Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Asterisks
A classmate of mine was having a science report. I was seated 3 rows from the board. Our teacher was seated at the back to check on those who are not listening. As my classmate went on about her report, she scribbled phrases of words of the board, line by line. She was interrupted by my teacher on the middle of her long report. My teacher said, "Could you emphasize what you have written on the board?" My classmate then said, "What do you mean?" "Can you but bullets on what you have written on the board?" Then she looked at me and whispered, "I don't have an idea what am I supposed to do." I said, "Just put asterisks before each line of the phrases you've written in the board."
Then she said, "How do you spell it?"
:)
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Why I like The Dark Night
I replied, " The best. 5 out of 5".
Then he asked again, "Is it better than Batman Begins?."
"Yes. Way much better."
Then he said, "I don't like Batman Begins because it is too serious."
I said, "My only problem with Batman Begins is the action sequence. It gave me headache."
"I hope TDK is not too serious."
I said, "You will be surprised. It's definitely serious, I think you have been duped by Schumacher, you like it cartoony, and liked the Batsuit nipples."
"Hahaha."
--- END ---
It was Saturday when I watched TDK, I just woke up, no bath yet, cause I planned to watch the movie on its first showing at 10am. (The movie house is just around the corner). I usually rate a movie by how many times I go to the bathroom to pee. When I watched TDK, I never went to the bathroom for a second or even felt the need to.
Comic book movies has gone a long way, Iron was humanized, it was given a human treatment, like what if they really happen in the real world. TDK also has this idea, the acts are all about the now. The Joker is a maniac, like a terrorist and Harvey "Two Face" Dent is a charismatic public servant who would like to clean up Gotham. Bruce Wayne wants to get out of the costume, and supports Dent, so he could live a normal life. Also, this time around, all the characters have enough screen time to shine. Maggie, as the new Rachel Dawes, is a better replacement for Mrs. Tom Cruise.
It's not anymore the old colorful movie where kids get giddy at how beautiful the costumes of the villians are. This time, it was all about how human each characters are on the screen like we are living with a Batman somewhere and we are watching his biography. It is like watching Mayor Alfredo Lim-in-a-costume true-to-life story on screen.
I'm out!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Musing with Music
Jason Mraz - We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
I was a fan of The Remedy and Geek in the Pink, but I had never listened to any of his album. Then an officemate of mine kept playing I'm Yours in the office for a gazillionth times that I was able to read the lines and found out how lovely it was written. Then I listened to his latest album, which is unexpected of Mraz. The songs from start to finish is very poetic and the melody is lovely. My favorites would be Details in the Fabric, which has the wonderful James Morrison as a guest, Love For A Child, which is about a life after maybe his parents' divorce, and Butterfly, which is a very very erotic and with a Marvin Gaye-vibe to it.
Alanis Morrissete - Flavors of Entanglement
I said to a friend of mine that Alanis makes beautiful music when she is heartbroken. The details are here in this album. You could almost here hear angry, lonely and happy. I always wonder how she makes a song out of those difficult sentences. This album also makes a very far distinction from her previous ones because there are fusions of electronica everywhere, and even a techno-inspired song. The words and the melody are good for the earbuds and made beautiful music.
N.E.R.D - Seeing Sounds
I not good with adjectives but the only word I can describe about this album is PERFECT! With catchy grooves and accompaniments, I can't help myself but dance to it. A perfect party music.
I'm going to sleep and I'm out!
Ciao!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Building Shadow with Prototype
I was handed a project with a stupid design where I get to place shadows on almost all boxes on the page and not to use tables, for SEO's sakes. So I have a hard time figuring out what to do.
First, I cut the shadows to use on Photoshop by areas, top-left, top, top-right, left, right, bottom-left, bottom, and bottom-right, cause the image looks like this:
The width and the height of the content grows, so a slice on other than what I had in mind would be impossible.
Next, I was absorbing the ideas of Prototype framework and scriptaculous, so I decided to use it. For scriptaculous, I only made use of builder.js. To equalize the height of the left and right areas, I found the code somewhere which makes the heights of 2 divs equal.
So the code:
function buildShadow(itemarea) {
var objBody = itemarea.parentNode;
objBody.appendChild(Builder.node('div', [
Builder.node('div', {className:'stop'} , [
Builder.node('div', {className:'sleft'}) ,
Builder.node('div', {className:'sright'})]
),
Builder.node('div', {className:'sinner', id: itemarea.id+'sinner'} , [
Builder.node('div', {className:'sleft', id: itemarea.id+'sleft'}) ,
Builder.node('div', {className:'sright', id: itemarea.id+'sright'}),
Builder.node('div', {style:'overflow: hidden;', className:'detailsarea'}, [itemarea])
]
),
Builder.node('div', {className:'sbottom'} , [
Builder.node('div', {className:'sleft'}) ,
Builder.node('div', {className:'sright'})]
)
]));
fixH(itemarea.id, itemarea.id+'sleft');
x = $(itemarea.id+'sleft').style.height.replace("px", "");
$(itemarea.id+'sright').style.height = String(x) + "px";
}
function fixH(one,two) {
if (document.getElementById(one)) {
var lh=$(one).getHeight();
var rh=$(two).getHeight();
var nh = Math.max(lh, rh);
document.getElementById(one).style.height=nh+"px";
document.getElementById(two).style.height=nh+"px";
}
}
The css:
.stop{
height: 4px;
font-size: 2pt;
background: url('shadow_top.jpg') repeat-x top left;
}
.sleft {
height: 4px;
width: 4px;
background: url('shadow_top_left.jpg') no-repeat top right;
float:left;
}
.sright{
height: 4px;
width: 4px;
background: url('shadow_top_right.jpg') no-repeat top left;
float: right
}
.sinner {
width: auto;
font-size: 2pt;
background: white;
}
.sinner .sleft {
background: url('shadow_left.jpg') repeat-y top left;
height: 100%;
}
.sinner .sright {
background: url('shadow_right.jpg') repeat-y top right;
height: 100%;
}
.sbottom {
height: 4px;
font-size: 2pt;
background: url('ishadow_btm.jpg') repeat-x bottom left;
}
.sbottom .sleft {
background: url('shadow_btm_left.jpg') no-repeat bottom right;
}
.sbottom .sright {
background: url('shadow_btm_right.jpg') no-repeat bottom left;
}
To accomplish the shadow, I make a call to the function, passing the object(div) as parameter:
buildShadow($("divIDHere"));
Downloads:
prototype
scriptaculous
Friday, June 20, 2008
The Innocent Man
Fast forward, then came his first non-fiction book. When a friend of mine was in Manila, he told me that he was in Powerbooks and because he knows I read a lot of Grishams, informed me that The Innocent Man is out on paperback. I told him to buy me one, unfortunately, he doesn't have some extra cash. It was Midnight sale anyway in G-Mall so I decided to try my luck at NBS. Then I found the last 2 copies of the book. Without thinking of my budget, I bought it and hurriedly read it.
The element of thriller that are present in most of Grisham's book is still evident in the book. It was narrated in a manner that you will fell sorry for the protagonist and how he suffered the consequences of the crime he did not commit. The story then continued on his being misjudged and his life on death row. There are also religious aspects discussed on the book, on how Ron (that was his name) was denied by his church and decided to join another community. It all ended on the time of his death when he was diagnosed with liver disease.
It is a good read because you will get to realize that there are indeed injustices, not because of money or lack of it, but because people in power plays with it.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Enjuto Mojamuto
http://muchachadanui.rtve.es/videos/05-enjuto-en.html
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Tedious Holidays
Friday - Since I wasn't able to go home, I cooked my first paella. I have been memorizing the recipe I got in the internet so when it was about time to cook, I tried to recall all that is on the recipe. A friend of mine paid me a visit in the afternoon. Evening came, I went to a friend's house because I was alone at home at stayed at their place until saturday.
Saturday - I woke up late and supposed to go home earlier. I was still at a friend's house and hurriedly went back to the apartment to get my things. I arrived at the terminal at 2pm, got on the bus and arrived at my most unlikable place on earth, my hometown. I don't like the place but my parents are here. In the evening, my father borrowed the trisikad of my brother so we could roam around the poblacion. Then got stuck at my cousins place. We ate balut, have a lot of catching up. Slept!
Sunday - Again I woke up late, and told my parents that we should get together at the beach. I hand out some cash to my father to buy some food for baon. When everything was settled, we went to the beach, with my cousins and pamangkins. At the beach, I only looked at the huge waves and dirty gulf. There must have been some landslide somewhere because there where lots of logs and leaves around the beach. We went home late in the afternoon with no one got wet.
Monday - I woke up early, had a cup of coffee and a cigarette. Prepared my things and headed for the terminal. Unfortunately, I came late in the office and with a news that my laptop is still unusable. Darn!
I'm out!
Sunday, March 02, 2008
Something Technical: Using Tortoise on Visual Studio 2005
SVN and Tortoise. Well, I was glad that I was familiar with Tortoise, but using it for Visual Studio 2003?
I was used to Visual Sourcesafe 2005 (VSS). VSS works will for Visual Studio because the controls are on
the Visual Studio IDE already. When using Tortoise, I would have to open a separate window, for Explorer,
to Check-In, Update and Lock a file while the VSS Commands is already part of the Visual Studio IDE.
I searched the internet for solutions and found one that gave me a complicated instruction which I finally did able to accomplished. So I made another example of how to attain a command inside the Visual Studio IDE without having to open an Explorer to manipulate the source control:
Hope this will be easy for you:
1. Go to Tools->External Tool
2. Add The ff:
Title: Update
Command: C:\Program Files\TortoiseSVN\bin\TortoiseProc.exe
Arguments: /command:update /path:"$(SolutionDir)" /notempfile
Title: Log
Command: C:\Program Files\TortoiseSVN\bin\TortoiseProc.exe
Arguments: /command:log /path:"$(SolutionDir)" /notempfile
Title: Check for Modification
Command: C:\Program Files\TortoiseSVN\bin\TortoiseProc.exe
Arguments: /command:repostatus /path:"$(SolutionDir)" /notempfile
Title: Lock
Command: C:\Program Files\TortoiseSVN\bin\TortoiseProc.exe
Arguments: /command:lock /path:"$(SolutionDir)" /notempfile
Title: Revert
Command: C:\Program Files\TortoiseSVN\bin\TortoiseProc.exe
Arguments: /command:update /path:"$(SolutionDir)" /notempfile
Title: Commit
Command: C:\Program Files\TortoiseSVN\bin\TortoiseProc.exe
Arguments: /command:update /path:"$(SolutionDir)" /notempfile
3. Customize your toolbar by right clicking on any part of the toolbar.
4. Go to Toolbars Tab and Click New.
5. Name the toolbar as Tortoise.
6. Click on the Commands Tab and select Tools from the Category. (The commands added will be named as External Command N. If you cannot locate the commands you just added, you may close the Customize Dialog Box and count where the command was place then do the Customization again.)
7. Drag the Commands to the New Toolbar.
----Placing Icons
8. After all of the Commands are placed, click Rearrange Commands and select Toolbar. Select Tortoise from the dropdown menu.
9. Right click the first image below and select copy (use Firefox!). On the VS IDE, select the Control for Update, click
Modify Selection, then select Paste Button Image. You may need to edit the image if there are black spots.
(To edit, select Modify Selection -> Edit Button Image). Make sure that on the Modify Selection, the Default Style is selected. Do the placing of image for all controls.
10. That's it, open the copy of your project that is connected to SVN.
I'm out!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
She's a Christian!
Now I get what she meant, it's their way of saying that she is a Protestant. I can't understand why they label someone as Christian to identify the person as not Catholic? Do they mean that being Catholic is being not a Christian? Is this a kind of discrimination to Catholics?
I'm not sure but I'm out!
Monday, February 11, 2008
Why I Leave?
I was supposed to work for the Research and Development team but as time goes by, I became a team leader which is a not a step back from my older position. Things got a little bit dirtier when a new boss came to help out sort the problem. During this painful period, I did a lot of coding, a painful exercise for my brain, which is not what I supposed to be doing. The new boss asked for a report, and after sending the report to him, asked a question which is already in the report. It made my stay in the company worst.
After a month of reflections, I decided to resign. I couldn't handle the situation anymore. So here I am now in a new company, trying to find my way into the profession.
How long will I last?
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....
I'm Out!
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
The Beautiful Juno
Ellen Page's Juno is an acerbic wit, she's a cheerleader or a campus crush, she's just a simple girl who knows how to handle her problems. Every line she delivers is perfect, always hits the right spot. There is also Micheal Cera (Superbad) who's perfect for the role of Juno's boyfriend. She has a supporting parents who trusts her every decision. She once tried to abort the baby but couldn't handle it, so she decided to opt for adoption. She found the adoptive parents and loved them. In the end, Juno did the right thing.
The movie is funny in every part but there are moments that you get to feel sorry for the lead. But you will know that she is going to do what is best for her. The other actors, like Peter Parker's boss (I forgot his name) and Jennifer Garner act their part well. The soundtrack is also lovely, I keep playing Sonic Youth's Superstar (originally done by The Carpenters).
It's a great watch.
I'm out!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Brick
A week ago I received a text message from a cousin of mine, she needed help. As an ever helpful cousin, I asked her what it is and she said her menstruation is delayed for 7 days. And she is scared, she should be.
She gave birth last April of 2007 to a not-so-healthy baby girl. The baby was delivered normally but has a heart problem, something about a blocked vessel, and no opening on her rectum. She and her partner consented to have the operations needed for the baby. They spent almost about half a million pesos. Luckily, her partner is wealthy and is eager to have a son or a daughter (he's married and her wife couldn't concieve, not sure either if they have separated) and gave all of his fortune for the baby. Currently, the baby is healthy. My cousin have two kids on her previous relationship and both are healthy and have no defects. So it must be the guy who has a genetic problem.
So why did she texted me? Apparently she remembered I told her about ECP. Emergency contraceptive pills is an available contraceptive pill is the US that will stop the conception three days after intercourse, if the woman knew she is fertile during the action. It's 3 days, not seven days, I told her. She asked me for alternatives, I said I have to ask a friend.
After texting a friend, I told my cousin about a contraceptive pill to be taken at an unusual dosage so that she will have a miscarriage. But before she do it, I told her to asked her ob-gyn if the pill will suit her. A couple of days later, she rang me and said that it didn't work. She and her partner have decided to go to the extreme and optioned for abortion.
I am pro-life and I'm against it but I'm also liberal and I don't want to control people. I told her about the risks and did not said a word about my being against it. It would be their decision, not mine. I told her to see her ob-gyn again if it won't risk her life.
A day has passed then she gave me a ring again and asked me where could she get abortion. I've texted a friend, my hands are uncontrollably shaking. I've forwarded the reply to my cousin and told her to take care of herself. She told me that they had she and her partner had decided to do it for they are not yet ready for another child. I kept thinking, it's a fetus not a baby (from watching too much of House). She said she will call me once her predicament is over.
I'm pro-life and anti-abortion advocate but I'm not in control of other people's lives. And I'm not a divine person either. The best that I can do is educate them and leave them to decide.
Am I right?
I'm out!
Brick
She gave birth last April of 2007 to a not-so-healthy baby girl. The baby was delivered normally but has a heart problem, something about a blocked vessel, and no opening on her rectum. She and her partner consented to have the operations needed for the baby. They spent almost about half a million pesos. Luckily, her partner is wealthy and is eager to have a son or a daughter (he's married and her wife couldn't concieve, not sure either if they have separated) and gave all of his fortune for the baby. Currently, the baby is healthy. My cousin have two kids on her previous relationship and both are healthy and have no defects. So it must be the guy who has a genetic problem.
So why did she texted me? Apparently she remembered I told her about ECP. Emergency contraceptive pills is an available contraceptive pill is the US that will stop the conception three days after intercourse, if the woman knew she is fertile during the action. It's 3 days, not seven days, I told her. She asked me for alternatives, I said I have to ask a friend.
After texting a friend, I told my cousin about a contraceptive pill to be taken at an unusual dosage so that she will have a miscarriage. But before she do it, I told her to asked her ob-gyn if the pill will suit her. A couple of days later, she rang me and said that it didn't work. She and her partner have decided to go to the extreme and optioned for abortion.
I am pro-life and I'm against it but I'm also liberal and I don't want to control people. I told her about the risks and did not said a word about my being against it. It would be their decision, not mine. I told her to see her ob-gyn again if it won't risk her life.
A day has passed then she gave me a ring again and asked me where could she get abortion. I've texted a friend, my hands are uncontrollably shaking. I've forwarded the reply to my cousin and told her to take care of herself. She told me that they had she and her partner had decided to do it for they are not yet ready for another child. I kept thinking, it's a fetus not a baby (from watching too much of House). She said she will call me once her predicament is over.
I'm pro-life and anti-abortion advocate but I'm not in control of other people's lives. The best that I can do is educate them and leave them to decide. Am I right?
I'm out!
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
His Dark Materials Book III : The Amber Spyglass
The story covered the journey of Will and Lyra to the world of the dead, where Lyra wanted to seek his dear friend, Roger, who was killed by Lord Asriel on the first book. In the world of the dead, Lyra was separated, for the first time, with his daemon, and soon Will also found out that he also left his. The book describes the world of the dead as a place, like a ruined city, where harpies, some winged creatures, feed on peoples misery. It also noted that there was no heaven or hell. Soon, Will was able to help the dead people escape the city by making a window to another world. When the soul came out of the window, their soul dissipates into the air and join the atoms of the universe to be renewed, either as another human being or any matter.
The book ended with Will and Lyra found their lost daemons and the two of them fell in love with each other. There came a conflict when the witch Serafina Pekkala came with a news that the two of them should go back to their own worlds, they cannot live together for the stranger to the other world will not die young. A heart breaking scene ended it all with Lyra sending Will and Dr. Malone to their own world and with the gyptians, Lyra was back to her world.
Will also found out from the angel Balthamos that the subtle knife is the reason why the Specters existed. That everytime Will cuts a window, a Specter is brought to life. So Will taught the angel how to close all the windows and Will broke the knife.
This book is the reflection of what the beliefs of the author is all about. Through Dr. Malone's words, the author clearly points out his notion on the Church's role in the civilization and how the Church limits the free will of every individual. Also, the author points our the idea of heaven and hell, that they are invented to instill fear to keep everyone from sin.
I believe it is a good read!
I'm out!
Thursday, January 10, 2008
His Dark Materials Book II: The Subtle Knife
The end of the book, which was not shown on the film version, is about Lord Asriel having finally able to move to the different world. All three books deals talks a lot about parallel universe, that there are people and animals of different kinds on a world that may be like ours and are moving around but not touching each other. Not like the Jet Li movie the one, because it was about multiverse. Lord Asriel used Roger's daemon as his vessel to open the gateway to another universe. Lyra was left in her world.
The second book introduces a new main character by the name of Will, who lives on our world and who found a window to another world. In the other world, Will found out that the place was ruled by children because the those who are old where afraid of beings called Specters. The Specters are not visible to the children. The Specters consume human lives by sucking the soul or the consciousness of the person. Here in this world, the Subtle Knife was created. The bearer of the knife would be able to use the other side to cut any objects, and the other side could create a window to another world. Will was able to possess this and he became the bearer.
Another character was introduced, a scientist of our world named Mary Malone. Dr. Malone is an ex-nun who is researching on the scientific explanation of the human consciousness. She is believed to play a bigger part in the third book, which I am currently reading.
Here, the Church's role was vividly described and their plans were being laid out. They don't want anyone to know the real meaning behind their tradition.
Lord Asriel has built his army to fight the Authority, who was described on the book as not the Creator but rather an angel who assumes the role of the creator.
Will found his father, who was mentioned on the first book, but was later killed by a witch out of love. What a kind of love!
The book ends with Lyra being kidnapped by Mrs. Coulter, who was able to pass through different worlds and Will left with his dead father and able to figure out what the knife can do.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
His Dark Materials Book I : The Golden Compass
An officemate of mine, you know who you are, lend me her book, the first of the trilogy. The European version is entitled The Northern Lights, which is the dancing golden light shown by Lord Asriel to the member of Jordan College. Although the alethiometer doesn't look like a common compass, I think it is a better description of it.
There are a lot of differences that I've read on the book than I've seen, really, a lot. They've made a huge change. Unlike the Harry Potter or Lord of The Rings films, where scenes not related to the main focus of the film were cut, but you could really tell that the movie is loyal to the book. The Golden Compass is not. The director said that he did so to stay away from the anti-organized religion theme but still, for me, it doesn't make sense. It was the main theme of the book, written in a fantasy genre. So to take that away means to create an entirely different kind of movie.
I would love to list down the differences but I won't. One review about the film I've read online said that after viewing, his son cried, not because the movie was touchy but the kid thinks that he was cheated.
I was cheated, I don't have to cry.
I'm out!
AI is back, and it's on QTV!
I'll be watching and looking for my favorite.
I'm out!
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Christmases and New Years (part 2)
After waiting for an hour, I decided to approach the cashier and asked her if the GC is acceptable on the other lanes. She took a look at the line and told me that it is ok. So I went to look for a fastest lane and fortunately found one. I should have ask the question earlier. Damn!
December 30, I rode a bus from davao at 4pm and arrived at around 7pm.
On the eve of new year's day, the place became a warzone. Firecrackers where everywhere. Our baby was all awake, wondering what the noise is all about. We shared a nice meal together and at around 1am, my brother and I decided to go to our cousin's place in the Bukid!
There, we spent the night drinking and merrying and went home at 5 in the morning.
I'm out!
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Christmases and New Years
Christmases and New Years are the only time of the year were I get to spent a lot of time with my family. I don't usually go home on Holy Week holidays.
This past Christmas was very special, we rebuilt our house and there was a new addition to our family, my sister's son, who was born last October. My father and my mother are used to be the only inhabitants of our home, since my sister gave birth, they are now accompanied with my sister and my sister's son. My mother was very eager to leave my aunt's house, which they stayed when the old house was destroyed, on the 24th of December. She wanted us to celebrate our Christmas on our new house. So glad we did, even if it haven't been furnished yet. I bought new Christmas lights and new wall clock. My brother and I painted the old furnitures to make it look new, washed the dirty dishes, and bought groceries for the Noche Buena.
to be continued...