I don’t know about you but a woman politician chosen by a major party for a national position should be a cause for celebration the world over, no matter what side of the political fence are you on. That is no mean feat. In US Political History which dates back to the 1770’s!, only 2 made the cut so far, Geraldine Ferraro in 1984 for the Democratic Party and now, Gov. Sarah Palin (AL) for the Republican Party. What the Democratic Party could not do for Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY), in a surprising move was topped by Sen. John McCain, by choosing Gov. Sarah Palin. Since many of my readers are from the United States, about 40%, let me share with you what a historic day it was for women in general, in the Republican National Convention.

Sarah Palin RNC Convention Speech

Mr. Chairman, delegates, and fellow citizens: I am honored to be considered for the nomination for Vice President of the United States…

I accept the call to help our nominee for president to serve and defend America.

I accept the challenge of a tough fight in this election… against confident opponents … at a crucial hour for our country.

And I accept the privilege of serving with a man who has come through much harder missions … and met far graver challenges … and knows how tough fights are won - the next president of the United States, John S. McCain.

It was just a year ago when all the experts in Washington counted out our nominee because he refused to hedge his commitment to the security of the country he loves.

With their usual certitude, they told us that all was lost - there was no hope for this candidate who said that he would rather lose an election than see his country lose a war.

But the pollsters and pundits overlooked just one thing when they wrote him off.

They overlooked the caliber of the man himself - the determination, resolve, and sheer guts of Senator John McCain. The voters knew better.

And maybe that’s because they realize there is a time for politics and a time for leadership … a time to campaign and a time to put our country first.

Our nominee for president is a true profile in courage, and people like that are hard to come by.

He’s a man who wore the uniform of this country for 22 years, and refused to break faith with those troops in Iraq who have now brought victory within sight.

And as the mother of one of those troops, that is exactly the kind of man I want as commander in chief. I’m just one of many moms who’ll say an extra prayer each night for our sons and daughters going into harm’s way.

Our son Track is 19.

And one week from tomorrow - September 11th - he’ll deploy to Iraq with the Army infantry in the service of his country.

My nephew Kasey also enlisted, and serves on a carrier in the Persian Gulf.

My family is proud of both of them and of all the fine men and women serving the country in uniform. Track is the eldest of our five children.

In our family, it’s two boys and three girls in between - my strong and kind-hearted daughters Bristol, Willow, and Piper.

And in April, my husband Todd and I welcomed our littlest one into the world, a perfectly beautiful baby boy named Trig. From the inside, no family ever seems typical.

That’s how it is with us.

Our family has the same ups and downs as any other … the same challenges and the same joys.

Sometimes even the greatest joys bring challenge.

And children with special needs inspire a special love.

To the families of special-needs children all across this country, I have a message: For years, you sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters.

I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House. Todd is a story all by himself.

He’s a lifelong commercial fisherman … a production operator in the oil fields of Alaska’s North Slope … a proud member of the United Steel Workers’ Union … and world champion snow machine racer.

Throw in his Yup’ik Eskimo ancestry, and it all makes for quite a package.

We met in high school, and two decades and five children later he’s still my guy. My Mom and Dad both worked at the elementary school in our small town.

And among the many things I owe them is one simple lesson: that this is America, and every woman can walk through every door of opportunity.

My parents are here tonight, and I am so proud to be the daughter of Chuck and Sally Heath. Long ago, a young farmer and habber-dasher from Missouri followed an unlikely path to the vice presidency.

A writer observed: “We grow good people in our small towns, with honesty, sincerity, and dignity.” I know just the kind of people that writer had in mind when he praised Harry Truman.

I grew up with those people.

They are the ones who do some of the hardest work in America … who grow our food, run our factories, and fight our wars.

They love their country, in good times and bad, and they’re always proud of America. I had the privilege of living most of my life in a small town.

I was just your average hockey mom, and signed up for the PTA because I wanted to make my kids’ public education better.

When I ran for city council, I didn’t need focus groups and voter profiles because I knew those voters, and knew their families, too.

Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown.

And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves.

I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a “community organizer,” except that you have actual responsibilities. I might add that in small towns, we don’t quite know what to make of a candidate who lavishes praise on working people when they are listening, and then talks about how bitterly they cling to their religion and guns when those people aren’t listening.

We tend to prefer candidates who don’t talk about us one way in Scranton and another way in San Francisco.

As for my running mate, you can be certain that wherever he goes, and whoever is listening, John McCain is the same man. I’m not a member of the permanent political establishment.< br>
And I’ve learned quickly, these past few days, that if you’re not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone.

But here’s a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I’m not going to Washington to seek their good opinion - I’m going to Washington to serve the people of this country. Americans expect us to go to Washington for the right reasons, and not just to mingle with the right people.

Politics isn’t just a game of clashing parties and competing interests.

The right reason is to challenge the status quo, to serve the common good, and to leave this nation better than we found it.

No one expects us to agree on everything.

But we are expected to govern with integrity, good will, clear convictions, and … a servant’s heart.

I pledge to all Americans that I will carry myself in this spirit as vice president of the United States. This was the spirit that brought me to the governor’s office, when I took on the old politics as usual in Juneau … when I stood up to the special interests, the lobbyists, big oil companies, and the good-ol’ boys network.

Sudden and relentless reform never sits well with entrenched interests and power brokers. That’s why true reform is so hard to achieve.

But with the support of the citizens of Alaska, we shook things up.

And in short order we put the government of our state back on the side of the people.

I came to office promising major ethics reform, to end the culture of self-dealing. And today, that ethics reform is the law.

While I was at it, I got rid of a few things in the governor’s office that I didn’t believe our citizens should have to pay for.

That luxury jet was over the top. I put it on eBay.

I also drive myself to work.

And I thought we could muddle through without the governor’s personal chef - although I’ve got to admit that sometimes my kids sure miss her. I came to office promising to control spending - by request if possible and by veto if necessary.

Senator McCain also promises to use the power of veto in defense of the public interest - and as a chief executive, I can assure you it works.

Our state budget is under control.

We have a surplus.

And I have protected the taxpayers by vetoing wasteful spending: nearly half a billion dollars in vetoes.

I suspended the state fuel tax, and championed reform to end the abuses of earmark spending by Congress.

I told the Congress “thanks, but no thanks,” for that Bridge to Nowhere.

If our state wanted a bridge, we’d build it ourselves. When oil and gas prices went up dramatically, and filled up the state treasury, I sent a large share of that revenue back where it belonged - directly to the people of Alaska.

And despite fierce opposition from oil company lobbyists, who kind of liked things the way they were, we broke their monopoly on power and resources.

As governor, I insisted on competition and basic fairness to end their control of our state and return it to the people.

I fought to bring about the largest private-sector infrastructure project in North American history.

And when that deal was struck, we began a nearly forty billion dollar natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence.

That pipeline, when the last section is laid and its valves are opened, will lead America one step farther away from dependence on dangerous foreign powers that do not have our interests at heart.

The stakes for our nation could not be higher.

When a hurricane strikes in the Gulf of Mexico, this country should not be so dependent on imported oil that we are forced to draw from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

And families cannot throw away more and more of their paychecks on gas and heating oil.

With Russia wanting to control a vital pipeline in the Caucasus, and to divide and intimidate our European allies by using energy as a weapon, we cannot leave ourselves at the mercy of foreign suppliers.

To confront the threat that Iran might seek to cut off nearly a fifth of world energy supplies … or that terrorists might strike again at the Abqaiq facility in Saudi Arabia … or that Venezuela might shut off its oil deliveries … we Americans need to produce more of our own oil and gas.

And take it from a gal who knows the North Slope of Alaska: we’ve got lots of both.

Our opponents say, again and again, that drilling will not solve all of America’s energy problems - as if we all didn’t know that already.

But the fact that drilling won’t solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all.

Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we’re going to lay more pipelines … build more new-clear plants … create jobs with clean coal … and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal, and other alternative sources.

We need American energy resources, brought to you by American ingenuity, and produced by American workers. I’ve noticed a pattern with our opponent.

Maybe you have, too.

We’ve all heard his dramatic speeches before devoted followers.

And there is much to like and admire about our opponent.

But listening to him speak, it’s easy to forget that this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or reform - not even in the state senate.

This is a man who can give an entire speech about the wars America is fighting, and never use the word “victory” except when he’s talking about his own campaign. But when the cloud of rhetoric has passed … when the roar of the crowd fades away … when the stadium lights go out, and those Styrofoam Greek columns are hauled back to some studio lot - what exactly is our opponent’s plan? What does he actually seek to accomplish, after he’s done turning back the waters and healing the planet? The answer is to make government bigger … take more of your money … give you more orders from Washington … and to reduce the strength of America in a dangerous world. America needs more energy … our opponent is against producing it.

Victory in Iraq is finally in sight … he wants to forfeit.

Terrorist states are seeking new-clear weapons without delay … he wants to meet them without preconditions.

Al Qaeda terrorists still plot to inflict catastrophic harm on America … he’s worried that someone won’t read them their rights? Government is too big … he wants to grow it.

Congress spends too much … he promises more.

Taxes are too high … he wants to raise them. His tax increases are the fine print in his economic plan, and let me be specific.

The Democratic nominee for president supports plans to raise income taxes … raise payroll taxes … raise investment income taxes … raise the death tax … raise business taxes … and increase the tax burden on the American people by hundreds of billions of dollars. My sister Heather and her husband have just built a service station that’s now opened for business - like millions of others who run small businesses.

How are they going to be any better off if taxes go up? Or maybe you’re trying to keep your job at a plant in Michigan or Ohio … or create jobs with clean coal from Pennsylvania or West Virginia … or keep a small farm in the family right here in Minnesota.

How are you going to be better off if our opponent adds a massive tax burden to the American economy? Here’s how I look at the choice Americans face in this election.

In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers.

And then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change.

They’re the ones whose names appear on laws and landmark reforms, not just on buttons and banners, or on self-designed presidential seals.

Among politicians, there is the idealism of high-flown speechmaking, in which crowds are stirringly summoned to support great things.

And then there is the idealism of those leaders, like John McCain, who actually do great things. They’re the ones who are good for more than talk … the ones we have always been able to count on to serve and defend America. Senator McCain’s record of actual achievement and reform helps explain why so many special interests, lobbyists, and comfortable committee chairmen in Congress have fought the prospect of a McCain presidency - from the primary election of 2000 to this very day.

Our nominee doesn’t run with the Washington herd.

He’s a man who’s there to serve his country, and not just his party.

A leader who’s not looking for a fight, but is not afraid of one either. Harry Reid, the Majority Leader of the current do-nothing Senate, not long ago summed up his feelings about our nominee.

He said, quote, “I can’t stand John McCain.” Ladies and gentlemen, perhaps no accolade we hear this week is better proof that we’ve chosen the right man. Clearly what the Majority Leader was driving at is that he can’t stand up to John McCain. That is only one more reason to take the maverick of the Senate and put him in the White House. My fellow citizens, the American presidency is not supposed to be a journey of “personal discovery.” This world of threats and dangers is not just a community, and it doesn’t just need an organizer.

And though both Senator Obama and Senator Biden have been going on lately about how they are always, quote, “fighting for you,” let us face the matter squarely.

There is only one man in this election who has ever really fought for you … in places where winning means survival and defeat means death … and that man is John McCain. In our day, politicians have readily shared much lesser tales of adversity than the nightmare world in which this man, and others equally brave, served and suffered for their country.

It’s a long way from the fear and pain and squalor of a six-by-four cell in Hanoi to the Oval Office.

But if Senator McCain is elected president, that is the journey he will have made.

It’s the journey of an upright and honorable man - the kind of fellow whose name you will find on war memorials in small towns across this country, only he was among those who came home.

To the most powerful office on earth, he would bring the compassion that comes from having once been powerless … the wisdom that comes even to the captives, by the grace of God … the special confidence of those who have seen evil, and seen how evil is overcome. A fellow prisoner of war, a man named Tom Moe of Lancaster, Ohio, recalls looking through a pin-hole in his cell door as Lieutenant Commander John McCain was led down the hallway, by the guards, day after day.

As the story is told, “When McCain shuffled back from torturous interrogations, he would turn toward Moe’s door and flash a grin and thumbs up” - as if to say, “We’re going to pull through this.” My fellow Americans, that is the kind of man America needs to see us through these next four years.

For a season, a gifted speaker can inspire with his words.

For a lifetime, John McCain has inspired with his deeds.

If character is the measure in this election … and hope the theme … and change the goal we share, then I ask you to join our cause. Join our cause and help America elect a great man as the next president of the United States.

Thank you all, and may God bless America.

The host of Deal or No Deal United States, Howie Mandel, is currently in the country to do a special 2-hour episode for Deal Or No Deal ’s Around-the-World Tour. Howie Mandel and Kris Aquino will both host this special episode featuring American contestants as they play the Deal Or No Deal Filipino version, it will be directed by Bobet Vidanes and Winnie Cueva and will also feature the Filipina 26K Girls with their briefcases containing U.S. dollars and the local Banker as well. This will be shown in the U.S. on May 7 in NBC ( sosyal! ). Unfortunately, it will not be shown on local TV as of this time…but fortunately again, there is youTube for that..

Howie Mandel is an Emmy Award-winning actor for “St. Elsewhere” and “Bobby’s World”. He wants to show to American audiences how we Filipinos play the game show which is being aired in 50 other countries. Aside from the U.S. edition, Howie also hosts the Canadian edition called Deal or No Deal Canada.

How does Howie Mandel find Kris Aquino as the local host of Deal Or No Deal?

“I really like her,” he says. “I saw three of her past episodes and she’s so adorable, funny, very charming. I like even her gestures and all that. You have a different style of doing it here and we’re impressed. No wonder the Philippine version was chosen by Endemol to be one of the shows included in our tour.”

The Philippine episode will show Howie Mandel while visiting some of our tourists spots and shopping for souvenirs. “You’re a most gracious and warm people,” he says. “Every moment I spend here is great.”

According to Endemol executive Shannon Herlihy, the Philippines was chosen as part of the world tour because they find the local version of Deal Or No Deal “awesome and fun”. “The U.S. version is similar, but neither our models nor our audience dance and sing,” she adds.

ABS-CBN Business unit head Alou Almaden says they’re delighted to be part of the world tour. “It’s an honor and a testament to our creativity and talent in localizing a game show that has an international following.”

I just love Teardrops On My Guitar by Taylor Swift. And Taylor Swift is nominated for the Grammy’s Best New Artist category. Taylor Swift’s music could be classified as Country - Pop. Here’s the lyrics to Teardrops On My Guitar. You can also watch the music video to Teardrops On My Guitar by Taylor Swift below, it features Tyler Hilton. By the way, Teardrops On My Guitar is topping charts in the Philippines just now, but i actually adore this song since November 2007. But it’s always never too late for a good song! and Taylor Swift is such a talented teenager…

Drew looks at me.
I fake a smile so he won’t see
What I want and I need
And everything that we should be.

I’ll bet she’s beautiful,
That girl he talks about.
And she’s got everything
That I have to live without.

Drew talks to me.
I laugh, cause it’s so damn funny
That I can’t even see
Anyone, when he’s with me.

He says he’s so in love.
He’s finally got it right.
I wonder if he knows
He’s all I think about at night!

He’s the reason for the teardrops on my guitar,
The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star.
He’s the song in the car I keep singing,
Don’t know why I do.

Drew walks by me.
Can he tell that I cant breathe?
And there he goes, so perfectly.

The kind of flawless I wish I could be.

She better hold him tight,
Give him all her love,
Look in those beautiful eyes,
And know she’s lucky, cause

He’s the reason for the teardrops on my guitar,
The only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star,
He’s the song in the car I keep singing,
Don’t know why I do.

So I drive home alone.
As I turn out the light,
I’ll put his picture down,
And maybe get some sleep tonight.

Cause he’s the reason for the teardrops on my guitar,
The only one who’s got enough of me to break my heart,
He’s the song in the car I keep singing,
Don’t know why I do.

He’s the time taken up,
But there’s never enough.
And he’s all that I need to fall into.

Drew looks at me.
I fake a smile so he won’t see.

A 14-year-old Filipina is currently and QUIETLY giving the Philippines much needed honor. In a country where we tend to destroy ourselves, Charice Pempengco is a welcome breeze. Charice Pempengco has been featured not once but twice already on E! ’s The Daily 10, first as who sung ‘ And I am Telling You” better, Charice or American Idol’s Jennifer Hudson?(grabe na etoh!), yun pa lang, i was completely blown away na…then on Nov. 16, she was again on E’s The Daily 10, as Hollywood Royalty(!) together with Matt Damon who was voted as Sexiest Man Alive of 2007.

One of the biggest television networks in Korea, SBS invited her in October to perform in a TV show called Star King. She performed And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going from Dreamgirls, which is jaw-dropping, watch the video below. She sang and danced with Korean boy group, Super Junior in one number and then had a duet with Kyu Hyun from Super Junior.

Charice started in ABS-CBN’s singing contest for kids, Little Big Star in 2005. She was eliminated from the singing contest but luckily got a wildcard and ended up third in the Finals. Talk about how ABS nearly lost this talent! That speaks well of the usual judge they get for these contests!

She became a youtube star when a user posted her performance of Whitney Houston’s hit I Will Always Love You which she performed in Little Big Star. Another video that became a hit was a face-off video of her and equally talented America’s Got Talent’s winner Bianca Ryan.

A record company in Sweden took notice and she went to Sweden to record six songs, among which were 2 cover songs, Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You and Kate Bush’s original Running Up That Hill, plus four originals namely Amazing, All The Money In The World, It Can Only Get Better, and Born To Love You Forever. These songs will be released digitally soon.

On November 28, 2007, Ellen DeGeneres showed web videos of different people she wanted to guest on her show, Ellen, and one of those is that Korean performance of Charice, Ellen did a standing ovation after.

It has been confirmed that Charice will soon be flying to LA to be a guest on Ellen. O di ba…something to be proud of as a Filipino.

Much has been said about the so called “racial slur” by Jimmy Kimmel in his late night show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” I really don’t take offense because the joke was not really on us as a people but with the Americans because obviously they don’t know better. As much as i hate to generalize, there is a pattern that an average American doesn’t know anything outside their country, heck, Fil-Am friends would even quip that Americans themselves doesn’t know much about their country except Hollywood.

The joke is on them because thousands of teachers from the Philippines leave every year for the US to teach English (yes!) and other subjects in English of course to their children. Also the call center industry is booming, meaning, Americans call for tech support and customer inquiries to Filipinos whom they think (or we fooled them to believe) that they are talking to an American because the accent and ability to speak English is indistinguishable to that of an ordinary American. A lot of BPO’s has even set shop here to telemarket, that is to sell stuff to Americans all thru the gift of gab and proficiency in the English languange.

So who is really laughing? We are all, all the way to the bank.

And as for Josh Hartnett, he seems to be on the joke himself. He didn’t even offer an elaboration on the Jimmy Kimmel quip. He made a joke himself about it, laughed about it. He was here on location for his film, I Come With the Rain. All throughout those, he was sorrounded by military/police personnel. He couldn’t possibly assess an entire race’s proficiency of the English languange on that basis. If he did, then I pity him.