Long before Barney, Blues Clues, Dora The Explorer and the hideous TeleTubbies, there was SESAME STREET. I grew up watching Sesame Street twice a day (morning and afternoon). I never miss it. I think that's where I got my start on the English language. Not to mention the ability to mimic the voices of these wonderful characters such as Ernie and Grover.
But do you remember BIG BIRD. He's the big yellow bird who's not so hard to miss. He's the bird that got lost in the first Sesame Street movie. I think I cried in that movie. Ever wondered who that person was inside the costume? Read more and find out.
Yahoo! posted a video interview (courtesy of the Associated Press) of the person inside the suit. You can watch it here. I urge you to watch it especially if you are a longtime fan of the show. He'll tell you some small tidbits that will surprise you. Plus, he had this very funny punchline in the end. Make sure you take notice.
Post your reactions please. I want to hear your stories about it.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
DO YOU REMEMBER BIG BIRD?
IT'S BEEN AWHILE
It's been awhile since my last post. I've been pretty busy these past few days. I'm back to school and I'm hoping to finish my master's degree. Also, I'm working on my new personal website which will be launched next month (July 1, 2008). It's pretty exciting. I'll give you some updates about it here soon.
In the meantime, on with the posts.
Type rest of the post here
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
THE NEW IPHONE 3G HAS LANDED
I've read the specs and it looks good. It claims to be faster than the first one and less in price. Unfortunately, I think the new unit doesn't have a camera at the user's side. I mean if this phone is truly 3G, then it should make 3G calls. If you make 3G video calls, then it's expected that you can see the person you're talking to, right? My N71 makes 3G calls that shows me to the person I'm talking to. It seems this iPhone 3G only has one camera.
I haven't seen the keynote speech of Steve Jobs yet, which usually is an exciting thing to watch. Steve is a master of presenting things in a simple way.
More on this later. I got to take a test. Chiao!
Monday, June 9, 2008
SIX WAYS TO WASTE YOUR GAS
Just like all of us who use cars, we are continually finding ways to extend that full tank of gas. With the prices of gasoline soaring faster than my salary, I'll do what to save more. While checking my email and surfing the net (yes I do it simultaneously), I happen to see these quick tips taken from the Yahoo! website.
Here they are:
1. Racing away from green lights
When the light turns green, you don't have to take off as quickly as possible. That pedal under your right foot is called the "gas pedal" for a good reason. The more you press down on it, the more gas you're pumping into the engine.
Press lightly on the gas pedal, and you'll still accelerate, and you'll still get where you're going. You might be surprised at how little pressure it takes to get your car up to speed in a reasonable time.
2. Racing up to red lights
When you're driving down the street, and you see a light red light or stop sign up ahead, you should lay off the gas sooner rather than later.
There's no point in keeping your foot on the gas until just before you reach the intersection. Let off the pedal sooner and give your engine a rest as you coast to the stop while braking gently. As an added benefit, your brake pads will last longer, too.
By themselves, these first two tips can improve your fuel economy around town by as much as 35 percent, according to tests conducted by automotive information Web site Edmunds.com.
3. Confusing the highway with a speedway
Even if it doesn't involve hard acceleration, speeding wastes gas. The faster you go, the more air your vehicle has to push out of the way. It's like moving your hand through water. The faster you try to move your hand, the harder the water pushes back.
In tests by Consumer Reports, driving at 75 miles per hour instead of 65 miles per hour reduced fuel economy by between 3 and 5 miles per gallon, depending on the vehicle.
4. Bumper-buzzing
Tailgating is a bad move for many reasons. First of all, it's unsafe. You reduce your ability to react if the car in front of you slows or stops. It also means you have to pay ultra-close attention to that car which reduces your ability to scan for other hazards ahead of you and to the sides.
And tailgating wastes gas. Every time the driver ahead taps his brakes, you have to slow down even more than he did. (That's because you can't react immediately so you have to slow even more because you're slowing down later.) Then you accelerate again to get back up to speed and resume your bumper-buzzing routine.
Hang back and you'll be safer - plus you'll be able to drive more smoothly and use less fuel. A good rule of thumb is to allow two seconds of space between your car and the one ahead. You can figure that out by counting off two seconds after the car in front of you passes an obvious landmark like an overpass.
5. Driving standing still
You've probably heard that it takes more gas to restart a car than to let it run. Maybe that used to be true, but it isn't anymore. With modern fuel-injection engines, it takes very little extra gas to restart a car once it's warmed up.
Idling, meanwhile, burns about a half-mile worth of gas every minute, according to the California Energy Commission. That's why hybrid cars shut down their gasoline engines whenever they stop, even for a moment.
Now you don't want to shut your engine down for every little stop in your regular, non-hybrid car - it's not designed for that - but if you're waiting for someone to run in and out of a convenience store, turn off the engine.
And don't go through the drive-through at fast food restaurants. You're already paying enough for the oil in those chicken nuggets.
Bonus tip: Don't idle your engine to let it warm up before driving. It does your engine no good and it wastes gas. Instead, start driving right away, but drive gently until the engine is warm.
6. Short hops
For really short trips, take advantage of the opportunity to get some exercise. Try walking to the store instead of driving. You can save gas and burn a few calories instead.
If you can't hoof it, save up your errands. A lot of short hops that let the engine cool down at home between trips can use twice as much gas as starting the car once and making a big sweep to all your stops, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Go to your farthest destination first so your engine has a chance to reach its optimal operating temperature. Then make your other stops on the way back. With the engine warmed up, the car will restart easily and run efficiently all the way home.
I hope these tips help you and it would help me too. The original link of this article is found here.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
WWE'S THE BIG SHOW HAS A BIG HEART
I saw the day-after pictures of WWE's (World Wrestling Entertainment) The Big Show in his hotel room after the ONE NIGHT STAND PAY-PER-VIEW. Man, it wasn't pretty.
He got this big bulk on his left eye just covering it. Also, there was about a three-inch cut that was very visible (and was very bloody). The guy looked like he was beaten by thugs in a local bar (not that the Big Show would let himself be beaten by thugs). But that's how he looked like.
Frankly, whether he's a face or a heel, I admire him for his dedication to the sport. I mean to go through a career with gashes of blood and injuries caused by singapore canes and chairshots is something to be admired. I know some people do not acutally consider wrestling/sports-entertainment as a sport. But the physicalities of this genre of contact fighting is something to be applauded.
Call them glorified stuntment. Call them fakes. Call them looneys. You cannot deny the fact that these superstars go through so much to give the fans that they love their everything.
BIG SHOW. I don't know if you will read this knowing that you have a busy schedule and regaining your eye back. But I just want you to know that I and your countless fans admire your bravery and passion for the sport. Thanks BIG SHOW!
Hope you win back the ECW title. Maybe in the NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS PPV, it will be all worth it.
You can find the link of the pictures here.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
I LOVE MY COUNTRY - THE PHILIPPINES
Today, we celebrate flag day. The Filipino flag was unfurled on May 28, 1898 when the Philippines defeated the Spaniards. Aguinaldo's army defeated the Spaniards at the Battle of Alapan. The flag has always been a symbol of freedom and the lives that were given for freedom.
I am proud to be Filipino. No one can doubt that. I don't think I will see myself living in another country other than my own (unless God calls me to another country). It was funny because when I applied for a US visa, the consul at the other side of the glass denied me thinking I would go TNT/AWOL in the states. That I will be migrating there with my entire family. She was wrong. I love my country. I will not have it any other way.
Yes. It may have its share of problems. Yes. It's has hiccups here and there. Yes. We may not be the richest and most powerful nation on earth. But God blessed the Philippines with so many things that other nations envy. I just hope my fellow countrymen will see that.
I am amazed at the Filipinos ingenuity. I am impressed with the Filipino's creativity. I adore the Filipinos ability to adjust to situations (sometimes unfavorable) and make it better. Filipinos are considered 3rd in the world that smiles often. Personally, I think we should be 1st not just because of our warm hospitality but our zest for life and the attitude of hope.
The Philippines is and will always be my country. It's flag is something to be proud of. Countless lives have been sacrificed so that the flag can dance in the wind in our offices and schools.
I pray that there be a wave of nationalism soon. We don't know how important we have right now until it's taken away from us.
I love the Philippines. I love my country.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
SEGWAY: "MY 32ND BIRTHDAY IS TODAY!"
Today, I take a bit of a break to celebrate my birthday. I want to thank you for supporting all my projects especially iwannatalkabout.com. You don't know how much I appreciate your support. It is not easy to come up with the project like this especially that the success rate is quite unseen.
Thank you so much that you take the time in visiting my site projects. In the coming weeks, I have some projects that will be launched. I do hope you will have the same enthusiasm for iwannatalkabout.com and my other projects.
Again, thanks and God bless!
Type rest of the post here
Friday, May 23, 2008
WANT TO OWN A PIECE OF THE MOON
There's this company in the United Kingdom (UK) that sells property on the moon. Yes! You got it. The same floating sphere made of 'cheese' that greet us every night is, according to them, is for sale. Now you may think that it's impossible (I said that too). But it seems there are people selling moon properties. And what's more idiotic about this is that there are PEOPLE BUYING!
You can read the full article here.
Here's a piece of the article that started it all.
"In 1980, the Nevada-based entrepreneur claimed ownership of the moon after finding what he calls a loophole in the 1967 United Nations Outer Space Treaty, which forbids countries from owning the moon but, according to Hope, does not forbid individuals from owning it."
So it seems that the Philippines nor the United States can claim that the moon is theirs. But individuals such as myself can claim to have a stake on the moon. What is so pathetic about this is that there are people who take their hard-earned money and buy moon land. They're given a deed made of tin as proof of their ownership.
Now, here's another dumb comment (from the same article).
"At some point the world community needs to come together and draft some new convention or treaty," said Paul Dempsey, director of the Institute of Air and Space Law and McGill University in Montreal. "It is an open wound that needs to be healed."
We need to draft a new treaty to forbid anyone from owning the moon. Now, I do believe that, one day, we will all be able to live in other planets like Mars. But does it sound like we're being very greedy here? The whole things sounds like it's greed driven, don't you think?
And besides, did we even consult with the other planets who may have a stake in the Earth's moon. Maybe there are martians who have been sold moon property? What will they say about this? Did these people even consult the INTERGALACTIC SPACE FEDERATION? (This is a joke, people.)
Personally, we are all just staying here on this earth for a short time. We may live in it but it's we don't necessarily own it. We are caretakers and we should do our part in making the world a better place. We can't take care of the earth and we're so focused on the moon this time?
What do you think? Let me know.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
MOM FORCED TO LIVE IN HER CAR
I read a lot of stuff on the net. But this one broke my heart. Barbara Harvey, a 67 year old former loan processor, was laid off from work and lost her condo and now lives in her car. Currently, he works part time for $8 an hour. She's a mother of three kids. Her youngest now stays with friends.
You can read the entire news article here.
You may ask where here two older kids are. Well, they're actually trying to give their mom help. But she wouldn't want to accept it. Why? Beats me.
But it's quite sad that a woman who has worked all her life and tried to establish herself and her family will spend her recent life living in a car. That makes me grateful that I have a roof over my head. Also, it makes me think about the future and how I can make it fruitful by preparing for it today.
Still, people in the Philippines want to migrate to the States. Even their own people are losing their jobs. What makes us exempted?
What do you think about this article? Post your comments here.
SEGWAY: "THANKS FOR 1000 VISITS"
I want to take this time and thank you for registering 1000 visits on this site. This site has been up for only two months. Without much advertising and a meager promotional thrust, I'm happy to say that you helped me make it to 1000 visits. I do hope you can visit more often and tell your friends about this site. More posts soon.
Also, please do comment on the post. I enjoy reading them.
Thanks and Happy 1000. See you in 2000 visits.
Type rest of the post here
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
NBA STAR DWAYNE WADE GIVES HIS MOM A CHURCH
NBA Superstar Dwayne Wade gave his mother one of the most unique gift anyone has given on Mother's Day - her own church. Yes. You read it clear. Dwayne Wade gave his mom her own church (building).
Story goes that Dwayne's mom, Jolina Wade, had a past on drugs and substance abuse. During her stay in prison, she got born-again and devoted her life to prison ministry and spreading God's word. Now, she is co-pastor to the Temple of Praise on the South Side. Dwayne bought the building for her mom so she can do more for God and the community.
That's a unique gift. Not everyone will agree to the gift nor would find it cool (as I've read in some posts on the net). But if it's something that will help the passion of his mom further (especially if its something positive and life-saving), why not.
Now, my birthday is coming up soon. I wonder if someone will give me a church too?
Read the article here.
What do you think about this news? Let me know.
Monday, May 19, 2008
YEARBOOK BECOMES SCARYBOOK
The students of McKinney High School in Texas got the biggest surprise of their high school life when they received the altered yearbooks done by an employee of Lifetouch National School Studios Inc. These alterations range from switched heads and faces, stretched necks and even decapitated arms.
The whole story can be found on this link (YAHOO!). Personally, I am very offended with this gesture. This is a prank that should not be tolerated and left unpunished. This is just like vandalism. I hope the people of Lifetouch can do something about it. From what I read, I don't think they did any reprimand.
One statement that caught my attention was this: "an unfortunate lapse in judgment by an employee but didn't believe it was malicious." Didn't believe it was malicious? Oh cmon! Not Malicious? Give me a break!
And besides, how did the final print even got passed the editor-in-chief. Unless, of course, there was a switch-a-roo. I'm happy the publishers took full responsibility (as they should) to this whole mess.
A whole year of work out the drain thanks to thought it was not malicious to make the yearbook a book of horrors.
What do you think about this? Let me know.
Friday, May 16, 2008
GLOBE GETS IPHONE
I'm sure you've heard the news somewhere. The next generation iPhone will be announced in a few weeks and it will be handled by Globe Telecoms here in the Philippines. I'm sure all the Globe subscribers are jumping for joy because they don't need to switch. As for other networks (such as SMART), it was an uppercut out of nowhere.
As I've read online, the reason why GLOBE got the deal was not because they negotiated with APPLE. It was SingTel (Singapore Telecoms) who closed the deal and distributed it to its partners. Since Globe is its partner, they got the iPhone deal.
How will this turn out in the local scene? Will people switch to Globe from Smart just because of the iPhone? It's a wait-and-see time because we don't really know what kind of promo will Globe come out. Though there are some things that must be considered.
Let us see what happens after the iPhone announcement in June 2008.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
SPEED RACER THE MOVIE WAS SO SLOW THAT I FELT SLEEPY
I just got home from the movie theater. My family and I caught the last full show of SPEED RACER - a movie depicted from the old anime/cartoon series about a family who goes on fighting the evil elements through racing. I was excited to watch it because it does look cool. But after about 10 minutes, I got sleepy. Not just me but my wife and son.
There were some high points. The effects were very cool. The color and contrasts of the movie were pumped up to look like it came out of a comic book/cartoon. It was fun to see the cartoon characters in real life (especially Pops and Trixie). Unfortunately, the movie's pacing was like a traffic jam - slow and steady.
Yes. I admit. The races were pretty exciting. Cars jumping from one part of the tract to another. But the spinning cars can get quite boring after a few scene. It looked repetitive. Yes. The Mach 5 was awesome and much better looking than the cartoon version. Plus, it was cooler when they put some modifications on it.
However, the in-between racing scene were draggy. I was boring. Somehow, I felt they were starting to talk "blah.blah.blah." I was drowning in the dialogue. If they only spruced up these scenes, the movie would have been fine. My wife felt that we wasted 2 hours and 15 minutes of our lives which would have been better spent at home.
I hate to burst your bubble but it's not one of those movies I'd go and see again (unlike Iron Man). Unlike IRON MAN that got me to the edge of my seat, this movie made me want to go home already. It's unlikely I would buy a DVD of this movie either.
Speed Racer was so slow that it made me feel sleepy. If you're a fan, go watch it. You'll get a kick out of seeing the cartoon in reel/real life. If not, go watch something else.
So that's my take with Speed Racer. If you watched it already, let me know what you think about it. If you believe my comments here are true, then back me up. If not, let me know. There's always something to talk about.
Can't wait to hear from ya.
Monday, May 12, 2008
THE SITES I VISIT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY
Upon pushing that POWER BUTTON, firing up that laptop or macbook and hooking up to the world wide web, what are the sites that you first visit at the beginning of your cyber day? Each person has a mix and match of websites that cater to their interests. I've seen people visit one website first and go to the next. As for me (and with the use of tabbed browsing courtesy of Firefox), I have the pleasure of opening 10 tabs with the sites I visit.
What are these websites? Here's my list and not necessarily in order.
So far, that's all I remember visiting.
How about you? What are the sites you visit first thing everyday? Tell me about it.
Why don't you post your comments here.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
SEGWAY: "It's been awhile."
Hello folks! I know I haven't been posting lately. I'm a little bit busy with a project I'm doing for an acquaintance of mine. Hopefully, I'll be able to show it to you early next week. Let's just say it's something I'm very proud to do.
All I can say is that you need to have your creative juices flowing. As for the site, I will be posting more tomorrow. Also, there will be some changes in our TV SHOW. I'll let you know what it is. For now, I need to rest. Early day tomorrow. My wife, Aida, will be preaching/sharing tomorrow. Please pray for her.
Happy Mother's day!
Monday, May 5, 2008
MICROSOFT DOESN'T WANT YAHOO! OH REALLY?
This was the news that came out of nowhere. Microsoft publicly withdraws it's desire to acquire the number 2 search engine on the set - YAHOO! After all the weeks of speculation and the very public debate of whether YAHOO! should sell itself to Microsoft, it is now official that we won't see a YAHOO!soft of MicroHoo! Or is this just another business tactic?
It's no secret that Microsoft wants Yahoo! MSN tries to shred the competition but it seems that they can't do it. So the best thing to do is eat the competition. Simply because Yahoo! is number 2, it won't be too hard for Bill Gates and company to make YAHOO! reach number one.
This is the typical movement of large companies to eat the competition. Here in the Philippines, I remember that there was a 24-hour type of store that was bought by 7-11 and was converted as their branch. So now, there's just two competing for the 24-hour store race.
Now, there are other search engines out there like altavista and ask.com. But really, the battle is between Yahoo! and Google. Google has become the search engine of choice for most of us including myself. Google has even become part of the dictionary as a verb (google it meaning search it online). That's when you know that you've made it big time. Now, Microsoft wants part of the internet pie.
Isn't it interesting that Google is helping Yahoo! in being just Yahoo! ? I think the Google execs see the monster that this potential merger will be. Or is it because the don't want YAHOO! to overtake them? I'd like to think that Google is genuinely concerned about Yahoo! Microsoft has dominated these past years (decades) with its clout on the IT industry and it has become somewhat a dictator as other IT companies say. Is Google preventing a future driven by Bill Gates and company?
With Mac OSX Leopard eating the chunk of Vista users, Microsoft is trying to find more ways to increase its clout on the tech world. The next battlefield is the search-tosphere. But Google and Yahoo! won't just budge without a bloody fight.
As for YAHOO! CEO Jerry Yang, he has a lot more pressure on his shoulders because of this withdrawal. He has to prove that the company he started 14 years ago can regain its popularity and its stock value despite the Microsoft "about face." I understand Mr. Yang. It's not easy to just give up something you started from scratch. But this can be a good and bad thing. Good because Yang and Yahoo! can prove that they are worth more than $47.5 billion that Microsoft is willing to pay. Bad because the stockholders can turn the tide and force the sale.
Have we seen the last of this? I don't think so. We will see more of this in the next weeks and months. It's not over till the fat Microsoft yodels ...YAHOOOOOO!!!
Sunday, May 4, 2008
DO YOU REMEMBER THE IRON-MAN CARTOON THEME?
When I was a kid, I remembered they showed re-runs of the old Marvel super hero cartoons: Captain America. Hulk. Thor. And, of course, IRON MAN. Now, this was before CGI and all the great cartoon technology. So it was quite low tech compared to today's standards. But the nostalgia of it helps me remember a bit of my childhood. I was checking YouTube and saw this old clip of the cartoon with the really swinging theme.
Check out the video clip and reminisce with me.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
New episode for IWANNATALKABOUTcast - Episode 3
On this episode, I talk about the IRON MAN movie. Have a listen. It's FREE!!!
Check it out.
Click here to get your own player.
Thanks for listening in advance!!!
IRON MAN THE MOVIE ROCKS IT!!!
After all the delays, traffic and other circumstances, I was able to watch the IRON MAN movie with my family. It was also a good thing that it was a reserved-seat movie house and I got good seats. I was very excited because it was something I've waited for since I saw the trailer online. And believe me, it was all worth the wait.
I will not tell you about the story nor any scenes that can give away the movie. But I will tell you that watching the movie will give you a sense of adventure and excitement. When I sat down, I felt like a kid again (as if I didn't feel like one everyday). Was the trailer just a come on or does the movie really rock. Well, the movie rocks 100%. From the opening scene till the last, I was at the edge of my seat. I didn't even notice that two (2) hours already passed by. I was so enveloped with the drama and suspense.
Not only that, it felt like the comics I read as a kid jumped into the screen. It's not anymore a drawing or a cartoon. It was a "real-life" figure. It was IRON MAN. Martin Downey Jr. is Tony Stark. He breathe life into the character. He was Tony Stark. I just love how he made the character his own.
The movie will not disappoint the avid comic fans of IRON MAN. It did stick to the original plot of the story. If you have not read a single comic book about the hero, the movie will tell you how he started and more. Leaving the theater will make you an orientation on IRON MAN.
And that's what is good about the movie makers. They do know that IRON MAN has a loyal fan base. If they do something dastardly, then the internet will be flocked with "DON'T WATCH THIS MOVIE!!!" posts. So far, I haven't read them yet.
IRON MAN has a lot of lessons to learn: the importance of a second chance, the value of power, what to do when given the power to change the world..etc. I'm sure you will be able to get some lessons to learn in the film.
I'm sure you will agree with me on this. Now is the best time to really make this film. If it were done years ago, it will not give any justice. The movie will flop big time. But with the advances of CGI technology, IRON MAN truly is a work on art on film. They made him do stuff that we could not do years ago. Kudos to the film makers and the nameless and faceless people who tirelessly made the CGI work wonders. Good job guys!!!
Personally, we have not seen the last of IRON MAN. Just like Spider-man and Fantastic Four, we will see a franchise on this character. I can't wait to see the other characters on film.
Have you watched the film already? Tell me what you think. Post your COMMENTS here. Let me know what you think. I want to hear from you!!!
Enjoy the movie, folks! FIVE STARS.
