Newly Shots

Last Tuesday, I was too early to go to work and decided to take a walk around greenbelt, Makati. My aim is to practice taking shots. Armed with Nikon D5000 with 18-55 VR lens, I know this is a standard kit lens, and yeah, has a lot of limitation when taking landscape photos. This is a practice, anyway... Honestly, I never had a point-and-shoot camera. For all the time, I used my camera phone and then suddenly jumped to advance entry-level SLR. But I'm sure everything will pay-off.

Here are my shots:


Since I can't get near to the flowers and orchids because someone is watering them, I was captivated by this bamboo-like plant.

I love the rich green color and the tall Hotel building behind.

I love looking at this tree, especially at night when the lanterns are light-up.

This is where I go every time I feel bored.

Well, that's it for now, I hope I got nice shots. These are raw photos, not yet modified in photoshop...

Alvin and The Chipmunks -- The Squeakquel

The fury stars are back! After the accident in their concert, they were informed that they are going to school and will do just like the ordinary kid. Little did they know, they stumble upon with their kind and became their rival in singing. They are the Chipettes, Brittany (Christina Applegate), Jeanette (Anna Faris), and Eleanor (Amy Poehler) come out and want to be famous like the Chipmunks!

This movie is superbly hilarious and cute. It will be showing here in Manila this coming January 8, 2010.

New Year Traditions

As we are getting ready for New Year’s eve, buying all the necessary things for the feast, there are different traditions and beliefs we do every New Year’s Day to bring us good luck for the next year to come. Let’s see how people in some countries celebrate New Year, aside from giving gifts, warm greetings, fireworks and Champagne spilling all over the place, there are unique ways to celebrate it.

Austria
The suckling pig is the symbol for good luck for the new year. It's served on a table decorated with tiny edible pigs. Dessert often consists of green peppermint ice cream in the shape of a four-leaf clover.

Canada
Polar bear swim on the New Year's Day and people of all ages put on their bathing suits plunge into the icy cold water to welcome the New Year.
Loud claps and cheers at the stroke of midnight are believed to ward off evil spirits. Kissing the date on New Year Eve midnight ensures that friendly ties will grace both the partner on each day of the New Year.

Greece
Greeks called the New Year as “Protohronia” and it’s one of the most awaited days in Greece. On this day, St. Basil or Ayios Vasilis render gifts to all the Greeks and so gifting tradition in Greece forms a significant part of the New Year tradition in Greece. A cake called as Basil Cake or “Vassilopita” is sliced and eaten on the day. The custom is based on the fact that the Greeks believe that they will find a coin of fortune within the cake. It is the responsibility of the head of the family or the father to cut the cake into pieces. The first slice is dedicated to Jesus, while the second one is a share towards the house and the third slice is distributed among the family members.

Hungary
In Hungary they burn effigies or a scapegoat known as "Jack Straw" which represented the evils and misfortunes of the past year to burn on New Year's Eve. Jack Straw is carried around the village before being burnt.

Jamaica
"Johnkankus" parades and masquerades are an antique New Year tradition of Jamaica. During this festival, people dress themselves in bizarre costumes made of rags and tatters, picked up objects and second hand materials. The Jonkonnu members wear masks on their faces and there heads are covered with beautiful headdress made from animal parts.

Japan
The Japanese New Year Oshogatsu is an important time for family celebrations, when all the shops, factories and offices are closed. The Japanese decorate their homes in tribute to lucky gods.

One tradition, kadomatsu, consists of a pine branch symbolizing longevity, a bamboo stalk symbolizing prosperity, and a plum blossom showing nobility.

Portugal
The custom of having twelve grapes on the New Years Eve midnight, Portuguese pick and eat twelve grapes from a bunch as the clock strikes twelve on New Year's Eve. It is believed that this custom would ensure twelve happy months for the coming year.

Slovakia
Lead Pouring or Das Bleigieen . A small amount of lead is melted in a tablespoon by candle flame and then pounavy into a bowl of water. The shape the lead takes into after hardening is interpreted to pnavyict the ensuing year. For instance, if the lead forms a ball it means luck will roll ones way. The shape of an anchor means help in need but a cross signifies impending death.

Swaziland
In Swaziland the harvest festival is called Newala or "first fruits" ceremony and takes place at the end of the year.

It is a celebration of kingship, traditional has it that the king of Swaziland, the Ngwenyama or "Lion", has powers that are mystical and is believed to embody the Swaziland prosperity and fertility, and therefore it is said that he must have many wives and father many children.

2009 Biggest Movie Earners are....

As new year is this () close let's see the movie biggest bomb was. For Twilight Saga fans, they think the movie was the best,... likewise for the Transformer fans but here are the 9 things about 2009 you didn't know:

1. New Moon beat Harry Potter. It made more than 12 times its $50 million budget ($635 million worldwide); Half-Blood Prince "only" made about four times its $250 million price tag.

2. Harry Potter beat everything. The year's overall No. 1 film, with $924 million in the worldwide bank, even if Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was the No. 1 film domestically—and the only one to top $400 milllion stateside.

3. Astro Boy, ran a $45 million deficit, other money losers: Bruce Willis' Surrogates; Gerard Butler's Gamer; and Planet 51, which is still in theaters, so there's hope, but probably not $30 million worth of hope.

4. Sandra Bullock was the last movie star standing. Bullock starred in two of them: The Blind Side and The Proposal.

5. Emma Roberts is a bigger box-office star than Julia Roberts. The teenaged Roberts' Hotel for Dogs outgrossed her auntie's Duplicity by nearly $40 million worldwide.

6. Star Trek isn't as universal as its Federation alliance would suggest. The franchise reboot made less money overseas than any film in the domestic Top 10, per Box Office Mojo stats. Another surprise from that group: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs made the most money overseas—a monstrous $687 million.

7. The Blair Witch Project wasn't 10 years ago; it was a million years ago. While Paranormal Activity was stealing Blair Witch's schtick, grossing $100 million-plus off an $11,000 budget, The Objective, the latest film from Blair Witch codirector Daniel Myrick, was grossing $95, per The-Numbers.com.

8. Kids films for grown-ups add up to nothing for nobody. Exhibit A: Spike Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are ($100 million budget; $75 million worldwide gross). Exhibit B: Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox ($40 million budget; $20 million worldwide gross).

9. People are spending their unemployment benefits to see Avatar. Or the same 10 rich folks are standing in line again and again and again. Sure, ticket prices, driven by 3D and IMAX, were at an all-time high ($7.48 average). But actual attendance was up from last year, too.

source: e-online

The Lost Symbol

I bought a book as a Christmas gift for my friend. Its the The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. This book is Robert Langdon sequel.

The protagonist--Robert Langdon is a Harvard symbologist. Invited by his mentor, a 33rd degree Mason named Peter Solomon head of the Smithsonian Institution. When he arrived there, he finds the severed right hand of Peter Solomon tattooed into a symbolic Hand of the Mysteries, pointing straight upwards to the fresco The Apotheosis of Washington on the inside of the Capitol dome. Solomon has been kidnapped by the villain Mal'akh, who demands that Langdon unlock the Ancient Mysteries in return for Solomon's life.

Langdon joins forces with Solomon's sister, Katherine, a researcher studying noetic science in a secret laboratory in the Smithsonian Museum Support Center. Langdon and Katherine are pursued by both Mal'akh, and Inoue Sato, the head of the CIA's Office of Security. Mal'akh is planning to release a clandestine video of Washington powerbrokers engaged in secret Masonic rituals.

The chase and the clues to the puzzles lead through the sub-basement of the Capitol, the Library of Congress, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, Freedom Plaza, the United States Botanical Garden, and Washington National Cathedral. The clues center around a small stone pyramid, entrusted several years ago by Solomon to Langdon. The pyramid and the box which holds it reveal several puzzles, involving a Masonic cipher, a circumpunct, an alchemical formula, and references to the 1514
engraving Melencolia I. Mal'akh captured both Katherine and Langdon, and takes Peter Solomon to the top floor of the Masonic headquarters House of the Temple. Langdon and Katherine Solomon are rescued by the CIA, while in the meantime Mal'akh reveals to Peter Solomon that he is in fact Peter's own son, Zachary.

As a young man, he had been unhappy with the way he had been treated by his father, so he faked his own death in a Turkish prison. He then experienced a religious epiphany, finding the need to learn the The Lost Word (the verbum significatium or lost symbol of the title). He plans to complete his transformation into a godlike being by inscribing his scalp with what he mistakenly believes to be the symbol for the Ancient Mysteries, the circumpunct.

Trying to recreate the Biblical story of Abraham on the verge of sacrificing his son, Zachary attempts to goad his father into killing him with Abraham sacrificial Akedah knife on the altar of the Freemasons. But Langdon intrudes. Peter Solomon then takes Langdon to the Washington Monument, a dot in a circular plaza, with a Bible in its cornerstone. Peter tells him that The Word that Mal'akh was seeking was in all holy books such as the Bible, Koran, and Bhagavad Gita. The Ancient Mystery is the realization that people are not God's subjects, but in fact possess the ability to be gods themselves. Langdon realizes that the lost symbol is God, standing for limitless human potential.

For the past two days, I've been busy doing the last minute christmas shopping. Well, its what people most likely doing, we won't stop until the store shelf is emptly. I bought simple little things for my friends. I enjoyed wrapping it and especially the time when I gave it to them.

I finished gift wrapping 2 o'clock in the morning and just had few hours of sleep.

These are the gifts I wrapped for my friends. I am so happy they liked it.

And these are the things I got in return! I am so happy giving and recieving gifts on Christmas.

Everyday Companion

I am eagerly learning the basic of photography, and gosh, it wasn't that easy just to handle properly the bulky camera. Today, I practiced how to take photo steadily and yep, its not that easy...

Here are my shots:


This is the one thing I shouldn't forget to bring where ever I go, every single day. It is a part of my life, it is not just for texting an call, it is my clock, calendar, planner... its all-in-one. I've been using Sony Ericsson phone for years, this brand is known for its quality.


This is my Philips Go Gear MP3, this is the only thing that can make me relax while at work. I love music a lot.


This is my laptop, its a Toshiba brand. I bought this 8 months ago. I can't let the day passed without surfing the internet. I even can spend the whole night awake in front of my laptop.

Okay, so you can call me techie. I really had a great interest in gadgets.

The World Lost a Little Piece of Sunshine

I was saddened by the news I read from the internet early this morning. Brittany Murphy had died at a very young age, she's only 32. She was found unconscious in a shower at her home in Los Angeles. Her husband, British screenwriter Simon Monjack called the emergency services and then she was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Beverly Hills where she was confirmed dead at 10:04 am.

I am a fan of her. I first saw her in Riding in Cars with Boys movie last (2001), I was in college that time. I love her smile,... its like a sunshine!

Mayon Volcano

This is the mighty Mayon Volcano or the Bulkang Mayon as we call it, in Legaspi Albay--the province where I came from. Mayon Volcano came from a root word "magayon" means beautiful. It is an active stratovolcano and as you see, it almost has a perfect cone. This magnificent view can lure you and would make you admire for its beauty. I lived in Albay for the last 4 years. And everyday I got to see it at my window.

And this past days, lava started to flow from the peak, and the government declared an Alert Level 2. I would love to take photo of it especially at night. I miss my home...

Smile

(VR 18-55mm, F/3.5-5.6G, ISO 400 1/30s-F/5.6)

This is the very first shot I made using Nikon D5000. This lovely girl is living right next to my room. She visits my room everyday, just to check out how messy my place is.

Best Gift!

I won't be home on Christmas eve and this will be the fourth time. I will be away from my home and family on the most important day of the year and the two options I can do is talk to them on the phone or voice chat with them in front of a webcam while watching everybody around me, hugging and greeting their families...



But you know, I got the best gift this Christmas! Last summer I bought myself a Toshiba laptop and this time I got a Nikon D5000 D-SLR! I've been wanting to have my own camera and now, I got it! All I have to do is spend the rest of my free time learning photography--from the scratch. And from now on, I am officially a photography enthusiast!

Alice in Wonderland Full Length Trailer

The third Alice in Wonderland movie trailer was released. I can say the visual effects are stunning. They used full 3D animation and as you can see from the trailer its superb. Guys behind this are genuis. I am certainly a fan of Tim Burton... And every time he collaborate with Johnny Depp, you can expect the best. And of course I am a Johnny Depp's avid fan!

By the way, this time Wonderland is taken over by the Red Queen. Everybody is counting for Alice help. There are action and adventure. I would love to see this in iMax. But I dont't have info if this will also be shown in iMax, I hope so...

The movie will be on cinemas starting March 2010, we have few months to wait.

Presents!

The streets are getting busier and busier every single day, and the people are rushing to the mall, it seems like they have that magic wallet with an endless source of money! Well that is one reason why Christmas is the best part of the year, everybody receive bonuses, 13th month pay, gifts and warm greetings.



I really love the color around me while I'm walking along Glorietta Mall, I decided to take few shots of it.

Earlier this afternoon before going to work, I got free time to start buying gifts. For me, I consider this a "brainstorming" stuff to do. I prefer to give presents that is simple, not that expensive but something really worth remembering. I bought few stuffs for my office mates and its something that they'll gonna use everyday.


For myself, I bought a notebook planner for next year, its not a girly one... pink and flower designed stuffs are not my choice. I have to track down the things I will be doing and see if I can be more productive this time, and I am a type of person who always jot down things so I really got to have a notebook planner.

This will be my life navigator and this year will definitely better!

First Google Phone

As google made Android, now they present a new one:


Google has the first phone called Nexus. Its thin and sleek. Its OS features new 3D elements to the app tray and there's a new grid icon(at the bottom of the homescreen) when pressed brings up a webOS card-style preview of all homescreen pages. This phone device is running on T-Mobile yes, it is also using WiFi.

Christmas All Over Town

Its a good start for this week. I've got to relax at work, no more rush things to do and wow, I noticed I laughed a lot today. No frowning faces around. And after work, me and my and and friends got to take a look at the colorful Christmas decorations around Ayala Avenue. Its getting late, but people are all caught in Christmas rush. Walking around holding gifts and endless Christmas shopping. And to tell you and about the traffic? Gosh it will just piss you off.

Oh by the way, I've got my second gift for our kris kringle, I'll post it tomorrow. I haven't do shopping yet, but I am excited to have the thing I've been wanting, maybe next week.

Well, as busy as the people around, we decided to take photos of the giant Christmas tree and the stunning decorations of the mall window.

I used my Sony Ericsson cellphone when I took these photos and its not as sharp as the point-and-shoot, much more as the DSLR can, but hey,... I am about to have one. Yey!!!

Russian Roulette

When I first heard Rihanna's song Russian Roulette, the very first impression came into my mind is "wow, it sounds so sexy", but when she starts to sing, it became something provocative yet sexy, intense and sad. But the beat, really made it sound so beautiful.

In an interview of her in Americas Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest, she admitted that this song is a part of her and in every experience she'd been through she learned and now ready to share it in her music.

I feel sad every time I play this song, but I love it.

Avatar

Avatar is a 3-D science fiction epic film, will be released officially on Dec. 16, 2009 by 20th Century Fox. This movie is probably the best for this month. Written and directed by James Cameron, this is actually his creation 15 years ago. After James finished Titanic, he announced his plan of making Avatar.

Let me tell you about the plot summary...

Pandora is another planet's moon that will take anybody 6 years just to get there. It is a lush rainforest environment filled with incredible life forms--some beautiful but many are terrifying. This world is the home of the Na'vi.

A Na'vi is a humanoid race that lives at what we consider to be a primate level. They are much more evolved than humans. Ten feet tall and blue skinned, the Na’vi live harmoniously within their unspoiled world. But as humans encroach on Pandora in search of valuable minerals, the Na’vi’s very existence is threatened – and their warrior abilities unleashed.


In the story the protagonist, Jake Sully, an ex-Marine who was wounded and paralyzed from the waist down in combat on Earth. He was recruited to participate in Avatar program, which in return will give him a healthy body. He then agrees to travel to Pandora. In able for the humans to breathe the air on Pandora, a genetically-bred human-Na’vi hybrids known as Avatars was created. The Avatars are living, breathing bodies in the real world, controlled by a human driver through a technology that links the driver’s mind to the Avatar body. On Pandora, through his Avatar body, Jake can be whole once again. Moreover, he falls in love with a young Na’vi woman, Neytiri, whose beauty is matched by her ferocity in battle.

Wow, really a must see movie, it has a twist of adventure and love story. You can choose where to watch this, in conventional cinemas or in iMax, I recommend you to watch in iMax for the full adventure experience. Have fun watching!

Cleaning up the Dirty Laundry

I notice that just when every thing's perfect... you have the money, a good career, fans, a happy family of your own..., one day you'll wake up realizing that you've messed-up everything! And even if you want to make everything back to what it was before, it will even get worst. Then you will finally noticed that everything you establish (not just the wealth but the respect the people give you) will disappear if you will not take action and make it right.

Its been weeks since I keep track on whats Tiger's being through this days, and I really can't believe he cheated on his wife and he admit it! Now, after weeks of silence and more alleged mistresses popping up everywhere, Tiger Woods finally decided to take an "indefinite break" from golf to focus on his personal life. I would say, its a good decision for a man who wants to make everything right. He manage to set aside the thing he loves to do, to take some time to think and to focus his attention on being a better husband, father, and person. There is nothing more precious than having a happy family.

As of now, Nike is in full support for his family and looking forward for his return to golf.

Eclipse Movie - remastered and will invade the iMax theatre

Good news for twilight saga fans, according to collider.com, the third movie Twilight Saga-Eclipse will be release in gigantic iMax theaters starting June 30, 2010, and this can still be shown in conventional cinemas. I am sure this will going to be super awesome!!! As what in the news, it will be digitally re-mastered with IMAX DMR (Digital Re-mastering) technology, so we can enjoy the enhanced sound and image quality of the movie. Breaking Dawn is still to be shoot, also expected to be shown in iMax.

Here's the big news:

SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT TO DISTRIBUTE THE TWILIGHT SAGA: ECLIPSE TO IMAX® THEATRES BEGINNING JUNE 30, 2010

Los Angeles, CA - December 9, 2009 - IMAX Corporation (NASDAQ: IMAX; TSX: IMX) and Summit Entertainment announced today that The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the third film in the studio’s Twilight franchise, will be released to IMAX® theatres simultaneously with the film’s launch on June 30, 2010. Directed by David Slade (30 DAYS OF NIGHT, HARD CANDY) and starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse will be digitally re-mastered into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience® with proprietary IMAX DMR® (Digital Re-mastering) technology. The crystal-clear images coupled with IMAX’s customized theatre geometry and powerful digital audio create a unique environment that will make audiences feel as if they are in the movie. The film franchise is based on the book series by Stephenie Meyer.

In Eclipse there will be more action and less romance. Vampire army is heading to Forks, and Victoria had no idea that the vampire and the shape-shifters collaborate to defeat them. I am waiting for this, because Eclipse is my favorite part among the four books.

Modern Cremation Will Produce Ferfilizer

Our world is really crowded that there is a new and modern process to dispose human remains. It is called resomation--a process where the human corps will be cremated and will eventually turn into a fertilizer. This process was developed by a Scottish company, Resomation Ltd. To understand how in the world they came up with this idea is, its just like a natural process of decomposition, but they have to hasten it just like pressing the fast-forward button of your remote control. The process will be through alkaline hydrolysis, which occurs when the body is sealed inside a vault-like tube filled with water and lye and steam-heated to 300 degrees and after three hours, a powdery bone fragments and 200 gallons of fluid are all that remains. Comparing to traditional cremation and burial, alkaline hydrolysis doesn’t lead to toxic chemicals like dioxin and formaldehyde being released into the atmosphere or water supply.

This may not be accepted by everybody, it will a personal choice for anybody who would let their relatives/loveones to undergo this process. But I think those that are concern about the environment crisis--global warming, they consider this approach as acceptable and just the right thing. As we can see, even the process is natural and eco-friendly, I think the leaders will still have to struggle to deal with this idea.

How about you? Just curious of what do you think about this. I would be glad if you do comment. As effective and promising as this may seem, this could be a common way to deal with human remains anytime soon.

Iron Man 2

Iron Man is back! With Robert Downey, Jr. as Anthony "Tony" Stark (Iron Man), Gwyneth Paltrow as Virginia "Pepper" Po as well as Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow) undercover spy posing as Stark's assistant.

DSL vs. Wireless Broadband

I used DSL connection for 5 months, then I just decided to test of how fast it is, And here is the result:


and sometimes it is extremely slow, that I wouldn't able to properly download files.

And just 2 weeks ago, I applied for a wireless broadband plan, a really affordable plan, and it really amazed me by its speed.



It is way faster than the other. I even do the speed test during peak hours and its impressive. I am happy and enjoying fast Internet connection.

Kris Kringle - Week 1

One thing I love on Christmas is giving and receiving gifts.


Every Monday before Christmas eve, I am going to exchange gifts (kris kringle) with my friends in the office. For this week, we have to give "something naughty" and I got a blue bunny headband. Yey, I liked it so much since I've been thinking of buying it before, just for fun and I love gifts!


I am excited what will I get next week, I prefer to receive simple and something I can use everyday.

Clash of the Dinosaurs

If you think these mighty beasts are dead, well they are back! Tonight Dec. 6, Discovery channel will show you the reconstructed 3D animations with cutting-edged graphics of how dinosaurs may looked like millions of years ago and we would have the idea on how they ruled the land. Well, it has a little violence in it, but it is how to survive millions years ago--to kill, eat, run, and not be eaten.

It is a series, so I will have a good reason to sit in front of my tv every weekend. I love watching a documentaries about our past, I am always curious on what our world looked like before... Oh, by the way, the next series of this show will be next week, Dec. 13, 8:00PM.

A Game that should be played this Christmas

As Christmas is mostly about party and eating. I won't have the ability to control eating those yummy ham, roast chicken, salad and cakes. I came up with this idea... to try the Wii fitness plus. I will have fun playing with this and i can loss weight because I am always pissed off every year, after the holiday. I will not complain why my clothes don't fit on me anymore, and will lead to buying new clothes.


See, its simple. The Wii Balance Board can read the players real-life movements and bring them to life on screen, just like the Wii Remote controller.

I am ready to play! Bring it on!

52nd Annual Grammy Awards

Days fly so fast, and once again the Music's Biggest Night is back! -- The 52nd Annual Grammy Awards. It will be held in Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2010, and will air live on the CBS Television Network from 8–11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

Well, once again Beyonce Swift leads as most nominated artist, with 10 nominations for her album I Am...Sasha Fierce, "Halo" and Song of the Year for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". Not far behind is Taylor Swift with 8 nominations for her album Fearless.

Here is the full list of nominees for the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards.

Planet 51

You may never know how much I love animation movie and for this time, I am waiting for this movie to be release here. Its a story of a U.S. astronaut Captain Charles T. Baker (Dwayne Johnson) who lands to a distant Alien planet for a quick flag plant and a hasty return to earth and his millions of screaming fans. For some reason, he mistakenly planted the flag in front of Lem's house(Justin Long--the alien dude). So there, the commotions started because on this planet the media has tagged spacemen as brain-eating, zombie-creating monsters... Baker must run for his life. Now it's up to the green native to get the clumsy astronaut back to his spaceship before military dictator General Grawl and mad scientist Professor Kipple manage to exterminate the Earthly visitor.

Scientific Match

I stumble upon a really great news, its for everybody who are looking for a perfect match. This one is called The Science of Love. Since according to the scientific studies, people fall in love to the one who is the opposite of himself/herself, now they do DNA analysis to help you find your partner and it is accurate. You don't have to answer many questions to find who matches your interests and personality, just let the science to it for you.

World Aids Day

Every year, on December 1st, we celebrate World Aids Day. This is actually an awareness campaign about the the disease, to give respect, give hope and to understand the HIV victims. AIDS is a pandemic, in fact it is estimated about 33.2 million people worldwide live with HIV and the painful thing to know is that about 270,000 were children. Despite all the efforts to create the right drug for this killer disease, the number of infected are increasing, almost doubled from the past years. So today is a very important day, to be a part of this campaign.

I choose to wear red shirt to support this campaign, and what can I say? Lets spread the information, not the disease!

Wear red shirt.