My Top 10 Emerging Influential Blogs

Here's my personal 10 choices for influential blogs for 2009.

Marikina Life - know what you can do and where to go in the beautiful clean city of Marikina

http://marikinalife.com

JayDJ's Photoblog - I'm voting for my personal photo blog. I post photos I think are worth sharing.

http://jaydjphoto.blogspot.com

Numbrd - looking at the world in terms of numbers

http://numbrd.com

Pinoy Tech Podcast - one of the new tech podcasts. Talking about tech stuff without much of the nosebleed techie terms.

http://www.pinoytechpodcast.com

Let's Go Sago! - It's the travel and food blog of my blogger friend Jonel. Plus, I like sago. :)

http://www.LetsGoSago.net

Patay Gutom - a food blog with a twisted but catchy name !

http://www.pataygutom.com

Gagong Kasabihan - If you don't want to think much, this is the blog to visit. Kababawan lang, ayos na !

http://gagongkasabihan.blogspot.com

Video Chops - video blogs really take much effort. Imagine the hours and effort of creating a video just to go in to a simple post where other blogs only need to type a few words.

http://videochops.com

Cebu Bloggers - I've met a lot of Cebu bloggers and they've united to share their thoughts online.

http://www.cebubloggers.com

The Thirsty Blogger - I love to drink and taste new drinks. What better way to share what you've tried than to blog about it.

http://www.thirstyblogger.com

Check out the entire writing project and tally list at http://www.influentialblogger.net

. To learn more about the writing project, visit http://www.influentialblogger.net/2009/05/join-top-10-emerging-influential-blogs.html

This writing project will not be possible without the support of sponsors such as Absolute Traders, My Brute Cheats, Business Summaries, Fitness Advantage Club, Events and Corporate Video, Events at Work, Dominguez Marketing Communications, Red Mobile, Budget hotel in Makati, and Blog4Reviews.com.

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Spinning Ball

spinning shining discoteque ball

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Ball on the Pedestal

basketball on top of a pedestal that looks like a giant cigarette

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Saturn and its Stars

Saturn-like lamp glow

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US Navy Singer

US Navy 7th Fleet Band as its lead singer sings his heart out

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Pigging Out

Lechon ready to be devoured

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Joker

The Joker bust makes an appearance at the Toy Convention

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Partial Solar Eclipse - Philippines

Here's my attempt to capture the partial solar eclipse. I was late so I didn't get to see it from the start. I didn't know how to take a pic of it too, so here's the best I was able to come up with.

July 22, 10:00am

sun without using any negatives

moon partially covering sun

see the moon's size (and distance) compared to the sun

one last glimpse of the eclipse at 10:15am

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Tall Chinese Men

men in stilts twice as tall as the people in front of them

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Fireworks Frenzy

a blast of fireworks into the sky

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Funny Signs on Jeeps

More hilarious playing with words on jeeps.

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Bubbly Angel

candid shot I took from Calalilly's MTV shoot

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Manny Pacquiao on a Jeep

Saw this jeep the other day. I guess with all of Manny Pacquiao's earnings from his success, you could say that.

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Floating Candle

a candle floating in flower-filled water with the lighting reflection from above

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Represent the Philippines for WWE's Street Team

I've been a subscriber for the Wrestling Online newsletter for over 8 years. And I've been their unofficial Philippine correspondent sending them WWE news whenever WWE comes to the Philippines for house shows. That's how big a fan I am of wrestling.

That's why I was excited to learn that WWE is looking for fans to be a part of their new International Street Team program.

This new initiative is available to fans worldwide. A person from each country will be chosen to monitor WWE television shows, confirm time slots and provide feedback on the company's presence in their country. Members who will be chosen will be receiving free tickets to shows, exclusive merchandise and more.

I would've applied for this but WWE is predominantly being aired on Jack TV and I don't get to watch the remaining Raw and Smackdown shows on RPN 9 on Saturday nights. Plus, I don't think I would have any time left to do this. Otherwise, it is a great opportnunity to let the WWE and the world know you're a fan.

You can apply by going to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/wwestreetteam/

Goodluck and let me know if you make it to the WWE ! Represent !

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We Got It All For You

SM Hypermarket employees in a long single file

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Watch The Birdie

...cause it's watching you.

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7-Eleven Wants You To Eat Their Hotdogs FAST !

Whenever I'm on the road, and I need a break from traffic, or it's too late and almost all stores and restaurants are closed, or I just want to grab a bite of their delicious hotdogs with their unique Manhattan dressing and a super cold slurpee, I go to 7-Eleven.

7-Eleven has been my all-time favorite convenience store ever since. They have a wide variety of foods to choose from all packed in a cozy convenience store. That's why when I learned that 7-Eleven was holding an eating contest, I just had to find out what it was all about.

It's called the 1st BigBite Hotdog-Eating Challenge. From June 26 up until August 15 2009, anyone can go to the nearest 7-Eleven store and buy the Big Bite Match Combo that contains five jumbo hotdog sandwiches of their choice and one Big Gulp all neatly packed in a kiddie-like lunch box for only P150. This serves as your official entry kit to the Big Bite Match. It's a clocked eating competition where a 7-Eleven representative will time you until you finish all 5 hotdogs and the big gulp. The 20 fastest times from all 7-Eleven branches nationwide will advance to the semi-finals.

The twenty Semi-Finalists then compete by eating the most number of hotdog sandwiches in five minutes. The top 7 contestants move on to the finals round. The seven finalists will compete by eating the most number of hotdog sandwiches in ten minutes. And the winner gets a whopping grand prize of half a million pesos !

I have a big apetite but I eat slow. So I guess, I'll forego my chances and cheer on you guys. If you have what it takes, may be you may win the half a million pesos and be crowned the 1st Filipino hotdog-eating champion. For complete details and mechanics on how to join, visit eatingmachinesphilippines.com for more information.

Do you have what it takes to down a hotdog in record time ? How bout trying it out at 7-Eleven today !

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Park-Guarding Statue

A statue in the heart of Makati's business district

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WWE Smackdown / ECW in Manila Results

It was a rainy Friday afternoon as the WWE Superstars from Smackdown and ECW brands were scheduled to perform in Manila, Philippines as part of the last leg of the South East Asia tour on July 10, 2009.  Yet the downpour didn't stop wrestling fans to attend the one-night only event at the Araneta Coliseum.   

There were lots of excited kids, fans with their favorite WWE shirts, some lucky people with title belts and face masks and those people who have witty signs set to hold up high during matches.   

Here are some highlights:

• A guy wearing a Mysterio mask at the Upper Box area got fans all excited that a lot of people had their picture taken with him.  He also kept on making the Mysterio sign of the cross trademark from the top of the steel stairs which made fans cheer for him.
• Christian worked up the crowd a lot and he got everyone to cheer for him and Tommy Dreamer, and boo the hell out of Swagger.  He even got the crowd to cheer for the referee who got the loudest props.
• The Great Khali was huge and Maria, even though she was just a special guest referee, was the sexiest of all the Divas.
• Despite allof Chris Jericho's dissing the Pinoys at the event, everybody still cheered for him.  I guess he was wondering why no one was getting pissed.
• It was an honor to have WWE hall-of-famer Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat on board the Smackdown/ECW tour, even if only to be a guest referee.
• Gail Kim shined in the Divas tag team match with her high-flying fast-paced moves and earned new-found respect and appreciation for those who weren't familiar with her.
• Before the match, Chris Jericho told Rey Mysterio he'd remove off his mask... and he did  when he threw Mysterio out of the ring during the early part of the match.   Mysterio had to cover his face for a while and put his mask back on.  Everybody stood up to see what he looked like but the ring blocked the view for most.

Here are the results:

• John Morrison defeats Shelton Benjamin
• Mark Henry defeats Evan Bourne
• Divas Match
  Gail Kim and Melina defeats Michelle McCool and Alicia
  Special Guest Referee: Maria
• The Great Khali defeats Ziggler
• Triple Threat Match for the ECW Title
  Christian vs. Swagger vs. Tommy Dreamer
  Tommy Dreamer pins Swagger to retain title
• Intercontintal Title Match
  Rey Mysterio defeats Chris Jericho to retain title
  Special Guest Referee: Ricky The Dragon Steamboat
• World Heavyweight Title Match
  CM Punk defeats Jeff Hardy to retain title

Too bad Edge was injured.  He was one of the main-event wrestlers everybody wanted to see.   The Undertaker, Matt Hardy, Umaga and Kane weren't on the tour either.  Everybody was hopefully anticipating Batista to make a surprise appearance, even if only to greet the fans.  But I guess due to his injury, he didn't make it.

I had a great time and with all my cheering and booing going on for the faces and heels,  I got tired by the time it was the last match where fan-cheering was at an all-time high.  I guess I need to conserve my cheers next time so I can make it to the end. hahahaha!

Overall, this is still a WWE event and I love WWE !  Thanks and looking forward to the next WWE Philippine tour !

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Don't Stop To Ask... I'll Be There

This is a simple tribute by Swing Out Sister to the late Michael Jackson. I never thought two of my idols would be mentioned in one song, since they reside from two completely different genres. Nevertheless, I love the Swing Out Sister sound and their medley rendition to Michael Jackson's "I'll Be There".

Thanks for the memories MJ.

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WOW Jeep

Nope, it's not the WOW Philippines tourism campaign, it's WOW for World of Warcraft.

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NASA Space Shuttle Base ?

Nope.

It's the new UP-Ayala Technohub along Commonwealth Ave in Quezon City

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Speed Expressway

The wonders of lighting you could do with a slow shutter.

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UCC (Up Close Chicken)

a plate filled with tender chicken fillet all around with garnishing at the middle

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A Puto-flooded Birthday

It's a delayed post but I was really planning on making a birthday post.

So how did I spend my day ?

Well, I woke up as early as 5am cause I usually start my birthday by going to church. My parents decided to join me. I guess I also mentioned that breakfast afterwards is my treat. After mass, we headed to Rocha's to buy some special puto. Their puto is so soft and tasty that it can virtual melt in your mouth with minimal chewing.

Then we passed by the Marikina Sports Center to check if my tito and tita were there exercising. If they were, I wanted to invite them for breakfast too. Luckily, they were there and so we all headed to McDonalds. I chose the McDonalds branch which had a McCafe so I could order a slice of cake to serve as my birthday cake. Unforunately, parking was full so we moved to the other McDonalds branch just across the street. This branch was brand new that it was freezing cold inside. But with the morning rays penetrating the glass, the temperature was just fine.

So after all of us ordering a big McDonalds breakfast, we whipped out the box of puto to complement our coffee. I think one of the crew members was guessing where the box of puto on our table came from. Since we got a complimentary newspaper (and refillable coffee), I went straight to the Horoscope section of the Inquirer to find out what special message was in store for those born on that day. And here it is:

"People easily are enamored of you. You are clever, witty and charming. You also have a delightful romantic streak that can seduce others. (Romance is paramount to you!) You're a shrewd judge of human character; you love to share your views about humanity with others. Work hard to build or construct something this year. Your rewards will soon follow."

I think I like my horoscope... very much.

After breakfast, we all headed to my tita's house cause I mentioned that I needed a coat for an upcoming event. And it's a good thing that one of her son-in-laws left his coat in their house before migrating to Canada simply because it didn't fit him anymore. And guess what ? It was a perfect fit on me ! My tita also honestly thought I was 7 years younger than my age. I love my tita ! :D

When I got home, I replied to the many people who greeted me via my mobile, e-mail and over the phone. Thanks everybody ! Every year since 1995, I've been getting birthday greeting cards and less of them as the years gone by. This year, I guess everything is now digital. Cause I didn't receive any cards anymore. Oh well, any which way the greeting gets to me is much appreciated.

Since I started my day early, it was still morning by this time and I decided to get some tasks done. So I went to the dry cleaners to have the coat cleaned and passed by the bank to settle some bills. Right across the bank was a Tunay na Pancit Malabon branch. I figured that since this year, I didn't plan of any noodle dishes for the day (for long life), I'd get pancit malabon. And since I love the taste of their miniature puto, I bought a pack of them with the pancit.

I just realized it when I got back home that I already bought a box of puto earlier. Oh well, puto and pancit for long life !

After lunch, I didn't have any plans of going out since I had some work to finish. That's when the day went downhill for me. It suddenly became gloomy. Then it started to rain. I wasn't surprised because every year, it rains on my birthday. It never fails. I'd be surprised if it didn't rain. What I didn't expect was the weather to turn into violent winds and heavy downpour. And so after almost 2 hours of non-stop rain, the inevitable happened, we got flooded. In Marikina, that's common. But we were caught unprepared and so we had to lift up our things and place them somewhere elevated all while flood water was rushing in our house. Luckily, only our kitchen, sala and dining room where mildly in water. I say luckily, cause it was just about an inch. The worst we've experienced was waist high inside the entire house. So this wasn't a challenge for us. It was just a hassle since the rest of my birthday afternoon turned into general housecleaning when the water subsided. To make matters worse, we didn't have electricity for 4 hours during that time.

More of my friends were greeting me on my phone and asked how I was doing. When I told them that there was heavy rains here, they said, that's a blessing. If that's so, I think I'll be expecting overflowing blessings since it flooded here.

And so by the time I finally got to rest, clean myself up and go online, it were the people from the other side of the world who were awake and greeted me online. Thanks!

I usually don't celebrate my birthday as most people do. I'd like to be alone, reflect more on the year that has passed and give thanks as well as wishing for another great year ahead of me. And that's more important than an unexpected turn of events for the day. Cause looking back, the greatest event that happened to me in my past year was becoming engaged. And before my next birthday, I'll be married.

Happy Birthday to me !

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Cutting Edge Scissors

I'm not surprised when new gadgets come around at such a fast turnover. Based on Moore's law, circuitry doubles every 2 years. And it holds true for processor speed, data storage, bandwidth and the like.

Then on the other hand, there are common things that you wouldn't expect to go beyond what it has been for all time - take office supplies. I guess you could argue that pens used to be feathers with ink on the tips, a far cry of what the ergonomic ballpens are of today. Pencils used to have lead... and they still do until now. Paper has been sold in more forms and colors now, but it's still paper. Paste and glue are still sticky as it was decades ago. So what could possibly push these common office supplies to a higher level ?

That's exactly my question until I found this in my e-mail. Hi-tech scissors. These two scissors have their own unique features. The first one isn't fancy... just your plain 'ol pair of scissors. But it has a built-in laser beam to serve as a guide for cutting. Now that's pretty impressive. If it would make my crooked cutting straight, then, the laser would come in handy !

The 2nd pair of scissors is more of a shredder. If you need to destroy important documents, this 5 stainless steel blade scissors will make 5 shreds in one cut. It's like using 5 scissors at once !

I haven't seen both of these yet but I'd like to take a look at them first hand.

Just when you thought scissors couldn't get any better, they do. Now ain't that on the cutting edge !

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