Excitement grew and one by one people started taking video, pictures of the bangketa singer now unmasked.  Lani took the experience as a treasured one and was overwhelmed with it.  With her experience, she certainly has high and deepest regards to the two blind bangketa workers who painstakingly worked with their talents under the basking heat of the sun, the humid and hot air, he noisy surroundings for just a few sum of donations in exchange for their talent and performance.  To Lani, it was certainly a rare and a very moving experience having performed in a very ‘unusual stage’ but very heart warming experience.

: Anne Curtis is now a certified Concert Biggie

[Image by Smart Araneta media]

Whoever says Anne Curtis can’t carry a tune must have been mumbling on air now.  The famous Kapamilya fantaserye icon has belted out songs never in their wild imagination she can do.  Maybe not someone to compare with Broadway superstars, but Anne certainly did an unmatched performance in her recently concluded concert dubbed as ‘The Forbidden Anne Kapal Concert Round 2.’ Anne has again filled out the Smart Araneta Coliseum by overflowing it to the brim with her followers making her a ‘Concert Biggie.’ As hot as ever, Anne rippled another something for the entertainment scene.  Last year’s bar scandals made Anne’s career almost sour and bleak. The controversy of her as a bad example for the products she endorses created ripples and memes over the social media network.  Early this year, bad moments happened as she got stunned by a box jellyfish while on shoot of her fantasy series ‘Dyesebel’ in Batangas. But now, as she hums another tune, Anne belted all her bad sides out of her system as she did unusual concert singing stunts singing popular hits like ‘Let It Go’  from the animated movie Frozen and originally rendered by Idina Menzel.  Her star glows brightly anew and even hotter than before. Anne is currently one of the most sought after actress and endorser.  The sold out concert was co-produced by Annebisyosa Productions, Inc. and Viva Live was a certified blockbuster making Anne Curtis the next concert biggie in Philippine concert series.  Should Annedecide a sequel or another concert audience can expect more fire and hot numbers from Anne and her concert guests and will surely bring everyone on their feet and clamoring for more.  A sure stand out with more surprises and more exciting numbers.

Beauty and Beyond

What beauty means are differentiated by how a person perceive what beauty is?  Many says beauty lies on the eye of the beholder. To some, natural and exotic is beauty. A handful says beauty and brains are tops. Others say beauty is just skin deep.  Beauty organizers around the world seek far and wide who will stand out from its set of criteria and deserve to wear their prestigious crown and be named as the ‘most beautiful’ among women from different nations of the world who came to participate and compete for the coveted title at stake. However, based on the outcome and history of winning the title crowns there are only a handful of countries in the world who are consistently winning most of the crowns offered by these beauty pageant organizers. And in the year 2013, the Philippines have garnered and was enlisted in the elite list of countries having won the major beauty contests crowns. The elite group consist of Venezuela, the US and the Philippines with Venezuela having won 21 major crowns on top of the list followed by the US with 14 and the Philippines with 9.  The Philippines was also the lone Asian nation to have entered into the elite circle. Qualifying to be listed in the elite circle was winning the top four major beauty title namely: Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss International and Miss Earth.

Assessing and measuring beauty by these ‘big four’ world beauty pageant organizers were based on tabulated score sheets filled up by the assigned contest judges during the pageant. In some instances public polls and voting are being conducted online as aid in the popularity aspect of criteria but this aspect was not a guaranty nor will wholly be the basis of the overall judging criteria. Organizers and pageant benefactors also play a big role though these will never be something to be taken into context since ‘unbiased’ decisions are always claimed and vital for the trust rating satisfaction of the pageant organizers mainly due to the interest of the viewing public.

The inclusion of the Philippines in the elite circle of the ‘big four’ has broken the traditional ‘western countries’ domination of the beauty pageant crowns. With the shift from west to eastern beauty domination, many beauty pageant followers are also unto the quest of what beauty will be based on the historic shifting of winners.  Many eastern countries are hopeful that if Philippines had made it to the elite circle, the feat can still be repeated.  A hope for women in the east or probably the middle, north or south have something to be challenged with.  This all lead to conclude that beauty is an exciting competition being watched and awaited by all people from all corners of the world.  Beautiful women not because they are poised, charming, witty and intelligent but most fitting of all was that they were representatives of making all the countries unite and respect each other as a nation and people of this world.  Beauty maybe in the eye of a person, but each women participant in these beauty contests does not only represent beauty but their respective country, their values, their culture and most significantly people united and one. A quality that radiates beyond what beauty mean.

South Korea's Prime Minister Resigned From Post Over Sinking of Ferry

 

Facing the grief of shame, Chung Hong-won admitted his negligence and offer of apology over the tragic deaths of mostly school children of the ill-fated capsized ferry MV Sewol a few kilometers away off the coast of Gwanmae Island near Jeju in South Korea. This led him to surrender and resign from his post as Prime Minister of his country while retrieval operations are still ongoing for the hundreds of bodies that sunk along with the ferry.  Of the more than estimated 400 passengers and crew, 187 confirmed and retrieved bodies have been recovered with yet an estimate of 115 still unaccounted for based on the ferry's record.  A figure which many presumed was a misfit calculation since many relatives are have come to claim their love ones included in the ferry trip to Jeju. The premier's last visit to a shelter for relatives of the victims in Jindo Island supposedly to console and humble himself was met with rage and anger from the distraught relatives.  Some even throw water bottles unto him out of their compromised loss. Heartbreaking text notes to relatives of the schoolchildren on board the ferry were covered by several news agencies.  More claimed hearing still their children's tragic plea for help on their sleeps.

AMAZING PHILIPPINE SUNSETS

Sunset. The most calming and becoming event to see on the horizon.  Not every country were graced to have that one lovely setting on the horizon.  Some people even try to catch it with their lenses travelling all across the globe just to have a peek at its glory. The stunning and ecstatic scene most likely could not be replicated nor captured twice.  No two sunset captures are alike. And there are only a few places in the world graced by such occasion. The Philippines fortunately was blessed with such beauties. Aside from the world renowned 'Sunset in Manila Bay,' there are certainly other places that equally are worth every click and worthy to be pinned on a canvass.   Below are some of the captured beauties of the Philippine sunset through the lens of Che Gurobat, a Filipina traveler who have tried to photographed sunsets of  80 of the 81 provinces of the Philippines.  See some of her majestic shots of sunsets that can only be found only in the Philippines.  Though she have seen and experienced the sunset phenomenon every time in her life, she still find each moment a blissful luxury not everyone can exactly feel. Prepare to be captivated by her ecstatic captures.
Boracay Island, Aklan

Ahhhh... what a sight! The glorious splendor of the Visayan skies as if drawn vividly in crimson shades with back drop of fishing boats and mountains from afar. What an escape from the sights of the skyscrapers in the city and the congested city streets. One would surely drop dead seeing this natural canvass of views.

Balanacan Port, Mogpog, Marinduque

Fire and ice meet each other. The captured  transitioning skies are but just wonderfully ecstatic. God was a real master of of all art with the perfect blend of every colors and elements. Picture perfect in astounding expressive nature's beauty.

Manila Bay

Who could ever miss this? The postcard beauty known across the globe. See that ball of fire glowing to hide somewhere that even the fleet of sails and boats couldn't simply hide it. Amazingly worth a momentarily glance. A masterpiece indeed!

Tanay, Rizal

The mystery lies deep within. As the sun draws flat on the horizon. The boatman and the lighthouse tower seem to be overwhelmed with its spectacular grandeur that watching it set was all they could traverse.

Siquijor

Mystical beauty in pale sunset hue. The beauty hides within releasing the mystery of the nocturnal transition. The abyss is ready to engulf and hide them soon.

Bangui, Ilocos Norte

The wind howls as the mountains breathe. The failing luster is about to cast not even those mighty windmill blades can stop its journey of hiding. One perfect capture of nature's mighty  powers.

Batangas

A peek behind leaves the colossal mountain just a shadow that will soon be hidden from the eyes of many.  But the fiery wonder was worth an immense feast that last forever.

San Juan, La Union

O heavenly goodness what wonderful grace you are? Even the solitary drifter shy away somberly  if only to catch you til the next time you peek anew from the horizon.

Coron, Palawan

Stunning azure captured in magnificent wonders. Only sunset hues, natural mountains and deep blue waters can create such wonderful blend of hues in perfect harmony. No Rembrandt or Goya nor any of the renaissance scholars  can simply replicate such scene. Magnifico!

Panglao Island, Bohol

A dreamer's refuge in a dreamy landscape. One will be permitted to sigh with awe and make this scene a rendezvous in their imagination. But why imagine, if you can catch your dream, the island and the sunset awaits, be sure to catch 'em on your next journey to this place.

Mt. Manabu Sto. Tomas, Batangas

Captivating layers of earth and sky. What bizarre secrets do you hide behind such enigma? It will truly be exciting to wait until the horizon totally settles in constant tone. It would be nice to take a glimpse before it's gone forever.

Anawangin Cove, San Antonio, Zambales

Watch the intense crown of glowing ball go down to the waters. Kissing everyone warmly 'Adieu'  only to back in a couple of moments. But don't get impatient it leaves you with a view that will leave you addicted seeing its glory again and again.

Apo Reef, Sablayan, Mindoro Occidental

The lush green is an ally. Neutralizing and refreshing the intense colors. It only defines the diversity of life. in its most shining glory.  Let's celebrate life in vivid colors!

Dapitan City

The angel up above. The silver lining up above the sky.  That look and resembles that of an angel's pair of wings. God must have sent a real one. Rejoice for God blesses us with angelic beauties we see beyond our expectation.

Zamboanga City

The colors representing the south in purely amazing colors.  The beautiful vintas meet the glorious colors of the sun setting on the horizon. This completes the colors of sunny Philippines graciously blessed with beautiful people , captivating places and natural events like these amazing sunsets. Come visit the Philippines and see these amazing wonders.

Mercy Triumphed Over Justice

Balal's Execution [photo grab from AFP news]

In a predominantly Muslim place like Iran, execution by hanging was an option for justice. But a mother’s heart proved that mercy is a way to justice for a son who died from the hand of a man whom the sharia law of retribution found guilty for the crime. 

What Balal thought was his last gasp of breath was miraculously deferred.  He instead felt a big slap in his face coming from the merciful hand of his victim’s mother.  The victim’s family did not approve on the timing of the date.  It was the day before the Persian New Year Nowruz. Three days prior to the execution day, Hosseinzadeh Sr., the victim’s father told that his wife had a dream of their elder son Abdollah telling he was in a good place and told her not to retaliate. The dream made his wife to further think until the day of execution. The moment of grace and divine intervention.  Six years ago, Abdollah was 18 years old then and was strolling with friends in a bazaar when the then 20 year old Balal shoved him. The startled Abdollah kicked him but Balal instead took an ordinary knife out from his socks which he struck to Abdollah causing his death.  Though Balal escaped from the scene of the crime, he was later arrested by the police and took the court six years to hand down the verdict of death to penalize Balal for his wrongdoing.  Hosseinzadeh Sr however found out that Balal was an inexperienced killer and could not even handle a knife. “He was naïve,” Hosseinzadeh Sr said.

God has many ways and faces to perform His graces and mercy.  It is through this kinds of ‘divine intervention’ that he perform extraordinary miracles to people of different creed, belief and religion.  In some part of the world, not necessarily in the Islamic region, the period of Lent was being observed.  And if this is one way God, Allah or whatever name we call Him to remember His merciful heart, there must be really some divine intervention why He has chosen this moment to let MERCY TRIUMPHED OVER JUSTICE.