Feeding my Imagination...

Thor the movie review

2011-05-02T00:31:00.000-07:00

Now I'm admittedly a comic fan (more Marvel than DC in fact). So I'm obviously biased when it comes to the characters of both companies. Though I love DC's big guns (can you say Justice League?), I have more respect and admiration for the heroes who have flaws (some more obvious than others) but try their best to overcome their shortcomings in their fight for what is good and right. And Marvel has these flawed heroes in abundance. DC heroes are more like the bastions of purity, ultimate power and perfection (not much I can relate to, in a manner of speaking).

But I digress. It's been quite a while since I actually went out to watch a movie on the big screen. Well, my wife and I finally managed to squeeze in some quality time. And guess what? We watched Thor! She knew I loved movies based on comics and I knew she'd like watching Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Natalie Portman (Thor's love interest Jane Foster) onscreen.

OK now... From this point on... I'm issuing a SPOILER ALERT for those of you who haven't seen the movie yet! Read at your own risk! :D

I had my fair share misgivings before the movie came out, I didn't know who Kenneth Branagh was (the director Marvel decided to go with) and how well Chris Hemsworth would be able to portray Thor (although he did a good job as a Spartan in 300). But as for the rest of the cast, I loved the idea of Anthony Hopkins as the mighty Odin. I had no doubt he would make a great Odin. I also had high hopes that Natalie Portman would do the character of Jane Foster justice. I was even quite relieved to know they didn't make Jane Foster a nurse and instead turned her into an astrophysicist. It actually made a lot of sense in the movie to have her portray a star-gazing science geek. Thor after all, was not of this world, but from a very far-away place in outer space. I though their version of Loki actually looked cool. Great choice of actor (Tom Hiddleston) and I loved the helmet design of Loki. He actually pulled off a sneaky, scheming and believable Loki in the Movie (from the way he fights and the way he fools and deceives everyone to get his way).

Now, let's get back to Thor. Chris Hemsworth portrayed Thor impressively (minus the traditional "Aye, Thee, Thine, Thou", etc. whenever he spouts a sentence in the comics). He certainly got the attitude down pat. He was quite boisterous, a braggart, foolhardy, always letting his fists (and hammer) do the talking instead of using his brain first. A true warrior type dude who would rather mow down the enemy and let God sort them out later. As far as the costume goes, I think they made a wise choice and went with the updated look of Thor in comics. The fight scenes with the Frost Giants and the Destroyer was quite satisfying. I always wondered how they would show Thor using Mjolnir in a realistic fight scene. Now I know. And I am happy the way it turned out. When it comes to non-human opponents, Thor is one of those fighters that doesn't hold anything back (just like good ol' Wolverine and Punisher). He's a born brawler. They didn't make the film campy. They played fast and loose with the science and mythology (which I liked). In effect, Marvel and Kenneth Branagh successfully created another Marvel character that I wouldn't mind seeing more of in the future.

Loki, on the other hand, was quite a surprise. Tom Hiddleston did himself proud in this one. He actually made Loki believable and thankfully not pathetic on screen. He was the reason for the formation of the Avengers after all. The fighting style he employed showed he was the opposite of Thor. Although a very capable fighter, he would prefer to fool and trick his enemies by using sorcery rather than bashing their skulls in. Showing his past as the son of a Frost Giant adopted by Odin was one of those classic bows to Marvel history that I really appreciated. His discovery of his past and his eventual confrontation with Odin about his childhood was an effective way to introduce a bit of drama into the whole mix. He actually came across as a formidable foe who uses deceit and trickery quite effectively. NEVER turn your back on Loki.

Other items of interest (to me):

The Rainbow Bridge - in the movie, it's shown as a real bridge that has multi-colored lights streaming through it as if it was studded with fiber optic cables that ends in a chamber where one actually "beamed" to his/her chosen destination by Heimdall (or anyone with enough power to activate the transportation device, like Odin). Good move in a visual sense. The fact that they utilized some sort of wormhole-based technology as their means of transportation from Asgard to any point within Heimdall's reach was a stroke of genius as far as I'm concerned. Besides, literally walking on a rainbow would probably ruin the whole movie (think Rainbow Brite, ugh!)
Asgard - Cool concept having Asgard located in another part of the Galaxy or Universe (take your pick). Looks great with the floating buildings. A cross between a super advanced civilization and Norse mythos. Not too overwhelming to the eyes (unlike Transformers)
Mjolnir - good thing they chose the classic hammer instead of the modern axe/hammer hybrid. It was a nice touch to have Odin make the hammer voice-programmable (also looks like only Odin's voice can reprogram Mjolnir too).
Jotunheim - the home of the Frost Giants was depicted as another planet, not some mystical realm or dimension. Good move again.

Some additional comic geek cross-over trivia:

Bruce Banner (a.k.a. HULK) is mentioned (not by name, mind you) as being one of SHIELD's previous object of interest after SHIELD agents confiscate Jane Foster's equipment and research data on the arrival of Thor to Earth.
Tony Stark is also mentioned (by name this time) by the lead SHIELD agent when the Destroyer arrives on Earth (obviously mistaking the Destroyer for one of Stark's armored inventions).
Hawkeye (played by Jeremy Renner, who did a good job in the film Hurt Locker) was a good choice for a cameo since he's obviously going to be part of the Avengers movie. I wonder if they give him the scarlet costume in the Avengers comics or give him the black spandex make-over (like they did in X-Men). I'd personally like to see a re-imagined scarlet costume for this hero.

Post-credits sneak peek: Agent of SHIELD Nick Fury apparently got his hands on a Cosmic Cube. While he is discussing how it can be possibly used as a limitless power source with Jane Foster's mentor, Loki is shown (obviously invisible to everyone) manipulating people from the background to create more mischief... Sounds like a good prelude to the AVENGERS if you ask me...

OK. That wraps it up for me. I strongly recommend THOR for the whole family. It's an enjoyable film whether or not you're a comic book fan. Just leave your thinking caps out the door when you watch this since it's basically a fun fantasy film with lots of action.

Next blog: CAPTAIN AMERICA! :D

SID -- New Wave never dies

2010-08-31T00:39:00.000-07:00

Gary Ignacio, co-forms new band SID

Former Alamid Vocalist Gary Ignacio co-forms a new band named SID with former original Alamid members Jay Sto. Tomas and Efryl De Dios together with original Immaculate drummer and another former Alamid member Gail Ignacio and FMD Bassist Carlo Hautea forming the nucleus of new group.

The formation of SID began even before Gary’s departure from Alamid. During a get-together with Jay and Efryl, they ended up jamming a couple of tunes and finally decided to try if they still had the magic to make originals songs. The trio began collaborating and found that they were still in sync with each other as if they didn't part ways back in the late 90’s. One after another the new materials emerged. At this point, they decided to make a project band with just the three of them doing all the musical chores. After all, the whole point was to make an album that embodied their collective desire to create original music, and be able to share it with the public.

After Gary formally left Alamid, the trio decided it was time to fill in the gaps in the band. First to come onboard was Gary’s brother Gail to fill the vacant drummer position. Afterwards, Gary invitied Carlo Hautea of FMD to fill in the role of bassist during a birthday party for one of the members of MMA (Malabon Musicians Alliance), and the roster of SID was finally completed.

SID is now concentrating on recording their first album which is a blend of new wave and alternative rock and are currently doing gigs at various venues and events.

Please visit their Facebook page, they would surely be honored to have you as one of their FRIENDS!!!

Team SID:
(Front row L-R): Jay Sto. Tomas (keyboards), Gary Ignacio (vocals), Efryl De Dios (guitars)
(Back row L-R): Carlo Hautea (bass), Gail Ignacio (drums)

You can also visit their web page at Sulit.com.ph

Panatang maka-Sulit.com.ph

2010-08-16T18:45:00.000-07:00

Panatang maka-Sulit.com.ph

Upang maging tunay na sulitizen, ako ay magiging tapat sa pangangalakal at pakikitungo sa aking kapwa mamamayan ng komunidad. Ako ay magiging bahagi ng pag unlad at pagsulong ng mga adhikain ng sulit.com.ph

Buy and Sell Philippines

Need to buy something on a tight budget? You will find it at Sulit.com.ph!

2010-07-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

Sulit.com.ph is the leading buy and sell website in the Philippines. Post advertisements or find great deals at Sulit.com.ph.

Celebrate Sulit.com.ph 4th Anniversary! Join the Sulit Banner Making Contest for July and get a chance to win cool gadgets from Sulit.com.ph, Blackberryzuela.com, and GadgetGrocery. com!

Visita Iglesia 2009

2009-04-10T20:17:00.000-07:00

It's been quite a while since I added anything to this blog. I thought i'd start my 2009 blogs on a religious note. Holy week coincides with summer and is normally a time when people go and take vacations elsewhere to cool off. My wife and I decided to do something different this year (different for us, at least). Yep, you guessed it. We went on a "Visita Iglesia" which is a religious tradition here in the Philippines. In our case, we chose to take part in a guided bus tour of the 7 best-known churches in the province of Rizal. Despite the hot weather (searing heat was more like it), we thankfully had an airconditioned bus to fall back to and cold drinks in between church visits. Each church visit lasted about 30 minutes each.

This was our itenerary on that day (April 9, 2009):

Tour Title: "VISITA IGLESIA SA RIZAL..."

5:00 AM - Assembly Time (SM City North Annex)
7:00 AM - Antipolo Church (pray the 1st and 2nd station of the cross)
8:15 AM - Taytay Church (pray the 3rd & 4th station of the cross)
9:30 AM - Angono Church (pray the 5th & 6th station of the cross)
10:45 AM - Binangonan Church (7th and 8th station of the cross)
11:30 AM - LUNCH
1:30 PM - Morong Church (9th and 10th station) - HERITAGE SITE
3:00 PM - Baras Church (11th and 12th station) - HERITAGE SITE
4:15 PM - Tanay Church (13th and 14th station) - HERITAGE SITE

With that out of the way, let's begin the photo tour (just click the links below to open the images in another browser window)...

Antipolo Church (Shrine of the Lady of Peace and Good Voyage) - Unfortunately, this church was really packed with people by the time we arrived so there wasn't any room inside. Mass was ongoing so we just decided to stay near the entrance and pray along with a lot of other people who couldn't get in just like us.

Photo of the statue of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (popularly known as the Birhen ng Antipolo). This was what we were supposed to see if we got the chance to go inside. The origin of the Virgin of Antipolo dates back to the Spanish era in the Philippines, when galleon trade between the Philippines and Mexico was at its height.

Taytay Church (San Juan Bautista Parish) - Tidbit: Seems that most Spanish-era churches were built on the top of hills. Supposedly, the churches served as lookout posts in case of invasions. Being on high ground, the churches were easily defensible and townspeople can easily be alerted using the church bells.

On our way to the 2nd church!

Angono Church (San Clemente Parish) - may artisans gravitated toward this town because of the national artist Carlos "Botong" Francisco.

Binangonan Church

Morong Church

Baras Church

Tanay Church

The Games I Play...

2008-07-15T22:11:00.001-07:00

Here's one of my most anticipated games this year (I really want to play this one!!!)

FALLOUT 3 (Ta-Daahhhh!!!)

Anyway, I'm still have to finish the following games first before I move on to this one though:

1) Warhammer: Soulstorm - (2 planets and 2 moons more to go! The Necrons, Dark Eldar and Imperial Guards are pussies! The Chaos Marines are next on my list of enemies to crush...)

2) God of War (PSP) - (loads of fun! Almost there...)

3) Command and Conquer 3 - Tiberium Wars (I know, I'm really late on this one...)

4) Bioshock - (Again, another one I missed when it got out... I have to work too you know...)

Movie Review: HANCOCK

2008-07-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

Judging from the trailers I saw about this movie, I knew I was in for another pleasant treat. Notwithstanding that Will Smith was the star of the movie, it was at the very least an interesting departure from his role in "Men in Black", "Independence Day" and "Bad Boys" (which I all watched and liked by the way). Hancock takes the super-hero movie genre and in a turns it upside down. Here you have Hancock, a dude with super powers (flight, super strength, invulnerability) which is all fine and dandy, but then we are shown also his negative traits (which apparently, seem to outweigh his good ones). He's an alcoholic, his choice of clothing can make you think he's a homeless person. He doesn't really care much about the public safety, he needlessly smashes into a lot of stuff causing massive property damage in the pursuit of bad guys. Basically, his antics make him an outcast from the people he's trying to help. In any case, he couldn't care less what people think of him until he saves the life of a good-hearted PR guy who offers to give him a PR make-over to improve public perception of him. This forms the backbone of the story. In all honesty, the film would have been a lot greater if it they made the overall tone of the movie grittier. After all, Hancock certainly has a lot of dark aspects to his character in the first place. He is basically, a misunderstood hero. A man with a good heart but with powers and abilities thrust upon him that he doesn't really seem to want in the first place. He's actually more in line with the likes of the Hulk and Wolverine if you think about it (Hancock doesn't know his past and real identity due to amnesia, somewhat like Wolverine). Anyway, Will Smith gives a pretty good performance here though he could have done a lot better given a deeper storyline. it's a pretty decent movie and quite worth watching if you want to see the other side of super-hero life.

Hope you enjoy!

Lightning Rally at Shell Philippines Main Office...

2008-07-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

I know, this isn't really part of my normal blog entries but I thought I'd share it anyway...

I just arrived at the office around 9:00 AM and after getting out of my cab, I was surprised by the graffiti plastered all over the front of Shell Philippines main office in Makati City (where I work as a consultant). The guards told me there was an unscheduled strike held outside the building around 8:00 AM and the crowd (approx. 30 rallyist I was told) started getting really nasty and defaced the usually white facade of the building. The rally was formed so quickly that the police didn't have enough time to get to the location. Take a gander the photos I took below. Sorry for the rather low resolution as I just used my mobile phone to take the pics.

Hope your day goes better than this... :D

Right side of the building main entrance

I'd hate to be the one to clean this mess up!

Closer view of right side of main entrance

The usual demand to oust GMA (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo)...

Steps of the main entrance

The steps to the main entrance fared no better. The words spray painted there basically say "NO to oil deregulation"...

Left side of the building main entrance

I wonder if that's the head of a cat painted on up there or is it supposed to be a caricature of GMA's face? I wonder...

Be good! Be safe!

Movie Review: The Happenning

2008-06-18T08:20:00.001-07:00

Although the idea for the film's story was rather imaginative... This is probably the worst movie I have seen this year!

Shyamalan does not bother to give any specific insight into what really causes the deaths of so many people and leaves the viewer to come to their own conclusions based on TV news broadcasts and the hypotheses of the characters themselves (mainly Mark Wahlberg). Come on now, at least they could have spent some money on some visual effects just to make things interesting (like showing microscopic reactions inside the plants as they produce their deadly toxins to get rid of humans). Totally bland visuals abound.

Sub-par acting by nearly everyone in the film. Not even the presence of Mark Wahlberg managed to give the movie any saving grace. Very disappointing. Mark's wife in the movie appeared more like a woman on the verge of going nuts instead of a wife trying to get rid of an unwanted suitor. I didn't feel any tension or urge to hold my breath during any of the scenes... The film was simply not gripping or suspenseful. Again, I have to say I was dissappointed.

There is a distinct lack of suspense in the film as the antagonists appear to be nothing more than plant life (which makes for very boring enemies).

The film tries to keep the audience's attention by using short, grisly displays of suicides (people shooting themselves, a zookeeper feeding his arms to lions, a man lying down in front of a harvester, etc.)

The protagonists are mercifully spared at the end when they finally decide to brave the invisible enemy (guessed to be a deadly neurotoxin from plants) and at least perish together.

I really can't remember anything else except that I left the cinema house with two distinct thoughts: "I want my money back" and "I should have just gone and watched the Incredible Hulk instead".

You have been warned!!!

Movie Review: Incredible Hulk (2008)

2008-06-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

What can I say? It was definitely a great improvement over Ang Lee's version. Don't get me wrong, I loved "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" but his directing style simply didn't work well in making a movie about the HULK. For starters, the HULK is comic book hero. We're talking about primal rage and fury here, HULK SMASH! Bah! Puny humans! Leave HULK alone! HULK is strongest one there is! It's simply bigger than life nearly-mindless monster mayhem!

Anyway, I certainly think Edward Norton gave a solid performance here and appears to have taken a lot of hints from his predecessor Bill Bixby (from the Hulk TV series). No more deep psychological scars to delve into this time. It's really about Banner trying to get rid of the emerald demon lurking inside of him, and how his nemesis, General "Thunderbolt" Ross wants to dissect him and learn what makes the Hulk tick so he can use this knowledge to create an army of superhuman soldiers. It's a classic good-versus-evil with a twist. The good guy (Banner) turns into a mean, green rampaging machine whenever the bad guys (the military) try to capture him. But when you look at all the collateral damage, you gotta ask yourself, who's really the bad guy here? Tim Roth does a really good bad guy soldier with a bad case of God-complex. He's shown himself as a power-hungry fighter who would go to any lengths to attain an edge over his opponent regardless of the cost. He literally goes mad in his quest for power. Needless to say, the viewer is treated to a classic HULK vs Abomination showndown that turns an entire city into a war zone. William Hurt does an equally impressive General Ross. He sure knows how to put the evil in the military. Liv Tyler looks great! I don't have too much to say about her acting here, really. In any case, she did really great in getting Banner's pulse up (among other things I bet) in a rather intimate moment. The scene actually made me wonder if Liv was aiming to give her character a fetish for making out with the Hulk (kinda makes you want to let your imagination run wild eh?). :P

Some interesting tid bits for Hulk fans:

1) We get to see another cameo by Stan Lee (this time as the unlucky buyer of a bottled drink accidentally contaminated by a drop of Banner's Gamma-irradiated blood). He apparently gets hospitalized because of the Gamma radiation which catches the attention of a vigilant General Ross.

2) Bill Bixby (Banner from the original TV series) is shown briefly in one of the TV shows Banner is watching.

3) General Ross retrieves a vial containing a blue experimental "super-soldier" formula. The canister containing the vial is labeled "Weapon X". Ross also mentions that the super soldier program was started during WWII (the time when Captain America fought the Nazis).

4) In the opening credits, you can see Nick Fury's name and Stark Enterprises on some of the confidential files being shown.

5) At the end of the film, Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark / Iron Man) makes a cameo appearance and mentions to General Ross about his preference for "hardware" instead of the super-soldier serum. We are left with Tony Stark telling Ross that "they" (presumably Stark and Nick Fury) are forming a "team" (obviously the Avengers).

6) While working as a laborer in a bottling plant somewhere in Portugal, Banner tries to protect a woman from an obnoxious co-worker and utters the phrase "Don't make me angry, you wouldn't like me when i'm angry" (popularized in the TV series by Bill Bixby) in Portuguese. However, his broken Portuguese ends up being translated as "Don't make me HUNGRY, you wouldn't like me when i'm HUNGRY". Totally hilarious!

7) One of the characters Betty is dating is a psychologist named "Leonard". (Doc Samson anyone?)

8) "Mr. Blue", a scientist trying to help Banner (a.k.a. "Mr. Green") find a cure to his Gamma radiation borne "Hulk-outs", is wounded when Tim Roth forces him to use his Gamma research to give him more power. This is the part where the Abomination finally makes his final transformation and entrance. The gamma-irradiated blood sample of Banner ends up dripping on his open wound. We see his head start throbbing as if his cranium is undergoing a transformation. However, we don't see anything else after the Abomination makes his exit from the lab. This looks like an opening for another classic Hulk enemy ("The Leader").

9) Sonic weaponry makes an appearance. The sonic "canons" are mounted on Humvees and used against the Hulk to great effect. Obviously, this is a not-too-obvious nod towards the contribution of Stark Enterprises to the advancement of military weaponry.

10) Hulk uses his trademark powerful "hand-clap" to extinguish the flames from the burning helicopter Betty is trapped in. In the comics, he can clap his hands and cause gale-force winds to slam against his enemies (like blowing away troops & vehicles).

I think Marvel is certainly on the right track with its properties this time. I just hope they don't mess it up in their upcoming movies (Captain America, Iron Man 2, Thor, Avengers, Wolverine and Punisher). They hit the nail on the head with their attempt to cross-pollinate their characters with one another and give the viewers an impression that these characters all exist within the same universe (the Marvel Universe).

Ten years married and it only feels like a year has passed...

2008-06-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

Wow. I am in utter astonishment. June 13, 2008 marks our 13th year wedding anniversary. I simply cannot describe how blessed I am to have a wife who has helped me become the person that I am today. I am also blessed with three wonderful children who have made every day a day to look forward to. I cannot ask for anything more...

A bit of family trivia: My wife and I got married on Friday the 13th! So it has to be a LUCKY number and day contrary to popular belief! :D

Welcome to the family!

2008-06-10T06:26:00.000-07:00

My sister just gave birth to a healthy 7.4 lb baby girl (June 7, 2008 at 5:51am)! I just don't get why they decided to call her BAMBEEZELLE though (BAMBOO + BEE + GAZELLE?). Anyway, the important thing is that the baby's healthy and my sister's recovering. Ahhh, the miracle of life!

Great work there sis! I'm proud of you! God Bless you both!!!

My favorite icons...

2008-06-03T01:20:00.000-07:00

I noticed that I kept repeatedly using a few icons for all my online accounts... So here they are... :D

Getter Robot --> this one's an Anime Super Robot
Shin Getter Robo --> a modern variant of Getter Robot
Great Mazinger Z --> another classic Anime Super Robot
Mazinkaizer --> the super-heavy-duty version of Great Mazinger Z
Ghost Rider --> from Marvel Comics
Sentinel (from Marvel vs Capcom) --> from Marvel Comics

Last day of the 2008 Pyro Olympics

2008-05-31T11:02:00.000-07:00

The back of SM Mall of Asia was jam-packed with spectators and restaurant-goers alike as they all eagerly awaited the start of the last day of the 2008 Pyro Olympics. Restaurants were abuzz with activity as customers came in early to get the best seats in the house for the fireworks display during that evening. As usual, we got our regular seats at Robbie's Seafood Restaurant at Seaside.

Here's my amateur video of the event. Too bad my batteries ran out during the 2nd half. I did manage to get most of the highlights of the first half though. For all of you who were unable to witness the event that night, hope you enjoy this!

Captain America is Dead. Long Live Captain America!

2008-05-30T17:37:00.000-07:00

OK, I know, this is old news to a lot of you comic book fans out there. But i'd like to blog about new uniform of Captain America anyway...

Steve Rogers is dead. Mortally wounded by a sniper while on his was to trial. Those who really knew him also called him "Cap", as in Captain America. Now, we have someone else taking up his legendary shield. But the uniform is new, it still sports the familiar red, white and blue. But it's shiny and metallic. The original uniform had a chain-mail like quality to it. But there's MORE! The new Cap now sports a GUN and a combat KNIFE! Will he actually use it on the bad guys? Only time will tell... Check out the images below (thanks to Marvel!):

UPDATE: I just got my hands on Captain America #38 and I have to say I am a bit dissappointed by the whole affair with Bucky taking on the mantle of Captain America. He's obviously the best successor but my dissappointment stems more from the storyline and the ressurection of Nomad by the Red Skull and company to stir up trouble... I mean, it's really getting OLD (literally!)... If they could kill Cap, why couldn't they kill the Red Skull off? And those other old villains as well while they're at it. Revamp the whole sorry mess! I'd probably get flamed and all for saying what I just said, but that's how I see it. I don't mind Bucky being the new Cap. That's fine with me, a bit cool actually since he's partnered with the Falcon. Sort of brings a breath of fresh air to a classic team-up.

Marvel REALLY needs to get rid of the Red Skull and his gang of jokers... REALLY!

Leviathan's Door: Part 2 - The Office

2008-05-30T17:28:00.000-07:00

It's here! I finally finished part 2 of my mini-novel. It's still a long way off but I hope to get in more pages by next week. Hope you enjoy reading it. Comments welcome as always! :D

Nearly done with the next installment of my mini-novel...

2008-05-29T20:32:00.000-07:00

Ok, I have to admit. I actually didn't think I could finish another installment of my writing project. Anyway, i'm glad i'm almost done with the 2nd part of Leviathan's Door. I try to write whenever I can on my trusty P900's jotter. Mind you, my phone's old, scratched and obviously battle-weary, but it still serves its purpose very well. Sony Ericsson sure made their phones to last (unlike some Nokia which seems to churn out new models every few months). I should be able to post the 2nd part over the weekend...

Honestly, it's very hard yet exhilirating when your ideas turn into visions and then the words start pouring out like a stream inexorably flowing towards a raging waterfall... I try not to think too much about where i'm going with the story, I just write everything that comes naturally to me and when I read it again it all seems to fit somehow. Quite rewarding!

P.S. Watching Finding Forrester (great movie starring Sean Connery) helped me quite a bit too! :D

Good old Gundams...

2008-05-28T00:39:00.000-07:00

I was just going through my collection of Gundam images and re-discovered these old favorites...

Leviathan's Door: Part 1 - A New Day

2008-05-26T07:00:00.000-07:00

Finally, I published Part 1 of my mini-novel. Check it out here...

I hope I finish this. Comments welcome as always... Just be gentle... :D

Career path for programmers?

2008-05-25T07:06:00.000-07:00

I just read an interesting post from one of the Java user groups I subscribe to (PinoyJUG to be exact). The question was "what is the career path from a software developer to CTO (Chief Technology Officer)?" Now that I've actually had some more time to reflect on the matter after sending in my reply, I'm going to repost it here with a few minor improvements.

Obviously, not everyone is destined to become a CTO (or even a CIO for that matter). From my experience, very few developers would even consider doing project management work since it detaches them from doing actual software development. In reality, career paths for software development personnel vary from company to company. Big companies normally have a pretty clear career path set, SME's usually just have it simpler, you're either a developer / systems analyst or a PM / CIO / CTO. From what I've seen so far though, this is what a typical career path from developer to CIO/CTO would look like:

From the diagram, the yellow rectangles represent roles that entail actual development work, while the blue rectangles represent management-oriented work.

Ok. Let's put things in perspective first. Why would someone want to work as a developer in the first place? Typically, it's because that person wants to do software development (obviously), experiment with the latest technologies, loves to solve programming problems, etc. So now the question becomes, after spending so much time being a developer / team leader, what's the next step for me? Where do I go from here? You have to bear in mind that this becomes the point in your career when you have to decide where you feel you will be more productive and happier. Do I want to take on a management role (i.e. become a PM) or do I want to stay where I can keep my hands dirty with actual software development work (remain a developer or advance to being an architect)? Happiness can mean different things to people. This is when HR has to listen carefully to the person being considered for a promotion to a management position. HR has to carefully determine whether or not a person is ready to manage people. Why? Because a management role will either make you or break you, and if it breaks you, it will have adverse consequences on a project as well as the company. That is why most big companies have new PM's go through management training and seminars/workshops first before they even get assigned to actual projects. Some companies have new PM's do apprenticeship work under Senior PM's in order to assess their capabilities and potential. Unfortunately, not all companies have the luxury of doing this.

Let's take a simple scenario: Joe developer has been recommended by his boss for promotion to a PM because of his consistently good performance. But does being a good programmer directly translate into being a good project manager? Remember that just because you have great programming kung-fu doesn't mean you can resolve squabbles between programmers bickering over non-programming issues. As a PM, people skills come into play when you are put in a management role. You will also find yourself becoming more and more detached from doing actual programming. You will become more preoccupied working out project schedules, coordinating with clients, coordinating with the development team, trying to manage the expectations of the project stakeholders. Making sure deadlines are met, planning for contingencies, trying to reduce and mitigate risks to the project, trying to control scope creep, trying to keep everybody informed in a timely fashion, etc. There's a lot more but I think you get the general idea. Now you have to ask yourself: Do you honestly think you will find this the challenge you are looking for in your career? Do you find yourself wanting to overcome the challenges mentioned above? Do you want to know what the bigger picture really is and how you can be part of its inner workings? Are you prepared to take on the responsibility of a project's success or failure? If the answer is yes, then you probably should take the plunge into management. Otherwise, either stick to being a programmer or consider advancing to the role of architect which is another challenging and exciting path. But remember, the role of architect is not just a fancy role with more pay. It share the same weight of responsibility with that of a PM. PM's and architects work hand-in-hand. The architect decides what technologies to use and how the system should be designed. So if the system architecture fails, the project fails. Also, becoming an architect is not a career dead-end because there are different fields of specialization as well. The certification path offered by Sun Microsystems offers a good idea of just what your options are as a Java developer.

If you're curious about what a program manager and portfolio manager is, there's a good primer from Techrepublic on the subject.

Also, if you're thinking that a CTO position still has something to do with actual programming, think again. It's a management position where one decides what technologies the company / enterprise should implement in order to meet its business goals.

So there you have it. Hope this helps explain why few developers ever become part of management.

My Movie Review: The Forbidden Kingdom

2008-05-24T00:46:00.000-07:00

This movie is a landmark event in the mere fact that it brings together two living legends of martial arts movies. Jackie Chan and Jet Li!

Kung-Fu fanatics everywhere will surely be delighted to see these two go against each onscreen. Obviously, their fight against each other will only be temporary as both are portraying good guys, which is typical for most movies having two stars sharing equal footing.

I was impressed by the tight choreography of the fight scenes between Jackie and Jet. Jackie Chan got to reprise his "drunken master" fighting style. The part where they show off different fighting styles was a thrill to see as well. Jet Li used the "praying mantis" style while Jackie Chan used the "tiger claw" to counter.

The whole movie can be enjoyed by the entire family as there isn't any observable bloodshed or even a kissing scene. I'm actually thinking of watching it again later since you don't get to see these two guys in a movie together. :D

My Rating: 4/5

Never too late to Dance-Dance Revo!

2008-05-23T20:07:00.000-07:00

After much begging and promising to do good at school, I finally agreed to get my kids two (yes, you read it right, TWO) dance mats for their Sony PS2. My two daughters looked like they were having a hell of workout when they finally got it up and running.

My wife and I couldn't resist as well and joined in the fun. It was one heck of workout!

IMHO, they should make more games that actually get you to exercise your muscles (not just your fingers)! :D

Seeking dark inspiration...

2008-05-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

I've been recently hooked by audio books of none other than that master of horror H.P. Lovecraft. Who would've guessed I'd willingly listen / read horror stories? I suppose I've always been secretly impressed with the horror genre when I bought my first horror book entitled "In The Flesh" by Clive Barker. Being a self-confessed sci-fi fan, I quickly picked up another Clive Barker book ("Imajica-the 5th dominion"). Obviously, I lapped up all the "Terminator", "Alien" and "Predator" movies that came around.

My morbidity must be surfacing or at least I may be losing some sense of sanity to keep on with my current marathon of Lovecraftian literature. Recently read / listened to the following:

The Picture in the House

The Doom that came to Sarnath

The Cats of Ulthar

The Beast in the Cave

The Lurking Fear

The Call of Cthulhu

I must say that the last two impressed me the most as they made me spine tingle and prompted me to blog about it here.

I've also been impressed by some Lovecraft-inspired work as well... A Colder War - by Charles Stross

I'm now dead-set on integrating the Cthulhu Mythos to my first literary adventure...

Why can't I avoid eating desert?

2008-05-20T00:04:00.000-07:00

Why can't I avoid eating yummy sweet stuff? I just got out of the office for a while to get some (fresh?) air, and before I knew it, I was in front of a store buying desert...

45 pesos for cold semi-sweet partly gelatinous, slushy stuff...

Oh well... We all have our weaknesses right? :D

Idea for my first mini-novel...

2008-05-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

I always wondered why Warhammer Space Marines always used landing capsules and never made any obvious attempt at using teleportation technology like the one used in "Star Trek". From what I've learned about the Warhammer mythology, mankind was plunged into some kind of technological "dark age". Science and religion have somehow merged into a single all-encompassing doctrine whose only purpose is to wage war on humanity's enemies and totally obliterate them. In my first literary attempt, i'll try to explore this aspect of the Warhammer mythos first.

Proposed Plot:
Space Marines find wreckage of a spacecraft they cannot identify on a barren planet they have recently purged of Tyranids. Tech-Marines study wreckage and find evidence that the spacecraft originated from Earth well before the time of the Horus Heresy. This knowledge immediately makes the find top secret and the planet is placed under quarantine and under the protection of the Space Marines. Tech-marines eventually find out that the spacecraft has transporter technology and start trying to piece it back together. After all, it would give them an incredibly huge advantage in dealing with their enemies! They finally manage to get the transporter to function and are able to test it successfully on non-living objects. Trouble starts when they test it on living subjects. Things go from bad to worse as a new unknown menace makes its presence felt. From here, death and unspeakable horror starts to engulf the desolate planet.

My 2008 Movies Must-Watch List

2008-05-14T21:49:00.001-07:00

I must confess Ironman has put me on feeding frenzy for more movies to watch.

I am so looking forward to watching these movies:

1) Incredible Hulk (I'm still keeping my fingers crossed here...)
2) Hellboy 2 (I just love all this weirdness)
3) The Dark Knight (The best incarnation of Batman and the Joker to date IMHO)
4) Indiana Jones (Yay! Good old cliff-hangin' action!)
5) Hancock (this one looks like a lot of fun!)

2008-05-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

We went to watch the Pyro Olympics at the back of SM Mall of Asia. We got a nice cozy place at Robbie's Seafood Restaurant with a nice view of the fireworks display. Germany was the country showing their pyrotechnics display that night. The weather wasn't cooperating at all! But it looks like the Germans finally had enough of all the waiting and finally launched their pyrotechnics come what may. Here's my amateur video... Enjoy!

RE: Nick Fury shows up in Iron Man movie after all...

2008-05-07T07:33:00.001-07:00

I am so disappointed with myself for not waiting for the end credits to finish!!! Unforgivable!!!

GRRAAAAHHHH!!!! HULK SMASHHHHH!!!!

Ok. Here's the link for all you people who (like me), didn't have enough patience to wait for the end credits to finish...

http://teaser-trailer.com/2008/05/iron-man-bootleg-nick-fury.html

My IRONMAN Movie Review...

2008-05-01T19:23:00.000-07:00

I took my whole family to watch IRONMAN on opening day. I'll admit that I was probably more excited than my kids (aged 11,10 and 8) in watching the movie (being a nerd and all that). They initially had their minds set on running wild in TimeZone (you know, the arcade place) before we watched the movie like I promised them. But what can I say? It was well worth it. It seems my kids actually paid attention during most of the movie after all since we had a lot to talk about IRONMAN even after we got out of the movie house! I was glad it turned out as well as I had hoped it would :)

Now on to my review. I'll make it short and sweet (WARNING! Possible Spoilers below)...

THE GOOD STUFF:

1) SPECIAL EFFECTS - Let's just forget for the meantime how you can pack all that high-tech gadgetry in a form-fitting suit of armor. This is, after all, a movie about a comic book hero! The effects were better than I expected. Obviously, Robocop and Terminator have nothing on good-old shell-head here (well, maybe not T-1000 or T-X). But anyway, I liked how they visualized Stark's heads-up-display (HUD). I always wondered how'd they get around to doing that since I believed it was crucial to show how Stark saw the outside world from inside his suit. Stark tech was impressive to say the least, especially the tech shown in his personal workshop. It totally showed that Stark wasn't just some rich kid with lots of hi-tech toys. He knew how to build things from scratch and he was undeniably a genius at inventing things. I was impressed by the balance between the technology grounded in reality and what was possible. Nothing too fantastic (except for Stark's chest implant though). I bet the guys who made the scene where Stark dons the suit of armor are the same guys that did the video for StarCraft where a space marine suits up. I kept seeing that scene in mind only with hot-rod red and gold as the colors of the armor. Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining here! I loved it actually. Another thing, repulsor and uni-beam technology. Loved it! My inner geek just went to geek heaven... :)

2) THE ACTION - no dull moments here folks. Fast cars! Lots of stuff blowing up! Lots of terrorist butt-kicking! Lots of heavy metal mayhem! My kids actually didn't bother me too much (except for 2 kiddy bathroom breaks which my wife graciously handled for me, she knew just how much I wanted to watch the movie).

3) CAST - a very solid cast. My initial doubts about Robert Downey Jr. being IRONMAN have all been erased. He is definitely Tony Stark! His portrayal of Stark wasn't too light-hearted nor too serious. He found a very good balance for the character while effectively portraying all his inherent flaws (a tendency to drink too much and get laid a lot). I was pleasantly surprised that I wasn't looking for more action with Ironman. Robert Downey really showed that even without the armor, he could mesmerize the audience with his acting. He surely didn't need any high-tech armor to impress me here (very well done sir)! Pepper did a very good supporting role as well as Rhodey. Happy Hogan didn't have too much screen time though but they still managed to give him some quality moments nonetheless. Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane was an excellent choice as well. He definitely knows how to play a back-stabbing villian! Truly evil!

4) CAMEO BY STAN LEE - priceless! Watch the movie, I don't want to ruin it for you. :D

5) IRON MONGER - A rampaging engine of destruction. The special effects guys certainly gave shell-head's nemesis a lot of weight on screen. The movements and digital rendering plus the metallic rumble of this heavy-metal bad guy was actually more believeable than what I saw in the Transformers movie.

6) SEQUEL - you can smell a sequel with WAR MACHINE in it from a mile away! 'nuff said!

To Marvel I say, it was money well spent! Awesome and totally MARVELous!!!

MY RANTS:

1) Jarvis - he's an A.I. instead of a real butler? Anyway, Jarvis is able to upload himself into the suit and acts as Tony's virtual co-pilot. Ok, I get it. They didn't want Tony talking to himself while in the suit so they make Jarvis into an A.I. that could be uploaded into the armor to make things more interesting. Ok, I'll buy that.

2) S.H.I.E.L.D. - now what did this stand for in the movie? I keep forgetting... I just remenbered "H" stood for "Homeland". "S" probably stood for "Strategic"... Duh... But then again, it sounded more realistic than what the actual acronym stood for in the comics... "Supreme Headquarters International Espionage Law-enforcement Division". Now that's a mouthful!

3) Stark's chest implant - So he had a hole in his heart... Literally. I can understand putting in a metal barrier around his heart to keep the shrapnel from sinking any deeper. But I always wondered what he needed the mini-power plant for? I'll probably have to do a bit of research on this later...

4) Nick Fury - WTF! No cameo by Nick Fury? They just sent an agent? I can understand the agents wearing your typical men-in-black suits instead of the tights. But come on, after the stunt Stark pulled off in that middle eastern desert with the fighter planes? It should have at least merited a quick visit by Nick Fury himself! Oh well, maybe I'm just too much of a Samuel Jackson fan...

5) Rhodey - the portrayal was a bit too weak in my opinion. I always thought of Rhodey as a bit edgier than what was shown in the movie. But that's just me. I like the parts where Stark always manages to get Rhodey to go along with his shenanigans... Shows the tremendous trust and friendship between these two guys.

6) Scene where Stark gets laid - ok, ok, I know were all mature people here. I know Stark's an alcoholic and ladies man in the comics. But c'mon, this is a movie that will definitely have kids watching it! Not just adult comic fans! They could have toned down the torrid kissing at least. I'll concede that they probably just wanted to put it in there to make their point that Stark was a real lady killer. But having to see my kids squirm and cover their eyes in their seats during that scene kinda made me wish they just edited out that part and replace it with maybe a scene showing Tony and the reporter lady kissing and then turning off the lights in the bedroom. I'm sure we'll all understand what that meant. :P

In any case, this is one movie i'll be buying when it comes out in DVD! Worth every cent! Mr. Favreau, you just made a fanboy very happy indeed!

P.S. I'm looking forward to seeing Hellboy 2, Hulk and Dark Knight. Hopefully, I'll see all of them on opening day as well (preferably with my family again). Movie day sounds like a good family tradition to me... :D

Demonoid is back!

2008-04-21T22:52:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite sites is back up! Yay!!!

Now if I can just get that big external hard drive i've been planning to get...

Steampunk laptop and keyboard...

2008-03-31T22:24:00.000-07:00

Very inspired works of art...

Here's the steampunk-inspired laptop:

http://www.datamancer.net/steampunklaptop/steampunklaptop.htm

Here's the keyboard...

I want one! :D

Artificial intelligence interrupted...

2008-03-30T21:40:00.000-07:00

I was just thinking about how great it would be to actually just try my hand at programming a very simple AI. I was thinking of using VB (apparently there are lots of procedural algorithms used to do AI programming) but Java seemed to be the more logical choice (as it is supposedly easier to model the "real-world" using this language). But then I came to realize after reading some more articles about AI that what's really important is not the programming language used but the "method" by which one tries to emulate how humans think or try to solve problems. So i'm back to studying various AI algorithms... Ok, you can stop here now if you find yourself totally bored. But then again, blogging this stuff is more for my personal satisfaction and serves as "theraphy". To be honest, I have too many things going on in my mind at the same time that I have problems focusing. Sometimes I try to focus on one thing but it has a negative effect sometimes. I tend to block out everything else going on around me... I think my son got this trait from me as well... It usually drives the people around us crazy sometimes, but what can we do? :D

Anyhow, I think that trying to analyze how I think would be like climbing Mount Everest without having the benefit of survival training. In the field of AI, a lot of experts have already devoted a great portion of their lives in trying to solve how the human mind works. And from what I've read so far, none of them have come close to figuring out how the human mind works when solving problems. I think it's better to do a lot more research before I try climbing Mount Everest... Who knows? I might even come up with an AI that can be used in a game (like a next-generation SIMS maybe?) :D

Artificial Intelligence...

2008-03-24T00:34:00.000-07:00

I'm going to write something about this soon... I've been reading a lot of interesting articles about this recently... What's AI to you anyway? Does it bring images of a cybernetic Arnold Schwarzenneger to your mind's eye? :D

Are we at an evolutionary dead-end?

2008-03-14T05:01:00.000-07:00

I'm a Heroes addict. There! I said it. I love reading comics too. Superhero stuff and anything sci-fi easily gets my attention and scratches that mental itch for things beyond the realm of the ordinary. Why? I suppose I'm one of those nutjobs that think humans haven't reached an evolutionary dead end yet. However, i'm also open-minded enough to admit that the exact opposite may just as well be true.

I'm going to try to give some (hopefully) valid and reasonable arguments for each side. Hopefully, that should give my brain a decent work-out while I'm blogging... :)

Ok, I'm now one of the "homo sapiens has reached an evolutionary dead-end" theorists. Here goes...

Some think that we have already reached a point where we physically can't evolve anymore. Our brains have reached a point that we now have the natural ability (keyword = "imagination") to create and invent things we need. To illustrate, if you can't reach that fruit hanging on the branch, you don't have to wait for your body to evolve longer limbs or for you to sprout wings. Just get a ladder (or wooden pole with a hook at one end) and there you go! If we believe that "necessity is the mother of invention", physical evolution of our species is no longer necessary since we can invent what we need to survive. Our creativity has given us the means to change our environment to suit our needs instead of the other way around. We can now thrive in the most inhospitable places on earth due of our marvelous brains. Take the Eskimos for example: They have shown how man can live at extreme temperatures without the need for any physical evolution. Eskimos wear fur to keep warm. They built igloos for shelter and built fires with whatever dry wood they could find to keep warm.

The only way we would probably evolve physically is if we were forced to live without our marvelous technology (WHAT!?! no celfones? no computers? no i-pods? Aaarrrggghh!).

Ok, enough about that for now. Now i'll tell you what I think about the possibility of further human evolution.

I once saw a show that featured a girl that was obviously an amazing rock climber. Boy, was she FAST! Lean, mean and all that! She competed in indoor rock climbing competitions and won a lot of awards. She was obviously gifted at climbing. The curious thing about her story was that she apparently grew up with monkeys as playmates. Of course she had friends like we all do but the fact that as a child, she liked to climb up trees with her simian playmates played an important factor in her physical development. She had very strong fingers (also a bit longer than usual) and a very lean and flexible body. In fact she could lift her full body weight using just two of her fingers. Imagine what skills she would have developed if she grew up living with seals. Would she have developed gills? fins? Not likely, but she would have been an exceptional swimmer who could stay underwater longer than most people could. Think of what would happen if she also settled down with a man who was equally gifted like her and they continued living near bodies of water which served as their second natural habitat and source of food. Their children would obviously be much better swimmers than they are. Who knows? Maybe after several (dozen or hundered?) generations, they may even become a new branch of humanity that can live underwater just as well as they live on land (homo-mermanus anyone)? This would certainly put the theory of evolution to the test.

Homo-sapiens can still physically evolve several ways. The most common of which are:
1) Natural Selection (Darwin's theory of evolution) - we evolve physically because of our environment (see preceding paragraph). Evolution through climate changes (not far from reality). We may even change through mutation (exposure to radiation is said to be the common cause of mutations). Right now, we're supposedly at the top of the food chain. But who knows? Some other species just might emerge and give us a run for our money (hopefully not!). But if you ask me what animal would survive a nuclear holocaust? I'd place my bet on the common cockroach. They'd probably outlast homo-sapiens (if we're not careful)...
2) Genetic manipulation - we know have the power to make genetic modifications to anything that has DNA. It is now possible to practically custom-tailor our offspring! The only thing that keeps us from creating a "master race" is because of the fact that we are held back by our "morals" (which is a very subjective and delicate subject unto itself). Tampering with DNA is considered by many as "playing God". To quote Hiro Nakamura's father (Kaito): "We have the power of Gods, but it does not give us the right to play God". I totally agree with this just to be clear. However, we cannot dismiss that man has always been too arrogant for his own good. We may even witness within our own lifetime the emergence of a form of "Master Chief" (Halo) or "Space Marine" (Warhammer 40K), courtesy of the military-industrial complex. Military applications of genetic engineering has never been far off from their radar.
3) Another possible aspect of human evolution would be "Brain" evolution. We could possibly evolve "better" brains! Faster thought processes, psychic abilities (mind-reading, mind-over-matter (telekenisis), maybe even a "spidey-sense"!).

For those of you who think that becoming a cyborg (or BORG for that matter) is another avenue for evolution. I'm not inclined to agree with you there. Fusing human tissue with cybernetic implants isn't my idea of advancing the human species (we'd actually cease to be human, if you ask me). But then again, feel free to express your opinion on this if you disagree. I'd be more than happy to find out what your reasons are...

Well, I think that's enough mental stimulation for now. I suddenly have an itch to watch Star Trek: Enterprise. :D

P.S. Don't use Gamma radiation if you want to evolve. You might end up like the HULK! :P

The real-world effects of getting three wishes from a genie

2008-03-07T18:34:00.000-08:00

I just had an interesting conversation with one of my children. My son asked me what would I wish for if a genie gave me three wishes?

Now that is something that has been probably asked for ever since the idea of magical genies were conjured up in the minds of man.

So what would be the real-world implications be if we treated this question as a thought experiment?

Since wishes would differ from person to person depending on their innermost desires or immediate needs, let's confine our discussion with the most common wishes and analyze their real-world effects:

1) No more war / Peace on Earth

2) No more disease or sickness

3) No more death

4) No more famine or food shortages

5) No more poverty / equal distribution of wealth

6) No more discrimination / equality regardless of race, gender, etc.

I didn't include "I wanna have super powers" because the real-world effects will depend on what type of super power was desired. We'd be better off watching Heroes instead. :D

Another common wish I didn't include is to have another 3 wishes or unlimited wishes. This is more of a "cheat" and not really that relevant to the discussion anyway. So let's get the ball rolling and analyze the wishes one by one:

No more war / Peace on Earth - this is a very noble wish indeed. I mean, who wouldn't want to have a world without war and suffering? But let's try to look at the effects objectively without labeling anything good or bad:

Definitely, all the worlds' arms dealers would be out of business. They'd have to find another means of making a living wouldn't they? Companies and factories that produce weapons would be severely affected as well. Armies would be a thing of the past. Industries that depend on military spending will be affected as well. There would be a domino effect on various economies of the world.

At the risk of sounding like a pessimist, I believe man is a creature in conflict with itself. He always finds something to rebel against. A child/teen eventually rebels against his parents. People rebel against laws that were created for his own good. People revolt against government. Man rebels against himself because he harbors both good and evil within. He is constantly at war with himself every waking minute of his life.

Anyway, if wars all over the world ended one way or another, the world's population would increase at an alarming rate. Like it or not, war is a big factor in managing the world's population (births vs deaths). Remember, man is not the only creature to wage war (just look at the animal kingdom, Ants regularly wage war over territory and food). The likely effect of the elimination of war? Too many people, not enough food, jobs, shelter, etc.

No more disease or sickness - Effects are very similar to the absence of war. Too many people, not enough food, jobs, shelter, etc.

Since everybody will have a healing factor like Wolverine, the health care industry will collapse. No more hospitals and clinics. Insurance companies will also be adversely affected as a great number of people will suddenly terminate their insurance policies under the false belief that they will live forever (you can still die if someone chops your head off, burns you to a crisp, drops you in a vat of acid, rips your heart out, feeds you to a lion... You get the idea). People in these industries and businesses will suddenly be out of work. Unemployment will skyrocket.

We also cannot ignore that since more people will be alive longer, generational gaps will likely develop and fracture society. Imagine living a large portion of your life with that nagging wife or mother-in-law. What would people probably do in such a situation? Partners or families separate or cut their ties is the most likely answer.

No more death - Lets say that everybody stops aging when they reach as certain age (like 40 or 50 years old). Everybody is immortal. No one dies anymore. You get to see all your descendants (not bad unless you have relatives that nag you all the time). What else happens? People start thinking of themselves as gods or superheroes (I can't die whatever I do, I am the Highlander! Bring me my battle axe!). Religions worldwide are significantly affected (if no one dies anymore, how will we get to see heaven?). Overpopulation becomes an immediate worldwide problem. Technologies to improve food production becomes imperative (progress and innovation here). Colonization of the oceans (above and below) as well as outer space becomes the next great challenge. Wars become pointless because no one will win in a perpetual conflict where no one dies (boring to any gamer on god mode). On a positive note, the search for enlightenment and knowledge will possibly become more important for people (think Star Trek). On the other hand, others may suddenly find life too boring since everybody can just take their time doing anything. This will certainly lead to complacency, laziness and indifference. Life moves at a snail's pace. Society will deteriorate and progress on all fronts will eventually come to a grinding halt. We ultimately become the proverbial couch potato (a really fat potato if you find eating to your hearts content the entertainment of your life, or a really thin one if you find eating unnecessary due to your immortality). Unless we all find a significant or profound purpose in life (like making mother earth beautiful again, saving all endangered species, making warp travel a reality, making time travel possible, etc...). If you come to think of it, because we are a finite species, we have actually achieved more in such as short period of time. The fact that we know we will not last forever actually makes us excel and want to achieve our dreams. We strive so hard because we want to see the fruits of our labor while there is still time.

No more famine or food shortages - definitely an altruisitic wish. Who wouldn't want to end famine or hunger in many parts of the world? Seeing a starving child is heartbreaking. But what happens if we find a way to eliminate food shortages? Good effects would likely be increased productivity and prosperity for all countries since the population will become healthy. Bad effects might be in the form of power being centered among those where food production is concentrated. Food control becomes a means of gaining power over others. Inequality results.

No more poverty / equal distribution of wealth - I don't really want to dwell too long on this. This was already tried by the Communists. Look at what happened to them (obviously, it didn't go too well for the people it was supposed to benefit). However, making everyone equal in terms of wealth would still not negate some men's need for more wealth (not to mention power). Competition and envy still will play a factor in how man deals with this development. Looking at it one way, no matter how hard you work, you always had the same amount of money, so why work at all? Man has an inborn need to prove his self worth. Hopefully, this may be manifested through trying to improve oneself not through the accumulation of wealth, but by other aspects such as talents (such as music / arts or sports). Maybe we all will strive for laurel crowns and Nobel prizes instead of cash. The improvement of one's self through skills and talents. Wouldn't that be something?

No more discrimination / equality regardless of race, gender - this is another nice wish. We've all seen discrimination in one form or another. One positive effect would be people will start to have a healthy amount of respect for each other. Another would be businesses will become more productive since people will be hired solely based on their ability to do a certain job. Downsides? Countries that do not develop their manpower and focus on improving the quality of education for their work force may be on the losing end economically speaking. Local workers may start losing job opportunities if foreigners who are more qualified get the lion's share of the available jobs. This is already prevalent within the US and other countries that are heavily outsourcing jobs.

There! This was my longest post so far. I hope you had a good read. As the old saying goes: "Be careful what you wish for"...

A Renewed Interest in Art

2007-12-05T09:01:00.000-08:00

Ever since my wife and I put up a new business, we've been spending our spare time doing a lot of graphic design work out of necessity... It's been great to give the artistic side of my brain a good work-out after spending so much time doing techie stuff. I'm also really glad my wife has taken a keen interest in Photoshop! Good for her. I have to say she's a real self-starter when it comes to things that take her interest. Mind you, we're total opposites (fire and ice, oil and water, that kind of stuff...) and I suppose that's what makes us click.

Everyday is a new learning experience in the wonderful world of Photoshop... :D

Be good!

Reflections...

2007-11-18T21:34:00.000-08:00

I digress a bit today...

I find myself humming the tune of Regina Spektor's song "Samson" more often than I'm comfortable with lately... You know, Samson like in "Samson & Delilah" from the Bible? I heard it from my eldest daughter as she was surfing YouTube. Being the musically-inclined person that I am, and a piano-player at that, I listened to the song a few times since it had a catchy feel to it (did I mention it was played using only a piano?)... And what did I realize?

1) I'm still an idealistic schmuck when it comes to love...
2) I too emotional and sentimental for my own good...
3) I have a strong tendency to put myself in the other person's shoe in my attempt to understand their point of view.
4) For better or for worse, i'm still a very sensitive person deep down inside...

Going back to the song. Spektor's voice is hauntingly emotional so much so that it makes me wanna drown myself in tears. I find myself imagining I was in Samson's place and honest-to-God truly falling in love with my version of Delilah (who in my mind's eye, happened to look strikingly like my wife I might add). I didn't mind she took everything from me (she cut Samson's hair, the source of his amazing strength, so it was said), and even told Delilah she did good cutting his hair. Love blinds even the mighty, the song seems to say. The sadness of it all was that ours was a tragic love that ended in death. I'd have to say I find that the lyrics were not in accordance with what you would read in the Bible. I don't recall Samson being strong because of eating "wonder bread" (like I said, the hair! the hair!), and no one remembered them or even mentioned them in the Bible (totally not true). A quick Google and Wikipedia check disproves that part of the lyrics. Unless of course the song is referring to a totally different Samson (and/or Delilah)? That's another story entirey... :)

Despite being a bit overly critical of the song, I still love it and cannot help but feel a pang of bitter-sweet pain somewhere in my heart. I almost cried a couple of times just imagining what could have happened if it were me who played Samson in that song's lyrics...

Just goes to prove that love in its various frenzied states still resides in this battle-worn heart of mine...

Oh boy, I hear the song in my head again... sob... :(

What feeds my imagination?

2007-10-26T06:43:00.000-07:00

Before my memory starts failing me, here's my list of mental "food" (did I just hear someone say "food for thought"?)... Duh!

1) Mecha (Gundams, Mechs, blah blah blah)
2) Sci-fi Movies (Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, The Matrix, Aliens, yadda-yadda)
3) Toys (Lego, Gundam model kits, Zoids)
4) PC Games (Warhammer, Homeworld, Starcraft, Fallout 2, etc.)
5) Computer Programming
6) Comics (Marvel, DC, Dark Horse)
7) Computer Hardware
8) Anime / Cartoons
9) Digital /3D Design

It's rather obvious that Warhammer and Homeworld 2 are my current favorites (notice the picture and the links?)

If anybody's reading this, you're probably thinking I'm a kid right? Well, I am most certainly NOT a kid anymore! I just like to keep a healthy imagination (They say that our imagination is the spark that makes us unique from all other lifeforms). Besides, I got a day job and kids. So there! :D

I'll try to write something about each of my hobbies as I go along. Hopefully I'll get some stuff online over the weekend (I hope)...

Till the next blog! :P

Finally!

2007-10-25T07:55:00.000-07:00

Ok. I've decided to continue with blogging as a personal experiment. I've decided to keep everything I write about here limited to stuff that "feeds my imagination". Sounds simple eh? Not if yoau're paranoid like me!

Anyway, I'll try to keep blogging whenever time permits. Everyone needs an outlet for expressing themselves right? I certainly don't want to be one of those people who are simply too repressed and miserable because they keep everything locked up inside. I've read that it may lead to some real bad stuff happening if they finally can't handle it anymore... Definitely something to avoid at all costs... :D

So that's that. I guess this is a good start considering I've managed to write up to 3 paragraphs in one sitting. It kinda does feel good to just sit down and write stuff going through your head... Maybe I'll let you guys in on some of my hobbies or interests next time...

Until then, Cheers!!! :)

In the meantime, back to work!

Testing the waters...

2007-10-22T22:01:00.000-07:00

Blogging...

Kinda makes me hesitate though... Should I really start writing (er, "blogging" I mean) about stuff that happens in my life (or those weird random thoughts that go through my semi-twisted brain for that matter) and potentially have anyone with an Internet connection read them? Being the paranoid person that I am, it somehow gives me the creeps just thinking about it...

Hmmm... I think i'll be spending the next few hours contemplating about this blogging thing...

In the meantime, gotta go back to work. :D

CHEERS!