Sem break

Here's a belated entry for October. Something to fill up this blog.

As the first semester departs, most college students scurry off from their grade grind selves and take a much needed break to wherever resort or beach they can get to. Others want to loll around the house-- they hear their couch and gaming console calling their names. And then that leaves us with a few students who still go to school during the break. You might wonder who in the world would fall in love with the school and its hallowed halls: loyalists who instantly stand up as erect and stiff as a Viagra-induced boner when the school hymn goes off the speakers? Pricks who disguise themselves as apple polishers? Nah, some prefer to hang out at school because there’s not much to do at their own pad; and some senior students are obliged to return to school because of perennial projects for their major subjects.

Looking for something to do during the sembreak? There are two-three concerts that you can go to for the month of October. The Black Eyed Peas concert at the SM Mall of Asia grounds on October 25 for the youth who enjoys popular, electric pop music. The Stomp concert is recommended for those who are into listening catchy beats that are composed by anything imaginable except drums and percussion. And for the moms and other people out there who enjoy good, classical, heartwarming Christmas songs sung by the pristine voices of young boys who haven’t hit puberty yet, there is the Libera concert.

For those who are born to be wild (just imagine the Steppenwolf song playing in the background), adventure awaits. If you enjoy traveling at its simplest, why not trek in other parts of the country that you haven’t stumbled upon yet? There’s nothing like dirt, grit, and dust in your face that gives you makes you feel more like a man than you have ever felt before—that’s what “roughing it” is all about. It tests a man’s strength and survival that gives you a feeling as though it increases your level of manhood.

Water activities can also be an excitement to your humdrum break for those who are wild at heart. Rafting along the rapids is a thrilling way to indulge in one’s sense of adventure. What’s more adrenaline-rushing than a taste of danger? Another water sport you can try is wakeboarding—it’s a heck of a lot easier than surfing. And for some who want to tone down their venture: explore the magnificence of corals and various fishes under the sea. As for those who just don’t have the balls to put some buzz into their lives and want to take it easy, go plunge into the pool for all I care. 

If you have a lot of Gs, then go splurge on a cruise or a trip to other countries. Going on a cruise is well worth your money because it offers food, luxury, amusement, shopping, and entertainment. Many of the popular cruise ships in the Philippines are well-built to satisfy passengers. Deluxe bedrooms, restaurants that have 3-4 different cuisines, stores for one to shop, swimming pool, disco for partying, bar, etc. And as for entertainment, there are live bands and live Burlesque shows. And all these hype are only in the cruise, what more excitement can you get once you go out of the ship and tour at the countries where the cruise is assigned to?

But let’s go back to the Philippines where most of our wallets can calm down. For you extreme thrill-seekers out there, try to play rounds of Russian roulette. There’s nothing more spine-chilling than you at the edge of your seat as your whole life flashes before your eyes. No wait, scratch that activity. Don’t try it. Bad joke, people!

Okay, for the laidback people who want to take pleasure in their break in their laziest form, try to fly a kite (if you get my drift). Nothing like flying a kite so high that it relieves you from all the stress that has been bottled up inside and leaves you feeling happy. Well of course, there are also console games and computer games for you to divulge into as you fritter away time.

The whole point of sembreak anyways is for students to ease their mind and have a good time away from the school books for most likely three weeks. But good for you, to those who continue to bury their noses into the books and advance themselves in their course of higher learning. We salute you.

There are numerous more fun things to do and so little time, what say we continue this next time? Christmas is getting near, winter activities? 

Short fuse

Lately I noticed that I've become more hot-tempered. I tried to suppress my temper but I guess it keeps taking over me. Do I need anger management? Not the kind of therapy that Dr. Rydell offers-- I would go bonkers if I would go through what Dave Buznik did in the movie.


Back in my teen years when everything was experimental and when every weird phase was considered as a rational excuse of being a teenager, whenever I got furious I resorted to punch things or disarranging properly-placed stuff by throwing or shoving them off. I also punched the wall, but of course, I made sure I wore boxing gloves first. I also tried to diffuse my anger through writing. I scribbled a lot of nonsense angry emotions shit on a piece of paper-- and threw it away afterwards. Yeah, I was easily driven to the edge back then. Now, I try to be mature. I still slam the door occasionally-- but not as hard as I used to. lol. I'm just joshing.


If I were a dude, I would definitely join a fight club... especially one as awesome as Tyler Durden's. Nothing like blood, sweat, and my manhood strength pulsing through my veins to make me feel more liberated than ever. Manhood pride can easily make you feel free from the ball and chain of the tribulations that life gives you. Anyway, back to the issue.


Consequences are always feared when rash actions/reactions are made. Another thing I need to acquire is patience-- in everything. Thanks to my good friend, John, I realized that I have no patience. I thought I just have the habit of wanting to get my tasks done immediately for the day. I abhor waiting-- I think it's a waste of time. But yeah, I was wrong. I recently watched an episode of a certain show, wherein the character made a habit of saying YES to every opportunity that comes his way-- I might try that. Which reminds me, there's a film (Yes, Man) about it. I'll let you know how things will turn out soon... provided if I give blogging a try one more time.

Gtab!

In these tech-savvy times, a new generation of journalists is keeping up with today’s trends for the mere purpose of convenience. A journalist’s tools have evolved from pen and paper, to laptops, and now to blackberry and android phones and tablets. For those who have been hermits for the past few years, a tablet is not the solid substance that contains medicine. In the now generation, a tablet is a wireless personal computer that can be really helpful to journalists in taking notes with the use of a digital pen, stylus or touch screen keyboard. It also has other features like taking photos, the use of internet, and thousands of applications whether for office use, messaging, or simply to provide entertainment.

Samsung came out with their latest tablet called the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Journalists do need this 10.1 inch, light weight, portable PC instead of bringing heavy laptops to their beats, press cons, and wherever their assignments lead them to. The tab is available in two models: a 16 GB and a 32 GB model. I recommend journalists to use the 32 GB model because the tab does not have a memory card.

The G-tab runs on Android Honeycomb 3.1, which is the latest version (for now), and it has almost 100,000 applications. A journalist does not need that many apps anyway; honeycomb can serve enough apps that one needs in reporting or editing news.

Journalists can be updated with news via news apps that Honeycomb offers such as Pulse news, CNN, and many more. Nowadays, news stories can be sent in various ways like sending it through facebook, twitter, email, etc. and honeycomb offers TweetComb, TweetCaster, for twitter, and Friend Me for facebook. Most news writers are currently using Gmail when they email a news story. The Gmail app for Honeycomb does wonders for regular Gmail users.

Two built-in cameras are also available in the G-tab, journalists can settle for taking photos or shooting videos with it if they forget to bring a camera. Other office apps available in the tab are Quick Office Pro HD, Droid Scan Pro, Spring Pad, Due Today, etc. Tool apps also include Astro File Manager, Screenshot ER, etc.

Yes, you can bet your balls that journalists sure have it easy these days with these new gadgets. The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 seems impressive; it can certainly help journalists with their work.

What's Dunn is done

The loveable, crazy hilarious jackass we had grown to be fond of, Ryan Matthew Dunn is sure to be missed by many. Nobody could have anticipated that out of all the death-defying, extreme stunts he did, it was a common car crash that took the 34-year-old’s life. He smashed his Porsche around 2:30 a.m. last June 20, 2011 in Pennsylvania-- well hey, that’s what you get with drunk driving. To put things into a lighter mood, let us look back on the crazy shiznizz that Ryan Dunn had ever done in his whole bearded jackass career that made us gasp and laugh the T out of shi.

Dunn was best known to be one of the pranksters/skateboarders of Jackass, a show where they pull pranks on one another and perform hazardous stunts. He had starred a series of the movie along with Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, and other Jackass boys. Dunn was known for his fearlessness by being always on the go for the stunts, proving that he had always lived his life to the extent—and more.

In honor of Dunn’s awesomeness in his whole daredevil career, let us first stop and recall his poo dive stunt back when Jackass was still a television series. Who could ever forget Dunn, who only wore tighty whities, plunged into a tank of sewage? As awesome as Dunn was, he basked into the foul glory of his stinky stunt and just said, “exhilarating… my skin is silky smooth!”

And now we look into Jackass: The Movie where Dunn went to a doctor to complain about a pain. The X-ray showed that a car that was inserted in a well-lubricated condom was in his anal cavity. It was priceless to see the nurse’s and doctor’s reaction. It’s official that he isn’t a backdoor V anymore.

Next in line is a bit excruciating to watch. A super glue back wax was in the Jackass 3D movie where Dunn’s co-stars covered his derrière in super glue, making him the wax strip for the hairy back of his co-star, Phil. Aside from the struggle that comes with agonizing pain, plus some bushy back hair that would stick to your butt, this back wax procedure is certainly cheap.

Dunn is also known for his BMX stunts, and another stunt to remember him by is the time when he rode a bike straight to a garden filled with cactus! Also, another stunt involves Dunn riding his bicycle on a skate ramp and goes into an extravagant crash, and tops it off with mustard squirted all over his face as he lays defenseless.

Here in this stunt, Dunn was donning a silly, outrageous fighting outfit and only to be ass-whooped by an Asian female kick boxer. You gotta admire his balls for happily accepting his defeat by a girl though.  

In another of Dunn’s mad stunts, he glugged down a whole bottle of Jose Cuervo tequila in a matter of 35-40 seconds. Effin yeah, that is how you chug it, douches.

Yes, Ryan Dunn certainly had his own mad brand of genius. Whether some might say his whole career was stupid, a whole lot of others would say he was a freaking genius. The next time we go for a round of tequila, we will definitely drink to you, Ryan Dunn. We salute you!

Manila Bulletin Newsroom

There we stood like little tykes, completely and utterly oblivious as we enter another realm that may seem to strike familiarity but still, quite new to us. Like intimidated kids, we tried to stick as closely as possible to our guide—our esteemed professor aka. the Technews editor of the Manila Bulletin.

Everybody was on the go in the editorial section of MB; we were cautious so as not to interfere with the work process of the editors. We were asked to observe inside the newsroom. I actually had no idea at the time how a broadsheet was created. All newspapers start with a dummy. The dummy comes from the advertising department, and then it goes to the editorial department for printing.

The editorial department has a variety of sections from business agenda, business, universities, to motoring, sports. The managing editor, Fil Sionil, is the one holding the reigns. She does not spend her time sitting behind the desk; she walks around and supervises the section editors… or everyone actually.  

The editors decide on which stories to include in a newspaper. Each editor is assigned to a particular page and then they edit it and save their file or “slugs” with a specific file name in the network computer, and then they send it to the layout artists. The managing editor also sends slugs and floaters to the layout artists.

Apparently, the layout department is said to be at the bottom of the ladder, but perhaps what Konstantin Stanislavsky once said, “there are no small parts, only small actors”, may be applicable to this situation in a media-profession sense. Most big shots start off at rock bottom and later on climb their way to a Mount Everest of fortune—one that is every greedy person’s dream.

So the layout department hands over the dummy to the proofreaders, which is delivered by the copy boy. After proofreading, it is returned to the layout artist once more to do a negative, which would only take about five minutes and then it’s off to the printers. At times, the chief photographer would discuss with a specific layout artist on which photo would be used for the front page. The layout artists also decide which sentences to cut out, if the exceeding sentences are few; should the exceeding sentences be many, the slug will be sent to the editor and s/he will be the one to revise.

Since the dawn of technology, the newsroom of today differs greatly from the times before. The technologies used in newsrooms today are television and internet radio for monitoring news. Wire stories are bought from Reuters, AFP (Agence France-Presse), AP (Associated Press), and etc. through the internet. High-technology printers are also of great use to the newsroom. Cameras like Nikon D7000 and Canon EOS 5D Mark II put cameras like Thornton Pickard single lens reflex camera and Sanderson hand/stand bellows camera to shame. Cellular phones are now also used to transmit news stories to editors. Phones that have internet like Blackberry or Android phones are what many journalists are currently using. Reporters also send their news stories through email (electronic mail) via internet.

Where have all the typesetters gone? Back then, newsrooms are usually a noisy place, we were expecting that when we were about to enter the editorial section. It was surprising that the room was quiet; the editors rarely spoke with each other because they exchange or send their slugs by saving them in their computer network. Technology was definitely an influential aid to the media. A news report on a press conference is done even before the actual press con is to finish. Nowadays, news travel faster than a bullet train does. 

Technology

June 17, 2011

Back in the olden days, one has to wonder how life was. Yes, it was much simpler and more primitive back then, but it also had a more arduous lifestyle than the one we have today. Science is such a gift to us; it leads us to numerous inventions and discoveries that were supposedly impossible. Over the past centuries, mankind has paved the way to another realm that welcomes the new age of innovation and thus, it was the commencement of technology.

Technology surrounds us; it is what functions the modern world today. The objective of modern technology is primarily for convenience. It is human nature and common sense to prefer to do things at the easiest way. By the advancement of technology, working is a breeze now. The invention of the internet is the biggest breakthrough yet. There are computers, laptops, and now tablets. These gadgets get smaller and thinner every year. Radios and telephones were also huge hits. And then cellular phones also came along, that was a massive leap forward. Global communication is now at the tip of one’s thumb or fingers, whichever you are used to.

Automobiles have also advanced throughout the years. Hybrid cars are created for the people who are environmentally concerned. Most cars today have a GPS (Global Positioning System) installed; drivers can now have a sketch map or directions on which route to take.  

Education also took a whopping step forward. New learning and teaching methods are created through technology. And with the internet, there are online examinations that have an easier scoring system. There are also online lessons for students who are less-privileged but are yearning for education. Online language courses are also offered for anyone who is interested to learn foreign languages.  

There are also other aspects wherein technology is of great help. Take health care for instance, many illnesses and diseases can now be cured or at least, prevented. And for the vanity of some people, there is now such a thing called plastic surgery. Sometimes one has to wonder though if a person is naturally aesthetically-blessed or if s/he turns out to be artificially revamped. But the important thing is that the person is happy with plastic surgery, thanks to modern technology.

Countries all around the globe have also benefited through the advancement of modern technology. More army aircrafts, vessels and weapons like firearms and missiles are invented for the defense system of each country. Nuclear power has also been upgraded and improved over the years. These inventions can be dangerous should they be in the wrong hands; citizens should elect their presidents or rulers wisely.

Humanity is now expected to continue the development of modern technology for countless benefits. Who knows, many years from now, we might have hover cars that ride on a cushion of air. 

X-Men: First Class

June 7, 2011

The best out of all the X-Men franchises I would boldly say, Matthew Vaughn intensified the blaze into a wildfire that was long extinguished a few years ago. Aptly fast-paced and rich in meaningful, significant stories, it is unlike the other tedious Marvel comic-book movies. Even though its plot is a far cry from the original Marvel story (which usually transpires in all comic-book derived flicks), writers Matthew Vaughn, Sheldon Turner, Jane Goldman, Bryan Singer (director of the first X-Men film), Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz (both writers of Thor) manage to suck the utmost attention of the audience into their fascinating version of the origin of the mutants and also strived to even have a slight connection to Bryan Singer’s past three X-Men films.

“First Class” starts off in Auschwitz, similar to Bryan Singer’s back in 2000, where young Erik Lehnsherr (later known as Magneto) is forcibly separated from his parents. His magnetic power becomes the interest of Klaus Schmidt/ Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), who unmercifully shoots the young boy’s mother, triggering him to unleash his stupendous power and live on with vengeance and anger. Set in the 1960s, a now grown Erik hunts for Shaw and eventually come across him in his yacht, alongside the very sexy Emma Frost (January Jones), a telepath that can metamorphose into a diamond-coated mutant.

James McAvoy, who starred in “Atonement” and “The Last King of Scotland”, appealed the viewers as he captures the actuality of the outstanding knowledge and immense sympathy to humans of his character. The film also shows how he soon after becomes Professor X, and transforms his Westchester mansion of a home into a “school for gifted youngsters.”  Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) turns out to be the adoptive sister of Charles when she trespasses into his mansion years ago. She appears to be an insecure young lady, but all the while her lust is rather obvious, even before she develops into the confident, seductive, shape-shifting Mystique. Both Charles and Raven are soon recruited by the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), and later on recruits Erik as well, to assist in the search for more mutants. Michael Fassbender, who appeared in “Inglorious Basterds”, portrays the grown Erik Lehnsherr fittingly as he exhibits the agony within his character and the merciless attitude that harnesses his power into the ultimate weapon of annihilation-- depicting the absolute fearlessness of the legendary Magneto.

Vaughn whisks the viewers away into excitement as the movie circles around the globe: Poland, England, Geneva, New York, Las Vegas, Argentina, Moscow, and Washington D.C. He also introduces more mutants along the way, which add a variety of colors to the characters of the film. Each of these young mutants is recruited by Charles and Erik. Mutants like Beast, Banshee, Darwin, and Havok, who interestingly is the brother of Scott Summers/Cyclops, surface and add a tad of youthful energy into the intensely thrilling film. Hot young stars like Caleb Landry Jones and Lucas Till who appeared in teen hit series like Friday Night Lights and dare I say the unspeakable without nausea, Hannah Montana movie, seem to help on appealing the teen target market. Also, Zoe, the daughter of famous rock singer Lenny Kravitz, is pursuing her acting career (and not her music roots) as she plays a mutant with innate wings named Angel.

But out of all the mutants that Charles and Erik approached to recruit, it is a very well-known X-Man that strikes the most. Hugh Jackman did the shortest, greatest cameo appearance when he appears as Logan/Wolverine in his character’s usual bar scene.

So the real deal is that Charles and Erik have united to form a mutant army (even if it’s a small one, considering how little they recruit in their limited time) to bring to an end the nuclear war and the plan to eradicate the face of humanity, by battling with the other mutants that is led by Shaw. Fortunately, the empirical war that the writers chose is an interesting one. It’s funny and rather absurd though, that the Cuban missile crisis is actually contrived by mutants. But then again, all first-rate superhero films should deliver an impressive fight sequence that comes with a good war chronicle.

Now that we have seen X-Men: First Class, and have rated it, well, first-class, upcoming comic-book movies should manage to meet or perhaps even exceed the level of superiority of this film. Cross out Green Lantern though because as entertaining as it may be, it seems like a popcorn movie. Captain America, on the other hand, looks promising.