sorry for being inactive, been sick from 3/11 to 8/11. Diarrhea 29 times and vomited all my food on 4/11. Watch this space. I am back. Type using my nokia n79 on opera mini browser hence no fancy photos/graphics.

Happy Diwali (Deepavali)!

I, Jeff Lim, would like to wish all the Hindus happy Diwali (known as Deepavali in Malaysia).  May the festival of lights fill your life with the glow of happiness and the sparkle of Joy.  Safe journey if you are travelling back to hometown.

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry. Jeff Lim's original work!

SONY MALAYSIA: Please Bring DSC-HX9V

DSC-HX9V/B

SONY MALAYSIA. Please Bring in this model and priced BELOW RM1400.

16.2 Mega Pixel H Series 16x Optical Zoom Cyber-shot (Black)

Rating:

4 out of 5

Rating Snapshot (2 reviews)

Read all reviews

|

Write a review

Let yourself go and rejuvenate your passion for photography with the Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V digital camera. Boasting innovative features like Full HD for crystal clear movies, high speed auto focus for dramatically clearer images and Backlight Correction to catch even the smallest details.

• 3D Still Image and 3D Sweep Panorama
• 16x Optical Zoom
• 24mm wide angle Sony G lens
• AVCHD Full HD movie recording
• Background Defocus and high speed auto focus
• Built-in GPS and Compass

Standard Retail Price:
S$ 549.00 * (inclusive of GST) (RM1,318)

DSC-HX9V : H Series : Digital Still Camera : Sony Singapore



I hope Sony Malaysia reads this and bring in this Camera and priced below RM1400. If Singapore can, WE CAN. My Panasonic Lumix TZ7 (12x Optical zoom, 10.1MP) is approaching 2 years next month with 7700 shot counts.  The battery life is getting SHORTER and SHORTER.  As a result, I'm looking forward to upgrade to this Camera.

Thanks for reading...

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri dan Merdeka ke 54...

Saya, Jeff Lim ingin mengucapkan Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri kepada semua Umat Islam, Maaf, zahir dan batin.  Be forgiving and be good, do good...

Saya juga ingin mengucapkan Selamat Ulangtahun Merdeka Ke 54.  Satu Malaysia bukannya sekadar impian, "dari dahululah kita praktis 1 Malaysia".  Saya ingat masa saya di dalam darjah satu hingga dua.  Saya "Colour blind" masa itu.  Saya ada Melayu, Cina, India dan Sikh Kawan. 

Saya, Jeff Lim ingin "sign off" dengan gambar ini:

Off to Vietnam from 14 Aug to 17 Aug NO UPDATE!

I'll be travelling to Vietnam from 14 August 5pm to 17 August Evening, it's a 3 days 3 nights family Trip.  Me, elder sis, younger sis and mum will Meet my Dad there.  Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) to be exact.  Believe it or not, this is the 1st time since April 2007 (Bangkok) I left Malaysia. 

So there will be no posting till 17 August.  I will post my WAJA Vol 2 update and other stuff when I returned  from Vietnam.

Thanks for your viewing and support (followers)... 

Today 13 Aug is my birthday. How I spend the day?

Today's my (Jeff Lim's) 32nd birthday.  How I spent my birthday?


10am 12pm: WORK: Hotel seminar Session 1 at 1 world hotel
12.30pm to 1.45pm: Lunch with my Future Bro-in-law and my best friend, Andrew @ Hainan Coffee House Section 17..
2pm to 3.30pm WORK: Hotel Seminar session 2 at 1 World Hotel.
3.30pm to 6pm: Chilling at home
6pm: Tapau Taai Chau.  Ordered W/o pork they gave Pork.  As a result, my maid don't get to eat.  Also, ordered Domino's Pizza (1 large/2 regular) which took 1 hour to arrive.
7.20pm: Dinner.
7.30pm: Sis and her future hubby, Bryan bought a Cake from Secret Recipe.  "Strawberry-Marshmallow-Cheese Cake.
7.45pm: Cake Cutting.
8.15pm: Meet a friend who wants to tumpang me buy something in Vietnam.
8.30pm: Fetched my Hong Kong Friend, Desmond and his "Girlfriend" at Asia Jaya LRT.  Brought them to "IPOH Nga Choy Chicken Rice Restaurant" at Jalan Gasing.  I just teman them drink and ate 2 Pork balls. The damage: RM51.
9.30pm: Off to ROYAL LAKE CLUB with Desmond and his "Girlfriend".  Listened to live music while watching "Liverpool VS Sunderland" EPL match.  Disappointing 1-1 draw @ Fulltime.
12.20am: Send them back to their Condo.
12.45am: Reached home...
1am: Surprised and happy to see 55 people wished me Happy Birthday in my Facebook page.  Thanks guys/gals!

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY...

Happy Valentine's day to all subscribers and visitors to this OTOREVIEW Blog.  I Jeff Lim, Owner and author of this blog is "STILL LOOKING FOR MY VALENTINE" (Ie. Single and Available).  

So to me, every year today from Birth until 14 February 2011, Valentine's Day is "JUST ANOTHER DAY" HOPE Next Year is Different.  

Anyway, here's a POEM to Celebrate this Occasion:

Valentine’s day ALONE...

(Author Unknown)

I stand outside on this chilly night
Dreading the dawn of tomorrow
For with the morning will come my downfall
A romantic day only filled with boredom…

Wanting someone to be with
On this year’s Valentine’s Day
Someone to hold me and sing me a song
As we dance the night away

Someone to kiss me gently
Underneath the star filled sky
Her beautiful lips, so soft and pink
She’d be an all rounded girl

Yet I know that I’ll be spending Valentine’s alone
Maybe next year things will change
But for now my finger is crossed
For the right girl to celebrate with...

When next valentine cometh…

Tony Fernandes conferred CBE by Queen Elizabeth II

Tony Fernandes conferred CBE by Queen Elizabeth II.

 CONGRATULATIONS from the bottom of my heart!!!

---

Tony Fernandes, the team principal of the Lotus Racing team and Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia, has been conferred the Commander of the Order of the British Empire title by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for his services to promote commercial and educational links between the United Kingdom and Malaysia.

A great entrepreneur, Fernandes and his three partners turned an ailing AirAsia around in just over nine years into Asia’s largest low-cost carrier that links the southeast region to the larger world with affordable air travel. In 2007, he founded AirAsia X, the long-haul carrier that now connects Kuala Lumpur to London, further spurring travel between the countries for tourists and students alike.

He then stepped into the pinnacle of motorsports, Formula One, leading the Lotus Racing team through the 2010 season. Together with his partners for that venture, Kamarudin Meranun and SM Nasarudin, the trio have achieved their target for last year of being the top new team and are now looking to mount a stronger battle for this year.

Not content with just reshaping the air travel industry, Fernandes has applied his AirAsia tagline, ‘Now Everyone Can Fly,’ into other ventures as well. He founded the Tune Group of companies that is the umbrella corporation for Tune Hotels (budget hotels, including one in central London), Tune Talk (pre-paid mobile telecommunications provider) and Tune Money (insurance and finance). Fernandes was also a key figure in the effort to found a campus for Britain’s prestigious Epsom College in Malaysia, something he held close to his heart as Epsom was his alma mater.

“I'm grateful to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for the honour. It is recognition of the hard work, determination and effort on the part of all my partners, colleagues and staff in AirAsia, Tune Group and Team Lotus. We have a terrific bunch of talented people working with us to make things happen in whatever venture we undertake. This is as much their award as it is mine,” said Fernandes on the award.

This is the second major European award conferred on Fernandes. Last year, he was awarded the title of Officier of the Légion d’honneur by the French Government, the highest award for a non-French national, for his contributions to the aviation industry. He was also recently named ‘Asia Businessman of the Year 2010’ by Forbes magazine.

Having achieved his dreams on the back of his personal credo of, ‘Dream the impossible, believe the unbelievable and never take no for an answer,’ Fernandes is determined to help others realise their dreams too through his business ventures.

End of SOURCE:
http://www.zerotohundred.com/newforums/automotive-news/365398-tony-fernandes-conferred-cbe-by-queen-elizabeth-ii.html

How does getting rewarded through sharing sounds like to you? Join #ChurpChurp today and bring more friends to the community!

How does getting rewarded through sharing sounds like to you? Join #ChurpChurp today and bring more friends to the community!

A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED COMMUNITY!!!

My 1st cheque from NUFFNANG!!! Thanks NUFFNANG!!!

Today, 7 February 2011, I received my 1st cheque from my dear advertiser, NUFFNANG. Thank You NUFFNANG!!!   

 I was sad and happy.  "Sad" because I cashed out December 22 BUT the cheque came in AFTER Chinese New Year. (Ie. >30 days). Happy because it's RM315 and I just banked in the cheque.

Here's the proof:  A PHOTO of the CHEQUE:

THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN NUFFNANG!!!

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.  

RACISM: UMNO Titiwangsa Division Chief! Boycott HIS PRODUCTS!

Recently the MP for Titiwangsa Johari Bin Abdul Ghani  has made it clear that he does not need the Chinese and Indians to win the Titiwangsa seat. He did a mathematical calculation that all he need is the 32,000 Malay voters and that is all. He made it very clear that the Chinese and Indians are a minority and they are nothing but Customers.

Watch for yourself here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lz0pZAKzH0

 

Ybhg Datuk Johari Bin Abdul Ghani is the Managing Director of CI Holdings Bhd the owners of Permanis Sdn. Bhd. He came on the Board of this company on the 29th of November 2002.

Well since are are nothing but mere Customers, and since he does not need the Chinese and the Indians, I suppose he also does not need our patronage on Permanis Sdn Bhd products.

Permanis products are as follows and you may be familiar with some of them:-
SOFT DRINKS : PEPSI, PEPSI MAX, PEPSI LIGHT, PEPSI TWIST, 7-UP, MIRINDA, FROST, EVERVESS, KICKAPOO, MOUNTAIN DEW,

ISOTONIC DRINKS: REVIVE,REVIVE LIME BURST, EXCEL, GATORADE, GATORADE QUIET STORM;

TEA: LIPTON ICE TEA, LIPTON GREEN TEA 9

COFFEE: BOSS

ENERGY: STING ASIAN DRINKS: CHILL

JUICE: TROPICANA TWISTER, TROPICANA 100% , TROPICANA JUICE PLUS

WATER: BLEU , SHOT
I trust you can spread this around and I suppose we know when we are not wanted and we also do not want their products!   


MY (Jeff Lim's Opinion):

This shows the true Colours of UMNO.  This guy spoke CLEARLY as shown in this YOUTUBE Videos.  We Non-Malays are merely "MINORITY CUSTOMERS".   I didn't edit this video.  "1 Malaysia" eh!!!?  More like "1 Malay..." 

Darn, I spoiled my posting in the Process...  Kicking off the NEW YEAR Posting this kind of RACIST Stuff...  

ADDENDUM: Food for thought...
70% of 32000(Malays) = 22400(voters) 11500(Chinese) + 5500(Indians) + 9600(Malays from the 30% left) = 26600
22400 > 26600?? Calculation FAIL!!!
Biasalah!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011...

HAPPY NEW  YEAR 2011...  Where are you going for countdown?


Mine's "WATCH NIGHT" Countdown @ my Church.  Boring I know...


Here's wishing all subscribers/readers ALL THE BEST to your endeavors in 2011... 

Merry Christmas!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS...  I'd like to dedicate this song to ALL SUBSCRIBERS AND VISITORS to this Otoreview Blog:

CHRISTMAS ISN'T CHRISTMAS...

Christmas isn’t Christmas ‘til it happens in your heart
Somewhere, deep inside you, is where Christmas really starts
So, give your heart to Jesus, you’ll discover when you do
That’s it Christmas, really Christmas for you.

Jesus brings warmth like a winter fire, a light like a candle’s glow
He’s waiting now to come inside, like He did so long ago
Jesus brings gifts of truth and life and makes them bloom and grow
So welcome Him with a song of joy, and when He comes you’ll know….

That Christmas isn’t Christmas ‘til it happens in your heart
Somewhere, deep inside you, is where Christmas really starts
So, give your heart to Jesus, you’ll discover when you do
That’s it Christmas, really Christmas, 
Christmas, really Christmas
Christmas really Christmas, for you!!!

ONCE AGAIN MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Don't HIRE Chain Smokers! Why? Read on...

Don't HIRE Chain Smokers! Why? Read on...

To all Human Resources/Headhunters, DO NOT HIRE CHAIN SMOKERS.  Why?  Read on:


Based on my Today's 1st hand experience (SEEN WITH MY OWN EYE!), here's why Chain smokers' shouldn't be HIRED.


A Chain smoker (my personal definition, anyone smoking more than 50 sticks a day, ie. 2 1/2 KING SIZE packs of ciggies) smokes every 15 minutes on average.  Every 15 minutes, he/she'll take 5 minutes so called Cigarette break.  This means 15 minutes per hour wasted (ciggie break remember?).  Now, an average working hours is 9 hours.  Multiply 15 minutes with  9 hours you'll get 135 minutes CIGARETTE BREAKS per day!  SHOCKING AIN'T IT?

(ADDED15/10/10) Also, 2 weeks ago, when I send my Honda to Sumber Auto Edaran for service, I saw 3 Sales Representative smoking outside the Showroom entrance.  TWO Guys and 1 Girl.  I thought they were "Ambassadors" of Honda Brand?  Why on earth they chose to SMOKE OUTSIDE the Showroom?  Image gone down the drain.  It's NOT EVEN LUNCH BREAK.  It's just 11am!

Yesterday, I went to Hong Leong Bank SS2 to enquire about my Housing Loan.  The Bank officer who attended to me is quite friendly and orderly.  BUT his IMAGE gone down the drain when I spotted HIM Smoking outside the bank 5 minutes later.  The time?  Again, 11am.  NOT EVEN LUNCH BREAK!  What a shame! (end of update 15/10/10)

How to spot CHAIN SMOKERS:
1) Look at their Fingers (2nd and middle), gray/black = CHAIN SMOKER
2) Look at their teeth and lips.  Black teeth/lips = CHAIN SMOKER
3) Keep him in the room for AT LEAST 40 minutes.  A Chain smoker will feel Sleepy, Tensed up, agitated, uneasy as he/she needs to smoke every 15 to 30 minutes.
4) A Chain Smoker's body and breath got STRONG Nicotine Smell.  It's so bad that you'll smell Cigarettes as you walked past them.
5) Some Chain Smokers have perpetual Coughs every 10 to 30 minutes.


Remember, YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

That's all folks, thanks for having time and patience to read this blog entry.  An original  Jeff Lim's production.  

How to write and speak fluent Bahasa Malaysia

I'm going to dedicate this blog entry to NON-Malays.  As per title, it's HOW TO WRITE AND SPEAK FLUENT BAHASA MALAYSIA.  Yes., how? 

Though I only studied Bahasa Malaysia up to Form 4 level (got a respectable grade B for PMR) as I transferred to British International School (for GCSE O'level), I can say that my reading and written Bahasa Malaysia is "CUKUP MAKAN".  As for spoken, I can proudly say that I'm surprisingly GOOD for a Chinese Malaysian.  Back to the question "HOW"?

Here's my tips how I managed to brushed up my Malay:

1) Watch Malay News (Berita) and observe how the newscaster speak.
2) READ Malay Newspapers/Magazines/Journals.
3) DO NOT be afraid to talk more Malay.  Try to converse in Malay as frequent as possible.
4) Be friend OR MIXED around with the Malays, try to talk to them in Malay NOT English.
5) WATCH Malay Movies (the Late Yasmin Ahmad's movie's a GOOD START). AND SWITCH OFF THE SUBTITLES. 
6) Listen to Malay Radio channel (again, learn how they speak).
7) Refer to Malay Dictionary (eg. Kamus Dewan) if you came across unfamiliar words as you READ in Malay (see point 2).
8) Write correspondence/letter/memo in Bahasa Malaysia.
9) LASTLY:

That's all I can think think of.  Contributions/Suggestions on how to Improve your Bahasa Malaysia are most welcome. That's all FOLKS...  Thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.  My Original Work.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri kepada semua Umat Islam!

Saya, Jeff Lim, ingin menyampaikan pesanan berikut:

Selamat Menyabut Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Maaf Zahir Dan Batin kepada semua umat Islam. 

Terima Kasih atas sokongan kalian, pelawat/pembaca blog ini.  Jangan lupa sebar blog ini kepada kawan-kawan anda...

Be good...  Do good...
Thanks for all your continuous Support dear visitors/readers...

Happy 45th Birthday Singapore...

Happy 45th National Day Singapore...  Nothing fancy here just a wishing...  It's because I updated this from my humble Nokia N79...

ARTICLE: Streamlining the Malaysian Civil Service and Bureaucracy

Before I begin the article I'd like to give a personal comment.  What is the point of Subsidy Cuts on Fuel, TOLL, Food items, Healthcare etc when we have the HIGHEST per capita Civil Servants in the WORLD.   I'm talking about 1,000,000 (yes, 1 MILLION), ie. 1:25 (1 Civil servants PER 25 Malaysians).

Article 132 of the CONSITUTION OF MALAYSIA stipulates that the Public Service consist of:

• the General Public Service of the Federation
• the State Public Services
• the Joint Public Services
• the Education Service
• the Judiciary and the Legal Service
• the Armed Forces

For all intents and purpose, Statutory Bodies and the Local Authorities are also considered as part of the Public Service. This is because both these autonomous bodies resemble the Public Service in many respects since they adopt the procedures of the Public Service pertaining to appointments, terms and conditions of service and the remuneration system. Besides that, their officers and staff also receive pension and other retirement benefits similar to the employees in the Public Service.

The Irony is 95% of these 1,000,000 are Bumiputras.  Only 5% are NON Bumis (ie. 50,000).  But I'm not picking about this figures.  It's just that it's UNHEALTHY to have 1,000,000 Civil Servants!  During a visit to Immigration, I was shocked to see SO MANY STAFF (about 60 of them inside) wondering around there YET ONLY 5 out of 20 counters (ie. 1/4) opened to serve us!  What's the rest of the staff doing?  Minding their own business I guess...  Some can be seen Chatting to one another, one of them YAWNING Away, Few of them goes ONLINE, few of them READING NEWSPAPERS and ETC...  Clearly, this is a WASTE of our TAXPAYERS MONEY to Employ them...    Also, the 1.2BILLION+ ringgit spent to Construct the NEW PALACE!  How about Billions spent to Sponsor "1 Malaysia LOTUS F1 Team".  But these are another stories which I will NOT Dwell further...  CLEARLY, something needs to be done to "REDUCE the REAL SUBSIDY".

Back to this article, the article was WRITTEN in 2007.  The NUMBERS might INCREASE THIS YEAR!


Streamlining the Malaysian Civil Service and Bureaucracy

Written by johnleemk on 3:45:58 am Feb 25, 2007. 

One million. That's the number of civil servants we have. One million people living off a government paycheck. (And, if they're lucky, the occasional bribe.)

You tend not to think about government employees most of the time. After all, they're generally invisible, despite the important roles they play. The only time you might pay them any heed is when you get stopped by a policeman looking for some easy money, or when some bloke at the immigration department refuses to renew your passport over some minor paperwork issue.

But, still, one million is a huge number! That's one civil servant for every 25 Malaysians! To put this in perspective, the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh employs about one million public servants. The population of Andhra Pradesh, however, is in the range of 75 million people — and even then, it's considered to have a disproportionately big civil service.

Why are we so awash in civil servants? What's the cause of this oddity? I think a big contributing factor is the government's reluctance to create a class of discontented and unemployed malcontents. Their solution, then, is to employ anyone who is rejected by the private sector.

This in turn is probably the cause of our infamously inefficient civil service. And, if the government's actions are anything to go by, things will be getting worse as we go along.

Last year, in response to the problem of unemployed graduates, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak declared that the civil service would be picking up the slack — an explicit admission that the government employs the worst of our graduates to keep them from turning against the government at the ballot box.

Around the same time, Parliament was informed that 70% of public university graduates are unemployed. Some people, including the now-famous Tony Pua (a probable candidate for a Parliamentary seat on the Democratic Action Party ticket in the next election), expressed incredulity, and suggested the statistics used must be flawed.

Whatever the case may be, the fact is that a lot of the graduates our public universities unleash on the country are not employable. And these unemployable people find employment in the government.

If the government is really serious about expediting efficiency, what it ought to do is begin retrenching these one million civil servants in stages. Offer them a generous pension comparable to their paycheck — the increased efficiency from a streamlined bureaucracy would make it worth our while.

The government could also do as one East European country did recently while downsizing its civil service. That country offered capital to any former civil servant who wished to start a business. Small and medium enterprises are the backbone of many economies, and it makes sense to turn former civil servants into entrepreneurs.

Of course, this would all be reliant on a government with the political will to dismiss inefficient civil servants, and on a government with the spine to enforce loans. From past experience, this is not the kind of the government we have.

So, till the day we change our government, this is what we will be stuck with — a behemoth of a civil service that exists only to provide a wage for the people not worth employing.

END OF ARTICLE:

SOURCE:
http://www.infernalramblings.com/articles/Malaysian_Government/149/

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry

Hong Kong Handover Anniversary

Today, marks the 13th anniversary of Handover of Hong Kong from Britain to China.  1.7.97 also remembered as the Beginning of Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region).  I was there (in Hong Kong) witnessed the peaceful yet elaborate handover. 

Traditionally, on 1 July annually every year since 1997, THOUSANDS of Hong Kong residents staged a "Democracy March" all over Hong Kong.  See picture below (taken in 2003).

 


FROM THIS:

TO THIS:

That's all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry.

Lee DeWyze is the American Idol Season 9 winner!

Lee DeWyze is the American Idol Season 9 Winner

Posted by Kamille Casia on May 27th, 2010

Ryan Seacrest revealed to the public the collective difference between Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze’s vote which totaled to less than 2% at the beginning of American Idol Season 9’s show last Wednesday.

DeWyze 24 years old, was given appraisal by the judges for his live spirit and his voice but his potential was not credited.

While Crystal Bowersox also in the same age with DeWyze’s had wheeled as she started to perform and sing “Black Velvet”. Simon Cowell even said

“You took that song (“Black Velvet”) and you absolutely nailed it.”

The people had judged and it was Lee DeWyze who is the new American Idol.
He even stated this:

“It’s amazing,” said a visibly shaken Lee, shortly before singing his coronation single, Beautiful Day. “Thank you guys so much. For everything. Thank you. Thank you. … I’ve never been happier in my life.”

Source 1:
http://www.worldbuzznow.com/lee-dewyze-is-the-american-idol-season-9-winner/11111

Lee DeWyze wins "American Idol" as Cowell departs

 

By Jill Serjeant Jill Serjeant – 2 hrs 9 mins ago

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Former paint salesman Lee DeWyze was the surprise winner of "American Idol" on Wednesday, beating front-runner Crystal Bowersox on a night that saw the talent show's former champions reunite to bid farewell to Simon Cowell.

DeWyze, a 24-year-old Chicago native, won the coveted title and a recording contract after a nationwide phone and text vote based on the contestants' performances the night before.
"Idol" judges had all but anointed Bowersox the winner after her three songs on Tuesday outclassed a nervous DeWyze. But Americans made up their own minds and chose DeWyze.
"I have never been happier in my life," said a stunned DeWyze, choking back tears after the result was announced at the climax of a two-hour finale that featured performances by Christina Aguilera, Janet Jackson and Joe Cocker.

"It felt like a huge weight is off my shoulders. Now that this big step is done, it's on to the next step, which is to make an album and go on tour and do all the things I've wanted to do for a long time," he told reporters later.

Initially shy, he blossomed in later rounds of the show, and emerged as a serious threat to Bowersox after a rousing version of the Leonard Cohen classic "Hallelujah" last week.
His cover of U2's "Beautiful Day", his first single, was made available immediately on iTunes. His debut album, on a Sony Music Entertainment record label, will likely follow in the fall.
Bowersox, 24, said she had sensed before the show that DeWyze would take the title. "I knew Lee was going to win and people seem to be surprised by that, but I just had a feeling.

"I couldn't be happier for him...We both win. Both of us are going to have very successful careers and we're going to be friends for a long time," she told reporters backstage.

Barry and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees and Alanis Morissette were also among the guest performers on Wednesday, while Poison rocker and "Celebrity Apprentice" winner Bret Michaels played his first live gig since suffering a brain hemorrhage in April and a mini-stroke last week.

PAULA RETURNS

DeWyze and the show's high-wattage guests had to share the spotlight with both Cowell, whose departure was described by host Ryan Seacrest as "the end of an era", and former "Idol" judge Paula Abdul.

Abdul, who quit last year after a contract-renewal dispute, got a standing ovation from the 7,000-strong audience at the Nokia Theater when she appeared on stage to bid her old sparring partner a teary farewell.

"My darling Simon. I've worked with a lot of people over the years...but none of them holds a candle to you, my friend.

"I have loved all the fun we had together. 'American Idol' is not gonna be the same without you. But as only I can tell you, it will go on," she said.

Seven past "Idol" winners and more than 15 former contestants appeared on stage singing "Together We Are One" in tribute to Cowell's part in making them stars.
Pulled on stage after a series of flashback video clips of his years on the show, Cowell seemed genuinely moved.

"I didn't think I was going to be this emotional," he said. "I am going to honestly, honestly miss you".

Cowell announced in January that he would be leaving "Idol" at the end of this season to launch a U.S. version of his "The X-Factor" talent show on Fox in the fall of 2011. His replacement has not been announced.

"American Idol" remains America's most popular TV show of the last seven years. But this year audiences have slipped by about 9 percent to an average 23.9 million viewers per episode, compared to a 2006 high of about 30.8 million.


(Additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis)

SOURCE 2:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100527/en_nm/us_idol_14

Thats all folks, thanks for having the time and patience to read this blog entry...