Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Itching for a Restart

2008-07-16T11:23:00.003+08:00

I think I will start writing again in this blog. I would like to break the 5-month hiatus. But I am not exactly sure what to write about. A simple case of blogger's block? Perhaps. Perhaps not. I have started tinkering with the HTML code to customize the over-all look of the blog. There have been subtle changes already. I guess it's a start. A restart.

So what have I been up to these last few months? I have gone through major changes in my life. Got a real job now. Suddenly, I find myself living alone - away from my family and friends, in another country. I've been living and working here in Singapore for the past five months. I am an undocumented OFW. Perhaps, I will talk about my life here in Singapore. But not today. Some other time.

FOR SALE: Colorvision Spyder 2 Express

2008-02-08T16:11:00.000+08:00

Php 4.5k
A must-have for a photography enthusiast
Rarely used, very good to almost new condition
Original packaging still intact

Features & Benefits

CRT, LCD, and laptop displays to industry standards.
Easy Software Wizard guiding you through the calibration process in just a few steps means you don't have to be a color guru.
New State-of-the-Art Optical Science provides a five-fold increase in color sensitivity over previous technology with a patent-protected light baffle for accurate characterization of LCD displays.
Sleek, Dual-Phase Hardware Design offers effortless LCD, CRT, and laptop calibration while protecting delicate LCD screens.
Outstanding Reliability backed by a 2 Year hardware warranty
Sophisticated Gray Balance and Tonal Response Algorithms provide demanding users with exceptionally smooth gradient steps and neutral grays.
Unique Before and After Viewing Feature lets you compare your display with and without calibration.

RFS: owner is leaving the country soon, needs cash

FOR SALE: PC Pentium 4 Set (with Table, Scanner, External CD Writer, Speakers, etc)

2008-02-08T16:04:00.000+08:00

Php 11k (still negotiable)
Very good working condition
For students on a tight budget: Great for school work, basic photo and video editing

Pentium 4 1.70GHz
Asus P4 motherboard
640MB DDR 400 RAM (upgradeable to 2GB)
64MB ATI Video Card
40GB HDD
Asus CD-ROM
Floppy disk drive
TV Tuner and FM radio (with Remote Control and Antenna)

14" Samsung Flat CRT
External Conexant Modem (dial-up)
Yamada 2.1 Speakers
Canon Scanner
External Asus CD-writer
Keyboard
AVR
Table

Software Installed:
MS Windows XP SP2
MS Office
Firefox (latest version)
AVG (updated anti-virus freeware)
Photoshop CS2
etc.

RFS: we hardly use this pc at home; plus owner is leaving the country soon

Can deliver the set in Makati and nearby areas during weekends. Otherwise, for pick up only.

Contact no.: 09272159265
E-mail address: zengkilebron@yahoo.com

(SOLD) Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

2007-12-24T02:41:00.000+08:00

Php 250
Paperback, 489 pages
VG condition

In this latest addition to the author's incomparable oeuvre, 15-year-old Kafka Tamura runs away from home, both to escape his father's oedipal prophecy and to find his long-lost mother and sister. As Kafka flees, so too does Nakata, an elderly simpleton whose quiet life has been upset by a gruesome murder. (A wonderfully endearing character, Nakata has never recovered from the effects of a mysterious World War II incident that left him unable to read or comprehend much, but did give him the power to speak with cats.) What follows is a kind of double odyssey, as Kafka and Nakata are drawn inexorably along their separate but somehow linked paths, groping to understand the roles fate has in store for them. Murakami likes to blur the boundary between the real and the surreal—we are treated to such oddities as fish raining from the sky; a forest-dwelling pair of Imperial Army soldiers who haven't aged since WWII; and a hilarious cameo by fried chicken king Colonel Sanders—but he also writes touchingly about love, loneliness and friendship. Occasionally, the writing drifts too far into metaphysical musings—mind-bending talk of parallel worlds, events occurring outside of time—and things swirl a bit at the end as the author tries, perhaps too hard, to make sense of things. But by this point, his readers, like his characters, will go just about anywhere Murakami wants them to, whether they "get" it or not.

YM/e-mail address: zengkilebron@yahoo.com
Meet-Up Locations: Glorietta, Greenbelt, Rockwell in Makati; Robinson's Place, McDonald's Quirino Avenue in Manila

(SOLD) Digital Photography Books

2007-12-23T23:28:00.000+08:00

Selling the following introductory books as a lot for Php 500. All books in color, very good/like new condition:

Digital Photography: An Introduction by Tom Ang (2003)

From improving casual snapshots to learning the secrets of lighting, composition, and digital image manipulation, Digital Photography provides a practical, easily accessible approach to producing better digital photographs. With over 400 photographs, this concise guide shows you, as well as tells you what to do. The book also includes information on the most up-to-date equipment, software, and accessories, and professional hints and advice to help you get the most out of our digital camera.

Digital Photography: Step by Step by Ben Owen

From a comprehensive introduction to the various features of a digital camera, through to a thorough understanding of the processes involved, Digital Photography Step by Step covers everything you ever wanted to know about the subject.

Written simply and effectively without the use of complicated terminology, every page is visually accessible through screen-grabs that illustrate every step of the instructions.

Note: National Bookstore is selling this book for Php 429.

Free: Sport and Adventure Photography by Sean Hargrave

YM/e-mail address: zengkilebron@yahoo.com
Meet-Up Locations: Glorietta, Greenbelt, Rockwell in Makati; Robinson's Place, McDonald's Quirino Avenue in Manila

CD-R King Products that Actually Work (and Last)

2007-12-22T21:34:00.000+08:00

More often than not when it comes to CD-R King, you get what you pay for, i.e. crappy items that you can’t get to work, crappy in-store service which consists almost entirely of a one-liner: “papila na lang” and even crappier after-sale service that only exchanges the crappy item you got from them with yet another crappy item. Either that or after-sale service is nonexistent altogether, just an annoying crackling sound at the other end of the line. And so you curse and vow never to buy anything from CD-R King again. But the allure of “cheapo alternatives” and the hopeful thought that it might work this time are just too hard to resist that you who once, twice, thrice vowed not to step in a CD-R King shop again finds himself in a long cue inside a CD-R King store. The cycle of crappiness begins anew. Once in a while though, the cycle is broken and you are blessed with cheap but actually functioning and durable CDR-King products.
Lady luck must be smiling on me every time I visit a CD-R King kiosk because albeit the inattentive and rude sales staff, the items I bought from them actually work! From all my countless blank CD and DVD purchases, I only had to return 5 DVD+R which were not compatible with my writer. They replaced them with DVD-R without fuss. As for non-CD/DVD items, I try not to rely on luck alone. If a certain item tickles my fancy, I rummage through local forum reviews for that item. If the reviews turn out to be good, then I buy the item. If not, then I don't.

I present to you my favorite CD-R King products - items that actually work and last.

Imation and Iomega CD/DVD

First in my list is their Imation CD and DVD+/-R. Even the choosy DVD-ROM drive of my laptop has no issues with these. I also learned from a local forum that Imation DVD-Rs can be used to "back up" Wii games and they work without a glitch. Iomega is another reliable brand as far as my burning needs are concerned. But these "brands" are hard to come by these days. I hope CDR-King replenishes their Imation and Iomega stock soon.

CD-R King AA Rechargeable Batteries

The CD-R King AA Rechargeable batteries are second in my list. Not only they're so darn cheap (Php 280 then, Php 300 now), they even work better than my 2500 mAh Sanyo Ni-MH batteries.When fully charged, they take more shots than my Sanyo batteries before completely draining out. Not only that, CD-R King batteries do not lose juice easily that they can still be used even after prolonged storage (about 2 weeks) without the need to recharge them.

1 GB PQI SD Card

When I bought a Nikon D40 last October, it came with, among other freebies, a 1GB PQI SD card (Php 450). The card was bought by the previous owner from CD-R King. I did not expect the card to last but it did and it's still with me and works just fine.

LP-8187E Wireless LAN USB 2.0 Adapter (with Antenna)

If setting up your home computers wirelessly is something you don't think you can do by yourself, then you're probably right. That is, if we're talking about wireless routers. Fortunately, Wifi USB dongles simplify things for the uninitiated. CD-R King's Wifi USB adapter does the job. Just stick it into a USB port of your main computer, install the drivers, connect your Wifi-enabled device and that's it. Up to 5 devices can be connected simultaneously. For just Php 750, this is a real steal. By the way, if you are a PSP owner just dying to play online games with fellow PSP gamers, then here's great news - this nifty device is 100% compatible with XLink Kai (Similar devices are sold at twice the price of this adapter.).

Dispose of your Old Cell Phone Batteries Properly

2007-11-20T14:08:00.000+08:00

The DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) in partnership with major mobile phone manufacturers and mobile network service providers has launched a campaign on proper e-waste management, particularly the proper disposal of used, defective cell phone batteries and chargers. Twenty collection bins in three designated areas have been put up as drop-off points for discarded cell phones and parts. These bins may be found in strategic locations inside the Glorietta Mall in Makati, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong, and Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan.

Cell phone batteries are just one example of electronic waste or e-waste. With over 2 billion mobile users in the planet today, the disposal of broken cell phones and parts has become an environmental concern. Their components are made from non-biodegradable materials. Furthermore, modern cell phones are using lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are relatively safe but when overcharged, punctured, heated or incinerated, they could explode as the lithium oxide in the battery gets converted to its metal form (in the case of overcharging and heating).

The campaign's collected batteries and parts will then be collected by HMR Envirocycle Philippines for recycling. Metals from lithium-ion batteries such as cobalt, nickel, copper and iron are all recyclable.

Let's support this program. Dispose of your cell phone parts and batteries properly.

Kudos to DENR for this wonderful project. But why cell phone batteries only? Why not include all sorts of batteries in this project?

Hot Fruit Fly Sex and other Macro Shots

2007-11-13T21:05:00.000+08:00

While looking for butterflies in a private garden in U.P. Diliman, I chanced upon this pair of fruit flies busily procreating. Fruit flies (well, flies in general) are an ideal subject in macro photography for they keep still and seem not to mind if the photographer invades their space and in this case, their privacy.

Butterflies, bees and dragonflies are not as cooperative and accommodating as fruit flies. I have to keep a certain distance when photographing these creatures. But capturing them in action is just as rewarding.

Then, the easiest of macro subjects: flowers (so long as the wind isn't blowing hard)

Glorietta Post-Blast Images

2007-10-28T17:48:00.000+08:00

Pictures taken last Saturday (October 27 - 7 days after the blast) using a camera phone:

Under normal circumstances, this part of Glorietta would have been packed with passing vehicles and crossing shoppers.

A makeshift altar was constructed where family and friends can offer prayers, flowers and candles for the 11 innocent lives lost in the blast.

Third floor corridor of SM is so shiny and squeaky clean - no heavy foot traffic going to the MRT station. No foot traffic at all.

Empty tables collecting dust: no afternoon beer drinkers

Nearby malls such as SM are just as affected by the blast

Glorietta 2 blast ground zero - damaged vehicles outside Glorietta 2 have been removed, area cleared of debris but remains barricaded. Police and security guards are manning the area.

Many shops and fast food restaurants around the perimeter of Glorietta 2 remain closed - due to damages sustained (cracked walls, shattered glasses). Most of these shops seem intact but have been sealed off to prevent possible gas leak from Glorietta 2.

Walled up and painted white: But many parts of the mall particularly the wing going to SM (Giordano area) and Glorietta 4 reek of noxious gas stench seeping through these open areas of the mall.

PRC FINALLY Releases Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) 2007 Results

2007-10-26T22:24:00.000+08:00

After two gruelling months of waiting, the Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC) finally released the results for the Licensure Examination for Teachers 2007 just this morning. From philstar.com:

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that 18,376 elementary teachers out of 66,709 examinees and 16,811 secondary teachers out of 57,723 examinees successfully passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers (L.E.T) given by the Board for Professional Teachers on August 26, 2007 in 19 testing centers all over the Philippines.

TOP 10 HIGHEST PLACES IN SECONDARY LEVEL

1.Joel Lising Adamos (University of Santo Tomas) Manuel Tablante Eusebio (University of the Philippines-Diliman) Aaron Dalisay Galamgam (University of the Philippines-Diliman)

2.Virgo Mamaclay Gulan (Philippine Normal University-Isabela) Melissa Elinore Manuel Wang (Ateneo de Manila University -QC)

3.Sherwin Barrete Iñigo (Mindanao State University-Marawi City) Missy Dazzle Molinyawe Olea (University of the Philippines-Diliman) Blessilda Perez Rapoza (Philippine Normal University-Manila)

4.Eisha Vienna Maliksi Fernandez (Philippine Normal University-Manila) Julius Abel Bicos Galpao (Centro Escolar Unversity-Manila)

5.Rommel Ambal Ramos (University of Batangas)

6.Jorge JR Salvador Baclor (Philippine Normal University-Manila) Tom Ng Chu (University of the Philippines-Diliman) Celina Punzalan Sarmiento (Philippine Normal University-Manila)

7.Nestor Gonzales Acala (Mindanao State University-Marawi City) Ferdinand Licup Aguila (University of the Philippines-Diliman) Rachel Edita Oñate Roxas (University of the Philippines-Los Baños) Mona Lisa Pardilla Siacor (Central Philippine University)

8.Gissella Bahoyo Lebron (De La Salle University-Manila) Helma Yusa Mesa (University of the Philippines-Diliman)

9.Agripina Lagasca Arboleda (Saint Louis University) Oliver Garejo Daitol (University of the East-Caloocan) Angeli Soledad Roque Echiverri (University of the Philippines-Diliman) Angelita Profeta Radiel (University of the Philippines-Los Baños)

10.Krystal Dianne Masangkay Dolarte (Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Sta. Mesa) Glaiza David Tarine (Holy Angel University)

And miracle of all miracles, I landed in the top ten (that's me in no. 8 position)! I would have been happy just to see my name in the list of successful examinees but to be in the top ten is too much of a blessing.

Although credit is given to De La Salle University, my alma mater (B.S. Chemistry) in the official PRC release, equal credit should be given to Philippine Normal University where I took my education units that made me eligible to take the board examination in the first place. If not for the training and schooling and disciplining I got from these two fine universities, I don't think I would have even passed the boards. Special thanks to Immaculate Conception Academy (San Juan), St. Theresa's College (Q.C.), De La Salle University Physics Department and University of Santo Tomas Pharmacy Math Department - schools where I taught and grew as a teacher. But no thanks to MSA reviewer (I didn't enroll in any review center but I made the terrible mistake of picking up an error-laden MSA reviewer).

Getting Slim and Pink

2007-10-25T01:23:00.000+08:00

I wish I were talking about my body for the slim part of the title and my skin color for the pink part. But hell no. This entry isn't about my body or skin (But yes - if you insist, I'm on my way to getting slim. As for my skin turning pink, it would take I guess carbon monoxide poisoning to achieve that baby skin tone.). I'm talking about my newest toy: my rose pink psp (portable Play Station) slim and lite.
I bought it last month at Go Gadgets Electronic Boutique in Gilmore. And it took me one month to write an entry about my new toy and addiction. Why is that? Every time I would attempt to write this entry, I feel that precious time is wasted writing about my psp instead of playing with it. I think anyone who has this toy would feel the same way. The only time I got to work on this entry was when I was recharging my psp. Although I still could play with it while on recharge, I thought that recharge time should be rest time for psp. I certainly don't want it to die on me so soon.

Is it all play with my psp? Ninety percent of the time it is. There's virtually no limit as to which games (and even consoles) I could play in my psp. As of this writing, emulators for Game Boy Advance and Nintendo games have already been tested to work perfectly with the psp slim. That means I can already play GBA and other Nintendo games in my psp! Some Playstation games have been known to work without a glitch with psp slim. This device has virtually become an all-in-one gaming device. Thanks to the very active international homebrewing and hacking community which continues to develop applications, games and utilities for every psp need or wish one can think of. But this little wonder is more than a handheld gaming device. It plays my favorite mp3s. I can view photos with it. I can watch my favorite tv shows and movies on this toy too. So it does what an ipod video and other mp3 players do. But there's more it can do. With its wifi feature, I can surf the net and play with/against fellow psp users. Loaded with the right homebrew application, I can use my psp to read and view ebooks and comic books. Something the ipod video or any other mp3 players will not allow you to do, as far as I know.

New to the slim version is the optional feature that connects the psp slim to a TV set for movie viewing and game playing although the latter requires a TV with a progressive scan capability. I have yet to try this feature though. A 1.3MP Chotto Shot camera when attached to the device allows one to take pictures (I have a camera phone that takes images at a higher resolution so I have no plans of getting a Chotto Shot.).

The only gripe I have is that its speakers are not as loud as I want them to be. But connected to a headset, its volume improves significantly.

Needless to say (but I'm going to say it anyway), I am one happy PSP owner. If truth be told, I'm more than happy. I'm ecstatic over what my PSP is capable of doing and what else it could do as homebrewers and hackers bring this psp to its full potential.

A95 Update and Baby Joaquin Santino

2007-10-23T19:32:00.000+08:00

Sometime last month, I brought my Canon Powershot A95 digicam to Canon Service Center in Makati for a CCD repair/replacement. The customer service guy told me it would take approximately 14 working days (excluding saturdays and sundays) for the repair. Already out of warranty plus the fact it was a grey unit (which means it's not entitled to a local Canon warranty in the first place), I was just relieved that they would repair it still. What's better they did the repair for free. I wasn't expecting Canon to keep their 14-working days promise but they did. Last October 15, I got my A95 back. And what a perfect timing. My first cousin's daughter Jona gave birth to a baby boy the following day. My mother paid her and baby Joaquin Santino a visit. Here are the baby snapshots my mother took using the newly-repaired A95.

To Canon Philippines, thank you for the prompt service!

To baby Joaquin Santino, you're a welcome addition to our big family.

Great Buys at Powerbooks OctoberBOOKfest

2007-10-13T23:10:00.001+08:00

Powerbooks Warehouse in Pasig is 1 short jeepney ride, 3 MRT stations and 1 bumpy trike ride away from my place. I am well aware of the existence of this outlet store which sells books at a discounted rate. But cheaper the books may be, I am never one to trudge on unknown paths if getting to the destination involves tricycles going head-on with trucks and cars of all sizes on steep narrow roads. But the lure of "up to 90% discount" in what I believe is Powerbooks first ever OctoberBOOKfest is too strong to resist and so a friend and I decided to pay the warehouse a visit last Thursday.

It was a warehouse all right. It was dusty and dark. But the outlet store which is inside the warehouse wasn't. It's airconditioned, clean, the books well-organized and the staff helpful and friendly. They also accept major credit cards and BPI's EPS. And of course, there are couches where you can sit and read comfortably to your heart's content. So it's like a regular bookshop in your favorite mall except when you look at the tags, you know you're not in a regular bookshop in your favorite mall. All the better because the books here are really cheap!

I only bought 4 books. A bit disappointed because I was expecting Murakami, Hornby and Eugenides would be on the shelf. Nonetheless, there are many great finds and these are mine: 1) The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver), 2) The Body Artist (Don DeLillo) 3) Persepolis 2 (Marjane Satrapi) and 4) Everything is Illuminated (Jonathan Safran Foer).

The Poisonwood Bible is sold at a regular price of Php 515. Got my copy for only Php 89!

The Body Artist at Php 99.

Everything is Illuminated, 70% off. Got it for just Php 208.50 (regular price: Php 695).

Persepolis 2 at 50% off (regular price: Php 585).

OctoberBookfest ends today, October 14th.

Getting there: Take the MRT and amble off at the Boni station. Hail a tricycle in front of Robinson's Pioneer. Tell the driver to take you to the Powerbooks Warehouse.

Wentworth Miller and his Rumored Gay-ness

2007-09-28T02:34:00.000+08:00

If the rumors persist, then they must be true.

The Prison Break star is rumored to be dating actor Luke MacFarlane. The picture below shows the hot couple in matching flipflops and pants. They're so gay.

For more pictures of the couple, click here.

Can you imagine Wentworth Miller in a gay role? Imagine no more. Here are samples of his gay-ness:

Straight or not, he's still hot. Straight or not, Prison Break still rocks!

Canon Powershot A95 CCD Issue

2007-09-26T16:38:00.000+08:00

I brought my 2-year-old Canon Powershot A95 digital camera to the Canon Service Center in Pasong Tamo, Makati yesterday. It has been malfunctioning since summer. Though could still be used at times without any problem at all, more often than not it leaves my mother frustrated because all she's getting are purplish, distorted images like the one shown below.

I initially thought it was just an LCD problem, that when loaded to a computer the images should look just fine without the purplish color, the distortion and the horizontal lines. But when I did transfer the .jpg files to my laptop and opened the files in Photoshop, they were still purplish, distorted and marred with lines. It occurred to me then it wasn't a simple LCD problem but a more serious CCD malfunction. Then it came to mind that 2 years ago Canon issued an advisory regarding a CCD issue plaguing several Powershot models. I did remember looking up the list of affected models but was relieved to find out then that the A95 was not in the list. My A95 warranty expired a year ago and not wanting to shell out a large amount of money for its repair I did not care to bring it to a service center. Anyway, I am using another digital camera: a Canon Powershot S3 IS. I just let my poor A95 die away in a cold dark place (cabinet drawer). Then 2 nights ago, I stumbled upon an A95 up for sale at TipidPC. The seller who goes by the handle of littlesealgirl posted about the ccd malfunction her A95 had in the past - the very same ccd problem with my A95 . It was fixed by Canon Philippines for free and all is well with her camera since then. That prompted me to search for the Canon advisory and the list of affected models. Here's the link. 11 models have been added to the list including the A95. The malfunction is brought about by a sudden change in temperature and humidity which causes a ccd wiring to be undone. Most cameras affected by the problem are those in Asia.

So yesterday I went to Canon Service to have my camera fixed. After confirming that it was indeed a ccd sensor problem, the desk guy told me Canon will fix it at no cost. But it will take 14 working days for the repair (about three weeks). The new experience (a welcome change, I hasten to add) for me as far as repairs go is the desk guy did not hassle me for the receipt or the warranty card.* Now that's customer service. (I'm starting to feel a little guilty for shifting to the dark side but that's another story.)

*When I brought in my laptop for a check up, HP did not require any receipt or warranty card from me either. But the follow up was gruesome. What's worse, the call center agent with thick Visayan accent demanded that I talk to him in English! Well, that's another story - a horror story at that.

UPDATE HERE

If you were a book, which book would you be?

2007-09-18T16:20:00.000+08:00

Took the surprisingly short online quiz: the book quiz. According to the quiz, I am Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle. Funny, I have yet to read that book. No idea what it's all about but that book is me, according to the quiz. Thank God I'm not Marisha Pessl's Special Topics in Calamity Physics (huge sigh of relief)! How about you? Which book are you?

You're Cat's Cradle!
by Kurt Vonnegut

You believe quite firmly that free will deserted you long ago and far away. As a result, it's hard to take responsibility for anything. Even though you show great potential as a leader of a small 3rd world country, the choices are all made ahead of time. You're rather fond of games involving string. Your fear of nuclear weaponry is trumped only by your fear of ice.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Off the Shelf and into the Trash Bin: Licensure Examination for Teachers Reviewer (MSA)

2007-08-25T16:02:00.000+08:00

I should be cramming for tomorrow's board exam (L.E.T.) but instead I am blogging and for a good reason, I suppose. To cap off a week of "studying", I decided to answer the sample tests in the Licensure Examination for Teachers Reviewer, Vol. 1 by Merle S. Alferes, Ma. Gracia B. Nones,and Ma. Dolores Nones-Austria. The reviewer was published by MSA Math Tutoring Center. To my horror, the reviewer is laden with errors. No, not just the forgivable and forgettable typo errors that we come across with every now and then. I'm talking about gross errors here.

Exhibit A

This one is item 25 on page 5 in the Professional Education section, a fill-in-the-blank/multiple choice test item. If you look at the choices, there isn't any that upon substitution will give a grammatically sound sentence. Not only that, look closely at choice b) Motivates the lesson to interest the students. I didn't know lessons need to be motivated to make them interesting.

That's the grammatical part. Let us move on to the test item construction part. In the field of education, test construction is a major subject. Just how major the subject is? There are masteral and doctoral dissertations on the subject. When constructing an item such as this one, I have learned that you are not supposed to place the blank at the beginning of the sentence. It should be placed in the middle or at the end of the sentence.

Exhibit B

This one could be found on page 71 in the English Grammar section, Idiomatic Expressions test. "at a discount" is not an idiomatic expression. Consider the sentence: "Cleanliness is still at a discount in many parts of the country." I am flabbergasted. Will dirt be put on sale as well?

Exhibit C
Refer to page 72, Idiomatic Expressions test.

Aside from "at a discount", "punctuality" and "resolved" are considered idiomatic expressions by the authors. Perhaps, they are idiotic expressions of the authors but they are not idiomatic expressions.

These mistakes are not isolated cases I'm afraid; they are reverberated throughout the book. Miss Ilao, my professor in Measurement and Evaluation in Philippine Normal University will surely have a field day revising the book. I am recommending the book to anyone aspiring to be a proofreader or an editor. You'll get comprehensive practice.

Hyper Quentin Tarantino

2007-08-22T03:00:00.000+08:00

Certainly, the highlight of the 9th Cinemanila International Film Festival. Quentin Tarantino, director of cult favorites Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Kill Bill, among others was in the Philippines during the regular run of the festival in Cineplex 10, Gateway in Quezon City. He was awarded the lifetime achievement award during the opening ceremony last August 8.

Quentin couldn't stand still even for a second making it nearly impossible for his fans to take decent shots. Watching Quentin pace back and forth while answering questions hurled in his direction is like watching a tennis match. It didn't help the whole cinema was poorly lit. Well, under normal circumstances, it should be if not totally dark but we weren't there to watch a movie! We were there to have a glimpse of Quentin, listen to him and take pictures of him.

Black-eyed Quentin before the talk
Quentin with his pseudo bodyguard
In "Waning Crescent" pose (hehe)
"Shy" Quentin couldn't stop talking

Off the Shelf: Special Topics in Calamity Physics

2007-08-19T22:24:00.000+08:00

Special Topics in Calamity Physics

by Marisha Pessl

"Always live your life with your biography in mind," Dad was fond of saying. "Naturally, it won't be published unless you have a Magnificent Reason, but at the very least you will be living grandly." (p. 66)

Barely making it to page 100, I find the author has read too many books in her very young life that it spills over her writing. She is too wordy for my taste. If you can stand compound sentences compounded at least a hundred times over, then you might just make it to the final period. Expect kilometric sentences as major staple such as this one:

"In her absorbing memoir, There's a Great Day Coming Manana (1973), Florence "Feisty Freddie" Frankenberg, a 1940s their-girl-Friday actress whose great claim to fame was appearing on Broadway with Al Jolson in Hang on to your Handkerchiefs (she also palled around with Gemina Cervenka and Oona O'Neill), wrote in Chapter 1 that at first glance, Saturday night at the Stork Club was an "oasis of rarified fun" and that, despite WWII grimly unfolding across the Atlantic like a telegram delivering bad news, when one was in a "new gown, perched on those comfy banquettes," one had the feeling "nothing bad could happen" because one was protected by "all the money and the mink" (pp.22-23)." (p. 142)

Nonetheless, I am determined to finish this one. The plot which is beginning to take form on page 103 reminds me of The Secret History by Donna Tartt.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

2007-08-17T00:06:00.000+08:00

I did not have enough cash with me and so my mother lent me a thousand bucks so I could pay my long overdue Internet bill. After handing out the 2 crisp five-hundred peso bills to me, we parted ways. As she turned her back on me, I pretended to walk in the general direction of the payment center. Then I watched her - counting her steps as she lengthened the distance between us. Like a torpedo that has zoomed in on its target, she could not be stopped from her tracks - each step brought her closer to her destination: her favorite shoe store. And the target: a pair of slip-ons she's been dying to have since laying eyes on them a week ago. But today, the slip-ons are on sale. It's only when she had stepped inside the shoe store that I actually started walking in the general direction of the payment center. But so unlike my torpedo mother, I got detoured to a bookstore. I'll just check if the books I like are on sale, I muttered to myself. Nearing the shop, I saw the huge sign screaming: Up to 65% off! At that point, my pulse started to race, my steps quickened and in a split second I was transformed into a torpedo zooming in on a series of targets. Just give me 15 minutes, I told myself. There it was in the Literary section, Murakami's Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman. Not far from it, in the General Fiction shelf, I picked up Special Topics in Calamity Physics and a few strides from the counter, I saw Crichton's Next. I just couldn't ignore the ignorable Crichton. The damage: Php 864. Savings: Php 201! Don't you just love it when bookstores go on sale? I do.
Now, where to? Ah yes, to the payment center. Except I didn't have enough cash with me again to settle my bill. Oh, well I'm their most loyal client - didn't switch, even when offered a better deal by the competition. They will not mind if I'm behind my payment. Tomorrow I'll zoom in on the payment center. In the meantime, let me find a vacant seat in the food court and let me enjoy my books. As for my mother, she will understand. She should. She's supposed to buy someone a gift but then changed her mind. You already know why.

9th Cinemanila International Film Festival Screening Schedule (for 08 - 14 August)

2007-08-06T16:01:00.000+08:00

Here it is, film buffs: the screening schedule for the 9th Cinemanila International Film Festival. Exactly one day before the start of the film fest, Cinemanila organizers updated their website to include the screening schedule (at least for the first week of the festival), and the synopsis of the films competing in the ASEAN Film Category. For a complete synopsis of the films included in the International Category, click here.

AUGUST 8 (WEDNESDAY)

Gateway Mall, Cineplex 10

4:30PM

CONTROL - MATINEE SCREENING | CINEMA 1
(With Band Performances by: Blast Ople and Pupil after screening)

IRINA PALM - MATINEE SCREENING | CINEMA 4

8:00PM OPENING / ASEAN NIGHT | CINEMA 5

Lifetime Achievement Awardees:
Mr. Robert Malengreau, Mr. Quentin Tarantino
& HSH Chatrichalerm Yukol

9:00PM OPENING FILM: KING NARESUAN | CINEMA 5

CINEMA 1
1:00PM | LOVE’S LONE FLOWER
3:30PM | CONTROL
7:30PM | SOUTH AFRICAN NIGHT: U-CARMEN eKHAYELITSHA
10:00PM | THE EDGE OF HEAVEN

CINEMA 1
1:00PM | YESTERDAY
3:30PM | WOMAN ON THE BEACH
7:30PM | BOLLYWOOD NIGHT: THE NAMESAKE
10:00PM | IRINA PALM

CINEMA 5
1:00PM – 4:00PM | AN AFTERNOON WITH QUENTIN TARANTINO
9:00PM | PHILIPPINE PREMIERE: “DEATH PROOF” (Gala Screening)

CINEMA 6
1:00PM – 4:00PM | MASTER CLASS IN SCRIPTWRITING
5:00PM | VOICES, TILTED SCREENS & EXTENDED SCENES OF LONELINESS: FILIPINOS IN HIGH DEFINITION CINEMAS
7:00PM | PAIN THINGS
9:00PM | BEYOND THE CALL

CINEMA 1
1:00PM | GETTING HOME
3:30PM | LOVE FOR SHARE
6:00PM | PARIS JE T’AIME
9:00PM | HULA GIRLS

CINEMA 6
1:00PM – 4:00PM | MASTER CLASS IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
5:00PM | JACKIE BROWN
7:00PM | A LA SUERTE A LA MUERTE
9:30PM | THE ARSONIST

CINEMA 1
1:00PM | GOD WILLING
3:30PM | IRINA PALM
6:00PM | VOLVER
8:30PM | PERSEPOLIS

CINEMA 6
1:00PM – 4:00PM | INTERNATIONAL CO-PRODUCTION SEMINAR
5:00PM | THE MUTHERS
7:00PM | FAITH’S CORNER
9:30PM | TRIBU

Here's a bonus: Purchase a Gold Festival Ticket for Php 750 only. The bearer is entitled to 10 screenings and admission to all seminars and workshops including Tarantino's talk on August 11. For more details, visit the festival's official website.

My Flickr Explore

2007-08-02T11:52:00.000+08:00

Well, of course there's nothing to brag about when only 2 of your photos made it to the Flickr Explore. There are others whose almost every photo lands on the Explore page. Nonetheless, I take pride in these photos. After all, not all "flicktrs" have photos in the prestigious page.

Both were taken in 2006 with my beloved Canon Powershot A95 - the camera that introduced me to the world of photography. Nothing fancy, nothing complicated just a point 'n shoot with creative controls: it's the indian, not the pana.

DLSU Yuchengco Hall

Architecture was the first subject I tried in photography. I shot hundreds of buildings with my A95. I am particularly drawn to buildings with posh modern style and at the other end of the style spectrum, classical design and those tall, intricately designed columns are a must. The Don Enrique T. Yuchengco Hall's classical exteriors contrast the modern interiors of the building.

Bed of Books
If there is a bed of roses, why not a bed of books? What a crazy idea. But book groups in Flickr dig it. For some odd reason.

Technolust: eee PC 701

2007-07-30T14:05:00.000+08:00

This one is definitely on my wish list. No, scratch that. This one is certainly on my must-buy-as-soon-as-possible list. Better yet, I am listing this one under my will-buy-as-soon-as-it-comes-out list. Such is my lust for eee PC 701. But the technolust doesn’t stop there: I’m having daydreams about my “3e” (christened by Mean): “3e” and I lounging in a coffee shop; “3e” and I enjoying wireless surfing in my bed; “3e” sitting on my lap while I am blogging about our first night together; “3e” and I spending endless hours together unbound from any cable, slow dial-up access and heavy load.

But I am not the only one who wants to scoop up an eee PC 701 as soon as it hits the market in mid-August. The rest of the world does. Since its formal launch at Computex in Taiwan last June, geeks and ungeeks alike couldn’t stop talking and speculating about it. Local forums, particularly the one at TipidPC have interesting and humor-filled discussion threads on the nifty gadget. What’s the buzz all about?

The eee PC 701 is the result of the formidable team-up of Asus and Intel to come up with the first ever ultra-mobile PC (umpc) aimed at the consumer and education markets. Its most attractive selling point is its suggested retail price of US$ 250 for the 8 GB flash version. Here are the specs:

Display: 7"
Processor: Intel mobile CPU (Intel 910 chipset, 900MHz Dothan Pentium M)
Memory: 512MB DDR2 RAM
OS: Linux (Asus customized flavor)
Storage: 8GB or 16GB flash hard drive
Webcam: 300K pixel video camera
Battery life: 3 hours using 4-cell battery
Weight: 2lbs (0.89 kg)
Dimensions: 8.9 in x 6.5 in x 0.82 in - 1.37 in (width x depth x thickness)
Ports: 3 USB ports, 1 VGA out, SD card reader, modem, Ethernet, headphone out, microphone in

A quick look at the specs reveals that it is a capable low-power mobile device, sufficient for the most basic demands and needs of a mobile lifestyle. It is not designed though to replace your desktop PC or even your notebook, rather it’s a perfect companion on the go for your laptop. I see it as capable enough to fill in the mobility and ultraportability feature my 2.4-kg 14.1” Compaq notebook lacks. If only it has a 3g modem then it would have been the perfect mobile mate.

The unit comes pre-installed with Linux OS, Firefox web browser and Open Office Suite. But it is Windows XP – compatible.

The 3e’s stand for easy to learn, easy to work and easy to play. We may as well add up another e: easy on the budget. But as always you can expect local computer stores to ruin the entire gadget-shopping experience for you. PC Corner has already posted their jacked-up prices in their website:

04Gb Flash ---------> Php 13,999.00

08Gb Flash ---------> Php 15,999.00

16Gb Flash ---------> Php 17,999.00

Hopefully the local I.T. retail business will come to its senses and realize the reason why Asus and Intel came up with eee PC 701 in the first place is to make the mobile technology more affordable to consumers. Oh well, I’m sure there will be other ways and places where one can acquire this gadget at a more reasonable price. If there is lust, there is a way.

eee PC 701 on You Tube:

9th Cinemanila International Film Festival

2007-07-29T10:27:00.001+08:00

Catch renowned director Quentin Tarantino as he graces the Festival this August. Tarantino will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement award for his iconic contributions to world cinema and continued support to the proliferation and promotion of Asian and independent films. He will also be giving a lecture on filmmaking during the second of two Grindhouse Days: Directing Workshops, on 11 August at the Gateway Cineplex 10 Cinema 4.

The Cinemanila International Film Festival, now on its 9th year, will have its official run from 8 to 19 August 2007 at Gateway Mall Cineplex 10 in Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City, and from 17 to 19 August 2007 in Boracay Island. It will showcase the best of local and foreign cinema, including recent winners from the Berlin and Cannes film festivals. The Opening Ceremonies will be on 8 August at the Gateway Cinema Lobby. Cinemanila will also be having a special Focus on the films of South Africa (9 August) and Bollywood (10 August). Everyone is invited to these screenings and to the seminars and workshops. These include a seminar on the Importance of Film Archiving in the Philippines (9 August), Grindhouse Days: Directing Workshops (10-11 August), a Master Class in Scriptwriting (12 August), a Master Class in Cinematography (13 August), and a seminar on Indie Filmmaking (15-16 August). All of these seminars and workshops will be held at the Gateway Cineplex Cinema 4 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.

Competition Films (International Category)

1. 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days / Cristian Mungiu (Romania, 2007) Palme d’Or 2007 Cannes International Film Festival

Director Cristian Mungiu's drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days unfolds in Romania in the late '80s, during the last waning days of Communist rule. Anamaria Marinca and Laura Vasiliu play, respectively, Otilia and Gabita, two female friends and students who share a Bucharest flat. They soon find themselves saddled with an overwhelming problem: Gabita is expecting. With abortion illegal in Romania at that time, the women seek an illicit termination at the hands of one Mr. Bebe (Vlad Ivanov) in a seedy Romanian hotel - but Bebe refuses to accept money in return for his services and demands a certain "alternate" commodity instead.

2. Control / Anton Corbijn (UK / USA, 2007) Official Selection Cannes 2007 Directors’ Fortnight

Directed by acclaimed music photographer Anton Corbijn and based on Deborah Curtis' "Touching from a Distance", Control is the story of the late Joy Division Singer Ian Curtis' life, from the band's rise to fame to his tragic suicide. Control documents the relationships with both of his wife and his girlfriend, his battle with epilepsy and the road to success with his band, Joy Division. With a score by New Order featuring original tracks from the 70's by Wearsaw and Joy Division.

3. The Edge of Heaven / Fatih Akin (Germany, Turkey, 2007) Official Selection Cannes 2007, In Competition. Winner – Best Screenplay

Nejat seems disapproving about his widower father Ali's choice of prostitute Yeter for a live-in girlfriend. But he grows fond of her when he discovers she sends money home to Turkey for her daughter's university studies. Yeter's sudden death distances father and son. Nejat travels to Istanbul to search for Yeter's daughter Ayten. Political activist Ayten has fled the Turkish police and is already in Germany. She is befriended by a young woman, Lotte, who invites rebellious Ayten to stay in her home, a gesture not particularly pleasing to her conservative mother Susanne. When Ayten is arrested and her asylum plea is denied, she is deported and imprisoned in Turkey. Lotte travels to Turkey,where she gets caught up in the seemingly hopeless situation of freeing Ayten.

4. Ezra / Newton I. Aduaka (Nigeria / France, 2007) Sundance 2007 – Grand Jury Prize nominee, FESPACO 2007 – Grand prize Award

A Sierra Leone boy swept away from his family by rebels and forced to fight in a devastating civil war attempts to re-establish some sense of normalcy after fighting ceases and he is forced to speak before a Truth and Reconciliation Committee. Young Ezra was only seven-years old when rebels abducted him and spirited him into the jungle for military training. Seven long years have passed since that fateful day, and as Ezra struggles to recall the details of a deadly village raid which has become the subject of a Truth and Reconciliation Committee investigation, the boy's mute sister reveals a long gestating secret that puts his entire life in a whole new light. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

5. Foster Child / Brillante “Dante” Mendoza (Philippines, 2007) Official Selection Cannes 2007 Directors’ Fortnight

Thelma, together with her husband Dado and two teenage sons Gerald and Yuri belongs to an urban poor family in Manila. They are hired by a local Foster Care Facility to provide temporary home and care to abandoned babies pending their formal adoption. When Thelma's latest foster child John-John is to be handed over to his adoptive American parents, every moment with the 3-year-old becomes precious as Thelma goes through the day.

6. Irina Palm / Sam Garbarski (Belgium, 2007) Berlinale International Film Festival 2007 – Reader Jury of the “Berliner Morgenpost”

Legendary rocker Marianne Faithfull ("As Tears Go By" and Broken English Fame) stars in director Sam Garbarski's gently observed comedy-drama Irina Palm. She portrays Maggie, a 50-year-old widow - still faithful to her dead husband, desperately needs some money to pay for a medical treatment for her ill grandson. After several unfruitful attempts to find a job, Maggie finds herself roaming the streets of London Soho. Her eye is caught by a small poster in the window of a 'shop' called "Sexy World" which reads: "Hostess wanted". Too desperate and lost to realize what she does she enters. Micky, the owner, is embarrassed at first, but intrigued by Maggie, he decides to have fun and offers her the job. Under the pseudonym of Irina Palm, Maggie courageously gets to know her first anonymous customers. Micky observes his recruit. Maggie, who applies herself in order to keep her job, fascinates him. When she does something, she makes sure she does it well.

7. Love and Honor / Yoji Yamada (Japan, 2006) Official Selection Panorama Berlinale International Film Festival 2007

Yoji Yamada's torchy Japanese drama Love and Honor (a.k.a. Bushi No Ichibun) follows the heartbreaking plight of Shinnojo (Yoji Yamada), a young man employed as a "food taster" for the imperial family. Shinnojo's position comes to a sudden and tragic end when he consumes poisoned fish intended for the clan leader and is forever robbed of his sight.

8. The Namesake / Mira Nair (India / USA, 2006)

A couple coming to terms with living in a new culture discover their troubles are compounded by their son in this drama from filmmaker Mira Nair. Ashoke (Irfan Khan) and Ashima (Tabu) are a young couple who are brought together in an arranged marriage and soon leave Calcutta to seek their fortune in America.

9. Persepolis / Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud Official Selection Cannes 2007; Winner – Jury Prize (tied with “Silent Light”)

Persepolis (animated feature) is the poignant coming-of-age story of a precocious and outspoken young Iranian girl that begins during the Islamic Revolution. We meet nine-year old Marjane when the fundamentalists first take power – forcing the veil on women and imprisoning thousands; follow her as she cleverly outsmarts the “social guardians” and discovers punk, ABBA and Iron Maiden, while living with the terror of government persecution and the Iran/Iraq war; then on to Austria as a teenager, where her parents send her to school in fear for her safety and, she has to combat being equated with the religious fundamentalism and extremism she fled her country to escape.

10. Postmodern Life of My Aunt / Ann Hui (Hong Kong, 2006)

Ye Ye Rutang is a woman in her sixties, living in an old apartment in Shanghai. People of her generation were raised in a very different China, making her a fish out of water. Unable to hold down a job because of her old-fashioned attitude, Mrs. Ye has very little money to live on. A series of encounters with a garden-variety of characters, including a charming con-man played by Chow Yun-Fat, will change her life forever.

11. Sankara / Prasanna Jayakody (Sri Lanka, 2006) Cairo Film Festival 2006 – Silver Pyramid Award

Young Buddhist monk Ananda, arrives at a temple in order to restore its paintings. These paintings depict Thelapaththa Jathakaya, a moral story where Lord Buddha said that a man with a big target in life must not be swayed by passion (Keles), the five senses and especially beautiful women. One day, Ananda picks up a hair pin belonging to a young woman. While attempting to return this object to its owner, his repressed feelings are awoken by the beauty and sensuality of the woman. The young monk's inner spiritual world is plunged into turmoil. Then one day the paintings are destroyed. While restoring them for the second time Ananda begins to realize that he is trapped in a web of his worldly desires and attachments.

12. Shotgun Stories / Jeff Nichols (USA, 2007)

Shotgun Stories tracks a feud that erupts between two sets of half brothers following the death of their father. Set against the cotton fields and back roads of Southeast Arkansas, these brothers discover the lengths to which each will go to protect their family.

13. Where are you going Moshe? / Hassan Benjelloun (Morocco, 2007)

In the early 1960s, after Morocco’s independence from France, many of the country’s Jews clandestinely left for Israel. In Finemachiyamoshe (Where Are You Going Moshe?), the Jews of the little town of Bejjad plot their departure with the help of their rabbi. One thing, however, worries them: Will Berbeq’ha, the idiot who thinks he’s a general, leave too? Once he learns of the Jews’ plans, Mustapha, the bar-owner, panics; if all the non-Muslims leave, the Law will make him close the bar. How will he avoid such a disaster? He’ll have to hold back one Jew! That’s Hassan’s idea, anyway. He’s Mustapha’s son and lover of Rachel, Shlomo’s daughter. What will become of the Bejjad bar?

Medison Celebrity Laptop: Too Good to be True?

2007-07-26T21:08:00.000+08:00

If you think you need at least 20k to buy a brand-new laptop, think again. Priced at US$ 150 (about PhP 6,800 only based on the prevailing currency exchange), the Medison Celebrity laptop is the most affordable (read: cheapest) laptop in the world to date! Of course, the specs come quite cheap too:

Intel® Celeron 1.5 GHz CPU
14" Widescreen X-bright LCD
256 MB RAM memory
40 GB Hard Drive
DVD/CD Drive
802.11g Wireless LAN
Optimized Linux operating system
Pre-installed office and multimedia applications
Mass: 2.2 kg

But these are enough for emailing, web surfing, word processing, blogging and the likes. It comes pre-installed with Fedora Linux as its operating system. Presently, you can only place your order through their website and they only accept credit card as mode of payment. In the U.S., it takes about 4-6 weeks to ship the order. But it looks like the company is accepting orders outside the U.S. They even go as far as outfitting the laptop with the appropriate keyboard settings. As for after-sales support, they do give a 1-year warranty. The extent of the warranty though has not been specified. Clicking on support on their website will just give you a bunch of email addresses. That's what they call support, at least for now.

Many are dismissing the Medison Celebrity as another online scam. But a CNET editor with an extra $150 has placed an order. Too good to be true? Let's just wait and see if his order pulls through or not.