Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Charlene Gonzales

Charlene GonzalesBiography

If nobody can appreciate Charlene Gonzales, then he doesn’t know what beauty is. Indeed, this 5'10" mother, wife, model , and actress embodies charm, wit, and character.

Charlene Mae Bonnin Gonzales Muhlach was born on May 1, 1974, in Manila, Philippines. Her parents are Bernard Bonnin, a very popular Filipino actor during the 1970s, and Elvira Gonzales, a former model and beauty queen. The marriage, however, didn’t last long. Charlene has one older brother named Richard, a model in his own right. Charlene was a nineteen-year-old student in the University of Sto. Tomas, taking up Bachelor of Science in Psychology, when she decided to join the prestigious beauty pageant called Binibining Pilipinas. Because of her unique beauty, which appears to be a cross between Filipino and Indian attributes, she was an instant hit and a crowd favorite. She also bagged the Best in Swimsuit as well as the Binibining Pilipinas Ms. Universe crown. This gave her an opportunity to compete among 70+ beautiful ladies all over the world. The affair was held in Manila.

The Miss Universe competition stirred controversies in Charlene’s life. For one, who could ever forget her high tide–low tide reply for the initial interview portion? Her winning as Best in National Costume also received negative criticism. Added to that, she wasn’t able to bag the award.

Nevertheless, this didn’t stop Charlene from being ushered into the entertainment arena. She soon found herself acting in TVs and films, such as Kalabog and Bosyo, Ikaw Naman Ang Iiyak, and Dyesebel where she played the lead role opposite Gary Estrada and Albert Martinez. On TV, she was Philippines’s Dance Empress and hosted Keep on Dancing. She also played the sweet and sometimes ignorant cousin of Agot Isidro in Oki Doki Doc.

Charlene was also famous in being associated with some of the country’s ultimate bachelors. She was linked to Dodot Jaworski, son of former senator and basketball player Robert Jaworski, where she learned to hone her talent in the sport. The grapevine states that even Troy was her former boyfriend. Yet nobody was able to guess that she’ll end up with Aga Muhlach , a certified ladies’ man and one of the finest actors in tinseltown.

Their love affair ended in a beautiful and serene wedding in one of the churches in Baguio City on May 28, 2001. Though lavish, it was well attended by the couple’s closest friends and family. What brought more surprise to the event was Aga’s revelation that Charlene was indeed pregnant to their twins, Andres and Atasha.

Moving forward, Charlene may have given up her dancing shoes in lieu of acting as a home expert in her new ABS-CBN show called At Home Ako Dito. Her face has graced giant billboards of all SM Department Store branches as well as the boob tube, with her commercials such as Lactacyd and Jollibee, together with her kids and husband.

Charlene tries to keep herself fit by engaging in cross-training in gyms as well as biking around their neighborhood whenever she still has time. She’s also fond of badminton.

charlene gonzales, charlene gonzales bold, rochelle barrameda wiki

Christine Reyes

Christine ReyesBiography

Christine Reyes isn’t living in her sister’s shadows, contrary to what other people may be saying. She isn’t the ultimate pasaway either, who’s bringing headaches to directors and production staff or starting fights among others stars. Sometimes she’s just misunderstood.
Christine was barely 16 when she had a brush with stardom courtesy of the reality-based talent show of GMA-7, aptly called Starstruck. She was one of the thousands who were able to make it in top 14. The weeks during the competition were grueling. They were exposed to a number of different challenges that aim to test their skills in the fields of acting, singing, dancing, and hosting. Unfortunately, she didn’t make it to top 10. She was the second person to be booted out. Christine was barely 16 when she had a brush with stardom courtesy of the reality-based talent show of GMA-7, aptly called Starstruck. She was one of the thousands who were able to make it in top 14. The weeks during the competition were grueling. They were exposed to a number of different challenges that aim to test their skills in the fields of acting, singing, dancing, and hosting. Unfortunately, she didn’t make it to top 10. She was the second person to be booted out.

Nevertheless, blessed with good looks, oozing sex appeal, intense charisma, and sheer talent—not to mention that her sister is Ara Mina —she found her way into various television shows of the said station, including SOP Gigsters in 2004, Mulawin as Estrella, and two episodes of Love 2 Love, Pretty Boy (2004) and Miss Match (2005). She also appeared in popular TV series such as Darna, where she played the role of Molecula, and the TV adaptation of a well-known comic series Captain Barbell.

Early in her career, she also tackled serious dramatic roles in the movies Beautiful Life in 2004 and the horror flick Pa-siyam. Her participation in Say That You Love Me, along with fellow Starstruck 1 alumni Mark Herras and Jennylyn Mercado , allowed her to take much lighter and sweet roles, which are only fitting for her age.

It doesn’t mean, though, that he was out of men’s sight. Even at 16, she was already receiving a good number of offers to pose for men’s magazines. For her, it wasn’t still the right time. Suitors left and right were also never selfish to express their admiration on the beautiful gal such as Kempee de Leon. At 32 years old, he had no qualms of expressing his love for Christine, not until Ara Mina stepped in.

Christine was also subject to different kinds of controversies, notably pictured as the “other party” in showbiz relationships. The kissing photo between her and Joross circulated around mobile phones and eventually landed in a variety of entertainment talk shows. It also created quite a stir in the latter’s relationship with Roxanne Guinoo . The grapevine also blamed her for the ultimate separation of Janno Gibbs and Bing Loyzaga. Both Christine and Janno vehemently denied the issue. Her rivalry with Katrina Halili also went to a more personal level when rumormongers started spreading gossips between each other. Thankfully, this was settled privately.

After gracing the August 2007 issue of FHM, Christine was set to launch her first starring role in Green Paradise until production problems led to her dropping indefinitely from the film. A sneak peek into the movie made her conclude that it was half-baked. She might as well let it go than allow it to destroy her blossoming career. Nevertheless, another one is in tow, with a working title of Manikurista, under Viva Films.

To maintain her figure, Christine engages in belly dancing and boxing.



Sunday, May 15, 2011

sharon stone

Sharon Stone

WHY IS SHE FAMOUS

She is one of Hollywood's most famous and powerful actresses. She has appeared in Basic Instinct, The Specialist, Total Recall, Casino, and Sphere.

Sharon Stone Quote
" Women might be able to fake orgasms. But men can fake whole relationships."


86 SEX APPEAL

Sexiness? Sharon Stone is sexiness. She is synonymous with the word and for good reason. There isn't much more we can add to that.

86 SUCCESS

Sharon Stone has managed to perform alongside virtually all of Hollywood's leading men. In fact, if someone would be able to ascertain who the best kisser in Hollywood was, she can give a very subjective opinion.

Among her movies with some of Hollywood's top men are: Quick & The Dead with Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio, Casino with Robert DeNiro, Basic Instinct with Michael Douglas, Sphere with Dustin Hoffman and Samuel L. Jackson, Intersection with Richard Gere, The Specialist with Sylvester Stallone, and Total Recall with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

SHARON STONE BIOGRAPHY

Sharon Stone was born on the March 10, 1958, in Meadville, Pennsylvania. The second child of four (she has an older Michael, younger sister Kelly and younger brother Patrick) to parents Joseph and Dorothy Stone.

Sharon's mother wanted her brilliant child (Sharon is said to have an IQ of 154) to rise beyond the small-town, blue-collar fate of her and her husband, who were respectively a homemaker and Avon employee, and a factory worker.

sharon stone as sex symbol

Sharon did rise well above to the status of one of Hollywood's most sought-after actresses and sex symbols, but not without some flops along the way.

Initially a creative writing student at Edinboro State University in Pennsylvania, Sharon entered on scholarship and graduated with a fine arts degree. In addition to her passion for literature, she also loved classic film.

Her foray into acting went the beauty pageant route, after beauty pageant promoters discovered her. Sharon didn't succeed as a beauty queen, so she tried modeling instead. She became a Ford model, which raised her recognition factor and gave her experience in front of the camera, but was not stimulating enough for the future MENSA member.

Sharon made her film debut as the pretty girl on a train in Woody Allen's Stardust Memories (1980), and starred in movies not even worth mentioning, such as 1981's Deadly Blessing, 1985's King Solomon's Mines and 1987's Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol. She did, however, make audiences take notice with a bit part in Irreconcilable Differences, in 1984.

TV audiences may remember Sharon from several '80s shows in which she appeared, such as Remington Steele, Magnum P.I. and T.J. Hooker. After more roles in Made-for-TV movies, Sharon was cast as Arnold Schwarzenegger's "wife" in 1990's Total Recall, which helped word of a new, sexy blonde actress get around Hollywood. Posing for Play.boy in the early '90s didn't hurt her cause either.

sharon stone in basic instinct

It was her role as bisexual author Catherine Tramell opposite Michael Douglas in the 1992 film Basic Instinct that not only made ice picks and going commando famous, but also made Sharon Stone a sex symbol and Hollywood's newest "it" girl.

The MTV Movie Awards named Sharon the Most Desirable Female and gave her the award for Best Female Performance in 1993, but despite the slew of films that Sharon starred in, maintaining her reputation in Hollywood was difficult.

With bombs such as 1993's Sliver, 1994's Intersection, and 1995's The Quick and the Dead (which was made by her production company, Chaos), skeptics of Sharon's talent had more ammunition.

But she bounced back in 1995, with her memorable role as Ginger the hustler in Casino, co-starring Robert De Niro. The Academy Awards honored Sharon with a Best Actress Nomination, and she won the Golden Globe and the Women in Film Crystal Award that same year.

With highs come the lows, marked by ill-advised choices such as 1996's Diabolique and Last Dance, 1998's Sphere and The Mighty, 1999's The Muse, Gloria, and Simpatico, and 2004's Catwoman. Sharon's ability to choose movies has been questioned -- while her ability to deliver good performances remains intact.

Despite commercial highs and dips, Sharon has made a name for herself as a supporter of breast cancer research and is a gay-rights activist -- she received a humanitarian award from the Human Rights Campaign, for her role in 2000's If These Walls Could Talk 2, in which she played Ellen DeGeneres' lesbian lover.

Sharon Stone reprised the role that made everyone take notice of her way back in 1992. She returned as Catherine Tramell in 2006's Basic Instinct 2, proving that at she's still got what it takes to maintain her sex symbol status.

sharon stone and phil bronstein

In real life, Sharon wakes up to husband Phil Bronstein, a newspaper editor who wed Sharon on Valentine's Day 1998. The couple adopted a baby boy together in 2000, named Roan Joseph Bronstein. This is the second marriage for Sharon, who was previously married to associate producer Michael Greenburg from 1984 to 1987.

Sharon has already been romantically linked to singer Dwight Yoakam and actor/comedian Garry Shandling.

Bianca King

Bianca King
Although born in Deutchland, Germany, Bianca King’s Filipino side still dominated when she decided to migrate to the Philippines with her family and start to pursue her dreams of becoming a celebrity. Like any other female personalities, she first started as a model then eventually changed her genre to acting where she landed the role of Aviona in the fantasy series in GMA 7, Mulawin. From there, it’s all uphill when consecutive projects came her way in television and in movies. Born March 18, 1986, Bianca Charlotte King lived a very comfortable life, simply living a wealthy, affluent life in Germany. However, she left her glamorous life in her country just to be part of a very atypical life in showbiz. Deciding to be an artist was actually out of fun and excitement only. At first she’s not the type of person who really is passionate in doing that kind of thing because for her, she just enjoys performing in front of the people.

As stated earlier, her first appearance as an actress in tv was when she was casted in Mulawin, an epic show in channel 7. According to her, she consider that moment the turning point of her career because she was able to show off her talent purely in acting. It would be a strange thing to say but Bianca’s frustration is acting because like what she believes, she is not that good at it unlike other female artists in her generation. Nevertheless, her role in Mulawin really impressed a lot of viewers thus making her another teenage icon in television and movies. She was then given major roles in movies like Mulawin: The Movie, Gigil and tv shows like Super Twins, a Filipino version of the power rangers.

A sexy pictorial was also offered to her that will be featured on the September 2007 issue of Uno Magazine. According to her, this was the most revealing pictorial she had ever done. Her rumored boyfriend Champ Lui Pio of the band Hale was also with her, the time of pictorial.

Having a chance, if she did not enter showbizness, she would definitely be in the field of advertising. Not all people know that she really is into doing television commercials. She’s a creative type of person that she shows off this side by creating or producing that kind of stuff. On the other hand, she also thought of doing fashion merchandising which she thought would be a successful thing she could do due to the fact that she’s a fashion enthusiast as absolutely shown in the way she dress.

In relation with her passion in doing and producing tv shows and commercials, she decided to go back to school and took up a course relative to that kind of activities. She is currently a sophomore student in De La Salle University- College of St. Benilde taking up Arts Management.

As a student, Bianca is said to be an active participant in class recitations and other school stuffs. She also admits of being a teacher’s pet because she really like making friends with her professors. Although the balancing if work and school is that hard for her, she realized that it would be better for her future conditions. At least when she could not become famous that much well in real life, she would be successful in other works she most likely wanted to do.

Bianca King also is said to be a sociable person. she loves going out with her friends which not most people know that her friends are mostly gay. According to her, she is more comfortable talking or going out with her gay friends because they are more fun to be with and more sophisticated unlike any other girl friends she has. The only problem she was getting in relation to his gay friends was that, whenever boys that would court her would somewhat condemn her friends. Most of his boyfriends actually are either homophobic or simply didn’t accept the friend she has which according to her, it really annoyed her. She thought that if she would be having another partner, that guy must accept her gay friends the way she accept her.

That kind of attitude really was admired by the viewers thus making her another young teenage icon in the showbiz industry. That even though she is rich, she's not the typical “maarte” girl as what people might think of her. That behind her pretty and suggestive image, is a simple girl who just wants to act and be admired.



Bianca Monica Gonzalez

Bianca GonzalezThere are only a few in the entertainment industry who possesses a good combination of wit, beauty, and talent. One of them is Bianca Gonzalez.
Bianca Monica Gonzalez was born on March 11, 1983, in Manila, Philippines. She’s the youngest in the brood of 3, which includes JC, a popular host of Studio 23 and other events. He’s now based in the United States.

It was never her intention to enter show business. In fact, she claims that she never even dared to participate in Christmas parties. Nevertheless, as they say, fate will always find you. Soon she found herself gracing in numerous teen’s and women’s magazines, as well as in billboards. Because her course was AB Mass Communications (with a minor in Philosophy), which she took up in Ateneo de Manila University and was a dean’s lister, she decided to apply in ABS-CBN and became a part of the production staff. She was one of the brainstormers for the network’s Creative Development Group.

From behind the camera, she moved in front of it, as she hosted Review Night in Cinema One, along with Ryan Agoncillo . She was able to hone her skills in hosting as together they tried to review movies released at the time. After less than one year, she then got another hosting stint in Wazzup Wazzup, as one of their “tadjocks.” She also became one of the hosts of the early morning talk show called Breakfast.

Later on, Bianca moved to one of her mother network’s shows called Magandang Umaga, Pilipinas. However, it was during her stay in Big Brother: Celebrity Edition that she gained nationwide publicity, both good and bad. She was pictured as a two-timer, having been allegedly involved with fellow housemate Zanjoe Marudo while going steady with Direk Lino Cayetano, who was then her boyfriend during that time. Yet despite of harsh criticisms, she still emerged at the contest’s third placer, after garnering a total votes of 19 percent of 245, 594 votes.

Bianca is also a regular hosts of the youth-oriented show called Y Speak; TFC Connect, where she gets to discuss popular and controversial issues of Filipinos abroad; Blog: Bakada, a showbiz talk show; and the newly launched Entertainment Live along with Mariel Rodriguez and Toni Gonzaga, whom she considers as her closest friends. She also wrapped up hosting stints in Star Dance, Pinoy Dream Academy and all two recent installments of Pinoy Big Brother.

If you can’t see Bianca on TV, then you can definitely catch her in print and TV endorsements. She is the face of Pink Soda, a women’s apparel, Globe, Pantene, and Kotex, to name a few.

On a more personal note, Bianca is very much aware of her imperfections. For one, she grew up with a lot of scars on her legs. She admits that she’s never the kikay type or a sporty woman, though she’d love to try out new adventures. Most of her money is spent in traveling all over the world as well as in collecting Chuck Taylors.

She also grew up to be an all-time Kuya’s girl. In fact, her outlook in life, her personality, and basically the manner she does things are because of her brother’s influence. She was also caught up in a controversy involving her father, who was pictured to be alcoholic. Nevertheless, this was brought to a close once she went out of Big Brother’s house.

Jake Cuenca meets obsessed fan at airport

The Judicial and Bar Council(JBC) has set the deadline for applications and nominations for the post of Ombudsman on May 16 and shall thereafter conduct public interviews of candidates.
Under the Constitution, the JBC, chaired by the Chief Justice, is vested with the authority to nominate to the president via shortlist the names of those qualified for the post.

The JBC opened the nomination and applications for Ombudsman following the resignation on May 6 of Merceditas Gutierrez. The Constitution mandates that the Ombudsman, apart from being a natural-born Filipino, should be a person of “proven competence, integrity, probity and independence” and must have been a judge or engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines for at least 10 years prior to appointment. The Constitution also mandates that any person appointed as Ombudsman must not have been a candidate for any elective office in the immediately preceding election and, at the time of appointment, at least 40 years old.
Apart from these minimum constitutional requirements, the JBC has its own Rules, promulgated in October 2000, which detail the process of screening and appointment.
In determining the competence of applicants or nominees, the JBC considers educational background – up to completion of law degree and other baccalaureate and post-graduate degrees completed, experience, performance, bar examination performance, civil service eligibility and grades in other government examinations, grants received and obtained, membership in local and/or international honor societies, and other accomplishments (authorship of law books, treatises, articles, legal writings, leadership in organizations).
The candidate’s experience in government service will also be evaluated, including posts held in the Judiciary(Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and courts of 1st and 2nd levels), the Executive department(Office of the President, cabinet, and agencies), the Legislative department (both elective and appointive), Constitutional commissions or offices, local government units (both elective and appointive), and quasi-judicial bodies.
For government service rendered, the candidate is required to submit official performance ratings and a verified statement of performance for the past 3 years, if he/she is currently holding a public post.
Experience in private practice, if any, will also be considered through certifications from members of the Judiciary and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines(IBP) and affidavits of reputable reference persons for service in courts of justice; and documents and certifications from reference persons for other private service rendered.
Experience in international organizations and foreign governments will also be considered.
Since integrity is an important qualification, the JBC requires candidates to submit certifications or testimonials from reputable government and private organizations; court clearances; clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation(NBI), police and other agencies the council may require.
The JBC may also order a background check on candidates to verify their reputation for integrity, their character and merits. Evidence as to the probity and independence of the nominee/applicant, including validated testimonies from reputable individuals and organizations, will also be considered.
“The Council shall take every possible step to verify the applicant’s record of and reputation for honesty, integrity, incorruptibility, irreproachable conduct, and fidelity to sound moral and ethical standards,” Rule 4, Section1 states.
In this regard, written opposition from a named oppositor to a candidate may be received by the JBC and hearings scheduled where the applicant/nominee is given an opportunity to “cross examine the oppositor and to offer countervailing evidence.”
Anonymous complaints are not entertained except when there is prima facie “probable cause sufficient to engender belief that the allegations may be true” in which case the JBC may direct the candidate concerned to comment in writing or during the conduct of public interviews, or call for a discreet investigation.
When a candidate’s integrity is challenged, he/she must be able to convince all JBC members to vote in favor of his/her nomination/application’s consideration.
Aside from Chief Justice Renato Corona, those who sit in the JBC as ex-officio members are Justice Secretary Leila de Lima; Sen. Francis Escudero, Senate Justice Committee chairman; and Rep. Niel Tupas, Jr., House Justice Committee chairman.The council’s regular members include Justice Regino Hermosisima, Jr. (Retired Supreme Court Justice Representative), Justice Aurora Santiago Lagman(private sector representative), Atty. Ma. Milagros Fernan-Cayosa(IBP representative), and Atty. Jose Mejia(academe representative)
Those who are nominated or apply to the post of Ombudsman must also be of sound physical, mental and emotional health, according to the JBC Rules, thus, applicants or recommending parties are required to submit sworn medical certificates and results of executive medical examinations conducted within 2 months prior to the submission of nomination or application. The JBC may require further medical and physical examinations should there be doubts on the submitted certificates/results.
Psychological and psychiatric tests are also conducted by the Supreme Court Medical Clinic or an council-accredited psychologist/psychiatrist on candidates.
Rule 4, Section 5 of the JBC Rules meantime lists the following as grounds for disqualification to the post:
1. Those with pending criminal or regular administrative cases;
2. Those with pending criminal cases in foreign courts or tribunals; and
3. Those who have been convicted in any criminal case; or in an administrative case, where the penalty imposed is at least a fine of more than P10,000, unless he has been granted judicial clemency.
In the case of personalities floated in the media and various fora as possible contenders to the post of Ombudsman, the following are considerations:
-Retiring Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio Morales: decisions she has rendered being an incumbent member of the judiciary for soundness of judgment, courage, rectitude, cold neutrality and strength of character (Rule 5 on Probity/Independence)
-Former defense chief and former presidential bet Gilbert Teodoro: Constitutional bar on those who were candidates to an elective post in the immediately preceding election(Article XI, Section 
-former Commission on Human Rights(CHR) chair and incumbent Justice Secretary Leila de Lima: pending cases before the Ombudsman for plunder (for the revocation of an informer’s claim to reward in 2 tax evasion cases against the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas and Bank of America, filed in December 2010), and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for public officials (in connection with the resolution of an administrative cases involving an immigration official, filed on May 4, 2011).
De Lima was recently formally nominated by a Department of Justice(DOJ) prosecutor to the post of Ombudsman. In a one-page nomination letter received on Tuesday by the JBC secretariat, Assistant State Prosecutor Romeo Senson nominated his boss for her “incorruptible stand, integrity beyond reproach and character par excellance in serving the public.”

Manny Pacquiao camp mulls legal action vs Mayweather

Pound-for-pound King Manny Pacquiao is back in the country after his succesful title defense of his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title vs “Sugar” Shane Mosley.

Upon his arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2, he addressed the media and once again thanked all his fans for their support as he was able to bring honor to the country once again. But as the Pacman was en route and airborne on his way home, little did he know that there was controversy brewing again on Twitter, this time coming from Floyd Mayweather Jr. himself.
Yesterday, Mayweather tweeted a link to an obscure boxing news site that had an article claiming that a former sparring partner of Pacquiao, who happend to be Filipino, claimed that he was the one injecting steriods to Manny at the Wild Card Gym, and that it began before the Oscar dela Hoya fight.
The story that Mayweather linked to was on Ringtalk.com
But strangely, that tweet of Mayweather and the content on the link on Ringtalk have both been erased.
Manny belied the allegations, saying he never used steroids, nor has he had a Filipino sparring partner in the US. He added that his lawyers will look into the issue if it can add merit to their ongoing case against the Mayweathers, or warrant a new case all together.
Shane Mosley also got into the picture on Twitter. His followers though got confused with his tweets and thought he believed the article and straight out accused the Pacman of steroid use as well. But Mosley later clarified his stand, and said the “the best man in the ring won that fight.”
Pacquiao appreciated the comments of Mosley, and commended him for being an educated gentleman who respects everyone.
Looking ahead to his next pegged fight in November vs Juan Manuel Marquez, Manny recalled his last fight with Marquez was at 130 pounds. While this 3rd fight is set at a catchweight of 144 pounds, he admits it’s gonna be different. He even kidded to be the underdog for this one.
But kidding aside, Manny promised to study the last 2 fights of Marquez well, knowing that he is a veteran fighter. But things have changed in the last 3 years since they fought, and that the added weight may have changed his style, too.
As for his work in Congress, the Sarangani congressman is looking forward to the groundbreaking of his hospital in his province.
Jinkee and Manny added that Paris Hitlon told them she was looking forward to visiting them here in the Philippines in the next few months.
After the brief press conference at the airport, the Pacman and his entourage proceeded to the New World Hotel to rest and have breakfast before going to Quaipo Church for mass, and then a couresty call to the President at MalacaƱang.

Report: 9 of 10 online Pinoys on Facebook

A whopping nine out of ten Filipinos who are online are on social networking site Facebook, an online financial news site reported this week.
24/7 Wall St said that this catapulted the Philippines to the top of a list of nations where Facebook dominates people's use of the Internet.
"Social network penetration is incredibly high in the Philippines, reaching 95 percent. Facebook is the country’s most popular website, more so than Google, and has a penetration rate of 93.9 percent," it said.
It also noted that photo sharing surged by 46 percent in the Philippines in one year, largely due to Facebook.

On the other hand, it noted that the Philippines is also the eighth most popular country for Twitter use on a global scale, with a penetration rate of 16.1 percent.
"Social networking is so popular among Filipinos, the country has been nicknamed 'The Social Networking Capital of the World,'" it said.
In contrast, the penetration rate of LinkedIn, a business-oriented social networking site, is only 1.9 percent.
Other top 10 countries where Facebook rules
Israel is second on the list of countries where Facebook is the dominant destination on the Internet, with a penetration rate of 91 percent.
Only five percent of Israeli users use Twitter; and 6.4 percent use LinkedIn.
However, the country has the highest Internet penetration rate among all others on the list, with 71.6 percent of Israel’s population being “plugged in."
"Besides having the second highest rate of Facebook usage among Internet users, Israelis spend the second most amount of time on social networking sites, behind only Russia. Israel’s social network users spend an average of 9.2 hours on social network sites a month," 24/7 Wall St. said.
Others on the list include:

Turkey, where 90.9 percent are on Facebook, 16.6 percent on Twitter, 3.4 percent on LinkedIn, and Internet use is at 45 percent. It has the highest Facebook penetration among all the Eurasian countries, the second highest being the UK, with 81.7 percent.
Chile, where 90.2 percent are on Facebook, 14.3 percent on Twitter, 5.9 percent on LinkedIn, and Internet use is at 50 percent. Chile has among the highest rates of Internet use among Latin American countries, with 50 percent of Chileans online.
Argentina, where 89.2 percent are on Facebook, 18 percent on Twitter, and 6.4 percent on LinkedIn, and Internet Use is at 64.4 percent.
Malaysia, where 88.4 percent are on Facebook, 10.8 percent on Twitter, and 2.9 percent on LinkedIn, and Internet Use is at 64.6 percent. Malaysia has the second-highest social network penetration in Southeast Asia, with 91 percent. Photo-sharing on sites such as Facebook shot up by 57 percent from 2009 to 2010.
Indonesia, where 87.5 percent are on Facebook, 22 percent on Twitter, and 1.3 percent on LinkedIn, and Internet Use is at 12.3 percent. Social network penetration in Indonesia is the third greatest in Southeast Asia as of the beginning of 2011, at 90 percent of those people online.
Peru, where 87.2 percent are on Facebook, 12.5 percent on Twitter, 4.6 percent on LinkedIn, and Internet Use is at 27 percent. However, Peru has a relatively small minority of people who use the Internet at all. As of January 2011, only 27% of Peruvians were online, one of the lowest rates among the Latin American countries.
Colombia, where 86.9 percent are on Facebook, 14.6 percent on Twitter and 3.3 percent on LinkedIn. Internet use is at 48.7 percent. Colombia is the fastest-growing Internet market in Latin America, growing 31 percent in the past year to reach 11.8 million unique visitors in September 2010, according to comScore.
Venezuela, where 86.2 percent are on Facebook, 21 percent on Twitter and 3.2 percent on LinkedIn. Internet use is at 37.7 percent. Venezuela has the third highest rate of Twitter use among Internet users.
24/7 used data from comScore, Inside Facebook, New Media Trend Watch, and ZDNet for its analysis.

'Pirates of the Caribbean' the latest film franchise to go for a four-peat

'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'

The third time used to be the end of the charm for sequels, but studios are now routinely pursuing a fourth picture in a series — or even more. When "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" debuted in May 2007, many critics derided the third installment in the Disney franchise, calling its plot incomprehensible and 169-minute running time torturous. Newsweek prayed it was the final movie in the series; the New Yorker said a monkey delivered the best performance in the film; and Time suggested an alternative title for the picture: "Pirates of the Caribbean: At Wit's End."

Yet rather than sheath their swords, Johnny Depp and Co. restocked the eyeliner supply and relaced the corsets, signing on a little more than one year later for a fourth go-round. The copious haul of doubloons that Capt. Jack Sparrow pocketed worldwide suggested that with a little freshening of the franchise, audiences might be lured back aboard for yet another film.

"Even though the reviewers weren't crazy about the third one, it did almost a billion dollars. That's a big movie," says "Pirates" producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who, along with Disney, a new director ("Chicago" helmer Rob Marshall) and a new supporting cast, including PenƩlope Cruz, will bring another adventure in the eye-patch saga to theaters this week. "If we do a little less [money] on the fourth one, we'd be happy."

The return of "Pirates of the Caribbean" on Friday (this one is titled "On Stranger Tides") is part of a major shift in Hollywood, with studios now routinely pursuing a fourth picture in a series, often after an extended layoff — or even a fifth, in the case of Universal's current hit "Fast Five."

Long-running film series featuring such characters as Tarzan and Charlie Chan were a staple in the early decades of Hollywood. But those faded as TV became popular, giving viewers regular installments of favored heroes. In the 1970s, '80s and '90s, three tended to be the magic number when it came to sequels: Michael Corleone whacked his last pigeon in "The Godfather Part III," Neo would outwit no more Sentinels after the third "Matrix," Ellie Sattler will no longer study — or battle — rogue dinosaurs after "Jurassic Park III."

The roots of the custom run deep — three-act storytelling, after all, goes back millenniums. After a third film, the conventional wisdom used to go, audiences move on, and the material has lost creative steam. For years, producers of film franchises typically made deals with actors to star in three films.

But now, four and more is becoming common. Besides extending the "Fast & Furious" series, Universal has also given a new lease on life to the "Bourne" movies, reviving them with actor Jeremy Renner and director Tony Gilroy when star Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass said they were out of ideas after a trio of films. Sony has done the same with "Spider-Man" — after three installments pairing Tobey Maguire with director Sam Raimi, Andrew Garfield is taking over the webbed wonder role; "(500) Days of Summer" director Marc Webb is helming the film, which focuses on Spidey's high school years and is due out next year. Also in the works: new editions of "Spy Kids" and "X-Men."

Yet as studios extend franchises, they're raising questions about whether they're sacrificing creativity for profit. Are there new stories to tell in a fourth film? Do actors, writers and others want to commit so much time to essentially a single enterprise, or can a new cast and crew grab the baton and infuse new energy (and still please fans)? And will audiences embrace these efforts, or see them as naked grabs for cash?

"Both 'Spider-Man 2' and 'Toy Story 2' broke the stigma of sequels and proved that a sequel doesn't necessarily have to be a lame rehash of the first movie," said movie critic and historian Leonard Maltin. "There are no rules.… But then there is the third 'X-Men' and 'Spider-Man' and the third 'Pirates,' which may still be running. I left the theater after two hours."

When Melissa Rosenberg, the screenwriter on the first three movies in the "Twilight" saga, was asked by novelist Stephenie Meyer to return for a fourth film, she reacted unenthusiastically. "I thought, 'You know, I'm done,'" she recalled in a recent interview. "I felt like, 'I've done three. How am I going to do this any better?'"

Rosenberg was eventually persuaded by Meyer and studio Summit Entertainment to stay on; there was, at least, a fourth novel to draw from. (The studio eventually split that final book into two films, both scripted by Rosenberg.)

On June 3, Fox will release a fifth "X-Men" film, a prequel of sorts starring James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, but in a different universe than that depicted by 2009's origin film centered on the series' most popular mutant, Wolverine. Critics have wavered over the series' history, but fans have rewarded the decade-old franchise with close to $800 million in grosses worldwide.

Emma Watts, Fox's president of production, said she was drawn back into the "X-Men" universe by a pitch from producer Bryan Singer that placed the mutant superheroes in the middle of the Cuban missile crisis — something she hadn't seen before. She said the focus on the young superheroes doesn't preclude the studio from returning to the original X-Men world. Audiences surely haven't protested the studio's unusual tack of taking the franchise from a linear progression of sequels to a web of interrelated movies.

Still, she said, "It's tricky. If it wasn't hard, then we'd always get it right." (Sometimes even knowing what to call these extensions can be confusing. "It's not a reboot, and it's not a fourth in the series," Watts said of the new "X-Men." "It's an expansion of these characters into another world.")

In August, Robert Rodriguez will look to keep the youthful-espionage magic going with "Spy Kids 4," which has Jessica Alba playing a spy forced to juggle motherhood duties.

Bob Weinstein, president of Dimension Films, which is behind the "Spy Kids" franchise, noted that there can be a redemption factor in going beyond a third film. "Just look at 'Fast & Furious.' Four and five were far better than two and three," he said. "The thing with series [that extend beyond three is] if you don't make some great, you get a chance to go back and make them better."

But nothing's a sure bet. Dimension brought back director Wes Craven to do "Scream 4," reviving the series 11 years after the third installment. The latest movie got much better reviews than its predecessor, but grossed about $40 million in the U.S., less than half of what "Scream 3" took in. "Maybe," Weinstein said, "'Scream' had its time."

Still, for studios, the marketing advantages to sequels are obvious. Studios are reluctant to spend anew, across numerous countries, to launch original properties. And with international business an increasingly important source of studio revenue, it's natural for Hollywood to double down on sequels.

"These aren't movies. These are pieces of product," Maltin said. "The only way this trend will abate, or dare I say vanish, is if there is a collision of box-office failures. I don't see it happening. Even some films that disappoint domestically do so well overseas, they keep the engine going."

Many who have worked on fourquels, though, say that the public and critics underestimate the creative ambition in these movies, particularly when they're prequels or origin stories.

"In some ways, it's more challenging for filmmakers to create a high-quality sequel because it's on familiar ground," said Fox Filmed Entertainment Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Jim Gianopulos. "You're constantly challenged to keep it fresh and exciting."

Rosenberg will keep "Twilight" going with two more films set for release in the next 18 months by tackling a pregnancy plotline and a story that she says moves beyond "just the love triangle" of the first three movies.

"What I finally realized was I could break the story and take it in an interesting new direction," she said. "I wouldn't have come back if I didn't think I could do that."

For inspiration, many of those involved in extended sequels look to James Bond, the 22-picture juggernaut that has endured for half a century through changing filmmaking currents, a half-dozen lead actors and even corporate-ownership changes. Like the eight-picture "Harry Potter" series, though, "Bond" had a number of novels — or at least titles — on which to draw.

Neal Moritz, the producer behind the "Fast & Furious" franchise, says that the balance between new and old gets more difficult with each movie.

"There's a feeling sometimes that if you just put in bigger explosions in a sequel it will succeed, and I don't think it does," he said. "At the same time, you have to keep a lot of the relationships and characters because it doesn't make sense to throw them out," he said. For "Fast Five," Moritz kept the trademark car chases and explosions but shifted from a street-racing story to criminals planning a big heist.

Like "Fast Five," "X-Men," "Spy Kids" and "Pirates" all have beloved anchor characters like Depp's Sparrow but also offer new beginnings. Moritz compared fourth or fifth films in a series to the soap-opera model, where "you can drop in on different characters at different times."

Paul W.S. Anderson, the writer-director behind the horror franchise "Resident Evil," sees fourquels as more akin to the world of PlayStation and Xbox. "The video game community is ahead of the curve when it comes to franchises," he said. "What the industry realized is that if you nurture a franchise, there's an audience well beyond the second or third editions." (A fourth "Resident Evil" film came out last year, and a fifth is in development.)

Rodriguez, meanwhile, likens fourquels to sitcoms or prime-time dramas. "People love checking in with their characters every week — it's what's made television so involving lately. So why not with movie characters?" asked the 42-year-old director.

After "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over," in 2003, Rodriguez said he had no intention of making another film in the series. But he reconsidered after a lunch meeting with Alba. The actress was on the way to his house with her baby when she had to contend with a diaper explosion in the backseat of a rental car. "It wasn't a normal diaper explosion," Rodriguez says with a laugh. The moment gave him a flash of inspiration — he thought of "Spy Kids," "and this idea of Alba having to deal with this while on a top-secret mission."

Rodriguez's challenge now will be to lure a new generation of fans, considering that the children who initially propelled the franchise are now nearly adults but probably not old enough to have kids of their own. Weinstein is counting on the series' strong performance on DVD over the years to make it relevant today.

When "Fast & Furious" star Paul Walker heard that producers were trying to keep the franchise going beyond a third movie, he had his doubts.

"By the time the fourth one came around, I thought it was stale. I was like, 'Are you kidding me? Really?' Obviously we made the first one, and that catered to pop culture and a youth-driven audience," he said. "But trends shift overnight with that audience. Nine years later, I really questioned if there was even an audience for this anymore."

Walker came back to the franchise. But other actors move on. Keira Knightley, for instance, isn't returning for the fourth "Pirates."

"There's a comfort in seeing the characters you love again and again," she said. "But I never wanted to play the same character again and again. She [heroine Elizabeth Swann] was great and fun, and I loved the sword fighting. But what I really love about my job is exploring new things."

Lindsay Lohan sentenced on misdemeanor theft

Lindsay Lohan sentenced on misdemeanor theft


Lindsay Lohan "supports" the sentence imposed on her after pleading no contest to misdemeanor theft. The troubled actress has been ordered to undertake three years probation, serve 120 days in jail, complete 40 hours of community service, undergo psychological counselling, pay fines of $180, and attend a shoplifters alternative scheme for taking a necklace from an upmarket boutique and breaching the terms of her 2007 probation but says she is now ready to move on with her life after Judge Sautner made a ruling today (May 11).

She said in a statement: "I am glad to be able to put this past me and move on with my life and my career. I support the judge's decision and hold myself accountable for being in this situation. I have already started my community service at the Downtown Women's Center and thank everyone there for their warm welcome.

"I hope to be able to fulfil my obligation without any press attention. I think the media spotlight should be on issues such as homelessness and domestic violence instead of on me."

Lindsay has asked to serve her prison term under electronically-monitored house arrest, and though her request is expected to be granted, her lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, insists her client is not receiving special treatment.

She said: "As they would with any other defendant with a similar sentence and minimal criminal history, the Sheriff's Department and Probation Department will determine if Lindsay is eligible for electronic monitoring and early release. She is neither requesting nor receiving 'special treatment.' Lindsay and I would both like to thank Judge Sautner and the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office for their fair handling of this case."

Last month, the actress was deemed to have breached the terms of her 2007 probation—which was set following a driving under the influence conviction—because of the theft charges.

She was sentenced to 480 hours of community service and 120 days jail, for which she must turn herself in on June 17.

Lindsay recently admitted she has "made a lot of poor decisions" and has feared her numerous arrests and rehab stints would ruin her career.

She said: "I've made a lot of poor decisions in the past and I'm dealing with the consequences of those decisions so there were times when I was concerned but I'm a fighter and I know that I have a lot of work to do to gain the respect back and I'm willing to do the work that I have to do to be an actress."

Leonardo DiCaprio splits from supermodel girlfriend

Leonardo DiCaprio splits from supermodel girlfriend


Leonardo DiCaprio and Bar Refaeli have reportedly split. The Inception star and the Israeli-born supermodel—who have been dating for over five years—ended their relationship last week.

They reportedly did so after realizing that neither of them is ready to settle down.

A source told the New York Post newspaper: "It was amicable, they're still friends, and they are still talking.

"They just grew apart and went their separate ways.

"Neither one is ready to settle down, and both have busy careers that have been taking them in different directions."

This is not the first time that the 36-year-old Leonardo and the 25-year-old Bar have called time on their relationship.

They split for six months in 2009 after dating for four years, before reuniting last year.

Leonardo has previously admitted he is unsure if he will ever marry because seeing other people's failed unions has put him off tying the knot.

He explained: "I don't know whether I'll ever get married.

"I've seen too many supposedly happy marriages go down.

"I've been as shocked as anyone.

"No one can look at the marriages of other people and make a judgement.

"I don't know the private lives of the actors I work with.

"I just know if they are good actors or good directors."

Justin Bieber Never Say Never {2011}

Image

This is the full Movie for: Justin Bieber Never Say Never 2011 (Not 3D)
This Is NOT a CAM!!!

Director: 
Jon Chu 

Release Date: 
11 February 2011 (Canada) 

Genres: 
Documentary | Music 

Taglines: 
Find Out What's Possible If You Never Give Up. 

Plot: 
Follows Justin Bieber with some footage of performances from his 2010 concert tour. 


Movie run time: 1 Hour and 45 min. 



-No Subs 
-English DVD Rip 
-Video: Xvid 
-Audio: Mp3 Encoder 
-BitRate: 128kbps 

VIDEO: 
-Frame width: 1280 
-Frame Height: 724 
-Data rate: 2349kbps 
-Frame rate: 25 frames/second 

I hope you all like it.

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