Stuck in a Moment

... and I can't get out of it.

One week after hanging by a moment, I am literally stuck in a moment. Last week, there were three error messages - now, there's only one (okay, that's an improvement). However, the error message HERest +6510 is not listed in the tutorials so I have to search for it in the archives of the HTK website. I found no clear and direct solution to my problem there. It's Friday once again, six hours from now, my project adviser will witness another non-progressive progress report. Again, good luck to me.

By the way, if I haven't mentioned about it, the title of the thesis I am currently working on is:

"AUTOMATIC WORD RECOGNITION SYSTEM AND PHONEME-LEVEL SEGMENTATION OF THE FILIPINO SPEECH CORPUS USING HIDDEN MARKOV MODEL TOOLKIT."

Sounds weird to you? Sounds nerdy to me. :)

Update

TENNIS: Wimbledon Championships (England)

Philippines' sole delegate to the 2006 Wimbledon Open with his partner faltered and is now out of the contest. Cecil Mamiit of the Philippines and Kevin Kim of USA lost to Thailand's Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana in the first round of Gentlemen's Doubles category - 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 8-6. The epic game was held at the All England Club in London. The Thais are the same players who defeated Mamiit and Eric Taino in the Men's Doubles finals of the 2005 SEA Games.

May Pinoy sa Wimbledon

Cecil Mamiit, a Filipino-American tennis player and gold medalist in the Southeast Asian Games - Philippines 2005, enters the Gentlemen's Doubles event (not just the qualifying stage) of the 2006 Wimbledon Championships and for the first time carries the Tricolor as his banner (he used to play under the United States flag). He teams up with Korean-American Kevin Kim in facing the Thai tandem of Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana at the All England Club in London tonight (Manila time).

This 5'8" guy has not passed farther than the 2nd Round, for both singles and doubles, of any Grand Slam tournament since he turned pro in 1996. Fellow Fil-Am and SEA Games 2005 gold medalist Eric Taino, who failed to qualify for any event this year, has also decided to represent the Philippines from now on.

Good luck to our lone hope in lawn tennis... At least this time, our participation in Wimbledon exceeds that in Australian Open where our countrymen served only as ball catchers (ballkids).

Superman Returns, and so does Sport News

Sports Tidbits as of 28 June 2006

FOOTBALL: FIFA World Cup^TM (Germany)
28 June 2006
The hostilities in Germany take a three-day break as the quest for the coveted golden cup enters the Quarterfinals (Round of 8). Six European giants and two South American powerhouses qualify; only France and Ukraine are runners-up in their group while Germany, England, Argentina, Portugal, Italy and Brazil are all topseed in their respective groups. Ghana, the last African nation standing, was ousted via a 3-0 Brazilian triumph and so was Asia-Pacific's last hope, Australia, due to a 1-0 defeat by Italy.

Round of 16
27 June 2006
Brazil defeated Ghana (3-0)
France defeated Spain (3-1)

26 June 2006
Italy defeated Australia (1-0)
Ukraine defeated Switzerland (0-0, a.e.t 3-0 PSO)**

25 June 2006
England defeated Ecuador (1-0)
Portugal defeated Netherlands (1-0)

24 June 2006
Germany defeated Sweden (2-0)
Argentina defeated Mexico (2-1, a.e.t)*

*(a.e.t. - at extra time)
**(a.e.t. PSO - after extra time, penalty shoot-out)

Group Stages
23 June 2006
Group G - France defeated Togo (2-0)
Group G- Switzerland defeated Korea (2-0)
Group H - Spain defeated Saudi Arabia (1-0)
Group H - Ukraine defeated Tunisia (1-0)

22 June 2006
Group E - Italy defeates Czech Republic (2-0)
Group E -Ghana defeated United States (2-1)
Group F - Brazil defeated Japan (4-1)
Group F - Australia drew with Croatia (2-2)

21 June 2006
Group C- Argentina drew with The Netherland (0-0)
Group C - Cote d'Ivoire defeated Serbia and Montenegro (3-2)
Group D - Portugal defeated Mexico (2-1)
Group D - Angola drew with Iran (1-1)

20 June 2006
Group B - England drew with Sweden (2-2)
Group B - Paraguay defeated Trinidad and Tobago (2-0)

Quarterfinals Schedule
30 June 2006 (Berlin) - Germany vs Argentina
30 June 2006 (Hamburg) - Italy vs Ukraine
1 July 2006 (Gelsenkirchen) - England vs Portugal
1 July 2006 (Frankurt) - Brazil vs France

***

BASKETBALL: PBA Playoffs (Philippines)
28 June 2006
Araneta Coliseum
4:40PM -> Game 5: Alaska Aces vs Purefoods Chunky Giants (Alaska leads 3-1)
7:35PM -> Game 5: Red Bull Barakos vs San Miguel Beermen (Series tied 2-2)

------------------------

Der Mann des Stahls kommt heute zurück!

The Man of Steel returns today!

The Philippines once again witnessed today the premiere of another highly-anticipated and highly-budgeted Hollywood film - SUPERMAN RETURNS - much earlier than any other part of the world, including the United States of America.

Wait for my personal review of the motion picture which I will post as soon as I have watched the movie this week... (-> wishful thinking, haha)

Of Anti-Aging and Antioxidants: Third Part

Additional details about the Pharmanex^® experience:

I already mentioned in the Second Part that I and Elma met at Starbucks^® Megastrip. As usual, I never missed the chance to buy my favourite frap - Chocolate Cream (actually, Rhumba was my favourite but Starbucks^® already scrapped it from their menu). The venti size costs PhP 140.00 and I know it's not a worthy purchase in some people's point of view. Whenever I can afford, I make it a point to try and indulge myself with the delectable luxuries of life - eating and drinking (but NEVER smoking).

Before the AVP, Marlon Ilagan briefed us about what to expect that afternoon. He noticed the TALL thin plastic tumbler I was holding and commented, "Nakakaubos ka ng ganyang kalaki? Grabe, kung ako 'yan, kanina pa ko pabalik-balik sa restroom." I ignored the remark and the time continued to pass by.

Daniel, the person whose name I withheld in the last post, also had his own unintentional and indirect patama-statement concerning my coffee extravagance. This was in connection to the idea of us not ending up having business with them just because of not having enough money to invest. He stated to the audience, "Don't tell me you currently don't have at least PhP 12,300 but you can pay for a US$ 3.00 coffee and acquire hi-tech gadgets. Shame on you!"

OUCH! - was all I could think of saying but thank God I ceased myself.

I admit I am a high-maintenance kinda guy. I spend a considerable large sum of my wealth (-> haha) in products and services that will make me look and feel good - but still, I DO have limitations. I am also the type of person who uses up my cash reserves as long as I enjoy, I make other people happy, I quench my thirst and satisfy my hunger, and I want/need/like what I obtain. Honestly speaking, I am an impulsive buyer. That's why my bank account is usually at its minimum/maintaining balance. Not to mention that I, more often than not, give a percentage of my stipend/salary/"kick-backs" to my un(der)employed parents.

So, do I have to feel guilty or not for presently not having that amount to invest to his company?

Of Anti-Aging and Antioxidants: Second Part

As I have promised, here is the detailed continuation of my post regarding Pharmanex^® (I forgot to mention the company name the last time I posted).

The afternoon started with me meeting Elma in Starbucks^® Megastrip around 3:00pm. We went straight to Teleperformance/Ericsson Bldg. (official name: Octagon Tower) along San Miguel Avenue in Ortigas Centre to meet with Marlon Ilagan, an alumnus of Philippine Science High School and Ateneo de Manila University. Personally, I thought that what we were going to attend to was a job interview (last Wednesday night, Mr. Ilagan called me, Elma and Tin and explained to us that a common friend, Eugene, has recommended several UP Circuit people for a well-paying career; the three of us are his "chosen three"). The feeling was nostalgic for me as the elevator alternately shut and opened - every floor reminded me of my short stint in a call centre along Emerald Street also in Ortigas Centre (ePLDT^® Ventus).

The nostalgia suddenly became a trauma the moment the speaker started her piece. This trauma has something to do with an experience with Family First (see Winston's article about this). We found out that Tin had just left the premises about five minutes before we arrived, and we found out that she was accompanied by Gujel. So, the audio-visual presentation began and it discussed the purchasing power of the world's baby boomers and boasted the company's performance in the past 12 years. Pharmanex^®, a subsidiary of Nu Skin^® Enterprises and founded in 1994 by Dr. Michael Chang, is said to have foreseen that in 2010, 30% of the world's population or those belonging to the 35-60 year-old-range will spend as much as US$ 1 Trillion to keep their youth intact - a 500% increase from US$ 200 Billion expenditure by the "work force" is expected to happen by the end of this decade. This age group amounts to about 70% of the world's GDP/GNP according to the AVP. In short, this is the best time to invest one's precious money in health industries.

Some concepts included in the short film are the hitmakers of the past decades like diapers and baby food in 1940's and 1950's, Ford^® Mustang in 1960's and 1970's, computers in 1980's and Microsoft^® in 1990's and internet and wireless communications in 2000 - all of these industries made their pioneers millionaires since the end of the Second World War until the 70's, billionaires from the 80's until the present and will make some of us trillionaires (this word is not yet even recognized by Microsoft^® Word) in 2010, as predicted by Paul Zane Pilzer in his book The Next Trillion. The line of business that he forecasted to make us traverse to the 13-digit dollar mark is (drum rolls please...) --- WELNESS INDUSTRY --- anti-aging cosmetics, spas, gyms, food supplements and weight gaining/losing pills, every procedure or product that can prevent diseases from developing in the first place.

Okay too much about trivial stuffs... Let's talk business.

Another speaker (name withheld for safety purposes), claiming to be a multi-millionaire at the age of 22, explained to us that just by buying a portion of the company's stocks (for as low as PhP 12,300) and then practically doing nothing but to wait and allot at least 8 hours per week (YES, PER WEEK!!!) will bring a person about PhP 30,000 (or up to PhP 2,200,000) per month in revenue. He admitted that the company is also in network marketing - meaning one must invite other people to join the bandwagon. He emphasized that this time IT'S LEGAL - the New York Stock Exchange and other credible institutions and universities in the United States have given them accreditations and awards. Not a single second could we hear from him at least one negative issue regarding Pharmanex.

Eugene came, and we found out that he is already in the network. He has already shelled out PhP 12,300 and has attended seminars twice in two-week stretch. I and Elma, hence, felt comfortable and confident that we were in good hands. BUT, we still are undecided whether to venture into this kind of endeavor or not. "We know you would not want to miss this chance of a lifetime." is the motto of that corporation - how could we possibly turn down the offer that fast?

Here are our concerns:
1. We do not have the money yet.
2. We do not have enough knowledge about Pharmanex^® as of the moment.
3. We only have Eugene to testify regarding his investment's performance so far.
4. We have not yet consulted our families and we do not know how!
5. Have I said already that we do not have the money yet?

...So Lord, and dear friends, help us decide on this matter...

(PS: We have until 4:00pm of Friday 30 June 2006 to tell Mr. Ilagan whether we're IN or OUT.)

Of Anti-Aging and Antioxidants: First Part

Yesterday afternoon, I, Elma and Eugene (two of my Up Circuit friends) went to Ericsson Bldg. in Ortigas Center to attend what I and Elma assumed to be an interview for a high-compensation job. The assumption turned out to be a network marketing mini-seminar concerning earning upto PhP 2,200,000 just by investing PhP 12,300 while enjoying the comfort of your home as your money grows and gives back at least PhP 30,000 in profit. The products - a scanner that detects cholesterol level and food supplemets that supply the body with enough antioxidants to prevent aging and high cholesterol readings.

More details tomorrow...

Hanging by a Moment

Everytime I surf the internet whether in school, at home or in a computer shop, my routine includes visiting my friends' blogs aside from checking of e-mail and chatting through Yahoo! Messenger. I hate it when all I see from their sites are the same old articles I just viewed a day or two ago. I expect them at least to reply to my and other people's comments or to post new tagboard messages. The catch is, I myself do not have all the time in the world to update my own blog; moreover, not every moment of my life is a worthy journal entry.

Just like this week, I am literally hanging in limbo. My thesis project got stuck in the middle of nowhere. After running the speech training part, testing should follow. But, three error messages popped out from the screen. I am not that sure if I should categorize them as a simple syntax error or a more complicated file access error. The first is obviously easier to debug than the latter. After all, all of the commands and tools that I and my thesis partner are using can be found from the tutorial book that we have. (Haha, I clarified my own confusion...) Fine - it might have been an error within any of the files that I am using. But, which file? Our progress report with our adviser will start in 10 minutes. Good luck to me.

Because of these boring happenings in my life these past days, I use my "blogging time" usefully by re-discovering my journalist-ic potentials and practicing my writing skills. Back in elementary and high school days, I was a sports news/feature/developmental communication writer. That's the reason why you can find here lots of articles not about myself but about the world of sports, showbusiness/movie industry and current events.

Okay, this may be enough to appease myself and my friends who are all clamouring for new posts and recent updates. Get back to work, Mister!

World Champions

The Dallas Mavericks finally gave up the 2005-2006 National Basketball Association title to fellow Finals first-timers Miami Heat on another close game (Game 6) 92-95 Wednesday morning (Manila time) at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The Florida-based cagers win the series over the Texans 4-2.

Dwyane Wade, hero of all Miami's four straight victories, scored 36 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead his team to its first ever franchise championship trophy. Shaquille O'Neal, with just 9 points and 12 boards, secured his fourth ring while Alonso Mourning (8 points, 6 rebounds) and Gary Payton (2 points, 1 board) now own one each after 12 and 15 seasons as NBA pros, respectively.

Again, as a usual side-comment of a Mavs-fan, it could have been 3-all and a Game 7 would have been played on Friday (Manila time) should Jason Terry (16 points, 1 rebound) knock off the three-pointer in the dying seconds to force an overtime. Okay, enough of the SHOUDA WOULDA COULDA situations... after all, the Mavs showcased a fantastic match-up with the Heat as they lose only by an average of 7.5 points (Games 3, 5-OT and 6 are decided by just 2, 1 and 3 points respectively) and as they normed 9.5 winning margins in their 2 triumphs in Games 1 and 2. Dirk Nowitski led the Mavs in scoring in the final game with 29 markers and 15 boards.

What more can I say? Glückwunsch-Miami Hitze! Job-gut gemachte Dallas Außenseiter!

***

TRIVIAS:

The Heat became the first team to rally from an 0-2 deficit to win the finals since the NBA went to its 2-3-2 format. Only two other teams ever did it: The Boston Celtics in 1969, and the Portland Trail Blazers in 1977.

Miami's first title gave Pat Riley his fifth ring as a coach after strategizing for the Lakers' four crowns in the 1980's. He is now tied with John Kundla and is just behind Phil Jackson and Red Auerbach with nine apiece.

Miami hadn't won in Dallas since 2002.

***
UPDATE!!!

The Brits avoided a second round encounter with the mighty host Germany squad in the 2006 FIFA World Cup^TM after drawing 2-2 with the Swedes Tuesday night (Berlin time) at Cologne. England finished on top of Group B and will face Group A runner-up Ecuador in the next phase. Group A leader Germany will meet Group B second-placer Sweden. Paraguay salvaged their honour against Trinidad and Tobago in the other Group B game via a 2-0 triumph at Kaiserslautern. Both teams are now eliminated from the tournament.

Equalizer

Sports Tidbits as of 21 June 2006

BASKETBALL: PBA Playoffs (Philippines)
18 June 2006

After trouncing crowd-favorite Barangay Ginebra via 118-97 and 120-98 victories in Game 4 (14 June) and Game 5 (16 June), respectively, Red Bull Barakos won their their third straight over the San Miguel Beermen, 89-78. In the first game of the double-header semifinal series of the 2006 Gran Matador PBA Philippine Cup last Sunday, Alaska nipped topseed Purefoods Chunky Giants, 94-92 after surviving a 23-point fourth quarter rampage by James Yap. Game 2 of the semifinalists' best-of-seven match-up will be contested tonight at the Araneta Coliseum.

***

FOOTBALL: FIFA World Cup^TM (Germany)
21 June 2006
The host country secured top spot in Group A after blanking Ecuador, 3-0 Tuesday in the capital city of Berlin; Ecuador was relegated to second place. Both teams are now assured of second round berths as Poland managed to collect only 3 points and Costa Rica none at all . Germany (9 points) will face the runner-up of Group B (probably Sweden) on the 24th while Ecuador (6 points) will tackle the Group B leader (perhaps England) on the 25th. Still playing as of press time are Sweden vs England and Paraguay vs Trinidad and Tobago.

20 June 2006
Group A - Germany defeated Ecuador (3-0)
Group A - Poland defeated Costa Rica (2-1)

19 June 2006
Group G - Switzerland defeated Togo (2-0)
Group H - Spain defeated Tunisia (3-1)
Group H - Ukraine defeated Saudi Arabia (4-0)

18 June 2006
Group F - Brazil defeated Australia (2-0)
Group F - Croatia drew with Japan (0-0)
Group G - France drew with Korea (1-1)

17 June 2006
Group D - Portugal defeated Iran (2-0)
Group E - Italy drew with USA (1-1)
Group E - Ghana defeated Czech Republic (2-0)

16 June 2006
Group C - Argentina defeated Serbia and Montenegro (6-0)
Group C - The Netherlands defeated Cote d'Ivoire (2-1)
Group D - Angola drew with Mexico (0-0)

15 June 2006
Group A - Ecuador defeated Costa Rica (3-0)
Group B - England defeated Trinidad and Tobago (2-0)
Group B - Sweden defeated Paraguay (1-0)

14 June 2006
Group A - Germany defeated Poland (1-0)
Group H - Spain defeated Ukraine (4-0)
Group H - Saudi Arabia drew with Tunisia (2-2)

***

HOCKEY: Stanley Cup (United States and Canada)

19 June 2006
The Carolina Hurricanes ended Game 7 of the NHL Championships with a 3-1 triumph over the Edmonton Oilers in Raleigh, North Carolina Monday night to capture the 2006 Stanley Cup. After trailing the series 1-3, the Oilers bounced back in Games 5 (4-3 OT) and 6 (4-0) to force a rubber match. But the Hurricanes were too much for the Edmonton squad as the homeboys scored a 3-1 victory over the visitors.

------------------------

Mavs Go for the Equalizer

BASKETBALL: NBA Playoffs (United States)

It could have been 3-0, or at least 3-2, in favor of the Dallas Mavericks; now, the Western Champs are down 2-3 against the Miami Heat in the Finals of the 2006 NBA Playoffs. The Mavs experienced a 98-74 trashing by the Heat in Game 4 Friday morning (Manila time) and then suffered another painful loss via a 100-101 overtime defeat Monday morning (Manila time) in Game 5. The Miami Heat became only the second team to sweep all the three middle games of the 2-3-2 Finals format (the Detroit Pistons was the first in 2004, eventually winning the crown, against the Los Angeles Lakers).

Game 6 (today at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas) will be both an easy task and a tough challenge for the Mavericks because they will play on their own court in front of their fellow Texans donning a 2-3 deficit - a single defeat will cause them to lose the trophy.

It takes four to win the championship ring. A win in Game 6 will be an equalizer. A win in Game 6 means JUST ONE LAST FOR DALLAS!!!

What Went Wrong?

Sports Tidbits as of 14 June 2006

TENNIS: Roland Garros' French Open (France)

11 June 2006
Rafael Nadal defended his French Open crown with a 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (4) victory over topseed Roger Federer in the finals at Roland Garros Stadium. The mighty Spaniard thus clinched his 60th straight win on clay surface and managed to avoid a "Roger Slam" as the Swiss tennis star holds the 2005 Wimbledon, 2005 US Open and 2006 Australian Open trophies.

10 June 2006
In the women's, another defending champ, Justine Henin-Hardenne salvaged her third title in Paris as she easily trashed Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 6-4 in the finals at the Court Philippe Chatrier. Her fifth Grand Slam championship triumph established her as a premier dirt-baller, never dropping a single set in the duration of the tourney.

* * *

FOOTBALL: FIFA World Cup^TM (Germany)

14 June 2006
First round of the group stage matches is drawing to a close as the remaining four teams debut today to enter the scoreboards. Spain faces Ukraine in Leipzig while Tunisia tackles Saudi Arabia in Munich. Host Germany also tries to secure a second win and a berth in the next round as it goes against Poland in Dortmund.

13 June 2006
Group F - Brazil defeated Croatia (1-0)
Group G - Korea defeated Togo (2-1)
Group G - France drew with Switzerland (0-0)

12 June 2006
Group E - Italy defeated Ghana (2-0)
Group E - Czech Republic defeated USA (3-0)
Group F- Australia defeated Japan (3-1)

11 June 2006
Group C - The Netherlands defeated Serbia and Montenegro (1-0)
Group D - Mexico defeated Iran (3-1)
Group D - Portugal defeated Angola (1-0)

10 June 2006
Group B - England defeated Paraguay (1-0)
Group B - Sweden drew with Trinidad and Tobago (0-0)
Group C - Argentina defeated Cote d'Ivore (2-1)

9 June 2006
Group A - Germany defeated Costa Rica (4-2)
Group A - Ecuador defeated Poland (2-0)

***

BASKETBALL: PBA Playoffs (Philippines)

11 June 2006
Barangay Ginebra now leads series 2-1 after a 95-87 victory over Red Bull. It is the Kings' fifth win in six outings with a depleted lineup in the absence of injured Andy Seigle, Aries Dimaunahan, Jayjay Helterbrand, Rodney Santos and Rommel Adducul. Game 1 on 7 June 2006 went to the Barakos while Game 2 on 9 June 2006 was won by the Gin Kings.

On the other quarterfinal showdown, Coca-Cola cut series deficit 1-2 as the Tigers dumped the Aces 77-75 to live another day. The Milkmen tried to sweep the quarters after grabbing a 95-94 buzzer-beating Game 1 win and an 81-75 Game 2 decision over the Tigers.

Game 4 of the Gran Matador Philippine Cup (PBA All-Filipino Conference) will be played tonight (Manila time) at Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

------------------------

What Went Wrong with the Mavs?

BASKETBALL: NBA Playoffs (United States)

A commanding 3-0 lead seemed very close yet so far for the Dallas Mavericks. The Western champs succumbed to the intense come-from-behind surge made by the Miami Heat in the final minutes of the NBA Finals 2006. The Mavs maintained a 13-point lead over the Heat with 6:34 left in the fourth quarter. An 18-4 salvo led by frontman Dwyane Wade (42 points, 13 rebounds) in the dying ticks of the game clock ensured the home team with a 98-96 victory at the American Airlines Arena in Southern Florida.

What could possibly go wrong with the Mavs?

1. The homecourt advantage is definitely AN advantage.
2. The four turnovers and four missed shots in the final canto kept the Mavs two wins away from their target four wins.
3. Stopping Dwyane Wade from downpouring crunch time baskets only gave the Mavs foul troubles.
4. Consistent sure-shooter Dirk Nowitski missed a game-tying freethrow with 3.4 seconds left. He scored 30, his most in the series, but his would-have-been 31st came short.
5. Erick Dampier was scoreless in the fourth quarter; his team won in its last 11 games when he scored in double digits. He had 14 today but his touch faded in the end-game.

These are the factors that in one way or another contributed to the Heat's on-its-own-turf-win.

Movies and Sports Bloom this Spring

This year's spring break (summer break here in the Philippines), parades big personalities and happenings both in the world of film making and of sports. Back in 2005, only a handful of quality and high-budgeted movies were shown; however, the season's offerings are consistently better and more blockbuster each year than those of any part of the calendar.

Last year, the last (but technically, the third of six parts) installment of the jedi saga was very much anticipated with the unprecedented box-office performance of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The overlapping and/or simultaneous screenings of Adam Sandler's The Longest Yard, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Academy Award^® winner Russel Crowe's Cinderella Man, directed by The Da Vinci Code director Ron Howard were never a threat to the phenomenon of the Star Wars series. But the only film that overwhelmed me with two-thumb-up approval was Kingdom of Heaven starring Orlando Bloom. Maybe, that was because I love war movies, especially those classic ones that tell the stories of the imperial medieval world. I usually play a computer game with a similar storyline - Age of Empires II, so I easily absorbed the Crusade vs Jihad plot of the motion picture.

In 2006, moviegoers have more and better choices on how to spend their money well. Starting with winter's last and pre-spring salvo, here are the films that paved the way for the second quarter movie rush: (in US only, playdates vary around the world)

March 2006
Basic Instinct 2
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
She's the Man
Ultraviolet

April 2006
The Benchwarmers
Scary Movie 4
Silent Hill
Take the Lead

...When it rains, it pours... So let's continue the rundown:

May 2006
The Da Vinci Code
Mission:Impossible 3
Over the Hedge
Poseidon
X-Men 3: The Last Stand

June 2006
Cars
The Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift
Garfield 2: A Tale of Two Kitties
The Omen
A Prairie Home Companion
Superman Returns

July 2006
Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest


For another commentary regarding this year's peak season, visit:


----

June is not only the month for movies but also for international major sporting tourneys. The recently concluded 37th World Chess Olympiad was held in Turin, Italy (also the host of XX Winter Olympics 2006 last February) with Armenia and Ukraine bagging the team gold medals for the men's category and the distaff category, respectively. China and USA took home the silver and bronze medals in the men's while Russia and China grabbed the silver and bronze in the distaff.

The second Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year, Roland Garros' French Open also bids farewell as all four topseeded men enter the semifinals (first time since 1985). World's #1 Roger Federer faces third-seed David Nalbandian while #2 and defending champion Rafael Nadal goes againts fourth-ranked Ivan Ljubičić. In the women's side, #8 Svetlana Kuznetsova meets with #16 Nicole Vaidisova as an All-Belgian match-up takes place involving defending titlist Justine Henin-Hardenne (ranked 5) and former #1 Kim Clijsters (ranked 2).

The NBA Playoffs 2006, on the other hand, enters the Finals with the Dallas Mavericks drawing the first blood via a 90-80 triumph over the Miami Heat. Game 2 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas is scheduled on June 11, Sunday evening (Monday morning in Manila). Game 3 shifts to the Heat's turf at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.


And the world's largest sporting event finally unfolds... The Cup of Life has started to be disputed as the hostilities kick-off on June 9, Berlin time. Three-time winner and host Germany tries to clinch its fourth FIFA World Cup^TM as it tackles Costa Rica in the opening game in Munich; Poland faces Ecuador in the second game in Gelsenkirchen. Brazil, a soccer powerhouse and record-holder for having five golden trophies under its belt, is expected to bring a huge threat over the other 31 participating countries. Asian countries like 2002 FIFA World Cup^TM co-hosts Japan and Korea are also predicted to finish strong this year.

----

So, are you enjoying your spring (in my case, summer) as much as I do?

A Perfect Night... Not Quite

Why do those jeepneys from UP going to EDSA-Quezon Avenue have to pass by the waiting shed near Melchor Hall? Any reason you give me, I won't accept as a valid one. Let me tell you the story of my far-from-being-perfect night that started in a painful ordeal - well, I exaggerated here for a bit.

...Hey, is it just me or is this a deja vu?

8:00 pm -> Riding a UP Campus-MRT Highway jeepney that has a usual route around the university premises before
entering the busy streets of Quezon City, I spotted a not so familiar face that I am anxious to see - the man who took away, without permission, a big part of me last summer. He was the reason why I had no companion during our recent Graduation Ball - which I enjoyed anyway. This guy made her decide to finally call it quits.

In short, I was nothing to her but an empty seat; and this man now occupies my empty spot. What really bothers me is the fact that I may see them together and, for sure, bad memories and painful thoughts will be awakened within me. Thank God, this guy who have crushed my ego was all alone last night - if that were any consolation to me, Thank God indeed.


8:45 pm -> "Hey, fancy meeting you kanina. Musta na? BTW, this is my new number. Lost my phone eh." This is the text message I received inside the MRT train headed to EDSA-Shaw Boulevard. The sender is who else? Yes, you're right... it's the old "friend" I was relating to you in my previous post.

We exchanged SMSs for more or less 4 hours last night and these are some of them, renewing the old scars I still have after two months since our "break-up":

ME: "Fancy? Hmmm... Good for you, you know how to describe our meeting. Honestly, I don't know what to feel and say. Pardon me for not staying for too long. I don't want to showcase any emotion to you, so I just passed by as if I didn't see anybody. Musta na ko? ...Moving on..."

HER: "Maybe it was pure coincidence . Anyway, for whatever it's worth... I want to say sorry for all the troubles i did. Are you still mad? 'Di naman kita masisisi kung oo. I just wish you the best. We're still friends, right?"

HER: "Hmmm. Gusto ko lang sanang ayusin kung anumang hindi okay sa atin. 'Di kasi ako sanay na may taong galit sa akin."

ME: "I'm not mad. INDIFFERENT - that's the right term. Maybe, that's my way of moving on and avoiding the pain. Thinking that you never came to my life gives me relief."

HER: "Ah okay. That's nice na hindi ka na galit. We are still friends, right?"

ME: "That i don't know. Don't be too happy about me not being mad anymore. No one knows whether being indifferent is better or worse than being mad towards someone. Two months isn't enough to make the pain subside."

HER: "If that's the case... they say that time is a big healer. But that's a lie for me. Wounds only heal if you decide to be cured."

ME: "I do not really know what's truth and what's lie. I do not even know what to believe in. I also do not know what to say or feel. Too much pain indeed makes a person numb."

... and the conversation continued until up to about 1:00 am.

A Perfect Day... Almost

Why is the UP DOST Core Group Office located beside Kamia Residence Hall? Any reason you give me, I won't accept as a valid one. Let me tell you the story of my almost perfect day that ended in a painful ordeal - well, I exaggerated here for a bit.

7:00 am -> I had two slices of YELLOW CABs. Yummy...

10:00 am -> My EEE190 completion slip was finally released with a grade of 1.75 (not bad!).

12:00 nn -> In a very crowded carinderia within UP, I and my buddy were still able to sit down and have nice lunch.

2:00 pm -> Internet connection in DSP Lab was as fast as lightning.

4:00pm -> Enlistment almost finished; DOST scholarship continues.

...and then...

4:30 pm -> While walking down the stairs of UP DOST Core Group Office, I spotted two familiar faces - an old "friend" and her female friend. They are both dormers of Kamia. This "friend" I am pertaining to is the one who gave me many sleepless summer nights. She's the reason why I was alone during our college's Graduation Ball - which I enjoyed, anyway. This girl left a hole in my heart when she told me that we were officially... OFF.

In short, I was nothing to her but an empty seat; she found someone else to fill in the vacant space. What really bothers me is the fact that I may see her on any given time and, for sure, bad memories and painful thoughts will be awakened within me. Thank God, her company this afternoon was just our common friend and not the guy who have crushed my ego - if that were any consolation to me, Thank God indeed.

5:30 pm -> Moving on (literally and figuratively)...

A Perfect Symmetry

Check this out:

The Omen

In a couple of hours, we will be having a once-in-a-millennium moment in our calendar. It is the main subject matter of a latest Hollywood movie entitled The Omen – 06.06.06. Many people who still believe in superstitions warn the world about the catastrophic events that may take place during this infamous date. Some even say that the last anti-Christ will be born on this day. Think about it, about four babies are born each minute; in a single day – close to 5,760 children are delivered (and that number only counts that of the Philippines). How many innocent lives must be sacrificed to ensure that the “cursed baby” will be prevented from growing up and fulfilling the so-called prophecy? Go figure.

Another interesting happening is the legendary perfect symmetry. Astrologists advise us to make our grandest wish on the sixth second of the sixth minute of the sixth hour of June 6, 2006. Others even caution that a wish made at 06:06:06 PM (in fact, 18:06:06 on 24-hour-format clocks) is not going to come true. Think about it, if we are to follow the rule of perfect symmetry, we still have until December 12, 2012 (12:12:12 NN) to think about an ultimate aspiration or we just have to wait for January 1, 3001 (01:01:01 AM) to come.

Think about it, in a world populated by nearly a billion computer systems (maybe more) and stabilized by uncountable scientific principles, a handful of our fellow Earthlings still base their lives on mythological concepts and superstitious beliefs. Luckily – or unluckily, I am not that type of person who relies on sheer luck to put my life a step further. I will definitely watch The Omen, simply for entertainment purposes. I will make a wish tomorrow on the specified time I mentioned above, simply for having nothing to lose if I would.

Anyway, the clock reading of June 6, 2006 06:06:06 AM is a picture-perfect moment. Mom, where is my camera phone?!

September 6 in World History

An idea from Cholle:

Go to Wikipedia and look up for your birthday, excluding the year. List one death, two births and three key events in your journal, including the year.

Here's mine:

Death:
972 - John XIII, Roman Catholic Pope from October 1, 965 to September 6, 972.

Births:
1974 - Tim Henman, former world's no. 4 tennis player from Oxford, England.
1973 - Greg Rusedski, another former world's no. 4 tennis player from Montreal, Canada.

Events:
Holiday/Observance - National Stillbirth Remembrance Day in 39 US States and in 3 provinces of Canada.
2000 - In New York City, the United Nations Millennium Summit begins with more than 180 world leaders present.
1997 - The funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, at Westminster Abbey draws large crowds.

sE7En

My dark side...












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What is your deadly sin?

Jetzt wünscht wer Eiscreme?

Late in the afternoon yesterday, while running HTK (Hidden Markov Model Toolkit) in the Digital Signal Processing Laboratory (DSP Lab) for our ECE198 project, power interruption struck the Electrical and Electronics Engineering (EEE) Bldg due to heavy rain. I and my project partner, Ivy, opted to go home because we could no longer accomplish anything with the unstable power supply status of the building. We both agreed yesterday to continue our disrupted work today at exactly 9am. We also concurred that whoever comes late, or in case both of us come after 9am - the person who comes after the other, will have to treat the early bird with any ice cream selection he/she has in mind. Then we synchronized our watches so that we have the same time basis.

The contest began. This morning, my alarm clock served me well by making me get out of bed just in time for me to arrive earlier than the cut-off time which is 9am. The bad news is, the travel time seemed longer for me today than any other traveling day I can ever imagine (of course, this is an exaggeration). I arrived around 9:06am - just 6 minutes late, but who cares? Late is late. No quantifying factor must be considered.

The good news on the other hand is, as I checked our logbook to see whether someone has already opened the lab or otherwise, I found no one who by now has obtained the key from the guard. Meaning - I still won our game. And I am looking forward for a free ice cream this lunchtime. I don't know what the moral of the story is. All I know is that luck, or maybe Heaven, is just on my side today. I hope it would continue indefinitely. Haha.

Now, who wants ice cream?

Auf Wiedersehen!!!

Another Series of Kodak Moments

After a mouth-watering, finger-licking-good dinner
(which I, Kelly and May cooked),
we posed for a group shot.

While playing Pinoy Henyo, a kill-joy neighbor halted our delight.

What's the theme? Guess what?

Over there!!!

Senglots!

For comprehensive testimonials regarding our recent adventure in Hugom, San Juan, Batangas last 20-21 May 2006, visit Dyan's, Fil's, May's and Winston's blog articles. They are better storytellers than I am.

Bis dann!

Pinoy Henyo?

Congratulations, Niño!
Your IQ score is 136.

This number is based on a scientific formula that compares how many questions you answered correctly on the Classic IQ Test relative to others.

Your Intellectual Type is Visionary Philosopher. This means you are highly intelligent and have a powerful mix of skills and insight that can be applied in a variety of different ways. Like Plato, your exceptional math and verbal skills make you very adept at explaining things to others — and at anticipating and predicting patterns. And that's just some of what we know about you from your IQ results.

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Are you a Da Vinci or an Einstein? Take the Classic IQ Test.

Colour Everywhere

According to a Tickle Test...

Niño's true colour is Black!

My colour is black. The color of night. Serene and mysterious, black conjures up images of elegant evening gowns, dashing tuxedos, and gleaming limousines. Traditionally a symbol of success, black also represents power and an uncompromising demand for perfection.

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What's your true colour? Let's find out...
What's my colour from your perspective? Judge me...

"In chess, it’s the pawns that go first." --- Magneto ( X-Men 3: The Last Stand)

Warning: SPOILERS INCLUDED!!!



This evening, after going to NBI Carriedo and Sampaloc for Winston's NBI clearance and laptop quest respectively, I and 8 other Circuit01 peeps - Carlo, Fil, Ivan, Liz, Kelly, Ralph, Roma and Winston (Arpee left us before the movie started; Ron arrived right after the movie) went for a movie in Megamall. We watched X-Men 3: The Last Stand. I think, most of us thought at first that the third installment of the popular Marvel series would definitely end with that so called "last stand" - until we witnessed not one, but two anticlimactic endings (before and after the credits). The two scenes tell us that the film is probable to evolve from a trilogy's last episode to an anthology's open-ended sequel. I bet that the next motion picture will concentrate fully on Wolverine's (Hugh Jackman) character. By next year, 20th Century Fox may no longer be able to afford the full-length talent fees of Storm (Academy Award® Winner Halle Berry), Jean Grey/Phoenix (Famke Janssen), the deceased Cyclops (James Marsden), the transfigured Professor X (Patrick Stewart), the "cured" Magneto (Sir Ian McKellen) and the betrayed Mystique (Rebecca Romijn, nee Stamos). They might just show up in cameo/supporting roles.

Meanwhile, the Pinay model who played as the telephatic villain Psylocke (Mei Melançon) , in my opinion, was not given enough exposure and character development - considering the number of publicity materials 20th Century Fox released a quarter ago regarding her addition to the X-Men cast. She was not also properly billed in the end credits. I expected her to be paralleled with Rogue (Anna Paquin), Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) and Pyro (Aaron Stanford). Sorry for being biased towards her, she's a fellow Filipino. Of all the supporting cast members, I appreciated the evolution of Colossus's (Daniel Cudmore) and Shadowcat's (Ellen Page) characters the most.

Actually, the Brett Ratner's version, for me, is way way better than the Bryan Singer's first two productions. But a Decent Films Guide' review of the film tells otherwise. Better watch the movie yourself to know which side you are on. I'll watch it again for, maybe, a couple of times and I hope that I'll be able to give you my own review before it's too late to make one.

Anyway, a good movie or a bad movie it may be, I enjoyed the night I spent with my college barkada. Have I already mentioned that we went straight to Starbucks Podium right after the movie? We indulged with fraps and fruit drinks with some good and light conversations on the side. To top that, our bill is 50% cheaper than what it was supposed to be - thanks to Ralph's bounce back coupons.