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All-Star Smooth Jazz Cruise

I can't wait any longer!!

Next Sunday, the 13th of November, I will be cruising to Jamaica, Cayman and Mexico together with 12 of the most popular smooth jazz musicians of our time. Notable musicians such as Rick Braun, Peter White, Mindi Abair, Joyce Cooling, Brian Culbertson and Marion Meadows are among the list of artists who will be present on this memorable 7-day cruise.

Prior to this, there will be an Al Jarreau concert on the 9th and Boney James follows suit with his own on the 10th. Both sessions will be held in Galveston, Texas and serves as a warmup for what is expected to be a truly jazz extravaganza on board the newest Carnival cruise ship, the Conquest.

For more information about this affair, here is the official website address:
http://www.allstarcruise.com

KEEP ON JAZZING!!!


Houston Astros

Well, our Houston Astros are finally in the World Series after over 40 years of being a member of the Major League Baseball.

As expected, the whole town is buzzling and everyone is excited. Even after they lost their first two games at Chicago, their chances of winning the pennant remain strong as ever. The next 3 games now switch to Houston, beginning tomorrow evening. And if necessary, the final 2 matches will be at Chicago's southside. Tickets are sold out for these coming games, not unless you have the guts to shell out dollars in the 3 or 4 figures from ticket outlets. Expect Minute Maid Park's retractable roof to be shut down as the crowd noise becomes unbearable to the opposition.

If the Astros win the pennant, veteran players like Clemens, Biggio and Bagwell can have their last hurrahs. However, win or lose, the manner by which the team recovered from a dismal 15-30 start will always be remembered by Houstonians and their never-say-die attitude will endear themselves to the fans of this game.

Good luck Astros!

The Fil-Am "spies"

The 2 Filipinos who were nabbed for 'allegedly' being involved in espionage activities here in the United States has made news headlines both here in the States and in the Philippines.

If you are a Filipino, this case is complicated to analyze and it all depends on which side of the fence you are in. If you are pro-Arroyo, these arrests add more depth to the government's contention that their opponents continue to be involved in activities to oust GMA. However, if you are an in the opposition camp, you might think that the US government has something up its sleeve, documents to prove irregularities in the present ruling party that will eventually cause its demise.

One thing for sure, those 2 Filipinos are presently being rigidly interrogated by Federal authorities and in the near future, more heads will roll. Whether it be in the Arroyo camp or on the opposition side, that remains to be seen.

Just like in a teleserye .... abangan ang susunod na kabanata!

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita have surely opened a lot of eyes here in the United States. Katrina swept Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, raising havoc over New Orleans and demolishing gulf areas in both Mississippi and Alabama.  Rita, on the other hand, caused a lot of anguish here in Houston, TX as early predictions showed 150mph winds with heavy rain heading our way. Fortunately, the storm churned eastward at the last minute and it touched land at the border of Texas and Louisiana, east of Houston.

It surely was an unforgettable sight, a population of around 3 million trying to evacuate out of Houston, causing massive traffic snarls on every highway, with some vehicles running out of gas as gas stations were all out of fuel. As for me, I took my chances on not departing and instead rode the storm at home. I was lucky this time as we only experienced light rain and slightly windy conditions.

Most citizens ask this question: why has the good Lord allowed such a disaster? Only God knows. However, I can only add this eye-catcher: isn't it coincidental that New Orleans was punished for being a 'sin' capital, what with their never-ending partying and immorality. Mississippi's gulf coast was also crushed by Katrina . Hmm... these are were the casinos are located.

Houston got spared by Rita as it changed its course and instead hit the border of Texas and Louisiana, causing heavy damages there, particularly in Lake Charles, LA. Hmmm... casinos also...  Are all these early warnings of worse things to come? Las Vegas maybe... only time will tell.