The Philippine representatives to the Miss Universe, Miss World, and Miss International beauty pageants were selected the other night, and Cathy and I are absolutely thrilled that our personal bet, brilliant law student Anna Theresa ‘Tere’ Licaros bagged the Bb. Pilipinas - Universe plum.

Licaros struck us as our best bet for Miss Universe since Miriam Quiambao. She’s smart (summa cum laude in Broadcast Comm from UP Diliman!), she’s witty, and she has an exotic appeal that I think will play a big role when she competes for the Miss Universe crown this year. Apparently, Tere Licaros is a big overachiever, and we see no reason why Licaros can’t bring it on at the Miss Universe pageant! Come on, when was the last time we had a Miss Universe who was studying law? Give it up now, Mr. Trump, we present to you a true Filipina with beauty and brains.

Meanwhile, Bb. Pilipinas - World is Maggie Wilson, who, if made up and trained properly, could be the next Sharmaine Gutierrez. Bb. Pilipinas - International is equally exotic-looking Nadine Lee Cien Shami. Very Filipina-looking Liezel Verses was the first runner-up, while Chinese-hued Abigail Cruz was the second runner-up. (Bit surprised Ferniz Utatulum and Nicole Schmitz, and Tabitha Mendoza didn’t place, but whatever.)

We think we’ve got another good chance this year. Sana!

Last night, American Idol finalist Melinda Doolittle blew the roof off My Funny Valentine, infusing it with a power, charm, and style all her own, and delivering a flawless vocal performance that easily ranks in my personal Top 10 Idol performances of all time. Simon put it quite succinctly: “That was incredible.” (The look you see is the look of utter surprise – followed by joy – on Melinda’s ever humble face.)

I seriously doubt Melinda is putting on some kind of act here. I believe the humility and almost self-effacing demeanor we see every week is sincere, and it, like Simon says, is refreshing. In a competition that exposes us to singers who think they’re the best thing since sliced bread, Melinda is that singer who doesn’t pack much in the looks department but makes up for it with sheer vocal brilliance.

Melinda and Lakisha Jones – whose Midnight Train to Georgia was also a spectacle for the senses, both audio and visual, since her outfit made her look like a giant pomegranate – are the ladies to beat for sheer talent. In my idea of a perfect world, Melinda and Lakisha would duke it out in the finals, with only Stephanie Edwards, Chris Robinson, or possibly even Phil Stacy, serving to ruin that perfect final. Sundance Head, Sanjaya Malakar, Chris Sligh, Brandon Rogers, and Sabrina Sloan have personality and a decent vocal, but that’s pretty much about it. Rounding out my Top 12 predictions are Gina Glocksen and Antonella Barba (the former because she’s a passable belter and America loves a belter, and the latter because she’s infamous).

If this competition weren’t also about packaging and looks, I would say either Melinda Doolittle or Lakisha Jones deserves to be American Idol. They are that dream: talent trumps looks and packaging; success can come if you have style, talent, and substance.

I’m looking forward to hearing Melinda’s next performance.

Wanna kick your weight loss program into high gear, like I do?

Gold’s Gym and Ringside Boxing Club is sponsoring the Family Summer Knockout, a fun fitness program developed by trainers from both Gold’s and Ringside consisting of weights, cycling, spinning, running, boxing, and recreational games. The unbelievable value: P6,000 a pair. That’s P3,000 a person. P1,500 a month. CRAZY.

All I need to do is find a boxing buddy and I’m good to go! The package includes a fitness check-up and analysis, develop a training regimen in three parts (strengthening; endurance and resistance; skills and coordination); monthly fitness and weight-loss check-ups, and a boxing workshop with my workout partner. Plus a fitness program developed by the Gold’s and Ringside trainers.

The best part: after the program is over, I can end it there. No membership fees. All I have to do is sign up for one of two preset date ranges: March 1 – April 30, 2007 (or) April 1 – May 31, 2007). Venue is Gold’s Gym Alabang.

You can contact Jose Veguillas at (0917) 844-4611 or e-mail him for further information.

I am seriously contemplating this, and computing right now to see if I can afford it. Do I really want to put a price on my health, after all? It’d be awesome to be in shape for Cathy once she gives birth. Who wants to be my boxing buddy?
Update: Can’t do it. Gold’s Gym Alabang lang daw ang venue. Hay.

All the brouhaha over the Jesus ossuaries reminded me of the exchange between Phoebe and Ross in Friends, where Phoebe debunked evolution. In a world where truth can be twisted to appear relative, this conversation is a humorous reminder that logic, faith, and belief aren’t bed buddies.

Phoebe: Uh-oh. It’s Scary Scientist Man.
Ross: What? Ok, Phoebe, this is it. In this briefcase, I carry actual scientific facts. A briefcase of facts, if you will. Some of these fossils are over 200 million years old.
Phoebe: Ok, look, before you even start, I’m not denying evolution, ok, I’m just saying that it’s one of the possibilities.
Ross: What? It’s the only possibility, Phoebe.
Phoebe: Ok, Ross, could you just open your mind like this much, ok? Wasn’t there a time when the brightest minds in the world believed that the world was flat? And, up until like what, 50 years ago, you all thought the atom was the smallest thing, until you split it open, and this like, whole mess of crap came out. Now, are you telling me that you are so unbelievably arrogant that you can’t admit that there’s a teeny tiny possibility that you could be wrong about this?
Ross: (hesitant) There might be, a teeny, tiny, possibility.
Phoebe: I can’t believe you caved.
Ross: What?
Phoebe: You just abandoned your whole belief system! I mean, before, I didn’t agree with you, but at least I respected you. How, how, how are you going to go into work tomorrow? How, how are you going to face the other science guys? How, how are you going to face yourself? Oh! That was fun. So who’s hungry?

Hahahaha.

Note: At this point, I share my thoughts on the issues surrounding James Cameron documentary, The Lost Tomb of Jesus. If you decide to read further, please note that the content contains a declaration of faith in Jesus Christ, and if this type of content offends you, please feel free to transfer to another site. Comments are disabled because I do not wish to get into any logical, philosophical, or religious debate. Just as Phoebe requested Ross be open-minded about the possibility evolution may not be right, I request your open-mindedness about the possibility Christianity may be right. (I believe it is.) Read more