Friday, December 31, 2010
The Comfort Rooms is excited to reveal what it thought were the Top 10 Stories for the year 2010. Read and comment my readers! This will be in no particular order.
Spain wins 2010 World Cup.
For the first time, Spain won the FIFA World Cup and David Villa has become a lot more famous and rich. Thanks to Paul (R.I.P.) even the stars aligned for a Spanish World Cup win over the Dutch (which has been 2nd placers for an unprecedented third time).
Russia and Qatar wins 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids respectively.
I thought Russia was a darkhorse on its 2018 World Cup bid with all eyes focused on Britain to win the rights to host the World Cup for the second time. Qatar was the biggest surprise when it beat out USA, Australia, Japan and South Korea - all very capable countries to showcase a spectacular World Cup! Again, congratulations Qatar!
Noynoy Aquino wins Philippine Presidency.
It is the Aquino fever all over again in the Philippines when Aquino son Noynoy won the presidency, thus earning the recognition as the 2nd Aquino to hold the country's top position and the 2nd presidential child to win as president (talk about political dynasties).
Wikileaks is the year's biggest shock.
I am a sucker for conspiracy theories. I would love to question the public perception on a few things (e.g. death of Princess Diana [an assasination?!], 9/11 attacks [gov't conspiracy?!], etc.). That's why when word got out about Wikileaks, I hurriedly got to the site and started reading some stuff (I don't think it's reader-friendly at all). Julian Assange is both a hero and a traitor.
Justin Bieber is turning black.
Back in February, I blogged about a young and cute Justin Bieber singing "One Time" only to realize that in a matter of months, this kid would turn out to be the exact opposite of a Michael Jackson - white preppy-neat kid trying his hardest (thanks Usher!) to become ghetto low-waist thug gangsta. Imagine if it was Justin TImberlake who would have won the right to become his manager, I don't think JB would turn out that way.
Manny Pacquiao stakes claim for Greatest Ever title.
Without a doubt, Manny Pacquiao has earned his right to be called Asia's greatest ever. After his twin 2010 victories, debates and discussions have started to gather whether or not Manny Pacquiao is the greatest of all time. It is one tough title to claim. Greatest ever means you're better than Muhammad Ali! Definitely, Pacquiao is the greatest of this generation. But greatest of all time? Manny is sure trying to convince us all.
230,000 casualties at the Haiti Earthquake.
To think of it, it was only a magnitude 7.0 earthquake. Not enough intensity to register such a massive amount of destruction. But this is Haiti, Western Hemisphere's poorest nation. More than the number of casualties, 300,000 were injured and more than 1,000,000 were left homeless. However, no amount of destruction can stop Haitians from recovering. Though 98% of the earthquake rubble remains uncleared, Haitians and the rest of the world are still doing its best for a speedy recovery.
2010 is the year of Rafael Nadal v2.0
All Roger Federer fans have gone from hero-seeing to zero-gnashing as Rafa dominated this season in a major way. He has won Monte Carlo, Roma, Madrid, French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. He leads Roger Federer by at least 3,000 ranking points. If Rafa wins Australian Open 2011 he will become the first person to win all 4 grand slams consecutively since Serena Williams in 2003, first man since Rod Laver in 1969.
iPad was born.
The birth of the iPad has definitely dawned in a new era. Borne out of the marriage of the touchscreen mobile phone, mp3 player, portable media player and the computer, the iPad is one gadget that every single techie in this world should have.
LeBronk trades Cleveland for Miami.
The big question is, will he win championships in Miami? Will he ever live up to his self-proclaimed next Michael Jordan-ness?
Friday, December 31, 2010 0
In the first place, how many of us would have been confident to proclaim that the present year has been better than the previous year? In a time full of pessimists, it is indeed a jewel of an opportunity to conclude that your year has been better for you.
I'm happy that this year has been better for me. :)
If having a relationship was an Olympic sport, then I guess I've hit a gold and a silver. I could almost consider one bronze but nah (not busted but not courting either. Haha!). Although the gold medal opportunity was just brief, it's still a (sinful) gold. My silver medal will always be precious and am so wanting it to turn into a gold, then eventually, a hall-of-fame awardee. :)
Career-wise? I did okay (I guess). An office brouhaha happened a few months back and what I learned from it? To look at people's good side instead of the bad side. Looking at the bright spots can make work much more easier than compared to focusing on the bads which will make you stressed out in the long run.
Health-wise? I'm still not sick. Although gaining an additional 5 lbs is not cool...at all! Haha!
Family? Again, looking at the bright spot does the trick. Looking at the misses will make you miserable. Focusing on the what-you-haves will make you a lot more grateful over the things you've amassed for an entire year.
On a personal note, I am still a work in progress. A lot of things to learn. A lot of things to experience. A lot of things to improve upon. A new year will sure spark a renewed hope to improve things even more and hopefully, a lot more better me will be available come next year.
Happy New Year everyone!
Friday, December 24, 2010
Let's all remember the real reason for the season. May Christ's birth be enough reason to lighten up the other 364 days of your year.
Merry Christmas!
Friday, December 24, 2010 2
Sunday, December 19, 2010
After getting into the final of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010, everyone should be in party mode - the President, the spectators, people at home, all13,500 islands of Indonesia, the players, and especially that Bahraini referee.
It was a well-deserved victory for them. That small chocolate-brown guy was a handful, Gonzales was just too good (and that first half goal ?!?) and Markus the goalkeeper just wouldn't let any Filipino goal in.
More than the partying in Jakarta right now, some thousand miles north would be a quiet capital of Manila. People has just witnessed its football team beaten by a superior team. Anyone would consider the match as tight, but a goal will make all the difference in the world. And what difference it did in favor of Indonesia.
Despite the loss, the Philippine team will come home as heroes. The sport long-forgotten in the annals of Filipino sports consciousness has finally been given the attention it so deserved. There must be a reason why this is called the world's most popular sport. There must be a reason for all this excitement revolving around the sport. There must be a reason why people go crazy before, during and after matches. THIS must be the reason why I converted myself (including scores of other Filipinos) to this sport.
Football, meet the Philippines. The Philippines, meet football.
Sunday, December 19, 2010 2
Saturday, December 18, 2010
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| Top (L to R): Alex Borromeo (captain), James Younghusband, Neil Etheridge, Ian Araneta, Anton del Rosario, Rob Gier. Bottom (L to R): Jason de Jong, Phil Younghusband, Emilio Caligdong, Chris Greatwich, Ray Jonsson. |
Take note of those faces. Some of them (with proper exposure) will gain star status in the near-future. With its lightning-speed rise of popularity in the Philippines, football should tap at all possible resources to keep the momentum swinging into their favor. What seemed close to impossible is finally becoming a reality, Football is becoming famous in the Philippines right now.
Having said that *insert Simon Cowell accent*, football has steadily been receiving the support it so needed in this basketball and boxing crazy country of ours. The government is taking notice of this craze and is serious *let's cross fingers* in making football a priority in the national sports agenda. Maybe it is time for us to leave the basketball court and enter the football field.
Aside from the national government, a senator (Juan Miguel Zubiri) has lobbied for support for the national team. Several companies have also pledged support and for the first time, a giant media company has aired their matches live.
Things look bright for Philippine football. With the way things look, expect a lot more people to get hooked and realize that the sport is actually called football and not soccer.
Saturday, December 18, 2010 0
Friday, December 17, 2010
While the loss wasn't really a big thing for me, I mean, who would have thought the Philippines would end up in the semis? Who would have thought that this tournament would make overnight football fans among Filipinos?
All in all, this tournament has provided the Philippines with a breakthrough in football. I know this should be largely credited to the Fil-Brits, but it is like the gathering of Israel only in football (google it). Filipinos from other countries gather back to the Philippines to represent the country on various fields. So to those Indonesians who keep on insisting that the Eurasians (e.g. Etheridge, Grier, De Jong, Younghusband brothers, Borromeo and Araneta are NOT) were actually naturalized and were not even Filipinos, then guess what, they're Filipinos too. They chose to represent their mothers' country and it was a big sacrifice that they made instead of making it big on Europe. Learn to accept the fact that there are a lot of Eurasians in the Philippines.
Friday, December 17, 2010 4
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
The Amazing Race Unfinished Business will be the 18th season of this long-running reality competiton. And basing on the official primer for this season, 24 pais will be battling it out for the win. Wait, 24 teams will battle it out? That's a lot! I actually missed a good two of those teams (I was only able to identify 24 of them corrrectly)!
Without further adieu, the primer suggests that the following teams might be included in the race:
Jet and Cord (Cowboys/Brothers) Season 16
Jaime and Cara (Formeer NFL Cheerleaders) Season 14
Flight Time and Big Easy (Harlem Globetrotters) Season 15
Greg and Mallory (Father/Daughter) Season 17
Kisha and Jen (Sisters) Season 14
Sam and Dan (Brothers) Season 15
Connor and Jonathan (Ivy League A Cappella Singers) Season 17
Kynt and Vyxsin (Dating Goths) Season 12
Nick and Vicky (Dating) Season 17
Gary and Matt (Father/Son) Season 15
Chad and Stephanie (Engaged) Season 17
Margie and Luke (Mother/Son) Season 14
Mel and Mike (Father/Son) Season 14
Toni and Dallas (Mother/Son) Season 13
Brooke and Claire (Home Shopping Hosts) Season 17
Louie and Michael (Detectives) Season 16
Zev and Justin (Best Friends) Season 15
Michael and Kevin (Father/Son) Season 17
Maria and Tiffany (Professional Poker Players) Season 15
Andrew and Dan (Frat Boys) Season 13
Mark and Michael (Brothers/Stuntmen) Season 14
Ron and Christina (Father/Daughter) Season 12
Amanda and Kris (Dating) Season 14
Brent and Caite (Dating Models) Season 16
This early, I'm rooting for Jet and Cord to win! If they won't, I'll be happy with Ron and Christina, Amanda and Kris, Toni and Dallas and Michael and Kevin. I hope Margie and Luke would get eliminated first. Haha!
Watch the video here. Enjoy!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010 0
For the second straight year, The Biggest Loser produced a winner that I didn't exactly like. Last year, it was David who ended up the winner and this year, it is Raj. Both contestants that aren't exactly the nicest. Both are of Indian-descent and both have had left cocky imprints on the show that made them produce a few haters (me included).
Although prior to Raj's weighing-in, he said that the title is just a cherry on top of his ice-cream, that all of them are really winners. I agree with that. Losing 40% of your body weight in just 6 months is beyond explainable.
I would have wanted Nai to win, because he obviously dominated the whole contest. Even if Genghis Khan is a countryman (we're Filipinos), I thought Nai was still the obvious winner (or so I thought).
Second-straight year, Blue team still reigned supreme. Oh what the heck.
Congratulations to all those who lost a lot of weight. Cheers to a better health!
To the real suspects:
May Mang Lauro Vizconde's reaction haunt you for the rest of your life.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
I hope the Supreme Court was right with this one and that the real suspects will be caught soon. But until the real suspects will surface, ordinary Filipinos like me will still see the Supreme Court as one corrupt organization wherein the moneyed can buy court decisions in their favor.
If Hubert Webb and the others were really behind the killings, then they be damned. If terrestrial judiciary system will never find them guilty then we will let the heavenly judiciary system punish them for their doing.
I hope justice will be served (again) soon. If not, we will let heavens do it for the country.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010 1
Monday, December 13, 2010
Doctors Nat and Kat ended up as winners of the race! Congratulations ladies!
Right from the start of the season, I always felt that these doctors was the team to beat (Jill and Thomas for me was a close second). And they sure did! First females to ever win the race!
Looks like girl power finally rules at my favorite reality show!
Monday, December 13, 2010 0
Sunday, December 12, 2010
True to what people have been guessing, GSP won fight, in a dominating fashion. Though Kos was never in trouble of having the fight stopped, his blue and beaten face sure was a sign on who was dominant throughout the fight and who wasn't.
All three judges scored identical 50-45 cards in favor of St. Pierre, who won his eighth straight fight. Rush was completely dominant, though he never came close to finishing Koscheck. He ran his UFC record for consecutive round victories to 30, dating back to St. Pierre’s first victory over Koscheck in 2007.
Well, it was another sweet victory for GSP. And if his words will come true, a UFC fight will transpire here in Manila sometime in the future! Oh yeah!
Sunday, December 12, 2010 0
I'll just go with what the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 Facebook page suggests. People there just take snide remarks of each other and at the same time glorify their countries to no end. There wasn't really much unity going on. People take such great pride in their countries that they in turn crush other countries with hurtful words thinking that they are better than people from those other countries.
I know sports shouldn't be like that. It was unity and solidarity which was the main point anyways. Not too much competitiveness that things get a little too personal, politics even playing a part.
I hope we can just learn to appreciate other countries and see what's great in them. It is cool to be proud of your country, just don't put others down.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Fil-Ams Richard Herrera and Richard Hardin won $100,000 (on top of others) as winners of the Amazing Race Asia season 4.
To all Filipino fans of the show, this is a huge sigh of relief cos finally, we won the contest! After years of frustration (Season 2 we ended up 3rd and Season 3 at 2nd), we finally broke through after finishing again inside the top three for the 3rd consecutive year.
Any fan of the show couldn't just help but compare these two to the first all-guy team from the Philippines who just happens to be the most popular racers of the show. Marc and Rovilson, who finished a heartbreaking third on season 2, must be missing out on something that both Riches have.
But anyways, I just wanna send out my congratulations to both guys and welcome to instant celebrity-hood!
The other Filipino team (Jess and Lani)wound up 4th.
Thursday, December 9, 2010 0
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
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| Team Philippines Logo as suggested by Team Manila |
To Indonesians first:
First of, the Philippines is NOT A FOOTBALL country. You can't expect us to have all of the best equipments in football. Heck, Filipinos can't even call football as football. We call it soccer. Football for Filipinos is the one played in the US. NFL style football. Not MLS.
You keep on bashing our half-Filipino contingent by calling them naturalized. Well guess what, these guys aren't naturalized, they are half-Filipinos and are willing to sacrifice for their mothers' nation.
Pertama, Filipina TIDAK Sebuah negara FOOTBALL. Anda tidak dapat mengharapkan kita untuk memiliki semua peralatan terbaik di sepak bola. Heck, Filipina tidak bisa bahkan menyebutnya sepak bola sebagai sepak bola. Kami menyebutnya sepak bola. Football untuk Filipina adalah yang dimainkan di Amerika Serikat. NFL gaya sepak bola. Tidak MLS.
Anda terus bashing kontingen kita setengah-Filipina dengan memanggil mereka dinaturalisasi. Nah coba tebak, orang-orang ini tidak naturalisasi, mereka setengah-Filipina dan bersedia berkorban untuk bangsa ibu mereka '.
Let me reserve my Vietnam comment maybe tomorrow. :)
Wednesday, December 8, 2010 1
Monday, December 6, 2010
To anybody who knows a thing about the most popular sport in the world (Football) and the biggest basketball-crazy nation this side of the globe (the Philippines) knows that the country is nowhere near being football-crazy. Hence, the Philippine Football team has been always at the butt-end of the football tournaments, even in the regional level.
To all who loves Football, let's all celebrate this victory! Victories like these doesn't happen a lot. Hopefully, this will trigger a new start on Philippine Football, onto new heights!
Monday, December 6, 2010 2
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Since soccer, I mean football is not a very popular sport in the Philippines, only a handful would go out and watch it, which means a lot fewer would even care giving it a try and a fraction of it would consider playing the sport competitively thus making it one of the least lucrative sports to advertise in, as far as the Philippines is concerned.
However, football is slowwwwwly gaining ground the past few years. Fil-foreigners have started to come in and represent the country. A national team member has played the role of the official pin-up boy for the squad and since then has become a sought-after endorser of different products. Then we have the media exposure that they are now getting. Though we're still a longggg way to go to even consider us as competitive, this progression is a positive sign that football has really finally arrived on our country.
Meanwhile, as I was watching the Philippines vs. Singapore tie on ESPN (or Star Sports) last night, I was surprised to FINALLY see a competitive Philippine side that has actually scored a goal, done magnificently by Chris Greatwich. Hopefully, this good showing would be the start!
Saturday, December 4, 2010 1
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