Goodbye Siobhan

When your singing is compared to the screams of a woman in labor, there’s really no coming back from that.

“It was almost like you were giving birth up there at the end,” Simon Cowell concluded Tuesday night after Siobhan Magnus’ rendition of the Shania Twain song “Any Man of Mine.”

That careless zinger may go down in “American Idol” history as the cruelest, possible career-ending blow in the show’s nine-year history.

It reverberated all across the blogosphere.

The Marstons Mills cutie, however, is ultimately responsible for singing herself off the stage.

Her ability to wrap her voice around a note and squeeze it like a boa constrictor crushing a squirrel is undisputed. One senses that if the show didn’t need to go to commercial break, she’d still be kneading that last verse into the stratosphere.

Under increasing scrutiny in recent weeks, Magnus grew defensive. After her April 13 performance of Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds,” she told host Ryan Seacrest and the judges, “Even I can’t pinpoint who or what I am. I’ve always kind of taken pride in that. I’m not just one kind of singer. . . . If I can’t even label myself, I don’t think it’s necessary to be labeled.”

She might as well have told viewers to chuck their phones out their windows.

“American Idol,” is not, as Fox might have you believe, the search for the next great vocal talent.

It’s the search for the next pop commodity, someone who can be easily defined, tagged and marketed to the masses. Last year’s winner, the bland, teen-idol cute Kris Allen gets more exposure now in car commercials than from his music.

“Idol’s” female-skewing demographics probably did Magnus no favors. The so-called year of the female singer is down to just one, Crystal Bowersox.

In a night when the men inexplicably excelled (Aaron Kelly can sing. Who knew?), Magnus was an obvious target.

The odd thing is that if you listened to Cowell’s entire critique, he actually said he enjoyed Magnus’ rendition of the song.

But all that got lost in the blather that is “American Idol.”

Junk Art

I've been experimenting on some junk art lately and I find it quite entertaining and a great creative outlet. One of my first projects is to make sculptures out of used golf balls.

I would use different colors on them and glue them to make abstract sculptures. At first, all I did were pyramids and cubes but as of late, I've been able to make more interesting figures.

I've started using wooden sticks as material to add more variety to my figures. Some of them looked like atomic structures while some have been a challenge to put up because I had to make sure that the center of gravity would be in the middle so the sculpture would not topple.

In the end, I think it was a worthy project to endeavor. Who knows someday, I would be able to hold an exhibit of my golf ball art.

April 29 Lotto Results Philippines

April 30, 2010 Lotto Results Philippines

Superlotto 6/49
47-08-04-48-30-49

6Digit
8-2-9-6-7-2

Swertres
2PM: 0-0-7
5PM: 4-8-3
9PM: 9-9-2

EZ2 Lotto
9PM: 04-16
2PM: 10-13
5PM: 04-07

Lotto 6/42
01-24-36-34-08-25

Courses To Consider For Summer Classes

I want to expand my knowledge and be really well rounded. That's why I decided to enroll myself in school again this summer.

In view of this, here are some of the courses I've been considering to take. I still haven't decided but I better do so soon because I have a few days left before I should decide.

Here they are and you were me, what do you think will be an interesting course to take?
1. weatherization training
2. tshirt silk screen printing
3. photography post production training

I'm leaning towards the first one but I don't know if I can do it because it's a totally new field for me. I'll update you guys once I have decided.

April 26 Lotto Results Philippines

Lotto result for April 26, 2010.

Megalotto 6/45
28-04-15-39-11-36

4D Luzon Vismin
5-0-4-9

Swertres
2PM: 0-1-4
5PM: 4-8-6
9PM: 5-0-4

EZ2 Lotto
9PM: 05-26
2PM: 19-02
5PM: 31-08

Grand Lotto
26-11-30-12-13-41

Losing Weight This Summer

Here's some tips on how you can lose weight this summer. You might want to take a look at this so you can lose more weight while you take irvingia or other weight loss supplement.

1. Set small, realistic goals. If you have a lot of weight to lose, try for 5 pounds, relax a bit and then go for 5 more.

2. Start a regular exercise program and stick with it.

3. Sneak in extra exercise in addition to your regular program. Park at the far end of the parking lot and walk; take the stairs instead of the elevator.

4. Healthy foods are an important ingredient in losing weight.

5. Eat healthy fats from nuts, seeds and olive oil, and high-fiber foods such as vegetable salads and whole-grain pastas.

6. Choose foods that you like. Learn to prepare healthful, low-calorie foods that taste good by checking healthy cook books for new recipes. Eating well doesn't have to mean eating dull.

7. Eat smaller, more frequent meals. This way, your body starts to increase its metabolism so that calories are burned faster. Also, mini-meals can prevent overeating.

8. Plan ahead. Keep the fridge stocked with healthful food and you'll be less likely to run out for high-calorie, high-fat junk food.


9. Determine your favorite snack time and be sure to have plenty of healthful options available when you get hungry.

10. Keep a food diary. This will help you pinpoint where you can improve your diet.

Hefner on Hollywood

Here's some interesting news I just read. Playboy's Hugh Hefner has offered $900,000 (£562,500) to preserve the land to the west of the famous Los Angeles landmark.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has confirmed that Hefner's cash had provided the state with the funds needed to save the site from development.

Schwarzenegger, an early supporter of the campaign to save the sign, says, "It's a symbol of dreams and a symbol of opportunity and hope."

In total, campaigners raised $12.5 million (£7.8 million) to purchase the land back from its Chicago, Illinois owners.

Taking Alli

A friend of mine asked me something yesterday. He wants to know does alli work and how long does it take to see results.

I was honestly surprised that he asked me for I don't take alli although I have mentioned it that I'm thinking of taking it to lose weight a few weeks ago. Maybe he though that I am already taking it.

I must admit, I am losing weight. But not because of alli but because I've been so stressed out lately at work. I guess the job is squeezing out the calories in me.

However, I also noticed that I've been eating less. Since I have to work most of the time, I rarely have time to eat snacks. And sometimes, during meals, I'd just grab a salad or a sandwich so I can work in front of the computer.

Hmmm, I think I'll continue this eating habit. Then when I get some more free time. I'll head to the gym to work out. That'll help me develop some muscles and tone up this time.