How Are We Slaved To Our Gadgets

I cannot deny that because of blogging, I am now bonded to my laptop more often than before because of many event coverage, press releases, movie reviews that I need to publish, promote in social networks but that is just occupational. But just the same, are the gadgets we use are being dictated by us or are we more enslaved to it? Here is an interesting article related to what I opened up:

Don't sleep with your smart phone nearby

By Bob Greene, CNN Contributor

Photo courtesy of http://edition.cnn.com

A fellow named Daniel Sieberg was telling me his hard-and-fast rule for getting through the night.

He takes all of his digital devices -- laptops, tablets, cellphones, anything portable that has a screen -- to another room before he turns off the light. He has come to terms with the fact that the technological gadgets that have so thoroughly insinuated themselves into our lives can become addictive.

So, when it's time for slumber, he locks them out. He won't even let his cellphone charge overnight in the bedroom:

"If it's there, I would have the temptation to turn it on and check it.

Read more...

Toy Warehouse SALE up to 70% OFF

PAMPANGA LANTERNS ADORN CCP FAÇADE

The CCP facade featuring displays of Christmas lanterns entitled Sulu: The Lanterns of San Fernando, Pampanga will be launched at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) on November 3, 2011. The event is held in cooperation with the City of San Fernando, Pampanga through its mayor Hon. Oscar Rodriguez. The lanterns, employing the intricate circuitry of the Pampanga Lanterns, will be lit until January 8, 2012.

Program for the launch will be highlighted by performances from Magsilbi Tamu Band 919 and the San Fernando Choir from Pampanga.

adidas King Of The Road 2011 Race Results

Photo courtesy of blogger Mark Cerbo of YO! MC: The NextJAM!

You can now see how you rank in the recent KOTR 2011. Here's the direct link:
http://www.takbo.ph/2011/10/adidas-king-of-the-road-kotr-results/

This chart show I ranked 3411 of 7527 in the 5K category

Greenhills to hold massive recyclables collection event in November

Greenhills Shopping Center brings back a massive recyclables collection event in an effort to increase awareness on proper solid waste management among its customers, tenants, and residents of the nearby villages. Cash for Scrap 2: A Recycler’s Bazaar happens on November 6 at the Parking 1 along Ortigas Avenue, between 8 AM to 12 NN.  Some of Manila’s top recyclers, and representatives from local government units, as well as the neighboring barangays and schools, will participate in this event.

The first Cash for Scrap event was held last April 2011, and it was met with much enthusiasm.   Tons of paper and electronic wastes were collected, along with other items such as car batteries, busted bulbs, ink cartridges, and plastics.

Cash for Scrap was intended to be a one time event.  But, Greenhills Shopping Center got a lot of positive feedback, and there were many calls for a repeat.  People from as far as Manila City came with their recyclables.  Greenhills Shopping Center was able to collect about forty crates of busted light bulbs—some of these were fed to a mechanism that separates the mercury component of the bulbs from the glass.  

This quarter, Greenhills Shopping Center invites an even more diverse group of recyclers, which would add to the number of waste categories. Event partners include: GARC, Philippine Plastic Inc. Assoc., Philippine Recyclers Inc., Polystyrene Packaging Council of the Philippines, Genetron, HMR Envirocycle, Trust International Paper Corporation, Dolomatrix, and MGHS.

Interested individuals may bring the following waste products for recycling:

·         Used ink cartridges

·         PET bottles and plastic bags

·         Used batteries

·         Used but clean Styrofoam

·         Used oil

·         Electronic wastes (old phones or laptops)

·         Paper

·         Busted bulbs

·         Used cans and metals

Other organizations that sell quality recycled products would also be participating: Kilus Foundation, producer of bags and other accessories from doy packs; Gifts and Graces, producer of products from old newspapers; and Earthday Village producer of bags and raincoats from used tarpaulins.

The event is co-presented by the National Solid Waste Management Commission under the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources, Barangays Greenhills and Wack-Wack, Solid Waste Management Association of the Philippines, and OCLP Holdings, Inc. (OHI) an Ortigas company.

Cash for Scrap was the very first recyclables collection event under the Solid Waste Management Program of OHI and was conceptualized to promote waste segregation at source, help turn wastes into cash, while preventing these from ending in the landfill. For more information, you may call Ms. Mona Lauraya at 721.05.72 local 290 or visit www.Greenhills.com.ph. Also watch out for more announcements and like us on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/shopandliveatgreenhills.

R.I.P., the movie camera: 1888-2011 by Matt Zoller Seitz

This is an interesting article for an old school photography hobbyist like me. Article from http://www.salon.com

Cecil B. DeMille  (Credit: doctormacro.com)

We might as well call it: Cinema as we knew it is dead.

An article at the moviemaking technology website Creative Cow reports that the three major manufacturers of motion picture film cameras — Aaton, ARRI and Panavision — have all ceased production of new cameras within the last year, and will only make digital movie cameras from now on.  As the article’s author, Debra Kaufman, poignantly puts it, “Someone, somewhere in the world is now holding the last film camera ever to roll off the line.”

What this means is that, even though purists may continue to shoot movies on film, film itself will may become increasingly hard to come by, use, develop and preserve.

Read more...

NATIONAL ARTIST SALVADOR “BADONG” BERNAL PASSES AWAY

 National Artist for Theater and Design Salvador “Badong” Bernal passed away yesterday. He was 66 years old.

       

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of a great artist,” says CCP Vice-President and Artistic Director Chris Millado.  “Badong redefined scenic design in the Philippines and was a teacher and mentor to our current crop of designers. He was responsible for creating the beautiful sets and costumes that defined the aesthetics of the various ballet, theater and musical productions at the CCP and other venues,” Millado continues.  “He will be greatly missed as a theater artist, mentor and friend.”

       

Considered as the Father of Philippine Theater Design, Salvador Floro Bernal produced a brilliant body of works which have enriched Filipino original works in theater, dance and music. Since 1969, Bernal designed more than 300 productions for drama, musicals, operas and concerts such as those for Musical Theater Philippines and Opera Guild of the Philippines. He had designed period costumes for movies like Oro, Plata, Mata and Gumising Ka, Maruja and for TV commercials and calendars. Bernal was known for using indigenous and locally available materials for stage such as bamboo, abaca fabric, hemp twice raw, rattan chain links, and styrofoams in productions such as Rajah Sulayman, Abaniko, La Traviata, Tomaneg at Aniway and Pagkahaba-haba man ng Prusisyon sa Simbahan din ang Tuloy (Much Ado About Nothing).  As an acknowledged guru of contemporary Filipino theater design, Bernal created the CCP Production Design Center and organized PATDAT (Philippine Association of Theatre Designers and Technicians) in 1995. As president of PATDAT, which is also the Philippine Center of OISTAT (Organisation Internationale des Scenographes, Techniciens et Architectes du Theatre), Bernal introduced Philippine theater design to the world.

      

His last CCP production was the musical version of “Banaag at Sikat” with Tanghalang Pilipino.  Before his death, Bernal was working on the design of King Lear with PETA to be directed by long time friend and collaborator Felix “Nonon” Padilla.

      

Salvador Bernal was conferred the National Artist Award in 2003. Necrological services will be announced later.

Dockers® Tweethousand

October - Dockers, the brand that has defined khaki pants for more than 25 years, is now on twitter!

In an effort to continue engaging its consumers through social media, Dockers launched DockersKhaki_PH twitter account.  Following the Dockers twitter account will give fans updates regarding the latest Dockers fashion as well as event and promotions that they can join.

As a sign of gratitude to all its fans, Dockers will be giving away three of their newest and hottest 10-year Alpha Khaki when they reach one thousand followers.

Simply be a follower of Dockers on twitter and form part of the first one thousand tweeps who will have the chance to win one of the Alpha Khakis.

Winners will be determined via raffle and announced through Dockers twitter account, so follow Dockers now!

About Dockers®

The Dockers® Brand has embodied the spirit of khaki for more than 25 years. Since their introduction in 1986, Dockers® has been perfecting khakis—and the essential goods to go with them—for men and women all over the world. No compromises in quality. Just versatile, essential style. Day to night. Monday to Sunday. Wearing the pants has never looked so good. For information on Dockers® and its products, please call +632-889-9301 or visit www.dockers.com

Sandwich Heroes: Eating Bread Can Make A Difference

Growing up, I was trained to finished my meals without leaving not even a piece of rice unless there's a bone or peel from a fruit. There are many reasons why I was being told: "Farmers worked hard for it", "it shouldn't be wasted" and "somewhere in the globe, there are people dying because of hunger". Emphasis on the last one.

Sadly, these are one of the problems that we usually see in the news. At the request of our government, World Food Programme or WFP addresses the needs for food security needs in conflict-stricken areas in Mindanao. But WFP is not just concerned with the food programme but also building up communities for social awareness.

According to facts provided by WFP, hunger kills more people than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. Ratio is 1:7 people(adults and children) worldwide goes to bed hungry each night. In the Philippines, it's 1:9.

Unilever Philippines, who distributes popular names in grooming and food products such as Knorr, Lipton, Dove, Vaseline, Sunsilk, Creamsilk and Ponds, joins WFP against hunger and has been involved with the campaign in many occasions.. Unilever's business unit, Unilever Food Solutions, takes care of food services division that handles food services done in hotels, restaurants and caterers. This makes a good avenue for starting the campaign. WFP and Unilever launched the campaign, Sandwich Heroes. 

With this campaign, WFP and Unilever will make a difference and lessen hunger in hard-to-reach areas in ARMM, Maguindanao, Lanao Del Norte, Lanao Del Sur and Sultan Kudarat. It only takes ten pesos to provide a good, decent meal for a small child. You can also take part and make a difference. There will be featured sandwiches in participating establishments: Bigg's Diner, Cibo, The Coffee Experience, CoffeeBreak, Figaro, HotShots, JD Bakeshop, KFC, Mushroomburger, The Flying Pig, Holy Cow, The Sandwich Guy, and Wham! Burgers. For updates and information, like WFP-Phils. on Facebook.

Enter The World of Bantorra

Hit a different kind of library this school break with Book of Bantorra.

Opening the gates to an alternative world filled with magic, fantasy, and books, The Book of Bantorra takes you to a realm where everyone who dies gets turned into books that are stored in the Bantorra Library. Want to learn more about how a particular person lived his or her life? Just go to the Bantorra Library and read a book to plunge into their lives—literally—because all you need is to touch a stone tablet ‘book’ to see a person’s history.

Book of Bantorra follows the tale of Colio, a young boy who had his memories erased. Armed with a bomb embedded in his chest, Colio sets out to kill Hamutz Meseta, the world’s most powerful Armed Librarian. But fate takes a different turn when Colio, upon seeing his target, falls in love with her and ends up getting caught in the war between two great factions—the psychic power-wielding Armed Librarians and the religious cult Sindeki Kyoudan, which manipulates people against the Library for its sinister purposes.

What will happen to Colio and Hamutz? Who will end up taking over the Bantorra Library? How will the war end? Find out the answers to these questions on October 21 as Animax Asia premiers Book of Bantorra.   

Book of Bantorra premiers on October 21, 2011 and airs from Monday to Friday at 11 p.m. only on Animax. For more information, you may log on to http://www.animax-asia.com/.

Press Release: US CASH GRANT POWERING WFP DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE ACTIVITIES IN LUZON

MANILA – A US$750,000 cash grant from the United States Agency for International Development/Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) is powering the United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP) Disaster Preparedness and Response project in four of the most disaster-prone provinces of Northern Luzon.

WFP’s 12-month project in Benguet, Cagayan, Laguna and Sorsogon, which is already up and running, is being implemented in collaboration with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and WFP’s local NGO partner the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).

“WFP highly appreciates USAID/OFDA’s timely and generous funding for a key government priority.  This support is critically needed for a country which is so vulnerable to natural disasters,” said WFP Philippines Country Director Stephen Anderson. “The recent floods and the damage to agriculture caused by Typhoons Pedring and Quiel have highlighted once again how essential it is for us to work together to improve disaster preparedness and response.

“Fundamental to the success and sustainability of this project is the strong partnership with DSWD, DILG, OCD and the Local Government Units (LGUs) which have committed to implement small-scale community projects to help mitigate the impact of disasters,” said Anderson.

The participating LGUs have earmarked 13.9 million pesos in counterpart funds for the projects, while DSWD is providing 3.9 million pesos from its Disaster Fund.

A Capacity Needs Assessment on Disaster Preparedness and Response that WFP conducted together with the Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative highlighted the need to mitigate the impact of landslides in Benguet, to improve flood control systems in Cagayan and Laguna and to strengthen the capability of communities in Sorsogon to better respond to volcanic eruptions and flooding.  The study findings are consistent with WFP’s experience of carrying out small-scale, community-driven early recovery and rehabilitation activities in partnership with DSWD in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Ondoy and Typhoon Pepeng in late 2009 and 2010.

WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  Each year, on average, WFP feeds more than 90 million people in more than 70 countries.

WFP now provides RSS feeds to help journalists keep up with the latest press releases, videos and photos as they are published on WFP.org. For more details see: http://www.wfp.org/rss.

Follow us on Twitter @wfp_media.

WFP has a dedicated ISDN line in Italy for quality two-way interviews with WFP officials.

For more information please contact (Email Address: angeli.mendoza@wfp.org):

Angeli Mendoza, WFP/Manila, Tel: +63 2 7502561 Mobile: +63 917 8809368

2nd Guild Congress and Kick Off To Road To Domination VI

The year is about to end and E-Games gathers back all the game guilds in the second Guild Congress. Unlike the Domination, Guild Congress gaming competition for guilds than individual gamers. The first Guild Congress was held last year at SM Megamall Activity Area.

Even little girls can play with the big boys

One of the highlights of this year's Guild Congress was the Halloween theme. Some players of Bandmaster and PointBlank may now enjoy game avatars with the Halloween look. In addition to Halloween theme, there will be new songs, new clothes, more items and the Christmas theme and FB events just in time for the Holidays. Just to get you more closer with one of the GMs(Game Masters), you can now get in touch with GM Kein. Just text GMKEIN to 4627.

Besides the network gaming from the different online games, there are also parlor games, contests, raffles, band performances and a whole lot more. Log on to http://portal.e-games.com.ph/ for the updates. See you along the way to the Road To Domination VI.