Rayver and Shaina to star in the TV remake of “Twilight”

By : Edgar O. Cruz | Entertainment Editor of Yehey

Rayver Cruz will star as Edward Cullen and Shaina Magdayao as Isabella Swan in the local television version “Twilight.” The hit vampire novel has been bought by ABS-CBN has bought for more than US$1 million with Ignite Media as co producer. The taping is set to start next year by Feb. in Baguio, Tagaytay, Bukidnon with some parts to be shot abroad. To be directed by Cathy Garcia Molina, the TV adaptation will focus on Edward and Bella’s love story to be treated as drama, romance and fantasy. The unofficial cast includes Valeen Montenegro as Alice Cullen, Gabby Concepcion as Dr. Carlisle Cullen, Luis Manzano as Emmett Cullen, Al Tantay as Charlie Swan, Yayo Aguila as Renee Dwyer, Fred Payawan as Jacob Black, Carlos Agassi as James, Chin Chin Gutierrez as Esme Cullen, Karylle as Rosalie Hale, Joross Gamboa as Jasper Hale, Jessy Mendiola as Jessica Stanley, Empress Schuck as Angela Weber, Brad Murdoch as Laurent, Nikki Bacolod as Victoria and Aaron Villaflor as Mike Newton. Rayver and Shaina were former love team partner but the tandem did not work. It seems their tandem will click in “Twilight.”

World's tallest building just got taller

DUBAI (AFP) - The world's tallest building just got taller -- the Burj Dubai tower in the booming Gulf emirate of Dubai has now reached a height of 688 metres (2,257 feet) and is still growing, developers Emaar said on Tuesday.

It now boasts 160 storeys, the highest skyscraper in the world, Emaar said in a statement.

The skyscraper, set for completion in September 2009, is one of several mega projects taking shape in Dubai, which is a member of the oil-rich United Arab Emirates (UAE) federation.

Burj Dubai, which was started in 2004, overtook Taiwan's Taipei 101 tower as the world's tallest building when it reached 512 metres (1,533 feet) in April 2007.

It became the tallest man-made structure on the planet, when Emaar announced in April that it has surpassed the 629-metre (2,063-foot) KVLY-TV mast in the United States.

Its eventual height remains a closely-guarded secret, though there is speculation it will reach a final height of 900 metres (2,953 feet).

It had been due for completion in the bustling city state at the end of 2008, but Emaar said in June that "finishing touches" had pushed back the date until September next year.

The skyscraper is being built by a consortium involving Arabtec Construction LLC of the UAE, Samsung of South Korea and Besix of Belgium.

Many building projects in Dubai, which is going through a construction frenzy, have been facing delays caused by shortage of building materials and skilled labour.

E-learning Degree Program: A new way to Learn

You want to go shopping, but your car is low on gas. You want to know your account balance, but do not have time to go to the bank. You want to further your education but do not have the time to go to classes. We turn to the World Wide Web. As fast as I-pods were mainstreamed, Internet colleges are making their mark in the educational world and an online degree program is just a click away.

Online classes have existed for nearly as long as the Internet has been around. Many people across the world find it as an easy way to further their education in a flexible setting. Colleges that have an e-learning degree program offer a wide range of courses and degrees to suit pretty much everyone. For those who are already in the job market and want to expand their knowledge but are not interested in a four year program may be interested in an Associates Degree. If an individual strives to become more marketable in the work force and wants a four-year degree, a Bachelor's Degree would be best suited. And then, there is the Graduate Level Degree for those who already have their Bachelor's, but are still looking to expand their knowledge. Whatever the desire, it is more than likely offered in an e-learning degree program.

A great aspect of an e-learning degree program is the flexibility associated with it. If you're an early riser and would rather read those required chapters or complete the assignments in the morning, online courses allow for it. On the other hand, if you are a late owl and would rather complete the assignments at midnight, this is also possible with an online course. The Internet gives you the flexibility to choose when you want to take your class. In essence, you choose your own hours.

Another flexible feature of receiving a degree online is that an individual can work and go to school at the same time. Trying to work full time while going through a traditional degree program full time is nearly impossible. However, an online degree program makes it simple to work full time. An individual can go to work during the day and complete course work at night and on weekends. This flexibility makes online education a viable option for many people who thought they would not be able to further their education because of work or their financial situation.

The cost of an e-learning degree program is another benefit to completing a degree online. Being able to work full time while going to school helps in covering expenses, but there are other cost benefits as well. Your classroom is the Internet, so a student does not have to relocate in order to go to school. Many people do not have an institution of higher education located right in their community, so completing a traditional degree program would inevitably mean relocating. Completing the course work online would save costs in relocating as well as other fees and expenses associated with moving or commuting.

While an e-learning degree program may intimidate some people, it is set up so that it can accommodate everyone. Some may be intimidated because there is no personal, face to face interactions with other students or even a professor, however, the flexibility of the programs outweigh those factors. Some may also shy away from an online degree program because of a number of scams on the Internet. However, if you research an institution's credentials and accreditations before making a decision, your experience will be a whole lot better. Pick a reputable online educational institution and you are on your way to the degree of your choice.

E-learning degree program can help all people from all walks of like gain the education they want to better themselves or to advance in the career they already have. Whether you are a working parent or an unemployed bachelor, there are courses available for you to complete through e-learning degree program.

Internet Home-Based business: Designing Tomorrow’s Industry

Working an Internet home-based business is becoming a widespread phenomenon in the world of employment because of plenty of good reasons. Among these reasons are a multitude of new career opportunities, flexibility in scheduling, low or non-existent overhead, no coworkers or employer, around-the-clock business and instantaneous networking and interpersonal contacts, quick and easy research and cross referencing, and most importantly from a home business standpoint, a global economy for every home business owner situated along the cyber highway. Because of these many convinces, there is no wonder why so many people are getting in on the Internet game, including corporate and big businesses.

Prior to a decade ago, many of the employment opportunities related to the Internet didn't exist. Some examples of these would be web construction, computer analysis and software designing. Because of the evolution of the Internet and the many conveniences that it offers, a whole new generation of home business workers now has a new arena for utilizing their skills. As a matter of fact, many universities now offer a wide array of programs revolving around computers and the Internet; even programs, such Computer Science, now exist, and thrive, as a result.

An obvious advantage for those who work their own home business is the flexibility in scheduling. Those who work out of their home engage in around-the-clock business, and so web owners are able to set their own hours and conduct their affairs as they see fit, which is not too difficult, since online interaction is more or less instantaneous or literally overnight. Some people work throughout the day, while others are night owls, and yet still others work only a few hours each day, every other day, or solely on the weekends, depending on the needs of each home business. This allows a more relaxed approach to working.
Minimal or non-existent overhead is very attractive to many home business people, especially beginning entrepreneurs who have a limited budget. Working from home, and online, eliminates the need for space rent fees, land tax, business-related taxes, electricity and heating normally associated with the brick-and-mortar establishments, and even (payroll. Most expenses are usually limited to monthly hosting fees, telephone or cable bills, the cost of essential software, and website design, depending on the web owner's level of knowledge and skills pertaining to website construction. Advertising is also a necessity, but it is cheaper than offline ("real-world") marketing. Such expenses would likely fall well under PhP. 25, 000 total.

Networking, research and referencing, as inferred, are instantaneous and easy. When newcomers find others in their field, they distribute themselves and can become familiar with others and others with them, in no time.

Finally, the global economy allows any entrepreneur to interact with a worldwide audience. In this way, your home business is not restricted to locality and income and profit gain can become higher than brick-and-mortar businesses. Home business owners can quite possibly earn a living without living the house.

In the end, working at home is the ultimate convenience people effort is minimal and financial gain more exponential than the offline venture. This is among the greatest of world dreams!

Recipe for an upbeat, happy life

Just like set menus from restaurants wherein different kinds of foods are served - from appetizers, to main dishes, to desserts - life also has its menu for an upbeat, happy life. Different people have their own individual menu that makes them cheerful and optimistic. Find out what they are; they may help to keep your life meaningful, enjoyable, inspiring, and interesting. Consider the following:

Help the needy, the poor, the handicapped, the ailing, the broken-hearted, the homeless, the lost, and the environment. When you help the needy - in services, monetary value, or other forms - the returns are tenfold over. However, don't expect anything material in return. Just the contentment you experience in your heart is an incomparably satisfying feeling. Giving something wholeheartedly without expecting anything in return is divine. Imagine yourself as the person on the receiving end. You can't wait to return the favor once you get the opportunity to do so.

Another way to enjoy life is to listen to music. Set time aside every day to play your good old favorite songs and sing along. Sing your best. Sing carelessly or out of tune - whatever it takes to make your heart contented and whatever makes you laugh. Just hum the tune if you don't remember the words. Sing until you laugh heartily. The idea is to cheer up. Do this in private with your close friends or relatives though. You don't want to annoy your neighbors.

The sound of nature is also music. The sound of river flowing, the gust of wind on a tree branch, waves on the seashore, and birds chirping are as natural as nature can be, and the way music should be. The sound of nature can make you optimistic because it is a beautiful and serene sound.

Let's face reality. Life has its share of troubles, disasters, and misfortunes. Bad news exists and it disturbs the mind. Totally ignoring it may not always be the answer to approach life in a realistic manner. However, you can always find ways to avoid being affected by it to maintain the dominance of life's beauty.

A party without humor and laughter is a dull one. The same is true in real life. Fill your life with lots of humor and laughter to keep it upbeat. The more spontaneous a humorous situation is, the more natural it is, and the better it can liven up your spirits.

Look at the lessons that can be derived from misfortunes. Mistakes allow you to learn and see opportunities hidden behind adversities. Always find meaning from every event in your life. See through the shell game and value every lesson that you learn.

Finding the Success in Failure

"When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Cute phrase, but life throws at us more serious problems than lemons, doesn't it? What do we do when we lose a loved one, find ourselves in poverty or debt, or when we have been through events that leave us feeling shattered? Can any failure be turned into success?

Most of us realize we can learn a thing or two from failure. When we fail, we think, "Well, I won't try that again!" Or, "I won't trust anyone again!" But this is not resourceful learning. For it to have much value, we need to ask questions like, "How could I try that again, only this time succeeds?" There is a wealth of benefit from failure, if we keep asking good questions on how to do better next time.

Value exists in failure beyond just what we might learn from the experience. Failures and pain can mold our character favorably, if we so choose. Our own suffering often makes us more compassionate and understanding towards others. It can give us wisdom to share with others that can spare them from similar failure. If we have been hurt or experienced failure because of our own or another person's dishonesty or poor character, it may improve our resolve to be a better person.

Failures can take us in directions we would not have gone before. A lost job often leads to a better one. No job often leads to self employment, and has been the beginning of many highly successful businesses. It is common to resist change, because it's the unknown, but change, even unfortunate change, brings with it new opportunities. Sometimes it is only failure that brings us those opportunities.

Moving towards global competitiveness

“The purpose of education is to develop the powers and capacities latent within individuals so that they may contribute their share to an ever advancing civilization.” - Alan November

School, an instrument of education, is an institution where one can learn the basic skills like reading, writing, arithmetic and other realms of knowledge. It therefore provides the competent teaching force and necessary facilities for conducive learning. Furthermore, the school gives direction to the learning process based on well-design curricula. Thus, it is this vital role of the school in preparing the youth for responsible citizenship and productive involvement in nation-building that makes it a catalyst for development of society.

Jose Maria College, an educational institution in Davao City, has sought to produce globally competitive and responsible graduates for the last seven years. The institution is founded upon a hallowed vision of molding the potentials of the youth based on the principles of spirituality, righteousness, harmony, productivity, patriotism, and ecological integrity. In line with its vision of becoming a center of academic and non-academic excellence, Jose Maria College is gradually building a culture of assured, consistent and quality education among its populace. With its mission “to bring out the best in every Filipino youth both in academic and non-academic aspects,” the institution makes avenues for community and national transformation and development.

The metamorphosis of Jose Maria College has been remarkable. In just a short span of seven years, JMC metamorphosed from an academy into a college consisting of pre-school, elementary, high school and college departments. The Commission on Higher Education and Technical Educational Skills Development Authority granted the Jose Maria College a permit to operate and offer the following baccalaureate and vocational courses: Bachelor of Science with major fields in Information Technology, Computer Science, Civil Engineering, Psychology, Accountancy, Business Administration and Elementary and Secondary Education, Bachelor of Arts with major fields in Mass Communication, English and Theology, Diplomas in Computer Science and Computer Technician and six-month Caregiver training program. Two new programs which will prove its worth in academic arena in the near future are Bachelor of Science with major fields in Nursing and Hotel and Restaurant Management

To provide education in its finest, Jose Maria College is housed with fully functional and equipped with state-of-the-arts educational facilities like gymnasium, libraries, mass media center, physics and chemistry laboratories, TESDA and drawing rooms, and computer laboratories. In addition, the construction for the completion of second phase of the U-shaped building is ongoing for the preparation of the expected populace in the coming years.

Despite its being a neophyte, Jose Maria College has been creating a marked difference in academic and non-academic fields in Davao City. Besides, it has never flinched from competing with other prominent schools in locality. It was able to harness the potentials of its students and trained them to become the school’s pride and honor by winning several competitions such as United Future Educators of Davao Friendship Games, Speak-Up extemporaneous speaking contest, STEP National Competition, GS and Mabutas basketball cups, chess, and volleyball tournaments.

Keeping the importance of education in mind, Jose Maria College aims to promote students achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.

With Jose Maria College, students can now face the challenges of 21st century with confidence and aplomb.

“Marshalling all its resources towards the attainment of its vision as an educational institution, the Jose Maria College even at its seventh year of existence has already dared to stretch its wings like an eagle mounting the heights of the boundless sky.” – Moonyeen Versoza