President Gloria Macapagal – Arroyo would run as representative of the second congressional district of Pampanga in the May 2010 elections. This was the announcement Malacañang issued Monday, ending the month-long suspense the nation has been subjected to regarding her political plans once her term ends.

While her decision to run for Congress was welcomed by her supporters, critics believe this is Arroyo’s strategy to evade lawsuits awaiting her once she leaves the presidency.

It may be recalled that Mrs. Arroyo and the First Family were linked in the ZTE-NBN controversy, the “Hello Garci” 2004 electoral fraud, the Manila North Rail Project and the extrajudicial killings of militant leaders and journalists.

During the past months, the question of legality for an outgoing president to run for a lower seat was raised by critics and political opponents who have earlier suspected Mrs. Arroyo would run for Congress.

Lawyers, on the other hand, have confirmed the absence of law prohibiting Mrs. Arroyo from running for a seat in the House of Representatives.

Former chair of the Commission on Elections Atty. Christian Monsod said that “Arroyo could run for any position in government except for re-election as President”. Monsod was one of the drafters of the 1987 Constitution.

Lawyer Sixto Brillantes, while he agrees with Monsod’s statement, questioned the president’s decision to run for Congress as he said “It is a move against the norms of morality.”

Her political foes have likewise expressed concern over Arroyo’s bid for a seat in the Lower House as a means for her to push for charter change, shifting our current democratic form of government to parliamentary, which would render the next elected president useless.

In an interview over dzRB, Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes, Jr. said, “We maintain that after nine years in Malacañang, with a rule that has been characterized by shameless corruption and impunity, Arroyo is no longer morally qualified to hold any public office.”

Bayan Muna party list representative Teddy Casiño meanwhile stated that Arroyo should seek “professional help” since she is “drunk with power”.

Roman Catholic Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz also expressed concern over Mrs. Arroyo’s plan to run for Congress after her presidency. He said the drafters of the Constitution may not have thought of imposing a ban on an outgoing president running for a lower post simply because it was “unthinkable”.

“There appears to be no reasonable cause for such a constitutional prohibition as really there is no person in his or her sound mind who will do such a funny and demeaning political circus,” the Archbishop said.

Catarman Bishop Emmanuel Trance also spoke out saying “she would have shown some statesmanship or political delicadeza if she does not run.”

Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero likewise said that although it is the president’s right to run for a lower office, “it surely leaves a bad taste in the mouth.”

Escudero further quipped, “What else does she need to prove and accomplish?”

Even the president’s ally, Sen. Edgardo Angara, voiced that there are “many more meaningful ways” that Arroyo could do to serve the people other “than stepping down to a lower position”. “She could go into teaching, philantrophy or charity work”, he added.

Meanwhile, the President, in a replay interview over Radyo ng Bayan, talked about her options after she leaves the presidency.

Arroyo said she plans “to go back to teaching or work for causes near and dear to her like the fight against climate change, improvement of education, and the cause of women,” but for now she said “the best way to continue to champion the things I love is in Congress.”

At past 10 a.m. today, the president arrived at the Commission on Elections office in Pampanga province with her with husband, First Gentleman Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo.

Clad in an aquamarine pants and blouse, Arroyo was all smiles when she greeted the Comelec officials.

But of course.

Amidst the criticisms highlighting her lack of delicadeza and moral inadequacy, for someone who has been in power for so long, the “force” is obviously strong.

She wasn’t named the 44th most poweful woman for nothing, after all.

Photo from: uniffors.com

Maribel Chouinard reportedly saw the burglars on the webcam she uses to communicate with her husband, an Air Force master sergeant at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City.  Chouinard called her husband who then called the police.  The suspects were nabbed by the Midwest City police over the weekend after Chouinard positively identified the suspects from a photo-lineup emailed to her by authorities.

Here, the webcam was the couple’s advantage, as it allowed the woman to see what was going on in her husband’s house in the US while she was online here in the Philippines. 

But what if the woman was not online that day or the husband’s computer or webcam was turned off?

Surely, the burglars may have gotten away untraced, with their loot bags full of bounty.

The presence of the webcam was actually just co-incidental.  It was not initially installed on their computers as a monitoring tool.  I am assuming the husband’s house did not have anything to protect it from burglars breaking in, hence, became an easy target. 

Although the webcam may have helped the woman in seeing the actual burglary as it happened, still it did not prevent the thieves from breaking in in the first place.  It took days before the cops were able to nab the suspects eventually. 

In most parts of the world, burglary may be considered one of the rampant crimes being committed daily.  Sometimes, burglary is even accompanied by more serious crimes such as rape, homicide or worse, a massacre.

Now that Christmas is just around the corner, more people are out in the streets to do their holiday shopping, while thieves and robbers work double time doing their schemes, especially in this season of bonuses and incentives.

While the holidays are a time for merriment, one should never be too complacent so as to leave his / her things unguarded, especially your home where you keep your precious belongings and most especially, your loved ones. 

To help you avoid being a victim of thieves, robbers and burglars, I have listed down some practical tips that are easy to do and cost-effective:

1)      Free your garden, garage or the entrance to your home of anything that could obstruct view of your windows and doors from outside. 

Huge trees or shrubs are the best places for burglars to hide while they try to break into your home without being seen by passersby.  Get rid of them at once.

2)      Make sure all locks attached to your windows and doors are all working and in good condition. 

Check them everyday as you would not know when a burglar pays a surprise visit to your place.

3)      When leaving your home, leave a radio or TV on during the day, or a light on should you leave at night. 

This gives burglars the impression that someone is inside the house, hence, would discourage them to break in.  Just make sure you do this only if you would be away for a short while, as leaving your home with your appliances on while you’re out on a long vacation may not only generate unnecessary electricity cost, but could also trigger electrical wirings to heat up, spark and worse, cause fire.

4)      Do not let delivered newspapers pile up in your driveway

A pile of newspapers in your driveway gives burglars an idea that your home had been unoccupied for a long time and makes it an easy target.

5)      Get to know your neighbors and ask them a favor to keep an eye on your surroundings

Your neighbors may just save you from suspicious looking individuals who may just be looking around for their next victim.

6)      Put a sticker that says “These premises protected by ADT Alarm System” on your gate, windows and doors.

You can buy these stickers at a cheap price at stores selling sticker signs or you may also check if they accept made-to-order stickers to suit your need.  Buying these stickers are way too cheaper than buying the alarm system itself.  If burglars see these stickers at your gate or doors, even if you do not actually have an alarm system, it’s very likely that the burglars will not take the chance that you do.  However, it is still best to have a real one in case the stickers fail.

7)      Install motion sensor lighting around the perimeter of your home

One of the best defenses against a home break in at night is having exterior lighting or a motion sensor around entrances to your home. Very often when a motion activated light comes on, the burglar is prompted to leave the area immediately as he / she would not want to be seen.

8)      Install simple door and window contact alarms that trigger a loud noise during a break in

A good and wise investment is purchasing a reliable but affordable home alarm system to prevent burglars from entering your home.  It does not only guard your belongings at home, but may also save your loved ones from being hurt. These days, it is easy to find a good home alarm system that are cost-effective while it gives you peace of mind.  Look into the various home alarm systems in your area and check out four great deals such as a discounted package or low installation cost. I’ve read some good reviews of ADT Alarm System, a product of ADT Alarm Company which has been around the business since 1874.  ADT Alarm Company offers advanced monitoring equipment with the reputation of having the best customer service while providing the Best alarm system with the lowest monthly charges. 

Get to know what companies, establishments and families that ADT Alarm Company helps secure and how they manage it:

More than 80 percent of the country’s top retailers.
90 percent of the Fortune 500 companies.
More than 2 dozen of the nation’s top national and regional bank holding companies.
72 U.S. airports; 19 of those airports are among the 30 busiest airports in the United States.
All federal courthouses nationwide.
 
Service and Installation:

ADT employs more than 6,000 professional installers and service technicians nationwide.
ADT installs more than 80 security systems each hour, or more than one a minute.
ADT Helps Protect Families, Businesses and Communities:
ADT responds to thousands of crimes in progress each year.
ADT interfaces with approximately 38,000 public safety agencies across the U.S.
ADT is often asked by law enforcement to provide documentation, deposition and history of events to assist in criminal prosecutions.

Customer Monitoring Centers:

ADT has four Customer Monitoring Centers (CMC) strategically located throughout the United States. These command hubs are linked to create one virtual nationwide monitoring platform.
The CMCs act on more than 29 million alarm signals each year
93,000+ alarms daily
200,000+ total calls daily (inbound/outbound)
8,000+ customer contacts an hour 24/7
Handle more than 19 million customer calls per year.
Handle 3.3 customer transactions every second.

You can check out their website for more details:

ADT Alarm Company

9 )      Lastly, always have an escape route planned

If burglars penetrate your home while your family are inside, what should you do?  Of course, you don’t want to risk your lives that the first logical thing to do is find a way out.  Make sure every member of the family knows where to exit and what to do when this kind of thing happens.

In a letter dated Thursday, Chicago-based Harpo Productions Inc. confirmed that the Queen of Talk has decided to end The Oprah Winfrey Show amidst speculation that Oprah Winfrey could be moving the popular talk show to her new cable network, OWN, which is based in Los Angeles.

The final episode of the groundbreaking talk show is scheduled to air in May 2011 after its 25th season on the air.

Reports say that Winfrey has spoken to her staff about the plans during a meeting Thursday morning, where she reportedly said that severance packages will be given to employees with three or more years of experience if they aren’t placed elsewhere in positions within Harpo.

Winfrey started her broadcasting career in Nashville, Tenn., and Baltimore, Md., before she relocated to Chicago to host WLS-TV’s morning talk show “A.M. Chicago” in 1984. A year later, the show was renamed to what is now known as “The Oprah Winfrey Show”, one of the most popular, most enduring programs in television history.

In 1986, Winfrey established Harpo Productions, Inc. as her talk show went into syndication.

Since then, Winfrey has become an undisputed talk show queen with millions of followers in various parts of the globe. Her witty words of wisdom have been quoted by many, looked up to as being someone who speaks through her own experience.

“I came from nothing,” Winfrey wrote in the 1998 book “Journey to Beloved.” “No power. No money. Not even my thoughts were my own. I had no free will. No voice. Now, I have the freedom, power, and will to speak to millions every day — having come from nowhere.”

inset photo from: businessweek.com

Speaking of occasion, sometimes I buy bras that can be converted from the conventional type to a strapless one for those impromptu romantic dinner dates where you need to wear something sexy. I really hate it when bra straps misbehave or just wouldn’t stay in place. Sometimes, I find myself wearing a strapless bra even at times when I didn’t have to show off my shoulders just so I could get rid of the clutter and discomfort from straps.

Luckily, I don’t have to worry about that anymore without getting rid of my old, conventional bra. Thanks to my friend who introduced me to the wonders of Inti-Mate Bra Converter.

What is the Inti-Mate Bra Converter?

The Inti-Mate Bra Converter is a feminine floral shape accessory which is to be clipped on both your bra straps, instantly converting your conventional bra into a sexy, racerback bra in a matter of seconds! It comes in three different colors: black, nude, and clear – for that clean, invisible effect (I have all three colors and loving it all!)

To use it: loosen your bra straps, reach for your back, and clip Inti-Mate Bra Converter to both straps. Imagine getting rid of the awkward, visible bra straps – nothing but a comfy, strap-free feeling!

Inti-Mate Bra also gives you added support for that push-up bra effect. What you get is instant support, cleavage, and confidence! You may even recycle your old bras with support in a clip! You get all these for a very affordable price of Php 250.00. Amazing, isn’t it?

But wait, there’s more! (hehe…i sound like an endorser!)

The sports bra look of Inti-Mate can also improve your posture by helping you straighten up your back, hence, preventing you from slouching.  As you may already know, better posture gives you a more confident appearance and spares you from the risk of developing osteoporosis.

Where to buy? Since I am just one of the satisfied customers and in no way directly involved in endorsing this product, you may visit www.myinti-mate.com for more information. I get to order my own from my friend who just told me about it. I could refer you to my friend if you’re interested, just leave your email address in the comment section and I’ll get back to you at the soonest.

Since it was the first time that I heard this beautiful, intriguing song, I had to memorize a few lines so I could google the lyrics and find out who sang it.

These were the lines that I was able to doodle while listening to the song:

“…Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills my mind
I somehow find you and I collide…”

Google gave me a lot of good results, all pointing to Howie Day as the artist, and the song title as “Collide“.

It took just one click to get the full lyrics of the song:

The dawn is breaking
A light shining through
You’re barely waking
And I’m tangled up in you, yeah

I’m open, you’re closed
Where I follow, you’ll go
I worry I won’t see your face
Light up again

Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills my mind
I somehow find you and I collide

I’m quiet you know
You make a first impression
I’ve found I’m scared to know
I’m always on your mind

Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the stars refuse to shine
Out of the back you fall in time
I somehow find you and I collide

Don’t stop here
I lost my place
I’m close behind

Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills your mind
You finally find you and I collide

You finally find you and I collide
You finally find you and I collide

The lyrics tell us of a couple’s bout with trials in their relationship as they deal with fears, doubts and their differences, something that normal couples go through and may be able to relate to in one way or another.

Next to Google, Wiki has always been handy when my curious mind asks for more. It’s interesting to know that this song has been featured in some episodes of Scrubs, ER, Bones, Third Watch, Joan of Arcadia, Cold Case, One Tree Hill, Smallville, Grey’s Anatomy, Ghost Whisperer, and Lost. Canadian Idol 6 winner Theo Tams sang this song for his audition and performed it during the Top 20 week. He was requested to sing it one more time the following night as the audience’s response to his previous awesome performance.

Released in 2004, “Collide“is pop singer/songwriter Howie Day’s second single from the album “Stop All the World Now“, for which he received critical acclaim.

Here are some wiki-trivia about the Artist:

Day was arrested in 2005 for “rowdy” behavior at Logan International Airport on a flight from Dallas to Boston after he reportedly became intoxicated from a mix of sleeping pills and alcohol. Day pleaded innocent to a charge of interfering with a flight crew at his arraignment Friday in East Boston District Court but was released on personal recognizance.

In March 2004, Day was arrested in Madison, Wis., for allegedly locking a woman in the bathroom of a tour bus after she refused his sexual advances.

Some serious charges for an artist whose song just brightened up my day.

sources: Google,Wikipedia,Yahoo