I'M YOUR ANGEL

I'M YOUR ANGEL
Celine Dion and R. Kelly
http://frostwhisper2012.blogspot.com/2012/12/im-your-angel.html

YOUTUBE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKEA6T4egfc




No Mountain's Too High, For You To Climb
All You Have To Do Is Have Some Climbing Faith, Oh Yeah
No Rivers Too Wide, For You To Make It Across
All You Have To Do Is Believe It When You Pray


And Then You Will See, The Morning Will Come
And Everyday Will Be Bright As The Sun
All Of Your Fears Cast Them On Me
I Just Want You To See...


I'll Be Your Cloud Up In The Sky
I'll Be Your Shoulder When You Cry
I'll Hear Your Voices When You Call Me
I Am Your Angel


And When All Hope Is Gone, I'm Here
No Matter How Far You Are, I'm Near
It Makes No Difference Who You Are
I Am Your Angel
I'm Your Angel


I Saw The Teardrops, And I Heard You Cry
All You Need Is Time, Seek Me And You Shall Find
You Have Everything And You're Still Lonely
It Doesn't Have To Be This Way, Let Me Show You A Better Day
And Then You Will See, The Morning Will Come
And All Of Your Days Will Be Bright As The Sun
So All Of Your Fears, Just Cast Them On Me


How Can I Make You See...
I'll Be Your Cloud Up In The Sky
I'll Be Your Shoulder When You Cry
I'll Hear Your Voices When You Call Me
I Am Your Angel


And When All Hope Is Gone, I'm Here
No Matter How Far You Are, I'm Near
It Makes No Difference Who You Are
I Am Your Angel
I'm Your Angel


And When It's Time To Face The Storm
I'll Be Right By Your Side
Grace Will Keep Up Safe And Warm
And I Know We Will Survive


And When It Seems As If Your End Is Drawing Near
Don't You Dare Give Up The Fight
Just Put Your Trust Beyond The Sky...


I'll Be Your Cloud Up In The Sky
I'll Be Your Shoulder When You Cry
I'll Hear Your Voices When You Call Me
I Am Your Angel


And When All Hope Is Gone, I'm Here
No Matter How Far You Are, I'm Near
It Makes No Difference Who You Are
I Am Your Angel
I'm Your Angel


I'll Be Your Cloud Up In The Sky
I'll Be Your Shoulder When You Cry
I'll Hear Your Voices When You Call Me
I Am Your Angel
And When All Hope Is Gone, I'm Here


No Matter How Far You Are, I'm Near
It Makes No Difference Who You Are
I Am Your Angel
I'm Your Angel




IMAGES
http://www.theanimegallery.com/gallery/image:89543/belldandy-holy-bell 

AMIGOS PARA SIEMPRE

AMIGOS PARA SIEMPRE (Friends For Life)
1992 Barcelona Olympic Games Theme Song
Sarah Brightman and José Carreras
http://frostwhisper2012.blogspot.com/2012/12/amigos-para-siempre.html



 

   
YOUTUBE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK5WP83t6Xk


Sarah

    I don't have to say
    A word to you
    You seem to know
    Whatever mood
    I'm going through
    Feels as though
    I've known you forever

José

    You
    Can look into my eyes and see
    The way I feel
    And how
    The world is treating me
    Maybe I have known you forever

Both

    Amigos para siempre
    Means you'll always be my friend
    Amics per sempre
    Means a love that cannot end
    Friends for life
    Not just a summer or a spring
    Amigos para siempre

    I feel you near me
    Even when we are apart
    Just knowing you are in this world
    Can warm my heart
    Friends for life
    Not just a summer or a spring
    Amigos para siempre

Sarah

    We share memories
    I won't forget
    And we'll share more,
    My friend,
    We haven't started yet
    Something happens
    When we're together

José

    When
    I look at you
    I wonder why
    There has to come
    A time when we must say goodbye
    I'm alive when we are together

Both

    Amigos para siempre
    Means you'll always be my friend
    Amics per sempre
    Means a love that cannot end
    Friends for life
    Not just a summer or a spring
    Amigos para siempre

    I feel you near me
    Even when we are apart
    Just knowing you are in this world
    Can warm my heart
    Friends for life
    Not just a summer or a spring
    Amigos para siempre

José

    When
    I look at you
    I wonder why
    There has to come
    A time when we must say goodbye

Both

    I'm alive when we are together

    Amigos para siempre
    Means you'll always be my friend
    Amics per sempre
    Means a love that cannot end
    Friends for life
    Not just a summer or a spring
    Amigos para siempre

    I feel you near me
    Even when we are apart
    Just knowing you are in this world
    Can warm my heart
    Friends for life
    Not just a summer or a spring
    Amigos para siempre

    Amigos para siempre
    Means you'll always be my friend
    Amics per sempre
    Means a love that cannot end
    Friends for life
    Not just a summer or a spring
    Amigos para siempre
    Amigos para siempre

HAND IN HAND

HAND IN HAND
1988 SEOUL OLYMPIC GAMES THEME SONG
Koreana

http://frostwhisper2012.blogspot.com/2012/12/hand-in-hand.html

YOUTUBE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEeH5MiDK8I

See The Fire In The Sky

We Feel The Beating Of Our Hearts Together

This Is Our Time To Rise Above

We Know The Chance Is Here To Live Forever

For All Time 

Hand In Hand We Stand

All Across The Land

We Can Make This World

A Better Place In Which To Live

Hand In Hand We Can

Start To Understand

Breaking Down The Walls

That Come Between Us For All Time

Arirang

Everytime We Give It All

We Feel The Flame Eternally Inside Us

Lift Our Hands Up To The Sky

The Morning Calm Helps Us To Live In Harmony

For All Time

Hand In Hand We Stand

All Across The Land

We Can Make This World

A Better Place In Which To Live

Hand In Hand We Can

Start To Understand

Breaking Down The Walls

That Come Between Us For All Time

Arirang

Hand In Hand We Stand

All Across The Land

We Can Make This World

A Better Place In Which To Live

Hand In Hand We Can

Start To Understand

Breaking Down The Walls

That Come Between Us For All Time

Hand In Hand (Breaking Down The Walls Between Us)

Hand In Hand (Breaking Down The Walls) 

 

REACH

REACH
1996 ATLANTA OLYMPIC GAMES THEME SONG
Gloria Estefan
http://frostwhisper2012.blogspot.com/2012/12/reach.html

YOUTUBE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP_PVKNUtLw




Some Dreams Live On In Time Forever
Those Dreams, You Want With All Your Heart
And I'll Do Whatever It Takes
Follow Through With The Promise I Made
Put It All On The Line
What I Hoped For At Last Would Be Mine

If I Could Reach, Higher
Just For One Moment Touch The Sky
From That One Moment In My Life
I'm Gonna Be Stronger
Know That I've Tried My Very Best
I'd Put My Spirit To The Test
If I Could Reach

Some Days Are Meant To Be Remembered
Those Days We Rise Above The Stars
So I'll Go The Distance This Time
Seeing More The Higher I Climb
That The More I Believe
All The More That This Dream Will Be Mine

If I Could Reach, Higher
Just For One Moment Touch The Sky
From That One Moment In My Life
I'm Gonna Be Stronger
Know That I've Tried My Very Best
I'd Put My Spirit To The Test
If I Could Reach

If I Could Reach, Higher
Just For One Moment Touch The Sky
I'm Goona Be Stronger
From That One Moment In My Life
I'm Gonna Be So Much Stronger Yes I Am
I've Tried My Very Best
I'd Put My Spirit To The Test
If I Could Reach
If I Could, If I Could
If I Could Reach
Reach, I'd Reach, I'd Reach
I'd Reach' I'd Reach So Much Higher
Be Stronger

MANNY'S LEGACY CAST IN STONE

MANNY'S LEGACY CAST IN STONE

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
http://www.philstar.com/sports/2012/12/17/886910/mannys-legacy-cast-stone

Although Manny Pacquiao failed to win a single fight this year, there is no question he remains the symbol of Filipino pride and as he turns 34 today, the entire nation celebrates his remarkable life that has brought him from the depths of poverty in the streets of General Santos City to the pinnacle of success as one of the greatest fighters who ever lived.

If there is an athlete who personifies the heart of a champion, it is Pacquiao. Whether in victory or defeat, his humility is inspiring. He never gloated as he strung up 15 victories in a row over a six-year period, ascending to the top of the world’s pound-for-pound ladder. Along the way, Pacquiao victimized future Hall of Famers Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Oscar de la Hoya, Miguel Cotto, Sugar Shane Mosley and the unpredictable Juan Manuel Marquez. Forbes named Pacquiao the planet’s second highest-earning athlete from May 2011 to June 2012 after Floyd Mayweather Jr, but if the cut-off was made a month earlier, the Filipino would’ve been No. 1 in the list with $62 Million, outbanking stars like Tiger Woods, LeBron James, Roger Federer and Kobe Bryant.

In 2004, Pacquiao received a $650,000 paycheck for battling Marquez to a split draw. A week ago, he was guaranteed at least $25 Million for his fourth meeting with the Mexican. In eight years, Pacquiao has metamorphosed into a global icon. The conservative estimate is the fourth chapter of the fierce Pacquiao-Marquez rivalry raked in over a million pay-per-view buys, making Pacquiao a certified box office attraction. Ticket sales exceeded $10.5 Million and the pay-per-view gross had to be at least $60 Million with Pacquiao pocketing a share of about $5 Million to add to his minimum. Pacquiao has delivered over a million pay-per-view hits in six fights, at least once every year since 2008.

In defeat, Pacquiao has never made excuses. Last June, he was outpointed by Timothy Bradley on a split decision that was a clear case of highway robbery. An independent panel of five boxing experts was assembled to review the fight in a post-mortem and the conclusion was Pacquiao deserved to win. But Pacquiao refused to cry foul, taking the defeat in stride and offering it up to the Lord. When he was knocked out cold by Marquez last week, Pacquiao never accused the Mexican of taking performance-enhancing-drugs to explain his incredible bulk and astounding power. Instead, Pacquiao vowed to come back with a vengeance and prove himself in a fifth duel – sooner or later. Unlike Marquez who raised a howl in three previous fights where he never won, Pacquiao extended his hand to the Mexican and credited him for a job well done after the fourth episode of their unfolding telenovela.

Pacquiao’s loss to Marquez was incidental. It won’t in any way detract from his stature as a fighter destined for enshrinement in the Hall of Fame because his legacy has been cast in stone since his emergence as the only fighter ever to capture world titles in eight different weight categories. No loss, no matter how devastating, will ever take the luster of Pacquiao’s unprecedented achievements.

How Pacquiao lost to Marquez was a testament of the style that has enthralled boxing fans since he turned pro as a frail-looking lightflyweight in 1995. It’s what has endeared Pacquiao to the sport’s cognoscenti. He pulls no punches, gives and takes no quarter, attacks with reckless abandon and leaves everything in the ring. There is no dull moment in the squared circle with Pacquiao’s unbridled workrate. He’s a crowd pleaser who gives the fans their money’s worth.
Dean's Corner ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1

“When you let your hands go, you leave yourself open,” said Pacquiao’s trainer Freddie Roach, quoted by Thomas Hauser in his book “And The New … An Inside Look At Another Year In Boxing.” “When you exchange and throw punches like Manny does, you put yourself in harm’s way.”

The late Emanuel Steward, the Kronk Gym founder who gained a reputation as an astute TV boxing analyst, put it in perspective. “As good as Pacquiao is, he makes mistakes,” said Steward. “And he gambles in the ring. That means he’s more likely to do damage but he’s also more likely to get hit. And Marquez has the skills to take advantage of Pacquiao’s mistakes better than anyone that Pacquiao has ever fought. Marquez has great balance and great positioning. He can take that half-step to the side and make an opponent miss. He can change his style on the spur of the moment and alter the flow of a fight as seamlessly as any fighter I know.”

From the way both Roach and Steward analyzed the styles of Pacquiao and Marquez, it seemed inevitable that an outcome, such as what transpired a week ago, would happen in a series of fights if only because of the law of averages. With a second left in the sixth round, Pacquiao went in for the kill and got tagged with a counter right that ended the fight in a dramatic fashion. Pacquiao vowed to fight like he used to when in his 20s, he bowled over opponents like Lehlo Ledwaba, Morales and Barrera. But what he didn’t factor in the equation was Marquez’ new-found strength, developed by controversial conditioning coach Angel Hernandez who has a tainted history of dealing PEDs to athletes. In contrast, Marquez fought like a 39-year-old would, relying more on power than speed to level the playing field. Pacquiao paid the price for his bravado but in his mind, that was the only way he would lose – he went down swinging. If only for that reason, he won the admiration of even more fans.

Pacquiao’s rise to fame is a classic Cinderella rags-to-riches story where the clock will never strike midnight because his destiny is written in the stars. Today, as he turns 34, Pacquiao is faced with more daunting challenges, not only as a fighter but also as a public servant. He is seeking a second term as Congressman of Sarangani province and it is speculated that in 2016, he will run for Senator. Top Rank chairman Bob Arum, 81, said he hopes to live long enough to attend Pacquiao’s proclamation as president of the Philippines.

The issue of Pacquiao’s religiosity has been raised as a distraction in his boxing career. But for a man who is used to multi-tasking, it shouldn’t be a problem. Discipline is what separates the achievers from the failures. Pacquiao is a portrait of excellence in whatever he does – he is driven by a strong faith to do the best he can to honor the Lord. Whether a Catholic or born-again Christian, Pacquiao has dedicated himself to God, believing that “whatever happens after our life here in this world, I know where I’m going – I have Eternal Life.”

THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS

THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS
http://frostwhisper2012.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-gettysburg-address.html

Incidents of the War. A Harvest of Death, Gettysburg, PA. 

 
The Gettysburg Address is a speech by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln, considered one of the best-known in American history. It was delivered by Lincoln during the American Civil War, on the afternoon of Thursday, November 19, 1863, at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, four and a half months after the Union armies defeated those of the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg.

Abraham Lincoln's carefully crafted address, secondary to other presentations that day, came to be regarded as one of the greatest speeches in American history. In just over two minutes, Lincoln reiterated the principles of human equality espoused by the Declaration of Independence and proclaimed the Civil War as a struggle for the preservation of the Union sundered by the secession crisis, with "a new birth of freedom," that would bring true equality to all of its citizens, ensuring that democracy would remain a viable form of government and creating a nation in which states' rights were no longer dominant.

Beginning with the now-iconic phrase "Four score and seven years ago," referring to the Declaration of Independence during the American Revolution in 1776, Lincoln examined the founding principles of the United States in the context of the Civil War, and memorialized the sacrifices of those who gave their lives at Gettysburg and extolled virtues for the listeners (and the nation) to ensure the survival of America's representative democracy, that the "government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."




 

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

SOURCES
Wikipedia

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 
http://frostwhisper2012.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-declaration-of-independence.html

Drafted by Thomas Jefferson between June 11 and June 28, 1776, the Declaration of Independence is at once the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty and Jefferson's most enduring monument. Here, in exalted and unforgettable phrases, Jefferson expressed the convictions in the minds and hearts of the American people. The political philosophy of the Declaration was not new; its ideals of individual liberty had already been expressed by John Locke and the Continental philosophers. What Jefferson did was to summarize this philosophy in "self-evident truths" and set forth a list of grievances against the King in order to justify before the world the breaking of ties between the colonies and the mother country.





The Declaration of Independence: A Transcription

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

    He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
    He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
    He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
    He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
    He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
    He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
    He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
    He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
    He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
    He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
    He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
    He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
    He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
    For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
    For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
    For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
    For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
    For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
    For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
    For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
    For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
    For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
    He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
    He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
    He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
    He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
    He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

The 56 signatures on the Declaration appear in the positions indicated:

Column 1
Georgia:
   Button Gwinnett
   Lyman Hall
   George Walton

Column 2
North Carolina:
   William Hooper
   Joseph Hewes
   John Penn
South Carolina:
   Edward Rutledge
   Thomas Heyward, Jr.
   Thomas Lynch, Jr.
   Arthur Middleton

Column 3
Massachusetts:
John Hancock
Maryland:
Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton

Column 4
Pennsylvania:
   Robert Morris
   Benjamin Rush
   Benjamin Franklin
   John Morton
   George Clymer
   James Smith
   George Taylor
   James Wilson
   George Ross
Delaware:
   Caesar Rodney
   George Read
   Thomas McKean

Column 5
New York:
   William Floyd
   Philip Livingston
   Francis Lewis
   Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
   Richard Stockton
   John Witherspoon
   Francis Hopkinson
   John Hart
   Abraham Clark

Column 6
New Hampshire:
   Josiah Bartlett
   William Whipple
Massachusetts:
   Samuel Adams
   John Adams
   Robert Treat Paine
   Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
   Stephen Hopkins
   William Ellery
Connecticut:
   Roger Sherman
   Samuel Huntington
   William Williams
   Oliver Wolcott
New Hampshire:
   Matthew Thornton


SOURCES
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html

THERE'S A PLACE FOR US

THERE'S A PLACE FOR US

Carrie Underwood

THEME SONG: The Chronicles Of Narnia - Voyage Of The Dawn Treader

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_P0gBqN4kY

There's A Place Out There For Us

More Than Just A Prayer Or Anything

You've Ever Dreamed Of So If You

Feel Like Giving Up Cause You Don't

Fit In Down Here Fear Is Crashing In

Close Your Eyes And Take My Hand

We Can Be The Kings And Queens Of

Anything If We Believe It's Written

In The Stars That Shine Above A

World Where You And I Belong Where

Faith And Love Will Keep Us Strong

Exactly Who We Are Is Just Enough

There's A Place For Us

There's A Place For Us

When The Water Meets The Sky

Where Your Heart Is Free And Hope Comes

Back To Life When These Broken

Hands Are Whole Again We Will Find

What We've Been Waiting For We Were

Made For So Much More

We Can Be The Kings And Queens Of

Anything If We Believe It's Written

In The Stars That Shine Above A

World Where You And I Belong Where

Faith And Love Will Keep Us Strong

Exactly Who We Are Is Just Enough

There's A Place For Us

There's A Place For Us

So Hold On

So Hold On

There’s A Place For Us

We Can Be The Kings And Queens Of

Anything If We Believe It's Written

In The Stars That Shine Above A

World Where You And I Belong Where

Faith And Love Will Keep Us Strong

Exactly Who We Are Is Just Enough

There's A Place For Us

A World Where You And I Belong Where

Faith And Love Will Keep Us Strong

Exactly Who We Are Is Just Enough

There's A Place For Us

There's A Place For Us

LI NING (李宁)

LI NING (李宁)
http://frostwhisper2012.blogspot.com/2012/12/li-ning.html

 

4 AUG 1984: LI NING OF CHINA IN ACTION ON THE POMMEL HORSE AT THE 1984 LOS ANGELES OLYMPICS. 
NING WON THE GOLD MEDAL WITH A SCORE OF 19.95 POINTS.

Li Ning started training at the age of eight and he was selected into the national team in 1980. In 1982, he won six of the seven medals awarded at the Sixth World Cup Gymnastic Competition, earning him the title "Prince of Gymnastics" (体操王子).

Li is most famous for winning 6 medals at the 1984 Summer Olympics, which was the first Olympics in which the People's Republic of China participated. He won 3 gold medals (in Floor Exercise, Pommel Horse, and Rings), 2 Silver Medals, and a Bronze Medal. Li became the most decorated Chinese athlete at their first Olympics.

 

OLYMPIC JOURNEY

In 1984, the Chinese gymnastics team excelled, but in the team event it lost the Olympic title by 0.6 points to the USA. Ning’s first Olympic medal was a silver one, and this heralded the start of an impressive harvest.  In the All-around competition, Ning made a mistake on the Parallel Bars, which penalised him for the final ranking. With 118.575 points, the Chinese gymnast finished third behind America’s Peter Vidmar, silver medallist, and Japan’s Koji Gushiken, who won the gold.

He made up for this in the Floor Exercises, winning his first gold medal with the excellent score of 19.925 out of 20. He beat his compatriot Lou Yun, who managed 19.775.  Two gold medallists, twice.

On the Pommel horse, the competition was even tougher. Ning Li produced a remarkable performance which earned him the score of 19.950. The American Peter Vidmar also achieved an excellent performance. The two athletes had identical scores, and both stood on the top step of the podium. On the rings, Ning Li this time had to share the honours with Japan’s Koji Gushiken, as both men finished with the score of 19.850.

In the vault, for the first time in this event, four gymnasts tied for second place. With a score of 19.825, Li won silver, his sixth medal, making him the athlete with the most medals at the 1984 edition of the Games. This achievement earned him the nickname of “Little Prince Of Gymnastics”.

All in all, Li won 14 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships titles.
Li took part in his second 1988 Olympics despite carrying injuries. It was an end to an illustrious career, as he was off-form and made crucial mistakes which robbed him of the chance of a medal.


Li Ning was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2000, becoming the first Chinese inductee.

 

THE FINAL TORCHBEARER

Li Ning lighting the torch at the 2008 Summer Olympics

At the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Li Ning ignited the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony after being hoisted high into the air with cables and miming running around the rim of the stadium.

After his sports career, Li founded his own sports equipment company. He married his compatriot Youg-Yan Chen, a gymnast like himself and a bronze medallist at the 1984 Games. The Little Prince has today made a success of his post-competition career.
 
Li Ning Company Limited is one of the leading sports brand companies in China, mainly providing sporting goods including footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for professional and leisure purposes primarily under the LI-NING brand.

Li-Ning is the Official Outfitter of the Argentinian and Spanish National Basketball Teams and is a major world outfitter in Badminton.

NBA Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade became Li-Ning's newest NBA Endorser on September 10, 2012.


SOURCES
Wikipedia
Olympic.org

MARY LOU RETTON

MARY LOU RETTON
http://frostwhisper2012.blogspot.com/2012/12/mary-lou-retton.html

Mary Lou Retton launches off the vault on her way to Olympic gold in 1984. (Getty Images)

Mary Lou Retton became America's darling and changed women's sports forever in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

Inspired by watching Nadia Comăneci on television, Retton took up gymnastics in her hometown of Fairmont. She was coached by Gary Rafaloski. She then decided to move to Houston, Texas, to train under Romanians Béla and Márta Károlyi, who had coached Nadia Comăneci before their defection to the United States. Under the Károlyis, Retton soon began to make a name for herself in the United States, winning the American Cup in 1983 and placing second to Dianne Durham (another Károlyi student) at the US Nationals that same year. Retton missed the World Championships in 1983 due to a wrist injury. Nevertheless, Retton won the American Classic in 1983 and 1984, as well as Japan's Chunichi Cup in 1983.


After winning her second American Cup, the US Nationals, and the US Olympic Trials in 1984, Retton suffered a knee injury when she was performing a floor routine at a local gymnastics center. She had sat down to sign autographs when she felt her knee lock, forcing her to undergo an operation. She recovered just in time for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California.


In the competition, which was boycotted by the Soviet bloc nations except for Romania, Retton was engaged in a close battle with Ecaterina Szabó of Romania for the all-around gold medal. Trailing Szabó (after uneven bars and balance beam) being 15 hundredths behind, with two events to go, Retton scored perfect 10s on floor exercise and vault--this last event in an especially dramatic fashion, as there had been fears that her knee injury and the subsequent surgery might impair her performance--to win the all-around gold medal by 0.05 points.

Mary Lou Retton for the win. (Getty Images)

At the same Olympics, Retton won four additional medals: silver in the team competition and the horse vault, and bronze in the floor exercise and uneven bars. For her performance, she was named Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportswoman of the Year". She appeared on a Wheaties box, and became the cereal's first official spokeswoman.




SOURCES:
Wikipedia
Yahoo Sports
 

GREG LOUGANIS

GREG LOUGANIS
http://frostwhisper2012.blogspot.com/2012/11/greg-louganis.html

GREG LOUGANIS started competitive diving as a 10 year old. He took part in his first Olympic Games, the 1976 Montreal Games, aged just 16 and claimed silver in the 10m platform. Four years later, he was firmly established as the world’s best diver, but the United States’ boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games meant that he had to wait another four years to taste Olympic gold.

Louganis was coached by Korean-American Dr. Sammy Lee, a two-time Olympic champion.Of Samoan and European descent, Louganis studied classical dance for many years, and this training provided the basis for the elegance and artistry of his performances. In addition to his Olympic titles, he won six World Championships and held many records for the highest marks ever achieved in competition.





1984 LOS ANGELES OLYMPICS


At the 1984 Los Angeles Games, Louganis found himself competing in front of his home crowd in California. He won the gold medal in both the 3m springboard and 10m platform events. This made him the first Olympian in 56 years to achieve this spectacular double.
He won the 1984 Olympics 3m Springboard Competition by a whopping margin 94 points, in a sport where the winning margin is measured in the Decimals.




In winning both the springboard and the platform at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, Louganis became the first man to pull off that Olympic double since American Pete Desjardins in 1928. He also was the first to pass 700 points in both events in the same Olympics. His 710.91 points remain the most recorded in the Olympic platform competition since the advent of the current scoring system, and his victory in the springboard was the most lopsided in the history of the Games.

SEOUL - SEPTEMBER 19: Greg LOUGANIS of the USA diving team hits his head on the board during competition at the 1988 Seoul Olympics on September 19. Photo shows him right after hitting his head.(Photo by Pascal Rondeau/Getty Images)

1988 SEOUL OLYMPICS


Four years later in Seoul Olympic Games 1988, Louganis was now a veteran of his sport and faced a number of upcoming younger rivals. Yet despite striking the board with his head in the 9th Dive of the 3m Springboard Qualification rounds, Louganis dramatically retained both his Olympic titles. Given his dominance, it is highly probable that the 1980 boycott prevented Louganis from winning the diving double at three consecutive Games, which would have been an unprecedented feat.

 
I watched this Event myself and this CEMENTED Greg Louganis' Legacy as the Greatest Diver Ever. He thwarted the threat of People's Republic of China's Tan Lian De, Xiong Ni and upcoming Chinese diving stars for 2 Olympic Games.


 


SOURCES
Wikipedia
http://www.olympic.org/gregory-louganis
Youtube

THE PHILIPPINES - WHO WE ARE

ORIGINAL ARTICLE
THE PHILIPPINES - WHO WE ARE
http://itsmorefuninthephilippines.com/philipines-who-we-are/



Wherever you choose to go in the Philippines, it’s the Filipinos that will make your Holiday unforgettable. Lonely Planet calls us, ‘among the most ebullient and easy going people anywhere.’

Don’t be shy about coming up to a Filipino and starting a conversation.
We’re not just fun, we’re officially friendly too.
Forbes.com ranked us the Friendliest Country in Asia – Eight in the world!

Filipinos are pre-dominantly of Malay stock with a sprinkling of Chinese, Spanish, American and Arab blood. More than 100 cultural minority groups are scattered throughout the country.

Roman Catholicism is practiced by approximately 83% of the population. The rest of the religions are mostly Christian. There are Muslims and Buddhists too.



LANGUAGE

We have two official languages – Filipino and English.

Filipino is based on Tagalog, the predominant dialect from the Luzon mainland, and is used nationally to communicate among the ethnic groups. There are seven (7) other widely used languages: Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicolano, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense. Apart from these, there are more than 176 local dialects!

Like any living language, Filipino is in a process of development through loans from Philippine or foreign languages, as well as from inventions among different sub-cultures (ask someone about “becky speak” or “gay lingo”).

Thanks to the American Period, American English was and continues to be taught in schools. Filipinos get a healthy amount of Hollywood movies and American TV shows too. So if you speak English, feel free to ask for directions or strike up a conversation. If the Filipino you spoke to can’t speak English, he’ll happily pull in someone who does.



CULTURE


You’ll soon discover our love for color. You’ll see it in jeepneys, tricycles, bancas, and even our fiestas. While you’re here, you’re bound to see one – because they happen almost every day. There are a ton of festivals like the Masskara festival in Bacolod, the Pahiyas in Quezon, Sinulog in Cebu, Kadayawan in Davao and Panagbenga in Baguio.

Metro Manila is the center for entertainment and cultural activities. International acts are always flying in, while local acts are always on stage.

Visit museums in Metro Manila and other parts of the country to get a glimpse of Philippine history and culture.

At art galleries – in up-market neighborhoods, malls, urban hang-outs or heritage streets – you can feel the creative pulse of the country from leading and promising visual artists.

Check local event magazines given out free at restaurants, as well as online city guides, for the latest of these events, plus film festivals, dance parties, weekend classes, pop-up shopping venues and other fun things to do!

Check these sites for the latest events:

http://www.culturalcenter.gov.ph

http://www.manilaconcertscene.blogspot.com

http://www.ticketworld.com.ph

http://www.ticketnet.com.ph/2006/index.php

http://clickthecity.com.ph

http://spot.ph



FOOD

Food is a huge part of Filipino culture—in fact, the local word for ‘Hello,’ is ‘Have you eaten?’ And though little-known, you’ll find our cuisine as beautiful and surprising as the country. Esquire UK described dinner in Manila as a ‘growing flirtation that was turning into true love’.

Filipino food is an exotic, tasteful fusion of Oriental, European, and American culinary influences with a wide variety of fresh seafood and delectable fruits. These influences have been adapted to local ingredients and the Filipino palate to create distinctly Filipino dishes.

Take “Kare-Kare” — what started as a Filipino take on curry. Instead of curry paste, some ancient, resourceful cook ground peanuts to make a thick stew, then paired it with “bagoong” (fish paste). The dish now is so far from its inspiration, but has become its own kind of good.

   

BRIEF HISTORY

Long ago, these islands were home to Indo-Malays and Chinese merchants. Then in 1521, Spanish explorers led by Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan discovered them. They named the archipelago “Felipinas” after Spain’s Philip II, and introduced Christianity to the people.

The explorers saw the islands’ potential for commerce, with Manila and Cebu as strategic trading ports. They established the seat of government in Cebu, later moving it to Manila in 1571. The islands were a colony of Spain from the 16th to the 19th century, for a total of 333 years.

The Filipinos waged Asia’s first nationalist revolution in 1896. On June 12, 1898, they won their independence from Spain.

After the Spaniards left, the Americans came, introducing their educational and legal systems, as well as their democratic form of government. They ruled for 48 years until World War II broke out in 1941.

Japanese troops invaded the country on December 8, 1941 and stayed for four years. The US forces returned to liberate the Filipinos and finally recognized Philippine independence on July 4, 1946.

PHILIPPINES - WHATS IT LIKE

ORIGINAL MATERIAL
http://itsmorefuninthephilippines.com/philippines-whats-it-like/

 

 

 

ENVIRONMENT

Every so often, you might come across an article about a new species of owl, fish or even lizard that’s just been discovered in the Philippines. Our islands are hotbeds of life, with approximately 12,000 plant species, 1,100 land vertebrate species and at least 400 coral species. And more are being discovered as you read this!

We’re just shy of being 2,000 kilometers long from the tip of Luzon to the toe of Mindanao, but we are host to a lot of mosts. The island with the most volcanoes per square kilometer. The most mangrove species in the world. The most bio-diverse reef system.

We have extensive mountain ranges to hike through, underwater landscapes to dive in, flat plains to drive across, cave systems to explore, waterfalls, rock faces, rivers, lakes – and, of course, much more.

CLIMATE

If you want the bright & sunny, tropical glory of the Philippines, plan your trip between the summer months of March and May. It will be hot and dry, but that’s what beaches, sunblock and straw hats are for!

Want things a little bit cooler? Then November to February are best for you.

We’d say avoid the rainy season from June to October, but a good traveler knows that off-peak season means lower rates in airfares, hotels, resorts — and maybe the beer too. Just be forewarned that the months between July and September are characterized by typhoons.

Some parts of the country such as Cebu and Davao, are warm and comfortable in all seasons and can be visited throughout the year.

For up-to-date weather information, visit the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Adminstration (PAGASA) website: www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph or call the PAGASA 24-hour hotline (632) 4338526.

WHAT TO WEAR

Welcome to Island life! All you’ll need are light, casual clothes.

Typical outfit for the mall or sightseeing outdoors: Shorts, flip-flops & a shirt.

Typical outfit for watching movies or going to churches or museums: Jeans/pants, a shirt, closed shoes.

For formal occasions, men are encouraged to wear the Philippine barong tagalog. Quentin Tarantino and Jeremy Renner have! But dinner jackets and ties will still do. For women, a more traditional look would incorporate butterfly sleeves a la Imelda Marcos. But cocktail dresses or long gowns are accepted and more contemporary.

A lot of establishments refuse entry to people in slippers or “sando” (men’s undershirts).

Bring warming clothes if you’re traveling to the mountain regions. Quick-dry ones if you’re hitting the water or the beach.

Good to have: Mosquito repellent or long-sleeved tops against bites. And of course, sunscreen against sun burns!

COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Welcome to the Global capital for SMS and social media. Here, keeping in touch is definitely not a problem.

Mobile phone sites are all over the country. We have 2 major mobile connectivity providers (Globe and Smart), plus three to four secondary ones. It’s fairly easy to pick up a new pre-paid SIM card and start texting or calling away. Top-ups are widely available from most anywhere, usually in places with signs saying “LOAD DITO” (top-up here). “Load” is the common term for mobile connectivity credit.

Internet & email services are widely available through most establishments, with more and more offering them for free. Free Wireless Fidelity (WIFI), in particular, is gaining popularity in commercial establishments, especially in Metro Manila and other cities. Just look for the Free WiFi sign on the door.

With a 3G+ network available, your own mobile phone can hook you into the web. Or you could do as most locals do and duck into an internet café. These are to be found in all shapes and sizes all over the country.

Of course, the country is wired with international and national direct dial phone and facsimile service. You can access them in malls, restaurants, hotels, internet cafés, business centers, PLDT, Globetel or Bayan offices.

Aside from the postal system, worldwide express delivery service is available. LBC, FedEx, DHL, 2Go, are just some of the active couriers.

Majority of national dailies are in English. You’ll find foreign publications at major hotels, malls and bookstores in Metro Manila and key cities.

DINING

Thanks to the Filipino love of food, visitors won’t run out of options for their meals. You get a buffet of options – first class restaurants with world-class chefs, world cuisine, family-style dining places, simple grilleries, “carinderias”, cafeterias and food court stalls. “Halal’ and kosher food are available.

Healthful, natural and organic food products have also increased considerably. As a result, major supermarkets including selected dining establishments now carry a wide array of organically-grown fruits, vegetables, condiments, and grains to cater to the health-conscious.

NIGHTLIFE 

Whether you’re in a party-packed street or shoreline, refreshments here are served almost everywhere. DJs come from all over the world to party with us. And it’s probably because of our sunny weather and good nature that we know how to have a good time. Challenge a local to some karaoke and you’ll be singing till sunrise!

Manila’s nightlife is one of the most vibrant in Asia. Get a taste of it at the different hotspots around the metro: Malate, Manila; Greenbelt, Glorietta, and Rockwell Center, Makati City; The Fort at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City; Resorts World Manila, Pasay City; Timog and Tomas Morato Avenues, and Eastwood in Libis, Quezon City; Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

Clubs, bars, music lounges, pubs and sing-along bars feature Filipino bands and singers known for their exceptional musical talents. De luxe hotels offer a variety of live musical entertainment. And there’s always a concert or stage play to score tickets to.

GAMING

For visitors who want to try their luck at the gaming tables, there are the large casino complexes at the Bay area or near NAIA Terminal 3. Apart from Metro Manila, you can try your luck in the cities of Angeles, Olongapo, Tagaytay, Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, and Laoag.

SHOPPING

Filipinos, you’ll find, are crazy about shopping. In fact, every capital of the country has a shopping center. So whether you find yourself in the city, in the middle of a beautiful island resort, or even relaxing in an outrigger boat, you can always go for some casual retail therapy.

If you’re a professional shopper though, willing to spend whole days of “finding something to buy”, our malls are sure to keep you occupied. Try SM Mall of Asia or SM North, two of the biggest in the world.

For the more adventurous, try the Divisoria area and its 168 mall. This area is the backbone of Manila’s buy & sell trade — blocks and blocks of no-frills bargain-shopping. You will definitely find it hard to leave empty-handed.

If you enjoy the bargain-hunting but would like to avoid the heat, try Greenhills shopping center in Mandaluyong City or Market Market mall in Taguig City.

WHAT TO BUY

There’s an exciting selection of great buys in a country known for export-quality items at reasonable prices: South Sea pearls, hand-woven cloths, embroidered fineries, terracotta and porcelain, coral and mother-of-pearl accessories. Pineapple fiber, prehistoric jars, native handicrafts, and handmade footwear are interesting items, too.

The Philippines also produces fine furniture, basketry, exquisitely crafted jewelry, and gift items made of shell, wood, and stone.

Shop for handicrafts, antiques and souvenirs in Manila’s Quiapo district: ilalim ng tulay (literally, “under the bridge”). The Ermita and Malate districts in Manila, Tiendesitas in Pasig City. Market Market in Taguig, The Kultura shop in SM malls, and most department stores also stock up on a wide selection of excellent, local handicrafts and souvenirs.

Of course, don’t forget to check out the souvenir center or central dry market of the particular province or town you’re in. Every region has its own particular craft, material or delicacy. And some, like our dried mangoes, are deservedly world-famous.

For a start, you can browse some of our products at http://otopphilippines.org

MEDICAL FACILITIES

Hospitals and clinics in the country are manned by highly skilled and competent doctors, nurses and health care workers, typically in demand all over the world. Together with modern equipment found in the best city hospitals, the Filipino brand of caring and compassion makes sure you’re well taken care of.

The country boasts of a wide variety of medical healthcare groups to choose from. There are private as well as government-run medical facilities, hospitals and clinics. Most hotels and resorts have medical assistance protocols ready. Towns and cities have health centers that provide emergency medical attention.

CONVENTION FACILITIES

As a pioneer convention city in Asia, Manila has hosted its share of prestigious international events. The Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), the country’s convention showpiece, was built to accommodate 4,000 delegates in the Plenary Hall and 5,700 persons in the Reception Hall.

Other venues of varying sizes and facility grades can be found throughout Metro Manila, like the World Trade Center or the SMX Convention Center.

While Subic Bay, Cebu City, Davao City and Baguio City – with their own convention centers and large hotels – also regularly host large delegations.

For more information regarding holding a convention in the Philippines, email the Tourism Promotions Board through cit@dotpcvc.gov.ph.