Ralph Wiggum gets Censored

Me fail English?
That's unpossible!

The oddball kid from the Simpsons gets censored for the first time (I think). Knowing him all throughout the series, it's unbelievable he phrased a vulgar response when asked about Moe Szyslak as a 'Simon Cowell'-type judge in the episode Judge Me Tender. While we can't add what he said to the list of Ralph Wiggum's famous lines, the bleep nonetheless made the joke very funny. It's just left to our imagination to wonder what the statement is. 

How to Celebrate Pac-Man 30th Anniversary

Pac-man's anniversary, based on its first game release date, just actually passed two days ago but there's no excuse in reminiscing the game glory and celebrate its 30th birthday as long as we want. We know it ourselves deep inside that we yearn to live the old days and play hours of Pac-man. Without further ado, here are some ways to celebrate:

Play the original Pac-Man for free.

Of course the most obvious way to celebrate is to play the original game. How? Chances are your old Famicom or Atari game console is broken, displaced and long forgotten, along with the Pac-man cartridge. That's where the Internet steps in, with various online versions of it offers (even for free).


Play Pac-Man clones, like Google's.

While most clones were developed to profit from Pac-Man's fame, Google did it as a tribute. For two days Google changed its homepage logo to a playable version of the game. While this first fully interactive special logo is not on main display anymore, you can check it out here. As a hidden bonus, you can play Ms. Pac-Man as well with a fellow player by clicking the Insert Coin twice.

Feeling lucky? Insert a coin.

Watch Pac-Man video tributes.

Most loyal fans of Pac-Man simply can't wait to express their love for the game. As such, they create tributes such as videos. Here's one by Annoying Orange:

Site Surfing #2: Exploring the Deep Web

Ask anyone what to do when searching for a term, pictures, news, word definition, map and guides, etc., and expect the answer is to Google it. The popular search engine is closely synonymous to the World Wide Web. However, it's stored information is nowhere what the Web really has to offer.

Ever heard of the Deep Web? It is part of the online world where no search engines has entered. In other words standard search engines such as Google and Yahoo! do not have indexes of these possible info-rich pages.

Naturally one would ask how to dig this mine of information. I discovered by chance this list of search engines that specializes in crawling the Deep Web. What you may initially think as unavailable in the web might just be lurking around in the corner.

Some of these search engines are:

• InfoMine
• WWW Virtual Library
• Complete Planet

Databases of academic journals, electronic books, bulletin boards, mailing lists, online library card catalogs, articles, and many other resources await where not even Google Scholar haven't found.

Be aware that finding that oh-so-precious knowledge is just as hard as looking for a needle in a haystack; you need to know the proper search terms to get results you want. 

The web around Wikipedia. Click to enlarge.

Shrek Ends Chapter with Forever After

The lovable ogre, Shrek, will have its last big screen appearance this year in Forever After. The film will be released in the US on May 21 and in the UK on July 2. (See more release dates here.) The cast (Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas, etc) from the previous movies will reprise their roles.


In Forever After, Shrek has become bored of his domesticated life and longs for the days when felt like a real ogre. Shrek is however tricked into a signing a pact with Rumplestiltskin that sends him into an alternate world where ogres are hunted, the dealmaker is king, and Shrek and Fiona never met. 

There used to be a fifth movie planned but was scrapped. I'm guessing the plot would be stretched far too thin to the point of becoming superfluous and tedious. Shrek dealing with his kids as teenagers, anyone? With a little bit of googling, I found out that the story is actually a prequel telling how Shrek arrived in the swamp. It's hardly any better than my guess.

Well, ending the story in Forever After isn't really surprising since the last film wasn't a hit among critics and fans alike. It is nonetheless disappointing to see another franchise ending.

Why You Shouldn't Miss Farmville

I've just confirmed that Farmville, along with other games by Zynga, is gone from Facebook. Its old link displays a "Page Not Found" error. Is this grave news? To the app's 26 million fans, yes. But to me, the world has not changed at all. I didn't even get past level 5 without getting bored already. Below are some reasons why I don't (and why you shouldn't as well) miss the game. 

• The game is never-ending. Sooner or later you'll realize you've spent your a huge chunk of your time in the game and it's still going nowhere. Why not just end it now and do something much more productive? 
• Farmville is not as social without Facebook. A lot of the features in game depends on the social networking aspect of its former home. For example, having Facebook friends as your Farmville neighbors enables you to increase farm income, experience, land, etc.
• It's addictive. A. J. Patrick Liszkiewicz explains that "Farmville is popular because it entangles users in a web of social obligations." When neighbors have sent you a gift or helped you in your farm, you are then in debt and will fill the need to return the courtesy.
• Facebook comes first, Farmville second. The split between the two essentially makes us choose where to stay most of our time. Obviously, the social network is the better choice.
• The game has mediocre graphics, music, and gameplay. Sooner or later in the game you probably have turned off the game music and listen to your iPod instead. Meanwhile the gameplay remains the same as you progress. And frankly, the aesthetics does not stand out, even from other Flash-based games.

These are arguably valid reasons why you should say goodbye to your dear farm. Still, if you just couldn't move on from doing all those farm obligations, you can continue playing Farmville at its own website Farmville.com.

Farmville, Café World Leaving Facebook

Zynga, the creator of popular apps such as Mafia Wars, CafeWorld and Farmville, is threatening to leave Facebook once and for all. The relationship between the two companies is at an all time low caused by Facebook's extreme measures to control applications. Such measures include limitations on messaging users and imposing a credits system as the only payment form for apps to use. The credit system brings a heavy burden to companies like Zynga since it requires a massive 30% fee of all transactions.

FarmVille. Where have all the cows gone?

So how will this affect users? For starters, you won't be able to play the games anymore within Facebook. As a solution, Zynga already launched Farmville.com and is planning to launch its own social gaming network called Zynga Live.

One big disadvantage when Zynga leaves Facebook is the easy way for users to connect with friends within the apps. After all, for these social games to be enjoyed, they require the friends of users to play with them. This will be hard if Zynga does not have access to the user's friend list. Similarly, notifying their friends about the user's progress in the game will be pretty hard as well. Through email? Maybe. But who lately checks their inbox that often?

To read more about this news, click here.

End of the Business World

I'm not really familiar with corporate or business history but the cartoon below shows how many events in history have been linked to the end of the business world, which in fact is unlikely to happen anytime soon. While the economy suffers recession (and even depression), it always goes back to boons and growth.

Click on the photo to enlarge.

I got the cartoon from LeftyCartoons, a political cartoon blog by Barry Deutsch.

My Top 5 Annoying Orange Episodes

"Hey, hey Apple! Don't be so fruity." 

I finally figured out why my friend has been greeting me with "Wazzup!" lately; He got it from Annoying Orange, a comedy web series which began in October 2009 and now has become one of the most popular internet sensations. Whether it's the whimsical puns or the infectious laugh of titular character Orange, you won't look at fruits the same again.

Here are my five favorite episodes of the series:

#5: Prank Call No. 1: Tanning Salon

At number five is the episode where Orange does an actual prank call to a day spa. Orange tries to a get a tan but his skin tone however creates a problem, much to the annoyance of the day spa employee. Favorite Line: "I want to look a little bit more tangerine."
#4: Pain-apple

Coming in at number four is the introduction of Orange's new friend the pineapple. With his hair mistaken as knives, Pineapple was not able to prepare for the killer knife. Favorite line: "Why the long face?"
#3: Apple

Of course we can't forget about the pilot episode, which features Apple as the first victim of the knife. He is continually referenced in other episodes.
Favorite line: "Orange you glad I didn't say Apple again?"

#2: More Annoying Orange


What could be more annoying to Orange than more annoying oranges in the scene? Annoying Orange finally met his match.
Favorite Line: "Why'd the orange go blind? 'Coz he was low on vitamin See."

#1:  Wazzup


Last but not least is the video that made me start watching this series all along. Although I've known Milhouse saying "Wazzup!" years ago, Orange and his pals makes it look funnier.

Google Chrome - Internet at Lightning Speed

Of all the Google Chrome videos made by its developers, the Potato gun, lightning, and sonic magic speed tests video is easily the best. These speed tests not only confirm what all the technogeeks have been saying all along, they also provide light entertainment for its unusual yet stunning methods to measure the internet browser's speed.

Watch the video below:

Google attests that the speed tests were filmed at actual web page rendering times. I don't personally buy these claims but luckily Google provides relevant information (for this video, its description is in Youtube) and there are also independent tests that confirm this. 
Google Chrome was first released on September 2, 2008 as a beta version for Microsoft Windows. Active development is responsible for browsers frequent version updates, with recent versions having significant speed improvement than previous versions.
As of this writing Google Chrome is in version 4.1.249.1064 (stable release). Download it here.

Site Surfing #1: How to Make Ice Cream

I already knew about stumbling into sites before but from now on I'll be sharing noteworthy sites with you guys. I call this series of online exploration as my Site Surfing. :)

How to Make Ice Cream

Ice creams are my favorite!

There's no denying that ice cream is a popular treat. I myself would love to have a vanilla sundae whenever I get the chance. This is why my day just got made thanks to a quick recipe guide for ice cream. It only takes about five minutes which afterwards can lead you to an hour of sweet satisfaction. I know this because I've done this myself!

The ingredients and materials needed according to the guide are a half cup of milk, one tablespoon of sugar, and a half teaspoon of vanilla extract. Of course tastes vary to every person so experimenting with the amount ratio of the ingredients is encouraged. If you don't like vanilla, go ahead and try your favorite flavors instead. Adding tidbits like nuts, choco bits, and rice crispies is great too!

The materials needed to make the ice cream are two zipper bags (one considerably larger than the other), six tablespoons of salt, and lots of ice cubes. The salt lowers the temperature of the ice cubes to help thicken the mixture of ingredients. The more salt the better. However, make sure the salt will not come in contact with the ingredients or you will have a salty ice cream.

With everything set up, the process is as easy as putting all ingredients in the small bag which is then completely sealed and placed into the larger bag along the ice cubes and salt. The whole thing then needs to be shaken for five to ten minutes or until the desired thickness is obtained. And you're done; happy eating!

Additional Tips

Instead of using a zipper bag for the ingredients, you can just use an empty ice cream container that can still fit inside the bigger container along the ice cubes during the freezing process. Just make sure to wipe of the sides of the container to remove excess salt.

Video Games as Art

I wouldn't have wrote this article if I wasn't disturbed by Roger Ebert saying video games can never be art. Admittedly a gamer myself, I didn't pay attention to appreciate video games in the realm of art. 

After I read the article, I thought what other gamers would think. I created a thread in a forum and patiently waited for replies. You can expect some prejudice among people who favor video games but they are arguably the ones who know video games better, not some old coot that Ebert has likely become (you can even conclude that he is when you read his article). 

Here are some of the replies:

He is a movie critic commenting on video games as art. Nuff said.

While to a certain extent I agreed to such statement, with the phrase 'nuff said' I was afraid he might have just prematurely ended the discussion. I therefore replied, 

Specializing in one field doesn't eliminate one's credibility and perhaps ability on another field. In other words, his profession does not necessarily make him ineligible to say something about video games.

Fortunately, more replies came such as:

Does it really matter if one man says games aren't art?

I say let's just enjoy playing these games and leave the critics to say whatever THEY want. What only matters is that WE gamers love and cherish the experience we have with games.

That statement reminded me of the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Critics have universally panned the movie for its terrible screenplay and direction. Yet despise those the movie still garnered $836 million, showing how mainstream viewers do not necessarily agree with the views of critics.

I can continue citing the replies but that just makes this post long and redundant. What I noticed though is that hardly anyone specifically mentioned why video games should be considered art. They're simply evading the issue by attacking the identity of Roger Ebert instead of refuting the latter's arguments. 

If I understood Ebert correctly, he's arguing the fact that video games are not art because it does not fit the definition of art, is created by a team of developers and has an objective. Art on the other hand is an imitation of nature (as defined by Plato), a creation of one artist, and something you can only experience (not win). Copied word for word, he says "My notion is that [art] grows better the more it improves or alters nature through a passage through what we might call the artist's soul, or vision." Add to the fact that the person trying to convince Ebert has hardly given any good examples of video games that would qualify as art.

The problem with definitions is they vary over time and in every person. But even the definitions of art as

the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the senses or emotions,

and 

as the imitation of nature

already qualify video games as such. Aren't many video games these days please the eyes through incredible graphics and the ears through pleasant music? And haven't many video games these days already imitated nature that they seem very realistic?

With the right graphic settings, the game already is a perfect real life imitation.

If art is the creation of a single person, video games can still be art. If you sift 

through the collaboration of developers of a video game, each person (e.g. the game designer, graphic artist, etc.) has created their own art which was combined to produce the game. Everybody didn't start all at once in creating a game, but was guided by a man who had the idea of that game. This idea is also what is known as the game designer's soul or vision. 

Finally video games are already studied as artistic medium, despite being recent in development in the humanities. I think Ebert crucially missed this part.

My final say is that video games may even have simply gone beyond and surpassed art, just as much new generation of people have transcended from the previous, to which Ebert belongs.

Google Gravity

Want to try fooling your friends that Google has gone haywire? Try Google Gravity. The page looks exactly like the Google homepage, except that after a while all the page elements (logo, links and everything) falls to the bottom. The only thing to worry about is if they notice the URL and icon are different, so be sure they're well disguised. :P

The Simpsons Does Tik Tok

From left to right: Lisa, Marge,
Maggie, Homer and Bart

The Simpsons latest couch gag in the episode To Surveil With Love features Kesha's Tik Tok. The cast of the show lip-synced to the song with matching hilarious actions. 

I'm sure both the Simpsons and Tik Tok are familiar to people. The Simpsons however made me like the song, which I initially didn't pay attention to since I am not into dance-pop/electropop music.

To give you a bit of background of these two, the Simpsons usually start their show with an opening sequence that varies per episode thanks to Lisa's saxophone solo, Bart's chalkboard writing, the recent billboard gag, and the climactic couch gag. Tik Tok on the other hand is the debut single by Kesha. The song's lyrics narrates attending a party one night and then coming home half-drunk.

This time however the Simpsons has taken its opening sequence to another level. I suppose every now and then they need to put up something new or else bore the viewers with these worn out gags.

Watch the Tik Tok Simpsons Version here:

Also worth noting in the sequence is right before the Simpons arrive at home, where God is dancing with the devil, Dr. Hibbert performing the windmill, and Selma hula dancing.


Tik Tok Lyrics (Abridged)

Wake up in the morning feeling like P Diddy (Hey, what up girl?)
got my glasses- I'm out the door - I'm gonna hit this city (Let's go)
Before I leave, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack
Cause when I leave for the night, I ain't coming back

I'm talking - pedicure on our toes, toes
Trying on all our clothes, clothes
Boys blowing up our phones, phones
Drop-toping, playing our favorite cds
Pulling up to the parties
Tryna get a little bit tipsy

Don't stop, make it pop
DJ, blow my speakers up
Tonight, I'mma fight
'Til we see the sunlight
Tick tock, on the clock
But the party don't stop

No- Oh- ooh- oh oh oh
Oh- ooh- oh oh oh

Don't stop, make it pop
DJ, blow my speakers up
Tonight, I'mma fight
'Til we see the sunlight
Tick tock, on the clock
But the party don't stop

No- Oh- ooh- oh oh oh
Oh- ooh- oh oh oh

Tick tock, on the clock
But the party don't stop

No- Oh Ooh oh oh oh oh

Listen to/Watch the original Tik Tok here:




Original Release Date: January 1, 2010

• Format - Music: MP3
• Compatible with MP3 Players (including with iPod®), iTunes, Windows Media Player

Where to Look for Ideas to Post in your Blog

It's fun to blog. But even with all the cool layout design and gadgetries on their blogs, some people encounter this problem at some point: what to write about. Sure it's nice to talk about your dog or cat, but people are more interested on stuff that matters. You need to know where to get the inspiration needed to blog.

What's Popular These Days

If you want to know what people are googling these days, visit Google Trends. There you can check which topics are the most searched over a given time. You can even compare search terms and view what countries (even cities) and languages they're trendy. Knowing what the world is interested gives you an edge over others on what to talk about. 

Similary, Google also has the Keyword Tool which you can use to actually see the volume of global (and local) monthly searches of the terms you put. If you need to know what's hot outside the U.S., try Insights for Search.

Reading the News, Other People's Blog, and Forums

Read local and international newspapers and look for news that interests you. When you find one, you can at least post on your blog your personal view regarding the matter. Similarly, visit your friends' blog and social networks and talk about anything. This helps 'lighting that bulb' above your head.

Recycling Old Ideas

Try reading back your old posts. You might have something you haven't mentioned on that topic. Don't hesitate to check if there's something new to talk about and post an update.

Not Cooping Up At Home

Lastly, go out and live your life. Experience don't automatically arrive on your doorsteps. Blogs are basically diaries on your website. Therefore in order to frequently update this journal, you need some ideas which you can always get outside your home.

There are more ways to keep yourself busy on blogging. Read Sarah Harris' version of how to keep blogger's block at bay and Nile Flores' where to find inspiration in order to overcome blogger's block.

Ever Played a Chatroulette Game?

The first time I heard of Chatroulette was in a South Park episode You Have 0 Friends. I wouldn't have believed such a video chat is actually real until I read this article. Video chat is already common these days, even back when it started on Yahoo! messenger then on Skype. But what makes Chatroulette different is that in a matter of seconds you can be hooked up to chat, no registration needed. The people you meet here are fellow "players" randomly selected from around the world. That's where the problem comes to the picture: nudity.

While pornography is easily found everywhere, some people has the innocent intention to just meet and make friends with new people. I know that because I am one of them. Sadly, in one of ten people you meet in Chatroulette are committing inappropriate activity. One feature I suggest for Chatroulette is a check mark indicating we don't want adult activity, therefore hook us to the same people. But no, I suppose just as Cartman said "This is the way the world works. If you want to find some quality friends, you have to wave through all the dicks first." 


Well if most guys in Chatroulette like porn, why don't we try fooling them around just like this video?

My Opinions Should Matter

I frequent a forum and post replies to topics I'm interested. There was this one time however that I was rebutted with this statement:

Who is Conan Hughes,whoever he is, as compared to Former Senate President Jovito Salonga and Former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr.?

He was questioning what my position is regarding the topic and why my opinion should have more weight than those two recognized persons in my country, to which I replied:

I am but a simple blogger and aspiring writer voicing his opinion over Philippine matters. As this is a forum, I suppose I am allowed to speak out whatever is in my mind. I am not a troll denouncing anything or anyone without providing some reasons. :)

My reply didn't settle the matter since my 'attacker' still found something else to argue about. And so, with as much unbiased reasoning I could muster, I further said:

I've already stated above why I believe I'm allowed to speak out, lest what's the point of having forums such as PEX? Why don't we just shut up then and have only the bigwigs heard to represent us when clearly everyone has their own unique views regarding just about everything?

Also, what's with the comparison between me and these two known people? Nowhere in the article displayed by the original poster mentions these two. It's as if you just fished out some random VIP's to compare against me. At least tell us what the relevance of these two VIP in relation to the topic at hand. 

Quote:

Many people are appalled by such display of pride and arrogance by Aquino. They agree with Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales when he said that Aquino, if he really said that he would call for People Power, was “crazy” and “irresponsible”.

And what about an archbishop's statement? Does his don't carry any weight? Are we just to dis his calling Aquino "crazy" and "irresponsible" if the latter initiates a people power movement? Both of us to some degree are disagreeing with Aquino and yet I'm the only one being criticized.

And even (I suppose) by the time of this article's writing the INC still haven't endorsed any presidential candidate, their endorsement does not guarantee a sure victory. Even the articles mentions that, for instance, the endorsement of Quiboloy's religious group only raises Gibo's chances to win, not exactly the direct cause for his victory.

There's no certainty.

Quote:

It must have been hubris that prompted Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to declare last week that based on survey numbers he is a sure winner in Monday’s elections and the only way he can lose is if he is cheated.

This first paragraph in the article alone shows how "mayabang" [proud] Aquino has been lately. Nothing's certain if he will really win. Only the results of the election itself will show the real outcome, not surveys. Is he even sure he'll only lose just because he'll be cheated? Is he sure the majority of voters are favoring him? Again, only the election results will tell.

You can read the entire thread, including the quoted article, here.

Possible Plants Versus Zombies 2 Screenshot

UPDATE: Thanks to a certain Rammstein, I can confirm that the screenshot below is not a screenshot preview of PvZ 2. It is actually Peggle Nights, already released way back in 2008.

I stumbled upon a screenshot when I was looking for updates to the sequel of the casual yet very addictive video game Plants Versus Zombies. While the results of my efforts have been fruitless (I only found out 2 things: that PvZ game designer George Fan is busy developing a game with a new concept and that the sequel is unlikely to be released this year), I noticed that the background of the screenshot shows two familiar plants and a zombie in the PvZ game. 

But where are the zombie lanes?

This clue lead me to guess that this is a preview of a new game, perhaps actually the sequel. However, the interface shown is totally different than PvZ's, leading me to suspect that this will not have a tower defense type of gameplay. Indeed it seems to be based on a totally new concept and a new setting, just what Fan said. If this is really the sequel, it's worth pointing out that this certainly departs from the 5 lanes we place plants on to eradicate amassing zombies. Is this a spiritual sequel?

But I might be wrong. I suppose this could be one of the secret minigames in the original Plants vs Zombies. I confess I haven't thoroughly played this game so I can't confirm this speculation. Better yet, this might also be a scrapped idea for the original game. 

If someone could enlighten us, it will certainly clear things up.

Plants Versus Zombies 2 ETA Within a Decade

That's right. Fans of plants shooting peas against a horde of zombies won't be able to get a hand of the game's next iteration anytime soon. In a 2009 interview by Gamezebo, Plants vs Zombies game designer George Fan was interested in creating another game with "a whole new setting and a new concept." While that is terrible news, that didn't exactly eliminate the development of a PvZ sequel. Popcap (the publisher of the game) co-founder John Vechney was recently quoted saying "I promise your readers there will be a Plants Vs. Zombies 2 in the next one to 10 years." Given the time frame, the release date is between 2011 and 2020. So don't get your hopes up for a release this year fellow PvZ fans. :) 

It's 49 types of plants waging wars against 26 brain-eating zombies!

For those who still do not know what Plants versus Zombie is all about, it is a tower (represented by plants) defense video game. You must prevent any zombie to reach your base (i.e., the doors for the front yard and backyard pool levels, and the chimney for the roof levels). As players progress in Adventure mode, the game becomes increasingly difficult, compelling the use of certain strategies to survive.

In the meantime, new players who want to give the original game a go will surely not be looking a sequel since the original already has a lot of modes and minigames to try out. Its high replay value lies with the coins to collect for improving the greenhouses (called Zen Gardens), nurturing the Tree of Knowledge, the endless level of select minigames, and as well as the "expert Adventure mode" that is unlocked after finishing the game for the first time.



Buy a copy of the original game at Amazon now!

Product Features 

• Play five game modes - Adventure, Mini-Games, Puzzle, Survival, plus the stress-free Zen Garden
• Conquer all 50 levels of Adventure mode -- through day, night and fog, in a swimming pool and on the rooftop
• Battle 26 types of zombies including pole-vaulters, snorkelers and Zomboni drivers
• Earn 49 powerful perennials and collect coins to buy a pet snail, power-ups and more

Starcraft II Coming This July

The real-time strategy genre is not really my type. Yet here I am eagerly awaiting the release of Starcraft II which Blizzard has finally revealed to be this July 27. For those who do not know, Starcraft is a military sci-fi RTS video game with three factions: the mutated Zerg, the human exiles Terrans, and the psionic aliens Protoss. The original game was a huge hit (and still currently popular in South Korea) back in 1998. After 12 years, we finally get its sequel.

Gamers who are buying the game need to know that the release is only for Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty, the first of three installments. Each installment will focus on a campaign exclusive to one faction. Wings of Liberty will be all about the Terrans. As for the remaining two, Blizzard is still mum on their release dates.

Is the game worth your bucks? I thought of this as well since when I knew Blizzard is splitting the game to three parts. No need to worry though; Wings of Liberty alone has a whopping 29-mission in the single player campaign. Plus, the Zerg and Protoss factions are playable on multiplayer, the game mode that is essentially the heart of many games these days.

Two versions of the game have been announced: standard and collector's edition. The collector's edition has an artbook, a flash drive preloaded with the original Starcraft and its expansion, and many more goodies.




Pre-order a copy at Amazon now!

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B002I0JMB8
• Media: DVD-ROM
• Release Date: July 27, 2010

The State of Reading

I used to download sample LSAT tests to determine if I have the capacity to become a law student (which I may consider later in life). In one test I saw a passage narrating how communication evolved through time. At first, before writing systems were discovered, people used to exchange information orally. Over time, as you expect, people moved on to print which helped historians dig our past. In addition, reading and writing has always been associated with an increase in cognitive and comprehensive skills. 

It is now the 21st century and thanks to technology, we are given new media to converse with other people and convey ideas and feelings. Just like tradition, there will be a time when reading (even if seemingly unlikely) will be replaced by a new conventional method. That said, a fellow blogger worries about the decline of reading among children. While that may be true (based on experiences of the generations of people before mine), what I think really matters is how expression of thoughts must remain rich and innovative no matter the medium used.

What I'm trying to say here is as time change so will be our way of living. 

Noynoy Aquino Sans Parents' Legacy

A friend delighted me with a question that probably leaves supporters of Noynoy Aquino scratching their heads: "Would you vote for Noynoy if he had far less prominent parent figures?"

One thought instantly sprang up inside my head, to indeed ask the supporters this question. So I visited a popular online Filipino forum. Being mindful of repetitive threads, I did bother using the search tool to find a similar topic. Indeed there was; in fact, it was exactly the same question.

I read through all the answers and hardly found any convincing replies. Perhaps the pro-Noynoy were overwhelmed with such question that they couldn't stand by what they believe. In other words, they haven't thought of these things through and through. 

What really grinds my gear is the fact that Noynoy obviously ran right after the his mother's death. Sure many people expressed their grief and affection for the loss of the Mother of Democracy, but for Noynoy to exploit this event, it's just plain wrong.  

Many endorsers, be they influential and well-educated, only put their blind trust on Noynoy. Beyond that, they have no other logical explanation as to why they're choosing him. If they do, I am wondering if they suffice for his candidacy.

I confess I am not that into politics since I prefer living in the digital world to meddling with my country's affairs. But if I were to use analogy, Manny Villar, bombarded with a number of accusations regarding his business, is like the Windows operating system which, being the ubiquitous software, is attacked with all sorts of computer viruses. 

Noynoy on the other hand has slipped past major controversies not because he is clean and innocent, only he used to be unknown thanks to being overshadowed by his parents. He is like the Mac, touting to be free of viruses, when in fact critics are worried about its irresponsible handling of security issues. Come the time when (though I pray it never happens) Mac usage surpasses that of Windows, I am betting Mac won't be tooting its horn about flawlessness in security. 

Same goes for Noynoy. People will remember his promises, which I expect will be broken.

Increase Blog Site Traffic

Increasing traffic is one of the top priority for a freshly made blog. A simple Google search provides tons of articles, many of which made by bloggers themselves. One particular list I'd like to share is compiled by Seth Godin. In his list, some of the numbers contradict other entries and some are similar. But even so many of them are useful. Hence I did the liberty of revising the list and providing additional explanations.

• Use lists (like this one.) They are readable and easy to make.
• Write topical posts but at the same time be timeless.
• Be the first to post about a hot topic that will last for a while.
• Create buzz around those topics.
• Don't hesitate to write controversy.
• Post often. 
• Write concise yet adequate-in-content posts.
• A cluttered post is confusing and can dissuade readers from reading further.
• A post scant on content leaves users hanging and disappointed.
• Find the perfect post length to balance contentment and eagerness to come back for more.
• Use the tagging system to help obtain similar posts from everything else.
• Be specific yet diversify your blog.
• Covering a very specific only caters to very few people.
• Posts of varying topics targets a bigger crowd. However, you won't be able to talk more about one topic without sacrificing your time to write on another one.
• Interact. Comment on other blogs.
• Encourage them to comment on yours. 
• Opine more to help start arguments.
• Use facts only as references. 
• Link back posts you like. Avoid plagiarism.
• Decorate your blog.
• Use images and videos. Pure text is an eyesore.
• Learn how to add and utilize sidebar gadgets.
• Make use of social networking and search engines.
• Increase blog awareness by promoting in social networks.
• Submit your URL to popular search engines.
• Encourage reader loyalty.
• Keep them interested in your posts.
• Add gadgets that whiles away their time.
• Give them a chance to be heard (through comments.)
• Answer every inquiries they have.
• Avoid annoying ads.
• Intrusion deceases satisfaction. 
• Ads aren't the heart of your blog. Keep them subtle and blended.

You can also try this tip which the author says has been a constant source of his blog traffic.

Noynoy Aquino: A Jejemon Politician

When confronted with questions regarding his achievements while in Congress, he becomes a fine example of a Jejemon, defined as someone who talks unintelligibly, veers away from the topic because he doesn't have anything relevant to say, and seemingly has a low IQ. If you observe carefully in the video, even the interviewer was a bit confused with what Aquino answered.
I've used this common argument in a forum to denounce Aquino as an exploiter of his parents' legacy:

Forum Member: the masses choose the most trustworthy, not the candidate with the least integrity. 

My Reply: I don't think so, pal. I mean come on, after all those dreadful years we've had with Erap, he still ranks at the top 3 in election surveys. Is he trustworthy? Hell no. does he have any integrity? Of course not, with all those jueteng crimes he did; the [main] thing he has is his popularity. That's why inquirer always label him as the actor-turned-president. [As for Noynoy, he's relying on his parents' legacy.]

Aquino was also recently placed on Time Magazine's cover page, with an accompanying article The Next Aquino: Can Noynoy Save the Philippines? My answer is no. Even the article explains why, albeit seemingly neutral and fair at first but ultimately (sadly) favoring Noynoy in its perspective.

I am not hesitant to label myself as anti-Aquino, since I believe the man is not fit for the job. 

What do you guys think?

Watching Iron Man 2 Movie Tomorrow

At last Iron Man 2 is currently on the Philippine big screen; I knew it when I saw a film reel at one of Ayala Center Cebu's entrance when I was on the way to another mall, SM Cebu, which also had Iron Man 2 in their movie list. I actually put this movie in my list of must-see movies of 2010 with the description:

Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as a superhero in the sequel of the much acclaimed film Iron Man. This film picks up where the last left off: with Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) having mentioned himself in public that he is the Iron Man, Stark is now under pressure from the public and the government into divulging his secrets while at the same time forges new alliances as he faces new evil forces.

I actually forgot to check the list every now and then (and it has a wrong movie release date *lol*; it must have been a release date on another country). 

Since I haven't watched it yet, I don't want to read any plot or spoilers easily found on the Internet, but I know for a fact that Terrence Howard, the actor that played Lt. Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes (War Machine), is not returning to reprise his role. I read in an interview that the director Jon Favreau did not enjoy working with Howard, hence the change of actors. I wanted him to be War Machine though... 

With the excitement piling up, it's going to be a tough to go to sleep tonight. Therefore, I satisfied myself to some official trailers. 

Update: I read in a TechCrunch article that the movie is an allegory to real life people, namely Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. I will be putting this in mind when I get to watch the movie tomorrow.

The Exploding Whale in a Lisa Episode

Every time the Simpsons show releases a new episode focusing on Lisa, chances are it's an episode about the environment and "green living." The latest Lisa episode, The Squirt and the Whale, is about wind power and then a beached whale after a severe storm blows through town. While I enjoyed the episode, I can't help but wonder why they added this part:


When the whale became stranded on shore, it was initially alive. But due to dehydration, the whale's body collapsing under its own weight, and unsuccessful yet hilarious attempts by the townspeople to pull the whale back to sea, the whale died. It was then that the a crew headed by Chief Wiggum placed TNT bombs around the carcass assuming the explosion will blow the carcass to small pieces.


Hardly anyone outside the United States will get the reference by such part shown in the clip. It is actually a parody of a beached whale blown off to huge blubber chunks in Oregon. 




I am not a hardcore environmentalist or anything, but exploding an animal in this episode seemed harsh. It made the messages about the environment in this episode less important, even meaningless.

How to Vote Wisely During the May 2010 Philippine Elections

Or rather, here is what you should not be during the May 2010 Philippine Election (and any other instances):





Voters these days are easily influenced by misleading publicity, erroneous survey results, and word of mouth when the correct thing to do is to thoroughly, and even personally if possible, know your candidates. I've known people who used to enthusiastically support politicians and later on take it back because their patronized "idols" have been corrupt all along. 

Stop being persuaded by others, learn how to dig through opinions and discover the facts, and this I can't stress enough: stop vote selling! The money earned is way smaller than what the country will gain with an excellent president.

Even if you only count as one vote, it will still matter in the long run. So vote wisely.