Keep looking; don't settle. -Steve Jobs

Technolust: eee PC 701

July 30, 2007

This one is definitely on my wish list. No, scratch that. This one is certainly on my must-buy-as-soon-as-possible list. Better yet, I am listing this one under my will-buy-as-soon-as-it-comes-out list. Such is my lust for eee PC 701. But the technolust doesn’t stop there: I’m having daydreams about my “3e” (christened by Mean): “3e” and I lounging in a coffee shop; “3e” and I enjoying wireless surfing in my bed; “3e” sitting on my lap while I am blogging about our first night together; “3e” and I spending endless hours together unbound from any cable, slow dial-up access and heavy load.

But I am not the only one who wants to scoop up an eee PC 701 as soon as it hits the market in mid-August. The rest of the world does. Since its formal launch at Computex in Taiwan last June, geeks and ungeeks alike couldn’t stop talking and speculating about it. Local forums, particularly the one at TipidPC have interesting and humor-filled discussion threads on the nifty gadget. What’s the buzz all about?

The eee PC 701 is the result of the formidable team-up of Asus and Intel to come up with the first ever ultra-mobile PC (umpc) aimed at the consumer and education markets. Its most attractive selling point is its suggested retail price of US$ 250 for the 8 GB flash version. Here are the specs:

  • Display: 7"
  • Processor: Intel mobile CPU (Intel 910 chipset, 900MHz Dothan Pentium M)
  • Memory: 512MB DDR2 RAM
  • OS: Linux (Asus customized flavor)
  • Storage: 8GB or 16GB flash hard drive
  • Webcam: 300K pixel video camera
  • Battery life: 3 hours using 4-cell battery
  • Weight: 2lbs (0.89 kg)
  • Dimensions: 8.9 in x 6.5 in x 0.82 in - 1.37 in (width x depth x thickness)
  • Ports: 3 USB ports, 1 VGA out, SD card reader, modem, Ethernet, headphone out, microphone in

A quick look at the specs reveals that it is a capable low-power mobile device, sufficient for the most basic demands and needs of a mobile lifestyle. It is not designed though to replace your desktop PC or even your notebook, rather it’s a perfect companion on the go for your laptop. I see it as capable enough to fill in the mobility and ultraportability feature my 2.4-kg 14.1” Compaq notebook lacks. If only it has a 3g modem then it would have been the perfect mobile mate.

The unit comes pre-installed with Linux OS, Firefox web browser and Open Office Suite. But it is Windows XP – compatible.

The 3e’s stand for easy to learn, easy to work and easy to play. We may as well add up another e: easy on the budget. But as always you can expect local computer stores to ruin the entire gadget-shopping experience for you. PC Corner has already posted their jacked-up prices in their website:

04Gb Flash ---------> Php 13,999.00

08Gb Flash ---------> Php 15,999.00

16Gb Flash ---------> Php 17,999.00


Hopefully the local I.T. retail business will come to its senses and realize the reason why Asus and Intel came up with eee PC 701 in the first place is to make the mobile technology more affordable to consumers. Oh well, I’m sure there will be other ways and places where one can acquire this gadget at a more reasonable price. If there is lust, there is a way.

eee PC 701 on You Tube:

9th Cinemanila International Film Festival

July 29, 2007

Catch renowned director Quentin Tarantino as he graces the Festival this August. Tarantino will be receiving the Lifetime Achievement award for his iconic contributions to world cinema and continued support to the proliferation and promotion of Asian and independent films. He will also be giving a lecture on filmmaking during the second of two Grindhouse Days: Directing Workshops, on 11 August at the Gateway Cineplex 10 Cinema 4.

The Cinemanila International Film Festival, now on its 9th year, will have its official run from 8 to 19 August 2007 at Gateway Mall Cineplex 10 in Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City, and from 17 to 19 August 2007 in Boracay Island. It will showcase the best of local and foreign cinema, including recent winners from the Berlin and Cannes film festivals. The Opening Ceremonies will be on 8 August at the Gateway Cinema Lobby. Cinemanila will also be having a special Focus on the films of South Africa (9 August) and Bollywood (10 August). Everyone is invited to these screenings and to the seminars and workshops. These include a seminar on the Importance of Film Archiving in the Philippines (9 August), Grindhouse Days: Directing Workshops (10-11 August), a Master Class in Scriptwriting (12 August), a Master Class in Cinematography (13 August), and a seminar on Indie Filmmaking (15-16 August). All of these seminars and workshops will be held at the Gateway Cineplex Cinema 4 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm.


Competition Films (International Category)

1. 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days / Cristian Mungiu (Romania, 2007) Palme d’Or 2007 Cannes International Film Festival

Director Cristian Mungiu's drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days unfolds in Romania in the late '80s, during the last waning days of Communist rule. Anamaria Marinca and Laura Vasiliu play, respectively, Otilia and Gabita, two female friends and students who share a Bucharest flat. They soon find themselves saddled with an overwhelming problem: Gabita is expecting. With abortion illegal in Romania at that time, the women seek an illicit termination at the hands of one Mr. Bebe (Vlad Ivanov) in a seedy Romanian hotel - but Bebe refuses to accept money in return for his services and demands a certain "alternate" commodity instead.

2. Control / Anton Corbijn (UK / USA, 2007) Official Selection Cannes 2007 Directors’ Fortnight

Directed by acclaimed music photographer Anton Corbijn and based on Deborah Curtis' "Touching from a Distance", Control is the story of the late Joy Division Singer Ian Curtis' life, from the band's rise to fame to his tragic suicide. Control documents the relationships with both of his wife and his girlfriend, his battle with epilepsy and the road to success with his band, Joy Division. With a score by New Order featuring original tracks from the 70's by Wearsaw and Joy Division.

3. The Edge of Heaven / Fatih Akin (Germany, Turkey, 2007) Official Selection Cannes 2007, In Competition. Winner – Best Screenplay

Nejat seems disapproving about his widower father Ali's choice of prostitute Yeter for a live-in girlfriend. But he grows fond of her when he discovers she sends money home to Turkey for her daughter's university studies. Yeter's sudden death distances father and son. Nejat travels to Istanbul to search for Yeter's daughter Ayten. Political activist Ayten has fled the Turkish police and is already in Germany. She is befriended by a young woman, Lotte, who invites rebellious Ayten to stay in her home, a gesture not particularly pleasing to her conservative mother Susanne. When Ayten is arrested and her asylum plea is denied, she is deported and imprisoned in Turkey. Lotte travels to Turkey,where she gets caught up in the seemingly hopeless situation of freeing Ayten.

4. Ezra / Newton I. Aduaka (Nigeria / France, 2007) Sundance 2007 – Grand Jury Prize nominee, FESPACO 2007 – Grand prize Award

A Sierra Leone boy swept away from his family by rebels and forced to fight in a devastating civil war attempts to re-establish some sense of normalcy after fighting ceases and he is forced to speak before a Truth and Reconciliation Committee. Young Ezra was only seven-years old when rebels abducted him and spirited him into the jungle for military training. Seven long years have passed since that fateful day, and as Ezra struggles to recall the details of a deadly village raid which has become the subject of a Truth and Reconciliation Committee investigation, the boy's mute sister reveals a long gestating secret that puts his entire life in a whole new light. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

5. Foster Child / Brillante “Dante” Mendoza (Philippines, 2007) Official Selection Cannes 2007 Directors’ Fortnight

Thelma, together with her husband Dado and two teenage sons Gerald and Yuri belongs to an urban poor family in Manila. They are hired by a local Foster Care Facility to provide temporary home and care to abandoned babies pending their formal adoption. When Thelma's latest foster child John-John is to be handed over to his adoptive American parents, every moment with the 3-year-old becomes precious as Thelma goes through the day.

6. Irina Palm / Sam Garbarski (Belgium, 2007) Berlinale International Film Festival 2007 – Reader Jury of the “Berliner Morgenpost”

Legendary rocker Marianne Faithfull ("As Tears Go By" and Broken English Fame) stars in director Sam Garbarski's gently observed comedy-drama Irina Palm. She portrays Maggie, a 50-year-old widow - still faithful to her dead husband, desperately needs some money to pay for a medical treatment for her ill grandson. After several unfruitful attempts to find a job, Maggie finds herself roaming the streets of London Soho. Her eye is caught by a small poster in the window of a 'shop' called "Sexy World" which reads: "Hostess wanted". Too desperate and lost to realize what she does she enters. Micky, the owner, is embarrassed at first, but intrigued by Maggie, he decides to have fun and offers her the job. Under the pseudonym of Irina Palm, Maggie courageously gets to know her first anonymous customers. Micky observes his recruit. Maggie, who applies herself in order to keep her job, fascinates him. When she does something, she makes sure she does it well.

7. Love and Honor / Yoji Yamada (Japan, 2006) Official Selection Panorama Berlinale International Film Festival 2007

Yoji Yamada's torchy Japanese drama Love and Honor (a.k.a. Bushi No Ichibun) follows the heartbreaking plight of Shinnojo (Yoji Yamada), a young man employed as a "food taster" for the imperial family. Shinnojo's position comes to a sudden and tragic end when he consumes poisoned fish intended for the clan leader and is forever robbed of his sight.

8. The Namesake / Mira Nair (India / USA, 2006)

A couple coming to terms with living in a new culture discover their troubles are compounded by their son in this drama from filmmaker Mira Nair. Ashoke (Irfan Khan) and Ashima (Tabu) are a young couple who are brought together in an arranged marriage and soon leave Calcutta to seek their fortune in America.

9. Persepolis / Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud Official Selection Cannes 2007; Winner – Jury Prize (tied with “Silent Light”)

Persepolis (animated feature) is the poignant coming-of-age story of a precocious and outspoken young Iranian girl that begins during the Islamic Revolution. We meet nine-year old Marjane when the fundamentalists first take power – forcing the veil on women and imprisoning thousands; follow her as she cleverly outsmarts the “social guardians” and discovers punk, ABBA and Iron Maiden, while living with the terror of government persecution and the Iran/Iraq war; then on to Austria as a teenager, where her parents send her to school in fear for her safety and, she has to combat being equated with the religious fundamentalism and extremism she fled her country to escape.

10. Postmodern Life of My Aunt / Ann Hui (Hong Kong, 2006)

Ye Ye Rutang is a woman in her sixties, living in an old apartment in Shanghai. People of her generation were raised in a very different China, making her a fish out of water. Unable to hold down a job because of her old-fashioned attitude, Mrs. Ye has very little money to live on. A series of encounters with a garden-variety of characters, including a charming con-man played by Chow Yun-Fat, will change her life forever.

11. Sankara / Prasanna Jayakody (Sri Lanka, 2006) Cairo Film Festival 2006 – Silver Pyramid Award

Young Buddhist monk Ananda, arrives at a temple in order to restore its paintings. These paintings depict Thelapaththa Jathakaya, a moral story where Lord Buddha said that a man with a big target in life must not be swayed by passion (Keles), the five senses and especially beautiful women. One day, Ananda picks up a hair pin belonging to a young woman. While attempting to return this object to its owner, his repressed feelings are awoken by the beauty and sensuality of the woman. The young monk's inner spiritual world is plunged into turmoil. Then one day the paintings are destroyed. While restoring them for the second time Ananda begins to realize that he is trapped in a web of his worldly desires and attachments.

12. Shotgun Stories / Jeff Nichols (USA, 2007)

Shotgun Stories tracks a feud that erupts between two sets of half brothers following the death of their father. Set against the cotton fields and back roads of Southeast Arkansas, these brothers discover the lengths to which each will go to protect their family.

13. Where are you going Moshe? / Hassan Benjelloun (Morocco, 2007)

In the early 1960s, after Morocco’s independence from France, many of the country’s Jews clandestinely left for Israel. In Finemachiyamoshe (Where Are You Going Moshe?), the Jews of the little town of Bejjad plot their departure with the help of their rabbi. One thing, however, worries them: Will Berbeq’ha, the idiot who thinks he’s a general, leave too? Once he learns of the Jews’ plans, Mustapha, the bar-owner, panics; if all the non-Muslims leave, the Law will make him close the bar. How will he avoid such a disaster? He’ll have to hold back one Jew! That’s Hassan’s idea, anyway. He’s Mustapha’s son and lover of Rachel, Shlomo’s daughter. What will become of the Bejjad bar?

Medison Celebrity Laptop: Too Good to be True?

July 26, 2007

If you think you need at least 20k to buy a brand-new laptop, think again. Priced at US$ 150 (about PhP 6,800 only based on the prevailing currency exchange), the Medison Celebrity laptop is the most affordable (read: cheapest) laptop in the world to date! Of course, the specs come quite cheap too:

  • Intel® Celeron 1.5 GHz CPU
  • 14" Widescreen X-bright LCD
  • 256 MB RAM memory
  • 40 GB Hard Drive
  • DVD/CD Drive
  • 802.11g Wireless LAN
  • Optimized Linux operating system
  • Pre-installed office and multimedia applications
  • Mass: 2.2 kg
But these are enough for emailing, web surfing, word processing, blogging and the likes. It comes pre-installed with Fedora Linux as its operating system. Presently, you can only place your order through their website and they only accept credit card as mode of payment. In the U.S., it takes about 4-6 weeks to ship the order. But it looks like the company is accepting orders outside the U.S. They even go as far as outfitting the laptop with the appropriate keyboard settings. As for after-sales support, they do give a 1-year warranty. The extent of the warranty though has not been specified. Clicking on support on their website will just give you a bunch of email addresses. That's what they call support, at least for now.

Many are dismissing the Medison Celebrity as another online scam. But a CNET editor with an extra $150 has placed an order. Too good to be true? Let's just wait and see if his order pulls through or not.

First Moon Shots

July 24, 2007


I didn't know the moon could be seen from my window at certain nights of the month until my brother told me so. Tonight I took some shots, my first real attempt at capturing the moon.

I used my canon s3is at full zoom. Some of the craters are visible. Amazing!

Fortunately it's not full moon. I think the moon has more character and mystery in it when captured at a phase other than full moon.

I think it's gonna be a nightly thing for me from hereon...

Desktop Tower Defense: An Addicting Viral Game

I've been playing Desktop TD ver. 1.5 for hours on end. The game is so addicting that I've completely forgotten about my other addictions: Sudoku and walking. Not to mention, I neglected my domestic duties. Dirty dishes piled up. Floors remained unswept. Plants left out to wilt. My brother who came home from work unexpectedly early waited for at least 30 minutes outside our house, knocking incessantly at the door to no avail. I didn't hear his banging. I was in my room totally engrossed in the game, music playing at full volume in the background, and cellphone in silent mode.

If you're a busy person or if you have something really urgent to do, I strongly advise you to stay the hell away from this game. Sure, it relieves stress but once you start putting those towers in the play area, there's no way you could stop killing those creeps.




I did warn you. Now, I'm going back to my game.

Cinemalaya Boyfriend Materials (Wishful Thinking)

July 23, 2007

Spotted Lino Cayetano last Saturday at Cinemalaya's screening of Pisay. He's handsomer in person but unassuming and gentle. His eyes can melt any girl's heart. Wasted no time and asked him if we could pose for a quick snapshot (Mean gamely volunteered to take the shot.).

Then there's the actor whose name escapes me at the moment but whose face cannot escape my fancy! He plays the role of a Biology teacher in Pisay whose first love isn't science but the theatre. According to Mean who was quietly checking him out too, he's Arnold Reyes.

I've been Simpsonized!

July 15, 2007

Get yourself Simpsonized too. Head over to Springfield. Click here.

Cinemalaya 2007 Full-Length Feature Finalists

Here are the nine competing digital films in the full-length feature category of the 2007 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival and Competition. Cinemalaya 2007 will be held on July 20-29 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Ticket price for one regular screening is Php 100. Tickets are available at the CCP Box Office (8323704) and Ticketworld (National Bookstore Branches). Also available in limited supply at the CCP Box Office are the Cinemalaya Day Pass (valid for 5 screenings for one day) for Php 300 and the Cinemalaya Festival Pass (valid for any screening) for Php 950.

1 ENDO by Jade Castro


Leo’s life is a series of terminable contracts. Unable to finish school and forced to be the family breadwinner, he takes on five month service-oriented jobs, one after another. Will his love affair with the spirited dreamer Tanya finally give him a taste of security and permanence?

Screenings:
21 Jul/Sat 09:00 PM Venue 5 - CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute
22 Jul/Sun 03:30 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo

24 Jul/Tue 06:15 PM Venue 4 - CCP MKP Hall / Bulwagang Alagad Ng Sining

25 Jul/Wed 09:00 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo

26 Jul/Thu 12:45 PM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino

27 Jul/Fri 12:45 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo

28 Jul/Sat 09:00 PM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino



2 KADIN by Adolf Alix, Jr.


In the small Ivatan village of Chavayan in Sabtang Island, Batanes, Peping - a ten-year old boy and his family make a living out of the milk provided by their kadin (goat), Gima. One morning, he wakes up to find out that Gima, is missing. A storm is brewing, so they have to find Gima before it’s too late. Together with her younger sister, Lita, the two goes on a seemingly impossible search for the goat in the landscape of Sabtang Island, Batanes. A series of frustrating episodes mark the day, tension and desperation growing as chances for recovering the goat and with it, their dashed hopes, start to fade. What follows is a wonderful parable about innocence and the infectiousness of goodness. The odyssey teaches the boy about the true meaning of life- where kindness and cruelty can be found in close proximity.

Screenings:
21 Jul/Sat 06:15 PM @ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
22 Jul/Sun 10:00 AM @ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino

24 Jul/Tue 06:15 PM @ CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute

25 Jul/Wed 10:00 AM @ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
26 Jul/Thu 03:30 PM @ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino
27 Jul/Fri 03:30 PM @ Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
28 Jul/Sat 06:15 PM @ Bulwagang Alagad Ng Sining


3 GULONG by Sockie Fernandez


GULONG is about friendship, love and life. The story is told from the point-of-view of Apao, a smart, kindhearted boy whose quest for an old bicycle reveals the stuff he is made of. With him on this adventure are his insan Momoy and his bespren Tom-Tom. The story begins with a question: How are our 3 friends going to spend their summer vacation? Tom-Tom suggests that they go to his uncle’s fishpond, an hour’s bike ride from where they live. Apao and Momoy have a problem – they don’t own a bike! There are no jeeps and it is too far to walk. Momoy finds an old bicycle but the owner, an old woman named Tita Maggie, will only give it to him if he pays her a hundred pesos. He agrees and promises to come back with the money the next day. This starts a series of events which affects Apao, his friends, his family and even his community. In the end, a discarded 40 year old bicycle connects the past to the present and becomes a catalyst for healing old wounds and reviving a love affair that has long been left for dead.

Screenings:
21 Jul/Sat 06:15 PM Venue 4 - CCP MKP Hall / Bulwagang Alagad Ng Sining
22 Jul/Sun 12:45 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
24 Jul/Tue 09:00 PM Venue 5 - CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute

25 Jul/Wed 06:15 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo

26 Jul/Thu 10:00 AM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino

27 Jul/Fri 03:30 PM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino
28 Jul/Sat 10:00 AM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo



4 LIGAW LIHAM by Jay Abello

When one is invisible, one is likely to lose his way. To an individual whom society fails to notice because of a diminishing circumstance, it is easy enough to lose himself in things that would otherwise be unacceptable. Ligaw Liham is this kind of story. Nor, considered the town simpleton, finds an opportunity to sway to the dance of love when he takes over the pen of Karen’s husband and wrote letters not his. This is a story on how deeply people get affected when one of society’s basic services stops working. It takes inspiration from a true incident involving a provincial post office in Negros that simply stopped working at a pre-texting era when people tend to be completely dependent on the mailing system - letters were neither coming nor going, leaving an unaccounted number of corrupted lives.

Screenings:
21 Jul/Sat 09:00 PM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino
22 Jul/Sun 06:15 PM Venue 5 - CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute

24 Jul/Tue 10:00 AM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
25 Jul/Wed 06:15 PM Venue 4 - CCP MKP Hall / Bulwagang Alagad Ng Sining

26 Jul/Thu 06:15 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo

27 Jul/Fri 10:00 AM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino
28 Jul/Sat 03:30 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo



5 PISAY by Auraeus Solito


Amidst the chaos of Martial Law in this Third World country in the 1980s, six teenagers in the top high school for the sciences discover themselves as they go through the joys and pains of adolescence. They were the top two hundred students from all over the Philippines who passed the examination for the Philippine Science High School, which was created for the purpose of giving an education highly enriched in the Sciences to exceptionally gifted Filipino children. Selected from the best and brightest from all over the country, they endure college-level courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics from their sophomore year onwards. Those who can make it are hailed as the future science and technology leaders of the New Republic, those who don't are deemed unfortunate victims of natural selection. They all learn however that they are neither isolated from the real world, nor are they exempted from living real lives. They find the world outside, erupting into the People Power revolution in 1986 against the Marcos dictatorship, being replicated within the school as they struggle to graduate, contend with teachers, classmates, family, school officials, and a new classification to segregate students meeting the high standards of excellence from those who do not.

Screenings:
21 Jul/Sat 03:30 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
22 Jul/Sun 09:00 PM Venue 4 - CCP MKP Hall / Bulwagang Alagad Ng Sining

24 Jul/Tue 09:00 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
25 Jul/Wed 09:00 PM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino

26 Jul/Thu 06:15 PM Venue 5 - CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute

27 Jul/Fri 10:00 AM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo

28 Jul/Sat 03:30 PM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino


6 SINUNGALING NA BUWAN by Ed Lejano

Three loves, three broken hearts. This offbeat “dramedy” begins when their affairs abruptly end. A TV weather reporter gets dumped by her older, married lover, turning to alcohol and horoscopes for escape. A radio dubber is deserted by his lover for another woman and becomes obsessed with his idol, a 70s pop diva named Divina dela Luna. A struggling actor is abandoned by his girlfriend and gets immersed into his stage role that mirrors his own crisis. Each dysfunctional character sharing a common experience of falling victim to a pattern of irony and lies. With its intricate plot, their separate stories converge during the performance of a play-within-a-film, Relasyon sa Ilalim ng Buwan. It climaxes with unexpected twists linking one another in surprising ways. Based on an award winning screenplay, their recurring, bittersweet experiences unfold like refrains from an old love song as the moon shines like a silent witness.

Screenings:
21 Jul/Sat 03:30 PM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino
22 Jul/Sun 06:15 PM Venue 4 - CCP MKP Hall / Bulwagang Alagad Ng Sining
24 Jul/Tue 12:45 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo

25 Jul/Wed 09:00 PM Venue 5 - CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute
26 Jul/Thu 09:00 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo

27 Jul/Fri 12:45 PM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino

28 Jul/Sat 12:45 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo



7 STILL LIFE by Katrina Flores

An intimate and character driven piece, STILL LIFE is the story of James Masino, a gifted Filipino painter who finds out he is afflicted with a paralyzing disease known as Guillain Barre Syndrome. Faced with a future where he can no longer paint, James leaves his life in the city and goes on a self-imposed exile to paint one last time, one final masterpiece. Unable to imagine a life without his art, he plans to kill himself once he finishes this painting. But Fate intervenes and derails this grand scheme when James learns that he must share this exile with Emma, a beautiful and mysterious young girl who at 19 has lived a life much too old for her years. But it is her courageous and unfailing optimism despite what life has dealt her that ultimately inspires James to realize a life beyond his canvass. Her search for meaning propels his journey towards hope and redemption. And what unfolds is an offbeat love story between a 30-year-old man and a 19-year-old girl that begs the question what is truly the purpose of one’s life? The answer they find in each other will turn out to be simpler and far more astonishing than either one might have ever guessed.

Screenings:
21 Jul/Sat 12:45 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
22 Jul/Sun 03:30 PM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino

24 Jul/Tue 06:15 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
25 Jul/Wed 09:00 PM Venue 4 - CCP MKP Hall / Bulwagang Alagad Ng Sining

26 Jul/Thu 03:30 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo

27 Jul/Fri 06:15 PM Venue 5 - CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute
28 Jul/Sat 12:45 PM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino



8 TRIBU by Jim Libiran

Every night, in the dark nook and alleyways of marginal urban communities in this metropolis, violence erupts sporadically, waylaying and maiming young lives and youthful dreams. What feeds this brutality? How are lives affected by this vicious cycle? This is the darker side of Manila-by-night, where pubescent gangs, or “tribes,” roam the streets looking for quick fixes and cheap thrills. Here, Manila’s working class district of Tondo throbs to the beat of hip hop and freestyle gangsta rap, while panoramic poverty is spray-painted like a multi-colored graffiti of promiscuous sex, crack heads, and alcohol-induced street battles. Thru the eyes of ten-year-old Ebet, we witness the deadly lives of teen age gang members in Tondo and the events that lead to their explosive confrontation.

Screenings:
21 Jul/Sat 10:00 AM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino
22 Jul/Sun 06:15 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
24 Jul/Tue 09:00 PM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino
25 Jul/Wed 03:30 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
26 Jul/Thu 06:15 PM Venue 4 - CCP MKP Hall / Bulwagang Alagad Ng Sining

27 Jul/Fri 09:00 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo

28 Jul/Sat 09:00 PM Venue 5 - CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute

9 TUKSO by Dennis Marasigan


The mysterious death of a young village lass leads to the investigation of those who knew her and what they may have to gain from her death. Told from the perspectives of the different characters, the film examines how one’s view may lead to varying interpretations of the same incidents.

Screenings:
21 Jul/Sat 06:15 PM Venue 5 - CCP Tanghalang Huseng Batute
22 Jul/Sun 09:00 PM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino
24 Jul/Tue 03:30 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
26 Jul/Thu 12:45 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo
2
7 Jul/Fri 06:15 PM Venue 4 - CCP MKP Hall / Bulwagang Alagad Ng Sining

28 Jul/Sat 09:00 PM Venue 1 - CCP Main Theatre / Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo

29 Jul/Sun 12:45 PM Venue 2 - CCP Little Theatre / Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino


Sudoku Among 100 New Words in Latest Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary

July 12, 2007

Some 100 new words have been added to the the eleventh edition of the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. Some of the words have been in use by the public (including professional writers) for quite sometime that it came as a a surprise that they are not yet official dictionary entries. The latest copyright version will be available in bookstores anywhere this fall. Among the new entries are the following with their official definitions:

  1. Bollywood, n. the motion-picture industry in India
  2. ginormous, adj. extremely large (gigantic + enormous)
  3. sudoku, n. a puzzle in which several numbers are to be filled into a 9x9 grid of squares so that every row, every column, and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9
  4. gray literature, n. written material (as a report) that is not published commercially or is not generally accessible
  5. hardscape, n. structures (as fountains, benches, or gazebos) that are incorporated into a landscape
  6. perfect storm, n. a critical or disastrous situation created by a powerful concurrence of factors
  7. RPG, n. a computer language that generates programs from the user's specifications especially to produce business reports
  8. nocebo, n. a harmless substance that when taken by a patient is associated with harmful effects due to negative expectations or the psychological condition of the patient
  9. microgreen, n. a shoot of a standard salad plant (as celery or arugula)
  10. speed dating, n. an event at which each participant converses individually with all the prospective partners for a few minutes in order to select those with whom dates are desired
  11. telenovela, n. a soap opera produced in and televised in or from many Latin-American countries
Hmm, I wonder if these words are already considered legit in Scrabble.

Ana Escalante Neri (1978 - 2007)


"I've learned to discern which freedom I can take and which I have to let go. But I will take what I can take." - Ana Escalante Neri

More of an afterthought, her name was mentioned in one of local photography Yahoo! groups of which I am a lurking member. She was a poet and a photographer based in Cebu who allegedly took her own young life on July 8, 2007. A link to one of her friend's blog was also included in the message. I would have to say I got curious, the apparent question hammering into my brain: If it were true, why? She's so young, so full of potential. So I clicked on the blog link which led me to Ana's multiply sites: .....Trails of a Barefoot Traveler..... and fish out of water.

Through her sites, I've learned that she is not just a poet and a photographer. She's a wife, a mother to her adorable 6-year-old Isabel, a friend, a teacher, a diver, a book lover, and a columnist.

Her short life left me speechless. Moreso her death.

PBA wants to make Manila Zoo their New Home

July 2, 2007


Yes, you've read it right. The
Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is looking into the possibility of making Manila Zoo their new home. Unless the PBA players are willing to cohabitate with the righful residents of the zoo, I have no objection to the proposal. There are lots of empty cages for them to occupy. But the proposal intends to tear down the decades-old zoo to build the PBA Dome. The newly elected officials of the city, namely Vice-Mayor Isko Moreno and 5th District Representative Amado Bagatsing are supporting the proposal because according to them, the plan would generate revenues for the local government and employment for the people of Manila.

As part of the Buhayin ang Maynila project, outgoing Mayor Lito Atienza rejuvenated the zoo, building new facilities for the animals and zoo visitors. He tapped private individuals and private organizations to join him in this cause. As a result, people started flocking back to the zoo. The zoo still stinks (which zoo doesn't, anyway?) and lacks personnel to look after the animals but I appreciate what the city government under his reign had done for the zoo and the animals.

Naturally, Atienza is opposing the proposal. His main concerns are the animals and the centuries-old trees lining the perimeters of the zoo. Where would the animals go? What would happen to the trees? Moreno and Bagatsing have all it planned out: They will just transfer the zoo to a much bigger place where the animals will have more freedom to move around. Where that place is they have yet to reveal.

Personally I want the zoo where it is right now - where it has been since opening its gates to the public 48 years ago. The zoo is part of every Filipino kid's childhood. Take away the zoo and you take away from each of us a part of our childhood.

The main attraction of the zoo is still there, the melancholic elephant. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Manila zoo is the only zoo in the Philippines that has an elephant in its collection. That alone should be enough to keep the PBA away from the zoo.