Are you alone on February 14th?...

Chinese New Year was just celebrated by the Chinese people around the globe. Now, Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. Valentine's Day is the day to express your love, and to celebrate the spirit of love. Love is a wonderful feeling. And what better way to convey it than with music? Mere words are seldom adequate to describe the different feelings in love, be it the joy, the passion or the ardour. May St. Valentine's blessings shower on you and your sweet one!
The origins of Valentine's Day, like the origins of love itself, are somewhat obscure — a combination of myth, history, destiny, chance and marketing.

Legend has it that a certain third-century priest named Valentine persisted in performing marriage ceremonies despite a ban by the Roman emperor Claudius II (Claudius was persuaded that single men made better soldiers for his army). Thrown into jail, Valentine formed a relationship with his jailor's daughter (some say he cured her blindness) and he signed his last message to her "From your Valentine," a phrase which still gets a lot of mileage.

St. Valentine was executed on February 14, circa the year 270, and his remains (probably his, but there were two other Christian martyrs called Valentine) are now on display in the Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin.

There are many symbols that are attached with Valentine’s day and with expression of love.
HEART -- It was formerly believed that the heart was the seat of all human emotions. Accordingly, the gifting of a heart signified the selfless act of giving everything to someone you love. Though the ancients were not aware that the heart was responsible for pumping blood though the circulatory system, yet they knew one thing for sure that the heart was the center of all feelings. This ancient belief has lingered on through the ages.

Ribbons, Laces and Frills -- Ribbons and laces have been associated with love and romance since the days when a knight used to ride into a battle sporting the scarf or handkerchief presented to him by his ladylove. In the bygone times, laces were used making women's handkerchiefs. It was also usual for a lady to drop her handkerchief in the path of the man whose attention she wished to draw.

CUPID -- The love and attraction that a man and a lady feels for one another is traditionally ascribed to the mythological god, Cupid. In Latin, the word Cupid means "desire." Cupid is represented as a naked, chubby boy with wings and possessing a mischievous smile. He carries a bow with a quiver of arrows which he uses to transfix the hearts of youths and maidens.


The ROSES -- From time immemorial, beloveds have been compared to roses. If we juggle the letters of the word ROSE we get EROS, who is the God of Love. Rose has thus been the traditional choice of lovers around the world. The color red is associated with strong emotions and below are listed sentiments expressed by different hues of rose:
Tea Roses -- "I'll Remember Always"
Lavender -- Enchantment and Uniqueness
Orange -- Fascination
Pink (Dark) -- Thankfulness, Friendship and Admiration
Red -- Love, Respect and Courage
Peach -- Modesty, Gratitude, Admiration and Sympathy
Pink (Pale) -- Grace, Joy and Happiness
Deep Red -- Beauty and Passion
White -- Innocence, Purity, Secrecy, Silence, Reverence, Humility and (according to some sources) True Love
Yellow -- Joy, Friendship, Jealousy, Hope and Freedom
Black -- Farewell
Peach -- Modesty, Gratitude, Admiration and Sympathy Pink (Pale) -- Grace, Joy and Happiness
Red/White -- Unity or Engagement
Yellow/Orange -- Passionate Thoughts
Yellow/Red -- Congratulations
Rosebud -- Beauty, Youth and a Heart Innocent of Love
Red Rosebud -- Purity and Loveliness
White Rosebud -- Girlhood
One Dozen Red Roses -- "I Love You"
Single Red Rose in Full Bloom -- "I Love You"

HANDS -- The hands of a lady has been a favorite decoration for Valentine's Day for many years and is suppose to depict "femininity". To add to its beauty, the hand is often decorated with frilly cuff and a jeweled ring on the third finger. A lady's hands was a favorite decoration that depicted "femininity." Its beauty was enhanced by adding a frilly cuff and a jeweled ring on the third finger. Clasped hands are said to represent those of Queen Victoria and her consort, Prince Albert...the symbol of friendship between their respective countries of England and Germany.

DOVES and LOVE BIRDS -- It was the popular belief that birds chose their mate for the year on February 14.Since doves and pigeons mate for life ,they symbolize loyalty, fidelity and love. Lovebirds, the small birds with colorful plumage, commonly found in Africa, are so called because they tend to get cozy with each other and can't survive without each other. pairs. Doves...common urban birds, shy and gentle by nature, with a distinctive "cooing" call...symbolize loyalty, fidelity and love .

LOVE KNOTS -- They are made of ribbons and are traditional symbols of interminable and everlasting love.





History of VALENTINE’S DAYAs early as the fourth century B.C., the Romans engaged in an annual young man's rite to passage to the God Lupercus. The names of the teenage women were placed in a box and drawn at random by adolescent men; thus, a man was assigned a woman companion for the duration of the year, after which another lottery was staged. After eight hundred years of this cruel practice, the early church fathers sought to end this practice... They found an answer in Valentine, a bishop who had been martyred some two hundred years earlier.According to church tradition St. Valentine was a priest near Rome in about the year 270 A.D. At that time the Roman Emperor Claudius-II who had issued an edict forbidding marriage.This was around when the heyday of Roman empire had almost come to an end. Lack of quality administrators led to frequent civil strife. Learning declined, taxation increased, and trade slumped to a low, precarious level. And the Gauls, Slavs, Huns, Turks and Mongolians from Northern Europe and Asian increased their pressure on the empire's boundaries. The empire was grown too large to be shielded from external aggression and internal chaos with existing forces. Thus more of capable men were required to be recruited as soldiers and officers. When Claudius became the emperor, he felt that married men were more emotionally attached to their families, and thus, will not make good soldiers. So to assure quality soldiers, he banned marriage.Valentine, a bishop , seeing the trauma of young lovers, met them in a secret place, and joined them in the sacrament of matrimony. Claudius learned of this "friend of lovers," and had him arrested. The emperor, impressed with the young priest's dignity and conviction, attempted to convert him to the roman gods, to save him from certain execution. Valentine refused to recognize Roman Gods and even attempted to convert the emperor, knowing the consequences fully.On February 24, 270, Valentine was executed."From your Valentine"While Valentine was in prison awaiting his fate, he came in contact with his jailor, Asterius. The jailor had a blind daughter. Asterius requested him to heal his daughter. Through his faith he miraculously restored the sight of Asterius' daughter. Just before his execution, he asked for a pen and paper from his jailor, and signed a farewell message to her "From Your Valentine," a phrase that lived ever after.Valentine thus become a Patron Saint, and spiritual overseer of an annual festival. The festival involved young Romans offering women they admired, and wished to court, handwritten greetings of affection on February 14. The greeting cards acquired St.Valentine's name.The Valentine's Day card spread with Christianity, and is now celebrated all over the world. One of the earliest card was sent in 1415 by Charles, duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was a prisoner in the Tower of London. The card is now preserved in the British Museum.

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Madonna opens 'Sticky and Sweet' world tour in Britain

U.S. singer Madonna performs with a video of Kanye West behind on the opening night of her "Sticky & Sweet" tour at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff August 23, 2008. Madonna kicks off her "Sticky & Sweet" world tour at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on Saturday, the latest test of her enduring appeal just a week after her 50th birthday. The US star played hits including "Like A Prayer", "Into The Groove" and "Hung Up" at the giant Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales on the first night of the 49-date tour. The show, promoting her latest album "Hard Candy" which has hit number one in 27 countries, was watched by her British film director husband Guy Ritchie and three children and split into four sections. To screams from fans, Madonna took the stage in a one-piece black sequinned outfit by French fashion house Givenchy for the first part, known as "pimp", a homage to gangster chic from the 1920s to now. She then revisited New York in the early 1980s -- where she arrived aged 20 with just 35 dollars in her pocket before hitting the big time -- for the "old school" section of the show featuring songs including "Music" and a dance-off on stage.

Next came "gypsy", inspired by Romanian folk music and dance, and the finale, "rave", influenced by far eastern culture. The show featured eight costume changes, 16 dancers, a 12-piece band and a million pounds (1.3 million euros, 1.9 million dollars) worth of Swarovski crystals. The tour continues in Nice, southern France on August 26 before heading to the rest of Europe, the United States, Canada, Mexico and Brazil. It wraps up in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on December 18. Madonna's last tour, 2006's "Confessions", was reportedly the top earning show ever by a female artist, grossing nearly 200 million dollars. The star, who spends much of her time in Britain, celebrated her 50th birthday in low-key style on August 16.
Her eight-year marriage to Ritchie has come under heavy press scrutiny in recent months amid rumours they are about to split, denied by the singer's representatives.

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Beijing Olympics begin with fireworks

China opened the Olympics on Friday with a burst of fireworks at a spectacular ceremony. The ceremony celebrated ancient Chinese history and aimed to draw a line under months of political controversy. An army of 2,008 drummers pounded out the countdown to the Games. Around 80 world leaders, including US President George W Bush, joined 91,000 excited spectators in the majestic Bird's Nest stadium for the opening show.


Beijing Olympics begin with fireworks

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World Pyro Olympics 2008 Philippine's Pyro Musical

The 2008 World Pyro Olympics ended in May 31st. The last day of event is called the Fellowship of Fire Display. It is the largest international fireworks competition in the world. The final day also included the awarding of the competition's winner, the exhibition fellowship fireworks show, and the final pyro musical, which is a display of fireworks with the synchronization of music. This year is the 3rd World Pyro Olympics which opened last May 3. The said event was held every Saturday of May at the Esplanade Area of the SM Mall of Asia, the largest mall in the Philippines and the third largest in Asia. The principal sponsors of the big event were SM Mall of Asia and Pepsi.


World Pyro Olympics 2008 Philippine's Pyro Musical VIDEO (Part 1/2)

The participants of this year's competition were Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Venezuela. They compete in their artistry and technical expertise.

The event brings benefits to the Philippines especially in the economic aspect. Since it started, the number of spectators grows bigger and bigger. The crowd does not only include Filipinos but tourists and foreigners, having a chance for them to have a glimpse of the Philippines. The success of the 1st world competition gave way to an annual event.


World Pyro Olympics 2008 Philippine's Pyro Musical VIDEO (Part 2/2)

To close the event, the La Mancha Pyro Productions showed their own display of expertise as exhibitor. They are the pioneer and industry leader for displays in the Philippines. La Mancha is also the organizer of the World Pyro Olympics. The country or team that won in this big annual event is Italy.

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Party at 08/08/08!

We're not very superstitious, but something about Aug. 8, 2008 sounds lucky. After all, it's not everyday that we get to celebrate a day that spells out 08/08/08! And just in time for this day, Miika Eloranta and Janne Mansnerus, better known as Scandinavian trance team Super 8 & Tab, are playing the music for the 08/08/08 Bigfish party in Makati's A. Venue Events Hall.


Last year's Boracay party

Super 8 & Tab hail from Finland, and have hosted the Anjunabeats Worldwide Radio Show that reaches trance music fans in the US, Poland, Romania, and Turkey. In 2007, Super 8 & Tab broke into DJ Magazine’s annual Top 100 DJs poll—and anyone who knows anything at all about music would know that this is the be all and end all of dance music greatness. The pair came in at #127, an admirable feat for a new act that hasn’t even released a debut album yet.

So if you're planning to party on 08/08/08, head over to Super 8 & Tab's Manila debut!

For advanced tickets and reservations, contact 6327762 or 6348238. To find out more info about the event, check out www.bigfishmanila.com. Get to know Super 8 and Tab better by visiting www.super8andtab.com.

Courtesy of FemaleNetwork.com

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Miss Universe 2008, the 57th Miss Universe beauty pageant

Miss Universe 2008, the 57th Miss Universe beauty pageant, was held at the Crown Convention Center (Diamond Bay Resort) in Nha Trang, Vietnam on July 14, 2008. Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela, was crowned Miss Universe 2008 by outgoing titleholder Riyo Mori of Japan.

Eighty contestants competed in the event which was broadcasted and distributed globally via NBC in English and Telemundo in Spanish to TV outlets in more than 180 countries. The pageant was watched by a live audience of 7,500 and nearly a billion television viewers worldwide.

This is the first major USA-based television production to take place in Vietnam since the end of the Vietnam War. This is also the first time that the Miss Universe pageant was broadcast in 1080i High-definition. And this pageant was held in a contemporary Communist state for the first time.

The final presentation show was on July 8, the dress rehearsal on July 13 and the live telecast on July 14. Most activities were held successively in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Sai Gon), Ha Noi, Da Nang, Hoi An, Ha Long and finally Nha Trang.

Miss Universe 2008 - Full DVD
Code:
http://rapidshare.com/files/180574332/Miss_Univers_2008_Full_DVD.part1.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/180577291/Miss_Univers_2008_Full_DVD.part2.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/180574548/Miss_Univers_2008_Full_DVD.part3.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/180574724/Miss_Univers_2008_Full_DVD.part4.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/180574756/Miss_Univers_2008_Full_DVD.part5.rar
http://rapidshare.com/files/180574684/Miss_Univers_2008_Full_DVD.part6.rar

Review:
Participating Nations and Results
Miss Universe 2008: Dayana Mendoza (Venezuela)
The runners-up were:
1st runner-up: Taliana Vargas (Colombia)
2nd runner-up: Marianne Cruz (Dominican Republic)
3rd runner-up: Vera Krasova (Russia)
4th runner-up: Elisa Nájera (Mexico)

The following contestants placed in the top ten and competed in both swimsuit and evening gown (in order of placement):
Zana Krasniqi (Kosovo),
Claudia Moro (Spain),
Crystle Stewart (USA),
Claudia Ferraris (Italy),
Laura Dundovic (Australia)

The following contestants placed in the top fifteen and competed in the swimsuit competition (in order of placement):
Eliška Bučková (Czech Republic),
Jázmin Dammak (Hungary),
Tansey Coetzee (South Africa),
Hiroko Mima (Japan),
Nguyễn Thùy Lâm (Vietnam)

Special Awards:

Miss Congeniality: Rebeca Moreno (El Salvador)



Best National Costume: Gavintra Photijak (Thailand)
Charming Áo Dài: Dayana Mendoza (Venezuela)
Best in Bikini (Queen of Vinpearl): Elisa Nájera (Mexico)
For the first time since the award's inception, no Miss Photogenic Award was given.

Final Competition Scores:

Evening Gown


1)Colombia - 9.829


2)Venezuela - 9.697


3)Mexico - 9.429


4)Dom.Rep. - 9.036


5)Russia - 8.471


6)Kosovo - 8.264


7)Spain - 8.200


8)USA - 8.050


9)Italy - 7.729


10)Australia - 7.557

Swimsuit
Venezuela - 9.327
Colombia - 9.433
Dominican Republic - 8.983
Russia - 8.414 Mexico - 9.071
Kosovo - 8.120 Spain - 9.150
USA - 9.207 Italy - 7.671
Australia - 7.814
Czech Republic - 7.386
Hungary - 7.229
South Africa - 7.133
Japan - 7.100
Vietnam - 7.050

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