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Showing posts with label random thoughts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label random thoughts. Show all posts

Ford launches the new 2010 Ford Mustang (pictures/photos)

2010 mustang pictures, 2010 ford mustang photos, 2010 ford mustang video, ford mustang video, 2010 ford mustang, 2009 mustang, new mustang, new mustang pictures, new mustang photos, 2010 mustang pictures, 2010 mustang photos, 2010 mustang wallpaper, 2010 ford mustang interior, 2010 ford mustang exterior, ford mustang specs, 2010 ford mustang specs, 2010 ford mustang price, read my mind, monacomeThe muscle car is back! Well, actually, it never left for it has remained as America's favorite muscle car ever since it zoomed from the horizon in the 60's and 70's, making its presence felt with that familiar sound of several hundred ponies under the hood. Through many revisions in
the succeeding decades, it has never lost its appeal, its macho appeal. And now, it is relaunched with another makeover. Welcome the new 2010 Ford Mustang!

The 2010 Ford Mustang has what the company calls a new muscular, sculptured exterior, along with larger wheels, adjusted suspension and more power - the V-6 engine has 210 horsepower and the V-8 version has 315 horsepower. Along with these exterior changes come interior makeovers as well. According to Autoblog, "all the plastic surfaces on the dash are now soft to the touch and pleasant to look at. Even the trim across the dashboard is aluminum rather than metallic-finished plastic. The same goes for the spokes on the steering wheel. The dual-brow look across the top of the dashboard that dates back to the early Mustangs is now also reflected across the lower edge."

Ford hopes to revive plunging car sales over the last few months with this makeover. However, with a financial crisis looming, it would take more than a redesign to inject new life into an auto industry in trouble. (Photos and video courtesy of Autoblog)

Fords Launches the 2010 Ford Mustang



2010 Ford Mustang Pictures/Photos (Exterior & Interior)







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Jennifer Aniston Vogue interview: 'Angelina Jolie is uncool'

jennifer aniston, vogue, jennifer aniston vogue interview, jennifer aniston angelina jolie, angelina jolie vogue, jennifer aniston, vogue, jennifer aniston vogue interview, jennifer aniston angelina jolie, angelina jolie vogue, jolie out of line, jolie uncool, Anniston jolie, Jennifer Aniston vogue cover, aniston December vogue, aniston vogue cover photo, December vogue cover picture, aniston pitt jolie, read my mind, monacomeJennifer Aniston was my ultimate crush. Correction: Rachel, her character on 'Friends', was my ultimate crush. In fact, crush is an understatement. I was in love with her, and so were millions of other young men at the time. Rachel was sexy, funny, sometimes quirky but all-the-time lovely. Girls wanted to be like her and guys wanted to marry her, and take her home to mom. He he. But after 'Friends' drifted into the horizon, we thought we had lost Rachel too. Wrong. Rachel became Jennifer and Jennifer became Rachel, and our love affair continued. We were not jealous when she found love in Hollywood's prince charming, Brad Pitt. But when that 'fairy tale' ended, we were crushed as well. Suffice it to say that I was not too happy with Angelina Jolie because of this, despite idolizing her too and finding her sexy before all of this. I'm sure many of you felt the same.

There were rumors the Aniston-Pitt divorce was a messy one, a bitter split for the Hollywood couple, and our hearts melted further in favor of dear old Rachel, er, Jennifer. Both parties never talked about it since then, fueling more speculation about the split. But Rachel Jennifer Aniston finally set things straight after a long period of silence, but not before speaking her mind on a few issues about Angelina.

Gracing the December issue of Vogue magazine, Jennifer Aniston admits that she isn't too happy with some of Jolie's public remarks about her love affair with ex-husband Brad Pitt. She complains that Jolie went too far when she admitted falling for Pitt on the set of 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith', when Jennifer was still married to the actor. "There was stuff printed that was definitely from a time when I was unaware that it was happening," Aniston says of the Jolie interview. "I felt those details were a little inappropriate to discuss. That stuff about how she couldn't wait to get to work every day? That was really uncool."

However, she was quick to dispel rumors about the reported bitter divorce with Brad Pitt, adding that it was an amicable split. "Well, it never was that bad. I mean, look, it's not like divorce is something that you go, 'Oooh, I can't wait to get divorced!' But I've got to tell you, it's so vague at this point, it's so faraway in my mind, I can't even remember the darkness. I mean, in the end, we really had an amicable split. It wasn't mean and hateful and all of this stuff that they tried to create about Brad can't talk to Jen and Jen can't talk to Brad because this person won't allow it. It just didn’t happen."

"The marriage didn’t work out. And pretty soon after we separated, we got on the phone and we had a long, long conversation with each other and said a lot of things, and ever since we’ve been unbelievably warm and respectful of each other." She adds, "We have exchanged a few very kind hellos and wishing you wells and sending you love and congratulations on your babies," she says. "I have nothing but absolute admiration for him, and... I’m proud of him! I think he’s really done some amazing things."

On the subject of her current relationship with John Mayer, dear old Rachel Jennifer says they "adore each other". "This whole 'Poor lonely Jen' thing, this idea that I'm so unlucky in love?," she says. "I actually feel I've been unbelievably lucky in love ...I'm right where I'm supposed to be." Aniston also believes she will have kids one day: "I'm going to have children," she declares. "I just know it."

All of these is good news to us. Our Rachel (the love of my life ten years ago, he he) has finally cleared the air and thrown a few punches of her own (I wonder how Angelina will respond to this). Best of all, it's good to know that she's happy. But if there will come a time when she'll be loveless once again, there are many of us who'd welcome her with open arms. (Forgive me if my post is too "Hollywood-y". I just had to write about it after reading about Rachel's Jennifer's comments regarding Angelina. He he.)


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Geoff and Tisha: winners of Amazing Race Asia 3?

geoff Rodriguez tisha silang, goeff tisha amazing race asia 3, geoff tisha tara 3, geoff tisha tara 3 winners, amazing race asia 3 winners geoff tisha, geoff tish win amazing race asia 3, geoff tish hardball, geoff tisha hardball, tisha silang winner amazing race asia, geoff Rodriguez winner amazing race asia 3, read my mind, monacome Did Geoff and Tisha win The Amazing Race 3? Are rumors circulating in the forums correct? With a little over ten days to go before the conclusion of this year's Amazing Race Asia 3, speculations are running wild on who will end up winning. There are four teams left in the competition - Geoff and Tisha from the Philippines, Vince and Sam from Hong Kong, Ida and Tania from Malaysia, and AD and Fuzzie from Sinagpore - and they all have equal chances of winning. Ad and Fuzzie, though, have a little disadvantage as they have a 30 minute penalty going into the penultimate leg. But, as Ida and Tania have shown two episodes ago, this is no hindrance.

My initial speculation was that Vince and Sam are going to win by virtue of their Sony ad that came out two weeks ago. This was the pattern last season with Adrian and Collin. They came out in a Sony (major sponsor of the race) TV ad several weeks before the airing of the finale, and eventually ended up as the winners. I was 99% sure of my prediction until Henry and
Bernie, the other team from Malaysia who were eliminated two weeks ago, came out in another Sony ad last Thursday. Ha, so much for my 99%! He he. I'm not saying Vince and Sam aren't the winners this season. They might still turn out to be the winners with AXN just purposely derailing our speculation with that Sony ad of Henry and Bernie. However, I am now placing my money on another team.

Geoff and Tisha from the Philippines have gradually improved their teamwork and tactics in recent weeks. After languishing in the middle standings in the first half of the season, they surged to the top with successive wins in Macau and India, seemingly serving notice to the other racers that they were shifting gears and getting serious with the game. Their use of the 'Yield' on Henry and Bernie in Macau, and the 'U-Turn' on Ad and Fuzzie in India last week were controversial but nevertheless good tactical moves. With two legs to go, my guess is that they'll turn the heat up further and win it all (barring any mishap). However, things may change if, and only if, they get 'yielded' or 'u-turned' by the other teams. Since they've used these two 'penalties' to their advantage earlier, the other teams may work together to get back at them and this may play a big part in the final results (they may even get eliminated next). But if no yield or u-turn turns up in the remaining episodes, or if Geoff and Tisha get to the yield or u-turn ahead of the others, it will be a win for the Filipino tandem.

One interesting spoiler came out in the forums recently. Though this did not influence my speculation on the race results above, it is worth discussing here. Apparently, on a recent episode of the local talk show Hardball, one of the hosts slipped and congratulated Tisha. Actually, Jinno Rufino was reportedly greeting Tisha for her birthday last week then segued into some sort of congratulations before abruptly screeching to a halt followed by the words "oops". Though no mention was made about the Amazing Race Asia, audiences concluded that Jinno was congratulating Tisha for winning the race after his co-hosts reprimanded him for the slip up. "Geoff, if something goes wrong, you know who to blame," said one. Bill Velasco, another host of the show, reportedly added, "That is why they call it a non-disclosure clause."

With this, audiences concluded that Geoff and Tisha are the winners of the race. I am, however, quite apprehensive about arriving to such a conclusion based on what happened on Hardball. For one, Hardball is a taped talk show. Though I did not see this particular episode, as far as I know, they don't broadcast LIVE. Having said that, if it was indeed a slip up, it would have been edited. I think the guys in the show were just goofing off and teasing their friends Geoff and Tisha, as well as their viewers who are Amazing Race Asia 3 fanatics. Friends do that all the time.

But what if it really is true. What if Jinno et al "know" that Geoff and Tish are the winners of the race, not because the two told them, but because they read it in their actions. You know what I mean. Sometimes, we can "read" our friends' innermost thoughts (and secrets) by the way they move or talk, or especially by the way they try to deny something. Sometimes we just have this gut feeling that eventually turns out to be correct. What if it's that's the case here? Hmm.

Whatever it is, I hope they're right. I hope Geoff and Tisha are the winners of this year's Amazing Race Asia. They've worked so hard at it, using all the resources available to them to gain advantage over the other teams. They deserve to win.

My fearless forecast: Winners - Geoff and Tish, followed by Sam and Vince and Ida and Tania.

Update: I just found this comment in one of my posts abouth the Amazing Race Asia 3, strengthening my speculation that Geoff and Tisha indeed won this year - "The TARA 1 launch party was held in Malaysia and the Malaysia team won. Same with TARA 2 launch party held in Singapore and the Singapore team won. The TARA 3 launch party was held in the Philippines last Sep-08 so there must be a reason behind that. They can choose to launch in Hongkong but why in the Philippines?"



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Joe Calzaghe vs Roy Jones Jr. boxing fight results

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pound-for-pound king of the ring be stopped after a seemingly enjoying a career renaissance, finishing off a three-fight comeback of sorts by beating Trinidad at this same New York venue last January? We'll soon find out the answers to these questions as the Joe Calzaghe vs Roy Jones Jr. fight gets underway at Madison Square Garden. (For those who want to watch it online, try justin.tv)

It is interesting to note, however, that public response to the fight has been quite disappointing. Though interest in the fight has been drummed up quite extensively with news features on television and the internet, tickets sales for the Calzaghe vs Jones fight have reportedly been quite slow. One probable reason may be the financial crunch, with fans opting to watch the Calzaghe vs Jones fight on TV. Another reason is because this fight may be coming 10 years too late - it should have taken place when both fighters were at their prime some years back. The 36 year-old Calzaghe, one of the longest reigning champions in boxing history, and the 39 year-old Jones, himself an eight-time world champion, both insist, however, that their skills haven’t dulled.

Joe Calzaghe had hoped for many years in the 90s that he would get a shot at Roy Jones, who then was one of boxing’s biggest stars, along with Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield. But Jones was not inclined to go to the United Kingdom and, in those days, Calzaghe fought exclusively on the European side of the Atlantic. When Calzaghe finally opted to come to the United States, Roy Jones Jr. was no longer the standout attraction he had been a decade earlier.

It would be interesting to see how these "old men" of boxing fare, and I will post the results of their fight here after it's over.

Update: Joe Calzaghe's unbeatable record remains intact, this after outlasting Roy Jones Jr. in their Madison Square Garden fight billed as the "Battle of the Superpowers". But it wasn't smooth sailing for the Welshman as he was floored by Jones in the first round by a short but powerful right jab. I thought that was the end, or at least the beginning of the end for the British fighter, but he wasn't finished yet. Though a bit shaky throughout the round, he persisted and came back to beat his rival by displaying his vaunted speed and strong jabs throughout the fight.

Here's a brief summary of the Joe Calzaghe vs Roy Jones, Jr. fight from Steve Cofield of Yahoo Sports:

Jones Jr. knocked down Calzaghe in the first with a short right inside with 48 seconds left. Calzaghe was wobbly when he got up but survived the round. Jones Jr. came back to win the second by landing the harder shots.

The third round was highlighted by Jones Jr. covering up for most of the stanza and allowing Calzaghe to throw 15-20 unanswered punches at a time. For the final minute of the round, Calzaghe clowned often putting his hands at his sides and leaving his head right in front of Jones Jr.'s gloves but he did win the round easily.

ROUNDS 4-6: Jones Jr. simply stopped throwing punches in rounds 4-6. Calzaghe outthrew Jones Jr. 90-35 in the sixth round alone. He's also landed jabs at a 55-4 rate for the entire fight. Jones Jr. is spending much of time laying on the ropes in the corner and loading up for a big right hand.

ROUNDS 7-9: It's going down hill for Jones Jr. who suffered a vicious cut on his left eyelid. The cut is spurting blood. Jones Jr.'s volume decreased with each round. Calzaghe won all three rounds. The Welshman outlanded Jones Jr. 273-127. Calzaghe had his hands down at the end of the round and was laughing at Jones Jr. in the corner.

ROUNDS 10-12: Jones Jr. simply couldn't pull the trigger down the stretch. Calzaghe put on a clinch for the final 10 rounds. Putting his hands at his side and often clowning Jones Jr. Needing a knockout to win the fight, Jones Jr. couldn't muster anything in the final round.



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What's a hypoallergenic dog? Obama wants one for Malia

hypoallergenic, hypoallergenic cats, hypoallergenic cat, hypoallergenic dog breeds, goldendoodle, hypoallergenic mutt, hypoallergenic dogs, non allergy dogs, non allergy cats, non allergy dog breeds, obama press conference dog, hypoallergenic cats, hypoallergenic cat, obama mutt, obama dog, obama puppy, hypoallergenic puppy, hypoallergenic mutt, malia obama dog, malia obama puppy, malia obama allergic to dogs, hypoallergenic pets, read my mind, monacomeBarack Obama is currently on top of the world after winning a historic US presidential election. Everything he does is big news, whether in his official capacity as President-elect or personal. At his first press conference in Chicago a few hours ago, he mentioned that he promised his daughters a puppy after the election. However, his eldest, 10 year-old Malia, has allergies, so he is looking for a hypoallergenic dog. Immediately after this event, searches for the keywords 'hypoallergenic dogs', 'hypoallergenic dog breeds' and 'hypoallergenic cats' and other related keyword configurations flooded cyberspace. It seemed everyone wan interested in getting a hypoallergenic dog for themselves too, or at least curious about the existence of such pets.

What are hypoallergenic dogs (or cats)? Are the special hypoallergenic dog breeds for allergy sufferers out there? Or is there really such a thing? A few clicks on my keyboard provided the
answers I need.

According to Wikipedia, hypoallergenic dog breeds are "are breeds that, for various reasons, might produce fewer reactions in people who suffer from allergies". These, in particular, pertain to breeds that have no hair, or shed very little pet hair or don't shed at all. Included in the list of hypoallergenic dog breeds are the following:

Hypoallergenic Dogs / Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds



Airedale Terrier, Australian Shepherd, Barbet (dog), Basenji, Border Terrier, Bouvier des Flandres, Lagotto Romagnolo, Lhasa Apso, Samoyed (dog), Scottish Terrier

On the other hand, breeds that shed very little or none at all are the following:

Bedlington Terrier (Doesn't shed), Bergamasco (Doesn't shed), Bichon Frisé (Springy undercoat doesn't hold much hair or dander), Bolognese (Doesn't shed), Cairn Terrier (Sheds little to no hair), Chinese Crested (Has very little fur, doesn't shed much), Coton de Tulear (Doesn't shed), Dandie Dinmont Terrier (Doesn't shed), Fox Terrier (Wire) (Sheds little to no hair), Greyhound (Short hair, single coat), Goldendoodle (Doesn't shed), Havanese (Doesn't shed), Irish Water Spaniel (Doesn't shed), Kerry Blue Terrier (Single-coated, short hair, sheds less), Maltese (Doesn't shed), Peruvian Inca Orchid (No hair), Poodles of all sizes and Poodle hybrids (Single coat, sheds less), Portuguese Water Dog (Doesn't shed), Puli (Doesn't shed), Schnauzers of all sizes (Short hair, sheds less), Shih Tzu (Doesn't shed), Silky Terrier (Sheds the same amount of hair as a human), Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier (Doesn't shed), West Highland White Terrier (Sheds little to no hair), Yorkshire Terrier (Hair has same pH as human hair)

But if the Obama household is looking for a totally allergy-free puppy for their daughters, there isn't one. By "hypoallergenic" it means breeds that result in a "reduced allergic reaction" among allergy sufferers, thus a smaller likelihood of causing allergy symptoms. According to Wikipedia, "There is no such thing as a truly non-allergenic or hypoallergenic dog. Dogs (and cats for that matter) produce allergenic proteins that can be found in their dander and saliva, regardless of their breed or the length and color of their hair, or lack thereof. Some may produce more, or less, allergens than others simply because of their individual nature. Allergen immunotherapy may be an option for those who wish to be desensitized to such allergens." Malia may just have to settle for a low-allergy dog then.


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the naked jogger: Steve Guttenberg's Central Park jog (video)

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We all loved him in the 'Police Academy' movie series and his appearance in 'Three Men and a Baby' many years back. But what the hell was Steve Guttenberg thinking jogging naked in
Central Park? Yup, that's what he was doing and it was captured on video by a group of fellow joggers. I first thought his pants just fell down while jogging and it was captured on film. But no, he was jogging without any pants on, with his family jewels bouncing up and down as exercised. I thought it was a hoax too until I saw the video myself. And apparently, this is a regular thing for this one-time famous actor - Steve Guttenberg jogs naked in Central Park every morning! Huh? Don't you get arrested for doing that?

No official word yet from the actor or his publicist about this video but I hope this is just a joke. Or is it a cry for help? Has he gone nuts? Was he on drugs or something? Or is this a publicity stunt by a has-been actor desperately seeking attention? Well, if it is, congratulations because it worked. You made it to the top of Google's search pages and, most probably, the evening news. This will also encourage more people to jog in Central Park in the coming days, not for exercise of course but to catch a glimpse of the naked jogger.

Update: This has got to be a joke. Why hasn't he been arrested if he did this every morning? And he must be wearing something. That's the reason why the video is blurred, to make us believe that he was naked.
I suspect he wore one of those sock things actors wear for a supposedly nude scene, otherwise he would have been arrested.

Steve Guttenberg Jogging Naked in Central Park (video)



Steve Guttenberg on 'Dancing with the Stars' last season



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wishlist: the teacher of my dreams, part 2 (with video)

I remember writing a post several months back about the teacher of my fantasies. It was a frivolous reaction to an odd news item I read about a teacher in Sweden who flashed her breasts to her high school student. Yup, some guys have all the luck! He he. What prompted her to do so I cannot remember. She was dismissed, of course, and fined heavily as well. Jokingly, I wished that I had teachers like her when I was in high school, or at least someone who could 'inspire' me and my classmates to come to class everyday, if you know what I mean. He he. She's one in a million, I thought.

Well, apparently not, as there's another one like her in the news recently. Maybe not as bold and uninhibited, but liberated nonetheless. This one's from Hungary (never knew Hungarian
women are so daring), and she stripped in front of her students! Yup, you read it right. She did a striptease in front of the students and was only stopped from going all the way by another teacher who covered her with a jacket! Can you believe that? What's more, it was captured on tape by a quick-thinking student! Read the full news account and watch the video below.

A teacher who put on a strip show for a group of 15-year-olds is going to keep her job, but her stunt is still the talk of the school.

The teacher and students in Zalaegerszeg, western Hungary, were playing a game of truth or dare at a party when they challenged their teacher to do a striptease.

But instead of politely declining, the teacher was more than happy to oblige. She took off her top, and unzipped her trousers and before another staff member ran to covered her with a jacket.

The school's principal has defended the teacher saying "more flesh can be seen on the beach."


Teacher Strips in Front of Students


I wish one of my teachers did this too. Wait, come to think of it, I take that back. My teachers in high school were the granny kind and I would have been mentally scarred for life if anyone of them stripped in front of me!


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Obama grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, dies on election eve

obama, obama s grandmother died, obama s grandmother dies, obama s grandma, obama grandma dead, obama grandma died, obama grandma dies, obama s aunt, barack obama sister, obama s mother, maya soetoro ng, obama s family, Madelyn dunham, toot dunham, Madelyn dunham died, Madelyn dunham dead, read my mind, monacomeMadelym Dunham has died. Barack Obama's grandmother, whom they fondly called "Toot" (short for tutu, Hawaiian for grandmother) has succumbed to cancer at the age of 86 one day before a historic US presidential election where her grandson will likely emerge as the winner. "She's gone home," Barack Obama reportedly said to supporters at a campaign sortie at the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. "And she died peacefully in her sleep with my sister at her side. And so there is great joy as well as tears. I'm not going to talk about it too long because it is hard for me to talk about."

It will be a bittersweet victory for Barack Obama if he wins the election for he desperately wanted his grandmother to witness this victory. He has also acknowledged his grandmother as his pillar of strength, the woman who shaped him into what he is right now, raising him from
age ten in Hawaii while his mother pursued further studies and work around the world. In the words of his sister, Barack Obama got "his pragmatism, his levelheadedness, his ability to stay centered in the eye of the story" from Madelyn, adding that "his sensible, no-nonsense (side) is inherited from her."

Last month, Obama took a break from campaigning and flew to Hawaii to be with Madelyn Dunham as her health declined. It was an easy decision to make, he said in one ineterview, for he didn't want to get there too late just as when his mother died of ovarian cancer in 1995 at 53. He wanted to make sure "that I don't make the same mistake twice."

Barack Obama, together with his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng, released the following statement about their grandmother's death:

It is with great sadness that we announce that our grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died peacefully after a battle with cancer. She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure.

Our family wants to thank all of those who sent flowers, cards, well-wishes, and prayers during this difficult time. It brought our grandmother and us great comfort. Our grandmother was a private woman, and we will respect her wish for a small private ceremony to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to any worthy organization in search of a cure for cancer.

Condolences from all quarters have started pouring in for the Obama family, both from supporters and political opponents alike. John McCain and wife Cindy has released the following message of condolences:

"We offer our deepest condolences to Barack Obama and his family as they grieve the loss of their beloved grandmother. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them as they remember and celebrate the life of someone who had such a profound impact in their lives."

It is obvious that Madelyn Dunham will be missed by the Obama family, especially in such a momentous event such as this. Her death is an unwelcome development in this campaign, but I'm sure this will help Barack in his journey to the White House. Family tragedies and the sympathy vote have helped many candidates in the past and this will not be an exception. Our condolences to Barack Obama and his family.



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Lewis Hamilton is 2008 F1 champion; heartbreak for Massa

lewis Hamilton, lewis Hamilton formula one, lewis Hamilton f1, Hamilton f1 champion, Hamilton f1 world champion, Hamilton wins f1 championship, felipe massa, felipe massa f1, hamilton 2008 f1 champ, 2008 formula one champion, felipe massa Ferrari, kimi rakkonen f1, kimi raikkonen Ferrari, kimi raikkonen formula one, felipe massa formula one, lewis Hamilton beats massa, Hamilton formula one champion, read my mind, monacomeFerrari's Felipe Massa gave it all he's got earlier today (Manila time) to win the race at Interlagos, his home circuit. Egged on by a partisan crowd, his teammates who could smell another upset in the Formula One Driver's Championship and family members who watched from the pit lane, Felipe Massa dominated the race. However, despite this searing win, it was not enough. Lewis Hamilton clinched the F1 Driver's World Championship, edging his Brazilian rival by a mere point.

Lewis Hamilton thus became the youngest champion in Formula One history at the age of just 23 years, 10 months and 26 days. He is the 12th man to win the drivers’ title with McLaren, who last took the crown with Mika Hakkinen back in 1999. And with this win, he also erased doubts in the minds of fans and detractors alike if he had it in him to capture Formula One's top prize. It was almost in similar circumstances that he lost the
driver's championship last year, at the same venue, to Massa's Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen. This time though, he wouldn't be denied, and lady luck seemed to be on his side.

Lewis Hamilton was leading the championship race before Interlagos, and he merely needed a fifth place win to clinch the crown. However, he languished in sixth or lower during the race. And when Felipe Massa took the checkered flag with Hamilton still in sixth, his team and his family all thought he had done it. But jubilation rapidly turned to disbelief as, just seconds later, title rival Lewis Hamilton passed the Timo Glock of Toyota at the final corner to clinch the fifth place he needed to snatch the drivers’ crown from Massa’s grasp. It had started to rain a few laps earlier, and team Toyota's gamble of not changing Timo Glock's tires to suit the new race condition didn't pay off. Lewis Hamilton luckily benefited from the team's failed gamble.

If I sound disappointed by these developments, I'm sorry. I'm no Lewis Hamilton fan. Though I acknowledge his exemplary driving skills and potential to be one of the best F1 divers there is, I just don't like him. Never did. I don't exactly know the reason why but I guess some people just don't click with others. The same way that I am no fan of Fernando Alonso and was no fan of Michael Schumacher when he reigned as Formula One's king some years ago. My current driving idol is Kimi Raikkonen of Team Ferrari and I was ecstatic when he won over Hamilton by a point last year. Though Kimi was not in the running for the crown this year due to several non-finishes and mishaps in the season, I was hoping that his teammate Felipe Massa would do what Raikkonen did last year - come from behind and snatch the driver's championship in the last race of the season.

lewis Hamilton, lewis Hamilton formula one, lewis Hamilton f1, Hamilton f1 champion, Hamilton f1 world champion, Hamilton wins f1 championship, felipe massa, felipe massa f1, felipe massa Ferrari, kimi rakkonen f1, kimi raikkonen Ferrari, kimi raikkonen formula one, felipe massa formula one, lewis Hamilton beats massa, Hamilton wins f1 championship, read my mind, monacomeIt was a heartbreaking loss for Felipe Massa and his fans. I thought he had done it. Massa’s only consolation was a magnificent home win, and the knowledge that he and teammate Kimi Raikkonen, who finished third, had done enough to give Ferrari the constructors’ championship. Moreover, he has proven that he has the talent and personality to be a major force in Formula One in the coming season, and not a second fiddle to Kimi in team Ferrari. See you next season, guys!


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Sony ad: Vince & Sam are Amazing Race Asia 3 winners?

vince chung sam wu, sam vince amazing race asia 3, sam vince tara 3, vince sam tara 3, vince sam tara 3 winners, amazing race asia 3 winners, sam vince sony ad, sam vince sony commercial, sam vince sony cybershot ad, vince sam sony video, read my mind monacomeWhen I read in one of the forums last week that Vince and Sam, the Hong Kong tandem in this season's Amazing Race Asia 3, made a Sony Cybershot commercial, my heart sank. It meant that Geoff and Tisha, the team I am rooting for, lost the race (Vince and Sam are my favorites too, but they rank only second to my compatriots Geoff and Tish). The Sony commercial ended my speculation and excitement on who will win this year's race. Though Vince denied that there is any connection between the result of the race and the Sony deal through his blog, I beg to disagree.

Remember last year, at this stage of the race too, when Sony came out with a television commercial of Adrian and Collin? Many of the show's fans immediately concluded that the two were the winners of the race but AXN vehemently denied it. They even came out with
statements that winning the race was not a criteria for choosing Collin and Adrian for the commercial. And what was the criteria then? Looks? Definitely not! There were far more photogenic tandems than those two (he he) and their excuse didn't convince me at all. Well, our speculations then turned out to be true, Collin and Adrian won.

Having said that, how can we expect anything different this year? Why would Sony, a major sponsor of the race (their cameras are in use throughout) and provider of some of the prizes, choose a non-winning team to endorse its product? Explain that to me like I'm a ten year-old. On the other hand, some of my friends are saying that maybe Sony and AXN decided to do it differently this year, that they're trying to throw us off by choosing a losing tandem for the commercial. That is quite possible, I must admit. But I will still stick to my earlier theory - Vince and Sam are the winners of this year's Amazing Race Asia 3 (though at the back of my mind I'm still hoping for a Geoff and Tisha win).

Video: Vince & Sam Amazing Race Asia 3 Sony Commercial


Postcript: Vince and Sam winning the race is welcome news to me. After all, one of the reasons why they're my favorites is because they're from Hong Kong, my second home. In effect, they're like my compatriots too. And the best thing about it is that it wasn't Henry and Bernie who won - my least favorite tandem! I just hope Geoff and Tish made it to the top three.

Update (11/06): As if to dispel speculation that Sam and Vince won this season by virtue of the Sony Cybershot ad they came out with, Sony just released another ad featuring Henry and Bernie! Now I'm confused!


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the Las Vegas Sarah Palin look-alike stripper contest (video)

sarah palin, sarah palin look alike, palin look alike contest, las vegas palin contest, las vegas, las vegas club, las vegas stripper contest, palin look alike stripper, palin look alike stripper contest,  video palin contest, palin look alike video, palin stripper contest video, sarah palin stripper video, las vegas contest video, read my mind, monacomeI first wrote about this in my recent 'Strange News from the Weird Wide Web' post a few days back, about an enterprising strip club in Las Vegas with a unique contest. The Paradise Club of Sin City announced that it was going to hold a Sarah Palin look-alike contest among strippers not only from its roster, not only from Vegas but nationwide. It seems Sarah Palin's fame (or notoriety) has really reached its zenith for something so weird as this to happen. He he. What's more, it was announced that the girls would be judged on how they resemble the Republican vice presidential candidate in a swimsuit and how well they could debate! Yup, you read it read right, the strippers had to show their debating skills! I'm sure most of the girls in the contest have fantastic oral skills but I don't think public speaking is one of them. Ha ha ha.

Well, the contest is over and I found the following video posted on YouTube. It contains excerpts from the Sarah Palin stripper look-alike contest. And I must say some of the girls really look like
her, even when fully clothed. He he. As the video shows, they paraded in their swimsuits and were asked an obligatory pageant question (to test their intelligence, I suppose. He he.)