Djokovic on His 12th ATP Title at Dubai

Many people were harsh to him every time he retires in the middle of a match and immediately label him as the "quitter." But screw these talks, Novak Djokovic was in his top success this time as he outplayed the Frenchman, Giles Simon, in three sets (3-6, 7-5, 7-5) before sealing a thrilling final win over David Ferrer (7-5 6-3) on Saturday night at Dubai Championship.

The Story Behind Djokovic-Ferrer Final Match
(Source: Barclays Dubai Tennis Championship)

It was the Serb who earned the first break to lead 4-2, but he was immediately broken back when he netted a backhand after a long rally. Djokovic then broke again to lead 5-3 and serve out the set, but instead he allowed fourth seeded Ferrer to win the next eight points to level at 5-5. In a strange reversal, Djokovic then won eight of the next nine points to seal the set. Djokovic again earned the advantage in the second set by breaking to lead 2-0, but he once more almost let his advantage slip away. Ferrer was able to break back in the seventh game, but he then double-faulted to drop his serve and leave Djokovic once again leading 5-3. In a dramatic conclusion to the tournament, Djokovic then had to fight off a break point and a bad line call, calling upon Hawkeye to confirm he had hit an ace on match point.

Just an observation
This is the first tournament win of Nole in 2009 and his 12th ATP title. Like what happen in Shanghai Master Cup last year, Nadal and Federer chose not to participate due to ligament and back injury, respectively. Other seeded players in Top 10 were also absent like Andy Roddick, Fernando Verdasco, Juan Martin Del Potro and Jo-Wilfredo Tsonga and for this, I wonder why Djokovic frequently performs well in court when there's no other seeded players behind.....



Nevermind, the most important thing is he continues to win although there are several thrash talks about him. To me, this is what a real athlete is, not always trying to please others. Congrats Novak, and thanks for avenging for your childhood friend's (Ana Ivanovic) loss in QF two weeks ago.
Novak Djokovic Interview

Photo courtesy of:
http://tennis-atp.blogspot.com/

Survivor Insights 19: What Gone Wrong With Timbira?

What was once perceived as an “undefeatable” tribe during the premiere is now a crack. Watching Jalapao outplayed Timbira in back-to-back challenges made me realize there’s like an iceberg in Timbira camp that separates them with each other— and one probable reason for this crack is Ben “The Coach” Wade.

Continue Reading...

Photo courtesy of:
Wikipedia

Djokovic and Simon in the Last 4

Expect the unexpected... this is how I'm going to describe the events at Barclays Dubai Tennis Championship.

First up.... The good news! Top-seed Novak Djokovic took an awesome run to stop Mario Cilic from entering the semi round. The Serb outlasted the Croatian (6-3, 6-4) and was scheduled to face the third seed, Gilles Simon--- who also successful in sweeping his compatriot, Fabrice Santoro (7-6, 6-1).




Who I want to win? Djokovic was the 2008 Australian Open Champion and no matter what pressing-down issues thrown to him, this Serb is still on the go to play high-quality tennis. He's younger than Simon but his 194 - 72 win-loss record may reveal he's into another huge triumph. If Djokovic lose, that's okay, he can still defend his Indian Wells title next month.

But I have also sad news... I really thought Andy Murray was in his best form to grab another possible final match with the number three world seed but unexpectedly, he failed to face Richard Gasquet due to viral illness.

Photos courtesy of:
http://tennis-atp.blogspot.com/

Murray, Djokovic and Simon in QF at Dubai

The three top seed players at Barclays in Dubai made some great actions and sailed through the quarterfinals. First off is Novak Djokovic. This 21-year-old Serb smash his way to QF by ending a two-hour and seven-minute second round match against the Czech Jan Hernych, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. I read several reports online and found out that Nole was inconsistent during the entire game and in his interview, the 2008 Australian Open Champion admitted his mistakes and revealed that his defensive game was off the hook.



"A break of serve for 5-3 gave Djokovic the first set and a break for 4-2 gave Hernych the second. Hernych then broke to lead 2-1 in the third, but Djokovic pulled back to 2-2 and as the match reached an uncertain climax the Serb broke at 5-4 with a winning forehand." Barclays Dubai Tennis Championship

Tonight, he was scheduled to face the Croat Marin Cilic. Good Luck Nole!!!!

Andy Murray of UK and the second seed at Dubai made no complicated mistakes in maiming Arnaud Clement (France) 6-2 6-3. Reports reveal that he striked a nice forehand for his winning and final point. But the dilemma is not yet end for this 2009 Rotterdam Champion as he will face Richard Gasquet in QF tonight right after Djokovic-Cilic. UK vs France, interesting fight eh?



The third seed at Dubai also made it to the QF. Gilles Simon took an easy route to defeat Russian's Teimuraz Gabashvili, 6-1 6-2. In his interview, he revealed that the Russian made several errors that's why, he had great chances of winning and sealed a victory after 53 minutes. He'll face Fabrice Santoro next.


Who will win tonight? Anything can happen. Tennis is an unpredictable game. Perhaps, it will be a 70-30 for Murray and 50-50 win for Djokovic and Simon.

Photos courtesy of:
www.barclaysdubaitennischampionships.com
www.foxsports.com.au
www.mahjoob.com

Survivor Insights 18: 3-2 Win for Jalapao

The water-basketball immunity/reward challenge was again like a grand slam finale between Nadal and Federer. Timbira was in an impressive lead 2-0 but Jalapao went ahead to equal the scoreboard, 2-2. Sierra continued to display a no-joke competitiveness but came short when Stephen armed her down and shoot the ball for Jalapao’s victory 3-2.

Continue Reading...

Photo courtesy of:
Wikipedia

Can't Survive To Serena

She did whatever she can but she couldn't pull it... and yeah, Ana Ivanovic was again maimed by the World Seed Number 1, Serena Williams, during their Quarterfinal clash on Thursday night at Dubai. But it's OK, the final score wasn't disappointing (6-4, 6-4) and it was already a a nice leap compared to the last time they played in Flushing Meadows.

In fact, Ana Ivanovic was in 4-1 lead in the second set but Serena Williams fought impressively to stop a third set encounter. This was already a rewarding achievement for the 21-year-old Serb and for this, she received great remarks from the Australian Open 2009 Champion,



"I thought she hit really, really hard and that was her whole game, to go for broke. I like it when people come to the net against me, and when I play her next I’ll know what to expect a bit more. I was feeling a little tired and the next thing I knew I was down 0-3 and I thought I’d just have to pull it together."

The world is praying for Ana Ivanovic's magical overall form who can control her mental pressure when she again faces Serena on March 2 at BNP Paribas Showdown, an exhibition in Madison Garden that also features Venus Williams and Jelena Jankovic.



Photos courtesy of:
http://tenniswta.blogspot.com

Ectomorphs Secret Revealed: 6 Keys To Gain 41 Pounds of Muscle In 6 Months

Got this from Vince DelMonte Fitness Blog and he enumerated his key strategies after realizing he needed to begin a career in personal training.



1. I ate EVERY 3 hours for six times a day. I ate breakfast, lunch and dinner and added three homemade meal replacement drinks for the other three meals (one was planned immediately after my workout).

Breakfast
--- consisted of 3-4 whole eggs with 6 egg whites. A few cups of veggies and 2-4 slices of toast with natural peanut butter.

Lunch
--- consisted of two tuna sandwiches on whole wheat bread and a few cups of whole milk. I usually skipped out on veggies this meal because I couldn’t get into eating veggies.

Dinner
--- consisted of some sort of meat my mom would cook, i.e. chicken, beef, salmon, fish etc., combined with rice, pasta or potatoes, and always vegetables (because she cooked them for me).

My shakes
--- consisted of 30-60 grams of protein powder, 1-2 cups of frozen berries, natural peanut butter and sometimes I would put oatmeal and/or ice cream, which was easily 1,000 calories!

2. I recorded every workout in detail. I recorded the reps, sets, rest, exercises, order, how I felt and any extra comments so I always knew what to strive for during the next workout. I made constant progress for six months straight. Approaching a workout, I would know how much weight or reps I needed to increase to beat my previous workout.

3. I focused on making the last set of every exercise an ALL-OUT SET. Just like our track days, the last interval was always the hardest. We would always collapse after the last interval. I applied the same intensity to the last set of EVERY exercise.

4. I focused on full-body workouts because they recruit more motor units and muscle groups than split training. Full-body workouts elicit greater increase in testosterone and GH than split routines too. By training each body part more often, you yield a greater anabolic effect, and since a body part is usually recovered within 48 hours not training that muscle again within 48 hours is wasted time off. Protein synthesis is increased for up to 48 hours after a muscle is trained and then begins to drop back to normal.

5. I focused on compound exercises that positioned me to lift the heaviest weights possible and maximize the most muscle in the shortest period of time. The list for this is short - bench presses, bent over rows, overhead presses, deadlifts, squats, dips, chin ups and hanging leg raises.

6. I switched reps and sets almost every workout to stimulate slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers and to gain knowledge of what rep and set ranges created the most hypertrophy. I had a variety of rep and set schemes that varied from 3 x 15, 4 x 10, 5 x 5, 2 x 25, 4 x 12, 6 x 6, 10 x 3, 8 x 8 and guess what? They all worked.

Photo courtesy of:
www.vincedelmontefitness.com

Good News and A Shade of Bad News For the Serbs

Once again, the winning victory for Serbs... but a lonely heart for one...

Ana Ivanovic was in her great form as she pinned down Camile Pin of France 6-2, 7-6 in 1 hour and 28 minutes third round clash and got her ticket to Barclays Quarterfinals where she'll face the Australian Open 2009 Champion, Serena Williams.



That's the problem now. Serena Williams was no doubt an awesome power player in court. She could run like a cheetah and approach the net effortlessly. Even her elder sister, Venus, had some difficult moments with her. Geez, is there any way Ana Ivanovic can outlast her?

For the record, Ivanovic met Williams only once in 2006 Flushing Meadows third round where the US crushed the Serbian 6-2, 6-4. Geez, this 2008 Roland Garros Champion really needs a miracle tonight.



On the other hand, Novak Djokovic was reported to be sick again.

"He had a food poisoning before the start of the tournament in Marseilles! Nole probably eat something in the restaurant in this French city, which caused him a strong pain in stomach and he had to miss practice before the start of tournaments." (Great Tennis Photos)



But Djokovic chose to survive this time, winning in straight sets against Jeremy Chardy 7-6, 6-4 (his French opponent in Australian Open 2009 second round) at Open 13 first round in Marseille. Reports reveal Djokovic fired 11 aces and had a mini-break point in the first set to have a 4-1 lead.

Good to hear those news from Novak. It seems unfair to judge and immediately label him in negative ways after his unexpected QF retirement in Aussie Open. Novak is still the seed number three in the world and whatever these people say, he's not a perfect tennis player who needs to please his fans all the time. Those who support him will remain loyal to him, those who don't like him, close your mouth.

Jelena Jankovic on the fall!

Considering it as her worst match of her career, Jankovic was upset in the third round at Dubai. An Estonian 24th seed, Kaia Kanepi maimed the Serb in 1 hour and 25 minutes of play, 6-2 7-5.



Seems like Jankovic is not in her best physical form right now and needs to work hard to reach the WTA top spot again. No problem, she'll be back with a better drive to win tournaments.

Before ending this post another great news for these three great Serbs.



Photos courtesy of:
http://tenniswta.blogspot.com
www.news.com.au/

Health Benefits of Playing Tennis

I wish I can walk and play tennis like what Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco do. Like me, these are two of the great left-handed names in the ATP Top 10 rankings (02162009). But sad to think, as a handicap--- my last resort would be wheelchair tennis.

But nevermind, I am probably in fantasy island again. Twenty-four is too old for tennis, hehehe and here's a good news for everybody--- I was busy digging for latest bites in Digg.com a while ago and I found out this cool website that talks about the health benefits of playing tennis. the website is: Tennis MD Geez, there's no need to doubt why those seeded players look awesome in courts.

Let me now lay the facts... do you know that...

"Researchers conclusively decided that individuals who play tennis have significant health benefits including improved bone health, and a lower risk of developing heart disease."

"The amount of tennis to be played depends on various factors, including age and other related health information. However, Ralph Paffenbarger, a physician who studied 10,000 people for 20 years, states that people playing tennis for 3 hours per week, cut their risk of death from any cause, in half."

Aerobic fitness

While playing, fat is being burned and higher energy levels are maintained.

Speed

Sprinting side to side, back and up, chasing the ball during play and practice develops strong leg muscles producing increased speed.

Agility

Scoring a typical point in tennis can have a player changing direction as many as 5 times in 10 seconds.

Help manage adversity

Players have to adjust their play depending on where the sun is, and how hard the wind is blowing, and at the same time still play with tenacity.

Learn to solve problems

Tennis is based on geometry and physics.

Helps accommodate stress effectively

Playing tennis, because of the physical and mental strain, forces players to develop an increased capacity when dealing with stress.

Photo courtesy of:
specials.starbulletin.com

Rewinding Time: Ana Ivanovic / Martina Hingis Clash in Montreal Cup 2006

I was reading Martina Hingis bio (she's the Swiss player who sat at the top of WTA rankings for 209 weeks) in Wikipedia and I was in bliss when I found out that Ana Ivanovic, the Roland Garros 2008 Champion who is now at eight in WTA current rankings, outlasted her in Montreal Cup last August 2006.

I immediately browse to YouTube for some videos of this Ivanovic/Hingis historic match and thank God, I've found one. I also browse an article about this clash in Rediff Sports.

Here it is!



Serbia's Ana Ivanovic trounced former world number one Martina Hingis 6-2, 6-3 in the rain-delayed Montreal Cup final on Monday to capture her first Tier 1 title. The 13th-seeded Ivanovic set the tone by breaking Hingis's serve in the first game and never looked back. She also broke the Swiss in the fifth game before wrapping up the set.

In the second set, Ivanovic recorded a key break in the seventh game and closed out the match in 58 minutes when Hingis dropped her serve again in the final game.



"From the first game I let her know I was going to be aggressive," Ivanovic said. "It was important to stay calm and just play some good tennis. I just knew what I had to do to beat her, I just had to play my game. I just want to try and keep the same level now and see how far I can go."

Photos courtesy of:
www.theflowerpot.com
www.cbc.ca

At Last, Ivanovic Outplays Kleybanova

After her two straight triumphs at Fed Cup First Round last week, seems like there is still a magical power left inside Ana Ivanovic's system as she outplayed the Russian seed number 27, Alisa Kleybanova in the second round of Barclays Dubai Tennis Championship (7-5, 6-4).

"It was far from an easy match for the eighth seeded Serb, who recently lost to the Russian at the Australian Open. Ivanovic sped to a 4-1 lead, only for her opponent to level at 4-4, but Ivanovic broke in the final game of the set at love. In the second set, she held off three break points before eventually breaking at 5-4 for victory." (barclaysdubaitennischampionships.com)

Yet, "Kleybanova could not cope with Ana's power, nor could she find consistency in her own game. Ana took risks and made mistakes, but they were positive mistakes in that she was showing plenty of her trademark aggression, and making calculated risks... Ana's new coach Craig Kardon, meanwhile, looked satisfied on the sidelines during his first match since beginning work with the 21-year-old." (anaivanovic.com)


©Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships--- A series of photographs, featuring Ana Ivanovic during one point of her match against Alisa Kleybanova on Monday.

"The second set was an even tighter, with both players holding serves through to 4-4, at which stage Ivanovic had to save a break point which might have opened the door for Kleybanova to take the match to a decider. Instead she got to 5-4. Kleybanova saved one match point superbly but on the second she succumbed to Ivanovic's tenacious containing, angling a makable backhand volley into the net." (tenniswta.blogspot.com)

This 2008 Roland Garros Champion will be scheduled to face Urszula Radwanska or Camille Pin in Wednesday's third round. Hope for the best for Ivanovic and good luck with your serves and net approaches.

Photos courtesy of:
http://tenniswta.blogspot.com
barclaysdubaitennischampionships.com

Ten Things You Don't Know About Me

Got this tag from my officemate, JEAN and I found it interesting. But wait... I seem to have an old-age syndrome right now, hehe and I find it hard to remember those things in my past that people still don't know about me. Don't worry, try my best to think, think and think....

Here it goes and these things are in random----

1) Back when when I was still a baby, my mom and dad considered to name me "Charlie" due to the fact that my two elder sisters, Cheryl and Jaclyn, got their names from the popular classic TV series Charlie's Angels. Hard to imagine if I wrote "Charlie G. Martin" at the top left portion of my intermediate pad paper in elementary. Thanks to Dean Martin and I was formally baptized as Dean Ryan (don't really know where Ryan came from), remember him? The great classic actor.

2) Before I became an addict to what I love right now, I seem to hate these things in the past. I don't watch Survivor because it seems corny and has lots of creepy elements such as snakes. I hate R&B because the beat annoys me, hehehe... I was really an idiot that time and lastly, I don't like to read Harry Potter because I thought those books were works of evil.

3) The first pocketbook I've read was when in sixth grade. It is entitled "The Mystery in the Forest" by Eric Wilson.

4) I was a right-handed when I was still a kid but I really don't know why I am dominantly using my left hand now. I started using my left-hand after I recovered from a disease doctors refer to as "viral encephalitis." I was still five years old then and if you do the math, I am a left-handed for 19 years. No worries, the top seed in ATP Tennis World as of I'm writing this content is also a left-handed, none other than Rafael Nadal.

5) I failed my Algebra in high school. I rather write a novel about everything under the sun with sleepless nights than solving numbers with a, b, c... x, y, z as their variables. In life, I only need to add, subtract, multiply and divide and I have a calculator to do those things for me.

6) Back in sixth grade, I wanted to be an architect. Yet, when I found out that architecture was filled with mathematical analysis, I had second thoughts. In third year, I decided to pursue journalism but my family and relatives said "No." That's why, I had to take another route and just by reading a mystery novel written by Dean Koontz, I get attached with psychology.

7) One of the idiot things I regret about: Falling in love with a girl and her elder sister was my big crush during high school (until now I think, hehehe, just joking!!!!) and she knew it. Also, my best friend had a crush on the girl. That was a crazy love triangle affair so better move on! Thinking of Ana Ivanovic is better, haha.

8) Until now, I still wish that I have a twin brother. But I'm aware that it can never happen anymore, my biological mom had a new address now and that is: Heaven.

9) I once thought of killing myself. The reason behind: Family problems, handicap issues, paranoia, depression, lack of self-awareness.... screwed high-school kid I was, eh?

Lastly,

10) I have a hard time thinking about this. This might be the biggest revelation of all------------------------ I don't eat coconuts: coconut juice and coconut "buko" salad to be exact. I eat those manufactured coconut products like Nata de coco and coconut candy but eating it fresh, I need some big amount of money before doing it.

L O L

Surviving Internet Addiction

Source: Mental Help

The writings below are originally taken from the article written by Julia Bursten & Mark Dombeck, Ph.D. and whoa, basing on the signs and symptoms, I seem to be a candidate for Internet Addiction :(

Internet addiction is not recognized as a formal mental health disorder. However, mental health professionals who have written about the subject note symptoms or behaviors that, when present in sufficient numbers, may indicate problematic use.

Symptoms of Internet Addiction:

Preoccupation with the Internet --- User often thinks about the Internet while he or she is offline.

Loss of control --- Addicted users feel unable or unwilling to get up from the computer and walk away. They sit down to check e-mail or look up a bit of information, and end up staying online for hours.

Inexplicable sadness or moodiness when not online

Distraction (Using the Internet as an anti-depressant) --- One common symptom of many Internet addicts is the compulsion to cheer one's self up by surfing the Web.

Dishonesty in regard to Internet use --- Addicts may end up lying to employers or family members about the amount of time they spend online, or find other ways to conceal the depth of their involvement with the Internet.

Loss of boundaries or inhibitions --- While this often pertains to romantic or sexual boundaries, such as sharing sexual fantasies online or participating in cyber sex, inhibitions can also be financial or social. Online gambling sites can cause addicts to blow more money than they would in a real-life casino because users never actually see their money won or lost, so it is easier to believe the money is not real. Chat rooms can incite users to reveal secrets they would not reveal in face-to-face or phone conversations because of the same separation from reality. Also, addicted users are much more likely to commit crimes while online (e.g., 'hacking') than non-addicts.

Creation of virtual intimate relationships with other Internet users --- Web-based relationships often cause those involved to spend excessive amounts of time online, attempting to make connections and date around the Net.

Loss of a significant relationship due to Internet use

Treatment for Internet Addiction

1) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and the focus is at reducing out of control 'addict' behaviors, and preventing relapse.

2) Motivational Interviewing --- assessing how motivated Internet addict may be to change their behavior and to help addicts to increase their motivation to make a lasting change.

3) Help addicts to identify 'triggers' that lead to episodes of uncontrolled Internet use.

4) Help addicts to set realistic goals for their Internet use.

5) Stick and monitor conformance with those goals.

6) Sharing this conformity data with someone else to encourage honesty and sticking to the plan.

Photo courtesy of: mylovelygadgets.com

Dean Keeps on Dyring, Why?

I watched the replay episode of Supernatural last night, which is entitled "Mystery Spot." What made this episode interesting was Dean Winchester, one of the lead roles in this TV paranormal series, was repeatedly dying on a Tuesday. His younger brother, Sam, was all in frustration as he couldn't understand what's really going on.

I don't watch Supernatural on a regular basis but this episode glued me for some important reasons. Watching this episode made me think. How come someone and a good psychic like Dean Winchester die and be alive again? Look like a twirling puzzle for these two brothers in crime. As the ending approaches, the big reason behind Dean Winchester's mysterious deaths was the time-machine man or what they refer as the Trickster wanted to send an important message to Sam that "Sometimes you've just gotta let people go."

Painful but truthful insight right there, eh? Along this ground what everybody calls life, unexpected twists unfold everyday and no matter what you do, the people you think can grow old with you can die in an instant. That's life, anyway. It's like a puff of a smoke. Sometimes, it's there, sometimes, it's not there.

The final scene of this episode was a cliffhanger. Sam woke up on a Wednesday morning and Dean was alive again.

Sam: I had a weird dream.

Dean: Yeah? Clowns or midgets?

Photo courtesy of:
supernaturalstation.net

Survivor Insights 17: The Bus Driver is Pissed!

Jalapao in red and Timbira in black, these are the names of the tribe and the first moment I saw them in the truck, I knew each one of them had something interesting to say.

Continue Reading

Photo courtesy of:
Wikipedia

The Day Has Came

This is the day the whole world is waiting for, Survivor Tocantins (say it like this: toe-can-cheens) premieres on Qtv today, February 13, 2009 at 3pm for the live telecast and 7:20PM for the primetime telecast.


Jeff Probst confirmed in his interviews that this season will be a lot different from Survivor Gabon and he seems right. In one of the commercial breaks, two castaways will immediately face elimination before the stressful 39 days starts. Geez, that already happened in Season 10 in Palau but let's see, how these events affect the castaways relationships with each other.

Just hoping that my five impression favorites will be safe from the boot and they can be group with smart and friendly people who will not vote them out until the merge comes.

Thanks Qtv for airing Survivor Tocantins, you're the best!

And also,

Happy Valentines Day Everyone! Celebrating this day while watching the new set of castaways in Tocantins might be the sweetest thing in the world.

Photos courtesy of:
Wikipedia.com
CBS.com

Deuce for Ivanovic and Hantuchova

Looks like Ana Ivanovic, now the seed eight, has reached her match point again and she needed to win it over world seed number 39, Daniela Hantuchova.

I don't really know the big highlights in Daniela Hantuchova. All I know is she thrashed the charismatic Serbian in the first set 6-0 during their semi clash in Australian Open 2008 and back in January 2003, Hanchutova reached her career-high singles at 5. And now, she seems to be in a much better shape, gracing the world with her latest photoshoot in Sports Illustrated.



Ana Ivanovic should get equal or else, Daniela Hantuchova will create more grounds worth remembering. Nicer if I can see these two in the Top 10 WTA rankings soon, ideally Ivanovic in number 1 and Hanchutova in 2 :)



Photos courtesy of:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com
FHM

The Old Me's Dead and Gone

Of all the live performances at Grammy's yesterday, T.I and JT's "Dead and Gone" was probably the best and will be remembered always. The performance was first-rate class. JT nailed the chorus with an awesome swirling bang while T.I. pushes the song's hard-driven emotions to the cloud nine.


Studio Version:


First time I listen to its lyrics, it gets inside my nerves. This is the HipHop cut that reveals the bitter pains of humanity but still say in the end--- "No regrets I'm blessed to say the old me dead and gone away."

Chris Brown Arrested For Assaulting Rihanna: True or Not ???

Source: BittenandBound

Chris Brown, 19 year old singer and songwriter, turned himself in to police at 7:15 p.m. last night at the Wilshire division of the Los Angeles Police Department, accompanied by high profile lawyer Mark Geragos and his investigator Scott Ross.



The musician was charged with assaulting and making criminal threats against his girlfriend, R&B singer Rihanna, who’s given name is Robyn Fenty. Brown was released on $50,000 bail. The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office, where additional charges are possible.

Both singers canceled two hours before their scheduled performances at the Grammys. Rihanna had planned to sing Disturbia and Brown was slated to sing Forever. Show producers scrambled for additional performers, securing Justin Timberlake as a last minute replacement.

To read the full version of this news, go to bittenandbound.com

Survivor Insights of the Day

"Listening to someone's story costs less than expensive diagnostic testing but is key to healing and diagnosis."

- Dr. Alicia Conill

"The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what we want most for what we want in the moment."

- Anonymous

Children Raising Children

Why do you think teenage pregnancy is still a huge problem these days?

Most of the time, I wonder why those teenagers and also those early adults do practice sex when they have no jobs to fill their needs and wants in case they are having a baby. Do they still think about the possible results of what they are doing before they do it? Or simply enjoying the spur of the moment without shame and doubt?

According to Erik Erikson, the mind behind psychosocial theory of behavior in psychology, teenagers do belong in a stage of identity formation versus identity confusion. With this, I say that that a teenager's life is complicated, right? Lots of insecurities, lots of social pressures and lots of temptations.

I can't blame some teenagers to practice sex. Having sex is hard to control. It's a human physiological need and without any bias, the level of sexual desires in a teenager's body, whether a male or a female, is perceived to be too high.

Causes of Teenage Pregnancy

I am thinking of several reasons why more and more teenagers are having sex nowadays even if they are not financially stable to support a life with responsibilities.

Perhaps, the number one reason is curiosity.

The imagination of a teenager is too powerful. Their imagination goes somewhere, from east to west, north to south and for this, they are much eager to experiment what they thought is only a pleasurable drive of ecstasy. When the opposite side of it is--- it spells a huge disaster the minute fertilization occurs.

Depression

Several teenagers are lonely to a point that they want the world to stop from spinning. And at times, they think that the only way to recuperate from depression is to have sex. Sex has became their stress-releasing activity without properly thinking that it can only exacerbate the level of their depression.

Adding the fact that after they have sex with someone, emptiness heightens inside them. They still are confused and remain angry with themselves.

For you to know, depression is considered to be a serious matter and needs to be solved right away.

Third, peer pressure.

Teens want to be belong. They form a group and if they accidentally belong to a group that are only after of carnal experimentation, they immediately ride the boat and just be in a situation where one is powerless.

Sexual Promiscuity

It's hard to deny that most teenagers are sexually preoccupied. Lots of sex and sadly, some of them without knowing it they are already suffering from addiction. In cases like this, seeking a professional help is a must. Sex addiction is like drug addiction, it kills you.

Fifth, sixth, seventh, eight ... there are probably thousands of reasons why teenagers raise babies not in the right timing. You simply can't count it in your fingers and the best solution to solve this problem is when these teenagers are properly-informed about sex.

If they are sexually active, never be ashamed to seek help. There are several ways to control addiction that can surely change them into a more respected person they dreamed of. Truth is, wearing a condom during a one-night-stand must be encouraged these days and is miles better than raising a child without a penny to support a life one deserves to have.

Photo courtesy of: news.softpedia.com

RnB Rules Again at Grammy's 2009

Squeezing the latest news in Grammy just now and I found out that Alicia Keys has won the Female R&B Vocal Performance for her song, "Superwoman" and this is her second win in the said category. Last year, Keys brought home the winning bacon for "No One." Other nominated artists in this year's Grammy's Female R&B are Beyonce (Me, Myself and I), Keisha Cole (Heaven Sent), Jennifer Hudson (Spotlight) and Jazmine Sullivan (Need U Bad).

Shaffer Smith, a.k.a NEYO, was also one of the brightest stars of the night as he went home with two awards, the first is Male R&B Vocal Performance for Miss Independent. He bomb down my man, Usher's Here I Stand :( but that's fine, this year was made for Neyo. Usher can come back with a huge leap on his sixth album. Neyo's second win was for Best R&B Song for Miss Independent again. His third studio album, Year of the Gentlemen, was also nominated for Best Contemporary Album, just like his first and second album and unexpectedly "Because Of You" grabbed the winning spot last year but this time around, Mary J. Blige "Growing Pains" took the big spot away from YOTG.

Lil Wayne was tagged as the Best Rap Solo Performer for his headstrong song "A Milli" and also took home the Best Rap Album making T.I. fans frustrated. I expected T.I. to win but Lil Wayne's The Carter III has rough edges here and there but still good and been at the top spot in US Billboard Hot Albums for weeks. Lollipop won as the Best Rap Song too.

All in all, Rhythm and Blues still rules in this Grammy 2009 and that's way HOTTER than I expected!!!

Photos courtesy of:
MTV.com
theboombox.wordpress.com
ondeafears.com

Survivor Insights of the Day: Valentines Date on the 14th

Want to know my special date on Valentines Day next week? Read my Wordpress

Existing in Differences

I've read an eye-opener article in psychology today that makes me realize something deep.

What's the realization? It's basically in a form of question: Why Gender Does Matter to all people?

Until now, there are still thousands of speculations that point out the significant difference of men to women in terms of analytical abilities, logic, mathematical skills, emotions, height, weight, self-esteem, sex and more.




The world seems unfair due to these stereotypes and labeling. These tags we regularly put to each other dissolves the real identity curling inside us. Like what Janet Shibley Hyde, a professor in University W-Madison, said:

"Social psychologists have shown that beliefs often lead to self-fulfilling prophecies. In other words, the more we believe something is true, the more we are likely to act in a way that makes it come true. Men are taught to believe that they aren't good at communicating, that they lack tact, and are not good at interpreting emotions. Women are taught to believe that they aren't cut out for leadership, they're bad at math, and they should stick to certain careers that bring out their "natural" abilities."

For this, why there's still gender differences when men and women can be equal?

Photos courtesy of:
alfin2100.blogspot.com
9eek9oddess.blogspot.com

Australian Open 2009: Remembered

Today might be the finish line for those millions of creative minds behind Australian Open making this event a jumpstart big success of 2009. No matter how the whole world cries because their favorite bets lose, Australian Open 2009 still rocks! With their plexicushion hardcourts in blue, this event was truly the biggest stage in the world. For the record and this data came from their Official website, "official tournament attendance of 603,160 in 2009"

The most memorable match was probably the Verdasco-Nadal semi epic battle for men's singles. Five hours and fourteen minutes of running, volleying, breaking points, mental breakouts and screaming egos was a no joke at all. Verdasco was the underdog in this match, losing only one point to Nadal in 385 points played.

The biggest upset was, of course, Ana Ivanovic. Fearless forecasts in ESPN mostly predict an early exit performance for this 2008 Roland Garros Champion and it might not be a big shock in the world that Ivanovic was sent packing after third round match with Alysa Kleybanova. But you know what, the day Ivanovic was upset by Kleybanova in Hisense Arena on the 23rd of January was one of the highest ever day/night attendance in Grand Slam history. Most probably, Dokic-Wozniacki, where Australian favorite Dokic eventually won the second and third set in Rod Laver created the loudest buzz of all.

The following day, January 24th, was also a jampacked for the Australian Open Organizers. Some memorable headlines transpired on the days were: In-form Azarenka downs Mauresmo, Bondarenko no bother for Jie Zheng, Simon says hello to fourth round, Lucky 13 for Elena and Gonzalez back from the dead.

For the complete interesting figures and statistics about the big success of Australian Open 2009, apart from Serena Williams winning her Tenth Grand Slam and Rafael Nadal on his first hardcourt win, I suggest you to read The Final Word written by Tennis Australia.

After reading the article, you'll surely realize Australian Open is an annual event that's worth saving money for your next trip. But don't forget to bring umbrella and cold beverages, the weather is literally hot!

Photos courtesy of
www.sporttours.com.au
http://cowbell.typepad.com/forty_deuce

Heartbreaking Ending at AO

Rafael Nadal, the world seed number 1 in men's tennis, put a stop sign in Roger Federer's dream to win his 14th Slam Title. He defeated the three-time-AO Champion at Rod Laver Arena (7-5, 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2). During the speech ceremony, Federer couldn't hold back his emotions and just burst out in tears in front of the crowd. Fereder won Australian Open in 2004, lost to Russian's Marat Safin in 2005 semi and came victorious again in 2006 and 2007. Novak Djokovic, the third-seed from Serbia, smoothly mauled him in three straight sets during the semis in 2008.

Watch this video for heartbreak scenes at AO Ceremony:



This is the first hardcourt win for Rafael Nadal and probably, the world will see his winning remarks in Roland Garros in May. If he remains powerful and invincible, he might win the Wimbledon and US Open too. This left-handed dude is getting richer each year and he's only twenty-two, hehe :))


In mens doubles, Mike and Bob Bryan of USA won their third AO title over Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles (2-6, 7-5, 6-0). The power of two especially if twins is always powerful as ever, eh?

Photos courtesy of australianopen.com