The Most Annoying Sound In The World

The clip above is just for fun! For me, the most annoying sound in the world is the sound of the studio audience in a talk show like Oprah, Tyra or Ellen. It's the collective high pitched "Hoooo..." the audience makes as they clap whenever the show cuts to commercial or the host gives away free stuff.

And speaking of free stuff... It's annoying that people expect free stuff whenever they attend a talk show! I remember an episode of Ellen where she was explaining a product and that every purchase would help a charity or something like that. After the explanation, the crowd made the most annoying sound in the world, thinking they would each get one. Ellen then said, they wouldn't, ahahahahaha!!! Serves them right!

Acting

I've had my share of acting experience, during plays when I was in high school and way back when I was in nursery. I couldn't really recall my nursery gig so I'll just narrate it the way my dad tells the story... Christmas was fast approaching and we were to reenact the Nativity and I was Joseph. I was part of the Holy Family! The next day, I was given a different role, I was 1 of the 3 kings. Ok, not bad, at least I was still playing a character with a distinct name and role. The next day, I was given a different role, I was a shepherd. Hmmm... I wasn't really sure why I was going down the cast but hey, a role is a role. And I was so young, I didn't mind. The next day, I was given my last role transfer - I PLAYED A SHEEP! How in the world could you go from Joseph, to a Magi, to a shepherd and finally, TO A SHEEP?! Only I can do that! And hey, I was the best sheep in acting history!

I love watching movies and I've seen films from different genres. I'm amazed to see actors who can shift from one role to another, most especially if the films are of different types. And they do it effectively, they portray the role so well! The following are descriptions of different film genres:

Action

Action films are usually include high energy, big-budget physical stunts and chases, possibly with rescues, battles, fights, escapes, destructive crises (floods, explosions, natural disasters, fires, etc.), non-stop motion, spectacular rhythm and pacing, and adventurous, often two-dimensional "good-guy" heroes battling "bad guys" - all designed for pure audience escapism.

Adventure

Adventure films are usually exciting stories, with new experiences or exotic locales, very similar to or often paired with the action film genre. They can include traditional swashbucklers, serialized films, and historical spectacles, searches or expeditions for lost continents, "jungle" and "desert" epics, treasure hunts, disaster films, or searches for the unknown.

Comedy

Comedies are light-hearted plots consistently and deliberately designed to amuse and provoke laughter (with one-liners, jokes, etc.) by exaggerating the situation, the language, action, relationships and characters. This section describes various forms of comedy through cinematic history, including slapstick, screwball, spoofs and parodies, romantic comedies, black comedy (dark satirical comedy), and more.

Crime and Gangster

Crime (gangster) films are developed around the sinister actions of criminals or mobsters, particularly bank robbers, underworld figures, or ruthless hoodlums who operate outside the law, stealing and murdering their way through life. Criminal and gangster films are often categorized as film noir or detective-mystery films - because of underlying similarities between these cinematic forms. This category includes a description of various 'serial killer' films.

Drama

Dramas are serious, plot-driven presentations, portraying realistic characters, settings, life situations, and stories involving intense character development and interaction. Usually, they are not focused on special effects, comedy or action. Dramatic films are probably the largest film genre, with many subsets.

Epic or Historical

Epics include costume dramas, historical dramas, war films, medieval romps, or 'period pictures' that often cover a large expanse of time set against a vast, panoramic backdrop. Epics often share elements of the elaborate adventure films genre. Epics take an historical or imagined event, mythic, legendary, or heroic figure, and add an extravagant setting and lavish costumes, accompanied by grandeur and spectacle, dramatic scope, high production values, and a sweeping musical score. Epics are often a more spectacular, lavish version of a biopic film. Some 'sword and sandal' films (Biblical epics or films occuring during antiquity) qualify as a sub-genre.

Horror

Horror films are designed to frighten and to invoke our hidden worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining us at the same time in a cathartic experience. Horror films feature a wide range of styles, from the earliest silent Nosferatu classic, to today's CGI monsters and deranged humans. They are often combined with science fiction when the menace or monster is related to a corruption of technology, or when Earth is threatened by aliens. The fantasy and supernatural film genres are not usually synonymous with the horror genre. There are many sub-genres of horror: slasher, teen terror, serial killers, satanic, Dracula, Frankenstein, etc.

Musical

Musical/dance films are cinematic forms that emphasize full-scale scores or song and dance routines in a significant way (usually with a musical or dance performance integrated as part of the film narrative), or they are films that are centered on combinations of music, dance, song or choreography. Major subgenres include the musical comedy or the concert film.

Science Fiction

Sci-fi films are often quasi-scientific, visionary and imaginative - complete with heroes, aliens, distant planets, impossible quests, improbable settings, fantastic places, great dark and shadowy villains, futuristic technology, unknown and unknowable forces, and extraordinary monsters (“things or creatures from space”), either created by mad scientists or by nuclear havoc. They are sometimes an offshoot of fantasy films, or they share some similarities with action/adventure films. Science fiction often expresses the potential of technology to destroy humankind and easily overlaps with horror films, particularly when technology or alien life forms become malevolent.

Based on the descriptions as well as the films I've seen, the most difficult genre to act in would have to be comedy. For action, you just need lots of dynamics, stunts, explosions and the like together with the good versus evil story. For adventure, you just need an idea of exploration, which is not the job of the actor. For crime and gangster, you just need mobsters and lots of criminal activity, just act slick. For drama, the actor should just cry or show the difficulties the character they play endures. For epic, just act out what the legend or historical fact states. For horror, you need to act scared or act as killers or monsters. For musical, just sing and dance. And for sci-fi, act out being an alien or some strange act of nature. In comedy, you need to have proper timing and delivery. If the actor can't deliver well, it wouldn't be effective. And, it's really difficult to make people laugh!

Acting is a great art. I admire actors most especially those who are in theater. I really hate those actors who are all look and no talent but they get paid a lot! They are a big disgrace to this art and they give a big slap on the faces of the people who are the pioneers of this industry. I'd like to spread super glue on their faces, place a leather mat, let it dry and then pull the mat off with one quick motion! And do again and again and again!

Can you Smell That?

In a typical soap or shampoo commercial, a kid is seen playing outside (on the streets or in the park) under the scorching sun. The kid enters the house soaking with sweat and stinking to high heavens. The mom says, "Amoy araw ang anak ko." I just have one question... Has anybody smelled the sun?! HOW?! Using lab techniques, by wafting the smell so as not to harm you?!

Taking Public Transportation

It is encouraged to take public transport. It costs less and lessens traffic volume, thus faster trips to wherever you're planning to go. The downside... First is the weather because it can be scorching hot or you'll be blown away by the storm. There's pollution as vehicle emissions fill your lungs black! And of course the issue of security and safety, the potential of getting robbed or mugged.

Well, these are obvious reasons why I don't like taking public transport. What I'm about to list down are those little things that make the trip a little more irritating...

#5 People sleeping on you

Well, I haven't had a first hand experience with this. But if somebody I didn't know suddenly used my shoulder as their personal pillow, I'd drop that head in a heartbeat! I must admit I enjoy seeing people struggling to keep their posture most especially when the driver speeds up or hit the brakes. But I wouldn't want the potential to be a drool catcher of a stranger in my lifetime.

#4 People staring at you

Ever had that feeling that you know someone is staring at you? It's okay if little people (babies) did this because they like to look at beautiful things. I'd like to think it's their way of saying you look good since they still can't speak. What irritates me are people who scan you from head to toe. They stare at you for the duration of the trip, sometimes making disgusted faces, which makes you more conscious. What if there's something hanging from my nose?! What if there's something stuck between my teeth?! The tension will drive you crazy! I'm tempted to throw glitter on their faces so they'll have a hard time removing it! Now that would kill the tension.

#3 Talking loudly

There's nothing wrong with talking over the cellphone. That's why it is invented and that's why you own one! But please, don't chatter it up like everyone in the vehicle is part of the conversation. It's so loud that even if the one using the phone and I are at opposite ends of the train, I could still hear the phone person's voice. This also goes for conversations between people in the train. Come on people, please stop announcing to the world what you're talking about, stop the shouting match! And please, don't laugh out loud like there's no tomorrow!

#2 Standing room

This is more applicable to the train riders. Have the courtesy of letting people off before forcing yourself into the train. And if you happen to stand by the doors, kindly give way to those who are about to exit. Some person is trying to get off the train and here you are blocking the path for the fear of losing your spot to another person or the fear of stepping out for a moment and suddenly the doors will close. There are security personnel to make sure that the train doesn't speed off with you still standing by the doors. Another thing about standing room that irritates me... You see an old lady carrying 4 big plastic bags of her things, standing in the middle of the aisle, trying to keep her balance because she has nothing to hold on to then you look at the seats next to her and see that it is occupied by big and fit men wearing heavily tinted black shades and staring blankly as if they were playing in the World Poker Tour! Of course this is an exaggerated situation but it really irritates me to see men not offering their seats to the elderly and women. A little respect please!

#1 THE SMELL

Please don't use your perfume or cologne to take a bath. Too much of that good smell can turn it into the worst smell. Don't soak up on cologne, it burns the nostrils! Just dab enough to make the trip a little more comfortable for the others. And if you don't have perfume, please please, at least take a shower! When I took a jeepney ride to school around a year ago and sat beside the most foul smelling passenger I've ever smelled, I though nothing would top that. Not until a month ago... While I was on my way to review class, a man entered the train and stood in front of me, and (for the love of God!!!) he smelled really bad! If body odor had body odor, that was it! He personified FOUL! He shouldn't have been allowed to take the train. Heck, he should have been arrested!

I guess I should have included the situation of the train along EDSA during peak hours but it is something beyond our control. Train carts are packed like sardines which makes people prone to pickpockets and molesters (which is why I approve of having separate carts for men and women). And the smell of humanity is really bad and for the trip duration, oxygen is a scarce resource. Going back, I didn't include this because, unlike the 5 things I mentioned, we can't really solve that by changing our ways. It's a matter of population and as long as the population increases, the trains will keep on carrying the packed carts.

All I ask is a little courtesy. You're in public places so please have the decency to act accordingly.

Brain Teasers 2

Here are the answers for the previous set of mysteries:

The Murder

Frost forms on the inside of the window, not the outside. Mr. Fiend could not have wiped it off to see Mr. Tidy's body.

The Mailbox

She reminded him that the key was safely locked inside the mailbox that it unlocks. After all, he did mail it there.

Bug on the Plate

The waitress had told him she served him their ONLY plain dish. When she brought the "new food", it was on the same dish.

Sunday Burglary

If you know your stuff, the mail doesn't come on a Sunday (this however is not the case here). The groundskeeper is guilty.

The Dead Driver

The man was a mechanic. The jack gave way while he was working on the car.

Were you able to solve all of it? Here's the next batch of mysteries for you to unravel...

Polly Perkins

Polly Perkins was after a talking parrot, so she went to the local pet shop in the hope of securing such a find. She was in luck. The shop assistant assured her that the parrot would learn and repeat any word or phrase it heard. Polly was delighted. However, a week later, the parrot still hadn't spoken a word. Polly returned to the shop to complain, however, it appeared that the assistant was accurate in what he had said, and refused a refund. Why didn't the parrot talk?

Roller Coaster

A father took his sons to an amusement park one day. He told them to meet him at the entrance at 5:00 later that day. When the kids finally showed up at the end of the day, it was 5:30. The father said that he was angry and wouldn't take them again for a whole month. One of the boys said, "Wait, it wasn't our fault! We were on a roller coaster, but as we went down the first hill the engine blew out!" After thinking for a while, he grounded the boys. How did he know they were lying?

The Wisest Son

One day, a father went to his three sons and told them that he would die soon and he needed to decide which one of them to give his property to. He decided to give them all a test. He said, "Go to the market my sons, and purchase something that is large enough to fill my bedroom, but small enough to fit in your pocket. From this I will decide which of you is the wisest and worthy enough to inherit my land." So they all went to the market and bought something that they thought would fill the room, yet was still small enough that they could fit into their pockets. Each son came back with a different item. The father told his sons to come into his bedroom one at a time and try to fill up his bedroom with whatever they had purchased. The first son came in and put some pieces of cloth that he had bought and laid them end to end across the room, but it barely covered any of the floors. Then the second son came in and laid some hay, that he had purchased, on the floor but there was only enough to cover half of the floor. The third son came in and showed his father what he had purchased and how it could fill the entire room yet still fit into his pocket. The father replied, "You are truly the wisest of all and you shall receive my property." What was it that the son had showed to his father?

Shirley Tate

The home of Shirley Tate was completely dark as Shadow and Kareem knocked on the front door. "As I said," murmured Kareem, "This is not like her at all. She hasn't answered her phone all day, and being late for our date is totally out of character." Shadow tried the door and found it unlocked. They stepped into the front hall and called out, but there was no answer. Kareem tried the front light switch, but nothing happened. "I'll try the light at the other end of the hall," offered Kareem, feeling his way along the wall. Kareem flipped the switch; casting light on the body of Shirley sprawled across the hall floor. She had been shot in the back. Kareem turned around and gasped in horror, grabbing his stomach. "This little scene makes you look rather guilty of murder," accused Shadow. Why?

Duffus the Tea Tipper

Duffus love his tea plain and hot. Every day he drank several cups which caused a rather large mess on his floor. You see Duffus didn't have the steadiest hands and he used his stove to boil the water for his tea; not wanting to buy a kettle. He also refused to have anything less than a full cup of tea (though after spilling it on the way he rarely had a full cup). You see he drank his tea out on his porch which was a good 100 ft walk through most of the house, which at the best of times was so cluttered. Despite the clutter Duffus didn't like tea stains on the floor so he changed "one" thing about the preparation of his tea to make sure he would never have to clean up the floor again. He didn't use a different cup or get an electric kettle so he could boil the water on the porch or even half fill the cup. He did almost everything the same. So what was the one thing he changed so that he wouldn't spill his tea?

Flooding Enforcement Frustration

Floods and traffic in this country can be so frustrating! And because of this overflowing frustration, I'm expecting this post to have no structure at all. I would be writing down my sentiments regarding these two topics without any proper train of thought. I usually take time to structure my posts, read related articles or other people's views but this time, it's all me! I know not everyone will agree with me, but hey, I have to get it off my chest. Here I go!

We only have two seasons, wet and dry... During the wet season, it's very difficult to get around. Why? Because of floods! Everywhere you go, the streets are like rivers. During this season, it would be cool and great to own a jetski instead of a scooter or a car! It would even be cooler to see a guy (or maybe have a first hand experience of) riding a jetski along EDSA, Katipunan, or maybe Espana. Why is it flooding? The drainage systems are inadequate! Some are clogged because of garbage while others are filled way more than its capacity. You would see manholes or drains spewing out water instead of taking it all down! Which leads me to the dry season. It's funny that some of the heavy traffic caused during the dry season is due to fixing drainage systems. It's one crazy cycle! The drainage system is given a makeover during the dry season... TRAFFIC! They're supposed to work now... Here comes the rain! Flood, TRAFFIC ONCE AGAIN!! Rain goes away... There's an assessment that the drainage system needs to be fixed... Work on the system, again... TRAFFIC!!! Rain... Flood... TRAFFIC!!!! Hope my point got across...

What do gremlins and cars in this country have in common? When they get wet, they multiply! Every time it rains, the car volume becomes at least two times as many as it was before it started raining! I left the house and it wasn't raining yet. I was cruising along then suddenly, the rain fell like there was no tomorrow! This went on for a good 20 mins, then a sudden stop. A stop not just with the rain, but with the traffic flow as well! I was stuck in traffic for 5 hours during a trip that would have taken me 20 mins! The "express"ways turned into parking lots. At one time, I turned off my engine and was stuck in the same spot for over an hour. I could have gone to a nearby restaurant, eat lunch, go back and still see my car where I left it.

Why is it that whenever traffic slows down, you would usually see no reason why it slowed down in the first place? This is most common along EDSA, most especially before the flyover in front of the EDSA Shrine. It slows down starting in front of SM Megamall then suddenly you see a clear road before going up the flyover just in front of Poveda. There are no accidents, no people going on or off public transport, no nothing! The road just suddenly opens up for you to speed away. This has got to be the most mysterious traffic phenomenon here in this country!

The one thing that really gets my blood boiling... STUPID LAW ENFORCERS! You cannot enforce the law if YOU DON'T HAVE A BRAIN! During a trip to Batangas, we passed by a mall to buy stuff that we need for the trip to the beach. It was still early, and the mall won't open for another 30 mins. Being unfamiliar with the place, we approached a guard and asked where we can park the van and where the entrance is. The guard looked like he had difficulty understanding us... He pointed to a spot so we stayed there and he also pointed to an entrance. Now the area where we parked didn't look like a parking lot and the entrance he pointed out had deliveries being carted into it. Then the same guard approached us, "Sir, di pwede magpark dito (Sir, you can't park here)" WHAT?! You were the one who pointed out that spot to us! And the entrance you pointed out, that was for employees and deliveries! WE ARE HERE TO BUY! TO BUY! STUPIDO! It turned out the parking lot and entrance was on the other side of the mall. Are there more of these kinds of law enforcers? Sadly and infuriatingly, yes! I'd like to gather all of them up, lock them in a room and beat them up with a 2 by 2! GROW A BRAIN DAMMEET!!!!

Another thing that ticks me off... Traffic enforcers WOULD KEEP THEIR EYE ON APPREHENDING supposed traffic violators RATHER THAN AID IN TRAFFIC FLOW! These guys are like vultures! In an intersection, instead of staying in a spot to make sure the cars don't cross when the light turns from green to yellow to red, they stay on the other side and wait for their prey to fall victim to the "beating the red light" violation. They even stop the car in the middle of the intersection, causing traffic flow disruption, instead of properly talking to the motorist on the side of the road. When you get caught, all of them talk to you, leaving no one to attend to the traffic situation. If there's one word to describe these enforcers it's INCONSISTENT! They are only present in times and in places that benefit them. Sightings are abundant during holidays or traffic coding hours and only in places with lots of cars passing through. Once, my brother was caught for "reckless swerving" and now, that area have lots of cars swerving left and right with no enforcers in sight! WHATDAHEY?! And once you get caught, they would tell you all about the hassle and expenses of paying for the ticket, getting back your license and the "need to attend a seminar". Why? To make you realize that it's easier and cheaper to just slip a few hundred pesos under your license! In this country, you only get caught because of luck, not because you violated a law.

I'm sure lots of other people have their stories to tell. I think I still have some but I'll just recall them some other time. I've unloaded enough, I feel better already! One last thing, cars are not the only things that have something in common with gremlins in this country... WE HAVE GREMLINS FOR ENFORCERS!!!

Brain Teasers 1

I am a frustrated investigator. Well, not really... I think I just enjoy bending my mind with different situational puzzles. I'll share some of the brain teasers I found and will be posting the answers in the succeeding brain teaser post to avoid spoiling the fun.

The Murder

Old Mr. Tidy was found dead in his study by Mr. Fiend. Mr. Fiend recounted his dismal discovery to the police. "I was walking by Mr. Tidy's house when I thought I would just pop in for a visit. I noticed his study light was on and I decided to peek in from the outside to see if he was in there. There was frost on the window, so I had to wipe it away to see inside. That is when I saw his body. So I kicked in the front door to confirm my suspicions of foul play. I called the police immediately afterward." The officer immediately arrested Mr. Fiend for the murder of Mr. Tidy. How did he know Mr. Fiend was lying?

The Mailbox

An executive went away on a long business trip. Before he left he asked his secretary to forward all of his mail. However, he forgot to give her the key to his mailbox. When he realized his mistake, he mailed the key to his office so the secretary could send his mail to him. But, she never did mail it. The executive got angry and phoned his office, planning to fire his secretary. However, she was able to explain to him why she hadn't sent his mail. He quickly realized he was in the wrong and apologized. What did the secretary say to make the executive realize his error?

Bug on the Plate

A man was eating at a restaurant. When his food came, his waitress told him that they had run out of their usual fancy dinner plates and had to serve him their only plain dish. The man did not object, but there was a bug on his food. His waitress took it away and said she would bring him a new plate with new food. When she came back the man knew she had only tossed off the bug. How?

Sunday Burglary

A couple that owned a mansion came home from church to find that their safe had been robbed. They gathered all of their hired services for questioning. The cook was questioned first and she said that she was busy preparing the Sunday dinner. Next was the butler but he said that he was setting the table for the Sunday dinner. Then they questioned the maid and her excuse was that she had been cleaning the dining room along with the butler. So they moved on and asked the grounds keeper and he stated that after finishing the pruning he went out to get the mail. The couple, stumped by the reasonable alibis soon found that they had the answer. Who was it?

The Dead Driver

When the police arrived, a man was lying dead under a car. Investigations revealed that although he was not the car's owner, he was the last person to drive it. The car had last been driven that morning, but the man's time of death was established at about 3 P.M. The car's owner was discovered in the south of France. No one else was involved in the affair and eventually the police and the coroner were satisfied that no crime had been committed. What is the explanation?

Answers will be posted in Brain Teasers 2

Lost in Translation

I would like to think I'm fluent in my native tongue, Filipino or more popularly known as Tagalog, and in the so-called "universal language" English. Yes, I can understand both - speaking, writing, listening and reading. Although I must admit, my vocabulary for both is not as extensive as I want it to be. What I want to focus on is the fact I have more difficulty expressing myself in Tagalog.

Speaking is not much of a problem, although I usually use a combination of both - known as "Taglish" for some and "Engalog" for others. But if I had to use one language only, usually for formal reports or presentations, I think I'd do well. I remember my elementary days in the Ateneo de Manila University... During one of my final years (can't remember whether it was Grade 6 or 7), our Language teacher required us to speak in pure English. She told us to "shoot" or "bang" our fellow classmates if ever we caught them speak Tagalog. We were always on the look out, listening to each other. The punishment? At the end of the week, the one with the most "bangs" would have to clean the washroom. It was small but boy was it a nightmare! It's good to be friends with everyone, nobody would dare shoot you and of course I'd do the same for them. Did anyone have a shot at the washroom? Yeah, but lucky for them, the washroom was already clean at that time. I couldn't remember how long this went on - a quarter or semester - but definitely it didn't take the whole year. Was it fun? Yes, of course! It was really funny when we had to struggle and look for the right word. It's a good exercise, well, without the washroom clean up, of course!

My problem lies in reading, READING TAGALOG! Let's look back at the Philippine Science High School days... It was during our first year that we studied one of the works our national hero, Jose Rizal, wrote - the Noli Me Tangere. The following is the first paragraph in Tagalog...

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"Magtatapos na ang Oktubre nang maghapunan si Don Santiago de los Santos, kilala sa palayaw na Kapitan Tiago, at kahit ipinahayag lamang sa hapong iyon, na hindi niya ugali, naging paksa ito ng lahat ng usapan sa Binondo, sa ibang karatig-pook at hanggang sa Intramuros. Tinitingala noon si Kapitan Tiago bilang isang napakagalanteng ginoo, at kasabihan na ang kaniyang bahay, tulad ng kaniyang bayan, ay hindi nagsasara ng pinto kanino man, huwag lamang may komersiyo o mga kaisipang bago at pangahas."
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The mentioned paragraph was taken from "Jose Rizal Noli Me Tangere" translated by Virgilio Almario. Take note that this novel was first written in Spanish thus spawning different Tagalog and English translations. If I remember correctly, the Tagalog version that we read was a lot deeper and way more difficult to comprehend. Nosebleed! That is why I had to look for an English version to make my life a lot easier and to keep blood from spilling out of my nose!

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"Don Santiago de los Santos was giving a dinner party one evening towards the end of October in the 1880's. Although, contrary to his usual practice, he had let it be known only on the afternoon of the same day, it was soon the topic of conversation in Binondo, where he lived, in other districts of Manila, and even in the Spanish walled city of Intramuros. Don Santiago was better known as Capitan Tiago - the rank was not military but political, and indicated that he had once been the native mayor of a town. In those days he had a reputation for lavishness. It was well-known that his house, like his country, never closed its doors except, of course, to trade and any idea that was new or daring."
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Now that's better! I got this from a translated version by Leon Ma. Guerrero. To this very day, I have difficulty reading Tagalog. It's crazy! I spend a lot of time reading a page, and when I finally finish it, I end up going back and reading it all over again! Am I doing anything to improve this? NO, ahehehe! But it is fun to know that "allocation" is "gugol", "sale" is "barato" and the color "orange" is "kahel". What other translations do you know? Sa uulitin!

Non-Newtonian Fluid

You have to pull the trigger on a water pistol to get the water to squirt out. To make the water to come out faster, you have to pull the trigger harder. Fluids resist flow. This phenomenon is known as viscosity.

Newton devised a simple model for fluid flow that could be used to relate how hard you have to pull the trigger to how fast the liquid will squirt out of the pistol. Picture a flowing liquid as a series of layers of liquid sliding past each other. The resistance to flow arises because of the friction between these layers. If you want one layer to slide over another twice as fast as before, you'll have to overcome a resisting force that's twice as great, Newton said. The slower one layer slides over another, the less resistance there is, so that if there was no difference between the speeds the layers were moving, there would be no resistance. Fluids like water and gasoline behave according to Newton's model, and are called Newtonian fluids.

But ketchup, blood, yogurt, gravy, pie fillings, mud, and cornstarch paste DON'T follow the model. They're non-Newtonian fluids because doubling the speed that the layers slide past each other does not double the resisting force. It may less than double (like ketchup), or it may more than double (as in the case of quicksand and gravy). That's why stirring gravy thickens it, and why struggling in quicksand will make it even harder to escape.

For some fluids (like mud, or snow) you can push and get no flow at all- until you push hard enough, and the substance begins to flow like a normal liquid. This is what causes mudslides and avalanches.

I got this exact description from General Chemistry Online. I also found other articles but they all seem to bore me. In this video, they filled a pool with a mix of cornstarch and water. Who would have thought something scientific would be this much fun?! Apparently, they did, enjoy!

Optical Illusions 1

Optical illusions are visually perceived images that results in a false, deceptive or misleading visual impression. I always had interest in these that is why I'll be posting some examples from time to time.

The Impossible Rectangle
The Impossible Stairs
The Impossible Triangle

Who am I?! What's in a Name?!

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MARTIN

Gender: Masculine
Usage: English, French, German, Scandinavian, Russian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Hungarian, Bulgarian
Pronounced: MAHR-tin (English, German), mar-TEN (French), MAWR-teen (Hungarian), mahr-TIN (Bulgarian)

From the Roman name Martinus, which was derived from Martis, the genitive case of the name of the Roman god Mars. Saint Martin of Tours was a 4th-century bishop who is the patron saint of France. According to legend, he came across a cold beggar in the middle of winter so he ripped his cloak in two and gave half of it to the beggar.

Five popes have borne this name. Two other influential bearers were Martin Luther, the theologian who began the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, and more recently Martin Luther King, the American civil rights leader who fought for racial equality.

MIGUEL

Gender: Masculine
Usage: Spanish, Portuguese
Pronounced: mee-GEL (Spanish, Portuguese)

Spanish and Portuguese form of Michael. A notable bearer of this name was Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, the Spanish novelist and poet who wrote 'Don Quixote'.
===================

Whenever I fill up official documents, I always use my two names. Before, I only write "Martin Arellano" but now I make it a habit to write "Martin Miguel Arellano". I like my name! Has a telenovela ring to it! How did I get it? If my memory serves me correctly, my mom wanted the name Michael for me. But my parents decided to use that as my nickname instead so I was baptized as Martin Miguel. Miguel since my dad worked for San Miguel Corporation at that time and Martin... Well, it sounded good with Miguel! I was called Michael during the first 2 to 3 years of my life. I started attending nursery at age 2, lo and behold, there were a lot of Michaels! So the grown ups decided to call me Martin from that point on.

Speaking of names... In this age of the Internet, lots of name generators have been set up. I don't know exactly how they work, what the respective formulas are, is it really calculated or purely random, and other stuff with regards to its algorithm! All I know is, they are fun! Some fit, some are cool, some are funny, and some where-the-hell-did-that-come-from! So I took the time looking for different name generators and compiled the names that I got. These generators usually ask for your full names, while some ask a few more questions like hometown. Once you hit that submit button, you're dubbed with a new name!

This first batch is from different well known movies, books or TV series:

Harry Potter Wizard: Harashio the Hunchback
Harry Potter House Elf: Abner
Star Wars: Arema Laque
Elvish: Amras Vardamir
Hobbit: Berilac Moss of Lake-By-Downs
Smurf: Litigious Smurf
Transformers: Electrostorm
Pokemon: Lickiser

By the way, the Pokemon name generator even gives a few more details: You live in the savannahs of Madagascar, and your diet consists mostly of donuts, Cherry Garcia and water. You can shoot kippers, throw salt spikes and lightning bolts. You have scaly skin and a fear of jet fuel. You can resist evil glances and shoot cosmic energy bolts. Your natural enemy is Starwad. The next batch is a list of names if ever I make a career move to music:

Rock Star: Simon Cage
Rap Star: P. Daddy
Pop Star: Rick Carter
Country Star: Russ Boggs
Reggae: Nyah Demus
Disc Jock: DJ Wonka

The last batch are just random name generators I found:

Clown: Goody Arles
Wrestler: Abdullah the Ace
Taxi Driver: Chodehakama Cleaver
Mafia: Headless Giorgio Gravano
Gangsta: Fine Ol' Stank Ho
Viking: Illugi the Foolhardy
Pirate: Broderick the Malformed
Vampire: Milosh Raven or Belatucadrus of Beijing
Goth: Pixie Corpse

If you ever get tired of your name, you can always generate a new one! Then you'll realize, "I like my name after all!" These are my names, what are yours?

Stress Kills

During my stay at the College of Engineering of the University of the Philippines, I became really familiar to the term STRESS. I got used to the idea that this word played two roles in my run in the university life.

First I would like to discuss this term's meaning which is applicable to most of us - stress as a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense. College life (well, life in general) is a great balancing act of studies and activities. I had a lot less things to juggle as I didn't have any membership to an organization but having to keep up with my academics is enough to keep my hands full. Engineering is really stressful! That's why I'm all praises to students who have extra-curricular activities or have jobs on the side and can still manage to get exceptional grades. Going back, nowadays lots of illnesses or fatalities occur due to stress. I came across a few stress facts that I would like to share that would support the title of this post.

• Life today is on average 44% more difficult than 30 years ago based on the number of significant life changes encountered
• A 14-year study of more than 12,500 Swedish concluded that those with little control over their work were 1.83 times more likely to develop heart disease, and those with low levels of support in their work were at even higher risk (2.62 times) to develop heart disease. In addition, depression has doubled with every generation since the 1920s
• A landmark 20-year study conducted by the University of London concluded that unmanaged reactions to stress were a more dangerous risk factor for cancer and heart disease than either cigarette smoking or high cholesterol foods

Also, there are numerous cases of work related stress all over the world:

===================
In 1991, a 35-year-old building worker employed in the construction of the football facilities for the 1992 World Cup in Livorno, Italy, suffered a heart attack and died.

The provincial occupational health service (USL) asked for a post mortem to be carried out. The investigation showed no adverse signs of disease in his heart or circulatory system.

However, it emerged the man, who was a migrant worker from Argentina, had been working days and nights for four weeks before his death. His living quarters were provided on the construction site.

The Labour Inspectorate enforced improvements in the facilities, but had no power over his working hours.

Workers' Health International Newsletter, No.44, Summer 1995
===================
On 8 March 1997, Carmelita Alzono, a sewing machinist at VT (Victorio Tan) Fashion Image Inc, died at the Andres Bonifacio Memorial Hospital in Cavite, the Philippines, after 11 days in hospital.

According to a statement released by her co-workers at VT Fashion: "Carmelita was killed by her 14 hour workday everyday plus overtime of eight hours every Sunday."

The workers denounced the system of quotas set by the company, that forced them to work 12 to 14 hours per day.

According to the Workers Assistance Center in Rosario, Carmelita - a 35-year-old mother of five - died because of the strict regime at the company that forces workers work the 14 hour shifts.

Following her death, VT Fashion made a donation of US$120 to the family.
===================

Add to these incidents the stories circulating regarding call center agent fatalities due to stress. Looking at these stories, surely stress alone can't kill, but it is the stressful working condition or state that drives these people to the edge. Some fall to illnesses due to the weakening of their immune systems and some have worse fates that drive them to suicide. There is a saying, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" We have to take this seriously as not only Jack will be a dull boy, he'll be a dead boy. Give yourself a break from time to time! This will not only keep your edge to progress and work more productively, it will keep you alive.

The second meaning deals more with an engineering aspect - stress as a force acting on an area, also known as pressure. So, how does this fit to the title, stress kills? I was recently involved in a getting-stepped-on-the-toe-with-a-heeled-sandal incident, and man did it hurt! I was standing behind my girlfriend and she took a step back and the heel of her right sandal put a lot of painful stress on one of my right toes! Okay, so let's take a look back on the computation, stress = force/area. Stress is high when the force is high or the area is small. She doesn't weigh much therefore the force is not that large, so the culprit is the area! All that force over a tiny area is really painful! If the same amount of weight was spread over a bigger area (say, she was wearing flats), it would be easier to handle. I came across studies regarding stress and the deadly fashion culprit - the heeled footwear.

===================
To all those high heel admirers, do you know exactly how much pressure is under you foot? You would be surprised! Indeed you ladies wear these shoes for fashion's sake, but with the immense pressure under a high heel, you may as well use it as a weapon.

Pressure is defined as force over area. Pressure is directly proportional to the force and inversely proportional to area. This inverse relationship in an important concept when it concerns the immensity of pressure.

The significance of the high heel comes into play because it has such a minute area. Due to this fact, the pressure under that high heel is extremely large. "High-heeled shoes can cause tremendous pressure to be applied to a floor. Suppose the radius of a heel is 6.00 mm. At times during a normal walking motion, nearly the entire body weight acts perpendicular to the surface of such a heel. Find the pressure that is applied to the floor under the heel because of the weight of a 50.0 kg woman." (Cutnell, John D., & Kenneth W. Johnson. Physics. 4th ed. New York: Wiley, 1998. 338.)

Stress = Force/Area = (50 kg x 9.81 m/s²)/[π x (o.oo6)²] = 4330 kPa


This is approximately 40 atmospheric pressures. Now you realize the full potential of the high heel.

For comparison's sake, would you rather your hand be pummeled by a herd of elephants or a group of angry women wearing high heels? The more logical answer in this case, that is you would rather take your chances on the high heels, is the wrong assumption. Don't be intimidated by the enormous size of an elephant or fooled by the alluring high heel. The high heel can exert more than 15 times the pressure of an elephant's foot. These immense pressures can range from 10 - 100 atm. So, if you ever get the opportunity to choose, be very wary that you won't let the "pressure" get to you.

So, high heel admirers, when someone insults you, calls you as fat as an elephant perchance, teach them a lesson. Show them the true power of the almighty high heel.

Jack Green -- 2003
===================
"Now the pressure of her step is eight times as much, or 240 pounds per square inch instead of 30 pounds per square inch." (Under Pressure. Indiana University. 25 May 2003.) RESULT: 1700 kPa

"What exerts more pressure-per-square inch when walking a 100 lb woman in high heels or a 6,000 lb elephant in bare feet? [At the moment when only the heel rests on the ground.] Ask teams to tackle this challenge. (Stiletto heels have an area of about 1/16 of a square inch. Elephants, unlike humans, walk with two feet on the ground at a time. Each foot is about 40 square inches. Thus, the woman "wins" by far more than 1,500 psi versus 75 psi.)" (The Pressure's On! 25 May 2003.) RESULT: > 10000 kPa

"Humans will only have one foot on the ground while walking. Estimate that the area of the heel on a man's shoe is 10 in². When he walks, a 200 lb. man exerts 20 psi because the weight is supported momentarily by the heel. A 100 lb. woman exerts many more psi when she wears heels. Depending on the area of the heel, she can exert as much as 1600 psi under a 'stiletto heel' ¼ inch on a side. This explains why people with wood floors don't want women walking on them in high heels." (Bennett, Carole. Pressure Versus Force: Landing on Ice! [pdf] 25 May 2003.) RESULT: 11000 kPa
===================

It was really funny that even though the pain was excruciating, the engineering aspect of the comedic situation still ran through my mind. Looking at the results of studies, the title of this post really holds true... STRESS KILLS!!! =p

What Did He Just Say?!

GMA 7 Saksi's Michael Fajatin reports on... I DIDN'T GET THAT!!! Just a sample of FILIPINO joy and HUMOR.

Happy Pinoy

I am a Filipino. And I'm proud to be one! Our race is known to live in every part of the globe. Let's face facts, Filipinos are known for negative traits such as lack in discipline because of their casual and relaxed attitude towards time, thus coining the term, Filipino time (which is, in short, late). Other notable traits include the Colonial Mentality (which can be the lack of appreciation, awareness and love for our country or preference of foreign things) and Crab Mentality (which refers to pulling each other down instead of lifting and helping each other out - just like crabs in a basket trying to get out).

But then again, Filipinos are also known for lots of positive traits. We have Filipino Hospitality, which makes the Filipino perfect hosts. Even if a family has difficulty making ends meet, when there are visitors, they go out of their way to prepare a meal they don't even take during holidays. There's also the Filipino Flexibility and Adaptability, which refers and serves as proof to the third sentence of this post. Filipinos are also creative and very talented artists, which is seen through numerous local and international stage performers, singers, dancers, designers, and the like. The booming demand for Filipino nurses and caregivers show the Filipino Care and Loving Touch. The list goes on and on but to get to the point of this post, I'd like to point out to one thing that makes the Filipino really special - FILIPINO JOY and HUMOR.

When my brother and I had the chance to go to Rome as volunteers, we spent our time there with people of different nationalities - Mexicans, Spaniards, Nigerians, and a whole lot more. We traveled around the city by bus and since the number of Filipinos were not enough to fill it, we usually shared the ride. In one of our bus trips, I overheard one of our foreign friends ask a fellow Filipino, "Why are Filipinos always smiling (or happy)?" Our fellow Filipino answered, "Because that's all we have! We don't have money, food, shelter... All we have is laughter!" His answer made me smile and at the same time think and tell myself, "Hey, that's right!" Filipinos have that cheerful and fun-loving disposition through the ups and (mostly) downs of life. It serves as our coping mechanisms and is manifested through the Filipino's love for social gatherings and celebrations or fiestas.

As I was preparing for this post, I came across an article which clearly shows that other nationalities, just like our foreign bus friend, have difficulty understanding the fun and joyful Filipino way of life. The article is from BusinessWorld, January 4, 2006.

===================
Puzzling Filipino Optimism
By Ronald Meinardus

As a liberal, I don’t like stereotypes and try to avoid them as much as I possibly can. But, in certain situations, it is hard to resist generalizations. One such case is the discussion regarding an important collective character trait of the vast majority of Filipinos I interact with on a daily basis: With very few exceptions, these people are friendly, happy and - overtly optimistic.

The stereotype of the happy and confident Pinoy is reflected in uncounted positive experiences on a micro-level. Staying with the sociological jargon, it is substantiated, on the macro level, in the annual survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations. Every year, SWS asks a representative sample of Filipinos how they view their prospects in the coming year. This time, eighty-five percent of adult Filipinos entered the New Year with hope rather than fear, the institute said. Remarkably, the hope levels are higher than last year’s. Over the years, the figures have customarily been at high levels, starting at 87 percent when SWS first polled about it in December 2000.

For more than one reason, I find these results mind-boggling.

For one, Filipinos’ hopefulness stands in stark contrast to the generally perceived realities - politically, socially or economically. While well over four fifths of the people say they have hope for the New Year, many of the same people live along the poverty line and in all but merry social conditions. Also, in other polls, the same individuals claim to believe that their president has cheated in the last elections and nearly two thirds are so unhappy with GMA that they want her out. Actually, these survey results have become the mantra of the oppositionist clamor for GMA to resign.

Particularly remarkable I find the pollsters’ finding that optimism is more pronounced in the less affluent (or poor) groups of society than in the middle and upper classes. In other words: In the Philippines, the better-offs are more worried about their future than the have-nots living in or on the verge of misery.

This leads to the conclusion that, in this particular case, the objective living conditions and prospects don’t seem to determine the mindset of the people. While Marxists wont like this conclusion at all, this observation is substantiated by comparable polls conducted in my own country, Germany.

The economic and social situation of the vast majority of Germans is doubtlessly much better than that of the people in the Philippines. Still, compared to Pinoys, Germans may be called collectively depressed: According to a recent survey conducted by the Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach, only 45 percent of Germans entered the New Year with hope. Compared to last year, when the result was 38 percent, this is an improvement which pollsters explain with some positive news regarding the economic recovery in that country.

Still, seen collectively, Filipinos may be called double as happy as Germans!

The discrepancy between the German and Philippine figures is remarkable. Having lived in the Philippines for nearly four years, I have come to the conclusion that more than anything else this country’s “peculiar brand of optimism”, as one local commentator has called it, has to do with its’ people’s spirituality and religious faith.

“The Filipino views what’s coming up with more hope than fear because he finds it easy to forgive and to forget what had gone before,” the commentator opines.

On a personal and subjective level this may be an enviable quality as it may lead to a life void of anxiety and angst. On the other hand, the collective inclination to forget and forgive produces less positive results for society as a whole. If you prefer to forget, you tend to be distracted easily. This may lead to a situation in which words count more than deeds, which according to my Philippine friends is a typical trait of this country’s politicians. This said, forgetting and forgiving is particularly hazardous in the political and legal spheres. There it may lead to impunity, the worst enemy of the rule of law.

“It may well be that Filipino optimism is actually what is holding the country back, rather than pushing it forward,” writes the commentator, and I tend to agree.

Think about it. As you wrench your mind, don’t be surprised if you start philosophizing. Looking at the Germany-Philippines comparison, you might end up believing that the choice is between either poor and happy or rich and unhappy.

I hope you don’t get stuck there. Life is more complex than black and white. At least from a liberal view point, it is always useful to examine also the grey.
===================

Truly, too much of something is really bad. You can be joyful but not to the point that you slack off and lose your edge. Here lies the danger of the Filipino Joy and Humor. It's not bad to have fun and laugh at our selves from time to time, just as long as you know when and where. It can easily distract you from your goal, set you aside and hold you back. As long as you have everything in your control, go out and have some good, clean fun - Pinoy Style, Pinoy Smile!

Rainy Observation

As my review class ended, I proceeded to step outside of the room and get home. It was raining, although I know I would be able to get through it towards the train station. The roads were already full of puddles, indicating it had been raining for a while. Some of the paths I took were made of tiles... Which mainly spelled trouble for me since wet tiles = lots of potential to slip. So there I was, taking slow and small baby steps instead of my long and fast strides. As I struggled to keep myself balanced, I remembered an experiment I saw in TV.

It was about human balance and how quick the body makes computations and adjustments to keep us upright. The set up: a room with a bag full of weights in the middle. The participants were briefed in another room and were instructed to enter the set up room, walk towards the bag, grab the bag, keep walking and go back to the waiting room to discuss. So they went out, one by one, and did exactly that. They didn't know that the bag was full of weights so some of them had difficulty grabbing the bag but all of them somehow managed to fluidly do as instructed. They were again asked to do the same thing but this time the bag was empty. The twist, the participants didn't know that it was emptied! So one by one, out they went and one by one, they flipped the bag so high since they were expecting a heavy bag. It was funny but what's important here is that it can be clearly seen through the footage that the participants regained their balance in a split second. This kept on going through my mind as my mind and body tried to be synchronized. 5 near falls later, I was at the train station and I knew I was safe since the rest of the sidewalks I was going to take weren't slippery enough.

Another experiment that I remember during rainy days is the one done in the Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel. After seeing this episode, I always told people that when you get caught in the rain, WALK, DON'T RUN!

===================
Myth: Is it Worth Running in the Rain?

You will stay drier if you run in the rain rather than walk in the rain. Adam has a different theory: If you walk in the rain you will be in the rain longer, but only your head and shoulders will get wet. If you run in the rain, you will pick up rain on your entire front side.

The Experts:

Heather Joseph-Witham, folklorist, helps explain the myth. She says it is practical advice: You should run in the rain and you won’t get as wet as walking.

Richard Hunter, manager of Mr. S Leather, helps Adam and Jamie pick out some latex body suits.

Thomas Peterson and Trevor Wallis, National Climatic Data Center, tested the myth during a rainstorm. They measured out an approximately 100-meter course and waited until a rainy day to test the myth. They wanted to determine the relative difference between walking and running. After the test, they weighed their clothing. They determined that the runner was 40% less wet than the walker.

Action/Results:

One of the most important aspects of this test is getting the right raindrop - the right size, the right velocity and an even spread. The test will consist of a 100-foot course with water falling a minimum of 60 feet. A raindrop will achieve a terminal velocity of 22 feet per second. The course will be built in an aircraft hangar. Sprinklers are placed every 6 feet along a 150-foot run. A fire hydrant is used as the water source. The water is put into a holding tank and dyed red for visibility.

To measure the amount of rain that lands on the Mythbusters, they will wear cotton coveralls that weigh 757 grams each. Under the coveralls they will wear a latex body suit to ensure that their perspiration isn’t included in the final weight. The course is set up to produce 2 to 3 inches of rain per hour. Jamie and Adam each will go through the course 4 times, once walking, once running, once walking with fans used to simulate wind and finally once running with fans used to simulate wind.

When the coveralls are weighed, the ones worn when they walked turn out to be lighter than the coveralls that they ran in. It is better to walk in the rain than to run.

MYTH: BUSTED
===================

But as I was preparing to write this post, I came across another episode of the Mythbusters where they revisited past myths due to viewers' reactions...

===================
Myth: Which will make you wetter, walking or running in the rain?

Initial Results:

You get wetter in the rain if you run.

What the Critics Said:

Because "real" rain was not used, the test was invalid

Setup:

Jaime and Adam wait for 'real' rain, don their latex suits with the cotton overalls & caps. The overalls and caps are weighed before hand so that they can determine how much water was absorbed.

Test:

They begin the initial test by walking in the rain. However, the rain stops before they are able to complete the testing.

The test is reset with Grant and Tory; they prepare by wearing the same latex, pre-weighed overalls, and caps as Jaime and Adam had. However, in this test one will walk while the other runs at the same time so they are both exposed to the same rainfall.

The first test indicated that Tory's clothes were lighter than when he began. The rain volume was not enough to overcome the margin of error. However, the rain increases and they repeat the test. They completed a series of six different runs.

Result:

The runner gets less wet than the walker does. On Average, they collected 4 grams less water than the walker did.

MYTH: CONFIRMED! It is better to run than walk in the rain.
===================

Now, all I can say is, RUN! BUT BE CAREFUL, YOU MIGHT SLIP!

Bamboo - Probinsyana

Ang probinsyana ay di basta-basta..
Mahirap bolahin, kailangan haranahin.
Ang kanyang lakad, mabibighani ka..
Di biro! babaeng probinsyana..

Mahirap amuhin, ang probinsyana..
Pag napa-ibig, wala kang duda..

Sa umaga, pisngi namumula..
Pag naka saya, maaakit ka.
Ang kanyang lakad, mabibighani ka..
Di biro! babaeng probinsyana..

Mahirap amuhin, ang probinsyana..
Pag napa-ibig, wala kang duda..

Probinsyana….

Aking diwata, saan ka pupunta?
Lumuwas ng maynila, dala ang pangarap nya..
Ang kanyang lakad, mabibighani ka..
Nasan na aking maria clara?!!

Mahirap amuhin, ang probinsyana..
Pag napa-ibig, wala kang duda..

Probinsyana!
===================

Why is it that I can relate sooooo much? =P

Minority Report becomes reality

This was added in YouTube August 6, 2006 - a year ago! Just before the iPhone was known to man. This has been one of my favorite videos for a long time. Really cool!

Time for Tests

This weekend was all about tests, academic exams to be more specific. I accompanied my brother to Bocobo Hall (College of Law) in UP Diliman as he was about to take the UPCAT, the entrance exam to the Philippine's State University. He belonged to the first batch of examiners, Saturday morning, 6:30 in the morning! I decided to park somewhere and just wait for him to finish the 4 hour exam instead of going home. I brought review materials as I also have an exam the following day (which is today, more on that later). As I looked around, the campus turned into a big parking lot! Cars were parked left and right, on the roads, parking spaces, and even on places I never thought would be accessible to motor vehicles! I can just imagine the skill of these drivers! From time to time, I recalled my UPCAT experience...

Early Saturday morning, it was still dark. I was standing outside the Math building, which is one of the most well-known buildings in the campus (together with Palma Hall or AS and Melchor Hall, home of the College of Engineering). I was waiting for the longest time and I got the first taste of the UP (University of Pila) experience as we stayed in our lines for more than an hour. I had to be there early or I'll get stuck somewhere because of the attack of so many vehicles as the number of UPCAT takers reach thousands per batch. I was glad to be on the first batch because after that, I have the rest of the weekend to rest. A few minutes before 8am, we were directed to our rooms... I was armed with my pass, pencils, eraser, sharpener and lots & lots of packets of AirCool chewing gum. I remember, I was seated in the back row, two seats away from the window... I didn't know anyone in my room, I only had the chance to chat with a few friends while in the line, while waiting. Then in came the proctor, my heart was pounding... This is it! Cmon, I can do this! I took my first piece of AirCool and the minty blast hit on the spot! Started filling up our information then start with the exam... Math, Science, Language Proficiency and Reading Comprehension... During and in between subjects, seemed like every 10 items, I took a piece of AirCool and my mouth was immune, or should I say numb, from all that minty goodness. My breath could have turned a pool of water into an ice skating rink! My brain was throbbing, I was tired... After 4 grueling hours and 4 packets of AirCool later, I was done with the exam and I had a big ball of gum in my mouth! I proceeded to exit the room and walk out the doors of what seemed to be a temporary prison. I got in the car and took the rest of the week off... The UPCAT was the first of 4 entrance exams I took: the others were for Ateneo, La Salle and Mapua. Each was the same scenario, well, except for the AirCool and the location as I took the Ateneo exam in their campus while the other two in my beloved high school - Pisay. All I can do after all that was wait... Thank God, I got in all of them! I chose UP with a course in Civil Engineering and here I am, 5 years later.

It was 12 noon, the UPCAT takers were moving out of the building. I observed the people waiting: one parent, both parents, parent with a sibling, sibling (just like myself) and what takes the cake, the whole angkan! I heard comments from some of the mommies waiting, "Ba't nakasimangot kayo?" and the examiners, "Hirap ng science/math!" It seemed like 5 years ago, but this time I was the one waiting. Finally, I saw my brother... "O kamusta?" He had difficulty with science and got bored with reading comprehension. Now, he'll prepare for and take other exams and just like me 5 years ago, wait for the results in the coming months.

Now, on to the other test! As I mentioned, I took up Civil Engineering in the UP Diliman. I graduated just this summer and I'm planning to take the November 2007 board exams. To prepare for this, I'm attending review classes at Review Innovations: 813 R. Papa St., Sampaloc, Manila. Lecture classes from Monday to Thursday, 8 am to 12 noon and evaluation exams, same time every Sunday. But what makes today special? I just took the midterm pre-board exam! It was like the evaluation exam but instead of what we took up for the week, the coverage was from the very first meeting! So much to memorize.... My brain couldn't take it... 8 am to 6 pm! Math was ok! Surveying and Transportation Engineering, so so... Hydraulics, eh... Geotechnical Engineering, eh eh... Structural Design and Construction, ehhhhhhhhh.... I have a few months left with lots more to recall! But with the help of Review Innovations, I know I'm guided, I know I'll be able to pass and become an Engineer!

I'll leave this entry with a little poem that was placed at the end of one of the exam parts earlier. I hope it could serve as an inspiration and a motivation:

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh

When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns

And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out
Don't give up though the pace seems slow
You may succeed with another blow

Success is failure turned inside out
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt
And you never can tell just how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit

Blast from the Past

Different cartoon characters will be following the huge and successful footsteps of summer blockbuster Transformers. I found this very interesting since I was a fan, at some point in time, of these cartoon classics about to make their big screen debuts.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura, co-producer of Transformers, said a script for all-American war hero G.I. Joe was being written and Paramount have earmarked November 2008 for the release of the first full-length animated Smurfs movie. Meanwhile, Warner Brothers are planning to produce movie adaptations of He-Man and Thundercats while Fox is working on a script for Alvin and the Chipmunks.

I truly hope they deliver, just like what the sparkplug of this trend (the Transformers) did. It truly was a great experience seeing Optimus Prime in action with a realistic look. If the Autobots and Deceptacons in the movie looked like the ones in the cartoons, I would be laughing my head off. They did a great job turning these characters to something real as they were able to preserve the look that they had in the cartoon series. It had comedy, drama and of course, action! Just one thing..... Isn't Megatron a gun, not a jet? It's very hard to find movies that would get your attention with every scene, but the Transformers got me hooked from start to finish.

Looking forward to the "Blast from the Past" movies!

BURNOUT the 2nd spin

ATTENTION! All ultimate frisbee enthusiasts! To all players, whether you're just starting to learn or you've been doing this for the longest time, this tournament is for you. Registration til August 23, 2007. Why wait?! JOIN NOW!!!