Universal Kindergarten Is Now A Law

During a press conference last February 27, 2012 at Malacañang Palace, that Republic Act 10157 is now a law. RA 10157 is also called Universal Kindergarten Law meaning that the Department of Education will institutionalize basic education and will be implemented in public schools.

Bro. Armin Luistro, Secretary of Education, emphasize that "quality education is for all children and no one should be left behind." Preschool education is just as important as school education because it builds up the foundations of learning. According to Bro. Armin, education is the key that leads to a strong society.

This is what the President and the DepEd Secretary envisioned that all public schools will have their own kindergarten by 2016 and people will be given opportunity to have their children take kindergarten classes regardless of income. In addition to that, the students will be equipped with knowledge of math, science and the mother tongue depending on the provincial dialect of the school's location.

 This just shows how important kindergarten schooling to everyone because this molds how we see life. No one says is better than Robert Fulghum. His book title says it all. I quote, "All I need to know in life, I learn in Kindergarten". According to Fulghum, you learn wisdom not in a graduate school but in the the pile of sand in a kindergarten sandbox. These lessons in life are, sharing, playing fair, don't hit people(this also applies in bullying), cleanliness, "Don't take things that aren't yours", "saying sorry...", washing hands before eating, "flush", "live a balanced life", "When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together", "Gold fish, hamsters, white mice and even the little seed in the tin can. They all die and so do we", and lastly, "...remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first work you learn: LOOK".

Eton iKiDS Challenge

Theme: Learning. More fun in the Philippines! Objectives: • To promote Philippines as the next learning hub of Asia • To encourage kids to make a difference using technology • To discover young IT Experts of this generation • To inspire kids to be proud of their talents, school and country. DATE: February 28, 2012 VENUE: ETON International School- Manila Campus CONTACT PERSONS: Ms. Kristina Bagayaua ( MIS Head)- kbagayaua@eton.edu.ph Mr. Jeremiah Valerio( IT Coordinator)- jeremiah.valerio@eton.edu.ph Ms. Dianna Jazmin ( School Coordinator)- djazmin@eton.edu.ph Ms. Ferlinda Udtohan ( Academic Coordinator)- fudtohan@eton.edu.ph CATEGORIES: A.)Grade School 1-3 (6-9 yrs old) : Digital Painting - Kids will create an art form using digital tools such as MS Paint. B.)Grade School 4-6 (10-12 yrs old): Digital Art - Kids will make a contemporary artistic work using digital technology and apply Adobe Photoshop skills and techniques. C.)1st and 2nd Year High School( 13-16 yrs old) :Video Editing - Kids will manipulate segments of animated graphic/video footage, special effects and sound recordings to make a multi-media presentation. D.)3rd and 4th Year High School (13-16 yrs old): Web Design - Kids will conceptualize and create a website involving graphic designs and interactive elements.

Hazing: A point of view of a theologian

^{By Rev. Osmundo ABAKAN de los Reyes}

^{Friday, 24 February 2012}

^{Revised for this post.}

^{Genesis 6:5}

⁵ The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.

      Just this week, another victim of hazing died. There are fraternities nowadays do not exactly reflect their goals and objectives. The Latin root word is frater which means brother. Not surprisingly, we got this habit of coming together from American Imperialism. When we became its colony in 1898 and onwards, the Americans practically brought every bit and piece of their culture. Knowing the Filipino psyche, they did not have any difficulty introducing it. But wait, as early as Rizal's time there had been fraternities and he was a member of it. Suffice it to say, present-day Greek-lettered fraternities are largely American-influenced.

      Per se, there is nothing wrong with fraternities. Friendship that goes deep into brotherhood is well taken. But when it gets out of control, the problem begins.

      Studies have shown that most victims of fraternity hazing are innocent, too trusting provincianos who just want to be sincere friends with anybody. Long-time residents of Metro-Manila --- some of whom were provincianos themselves --- have acquired a gangster attitude of being bully and arrogant. Hence, when they become "masters" of the fraternity, they actually become monsters! Other victims of fraternity hazing are children of separated parents. Looking for love and attention, the young teen joins the group, thinking that he would find what would fill up the vacuum in his life. Sadly, the tragedy.

      Many have proposed in the recent that fraternities should be completely banned and declared illegal. But that seems too judgmental --- an overreaction to the situation. Of course, not all fraternities are bad as in not all politicians or justices of the Supreme Court are menaces to society! What we need in the Philippines is a complete turnabout of culture. Our undesirable, wanting, and barbaric culture needs to be trodden down and be replaced by a completely different one.

      We take life too lightly. We easily forget. This is so because Filipinos do not have a full appreciation of our History. Holidays commemorating heroes are meant for us to imbibe the things that our forebears did for our liberty, freedom, and independence. Such value had not been inculcated into our minds, much less, into our hearts, to be valued if not at all imitated.

      Everything begins at home. Responsible parenting is the key to all these. For roughly twenty years now, married couples are not responsible parents. Going back to American Imperialism, many young couples who marry are very irresponsible not knowing what they have entered into. Unwanted pregnancy among teenagers spring out from irresponsible parenting. Parents take things for granted. They really do not spend time opening the Bible and teaching its doctrines to their children! Many husbands and wives are too busy with their own thing: work, gimmicks, and shopping. They just say a word of reminder to their children without really seriously teaching God's Word to them! They feel they are too busy to spend quality time with their children. If parents are so careless that they only care about themselves because their children are already grown-ups, they are totally mistaken! Parents, when your children become teenagers or in their early twenties, the more they need your guidance from the Word of God!

     

       True friendship begins with Jesus Christ! Proverbs 18:24 says:

 ²⁴ One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,

   but there is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother.
(italics, Capitalization, and bold lettering mine)

Unless parents seriously consider sitting down and spending time with their children with God's Word open as they talk to them, our society will continue to be what it is now.
      Yes, the only way to put an end to the evils of fraternity hazing is to study and teach the Word of God with your children because

"The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time." -Genesis 6:5

ADIDAS AND THE NBA GO COURT TO STREET TO CELEBRATE 2012 NBA ALL-STAR GAME

Manila, Philippines – adidas, the official outfitter of the National Basketball Association, today unveiled the new uniform and footwear assortment for the 61st NBA All-Star in Orlando. 

New Uniform and Footwear to debut for NBA All-Star Game

The 2012 NBA All-Star uniforms were designed by adidas and inspired by the 20th anniversary of the memorable 1992 NBA All-Star game, which was also held in Orlando. Inspired by the Sunshine State and the fun atmosphere of NBA All-Star weekend, adidas NBA All-Star basketball shoes feature bright orange coloring to pay homage to Orlando’s Orange County and the state’s famous oranges.

“NBA All-Star is an exciting event that combines sports, style and entertainment unlike any other in the world,” said Lawrence Norman, adidas Vice President, Global Basketball. “NBA All-Star is the premier event to showcase adidas’ court-to-street heritage on basketball’s biggest stage and bring it to fans around the world.

The All-Star jerseys feature oversized East and West All-Star block lettering that was inspired by 1992 jerseys. The jackets and jerseys feature dip-dyed hardwood heather pattern inspired by the floor of the Orlando Arena where the game was held. The tonal blue and red, and three stripes silver and gold accent coloring on the jerseys and short sides will make the uniforms stand out on court. The woven NBA All-Star shorts are inspired by board shorts and also feature a sublimated mesh pattern for high performance and breathability.

Replica NBA All-Star jerseys and shorts are available at retail with a full range of NBA All-Star apparel from adidas at Php 2,495.

In Orlando, NBA All-Star Jam Session with adidas provides fans the once in a lifetime experience of participating in the NBA All-Star excitement.  Fans have the opportunity to meet and collect autographs from NBA Players and Legends and see some of their favorite NBA players, mascots, dance teams, and celebrities.  Jam Session is non-stop basketball action where fans can indulge in everything basketball from comparing hand and shoe size to competing in skills challenges or getting basketball tips from NBA Players and Legends.

Special On and Off-Court Footwear Celebrates Sunshine State

adidas, Derick Rose, will debut a special NBA All-Star version of the adizero Rose 2.5, at the 61^th NBA All-Star Game in Orlando.

Inspired by the Sunshine State and the fun, vacation atmosphere of NBA All-Star weekend, the NBA All-Star edition bright orange coloring pays homage to Orlando’s Orange County and the state’s famous oranges.

adiZero Rose 2.5 is the fourth shoe for reigning NBA MVP and three-time NBA All-Star Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls. At 11 ounces, its the lightest signature basketball shoe he has ever worn to provide next level speed and support for the second half of the season and NBA Playoff run. The toe box features a brushed synthetic material with hardwood heather texture and iced outsole to tie to the NBA All-Star uniforms. Inspired by the adizero Crazy Light, the upper features premium SPRINTFRAME and enlarged SPRINTWEB area to reduce weight, add support and allow maximum control. The GEOFIT memory foam collar provides optimum comfort and fit, especially with Derrick’s adizero Speed Wrap Ankle Brace.

adizero Rose 2.5 All-Star is available on February 17 at adidas Shops in Trinoma, Greenbelt 3, Mall of Asia, North Edsa, Cebu and at Titan.  It retails at Php 7295.

About adidas

adidas has been providing innovative products for the world’s best athletes for more than 50 years, from past legends to today’s superstars, such as Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose Candace Parker and Chauncey Billups.  On April 11, 2006 adidas and the National Basketball Association signed an 11-year global merchandising partnership making the adidas brand the official uniform and apparel provider for the NBA, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the NBA Development League (D-League) beginning with the 2006-07 NBA season.

About the NBA

The NBA, founded in 1946, is a professional sports league and global business that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada. During the 2010-11 season, NBA games reached 215 countries and territories in more than 40 languages. End-of-season NBA rosters featured 85 players from 41 countries and territories. NBA merchandise is sold in more than 125,000 stores in 100 countries on six continents. NBA.com averages more than 26 million page views per day, with more than 50 percent of the site's visitors coming from outside of North America. The NBA is the No. 1 U.S. sports league on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, with the most fans, followers, and videos viewed on each, respectively. Through NBA Cares, the league, its teams and players have donated more than $165 million to charity, completed more than 1.7 million hours of hands-on community service, and created more than 625 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.

14 Academy Award-Nominated Movies: One Thing in Common

Digital Artists Worldwide Used Autodesk Digital Entertainment Creation Software to Create 2011’s Most Celebrated Movies

Digital artists devoted days and years behind the scenes to help create the movie magic seen in many of this year’s Academy Award-nominated films. In the categories for Best Visual Effects and Best Animated Film (Feature and Short) in particular, many artists relied on the same set of tools — Digital Entertainment Creation (DEC) software from Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK).

“Great films depend on great storytelling and our technology is designed to enable artistic vision,” said Marc Petit, senior vice president, Autodesk Media & Entertainment. “We congratulate the multi-talented teams of artists from North America, New Zealand, Europe and Asia, and we are proud of Autodesk software’s role in helping them create these extraordinary movies.”

Best Visual Effects

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

© 2011 Warner Bros. Harry Potter Publishing Rights (c) J.K. Rowling.

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”— UK-based visual effects (VFX) studios Double Negative, MPC and Framestore each used Autodesk Maya 3D animation and rendering software to help create the visually extravagant effects for this final installment in the Harry Potter franchise. Double Negative VFX Supervisor David Vickery said, “Maya has been the lynch pin of our pipeline since ‘Goblet of Fire.’ For this film, Maya helped us build a fully computer-generated (CG) Hogwarts in a massive 3D environment, including a spectacular mountain range and an animated fire-breathing dragon digitally modeled with Autodesk Mudbox software.”MPC VFX Supervisor Greg Butler added, “From the first film in the ‘Potter’ series through to this film’s final shot, MPC has relied on Maya for modeling, rigging and lighting.”Andy Kind, Framestore VFX supervisor said, "Autodesk's Maya once again was our go-to tool, enabling us to bring to life the magic of the Chamber of Secrets for Ron and Hermione's first kiss, as well as Harry's vision of Heaven. We couldn't have done any of the eight films without it!"

“Hugo” — VFX studio Pixomondo managed a global production team across 10 of its 11 facilities in North America, Europe and Asia for this richly detailed reimagining of 1930s Paris. The worldwide team worked for over a year using a production pipeline comprised of Maya and Autodesk 3ds Max for animation, rendering, character rigging and modeling; as well as Autodesk MotionBuilder for motion capture and animation. VFX Supervisor Ben Grossmann said, “The interoperability of Autodesk tools helped us meet tight deadlines andbring Martin Scorsese’s magical vision to the big screen.”

©DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC.  All Rights Reserved

“Real Steel” —Visual effects powerhouse Digital Domain, motion-capture specialists Giant Studios and virtual production innovators Technoprops delivered “Real Steel” within an impressively efficient 71-day production schedule. The close collaboration between the threecompanies and anAutodesk toolset helped createthis realistic and thrilling action movie with a believable and captivating robot and human relationship. VFX Supervisor Erik Nash said, “The on-set real-time interoperability of Maya and MotionBuilder enabled tremendous creative freedom for the entire production team.”

TM and © 2011 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.  All rights reserved.  Not for sale or duplication

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” — Caesar, the CG chimpanzee performed by Andy Serkis is a creative milestone for Weta Digital in New Zealand. Weta used Maya and MotionBuilder as the core of its creative production pipelines for its groundbreaking visual effectsand performance capture. Sebastian Sylwan, chief technology officer at Weta said, “Creating a believable and realistic CG character like Caesar required providing our artists with the right tools and innovative technology that allowed them to iterate and express their creativity. We developed our own software to perfect performance capture, hair, eyes and muscles amongst others, using Maya and MotionBuilder as a backbone.” Canada-based Image Engine contributed previsualization for the film and also took advantage of a Maya-based pipeline.

“Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon”—The extraordinarily detailed Transformer robotscontain up to50,000 million polygons renderedin stereoscopic 3D by lead visual effects houses Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) with studios in San Francisco and Singapore and Digital Domain. ILM used the following Autodesk DEC software tools in its pipeline: 3ds Max for digital environment work; Autodesk Flame as part of its proprietary SABRE high-speed compositing system; and Maya as the core tool for animation, rigging and layout. Scott Farrar, visual effects supervisor on ‘Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon’ said, “As effects work continues to grow in complexity, it is more important than ever that our artists have access to best of breed tools and by using Autodesk’s Digital Entertainment Creation software, ILM is able to continue to create groundbreaking visual effects.”

Best Animated Feature Film

“Kung Fu Panda 2”and “Puss in Boots”—Both movies earned not only Academy Award nominations for Animated Feature Film for Dreamworks Animation (DWA), but also were two of the top three grossing animated films of 2011.*DWA continues to creatively push technology to imbue animated characters with huge personalities, and both films used Maya. Phil McNally, stereoscopic supervisor on both movies said, “Either on our own or in concert with Autodesk, we can develop tools in Maya to specifically address the challenges of stereoscopic 3D. Maya gives us that intuitive flexibility, or the ability to see what we’re doing—while we’re doing it—in 3D.”

“Rango”

“Rango,” the story of a weird lizard’s quest for identity, was ILM’s first animated feature. The film presented some daunting creative and technical challenges: Rango’s face alone required over 300 controllers to achieve the range of performance needed for the 1,100 shots he appears in.On top of which, Rango was just one of well over 100 characters that populated the film. “All of these characters had some combination of scales, feathers, or fur and all had clothing. We strove to create a very tactile world for Rango,” said ILM’s Hal Hickel, animator director on the film. “We wanted to create the illusion that if you could reach out and touch objects in the frame you'd know exactly what they would feel like, so it was very important that our software enable us to show as much detail as possible ateach phase of the process. This allowed us to make certain the performances would translate to the big screen. Maya was great at letting us do that.”

Other Categories

·         “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” — nominated for Short Film (animated) — Moonbot Studios in Louisiana used Maya to help create this poignant and humorous allegorical film.

·         “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” —nominated for five awards — Digital Domain createddigital doubles, matte paintings, animation and set extensions using both Maya and 3ds Max. Method Studios contributed to 101 VFX shots, including a fully CG train sequence through a snow-covered landscape using Maya, Flame and Autodesk Flare software.Blur Studios created the amazing title sequence using a combination of 3ds Max for animation and Autodesk Softimage for keyframing.

·         “La Luna” — nominated for Short Film (animated) — Pixar used Maya and Pixar’s own Renderman to create this mystical coming-of-age story.

·         “The Muppets” — nominated for Original Song— LOOK Effects used a combination of Flame, Flare and Maya to help bring these beloved characters to life in this box-office hit.

·         “The Tree of Life” — nominated for three awards including Best Picture — Method Studios used Maya to help create the fully CG 4K(4096 × 3112 pixels per frame) sequence for the film’s “Microbial” section,which plays effectively alongside practical and mixed-technique approaches. Method’s EVP Dan Glass was also the film’s overall senior visual effects supervisor. Prime Focus used Maya, 3ds Max and Mudbox to create the wonderfully realistic dinosaur sequences, dedicating a team of 50 artists to achieving Terrence Malick's vision for these scenes.

·         “War Horse” — nominated for six awards including Best Picture — UK-based Framestore used Maya to help create the equine digital double, barbwire VFX integration, digital environments and clean-up on 200 shots for Steven Spielberg’s epic drama. Hollywood and London-based The Third Floor also pre-visualized key sequences using a toolset that includes Maya.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software. Customers across the manufacturing, architecture, building, construction, and media and entertainment industries ¾ including the last 16 Academy Award winners for Best Visual Effects ¾ use Autodesk software to design, visualize and simulate their ideas. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk continues to develop the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art software for global markets. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.

* Source: Box Office Mojo

Autodesk, AutoCAD, Flame, Flare, Maya, MotionBuilder, Mudbox, Softimage and 3ds Max are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. Academy Award is a registered trademark of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product and services offerings, and specifications and pricing at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

© 2012 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.