tedbits...

...Brisingr (the 3rd book of Christopher Paolini's Inheritance series) costs P1149 at Powerbooks and Fully Booked, P950 at A Different Bookstore, but only P899 at NBS. Since NBS was on sale, it was actually only P809. If ever you're buying a book, better check and compare prices among book sellers too...

...Lush advocates buying solid soaps instead of liquid ones because it is more environmentally-friendly. Liquid soaps usually have added preservatives, are more wasteful, and require more energy to produce because of their plastic containers...

...Planet X Comics is already open at Level 3, Glorietta 4. It is the sister company of Comic Odyssey (found in Robinson's Galleria and Ermita). Unlike Filbar's, both of those comics stores issue receipts for purchases...

...While passing by Guadalupe, I saw a streamer in San Carlos Seminary advertising a "PARILYMPICS". At first I thought it was a spelling error, but then I realized that it was most likely a sportsfest among priests...

...Philippine Christian University along Taft Ave. has streamers in front of it's campus: Kaklase, Katropa, Ka-GSM Blue. Blue is the official color of that university, but I do not think they should be partnering with an alcoholic drink brand...

...Yoh-gurt Froz is the newest cold treat which is gaining popularity. They have a store in Robinson's Midtown (Ermita). Classic Fro-Yo which is plain yogurt ice cream cost P80 and an additional P5 per topping (choice of fruits and other sweets). Since it is made from yogurt, it has a slightly tangy taste but is more healthy. Their milk products are allegedly only from the US and Australia...

SW:TFU

I already finished Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (on the PSP)! The game is really awesome! Think of it as a movie between Episodes III and IV (much better story than SW:TCW) that you get to roleplay along the way. This game answers a lot of questions as to what happened between the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy. The book version, by the way, is already available in hardcover at NBS.

Aside from great action using the light saber, the Force effects are really cool. You can throw objects, choke enemies, electrocute bad guys, repulse everyone else, and so much more other options. As the game progresses, the light saber and costumes are customizable and the Force powers are upgradeable. Cut scenes and soundtrack during game play and in between battles are just like what you've seen and heard in the movies.

At first you'll probably find gameplay difficult, but as you get a sense of familiarity with the controls it gets easier to defeat bosses. Some common complaints against the game is the somewhat long loading times between missions/battles, and the camera view that follows your character (slow/short delay in focus).

There are other features that are just as cool. The Force Duel mode allows you to go up against Jedi/Sith opponents. Order 66 mode gives you the chance to go up against the Emperor's elite warriors who are carrying out the directive to eliminate all Jedi. In Historic Mission mode, meanwhile, you get to play one of the lead characters in scenes from the Star Wars movies. There are also 3 multiplayer (ad-hoc) scenarios available (which I haven't tried).

All in all, it is really a worthy buy and also has a lot of replay value.
I'd rate this 4 out of 5 stars.

...I've already finished 3 games in the slightly more that 3 weeks since I had my PSP. I am still also playing the free game that came along with the unit, Ridge Racer (great racing game with drifting). Next target game: Lego Batman! It has already been released in the US but unfortunately is still not available locally. :-)

Collecticon '08

It looks like it'll be a great activity... I'll definitely be going!:-)

Just Me

Ang Just Me ay ang ikalima at pinakabagong album ni Sarah Geronimo. Naglalaman ito ng 16 na kanta at nagkakahalaga ng P250. Ang mga kanta ay ang mga sumusunod:
01. I’ll Be There (Featuring Howie Dorough)
02. You’re The Love Of My Life
03. Dahil Mahal Mo Ako
04. Where Only Angels Fly
05. Silence
06. One Little Kiss
07. I Belong To You
08. Just Me
09. Look Inside Ourselves
10. Kahit Mahal Mo Ay Iba
11. Played
12. Sweet Memories
13. I Am Falling
14. What Have You Done To My Heart
15. Remind Me To Forget You
16. Movie Love
Magaling talaga kumanta si Sarah pero hindi ko masyado nagustuhan ang album na ito kumpara sa mga dati niyang gawa (na lahat ay napakinggan ko at meron din akong kopya). Masyadong nai-pokus ang pagkanta ni Sarah sa pop at sayang at sa panibagong album na ito ay hindi siya nabigyan ng pagkakataon na mag-eksperimento. Bagaman okay naman ang mga kanta ay wala talagang ni isang namukod-tangi (pati ang pagtatambal nila ni Howie D ng BSB ay hindi rin nakakapukaw ng atensiyon). Maganda ang disenyo ng CD at naglalaman din ito ng mga lyrics ng lahat ng kanta.
3 out of 5 stars.
Si Sarah ay magkakaroon ng konsiyerto sa Araneta Coliseum na pinamagatang The Next One sa 11/08/08.

heroes and villains

World War III is a 4-issue series from the story arc of Black Adam in 52 (the TPB includes week 50 of 52, and events here happen before Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman return to eliminate the Four Horsemen). After his wife Isis and Isis' brother Osiris was killed by The Four Horsemen, and after he initially defeated them, Black Adam then went on a rampaging killing spree against those responsible for making the four constructs. He starts by decimating the country of Bialya, where the horsemen originated from, and then goes against practically everybody else... "world war" thus meaning Black Adam against the world. The story in 52 prety much sums up Black Adam's rage, but I guess DC thought it had to expand the storyline and came out with this series. Aside from the superhero deaths shown in this series, the changes that occurred to Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, and Supergirl are primarilly what is notable. Great art but the action does not really seem fit to be called WWIII. 2.5 stars.

Speaking of heroes...

Justice League Heroes is a PSP game released in late 2006. It features Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter and Zatanna against Brainiac and his minions/robots. The story, cinematics and sound are simply great. Being a DC and Justice League fan, I really enjoyed this action game that combines hack-and-slash play and strategizing . At any one time you have two heroes fighting the bad guys, with the player controlling one hero (and the other by customizable AI). Each superhero has his/her unique powers at your disposal while playing that character, and these powers can be upgraded as he/she increases in level. There are other heroes (like Aquaman, Hawkgirl, Green Arrow, etc.) that are unlockable as the game progresses. After completing the main storyline, there are challenge missions that are unlocked as well as an option for continued play using characters from the completed game. There are 5 levels of difficulty so the replay value is really good. 4 stars.

...and of villains...

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is the most newly released PSP game that I am also currently playing. The story is set between Episodes III and IV and features Darth Vader's secret apprentice. It also follows events after Order 66 calling for the immediate execution of all Jedi. What's nice about the game is that you can be on the dark side of the Force, and as the title goes, use the Force in entirely new and exciting ways as shown in the game. LucasArts combines Digital Molecular Matter by Pixelux Entertainment and euphoria by NaturalMotion Ltd. with Havoc physics to create next-gen game play on the PSP. It has also been released in other gaming platforms. will rate after I finish the game...

tedbits...

...Italliani's at Greenbelt also has an "Italian Buffet" but it is for breakfast and lunch on weekends. The one in Midtown is dinners during weekdays...

...Private Iris' 2nd issue is already out. This issue has even more improbrable stunts but I guess I'm just critisizing the comic (too much) as an adult. There was a mini-launch at Powerbooks Live! recently, complete with games for kids...

...Survivor Philippines has already started on GMA 7 and it is being telecast daily. The island where the 18 castaways are staying is Koh Tarutao which is near the Thailand/Malaysia border. The sole survivor must last 39 days in the island in order to win the 3 million pesos cash prize. The whole group was divided into two tribes: Jarakay (all male) and Naak (all female), probably because Filipinos are more conservative and also to minimize problems that may arise when the camp has a mixed population. The challenges appear quite difficult, and the show adheres to the original Survivor series format. Paolo Bediones is a good choice for the host of this local Survivor version. My castaways to watch for (in terms of hotness, not necessarily who will likely win the top prize): Nikki Dacullo (call center agent) and Kaye Alipio (lingerie model)...

...celebrity sighting: Mariana Del Rio at Glorietta. Tall and sexy! :-)

dinosaurs

There is a dinosaur exhibit at Robinson's Ermita/Midtown that runs from September 12-28. The entrance fee is P25 and it features a variety of robotic dinosaurs that are able to move their heads and tails.

The dinosaurs are not life-sized, but are quite large nonetheless. The movement of the dinosaurs are very limited and not that smooth. There is an accompanying textual information for each dinosaur being displayed.

The exhibit area is quite small. I didn't actually go inside anymore and I just took pictures from the upper floors. A lot of people were having their pictures taken with the dinosaurs.

It is a great learning tour for kids though, who will surely be fascinated. I actually saw some kids going on a field trip there already...


tedbits...
...Italliani's at Robinson's Midtown has an Italian Buffet worth P395 that has a been a hit to italian food/pasta lovers...
...KFC's Kung Pao Chicken pasta tastes much better and is saucier that it's Alfredo pasta...
:-)

PSP

Playing on the PSP is definitely awesome and addictive!

I am not really a gamer but I do enjoy occasionally playing electronic games. Among role-playing games (RPGs), D&D is pretty much the only one that I played/continually play. It is therefore understandable that a combination of the two is something that I would really find enjoyable. I've played Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, and Neverwinter Nights (to name a few) and I spent hours in front of the desktop/laptop playing those games.


Dungeons and Dragons Tactics is an RPG designed for the PSP. Released in 2007, it uses the 3.5 rules. It has over 40 hours of play in 30+ levels and quests. Having played D&D before, I found the game appealing and great despite what online reviews say. Aside from being able to play anywhere because it is on the PSP, I find it easier to click away during the game as compared to playing RPGs on the computer. I guess the only setback is that of course the graphics/images are small. 4 stars.

There are a lot of different titles/games/genres to play on the PSP. Portable and light, you can play anywhere (and in some games, also wirelessly multiplay). This is aside from the fact that you can also play music, watch videos, look at photos, and browse using wi-fi. It's a good thing my injury doesn't hamper my ability to play on the PSP! :-)

tedbits...
...Congratulations to Roger Federer for winning his 5th consecutive US Open and 13th Grand Slam title! He still is the top player for me despite his mediocre-for-his-standards year. He still reached the semis in the Australian Open, was a runner-up in both the French Open and Wimbledon, and now won the US Open. That would have been an exceptional year for any other tennis player. Federer is fun to watch because he is chasing and making history in the process, breaking and making records along the way.

lasagna

HBO showed the 2nd Garfield movie recently. I was able to watch it again (a few portions of it). Garfield absolutely loves to eat lasagna... it really made me "crave" also for lasagna, just watching how much Garfield is enjoying eating it in the movie..

I ended up ordering lasagna one time I passed by a Greenwich. It costs P75 and I actually liked it. It was meaty and the lasagna(pasta) was firm. I then thought of trying out lasagna in the different restos and compare them, like the time I did something similar for tuna sandwiches and also for Ceasar's salads.

I first tried out the lasagna at Spaghetti Factory. For a P109 meal, I was quite disappointed with their lasagna. It was soggy and tasted old. There was also not enough meat and it was like eating porridge. The lasagna at The Old Spaghetti House meanwhile is at P135 and it was a bit better but not as tasty as that of Greenwich's. The lasagna at SP and TOSH are bigger servings but apparently not as meaty nor as palatable as that of the fast food chain. And although Greenwich's lasagna only has a topping of white sauce as opposed to that of the cheesier/creamy ones of the others, it tastes spicier.

I also found the accompanying garlic bread/stick of Greenwich better than that of the two others. Again, although much smaller/slimmer, I found Greenwich's garlic stick easier to eat, munchier, and has more butter.

I'd rate the lasagna at Greenwich at 4 stars, Spag Factory at 2.5, and TOSH at 3. More to follow...

injury

I got injured today...

I was boarding this bus that was full of passengers up to the very front. A man was standing near the left side of the entrance so I was holding on to the side of the door in order to steady myself while boarding the bus. The #!*^%@ driver closed the door abruptly and was not even looking if I was already fully and well positioned inside the bus. My left hand was pinned by the door!

The #!*^%@ driver did not even assist me and just sat and relied on the push button control of the door, saying he already opened it. It turns out that the door had to be pushed again a bit, crushing my hand a little more, before it could be opened fully and release my hand.

Of course it was the #!*^%@ driver's fault and he heard a lot from me! I know that one can't really help but ride in jampacked buses because of the sheer number of commuters and the need of the driver/conductor to make money, but they should always prioritize safety of their passengers. Never mind that they did not let me pay anymore because of my injury, I would have gladly paid twice the fare if only the accident did not happen.

Aside from the pain, I suffered abrasions and contusions on my left hand. In order to be sure, I had my hand x-rayed. There was a small fracture at the middle third of my 5th metacarpal. To think that it happened on a day that was quite busy for me and I had a lot of things scheduled. Imagine the hassle and added discomfort I went through attending to my injury!

It is a good thing that the injury itself was not worse and that I do not need an operation. For someone who uses his hands a lot, it really is a scary thing to lose them or not to be able to use them... I hope the #!*^%@ driver learned a lesson, because I surely did not need one! :-/

52:TC

52 The Companion is a TPB that is meant as a supplement to the DC Comics hit weekly series 52. With an introductions by Mark Waid, this issue collects "background" material (from old comic issues) on 52's lead heroes (Adam Strange, Animal Man, Black Adam, Booster Gold, Dr. Will Magnus and the Metal Men, The Question, Ralph Dibny, Renee Montoya, Rip Hunter, Steel). There are stories as old as from 1962 (Rip Hunter) and then some that are as relatively recent as 2006 (Detective Montoya, who is a somewhat new character in the DC Universe). The stories have no direct continuity with 52, and although they provide insight on the heroes themselves (as well as to how they looked in the past) it seems to me that DC just rode out on the success of 52 and came up with this compilation to increase revenue. I rate this 2.5 stars.

berrr...

Simula na ng mga buwan na may -ber... ibig sabihin papalapit na na naman ang Pasko. Sa katunayan ay may naririnig na nga akong mga kantang pang-Pasko, bagaman hindi pa "brrr" (hindi pa lumalamig ang panahon).

Tulad na lang ng kantang ito na Wish List:
There are a lot of things I want this Christmas
I have a list of what to give and receive
But they don't come in boxes wrapped in fancy paper
They just come in the simplest of things

Something weighs more than gold
The truth be told
Something means so much more
Something's better than anything tangible
And it's all we need

Love
Peace
Joy
Kindness
Humility
Positivity
And not to live in fear

Love
Faith
Hope
Friendship
Forgiveness
Happiness
That last through the years

If there's one thing I have to be this Christmas
Is that I'd be a good example to the kids
To give my heart out to everyone who needs it
Life is not about the physical things

Something weighs more than gold
Something means so much more
So much more...

Ang Wish List ay nakapaloob sa ikaapat na album ng MYMP:

now ay ang bagong labas na album ng MYMP. Nagkakahalaga ng P280, naglalaman ito ng 12 kanta (10 cover at 2 bagong kanta).

Maraming kanta (na dating hit) tulad ng Missing You, Human, Set You Free, These Dreams, at ang kanta ni Madonna na Cherish, ay naging mas malumanay at madaling pakinggan dahil sa magandang boses ni Juris at sa magaling na pagkakaayos ng banda.
Isa sa paborito ko ay ang kanta ni Vonda Shepard na Baby Don't... Ito ay nasa dating album ni Shepard na soundtrack din ng dating seryeng Ally McBeal. Ang Now at Wish List ay parehong bagong kanta at sulat ni Cattski Espina.

Ang kumpletong lista ng kanta sa album at pagkakasunud-sunod nito:
1. Now
2. Missing You
3. Human
4. Baby Don't You Break My Heart Slow
5. Set You Free
6. Make It Easy
7. Cherish
8. These Dreams
9. Impulsive
10. When She Cries
11. Rush, Rush
12. Wish List

Ang CD ay may kopya ng lyrics ng bawa't kanta. Sa katunayan ay mainam ang ganoon kaysa sa kung puro larawan lang. Nagustuhan ko ang album na ito at para rin itong mga dati nilang album na may dating na acoustic. (Ang balita ay sa hinaharap ay gagawa ng solo album si Juris bagaman hindi naman daw maghihiwalay ang banda.) 4 stars.

tedbit...
...mga natikman ko kamakailan na masarap ay ang Mango Passion Fruit Frapuccino ng Starbucks at ang Kung Pao Chicken pasta ng KFC... :-)