Akina Nakamori - sings Japanese Christmas songs

Akina Nakamori is a singer who was one of most successful Jpop singers of the 1980s. Her career spanned from 1982 until 2006 and she was known for her deep, power-house voice. According to the Oricon Charts, she is one of a handful of singers who manage to have albums in the Top 10 in the 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s proving her resilience to the taste changing music industry.

In 1983 Akina Nakamori sang 4 Christmas songs (in Japanese) on Japanese Television - Jingle Bells, Santa Claus is coming to town, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus.

Akina made her debut in 1982 with the single Slow Motion. Within two years of her debut, she set herself apart from all the singers of her generation by singing provocative songs, with a chameleon-like image change with the release of each new single. Her mature and rebellious image was to be the direct opposite of the other pop rival, Seiko; who projected a girl next door, sweet natured charm. The media competed them against each other throughout the 80's, scrutinising every details of their lives and supposed rivalry. During that period, Akina has always expressed an admiration and respect for Seiko, even humming to Seiko's songs when both happen to be on the same live shows.

Her hair style and dress sense was very much copied by teenagers back in the 80's. Music wise, her recording company molded her to be a successor after the mature and sophisticated Momoe Yamaguchi, a legendary Japanese singer who retired at age 21 for marriage. Her songs were always of heartbreaks, or rebellion, never to stray far from the 'mold'.

It came as a shock when news of her attempted suicide broke in July 1989 in her then-boyfriend Masahiko Kondo's apartment, after he called off their engagement. She retreated from the public eye for a while.

Her live performances continue to be of very high standard, showcasing her vocals. Her 2000, 2002 and 2003 concerts were huge successes. 2006 marked her 25th anniversary in show business. According to the Oricon Charts, she is one of a handful of singers who manage to have albums in the Top 10 in the 80's, 90's and 2000's; proving her resilience to the taste changing music industry.

Akina has ventured into acting in the last decade, with varying success.

Regardless of her lack of prolific songs in recent years, Akina was honoured by the Japanese Music critics as the '5th' best voice in the country's recording history, even ahead of her rival, Matsuda Seiko, at '7th' place.

Marian Rivera - Karylle explains the "mysterious smiles"

What’s in a smile?

As in a picture, it paints a thousand words especially if that smile would come from Karylle who, when asked by Boy Abunda in last Sunday’s edition of The Buzz if Marian Rivera is pregnant, simply smiled. She didn’t make any comment; she simply smiled.

Interpreted as “pregnant,” that certain smile set tongues a-wagging. Is Marian really pregnant?

The collective fingers pointed to Dingdong Dantes as the possible “culprit,” if ever, after all isn’t he now romantically linked to Marian, despite his vehement denial (saying only that “I’m comfortable with her”), after he broke up with Karylle (who had to go on a retreat and undergo counselling to deal with it)?

Whoever thought of that question should be made to kneel on monggo in a corner, arms outstretched. You don’t ask an ex-girlfriend that kind of question about the girl generally (even if wrongly) perceived to have “stolen” her boyfriend, do you? It’s foul for any girl to be asked such a delicate question about another girl, isn’t it?

At yesterday’s presscon for Desperadas 2, Regal Films’ entry in the 2008 Metro Filmfest, Marian (who came several minutes late, with right foot still bandaged) flashed a smile when confronted with that actually non-issue. “No, I’m not pregnant!” She should have stopped there but she did not, what with movie writers all ears and TV cameras focused on her. She added, “With all the blessings I am getting, I won’t commit that mistake,” or words to that effect, adding, “And maybe five years from now if I do get pregnant, I will tell you about it; I will not just smile.”

A movie writer (was it you, Ernie P.?), seated in a nearby table, called Marian “tupperware” (as in “plastic”) because he recalled Marian having once dismissed him with a grumpy “Istorbo!” after he asked her to autograph her poster.

Seizing the moment, Marian broke into tears. Between sobs, she admitted having been offended by Karylle’s “smile” because, according to Marian, Karylle seemed to have “insinuated” something.

In fairness to Karylle, she didn’t say anything bad about or against either Marian or Dingdong while answering the first nine questions, until she was caught unaware by Question 10.

Here’s what Karylle has to say:

“If there were any misinterpretations of my smile, I clarified it (yesterday) morning when I guested on Boy & Kris. Tito Boy (Abunda) even apologized for asking me (that question). Tita Kris said kasi that it was politically incorrect for him to ask me. I just explained that no matter what I would answer or however my face would react, it would mean something.

“Parang I was in a no-win situation. If I didn’t smile, people would say I was bitter. I was actually trying to figure out what to answer and how to phrase it properly. And then, si Tito Boy suddenly said ‘Thank you!’ and ended the interview.”

I disagree with Ernie P.’s observation that what Marian shed yesterday were crocodile tears or, according to another movie writer’s analysis, “tears from a guilty conscience,” obviously referring to persistent rumors that she and Dingdong have actually been carrying on an “affair” several months before Dingdong broke up with Karylle.

When she guested in NUTS Entertainment a few months ago, Marian was asked in the “whispering” segment of the show if she loves Dingdong and she reportedly whispered back, “Matagal na!”

Incidentally, if you happen to catch a clip of Dingdong and Marian in the YouTube exchanging a piece of chocolate mouth to mouth, don’t jump to any conclusion. That was taken (out of context) from Marian and Dingdong’s recent show (Let’s Celebrate!) at the Shrine Auditorium in L.A. I should know; I was there.

In one portion of the show, a man and a woman were called to the stage to play a game in which Marian and Dingdong were asked questions and told to write their answers on their respective boards. When their answers jibed, the man and the woman were “punished” by letting him or her feed each other a piece of Kissses Chocolate using only their mouths. At one point, Marian and Dingdong’s answers didn’t match, so Dingdong and Marian were “punished” accordingly.

I take my hat off to Marian who performed to the audience’s delight even if her right leg was in a cast, that’s why she had to be on a wheelchair entering the stage. But she did stand up and dance in place. The audience had a good laugh when, during Marian’s duet with Dingdong, he appeared onstage also on a wheelchair.

I told Dingdong that there seemed to be “something” between him and Marian on that Shrine stage and he simply said, with a smile, “I’m just comfortable with her.”

“It” usually starts with being “comfortable with each other,” doesn’t it?

Related News :

Marian Rivera Pregnant ???

Marian Rivera slams Karylle

Beautiful Japanese Christmas song

Beautiful Japanese Christmas song Itsuka no Merry Christmas

Itsuka no Merry Christmas is a song written by one of Japan’s most popular Jpop and rock bands B’z,. The beautiful sad Christmas song is from their 1992 EP Friends. In the clips below Japanese artists such as Gackt (singing with Namie Amuro and again with Ayumi Hamaski) and Dir En Gray have covered this popular song which was never released as a single. Sing this song to your Japanese girlfriend during karaoke and she will cry!

B’z is comprised of Tak Matsumoto , and Koshi Inaba and together they have released 41 consecutive #1 singles, 23 #1 albums, and sold more than 77 million records in Japan alone since their start in 1998.

Ayumi Hamasaki

Ayumi hamasaki and gackt

Here are the English lyrics to the song

English title:A Long Ago Merry Christmas

The lights of December begin to light up slowly
Anyone would fall in love with the busily dancing city

I ran, and just as the stores were closing, I bought the chair that you wanted
Carrying the package on the train by myself, I was happy

I thought that we would always be together, hand in hand
With everything glittering, I chased my dreams recklessly
Thinking the day would come that we shared all our happiness and sadness
We smiled at each other, on that faded, long ago merry Christmas

Singing while hurrying along the railroad tracks to your house
I opened the door, and you were busy making dinner

When I proudly showed you your present, you were so happy
Seeing your smile, I held you honestly again

I thought that we would always be together, hand in hand
With everything glittering, I chased my dreams recklessly
For the first time I was afraid that you would leave me
I realized what it was to love someone, on that long ago merry Christmas

While looking at the candle light coloring the room, I said we wouldn’t part
After that, without knowing why, I suddenly cried

I thought that we would always be together, hand in hand
With everything glittering, I chased my dreams recklessly
For the first time I was afraid that you would leave me
I realized what it was to love someone, on that long ago merry Christmas

Standing here, someone hurriedly passes by me
Carrying a package, with a happy face

Honda - ASIMO technology

Honda walking assist machine uses ASIMO technology

Last month, Honda Motor which makes the ASIMO two legged walking robot, unveiled a new computerized walking assist machine designed to make it easier for the elderly to climb stairs and help factory workers.

The 6.5 kilogram computerized leg device consists of a saddle, leg-like frames and shoes. It can reduce the load on users’ legs while walking or climbing and descending stairs by supporting body weight, Honda said.

Though the motor-powered machine is still at an experimental stage it can be used by elderly people and people undergoing rehabilitation who need support for their leg muscles and joints. For assembly workers it can help them to keep a crouching position. Similar to a unicycle, users ride on the seat sustained by frames that can bend and extend like knees with two motors controlled by signals from sensors inside the shoes.

The Honda walking machine used ASIMO’s technology in its development. Honda has yet to decide on further details such as when the latest device will go on sale and at what price, but the company sees a market for it in Japan, which has an aging population.

Marian Rivera slams Karylle

Marian Rivera Pregnant by Dingdong Dantes?

Is Marian Rivera pregnant? Is Dingdong Dantes the father of her rumored pregnancy?

Yesterday, in the Tough Ten segment of the Buzz where Karylle was in the hot seat, the final question of Boy Abunda was, 'is Karylle aware that Marian Rivera is pregnant c/o Dingdong Dantes?' To which Karylle's answer was just a clear silence. Knowing Karylle, she can easily say that she's not in the know-how of any rumor but to be silent must mean something.

Whatever the real story is, we'll just have to wait for the story to unfold. As the saying goes, Abangan ang susunod na Kabanata of Marian Rivera.



Marian Rivera slams Karylle

Marian Rivera denies being pregnant and slammed Karylle for the pregnancy talk. Or the non-answer by Karylle about the question of whether she thinks Marian Rivera is pregnant. Marian Rivera tearfully slammed Karylle saying that Karylle is using her to bolster Karylle’s popularity at her reputation’s expense. At the presscon of Desperadas 2 today, Marian Rivera at first playfully replied when asked if she is pregnant. “Puwede bang smile na lang din ang isagot ko?” she said.

Then Marian Rivera flatly denied the buzz that is causing a commotion in the four corners of Philippine Showbiz, “Hindi po ako buntis.”

“Na-hurt ako sa kanya dahil kung ako ang tatanungin ng ganoong katanungan, ang isasagot ko, ‘Wala po akong alam diyan’ o ‘Wala po ako sa posisyon na sumagot diyan.’ Nagkaroon ng malisya ang pag smile-smile niya. Inaamin ko, na-hurt ako.”

“Na-offend talaga ako,” sabi niya. “Hindi naman ako tanga at lalong hindi na ako bata para magkamali ng ganoon na magpabuntis. Marami pa akong gustong mangyari sa career ko at kung mangyayari man yun, ako na ang magsasabi sa inyo. Isa pa, kung mag-boyfriend kami ni Dingdong, ako ang unang aamin dahil lahat naman ng naging boyfriend ko, naging proud ako.”

“Makakasagot naman siya (Karylle) dahil may alam naman siya. Sana hindi niya na lang idinaan sa pa-smile-smile.”

Then the press went over the top when a veteran reporter commented that maybe Karylle thinks that way because she has basis that Marian and Dingdong are already doing the deed. The presscon suddenly was cut short. The veteran reporter allegedly has an axe to grind against Marian when a friend of the reporter, a UP Professor, was snubbed by Marian when the professor tried to seek her autograph.

Nicholas Tse and Nick Cheung Celebrate Film Success

Director Dante Lam's thriller The Beast Stalker has seen some great success at the box office, taking nearly HK$7 million in its first two weeks. A celebratory party was held yesterday, attended by some of the movie's stars including Nicholas Tse, Nick Cheung, Liu Kai Chi and child stars Wong Sum Yin and Wong Suet Yin. EEG boss Albert Yeung also dropped by to pass on his congratulations.

Nicholas was very pleased with the film's success, but felt that there was still not enough promotional activity. His father Patrick Tse had made a special visit to the premiere and asked what his father thought of the film, Nicholas replied that after watching it, his father had shaken his hand and give him a nod. Patrick had also praised the cinematography of the film. Asked if his wife Cecilia Cheung has watched the film, Nicholas explained that she has been ill after he passed on his flu to her and baby Lucas, so she has not watched the film yet.

Nick pledged that if the box office takings go one dollar over HK$8 million, then he and Nicholas will share a kiss on the lips with each other. He laughed that if the totals top HK$10 million, then he will run around in the streets naked and then do a 400m relay with Nicholas. He continued to joke that he was not worried about breaking the law as long as they passed the right "baton".

When asked what he thought about Nick's suggestion, Nicholas laughed that if they charged for this naked run, then the takings for that alone would probably break HK$10 million. As for whether or not he would kiss Nick, he smiled that he would have to seek his wife's permission first.

Nicholas Tse Promotes 'Beast Stalker'

Nicholas Tse, Zhang Jingchu, Liu Kai Chi and Nick Cheung joined director Dante Lam today at the Tai Po Mega Mall to promote their new film The Beast Stalker today.

Nicholas revealed that he was quite nervous about the release of such a high profile movie. Asked if he will be bringing his wife Cecilia Cheung to the premiere screening tomorrow, he said that he would not. As for whether he will take her to see it another time, he replied that he has not thought about it yet. Nicholas said that he was confident about the film doing well, but when asked if he felt this will win him some awards, he replied that it was still too early to tell. He said he was particularly encouraged to hear that the film's takings in China beat Quantum of Solace at one point.

Nick said that he will be taking his wife Esther Kwan to the premiere because he was proud of the film and wanted this to be the first movie that he invited her to support him at. He added that his good friend Bobby Au Yeung will also be there.

Zhang revealed that her father died from cancer just before filming for this movie, so the start of filming was delayed for her to spend his final days with him. She said that as a result this mounted up the pressure and so this film bears special importance to her.

Eunis Yao Crowned Miss Asia 2008

The grand finale to the Miss Asia Pageant 2008 took place yesterday evening at the ATV studio complex in Taipo. This year's competition was not judged by a panel and instead, the winners were selected by the audience, who cast their votes via the telephone lines and the internet.

Hot favourite Number 1 Eunis Yao lived up to expectations to take both the Miss Asia winner title and the award for Perfect Figure. First runner-up position went to Number 3 Belinda Yan, who also took the Miss Photogenic award and third place went to Taiwan's Number 9 Lene Lai.

Eunis a 23-year old masters student and is a veteran on the beauty pageant scene, having previous won awards in the Miss Chinese Cosmos Pageant in 2004 and winning the South China heat of the 2006 Miss Asia pageant.

The show opened with the announcement of the three contestants who had won a second chance to perform in the final after another round of audience votes. The three lucky ladies were Number 4 Melody Yao, Number 5 Tanya Manifold and Number 18 Iris Chen. However, the ladies still left the competition empty handed.

Many former winners of the Miss Asia title attended the pageant this year to show their support for their juniors and Alice Chan provided the mid-show entertainment. Jaclyn Chu, Coffee Lu and last year's winner Grace Cheung also gave a musical performance.

HK girl wins 1st 'Miss Asia by Public Vote'

Hong Kong beauty Eunis Yao was crowned Miss Asia 2008 on Sunday at the finals of the annual pageant that saw public voting accepted for the first time.

Yao, 23, claimed 137,610 votes in a global poll, the website of the contest announced. She was also named the Perfect Figure.

Twenty-two year old Belinda Yan, who is also from Hong Kong, received 129,416 votes to be named the second runner-up and Miss Photogenic. Taiwan's 19-year-old Lene Lai was awarded the third place with 60,542 votes.

The top three were selected by fans worldwide who voted for their favourite by either sending text messages or voting via the event's website.

Previously, winners were decided by a panel of judges.

This year's contest also attracted candidates from the Chinese mainland, as well as Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Turkmenistan.

The Miss Asia pageant was launched by Asia Television Limited, a Hong Kong-based broadcaster, in 1985. Previous champions include Kristy Yang (in 1995), who went on to become a popular actress, and Nina Li (in 1986), wife of action star Jet Li.

Miss Asia 2008 - First Round Complete !!!

Miss Asia 2008

The first round of the Miss Asia 2008 Pageant finals was held this evening at the ATV studios in Taipo. Of the 19 finalists, five were selected to enter the grand finale on Sunday and a further eight were put back to the audience vote in the Resurrection round, where the top three will also join the final show. The remaining six contestants were eliminated and left the contest.

The top five contestants who are safely through to the next round are Number 1 Eunis Yao , Number 3 Belinda Yan and Number 6 Bonnie Yuen, all from Hong Kong; Number 9 Lene Lai from Taiwan and Number 16 Cindy Zhao, who hails from Hubei Province in China. Eunis caught the attention of the audience when she raised a few laughs during the interview round by mispronouncing the Cantonese word for "handkerchief" (mo gan jai) as "mushroom" (mo goo jai).

Despite being dubbed as the mainland's votes grabber, Number 19 Ada Wang from Yunnan Province in China was ousted by her peers in a cruel contestant vote ahead of the evening's competition. The other contestants who go no further included Number 11 Clarissa Lin from Singapore, Number 12 Pannapa Prabpai from Thailand and Number 13 Danae Shen, Number 14 Liza Wang and Number 20 Bonnie Li, all from Mainland China. Bonnie also gathered the lowest number of votes from the internet and telephone lines, with only 8125 votes.

Among the eight ladies awaiting the outcome of the next vote is Number 4 Melody Yao, half-sister of Vaness Wu, who avoided the cut despite displaying a much fuller figure than the rest of the contestants when she posed in her animal print swimsuit.

There was some controversy ahead of the show, when comedian Jim Chim, who was originally lined up to appear on the show, pulled out at the last minute. He had taken offence to some remarks made in jest by ATV Deputy-CEO Mr Yip Ka Po about Jim's "revealing" performance during an earlier promotional event. Jim had issued a statement explaining his withdrawal following the "lewd and idiotic" remarks from Mr Yip, demanding an apology from the executive and reserving the right to legal action.

Mr Yip commented that Jim's performance was not crucial to the show, so his absence did not prove a great hindrance. He also emphasised that he was not capitalising on the incident with Jim to create further publicity for the pageant.