Below is the list of Top 10 Yahoo! searches for 2011 that captivated the thoughts and enthusiasm of the internet community:

TOP 10 SEARCHES
1. iPhone
2. Casey Anthony
3. Kim Kardashian
4. Katy Perry
5. Jennifer Lopez
6. Lindsay Lohan
7. “American Idol”
8. Jennifer Aniston
9. Japan Earthquake
10. Osama bin Laden

TOP NEWS STORIES
1. Casey Anthony Trial
2. Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
3. Royal Wedding
4. Death of Osama bin Laden
5. Unemployment
6. Arizona Shooting
7. Death of Amy Winehouse
8. Arab Spring
9. Libya/Death of Moammar Gadhafi
10. Occupy Wall Street

HEROIC ACTS
1. Gabrielle Giffords
2. Navy SEAL Team Six
3. U.S. and Japan’s Women’s Soccer
4. Red Cross Volunteers
5. Lara Logan
6. Dakota Meyer
7. Fukushima 50
8. Mohamed Bouazizi
9. Texas Volunteer Firefighters
10. John Feal (9/11)

EXTREME WEATHER
1. New Year Blizzards
2. Drought and Wildfires in Oklahoma
3. Spring Tornado Outbreak
4. Joplin Tornado Disaster
5. Missouri and Mississippi River Floods
6. Summer Heat Wave
7. Hurricane Irene
8. Wallow and Bastrop Fires
9. October Nor’easter
10. Late Fall Storms

END OF AN ERA
1. Space Shuttle Program
2. Oprah Winfrey
3. Borders
4. Harry Potter
5. Friendster
6. Steve Jobs
7. News of the World
8. “Kate Plus 8?
9. Elizabeth Warren
10. Iraq Withdrawal

CAUGHT?
1. Anthony Weiner
2. Arnold Schwarzenegger
3. John Edwards
4. Herman Cain
5. Silvio Berlusconi
6. Kwame Kilpatrick
7. Dominique Strauss-Kahn
8. David Wu
9. John Ensign
10. Chris Lee

OBSESSIONS
1. Charlie Sheen
2. The Rapture
3. “Friday” (Rebecca Black)
4. Mortgage Rates
5. Extreme Couponing
6. Angry Birds
7. Planking
8. “Game of Thrones”
9. Government Shutdown
10. Tiger Mom

Visit Yahoo! for the comprehensive details of the review and other top searches. You can also go to Yahoo! 2011 Year in Review.

Cheers,

Photo credit: Yahoo!

Listed below are the man-made New7Wonders of Nature in alphabetical order:

• Amazon Rainforest (located in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, France (French Guiana), Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela)
• Halong Bay (located in Vietnam)
• Iguazu/Iguaçu Falls (National Park) (located in Argentina and Brazil)
• Jeju Island (located in South Korea)
• Komodo Island (National Park) (located in Indonesia)
• Puerto Princesa Underground River (located in the Philippines)
• Table Mountain (National Park) (located in South Africa)

The New7Wonders of Nature was an initiative started in 2007 to create a list of seven natural wonders chosen by people through a global poll. It was led by Canadian-Swiss Bernard Weber and organized by the New7Wonders Foundation, a Swiss-based, government-controlled foundation. The initiative followed the New7Wonders of the World, which attracted 100 million votes from around the world. Voting continued until Nov. 11, 2011, when the list was announced.

Cheers,

Photo credit: Google Image

Happy 113th Independence Day to all my countrymen and to all the Filipinos living all over the world.

Our liberty will not be secured at the sword’s point… We must secure it by making ourselves worthy of it. And when the people reaches that height, God will provide a weapon, the idols will be shattered, tyranny will crumble like a house of cards, and liberty will shine out like the first dawn. ~ Dr. Jose Rizal

Cheers,

Photo credit: Here

Politician and tv personality Shalani Soledad ranked first on 2010 Google Philippines’ 20 Most Influential List.

Listed below are the top 20 Filipinas who grabbed the greatest online mindshare last year:

1. Shalani Soledad (TV Host & City Councilor of Valenzuela)
2. Kris Aquino (TV-host actress)
3. Ruffa Gutierrez (Former beauty queen and TV-host actress)
4. Maria Venus Raj (Beauty Queen and TV-Host)
5. Charice Pempengco (International Singer)
6. Angel Locsin (Actress)
7. Sarah Geronimo (Singer-Actress)
8. Regine Velasquez (Singer-Actress)
9. Heart Evangelista (Actress)
10. Miriam Defensor-Santiago (Senator)
11. Lea Salonga (Award-winning international Filipino singer)
12. Doris Dumlao (Philippine Daily Inquirer Journalist)
13. Kristine Hermosa (Actress)
14. Toni Gonzaga (Singer-Actress)
15. Sharon Cuneta (Singer-Actress)
16. Mariel Rodriguez (TV-host actress)
17. Monique Lhuillier (Designer)
18. Bea Alonzo (Actress)
19. Korina Sanchez (Broadcast Journalist)
20. Nora Aunor (Dramatic Actress)

Read this link for further details.

Cheers,

Photo Credits: Asian Offbeat

Philippines’ official bet to the 59th Miss Universe Beauty Pageant caused a stir in Las Vegas yesterday night because of her show stopper performance at the Mandalay Bay Events Theater. In fact, almost all pageant critics and fans agreed that Venus Raj might make the cut on the finals’ night. Her solid performance from the candid interview portion at the Miss Universe website and consistent performance on the national costume, evening gown and swimsuit presentations has given Filipinos a hope that she will be a shoo-in for the crown.

Actually, everything is perfect in the eyes of the pageant fanatics like me except for one thing…

Miss Philippines Universe 2010 Venus Raj wears another Alfredo Barraza creation during the evening gown competition!

No, please do not get me wrong – I have NOTHING AGAINST the Colombian fashion designer hired by our national director. In fact, I truly adore the national costumes he designed for our Miss Universe representatives.

It is just that…

The Filipino pageant supporters repeatedly beseech their Misses Philippines to wear gowns by their local designers while competing in their respective international pageants. But I believe, the pleadings are still not heard as the pageant organizer seemingly favors the Colombian fashion designer every year. A decision that leaves the fans disappointed too year after year.

Now, here is the lingering question to these pageant fanatics:

When will the Filipino designers have a chance to dress Misses Philippines?

As far as Carousel Production is concern, they already did their ‘patriotic share’ when Miss Philippines Earth 2009 Sandra Seifert worn a Michael Cinco creation during the Miss Earth 2009 Beauty Pageant.

Hmmm,  so when can we see our representatives to Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss International do the same?

Oh well, I guess – only time can tell.

Cheers,

Photo Credits: Venus Raj for Miss Universe 2010 and Google Image

I know it is weird but I always have a fascination with Friday the 13th.

Why? As we all know, Friday the 13th occurs when the thirteenth day of a month falls on which superstition holds to be a day of bad luck.  On this year, the phenomenon will only happen this month of August then, the next Friday the 13th will happen again in May 2011.

Are you also enthralled with this rare phenomenon like I do? Listed below are the 13 facts researched by Live Science regarding the infamous day:

1. The British Navy is said to have built a ship named Friday the 13th, or the HMS Friday, which on its maiden voyage left dock on a Friday the 13th, and was never heard from again. As LiveScience readers pointed out, however, this story seems to be a legend. The Royal Navy Museum states on its web site that this story, which has been told before, is a hoax. “There has never been a Royal Navy ship named HMS Friday – or after any other day of the week for that matter,” the museum states.

2. The ill-fated Apollo 13 launched at 13:13 CST on Apr. 11, 1970. The sum of the date’s digits (4-11-70) is 13 (as in 4+1+1+7+0 = 13). And the explosion that crippled the spacecraft occurred on April 13 (not a Friday). The crew did make it back to Earth safely, however.

3. Many hospitals have no room 13, while some tall buildings skip the 13th floor.

4. Fear of Friday the 13th — one of the most popular myths in science — is called paraskavedekatriaphobia as well as friggatriskaidekaphobia. Triskaidekaphobia is fear of the number 13.

5. Quarterback Dan Marino wore No. 13 throughout his career with the Miami Dolphins. Despite being a superb quarterback (some call him one of the best ever), he got to the Super Bowl just once, in 1985, and was trounced 38-16 by the San Francisco 49ers and Joe Montana (who wore No. 16 and won all four Super Bowls he played in).

6. Butch Cassidy, notorious American train and bank robber, was born on Friday, April 13, 1866.

7. Fidel Castro was born on Friday, Aug. 13, 1926.

8. President Franklin D. Roosevelt would not travel on the 13th day of any month and would never host 13 guests at a meal. Napoleon and Herbert Hoover were also triskaidekaphobic, with an abnormal fear of the number 13.

9. Superstitious diners in Paris can hire a quatorzieme, or professional 14th guest.

10. Mark Twain once was the 13th guest at a dinner party. A friend warned him not to go. “It was bad luck,” Twain later told the friend. “They only had food for 12.”

11. Woodrow Wilson considered 13 his lucky number, though his experience didn’t support such faith. He arrived in Normandy, France on Friday, Dec. 13, 1918, for peace talks, only to return with a treaty he couldn’t get Congress to sign. (The ship’s crew wanted to dock the next day due to superstitions, Fernsler said.) He toured the United States to rally support for the treaty, and while traveling, suffered a near-fatal stroke.

12. The number 13 suffers from its position after 12, according to numerologists who consider the latter to be a complete number — 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of Jesus, 12 days of Christmas and 12 eggs in a dozen.

13. The seals on the back of a dollar bill include 13 steps on the pyramid, 13 stars above the eagle’s head, 13 war arrows in the eagle’s claw and 13 leaves on the olive branch. So far there’s been no evidence tying these long-ago design decisions to the present economic situation.

So, what are your plans today, Friday the 13th?

As for me, I will read an awesome creepy stories to my kid before his nap this afternoon. Cool isn’t it?

Cheers,

Photo Credit: Google Image Search

The sky will bring a magnificent show on earth as another meteor shower will occur on August 12 and 13.

Poised as another astronomical phenomenon, the extraordinary event was named Perseid Meteor Shower which usually happens during the month of August every year.

Fast facts about the Perseid Meteor Shower:

Comet of Origin: 109P/Swift-Tuttle
Radiant: constellation Perseus
Active: Perseids begin to rise early August.
Peak Activity: Aug. 12-13, 2010
Peak Activity Meteor Count: Approximately 50 meteors per hour
Time of Optimal Viewing: Crescent moon will set early in the evening, allowing for dark skies all the way up until peak viewing just before dawn
Meteor Velocity: 61 kilometers (38 miles) per second
Note: The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most consistent performers and considered by many as 2010′s best shower. The meteors they produce are among the brightest of all meteor showers.

The best time to view them is in the early evening when the crescent moon sets and just before dawn. The darker the sky, the better the meteors will be seen. As stated above, the 2010 meteor shower is expected to be the best and the brightest.

For more information about meteor showers, please don’t forget to check out the NASA website for updates.

Cheers,

Photo Credit: Exilez

Catherine Zeta-Jones is one lucky lady these days!

Last May 23, Zeta-Jones won an Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her role as Desiree Armfeldt in the musical play, ‘A Little Night Music’ at the 2010 Drama Desk Awards in New York City.

Then, not even a month old from her triumph in 55th Drama Desk Award, the gorgeous Welsh actress bagged again a top honor for the same musical at the 2010 Tony Awards (Best Performance by a leading Actress in a Musical) last Sunday, June 13.

And lastly, as of press time, the beauteous Hollywood royalty can now officially put the letters CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) after her name as she has just been awarded in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Zeta-Jones was honored by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to the film services to the film industry and charity. She received the CBE Royal Honor alongside actress Sophie Okonedo and actor John Nettles.

Wow, Catherine Zeta-Jones has indeed come a long way right after her Hollywood break in ‘The Mask of Zorro’.

Congratulations, idol!

Cheers,

Photo Credit: Whyfame

I respect Manny Villar when it comes to political advertisement as his campaign team never runs out of creative ideas and easy to remember slogans.

However, I was dumbfounded when Barrio Siete uncovered that his new political ad campaign ‘Scroll’ was just a sheer copycat of a political campaign ad entitled ‘Upside Down’. The ad was used by presidential candidate Lopez Murphy in Argentina. The campaign ad even won him a silver lion award in the Cannes Lions Contest in 2006.

Check out what the readers are saying about the uncanny resemblance of the ad campaigns ‘Scroll’ and ‘Upside Down’ here.

Photo Credit: Photo Travel

Move over, Elvis Presley!

Looks like your former son-in-law will take the royal crown from you as he is poised to become the top earning dead celebrity!

King of Pop Michael Jackson, even when dead is still breaking a record as the administrators of his estate have just signed a deal with Sony Music Entertainment for ten albums over the next seven years. Sources also said that the contract will be until 2017 and could net the Jacksons up to $250 million.

John Branca, the forefront of record-breaking transactions negotiated the deal along with John McClain, a co-executor of  the Jackson estates.

This is definitely good news for his Mom and kids as the music legacy he left behind will make millions and most likely, will earn more than enough to secure the kids a brighter future.

Long live Michael Jackson! Long live the King of Pop!

Cheers,

Photo Credit: Last.fm