The Sweet Revenge

I was invited yesterday to watch the "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen(ROTF)" in Mall of Asia. My friend who's working in an Ad Agency who made the graphics to one of the posters of the movie in SM Malls, told me that the ticket was free and so I went. When we arrived at the cinema I found out that the free passes were VIP tickets. Now, since we have VIP tickets we didn't have to fall in line. We watched the movie on a premiere I-Max cinema along with the winners of the promos for the movie and some heads and staff of the sponsors and media partners. Aside from that we also had a free pictorial with Optimus Prime and a free snack exclusively for those who have VIP tickets. Now how cool was that huh?!

Now, I'd like to go straight to my review of the movie. Sorry there might be some spoilers..

What I liked about ROTF:
1. The new cars and trucks. More decepticons. More action. More guns. Lots of explosions. And the fact that there is War excites me. I'm not in a position to know what's good or bad about the animations and special effects, but for me it's okay.
2. Transformers themselves are cool as they stretch and expand into a more complex and lethal-looking metal monsters and start a "Robot Mayhem"
3. The fact that Michael Bay went back to ancient history is cool for me. It served as an opportunity to explain the origin of the Autobots and Decepticons. I wondered if there's a connection between the fact that western civilization started in the Nile River which is in Egypt too. But whether or not there is any, the choice of the Pyramids of Egypt as one of the locations of the film is a plus.
4. The hilarious scenes of Sam's Mom. Where do you see a mom so naive and stupid to eat marijuana leaves and run around her son's college campus. And as usual John Turturro's funny antics would really make you laugh out loud.
5. The soft-porn feel that Megan Fox puts into this movie, especially that motorcycle scene! "Broom-broom!!" Isabel Lucas was hot too! I don't know what's up with Michael Bay but even the pet dogs and that tiny decepticon robot sent to spy on Sam's girlfriend could not resist their libido.

And these are the ones I didn't like about ROTF:
1. The story line. It's Incoherent. Cluttered. It seemed like a convoluted or twisted treasure hunt for me. The relentless action along with the special effects did not quite support the plot.
2. Over-all acting of Shia Lebouf, though I like that part and the line he says to Megan Fox.

* Mikaela: How do you know?
* Sam: .. Because I believe
[Oh I love Sarcasm!!- Homer]
3. Again the acting of the Robots though funny are silly.
4. The fact that there are no unexpected twists. Maybe I won't be saying this if Michael Bay would have killed Bumblee Bee instead. But it's his movie so his call. Maybe he really wanted that there'll be less story and more action.
5. The movie's predictable. Michael should have made a little intellectual feel to it so that those "intelligent" people would have not been insulted. He could have made it less silly.
6. The suspense just leveled-up with the original and the thrills are diminishing.

Now, compared to the original was it better? Probably yes, if you just want to really have fun and relax. But if you're expecting to see a whole lot different movie from the original you'll never get it. What you'll get is more robots (so much for Hasbro's marketing their toys) and more lust-inviting and titillating scenes from Megan Fox and Isabel Lucas.

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen is everything that made the original appear mediocre and awesome at the same time. Sort of a 'sweet revenge'. So quits lang.

Over-all it's entertaining and fun to watch, and probably and indisputably the best film thus far this 2009 for the Transformers aficionados.

Now will I recommend that you watch it? Well, Of course especially if you have VIP tickets. Haha!!

NOW HERE ARE THE PICS WITH OPTIMUS PRIME!!!

Got Puff?

Sorry guys, I've been out all throughout the day. I had to go to my doctor for a check-up. For the past two weeks I've been catching my breath and sometimes I'm gasping for air. I am also having an itchy throat which causes me to cough more often.

I had a chest X-ray and my doctor said that my lungs are clear. She prescribed me a couple of medicines including one which I think is an anti-allergy.

She also prescribed Salbutamol, which is more popularly called as an inhaler. This is actually my first time to use this. Now, I have to get used to puffing! Actually, I had 3 doses awhile ago, and I'm enjoying it! haha!!

My New Toy (Hehe!!)

*By the way, I watched "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen" awhile ago in Mall of Asia with some friends, will post an entry on my VIP experience and probably a review and some pics.. But for now, I need to hit the sack!

Videos of the Day

Here are some music videos which songs from it are currently my LSS.

SPEECH-less

I've been listening to the speaker on the stage and it seemed like she cannot get the attention of the audience. And so I stepped in. I thought, it's my birthday and I should be the one making the speech. I went to the podium where she is standing and grab the mic.

"Mga Kababayan. Nagpapasalamat ako sa inyong pagdalo sa isang mahalagang okasyong ito. Sa araw na ito, hindi lang ang araw ng aking pagsilang ang ating ipinagdiriwang.. Bagkus, ngayong araw na ito, ipinagdiriwang din natin ang PAGSILANG ng isang BAGONG SIMULA. Isang BAGONG SIMULA para sa ating bayan. BAGONG SIMULA na magpapabago sa masalimuot na sistema na ating hinaharap. Hayaan niyo akong maging instrumento sa Pagbabagong ito. Pahintulutan ninyong AKO MISMO ang mangalaga sa KINABUKASAN ninyo!"

After giving the speech the audience gave me a standing ovation and shoutouts of support. They relentlessly clapped their hands. It was the first time I've experienced all that, and I felt that this was the best speech I had compared to the previous ones I did.

And then my cellphone rang.. It was my mom..

Oh crap! I'm dreaming again!




_______________________________________________________________
*Kanina lang yan before ko malamang deadz na si Michael Jackson, tulog kasi ako ng tulog, deadz talaga ako di pako tapos sa assignments ko haha!! By the way the speech was not the exact words but substantially the same, mahirap mag-recall ng details ng dream haha!!

King of Pop left us too soon

Michael Jackson
August 29, 1958- June 25, 2009

I'm equally stunned as everyone. I always turn my computer the minute I wake up, and accessing my homepage made me shout, "F*ck is this a bad joke?!". The King of Pop, Michael Jackson is dead at age of 50 attributed to an unconfirmed heart failure. At first I couldn't believe it, I thought the article is a satire to his career. All the while I was thinking that his inactivity and silence means he's just doing a new album for a comeback, but damn the truth hit me when I continued reading the news article on Yahoo.

I’m not a big fan of Michael Jackson but I grew up listening to his songs even if I don't like them all. But who didn’t? For a man, who started young along with his musical genius and his moves on the dance floor who wouldn’t notice him? I even remember doing a solo dance act on a play with his song "black and white" on he background. I just can't recall if I did his ever popular "Moonwalk". Well I guess I did.

"Smooth Criminal" made me remember the "American Pie" series. A remake of this song was played by the band Alien Ant Farm in one of the installments.

"Thriller" was a song which I often heard during halloween events or parties and some horror films as well.

But "Man in the Mirror" truly made a huge impact on me. It made me realize the significance of embracing change in the way you live your life. Too bad I haven't progressed yet. I'm still stucked with the old me.

Michael Jackson is again, another big loss in the music industry but I'm certain that his legacy will forever be remembered and respected despite the controversies which he's been through.

I've posted this a few months ago before this blog became public, but I thought I'd share this again with you guys. Here's the music video of "Man in the Mirror"

I'm gonna make a change,
for once im my life
It's gonna feel real good,
gonna make a diference
Gonna make it right...

As I, turn up the collar on
my favorite winter coat
This wind is blowing my mind
I see the kids in the streets,
with not enought to eat
Who am I to be blind?
Pretending not to see their needs

A summer disregard,a broken bottle top
And a one man soul
They follow each other on the wind ya' know
'Cause they got nowhere to go
That's why I want you to know

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change
(Take a look at yourself, and then make a change)
(Na na na, na na na, na na, na nah)

I've been a victim of a selfish kind of love
It's time that I realize
That there are some with no home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be really me, pretending that they're not alone?

A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart
And a washed-out dream
(Washed-out dream)
They follow the pattern of the wind ya' see
'Cause they got no place to be
That's why I'm starting with me
(Starting with me!)

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
(Ooh!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Ooh!)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
(If you wanna make the world a better place)
Take a look at yourself, and then make a change
(Take a look at yourself, and then make a change)

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
(Ooh!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Change his ways - ooh!)
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place

Take a look at yourself and then make that..
(Take a look at yourself and then make that..)
CHANGE!

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
(Man in the mirror - Oh yeah!)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Better change!)
No message could have been any clearer
(If you wanna make the world a better place)

Thought I'd add this video of Michael Jackson, this is his controversial song, "They don't care about us"

ADHD

Anyone here watches HBO's "Entourage"? Well if not, there's one character there named Vince played by Adrian Grenier. In one episode I saw him wearing a shirt which has a print in it which says "AD-HD". The design is sort of a spoof of the band AC-DC's album covers. I find it cool, so after seeing the show I decided to have a shirt printed with the same design. But because of my toxic schedule, it took me months before I finally get the chance to go to a t-shirt printing shop. But at least I have the shirt now and as selfish as I can be, I wont tell my friend where I had it printed! Ayoko ng may katulad! haha!!

Here's a snapshot of my new shirt!!

Why am I fascinated with AD-HD? Well for the past months I've observed some psychological changes in me. I get a little bit agitated easily. My decisions are based on impulse and sometimes it leads to indecision. I have some unexplainable mood swings which occur intermittently. I even get annoyed when I'm in a large crowd but hate it when I'm alone.. All the things on my table is cluttered. I can't seem to focus on the activity I am doing. It's not that I'm the king of multi-tasking but, when I start something, I want to do something else. Likewise, when I get to start an activity, I can't seem to stop and do whatever I can do on a particular day in just one sitting. Kung si CURACHA ang BABAENG WALANG PAHINGA, ako na siguro yung lalaking counterpart.

And though a lot of people admire all the possessions, achievements and basically the career I'm into right now I see my life as a complete mess.

AN-LABO BA?? Ako din NALALABUAN SA SARILI ko! haha!!

Now, I researched about AD-HD on the net a few months ago, reading this I heard a bell rang on my mind.. So I'm sharing this with you guys.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD or ADHD) is a neurobehavioral developmentaldisorder. It is the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric disorder in children affecting about 3 to 5% of children globally with symptoms starting before seven years of age. It is characterized by a persistent pattern of impulsiveness and inattention, with or without a component of hyperactivity.

ADHD is diagnosed twice as frequently in boys as in girls, though studies suggest this discrepancy may be due to subjective bias. ADHD is generally a chronic disorder with 30 to 50% of those individuals diagnosed in childhood continuing to have symptoms into adulthood. As they mature, adolescents and adults with ADHD are likely to develop coping mechanisms to compensate for their impairment.

Though previously regarded as a childhood diagnosis, ADHD can continue throughout adulthood.

Adult ADHD

Untreated adults with ADHD often have chaotic life-styles, may appear to be disorganized and may rely on non-prescribed drugs and alcohol to get by. They often have such associated psychiatric comorbidities as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, or a learning disability. A diagnosis of ADHD may offer adults insight into their behaviors and allow patients to become more aware and seek help with coping and treatment strategies.

There is controversy amongst experts on whether ADHD persists into adulthood. Only recognized as occurring in adults in 1978, it is currently not addressed separately. Obstacles that clinicians face when assessing adults who may have ADHD include developmentally inappropriate diagnostic criteria, age-related changes, comorbidities and the possibility that high intelligence or situational factors can mask ADHD symptoms.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of ADHD are:

Impulsiveness: acting before thinking of consequences, jumping from one activity to another, disorganization, tendency to interrupt other peoples' conversations.

Hyperactivity: restlessness, often characterized by an inability to sit still, fidgeting, squirminess, climbing on things, restless sleep.

Inattention: easily distracted, day-dreaming, not finishing work, difficulty listening, and motor clumsiness.

Causes

A specific cause of ADHD is not known. There are, however, a number of factors that may contribute to ADHD including genetics, diet and social and physical environments.

Genetic factors

Twin studies indicate that the disorder is highly heritable and that genetics are a factor in about 75% of ADHD cases. Hyperactivity also seems to be primarily a genetic condition; however, other causes do have an effect.

Environmental factors

Twin studies to date have also suggested that approximately 9% to 20% of the variance in hyperactive-impulsive-inattentive behavior or ADHD symptoms can be attributed to nonshared environmental (nongenetic) factors.

Environmental factors implicated include alcohol and tobacco smoke exposure during pregnancy and environmental exposure to lead in very early life.The relation of smoking to ADHD could be due to nicotine causing hypoxia (lack of oxygen) to the fetus in utero. It could also be that women with ADHD are more likely to smoke and therefore, due to the strong genetic component of ADHD, are more likely to have children with ADHD. Complications during pregnancy and birth—including premature birth—might also play a role.

Diet

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reviewed the literature on the association between food additives and hyperactivity and concluded that there is only limited evidence of an association between the intake of additives and activity and attention and then only in some children studied. They further indicated that the effects reported in the study were not consistent for the two age groups and for the two food additive mixtures used in the study.Others have suggested a trial of removing additives from the diet for children with ADHD as it is harmless and might be helpful.

Social factors

There is no compelling evidence that social factors alone can cause ADHD. However, many researchers believe that relationships with caregivers have a profound effect on attentional and self-regulatory abilities. A study of foster children found that a high number of them had symptoms closely resembling ADHD, while other researchers have found behavior typical of ADHD in children who have suffered violence and emotional abuse. Furthermore, Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can result in attention problems that can look like ADHD. ADHD is also considered a contributing factor to Sensory Integration Disorders.

[Source: wikipedia]

So do you think I have ADHD??

How bout you? Do you get to experience the symptoms too?

Tara, patingin tayo ahaha!!

BACKSTAGE Pass

Guys, madumi na yung jeans ko, I tried na ipa-laundry sya pero di na kayang matanggal ng mantsa so kailangang palitan... I guess it's time na nga for a cool a change..

But don't worry guys, this blog is STAYIN' ALIVE! Tuloy-tuloy pa din tayo and as my banner reads, this blog will be 'A backstage Pass into my life'. Kasabay ng paghuhubad ko ng aking lumang jeans ay I've decided to get BOLDER! Oo alam ko gustong-gusto mong makita ang macho kong katawan pero MALI ang iniisip mo! haha!! What I mean is I've decided to loosen up a little bit and make my posts more personal as it was before. If you'll try to skim into my posts before this blog became public you'll notice that medyo EMO ako, which could be a contradiction to what I am actually known by some people here.

Ayun na!! hindi ko na papatagalin to dahil nakakapagod magpalit-anyo ng blog hehe!!

So if you're already in my blogroll or my Follower, MASUWERTE ka kasi meron ka ng BACK-STAGE PASS. Sa mga readers of this blog and nasa old blogroll ko, pasensya na guys hindi ko naisave yung dati, so if wala ka pa just let me know so I can update it ASAP.

Ikaw gusto mo ba magkaroon ng backstage pass?! Oh anu pang hinihintay mo, maki-RAKenRoll na sa'kin and instantly you'll get 'A BACKSTAGE PASS into my LIFE, as I continue to STAY ALIVE!!'

Slacktivism

Slacktivism (sometimes slactivism) is a portmanteau formed out of the words slacker and activism. The word is considered a pejorative term that describes "feel-good" measures, in support of an issue or social cause, that have little or no practical effect other than to make the person doing it feel satisfaction. The acts also tend to require little personal effort from the slacktivist.

Examples of activities labeled as "slacktivist" include signing internet petitions, the wearing of wristbands ("awareness bracelets") with political messages, putting a ribbon magnet on a vehicle, joining a Facebook group, posting issue-oriented YouTube videos, altering one's personal data or avatar on social network services, or taking part in short-term boycotts such as Buy Nothing Day or Earth Hour. [Source: Wikipedia]

Is Slacktivism really the new apathy?

This question lingers on my mind for a couple of days now and so I am posting an entry right now on it. The word 'Slacktivism' has been over the news and if you are not aware of it I guess you should start switching to your local news on TV or read the broadsheet. Or else you might be called a slacktivist without you even knowing what the term means.

As a blogger and a frequent 'bloghopper' I noticed that almost all if not are advocating a certain organization, group or cause. Be it political, social, environmental and the like. But have we asked ourselves if we really support these groups or causes, or we just want to go with the flow? Or we just want to add the cool banner, badge, widget or image representing the group or cause. Do you really understand what these groups are advocating? Do you really think that as an individual, supporting the group or cause would not deviate from your own principles and ideologies?

One night I've watched someone being interviewed by a news reporter on the matter. The person being interviewed seemed so infuriated by hearing that he and his peers are being called Slacktivists. He continued by saying that joining a group on facebook isn't a form of slacktivism when you put into actuality what you are really fighting for. He said that he even came all the way from the province to participate in the convention which was held to enlighten the members of the group's advocacies and plans.

Internet has been a very effective communicating tool for a fast-paced exchange of ideas. Even text messaging has been a powerful medium in the dissemination of information. The 'EDSA Dos' in 2001 has been a testament to this. Nearly all households in the Metro and other provinces starting from the CLASS A Family up to the Middle Class have internet access. And I think almost all people in this country have a cellphone which is capable of text messaging. But as all technological advances and innovations there's always the pros and cons.

Yes, with the powerful tool of the internet one can automatically be a member of an organization which supports a particular cause by just going to their site or page and click the JOIN button. Oh yeah, some groups would require you to fill up a form but do you think they actually read every information you write on it? Do you think they have the time to monitor every person who became a member of their organization?

After being confirmed as a member of the group, so what's next? Now, in some social networking sites like facebook there are notifications of your latest activity so if you happen to have a gazillion friends they might find that what you just signed up for is cool and join too; and so the organization accumulates a gazillion supporters with your help. Now that's the power of the internet, gathering people to support your cause is just a click away. You don't need to print out flyers or advertise on TV or radio just to inform others of the group or organization you've just created.

The question now is how can you convince these people to really go out and campaign for the causes that the group is fighting for? Would you give them freebies like t-shirts, wristbands, and other accessories funded by some large company to encourage them to attend in group meetings, conventions or rallies? I hope not.

There are only two kinds of people I know who use the internet. First, those who READ and DIGEST whatever information they get on the net. Second, those who just know how to CLICK and JERK-OFF to whatever they see on the net. So I hope the organizations and groups who really wanted to recruit members over the net make the most out of this powerful tool to get in touch with the first kind of people I just mentioned. Furthermore, they really should cater to these people the real deal of being part of the organization. There should be a concrete goal and not an abstract one.

To the readers of my blog. I know you have your own principles and ideologies and the fact that you have a blog you want to voice out whatever it is that's on your mind. That fact alone proves that you stand your ground and you are capable of a rational and conscientious choice in terms of deciding to support an organization or group and when I say SUPPORT, it does not only mean signing up online, because if that's what you think of the word SUPPORT then you're no different than the most apathetic creature in this planet. Don't ask me what that creature is, I have yet to discover it.